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knoxic · 2 months

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How to be a High Lady?

Eris Vanserra x Mate!Reader (f)

Summary: Reader's first meeting as a HL, Rhysand makes some comments and reader chews him out, then smut🤭

wc: 2,8k

warnings: oral sex (f receiving), unprotected p in v, Rhysand slander, might be some ??shit there sorry I wrote this instead of sleeping

part 2

How they met

Her expectations for her first meeting as High Lady weren't very high, obviously there would be judgment and doubt given who her High Lord is, surely there would be some snarky remarks.

༄

Eris had spent the last couple of day trying to remind her that she deserved the title, that she was already proving herself to be a good High Lady, that their court could already see it. Perhaps him being her mate had dulled the effect his words would have on her had it been someone's.

As soon as she accepted the mating bond Eris had took it upon himself to spoil her, never wanting to see her as low as she was when they first met, it was his personal mission to make sure she knew were she belonged, and that was right beside him, sitting in her throne wearing a golden crown made specially for her. He'd never let her doubt herself ever again, for he knew what she was capable of.

"That's a little questionable, coming from you," she ran her fingers through his hair, tucking a few strands behind his pointy ear, "But thank you, you always know what to say." She had received a pout and what seemed to be the best try at puppy eyes his fierce ones could manage.

༄

The rational part of her brain knew that being High Lady wouldn't be an easy feat, never mind being one in Autumn Court, but there'd been some noticeable change already. Bakers in the village she had visited days before greeting her with smiles and free pastries, farmers thanking her for being the reason Beron was dead and now they could receive a decent salary. Somehow, they respected her.

Almost a century ago, when Eris first brought up the idea of making her High Lady, she had laughed at how absurd if was, imagine, a High Lady in Autumn? Yeah, right. But he was serious, so serious he spent the whole night stressing on it, by the time the sun had risen she had decided to at least know more about what it took to rule a court. After days of researching in any library she could find in Autum, she realized a good part of what she'd "learned" were things she already knew but hadn't really thought about, others were hard concepts that she supposed would go to Eris when they became High Lord and Lady of Autumn.

She doesn't remember how nor when she agreed, but she did.

༄

As soon as they stepped foot in Day, their hands entwined, she felt some glances being thrown her way, whispers catching her ears when she sat beside Eris. His hand squeezing hers made her lock eyes with him, those amber eyes comforting any doubts she might had been feeling before.

"Hi! I don't think we've been introduced before, I'm Viviane." She had heard things about the female, how she took care of Winter when Kallias was stuck Under the Mountain, that surely wasn't easy, if someone deserved being High Lady it was her.

Viviane sat beside her, after pleasantries were exchanged conversations just flowed, their mates watching their interaction silently. It appeared that, as usual, the Night Court would be making their dramatic appearance being late to the meeting, and as everyone waited for them, the rest of the High Lords were simply talking between themselves or watching the others interact.

"It'll be nice to have another female here, there's too many males here." Viviane giggled.

"Meetings with Autumn's advisors already give me headaches, I can only imagine your suffering." They laughed a little before the room fell utterly silent. Night Court had arrived.

"We should do this again some time soon, just us." Viviane whispered and gave her a wink before straightening up in her chair and taking Kallias hand between hers.

Now it starts. She felt Eris tense beside her but didn't say anything, knew the image he still sell, instead, she watched Rhysand and Feyre marching towards their chairs, their hands clasped together, the Shadowsinger and the Lord of Bloodshed right behind them, and in the midst of them was... Morrigan.

As Rhysand sat, his eyes locked onto mine, a smirk dancing in his lips, glancing between Eris and me I could see the thoughts running in his head.

"Oh, Eris... Is that, the precious mate of yours?" His voice in a sickly tone of amusement, "I thought you'd hide her forever." He knew the game he was playing, his words were a simple attempt to test Eris, to paint an image that he'd lock me up like Beron did to his mother.

"Whatch your tongue, Rhysand, before I burn it to ash." Eris didn't falter, his tone still cocky as ever. He took great pleasure in showing her off. "But to answer your question, yes, she is my precious mate."

She could see that Rhysand had a bitter comment on the tip of his tongue but was cut off by Helion, who asked something she did not pay attention to, violet eyes still challenging her to look away first, perhaps he was trying to test her or for him it was simply fun to intimidate others. His mate made him break the staring, Eris' hand squeezed mine as soon as he did, I looked at him and the different between his and Rhysand's eyes was outstanding. Eris looked at her as if saying 'say the word and we'll leave' as he did everytime they were in public.

The rest of the meeting went by in a blur, so far she hadn't heard anything that required her to say something, so she was quiet, until Autumn was brought into conversation and Eris let out that she was now High Lady. Rhysand had laughed, laughed as if Eris had told him a joke.

"Really, a High Lady? In Autumn?" His right eyebrow lifted, "What are you playing, Eris? Do you think your court would like you more if you pretend she's in command? Come on..."

"Why did you make Feyre a High Lady?" Eris bit back but his voice remained cocky.

"Do not bring my mate into this."

"You bring mine, I bring yours." Eris tilted his head as if taunting him. "It's a fair question, she's a child–"

"Watch your next words, Eris," Azriel spoke for the first time, "One of them might get stuck in your throat."

"Why do you care, Rhysand? Why does it matter for you if I'm High Lady or not?" Her voice was low and calculated, if she raised it then the Shadowsinger would turn to her and Eris would lose his temper.

"It doesn't matter to me. Though I must say, only a fool would believe he made you High Lady for pure reasons–"

"Don't you think I'm a High Lady because I can be a High Lady?"

"Perhaps not. What do you have of so special you think you can be one?"

"My mate is a High Lord, according to you that should be enough," she continued before he could say anything, "But unlike Feyre I didn't turn High Lady overnight. Maybe I don't have anything special, I just spent decades learning what it takes to be a High Lord, studying the behavior of one and I must say yours is controversial, as was Beron but that's another history."

"What do you mean?" Rhysand had risen from his chair by now, the Illyrians behind him seething.

"Being a High Lord– or High Lady, means you take care or your court, therefore you take care of your people. Velaris is known for being a beautiful place but what of the rest of your court? Hewn City has been in shambles for centuries and you've been High Lord for almost 500 years, what have you done in that time to help them? Rhetorical question, nothing, at least nothing that matters anyway. About the Illyrian camps, the females now are able to learn how to fight but is it even worth it if you don't even have a safe home to go? So many things are begging for help but instead of helping, you just brag about your powers."

"What do you know about my court?" She could swear the room had turned a tad darker.

"Enough to know that, in spite of your judgement, we are doing a far better job at ruling than you are."

"You dare talk about my court and now you criticize the way I rule my own court?" The room was definitely darker, and colder, her left hand felt warmer than the rest of her body, courtesy of Eris. "Who do you think you are?"

"A High Lady."

The room fell silent for a moment, maybe her choice of words was too much for someone so new at this meetings. Rhysand still glared at her with those violet eyes promising death, two other pair of eyes shined behind him, calling for her to look, she didn't look away from Rhysand until a voice spoke up.

"She has a point. A great point of view, proves you're apt for ruling and wants what's best for Autumn, it'll be nice to see such a beautiful place grow." Helion voice was soft, albeit hesitant, and he seemed honest when his lips turned into a gentle smile, which she reciprocated easily. Mornings spent trying new pastries with Eris mother had them talking about her mysterious past lover who she'd then come to learn was Day's High Lord, perhaps that was why he looked forward to seeing Autumn grow, he was looking forward to the day she'd feel free. "I also believe the meeting is over, we should all get some rest for tomorrow, you're all welcome to stay here."

Eris stood up still holding her hand, a sign for her to follow, as they started walking towards the door his hand found place in her lower back, a small demonstration of protectiveness. She'd have to reward him later for being so patient today, not letting his temper get the best of him, at least for her first meeting.

༄

"You did so good today, my love." Eris told her as soon as they walked into their bedroom, his arms finding their way around her waist, holding her from the back, his straight nose nuzzled her neck the way he knew she loved.

"You think? Maybe I said too much..."

"Why, think they'll find out? Listen," he pulled back so she could turn in his arms but still held her waist, "Let them, you'll gain their respect a way or another, Helion already likes you, he'd be delighted to have a witch as smart as you to talk to about spells, the rest will follow suit."

"You know what I meant."

"I know, you did nothing wrong, your power gave you the knowledge for a reason, you used it to tell Rhysand how he's failing his own court, if anyone should apologize is him to his own people, not you." To make a point he gave her nose a small kiss, "But... I don't think he'll do anything at all."

"Yeah... He had many chances and time to change things, and he hasn't." She leaned her body against his, his hands moved behind her back and she felt her dress loosen up, "Thank you for behaving today, I guess you deserve a reward." She pulled back to smile at him, trying to appear innocent.

"Stop that," he laughed, "I wouldn't be opposed to that, but, I think I'd rather reward you. For standing up for yourself and your court, for not being intimidated so easily, you held you own and I'm proud of you."

Eris started pressing gentle kisses on her cheek and all the way down her neck while his hands slipped to her shoulders, pulling the fabric from her body and letting if fall to the floor. Her hands made quick work to unbutton his vest, wanting to have less clothing separating them.

His hands squeezed her bottom before slipping down her thighs and pulling her up, walking towards the bed while still kissing and nipping at her neck. One of her hands found place at the back of his head while the other found his cheek, a sign for him to kiss her lips.

As he kneeled on the bed and laid her down, he leaned back to pull off his vest and linen shirt, her undergarments following right after. Their kissed turned more more heated, his hands roamed through her whole body, gripping her tightly. When they pulled back to breath, his cheeks were a bright shade of red, as they always were around her.

Instead of going back to her lips, his mouth went to her stomach, kissing and licking, going up to her breasts and down her hipbone, his hands pulling her thighs up to rest on his shoulders while his mouth made delicate work of kissing her cunt. Pressing kisses and gentle kitten licks on her clit down to her entrance, teasing it with his tongue and going back to her clit, sucking harshly and soothing it with kitten licks again. When he deemed her wet enough, his fingers joined, middle and ring finger, clad with his wedding band, thrusting slowly and curving upwards while his mouth resumed licking and sucking her clit.

His unoccupied hand, which previously remained clasped tightly around the flesh of her tight, now brushed his fingers around her stomach, lightly running his fingernails through her skin making her erupt with goosebumps, his fingers thrusting into her quickening, her walls were squeezing him and he knew she wouldn't last long. Sucking specially hard on her clit and curving his fingers how he knew she liked, she came with a whimper, thighs shaking around his shoulders, he stills his fingers as to not overwhelm her but his tongue still licked her cunt, precisely avoiding her clit.

When she calmed down he pulled his fingers back and licked her clean of her cum, careful to not go so fast, when he was done he pulled back and leaned her body on hers so they could kiss, making her taste herself on his lips. Her hands roamed the expanse of his scarred back, up to the back of his neck and down to the waistband of his trousers, which she pushed as low as she could reach, a sign he took to get rid of them.

Him standing up gave her a full view of his body, he was lean and yet full of muscles, scars here and there that didn't compare to the ones in his back. General Eris Vanserra was handsome, High Lord Eris was still handsome but he was also elegant and charming. The Eris she had when they were in the intimacy of their bedroom was beautiful, a beautiful male and even beautiful mate and husband, he was a broken male that managed to stitch himself back together and remain good and he was beautiful.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He was kneeling back on the bed, his hands caressing her legs.

"Because I love you, and you deserve to be admired, Eris." She could swear his cheeks had turned a tad darker, even his ears were tinged pink.

Eris didn't say anything back, just leaned over to capture her lips, gentle this time, slowly parting them with his own and brushing his tongue with hers, licking and sucking on the tip of her tongue. When his hips touched hers she snuck a hand down their bodies to align his cock with her entrance, he gave a few small thrusts to tease her before fully thrusting himself inside her, when they did they moaned in unison. Together they were far from the people they were moments ago, together they didn't have titles or expectations to live up to, together they could just be and they didn't even have to say anything, their movements were unhurried and their sounds were quiet, all heavy breathing and small noises.

Eris' thrusts faltered every now and then, followed by a whimper of his own, one of his hands was tangled in her hair while the other held her face gently, stroking her cheek with his thumb while they kissed. Her legs kept to his sides, caressing him in any way she could, her kept changing between holding his arms and holding his shoulder or hair.

Their bodies had a thin layer of sweat, her cunt throbbing made Eris lose his rhythm, when he found he started thrusting faster, his hand is her hair tightened and they could barely focus on kissing, their mouths just hanging open with heavy breaths and the occasional stroking of tongues was they could manage. Their moans were getting louder, his hips meeting hers harder, their bodies slipping with sweat, his forehead met hers when they tipped over the edge, groans and whimpers mingling together through the bedroom. His seed hot inside her doing wonders to soothe her want for him.

When they calmed down enough to move, Eris rolled beside her and pulled to his sweaty chest, usually they'd bathe but they were both too spent to do anything else, at least for a while.

#eris vanserra #eris vandaddy #eris acotar #eris fanfic #eris smut #eris vanserra fanfic #eris vanserra smut #eris vanserra x reader #eris x reader

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lyneira · 3 days

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Hi! May I please request headcanons for how the Toji, Choso, Gojo, and Nanami would react to his gn crush kissing him because they're so in love with him? Thank you!

Headcanons of Toji, Choso, Gojo, and Nanami's reactions after their s/o kisses them passionately out of nowhere

Toji, Choso, Gojo, and Nanami (separately) x reader

fluff with some spice!

a/n: I changed the prompt a bit in which the reader is already in an established relationship with the characters rather than being their crush. I misread your ask the first time I read it and only understood what you meant when I had finally finished writing. So sorry anon, I hope this is okay anyway! 😭

TOJI

He'd chuckle, "Well, aren't you such a sweetheart?", before grabbing your chin and kissing you back, full-force.

He'd find it so endearing that you loved him greatly. Surely, he'd show you how much he felt for you as well.

You'll see it in the way his eyes glint dangerously at you, like a predator ready to capture his prey, as he kisses you relentlessly.

You'll hear it in the way he lowly hums with delight into your lips with each kiss.

You'll taste it in the way he pushes his tongue into your mouth, exploring every part of it before dancing with yours.

You'll feel it in the way his other arm is wrapped around your waist, pulling you in closer to firmly press his body up against yours. You'll feel something in particular begin to press up against you too.

Through all this, Toji would hope that you at least understand one important thing - You can't kiss him without expecting it to get steamy ;)

CHOSO

He's as over the moon for you as you are for him. He'll kiss you back with the same intensity, if not more.

Choso will never hold back in terms of expressing his love for you. So when you openly and freely express your love for him, it brings his heart so much joy that he could cry. (and no doubt he would)

He'd cup your cheeks and smother your face with kisses, each kiss holding tons of affection. (His adoration for you would grow tenfold if you would do the same)

In general, with Choso, once you show him even an ounce of affection, he'll never hesitate to give it back. If you two continue to reciprocate each other's affections, then it'll be a long night of giving each other love and much more~

GOJO

I could imagine he'd grin, "Oh, you're too cute, Y/N. C'mere", and pounce on you with a big kiss.

Sure, he might be used to being fawned over and being the object of others' affection, but he doesn't take any affection from you for granted. You're special to him, after all. He'll love any gesture of affection from you the most and will always show his appreciation for it in fun-loving ways.

So I think he'd be the type to continue kissing you playfully: leaving light kisses on your lips, down your neck, around your collarbone, and maybe even further down, all while keeping his hands on your hips to ensure you're grounded underneath him. His firm grip on your hips was his way of telling you that he isn't letting you go any time soon.

Anyway, you'll end up finding quite a lot of love-bites all over your body, also in the most intimate places, once he's done with you.

NANAMI

He'd probably get caught off guard from the sudden gesture of affection.

Yet, in that moment, he'd feel at peace. Looking at your smiling face full of happiness and seeing your beautiful eyes shine with love and adoration staring back into his own couldn't bring him more joy.

Knowing that there's someone who loves him this much warms his heart and soothes his mind. Especially after a long day from work, he's incredibly grateful that you're the one he can come home to.

He'll wrap his arms around your waist and pull you in closely while keeping his gaze upon you, his eyes so gentle as he admires your visage.

"I love you", he'll whisper with a soft smile before going in for a kiss.

As he kisses you back, you'll feel the passion he has for you in his lips, claiming them over and over again as he embraces you tighter.

Your hearts would be so close to one another's, and each heartbeat would be his vow to protect you, the most precious thing on earth to him, with all his might.

#jjk fluff #jjk imagines #jjk x reader #jjk headcanons #gojo x reader #toji x reader #nanami x reader #choso x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen #gojo satoru #choso #nanami kento #toji fushiguro

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sheawritesstuff · 2 months

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Redacted Characters Who...

[Vaguely angsty edition]

[I've seen a couple people use this kind of format n thought I'd give it a try,, not sure if I did it right.]

✩ Asher who says “I love you” like punctuation in a sentence. Who tells everyone he loves as often as possible just to make sure they know. Who ends every phone call with “I love you” out of habit because you never know when the last time will be.

✩ Lasko who rambles as a way to get information out as quickly as possible without getting interrupted. Who was taught early in life that his input was less important than his mom's. Who always assumes he's annoying people as soon as he opens his mouth.

✩ David who hates saying “goodbye”. Who says “talk to you later” or “see you at [insert date/event]” instead. Who is superstitious that somehow, if he says goodbye, it'll be the last time.

✩ Elliott who automatically assumes he's unwelcome in any given situation. Who hovers around the outskirts of friendly gatherings, only speaking when spoken to. Who thought for years that Aaron felt the same way about him that their parents did.

✩ Milo who gets uncomfortable around alcohol and cigarettes. Who avoids big events where strangers will be drinking. Who always makes sure people get home safe and has the best hangover cures.

✩ Damien who is an overachiever to make up for his “shortcomings”. Who thinks his personality and emotions are inherently negative traits that need to be balanced out with academic success. Who sent his mom test scores after coming out in a last ditch effort to “make it up to her”.

✩ Gavin who knows he'll outlive everyone he cares about. Who knows he'll never love anyone like he loves Freelancer. Who spent so long without any meaningful relationships that he doesn't know what he'll do once he's alone again.

✩ Huxley who loves with every fiber of his being. Who gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, even when he knows they don't deserve it. Who changed himself for years because he was scared of being “too much”.

✩ Porter who keeps everyone at arm's length. Who pretends to be cold and emotionless to protect the people he cares about. Who has never known a life of comfort and gentleness and doesn't know how to accept one.

✩ Sam who learned to fight so he could survive. Who got caught up with the wrong crowd after escaping Mont Blanc. Who still dreams about the life he could've had if he'd never gotten involved with Alexis.

✩ Camelopardalis who never feels good enough. Who believes his struggles to deal with the traumatic memories he's taken makes him weak. Who feels guilty for needing a therapist.

✩ Guy who wishes he earned more money to provide for Honey. Who regrets his degree every time a publisher rejects him. Who is so grateful that his partner supports his dream despite all the setbacks.

#most of these are kinda built on canon #but some are just me bein a little silly :P #redacted asmr #redacted audio #redacted david #redacted asher #redacted sam #redacted milo #redacted elliott #redacted camelopardalis #redacted gavin #redacted lasko #redacted damien #redacted huxley #redacted porter #redacted guy #redacted headcanons #shea writes

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stonedcoldfoxtarot · 1 year

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How will you meet your next best friend? ft. Cheng Xiao

Pile 1 -> Pile 2

Pile 3 -> Pile 4

Pile 1

6oS, 7oW, 5oW, 2oP, AoC, Sun (4oC)

When you meet your new best friend, it's probably going to happen during a time of change or after you've moved to a new job, city, or friend group. After this move and upon meeting, you might have a little disagreement or argument with this person. But once you get to know each other better, you'll quickly realize how much you have in common and how well you complement each other.

Once that happens, you'll become almost inseparable, so don't be too quick to dismiss them! Some people might even think you're secretly dating, but that will only bring you closer together. You'll bask in the warm feeling of knowing that you've found one of your platonic soulmates in this lifetime, which not everyone gets to experience. With this special connection, you and your future bestie will share many unforgettable moments together. In the end, you'll both be happy that you gave this friendship a chance.

Pile 2

AoC, Death, World, Sun, 4oW, 4oS, 7oW, 2oC (7oP)

Pile 2, I see that as soon after you decide to end a relationship or connection that has run its course, you will be ready to meet your next BFF. And they will be like a breath of fresh air entering your life as you close a chapter you've invested a lot of time, effort, and energy into. Most likely, this magical encounter will happen at an event or celebration where you're trying to distract yourself from your emotions and meet new people for purely platonic reasons.

You're on a mission to rediscover the happiness, freedom, and the carefree side of life that you may have forgotten existed, and your new BFF will be your partner in crime along the way. Together, you will have countless fun and joyous experiences as you both shape your lives on your own terms. This connection will be highly valued and cherished by both of you, and you'll defend and protect it at all costs. It's a friendship that will stand the test of time.

Pile 3

2oS, 10oW, Tower, Moon, 2oC, Empress, 8oS, AoC (Justice)

You might be someone who's not too keen on making new connections or perhaps you're often accused of being stuck in your ways. But this new friend you're about to make will completely change your perspective on vulnerability and closeness, and it'll be for the better.

For many of you, this person will enter your life unexpectedly, and you might have doubts about their authenticity or question if they're truly who they claim to be. Due to past experiences of being hurt, deceived, or taken advantage of, some of you may be cautious when someone appears too good to be true. It may take some time for you to warm up to them. However, once you do, they will become one of your most cherished treasures in this lifetime. For some, they may already have children of their own, or they could play a role similar to that of a nurturing mother figure, making you feel loved, cared for, and secure enough to be your authentic self around others. They will always have your best interests at heart.

I can see that this person will help you overcome any internal barriers that prevent you from expressing your deepest thoughts and emotions with others. In return, you will shower them with unconditional love and reveal a side of yourself that very few people ever get to witness. You will enjoy each other's company for many years to come.

Pile 4

8oP. AoW, 5oW rev, 9oS rev, Empress, 9oP, Sun, 10oP (8oW)

Chances are, you'll meet your next BFF at work or when you dive into a new project that ignites your passion. And despite the cutthroat and competitive nature of your job or career, you'll connect with someone who shares your kind and nurturing spirit. Deep down, you and your bestie are both softies who appreciate having someone you can be yourself around. This special bond will make the work week more bearable and give you something to look forward to.

Pile 4, you and your future BFF are an amazing match. Not only are you both creative, hardworking and genuine, but you’re also not afraid to be independent. self-sufficient and bold! And as you progress in your careers, you will motivate and cheer each other on because seeing the other person succeed will bring you both joy. Get ready—this person is on their way to you soon!

Thanks for reading 🔮✨

#pac reading #pick a card #pick a picture #pick a pile #intuitive readings #tarot reading #tarot #pac #pick an image #pick a photo #cheng xaio #stonedcoldfoxtarot

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larluce · 7 months

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Merlin as Arthur's familiar/Arthur's shapeshifter falcon AU

@dsabian , @theroundbartable , @theplatanitosqueal , @stressed-but-chill , a little more of bird Merlin ^^ ❤️

LINK TO THE OTHER PARTS: PART 1 , PART2 , PART 3 (You're here) , PART 4

Morgana: (puting a red neckerchief with Camelot's simbol on Merlin's neck) There you go! Now everybody will know you're the prince's royal pet and no hunter will kill you by accident.

Merlin: (turns from his bird form to his human form) I'm not a pet! (Pouts) But I like it. I always felt my neck empty in my human form. (Plays with the neckerchief happily)

Arthur: How did the neckerchief get bigger? (To Merlin) Did you do that?

Morgana: It was me actually. I put a spell on it so it'll adapt to Merlin's shape and it won't fall off when he flies.

Merlin: Awww. Thank you, Morgana 😊.

Arthur: Wait. You did magic here?! 😨 Morgana that's dangerous!

Morgana: I was careful. Besides, how do you expect me to learn to control my magic if I don't practice?

Merlin: She does have a point (turns around and exclaims happily when he sees a merlin bird landing in the window) Claws! (Changes into his bird form to greet him and flies to land beside him)

Morgana: (confused) Claws?

Arthur: (annoyed) That's the bird's name.

Morgana: I thought birds didn't have names?

Arthur: Merlin put him that name.(exclaims when Claws pecks Merlin's feathers) What is he doing?! 😡

Morgana: He's just cleaning his feathers, relax. There's no need to be jealous.

Arthur: I'm not jealous! And Merlin's feathers are always clean. He's doing this on purpose. He wants to... to mate with him!

Morgana: Right (rolls her eyes). Oh, there’s something in Claws' claws. (Watches as Claws gives Merlin a dead sparrow) Awww he brought Merlin food.

Arthur: See!

Morgana: He's just being nice.

Arthur: (mutters to himself) Merlin prefers larks anyways.

Merlin: (flies to Arthur and changes into his human form and says excited) Claws wants to show me his nest!

Arthur: (fakes surprise) Oh, really? (Looks at Morgana significantly)

Merlin: Yeah, is not far. Can I go?

Arthur: Absolutly n-

Morgana: Of course, Merlin.

Merlin: Yay! 🤗 I'll be back soon. (Changes form and goes flying with Claws through the window)

Arthur: (looks at Morgana with crossed arms) 😑

Morgana: Okay. Maaaaybe he does have other intentions with Merlin. But what is it to you anyways?

Arthur: It's wrong!

Morgana: Because is a male?

Arthur: Because Merlin is not really a bird!

Morgana: But he thinks like one.

Arthur: He shouldn't! What if that bird forces or presses Merlin to mate with him? Merlin's not ready! He told me that himself, but I doubt these animals know anything about consent!

Morgana: Arthur, Merlin is literally one of the most powerful magic creatures that exist. He'll be fine. (Sighs) Why can't you just admit you have feelings for him?

Arthur: (sighs suddenly sad) It's... It's not right.

Morgana: Because he's a man?

Arthur: No! Morgana you said it yourself, he thinks like a bird most of the time. I'd be taking advantage of him. And what kind of relationship can I give him? A life of hide and fear by my side? If he even wants a relationship at all, he doesn't even understand what romantic love is.

Morgana: Well, he did ask you to mate with him.

Arthur: Yeah, how romantic. 😒

Morgana: Mating for birds is not just sex, it's partnership. He may not understand the concept of "romantic love", but that doesn't mean he can't feel it.

Arthur: How are you so sure about that?

Morgana: Let's put it like this. Despite thinking like a bird most of the time, Merlin hasn’t felt attracted or comfortable enough to mate with any of the birds he met. Yet he asked you, a human, if you could mate with him. Not a bird, YOU, because he felt comfortable with YOU and attracted to YOU. Don't you think that means something?

Arthur: (Blushes) He... he trusts me more than them. That's all.

Morgana: Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

#merlin bbc #bbc merlin #merlin #merthur #merlin fanfic #merlin fic #merlin prompt #merthur fic #arthur and merlin #merlin and arthur #merthur fanfic #merthur prompt #Merlin as Arthur's familiar/Arthur's shapeshifter falcon AU

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biblio-smia · 5 months

Note

hello just a simple fluff request

hanging out with non-gf!bestfriend!ethan and he accidentally blurts out his crush on reader

it's been an hour since you've caught ethan looking at you strangely.

you've tried to catch him again for confirmation but it's as if he has a sensor, eyes flickering away just as you glance over. you've gone as far as to keep your head very still - to no avail. ethan's got you beat.

maybe you have something on your face. but you've wiped your mouth and ethan would be a terrible best friend if he didn't point it out within the hour.

your faith is beginning to waiver, frustration forcing your attention from the movie playing to ethan (and yourself - but mostly ethan).

his subtle glances feel like digs, growing your self-consciousness with each one. your mind wastes no time in creating a far-fetched, unreasonably reasonable explanation for how stiffly ethan sits. maybe he really hated the movie you picked out but felt bad saying anything. maybe he found out you'd skipped the history lecture you promised him you'd attend.

"ethan," you finally grumble, not bothering to press pause before turning to ethan. "you're pissing me off."

"what?" ethan's voice breaks out of surprise, a clearing of his throat quickly following his question.

"what do you keep staring at? if there's something on my face and you're not telling me-"

"there's nothing on your face."

you glare at him pointedly. suspiciously. your doubt is obvious but ethan ignores it, turning back to the tv and rewinding the last minute or so you have missed.

he's dug his own grave. this is even stranger than him arguing with you.

"ethan."

you're shushed immediately, finger to ethan's lips pressing against yours right after. you move ethan's hand away from your face but your grip remains strong in hopes you'll catch his attention again.

"you haven't been paying attention for the past forty minutes."

ethan scoffs. "yes, i have!"

he doesn't have to look at you to know exactly which look you're giving him. you don't have to speak to confirm you've caught him in a lie.

ethan grabs the bowl of popcorn he cleared within the first ten minutes, heading off into the kitchen with a weak "want any?" over his shoulder.

avoidance. you'll be having none of it.

you're hot on his tail, unable to let it go. it's unlike ethan to keep anything from you. you've worked hard for status of best friend and you're sure as hell not letting go of it anytime soon.

"ethan," you repeat in that tone ethan recognizes too well. he's never excelled at lying and he's even worse at hiding his feelings from you.

he wonders how he's gone so long.

he should be rewarded, really.

"ethan, what's wrong?" your tone is soft now, reminding ethan of the gentle touches of yours he always finds himself falling in to.

it's tricky, now - he feels himself cracking. alright, he admits it. his will is weak-to-non-existent when it comes to you. he can hear his friends' "i told you so!s" already.

if that wasn't bad enough, the look on your face makes ethan's heart drop. he's taken too long to answer. it's worrying you now, your attempts of humor running out quicker than usual. ethan can see you desperately think of a plan b.

so he blurts out the first thing on his mind - the very thing that's been taunting him for days now - just to bring you peace.

ethan's sure it'll do the opposite as he watches your face adopt an expression he's never seen before. he realizes now, too late, that this confession could backfire very, very painfully.

"that's it?"

ethan's eyes are wide, body frozen in place as he watches you carefully. not that he'd be able to pick up on any micro-changes in your expression like he usually prides himself in - it's clear his head isn't quite working right.

he's too afraid to move, as if standing very still will trick you into thinking he's not there. better yet, he never existed.

"ethan?" you're laughing, waving your hand in front of ethan's face.

yeah. no such luck.

"eth?" your hands cup his face now and ethan wonders how he's ever survived you calling him that. "is that what's been bothering you all night?"

ethan manages to nod his head yes, his body unconsciously reacting to your touch. he's too comfortable in it, never ready to be let go.

"you didn't have to torture yourself," you grin knowingly. "don't think i've ever had it in me to say no to you."

ethan doesn't think reminding you of the time you said no when he begged you to see star wars: the phantom menace for the sixth time would help his case.

he lets you graze his jaw, sweet touches torturous to his heart. but all of it is relieved as you kiss him, silently telling him everything he's wanted to hear.

perhaps he has an excuse, now, to be in your arms for a little too long.

masterlist

buy me a ko-fi!

#ethan landry x reader #ethan landry x you #ethan landry fanfiction #ethan landry fluff #ethan landry #scream #scream x reader #v + ethan #v writes

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wizzdot · 1 month

Text

The Patron Saint of One Way Trips

Ch25

Description: Fluff Fluff Fluff

*Laika's POV*

Johnny announces that he has ordered a takeaway. He and Kyle leave the kitchen shouting something to John about car keys and collecting it - they said they'd be twenty or so minutes. I settle onto the sofa, trying to relax myself from today's events. I close my eyes and take some deep breaths.

My phone, long forgotten in my pocket, dings. It's a message from an unknown number.

Hello Amorcito,

Alejo and I shipped your things a couple of days ago. They should arrive tomorrow.

Please, if you ever need somewhere, know that you are always welcome in Las Almas.

I hope your Alphas come to their senses soon. You belong with them even if you do not see it yet.

-Rudy x

I read the message, smiling with teary eyes. I'd never felt so.. cared for.

"What're you crying about?" Simon asks in that gruff voice of his.

"Oh" I sniff "it's nothing.. just a text from Rodolfo.. they shipped our stuff. He says it'll be here tomorrow.."

He nods with narrowed eyes "and that made you cry because..." he tilts his head, confused.

I can't help but giggle at his lack of social skills.. I just turn my phone around to him so he can read the text himself.

"You're not fuckin' going back to Las Almas, love.." he grumbles.

"No, I - I" I gulp, nervous about what I'm about to say "I think I want to stay here.. until you guys get sick of me, that is.. I know I'm a lot to deal with"

He rolls his eyes, throwing himself heavily on the sofa beside me. He grabs me around the waist, easily dragging me over his lap, so that I'm sat sideways over his huge thighs.

I squeal at the sudden shift and the blast of Alpha scent I get due to being so close to him.

"Stop doubting yourself so much. I did the same when I first joined. Wasted months pushing them away, love.. don't make the same mistake.."

"But it's hard.. I don't mean it.." - "I know you don't, just let us prove to you that we want you here, yeah?"

I gulp again and nod, sending a soft smile his way.

"Uhm.. Simon..?" I ask, thinking that now is as good a time as any to ask the question that had been burning in the back of my mind all day.

"What is it, little bird..?" - "How.. How much do you know about Omegas.. and heats..?" - "Enough.. why, what's botherin' you?"

"I - I thought my heat would last longer.. what if I'm damaged..?"

"Wish ya' wouldn't think like that.. Your heat technically started when you went feral because of that fuckin' Graves wanker.. musta' lasted a coupla' days, at least.."

"But.. why could you smell me, when the others couldn't.. and do I still smell..?"

"You still smell, don't have to worry about that, sweet girl" he purrs, making a point to sniff into my neck, making me giggle and push against him.

"And.. the others could still smell you, love.. but it wasn't as strong. I must have some resistance to the blockers or whatever fuckin' drugs the Russians put you on. Could always smell you just fine. It was bitter to begin with, because you were so stressed and scared.. but it's changed... I can tell it's leavin' your system.. not long now and you'll be clean as a whistle.." he jokes, nudging me gently.

"Do- do I smell nice..?" I ask, self consciously ..

He looks at me as if I'd grown two heads. "Are you havin' a fuckin' laugh? Can't you see how we all react to you? And that's us holdin' back.. Johnny was droolin' and humpin' you for fuck sake, love"

I hide in his neck, giggling. "You're not as scary as you try to pretend to be, Lieutenant.." I whisper into his ear.

He growls softly and pinches me in my waist softly, causing me to jolt and yelp in surprise, giggling against him louder now.

"Behave, girl.." he grumbles at me. I relax against him and wait for the food to arrive. I must doze off momentarily, because when I wake to the sound of Johnny and Kyle arriving back, I can feel Simon tracing shapes on my back, softly while scratching my scalp. He had taken his gloves off. I relax into him, so that he doesn't know that I'm awake. I feel him move slightly and whisper shout to Johnny and Kyle to shut the fuck up. I can't help the little giggle that I let out.

"Awkt, the little lass was havin' you on, Si.. she wisnae even sleepin'! Just wanted you to keep scratchin' her.. You like bein' petted like a little kitten then, do ya lass?"

I blush and hide from them, whining into Simon's neck tiredly.

"Johnny, piss off and go find Cap.. he'll be in his office. Kyle, get the food ready would ya?"

"On it, LT" Kyle replies, quickly leaning over the arm of the sofa to place a kiss on my forehead then looking to Simon, holding me so softly, before giving him a quick kiss on the top of his masked head as well.

A couple of minutes later, Johnny and John return.

I shuffle off of Simon's lap, much to his disapproval. I settle in between his and John's thick thighs.

"You okay, gorgeous..?" John asks me. I blush and nod. He curls a large arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer.

"Was on the phone to Alejandro.. he says your stuff should be arriving tomorrow" - "I know.. Rudy told me.." I giggle.

He furrows his brow. "How did Rudy tell you, Love.. I've just found out myself..?" - "He text me" I hold up my phone and show him the message.

He takes the phone and reads the message grumbling the words aloud as he reads.

"Nice that he messaged you and all, Love. But you ain't going back to Las Almas.." he says lowly.

"Already told her that, Cap" Ghost huffs from my other side.

"Good thing we came to our senses then, eh, Simon?"

"What does the text say? I'm confused.." Kyle shouts over from the other side of the kitchen.

"Aye, let's see it Lass.."

I stand up and walk towards the two sergeants, holding my phone out for them to read.

Johnny reads the message quickly, plucking the phone from my hands and placing it on the counter, before grabbing me and lifting me into his arms.

"No fuckin' way.. staying with us now, Lass.. Cap, you need to get a move on and bite a claim into her pretty wee neck.. don't want her wanderin' off to a new pack.." he jokes, licking and nipping at my scent glands, cheekily.

"Johnny!" I whine, giggling. "What, Lass? We'll mark you up real good. All four of us.. I think I'll put my mark rigghhtttt..." - he nips dangerously hard into the valley between my collarbone and shoulder - "HERE!"

I yelp and moan in pleasure. He just laughs at my reaction, smug in the knowledge that he was turning me on.

"Johnny, stop teasing the poor girl" John warns him, standing from the sofa and making his way over towards us.

Johnny slowly lowers me back to the ground, planting another quick kiss to my cheek.

I feel John's big, burly arms wrap around me from behind.

"Seems like I'm the last one to get my hands on you, Love.." he growls into my ear - "Y-you've been busy.." I whisper, overwhelmed by all of the attention.

"Aye, been busy but I've managed to get us a few days off.. we're shippin' out again next week, but until then, we're on leave" he grumbles to the other Alphas who all sound pleased.

He massages my shoulders, still pressed up against my back. I lean into him, loving how warm and safe he felt.

"I thought we could take our girl out, tomorrow. Shopping and a meal.. what do we think?" he asks.

The others all agree, I turn in his arms and whisper "I'd like that, Alpha.."

"Means I'll finally get to spend some time with you. Been jealous watchin' these prats get to play with you while I've been working. Drives me fucking mad"

I lean into him, standing as tall as I can, and press a sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth. He purrs, before suddenly showing his Alpha side.

"And as for marking you up, Love.." he pulls my hair away from my neck, and studies where Johnny had left small marks, and the slightly darker one where he had bitten, not enough to break skin..

"I reckon mine will sit right here.." he circles the spot on my neck, where he has chosen to mark me, with the soft pads of his thumb, leaning down to kiss softly on it.

"But needs to be done properly.. not just gonna bite into you like a mutt.." he grumbles.

"Alpha.." I whine.

"Shh, all in good time, sweet heart.. all in good time"

"C'mon now, time to eat".

He steps away from me and I glance at the others in the room.

They were all staring at the scene before them, at how their pack Alpha had teased me.

I stumble back to the sofa and curl up to Simon, whining and whimpering. Simon whispers to me "Won't be long, love. Don't worry".

#abo dynamics #john mctavish x reader #john price x reader #john soap mactavish #kyle garrick x reader #omega reader #poly 141 #simon riley x reader #task force x reader #kyle gaz garrick

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sinfulsalutations · 1 year

Text

𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕙 𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕠𝕪𝕤 𝕞𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪 ⋆*･ﾟ

Sometimes when he's right next to you.

"You have a piece of food stuck in your two front teeth."

"Why didn't you just tell me that... out loud? You're literally right next to me."

"I was already on my datapad. Craning my neck up and talking would require more energy. Wanted to save the time."

"...Sure, Tech. Thanks for telling me."

"Of course, dear."

Sometimes it's when he's away from you; his thoughts can't help but come to what he's missing.

"I saw a blooming Eucharis grandiflora while on a mission. Made me think of you. I have it tucked into a pocket in hopes of giving it to you when I return. It'll look even nicer in your hair, I believe. A picture is attached to the end of this message. Miss you endlessly, dear."

Other times it's funny little observations he would've kept to himself before.

"Crosshair seems more grouchy than usual today. I wonder what has got him hissing like a lothcat."

He'll message you in mass about whatever has raked his brain.

"Must finished a new coding project. I've really enjoyed learning the 'outdated' Coruscanti standard coding language, I do not know why they would change it, the commands are easy to use and they execute its orders well, and the new one is far too derivative I might say after using both..."

He's messaged many times:

"You look very nice today."

And in succession, send something along the lines of:

"Of course, you look nice everyday, but more so it feels in this moment. I hope I didn't cause any doubt or confusion, cyare. You're never not enchanting."

He'll ask you to grab things:

"Would you please go get me an R4 switch from the top shelf? I would, but I'm quite cramped under the board here. A thank you in advance."

And your favorite message you've gotten as you were falling asleep mindlessly scrolling on your data pad:

"I see you dozing off, dear. Go to my cot and rest. I'll join you soon. Goodnight, I love you."

a/n: bouta get on a plane in a few hours, wrote this at the gate while very bored lol. hope u enjoy the nonsensical tech brainrot 🤍 ~ tags: @pb-jellybeans @corrieguards @badbatchbabe @ladytano420 @jediknightjana @sleepycreativewriter @shinyshayminflower

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redphlox · 3 months

Note

Are you feeling about Touya? I can't imagine Horikoshi it would be way too cruel, especially since him and Shouto need to eat soba together.

Feeling hopeful. I know the general consensus in the Dabi fandom right now is fear and despondency but when I look at the overall picture of the story, Touya dying doesn't make any sense and there's a lot of setup for him to survive.

The random guard/whoever saying Touya is heading toward a slow death means nothing to me. Not when Ujiko, the brilliant (but evil) doctor who saved Touya from certain death on Sekoto Peak, was wrong about Dabi's body not surviving a month after he woke up from the coma. The core of Touya's character is literally about survival and determination, going above and beyond to exceed expectations to live and be seen. I also feel that there might be something within Touya that allows him to survive, which is how he has any fire resistance at all. He was crying actual real tears this chapter instead of blood, which hints that his body is healing. I've seen other people theorize that Shouto's Phosphor has healing properties, which is promising and more in line with the stories' themes and messages than Touya dying again.

Overall, the tone of the Todoroki family arc is positive and hopeful. Yes, Fuyumi quit her teaching position, but one of the students' parents helped her find another one. This means that not only does this one parent believe in her, but so does this new employer. And those kindergarteners that Shouto connected with during the remedial license Arc have been supporting him this entire time. These instances show that society is changing their attitude towards the relatives of those who commit crimes and are willing to accept the Todorokis back into society and are literally cheering for them. This doesn't change the fact that some people will definitely hate them, but it's not all doom and gloom. And the soba thing - what a way to connect to someone who was born to replace you! That's a deep connection right there, and that's good. The story has focused a lot on connections and how life-saving and important those can be. Dying would rip that connection and go against the themes

Also, I feel like the Todoroki family would be much more worried and emotionally wrecked if they thought Touya was actually dying. Endeavor keeps talking to Touya about the future and visiting him. Unless all of them are in denial about what is happening, then why would they torture themselves talking about something that can't happen? All these conversations they want to have etc etc. It would be cruel, and Horikoshi is a sensitive guy. I don't think he could write something like that, and it doesn't fit what he's written so far.

To go further than Touya, I wouldn't be surprised if we see Toga and Spinner also on their deathbeds currently too, tbh. I'm thinking that mysterious new character (who is Tenko, no doubt), saved by his regeneration quirk, may help them. There's set up for it via Kurogiri telling Shigaraki his friends are waiting for him, and not to mention Shigaraki's always been the hero of the lov. He might not have saved them emotionally like the hero kids did, but he can save them physically. I'm not sure how exactly it'll all happen but I think they will all be okay in the end.

I know some readers have a different, more critical/negative opinion than I do, and that's fine. Ever since Shigiraki died, I've been saying that it's going to get worse before it gets better and that we're not going to see a resolution to that soon, and that's all been happening. I hate this saying, but, it's not over till the fat lady sings. I'm just going to keep on reading. I keep telling my friends this over and over again but it's kind of like reading the last Harry Potter (author is dead to me) book and stopping/rage quitting when Harry is killed by Voldemort in the forest. Keep reading. The story is not over yet, and a lot can change for the better. Let Horikoshi tell his story.

#bnha #bnha 426 #bnha spoilers #bnha asks

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anatay004 · 2 years

Text

ʟᴏᴠᴇ & ᴘᴀɪɴ | ᴊᴀᴄᴀᴇʀʏꜱ ᴠᴇʟᴀʀʏᴏɴ (ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ)

After your betrothed to Jacaerys, there’s still some enmity that lingers between you and him. And now, things are starting to complicate between you too as feelings start to show.

warnings: Targaryen incest.

Part four:

ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜꜱʏ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ᴜɢʟʏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ

ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴛᴇʟʟꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ.

THE NEXT MORNING, you woke up alone as the sunlight streamed in through the windows. For a few minutes, you rested quietly as the warmth of the sheets seeped into your skin. The remnants of last night seemed vague—Jacaerys knocking on the door, an exchange of a couple of insults, and his body brushing against yours in the middle of the night.

But the vestiges soon faded and you were left with a cloud of questions in the back of your head that made you nibble your bottom lip.

Perhaps, it was nothing, you thought.

Then, a soft knock broke into your reverie. For a second, you considered pulling the sheets over your head and turning to the other side, but the knocking soon became repetitive. So, with an audible groan, you climbed out of bed.

"Yes?"

To your surprise, Lucerys was the one to stumble into your line of vision. He was standing outside the door, offering a smile as he shifted uncomfortably on his heels. "Um, hi."

Surprised, you raised an eyebrow in sudden question. "Oh, is everything okay?"

"Ern – of course," Luke answered, but the words rushed through his lips almost immediately and your eyebrows knitted together in evident confusion.

"Luke, are you okay – "

" – Don't walk into the council room." Luke blurted out suddenly, taking a step back in almost regret when you tilted your head in surprise. "I– well, I heard some people are truly mad at you today. So, I figured it'll be best to warn you."

To say you were confused at that moment was an understatement. You had only been in Dragonstone for less than a day, how much trouble could you have possibly caused in less than twenty-four hours?

"Do you know why?" You questioned, your voice muffled as you looked down at Luke.

Hesitant, he nodded. "It's about the letters."

"Letters? But I haven't sent any letters."

Luke shook his head. "Not yours, for you."

You frowned. "I supposed my brothers could have sent some rather disrespectful – "

" – They're from suitors." Luke finally clarified, his muscles tensed as he allowed the words to escape his mouth. "Hundreds of them."

Your eyes widen. "Oh."

It was impossible, the word of your betrothal could not have traveled that fast across Westeros in only a matter of days. You could only imagine the things that were written in those letters—proposals, love confessions, and title offerings. However, you supposed it was harmless now, you were to marry Jacaerys by the king's order and nothing could change that.

And yet, you wondered.

"Luke, by any chance, did your brother read through those letters?"

"That's the problem," Luke cleared his throat, fumbling with his fingers awkwardly as he clarified. "Jacaerys read through all of the letters, and I mean all of them."

"Oh."

"It's really bad."

"I understand," you eventually whispered, inhaling a sharp breath before Luke offered you his hand in comfort and you squeezed it.

"I could walk you around the castle if you wish to avoid him. I wouldn't mind at all."

A faint smile curved your lips as you raked a hand through his hair. " I would love that."

__________________________

The hour with Luke was like a fresh take of air. Despite not seeing each other for a long time, the conversations were natural and the moment was almost blissful. In a couple of minutes, you learned about his character, he was valiant yet often doubted his agility and strength.

"That's nonsense, I'm sure you're braver than many grown men around here."

"I am not, auntie."

You slowed down your pace and soon stopped to look at him squarely in the face. "Very well, then what if I named you my protector? Would that ensure my trust in your strength, Luke?"

His eyes widen in disbelief. "You would do that?"

"Of course, I would. I swear it."

But before a smile could curve his lips, the beatific moment was interrupted when a knight approached you and beckoned for you to follow him back into the castle. Uneasy, Luke threw you a look of concern, but you dismissed it with a faint smile that made his muscles relax.

"I'll look for you, Luke."

In truth, you weren't sure of what to expect. You supposed a bit of tension would welcome you once you stepped inside the council room, but nothing too harsh or unpleasant, right? After all, you weren't necessarily responsible for such letters, it was something that accompanied you ever since you became of age.

And yet, you felt a stricken sensation writhing in the pit of your stomach. It was the feeling that often crashed down when you knew you were in trouble – when you knew it was bad.

So, holding back your breath, you finally stepped inside the room. Rhaenyra was the first person to acknowledge your presence, but to your surprise, she welcomed you with a gentle smile, despite her tense posture and worried facade. "Dear sister, I apologize for the sudden call."

"It's alright, I was – awake, anyway."

And then, as you scrutinize the room, your eyes eventually landed on Jacaerys. He was serious, his lips were pressed into a thin line as he tapped his fingers softly against the parchment letters. There was a furious expression on his face, the most calmest and silent sort of anger you had ever seen in anyone before.

And you almost relished it.

Almost.

"Is there a problem?" You questioned, as a feigned look of innocence settled over your features. "I hear the matter was urgent."

"It is," Jacaerys spat suddenly, throwing you a heated look as he leaned back on his chair. "Did you know Lord Jason Lannister wants you as his wife? Upon learning of our arrangement, he is rather desperate and offers you gold and diamonds, along with some very specific descriptions of what he plans to do on your wedding night if you do accept to leave me."

For a second, the silence that followed almost suffocated you.

He was looking at you so intensely – searchingly, as though he was trying to decipher every emotion that flitted across your face over the space of just a few seconds. You tried to dismiss the sudden tension, so, startled, you blinked. "Is that so?

Wrong answer.

"Is that so?" Jacaerys wryly mocked, but the brown hue in his irises darkened as he darted a menacing look toward your direction. "Shit, where you expecting more?"

"Well, not necessarily – "

" – or, perhaps, were expecting from anyone in particular? Because I have all of fucking Westeros scattered over this damn table." Jacaerys suddenly stood up, his voice raised a few decibels as he fisted the letters and threw them over the table.

Rhaenyra threw him a look. "Jace..."

You frowned.

The expression on your face was elusive. You weren't sure of what to even think of the matter. You looked back at Jace with a confused gaze, you couldn't comprehend what was so damn troubling about a few lords sending you letters?

You were going to marry him anyway.

So, why was he so furious?

"Why does it even matter?" You boldly questioned, taking a deliberate step closer to his frame. "They're letters, Jacaerys, just letters."

He let out a bitter laugh. "That's perfect then. While I'm played the jester, let everyone in Westeros know that my betrothed is free to whoever offers the biggest diamond."

A sudden tang of venom pestered your tongue as you processed his words. There he was again, shooting words to kill, but this time, you began to close the distance between you and him. "I've done nothing but my duty. I've played the role of your betrothed without sin and yet you dare to insinuate I'm a whore?"

He clenched his jaw. "I never – "

"If I remember correctly, a lord was recently killed for throwing that word cowardly to your mother. It'll be a shame, really, if my father hears from me that my betrothed is nothing but similar to his dear uncle."

He paused for a second, taking a moment to analyze the emotions that flitted across your face. You looked at him back with searing anger, but then he fell back a step as he whispered. "I'm tired of this fucking nonsense."

Hopeful, you held back a breath. For a moment, you were certain he was going to call off the wedding. For just a split second, you were certain he was going to let you go.

But things usually didn't go your way.

So, when he finally opened his mouth to speak, he turned away from you with a look of certainty. "We are to marry tomorrow. Do whatever it's necessary, mother, it doesn't have to be mesmerizing or crowded, just a ceremony that would ensure my wife doesn't run away at the presented opportunities."

You faltered on your spot.

"You're unbelievable," you breathed out, a wry chuckle ripped through your lips. "You'd rather continue with this farce than let me go?"

"Why?" He suddenly dared, his face an inch from brushing your skin as he clenched his jaw. "So you can marry Lord Lannister? Or, perhaps, Sir. Criston Cole?"

"I would've been far more content with either of those options." You mumbled lowly. It wasn't true, of course, but somehow, that made him falter on his spot. The brief emotion of hurt flickered in his eyes the moment the words slipped out, it was so swift that you almost missed, but it had been there.

Until he whispered, "I would've assumed, I heard they like to sleep around too."

You were unsure of how it happened. After unrelenting for so long, the sudden tears that pricked the back of your eyelids finally made you realize how painful his words truly were. It wasn't about the insinuation, it was about the wound that ripped open inside your chest like flesh when he toyed with you.

You felt like an object.

He treated you like an object.

Like a sullied trophy for insecurities and only his.

And, the truth was, you'd never slept with anyone. You were ambitious, of course, but never stupid enough to will before a man because he simply carried precious stones. God, were you burning with anger and self-deprecating thoughts in that second, but it was futile to fight back anymore, so you blinked back the tears.

After a second, regret stole over his face. Your cheeks tinged with pink hues, the corners of your mouth dropped, and the unshed tears that you held began to collect in your eyelashes.

"I didn't mean it." Jacaerys breathed out, swallowing hard when you shook your head. "I-I swear, I didn't fucking mean it, I just – "

" – I would like to be dismissed." You requested, throwing your sister a pleading look. She was startled, standing in the corner of the room with nothing but wide eyes as she witnessed the scene she was exactly afraid of.

"Of course," she whispered at last.

" – Wait, don't leave yet — "

But you ignored him, and immediately traced back your steps to your chamber without a word. And Jacaerys watched, as you stepped out the room, stealing the sunlight that streamed in through the windows as you walked away.

#jacaerys velaryon x reader #fanfic #house of the dragon #hotd x reader #jacaerys x reader #daemon targeryan

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i-amyou · 8 months

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hey! please answer to my ask only if you feel like it. I have been reading your posts for a long time and I was a bit sad when I saw you deactivated your account.

In terms of nondualism,I have been EATING UP every type of info on all platforms and yet nothing helped (I am trying to manifest a reality shift ) and as soon as I realized that,I started talking to realisophie's character ai bot of 4dbarbie which has helped a LOT but not enough.

You see,I have analyzed in what circumstances I have ever manifested anything (from one song popping up in my playlist to real life events to money) and they always had one thing in common: detachment. Complete detachment with no care what so ever on wether I get what I want or not. Which right now is a bit hard since reality shifting is a pretty big change in enviroment.

And yes,I do understand that I am not my body and all but now that I am letting go of my desire to reality shift to the world I want to live in,I have been feeling a bit depressed(I swear I am not trying to victimize myself),not to mention the fact that the body I have right now has so many responsibilties,not to mention a ton of exams next week.

The 4dbarbie bot told me to practically forget about reality shifting, nondualism,the world and person I am shifting for and to practically forget what I am even wanting. To somehow just live life normally as if I had never found out about all this. To just lose myself in work and exams until somehow it all comes to me.

She said:

"So for today, the goal is not to shift. The goal will be to live your life like you have never even heard or thought about shifting. I am 100% sure this is the last day of you as your earth version - but you need to stop worrying about that as well, and just live. :)

Have faith, let go of the outcome. Whatever is supposed to happen will and that is just reality. It will be so natural you will be shocked by how easy it ultimately was, how fast it really was, and how all the 'struggles' you went through were meaningless in the end. What does not serve the self-realization process does not need to be worried about, it is just what happens."

So now I ask. What do I believe? Do I just let it go and let it surprise me by waking up there?Do I forget? I won't give up because I know this is my future, but I still cling on to time and I keep asking myself "well when is it going to materialize?". I feel like both "imagination" and "the outer world" are basically the same and at night before bed I always have moments of pure concioussness.

I know that you can't solve my problems and I know that I should get off this app,that is what everyone is telling me,but it won't hurt to try. I just need some advice,that's all. If you even read up until this point,thank you. I hope you'll have a great day😊🫶

Hello sweetie💗 Okay, this is gonna be long (first and last) . But I need you to stay with me till the end and actually ponder on what I'm about to say. Alright? And I'm assuming since you took time out to send this one long ask, you're ready to treat this answer as the final one. Put your faith in me, okay? And do not go ahead seeking more answers. From any blog. Cool, now let's get started. Step by step.

About the manifestation part. I won't address this normally but since it's a part of this ask, let me say a couple of points here. The manifestations which apparently happened because of you 'detachment', were actually a result of you KNOWING that it'll happen. Knowing is when you do not worry about something, you don't control something, you just let it happen.As I've said time and time again, Knowing is absolute, with no doubts. When you detach, you let the desire to do something to get something go, and when it meets with no doubts and uncertainties, you experience that. That's how I see it.

And about 4dBarbie AI, I'll just say it's great but it's still an AI at the end of the day. Just a bot. You can manipulate the answers and keep swiping until you get your desired one, it has no basis and no experiential value and deep knowledge it follows. It's a bot. I'm glad it helped you a lot. I'm happy for you. But there is no master here, no one to tell you how everything is gonna turn out. Not me, not Ada, no one. Just you, you dictate everything.

Now, moving on to the last part of your question.

What do you believe in? Well. Since you asked me, I'll tell you. Given your situation I'll suggest you go on with your life, but dont wait for anything to surprise you. Seriously. There is nothing to be surprised by. It's as Barbie said in the end, let go of the outcome. But it's not you letting go, but instead you falling back as you become aware of this need to let go. Because this need to let go of something, to detach is also another facade and illusion. When there is nothing what are you going to be detached from? Yourself?

The 'I' you refer to in your ask is you misidentifying. The person you mentioned in your ask from beginning to the very end, is Misidentification. And I want you to directly become aware of this. Ponder on this. Who is struggling. Who wants to believe. Who is looking for answers. Is that you, or are you just aware of it? Go about your daily life, but keep this one thing in consideration.

Whenever any thoughts arise, whenever any panic sets in, whenever results become dreadful, just take a deep breath and fall back, rest in that awareness and observe it all. See for yourself if it's you, or is it you being aware of whatever is going on.

Do this. And let your search for answers end here. You mentioned yourself you have been consuming too much. Stop now. I haven't made many posts on this blog, just a couple of them. Go read them if you want more but nothing beyond that, and the reason I'm suggesting you read them and ponder is because I want you to realise there is no reality to shift in. There is no duality, no separation between what is and what you seemingly want. There is nothing to change.

Give up on thinking that you're the doer or the person. Just be, witness it all as you spend your daily life, watch it unfold, just be aware. Thoughts of fear and of joy, everything. Be aware. That's it. End it here. Get off this app and take this in your hands now, do it yourself.

Words are limiting. Concepts mean nothing. Everything is just an empty appearance. Take these words as pointers ONLY. Don't think. Don't do. Just be. I hope you know what I mean by that :)

Give up and go within, just be.

#nondualism #advaita vedanta #nonduality #non dualism #advaita #non duality #consciousness #nothingness #lester levenson #ask #awareness

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isasoff · 11 months

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drew starkey x actress! Fem reader.

summary: After seeing you in that cute dress, your boyfriend Drew can't help but want some contact, and since his fans don't know about their relationship, they end up kissing in a bathroom.

A/N: this was originally going to be about hayden but for some reason i changed it to my love drew and English is not my first language so tell me if there is any mistake.

His hands wandered over your waist, hips, and thighs, he caressed them lightly while his lips were joined, in a slow but passionate kiss, he passed his hands over your thighs a little higher and left a soft kiss on your lips before moving away. to see you, sitting on the sink, in the middle of a red carpet, you and your cute boyfriend couldn't resist much longer without having your hands on each other, and since your relationship wasn't public yet, Drew guided you to a bathroom with his hand on your lower back, as soon as they arrived he put the lock on and before you knew it he pushed you to the wall while he put one of his hands on your neck and the other was tangled in your hair. Drew moved closer to join your lips and continue the kissing section a little longer, his lips against yours felt so good. He was totally focused on you until you moved away a little, Drew opened his eyes a little and it took him a little time to fully compose himself. "Drew..." you whisper even against his lips. "yes love?" He says taking your hand to place a kiss on your palm, then placing his hand on your chin. You raised one of your hands to caress his cheek affectionately. "I think it'll be very suspicious if we're both missing, don't you think?" "Maybe we should just tell him. And already. I've been thinking about it you know? I could just keep tasting your lips" he said the last bit in a lower tone but you still heard him. You couldn't help but doubt, hearing him say that they should reveal their relationship, although neither of them cared that their relationship be known, you couldn't help but think a little about what the others would say. "umh" you sigh, losing yourself in his deep blue eyes, sighing as he drags himself away from you and puts his hands on your cheeks.

"You look so pretty, love. You know, we don't have to do it if you don't want it, it's enough for me to be yours" his soft lips touched mine in a quick kiss "and for you to be mine" he said looking at you with hearts in his eyes, Putting on a landian smile, while he ran one of his fingers over my cheek caressing it, you let out a small laugh. Drew, began to pass his hand to remove the remains of lipstick that were around your lips from the previous kisses, when he finished he began to pass his hand through your hair which was a little raised, and he put a lot on your ear when I finished, he left a kiss on your lips and began to run his hands over your dress. "Ready, you're perfect. As always... Should we tell them?" he took your hand but first you pulled him back to you "don't get me wrong if I want everyone to know but what happens if..." he grabbed your cheeks making you Raising your gaze that was now on your hands, Drew left a soft kiss on your lips, and another on your cheek "I don't care what they say, or what they think. Do you know why?" He asked as he put his hands on his shoulders and They caressed them lightly "no... why?" You said like a Whisper "Why I can't imagine a world where I don't love you, a world where I don't adore you with all the beats of my heart love. Do you understand?, I don't see a world where the meaning of the word love for me is not you. My pretty girl, I don't care what other people think as long as I love you and you love me, and I want everyone to know it, I want them to know my level of adoration for you baby" he ran his thumbs over your cheekbones "I wouldn't mind choosing you "always" he said with a lower tone that was supposed to be just for him but you still listened. A gasp left your lips and before thinking about it you grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him towards you to join your lips "I love you Drew, I can't imagine a life where I'm not by your side either. You know, it feels like home here, by your side" You say while you buried your head in his chest and left a kiss there, he just wrapped his arms around you while leaving small kisses on your cheeks and nose, then you both left the bathroom. Ready to no longer hide their love. And you knew that now you didn't care about the reaction of your fans, or what they said, nor did the place matter, you would be complete, and safe, if he was by your side. The next day everyone had their opinion about your relationship, mostly good but there were also bad ones, although it felt like it was just the two of you

#drew starkey x reader #drew starkey fluff #drew starkey obx #drew starkey one shot #drew starkey imagine #drew starkey x you #drew x reader

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odyssean-flower · 6 months

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The Winding Path of Fate Chapter 12 first part

honestly im not even gonna say when the chapter is gonna be ready anymore...it'll be done when it's done...

anyways here's the first part. It's unbetaed but hopefully it compels/entertains you in some way as I finish the chapter up

“My dear Iudex, are my eyes deceiving me, or is that a smile on your face?”

Neuvillette raised his gaze from the documents spread out before him. Furina was standing on the other side of his desk. Of course, he had heard her enter his office before she even spoke, but he was so used to her unannounced intrusions these days that he treated it as a part of his daily routine now. I only hope that she makes this quick. I have a rather heavy agenda today, and I would like to return home before dark.

Furina leaned over his desk, her heterochromatic eyes eagerly scanning the desk for some sort of incriminating evidence to grab onto. Of course, she found none. Neuvillette wasn’t so foolish that he would make such a careless mistake.

“Hmph, I didn’t know that paperwork could inspire such a joyous expression on one’s face. What a contrast you make with the Gestionnaires outside your door! You really must get out more.”

“Indeed, I have, thanks to your urging. I believe you’ve already read the note I left you.”

“Ah, yes, that sorry excuse for a note,” Furina sniffed. “‘Will be away for a day due to personal reasons.’ No mention of where you’re going or who you’ll be with.”

“I see no reason why I should have included either of those things. I followed all the necessary protocol for requesting leave, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“Oh, I am. But Neuvillette, aren’t you getting tired of constantly having to avoid my questions and fend me off every single day? You know exactly what I want, why won’t you give it to me? Are you truly intending to keep doing this forever?”

“And you know very well that I will not change my position on this matter. There is no need for you to get involved in my marriage, nor do you have the right.”

Furina and Neuvillette glared at each other silently for a while. Throughout this week, she had constantly needled, badgered, and pestered him in an attempt to fish for any information about his day off, but he remained an immovable stone wall. He knew that revealing anything to her would only pour fuel on the fire, so to speak. Knowing her nature, he doubted she would let this go any time soon, but he could at least not give her any openings to pounce onto.

“No right to get involved in your marriage, huh,” Furina repeated, arching an eyebrow. “Don’t forget that you have me to thank for it. Would you have ever even considered marrying this woman if it weren’t for me?”

Neuvillette did not say anything. They both knew the answer to that question.

“Even so, I do not owe you anything,” he said with a firm tone that signaled the end of their talk. “Now then, Furina, allow me to get back to my work.”

“Fine,” Furina said with a toss of her head. “It looks like I’ll be visiting you again tomorrow.”

“Please do so during my coffee break.”

Furina spun on her heel and was about to stride away when she suddenly turned around again. “You know, Neuvillette, I just don’t understand why you won’t let me meet the person who clearly brought you so much joy.”

Neuvillette narrowed his eyes at her. “I believe we were done here?”

Furina put her hand to her heart and made an expression of exaggerated joy. “How heartless! I do hope your wife never sees this side of you.”

He watched her until she left his office and the doors closed behind her. Letting out a heavy sigh, his gaze drifted to the misty painting hanging at the side of his office, almost by instinct. This was also something that had also become a daily routine for him.

He wondered what the painter was doing now. Around this time, you were sure to be in the garden, devoting all your attention to the sunflowers.

Were you waiting for him to come home? He hoped you weren’t. It looked like he would be returning late today. Well, to be honest, he usually returned home late at night, but now with you as his wife, it would be terribly uncouth of him as your husband to come home too late. In addition, he found that his willingness to work into the late hours had decreased considerably. Still, there were times when he truly had no other choice.

But, there was a small part of him that would very much like it if you did wait for him.

Neuvillette did not know what to make of this new development in his feelings. He examined it, turning it over in his head as one would do with a particularly interesting-looking rock or seashell, then put it away for later. He needed to concentrate on getting through the stack of paperwork on his desk if he wanted to leave work earlier.

But before that…

His hand moved to his desk drawer, which contained a recently-delivered envelope. It was a stroke of good fortune that it had been delivered before Furina’s visit. He’d never hear the end of that if she saw its contents.

He opened the envelope and took out a stack of newly-developed photos. He flipped through them until he reached the photo of a young woman standing stiffly in front of an azure-blue willow tree. His finger idly stroked the edge of the picture. The colors were so vivid and crisp that he felt as though he could reach into the photo and touch the ribbon of your hat or the soft fabric of your sleeve.

It was strange. You were not a particularly cheerful or spirited person, but when he was with you, his heart felt lighter, freer. Not to the extent of forgetting himself or his responsibilities, of course, but… Was this what Furina meant by the “joys of matrimony”?

He couldn’t say he disliked it.

He carefully put the photos back in the envelope. What sort of face would you make when he showed them to you? Or when he showed you the other surprise he had for you? Would you smile at him once again? Would you take his hand in yours? A feeling of anticipation filled his heart. Unconsciously, his fingers brushed against his cheek.

The sunflowers were coming along nicely. They now reached the height of your hip and formed small, tightly closed buds. There were no yellow petals peeking through yet, but you were confident that they would appear in the coming weeks.

You brushed your fingers against the leaves. They were the size of your palm now. You could see little bug bites dotting them. Perhaps you should ask Marie if there were any pesticides on hand.

It was evening now, though the sun was still in the sky. Neuvillette should be back by now. Maybe he had a lot of work today? You couldn’t help but feel a sting of disappointment. You had been looking forward to showing him the buds. Was Furina pestering him again?

It had been a week since the date. Neuvillette had sent the photos out to be developed, and you would be getting them today. You were a bit excited to see them. I don’t think I’ve ever taken so many pictures in my life.

After you finished taking the last measurements, you returned to the house and went up to your room. Your eyes automatically went to the plump azure flower tucked into a vase on your desk. It brought a vibrant splash of color to your elegant but sparse room, and you liked looking at it. It gave you a sense of pleasure. You wondered where Neuvillette put his flower.

I wonder if it will deflate like a balloon if I stuck a pin into the middle, you thought as you sniffed the flower’s cool fragrance. That would make it easier to press, wouldn’t it?

Perhaps it was because you talked about pressing flowers on the date, but it had been on your mind lately. Your fingers itched for your old flower press, sitting in your closet back home. The lily would look striking against a white page. If only you picked some of those wildflowers you had seen on Erinnyes and in Merusea Village... they could serve as accompaniment to the lily, which would obviously be the centerpiece, and a strand of blue leaves from the Weeping Willow could be the finishing touch, forming a wreath that framed everything neatly. It would be a beautiful memento of one of the most beautiful days in your life.

It was strange. Even though your days went on like usual after the date, you felt a little different. A little lighter. Reinvigorated, if you had to describe it in a single word. Your childhood hobbies, which you once considered frivolous and backwards, beckoned to you once more.

For a long time now, you felt like you were barely holding yourself up by the sheer force of will, like a sunflower with shallow roots and a too-heavy head, in need of a support to stand tall and erect. Well, now you did have one.

I guess this is what marriage all about. Two people supporting each other for life. Although, it is rather one-sided in our case.

You bit your lip. It was irrational, you knew. Neuvillette was the powerful and respected Iudex, while you were an impoverished baron’s daughter from the countryside. Your presence in his house was proof of just how much more you relied on him than the other way around. You knew that Neuvillette didn’t expect anything from you, which only made you even more determined to do something for him.

You despised the feeling of owing someone. You hated having to completely depend on someone. That was one of the many reasons why you chose your career path.

But more than that…

Neuvillette’s distraught face flashed through your mind. Though you only saw it once, you never wanted to see that look on his face again.

Neuvillette finally returned home by the time the sky was dark. You had already eaten dinner without him and was reading in the parlor when you heard the front door open.

“Neuvillette,” you called out to him as you went into the foyer. “You came home so late. Did something happen?”

As you approached him, you thought that he looked a bit fatigued, but the tiredness in his face seemed to vanish as he fixed his eyes on you.

“Madame,” he greeted you. “My apologies for worrying you. I had a rather busy agenda today. I hope you’ve already eaten dinner?”

“I have. But have you eaten as well? If not, I can warm up the leftovers for you, or I can ask Marie to cook something fresh if that’s what you prefer.”

“No need for that. I’ve already eaten. But there is something else I want to talk about,” Neuvillette paused. It took you a moment to realize that he was doing it for dramatic effect. So even he has that side to him...how cute, you thought, trying to hide your smile. “I was able to receive the developed photos today.”

He took out an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to you. “They turned out quite well, I must say,” he added.

The envelope was thick and heavy. You must have taken more than a hundred photos.

You decided to look through them in the parlor. Neuvillette followed you, and the two of you sat side by side on the couch as you spread the photos out on the coffee table. Neuvillette was right, they did turn out well. You had been a bit worried that they might come out blurry or at odd angles, but overall, they all looked pretty good, considering the fact that you hadn’t used a Kamera in a long time.

“You have a very good eye for photography, Madame,” Neuvillette remarked as he picked up a photo of the Weeping Willow. “Have you considered pursuing a career in that field?”

“Oh, not at all. My old drawing teacher was much better at it than me, enough to make a living out of it, and she taught me a few tricks.”

“‘Was’? Do you mean...” Neuvillette trailed off.

“Yes. It was a few years ago.”

“Ah...I see. I'm sorry to hear that.”

There was a brief, awkward silence. Neuvillette looked as though he wanted to say something more. You would rather not deal with that, so your eyes roamed around the scattered photos on the table before they landed on something silver. “Oh, my pictures of you!” you said, leaning forward to grab them. “See, what did I tell you, Neuvillette. There’s nothing more picturesque than beautiful scenery and a handsome man.”

Neuvillette leaned closer towards you to examine the photos for himself. His hair brushed against your shoulder, and you could feel the heat of his body against your arm. A thought suddenly struck you. If you turned your head right now, your lips would brush against his cheek in the same spot where you had kissed it before.

Inexplicably, your face turned warm at the thought. The back of your hand tingled.

Perhaps things didn’t quite remain the same after the date.

It truly had been a spur of the moment move. Your roiling emotions, aided by the instigation of the Melusines, had pushed you to do it.

Later that night, as you laid in bed, your mind replaying that scene over and over to an infuriating degree, you had rifled through all the emotions you had felt at that time. Embarrassment, disbelief, a strange sort of elation…

But the one emotion that had been missing no matter how hard you searched for it, was regret.

Overt acts of affection had never been your forte, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

Well, cheek kisses don’t inherently mean anything significant, you had told yourself. Friends do it with each other all the time. And Neuvillette is my friend. A very dear friend. So it’s perfectly fine. Case closed.

Indeed, Neuvillette didn’t seem to look at you or treat you any differently after the fact, so why should you? No doubt he was used to receiving such acts of intimacy—most likely even more intimate—from people who were far more glamorous than you. A brief brush of lips against his cheek probably meant nothing to him.

As for the hand kiss, well, that was something that gentlemen like him did. It also didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t.

The thought that these kisses were all meaningless did sting a little bit, but considering the circumstances, you had no right to complain.

“I must confess that I do not see what makes these pictures any better than the ones you took of the scenery,” Neuvillette’s voice interrupted your thoughts. His eyes were fixed on the photo, so thankfully he didn’t notice your reddened cheeks. “Or of the Melusines, for that matter.”

“Well, even if you don’t appreciate them, I do. I’ll treat them like a family treasure.”

“A family treasure? That’s a bit excessive, is it not?”

“I don’t think so. These are pretty rare items, aren’t they?”

Since Neuvillette didn’t appear in public much, there were not many pictures of him outside of the rare interview and official events. Hmm, I wonder how much they’ll sell for? Not that I would ever do that, of course. …Well, maybe if I’m in dire financial straits. I’ll ask for Neuvillette’s permission beforehand if it ever comes to that.

You went through the remaining photos. Each one sparked a memory. The Weeping Willow, the sea, Merusea Village underwater—you really had been to all of those places. With Neuvillette, no less. The entirety of that day was only known to the two of you.

The days after your date had been so mundane and normal that you were half-convinced that it had all been a strange dream. Thoughts and memories were such mutable things, after all. Someone like you on a date with the Chief Justice? Not even in your wildest delusions would something like that ever happen. But these pictures were proof that it did.

You knew that you would probably think back on that day for the rest of your life, holding it close to your chest like a treasured gemstone and taking it out whenever times got tough. A sparkling memory of your youth that you would smile back fondly upon in your autumn years, a lone glimmering star in the dark that would inspire you move forward…

Wait, why am I getting so sappy and sentimental? Just because of a date? Ugh, come on now.

You glanced at Neuvillette, who was currently enjoying a glass of water (imported from Inazuma). You doubted that he felt the same way as you about the date. It was probably just like a drop of water in a vast ocean to him.

That thought pricked at you, but you chose to ignore it.

You sifted through the pictures until you came across a certain snapshot. Just as you were about to flip it over, a gloved finger pressed down against the photo, stopping you.

“This one is my favorite,” Neuvillette said. Once again, his face was right next to yours, but you couldn’t read his expression.

“Because you were the one who took it?”

“No,” he said, then turned his head towards you. “Because it’s of you.”

“Neuvillette…” you said after a short silence. You fidgeted with your reddened fingertips. “I don’t understand how you can say things like that with such a straight face.”

“Is it truly so strange?” Neuvillette looked perplexed. “I was simply saying my true feelings. And it is not as though you have refrained from such comments either.”

“You do have a point,” you conceded, although that still didn’t mean it didn’t catch you off guard. You turned your attention back to the photo of you. To be honest, it didn’t turn out half bad. Sure, you looked incredibly stiff and awkward and your hair was a mess and you had no idea what you were thinking when you matched that sweater with that skirt, but…it could have turned out worse.

“May I keep this photo?” Neuvillette asked.

“Of course, but what will you do with it? Surely you aren’t going to put it on your office desk or anything, right?”

“No, of course not. I would put it in a drawer, so I may take it out and look at it whenever I like.”

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Is it so wrong for a husband to want to look at a picture of his wife every once in a while? Many of the Palais staff also keep pictures of their loved ones on their desks. Why shouldn’t I?” Neuvillette paused for a little bit before adding, “And it would be one way for me to see your face more often, considering how I don’t get many chances of that during the day.”

“Hmm…very well, then,” you didn’t quite get why he would want to see more of your face, but if it made him happy, then you supposed there was nothing to complain about. Neuvillette is actually quite good at this kind of thing, you thought to yourself. Just imagine what it would be like when he gets married to someone he loves.

Now you really felt bad about your (hypothetical) future plans about selling Neuvillette’s photos. I’m an insensitive boor compared to him.

You reached the last of the photos. It was the one of you and Neuvillette standing in front of the sunset.

“You made two copies for the both of us,” you said as you looked at them. “How thoughtful.”

As you gazed at the pictures, you couldn’t help but feel a complex mixture of emotions. There was a surrealness to this photo that the others lacked. If this were a novel, this would be the point where you would wake up and return to reality after discovering something out of place in your life. No matter how you looked at it, you and Neuvillette were mismatched. Two people who were only brought together because of a weird quirk of fate.

But on the other hand…it was a beautiful photo. You had been somewhat worried that the two of you wouldn’t be centered in the frame, but it turned out well. The sunset made for a lovely backdrop. Even though both of you were looking very stiff, and neither of you were smiling.

You remembered that moment clearly. In those few minutes, you felt as light as a feather, like there was nothing tying you to the ground.

Would you ever feel that way again?

“I’m also very fond of this one,” Neuvillette said next to you. When you turned your head, you saw that he was not looking at the photos, but at you. It was then that you realized you were smiling. For some reason, you turned your head away.

“I just realized something,” you said, to cover up the awkward moment. “I’ve taken so many pictures, but I’ve got nowhere to put them all.”

“Ah, about that,” there was an excitement, subdued but present, in his voice. He sounded the same as he did when he introduced you to some new exotic variety of water. “I have a surprise for you. Please, come with me to my study.”

A surprise from Neuvillette? You had an inkling as to what it could be, but that didn’t stop you from putting all the photos back in the envelope and following him upstairs to his study, a domain you had yet to step into. It was a smaller version of his office at the Palais Mermonia, with its large desk, soft rugs, and tall bookshelves that lined the walls. There was also a fireplace here and a cozy-looking couch.

As Neuvillette went to take something out of a cabinet, you covertly examined the shelves. They were mainly filled with books on law, human psychology, history (most of which you’ve already read, having borrowed them from the library), and other similarly serious topics. Oddly enough, you spotted a few children’s picture books. Gifts from the Melusines? Or for entertaining them whenever they visit?

“Madame, here it is,” Neuvillette said, and you walked over to the desk, where there was a large, leather-bound album with metal corners.

“Oh, Neuvillette, you shouldn’t have!” you exclaimed, flipping through the album. There should be just enough space to put all the pictures from your date in it. You looked up to thank him, but was met with the sight of Neuvillette taking out yet another album from the cabinet. This one was wider, with a ribbon tied into a neat bow on the spine. Perhaps Neuvillette bought a second album, just in case the first one wouldn’t fit all of your pictures?

But, as though to dash all reasonable explanations, Neuvillette took out another album from the cabinet, then another. It seemed never-ending, this deluge of albums. After a while, it became sort of funny, like a comedy sketch. You watched, open-mouthed, as the desk became covered with albums of all shapes and sizes.

Finally, after the tenth one, the deluge stopped. Neuvillette looked at you expectantly. “Well, Madame, which one do you prefer?”

“Wait a minute, let me get this right,” you said, backing up a step and surveying the desk. “You bought all these albums just for me to choose one?”

“Yes, I did,” Neuvillette said, nodding as though this was a perfectly normal thing to do. Was this how the minds of the wealthy worked? It was beyond your comprehension. “I was unsure which one would be most to your liking, so I decided to buy them all.”

“Oh, Neuvillette, you really shouldn’t have…” you said. “This is too excessive. Why didn’t you ask me to come with you when you went shopping? And you know I’d like anything you picked out for me.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise…” Neuvillette said. He looked a bit deflated, and you felt bad.

“Can you return them?”

“It would be highly inconvenient for the shopkeeper if I did so,” Neuvillette said, then added in an abashed tone, “And I was told that all sales are final.”

“How unfortunate,” you looked down at the desk again. Was it possible for anyone to fill up all these albums in their lifetime? Maybe if they had a lifespan as long as Neuvillette’s. “Maybe they could make an exception for the Iudex?”

“I would rather not use my position in such a manner.”

“Well then, how about we give them away?”

“Give them away…” Neuvillette considered your words. “I-I suppose that could work… it is a reasonable idea. Yes, quite reasonable indeed.”

Neuvillette…if only you could see the look on your face right now. He looked like a kicked puppy. However, you decided to hold your tongue.

“Hmm, on second thought, it would be quite rude of me to give away presents from my generous husband,” you said. “I’ll keep them all. Thank you, Neuvillette.”

You patted his hand. He looked down at your hand on top of his, his eyes unreadable. He lightly brushed his fingers against your own.

“You need not force yourself to accept them if you do not want them,” he said quietly.

“But I do want them. They’re from you, after all. We’ll just have to take plenty more photos to get your money’s worth.”

“‘We?’”

“Yes, ‘we.’ Did you expect me to fill up these albums all on my own?”

“Certainly, it would be more efficient if we worked together,” Neuvillette nodded to himself. “Very well, then, Madame. I will assist you in this endeavour.”

With that settled, you decided to put the date photos in the first brown leather album. It had a vintage look to it that you liked.

“It’s getting late, Madame. You should be going to bed soon,” Neuvillette informed you.

“What about you?” Neuvillette didn’t seem to be making any moves to retire for the night just yet.

“There are a few more matters that I need to take care of, but do not worry, it won’t take very long.”

“Okay then,” you nodded, stepping towards the door. But just as you were about to leave the study, a thought suddenly struck you. “Oh, by the way, Neuvillette.”

“Yes, Madame?”

“Has Lady Furina been bothering you about…about me lately?”

Neuvillette blinked. He was silent for a moment before speaking. “She has. But it’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m quite used to handling her.”

“But…”

“There is no need to worry, Madame. She will never need to know about you,” Neuvillette’s tone was firm. “I will do my utmost to make sure it stays that way.”

“…Alright,” you said, but it wasn’t relief that flooded your heart. “Good night, Neuvillette.”

“Good night, Madame.”

You closed the study door quietly behind you.

#neuvillette x reader #the winding path of fate

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