#and also i want an excuse to think about the ocs i came up with for it

[snekdood]

really funny my abusive ex engages in invalidating my identity, especially since thats what they accuse me of doing to them. its almost like you made that up and just wanted an excuse to invalidate me.

[vintagestarlight]

Off Limits

Pairing: Dain Aetos x Riorson sister!reader

Summary: What happens when Xaden finds out about Dain having a relationship with you and makes it clear his sister is off limits?

Word Count: 3.5k(I went a bit overboard on this one!)

Warnings: angst(?), suggestive themes, cursing, fluff

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who showed love on my first Fourth Wing fic I love you all sm! This was requested by an anon and honestly I had way too much fun writing this one so I hope you like it anon! 🤭Hopefully my writing is a bit better on this fic!

Not proofread so please be aware of typos! Hopefully you all enjoy and don't forget my requests are open. I'm hoping to post the first part to my oc story soon and also work on a few requests :)

***as always likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated***

The sparring gym was empty with the other cadets filtering out and heading in different directions in a sea of black. You and Dain remained behind to get one of those moments where it was just the two of you. Not only were you Xaden Riorson's sister, which came with its own challenges, but Dain was your wingleader and fraternization between a Cadet and their chain of command was strictly prohibited by the Codex, so you and Dain were forced to keep your relationship a secret until he graduated. The only people who knew were your squad. Dain stood before you, rolling his shoulders and looking infuriatingly at ease. Your eyes wander over his bare chest and down his sculpted abs. Gods how could he look so perfect covered in sweat? You thought to yourself. "You sure you're up for this Aetos? You're looking a little tired," you remarked, taking your place in front of him. Dain's lips quirked upward in a smirk. "Oh I'm sure," He took a lazy step forward onto the mat. "But I appreciate the concern," He added. "Whatever I just don't want you using being exhausted as an excuse when I win," You retorted playfully while shifting into your stance. "Show me what you've got then Cadet," he chuckled softly.

You struck first, fast and decisive just like he taught you, aiming for his ribs. Dain deflected it effortlessly without so much as shifting his stance. "That was predictable," he said, the two of you now circling each other. "I'm just warming up," You grinned. You feinted left and saw Dain's body shift to block the incoming blow, and you shifted your feet to the right to aim a well placed kick on his thigh earning you a grunt that sent shivers down your spine and made your body flush. Is now really the time to think about your wingleader in such a fashion? Your dragon sent down your bond, half-teasing half-disapproving. You rolled your eyes but said nothing ignoring that she was right. "Is that all you've got?" Dain teased, recovering quickly. You huffed, going in for a palm strike and Dain grabbed your wrist before your strike could land. He twisted your arm gently and spun you so your back was pressed against his front. "Nice try but you're allowing me too much time to counter," he whispered, his lips pressed against the shell of your ear. Your pulse raced and not because of the fight. Dain let go of your arm and stepped back. "Try again," He said, playfulness dancing in his golden brown eyes. "Are you enjoying yourself?" You asked. Dain smirked. "Immensely," He threw a half-hearted swing with his fist, leaving his middle exposed. You ducked under his arm and instead extended your leg, attempting to sweep his legs from under him. He dodged easily and hooked your balancing leg from under, causing you to hit the mat. "If you wanted me on my back Aetos you know all you had to do was ask," you flirted, springing to your feet.

You saw his eyes darken at your suggestion and you used his brief hesitation to lunge forward, aiming a strike at his side. His arm shot out, once again grabbing your arm but you used the opportunity to drive your knee into his midsection. He quickly caught your knee before it could do any damage to his ribs, and his eyes sparked with approval. "Better," He said. He lets go of you and steps backward. “Let's see what happens when I stop taking it easy on you,” He smirked. The next exchange was faster, sharper. He let you once again press the attack but any strike you attempted to land on him he countered with precision. And worst of all-he seemed to be enjoying it.

“Your stance is slipping,” he noted, as he effortlessly parried your next strike.

“Your mouth is slipping,” You shot back, unable to come up with anything better.

“Oh, you like my mouth just fine from what I remember last night,” He flirted.

Your next punch came faster than expected, grazing his jaw slightly. His eyes darkened, his pupils dilating with something you weren’t sure was irritation and you smirked. “That was decent but I wouldn't get too confident just yet," He said. Then he was moving fast, too fast. He pressed the attack now, his movements controlled and methodical leaving you with barely any time to dodge or block his strikes. His palm grazed your rib as you just barely twisted away, your breath coming faster. “Getting tired yet?” Dain asked, his voice way too casual. “You wish,” You taunted. He smirked and you took advantage of the distraction to aim a well-placed palm on his chest, driving him backward. You only just barely managed to shove him backward, his dense muscles working for him(in more ways than one) but you caught a flicker of surprise in his gaze. You carried it through with a high kick to knock him down but he caught your ankle, swept your leg, and you fell backward. He caught you before you could hit the mat too hard and trapped your body beneath his. He still had hold of one of your legs, holding it gently by the back of your calf and he pinned your wrists above your head with his other hand. You struggled against his grip but it wasn’t much use; he was bigger, heavier, and worse-entirely too pleased with himself as he smirked like he won something far better than a sparring match. “Not bad,” he murmured with his face just inches above yours. “But not quite good enough.” “You’re enjoying this way too much,” You remarked, your pulse quickening as he leaned in slightly.

His gaze flickered briefly to your lips and his smirk softened. “Maybe.” Before you could fire back with another retort, he pressed his lips against yours. The kiss wasn't rushed; Dain never rushed he was too controlled for that. The kiss was slow, certain, and firm as though he had already decided this outcome like he had the fight. His lips moved against yours with slow precision, savoring the moment. He wrapped your leg around his waist and ground his hips into you slightly, eliciting a moan from you. He pulled back, his lips ghosting over yours and staring at you with those brown eyes that caused you to melt. “Now that,” he murmured. “was a win.” You exhaled, a smile forming at the corner of your lips as you stared up at him. “Cocky bastard,” you teased. “Care for a rematch?” He smirked, sitting back on his heels. Before you could answer a voice rang out across the gym.

“Am I interrupting?" The voice was low, lethal, and way too familiar and it caused you to freeze underneath Dain. You look over to see your brother standing off to the side with Garrick next to him. "Xaden!" You squeaked. "Get the fuck off my sister Aetos," Xaden growled. His shadows surged forward, dark tendrils ripping Dain off and away from you and Dain slammed onto his back. Simultaneously, his shadows wrapped themselves around your wrists and pulled you backward away from Dain until you stopped at Garrick's side. "Xaden what the fuck!?" You exclaimed, your initial shock being replaced with indignation. You look up at Garrick who only offered a somewhat apologetic smile. Your brother didn't even glance at you, his entire focus on Dain who was picking himself back up with a clenched jaw. "You overstepped Riorson," Dain snapped. "I don't give a damn if she's your sister you don't get to pull that shadow shit with me," He said, his voice rigid. "You know Aetos I'm a bit surprised you had the audacity to go that far, " Xaden took another step forward, his shadows swirling around his feet. "I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to shove your tongue down my sister's throat," Xaden's voice dropped. Her face flushed with embarrassment and you felt Garrick shift beside you, a little uncomfortable. You watch as Xaden stares daggers at Dain and suddenly you weren't sure you recognized your own brother. The man standing in front of you was no longer the older brother who always looked out for you. Instead he was every inch the soldier that Basgiath had forged him into. For the first time in your life, you understood why so many people were afraid of him.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Dain's voice was tight but unwavering. "You heard me," Xaden replied. "And in case you forgot who she was I'd like to remind you who's been protecting her this whole time," Xaden's eyes smoldered with rage but Dain didn't flinch. "She's not your possession Xaden." "No she's not but I am her brother and that makes it my responsibility to make sure she doesn't end up in a situation she's going to regret when she gets hurt," Xaden said, his eyes narrowing. You stood frozen. Xaden said when not if. Does he really think Dain would ever hurt you? You looked up at the hulking man who stood beside you. "Do you think Dain is something I'd regret?" You asked Garrick. Garrick was one of your friends, going back to when you were kids and he always let you tag along with him and your brother, and you knew he would be honest with you. Garrick glanced down at you, hesitating for a moment unsure if he wanted to get involved. "No, I don't think so. But he and Xaden barely tolerate each other so seeing him with you was probably more of a shock than anything," he replied sincerely. "You deserve to be with someone who treats you right and loves you. And Dain seems to love you especially if he's willing to go toe to toe with Xaden to defend you," You smiled and he returned the gesture before Xaden and Dain's voices pulled you back. "I don't need your permission to do anything with her. I certainly don't need you to remind me how to treat her right. And I'm not going to be scared of you and back down like you want. Ever. Not when it comes to her," Dain growled and your heart seemed to stop. Xaden's shadowy presence seemed to grow even more oppressive as he stalked closer to Dain, their faces inches apart. "You're walking a fine line, Aetos. You think you can just play these games with her? Pretend like you're her hero while you're distracting her from everything else around her?"

Dain's nostrils flared and for a split second it seems like they may actually clash with each other. As much as you loved Dain, you weren't entirely sure he was a match for your brother. You opened your mouth to intervene when Professor Devera walked into the gym. "Professor Tavis? Professor Riorson? You're needed to attend a meeting with the other professors," She stated, looking at the situation before her before turning to leave a moment later. Professors? you thought. That must be why Xaden is back but why didn't he mention anything? Xaden's shadows seemed to disappear and his icy gaze glared at Dain. "This isn't the last time we'll be talking about this," He promised, his voice low. Xaden turned away making his way to the gym doors while Garrick gave you a reassuring squeeze on your shoulder before following his friend. You glanced at Dain who's eyes met yours and suddenly, that indignation came back full force. You spun on your heel and stalked after the two men. "Xaden!" You shouted, garnering brief glances from people nearby. Xaden and Garrick stopped abruptly and you came to a stop in front of them, your arms crossed. "Who the fuck do you think you are!" You asked your older brother and Garrick's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?" Your brother asked, peering down at you. "Why are you acting like a total asshole?" You asked angrily and you could hear Garrick chuckle. "Me?" Xaden asks with disbelief. "This is the first time I see you in months and you berate my boyfriend?" You snapped but you cringed inside. Boyfriend seemed a little...immature but you didn't know what else to say. "Considering what I saw him doing, you're lucky I didn't kill him right there," Xaden replied coolly and you gaped at him. "You could've chosen anyone y/n and you choose Aetos?" He asked, incredulously. "I don't need your approval for anyone I want to date," You spit back. "He isn't good for you," Xaden insisted. "You don't get to make that decision for me Xaden!" You raised your voice. "If you want to act like a big brother and look out for me and care for me, by all means please do so," You continued. "But I'm not a little kid anymore and you have to stop treating me that way. You don't get to decide who I can and cannot spend my time with," You finished. Xaden stared at you while you chastised him.

"So I'm supposed to just be fine with you picking probably the worst guy at Basgiath?" He asked you. "Yes!" You snapped. Your sharp words did nothing to dull the pain from Xaden's words. Could he really think your taste in men, or rather your decision making in general, was so bad? Despite how you were yelling at him, you desperately wanted his approval. "And he's not the worst," You continued. Xaden opened his mouth but you cut him. "You need to get over this Xaden because I'm not planning on breaking it off with Dain anytime soon," Once you were finished, you spun on your heel and stalked off. "We're in the middle of a conversation! Where are you going?" He called after you, ignoring the fact he was supposed to be in a meeting. "To fuck my boyfriend!" You shouted over your shoulder. You weren't actually going to fuck him, but you heard Garrick's laugh as you rounded the corner and the look you imagined on Xaden's face made the retort worth it.

Later that night you sat with the rest of your squad in the dining hall with Ridoc and Sawyer fighting over who was stronger-which led to an arm wrestle-Aaric looking somewhere in between bored and amused, Rhiannon shaking her head in amusement at the two boys' antics, and Sloane laughing as the arm wrestle came to a conclusion. You weren't even sure who won. You had tried to eat, you were certainly hungry enough, but the thought of Xaden and Dain's interaction gnawed heavily on your mind. Xaden had intercepted Dain in the corridor as he made his way to the dining hall with his wing and you were instantly uneasy. Xaden wouldn't actually kill Dain. Right? Violet noticed you were uncharacteristically silent. "You okay?" She asked, nudging your shoulder with hers. "She's just upset because big brother Riorson found out she's been getting it on with her wingleader," Ridoc said smugly. You fixed him with a glare and Rhiannon swatted the back of his head causing Ridoc to laugh out loud. "Seriously?" Violet grimaced at the brown haired man sitting across from her before returning her attention onto you. "He's not technically wrong," You muttered. "Dain and I were practicing sparring after everyone left. It escalated and I sort of ended up....underneath him," You finished. Ridoc and Sawyer tried to keep from laughing. "Xaden walked in as Dain was kissing me,"

You took a drink of your water to try and cool the wave of heat that caused your cheeks to flush. Violet's eyes went wide for a moment. "How did he take that?" She asked, everyone listening in. "About as well as you'd expect," You replied. "I'm surprised either one of them walked away alive." You went on. "Don't forget the shouting match you had with him in the courtyard," Ridoc threw out there. You scowled at him and Violet raised her eyebrows in curiosity to which you told her about your confrontation with Xaden. "So I told him I was going to fuck my boyfriend," You finished, your cheeks on fire. Ridoc and Sawyer collapsed with laughter, Rhiannon and Sloane smiled at you proudly, and Aaric had a slight expression of amusement on his face. "Wow," Violet said. "Yeah it wasn't my best moment," You admitted. "I saw Xaden corner Dain in the hallway and disappear somewhere before we all came to the dining hall," You told them. Violet sensed you were uneasy about your brother's conversation with Dain. "I'm sure everything will be just fine. Xaden and Dain may not always be on the best of terms all the time," Violet started. "But Xaden loves you and we all know how well Dain treats you. I wouldn't let it bother you so much," She finished, giving you a small hug.

You happened to glance up to see Dain appear in the entrance to the dining hall and he motioned with his head to follow him. "I'll be right back," You told your squad. "Good luck," Violet said. You made your way across the hall and rounded the corner of the dining hall entrance to see Dain standing a few feet away. "Well you're alive," You joked, but your tone was laced with a little relief. "How did it actually go?" You asked, worry in your eyes. "Xaden had some strong words and honestly I wasn't sure if I was gonna make it until Tavis vouched for me," He joked and you gave him a pointed stare. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "So...is he....okay with this?" You asked, the nervousness clawing at you. "Xaden is Xaden. I don't think he's going to ever be too thrilled I'm with his sister but for now...yeah he seems okay with it," Dain nodded, giving you a smile. You felt your shoulders drop in relief. "We’d better head back before people start gossiping,” he said, the familiar twinkle back in his eyes and you nodded. His hand fell to the small of your back but you heard your name being called. You turn around and see your brother staring at you. "I need to talk to you," He said, his expression unreadable. Dain gave your waist a squeeze and left you and Xaden to talk.

You walked over to where your brother stood and crossed your arms, still a little angry with him. "Thanks for not killing him," you said sarcastically. "I thought about it," Xaden muttered. "Listen, I appreciate you wanting to protect me and I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for you. You're my brother; I'm always going to need you, it's just in a different way now. I'm not a little girl any more you don't have to keep protecting me. Dain...he isn't the enemy Xaden. He wouldn't ever hurt me and I trust him," you told him. Xaden ran a hand through his dark hair, sighing. The words stung he couldn't lie; but not in the way he had expected. There was pride in your voice, a sense of confidence and determination he hadn't anticipated.

"I know and I get you're an adult now....but it's hard for me to see my sister with someone who I could never come to terms with," he admitted. That was putting it lightly. You thought. "If he's good enough for me Xaden, why can't he be good enough for you?" You asked him. He could see in your eyes you just wanted him to say he approved of this relationship, of your decisions, and your words hit him like a punch to the gut. "I'm your brother Y/n no one is ever going to be good enough for you," it came out as a joke but deep down you knew he meant it. "Xaden you can't control everything. You need to let me make my own decisions and learn my own lessons," you said, a little frustrated but with a new understanding of where Xaden was coming from. "I can't be your little sister forever," you added quietly. His chest tightened and for a brief moment he saw a younger version of you in his mind.

When he looked at you, he no longer saw the small kid who always needed her brother to be there. You were no longer the kid who looked at him as though he hung the moon. You had grown up. "You're right. You're an adult now, capable of making her own decisions. But I'll always be here for you; that's what older brothers are for," he gave you a smile and you felt yourself grin. "And can you please try to not threaten Dain as much from now on?" You asked him. "He's not as bad as you think." Xaden raised an eyebrow at you. "We'll see." The two of you walked back towards the dining hall and you smiled to yourself. It was a long road ahead before Xaden would, if ever, be comfortable with you and Dain being together but at the moment he tolerated it. And that was enough for now.

[drysdalesworld]

I need a blurb of the reader comforting William Eklund after his best friend was traded. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since the trade was announced :(

the comfort of family

series masterlist

pairing: mom!reader x dad!william eklund x son!oc

genre: angsty, comfort

warning(s): talk of the zetterlund trade, william crying

note(s): i was so distraught when i found out. i had to find out through tiktok of all places 😭. i feel like it’d be a little surreal in the moment & everyone would be caught off guard. this will specifically be set during mom!reader & dad!eklund era (i know he found out while he was with zetterlund, but i wrote a majority of this before finding that out. i’ll probably write an alternative to that!)

William had excused himself from the dining table, the phone in his pocket frantically buzzing and dinging.

The look you shot him as you gathered food onto your son’s plate is what caused him to answer it immediately. He usually leaves it in your shared room for dinner time, so it was a bit of annoyance when it started blowing up like crazy.

A smile spread across William’s lips as he saw the familiar contact name for Fabian Zetterlund—Zetty.

“Tell Zetter I say hi,” you piqued, your husbands smile a dead giveaway to who was trying to call him. “Don’t be too long. Your dinner will get cold”.

William shot you a soft smile before kissing the tops of you and your sons head and heading off into the backyard, gently closing the sliding glass door behind him.

You had been too busy plating you and your son’s food and talking to him to realize the somber look on William’s face as he talked on the phone outside. Him and Fabian’s calls tend to last some time so you took it upon yourself to begin eating, aiding your son in cutting up the difficult to chew bits.

When William finally entered the house again, you felt the shift.

His shoulders were slumped over and his eyes were slightly red, a sign of tears to come. His hair was also a mess, most likely from him running his fingers through it too much.

He hadn’t said anything when he walked back in, sliding back into his usual spot at the dinner table with a sad look on his face.

Your heart dropped when you realized it was Friday—the day of the trade deadline. You sincerely hoped that it wasn’t what you thought it was.

“What’s wrong?” You softly asked, hand gently resting on your husband’s shoulder. Your other hand went to smooth down the unruly parts of his hair, trying your best to comfort him.

William didn’t say anything as he turned his head to look at you. Your fear being proven right when a tear slid down the soft cheek of your partner.

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry,” you whispered, gently bringing him into your embrace, lips placing kisses on his cheek and forehead.

“What’s wrong, Papa?” Oskar asked, puzzled as to why his Father seemed sad after just talking to the boys Uncle.

“It’s a bit complicated, Ossie,” you replied, grip gentle yet unwavering as William rested in your arms.

A few minutes of silence passed, Oskar climbing out of his seat to plop himself into his Fathers lap, tiny arms wrapping around his shoulders.

“Uncle Zetty is going away for a while,” William finally answered, tears still streaming down his face as he had one arm wrapped around you and the other around his son. “Something came up with the team and they thought it best to have him go somewhere else for a bit”.

The look on your son’s face wanted to make you cry too. Poor Oskar looked so confused and sad. What do you mean Uncle Zetty won’t visit his favorite godson anymore?

“How long?” Oskar mumbled, quickly wiping his own tears from his cheeks.

“For a long time, buddy,” you answered, William too choked up to properly answer.

A frown overtook your features as your son nodded and put his head on William’s shoulder, wiping away his Father’s tears.

“He’ll still visit right?” He asked, tone clearly laced in sadness and confusion.

“Of course, mitt hjärta (my heart),” William replied, the hand holding him going up to rest on his son’s head. “He told me he can’t wait for summer. That we should all go to Sweden together”.

That information split your heart in two. The three of you had talked on multiple occasions about going to visit both of the players place of origin, but it seemed bittersweet now that Fabian was no longer going to be apart of the Sharks. It all seemed too surreal to be happening.

“Really? I hope so. I like hanging out with Uncle Zett,” Oskar muttered, still clearly processing.

William only hummed in response, placing a kiss to his son’s matching unruly hair.

The two of you knew this transition was going to be tough. Fabian had been apart of your shared life for only a short amount of time. But to William, he felt like he’d known Fabian for more than a handful of years. He just wished he had more time.

As silence settled over your family, you knew that you were going to be the one to be picking up the pieces for a while. But you didn’t mind. You couldn’t imagine going through something like this—losing your closest friend because of something that was out of everyone’s control. You just hoped that, for William’s sake, he’d come out stronger in the end.

[honeytae]

you’ll let me?

pairing : shy!oc x shy!jk, est. relationship

genre : smut

wc : 2.9k

warnings : minors dni! descriptions of making out, dry humping, cunnilingus and vaginal penetration all below the cut. jk has an oral fixation bc duh, also he’s wearing calvin’s bc i couldn’t help myself. author makes far too many 3D lyric puns but to be fair i had it on repeat </3

the last text jungkook sent was staring back at you on your phone screen, and you never knew how deeply such a simple question could impact you.

can i come over?

biting your bottom lip, you cursed as he started typing again, then quickly disappeared from the chat.

you never wanted to make him feel rejected, but sometimes you think it’s better off. teasing him was easy…effortless, even, over text. when you were with him in person, you turned into some timid little girl around her very first crush.

sighing, you begin typing a response, some bullshit excuse about it being a long day and needing some sleep. before you hit send, you set your phone down, rolling your neck and staring at the ceiling in thought.

admittedly, he’s all you can think about. how pretty his eyes are, how they sparkle when he smiles at you or laughs at one of your dumb jokes. how soft his lips feel when briefly pressed against your own since he’s such a fucking gentleman all the damn time and won’t take it further unless you make the first move.

you want him. and you’re tired of pretending you don’t.

fuck it.

a repetitive clicking sounded from your phone as you held your finger on the backspace button, deleting your previous unsent response.

yes please :)

you feel your pulse speed up as you press send on your revised message, unable to suppress your giddiness when you get an immediate response.

on my way :)

the minutes feel like hours while you wait for your boyfriend to arrive.

your head snaps up when you finally hear the rapping of knuckles on hard wood, nearly stumbling over the carpet as you get up to open the door for him.

“hey,” he breathes out, running his tattooed hand through his dark hair, jiggling his car keys in his other.

“hi there,” you smirk, stepping back to allow him room to enter your place.

jungkook grins, lip piercings glittering under the lights of your foyer, butterflies fluttering in the pit of your stomach at his mere presence.

you shut the door behind him, and you internally begin to panic. shit, shit, shit. this is why you can’t function around him. he’s sexy, he’s smooth, he’s confident. he’s got it all.

seemingly noticing your frozen state, jungkook takes your hands into his, pulling you toward him and wrapping his arms around your body.

“you wanna know something?” he whispers, kind eyes soothing you immediately. he smiles when he feels you melt into his arms, wrapping your own arms around his neck as you hum in response.

“you intimidate me,” he presses his forehead against yours, his nose crinkling at your alarmed facial expression.

“i meant that in a good way,” he clarifies, closing his eyes for a second to think about what he wants to say next.

you get caught up in the way his long eyelashes kiss his cheeks, his soft skin flushing a light pink under your attention.

it was comforting to know he was as affected by you as you were by him. you squeezed your arms around him to get his attention again, admiring his shy smile as he came back to you.

“you intimidate me too,” you whisper, “but i also think we should let ourselves do what we want.”

you watch as something unfamiliar flickers in jungkooks eyes, excited by the new desire displayed in his features.

you shiver as his hand slides up your neck to cup your jaw, resting his hand behind your ear. his eyes flick down to your lips, and you swear you must be dreaming.

“is this okay?” he asks, voice soft, caring. as usual.

“more than okay,” you murmured, tilting your head to finally, finally, finally press your lips to his.

when his mouth opens, he tastes sweet, like sugar and cherries. it just makes sense, the ease of your tongues finding each other making you both sigh in relief.

moans and whimpers pass between you when he closes his mouth and sucks on your tongue, and you feel dizzy due to the fact that he has now walked you backward to press your spine to the wall. your shy jungkook is no more.

you can gradually feel yourself slipping into his spell, each movement of his mouth pulling you in deeper and deeper until you have to pull away to catch your breath.

jungkook’s eyes dart wildly around your face, admiring your flushed lips and messy hair. he adjusts his hand so that his fingers are pushing your hair behind your ears, smiling when he feels your fingers wrap around his wrists.

“shit, we should do that again,” you exhale, jungkook giggling as he tips his scrunched up face to the ceiling for a moment.

“yeah,” he breathes, leveling his face with you again before tipping to the right, teasingly hovering over your needy mouth, “we really should.”

this time is rougher than the last, neither of you caring to test the waters any further. they’ve been tested enough.

and all you can think is how incredibly stupid you’ve been. how did you deprive yourself of this for so long?

you keen as jungkook presses his chest to yours, wildly beating hearts communicating just how ready the two of you were to finally feel each other.

your hands go to jungkooks hair while his go down your back, trailing down your spine and politely stopping at midway.

he groans deep in his throat when you guide his hands to go to your ass, a surge of heat flushing between your legs when he cups the flesh with his fingers and squeezes like he’s wanted to for months.

“been waiting for this,” jungkook speaks breathlessly between kisses, an official statement on your four months of celibacy.

“don’t have to wait anymore,” you break away momentarily, a string of saliva stretching between you. “i’m ready.”

you tilt your head back to look at him, raising your eyebrows so that he knows you’re serious. his tongue darts out to play with his lip piercings, a casual habit of his, but it flames the arousal settling into the pit of your stomach.

“are you sure? you’ll let me?” he asks, and you grin as you slide out from where you were pressed between him and the wall, taking his hand in yours and wiping the rejection right off his face.

“honestly? i would let you do anything you wanted to me,” you answer truthfully, a confession you’re glad to have said without facing the man.

and it was a good thing, because it was now jungkooks turn to blush, biting his lip as you led him to your bedroom.

once on your bed, jungkook held your waist as you straddled him, smiling between kisses as you playfully nipped at each others lips.

after months of build up, it felt great to be able to feel each other, body to body.

he hissed as you rolled your hips down on his half hard cock, clenching his teeth as he let his hands roll the flesh of your ass, encouraging you to do it again.

you reveled in the noises spilling from his mouth, and never in your wildest dreams could you have imagined a man’s moans could be so sexy.

you definitely weren’t being quiet yourself, whining and moaning at each rock of your hips along jungkook’s growing shaft.

this moment was fulfilling your fantasies. and, well, not to sound totally pathetic but…it’s been a long time since you’ve been touched like this.

“i wanna see you, baby,” jungkook speaks up between moans, cursing when you guide his hand up underneath your shirt.

he wastes no time in lifting the material to feel your skin, hand flattening to drag up your stomach.

“oh, my god,” you whimper, moments later when he’s got your bra discarded on the floor and his mouth on your chest. your hand holds onto his hair for some kind of stability as he marks the underside of your breast, smoothing it over with a swipe of his tongue that catches your nipple as well.

jungkook lets out a noise of approval at the way the action makes you pull on his hair a bit tighter, moving his face so he’s directly over your breast, wrapping his lips around your nipple and suckling.

his eyes flick up to your face and he feels a rush of blood go down to his dick at the view. your face is contorted in pleasure, mouth dropped open as you arch into his touch.

it makes him want to move down further, so he tests his limits and removes himself from your chest, shuffling down and watching for your reaction as he hooks his fingers underneath the waistband.

“tell me if you want me to stop,” he speaks softly, eyes turning to amused crescents when you instead lift your butt for him to remove your shorts.

always so caring. your jungkook. but you think you might kill him if he doesn’t have your pants off in the next two seconds.

“please don’t stop,” you beg, and that’s all jungkook needs to hear before he’s nearly ripping your shorts and underwear off, coaxing your thighs open to reveal just how wet you are.

“shit,” he says as he traces a finger through your folds, making your cheeks burn hotter as he retracts said finger and closes his mouth around it to get a taste of you.

“jungkoook,” you whine, embarrassed at his crudeness. he only laughs in response, settling himself between your legs as he taps his fingers against your thigh comfortingly.

“what? i want the full experience! and you taste amazing.”

he’s shameless, you think, but you don’t get the chance to say it before he has his face buried between your legs. you inhale a broken gasp as he licks at your clit, rolling it with his tongue as his thumbs rub circles into the skin by your hip bones.

he alternated between flattening his tongue to gather your juices and pointing it to rub hard circles on your swollen clit, and the pace in which he does so is making you dizzy.

“fuckin’ gorgeous,” he slurs against you, and if it was possible, you’d say jungkook was drunk off of you.

“fuck, fuck, please,” you whimper, the high pitched sound piercing the otherwise quiet of your apartment.

jungkook seems to understand what you’re asking for as he immediately puts his fingers to good use, sliding his index finger into you and curling it up to hit your g-spot each time he enters you.

it leads to a humiliating amount of gushing from your entrance, jungkook again taking his finger out to suck everything you’d given him off.

“jungkook,” you wail as he swings your legs over his shoulders, nuzzling his head further between your legs, opening his mouth to moan against you.

your mouth opened in a silent scream as he began fucking you with calculated flicks of his tongue, the tip of his nose bumping into your clit with each nod of his head.

“baby, hmm-fuck!” you shudder as he continues the tantalizing action, running your hands through his hair and clenching your fingers around his soft tendrils as you felt the burning intensify in the pit of your stomach.

jungkook groans at the sting on his scalp, eyebrows pulled together in concentration as he works you to your orgasm.

his hard work pays off when your thighs start shaking around his head, your release coating his mouth, hard breaths wracking your chest as he cleans you up with gentle laps of his tongue.

when he reappears above your face, you cup his jaw with both of your hands, lazily blinking up at him as you both attempt to steady your breathing.

“that was,” you raise your eyebrows, eyes darting down to his lips as his tongue darts out to drag against his bottom lip.

“fucking hot,” jungkook finishes for you, humming when you lift your head off the pillow and catch his lips once more.

he exhales a heavy breath from his nostrils when you slip a hand down his sweatpants, rubbing his hard bulge through his boxers.

“please fuck me,” you beg again, all reservation thrown out the window as you stroke him through the thin fabric separating you from his dick.

“don’t have to tell me twice,” he grins, shuffling out of his pants and grabbing a foil packet from the pocket before tossing them off the bed.

your mouth dropped slightly as he slid his calvins off his hips, hard cock slapping his stomach. you reach for him, but he gently overrides your hand, beginning to roll the condom onto his tip.

“as much as i would love for you to touch me right now, i know i would blow my load right away,” he chuckles when you do, but gets serious again with his next words, “and i need to be inside of you very soon otherwise i’ll completely lose my sanity.”

as he says this, he settles back over your frame, caging you underneath him and exhaling shakily as his cockhead catches in your entrance with the movement.

“okay,” you smile, kissing him once more as he slides his hands under your knees, forcing your legs up to slide in with ease.

“oh, fuck,” he moans as he bottoms out inside of you, sucking a harsh breath between his teeth. his neck flexes above you, a sheen of sweat beginning to show. you’re tempted to suck on the supple skin there, but all thoughts go out the window when he starts gently grinding circles into you.

“are you okay?” he asks, and even in his still caring tone, you can hear his voice threatening to break under the throes of pleasure.

“‘m good,” you murmur, wrapping your arms around him and playing with the hair on the back of his head, “you can move.”

he starts out slow, giving you deep thrusts that almost have his tip coming out before he pumps his entire length back inside of you.

“you’re so pretty,” he says suddenly, smirking when you grow flustered at his out of the blue confession, “i don’t tell you that enough.”

“y-you tell me that every day, jungkook,” you argue, brain muddled from the pleasure burning in your core.

“should be telling you at least three times a day,” he counters, an attractive grunt ending his sentence as he feels your muscles clench around his cock.

his eyes watch your every move, flicking down your bodies to where you’re connected, to your open mouth, to your scrunched eyebrows. he’s looking for clues of what you like, versus what you don’t.

experimentally, he snaps his hips a bit harder and faster, reaching a depth he hadn’t yet found within you.

“feels so good, baby,” you confirm around a gasp, jungkook readily diving down to swallow the moan you let out when he continues the delicious pace.

the bedsprings squeak under his movements, both of your moans accompanying the bothersome sound as the burning in the pit of your stomach grows.

the band feels like it’s been stretched past it’s limit and it’s about to snap. each time jungkook hits your g-spot feels like you’ve ascended to a different universe. you’re running your hands down his back to cope, digging your nails into his skin as he pushes you further up the mattress with his thrusts.

“squeezing me so tight, baby, ‘m not gonna last,” he pants into your ear, the sound so sexy that you hold him by the jaw again, tongues wrapping around each other as you both get closer and closer to your highs.

“gonna cum, i’m gonna cum kookie,” you whimper into his mouth, sobbing out a delighted moan when his thumb finds your clit again, rubbing circles into it with the pad of his finger.

“give it to me, baby, c’mon,” he moans, his hands folding your thighs up so they pressed flat to your stomach, hitting deeper with each thrust of his hips.

you cum with a high pitched whine of his name, jungkook responding with a series of “ah, ah, ah”s punctuating his final thrusts before he stills, exhaling a sigh of relief as he sets his forehead on your collarbone.

you cringe at the sting in your legs when he adjusts them to lay straight out on the bed again, jungkook apologizing with a soft kiss to your forehead that suddenly made the burning in your legs dissipate.

after discarding the condom in your bathroom, he walks back into the bedroom with a warm cloth in hand, gently dragging it between your legs to clean you.

you never dreamed that jungkook would be an aftercare king, but looking back on the months you spent with the sweet man, it made perfect sense.

your thoughts are interrupted by jungkook laying down next to you, swiping your hair back from your damp forehead.

“shit,” you finally say, at a complete loss for words in your post orgasm haze.

jungkook laughs, but it’s a kind laugh. he’s endeared, enamored, maybe just a little shy again now, because he just got to do everything he’s been dreaming of for months.

he shakes his head in disbelief before settling beside you, extending his arm for you to use as a pillow which you readily roll into.

“definitely couldn’t have done that through the phone.”

[bellaireland1981]

Babymoon

Summary: You and your husband take a quick beach vacation before becoming a family of three.

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female! Reader

Warnings: Illusions to smut, heavy making out, pregnancy, fluff, Jake being adorable. UNDER 18 DNI

Word Count: 2231 (look at me keeping it quick!)

A/N: Written for @thedroneranger 's Pick Your Poison writing challenge. Inspiration for the fic was Sex on the Beach As always, I do not own the Top Gun Maverick characters but all OCs and Reader insert concepts are my own and storylines are mine. I do not give permission for my work to be translated, copied, reposted to other sites, used in AI generators and sold on any platforms.

Masterlist

“Angel, are you sure you’re not overdoing it?” Jake asked as the two of you made your way down to the beach from your hotel room. “We can relax in the room for a bit or sit by the pool if that’s better…”

At 7 months pregnant, you were getting close to the point of no travel and Jake had surprised you with a last minute “babymoon” down to Mexico. He wanted the two of you to have one last opportunity to be spontaneous and fly off for a romantic getaway before you become parents. 

“Jake, I love you, Stud…” You said, looking up at your husband, a coy smile on your face, “I promise I’m not overdoing it. I just really want some time on the beach with my sexy husband and baby daddy…maybe some sexy time on the beach with my husband.”

“You’re a menace, Angel.” He chuckled, pausing your walk to the beach to steal a quick kiss. “But anything for my sexy pregnant wife” kissing you again, “Beautiful mother of our daughter.”

“Our daughter is going to have her daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger.” You smirked, as you continued toward the beach. 

“Just like her Momma.” He replied, chuckling. “Wouldn’t want it any other way, Angel.” 

He led you to a cabana area he’d rented for you for the day. There were beach loungers set up in front, where you could lay in the sun and soak up the warm rays, but there were also loungers in the cabana to allow you to lay down out of the sun and rest without having to leave the beach. It came complete with full food and drink service from the resort. Your amazing and perfect husband had thought of everything. 

“Before you get all comfortable out there, darlin’ you need sunscreen.” Jake reminded you. 

“Are you worried about me burning…or do you just want a reason to rub your hands all over me in public without the threat of getting arrested?” You teased him. 

“A little of both.” He admitted with a smirk, “I’ll always take any excuse to get my hands on my wife, Angel, you know that… it’s why you’re currently pregnant.”

“Does this mean I’ll be spending a lot of time pregnant over the next five to ten years of our marriage?” You laughed.

“I will happily give you as many babies as you want Angel.” He said, pulling you close, one hand naturally finding its home on your swollen belly, the other behind your head, tilting your head back before capturing your lips in a tender kiss. 

“Let’s see how things go with our daughter first.” You suggested, “So far, she’s a handful just like her daddy.”

“The morning sickness finally eased up.” He reasoned, “And after several talks recently, she’s no longer using your bladder as a punching bag.”

“True.” You acknowledged, “Now she’s using my kidneys and rib cage for soccer practice and I swear she takes joy in giving me major heartburn.”

“I’ll have another talk with her.” He smiled, “But you’re not fooling me. I see you when you don’t think anyone is watching… or listening. You’re loving every moment, kidney shots and all.”

“I really am.” You sighed happily, rubbing your hand over your belly where your daughter was safely growing and developing. “I can’t even describe the feeling… knowing a part of you and a part of me…growing inside me. Getting to feel her move and being this close to her… knowing that once she’s born, I’ll never be this close to her again… I’ll have to share her, I’ll no longer be able to protect her from the world… It’s an incredible thing.”

“It’s pretty damn amazing from this side of things too, Angel.” He said gently, his hand joining yours on top of your belly, “Watching our little girl grow inside of you, knowing I helped put her there… seeing you literally grow a human, OUR human… protecting her, nourishing her, loving her… it about brings me to my knees. You’re already the most amazing momma in the world, Angel. Our little princess is so lucky she gets to have you as her momma. As for protecting her once she’s on the outside… I have zero doubts you’ll be fierce and badass at that. I’ve seen you in action protecting those you love. She’ll have us, and a squad full of uncles and aunts to keep her safe. Our little girl will be just fine.”

“You’re gonna make me cry.” You sniffled, tears threatening to spill over. “Not like it’s hard to do… it’s kinda low hanging fruit.”

“You said it, Angel.” He laughed, “But you’re adorable when you’re all emotional.” 

“I love you, Stud.” You said,  snuggling into your husband.

“I love you too, Angel.” He replied, holding you close. 

After a moment, once the emotions had calmed down you pulled back a bit, “Can you put sunscreen on me now?”

“Absolutely,” He agreed, grinning, “Let me grab the bottle. Sit down on the lounger and I’ll get you all sorted.”

The two of you spent time laying in the sun, you reading a steamy romance novel, Jake reading an updated manual for new equipment to his jet. 

“You know, My Love,” You teased him, “We’re on vacation, you shouldn’t be working.”

“I enjoy learning about my jet, Angel.” He defended himself, “Besides, wouldn’t you rather I know everything there is to know about it so I can be extra safe?”

“You already know that jet down to the last screw.” You laughed, “And I love that you’re thorough, Babe… it makes it a little easier to send you off on missions and deployments because you tackle those the same as your jet and you learn every detail given to you. I love that about you.”

“I will always do everything in my power and control to come home to you and our little girl.” He promised. 

“I know.” You smiled, “And I know that you have amazing squadmates who have your back.”

“They’re alright.” He laughed playfully. Truth was, you knew he loved all of the Daggers and would do anything for them. He’d already been best friends with Javy coming into the Uranium mission that had formed the Daggers, but afterwards he and Bradley had formed an unbreakable bond and a strong friendship. Bradley had even asked Jake to be his best man in his wedding the month before.  “Feel like getting in the water?”

“I could cool off.” You replied, “Going to need help getting up though.”

He set his manual down under his towel so it wouldn’t blow away and reached for your book so he could set it next to his before reaching out to lift you up. You swayed slightly into him, the change in position causing you to feel slightly lightheaded. 

“Easy does it, Angel.” He said, “Are you ok? Do you need to go inside to rest for a bit?”

“No, I’m ok.” You replied, “I just stood too fast. Let’s go into the water, then we can cuddle in the cabana for a bit.”

“Cuddle?” You asked, smirking.

“Behave.” He chuckled, playfully swatting your butt. 

You laughed, taking his hand and the two of you walked to the water. There were some waves but the surf wasn’t overly active. Jake still made sure to keep you close and his hands on you at all times while you were both in the water. You waded out until you were mostly past the break, the water to your chest, but barely above Jake’s belly. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you in as close as possible with your very pregnant belly between you. 

You leaned up on your tiptoes, your arms around his neck, pulling him down so you could kiss him. You didn’t hesitate to swipe your tongue over the seam of his lips, seeking entrance into his mouth. His own tongue came out to meet yours, the kiss deepening. He let his hands wander down to your butt, rubbing over your bikini clad cheeks. 

“What are your thoughts on sex on the beach, Angel?” Jake asked, his head dipping down to kiss over your neck and shoulder. 

“Oh my God.. I MISS those amazing little cocktails.” You sighed, “Penny makes the BEST Sex on the Beaches.”

“Angel, I was talking about literal sex on the beach.” He groaned, still trailing kisses over your collarbone, tasting the salt from the ocean water. 

“Pretty sure THAT is how I ended up pregnant, Stud.” You teased him.

“The night after the bonfire?” He asked, lifting his head to look at you, a smirk playing on his lips, “Seriously?”

“The timing is perfect.” You shrugged, “Lord knows I DRANK enough of those sneaky little cocktails that night…”

“I remember.” He said, his voice going husky, dropping deeper, “You suggested we do an experiment to see if actual sex on the beach was as good as the drink.” 

“Well, it looks like it exceeded expectations.” You giggled, pulling his head down to kiss him.

“So, how about round two?” He asked, his hands wandering back down to your butt. 

“I’m way too pregnant to end up with sand in unfortunate places, so how about sex in a cabana?” You compromised, smirking. 

“I think it’s time to head back to shore, Angel.” He replied, scooping you up bridal style and carrying you in towards the shore. 

“Jake!” You squealed, “Put me down! I am way too heavy!” 

“Angel, I can handle carrying my girls just fine.” He promised, “I would never let anything happen to either of you.”

“Such a softy.” You said, letting your fingers run over the wet hair at the nape of his neck.

“Don’t let that get out.” He teased, “I have a reputation to uphold.” 

“The gig is up, Babe.” You laughed, “Everyone knows you’re not really an asshole. As soon as they saw you with Ruben’s kids it was all over.”

He carried you out of the water and over the sand back to the cabana before setting you back on your feet. It had shades that could be pulled down for privacy and to block out more sun, which Jake took advantage of as soon as you got inside the cabana. There was a large sun lounger that looked more like a bed, in the middle of the cabana with small tables set up on each side. With the shades pulled on the sides and the light weight material used as a curtain in the front of the cabana let down, it gave you a little privacy from prying eyes of other resort guests. It was at least a private beach, only open to those staying at the resort. 

“This might have been easier before we were all wet.” You said, winding your arms around his neck as he came back to stand in front of you. “Now our suits are all clingy”

“Hmmm,” He hummed, leaning down to nibble at your jawline before working back towards your ear, whispering “I prefer my wife to be wet and clingy.” 

A shiver ran through your whole body, arousal flooding your system, soaking your already wet bikini bottoms.

“Jake” You moaned, trying to push up against him, as much as your very pregnant belly would allow, “I need you to fuck me.”

“Your wish is my command, Angel.” He replied, guiding you back towards the lounger. He untied your bikini top, letting it fall to the floor of the cabana, making sure to block you from view of the outside world. “Fuck, I love your boobs.”

“Thought you were an ass man, Stud.” You smirked, knowing that your husband had been infatuated with your boobs since you’d become pregnant. They had increased two cup sizes by this point in your pregnancy, and you were told they’d get even bigger once you were breastfeeding your daughter. Jake was intrigued by it. 

“When it comes to you, Angel there’s not a part of your body that doesn’t get me going.” He admitted, flashing his dimpled smile. He helped you to lay down on the lounger. He made sure you were propped up on the many decorative pillows and comfortable, leaning in for a quick kiss, before running his hands down over you, pausing to rest his hands on and gently kiss your bump, before continuing down, pulling your bikini bottoms off on his way.

The look of pure lust and adoration on your husband’s face was enough to give you confidence in your own body and not give in to the negative thoughts that tried to permeate your brain when you looked in the mirror. Your OB said it was normal as your body was rapidly changing, to have the negative feelings or insecurities but reminded you to be kind to yourself and if the thoughts became too intrusive to let her know so she could set you up with someone to talk to. Jake had been at that appointment and had made it his mission afterwards to make sure he knew how absolutely beautiful he found you and how incredible it was that you were growing an entire human. 

“I think you’re overdressed.” You smiled, allowing your eyes to hungrily track over his sun kissed body. “And I believe I was promised Sex on the Beach.”

A/N: There it is! My second ever Jake fic! What do you think??

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[itadooori]

I desire to see more of Hyun-ju in your style, please (and tell me more about your oc's as well, I like people's oc's)

hyun-ju the most beautiful girl ever (⸝⸝⸝• ω •⸝⸝⸝) ♡ i love her sm!!! thank u for giving me an excuse to draw her haha

as for my squid game ocs, i'll put my ramble under the cut as i have quite a bit to say lol

so! my ocs :3 as i previously mentioned before, they are a father and daughter pair! (i also finally came up with names for them, adhika is the daughter and dakila is the father)

much like geum-ja and yong-sik, i think that they both joined the games separately and only knew abt each other when they arrived. their family is def struggling, with adhika's father in debt and having a hard time finding work while her mother takes care of her younger siblings. adhika just turned 18 a few months ago, and has been working odd jobs here and there in attempts to support her family and pay off their debt, but the money is just a drop in the bucket.

adhika feels a very strong sense of responsibility towards her family, and wants to help out. she even refused to leave to go to university, despite being very smart and having a bright future in academics, to help out her family. but also sometimes, she also feels...burdened? it's a very conflicting feeling. she loves her family, but she'd be lying if she said didn't feel a twinge of resentment at this situation. i hope that makes sense lol

i haven't yet decided if my ocs are gonna just be fun little canon inserts or if im giving them their own story. both options seem rlly fun to me so kjssdkfjh im having a tough time deciding

some fun little tidbits about dakila and adhika's way of going about the games:

adhika is locked the fuck in. she's already at a disadvantage being a young, 5 foot tall, non-korean girl, so she's working twice or thrice as hard to get thru this shit

as i said before, adhika is very smart. she has good people-reading skills, and the ability to kinda morph into whatever people need her to be, or fit into whatever dynamic she believes people want her to fit (a skill that she picked up from just. life experience as the oldest sibling in a struggling family LMAO)

dakila is trying to look out for his daughter, but the games put a strain on their relationship

adhika has lowkey manipulative tendencies. they come out and worsen during the games. honestly, just think of her as a nasty mix of sang-woo and mi-nyeo. absolutely FOUL things coming from this girl i love her

this isnt really important at all nor does it really come up within her story but i still want to mention adhika is a lesbian. she joins the doomed squid game lesbian roster with sae-byeok ji-yeong and young-mi LMAO

akjfhdskjhf sorry this is so jumbled i just have a lot of thoughts. i'm still ironing out dakila and his personality so unfortunately i dont have as much on him as i do with adhika. but i hope that this information is interesting enough for now!! thank you SO much for giving me the chance to ramble abt my silly guys

[lookingforcactus]

Just finished Veilguard and I mostly enjoyed it but am also frustrated with the unrealized potential, and part of that is that there's just not much story there, especially compared to Inquisition.

Story not in the general sense but in the technical writerly sense of "how much actual plot is there to go through/how much change (of whatever kind) happens narratively over the course of the game.

Of course this makes sense what with the game going through development hell and having to restart several times and oh yeah being like 50 hours shorter than Inquisition...

cough but I digress

Anyway some story options (and especially choices that MEAN SOMETHING) that I would have loved to see in a world where Veilguard actually built on the games that came before it:

Solas still has agents and minions and spies. Why tf did they get rid of those. I mean that's a rhetorical question, as I assume they just didn't have TIME (or approval, cough) for that kind of complexity

Solas is not trapped in Fade prison. That just felt like a kind of heavy-handed excuse to avoid said complexity and have to write less convoluted of a plot

Elgern'an and Ghilan'nain still get out and you've still got a (wayyyy more precarious, because he's still acting in the world) enemy-of-my-enemy deal with Solas. Or maybe there's a lot of plot before you can prove to him that you're even worth having a precarious enemy-of-my-enemy deal with. That would be interesting and make it feel like "earning the respect of the Dread Wolf" is something you actually EARN and not just the result of a couple of dialogue options.

Relatedly, Cyrian is working for Solas, not Anaris. Which I think may actually be the original intent of Cyrian's character, because genius Dalish elven siblings where one is working for the Veilguard and one is working for Solas is just so much juicier and more interesting in every way than the stuff that happened with Anaris and went literally nowhere

Different plot for Varric. Actually would be a lot more narratively heavy to let Solas kill him and let the player/Rook know about it from the beginning. In order to signal "Oh shit this is serious" and to give a lot more narrative tension to the question of whether you should even try to save Solas from himself (which imho should be a big ongoing source of tension, and it's unfortunate in Veilguard that it's mostly not)

That DOESN'T mean no blood magic, though. Instead, consider: Rook didn't shed blood at the ritual site, but Neve or Harding (whoever you pick to knock down the statue with you) still did. One of the big questlines then becomes that there's a spy inside the Veilguard, because Solas is getting intel he shouldn't have, and you have to figure out who. Eventually it's revealed to be Neve or Harding acting unknowingly under blood magic, which also gives some nice consequences to making that choice at the beginning, besides "Oh one of them now has a facial scar." (This is honestly where I thought that plot was going for a while, and it would have been cool. Also lets you have some very interesting themes around Solas and control/slavery/blood magic/hypocrisy)

Speaking of spying, you should have a spymaster, even if you want to keep the core organization small to avoid spies you should still have agents and a spymaster, why in the world would you not have one given that your enemy certainly does. This opens up a lot of Plot and Story as well.

Anyway I think it would have been really cool to let players choose to recruit the Iron Bull as spymaster if he didn't betray you in Trespasser, or Leliana if she didn't become Divine. After all they're both experienced spies and even better actually know Solas which is a big tactical (and story advantage). If neither of those are available, new OC time

Also, more Dorian involvement! Dorian as another advisor in addition to Bull (if you get him, or a new OC if you don't). Also then you get Dorian/Iron Bull stuff going on if neither of them was romanced by the Inquisitor, which would be super fun. Are they extremely married or old flames or extremely divorced? Lots of fun options.

Also you SHOULD get to go to a big fancy political party in Minrathous the same way you do in Val Royeaux in Inquisition. This should be related to Dorian's plotline and also anti-slavery stuff, because holy fucking shit did the game decide to gloss over that completely. You could get a lot of story out of Dorian and the Shadow Dragons as people who actually go around freeing people from slavery and shit!! Especially given Solas's history!! Why is this not a huge theme???

Lots of blood magic at the Tevinter party, also, because blood magic should be a lot more plot-relevant imho??? Especially considering how all-encompassing/powerful we see it as in Aelia's plotline, etc.?? Maybe there's a Venatori coup to use blood magic to control the Archon. (You should also get to MEET the Archon.) Maybe Dorian or Rook/the Veilguard gets framed for using blood magic to murder a bunch of important people. Like there's a lot of possibilities.

Speaking of controlling people...the Inquisitor is still running the fight in the south, with a couple of cameos....

UNLESS you had the Inquisitor drink from the Well of Sorrows, in which case they should be forced to act as one of Solas's main lieutenants, because that would be cool and messed up as shit, and that plotline should have some consequences

Relatedly the ancient elves are still around sleeping/frozen in pockets and Solas is waking them up and recruiting them. Lets you have a cool compromise ending where Solas stops tearing down the Veil but DOES still bring back what remains of his people, into modern Thedas - a whole new world

And in terms of ancients, the Titan magic plot actually goes somewhere besides "Harding has stone powers." Maybe Solas is trying to recruit dwarves by saying he'll end the oppressive power of humans over everyone (just you know...with a lot of secret collateral damage...) and Harding has to expose him? Maybe somehow the Titans' essences/magic get weaponized to match Solas's power, in a big thematic loop of his own past misdeeds coming for him once again?

Which makes a great part of a big thematic/plotline of how, in order to get Solas to stop voluntarily (which I agree should be a possibility but think should also maybe be a bit harder to manage than I think it is in the game rn?), you have to convince him that people who aren't ancient elves are all actually still people, and that still matters, and he may have done a lot of good once in fighting the slavery and tyranny of the rest of the evanuris, but he sure is acting a lot like them right now...because he's ultimately a product of that time and culture and not nearly so different as he wants to think

There's just a lot of possibilities for all of this that would have been a lot more clever and interesting. Especially if they hadn't super nice-ified the world.

You could have an actual thematic plotline about whether Solas is kind of right and a lot of stuff should be burned down - except of course that the realm he's trying to revive wasn't actually any better, and for all he claims to admit that, he's in denial about it himself too...

Anyway yeah I'm just having that writerly feeling where the wasted potential is actually kind of painful, so I wanted to dump some thoughts. Might write fanfic about some of this at some point but idk if there would be an audience. Thanks if you bothered to read this far at all lmao

[coloraturadiva]

Afterburn (Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC One shot)

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC (Stephanie)

Summary:  Jake Seresin returns to his Texas home after a long absence, haunted by the loss of a comrade and the weight of his choices, grappling with regret and the realization that some wounds may never fully heal.

Warnings: angst, ANGST, character's death, marriage issues, absent father, fighting, and hopefully I didn't miss anything.

Word Count: 6000

A/N: english is not my first language (or even the second) and this story hasn't been betaed, I just had some help from Grammarly.

My personal and love life has been so angsty lately, so I guess I want everybody to suffer like me 😅

Disclaimer: a strict work of fiction, I own nothing except the original characters and the plot line. In no way am I affiliated to any of it.  

Feedback, reblogs and constructive criticism are always appreciated!

Please don’t post any of my content anywhere else without my permission. Comments and reblogs welcome!

AFTERBURN

The setting sun bathed the Texas countryside in a golden haze, the kind that seemed to stretch out forever, blurring the lines between earth and sky. The air was thick with the scent of dry grass and wildflowers, mingling with the faint sweetness of honeysuckle that clung to the breeze. Jake Seresin gripped the steering wheel loosely, his knuckles brushing against the smooth leather as the truck rumbled along the winding country road. It had been long since he’d driven these roads, but the rhythm of the turns felt ingrained, like an old song you never quite forget.

He rolled down the window, letting the warm evening air rush in. It carried the faint hum of cicadas, their rhythmic chirping rising and falling like a lullaby. The sound was as familiar as the taste of his grandmother’s sweet tea, a reminder of summers spent running barefoot through fields and climbing trees. The horizon burned in shades of amber and crimson, painting the fields in fiery hues that seemed to set the world ablaze. Fences lined the road, weathered and leaning, but still holding strong. Beyond them, cattle grazed lazily, their silhouettes sharp against the dying light. He caught sight of a sprawling live oak tree, its gnarled branches stretching wide as if to embrace the fading light. The tree’s shadow stretched long and thin across the road, a dark ribbon cutting through the golden landscape. He’d climbed that tree once as a kid, on a dare from his friends. He’d sat up there for hours, watching the world from above, thinking about everything and nothing at all.

Jake’s lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The memories were a comfort, but they also weighed heavy. The road ahead stretched out in endless curves, each mile bringing him closer to something he wasn’t sure he was ready for. The fields on either side seemed to close in, the tall grass swaying like a silent audience, watching him return to a place he’d left behind. He hadn’t been home in too long. Too many excuses, too many days spent somewhere else. The Navy had been his life, his purpose, but it came with a price. A price he was still tallying.

As the truck crested a hill, the landscape opened up before him. The wide-open plains seemed to breathe, endless and free, the golden light catching on the tips of the grass like fireflies. It was beautiful, in a quiet, understated way. Jake slowed the truck, letting the moment settle over him. The sunset seemed to linger here, as if it, too, didn’t want to leave, the sky a canvas of deepening oranges and purples. He leaned his arm against the door, resting his chin on his hand for a moment, eyes scanning the familiar sights.

There was the old tree by the river, the one he’d carved his initials into when he was twelve. The bark was rough and weathered now, the initials barely visible, but the memory was as sharp as the day he’d made them. The barn in the distance, its red paint faded to a muted rust. The structure leaned slightly to one side, as if tired from years of standing guard over the land. And the sky—so big it felt like it could swallow him whole. He’d always loved that about Texas, the way the sky seemed endless, like it was daring you to dream bigger, reach higher. But tonight, the sky felt different. The dreams it offered weren’t the ones he’d chased for years. They were quieter, simpler. The kind of dreams he hadn’t let himself think about in too long.

His chest tightened, and he shifted in his seat, pressing his foot on the gas. The engine roared softly in response, and the truck picked up speed, eating away at the last few miles. The wind whipped through the open window, carrying with it the faint scent of rain, though the sky was clear. It was the kind of smell that promised a storm, even if it never came. Jake wasn’t sure what he’d find when he got home. The thought twisted inside him, a knot of uncertainty and hope. He let out a slow breath, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel as he tried to focus on the road, on the present, on the way the fading light turned the world golden.

Whatever waited for him, he told himself, he could handle it. He had to. The road curved again, and he followed it, chasing the horizon, chasing the light. The sunset wouldn’t last forever, but for now, it was enough to guide him home.

-- - -- - - -

Jake Seresin was everything the Navy dreamed of when it came to their fighter pilots. He was a natural—the kind of aviator who seemed born to be in the cockpit. Every movement he made, every decision, carried a precision that spoke to thousands of hours of training, honed instinct, and a rare kind of brilliance that couldn’t be taught. The F/A-18 felt like an extension of himself, as though it responded not just to his hands but to his thoughts. In the air, he was untouchable—a predator with a keen eye and nerves that stayed steady even in the most chaotic moments.

His colleagues often joked that he could fly through a hurricane and come out the other side without a scratch. There was some truth to it. Jake had an uncanny ability to keep his head when everyone else was losing theirs. When the stakes were highest, when lives were on the line, he thrived. It wasn’t just skill; it was a kind of unshakable confidence that bordered on arrogance. That confidence earned him respect from some and resentment from others.

To those who admired him, Jake was the poster boy of the Navy. His sharp jawline, perfectly tousled dark blonde hair, and piercing green eyes didn’t hurt either, but behind the carefully crafted image was a man who knew exactly how good he was and wasn’t afraid to show it. That attitude didn’t sit well with everyone. Some of his peers found him cocky, too sure of himself. They whispered that he was more interested in being a legend than a team player.

Jake didn’t pay much attention to the gossip. He lived alone in a sleek, modern bungalow just a few miles from the naval base in San Diego. The house was all clean lines and large windows, perched on a hill that offered a stunning view of the ocean. Inside, it was meticulously kept, a reflection of the man himself. It was a bachelor’s home, though not in the clichéd sense. There were no signs of wild parties or fleeting romances. Just quiet, ordered spaces—a sanctuary from the demands of his career.

Still, rumors swirled. Jake Seresin, with his movie-star looks and easy charm, was a favorite topic of speculation. He was seen laughing with women at bars, flashing that effortless grin that seemed to make people gravitate toward him. Some swore they’d seen him leaving with someone, though no one ever had proof. Others insisted he had a string of women waiting for him in every city. If Jake was aware of the talk, he never acknowledged it. He didn’t owe anyone an explanation.

The truth was, he kept his personal life as tightly controlled as everything else. Work came first, always. His focus on being the best, on pushing himself further, left little room for anything else. And if he had secrets, they were buried deep, locked away behind that confident smile and the impenetrable shield of his persona.

In the air, Jake Seresin was unmatched. On the ground, he was an enigma. And that was just the way he liked it.

- - - - - 

The gravel crunched under the tires as Jake turned onto the narrow driveway, his truck's headlights cutting through the encroaching dusk. The house came into view, perched at the end of the long stretch of drive like an old photograph brought to life. It hadn’t changed much, not in all the years he’d known it. The wraparound porch still hugged the front, and the paint—white, now fading to a gentle gray—still clung stubbornly to the wooden siding.

Jake killed the engine and sat there for a moment, letting the silence settle around him. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles whitening as he stared at the house. He exhaled slowly, his shoulders rising and falling with the effort, before finally releasing his grip and running a hand through his hair. This place had always felt different. It wasn’t just a house; it was a time capsule. Stephanie’s grandmother had lived here once, years ago, back when summer afternoons meant lemonade on the porch and laughter echoing through the big yard. Even then, the house had felt like the center of the world, warm and steady, full of life. He’d never expected it to become theirs, but when it did, it felt right. It was a piece of history, of her history, and now, of his too.

He smiled faintly as a memory bubbled up, unbidden. He and Stephanie couldn’t have been more than sixteen, maybe seventeen, the summer they decided to fix up the old barn. Her grandmother had mentioned it offhand one day, saying it would be nice if the door didn’t stick every time she tried to open it. Jake had jumped at the chance to impress Stephanie, and the two of them had spent days sanding and painting under the sweltering Texas sun. They’d ended up covered in sawdust and streaks of white paint, laughing so hard they could barely stand when Stephanie’s grandmother, Mary, brought out a pitcher of iced tea and insisted they take a break.

“You two look like you’ve been wrestling a cloud,” her grandmother had said, shaking her head with a smile. They’d sat there on the porch steps, sipping tea and listening to the cicadas, feeling like the world could wait forever.

His fingers lingered on the door handle as nerves twisted in his stomach. It wasn’t like him to feel this way. In the cockpit, he was unshakable, his confidence carved from steel. But here, on this quiet patch of earth, with this house standing like a sentinel of everything that mattered, he felt something closer to uncertainty. He exhaled sharply and stepped out of the truck, the cool evening air brushing against his skin.

The porch steps creaked under his weight, just as he remembered. He paused halfway up, his hand gripping the railing as if to steady himself. His heart pounded in his chest, each step feeling heavier than the last. He’d spent countless evenings here, sitting side by side with Stephanie, watching the sun sink into the horizon, their voices blending with the symphony of cicadas. Now, those memories seemed to rise from the wood itself, each step a whisper of the past.

Jake hesitated at the door, his knuckles hovering just above the wood. His hand trembled slightly, and he clenched it into a fist before knocking, the sound sharp and final in the quiet evening. The faint glow of a light inside spilled through the curtains, and his chest tightened at the thought of who might be waiting. He clenched his jaw, summoning the same determination that carried him through dogfights and endless training missions. Whatever came next, he would face it. He had to.

With one final breath, he knocked on the door.

- - - - - - - - 

The roar of the F/A-18 engines filled Jake’s ears as he soared over the ocean, the carrier a distant memory below. It was supposed to be a routine mission—a patrol over contested airspace—the kind of assignment that called for vigilance but rarely escalated into anything more. Jake, call sign “Hangman,” flew in formation with his squadron, the sun glinting off their wings as they carved through the open sky.

Ahead and to his left was Lieutenant Mark “Hawk” Turner, one of the newer pilots in their group. Hawk was solid. Not flashy, but reliable. They weren’t particularly close, but Jake respected him. Hawk had a steady hand and a calm demeanor, the kind of guy you didn’t mind having on your wing. Hawk had mentioned his family once or twice—a wife named Carly and a baby boy, barely six months old. Jake hadn’t thought much about it at the time...

The ambush came out of nowhere. A warning blared in Jake’s headset, followed by a scramble of voices over comms. Enemy jets, sleek and fast, appeared on the radar, closing the distance with alarming speed. Jake’s pulse quickened, but his mind stayed sharp, instincts kicking in as he broke formation and banked hard to the right.

“Hangman, I’ve got your six,” Hawk’s voice came through, steady despite the chaos.

“Copy that, Hawk,” Jake replied, his hands flying over the controls. “Watch your flank.”

The first missile streaked past, missing him by inches. Jake rolled into an evasive maneuver, his vision narrowing as adrenaline surged through him. He returned fire, locking onto one of the enemy jets and watching it explode into a ball of fire and smoke.

“Splash one,” he called, but there was no time to savor the victory. Another jet was on his tail, and he pulled into a steep climb, the g-forces pressing him back into his seat. The sky was a blur of motion—tracers, missiles, and contrails weaving a deadly tapestry around them. Hawk’s voice was in his ear again, cool but urgent, directing the others as the squadron fought to regain control of the situation.

Jake managed to take out a second enemy, his reflexes razor-sharp as he fired off another missile. But in the chaos, he caught a flash of movement on his radar that made his stomach drop. Hawk was in trouble, two jets closing in on him.

“Hawk, break left! Break left!” Jake shouted, pulling hard on his stick to intercept. He could hear Hawk’s strained breathing, the tension in his voice as he tried to shake his pursuers.

“I’m hit,” Hawk said, the words clipped and final.

Jake’s heart pounded as he scanned the sky, searching for a sign of Hawk’s jet. Smoke trailed behind it, spiraling downward, and then—a fireball. The explosion was bright against the blue, a terrible blossom of flame and debris. Jake’s stomach turned, but there was no time to process it. He had to focus, to keep himself and the others alive.

The battle ended minutes later, the surviving enemy jets retreating as the squadron regrouped. Jake’s cockpit was suffocatingly quiet, the adrenaline fading and leaving behind a heavy emptiness. As they turned back toward the carrier, his eyes flicked to the empty space in formation where Hawk should have been. He felt the weight of it settle over him, a mix of anger and guilt clawing at his chest.

He thought of Carly and the baby—the family Hawk had talked about with quiet pride. Jake’s jaw tightened, his grip on the controls white-knuckled. He’d done everything he could, hadn’t he? Two kills, two less threats in the sky. But it hadn’t been enough. Hawk wasn’t coming home.

By the time Jake’s wheels touched down on the carrier, the reality had sunk in. He climbed out of the cockpit and stood on the deck, the salty wind biting at his face. Around him, the crew bustled, but their movements felt distant, muted. Jake stayed rooted, staring out at the endless horizon. For all his skill, for all his training, he couldn’t shake the bitter truth that even the best pilots couldn’t win every fight.

Hawk’s absence was a hole in the formation, a reminder of how fragile it all was. And as the sun dipped below the waves, Jake made a silent promise to himself: to fly smarter, to fight harder, to never forget the cost of what they did out here. Because he couldn’t let himself forget. Not now. Not ever.

_ _ _ _ 

The porch light flickered as Jake stood under its glow, his boots rooted to the wooden planks. The cool night air brushed against him, but it wasn’t the wind that made him shiver. It was the thought of what waited on the other side of the door. He’d knocked already, the sound echoing through the quiet of the Texas countryside, and now he waited, heart pounding in his chest. The warmth of the house, the faint glow spilling through the curtains, felt like another world entirely—a world he’d left behind.

The door creaked open, and there she was. Stephanie. Her blonde hair caught the light like a halo, and her blue eyes—those same eyes that had once looked at him with so much love—now narrowed in guarded recognition. She froze for a moment, her expression shifting from surprise to something colder, sharper. Her arms crossed over her chest, a defensive barrier he couldn’t hope to breach.

“Jake,” she said, her tone as frosty as the night air. It wasn’t a question. Just his name, flat and emotionless, like a closed door.

He swallowed hard, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. His hands fidgeted at his sides, fingers twitching as if searching for something to hold onto. “Stephanie,” he began, his voice steady, though his hands betrayed him, fidgeting at his sides. “I know I… I should’ve called or… something. But I had to see you. To see them.”

Her jaw tightened, and she shifted her weight, still blocking the doorway. Her foot tapped lightly against the floor, a small, impatient movement that spoke volumes. “You should’ve thought about that before,” she said, each word deliberate, cutting.

He nodded, exhaling slowly. His shoulders slumped slightly, the weight of her words pressing down on him. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. But, Stephanie, please. Just hear me out. Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking for.”

“Five minutes won’t undo months,” she said, her voice low. She hadn’t moved, her arms still crossed, her posture unyielding. But she hadn’t closed the door either.

Jake’s hands flexed, and he took a small step forward, careful not to cross the threshold. “Stephanie, I’ve been a damn fool. I know that now. Losing Hawk…” His voice cracked for a moment, but he pushed through. “It made me realize what I’ve been risking. What I’ve already lost. I can’t… I can’t keep pretending my job is the only thing that matters. It’s not. You are. The kids are. And I… I know I screwed up, okay? But I’m here now. I’m here to make it right. Please.”

Stephanie’s gaze didn’t soften. If anything, it grew colder. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she tilted her chin up slightly, as if daring him to say more. “You don’t get to walk back into our lives just because you’ve had a change of heart. You left us, Jake. Your ambition left us. And now you think a few words can fix everything?”

“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. His hands rose slightly, as if to reach for her, but he stopped himself, letting them fall back to his sides. “No, I know words aren’t enough. But I want to do whatever it takes to prove to you that I’ve changed. That I get it now. I…” He hesitated, the confidence he usually carried faltering under the weight of her glare. “I’ve missed so much. I’ve missed them. I’ve missed you.”

“You see them,” she said sharply. “Every week. I send the emails, the pictures. That’s more than most men like you deserve.”

Jake flinched at the words but nodded. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, then relaxed, as if he were trying to steady himself. “And I’m grateful for that. You have no idea how much those pictures mean to me. But it’s not the same. I want to see them. I want to hold them, to…” He ran a hand through his hair, searching for the right words. His shoulders slumped again, and he looked at her with a pleading expression. “To be their dad again. I want to be the man you married. The man you deserve.”

Her laugh was short, bitter. She shook her head, her arms tightening across her chest as if to shield herself from his words. “The man I married? He wouldn’t have left us in the first place.”

Jake’s shoulders sagged, and he let out a shaky breath. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I don’t deserve forgiveness. But I’m asking for a chance. Just a chance to try. Please, Stephanie. Let me in.”

He hesitated, then added softly, “Did you hear about Hawk? I mean… I know it’s been in the news. I…” He faltered, unable to find the words, but her expression didn’t change.

“I did,” she said curtly, her tone still guarded. Her eyes flickered for a moment, a brief crack in her armor, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “I’m sorry for him. For his family.”

Jake nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. His hands fidgeted again, and he shoved them into his pockets to keep them still. “Yeah. His wife and the baby… It’s just… It hit me harder than I thought it would. Makes you think about what really matters, you know? About what you’ve been doing wrong.”

Stephanie’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she didn’t respond. He tried to fill the silence. “How are they? The kids, I mean. They’re okay, right? I mean, they look happy in the pictures, but…” He trailed off, his voice cracking slightly.

“They’re fine,” she said stiffly. “They’re resilient. Strong. They have to be.”

Jake winced at the unspoken implication but nodded. “I’m glad. I… I hope I can make them proud someday. Make you proud.”

For a moment, there was silence. The only sound was the wind rustling through the trees, and the faint hum of cicadas in the distance. Stephanie’s expression didn’t waver, her arms still crossed, her stance unbroken. She looked as beautiful as ever, but the beauty he has been familiar with for more than 20 years now felt untouchable, like a distant star—something he could admire but never reach.

- - - - --- - - 

The warm glow of the late afternoon sun filtered through the windows of their cozy family home, casting a golden hue over the living room. Toys were scattered across the floor, remnants of the children’s playtime, and the faint sound of their laughter echoed from the backyard. Jake stepped inside, his boots clicking softly against the wooden floor. He paused for a moment, taking in the familiar warmth of the space—a haven they’d built together. A genuine smile crossed his face as he thought about sharing the good news.

“Stephanie?” he called, his voice betraying his excitement.

Stephanie appeared from the kitchen, a dishrag in hand, her blonde hair styled in a simple, elegant updo. Her blue eyes lit up at the sight of him, and her smile widened as she walked closer, clearly eager to hear what had brought him home early.

“What is it?” she asked, concern lacing her tone. “Is everything okay?”

Jake stepped forward confidently, his excitement bubbling over. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Better than fine, actually.” He tried to smile, but it came out forced. “I… I got promoted.”

Her brow furrowed, and she stepped closer. “Promoted? That’s good, right?”

“It is,” he said quickly. “It’s a big deal, Stephanie. They’re moving me to San Diego. I’ll be working with some of the best pilots in the world. It’s… it’s an incredible opportunity.”

Her smile faltered, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “San Diego? So, we’re moving again?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, it’s a great place. The kids will love it. And it’s not forever,” he added quickly, sensing the storm brewing. “Five years, tops. After that, I can transition to teaching. You know, like we talked about.”

Her arms tightened across her chest, and her eyes narrowed. “Five years?” she repeated, her voice rising. “Jake, we agreed. You promised me. When you finished your training, Top Gun and a couple of years of missions you were supposed to start teaching. You said you wouldn’t keep flying missions forever. That you wouldn’t keep risking your life.”

“I know what I said,” he replied, his tone soft but firm. “And I meant it. But, Stephanie, this is important. This is my career. I can’t just walk away from it now. Not when I’ve worked so hard to get here.”

“Your career?” she snapped, her voice trembling with anger. “What about your family, Jake? What about me? The kids? We’ve followed you all over the country for years, waiting for the day you’d keep your promise. And now you’re telling me it’s just… what? Five more years? And you say it like it’s nothing!”

“Stephanie, this is such an amazing opportunity for us,” he said eagerly, stepping closer to her. “It’s not just about me. This promotion… it means a better future for all of us. The pay, the benefits—it’ll set us up for life. And there’s no war on the horizon. I’ll be flying routine missions, nothing dangerous. It’ll be fine.”

“Fine?” she repeated, her voice breaking. “You think it’s fine for me to sit here, wondering every day if the next knock on the door is someone telling me you’re not coming home? To raise our kids alone while you’re halfway across the planet?”

“Please,” he said, his tone pleading now. He reached for her, but she pulled away. “I’m doing this for us. For our family. I’m trying to build something better.”

“Better?” she said, tears streaming down her face. “So what we have already is not good, right? How is any of this better, Jake? You’re breaking your promise. You’re choosing your career over us.”

“That’s not fair,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “I’m trying to do what’s right for all of us. Can’t you see that?”

“No, Jake,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t. Because all I see is a man who’s willing to risk everything—his life, his family—for his own ambition.”

His frustration mounted, but he forced himself to stay calm. “I’m doing this for us,” he said again, quieter this time, the desperation creeping into his voice. “Stephanie, I love you. I love the kids. Everything I’m doing is to give you the life you deserve.”

“What do I deserve?” she snapped, her tone icy. “I deserve a husband who keeps his promises. I deserve not to go to bed every night wondering if the father of my children is still alive. You don’t get it, Jake. You never have.”

“Don’t say that,” he said sharply, his jaw tightening. “You know that’s not true. I’m doing my best here.”

“Your best?” she countered. “Your best for the Navy. Your best is putting your career above your family again and again. Your best is deciding what’s best for us without even talking to me about it first.”

“Stephanie, this promotion is everything I’ve worked for. It’s everything we’ve worked for. Can’t you just trust me on this?”

“Trust you?” she asked, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “Jake, you’re asking me to trust you after you’ve already broken the biggest promise you ever made to me. How can I trust you when you don’t even see what you’re doing to us?”

“I see it,” he said, his voice cracking. “Don’t think for a second that this is easy for me. I’m trying to make this work. For us. For the kids.”

But she was already shaking her head, her resolve hardening. “No, Jake. Not this time. I’m done. The kids and I… we’re going back to Texas. To my family. You can go to San Diego, chase your dreams, do whatever you want. But we won’t be there waiting for you.”

“Stephanie, please,” he begged, his voice raw with emotion. “Don’t do this. Don’t take them away from me.”

“You took yourself away from us, Jake,” she said quietly. “When you chose this life over the one we built together.”

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, and he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. She turned and walked away, leaving him standing in the living room, the warmth of their home now feeling unbearably cold.

- - - - 

Jake’s knuckles rested lightly against the wooden doorframe, the silence of the moment punctuated by the distant hum of cicadas. Stephanie stood before him, her posture resolute and defensive, arms crossed tightly across her chest. The air between them was thick, the unspoken words from a long separation hanging heavy like storm clouds refusing to burst.

“Stephanie, please,” Jake began, his voice softer now, almost pleading. His green eyes searched her face for any sign of the woman who had once believed in him unconditionally. “I know I’ve made mistakes. Big ones. But I’ve had a lot of time to think. To see what really matters. I… I’ve changed. I’m trying to make things right.”

She didn’t move, her blue eyes unwavering as they bore into his. Her silence was deafening, her lips pressed into a tight line that spoke volumes of her inner turmoil.

He shifted on his feet, desperate to fill the void. “About Hawk...” he said cautiously, though the weight of the subject wasn’t new between them. Her eyes flickered for a fraction of a second, but she remained silent. "When we talked about him before, I couldn’t stop thinking about his little boy. It’s just… it hit me, Stephanie. Losing someone like that. Realizing how fragile it all is. How much I’ve taken for granted."

Stephanie’s gaze hardened. “What’s your point, Jake?”

He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. “It’s just… it hit me, Stephanie. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

“You’ve wasted enough already,” she said bluntly, her voice cold and unyielding.

His chest tightened, but he pressed on. “How are the kids coping with the situation?” he asked, his tone softening further. “Jimmy, Mary… are they doing okay?”

Her expression shifted slightly, a flicker of pain breaking through her icy demeanor. “They’re learning to live a new life here, with little cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents…” Some seconds of silence and a sigh, before ending her answer. “But they miss their dad.”

The words hit him squarely in the chest, and he exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “I miss them too,” he said quietly. “I miss all of you.”

“Don’t,” she said sharply, holding up a hand to stop him. “Don’t stand there and act like it’s that simple. You made your choice, Jake. You chose this life, and we… we’ve learned to live without you.”

Her words stung, but he didn’t retreat. Instead, he stepped closer, his voice trembling with emotion. “Stephanie, I swear to you, I understand now. I was blinded by my ambition, by what I thought I had to be. But losing Hawk… seeing what it’s done to his family… it’s changed me. I’m not that same man anymore.”

She stared at him for a long moment, her features unreadable. Then, from somewhere upstairs, a small voice broke the tension. “Mommy! Mommy! Can you read me a story?”

Jake’s breath hitched, his heart lurching at the sound. Mary’s voice, soft and sweet, carried down the staircase like a beacon calling him home.

“Mary,” he murmured, his voice cracking. His eyes widened, and he took an involuntary step forward, his hand reaching out slightly before he caught himself. He turned back to Stephanie, his eyes glistening. “Can I see her? Please. Just for a minute. I… I could read her that story.”

Stephanie’s hand gripped the edge of the door tighter, and she shifted slightly, blocking his view inside. “No,” she said firmly. “You’re not coming in, Jake.”

“Stephanie, please,” he said again, his voice breaking as a single tear slipped down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly, but not before she noticed. She froze, her eyes widening in surprise. She had never seen him cry before.

But then her expression hardened once more, and her voice rose, trembling with pent-up anger and pain. “I always did what you wanted. ALWAYS! Since high school. Everything revolved around you. We saw each other when you wanted it, we kissed when you wanted it, we first had sex when you wanted it, we married when you wanted it, we had kids when you wanted it. Me and the kids followed you wherever you wanted, and I always bowed my head to you because I loved you more than I lvoed myself and believed in the fact that you cared for us and did everything with our future and wellbeing in mind. I only asked you for one thing, just one: not to go to war. I know the world is full of military wives that do it for their whole lives, but I really didn't want to spend most of my life home alone, with you on the other side of the planet, waiting and praying for you to come back all in one piece. I really don’t want to do that! Now you made that decision and it’s fine, of course you can do whatever you want with your life, but it’s time I finally get in control of my life and the life of my children. You can go wherever you like, but we aren’t be waiting for you anymore.”

Her words left him stunned, the raw intensity of her emotions slicing through him like a knife. He staggered back a step, his gaze dropping to her hands. That’s when he saw it—her wedding band, still glinting softly in the fading light. A stark contrast to his own bare finger. He had stopped wearing his ring when he moved alone to San Diego, wanting to keep his private life private, his sorrows hidden, and to avoid the questions that a wedding ring would have raised. He had thought removing it would make things easier—less painful. He wanted to forget, or at least keep his sorrow boxed in a hidden part of his brain, like the ring was in a box inside the drawer of his bedside table. The weight of its absence was something he had tried to ignore, though it lingered like an ache. After she had left him, he refused to talk about the situation with anybody, even his close family, brushing off concerned questions with forced smiles and vague reassurances. And since then, he had also never tried to get in touch with her, except through the weekly emails that were clinical in tone, devoid of any mention of Jake and Stephanie or their relationship—focused only on updates about the kids he longed to hold but felt increasingly distant from.

“You’re still wearing your wedding band,” he said softly, almost to himself.

Her blue eyes flashed with something indiscernible, a quiet strength as she met his gaze. “I’m still your wife.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Jake’s mind raced, memories of their life together flooding back in a torrent of emotions. But before he could speak, Stephanie’s expression softened slightly, though her resolve remained intact.

“Jake,” she said quietly, her voice steady but firm. “Go. For the good of the children. Please.”

He hesitated, his heart aching with every fiber of his being. But he saw the unwavering determination in her eyes, the protective fierceness of a mother who had drawn her line in the sand. Finally, he stepped back, his boots heavy against the wooden porch.

As he turned and walked away, the faint sound of Mary’s voice drifted through the open window once more, mingling with the cicadas and the ache in his chest.

[edsheeranong]

Sweet Pea x Fem OC

Pt. 2

archie andrews twin sister, delilah, is fed up with him being overprotective. so when a cute serpent offers her an opportunity, she can't turn it down

Delilah hung onto him for dear life, terrified as they raced through the streets of riverdale. when they finally arrived at pops, delilah didn't think she had it in her to step off the bike. he pried her hands off him and helped her off. with her whole body trembling in fear she couldn't get the helmet strap undone. he once again helped her and took it off her head.

"i'm never doing that again," she said, flattening out her hair. he fixed a piece of her hair and gestured for her to follow him.

they walked through the doors and delilah surveyed the room for archie. he wasn't there.

"i'm gonna go wash my hands," she said excused herself. when she came back out, she came face to face with archie, veronica, jughead, and betty.

"hey girl," veronica said. "we were just about to sit down, do you wanna join us?"

"oh, no thanks V. i'm here with someone," delilah explained. "thank you for the offer though."

"o la la, does delilah andrews finally have a boy?" veronica asked.

"no," archie shot in. "no she does not."

"just between us girls," she whispered to veronica and betty. "kinda."

the girls all squealed at her admission.

"i don't wanna move to fast, and put labels on it, but i really like him," she lied through her teeth.

"well we won't keep you any longer," betty winked at her and started walking toward a booth.

"who?" archie demanded.

"none of your business," she walked away from him and towards sweet pea who was seated at the counter. when she took the seat next to him, archie sprinted across the room to them.

he ripped sweet pea out of his seat and they started yelling.

"what the fuck are you doing?" archie said.

"i'm here on a date," sweet pea responded.

"get away from my sister," archie shoved him and sweet pea shoved him back.

"you're being ridiculous," delilah said, stepping in front of sweet pea right as archie tried to push him again. she lost her balance and fell back into sweet pea hard. he caught her and rested his hand on her hip.

"don't touch her," archie said.

"i think i'll do what i want."

archie lunged at sweet pea but jughead held him back.

"sit down," veronica demanded. "leave her alone, archie."

"this isn't over," archie threatened before walking back to a booth.

sweet pea turned her around and leaned her back against the counter.

"not so bad, right?" he whispered. she shrugged lightly and he pulled her in for a hug. "is he watching?"

"mhm," delilah hummed into his chest. after a few seconds he pulled away slightly, their hips still pressed together. he looked at her carefully before raising his hand to her chin and gently kissing her.

"why him?" archie sat at his booth, fuming as he watched his sister.

"he's not without charm, archiekins," veronica said. "why are you so opposed to her dating anyway?"

"every boy in this town is an asshole," archie said.

"you live in this town," betty pointed out.

"i know."

"you're mainly upset because he's a serpent," jughead scoffed.

"yeah, jug. and he tried to hurt me. he showed up at my house and tried to fight me," archie complained. "why does he like her anyway? he hates northsiders."

"well, for starters, delilah is drop dead gorgeous. like even i've had thoughts about her," veronica admitted, resulting in a disgusted look from archie. "but, also, she's kind. she doesn't judge the southsiders, at least not outwardly."

"i think it's sweet," betty said.

"how? how is that sweet?" archie asked, slamming his fork down.

"he's willing to fight for her. he must know she doesn't date because you don't let her. just be happy for her, arch," betty explained.

"it just doesn't feel right," archie shook his head. "i can't shake the feeling he's using her to get back at me."

"not all serpents are the horrible people you make them out to be," jughead chimed in.

"can you blame me for thinking that?" archie practically yelled.

"i guess not. i'll talk to him," jughead told him.

"thanks jug."

archie watched as they left the diner and the only thing stopping him from following them was veronica sitting on the outside. but when he saw sweet pea hand the helmet to her he practically shoved her out and raced outside, his friends not far behind.

"absolutely not," he yelled. "she is not getting on that."

"calm down," veronica said.

"no, ronnie. a date is one thing but she can't get on that. she'll get hurt," he said. "i bet that's what you want though."

"excuse me," sweet pea stepped close to him.

"you heard me. i bet you're just itching to hurt her to get back at me."

"there's something wrong with you," sweet pea bit back.

"come on," she pulled sweet pea back. "he's not worth it."

"let's go," he mounted his bike and delilah followed him.

archie watched in anger as they rode away. he stormed back into pops, slammed money down on the table, and started running back home. when he got home, he went straight to delilah's room, but she wasn't there. he ran back down the stairs and found his dad in the kitchen.

"has 'lilah come back home?"

"no, i don't remember seeing her come in," fred responded. archie went back upstairs and called delilah. she didn't respond.

"god, he's annoying," delilah whined, putting her phone back in her pocket.

"i know," sweet pea said. they were sat on the edge of sweet water river, completely alone. "why doesn't he let you date?"

"i'm not really sure," delilah admitted. "something about all the boys being awful, i think. but i don't believe that."

"that's weird."

"i think he's trying to protect me, i mean he wouldn't ever leave my side growing up. but ever since he started dating veronica, he's been leaving me alone more, thank god."

"it still doesn't make sense though. you'd think he'd want you to have a boyfriend so he could protect you," sweet pea pointed out.

"i gave up on trying to understand my brothers mind a long time ago," she put a hand on his shoulder and sighed.

they sat there in silence, watching the river flow, for what felt like eternity before delilah spoke.

"it's getting late," she whispered. "it's dark and i'm cold."

"take my jacket," he took off his serpent jacket and handed it to her. "i'm sure your brother would love that."

"take me home," she said, snatching the jacket from him and pulling it over herself. she was practically drowning in it.

hé drove her back home and walked her up to her door. it wasn't that late but delilah didn't want to risk waking anyone up. she slowly crept up the stairs and entered her room. she found archie sitting on her bed.

"why him?"

"he asked me out," delilah said, crossing her arms.

"and you thought i would be okay with this?"

"archie, i have had enough with you thinking you can control my life. he likes me, and i like him. i'm not gonna let you ruin yet another relationship for me, i just won't," she was trying to be stern with him, but not be too loud. "now get out of my room," she pointed to the door.

"im not done with this," he said, heading for the door.

"yes, you are, archie. seriously leave me alone, you've done enough to hurt this family, dont add this to the list of things you'll be apologizing for for the rest of your life."

[haeoflii]

Charlie headcanons! (even though they're my OC)

(I made these hcs just cus wanted an excuse to use my gifs that I made)

- Once Charlie tried cooking together with Lilia. Never again. It took weeks for the pungent smell to leave the entire dorm.

- Trey once let Charlie cook in Heartslabyul's kitchen and was bamboozled because when he looked away for a second, Charlie somehow made a leather bag, a hat, tap shoes, and burnt toast with the baking ingredients.

- Charlie likes to bother ask the beastmen and merfolk students about their anatomy, but not because they've never seen one before. It's just that the animal-like toons in his world are usually anthropomorphic animals, animals that can either talk or make their respective noises or something that resembles an animal.

- Never play any card games with Ace and Charlie because it will be the most unfair, chicanery, fraudulence, crookedness, dishonest, conspiratorial, treacherous, immoral, and deceitful game of cards you'll ever play.

- Charlie's brother, Coco is the exact opposite of him. (Charlie being carefree, positive, impulsive, extroverted and technology inept while Coco being cautious, an overthinker, negative, introverted and a tech wiz)

- Idia gets pissed off at Charlie because they always beat him in video games no matter what genre it is! even though they suck at using technology.

- Similar to Thor's hammer, Charlie's bag can't be lifted by anyone, not even using Malleus' magic. Only him and grim can pick it up.

- Charlie treats everyone (except Leona and the staff) like their younger brother but many people think they're looking down on them.

- A Heartslabyul student once used Charlie as a mallet for a croquet game.

- While cheering for Epel in a Spell drive practice, a disk went flying towards their face and in a blink of an eye, they swallowed the entire thing by accident.

- The next day they tried to give back the disk, saying they spent an hour in the bathroom trying to get it out. Afterwards, he asked if Leona could pay for his broken toilet.

- Charlie came home that day with a free spell drive disk in one hand and a stack of cash in the other.

- There's a small group of students in NRC who hold secret club meetings to discuss whether or not Charlie's an alien from outer space (I might make them into ocs)

- During book 4, Charlie challenged Overblot!Jamil to a breakdance battle.

- Charlie tripped over Silver more than once.

- While Charlie may be androgynous looking, some people in NRC think Charlie is a really unfortunate-looking girl (one of them being Crowley)

- Azul considers Charlie an exceptional waiter during rush hour due to the fact they can carry 26 plates of food, 31 drinks and 54 utensils without dropping anything.

- During their break at the Mostro Lounge, the tweels would see how far they can stretch Charlie.

- Floyd once tied Charlie like a balloon animal

- The reason why Charlie's name is "Sue Pierre Calli Francis Lizzie Lexis Ally Dokken" is because those are the names given to them from different adoptive families.

- Charlie knows about cinematography, film theory, colour theory and composition.

- Vil and Charlie have movie nights and make an analysis of them.

- Leona once walked in on Charlie and Ruggie fighting over 10 madol on the ground.

- Charlie can walk on the ceiling for comedic purposes only. Both Lilia and him would hang upside down and scare others.

- Charlie thinks Riddle's ahoge looks like a cockroach.

- Charlie can break the 4th wall

- Because of that, Charlie is 100% percent aware that they're a cartoon character and that they're being posted on tumblr.com. They are also aware that they're created for purely comedic purposes. They're pretty chill with it but they still won't think too hard about it otherwise they'll go into an existential crisis.

- But sometimes, on those cold sleepless nights, Charlie thinks about how they'll never get out of this never ending cycle of nonsense and absurdity, forced to be put through bizarre situation for the sake of entertainment. As long as their creator continues to exist, they will never ever break free from this ridiculous existence.

- Charlie dreads for the day where their loved ones will be subject to the whims of their childish god.

- They're also aware of other ocs being ocs and how twst is from Disney (won't tell a soul to anyone. Will keep this secret till their death)

[icarusflewsworld]

Rhysand & Cassian & Azriel X OC

Hello, here is the chapter 20 of a fanfiction on the world of Acotar where our three favorite Batboys are the mates of a single woman.

! Next chapter on Sunday, January 5 !

I hope you enjoyed the read and the kisses !! Don't hesitate to leave me comments on what you think of the story. I will love to talk about it with you.

I also hope you had a very good Christmas and that you got lots of beautiful gifts. I know that we are all disappointed not to have had Rhysand, Cassian or Azriel under the tree but I still hope that you enjoyed your gifts.

I wish you a very very very happy New Year's Eve on December 31st as well as an excellent year 2025 full of happiness, joy, love and peace. Take care of yourself! With all my love ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

! Don't forget to read the other chapters ! : Here

Enjoy the read ! ❤️❤️❤️

Chapter 20

Luxiana was beginning to lose patience. Mor, Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel had been keeping her occupied as best as they could for a good eight days now. They took her shopping, to restaurants and bars. Thanks to the blonde, Luixiana now knew every corner of Velaris. Of course, she loved the many outings she went on with Mor and Amren-forced by Rhys's cousin-but that wasn't why she was there. No matter how many times she asked the three Illyrians - who followed her everywhere, even when she was with Mor - when they were going to steal the Book of Breathing, they always came up with some excuse. 

Rhysand kept telling Luxiana that this kind of visit between high lords had to be prepared well in advance and that they couldn't just go to the summer court unannounced. But Luxiana was wary. The three Illyrians told her they had to organize this meeting, but all they did was follow her. And she couldn't understand why. Were they afraid she wanted to betray or attack them? In that case, Mor and Amren's surveillance alone should be enough. Luxiana was confused and impatient, but every time she wanted to raise the subject with one of them, they gave her lame excuses, changed the subject or even ignored her. 

Luxiana wasn't really complaining. She enjoyed the company of the three males. In fact, the more the days went by, the more she enjoyed them. They spent all their moments with her and she got to know them a little more every minute. She really enjoyed spending time with them, but then again, that's not why she was there. 

She sighed all her air, disturbed by her thoughts, then she put on her black silk nightgown with thin straps that reached halfway up her thigh. She untied her long white hair, which fell in a waterfall down her back. She looked at herself in the huge mirror in her bathroom. She couldn't keep the red from rising to her cheeks or her smile from growing when she saw the night dress. She couldn't help but wonder if Rhysand had given her only sexy underwear and clothes like that on purpose. But she wasn't complaining, she loved feeling beautiful and in these pieces of tissue, she felt hot. But, above all, it was in the pupils of the three Illyrians that she felt attractive. 

The way they looked at her and acted with her, unnerved her a little more at every moment. They were so sweet and thoughtful. She thought back to when, one evening, while they were out, Rhysand had slipped his jacket over her shoulders. She wasn't even really cold, but he'd preferred her to be warm. Then she remembered all the other times he'd acted so thoughtfully and gently towards her. She also thought of how Cassian always detailed her up and down with eyes blazing with desire and the way he always complimented her or flirted with her. She remembered Azriel's possessiveness that exploded when she talked to other people or when he touched her all the time with force and vigor, as if Luxiana were his. She loved this. She adored every one of those three's behaviors.

But she was lost. Once again, their reactions were strange and incomprehensible. They gave her the impression they were flirting with her, but it didn't seem to bother them that their brothers were courting her too. On the contrary, something in their eyes lit up when they saw one of their own getting close to her. But they were Illyrians, it wasn't in their nature. 

She lowered her eyes and gritted her teeth. They were Illyrians. She had to close her eyelids under her violently churning stomach. They were Illyrians. She put her hand to her shoulder to massage it. It hurt. She reopened her eyes and rested them on her silver bracelet composed of blue gems and magic stones. She smiled sadly. She already missed Kayden so much. 

She shook her head. She couldn't let herself go like that. Not now. Besides, Rhysand, Cassian and Azriel weren't at all like all the other Illyrians she'd met. In fact, they seemed so kind, thoughtful and adorable that it seemed a little too suspicious. She thought they were playing her, but she could never detect any trace of lies or pretense in them. But why were they so possessive and protective of her? She couldn't understand it. 

They seemed to get irritated every time she talked to someone else, especially a man. They didn't like it when she went out in revealing clothes, but her closet was full of them. They always made sure they could chat with her at all times. And their cute ways to act??? Cassian brought her flowers every morning, Rhysand was incredibly gallant and Azriel blew on her meals and drinks when they were hot so she wouldn't burn herself. They did all sorts of sweet things that drove her crazy. 

She just didn't understand. She'd thought they simply behaved like that with everyone, but that argument had been quickly refuted when she'd watched them talking with Mor and Amren. They didn't act at all the same way with them as they did with Luxiana, even though these two faes were supposed to be the two most important women in their lives. She really couldn't understand it. Were they really flirting with her? If so, did they really accept that their brothers were also flirting with her? Did they even agree to "share"? It was all so strange.

She looked up at the ceiling and let out a little cry of frustration as she realized she was still thinking about them. They were all she thought about all the time. All the time, really. Even when she was thinking about something else, her head always found a way to bring her thoughts back to the three Illyrians. 

She left the bathroom, trying to concentrate and stop thinking about the handsome males. She'd spent the day with Mor, and of course with them, shopping. Although she'd tried not to look bored, she wasn't made for this kind of day. She was made for action. In fact, she was still full of energy. She began to pace around her bedroom, trying to find something to do. Maybe she should do a little sport to burn off some energy. She wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise. Convinced, she was about to throw herself on the floor and start doing push-ups, but someone knocked on her door. She straightened up and looked curiously at the entrance to the room. It was already late, around ten o'clock p.m. Who could it be and why?

She moved quickly to her door but opened it with apprehension. She raised an eyebrow in surprise when she saw Rhysand, Azriel and Cassian standing in front of her entrance. The Illyrian with the red syphons was holding out four glasses of wine in one hand and just as many bottles in the other. They were dressed simply. Rhysand wore a black shirt with a kind of jogging of the same color. Cassian wore a dark gray jacket laced up at the front, revealing the muscular skin of his torso in a fine line, and he wore a wide pants in dark brown leather. Azriel, meanwhile, wore a long-sleeved black t-shirt and gray lounge pants. Luxiana thought to herself that this was the first time she hadn't seen them formally dressed or in combat gear, but then gasped and realized that they were really hot. She cleared her throat, shaking her head to regain her composure. "Yes?"

The three Illyrians had come to a complete standstill at the door. It wasn't the first time they'd seen her in a nightie, and although they'd thought black really suited her, they'd given it no more thought. They'd even forgotten the purpose of their existence, to breathe and their hearts to beat, when they'd seen her with her hair down. Because this, on the other hand, was the first time. She'd always had her hair tied back in front of them, and the three brunettes had never thought of it as something important, but it was. They could hear and feel their hearts beating like raging beasts in their rib cages. She was divinely beautiful with that mass of white silk surrounding her and falling around her face. It suited her so well that it would completely unnerve them.

Luxiana tilted her head, smiling with a questioning, worried expression. "Are you all right?" she asked in a gentle voice as she noticed their paralysis. 

Cassian didn't even know why they'd come. He made his arms fall limply back along his body, not even sure how he managed not to let go of the wine bottles and glasses wedged between his fingers. "Your ha..." He was stuttering again. Why on earth did she have that effect on him? "Your hair... It's the first time we've seen you with your hair down."

Luxiana frowned in incomprehension. Was it her hair that had put them in such a state?" Really?" she asked uncertainly, not understanding why it mattered to them and why they were reacting like this. She released the door handle to give her back to them and shake her hair in front of their noses, then turned back in their direction with a broad smile, rubbing her skull on both sides to tousle her locks. "So do you like me like this?"

Rhysand had to take a step back. His chest was on fire and he couldn't breathe. She was so sexy he could die. He was still thanking the gods -as he had done every second since he'd met her- for making his mate so beautiful. "It suits you incredibly well," he managed to articulate. "You look gorgeous, as always." 

Luxiana's smile widened in spite of herself as she mustered all her strength to fight the blushes that wanted to take up residence on her cheeks. She'd done nothing but blush since she'd been here, and she hated the effect they had on her. "It's adorable," she raved helplessly. "I should let them down more often then," she added in a seductive tone, raising an eyebrow. 

"No!" replied Azriel immediately with urgency. He cleared his throat and blinked several times, only to catch himself under Luxiana's questioning gaze. By heavens. He hadn't been able to hold back the flood of jealousy that had flowed through him at the idea of other men seeing his soul mate with her hair like that. She was far too sexy that way and he was sure everyone else would have bad thoughts when they saw her like that. And it was completely out of the question for anyone but them, to imagine things with his wife. "Or just for us," he added earnestly. 

He didn't even notice Luxiana's surprised expression or her disconcerted chuckle as his pupils were still fixed on her white locks. Unable to restrain himself, he raised his hand towards them and Luxiana let him do so with curiosity as he caught the whole of her mane in his hand to wrap it around his fist. He grunted in satisfaction as he pulled his soulmate's head back a little. "Perfect size", he muttered, more to himself. 

Luxiana frowned sharply and threw a confused glance at Cassian and Rhysand without understanding what was going on, but the other two Illyrians were far too focused on staring at Azriel's gesture and nodding in agreement to notice. The spymaster slid his soulmate's locks into his fist along their entire length. He couldn't contain his shiver at the silky touch of her hair before releasing it completely. Luxiana rolled her eyes before giving up with a sigh. She was taking too much thoughts for them. Maybe they were just weird. "And so why are you here?"

Cassian smiled wryly as he raised the wine bottles. "We're going to continue the evening in my room, would you like to join us?" His irises shone with seduction.

Luxiana raised an eyebrow in pleasant astonishment. She glanced back at her room. She should stay. She shouldn't get attached to the three of them. She wasn't here for that. But she could enjoy herself a little while she was here, especially as she always had a great time with them. She turned a determined gaze back to Cassian to return his seductive expression. "With pleasure." She left her room and closed the door behind her without even thinking of changing or putting on something to cover herself. She felt beautiful, and she loved feeling the burning gazes of the three Illyrians on her, staring at her from behind and up and down as she advanced without waiting for them. 

Eventually, they entered the room. Rhysand had filled and served them four glasses with wine. Cassian had grabbed one and handed it to Luxiana, but Azriel grabbed it before she could take it. He glanced reprovingly at Cassian, "she shouldn't drink that, it's strong alcohol, especially for humans."

Luxiana rolled her eyes, a little wearily, then quickly retrieved the glass, with such speed that it surprised Azriel, who hadn't even been able to react. "Need I remind you that I work in a bar?" she told him. "I'm used to strong alcohol, believe me."

Rhysand laughed softly as he detailed her tenderly. She was so naive." Surely not the one of the faes."

Luxiana glanced at him sideways, grimacing. She wrinkled her nose and leaned forward towards Rhysand. She glanced left and right as if she were about to tell him a secret and was afraid someone would overhear. "Don't tell the high lord here, but his booze is smuggled over the wall," she scoffed. 

Rhysand opened his mouth wide in surprise as Cassian exploded with laughter. "See, she's used to it," he added, holding out his own glass toward her to toast his mate. He raised the glass to his mouth. 

Luxiana also took a sip of the golden beverage before groaning as she closed her eyes. "This is so good."

Cassian choked on the wine in his mouth as he started coughing under the salacious images of his soul mate that came into his mind at her words and tone. Hell, he'd had an erection whenever he laid eyes on her and that from the start, but now he'd almost cum in his pants just hearing her moan. He had to do something about this. 

Luxiana hiccupped in surprise as she opened her eyes wide, then jumped up and down on the spot, "you know what we should do?"

Azriel smiled tenderly as he detailed her, he never tired of her reactions. He took a sip of his liquor before speaking. "What's that?" 

The exclamation of hope and joy faded from their soulmate's face to disappeared. "Oh, but I don't think you'll agree."

Rhysand also swallowed a drop from his glass, detailing Luxiana with squinted eyes. "Tell us."

The blonde's smile emerged again, but differently this time. It was mischievous. Her pupils sparkled with mischief and the seductive look she suddenly had on her face disconcerts the three males for a second. She detailed them up and down with desire, biting her lower lip. "We should play strip poker!"

Rhysand blinked slowly in surprise at his soulmate's proposal, but couldn't prevent a broad smile from forming on his face. Cassian laughed out loud, but his whole body was already on fire with excitement at the idea of it, "I'm in, I'm in". Azriel closed his eyes, blowing out his breath to hold the bridge of his nose wearily, "You know you've only got one layer of clothing on you, right?  And that you're therefore likely to find yourself naked in front of us very quickly."

Luxiana's expression became provocative and the glint of playfulness in her irises awakened Azriel's erection. "Oh I'm well aware of that but...," she licked her lips to detail the three of them again avidly, "it's not me who's going to lose."

Rhysand's eyes filled with a playful gleam, "Well, let's go then." but every muscle in his body was vibrating with anticipation and excitement. Was he going to see his soul mate naked for the first time tonight? Now that she knew the risks and agreed, he was going to do everything he could to win. 

They finally settled on Cassian's huge bed. Luxiana was kneeling in the middle of the mattress, facing her was Rhysand with his legs crossed, to his left was Cassian in the same position and Azriel was on the other side of the high lord, leaning against the headboard with his forearm resting on one of his raised knees. Cards had appeared between them thanks to the magic of the house and they had now begun a game. 

Although the four of them continued to drink their alcoholic beverages and even refill their glasses regularly, they were all playing very well. Rhysand and Azriel were cautious, not wanting to lose or miss the opportunity to make their soul mate lose. They ended up fold, but Cassian wasn't so cautious. He was confident because, either way, he would be victorious. If he won, he could see his soul mate naked, but if he lost, he could show himself naked to her. Unfortunately, his game wasn't as good as Luxiana's. He lost. 

The blonde began jumping up and down all over the bed, shouting, "I won, I won." She threw herself in front of Cassian to land close to his shins. She leaned toward him, bringing her proud face close to Cassian's half-disappointed, half-jubilant one. She ran her tongue over her lips and her smile widened when she noticed the Illyrian leering longingly at them. "You need to take something off now," she demanded mischievously. 

Rhysand smiled wryly as he detailed her with shining eyes. "You know, you don't need a game. If you want to see us naked, all you have to do is ask."

Luxiana gave him a playful, confident look. "I want to see you naked," she assured with a determined air. "But it's a lot more fun to get that by making you lose at a game."

Rhysand raised an eyebrow. He was always pleasantly surprised by her repartee and the way she flirted back with them. Azriel laughed, shaking his head. She was so cute yet so provocative. He loved it. He loved knowing she liked them. 

Cassian caught Luxiana's chin between his fingers to turn her head towards him. His irises were bright with confidence, he was hardly intimidated or bothered by taking off a piece of clothing. In fact, when he'd come out of his room and proposed this little evening to his two brothers, he'd only been in his boxers. It was Rhysand and Azriel who had forced him to put something on so as not to disturb the woman. And now it was she who wanted to undress him. He was boiling with joy. "What do you want me to take off? If it helps you choose, I don't have anything under my pants." He did have underwear, but if after saying that, his soul mate still asked him to take off his pants, he'd take it all off. 

Luxiana swallowed hard at the palpable tension between them. She forced herself to smile while maintaining her air of confidence to divert attention from her blushes. "No..." she murmured slowly, inclining her head, "not right away at least." Her haughty, confident expression must have been convincing because she saw Cassian raise an eyebrow in surprise and amusement. "Take the top off first."

Cassian wasted no time. He released Luxiana and, without breaking eye contact with her, reached for the end of the lace holding her vest to untie and open it. His movements were slow and calculated. He removed his vest and let it fall to his side.

Luxiana pulled away to rest on her knees and fully admire Cassian's muscular torso, pecs, shoulders and arms. Her mouth opened wide, very wide, gradually. This fae was really well built, sculpted like nothing she'd ever seen. He was so sexy. She couldn't even see his tattoos, he had so much muscle to look at. She was almost drooling. "Uh... I..." She was at a loss for words. "So sexy," she breathed simply, unable to think or speak properly. 

The three Illyrians burst out laughing at her reaction. She was looking at Cassian as if he were the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, and he found this childish attitude so adorable. But Cassian, though he didn't look like it, was burning. Every inch of skin, where his soul mate's pupils rested, was aflame. He felt so proud to have provoked this reaction in her. 

"Wait but waiiiiitt ?????" cried Luxiana suddenly, shaking her head and barely able to breathe. "You're so muscular, how is that possible?" She couldn't believe her eyes. Did he spend his days lifting weights? She moved closer to him to come to his side and stick her arm to the Illyrian's. "Look at the size of your arm and the difference with mine! It's twice... no, at least three times the thickness of mine." She moved back in front of him to detail him with wide eyes while he laughed his head off, then squinted at his abs. She hiccupped again in surprise as she held out her index finger. "Can I... can I touch?"

Cassian calmed his laughter a little to straighten up and look at her with intense eyes. "Oh as much as you want, honey."

Luxiana opened her mouth in a wide smile, pleased by the agreement he had given her. She pursed her lips in concentration. She felt one of Cassian's abs with her fingerprint for a tiny second before retracting her arm, hiccupping in surprise. That was super hard. "Holy cow!"

Rhysand dropped onto the headboard, unable to stand up straight as he laughed so hard. His soul mate was too cute. 

Azriel detailed her with amusement and tenderness. "Have you ever seen at least one naked man?" He'd asked lightly, but he couldn't stop his smile from fading gently at the weight settling in his stomach. He so wished she'd tell him she hadn't. He knew it wasn't possible, not when she was such a beautiful, outgoing young woman but ... he'd so much like her to tell him that she'd never done anything with anyone. That she hadn't belonged to any other man before them.

Luxiana gave him a quick glance before blushing all over her face. "Whaaaaaat?" She giggled, lowering her head. "Pfff, of course I do," she stammered. Then she closed her eyes fiercely. The alcohol was going to her head and she couldn't figure out what she was doing. 

All three Illyrians froze at once, straightening up from laughter to seriousness. "You're lying," Azriel remarked. And you didn't have to speak the language of the invisible to see that. 

"But no, not at all, I..." tried to defend herself Luxiana but she felt so embarrassed and ashamed that she couldn't even think or breathe properly. She clamped her hands over her hot, red face and moaned a plaintive cry.

The three Illyrians were just completely paralyzed. They couldn't believe it. They couldn't believe their eyes and ears. She was lying, it couldn't be any other way. Cassian exploded. He shouted, "You're virgi..."

"Don't say it!" cried Luxiana, interrupting him and putting her hands on the sheets to hold on to them. She felt as if she were dying of shame. She let out a cry of frustration, then killed the three breathless wide-eyed Illyrians with her pupils. "I've never slept with anyone, but that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass, so shut up!" She realized she'd just confessed. She whimpered another sob as she pressed her palms to her face again to hide. She let herself fall on her side on the mattress to get into a lateral safety position. 

Rhysand was frozen from head to toe. He was completely shocked by this news. If there was one thing he thought Luxiana had done, it was sleep with men. Especially with the seductive attitude she always had. But now that he'd learned this, he was just completely paralyzed. A ball of anxiety settled in his stomach. He didn't know what to do. He was starting to panic. She was a virgin and so pure and they only wanted to do dirty things to her. She couldn't give them her first time. They didn't deserve it. Yet something primal awoke in him, something typically Illyrian that made him vibrate with possessiveness from head to toe. He raised his head to the ceiling, trying to reason and calm himself.

Azriel was gasping for air. His eyes burned with joy and his whole body seemed to palpitate. He waved his hands in front of him in all directions, staring into space. He opened his mouth several times, not knowing whether to speak, scream, jump for joy or just breathe. He was so happy. His soul mate had never belonged to anyone else, and she would forever belong only to them. To him. What had he done in his life to make this happen? He even wanted to cry, so happy was he. 

Cassian's mouth was wide open. He rose slowly, robotically, to land feverishly on his two feet, keeping his eyes and mouth wide open. He walked to his bedroom door, stepped outside and closed it behind him. He took a few steps forward before taking a deep breath, tensing all his muscles and clenching his fists. Then he began throwing his limbs furiously in all directions as he screamed silently, opening his mouth and letting only a muffled sound come out. "YES! FUCK YES! YEEEESSS !" Then, once relieved of his joy and although his heart was still beating madly in his chest, he returned to the bedroom to resume his seat as if nothing had happened.

Rhysand shook his head to compose himself. He glanced at Azriel, who had an absent but dreamy look on his face as he was watching Luxiana -still curled up in a ball- with glowing eyes. He then turned his eyes to Cassian to see him with rapid breathing and a broad smile on his lips. He couldn't count on them. He huffed, then grabbed Luxiana by the shoulders to straighten her up. She relented but didn't remove her hands from her face, so Rhysand grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms down. 

Her face revealed itself. She had pursed lips and a cute, pleading pout. "Don't make fun of me," she whispered imploringly.

Rhysand widened his eyes for a second. "We don't make fun of you, ever. Quite the contrary! We're so..." He huffed, pausing. He just couldn't tell her how happy he was. She wouldn't understand. He let go of her arms to cup his soul mate's face. "We're very admiring. Really." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, but couldn't help brushing her hair all the way down, so soft it was. He followed her movement with his pupils. "Never be ashamed of it. Don't ever be. Okay?"

Without leaving his pleading face she nodded, but she still felt embarrassed in a way she'd never felt before. She let out a cry of frustration before moving away to lean over the side of the bed to catch something on the ground.

Only, by leaning this way, she gave the three Illyrians a good view of her legs, her shape and her buttocks, which the dress hid just enough. Cassian threw himself back with all his might, almost knocking himself out on the headboard of his bed to avoid rushing into her or cumming in his pants. No, no, they couldn't act that way with her now. Not when it was her first time that was at stake. Azriel closed one of his fists and slammed it into his forehead several times while closing his eyes and trying to think of something else. Rhysand grabbed the pillow from behind him, placing it behind Luxiana's buttocks to cover her, but he couldn't help smiling in exasperation.

Luxiana grabbed the bottle of wine on the floor beside the bed, stood up and rushed the drink to her mouth. She took several large gulps, before Azriel, realizing this, jumped up to snatch the alcohol from her hands. "Certainly not, no," he growled, pulling the bottle away from her and placing it beside her on the bedside table. 

Luxiana let out a plaintive cry before killing Cassian with her eyes. "This is all your fault, if you hadn't been so sexy, none of this would have happened."

Cassian smiled with all his teeth, his chest vibrating with pride. "So you find me attractive?"

Luxiana rolled her eyes blasély, "you know you are." Then she turned to Azriel to glare at him, "you're next on the list." There was no way she was going to be the only one embarrassed. She was going to get them all naked tonight. 

Luxiana repositioned herself in her initial place and resumed dealing the cards with a stern, determined air. And so they began to play again. There were several stalemates, the three Illyrians fighting like hell to win, but Luxiana was far too cautious, especially as she seemed to know the three males' game and what they were going to do before they did. Then, just as she'd planned, she beat Azriel. "YES!" she exclaimed, drawing her fist towards her. She pointed at Azriel with her index finger. "Now it's your turn! Take off the top." She laughed sadistically as she clapped her hands together. 

Azriel smiled softly, shaking his head. His shadows weren't helping him even a little to cheat against his soul mate, the bitches. Without a word, he stood up from the headboard to remove his T-shirt and reveal his tattooed torso. 

Luxiana gazed at him hungrily for a moment. Her mouth gradually opened. Then she let herself fall onto her side, without taking her eyes off Azriel's abs. "Woaah," she moaned in complete wonder. "It's so beautiful."

The three Illyrians laughed softly as they detailed her tenderly. Then she jumped to her knees one of a sudden, startling them. She slid down her shins to Azriel to raise her hand and run her fingers over one of the curves of one of his tattoos on his pectoral. He was as sexy as Cassian, and although she pretended to be obsessed with the black ink on his skin, she was only doing it so she could touch him. "I really like the direction this evening is taking," she said, unable to hold back her seductive smile. 

Azriel watched her do it with a tilted head and a smirk, but he was just too focused not to shiver violently under her touch.

Cassian laughed even harder as he felt the excitement rise in both his brother and himself. "Oh us too, believe me."

"Is it going to be my turn now?" asked Rhysand seriously, although glimmers of playfulness and hope resounded in his pupils. He was a little disappointed that she hadn't tried to undress him first. He knew the card game could be random, but his mate gave the impression of knowing exactly what she was doing. As if all her actions were always calculated.

Luxiana turned a confident gaze towards the lord, but inside she was filled with reluctance. She hadn't forgotten what Rhysand had suffered in Amarantha's hands and she certainly didn't want to bring back any bad memories or force him to get naked in front of her without him wanting to. "Why? Are you that eager to show me your abs?" Her question sounded unimportant, but it was. She was asking for Rhysand's agreement, and his answer would then determine her behavior. 

Rhysand smiled, unsuspecting. "Yes," he added seriously. 

Luxiana breathed imperceptibly, reassured then playful. She ran her tongue between her teeth and lips trying not to sound as euphoric as she was from the alcohol and the three handsome Illyrians before her. "So it's your turn."

Then, as they continued to empty their wine glasses, they played several long draws before Luxiana managed to win against Rhysand. She jumped up and down on the bed in delight, the alcohol really beginning to go to her head a little, so much that she had to sit down again because it made her dizzy. The four of them had already drunk three bottles and she'd swallowed the same amount as the three males, maybe even a little more. She threw herself in front of Rhysand, almost falling on him. She looked at him with shining eyes but said nothing, forcing him into nothing, waiting patiently for him to take the plunge on his own. That way, he could always turn back and do nothing if he wanted to. 

But Rhysand didn't want that. He wanted his soul mate to see him, he wanted his soul mate to touch him. He took off his shirt slowly, opening its buttons one by one as he stared at Luxiana, who followed his gesture with her eyes. He took off his top and smiled when he saw Luxiana's eyes sparkle. She was about to open her mouth wide but pursed her lips to keep her lower jaw from dropping. "By all gods" she breathed again, detailing Rhysand as if he were a work of art. It took her breath away. "It's incredible." But she wasn't touching him. She wasn't touching him even though she'd touched both of Rhys's brothers, and it was driving him crazy. So he grabbed Luxiana's wrist to press the blonde's palm against his abs. 

Luxiana hiccupped in surprise as she clamped her other hand over her mouth. She gave Rhys a questioning look. "I want you to touch me," he whispered earnestly. 

She widened her eyes for a second before returning her gaze to his abs and slowly lowering her hand in a caress to the V of the lord's lower abdomen. Then, understanding his words and seeing a bulge in his pants, she flushed violently. She shook her head while gently and repeatedly hitting Rhys's shoulder, who burst out laughing.

"Now it's our turn to make you take off a piece of clothing," says Rhysand, regaining a serious but seductive air. 

Luxiana gave him a laughing look, unable to hide her playful smile, before jumping out of the bed. "Um, no, I don't want to play anymore." 

"Out of the question, it doesn't work like that," screamed Cassian, offended. 

Azriel smiled tenderly. "He's right. Come back here!"

"Nooo," she moaned imploringly, throwing large dilated pupils at them. "I want to do something else."

Rhysand breathed in resignation. She could get what she wanted from him with his face. "What's that?" 

Luxiana spun around to find something to do before stopping, realizing that her head was also turning from the inside. This alcohol was really strong, and although she was used to it, she'd been drinking a lot. "Oh I know!" she exclaimed suddenly, setting her eyes on Cassian. "I want to style your hair and make you lots of braids." 

Rhysand and Azriel exploded with laughter and Cassian's eyes widened. "You want what?" Had he misheard? 

Luxiana ran to him to throw herself in front of him and make big, imploring eyes. "Please," she insisted with the cutest face in the world. 

Cassian couldn't even hesitate. He huffed as he grabbed the little rubber bands of different colors he'd just conjured up in front of him. He held them out to Luxiana. "Put on lots of pink rubber bands."

Luxiana jumped up, screaming with joy. She positioned herself behind Cassian, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him towards her. She settled his head on her thighs and began braiding his hair. 

Azriel and Rhysand were laughing their heads off and couldn't even breathe. Luxiana glared at them. "Don't laugh too hard, it'll be your turn next."

The two Illyrians instantly fell silent as they stood up straight.

Cassian didn't feel even a little ashamed by the act. He felt far too soothed by his soulmate's touch in his hair, so much so that he couldn't even hear his brothers' mocking laughter. Hell, his heart even felt like it was stopping, so relaxed was he. 

Luxiana, despite her fingers digging into Cassian's mane, was chatting happily with Rhysand and Azriel about anything and everything, continuing to drink alcohol in the meantime. 

After perhaps an hour of chatting and laughing, Luxiana finished her work. She moved away from Cassian, who was struggling to fight off the sleep that had overtaken him under her soulmate's caresses in his hair. But when he straightened up to reveal lots of shaggy little braids - with pink rubber bands and little pink butterfly clips hanging in them - to his brothers, their laughter woke him up suddenly. Cassian laughed in turn, imagining his face and seeing his soulmate laughing with them.

"It suits you, you're so cute like that," the blonde teased softly, pinching his cheeks.

Cassian looked at her with shining eyes without even feeling humiliated. And Luxiana was a little disappointed to notice that he wasn't blushing even a little. She wanted revenge and to embarrass them. 

Cassian pointed to Rhysand and Azriel with a mischievous grin. "They're laughing a little too hard, don't you think?"

Luxiana returned his mischievous expression. "Oh totally." She turned back to the two Illyrians with a psychopathic look.

Rhysand's and Azriel's smiles halted again as they glanced at Luxiana, a little terrified. 

The blonde rested her index finger on her chin to consider what she was going to do to them before hiccupping, "Found it!" She looked up at the ceiling to speak to the house. "Can I have some markers, please?" Without question, the house offered her a string of felt-tip pens in several flashy colors. She thanked the house vigorously before turning to Rhys and pointing. "I want to draw in your tattoos."

"You want to do what?" laughed Rhysand in surprise. But Luxiana had already broken the distance between them. She placed her cold hands on Rhysand's pectorals to push him down onto his back. "May I?" she asked permission to settle astride him, pointing to his lower abdomen.

Rhysand contracted for a second. This was a permission Amarantha had never asked of him, but he refrained from telling Luxiana. He knew she would be saddened and that it would spoil her evening and the one of his brothers. In any case, he didn't want to think about this horror right now. He just wanted so much for his soul mate to touch him, and it annoyed him that she asked his permission when she didn't ask his brothers'. "Always," he answered her seriously without any playful or joking air. 

Luxiana blinked once, surprised by his tone, then smiled gently at him, feeling herself blush. She climbed astride him and began coloring the inside of the tattoos on Rhys's pecs, arms and shoulders.

The lord of the night watched his soulmate's look of concentration with tenderness. But he had to fight with all his might against the tickle of Luxiana's touch and his growing erection in his pants. If his mate had landed a few centimeters lower, she'd clearly have been able to feel it between her thighs.

The blonde didn't stop talking, though, concentrating on her task and chatting with the three Illyrians. Then, once she was satisfied and her work done, she stood up to let Rhys straighten up and show his brothers the various shades of pink, yellow and green that surrounded his tattoos. 

Rhysand wanted to look weary under his brothers' mockery, but he couldn't hide his joy. 

Luxiana turned to Azriel, who didn't feel threatened for a second. He only huffed as he stopped laughing and opened his arms wide. "Do what you want with me."

The blonde let out a squeal of delight. She grabbed a candy-pink felt-tip pen and glided over to Azriel, drawing cat whiskers on his face and coloring in his nose. The other two Illyrians couldn't help but laugh as Luxiana pulled away from the now cat-like spymaster. Azriel looked up at the ceiling. "Never in my five hundred years of existence have I been so humiliated," he laughed softly, staring at his soulmate with sparkling eyes.

Luxiana laughed too, but rolled her eyes. Why had she wanted to humiliate them again? She didn't know, and now she felt bad. She huffed as she handed the marker to Azriel, who caught it without understanding, tilting his head. "Your turn. Do something to me." 

She closed her eyes and stretched out her smiling face towards Azriel. She waited while the three Illyrians stared at her, not knowing what to do. All they could think of was how cute she looked, with her beautiful smiling pink lips, her alcohol-reddened cheeks and her dimples. 

Azriel couldn't breathe or think properly with his soulmate's sweet, ready face stretched out in front of him. He wanted to kiss her. So he squinted at her mouth for a moment, but when Luxiana moistened her lips without opening her eyes, something inside him gave way. He couldn't resist any longer and took the plunge. He placed his lips softly on those of his soul mate. 

Feeling someone's mouth on hers, Luxiana hiccupped in surprise, opening her eyes wide and jerking back. Realizing that Azriel had kissed her, she clamped her hand over her mouth. But her heart was pounding in her chest as the echo of the Illyrian's mouth still tickled hers. 

Cassian and Rhysand glanced at each other uneasily before cursing Azriel. "Az, damn it," Rhysand growled with a slightly quicker breath. Then they set their eyes on their Luxiana. How was she going to react? They didn't want to scare them.

"Forgive me," Azriel breathed without taking his eyes off the blond to observe her reaction. "I've wanted to kiss you for so long and I couldn't help it, you were so cute."

Luxiana felt warm from head to toe. No kiss had ever had this effect on her. "No," she let out in a high-pitched voice and with an almost inaudible sigh, letting her hand fall back. She squinted at Azriel's mouth. "Don't be." She moved closer to him again, sticking her knees to the Illyrian's crossed legs. "Can you do it again?" Her cheeks were flushed and felt like exploding, but she wanted more.

The chests of the three Illyrians filled with hope, and Azriel's with joy. He couldn't hold back his wide, seductive, teasing smile. "Would you like me to do it again?"

Luxiana nodded briskly, with the cutest face possible. She couldn't breathe. "Do it again, please," she implored. She absolutely had to know if his kiss was still having that effect on her. 

It was the last straw that made Azriel snap. With one hand, he grabbed her throat possessively and pulled her towards him, while the other rested on his mate’s cheek. He crushed his mouth to hers, closing his eyes. Fireworks exploded in their bellies and their lips tickled so hard it was almost unbearable. 

Azriel stuck out his tongue to caress the blonde's lips and request access to her mouth. Luxiana opened her mouth to let him in. They kissed deeply, Azriel's tongue trying to control Luxiana's as she gave in completely. The kiss was so powerful that it made both of them dizzy. Luxiana had to cling to the Illyrian's forearms to keep from fainting as a moan of pleasure escaped her. Her nipples jutted out from under her nightie in excitement, and the silk fabric began to itch her.

Eventually, they parted gasping for air, their chests trembling. They gazed into each other's eyes, completely shocked and blown away by the intensity of their kiss. Neither of them had ever felt anything like it. Azriel wanted more. He wanted so much more, but he gently released Luxiana to see what she would do. But he prayed she'd come back for more, because damn it, he could spend his life kissing her.

Luxiana came back to her after a few seconds' absence, trying to calm herself down. She clamped both hands over her mouth, hiccupping. Then she threw herself backwards, stomach down on the bed, to make her legs go quickly and slam her feet on the mattress. She buried her flushed face in the sheets while shouting a muffled sound of joy. Then she started laughing, so happy was she. She didn't even understand why she felt so happy. It was the best kiss she'd ever had and she couldn't even think about what she was doing. She just needed to let out the happiness she was feeling. "I kissed him, I kissed him," she cried, still not quite able to realize what had just happened. 

Azriel smiled with all his teeth. He felt buoyant. She'd wanted to kiss him, and she'd liked it. 

But Cassian and Rhysand had watched the scene with bated breath, completely frozen. They couldn't move, paralyzed by a mixture of joy and jealousy. Azriel had succeeded. One of them had gotten close enough to their mate to be able to kiss her. But there were three of them. Would she be afraid to kiss them after that? Did she only want Azriel now? They were scared to death. 

Fuck it, it was now or never. Rhysand tried to regain his haughty, confident posture, but he was having great difficulty. "You can kiss me too if you like," he let out, his chest full of hope. 

Luxiana jerked upright with shock and seriousness as she detailed Rhysand. She frowned, then glanced at Azriel to see what he was going to do. They had just kissed, after all, and that was not nothing, but the Illyrian only looked at her with a smirk and a tilted head, curious to know what she was going to do. That said, he didn't seem to mind her kissing his brother, and Luxiana wanted to. She didn't think any further, as she couldn't think much about what she was doing anyway because of the alcohol coursing through her veins. She then moved quickly towards Rhysand to position herself in front of him with big eyes shining with impatience. "Can I really?"

Rhysand's heart missed a beat. He nodded solemnly. Luxiana opened her eyes wide before throwing herself at Rhys to give him a chaste kiss on the lips before hiccupping away in surprise. She shivered. Rhys smiled at her cuteness but she rushed to his mouth to give him the same kiss again, a little longer this time. Then she pulled away again, still hiccupping in surprise. She placed her hand over her mouth this time, unable to believe she was kissing the high lord of the night court after kissing his brother. 

Rhysand laughed before shaking his head tenderly. His mate was so cute. He caught her delicately, placing both hands on either side of her face to pull her mouth over his and kiss her. Their tongues tangled together by themselves and began to dance, gently caressing each other. 

Rhysand's entire body was tingling. His chest was vibrating and his heart had stopped completely. He was finally kissing his soul mate. After all this time. And it was even better than in his dreams. 

Luxiana's body was vibrating and her lower abdomen was on fire from the kissing. She was shaking so hard her muscles ached. She felt like she was in a cottony cloud of ecstasy and sensation. She wanted so much more.

They parted away, lacking air, forcing Luxiana to groan in disappointment as she opened her eyes. Rhysand couldn't help smiling at the sound, but he was just too breathless to speak or start again. That kiss had been so intense that it had just taken his breath away.

Cassian couldn't take it anymore. His two brothers had tasted it before him and these visions were slowly killing him. He'd come close to cumming several times in his pants, "So now it's my turn," he declared in a deep voice filled with excitement. 

Luxiana barely had time to turn towards him and calm down before he threw himself at her, placing one hand on the back of her head and another on her back to pull her towards him and press his lips to hers. He forced his tongue into Luxiana's mouth, and she let him in to return the feverish kiss where their tongues fought. She placed her hands on Cassian's torso to take advantage and caress his pectoral muscles. Both began to shudder at the same time under the explosion in their bellies and the tickle in their mouths. Luxiana moaned as she felt her panties getting wet. 

Cassian, at this sound, couldn't hold back. He pushed her down and laid her back on the mattress, towering over her with his body as he continued to kiss her. He passed a leg between Luxiana's thighs to rest his knee on her part.

Luxiana moaned into Cassian's mouth again, feeling herself vibrate all over as he pressed her clit with his leg. She wanted more. 

Unfortunately, Azriel grabbed Cassian by the shoulder to break their kiss, pulling him back and away from Luxiana. "No," he growled through clenched teeth, killing his brother with his eyes. 

"What do you mean 'no'?" offended Cassian in disbelief. Anger bubbled up in his veins, replacing his euphoria and excitement far too savagely. 

"She's been drinking, she's drunk," Rhysand explained. There was no way he was going to take advantage of her condition to go any further. Even if he wanted to. On the other hand, if tomorrow she wanted it again... then he wouldn't hold back. 

"I'm not drunk!" exclaimed Luxiana just as shocked and offended as Cassian that they'd interrupted her. She raised herself on her forearms to glare at Azriel and Rhysand, but they only gave her a weary look. 

Cassian grunted in frustration, eyes firmly ferocious. They were right. He huffed in resignation as he rested his back on the headboard of his bed. He hadn't intended to go any further anyway, but he realized they'd already overstepped the boundaries. 

Luxiana dropped onto the mattress, also screaming in frustration, her teeth clenched. She was completely turned on now. How was she supposed to keep ... and she fell asleep suddenly. Maybe she was a little drunk after all. 

[delawaredetroit]

"It’s unfortunate that this realization didn’t come up again with Izuku though. It would have done wonders for Izuku’s character if he had acknowledged his parallels and capacity for evil with say Lady Nagant and especially Shigaraki."

THIS!!! The more I notice how everything was right there for Tenko to be saved/understood, the angrier I get. I always thought hori sort of wrote himself into a corner with the conflict of Izuku wanting to save Tenko. On one hand it makes absolute sense given Izuku's character and Tenko's life, but i never really saw how he would've been able to save Tenko in a satisfying way. One that didn't excuse him of his actions but also gave him a second chance. Needless to say, I think the ending failed, and not so much by killing Tomura, but by how Izuku is written the entire time. Izuku's lack of agency and reflection as a character was disappointing, especially when every other character seemed to be speaking for him (the bullying plot being a perfect example of this, with izuku as the victim, not being allowed to feel pain or anger about it, and the entire focus being on bakugos guilt and emotions as the agressor). Obviously, one can't compare Gentle to Tomura by their actions, but Izuku still saw (a possibility of) himself in Gentle. He recognized how he could've followed the same path, how Nagant was manipulated and used by others for a means end. However, the moment Izuku learns how Tenkos own existence and the rest of his life was manipulated by AFO, he distances himself and puts up this barrier. He doesn't say anything else, he doesn't reflect on what he just heard, he doesn't attempt to reach out his hand anymore, there's no conflict about the choice of killing Tenko, no hesitation, and even in their final words to each other Izuku feels distant. The boy that defied the vestiges by saying that All Might taught him how ofa was a power meant to save others, not kill them, seemed to have disappeared. Izuku feels more like a puppet that final fight arc, instead of the character with his own thoughts and ideals that we came to love.

Hmm, not sure I agree on the point that Tenko couldn't be saved in a way that didn't excuse his actions. Tenko would have been the most believable to save in spirit of the League (but would be the one who would have the most difficulty ever integrating into larger society). Tenko was shown to be highly empathetic and sensitive in injustice from a young age. Plus, unlike the others, he spent nearly his entire life being manipulated by a worse villain. It's easier to imagine a bigger heel face turn from a guy who was never allowed the opportunity to be anything other than a villain if someone reached out to him in good faith.

Giving Tenko more agency in his own saving, even if he still ended up dying in the end, would have been a more compelling narrative. There's a reason Togachako has blown up as a ship since that last fight between Toga and Ochako came out. Toga was given more agency in her own salvation. She chose to reveal her insecurities to Ochako. She chose to stop bringing down the knife. And she chose to give her life to someone else, using a power that until that point she believed could only be used selfishly.

I agree that the primary problem in the last fight between Shigaraki and Izuku was Izuku's lack of reflection or agency. How he behaved during that fight directly opposed how he decided to approach Shigaraki at the end of Act Two. It did feel like he was going through the motions and was resigned to the result.

Shigaraki started to have some of the same problems towards the end of the fight concerning the complete lack of reflection. What did he think about Shimura after what happened in the void? How does he view himself after learning All for One orchestrated his entire life to be his oc? What does he think of his father after realizing they were both manipulated by the same person? Nothing. Nada.

I don't know if this was always the intended result, or if Horikoshi was just burnt out and tired of writing Izuku's character. I lean towards the latter to be honest. And since Shigaraki was Izuku's foil, Shigaraki's writing also suffered as a result.

[pleasestayawayidonotlikeyou]

if it's ok can you do a bad sanses x scp child reader. where nightmare find them in her negative universe all alone trying to survive (since she lost her father and friends) cause something bad happened and takes them in as their healer (cause the child doesn't want to kill). nightmare found her when she was 7/8 years old, nightmare would see a bit of his passive self in her, and the child would be neutral with the whole situation given they have seen crazier things from where their from (and just wanted to escape their situation from their world). but is a good kid and despite not wanting to hurt anyone she would rather get themselves hurt to protect those she cares for (would literally take a hit from anyone who tries to hurt dadmare, killer, horror and dust because of their past trauma and defend them with her telekinesis). their drawbacks of their abilities is if she gets extremely hurt or looses a limb when having zero energy she can't regenerate until her stamina is helped (energy like full sleep and have food or beverage basically having good stamina) but still can't die. (this is based off an oc of mine so here is more info with a pic to help) she sometime would have her breakdowns like the others from past trauma (also her soul would be perseverance) I'm sorry for the long read i hope your ok with this and if you have any questions I'm happy to answer :3

Holy shit this took too long to write-

Featuring: Nightmare, Killer, Dust and Ted.

Masterlist

Nightmare

Ah yes. Another dumb kid for him to add to the collection.

Since you were quite useful with your healing powers and all, he took you in. Big mistake.

Nightmare now finds himself caring for another kid (the other kids are the Killer Dust and Ted), oh well.

Is very impressed with your ability to regenerate limbs.. it's... Fascinating..

His grumpy self turns into one a bit more content.

You're like a memory of himself in the past, the voice that always keeps ticking in his mind, except you are real. "I am too.."

Didn't find out about Killer bringing you into missions until Ted came furiously to him demanding to know why would his boss let a child go to mass murderer missions.

Spoiler alert, he didn't know and quickly became enraged, that's his kid, how dare Killer bring you to missions without his knowledge!?

Nightmare finds it adorable when you try to protect him, he's already a god silly, he can't die!

Dust

Stay still, he wants to study you.

He may or may not like SCPs...

Holds a notebook and pen, writing down any information he can get out of you.

Impressed with your powers, but not surprised, he knows Nightmare wouldn't take in a healer who can't defend themselves.

Watches in the shadows, if you need him just call his name.

Finds Killer's idea of bringing you to missions dumb, but there's nothing he can do can he?

You two may have time alone, and he uses that time to gossip about Killer's dumbass.

On really really rare occasions, he'll vent about his past, about the guilt he feels about his actions.

Killer

Another one to be influenced by him.

Nightmare doesn't let you near killer without supervision, that's a big no no.

He doesn't want to wake up hearing laughter with his face painted with permanent marker again.

Killer likes having someone around, especially because you can

He finds it cute when you try to protect him, you're not even to his waist! How are you going to fight a fucking god like dream?

Well, his jaw is on the ground now. "HOLY SHIT NIGHTMARE WHAT KIND OF POWERS DOES THIS KID HAVE???"

Yep, he's bringing you in missions now.

Also Killer named a cat after you.

Ted

The fact that you need to be healthy to be able to regenerate is the perfect excuse for him to cook more food.

He repays you when you heal him he makes your favorite dessert.

Ted thinks you're too naive and innocent for battle, and gets pretty annoyed every time you go in missions with them.

Even knowing you can regenerate and defend yourself it still keeps him worried, what if you run out of energy?

Also blames Killer for any scratch you get, he's the one who made you go with them so he's the one to blame.

He's the one who's with you almost 24/7, acts like an actual big brother, may even apresent you to his Papyrus.

When you defend him in an argument, he feels so fucking special, no he doesn't have tears on his eyes you're just hallucinating.

[androdragynous]

EFIT THANK YOU ANON ITS AREA 50.5 BY AKRIL15!!!

hi help me find a game for my friend . ANY information about it would be great, we're pretty sure it doesn't exist online any more but I am a miracle worker. anyways

The Game As Remembered By Fusgia:

point and click 2d DeviantArt game of someone's OC / original character, played as a puma / cougar / mountain lion lab experiment with human hands. Goal was to escape / get out of the lab. Plot is barely remembered but there was a globe you can click on and spin and the puma points at a spot to say they could go there / visit. When you get out of the lab you are in a house with a bed overlooking a window

this reddit thread appears to be describing the same game (copied below the break for search indexing), but hasn't had a successful find yet

If you know ANYTHING about this game or the creator, or (miracle upon miracle) you're the creator, please get in touch!! Shares are very welcome!! Kiss

[Browser][2010s] DeviantArt flash game where a big cat must escape an underground lab that has a minor twist ending

EDIT: Realized that my initial estimate of the early to mid 2010s was a few years too late to be correct. My only excuse is that I'm stupid.

Platform(s): Browser

Genre: Point and click. It could possibly be categorized further as an escape the room game.

Estimated year of release: Considering that I played it during or a bit after DeviantArt's heyday, I think it's safe to say that it was at some point in the late 2000s to early 2010s.

Graphics/art style: It was 2d and, if I'm recalling it correctly, had a "yeah I saw Disney movies growing up and now I draw animals in a similar way" style to it.

Notable characters: The main character. They were a puma/cougar/mountain lion, or at the very least a big cat with the same sort of coloration. The big thing about the character was that they had human hands. No, I'm not talking about an anthro character that just happened to have extremely human-looking hands. I mean like a full on quadruped but the front paws were just hands.

Notable gameplay mechanics: I don't think it was super unique mechanically for an escape/point-and-click game. The only weird thing about it came from the fact that the main character could use their hands to interact with the environment rather than the gameplay itself.

Other details:

-The main character is a genetic experiment who, after waiting for the scientist who was either responsible for them or bonded with them to return for a long time, finally decides to escape the underground lab they are being kept in.

-Not sure how right this is, but I want to say that the puma and main scientist were both female. There was also at least one other scientist mentioned that was male.

-The underground lab was basically one big room.

-The game ends with the main character escaping the lab and being found by the side of the road. We then cut to a news report on the character and see that rather than humans, the world is populated by anthropomorphic animals. The main character wasn't an experiment in splicing human and animal genes, but in splicing together anthro and regular animals.

[ilikekidsshows]

Funny how nowadays, when a media with female lead that come with buzzword like "girl power", "feminist", "girlboss", etc and it flop so hard, some people claimed it's because the people are sexist or racist (if the lead is poc) instead of, you know, think that maybe there's something wrong with the media that make it flop. Like how the recent Snow White live action flop for example. Weird weird.

---

The annoying thing is, I get where this attitude comes from. The show’s creator has been crying misogyny at his critics for years and it's easy to believe something you hear repeatedly is true. In addition, media that's labeled as socially aware due to it just starring minorities or actually discussing social themes is held to stricter standards both because the people viewing fandom as activism want their “activist media” to be perfect representation and also because the anti -woke crowd want an excuse to be bigoted towards something they see as “too woke”. However, an important aspect of this backlash is that it's more likely to happen to queer media than because the protagonist is a girl/woman. The typical reaction to female protagonists is to label their media as only for girls and, like, that's the attitude of this show's showrunners who only discuss their female demographic and seem to resent having to include a male lead to appeal to male viewers.

Also, like, I don't think people going: “hey, this show for preschoolers shouldn't have unchecked abuse apologia in it” is people grasping at straws to hate a show with a female lead. Especially when it's coming from people who used to staunchly defend said show before that abuse apologia. Even when the show admits their protagonist did something wrong, it's only because she's “keeping secrets”, and not the belittling of the abuse her boyfriend suffered, and that's all because the writers decided during the production of season 5 that their chief child abuser was an awesome character actually so the child abuse has to be waved away so that they might one day get to make that spin-off/flashback episode starring Gabriel they mentioned wanting to make.

It all actually comes down to these middle-aged men loving their middle-aged man OC so much they make their female lead babble nonsense about his good intentions to vindicate him, making her the mouthpiece for the show’s abuse apologia. But, the worst part about it all is that's it's not even out of character. Marinette is the number one character not taking the concerns of victims of abuse seriously, taking it on herself to try to “fix” these parent-child relationships and never accepting she's in the wrong to do so. I can't say the abuse apologia came out of nowhere, because it's been a part of the show since ‘The Bubbler', where Marinette insists parents can do no wrong because they love their children and then never changes her mind despite what abuse she witnesses for over 130 episodes. At this point, I think the showrunners aren't going to have her change her mind because they think she's correct.

Also, like, Miraculous isn't even a flop, the people whining about haters/"misogynists" ruining Miraculous' rep are making stuff up because Zag keeps greenlighting more seasons of this garbage. The fans defending Marinette are even willing to defend the abuse apologia and the target demographic of small children lack the experience and critical thinking skills to realize they're being presented with abuse apologia as the sympathetic perspective on child abuse. Unfortunately, a lot of the grown people watching this show just don't think gaslighting and abuse apologia are that big of a deal, don't even recognize when it's being shown to them, especially when the perpetrator is a female character who's really upsette about it. Miraculous is still a massively popular show, which is why I wish it wasn't feeding kids abuse apologia through their supposed role-model protagonist. Kids deserve better.

[yall-batman-fanfic]

The Dark Side of Academia | Bruce Wayne/Batman x OC!Magician ft. Poison Ivy

Synopsis: Inspired by Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 2. Vivian crosses paths with  Poison Ivy when she was brought to Gotham University by an ambitious scientist to be part of their research as Dr. Pamela Isley. In their time there, Poison Ivy comes across a man who Vivian shares a disdain towards.

There are three things that Vivian would welcome as a surprise when she comes to work. 

Her adopted children, who would always drop by at her place of work whenever they could. 

Her husband, who would try to join her for lunch at the cafeteria despite her telling him how impractical it was for him to drive all the way from Wayne Enterprise to see her. But she loved the effort anyway and would make the time to go to his place of work too.

And crime. Gotham crime. 

As a tenured professor at GU and as a tenured Gothamite---yes, she's earned that title now too---finding some costumed criminals or a crime organization taking over GU for their personal agenda is normal.

Quite a high bar, if she was asked. But when she came to Metropolis University, the bars of her encountering any of those, especially the last one, was slim, so when she saw Gotham's notorious eco-terrorist walking the halls of the campus, Vivian couldn't help but hide behind the wall and hope that Poison Ivy did not notice her.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

She needs to call Bruce!

Shit, she forgot. He's off-world now.

Shit!

“Professor Vivian Pryor, what a surprise!” Vivian jumped at the sudden greeting of Lena Luthor.

“Ms. Luthor, hi,” Vivian greeted, fixing herself. “I wasn't… I wasn't expecting you here.”

“But I just saw you just now, I was about to call for you but then you hid behind the wall,” said Lena.

“Right. Sorry, but I thought I saw a familiar face, that's all. I needed to be sure,” Vivian laughed, making up an excuse. 

“Oh, I think I know who it was you saw,” Lena reached to her side and pulled up the person that had Vivian panicking. “Professor Pryor, I'm sure you know Poison Ivy---also known as Dr. Pamela Isley.”

Vivian couldn't believe it, it was really Poison Ivy standing there, wearing clothes and not fern. Her red hair still had a couple of flowers, her skin green, but she looked more civil and non-lethal. But Vivian knew that Poison Ivy could still be dangerous, especially with the presence of plants. 

“Ivy, I'm sure you know one of Gotham's celebrities---Professor Vivian Pryor-Wayne,” said Lena.

Ivy folded her arms over her chest and fave Vivian a look that says she didn't like her one bit. “Yeah, I do.”

“And I've read so much about you, Dr. Isley,” Vivian added.

“It's Poison Ivy. I don't go by that anymore.”

“I see. Dr. Ivy, then?”

“Just Ivy. Why? Do you want me to keep calling you Professor?”

“No, Vivian's fine… but, you might want me to---never mind. It's nice to meet you here. In a place of academia, and not running from plants in Gotham.”

An awkward silence came between the two women and Lena stepped up to clear the air between them. “Professor Pryor was called here to consult on one of Metropolis University's studies on Alchemy---they're trying to decode some old journal---and who better to do that than the country's renowned Symbologiest and Iconologist, right?

“Really? I was in the impression that all you know are pictures and stories,” Ivy stated.

That struck a nerve. This time it was Vivian who crossed her arms over her chest, “There are alchemical symbols that never came to record. I studied runes, hieroglyphics, and---as stated in my resume---symbology. That includes alchemy. I even wrote my bachelor's thesis based on the unidentified and dead Alchemical symbols found on Strauss’ notebook---and translated it too.”

Another tense silence. 

Ah, the not-so-rivalry-rather-tension between STEM and HUMSS in academia. 

Self-important-bitch, Ivy thought.

Egotistical-assholes, Vivian didn't say but her face did.

“Right, well, I'll just give Ivy a tour of the campus. I do hope we could catch up later, Professor,” said Lena Luthor.

“We'll see. See you both around,” Vivian left.

~ * ~

“Say that again,” Dick said.

Right after running into Poison Ivy, Vivian went straight to the courtyard of the campus and made a call to the next person she could talk to whenever Batman was off-world with the Justice League. 

“Dick,” Vivian sighed. “I ran into Poison Ivy in MU. She was with Lena Luthor and I think they have this research, I don't know. Got anything about that? Anything fishy?”

“Can't say, Luthor's really not in our jurisdiction, you know… That's mainly the big S’ turf, but I'll look into it. Maybe Kara knows something. She tends to know something.”

“Thanks, kiddo.”

“How long are you going to be there?”

“How long is Bruce going to be on that research trip to the forest?”

“Can't say, but you can't seriously think about staying there until he gets back, right? Wouldn't want to lose you to shiny Metropolis, Viv,” he laughed.

“Don't worry, as much as I like seeing streets without blood or motor oil or whatever that is on Gotham's pavement that is a mix of vomit, piss, and shit… I'd rather spend a day locking my bullet-proof doors than have Superman use my car as a battering ram against some alien.”

“Glad to see that you'd prefer Gotham's crazy than Metropolis.”

“Yeah, well…” Vivin trailed off as she found Poison Ivy walking out of the building looking pale and shaken. “That's just the Gothamite in me, you know. Hey, kiddo, I gotta go. Call me back?”

“Sure thing. I'll also tell Tim about this too. Bye, Mama Bird.”

Ending the call, Vivian hid her phone before she approached Ivy who was pacing around the area, the plans were all growing wildly around her too.

“Ivy?” Vivian cautiously came close.

“Holy shit!” Ivy jumped and almost had vines attacking Vivian if it weren't for the woman realizing who it was. “Shit, shit, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do that.”

“No, it's okay,” Vivian did not dare move as the sharp and thorned vines were near her neck and her arteries. “Do you want some coffee? I was about to get one myself and I saw you out here all… as much as people market it to amp you up all night, it calms my nerves actually.”

Ivy sighed and had the vines return to the plants around them. “Yeah… I guess coffee is a good idea.”

~ * ~

Maybe she shouldn’t be surprised that she was having coffee with Poison Ivy when Vivian did just share mimosas with Harley on a yacht to freaking Greece a couple of years ago. But she was. Poison Ivy has always been one of Batman’s recurring villains whose goals are not entirely evil but her plans to do it are considered to be. Even Swamp Thing thinks so to. The Swamp treasures all life, not just the Green.

As they sat in a more private place in the cafe drinking coffee and having slices of cakes, Vivian tried to look past through the many times Poison Ivy had Gotham hostaged into one of her plans—and almost had her trapped in her schemes—and see the person who was having a panic attack right after seeing something that spooked her.

Before she was Poison Ivy she was Dr. Pamela Isley, a scientist, and someone who was also in Academia. Just like her. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Vivian asked. “Or do you just want to have coffee and distract yourself from it…”

Ivy sighed. “Did you ever do something that you regretted? Not like buying some Prada shoes that you’d never wear, but really, really, regret it so much because it changed your life.”

“Well, I can’t say I’ve regretted buying Prada, and I rarely buy from Prada. I like things in the department store that’s prices aren’t always three-to-four figures,” Vivian chuckled. “But yeah, I’ve done some things in my past that I really, really hate and I think things would have been different if I didn’t do it.”

“Like what? Moving to Gotham? I know that you lived in Liverpool and that you got into GU through the Martha Wayne Foundation. A long way from home if you ask me.”

“I have my reasons… I guess, yeah, if I hadn’t gone to Gotham my life would have been different. I wouldn’t be here, teaching, with a successful career. I wouldn’t have met my husband and I would have my family now. But that’s not what I was referring to.”

“What—got involved with your professor or something?” Ivy leaned back on her seat, her arms folded.

“I did but not that… It happened when I was much younger, before I came to Gotham. I was going through some things when I was a teenager, and something happened that almost drove me to insanity, and it drove me to leave Liverpool and start somewhere far away and where I can have a good start. I’d rather not say what it is, but I know what you mean… 

“If it didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have this life now. I’m happy but there are things that I wonder if it didn’t happen, what now? Would I still have gone to Gotham or would I have just stayed in Liverpool and still be with that ex. But I have no regrets of going here, even if I’ve had more than my fair share of Gotham’s crazy.”

Ivy sighed. “I saw someone back there who… let’s just say was part of my “villain origin story”,” she rolled her eyes at that. “I was under his tutelage, and we were a thing. It was against every ethical shit there is, but we made it work. I looked up to him—fuck, I even loved him…

“He was about to lose his grant because he’s done nothing original and wasn’t doing anything at all for his career. Then he saw my work and he tried to steal it. Long story short, after I tried to beat the crap out of him, he locked me in a lab with poison from my own work, I had to resort to using my own formulas to save myself and turned myself to this.

“I tried telling everyone about that really happened, but he was right… no one listened. I lost my credibility, my career, and my life. I lost everything then.”

“I am so sorry, Ivy… I don’t think I can even imagine that. What happened to you is awful,” Vivian held her hand. “I never knew. All I knew about Dr. Pamela Isley from GU was that, she was a student there, then there’s this accident and now you’re a…”

“Eco-terrorist?” Ivy chuckled. “Yeah, I know.”

“If it’s okay, may I know who this man is?”

“I’m sure you’ve met him a couple of times now—actually, you did. You both were on that documentary on some plant that Harley got you and the Bats to go with her and get it.”

“Hold on, you don't mean…”

“Dr. Jason Woodrue.”

That fucker?

Vivian scoffed. “Why am I even surprised? But, fuck!”

Ivy raised a brow at her. She wasn’t expecting Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes Mrs. Wayne has a dirty mouth. “I guess you didn’t have a good experience with him?”

“He tries to get into every woman’s pants during that shoot. He’s a total creep,” Vivian said in a hush tone. “I know that I should have done something but there are things that even money or the Wayne name can’t do… I was just lucky that my husband is this hulking guy who kept him away from me between shoots. Academia isn’t always this pristine and non-political as it seems.”

“You have no idea,” Ivy laughed.

“Please don’t tell me that you're going to work here—I assume you’re here to work on something since you’re here with Lena Luthor.”

“Yeah, I’m going to do environmental-urban research under the Luthor Grant, but it also means I have to work with Jason Woodrue.”

“Why here? Why travel here and not at Gotham?”

This time Ivy raised a brow. “I don’t think the Wayne Foundation is going to give me a lab and freaking funding.”

“In our defense, you don’t really have a good track record lately…”

“And how about the fact that you’re also into deep shit with the Batman?” Ivy raised a brow. “I know, Harley told me about it. How you and the Bat are close, and that you have magic.”

Vivian sighed. Damn you, Harley. “She told you, huh.”

“Yeah.”

“He’s a good friend. Trust me. Like, a really, really good friend.”

“Uh-huh.”

“But really, Dr. Isley,  after talking to you now, I think we could give you a shot. It would mean me battling other members of the Wayne Foundation board but I’d try to get you that—as long as your plans don’t involve destroying human life.”

“No promises… Thanks for this, this really helps.”

“Does Harley know—is she here by the way?”

“She’s at our apartment—did you know that property tax here is freaking murder?”

“Please, the many times I’d hear Bruce and Lucius whine about the taxes that Wayne Tower has to pay, I could buy a freaking house in Gotham Central with those rates.”

Ivy laughed, really laughed. Vivian never thought she would ever see Ivy do something like that. “It’s nice, talking to someone who understands. I know that Harley is my girlfriend but Academia wasn’t really her thing, you know?”

“You don’t always have to forgive. You can just move on from something and never forgive them… I know how hard it is to ever forgive someone.”

Ivy frowned. “I know about the miscarriage and Two-Face. I’m not always a horrible person, so I’m sorry about that, Professor Pryor.”

Vivian smiled. Reaching for her locket–the one that Jason gave her–Vivian took out one of the flattened dandelions inside and gave it to Ivy. “This is from the garden where we buried my daughter. I keep a fresh one with me at all times. It help me remember that she wasn’t a tragedy. There was happiness. We were happy to know that there was a possibility.”

Ivy accepted the dried plant and brought it back to life and turned it to a dandelion flower again. “Thanks, I think I can face him now and we’ll see if this can work. If it doesn’t I can also have Harley bash his brains out.”

“Please don’t.”

~ * ~

She fucked up. Well, she thinks she fucked up.

The following day, Vivian was met by a newspaper headline saying: JASON WOODRUE DIES AFTER A FREAK ACCIDENT. Before she could even make a call, Dick was already calling her.

“You saw?” Dick asked her.

“I did. And I think I just fucked up.”

“How? I’m headed to Metropolis now with Damian.”

She told them about her talk with Ivy, who Jason Woodrue was to Dr. Pamela Isley, her origin story. But they already knew how she became Poison Ivy, just not the entire picture of it. “Then I told her that she doesn’t have to forgive him, that she can just move on.”

“So, her moving on means killing her toxic-ex?” Dick said.

“I DON’T KNOW!” Vivian sighed. “I feel kind of responsible, because maybe I should have told someone about this—but we were hitting off so well yesterday and I thought maybe I got through to her… shit, Bruce is going to kill me.”

“He’s not. Don’t worry about it… the whole thing about Batman is giving people a chance to change… well, that right after beating up criminals with his sledgehammer punches.”

“What am I going to do now?”

“Go to MU? Do what you usually do. We’ll be there in an hour.”

“And stay out of Ivy’s way, Mom!” Damian told her.

~ * ~

She was doing a good job in staying out of Poison Ivy’s way but then Harley came to campus, running, and yelling: “I’M COMING, IVY!”

Vivian choked on her coffee when she heard that, and she–like the others in the campus—went out of their labs and classes to see the commotion. Vivian excused herself from her colleagues and went to see what Harley was running around for and why it sounded like she was really about to come.

“Harley!” Vivian ran after her. 

“Ah! Professor Pryor! Hi, Ivy said you were here! Great, I need your help!” Harley filled her in with all the details she saw, Ivy was in her office, accessing the green, and she saw vines trying to kill Ivy. Then there was Frank–Ivy’s best-plant-friend–who told Ivy that Jason Woodrue turned to a plant and is trying to kill Ivy

“And the only way to save her is to kill Jason Woodrue!” Harley summarized.

Great. Easy peasy.

When they go to the place where Woodreu’s body was, Harley kicked down the door and started trying to cut down the plant-man. 

“Hey, Professor, wanna help out here?” Harley exclaimed.

“Move aside!” Vivian cursed under her head and placed a hand on Woodrue’s chest and—

Fire burst from her palms and she—as Harley said—burned the motherfucker and all the plants that were under his control. 

“Shit!” Vivian gasped as she looked down on the ashes of what was Woodrue—or what was left of him, which was a monster.

Did she just kill someone?

Is it considered killing if the man was already dead and what was left is this mutated being who was just a monster. The monster who was all that Woodrue was.

Right?

Batman’s going to kill her.

~ * ~

Bruce arrived at Vivian’s hotel just as the MCPD finished their interview with her. They greeted him as they left the place, and when he got in he saw Vivian sitting on the couch—where the interview was held—with Dick, Damian, and Lucius waiting there with her. 

“Welcome back,” Vivian greeted him and drank the remaining half-full glass of scotch. 

She’s really stressed out with what happened. 

Dick told him about it just as he was heading back to the Watchtower, and now he immediately had Cyborg open a Boomtube for him and he arrived at Gotham to change, then he got on his chopper to head to Metropolis. 

“How are you?” Bruce asked her. 

“I am better now. Dick and Damian got here just as MCPD took us from MU. I called Lucius before MCPD could question me. And he helped me out. Made sure that my name and the Wayne name is out of this because I just burned what remains of Dr. Jason Woodrue after Ivy killed him in a lab filled with poison.

“And–off the record—I think I coerced her to do it after we had a heart-to-heart of moving on and the shitty-side of Academia. I am completely fine.”

Silence came to the hotel room, the men and Damian looking at her as she poured another drink but drank from the bottle instead. Maybe that’s for Lucius. Yeah, it is for Lucius because she handed it to the man.

“She’s not fine,” Damian concluded.

Lucius accepted the drink. “Like I said, you wouldn’t have known.”

“But I should have at least told someone, right? Bruce, in your opinion, did I just kill someone?” 

Bruce sighed. “Well, according to the records that Dick sent me, there is nothing left that was Jason Woodrue. What was his consciousness, and I think there wouldn’t be any other way to defeat him than to burn the tree. Sometimes we can’t save everyone, Viv.”

“I just think this wouldn’t have happened if I told someone about Ivy and Woodrue’s history…”

“I don't think that's your fault,” Dick spoke up. “You gave Ivy a chance to move on from it, you didn’t think she would do it. And to be honest, after hearing about her history, I can respect what she did.”

Another sigh and Bruce went to sit beside his wife and hold her hand. “It’s okay. It was a leap of faith. That’s what all of us do, actually.”

Vivian leaned on her husband and hugged his arm. “He was an asshole–like, the biggest one out there. I’ve met and dealt with assholes in Academia and he’s one of the worse; and though I know that we don’t kill, but fuck—I’m glad that she got that out and dealt with the motherfucker.”

“Don’t worry, there are days when I also want to just end things to get rid of this world of one bad person, but I just keep reminding myself that if I do that then what makes Batman different from the rest of them.”

Bruce asked Dick and Damian to pack up Vivian’s things while he helped her calm down in the living room. She was lying on the couch, her head on Bruce’s lap so he could massage her scalp; and Bruce talking to Lucius to know what was going to happen next after this when they heard the knock on the door. 

Lucius got up to answer.

“Who is it, Lucius?” Bruce asked when the man hasn’t welcomed nor spoken anything.

“Hi!” Harley Quinn came in with Poison Ivy.

Vivian and Bruce jumped up at their entrance, and Dick and Damian were in fighting stances.

“Whoah, chill out,” Harley told them. “We just came to bring the Professor a little somethin’ for helping out my Ivy!” Harley walked up to Vivian, pushing past Bruce and handed her a potted plant.

“Thank you?” Vivian said.

“It’s from the dandelion you gave me,” said Ivy. And some other plants. I made a formula that would help with growing the flowers and keeping them fresh. You can add that to your daughter’s garden. I know that our talk didn’t go as you planned, but it helped.”

Vivian glanced at her husband then to Ivy. “Glad it helped?”

Bruce sighed in the background.

“And it seems that after killing Dr. Woodrue I won’t be keeping that Luthor Grant, so who knows when I’ll be back in Gotham.”

Vivian laughed. “I see what you’re doing, Dr. Isley.”

“Well, I wanna see if Waynes do live up to their word,” Ivy smirked. “Or are you all just talk for a good PR?”

“I told you, it would be a hard shot considering your track record. But give us a good proposal and we’ll see.”

“See what?” Bruce asked.

“A grant from the Wayne Foundation,” said Ivy.

“Viv, you didn’t,” Bruce massaged the bridge of his nose.

“No promises. We’ll see where your proposal takes you, Dr. Isley.”

“I’ll write up one that you nor that fancy-schmancy foundation of yours wouldn’t even think about saying no. Well, see you around! And say hi to Batman for us!”

With that Ivy and Harley left, leaving a room of confused men and Vivian admiring the flower in the pot.

“Is it just me or does this flower have eyes?” Vivian showed the pot to Bruce.

“If that think starts talking…” Dick started.

Bruce sat down on the couch and hung his head low. He was gone for sixty-four hours and so much has already happened. What the hell?