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qcswrites · 1 year

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Sowing the Seeds of Love - Part II: Full Bloom

Read Part I - Budding Love HERE :)

Synopsis: Burdened by his duties from a young age, Neteyam had little time to partake in the joys of youthful romance, his only release being fleeting moments of intimacy with various females. His longing for a more passionate affair had begun with a burning desire to have you. But you never saw him.

Pairing: Neteyam x Fem!Omatikaya Reader

Content: Romance, Fluff, Drama, Angst, Friends to Lovers

Warnings: Adult content 18+ MDNI

Word count: 10k

Author's note: Hello, friends! I'm back! This took longer than planned but it's a little longer than the first chapter so I hope that helps :) It's Neteyam's POV before/during/after the events of Part I. P.S. there's a tiny B99 reference somewhere in here. If you happen to catch it, we could be friends haha hope you enjoy!

I hope I haven't missed anyone but thank you all for enjoying my work :) @vivid-ink @ntymavtr @swaggygurlbae @vintaqestar @mahalkomarvel @riatesullironalite @luvteyams @investedreader

Also on AO3: Full Bloom

Your hair was arranged prettily atop your head, flowers tucked carefully into it, peeking out from behind the pointed tips of your ears. You were stunning. For many months now, Neteyam had burned for you, with the closeness of your families morphing into a slow form of torture. Night after night, he had sat across from you, forced to sate his desires with only the proximity of your delectable scent.

“Neteyam.” Your voice startled him out of his reverie.

“Yes?”

“Some more stew?” You offered, blinking up at him innocently, holding a bowl of yerik stew.

“Ah.” He accepted the bowl easily, shivering ever so slightly when his fingertips grazed yours during the exchange. He rarely spoke to you, though it was not for lack of interest. Clearly. In truth, he found himself severely lacking in nerve when it came to approaching you outside of the meals you shared with his family. Some mighty warrior he was.

He had grown up alongside you, a natural consequence of your parents’ long-standing friendship. Yet, he had never quite managed the closeness that you shared with his brother. Much of his youth had been spent training and learning the ways of the future leadership of the clan, and he had always eschewed notions of romance, his only release being fleeting moments of intimacy with various females.

Though your paths rarely crossed in the daytimes, he had harboured a quiet affection for you. Fondness would come to him, unbidden, as he watched you patiently care for Txep and treat the injured when he visited his grandmother in the healer’s alcove.

Only in the last while, his fondness had morphed into something more. It had become an ache that left his heart racing in the daytimes and skin slick with perspiration in the nights as titillating images of you flashed through his mind more frequently than he’d care to admit.

But you never saw him. Neteyam had wondered many times in the moons past whether you could feel his burning gaze on you, eventually coming to the bitter conclusion that his newfound desires went completely unnoticed. It seemed inconceivable for his world to have shifted on its axis the way it had and for yours to have remained the same. But that was the reality….

Neteyam let himself indulge in a moment of weakness then, allowing himself the pleasure of thinking that it had been his face you had imagined as you adorned your hair with pretty flowers earlier that evening. But it was a lie. Those flowers were not for him, but for the man seated next to you.

Irritation flared in his gut as he caught your gaze lingering on his brother as he laughed jovially at some joke that he had himself had missed, too caught up in lamenting the tragic state of affairs he found himself in. More maddening was the fact that Lo’ak, the skxawng, was utterly oblivious to your affections.

“Bro? You there? Hello?” Neteyam started as a hand waved in his face.

“What?”

“Dad was asking about tomorrow,” Lo’ak continued, slightly amused at his bleariness. “You know? The mission?”

“Ah,” Neteyam said, reverting to warrior-mode, momentarily forgetting his disgruntlement. “The scout party has reported some unusual activity on the edge of the settlement.”

“Could it be hostiles? His father enquired, concern colouring his expression. Though it had been years since the tawtute had been banished from their lands, deep-seated misgivings between the clans had persisted, manifesting in occasional skirmishes along territorial boundaries.

“The scout party believes so,” he answered in the affirmative, expression turning grave at the thought of what the next day would bring. Hostiles were often outcasts with limited supplies and capacity to inflict harm on their people. But, he knew better than to underestimate the tenacity of men with little left to lose.

“What’s the plan?”

“The scout party believes that they have set up camp near the waterfall. We will surround the area after dawn tomorrow and secure it.” Neteyam continued, quietly relieved for the distraction from his own inner turmoil.

“They’ll put up a fight, no doubt,” added Lo’ak, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Neteyam shook his head at his brother’s cavalier attitude. Lo’ak had a proclivity for missions such as this, which were fraught with danger, finding a thrill amidst the peril. “It’s not a laughing matter, bro,” he rebuked, expression darkening at the memory. “Aran nearly lost his arm from the infection.”

Lo’ak only waved him off. “Nothing will happen,” he remarked, eyes flicking over to you as he spoke his next words. “And if it did, you’ll patch me up, won’t you?”

Neteyam turned to face you, watching as a faint blush coloured your cheeks at his words. “Of course.”

A heat brewed low in his belly at the sight, followed immediately by a wave of guilt at his own misplaced anger. He knew he was being unfair, in that you knew nothing of his feelings for you, let alone returned them.

He loved his brother more than life itself but in truth, he could not help but wonder why you pined after him so. Lo’ak was handsome, well-liked by the women of the clan and had his fair share of casual dalliances. You stood by and watched it all while still never wavering in your feelings for the man. If he did not feel so conflicted about the object of your affections, he would have admired your loyalty.

Your soft giggles drew his gaze back to you, where Lo’ak had since joined you, poking your side teasingly as an inside joke, no doubt, slipped past his lips. His envy reared its ugly head once more, and he found the heat in his belly returning at the cosy sight of the two of you.

Great Mother, he needed to get away.

* * *

Neteyam grunted softly as she moved rhythmically above him, fingernails digging into the skin of his chest. His hands trailed her lithe form, coming to land on her hips, guiding her movements. Closing his eyes, he relished in the pleasure he gleaned from the friction between their bodies.

He had been seeing Nimira quietly for months now. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, a quick release in the woods after evening patrol. But somehow, all these months later, he found himself pinned underneath the familiar weight of her as she rocked desperately against him, desperate for release.

She was close, he could tell from her increasingly frenzied movements. He met her movements, frustration growing as his own peak eluded him. Something was wrong. In a swift movement, he had her on her back, hand cupping the back of her head gently.

She gasped, startled at the sudden movement. “Neteyam, what—”

“Let me take care of it,” he murmured, thrusting more insistently against her. Her complaint faded into a series of breathy moans and sighs.

Soon enough, he felt the familiar feeling of his own mounting ecstasy, breath hitching and movements growing more frantic as he reached his peak. He reached down, rubbing Nimira furiously where they were joined, willing himself not to spill before she reached her peak.

In the aftermath of his pleasure, he turned over to glance at Nimira, who lay panting heavily on her back.

“I’m sorry, Nim,” he said, slightly shamefaced. “If I was too rough.”

She laughed softly, turning her body to face him. “You don’t have to apologise,” she said slowly, reaching out to run her hand gently down his arm. “It was good. Really good.”

Relief flooded him and he smiled reassuringly at her. Nimira knew of Leyna. His feelings for you were not a secret but he wondered sometimes if she would be quite so nonchalant if she knew the depth of what he felt for you. He suspected that she would not take too kindly to the sensual fantasies of you that entered his mind, unbidden, during their dalliances.

“You’re frustrated, today, Neteyam,” she said softly, breaking the comfortable post-coital silence that had fallen between them.

Caught. He froze, mind searching frantically for an innocent explanation.

“Is it the mission tomorrow?”

Relief enveloped him at her words. That was right, Nimira was also a warrior and had been assigned to join the team investigating the suspected hostile activity at the edge of the Omatikaya territory.

He nodded at her in the affirmative, hoping that had looked convincing enough.

Nimira sighed in understanding, moving closer to him. “Me too.”

“Everything will be okay,” he murmured, returning her gesture, rubbing her arm gently as he spoke.

“Aran is coming tomorrow,” she said softly, after a long pause. That was right. Aran. As fate would have it, Nimira had been nursing feelings of her own for the young warrior for many moons now, and they had bonded over their shared romantic woes.

“I know,” he comforted, sensing her anxiety. Aran had been shot in the shoulder during their last mission. While they had been relieved to hear that the arrow had failed to pierce his vital organs, their relief had been short-lived as a worrying fever had come over him, unrelenting even in the face of the array of healing brews fed to him in the weeks that followed.

“It’s too soon,” Nimira muttered, shifting closer to embrace the sturdy weight of his arm. “He’s not ready.”

“He’s a strong warrior. He wouldn’t have joined the mission if he didn’t think he could do it, Nim,” he countered gently. “He’s spent weeks now laying in the healer’s alcove, being tended to by my grandmother. She thinks he’s ready too.”

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I trust the tsahìk, it’s just, I—”

“Can’t help but worry?” He finished. “I know the feeling.”

Nimira smiled at his words. “Speaking of whom, how’s Leyna doing?”

A scowl came over his face, earning a soft chuckle from her. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You don’t have to,” she teased. “You’re here with me now, so I know the answer to that question.”

“Nim!”

“What?”

“You know what.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she said finally, patting his cheek gently. “That was unkind.”

He shook his head. “You’re not wrong. Everything is still shit.”

“You could just talk to her, you know?” Nimira nudged his side, prompting him to face her. “You can’t be pissed at her when she doesn’t even know how you feel.”

He smiled ruefully, leaning forward until the tips of their noses brushed against each other. “You always give the best advice, Nim.”

She smiled, pulling him atop her again. “I know. Now shut up and kiss me.”

* * *

Neteyam let out a strangled hiss at the stinging sensation when Olin, one of the apprentices, applied a cleansing salve to the wound on his shoulder.

“Sorry,” muttered an apologetic Olin, turning to reach for a bottle of pxir (beer). “Have some of this, it will ease the pain.”

“There really is no need for all this,” he groused, accepting the bottle. “It’s barely a graze!”

Olin tutted. “Brother, you know as well as I do that even the smallest break in the skin can result in infection. What if the arrowhead had been laced with txum (poison)?”

The mission had been a success, save for a brief scuffle with the hostiles that had led to his injury. Neteyam longed to leave the healer’s alcove, where he had been barricaded in for the last hour, being fed various healing brews and antidotes for any dangerous contaminants on the hostiles’ weapons.

But that was not the reason for his sour mood. Neteyam let his gaze turn sideways, landing on his brother who lay in the next bed, being tended to by none other than you.

He watched with growing ire as your delicate hands rested on his abdomen, absentmindedly stroking the skin there as you waited for him to finish drinking the healing brew. That’s not even close to where he is injured, he hissed internally.

“Bro, you alright?” Lo’ak looked concerned, eyes raking over his flushed face. Turning to you, he said, “Is it a delayed reaction or something?”

“I’m fine.” Neteyam said, waving off his brother. “Just tired.”

“Leyna, look him over would you?” Lo’ak chuckled softly. “He’s a stubborn one.”

“There’s no need—” His breath caught in his throat as your hands brushed against his forehead. Great Mother, he felt like a fool.

Neteyam willed his body not to react as you poked and prodded at him. “Open your mouth.”

“W-what?”

You gazed at him curiously. “So I can check for sores?”

“Ah.” Neteyam opened his mouth obediently, eyes widening as your fingers prodded the side of his cheek gently as you checked for any signs that he had been poisoned. He had had this dream before. Similar concept, slightly different execution.

“Is something wrong?” His voice came out garbled, your fingers having not ceased their intrusion. “Have I really been poisoned?”

You shook your head slowly, removing your fingers as you spoke. “I can’t see any sores and you have not sparked a fever yet.”

“I’m to live then?”

You smiled softly. “That’s right.”

The memory of your touch lingered in his mind in the hours after. His family paid little notice to his silence at last meal, accustomed to his typically taciturn demeanour. He willed himself to give into the mundanity of the next day’s tasks, to think of anything but the soft smile you gifted him before he left the healer’s alcove that evening, the feel of your delicate hands on his face, in his mouth, which only served to inspire more sensual fantasies of you on your knees before him, bobbing back and forth on his co—there he was, doing it again.

If he had hoped that sleep would subdue his racing mind, he was sorely mistaken. An hour of tossing and turning in his hammock had done little to alleviate his, ah, predicament. He was not unfamiliar with the intricacies of sexual attraction, having partaken in casual encounters of his own. However, none of his previous experiences had bred the kind of all-consuming fixation afflicting him in the present.

Growling in frustration as sleep continued to evade him, he climbed carefully out of his hammock, padding quietly across the boughs of kelutral, descending down the spiral staircase at its centre. Landing on the forest floor with a soft thump, Neteyam scanned his surroundings, relieved to find it quiet, which was unsurprising given the late hour. He glanced down warily at his rapidly intensifying problem, deciding to move quickly through the village before he was faced with another clan member. How mortifying it would be to be found in the state he was in…the olo’eyktan’s firstborn son and second-in-command nursing a rather exuberant erection….

Seeking out a tree hollow outside the gates leading to kelutral, he sighed in relief. He had found this place many months prior after evening patrol, returning it regularly when he wished to be undisturbed. As second-in-command, he spent a considerable amount of time training with the war party and leading the hunting party. As such, most of his days were spent in stifling proximity to others. It was not that he disliked his role—he took great pride in following in his father’s footsteps—but he had admittedly always preferred solitude, having been more reserved than his siblings even as children.

Sheltered away from prying eyes now, he undid the ties of loincloth, swiftly discarding the material off to the side as he reached for the length between his legs, which had stiffened to the point of causing him pain on the walk over.

Breathing heavily, he squeezed and stroked his cock rhythmically, eyes shut tight as the pleasure coursed through him in waves. Titillating fantasies of you doing things with him, to him, flooded his mind.

You, on your hands and knees, mouth full of him, eyes meeting his coyly as you bobbed your head back and forth. The soft rounds of your breasts moving in time with your hips as you rocked above him, mouth open in pleasure…breathy moans….heavy breathing…eyes rolled back in bliss as his hips met yours….

“Argh, fuck,” he cried, bracing himself against the trunk of the tree, gasping for air as he reached his peak. Slightly shamefaced, he turned to retrieve his loincloth from where he had tossed it and refastened the ties.

Great Mother, he needed to get a grip.

* * *

You were avoiding him. He was quite certain of it now, watching as you hurried past him as he headed to the back of the alcove to wash his food mat after last meal. You did not meet his eyes but he glimpsed your stricken expression at his proximity.

Frustration stewed in his gut at the present state of affairs. It had been almost a week since your conversation in his family’s alcove and you had only returned since with your family for their weekly shared meals. Hell, he was quite certain that you had been avoiding his brother as well. It was unbearable, more so than when you did not take notice of him at all.

He had replayed that conversation in his mind a thousand times over in the days since, cringing at the indelicacy of his words and your panicked hiss at his confrontation. He had ruined everything before it even began.

Sense would dictate that he give you space to come to terms with his words and leave you be. But, the pit in his stomach had grown unbearable and he longed to clear the air between the two of you.

And that was how he found himself trudging through the thick vegetation that encircled the clearing where clan members called their ikran. He had recognised Txep’s excited squeal in the distance and knew, with certainty, that you were close.

Emerging soundlessly from behind the bush, he called out, “Going out flying?”

He caught the surprise on your face as your head whipped around at the sound of his voice. “Yes, we are. What’s it to you?”

He smiled slightly at your words in spite of their hostility. Great Mother, if you knew the things that voice did to him. “Mind if I join?”

Before you could reply, Txep squealed upon catching sight of him, turning away from Pänu and barrelling into his arms. Txep was the sweetest little one he had ever seen, and Neteyam had always had a soft spot for the boy. Txep wanted to be a warrior and always trailed after him during his morning duties. His mother had apologised profusely for the boy who was particularly adept at evading his parents to find the warrior party during their morning trainings. Neteyam had waved off the apology, happy to indulge in keeping Txep entertained. In truth, he missed when Tuk was smaller and would do the same.

He saw the conflict swirling in your eyes at his question and knew he was playing dirty as turned to the boy in his arms before adding, “Txep, can I come flying with you and Leyna?”

You had a soft spot for Txep, and he knew that there was little you could refuse him. It was one of the things he loved (loved?) most about you.

With a sigh, you nodded affirmatively. He silently cheered, disentangling himself from Txep to call his own ikran.

Waiting patiently until Txep was seated on your ikran, he called you softly, willing himself to gather the nerve to say the right thing this time.

Breathing heavily, he said finally, “I’m sorry, for the other day. I shouldn’t have said it.”

To his relief, your expression softened at his words. “It’s okay,” you began slowly. “You didn’t say anything I didn’t already know. It’s stupid, really.”

“No, it’s not stupid. He is.”

That prompted a laugh out of you, thrilling him in the process. “I didn’t know you cared. I didn’t even realise you noticed my presence. This is the longest we’ve ever spoken, you know?”

Naturally, Nim was right. “I pay you plenty of attention.” He countered cheekily. “Maybe you are the one who doesn’t notice.”

Not waiting for a response, Neteyam pulled down his ionar in a swift motion and leapt up on Tìxtur’s back, commanding him to take flight, trying and failing to stifle a laugh at your surprised exclamation.

Turning away from you, he urged Tìxtur forward, deliberately urging him to fly faster. There was a place he wanted to show you; somewhere he had never shown anyone else.

Neteyam only smiled softly at the shrill sound of Txep’s excited squeals as you urged your ikran to match his speed, pretending to not hear your questions as to where he was taking you.

The landscape shifted beneath him, trees growing more sparse as they flew. Finally, he glimpsed the familiar sight of the valley in the distance, urging his ikran to slowly descend down onto the plain.

He watched with anticipation as you landed by his side, initially too preoccupied with Txep and utterly oblivious to the marvel of your new surroundings.

Finally, you glanced up, gasping as you took in the sight of the valley, vast mountaintops on either side cradling the ground on which you stood. Neteyam watched you quietly, affection blooming in his chest at your awe. You were so beautiful. It was a thought that had come to him now a hundred different times in a hundred different ways.

“It’s beautiful here, Neteyam,” you praised, meeting his gaze. He only smiled in return, overcome by a dizzy sort of elation.

Txep was instantly transfixed by the river water, with its vivid shade of lilac, running to dip his feet in the water.

Coming to stand behind you, he whispered, “He’s the sweetest little one I’ve ever seen.”

“You should see him when sa’nok prepares teylu, pounces like a palulukan, that one.”

Neteyam laughed softly. “I don’t doubt it. Tuk was much the same when she was younger.”

Wanting to speak more privately, he led you further along the riverbank, out of earshot of Txep.

“How did you find this place?” You asked, after a brief silence.

He shook his shoulders nonchalantly, explaining his evening exploits after the completion of the day’s duties.

“So, this is where you disappear off to in the evenings, then?”

Your words caught him by surprise. You had noticed.

“I pay attention,” you added, trying and failing at nonchalance.

He smiled. “So you do.”

* * *

Neteyam watched quietly from the side as members of both clans drank and caroused in the centre of the shelter below kelutral, grooving to the tune of a rhythmic drumbeat in the background.

Members of the Tipani clan’s leadership had come for a weeklong visit, culminating in the present celebration. Neteyam had spent the past week at his father’s side, tending to their visitors and partaking in negotiations concerning the exchange of goods between the clans and other diplomatic matters.

However, it was not his fatigue from the week’s duties that kept him from joining in the dancing and merriment. His piercing gaze found its way back to a particular dancing pair, eyes narrowing further as the Tipani clan’s second-in-command, Nareyo, reached for your waist, pulling you impossibly closer to his dancing form.

His fingers twitched where they held the cup of kava that he had been nursing, the increasing strength of his grip threatening to shatter it and spill its contents across his lap.

“At least give me that, if you’re not going to drink it,” a voice from his side said.

Turning at the sound, his gaze shifted to land on Nimira who was watching him, eyes twinkling with amusement at his sour expression.

“Don’t” he warned, tipping the cup back, swallowing the contents in one gulp.

“You’re being a child,” she chided, nudging his side. “Ask her for a dance.”

“Wouldn't want to take her away from Nareyo,” he said, scowling. Nareyo was slightly shorter in stature, but a striking male nonetheless. Having spent much of the last week in his company, Neteyam would grudgingly admit that the man made for good company.

“Au! They’re only dancing, not mated. You can ask her for a dance.”

“Who says she wants to dance with me?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you, and you’ve been spending so much time together.”

“That’s not true, we—”

“You hardly ever ask me to meet you anymore,” Nimira continued. “I’m much less satisfied nowadays. I should know.”

“I’m sorry, Nim, I—”

“Oh would you hush! That wasn’t the point!” She hissed, pressing her hand over his mouth to silence him. “I’ve seen the two of you. She looks at you that way.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

“She does.” Nimira, casting a furtive glance at you as the song came to an end. “Ask her now. Go, Neteyam.”

Nimira shoved his shoulder insistently, prodding him to stand before snatching the cup from his hands. “Go,” she mouthed, nodding at you.

Neteyam sighed. “You’re full of shit,” he mouthed back, not letting himself indulge in the possibility that you returned his feelings. Still, he made his way across the floor, approaching you just as Nareyo thanked you for dancing with him with a kiss on the back of your hand.

You smiled at the sight of him, hand slipping from Nareyo’s grasp as you turned abruptly from the other man to face him fully. Resisting the urge to preen at the action, he returned your smile.

“Leyna,” he greeted warmly, pressing a kiss of his own to your hand.

“Neteyam,” you breathed, eyes softening. “I didn’t see you earlier.”

“I, uh.” He hesitated, suddenly embarrassed by his earlier behaviour. “I was busy with something.” He paused to breathe deeply before holding out his hand in invitation. “A dance?”

You smiled brightly at him, slipping your palm into his grasp. “I’d love to.”

He pulled you closer as the music resumed, a slower, more relaxed melody this time. Gently swaying, he pulled you closer, unable to resist the prospect of being in such close proximity with you. Inhaling deeply, he appreciated the familiar sweetness of your scent.

His heart raced as you leaned into his embrace, settling your head gently against his chest as you moved together to the music. Take that, Nareyo.

“You must be exhausted,” you said, voice muffled slightly where your face rested against the skin of his chest. “I haven’t seen you all week.”

“Duty calls,” he said, shrugging his shoulders only slightly so as to not jostle you.

“Me too,” you sighed. “I’m grateful for their tsahìk’s teachings but she is a, ah, passionate woman. Like her son, actually.”

“Nareyo, huh.” He mused, feigning nonchalance.

You pulled back from him then, visibly grimacing at the mention of the Tipani clan’s successor. “He’s, uh, nice?”

“He’s a strong warrior,” Neteyam offered. Why was he defending him?

“He is,” you allowed, before adding softly, “A little forward is all.”

“Forward?”

“Would you call offering to make me his tsakarem forward?

His jaw clenched at your words. He had proposed marriage?

“Naturally, I accepted,” you continued, laughing softly as he blanched.

“Great Mother, woman,” he breathed, catching on to your teasing tone. “You scared me.”

You clicked your tongue. “Should I be hurt that you sound surprised? I was the last one in our class to complete iknimaya, you know?”

“Really?”

You hummed. “I was scared I’d pick the wrong one.”

“That’s not possible,” Neteyam argued. “The Great Mother guides you to your match.”

“Point being,” you continued. “I take too long to decide things. Ergo, no whirlwind romances.”

Duly chastised, he nodded. “Point taken.”

“Don’t tell my mother, though,” you added after a long, contemplative pause. “She misses home dearly and she would have leapt at the chance to return to take care of her grandbabies.”

Neteyam laughed. “My lips are sealed.”

Sighing softly, you resumed your spot against his chest, leaning your full weight against his body, letting him guide you through the familiar steps. Neteyam relished in the feeling of your soft curves nestled safely against him, wondering belatedly if you could sense the rapid thrum of his heart.

“Shit.” You tugged at his hand then, pulling him abruptly away from the centre of the dancefloor.

Startled, he spluttered, “Leyna, what are y—”

“Nareyo’s coming this way again,” you hissed, hurrying through the crowd of onlookers. “He’s going to ask me again if I’ve ‘reconsidered coming home’. Ack!”

* * *

Panting heavily, Neteyam landed with a soft thump on the mossy ground. This morning’s training had been spent practising hand-to-hand combat, a programme that had been designed by his father, a relic of his tawtute origins.

Though, if Neteyam was being honest, he was not feeling much gratitude for his father in that moment. After a gruelling morning of sparring with the other warriors, he was well and truly spent.

Gentle hands touched his forehead, rubbing the skin comfortingly. Leyna.

“Have some water,” you coaxed, bringing the paywll (water plant) leaf to his lips.

Eyes meeting yours in gratitude, he began to sip from the leaf as your hands rubbed his back soothingly. In truth, he much preferred archery and rarely partook in such trainings with so much vigour. But, you had come to watch the warriors that morning and he was only slightly ashamed to admit that the sight of you had prompted his, ah, performance.

“Who was that for?” You teased.

Caught. “No, one,” he answered evasively.

He watched as your gaze travelled over the crowd that had gathered to watch the morning’s tournament, landing on Nimira who smiled softly at him in greeting.

“Ah,” you acknowledged. “I see.”

Growing alarmed at the conclusion you seemed to have reached, he quickly interjected, “No, that’s not…Nimira and I are not—”

“It’s okay,” you allowed. “We all need a little respite.”

That got his attention. Unable to help himself, he questioned, “Who’s giving you respite?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Leyna.”

“Not saying!”

His brother’s voice interrupted the two of you. “Another round?” He called from the other side of the clearing. “You up for it, bro?”

Grimacing at the thought, he shook his head. “I’m done for the day.”

“Come on,” you cajoled, kneeling to whisper by his ear, “Mighty warrior.”

Eyes widening at the coquettishness of your tone, he turned sharply, meeting your gaze with a beseeching expression.

“It’s okay, I suppose,” you allowed after a pause, a coy smile still playing on your lips. “It’s normal for males to lose some of their virility as they age.”

Aghast, he cried, “I’m only a year older!”

It was working. You were in his head and you knew it.

Grumbling, Neteyam clambered to his feet. “The things I do for you…” he muttered, reaching for your hand to steady himself.

You giggled, stepping back from him to give the men space. “You love me,” you teased, smiling at him from where you stood with the other onlookers.

“Not a chance,” he called back. Liar.

* * *

Thrumming with anticipation, Neteyam dismounted from his pa’li, turning to address the returning hunting party. It had been a successful hunt, having brought back enough yerik to feed the clan for the next few days, with the remainder of meat from the day’s meal being cured and stored away.

“Thank you, brothers and sisters,” he called out, appraising the hunting party. “I thank you for your efforts, and I thank the Great Mother for providing.”

The crowd reciprocated his thanks, lifting prayers of their own to the Great Mother before dispersing at his dismissal. But it was not the euphoria of the successful hunt that had him fumbling with the saddle on his pa’li in his haste to leave. Rather, it was the prospect of an evening alone with you after weeks.

Caught up in preparations for the Tipani clan’s visit and the general humdrum of clan life had kept you apart for much of the last few weeks. A few fleeting glances and quick exchanges of greetings in between their duties had left him wanting for your company.

“Hot date?” his brother grinned impishly as he caught sight of his expression.

Neteyam quickly schooled his expression into one of placid indifference. “No,” he answered plainly. “Just going out flying.”

“Is that what they’re calling it now?” Lo’ak chortled, thumping him on the back. “Hope you have a good flight, then, bro.”

“What are your plans, then?” Neteyam asked, hoping to direct his brother elsewhere. Technically, he was not doing anything wrong by meeting with you—it was hardly an illicit liaison—but he could not shake the discomfort he felt when it came to sharing the details of his budding association with you with his brother.

“Ah.” Lo’ak smiled amusedly. “I’m going flying myself, actually.”

Neteyam followed his brother’s gaze to where it rested on an attractive female who blushed, nodding bashfully in Lo’ak’s direction. Seren was a good hunter, but Neteyam did not know her personally, certainly not in the way his brother seemed to know her.

“Fuck off with the flying shit,” he shot back, tone teasing. “Seren, huh.”

“It’s not like that,” Lo’ak clarified. “We’re seeing each other casually, if you catch my meaning.”

“Yes, bro, I know what you mean.” Neteyam rolled his eyes. “I’m aware of what sex is.”

Lo’ak only chortled. “Celibacy is making you irritable.”

“I’m not—what are you—”

“You haven’t been seeing Nimira, have you?”

“That’s not—stop talking shit.” Neteyam spluttered, caught off guard by his brother’s observation.

“We live together, remember?”

“That’s not—” Neteyam paused. “I’m not irritable because of that.”

“Sure.”

“Perhaps, I’m irritated because a certain brother of mine refuses to stop asking me annoying, intrusive, personal questions.”

“Ha..ha, you got me.” Lo’ak chuckled. “I’m still right about your, ah, problem.”

“I don’t have a problem.”

Leaving his still tittering brother, Neteyam turned to head for the ikran calling point near the rookery. He was loath to lose precious time he could be spending with you and worried that he had kept you waiting in entertaining his brother’s antics.

To his surprise, the clearing was empty, no sign of you or Pänu. Scanning the surrounding vegetation, he waited, expecting you to emerge any time. As the minutes ticked by, he grew more antsy, not knowing you to be tardy.

Contemplating his options, he decided to return to the village and check your family’s alcove. Skin prickling from nerves, he swiftly scaled kelutral, padding along its boughs to reach the entrance to your family’s home.

“Leyna,” he called, noting the lack of activity in the space. Perplexed, he turned a corner, sighing in relief when he caught sight of you, faced away from him with a food preparation mat before you.

You were so engrossed in your work that you did not seem to have heard his initial call.

“Leyna,” he called, tapping your shoulder to get your attention.

“Great Mother,” you screeched, jumping at his touch. “Neteyam, you scared me!”

Slightly amused, he questioned, “What happened? We’re supposed to go flying, remember?”

“Wiya, I’m so sorry,” you cried, eyes widening at the realisation. “I was just so busy—” You nodded at the mess on the food mat. “—I can’t believe I forgot.”

“It’s okay,” he allowed, eyes tracing over the food mat. “Are you making melon cake?”

“Yes, well, I—your brother saw Txep eating it the other day and asked for some so I thought I’d make some for him. It’s my grandmother’s recipe.”

So, that was why you were late. Neteyam felt a sliver of irritation at your words. He nodded slowly. “I see.”

“You’re upset with me.”

“No, I’m not.” Neteyam said, his voice terse.

“You are.”

“I’m really not,” he rebuffed, stepping back from you in a motion to leave. “You’ll need to wait to give him the cake, though.” He paused, before adding, “He’s busy with Seren now.”

“What was that?” You asked sharply.

“What?”

“That bit,” you pressed. “About Seren.”

Neteyam shrugged. “I just thought you should know his whereabouts if you were planning on giving my brother his food.”

“No,” you said slowly. “That wasn’t why you said it. Y-you—this isn’t about that, is it? My feelings—you were trying to hurt me.”

Neteyam opened his mouth, denial on his lips when he caught the anguished expression on your face. Had he really said that? To hurt you?

“This—you’re unbelievable,” you muttered. “That was months ago. I’m not—it’s not like that anymore.” You paused, breathing deeply. “Why does that even matter? Why do you care?”

In the many months he had spent with you, as your bond had grown stronger, he had fantasised, a hundred different times, of how he would confess his feelings to you. Perhaps, in the woods, where you would retreat to converse for hours in the seclusion of the thicket. Or, in the valley, during one of your trips, with you by his side, laughing gaily as you felt the cold water tickling your toes. But not this. Never this.

So, he deflected, regretting the words almost as soon as they left his mouth. “It-it’s just—it’s sad to watch.”

“It’s sad to watch?” You repeated dully, folding your arms across your chest. “Then, maybe you should leave.”

“That’s not what I meant—it’s just—I don’t want you to get hurt.” He babbled, attempting to mollify you.

“Huh,” you said slowly, unable to keep the animosity from spilling into your voice. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

“Leyna, I was only trying to—”

“Just go.”

* * *

“No.”

“Alright, then,” he acknowledged, slightly stung by her curt declination.

“I wasn’t done,” Nimira continued, grabbing his shoulders to make him face her. “Stop.” She reached for his bow, prying it from his hands and setting it on a nearby rock. “Just, tell me what happened.”

“Why do you think something happened?” He queried, not quite meeting her eyes. “Does something have to happen for me to want you?”

“Actually,” she said, eyeing him sceptically. “In your case, yes.”

“Nim, please,” he sighed. “Just let it go. You said no. I heard it. We have patrol now.”

“We also had patrol when you propositioned me, hmm?” She pushed him lightly, urging him to sit, while she knelt beside him. “Now, talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Bullshit,” she shot back. “You’ve been moody all week—”

“I’m not—”

“—by Eywa, I’m sick of it. The sullen face and the one-word answers to everything.” Nimira shook her head. “You haven’t gone running off to find Leyna after evening patrol which means she’s involved somehow. So, just tell me what you did.”

“Why do you assume it was me?”

“Simple,” Nimira said, chuckling softly. “You’re shit with girls—”

“That’s not—I’m a grown adult, I’ve had—”

“I’m not talking about sex.” She poked his side teasingly. “We both know that you do just fine there. I was talking about relationships.”

Knowing that she would not back down until he confessed, he sighed, “I fucked it up, Nim. Everything.”

“Fucked it up how?”

Pausing, he replayed the memory in his head first, wincing slightly as he recounted the details, deliberately avoiding looking at her face.

Nimira sighed when he fell silent. “Oh, Neteyam.”

“I was trying to protect her,” he mumbled feebly. The longer you held onto feelings for his brother, the more it would hurt. He only wanted to spare you the agony. Right. Right?

“That’s not why you said it,” Nimira said softly. “You were jealous—you are jealous.” Sensing his objection, she raised her hand to silence him. “Don’t deny it.”

“Maybe I am,” he allowed. “But now she won’t speak to me. I haven’t even seen her.”

“Then, go look for her and tell her you’re sorry.”

“What if she doesn’t accept it?” Dread pooled in his belly, recalling the anguished expression on your face.

“You have to try.” Her lips quirked upwards impishly. “And besides, I don’t have an opening tonight. I’m busy.”

Still languishing over his impending conversation with you, it took him a moment before he caught on to her meaning. “Wait,” he started, eyes roving over her face as she waited for him to continue. “You’re busy tonight. And you’re—” He gestured to her growing smile. “Aran?”

A delighted laugh bubbled forth from her. “It just happened.”

“When?”

She shook her head amusedly. “Maybe if someone wasn’t too busy brooding, he would’ve noticed.”

“Nim.”

“Fine,” she laughed. “We stayed back after training the other day. We were just talking and it just happened. He kissed me.”

“Oh, Nim,” he said warmly, bumping his shoulder against hers. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you,” she returned, eyes narrowing slightly. “I’d like to be happy for you too so apologise to her.”

Neteyam nodded solemnly, resolving to find you after last meal and rectify his mistake.

* * *

Neteyam padded quietly across the forest floor, smiling absentmindedly as it pulsed brightly with hues of green beneath his feet. It had taken some wheedling but he had finally managed to coax Ka’ni into revealing your whereabouts. You were praying at ultra ayomokriyä (tree of voices) and he was determined to catch you before you retired for the night.

Pushing past the clusters of bioluminescent tendrils that grew from the tree, he wandered deeper into ultra ayomokriyä until he caught sight of your kneeling form, having already made tsaheylu with the tree. His heart clenched as his gaze landed on your face, eyes closed in prayer. It had only been a week and he had missed you greatly.

Neteyam hesitated, caught between not wanting to interrupt your prayer but also growing uncomfortable, being made to feel like a voyeur. Steeling himself, he approached you slowly, kneeling next to you before gently tapping your shoulder to announce his presence.

In spite of the gentleness of his action, you startled, jumping back and severing your neural connection with the tree. “Neteyam!” You yelped, chest heaving as you took in the sight of him.

“Sorry, sorry,” he said quickly, desperately hoping that you would not send him away.

“It’s fine,” you managed, breaths slowing as your panic waned. “You surprised me, is all.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. For more than just startling you.

“It’s okay.” You moved to stand. “I should be leaving. It’s getting late.”

Neteyam shot up, reaching for your hand to stop you from moving away. “Wait.”

“Neteyam, what—”

“Please,” he implored. “Just give me a second, to explain.”

“Explain what?” You asked tiredly, still not pulling your hand out of his grasp.

“I’m sorry for what I said. It was cruel and unfair.” He paused, watching your face for any reaction. “Please forgive me.”

“Neteyam, it’s just—” You sighed. “Is that all I am? The pathetic girl who trails after your brother?”

“Leyna, that’s not—”

“Let me finish,” you said. “That’s what you meant, isn’t it? Because, if you’re only here to babysit your brother’s lovesick little friend, then you can leave. Because that’s not what I am.” You laughed ruefully. “At least, not any more.”

“No, Leyna,” he pleaded, heart clenching at your words. “We’re friends. It’s not like that.” Friends, right.

He could see your eyes softening and his foolish heart clung to the hope of reconciliation. By Eywa, he could not go another day without you, your beautiful smile and the pleasure of your company. He missed their evening flights together and the hours spent in the woods, content to engage in lively conversation as the sky darkened. Even if you only ever saw him as a friend, he would take what he could get….

After a long silence, you uttered the words he had longed to hear. “I forgive you, Neteyam.”

“Leyna, I—”

“And I don’t need your protection, okay?” You added carefully. “I’m a big girl and I’ve had feelings before.”

Wincing a little despite himself, he nodded. “Understood.”

Satisfied, you reached for his hand. “Come, let us pray.”

Relieved to have been forgiven, he smiled warmly at you, letting himself be led to where you had been seated before. Kneeling slowly, he reached for a cluster of bioluminescent tendrils, before bringing his neural queue towards it, watching as they joined eagerly. He sighed as the sensation settled, his eyes drifting shut. Tsaheylu.

An immediate calm fell over him, and he relaxed into it, feeling keenly the Great Mother’s presence around him. His mind drifted to thoughts of the Great Hunt, which was due to begin in a few days. He sought the Great Mother’s guidance and strength to allow him to lead the hunt successfully.

Cracking an eye open briefly during his own prayers, he startled, not expecting to meet your gaze, eyes trained on him with a curious expression on your face. “Everything alright?”

You nodded, with a tight-lipped smile. “Just thinking about something my grandmother said the last time I visited her.”

“What did she say?”

“Oh, that’s a secret,” you said airily, laughing at the indignance blooming on his face.

“Come on, te—”

“How did your parents fall in love?” You interjected, catching him by surprise.

“Everyone knows that story,” he said slowly, curious as to your sudden interest in the subject. It was true, though. His parent’s love story had cultivated quite an ardent, ah, fanbase. Particularly among the younger girls who could be overheard giggling over the tale. Star-crossed lovers from different species who end up together; admittedly, he could grasp the appeal of the premise. However, over the years, the details of their whirlwind romance had undergone a rather intense metamorphosis, the details changing and shifting as they passed from ear to ear. Neteyam had had to step in and personally clarify many of the details himself. No, his father had not descended from the sky in his human form, free of any breathing apparatus. Ridiculous.

“Tell me anyway,” you coaxed, nudging your shoulder against his.

“Uh, my father came here with the tawtute, with the RDA.” His sentence ended with a soft snarl; he had not said that word in a long time. “He was here to learn more about the clan to get access to the lìngtskxe (unobtanium) deposit under the old tree.”

You tutted. “Eywa, now I know why you do not join me at the children’s hut for storytelling in the evenings,” you teased. “Put some emotion into it.”

“Do you want to hear it, or not?”

“Yes, yes, go on.”

“While trying to learn about the clan for the RDA, he fell in love with sa’nok, who was training him for his initiation rituals.” He continued. “Then, he turned his back on the RDA and joined the clans to drive them away.”

“And he tamed toruk!” You added.

“Yes, he did,” he concluded, finding your excitement endearing. He wanted to kiss you.

Remembering another detail then, he added with a laugh, “They didn’t even have a proper ceremony. My grandmother never got to officiate their wedding—she still complains about it. They ran off and mated. Right here, actually.”

“It’s so romantic,” you sighed, gazing wistfully into the distance.

“I don’t think romance was on their mind.” He paused. “Sexual frustration, maybe?” He added with a grimace, not wanting to think of his parents that way.

“Wiya, you’re hopeless,” you admonished. “They came from different worlds and fell in love, what were the odds of them even meeting, hmm? It’s romantic.”

“If you say so,” he allowed, a small smile playing on his lips. “How did your parents fall in love?

“Oh,” you said, chortling. “Sempul and sa’nok met here after the first battle with the tawtute. He says that he fell in love with her immediately but sa’nok wouldn’t give him the time of the day.”

In a conspiratorial whisper, you added, “Sa’nok had feelings for someone else.”

Oh. His eyes widened at the detail; he would need to speak to your father one of these days.

“How did he win her over?” He queried, wary of appearing too eager.

“Ah, sempul likes to joke that he managed to wear her down eventually,” you supplied. “But, sa’nok says that she found his determination endearing and found him more charming the longer they spent together. But, she didn’t know if she should stay here and not return home because sempul was too nervous to tell her. She didn’t want to leave her home for the possibility that he cared for her.” You paused. “What made her choose to stay was him telling her how he felt for her.”

Ah, that. The pesky fact of a confession. He had not yet gathered the courage to share his feelings with you.

“That’s nice,” he added quickly, realising that he had been silent for longer than appropriate.

You looked at him curiously, finding his demeanour strange. He squirmed, resolving to tell you how he felt. Soon.

* * *

After much back-and-forth, he had finally been released from the healer’s alcove after a few weeks, a thin bandage at his side the only evidence of his injury. Though he knew they meant well, he had grown tired of the healers’ fretting and resented being caged in the alcove.

But, there was also an, ah, other reason for his impatience, that was, his desire for more privacy. As he left the healer’s alcove, his thoughts returned to you, as they did more often than not. The heady feeling of your lips against his had become his new fixation. In the weeks since his injury, you had been a daily visitor, sneaking into the alcove in the evenings, once the other healers had retired for the night.

He was pleased to note how little coaxing from him it had taken for you to renege on your vow not to kiss him until he had fully recovered. Though you remained painfully cautious of his injury, with every night that passed, he grew more daring in his touches. To his delight, he had come to see all of you during their nightly rendezvous in the healer’s alcove, shielded only by a wispy curtain between the beds.

Unfortunately for Olin, she had also come to see all of you, courtesy of an errant moan and untimely mishap with the curtain. She had fled the alcove with a startled yelp followed by copious laughter. You had been mortified, burying your face in his chest, insisting that you would not return until he was discharged; you came back the next night.

Now that he was no longer under observation, he was free to do whatever and well, whomever he liked without fear of intrusion. Padding quietly through the forest, he followed a familiar path to where he knew you would be.

As the vegetation thinned, he glimpsed you, on all fours, picking seeds from the ground. Pxorna seeds, he supplemented with a small smile. With the cooler season nearing, pxorna would become harder to find, which was why you had insisted on gathering enough before then. For him.

“Yawntu (loved one),” he called softly as he neared you, heart pounding in his chest as you turned, beaming at the sight of him. Setting your pouch down, you rushed towards him, pausing only as you reached him so as to not jostle him.

Pulling you securely against the warmth of his body, he inhaled your sweet scent, feeling the lingering aches in his body disappear. Leaning into his embrace, you burrowed into the crook of his neck.

“Did everything go okay?” You murmured, voice muffled where you were pressed against his skin. “Was the tsahìk upset about letting you leave?

“My grandmother? She wasn’t happy about it but she agreed.” He laughed softly before adding, “Olin was quite supportive, though.”

You pulled back, eyes widening at the implication. “I would hit you so hard right now if you weren’t still recovering.”

“You love me,” he crooned.

“That, I do,” you allowed, raising yourself on your toes to press your lips against his. He returned the kiss with equal fervour, hands trailing down your back to grip your hips to pull you closer.

“I need you,” he murmured against your lips. “Now.”

The seclusion of the thicket bolstered your confidence and you responded by pulling away to untie your chest covering, letting it fall with a coy smile.

Neteyam groaned at the sight of your bare breasts, reaching to palm them when you slapped his hands away, nodding meaningfully at him. Recognising your meaning, he acquiesced, reaching for the ties of his loincloth, letting the material fall from his hips, landing carelessly on the forest floor.

Turning you gently, he pulled your back against his chest, nestling his chin in the crook of your neck while he inhaled deeply. The scent of you was intoxicating and made him want you even more. Trailing his lips down the soft skin of your neck, relishing the litany of moans and sighs that slipped past your lips at his gentle ministrations.

Placing a hand on your belly, he pulled you firmly against you, letting you feel how much he wanted you. His other hand rose to cup the soft skin of one breast, fingers brushing over your nipple which pebbled interestedly under his attentions. “Oh, Neteyam.”

Growing impatient, he bent down to scoop you in his arms and lay you against the mossy ground. “Neteyam,” you cried in alarm, hands reaching for his bandage-covered side. “Your wound—”

Pressing his lips firmly against yours, he assured, “I’m okay, yawntu. It’s okay.”

“But, you need to—”

He silenced you with another searing kiss, smiling as your complaints slowly morphed into sighs as he deepened the kiss. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Good,” he returned, smiling impishly as he reached for the ties of your loincloth, undoing them swiftly before discarding the material off to the side. The pungent aroma of your arousal flooded his nostrils with its tantalising scent.

Encouraged by your breathy moans, he reached down to trail his fingers gently between your thighs, smiling against the skin of your breast as you cried out at the action, grinding your hips against his hand.

“Impatient, are we?” He teased, trailing his fingers deliberately around the sensitive bundle of nerves above your entrance, enjoying the way you writhed against him.

“Neteyam.”

Watching your reactions carefully, he slowed his motions to dip his fingers lower, breaching you gently with one, then two fingers, the ache between his legs growing more insistent at the feeling of your tight warmth around his fingers.

Setting a familiar rhythm, he pumped his fingers steadily in and out of you, eyes trained on your face. You were especially stunning in the throes of ecstasy and he leaned down to kiss you gently as his fingers continued their motion between your legs.

Feeling a telltale clenching of your walls against his fingers, he urged you with sweet words whispered against the delicate tips of your ears. “You’re so beautiful…I love you so much…you’re perfect…come for me, my love….”

With a strangled cry, you came around his fingers, hands flying to grip the skin of his back as you rode out your high. Leaning down to nuzzle against the skin of your breast, he murmured, “You drive me wild, my love. I just want to be inside you.”

He felt you pull him upwards to kiss him again. “I’m ready,” you murmured softly in between kisses.

Eager to be inside you, he pulled back, gripping his cock firmly, nudging it gently against your entrance, leaning forward to—

“Wait,” you cried suddenly, hands reaching to steady his hips. “You shouldn’t—your wound—”

“I’m okay,” he assured again, brushing his free hand gently against your cheek.

“I know,” you muttered apologetically. “I just worry. Wait.” You pushed against his chest, prodding to him to lay on his back. “Let me,” you explained, his eyes widening in his realisation as you clambered on top of him, seating yourself deliberately against his straining cock.

Not opposed to the change of position, he gladly acquiesced, bringing his hands up to grip your hips gently, guiding you into position, skin prickling from sheer pleasure as the head of his cock settled into place at your entrance.

“Are you okay? Are you in pain?” You queried worriedly, casting a wary glance at your bandaged site, scooting imperceptibly further away from it.

“I’m fine,” he repeated, shifting his hips against yours, endeared by your worry but also impatient to be inside you.

Gasping at the movement, you nodded, sinking down the length of him slowly until he was fully inside you, sighing in unison at the miraculous sensation of being joined this way.

“You feel so good, yawntu,” he sighed, eyes rolling back as the pleasure overwhelmed his senses.

Cracking open an eye as you starting rocking above him, he groaned at the titillating sight before him.

…the soft rounds of your breasts moving in time with your hips as you rocked above him, mouth open in pleasure…

…beads of perspiration rolling down your bare chest as you moved against him…

…breathy moans….heavy breathing…eyes rolled back in bliss as his hips met yours….

The line between his fantasies of you and reality blurred as his pleasure intensified. Eager for you to reach your peak before he lost control, Neteyam ramped up the pace of his hips, grinning at your startled cry at the shift in pace, which quickly dissolved into louder moans as you relished the increased friction between your bodies.

With a loud cry, you climaxed around him, the insistent clenching of your walls around him pushing him over the edge. Gasping at the sheer force of his pleasure, he clutched you closely against him as his peak washed over him.

With a quick press of your lips against his, you shifted slowly to lay by his side, still facing him, an impossibly bashful expression on your face. He found it endlessly fascinating how you could go from rocking above him frenziedly to a blushing, stammering mess.

“I love you,” he said, reaching forward to trail a hand down the curve of your cheek.

“I love you, too,” you returned warmly, shifting slowly to rest against him, nuzzling into the skin of his chest, a comfortable silence enveloping them.

Just as his eyes drifted close, as he gave into the haze of post-coital drowsiness, he felt your lips press against his neck. Shifting his head to face you, he raised an eyebrow at the coy smile playing on your lips. “Again?”

You nodded sheepishly, pulling back to gauge his reaction. “It’s just different—we’re alone, finally—and I just want—it’s okay if you don’t—” You stammered out an explanation.

“You know I could never refuse you, yawntu,” he assured, halting your nervous stream of words. Wrapping his arms around your lithe form, he gently lifted you, settling you against his hips.

Relieved, you leaned down to kiss him. ��You’re so perfect. I love you inside me,” you whispered daringly against his lips. His eyes widened, hands reaching down to adjust himself against you until you were right where—

“Great Mother,” a voice screeched, followed by the sound of leaves rustling as their unwilling voyeur evidently began thrashing around in the surrounding shrubbery in their haste to turn away from the clearing they had been occupying.

“Olin?” He guessed, glimpsing a familiar face over your shoulder.

“I was tired. I just wanted a walk and—I’m going now! Er, enjoy yourselves!”

Stifling his laughter, he called out an apology at her retreating figure, “I’m sorry. Again!”

“No need! Have fun—ack!”

Meanwhile, you groaned against his chest. “It happened again.”

Laughing, he patted your back comfortingly. “We’ll find somewhere else—no, I’ll build you something, okay? Where were we now?”

You lifted your head up from his chest to gaze down at him curiously. “You’re still good-to-go? After that?”

He shifted himself nonchalantly against you, the evidence of his readiness pressing firmly against the skin of your stomach.

Laughing incredulously, you shifted into position. “Well alright then, if you insist.”

146 notes · View notes

ceasarslegion · 6 months

Text

I know i have a lot of teenagers who follow me because i dont baby talk to them regarding things like drugs and alcohol and sex. So i wanted to throw out some advice that still saves my ass every day as an adult that i learned to instill in myself as a teenager:

-Learn how to keep house. I know that every adult is beating job skills into you right now and its overwhelming to say to least, but no matter what you end up doing with your life, you will need to know how to cook and clean and budget and go grocery shopping and do laundry and the dishes and x y z. You will need to know how to work with cleaning products like bleach safely and without creating mustard gas by accident. If you figure that out now, you will be able to take care of yourself for the rest of your life. Those are skills that you WILL need every day in the real world no matter what.

-i want to asterix the budgeting part. I know way too many grown adults who could be doing very well for themselves who are broke as shit and actively getting worse because they cant budget to save their lives. Managing your finances is what will often be the difference between living relatively comfortably and struggling to get by.

-dont get roommates if you can help it. I know you will want to, and it will seem like a fun idea to live with your friends and like nothing would go wrong, but roommates ruin friendships. If you can afford to live on your own when you first head out, do it. Trust me, paying the full rent is worth not having to deal with other peoples bullshit taking up your living space. I learned this the hard way, dont be like me. The only people you should be actively looking to live with at the young adult stage of your life are any permanent partner(s) that might come along the way, and you should rush that either. And taking some proper time to be on your own will do you so much good in the long run in realizing what kind of person you are and what you need in things like work, relationships, life in general, etc.

-you don't need a brand new car, and your first apartment doesnt need to be high end and fancy. All your firsts for those things need to be are functional, safe, and reliable. And you will love them regardless if theyre your first car/apartment. And you dont really NEED a car if youre an urbanite with a reliable enough transit system, either. Thats more of an individual thing if thats your situation. I live in an older apartment building with a stove from a brand that doesnt even exist anymore, but its real spacious for one person, in a nice part of downtown where everythings still right outside my door, and all my utilities are included. I pay 500 dollars less in rent a month for this than my coworker who lives 2 blocks away from me and has half the space i do with none of the utilities included because its all smart tech and luxury suites in that building. You don't need all that, you will not notice the difference when you actually live there.

-no one cares about high school tier drama when you hit your college years, especially if you go to an academically-based school. In my experience at least, the schools the nerds end up at think the d&d club is the coolest one on campus. This will pass, you will be fine. The nerds really do inherit the earth after you graduate, and all those bullies really do peak in high school. The guy who was the worst offender towards me in high school now literally pumps gas for his dads gas station because nobody else would hire him. Which is fine, its honest work, but it IS a tad ironic how things worked out there after so many years of telling me he'd be my boss one day. Yeah sure, howd that work out bud

-please dont get into drugs and alcohol just to be cool. I know every adult has treated you like some porcelain doll to be handled with baby gloves regarding any sort of substance, but if you choose to partake in them, all i ask is that you be informed about the risks, you do it safely, and dont do it for social clout. Its not the substances im most concerned about there, its that when you do them for social approval, you dont know when to stop or how to listen to your body telling you thats enough, which is a straight shot to a potential addiction. Its your choice whether or not to consume drugs and/or alcohol, but its irresponsible to act like theres no real risk involved in them, especially if you have the kind of personality more susceptible to addiction. Do them for yourself, in safe environments, as cleanly as you can get them if possible, and only after you educate yourself about what the risks are and what resources there are in your area for healthcare and counseling if you do develop an addiction.

-be selfish, but dont be a dick. Your young adulthood is when you should be selfish in the sense of prioritizing your own mental health, work ascension/schooling, etc, but you can do all those things without being standoffish or disregarding other people in the process. You should be there for your loved ones if you can, but if you cant, give them the common courtesy of telling them. A simple "hey, id love to help you if i could, but i have too much going on right now to spare anything. But im always here to talk about it if you need it, ily and im wishing you all the best <3" is way better than "i cant help you right now, i have my own problems to deal with."

#some thoughts

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wowowwild · 1 year

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For my krisnix enjoyers. Pls accept my ramblings below.

Good evening. It's me, Mx. Wild. First and foremost, I don't think anyone does, but I definitely do not think they are health, just to be exceedingly clear. Also these are my mostly canon compliant musings, I have other 'if this, then that' headcanons I'm not shoving in here bc nobody has the time for all of that at once. Now, moving on.

Look, Phoenix has bad taste. Kristoph is known to make horrible decisions. Match made in a hell equivalent. Kris wants to keep Phoenix close bc he's paranoid, Phoenix wants to keep Kris close bc he's a sketchy mf (imo).

I think Phoenix would know Kris wanted something out of the relationship. Some random guy he doesn't know stands up for him and tries to be besties with him all of a sudden? Kristoph could absolutely spin it that he knew the legendary Phoenix Wright would never and he feels bad bc it was his little brother who exposed the fake and is so appalled that someone would frame Phoenix and he wants to get to the bottom of it. That's even believable. I don't think that takes away from the clear indication that Kristoph wants something out of the relationship.

And Phoenix isn't stupid. Don't get me wrong, mans is dumb of ass, but he's incredibly intelligent. I think fairly early on if not immediately he would expect that the relationship (at this point budding friendship) is transactional to a certain degree. And honestly, he would get a lot out of it, too. Someone definitively believes he's innocent and is helping him through the worst years of his life. At some point Phoenix figures out the truth, but I don't see any universe where him knowing that is immediate. There would be too much going on. They have time.

From Kristoph's perspective, he needs to keep Phoenix close and figure out what he knows at all times. Kristoph isn't stupid either, just spiralling further and further out of control. Once Phoenix begins to suspect, it's a matter of time before Kristoph suspects that he suspects. Whole lot of suspecting going on. But until then they have time.

So while they have time, they 're both putting into this relationship they have. They're 'friends'. From the outside it wouldn't look like it, but they care, Phoenix might care a bit more genuinely on purpose, but Kris would also have to care somewhat after all that time. Even if it was on accident, if someone is a big enough part of your life, even if you hate them, you start to care.

I think the type of person Phoenix is, is someone that Kristoph has not seen a lot of. Phoenix and Klavier are pretty similar, I can see him drawing some parallels, but he's not really close to Klavier at this point. I think Phoenix's true personality would be pretty disarming for Kris, he wouldn't know what to do, how to act towards someone like Phoenix. With that loss of control and stability, I can find him accidentally very quickly coming to care to Phoenix, despite also hating him. As strange as it is to say, you can hate someone without disliking them, just like you can love someone without liking them.

So taking this time, we've come to a situation where they care for each other. Depending on how long they have, maybe they've come to love each other platonically, romantically, and/or otherwise. But at some point Phoenix begins to suspect. It would be complicated for him. He doesn't want to suspect his friend of being a forger or eventually a murderer. It's hard to say exactly when those two dots might connect or which came first, but at some point he realizes these things. So what happens then?

Phoenix has learned his poker face by now, but Kristoph knows him fairly well at this point too. Phoenix can probably keep the fact that he's suspicious under wraps for a while. Even though Kris knows him well enough to eventually see through, Phoenix knows Kristoph well enough to know how to hide it. Kristoph can never get out of Phoenix anything definitive. Nothing that could be used as an admission. At this point they both know what game they're playing and that the other is in just as deep.

At this point, it would hurt them both deeply if they had fallen into a committed relationship (qpr, romantic relationship, exclusive fwb, etc.). Phoenix has to have some PTSD about the Dahlia situation, and Kristoph doesn't strike me as the type to have thought much about that type of relationship before if at all. He's honestly way too paranoid imo. I think it would cut them both deeply either way, but having someone you've committed to sizing you up like that hits a little different in most cases. (I am aroace but i've been in relationships, I am working based off of my own experiences which are not universal.)

They're out of time now. Any day the other shoe could drop. Kristoph could take Phoenix out of the game once and for all. Phoenix could find the one piece of evidence he needs to pull the curtain crashing down on Kristoph. In the end, it's the latter, but until that day they're frozen, stuck pretending everything is ok, playing their roles the best way they know how, time is standing still around them.

And then a hard rubber sole meets the concrete. That is my broad interpretation of the relationship between smarmy bitch Kristoph and shady asshole Phoenix (affectionate in both cases). I could pick all my little headcanons about this, that, and the other thing to show you, but I'll do that later if y'all want. (pls ask me questions, I would love to explore answers to them)

#kristoph gavin #phoenix wright #krisnix #ace attorney #ace's memes #ace's post #it's such an interesting concept to me. what if they DID love each other? what then?#i don't necessarily think they did in canon tbh. but if i only interacted with things that were strictly canon i would not be in fandom #they are just fascinating to me.#just want everyone to know regardless of when this spits out of queue i wrote this mini analysis at 2 am so idk if i actually did it good

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mayrine · 1 year

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Since I don’t have anyone irl to brainrot to about qsmp I’m writing it here SO here are my qsmp headcanons that have little to no proof at all !!! btw every time i quote something just know that it is from the qsmp wiki

Because Trump was very good at math and Leo wasn't, he would help her with homework (they were also best friends)

Since Trump was very shy, Leo would have to drag him to play with the other eggs but she and trump would often take brakes during playtime when trump felt overwhelmed and Leo would stay with him until he calmed down

Both Trump and Bobby are very round, almost spherical

The reason Fit spoils Ramon so much is because he is sorry for letting him die and now that he has one life left, Fit wants his son to have the best life possible even tho this is making Ramon kinda snobbish

Ramon is lazy because he is scared of going outside. He would rather sleep and stay inside then risk dyeing again. The reason he began going outside besides making his dad less worried is because of Dapper and Chayanne. But after the kidnaping he is worse then ever. Being scared to even leave his room if fit isn't besides him Because of this, Ramon and Dapper are working on a construction so they can communicate even when they're apart. Chayanne tries to help but, because he doesn't know anything about redstone, he mostly stand to the side and tries not to brake anything

Dapper was a bigger and taller egg then Leo and he would make fun of her for being little. But after hatching, Leo got his dads godly height and is now much taller then dapper and is CONSTANTLY making fun of them

Since Leonarda is dyslexic(and trump can't help them anymore) she has Dapper help her with homework and insist on paying him even tho he told her multiple times that it isn't necessary. In the end Dapper accepts the money but later he gives it to Foolish

Chayanne wants to be like his brother Techno so he dies his hair pink and often tries to talk to the other kind about anarchy before quickly getting stopped by the adults. He is very attached to all the eggs and sees them as his siblings and would do anything to protect them

Richarlyson and Bobby often get into fights before Chayanne has to break them up. After the initial rocky start to their friendship, they became good friend but still keep up a fake rivalry, but the truth is that they deeply care and admire each other. When they fight, the other eggs bet on who would be the winner with Ramon and Leo being the ones that bets the most Richarlyson is the "baby" of the group and he likes that Bobby doesn't treat him like a little kid

Tallulah, just like Chayanne, cares deeply about family. She tries to find out more about Willburs history, but is met with vague answers that don't satisfy her. She tries to learn as much about the other eggs as possible, even the ones that aren't here anymore and tries to honor them as much as she can. The reason Tallulah beanie red is because she learn that Tilins ribbon was red and wanted to make Quackity a little happier Her taste buds are fucked up because she ate dirt for so long so now she can't taste things She also writes songs about the other eggs

Tilins always wears her ribbon, resulting in it getting very dirty very fast but she still refused to take it down. Quackity has to steal it while she sleeps in order to wash it. But he also has a drawer full of identical red ribbons in case the one that she is currently wearing gets desrtoyed

Flippa is the most extroverted out of the eggs and is always daring the egg to to dangerous things. When Quackity would leave Tilin alone, Flippa would be there to comfort her because she understood what it felt like to not have your parents pay attention to you Slime and Mariana would often fight and would leave the house to cool down, leaving Flippa alone She was the elder queer of the eggs and would help them navigate there gender identity and helping them to come out

ALL of the eggs have autism. Their specials interests being: Tilin - guns, fashion Juanaflippa - bombs, gymnastics Leonarda - photography, building Dapper - reading, animals, collecting stuff Tallulah - music, history Chayanne - combat, potatoes Bobby - combat, painting Richalyson - football Trump - politics, weapons Ramon - animals, redstone

The eggs draw on their shells

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zhouxiangs · 8 months

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(2/2)

And the clearest example is how he’s aware of Way’s feelings for him, has been for a while, but not only is he very dismissive of them (picture their hallway conversation when Way is clearly emotional and upset and for the first time actually addresses the elephant in the room (which takes a lot of courage), only for Babe to be all ‘yeah I know – ugh did you have to actually say it out loud?? - but, like…Charlie! Now let me caress your shoulder while I reassure you we’re still best buds!’ or the way he reacts like it’s all a bit tiresome whenever someone else brings it up) - Babe makes a conscious choice to NOT discuss it with Way, and more importantly to NOT draw any boundaries tween them. At best he’s just being extremely careless with Way’s feelings, especially when he jokes about them being bfs, but at worst, one could argue that his flirtatiousness is in fact an intentional manipulation of said feelings in order to keep Way where he wants him, which is at his beck and call. Babe doesn’t care to look any deeper because there’s nothing in it for him – as long as he has Way by his side, adoring him, he’s satisfied. Any awkward niggling thoughts about how actually this probably isn’t a healthy dynamic and this guy needs to get a life outside of me and in retrospect it’s a little strange that I know literally nothing about him get pushed aside in order to maintain that status quo.

Now, unlike half the characters in this show, I’m capable of self-reflection: I know that I could extend some of the sympathy I have for Way due to his shitty past (and present) to Babe, and speculate that Babe’s selfishness, his need to keep Way with him even if it’s detrimental to Way’s wellbeing, is merely a consequence of his own shitty past, his fear of being alone; that his inability to deal with this situation is a result of his own emotional maladjustment at Tony’s hands. That’s all very likely to be true. BUT! Babe has the whole internet ready to kill for him, so sorry but he doesn’t need me to do the same! What can I say - I feel obligated to stick up for the underdog, no matter how much of a fucked up wrong’un said underdog might be! (Of course there’s also the entirely plausible possibility that all this is just the fault of shoddy writing - as long as characters keep repeating that this really is a deep and wholesome and 100% reciprocated friendship then we the audience are duty-bound to believe it!)

In conclusion (if you got this far - apologies!): Way is a pathetic but tragic character who didn’t deserve the hand he was dealt (but does deserve lifelong therapy), whose motivations are much more complex and heart-wrenching than many seem able/willing to recognise/acknowledge. Babe is selfish and a shitty friend, but that is perhaps understandable given his experiences. SA (and mind-fucking your friend) is NEVER excusable, no matter how awful your life or how bad your daddy issues; neither is it EVER the fault of the victim. All of these things can be true at the same time, and it wouldn’t hurt to remember that.

Your Honour, I rest my case!

P. S. Internet, please don't be mad at me! Everyone's of course entitled to their own opinion (variety is the spice of life and all that!) and the remaining eps might totally destroy this interpretation, but at the end of the day, it's just a show, and I'm just a socially anxious contrarian overthinker with a penchant for well-acted morally dubious pretty boys!

i think i tend to be more positive/look for the more favourable explanation and so my opinion on the hallway conversation (which: hurty) is that babe is extreeeemely unprepared to talk about feelings. which is funny because his friendship with way reads as very intense to me, and they’re pretty dramatic with their words too? but it’s clear babe has no experience in this area, both talking about it and feeling it, and it shows precisely in how careless he is with way’s feelings. and again, the jokes about being bfs babe i will hunt you down you cannot be this dense! please! but also i don’t think he would see anything unhealthy in how powerful way’s attachment to him is because i think, up until charlie showed up, they both acted like that with each other. (my poor way…)

don’t apologise! this has taken me five million hours to reply to but it has been worth every. second. and honestly while as i’ve just said i don’t totally agree with your interpretation of babe and his actions and feelings towards way i do think you make great points and can see why you’re interpreting something in a different way than i do. also i love to read what people are thinking. meta is my favourite thing in the world, so unless it’s something horrifying to me i am going to enjoy it lol

#pit babe #pit babe the series #asks #anon #way anon

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crystalelemental · 1 year

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"megazardx2: Oh, so you do know and you don’t like it! I actually kind of did…Guess that tracks! I was hoping things would turn out a bit different this time, but whatevs; let’s just go with the expected route! And Welp, Kieran’s plot continues into The Indigo Disk, so I hope you enjoy disliking that part, too! I’m rather salty."

Salty about the DLC, or salty I don't seem to like it? Either way, fair. There are some aspects I enjoy, but most of it kinda missed its mark. I expect Indigo Disk will do better, since it allegedly connects more to Area Zero which was the strength of this game, but we'll see.

As for the story...if you want more, it's under the cut. But I know this is going to be a point of disagreement, so it might just be fuel on the fire.

I can already tell people are going to really like Kieran. My wife really likes him. I don't hate him, but I'm not having the same response I know others are.

I do get it, I swear I get it. Day 1, your sister, who is abrasive but genuinely seems to care about you, sets you up to spend time with the new player you took a connection to, and it's super exciting! You don't make friends well and you're super excited to have this little adventure and this connection where maybe they even indicate they understand your way of thinking! And then day 2 said sister pulls you aside and suddenly they're going around without you on some adventure. And they don't tell you about having met the ogre, and they don't tell you about the story your grandfather told you about, and this person you thought you connected with now suddenly seems really emotionally far from you and you don't really understand why. And that hurts and it sucks and you're mad at them for seemingly turning on you, and you're mad at your sister for shifting on a dime from setting you up with this person to suddenly taking them for herself, and you're mad at your grandfather for not telling you the truth about the ogre that you liked. I get it. I get why you're mad, I swear I do.

Being mad at me (player character) is unreasonable. Kieran, buddy, I'm sorry you latched onto the idea that we were super best friends forever deluxe, but I have known you a total of less than 24 hours. I was asked, by your grandfather, not to spread this story, because of the chaos it could cause socially if we tried. I am an outsider. I have no stake in any of this. If I am told "it is bad for our village if we try to tell people this," I am going to then not tell anyone. Even you, person I have a budding friendship with but not any long-lasting reason to be willing to defy such a request for.

If I'm being especially critical, it's the issue the whole game has of not really wanting to engage with what exactly its characters dealt with. "They were bullied/were outcasts" is a nice broad sentiment to evoke sympathy, but I have zero context for what that looks like. What I do have context for is Team Star grunts talking about a quota for strong-arming other students into dropping out and joining them even all this time later, and Kieran being very quick to jump to the conclusion that I'm being mean to him for lying when I don't immediately break my promise for him.

I know there's a lot of feelings wrapped up in that. I know there's a history here we aren't going to be privy to. But in absence of it, he comes across as needlessly harsh toward you, in a way that's like...buddy, maybe this is why it's hard to make friends? Maybe you're putting too much expectation on them right away, and get really mad when they're not instantly all-in on your level of friendship devotion? Which is fascinating as a character study! That's really interesting and well-crafted, and I like him in that regard! But I sure don't really like him as a person right now!

Which is probably why I'm so conflicted about the Ogerpon thing. Like yeah, he really identified with the ogre, and you can feel the connection to it as a concept. So on the one hand, it feels almost malicious that all of this ends in beating his ass in a battle then catching it in front of him. But on the other hand, his knowledge of the ogre was wrong, and how much of that connection would actually go well if he's this harsh toward his friend for not sticking to him only. So there is, I suppose like usual, a reason for him not getting it. But it also feels a lot harsher this time than most others. Zinnia-esque, I would say. That's the only other time I can think of where they're so attached to the specific legend, and so ingrained in the culture of it, but it goes to someone completely outside of this culture for little reason other than "is main character."

At this point I'm mostly just rambling. The short is, I don't hate the kid, and I'm fine with him coming back for Indigo Disk if they're continuing development, because there's potential here. My response is just a lot harsher on the kid than I know others will have.

#megazardx2

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unohanabbygirl · 1 year

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Hey there, in FMN, I'm having a bit of trouble grasping the dynamic between Jace and Aegon. It's like I'm Luke in the last chapter, talking with Baela. I mean, I get a kick out of how Luke teases Jace about being in the 'closet bi' and how when he mentioned it to Aegon, he chuckled as well. Is it just me or did my dyslexia mess up my reading? But it kinda feels like Aegon's also curious about how this whole dynamic works, haha. Not true, of course, but I'm genuinely intrigued by how it's all gonna unfold.

Its fine! I understand how their whole dynamic is difficult to get a good read on so allow me to explain ☺️

What I enjoy about their whole situation is that its meant to be messy and confusing. In the past Jace and Aegon were basically attached at the hip and I would even go as far as to say they had a budding love slowly coming to the surface through their friendship that was destroyed the night of Driftmark.

Though they’ve been able to move on in current day, their friendship hasn’t been able to actually go back to the way it was the first time around like their mothers have (I’d say Rhaenicent are even closer now than they were as teens). Too many memories of betrayal and cruelty have made Jace unable to truly accept Aegon as his close companion again. Though his love for him makes itself known through everyday actions such as defending him from Aemond’s insults, batting for him in arguments and allowing him in his personal space despite acting as if Aegon is the most annoying person in the world.

Its basically just Jace being repressed, scared that if he does openly accept Aegon that he’s somehow be betraying the person he used to be. The heir to the throne and hardcore black loyalist that still lives within him to a certain degree.

Aegon knows he wants to be with Jace as a partner but hasn’t put much thought into it being a romantic or sexual partnership until Luke pointed it out to him which he likes way more than just being the annoying friend. Now going forward he has the idea of them be together with a deeper meaning but doesn’t really know how to express it in a way that’ll make Jace understand since any deep feelings and wants outside of sex are foreign to him.

There’s also a bit of tension between Aegon and Baela. They’re attracted to each other for sure, but for very different reasons. Aegon thinks she’s attractive in both looks and her fiery nature. Her will and ability to express herself without a second thought as to who may judge her. On the opposite end, Baela is attracted to Aegon because she knows how much Jace cares for him.

Its messy but messiness is expected with this sort of thing.

#asks

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bohemian-nights · 10 months

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Young Snow is definitely in my opinion still a budding psychopath (and narcissist) but isn’t completely unredeemable. It’d take a lot of self work for him to be a quote on quote “good person.” Especially since a lot of his actions (befriending sejanus and lucy) were rooted in the fact that it would bring him more power. Which is why I really liked the bit where Dean Highbottom tells him how convenient it is that he doesn’t have to choose between winning the money and saving Lucy (choosing between power or love). It also makes the scene where Sejanus dies even worse. Because in the books you get the feeling that Snow couldn’t care less about Sejanus. Whereas in the movie you can tell he cares about him. He snitches on him to Dr. Gaul but as he’s being executed Snow cries, showing he still has a bit of humanity and emotion in him. All in all he’s a really fascinating character in the way that he’s truly willing to do whatever it takes to remain in power (poisoning himself in order to poison others, killing children, and selling people into lives of forced prostitution) and that’s something that’s rare in a book. There’s no overly tragic backstory to somehow excuse his behavior, nor is there anyone forcing him into situations he’d rather not be in.

Full disclosure, outside of a couple of quotes I have not read any of the Hunger Games books so I can't comment on Snow's book characterization.

Although, I have heard that young book!Snow is a little bit more malicious than young movie!Snow(particularly with the Sejanus situation).

That being said I'm a firm believer that evil isn't born it’s made. Under different circumstances, Snow could’ve been better(if his grandmother wasn’t constantly reminding him that he had to live up to his father's name, and social pressure, or if Dr. Gual hadn’t taken him under her wing).

However, yeah he had free will. He chose to put his ambitions first over love, friendship, and even family(what he would later do to Tigris after everything she did for him was so messed up).

Ultimately Snow loves power more than anything else. He loved Lucy Gray IMO, just not as much as he wanted to be someone. In the movie, he did like having Sejanus as a friend just not as much as he liked getting back on top.

That line Highbottom says to him is brilliant. Snow does seem to only care about people as long as they are useful to him and then promptly discards them. Which was his downfall.

That and his obsessive nature, but the obsession drives his want for power. It was fun to see the makings of the villain we see in the main series. He really is a fascinating magnetic character that you can get sucked into.

Lol, I can’t take credit for this, but @nettlesdefensesquad said Coriolanus Snow was a twisted version of Daemon Targaryen. If Young!Snow chose love (like Daemon did with Nettles) instead of ambition that’s who he’d be, but if that had happened the Hunger Games would’ve looked different/maybe would’ve ceased to exist.

Analysis aside, Lucy Gray is better than me. I’m not going to lie, I’d probably miss all of the warning signs and be like Yes Daddy to whatever Young!Snow said. I mean look at him:

He’d have me hook, line, and sinker. I'm not even ashamed to admit it. For that reason, I probably wouldn’t survive the games(well I would if I was useful to him) or him, but it would be fun while it lasted🤣

Not the games. The games would not be fun. I would be absolutely petrified the entire time I'm in the arena, but the rest would be bliss☺️

#bnasks #bnask #coriolanus snow #love did not conquer all #the ballad of songbirds and snakes

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case-57-with-the-enclosure · 1 year

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Chapter 3!

content warnings on the linked post, do not proceed without reading them.

( 1 & 2 )

"That’s the first thing Grian really registers about him; his face is drawn and haggard, stress lines carved into the spaces beneath his eyes, between his brows, around his mouth. He’s paler than a skeleton, which would be funnier under different circumstances. Have you been outside for even a minute this last week? Grian would've teased him in a better life, but in this world the question stalls in his throat, buzzing and hollow. It's not like he even has the energy to voice it, anyway– it's taking all his strength just to stay upright under Xisuma's careful scrutiny."

"in a better life",,, oh the wishing for something else he's convinced he couldn't ever have. something better.

"Xisuma coughs into his fist; with one smooth motion, he slips his helmet back into place, the metallic snap of its latches catching against the rest of his suit and reverberating through the barren room. For some reason, it sets the hairs on Grian’s arms standing on end."

as someone who has a good ol chunk of Why Are You Doing This, Body Of Mine reactions to trauma- yeah that'll happen bud.

"The last time they spoke– actually spoke, not whatever happened in the in-between– the light in Mumbo's eyes had shuttered, warmth bleeding from them like an open wound. A corpse replacing the full body of their friendship, tucked in the spaces between grief and cold, hard betrayal. He hadn't said a word while the other hermits argued over what to do with him. He hadn't needed to."

this (the highlighted text) connects back to when Grian woke up and the sun was described similarly as bleeding. this contents me. :) <3

"Grian shuts his eyes against the burning memory and breathes in, then out, slow. "Can't imagine why," he says into that cavernous darkness, dry and weary. "I don't reckon I've got many friends left back h– on Hermitcraft." "

BACK HOOOMMEEEEEEEEE

"When he opens his eyes again, Mumbo is staring at him, mouth set in a thin, pale line beneath his mustache. "Well, you've got that wrong," he says, clipped. "Considering we're literally standing right in front of you." "

It really speaks volumes to TJ's ability as a writer that im this invested in an aching narrative with the SILLIEST most ridiculous-looking (affectionate) minecraft men. like imagine my eyes watering over this, meanwhile its like- his name is Mumbo Jumbo. He looks like That. and YET (no actual shade to any of it, love that, love him and the tonal dissonance creates a beautiful melody actually)

'A stab of something ugly twists through Grian’s stomach. “That was kind of the plan, yeah.”'

"The words come out leaden; this isn’t the first time today that he’s wished he was still unconscious, (...)"

ok listen this is a very serious moment but i cannot explain how fucking funny that line is to me- idk it just, caught me so off guard,, (also, been there)

"When he opens his eyes, a sliver of light is pouring through one of the cracks in the ill-fitting wall. It slashes across Mumbo’s face, painting the skin around his eyes with gold– highlighting every bruised vein, each miniscule worry line, every crease around his mouth. There’s a choice, here, lying in the space between Xisuma’s words and where he rests on the bed. An olive branch extended to unworthy hands. A fork in the broken, muddied path best left untraveled."

ok back to misery- read this and immediately, unconsciously did this pose:

"It shouldn’t sting so fiercely. He’s spent almost a full year by himself, with nothing but the hunger, guilt, and his decaying code to keep him company. But beneath that layer of cultivated numbness is a raw, scraping wound, freshly torn. It’s only now, with the solitude pouring back into his cracks, that he can admit how much Mumbo’s anger stings."

oh buddy,,,, orz

"Then Scar glances down, meets his eyes, and jumps almost a mile out of his skin. “Oh!” He fumbles for a moment with his cane, snatching it before it can clatter to the floor. “Oh my gosh– Grian.” “Hi,” Grian rasps. “You scared the bejeezus out of me, oh my gosh.” Scar presses a hand to his heart, eyes wide. “You can’t just go around startling a man like that, you almost gave me a heart attack!”

oh ;_; thats so cute and bittersweet. also i cannot just, *not* hear it in his voice

But Scar only looks at him, something both sad and knowing in the glitter of his gaze.

GLITTER OF HIS GAZE???? GLITTER OF HIS GAZE???? SHAKING YOU BY THE SHOULDERS !!!!!!!!! thats so good. fuck you /pos

The rush of dread crashes over him like a wave. From a distance, he watches Scar's lips part, mouth working around the first shape of a syllable, but the sound doesn't pierce through the static crawling in his ears. Inside his mind is nothing but the white hiss of a creeper, curling like pale smoke.

i fucking love that the prose cannot be divorced from minecraft. that its engrained into the writing and that it wouldn't be the same without it. fuck yeah

No. If nobody will listen to him, if nobody will understand the grievous errors they've made– then Grian will have to fix this himself. Walk headfirst into the gaping maw of death and make a home there; claw apart the monster with his own bare hands. Deep inside his chest, some wailing thing crumbles; he'd hoped he wouldn't have to die alone.

OOF MY JAW CLENCHED SO HARD AT THIS PARAGRAPH. ALSO "Deep inside his chest, some wailing thing crumbles; he'd hoped he wouldn't have to die alone."???? DEVASTATING.

Grian shivers, and under Scar’s watchful, fretful gaze, carefully begins to plan.

DONT.

===================================

thoughts:

the building of dread, the wavering ties of tension, its winding and its release are beautifully choreographed.

i need to be sedated.

(this was written yesterday at like 2 smth am but i fully stand by it.)

#✒️ fic dissection 🔬#as always. a pleasure to read #lost in the dark (he's got a heavy heart)

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floofsselfshipblog · 1 year

Note

What song lyrics do you most associate with Nico and Walker? Why does it fit them?

[Slams their playlist down onto the table] IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED-

I associate- 4 songs with them so far, so imma go over the lyrics from those that fit them most

For Forever - Dear Evan Hansen

“An open field that’s filled with trees/We pick a spot and shoot the breeze/Like buddies do”

“Telling jokes no one understands/Except us two/And we talk and take in the view”

Our nature boys, a majority of the fic ideas I have is just them being friends while exploring the woods TwT

“He looks around and says to me/‘There’s nowhere else I’d rather be’/And I say ‘Me too’”

Walker and Nico are each other’s first- true friends. Aside from romantic interest, they care a lot about each other and can’t see their lives without the other

“And there he goes/Racing towards the tallest tree/From far across a yellow field I hear him calling,/‘Follow me!’”

Climbing a tall tree is just very in character for them and I’d absolutely write them doing this

“I look around/And see he’s come to get me/He’s come to get me/And everything’s okay”

Walker isn’t used to having someone- be concerned for him. So knowing Nico would get him if he was hurt, makes him think everything will be okay. Even if the situation is terrible

Stupid With Love - Mean Girls: The Musical

“When I was five, I fell in love/It didn't last”

Walker had bad friendship luck…so his love luck is about the same

“I memorized a lot of pi/Because additions and subtractions and division/Would never make me feel/So stupid with love”

Speaks for itself- Walker’s whole thing is that he doesn’t get people, but he gets science. Science doesn’t make him feel like he’s doing something wrong, since it’s all apart of the process to mess up

“So thank you, math, for being there/To bring me joy/And thank you, math/‘Cause now brought me this cute boy!”

Walker’s mathematics skills are…kinda to thank for him meeting Nico. Like calculating angles won him the pool game, and impressed Nico

“Stupid with love/But I can get it/Watch this girl self-educate/I learned math so I can learn love”

Walker is sure as hell gonna learn about love and people for Nico- even though Nico probably has to research it himself as well TwT

Sunflower - Rex Orange County

Ayyy one of your suggestions-

“I don't wanna see you cry/You don't have to feel this emptiness”

Nico wants to comfort Walker- he doesn’t fully know why he’s here, but he knows it isn’t good so he’s gonna make him feel like he belongs

“I promise I'm the one for you/Just let me hold you in these arms tonight/I'm lucky to be me and you can see it in my face/Back when I fucked my shit up too many times/Why would I let myself get down in the first place”

I wanna write Nico’s view of Walker so badly and this- this is it! He cares about this snowball of anxiety and doesn’t wanna fuck it up

“And so she sat me down and told me that I didn't have to cry/Said I didn't need to get down and feel empty inside/And told me that she'll love me for as long as she's alive”

👏 MUTUAL 👏 COMFORT 👏

Sweater Weather - The Neighborhood

“Use the sleeves of my sweater/Lets have an adventure/Head in the clouds but my gravity centered”

I feel like this fits both of them fairly well- ambitious for adventure and exploring, so much it seems they have their heads in the clouds- but their goal is in mind

“Inside this place is warm/Outside it starts to pour”

They find comfort in each other. They’re each other’s happy place for the shit they deal with

A lot shorter than the others, but I had fun! Thanks a lot bud ^^

#self ship #self shipping #lackadaisy #oc x canon #nicodeme savoy #walker brightman #❄️snow in the south🐊

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paigenoelchas-blog · 1 year

Text

Feels Like Home 23: Two weeks gone

Mahri's POV:

It has been a couple of weeks since Dan apologized. During that time, Jessy and Dan continued to grow in their relationship, and where it had once been awkward, they were now in perfect sync. Dan has never seemed happier and Jessy is so cared for by him. Jake and Dan have been working very hard at building a friendship and it is good to see. Betty and Phil continue in their passionate affair, and while their feelings are getting deep, no one can deny the sexual tension that fills the air when they are around each other. It is incredible that such a terrible night at a bar led to such a wonderful relationship.

Jake and I are wildly in love, though we haven't been able to spend any time together since the amazing evening and morning we shared. Jake left after the movie. He had work the next day and knew there wouldn't be much rest if he didn't go home. Once I was able to share my truths with him and he accepted me for who I am, who I was, it was as though a curtain was thrown open shedding light onto all of the dark spaces. There is nothing left to hide from him. No places are to be kept in secrets and fear. I am ready to face and embrace everything that has been holding me back. I realize that I have nothing to lose by being in a relationship with Jake. I can only gain someone to share my life with just as Jessy tried to tell me so many weeks ago.

I am no longer afraid of losing myself in him, but between Christmas events, having friends that we want to spend time with, and work obligations, we haven't been able to share any sort of quality time together. It isn't that I haven't wanted to. That actually can't be farther from the truth. I want desperately to be in his arms and by his side. Right now, however, our lives are moving fast. Jake has his new job and he is trying to prove himself to his employers. He is also trying to earn a few extra days off after Christmas. I don't object, partially because it will do no good and partially because those days off will be spent with me, in his cabin cuddling and smooching, laughing and dancing, playing games, and hopefully more cuddling and smooching.

I also have plans for Christmas and I can't wait to give Jake his present. I've been waiting since he told me about his favorite memory with his mother.

Lately, if I have a free night, he has obligated himself to help Dan or Betty. If I have a night off, Jessy and the girls want to hang out. Now that Betty and Jessy are close I can't say no. I love those girls and how can I refuse a budding friendship between Dan and Jake? If that means that I have to sacrifice a few nights of...passion, it is worth it in the end. They are our family and we can't live without family. I think for a minute about what we have all been through and I am proud of all of us. We have overcome many things and become stronger people with more affection for each other.

I just wish Jake would talk to his sisters. Maybe I can ask him to make it a New Year's resolution? It isn't worth bringing up now, but we won't be complete until all of us are together. I would love that and they need that.

Tonight we may get the chance to be alone, something I have been waiting for. I haven't been able to stop thinking about how his hands feel when they roam my body or how his kisses sit hot and soft against my skin. I can't stop thinking of the way his fingers feel when he takes ownership of my body. Whatever part he touches belongs to him and I am a willing sacrifice.

He sends me a coffee on the mornings that he can't drop by early enough to use the machine he bought me. His morning visits have become an excuse for a very quick morning interlude allowing us to discuss our day and get in a few kisses. Sweet and caffeinated kisses including roaming hands and partial states of undress, until we realize that the day has started and our obligations outside of this house have as well.

He still spoils me by sending me letters and flowers and sweet texts, more than I ever expected from him, more than I have received from anyone. He reminds me that I should have been receiving this kind of treatment from anyone who dated me or met me. He reminds me that I am worth it. I know that he is. I know that I love him, but every day, I learn a new facet, a new thing about him that makes me love him more.

Tonight, we are picking out a tree for the cabin. In my mind, it is no longer Jake's place, but it is mine as well. I have taken to dreaming that his house is mine and that we share it, but it is a secret. I don't want to pressure him or force this relationship too fast. In fact, I have only stopped by the place a couple of times since the beautiful time we first met. That is why I love it so much. It is there that I ran to my dream and there when he held me in his arms and all of my future happiness became clear.

It is odd that I can admit to these feelings now when they were terrifying for me not too long ago, but with all of the secrets shared, I have no fear and no worries. I just have love and lust and dreams for a future. I asked him to move slowly, and now that my brain has moved past the fear and I just want him, to be with him in all of the ways that I can. I will wait for him to know that this is right.

I just hope that tonight we can take a big step into our relationship. We are picking out a tree with the group and then going to our own places to set it up. It should be a late night at the cabin. I hope that he asks me to stay as I have been waiting to be in his arms once again.

My phone vibrates. It is him. I can tell without looking. I can always tell without looking. My face lights up. I can, in fact, feel the dimples forming on my cheeks.

Jake: Hello, my love. How has your day been?

Mahri: Great! I just finished my assignments and my chores.

Mahri: I seem to be available for the rest of the evening. I wonder what shall I do?

Mahri: I guess I will just sit around and wait for some devilishly good-looking man to come and sweep me off of my feet.

Jake: What a coincidence.

Jake: I just finished all of my assignments and chores.

Jake: I don't know about the good-looking part or what the devil has to do with any of this and I don't have a lot of practice at sweeping gorgeous women off of their feet, but I can come over and try.

Mahri: Sir, you have been sweeping me off of my feet since the day you told me your name.

Jake: :)

Mahri: Baby, please come over. I have been dying to tell you something.

Jake: I am walking out the door right now, but I wanted to ask you to pack an overnight bag, in case it gets too late tonight.

Jake: Unless, of course, that is too forward. I just can't imagine sending you home when neither of us has to work in the morning.

YES YES YES! I scream out loud doing a little victory dance, in my apartment, to no one. I am glad he is not here.

Though I pause and can tell that he is nervous, which gives me hope for a great night.

Jake: I have a spare room if that is your desire, or you and I can share the couch or my bed, but I will leave that up to you. I have no desire to pressure you or make you uncomfortable

Jake, my desire is to be as close to you as possible as long as you allow it.

Mahri: I will pack a bag. See you in five. Make it three and I will meet you at the door with a kiss.

Jake: What happens if I show up in two?

Mahri: Try. See what happens.

Jake: Open the door.

Mahri: Cheater!

I open the door and Jake is there, looking the part of a lumberjack. He has been trying out flannel shirts lately. Betty told him to. One day, she walked into Jake's place and said that if he was living in a cabin, he should try to look the part and threw him a bag with a bunch of new clothes inside. The flannels were something she thought he should try out. I wasn't sure at first, but the jeans that she added make his ass look like a work of art. I can't complain, he is handsome in flannel, in a T-shirt, in nothing at all. He never has facial hair though and for that I am grateful. He had covered his face with a mask for long enough. I thought he was attractive before, but man, this outfit is something else. Added to his look was the most gorgeous smile that spread across his face.

I attempt to grab him for a kiss, but instead, he grabs me by the waist and swoops me up in his arms, carrying me to the couch. He lands on top of me, his lips pressed hard and firm against mine. His kisses are hot and full of desire, it has been too long since we have been together.

He twists around on the couch until he is underneath me, his arms holding me close. I have to pull away to catch my breath.

"Hello there," I say in a stutter. His body is flexed and tight. His eyes are intense as he runs his hands through my hair. He twists some strands in his fingers and his eyes lock on mine. Drawing his face up towards me slowly this time, he places his lips on mine once again. These kisses are soft and sweet, yet demand my respect in return. We stay this way for quite a while, enjoying the soft touches and kisses and moans when we found a spot that feels especially electrifying. His mouth moves from my lips to my collarbone, to the place where my shirt begins, and back up again. Pulling me into his lap, I can feel his excitement building.

His voice is low, it is both a growl and a whisper, "Hello, my love." He runs his hand through my hair and they settle on my cheek. "How I have missed this beautiful face and the feeling of you in my arms."

"That is quite the greeting," I say, backing away a little. If I don't stop this, we will never get a tree. Part of me wants to skip the tree and stay here with him all night, but we have been looking forward to this for so long. Besides we have waited this long, we can hang out with friends and decorate the tree and then find the time to be together in all of the ways that we want to be. I have no doubt that his feelings mimic mine on this subject.

"I did promise to sweep you off of your feet," he chuckles.

"I didn't mean literally, but that was incredible." I let him know what his kisses do to me.

"Yes, indeed it was." His hand is still playing with my hair. His eyes still locked on mine, his other hand playing near the hem of my shirt, daring his fingers to climb farther north. "I fulfilled my promise, now, what do I get for arriving early?" His growl goes deeper and he pulls my face closer to his once again. How could he keep doing this to me? It was getting harder and harder to resist him.

I managed to pull away despite the protests of some of the body parts, "Well, you cheated and I don't abide by cheaters, so..."

He interrupted me with a quick kiss, "She is a fickle mistress, indeed." He smiles.

I laugh and remove myself from the couch. " I would love to do this all night, But we have to pick out a tree and I have been instructed to pack a bag. Wanna help me?"

"Depends, do I get a sneak peek?" He raises his eyebrows.

"Depends, can you keep your hands to yourself?" I ask.

He raises an eyebrow. "Probably not," he answers.

"Good," I respond as I grab his hand and pull him into the bedroom. He catches up with me wrapping his arms around me from behind, reminding me fully of what I have been missing these last two weeks.

#duskwood jake #duskwood #duskwood everbyte #mc #duskwood mc x jake #jake x mc #mc x jake #jake donfort #jake duskwood #duskwood jake x mc #iamjake

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i-am-the-anti-christ-to-you · 1 year

Text

Gra-gra-gratitude!

Having recently gone through a somewhat life-changing rejection, I find that gratitude is so important in grounding me to the things that I have, and the things that matter the most in my life. Okay now, class, say it with me:

G - Gratitude. A bit on the nose, but gratitude can be a source of oxygen when you are gasping for external validation and comfort after experiencing emotional trauma and abandonment. In practicing gratitude, I have to take a step back, breathe, and see the beauty in the things that surround me, the people who actually love me, and the great power that is in me.

R - my Room. Not gonna lie, room. You used to be suffocating and dull sometimes, but in my journey towards self-love, you are now a sacred space of respite. After long days outside at school or with friends, I always find myself craving to be basked in the warm soft glow of your lamp, safely nested in your soft sheets, and lovingly looked over by my very expensive, very aesthetic posters. You are a safe space for me to reflect and recharge, and more importantly, for me to watch Drawfee videos in solitude and snort-laugh as much as I want.

A - The law of Attraction. This one is dedicated to a friend I made just in the start of this year, this really intelligent and outgoing dude who somehow decided I was worth sitting next to. I am so grateful that you took the initiative to connect with me, and the fact that we share such similar experiences made me realise that the world is full of wonderful people who genuinely care. You never made me feel judged, and I always enjoyed your occasional sharing of climate news and podcasts with me even though I might have been too busy dealing with a panic attack to check them out thoroughly :') We just had a deep talk and you have no idea how much it meant to me when you said that "the stars align" and "we attract certain people because of who we are". You could see my pain and my growth. Feeling rather upset that you are graduating soon and that our friendship has been brief, but thank you for taking that first step and walking into my life. I hope we can continue being friends beyond uni, and become regular yoga buds!

T - Teachers. Specifically, my mom, a brilliant professor and my lifelong educator. She has taught me everything from walking, talking, rather fascinating but ultimately kinda useless plant physiology facts, to how to love and be loved. One of the best things that came out of an objectively awful life event is that I now know I could lie on my mother's chest and cry my heart out whenever I needed to. I have been directing my love to somebody who couldn't appreciate it for so long, and it's high time I directed it to somebody who has been loving me unconditionally since I was a bunch of cells in a test tube. Only until recently, the stupid kid in me saw my mom as the enemy, a dictator who would never understand me. Now, I truly see that the woman who gave life to me was willing to give her life for me as well. My mom is the one I am most grateful to and the one I love the most on this planet and nothing will ever change that.

I - I! As in, me! I am grateful for me. I am grateful for somehow keeping it together, somehow churning out essays (albeit painfully slowly) despite all the mental noise and trauma. Firstly, I am grateful for my body... though I haven't been to the best to you, you are still standing and going and honestly, thank you for harbouring my soul. Next, I am grateful for my mind. Never stop being delightfully imaginative. The world has put you through trials and tribulations but you have never stopped fighting to uphold my consciousness. And finally, I am grateful for my heart. You are still mending, but you are staying strong and open to the world that is overflowing with love. Thank you for being forgiving as well, and allowing me to grow from my mistakes. In time, you will heal. You used to beat for somebody else, somebody we thought would be forever special. But now, you have to learn to beat for me. Steadily, and only for me.

T - Damn it why is there another T. I want to say teacher again but I shan't so I shall put... Tutors. It's NOT the same, shut up. Prof Jolene your seminar is the highlight of my week and every time I enter your classroom I feel like I could leave my anxieties at the door. And this is NOT an exaggeration because I have literally broken down in school right before your class, and your contagious energy and sincere care towards your students never failed to lift my spirits. You are a huge inspiration and have made a permanent mark on me. Thank you, prof, and other professors who have attentively listened to me and let me peek into the gorgeous world of academia.

U - Understanding. Dedicated to all the friends who helped me through these tough times, and tried their best to understand me. You know who you are. Accompanying me to cry in the stairwell while the professor drones on about nudge theory; letting me boss you around in the gym and forcing you to do drop sets and then making you listen to my sob stories and while I am a bit averse to touch and to your sweaty hugs, I am forever grateful for your self-initiated big warm hugs; skyping me and listening to me and just doing work in the background and accompanying me while I sleep at 11am in the morning because I haven't slept in days; inviting me to watch Encanto screened on a mobile government propaganda van under the stars; being my pseudo-therapist and recognising the emotional labour I have been doing... Y'all are A+ people and please continue being great.

D - Discovery. Spiritual discovery. I am so grateful that I discovered Eckhart Tolle and his teachings. And no, this is not a religion. He teaches a way of thinking, or rather, a way of no-thinking, and a way of being. His words have saved me many a times from a mental meltdown, and I have since incorporated his teachings into my daily routine. My brain is a stormy ocean of intrusive thoughts and damaging patterns, and Eckhart has taught me how to wade above the water surface by embracing awareness. I am only starting my process of awakening, and hope I can one day effortlessly be in the Now.

E - And finally, my Ex, for breaking my heart and thus prompting so much emotional, mental, and behavioural growth in me, for all the times you were there for me, for the moments when I could see a fleeting reflection of myself in you, and for the memories no matter how badly things got so twisted and painful in the end. I am happy that I can look back and see how much love I am capable of giving to somebody else.

Also shout-out to my cat, Mochi the little void piss boy who has an in-built sadness detector in him. Thank you for shoving your furry little butt in my face whenever I was bawling my eyes out.

Art by Đốm Đốm.

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quindolyn · 4 years

Text

General Relationship Headcanons || James Potter

Request: “Please can you do a general relationship for james potter? xx” -anon

Word Count: 5,835

Notes: This is kinda slow burn, I’m a little sorry. The ones I did for Remus and Sirius were not canon so this won’t be either which is a little easier because no Jily. These keep on getting longer and longer, but part of that is because Jamie is definitely my favorite marauder.

Warnings: Smut, angst, lots of fluff, dom and sub James, momma’s boy Jamie

Masterlist

You were something special

James had known that since he was 4 years old

It just took him a long time to realize exactly how special you really were

James Potter was an idiot

That would become increasingly apparent to him as he grew up

Your family and the Potters were great friends for as long as any of you could remember, meaning that you and James were practically attached at the hip

And who could blame you? He has such nice hips

The both of you are heart broken when he leaves for Hogwarts leaving you behind because you wouldn’t start until the following year.

All throughout his first year you guys write back and forth sharing every single detail of your respective days, down to the color of the plate you ate your lunch on

You can’t help but feel envious

There’s your best friend in the entire world, in fucking Scotland

Making new best friends

When the next year rolls around and you get to finally join James on the Hogwarts Express you want to hate Sirius and Remus

You really do

But how can you? They’re Remus and Sirius

You guys spend the entirety of the train ride laughing and talking and the other two boys tell you embarrassing stories from the year prior about James

When they hear your nicknames for him (Jamsie, Jamie, J), they make fun of him relentlessly

He calls you an assortment of cheesy nicknames too but his favorites, before you guys get together, are “Sweetheart”, “Sunshine”, and “love”

If you get sorted into Gryffindor James screams his head off for you, making room for you to sit next to him at the table in the Great Hall, opposite Sirius and Remus.

If you’re in a different house then James gets sad, really sad, like that night he cries into his pillow and Sirius has to climb into bed with him to give him hugs and tell him that its okay even if the two of you are in different houses. That doesn’t have to affect your friendship if you don’t let it.

The next day James would find you before you got to the Great Hall and engulf you in a hug in the middle of the corridor, not caring that there were people streaming past the two of you in either direction.

“We’re gonna be friends forever right (Y/N/N)?”

“I hope so Jamie.”

Even though you’re in different classes and potentially different houses you guys are around each other all of the time

You sit with him and the other boys at their place at the Gryffindor table

They sit with you in the library

And by the end of your first year you’re having sleepovers in their dorm

You sleep in James’ bed of course and Remus and Sirius do. Not. hesitate. To mock you relentlessly

“You and your girlfriend getting comfy over there Jamie?”

“Go to hell Siri, let me cuddle James in peace!”

These jokes continue through your years at Hogwarts and you and James take them in jest

As you guys get older the physical affection you share never dwindles

After someone made a crude comment in the hallway about the two of you he talked to you making sure that you were okay with the arms he would throw over your shoulders, the arms wrapped around you waist, the kisses to your forehead before he left the Great Hall for class, holding you in his arms in the Gryffindor common room as the two of you drifted to sleep.

You assure him that its okay, that its not weird because you guys have been best friends since forever and that you love how affectionate you are with each other

You don’t start to realize you feelings for James until he starts pining after Lily, you don’t know what you have until its gone, right?

Watching him stare at her in the Great Hall

Writing her little notes that even though he’ll go up and ask her out in front of everyone, which you’re not too fond of either, he’s too shy to actually give her

Listening to him go on and on about her, her hair, the cadence of her voice, the beautiful color of her eyes, how intelligent she is, and on and on

Sirius picks up on this instantly

And he does not hesitate to make fun of you for it all the time, obviously not enough for James to pick up on it because he’s a prick not a complete asshole, but still enough to make you blush uncontrollably

You can’t say anything to him though because he’s your James and there’s absolutely no way that he returns your feelings, you’re like a little sister to him

So, much to Sirius’ chagrin, you swallow your feelings and sit there by James, trying to listen to Remus as he tries to explain to you your Charms homework while James watches Lily on the other side of the Common Room laughing with Dorcas and Marlene

And a little piece of your soul dies

The summer between your third and fourth year, his fourth and fifth, you were excited to finally have your Jamsie back to yourself again.

It went without saying that the two of you would alternate between each other’s houses over the summer

There would be no Lily Evans to distract him

No exams to stress over

Just you and James at the Potter estate, exploring the woods that, in all honesty, didn’t change all that much from summer to summer, and swimming in the bioluminescent pond on the edge of the Potter property, simply floating next to each other on your backs, one of his hands grasping your forearm, making sure you didn’t float too far away from him

But apparently this year it didn’t go without saying.

Instead, a mere month before the end of the term, James regretfully tells you that he and his family are going to Spain for the summer to be with his aunt who lives there and he really wants to take you but its the entire summer and his parents nixed it

“I’m so sorry sunshine, I really want to take you but-”

“It’s okay Jamie, I get it if you could you’d take me, but you can’t so its fine. I’m not going to hold it against you.”

And you can tell that he’s genuinely upset about it but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt any less when you hug him goodbye at King’s Cross knowing that unlike years prior you weren’t going to see him in a few days.

You spend a good chunk of the summer wallowing, not necessarily because your crush isn’t there with you but because your best friend isn’t

James writes you every day just like he did during his first year at Hogwarts but its not the same because you can’t see him

You can’t hold onto his arm when you’re tired and set your head on his shoulder

So when September 1st rolls around and you finally get to see him again you’re down right giddy

But on Platform 9 ¾ you’re looking for a wiry, lanky boy, with a nose a little too big for his face, and a squeaky little voice

Not the 6 foot man who approaches you, with broad shoulders and budding facial hair along his jawline.

“Sunshine!”

Oh holy shit

His voice

He no longer sounds like a dog toy, a very cute dog toy but still

You must admit that you’re a fan of the change, as the word leaves his lips you imagine resting your head on his chest and feeling the vibrations as he spoke with whomever

Its not a single day that you’re back at Hogwarts before James is fawning all over Lily again and you’ve had enough of it

You’re not going to let yourself to keep on pining after a boy who doesn’t love you

Not even doesn’t love you

But loves someone else

Sirius finds you a couple weeks into the school year, sitting with your back against a wall in an empty corridor trying to hold in your tears.

“What’s wrong, love?”

“I-I can’t believe I let myself fall for him. I’m an idiot Si!”

Sirius holds you in that hallway, rocking you back and forth while he murmurs to you that James is the idiot, not you, and that you deserve so much more than him

He helps you concoct a plan to get over James, he pitches to you going out on a date with someone else

Doesn’t have to be anything all that serious, just something to get your mind off James and remind you how hot you are, and how many people are lining up for you to give them so much as a moment of your time.

It doesn’t take too much on Sirius’ part to get you to agree to let him set you up

His name was Sullivan, he was in your year, a year younger than Sirius, with sandy blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes

Sully, as he insisted you call him, took you for a butter beer at the Three Broomsticks

You had a good time, Sully was smart, and attractive, and you and he shared similar interests

And all though he was lovely, and he insisted you were too, the both of you agreed that you would be better off as friends

You spent more time with him in the following weeks and less with James, Sirius, and Remus

The latter two were very happy that you were trying to move on because watching you stare at James was a little sad

James is confused, and hurt, and jealous

Though he adamantly refuses to admit that last one

Instead he just watches you. All. Of. The. Time.

To the point where if it wasn’t James it would be disturbing

And even though it is him it gets touch concerning

Sometimes before you go and sit with the Marauders at their spot in the Great Hall you’ll stop by where Sullivan sits with his friends and give him a smile, talk for a few minutes before hugging each other and walking away

It made James’ blood boil

Who did this kid think he was, you were his best friend he didn’t get to just waltz in and take you, or Godric forbid date you

One day you’re sitting outside with the boys when you see Sullivan on the other side of the court yard, excusing yourself you walk up to him and chat for a couple minutes before Sullivan’s face goes pale and there’s a shadow looming over you.

James throws an arm around your shoulders, tugging you into his side while extending his hand to Sully

“Hi, I’m James, (Y/N/N)’s best friend.”

James is standing there with you guys maybe 2 minutes, being the most passive aggressive petty person he could possibly be, dropping not so subtle hints about his distaste for Sully before he’s tugging you back to the tree where Siri and Remmy still are, their hands resting dangerously close to each other’s

“What the fuck James!”

He plays dumb because if there’s one thing James Potter is good at its being an idiot, but eventually he relents

“I just don’t like the way he looks at you, it's like he’s trying to get into your pants!”

You start cackling

Borderline manically

“You’ve got to be kidding me James we’re just friends!”

Sirius being the eternally helpful human being he was added in his two cents, “Maybe you’re projecting Potter!”

And the laughing stops

James goes beet red, you feel all the blood drain from your face before collecting yourself and murmuring a quick apology before racing off for the castle

You and James don’t talk for 2 days

It's the longest either of you have gone without some form of communication

You’re both so embarrased and you don’t want to hear James tell you that he doesn’t actually like you and that it was just Sirius being an asshole

Of course he would say this to make you comfortable but that’s not what it would do

It would crush you

You don’t have classes together so it's easy to ignore him there, and if you’re in separate houses it's even easier

Meals

Now that’s a different story

You can’t just eat somewhere else and the prospect of facing James after what Sirius said has you running for the nearest toilet

So you scrounge up what you can in the kitchen after meals

It kills James that he’s only seen you on the other side of the courtyard or disappearing behind corridors

You’re supposed to be his Sunshine, he can’t stand that you’re hiding from him, he misses you so much

And at first he’s a little angry when you don’t sit with them at meals, but after scanning the Great Hall, he realizes you’re not there

His stomach drops, have you not been eating?

So dinner the second night he collects a plate for you with all of your favorite things and determinedly sets off for your dorm, balancing a plate in one hand and a glass of pumpkin juice in the other

He has to knock on your door with his foot

“Jamie, what’re you doing here.”

He gently pushes past you letting himself into your room to set the plate and glass on your desk

“You haven’t been eating.”

And despite yourself your heart flutters, because he’s right you haven’t been eating as much as you should’ve not wanting to get caught in the kitchens you only swiped what you could easily get your hands on

But then you have to remember, it's because you’re basically his little sister, not because he reciprocates your feelings

“I’ve missed you Sunshine.”

And you lose it

“Stop! Stop it Jamie I can’t take it anymore, you can’t keep calling me Sunshine and Sweetheart and Love and cuddle with me on the couch and then turn around and declare your undying love for Lily fucking Evans. I can’t do it anymore! I like you, differently than you like me and I can’t do this anymore!”

Poor Jamsie has never felt like more of an absolute asshole

You’d be lying if you said you didn’t revel just a little bit in the look on his face, didn’t feel a little triumph that maybe he felt even a fraction as bad as you did.

He’s an idiot and he realizes it

You’re both very quiet for a minute before he walks up to you so that you’re a mere inch from him before he gulps and leans down to press his lips to yours

“I’m an idiot.”

“Yes you are.”

“But I’m your idiot, right?”

“Always Jamsie.”

It's not as though much changes between the two of you on the surface once you’re together

You’re a bit more touchy feely with each other, kisses usually pressed to foreheads or temples often find themselves brushing at the other’s lips

He holds your hand a lot more freely now and more often than not it will end up clasping your thigh under the table in the Great Hall, or after having pushed your chairs together in the library so they touched

When you curl up together in the Gryffindor common room his hands find their way under your shirt, lightly tracing the skin of your stomach, pressing kisses to the junction where your neck meets your shoulder

His arsenal of nicknames expands impressively

Angel, darling, beautiful, gorgeous, poppet, pretty girl, mine

And he’ll add the occasional my before the word “love”

You already slept over in their dorm room every other night before you and James got together but now it's more of a nightly occurrence

Especially the day before a Quidditch match, James insists that he sleeps with his lucky charm, says you keep him calm

You cheer the hardest for James at his matches, bar maybe Sirius

Even if you’re in a different house you sit with Siri and Remus in the Gryffindor stands and get all decked out in red and gold

Now that you’re his he has no problem with Sullivan, he trusts you and by extension he trusts the people you trust

You’re touched one day, early on into your relationship, when Lily comes up to you in the Great Hall and tells you that you didn’t have to tell James to tell her that he was sorry for being a prick and not taking no for an answer.

You don’t tell her this but you didn’t ask him to do anything

James is just a good person

He also has an abundance of money and little impulse control

He’ll buy you literally anything he sees that reminds him of you, or if he remembers you bringing up that you wanted or needed it

He likes buying you jewelry because you can wear it more often than you could say the same dress or blouse

That’s not to say that he doesn’t buy you clothes too, he has all of your sizes memorized and knows whether you wear normal/petite/tall

James Potter will buy you pads/tampons/whatever product you use

He’s a man not a little boy and he doesn’t give a flying fuck if someone makes fun of him for it

One day Lucius calls him out for it and Jamie is just not having it

“You have no clue where the clit is or what to do with it do you Malfoy?”

He’s always helped you through your periods so now that you’re together he’s just more liberal with his touch because he knows how much you love it

He knows how to do basic hairstyles and such because he watched his mom when he was a little boy and watch your mom do your hair too

If your hair requires special treatments and hairstyles he will write to your mom, asking for her to teach you because he loves your hair and wants to be able to help you, like imagine sitting in his bed while he puts braids in your hair following the instructions your mom sent him

Speaking of families when he tells Euphemia you two are together (which he does as soon as he leaves your dorm that night) she literally screams

Fleamont was worried that she was being attacked

But the next day at breakfast you get a letter from Euphemia stained with dried tear drops as she poured her heart out to you, telling you how much she loved you and that if her son ever broke your heart you were to go to her immediately and she would deal with him for you

The year you finally become boyfriend and girlfriend is the year you all become animaguses

James tries to argue with you, insisting that you shouldn’t do it because it's dangerous and he doesn’t want you getting hurt

Your rebuttal is that isn’t it just as dangerous for him? And if you’re not doing it neither is he and that leaves Sirius which just wouldn’t end well

He’s so proud of you when you transform for the first time, he gets so distracted watching you that he forgets where he is for a moment

That summer, unlike the one previous, you and James spend all of your time together

You spend the entirety of the holiday at the Potter estate doing all the things that you and Jamie used to do when you were younger, only this time its better

Instead of being childhood friends you’re each other’s

You can kiss him, and hold his hand, and he can lift up your hair to kiss the back of your neck

Euphemia lets you guys sleep in the same bed but before that she sits the two of you down and gives you the talk

“Now (Y/N), I don’t know if your parents have ever discussed this with you but if you two are going to be sharing a bed I think it's important we go over it.”

There’s so much blushing and whining from James

“Muuuummmm.”

One night you guys are lying on the floor of his bedroom wearing the absolute bare minimum because it was so hot and humid out when you pitched the idea of going skinny dipping

James is hesitant at first because he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable

But you insist that you’re fine and point out to him that it was you idea not his

Being the gentleman he is when you strip by the lake he looks away making you laugh

When you turn him to look at you his jaw drops

You’re even more gorgeous than he could’ve ever imagined

It's dark out but the light from the lake allows you to drink in your figure

He blushes so much you’d think that he was the one naked

When he does strip too he grabs you and jumps into the water, you guys are all over each other, running your hands up and down his chest, his hands are supporting your bum while your legs wrap around his waist

You have sex that night, for the first time, he was very gentle with you and holds your hand when he breaks you hymen and if you cry he kisses away your tears

“Do you wanna stop baby? Does it hurt too much? We can stop.”

James is one of two things depending on your preference

We have soft dom!James and sub!James

I personally appreciate a healthy mix of both

Starting with soft dom!James, he would be so gentle with you

Also very firm though, if you broke any of his rules he would not hesitate to punish you

He’s a thigh man through and through

Doesn’t matter if we’re talking dom or sub, the man lives for your thighs

Which makes his favorite form of punishment laying you across his lap to spank you, but most of the time his blows land on more of your thighs than they do your bum

He makes you count as he spanks you too and after every blow you have to thank him

“One! Thank you Daddy!”

And if you ever call him James instead of Daddy during sex he’ll stick his fingers in your mouth and make you choke on them, kissing away the tears that fall from your eyes, “S’okay baby, you’re okay. Can you do this for me? Can you take my fingers like the good girl I know you are?”

He loves taking you up against a wall, especially in the locker rooms after a Quidditch match

Shower sex is one of his favorites, thinks you look absolutely gorgeous, soaking wet and moaning for him, not to mention he get’s to fuck you up against the wall

This is the point in the headcanon where I urge you all to go read the blurbs by @randomoutsiders where Remus and Sirius teach James how to brat tame you, she captures his essence perfectly

He loves to blindfold you, he likes the little jump he gets out of you when he touches you

He gives you the most condescending mocking smiles

What comes to mind is the first time he makes you squirt, he’s so proud of both himself and you

“Good girl, look at that, look at how much of a mess you made for me angel. So pretty, good job.”

He then proceeds to lick the mess you just made off of you

He loves buying you lingerie

He likes it in a deep red and black

Loves ripping it off of you, absolutely adores it

After care with him would be so soft and sweet, he loves taking baths with you so he can clean you up and kiss all the places he left bruises while he murmurs to you about what a good girl you were and how proud he is of you

One night he tells you that if Godric forbid the two of you ever split up and you’re with someone else that after care is necessary and that you’re precious and deserved to be treated as such

He treats you like a goddess

Sub!James is just as precious

He’s also my current obsession so stick with me here

He’s just so eager to please, always wanting to make you feel good and not even caring all that much if he gets off himself

Just so centered around making you feel good

He calls you “Mommy” and I will not be accepting criticism

I feel like “Mistress” is too impersonal if that makes much sense

The former is just so intimate and James wears his heart out on his sleeve

James is rarely if ever a brat, usually when he’s disappointed in himself and he takes it out on you and you have to remind him how to be a good boy

And the rest of the time when he breaks a rule it's completely on accident and he’ll come to you and tell you about it to apologize

He feels so guilty, like he’s failed you

Especially if he touches himself without your permission, it's almost enough to keep him from doing it but he’s still a horny teenaged boy and can’t help himself sometimes

Most of the time though you’ll end up with a horny James knocking on your dorm door begging you to help him

He prefers giving you head than you giving him head

That’s not to say that the visual of you on your knees with his cock in your mouth isn’t appealing, it most certainly is

He just loves that he can make you feel that good with just his tongue

James also loves how you taste, tells you it’s better than candy

Which makes you smile like an idiot

Will finger you under the table in the library if you ask him to, it's not like he was paying that much attention to his homework in the first place, and even if he had been you are without a doubt more important

Loves it when you ride him

Absolutely adores it, he loves the way your tits bounce which is why he prefers cowgirl to reverse cowgirl because he can keep his hands on your tits and on your thighs

He asks you for a cock ring, loves that you get to decide when he gets to cum

Extra points if its a vibrating one

With his consent of course, you tie him up and make him watch while Sirius and Remus fuck the living day lights out of you, barely paying him any mind while you scream for the cocks of his two best friends

He likes being tied up in general allowed to look and only look

The first time you peg him he almost cries it feels so good

And you take his sniffling as a sign he doesn’t like it and that he’s hurt, he has to explain to you that that is not it and “You make me feel so good Mommy.”

His whimpers and moans are the most precious things and he’s very vocal

Screaming your name and begging you to cum

He is not shy to beg you

To cum

To make you cum

To get to so much as look at you

Baby boy has absolutely no shame

I especially like sub!James because he’s such a cocky asshole 90% of the time but he’s also the kindest, most considerate soul and he spends so much of his life helping others that sometimes he just wants you to be in control

Regardless of sub or dom James you were making out on his couch that summer, your hands in his hair, his fumbling with the clasp on your bra when there was a pounding at his front door

He makes you stay where you are because he doesn’t want you to get hurt but its just Sirius

Well not just Sirius

He was bloodied and broken and looked like he’d been to hell and back

When he told the two of you what happened, how he’d been disowned and had nowhere else to go, while Euphemia tended to his wounds James engulfed him into the biggest hug and they just sit there, Sirius crying into James’ chest while James ran his hands up and down Sirius’ back whispering to him about how it was going to be alright that he was safe, that no one was ever going to hurt him again.

About 2 or so hours after you’d all retired for the night, you and James snuggled together in his bed you awoke when the door to his room creaked open

There was Sirius, with tears streaming down his face, his bottom lip wobbling

After untangling yourself from James you walked over to him, taking his hand in yours and leading him over to the bed

“James, scooch over.”

“Huh?”

“Scooch!”

When he opens his eyes and sees his Sirius standing there, bashfully ducking his head he quickly moves over and you and Sirius settle into the bed with him in the middle

You and James pet his hair hold his hands while you tell him how much the both of you love him and how you’re never going to let anything bad happen to him again

You fall asleep that night with James spooning Sirius from the back and you with your body curled into Sirius’s front, his head resting on your chest

When you go back to Hogwarts you often end up in this position in their dorm room only add Remus into the mix

You’re a year behind all of them at school meaning that when they graduate you’re still stuck their for a whole nother year without any of them

And it nearly kills all of you

You and James most, though you write to each other every day it's still not the same as him actually being there with you

When you get particularly desperate to see him he apparates to Hogsmeade where he becomes Prongs and meets you in the Forbidden Forest where you basically just spend the entire time holding each other and telling the other how much you love them

He cries at your graduation, full on blubbers

“That’s my girl!”

Insists that you look better in your graduation cap than anyone else

Doesn’t relent when you tell him how ridiculous that is

You guys move in together as soon as you graduate, it’s barely even a discussion because you guys can always tell what the other is thinking

“Hey babe, do you wanna-”

“Yeah Jamie, when you wanna go look at apartments?”

He loves going shopping for your apartment, he has so much fun looking at color swatches and different fabrics

He insists that you guys decorate at least part of the apartment in Gryffindor colors

Wolfstar lives down the street from you guys and you have biweekly coffee dates together at a little coffee shop in between your two houses.

After a year or so you realise that you and James still aren’t married, and you get very self conscious

Does he not want to spend the rest of his life with you?

Does he not love you as much as you love him?

It completely eats you up

And James can tell that something’s up

When he asks you you confess your worries to him and his heart breaks

He never wanted to make you feel like he didn’t love you

Because of course he loved you

You were his everything, you were his Sunshine

After telling you all of this he goes rummaging through his drawers looking for something

That’s how you find him when you wake up to him accidentally dropping something results in a loud bang

“Jamie? Are you okay?”

When you find him he’s standing bashfully, blushing with his head down, his hands holding something behind his back

“James?”

And that’s when he gets down on one knee and pulls the small velvet box from behind his back

“This isn’t how I wanted to do it darling, but I spend every single day thinking about you, you’re the first thing I think of in the morning and I fall asleep with you in my arms thinking about how much I love you and how I don’t know if I could live my life without you. I’m so sorry if I’ve ever made you feel differently, I can’t believe I was enough of an idiot to ever hurt you, in any way. Even though I most certainly don’t deserve you, would you do me the honor of making me the happiest man alive and marrying me?”

Euphemia plans your wedding with the help of Sirius

They go all out

There may or may not be a life size ice sculpture of you and James per Sirius' request

Married life is absolute bliss for the two of you

You wake up every morning with that ring on your bedside table (do people sleep in their engagement rings and wedding bands? I’m a child of divorce whose parents are both children of divorce, true love is a foreign concept) to remind you of the beautiful man beside you

Both sub and dom James go absolutely wild on your wedding night, he can’t believe your Mrs. Potter, that your his

Its that night that you pregnant

Though you don’t know it for almost 2 months

James is the best husband

He carries you everywhere, even when you’re not showing

And he can because fuck that man is strong

He’ll carry you upstairs at night and down them in the morning and to the sofa

You can only move by yourself when he’s not looking

James is really good at puzzles and putting things together so it takes him less than 2 hours to put all the furniture together for the nursery

Which he insists you paint yellow, the color of sunshine

One of the first things he buys is a little Gryffindor onesie for your baby

When he comes James has him in it all of the time

When you go into labor he’s very calm and collected

Euphemia is there to help the both of you because that’s the person he first called when you had your first contraction

He holds your hand the entire time, kissing you, and coaching you along, telling you how good you’re doing, how proud he is of you

He cries when he first sees his son, he’s so beautiful

Even though he’s basically the spitting image of James, Jamie swears that he looks so much like you

Once the doctors and nurses leave the room he climbs into bed beside you, throwing and arm over your shoulder as you cradle your little boy in your arms

“He’s beautiful Jamie.”

“Just like his mother.”

tagging: @randomoutsiders @weasleyposts @kittykylax

#harry potter headcanon #harry potter headcanons #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter fanfic #marauders headcanons #maruders smut #marauders fluff #marauders x reader #marauders angst #james potter #james potter x reader #james potter headcanon #james potter fluff #james potter angst #james potter smut

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down-in-devildom · 3 years

Note

Idk if you’d be interested in running with this concept, but I’ve always kind of liked the idea of Lesser Demons (or at least other demons) trying to get to the brothers through MC. How would the brothers (whichever you wanted to do ig) react to seeing that MC is being used? Originally I thought it would be extra angsty if the MC had a crush on the other demon, but you can take the idea wherever you want to if you’re interested!

First off, I am very sorry for taking so long with this prompt. My brain went on vacation and it was hard to get in contact with it. These turned out super long because I wouldn't shut up so I'm splitting these 3 and 3. Next part can be found here: Part 2 Anyways, thank you for your patience and enjoy!

MC being Used by Lesser Demons (Lucifer, Mammon, and Satan)

CW: Violence, Torture, Manipulation, Murder...general demonic behavior

Lucifer

Lucifer was used to demons wanting something from him. He was one of the most powerful demons in the Devildom and he did not make mistakes in his opinion. With power and prestige going hand to hand in the social hierarchy, it was in almost everybody’s best interest to try to get in a higher demon’s favor

To say Lucifer was hard to get close to was a severe understatement. He had built so many walls around himself after the fall and only Lord Diavolo was brazen enough to crash through them, until MC came along, that is. They were just so foolheartedly friendly and open to anybody that approached them. They demanded his attention, rather he wanted to grant it or not.

It was hard not to notice the Lesser Demons that swarmed the MC like flies all of a sudden when he started to walk MC down the hallways at RAD from time to time. The other demons looked absolutely pathetic with how much they scrambled trying to impress the MC and do little favors for them. They would collect notes for them or conveniently find the pen MC had lost in their shared Spellcasting Class. It was all harmless to him at first until Lucifer started to notice one Lesser Demon in particular kept popping up almost like clock-work.

Lucifer brushed it off as a fragile budding friendship until MC started to look at the other demon with bright smiles and their eyes would shift to the demon in fleeting glances. No reason to get bent up by MC having a crush but the Lesser Demon appeared to have started to notice and was getting a bit too cocksure about their advantage. They would soon be found hanging around MC more than Mammon.

Usually MC would wait outside the student council office for him to get out when his workload wasn’t too hectic but soon it became both MC and the Lesser Demon. After a few times of Lucifer’s alone time with the human being interrupted by the other demon trying to lay on some thinly veiled praises to his hard work, Lucifer was getting irritated. The Lesser Demon would walk between Lucifer and MC and would sometimes not even give MC enough space in the hallways to walk side by side with them, leaving them to lag behind. MC would always hang on the Lesser Demon’s every word and wild gestures but not once did the demon look in their direction or give them time to speak.

One day, when Lucifer walked out of the student council room, it was only the Lesser Demon waiting for him. He asked where MC was and the other demon had the gall to say that the MC suddenly had an errand to run and could not make it. The Lesser Demon then started to commend Lucifer on putting up with such a weak human and how much self-control he had not to just consume them with how blindly trusting they were. Rather or not MC genuinely had errands to run that day or they were sent away to get something this demon wanted in an attempt to get Lucifer alone, the Avatar of Pride was not going to let this opportunity pass to get rid of some of the more annoying pest that have clung to him recently.

“You are correct. It is quite hard to hold back. You may understand more than anybody how irritating it is when you are being bombarded by demons that do not know their place trying to take advantage of Lord Diavolo’s exchange student. Or rather, I’m I speaking more from a personal experience?”

Lucifer takes a sickly amount of pleasure from watching the color drain from the Lesser Demon’s face as they try to stammer out excuses about having to find the MC to help them with their errands. The Lesser Demon does not get very far at all before being strangled by Lucifer in his full demon form and teleported to the dungeons where their screams echoed off the walls but nobody outside could hear.

The next day, Lucifer informed the MC about their little demon friend having to go to the countryside to take care of some family business and had to drop out of RAD. Rather or not MC knows enough about the Lesser Demon to know that would be a lie, Lucifer did not care. MC can heal from a little broken heart but the Lesser Demon will have a hard time healing from being torn limb from limb. It is so much easier to concentrate with one less fly buzzing around and it would seem like the other Lesser Demons picked up on the warning without him having to hang the corpse up from the rafters.

Mammon

Mammon was used to people and demons alike wanting things from him. He was The Great Mammon and despite his attitude, he was really strong. There is a reason why so many witches want to do things for him or let him “borrow” something from them. They want to be repaid tenfold but too bad because Mammon owes nobody nothing!

Now, one thing that Mammon will have to begrudgingly admit is that he likes hanging out with MC almost as much as he likes getting expensive items and Grimm. So it comes to no surprise when a Lesser Demon first tried to spend time with the MC when they were already going to spend the whole day with him, although he didn’t tell them that, he was throwing a mini tantrum. The dumb demon had approached you both while at the cafeteria and asked to sit with you all. MC was way too nice sometimes and readily agreed and so now Mammon had to share.

Mammon’s tune quickly changed when the Lesser Demon nonchalantly gave both him and the MC some gold earrings that they claimed they bought on accident and couldn’t return. Ah, well, who was Mammon but a generous demon for taking these off their hands. And the gifts didn’t stop. Each day, Mammon was slowly losing his precious alone time with the MC but he was gaining so many luxury gifts and trinkets that he didn’t notice anything amiss right away.

The Lesser Demon was always around whenever Mammon and the MC were together and they all started to get closer. Soon enough, when MC and Mammon were hanging out in his room one day after pretending to study and just laughing at videos on DevilTube, MC said they may actually like the Lesser Demon. Like, like like the demon?!

The two actually agreed to hang out that coming weekend and MC was super excited. This was the first demon outside of the student council that they have really interacted with and they were a bit nervous to see how things panned out. MC asked Mammon to kindly not try to tag along so that maybe they can move the relationship forward into something a little more than just friends.

Mammon was trying to act like he didn’t really care that the MC had a date but then he started to fidget around and couldn’t focus on the funny videos. Why would they decide spending time with the Lesser Demon was better than spending time with him? Sure, they gave some really awesome stuff away but he is pretty sure he can get more Grimm in a night at the casino than the Lesser Demon could earn in a year!....Maybe it wasn’t about the money though.

The day of the date, Mammon followed MC, ya know, to make sure that they were safe. Mammon peaked at the Lesser Demon and MC from his spot in the bushes at the public park and watched. MC walked up to the waiting demon and looked to be pretty excited judging from the large smile on their face. The Lesser Demon doesn’t really acknowledge them at first and keeps looking around searching for something. When the MC appear to speak again, the Lesser Demon’s face seems to contort out of its friendly façade and into one of irritation before they push a wrapped gift into the MC’s chest rather hard and walk away.

Mammon was rightly mad about the Lesser Demon just leaving the MC and decides to swoop in and save the day. He casually walks by the meeting place and “happens” to run into the MC. MC appears like they aren’t that surprised to see him but hands him the wrapped gift that Lesser Demon gave them with slightly watery eyes and says it was actually a gift for him. Mammon is too mad and busy sorting out his feelings about the MC possibly being ditched in hopes that he would show up, that he had to quickly remove himself with the excuse that he was going to run to catch up with the Lesser Demon and thank them for the present.

Mammon was unnaturally quick with how fast he ran after the other demon. He was sure the MC was out of sight before grabbing the demon and forcefully shoving the small, palm sized wrapped box into the Lesser Demon’s mouth, as far down the throat as he could get it while the other demon struggled against the assault and for air. When Mammon was satisfied about not even being able to see the present from the entrance of the demon’s mouth and the throat was expanded unnaturally, he rushed back to the MC’s side and offered to get them some ice cream, his treat...this time. If the MC wonders why the Lesser Demon suddenly stopped showing up at school, Mammon just said their luck ran out at the casino or something and they were too embarrassed to come back to RAD.

Satan

Satan is not very approachable to the average demon. He was polite, smart, snarky, and an unabashed animal lover, but not approachable. Maybe it had to do with him being the Avatar of Wrath or it can be because he would sometimes treat the demons around him more like lab rats than individuals. He was a gentleman though and it was fairly easy to build up some sort of rapport with him if a demon had a great thirst for knowledge and knew how to stay out of the way when his patience thinned.

MC was one of those rare instances where he did not seem to expect for them to understand the finer workings of a particular particle spell to get his respect and it would seem other demons have taken notice. Satan enjoyed the quiet moments where he and the MC would spend hours reading their respective books in the royal library or when they would visit one of the local cat cafes and have laps full of lazy little kittens. The tranquility did not last forever it would seem because a few demons suddenly appear to think that they have what it takes to approach him.

Things were innocent enough. MC had texted Stan ahead of time that some Lesser Demon in their Potions class was really struggling and had begged to study with them to ace the next exam. It would come to no surprise that MC’s grades improved thanks to Satan’s meticulous note taking so the MC thought that he could help the Lesser Demon as well. Plus, the MC seemed a bit desperate to make some friends outside of the circle they found themselves forced into. Satan begrudgingly agreed. It was only an hour or two and he can still get some time in with MC away from his brothers afterwards.

The. Demon. Will. Not. Leave. Satan is practically grinding his teeth with how close the Lesser Demon decided to sit to him at the study table, spouting nonsense about having poor vision. Demons don’t even need eye corrective measures! MC bought the flimsy excuse though and was trying their best to quiz the Lesser Demon on material they went over in class. The other demon was doing suspiciously well answering the questions for a demon worried about their grades. When it was the MC’s turn to answer the questions on the cue cards, the Lesser Demon was being unnecessarily harsh. They wouldn’t give the MC enough time to reply before blurting out the answer or would snidely elaborate on certain topics well past the scope of the exam needed when the MC was able to speak in time.

Satan was trying to not cause a scene in the library but he could feel his resolve cracking. What made matters worse were the little glances the Lesser Demon would give him out of the corners of their eyes whenever they found themselves able to spew out more information about subjects. The more the Lesser Demon talked, the more MC seemed to shrink in on themselves and the Lesser Demon appeared to be getting some sort of pleasure out of it. Could this dimwit of a demon not feel the temperature of the room start to plummet?

Satan had to excuse himself from the library to catch his breath and walked down the halls for a bit to calm his nerves. He was on high alert so he wasn’t all that surprised when he heard footsteps try to quickly catch up with him before someone gently grabbed his elbow. He didn’t lash out because he recognized the sound of the MC approaching well before they caught up to him. He turned around to face them just to see the MC looking off to the side looking a bit embarrassed. They quietly explain that they were trying to impress the Lesser Demon with their knowledge of Potions but it did not appear to be going all that well.

Satan gave off a bit of an irritated snort but it wasn’t directed at the MC. Of course he could tell that the MC was trying to show off but the Lesser Demon seemed set on trying to make an idiot out of them. MC is way too kind and trusting to know when some demon was blatantly being malicious and trying to use them to make themselves look good. So Satan decided against fighting his sin and was going to release some steam. He told the MC he was going to get their stuff from the library really quick and they can head to the cat café to help unwind after a productive study session. “Wait just a moment, please, MC”.

When Satan stormed back into the library, his demon form was on full display. Not that it would serve as much of a warning to the Lesser Demon when Satan immediately captures them and uses his claws to gouge their eyes. While the other demon was wailing and crying about their eyes, he got fed up and threw them out one of the giant stained glass windows. The other demon should’ve known better than to cause such a ruckus in the library. When Satan met the MC in the hallway with both their stuff and without the Lesser Demon, he said that the other demon decided to drop out of RAD suddenly because they could not keep up with the studies. Suspicious? Yes. Does he care? Not particularly...

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Did I need to describe the violence? No. But these guys are demons so I feel like making them not so friendly sometimes. Please keep an eye out for part 2-Leo

Part 2 found here

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