#and the AUDACITY he had to say his wife should be glad he pulled for furina CUZ SHE WANTED HER TOO?!

[kuratm]

learning recently about a guy who singlehandedly destroyed his MARRIAGE over a fucking furina rerun banner on ge/nshin (i'm talking SIX HUNDRED BUCKS on the couple's shared credit card) makes me more glad i dropped ge/nshin.

[markantonys]

My Mom Reacts To: wheel of time season 2 episodes 5-8 (episodes 1-4) (season 1)

the episode 1-4 post did not contain book spoilers, but this one does, so beware!

first, some dinnertable questions that arose in the past few days:

mom: 3000 years ago, when the first dragon was around, was ishamael--wait. was ishamael the dragon? me: no mom: but he was around back then? me: yes, he was the first dragon's best friend, but then he betrayed him mom: just like how liandrin is betraying everyone

(also, she keeps trying to call him "ishmael" like the moby dick character)

mom: at the end of 14 books, does good triumph over evil? me: i'm not gonna tell you that mom: well this show won't go for 14 seasons, or if it does, i'll be in a dementia ward by then

mom: how long is someone the amyrlin? me: for life, unless they get removed mom: is it an elected position or would they have like a coup? me: [sweating] it's an elected position

she wanted to know where everything was, so i pulled out the handy randland map mug she gave me for christmas to show her! haha

she also asked if we see more of the other colors (ajahs) in the books, and i said if anything we see less because liandrin and alanna have much less screentime in the books, and she was very surprised to hear that

dad: [setting up a dad joke voice] what's it called when lan dies? me: what? dad: lan's end

(okay that might be an americans-only joke lmao there's a big clothing chain called lands' end, not sure how widespread it is. but it cracked ME up, at least!)

mom: does lan die?!?!?!? me: you read his wikipedia article like 2 months ago mom: well i don't remember any of it, that was a long time ago!

she also assumed that no one who is together now (lanaeve + randgwene) will end up together. i'd straight up told her a while ago that rand and egwene don't end up together but she wasn't totally sure of that now, so i think it's actually okay if i tell her spoilers because she'll forget them immediately djkfjgh

episode 5

"she should be glad to get those ridiculous nails cut"

she was horrified by the horse slaughter!

my dad laughed at the guy getting his head exploded, maybe it's not just rand maybe he just likes to see Anyone have a bad time

elyas: your friends from the two rivers aren't your pack mom: ohhhh 😔😠 elyas: neither was your wife mom: [GASP]

she loves hopper so much and i'm not ready for her to see ep8!!

brown sister trio introduced, we pause as i am tasked with writing down every ajah and what they do lmao

my mom repeatedly asked if suroth was a forsaken. probably because she has The Audacity to talk to an actual forsaken Like That!

not much reaction to aviendha at all this episode! i think my mom was a bit overwhelmed by all the new info being learned in this episode, so she was more concerned with trying to figure out who the aiel and the seanchan are than with paying attention to aviendha specifically (partially my fault bc i first explained the aiel as "those warrior people" and she thought i meant the seanchan lmao). she mourned that we hadn't started our character/terminology list on a bigger piece of paper!

i had to fight to keep it together rather than shout with joy during the gawyn namedrop djkjfgh

mom: did the red one free nynaeve so they could try to escape?? me: yes mom: she is just too complicated for me

in this same vein, my dad later referred to liandrin as a "double double agent"

moiraine: [big sigh] dad: she's always a drama queen

he's not wrong jkdjfg

ishy tenderly stroking rand's face also got no reaction, much to my surprise haha i meanwhile was silently losing it

when the seanchan were bringing out egwene and saying how powerful she is, my dad was like "but she's the wrong one, it's the other one who's powerful" oh my god let poor egwene LIVE djkfg even he is pulling a "did you hear that nynaeve is the most powerful channeler we've seen in 1000 years" on her!

my mom cracked up at moiraine saying "it's your choice rand, i mean it this time" and was like "yeah i was gonna say, is she ACTUALLY going to let him choose here?"

episode 6

my mom literally THE SECOND renna's bracelet linked with the a'dam: "so she can channel too? i thought these people punished everyone who can channel" not her INSTANTLY clocking The Sul'dam Secret when in-world it apparently took hundreds of years for anyone to notice hahaha this certainly lends weight to the "this information Is Known but routinely suppressed, as fascist governments are wont to do" interpretation over the "literally not a single person had any idea until the wondergirls" interpretation

lanfear: why do you think you can't trust me? mom: because you have a silly hat

911 lanfear's just been murdered. i guess some people (straight women) ARE immune to her dominatrix outfit djkfg

my mom also voiced her displeasure with rand's haircut again in this scene. my mom 🤝 me 🤝 mat

BOTH my parents thought lanfear's condition was going to be that rand had to kill moiraine himself! the second he opened his eyes they both said it! they're already thinking so dark!

on that note, i'd predicted my mom would be annoyed at moiraine for refusing barthanes's sandwiches, but that was not the case: instead, she and my dad both went "oh i bet the sandwiches are poisoned" they're so suspicious of everything now! and rightfully so

"i can hear you bickering from the fruit market" got a good laugh

my mom also gave a hearty, appreciative chuckle at mat shitting on rand's hair. he spoke for all of us!

mat: i'll meet you in an hour mom: they don't have watches, how will they know when it's been an hour?

mom when moiraine apologizes to barthanes: why is she being nice? me: because she feels bad mom, as if it never occurred to her moiraine might have a conscience: oh..............

mom when siuan arrives in cairhien: now someone can tell her about liandrin! me: but no one here knows that mom: UGH!!!

haha welcome to wheel of time! the necessary information is always stuck in the wrong plotlines and unable to be passed along to the relevant people!

elayne to nynaeve: if we help ryma, we can't help egwene mom: oh this poor woman, now she's faced with another hard choice just like in the arches! me: [sits there stunned because i never made that connection]

episode 7

my mom loved lan telling rand to tuck in his shirt, naturally

lan: heron dips over the wing [or whatever the name was] mom: what? me: it's a sword form, they all have weird names mom: oh, that would explain why it didn't make any sense

lan: your duty is to protect everyone in the world, not just the ones you love mom: that's a big responsibility :(

she laughed and said "she doesn't like not being the boss!" at nynaeve's face when elayne told her to do what she said

she is SO PRESSED about other characters needing to find out about liandrin. she was so excited when anvaere eavesdropped and then so mad when moiraine left before anvaere could tell her the news (but i reassured her by saying that moiraine is about to go to the same place as nynaeve & co who will be able to tell her)

moiraine: [is Mean to lan] mom: TUH! dad: he should just slay her

mom: so what does this tea do? me: allegedly it will show mat his past lives mom: but it might be a trick me: ishamael DOES call himself "father of lies"

my dad was like "that was cool!" after mat's bad trip, which is among his biggest reactions to anything, other than "[chuckles] that was a good one!" when egwene said "renna i will kill you"

ishy: i just want to close my eyes and never have to open them again mom: so kill yourself then 🙄

911 ishamael's also been found murdered. i think she could put the forsaken in line honestly, "you have a silly hat" "kill yourself" she's just not having any of their shit. i hate to compare her to cadsuane, but it's kinda giving cadsuane.

lanfear's dominatrix outfit did get more appreciation this time though when the silly hat was not present ("they had fun with her costumes")

rand: i need your help lanfear mom: ??????? doesn't he know she's evil???????

"she could at least say something nice to lan 🙄" when moiraine fails to say something nice to lan after getting unshielded thanks to him

lanfear: [broken amyrlin line] mom: is she broken??? me: i think she just meant metaphorically, not physically mom: oh. but their love is broken :(

episode 8

my dad actually put his laptop away to watch this episode with his full attention. this is high praise! he never does that!

mom: who's that? [dain] me: the whitecloak perrin spared when he escaped with aviendha mom: i don't remember that me: we watched that YESTERDAY mom: 🤷

she did remember after another moment though haha but that supports my impression that ep5 was A Bit Too Much New Info for her to take in all at once

lanfear: rand i'm the only one who truly cares about you mom: i don't think THAT'S true!

when perrin tells hopper to stay there: "he's just going to leave his dog out in the desert with no water???"

mom when lanfear calls ishy sweetheart and strokes his hair: wait was he the one she was in love with????? me: no it was rand's past life, that's why she's obsessed with rand mom: rand's past WIFE???? me: LIFE

babe wake up new polycule just dropped (lanfear/ishy/lews/ilyena)

she GASPED when renna cut off egwene's braid! as she should!

she said "too bad min isn't here" during the episode (she thought it would be helpful if min could tell mat what would happen if he were to touch the dagger; i was like "i think he knows it would be bad mom" lmao) and after the episode she anxiously asked if we would ever see min again, dammit mom don't you dare become a min stan on me jdkfgh (although, the fact that she thought we might not see her again indicates it's 0% on her radar that min might be anyone's love interest, which is interesting! a number of show-onlys were at least expecting her to be mat's i think)

nynaeve: i'll make you regret the first kiss your mother ever gave your father mom: [delighted] that's a creative one! dad: there are a lot of nasty women on this show and only one nasty man [ishy] me and mom: TUH!

although he is not wrong to say that s2 was the season of Female Villains and Women Being Mean (and i loved every moment of it!). don't you worry dad, rand's gonna be stepping up to fill the Nasty Man Quota soon enough. and i can't wait!

dad when rand is watching egwene from a distance: he's not doing a good job of hiding me: at least his cloak is the same color as the wall dad: well his dumb face isn't

why is he SUCH a hater when it comes to poor rand jkdjfg please, that's your future son-in-law!

they both were repeatedly pressed about everyone carrying the horn box (or rather "the briefcase" as my dad called it) out in the open

mom: they need to just put it in a sack! me: they don't have any sacks on hand! mom: there's plenty of sacks lying around!!!

she keeps thinking that rand got the heron-marked sword from his mom, and when she saw that turak had one she was like "but i thought those were the swords of the aiel?" and i cracked up imagining how offended aiel would be to hear her say that

she missed rand killing all the seanchan because she was too busy asking me the above question, but when she looked back at the screen she went 1) "oh, this is so gory" 2) "did RAND do all that????"

she was sad about ingtar, she was like "ohhhh, i liked him :(" imagine caring about ingtar, could not be me jdkfg

me: so lanfear is talking about the seals of the other forsaken, she wants this guy to throw them all in the ocean because she doesn't want them to be released mom: why doesn't she just do it herself? me: me: me: i don't know, actually..................

(maybe she just wanted them gone stat but didn't want to leave falme for even a moment while shit was going down with rand and ishy? or maybe she was like, I'm Too Hot And Iconic To Get My Hands Dirty Doing Things Myself)

mom as soon as renna's shown to be alive, after egwene's picked up the collar: she should go put the collar on her!

she been knew again!

mom at the mat-perrin reunion: put the spear down before you hug him, you'll stab someone by accident!!!!

she was glad to see egwene get her vengeance, but added "but now i bet she'll feel guilty for killing someone because she's a good person :("

ishy: [talking about what rand did in his past life] mom: rand doesn't even remember that! rand right on cue: i'm not lews therin!

i warned her "you might not want to look" just before hopper's death, but she did look, and she was very sad. as was i!

she thought that one of the heroes of the horn was stepin and i told her it wasn't (it was just some random guy with similar hair) but maybe i should've let her keep on believing it because it's a nice idea!

mom when the spear goes through ishy and hits rand: OH NO!!!! just like min said!!! me: [vibrating with glee over The Great Cauthor Stabbening]

when ishy said "i'm sorry old friend" to rand here my dad said "that sounds familiar" and i was like what's he talking about? but then realized that's what LTT said to ishy in the cold open!!! my heart!!! thank you dad for catching that parallel, i gotta go make a gifset now

"how is one guy holding off all these soldiers by himself?" mom i cannot believe you of all people would doubt lan!

she laughed at rand being like "[half-dead] who are you???" but made no comment on the subsequent romantic shot of elayne. however, after the episode she was like "'who are you?' rand said................is something going to happen with him and elayne??" and i was like 🤷😁😁😁😁 and then she said "but they both have red hair, are they from the same place?" and i told her that elayne is not aiel and not ALL redheads are aiel lmao and maybe i should've just said "you'll see" but. i don't think it's a spoiler to confirm that elayne is not aiel.

she does not believe that ishy is really dead, and she kept asking me if he was really dead and if he shows up again later in the books and i swear, the three oaths possessed me in that moment and made me incapable of saying "yes he's really dead, no we don't see him again in the books". so i just kept shrugging which probably made it obvious that indeed, this is not the last we see of him haha

mom when moiraine starts weaving fire in the direction of the tower: what's she doing?! everyone's up on that tower!!! me: she's not trying to BLOW UP RAND mom: oh

at some point during all the battles she was like "now what's lanfear up to during all this? 🤨" a good thought to have always!

at the end of the episode: "now we have to wait a whole year or two for the next season!!!!!" she's hooked!!

favorite character roundup: my mom said lan is #1 and egwene is #2, and she also loves loial, and she said that she didn't care for perrin last season but likes him a lot now. my dad said his favorites are "the tree guy" (loial) and "the new woman at the end who's more powerful than anyone we've seen so far" (moghedien! that one was a surprise to me. tumblr 🤝 my dad. i hope he'll enjoy The Season Of Moghedien next season! tho it could also be that he just said her because she was the last character we saw and he'd already forgotten all the other ones lmao)

[sukirichi]

oh god suki I just finished catching up to the new chapters last night then I saw that dtd 13 is outtttt and OH MY GOD YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT I READ IT IMMEDIATELY! When that chapter started how rin was suspicious of us then the moment it was cleared out, he acted as if he did nothing wrong (as always) all throughout the marriage as he showed us the beach house I was like—noooooo he’s just pulling you in! he’s conditioning you again! 😭 the audacity to tell us that he imagined his children playing in the backyard, how fully sure are we that it was our children and not iris? considering he was two timing us with her when he bought the house? even if he said he wanted his daughter to acquire his wife’s beauty, what about the son?! does he want to resemble him or maybe he imagined his little one to be academically smart like his mistress? thoughts that would make me cry until the afterlife.

and oh! saying kiyoomi has a spot on the house is just🤌 take that rin! can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out that we had dedicated an area for kiyoomi without his knowledge—I just know he would lose his shit. And kiyoomi, the most gentleman and affectionate towards us (albeit his thoughts say otherwise), always on the lookout for our safety and their moments?? the itachiyama trip? the reveal that we had met him first and was our last dance during our debutant?? you meant we could have a loving and peaceful marriage with him, before the heartbreak, before rin swayed us, before the homebody prince suddenly got tied down with iris? why did he even agree to a marriage with her? what is he trying to protect?

and with iris, the moment he wants to stop the relationship with rin because she doesn’t want to be labeled as whore, I’m like?? girl.. you could’ve avoided all of this if you stopped fucking around with rin the moment he started courting another woman, even if he promised iris he would divorce the wife. AND WHEN SHE WAS OVERTLY QUIET DURING THE BEACH HOUSE INVITE? THAT SHE DOESN’T LOOK GOOD AND WAS STILL IN SICKLY STATE WHEN SHE GAVE US THOSE PASTRIES? I didn’t spent HOURS during internship to doubt my clinical judgement just to say she wasn’t pregnant! call it woman’s instinct, but as y/n said, i just know it. and why is she acting like that? is it because her nightmare of being branded as the palace’s slut is becoming true with the incoming offspring? or was there some kind of plan with her defector mother from their homeland that would hinder their usurping the throne? orrrr was it with a man other than rin? please, she can’t possibly stoop THAT low, right??? all in all, I hope the plan for downfall iris will push through knowing kuroo has already gathered sufficient evidence and is just waiting for the go signal.

and there’s so many more! tooru being on good graces with maiko, ushijima acting as the first prince and a responsible husband to camilla as expected of him, kita having time to spend with airi away from judging eyes (my lovies 💕), tobio being sweet as always (one of my lovies too 💕), keishi?? (is he even here 😭) osamu? just put him in any kitchen and he will behave like a child engrossed with his toys. atsumu? he’s sooo messy istg. SAing an actress out of jealousy from his brother is so?? he’s no better than rin.

ooh I missed you, your works, and reading your works suki!!!! I first read dtd during your hiatus (I was busy, even now too so I’m sorry for the long ask 😔) and honestly not expecting you to come back so I was glad you decided to write again. also, this being my first ask for dtd?? please, I said to myself that I would read the series only when it is completed but here I am! can’t help it though, the story is just that good and frankly, I need answers. and as always, take care of yourself because you deserve it!! 💕💕

-🍳

my dear egg anon, how I missed you!! omg you’re asking the real questions right there because he wants our daughter to be like us but what about the son??? is our boy going to turn out like him? because if that’s the case we’re making sure its going to be ENVIRONMENT and not genes at all (this is one of the personality theory concepts, sorry if its confusing lmaoo) and oh gosh now i’m picturing that image that what if our daughter in some ways resembled iris and somewhere in the future rintaro does a double take and goes like “…that’s strange. you reminded me of someone for a little bit.” NO SIR NOPE

and yes of course our beloved kiyoomi is going to have a spot in that house <3 he has a spot in our heart, and he’ll have an even more special place in the beach house <33 rintaro WOULD lose his shit if he found out though skskks he’d be like “I bought this house for you, why are you giving away a corner to my brother? the brother i hate the most might i remind you,” but uhm we don’t really care about that. it’s kiyoomi ON TOP. and yes!! it could’ve been kiyoomi all along! that’s like the added spice to their dynamics because kiyoomi has known us for yearsss and it’s even been implied that he’s also aware what the significance of being a debutante’s last dance means. picture a young omi taking the last dance and subtly thinking, “I wonder if I’m going to marry you someday,” but then oomf.

for the whole iris kiyoomi marriage though, it was arranged by the queen herself! all histories of the royal weddings will be briefly explained in chapter 16!!

YES IRIS SLANDER HERE WE GO. agshjklaa fr though iris cares too much about her reputation but still does things to ruin her own life anyway. but also, not that i’m defending her, but iris has tried multiple times to stop things from getting too far with rintaro. it’s like, one kiss leads to another, and she knew she had to stop and maybe just endure the loneliness of not having kiyoomi but rintaro was very persisitent, and it’s hard to say no to him when she’s physically and sexually attracted to him as well. also !! i didn’t know you were working in clinics, that’s so cool, i hope your internships are going well baby!! also nooo I’m so sorry to say that iris has only ever slept with one person her whole life and that’s rintaro </3

KEIJI IS HERE YES AGAHJKS I just didn’t write him much because it’s already so hard to keep up with everyone’s roles trying to be integrated here in the fic, and I was trying not to make the series too politic-y if that makes sense. Also I kind of want to make Keiji a little absent here so he can shine in his own one-shot spinoff when the series ends!! ALSO YES the twins are so agahjskla

and aww I missed you too!! you’re one of my OG anons pre-hiatus so you have no idea how happy I was when I saw that you were reading DTD and sent me an ask again <3 and no worries about it love, I understand we’re all busy so just take your time reading DTD, the story isn’t going anywhere hehe. and again, thank you so much for all the support and patience, I really couldn’t have gone this far without you guys and just know you have my whole heart <33 please take care of yourself too egg anon, love you lots, MWAHHH 💫🌷

[kotonoba]

ISYT (Jushiro/F!Reader) Ch. 48.5

Also in Jushiro's POV - "Imperfections of a Loving Husband"

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“I remember you,” a voice cold as eyes, under the moonlit skies, chocolate brown eyes once warm turned ice cold. A temperature foreign to his lover who was always at the receiving end of endless affection. Just tonight, she didn’t recognize him, a man who was known to be a ball of positivity. Despite his sickly body, he was always smiling & trying to make others feel better. Just tonight, he was completely different.

She stood a few feet behind him because he requested that she lead him to the man who left ligature marks on her neck while he was away. If not for her clever & quick-witted personality, a Zanpakutou spirit who was overly protective of his master, who knows what would have happened? 

She peered from behind her husband, whose eyes were cold as ice, sharp as a dagger, his spiritual pressure; she did not feel it, though, it is safe to say that it must be suffocating. 

Before anything began, what surprised her was the sudden shift in her husband to turn his attention back to her; the cold air subsided as he saw her, now it was nothing but a warm summer breeze, “my love, can you wait for me back at home? I’ll be home soon, I don’t want you to see what I’m about to do, I don’t–” he trailed off, “I don’t–” he couldn’t say it. 

But instead of forcing her husband to say what he didn’t want to say, she responded with a warm smile, approaching him slowly, placing a hand to his cheek gently, “okay, you don’t have to force yourself.” She smiled; Jushiro was always grateful for his lover, but now more than ever. “Come home soon, okay? Don’t get hurt,” she smiled, he was easily seduced by her intoxicatingly sweet voice & hummed out an agreement to her statement. It seemed she liked that, enough to pull him into a gentle kiss, leaving him wanting more. But that was also cut short when she pulled away, bidding him farewell & returning back to their humble abode. 

Yearningly, he watched her leave, it was midnight. He should have been in bed with his wife, fast asleep, looking forward to the next day, but he’ll do that later. A quick pivot, the warmness quickly left his eyes, replacing with the same cold demeanor that didn’t suit the warm-hearted captain. 

“Where were we before I was sucked away in a dream?” Jushiro chuckled softly, but it wasn’t light-hearted, it was filled with rage, “ah! I remember. I remember you. A nobody. A nobody pestering my wife days before the battle over something so miniscule an ant could have solved the issue, yet, you had the audacity to take away her time,” eyes cold as ice, spiritual pressure as heavy as ten million wronged souls, his words & tone as venomous as a viper. He was enraged. This was the side he didn’t want to show his lover. He wanted her to live a sheltered, affectionate life, unaware of the world's harshness. Yet, she’s met every indecency of man. 

The man before him struggled to speak, but he had left the spiritual pressure bounds that his wife’s Zanpakutou tied him down in & a gag in place so he couldn’t scream. The man stopped struggling when he saw a shift in the captain’s voice & appearance, almost as if he became a different man, different from all the rumors of him being the most likable captain.

Chocolate-brown eyes filled with rage & jealousy; a chuckle left his lips, desperation painting his features; the once friendly captain became a depraved lover, “love is blind, they say; I never understood what that meant until today,” he pulled out a dagger laced with poison visible to the human eye, “I’m so glad it’s the dead of night, your screams, will not be heard, you will not be remembered,” he laughed gently, malice lingering in the air as he tossed his haori far off to the side so it wouldn’t be dirty, “I will not be caught.” 

The squirming of pain, muffled screams by a gag, & spiritual pressure spiking for help were all covered by the coldness of the captain’s spiritual pressure, motivated by pure revenge. A slice here, a slice there, a jab, a stab, watching the fresh red blood trickle from each wound until each wound began to bleed black. The poison was slow, but it was a common household thing. 

“How dare you,” Jushiro muttered, his rage had not subsided, “how dare you lay your hands on my wife,” a stab straight into the man’s thighs, reigniting his will to scream. Still, it was muffled again, “how dare you mark her delicate body with a strangle marking? Who, pray tell,” he whispered as he pulled the dagger out, pressing it up against the man’s neck. In this position, he used his spiritual pressure to pressure the soul reaper onto the ground. The eyes of an enraged man, a loving yet jealous husband, jealous that some stranger was near his loving wife while he fought to attend, “who do you think you are to be anywhere close to her?” He hated playing the noble card; he never believed in status, but he was willing to drop so low for his wife. 

The blade began to draw blood, & more & more black blood flowed out, “may you be cursed & find your way to a land in between life & death if you are ever to be reborn.” It was his way to bid the man farewell; as the man’s life slipped away, the last vision he had of the captain was the eyes of those who belittle others for being powerless, the blade in his hands disintegrated, “no one will know what happened tonight, but I.”  Jushiro dealt with the body swiftly; he left it in the Rukon districts & staged it as a wildfire, watching the body turn to ashes before scattering everywhere else, where it wouldn’t raise suspicion. “What a sinful thing love is,” he muttered to himself, returning to pick up his haori, & returning to their sweet home where his wife was waiting for him with a smile, but I don’t regret it. “I’m home.”

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It might be a little out of character of him, but I believe if someone loves their significant other enough, they would have a side they wouldn't ever want to show their lover. Also, if he's willing to manipulate Ichigo by giving him the substitute shinigami badge in canon & intentionally tricked him saying it's a pass, I'm sure he'd have a devious side to him.

Aries' AO3

[dracoqueen22]

BlorboWrimo2024 - Day Fifteen

Cecil stiffens, everything around Vesper coloring with outrage and threaded with shame. “I do not,” he denies. 

“Yes, you do.” Vesper raps her fingers along their bond, tapping on his cortex to get his attention. “And don’t argue. I know you, Cecil. I know you down to your marrow.” 

Cecil replies as Cecil always does when confronted with a truth he is unwilling or not ready to accept. He says nothing, but his dinner preparations take on a bit more force. Truly, he does not need to slice the potatoes that ferociously. 

Still, he may not speak aloud, but his thoughts run by like little clouds for Vesper to peruse as she sees fit. 

Dart is attractive, Cecil agrees. Yes, he’d been tempted. He does not remember much of what happened during Vesper and Sirene’s reunion. 

Vesper feels a bit guilty about that. It’s bad form to usurp a wielder’s body without so much as asking first, but she hadn’t seen Sirene in months! She hadn’t touched her wife’s energy in so long, and being with her again was like reuniting with half her soul. 

Vesper could no more resist that pull than she could pluck a star from the sky. 

Cecil wants to experience Dart without the influence of his Zivati, however, and Vesper is glad to hear it. She doesn’t remember much of what Dart himself had felt like, because everything had been experienced through a veil of longing. She would like to experience Dart through Cecil’s eyes. 

At least it won’t be that… that woman. 

“I do not need novelty,” Cecil finally mutters, though it contradicts his floating subconscious wondering. Are Dart’s fins sensitive? Does his mouth taste like the sea? “Tell Sirene to release him. She can come home; he can return to the Ori. We’ll all be happier.” 

Vesper wrinkles her nose. She kicks at their tether, letting it radiate her displeasure all the way down to Cecil’s core. “Absolutely not. I will not ask Sirene to surrender Dart for that– that–”

“Be nice,” Cecil cautions. 

“I don’t see any reason why I should be,” Vesper huffs. She stretches out across the couch, glaring her disgust to the ceiling. 

Vesper despises Seraphine. Loathes her. Can’t stand the way she feels or speaks or looks. More than that, she can’t decide how Seraphine treats Cecil, as if he’s an object to be owned. 

“I stand with Sirene on this,” Vesper declares. “I will not inflict that woman on her. I simply won’t.” 

She will not have Seraphine treat Sirene like an object. She will not have Seraphine use and abuse Sirene. She will no longer accept being bonded to someone who does not respect her or her wife. Now that she’s had a taste of it, Vesper will not accept less again. 

She doesn’t know how she let herself get so complacent. How she let the Templar dictate where she could go, and who would be her bearer. Centuries ago, a mundane would have been punished for such audacity. Now? 

Now the Zivati meekly let themselves be used. Vesper can’t stand it anymore. No one listened when she protested her separation from Sirene. They sent her and Myka away, and look what happened? Sirene was lost to the sea, lost forever they all feared. 

Vesper had raged. She knew Sirene was out there somewhere. She could feel her. The Templar promised to find Sirene, to do whatever it took, but not because Vesper needed her wife. But because the Templar needed their sword. And still, they never apologized. 

It did not matter how much Vesper screamed or shouted. How she refused to fight, to manifest, to lend her aid. She let her weapon become as useful as an empty one; she was dead metal. Nothing without Sirene. 

And then Helena died. Killed, such as it was, because she was willing to listen where no one else would. She heard Vesper’s cries, felt the agony, missed Myka as much as Vesper missed Sirene. Vesper whispered, convinced her to go to the Ori, and that was a mistake. 

She died, felled by a rain of Templar arrows, and Vesper was alone. 

Cecil sighs and scrapes the roughly hewn potatoes into the pot along with whole sprigs of thyme and half an onion. “You shouldn’t speak of my intended like that.” 

Vesper snorts. “You’re not actually engaged to her. In fact, I forbid it,” she declares. It’s bad enough having to watch Cecil crumple into himself around Seraphine. If she has to see that for the rest of their life, she will go insane. 

No bearer of hers will be anything less than madly in love with the person they marry. 

“It’s an implied betrothal,” Cecil says. He dumps the entire fish into the pot without cleaning it. 

Vesper winces. Dart probably won’t care, but she can already guess what’s going to happen. Cecil will end up eating the potatoes and very little else. He’ll lie and say he’s not hungry because he won’t admit he can’t cook for shit. 

Silly boy. 

“There is no such thing,” Vesper informs him. She’s been alive a long time. She’d been there for the rise of the Templar. “I don’t care what either of your parents think. You deserve better than Seraphine Aurum.” 

Cecil dumps the entire contents of his waterskin over the pot and sits on the log, fully intending to watch until it boils. He is exceptionally patient, and that’s the only thing keeping her in check honestly. 

By M’ori, does she miss Helena these days. Helena had a fire in her. She never took anything lying down, which is why they had to practically jail her to stop her protest against Myka sailing away. 

They liked to say she must have had the blood of the Ori in her, for as recalcitrant and argumentative as she was. Refused to obey simply because she was told. Helena was a rebel, and Vesper loved her for it. 

Cecil is too willing to bend. He’s let his father convince him his spine’s made of glass, rather than solid steel Vesper is sure is buried in his soul. She needs to figure out how to cut away the layers of parental manipulation to get to all the good beneath. 

“When has it ever been about what I deserve?” Cecil asks, and it echoes like a long, lonely sigh around her. 

“It should always be that way,” Vesper grumbles, but she doesn’t push because this is a fight they’ve had too many times before. “Either way, Sirene deserves better, too.” 

Cecil’s gaze wanders over to Dart, lying on the bedroll with his back to them, clearly feigning sleep, but Cecil believes he’s actually asleep, the adorable fool. “And you think Darvalon is better?” 

“First of all, he asked you to call him Dart,” Vesper says. “Second of all, yes, he is.” 

At least, if Sirene’s gushing is any indication. Frankly, Vesper’s not sure what Sirene sees in her chosen bearer. Dart clearly has no battle experience, his armor is scavenged, and he holds Sirene like he’s never held a sword in his life. He’s flashy and adorable, but hardly the steady, solemn presence Sirene usually prefers. 

Very, very different from her previous bearer. 

“He’s an Ori,” Cecil says, like it’s the only truth that should matter. 

Vesper sighs. “Once upon a time, so was I.” Long, long ago, when Mother M’ori first gave them life to help guard and govern Aeotora. They were a gift to the Ori, a lifelong sign of their partnership and blessing from M’ori. 

It’s been centuries. Millennia perhaps. Time does not pass for Zivati as it does for the mundane, and sometimes, it feels as only yesterday when they stood beside Mother M’ori on the field of battle. And only yesterday when they wept over her sleeping face, light pouring from the cracks of her shattered esotheric form.

Cecil falls silent, but she can hear the threads of his thoughts. The discordant notes that are wreathed in anxiety. It’s near-blasphemy to a Templar, to hear Vesper speak this way. To audibly acknowledge the truth every Zivati knows, but rarely says. 

Does Father know? Cecil wonders. Have all Vesper’s past bearers ignored her treachery? Or is he weak? Is it because she does not truly respect him? 

His self-confidence wavers. No, surely the fault is Cecil’s. Somehow, he is wanting. Despite winning the challenge. Despite being chosen, Cecil must be the weaker link. 

Vesper can hear these things and more. It breaks her heart. She wants to attack every stray thought, claw it out of Cecil’s mind. She wants to scream at him. Everyone is wrong. He is worth more than they claim. He is a person. He deserves happiness. 

He has a M’ori given right to be happy!

Alas, he does not hear her. He never does. It’s like his mind rejects the very notion. He’s been so brainwashed by that father of his, Cecil can’t imagine a world where he chooses for himself. 

Cecil stares into the pot, watches it boil, pokes at the campfire with a stick, as he stews and stews and stews, until his thoughts are a dark, sticky miasma that cling to her feet and her hands. She feels as though she’s drowning in it, so Vesper flees. There’s a bright light, a warm place, where the nearness of Sirene offers comfort. 

She throws herself into the imaginary arms of her wife and wishes she had the eyes to weep.

---------

Day Fifteen Word Count: 1586 Running Word Count: 34625

[raineydays411]

My Father's daughter pt 3

Tony Stark x daughter!reader

Summary: Back at the Tower, Y/n has a talk with Pepper.

a/n: ohhh another part finished!! some new characters will be revealed next part and i’m so great full for @social-media-imagines-by-me fir helping me create them💕💕

You were furious.

You stormed into your room and slammed the door, finding satisfaction in the loud bang it produced. You then ripped through your drawers and closet, pulling on some work out clothes and some gloves. You then marched out of the room, slamming the door again, startling Sam and Bucky who happened to be passing by.

"Geez kid, slam it a little harder I don't think it fell off the hinges yet." Sam jokes, but you were in no joking mood so you swirled around with fire in your eyes.

"You okay doll?" Bucky softly asks, pushing a frightened Sam to the side. You sigh, knowing it's not fair to take out your anger on them.

"Sorry Sam, it's just...my biological mom is here and wants me to move in with her."

"Oh..." Bucky says, not good with things like this, " Do you want me to like...kill her or..."

"NO" You laugh, " It's just I haven't seen her in nine years and she has the audacity to come up here like it's nothing?!"

Your anger returns, " She thinks that just because she pushed me out of her vagina"

The two men cringe at the words

"That she can just claim me? That's not how it works!" You shout, " And, she brought her fucking husband. The man she left us for! Who does that?!"

Bucky looks at Sam, mentally asking him what they should do. Sam just rolls his eyes and turns back to you.

"Come on kid, it looks like you wanna punch something."

and with that he lead you to the training room where Steve was training with Peter.

"Come on queens, you gotta stay on your feet" Steve k=jokes as he, again, trips Peter.

"Mr. Rogers, do you think we should take a break?" Peter pants.

You stride pass them, not bothering to say hi. They look at Sam and Bucky for an explanation and just get a shake of the head.

"Hey Y/n that's my punching" Steve started to say when he saw you throw a hard punch to the bag, "Nevermind..."

You ignore the group behind you, opting to pummel the poor punching bag in front of you.

Your mind flashes back to your mother and her words.

"A girl needs her mother"

*punch*

"Oh petal I wanted to call"

*punch* *punch*

"Come to Gotham. Meet your siblings!"

*BANG*

You look down to see the punching bag flew off the hook and is spilling sand on the floor. You were confused, as you knew you weren't strong enough to do that, not even when you were angry.

"Wow, I guess Cap didn't secure that hook again."

You jump, not expecting someone to be there, as you heard Sam, Bucky, Steve, and Peter leave. You turn to see Pepper there looking at the bag in surprise. You sigh, stepping away from the mess and taking off your gloves. You make your way to the bench and take a swig of water.

"Did you need something Pep?" You ask, avoiding eye contact.

"Well, i was just wondering if my kid was okay. But given the fact that you punched that bag like it would restore your honor.."

You knew you shouldn't have showed her Avatar.

"I'm assuming your not." She finishes.

You give her a half smile, looking down at your hands.

"Y/n" She says, " Talk to me."

You finally speak, "Why now?"

Pepper frowns, understanding that small phrase, ' I don't know."

"She's not my mother." You state, " She...she might have been once but now?"

Pepper nods," I love you."

You smile, the words reassuring you, " I love you too Pep."

"Come on, your messing up your manicure." She says with a smile, standing and extending a hand towards you. You feel your demnor soften and your mood lighten. Pepper always managed to make you feel better.

"Yeah okay..thanks." You say, taking her hand and letting her pull you from the bench, " Are you hungry? Cause I am>"

"Y/n we just ate!"

"Like an hour ago"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days went by and you hadn't heard a peep from Christine. It was like she went off to lick her wounds and just decided not to reach out again.

Which didn't bother you one bit.

But apparently the universe wanted to fuck with you because when you came home from a day out with Peter, there was your mother, Bruce Wayne, and all six million of her fucking kids sitting on the couch.

"What the fuck?" You say causing the attention to turn to you.

"Language" Peter says, You smile softly at him before then turning to glare at Tony.

"Don't look at me, it was your moth-uh Peppers idea." Tony stumbled, looking rather uncomfortable sharing a drink with the man that his...wife? girlfriend?... whatever she was left him for.

"Pep what?" You asking, softening your glare because you'd be damned if you disrespected her.

"I just think it'd be best if we clear the air and get everything out on the table." Pepper said in that tone she uses when she's dealing with difficult people or the press. You called it her CEO tone.

"Now, go take your bags upstairs and wash up. And I'll pretend that you aren't an hour late"

"It was Peter's idea..." You mumbled and walking to the stairs that lead to the bed rooms.

"It was not!" Peter shouts following you to the rooms to help with the bags.

Christine watched as her daughter walked out of the room, playfully arguing with Peter. It was as if she were a whole different person, carefree and playful. Totally different from when she was glaring and stiff when talking to her. It broke her heart hearing Tony refer to Pepper as her Mother rather than Christine. But what did she expect?

Damian scoffed catching her attention, "Mother I do not see why you've dragged us here, that girl didn't even acknowledge us."

"Damian, enough" Bruce said, not looking away from his awkward conversation with Tony.

"Gee if only I could do that with our kids." Tony mutters into his drink.

"Does Y/n argue often?" Bruce asks trying to engage in conversation.

Tony laughs before fondly speaking, " Sort of. She isn't the type to back down when she thinks something is right. There was this one time I caught her arguing with one of my business partners about his "condescending tone and misogynistic attitude"."

""And did she apologize after?"

"Hell no. She glared at me and told me apologizing just for his ego would be demeaning her experiences as a woman. Although to be fair he was an asshole."

Bruce chuckles, " She sounds like a well rounded young woman. How old was she then?"

"Ah about 10, it was funny seeing this little girl argue in a Justin Bieber shirt argue about the patriarchy with a full grown man."

Bruce and Tony shared a laugh, picturing the scene.

"You must be very proud of her." Bruce mentions after they quieted down. Tony let a small smile escape.

" I am. She's had a rough life, and I..." Tony trails off, " She means everything to me. Without her...I don't think I'd be the same person I am today."

And with that, Tony downed his drink and stood, " Want another?"

Bruce smiled and accepted, watching Tony leave. He can tell that the man was close to his daughter. A bond that formed due to a loss, they both grew from it and grew closer. He understood, thinking about his own children.

Pepper and Christine were having a somewhat similar conversation, although it was a little more tense.

"So...Pepper-"

"Virginia." Pepper said, cutting her off.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Virginia. Pepper is a nickname my family calls me."

"Oh. Okay, Virginia, how long have you known Y/n and Tony?"

"Oh about nine or so years. I was promoted to assistant when I saw how much of a mess Tony was." Pepper said casually.

Dick and Jason tensed, overhearing the tense conversation between the two mothers. But before Dick could interrupt Jason sat him back down.

"I wanna see what happens."

Christine continued, " And when did you become a..more permanent around the house?"

"When I saw that Y/n the one taking care of Tony." Pepper said in a serious tone, "She was the one making sure he didn't choke on his vomit and eating cereal as his flings walked out the room. Then he got kidnapped...and y/n was alone. So I made sure she’d never be alone again.”

Christine heart sank. She knew about the whole kidnapping thing. Why she didn't step in, she doesn't know. It's just another thing she regrets to this day.

Before Pepper could continue, she heard two sets of footsteps and voices

"All I'm saying is, if he looks at me funny, I'm fighting him and that's that."

"Yeah maybe not the best impression on..." Peter cuts off when they reach the living room. Eyes again on the two of you.

"Let's get this over with." You muttered, saying bye to Peter and making way over to the couch to sit next to Pepper.

"Y/n!" Christine says happily, " I'm glad you're here. We brought you something!"

She pulls out a box and she carefully hands it over to you.

You look at it suspiciously before getting a nudge from Pepper.

"Thank you." You grit out. Earning a glare from Damian and Cassandra.

You open the box to see...cupcakes.

"They're the peanut butter strawberry cupcakes you used to like. Remember? I used to bring them when I came to see you." Christine says, trying to bring up good memories.

You frown and close the box, " I'm allergic to strawberries."

Lie.

Pepper casts a glance towards you, "They look lovely, let me take them into the kitchen, I'll check on dinner."

And with that she takes the box and leaves into the kitchen. Leaving you and Tony alone.

"So...Stark" Damian started fixing his gaze on you.

"Yes, Wayne?" You said, matching his energy.

"What exactly is it you want from my mother?" He asks, earning a groan from his older brothers.

"Well, I'd appreciate it if she left me alone." You say with a straight face.

Christine frowns but before she says something Damian speaks up again.

"Tt, all this drama for the likes of you? It's honestly disappointing" He drawls, trying to get under your skin.

"Damian!" Christine scolded.

"Well, I apologize for not meeting your standards. I'd try harder if I cared what a toddler thought of me."

Jason let out a surprised chuckle while the rest of the family looked on in shock. Tony just rolled his eyes.

"I do not understand why Mother insists on rekindling her relationship with you. You obviously weren't worth the effort the first time around." He spits, causing the rest of the family to gasp.

You however, just laugh, " When you figure it out, let me know. It's probably the same reason she puts up with you."

Damian glares, about to start in again when Jason cuts him off " Shut up Demon. She got you man."

"Tt"

"I'm Jason, and anyone who can out that brat in check is good in my book." He says sending you a smirk.

You smile back, " I'm friends with Loki and Wade Wilson, I'm hardly affected by anything anymore." Your dad rolls his eyes again, he’s not exactly enthusiastic about your choice in friends.

You like this one. Probably the one you're gonna be able to stand in this family.

"Don't hog her Jason!" Dick shouts pushing him away before turning to smile at you, " Hi! I'm-"

"Dick Grayson. I know, you spilled your champagne on my dress a few years ago at a New Years gala." You say, still a little bitter about it.

"Oh. heh, right, sorry about that. Again." He says sheepishly.

You turn to Cassandra, " You're Cassandra. You and your friend cornered me in the bathroom."

Cassandra scowls and looks away.

Then you turned to Tim, " And you need to learn how to secure your fire walls better."

Tim looked at you confused, "Um excuse me?"

You smirked, " Just a suggestion. I assume you don't want people to know about your...bats in the attic?"

The whole family froze.

You knew? There was no way.

"Kid, are you hacking again?" Tony said exasperatedly, " You promised you'd stop after the last time."

"Hey it's not my fault Shuri didn't think about changing her password." You say defensively, “ and it’s not like you were complaining when you had me hack into SHEILDS databases”

“What was that!?” Pepper shouts from the kitchen.

“Heheh, nothing dear.” Tony shouts back then in a hushed voice scolds you, “ I gave you fifty bucks to keep that a secret.”

“I didn’t say what you had me retrieve.” You said smugly leaning back in your chair.

Bruce didn’t know how to feel.

On one hand, this teen that objectively hates his family, knows their biggest secret. She can singlehandedly destroy their family and expose them. And she has the means to.

But on the other, she’s a perfect fit for their family. She gets along with Jason, doesn’t let Damian get under her skin, and from the looks of it can definitely take care of herself. Only thing is, again, she hates his wife and by association, his family.

“I’m sorry, hacking? You know that’s illegal right?” Tim asks, still in shock that you got past his security systems.

You turn to him and in a bored tone replied , “Yeah? and?”

Tim stuttered for a bit before going quiet with a blush. It was adorable really.

You had to hold back a laugh, it was fun getting this stuffy family all riled up. Especially when you can see the disapproval in Christines face.

“Tony, you let our daughter participate in illegal activities??” Christine asks with a raised brow.

The table goes silent at the tone of her voice. Knowing that when she uses it someone is really in trouble.

But you roll your eyes because how are you supposed to know what that tone means?

“I let my daughter express herself in a ...healthy way. She knows her limits.” Tony replies cooly, taking a drink and looking back into the kitchen wondering where Pepper went.

”Obviously not. Tony she has no regard for the laws at all! You think i didn’t see the headlines last year?!”

Ah yes, last year you had a slight scandal where you may have punched a pap for trying to get a picture up your skirt but who wouldn’t?!

“ And you let her hang around criminals and terrorists?!”

You scoff, “ Oh please everyone in the Avengers was a criminal or terrorist at least once.”

“Not helping kid.” Tony says, “Christine, you and your family have no right to come into my home and judge my family. I’ve been civil. Hell maybe a little too much. Mainly because if I wasn’t, my wife—err Fiancée, would kill me.”

You snicker, earning a few glares.

“Look the point is, don’t tell me how to raise my daughter. Especially because I was doing it all alone.” Tony finishes with a sigh.

The table goes silent. You were getting tired of all the tense silences today.

“ Look.” You turn to Christine, “ I get that you probably feel guilty or something because you ditched me. And I appreciate that or whatever.”

You were not good at this.

“ But I don’t wanna live with you.”

Christine looks down sadly, “ Y/n I just...I just want to get to know you again. You’re my baby.”

Before you could answer you heard a crash come from the kitchen and smoke fill the rooms.

“ Pepper?!” You cough, “ Dad what’s happening?!”

“ I don’t know. Stay here” He says summoning his suit.

“FRIDAY?!” You shout, but not hearing the AI.

The Wayne’s all looked at each other in panic. They didn’t bring their suits, thinking it was just a dinner.

You turn to them and shout “ Come with me, and stay low!”

You start to lead them to the stair case, knowing that the rooms were relatively safe.

“Come on!” you yell when they don’t follow you.

Christine stands from her seat and makes to follow you before being stopped by Damian.

“Mother we cannot..”

“Damian, I’ve had about enough of you. Let’s go.” She says sternly and follows you. The rest of the family following behind as Bruce nudges Damian.

“ Come on son.”

“Father we don’t know where she’s leading us.” Damian says stubbornly.

“There’s nothing we can do right now.” he coughs.

The sounds of punching and the blasts come from the kitchen.

“Let’s go.”

They finally join the rest of the family. You have them crouched in the hallway.

“ This is James’ room. Dad had it modified just incase he was ever triggered into the Winter Solider again. No ones getting through this door when it’s locked.”

You usher them in.

“Come on Y/n” Christine says reaching a hand out to you.

You smirk, “ What? and miss all the action?”

You close the door and lock it before leaving. Laughing at their surprised faces.

The room is silent.

“ She’s awesome!” Jason says with a laugh.

[imnotevenhere9]

Stares {Thranduil x fem!wife! reader}

Requested by: @aduialel

Type: fluff

Prompts: “That wasn’t very nice of you...”     “Kiss me.”     “Could you help me zip the dress?”

Summary: Thranduil doesn’t like other elves staring at you because you wear sexy dress and gets jealous

Word count: 1k

Warnings: jealousy, fem reader, people staring innaproprietly, flirting

A/n: It took me so long, I’m really sorry! It’s the longest oneshot I wrote though, so hope you like it!

Masterlist • Prompts • S/o match ups • Taglist

"Meleth Nín (my love), could you help me zip the dress, please?" you called for your husband, unable to reach the zip on the back of your dress 

The dark green dress with a slit skirt and small, but very precious gold details fit you perfectly. You were certain that it took a very long time to make this masterpiece, because it really was an amazing piece of work.

It was true the dress was amazing, Thranduil couldn't keep his eyes off of you even as he zipped the back of it, but he wasn't very fond of the idea of you going to the celebration in it. 

You were stunning even covered in mud and leaves, so this dress was just a sweet cherry on top. However, he wished the sight of you in the dress was only for him and him only. He already knew once you stepped in the hall, more than enough hungry and lustful eyes would follow you around, trying to capture your every move, possibly steal a dance with you and he didn't like that all.

There were many elves who had had their eyes on you since you got married to Thranduil. Who wouldn't like to say that they got their way with the Queen of Mirkwood? He knew he could trust you, you've had your eyes on him only, never once you looked at another elf the way you looked at your dear husband, but he couldn't trust them.... 

And he was right. The second he stepped inside the hall with you by his side, he felt the lustful stares being thrown into your direction. But you seemed like you didn't even notice. You walked through the crowd, talking to your people while Thranduil talked with the counselor, totally unbothered by the stares.

And let me tell you, your husband definitely wasn't happy when you had a conversation too long for his liking with one of the elves who was undressing you with his eyes.

Thranduil watched from afar, still talking with the counselor, even though he didn’t pay much attention to the conversation anymore. All his attention was on you and the elf, so he noticed immediately when the elf started getting closer to you. It still surprised him how someone had the audacity to flirt with his wife, especially when he was in the same room.

“I have something to take care of, we will finish this conversation tomorrow.” Thranduil said coldly and quickly made his way through the crowd to you. He refused to watch this any longer

“Mind if I keep you company for the rest of the evening? A beautiful lady like you shouldn’t be left alone on a big celebration like that.” the elf said as he moved closer to you, still eyeing you without you noticing

“She’s not alone. Get lost before you end up locked up in the dungeons.” you were about to answer, but you were interrupted by your husband

“That wasn’t very nice of you..” you mumbled and turned to Thranduil as the elf apologized and left

“He was flirting with you, there was no need for me to be nice…” he said and offered you his hand

“Let’s go.”

“He wasn’t flirting with me, he was just being nice!” you defended the elf, but took his hand

“Mell Nín (my beloved), he was undressing you with his eyes. He should be glad he wasn’t put into dungeons immediately.” he said and led you towards your shared room

“You could still say it nicer though... “ you sighed

“I don’t think so. Did I tell you how mesmerizing you look tonight?” he whispered in your ear as he pulled you closer to him and held your hand. Your hands fit together like two pieces of puzzles, making you believe you truly were soulmates.

“You did, but I never get tired of hearing it from you.” you giggled softly

“Good, because you’ll be hearing it very often... “ he said and opened the door for you

“We’re not going back, they can manage without us.” he said as he closed the door

“And why is that?” you frowned and set on the bed. You really enjoyed the celebration this far, it was a shame you wouldn’t get to come back

“There’s too much eyes on you and I don’t like the way they look at you.” he answered and sat next to you

“... Were you jealous?” you said after a while of thinking and blinked few times

“No.” he said, a little too quickly

“Oh you totally were jealous! Is that why you didn’t let me talk to him?” you chuckled

“He was looking at you disrespectfully, that’s why you can’t talk to him.” he frowned

“Meleth Nín (my love), just admit you were jealous and I will stop teasing you!” you laughed

“I don’t have to admit anything because it’s not true.” he denied

“Sure it’s not…” you smirked

“It’s not.” he got up, sat on the chair and started reading

“But you were jealous!” you stated, not getting any response

“...Thranduil?” you tilted your head to the side, still getting no answer

“Are you ignoring me?” you pouted

“What do I need to do for you to stop ignoring me? It’s not nice to ignore your wife, you know that?” you got up and came closer to the chair he was sitting on

“Kiss me.” he said without looking up from the book

“Alright.” you smiled

You leaned down and pressed your lips against his while putting his book away. He grabbed you by your waist and pulled you closer to him, making sure there was no space left between you two.

You had no idea how long you were kissing, but it felt like hours when you finally pulled away.

“Will you stop ignoring me now?” you rested your forehead on his

“I will only if you kiss me one more time.”

“Hm, that can be arranged.” you giggled and kissed him again 

[starry-seongmin]

can I request something angsty but with a happy ending with Jake? something like f2l or e2l?

okay so this is very unrealistic but who cares - Mia

you refused to believe it. It was a mistake. A drunken mistake on his part. It meant nothing. It meant nothing to him but it clearly meant everything you. you had convinced yourself Jake would have forgotten about the kiss but standing here, under the scrutiny and gaze of multiple people, you knew you couldn't have been more wrong. especially when he, what feels like both forever and seconds ago, spoke your name up at the altar.

and now here you were, hiding from the world and especially him even though you had no reason to. it was after all Jake himself who was at fault for breaking his almost wife's heart and embarrassing her infront of her family and friends. it was him after all who initiated the kiss last night.

you tried to overlook the fact that you returned the kiss. it was merely just a moment of weakness. what are you supposed to do when the guy you've been in love with for years happens to lean forward and press his lips against yours? at least your conscience finally won over and you stepped back.

whilst you're panicking and simultaneously justifying your actions while pacing around frantically, you feel something on your hand and the next thing you know you, you're being turned around to face him, the guy who's responsible for the chaos happening inside you and the one happening back where the bride and the guests are, the guy who's currently looking at you with unspoken feelings and his hands holding your face.

"are you out of your mind!?" you couldn't believe that he had the audacity to stand infront of you when he should be apologizing to the woman he left hanging. a part of you was glad he chose to come after you rather than her and although it felt so wrong, nothing felt more right than to be held by him.

"look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't feel anything last night"

his voice was merely a whisper but it had the effect of a freight train running over you. he remembered and most of all, he felt something. "you were drunk, you didn't mean it". denial. your defense mechanism. your old buddy.

"aren't drunken words and actions a person's sober thoughts and desires?" a soft smile and an even softer gaze. he really had you wrapped around his finger and this was something you couldn't deny.

"you're not in your right mind!! fucking hell, you spoke the wrong name! my name!! not half an hour ago at the altar! in front of a 100 people-"

your words were swallowed by him. his lips against yours, a silent plea to shut up and calm down. it definitely did the trick, leaving you speechless. he pulls back with a smile because of how adorable you looked.

"will you listen to me?? the only thing wrong there was the person in front of me. not the name. do you think I'd say the wrong name when it's your name I've wished to speak while saying my vows?"

his hands rested on your shoulders, grip firm. "answer me honestly", his voice steady and his eyes staring into your soul making you feel vulnerable like always. you admitted you liked feeling like that. "did you or did you not feel something when I kissed you." he was desperate for your answer. "and before you say anything, remember that you kissed me back"

you knew you couldn't escape. you couldn't because you didn't drink at all last night. your eyes looked everywhere but at him. you opened your mouth but nothing came out, it felt impossible to utter a single sound so you just nodded.

his eyes widened, glistening with hope and heart beating in anticipation. "I felt something" if he wasn't focusing on your lips, he would've missed the words. "always have. long before last night's kiss." a broken laugh escaped you. maybe you were getting your wishes fulfilled but at what cost? hurting a genuinely nice person?

jake's grip on your shoulders loosened and his hands once again found home, holding your face and wiping the stray tear or two that managed to escape. "I really want you to be the one I'm exchanging vows with. the one I want to spend my life with and grow old with."

he couldn't hold back, pressing his lips to your forehead. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize." resting his forehead against yours, he closes his eyes, pecking the bridge of your nose. "so will you have me? to have and to hold? through the good and the bad? in sickness and in health"

you couldn't help but chuckle at his words, your laughter making him smile. "let's take it slow, shall we? after all.. it took you 10 years to say finally say these words."

[tinyboxxtink]

Weird Secret Friends *Chapter 3*

I fixed it!!!! Huzzah!!!

If you didn't see it earlier, it was crap-tastic on my phone.

I'm glad so far people love this. <3

Part 2

Part 4

Tag List

@madamsnape921

@lolliepopsicle

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@stars-trash-18

@omgsuperstarg

@objection-argumentative

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

When you returned everyone was laughing at chatting, except for Sonny who was drinking vodka and soda while on his phone. He looked up and saw you both returning, he jumped up to meet you.

“Hey, counselor. I hope Y/N wasn’t too hard on you,” He half laughed.

“Are you kidding me, Sonny?” You scoffed.

“She’s fine, Sonny,” He smirked. “I like a little fire in a woman,”

“Oh?” Sonny’s eyebrows suddenly raised, causing you to give Barba a look. He was blowing your cover!

“I mean, I expect it from Jersey girls anyway,” He flipped his compliment quickly.

“God…” You muttered, looking at the floor. Pick a side, counselor.

“Anyway, um,” Sonny cleared his throat, trying not to think about Rafael and you together. “So when do we do presents and cake? I’ve kind of got an early--”

“I’m sorry, what?” Rafael furrowed his brows at Sonny. “Did you-- Carisi did you really just say that?”

“Do you see a present table? Do you see a giant rat mascot running around?”

“...What? Did I say something--?” Sonny became flustered.

“What do you think this is, a fucking Chuck E Cheese?” He suddenly snapped, causing shocked looks from both you and Sonny.

“I’m sorry Barba, I--”

“Alright that’s it,” You stepped in between the two of them, glaring at Rafael.

“Excuse you?” Rafael crossed his arms.

“Y/N, knock it off,” Sonny hit you softly.

“You have been nothing but rude to my cousin since we got here, Mr. Barba,” You pointed a finger to his chest.

“He was just trying to be nice, getting you a gift out of the goodness of his heart, something you would know nothing about!” Maybe now you were overcompensating.

“Y/N!” Sonny said through gritted teeth.

“What?!” You turned to see everyone at the party staring at the three of you in shocked silence. “Oh…” Your voice turned soft, your face turned red.

“Well,” Rafael straightened his suit and tie, recovering from your little rant. “I guess I should be a gracious host and open it then, shouldn’t I?” He gave you a look.

“...Holy shit,” You heard one of the guests gasp. “That thing is over $1,000! My wife wouldn’t even get me that for Christmas,”

“NO!” Sonny objected rather loudly,. “I mean, that’s not necessary Barba. It’s just a little something, it’s fine,”

“No no, your cousin is right,” He shook his head as he walked over next to Sonny’s chair and retrieved the large gift bag and placed it on the table. Sonny bolted over, you trailed behind quickly.

“No, seriously Barba, don’t,” Sonny began to panic. You suddenly realized how this was going to look, maybe you shouldn’t have pushed.

“Carisi why are you being like--” Rafael was questioning him but was silenced mid-speech when he pulled out the briefcase. His eyes went wide, you swore you heard a few people audibly gasp, You looked around completely lost, finally noticing the absolute horror on Sonny’s face.

“....Is this a Louis Voutton Robusto 2 in Taiga leather, Carisi?” Rafael whispered, running his fingers over the fine leather.

“Oh my god,” You couldn't watch this. Sonny had such a big heart, too big of a heart. He tried so hard...why didn’t you step in sooner?

“Uh y-yeah, sure Barba whatever you want,”

“Carisi, can I speak with you a moment outside?” Rafael blinked rapidly, trying to wrap his head around what was happening right now.

“Do you guys need somewhere to make out?!” An obnoxious man laughed, making the other guests snicker.

“Oh shove it Buchanan,” Rita hit him. “Sonny’s just his puppy,”

“Oh god,” Sonny muttered under his breath as he followed Barba outside. He didn’t know which was worse for people to think right now.

“This is totally inappropriate, why would you even--” He threw his hands over his head. God it was one thing knowing Sonny had a thing for him, but for him to finally make a move like this-- in front of his peers? His colleagues? The audacity.

You wondered if you should follow them. You were the one to cause this mess, after all. Also you really didn’t like the looks you were getting from the rest of the party-goers. You quickly began to follow after them, you could hear Rafael yelling from a mile away.

“What the hell is WRONG with you, Carisi?!”

“I-I’m sorry, Barba I--”

“WHAT?!” Sonny’s eyes instantly went to you. “W-Why would you…? Why would you say that?”

“I’m sorry, counselor I just thought--”

“You just thought what, Carisi?” He growled. “That if you bought some ridiculously expensive gift I’d suddenly realized you were ‘the one’?”

“What?!” Sonny suddenly snapped. “What the-- what the fuck are you talking about, Barba?”

“Uh I don’t know Carisi, maybe the fact that you have feelings for me?”

“What?” Rafael suddenly realized either you were wrong, or he was sticking to denial. Either way, he was probably busted.

“I bought you that briefcase because I want you to like me as a COLLEAGUE, Barba. Do you know what kind of clout you get in our field by being friends with the ADA? And-- And nothing I do ever seems to be good enough, I was afraid you’d never...accept me, unless I…”

“Bribed me?” Rafael asked softly.

“I--I don’t know, I--”

“Well,” Sonny shrugged uncomfortably. “When you say it like that it sounds dirty,”

“Right,” Rafael rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“....But why, in the fuck--” Sonny crossed his arms now. “Would you ever accuse me of--- of that?!”

“Is it because you have feelings for me and you were hoping I felt the same way but it freaked you out when I made some ‘declaration of love’ in front of all of your work buddies?”

“WHAT?!” Rafael practically screamed. “Absolutely not--”

“I’m just gonna ask you one time, straight out,” Sonny approached Rafael, his stature over him becoming more obvious the closer he got to the ADA.

“Then why? Have I seriously given you an impression that I-- want your cannoli?” He tried to find an appropriate word. And he was genuinely asking, he had made damn sure not to act that way for so long, there was no way he had fucked that up.

“Uh...yes, yes you have,” Rafael tried to bluff. He had no idea how this situation had flipped, or if it was better for Sonny to think he had feelings for him, and not his baby cousin.

“That’s bullshit,” Sonny shook his head with a sarcastic laugh. “I have made damn sure--” He glanced at you again, he knew that look. That was the same look you had when you had broken his mom’s favorite vase and had blamed it on the dog.

“Damn sure what?” Rafael quickly tried to distract him.

“Damn sure you didn’t think that,” He answered hazily, thoughts filling his mind.

“Because you do,” Rafael tried to keep defensive.

“....This isn’t about me, this is about you,” Sonny’s eyes suddenly narrowed as he was quickly becoming aware of the glances you at Rafael were sharing.

“Ohh no I think it’s about--”

“WHY would you accuse me of trying to...seduce you?!” Sonny cut him off.

“Does that sound like something I would do, whether it was true or not?”

“So it IS--”

“DAMMIT, Rafael!” Sonny stomped his foot. He was getting bold now as the wheels started turning.

“What?” Rafael laughed like it was ridiculous, looking everywhere but Sonny’s eyes. “When would she even--”

“...Did my cousin say something to you?” His eyes were narrow, he was scowling between the two of you. Fuck. FUCK. Don’t panic. Keep your cool. Don’t move.

“When you followed her just now?” He crossed his arms again.

Whew. Well, thank God. At least that bullet was dodged.

"Was she? Because it seems like telling you was the worst thing she could do!!!" Sonny snapped.

“....She might have said something along those lines,” Rafael glanced at you with apologetic eyes as he threw you under the bus.

“Wha-- are you kidding me?!” You hissed at him, but Sonny was already fuming at you.

“Y/N!!! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” He started to stomp over to you. “You can’t just throw your assumptions at people, because you think your ‘emotionally stunted’ cousin can’t deal with some confusing feelings he has,”

“Uh…”

“Ya can’t just SHOVE someone out of a closet!” He kept yelling, oblivious to the stares he was now getting. “Especially not to my boss!!!”

“Sonny, I--”

“See I knew it!” Rafael clapped his hands together, trying to rescue you after he threw you to the sharks. “I knew you had feelings for me, I didn’t need her to tell me,”

“FINE,” Sonny threw his hands up. “Fine, Rafael. You win, okay?” He struggled with tears forming in his throat. “Yeah, I’ve had some-- weird, feelings about you. For a while,”

You and Rafael just stared at him while he “came out” to an entire restaurant.

“And alright, maybe I went a little overboard with the gift, my bad,” He shrugged. "But that doesn't excuse Y/N for telling you her conspiracy theories!"

"Carisi…" Barba sighed. "She was just trying to help."

"Y'know what YN, would you mind finding somewhere else to crash tonight, i can't really look at you right now," he sighed as he turned and walked awkwardly out of the restaurant.

"Sonny I am so--" you tried to apologize.

"Well you heard the man," He grinned, totally unphased by what just happened.

"I'm sure he'll--" his face went from a soft smile into a horrified expression.

"Are you fucking kidding me Rafael?" You scoffed at him in disbelief.

"Well at least he doesn't suspect anything between us!" He pointed out.

"Yeah just that I'm a horrible outing twat," you rolled your eyes.

"Aw carino," He pulled you into a soft comforting kiss.

"What's wrong?" You asked softly, afraid to turn around.

"How fucking DARE you say that, Barba. I'm not some fucking jealous teenager, although clearly that's your type,"

"Oh my god..." you heard Sonny's voice behind you. "Oh my God!"

You definitely didn't want to turn around now.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Sonny now stormed over to the two of you.

I can't fucking believe you Y/N! What the fuck is this? How did this happen?"

"Sonny I--" You tried to explain,

"And YOU--" He glared at Rafael. "You had the fucking audacity to sit there and start yelling at me for "inappropriate feelings'," he growled.

"Carisi…." Rafael put a hand up.

"What the fuck do you call seducing my baby cousin??" He snarled.

'Look Carisi I know you might be jealous, but--" Before Rafael could finish his sentence, Sonny's fist was hitting his face and he fell to the ground.

"Hey!" You exclaimed.

"This isn't about my feelings, jackass," he went to punch him again but you ran over and tried to pull him off Rafael as a crowd of spectators was forming.

"Which by the way, you have zero worry of those anymore, I'm not into perverts," he spat.

"Sonny!" You gasped. "...the hell is wrong with you?!"

"We're leaving," he instructed you.

"Like hell we are," you went to help Rafael up.

"Sonny, even if you were my dad, I'm a grown woman," you snapped. "You can't drag me out of here like a child,"

"YN," Sonny had that soft, scary, angry tone. "I practically raised you. I'm the closest thing you have to a dad. So when I say we're leaving, we're leaving."

"Either you come with me right now, or I'm disowning you," he threatened.

"Are you fucking kidding me Son?" You laughed at the absurdity of the threat.

"I'll stop paying for your classes at the community college," he threatened.

Well not only did he just threaten your academics but he embarrassed the hell out of you revealing you weren't even in a real college.

"So?" You stood your ground. "Go for it,"

"I'll stop paying your rent," He kept going.

"Well that's--" You started getting nervous.

"I'll stop payments on your car,"

"OKAY," You finally caved. You just wanted to stop revealing what a fucking sad sack you were having him pay for everything, just like a dad.

You looked at Rafael who was standing now, winding his bloody mouth with a handkerchief from a pocket in his suit.

"I'm sorry," you barely whispered with tears in your eyes and throat. The last thing You wanted to do was leave him there but as Sonny so blatantly pointed out, he basically owned you.

You gave him one last long kiss goodbye, to which Sonny made a disgusted scoff.

Rafael gave you a look of pleading, begging you to stay with him while he held onto your hand. You pulled your hand away from him and turned to Sunny

"Alright let's go Son," you said softly trying not to glance back at Rafael.

Sonny nodded triumphantly and walked out of the restaurant with you close behind, leaving Rafael alone.

[newtonsheffield]

Hi! I loveee your B&S Universe and really have fallen for your Matthew/Edwina HCs....I was wondering if I could request some more? Maybe the two of them running into Edwina's unworthy exes?

Hello!!!

I am very pleasantly surprised by how much everyone seems to love Edwina and Matthew Goose Bagwell. I just think Edwina is such a sweetheart and even though she has such a high profile career she is at heart a very down to earth, quiet person, and so she needs a humble little bean like Matthew to just hang out with at the end of the day, go to pottery classes with. You know, wholesome adorable things. It’s no less than she deserves.

Play the theme song! ‘Eddie and Goose, Eddie and Goose, Two little sunshine kiiiiids.”

“Eddie Sheffield? Oh my god, It’s been ages!” A man’s voice called out, and Matthew thought nothing of it. People recognising his fiancée happened semi regularly, and Edwina was always in her element with people, it warmed Matthew’s heart to see, but apparently This Man, she most certainly did not want to see. Se had stilled immediately, her fingers, intertwined with his where they sat tucked against her waist clenched tightly, her engagement ring cutting into his hand for a brief second as she muttered  “Ugh, For Fuck’s sake.” as she turned towards him. 

And Matthew didn’t like the way he was eyeing her appreciatively, no predatorily, for one second. Matthew liked to think he wasn’t a jealous man, Edwina was a beautiful woman, it was undeniable that wherever they went people’s eyes seemed to follow her, and it truly didn’t bother him. He knew they were in a committed relationship and she loved him. She told him every day, multiple times a day, like a relentless little shower of affection. Then there was the way she made him lunch, tucked neatly away in his lunch box, had done from the very first day she’d stayed at his flat. He’d been on the way out of the door and she’d called out Don’t forget your lunch, Matt! He’d paused, turning around confusedly, because he hadn’t packed anything only to have her stand on her tiptoes, kiss his cheek and push a lunchbox with Indiana Jones on into his hands. He’d opened it, a little curiously at lunch and found a note tucked inside Stay away from any rolling boulders today ❤️ Eddie. He’d seen her that night and said Lunch was beautiful but you don’t have to do these things,  She’d sighed, shrugged her shoulders and said It makes me happy, to look after you, so Can I? She loved him, he was sure. So no one else really mattered, but this Man was leering at her, and something about it made Matthew want to punch him. 

“David, It has been a while.” Edwina said, her voice monotone, bored almost. David appeared not to notice. “We should catch up. You know, for ahh Old time’s sake.” David said moving his eyebrows suggestively in time with the words, His eyes never leaving Edwina, Matthew felt his fist clench. Eddie sighed. “I don’t think so.” She tugged on Matthew’s arm, wrapping it even more tightly around herself. David hummed, “Yeah I heard a funny rumour about you. Said you were getting married.”  “Not really a rumour if my Mum put an engagement announcement in the paper is it?” Edwina said bemusedly, shooting. Can you believe this dick? Look at Matthew who felt his chest puff a little with pride, a smirk coming to his face.  “This is Matthew, with his arm around me, he’s my fiancé.” Edwina said dryly. And for the first time David seemed to notice him. His eyes widened a little, and then, this absolute tool of a man, had the audacity to smirk. 

“This guy? Wow. Eddie. Your sister’s married to Anthony Bridgerton and you’re gonna marry this guy?” David said, chuckling to himself, and Edwina frowned, her mouth open to an angry retort but Matthew beat her to it. “Mate, I’m gonna have to ask you to be more respectful.” He said, as pleasantly as he could manage, David’s eyes flicked to him, crossing his arms in front of him, trying to make himself look bigger, it was all Matt could do not to roll his eyes at the ridiculous display.  “You think I should respect you?” Matthew could feel Edwina’s eyes on him. He scoffed. “I don’t care what you say about me, but I’m not going to let you stand here and disrespect my wife. She used to be your girlfriend, and she’s a human being, show some bloody respect.” Matthew said firmly, trying to tamp dow the anger rising in his chest. David was clearly ready to start something, and Matthew readied himself to push Edwina out of the way when she laughed, very brightly and said.  “Oh, don’t worry about that, David and I were just friends weren’t we?” And then she tugged on his arm and left David standing there, open mouthed in indignation. 

“So that’s the kind of guy you dated hey?” Matthew said gently, when they were alone again, “That walking advertisement for toxic masculinity.” Edwina’s brow furrowed, her lip caught between her teeth. “I don’t even know why I did. I wanted to see the best in him, and I don’t know, I think I convinced myself that if everyone expected me to just be a pretty face, then that’s all I was.” She said, refusing to look at him, her eyes trained down on her shoes, and Matthew’s heart clenched. Edwina’s sister had pulled him into a tight hug, not so very long ago and whispered in his ear how desperately glad she was that he was in Edwina’s life, and he hadn’t quite believed her. 

Matthew reached out, tilting her chin up so their eyes locked together, forcing her to feel the truth in his words. “Eddie you are absolutely, stunning. So beautiful that every time I look at you I can’t even believe you looked at me twice when I ran into you and Edmund, but more importantly you are kind and smart, and strong, and funny and those are the things I love about you okay?” Her eyes were shining with tears as she stood on her toes and sealed their lips together, her body finally relaxing against his. She was smiling when they pulled apart, that same beautiful smile that had made his breath catch the first time he’d ever seen her.  “I love you too. And don’t think I didn’t clock you calling me your wife before. I really loved that.” And it was all Matthew could do not to whoop for joy and spin her around in his arms right there on the street corner when he said “you better get used to it then.”

And yeah, maybe he spun her around a little just for good measure.  

[cassiabaggins]

First Born

A/N: Kiliel week has finally come to a close! I had a lot of fun writing these and I wanna say a special thank you to @anjhope1 for being an amazing beta reader and getting me out of more than one slump! I have a super short bonus story I might post as well if anyone is interested. Also, the character Minasel does not belong to me, she’s the creation of @deathlikessodaandpizza and I included her as a little treat. You can read her story here if you are interested! Again, thank you all for your help and comments! I hope you enjoy this final part!

First          Masterlist

Wordcount: 3k

Tags: @anjhope1 @deathlikessodaandpizza @guardianofrivendell @myrin1234 @wettomatodude @lothloriien @annkdarar @artsywaterlily @hmmm-what-am-i-doing @drowingintheempty @estethell @claraofthepen @kilielweek

Warnings: pregnancy, implied smut

Summary: Kili and Tauriel prepare for the birth of their first child, only they can’t decide on a name!

"Kili," Tauriel says one evening. "I want a baby."

Kili, sitting on his desk across the room, immediately stiffens, his back going ramrod straight. Then, he slowly turns around and just… stares at her, his brown eyes as round as saucers. He doesn't say anything, just stares, and the resulting silence is almost suffocating. 

Tauriel shifts awkwardly from foot to foot, waiting for him to say something. It seems like he might, a few times, opening his mouth, and then closing it, and then opening it again, but he never speaks. She bites her lip. Probably should have approached this more delicately. "Kili?" She asks. He starts, like her voice has snapped him back to reality. 

"Sorry," he says, suddenly standing up, "I just… now?"

Tauriel nods determinedly. No backing down now. "Yes. Now. I'm ready now."

Kili blinks. Suddenly, he's closing the distance between them, throwing off his shirt, and kissing her all at once. Tauriel bursts out laughing and welcomes his enthusiasm- they know it will be a long night. 

.

Upon waking the next morning, she immediately knows it worked. She can sense, somehow, a tiny life beginning to grow inside her. It's what Kili would call a 'spooky elf power', to just know, right away, but she just… does. She places her hand on her stomach and turns her head to look at her husband. Kili is a messy sleeper, as usual, all sprawled out, the blankets barely covering his naked body. He's matured past the young dwarf Tauriel met in Mirkwood, having grown into his body much more, thickening out from the gangly (for a dwarf) young idiot she fell in love with, a longer beard and several scars also being obvious indicators of the passage of time. Tauriel scoots closer to him and rests her head on his chest, the weight of it waking him. Kili tenses up in a stretch and a yawn, extending his arms above his head, and then wrapping them around her. 

"G'mornin'," he mumbles, rubbing her bare shoulder with one large, rough hand and pressing a sleepy kiss to the top of her head.

"Good morning," she replies. 

"Wha' time izzit?" 

"Early. The sun has not yet risen."

"Amrâlimê," he groans, grabbing the edge of the blanket and yanking it up to his shoulder. "Why did you wake me up? I can sleep in today!"

Tauriel bites back a soft laugh, helping him by pulling the other edge of the cover up and gently rubbing his chest. "I did not mean to. I apologize."

He lets out a wordless grumble, rolling them both over so he's snuggled up against her front, face against her chest, arms around her middle, and legs tangled with hers. "You're lucky I love you. Any other dwarf would protest quite heartily to an elvish witch waking them up before the sunrise."

"Elvish witch?" She asks with fake indignation.

Kili has the audacity to giggle in reply and she tugs at one of the braids that was left in his hair from yesterday. He lets out a shaky breath at that.

"I'm trying to sleep, witch."

"Are you?" She asks cheekily.

"Yes!" He untangles from her and rolls away to the very edge of the mattress, but Tauriel follows him, pressing her body up against his back.

"Kili," she whispers. "It worked."

"What worked?" He grumbles, trying to hide under the blankets. She chuckles and slides her arm around his middle, worming her hand under his arm until he lifts it to let her in. 

"I'm pregnant," she murmurs in his ear. Kili goes still again. Then, he snorts. 

"You're teasing me. You have no idea if it worked. Not yet at least."

"Oh, don't I?"

"Of course not. That's impossible."

"Mhm. Well. We could always try again, I suppose, just to make sure."

The speed at which he rolls over and on top of her is honestly impressive and she finds herself laughing into his mouth.

.

“I was being serious,” she says as they fall apart on the mattress, sweaty and sated. Kili looks over at her, wiping his bangs off his brow. 

“What?”

“I was being serious. About being pregnant.”

Kili gapes at her, his eyes as wide as saucers. Then he sits bolt upright. “You were?!”

“Of course I was! Why would I joke about that?!”

“I don’t know!”

Kili covers his face. “Sweet Mahal. I’m going to be a father. Already. Y’know, I thought we’d have to try a few times at least! I didn’t think we’d get it in one go-- wait, how do you even know?!”

Tauriel props herself up on her elbow, thinking. “I don’t know. I just... do.”

He nods. “Fair enough.” He takes his hands off his face and looks at her. “We better start thinking about names.”

“Oh, we have time, meleth nin, don’t fret. We’ve a whole year to plan and get ready.”

“That doesn’t seem like enough time,” Kili mumbles. 

“We did have several years before this,” She teases. 

…

They don’t start thinking about names until a few months in, nor do they tell others about the pregnancy. The reaction from family and friends is ecstatic and the two of them are practically overwhelmed with well wishes and gifts and birthing advice and baby care tips. Tauriel finds herself quite glad that many of the dwarves are still cautious around her, especially when Cassia informs her bluntly that she very well might have perfect strangers come up to her and try to touch her belly the instant she starts showing. And that does not sound fun. Neither does the cravings or aches or morning sickness…  For the most part, though, Tauriel is truly enjoying the experience of it. Her body is growing a tiny life! There is a baby inside her, living and developing and moving! She thinks it is beyond amazing and never passes up an opportunity to gush about it. 

.

As the pregnancy progresses, they start thinking more seriously about names in between preparations.  Kili has been insistent on a dwarven name, while Tauriel quite likes the idea of an elvish one. 

"What are you thinking about?" She asks her husband one evening before bed. Kili is smoking his pipe and Tauriel is trying her best to knit a baby blanket. He blows a smoke ring thoughtfully. 

"Names for our baby," he says. "I think it'll be a girl, so I've been thinking of girl names."

"Oh have you?" Tauriel asks, smiling. In her brief distraction she drops a stitch and frowns. This is harder than Dis and Cassia make it look. 

He nods. "It’s tradition for the Durin line to give lasses names that end in "-is". My mother is Dis, my sister is Rhís, my great aunt was called Frís, and so on." He takes another drag from his pipe, his eyebrows furrowed in a way that lets Tauriel know he's been thinking quite hard about this. 

"What have you come up with?" She queries, carefully unravelling and fixing her mistake. 

"Eydís," Kili says. "It means 'good fortune' and she'll be our little treasure. What do you think?"

Tauriel frowns and lowers her knitting into her lap. "Well..." she says but is interrupted as Kili points his pipe at her in a joking manner. 

"You don't like it,” he declares.

Tauriel hems and haws, not wanting to hurt his feelings. It’s a nice enough name, but not exactly what she had in mind.

"It's not that I don't like it, I just… I've gotten rather attached to the name Minasel."

Kili squints. “Minasel? What does that even mean?”

“It means tower of stars. I was thinking, since I want her to rise above all opposition…” She trails off, seeing the unimpressed look on Kili’s face, feeling anger flare. “Well! It’s better than Eydis!”

The argument about names does halt for the entirety of the pregnancy, Tauriel will say how little Minasel is being especially active today, or Kili will rub her belly and ask how little Eydis is that day, and from there the same repetitive argument will begin again. Both parents are exceedingly stubborn, and if one would give in, the other would have to give in just on principle and argue that the other name was much  better than their idea. “No, really, it's a lovely name!”  One will say. And the other will reply, “Well, I like the name you picked better!” And then they'd be right back at square one. 

.

"What if you never decide on a name?" Fili asks one evening. The two brothers and their families are having a day off together, gathered in the large sitting room in the royal apartments.  Kili shrugs. 

"Then we hope the baby is a boy," he replies.

"And if it's not?"

Kili frowns. "Uhm…"

"How did you come up with the names for your children?" Tauriel asks her brother in law. “Didn’t you two ever argue about that?” Fili, bouncing his middle child, a lad named Kirin, on his knee, shrugs. 

"Not exactly. Cassia's only request was our first daughter be named after her mother, and mine was that our first son be named for Thorin."

"What if you never have a daughter?" Kili challenges, "what then?"

"She thinks we will."

"I know we will!" Fili's wife, Cassia, enters the room, holding the littlest child in her arms. The infant, named Arnin, has just woken up from his nap, and blinks sleepily at them all over her arm, sucking on his fingers. "I just have a feeling our next will be a girl."

"After three boys?" Tauriel asks. Cassia sits down beside her friend and hands her the infant. Tauriel coos at him and tickles his stomach.

“I want at least eight children,” the Queen says, leaning back in her seat. “I’ve decided.”

"Eight?! You already have a preposterously large family with less than half that number!" Kili splutters. 

“It’s how many she wants,” Fili says, as if that’s a perfectly valid reason.

"Nuncle Kili?" Fili and Cassia's oldest, Thorin, tugs on his uncle's pant leg. He had been playing on the floor. "What does proptserisly mean?"

"Preposterously," Kili corrects him gently, bending down to be at his level. "It means absurd or foolish."

"Oh. Are we pre...pre… prepops…"

"Preposterous?"

"Yes. Are we?"

"Indeed," Kili says, scooping him up into a hug. "Beyond a doubt!" 

Thorin giggles and hugs him. "Mama!" He shouts, "we're propsterus!"

Cassia gives him a blank look. She hadn't been listening, busy talking with Tauriel. "Are we?"

"Nuncle Kili said so!"

“Kili, stop teaching him long words he can’t pronounce,” Fili says as Kili sets Thorin back down. The child runs to his mother and climbs into her arms. 

“I’m improving his vocabulary!”

“Kili, he’s barely nine, when is he ever going to use the word preposterous?”

Tauriel laughs as the brothers argue, stroking Arnin’s curly hair. “If our baby is anything like this little pebble, I don’t think we have any cause to worry about them taking after Kili.” 

Cassia fakes a shudder of horror. “Another Kili, running around causing havoc? That’s awful!”

The two of them giggle. 

.

The months pass all in a rush, but also nowhere near fast enough and near the end Tauriel is well and truly fed up with being pregnant and Kili is desperate to meet his child.

The day of the birth, Tauriel goes into labor in the very early morning, and Kili sprints off to fetch the midwife. His mother and sister in law come to help with the birth. He is permitted to give his wife a kiss but is then promptly booted out the door to spend the time with Fili and his boys in their apartments, waiting with bated breath.

“Would you sit down and relax?” his brother says, blowing a smoke ring from his pipe. 

“No! I cannot! I don’t know how you can expect me to sit down and relax when my wife is giving birth!” Kili shoots back and continues to pace. Fili raises an eyebrow at him. 

“You’ll be pacing like that for a long time.”

“How long, adad?” Thorin asks sleepily, leaning against Fili’s side. He had awoken from the commotion of Cassia leaving and, despite the early hour, had been too excited to go back to bed, so Fili had permitted him to stay up. 

“It depends,” he says, rubbing Thorin’s head. “It took all day for you to be born, so probably about the same.” The lad groans. 

“All day?! But I wanna meet the baby now!”

“So does your uncle, but we’re all going to have to wait.” 

After about half an hour, Thorin drops off to sleep and Fili tucks a blanket around him before walking over to stand next to his younger brother. “Here,” he says, offering his pipe. “You need this.”

Kili takes the pipe and inhales, letting the pipeweed calm his nerves and still the shaking in his hands. 

“How long has Tauriel been having pains?” Fili asks, “Do you know?”

“She said she was beginning to feel it when we went to bed last night. She didn’t want to sleep but told me to.” Kili chews worriedly at the end of the pipe. “I feel like I should be there, helping her or something! I’ve never seen her in so much pain, Fi! Her face,” he waves his hand in front of his own, “was just white. I want to help her, Fili! I need to help her!” Kili cries, before placing his head in his hands.

“You’d probably get in the way if you tried,” Fili says bluntly. He places his hands on his brother’s shoulders and the weight grounds Kili, “Nothing will happen to her, she’ll be fine. You just have to relax.”

Kili looks up at Fili. “Are you sure?” He asks nervously. Fili nods.

“Of course I’m sure. Tauriel is one of the strongest people I know.” He pauses. “Don’t tell Dwalin I said that, though. He’d get indignant.”

That manages to make Kili let out a soft laugh, the tension in his shoulders fading away. Fili is right. Tauriel will be fine.

.

After what seems like an age, Cassia returns to fetch Kili and bring him to Tauriel. Right before he enters the room, he stops on the threshold, suddenly nervous. His sister in law turns back to him when she notices he’s not beside her anymore. She trots back to him and frowns, giving him a little shove toward the door.

“Are you going in or not? Go! Go see your wife!” Kili stumbles through the doorway and hurries into the room. Tauriel is sitting up in bed, holding a little bundle. She looks exhausted, her face drawn and her forehead sweaty, but her sunlight smile is beaming across her face. She is clearly happier in this moment, despite her pain and weariness, than she has ever been before.  

"Would you like to meet your daughter?" Tauriel asks him. Kili is at her side in an instant, nodding. As he moves across the room, he vaguely notices the midwife and his mother off in the corner doing something, but he doesn't exactly care about them. He only cares about his wife and his newborn child. He sits on the edge of the bed and Tauriel leans against his shoulder, moving the blanket slightly so Kili can clearly see the face of his firstborn. The little baby has his eyebrows and nose and a full head of dark red hair, and tiny, pointed ears.

“Hello there,” he whispers, reaching out and touching that miniscule nose. The baby murmurs a bit in her slumber, her eyebrows drawing down in a surprisingly intense glare for a newborn. Kili feels tears burn at the back of his throat.

 “Isn’t she perfect?” Tauriel says, smiling down at the baby, “Our little Minasel.”

Kili looks up from admiring his newborn daughter with a frown on his face. “Minasel?”

“Doesn’t it fit her perfectly?”

“But I wanted to name her---”

“Are you two still fighting over that?” Dis sighs, turning around. “Here, Kili, this is Eydis.”

Quite suddenly, Kili is being handed a second baby. Luckily, he’s held his nephews enough to know exactly how to position his arms and support her head and he does so almost on instinct. This baby is smaller than Minasel, completely bald atop her head, but just as is typical of dwarven babies, has a beard, soft and strawberry blonde.

“Twins?!” Kili shouts. “We had twins?!” Minasel and Eydis, startled by their father’s loud voice, burst into tears. 

“Kili!” Tauriel and Dis scold, scrambling to quiet Minasel while Dis takes Eydis back to calm her. 

“Sorry!”

Soon, the babies are quieted, sleeping peacefully. The midwives finish their work and leave the new parents alone to bond with their children. Somewhere along the line, Kili and Tauriel had traded babies, and Kili is now holding Minasel. Tauriel is nursing Eydis (another thing that isn’t as easy as it looks) and Kili carries his eldest daughter over to the window to get a better look at her. She squints hard when the sunlight hits her face, screwing up into that glare again, and then slowly blinks open her eyes. Kili’s breath catches in his throat. “Hello,” he whispers. Minasel squints at him, then opens them wider. “She has my eyes,” he says softly to Tauriel and draws his daughter up to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead. She sighs and sinks back into peaceful sleep. 

“I’m glad she does,” Tauriel says, “I love your eyes. Eydis hasn’t opened hers, yet.”

Kili comes over to the bed. The smaller baby has finished nursing and is now laying peacefully in Tauriel’s arms, her eyes still squeezed shut. He sits down beside his wife and leans against her shoulder. “Can you show us your eyes, Eydis?” he whispers. To both their surprise, she squirms a bit and then blinks slowly. Her eyes are brown as well— wide, curious, and bright. She yawns hugely and makes a little noise that melts both their hearts. Kili beams. 

“They both have my eyes!” He says happily. 

“They do indeed,” Tauriel replies. “Here, why don’t we lay them next to each other?” She carefully sets Eydis on the bed and pats the space next to her tiny body. Kili lays Minasel down in the open space, and both babies immediately curl together as if they are still in the womb. Kili looks up and Tauriel with a tearful smile. 

“They’re perfect,” he says. Turning to his wife, he smiles softly, “You’re amazing, amrâlimê.”

She blushes a bit. Even after nearly a decade of marriage he still manages to fluster her with his sweet words. “Thank you, meleth nin,” she says.

He leans forward and kisses her gently. 

“Thank you for loving me,” she whispers and he smiles against her mouth. 

“As if I could do anything less, my starlight.” 

“That’s new,” she laughs.

“Aye, trying something out. What do you think?”

“I think ‘Starlight’ would better fit our little Minasel,” she replies honestly. 

“I think so too, but what about Eydis?”

“She’s a little gem, isn’t she?”

“Ithtir and Ibinê,” Kili says softly. Tauriel gives him a confused look. 

“I’m sorry?”

“Those can be their secret names, Ithtir and Ibinê, ‘Bright Star’ and ‘Little Gem’. Don’t you think they fit?”

Tauriel looks down at the twins, a soft smile on her face and sighs happily. 

“They’re perfect.”

[keanureevesisbae]

The world of TikTok

A one shot in the universe of ‘Mister Cavill, your dog is kinda fat’

Henry Cavill x Olivia Tran

Summary: With five ladies around him who are up to date with the latest trends, Henry falls victim to TikTok challenges.

Wordcount: 1.2k

Masterlist 

(Vanessa is 23 / Elodie is 15 // Heather and Chloe are 11)

Vanessa was home for the weekend, something that Henry always really enjoys. She is twenty three now, has her own life, but sometimes she stays over for an entire weekend. Usually that means Trey isn’t at home and she doesn’t like being by herself. Almost all of his girls are here and that makes him happy

He hears the front door open and not long after that both Olivia and Elodie walk in. ‘Hi my loves,’ he says.

‘Hi,’ Elodie mumbles, before walking to the kitchen as she rubs her back.

‘Hi everyone,’ Olivia says. ‘Posture, Vanessa.’

‘But this is comfortable,’ Vanessa says, slouched down on the couch.

Olivia cocks an eyebrow. ‘Sweetheart, sit up straight. Your back will thank me later.’

Their oldest sits up a bit straighter, rolling her shoulders back. ‘Happy now?’ she asks, partially annoyed, partially amused.

‘Absolutely delighted.’

‘Is Elodie alright?’ Henry asks, still thinking about the way she was rubbing her back.

Olivia places her bag on the table and tells him: ‘Her back hurts. I tried to crack it already, but Elodie is too tall for me to properly crack her back. Maybe you could help her out, honey.’

He is already up and Elodie pouts as she walks back to the living room. ‘Want me to crack your back, princess?’ he asks her and while she is nodding, she crosses her arms in front of her. He stands behind her, wraps his arms around hers and lifts her up.

Only to hear the loudest crack one could ever hear. ‘No, no, no,’ he yells, as Elodie drops to the floor. ‘What have I done?’ He kneels down next to her, as she is groaning out in pain.  ‘Olivia, help me out, will you?’

And then he hears Olivia laughing. She is laughing at this? Henry just broke their daughter and she has the audacity to laugh?

‘Very good, Elodie, you are quite the actress. You take after your dad,’ Olivia says to her in between laughs. Elodie stands up herself. She is smiling and from the looks of it, she is totally fine. ‘You were right, honey, this was a fun one.’

‘What the hell just happened?’ Henry asks in a loud tone, losing his patience as he stands up, his heart still pounding in his throat.

‘This was so worth it,’ Vanessa says, who holds up her phone, while she hiccups from laughter. ‘Thank you for the heads up, mom. I’m so glad I got this on tape.’

‘This was that TikTok challenge, wasn’t it?’ Chloe asks.

Elodie nods. ‘Yeah, I saw it yesterday and I desperately wanted to try this out with dad.’

Chloe and Heather are practically dying with laughter and soon the room is filled with giggles and laughs of all the Tran-Cavill ladies. ‘Daddy,’ Heather says, ‘this is a TikTok challenge where you put some uncooked macaroni or a cracker in your mouth and then ask someone to crack your back.’

Henry places his hands on his hips, as he tries to keep his laughter in, because he has to admit: it was a good one. Elodie walks over to him and wraps her arms around his waist. ‘Sorry, dad,’ she says looking up. ‘But admit it: it was a good one.’

‘It was,’ he chuckles. ‘Minus my mini heart attack.’

Vanessa wipes the tears of laughter from her face. ‘I think our uncles and grandparents would really like to see this.’

‘No,’ Henry says, but too late, because he feels his phone vibrate in his back pocket.

‘Sorry,’ Vanessa chuckles, standing up from the couch. She stands on her toes and gives him kiss. ‘But you should check the video, it’s hilarious.’

Little did Henry know that this was the first of many TikTok challenges and dances. His daughters had to promise him that these clips wouldn’t go online, because he doesn’t want the entire world to see him failing and that they promised. The only ones who incidentally saw one, were everyone in their family group chat and their friends when they showed it in school.

That he can live with.

So he attempted the Savage Love dance, but it really didn’t go according to plan, because he pulled a muscle in his back. Guess he really has Western European hips, that do not move correctly when hearing music. The twins and Elodie kept on forcing him to do all these things and while Olivia looked like a normal human being, Henry looked ridiculous and his brothers weren’t giving him a break.

It’s one of their chill evenings. Everyone (except Vanessa, she is back at her apartment) is just chilling in the living room, doing their own thing. It’s one of the many things Henry loves about their household.

Olivia’s phone rings, as she lays on her back on the couch, her feet on his lap as he is reading his book. He has placed his hand on her ankle, toying with her fuzzy socks. She picks up and all of the sudden the deep voice of a man fills their room: ‘What’s good, shawty, your man still around?’

‘Who the hell is that?’ Henry asks, grabbing her phone out of her hand, only to see his own shoes on the screen. ‘What is this?’

Elodie jumps off the couch and sits on the armrest of the chair, to wrap her arm around his shoulders. ‘A TikTok, dad,’ she laughs. ‘This was a voice over and mom just played it and recorded your reaction.’ She presses play and what just happened, is played back.

He is almost scared by the way how pissed he looked and Olivia presses a kiss on his cheek. ‘Good to know you still get possessive of me,’ she chuckles.

The twins join them on the couch and all of his ladies start to laugh at how mad he looks.

After a whole week filled with TikTok pranks, challenges and dances, it’s just Henry and Olivia at home. The twins are staying over at his parents and Elodie is having a sleepover at Charlie’s, together with his new girlfriend. To have the house for themselves, is nice from time to time.

As Olivia is in the shower, Henry is  sitting behind his computer, playing some games. He puts on his headphones and leans back in his chair. He starts to play, his mind completely blank. It has been quite some time since he could just play like this. He doesn’t know how long he is already behind the screen, when his vision is blocked by something. It smells like the soap Olivia always uses and when he pulls the towel off of him, he looks to the side. ‘What are— Oh.’

His eyes fall on his beautiful wife, who, over the course of the years, only became more beautiful. He stares at Olivia’s naked figure, as she is standing in the doorway. ‘Hi honey,’ she says with a smile.

Henry doesn’t waste another second. He pushes off his headphones, before he stands up and takes a few strides to her. Henry scoops her up in his arms, causing her to laugh. With his hands on the back of her thighs, he carries her to the bedroom and after he placed her on the bed, he takes off his clothes. ‘What did I do to deserve this, my love?’ he asks, spreading her legs so he can kneel in between them.

‘It’s a TikTok challenge,’ she says with a smile. ‘You surprise your man naked when he is gaming.’

Maybe TikTok wasn’t so bad after all.

[speechlessxx]

Bring Him Light - iv (King!Steve Rogers x Reader)

Chapter Summary: The wedding and the consummation.

Warnings: poorly written SMUT (18+. Minors DNI), loss of virginity, mentions of character death, I forget to put this but there is an AGE GAP between Steve and the reader (the ages aren’t explicitly noted, Oral sex (fem receiving), fingering, breeding (but it’s not a kink?), Steve’s not an asshole (omg wow)

Word Count: 4k (got carried away)

Bring Him Light Masterlist

I hope you guys enjoy!

<- Last Part -=+=- Next Part ->

Two days went by quickly. It was a blur. In a blink of an eye, you weren’t standing in front of Steven in the halls of the castle, but was dawning on your wedding gown for the final time as your ladies and your mother fawned around you, trying to get you ready.

Wanda fluffed out the skirt and then fiddled with your hair, opting for a regal updo. Your mother smiled at you through the mirror as she smoothed out your shoulder. Natasha added the vail as soon as Wanda was finished.

“Don’t cry, mother,” you muttered when you noticed her teary eyes. She gave you a tight lipped smile as she laughed a bit and dabbed her eyes.

“Two weeks ago, you tried to run away because you didn’t want this day to come. Now, you’re standing before me in a wedding dress as the beautiful, blushing bride. I wonder what’s changed.” Your mother said. You detected a hint of sorrow in her voice. You deducted that it was her coming to realize that you were no longer her baby girl. You were to become a woman that night and crowned a queen soon enough.

“I’m still a virgin mother,” you lightly joked in an attempt to brighten her mood. It worked. She rolled her eyes and laughed. Natasha and Wanda giggled as they did the finishing touches.

You were trembling as you stood at the top of the staircase. You heard murmurs of excitement in the floor beneath you. Everyone eager to see the merge of House York and House Rogers. You stared at the bouquet in your shaking hands. White roses accented with tiny forget-me-nots. Wanda told you that King Steven handpicked them in the gardens.

You glanced back at Natasha who gave you an encouraging nod as the organ began to play. The crowd quickly fell into silence as you slowly descended from the top of the staircase. Each step was a weight being lifted from you. It became easier and easier – almost to the point where you felt as if you were floating as light as air.

Your father met you at the bottom of the staircase. He smiled at you as you revealed yourself to him for the very first time. He wasn’t teary-eyed like your mother. Perhaps it was because as a king – as a man – he refused to show any weakness.

“You look beautiful,” he muttered to you as he presented you his arm and you took it.

You weren’t sure where to look as you rounded the corner and made it to the open throne room doors. You felt all the stares on you at once. It made you want to shrink into yourself – disappear if you could. So, instead, you kept your own stare straight and you were glad you did.

At the end of the aisle stood King Steven. His hair had been cut and his beard was gone. He looked like his portraits. But there was something different. Perhaps it was the faint smile on his lips that quivered at the sight of you. Wait… No… it was the eyes. Portraits made his blue eyes, dark, cold, unnerving.

But in this light, the man standing, waiting for you to be at his side, had different eyes. Tearful yet joyful. Excited. He stared at you with adoration. The sunset that poured in through the massive windows made him a sight to behold.

Your father gave you a kiss on the forehead and a small nod as he pulled his arm away from you. He handed you over to the other king. The two exchanged a look. A father giving warning to his daughter’s future husband. Treat her right, your father’s look said.

You turned and handed your bouquet to Natasha before you and Steven kneeled before the bishop. The wedding contracts were brought out. Steven signed first. Your hands trembled as you took a grip on the quill. You glanced over at your parents, who smiled and nodded. There was no going back now – and perhaps, you didn’t want to. With a deep breath, you signed your name and the ceremony continued.

»————-　⚜　————-««

You fiddled with the tassels of the cloak that was wrapped around your shoulders. It was a Brooken tradition that the husband wraps his bride in a cloak, or a tapestry of some kind, to bring her under his protection. The music blared on as excited chatter flooded the hall.

You were exhausted and had just finished dancing with your husband. The entire kingdom – or at least the ones who were in the castle – saw a change in the king. They remembered his last wedding to Queen Sharon many years before and how he danced with his bride once before retiring to his seat for the entire evening.

That king was gone. They knew it from the moment he refused to let you leave the dancefloor, making you dance with him for what felt like ages. The king who rarely smiled or laughed was like a child on Christmas when he stared down at you, when he held you to him, when he kissed you gently on the lips.

The change was welcomed though whispers about your demise was still being spread. Sure, the king seemed happy now. They hoped you would make him happy for the rest of his life, but the idea that King Steven’s queens were cursed or the idea that the king kills his wives still hung in the air. But no one dared bring it up on this day. This day was to be a joyous day. Brooken has a new queen. Their king has a new wife.

As the night dwindled down, you’ve lost count of how many lords and ladies bowed before you and your husband, all wishing you blessings and fruitful lives. Many meant it. King Steven was the last of his line and without an heir, the throne would go to Brock Rumlow who others despised. They wished that you would bring the king a son. Many envious ladies bowed before you, all who wished they were the one at the king’s side. Even Lord Rumlow and Lord Pierce toasted to your health and happy marriage.

A woman came up to the royal table. She was the date of one of Steven’s distant cousins – far too distant that he had no chance of gaining support to take the throne in the event the king dies without an heir. You heard the whispers and snickers from the ladies of the court the moment the woman arrived. “Witch,” they said. Neither you nor Steven believed in magic but decided to entertain the woman out of respect for his cousin. As distant as he may have been, he was still family.

She began muttering foreign words. Gasps erupting around you. The foreign words, from a witch of all people, was perceived as a threat – was she cursing you? Was she wishing death upon you or the king? Your father stood up in outrage as did your husband. His cousin put up his hands when guards started to surround them.

“It’s a fertility spell, your majesties!” He defended. “A fertility spell for the new bride’s womb!” Steven visibly relaxed, settling back into his seat. His hand found yours underneath the table. You tried to soothe him and rubbed small circles with your thumb although you were also rattled, thinking this woman might been the cause of the “cursed wives” rumor. You clenched your jaw and thanked his cousin and the woman as soon as she finished.

“I find that mildly offensive,” your father said as soon as he left. You laughed although you subtly felt the same.

“He’s a distant cousin.” Steven reminded, slightly embarrassed that someone from his family had the audacity to bring in “magical” assistance – and here everyone in Brooken thought the Starks were a strange family.

“Of course,” you chuckled. He glanced over at you, entranced by your smile. The dress, the flowers, everything made you look angelic. Steven couldn’t help himself but lean in and capture your lips with his.

“Well, I guess it’s time, then.” Your father said with a chuckle. You pulled away from your husband’s lips and felt heat rise to your cheeks. It felt strange showing affection in front of your parents, especially since a fortnight ago you were refusing to marry the king you now called your husband.

It was announced that you and the king would retire for the consummation. The music played on as your guests continued to dance and socialize among themselves. As you both excited the hall, there were whoops and cheers from the crowd. Some whispered and hoped that you would conceive Brooken’s heir this night. Your husband gave your hand a last kiss before you were swept away by your ladies to prepare for your wedding night.

Wanda had undone your hair as soon as Natasha managed to undo all laces of the corset. You bit at your fingernails nervously as you stared at yourself in the mirror. You were pale. A fear stricken young lady stood before you. Shivering and frightened, unsure of how tonight’s events would play out.

“Will it hurt?” You asked the two though you didn’t quite know why. They were both unwed. They were still maidens. Surely, they wouldn’t have any advice.

Wanda and Natasha glanced at one another, unsure of what to say. Should they lie to their queen? Say whatever they can to ease your nerves and lure you into a false sense of security when you lay with your husband for the first time? Or should they be truthful to their friend? Tell you the stories they hear from the whispers of other married women and the courtesans that entertained the unwed lords?

They chose to prepare you for what’s to come. There was no use in lying.

“It may, but just relax and breathe through it,” Natasha offered with a nervous smile. “The ladies say the men like to do the work, so let him work.”

Wanda put the cloak back on your shoulders, covering your night slip and your body underneath the heavy fabric. “Breathing is good.” She nodded. She wasn’t quite sure what else to tell you either. Your friend wanted to tell you that if it hurt too much to tell the king to stop, but she knew the advice would be pointless. As queen – as the king’s wife – it was your duty to bear him children at whatever cost and the marriage had to be consummated.

“We should go…” Natasha muttered. She put her hands on your shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze of encouragement.

-=+=-

You were in the king’s bedchambers first. You were surprised to see that it was empty. You expected Steven to be inside already waiting for you. Your ladies bid you their farewells as they left, leaving you to sit on the giant bed and contemplate. You were shaking. Your leg started to bounce against the floor.

As you got lost in your thoughts, the chamber doors opened to reveal Steven. He wore a white night shirt with matching trousers. You gulped as you stood up, straightening out your nightgown and interlocking your fingers in front of your stomach. This was happening.

“How should you have me?” You asked. Your voice was barely above a whisper and shook as you spoke. Steven didn’t respond. The silence was deafening and you couldn’t bare sit in it for any longer.

He smiled. “Pardon?” He heard you, but he just wanted to hear you say it again. So, you repeated the words. Steven bit his lip that curled into a grin and shook his head, a laugh escaping him. Your face fell… was he not interested in you? Did you not … did you not arouse him? As if reading your mind, he rushed in front of you and took your hands in his. “I do not laugh to make fun of you, (Y/N). I simply found it amusing.”

“You find me amusing… and not arousing?” You questioned, feeling doubt and insecure.

He shook his head and pressed a kiss to your forehead. “I simply mean that I have not heard a woman ask me that before I bedded her.” He pressed another kiss to your temple, inhaling that intoxicating scent. “I want you to enjoy this… This is your first after all.” He began to kiss his way down from your temple to your cheek, to your jaw, to your neck. You relished in the feeling, a tingling sensation taking over your body as he left open-mouthed kisses on the delicate skin of your neck. “If you’re uncomfortable, if it hurts – if I hurt you, please let me know.”

You nodded. You couldn’t find the words. Maybe it was because of your nerves, or perhaps you were drowning in the feeling of his lips on your skin. You weren’t quite sure.

He removed the cloak from your shoulders and began to kiss down to your collarbones as his fingers slowly began to unravel the loose ties of your nightgown. You were shaking, still. Before he considered pulling the gown off, he leaned in, ghosting over your lips with his before planting one gentle kiss.

“Are you okay?” He asked, cupping your jaw with one hand. You nodded. “Truthfully?”

“I’m frightened.” You admitted.

“Don’t be. I’ll be careful and if you tell me to stop, I will. God willing, we will have a lifetime of conceiving heirs ahead of us. It needn’t be done this night.”

“We must consummate the marriage.”

“Not at the expense of your comfort.”

“Please…” You murmured. “Please just touch me.”

Without another word, his lips found yours again. His hands scrunched at the skirt of the slip and slowly brought it up and over your body. He took a moment to admire you as the chilly night air met your skin. Goosebumps rose on your skin although you weren’t sure if it was from the air or from Steven’s stare. You felt your face flush as your hands instinctively tried to cover yourself.

“You’re beautiful,” Steven said. Gently unwrapping your arms from your body as if you were a present. He led you to the massive bed. His eyes never left yours as he removed his nightshirt, baring himself to you.

Your eyes widened. Of course, you were aware of the king’s massive build. His fancy clothes and coats did not hide his shoulders very well. He was like one of his sculptures – absolutely breathtaking. He slowly started to pull his trousers down, so you bashfully looked away, feeling your face heat up even more.

Steven crawled over you, placing a tender kiss to your lips. His hands brushed your hair away from your face, cupping you with his massive palms. You felt something hard rub against your thigh. You weren’t naïve enough to be unsure of what it was… You knew.

He licked at your bottom lip. You weren’t sure what that meant so you paid it no mind. One of his hands abandoned your face and slowly slithered down to your slickening folds. You moaned when he stroked against a bud within the folds. He took the opportunity to push his tongue into your mouth and you didn’t hate the feeling.

You remembered Natasha’s advice – ���let him work” – and decided to let him dominate the kiss and the pace. Your skin tingled as your lower region increasingly became heated underneath Steven’s ministrations.

He kissed your lips once more before slowly descending down your body, leaving open-mouthed kisses on your skin. Your eyes widened in realization and embarrassment as you tried to pull yourself from underneath him, but his hands grabbed at your thighs and held you in place.

“Steven – “

“Trust me.” He muttered, staring up at you from between your thighs. When you relaxed into his touch, he gave one broad-tongued lick to your folds. The sensation made you threw your head back into the pillows with your eyes closed.

Steven pulled apart your lower lips and focused his tongue on the same bud. You couldn’t hold in the moans that escaped you. Your hands blindly lost themselves in his golden locks. You couldn’t help imagine how this would feel if Steven hadn’t shaved his beard.

He had you gasping. Your walls were clenching around nothing until he slowly inserted a finger. You flinched, but his tongue working its way through you dulled the ache. With the single finger, he stroked against your walls, exploring your tight channel. A coil started to tighten in your stomach. He groaned against your cunt and your thighs clenched his head, holding him in place – not that he minded.

Another finger was pushed into you which caused you to squeak. A spark was sent through your body. “Steven…” you murmured, but he didn’t respond, too caught up in you. He thrusted and curled his fingers as you clenched. His tongue was relentless as if you were a fine wine that he couldn’t get enough of. “St – Steven…” You moaned your husband’s name as you felt the coil snap and you felt yourself gush around the king’s fingers. He returned your moan with his own as he lapped up your juices.

Your chest was rising and falling heavily as your thighs released their hold on the king’s head. Your eyes fluttered open to meet his smirk. His lips and chin shined in the candlelight. His tongue darted out of his mouth, lapping up what was left of you on his lips and fingers, using the back of his hand to wipe away his chin.

“You alright?” He asked you.

“Wh – What happened?”

Steven smiled at you. You were so innocent. You were a sight to behold beneath him. Naked with your exposed skin covered in a sheen of sweat and lips swollen from his kiss. “You orgasmed,” he told you. You flushed at his words. “Are you ready, my love?” You nodded.

It was only then you saw his member for the first time. Your eyes widened at the sight. You remembered your comment to one of your father’s councilmen – “men who are well endowed give their wives sons.”

If you did fall pregnant this night, you were certain that the king would breed a son within you.

Steven was kneeling between your knees. He bent your legs and widened them, giving him a better look at your dripping cunt. He pumped his member a few times and teased you with the tip.

You took a deep breath and winced as the head penetrated you. Slowly, he started to push into you, watching his cock enter you. You felt your entire body clench as you struggled to accommodate to his sizeable girth.

The pressure, the stretch it felt unbearable. You winced and groaned out in pain. Steven stopped moving.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“It… It’s fine.” You answered with a strained voice. The king shook his head and began to retreat from within you, but you shook your head as your legs unraveled to wrap around his torso, keeping him in place. His movements halted as he stared at you with concern. “Keep going…” You begged. “Please…”

Hesitantly, the king began to push into you again. After long beats of intense pressure and the feeling of being torn open, the king had finally sheathed his length into your maidenhood. He leaned over your body so that he completely entrapped you underneath him. He peppered your face – cheeks, forehead, nose, lips, anything his lips could touch – with light kisses as he whispered sweet nothings and praises into your ear.

“Can I move?” He whispered. You nodded.

Slowly, the king pulled out little by little only to gently push right in, acquainting your walls with him. On one particular thrust, you jolted as he grazed a sweet spot you didn’t even know existed. You felt a rush of pleasure despite still being in a bit of pain. Steven reveled in your reaction as your winces soon became moans.

His thrusts were gentle although he had begun a steady speed. He groaned into your ear – the sound going straight into your hot core. “You feel so good,” his voice was like a growl.

The sound of skin slapping was faint, muddled by the pleasure-riddled sounds that left yours and Steven’s lips. Sensitive from your previous orgasm, you already felt that familiar coil begin to tighten. You involuntarily clenched around the king’s cock. He groaned at the sensation, burying his head into the crook of your neck. He gently bit at the skin and kissed the bruises that formed.

“Steve – Steven!” You moaned, your back caving as the coil snapped for a second time that night. Your walls were like a vice on the king, milking him and tempting him.

He moaned out your name in kind, slamming his hips into yours which made you gasp. A warm feeling spread throughout your sex. The king stayed inside of you. His head still buried into your neck. Both of you were breathing heavily, attempting to catch your breath.

“Are you hurt?” He asked, kissing the delicate skin of your décolletage. Still breathless, you shook your head. Steven pulled away from your neck and grabbed one of the many pillows behind you. Carefully, he pulled out of you – you winced at the sudden emptiness – and placed the pillow underneath your waist, elevating your pelvis. You thought if this was another Brooken tradition, but then realized it was to keep his seed inside of you.

Steven settled to your side. An arm wrapping around your stomach as he nuzzled into your body. He pressed a kiss to your cheek, and you turned your head to stare at him.

“I … “you said but stopped yourself. You clenched your jaw, unsure of how to recover. You felt butterflies in your stomach – though, it could’ve just been the king’s seed.

Steven leaned in to kiss you gently. You smiled against his lips. Perhaps, this life could be great after all.

»————-　⚜　————-««

Your parents were quiet on their journey home. It’s been three days since your wedding. Your mother teased your father about your sudden radiance as you walked through the castles. They would miss your coronation, but they did have their own kingdom to handle.

The joys of the wedding were left at Brooken as they embarked on their journey back to York. Your mother’s teasing nature and happy smiles were gone as she stared out the carriage window. Your father had a gloomy expression to match.

“I hope she gets pregnant soon…” Your mother muttered.

“I’d rather not talk about my daughter’s sexual escapades.” Your father half-joked. His mood didn’t brighten.

“We should’ve told her.”

“If we told her, she wouldn’t have gotten married and she would’ve pushed to be brought home.” Your father sighed. He raised a fighter. An arguer. A bright young woman that was now a queen.

“She has a right to know.” Your mother reasoned.

“You were alone with her more than I was. You had the chance to tell her. Why didn’t you?” Your father snapped. His wife stayed silent. The tension in the carriage was so thick that a blade wouldn’t even cut through it.

Queen Virginia sniffled. Your father’s hard expression softened as he wrapped his arm around his queen, pulling her to his side. She curled into his chest as she began to cry.

“It’s not fair. It’s not fair that I will outlive my own son.” Your mother cried. Her voice cracked as a sob escaped her. The words broke Tony’s heart. “I brought him into this world. He was meant to be a king…”

“No one could’ve foreseen his illness,” your father soothed. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her arms to comfort her.

“He will leave us in a few months’ time… Will she even have the opportunity to say goodbye?”

“It’s better she doesn’t know. She will leave Steven’s side and he will be crushed when his queen refuses to stay by him.”

“She deserves to say goodbye to her brother, Tony.”

“I agree, my love,” your father sighed. “But when the time comes, when Harvey dies and I, god willing, long after, she will truly unite the north. The North will be one under her rule as the rightful queen of York and Brooken. Long may (Y/N) Rogers reign.”

[shadowturtlesstuff]

Dress

reputation-cressworth

so the song dress by taylor swift screams cressworth to be, the sort of mutual pining and honest love they have for each other. so i wrote a semi canon but not at all canon peice. (4k words)

                                              ><><><><><><

The night was lasting forever, time dragged on as people danced and drank and celebrated, despite there still being a murderer roaming the streets and slaughtering innocent women. They acted like they could never be injured by the killer just because of their class, when for all anyone knew the killer was in this room right now plotting. I hoped they started with me, just so I didn't have to experience this torture any longer; although it was highly unlikely seeing as they focused on lower class women. A pity, really, I could think of many who deserve it more. I could think of only one one person in this room that perhaps didn't deserve to suffer the fate three women already have. 

Audrey Rose Wadsworth.

Perhaps my only friend in this god-forsaken world. One that I cannot even spend time with, as one would like. It's an absurd notion but one that I can't ignore otherwise I've no job and I don't think Jonathan Wadsworth would take me on knowing I’m currently working for his rival, even if I quit myself and I did everything in my power to show off my exceptional talents and gain his trust. Especially if he finds out I'm madly in love with his niece; and have been for awhile. I must admit it was never my intention to do so, or to even be her friend, but when you are trying to solve the same crimes you tend to run into each. Often. And so overtime we became friends, begrudgingly on her part. Then, when we faced danger a few weeks back, and I thought I'd lose her over my actions and Oliver's inability to tell me the truth, we kissed. Since then we have been trying to navigate our feelings whilst also pretending to not know each other. It is incredibly difficult not to walk over to her now, take her hands and offer a dance. To then kiss her and watch her cheeks redden and her to smile at me. To know I made her smile. Each smile melts the coldness of my heart that I've spent years creating to protect myself. I believed I needn't ever need a friend nor wife. Yet, perhaps, someday Audrey could be both of those and we wouldn't need to freeze our hearts to protect ourselves.

 All night I've been trying to catch her gaze but her eyes refuse to meet mine, at least with my knowledge that is. I caught her staring when she believed I was otherwise engaged in something so that I wouldn't notice. I notice every time. It's been a fun game, the only good thing about this evening. It is someone's birthday, someone my father deems important enough to drag me along too. Even though he hates me, and I him. Even though I have no intention of finding a wife this way or taking over his business. Audrey Rose was an unexpected gift, at this party and my life. I hadn't realised she'd be here with her family but I should have assumed. Or asked, but we had only seen each other once since the kiss and most of that time was spent discussing corpses and the no longer occasional flirting. She is remarkably good at getting under my skin, at leaving me without words and making me want to just hold her in my arms for both our sakes. Her uncle and my boss would be furious if they found out we'd been sharing theories, but unlike my boss I want to solve the case to get a murderer off the streets and not the fame; Audrey Rose is utterly horrified by the grotesk way women are being violated. So the more we work together the faster we can solve it for good. 

‘You think they know more than us?’ I hear vaguely, I pull my eyes away from Audrey Rose and grimace. Mr. Douglas caught me staring but assumed it was over Jonathan Wadsworth and about the murders. 

“There's a high chance sir.” Mainly due to the man's ignorance and my inability to share my ideas with him. He takes a seat next to me so I sit straighter and force myself not to look at Audrey Rose. “I've heard the girl, what's her name?”

“Audrey Rose Wadsworth, sir.” I tell him as plainly as possible.

“Right, sure. I've heard she's helping him. I've no idea why such a pretty thing would waste her life pretending to be a detective but-”

“What?” I was going to strangle him. His complete and utter ineptitude towards Audrey Rose, to how women truly were versus what they are perceived as in society was astonishing. I would truly strangle him if I wasn't as shocked. And if I didn't have to hide my feelings for her. 

“I know I was baffled when I heard it too, she'll make herself unavailable if she keeps the way she's going.” he doesn't take his eyes off her as if he wanted to be the one to make her unavailable and not science. Even though that notion was outrageous. I rolled my eyes at him as a brilliant idea struck. 

“Hear me out, sir, what if I pursue her? I mean if she is one for science she will know about the case and I doubt she knows me so I can easily charm her and I can get whatever information I can to help us solve the case faster.” I try to explain my plan in a non desperate way. Hopefully he will think I believe Audrey Rose is incapable of figuring out deceit and that she'll just spill her guts to me; that I don't care about the case. When, in reality, I just want one dance with her. I'm exasperated in hiding my feelings and it's only been a few weeks. Maybe it would be a lot easier to try and beg for an apprenticeship with Jonathan Wadsworth than deal with this misogynistic self centered-

“Not a half bad idea. For once you have got a decent plan. Although maybe I should be the one to charm her, seen as your, well, you have as much charm as a brick wall to put it simply. So let me-”

“I'm more than capable.” I say and get out of my chair and start striding towards her before he can get there first. If he even opened his mouth to her she would berate him so heavily that he would have to hibernate until people forget. Not that Audrey Rose is forgettable in any way.  Maybe I should've let him try first just to see that. Alas, I need to at least have a conversation with her. I made my way to her table, her father and brother were conversing and her uncle looked about as miserable and irritated as I did. Audrey Rose just looked bored. 

She looks beautiful though, her pale green and blue dress offsets her darker features and highlights her dazzling eyes. The light reflects off her perfectly, showing her sharp features and illuminating her mothers necklace at her chest. When I finally reach her table her eyes find mine and red begins to line her cheeks and her brows furrow at the sight of me. I notice slightly her father and brother cease to be as they look at me as well. 

“May I borrow your daughter for a dance, sir?” I asked him. He looks confused but I'm sure he realized who I am. Who my father is. I'm sure his mind is filled with implications about what the title could do for him if we were to be wed. 

“Cert-”

“No.” her uncle interjects. Her father looks furious, brother amused and her aunt; I hadn't even noticed her aunt was there with I assume her cousin. 

“What do you mean no? She's my daughter I suggest you-”

“No. Mr. Cresswell, what are you doing? You do not wish to seek out my niece for the case do you? If so, leave now.”

I blink at the tone. Of course he'd see through it; however he is technically wrong. 

“No sir, I can see why you'd think that but I truly wish to dance. Your daughter is captivating.” I would rather seek the end of the killer's knife than continue this conversation. 

“I shall dance with you Mr. Cresswell.” Audrey Rose seems inclined to inflict the same fate as me. Without listening to the rest of her family she walks towards the dance floor so I follow her. She hesitantly puts her arms on my shoulders and I put my own on her waist. I feel lighter than I have all evening; as though I've had many drinks of champagne and Mrs Harvey's tonic. I give her a genuine smile and feel her own tension release. 

“I'm glad you saved me. I've been dreadfully bored.” She greets me in such an improper and Audrey Rose way that I laugh.

“I'll always be the one to save you Wadsworth. I am your Dark Prince. Be sure to think about me and my heroic nature whenever you're alone.” 

“Please.” She begins as we start to sway, “I have more important things to consider than you.” She tries to be serious but it is not her strongest ability when talking to me. 

“You look beautiful, Audrey Rose.” She rolls her eyes at me despite her blush. “The dress is magnificent, compliments you perfectly, although completely unnecessary, I'm sure you are perfectly capable of rendering me speechless without a dress on at all.”

Her eyes widen at such scandalous words and her cheeks redden even more but her eyes dazzle with the promise of mischief. “You claim I render you speechless yet you still speak? Are you lying or just horribly bad at compliments? Or, you hate the dress but need to charm me nonetheless?”

“Wadsworth, darling, please, do you really think that little of me? I'm merely stating the obvious, it's what I do best. And I don't need to charm you when you are already infatuated with me. If I were you I would be. And as much as you truly render me speechless with your brilliant mind, I adore your body too, an added bonus, but I will always be able to tell you how astonishing you look.”

She focuses on my face, searching for something, perhaps a lie but she finds none and smiles at me, the sweetest little smile, and I debate placing a chaste kiss to her smiling red lips to also show her how honest I am right now but know that I cannot. Not yet. So I pinch her waist slightly and she lets out a tiny squeak and pinches me back. 

“It is a good job you are not me then isn't it?” She recovers perfectly and has the audacity to look smug at me. I press my hand to my chest and gawk at her. I'm losing the battle of wits, unsurprisingly, so I move the conversation along to try and turn it back in my favour.

“I've enjoyed the game tonight, our secret moments in this crowded room no one knows about. Each little glance at me gives my heart a rush. Makes it worth being at this blastidly boring event. I've missed you.”

We remain in comfortable silence, my last confessions washing over us both. 

“When does this get easier?” She whispers to me, her eyes finding mine, glassy as she contemplates what is running rampant in her mind. “I want to stay with you all night, but after this we must return to our lives, I go back to being judged for my curiosity and you will go back to the animatronic villain the world thinks you are. When does it get easier Thomas?” 

I keep us spinning, holding onto her waist and not ready to let her disappear. She's right. It's a horrible wait to be away from her and having to wear my armour everyday. It's even harder for her to try and have a career in science and not have someone by her side, completely by her side. There must be something we can do, I can do, to make our lives better. 

“Wadsworth, how much does your uncle hate me?” A plan begins to form in my head. One I've been debating for a while. Her eyes narrow knowing I have a plan but she must be so tired as she doesn’t bother asking what and says: 

“He doesn't hate you, at least I don’t think he does. He- he isn't a person who gives positive opinions on anyone. Even me. But no, I do not think he hates you, just Mr. Douglas. Oh but he doesn't like that you are working against us. For him no less.” 

“It's not ideal, I despise him, he doesn't care about the cases, but of the fame; it makes me near vomit whenever he speaks about the women- or any woman for that matter.”

She hums in agreement, her uncle must have told her all this. “Audrey Rose, if I were to quit would your uncle offer me an apprenticeship?”

“I think so but why?”

“There are more benefits in working with your uncle than that egotistical man. The main one being right in front of me.” The words leave my mouth before I consider the consequences. I feel her grip on my shoulders tighten slightly, her gaze fixed intently at my eyes, seeking something, and her body has stopped swaying to the music. I smile, hoping to convey the utmost truth in my words. She sees it and begins to sway again, looking away and trying to calm her heart. I attempt the same. 

“You could talk to my uncle tonight, I'm sure he'd much rather discuss the case or anything remotely close to work rather than listening to my aunt.”

“Would you want me to work alongside you Wadsworth because if not I can-”

Her head whips up to me and I cringe, I've said something wrong, I just assumed she wanted to see me. “Do not finish that sentence Thomas. Of course I want you to work with me and my uncle.” 

“My brilliance is desperately needed isn't it? I mean you cannot resist my charm.” I smile and her own graces her face and the mere sight of her happy because of me makes my heart want to burst. I'm almost certain it will. She quickly acts unimpressed and rolls her eyes at me.

“No, I'm merely the one saving you from that- that man before he rots the only decent part of your brain.” She smirks at me and it's my turn to roll my eyes. 

“If you are the one saving me, will you be like the heroes in the books, because I do recall that they always give their saved maidens a kiss once they are saved?” 

Her eyes widen and her cheeks turn a deep red as she hits my arm lightly. I take that as yes as I laugh at her. The song is ending, and we've already had two dances. I should take her back to her table, I should talk to her uncle. I should do anything but kiss her. But I want to. 

Thankfully she has more self control and leads us back to her table. I stand awkwardly until she rolls her eyes at me and pushes the chair next to her with her feet for me to sit. I scowl at her slightly before meeting the gazes of all the males in her life and I revisit my early thought to perhaps dance with the murderer instead. Her father orders one of the waiters to bring a glass of champagne but I'd rather smoke. Not that this is a place to do so. The silence drowns me as the glass is set in front of me. My hands find the base and I begin to mess with the glass. Now would not be the best time to bring up the case because Jonathan Wadsworth is glaring at me. His brother elbows him slightly and then looks at me with a plastered smile. Jonathan promptly leaves in search of food and I contemplate what would be worse. Trying to follow him or stay. I steal a glance at Audrey-Rose but she has a smile dancing on her face. 

“So Mr. Cresswell, my son has been telling me a bit about you, what is it you do again?” 

“I'm a scientist sir.” His face drops and I look at Audrey Rose. 

“Surely a man of your title would pursue something other than that?”

“Science isn't about titles sir, it's just the pursuit of knowledge. You must want to know how things work, how things are made. I enjoy learning about the body, the world and how it works.” He narrows his eyes slightly and I feel as though I'm on a tightrope; any wrong word and he will push me off. Mr. Wadsworth looks at his daughter for a second before returning his attention back to his son. Once again I steal a glance at Audrey Rose and hers in on her own glass. So her father dislikes her pursuit of science. So he dislikes me too. I try and hide my contemptment and so I tap the table trying to get her attention and she looks up at me and I give her a warm smile, just for her. Only ever for her. She returns the sentiment and all I want to do is envelop her in a hug and tell her it is okay to want to pursue science. 

We remain in silence, I wonder whether I should go back to my own table but I cannot seem to be able to. Jonathan Wadsworth returns, taking a seat beside me. He is silent for some time so I speak before I begin bouncing my leg up and down. 

“Would it be okay for me to attend your school sir?” I look at his face and it reveals nothing. 

“Yes,” I sigh in relief, perhaps if I show my abilities there he will offer me an apprenticeship. I hear Audrey Rose also sigh, but for a different reason. I assume she has had no luck in being able to attend, and all it took was me asking. “On one condition,” Jonathan interrupts my thoughts, “you must stop working for Mr. Douglas.” It's a fair condition, he cannot have someone learning his theories on the crime and have them report back to someone. I consider asking to allow Audrey Rose to join me as my own stipulation but don't want to push my luck. Yet. I will ask in the future.

“Of course.” Tomorrow I shall resign, then make sure I spend lunch with Audrey Rose and discuss helping her attend the school. Not that she needs help, but I'm sure just offering her my assistance and giving her the choice to use it will be beneficial to her.

I return back to my table, albeit very reluctantly, and give some information to Mr. Douglas. I choose to ignore the surprise on his face over the fact I have some, despite me having had it for over a week now. I choose to ignore the look he gives Audrey Rose too. That is until I follow his now frowning gaze to where she is storming out of the room. He goes to stand, as though he could ever help, so I wave a hand at him and casually walk out after her. I find her nearer the edge of the garden, hands running over her arms and tears threatening to spill. 

“Miss. Wadsworth, is everything okay?” Cautiously I stand just behind her, ready to leave her if she asks to be alone; but she lets out a joyless laugh and spins to look at me. 

“Perfect, Mr. Cresswell. I am a woman in this absurd society so I must not dare think about anything remotely masculine. I must not be able to pick who I love but have my father arrange it without informing me.” The words she spits at me bite worse than the cold seeping into my bones. 

“Audrey Ro-”

“Blackburn. He chose Blackburn. He was never nice to me to be my friend, but because of him and my fathers scheming. If he hadn't been he would not have been this nice to me. I know I am not exactly the nicest person and that my interests disgust society but it was nice to have a friend.” She whispers the last part as though it pains her too. It pains me to hear it.

“Am I not your friend Audrey Rose?” The attempt at a joke is abysmal and I curse in my head at how bad I am at interacting with people, especially those I love.

“You are but you're different, you, I don't need to try with you Thomas. I have to try with everyone but you.”  I dare a step towards her and her eyes meet mine. We needn't say a thing for us to understand each other. 

“Wadsworth, I find it easy with you too. More than I even understand. This world is cruel and I wish more than anything to make it better for you, for it to be better in general. I- my father long ago gave up trying to marry me off, deeming me worthless and unable to love, and I still cannot figure out which is worse.” My voice becomes hoarse as I take her gloved hand in mine. “You are worth more to society than they realise, so please keep fighting for your freedom. I will forever remain your friend if that is what you wish to happen, to help you figure this world out.” I'll be more than your friend if you wish that too. I fail to add. Her hand tightens on mine and I fail to breathe properly. 

“Thomas,” she breathes out, it caresses me slightly, her voice smooth and sure, “you are not unlovable, your father is a fool. An utter fool. I want you by my side always, I fear I couldn't do this without you.” Closer she comes, impossible so, and I fear I may have to think about anything menial so I do not kiss her and inevitably ruin this. “What if, what if it was more than friends though?” Her question is hesitant, and my heart stops dead. We may have kissed, may have flirted, but a part of me never considered she reciprocated my feelings. “I- I’m sorry.” She stammers, taking a step back, misjudging my silent shock. I wince and keep her hand in mine. Her own shock widens on her face and I speak before she can beat me to it. 

“Wadsworth I'd like that too.”

There is a second of silence as it sinks in. “You would?” 

“More than anything. I care deeply about you. I shall court you like a proper gentleman if that is what you wish” I return to how we stood seconds ago as she snorts at my statement. 

“You are anything but a gentleman Cresswell.” The smile returns on her face as we both laugh. “It may be my favourite thing about you.” I flash her a devilish smile. 

“I am fully aware, love, that you love the scandalousness of my words. Would you like to go back inside or return home, I am sure I can get us a carriage to share.”

“Us? Thomas you do not live with me.”

“Yet.” I add. She rolls her eyes but does not disagree. “It would be ungentlemanly to let you return home alone; and purly scandalous to be in close quarters with you.” I wink as she retreats from me to where the carriages are. 

“Very well, you may escort me home. From a distance.” She adds with narrowed eyes and I laugh at her implications but follow her nonetheless. I follow her into what seems like a new life, new hopes, ones I never thought possible. Her dress swishes around her, sweeping around her ankles at her light steps. The green gems twinkle against the lamplights, her hair cascading down her back, covering the slight cut of the dress, hiding her skin. Devastating. Utterly captivating. Her footsteps stop as she realizes I have not moved. She turns to face me, brows furrowed. I blink and brush away my thoughts to follow her. 

“Are you alright?” She asks, falling into step with me. 

“Yes of course, I get to leave with the most dazzling woman at the party.” 

We link arms, pay for a carriage and start to head towards Audrey Roses’ house. We sit across from each other, but the carriage is small, and I happen to have quite long legs that are deliberately stretched out to brush against hers. I catch her trying not to stare at me so I nudge her and slowly she looks at me. “I am still watching for that kiss, Wadsworth.”

She blinks and I raise my eyebrows at her new forming blush. She had not listened to what I said at all. “Wadsworth?” I ask and she hums a response shaking her head slightly. 

“Cresswell?”

“My kiss? I am still waiting for it.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion then her eyes widened as she processed the words. I lean forward, even as doubt pricks at my mind that she doesn't want to kiss me and will throw me out of the carriage if I move any closer to her. But she doesn't allow those thoughts to take over me completely as she leans in too and her lips meet mine. Warmth fills me, as we press closer together, my hand holds her knee and tightens as she deepens the kiss slightly. The kiss is gentle, soft and somehow better than the first one. The one before had been rushed, a kiss to convey how much we were thankful neither one of us was hurt. This kiss held promise, one I fully intended to keep. I hold my best friend closely for a second longer before I pull back, I search for any doubt in her eyes but find none. I only find adoration in her bright green eyes, her flushed cheeks and slightly bruised mouth. No regret. No hesitancy. So I press a small kiss on her lips and lean back so we can regain our composure before we leave the carriage. 

“I should save you from boring events more often if it means kissing you like that.” Her answering smile leads me to believe that she'd like that too. 

(i love writing dramatic Thomas)

i am working on the asks sent, i have plans and ideas for them so watch on in the next few weeks for them. i also have a feysand idea that i want to do

tages:  @fangirling-again (thank you for editing)  @city-of-fae  @the-hoofflepooff @padfoot-sirius-black @goatahoan @kittycat2187 @loveyatopluto @goddess-of-writing @yikesitsmaddie @lovecakeandmore @boredbookwormgirl

[rhysismydaddy]

Feysand Pregnancy Fluff

From an ask! Heavily influenced by the fact that I am ~super~ on my period right now and in a mood myself lol. In Feyre’s POV. 

I’m working on cleaning out my box rn and then will be starting After Midnight :)

____________________________________________________________

Am I aware that I’m acting like a psycho? Yes. 

Does it change my mood, and thereby psycho tendencies? No. 

“I just think it’s funny, honestly.” That’s a lie. I didn’t find it funny at all. 

Rhysand sighs, because after four years of marriage, he knows he’s in pretty deep shit. 

“You smiled. Someone compared your wife to a beached whale, and you smiled.”

He’ll either stick to his story or admit that he’s a horrible human being. 

He chooses the first option, unfortunately. “Feyre, darling, I didn’t smile.”

“Well then you should be a goddamn ventriloquist or something, because I could’ve sworn I heard you chuckle, too.”

Like the complete asshole he is, his lips twitch. “That wasn’t me.”

“You are such a bad liar, Rhysand De’Luca.”

He turns into the driveway of our house in the suburbs and rolls his eyes. “It must be from all these years living with you. I used to be a better one.”

“So you admit you’re lying!” I exclaim, half in victory, half in anger as I waddle from the car. 

I’m well aware that our neighbors, the Havenshims or something, are staring at our little exchange with raised brows, but I still call my husband a filthy liar. And a horrible person. And a snake in the grass.

Where I even learned that last phrase, I have no idea. 

Rhysand bites his lip, but I see the edge of a smile form anyway, and it makes the temper spike even worse. The fact that he shrugs to our neighbors doesn’t help, either. 

Stomping to the front door, I unlock it, walk inside, and close it in his face. I don’t bother locking it though, since he learned a month ago to keep a set of keys on him. 

I toss my shoes off, barely resisting the temptation to turn around and throw one at his head, and walk up the stairs. “In case you don’t remember, it’s your fault I look like a beached whale anyway. And you had the utter audacity to laugh!”

Once I’m up the stairs, I take a few moments to catch my breath, gritting my teeth in annoyance. 

Did you know male babies burn more calories than female babies? Guess which one I’m carrying. 

Or should I say ones. 

Because my stupid, lying husband somehow managed to knock me up with twins on our first go. Male twins. 

I think I hate him. 

“Pretty sure it took the both of us, although I did probably put in more effort.”

Nope. I know it. 

“I want a divorce,” I tell him as I attempt to slide the side of my dress zipper down. Of course it gets stuck on my ginormous stomach, which doesn’t do much for the mood I’m in. 

Before I can grab a knife and just cut it off, Rhys’s hands replace mine and tug, and I watch in the mirror as he pushes the fabric off my shoulders. 

Leaving me rotund and naked before him in the mirror. 

And just like that, I start to cry. “You know, I’m tried my best to look good tonight, okay? I did my hair, even though it’s dry and hasn’t been cut in three months, and I put on makeup, even though I was sweating so much it took an hour.”

Said makeup is being destroyed by the sheer amount of tears streaming down my face, but who cares. I’m a whale anyway. 

“You look beautiful. You always do.”

That just makes me cry harder for some reason. 

“And I didn’t laugh at what Cassian said,” he informs me, wisely refraining from repeating it himself. “I laughed at how hard Nesta punched him when he did.”

I sniffle. “Oh.”

Gentle hands on my shoulders turn me around, and then he tsks and wiped the tears on my cheeks away with his thumb. “You’re gorgeous. Makeup or no. Nine months pregnant or no.”

Pushing my head against his chest, I’m glad he wears so much black, because my mascara’s probably running everywhere. “Okay.”

“We’re only five days away now,” he tells me, and I can hear the smile in his voice. 

I’m about to smile, too when another horrible thought occurs. 

“Oh, gods. I only have five days until I have to push two bowling balls out of my lady parts,” I wail, and he sighs against the top of my head. 

I almost fall when his chest suddenly disappears, but he comes back quickly, wrapping my fluffiest robe around me and leading me to the bed. I’m about to protest when he just holds up a hand. 

Still crying, I ease onto the bed. It takes about eight pillows--one of which belongs to my husband--but I finally get comfortable. 

Giving up on being sanitary tonight, I sniffle and wipe my nose on the collar of my robe. Rhys is up and about, pulling off his pants and shirt to reveal the stupidly perfect body underneath. 

He should be fat, too. 

He should be fat and disgusting and have people make fun of him. 

Life is so unfair, I think as he pulls on an old college shirt and goes to the bathroom for something. 

When he comes back, sits on the bed, and murmurs, “Close your eyes,” I have to amend my statement. Maybe it’s not so bad. 

Because even if I am nine months pregnant and an emotional wreck, I have a husband who takes off my makeup for me at night. 

He gently wipes the foundation and lipstick and mascara away, then unclips the earrings I forgot I was wearing. I peer up at him, and he just looks back at me, beautiful eyes full of patience and love. 

“I don’t know if I can do this, Rhys,” I whisper, mentally building a dam to hold the tears back. 

“Oh, Feyre, darling.” 

He crawls over me somehow and lays on my other side, careful not to disturb my mountain of pillows as he leans on an arm to hover over me. 

His lips softly meet my cheek, then my forehead, then each eyelid, before landing briefly on my mouth. 

“You may not know, but I do. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ll probably curse me to hell the whole time, but you can do it.” 

“Probably,” I laugh. 

He puts a hand on my bulging stomach, smiling when one of the babies kicks against his palm. “Five days until we get to meet them. What do you think they’re going to be like?”

“Loud. Smelly.” 

Rhys rolls his eyes and settles down further in the bed, not even mentioning his lack of pillow. “I think one’s going to be really athletic and tall. You’ll want him to play something safe like baseball, but he’ll choose hockey. And he’ll have your blue eyes and blonde hair and charming personality, so we’ll have to give him the birds and bees talk when he’s four.”

I smile at the ceiling. “And the other?”

“He’ll be smart like you. Probably will come out knowing how to read. And he’ll definitely get along with Azriel and Elain, so we’ll have to fight for his attention.” He yawns, hand going still on top of my belly. “But it’ll be worth it, because he’ll cure cancer or something, and we’ll be in the paper and they’ll praise us for creating such a stand up guy.”

“As long as the whole article’s about us,” I reason, putting my hand on top of his and interlinking our fingers. 

“Of course.”

Turning my face to his, I press a kiss to his forehead. “I love you so much. Even if I’m crazy. Even if I curse you to hell when I finally have your babies.”

His violet eyes open, and he kisses me softly. “I know. I love you, too. I can’t wait.”

“Me either,” I whisper back, eyes drifting close as I fall asleep, hand still atop my stomach, intertwined with his. 

____________________________________________________________

@perseusannabeth @cursebreaker29 @a-bit-of-a-cactus @girl-who-reads-the-books @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln @rowanisahunk @superspiritfestival @studyliketate @over300books @justgiu12 @maastrash @aesthetics-11 @bamchickawowow @b00kworm @sleeping-and-books @musicmaam @savemesoon8 @hizqueen4life @maybekindasortaace

[blue-and-dog]

The Beast in the Mountains (A Sengoku Basara One-Shot)

Note: This story is centered around my fanon that, post-Sekigahara, Mitsunari and his family fled into the mountains to live in hiding for several years before his death. A wife is mentioned, but for the sake of this story I keep her ambiguous so you readers who have an OC shipped with him can just slap her in there. :D Shiranui’s profile is here.

TW: BLOOD, ANIMAL ATTACK

[[MORE]]

“That’s a good size fire; try and keep it like that for now.”

The group of men sat around the small fire; four dirty, tired, ragged men on the run from proper society, obscured by the darkness of the mountain’s dense forest, barely illuminated by the small fire. Sadanobu continued.

“Any brighter and we risk attracting animals. I’m already worried about smoke flowin’ through the treetops.”

“With how thick these trees are?” Gaku chuckled, “I’m surprised the moonlight even gets through here. We’ll be fine. We just gotta make sure to put it out before we call it a night.”

“You sure no one’ll find us up here?” Naofumi asked, as usual fidgeting with his hands out of anxiety.

“Relax, I did some scoping out of the town not far from these mountains,” Matazaemon shook his head, “They’re superstitious folk. Somethin’ about an old legend saying there’s a guardian spirit that lives on this mountain. People who go too high up the mountain end up in its territory and meet a horrible fate or some shit like that. That’s why I wanted to set up the camp so high up.”

“Besides, we’re not staying long...” Sadanobu pulled out the thick sack from behind him, “We gotta get to my guy in Kyoto and pawn all this off.”

Another successful heist for the unlikely group of criminals; two army deserters, a farmer and a gambler, able to pool their strengths and successfully rob their way across the East. Traveling nobles, temples, inns—nothing was safe. The country was a mess—they were just taking the opportunity to help themselves.

“That last temple was hidin’ some good loot!” Gaku said excitedly, “I still can’t believe how lucky we got! Lemme see again!”

Sadanobu rolled his eyes, but smiled and passed the bag to Gaku, who excitedly opened it, tilting it toward the light of the fire to see the inside; the head of the gold Buddha glittered back at him. “We got enough goodies in here to eat like kings for weeks!”

“Man, I haven’t eaten a decent meal since the Toyotomi...” Sadanobu sighed and leaned back. “It’ll be nice...”

“Hey, yeah, you were a Toyotomi guy!” Matazaemon laughed, “I was Oda! I know your pain.”

“You’re kidding! You don’t strike me as an Oda guy.”

“And you don’t strike me as a Toyotomi!” he cackled back, as the two howled in laugher. Gaku and Naofumi chuckled along.

“You know, you two never talked about your army days,” Naofumi pointed out, “We got time—why not start now?”

“It’s really nothin’ much,” Matazaemon shook his head, digging through another bag to grab a rice ball and start distributing them amongst the group, “I joined up so my old man didn’t have to, wound up havin’ to do a lot of killing and burning and pillaging that I really never wanted to do. Watched all the major generals shining above everyone else, while the foot soldiers were trampled beneath them. Date, Takeda, Uesugi...they were the kind of guys that really made war seem like a fun time.”

“I know what you mean,” Gaku replied, “They made it look like something we should aspire to. I almost joined up with Date myself, but...when folks from the Date came around enlisting able-bodied men, I took off so my mom wouldn’t have to see her only son die for the sake of some egotist who just wanted more land for himself. I wonder how she’s doing...?”

“That’s the thing about these generals and daimyo,” Naofumi shrugged, “They shine brighter by standing on the backs of their soldiers.”

“Oda was a complete monster, though,” Matazaemon grumbled. “All of his inner circle were. Moment I got news Akechi killed him, I took the opportunity to turn tail while everyone was scrambling around. Never looked back.”

“Similar to my story,” Sadanobu nodded, “Hideyoshi was a creep...even standing near him put me on edge. And his supporters weren’t any better.” He leaned forward, looking down into the fire. “I remember one day, when I was training...apparently his general, Ishida, didn’t think I was making enough progress. By some mercy, he kept his sword sheathed, but he beat me with the sheathed weapon in some twisted attempt to strengthen me. All it did was strengthen my resolve to get the hell out of there soon as I could. Glad he’s dead.”

“Is he, though?” Naofumi raised an eyebrow. “I thought it wasn’t confirmed.”

“He and his family were in Osaka castle when some folks raided it after he lost Sekigahara. The whole place went up in flames; there’s no way an impulsive guy like that had any escape plan to get out of there undetected. There were so many burnt corpses in the castle afterward once the fire was under control; he had to be among them. He wouldn’t have run. He never ran.”

Naofumi closed his eyes in thought. “Maybe. There’s always a chance.”

“Don’t even start. I don’t wanna think about the possibility that that asshole’s still out there somewhere. And even if he is...he’d never willingly show his face again.”

The wind seemed to whisper above them. And a rumbling came from the woods around them.

“What was that?” Naofumi looked up, now apprehensive.

“Probably just an animal attracted to the light,” Gaku reached toward the fire, grabbing a burning hunk of wood from it as he stood up. “Wave this around a little bit and they’ll be gone. I’ll do it.”

Gaku turned from the group, heading through the brush, waving the burning wood around to light his path. Big, dramatic steps and stomps to intimidate whatever was near, his companions watching from afar.

Then, his head perked up, as if he spotted something. But before he could speak a word, he let out a choked-off cry, the flame dropping and going out.

“Gaku!” Matazaemon cried out as the group stood up, on high alert. Then, the loud thumps of quick but heavy footsteps, and a vicious bark and snarl, as a large, white blur lunged forward, biting Matazaemon by the arm; the force knocked him to the ground as he felt the arm pop out of place. He howled a mix of pain and fear.

Naofumi stared in shock and horror at the large wolf now viciously yanking Matazaemon to and fro like a rag doll, blood soaking its teeth and maw. But Matazaemon’s screams finally snapped him to attention as he pulled out his knife, plunging it toward the beast’s side in a panic.

He missed the stab, but the blade did slice the wolf’s side, as it let go of his friend and instantly turned on him; its jaw snapped open, going for his throat, and as he fell back, he looked to Sadanobu for help.

But Sadanobu had fled. Even as the wolf snarled and tore into him, Naofumi could hear footsteps approaching, and hear something slice into Matazaemon, silencing his howls of agony.

Sadanobu blindly pushed his way through the brush, his face a mix of fear, of terror, of snot and spit, while he tried to process that he was alone now, on this mountain, at night.

The Beast of the Mountain was real! That was no ordinary wolf! That thing...that thing was a monster! So fast, so strong! He had to leave its territory.

He had to get down the mountain.

He tripped in his panic, falling and rolling a ways, before finally sliding to a stop, staring up at the break in the treetops to see the moon. He began to sit up, but froze.

Footsteps. Two feet.

He began to hyperventilate, wondering if the beast had changed form, to come after *him.*

But the moon began to make his pursuer visible. And he could see those thin, angry eyes glaring down at him.

Those thin, angry eyes from all those years ago.

And he began to wail.

“IT’S YOU—“

SPLURCH!

That one slice caused his insides to burst out of him, as he fell back, gurgling his final sounds, the world around him becoming black.

....

And Ishida Mitsunari flicked the blood off his old sword before sheathing it again. His intuition had been correct; the noise and dim light he saw from his home wasn’t just his imagination playing tricks on him; someone had the audacity, once again, to venture that high up the mountain. And they needed to be dealt with swiftly, before he risked them finding him.

Grabbing the body by the leg, he began to drag it back with him toward the campfire. As he did, he whistled a short whistle, as the snarls and barks from before were replaced by panting; he found the wolfdog standing by the other two bodies, his curled tail twitching in satisfaction. Dropping the first body’s leg, Mitsunari knelt down.

“Come here. Let me see.”

The dog padded forward, allowing Mitsunari to get a closer look. Removing his right glove (revealing a hand scarred from burns), he ran a hand along the wound in the dog’s side; the dog let out a small whimper, but didn’t panic.

“...it’ll scar, but it’s nothing serious,” he muttered, “We’ll treat it when we get back home. Good work, Shiranui.”

His children had named the dog when he brought the pup back to their home two years prior, having found the pup attempting to steal one of the pheasants he had hunted. Now fully grown, it was clear the dog took mostly wolf traits...but, at his core, Shiranui had always been a loyal dog...especially to his master.

Once certain the wound wasn’t serious, Mitsunari turned his attention to the bodies. Retrieving the last one from a ways away, he wasted no time rifling through their pockets and satchels for supplies. Medicine, food, tools...anything usable, he gathered into the largest bag. As he came across the sack containing their ill-gotten gains, he pondered the contents for a bit...before shaking his head. He had no need for any of this. Gold and the like wouldn’t keep them alive. Wouldn’t keep them safe.

One by one, he dragged each body a ways up to the cliffs, before rolling each body over the edge with one smooth motion, watching them get swallowed by the darkness below as he listened to the impact of them striking the cliff side, the stones, the tree branches....and lastly, he tossed the sack of treasures, too. Good fortune to whomever finds them, he supposed. It didn’t matter to him either way. Either way, the Beast of the Mountain had maintained its status as something to be feared.

Returning to the camp and snuffing out the fire, he let his eyes readjust to the darkness, before looking to Shiranui’s bloodied face.

“Let’s wash your face before we go back.” His wife hated when the dog came back from its hunts and meals looking like that.

After stopping by the stream to clean off the dog’s face and wash the wound a bit, they began their quiet trek back home, their loot in hand. Nearly three years of this life...and sometimes, it was still wildly unfamiliar to him.

He should have died at Sekigahara. He should have taken his life when he failed to avenge his lord.

He should have.

But he didn’t.

Now he was a spent match; the fire of battle had long left him, and now he was smoke, drifting about his new life, though sometimes, that little fire would come back. Sometimes, he would remember why he lived.

Off the beaten path, past the troublesome terrain, there stood a small house. His house. It was no Sawayama, it was no Osaka Castle, but it was home. And it was here that he quietly slid open the door, only to flinch slightly, startled by the shape of his wife’s feet in the moonlight shining through the door. In her arms, the smallest of his children, his only daughter, little Tatsuhime, fast asleep and undisturbed.

“...how close were they?” his wife asked in the softest of voices.

“Close enough to be a problem,” he replied. She could tell he was willfully omitting details. Details that would distress or upset her. He clearly didn’t want to elaborate further. Other than, “Shiranui’s hurt. I’ll stay with him tonight.”

She gave a quiet nod, quietly vanishing into the tiny hallway, as she, too, was swallowed by darkness.

Mitsunari retrieved a cloth, taking a seat against the wall and beckoning the dog over; Shiranui obeyed, laying down as Mitsunari pressed the cloth against the wound. The dog rested his head on his master’s lap, while Mitsunari rested his own head against the wall.

He could faintly hear the rustling of his wife setting Tatsuhime down to sleep; undoubtedly between her two older brothers. His wife was then rustling into bed as well.

He didn’t know when he’d sleep.

But until then, he’d remember why he lived.