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kursed-curtain · 8 months ago

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Liveblogging in the tags? Me? All the time! Let's talky tollbooth ^^

King's Quest Fic: "Paths" (Part 3)

Previous instalments here

Perhaps a single sleep-in morning couldn’t fix everything.

In the three days after coronation, Graham racked up an impressive record as king. First, he managed to shatter an oil lantern in the oldest, yellowest, crispiest part of the castle archive, bursting with looseleaf waiting to be bound. They’d saved most of the stacks.

He’d written greeting letters to his fellow monarchs, including the queen of gigantic Serenia, the cloutiest player on the political stage. By some oblivious genius, he accidentally filled the whole thing with scathing double meanings about their countries’ future relationship, with a postscript that amounted to a casual declaration of war. The uncomfortable scribe had said nothing to Graham, but rushed off to check the letter with Royal Guard Number One. You could have knocked the new king over with a feather when the guard scornfully read the worst passages back to him.

Twice he groggily (and purely automatically) showed up for his old night shifts, embarrassing everyone. He was late for half the meetings on his agenda. One evening he signed nearly two hundred documents he was supposed to void, before someone stopped him.

But nothing compared with what came to be known in Mannerly Stove in years following as “The King Graham incident.”

Graham’s century old carriage rolled up the switchbacks. He drummed his listless fingers on the window. He knew at least two shortcuts he could have taken, if only they had let him ride his surefooted Triumph. But his old buddy was not a suitable steed for a king, or so they said.

He tugged at this collar. The carriage might have been spacious, if his honour guard hadn’t stuffed in with him. Did they think they had to form a defensive perimeter even inside the coach? The air outside was damply hot enough, more like the stillness before the summer storms than a September day. And inside with the five guards? Every inch of armour fogged up like a mirror after a bath.

“I’m not quite sure what the point of this is - ouch!” His temple struck the window as the carriage lurched wildly onto its two right wheels. The brow of his crown dug bluntly into the same place it dug every time.

“A little more caution on those sharp turns, Number Two?” the captain called, banging a fist on the ceiling.

“Righty-oh,” came their driver’s muffled voice.

The king groaned. He shoved aside his seatmate, who had toppled right over him. His sharp armour bits were all caught on Graham’s formal black and red outfit. “I mean,” he grunted, righting his crown, “I have been to Mannerly Stove. Every time I’ve been sent on a quest outside the kingdom, in fact. I get my lunch at the Olde Yarblesnoof. I know half the people by sight. Is this visit really necessary?”

Number One fanned himself with his notecards. His voice was flat and already tired. “Sir Graham visited. Sir Graham is not here today. You are Daventry.”

“Yeah, but, to an ordinary villager -”

The guard’s tone grew sharper. “Ever have the landlord knock on your door up in Llewdor?”

Graham swallowed. It had been a long time. Yet he was astonished how clearly he remembered his mother panicking, plastering on a smile for him and his sisters, rushing them out the backdoor, and telling them to play by the brook or in the woods. Just not near the house. She’d pat her hair and set her jaw, walking determinedly to the front door. He could not remember what the landlord looked like, except that he was really big. He had to stoop to get in the door. Graham frowned. “Yeah, occasionally.”

“It means a lot to an ordinary villager, wouldn’t you say?”

Graham didn’t answer.

Number One went on, a little less sharp, a little more didactic. “You are about a hundred times all that the landlord is, and more. So today you are going to calm their worries. You’ll smile and mingle, and let them show you whatever they’re proudest of - probably the Tickle Rock. You’ll declare three months’ tax forgiveness, and call for a cask of ale to be opened for the people. And all this will be code for, ‘You’re just as much a part of Daventry as the people down in the valley, Mannerly Stove. I’ll show you I’ll be good to you. You show me you’ll keep my mountain pass open, my only real road in and out clear of snow, catch my brigands, warn me of invaders, ensure food and tools and supplies flow into into my country without trouble, and keep me connected to the outside world.’ So yes, unless you fancy dining only on lavender for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of your reign, we could call it necessary. ”

“But does that also mean - agh!”

The carriage slammed to an abrupt halt. Graham and all the guards on his side were thrown into the laps of the guards across the way. The coach became a writhing tangle of arms, legs, and everyone’s favourite curses. Graham’s boot toe somehow caught on the overhead luggage rack, while his nose wedged in the crook of Number One’s elbow. He thought he heard the captain mutter under his breath, “Really?”Then at the top of his lungs, “Open the door, for pity’s sake!”

Someone found the latch. Half the guards tumbled out in a dust cloud.. Graham could not look anyone in the face as Numbers Three and Five extricated him, and lifted him out of the carriage like a child - into the midst of a throng of chuckling onlookers.

Get it together. Think of lavender for every meal!

Graham stepped away from the guards. He reached desperately for his dignity, or even just his coaching. Something came to hand. He lifted his chin, clenched his teeth into the most carefree smile in his repertoire, and waved a great big wave at the crowd of a hundred or so. “What’s shakin’, Mannerly Stove?” he shouted cheerily.

Number One slumped, but the crowd whooped and applauded. Some were still laughing, but that wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Imagine if everyone had fallen silent.

A man of great girth, with a pentagonal hat and chain of office round his neck, strode forward importantly. As he stepped closer, Graham recognized him as Hector. He was more or less mayor, but spent most of his time selling artisanal cheeses over the border. Graham had stayed overnight at his house and beat him at hangman, back when King Edward had sent him to defeat a banshee.

Hector’s grin was enormous, but his eyes were humbly downcast as he swept off his hat with a flourish, and sank to one knee. “Majesty,” he boomed. “Here is a day that will not soon be forgotten in our lowly township.”

Graham sighed, wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his cuff, and pulled out formality. “The pleasure’s all mine, Lord Mayor. And thank you all,” he said, raising his voice, “for the warm welcome. It’s my honour to continue the strong relationship between the throne and this good village.”

More cheers. Well, that wasn’t too bad. Graham tried to resist, but he could not help sneaking a peek to see if Number One approved. But by this time, the captain was standing to inscrutable attention in a row with the other guards.

So they began. Speechlets, bouquets, a whirlwind tour of the town which Graham honestly could have led himself. A headache began as he boiled alive in his expensive outfit, but he soldiered on, oohing and ahhing dutifully.

At last they took him over the crest of the road and down into the mountain pass itself. In the distance, Graham could make out a colourful blur (zards, was his eyesight worse compared to his last visit? No, no, surely not,) which he knew to be the Serenian flag hanging over a small border fortification on the other side. Halfway between them, close to the mountainside waterfall, stood the first thing Graham did not recognize from before. Something glinting here and there with metal, and painted in red and blue.

“Er, what’s that?” he asked, as Hector led the way, walking backward.

“That,” said Hector with relish, raising his voice to be heard above the crash of the waterfall, “is the reason we insisted your people schedule your visit for today. We only finished putting it together last night. The pride of Mannerly Stove. This way, sire. Only, keep to the middle of the road. Safer.”

“Safer?” asked Graham, but the crowd was already bustling him down the slope toward the object. As it came into focus, he could make out sandbags, gears, a series of weigh scale bowls suspended from chains, and a long winding slide, about the right size for a marble. But none of the bells and whistles disguised the thing completely.

“A… tollbooth?”

Number One somehow shot him a pointed look, despite his eyes being disguised beneath his helmet. “A very fine tollbooth, I’m sure.”

“A groundbreaking tollbooth,” said Hector. “Like no one has ever seen before, my king. Let us demonstrate.”

To Graham’s annoyance, the excited mayor yanked him toward the window by the wrist, where a giggling assistant demanded five shiny gold coins. A scowl escaped him at the price, but Number Three leant over his shoulder and murmured something about how after all, he was really just dropping the money back into his own pocket. She asked whether he were smuggling anything, checked something off a list, and turned a crank.

The striped barrier began to rise. There was a shifting and creaking that didn’t seem to come from the mechanism, but out of the earth itself. Graham could have sworn he saw the pebbles on the road rolling slightly. For a moment, an unnaturally straight crack formed in a portion of the road, swallowing dust. Almost as suddenly it disappeared, and all went still. The barrier stopped, at full height.

“Have a nice trip!” the assistant rattled off. “Just have a word with the Serenians at the checkstop on your way through.”

Graham took a few wary steps over the invisible border, but it all seemed solid enough. He threw an uncertain glance back at the beaming group. “But I don’t actually, right?”

Hector chuckled. “Better not. We’d give the Serenians a good gossip if we sent the king himself through. On foot. All by himself and unprotected.”

Indignation flared in Graham's chest unexpectedly. He was seized by an impulse to power-walk over the frontier and give the people of Daventry something to gossip about. All by himself and unprotected, indeed. But he slapped that thought away, and ducked to slip under the re-lowered barrier.

The entire crowd gasped as one. The assistant’s mouth went round as an O, and the mayor waved his hands wildly. “No, no, no!” he cried. “Back up! Back up!”

Graham scooted backward, his black satin cloak billowing round. He instinctively checked the ground, but nothing seemed to be moving.

Hector placed a hand over his heart and heaved a sigh of relief. “Never,” he said, articulating every syllable, “ever try to pass while the gate is still shut. Or go around it. Or climb over it. There are weight sensitive plates everywhere, and if you did -"

“Raise that gate again,” commanded Number One with a firm nod at the assistant. She hurried to obey. The road began groaning again.

“- if you did,” Hector went on, “the entire border defense system would be triggered. Walls, saws, spikes, you name it. And if something of sufficient weight passes over one of those plates, like a cart, it can even set off two small landslides to block the pass on either side.”

“Retrieve the king,” said Number One hurriedly.

As the barrier locked into its highest position, Graham’s six guards charged forward. They seized him by the shoulders, and precisely maneuvered him to the very center of the road. They all but shoved him back to the Daventry side, even as they tiptoed, lightly as possible, on their curly boots. “Excuse me,” Graham growled so the crowd wouldn’t hear. “I am perfectly able to walk.” He dug in his heels before he could collide with Hector.

“Landslides?” Graham said aloud, righting himself and shaking off the guards. “That seems like a lot.”

Hector shook his head and waggled a sensible finger. “Nature’s trap for intruders. You see, a few months back, we had some trouble with bootleggers sneaking past this stretch of road. The late King Edward gave us a grant to tighten security. This Domino Effect Tollbooth was our most brilliant minds’ answer.”

Graham rubbed his chin stubble. “But I mean, smugglers aren’t limited to this route. You could actually sneak into the valley from any direction, right?”

“But NOT through Mannerly Stove,” proclaimed Hector, thrusting out his chest pompously, as though that settled the question. “But you haven’t seen the really droll part of it yet, sire. You might be thinking that an offender might get through the defenses anyhow. That’s why we installed these.” Hector indicated a row of thin, brass pipes protruding from the underside of the toll booth. “These swing out, and blast the scoundrel with sixteen bright colours of paint! Good luck blending in after that!”

“Wow.” Graham scratched his temple under his crown. “You figure it needs sixteen?”

“Naturally! Two or three colours could just mean housepainting, or an artist having a clumsy day. But the odds of sixteen? I think not. In fact, our designer’s original plan was for two-hundred-and-fifty-six colours, but there wasn’t room in the budget. But,” (his smile broadened again - how was that physically possible?) “if I may make so bold, things have been looking up since you got those treasures back. And we, we have full confidence you’ll make the very best use of them. You see, sire, the taxes your officials have us down for are shockingly heavy for such a small town. It's something I’d hoped we could chat about before you leave - possibly expanding the grant.”

“I see.” Graham couldn’t quite stop a smirk from creeping over his face. “So you can have the two-hundred-and-fifty-six colours.”

Hector bobbed the slightest of bows. “That would be a start.”

The smirk spread as he mirrored the mayor’s bow. “Of course. It’s so… great to know the kingdom’s money would be put to such excellent -”

A gauntleted hand clapped over the king’s mouth. “Bless you,” said Number One brusquely from behind him. “Just as you say, sire. Great to know security is being taken so seriously.”

Really? In what world did Number One imagine that was subtle?

Graham spluttered as the guard released him, but before he stepped away Number One poked him sharply between the shoulder blades. Muscle memory kicked in. Graham found himself straightening up and putting his shoulders back, as he always did on the training ground when Number One corrected his posture. Then he turned and glared, meeting the guard’s gaze. He deliberately slumped his shoulders and let himself fall into the easy bow-legged stance Number One was always giving him grief for. Zards; what was even the point of dragging him out here if they were just going to be embarrassed of his existence? Maybe they should just put the crown on Number One’s head and send him round to smile and wave at smug villagers. Stars knew he wouldn’t mind taking it off for a while. The headache was morphing from a gnaw to an ache.

Number One held his gaze. And Graham noticed suddenly that everyone had gone quiet.

Hector laughed nervously. “Perhaps your majesty is tired. The heat of the day, naturally. Maybe…” He glanced at the brook rushing by the wayside, and upward at the roiling foam of the falls. “I know just the thing to cool us all down. There’s a staircase carved into the rock that starts just over there. It leads up to a little cliff about halfway up the waterfall. The view is really spectacular.”

“Great idea!” Graham cut in. Anything to shift focus.

The slate-blue steps cut from the side of the mountain were puddle slick most of the way up, pooling mist into water.. More than once Graham nearly lost his footing and had to grab at the fiery-orange foliage of the bushes that lined the way. The second time, Number Two had to give him a shove to get his center of gravity back.

“You all right?” he whispered in Graham’s ear.

“I’m managing,” he said, trying to put some pep into it.

But Number Two didn’t pull back just yet. “Don’t think about who’s watching,” he murmured. “Not us, not them. Just think about one day when you’ll be old and stuck in bed all day, and can't climb mountains no more -and have fun with it now. That’s how it’s done.” He patted Graham lightly on the shoulder. “Sire.”

At length they reached the narrow shelf - Graham, the guards, and Hector, who immediately pointed out that you could see his house from there. In fact, Graham could see all of Mannerly Stove from there, and a good stretch of the kingdom below, decked out in autumn glory. He was fairly sure the shimmering bit of white light was the castle pinnacle. But it was the falls that really stole the show, rushing down in magnificent sheets, and casting up snowy white froth. Graham gratefully stepped into the spray and let it play over his face and hands. He rubbed the cool water into the corners of his eyes. Who cared that his good clothes got a trifle wet? Anyone with an ounce of compassion would give him this. He wondered what temperature the guards had reached in their armour, and whether they were envious.

Hector swept another needless bow. “I thought your majesty might find it refreshing. Now, while we’re up here, it would be a crime not to show you the Tickle Rock. How do you like that?” He pointed a brawny finger toward the cliff’s edge.

Perched near the brink sat the most top-heavy rock Graham had ever seen. As tall as he was, and rather wider than his arm span at the top, it dwindled to a narrow point at its base. He could have wrapped his fingers round the bottom. This, at last, was something to see.

“Perfectly balanced, as you see,” said Hector, taking a moment to hold his handkerchief under the waterfall and dab at his forehead. “It was the pride of our village long before the tollbooth. So, you see, it can never fall down. It’s been here as long as anyone knows. When the winds blow, it rocks a little, but it goes on standing.”

“And it can never fall down?” Graham asked, genuinely enchanted for the first time since his coronation.

“Never.”

“That’s incredible!”

“Miraculous,” the mayor agreed. He considered a moment, then seized off his hat and held it under the water to fill it up. “Stars bless us, but it is a hot day,” he muttered. “Yes, miraculous. It can never fall down, because if it did, we’d lose half our fame. Although if you come to think of it, the really miraculous thing, even more so than the Tickle Rock’s perfect balance, is that no idiot has ever climbed up here and given it a good…” He looked up from his hat, and froze. “Sir Graham! No!”

A shining-eyed Graham had closed the gap between himself and the rock. To Hector’s horror, even as the words formed on his lips, Graham raised his hand. Pointed a finger. And poked the stone.

It wobbled.

“What?” said Graham, glancing back over his shoulder in honest bewilderment. “Didn’t you say it can never fall?”

The rock lurched toward the precipice’s edge.

Hector screamed. The crowd below screamed. Nearly every guard screamed.

Graham’s blood froze, and his stomach turned a cat’s cradle. “No, no, no no no no no!” Without a thought in his head, except that the Tickle Rock must not fall, he clambered to get a hold of it, catching frantically at the air. His arms closed round its sides. He heaved backward, realizing just a moment later that if the stone came with him, it would land on top of him. But it didn’t. It wedged itself on the end of his boot, just a fraction away from his toes. It tottered - tottered further - and righted itself in his arms.

Oh, gods. Oh, merciful gods. That had been unthinkably close. He heaved a sigh of relief, and could have sworn that sigh echoed through the whole mountain pass.

Then something shifted, and Graham and the rock hurtled over the edge.

He cried out. For a moment someone seemed to be tugging at his cloak, but they must have let go. He pulled his arms free of the rock, and found himself spinning somersaults and cartwheels in freefall. The crown flew off his head. He reached, reached for something to grab hold of, but nothing met his grip.

Then he thudded into the earth.

The wind was knocked out of him, but his arm raised itself on reflex. With perfect timing, he snatched the crown out of the air. Well, at least he had that.

Five spinning skies resolved into one as he gasped breath back into his lungs. Dizzily, he raised himself on one elbow. He was laid out on his back, mere inches from the shattered chunks of the Tickle Rock. And on the other side of him, the tollbooth.

The ground began to creak and rumble under him.

Graham closed his eyes. “No…”

He launched himself into a roll just as the ground beneath where had been lying fell away. From the breach burst a circular saw, spinning so fast it screeched. He broke his roll just in time, for an identical saw split the ground and rose from the other side. Earsplitting bells and horns rang out. He staggered to his feet, only for something - a spinning jousting target? - to swing at his head. Throwing himself into the arms of instinct, he ducked and weaved as more and more threats appeared, some from the ground, some on metal fixtures that came out of the tollbooth, some from who could say where. He swerved to avoid a procession of five tremendous wooden mallets, any of which could have sent his head flying like a croquet ball. Finally, a great wall of black iron, lined at the top with vicious spikes, leapt out of the ground, cutting off his escape toward the Serenian side. Graham dashed wildly toward Daventry, even though the spikes of the second wall had already climbed a good three feet. Throwing all his momentum into it, he leapt wildly to clear the wall. But the spinning jousting target snagged his cloak, and threw him back into the middle of the fray.

He flattened himself against the ground, covering his head with his arms, and waited for something to squish or slice or stretch him. Somewhere, the rumbling grew even louder, until it roared.

Everything stopped.

He waited, then waited longer. But nothing more came. Slow as molasses in winter, he got to his feet and looked around. The saws were still, the mallets had fallen to the ground, inert, and the walls, while very much standing, seemed to have reached their full height.

He tilted his head back to look up at the cliff. Only Hector remained by the waterfall. His eyes goggled out of his head, but he said nothing. The guards were nowhere in sight, though he thought maybe he could just make out Number One’s voice raised above the crash of the water. “Pockets!”

“I’m -” His voice sounded weak and hoarse, and not nearly loud enough to carry. He tried again, a bit louder. “I’m here, Number One! I - think it’s all over.”

A blast of neon yellow splashed violently into his face.

He shut his eyes just in time. The paints soaked him with such force it was hard to keep his balance. He gritted his teeth, folded his arms, and leaned against the metal wall for support. Just stand and take it, and think what on earth you’re going to say to them all.

When at last the paint melee stopped, he cracked an eyelid and looked down at himself. If he hadn’t needed glasses before, he certainly would after an eyeful like that. Lime green, sherbet pink, tropical orange. This outfit was single handedly going to set the royal laundry on strike.

A helmeted head popped over the wall. “Sire!” cried Number One anxiously, already grabbing onto a spike to vault over. “Are you hurt?”

The ground had already spat so many things out; if only it could swallow him. He forced a limp, rainbow-coloured thumbs up.

Number One was there in a moment, seizing him by the elbows. “Are you hurt at all?” He sounded beside himself.

Graham shook his head, grateful that his sopping blue and white hair hung down over his face, so that his eyes were hidden too.

“Can you speak?”

“Uh huh.”

Number One’s grip relaxed, and if it was a wave of relief that washed over the guard, Graham could feel it roll over him too. Just for a moment. Because the next moment the grip turned severe. If Number One had been any stronger he would have crushed Graham's elbows as he leaned in and whispered furiously, “What in bloody hell do you think you’re playing at?” Then he stepped back, and shouted clearly, “His majesty is not seriously harmed. Numbers Two and Three, prepare the carriage to take him home at once. My lord mayor, on behalf of the royal guard, we are deeply, deeply sorry for this unfortunate accident. Numbers Four, Five, and Six, we’ll be here overnight to… deal with all this.”

Up on the clifftop, Hector shook himself from his stupor. “Uh - uh - uh, well,” he stammered, “well, I don’t think anyone’s heading home tonight. The, uh, the rock was, um, heavy. The landslides, they worked perfectly, on both sides. So you’re probably stuck here until, um, we can get the rubble crew in.”

Number One twitched, almost imperceptibly. “How long will that take?”

Hector began twisting his hat into a helix. “I don’t think the team has been, um, precisely organized yet. We - we only finished the tollbooth last night. Um, there’s a signup sheet on the town board. Can someone run and check on that?”

The last time Graham had stayed overnight at the mayor’s house, he’d slept on the sofa. This evening the two housemaids rushed about in a frenzy to get the master bedroom ready. They changed out the bedding, set up a side table with a pitcher of water, mints, and a bell, and covered the floor and armchair with towels and tarps, so the splattered king could drip as much as he liked.

Exhausted, he eased into the chair sorely. If his muscles were feeling that fall now, what would they be tomorrow? As for the headache, it had apparently decided to split expenses and housemate with a few other headaches. But a splitting head and aching muscles were things he could get over. He wasn’t sure about the rest.

The wash stand was just within reach. A linen towel hung over the edge. Improper it might be, but his handkerchief was a sodden mess of paint. Graham grabbed the towel and blew his nose hard. Even the mucus seemed to have all sixteen colours in it.

Number One marched into the room with the most precisely by-the-book march Graham had ever seen from him, but he only stopped the door from slamming at the last second. He stepped carefully around the colourful footprints, placed his helmet on the dresser, and stared at Graham. He didn’t exactly look angry. Graham didn’t quite know what that look was, except that it was intense. “What are you?” asked the guard slowly.

Graham shrugged. “An artistic masterpiece,” he said dryly.

“No. What are you?”

“I know. I know. I’m an idiot.” He dragged a weary hand across his face, and it came away purple and brown.

Number One took a step forward. “No!” He emphasized every word. “You are Daventry. Daventry! You cannot be Sir Graham any longer. You cannot be an island, or a maverick, or whatever you think you are. And you cannot be a rebellious schoolboy.”

Couldn’t he give it five minutes? “It’s just when he said it couldn’t fall, I took it in the sense that -”

“Daventry tumbled and scraped its way down a mountainside today. Daventry fell on its face in the dust.”

“I was actually on my back…”

“Daventry walked away wet, unsteady, and foolish, gagging up paint in front of the whole town, who will spread it round on our side of the border and over it. And the fault is completely mine.”

That got Graham’s attention. He looked up. “What?”

“You are as far from ready as you could be. And you nearly got yourself killed today.” Number One looked as though he might go on, but he abruptly stopped himself. He seized his helmet up, replaced it, and muttered, “I should be publicly flogged."

This time, he let the door slam.

#- love the little intro sequence like a comical compilation of Graham as a little anticipation for the worst to come.#- Like these are bad but there's something worse he's done?? Spectacular I already want more #- we do funky things in our half-slumber and I find that he impulsively signed TWO HUNDRED before getting stopped was amazing #- GSHDGS ALL FIVE all five of them ok 'me and the Bois!!' :')) road triiip #- I can hear their voices so well it makes me so so happy you can't even imagine #- No1 setting the high expectations as always ^^#- and as always... Plans never go the way they're supposed to. ESPECIALLY when they're said out loud word-for-word #- (I feel that rock will have some significance) (rocks and their abilities to be big and heavy and roll a lot)#- YAYY graham you DOOFUS I'm so excited (graham you gotta practice your formal entrances! But you do keep a crowd hyped and that's good)#- mechanical tollbooth! I'm always so fascinated by the wild contraptions people make in this universe. So much prowess!#- GRAHAM graham buddy I adore your confidence so much but that's stupid confidence -wheeze- HAVE A BRAIN #- thanku No2 for the added 'Sire' at the end of that motivational sentence. Formalities hah #- GAH I KNEW IT !! ROCK AND ROLL!! GRAHAM NO-#- comically overexaggerated set of saw blades and hammers go!!!#- Mickey's comic prepped me for the ending scene and I'm just imagining that and all the lovely expressions as I read this #- gosh I adored this greatly. Now I understand why people have been so hype about it! My gosh! I love this ^^#- your writing never ceases to inspire me :3c I love reading to get a boost of inspiration. And I'm so so excited about this very very much #- You have nooo clue ;3 #kings quest #friendo boosting #cool writing

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potatoplace · 4 months ago

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You Can Have It - Chapter 2

Alpha!Feysand x Omega!Reader

chapter 1 | chapter 3 | series masterlist

Story Summary: You've been a baker for 75 years, and are finally moving on from the Winter Court to the City of Velaris to start your own bakery after your grandmother passes. After your grand opening, the High Lord and Lady of Night become daily visitors to your bakery for months, every day having your most popular pastry- one that increases fertility for a short time. All the while, the two alphas want nothing more than to call themselves yours.

Warnings: A/B/O Dynamics, mentions of sex toys, I really don't think there's anything else?

Words: ~7.8k

Author's Note: it's here! I struggled a lot to get writing with this chapter, I think it's because there's so much I want to happen! Things should start moving a bit quicker after this chapter, were done with most of the OC introductions (just lil friendos for reader to have outside of the inner circle~). Hopefully in the next chapter reader will meet Rhys and Feyre :)

18+ only pls

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

You had been reading for a couple of hours before Mor returned to the inn, busting into your room as soon as you opened the door at her frantic knocks.

“I brought dinner!” Mor squealed as she set a bag onto the table in the middle of the room. “I went to Sevenda’s and got my favorite of hers, it’s this delicious pesto chicken pasta with broccoli in it, I think you’ll love it! We just have to make sure to take the bowls back tomorrow, Sevenda made me promise and I’ve forgotten a couple of times already,” Mor said sheepishly, a grin on her face. She sat down and began pulling out the takeaway dishes along with napkins and utensils.

You sat down in the other chair, gladly taking your share of the heavenly smelling food and digging in. Mor followed suit, and the two of you ate happily in a comfortable silence for a moment.

“So, were you able to set up a meeting with Auric already?” You asked Mor before taking another bite- it tasted even more amazing than it smelled.

Mor nodded. “Yes, he agreed to tomorrow at two o’clock at this cute little café just a couple of blocks down from here. He mainly wants to know your plans for the land before finalizing the sale. Auric’s family has owned the land since Velaris was founded, and since he doesn’t have any children he just wants to make sure it’s a business with good intentions, I think.”

“That makes sense, I would probably do the same in his position.”

“Agreed. I think he’ll find a cozy bakery to be a perfect fit, he ran a custom paint and supply store once he took over, and I believe it was an apothecary before that.”

You smile softly at the knowledge that your bakery will be on land with such a long history, one that must have made so many people happy. “The apothecary part will be somewhat carried on with my bakery, I have a few different pastries with special herbs in them to give different effects to the person that eats it. I have one that was very popular in the Winter Court, it helps to boost fertility. We started having a greater amount of births around every major holiday, that’s when I would bake the most of them,” you gushed, always happy to talk about your baking.

“Really? Oh, that will be lovely! Since the war, everyone in Velaris has had their eyes turned to the future, and it seems almost everyone wants to have children nowadays. Once word gets around, you’d best be ready for constant business for that pastry alone.” Mor’s words instilled confidence in you, something that you needed every so often to be sure you’re making the right choices.

A half hour later, Mor stood from her chair and began packing up the dishes. Before she left, she pulled a small metal card from her pocket and handed it to you. “This is your bank card, you’ll need it to make any purchases within Velaris. Kallias and Viviane had me set up an account for you and deposit your farewell bonus. Ten thousand for every year you worked for them, a total of 700,000 gold marks.”

“700,000?!” You asked in a frantic tone. That was to much- far, far too much. “That- they must have made a mistake. That’s a ridiculous amount of gold!”

Mor only smiled at you as she answered, “No, they were very specific about the amount. They said if you were panicking to tell you that five thousand every year was for your grandmother, and five thousand was for you. And to tell you that there is no way to convince them to take any of it back, so don’t attempt.” Mor’s smile turned to a grin when you stayed silent, still processing the immense wealth that you now possess. “I’ll be here a bit before two tomorrow to show you to the café for your meeting,” she said as she left your room, bag full of empty dishes in her hand.

“Thank you, Mor. For everything you’ve done today.”

One more bright, sunshine filled smile. “You’re welcome, Y/N. It’s no problem, you’ve been lovely to get to know.”

You return her smile, and shut the door when she is out of sight. Standing alone in your hotel room, you suddenly feel the weight of your day crashing into your shoulders. You set your new bank card on the table, the weight of its wealth too heavy at the moment.

You made your way into the bathroom, carefully removing your dress from your body to not snag your wings on the fabric. Then you set to drawing the bath- luckily, it was fully enchanted with plumbing, allowing for hot water to fill the tub.

It was a bit smaller than you were used to, not quite the right size to fit a winged body, but it would do just fine until you could have your own custom tub made for your apartment.

As soon as the tub was filled, you sank into the warm water, keeping your wings out of the water for tonight- too much of a hassle to dry with how tired you are already.

You let the steam relax you, sinking into a soft, relaxed state of mind. It drifted to your grandmother- she had died today, but you weren’t devastated. She had been in pain the past thirty six years, caused by the curse Amarantha had put upon her. Your grandmother had accidentally served burned pastries to the revel, one making its way to Amarantha herself. As Nanna’s punishment, the evil queen had cursed her blood to burn away slowly until she eventually passed.

But she was in peace now- able to move on to the next life, hopefully one that’s happier, less filled with psychotic fae.

And here- here, you could believe that. You’d seen so many different kinds of fae today, more than you’d seen at once Under the Mountain. Every one of them got along, there was only minor haggling and bickering to disrupt the peace. Besides that, everyone had sounded happy, unburdened.

It was nice.

The Winter Court, even six years after Amarantha’s fall, was still struggling to find the same freeness that this city radiated.

Your grandmother would have loved it here, the two Palaces dedicated to food stuffs alone might have convinced her to move here.

You would love it twice as much, just for her. She had always wanted you to live a full life, one of joy, hopefully with an alpha and a family of any size. She had been an omega as well, understanding that need, that overwhelming desire to have a family, an alpha that loves you.

When you presented, your mother and father had already passed, taken by a brutal pneumonia that had overtaken most of your village. Your grandmother had been the only family left to teach you, and she had done all she could to prepare you for your secondary sex and all that came with it.

You had yet to take an alpha, ever. During your few heats before being trapped Under the Mountain, you had taken a beta as your lover, trusting him enough to help you through them.

And Under the Mountain… Well, you were lucky enough to have been relegated to the kitchens at all times besides during your grandmother’s punishment. No alphas had been allowed to work at kitchen staff, so you were kept relatively hidden during your heats, though they had been less frequent due to the stress, possibly even from the magic sucked from your body.

Now, though, they had returned in full force, three months apart and stronger than ever. Viviane had been kind enough to show you to the small shop dedicated to sex toys in the square of the capital city, some of them designed to mimic a knot.

The toy you had gotten that day had seen you through your last six years of heats, along with a special blend of herbs your grandmother had created that lessened the symptoms to a close to manageable level.

Now, though, in a new city? Maybe you could find an alpha for yourself, as well as follow your lifelong dream. You let yourself drift off and think about what your alpha might be like as you washed your body.

As soon as you were clean, you got out and dried yourself off. You wrapped yourself in the towel and padded into the bedroom once more, finally ready to unpack your things.

It went quickly enough, you hung up your dresses and put away your romance novels and cookbooks. One of them was your grandmother’s entire catalog of recipes, all of her tricks to making any recipe a bit easier. It was your most prized possession, your own catalog a close second.

Your bags were empty now, and you placed them at the bottom of the wardrobe, along with your pair of extra boots.

All alone. A new city.

You crawled into your bed after putting on your favorite nightgown, long sleeved and reaching your calves in a blue so light it’s nearly white, and a scooped back allowing for your wings to remind untouched by fabric.

The sheets on the bed are soft, and you bury your face in them for a moment, reveling in the feeling of them on your skin. A gentle huff leaves your mouth, and you turn your head to look out the window, to where it’s snowing.

You’ll be sad when the snow is gone, but you can’t deny that you’re excited to see the other seasons come and go as they do outside of Winter.

And your bakery- you wonder how that will change throughout the seasons. Different pastries, outdoor seating, seasonal themes- would you be able to make it snow inside during winter?

You drifted off to different imaginings of your new business, new home as well as you’ll be building an apartment above the bakery itself.

🤍🩵🤍💜🤍

You awoke the next morning to the winter sun shining into your eyes. You stretched for a moment, then got up from your bed, and walked over to the doors leading to your balcony and stepped through them. Outside, the snow had stopped falling overnight, and now looked to be around five inches deep.

That wasn’t bad, not bad at all. This time in Winter there would be nights with a foot or more of snowfall. It looked to be about ten in the morning- that would be more than enough time to go and grab some breakfast, and maybe shop around a little bit.

You quickly pulled on a pair of thick grey wool tights after removing your nightgown, then slipped into your thickest winter dress, making sure to get all of the buttons into their holes to make the fabric wrap snugly around the base of your wings to protect the skin beneath. The dress, made of thick wool with a silvery fabric layered over the top, was one that you didn’t wear too often, as you didn’t tend to venture outside of the High Lord’s palace often when it snowed heavily. Your wings, even after living in Winter for the first twenty five years of your life and the past six, were still sensitive to the cold at times, so you preferred to stay inside during most of the heavy snow season.

This dress keeps the rest of you warm and cozy, and you want breakfast, so you’ll risk your wings feeling a bit chilled.

You pulled on your boots that nearly reach your knees and lace them up quickly, your stomach’s loud growl making your fingers move faster. Then you throw on your scarf, hat, and mittens, taking care to slip your bank card into your right mitten for safe keeping, and then you’re out the door, locking int behind you and bounding down the stairs.

“Good morning, Y/N,” Druana said from behind the counter as you breezed past her, making your way to the door.

“Good morning, Druana!” You replied enthusiastically. “I’ll see you in a little bit, I’m going to explore the city on my own for a while.”

“Have a good time, and be careful in the snow. It gets slippery on the stones beneath quickly,” Druana warned as you opened the door and slipped through it.

“Thank you!”

And then you were in the crisp winter breeze, breathing in deep lungfuls of the clean, snow scented air. You’ll definitely miss this once the season slips into spring, but you’re here now.

And it’s beautiful.

The snow has iced the roofs of the buildings around you perfectly, and everything looks like a little gingerbread town. You made your way through the streets slowly, following the delicious scent of cinnamon, sugar, and coffee that you picked up.

Soon, you were at an adorable café, decorated with soft pastels inside and out, primarily pink. And you could tell that inside there was a cinnamon coffee cake and coffee to go with it, one of your favorite breakfasts- just perfect for your first official morning in a new home.

You entered the building, spotting a slim high fae beta at the counter in the back.

“Good morning,” she chirped cheerily at you as you made your way to the counter.

“Good morning,” you responded, already looking over the display of baked goods she had out. “I’ll have a slice of that cinnamon coffee cake,” you said, pointing to the perfect looking coffee cake. You then looked behind the other fae, taking in the coffee brewing equipment. “And a coffee with a bit of cream in it, please.”

“Of course,” the other fae said, grabbing your order in a couple of minutes, sliding a plate and a mug over to you after you’d slid your mittens off. “That will be two gold marks,” she said, and you handed over your bank card, hoping that you weren’t doing this wrong. The fae opened up a ledger, and pressed your card against it. “Alright, here’s that back. You can take a seat wherever you like, and just bring the dishes up to the counter when you’re done,” she said softly as she handed you the card back.

“Thank you,” you said with a smile. You grabbed your items, and sat at the table right in front of a window looking out onto the street you’d just come in from.

Both the cake and the coffee were delicious, warming your insides nicely as you sat and watched people go by, the city slowly waking as you ate, a few customers walking in as you did. You returned the dishes to the front, smiling at the pretty fae running the café. “Thank you, it was absolutely delightful! Would you happen to know the way to a bookstore near here?” You asked a bit shyly.

“New to town?” The fae asked, and you nodded your head in confirmation. “If you go to the right and head down five buildings, take a left and then in two more buildings you’ll be at Gina’s bookstore- she’s very nice, and loves meeting new people.”

“Thank you so much, I’ll probably see you again soon. My name is Y/N, by the way,” you said.

“My name is Jayla, it’s nice to meet you Y/N. And it’s no problem, I’ll see you again!” The fae said cheerily.

You followed her instructions well, and within a few minutes you were shaking the snow off of your boots and dress and walking into the cozy bookstore. There were rows and rows of shelves extending into the back of the store greeting you, and when you looked to your left there was a counter with a green skinned fae behind it. Further down from the counter, there was a small sitting area in front of a fireplace- a roaring fire already blazing inside.

“Welcome in!” The fae said with a warm smile as she looked to you, standing just inside the now closed door. “My name is Gina, I’m happy to help you find anything, or you can browse around for a bit.”

You moved closer to her, taking off your mittens and tucking your bank card into the collar of your dress as you did so. “My name is Y/N, I was wondering if you had any romance novels?” You asked, feeling a bit shy at the request, especially once the alpha’s scent washed over you.

She probably thinks I’m some silly romance obsessed omega now, you thought to yourself.

“Ah! Another romance lover! Right this way, I’ll show you some of my favorites too, if that’s alright,” Gina exclaimed as she quickly made her way over to you and grabbed your hand, leading you through the rows of books to the middle of the store.

“Right in the heart of the store is where I keep my favorite genre,” Gina said as she pulled a book from one of the shelves. “And this is my favorite romance series! It’s called Healer of Time, it’s about this omega high fae from the Dawn Court. She has these really strong healing powers, and she somehow ends up traveling back and forth between current time and three hundred years ago, and has to choose between two fantastically hot alphas, one from each timeline. It’s just perfect, and I’ve helped make the series all the rage in Velaris!”

She handed the book over to you, which you eagerly accepted. That sounded like the best blend of romance and adventure to you. “How many books are there on the series?”

“Nine so far, but the author puts out a new one every year or so, thank the Mother!” Gina responded, pointing out the other eight books for you.

“Wow, that’s a pretty good turn around. I honestly think I’ll get the first four today! It sounds like a really good read.”

Gina grins widely at you, and her excitement is too contagious to not smile back. “I’ll take these up to the front for you, but if you have any more questions feel free to come up and ask me!” Gina took the book from your hand and pulled three more off of the shelf.

“Do you happen to have any cookbooks?”

“Of course, they’re near the front, off to the right in the row second closest to the wall Y/N.”

You make your way over to the area, and quickly spot the section dedicated to cooking and baking. One catches your eye, titled Night Court Favorites, with a beautiful illustration of a moonlit picnic on the front. On the back, it promised the recipes for the past three millennium of Night Court nobility’s favorite dishes. Probably as good a place as any to start your full cooking journey, now that most of your meals would not be prepared by the other kitchen staff of the High Lord’s palace.

You flipped through it quickly, eyes snagging on a recipe for Night Court traditional curry- it sounded absolutely delicious.

With the cookbook in hand, you ventured slowly back to the front counter where Gina stood talking to another fae excitedly, your books waiting on the counter for you.

“Ah, Nesta, I’d like you to meet Y/N, she’s the customer I was telling you about!”

The other fae turned around, her movements sending a small amount of her scent- a winter bonfire and very alpha- and you were struck by her beauty. Sharp angles and liquid steel eyes, and lovely golden brown hair twisted into an elegant braid crown on top of her head.

“It’s nice to meet you Y/N, are you new in town?” The high fae’s voice was husky and holding a certain power to it, absolutely lovely.

“It’s nice to meet you, Nesta. And yes, I just moved to the city yesterday.”

“Well I hope you find the city to your liking. Gina was just telling me that you like romance novels?” You nodded your head. “I host a little book club here every second and fourth Wednesday at four in the afternoon, and we mainly read romance novels. I always like to extend an invitation to those Gina thinks would enjoy it,” Nesta offered.

“Oh��” you thought about it for a moment. “I’m in the process of getting my business up and running right now, but maybe in a couple of months when things have calmed down?” You asked hopefully.

Nesta nodded her head in agreement. “That’s fine, just talk to Gina when you’re ready to join, she’ll let you know what book we’re reading. Well, it was nice meeting you, but I’ve got to be going now now,” Nesta said, making her way over to the door.

“It was lovely meeting you as well, Nesta. I’ll see you in a couple of months.”

The alpha was out the door after waving goodbye, and you were left alone in the bookstore once more with Gina.

“Did you find everything you wanted, dear?” She asked, taking the cookbook from your hands.

“Yes, I did. Though I’m sure I’ll be back in a week for some extra reading, if I end up having the time.”

“You mentioned a business? What kind?”

Your books were bagged now, and you handed over your bank card after pulling it from your collar. “I’m going to be opening a bakery in the Rainbow, if all goes to plan.”

“Oh, that’s nice! We can always use more food stores, and bakeries especially! I’m a big fan of anything bread,” Gina said with a laugh, handing you back your bank card and sliding the book filled fabric bag over to you. “It came out to 11 gold marks and one silver mark, and if you absolutely hate the first book, I’ll let your return the rest and pick out something else, alright?”

You grin at her. “I don’t think that will be necessary, but it’s good to know! I’ll see you sometime soon, Gina. Thank you.”

“I look forward to hearing what you think of them! Walk safely, it can get slippery,” Gina warned as you stepped back into the snow and cold, door thunking shut behind you.

You followed your route back to the café you’d eaten at, simply names Jayla’s. You walking, taking the path that you think leads to the inn. You end up making a few extra turns, but you’re back in the warmth of the inn after you finally find the building. Druana is nowhere to be seen when you enter after kicking the snow off of your boots and dress, so you simply go up to your room.

Your bag lands on the table, and you immediately pulled out the cookbook, flicking through it again to find the curry recipe. You spy a notepad, quill, and ink pot which you grab and bring over to the table.

On the page, you write all of the ingredients you’ll need to make the curry- tonight, hopefully, if you can find everything you need in the two food centric Palaces. You’ll need chicken, a few different root vegetables, a good variety of spices, and coconut milk- you hoped that one of the various stalls you’d seen yesterday would have some prepared, you don’t quite feel like going through that hassle yet.

You check the small clock hanging on the wall, seeing that it’s only a quarter to noon still, that should be plenty of time to get the ingredients you need and be back here in time to meet Mor.

Next you look in the cupboards of the kitchenette, which hold a large frying pan, a pot with a lid, a cutting board, cooking utensils and small knife set. There’s also two sets of plates, bowls, cups and utensils. The frying pan and pot should work nice enough for the curry, there’s not much point to you buying your own cookware until your building is completed. And there’s a cold box, enchanted to keep dairy and meat fresh.

That would hopefully mean going to only one Palace today, or at least before the meeting. You let the ink of your list dry for a few more minutes, flipping open to the first page of your new book series, quickly reading the first chapter.

Just as you thought, it was going to be a good fit.

You folded your list in half once, then again, and tucked it into the collar of your dress alongside your bank card. You should probably get a purse of some sort soon. But that can wait.

You’re bounding down the stairs again in an instant, and Druana is back at her desk this time.

“Oh, I didn’t even hear you come in! I’ll see you again soon, Y/N.”

You smiled at her and said, “Yes, I should be back at or before 1:30, and Mor will be meeting me here, just so you know.”

“Thank you,” Druana replied with her own smile.

You were back in the winter air, sun shining down on you now. Your breath still made puffy clouds in the air, but you didn’t care. It’s winter, and it’s beautiful.

Slowly, you made your way across the nearest bridge that connected right to the Palace of Hoof and Leaf, your current destination. Upon entering the more tightly packed area, you gravitated towards a large stall, covered in so many different vegetables and large glass jars, only a few still filled to the brim with spices. There was a tall, dark skinned high fae standing behind the stall.

“Can I help you?” She asked in a low voice, and you instantly pinned her as an alpha.

You pulled out your grocery list. “Yes, I needed the vegetables and spices on this list, if you happen to have them,” you said, handing it over to the female when she gestures for you to give it to her.

“I just so happen to have almost all of these spices, and the ones I don’t I can point you to another sweet fae who has them, as well as the coconut milk and rice you need. And I have all of the vegetables you need. Making the traditional curry?” She asked as she began gathering the vegetables for you.

“Yes, I’m new to the city and want to learn some of the common dishes here, and this sounded like a wonderful start.”

“Well, I’ll say that it’s one of my personal favorites, so I hope you won’t be disappointed. My name is Petra, by the way, it’s always nice to see new faces in town.”

You smile at her, so happy that so far you’ve only had positive experiences with the people of Velaris. “I’m Y/N, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Now, would you like to buy small spice jars that you can bring back and refill, or just go with the amount you’ll need for the recipe?” Petra asked you, holding up a small glass bottle with a metal lid fitted to the top.

“I think I’ll buy the spice jars, please.”

She fills the three small bottles up quickly, putting them in a thin wooden container with a handle, with six slots perfectly fitting the spice jars.

“You can come back and have them filled up for a slight discount for any spice sellers in the two food oriented Palaces, but I’d prefer if you came back to my stall,” Petra said with a wink, placing the container into the tan fabric bag containing the vegetables. “That will be 7 gold marks, please.” You handed her your bank card, and she quickly passed it back after pressing it to her ledger. “Now, the other two spices and the coconut milk you need, you can find three stalls down on the right, and the male next to her has a good price on chicken, just to give a few suggestions,” Petra offered, pointing out the two fae she was speaking of.

“Thank you so much, I’ll be sure to come back when I need more vegetables,” you said before walking away, exchanging waves and warm smiles.

You made your way over to the other stalls, quickly buying the other two spices, coconut milk, and rice you need, as well as the chicken the recipe called for- one large chicken breast. You trekked back to the inn carefully, switching the bag between hands every so often.

“Grocery shopping, I see,” Druana greeted you as you breezed into the inn after kicking the snow off of your clothes.

“Yes, I thought it would be better than ordering in every night,” you chuckled as you made your way over to the stairs.

“Well, good luck with that. And don’t burn my inn down,” Druana added playfully as you began going up the flight of stairs.

“I’ll do my best!” You unlocked your room, immediately dropping the heavy bag next to the books you’d purchased earlier. Groceries sure are heavy when you have to lug them across town. No matter. You’ll get used to it soon enough, especially once you have to purchase for the bakery.

You put the chicken and coconut milk into the cold box, and the vegetables and spices onto the counter. Right after you had, there was a knock at your door. “Y/N? It’s me, Mor.”

You swung the door open, letting the bubbly blonde into your room. She was carrying a large yellow envelope under one arm, and decked in winter gear from head to toe, but still slightly shivering even in the warmth of the building. “Time to go?” You asked, still holding the door open.

“Yes, getting there a little early is wise with weather like this. Nothing quite like eating shit one to many times on your way to a meeting and ending up late,” Mor said, already moving back out of your bedroom door and into the hallway, and you followed her after making sure your bank card was still tucked safely in the collar of your shirt

The door snicked shut and you locked it quickly, following Mor down the stairs and outside once more. She led you through the streets cautiously, obviously afraid of falling down, but you made it to the café within ten minutes, and to your surprise it was Jayla’s café.

“Ah, welcome back Mor, Y/N,” Jayla said from behind the counter as she wiped it down with a cloth.

“Morrigan!” Exclaimed an older male’s voice, gravelly with age. “It’s wonderful to see you again, come, introduce me to your friend,” the elderly high fae said, beckoning the two of you closer to where he was seated at a table, three other chairs surrounding it.

“Auric, this is Y/N, the lovely young fae hoping to buy your property. Y/N, this is Auric, Velaris’s most experienced paint mixer, including magic imbued paints as well,” Mor said as the two of you sat in the unoccupied chairs.

“It’s wonderful to meet you Auric, I truly fell in love with your family’s property the moment I saw it,” you said right before Jayla came over to the three of you.

“Would the two of you like anything to drink?” She asked, and you noticed that Auric already had a mostly full cup of tea in front of him.

“I’ll take a tea, whatever you recommend please.”

“The same for me, please,” Mor said. “Thank you, Jayla.” Jayla nodded and walked away, going behind the counter to begin brewing your teas.

“So, you fell in love with the land? What did you like about it?” Auric asked you, eyes running over your face. It was then that you scented him- a male omega. It had been years since you’d met one yourself, before the mountain you believed.

“I loved the view looking towards the Sidra, you can see the mountains in the background as well as all of the other beautiful buildings in the city. The land itself is so lovely, it’s nice and flat, and I think it would look wonderful with a little extra landscaping, maybe a tree or two of that would be alright. And the location, on the outside edge of the Rainbow would be perfect for a bakery, close enough to a few residential areas, but also involved in the creativity that the area boasts,” you gushed, still picturing the view in your mind. Being able to bake and look out at such a beautiful river, beautiful city, truly, would be amazing.

Jayla returned, two cups of tea in hand that she placed in front of you and Mor. “A lovely raspberry tea for the both of you,” she said before walking back to the counter.

“A bakery, hmm?” Auric questioned, raising a brow at you as you took a sip of the tea- delicious. “Are enough sure you have the stamina to run it? It’s a hefty job.”

You nodded your head once, fully confident in your abilities. “Yes, I previously worked to bake for the entirety of the Hugh Lord of Winter’s residence, and over the course of… Well, being Under the Mountain, I was assistant to the head baker, my grandmother, for twenty years, and for thirty years after that I was head baker myself. I am confident that I can handle running a bakery on my own.”

The older fae’s eyes narrowed at your for a minute, before they crinkled as his lips spread into a smile. “I like you. I’m sorry that you had to go through that, but it’s good to see you’re stronger for it. Now, what type of baked goods will you be selling?”

You breathed a small sigh of relief before answering. “Well, I do have a few favorite pastries of the Winter Court that I’ll have, as well as loaves breads and cakes. Plus I have a number of recipes made with medicinal herbs or berries that have health boosting benefits. My most popular one by far has been a fertility boosting pastry made with a berry native to the Winter Court.”

Auric hummed as he considered everything you had said. “And what will you name it?”

“I… What?”

“What will you name your bakery? Surely you know what you want your business to be called, Y/N.”

“Of course I do, Auric. It will be called Sparaiya Bakery, after my grandmother. She might have left this plane, but she will always be with me, especially when I bake.”

Auric clapped his hands together once. “Very well, then. I’d like to sell you my land, Y/N. I think you have a good amount of experience, you have a vision for your bakery, and you seem like a strong, loyal person. I believe my ancestors would be proud to have your business on their land,” the older omega said sincerely. “I’ve set the price at 100,000 gold marks, are you willing to pay that much?”

The thought of that much money alone being spent made your stomach churn, but you reminded yourself of the massive amount of money that Kallias and Viviane had given you, and that this land was worth every single mark you were going to spend on it. “Yes, that’s perfectly fine with me.”

“Perfect!” Mor pulled the envelope from between her arm and chest, pulling a few documents out and summoning a quill and a pot of ink. “The two of you can go ahead and sign here, and Y/N, you’ll just need to press your bank card to the top right corner after you’ve both signed.” The two of you do as she says, standing and shaking hands afterwards.

“Thank you so much, Auric, for entrusting your family’s land to me. I hope that if you come by once it’s finished, you will be proud.”

Auric regarded you warmly, squeezing your hand an extra time before letting go. “I’m sure that I will be, Y/N. Let me know when you’re opening, and I’ll be sure to stop by.” He grabbed his copy of the sale documents

“I’ll make sure to. Have a wonderful rest of your day,” you said as he walked out of the café, leaving you with Mor. “I’m so happy he said yes! Oh, I should go tell Marcus that I have the plot of land now, and get everything moving in that direction. Thank you so much, Mor. You’ve been such a help in all of this,” you said, placing a kiss gently on the alpha’s cheek. “I’m going to head over to Marcus’s business now, if that’s alright.”

“Oh, of course!” The alpha responded, already donning all of her winter clothes again to bundle against the cold. “You walk safely over to there, Velaris gets slippery when it snows. Now, will I see you for lunch this Thursday?” Mor asked, and you mentally double checked the day of the week in your head- Monday.

“Yes, three days from now sounds perfect. Do you want to meet somewhere or at my hotel room?”

“I’ll meet you at your hotel room this time, alright?”

You nodded your head in agreement. “That sounds good, I’ll see you on Thursday Mor. You walk safely too!” You were already out of the door with your bill of sale in hand, beelining your way as well as you could to the Palace of Flame and Steel. When you arrived at Marcus’s shop, you swung the door open and stomped off the snow on your boots before entering. “Marcus!” You said excitedly as you met his eyes, waving the paper in your hands at him. “I have land now, will you be able to come assess it in the next few days?”

Marcis stood from his place behind the desk and made his way around it to you. “I can go right now, there it too much to do around here at the moment,” he said, already ushering you out of his shop, flipping the open sign on the door to say closed, and locking it behind him.

“If you’re sure…” you said before grabbing his hand and pulling him with you to the Rainbow as fast as the two of you could manage in the snow. “This is it!” You gesture to the dilapidated building excitedly.

“You are planning to tear it down, right?” Marcus asked, amusement in his voice.

“Of course I am, silly, I wanted the land. It has such a beautiful view of the Sidra and the mountains, come here.” You pulled him past the building, to where you had stood when you’d known that this was the land you wanted your dream to come to life on.

Marcus let out a heavy breath. “Okay, I get it now.” He looked around, taking in where they were situated. “And it’s in the perfect spot for a bakery, you really picked the best possible spot.”

“I know!” You squealed, jumping as high as you could without using your wings in your excitement. “So, what’s the procedure for tearing down the old building and starting the new construction?” You asked, ready to learn the necessary details.

Marcus pulled you back onto the street, and the two of you began to walk back to his business. “Well, we need to submit a request for a permit to demolish, and one for construction. But since I’ve done a good amount of work in the past six years, I doubt that there will be much more than two days of waiting time between submitting it and getting the permits. We can fill out all the forms once we get to my office, and I’ll get them sent up to the House of Wind as soon as I can.”

“Alright, that sounds doable enough,” you said as you threw a smile at him, happy that he’s kind about you not knowing much about the building process.

Soon enough the two of you are back at his office, and he swings the door open, letting you go inside first. He went through a filing cabinet behind his desk before pulling out a half inch thick stack of papers in total. Marcus turned back to you, placing them on the desk and gesturing for you to take a seat.

You do as he asks, and he sets two piles in front of you- both are identical. You give him a quizzical look, not understanding the purpose of having two.

“One pile is for your own personal records, and the other is for the permits and for our contract agreement, for payments and things like that. I suggest you read everything closely, and I can explain something to you if you’d like.”

You read through the stack of documents, finding everything to be fair, both in compensation for the company, and certain protections on promises made to you. You signed the contract documents first, letting Marcus take the pages as you finished to sign them himself. Then came the permit application, you needed to state why you wanted to tear the building down, then what you were going to replace it with.

That was easy, the current building would not suffice for a bakery, it might even burn down if you ride to light a fire in it. And building on top of the land, well, a bakery plus a second floor apartment with a small garden.

Once it was all filled out, Marcus went through every page to make sure that everything had been signed. “Alright, everything looks to be in order. I’ll write to you to let you know when it’s been approved, okay Y/N?”

You nodded your head, happy to be done with the paperwork portion of the day. “That sounds just fine, Marcus. I’ll see you in a few days, most likely,” you said before standing from your chair, stretching your muscles and wings slightly.

“I’ll see you then,” Marcus responded, asking you over to the door. By this point, the sun had begun to set over Velaris, but the city was more alive than it had been all throughout the morning.

“And thank you, Marcus. I look forward to working with you,” you added as you stepped outside and away from his shop.

“It’s no problem, Y/N. I’ll see you soon.”

And the you were off, your new property deed tucked under safely against your body. You were eager to make your way home, wanting nothing more at this point than a hot bath and a warm meal- you didn’t particularly care in which order. You were at the inn soon enough, kicking snow off of your boots and the hem of your dress for the last time of the day.

“Welcome back, Y/N,” Druana greeted from behind the counter, waving a bark skinned hand at you.

“Thank you, Druana. I’ll see you in the morning!” You said, already making your way up the stairs in your rush to finally get out of your winter gear.

The door to your room swung open and shut quickly, and you sat at the table in the center of the room, undoing the laces of your boots as fast as you were able. They came off, then followed by your dress after unbuttoning the back carefully. Now you were only standing in your underthings and tights, and very much feeling the chill that had set in from being outside in your bones. You stripped off the rest of your clothes before heading into the bathroom and starting the tub.

Gloriously hot water spilled out of the faucet, and you didn’t wait for it to fill up, merely settling yourself in as the water slowly came up to your neck. You allowed yourself to soak for a few minutes, letting the cold seep from your bones and warmth replace it. Once you felt warmed and comfortable, you washed yourself quickly after hearing your stomach growl loudly.

After toweling off, you went back into your bedroom and donned a soft set of white cotton underthings, as well as an oversized lilac sweater that you were able to wear like a dress, the back already having had the fabric carved out of it to fit your wings. It was so cozy and soft, you felt buried in it. Just how you wanted to feel after an eventful day.

You went to the kitchenette, pulling out the cutting board, pot, and pan. You grabbed the cookbook from the table and set it on the counter next to the cutting board, reading over the instructions once more. Next you pull out the chicken and grab a suitable enough knife, dicing the meat into bite sized chunks as the recipe called for. You set them in the pan, lighting the charcoal beneath the burner to get the heat started.

You washed the knife and cutting board and dried them off, then grabbed the root vegetables that you’d bought earlier. Similar to baking, you switched between washing and chopping the vegetables to moving the meat around the pan easily, being careful not to burn anything while getting everything else you would need prepped.

Paying attention to the recipe, you measured out the right amount of each spice, mixing them with a bit of water to create a paste that smelled heavenly and spicy.

The chicken was done now, and you added the vegetables along with a bit of water and the coconut milk. Then all you had to do was wash and set the rice to cook, and wait. You rinsed the rice in one of the bowls, getting the water clear before carefully draining it out and placing the rice in to the now boiling water.

In another twenty minutes, you deemed the vegetables and rice to be cooked enough, and dished out a nice serving of rice, with lots of curry on top.

You cleared off the table, moving your new books over to the nightstand by your bed, then brought your dinner to the table. You sat facing the windows and stared out at Velaris as you ate, pleasantly surprised with how nicely the curry had turned out, with it being your first time cooking anything like it.

Soon enough you were full and getting sleepy, so you brought your dishes back to the sink. You plated the rest of the rice and curry into the other bowl that you hadn’t used, then washed all of the dishes you had used that night.

By the time you had finished, your bed was calling to you, and it was such a soft, sweet landing when you finally made your way under the covers, deciding to sleep in your massive sweater instead of changing into a nightgown.

It’s not like anyone will see me sleeping, anyways, you thought to yourself, right as you drifted off into a peaceful sleep, filled with the view from your new property.

Series Taglist: @icey--stars @breadsticks2004

#you can have it #acotar a/b/o #alpha!feyre x omega!reader x alpha!rhys #alpha!feysand x omega!reader #acotar omegaverse #feysand x reader omegaverse #feysand x reader #alpha!morrigan #alpha!nesta #acotar fic #acotar #acotar fanfic #feysand x you #tato writes #omega!reader

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fire-lizard-ro · 1 year ago

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I am furiously chewing and gnawing on the idea of an arranged marriage with sunday hlep

Thank you for the ask, anon! And yesssss thank you so, so much for sending in a Sunday request!!! My boy!!! I am also brainrotting over this man at all times he lives rent free in my mind and I love him-

Hope you're doing well and enjoy what I wrote.

But also- This is not my expertise, so I'm going to say my piece and then direct you to my friendo @pix3lplays - This is like. Her thing. So I'm sure you'll get a more interesting response please go follow her hehehehe- <333

Writing under the cut (it’s all SFW):

Sunday is the picture of gentlemanly grace. Perhaps it is by the order of the family that he is to wed you for the good of the family and Penacony. Perhaps it is to strengthen their relations with the IPC as you are an important member. Or perhaps it is for other reasons that will help secure the safety or wellbeing of Penacony and its members. And of course, Sunday is a man who wishes only the best for his beloved home and he will do what he can to follow the path the Aeon of Harmony has laid out for their followers. So he takes it in stride, setting up an appointment to meet you. He would like to get to know his future spouse before the wedding no matter how willing he is to do this for his family.

The first time you meet, you immediately find yourself encapsulated by the gorgeous man who has come to meet you- At a place of your choosing, no less. He extended this favor in hopes of putting the right foot forward with you. Sunday wants things to go smoothly and for the marriage to go through to achieve whatever goal it is the family had in setting this up. He may be a busy man, but he can make time for important matters such as this.

He himself is surprised at you. You're far more than he was expecting, having been ready to deal with anything. But you're actually quite wonderful and he finds your appearance more than appealing. A pleasant surprise. He is sure to pull your seat out, hold the door for you, ask you before doing things- He even gives you a kiss to the back of your hand in greeting after asking politely if he could.

Sunday enjoys his time with you and so discusses more times in which the two of you can get to know each other. When you both are done with your little date of sorts, he gives you another kiss to the back of your hand and makes sure you have a safe way to get back home or to wherever you are staying. As he watches you leave first to make sure you get to your mode of transport safely, he asks gently that you let him know when you make it to your destination and raises a hand in farewell.

Each subsequent date brings the two of you closer and closer. One time, he brings flowers. Another, he brings you a snack from Penacony which could be considered a staple for them.

I, personally, think that Sunday would be someone who is easy to love and even easier to like. So by the time you both are walking down the isle, you're smitten with him. I'm sure he would also have a fondness for you. The both of you had already discussed the matter as Sunday is a thorough an who plans things out. You two had already talked and you both want to be amicable with one another and make this marriage work for the both of you. At the very least, the two of you would be companions and friends. But the two of you have also admitted that it would be nice if there was more beyond just that in your marriage.

Sunday is a man who always does right by you because you are now his spouse. But also because he likes you as a person. Days in which he brings back snacks and nicknacks he thinks you'd like. Calling you when he think he may be late at work. Picking up groceries on the way home when he can, calling to ask if you need or want anything. Making sure your favorites are always stocked even if you don't ask.

I imagine that for the two of you, after marriage the time you spend together most often is in the evening at dinner and then the time leading up to bedtime. He does lead a people and is always in high demand for his services, expertise, and leadership. But of course, he's very sweet on you during this time as a result. Nights of being laid up in bed, his back against the pillows placed against the headboard whilst he reads and you lean into his side, doing your own thing. Sunday will wrap an arm around you and occasionally rub your side or arm.

Slowly, over time, I think you both could become a real couple.

Yayyyy~ Sunday~ I love this man so much. <333

I might write an NSFW part to this. But as of right now, I'm happy with just this. If you want one, you can always send in another ask and I'll be sure to get right on it!

#Roro writes #hsr x reader #honkai star rail x reader #gn reader #hsr x gn reader #honkai star rail x gn reader #hsr sunday x reader #sunday x reader #asks answered

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taste-thewaste · 3 months ago

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Wip Wednesday 9.18.24

Hi friendos! Happy Wednesday. Hope you’re having a good week 💖 thank you so much for the tags @tailsbeth-writes @firstprincehornyramblings @thighzp @sophie1973 and a triumphant return thank you to @england-would-fall!

Today I come to you with more of Henry jorkin it. A little sappy bit this time. Edited by the ever amazing @england-would-fall (thank you darlin)

Alex ducks his head and places a hand on top of Henry’s. He looks around as if he’s checking to see if anyone else is watching before a look of calm washes over him, and he leans over, kissing Henry softly. “Love you,” Alex whispers.

Henry’s heart cracks open as he studies Alex’s face. He is tired, Henry realizes. There are circles underneath his eyes. His face is slightly pale. The toll that all of this has taken—being outed, making his speech, dealing with the criticism from Henry’s grandmother—sits plainly on his face, and Henry moves his hand from Alex’s thigh to caress his face. He kisses Alex back as gently as he can, so gently it’s as though his lips barely touch him. The kiss is slow and soft and out in the open, and…fuck, Henry doesn’t know what’s happening. He wants to grab Alex and shove him against a wall. He wants to kiss him as hard as he can, push his cock against Alex’s leg, card his fingers through those dark brown curls he loves so much.

Because Alex is his. Because now Alex is his in front of everyone else.

Tagging @henrysfox @lfg1986-2 @eusuntgratie @bigassbowlingballhead @catdadacd

@caterpills @insecuregodcomplex @agenttommykinard @duchessdepolignaca03 @piratefalls

@priincebutt @luainthewild @o0anapher0o and anyone else who wants to!

#wip Wednesday

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ancha-aus · 3 months ago

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Some thoughts about Priest Cross in the Ghosts & Medium AU.

Warning: Religious trauma and slight homophobia (All because of XGaster)

My friendo @mikimakiboo already wrote a bit about it before but I figured I should write a more expanded version of this :D

Cross used to be an orphan but both him and his, future, brother were adopted by XGaster.

XGaster was a man of religion and a priest in a church himself. The church he worked at and resided did not interact a lot with the spiritual and supernatural nature of the spirits and wandering souls. Ironically this group was more focused on bringing peace to the living to enable them to move on immediantly instead of helping the wandering spirits find peace.

XGaster believed that the spirits who wandered didn't deserve to find rest. He believed it was a punishment for them for things they did in their life.

As you can imagine. People did not enjoy this and XGaster's public image was not the best. But as head of the church he needed to havve a good image. So. XGaster decided to adopt two different orphans.

Two because he wanted the children to raise each other instead of XGaster having to focus on them.

Cross however craved approvement and acceptance. He tried everything to be liked by his new father. He helped with the church stuff. Talked with people. Second all of XGaster's opinions. Anything to get him to like him.

It didn't help that Cross from a young age knew he prefered boys over girls. He just found them more fun. cute. and everything.

It didn't help that XGaster would sniff as he saw gay couples and mutter wbout how they would just become more lost and wandering spirits for their sins. (XGaster only spend time with likeminded and clsoeminded people.)

Cross made a show of only dating a few girls when he was younger. Thenwhy he hit puberty he went to the church with XGaster and made an oath to swear off all those sinful thoughts and ideas.

It worked. Xgaster would pay attention to him and include him more. While Cross's brother became more independed Cross grew more and more depended on Xgaster because he just wanted his approval and parental love. Cross never trully got either.

All that XGaster cared about was his image and Cross helped improve it.

Ironically. Cross's perfect little world came crashing down when he was forced to confront his own interests in the form of Dust.

Dust and Cross met when they were teens. Dust being 15 adn Cross 17.

Dust was pretty much a mess. He had been living on his own on the strees for 5 years at this point. But he also had this cheap van that he could already drive.

Cross was so interested and intrigued by Dust and just kept gravitating towards him.

The two over tiem got a bit of a casual relationship and friendship. Dust wouldn't call them friends friends but Cross, who hadn't ever had friends, did call them friends.

They would hang out. Cross would show him things of the church and Dust would show him rituals. how to talk with ghosts. how to help ghosts move on.

Dsut even once pulled Cross along on a trip to show him how to help spirits and how to calm them down.

Dust pretty mcuh pulled Cross out of the religious cult he had grown up in and showed him the other side of the wandering spirits. Showed Cross that they were worth so much more than just dismissal. (the only reason Cross was even willing to listen was because of his crush lmao)

But XGaster foudn out about them hanging out. and XGaster made it clear that Dust was a waste of space and that Cross won't interact with him anymore.

Cross... was confused... wasn't the church meant to help those who needed help? shouldn't they help Dust?

XGaster just called him a lost cause and left.

That was another crack in the facade of it all. Because Cross didnt believe dust to be a lost cause. Dust had a mission and did many things to help others. How is that a lost cause?

eventually dust left the city again, as he does. XGaster made a snide remark that Dust wanders already, much like those useless wandering spirits.

Cross worked at that same church for two more years before he just couldn't lie to himself anymore. he was miserable. He hated parts of himself thanks to xgaster. and he was so lonely.

Cross ended up running away.

and after a month he ended up in a different city where there was another church. Cross, who didn't know waht to do ended up going there. ashame of running away. ashamed of becoming a mess he is.

But... the priests there were understanding. They took him in and made sure he ate and rested.

Cross had found a new church were they did help the wandering spirits as well. They helped everyone who needed help, because no one deserves to be hurt.

Cross remained with them. took up with teachings and learnings and started over.

Later on he met dust again and realsied that dust would return to this city as well.

Cross saw it as a sign and remained right there. slowly healing under the much more gentle guidance from the people around him and the priests there.

And then later... he messed up the ritual and got stuck as ghost while killer took his body for a joyride.

#utmv #ghosts & medium au #cross sans #more headcanons and thoughts :D

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rottenpumpkin13 · 6 months ago

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Ello!!! Hope it’s been a lovely day, my friendo! 💕 I can say mine has been made 10x better after reading your “Sephiroth turns invisible” prank 😂❤️ Another golden post by the Pumpkin master! (´∩｡^ᵕ^｡∩`) ♡ Anywho, in light of how much I adored that post, I’ve been inspired to pose a similar ask!! *deep breath* Here goes:

For another prank, as the last one didn’t work out so well (or it can be disconnected all together), Zack decides to pretend that Sephiroth is very much visible, very much there, except everyone pretends that they don’t know who he is. Angeal pretends like he’s meeting Seph for the first time, as do Genesis and Zack; even Cloud wants to join in on the fun/pretends he doesn’t recognize his hero. What they think is a harmless joke to give Seph a break from his fame turns into something rather distressing for the poor man, until he ultimately just breaks down under the crushing illusion that he lost his treasured friends forever. Only then do the gang break the act <33

Really craving some Pumpkin-flavored angst/fuff!! There ain’t anyone who can deliver it quite like you can!!!

Ughhh I owe you Cloud content ˙◠˙ I forgot to include him in this one fhfhfhfh forgive me Pichu 😭💛🖤 But at the same time you owe me tissues for both the brilliant one-shot you write with the prompt I asked you about and the emotional damage this insanely good prompt caused me (seriously, I had to hold back tears because I was in public and didn't want to seem like a lunatic asdfghjk). Enjoy the angst!

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Jokes were supposed to be funny, that much he knew. Sephiroth recalled a time when he was utterly floored by Glenn’s claim of “getting his nose” after pinching his lightly between two fingers. After he had been confused, the older SOLDIER explained that it was a joke—although Sephiroth was not amused by the concept of stealing one’s nose.

Another instance, during the initial stages of their friendship, involved Angeal's determined endeavor to coax more smiles out of Sephiroth. This pursuit took the form of a barrage of jokes, some of which sailed right over Sephiroth's head at first. "What do you call a fake noodle?" Angeal asked him one day, the inquiry that left the younger SOLDIER utterly flummoxed.

"I'm not certain there's a designated term for—"

"An im-pasta," Angeal interjected, flashing a wide grin.

Angeal then found himself investing the next two minutes in a patient explanation of the joke to Sephiroth, who had mistakenly interpreted the term "im-pasta" as the actual designation for fake noodles. Though he did understand one thing straight away: jokes weren’t meant to hurt you.

It all began one morning when Sephiroth went looking for them. Angeal was nowhere to be seen around the training room or his office, a fact that piqued Sephiroth's curiosity since he knew Angeal didn't have any missions scheduled for that morning. Likewise, Genesis was conspicuously absent from the public archives, his office, and even the break room, his usual spots. Just as Sephiroth was contemplating checking for Genesis at his apartment, he finally caught sight of the duo.

They were near the data room, engaged in lively conversation and laughs.. It was a scene that never failed to warm Sephiroth's heart, for his friendships were the only true source of joy in his otherwise mundane days. He approached eagerly, ready to share the news of beating his personal record in the training simulator.

But then the laughter stopped, and the air immediately soured with a hint of awkwardness as they both looked at him, confused, before turning back to each.. “Do we know you?” Genesis asked, followed by Angeal’s “I don’t think we do.”

Sephiroth paused, confused. “What do you mean?”

His friends provided no answers as they merely looked at each other, laughed, and walked away.

Sephiroth stood there, alone and confused, as a thread of understanding began to weave its way into his mind. He realized why Genesis and Angeal had seemingly disregarded him: he must have done something to upset them.

The remainder of the day was spent pondering over the possible words or actions that could have soured their view toward him. Had he been too harsh on Angeal while correcting his footwork? Perhaps he had been too exhausted from his latest mission to give Genesis the attention he deserved when discussing the new Loveless play he had been invited to critique.

Eventually, after a day filled with distraction and a multitude of potential scenarios swirling in his mind, Sephiroth decided to confront the issue head-on. He found them in the mess hall that evening, seated at their usual table, the aroma of food wafting through the air stirring his neglected appetite and reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since yesterday.

Approaching them, Sephiroth didn't even attempt to take a seat, uncertain if his presence would be welcomed. "What have I done to upset you?"

The response felt like a punch to the gut. They exchanged a glance before fixing their gazes back on Sephiroth. "Sorry," Genesis shrugged, his expression showing a hint of a smile. "We don’t know you."

Sephiroth walked away, his heart heavy. Not only had he upset them, but he had seemingly committed an unforgivable act, risking the loss of his closest friends. He couldn't bear the thought of losing them; his friendships were the very essence that kept him going each morning, the reason that infused life into every waking moment. What had he done to squander it?

That night, sleep eluded him, and the gnawing hunger in his stomach went unnoticed as he lay awake in bed, tossing and turning, replaying every single interaction he'd had with them over the past week. As the clock struck 5 AM, he hurried down to the mess hall once more, determined to seek answers.

Spotting Zack heading in for breakfast, Sephiroth swiftly intercepted him, pulling the younger SOLDIER aside with urgency. "Has Angeal mentioned anything to you about what I've done to upset him and Genesis?" he inquired, his tone clearly displaying the desperation he felt.

Zack's eyes widened, and for a brief moment, Sephiroth thought he detected a hint of amusement.. "I'm sorry," Zack replied, "Who are you again?"

Sephiroth refrained from attempting to approach them again that day, whether it was Angeal, Genesis, or Zack. He had committed some unfathomable wrongdoing, and the guilt gnawed at him like teeth biting down deeper and deeper into his skin. It was exacerbated by his inability to recall what he had done. He had squandered the one good thing in his life.

Then, at once, the reason for why they were upset with him came to mind. And it made so much sense. He hastily gathered his thoughts and made his way towards Angeal's office that evening, the usual meeting place for the four of them at the end of the day.

He didn't bother with the formality of knocking—after all, could he possibly worsen their anger towards him? Sephiroth pushed open the door, coming face-to-face with the startled expressions that greeted him. Genesis dropped the book he had been reading into his lap, his mouth agape.

Zack, who had been perched on Angeal's desk, leaped to his feet, his expression a mixture of concern and alarm. Angeal nearly choked on the water he had been drinking. "Seph, have you been crying!?"

"I understand why you're upset with me," Sephiroth began, his voice trembling. "It's because I declined the offer to go see a movie with you all last weekend, isn't it?" His words caught in his throat as tears threatened to overwhelm him. "I'm sorry," he choked out, gasping for air. "I didn't mean to show disinterest in spending time with you, but I was completely depleted after enduring an exhaustive examination session with Professor Hojo throughout the day."

Pausing briefly to compose himself, Sephiroth was oblivious to the tears streaming down his face as he continued, his voice cracking. "I couldn't focus on anything, and I was feeling utterly drained, but I should have made the effort to be there with you all. I understand how you might feel that I didn't care for our friendship," He sniffed, "but I assure you, I do. I understand if you never wish to speak to me again—”

Angeal enveloped him in a hug before Sephiroth could utter another word, the warmth of the embrace causing him to surrender to his emotions completely. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he buried his face in Angeal's neck, his sobs muffled but very much audible to the other two people in the room, who looked at each other, stunned.

"Sephiroth, it was just a joke," Angeal exclaimed, his tone tinged with exasperation. "We thought you knew."

"We never imagined it would upset you like this," Genesis interjected, joining the embrace from behind and wrapping his arms around Sephiroth. "Sure, we expected you to be a bit annoyed, but we never anticipated this level reaction!"

Feeling Zack's hand rest gently on his shoulder, Sephiroth looked up, meeting his friend's gaze. "We're not angry with you,” Zack’s voice shook, his eyes wide. “We never were, and I don't think I could ever be!" Zack gripped his shoulder tighter. "We–we had no idea this joke was hurting you. If we had known, we never would have gone through with it!"

“Never,” Angeal added.

“But,” Sephiroth sniffed, blinking the tears from his eyes, “You Weren't speaking to me, so I thought—”

"Seph, look at me," Genesis gently turned Sephiroth to face him, tenderly wiping away the tears that stained his cheeks, his own eyes glistening with tears of his own. "We were just playing a prank on you, we thought it would be a harmless joke, something we'd all laugh about. We were never angry with you, and I'm truly sorry for how much this has distressed you."

Sephiroth glanced away, his voice small. "You're not angry?"

"No, Sephiroth, no!" Zack's voice cut in, his own tears mirroring Sephiroth's. "I'm so sorry," he sniffled, enveloping them all in a tight embrace.

"Me too," Angeal added, his arms pulling Zack into the hug. "We promise we won't ever pull a prank like this again. We should have realized it could hurt you."

"Can you forgive us?" Genesis asked.

Sephiroth felt himself deflate, his tension dissipating as he melted into the embrace. "But I'm not angry," he murmured. "I just wanted to understand."

Lazard was on his way to deliver some papers to Angeal when he paused outside his office door, his attention drawn by a commotion sounding from the other side. Concerned, he hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open.

What was on the other side made him do a double-take. Sephiroth sat on the floor, flanked by Zack, Angeal, and Genesis, all four of them huddled together on the ground, sobbing as they clung to one another. Lazard was almost tempted to ask if someone had died, almost.

“What a strange bunch,” Lazard muttered, shaking his head and closing the door.

#ff7 #ffvii #final fantasy 7 #sephiroth #final fantasy vii #genesis rhapsodos #angeal hewley #zack fair #crisis core #writing

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insane4fandoms · 1 month ago

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Hey, friendo! Hope you’ve been doing well!

It’s been a while since our collab, but I think I just realized a cool little detail on both our parts! (By which I mean that I TOTALLY meant to put said detail into my writing. It DEFINITELY wasn’t a nice surprise-coincidence or anything…)

So, before the story’s climax, ending, and epilogue, you helped me decide to have Ness wear a leather jacket, since duh, he’s an Egopat. Well, that in turn made me decide to describe the leather as cyan because of irl Matt’s blue jacket.

I was watching some of the FNAF Musical blooper-reels last night. When Matt came onscreen, I finally noticed how, in every single installment, he wears a bright blue T-shirt under Mad’s bear suit. The collar is pretty much always sticking out. Just one more thing for the awesome doppelganger scenario you cooked up, lol.

And while we’re on the subject of weird parallels…

You always draw Mad with orange eyes. The color orange has plenty of positive symbolism, but it still has just as much negativity. It’s often seen as the color of arrogance, impatience, and wrongful pride. Now, if all that stuff doesn’t sum up Mad’s personality, then I’m not sure what will.

Now, on another side of the coin: it’s been scientifically proven that the brain associates the colors red and yellow with hunger, since both colors can be symbolic of warmth and energy. Just seeing them can actively increase your appetite. And who exactly has some sinister cravings and was designed with a jacket similar to Matt’s iconic red leather?

…Yeah, I guess I’m just saying that I could totally see Caliban’s eyes flicking to yellow whenever he gets into his feral mode, only to change back when he’s able to chill out. (Which, now that I think of it, could also reference how, unlike Mad, he's still got a little humanity left despite being so unhinged.) I’ve always loved the concept of unnatural eye colors in human characters.

Lol, sorry for rambling. Not trying to pressure you into anything since you’re probably busy; I just figured I’d share what I noticed and expand on it a little.

Sorry for seeing this late 😔 trying to bring myself to keep drawing since art block slammed into my gut.

Anyways, I also thought of Ness’s jacket being cyan to correlate with that damn blue shirt always peaking out of Mad’s onesie.

I’m so glad that someone saw Mad’s eye color has a meaning, lol. Other than using orange as a default for Mack as well, Mad’s color was definitely used to symbolize his arrogance and unearned pride. Bro thinks he’s all that, when his many plans crashed and burned without having a backup plan.

Cal and Mad are two sides of the same, rusty, and corroded coin. One has the sliver of copper that still shines brightest when sunlight reflects, and the other barely even shows a spot of light.

Cal still has a sense of humanity, because even with his upbringing and cannibalistic tendencies, he still has family, friends and a partner, something Mad most definitely doesn’t. Cal may still be a deranged killer, but he’s one who still sees the few people (mainly kids) that has nativity and innocence from the shit world. Mad… not so much.

Lmao also imagining those mfs having their eyes shine like cats when you shine a light their faces. Just as scary ngl

The concept of Mad having Ness as his “clone” having what he can’t, happiness, and Mad having Cal as someone who an “equal” to his murderous traits also having what he can’t, family. Two characters who are a parallel to Madpat in so many ways, only connected to what little similarities he grasps onto to justify to want to take away everything, it makes me into a crazy person.

#caliban #madpat #fnaf ness

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pedroshotwifey · 1 year ago

Text

Wifey's Christmas Countdown 2023 - A Collection

Happy holidays, friendos! These will be posted once a day at 9:30 am est every day dec. 1 - 24th and will contain a mixture of smut, fluff, angst, and mentions of Christmas. I hope you enjoy! 💚❤️💚

I also want to put it out there that I am using this challenge to experiment with some of the tropes/kinks that I haven't worked with just yet. Not all of the fics will be for experimental purposes, but a select few will contain "unpopular" kinks/tropes/whatever (dead dove, mommy kink, ect.), so please just keep in mind that people have the right to like what they like and there is no shame in that. If you don't like it, don't read it. That said, I would love some positive feedback so I know what to write more of! Thank you lovelies!! <3

Key:

🍷- Smut

✨ - Fluff

🖤 - Angst

🎄 - Christmas or mentions of Christmas

Day 1 - mistletoe - Javi P. (1k) ✨🎄mentions🍷

Day 2 - Din Djarin - Shower sex (960) 🍷 ✨

Day 3 - Christmas shopping - Jack Daniels/Whiskey (1.5k)🍷✨🎄

Day 4 - Joel Miller - Love confession (1.7k) ✨🎄

Day 5 - fake relationship - Marcus Pike (1.5k) 🍷✨🎄

Day 6 - Javier Peña - Forced orgasm (908) 🍷🖤

Day 7 - christmas lights - Jack Daniels/Whiskey (1.6k) 🖤✨🎄

Day 8 - Maxwell Lord - Mommy kink (2.1k) 🍷✨

Day 9 - holiday baking - Dieter Bravo (1.4k) 🍷✨🎄

Day 10 - Marcus Moreno - Sex pollen (1.1k) 🍷

Day 11 - too much eggnog - Frankie Morales (975) ✨ some🎄&🖤

Day 12 - Javi Gutierrez - High sex (1.4k) ✨🍷

Day 13 - snuggles - Joel miller (549) ✨

Day 14 - Oberyn Martell - Lingerie (1.4k) ✨🍷

Day 15 - presents - Frankie Morales (1.5k) ✨🎄🍷

Day 16 - Dieter Bravo - In public (1.1k)🍷

Day 17 - mulled wine - Joel Miller (1.7k) ✨🍷🎄

Day 18 - Frankie Morales - Restraints (1k) 🍷🎄

Day 19 - naughty or nice - Joel Miller (1.3k)🎄🍷✨

Day 20 - Dave York - Noncon (2.2k) 🍷🖤 DDDNE

Day 21 - christmas movie - Marcus Pike (863) ✨🎄

Day 22 - Ezra Prospect - Tentacles (1.2k) 🍷

Day 23 - foodcoma - Jack Daniels (673) 🍷✨

Day 24 - DBF - Joel Miller (884) ✨🎄🍷

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the-possum-writes · 2 years ago

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i’ve recently gotten into adventure time (i’m very late i know) and was wondering if you could do a finnxfem!reader lemon? they haven’t seen each other in a while cause adventures and what not so it’s a date night at the tree house! reader misses him a lot and is needy and wanting love and it just escalates from there (●’◡’●) tysm!! you can change up the scenario if you’d like, i’m just a simp for this boy 😭💕

In your arms after every Adventure

❥Character: Finn Mertens

❥Tags: 🔞 N/S/F/W, Established relationship, Fem!Reader, PIV Smut, Vanilla, Finn is an adult in this one

❥Synopsis: Finn is always out there dungeon crawling or adventuring for months to no end but he always comes back to you and make up for lost time.

❥Taglist: @watchingfromthefloorboards @foxpearl1wilder

A/n: It's never too late to enjoy~ friendo in this house we all be simping 🛐 took me a while to get in the right head space to write this one, been trying to get used to getting more explicit and use hornier words, but for now this one is still a bit on the softer side cause... I'm still trying ;w;

Finn murmurs, “I missed you,” every time he lowers himself to your chest, taking quick breaths before opening wide to suck mouthfuls of your sensitive boobs one at a time. Finn has developed patience through the years compared to when he was a teenager, learning to take his sweet time with you as if he were relishing his favorite ice cream flavor. Also eating you in that efficiency. He occasionally shifts between his tongue and his crooked teeth, knowing exactly how much pressure to apply to your popped nipple to send shudders through your body with each time his tongue laps around the circular curve of your aureola in sloppy yet delicate movements.

“Finn…” you breathe into his ear, dragging his name in an unfinished sentence. The young man rose from your chest, looking into your loving eyes for your next command like the loyal knight he is. You adjust yourself from beneath his body, raising your hips to grind against the heated bulge radiating from between his legs. “Can we get started, pleaseee?” you ask the human above you, almost embarrassed by your high voice. A brief chuckle vibrates through his own exposed chest, taking a moment away from your breasts to sit upright. “Right! Sorry, I got a little carried away with the twins.”

You look down at the skin surrounding your boobs, riddled with goosebumps, light bite marks and glistening saliva trails that lead to the culprit in front of you. “Riiight, just a bit.” It still brought a short laugh from you.

Finn was so invested in you that he forgot he’s still wearing his pants. His hands are already reaching down to pop off the button and lower the zipper but his midriff still remains a taunting sight for your sore eyes, the low bedroom light casting shadows of his hard on straining against the denim of his pants. While Finn discards his clothing, you turn around to the nightstand and retrieve a silver packet, carefully ripping it open as your boyfriend kneels in front of you so you can slip the condom in place.

Finns hands subtly tremble when they grip the underside of your thighs, raising your bottom just enough for you to slide off your underwear and toss them away from your bed. He’s just as eager as you are, so overwhelmingly desperate that any second spent where he’s not plowing you feels like an eternity.

“Hngg…I also missed this… Hah, oh glob.” His voice comes out like a strangle when he first dips his head into you, slipping it carelessly with how worked up and slick you became during his “little” licking session. You on the other hand grip the sheets like your life depended on it, after spending all this time with nothing but the company of your own hands it feels exhilarating to get your fix with your beloved adventurer. Finn doesn’t waste time with you after that easy dip. Not even a minute has passed and your already laying on your side, with Finn raising your leg way too high just so he can get a better angle to pound into you like a broken drawer, you may not be that flexible but there’s not much to complain since when every time his cock rams into you it's sends ecstatic tremors crashing that has your toes curling.

“Just like that,” Finn moans into your ear after a particular thrust close enough to your bladder, feeling like you’re gonna come any moment now. You don’t know if it’s the obscene squelching of your cunt or his compliments or just the pent up sexual frustration, but the overall sounds affect you more than they should and you’re begging for the sweet release of this dirty tango. “Finn Finn, pleaseee don’t… Yes! Right there!” your voice raises its tone and desperation as you attempt to match his rhythm, a tell tale sign he’s picked up whenever you’re leaning on the edge.

The adventurer tightens his hold around you, affectionately keeping you close and wanting to share such a pivotal moment after not seeing you in months. “Hold out a bit for me baby, I want you to come with me- okay?” Finn slows down his pace a bit, readjusting himself in a way he can use this free hand to play around with your clit, a task harder than it should be with how wet you are down there that has his fingers slipping. “Mmhmm…” you nod, tilting your head slightly backwards so you can meet him in a shared kiss, swallowing delicate gasps and gruff groans with each smooch. Finn eventually picks up the pace again, roughly grabbing your waist as he jack hammers inside your warmth without abandon, you’re consistently tightening around him the louder you raise your voice before it lowers down all together. Releasing a final cry of bliss before your body starts twitching in the aftermath, Finn followed right behind you, his own voice comes out in a strangled moans and repeating your name alongside lilac praises.

Your nose scrunches up when you feel Finn pull out of you, too sensitive down there to even sit up. He takes off the soiled rubber from his dick and tosses it in the waste bin, slipping onto bed with you so he can pull you into his arms a bit more gentle than earlier. You turn around to face him directly this time, swiping away the blonde hair locks glued to his face containing a peaceful expression that swells with love and affection, something he sees reflected in you too. You scoot closer to Finn, “Don’t take too long to come back next time.” You whisper. No matter if it’s a plea or an order, it’s an honest confession coming from a vulnerable heart. Finn takes your soft hand in his, intertwining your fingers together. “Will do.” He responds with that sunny smile of his, before kissing the back of your palm as he seals the promise.

#finn the human x reader #finn mertens x reader #adventure time x reader #reader insert

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reverseblackholeofwords · 28 days ago

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Ok I give, I'm officially curious. I have a couple discord friends who are Unwell™️ about Twenty-One Pilots but I never paid much attention. But now! I return to tumbles dot com after months and find one of my favorite writers has also taken an interest. So now I have to know. Where do I start?

Welcome back to the tumbles-of-er, friendo, good to see your lovely icon again! Okay um, I'm going to be fully transparent, if I try to explain the lore I'm going to sound like a crazy person because I am also Unwell about them these days. The band has been slowly revealing bits and pieces via music videos and ARG-style puzzles and websites since Blurryface back in 2015? So we're talking a story that's a decade in the making more or less. Bear with me...

There's a main character named Clancy who is Doomed By The Narrative, his best friend(?)/hallucination(?)/moral guide(?) everyone calls Torchbearer, a group of rebels with a yellow flower motif, a city that's a metaphor for mental illness, a corrupt religious system based around the glorification of death run by evil bishops with cool robes, and also zombies, a dragon, and a little alien-looking guy. I mean, what more could you ask for?

If you want the real quick version, they actually made a playlist of the lore-relevant MV's in order along with a brief run-down of the story:

Now of course, this is prior to the latest album, which dropped back in May and was supposed to wrap up the story, so the final three lore-related MV's kind of cover the final act. And really, I was largely ambivalent to the lore up to then. They'd done some cool stuff with it, but I'd just never followed it that closely, I just liked their music. And then all the stuff that dropped with the most recent album just grabbed my brain and hasn't let go since! It's so fascinating and morally complex and aaaa!

So over the course of the last 5 months I wrote my super long series covering the lore from start to finish along with my own little added bits called, Sometimes We Will Fly Away. It is single-handedly the thing I am most proud of writing ever, and I won't lie, it's real good. It made me remember why I like writing at all.

And if that somehow doesn't sound too crazy for you, and you do in fact end up checking it out, I would love to hear your thoughts lol

#considering you've seen all the ego stuff this is surprisingly organized when compared to all That lore #so honestly it's a walk in the park by comparison lol #reverse asks #twenty one pilots #sometimes we will fly away

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sergeant-angels-trashcan · 5 months ago

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Okay friendo no more holding back ghost x Kate x price are very similar to bucky x Kate x Steve in my head in the way that Kate falls for them separately in very different ways. One of them is broody and deadly efficient and thinks he shouldn't be loved for all the damage he's done, prefers a mask to separate him and thinks the best thing he can do for the people he loves is to push them away. The other an authority figure with the weight of the squad and the world on his shoulders, a good man who makes mistakes and pushes himself and everyone around him past their limits in the name of good to the people of the world. Thoughts, questions, concerns? (In every and all scenario Kate realizes she likes people by going 'oh no they're HOT' and then jumps out a window to escape the situation)

SCREAMING SCREAMING SCREAMING I should NOT have checked my asks on the way to the time clock rip me. if up til this point you've holding back i am SO EXCITED for unhingedness to run free

the thing is. i don't think she would be surprised she's into Ghost. because that makes sense, he's this giant wall of a sniper, that's not a stretch. and she's always willing to give people a chance. she's also capable of laying him flat on his ass. So there's a level of safety he feels around her?

I think she'd be more self-aware of her feelings about Ghost. I also think he takes his shirt off and Kate is like FUCK he's HOT but she can deal with that she's fine but then he takes the mask off at some point and it's a double whammy of trust and oh NO he's BEAUTIFUL. And she CAN'T climb out a window after that because he'll think it's his face! And it is his face that's scaring her away but not for the reasons he would think!! She wants to escape her feelings so bad and she can't!!!!

She splits the difference by climbing on his shoulders, playing with his hair, and kissing the top of his head while he tries to make them tea. (is she basically petting him and calling him pretty boy? i mean. yeah.)

Price, however.

Kate would look at Price and go "I admire his leadership! I appreciate how he treats his team and goes to bat for them, etc! maybe it's not quite admiration. it feels a little different than normal!" because it's horny. that's the difference.

look. okay. here's the thing. i do not think she has dated people who allow her to realize she is a switch with a competence kink. and a little bit of an authority kink. price is one of like...three people i could see her getting a little subby for. And it wouldn't start out sexual, it would be in regular life. maybe it happens after some off-planet young avengers bullshit where someone tried to assassinate teddy and kate is just frazzled and on edge and her sleep is all fucked up.

Things get to be Too Much and he asks for 10 minutes where she doesn't decide anything, she just does what he tells her to. And it's such a display of trust!!! Price is fucking floored when she actually agrees to it. it's simple stuff, like sit on the couch and drink this bottle of water. Split this candy bar with Gaz. Take off your shoes. Close your eyes, take five deep breaths.

(yes i'm writing it)

all this to say, i think her attraction to price would completely blindside her. to the point where someone else has to point it out to her. Maybe not even seriously, maybe Soap or Gaz or Clint or Billy or Loki are like lol haha sure been staring at Price a lot! you got the hots for PRICE?!?! ha ha jk!! and Kate realizes she DOES. The next time they look over at her they see her vanishing through a window. or climbing in the ceiling.

I don't think she would know how to handle being into Price! She's awkward but not her normal brand of awkward. She's running into shit and not paying attention and pointedly not looking at Price, to the point where he's trying to figure out what he did to make her uncomfortable (did she realize he's attracted to her? FUCK.) And he either. Asks her to come to his office so he can figure out what's going on, or they get locked in a closet together by Ghost.

If he calls a meeting with her, it's so funny because they are both thinking the same thing (hot desk sex) and trying so sososo hard to NOT think about that so then they think about going down on the other in that nice desk chair which SHIT is also not helpful! Fuck! if you asked either of them what they discussed they could NOT tell you

Basically, Ghost is the only one with any damn clue here. He would introduce the idea of it slowly to Kate. Starts talking about Price when they're having sex. Encourages her to return a text while he's eating her out. Takes calls with Price while they're having sex. Slowly building up to Kate letting Ghost take pictures of her/them while or immediately after fucking. Eventually they do a video call. Price is going to break something. Ghost is like fucking FINALLY, he KNOWS they will be good for each other. And honestly two of the best people he knows that he trusts with his life being vulnerable around him? Praising him? Telling him he's good? He's not a fucking saint! Of course he has ulterior motives!! (Kate: your ulterior motives are wanting to be called a good boy? That's the least greedy least sinister thing I've ever heard. Stop thinking you're a bad person for doing this)

I ALSO don't think Kate can handle seeing Price clean shaven or even with his beard trimmed. Like yes he's attractive with his full on Price beard but he turns into a smokeshow the moment he starts to tighten it up. She has no behavior around him. She hates doing the obstacle course and her fastest least bitchy time was when Price was told to trim his beard by a higher up. Kate saw him and immediately went OH FUCK and BOLTS. also thinking about them having to go to ground together and of COURSE he has to shave, the beard is too memorable and they're trying to not be found, so kate offers to shave him! BECAUSE I AM A SLUT FOR THIS. she's sitting on a bathroom counter, shaving him with a straight razor, and price is so caught up in Being Pampered that it takes him a minute to ask kate WHY she has a straight razor???? and she's like oh! :) well obviously it's a weapon. haven't you seen sweeney todd? now, i've never killed anyone with a straight razor. i have stabbed some people. not with this one, don't worry! and price says "i don't think i want you this close to my neck anymore (he's fine. mark him down as scared and horny, that's all)

The thing is Kate's friends and teammates will see a picture of the task force to see her boyfriends and they'll be like "ok!! I can see it" and then Ghost and fucking Price walk in and they're like what the FUCK, why is it the TERRIFYING ones??? We thought it was going to be the cute ones!!! And then of course Kate is like the FUCK you say, are you saying my boyfriends aren't cute?? Ghost is SO RED under the balaclava. Price laughs until he has to stop Kate from lunging.

please say more to me about them, i am insane over them

#kate bishop #hawkeye #john price #simon riley #call of duty #kate bishop and tf141 #my stuff #asks answered #paddling my kayak #this ask made me start writing a kate/price meet cute #i saw a pic of price's actor (barry sloane?? maybe) clean shaven and i was like HM. i am Unwell #kate and price have the funniest relationship #kate: it's the mutton chops. there's something about them that speaks to something deep inside me.#and that thing inside me is imagining you in a pith helmet and screaming COLONIZER!!! and i wanna kill you so bad #price: of course dove. i'm just going to go speak to your nurse about changing what painkiller you're on #kate: i'm on PAINKILLERS?!?!?#she's literally in a hospital hooked up to an IV #please please please say more thing about them

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prismaticpichu · 5 months ago

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Hi! I hope I'm not disturbing you, I'm sorry if I'm asking too much, so umm can you make Seph Zack, like Seph is trying to craft or build something, Zack is curious, Seph is writing his journal, Seph's memories when he was little, add angst, Zack protective, comfort/hurt, fun, I hope its okay for you. ♥️❤️🤗🫂

Ahhhhh! Not at all, my friendo!! ❤️ I appreciate your asks so much you have no idea lol!! 😂 ✨ Receiving prompts is all a writer can ever ask for!!!

As for this prompt!- wooo boy! That’s a lot of ingredients to add to the pot! Annnnnnnd I think i’ma just gonna be a lazy butt and shamelessly promote some fics that have covered all those points in the past! xD

*ducks chair*

LOOK A PICHU’S DMW CAN ROLL A DUD EVERY NOW AND THEN ehehhehehshshdhdhdhhdhdh

“Seph is trying to craft or build something, Zack is curious, fun” ~ I present to you…. my very old fic, On Pins and Needles!!! This little oneshot follows Zack discovering Seph has a little hobby that one may not expect. https://archiveofourown.org/works/39779433

“Seph's memories when he was little, add angst, Zack protective, comfort/hurt” ~ I present to you… my not too old fic, Lightning! This fic here starts with a rather brutal memory of Seph’s childhood, followed by a very loving and tender Zack comforting his friend in the aftermath. https://archiveofourown.org/works/51209863

“Seph is writing in his journal” ~ okie doke, so! I don’t reeallllly have a fic that covers this, but I DO happen to have a random snippet in my WIPs that’s literally called “Sephiroth’s Journal” 🤣🤣 Alright…. CONVENIENT LOL

13 September 2023

Frankly, I am not too certain what to write here. And I suppose that already muddies the purpose of why this notebook was given to me. I was instructed to simply journal my "thoughts", whatever they may be, omit everything else in my mind and write my thoughts without thinking at all. He told me I think too much. He also told me I am too stiff when I speak, and I was to try to be as colloquial as possible. "Talk to yourself!" he told me. "Mimic a conversation." I cannot promise that I will be able to adhere to this, but I will try.

I suppose if this was to be a conversation, I would start by introducing myself. My name is Sephiroth. Had I not been my own recipient, I am certain whoever reading this would have heard that name before. It is more... widespread than I would like to admit. But that is my life. "The cards I was dealt" as he would say. Though I do not believe there is any true power dealing these supposed cards, I have long come to accept them. I am not angry. I am not bitter. I am not particularly happy with them; I just play with what I was given. But I digress. I am a SOLDIER First Class, among the highest rank in the military. Please let it be known that I say this without any sense of a arrogance or pretentiousness. I have been fighting all my life, and these are the results of years of ceaseless training. I would rather not talk about that chapter of my life, however. Maybe another day. I think I will choose to focus on the present for the time being.

Such as right now, for instance. Tonight I write from my bedroom desk, a glass of water to my right and a closed computer to my left. I am much accustomed to working on a computer, if I had to be completely truthful . It is where almost all of my work is done. Incidentally, I was planning on resuming my work upon returning to my quarters tonight. But he had gifted me this journal today, and I did not want his kindness to be in vain.

I suppose I should stop referring to the boy as "Him." It is very disrespectful, now that I think about it, how I had not properly included him by now. Him--I said it again, didn't I? My apologies. The him I am referring to, his name is Zack Fair. He is a SOLDIER First Class, just as I. He is also my lieutenant.

Heh. I think I know what to write about. But I will save it for tomorrow; it is getting late. I promised Zack I would be in bed by midnight.

Hopefully this is a satisfactory answer lmao!! ❤️ Apologies for my indolence; I think I’ve honestly just been pushing myself a little hard lately, and I can smell the faintest ashes of a burnout spell creeping in.

#pichu writing #asks #ty!!#zack fair #sephiroth #ffvii #ff7 #crisis core #ff7 fanfic #professor hojo #floof #angst

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genshingorlsrevengeance · 10 months ago

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The official Genshingorls Waifu Tier List

So, I've had you all answer a lot of polls that tells me what a good percentage (of the ones that voted anyway) like, but I never really went into detail of my personal preference/hot takes.

It's time to unveil the curtains, and see how much respect I lose from ya'll! (My takes are 100% objective btw)

Doesn't really correspond to how much I enjoy writing them, solely on a scale of whether I'd date them or not.

Also, a comment by a friend:

=== Tier explanation:

You don't know her but trust me she's god tier - Not in the character list I write for but by god do I love them PUT THIS RING ON - 100% would marry on the spot IRL Dating Material - Like them a lot, but missing a little something. MY BESTO FRIENDO - "A staff of friendship. "We should be good friends" means she doesn't want to date you." - Rune Factory 4 No - Wouldn't date/Not at all my personal taste "Boss, those are just kids!" - Self explanatory, hopefully.

Let me know if you guys agree/want to now leave a pipe bomb in my inbox! I think this is the first time I've been this straightforward how I feel about a good chunk of the characters I write for on this blog. ===

Genshin Impact:

If some of you are wondering why I don't write for "x" character from the newer regions, that dark green tab should hopefully explain a LOT of things.

Under the cut for even worse takes!

Persona 3/4/5:

Besides the Genshin one, I feel like this list in particular will get me shot on the street. And Minato shouldn't even be here, but I love him as much as Minako.

Girls' Frontline:

Is my type showing yet? Because I feel like the Raifus should be making it VERY obvious of who I lean to.

Fire Emblem Engage:

Rosado my beloved. That is all I have to say.

Fire Emblem Three Houses:

No one will ever beat my first love that is Ingrid, because she critted Dimitri and Solo'd Rhea after everyone died, saving my ass in my Crimson Flower run.

Trails of Cold Steel:

Man, I really need to write for Cold Steel more. They've been rotting in the askbox for a while now.

Rune Factory 4:

NANCY, MY LOVE, MY LIGHT

Rune Factory 5:

Megan T. Harvey also voiced Towa from Cold Steel, which is why I gunned it for Priscilla INSTANTLY I first played 5. Then Scarlett dropkicked her out the way.

#not an ask #chris does a dumb #chris does a simping

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the-void-writes · 5 months ago

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“you’re so pretty when you lie to me”

Hello hello friendo 💖 So we were talking about writing more unhinged stuff, and thanks to you I managed to develop Aphelion’s awfulness more lol. Thank you so much for the motivation and inspo, and I hope this isn’t too unhinged 😅

For All Eternity - The Moon King’s Madness

Summary: Paradise Era— Will has been taken by King Aphelion Sapphirus, a Celestial who hates humanity. His delusions have convinced him that any Freak with strong enough powers are Celestials trapped in mortal forms, so he makes it his job to set them free through fatal methods.

WC: 3K

TW: Many descriptions of body horror (both shapeshifting and a vivisection). Also if you don’t like reading about people being held prisoner, or violent and manipulative love interests, then this isn’t for you.

Days flew by so fast that Will couldn’t tell them apart anymore. He would wake up in that miserable bedroom, with the view of freedom a million miles below him, and the minutes would blur together after that. Feasts with the Celestials, tours around the palace that he was meant to share, hours strapped to a table in the darkness as the god that claimed to love him tried time and time again to cut through his mortal cage and release his cosmic spirit…

Aphelion’s singular glowing eye pierced the darkness, the only part of him that Will could see, aside from the blazing hot blade in his hands. His voice scratched the inside of Will’s head, drowning out the ringing in his ears.

“I know it hurts,” he said. “You’re doing so well, my dear. If I can just get through this section of veins…”

The blade hit Will’s skin once more, filling his nose with the smell of burnt flesh. His throat was already raw from screaming, made worse by the waves of energy that tore through him. It was his body’s natural defense mechanism— His years with Vesely had taught him that.

Starlight cut clean down the center of his chest. The air touched his open skin with the grace of an old friend. Finally, the cutting stopped, and Aphelion waited anxiously. This was the moment of truth for all his hard work and research. If all went to plan, Will’s “Celestial soul” would at last be free.

That was when Will felt his insides shift. Dozens of little growths stretched and connected like the threads of an old doll. They twisted and pulled, and in no time at all, Will had been stitched back together. His saving grace, Vesely’s Infection— it wouldn’t let him die. He was too good of a host.

The air grew thick and warm as Aphelion threw the blade into the darkness. His yell shook the entire room.

“DAMN YOU, CURSED PARASITE!”

Tears ran down Will’s face. He had never been more thankful to be sick. His whole body flinched as he felt Aphelion’s large hand cradle his head, still invisible in the darkness.

“Forgive me, my darling… I’ve failed you.”

There were several long footsteps, and then he was gone. Will cried in the dark for what felt like forever before a group of Aphelion’s glowing handmaidens came to collect him. He didn’t remember the trip back to his room, only the spinning in his head and the feeling of bile rising in his ruined throat.

Finally, he was back in his bed. The handmaidens finished cleaning the new scar on his chest, and left him to recover in his room for the rest of the night. They never said a word to him, perhaps out of fear of the king. Aphelion had a bizarre temperament when it came to Will. He was as soft as possible around the small mortal, but if anyone else showed interest in him, the moon god had no trouble disposing of them. According to the sparse whispers of other Celestials, Aphelion had devoured one of their kind for daring to look at Will for longer than a minute.

The mattress consumed Will as he laid down and watched the stars outside. If someone had told him as a boy that he would one day be sickened by the sight of the cosmos, he would have thought them insane. His hopes and dreams of exploring the galaxy, flying among stardust, discovering new worlds and species… All of it was squandered each time Aphelion took his wretched scalpel to Will’s chest.

He tried to take this brief moment of peace to think, but his mind had been reduced to a handful of thoughts: hating Aphelion, missing Dante, and praying for death to finally claim him, to reunite him with his family. All he wanted was an end to the torture.

His heart dropped as he heard the door open. He leapt up and leaned against the bedpost, hoping he had enough energy to run to the washroom and lock it before the handmaidens could grab him. He was only due for one ritual a week, that was what Aphelion swore to him, the one promise Will trusted him to keep. Vesely’s Infection put his body through too much stress, so Aphelion had to stop and let him recover. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Will before he could be free. As horrifically misguided as he was, there was indeed a part of him that loved the young Divine.

Will’s heart sank further down as a pale, crooked hand pushed the door open carefully. Aphelion’s human disguise was far from perfect. He was thoroughly disgusted by humanity, so his understanding of appearance and proportions were approximations, at best. Discolored patches of skin were hastily sewn together, sagging and twisting around a nonexistent skeletal form. Space dust and starlight shifted under the skin, churning like water beneath his cosmically-decorated hanfu. He towered over Will, whose height just barely reached where the Moon King’s ribs would be. Pale pink hair hung perfectly within a series of hairpins, pulling it tight enough to stretch the corners of his face. It was a mockery of a human being, a suit that was designed purely to give him more time with Will.

“Ah, you’re awake.” His voice still shook inside Will’s head, with the underlying discomfort of nails scratching glass. “How are you feeling?”

“Do I have to go back?” Will asked, struggling to stand upright and not fall back into the preferable softness of the bed.

Aphelion smiled and mustered an unpleasant laugh. His eyes flickered with what Will assumed was warmth. They were less eyes, per say, and more two distant stars floating in the darkness that hid under the god’s human suit. Will could see the hollow sockets behind the light, two miniature universes peering out at him.

“We’re done, I promise you. Until we can figure out how to destroy this parasite, I’m afraid we’ll have to put the ritual on hold.”

Will let his shoulders fall as he tried to smother his relief. The last thing he wanted to do was give his host— his captor— a reason to continue his work.

“Please forgive me, my dear,” Aphelion said, confusing his silence with disappointment. “I know it’s insufferable, but by the end of it all, you’ll be free.”

“I’ll be dead, sir. I’m not a god.”

“You don’t truly believe that, do you?” Aphelion moved forward carefully, sweeping his legs like a peacock unsure of its steps. “If you were anything as simple and lowly as a human, you would never have survived this long. Your sickness, your isolation, the years of abuse from your father—”

“Don’t talk about him,” Will spat.

Aphelion smiled. “Forgive me, I know it’s a sensitive subject. We can talk about something else.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

The god’s smile faltered. Will braced himself for a swift mood swing, for the handmaidens to come barreling in and pull him back into the ritual room, but that moment never came. The fear in waiting seemed more unbearable than the pain itself.

“I understand your frustrations, you know.”

Will raised his eyebrow. “Do you?”

“You’re displeased with me. I disgust you.” He raised his hand up. “Please, I get it. These human forms are so limiting and fragile.”

“What?” Will shook his head. “I don’t hate your… appearance.”

The god chuckled to himself. “You don’t have to pretend. It makes me nauseous just putting it on.”

“Then why do it?”

“For you, of course. If I can’t free you yet, then I’ll bind myself in this prison of flesh. Anything to see you and make you happy.”

Will wasn’t quick enough to stop himself. “I was already happy with my friends— with Dante. He was my home.”

Tears stabbed the corners of his eyes. He missed Paradise so terribly, even the noise and the parties that never seemed to end. He missed sleeping in with the love of his life and heading out for lunch together before retreating back home to avoid the crowds. After years of heartbreak, Will had finally found peace, and it was taken away from him for the third time in his life.

He pushed himself into the bedpost as Aphelion stepped closer, trying and failing to avoid the clawed hand running through his hair.

“It truly pains me to see you this distraught,” Aphelion said. “A man like that was never worth your time. He never even came up to see you.”

“Because you won’t let anyone up here!”

“But he never even bothered to ask for you. What monster would abandon the supposed love of his life?”

Will shut his eyes and tightened his fists. He knew Dante better than that. This was a man who had gone into a heist with a fatal fever, all for the sake of the kids in his neighborhood. If he hadn’t come to bargain for Will, it was because he was planning something. Dante would never abandon him. He wasn’t like Dan…

“If your heart still aches for him,” Aphelion said, “perhaps I can assist with that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Watch, my dear.”

There was a sick popping noise, and Will watched as the moon king’s long form shrank and twisted. The discolored skin grew dark, and his long pink hair turned black and curly, until Will was looking at his love again, at his Dante. It was his beautiful smile, his golden scars from the Infection… but the glowing yellow eyes belonged to Aphelion, and the skin around his face was still pinched tight.

“What do you think?” he asked in Dante’s low, smooth voice. “It’s so much easier when you have a base to work off of. Is this better for you? Not as repulsive?”

Will fell back onto the bed, unable to speak. It was wrong, it was so sickeningly wrong. He could barely shake his head. Aphelion read the look in his eyes and shrugged.

“That’s alright. Mister Briggs isn’t exactly my style, anyway. How about something simpler?”

With the snap of his fingers, his fake skin shifted and snapped into plastic. Cold joints and wires mocked the human muscular system, until Will was face-to-face with the android he had once fallen for. It was a perfect replica of Dan, save for his sick yellow eyes. A mixture of longing and anger stung his chest.

“How?” Will asked. “How the hell do you know what he looks like?!”

“I saw him in your dreams.” His voice box crackled just as Dan’s did, but Aphelion’s tone still seeped through like poison. “I didn’t mean to wander in there, but your thoughts were deafening.”

“You— You were in my head?”

“Yes, and I saw how terribly he treated you. The real Daniel was a fool. We could start over, now that your mind is intact. I can be what he never could.”

Will clenched his teeth. “I don’t want to start over.”

“Fair enough, my dear. He’s a tad too numb for my taste.”

The android’s casing melted off of Aphelion’s starlit body, quickly covered by a new layer of dark skin. Glowing, predatory eyes shone through the glasses that now rested on his broad nose. Thick, coiled hair sprouted from the top of his head. Will’s stomach wrenched violently at the sight of Aphelion, whose cosmic form rippled under Colin’s skin, glowing like magma.

“Your first love. You cared deeply for him, from what I remember.”

Will practically stumbled against the bed frame, fighting the urge to be sick. He had almost forgotten how soft-spoken and gentle Colin was, but he knew these drawn-out sentences weren’t his. Colin spoke quickly and to the point, and furthermore, he never watched anyone with a look as predatory as that of the moon god. Will refused to look at Aphelion until he was back in his own ragged skin.

“Nothing?” he asked. “Is it the boy’s age? I know he looks young, but I’ve been alive for centuries, Will. There’s no harm done.”

“That’s sick, Saph— Sick in the head.”

“You were in love with him, yes? It could be as though he never left you.”

“You think I want that? You think I’m going to fall in love with you because you’re wearing my old boyfriend like a fucking ballgown?!”

Aphelion tapped a clawed finger against his chin, with all the casual grace of a man pondering his plans for dinner. He closed his eyelids limply over the hollow sockets. Will’s head buzzed and his stomach twisted— the god was reading his thoughts. It was so much worse compared to the warm cloud that would surround his mind whenever Dante read from him. Aphelion’s power felt as though someone was taking a fork to his mind and scooping out the insides.

“Ah,” the god said, “I’ve found something better.”

His body snapped and jerked, and for a while, Will couldn’t see much of a difference in his appearance. He was still tall and pale, still wriggling under false skin. His nose seemed longer, and his eyes were larger and rounder, but nothing too drastic had changed.

Then his pink hair grew darker, a deep wine color turning into dark cherry. Now, it was a near perfect match, like an old photograph that had just been misplaced in the wash, elongating all of the features. The only pieces missing were the snow-colored eyes.

“How is this?” His soft voice pierced Will’s heart. “Barely even a change, right? He’s perfect.”

Anger burned through Will’s body, powered by the sickness in his veins. In the blink of an eye, he lunged at Aphelion, pushing him to the ground.

“GET OUT OF HIS BODY!” Will screamed. “RIGHT NOW!”

A wave of energy burst from his throat as he yelled, cracking the floor below Aphelion’s head. The moon king struggled to gain his bearings.

“Will— please calm down!”

Will’s throat burned as he cried. He could still see Jason’s cold, stiff, colorless face as he laid still in his grasp. Blood and feathers and bullets littered the floor around them. The more he remembered, the further his powers forced the god into the tile work.

“This is for you,” Aphelion said, fighting through his chokehold. “You loved him, and they took him from you. I can bring him back to you, it’s no problem for me—”

“GET OUT!”

“Don’t tell me it’s not true! Don’t tell me you don’t love him, I’ve seen it! You love him so much, you wish you had died instead!”

Aphelion struggled in his grasp— Jason struggled, terrified of the man looming above him. An expression he never wanted to see on his godfather… Will quickly released his powers and backed up against the bedpost, leaving Aphelion to catch his breath— How could a god like him even breathe?

Will curled up on the floor, holding his head in his hands. He longed for the ritual, for the scalding blades that cut his chest open, anything other than this.

“Dearest,” Aphelion said, still in his stolen voice, “you’re hurting so much. I don’t blame you.”

Will refused to speak. A clumsy claw ran through his hair, and he was too tired, too frightened, to push it away.

“You shouldn’t have to suffer anymore. I can stay like this for you, until we can finally set you free. It’s easy, really. You don’t have to repress your emotions. I’m all yours, however you want me.”

Those words, in that voice, were the push Will needed to slap Aphelion back onto the floor, hard enough to force him back into his original skin. Aphelion was speechless, grazing his fingers over his reddened cheek. Will’s stare could have shot clean through the Celestial.

“I hate you,” he said. “I hate everything about you. I don’t want to love you, and it’s not because of how you look. You can’t just hide behind the faces of people I loved. It will never change what you are— vile and wicked and cruel.”

Will rose to his feet before Aphelion could reach him. He stumbled towards the door, not at all concerned with where he was going or who would follow him. He just wanted to leave.

“Will—”

“Don’t you ever use my father’s face again. You don’t understand him, or what he meant to me. Stay out of his skin, or I swear on my life, I will find a way to kill you.”

Whatever had motivated him to stand up to Aphelion died the moment the god picked himself up off the ground and snatched Will’s wrist.

“Kill?” His voice shook the walls. “You think you can kill me with that broken little body? After everything I’ve done for you?!”

Will shielded his face in a way he hadn’t done since he was a young boy, cowering at the brutality of his birth father. He waited for the snap of a bone or the sting of a fist, but nothing came. When he opened his eyes, Aphelion looked mortified. He released Will’s hand slowly.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “My darling, I’m so sorry.”

Will avoided his pleading eyes. “Leave, please.”

“Of course.”

Aphelion slinked out of the room, and when his weak footsteps could no longer be heard, Will ran to the washroom and locked himself inside. He let his tears mix with the warm water in the sink, porcelain cracking under his hand as he gripped the edges, tighter and tighter until his fingers started to bleed.

He couldn’t live like this, teetering the edges of both his and Aphelion’s rage. If he could only convince his Infection to seek a new host, or give up completely, then he could find a way to die before the moon king got his hands on him again…

Will slapped himself with his own bruised hand. You jackass, he thought, you can’t give up. You’ll leave Dante all on his own. He took a breath and treated his hand with medicine from the cabinet. Get a hold of yourself, find a way out of here, and don’t stop until you’re back in his arms.

#writeblr #original writing #ask games #wip: for all eternity #writing this made me hate Aphelion even more 🤣 he’s probably worse than Vesely #I really hope this isn’t too much #this is training to get out of the comfort zone lol

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