#again. showing loyalty in such different ways

[vaguely-concerned]

huh. you know something I just consciously put together for the first time about caterina and lucanis' relationship is that through the game we get to hear them talk about each other a lot, but we get very few chances to hear them speak with each other at any length at all. contrast it with other companions whose storylines have elements of 'believed lost/long time no see relative returns!' like bellara and davrin, where we get to see both of them have several pretty in-depth conversations with cyrian and eldrin. hell I think even rook talks with varric longer in the regret prison scene than we ever get to see lucanis and caterina interact directly.

(and when we do see them interact, it's mostly one-sided -- it is, perhaps unsurprisingly, caterina who is doing most of the talking and giving all the orders, as he ruefully observes is her wont after murder of crows. including jumpscaring him with 'you're first talon now btw' and the shocked pikachu face in five acts he goes through in response lmao. perhaps it's more accurate to say that she talks at him and he reacts, than that they talk to each other much.)

it has such an interesting effect too, because in deliberately denying us direct insight or experience and only having this mosaic of description from each of them to go on, as well as forcing us to pay attention to the negative space of what is carefully not said, it's evocative along the same principle that you never actually show the monster in a horror film. if you've read the wigmaker job you have a clearer image of the more uh. worrying elements at play here going in, but there is something fascinatingly insidious and naturalistic in the way it's 'hushed up' in the game itself. she has his complete loyalty both as a member of her house and, more importantly, that of an abused child to a parent figure. he readily admits several times that she's a difficult person to live with, an even more difficult person to be loved by ("even for me. and I was her favourite")... but never once does he actively blame her nor truly conceptualize that he has every right to do so (that he can be angry with her and still love her, because whether he should or not he unavoidably does), or that she might have acted differently than she did, that she made a choice every time to hurt him. even affectionately he speaks of her as a force of nature, an act of god -- something that can't be reasoned or pleaded with or resisted, something you can only hope to navigate with as little pain as possible and pray to survive. let yourself get carried away by the riptide, resisting it will only make it worse. you don't compromise with a hurricane, you just try to find the best shelter you can and cross your fingers while you wait for it to pass and be calm again.

love is that hurricane. you do whatever she asks. you earn her continued affection day by day by never letting her down. you only want the things she tells you it's okay to want and cut everything else away preemptively. ("A wyvern tooth dagger?? I loved wyverns as a boy --Caterina would never let me have one of these, though." and as we have all wept and gnashed our teeth over, it never even OCCURS to him that he's a like thirty-five year old adult man who can buy himself any dagger he wants at any time. she said he couldn't have one. so he'll never have one. that's just how it works. and maybe if Illario could just accept that and find his peace with it like I have, this whole thing wouldn't be so difficult. oh lucanis.)

such is the price -- and the cost -- of being loved by her, it's a loan on which the interest will never stop piling up. you have to keep paying it down in perfection every day if you want to keep it. who got the worse deal there: the grandson who has abandoned everything else in life to live up to that and mostly succeeded, until the day he's so burned out and broken it threatens to no longer be an option, or the grandson who can never seem to scrape together enough worth in her eyes no matter how he begs, borrows or steals it, how he hustles and plays dirty?

one of the worst things that can happen to anyone is to be loved by a selfish god. another one of the worst things that can ever happen to anyone is to not be loved by a selfish god. (hope that helps, boys!) even in betraying everything else, Illario can't bring himself to hurt his grandmother, because that would defeat the whole point. who would he defiantly be proving himself worthy to, without her. in love, devotion, submission, hatred, frustration, bitterness, everything is defined in relation to her, you can spot the gravitational force of it through how the dellamorte family move through time and space. she -- her love and regard and attention -- is still the sun both of their worlds orbit around, even as adults. the game might never tell you outright 'she used to beat and starve them growing up. for their own good you see, so they'd be strong (and broken down enough for her to build them up again however she wanted but I'm sure that's incidental)', but if you know even a little bit about how these dynamics can work the writing is on the wall everywhere you look and all the more unsettling for it.

follow lucanis' freeze-logic and fraught interpersonal catch 22 irreconcilable mixed emotions problems back far enough, looong before the ossuary entered the picture, and you start to see caterina's ghost around every fucking corner. she is so proud of him. (well, she would be. she made him. she forged exactly the knife she needed and it rests willingly, devotedly, in her hands, it would return to her every time because it doesn't know love as anything but to be a knife. his tama never taught him how to be anything else. his biggest fear with her is that she won't even want him back, the way he is now.) to the best ability of her soul, whatever parts of it survived a lifetime of crow politics and 'five children, eight grandchildren, only Illario and me left now', I think she really does loves him. he certainly loves her, with all the sincerity and artless desperation of a child, of the little boy he was once. and what she's done to him (and to illario, for all his shitty gremlin scar-ass antics lol) is awful. the harm is real, and the love is real, and trying to find a way for these two truths to exist in the same space is driving all three of them their own individualized forms of insane. you know. the way only family can and so often does lol.

through implications and short glimpses and having to put the pieces together yourself, you can have the feeling that there is very genuine mutual love and attachment in this relationship... and that beneath that there is something so profoundly wrong. and the sneaking '...oh shit it gets worse the longer I think about it' horror of that is more effective for me at least than the stark in-your-face presentation of the facts of the matter could have been. the love is here. the love is here. it only ever makes it worse.

[wormtime123]

thinking hard. about last life grian saying about etho “he has no loyalty to you, he’s just immediately teamed up with the next guy that’s come along. if he loved you why didn’t he give you a life" and secret life etho saying about grian “he had to move on with his life, what was he supposed to do, mourn the whole time?" both projecting their own reasonings for ‘abandoning’ certain alliances when they turned south. these two being teamed and staying loyal until the end. can anyone hear me

[plutotheplum]

Beating Hearts

sylus x fem!reader

summary: following the aftermath of his match, sylus shows you how much he adores you.

cw: nsfw (18+) - mdni!!, smut, fluff, kissing, loss of virginity, oral sex, face-sitting, vaginal fingering, p in v, belly bulge, praise kink, inappropriate use of evol

wc: 4.1k

a/n: he was so sweet in this card <3 if you would like to read an mma au with sylus (mma fighter!sylus x manager!reader), then you can find it here! :)

also on ao3!

“Are the strong always required to be strong?”

Sylus’ words ring out in your mind as you sit beside him on the stairs, draped in silence. He runs his hand through his hair, having wiped off the rivulets of sweat that were sliding down his skin with a towel.

Was he trying to be vulnerable with you? It’s the only reason you can think of as to why he would ask that question. The thought of him being devoid of strength is a nauseating one. He wouldn’t be the same without his strength, the raw power he carried, his Evol a testament to that. 

Absent-mindedly, you play with the ring he had given you. Onychinus’ leader is a confusing man. There’s an unexpected softness to him that you’re not used to. It unnerves you a little, the way Sylus had pressed his face into your hair in a gentle kiss.

You stare at the side of his face, Sylus’ eyes have slid shut due to the lack of conversation. He looks even more vulnerable like this and you can’t imagine what you’d do with yourself if he was hurt, or even worse killed if his healing abilities somehow failed him. It’s only then that you realize you care more about the asshole than you should. 

Still, it doesn’t stop you from sliding closer, your side pressing against his. Sylus’ eyes flutter open, a smirk pulling at his lips when he sees how close you’ve gotten.

“Something wrong, sweetie?” he asks in a drawl.

“No,” you shoot back, eyes slipping back towards the ring on your finger. “It’s just-” you sigh, avoiding his gaze completely, “the answer to your question is no. The strong aren’t always required to be strong.”

Sylus raises his brows, a lazy grin pulling at his lips. You glare back at him, cheeks flushing under his knowing gaze.

“What I mean to say,” you grouse, “is that it would be good if you were strong all the time, but if you aren’t, then- then you don’t have to be, around- around me.”

“Is that your twisted way of saying you care for me?” Sylus muses, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

“And if it is?” you murmur, leaning into his touch when he traces the tips of his fingers over the curve of your cheek.

“I’d be grateful,” Sylus replies, gripping your chin gently.

Your breath hitches when he leans forward, brushing a soft kiss to your temple. His calloused hands cup your cheeks afterwards, forcing you to meet his gaze. Sylus’ thumbs smooth over the expanse of your cheeks and you reach up, hands curling around his wrists.

“Don’t you think you’re giving too much of yourself away?” you whisper.

“Perhaps,” Sylus murmurs, his breath fanning across your face. “Will you use it against me?”

There’s no uncertainty in your mind as to what he’s asking of you. Loyalty. Yet, you and Sylus come from entirely different worlds, ones that don’t mesh well together, ones that would make blind loyalty a bitter curse.

Against better judgment, you shake your head. Sylus lets out a low laugh, surprise flashing through his eyes at your answer.

“Looks like we both have our weaknesses, sweetie.”

You let out a slow exhale when he tilts your head, lips pressing against your cheek in a reverent kiss. Sylus stares down at you, his thumbs running over your cheeks again. Your lips part when he nears, but he doesn’t kiss you the way you want, instead dropping a kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering.

“You said you adored me,” you say weakly, trying to stop him from rising to his feet.

“I do,” Sylus says, smiling down at you. His hand reaches out, pulling you to your feet, his arm curling around your waist to pull you flush against him. “But I won’t show you how much I adore you here.”

-

The ride back is a tense one.

You keep fidgeting in your seat, fingers alternating between playing with your dress and the ring on your finger. If Sylus notices, he doesn’t say anything, instead keeping his eyes on the road as he drives. It takes everything in you to stop yourself from reaching out for his hand and lacing your fingers together.

“Relax,” he murmurs when the traffic light turns red. His hand spreads over your thigh, warm and comforting and you bite back a whine, eyes slipping shut.

Sylus leans across the center console, his lips pressing against your cheek. You can feel his smile against your skin, your hand reaching up to run through his hair when he drags his lips down across your jaw.

“You’re not playing fair,” you mumble, tilting your head to the side so he can kiss your cheek again.

“I never said I would,” Sylus replies, squeezing your thigh again before letting go as the traffic light turns green.

Sylus helps you out of the car, nodding to one of his men to take it elsewhere while his hand encases yours, pulling you through the doors and down the hallway towards his room.

You watch as he manages to conjure up a vase, disappearing into the bathroom to fill it with some water as he unwraps the bouquet of flowers you had given him. It’s an unfitting image, the most dangerous man in the N109 zone and Linkon combined taking such care with the flowers so as to not crumple the delicate petals.

You wonder whether he’ll be just as gentle with you.

A squeak escapes you as his Evol surrounds you, the red tendrils lifting you off of your feet and bringing you closer to him, until you’re settled on his desk, legs dangling off the edge, feet not quite reaching the ground.  

Sylus steps between your legs, crowding into your space, his hands on either side of you, against the wood of his desk. Your head tilts back to meet his darkened eyes better, breath hitching when his hands squeeze at your waist. He pets his hands across your sides lazily, his forehead pressing against yours.

Soft, airy breaths leave you, back arching into his touch as Sylus’ hands roam over you, touching every inch that he can find. His nose nudges against yours, and you rise to meet the challenge, hands splaying across his firm chest before your arms wrap around his neck, drawing him closer.

“There’s something you should know,” you whisper when Sylus presses his face into the crook of your neck, his lips grazing your skin as he leaves hot, open-mouthed kisses.

“What?” he murmurs, tightening his arms around your waist and pulling to the edge of his desk.

“I-” your breath falters, cheeks heating up with embarrassment. You try again, but your breath gets caught in your throat, something akin to an odd gulp sounding in the quiet room.

Sylus draws back when he senses your hesitation, his brows raising. You blink up at him, shrinking under his piercing gaze. 

“Hey,” Sylus says when you try to avert your gaze, trapping your chin between his fingers and forcing you to meet his eyes. “What is it?”

“I’ve never done this before,” you blurt out in a rush, cheeks flushing deeper.

Sylus stares down at you in surprise, clearly taken aback by this new revelation. He doesn’t say anything for what seems like an eternity and the more uncomfortable you grow, trying to squirm off of the desk.

He doesn’t let you, gripping your chin tighter in a bruising grip, his carmine eyes boring down into yours.

“Never?” Sylus asks finally, his head tilting.

“Never,” you mumble, a pout making your lower lip jut out, feeling sullen at his reaction.

Sylus hums before a slow grin spreads across his face, his hands cupping your cheeks, thumb smoothing over the plush of your lips.

“Were you saving yourself for me, sweetie?”

“Shut up!” you retort, swatting his chest.

Sylus laughs, nuzzling into your cheek and kissing it. You lean into it, eyes fluttering shut when he strokes his hand over your hair, cupping the back of your head.

“I suppose I’ll have to take care of you then, hm?” he muses.

“You’re making it seem like a chore,” you huff out, pushing at his shoulders, sending him a glare.

He grins, hoisting you up into his arms. You squeak, legs wrapping around his waist instinctively, hands tightening on his shoulders to steady yourself. 

“Quite the contrary, sweetie,” Sylus says, planting a kiss to your sternum as he carries you to his bed. “Once I have you, I won’t be inclined to let you go.”

You stare up at him shyly when he lays you down, his hand catching yours as he kisses your knuckles, fingers grazing the ring on your finger.

“Perhaps I ought to get you a better fitting one.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” you mutter, flushing at the implication of his words.

You reach for him anyways, lacing your fingers together and tugging him closer. Sylus’ body settles between your thighs, and you whine, lips parting as his face draws closer.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you go,” Sylus murmurs, peering into your eyes, “I meant it.”

The conviction in his voice has your heart fluttering, a satisfied smile pulling at your lips. Sylus laughs, the tip of his nose brushing yours gently as he lowers his head to kiss you.

You stop him, thumb pressing against his lips.

“Do you promise, Sylus?”

“I already lost you once,” he mutters, “I won’t lose you again.”

Your brows furrow, confusion flitting across your face. “What are you talking a-”

Sylus doesn’t give you a chance to finish, shutting you up with a kiss. Your eyes flutter shut, hand leaving untangling from his to cup his cheek instead. A soft gasp spills out of you when Sylus’ hands creep up under your dress, his fingers squeezing at the fat of your thighs.

His kisses grow hungrier, taking and taking until you’re all but gasping, tugging at his snowy hair in an attempt to get him to detach so you can breathe. Your lips are slick with spit and Sylus grins at the sight, collecting the drool that’s escaped from your mouth with his tongue, licking up the side of your cheek and into your mouth.

“M-more,” you whine needily, legs locking around his hips.

“Wet already?” he whispers, fingers reaching between your bodies to find your panties drenched. Sylus coos, his thumb pressing against your clothed clit to rub firm circles into the throbbing bud. “Is that all it takes? My baby just needs some kisses to make her cunt leak.”

You glare at him, pinching his shoulder at the vulgar words. Sylus smirks lazily and you squeal when he slaps your ass playfully, his body jostling closer to capture your lips in another hot, demanding kiss.

Sylus’ hardening cock grinds into your clothed cunt and you whimper, arms wrapping around his neck tighter. His hand smoothes over your hair, keeping you in place, fingers dragging against the skin of your thigh harshly as he pants into the crook of your neck. 

“Gonna let me lick that pretty pussy?” Sylus asks, his fingers toying with the band of your panties, “hm, sweetie?”

You nod hazily, sitting up for him. He helps pull your dress up over your head, your bra soon after, his eyes darkening when he sees your breasts and hardening nipples in the cool air.

“Don’t stare,” you grumble, shying away.

Sylus clicks his tongue, shaking his head before lowering it to press a kiss to your right nipple. You whine at the unfamiliar sensation, gasping when his tongue lolls out, licking over your nipple before enclosing his mouth around your breast.

“Oh-” you mewl, pulling his head closer, “S- Sylus, fuck- ngh-” 

He flicks his tongue against your hardened nipple, swirling around your skin for a moment before pulling away with a soft, suctioning pop. You fist his tank top, yanking him closer to smash your lips against his.

Sylus grins against your lips, squeezing at your hips as you shove at his chest and crawl up onto his lap. You’re pent up, and can hardly believe you have Sylus here, mouth dropping open as you drag your clothed cunt against his stiffening cock.

“C’mere,” he murmurs, gripping your thighs as he drags you up his body, stopping short of his face.

“W- wait,” you sputter, trying to squirm your way back down, “Sylus!”

“Sit on my face, baby,” Sylus says, smoothing his hands up your thighs and squeezing at your breasts.

“That’s- that’s weird,” you hiss.

He rolls his eyes and you shriek when his Evol wraps around you, picking you up with ease and places you onto his mouth. Your body jolts when his tongue licks across your ruined panties, hands gripping the pillows above his head desperately.

“Oh fuck-” you whine, voice strangled. You bite your lip hard, hands fisting Sylus’ hair when he pulls your panties to the side and licks across your bare cunt. 

The bridge of his nose presses into your clit perfectly, and Sylus taps your thighs, his eyes peering up at you as he urges you to move. You find yourself unable to look away, desperation swirling in your gaze as you rock your cunt across his mouth, heat shooting through your stomach as he stares up at you intensely.

Sylus presses his head back and you reach for his hand, squeezing tightly as he sucks his clit into your mouth. He runs his thumb across your skin, slurping messily at your cunt. You shudder, moans and whines spilling out into the air as he ravages your pussy with his mouth. 

It nearly makes you cum when he manhandles your body, hiccuping at the way his thick biceps flex as he pulls you off his face and places you flat onto your back. 

“Such a pretty pussy,” he rasps, thumbing apart your slick folds and groaning when he sees how messy you are, your slick and his spit coating your inner thighs, your cunt clenching around nothing pitifully.

Sylus buries his face back into your wet pussy, licking across your folds messily before splaying his large hand against your stomach, tilting his head to kiss your swollen clit. He strokes the calloused pads of his fingers across it gently and you twitch, tugging at his hair wantonly.

“Fuck,” he snarls, gripping your thighs roughly, fingers dimpling your flesh as he shoves his face in harder, trying to burrow into your cunt, “‘s not enough.”

“‘m gonna-” you whimper, “if you keep doing that- hah- ‘m gonna cum!”

“Good,” Sylus mutters, sucking your clit back into his mouth, “cum on my tongue, baby.”

You bite back a scream when he presses his fingers inside, curling them and thrusting them in and out of you. Your thighs tighten around his head, trapping him against your cunt and Sylus groans while you suck in a shuddering breath, watching with dazed eyes as his hips grind into the bed spread. The muscles in his broad back shifting drive you further to the edge, but it's the press of his nose against your clit that sends you over, eyes rolling to the back of your head, back arching as you twitch and jolt, legs kicking out as you cum.

He keeps you pinned in place, licking over your puffy folds, even as you tug at his hair desperately in an attempt to make him stop. Sylus’ eyes meet your wild ones, the corner of his mouth ticking up as he presses a sloppy kiss to your clit. He lands a few more soft kisses, massaging your thighs as you come down from your high.

“I- I need a moment,” you mumble out, body curling into itself, eyes slipping shut at the overwhelming pleasure.

Sylus slots his body behind you, arms wrapping around your waist as he tugs you into his chest. You lean into him tiredly when he kisses down your neck, his hands rubbing up and down your side soothingly.

“Was that good?” he asks quietly.

You can hear how smug he sounds, an irritated huff of air leaving you. Sylus smiles against your cheek and you tilt your head back, pecking his lips gently.

“You’re an asshole.”

“Now, now, sweetie,” he drawls, rubbing circles into your hip, “don’t be like that.”

You pout and he grins, dipping his head to kiss you again. Sylus’ hips have begun to move, his clothed cock rubbing into your ass, the hard length straining against the flimsy fabric of his shorts.

“Off,” you murmur, pulling at his tank top, “take it off.”

Sylus takes it off without complaint and you smile at the sight, hands spreading across his chest appreciatively. His shorts come off soon after and you swallow nervously at the sight, the bob of his thick cock entirely too intimidating.

“Relax,” he murmurs, lips pressed against your ear, “you’ll be fine.”

You moan softly when he kisses your shoulder, his hard cock grinding into your ass again. Sylus lifts your leg, and you whimper when he slots his cock between your thighs, reaching back to run your fingers through his hair.

“So soft, baby,” Sylus whispers, fucking his cock between your thighs, “so perfect for me. My pretty, perfect girl.”

“I think I’m ready,” you breathe out, feeling the head of his cock nudge against your clit every now and then, “just- just go slow, please.”

Sylus grasps your face, turning it back towards him to kiss you. It’s softer this time, lips working against yours as he grasps his cock, rubbing it through your folds and coating it in your slick before notching the tip of it against your pussy.

He kisses you through it, doesn’t let you squirm away, keeps his lips against yours as he presses his cock in. You shift uncomfortably and Sylus nuzzles into your cheek, letting out a low hum.

“Doing so good, sweetie,” he praises, seeing the tears prick at your eyes, “so, so good.”

Sylus is thick, practically splitting you open, forcing your pussy to accommodate him. You whimper in pain and he kisses you gently, brushing your hair away from your forehead as he continues to sink his cock in.

“Too big,” you pout, feeling completely and utterly full.

“Look,” Sylus whispers, his fingers brushing across your stomach when the entirety of his cock sinks into your stretched out pussy.

You peer down to where he’s pointing, flushing when you see the bulge in your stomach, his fat cock the culprit. 

“All mine,” Sylus murmurs, hooking his chin over your shoulder as he rolls his hips in, making you gasp and dig your fingers into his forearm. “My pretty fuckin’ baby, all fuckin’ mine.”

“‘s too much,” you hiccup, eyes fluttering shut and moaning when he presses down on the bulge gently, a tingle shooting through your body, making your toes curl. 

“Take my cock, sweetie,” he whispers, kissing your neck reverently, his fingers pinching at your nipples.

“Sylus,” you whine when he draws his hips back out and thrusts his cock back in, “want- want more.”

“Are you sure?” Sylus asks, staring down at you, “I thought it was too much?”

Your eyes narrow, hand reaching for his, letting your Evol flare, resonating with him. Sylus lets out a choked noise, his head dropping and eyes squeezing shut, body shuddering behind yours. You smile up at him, satisfied and smug. 

“Little brat,” he hisses, though there’s no real venom in his voice. “Again.”

You do as he wants, resonating with him again, moaning loudly when he humps his hips into you, cock dragging through your clenching walls. Somehow, you can hear your own heartbeat, the energy flowing through you heightening your senses as Sylus’ Evol strengthens. 

The red and black mist caresses your body, grazing across your nipples and your clit. You whine into the pillows, hand grasping his tighter. Sylus’ Evol eventually dims down the more he gets lost in the wet heat of your cunt, his arm curling around your leg to hoist it up as he fucks his cock into you.

Sylus moves your leg after a while, slotting his hips between your legs again, hips rocking into you. You let out soft airy noises and strangled moans, nails clawing down his back as Sylus presses his face against your neck, growling lowly.

“Feel so good,” he groans, leaving sloppy kisses across your skin, fastening his pace when he feels your legs lock around his hips.

“Sy- Sylus,” you moan, pulling his head up to kiss him.

He returns the kiss just as hungrily, planting his hand on your head to hug you to him as he tilts your hips up a little, cock driving into you. Your mouth opens in a silent moan, hugging him closer as he presses his body flush against yours, heavy balls slapping against your skin, the lewd sound emanating through the quietness of the room.

“Gonna make me fuckin’ cum,” Sylus rasps, dragging kisses across your sweaty skin.

“Then- then cum,” you hiccup, tugging at the strands of his hair gently, “want you to fill me up.”

“Yeah?” he murmurs, peering down into your eyes, “want me to stuff this little cunt full?”

You nod eagerly, and he grins devilishly, pushing his thumb into your mouth. You suck obediently, eyes fluttering shut at the comfort of his thumb, losing yourself in him.

“Resonate with me when you cum,” Sylus whispers, his voice strained as he feels the walls of your pussy clenching tighter and tighter.

He laces your fingers together, bringing your hand to his lips. You can see the way he looks down at you, as though he can’t quite believe you’re here, his head tilting to press his lips against the ring firmly.

It’s a struggle to control your Evol, but you do as he asks, resonating when you feel the tight coil in your lower stomach snap as he shoves his cock inside of you all the way, gasping at the way it throbs inside of you. Your orgasm is blinding, body shuddering violently as you cum, Sylus’ Evol making you see stars.

It feels as though you’ve been set alight, somehow able to feel the energy pulsing around you, just like how his cock is inside of you. Sylus isn’t faring much better, his hips stuttering to a jerky stop as he slumps over you, gasping raggedly. His cum spills into you, hot and thick, adding to the haze in your mind.

The red and black tendrils stroke over your body gently and you whine softly, chasing after the mist of his Evol when it dissipates. Your thighs are sticky with his cum, his softening cock slipping out of you, cum leaking out soon after.

“I adore you,” Sylus whispers after a moment, pulling you into his chest, kissing your forehead.

“I know,” you say, eyes fluttering shut when he kisses you, slow and soft, his fingers sliding over your jaw and across the expanse of your cheek.

You smile up at him, body draped over his, chin resting on his chest. Sylus runs his fingers through your hair absentmindedly, scratches your scalp gently and presses his thumb against your lips for you to kiss.

“I’m glad it was you,” you murmur, head tilting to the side.

Sylus hums, leaning in to kiss you tenderly before he stands up. You bite your lip, watching his broad back as he disappears and returns with warm, damp cloth. He wipes your inner thighs with care, and over your puffy pussy, cleaning the cum and slick that soils your skin.

Your feet press against his chest playfully and he smiles, hands curling around your ankles to kiss the soles of your feet.

“Sore?” he asks, peppering lazy kisses to your ankles.

You nod, feeling a dull ache settle in your thighs and pussy. Sylus kisses your feet again and finds you a shirt to wear, pulling a pair of boxers up over his hips. You curl into him, staring up into his eyes.

“You said you lost me once,” you say quietly, fingers tracing over his chest, “but we’ve never met before.”

A pained expression comes over Sylus, his lips pulling down into a frown. You can’t understand what he’s so upset about, you don’t even understand what he meant when he said that.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sylus murmurs, his arm tightening around you, “I have you now.”

You purse your lips, examining his expression a little more intently, but whatever pain was there is now gone. His lips meet yours and you kiss, thumbs stroking over his cheeks soothingly.

“Then keep me,” you whisper, “for as long as you want.”

Sylus runs his fingers over the champion’s ring, sitting prettily on your ring finger. He holds your eyes as he brings it to his lips and kisses it again.

“Eternity, then.” Sylus whispers, forehead pressing against yours. “Crows keep that which is shiny. You, sweetie, happen to burn the brightest in my eyes.”

[beloveds-embrace]

Ask for the dukedom poly 141!

How did it started for all of them to get together? Any specific details? Who fell for whom first? Did it start as just sex? Is it still just sex? Or some kind of deep feelings? Some brutal men type of love wich could be soften with Reader's delicate tenderness? I NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING! Please please please?

Part one

It started first with Kyle and John! They grew up together, and had all their firsts together despite the age difference because their fathers often worked together despite Kyle’s family being commoners, and by the time John became a Duke, Kyle had also befriended and slept with Johnny and was just finishing his own training- recently moved in from the neighbouring country an the attraction between them had been apparent from the very start.

Up until that point, Kyle and John hadn’t put a label on what they had; they just knew they loved the other, and slept together in more ways than one. Johnny and Kyle started out as just sex, but Johnny took his mother’s natural socialness and would still drag Kyle with him to the family bakery they’d opened up.

Johnny meets John through Kyle, and it’s that same spark of attraction once again- except Kyle joins them, obviously, too. That same spark and yet another thing that tastes just as sweet as the desserts Johnny makes and helps his parents sell.

Even now, they don’t put a label on it. They can’t, even if they wanted to. John is meant to marry a good woman who will give him an heir and they are commoners. It was never meant to be but they don’t care.

John then becomes a Duke, and as is tradition he enlists in the empire’s military to prove his loyalty and show his Dukedome’s strength. Right before he leaves, he hires both Kyle and Johnny. The night before he is set to leave is one they spend entirely awake.

It’s during his time in the military thag John meets fellow Duke Simon, whose attitude is cold and stoic yet no one can deny his strength. John is among the few who are unafraid or unbothered by his attitude.

Saving one another (John refuses to leave any man behind and Simon refuses to leave any debts unpaid), deep in the trenches and with so much tension and stress, a few fucks would honestly boost morale.

Except Simon doesn’t do anything half-assed and John is a sucker for this surly bastard and well. He knows Simon fits Kyle and Johnny’s types too.

Once he and Simon are finished with their mandatory enlisting, John takes up the rest of his duties and ignores the need for a wife even if rumors swirl. And just as he predicted, his men do get along very well. He’s happy with his men whom he loves (it took a while to accept that it was truly love, but it’s undeniable) and the last thing he wants to add into his house is a woman who would no doubt never accept this arrangement and who’d never respect Johnny and Kyle and would drag them all in trouble.

But he can’t push it off for too long, and even Kyle, Johnny, and Simon tell him they _understand_- Simon especially but thankfully most everyone is too scared of him to say anything- and that he should just do it.

That’s when you come in; sweet, precious you who don’t threaten them with anything when you find out, and who are nice to all of them even when John knows some newspapers have started calling you barren. Soft, precious you who John also accepts as his own, and he knows, just watching you interact with them, you are what would soften and sweeten this relationship more. You are perfect for them, and when he hears about Graves and you? John knows he can’t just sit back anymore.

[changeling-droneco]

Hi I'm that person who made the original post about "no doesn mean no" when a small bit of the mr beast company document was leaked, well, now we have the full document (thanks rosanna) so I'm going to go over it. Please note I am not a lawyer or a business man, I'm in college for psychology, so I might misunderstand some things or make the wrong conclusion. However, if this is a document made for the average mr. beast employee, if I cannot understand it properly, then im sure some employees also struggled

First of all, the opening paragraph. Like I get it's supposed to be like, to put people at ease, but

This is so strange? Like, first of all, this is your EMPLOYEE MANUAL, you should have run it through like, a spell check? Or had someone edit it? This is already incredibly unprofessional. Also the promising of a thousand dollars if you pass a quiz on it? It's bizarre and I'd love to see if it's an actual quiz.

Jimmy, hun, please god get an editor for this you're already trying my patience.

YOU SHOULD, you genuinely should, while interconnected these are all COMPLETELY different jobs, if you think you could write a separate manual for each branch you SHOULD

I'm sure I'm about to get an answer but what the fuck is the best YOUTUBE video then? If it's not comedy, its not production, its not quality, its not look, then what the hell is left? (monetization, it's monetization)

First of all, Jimmy, why are you using internet lingo in this, it's not a text message, this is not a place for, idc, and lol, and not capitalizing your headers correctly??? Also like I said, he's chasing trends for monetization, and also he's just wrong, there are plenty of hollywood level shows and the like on youtube. You fully admit you do not care about trends and actively rush things?

This is just fucked??? Like of COURSE IT MATTERS??? Results based company is bullshit, your employees that worked for five weeks and failed aren't "lesser" then James, it's a structural failure! They still worked for HOURS to try and succeed?? That shows merit and loyalty??? What the fuck???

Rosanna covers this one in her video but it's worth restating that this is FUCKED??? It's clear overwork "your job is your family" culture. Especially the use of the word obsessive? If you do not OBSESS over your work, you are considered poisonous. NO WONDER we have so many reports of employees doing things they feel is dangerous or unsafe, if they don't they're considered POISON to the company.

The formatting in this doc continues to fucking kill me, what are you DOING man GET AN EDITOR

This feels like such an easy fix of just...make the thumbnail after the fact? Or only make a rough draft of one first? Like if production makes a red bouncy castle instead of a yellow one, that feels like an easy fix to the thumbnail OR a communication error, and again, that's on management

A lot of the next stuff is like analytics stuff that for the most part I can't really speak on as someone who does not do any of this stuff. There are a few things though

Which like???? what??? a lull??? what do you mean "watching a video without even realizing they are watching a video??" That doesn't scream good or even mediocre content to me. If I'm actively tuning out as I watch a video, that's bad. Especially because there have been plenty of times I've been like half way through a video i go "hey this sucks actually" and click off. They actively want their audience to not be paying attention to the video so it runs all the way through, that's kinda pathetic.

I don't actually know if this is common or not in this industry, but as an outsider this seems INCREDIBLY micromanaging to me, to an immense degree.

Jimmy why are you putting swears in your employee manual?? sir??? and also something about this whole thing icks me out, I don't quite have the words but the whole emphasis on "im different im special no one else can be me" just reeks of something kind of manipulative

Why is production changing so much Jimmy??? Infinite growth is the mindset of a cancer cell Jimmy! This is incredibly unstable working conditions! Also again with the word obsession, if you take time out of your own day on your own time to watch hulu, that's seen as not being obsessed enough for the company. This is nonsensical!

Again, this is INSANELY micromanaging, and also so fucking unhinged??? "God himself couldn't stop you from making this video on time" is NOT a healthy work mindset, things HAPPEN!!!

In this segment he's actually talking normal things but I did just want to highlight his use of "freaken" who the hell puts that in an EMPLOYEE MANUEL

Again with the micromanaging, and the immense pressure on employees for problems OTHER people do. While he's not fully wrong that you should be in more contact with the contractor then the example, this is too much in the other direction. How much time in the day does he think people have?!

My kingdom for a fucking paragraph break dude, my fucking eyes. Also this is a lot of "im so great and do everything and you should do more for me and if i dont know something that's your fault" for something titled "I am not always right"

I'm getting lazy with my highlighting, but again, the micromanaging? If you're SOOO busy, the first question should be the ideal? it's quick and makes a quick decision, while the second one meanders and meanders

Again, Jimmy is pushing blame for HIS mistakes on OTHER PEOPLE. For again, a section called "i am not always right" hes taking NO accountability for that and just making the SAME excuses he's berating in other places.

I can't even tell what he means here AN EDITOR JIMMY

Autism Hell tm, PLEASE email me so I can DOUBLE CHECK IT, things in writing are SO useful

Again the language towards "C-Players" which as mr beast has said, are the people who y'know, are NORMAL employees who DON'T live and breathe this company

Okay first of all, a Lamborghini is like 300k so that's already A REALLY hard task, and i sure hope don't usually put typos in the tasks. SECOND of all the fact he thinks its okay to go "hey if the studio is literally on fire around you and you stop working to get the Lamborghini, you're not doing good enough" even if he claims it as a joke is NOT OKAY what the FUCK

We've covered this before, but to reiterate this segment is named after a sexual assault reference when it could have been named ANYTHING ELSE and harasses employees and pressures them to break rules, don't do that.

I'm not an editor, so maybe this is normal, but as someone from the outside it seems strange to put this much emphasis on dividing focus between so many videos at once.

Jimmy, hun, are you paying extra for this? Because if I'm an editor and you want me FILMING stuff then i want to be paid more for doing TWO jobs and I probably still wont be as skilled a TRAINED CAMERA MAN

First of all now THAT'S a type, consteatants. Also the fact they are aware that leaving contestants out in the sun is bad, why are you not doing MORE TO STOP IT BEYOND "hey maybe giving them three hours of heatstroke is bad, try only two next time"

Don't we love favoritism, more shitty unprofessional writings, and a completely unstable work environment?

If your people have to pull all nighters period something is wrong, and if something happens to an employees car that could have seriously hurt someone, i sure hope you care more then just "LOL FUNNY" Who's picking up the broken glass? Who's reimbursing the car owner? That one meme of "your first care should be commitment to the bit" is a MEME jimmy, it's not ACTUAL ADVICE

Ah shit I hit image limit, well, you've seen enough screenshots to know these are screenshots, we're almost done I'll put them in as quotes

"Let’s say you are tasked with finding us a castle to live in for 50 hours and while doing research you find a castle and a number to call for the owner. So you do call, and he answers. Only problem is he says he quit the castle renting business to pursue his dream of building a 100 foot tall lego catapult. You can obviously tell where i’m going with this. Ideally you’d recognize that’s badass as fuck and try to convince him to let us use it when we do find a castle. This is a bad example because it’s so obvious but if you’re doing your job right you will be doing an absurd amounts of calls and data collecting. While trying to complete your prios and prepare for the video you should always be on the lookout for new things you can bring to your creative team to inspire them. Because just like me, they don’t know what they don’t know and you can’t just say “i’m in production and i’m not very creative” because that’s literally the equivalent of saying I suck at what I do. You also need to apply this same mindset when problem solving because many people lose sight of this stuff when in the weeds. If a problem appears, always always always ask yourself if your new plan is whats best for creative, not just the easiest bandaid."

First of all it's really funny seeing all the red lines pop up, second of all this insistent blurring of everyone's job seems so strange? Again maybe this is normal, but it really feels like Jimmy wants everyone working every job, instead on focusing on what they are actually hired to do.

"What is the goal of our content?

To excite me. The goal of our content is to excite me. That may sound weird to some of you, especially if you’re new but to me it’s what’s most important. If I'm not excited to get in front of that camera and film the video, it’s just simply not going to happen."

That's fucking weirddddd, like I get that he's trying to be like "im authentic" but it always feels like a bad sign when the goal of a company is literally just "What amuses the boss" like...bad sign

"this is youtube and there are constraints. You know the video can’t be a minute so you’re obviously going to need a story to hold the viewers and there are rules to storytelling. Our audience is massive and because of that you have to be simple, for 50 million people to understand something it must be simple. Content can be anything but there is structure and rules that we must mold it into that I want to teach you about, because virality doesn’t just happen. Every frame of our videos will be seen by 10s of millions of people"

Gross

"I'd say the average MrBeast viewer is a teenage memer that likes video games."

Mr Beast is completely aware of his demographic and puts screen shots of it, he is very aware his stuff is aimed at kids, even when its about gambling or hiring people not around near minors

"I feel silly for having to write this but all the time I talk to 32 new people that have at most seen like 5 or 6 of our videos and it’s mind blowing that they don’t see a problem with that lol."

It's almost like your audience is teenage memer and that people who working here are not in fact, teenage memers.

"What you consume on social media, when you watch youtube, tv, the games you play, etc. are what I like to call your information diet.

How do you stay up to date on the latest memes? How do you know what’s going on with celebrities? What’s trending on youtube? What other creators are doing? What’s popping on tik tok? Your information diet. Consume things on a daily basis that help you write better content."

If my job as a creative writer had my boss tell me to have to see whats "popping on tik tok" as part of my job i'd quit also again, the micromanaging of someone's life as well pops up again, it's weirddd

"It’s okay for the boys to be childish

If talent wants to draw a dick on the white board in the video or do something stupid, let them. (assuming they know all the risks and arn’t missing context on why it’s not safe) People like when we are in our natural element of stupidity. Really do everything you can to empower the boys when filming and help them make content. Help them be idiots"

More favoritism

"If you’ve made it this far you are probably at least semi interested in this being your career. So I wanted to chat about it. Because if you're ambitious and want to dedicate your life to work, you picked the best company in America to do it at. I really don’t care to hoard a bunch of money and I deeply believe in rewarding the people that help this business get where it needs to be. But before I get into that, let’s talk about the future. As I write this we have 2 teams, that will grow to 4 in the next year. (and possibly 8 in the next 2 years but I can’t talk about that cause james will kill me haha). We need more leaders in the company. Weneed hard working, obsessive, coachable, intelligent, grinders that can step up and take some of these leadership spots over the next 2 years. Every single department has an opportunity for you to grow in and you’re in luck because we don’t do yearly reviews. We do whenever the fuck you want reviewes"

Lack of communication from management, and more emphasis on grinding and crunch culture, goodie, all while riddled with typos! God.

"I see a world where this company is worth billions and one day 10s of billions. And those of you that help build this will be rewarded. I want nothing more then for you to go all in, obsessive all day everyday, and become so god dam valuable this company can’t operate without you. And in return for becoming so valuable I hope to give you incredible experiences, a fun place to work, and of course, more money then you could ever dream of making at any other company."

I feel like I'm reading a fucking pyramid scheme document here, "youre so so valuable spend literally every minute of every day on this company haha" good GOD man

[twistedwonderlandimaginesblog]

Hi, there (again) :D

Second and last request, if it is not too much trouble I can request:

Can I request a "A kiss stemmed from jealousy" trope? with Silver, Malleus and Jade?💕

If I exceeded my number of orders, you can discard it but if not, take your time and without pressure. Thank you <3

Jade Leech:

Jade was always watching. It was ominous yet comforting at the same time, knowing he was observing you from afar whenever he could; you had joked he was like a hero who could swoop in to save you, while he chuckled and said it’d be much more fun to watch you independently solve whichever problem was plaguing you in the moment. This moment, however, required his direct interference and there’s a dark aura rolling off him in waves that has bystanders scattering. You can sense him coming up from behind you before he arrived, his shadow looming over you and you conversation partner; when his hand rested on your arm you turned back to greet him, surprised to see a cold glint in his mismatched eyes. You’re left speechless when he introduced himself as your boyfriend without even giving his name, the smile on his face giving away just how irritated he was with this situation. While the other person is thinking of a way to save their skin Jade leaned down to press his lips against yours, a hand on the back of your head to keep you glued to him until he was truly ready to let you go. If this didn’t get his point across, then nothing short of violence would.

Malleus Draconia:

There’s a sudden electricity in the air, the little hairs on your arms and legs standing on end; your conversation partner seemed unaware, and when you rubbed your arm they reached out to touch you, teasingly asking if you were cold. Lightning struck suddenly which caused you to jump apart, confusion written all over your face as you looked up at the sky that had seconds ago been clear and blue. There’s a dark shadow that casts over you but before you can feel alarmed, you made out the familiar shape of horns. You whipped around to greet Malleus with a smile on your face, with him wearing a smile of his own, but you sensed something was different about him, as though he were standing taller than normal. You’re even more shocked when he leaded down to press a kiss to the corner of your lips, his gaze becoming much colder when they slid over to acknowledge your companion. The storm clouds seemed to intensify the longer you stood there but now that the conversation was stilted, there wasn’t much of a reason to stay. Malleus quickly escorted you away, saying he wouldn’t want you to catch if it started to rain.

Silver:

Silver wasn’t used to feeling this way. He had no doubt about your loyalty to him and your relationship, and he could recognize that the other person was the one being overly friendly with you. You had been the one to explain what flirty behavior looked like as he seemed lost, nodding his head along with your words before thanking you for enlightening him. But now that he did understand it he saw how much attention people would invest in you, the way they’d looking at you with hungry eyes clearly not knowing you were spoken for. You’re shocked that Silver of all people showed this brief sign of possession, surprised by the hand on your waist before gasping as he leaned it to press a kiss to the corner of your lips. He didn’t speak a word to the other person, his attention solely on you as he asked if you wanted to get lunch together and then led the way without giving you a chance to respond.  

[eu-nicola]

Morocco part 3

and final

summary: Rafe says goodbye to Sofia and leaves her in outer banks while he goes to Morocco, where you are also and the danger that happens there rekindles the spark both of you thought had lost

warnings: mention of death, pregnancy

word counter: 10706

author's note: spoilers of s4, things have been changed but there are still spoilers, english is not my first language, this is long so get ready to read

The ride home was shrouded in a fog of silence and empty stares. No one talked much; JJ’s death had left an open wound, an empty space that was impossible to ignore. You felt that weight in every fiber of your being, as if the air you breathed was thicker and harder to swallow. Even Rafe, always tough, showed a certain discomfort. It had been he who, in an act of unexpected humanity, had taken the shovel and buried JJ’s body with his own hands. His movements had been slow, while the echo of the earth falling on the body still resonated in your mind as a cruel reminder of how ephemeral life was. 

They had achieved what they had sought so long. The Blue Crown, the relic that had led them all to the most dangerous adventures of their lives, was now in their possession. But the triumph tasted bitter, tinged with the boy’s absence. The laughter, JJ’s jokes, his unbridled energy and his unwavering loyalty were things they could never replace. Outer Banks felt different without him, as if a shadow had fallen over the place, obscuring happy memories and hopes for a better future.

Despite everything, there was one dim light that held everyone together: Sarah and John B’s baby. It was as if the news of his arrival was the only thing keeping the spark of life in everyone’s eyes. You knew that this baby would be named after their lost friend, a tribute that would forever connect them to the past. And John B, despite his pain, had already hinted that he wanted Pope to be the new godfather, a gesture that had brought tears to everyone’s eyes.

You watched all of this from a sort of distance, as if you were trapped in limbo. You didn’t know what to expect from your own life, from your future. The trip to Morocco had changed everything, not only because of the experiences you had lived through, but because of the promises and decisions yet to be made. You were expecting Rafe’s child, and the uncertainty of what that meant kept you on edge. What he had said in Morocco, the words laden with desire and a commitment you barely understood, kept fluttering through your mind. Was it real? Could you trust him to accept it, to keep those promises now that the adventure was over and reality was setting in again? 

Rafe, sitting beside you on the shuttle back, stared out the window with his jaw set and his eyes lost somewhere on the horizon. You hadn't exchanged many words since JJ's death. You didn't know if he remembered what he had said, if the heat of the moment had faded into the coldness of reality. 

The landscape passed by at full speed, but for you everything was suspended in a strange waiting pattern. There was no certainty about what would happen once you returned home. Rafe was a mystery, an enigma that you had loved and feared in equal measure. And now, with a child on the way, the future felt like a blank slate, ready to be written with the decisions that were to come, decisions that would define not only your life, but that of your child.

Hours later, upon returning home, the air was filled with a familiarity that contrasted with everything they had experienced abroad. Each of the group dispersed, returning to their own lives, immersed in a cloud of exhaustion and memories. You, with your heart still reeling, headed to your family mansion. The high walls and long shadows of the place greeted you with a sense of relief, as if you had finally found shelter after a long and stormy journey. 

The first to see you was your father. His always imposing bearing seemed even firmer that afternoon. He approached you with determined steps and, to your surprise, a slight smile on his lips. He was not a man known for his displays of affection or fatherly affection, but this time, his hand rested on your shoulder with a touch that spoke more than a thousand words. “Well done,” was all he said. You had heard him say those words in contexts of success and victory, but this time, you knew there was something deeper behind them. He had underestimated you for so long that seeing his approval made you feel a weight less on your chest.

The conversation turned to what you had achieved, the Blue Crown and all that it had meant. Despite your father's joy, your mind kept wandering, divided between the euphoria of his approval and the constant shadow of uncertainty that Rafe cast over you.

Rafe arrived shortly after. Your father wasted no time and, with a look that combined defiance and humor, he addressed him with a few words: “Well done, Cameron. And congratulations on your engagement, although it seems it was not as solid as I thought.” Your father's ironic smile was a knife in the air.

Rafe reacted immediately, raising his chin with that mixture of haughtiness and tiredness that you knew so well. “I finished it,” he replied, his words sharp but full of conviction. The look between the two men was fleeting but intense. Your father, who had always been a good reader, let out a short, dry laugh, as if he had just won a game that only he understood. He didn't insist any further and walked away, giving you one last look that seemed to say that everything was fine, that you had done the right thing. 

After the brief meeting in which your father and Rafe had exchanged words, you felt the weight of fatigue take hold of you. As you watched Rafe walk away, his silhouette fading into the dusk of the evening, a long, deep sigh escaped your lips. You knew you needed space, not only to process what had happened, but also to find clarity in the whirlwind of emotions and decisions that were crowding your mind.

You stayed in the mansion, allowing the silence and familiarity of the place to envelop you like a hug. You walked through the halls with slow steps, touching the walls and letting the coldness of the stone remind you that you were there, that everything had been real.

You reached your room and closed the door behind you, leaning against it as you closed your eyes. You headed to the large window that looked out onto the garden, the lights of the night beginning to flicker, and for an instant, the view gave you some calm. Outside, the breeze moved the leaves of the trees, and the whisper of the wind was a reminder that, at least for now, you were safe.

The desire to rest was overwhelming. You took off your shoes and let your feet feel the soft carpet beneath them. You changed your clothes into something more comfortable and let yourself fall into the bed, which seemed softer and more welcoming than you remembered. You closed your eyes and tried to clear your mind, but the images and memories kept coming, like flashes you couldn't ignore.

What you needed most was a moment away from him, a space to put your thoughts in order without the intensity of his presence influencing you. You had shared so much in such a short time that your world seemed to revolve around him, and that scared you. You wanted to think about what it all meant, what you would be able to accept, and what you really wanted for yourself and for the future that, without realizing it, you had begun to imagine.

With a tired sigh, you lay down on the bed, letting the softness of the sheets envelop you. The distant sound of crickets and the tranquility of the place helped you disconnect little by little. Your body, physically and emotionally exhausted, was leading you to sleep, giving you the rest you had longed for. For the first time in days, you allowed yourself to not think, to not feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, and just be you, in the shelter of your home.

When you woke up, the soft glow of the morning sun was streaming through the window, enveloping the room in a warm, golden glow. You blinked slowly, still sleepy, and your gaze landed on your phone. A notification caught your attention: a text from Rafe. It didn't surprise you, but it did make your heart beat a little faster. It said he wanted to see you, to come to his house.

Without answering, you put your phone aside and got up. You headed to the bathroom, letting the hot shower water run over your skin, washing away the tiredness that still lingered in your body. When you were done, you changed calmly, choosing an outfit that made you feel comfortable and safe. Breakfast was brief; just a cup of coffee and some fruit that you savored without haste.

When you finally felt ready, you grabbed your keys and left the house. The drive to Rafe's house felt longer than usual. When you arrived, an unexpected scene greeted you.

Rafe was standing on the porch, his expression tense and his hands gesturing in frustration as he argued with Sofia. Sofia, eyes bright and cheeks flushed with anger and distress, was trying to defend herself. You heard her say in a broken voice that everything she had done was because he had called her "Pogue," a word that to her was more than an insult; it was a rejection.

Rafe’s face hardened even further, his blue eyes flashing with anger. To him, that justification was a mockery. He couldn’t believe the ridiculousness of that confession. He demanded that she give him back the ring he had given her, a ring that belonged to his mother, a symbol that had once meant a future together. His voice was so firm and icy that even from your position, a little apart, you could feel the tension in the air. With one last look of despair, Sofia took off the ring with shaking hands and handed it to him. Without another word, she quickly left, passing you by with tears running down her cheeks. She didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at you. She simply disappeared down the road, leaving a trail of pain and failure behind her. 

Rafe stood still for a moment, staring at the ring in his hand as if it were a weight he wanted to get rid of immediately. When he looked up and saw you, something in his expression changed. The hardness faded briefly, replaced by a flash of something you certainly didn’t know what it was. 

As you approached him, you noticed how Rafe, with a quick and almost instinctive movement, put the ring in his pocket. Without hesitation, you moved closer and greeted him with a kiss, feeling the slight tremor in his lips.

“What happened?” you asked, trying to read in his eyes some sign that betrayed the conversation he had just had with Sofia.

“Nothing important,” he answered, looking away for a second before looking at you firmly again. “I just had to make it clear that this,” he said, making a gesture that implied everything that had happened with Sofia, “doesn't mean anything anymore.”

You nodded, although an uncomfortable knot formed in your stomach. The conversation you had been avoiding since Morocco was unavoidable, and the time had come.

“Rafe, we have to talk,” you said in a more serious tone, causing his expression to change as well. He nodded, waiting for you to continue. “What will happen to us now?” After everything that happened in Morocco... everything we said...

Rafe looked at you with an intensity that made the air feel thicker.

“I want to marry you,” he said, without hesitation. But there was something else in his voice, a note that you recognized as uncertainty.

You sighed and looked down for a moment, searching for the right words.

“I’m not sure, Rafe. You were with Sofia. If what happened hadn’t happened, would you have left her?” The question hung in the air, weighing between you like an unspoken truth.

He didn’t answer right away, and the pause made you feel like your heart stopped for a second. But then, with a determined gesture, he came closer and took your hands.

“You’re right to doubt, but listen,” he said, his voice deep and sincere. “If Sofia did what she did now, she would have done it sometime later. And it would have ruined everything, our marriage, my life… it would have brought me down. Her doing it now opened my eyes. It made me realize that the one I really wanted was you. Because I couldn’t stand to see you with someone else, to see you married to someone else, happy with another man. Not after everything we’ve been through together.”

His words were a torrent of emotions, and for a moment you were silent, taking in each one. The warmth of his hands in yours was an anchor, and when he raised a hand to caress your face, you felt a single tear run down your cheek.

“Rafe…” you whispered, and he closed his eyes for a moment, as if your words were all he needed to keep going.

You spent the day at Rafe’s house. Every corner of the place reflected his presence: the photographs on the shelves, the personal details on the furniture, and the subtle aroma that seemed to permeate the walls. You walked slowly, observing everything carefully, aware that this space would one day become your home.

Rafe watched you from the other side of the room. He knew that, although you had agreed to be there and spend this moment with him, there was a gesture he had to make. The ring that had once belonged to his mother and that, for a time, had been on Sofia's hand, was no longer a pure symbol.

As he walked towards you, he thought about how he knew you better than anyone else. He knew that you would not agree to wear that ring, not after everything that had happened. As much as it meant something special in his family, you would understand the burden it carried and what it symbolized. His thoughts were intertwined with the decision he had made: he would look for a new one, perhaps more than one.

Still, in time, you would wear both rings: the new one, and his mother's. But using just the old one wouldn't be an option, and Rafe understood that.

It had been two weeks since they returned from Morocco. Everything had calmed down, but there was still a tension in the air that didn't seem to want to go away. There were things you still hadn't talked about and you wanted to but you didn't know who to talk to.

The idea of ​​talking to Sarah crossed your mind several times, but you quickly put it aside. Although you both shared something very big in common, the reality was that you had never been very close to her. Besides, she had her own problems: the pregnancy, her relationship with John B., everything that had happened with JJ... and you didn't want to add more to her burden. It wasn't the time.

You decided that the best thing was to go to the doctor alone, to confirm that everything was okay. Maybe find some peace at that moment.

When you arrived at the clinic, you felt a little nervous. The atmosphere was calm, but the discomfort of what you had to face didn't let you be completely relaxed. You sat in the waiting room, going over the thousand and one things that were running through your mind.

Finally, your name was called, and you walked into the office. The doctor greeted you kindly, motioned for you to sit down, and began asking you some general questions about your health and emotional state. You knew that was important, but you couldn’t help but feel like everything was about to change.

“Everything seems to be in order,” the doctor said with a smile as he looked over your results. “Your pregnancy is progressing well. You’re in the sixth week. It’s early, but everything we see so far is positive.”

You felt a wave of relief run through your body. At least at the moment, things seemed to be going well. But, inside, you were still a little lost. How were you supposed to handle all of this? How was something like this supposed to be handled?

The doctor, as if reading your thoughts, continued.

“The most important thing now is that you eat well. Your body is working for you and the baby. You need to make sure your diet is right for both of you.” He looked at you with slight concern. “And don’t stress yourself out.” That's a very important factor. Stress can affect not only your well-being, but that of the baby. Try to get enough rest and not overload your mind.

You knew it wasn't going to be easy. Stress was a constant in your life, but, for the moment, those words were what you needed to hear.

As you left the consultation, you felt a mix of relief and confusion. Everything seemed fine.

When you got home, the atmosphere seemed different. You had been alone in your mind all day, reflecting on everything you had experienced in the last few weeks. Despite everything, your father's call had taken you out of that bubble and brought you back to reality.

He was waiting for you in the living room, sitting in his usual chair, staring at the turned-off television. He wasn't watching anything in particular, he was just thinking, and you knew that. When you walked in, he smiled at you, although there was something in his eyes that you couldn't decipher.

“Take a seat, daughter,” he said in a calm tone, inviting you to sit in front of him. It wasn’t common for him to talk about personal matters like that, but you knew something important was coming.

You sat down, leaving your bag on the floor and crossing your legs, preparing yourself for what awaited you. The silence between the two of you was heavy, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was more like a kind of calm before the storm.

“Your mother…” he began, and you already knew what he was going to say. There was something in his voice that showed a mix of tiredness and resignation. “She wants to see you again.”

You didn’t know how to react. Your heart skipped a beat, a kind of knot formed in your stomach. Your mother had never been a part of your life in the way one would expect. Since you were nine, she had chosen her freedom over you, over family, over everything. She left in search of something you never understood. And now, after all those years, she wanted to come back as if nothing had happened. As if life could go back to the instant it left.

Your father continued, not looking directly into your eyes, as if he preferred to talk about her without doing it face to face.

“I know it hasn’t been easy for you,” he said quietly. “She was never there when you needed her the most. It was my job, my responsibility… I raised you, I gave you what you needed, and although I know it wasn’t perfect, I did it with everything I had.”

He sighed, and for a moment, the weight of his words filled the space between the two of you. You knew how much it had cost him, what he had had to sacrifice to be a father and a mother at the same time.

“I’m not asking you to forgive her or accept her right away,” he continued. “What I’m asking is that you don’t treat her badly. If you want to reject her, do it, but don’t argue with her. She’ll be here for a while, and we’ll both welcome her.” If we’re lucky, she’ll be gone soon, and you can go back to your normal days, to your life, as if nothing had happened.

You stayed silent, processing his words. It wasn’t just what he was telling you, but also what he wasn’t saying. You knew he was worried about how you might react, how difficult it would be for you. But he didn’t want you to get into something that could only make things more complicated than they already were.

“And one more thing,” he added, finally looking at you, his eyes steady and sincere. “I don’t want you to talk to her about Morocco, or Rafe, or anything that’s affecting you right now. She’s not here to get involved in your life again. If you do, you’ll only open a door that we don’t need to open. She has her own life and you have yours.”

You couldn’t help the feeling of anger, frustration, and pain rising in your chest. It wasn’t just that your mother abandoned you, but that she now intended to come back as if she hadn’t left a mark. As if the years of abandonment could be erased in the blink of an eye. But what hurt you the most was that your father was asking you to accept all of that. You understood it, somehow. He just wanted to avoid more conflict, more pain. And what he was asking of you was reasonable, but you couldn't help but feel trapped.

"I will, father," you said, your voice a little cracked. "I promise."

You stood up, knowing that this would be a difficult moment. You knew that the situation wouldn't be easy for anyone. But for your father, and for everything he had done for you, you were going to try. At least, you owed him that.

"Your mother won't be home for another month," your father said in a deep voice, as if the weight of that word, "month," was the only thing you could take in. "Don't worry."

That was the last thing you heard, as you left the room, you felt a mix of emotions. The weight of what was waiting for you was upon you, but for a moment you held on to the idea that everything could be better.

Your life was going to change once again, and you didn't know if you were ready for it.

Despite this, the days passed peacefully, more peacefully than you had imagined. You focused more on yourself, on your baby, without saying a single word about it to anyone. Despite being surrounded by people who loved you, you decided to keep that part of your life to yourself, letting your body and mind adjust to what was to come. Each day that passed, your heart was filled with a mix of excitement and fear, the future was uncertain, but you knew there was something beautiful and new waiting for you.

You and Rafe spent your days as you always had, but for you everything you did now seemed to revolve around that little life growing inside you.

One afternoon, when the sun was beginning to set and the sky was turning an orange color, Rafe invited you for a walk. There was something in his attitude that made you suspect that something was about to happen, but you didn’t give it any importance. The two of you were walking through the garden, enjoying the peace, when suddenly, he stopped in front of you, his expression serious, but with a spark of excitement in his eyes.

“I want to do something,” he said in a low, but firm voice.

You stopped, looking at him curiously. You didn’t know what to expect, but the calmness of his tone only increased your intrigue. Before you could say anything, he pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket and opened it in front of you. Inside, not one, not two, but four rings glittered. Each one uniquely designed, with vibrantly colored gemstones that reflected the sunset light in an astonishing way. They were beautiful, ostentatious, almost as if he had wanted to encompass everything he felt for you in a single display of his love.

You looked at him in silence, not knowing what to say. He smiled, not losing his composure, but with a spark of nervousness escaping from the corner of his lips.

“I know this is a little… excessive, but I wanted you to know how much I love you, and that the future I want to build with you has no limits,” he said in a tone that tried to be serious but couldn’t hide the slight amusement he felt at the extravagant gesture.

You laughed, a light, genuine laugh, which filled the air with a warm feeling. Rafe looked genuinely nervous, but there was also something so sincere in his gesture that you couldn’t help but smile even more. Four rings? What kind of proposal was this? But at the same time, you understood what he meant by that act. It was his way of showing that he wanted you by his side, of making you feel special, unique. And he had succeeded, without a doubt.

You approached, took one of the rings and looked at it, then another, and another. It was an impressive collection, but you laughed again, amused by the exaggeration of the situation. You felt a little overwhelmed, but also touched by the gesture. Finally, you decided on one of the rings, the one you liked the most, but not before showing Rafe that out of those four, you would wear only two.

“I can’t wear all of these, but this one…” you said as you took the one you were most attracted to. “This one will be perfect.”

Without thinking twice, you let your laughter take over the situation. You fell into his arms with a mix of excitement and affection. “I do, Rafe. I do!” you said between laughs and hugs.

The relief on his face was instantaneous. He put his arms around you, holding you tight, as if he didn't want to ever let you go. There was only you and him, in time you would also wear his mother's ring but for now you wouldn't tell him. 

After the proposal, the days passed too quickly. Although the news was still recent, you knew that, somehow, everything was falling into place, the news of the engagement soon reached everyone's ears, and one of the first to find out was your father. 

One afternoon, when you came home after a long day, you found him waiting for you in the living room. His posture, always serious and of a man who rarely showed his emotions, was somewhat different that day. There was something in his eyes, a glint that you normally didn't see, as if he had been waiting for something in particular.

You sat down in front of him, and before you could say anything, your father broke the silence. “I heard about your engagement to Rafe,” he said in a firm tone, but with a slight smile on his lips, which he barely managed to hide.

“No… I didn’t know you already knew,” you said, surprised by his reaction.

“I’m your father,” he replied with a slight smile, “it’s hard for something to go unnoticed.” Then, his tone softened a little, and he looked at you intently. “I always wanted you to marry Rafe. He’s a good man, and although I’m not very given to showing it, I’ve always trusted him. Beyond emotions, what he does for you, for this family, gives me the peace of mind of knowing that you’re in good hands.”

You were surprised to hear those words from him, since you had always seen him more concerned about business and image, than showing you that kind of emotional support. But now, in front of you, it seemed different, like what she felt for Rafe was more than just a working relationship, like she really thought he was the best for you, for your future.

“Besides, I always had a good relationship with his father,” she continued, “and now, with what is going to be your marriage, we are going to have more than just a business relationship. This is going to be positive for everyone, for the family and for business.”

You stayed silent, processing his words. Although you didn’t like to see things only from a practical angle, you knew that your father was right in many ways.

The next day, you received a text from Sarah. She had been quiet for the past few days, but as soon as she found out about the engagement, she was quick to send you a text. The message appeared on your screen as soon as you opened your phone:

"Congratulations, future Mrs. Cameron. I can't believe you're marrying my brother. You know, I wish you the best, but don't expect me to agree with you about all this. You're not rid of me yet, I'm going to ask you a lot of questions!"

You laughed at the message, you knew Sarah was never one to express her feelings to you, but you were relieved that she at least agreed, even if it was in her sarcastic and funny way.

You quickly responded with an equally playful message: "Thanks, Sarah. Don't worry, I'm going to need you for the tough questions, be prepared!"

The conversation continued with more jokes and laughter, something that allowed you to relax a little after so many days of uncertainty. But even the days you had to relax would come to an end, in your life those kinds of days didn't last long and this was certainly not going to be the exception.

Shortly after the engagement, everything seemed to calm down. Family, friends, and even acquaintances seemed to be content with the idea that you and Rafe would really take that step together. However, something inside you still hurt, something you hadn't been able to share with him yet: the fact that you were expecting his baby.

The days went by and, although the idea of ​​being a mother was beginning to settle in your mind, the fear and uncertainty about how Rafe would receive the news paralyzed you. It wasn't the perfect time to talk about it, not when you had just accepted his marriage proposal, not when everything seemed to be going the way you wanted. But you couldn't keep ignoring it.

Finally, after a quiet afternoon, while you were both relaxing at home, the moment you were dreading happened unexpectedly.

Rafe approached you in the kitchen while you were preparing something quick for dinner. There was something in his gaze, a slight uncertainty on his face, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it. However, when he came closer to you and ran a hand down your back, a loving gesture, something clicked in your mind. A small movement he noticed, but you didn’t expect him to have such a big reaction.

“You’re… different,” he said, more of a statement than a question. “Are you okay?”

You stopped, turning your back to him so he couldn’t see how the news affected you. But it did. His gaze had changed.

“Rafe…” you murmured, turning to look him in the eyes, knowing you couldn’t hide it anymore. “I’m pregnant.”

The silence fell heavily between the two of you. Rafe stood, completely still, as if those words couldn’t be processed. He didn’t say anything right away, he simply watched you, as if he was expecting this to all be a joke, a misunderstanding.

“What?” The word came out of his mouth as a disbelieving sigh, but his gaze left no doubt that he couldn’t understand what you had just confessed.

You stopped short, anxiety beginning to take over you. You tried to calm your breathing, but your hands were shaking slightly. You knew this moment was crucial, that everything was going to change from now on, and the pressure of telling him the truth about the pregnancy had choked you until now.

“I’m sorry, Rafe… I… I was waiting for the right moment,” you began, your voice soft, but full of uncertainty. “I was supposed to tell you, but… I didn’t know how to do it.”

What you didn’t expect, however, was Rafe’s response. He was silent for a few moments, his expression distant, almost as if he wasn’t there. The initial confusion quickly gave way to a mix of anger and frustration.

“Since when have you known?” His voice came out louder than you expected, the question laced with a pent-up rage. “How long have you been keeping this to yourself?”

You felt yourself caught by his gaze, a mix of fury and confusion that you didn’t know how to handle. “Before I came back from Morocco,” you finally said, not looking at him directly. “I knew right before I came back.”

The change in him was immediate. Fury flared in his eyes, and for a second, he looked like he was going to explode. His breathing became faster, and the space between you was filled with palpable tension.

“Before I came back from Morocco?” he repeated, his voice now laced with disdain. “So you’ve been lying to me all this time. You’ve been avoiding me, hiding something so important from me. Why? Why didn’t you tell me before?”

You tried to get closer to him, but he took a step back, as if your proximity made him even more uncomfortable. “Rafe, I didn’t want this to change things between us. We were already going through so much… I didn’t know how to say it. I didn’t want everything to fall apart.”

He kept looking at you, anger more than evident on his face. “What do you mean you didn’t know?! This changes everything! And you hid it from me, as if it wasn’t important. I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me before.”

His words hit you, Rafe’s rage was palpable, and for a moment, you felt small in front of him. You had never seen him so furious, so distant. He wasn’t the man you trusted, he wasn’t the man who had proposed to you with that promise of a future together.

“Rafe, I didn’t want everything to fall apart,” you tried to explain, but words didn’t seem to be enough. “You know that’s not the case. I knew this wasn’t the time to tell you… we already had too many problems, and…”

“We had too many problems!” He interrupted bitterly, a growl coming from his chest. “And you think that makes all of this any less important? What, because we were in the middle of chaos, so it wasn’t going to be relevant that we were expecting a child? Did you really think I wasn’t going to care?!”

You stopped, the weight of his words had hit you like a hammer. You didn’t know what to say. He was angry, confused, and there was a part of him that seemed like it was about to fall apart, but the rage he felt was blinding him.

“Rafe, I…” you didn’t know how to continue. “I thought it was best to wait, that maybe after everything that happened…”

He interrupted you again, his tone already cold, as if he had completely shut down. “I don’t want to hear any more excuses. What bothers me, what really bothers me, is that you didn’t trust me enough. You didn’t care about how I was going to react. You didn’t think for a second about how this was going to affect me.”

The anger wouldn’t go away, and the worst thing was that it seemed to be closing in more and more. There was a wall raised between the two of you, a barrier you didn’t know how to break down.

“I’m sorry,” you murmured, your words empty. “I didn’t know any other way.”

The room was so quiet that the echo of his breathing was the only thing you heard. He wasn’t looking at you, his face a mask of frustration and sadness, and you didn’t know how to make it right. You didn’t know how to fix it.

Finally, after a few moments that felt like hours, Rafe took a step back and sighed deeply. “I need to think, I need time,” he said in a tense voice, not even looking you in the eye. “This is… too much.”

You watched him walk away, his figure disappearing down the hallway. You stood there, in the middle of the room, not knowing if the words you had said would ever bring you closer to him or if, on the contrary, you had pushed them further away. The future you had imagined with him now seemed uncertain, and the only thing you knew for sure was that everything had changed in the blink of an eye.

But beyond the anger and frustration, what hurt you the most was the feeling that, somewhere deep down, Rafe was still as lost as you were, and you didn't know if you would ever find him again.

After the argument with Rafe, you felt more lost than ever, not knowing how to face everything that was happening. The pressure of your pregnancy and the growing distance between you had left you exhausted, both emotionally and physically. You had tried to avoid talking about it, but something inside you knew you needed support. So it occurred to you to visit Sarah, she could understand you, she was the only one who could understand you.

When you got to where she was, the door was ajar. Sarah was sitting on the couch, staring into the horizon, as if thinking about something very deep. The sound of the wind coming through the window seemed to accompany the calm of the afternoon. You didn't say anything at first. You stood there, watching her for a moment, feeling that alien calm embrace you, even though you knew your mind couldn’t find peace.

“Do you mind if we talk?” You asked quietly, with palpable uncertainty in your tone.

Sarah turned her head upon hearing your voice and motioned for you to come in. Her eyes reflected a mix of surprise and curiosity, but there was also something in her expression that indicated that perhaps, at some point, she already sensed that this could happen.

“No, of course. Come in.” She replied as she settled down on the couch, moving some things around her.

You sat down next to her, keeping a little distance, but at the same time needing to be close. The silence between the two of you was heavy for a few moments, but finally it was you who broke the ice.

“I’m pregnant,” you said suddenly, as if blurting out the phrase was the only way to relieve a weight too great to carry alone.

Sarah looked at you for a few seconds, her expression soft but attentive. He knew you were waiting for his reaction, but he didn't say anything at first, not wanting to interrupt the moment when you decided to share something so personal.

“I knew it…” he replied, after a pause, almost as if he had already suspected it, but without any sign of judgment. “I'm so sorry, but it's… well, I can't imagine what must be going through your head.”

You sighed, letting yourself fall back a little on the couch, staring at the ceiling, searching for the right words.

“It’s… hard, Sarah,” you continued, your voice now a little more broken. “I was trying to hide it, to not think about it. But, after everything that’s happened… with Rafe, with everything… I don’t know what to do.”

Sarah nodded silently, her expression now serious, as if she were trying to understand you. Then, slowly, she turned to you and looked at you with an understanding you had rarely seen in her.

“I’m scared too,” she said suddenly, dropping her mask of perfection. “Of what’s going to happen, of how everything is going to change. It’s not easy, especially when you have no idea if you’re going to be able to do it right.”

Sarah’s words, so simple and sincere, made the pressure in your chest ease a little. The fact that she was scared too gave you a feeling of company, as if you weren’t completely alone on this uncertain path.

“What I worry about the most is… whether I am enough for this baby, whether I will be a good mother.” Your voice shook as you spoke those words, as if what you were saying was also an accusation of yourself.

Sarah looked at you for a long moment, thoughtful, and finally answered, in a soft but firm voice: “There is no manual for how to be a mother. There is no right way, and every day will be a test. But all I know is that when the time comes, you do the best you can. And that is all that matters. Because when you have that baby in your arms, you will know that you will do whatever it takes for him or her, whatever it takes.”

Those words, full of wisdom and unconditional love, were what you needed to hear. The uncertainty and fear were still there, but for the first time, you did not feel so alone. You knew that Sarah was going through something very similar, although her situation was different, but they shared the same fear, the same longing for an uncertain future.

“And about Rafe…” Sarah started, but you cut yourself off, feeling your stomach tighten at the mention of his name.

“I don’t know what to do with him,” you said quickly. “Everything is so broken between us right now… I feel like he’s not ready to be a father, and I don’t know if I am either.”

Sarah looked at you with a glint of understanding in her eyes. “It’s normal to feel that way. No one is ever really ready to be a parent. But you know what? Rafe is… complicated, I know that. But, if there’s one thing I can tell you, it’s that he’s going to have to deal with this somehow, because there’s no going back. And even if you don’t know it now, you might be surprised when you see how much he’s capable of loving that baby. Men have a different way of showing it, but that doesn’t mean both of you don’t feel it.”

You could see that Sarah, despite all her own fears and challenges, was trying to give you some hope. It was rare for the two of you to talk so deeply and openly, but you needed to hear those words from someone who was in a similar situation, someone who understood what it meant to take that leap into the unknown.

“Thank you, Sarah,” you finally said, with a sigh of relief. “I really needed to talk to someone about this.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied with a warm smile. “We’re a team now.”

You felt comforted knowing that even though life wasn’t easy, at least you now had someone to lean on, someone who, like you, was trying to find her way in this new chapter you were both beginning.

The conversation between you continued for a while longer. You didn’t have all the answers, but for the first time in weeks, you spoke to someone who was willing to listen to you.

The days following the meeting with Sarah felt like a mix of surface calm and internal storm. Your father had also found out about the pregnancy and had congratulated you, but he had made it clear that you had to get married before giving birth, and you certainly agreed with that. Despite the uncertainty that continued to surround your relationship with Rafe, you knew that the engagement was still on, at least in appearance. It was not a topic that was openly discussed, but the presence of the ring on your finger was a constant reminder of what was to come. 

You decided, in an attempt to distract yourself, to go for a walk through the town. The fresh morning air embraced you, and although your thoughts were still focused on other thoughts, for a moment you let yourself be carried away by the routine, by the simple pleasure of being alone, breathing the clean air and not having to worry about the awkward conversations that always seemed to haunt you. 

The town seemed to be quieter than usual, perhaps because many had stayed home or were busy with their own affairs. The streets were more deserted than usual, which allowed you to enjoy the walk in peace. You walked down the quiet avenues, greeting some neighbors who knew you, without thinking much about your surroundings. The sound of your footsteps on the pavement was the only thing that accompanied you.

But as you turned a corner, you came across a figure that, at first, you couldn't quite recognize. The sun was low, and the dim light cast long shadows, but as soon as you looked up and your eyes met hers, you immediately knew who it was.

Sofia.

The moment was brief. She looked at you with a mix of surprise and something harder to identify, as if she didn't expect to see you there, but also as if she had known that sooner or later you would meet again. You, on the other hand, felt a mix of discomfort and some satisfaction at seeing her. The situation had changed, and you knew that was something that couldn't be ignored.

You both stood still, watching each other for a long minute, without saying a single word. The silence was heavy, the kind of silence that speaks for itself, that says everything without any need for any pronunciation. Sofia seemed to hesitate for a second, as if she didn’t know whether to say hello or continue on her way. Finally, it was she who took the first step, forcing herself to smile with an effort that seemed forced to you.

“Hello,” she finally said, her tone warm but with a slight awkwardness behind it.

“Hello,” you replied, keeping your cool. I didn’t want to seem like the situation affected me more than necessary, although the weight of the conversation that wasn’t being said was on you like a thick layer of snow.

You couldn’t help but let your hand slide, almost involuntarily, towards the engagement ring that sparkled on your finger, just as Sofia looked down. The gesture was subtle, but the way you watched her as you did it made it clear that you didn’t need to talk about what had happened for both of you to know what it meant. 

Sofia, noticing the direction of your gaze, tried to smile again, but this time it was more of a nervous movement than a genuine one. A slight blush appeared on her cheeks, and you could see how her eyes filled with discomfort. She knew what the ring meant. She knew what was happening. The silence between the two of you stretched, each of you struggling to find something to say, but neither of you really knowing how to handle the tension that had settled between you. 

Finally, Sofia spoke, her voice a little lower, as if she were carefully evaluating her words: “So… you’re engaged, huh?”

Your heart was beating harder than usual, but you managed to stay calm, looking at Sofia with an expression that didn’t give away what you were really thinking. “Yes,” you answered with surprising calm. “Rafe and I are engaged.”

Sofia’s reaction was almost imperceptible, but the change in her expression was evident. Her smile faded a little, and her eyes, although still shining with a layer of confidence, no longer seemed as sure as before. She didn’t say anything else about it. Instead, she took a step back, looking around as if looking for some way to escape the conversation.

The atmosphere between the two of you was filled with that silent awkwardness, a space where words were unnecessary and gestures spoke for themselves. You didn’t know if she was expecting some kind of confrontation, or if she had reached a point where there was nothing left to say. All you knew was that the situation was no longer as it was before, and you were no longer the same person who had once felt insecure or small in front of her. You had changed, and that transformation was evident, even if you didn’t say it out loud.

“Well, I have to go now,” Sofia finally said, in a voice that, while trying to sound casual, was full of tension. “Congratulations,” she added quickly, as if she were looking for an excuse to escape.

You watched as she walked away, her steps quick and determined, without a backward glance. A sigh escaped your lips when you were no longer looking at her, and even though you knew the situation hadn’t been resolved, something inside you felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted. You didn’t need any more explanations, you didn’t want any more confrontations. The ring on your finger and the way she had seen it was enough for you.

You stood there for a moment longer, the fresh air surrounding you, before continuing on your way, with the feeling that, even though things between you and Rafe were still unclear, at least there was no longer room for Sofia’s doubts.

After the unexpected encounter with Sofia, the awkwardness still throbbed in your chest as you walked to Rafe’s house. When you arrived, the house was empty, silent as if it hid secrets within its walls. A sudden impulse led you to search for answers; his phone was there, forgotten on the living room table.

Nervously, you picked up the phone and tried his birthday as the password. It unlocked easily. You scrolled through messages and notifications, hoping to find something that would explain Rafe’s recent distance. To your relief, there was nothing incriminating, just a text from Sofia, unanswered except for a short one from him that said, “I have a new life now.”

You sighed, putting the phone back, feeling guilty for the invasion of his privacy but, at the same time, calm. There was nothing else to see, nothing that could break your already fragile peace of mind. You decided to walk around the house to find any sign of him, but everything was silent. Rafe had left.

You didn’t stay long waiting, you didn’t have time. When you returned home, you were surprised to find your mother waiting in the living room, her elegant figure and imposing presence as if the years of absence had left no trace. She had heard about everything: the engagement and your pregnancy, and although she smiled approvingly, there was a sadness in her eyes.

“Child, I am happy for you, I really am,” she said softly, but her tone changed, “but it hurts me that you didn’t tell me yourself.”

The conversation became tense, and although you wanted to avoid conflict, frustration and resentment built up. For years, you had learned to live without her support, and now her sudden involvement felt almost foreign to you. The words began to flow, first in murmurs and then in a more frank discussion about her absence, about how she was never there when you needed her most.

Your mother nodded, apparently understanding, although pain was reflected in her eyes. Silence settled between you, heavy with the unsaid, the lost years and the opportunities that could no longer be recovered. You left the room leaving her alone, you did not have the energy to continue arguing with her.

She could stay here as long as she wanted but in regards to your life, you would not let her in, you would not give her that privilege again. She left you, very well, now that the consequences are taken care of.

After the tense conversation with your mother, you went up to your room in search of a refuge where you could gather your thoughts. You sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the room you had known all your life, now so full of memories and at the same time so strange. You tried to calm your mind, but it was useless. Emotions crowded one after another.

You lay down on the bed, hoping that fatigue would overcome the whirlwind of ideas, but not a single second of sleep came. The hours slowly slipped by, the sun rose and slanted towards sunset, dyeing the room in orange and gold tones, but your thoughts did not cease for a moment. Reality was overwhelming, and every detail that emerged in your mind made you feel more trapped.

You knew that things with Rafe needed a solution. The conversation about your pregnancy, the uncertainty that floated between you and the weight of doubts were like shadows that did not fade away. And on top of all this was the presence of your mother, someone who had decided to return after years of absence and whose return complicated things around your life.

When the afternoon began to dye the sky a deep grey, you knew you couldn't continue like this. It was time to act, to do something to break this cycle of incessant thoughts and regain, even a little, control of your life.

You grabbed your phone with shaking hands and sent Rafe a short but direct message: “I need to see you.” Rafe’s reply was not long in coming; a simple “Come on over, I’ll be home” appeared on the screen. There were no more words, and with your heart racing, you prepared to go to his house.

The drive there was silent, interrupted only by the pounding of your heart and the crunch of gravel under your feet. When you arrived, the house was calm. The soft lights of dusk filtered through the windows, bathing the walls in a soft gold. You took a moment at the door to breathe deeply and calm yourself before entering.

Rafe was there, standing by a window, watching the horizon with a thoughtful expression that faded when he saw you. His eyes, usually confident and calculating, reflected a mix of emotions that were difficult to decipher. The tension in the air was palpable, but there was also a softness in the way he turned to look at you.

You took a couple of steps towards him, words stuck in your throat, until you finally broke the silence. “Rafe, we need to talk,” you said, your voice sounding firmer than you expected.

He nodded slowly and moved closer, his hands hanging at his sides as if he didn’t know what to do with them. You took a breath and began to speak, your voice breaking at first, but gaining strength with each word.

“Rafe, I want you to know that I love this baby and I love you. I want you to be there, to love him as much as I do. I don’t want fear to drive us further apart.”

Rafe’s expression changed; his eyes darkened for a moment, reflecting a mix of guilt, fear, and something deeper. He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture you made when he was nervous. “I know I’ve been distant, and I know this hasn’t been easy for you. But… I’m scared,” he confessed, and his eyes searched yours, waiting for a reaction.”

You approached slowly, each step feeling lighter than the last. You raised a hand and placed it on his arm, forcing him to look at you again.

“No one is born knowing how to be a parent, Rafe. We’re going to make mistakes, sure, but you’re not alone. I’ll be here with you, always. We’ll do it together, we’ll learn together. I don’t want you to think you have to be perfect, I just want you to be here and try.”

For a moment, the tension seemed to fade. Rafe closed his eyes and let the words sink in. When he opened them again, there was a different glow, a spark of hope and resolve.

Without warning, he put his arms around you, holding you with a mix of strength and tenderness. You felt all the accumulated weight begin to fade in that contact. No more needed to be said. The reconciliation was not in the words, but in the gesture, in the way his hands trembled as they caressed your back, in how his lips brushed your forehead like a silent promise.

After the reconciliation, you spent the rest of the day at Rafe's house. There was something different about him, a renewed energy and a genuine interest that had only been hinted at in fleeting moments before. As you sat on the couch, the afternoon light illuminated the room. Rafe plopped down beside you, his gaze curious and soft, free of the shadows that used to accompany him.

“Have you been to the doctor yet?” he asked, breaking the silence with a voice that denoted both concern and contained emotion. His eyes searched yours, eagerly awaiting an answer.

You smiled slightly, remembering the visit to the doctor. “Yes, I went a few days ago. Everything is fine, he told me that the baby is healthy and that I should take better care of myself. Eat better, rest more... things I haven't done much of lately.”

Rafe nodded, and for a moment his lips sketched a calm smile. “I'm going to make sure you do. I don't want you or the baby to lack anything.”

The air in the room felt lighter, almost cheerful, as the two of you began to imagine what this new life that awaited them would be like. Rafe, with an unusual sparkle in his eyes, leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Have you thought of names? Because I have a couple in mind, but I don't know if you'll like them.”

You laughed softly, relieved to see him so engaged. "Actually, yes. If it's a girl, I've always liked the name Clara. It's simple, but strong."

Rafe nodded in approval, repeating the name as if to test how it sounded in his voice. "Clara... I like it. But if it's a boy, I have one in mind: Luca. What do you think?"

A smile formed on your face at the name. "Luca... yeah, I like it. He's got strength. But, to be honest, I hope it's a boy. I've always imagined having a boy, someone to teach all the things I love."

Rafe looked at you tenderly, his hand reaching for yours and interlacing your fingers. "Whatever it is, I don't care. I just want him to be healthy and have your smile," he said in a firm and serene voice.

That simple comment made you feel an indescribable warmth in your chest. "He's going to be spoiled, you know that, right?" you commented in a playful tone, trying to lighten the conversation.

"Oh, I know," Rafe replied, laughing. "He's going to be the most spoiled child in the world, and you'll be the first to spoil him."

You burst out laughing, and looked at Rafe with a mix of love and determination. "And I wouldn't mind one bit," you added, as you moved closer to him and placed his hand on your belly, a gesture that seemed tender to you.

The days passed more peacefully than you had imagined. Tensions had calmed down, and you and Rafe were better now, and you were even going to move into his house. Sofia appeared from time to time, but her presence was no longer a concern for you; you had confirmed that Rafe had completely eliminated her from his life. That security gave you the peace you needed to move forward with your head held high.

In those days, it was decided to organize a family dinner at your father's house. The event was more than a simple meeting; it was a celebration of your engagement to Rafe and the arrival of the baby.

You invited Sarah and John B, knowing that their presence would make the evening even more special. You had noticed a change in Sarah since you shared about your pregnancies, and you felt a growing connection between the two of you. You wanted to reflect that new union, so you decided to prepare a gift for her, something small but meaningful.

That day the house was decorated with warm lights that illuminated the night, and the tables were adorned with simple but elegant arrangements. The aroma of freshly cooked food mingled with the breeze coming through the open windows. Guests arrived slowly, filling the place with laughter and lively conversation. Rafe stood by your side, attentive. The atmosphere was light, but there was a feeling in the air that everything was changing, that they were entering a different and exciting phase.

When Sarah and John B arrived, their smiles and welcoming words broke any hint of tension. You watched as Sarah instinctively caressed her belly, and a warm feeling ran through you at the thought that one day their child would play together.

As the hours passed, the evening exceeded all your expectations. The house, filled with light and laughter, reflected the life you had longed for. You felt safe and at peace, as if everything was finally falling into place. Throughout the evening, you saw Rafe interact with your family and guests. His eyes met yours from time to time, and in those moments you shared glances that said more than a thousand words: you were in this together, and that was the most important thing.

The conversations flowed naturally, sprinkled with anecdotes and comments that elicited laughter and smiles. Sarah and John B seemed more relaxed than you had seen in a long time, and you liked that, they too needed a moment of peace after everything they had been through.

Everything you had ever dreamed of was beginning to materialize before your eyes.

As the night progressed and soft music accompanied the voices that were held in quieter conversations, you felt Rafe's hand take yours under the table. It was his way of reminding you that you were where you belonged, and that, no matter what, they would be together. The evening, in your opinion, was perfect; a silent promise of what was to come.

[yesbothways]

I do not actually know how to handle how brilliant Arcane is. I had thought so much about how hard it would be to write a sex scene for Vi and Caitlyn that would fit with the excellence of the rest of the show. And the main question on my mind was like, where do you make it happen? The when was obvious to me, like right before the final battle, when everything is so heightened. But where was not. You cannot just use Caitlyn's mansion, because it means the wrong thing. This isn't a rags-to-riches for Vi where a girl who is essentially Piltover royalty falls in love with her. No. We aren't doing that. This is a ship where the extreme class difference doesn't mean anything except constant pressure to be enemies - means being caught in a cycle of violence and retribution. In this world, theirs is what a deviant and by default doomed love looks like. The class divide between topside and the undercity is the primary, structural inequality. And for them to essentially use repetition and parallel to stage that scene where Vi focuses on her one core loyalty and breaks the law to save her sister, then Jinx hits Vi in the wound and leaves her locked in the cell alone, and Vi has essentially an emotional crash over the cycle of failure and tragedy she's locked in... only to find that Caitlyn came down to get Vi and let her out of prison again. The way that communicated a crazy level of true love: I have so much recognition that I know what you're going to do when things get real and choices dire. And I love you, not in spite of this, but for this. And I am on your side no matter what is happening around us. Louder than loss or hate or revenge or duty or society. And then they just have sex right there and turn that prison cell into something completely else, unlocked and unprecedented. Nothing could be more of a clear poetic expression that their love wins in this against countless odds. Like if we weren't getting what their relationship was, if we were doubting it, if we were still thinking this story would be a tragedy piled on top of endless lesbian love stories used as the vehicle for tragedy, they just fucking said what their story was so hard it hit like a shift to another world. Punctuated by the final note of the last scene. And I genuinely fucking love them for this.

[yandere-kokeshi]

We need to know how separate TF-141 would be as house-husbands!!! Please!!!

— Yandere headcanons of TF-141 as house-husbands

Warnings: Yandere behavior, older! characters, male gender roles, NSFW, slight delusional behaviors.

A/N: Anon, you are SO, so smart. I love you /a.

Captain “Price” John:

The type of house-husband nobody expected for him to be– not even himself. John had partially agreed to it, and now he’s a stay-at-home dad for your cats. When he wedded you, he never thought of it this way; and now, he had promised to always care for you, did he not?

Price is well over-tired, pretty hairy and massive; beard scratchy and face all squishy; he’s a chubby man. But that doesn’t stop him at all.

John loves waking you up in the mornings. Before even shaking you awake, he loves to admire you. Watching your different breathing patterns, some dribbles of drool, and the obvious bed marks staining your face makes him smirk. But of course, it ends too short when he realizes you need to get up.

John is so, oh gentle, when waking you up. Scarred hands rubbing at your hips as he rubs his beard into your shoulder, prepping kisses and telling you to get a move on. However, if you ignore him, he’s more than happy to leave some permanent marks, yes?

He always makes your breakfast and lunch the night before, chopping the meat, fruits, and vegetables into the correct order so he can easily sleep in with you till you leave. So, when your alarm goes off, he detaches himself from you, getting up with only his red boxers– turning on the oven to preheat the food yet again and leaving them on the table for you to enjoy when you get out of the shower.

And with that, he takes your health seriously, mentally and physically, which means most foods in the house are pretty healthy. All types of fruits, veggies, protein, and fiber nourishment is given with each meal, and he expects you to eat it all. 

When shopping, he takes everything seriously. He hates getting off track, only sticking to what’s on the list, and cashiers who take too long on talking– especially if they openly flirt with him. Can’t you see I'm taken? He snarks out, showing off his wedding ring before fast walking out towards his car with his hands full.

Chores are chores. They need to be done. Dishes are easy, laundry, and vacuuming are a piece of cake. But cleaning the bathroom? Oh, that’s a bit difficult. Especially with the hidden camera he’s put out of your sight, and at times, he gets distracted; watching the many films, seeing you all naked and wet, makes Price feel... a sudden urge. How are you just so gorgeous, hm?

John is the definition of a “Pro Loyalty Card”. For all those stores he visits, he has cards for each and every single one of them, including the convenience store. They always come in handy.

Routines are his specialty; he knows everything about your schedule, to the time you leave for work, to when you call him at your lunch break, come home and collapse in his lap, all the way to sleeping in the bed naked. He’s memorized it all. 

After the long antagonizing and stressful week, John always sits you down for a long bath. He massages your shoulders, using a special lotion to rub on you after the bath. But, that’s not the only gift he's giving. Before gently and lovingly pushing you to the bed, he slowly fucks the stress and irritation of you; teeth makes ensuring you stay loyal to your man.

Simon “Ghost” Riley

Simon is quick and sleek with shopping, getting and seeking foods that have high nutrition because you only deserve the best. Most foods he picks out are healthy, getting many baskets of fruits to ensure you enjoy your lunches. But when passing by the sugar aisle, he can’t help but choose a few sweets for you. 

A type of house-husband you’d never expect. He’s brooding, shoulders kept tight, wearing a black mask and hoodie as he sulks in the grocery aisles, holding the colored basket. You’d think he’s stealing with a gun hidden in his back pocket. However, when in reality, he’s taking his house duties extremely seriously as he eyes for the cereal aisle.

He wakes up way early, even before you start to stir awake, even before the sun rises and goals himself to get a good workout in. Even though he’s not the same lieutenant as he was years ago– he’s not lazy, and still picks up his pace whilst jogging down the street and doing push-ups in the open garage. 

At times, he wishes you could join him, and it would be fun, would it not? Having you down below, as his chest presses against yours and your flushed face being the main goal for him to continue? Or maybe, him guiding you through pull-ups, and you need his help? Oh, that’s how to make him very desperate for you in the early mornings. 

Speaking of early mornings, when you rise with his gentle shaking, whispers of “good mornin’”, and his rough stubble rubbing your neck, you realize just how lucky you are. Especially with how Riley joins in, when he notices his second favorite human is up and awake. 

Though, if you decide to ignore these two, covering your face and mumbling away, Simon will crawl over you, prep your face with sloppy kisses, and murmur hot and dirty words. His hand instinctively crawling down, snapping the band of your underwear, nails barely scratching at your skin whilst promising to get you all hot and messy, before forcing you out of bed. 

When you leave out of that door, regardless of the morning, he ensures the house is spotless before you come home. He doesn’t listen to any music, only the occasional barks from Riley as he sprays the leather couches, doing the dishes the “old-fashioned way”, and folding laundry like it’s a race. 

Most are scared of him– except for that one lady down the road. Her eyes follow Simon as if he’s a god, but he scoffs at that when she twirls her hair. You’re the real deity, he openly thinks. Of course, he shows off his pretty wedding ring, the one you got him; and somehow, Simon wishes you’d just make out with him in public, show her that he’s off limits and that he’s yours. 

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick:

The type of househusband who immediately recognized that you needed to be cared for, and went forth with that promise between the marriage. You work so hard to make money for the both of you. And he’s devoted to doing whatever he can to be helpful too. 

Kyle is a clean freak, which means the house is nearly spotless when you come home. Every scratch at the couch has him grunting and hands vigorously trying to rub it off. Shoes inside the house are immediately put up, and he hates rainy days; looking at you with glaring pupils as you step inside with soaked coverings. But, he loves you. 

The chores in the house are easily done before the afternoon, dishes cleaned with shiny marks and the floors vacuumed. Dusting and sweeping the house with headphones on, face flushed whilst… listening to among things he’d never want you to find out. 

Laundry is always last in line, as he tends to “borrow” a good deal of dirty underwear of yours, smelling them intensely. Don’t worry though, he returns them at some point. 

Kyle is the definition of “wifey material food”. Every breakfast consists of incredible fried eggs, mixed with bacon and fluffy pancakes; lunch and dinner being different every day, which is nice. He usually sticks with foods you’re comfortable with, never going out of your zone, and tries his hardest to make different sizes of hearts out of the food. 

Though, you never seem to notice the secret ingredient, the divine particular part where the two of you are bonded stronger. Such shame, he utters. Sometimes he wishes you’d come home early– catch him desperately adding it within the dish with utter lewd excitement. 

Having you come home is the best time of the day. Waiting by the door, wearing the cactus green apron you got him years ago, with a giant smile and dinner laid out, waiting for you. By the end of dinner, you’re full; both of love, and much suffocation of affection. 

All the other housewives in the area love him. They often invite him for yoga, or work-out sessions. But, he usually uses the excuse that you need him. You do, don't you?

Every Friday, he wears and shows off certain gifts he feels that you’ll love. You work so hard for the both of you, so he should show his appreciation, should he not? Wearing all types of risqué clothing, leaving desperate messages, and having lingerie hidden underneath his black vest, coloring his skin and outlining his scars, stretch marks, and moles. Sooner or later, it leads to a heavy cuddle-sex session that he knows you’ll love. 

Johnny “Soap” MacTavish:

The type of househusband who uses his pretty eyes and sculpted body, to get his way. Everything from seeing you at your working office and past your lunch break, to getting free food samples, all the way to a book full of coupons and all types of gifts for half the percentage. 

He’s amazing at picking food at the grocery outlet, picking up the correct portions of proper protein, vegetables, and iron. And sometimes, sneaking a few donuts, pops, and tubs of ice cream he knows you love. 

Johnny always wakes you up, the alarm rarely shaking you as your beloved husband knows your schedule by heart. He ensures your breakfast and lunch are ready by 7am, smirking at the added secret ingredients that he only knows. 

He’s more lenient with waking you up. Knowing how you like to sleep, beauty sleep he corrects, Johnny tries to let you snooze in as far as you can, before gently stirring you up as the sun rises in the opened window. 

His arms snake around your waist, cuddling up behind you whilst pulling you into his warm chest, as he nibbles on your ear and tells you to start getting up; breakfast is served on the table with awaited love. Though, if his sweet honey voice doesn’t work at this time, maybe some extremely sloppy oral will help, no? 

Johnny ensures that everybody knows you’re lovingly taken. Those hickeys and bruises on your arms, and neck show just how loveable he is. He boasts about you all the time, to his then-team, cashiers and ladies on the streets. It’s only expected you do the same, yes? 

Housewives and other househusbands either love him, or envy him. He’s pretty– too alluring to just be at home and caring for duties. Most women, and men constantly flaunt at his grown-out mohawk, often slicked back into a small bun and a few scars, especially one on his head, that prominent his face. 

He’s still in shape, working out in the early mornings and doing yoga with the other moms; who he regularly drinks coffee with. They love how sweet and handsome the man is, especially towards his spouse. 

Anyone would be lucky to have him, and many would trade a lifetime for him. But, he’s not going anywhere, not without you or your yummy neck anytime soon. 

—

Masterlist || Please support me as a writer by reblogging or commenting <3

© yandere-kokeshi 2024 — Do not copy, modify, edit, repost, or use my works for ASMR readings, tiktoks, or other content.

[hemmingsleclerc]

Worth it┃sirius black

summary: where Sirius is completely in love with James's sister, but everytime he wants to ask her on a date somehow ends up doing something embarrassing

just sirius being a dumbass in love

･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆ .˳⁺⁎˚ ･˳ . ⋆

Sirius Black, known for his confident attitude and big ego, became a totally different person when it came to Y/n Potter, James' twin sister. From the moment he first saw her on the Hogwarts Express, he fell in love with her. Her bright eyes, her laughter that echoed through the halls, and her loyalty to her friends captivated Sirius in a way he couldn't explain.

However, every attempt Sirius made to impress her seemed to end in humiliation. Whether it was tripping over his own feet, accidentally dropping a potion in Potions class while he was trying to show off, or simply forgetting his words when she stared at him or smiled, Sirius managed to humiliate himself over and over again and the marauders found endless fun in his failed attempts.

One particularly incident occurred during a Gryffindor Quidditch match. Sirius had been practicing tirelessly, determined to catch Y/n's eye with his skills as a Seeker and impress her (again). As he zoomed across the pitch during the game against Slytherin, he spotted Y/n cheering enthusiastically in the stands. Heart pounding with nerves, Sirius dove towards the Snitch, only to misjudge his speed and crash into a ring, sending the Snitch away to the opposite end of the field. The entire stadium bursted into laughter, including Y/n, who clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles.

"Nice one, Pad! Maybe next time you'll catch something other than the ground," James joked mercilessly after the match, laughing his head off, slapping Sirius on the back.

Sirius tried to laugh, but inside he felt enormous disappointment and shame. He had wanted with all his might to impress Y/n, to show her that he was more than just a prankster or a reckless troublemaker. But every time he tried, it seemed like he only managed to make a fool of himself.

Despite his repeated failures, Sirius refused to give up, she was worth it and he wasn't going to give up so easily. He found himself casting nervous glances at Y/n during meals in the Great Hall, trying to work up the courage to approach her. However, every time he decided to talk to her, his tongue would get stuck and his palms would sweat. Even simple greetings turned into awkward exchanges in which Sirius would end up stumbling over his words or making some ill-timed joke that fell flat.

One rainy afternoon, Sirius was sitting in his dorm with his friends. Peter and Remus were playing a game of wizard chess nearby while James lay on his bed playing with his snitch, occasionally casting sympathetic glances in Sirius' direction.

"You know, mate," Remus began tentatively, moving a knight on the board, "maybe you should just ask her out straightforwardly. None of this grand gesture stuff. Just be yourself."

Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've tried, Moony. Every time I try to talk to her, I end up making a complete fool of myself. She probably thinks I'm an idiot by this point."

James chuckled "Nah, she doesn't think you're an idiot. Just a bit… charmingly clumsy as she told me."

Sirius rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile at his friends' attempts to cheer him up. Deep down, he knew they were right. Maybe he had been going about it all wrong. Perhaps what Y/n needed was not grand gestures or witty banter, but simply honesty.

The next day, Sirius was walking through the black lake, letting his feet walk without any direction, however he realized that he was precisely addressing Y/n who was reading a book in front of the lake. His heart raced as he made his way over, his friends watching with anticipation from a distance.

"Here goes nothing," Sirius muttered under his breath, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves.

As he approached Y/n, she looked up and smiled warmly at him. Sirius felt his legs weak.

''Hey Y/n''

''Hey sirius, what's up?''

''everythings fine, um I wanted to ask you something''

Sirius felt his throat dry and his mind went blank.

''Are you okey sirius? you seem a bit...pale'' Y/n asked doubtfully, standing up and getting closer to Sirius.

''No! I'm good don't worry!'' Sirius was actually planning on pretending to faint, or running away.

''Okey?..Well anyways I also wanted to ask you something''

Sirius was about to open his mouth to let the words out but Y/n interrupted him.

''I was wondering if you'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" Y/n said smiling ear to ear

Time seemed to stand still for Sirius. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did she just ask him out before he could ask her?

Taken by surprise, Sirius took a step back, his heart racing even more. To his surprise, he tripped on a tree root and fell to the ground with a thud.

Laughter erupted in the distance, echoing through the garden. James, Remus and Peter had been responsible for these as they were almost crying of laughter, unable to contain their amusement at Sirius's latest fall.

Sirius lay on the ground for a moment, his face burning with shame. He stood up as quickly as he could, trying to maintain some semblance of composure and dignity.

Y/n rushed over to him, concern mixing with her laughter. "Oh my god!, are you okay?"

Sirius nodded, his cheeks still flushed. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just… just caught me by surprise, that's all."

Y/n chuckled softly, offering him a hand up. "Sorry about that. I couldn't resist."

Despite the embarrassment, Sirius couldn't help but grin. "No need to apologize. I… I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you."

Y/n smiled wildly, relief evident in her eyes. "Great! It's a date then."

Sirius felt a wave of relief and excitement. He had managed to get through another embarrassing moment, but this time he had turned out better than he could have imagined.

As they separated, the rest of the marauders approached him, still laughing at him. James patted him on the back, shaking his head in amusement and hugging him by the side and Sirius couldn't help but do a little victory dance.

Despite all his fumbles and embarrassing moments, he knew one thing for certain: Y/n Potter was worth every stumble and every awkward pause.

[lastlifesmp]

Scott talking about on a recent stream how he wants Impulse to win but doesn't think their team is in a good position for it really made me think about what in the past has made a team "in a good position to win", and it seems to come down to the smaller the team, the more likely a winner is to come from there.

Large teams usually get ripped apart first and you can see examples of this in pretty much every season. Third life both Dogwarts and the Crastle had the most amount of players in their alliances, they both fell apart with members dying and betrayal happening all over the place. On the other hand Grian and Scar, while they made allies with other people, were very solidly their own team for most of the season and were able to stick together quite well, giving Grian the win.

(Comments on other seasons under a read more cause it got a bit long lmao)

Same thing in Last Life, the Southlanders, team BEST, and even the fairy fort all basically ripped each other to shreds, while Scott, Pearl and later Cleo formed a very tight knit group and didn't have any forms of betrayal among them. (Slight outlier here for Joel and Scar I guess with their small/no teams but circumstances conspired against them lmao) But with Scott taking that win it starts to form a pattern of smaller teams seemingly make it easier to win.

In Double life there wasn't really any large teams (besides like full red or yellow temporary alliances) as everyone was split into duos, but there is still an argument that Pearl was on a very small team (as in just her and Tilly), and was able to get the win while those who stuck with their duos died.

Again in Limited Life, the larger alliances like team TIES and the Family who were much more closely knit but still had to worry about betrayal (cough cough Etho and Bdubs) and the Bad Boys, who's greatest enemies were admittedly themselves but they fell apart too, while the two duo groups, Pearl+BigB and Scott+Maryn were very tightly knit with each other. There was no question of betrayal or of the teams falling apart, with Martyn going on to win.

In Secret life Scar was the only player to not team with anyone else, and he wins the season. The big dogs and Gem and the Scotts both had issues with inter team fighting and while the Mounders were pretty close, almost all of them died very quickly once the fighting started.

And now in Wild Life, we have the smallest team, Gem and Joel, pretty much being in the best position with lives while the biggest team the Final Gs, in the worst one. Now obviously some of this is just due to differing skill and luck in the games, but the more people you have, the more difficult it is to manage a team. BigB and Pearl have already attempted to or passively betrayed the team at some point, Etho and Ren have both asked to join but have very conflicting loyalties. They're not all able to fully work together the way a duo team would be and it does show. (Not a dig on any of the players, this is just how people are lmao, there's a reason MCC only has 4 player teams, the more people there is, the harder it is to keep everyone together).

So currently, I do think Joel and Gem have the best chance of winning, even though I would love an Impulse win and the Three Gs all seem to be very on board with him getting it, they just have so many things going on it's hard to stay focused. More people means more changes for a teammate to die, and if the group can't reform around that, it's not going to go well.

[hellsitedotcom]

### Genshin Men & How They Kiss ###

Featuring Dainsleif, Il Dottore, Il Capitano, Neuvillette, Wriothesley, Al-Haitham.

warnings: shouldn't be anything too spicy/nsfw. Dottore bites people, do with that what you want.

english isn't my native language!

this is going to flop so bad, but I'm bored; bone app the teeth.

DAINSLEIF

He is someone who - in my humble opinion - kisses you with such...devotion, such unwavering and suffocating devotion that it leaves you breathless and stunned even after the 100th kiss.

Dain has his way with words, we all know that, and as mesmerizing as his compliments and confessions can be, so are his kisses; they are like a beautiful, life-changing poem that leaves you aching for more.

He's not too frequent of a kisser, though - I want to think he's somewhat dramatic with his timing for kisses; before depatures, big battles, when you're apart from each other for longer times & greater distances.

Definitely one for goodnight kisses; he's such a gentle lover, I'd say. There's just something about him that makes it hard for me to see him as an aggressive, obsessive, or extremely passionate/intense lover (I hope you know what I mean).

You know those Princess x Knight stories? Where they finally have that first kiss, and it's described like something straight out of a fairytale? That's Dainsleif, basically. Also, definitely someone who kisses your hand/palm.

IL DOTTORE

Oh, he's a freak, alright. My ''aroace Dottore'' headcanons aside, he's...not your ''typical'' guy, I'd say. Well, he's not a romantic, I think we can all agree on that.

Dottore's kisses are most definitely possessive - they aren't there to show love or anything, but to claim - to ''mark his territory'', sorta.

I think he'd see ''kissing'' as an outlet of sorts; I don't necessarily see the ''real'' Dottore as someone who gets frustrated and lets it out on his lover, nor would he be someone to kiss his lover unprovoked, I think. He doesn't necessarily need it.

If we were to talk about a not-so-sociopathic Dottore (alias, a normal human), he wouldn't necessarily strike me as someone who thinks about kissing you much either. He gives me a rather uninterested vibe in that regard; he probably shows his love/devotion in different ways.

Maybe I'm just really biased because of my other headcanon; he just doesn't care about kisses in a romantic sense, that's it. He'll bite you, he'll devour you, but there's nothing more behind it but exerting power...or maybe he just wants to silence you, because your provocations/teasing is getting on his last nerve.

His kisses (I honestly just see him as a biter) are bruising, and the way he holds onto you during that time leaves bruises, too. And, again, not many of these actions stem from love, but possessiveness or to ''make a statement''.

IL CAPITANO

Initially thought was ''Does he even know what a kiss is'', but let's brush past that...anyway, why can I see him somewhere inbetween the likes of Dain & Dottore? lol

He's not much of a kisser, either. Which, uh, soldier and all, I'd say, but then, he is still capable of care and devotion in a way that others never could.

He's devoted in his kisses, and there's a pledge of loyalty behind each kiss, only solidified by their rarity. He swears fealty to you in that way - a firm, classy kiss on the lips; kissing the back of your hand while kneeling in front of you; a lasting kiss on your forehead before he departs.

Again, those kisses are rare and kept secret from the outside, but they exist and they hold such an incredible weight to themselves; they are his greatest show of vulnerability and weakness. Though, he does not view having a lover as a weakness.

As mentioned further above: His kisses are firm, they are lasting. He doesn't just give you quick pecks in passing, no. Each kiss takes its time, and each kiss is there to repeat the message the first one gave ''I swear fealty to you''. They aren't overly passionate, messy, or anything like that.

Definitely not one for many words, and their all pretty cordial and like some devoted rule-abiding knight would talk, lol. Quality Time and Acts of Service are more of his strongsuit.

NEUVILLETTE

I'm a bit torn here, though he certainly is a gentle kisser. On one hand, I want to say it is a ''lack of experience'' in that prospect, that could make him more hesitant and careful. On the other hand, I just feel like regardless of his experience level, he'd be a gentle lover.

He's more frequent in his kisses - he does not mind showing you love, regardless of where you are, though during important meetings (or trials) you'll never find him kissing you; only afterwards, when you've returned to the privacy of his office, he'll drop that mask again.

He'll pour all his emotions into his kisses - including those tragic, painful emotions after certain trials. Yet, his kisses are never hungry or aggressive. They'll still always keep their lightness.

Most of the time, you'll find him kissing your lips or your cheeks. In your sleep, he'll press a kiss to your forehead, and in public he'll often press a kiss to the palm of your hand.

His kisses are the kind to make you giggle, or smile all giddy. They are exciting, in a way. Though rather light and ''brief'', they leave you at a loss every time; like a beautiful dream. Paired with that soft smile of his? They'll have you melting right then and there.

WRIOTHESLEY

I just let out the most concerning ''hehehehe''; anyway, oh boy, I wanna be indulgent here, but I'll try to be as ''realistic'' as possible.

He's...a wildcard, of sorts. Wriothesley can be extremely passionate & hungry when it comes to his lover, but he can also be more classy & gentle about it, depending on different factors.

Now, focus on the more intense parts of Wriothesley. For anyone needing a visual/example; I'm sure there's fics out there where the reader is sparring with Wriothesley. And that's where I get the more intense version of him from.

He's the kind to pin you against a wall and devour your lips, tongue eventually down your throat as he got you at his mercy. He's not holding back with those kisses - he's hungry; hungry for all of you. His kisses aren't necessarily bruising, but they are suffocating; you'll be struggling for air when he is like this.

You'll find him his filled with desire only in private - and often enough there's something needed to trigger this...almost primal?...version of him; yes, this means he'll leave marks, but he'd never intentionally hurt you to get off.

On other occasions, he's more gentle, though that gentleness can sometimes stem from an absence of mind, too. Fleeting kisses on the cheek, barely sparing you a glance as he's too busy with work. His ''apology'' kisses are also the gentle, yet firmer kind. And you'll get them quite frequently, given...everything.

In conclusion, he's definitely capable of being both extremely hungry/intense and being gentle; it really depends on preference, I suppose, but I can absolutely see him being a perfect balance.

AL-HAITHAM

Definitely more on the calmer side; not necessarily ''gentle'' in the way I have described before, but he's not an aggressive/hungry kisser, unless for certain occasions, maybe.

He's so introverted in his voicelines, he's probably the same with a lover; barely any PDA in public, just because he's not a fan of it (you'll maybe get a peck on the cheek or a kiss on the forehead, but just fleeting).

His kisses are...somewhat distant, quite often. He'll kiss you on the lips, but you'll feel like he's not really present while kissing you. He'll also take your hand and kiss it absently whenever you sit beside him while he's studying.

Other times, he's nearly obsessed with kissing you; he'll be kissing you firmly, one kiss lasting minutes before being interrupted by shorter and lighter kisses, and then he'll go back to a firm, passionate kiss. He'll often have you on his lap during those.

Slow, sensual make out sessions. That's what I was looking for, I think. Lots of cuddling, holding you close, tracing his lips over your skin. That's how I see him sometimes.

Can I actually see him be more intense in his kisses? Maybe, but it takes a lot. A lot of pent up frustration, Kaveh getting on his last nerve, some issues with the Akademiya, etc.; and perhaps, if you provoke him on that day, you'll see a more hungry side...Or maybe he just did it to satisfy you for a while, who knows?

Makes me believe that Al-Haitham does not mind being more dominant, more intense, more hungry during make out sessions - he can if it means you'll be happy about it, but he doesn't prefer it, tbh.

[Genshin Women & How They Kiss]

[obsessivelullabies]

tf141 fighting over you.

imagine you’re a combat medic, highly skilled and capable. you joined the army to help people. you wanted to make a difference, so you spent all your time trying to sharpen your skills.

after a few years of hard work, you were offered to join a new task force. task force 141, created by captain john price.

you knew this was the right career move for you. you knew you’d help people.

the first man you met was the captain himself, john price. he was gruff and serious, yet you could tell he was a good man. he wouldn’t say it, but john held you in high regards already. he admired your loyalty and dedication.

the second man you met was kyle ‘gaz’ garrick. your first mission was with him and price. gaz was immediately drawn to you and your nature, striking up conversation with you, asking about yourself and what you liked. you two became fast friends.

gaz was close to your age, so you felt comfortable around him. he was also very trustworthy, which made you relieved.

gaz fell for you first after a few weeks, he adored your personality and how gorgeous he found you, even if you were wearing your dirtied uniform. he wrote it off as a dumb little crush.

not long after, you met two men. first, johnny ‘soap’ mactavish. he was funny, flashy and confident. he’d immediately come off as flirtatious towards you, probably using some stupid pickup line.

second was simon ‘ghost’ riley. he had little to no interest in you at first. he knew you were a good worker, which he appreciated, but nothing more.

over the span of months, you and the men in your task force grew closer. you accomplished quite a lot. they’d all saved your ass multiple times.

price would start to fall for you seeing you take care of injured soldiers so kindly, even if you didn’t know them at all. he also loved your loyalty. you always tried to save someone, even if it was a dumb decision.

for soap, the flirty jokes were a joke until they weren’t. he thought you were so gorgeous and funny. you never got annoyed with him or wanted him to leave. you enjoyed his presence. the flirtation becomes more personal, more serious.

ghost definitely fell for you last. after a particularly rough mission, as you stitched up his arm and tried to comfort him, ghost felt something he hadn’t felt in years. being around you made him feel alive again.

at some point, the men all picked up on each other’s adoration for you. price would always try to help you and guide you, his way of showing his affection.

gaz would always be so thoughtful of your needs, like buying you a drink if you said you were thirsty. small gestures.

soap would openly flirt with you and touch you innocently, vying for any affection or flirting back.

ghost didn’t have a lot of experience with romancing someone. he honestly just stayed close to you and watched your back.

all the men became more and more forward. they needed you to choose someone, they couldn’t let this issue divide them.

if only you got the hint.

does anyone want like a part two.. with like graves.. or laswell.. or alejandro.. ik they’re not tf141 but they do work with them.

masterlist! | unedited. | comments and reblogs appreciated! | make a request.

[wildrangers]

Hello i see you're accepting fic requests, i have a matt smith fic idea, can u do a behind the scenes w matt and fem!reader where they are both married in real life but they're rivals on cam, and when the scene cuts they're like all lovey dovey and their castmates are always teasing them 💟 tysmmm!!!

Thank you so much for this request anon, I loved this idea! I created an OC HOTD character for the reader to play and kind of worked her into different key moments from the show. I hope you enjoy 🙂

Tropes & Topics: total fluff

Word Count: 900

“What would you call the husband of the Queen?”

“Well, the king-”

“There it is, then.”

“...consort” 

Your eyes met Daemon’s, fury coursing through your veins. His head tilted, eyes assessing you. “That seems redundant, no?”

“I speak for the Queen when I say it is not.” 

There was a long pause as you two stared each other down before “CUT! Good work you two.”

“Darling! You were stupendous” Matt praised, walking towards you with his arms raised. Mostly joking groans sounded from the crew around you. “Oh, stop it you lot.”

“I always forget how angry you make me when you have that fucking wig on” you tease, wrapping your arms around his middle tightly. 

“I could say the same to you, my love” he chuckled, pressing a chaste kiss to the top of your silver wig.

Your role on House of the Dragon was Anora, a close confidant and cousin of Rhaenyra. Given your character’s fierce loyalty to Rhaenyra, she shared a tense, often hostile, relationship with Daemon which you two delighted in playing as it was so opposed to your real-life dynamics as newlyweds. 

“Are you love birds ready for lunch now that you’ve terrorized the crew?” Emma’s voice called from behind Matt and you threw a grin their way. 

“Are they up to it again?” Harry seconded from behind them. 

“I don’t know what you’re referring to” you argued and Matt chuckled beside you, his arm resting along your shoulders as you followed the pair off the studio lot. 

“Oh, so you don’t remember the post-wedding incident?” Emma posed and you felt your face warm as the memory flooded your mind. 

“Wed?! Laenor has just died!” you shouted, whipping around to face your best friend and her apparent new husband. 

“No, cousin, he’s not dead. We arranged it so he could be free and we could marry” Rhaenyra explained and your eyes widened. 

“You let our monstrous uncle convince you of this?!” 

“Watch your tongue” Daemon replied, eyes blazing.

“Or what?” 

“Or I’ll take it.”

You took out the dagger you kept hidden on your side, “Well come on then, Daemon. You don’t frighten me.” 

“Enough!” Rhaenyra screamed, stepping between you both. “Cousin, this was my decision he forced me to do nothing. He wants to better support my claim to the throne when the time inevitably comes.” 

“He will be your ruin, Rhaenyra. Mark my words.”

“CUT! I think we got it guys, take five.” 

“My fierce wife!” Matt cheered, picking you up and swinging you around as you laughed. 

“Must you do this every take?” the director questioned, earning laughs from the cast and crew on set. 

“Am I wrong? She was incredible” he praised, placing you down and lovingly straightening the wig he’d disheveled in his excitement. 

“Yes, yes, your wife is brilliant and we’re all lucky to be graced with her presence” Emma teased and you stuck your tongue out at them. 

“The most brilliant one of us is you, my love” you tell him and are met with another chorus of groans as you giggle and squeeze his hand in yours.

“Oh! And you can’t forget the birthing scene from last season’s finale, that one was iconic.” Harry added and Emma eagerly nodded their agreement.

Rhaenyra wailed from the bedchamber behind you as you charged after Daemon. “What are you doing Daemon? She needs you!” 

“She needs someone to prepare for war, I can do nothing for her in that room.” 

“She’s calling for you Daemon, not me! She doesn’t want you to act on her behalf, just to be her husband.” 

“I am your king now!” he roared, turning around so quickly you slammed into his chest, his hands gripping your shoulders painfully to keep you upright.

“You overstep Daemon. You are no more than her king consort” you replied, adjusting your stance and fighting the wince of pain wracking your system.

Matt’s face completely broke, false anger draining from it, “Love, are you alright? I’m sorry everyone but she’s injured, we have to cut.” 

“Matt, it’s fine I could have finished the scene” you insisted but your argument fell flat as your ankle rolled out from beneath you. 

He didn’t hesitate, one arm gripping under your knees, the other under your arms to lift you off your feet. “Where’s the medic?!” 

“Matthew, it’s a twisted ankle, not a mortal wound” you assured but his face was panicked. “Hey, look at me” you said firmly, hand cupping his cheek. His hazel eyes met yours and you could see him fighting to control his fear that you were seriously injured. 

“I’m not putting you down until someone’s looked at your ankle” he insisted and you nodded your agreement. “I’m so, so sorry darling.”

“It was an accident, I’m fine, I promise” you replied, pulling his face down to yours for a brief kiss. 

“We have to release this as a blooper, the fans will eat it up!” you heard Emma call as Matt carried you off set towards the medic tent with the cameras still rolling.

“How could we forget? It went absolutely viral” Matt groaned and you laughed, pinching his side.

“You’re lucky you didn’t get charged with spousal abuse” you tease and he rolls his eyes as the others laugh. 

“Keep it going, I’ll just save up my annoyance with you for when we’re back on set.”

matt smith taglist: @slayraxes-blogs @littlehorrorlover

I'm always happy to hear any feedback, message me if you want to get added to the taglist! I have a few more asks waiting that will be out soon 🫶🏻

[msbigredmachine]

Nothing Left (Roman Reigns)

The tale of a marriage built on trust, torn apart by lies, and a woman’s breaking point that should never have been reached.

Pairing: Roman Reigns/Black fem OC

Warnings: Angst, dark themes, graphic content ahead

Word Count: 3.8k

Please check out my masterlist for all my other content!

The air in the mansion was different now. Thick, suffocating—like grief had taken up residence in the walls and refused to leave. I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the cold cup of coffee Roman had poured for me this morning before he left for his latest “business meeting”. The smell of hazelnut creamer was sickly sweet, and I pushed it away as bile rose in my throat.

He was with her again. He didn’t say it outright, but he didn’t have to. My husband had a way of leaving breadcrumbs too obvious to ignore yet always denied when confronted. The gym bag packed with his best Jordans, the cologne he reserved for date nights, the freshly lined-up beard that hadn’t been between my legs in months…Roman wasn’t as subtle as he thought. But every time I brought it up, every time I asked for the truth, his voice would drop low, dangerously calm, like I was the one losing my mind.

“Why you always tryna start some shit, huh?” he’d said just last week, his jaw tightening as he leaned against the doorframe of our bedroom. “You think I don’t have enough pressure on me already? You don’t trust me? After all these years?”

The years. Ten years of marriage. A decade of giving everything I had—my time, my heart, my future. Waiting for him to prioritize me, to want what I wanted, to see me the way I saw him. Years of walking on eggshells, smoothing over cracks in a foundation I thought was unshakable. Ten years of loyalty, of devotion, of standing by his side while he chased dreams we once shared.

And what did I get in return? A hollowed-out shell of a man who wasn’t mine anymore. Maybe he never was. Maybe I was fooling myself all along, believing I could be enough for someone who was never content with what he had.

But nothing could’ve prepared me for the audacity of her. The way she waltzed into my life with her smug smile and flawless facade, acting like she belonged. Like she’d earned a place in the world I built. As if she wasn’t trying to steal my husband, my dreams, and my future right out from under me.

-----------------------

Her name was Brooke Harper. Twenty-four. A fitness influencer with a perfectly curated Instagram full of green smoothies, waist-high leggings, and glistening abs. The kind of woman whose body Roman would study in silent appreciation while scrolling late at night when he thought I wasn’t looking.

She wasn’t just his mistress—she was an opportunist. Brooke’s social media following had skyrocketed since her ‘rumored’ relationship with Roman became gossip fodder. Instagram stories showing glimpses of a luxury car, TikTok videos featuring expensive hotel rooms with cryptic captions, and a YouTube vlog about “staying humble” while wearing designer athleisure—her accounts crawling with thirsty followers dissecting every clue and propositioning her all at once.

I knew what this really was to her. Roman wasn’t just a man; he was a brand, a ladder, and she was climbing every rung with her perfectly manicured nails.

I ran into her—literally—three days ago at the grocery store. She stood there in the produce aisle, recording herself examining avocados while my hands shook around the cart. She looked up and smiled at me, her hazel eyes gleaming with recognition.

“Hey,” she said casually, like we were old friends.

I froze, my chest tightening. Her brown skin was luminous, her hair slicked back into a tight, high ponytail that made her cheekbones look like they’d been sculpted by Michelangelo himself. She was wearing a crop top and booty shorts, her stomach flat, the muscles rippling with every slight movement.

“You’re Roman’s wife, right?”

Her tone was light, but there was something underneath it. Amusement. Condescension. She looked at me like she already knew how the story would end.

“And you are?” I managed to get out, though my voice wavered.

“Brooke,” she said, extending a hand that I didn’t take. She noticed. “But I’m guessing you already knew that.”

The smirk on her lips sent a sharp, searing pain through my chest. She was enjoying this. Reveling in it.

“You know,” she said, her voice dripping with mock sincerity, “he talks about you sometimes. Says you’re a great cook. That lasagna you make? Chef’s kiss.” She leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. “But maybe leave the lingerie for someone else, yeah? He’s not into the lace.”

My breath hitched, but I refused to let her see me break. Not here. Not in the middle of the damn grocery store. Without a word, I turned my cart around and walked away, the wheels squeaking loudly on the linoleum floor. Her laughter followed me all the way to the parking lot.

-----------------------

Two weeks later

I told myself I wouldn’t go. I had no reason to be at the arena tonight, no reason to throw myself into Roman’s world when he’d made it painfully clear I no longer fit in it.

But something tugged at me—a gnawing, insistent feeling in my gut that I couldn’t ignore. Maybe it was intuition. Maybe it was desperation. Whatever it was, it drove me to get in my Bentley and make the forty-five-minute drive to the arena.

When I arrived, the backstage area was buzzing with the usual chaos. Crew members ran back and forth, wrestlers joked and stretched, and the faint hum of the crowd echoed through the walls. I tried to keep my head down, to avoid the sympathetic looks from the few staff members and wrestlers who likely knew more about my crumbling marriage than I did.

I passed Jimmy and Jey in the hallway. The twins had always been like brothers to me. When Roman and I started dating in college, they welcomed me into the family with open arms. We were inseparable. Until now.

“Hey, uh, what’re you doing here, sis?” Jimmy asked, stepping in front of me with a strained smile.

“Just wanted to see my husband,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Now’s not a great time,” Jey chimed in, shifting uncomfortably. “He’s, uh, real busy tonight. Big match, ya know?”

“I know his schedule better than anyone,” I snapped, narrowing my eyes at them. “So stop lying to me, too. Don't do that. Not you two.”

They exchanged a quick glance, a silent conversation passing between them. It only confirmed what I already suspected—they were hiding something.

“Look, sis,” Jimmy said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe you should just head home, yeah? Roman is—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I interrupted, pushing past them before they could stop me.

Their protests faded behind me as I stormed down the hall toward Roman’s locker room. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of anger, fear, and dread swirling inside me.

When I reached the door, I didn’t hesitate. I pushed it open without knocking, and the sight that greeted me made my stomach drop.

Brooke was there.

She sat perched on the couch, her long legs crossed, wearing a short, flowy minidress that still showed off her assets. Her perfectly styled hair fell over one shoulder, and her glossy lips curled into a smug smile when she saw me.

Roman was leaning against the locker next to her, arms crossed, his face unreadable. If he was surprised to see me, he didn’t show it.

“What the fuck is this?” I demanded, my voice shaking as I stepped into the room.

“Hey, girl,” Brooke said, her tone casual, almost amused. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m not talking to you,” I snapped, not bothering to look at her as my eyes locked on my husband. “What is she doing here?”

Roman sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “It’s not what you think.”

“Really? Because it looks exactly like what I think,” I shot back, my voice rising. “I knew you were lying to me, Roman, but to bring her here? To your locker room?”

“Calm down,” he said, his tone infuriatingly calm. “You’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting?” I repeated, incredulous. “I walked in on you and your mistress, and I’m the one overreacting?”

“Okay, first of all, let’s not use words like ‘mistress,’” Brooke interjected, her voice dripping with mock indignation. “That’s such an outdated term.”

My head finally snapped toward her, my eyes blazing. “Okay then, how ‘bout ‘side bitch’?” I snarled, “Shut the fuck up, little girl, and stay in your place!”

“Why? Because you can’t handle the truth?” she retorted, smirking as she leaned back against the couch. “Sweetie, you’ve been in denial for months. Maybe it’s time you faced facts.”

My hands clenched into fists. I was seconds away from exploding. “Get out,” I hissed, pointing to the door. “Get out before I beat your ass so bad you’ll never be able to show your face anywhere ever again!”

Brooke didn’t move. Instead, she looked at Roman, arching an eyebrow. “You gonna let her talk to me like that, babe?”

Babe. The word sent a wave of nausea crashing over me.

Roman straightened, his jaw tightening. “Brooke, maybe you should go.”

Her eyes widened in mock surprise. “Oh, so now I’m the bad guy? Fine.” She stood, grabbing her small Gucci shoulder bag, similar to the one Roman bought me on my last birthday, and sauntered toward the door. When she reached me, she paused, leaning in close enough that I could smell her sickly sweet perfume.

“Good luck, sweetheart,” she whispered, her voice full of venom. “You’re gonna need it.”

She left, the sound of her heels clicking against the tile echoing in the silence.

I turned back to Roman, my hands shaking with fury. “How could you do this to me?”

“You don’t understand,” he said, already sounding irritated, like I interrupted something important.

“Then explain it to me!” I shouted, my voice breaking. “Explain how you can throw away ten years for that bitch! Do you even care about me anymore?”

“Of course I care,” he snapped. “But this…you…you’re suffocating me.”

“Suffocating you?” I repeated, my voice barely a whisper. “I gave up everything for you, Roman! My dreams to become a chef, my career, my time. And now I’m suffocating you?”

“You don’t get it,” he said, shaking his head. “Brooke doesn’t—” He stopped himself, but it was too late.

“Brooke doesn’t what?” I demanded, stepping closer. “Doesn’t ask for anything? Doesn’t expect you to act like a husband? Is that it?”

He didn’t answer, but the look on his face told me everything I needed to know. “Babe-”

“Fuck you. You disgust me,” I spat, tears streaming down my face as I turned and stormed out of the room.

-----------------------

I decided to try. One last time.

Roman was returning from Toronto this evening, so I cooked his favorite dinner—ribeye steak, medium, with mashed potatoes and garlic green beans. I even made the dessert he used to tell me he loved so much, a rich chocolate lava cake. I set the table with candles, dimmed the lights, and waited.

When he came home, he looked at the effort I’d put in and raised an eyebrow. His expression was guarded, his shoulders tense. He dropped his bags and stood there for a moment, staring at the table like it was a trap.

“What’s all this?” he asked, his tone flat.

“I wanted to remind you of what we have,” I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Of what we could still be.”

He didn’t respond right away. His eyes lingered on the candles, the food, the delicate care I’d put into every detail. Then he sighed, walked over, and sat down without a word.

I sat across from him, trying to keep the weight of the silence from crushing me. He picked up his fork and knife, cutting into the steak with mechanical precision. He chewed slowly, his gaze fixed on his plate like he couldn’t bear to look at me.

“How is it?” I asked, my voice too bright, too desperate.

“It’s fine,” he said, not meeting my eyes.

“Fine?” I echoed, a brittle laugh escaping me. “I spent hours making your favorite meal, and all you can say is fine?”

He set his fork down, his jaw tightening. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to try, Roman!” I said, my voice cracking. “I want you to fight for us, for our marriage. Do you even care anymore?”

He looked up then, his dark eyes meeting mine. They were filled with something I couldn’t quite place—guilt? Anger? Resignation?

“Don’t do this again,” he said, his voice low.

“Don’t do what again?” I demanded, my hands trembling. “Don’t try to fix the mess you’ve made? Don’t try to save the life we built together while you’re off playing house with her?”

His expression hardened. “Babe, I'm tired. I'm not in the mood for another fight.”

“Another fight?” I repeated, incredulous. “You think this is about fighting? Roman, I walked in on you and Brooke not too long ago! I saw you with the woman you're cheating on me with! And now you expect me to just sit here and pretend everything’s fine?”

“You don’t know the whole story,” he said, his voice rising slightly.

I scoffed, folding my arms tightly across my chest. “Oh, enlighten me, then. What’s the whole story? That you’ve been sneaking around with some IG model while I’ve been sitting at home, waiting for you to remember you’re married?”

He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration palpable. “It’s not like that,” he muttered, avoiding my gaze. “It wasn’t supposed to…get this far.”

“What does that even mean?” I demanded, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief.

Roman hesitated, took a deep breath. “When we started having problems—when you started pushing me about kids, about everything—we stopped talking to each other. You didn’t even see it, but I did. I felt like I was losing myself, like I was just going through the motions to keep you happy. And then…she was just there.”

“‘She was just there?’” I mimicked him sarcastically. “That’s your excuse? She was 'just there' so you decided to wreck our marriage?”

“It wasn’t like I planned this!” he argued, his voice rising. “I didn’t wake up one day and decide to cheat! But Brooke…She wasn’t asking me for anything. She doesn’t have all these expectations. With her, I could just…be me.”

“Be you?” I spat, my voice shaking. “Who the fuck even are you, Roman? Because the man I thought I married would never have done this. He wouldn’t have entertained some clout-chasing, social-media leech who’s only with you because of your name!”

“It’s not just about her!” he yelled, standing up so abruptly his chair scraped against the floor. “It’s about us! About how we’ve been falling apart for years and you won’t admit it!”

Indignant, I stomped towards him. “We’re falling apart cuz of you! Because you’ve been lying, sneaking around, treating me like I’m the problem when it’s her! I’ve given you everything! I’ve stood by you through everything! Your injuries! The fucking leukemia! And this is how you repay me?”

“Man, I didn’t ask you to stand by me!” he lashed out, his voice cold and cutting.

His words hit me like a slap across the face. My chest tightened, my vision blurred, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

The room spun, and before I could think, my hand flew up and cracked across his face.

The sound of the slap echoed in the room, sharp and final. My palm stung, but the pain was drowned out by the adrenaline coursing through me. Roman’s head turned with the force of the blow, and he stood there for a moment, stunned. His jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides as he slowly straightened to look at me.

“You hit me,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“And you deserved it!” My voice trembled. “How dare you? ‘You didn’t ask me?’ You didn’t ask me to give up my career to support yours? To put your dreams above mine? To be your wife? Your partner?”

Roman sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I didn’t mean it like that—”

“Then how the fuck did you mean it, Roman?” I shouted, tears streaming down my face. “Because all I hear is you telling me that I’ve wasted the last ten years of my life loving someone who doesn’t even care!”

“Do you think this is easy for me?” he yelled back, his voice booming as he took a step closer. “Do you think I like feeling this way? Feeling trapped?!”

“Trapped?” I echoed, my voice breaking as tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t believe I was here right now. “You think being loved by me is a prison? You think our marriage is some kind of cage?”

His words cut deep. Too deep. I stared at him, my chest heaving, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on me like a boulder. “You don’t even see what she’s doing to you. You're letting some gold-digging fitness Barbie play your old ass like a fiddle.”

Roman’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching. “You don’t know a damn thing about her.”

“And you do?” I countered. “I know enough to know she’s using you to boost her follower count. I know she entertains those guys in her comments propositioning her in her DMs. She doesn’t give a damn about you, Roman—not the way I do.”

“Don’t,” he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

“Don’t what? Don’t tell the truth?” I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. “You’re too blind to see it, but she’s using you, baby. And when she’s done, she’ll leave you just like—”

“Shut up!” he yelled, his voice booming in the small room.

The silence that followed was deafening. We stared at each other, both breathing heavily, the weight of our words hanging in the air like a storm cloud.

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room. “I can’t do this anymore.”

My heart dropped down to my toes as I realized what was coming next. “Roman, if you walk away, there’s no coming back,” I warned him.

He stopped pacing, turning to look at me. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—regret, maybe? But it was gone as quickly as it came.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t…This is over. I’m done.”

Without another word, he grabbed his keys off the counter and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

I sank to the floor, my chest heaving with sobs as the sound of his car engine roared to life and faded into the distance.

-----------------------

Two months later, another bomb dropped.

Social media was buzzing with the news: 

EXCLUSIVE: Brooke Harper, fitness influencer and rumored girlfriend of married WWE superstar Roman Reigns, is pregnant.

From Side Chick to Superstar: Influencer Brooke Harper Expecting WWE Champ Roman Reigns’ Baby!

Roman Reigns Revealed as Fitness Star Brooke Harper’s Baby Daddy in Shocking Pregnancy Announcement!

I stared at my phone, my hands trembling as I scrolled through the comments. Some fans were congratulating them, while others were outraged on my behalf. But the only thing I could focus on was the image of Brooke, glowing and smug, cradling her small but visible baby bump in a photo she’d posted on Instagram:

It was supposed to be me.

For years, I’d begged Roman to start a family, but he always had an excuse.

“It’s not the right time,” my husband had droned on, “Let me get through this next storyline”. “We’ll talk about it after WrestleMania”.

But he’d found the time for her.

For days, I cried. Screamed. Refused to eat and yelled into the empty rooms of this prison that was meant to be my home. It took me days before I began to accept the truth that my marriage was truly over. I couldn't keep fighting for someone who’d already left me. So, I started checking through divorce lawyers’ websites, needing guidance to commence arguably the most difficult process I’ll probably ever undertake in my life. As devastating as it was, it was time for the charade to end.

But then I came home one day and saw them.

Roman and Brooke. In our bed.

She was curled up against him, her head on his chest as they slept, her hand resting on his heart like it was hers to take. Roman’s hand was on her growing belly, protective and intimate, his fingers splayed like he was claiming the life they’d created together.

My stomach churned as it all hit me. Crashed into me with the force of a freight train.

This bitch hadn’t just stolen my husband. She had stolen my life.

A younger, skinnier version of me. And he let her.

I let her.

Something inside me snapped—like a taut string stretched too far, finally breaking under the weight of years of betrayal, lies, and disappointment. It wasn’t a single moment or thought that did it. It was everything. The nights I cried alone, the constant gaslighting, the humiliation of seeing my husband flaunt another woman while I held onto the tattered remnants of our marriage.

It all collided, an unstoppable force crashing into an immovable wall of my patience, my love, my restraint. In that instant, the part of me that once cared, that once hoped, disintegrated into nothingness. What filled the void was something raw, primal, and entirely unforgiving.

Unforgivable.

Quietly, I backed out of the room and closed the door. I walked through the house, locking every door, sealing every window. I yanked out the hose of the gas stove in the kitchen. My movements were calm, methodical. The storm inside me had settled, replaced by a chilling clarity.

When everything was secure, I grabbed a can of lighter fluid from the garage and walked back to the bedroom. I poured the fluid all over the room, then around the base of the bed and on the sheets, careful not to make a sound, careful not to miss a spot.

As I struck the match, I felt a strange sense of peace.

For the first time in years, I wasn’t afraid. I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t hurt.

I was free.

The flames spread quickly, consuming the master bedroom in a matter of minutes. But I didn’t stay to watch. Roman and Brooke woke up, their screams and frantic banging on the door that I locked from the outside muffled by the roar of the fire.

I calmly strolled out of the house, the heat of the flames warming my back, and sat silently on the lawn as sirens sounded in the distance.

By the time the firefighters arrived, the house was an inferno, red and orange flames hungrily devouring everything inside. My husband. His mistress. Their demon spawn. The life we built for ten years, all now reduced to ash and smoke in a mere couple of hours.

I watched as the blaze rose higher, unmoved by the chaos around me. I felt nothing. No grief. No regret.

I didn’t care. Not anymore.

THE END

-----------------------

This is the first fic of this kind I've ever done 😬 How was it?

Please leave comments! I love comments 😁😙😊

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[valsverse]

⠀(୨୧) WHO'S GONNA KISS THE BROWN HAIR GIRLS?

. .⠀FEATURING⠀⟡⠀clarisse la rue x gn!reader

﹙💌﹚ synopsis：dating clarisse la rue ── masterlist

• there’s only one thing that ever truly makes clarisse lose her guard, and it’s you. not in a loud, obvious way, but in the quiet moments—when her walls fall away without her even realizing. • she didn’t always like you. at first, she resented how you made her feel soft, a vulnerability she wasn’t ready to admit. but maybe, just maybe, if it had to be anyone who got past her defenses, she could learn to accept it being you. • there was a softness in her gaze, something she tried to hide but could never fully erase when it came to you. she didn’t have to say much; the way her eyes lingered on you, the subtle curve of her lips when you smiled, all of it gave her away. the kind of fondness that was too quiet to shout, but too strong to ignore. • it’s something that everyone else sees before you both do. how, when you’re around, she’s different. the way she stands a little closer than she does with anyone else, or how she'd shove a snack your way, pretending it was nothing, but secretly she knew it was your favorite. the quiet moments when her hand brushes against yours, and neither of you pulls away. • it was always in the small things—the way she’d toss you her jacket when it got cold, or how she’d roll her eyes at your jokes but never stopped smiling after. she’d protect you without hesitation, and even in battle, she’d fight harder knowing you were there. • late at night, when everything was still, she’d think of you. wonder how you were, what you were doing, if you ever thought about her too. and every time you laughed, her heart would skip a beat, just enough to remind her that maybe this was something more than she’d let herself believe. • but when you two actually start dating?? omg.. please get this fool away from you.. • nobody could ever say much to her before, but once she’s got you, she's 10x more insufferable. the first chance she gets, she's all, "oh, still single? maybe focus on your own life instead of sticking your nose in ours.” she’s got no patience for anyone who doesn’t get it. • she’ll just show up at your place unannounced, no invitation needed. she just wants to see you, to be around you, to talk without any pretense. it’s her way of staying close, of keeping you in her orbit. • she’s so used to you understanding her unspoken thoughts that when you’re not around, she struggles to articulate herself. like, what do you mean she actually has to use full sentences and maintain a polite tone.. she’s grumpy about it, often mumbling to herself about how she never wants to be without you again. • her loyalty is intense. seriously, if anyone crosses you, she’s ready to go to go ROGUE. she won’t just be upset; she’ll be ready to tear into anyone who looks at you the wrong way. her protective nature runs so deep, she’s practically a force of nature when it comes to you.

• you’re her priority, and she’ll guard that with everything she’s got.

©valsverse— do not steal, edit, or repost my works. plagiarism is prohibited.