#Wanted to make one of these seperate from my other list

[sepiamestus]

Palestinian Artists/Fashion Designers Masterlist

(work in progress. If anyone knows of any other, please let me know!)

Handmade In Palestine - collection of Palestinian made art and accessories. Profits go to planting trees in Palestine.

Darzah - Palestinian fashion, accessories, and home decor. Profits go to artisan salaries, employment progams, and job training in the West Bank.

Nol Collective - Palestinian designed fashion collection

Balady Stitch Shop - Tatreez artist selling Palestinian fashion and accessories

Falistini Brand - Palestinian fashion, accessories, and decor collection.

Anat - Palestinian genderless embroidery and street fashion

Deerah - Sustainability focused Palestinian fashion and embroidery. Profits contribute to the income of Palestinian women in concentration camps in Jordan

Hebron Arts - Palestinian art and fashion made in the city of Hebron.

Min Amanne Designs - Palestinian artist selling how-to tatteez kits and designs

Bella Hijabs - Palestinian-owned hijabi fashion

Rahalah - Fashion, shoes, and accessories made in Palestine.

Andar Engraving- Palestinian owned custom engraving

[hkpika07]

Get ready for me exploding in the tags

what's everyone's favorite mario character?

[mephisto-reporting]

Dinner’s Ready

About: After a long and exhausting day filled with chores and responsibilities, the reader finds unexpected comfort and support from someone unexpected Pairing: Reader x Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel, Sylus (Seperate) Note: Reader and the men are not in a relationship yet but there is an implied mutual attraction.

SYLUS

The day had dragged on, pulling at every ounce of your patience. The Hunters Association had been relentless—meetings, reports, more meetings. You had barely had time to breathe, let alone grab lunch. As much as you wanted to collapse into bed the moment you got home, you knew that wasn’t in the cards tonight. The dishes were piling up, the laundry was overdue, and you still needed to make dinner. Ugh, just the thought made your head spin.

You’d spoken to Sylus earlier in the day, venting about how chaotic everything had been. He’d listened, as he always did, his smooth voice teasing you about biting off more than you could chew. But you hadn’t expected him to really care; Sylus wasn’t the type to coddle, especially not when he knew you could handle yourself.

Yet, as you stopped by the grocery store to grab ingredients, you couldn’t help but think about how nice it would be to have just one thing go your way today. Maybe a nice bowl of pho, something warm and comforting. But making it from scratch? Hell, no. That was not on your agenda for the foreseeable future.

You sighed heavily, picking up the essentials and thinking about the mountain of laundry waiting for you back at the apartment. "Today... I just can't catch a break," you mumbled to yourself, rubbing at your temple as you mentally ticked off your endless to-do list. Would it ever end?

As you rounded the corner to your building, your breath hitched in surprise. Standing casually near the entrance to your apartment complex, leaning against the wall with a faint smirk on his face, was none other than Sylus. His black coat billowed slightly in the evening breeze, and he looked every bit as confident and composed as always. But what surprised you even more was the sight of a bag in his hand, and the fact that he was here, yet again unannounced.

"Sylus? What are you doing here?" you asked, blinking as you approached him.

He pushed off the wall with that lazy grace of his, his smirk widening ever so slightly. "I was in the area, sweetie." he said smoothly, examining his finger nails. "Thought I’d drop by."

You frowned, not entirely convinced. Sylus didn’t just drop by without a reason. Your eyes flickered to the bag in his hand, curiosity bubbling to the surface as you unlocked the door and motioned for him to come inside.

Once inside, you barely had time to put your groceries down before Sylus moved toward the kitchen counter, setting his own bag down. His movements were confident, efficient, as if he’d been here a hundred times before.

“You didn’t answer my question,” you said, watching as he pulled out two bowls, your curiosity growing. “What’s with the bag?”

He glanced over his shoulder, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. “Just thought you could use a break. Take a seat." he instructed, his voice a little softer than usual.

Too tired to argue, you did as he said, sinking into a chair as he deftly unpacked the contents of the bag. To your utter shock, he began plating two steaming bowls of pho—from your favorite restaurant. The broth, the noodles, the garnishes—it was all there, and it looked perfect.

"How did you know…?" you murmured, eyeing the bowl in disbelief. You hadn’t told anyone about your pho craving.

Sylus glanced at you, a knowing glint in his eye as he placed the bowl in front of you. "Mephisto noticed you were... less than pleasant all day," he said casually. "Figured this would make things better."

Your gaze flicked to the sleek black crow perched on the window, and back to him, your lips parting in surprise. He’d actually noticed. More than that, he’d cared. And in his own subtle, roundabout way, Sylus had made sure to do something about it.

Your tired muscles seemed to relax all at once as you let out a sigh, a genuine smile tugging at your lips for the first time that day. “You have no idea how much better this makes things,” you murmured, feeling the exhaustion from the day begin to melt away. "You didn’t have to do this," you said softly, meeting his gaze. He always went out of his way when it came to you and you often felt guilty for you thought you did not have enough to offer him anything in return. It wasn’t often that Sylus went out of his way for others—his world was one of deals, power, and survival, not tenderness or comfort. But here he was. For you.

Sylus chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Oh, I think I do,” He grabbed his own bowl sliding into one of your kitchen chairs with that same self-assured ease."But... you’ve been pushing yourself too hard. Thought I’d step in before you ran yourself into the ground."

You raised an eyebrow, a soft chuckle escaping you. "Oh, and this has nothing to do with you wanting to keep your favorite hunter functional?"

"Maybe…" His eyes held yours for a moment longer before he dug in, motioning to the table. "Now eat before it gets cold."

The two of you sat down, and for a few moments, there was a comfortable silence between you as you savored the meal. The pho was perfect, the warmth of the broth soothing the ache that had settled into your bones. You hadn’t realized just how much you needed this moment of peace.

As you glanced over at Sylus, his usual sharp edges seemed softer somehow. Maybe it was the dim light in the apartment, or the fact that he had gone out of his way to do something kind, something just for you.

“Thanks,” you said, your voice soft, almost shy, as you broke the silence. “This… it really does help.”

Sylus looked at you, his gaze unreadable for a beat before he leaned back in his chair, that familiar smirk playing at his lips again. "I told you, I have my ways."

But beneath the teasing, there was something more in his expression—something that made your heart skip a beat. You didn’t need words to know that he had noticed you in a way others hadn’t, that he saw the little things, the cracks in your armor.

As you finished the meal, the exhaustion you’d carried all day seemed to lift, replaced by a warmth that had nothing to do with the pho. Sylus’s presence, for all his cryptic remarks and unreadable expressions, made you feel... cared for.

Noticing your lingering gaze, Sylus leaned back, crossing his arms with a satisfied smirk. “I do have my moments of brilliance.”

“More like rare moments,” you teased, a playful spark lighting your eyes.

He chuckled, the sound rich and genuine. “I’ll take that as a compliment, kitten. Now, how about we make a habit of this? You can complain about your hectic days, and I’ll bring the pho.”

The warmth between you deepened, the air thick with unspoken feelings and a comforting ease that felt like home. You smiled, savoring not just the delicious meal but the presence of the man beside you. “Deal.”

RAFAYEL

The day had been an absolute disaster. From the moment you woke up, everything felt like it was falling apart—meetings running late, a mountain of reports piling up, and to top it all off, your bike was in the shop for repairs. Taking the train had been a nightmare, delays at every station and a sea of people crammed together. You had been venting to Rafayel all day, pouring out your frustration in messages about the chaos and exhaustion of adulthood. He responded with his usual playful sarcasm, offering snarky comments that somehow managed to make you smile, even on a day like this.

Why does everything have to be so hard? you thought as you finally stepped off the train and made your way out of the station. As you finally exited the station, the cool evening air greeted you, a temporary reprieve from the stifling atmosphere of the train. Just as you were about to lose yourself in another mental rant about your never-ending to-do list, a familiar voice broke through your thoughts.

“Hey, Miss Bodyguard,” Rafayel's teasing voice cut through the air, his tone playful as always. You looked up, startled but undeniably pleased to see him leaning casually against a nearby wall, a smirk on his lips.

“You stalking me now?” you asked, a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth despite your exhaustion.

He shrugged, falling into step beside you as you began the walk home. “I wouldn’t call it stalking, especially when you keep giving me live updates about your day. ” he said with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with that mischievous glint you’d come to know so well. “You’ve been complaining about your day since noon. Thought I'd check if you survived.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at your lips. "Barely. The train was a nightmare, I’m behind on reports, and now I still have to cook dinner. This day won’t end.”

As the two of you walked, you found yourself venting aloud, unloading all the frustrations of the day onto him. Rafayel listened, his gaze soft yet amused, occasionally tossing in a remark or two that made you laugh despite yourself. He had this way of making even the worst days feel lighter. Once you reached home, you plopped on the couch, continuing your tirade on the pointless meetings instead of actually fighting wanderers.  “Seriously, how does anyone manage all this without completely losing it?” you groaned. “Work, reports, cooking, laundry—it’s never-ending! And now I’ve that I am home, I have to make dinner, and tackle those stupid reports…”

Just as you were about to complain more about your overwhelming workload, the doorbell rang.

"Who's that?" you muttered, confused.

Before you could get up, Rafayel waved a hand dismissively. “I got it. Stay where you are."

You gave him a suspicious look, knowing how he could be, but you let him go anyway. He strolled to the door with that infuriating confidence of his, moving like he owned the place.

A minute later, he returned with a package in hand, his expression smug.

“What did you order?” you asked, still perplexed.

He raised an eyebrow. “Who said it was your package?”

Your confusion deepened, but before you could question him further, Rafayel placed the box on the counter and opened it, revealing two neatly packed containers of chicken alfredo. Your jaw dropped as you stared at the food, your tired brain trying to make sense of what was happening.

“You…” you began, words failing you.

Rafayel glanced over his shoulder, catching your stunned expression with an amused grin. “What? You think I didn’t hear you complaining about adulting all day?”

Without waiting for a response, he plated the pasta, his movements surprisingly smooth and graceful as he brought two steaming plates to the table. He set one in front of you, then sat down across from you, his smirk softening just a fraction. “Figured I’d save you the trouble. You’ve been whining about it so much that even the turtles have heard it all the way across the ocean.”

You stared at the plate in disbelief. His company had already started to ease the tension in your shoulders, but this? This gesture—so thoughtful, so uncharacteristically sweet—had your heart fluttering.

“Raf…” you began, but he waved a hand, dismissing your attempt at gratitude.

“Don’t get all sentimental on me,” he quipped, though the hint of tenderness in his eyes betrayed him. “I needed to eat too, you know! And who knew how long it would take for you to whip something up? Just eat...”

You couldn’t help but laugh, warmth filling your chest as you took a bite of the creamy pasta. The taste was perfect—rich, comforting, exactly what you needed after a day like this. And though he was trying to act like it was no big deal, you could tell this was his way of looking out for you.

“Thanks,” you said softly, catching his gaze.

Rafayel leaned back in his chair, the smirk returning full force. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t get used to it.”

But you could tell—despite the teasing, despite the banter—that he was glad he could make your day a little better. Maybe adulting wasn’t so bad when you had Rafayel by your side…

ZAYNE

As Zayne finished his usual check-up on you, his hands gentle but firm as they performed the routine exam, you couldn’t help but let out a long, tired sigh. It had been a day. Patrolling the city, fighting off wanderers, and then filing reports had left you drained, and the thought of having to go home and make dinner was the last thing you wanted to deal with.

Zayne noticed immediately, his sharp eyes studying you with that calm, steady gaze of his. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone soft but laced with the kind of precision that came naturally to him as a doctor.

You shook your head, brushing it off. “Nothing serious. Just... thinking about my day.” You tried to give him a reassuring smile, but even you could feel how thin it was. “ But it is over now, so that is something to think about, hehe.. ”

He didn’t press you, which you were grateful for. Zayne had always been like that—understanding, patient, and perceptive. Even when you didn’t tell him how you were feeling, he always seemed to just know.

As you gathered your things and prepared to head out, Zayne cleared his throat. “My shift’s over. How about I drop you off at home?”

Surprised, you turned to face him, and for a moment, you considered saying no, but the truth was—it had been a while since you and Zayne had spent any time together outside of these clinical settings. You nodded, grateful for the company. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

The drive was peaceful, the hum of the car and the cool night air lulling you into a more relaxed state. Zayne wasn’t one for unnecessary chatter, which you appreciated. His presence alone was enough to take the edge off your exhaustion.

Without warning, he slowed the car and pulled into the parking lot of a familiar spot—your favorite hot pot restaurant. You blinked, confused but intrigued.

“Hot pot?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zayne gave a small, knowing smile. “It’ll save us both from having to cook,” he explained, always the practical one. “And on nights like these, something warm and hearty is good for the body. Better circulation, helps relax the muscles after a long day. Plus, it’s my treat since I dragged you here.”

You couldn’t help but laugh softly at how effortlessly he slipped into his medical reasoning, but more than that, you felt your heart warm at the gesture. You hadn’t even vented to him about how drained you were, yet somehow, Zayne had picked up on it and brought you exactly where you needed to be. It was almost too perfect. That was just how he was—quietly thoughtful, always tuned in to what would make your day a little better.

“That’s pretty thoughtful of you,” you said, unable to hide the warmth in your tone. “I could definitely use some hot pot. You know me too well.” You eagerly unbuckled your seatbelt and got out of the car.

“I do,” he replied, his smile soft yet confident as the two of you walked into the cozy restaurant. The warmth of the place immediately surrounded you, and it felt like the perfect escape from the long, tiring day.

As you settled into a booth, you couldn’t help but think how lucky you were to have Zayne in your life—someone who understood you without needing you to explain everything. As the two of you were seated inside, ordering your favorite dishes and letting the rich, fragrant broth bubble between you, the conversation flowed easily. Zayne’s calm demeanor was a balm to your tired mind, and his subtle teasing made you laugh more than once.

As the hot pot simmered in front of you, Zayne casually brought up another idea. “There’s a cake shop close to your place. I was thinking we could swing by after. I’ve been meaning to get something sweet.” His love for desserts was well known, and you could already picture the way his eyes would light up at the prospect of picking out his favorite cake.

The suggestion made you smile wider than you had all day. “I’d love that.”

There was something unspoken lingering between you. But in moments like these, with Zayne looking at you with that easy smile and making your long day just a little bit brighter, you could feel it. And you were more than happy to bask in it, even if just for tonight. As you walked out of the restaurant side by side, the chill in the air wasn’t so bad anymore.

XAVIER

You collapsed onto the couch with a long, tired groan, your face buried in a pillow. The mission had been grueling, and now that you were back home, a mountain of chores awaited you—dinner to make, the house to clean, bills to pay. It felt like there was no end in sight, like you couldn’t catch a single break.

For a moment, you let yourself wallow in the exhaustion, silently trying to gather enough mental energy to tackle everything. Maybe if you just lay here long enough, the universe would cut you some slack.

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang, cutting through your thoughts. You blinked, sitting up slowly. Who could that be right now?

Dragging yourself to the door, you opened it, and standing there was Xavier, his usual easygoing smile softening the weariness that had taken hold of you.

“Hey, mind if I come in?” he asked, his voice low and gentle. You didn’t even need to reply because he lifted his hand, showing you a takeout bag. The familiar logo of your favorite burger joint was printed on it.

Your heart did a little flip, the tension from the day starting to melt away. “Xavier...”

“I figured you had a long day,” he said, stepping inside once you nodded, his tone casual but warm. “Heard from the others that it was pretty rough. And while I can’t promise anything gourmet, I figured burgers, fries, and churros were safe bets. Oh, and drinks too. No cooking necessary.”

The way he effortlessly made you feel seen without even needing to ask, it was just so him. He had this way of knowing exactly what you needed without making a big deal out of it, like he was always quietly observing, thinking of ways to help without making a fuss.

“Thank you,” you murmured, genuinely touched. “This is exactly what I needed.”

As you led him into the living room, Xavier wasted no time setting up the food on your coffee table, all casual like he’d done this a hundred times before. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself as he passed you a drink and a burger. It was so thoughtful, so simple yet perfect.

While you ate, the tension from earlier spilled out. “I’ve got so much to do still,” you admitted, venting to him between bites. “The house is a mess, I have to pay the bills, and the trash is piling up. I just... I don’t even know where to start.”

Xavier leaned back against the couch, his eyes focused on you but in that soft, reassuring way he always had. “Why not start tomorrow?” he suggested, his tone light but confident, as if the solution was obvious. “I’ll take the trash out when I leave. The rest? You can handle it later. No point in burning yourself out tonight.”

He stretched an arm casually over the back of the couch, settling in with that relaxed vibe he always carried, but there was a quiet depth in his words. He wasn’t one for grand gestures or dramatic speeches, but in his own way, he was telling you to take it easy, that he had your back.

“Besides,” he added, his lips quirking into a small grin, “I was thinking we could watch a movie. You know, unwind. You’ve earned it.”

You looked at him for a moment, feeling the weight of your day easing with every word. He didn’t push, didn’t force you to agree, but the offer was so tempting. With the food, the company, and the way he was so effortlessly making everything better, it felt like a much-needed lifeline.

“That sounds like a good idea,” you said, smiling softly as you leaned back beside him, the stress of your responsibilities finally taking a back seat. You let out a sigh of relief, knowing deep down you’d end up thanking him for this later.

The unspoken connection between you both lingered in the air, not something you needed to say out loud. It was there, in the way he knew just what you needed, in the comfortable silence that followed as the movie started. You didn’t need words to acknowledge it. It was simply... understood.

And as Xavier settled in next to you, you realized that tonight, the chores could wait. Right now, this was enough.

AN: reblogs, feedback and opinions are appreciated!

[themultifanshipper]

Hi I love your writing!!Could you maybe do the 🟡 prompt from your list with Oscar. I’m thinking maybe a female driver reader enemies to lovers kind of situation but it is really up to you

Thanks💜

You and Oscar didn't usually find yourselves battling on track, because you didn't usually qualify close to each other. But this time… this time you had locked out the front row at your home race, and it was going to be a blood bath.

Warnings: hate sex, rough sex, biting, hair pulling, the usual really, although I find the ending surprisingly fluffy for me but oh well, also Oscar is kind of a dick in this ngl, also Bestfriend!Lando bc I cannot seperate them even in fiction

Requested from my prompt list

Obviously this was a fight you refused to lose. You were in front of your home crowd, qualifying p2 behind your teammate for one of the rare times your car hadn't failed you half way through qualifying.

These days you felt like you were driving a fucking Williams.

Anyway, the lights went out and for the next hour and a half the cameras did not leave you two for even a second, the battle for p1 being so intense. You'd lost count of how many times you had overtaken each other, and both of you had damage. Part of your front wing was missing, your DRS was glitching, and Oscar had floor damage. Both of you were too stubborn to come into the pits so you kept going despite your engineers' orders, and on the last corner of the last lap, you brake checked Oscar.

You don't even remember doing it. All you remember is the crowd roaring your name as the McLaren crew lifted you out of your seat and carried you over their heads chanting the song they had affectionately dubbed yours.

“She's a maniac, maniac on the floor! And she's driving like she never has before!”

You remember the podium ceremony, Lando had overtaken Oscar thanks to you and was spraying you in the face from his p2 spot, as Oscar scowled and sprayed Zak, who stood off to the side, ready to give you two a stern talking to after the ceremony.

You remember being yelled at in his office. Something about him smoothing it over with the stewards so that you didn't get a penalty at your home race, at which point Oscar also started yelling, at Zak, at you, and at the unfairness of it all.

You remember going out to a club with Lando, the heavy bass of the music (and the alcohol) transporting you to another realm of existence as you danced together.

It's when you'd had one two many tequila shots (courtesy of Lando's fat bank account) that you thought it would be a good idea to call Oscar.

Unfortunately for him, he answered.

“Hello? Why the fuck are you calling me at two in the morning? Has something happened? Is Lando in a coma? No? Then don't fucking call me”

And with that he hung up on you. So you rang again, not one for giving up so easily.

“For the love of Christ, WHAT?!”

“Oscar! Why aren't you out celebrating your podium?” you said loudly over the music.

“Yeah Oscar I miss partying with youuuuu” Lando whined into the phone over your shoulder.

“Fucking leave me alone!” Oscar shouted, and he hung up again, but even though the club was loud, you definitely heard his voice crack.

So you and Lando had the marvelous idea to go to his hotel (you were staying at your own place, with Lando, it being your home race) and knock on his door. And he opened it to the sight of you and Lando clinging onto each other for dear life.

“Fucking hell you two look like shit, what have you been doing?” his eyes roamed your figures, staying a bit too long on yours, and on your ridiculous dress (picked by Lando of course) that probably exposed more of you than it covered.

The two of you barged into his room and sat on his bed. While he just stared you down.

“Well?... what the fuck do you want?” he scowled.

“We came to ask why you're moping here instead of celebrating your podium with us” Lando pouted.

“What is there to celebrate? You-” he pointed at you “ruined my race by making a dangerous move. I'm not celebrating a fucking p3 when I would have won fair and square!”

You and Lando looked at each other, which was a mistake, because you immediately started giggling uncontrollably.

“GET OUT!” Oscar shouted louder than you'd ever heard him, and Lando immediately ran for the door.

Mopey grumbling Oscar was hilarious, but you'd come to find that furious Oscar was downright terrifying when he needed to be.

You weren't scared though, you'd always found angry Oscar incredibly hot, and right now you'd had enough alcohol to make sure you couldn't run even if you tried.

The furious expression on his face as he stared you down did make you squirm though, and your thighs clenched together involuntarily.

His eyes were drawn to the movement, quickly scanning the expanse of your bare thighs before snapping back up to your face and taking a step towards you.

"Well?! Anything to say for yourself? A fucking apology perhaps? Or even just a reason as to why you're still sitting on my bed in that slutty excuse of a dress instead of running away like Lando?”

You were outraged at his words. How dare he say that.

“How fucking dare you!” you managed to stand up on wobbly legs to shove him backwards. Unsurprisingly he didn't move an inch. “This dress is perfectly fine! It's a club dress!”

“Oh please! It's indecent, I can almost see your-”

“SECONDLY!” you interrupted before he could finish that particular sentence, the thought of him actually seeing you so exposed slightly overwhelming you “I didn't run away because I’m not fucking scared of a dickhead like you!”

He stepped closer to you, so close that if he extended his arm he could touch you if he wanted to. His eyebrows were lost in his hairline, and there was a fire in his eyes you had rarely seen there before, as he shook with rage.

“If you’re not scared of me then why are you trembling like a fucking leaf? Is it because you're cold in that pathetic excuse of an outfit?”

“You seem awfully focused on my dress for someone who claims to be so nonchalant” you purred, stepping closer.

“Fuck you.” he scowled.

“Ooh is that a proposition?” you smirked, your bodies were almost touching now.

“Careful, don't get too cocky, I'm obviously not as easy for it as you” he spat, eyes darting down to where goosebumps had risen over the exposed skin of your breasts.

“How could I not get cocky?” you leaned in close to whisper “I'm the one who got a first place trophy a few hours ago…” and with that, you pushed past him and started walking towards the door.

But just before you could grab the handle, you were pushed flat against the door roughly and you gasped as Oscar growled in your ear.

“Fuck you, and fuck your trophy, and fuck this fucking dress!”

He wasted no time spinning you around and slamming you back against the door, plastering himself against your body and slotting a thigh between yours, forcing you to spread your legs for him.

“This dress is going to be useless by the time I’m fucking done with you”

You were reduced to a puddle of mush as his hands ripped the flimsy fabric, flinging it across the room and his mouth immediately went to your tits, mouthing over them and groaning into the skin. One of his hands went up to grab your hair and the other grabbed your ass hard enough to leave bruises. He tensed his thigh as you grinded on it shamelessly, whimpering as the friction of his jeans felt like heaven against your barely covered cunt.

His mouth went up to your neck, licking and sucking the skin it found in it's path before pausing and looking at you, his eyes hooded and mouth gasping for air as he panted into your mouth.

“I’m going to make you pay for the race, sweetheart, I'm going to fucking ruin you.”

And ruin you he did. Your body was on fire, your thighs were fucking soaked, and Oscar had you arched into the bed, ass up in the air as he pounded into you while holding your head up to look at yourself in the mirror that was facing the bed.

You looked like sin personified, makeup running down your face, drool and tears making a mess of the sheets as yet another orgasm wracked through your body.

He pulled out and turned you over, spreading your legs, weeping cunt on display for him.

He moaned at the sight of your used body, marks and bruises blooming all over it.

“Fuck you're so perfect for me, I can't get enough of this pussy” he slid his tip through your slit a couple of times, just enough to make you start begging again, before sliding back in to the hilt. “Fuck- begging so perfect for me when you're not running your mouth” he growled before pounding into you mercilessly and rubbed the meat of his palm over your clit. The friction was too much as your hands flew to his shoulders and your nails dug in, making him groan as his pace faltered and he grabbed your wrists to pin them above your head.

His face hovered inches above yours, sweat dripping off him onto you as he pounded into you for all he was worth.

“Too much…” you gasped “Osc, I can't”

“Shhhhh baby, you can do one more for me, I know you can.”

He kissed you, much too soft in comparison to how he was railing you into next week. And he kissed away the tears on your cheeks as his hand let your wrists go in favour of wrapping his arms around you to lift you up into his lap, deepening the angle of his thrusts making you cry out in pleasure.

He buried his head in your shoulder as he rolled his hips, fingers going back to play with your clit as you writhed above him.

“Oscar fuck… So deep… I’m so close, fuck don't stop!” You wrapped your arms around him as you finally kissed him without thinking, making him groan into your mouth as his hips never faltered.

He wouldn't dream of stopping, he’d been waiting for this moment a long time, and now that he had you, he was going to do everything he could to keep you.

“Come for me love, come on my cock, good girl…” he panted into your mouth.

It was like a volcano erupting as you came around him. You clamped down hard around his cock and it threw him over the edge as well, biting into the meat of your shoulder, so deep he could almost taste blood. You gasped and your hips bucked into his gently as you both rode the waves of your highs together.

Once the two of you regained a sense of where you were, wrapped in each other’s arms and covered in sweat, you just looked at each other, neither of you knowing what to say.

Daylight was already filtering in through the blinds and for the first time, you noticed the dusting of freckles on his nose and cheeks.

Neither of you wanted to let go, despite supposedly being bitter rivals. The two of you surged forwards at the same time and his lips were soft against yours as you clung to each other, hands grasping every piece of flesh they could reach. And you didn't let go until the sun was well and truly up, and Oscar ignored the calls from the team to say they were going to leave without him if he didn't get there soon.

“Stay with me for a few days?” You whispered into his neck as you lay under the covers with him.

“Okay” he kissed the top of your head sleepily, drifting off after an intense race weekend (wink wink).

You checked your phone for messages, only seeing one from Lando.

‘Do I even need to ask where you slept last night?’

Despite the obvious bait from your best friend, you decided to reply:

“Nope... but fyi I haven't actually slept at all ;) ’

You turned your phone off, and snuggled back under the covers with Oscar, who was already snoring softly behind you.

[justporo]

Headcanons for the companions reuiniting after a few months

Ok, but imagine Astarion and Tav invite their friends over for a reunion during winter time!

Obviously it's Tav's idea and Astarion isn't into it at first but he thinks it's kinda cute how into it Tav is

Gale is enlisted as sous-chef, he doesn't have a choice

The wizard also spices up things decor wise with some magic, Shadowheart also helps make look everything incredible

Tav and Gale make all the dishes, heaps of them, loads - no one will go home without having gained at least three pounds of weight; Astarion picks out wine and drinks

And when everyone arrives it's just a whoooole big cheerful mess: hugs, smooches, screaming, excited hopping up and down (and obligatory snarls and hisses from some because it's just a lot of love going around)

The house is full of laughter and talk the whole night

Karlach hangs out under mistletoe for a suspicious amount of time to give little pecks to everyone excitedly

Halsin has brought individually whittled ducks for everyone - Lae'zel claims she hates hers but then she's seen carefully turning it around in her hands the whole night

Jaheira, Wyll and Astarion get into a fierce discussion of Baldurian politics over several bottles of wine - by the end they're in a screaming match (affectionately) and Jaheira ends it by dragging on pointy ears and horns using her mom voice on Wyll and Astarion

Shadowheart tells the others how she's overcome her former beliefs and how she made a new life for herself causing the whole party to fall silent for a moment, even some tears might be shed; "Have you all gotten soft in the last months? Ugh!" Shadowheart says and with that the spell is broken, although she still gets a lot of hugs and told how proud everyone is (she claims she hates it, but everyone sees the light blush and the telltale shining wet eyes)

Gale brought Tara and her and Scratch hang out in front of the fireplace, maybe even Boo

At one point Jaheira and Halsin join them in cat wildshape - then Boo has to watch himself while being playfully chased around by the cats and the tressym - Minsc meanwhile completely loses it while he chomps away on more food

Lae'zel shows off her knife skills by artfully seperating whatever meat dish is set in front of her from the bones

Later Halsin and everyone else who wants to join sneak out the backdoor to the small garden for a little smoking session - even Wyll joins and they all come back with some giddy chuckles

Maybe all of them play like charades at the end: Astarion is amazingly good at it (because let's face it he's so dramatic usually he's good at portraying things) - you and him are just a dreamteam, Karlach is just super excited, Lae'zel doesn't get it at first but then is overly competitive, Minsc doesn't fully understand what's going on but he's just vibing, Wyll overcomplicates everything while Shadowheart keeps rolling her eyes and sighing in annoyance, Halsin and Jaheira just keep watching while chatting and having more drinks, Gale screams the loudest with suggestions that are oddly specific and not even close to what's the solution

The little townhouse in Baldur's Gate is filled with love, light and laughter through the whole night - promises to repeat this have already been made

Tag list: @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @azukiel @hereliesblackdragon

[jazeswhbhaven]

A Christmas beneath Heaven | React | Days: 4 & 5

Okay, so it made sense to do a 3-day and then the others a two day react per post. (I just hope my masterlist doesn't end up too many links for the reacts lol)

SOOO we left off with learning that MC has the Christmas Cold which causes them to be overly horny due to them holding back their desires and being in Hell as a human. We also know that Solomon had it and a devil cured him of it before. It also appears that Bael found the devil that knows of the cure!

But uh.....you see

The devil is an old like really old woman. We're talking like imagine gran gran is in her 80s-90s old in human standard where she talks r e a l s l o w.

And it turns out, not only are our boys seemingly impatient (Beelzebub especially like he's nearly pulling his clothes off out of waiting on her answering how to heal MC), they also seem to be judging her physical appearance very harshly.

Which doesn't make a whole lotta sense to me because aren't they old asf? I guess they haven't reached that point where they have wrinkles or grays or maybe they don't have that ability to age physically because they ARE kings after all.

Anyways, gran gran is trying her best to explain, but no one is having it so Ppyong is here to try and help.

I also noticed twice during these days that Asmodeus was calling her "mature" in a flirty way, because he pretty much flirts with anyone and gran gran is on his list.

Ppyong finally gets some kind of headway with her, and it turns out...her clan just has a condition where they age very quickly. She later includes that not only does her clan age in appearance quickly they don't live as long.

Knowing this information though, uh...doesn't help the matter because Belphegor of all devils starts laughing it up that she looks like that and he's imagining everyone looking so old like that at "young" ages. Though, Beleth has to smack some sense into him because when she mentions dying early Belphie is still laughing about it. SAFE TO SAY THAT BELPHIE HAS THAT KINDA HUMOR YA'LL AND HES STILL MY BBY ITS OKAY.

Asmodeus does his flirty thing, gran gran agrees to meet with him after the meeting, and well Satan blows the fuck up cause he's really just trying to get to the point and it's pissing him off that Asmo is just trying to stick his dick in someone once again.

Ppyong does say that she is aware of the cure, that it's located in "Middle Realm" where fallen angels refuse to believe they are in Hell and are waiting to return as confirmed by Beleth. Belphie asks why Beleth didn't just stay there and he says he doesn't remember (though I'm pretty sure he does to a certain extent and I have this theory that fallen angels have the ability to lie btw, a trait that stays with them from being an angel)

And it seems that the angel they are looking for that knows exactly of this cure is Achazriel, the one who fell before Lucifer, the OG first fallen angel that was forced out of heaven. So naturally, he would have that kind of ability.

Solomon also got the medicine from this area, meaning the Middle Realm has been in existence for quite some time and that would make sense.

Meeting is adjourned with this info and everyone seems to split off (even Asmo and gran gran 👀👀) leaving Beel, Bael, Beleth and Belphie who took his ass back to sleep lol

Bael tries to see if Beel wants to do the same thing, to which no he doesn't. Beleth tells him not to worry about it and he already clocked that the other devils seperated themselves for a reason. Bael concludes it's because they're trying to win MC's favor by curing them first.

Beel knows the real deal. On Christmas day....MC is at their peak meaning that's when they are MOST unhinged in their desires and that's the best time to strike. Everyone is basically waiting until MC is pretty much so horny they can't even think straight, take advantage of that moment and then cure them.

"Waiting until the fruit is ripe" as Beel puts it.

Now....tbh that's such a devil thing to do and I don't even think I can be mad about that considering they want to experience that for themselves. But something tells me that none of the kings are going to experience that....moment with MC.

SCREENCAP TIME

This part was sending me, Bael is fucking tired but he would rather not use Asmo's lap because he knows that the fuck that means (his boner would be pokin' him)

Okay ya'll rude asf, leave her a looonnneeeeeeeeeeeee

Asmo called her mature in appearance probably in a horny way and Bael was like

Beel was so impatient he was being this dramatic. Gotta love a drama queen. but dats my boo.

Belphie. pls babes. Just go back to sleep.

LOL. He hates Beel, can't stand him apparently but is willing to take one of his nobles for himself. You ain't slick Levi...(you just want your bestie and you to share it's okay)

Bael is always so tired of his shit lmao, I just wanna run him a hot bath and give him a massage like, let's melt all that stress away...

Belphie....again babes just go back to sleep.

Asmo being like-

him @ Asmo rn

Sorry ya'll but this description of his voice....fine asf I swear like bring all of that over to me now

Proof of why I think fallen angels have the ability to lie ^^^^^^

This is hot of him idk let's boil our enemies in gold

titty cameo

Thanks Ppyong kicks him into a wall 'playfully'

The fact that he can see that far is wild but he also can probably smell them too. Everything about him is....just him.

And there ya go~ the next two days for part one will probably be them going to the Middle Realm. LETS PAUSE FOR THEORY TIME

I honestly think how this "trying to bang MC when the cold is at it's peak" won't happen. With normally how these events go they will attempt but something hilariously funny will happen where MC just sweats it out and they don't need the medicine after all or "someone else" got to them first and it's pretty much none of them. Lol

Let's see what the results bring hm???

[anghraine]

Is there a good post outlining all the evidence against Gaiman? I know the podcast has it and that's what people pointed to me, but considering it has been days I was wondering if someone had gathered it all into seperate post so one does not have to listen to someone advertising their work every few minutes in order to listen to the important parts.

Belatedly (given that at least three other women have accused him since my post), there are some. The best of the original ones is probably "Manufacturing Consent" by Annabel Ross, but there are also transcriptions of the original accusations that, iirc, weed out some of the editorializing and focus on the raw material (which is, just be warned, very raw).

This (long) thread provides the important links in terms of the accusations conveyed by Tortoise, I think (a more to-the-point list is here at muccamukk's Dreamwidth account). I included the long thread because I'm in strong agreement with the final person in the chain that, Tortoise's many failings notwithstanding, they provided enough evidence for the SF/F community to judge and respond more appropriately than with a collective blanket of silence punctuated by occasional cavalier or desperate dismissals of the accusers, before the other accusations broke.

In all honesty, I'm pretty appalled by the idea that, well, now there's enough to start talking about it with a modicum of decency and respect but wasn't before, because apparently it was okay to use trans people (who had nothing to do with any of this) to justify defending a cis guy beloved of fandom from very thorough rape accusations.

I particularly feel this way about the parts of the community dedicated to publicizing news and major ongoing discussions that simply said and did nothing. Scalzi's "I'm horrified, might take awhile to process, here's a link to RAINN" personal statement was fine (Vernon's wasn't), and I don't think every random author was obligated to make their own statement as such. But spaces that exist specifically for covering ongoing discussions and news in the SF/F community not saying anything at all—even that the allegations existed—was far worse and really disheartening. So I wanted to link to a discussion that acknowledges how very few people lived up to their stated principles when there was solid evidence against an influential, popular man in their own circles who knows the right catchphrases and terminology.

I was particularly unimpressed with Mike Glyer's handling of discussion at File 770 and, as far as I could tell, Tor only acknowledging the whole thing on their German-language site. The German article seems to be very good, but ... they're based in NYC and Gaiman is an English-language writer, why was their only commentary for weeks shunted away from the English site? US law should absolutely cover acknowledging the existence of the accusations.

There was, let's say, a lot of disappointment to go around, so I'm also grateful for the other women who kept the ball rolling, awful as it is that they a) had similar experiences and b) had to reveal those to get the whole thing taken seriously.

[orphiclovers]

I was going to say something like "Singshong must really want Yoo Joonghyuk to be a silver fox since he gets old and sexy grey hairs TWO whole seperate times - 0th round and astronout, as opposed to Kim Dokja ,who visibly ages ZERO times" but that got me thinking about other characters and I realized you could create a binary of if a character is childcoded or oldcoded in Singshong's mind, regardless of actual age. So I did.

Old-coded Adults (adults in an older body OR aged due to outside circumstances)

Yoo Joonghyuk - complete silver fox as Zero, aged like fine wine as an astronout.

Han Sooyoung - 50+ years old in Kaizenix, "still looks as young as ever" - Kim Dokja says this about actual grandpa Zero too, let's just say he's a MILF hunter. I'm still counting this.

Jung Heewon - 37 years old as Erich Striker which is not THAT old but I'm adding it for the fact she's a guy (need to make a list with what genders SS associate with kimcom too...)

Lee Hyunsung - 47yo as Bilston Farmer

Yoo Sangah - reincarnated as Tang Sanzang. Don't know how old he was but probably middle aged or young adult?

Child-coded Adults (adults in a younger body)

Kim Dokja - 51% has an adult mind but body shrinks to a kid

Secretive Plotter - looks like a kid when runs out of probability, still mentally an adult

that one fist guy on reincarnation island, mentally adult, physically kid.

1863 Han Sooyoung - posseses a 13 year old in her 30s.

Old but (more or less) physically AND mentally a child

Oldest Dream - old but mentally and physically a kid

ABFD - same thing

41st/Disaster of Floods - gets reincarnated as a (dokkaebi) baby without memories for a while.

Dokkaebi King - Goes from ancient with middle aged appearance to mentally childish and childlike body.

Eternal teenagers

Shin Yoosung -Yoo Mia side story/1865th era, looks like a teen but mentally is older due to regression shenanigans.

Biyoo - is old as balls even not counting pre-reincarnation years but human form looks like a teen regardless.

Jang Hayoung - in a 15 yo body, is in her twenties

Disaster of Questions - 127 years old, looks 17.

This is just off the top of my head, there is probably more. Jesus I did not expect this list to get so long

[brights-place]

Can request a clay and Floyd ,branch ( separately)with a s/o who pushes themselves to much and then gets hurt one day and they decide to force them not to push themselves

Please and thank you

Young Brozone bro's with overworking S/O

Pairing: Brozone X S/O (Seperate)

Warnings: Cursing, fluff, overworking s/o

A/N: Ahhh! this is fun to write and I have been overworking myself too so this was nice to write hope you like! credits to the artist since I ran out of other brozone photos!

Clay

- Okay but Clay seems like the guy that gets so mad when you don’t eat even if it’s only been for a few hours because you’re not taking care of yourself - He entered the room after dealing with Viva and stared at you with confusion - Clay noticed that you were alseep on your bed as a look of worry and slight annoyance for you not taking care of yourself infront of him - Whenever you fall asleep from working too long/being online too long he'll always tuck you into bed and give you a kiss on the forehead.

- He has all your favorite snacks memorized and has them stocked up for you.

- When he thinks you're asleep he will tell you stories about him from his past and you will admit sometimes you could NEVER see him doing those things.

- He would kiss your cheek and tell you how much he was worried as you sigh in relaxation in his arms

Floyd

- He enters the room and looks around - Floyd was tired and yawned wanting nothing more then cuddle you while listening to some music together and talking about eachothers day - The definition of a worry wart once he sees that your head is resting on your desk fast asleep. - Finally chuckles once he realized you were just tired from a long day of running errands and doing hours upon hours of paper work that price had asked of you - Though yes you had gotten most of them done, there was still atleast a bit more to go through but he refused to let you do it considering you had already burnt yourself out

- Doesn’t take no as an answer and makes sure to treat you to your favorite things! Like food, dessert, run a bath for you and cuddle for the rest of the night. - Wants you at your very best and refuses to let you work yourself like that again. Despite laughing at the situation he was actually worried - He kisses your cheeks and peppers your face with love as he tried to convince you to take more breaks

Branch

- Branch is protective and caring, always looking out for your well-being and making sure they're okay

- He knows you have the tendency to overwork themselves and push themselves to the point of exhaustion.

- Branch often tries to convince you to take things slower and to take care of themselves but your stubborn

- Despite his best efforts you occasionally tends to disregard his suggestions and continue to push yourself

- Though yes you had gotten most of them done, there was still atleast a bit more to go through but he refused to let you do it considering you had already burnt yourself out

- Doesn’t take no as an answer and makes sure to treat you to your favorite things - Like food, dessert, run a bath for you and cuddle for the rest of the night. - branch noticed that you were alseep on your bed as a look of worry and slight annoyance for you not taking care of yourself infront of him - Whenever you fall asleep from working too long/being online too long he'll always tuck you into bed and give you a kiss on the forehead.

reblogs + comments are appreciated ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

©brights-place 2023 — do not repost on another platform, copy, translate or edit my works! if you fit my DNI list please don't interact!

[unabashednightmarepizza]

𝑆𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒

Summary: Black Family sucked. That's what your friends, your family and boyfriend said. They were obsessed with being "pure" and ready to do anything to achieve that... But none of you would have known exactly what measures they would go.

A/N: I went overboard with this one, and had to seperate it to two parts. So, hopefully, next week, you guys will have a second part. But I'm sleepy while uploading this so... Forgive me if there are some mistakes, I'll fix them later. REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

Trigger Warning: Mentions of torture and abuse, some very slight make out mentions(?), typical Black family, 8.2K words.

Pairing: Regulus Black x Pureblood!Fem!Reader

Prompts: "No one makes me smile the way you do.", "I've always loved that about you.", " I know I don't say it a lot, but I really do love you." and "You're all I'll ever need to feel better." from this prompt list ; 3,6,7,8,9, 19, 22, 29, 30 and 31 from the kissing prompts 4 of my "SUMMER CELEBRATION" event.

Part2

Regulus wasn't seen.

It wasn't like he wasn't at the school where you both called your home, he definetly was. There were glimpses of him in lessons, or Quidditch practices, there were slight whispers of his rich and silky voice as he spoke to his friends in the Great Hall, one that you could always catch no matter where or when. It was the same voice that whispered you sweet good mornings, the same voice that told you soft spoken, full of love and adoration, words as he danced with you in somewhere away from the prying eyes, his own blue-ish gray ones looking extra ethereal and captivating at the moonlight that shone on both of you, contouring his sharp face so beautifully that often left you speechles.

Speechles at how this amazing, caring and loving boy was yours. And he often felt the same about you, about how lucky he was for finding you in that library corner, drowning in books and hair messy, at his lowest point.

A point where no one really made it an effort to listen to him, to know him.

By his friends, his parents... His own brother.

But, even if he wasn’t heard or seen by his family, Regulus Black was seen in Hogwarts, by many others... But not you.

Not today.

He was avoiding you.

It hurted you whenever he distanced himself. He often did this, but even then, he would tell you that he just needed to be alone and gather his thoughts after a kiss to your forehead and then return a few hours later with your favourite dessert from one of the house elves. They even learnt when to bake them for him and you, after witnessing how bice you treated them and such, they were happy to stay awake a few more hours so that you two could be happy.

And of course, you understood that everyone could need some alone time in this hectic life, Regulus more than anyone, but this much of being alone...

He didn't even come to dinner time, instead saying some bullshit about wanting to sleep and tell you to eat with your friends after a soft kiss to your cheeks and a short kiss to your lips. He would always lay some on your lips, and even pepper your whole face with them. His kisses were always so passionate, they left you a breathless mess at the place he kissed you, making you jump on him as you both laughed in delight.

Be it his dorm, you would jump on the bed and you two would play fight, looking into each others eyes as he would hover over you, a hand on your waist with a thight grip as his breath fanned your face, his nose touching yours as he would muzzle his to your neck. You are beautiful, he would whisper before his kisses would turn urgent and you both’s clothes would soon be thrown away at somewhere.

Regulus Black was a passionate young man, someone who felt deeply... But that passion was slowly dying.

And it was your greatest fear coming true.

“Excuse me, guys... I don’t have an appeatite...” you slowly got up as you looked at them, apologizing with your eyes. People always thought them to be such fuckers but Barty and Evan, as long as they weren’t in their teasing romance, were actually great friends of you and Regulus... Barty was the first one who adopted you in the group, back before you were sorted in any houses, in the train and... Perhaps, you were the only one they loved in another house.

“Where are ya goin’? Ya haven’ eaten anythin’?” Barty pointed to your plate as a sheepish look came over you, lips tugging to a sweet smile, hoping that he would let it pass. He wouldn’t have fallen for the puppy eyes, not for the 97th time, had Evan not pointed to who was missing on their table as well.

“looking for her boyfriend, I see...” you gave a sad smile at Evan as he nodded to the entrance of the Great Hall. He, too, was aware that something was... more wrong with the Black as well, but none of them could come close enough to question him without getting blasted off. “Go. That boy never admits, but he is very dependant on you... He needs you.”

But, if there was anyone who could do that... And perhaps, it was you he wanted to have with him, it would be you.

He had seen from first-hand experience how good you affected the boy, how he seemed happier. Though he would always tease him for the heart eyes he sent your way, or how he would get up from his seat and hug you at the entrance of the Great Hall as soon as he sees you, and also accompany you to his side as you talked with his friends and then, sit with you in your side of the table with your friends at lunch time or dinner, he was glad he found some solace in you.

He was aware of the “pureblood nonsense” most “pureblood” families believed in, his and Blacks for example, and did anything to make their children believe in it too. Regulus was still considered lucky in his eyes, for having Sirius protecting him since he didn’t have someone that would protect him.

And now that they were friends, there was no way in hell that he would allow him to relapse into those bad thoughts that could never actualy stop swirl in his head.

You beamed at Evan as your sprinted from them, Evan yelling after you that they would bring some food for you two while Barty hissed about you not doing any funny business. Evan elbowed him hard as Barty whined about how Regulus was becoming soft, and pink, and domestic around him so much that he couldn’t take it anymore. I love our girlie, and cold bitch of a friend but they both make me... sick...

You couldn’t care less about what they said though. Your mind was only on Regulus and how in pain he looked earlier, even when he tried to hide it behind his steel look. You wondered if it was the anniversary of his brother leaving him behind, but quickly checked it out. Maybe his parents were strict and harsh to him again? But he always said he was used to their harsh ways of teaching...

And now that you stopped in front of the the door seperating you from the Slytherin Common Room... You realized that you didn’t know much about your own boyfriend as much as you were supposed to. And that thought made you frown as you looked down for a moment. You knew how... intense things can get with the “pureblood thing”, even though your family wasn’t that harsh when it came to that ideology, you could only imagine what was going on behind the Black household’s closed door by what Sirius had told you.

Pain, screams and suffering enough to make even the strongest wizard or witch cry their eyes out, just to escape, just to... end it all.

Much like the sniffles coming from insidehis dorm after you entered, sniffles that did nothing to ease your nervousness.

And there he was, your absolutely soft and loving and perfect boyfriend, laying on his side as he clutched his cushion thightly while sobbing uncontrollably , his body heaving up and down as his cries rolled off his tongue and reached your ears. Your heart clenched painfully at the heartbroken boy before you, twisting an invisible knife deeper and deeper with each of his cries as you slowly walked up to him and sat down on the bed, alerting him to your presence before putting your hand on his shoulder and caressing his shoulder comfortingly with sad eyes.

“Reggie...” you knew how he hated that nickname, even throwing a fit to Evan how he didn’t like, though he always said he preferred only you to say it, so when he didn’t react even at that name, you sprinted to his other side after applying a locking charm to the door, guessing he would want to be alone with you right now withour anyone barging in.

At first, he tried to deny you and your touch, but you were persistent. When you said yes to date him, you made a promise to him that day: even if your ways split, you would still be there for him through thick and thin.

You wouldn’t ve another person who left him alone.

“I’m not leaving, I’m here... You’re safe, Regulus...”

And perhaps, it was the way your voice so softly comforted him and how your hands glided through his black curls, or maybe he was too tired after crying his heart out. Whatever it was, he suddenly got up and launched at you, burrying his face to your neck as you sat down on your butt and swayed him from side to side like a baby. Regulus was a man who fought until his last breath, someone who rebelled silently, someone who stood on his ground so strictly that you often thought there would be nothing that could break him.

What happened to him to make him turn into a mess?

What did they do this time?

He was talking, rambling about how bad it was and how she was gonna kill him for it but you didn’t know what “it” was. Your frown hardened by each passing second as his rambles got more intense with fear, fear of his own mother.

“ I-I h-had to leave... I had to leave there, Y/N! They... They wanted-“ another choked sob raked through him as you hugged him even thighter than previously, lifting his head in a hurry and desperately searching for your eyes, to see if you believed him, if you were trully there, if you were... real.

You held onto his face softly, running your thumb up amd down through the bridge of his nose as you kissed his lips to prove to him that you were real, and he was safe in Hogwarts, making him feel all of you as his tears wet your lips, leaving a bitter taste at your tongue.

Not from the salty taste, but the pain they held.

Your mind already finished his sentence without him actually doing so. Because there was only one thing you both feared, one thing that kept him awake at most nights...

One thing that made him cry onto your shoulders that much...

“Did they... Did they do it?” your shaky whisper shook him from the half-trance he was in, and your question made you shiver as if You-Know-Who’s hands were around your neck, your shoulders, the death and chaos that followed him around reeking even in the comforting bubble you two had in Regulus’ dorm.

He shook his head as his hands twisted the silk of your robe. “No... Bella came to the house, said that she wanted to take me to him... The Dark Lord. She said it would be an honor to fight for his cause...” he paused  to gulp down the bile that rose to his throat, clenching his eyes shut and focusing on your comforting smell and warmth. He slowly calmed down and looked at you with his ocean blue eyes, wondering how it was possible for you to net be like his own family, how you were so kind and different than others. When he first saw you in the Great Hall, everyone was looking at you in awe, some were jealous and some were scared. Mostly half-bloods and muggle-borns who was now aware of your family and how in danger they were with a school full of purebloods who mostly wanted to get rid of them.

But just as your kindness and warmth eased him many times, they eased those who once feared you as you welcomed them all happily with open arms, making them promise to turn to you if something were troubling them. You proved everyone that you and your family wasn’t like those psychopaths who was hellbent on killing them, even if it made you be branded as “blood-traitor”. You didn’t seem like you cared much about it, rather spending time with your friends even when nasty Slytherins threw insults at you. All you did was to flip them off and go back to whatever you were doing...

And this was why he hesitated to talk to you at the beginning, both from his family status and the nasty comments that would be thrown at you from his house in Hogwarts. He thought you were only kind to muggle-borns and half-breeds since they were being bullied constantly and, harsh to the purebloods who insulted you.

And he was a pureblood... which meant that you would defiently flip him off and even hurt him.

Which proved to be wrong soon, when he cautiously walked up to you in potion class and asked for help as you turned around and gave him a wide smile as you patted the spot next to you. He didn’t want to think back to how close you two were as you listed the ingredients behind him and looked from his head and down at the cauldron to see if he was doing it right.

But it was the happiest he had ever been as you smiled at him and patted his back proudly as you called for the Professor and showed him your works. That was the moment he realized that he could talk to you without any fear, and also, come to you with some of his problems whether you were able to solve them or not. But perhaps, the biggest discovery about his first meeting with you was...

Knowing deep down that he would fall for you, and your dedication for those close to you.

He was proven right, and it was also a joy to realize this as much as it pained him.  He knew with what kind of burden he came, and he didn’t want to do that to you. It wasn’t fair to such a sunshine person like you. But he had been a bit more selfish than he wanted to admit in his life, and he needed a light... A hope that showed him, told him that his days that was often covered with darkness would be gone soon.

He didn’t know what he did to deserve you, to have you return his feelings almost 2 years ago, but he was so damn glad to Merlin that you were in his life, that you were his light, his saviour.

Just a few minutes ago, he was miserable and scared and didn’t know what else to do. He felt like he was cornered like a wild, hurt animal, not knowing or seeing a way out.

But at least... He had you, he would always have you.

It wasn’t like he didn't come clean with this, his family and how they supported Voldemort. It was actually one of the main reasons that even if he loved you, his heart called for you, he would never try to court you. He couldn’t bring himself to be the reason your smile would fall, the reason you would be dragged into his mess.

But still... Both of you naively thought that he had more time, that you both had more time to act like a normal couple living a pink romance.

That was what you wanted to have. For Regulus to feel safe and happiness, away from the tragedy that was his family.

Apparently, Merlin had other plans.

“B-But... You’re still in school? I thought they wouldn’t...” your voice died down as horror filled you for what was coming to your ways. You were aware of their bond with the Dark Lord, and that they would make either him or Sirius join the DeathEaters too. Sirius was safe now that he ran away and seeked help from James, and you were happy for him. Sirius, James and Remus were your friends anyways, you loved hanging out with them or tutoring them.

Which meant almost all the time.

They were nice people, happy to help you at any time and anywhere, or well, every person who they loved and cherished...

That was exactly why you didn’t understand when Sirius appeared in James’ house alone, leaving his little brother, 14 at that time, alone in such a “hellhole”.

Alone and defenceless, crying much like now as he curled in a ball...

But deep down, you knew that Sirius was worried about him too. You knew him, and listened to him as he cried to you about how he wasn’t used to feeling safe and how worried sick he was for his brother. Something must have happened for Regulus to not let him come with his brother, and Sirius to not drag him away from that house.He, after all, was a stubborn little shit whether the situation was good or not.

 But whatever it was that made both of them not to talk for months and reconcile, it came back to bite everyone’s ass.

“I know, love... I know...” he kissed the tip of your nose as he tried to comfort you back, feeling your fear as his. That was one of the reasons why he fell for you: You felt everyone’s pain even when they really didn’t deserve it.

And though he liked watching you get protective and help someone out while he stood behind and admired you, the tears sitting at the corner of your lovely eyes did nothing but break him even more as he wiped them away, kissing just under your eyes softly, afraid of inflicting you with even more pain.

“That’s what I said, that I should finish school first but... Mother said it was full of dirty wizards and witches, muggleborns and half-bloods. She said I was better off without all those scums....” your brows furrowed at how Walburga Black was so... full of hatred at those who wasn’t like her, her sons included. You probably never saw another human who was so full of hatred, her negativity pouring as venom, trying to poison everyone just as she once was. You had a good guess of why she was like this, why she always threw hatred and so many curses on practically everyone.

After all, none of her sons turned out to be like the Black family. Both of them didn’t support the “Pureblood nonsense” like they did, and Sirius was brave enough to rebel against them while Regulus did it more silently. He showed himself to be just like the perfect Black heir, did everything they asked for and stood tall against them.

He wasn’t brainwashed by them, and though they weren’t proud of him- and could never be- You were so damn proud for him, just like a certain older brother.

You didn’t know it but Regulus, had it been not for you, he feared he would have actually believed in them and what they said, solely for the reason that he wanted them to love him, to acknowledge him as a son. They wanted perfection and he wanted to be perfect, he needed to be perfect.

Because if he wasn’t... Who would he be to anyone?

You are Regulus Arcturus Black, he remembers you telling him after he finally came clean to you about what was in his mind, after asking you out. He was so sure you would decline, laugh it off or anything remotely that told him you didn’t feel the same, before he felt your soft hands slowly taking hold of his downcasted head as his eyes widened in surprise at how... content you looked with the same smile that ignited a fire deep in his soul that it never died, and would never do.. And you are a great man who is kind, strong and powerful, brave too! You are my favourite person in the whole world and I’ll spend an eternity reminding of who you are... Starting with, my boyfriend.

Silence scretchted between you two as he smiled softly at the memory, a perfect one to cast a Patronus perhaps. He desperately wished that this was one of those times you sneaked into his dorm for a nightly fate when he would for sure know that you would scare away all the demons in his head...

But unfortunately, the reality was something else. Something even more demonic and evil than the usual nightmares that haunted him.

Something that tore both him and you apart by how scary it was.

“What did you do... Regulus, did you do it?” he didn’t speak, just took your hands and put them on his sleeve, wanted you to look yourself. Because he didn’t have enough energy anymore. Suddenly, as you slowly pulled his sleeve up, the reality of what would have happened if he didn’t fight against them crashed him.

He would never see you saunter into the Great Hall every time, he wouldn’t sneak out in the middle of the night to have a late night date with you, he wouldn’t be the one to walk with you to your next class, he wouldn’t wait for you for food, he wouldn’t go to Hogsmeade and look at you as you begged to have some more candy from Honey &Dukes, he wouldn’t watch as yougot embrassed cutely...

He wouldn’t be there to love you, and you wouldn’t be there to love him.

You took a sharp intake of breath as you felt his skin over his dress shirt, as if somehow, you would feel the dark tint of the skull and snake symbol over his forearm. You would never judge him, never dare to do such thing. How could you, when you knew how much pain he would have to endure for it, knowing how much it would hurt him?

If that happened, if he yielded and accepted-or rather forced to- you would surely feel helpless and scared, for him. But then, there would absolutely be nothing stopping you from taking him to safety, and possibly going apeshit crazy at them for doing something, something he didn’t want to, on him.

“I just... I just wanted to be enough, for them t-to just... love us.” Your heart broke as stray tears escaped your eyes at how broken he sounded, how even amidst his pain, he still cated for his brother. Regulus took your silence and gasp as a bad sign, he murmured sadly with his eyes downcasted once more as he rubbed your tender flesh. He already felt like a total douchebag, including the voice that screamed at him that he was just like his family with you crying in front of him and him not being able to do anything, that he didn’t deserve anything good in life. And your soft cries didn’t help how he already felt helpless either.

“Don’t cry, love... I know that’s stupid but-“

“No it's no... Not if it’s making you feel like this...” you murmured as you took his hand between yours, squeezing his elegant and long fingers one by one as a way to comfort him as he smiled down at you, seated on his bed as the silky green color complimented you in the best way possible. His eyes looked at your body as the light casted on you made you look ethereal and take his breath away with your beauty. He looked down at your hands as they caressed his hands and wrist comfortingly, before pulling it up to reveal... smooth skin, without any dark ink covering it.

But...

Your hands stopped at feeling a bump on his perfect skin... A bump that wasn’t to be there... Alongside with bruises and yellow-ish tints on his arm...

“T-They... They did crucio o-on you?” you stammered out as you lofted his arm closer to yourself, looking between him and the bruises he had with wide eyes.

“Bella...” he said sadly as his hands clutched your arm thight, as if his life depended on you. And in a way, it did. You were his whole life, the only thing he had, and he would be nothing without you. “She did it, later mother beat me and threw insults and crucio at me...”

“I didn’t even say anything at first... Until she included you.  How she would destroy you, ruin you since you were being a distraction to me and what was more important.” He explained as he took your hands between his and kissed them, a gesture that often left you a blushing mess, and continued. “That’s when I decided that it was enough. That all the pain she inflicted on us, on me was over. I had a life, my life... I would never let her or anyone hurt you, so I fought back and... well, you know the rest.” He mumbled shyly as he peered at you, trying to determine what the effect of his words were to you. Flushed cheeks and wide eyes? That’s something he expected. Shuffling like a cat in embrassment? Also expected, that was something you usually did with him which was another thing that he found adorable.

But what wasn’t expected was what left your mouth.

“I’ve always loved that about you...” you whispered out eith softest eye possible and this time, it was the Regulus Black who blushed.

“What do you mean?”

You shrugged your shoulders as he frowned, but upon you not looking at him and the sudden urge to hide yourself, he smirked and threw his arms around your waist to pull you against him as he nuzzled his face to your neck while your hands played with his curls. He was glad that once sad and bad vibe left to a more pleasant and happy one as he shared this moment with you, with hugging and kissing.

You giggled as the ticklish feeling his lips left on yourbskin made you groan while trying to stop him, so that you could get those words out. You loved his kisses and how they made you feel, but you had to say this... Or else it would eat you alive, and then you would be frowning the whole next day.

“I mean-hey, stop! I’m trying to be romantic here!” you swatted his hand away as it slowly slithered upwards aling the expanse of your naked back, ruhhing circles on the flesh there as he hummed. “I thought it was my thing, love?”

“Yeah, but now, I changed it! It’s mine now, you did it a lot. Now, will you please listen, my pretty and handsome boyfriend?”

“Hmm... Gotta think, love... Maybe after a kiss?” he wiggled his brows playfully as you rolled your eyes but did so, smiling into the soft and lingering kiss you both shared.

Ugh, this boy... Always looking for way to smooch me...

“Now that you had your kiss,” you said after being parted from him, panting at the intensity of the kiss and trying hard to not dive back at the sight of his pink and swollen lips, you continued with a finger idly rubbing his lips and then his beauty mark under his chin.

“I love your brave heart. Even if you might not think so, you have been standing up against them for so long and you, protecting me even if I wasn’t there further proves it...” you looked at him with a kind look and took his hand to place it on your chest, right where your heart was as you continued.

“I love how you always know how to make me smile, no one makes me smile the way you do, my days better and surprise me. I love how you always seem like you don’t care but actually listen when there is something we, any of us, want or when something is bothering us.”

“I love how thoughtful you are, even when it breaks you... Just like how when Sirius left home, and you came to me crying. Not because you felt anger or hatred, which would have been understanable by the way, but rather joy. Joy, because you knew that it was a new start for him so that he could live a normal life even if it killed you.” A scoff left you in the middle of your speech  remembering how your best friend left his little brother like that but soon disappeared when you remembered how broken he was when he talked about his brother.

Regulus, though, was in shock. Because no one in his life had ever been that thoughful and attentive to the way he felt. No one really saw what was hidden behind his strong façade but yet again, you weren’t “no one” and he was always going to be understood.

From now on, and until forever.

“you don’t think I’m... broken? Bad?” he mumbled as he looked at you through his lashes, head down but still smiling. Your heart soared for the boy before you and you leant down to capture his lips with yours, but not before uttering one lost heartfelt sentence.

“All I know is that I love you, that you deserve everything good in life.”

Regulus sniffled once more as he accepted your kiss, humming happily as he allowed you to deepen it. Little shocks went through his body and he wondered if you felt it too but didn’t dwell on it more. He only accepted your unconditional love.

“I know I don’t say it out loud much, but I really do love you so much... You’re all I’ll ever need to feel better.”

“And I love you, love... So much.” You whispered silently, kissing the topnof his head as he thightened his hold on you. Everything was nice and silent once more, only the sounds from the crickets and owls reaching both of your ears. You kissed his head, his forehead and cheek contionously while he laughed, genuinely laughed since he came back, while trying to make you stop. He knew trying to physically stop you wouldn’t work, so he opted for other ways.

Like, kissing you desperately from your neck as he breathed out to tour most sensitive part of the column of your neck, gracefully out only for him to kiss, to mark.

And he wasn’t wrong. When you felt his hot lips on your neck trailing wet and fast kisses up and down your neck, you gasped and let him do as he wanted. Your legs opened for him to step between them, hovering over you with both of his hands on each side of your head as he gazed at you with love and clear desperation. At that moment, you two weren’t just two lovers who were fucking around.

You two were soulmates that understood each other on another level.

He suddenly stopped his ministrations and just looked down at you from above you for a few seconds before sighing dejectedly.

“I don’t want to live there... But I don’t know where-“

“You are not going back to that place, Regulus. Not again, I won’t allow it.” You sternly cut him as you rose up on your hands, brows knitted together while you pushed yourself up as he lowered back and looked at you as if you were crazy.

“B-but... I have nowhere else to go! They would cut me off of the tapestry and disown me! Sirius had James and-“ he exclaimed in distress as he started to shake again, shaking his head at the sudden panic of the reality and what he was supposed to do. He was so caught up in the comfort he had after so long that he had forgotten about what was waiting for him.

His mother with her wand out to use even mkre gruesome punishments, forcing him to come to their meeting and kill innocents...

He couldn’t get help if they did it, and how would his brother look at him if he were to get that damned mark? He already didn’t consider him as a brother, he would definetly refuse to have anything to do with him after he sees it.

And you? How would you accept him like that? A vicious killer who would have to work for the Dark Lord even if it was the last thing he wanted?

You wouldn’t deserve it, you wouldn’t want it, you wouldn’t love him, you wouldn’t accept him, he would be all alone and then be killed as-

“And you have me..! You could stay with me and my family, you know they would do anything to protect us.”

Your desperate call for him was what made him come back to his senses, from the panic attack he had at just thinking about the possibilities. He didn’t register what you said at first. Inside his mind, there seemed to be a constant whirl and buzzing sound as if he was fighting back against a huge storm and he was just... trying, trying and trying but failing in the end.

But it was because he tried to do it alone. He was never allowed to ask for help since it was a “sign of weakness” as his father called it, but now that he had a different circle of people, different friends and above all you, he didn’t have to fear anything.

The way Regulus broke down at the mere mention of his family house( something that was supposed to be comforting) broke you, the sight of the kind boy you knew being treated that way... You couldn’t allow it anymore. There was no way you were letting him go to that house, back into Walburga’s waiting arms as she was waiting to point that damned wand to her own son and mercilessly torture him.

And, to prevent it, a bright idea came to your mind. Sure, there was a potential that your parents would be shocked, more likely have questions as to why they were hosting the boy but thwy would understand... and hopefully help him out.

“You know how my mum adores you, they would gladly help us both.” You weren’t lying to comfort him or yourself, it was true. Last summer, when you brought him to your house after he told something about his whereabouts to his mother, he stayed with you and he would always be thankful for what you did for him that summer. Because those 3 months were the best he had in a long time. At first, when he witnessed the pure love and care there was between all of you, he felt jealous and angry.

Jealous because he didn’t have, and could never have, what you had. He felt the bitter pangs of knives every time you kissed your parents, they brought you home made meals to your room as you showed him the cool muggle books or listened to songs on your bed as you held hands and looked at each other with lovesick smiles. The way you bravely sneaked into the guest room just to fall asleep with him, to comfort him so that he didn’t feel alone changed him in a way, made him more brave.

You didn’t have to know, but your mum always checked on him during night to see if he was doing fine and smiled whemever she saw you both sleeping while hugging each other as if your lives depended on it.

But even when he was jealous of you and your parents, though never serious, he had a clear mind to judge the situation and then... he realized how they included him to their casual lifes as well, just like you did.

It was like a famy thing, huh?

How your mother requested him to come to the kitchen and later taught him how to cook some meals, tasted what she cooked and even helped her out around the house all the while listening to her talk shit about almost every family in the wizarding world, except Weasleys, with a huge smile on his face.

He could never dare to do that in his own house, but here, in your own... He was sitting with your mother on the kitchen with a cup of tea and biscuits while they talked and talked. She took after her mother, both inner and outer beauty, he would think as he gazed at the way your mum talked and even threw some praises at him here and there which didn’t fail to make him blush.

He really wanted to be a part of that life, he needed it... He had never been happier than he was at that time and to hear you say that he could be...

“I can? You... Promise?” he hopefully asked with tears in his eyes as you nodded uour head immediately, bringing him for yet another hug as you kissed his nape softly.

“Yes, I promise. You and I, forever and then even more... Remember?” he suddenly surged forward and took your face in his hands, inhaling your shampoo before diving for a passionate kiss as his hands wrapped themselves around your waist and pulled you to his lap. He poured all his love and gratitude into it, teeth clashing together as his lips and tongue desperately searched for yours.

You squealed but then moaned slightly at how hot you suddenly felt, how his movements and kiss heated you up more than normal. This kiss wasn’t normal, this side of Regulus wasn’t normal. He normally was someone who showed his love silently, who kissed you under shadows. You understood it well, he wasn’t a man who liked to show off with physcial affection and rather made his silent care work its magic.

But right now, this Regulus was fragile and sensitive, and his desperate kisses showed it too as he wanted you to... know it.

And Merlin, did you know it...

You held onto his neck and hair as your lips moved against his lips, leaning him back amd making him lay on his back as your body laid on his flush, chest to chest. The kiss was everything you both wanted, it has been so long since he deprivee both himself and you from each other but it wasn’t the time for it to lead to something more.

Not when he was so in pain, and need of comfort.

Besides, there was something else that needed to be talked about if you were doing what you were planning to do. Some people that needed to know, who would gladly move the entire universe for the boy below you

You shyly looked at him with a troubled look and Regulus’ brows knitted together as he worriedly took a hold of your face in his warm palms. “Is something wrong, my love? Was it too much?”

You looked at him in amazement, the fact that he still thought about your comfort when he was the one who needed it bedazzled you. But like you said, it was a trait you loved about him, perhaps the the best one.

You shook your head while taking a huge breath in. “No, love... It was quite... enjoyable.” You flushed under his teasing smirk, cursing at him for making you feel like a little kid being offered candy inside your mind as you cleared your throat and got off of him to sit next to where his body was now leaned back against the head of his bed. He was looking at you with confusion and slight worry, wondering ehat was on your mind as his hand wandered to your knee and rubbed it gently. To not give him any more scare any longer, you took in his glorious sight and continued.

“There are two more people who you could turn for help to.”

That was something you both talked about a lot, who he would turn to if shit went wrong and he had to act quick with his escape. You always knew that Regulus shouldn’t stay in that house even a moment longer, but he insisted that he was fine and assured you that everything was under his control with a swift kiss to your forehead.

So you kept your silence. You didn’t talk about it again until he would want to, but still... You told Sirius about the awful things they did to Regulus as he listened with clenched jaw and asked him if there was anything he could help with when the time comes.

Not if... When.

Because everyone knew that the inevitable was waiting right outside the door, and there was no stopping it.

And he of course, immediately offered himself which you declined for the time being since Regulus still believed that he hated his brother. You watched how broken he suddenly seemed after you said it but still nodded, knowing how he fucked everything up by not grabbing him with himself as he left, and gavr you their uncle’s name.

“He is a good man, also like us who didn’t believe in their ways... If there is anyone that could help, it’s him.”

Regulus tilted his head to you as if asking what you meant,  how the hell it was possible that there would be more people who could help him, and with a sigh, you looked at his eyes. “Your uncle Alphard and... Sirius.”

“No... My uncle? That’s fine. But Sirius... He hates me, love. He showed me how he felt about me! He wouldn’t want anything to do with me!” he got up from his bed hastily in panic and went to the open window as he leant over it with his hands in his hair, welcoming the fresh and cool air into his lungs.

You understood where he was coming from, knowing little pieces about how that night went between them and how he... did a lot for Sirius that night, something he didn’t know and probably would never. Some harsh words were apparently exchanged between them and even if they both knew that the other didn’t mean it...

It didn’t hurt any less.

Regulus thought that Sirius chose James over his own brother and hated him for being the way he is.

Sirius thought his little brother wad ashamed of the person he was, how he always caused trouble even as toddlers and made him get hurt even though he would mostly be the one taking the blame for him.

And you thought that the Black brothers were stupidest motherfuckers in the whole world.

Your arms fell helplessly on the bed as you watched Regulus break down, almost, again. You never felt this helpless in your life, and your gut told you that the reason of his agitation was partly because he hated himself for making you go through this, but...

You promised him one year ago that no matter what happens, you would be there for him.

Always.

“No, my love... Sirius loves you and cares about you. I know, because I listened to him as he cried in James’ house.” You walked up to him slowly, took his hand and stood before him as your hand crept up towards his sculpted face and rubbed his cheek softly before tiptoeing and kissing each side of his cheek as he smiled and exhaled slowly.

At that time, things were tense for them. So much so that it affected the school as well.  Sirius was still on edge because of his parents, worried sick for both Regulus and himself, thinking that they were planning something evil about himself. Regulus was hurt because his brother left him, for James, and even called him his “brother” which didn’t seem anything friendly to the poor, young boy who was drowning in his insecurities. It didn’t matter that he was already thinking about also running away, to you probably, but he wasn’t abandoning a brother for another one in his eyes and therefore blamed Sirius for being selfish.

But, as much as you understood both Regulus’ frustration and Sirius’ anger, you also knew that your friend and the older brother of your lover would drop everything to help his little brother out of that shithole.

“Just... Talk to him. Because I know you, you would regret not doing so if you don’t do it.” You sighed out tiredly, the later hours into the night catching up to you as you begged him softly, hoping that he would accept. A part of you feared that he wouldn’t, and tey to solve this by himself like always...

But you were his weakness, the reason he rebelled back and changed his future unknown to either one of you.

He would kill for you, die for you, live for you and turn the whole universe upside down if he had the power.

“Okay... Will you... Will you also be there? For me?” he softly smiled and kissed your nose, leaning his forehead to yours as he waited for your answer with a small smile. You smiled before kissing him deeply, slowly as your lips lingered on his and he closed his eyes slowly as if to savour this moment. You tugged him towards bed with a whine. “ Forever and always... Now, come back to bed.”

At that, a playful smirk found his face since you came in his room. “Now, I thought we could get to that lever later in our relationship, love.” You blushed heavily at how that one innocent sentence seemed so... cozy and something a married couple would say. You hid your face at the sudden flashes of you two being married, living your dreams in a cottage far way from everyone came before your eyes before punching his arm. It didn’t do anything of course, that boy was fit contrary to what people thought by his lanky figure, except making him laugh and kiss your hairline.

“You’re so adorable when you blush... Alright, let’s go and sleep.” You smiled as you watched him get under his duvet and groan in relief when he found a good position to sleep, blushing at how the expanse of his back flexed with each of his movements. You sighed in relief at seeing that he would finally fall into a comforting sleep and moved to quitely get out of his dorm when his monotone yet curious voice reached you, halting you in your steps.

“And, where do you think you are going?” he asked matter of factly as you stood there like a deer, with a hand on the doorknob as you slowly turned to look at him sitting down on his bed and laying halfway down with his torso out. “Uh... Going back to my dorm?”

“And who said you could?” he raised a brow at you questioningly as you laughed awkwardly, turning fully to him with your arms crossed in front of your chest as you looked down at him hesitated.

“I thought you would want to... be-“

“Trust me, love, being alone is the last thing I need right now... I need you...” he shyly said, his cockiness suddenly disappearing as he opened the duvet and offered you to come and sleep with him. His chuckle of disbelief made you scoff at him as you went up to him and got under it without making him repeat himself. He chuckled once more as he pulled you towards him, snuggling to you as your arms wrappes around him and soon you both fell asleep to the comforting embrace of your lover.

When he arrived in his room, he was terrified of going back to Grimmauld House and be forced to accept the Dark Lord’s way. He felt as if there was no other option for him, and he even mentally prepared himself to break up with you to save you from the tragedy. But as you slowly came back to his bed and sat down before inching closer to him and settling right next to him on the single bed, your bodies flushed together as you laid your hand on his chest, right where his heart was beating loudly, he felt hope blossom in his chest.

Even if he chuckled and tried to play the cool Regulus to hide how these all meant a lot to him

He fell asleep peacefully with you between his arms and this time, rather than those nightmares that decorated his dreams as he only saw his mother and the red hue of the cruciotus curse, he now dreamed of future.

A future where he was happy with you, in a country-side...

A future where you would be waiting for him with just as warm and soft embrace, continuing to lighten his days just as you are doing just by existing...

A future where he is safe and happy, with the family you two might create, a family that would be completely different than the one he has.

And, for the first time in 16 years, he had a good nights of smorning.yoy btoh laid under his duvet together, not caring about the teasing he would face the next morning.

[local-lamppost]

Initial thoughts cause it's 4am

Spoilers

First off, wow... it's really good. I've been saying that if season 2 is as good as season 1 Arcane would be my new favorite show and we are on track. Anyway, just gonna list stuff until I can process/rewatch a billion times

Mel lived! I was so certain that they would just kill her off, make that Ambessa's motive (give Jayce a reason to keep fighting the Undercity) but it's much more interesting keeping her involved in the narrative. Love her trying to bother understand and undermine her mother. Those Black Rose guys best not have hurt a hair on her perfect head.

Speaking of. What in the Utena are these Black Rose magic people? I love the look of their magic. I wonder how they can corrupt people. Is it a spell? Do they slip them something?

Love how the divide of Jayce and Viktor was done. Jayce betrayed Viktor's wishes of destroying the Hexcore. Last season, Viktor wanted to forget about using the core to save himself after Sky and begged Jayce to destroy it when the core wouldn't allow Viktor himself to do it. In Jayce's mind though, the core is the solution to Viktor's problems. He didn't know it killed Sky or that it can influence Viktor, but all Viktor can comprehend is that Jayce didn't trust him. Didn't keep his promise. And this is fresh off of Jayce's season 1 antics against the Undercity, so Viktor's faith in his partner was already shaken. Viktor's also comfortable in his mortality/death, even though he wants to prolong it like every other human, but Jayce can't fathom loosing Viktor-the man who saved his life and made his dreams reality.

(Side note: Am I a JayVik shipper? I never considered myself one, but after writing this...)

JINX HAS A KID! I love this choice. Give Jinx a kid so she is able to learn what Silco and Vi had to go through with her, that no matter how big or dangerous a scheme to take this child into account. The confrontation in ep 3 really showed what Jinx will have to consider now that this kid's decided to adopt her as an older sister or something. Especially nice detail of how Vi-who has always had to consider the kids in her life-immediately stops fighting and starts looking for ways to keep the kid safe.

I was wondering how Jinx would loose a finger and Caitlyn shooting it off to save Vi is just- The fact that the only way these two can show they care about Vi when it comes to each other is by hurting the other.

Sevika's new arm is fantastic. It's a peace offering from Jinx, but also a way for Jinx to feel better (it was something she could fix). The mechanics of it are really fun. It reminds me of Kite's weapon from HxH with how it didn't always work/give her what she wanted in the fight. I especially love the victory rockets and built in theme song.

Ambessa is so interesting. Between her character song to the introduction of just what she is fighting against, I am very intrigued. She reminds me of Cersei Lannister, except she loves her kids as more than just extensions of herself (as of what we've seen, but I think that'll stick). Her using Salo to establish herself-which also keeps Mel safe by distancing her-but also dropping him in order to prop up Cait at her first opportunity is such a clever move. She truly is the fox and the wolf, but she is above all a mama bear.

Not much to say about Heimerdinger or Ekko yet, but I am definitely curious to see what they do about the wild runes with Jayce. The three of them have a fun dynamic, what with Heimerdinger still being peeved about magic/being ousted, Ekko hating topside and having a new reason to do so with them poisoning his tree, and Jayce being recently seperated and divorced from both his partners.

Vi is an enforcer. I didn't know how they were gonna handle this, but they did it so well. Of course she wants to fix things for the people her sister hurt. She feels responsible. She can say she doesn't blame herself, but how true is that? Why else would she be wearing a badge if not for her guilt? She is desperate to do something right and being an enforcer seemed to be a way to make Cait happy, get her gauntlets (what she believes is necessary to make any kind of change), and be first in line in the hunt for Jinx. She says that her sister is dead, that Jinx is a desecration to Powder's memory, that they are not sisters but isn't it supposed to be 'nothing is going to change that'? How much of all this is just something Vi is telling herself to keep going? Cait is her motive right now, but after ep 3 I definitely see why she starts spiraling.

(2 Side note: Her new best friend/drinking buddy is such a real one. They have a bender in the gutter together and now he's following her into and out of the enforcers. I wonder if he knew Vander? In any case, he is a delight.)

Cait and Vi kissed... CAIT AND VI KISSED! Then NOTHING HAPPENED AFTER! NOTHING! No immediate break up, nope.

So Cait. I love Cait and I am hyped for her arc this season. I am ready to fight tooth and nail for her. I am a Caitlyn defender. So what she's being manipulated into leading a military state due to her grief/unresolved anger/guilt/Ambessa being better at this than her, she looks amazing in her cape. It balances.

Seriously though, the writing for Cait especially is so solid. She is desperate to hold herself and her family together, to protect her city. She still wants to protect the innocent, to heal the Undercity, but her anger at a select few of those she wants to help is clouding the greater image for her. Vi seems to be acting as her better half, the side that cares for the innocent-the protector. Ambessa is the agressor, encouraging Cait to take drastic military action against the Undercity as a whole. Vi's disillusionment with Cait is due to the fact that Cait desire to heal, not harm, is what caused her to fall for Cait to begin with. To see more than some privileged topside enforcer, but a woman who genuinely cared and was willing to abandon her peaceful naivety to learn for the greater good of strangers.

I'll also point out that they separate when Cait starts blaming Vi for them loosing Jinx. Before, everyone but Cait put responsibility on Vi, she was supposed to be the one to help lighten the load and absolve some of the guilt. Now Cait is becoming another one of those who slam the blame on Vi. She changed. Why does everyone around VI change?

Can't wait for the next batch of episodes.

[exhausted-archivist]

Common Fanons That Are Confused As Canon

Through my time of collecting lore and learning things about Thedas I've come across a couple things of fanon that leaked into lists of canon elements. Which was an interesting little thing to follow the rabbit hole of where they even originated. While making this list I did ask others for any that I might have missed or not seen because I wanted to be thorough as I could when even making this list. I haven't been in the fandom long enough to see all the things that have come up.

To be clear, I thought it was neat to see what became so pervasive in the fandom to become easily mistaken as canon or misunderstood. I'm also not discussing whether canon as it stands is "good" or judging the fanon or anything like that.

I just wanted to put it all together in a list, especially as I have had friends who were getting into the series and ask about certain things; as well as Dragon Age Summer hitting us soon and new interest in the series abound.

General

Mages can sense other mages The closest source I can find to this is the fact that Anders states that he can "feel the power in you". No other mage states anything similar and could likely be attributed to the fact that he is possessed. Much like how Cole can sense your magical connection as an Inquisitor. An outlier is how Keiran can sense your magic regardless of if he has the Old God soul; but he is also not confirmed to be a mage as of yet.

All Saarebas always have their lips sewn shut/horns cut off This seems to originate from da2 specifically, with the model of Ketojan having the scarring, the other saarebas missing horns, the concept art, and then boils down to BioWare being inconsistent with their lore/depictions. Most of Thedas fixates on the fact that the Qunari have saarebas with their lips sewn shut, the Seer's yarn tale denotes that tamassrans tell the story of a saarebas with their lips sewn shut, the tarot art for Saarath, and the flippant joke between Sera and Iron Bull. But, the lore specifies that it is in extreme cases or in general that it can occurs but it is not the standard. [WOT p. 103 & 128] Much like tranquility, it is used as a form of punishment - one that we know can and is abused by certain factions. We also see saarebas characters in Inquisition who do not carry either of those traits. Specifically Hissera (multiplayer), Saareth (Trespasser), Heroes of Dragon Age models, and some Qunari in da2.

All Saarebas have their tongues cut out This is seperate from the previous point due to the different source of this fanon. It seems to be an exaggeration of one particulare line from Sten. In dao, Sten will state during the Broken Circle quest that "This is why we cut the tongues from mages, in Par Vollen." He is very general with the statement, but contextually it is reasonable people took this to mean all mages. However, since dao it has been made clear that it is not a universal practice throughout the Qun.

Elves are shorter than humans This one does have a clear point of where this started, though it is never stated in lore, back in Origins elven models were universally shorter than humans. But from DA2 onward, male elves were only shorter than their human counterparts of the same sex while female elves are shorter than both human sexes. Fenris is taller than f!Hawke while both forms of Hawke are taller than Merrill. Solas, Abelas, and a m!Lavellan are taller than female human characters but all human characters are taller than female elves (except Sera who has a female human model).

Dalish are illiterate This is a little less clear to me where its origins started. Perhaps based off of medieval period history (which da isn't necessarily medieval in time period) or due to the fact that most common folk in certain regions in Thedas are illiterate and reliant on pictures over written words. But we know from the Witch Hunt dlc that the Dalish keep tomes of their history and of the ancient elven empire. They also actively translate ancient elven script for their own records. Whether this is role restrictive or not is unclear, but we do know that the Dalish are literate in both Common and semi-literate in ancient elven script.

Dalish and City Elves don't have contact This seemingly comes from a misunderstanding stemming in the city elf origins in dao where some npcs will comment on how Dalish might be myths. However, in dao, da2, dai, the comic Knight Errant, and the novel The Masked Empire, that elves from both sides do semi-regularly trade people with each other if not visit certain alienages, as well have other points of contact with each other. Pol, Zevran, Coran (Vaea's uncle), and potentially Feynriel are all city elves that join Dalish clans. Merrill and Arianni are known Dalish who join alienages.

City elves are genetic/physical differences from the Dalish elves This one I have seen around a lot, most stemming from the idea of the previous one that the elves in the city are generations apart from the Dalish, implying they have no contact with each other. Which could be true for certain alienages. But as far as lore is concerned there isn't any example of this, not even as being a point of reference for the Dalish to consider any of the aspects as to what makes them "less of an elf" in comparison to Dalish.

Elves pass on their elven traits Most seem to know this isn't canon, albeit one of the less popular canon elements; but new fans don't always know this. It is popular fanon to give half-elven children the reflective eyes, smaller stature, more angular features, straighter nose bridge, and/or pointed ears from their elven parent.

Only elves can have mixed kids with other races This seems to come from the fact that elven traits aren't passed on to their kids when mixed parentage is involved. However humans, dwarves, and vashoth can all have mixed kids from the other races. According to Patrick Weekes, this decision was made consciously to avoid very racist and harmful rhetoric. We know of many elf/human mixed kids: Alistair, Eiton, Feynriel, Gestan and Thale (residents of elven area of Halamshiral), Kieran (conditions), Michel de Chevin, Rinnala, "Sabina's Brat" (son of the elven prostitute Sabina at the Blooming Rose), Slim Couldry, Tainsley (Potentially. Is described as a 7'(2.13m) human, though he references a Dalish uncle.) While mixed dwarf children are rare simply due to dwarven fertility issues we do know of two dwarf/human kids: Keiran (conditional) and the child of Tyrdaa Bright-Axe(Avvar) and Hendir (dwarf).

Elfroot leaves get you high/is Thedosian marijuana This is another Origins era thing, due to an easter egg that made a play on the American "This is your brain on drugs" anti-drug campaign using elfroot. This was then repeated in 2015 when Patrick Weekes said that its medicinal properties were rediscovered in 4:20. [Source] Elfroot hasn't been shown to get anyone high in canon, it is the roots that are primarily used as medicinal. In World of Thedas (WoT) vol. 2 the recipe for Dalish Deep Forest Comfort says you can substitute elfroot for spinach making the leaves more vegetable in quality. That said, marijuana leaves are edible and rather nutritious. They just don't have the chemical make up to induce a high. Those lie strictly in the buds. According to Origins, elfroot does flower though.

Red lyrium is completely different and more dangerous from blue lyrium This one is all on BioWare in regards to this misconception. Because while yes, it is more dangerous than the blue lyrium, they aren't two seperate substances. More that red lyrium is a branch off. To cover the generals of the written lore of lyrium it breaks down like this: Blue lyrium in it's raw form innately toxic to just be around to all but dwarves, however it will kill a mage who gets too close in proximity. That proximity being within the same room while non-mages would have to touch the stuff. It also has a pension of self-combustion without warning or a clear cause. When it is refined down for templar use it is "safe" for non-mages to come in contact with and consume. Whether this level of refinement is the same level as what is used to make various cocktails and liqueur is unclear. But we do know that getting too close, being in same room as lyrium refined to this level, is enough to make a mage sick. Finally, we have the most refined and diluted stage of lyrium, this is used by mages to make potions, certain alchemical work, and other things. This isn't enough to kill a mage, make them sick (without extreme over use), and infact can result in positive outcomes for a mage. Red lyrium overlaps with most of that, with a couple key differences. First off is that red lyrium doesn't seem to self-combust. There is some contradiction on whether or not non-dwarves can mine it as due to game mechanics you can destroy it, but the only ones we see mining wild nodes are dwarves. But if the red lyrium is grown from a living creature it seems accessible to all races? In codices about the various types of red templars, we learn that a small vial around a templar's neck is enough to make all the mages in the area around him sick.

Character Specific

Alistair

Alistair is a dog person I couldn't track any clear origins for this, it seems to be a case of overlap with the stereotype that "all Fereldan's love dogs" and a mix of building off of a line of dialogue about him being raised by the hounds and them being his family. However, he doesn't seem overly one way or the other. He mocks dog at times, talks down in not such a playful way, and at times seems to treat dog with the same attitude he does Morrigan though not as blatantly. This could be chalked up to his joking nature though.

Alistair's obsession with cheese While he does admit to an obsession to cheese, it is often cited that Alistair makes a ton of cheese jokes in dao. When in truth he only makes four through out the entire game. Given his joking nature it is up to personal interpretation of how much he actually loves cheese.

Alistair and Cullen knew each other before Origins This is more specifically that the two went to the same monastery for their templar training. There is no canon evidence for this though. That said, there is a possibility due to not knowing much of anything about how the Templar Order trains its recruits nor the amount of monasteries they have in Ferelden for training.

Alistair collects toy soldiers This seems to come from the gifts he can be given during the Feastday dlc. Canonically he is given runestones and carved statuettes of various types stone. These statuettes are described in a manner closer to effigies than toy soldiers.

Alistair's mother is not Fiona This one is a bit funny as it has multiple origins and is dependent on the player's experience with the series. From what I have gathered there seems to be one of three sources: - People who never read the Dragon Age novel The Calling - People who read The Calling after playing dao and feels like it is a retcon (though The Calling was released prior to the release of dao, same with the novel The Stolen Throne) - People who take a "chuck the baby with the bathwater" approach to the lore The funny thing about this is that the cover story in dao for Alistair's mom is based off a combo of things; the hypothetical scenario Fiona told Maric and answers she gave Maric when he asked what to tell Alistair if he asked about his mother. The hypothetical was that Fiona would not return to the Circle and would hide from the templars and pretend to be a washer woman. When Maric asked what to tell Alistair of his mother, Fiona said to tell him his mother was human as she did not want him to deal with being half elven and all the stigma that comes with that as well as to tell Alistair that she was dead.

Avaline

Aveline is straight She will kiss Hawke regardless of gender and ask them if they ever considered her and them. Though it is clear she never had romantic interest in Hawke in particular. An easily missed aspect I think given the general opinion of Aveline as well as most people seeming to not choose the flirtatious option with her.

Blackwall

Blackwall doesn't have a sense of humor This one genuinely surprised me considering he jokes with Sera, The Iron Bull, and Solas. His banter shows as much that he does have a sense of humor and tells jokes. But it does seem pretty common of a fanon characterization for him.

Dorian

Dorian paints his nails His model doesn't have painted nails in game, but it is a popular fanon. There is nail polish in Thedas though. It's mentioned in the novel Masked Empire as well as the novel Last Flight. It seems to be of Anderfles origins, but given the Last Flight is post Orlesian occupation, it could originate in Orlais.

Lady Mantillon said, tapping an elegantly lacquered fingernail on the polished wooden arm of her chair, “we will fail, or we will be killed. Neither is acceptable.” - Masked Empire, Chapter 17 p. 362 Every one of her fingers glimmered with a jeweled ring, and her nails had been freshly lacquered. - Last Flight, Chapter 13 p. 144

Fenris

Lyrium can be drawn from Fenris' tattoos There is no mention of this being possible in da2 or any of the subsequent media. There isn't even mention of others being able to sense the lyrium in his tattoos or even mages getting sick around him as they sometimes will dependent on the concentrations and/or purity of lyrium.

Fiona

How Fiona was cured of the taint This comes from The Calling novel, where it isn't ever clarified what actually removed the taint from Fiona. The common fanon is that it was either the mentioned brooch, or that by having Alistair. That it was by having Maric's son who has Great Dragon blood due to being of the Theirin bloodline that cured her. However, in the novel she is very clear that the mages at Weisshaupt aren't sure what cured her. She only offers one explanation that the Grey Wardens theorized and trails off before saying what the second one was.

“It’s gone,” she said flatly. “The mages at Weisshaupt weren’t sure if it was because the First Enchanter’s brooch sped things up artificially, or... at any rate, all the corruption vanished. They don’t think it’s going to come back, either. There was test after test, but they think I may be the first Grey Warden that never has to endure the Calling again.”

Hawke

Hawke is stabbed by the Arishok This fanon likely came into being due to one of the moves the Arishok has where it will leave you almost dead. So a bit of canon as it is in his move set, but fanon in the idea it is something that always happens in canon.

Unable to confirm if Fanon, Canon, or a mix of both

Teagan marries Bella, the barmaid from Redcliffe This one goes back really far and is hard to tell if it is a case of mistaken identity and association, or a really buggy option for the epilogue, or isn't actually a possibility. What I can confirm is that Teagan does have a woman he can marry given certain conditions are met in dao, but it is actually Kaitlyn, the sister who's brother goes missing in Redcliffe. If you properly compensate her for her grandfather's sword she'll open up a foundry in Denerim and will marry Teagan after having known him for a few months. According to this thread, you have to get Kaitlyn to move to Denerim with her brother, make Bella the maid to Teagan and in the ending slide Teagan and Bella will get married. Though I haven't been able to confirm that this is possible. (If you have a screenshot/video of this slide and know how to trigger this please let me know) This is also not an option mentioned in the Keep, however neither is Kaitlyn's. Which isn't surprising given some of the ending slides that were not direct player choice (ex) choosing Orzammar's king) are mostly cut from canon.

[melonsodypop]

*the anon who asked about kinks / cries happily in the corner* that was deliciously beautiful, thank you so much! ❤ Actually, if that's okay, maybe... yakuza men and... breeding kink? Tysm <3

EEEEEEEEE ANON YOU'RE WELCOME AND I'M SO HAPPY U ENJOYED IT!! as for ur request ... u r once again speaking my language >:)

yakuza men with breeding kinks !

ꕥ pairing -  kazuma kiryu, goro majima, taiga saejima, shun akiyama, y0!akira nishikiyama, daigo dojima, ryuji goda/afab!reader (all seperate)

ꕥ  tags -  nsfw, minors dni, bullet list headcanons, fem!gendered term used (mother/mama), br33ding/impregnation kink, penetrative s3x, unprotected s3x, multiple rounds/marathon s3x, dirty talk, creampie, mating press, aftercare, petnames (babe, slight angst/vague spoilers (majima), reader wears a skirt (daigo), degradation/rough s3x (ryuji)

ꕥ  a/n - i just realized that its a shame i can't write for ichiban yet (or any other chara from 6 onwards)!! i'm still in the process of playing 5 - i'll try to get to his games soon for all my ichiban likers out there <3 also i probably went a liiitle overboard w some of these,,

ꕥ kazuma kiryu 🐉

honestly, the thought of fathering his own children really never crossed his mind

between haruka, his kids at the orphanage and everything that seems to happen to him all the time, impregnating anybody is just not something he ever pictured himself doing

that is, until he started dating you

seeing how gentle you are with the morning glory kids, how supportive you are of haruka, the way your eyes light up and coo when you guys pass a baby on the streets - it makes kiryu's gut stir in a way that he's totally unfamiliar with

he's able to tamper down the thoughts for a while, but one day after he saw you cradling some random friend's baby in your arms, he just breaks

the second he gets you home he's on you, hardly making it past the entryway before he's needily kissing you up against the wall

usually he's so gentle with you, afraid of hurting you with his immeasurable strength - but right now, he's hungrily grabbing at you, his brow furrowed with the effort of holding back

kiryu can be a little hesitant about asking for what he wants in bed, but when you ask what in the world has gotten into him he looks into your eyes with such an intense fire behind his gaze that it leaves you breathless

"you look so good with a baby in your arms..."

ah, there it is. you've gotten good at picking up what he's feeling without him verbalizing much, so you don't need him to say anything else

he knows that he's absolutely ready to make you the mother of his kids, but he patiently waits until you explicitly tell him that you want him to impregnate you

it's at that moment that he's reaching behind your thighs to lift you up, a low groan leaving him as he rushes you to a bed

kisses and nips at your neck the entire way over, the shape of his arousal already becoming obvious in his grey slacks

his calloused palms knead at your tits, his jaw tightening as he imagines them swollen and dripping with milk - he didn’t even KNOW he could have thoughts like these

folds you in the tightest mating press, your legs slung over his broad shoulders and his forehead pressed into the pillow next to your own head

starts gentle but eventually loses himself at the thought of you round with a kid, his kid, rutting into you like a beast the more you beg and plead for him to fill you up

you swear he's trying to mold your insides to the shape of his cock with how firmly he's pressing down into you, his thick thighs flexing with every thrust he delivers

he thought he was gonna be able to stop after one round, but the way you keened when you felt him shoot ropes of his seed into your womb and the way it started to ooze out of you in globs when he pulls out... yeah, that's not happening

holds you so tightly in his arms once you're both finally satisfied that he's impregnated you, kissing your forehead and whispering sweet nothings to you and feeling a little bad about how rough he was

"you did so good - you're gonna be such a good mother. i promise i'm going to do everything i can to provide for us"

ꕥ goro majima 🐍

pregnancy is... kind of a sensitive topic for him

your entire relationship, he's faithfully used condoms whenever you've had sex - even going so far as sending poor nishida to the convenience store to fetch him more if he runs out mid-lovemaking session

it'll take him a long time to admit it to you, but he's terrified of messing his kid up with his own issues or the commitment of being a present father on top of the things that have happened to him in the past

so it'd take you being his lover for a long time and a lot of serious conversations before he's willing to even breach the mere possibility of getting you pregnant

but when you finally agree to it, the moment he sinks into you raw from behind for the first time, feeling the warmth of your walls hugging his cock and your slick dripping down the length of it and down to his balls without that thin latex barrier... yeah, he's gone

he has to grit his teeth, his good eye screwing shut as he tries not to cum on the spot

which only gets worse when you start moaning and whining for him to start moving

"christ, babe - i'm trying not ta bust immediately, and those pretty noises yer making aren't helpin' a damn bit"

finally calms himself down enough to move, languidly rolling his hips and letting out ragged pants as he savors the feeling of your slick walls wrapped around him trying to milk him dry

with every thrust of his cock deep into you and every pretty whimper you let out, the image of his seed spilling out of you starts to rile him up even worse, his pace becoming hurried and rough

wraps your arms around your waist and leans down so his front is pressed to your back, nuzzling his nose into your neck as he starts to fuck you in earnest

loves the way you twitch and squirm in his grasp, feeling every ridge and vein of his length rubbing against your walls in a way you've never been able to feel before

peppers your neck and cheek with kisses when you plead for him to cum inside - "gonna fill ya up, mama, promise - breed ya 'til ya can't take anymore, gonna fill ya with my kids jus' like ya wanted"

reaches around your bodies to rub at your swollen clit, distantly remembering some dirty magazine that told him that pregnancies are more likely if both parties cum

talks you both through your climaxes until he can't hold on anymore, his entire body shuddering with the hardest orgasm he thinks he's ever experienced, his cock throbbing and pumping a thick load of his cum into your belly

as soon as post-nut clarity sets in, majima has one thought and that it's that he's never fucking you with a condom again if he can help it

in fact, he's just going to have to do it a few more times that night -just to make sure his seed really takes, y'know?

ꕥ taiga saejima 🐅

saejima grew up expecting to be a father, back in the days when he thought he was going to be an elementary school teacher - but after joining the yakuza, he let go of any expectation of being able to have a normal family

he never really breaches the subject of having kids with you, assuming there was an unspoken mutual agreement that you both just had too much going on to think about children

despite this, you can't help but notice how soft the big lug gets around children - his eyes soften at the sight of children walking hand-in-hand with their parents, the way he crouches down to talk softly to crying lost kids on the street, how gently he holds babies when they're handed to him

soon enough, your brain starts to form images of him being the father to your own kids, the thought of him putting a baby in your belly the only thing you can think about

he's laying you down on a bed to fuck you one day, and he feels his gut lurch when you reach down between you to tug the condom on his cock off and press the tip against your entrance

his eyes widen when you shyly ask him if he'd want to have kids with you, the blush on your cheeks and the feeling of his raw tip pressing into your slick folds making his length twitch and his head light

holds your face in his hands as he starts to process what you just said to him, almost wondering if he needs to get his ears checked - "yer serious? ya want my kids? yer not fuckin' with me, are ya?"

you start to backpedal, telling him that you definitely want kids, but you didn't want to pressure him into anything he wasn't ready for

that is, until you feel his large hands grip the back of your thighs and fold you in half, exposing your slick pussy to his eyes

he looks absolutely feral, his breaths shaky, brow furrowed, his pupils blown wide as he tries not to lose it right then and there

"say it again. say you want me to breed this greedy pussy 'til it's pregnant"

as soon as you say yes, he buries himself in your pussy in one thrust, drawing out a pitchy whine from you as you feel his absurdly large dick all the way in your lungs, his tip kissing your cervix

keeps you pinned in a mating press as he brutally fucks you over and over again, his animalistic grunts and groans mixing with the sound of his balls heavy with seed slap against your ass

barely pauses after his first orgasm, his hips stuttering as he shoots rope after rope of his thick cum into your waiting womb with a throaty growl, before he's stirring his hips again

he can't stop himself, his brain muddled with the need to breed and see your tits swell with milk and your stomach grow taut and round

luckily, you're just as willing as he is, prettily pleading for him not to stop and keep feeding your greedy pussy his seed - and he happily obliges, fucking you again and again until you've milked every drop he has to give

you won't be able to walk the next day, or honestly a few days after that - but saejima carries you everywhere around your apartment, taking care of every one of your needs with an affectionate gleam in his eyes and his large hand protectively caressing your belly

mutters "gonna look so beautiful with a kid in ya, sweetheart" as he kisses the top of your head, a stark contrast to how brutally he railed you the night before

ꕥ shun akiyama 💵

yet another dude who never really expected to be a father, nor really thought that he wanted to be

it's not that he doesn't love you, and he's surely financially stable enough to support a kid or two - but man, he can barely take care of himself without being hounded to by somebody else, how could he ever hope to be responsible for raising a whole other human?

between his ex-fiancée dumping him and being homeless for as long as he was, any inkling he ever had of starting a family has just been kinda. erased

he uses protection pretty much any time the two of you have sex, and even when he's run out of condoms and you're both too desperate to pause and run to the nearest convenience store, his pullout game is immaculate, opting to just paint your stomach or ass with his cum

ever perceptive, he can't help but notice the slight disappointment on your face every time he pulls out - and as someone who loves to tease you and find new ways to rile you up, a devious little idea forms in his head for the next time he takes you to bed

he's thrusting up into you while you're in his lap, waiting for the perfect moment between your needy mewls and airy moans to strike

he leans into your ear and whispers lowly, "squeezin' on me so tightly, sweetheart - m'gonna have no choice fill you up if you keep clenching like that"

the rush of satisfaction he gets when he feels your walls tighten around his length and your eyes widen... oh god, he wishes he could do that for the first time over and over again

there's no actual risk of a pregnancy right now, a condom wrapped firmly around his length - but just his words are enough to make your face flush red and whine in embarrassment

he laughs as he cradles the back of your head, his suspicions confirmed - "so you do have a little breeding kink, huh? how cute"

he continues to weaponize it every time he fucks you, taunting you with promises of cumming inside and calling you 'mama' and reveling in the way it makes you whimper and whine

he notices that your whines and pleads for him to fill you up are starting to make him throb too, but he ignores it, the dirty talk only play when he has a condom on

that is, until he runs out of them one day, about to bury himself into you when he hurriedly opens the box and finds it empty, both of you too riled up to stop and go buy more

he thinks he'll be okay fucking you raw, telling himself he'll just pull out like he always does - until he hears your mewls, breathily asking him to fill you up with his seed

between the tears pooling in your eyes, the throb of his cock in response to it, and your pretty begs... ah, fuck it, akiyama thinks as he starts to pump his hips a little faster.

so what if he knocks you up? it's not like he doesn't have the money to give both you and his kid whatever you would want, anyways

plus, it's worth it just to see the blissed-out look on his lover's face after you orgasm together, finally satisfied with the feeling of his warm cum dripping out of your pussy

ꕥ akira nishikiyama 🎏

nishiki's solid in the fact that he's too young to be a dad, wanting to enjoy the freedom of being in his early 20s for a lot longer before he even thinks about fathering any kids

he thinks he much prefers his cum painted somewhere else on your body, marking you as his

but, alas, nishiki is young and dumb and a risktaker, so sometimes he's too worked up to go scramble for a condom before he fucks you and just takes you raw

he's good at pulling out, usually, but god, sometimes your slick pussy just clenches around him so deliciously that the primal part of his brain just wants to spill inside of you

the mere threads of his restraint snap, however, as soon as you respond to his question of where you want his cum with "inside, please"

did he hear you right? inside? god, you had never asked that before, and his hips stutter as his entire body reacts to your mewled plea like your pussy's electrocuting him

"baby, we can't-" he cuts himself off with a gasped moan, the way his cock throbs inside of you and his mind forcing images of your pussy leaking his cum into the edges of his vision testing his shaky resolve

buries his face in your shoulder as his balls draw up, the desire to cum bubbling up in his gut and his abs flexing with the effort of holding himself back

and yet, the images don't stop - your belly growing round, tits swelling with milk, everyone knowing it was him - only him that did that to you

every new thought stokes the possessive fire in him, his bottom lip trembling as he fights himself

what finally does him in is you looking over your shoulder, meeting his wet eyes with your own, pouting so cutely that nishiki thinks he could cry

"nishiki, why'd you stop?" you whimper, your voice so breathy and thick with need that all logic gets thrown out of his head

far be it from nishiki not to give you anything you want - if you want his cum in you, marking your pussy as his and his only, he's more than happy to oblige

you gasp as he starts to thrust into you again, a little faster and harder than he did before, a frustrated growl coming up from his throat as he starts to rub harsh circles onto your clit

"i'll fill you up, babe - gonna mark you as mine, everyone's gonna know that you're mine, yeah?"

his filthy words become nearly incoherent and his hips stutter as he gets closer to cumming, your sopping wet pussy milking him for all he's worth

he'll probably curse himself later if you actually end up knocked up with his baby - but for now, as he takes in the sight of your abused pussy, covered in his cum, he can't bring himself to care, pushing down on your back so it arches and he can enter you from behind again

he'll figure it out later, how to support you and a kid - but for now, he's starting to move inside you again, losing himself in the sounds of his hips slamming against your ass and your incessant moans

ꕥ daigo dojima ⚔️

ever since he was a kid, daigo's been hounded by people telling him that one day, he's going to continue the dojima bloodline, producing an heir with some pretty wife like every dojima before him

for a long time, he honestly resented the responsibility of continuing his father's shitty legacy being thrust onto him

finding somebody to marry and impregnate fell even further down his to-do list when he became chairman - there was just too much to take care of and too many mouths to feed in the tojo clan to even think about adding another in his home

but when you came along, a source of unconditional love and support that saw him as just daigo, not the sixth chairman or even a dojima, well... maybe a kid or two wouldn't be such a bad idea

ever the serious one, daigo's the one to bring up the idea of kids in your relationship first over dinner

he's honestly a little afraid of how you're going to react, but he's determined to accept your answer either way

he's delighted when you tell him that yes, you would want to have kids with him, a soft smile on his lips - he can't help but feel a rush of affection with the affirmation that you wanted to spend the future with him

daigo returns to his meal, satisfied with the progress made - but it's the next thing you say that makes him choke on the steak in his mouth

"so, do you want to get started?"

he sputters and coughs, hastily reaching for a napkin to wipe his lips with

you both were pretty good at communicating directly, it was what made your relationship so strong - but never had you been this blunt

he finally finishes coughing, looking across the table at you. "i beg your pardon?"

"i said, do you want to start trying for a baby," you state, your expression just as determined as before

daigo's not sure if it's how direct you are with your desires or the thought of impregnating you that makes his pants get tight, but either way he abandons his dinner to round the table and crash his lips onto yours

you end up with your front pressed against the nearest wall as daigo slams into you from behind, one hand firmly grasping your hip and the other possessively grasping your breast

both of your half-eaten dinners are forgotten about as the sound of skin smacking against skin fills the dining room

you both were too impatient to even undress properly - his pants are barely unzipped and your skirt is hastily pushed up over your hips, your panties haphazardly moved to the side

he's so worked up, the even-tempered man unable form any coherent thoughts other than making you bear his heirs

"s-shit - gonna cum in this pussy," he pants in your ear, his hand pressing down on your lower stomach and making you feel every inch of him sliding in and out of you. "gonna fill you with my babies, darling-"

after he's made an absolute mess out of both of you, his release stuffed into your pussy and his pants stained with your slick, he snaps your panties back in place so his seed stays inside and guides you back to your seat at the dinner table to finish your meal

"eat up, my dear - you're gonna need the strength," he chuckles, "i'm not done with you yet. not even close"

ꕥ ryuji goda 🐲

ryuji's never really bothered with condoms when it comes to sex with you

sure, he'll pull out if you ask him to, but if he cums inside, he's not even really worried about it

so what if he knocks you up? he has the resources to take care of both you and the little brat, no problem

he plans to be a present dad, too - he may be an asshole, but he knows what it feels like to have a parent abandon you and he'll never be able to call himself a real man if he ever makes his own flesh and blood feel that way

if you ever ask him to cum inside or tell him directly to get you pregnant, his eyes are gonna gleam with a feral hunger and that scar on his lips is gonna twist as he smirks widely

"what a needy ass slut, beggin' for my cum like a bitch in heat," he drawls, palming your tits and pinching your nipples to draw a cry out of you. "ya want my fuckin' kid? i'll give it to ya, doll - i'll give ya as many kids as you fuckin' want"

be prepared for his already rough thrusts to become even more pointed and sharp, the base instinct to breed you making his movements and his noises downright animalistic

his thick arms wrap around your midsection tightly, not letting you move an inch as he fucks you like a fleshlight

ryuji's not shy about letting you know how good fucking you raw feels, either, letting his growls and ragged pants out right next to your ear

one of his large hands grasps your chin and forces you to look at him, his lips hungrily claiming yours as he continues to piston his cock into your wet warmth

he loves the sounds of your pathetic moaning to muffle them for long, parting from you and feeling his balls draw up when he sees just how fucked out you look

"c'mon, doll, d'ya even want my baby?" he sneers, finding your drooling, glassy-eyed expression so hot that you can feel his cock jump inside you. "beg for it, beg for me to knock ya up"

growls out an "that's it, mama" when he's finally satisfied that you really, really do want his seed in your womb, thrusting his cock deeper and harder and surely bruising your cervix

ryuji finally bottoms out in you in a harsh, final thrust that has you squirting all over his length, his sweaty face twisting in a smirk as he pumps rope after rope of his release directly into your womb

when ryuji cums, he cums a lot - you swear that he holds you in place for damn near five minutes as his heavy balls continue to contract and ejaculate their contents into your pussy

"hah - i'll be damned if yer not pregnant after that," ryuji chuckles - he's always been proud of the amount of cum he's able to pump out

an arm wraps around your shoulders and pulling you into his chest as he lays back on the bed. his free hand comes up to rub your belly possessively, his cock still plugged in you so none of his seed escapes

"but if yer not... well, i was plannin' on fuckin' this slutty pussy some more anyways"

[matenrou-fan]

three seperate scenario of toki, jakurai, ichiro waking up really horny and slowly fucking their s/o? she is laying in front of them and they lift her leg to slip in from behind (but it's not anal lol!)

uhhh I am so so sorry idk any pthing about OM so i can't request :(

Samatoki, Jakurai, Ichiro with fem!s/o (+morning sex)

femreader, humping, fingering (receiving), rough sex;;

NSFW UNDER THE CUT

;MINORS DNI;

-Despite he's such an overprotective softie in relationships, there's also a pretty naughty side of him, so Samatoki never would be that ashamed of seeing some wet dreams that involve you, he's only enjoying it. But it's really rare when he wakes up that horny after such a good sleep.

-But it's actually neither the first nor last time he felt such desire after lewding you in dreams. If you sleep at this moment, he prefers to just go to the bathroom and calm himself down, but sometimes it's really too much and his own hand won't help. Just like today, a copy of you in his mind was just too bold in his fantasies.

-So Samatoki just move to your closer, hugging from behind. He probably should do the opposite, as the soft scent of your warm skin just makes his dick twitch more, but he can't, it's like his hands freeze around your waist the second he wraps his arms around your body.

-"Babe.. Babe, are you sleeping?" - A low, hoarse after night voice slowly wakes you up, and even while being so sleepy, you can't help but notice how hot it actually sounds. - "Heh, what with this smile? You already know what I want?"

-Of course you know, because as soon as you open your eyes and look at the pale face of your boyfriend, his hands lowered to your hip. Oh, and you can feel this pressure against your butt when he leans closer to your smaller figure.

-But no matter how horny Samatoki are, he wants to heat your mind too, playing with your body a little before actually pushing himself inside. His arms already know all your sensitive places, squeezing your nipples between fingers while his glans stroking your folds through the thin fabric of your pajamas.

-During casual sessions your boyfriend loves to make you the one to whine for more, yet today there's not that much patience in his nerves. So pretty soon, when his dick would slowly soak in your juices, Samatoki finally pulled down your shorts and slowly but surely thrust in till the very end.

-Getting too carried away is definitely one of the points in the list of bad habits of your boyfriend.. As he doesn't give a single fuck about how many responsibilities and tasks waits for him outside your shared bedroom, he wouldn't stop until you two get enough of each other bodies.

-And trust me, as soon as you start calling his name in such a desperate voice, all last thought would fade away from his mind as Samatoki just wants to keep pounding you senseless.

-For him, it's very unusual to suddenly feel such an unsuppressable urge, especially early in the morning, when he just wakes up and immediately starts thinking about you and your body, sleeping next to him.

-A usual morning routine for Jakurai is to get up and check his blood pressure and temperature, yet today there's another problem that needs to be solved - his half hardened dick, that keeps pulsing in his home shorts.

-He probably should just quickly take a shower and deal with his fantasies all alone? Yet even for someone with great patience and self-control as Jakurai, it's kinda hard to resist this wish to touch your shoulder or to lean closer to your smooth hair. The sweet aroma of your shampoo is so luring..

-Small, light kisses on the neck would quickly wake you up, and only after that Jakurai would cling closer, wrapping his hands around your waist. Some deep shame would tickle his chest, aren't he too old to be so needy? Yet it feels like words escape his lips faster than he was able to think about them properly.

-"Ah.. Good morning, my dear.. The morning has just begun, but I think I'm already falling for your charm again.." - your lover whispers right in your ear, sending electric waves of goosebumps down your spine. - "So I hope you will forgive me for such impudence.."

-Even in an internal frenzy, Jakurai so soft and loving, thinking about your pleasure even more than about his own, as he doesn't want to just use you. Despite waking up absolutely hungry for your body, there's an even bigger appetite for intimate emotions in his soul, the real connection..

-So everything would be gentle and passionate, as always when Jakurai is being a dom. Preparing you long and well with his slim fingers, while you pressing your back to his warm chest, mewling in pleasure.. Sweet nothings and small praises in your ear as he slowly slides inside, pushing your clenching walls.

-And of course so much attention to your lips, chest and clit, as he slowly starts trusting in, enjoying the wet tightness of your pussy. Only your ardent reaction through small whimpers and lazily, but needy movements of your hips makes his arousal stronger. Only your desire raises his desire to the highest point.

-How lucky you both are, to not have any work shifts today.. As it seems Jakurai wouldn't have enough of your adorable morning cumming face after just one round.

-Well.. Even in his pure mind sometimes can awoke a few naughty thoughts, especially when he can't control his mind and it shows him the deepest desires of his soul.

-And probably the one who would wake up first today would be you, as these desperate whimpers behind you get too loud, and his arms trembling so much as Ichiro cling closer to you, shyly calling your name through sweet dreams.

-How can you not tease him a little? Leaning back to press yourself to his shaking with deep, unsteady breaths, chest. Maybe whisper his name a few times too, while wiggling your hips a bit to grind back, rubbing against a hard twitching bulge in his pajama pants.

-"M.. S/o, s/o, I'm so close.." - a sudden loud gasp breaks from his chest as Ichiro finally wakes up with a nagging ache between his thighs and notices your sly grin. - "A-ah, s/o, g-good morning…! Did I wake you up…?"

-He always feels so ashamed when you catch him like that! Yet sometimes it feels like his dick gets even harder in such situations, happy to finally get more attention. And the way you coo at your boyfriend, willing to help with such a shameful urge drew him to follow this primal instinct.

-The dream is so realistic but never enough, and he's too hungry for just the warmth of your skin and the sweet odours of your body. So for a few minutes Ichiro just wants to feel you more, to calm down his tickling mind through hot kisses and libidinous foreplay with your chest, while his dick keeps humping against your hips so fast and needy.

-And oh how amusing yet arousing his groans sound when his trembling hand finally lifts your leg, allowing him to slip in. For a moment he just froze in place, as he always does after getting inside you fully, just enjoying how pulses of your walls wrapped around his whole length.

-And after that.. Some unsteady, sloppy movements, that quickly speed up as Ichiro whines more and more right in your ear just how tight you are early in the morning. Just how good it feels, to be greeted with your delicious pussy like that. Best wake up in his life.

-God.. Just how lucky you're that both Jiro and Saburo stayed overnight in their friends houses, as these loud slaps of hips to hips and weak but loud high pitched moans would be heard all over the house for a whole morning today.

[kckt88]

Scorched Hearts - Younger I

Summary:

'We loved with a love that was more than love - Edgar Allen Poe'

A glimpse into the past of Aemond and Valaena.

Warning(s): Angst, Drama, Mild Violence, Reference to Violence Against A Child, First Kiss, Seperation, Blood, Eye Injury, Self Loathing.

AEMOND x O.C Niece

Word Count: 8730

A.N -

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

Comments, likes, and reblogs are very much appreciated, do not copy/post to other sights without my permission.

Tag List - @jasminecosmic99 @kaelatargaryen @yesterdayfeelings-blog @immyowndefender @0eessirk8 @darylandbethfanforever9 @killua2dot0 @msassenach @xcharlottemikaelsonx

The sun shone bright over the training grounds of the Red Keep, casting long shadows as the clash of wooden swords echoed in the air.

Valaena stood by the weapons chest, her small fingers brushing the cool edge of the lid as she watched her brothers, Jace and Luke, sparring against their uncles Aegon and Aemond.

Their laughter and the occasional grunt of effort filled the space, each of them engrossed in the mock battle.

Valaena’s heart ached as she stood there, longing to join them. She clenched her small hands into fists, frustration bubbling in her chest.

Why couldn’t she pick up a sword too?

She might be able to fight as well as any of them if only she were given the chance.

But no, she was a girl, and the training ground was no place for her. Her days were filled with embroidery, memorizing the names of lords and castles, and practicing the graciousness expected of a Queen.

She glowered at the thought.

If duty meant being left on the sidelines while everyone else had fun, she didn’t want it.

Valaena’s gaze lingered on Aemond as he stepped back, his wooden sword poised with precision. His movements were sharp and deliberate, his focus unwavering.

He didn’t carry the same careless energy as Aegon or the easy camaraderie Jace and Luke shared. There was a quiet intensity to him, one that fascinated Valaena.

But more than that, there was something else—a sadness she couldn’t quite name.

While the others sparred, Aemond often stood alone. Even when he fought alongside them, he seemed apart, an island unto himself.

It made her chest tighten to see him that way, isolated in a way that felt deeply unfair. She wanted to approach him, to talk to him, to ask him why he seemed so distant, but the words never came.

Instead, when their eyes met across the training yard, she gave him a small, discreet wave.

To her surprise, Aemond smiled and inclined his head in return. Her cheeks warmed, a blush creeping across her face as she looked down quickly, pretending to fiddle with the edge of her sleeve.

Her mind raced.

What could she do to make him happy?

She wanted to see him smile again, to banish that loneliness from his expression. A thought struck her—a simple, childlike solution that made perfect sense.

Sweets!

Everyone liked sweets, didn’t they? Surely, a treat would lift Aemond’s spirits.

Resolving herself, Valaena turned on her heel, leaving the training grounds behind. Her sandals slapping against the stone floor as she made her way toward the kitchens, excitement bubbling within her.

She imagined the look on Aemond’s face when she presented him with the treat. Perhaps he’d laugh, or perhaps he’d speak to her more. Maybe he’d even thank her and tell her she was clever.

And just maybe, in some small way, he’d like her.

Valaena tiptoed into the Red Keep’s kitchens, her heart racing with the thrill of her small rebellion.

The air was warm and smelled of freshly baked bread, spiced pies, and the faint tang of roasted meat.

Long wooden tables were cluttered with pots, bowls, and rolling pins, and in the corner sat a tray laden with sweets—golden tarts, sugar-dusted biscuits, and small candied fruits that glistened like tiny jewels.

Her eyes lit up as she approached, her hands twitching with anticipation. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching and then reached out, snatching a handful of the treats. Just as she stuffed them into her hands, a shadow loomed over her, and she froze.

“Ahem-”

Valaena turned, her breath hitching as she looked up at a plump older woman with flour-splattered cheeks and a wooden ladle clutched in her hand like a weapon. The cook stared down at her, raising an eyebrow.

“What do we have here?” the woman asked in a stern tone.

“I-I was-was just-” Valaena stammered, quickly hiding her hands behind her back. Her lip wobbled as she tried to think of an excuse. “Please don’t tell my mama-”

The cook crossed her arms, her gaze steady. “Stealing is wrong, little Princess.”

“I’m sorry, cooky lady,” Valaena whispered, her cheeks reddening. “I-I’ll put them back. I just wanted to cheer up my uncle-he seems very sad and-and-”

The cook’s expression softened at her words. She sighed, shaking her head before putting her ladle on the side. “Go on, then. Take them. But next time, you ask, do you hear me?”

Valaena’s face brightened with a smile, and she nodded eagerly. “I will! Thank you, cooky lady!”

The cook chuckled softly, the corners of her lips twitching into a smile. “Go on, get out of here, Princess. Wouldn’t want you getting caught wandering where you don’t belong.”

Valaena paused, turning back to the cook with a puzzled expression. “Where I don’t belong?”

The cook let out a weary sigh, brushing the flour from her hands. “You’re a Princess, and I’m a servant. We belong to different worlds, little one. One day you’ll understand. People like me aren’t meant to mix with people like you.”

Valaena tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “But why?”

The cook chuckled softly, though there was a hint of melancholy in her voice. “That’s just the way things are, child.”

“But why?” Valaena pressed, her frown deepening.

The cook exhaled, her patience waning. “You’re young. You’ll see when you’re older.”

“But we all live—and someday, we’ll all die. Isn’t that the same?” Valaena asked, her head tilted in earnest curiosity.

The cook paused, her voice carrying a note of quiet sorrow. “The lives we lead couldn’t be more different.”

“Why?” Valaena insisted, pursing her lips.

“It just is, Princess,” the cook murmured, her words heavy with resignation.

Valaena looked down at the sweets cradled in her hands.

After a moment of thought, she picked the most delicious-looking one—a tart with golden glaze—and held it out to the cook.

“Here. Sweets always make everything better.”

The cook’s eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled, taking the tart carefully. “Thank you, Princess.”

Valaena beamed, but then asked, “What’s your name, cooky lady?”

The cook raised an eyebrow, bemused. “Flora,” she said after a moment.

“I’m Valaena,” the young princess replied proudly, her head held high.

Flora laughed softly, shaking her head. “I know who you are, Princess.”

Valaena frowned, shaking her head firmly. “No, I’m just Valaena.”

The cook smiled, her eyes crinkling with affection. “Very well, Valaena.”

“Thank you, Flora,” Valaena said with a grin. “But I must give these to my uncle now. Perhaps I shall come to see you again.”

“I would like that,” Flora said, her voice gentle.

With a final smile, Valaena turned and darted out of the kitchen, racing back to the training yard with the sweets clutched in her hands.

Valaena arrived back at the training yard, her hand clutching the sweets she had carefully pilfered, only to be greeted by the chaotic sight of Ser Harwin Strong reigning punches down on Ser Criston Cole.

The sound of fists connecting with flesh echoed around the grounds, Ser Harwin’s booming voice shouting, “Say it again! Say it again!”

His anger reverberated like thunder, and it took three Kingsguard to pull him away.

As Ser Harwin was escorted past her, his face a mixture of fury and frustration, Valaena’s gaze met his.

On impulse, she reached out and gently squeezed his hand, a silent gesture of comfort.

Ser Harwin looked down at her, his stormy expression softening for a moment, before he was pulled away.

Valaena let go, her attention turning toward Aemond.

She approached him, her steps light, and held out one of the sweets in her hand. “For you, Uncle,” she said softly, her violet eyes shimmering with quiet warmth.

Aemond stared at her, his features momentarily unreadable. Then, he nodded and reached for the sweet, his fingers brushing hers as he took it.

“Thank you,” he muttered, his voice low.

“I saw you earlier,” Valaena said, her tone brightening. “You’re very good with sparring.”

Aemond’s lips quirked into a small smile, but before he could reply, Aegon sauntered over, his usual smirk plastered across his face.

“What’s this, little niece?” Aegon asked, his tone mockingly sweet as he reached for the sweets in her hand.

“Not for you, Uncle,” Valaena snapped, pulling her hand back protectively. “Get your own”

Aegon scoffed, his pride clearly pricked. “How rude.” With a flick of his wrist, he slapped her hand, sending the sweets tumbling to the dirt.

Valaena’s lips wobbled, her breath hitching as Aegon laughed cruelly.

“Aww, are you going to cry, little girl?”

“You’re mean!” Valaena blurted, her voice shaking.

Aegon shrugged nonchalantly. “So? What are you going to do about it? Nothing. That’s all you ever have—nothing. No friends, no dragon. Makes you wonder if you’re even a Targaryen at all.”

His words struck deep, and Valaena glanced at Aemond, whose scowl mirrored her own pain. Aemond, like her, was without a dragon, and Aegon’s taunts seemed to cut them both equally.

Aegon’s laughter only grew as he shoved Valaena, sending her sprawling to the ground.

“Leave her alone!” Aemond snapped, his voice sharp as he moved to help her up.

Aegon stopped laughing, only to sneer at his younger brother. “Oh, look, the dragon less wonder comes to the rescue.”

But before Aegon could continue his mockery, Valaena surged forward, her small fist connecting with his nose in a satisfying crack.

Aegon’s eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, blood trickling from his nostrils.

“You little shit!” Aegon snarled, lunging toward her, but Aemond stepped in front of Valaena, his arm outstretched as he pushed his older brother back.

“That’s enough,” Aemond said coldly, his voice steady and commanding.

Aegon wiped the blood from his nose, his face twisting with fury. “You two losers deserve each other,” he spat before stomping off, Jace and Luke following close behind with uncertain expressions.

Valaena brushed dirt from her dress, her cheeks flushed with anger and shame. “Thank you,” she murmured, glancing at Aemond.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, his tone casual as he turned away to begin placing the wooden swords back on the rack.

Feeling disheartened, Valaena turned to leave the training grounds. But just as she reached the edge, Aemond’s voice called after her.

“Good punch, by the way.”

Valaena stopped, turning to see him looking at her with a faint, approving smile.

A smile broke across Valaena’s face, and she nodded. “Thank you.”

For the first time that day, Aemond’s smile lingered, and Valaena left the training yard with a newfound spark of courage in her heart.

Valaena sat cross-legged on the cool stone floor of her chambers, her fingers tracing the smooth, polished edges of her wooden dragon figurines.

Each one was meticulously carved, the detail of their scales and wings so lifelike that she often imagined they might come alive in her hands.

She loved her toys, but as her gaze lingered on the little wooden figures, a heavy question began to press on her heart.

Would these carvings be the closest she ever came to having a dragon of her own?

The thought sent a pang of doubt through her chest.

What kind of Queen would she be if she never had a dragon?

Her mother had Syrax, her grandsire had been the last to claim Balerion the Black Dread, and Old King Jaehaerys, whom the bards still sang of, had commanded Vermithor.

Would the realm see her as weak?

Would they whisper behind her back that she was unworthy to sit the Iron Throne because she lacked the fiery majesty that defined her house?

People already whispered about her, she knew. Valaena wasn’t deaf to the hushed voices in the corridors of the Red Keep or the side-eyed glances as she walked by.

“She doesn’t have silver hair like her mother,” they would murmur. “-Or any Targaryen.”

Her hair was dark, like her brothers’, like Ser Harwin’s.

That truth loomed over her like a shadow she couldn’t escape, but Valaena didn’t want to dwell on it—not the way the courtiers and gossips did.

Her mother, Rhaenyra, always sidestepped such questions with the poise she could muster.

“You are a Targaryen,” her mother always said. “And that is all that matters.”

But without a dragon, Valaena didn’t feel much like a Targaryen. She felt ordinary, just like everyone else in the castle who didn’t have wings to carry them into the sky or fire in their blood to set the world alight.

Her fingers tightened around the figurine, her nails digging into its wooden sides. She wanted to believe her mother’s words.

She wanted to feel the power and pride of her house coursing through her veins, but without a dragon, it was hard to hold onto that feeling.

She sighed, letting the little wooden dragon drop onto the floor with a soft clatter.

For now, all she had were these toys and her dreams of what might be.

But dreams, no matter how vivid, couldn’t chase away the doubt.

Valaena picked up the shiny silver dragon figurine and cradled it in her hands.

“Maybe someday,” she whispered to the little dragon, her voice barely audible over the crackling of the fire in her hearth. “Maybe someday, you’ll be real.”

For now, though, the wooden dragons were all she had, and as much as she tried to imagine otherwise, they weren’t enough to fill the emptiness that burned inside her.

Valaena was skipping along the corridor, her little satchel of sweet treats that Flora had given her bouncing against her hip, when she saw Aemond rush past her.

His face was streaked with soot, his silver hair dishevelled, and his eyes red and swollen.

She hesitated for a moment, clutching the strap of her satchel. Aemond wasn’t always the easiest to approach, especially when he was upset.

But something about the look in his eyes pulled her forward. She quickened her steps, following him down the winding hall and out into the gardens.

She found him hunched near the ancient weirwood tree, his shoulders trembling as he furiously wiped at his face.

Valaena stopped a few paces away and called his name softly.

“Aemond?”

His head snapped up, his violet eyes glaring at her through strands of silver hair.

“Get lost,” he snarled, his voice thick with anger and embarrassment.

Valaena paused, unphased by his outburst. She reached into her satchel and pulled out one of the treats.

“Would you like a sweet?” she offered, holding it out in her palm. “I got them from the kitchens this morning.”

Aemond scowled, his face twisting in frustration, but after a moment, he nodded stiffly.

Valaena smiled. “Follow me.” She turned and led him to a thick bush near the edge of the gardens.

Parting the branches, she revealed a hollow space beneath, just large enough for the two of them to sit.

“This is my secret hiding place,” she said with pride, stepping inside and settling on the soft grass. She patted the ground beside her. “No one will find us here.”

Aemond hesitated, casting a wary glance around, but then he sighed and crawled in after her. He sat beside her, his knees drawn up to his chest.

Valaena opened her satchel, pulling out a handful of treats. “Which one do you want?”

Aemond pointed to the one in her left hand, and she handed it over without hesitation. They sat in companionable silence, munching on the sweets.

The tension in Aemond’s shoulders seemed to ease as he chewed, though his gaze remained fixed on the ground.

When they finished, Valaena broke the quiet. “Why were you so upset?”

Aemond’s face darkened, and he looked away, his cheeks flushing pink. “They all laughed at me,” he muttered.

“Who?”

“Aegon,” he said bitterly, wiping at his eyes again, “and your brothers. They gave me a p-pig.” His voice cracked on the last word, and he clenched his fists. “They called it the Pink Dread”

Valaena’s heart ached at the pain in his voice. She reached out and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“I’m sorry, Aemond. That was cruel of them.”

He glanced at her, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears, and squeezed her hand back.

They sat in silence for a long moment before Aemond spoke again, his voice low but resolute.

“I vow,” he said, his tone filled with determination, “-that one day I will claim the greatest dragon alive and they will never dare to mock me again-”

Valaena’s lips curled into a small smile. “Maybe that’s why your egg didn’t hatch,” she said thoughtfully. “Maybe your dragon is already out there somewhere, waiting for you.”

Aemond turned to her, a flicker of hope sparking in his eyes. “Do you really think so?”

She nodded. “I do. We weren’t meant for hatchlings. Our claims belong to the dragons of old. I’m certain of it.”

Aemond stared at her for a moment, his expression softening. “I hope you’re right, Valaena.”

She grinned and leaned closer, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “And maybe, just maybe, I’ll claim one of my own, too.”

For the first time that day, Aemond smiled, and it was enough to warm Valaena’s heart.

Together, they sat beneath the canopy of the bush, their shared hope for the future quietly binding them in a way that neither of them could yet put into words.

Over the next few weeks, Valaena and Aemond grew inseparable.

While the others flew with their dragons, Valaena and Aemond found solace in each other’s company.

They spent hours in the gardens, their laughter echoing beneath the shade of the weirwood tree, or lost in the library, devouring books on history and philosophy.

One sunny afternoon, Valaena skipped along the stone path, humming a cheerful tune. She was meant to be in her lessons with Septa Wella, but her heart led her elsewhere.

The weirwood tree was her sanctuary, and Aemond, sitting at its base with a book in hand, was waiting for her.

She spotted him ahead and quickened her steps, but her foot caught on an uneven stone. She tumbled to the ground, scraping her knee.

Tears welled in her eyes as she sat up, clutching her injured leg.

Aemond immediately rushed to her side, dropping to his knees. “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Valaena whimpered, pointing to her knee. “It hurts.”

Aemond examined the scrape. It was bleeding slightly but not severe. “It’s just a small scrape-” he said, his tone soothing. “You’ll be fine, I promise.”

Before he could say more, a shadow loomed over them. Septa Wella stood there, her face a mask of fury.

“Princess Valaena,” the Septa said sharply, “-you have important lessons to attend”

Valaena glared up at her, still clutching her knee. “I don’t want to go. I want to play with Aemond.”

“That is not your choice,” Septa Wella replied, her voice tight with disapproval. “As future Queen, there are values you must learn. The crown works closely with the Faith of the Seven. These lessons are vital.”

Valaena’s scowl deepened. “But what about the Valyrian gods? Shouldn’t I learn about them too?”

The Septa scoffed, unimpressed. “The Faith of the Seven is what matters in the realm. You will understand this in time.” She reached down and grabbed Valaena’s arm, trying to pull her to her feet.

Valaena, with fire in her eyes, leaned forward and bared her teeth, snapping them in the Septa’s direction.

Septa Wella shrieked, recoiling. “You vicious little beast!”

Aemond stood abruptly, his violet eye flashing. “Perhaps my niece would be more cooperative if you spent less time scolding her,” he said coldly.

Septa Wella straightened, smoothing her robes. “But, my Prince, the Princess is stubborn and belligerent. Such attitudes are unbefitting of a future Queen.”

Aemond tilted his head, a faint smirk curling his lips. “Hmmm. And perhaps you should have more respect for the future Queen.”

The Septa narrowed her eyes at him but bowed, her politeness clearly feigned. “I shall endeavour to correct my behaviour, my Prince.”

Aemond gave a curt nod before turning his attention back to Valaena. “Are you all right?”

Before Valaena could answer, Septa Wella interjected, her tone clipped. “Oh, do not worry, my Prince. The Princess will be fine.”

With that, the Septa grabbed Valaena’s arm once more, dragging her away. Valaena’s eyes filled with fear as she looked back at Aemond, silently pleading for help.

Aemond watched them go, his fists clenching at his sides. He knew the Septa’s strictness was part of her duty, but the sight of Valaena’s terrified face lingered in his mind long after she disappeared from view.

He vowed to find a way to protect her—not just from Septa Wella, but from the suffocating expectations that seemed determined to stifle the bright, fierce spirit he had come to admire so deeply.

Valaena lay curled up in her bed, her small body trembling as tears soaked her pillow.

Her back throbbed where Septa Wella's whip had left its stinging marks, each stripe a cruel reminder of the words that had been flung at her like daggers.

"Creature born of sin and depravity," the Septa had hissed. "You are no true Targaryen. Your egg didn’t hatch because you were never meant to be one of them."

The words echoed in Valaena’s mind, sharp and cutting, tearing at the fragile sense of self she had tried to hold onto.

She hugged her stuffed dragon tightly to her chest, its worn scales damp from her tears. The maids would come soon; she knew they would.

They always did, hovering around her like bees to honey, eager to report back to her mother if anything seemed amiss.

Valaena didn’t want that. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this.

As she lay there, staring into the dancing flames in the hearth, the truth settled over her like a suffocating weight.

It was a truth she had somehow known deep down, even as she had tried to ignore it, to wish it away.

Harwin Strong was her father. Not Laenor Velaryon, the man who was supposed to be her father, who the realm believed was her father.

Her mother had lain with Harwin instead, and Valaena, like her brothers, was the proof of that indiscretion. She hadn’t asked for this, hadn’t asked to be born into a web of lies and whispers. Yet here she was.

The pointed stares, the quiet murmurs in the halls, the sideways glances—they were her fault.

She was the reason her family carried this burden, the reason her brothers were mocked and ridiculed. It was her existence that cast a shadow over them all.

And in that moment, Valaena hated her mother.

She hated her mother for her choices, for the shadow she had cast over their family, for the pain and shame that Valaena and her brothers endured every day. If it weren’t for her grandsire, the King’s wilful blindness, Valaena knew she wouldn’t even be here.

None of them would.

She wiped her nose on the edge of her bed sheet, sniffling as she tried to quiet her sobs. The maids would come soon, and she couldn’t let them see her like this.

Gingerly, she climbed out of bed, wincing as the movement pulled at her sore back. Her fingers trembled as she changed into her nightclothes, the soft fabric brushing against her raw skin and making her wince.

Once dressed, she climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She burrowed deeper into the blankets, the stuffed dragon clutched tightly in her arms as she stared into the fire. The flames flickered and danced, their light casting shadows across the walls of her chamber.

Valaena watched the flames until her eyes grew heavy, her tears drying on her cheeks. But even as sleep tugged at her, the sting of Septa Wella's words and the ache in her heart refused to fade.

Only thoughts of Aemond offered her solace: the warmth of his smile, the way his eyes sparkled with laughter, the delicate freckles scattered across his face, and the way he would sometimes hold her hand as they read together.

He was her friend—her only friend. And maybe, just maybe, one day Valaena prayed that he would be something more.

The Red Keep buzzed with a flurry of activity as trunks were packed, maids hurried back and forth with Rhaenyra issuing instructions with a strained voice.

Valaena stood off to the side, her heart sinking as she watched her life at the castle being dismantled before her eyes.

They were leaving for Dragonstone, her mother had said, a place of safety and tradition, far away from the whispers and stares of King’s Landing.

Valaena barely noticed. Her world was shattering. She wasn’t just leaving the Red Keep; she was leaving him.

Aemond.

The thought of parting from him made her chest ache in a way she couldn’t fully explain.

Without him, what was she? Just a lonely girl with no dragon, trapped by the weight of her name.

She couldn’t let it end like this.

Slipping away from her chambers, her small feet barely made a sound on the stone floors as she ran through the familiar corridors.

She didn’t care if her mother found out she’d vanished. She didn’t care if the maids scolded her for disobedience.

All that mattered was seeing Aemond, one last time.

She found him sitting beneath the weirwood tree, his head bowed, his shoulders tense. He didn’t look up immediately as she approached, but when he did, the sadness in his eyes mirrored her own.

“I’m leaving for Dragonstone-” Valaena said, her voice trembling.

“I know,” Aemond replied, his tone clipped but hollow.

“I don’t want to go,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t want to leave you.”

Aemond’s jaw tightened as he looked away, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. “What choice do you have?” he said quietly, bitterness seeping into his voice. “What choice do we ever have?”

Tears welled in her eyes, and she stepped closer, her small hands trembling as she reached for his. “But I’ll miss you. So much.”

At that, he turned back to her, his expression softening as his fingers intertwined with hers. “And I’ll miss you,” he admitted, his voice cracking.

They stood there for a moment, hand in hand, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words.

“I wish we could stay together,” Valaena finally said, her tears spilling over.

Aemond looked up at the weirwood tree, its carved face gazing down at them with an ancient, solemn expression. When he spoke, his voice was low but firm. “Then we will.”

Her brow furrowed. “How?”

“When we’re grown,” he said, his eye meeting hers with fierce determination, “I vow to you. That I will marry you. And we will never be parted again.”

Her breath hitched, his words both a comfort and a wound. “You promise?”

“I promise,” he said, his voice unwavering.

She tried to smile through her tears, but it broke into a sob as Aemond reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek.

Then, with a trembling hand, he leaned in and kissed her.

It was a fleeting kiss, soft and hesitant, but it was full of all the things they couldn’t say—longing, fear, and a desperate hope that the future might somehow be kinder.

“Valaena!” Rhaenyra’s voice echoed through the gods wood, sharp and commanding.

Valaena flinched, her time running out. She clung to Aemond in a desperate hug, her tears soaking into his tunic. “Don’t forget me,” she begged.

“I could never forget you,” he whispered fiercely, his arms tightening around her. “Write to me.”

“I will,” she promised, her voice breaking as she pulled away, taking one last look at him before turning to run back toward her mother’s voice.

Aemond stood frozen beneath the weirwood tree, his fists clenched at his sides, his heart shattering as he watched her go.

With one last look, Valaena turned and ran back toward the Keep.

Aemond remained by the weirwood tree, standing alone as he watched her disappear from sight.

A single tear slipped down his cheek, falling into the grass below.

Aemond sat cross-legged in the small hollow beneath the bush in the gods wood, Valaena’s hiding spot.

It was his refuge now, the only place where he felt close to her. The faint rustle of leaves and the soft chirping of birds surrounded him, but all his focus was on the crinkled parchment in his hands, her familiar handwriting filling the page.

He had read the letter so many times that he knew it by heart, but still, he traced each line as if committing it to memory anew.

Her words were a balm to the ache in his chest. She missed him, she said, just as much as he missed her.

But her life on Dragonstone sounded better, freer.

There are no whispers here, no pointing fingers or cruel laughter as I pass. It is... peaceful. I think you would like it, Aemond. The air smells of salt and the sea, and when the sun sets, the world looks like it’s made of fire and blood and the library is filled with ancient books and scrolls from old Valyria.

He smiled faintly at her description, imagining her sitting by the sea, her dark hair whipped by the wind, the light of the setting sun casting her in hues of crimson and gold.

But then his smile faltered, and the ache in his chest deepened. She was so far away.

But one letter had arrived just days ago that had shaken him from his melancholy. It was different. Brimming with excitement, the words practically leapt off the page:

Aemond, you won’t believe it! I have my dragon at last!

His heart had raced as he read those words, a mixture of elation and jealousy coursing through him.

Silverwing! She is mine now. The dragon keepers said she was unclaimed for so long, but when I approached her, she came to me without hesitation. She is beautiful, Aemond, with shining silver scales and the gentlest eyes I have ever seen. They say she is the gentlest of all dragons, and I believe it. When I am with her, I feel… whole.

Aemond couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy, though he quickly pushed it aside. Silverwing.

The dragon of Queen Alysanne, one of the most revered dragons in Targaryen history. Of course, Valaena would be the one to claim her.

There was no other dragon in the world more suited to her, no bond more fitting than the one they shared.

He read the next part again, the words filling him with hope:

I know you will claim your dragon too, Aemond. I am certain of it. Perhaps, like me, your dragon waits for you somewhere out there, ready to find you when the time is right.

Her faith in him stirred something deep within his chest. He could almost hear her voice, warm and unwavering, soothing the insecurities that had plagued him for so long.

If Valaena believed he could claim a dragon, then perhaps he could.

For now, he found joy in her triumph. He was proud of her—so proud he thought his heart might burst with it. She had done what he still had yet to do, and she had found her place in the world.

But still, he missed her terribly. The letters were his lifeline, and as he folded the parchment carefully and tucked it into the small pouch he kept at his side.

Leaning back, Aemond looked up through the branches at the sky, his mind filled with images of Silverwing and Valaena soaring together above the waves of Dragonstone.

The thought brought him comfort, and for the first time in weeks, he smiled—a true, genuine smile.

Someday, he promised himself. Someday he would claim his own dragon, and he would join her in the skies.

But for now, her happiness was enough.

Aemond leaned against the rain-specked window of his cabin, his gaze fixed on the endless expanse of gray-blue sea.

The ship’s rhythmic creaking and the distant crash of waves filled the air, but he barely noticed.

His thoughts were elsewhere, consumed by the one person who had occupied his heart and mind since the day she had left the Red Keep—Valaena.

He let out a soft sigh, his fingers idly tracing the glass. Somewhere ahead, past the horizon, she was waiting.

They had written to one another faithfully, sharing every detail of their lives and thoughts, but letters could only go so far. He yearned to see her again, to hear her voice, and to feel the warmth of her presence.

Aemond’s lips twitched into a small smile as he thought of her, but guilt tugged at him immediately. They were sailing to Driftmark for a funeral—a solemn occasion, a time for mourning.

Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys had lost their daughter, and his duty was to offer respect and condolences. Yet, no matter how he tried, his heart thrummed with excitement at the prospect of seeing Valaena again.

He closed his eye and rested his forehead against the window. Sunfyre and Dreamfyre flew in graceful arcs alongside the ship, their powerful wings cutting through the sky.

Normally, the sight of dragons in flight would have captivated him, but not today.

Today, his mind was filled with Valaena.

When the announcement came that Driftmark was on the horizon, Aemond was one of the first to ascend to the deck. He stood at the bow of the ship, gripping the railing tightly as he stared out into the distance.

The imposing cliffs of Driftmark loomed closer, and the towering structure of High Tide came into view, its stones gleaming under the faint sunlight.

Sunfyre and Dreamfyre roared as they soared ahead, joining the dragons already circling Driftmark—Syrax, Meleys, and Caraxes.

But then, among them, he spotted her—Silverwing.

Aemond’s breath caught in his throat. She was even more magnificent than he had imagined.

Her scales shimmered like molten silver, catching the sunlight as she glided effortlessly through the sky, she was larger than the other dragons.

For a moment, he could only stare, mesmerized by the beauty and grace, of the hundred year old dragon.

But it wasn’t just Silverwing, it was Valaena. She would be there, so close now, just beyond the horizon.

“Just a little while longer,” he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible over the wind and waves.

As the ship drew nearer to Driftmark, Aemond stood resolute, his eyes never leaving the sight of Silverwing.

The anticipation burned in his chest, mingling with a thousand unspoken words and a longing he could scarcely contain.

Soon. Soon, they would be together again.

All throughout the funeral, Aemond’s gaze found its way to Valaena. She stood with her brothers, her head bowed, her dark hair falling like a curtain around her saddened face. She looked so small, huddled between Jace and Luke, her hands clasped tightly before her.

Aemond’s heart ached to see her like this, yet he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

The sombre words spoken by Vaemond, the weeping of loved ones, even the low roar of the waves against Driftmark’s cliffs faded to a dull hum in his ears.

All he could focus on was her—the tilt of her chin, the way she fidgeted with her fingers, the faint sheen of tears in her eyes.

When the funeral came to an end, Aemond found her standing alone by the water’s edge. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, painting the sea in hues of amber and crimson.

Her arms were crossed, and she stared out across the waves, her expression distant.

He approached her cautiously, his footsteps muffled by the damp earth. When he stopped beside her, Valaena turned her head slightly and looked at him.

Without a word, she reached out and took his hand, her fingers cool but firm as she squeezed gently.

“I—I’m sorry about your aunt,” Aemond said, his voice soft but sincere.

Valaena nodded, her gaze returning to the water. “Thank you,” she whispered as she leaned her head against his shoulder, seeking comfort in his quiet presence.

For a moment, they stood there in silence, the only sound the gentle lapping of the tide.

But then, a mournful cry split the air, low and resonant, echoing across the cliffs and stirring the quiet.

Aemond’s head snapped up, his eyes scanning the sky. A shadow passed through the clouds, vast and imposing, and his breath caught in his throat.

“Vhagar,” Valaena said softly, her voice tinged with awe.

Aemond nodded, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the great dragon emerge from the cover of the clouds, her wings blotting out the light as she circled high above. “She is without a rider now,” he murmured.

“I know,” Valaena replied, her voice heavy with the weight of what that meant.

Before either could say more, Rhaenyra’s voice cut through the air. “Valaena, Jace, Luke—it’s time to go to bed.”

Valaena turned, her brow furrowing. “But, Mother—”

Rhaenyra’s attention was elsewhere, her gaze fixed on Daemon as he lingered near the pyre.

Without looking back at her daughter, she repeated firmly, “Bed. Now.”

Valaena sighed, knowing better than to argue. She glanced up at Aemond, her reluctance plain on her face.

“Goodnight,” she said softly, releasing his hand and retreating towards the keep with her brothers.

Aemond watched her go, the warmth of her touch still lingering on his skin.

As she disappeared into the shadows of High Tide, he turned his attention back to the sky.

Vhagar’s massive form was still circling above, her cries reverberating through his chest.

He took a deep, steadying breath, his heart swelling with a mix of fear and determination.

This was his chance.

If Valaena could find her dragon, so could he.

Without another thought, Aemond descended the stone steps, his footsteps resolute as he disappeared in search of Vhagar.

Aemond returned to High Tide, his heart soaring higher than it ever had. Vhagar was his.

The largest, oldest dragon in the world had accepted him, and their flight together had been nothing short of breathtaking.

The new bond thrummed in his chest, warm and vibrant, and he felt invincible, as if the entire world had shifted into place. He couldn’t wait to tell Valaena—she’d be so proud of him.

But his elation was short-lived. As he made his way back through the castle, he was ambushed.

Jace, Luke, Baela, and Rhaena appeared from the shadows, their faces contorted with rage.

"You stole her!" Rhaena shrieked, her voice breaking with grief. Tears streamed down her face. "Vhagar was mine to claim!"

Aemond opened his mouth to defend himself, but before he could speak, the four of them lunged at him.

Fists rained down on him, their collective fury overwhelming him. He tried to shield himself, but it was too much.

Suddenly, a new voice screamed, “Stop it!”

Valaena came racing toward them, her dark hair flying as she threw herself into the fray. She grabbed Baela and Rhaena, pulling them off Aemond.

“Leave him alone!” she cried, her voice breaking with desperation.

Baela snarled and elbowed Valaena in the side of the head, sending her staggering backward.

Valaena stumbled, her vision swimming, and leaned against the wall for support.

Jace grabbed Aemond, pinning him to the ground. Aemond, panting and bloodied, managed to pick up a rock and swing it, connecting with Jace’s head and knocking him down.

Luke rushed forward, and Aemond punched him square in the face, the crack of his nose breaking echoing in the night and he fell back with a whimper, clutching his face.

"You’ll die screaming in flames, just like your father did," Aemond snarled, his voice dripping with venom.

“My father’s still alive!” Luke whimpered, tears mixing with the blood running down his face.

Aemond loomed over him, his chest heaving. “He doesn’t know, does he? Lord Strong.”

The words cut through the air like a knife. Jace, enraged, pulled a blade from his sleeve and lunged at Aemond.

Aemond kicked him to the ground, the rock still in his hand, raised high above his head.

But then, a soft, trembling voice broke through his fury.

“Aemond”

He froze. He turned his head and saw Valaena, leaning against the wall, her hand pressed to the side of her head where Baela had struck her.

Her wide, tear-filled eyes pleaded with him, her voice raw with emotion.

His anger drained away, replaced by a deep concern for her. He dropped the rock, taking a step toward her.

“Are you hurt?” he muttered, his voice soft, almost breaking.

Valaena opened her mouth to respond, but Jace, taking advantage of the moment, threw a handful of sand into Aemond’s face.

Blinded, Aemond staggered back, wiping at his eyes, when Luke lunged forward.

The blade slashed across Aemond’s face, and he screamed, the pain white-hot as blood began to pour from the wound.

“AEMOND!” Valaena screamed, her voice high and panicked.

She rushed to him, dropping to her knees beside him. Tearing strips from her nightgown, she pressed the cotton to his face, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

Her hands trembled as she worked, her face pale with horror.

“V-Valaena. I-I-” stuttered Luke, his hand still clutching the blade.

“LUKE. WHAT DID YOU DO?!” screamed Valaena, her voice shaking with rage and despair.

Aemond then whimpered her name, his voice weak, and she immediately took his hand in hers.

“Iksan lēda ao,” Valaena whispered. (I’m with you)

The sound of armoured footsteps broke the moment as Lord Commander Westerling and several members of the Kings guard rushed onto the scene, their shouts of alarm ringing through the air.

Valaena held onto Aemond’s hand tightly, her body trembling as she looked up at the guards. “Help him! Please!” she cried, her voice breaking.

The chaos swirled around them, but all Aemond could focus on was the warmth of Valaena’s hand in his, her whispered reassurances grounding him as the world seemed to fall apart.

The room was dark, save for the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the high window.

Aemond lay motionless on the bed, the left side of his face swathed in thick bandages. Pain radiated from the wound—a constant, throbbing reminder of what had been taken from him.

Tears slipped from the corner of his right eye, silently trailing down his cheek as he stared at the ceiling.

His world was half gone, lost to the darkness where his left eye once was. Now he was deformed, a scarred monster who would forever bear the mark of last night.

But worse than the physical pain was the ache in his chest, the unbearable weight of his father’s indifference.

Viserys had never truly cared for him. Not for Aegon, Helaena, or Daeron either.

His father’s love had always been reserved for one—Rhaenyra, his precious firstborn.

Even as Aemond sat in agony before the fire, his face being stitched back together, his father’s attention had been consumed by Rhaenyra.

The accusations, the demands for apologies, the placating of her Strong bastards.

That was all that mattered to Viserys. Not his son, who had lost an eye.

Aemond’s throat tightened at the memory of the hall. The arguments, the chaos, the raging voices, and the utter dismissal of what he had endured.

Even Valaena’s small, determined voice had been drowned out in the tumult. She had valiantly tried to defend him, declaring that Vhagar was not some possession to be inherited, but a creature of free will who had chosen him.

Her words had meant the world to him, but they had been brushed aside like nothing.

Viserys had demanded apologies. Reconciliation and gestures of goodwill.

None of it mattered.

Only Alicent and Valaena had stood by him. His mother had demanded justice, her fury manifesting in the blade she had wielded against Rhaenyra and her brood.

Still, Aemond had tried to be brave. He had stood tall in the Hall of Nine, declaring, “Do not mourn me, Mother. I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon.”

It had been true, and yet the truth did little to comfort him now.

The divide in their family had widened, and Aemond knew where the lines had been drawn. He was on one side, and Valaena was on the other.

The thought of being apart from her—truly apart—twisted the knife in his heart.

The soft creak of a door interrupted his spiraling thoughts. Aemond turned his head slightly, just enough to see a familiar figure slipping into the room.

“Valaena,” he whispered hoarsely.

“I don’t have long,” she said softly, closing the door behind her, “but I had to check on you.”

He turned his face away from her, his voice bitter as he muttered, “You shouldn’t be here. Leave me be.”

Valaena crossed the room and knelt beside his bed. “I will never leave you, Aemond.”

“You should.” His voice cracked. “You’ll do well to stay away from me. I’m nothing now. Just a scarred monster.”

Valaena reached out and took his hand. “You’re not a monster,” she said firmly. “You’re brave. And that scar—it shows you’re a survivor. Vhagar chose you because she saw your strength.”

Aemond hesitated, then slowly turned his face toward her. His visible eye glistened with unshed tears. “How can you stand to look at me?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Valaena smiled gently, her eyes soft. “Because you’re my Aemond. And you always will be.”

Her words unravelled something inside him, and his lips trembled as he smiled faintly. “You saw what happened last night,” he said. “How can we-how can we still be friends after this?”

Valaena’s hand tightened around his. “Because we’re more to each other than that.”

Aemond's chest ached at her words, a mixture of relief and longing. “I don’t want to be alone again,” he admitted quietly.

“You’ll never be alone,” she whispered. “I will always be there for you.”

Valaena leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. It was soft and lingering, her warmth melting through his pain.

When she pulled back, her cheeks were tinged with pink, but she held his gaze, steady and unwavering.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “For defending me.”

“It’s okay,” she replied softly.

Aemond then let out a huff of laughter, a shadow of his usual confidence returning. “I did it,” he said. “I claimed the greatest dragon alive.”

Valaena’s face lit up with a small smile. “You did. I’m so proud of you-”

Her words struck something deep within him, a warmth stirring in his chest that he hadn’t felt before. No one had ever said they were proud of him—not like this.

It filled him with a quiet joy, a sense of belonging he’d never known. For the first time in a long while, he felt truly seen.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps and voices in the corridor drew their attention.

Valaena glanced toward the door, her expression regretful.

“I think I have to go. I’m not sure your mother would like me being in here.”

Aemond nodded, his heart sinking. “You’ll still write to me, won’t you?”

“I will,” she promised.

Before leaving, she pressed another kiss to his lips, fleeting but full of feeling.

Then she slipped out of the room, leaving Aemond alone once more. But this time, the emptiness didn’t feel quite so suffocating.

She was still with him, in her own way. And that was enough. For now.

Valaena sat in her chambers, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her gown as she stared out the window. The sea breeze ruffled the curtains, but she barely noticed.

It had been weeks since she last heard from Aemond, and her worry had grown unbearable.

The thought that he might no longer want to be her friend gnawed at her heart, leaving her feeling hollow and uncertain.

A soft knock at the door broke her reverie. She shot up from her seat, her chest tightening with anticipation.

“Come in!” she called, her voice breathless.

Maester Gerardys entered, his robes swaying as he carried a sealed letter in his hands. “A letter for you, Princess,” he said with a warm smile.

Valaena practically darted across the room, taking the letter from him with trembling hands. “Thank you, Maester”

“It is my pleasure, Princess,” he said with a slight bow. “When you have a response, come and find me in my chambers, and I will see to its delivery.”

“I will,” she promised, her voice steady despite her pounding heart.

The Maester left, and Valaena closed the door, turning the letter over in her hands. She recognized Aemond’s handwriting immediately, though it was not as neat as usual.

Anxiety twisted in her chest as she carefully broke the seal and unfolded the parchment.

Her eyes scanned the words, her heart sinking with every line.

Aemond’s neat script had turned to a shaky scrawl.

He apologized for the delay, explaining that he had suffered a bad infection where his missing eye had been.

The Maesters had eventually been forced to remove the eyelid, leaving the wound even more exposed and painful, and his scar itchy.

He wrote that he had spent most of the past weeks dosed on milk of the poppy, drifting in and out of consciousness, and that his recovery was still slow and excruciating.

He also mentioned the headaches that plagued him now—sharp, debilitating pains that made even the smallest movements unbearable.

But amidst the pain and despair, he thanked her for the handkerchief she had stitched for him, saying he treasured it deeply.

Valaena’s hands trembled as she lowered the letter, pressing it to her chest.

Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of him enduring such agony. She wanted nothing more than to be there, to sit by his side and soothe his pain.

Her mind raced as she clutched the letter. There had to be something she could do.

Perhaps Maester Gerardys could create a salve to help with his scar, or at least provide some comfort.

If not, maybe there was something in Dragonstone’s extensive library—a book, a recipe, anything that could offer a remedy for his pain and headaches.

Yes, that’s what she would do. She would go to the library and find answers.

Valaena carefully folded the letter and slipped it into her special hiding place beneath her bed—a small box where she kept Aemond’s letters and other treasures she held dear.

Then she hurried to the door, determined to help him.

As she stepped into the corridor, she almost collided with Luke, who was running toward her, grinning.

“Valaena! Come play with me!” he said, his voice full of eagerness.

She froze, her expression hardening. “No,” she said coldly, sidestepping him.

Luke’s face fell. “Why not?”

“I don’t want to,” she said sharply, not stopping to explain.

The truth was, she couldn’t look at him without seeing Aemond’s face—the blood, the pain, the tears.

Luke was her little brother, and a part of her still loved and cared for him, but the anger she felt toward him had not yet faded.

She hated him for what he had done, for the harm he had caused Aemond, who had done nothing to deserve it.

And though she knew forgiveness was supposed to come in time, she wasn’t sure it ever would.

Pushing past Luke, she hurried toward the library, leaving him behind with his crestfallen expression.

Her focus now was Aemond. She would find something—anything—that could ease his suffering.

He needed her, and she would not fail him.

TBC

[originalwinnercheesecake]

what if the Revolutionary Girl Utena characters were pokemon trainers

I went back to the Utena tab, as one does, to brush up on my philosophy... Suddenly the question pops into my head "With Anthy's love of roses which flower pokemon would be her favorite? I bet it would be x." Then i started to think "If Anthy had "X" then maybe Utena could have "Y". "Nanami should have "C" because of that one comedy filler episode" You know the one. "Also wouldn't it be fun to create a sinister pokemon team for Akio." I literally went to sleep rolling these thoughts and potential teams around in my mind, and have spent all day working on getting the teams right.

Before I post my teams here were my rules

1.) Six pokemon for the rose crest duelists, one-three for the black rose duelists. Ruka got two

2.) All the rose bride duelists had to have at least one flower/plant/florial pokemon. This was not required of the black rose duelists or Ruka.

3.) Normally I do not let characters have legendary pokemon on their teams. But because some of these characters are Gods or embodiment's of legendary themes/tropes I put fitting legendary on the teams for four specific characters

4.) Utena was the only character I allowed a pokemon that can mega evolve. She is the one chosen to wield the power of Dios in the duels.

5.) To challenge myself I did not use any of the eeveelutions, or regional type variations (Alolan, Galar, Hisuin). These are usally heavily represented on my previous lists and I wanted this one to be more unique

In honor of pride month here is the RGU cast as pokemon trainers

Anthy Himemyia

a team that is half cute and girly , and half very very frightening

White Flower Florgus: This one is representative of Anthy's love of flowers, whoch she incorperated into her role in the duels, as the Rose Bride. A flowery fairy pokemon that devotes itself to its gardens. The red one is to sweet to be Anthy's pokemon. Plus given that both the roses in her coffin and the one she puts on Utena are white, I think that white may be her favorite rose color.

Wooloo: Anthy used the Wool from her Wooloo (and some red fabric dye) to make the sweater she knitted and gifted Utena in season 2. I love that because there are no hints that Akio told Anthy to make Utena the sweater. Anthy chose to make a handmade gift for her friend. Utena wore it multiple times later when she and Anthy were hanging out in their room. That was a really sweet gift, and symbolic of how much the two were coming to care about each other, so I wanted to give Anthy a pokemon representative of that

Apom and Rattata: These two both represent Chu-chu, a monkey that was the size of a mouse. They can also represent aspects of Anthy's way of expressing herself during the games. How she was always handy at chores, but had what one would call a quiet and mousy nature. Apom is a shiny pink to match Utena's trademark hair, and the pink outfit Anthy dawns (leaving behind her red goddess/rose bride outfits) to go out into the world and search for Utena.

Mismagius: A ghost type pokemon that is representative of Anthy's witch persona. It's poxides entry says that it is a havic bringer that can cause people great hapiness or misery, and that some will pursue it as if their life depended on it, though owning it can sometimes have less than favorable results. A very Himemyia pokemon

Spectrier: Representative of Anthy's, now long dead, goddess persona. This beauitful, dark, spirit horse shy's away from sight and rely's on its other senses. It is also said that it can seperate a soul from a body with one kick (Similar to what Anthy did to Dios when she gave up being a goddess). Spectrier shares a connection to pokemon owned by both Akio and Utena

Akio Ohtori

Note it was actually a lot of fun making this cutesy/sinister team for Akio.

Morella: This could be Akio's floral pokemon if you view "End of the World" as a rose duelist. I mostly picked it because it is cute and whimsical looking, but is parasitic and will drain a person of their energy when they are asleep.

Driftloom: Another whimsical pokemon. What a fun and safe looking little balloon... that leads small children astray and can cause them to go missing.

Delibird: It is his messenger. Before the final arc he mostly communicated with his students by letters. Delibird delivers them. Bad bird, bad

Palossand: Representative of Ohtori Academy. A palace and a kingdom where everyone lives trapped, with Akio as the prince who is in charage of everyone

Dusktops: A hollow husk ghost that it is unwise to get close enough to look inside of. Am I talking about Dusktops or Akio?

Glastrier: Akio's Princely white horse. A wild and crazy steed (kinda like his car), counter part to his sisters Spectrier, and also connecting to one of Utena's pokemon.

Utena Tenjou

What pokemon are enough of hero's for our protagonist. Are flashy hero pokemon really the ones she needs?

Roserade: Utena's Floral pokemon, and her mega evolution pokemon. I like to think it started out as a little Bedew that was left for Utena after that day all those years ago when she met the prince and vowed to become one herself. Roserade is not really a princely pokemon, but Utena never actually became a prince. I think Roserade is a good representation of the revolutionary character she did become.

Spritzee: Scent seems to be an important senese to Utena. She will comment on food smells and the one thing she remembers clearly about that day is that she could smell Roses. Given her love of fragrance she would probably also love a perfume pokemon

Marowak: Utena and Marowak both lost loving parents when young. Now they have grown tough and made the decision to help each other and carry on.

Growlithe: Representation of Utena's courage and fierce loyalty to those she cares about

Corvisquire: this one represents both the dark uniform and the ingenuity Utena shows. How she descends on the games, has less experience then the other duelist, but she uses tools around her, and eventually the traits she can glimpse from the other duelist themselves, to win.

Calyrex: This is Utena's Legendary pokemon. It is connected to both Anthy and Akio's legendary pokemon, how they both need her, and the choice Utena ultimately has to make on which one she wants to be with.

Touga Kiryuu

Touga' team is meant to be bad/dangerous but not necissarly as wicked or frightening as Akio's team

Vileplume: Touga's floral pokemon. I gave him a finale form in a 3 part evolution, similar to Utena's roserade, but of course not containing the same abilities or as powerful. I also really wanted him to have a flower that was also a poison type, because he himself is pretty poisonous.

Hitmonchan: Touga is shown to know how to box when he took out that kangeroo. So i figured since he would obviously have a fighting type pokemon, let's go with the boxing one

Purugly: He loves cats so he gets a cat pokemon. (Side note do we think he got to keep the kitten Anthy gave him for his birthday, or did it disappear after 24-48 hours, like the "gifts" Anthy sends Nanami). I decided to give him Purugly do them both having nice hair, being fairly rude, and most importantly, loving to sleep in someone else's bed.

Seviper: A snake is pokemon is another one that just fits Touga. Add that Seviper has a red sword like tail, and could maybe help Touga train, makes it Touga's perfect snake.

Yamask: Yamask's lore says it use to be a man who died. It came back as a ghost pokemon and it carries a mask that resembles the face it had as a human. I put it on Touga's team to go with Touga's own lore, and how there is all this discussion on if Touga is actually a boy or a ghost... Even if he is still alive he is kinda still a ghost, carrying a mask of the kid Saionji and Nanami remember.

Mudsdale: Touga has a horse because he wants to imitate Akio. But where as Akio's Galstrier is a beautiful and princely legindary pokemon. Touga only has a dirty mudsdale, a.k.a the one horse pokemon that is entirely based off of a regular, non magical, horse. Mudsdale can never be quite like Galstier. And Touga (thankfully) can never manage to be as manipulative and powerful as Akio.

Nanami Kiryuu

Her magistey the princess of ridiculousness, with her loyal court of fools

Carnavine: Nanami's floral pokemon. I did not want to give Nanami a more "delicate flower" looking pokemon, as Nanami is honestly one of the least delicate girls in the anime. Carnavine, like Nanami, is clingy and snappy so I think it fits her really well.

Vespaqueen: Becasue she is the school's "Queen Bee"

Morgrem: It is a prankster, who will sometimes employ false surrenders and dirty tactics, all of which are to hide its own insecurites and lack of self confidence. Nanami and Morgrem are kindred spirits in this regard. Hopefully she and it could help each other grow to accept themselves

Piplup: It has a tough attitude and a lot of bravado, but in truth it is pretty clumsy and falls down a lot. So piplup is another pokemon who I feel like it and Nanami would get each other.

Miltank and Exeggcute: You all know exactly why Nanami has a cow and eggs. No explanation needed.

Kyouichi Saionji

It was not my intention to give him the fluffiest team. I am laughing at it turning out that way though. Let's hope Saionji can keep himself and his teammates stocked on hair brushes

Cacturn: Saionji's Floral pokemon. He gets Cacturn because they are both green and prickly.

Fennekin: Well it is a hot headed pokemon that will have steam coming out of its fluffy ears when it gets really worked up. That certainly sounds like someone Saionji see's whenever he looks in the mirror. Also once it evolves, and starts carrying around sticks, he could teach it Kendo style staff techniques

Mankey: Saionji also needed a fighting type. I chose Mankey to represent just how Impulsive Saionji is. Both he and Mankey struggle to calm themselves down, and to stop fighting. If Saionji can ever manage to teach Mankey any control, then maybe he won't be completely hopeless himself. If not, it will at least be a funny ride.

Zangoose: Saionji got a Zangoose because Touga has a Seviper. Each of them have a rival pokemon that is always fighting with the other, but also can never help but seek the other out. I would say that is pretty accurate representation of Touga and Saionji's relationship, and how they feel about each other in their adolescences.

Farfetch: I was thinking because it carries the leak then maybe Saionji could teach it Kendo staff techniques now. Fennekin could watch. They would probably all enjoy that.

Shiny Sudowoodo: well it is bad at hiding and hates water, that is similar to Saionji. But really I gave it to Saionji because he likes poetry, and Sudowoodo (particularly its shiny form) are about the closest I could think of to a poetic looking pokemon. Another thing is that Shiny Sudowoodo looks like a tree in the fall, when things change. Change is a concept Saionji struggles with, and he needs to learn to better deal with it if he wants to leave his coffin

Miki Kaoru

I kind of wish his team could have been bluer, but I am happy that 2 are garden creatures and another three look a bit like childhood toys. Nature and nostalgia are strong themes if Miki's

Sunflora: This is Miki's floral pokemon. He gets an actual flower based one. A sunflower caught in the Sunlight garden back when he was a child

Baltoy: So Miki is a time keeper for the student council (supposedly, as no one knows what he is keeping time on with his stop watch) and carries a lot of nostalgia for his past. So I had to give him a "time" pokemon. However he is not a strong enough trainer to command a legendary, like Celibi or Dialga. Baltoy was the only one left, but it honestly works. I like to imagine that it stays next to Miki at student council meetings and every time he presses the button on his oh-so-confusing stopwatch Baltoy will cease its spinning and speak.

Chimeco and chatot: Two music based pokemon to sit with Miki and keep him company at the piano. Chimeco will try to calm him down when he gets stressed. Chatot will repeat things: notes or phrases that it has heard Miki/his teachers say. Miki loves Chatot, but it often makes him more stressed.

Scyther: All of Miki's pokemon so far have been small and cute. But Miki is a tough fighter too. I wanted him to have pokemon he could sword train with, and that would come off as more imposing in battle. No fighting types really fit him so I got more creative. Scyther would make a pretty good fencing partner. He probably caught it in his garden like Sunflora, only he was older by then.

Male Meowstic: This one is representative of his caring yet strained relationship his sister Kozue-she has a female. Miki's male meowstic is both the male, and the more defensive of the pair, just like him.

Juri Arisugawa

before anyone asks Juri does not have a sward pokemon because she does not need one. She already has a sword.

Lurantis: Now this is the perfect floral pokemon for Juri. It is girly without being soft or frilly. It is vivid, tough, and glamours. It is also super sharp and does its best to fool people into seeing it as someone its not. Basically it suits Juri's strengths, while also highlighting some of her vulnerabilities.

Luvdisc: Okay the romantic heart pokemon that is considered a symbol of love might seem like a strange one for Juri,given how she feels about, well, romantic feelings and all that. One I do think Juri is a romantic, but, just like with miracles, she has some trouble believing in romance after what went down with Shori. Secondly lone luvdisc's can become despondent and disheartened... which again is kind of how Juri feels, when thinking about all the things she is scared to believe in. Both Juri and Luvdisc need hugs

Cloyster: This one represents how closed off and self motivated Juri has become

Brozong: It strong steel/psychic typing suits Juri pretty well, and it being a 360 degree shield does show how defensive Juri is now. Most importantly it can summon rain showers. The culmination of Juri's arc was her locket getting broken, her forfeiting her duel as she finally lets herself cry over what she lost, then stepping into a rain shower, to try and began herself again. That was such a powerful scene for Juri, so I gave her a powerful pokemon to represent that time in her life.

Jangmo-o: Here is a little dragon that personality wise is on almost the same wave length as Juri. Both are diligent trainers, humble, yet have the pride of warriors. I could see these two taking each other far.

Mienshao: This is Juri's fighting type pokemon. One that is very graceful and elegant, as well as being a skilled, and sometimes overwhelming, fighter. Like with her Lurantis I could see this one joining her in both a battle and on the runway.

Now on to the black rose duelists. Once again they were smaller characters so I am only giving them 1-3 pokemon.

Kanae Ohtori

Apples for the princess, fairy tales dictate she should have refused

Applin: So they are sometimes viewed as romantic gifts between people in a committed relationship. Akio gave this Applin to Kanae, who joyfully accepted it as a "symbol of their love". But another way to look at it was Akio telling Kanae his plans. Applin is a worm that burrows into the center of an apple and then feeds on the fruit to stay protected, plump, and strong. Akio is the worm. Kanae's family's academy is the apple. Kanae's Applin is most definitely not evolving into a Appletun.

Kozue Kaoru

I imagine Kozue and her girls are out to either get their party up or throw some shade down. No in between

Female Meowstic: the sibling pokemon to Miki's male one. Like Kozue this meowstic is the aggressive female counter part to its more defensive brother.

Bellossom: Kozue is not a rose crest duelist, but she still has a flower pokemon? Okay I am not saying Kozue should have joined the student council with Miki, or competed for the rose bride, or anything like that. Bellossom is also a party pokemon. It is always dancing and chatting away with others. Kozue takes Bellossom with her when she goes out to look for new boyfriends. It is also there for her after hook-ups, when she is all alone again. Bellossom might be Miki's favorite of Kozue's pokemon. Kozue likes Miki's chatoc, because she can teach it to say phrases that annoy her brother/ scare away anyone that might hurt him.

Taillow: This is Kozue's newest pokemon. She is shown to like birds. She found this one injured, became protective of it, and took it in. She told everyone she caught it because the injuries proved it was tough in a scrap, and it is tough in a scrap, but that was still a lie on Kozue's part.

Shori Takatsuki:

So cute on the surface, beneath that... well sometimes it is a little less pretty and a lot more messy

Psyduck: Because Shori follows people she likes/wants around like a duck, and she is driven to headaches by her own refusal to accept feelings. Both her own feelings and other peoples as well. It will be a long and stressful ride, but caring for Pysduck could possibly help Shori break this negative cycle of denial she has locked herself in.

Corsola: The tips of it spikes can be painlessly broken off and then made into pretty jewelry, that are prized as treasures. Shori deeply wants to be someones treasure, so I imagine she wears corsola jewelry a lot to try and boost her low self esteem. This also goes with Juri's luvdisc, as luvdiscs are a pokemon that love corsolas.

Phanpy: This is Shori's last pokemon, and probably her oldest. She is not able to/has no desire to evolve it. Phanpy's look like innocent little dolls, are very playful, and has a tendency to hurt those it feels affection for...Just like Shori.

Mitsuru Tsuwabuki

Gorwing up is really so tough

Impidimp: One evolution behind Nanami's Morgrim. Like their trainers the pair get along and are good friends, but often tend to prank the other. It is a bit of a ongoing challenge to see which is the most sly and devious

Bagon: Like Mitsuru with adulthood, Bagon dreams of the day it will be a full grown Salamence, and waits for all the things it will be able to do then. Mitsuru and Bagon want to grow, evolve, and achieve their dreams together.

Love Sweet Carmel Swirl Alcreamie: I gave Mitsuru an Alicreamie because he shown to be able to cook/bake, and likes to do it for Nanami. I really was hoping that their was a chocolate version of Alicreamie, because of the symbolism of the partially eaten chocolate bar his friend leaves behind in his black rose episode. But I was out of luck. I decided to give him a Carmel Swirl Alcreamie because its cream has a bitter taste. Right now Mitsuru is at a stage where he feels very bitter about still being a little kid. I figure his Alcreamie can help him learn to mix that bitterness with other feelings/flavors to create good results. Love Sweet because Mitsuru is a romantic of course.

Tatsuya Kazami

I hope that he got back out of ohtori again quick, and that this time he and Wakaba stayed in touch....maybe as friends, maybe as more. In the end that is up tot he two of them, not to Mikage, Utena, or Akio.

Oddish: Oddish is a pokemon that kinda looks like a onion, at least that is what Tatsuya thought when he met Oddish. It reminded him of Wakaba and how she used to call him "The Onion Prince" , so he caught it and made it his partner.

Slowpoke: Slowpoke is called the patient pokemon, and Tatsuya's best and only quality is that he is willing to patiently support the girl he loves, while waiting for the day she maybe decides to give them a chance to be something more.

Wakaba Shinohara

You take care of everyone you meet. But who will take care of you?

Swablu: A very friendly and fearless, normal/flying type, bird that goes around with its head is the clouds and cotton covering its ears. That is definitely similar to our girl Wakaba. But it will also grow into a very strong dragon/flying type, Altaria; just like how Wakaba shows she will grow into a very strong young women one day. For now Wakuba and Swablu have got each other, and are committed to helping the other grow.

Chancy: A caring and nutruing pokemon. This one helps Wakaba take immaculate care of everyone in her life. It also tries its best to take care of her and reminder her that she is still important to it during her darker moments. Like when Saionji leaves her. Or Utena starts spending most of her time with Anthy/Akio and has less and less for Wakaba.

Shiny Skeledirge: Like Wakaba this pokemon is caring yet meddlesome. I could see them getting up to a lot of trouble that they had no business being in, but also helping a lot of people too. It likes to help wakaba with her chorus homework, and sing for Wakaba when she is feeling down. Hopefully it's powerful enough to at least intimidate the boys Wakaba does not have the sense to know are bad news. I also gave it to her because wiki says it is modeled after a tennis athlete (Tennis is implied to be Wakaba's favorite sport), and that the bird on its snout functions as a separate entity. So it was a sneaky way to actually give Wakaba four pokemon. Why is it a shiny, because Wakaba deserves a rare shiny pokemon. She was a rare bright spot in that hell school after all.

Keiko Sondo

I got the idea to give her all bug pokemon because her episode is called Vermon.

Meadow Pattern (a.k.a Pink) Vivillon: I picked Vivillon because it is very girly and frilly, and Keiko comes off as a being a really girly girl. I picked the meadow pattern because it seemed the most romantic, and at heart this girl is another huge romantic.

Male Combee: This one is her relationship to Nanami. Nanami had a female Combee that evolved into a Vespadqueen. But male Combee like Keiko's cannot evolve. No matter how hard either Combee or Keiko work and train they are not royalty, but mere parts of the hive. Combee shares Keiko's resentment that random chances of birth seemingly made Nanami and Vespaqueen more special than them. It is just not fair.

Grubbin: Yeah here is a not so pretty, underground, grubby buggy. But there is so much more to Grubbin than appears. They are attracted to sparks of electricity and will burrow to and stay by it, until he day they can evolve and generate their own. Also when worked into a enough of a rage they are capable of causing birds that try to prey on them fly away in fear. So I am giving her Grubbin to show that of all three conies, Nanami was not able to break Keiko as totally as she did the other two, and their were moments in the show where Keiko was able to stand up to/take on Nanami.

Souji Mikage

Yes I am calling Mikage the fourth most powerful character character in RGU. He was definitely a victor in some previous round of the duels, and for whatever reason Akio and Anthy kept their hold on him for 30 years... to use him to test future victors that won the first round to easy? I mean it is stated he used to have 100 back rose crests and flowers, but by Utena's time he only had 6 left... Off topic

Hypno: it helps him mess with the kids who come into his elevator for therapy; using its hypnotic power to pull their most jealous and anxious thoughts form their minds and mouths.

Bisharp: This one represents how professor Nemuro saw himself before meeting Mamiya and Tokiko, and what he, as Souji Mikage, became after their loss. This is a dark and steel type robot, that commands subordinates to fight underneath it, while it pushes towards its own goals.

Celibi: He slips backwards and forwards through time, while always remaing the exact same age. So I gave him Celibi because it can take itself and invited companions through time. Once he learns that there was really no way then or in the future to have saved Mamiya, can Celibi please take him back in time to tell the real Mamiya "Good bye"?

Ruka Tsuchiya

And here is the guy who in the two episodes he was in before dying, he seemingly made himself more hated than Saionji and Touga combinded, almost as hated as Akio.

Haunter: Because haunting was a thing he liked to do before dying, and from what I have heard, possibly afterwards too. It is also possible Haunter stayed with Ruka even after his death. Admirable loyalty on his pokemons part

Hawkamo: A dragon one evolution higher than Juri's Jaogmo-o, because Ruka was always one step ahead of Juri. After he dies I imagine Hawkamo stalks around the fencing dojo, trying to pick a new trainer. It would be interesting to guess who it would pick.