#arsenal news com

[thedensworld]

Why Women Kill | K. Mg

Genre: Mistery, Smut

Summary: your husband of 2 years was found dead while you were away. Kim Mingyu, the detective, try to help you find the truth.

The maid immediately dialed emergency services when she found her master lying lifeless in the dining room. Meanwhile, you, the wife of the house, were in your hometown when the devastating news broke. As soon as you stepped foot in the house, you were met with the sight of police officers investigating the scene. The circumstances of your husband’s death had led them to suspect foul play—potential murder.

A tall man introduced himself as Detective Kim, accompanied by Detective Hong. They both approached you as you stood at the entrance, your luggage still in hand. The devastation on your face was unmistakable, a combination of the long flight from abroad and the shocking news had clearly shaken you.

"I'm so sorry for what has happened to your husband, but we need your full cooperation during the investigation," Detective Hong said gently, before outlining the procedures that would follow in light of your husband's sudden death. His voice was professional yet compassionate, understanding the weight of the tragedy you were facing.

"Please, let us drive you to the place where you'll be staying," Detective Hong offered. "It’s the least we can do for you right now."

"I'm afraid it would be an inconvenience..." you started to protest, your voice weak, but Detective Hong insisted.

The three of you made your way toward the car. Detective Kim took your luggage, his silent demeanor revealing a quiet respect. As you walked, Detective Hong engaged you in conversation, asking about your husband.

"I'm sorry," Detective Hong suddenly said, glancing at his phone. "Mr. Choi needs to see me right away. Mingyu, is it alright to drive alone?"

"Of course," Detective Kim replied politely, opening the car door for you. "Please, Mrs. Moon."

As you settled into the passenger seat, Detective Hong, whose full name was Hong Jisoo, tapped Detective Kim on the shoulder. "Mingyu, I trust you with this. You’re a skilled profiler—I hope you pick up on anything during the drive."

"I’ll do my best, hyung," Mingyu replied with a determined nod.

Later that night, Mingyu and Jisoo reconvened at the police station to discuss the case. Moon Junhui, a renowned celebrity chef, was now the subject of a murder investigation.

"The forensic results should be in by tomorrow," Jisoo informed the team. "It’s hard not to feel for Mrs. Moon. She was on vacation in her hometown, and now she comes back to find her husband might’ve been murdered."

"During our conversation, she seemed like a devoted wife," Jisoo continued, his gaze flicking toward Mingyu. "She sacrificed a lot after settling down with Moon Junhui. Did you notice anything suspicious about her while driving her to the hotel?"

Mingyu leaned back, thoughtful. "Just like you said, hyung—she seemed lost, devastated even. But I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Still, I don’t want to jump to conclusions until we get the forensic results."

The next day, the results came in. Moon Junhui had died from arsenic poisoning, found in his system. The investigation kicked into high gear, and police began interviewing those closest to the victim, including Jung Seyeon, the maid who had found him.

"What was your relationship with the victim?" Detective Kim asked Seyeon as she sat across from him in the station.

"I work for him. I’ve been his maid for about a year now."

"And what happened on the day you found him?"

"My shift starts at 6 AM, and I usually stay until the next morning. Mrs. Moon wasn’t in town, and Mr. Moon is typically at his restaurant until 10 PM. But when I went to check the kitchen, I found him lying on the floor and immediately called emergency services."

Mingyu scribbled down notes. "You mentioned your shift starts at 6, but you called emergency at 5. Why did you arrive an hour early?"

Seyeon nodded quickly. "Mr. Moon asked me to come early that day to get groceries to stock the fridge."

"Your husband was found dead after drinking a cup of coffee he supposedly made himself. He was estimated to have died around 3 AM, but wasn't discovered until 5. Can you tell me anything about your husband’s habits that might help us?"

You took a deep breath, your voice trembling as you tried to keep your composure. "I—I’m not sure why he was home so early. He’s usually at the restaurant late into the night. I’m usually home alone."

"But he did—he does love coffee. He couldn’t go a day without it."

"Is it common for him to drink coffee around that time?" Jisoo asked, his tone gentle but probing.

You shook your head. "No, not at all. He’s normally at work. But I always made his coffee in the mornings."

"What time would that be?" Jisoo pressed.

"Jun’s an early riser. He usually had his coffee around 7 AM, before his morning workout."

You hesitated, then added, "He also preferred his coffee made with bottled water, never tap."

Both Jisoo and Mingyu’s attention sharpened at that. It was a small detail, but potentially significant. The tap water—or the bottle—could be a key to unraveling this mystery.

*

Who would have thought that a maid, secretly having an affair with her employer, could murdered him out of jealousy toward his wife? The case involving the popular couple—Moon Junhui, the celebrity chef, and Ji Y/N, a former actress—shocked the nation. The story immediately went viral, flooding the internet with comments as netizens discussed the tragic events that had unfolded.

The police had finally unraveled the tangled web of deception. They revealed to the public that a woman with the initials JSY—Jung Seyeon, the maid—had laced one of the water bottles in Jun's fridge with arsenic. The poison had originally been intended for his wife, but fate had intervened, and Jun himself drank from the bottle instead. When Jung Seyeon was apprehended, the footage of her resisting arrest and furiously denying the charges went viral, fueling the public's fascination with the case. The world watched in disbelief as the truth unfolded, and messages of sympathy poured in for you—the true victim in the entire ordeal.

Now, you sat across from Detectives Jisoo and Mingyu, the weight of revelation hanging heavy in the air between you. Jisoo had just asked about the state of your relationship with Jun in the months leading up to his death.

"I don’t think I should talk about this, especially since the investigation is officially over," you said softly, your voice tinged with exhaustion.

Jisoo shook his head gently. "I understand, and I don’t mean to press. But you did mention earlier… you said you couldn’t get pregnant? And that your relationship shifted after that?"

Your gaze fell to the floor, the pain of the past months bubbling up inside. "I don’t want this to be public knowledge. He was… someone I used to love, even though he cheated on me in the end. I can’t deny that, for a long time, he was a husband I loved." Your voice cracked with emotion.

Jisoo looked at you, sympathy in his eyes, before he nodded slowly. "I understand. We’re very thankful for your cooperation. Please, if there’s anything you need during this time, don’t hesitate to reach out."

With that, Jisoo and Mingyu quietly excused themselves, leaving the hotel room and giving you the privacy you so desperately needed.

As they walked down the hallway, Jisoo let out a long breath. "She’s an amazing woman," he murmured, the weight of everything they had learned settling on him. "I just don’t understand why Jun would cheat on her."

Mingyu nodded in agreement. "It’s a tragedy. But at least the truth is finally out."

"Yeah," Jisoo replied, "at least now she can start to heal."

*

Meeting you again felt like a miracle. The once-hopeful theater student you had been had blossomed into one of the top actresses in the country. Your face was everywhere—on billboards, magazine covers, and in TV commercials. You were known not only for your beauty but for your incredible acting talent. Mingyu couldn’t help but feel proud as he watched you move effortlessly through the crowd at the college reunion for the photography club. He had been there during your early struggles, and seeing you now made him realize how far you’d come.

After mingling with old friends, you finally made your way over to him. “Hey, how are you?” you asked, your voice soft yet familiar.

Mingyu smiled, his heart skipping a beat. “I’m great. You look amazing today.”

You smiled back, a gentle warmth in your eyes. “Thank you. How’s your work, Mr. Detective?” you teased, your playful tone bringing back memories of the past. Mingyu chuckled softly, feeling a rush of nostalgia.

“How do you know?” he asked, biting his inner cheek to stop himself from grinning too widely.

“I saw your promotion in the newspaper. Congratulations,” you replied.

Mingyu’s heart skipped again. You had still been keeping tabs on him, even after all these years. “Thank you,” he said. “I watched your last movie in the cinema. You were incredible.”

You laughed lightly. “That was two years ago. I haven’t been in anything since then.”

Mingyu nodded, recalling how you had become more elusive since your marriage to celebrity chef Moon Junhui. You had once been everywhere, but now you rarely appeared on TV or in public.

Despite the years and the changes in your lives, the conversation flowed easily, as if no time had passed. By the end of the night, you and Mingyu had exchanged contact information, rekindling a connection that had been dormant for years. This time, it was different—friendlier, warmer, but without the romantic tension that had once existed between you.

In the following days, Mingyu would occasionally send you pictures he found of you during work, little snapshots of your past. In return, you’d send him amusing messages or pictures from your quiet days at home.

One night, Mingyu saw five missed calls from you, all while he had been buried in work. Concern immediately washed over him as he dialed your number, and you picked up almost instantly.

"Hey, sorry… I was working earlier. You never call this late," he began, but his voice faltered when he heard something unusual—your sobbing.

"What's wrong? What happened?" he asked, alarmed by the silence that followed.

“Can you come? I’m so scared,” you whispered, your voice trembling with fear. Mingyu didn’t hesitate. He asked for your location, and you told him you were in a hotel, far from home—almost an hour away. Without wasting another second, he grabbed his keys and left.

When he arrived at the hotel and knocked on your door, nothing could have prepared him for the sight before him. Your hair was disheveled, your eyes were red and swollen from crying, and there was a small cut on the corner of your lip. Mingyu's heart dropped.

He gently pushed you back into the room, his eyes scanning your body. Bruises covered your arms, your neck, and one side of your cheek.

“Did he do this to you?” Mingyu asked softly, kneeling before you as you sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes filled with concern.

You nodded slowly, fresh tears slipping down your cheeks as a sob broke free. Mingyu wrapped you in his arms, holding you tenderly. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, his heart breaking for you.

He had always admired your strength. You were passionate, driven, a force to be reckoned with. But now, seeing you like this—shaken, broken, after your husband’s abuse—something inside him snapped. He couldn't stand to see you treated this way.

“Does he do this to you a lot?” Mingyu asked gently, afraid of the answer.

“No,” you whispered, shaking your head. “This is the first time… but he’s been verbally harassing me for a while.”

Mingyu's eyes trailed over the bruises, fury boiling inside him. The thought of your husband doing this made him clench his fists. How could anyone hurt you like this?

“We had a fight,” you continued, voice barely audible. “I haven’t been able to get pregnant… and I was angry too, but he—” Your voice cracked, and you broke down, the weight of it all crashing over you.

“You’re safe now,” Mingyu said softly, pulling you into his embrace again. “I’m here. It’s going to be okay.”

From that night onward, Mingyu became your rock. He was your confidante, someone you could trust during the darkest moments of your marriage. He supported you as you navigated the abuse and waited for the right moment to free yourself from your toxic husband.

And finally, that moment came—when you discovered the ultimate betrayal. He had been cheating on you with the maid you hired just months ago.

“They slept together while I was in the same house as them,” you said bitterly, your voice full of pain. “Every night.”

Hearing this, Mingyu’s protective instinct only grew stronger. You deserved better, and he vowed to stand by you until you found your way out of the nightmare your marriage had become.

However, the past never truly left either of you. Despite the years and distance, there was still a powerful connection between you and Mingyu—one that neither of you could ignore. The comfort, warmth, and undeniable attraction remained, sparking once again whenever you were together. It felt like you had been transported back to your university days, when everything between you was new and exciting.

Originally, the plan was simple: expose the truth about your husband. But the abuse had escalated, and the maid, to your disbelief, had begun dropping subtle hints about her secret affair with Jun, almost as if she wanted you to know. It was sickening, and you found yourself thinking that they deserved each other—a match made in hell.

“He could have killed you eventually,” Mingyu muttered, pressing gentle kisses to the bruises your husband had left behind. Each touch was a mixture of tenderness and suppressed rage.

“I won’t let that happen,” Mingyu whispered, though he knew the reality all too well. If you divorced Jun, the public would likely turn on you—the former actress with a scandal attached, while Jun, the beloved celebrity chef, would play the victim. The world loved him too much to see the truth.

That’s when the plan took shape. Together, you and Mingyu devised a way to make them pay. Using the maid’s background in chemical engineering, and Jun’s obsessive perfectionism and need for control, the pieces began to fall into place. The plan was as meticulous as Jun himself—just as he liked things.

“We’ll be fine. Trust me,” Mingyu reassured you, his voice low but full of conviction. He leaned in closer, his lips barely brushing yours before closing the gap, sealing your pact with a kiss that was both comforting and charged with a passion that had never really faded.

You knew what had to be done. This wasn’t just about revenge—it was about survival, about reclaiming the power that Jun had stripped from you piece by piece. And with Mingyu by your side, you felt like you could finally take it back.

*

“Did you use water from the bottle?” Jun’s voice was low but scrutinizing as he looked at the steaming cup of coffee you placed in front of him. His eyes narrowed slightly, the way they always did when he suspected something was off, as if he was already preparing to find fault.

You nodded, offering nothing more. There was no need to over-explain; you’d already learned that. A year of being with Jun had taught you to anticipate his every need, his every request. You had become attuned to the meticulous nature of his preferences, the way he expected perfection in even the smallest details.

Jun lifted the cup to his lips, his expression unreadable. You watched as he took a slow sip, his sharp palate immediately distinguishing between the coffee made with tap water and the bottled water he’d insisted on after one too many complaints. When he set the cup down, he didn’t say anything, just gave a slight nod of approval before turning his attention back to his tablet.

It had been months in the making, this habit you built, subtly weaving it into his life. First, it was the coffee. Then it was his food. Every dish prepared to his demanding taste, all of it crafted to make him dependent on that bottled water, his palate too sensitive to accept anything less. It was the perfect setup.

As you walked out of the room, your mind flickered back to Mingyu’s advice. “Start with something small,” he had said. “Make him dependent on it, and when the time comes, we’ll use it against him.”

You didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning.

“That woman should handle the groceries from now on,” Mingyu’s voice had been calm but purposeful when he suggested it. He was sitting across from you at a small café, his hand reaching out to touch yours. “Since she’s his girlfriend, she’ll be careless. She won’t put in the same effort you do.”

The idea was brilliant. You had already seen how Seyeon was beginning to infiltrate your life, little by little, her presence creeping into spaces where she didn’t belong. Letting her handle the groceries would be one more way to let her sink deeper into the affair.

The next phase of the plan was more complicated. It required emotional manipulation—a confrontation that would spark tension and lead to what Mingyu called “the perfect motive.”

One evening, after Jun returned from work, you sat him down. The air between you was cold, detached, as if the love that once filled your home had long since evaporated.

“We need to talk,” you said, your voice steady.

Jun glanced at you, sensing the seriousness in your tone. “What’s this about?” he asked, suspicion already creeping into his expression.

“I think we should divorce,” you said plainly, watching for his reaction.

Jun’s face contorted, a mix of disbelief and anger flashing in his eyes. “Divorce? What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” you continued, keeping your voice level. “I know about you and Seyeon. I’ve known for a while.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Jun’s hands clenched, his jaw tightening. You could feel the rage building beneath his composed exterior.

“If you leave her, I won’t say a word about it to the media,” you added, throwing down the ultimatum that would push him over the edge. “But if you don’t—”

The threat hung in the air like a blade. And just as you had expected, the storm followed soon after. That very night, you heard Jun and Seyeon arguing in hushed but heated whispers, thinking you were asleep. You found your dresses shredded, your things broken, and Seyeon’s jealous tantrums began surfacing in ways that made it clear she knew her days were numbered.

The moment had finally come when Mingyu handed you the small vial containing the colorless, tasteless powder. “Here, put this in his water,” he said quietly, his eyes holding yours in a steady, unwavering gaze.

You stared at the vial in your hand, feeling its weight—not just the physical weight but the weight of what it symbolized. This was it. The culmination of everything you and Mingyu had planned, carefully, methodically, over the last few months. You felt a slight tremor in your hand, not from fear but from the adrenaline rushing through you.

“I don’t know,” you whispered, your voice betraying a sliver of doubt. “What if something goes wrong? What if we get caught?”

Mingyu reached out, gently taking your hand in his. “Nothing will go wrong,” he said softly, his voice soothing. “Seyeon’s been doing the grocery shopping, right? She hasn’t been restocking the fridge properly. The water bottles will run low, and when Jun reaches for one, it’ll be this one.”

You swallowed hard, trying to suppress the anxiety bubbling up inside you. Mingyu had thought of everything, hadn’t he? He’d been so meticulous, so careful, just like Jun. And now, he was asking you to trust him with something so dangerous, so final.

“I’ll handle everything,” Mingyu reassured you, his fingers brushing over yours, calming your nerves. “If anything happens, I’ll make sure the investigation leads straight to her. She’s been careless, reckless. We’ll plant the arsenic in her things. No one will suspect you.”

This was it. The moment you had been waiting for, months in the making. Everything was going according to plan.

And just as Mingyu had promised, everything unfolded perfectly. The investigation led straight to Seyeon. The arsenic was found in her apartment, carefully planted in a way that left no doubt in the minds of the police. The media frenzy that followed was everything you had expected—and more. Seyeon’s public fall from grace was swift and brutal. The perfect crime, and no one suspected a thing.

“We’ll be fine, love,” Mingyu whispered one final time, pulling you into his arms as the chaos unfolded around you. You had trusted him, and in the end, he had been right. You were free.

*

“How was your mother?” Mingyu’s deep voice broke the comfortable silence as he watched you from the couch. You were standing in front of the mirror, slowly smoothing lotion onto your skin, your body illuminated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Mingyu leaned back, his gaze following the gentle movements of your hands, admiring the peacefulness in the room. After everything the two of you had been through, moments like this felt sacred—quiet, intimate, and free from the chaos that had once consumed your life.

You glanced at him through the mirror, offering a soft smile. “She’s doing fine. But she’s getting older, and I’ve been thinking about asking her to move in with me. She’s so stubborn, though. She won’t leave the countryside. She’s always been attached to that place.”

Mingyu smiled, enjoying the way your voice softened when you spoke about your mother. It was something he admired about you—the way you cared so deeply for the people you loved. “It’s understandable. She’s probably got a lifetime of memories there. But, maybe one day she’ll change her mind,” he said, standing up and walking toward you.

His hand rested gently on your shoulder as he spoke. “How did she react to everything with Jun?” Mingyu asked, referring to the fallout from your former husband’s scandal, his voice cautious but curious.

“She was shocked,” you admitted, turning slightly to look at him. “But not entirely surprised. She’s always known something wasn’t right between Jun and me. I think what worried her the most was me suddenly staying with her for a month and then leaving again. She probably sensed something was going on beneath the surface.”

Mingyu chuckled softly, his eyes warm with understanding. “She’s your mom. She knows you better than anyone else.”

He reached for the lotion bottle, squeezing some into his palms. Without a word, he gently began to rub it into your shoulders, his strong hands massaging the tension from your muscles. His touch was firm but soothing, easing away the weight of everything you had carried over the past few months. His reflection in the mirror locked eyes with yours, and there was something grounding in his presence—something that made you feel safe.

“How are you feeling?” Mingyu asked, his voice low, almost a whisper, as his hands continued to glide over your skin, working their way down your back.

You tilted your head slightly, pausing to think before responding. “I feel... relieved, but also worried. It’s strange. I thought I’d feel only relief after everything, but there’s this part of me that’s still anxious, like something could go wrong.”

Mingyu’s hands paused for a moment, then he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on the top of your head. “That’s normal,” he whispered against your hair. “You’ve just come out of a toxic relationship, and it’s going to take time to fully feel like yourself again. But you’re free now, and I’m here. You don’t have to carry that weight alone anymore.”

You smiled at his words, a warmth spreading through your chest. His reassurance was exactly what you needed, a reminder that you were no longer trapped, no longer alone. “Thank you, Mingyu,” you said quietly, your voice filled with gratitude.

He turned you toward him, his hands moving to cup your face as he leaned in, his lips brushing softly against yours. “Anything for you,” he whispered, sealing his promise with a tender kiss.

The kiss deepened, turning heated as Mingyu's hand trailed from the nape of your neck down to your waist, gently yet possessively pushing you against the wall. His fingers explored every contour of your body, mapping out your curves, while your hand slipped into his hair, massaging his scalp. A soft moan escaped his lips, the pleasure from your touch sending shivers through him.

His hand slid under your pajama top, his palm pressing against the bare skin of your back before moving upward, cupping your breast perfectly in his hand. He massaged it with slow, deliberate strokes, while his other hand trailed lower, squeezing your ass firmly.

“I want to make you feel so good,” he whispered, his breath hot against your ear before his lips traveled down to your neck. His tongue painted your skin like a canvas, leaving wet trails as he marked you with kisses.

With a firm grip, he lifted your thigh to his waist, thrusting his hips against your core, letting you feel how hard you had made him.

“I need you…” you whispered, hands tugging at the hem of his shirt. Mingyu didn’t hesitate. He pulled you down to the floor, urgency in his movements as he unbuttoned his pants. You helped him peel his shirt off, both of you shedding layers like you couldn’t get close enough.

His lips found your breast, his mouth latching onto your nipple, sucking and teasing it as if his life depended on it. Meanwhile, his hand slipped under the waistband of your pants, slowly dragging them down just enough to let his fingers explore. He groaned softly as his fingers brushed over your warm, wet core, teasing you with playful strokes before finally slipping one finger inside.

“Mingyu…” His name left your lips in a breathless plea, the sound making his smirk grow wider.

“What is it, baby?” he asked, his voice deep with lust.

“Please… I want you,” you murmured, feeling the need building with every slow, tantalizing movement of his fingers.

“Not yet, baby…” he shushed you, his finger moving faster, his other hand steadying your body against the intensity.

“Ah… fuck…” you moaned, your body arching as he added another finger, filling you even more. His movements quickened, relentless, as he pumped his fingers inside you, the wet sounds filling the room.

“Can you hear that? That’s you, so wet… just for me,” he rasped, his voice low and husky.

Your breath hitched as he slipped a third finger inside, the stretch making your head spin as your body tightened in response. The pooling heat in your belly grew unbearable.

“Mingyu… I can’t, it’s too much—”

“Cum for me, baby… I can feel it,” he urged, his fingers moving faster, harder, as if he were chasing your release himself.

Your body obeyed, the tension snapping as you hit your climax, gasping as waves of pleasure crashed over you. “I’m cumming…” you barely managed to say, your voice breaking as your orgasm rippled through you, leaving you breathless.

Mingyu smirked in satisfaction, watching you squirt against his fingers. He lowered you to the floor, giving you no time to recover as he kneeled between your legs, his mouth instantly finding your wetness. His tongue swirled against your sensitive core, drawing out every last drop of pleasure as you let out a desperate whine, your legs trembling beneath his touch.

His tongue worked you expertly, tasting every inch of you, the sound of your moans driving him crazy. He could listen to you like this forever, and he knew he’d never tire of making you feel this crazy.

"Too much…" you managed to whisper through your hitched breath. Mingyu stood from his position, effortlessly lifting you into his arms and carrying you to the bed. As he laid you down gently, he pulled off his boxers, freeing his cock, which was swollen and slick with precum, the tip flushed red—an undeniable sign of how badly he wanted you. But tonight wasn’t about his desires; it was about making you forget all your worries, about making you feel cherished.

His lips captured yours again as he hovered over you, gently laying you down on the bed. His hands moved up to your breasts, teasing them, thumbs circling your sensitive nipples, while his kisses trailed down your neck.

"I'm going to treat you so good, baby. You're my princess… Cum for me again, yeah?" he murmured, his voice low and tender as he gazed into your eyes. Then, without hesitation, he lowered himself between your legs again, his lips finding your core once more.

"Please, Mingyu… it's too much…" you whimpered, the overwhelming pleasure making your body tremble. Mingyu only hummed in response, the vibration from his voice sending another jolt of pleasure straight to your belly, making you moan louder.

His tongue worked you with expert precision, every flick and swirl pushing you closer to the edge. It felt like you were floating, everything around you fading away as pleasure consumed you. You could see flashes of white behind your eyelids, the sensation so intense you could barely breathe.

Sensing how far gone you were, Mingyu playfully pinched your thigh, grounding you in the moment just as your second orgasm began building. Your body jerked in response, and you gasped, arching against him.

"I'm close…" you whispered, the words barely making it past your lips.

"Yes, baby, cum for me," Mingyu urged, his deep voice almost a command. "I’ve got you."

Your body convulsed as your orgasm crashed over you, more powerful than the first. You cried out, hands tangling in Mingyu's hair, pushing him closer to your core as he licked you through your release. His tongue didn’t relent, driving you further into ecstasy as your body quivered and your mind spun from the intensity.

When you finally came down from the high, breathless and trembling, Mingyu lifted his head, his lips glistening with your essence. His warm smile filled you with a sense of peace. Climbing back up your body, he kissed you deeply, letting you taste yourself on his tongue, the intimacy of the moment leaving you breathless once more.

"I love you," Mingyu murmured against your lips, his voice soft but filled with passion. He kissed you again, slower this time, as if savoring every second. "You’re everything to me."

The warmth in your chest spread, a feeling of deep love and connection wrapping around you. Mingyu wasn’t just making love to your body; he was worshipping every part of you, showing you just how addicted he was—to you, to the way your body responding his every touch. He was all yours tonight, and he would remind you of that over and over again.

"You want me, baby? Think you can handle me?" Mingyu asked, his voice low and teasing as his gaze trailed down your body. Desperation laced your nod, your breaths coming quicker as you clenched around nothing, your body betraying just how much you needed him. Mingyu smirked at the sight, loving how your body was begging for him just as much as he wanted you.

"Are you sure you can take me?" he murmured again, his tip barely grazing your entrance, rubbing teasingly against your slick folds. Your lips parted in a soft whimper, eyes pleading as you muttered a quiet beg.

"Well, since you asked so nicely…"

Mingyu slowly, deliberately, slid his cock into you, the stretch sending a wave of pleasure through your body. Your walls welcomed him with a tight warmth, like he belonged there, and Mingyu whimpered softly near your ear as he pushed deeper, still amazed at how tight you felt around him, even after all this time.

"Oh my—just like the first time…" he groaned, his voice thick with need.

"You're so big," you breathed out, making his cock twitch inside you. Mingyu hissed through his teeth, half-warning you to stop saying things like that, his control hanging by a thread.

"You feel so amazing… you have no idea," he muttered, burying himself fully inside you, both of you moaning at the sensation. It felt perfect, as if everything about this moment—about you two—was exactly right.

"Move, baby… you can move," you urged him, your voice barely a whisper, but Mingyu heard it loud and clear. He began to thrust, slowly at first, then picking up the pace as you adjusted to the delicious fullness.

"Did he fuck you good?" Mingyu asked, his tone darkening as he picked up speed, the jealousy biting at him. He needed to know, needed to hear it from you��needed the reassurance that no one else could make you feel the way he did. Not Jun, not anyone.

You shook your head, desperation and pleasure etched into your expression as your breathing grew more ragged. Mingyu could feel your walls tightening around him as he angled his hips, hitting the spot that made you see stars.

"Only you," you gasped out, barely able to form the words as he continued to thrust, hitting that perfect spot again and again. "Only you can do this to me…"

Mingyu groaned deeply at your confession, pulling your face toward his for a sloppy, heated kiss. His lips claimed yours, your moans mingling as he lifted your leg, folding you in half to get deeper, hitting places you didn’t even know existed.

His pace quickened, every thrust sending shocks of pleasure through your body. His fingers found your clit, circling it in sync with his movements, pushing you further toward the edge. You couldn’t stop your hands from clawing at his back, your nails leaving marks, but the pain only heightened Mingyu's pleasure.

"I'm close," you gasped, the pressure in your belly building to an unbearable peak. Mingyu's arms slid beneath your head, pulling you closer, craving the skin-to-skin contact as he chased both of your releases. His moans mixed with yours as he felt your walls clamp down around him, your orgasm washing over you, pulling him deeper into his own.

Your body shook as he thrust through your high, and despite the overstimulation, he kept going, desperate to find his own release. His thrusts grew sloppier, more erratic, until finally, with a groan, he buried himself inside you, ropes of hot cum filling you as he reached his climax.

He dropped his head onto your shoulder, panting as he continued to ride out the last waves of pleasure, even as your body trembled through another small, overstimulated orgasm.

When the intensity finally subsided, Mingyu flipped you both over, letting you rest on top of his chest as your breathing slowly returned to normal. He gently stroked your back, grounding you as you recovered.

"Let's rest for five minutes… then I'll ride you," you whispered, voice still thick with exhaustion, but the promise in your words sent a spark through Mingyu.

His ears pearked at your words, and like an eager puppy, he grinned widely. The thought of you riding him filling him with anticipation. Finally, after everything, you are his— completely and utterly his. And he couldn't wait for more.

*

"Tell me something I don't know," Hong Jisoo stated, his voice slurred as he and Mingyu sat across from each other, four empty bottles of soju scattered on the table between them.

Mingyu didn’t falter, continuing to grill the meat in front of him, though he knew where this conversation was heading. Jisoo's drunken state had loosened his tongue, and now he was asking about something they both knew all too well.

"I saw you with Mrs. Moon. Or should I call her Y/N?" Jisoo’s brow raised, his words no longer filtered by sobriety.

Mingyu glanced at him, a brief silence hanging in the air before he sighed. "Since when?" Jisoo prodded, his curiosity piqued.

"We've known each other since college," Mingyu finally admitted, flipping the meat on the grill with a practiced hand.

Jisoo nodded, leaning forward. "So why did you pretend like you didn’t know her during the investigation?" he asked, a hint of accusation lacing his words.

"It was... awkward," Mingyu confessed, his hand absently scratching the back of his neck. "We used to date for a long time. She got married, and then her husband died... tragically."

Jisoo’s expression softened slightly as Mingyu continued. "You know the case. Jun treated her horribly, and honestly... my feelings for her were too strong. I couldn’t just ignore it. Once the investigation was over, I reached out to her because I wanted to support her."

Jisoo nodded again, slowly digesting the explanation. He was a man who valued logic, and Mingyu’s reasoning made sense to him in his inebriated state. "So, you two are dating again? I heard she announced her retirement."

"Yeah," Mingyu replied with a nod. "We started seeing each other again. She retired and decided to move in with her mother. It’s been good for her."

Jisoo sighed deeply, slumping forward on the table. "I was her fan, you know. She was a great actress!" he slurred, nearly knocking over the grill as he lost his balance.

Mingyu quickly reached out, steadying Jisoo before he burned himself. "Yeah," Mingyu agreed quietly, glancing down at the sizzling meat. "She really was."

As Jisoo drifted into a drunken stupor, Mingyu couldn’t help but reflect. You were a great actress. And somewhere along the way, you’d taught him to be one too, hiding secrets behind composed smiles and well-practiced lies.

[mapiforpresident]

28 and 12- Leah williamson pleaseees

I couldn't decide which photo to use.

Spend the Night

Leah x reader

warnings: suggestive

Sorry its so short.

~~~

You and the team were at Leah's flat for team bonding tonight. You were currently watching some new rom com that Kyra insisted you all needed to watch.

You scooted closer into Leah's side as her arm pulled you in. The two of you had been dating for three months now after you transferred to Arsenal at the beginning of the season.

Leah then leaned down to kiss you, smirking as you melted into the kiss.

"Oi, get a room, the two of you, I swear, you are worse than horny teenagers," Caitlin said from next to you on the couch.

"Like you can talk, Foord, McCabe is literally sitting on your lap right now," Leah quipped back.

"Quiet, this is the best part," Kyra shouted from the beanbag on the floor where she had somehow convinced Steph to lay with her.

Leah was about to say something back to Kyra again when you gave her a look and she immediately closed her mouth.

"Whipped," Caitlin whispered towards Leah. Leah just glared at her and went back to staring at you with her lovesick eyes.

You continued to watch the movie, enjoying spending time with your teammates, even if Kyra shouted at the TV every few seconds and Vic and Less wouldn't stop giggling the whole time.

"Stay with me," Leah whispered in your ear so only you could hear.

"What?"

"Spend the night," Leah whispered again. "We don't have to do anything; I just really want to sleep with you in my arms."

You melted at her words. You had stayed over a couple of times before, usually after a night out, but you were not to the point of staying at her place regularly yet. You did, however, love the feeling of falling asleep and waking up in her arms, so there was no way you were going to say no to her question.

"Of course, baby," you whispered back to her, pecking her cheek. You then placed your hand very far up her thigh as you said, "although I wouldn't mind if we did anything." Leah did not focus on the movie for the rest of the night and kicked everyone out fairly early.

[wileys-russo]

like a dumb rom com II k.cooney-cross x catley!reader

like a dumb rom com II k.cooney-cross x catley!reader

you bopped your head along to the music which was blasting from the speaker on your bedside table, for once home alone and able to have it up as loud as you wanted.

your textbooks lay open and spread around you on your bed as you scrolled through a gruelingly long article on your laptop, sticky notes plastered all over your legs as you tried your hardest to retain what you were attempting to study.

you sighed looking at your calendar on the wall, another flurry of color coded sticky notes mapping our your schedule for the rest of the month. people could call you a lot of things but you were anything but disorganized, you simply couldn't be in order to juggle your studies and have a full time professional football career.

you'd loved football from the moment you were old enough to kick a ball, following quickly in your siblings footsteps as your poor parents lives quickly became encapsulated by all three of your routines.

different teams and matches to watch every weekend, travelling back and forward to games and tournaments, weeks full of multiple training's and commitments, food crumbs in cars where dinners and snacks were smashed in the back seat from destination a to b.

you almost felt like they deserved the peace and quiet of an empty house once you'd all moved out, your brother no longer playing having viewed it as more of a hobby than a career once he got older.

but no matter the driving and the games and the fees they were always your proudest supporters. especially when both you and your sister had made your national team debuts, first as junior matildas and then into the senior teams, you always following a few steps behind steph.

when she'd moved over to london to sign with arsenal and you'd stayed at melbourne victory you'd missed her, but you were confident that a little bit of distance in your football careers would be a good thing for the both of you to grow as players.

then a couple of years later after your olympic debut had come your own offers from overseas, european and super league teams alike all reaching out to your agent eager to offer you your first international professional contract.

it was overwhelming to look at sums and salaries and contracts you could have only ever dreamed of in your youth, your deadline to make a decision coming in hard and fast you weren't any closer to making the final call.

thats when your national team mates had stepped in and suddenly you were getting calls of encouragement and gentle attempts at persuading to join them at their various clubs once it started to leak out just who had made you offers.

the least gentle of all though was of course from your older sister, who all but chewed your ear off that you were even thinking about accepting any clubs beside the one she'd called her home for a couple of years now, caitlin and lydia both quick to back her up.

you'd been the most hesitant at arsenals offer and once you were honest with steph about your reasons why her approach softened significantly. she was fast to assure you that she'd had nothing to do with it at all and had only overheard the coaching staff discussing potential new signings that afternoon.

then came the assurance that she wanted you there with her, and that despite your own insecurities she'd never ever seen it as you copying her or riding her coat tails. her heart broke a little that you could be so dismissive of your own skills and talent that had lead to all of the multitude of offers in the first place.

knowing this was a decision that ultimately you needed to make, and with a quiet reminder from dean that the tighter she held on the further you'd pull away, she left you to make the call of your own accord, doing her very best to ignore the temptation to call you and check in daily about if you were any closer to pulling the trigger.

then a few days later came the video from melbourne victory, the signing post from arsenal and your own bitter sweet goodbye to your home country and the team you'd called family for the last three seasons.

at both your mum and sisters insistence you'd moved in with steph and dean so your sister could first hand make sure you were settling in, and so your mum could sleep at night knowing you had family looking out for you in a foreign country.

you'd settled in quickly and comfortably of course. just like steph you'd always been outgoing and bubbly, never shying away from making a new friend or striking up a conversation, and suddenly you were adopted right into the team as if you'd been there for years, your football family expanding.

back to present day and you were reveling in a rare night in to yourself, steph and dean having gone out for a nice meal together as you dedicated your evening to your studies.

it was peak exam season and mid wsl season which meant you were battling your way through, mostly on top of everything thanks to your calendar and onslaught of sticky notes.

but given your loud music what you failed to hear were the taps at your window over and over, too engrossed in your studies and mumbling along the lyrics to the 1975 song in your ear, a band both you and your sister harbored quite a shared love for.

steph had gotten you tickets for your twenty first birthday earlier this year and the next day at training both of you had been teased relentlessly for your distinct lack of voice from spending the evening screaming along to all of your favourite songs.

failing to hear the gentle taps at your window, you also missed the creak of it being thrown all the way open and the gentle thump of feet falling to your carpet.

"jesus christ babe are you deaf?" you certainly heard that.

you let out a strangled scream at the sudden unexpected voice, spinning around and falling backwards off your bed, hitting the floor with a loud groan as your girlfriends eyes widened and she hurried to help you up.

"what the fuck is wrong with you? why the fuck would you do that?" you shouted angrily after she helped you up, pushing harshly at her chest and sending her stumbling as she just caught her footing.

"i was tossing rocks at your window and you ignored me, i thought you might have been asleep!" kyra defended holding her hands up as you went at her again but thought better of it, your heart beat starting to gently slow down as you recovered from your shock.

"so your reaction to me being asleep was to..break in?" you scoffed, smacking her leg as she whined and pulled a face, mumbling how she was just trying to be romantic.

"why didn't you just message me or come to the front door? i'm home alone you idiot i thought you were a murderer or something!" you shot her an unimpressed glare as the girl gave you a sheepish smile.

"i thought it would be more romantic this way! like those dumb rom coms we love." she pouted and from that moment you could no longer be properly mad at her.

"just lucky you live a few feet off the ground, bit worried i'd fall and break my neck if i had to scale a drain pipe to get to your window." the midfielder grinned as you couldn't help but bite back a small smile at her adorable dimples.

"next time warn me ky instead of giving me a heart attack. i could have hurt you!" you warned, making the girl send you an amused smile, taking a seat on the corner of your bed as you started to tidy up your mess of study materials on the bed.

"and how exactly would you have done that babe? hit me with a book? stabbed me with a pencil? assaulted me with your tiny little baby hands." the girl grinned teasingly, poking at you as you smacked her away with a huff.

"they are not tiny! they're normal sized and they're barely smaller than yours." you glared at her, standing to move your books and laptop over to the desk you should have been studying at in the first place.

"helloo!" the girl sung out, suddenly stood in front of you as you turned, arms now free she wasted no time pulling you into a hug, your chins resting on one anothers shoulders as you relished in the feel of your skin finally in contact with hers.

"i missed you today." you sighed having had to take the day off training to complete an exam, though you were studying online you still needed to go into the distance education office to take your exams which was located in camden.

"missed you more book worm." you might have rolled your eyes but really it was the cheeky comments and consistent flirty banter between the two of you that had caused you to fall for her alluringly mischievous charm in the first place.

having kissed on a night out when you both played for melbourne victory you'd danced around your feelings for far too long, mutually chalking it up to a drunk mistake.

but it seemed you just couldn't keep away from one another and with each moment apart the two of you either on the phone or texting, a few more sober kisses shared now, you'd made it official during prep camp for the world cup, over the moon to both be selected in the final squad.

a few of your close friends knew not long after you'd made it official, having been by both of your sides during the in denial but hopelessly pining over one another stage.

you were quick to tell ellie who was always your roommate on national duties, the blonde practically tackling you to the floor with a sigh of relief she no longer needed to watch the 'slow lovesick burn'.

then kyra of course told her own little football family, charlie first and then katrina who'd given you both a shovel talk about the importance of treating one another with respect and how she wouldn't hesitate to smack either of you into line.

but beyond that you kept it mostly to yourselves, the two of you had always been close so no one thought much of how touchy and affectionate you were, having been that way long before you were anything more than friends no one thought differently.

then when kyra had joined arsenal after the world cup everything seemed to fall into place, the two of you finally able to give your relationship a proper go without hours of time difference and thousands of kilometers of distance between you to be a barrier anymore.

there was just one glaringly unspoken issue and that was that both of you were far too terrified to make your relationship common knowledge, which really was only because you were even more terrified of what your older sisters reaction might be.

a few of the arsenal girls like teyah and gio who you'd been close with since your signing had caught on quite quickly, but promised to keep it hushed.

being on the younger side of the squad had meant you'd gained a whole handful of older sisters alongside steph and again it hadn't taken long before again they'd picked up on your change in mood now kyra was around, but most had kept their observations to themselves.

unlike leah who cornered you after training, your vice captain getting the truth out of you in record time with a stern look and a few well worded questions, and of course she couldn't keep the information away from lia or beth.

so as the list of your team mates who knew the truth about you and kyra grew, so did your plaguing anxieties that someone would slip up and alert steph.

despite knowing you easily the best out of everyone it amazed you that somehow she herself hadn't caught on, you and kyra having made a few clumsy mistakes where she could have easily put the pieces together.

after your first major argument with kyra over something so stupid you could hardly remember what it was even about, you'd turned up on caitlins front door step with tear stained cheeks both for comfort and some advice knowing there wasn't a chance you could speak with steph who was always your go to person.

you knew you needed to come clean and the longer you put it off the more strain it put on your relationship with kyra and the worse you worried for steph's reaction given how long you'd kept her in the dark for.

"i really should study for another hour ky." you hummed, reaching out for your laptop as kyra tutted, moving you away from your desk with her body still wrapped around yours. "lets go look at your schedule babe." she ordered as you moved toward your calendar.

"kyra!" you exclaimed in surprise, seeing a few new sticky notes replace your old ones. "oh look, give kyra a cuddle? check." she wiggled her body against yours where it clung to the back of you making you smile.

"give kyra a kiss." she craned her head around and pressed her lips sweetly to yours as you shook your head but gave in, indulging her for a moment. "what's next? study? mmm don't see that on here for tonight." kyra hummed, finger reaching out to trail down your new list as you sighed.

"when did you even change this? you've been here for like five seconds." you laughed in disbelief at how fast she could be. "i didn't change anything!" she gasped in mock offence.

"oh look! watch movies and make kyra her favourite snack. guess we have to do that then babe, you do live by your schedule!" kyra grinned cheekily, letting go of you and making a beeline for your door, holding out her hand expectantly.

"you are unbelievably sneaky sometimes cooney cross." you smiled, crossing your arms and staring her down. "who, me? never!" she beamed, wiggling her fingers for you to take her hand as you did so with a dramatic sigh as if it was a chore, causing her to attack your face with kisses and pull you out of your room.

having followed through with your 'schedule' you'd made both of your favourite snacks and settled into the living room to watch a movie, kyra's choice of course given you knew if she wasn't into the movie there wasn't a chance she'd sit still through it.

"hey where's calvy?" your girlfriend realised suddenly, pulling her head out of your lap and looking around with a frown. "its taken you this long to realise he isn't here? he's normally jumping on you in seconds ky!" you laughed as kyra rolled her eyes.

"he's with steph and dean they found some dog friendly outdoor bistro they could take him with them for dinner, you know what steph's like with her son." you smiled in amusement, the four legged canine loved and looked at more like your nephew than a dog.

"aw and they left you here all alone." kyra cooed, reaching up to squish your cheeks as her head settled back in its previous place in your lap. "please! its a rare blessing." you mumbled as well as you could given the way your face was being poked and pulled at by the brunette.

"shut up and watch your silly kids movie." you wrenched her hands away from your face and placed them by her sides before tangling yours in her hair again, massaging her scalp gently as she sighed contentedly, tucking one of her hands up your top to rest dormant on your abs, determined to have at least some of her skin on yours at all times.

"it is not a kids movie. it's a comedy film!" kyra defended, eyes glued to the screen as you only hummed with an amused smile, melting into the sofa cushions wrapped up in your little bubble of comfort.

it wasn't long until both your attention spans wavered and you found your lips locked with kyra's, both your hands roaming one anothers bodies. the air was filled with your giggles and sweet nothings as you once again fell head over heels for the girls effortless charm, throwing your head back with a laugh at a particularly cheesy pick up line mumbled into your neck.

that giddy little love bubble burst the moment you heard the jingle of keys and australian accents which didn't belong to you or kyra invading the space, and the pitter patter of paws hurtling toward you as you both quickly broke apart.

you'd just settled with a decent gap between you as calvin arrived, launching himself on top of you with a few licks hello, jumping across to greet kyra before dean called him away.

"oh hi ky!" steph greeted with a warm smile as she appeared next, kyra quick to her feet to hug her hello. "see kyra hugs me hello. she's got manners!" your sister teased as you blew her a sarcastic kiss, unmoving from your position on the couch.

"i see you every day stephanie i hardly feel the need to hug you hello when you've been gone a few hours!" you laughed with a roll of your eyes. "i've technically not seen you all day." she countered, taking a seat in between you and kyra.

"how did your exam go peanut?" the defender questioned with a concerned look, not having spoke with you since you'd left for camden this morning a nervous wreck.

"steph what have i said about calling me that!" you ignored her question with an annoyed groan, throwing your head back and shooting kyra a glare over your sisters shoulder as she laughed at your expense.

"that you hate it and not to call you it but i will always call you it because you're my little peanut!" the blonde cooed, pinching your cheeks and shaking your head side to side, with almost eight years between you she'd always babied you in a sense and though sometimes it was welcomed most of the times you despised it.

"i wish i was adopted." you grimaced, smacking her hands away with a roll of your eyes. "not too late. i'm sure we can find a nice family willing to take in a moody twenty one year old who can't cook, can't clean, whinges and moans about everything, doesn't do her own laundry, eats her salary in groceries-" steph started to list things off on her fingers as your eyes widened and you kicked her.

"none of that is true!" you scoffed with a scowl, once again sending your girlfriend an unimpressed glare as she clutched at her stomach with laughter. "see even your best mate agrees, you're a grub!" steph ruffled your hair and stood to her feet.

"i'm a grub? have you met the six foot three toddler we live with?" you pointed toward the kitchen, referencing your sisters fiance and soon to be brother in law.

"oi! don't throw me under the bus to cover your own ass." dean yelled back, the two of you always having gotten on like a house on fire which was one of the many reasons steph was so in love with him.

"did you drive here ky?" the older catley questioned with an amused smile, kyra getting the unsung hint it was time to head home as you sent her a look to assure she could stay, but there wasn't a use.

"yeah, i'll head off now." the midfielder smiled warmly, again hugging your sister as you were quick to your feet now to walk her out, kyra yelling goodbye to dean before you both stepped out the front door.

"do you want a lift tomorrow? we could get brekky and a coffee?" you offered hopefully, the two of you lingering just out of sight, kyra eagerly agreeing already looking forward to getting you alone for even just a half an hour.

"coast?" the brunette questioned as you peered subtly around the corner, not seeing either steph or dean in the kitchen through the window. "clear." you grinned, barely able to get the word out before her lips were on yours and your back was pressed against the cool brick of the side of the house.

"okay okay, easy tiger!" you laughed quietly, pulling away as her tongue slipped into your mouth, well aware that the two of you could be caught at any moment. "few more." kyra smiled cheekily, pecking your lips repeatedly as her hands gripped your hips.

"i'll get you round nine?" your hands settled on her cheeks, thumbs stroking her jawline, training not starting until eleven thirty given tomorrow was a double session. "make it eight and we can smooch for an hour? teyah has early rehab." kyra countered with a charming grin as you nodded your agreement.

"i hate when you say smooch." you laughed against her lips, kissing her one final time before pushing her off, knowing the longer you hung about outside the larger the chance grew steph would come to check what was going on.

"which is exactly why i say it. goodnight lover!" the girl bowed to you making you gag. "i hate that more! goodnight you dickhead. text me when you get home yeah?" you frowned, kyra quick to promise you she would before she dissapeared into the night.

returning inside you weren't surprised to find your sister and her fiance curled up together on the sofa, not dissimilarly to how you and kyra had been prior to their arrival, calvin asleep in his bed on the floor.

"you gonna watch with us?" steph craned her head back to look at you, i'm a celebrity loaded on the television. "are the two of you going to make out like horny teenagers?" you questioned, knowing exactly how they could be after their little date nights.

"probably." dean grinned in response as you gagged and steph hit him lightly with a smile. "hey you never answered me before! how did your exam go chicken?" steph called out before you could leave, again an eye roll greeting her choice of nickname.

"good i think? i finished before the timer and i remembered most of my arguments. one more and i'm done! then a five week fucking break." you moaned happily, stretching your hands behind your head.

"excuse me are those mine?" your sisters eyes narrowed, pointing to the peter alexander pyjama shorts you currently had on. "noo." you smiled guiltily, grateful she couldn't see you also had on the matching shirt beneath your hoodie.

"you are such a menace." steph sighed with a shake of her head, normally she'd be on top of you in seconds demanding you give back whatever you'd stolen, but knowing she'd actually worn one of your favourite pair of trainers out to dinner and you hadn't yet noticed she decided against that course of action.

"love you steffy!" you grinned, dipping off to the kitchen to fill your water bottle, pulling a face of horror as you returned to find the two of them attempting to eat one anothers face.

"god can you at least wait until i've left the room?" you gagged in disgust as they pulled apart. "can you hurry?" steph smirked making you pull another face and whistle for calvin to follow you.

"no leave him!" your sister attempted but the fluff ball was already padding happily after you toward your room. "i'm saving him years of therapy from having to watch his parents go at it. goodnight sickos!" you saluted sarcastically, your door closing with a thud as calvin made himself comfortable on the end of your bed.

doing your nightly routine you returned to bed with your skin soft and your teeth brushed, smiling at the text from kyra that she was home safe, clicking the facetime icon beside her contact, the two of you normally falling asleep together.

you smiled happily as she accepted, propping her phone up as she brushed her teeth and the two of you chattered away, blissfully unaware of what was to greet you in the week to come.

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

part two

[woso-dreamzzz]

Pictures

Amanda Ilestedt x Reader

Summary: Your girlfriend visits you in London

The sun shone through the blinds directly onto Amanda's face, making it look like she was glowing.

She looked like a goddess, lying asleep in your bed with no care in the world.

With her in Paris and you in London, you rarely got to see each other in person. Both of your schedules were packed for most of the year. Amanda was always on the pitch, always with a ball while you always had a camera around your neck, snapping pictures of the men's and women's teams for Arsenal.

Your work kept you separated but on long weekends or national holidays, you were always together. Most of them, it meant that you flew out to Paris where the two of you would hit all the touristy romantic spots before curling up in Amanda's bed and watching a generic rom-com as you traded kisses.

This was one of the rare times she came to London.

It looked good on her, the English weather. She fit in well here, bundled up in scarves and a long coat with a silly hat on her head.

You smiled as she shifted in her sleep, scrunching up her nose as if she could feel the sun on her.

Absentmindedly, you reached back to grab at the camera you kept handy on your bedside table. It was nothing like your professional camera that got placed in its case as soon as you were finished with it (it was also stupidly expensive and you didn't want to buy a new one after spending so much on the one you currently had) and was a polaroid rather than a digital.

You snapped a picture.

Amanda groaned, turning more fully into the pillow as your camera spat out the picture. "It's too early."

Her voice was heavy with sleep and she cracked open her eyes to look at you.

"It's nearly noon," You replied.

"Too early," She said again," Especially, for you to be taking pictures." She reached out for your camera.

You didn't usually let people touch your camera. You were protective over all of them and got antsy when they were in somebody's else's grip.

But, with Amanda, you didn't mind.

You let her fiddle with it for a bit as you picked up the polaroid you had snapped and inspected it.

You smiled.

"Is that going on your mirror?" Amanda asked. She sat up in bed and nestled closer to you, pulling it down to properly look.

You glanced at your mirror. Everyone who was anyone in your life ended up as a polaroid along the edges of your mirror. Your mother. Your father. Your first family pet. The Arsenal girls were on there as were many of your friends.

But the most pictures on your mirror belonged to your girlfriend.

Very few people got more than one solo shot of themselves displayed but Amanda wasn't like everybody else.

She was your girlfriend, the girl you wanted to spend your entire life with.

A new picture of her appeared on your mirror every time you saw her.

Candids littered the border.

Amanda on a walk, at dinner, lazing around on the sofa. It didn't matter what she was doing, you would take a picture of her doing the most mundane of things if she let you.

"Where else would you go?" You teased, stretching and rising from bed. You slipped this picture between one of her sunbathing on the beach and one of you kissing her cheek with fireworks in the background.

"Well...I was hoping here."

You turned around, frowning. "What do you mean? You're already here."

"No." She shook her head and approached you, her hands finding home on your waist. "I mean permanently."

"I...I don't understand."

"Arsenal made me an offer," Amanda said.

"Arsenal made you an offer," You said, smiling as you reached up to cradle her cheeks, closing the distance between you both with your lips. "Are you going to take it?"

"I am."

[doctorbunny]

The mission to track down (most of) the locations in Ai Nan Desu Yo!

Firstly, I want to thank @archivalofsins /Gunsli-01, this whole thing started because of us DMing, wondering if we could use the background images in Mahiru's first MV to guess which university she went to, that started this whole adventure. By the end of this saga, the process truly was a collaboration too and i would've given up much sooner (sorry for taking so long to write this up!)

It started here. The caption says Mahiru is sat on the 大学のテラス (University terrace). So we figured this was the best shot to find her uni. Gunsli tried reverse image search but it just kept throwing milgram back at us. So I got an idea:

The magic of photo editing! it worked too and I got this back:

That's right! This isn't a university but a pizza place! Specifically one called 800 ディグリーズ ナポリタン ピッツェリア (800 degrees Neapolitan pizzeria) It is right next to two universities however:

Of these two, I speculate Aoyama Gakuin University is more likely to be Mahiru's as they have a large humanities department and an option to take Chinese language classes (interestingly, it is also a Very Christian university and we know from question 19 of Mahiru's trial 1 interrogation, she believes people go to Heaven when they die. There is also a lot of focus on international students and the campus nearest the pizza resturant has a 'statue of Love' in the Majima Archives building)

Inspired by this fruitful discovery I decided to try my method on other photos:

I jumped all the way over to day 13 because I felt like the sign would aid in my search. Before I bothered with any photo editing I just did some google searches "Tokyo Marun-" I got the autofill result 'Tokyo Marunouchi hotel' after investigating it wasn't the right place but we had a location name "Marunouchi" Trying again I typed "Tokyo Marunouchi Street" Autofill gave me "Marunouchi Street Park": Bingo!

This must be some kind of iconic sign because there were a ton of results for it. The bad news is that the sign was portable and only placed out for special events. So I introduce the next weapon in my arsenal: Google Streetview With a street to work with I walked up and down Morunouchi Naka-doori avenue until I got to a building with similar square pillars to the one behind Mahiru

This place is the MyPlaza, it's got a couple different shops, but importantly there is a function room you can rent out for events just like the wedding reception Mahiru attended here. This one turns out to be further away than some of the other discoveries but it makes sense because Mahiru is travelling to an event, not on a date.

Back to photo editing! This is one of two shrines I'll identify, they become important as they get special icons on google maps, becoming landmarks to search around later.

This is the Meiji Jingu Shrine

I was on a roll so quickly moved to day 14, however, my editing trick wouldn't work here so it would only be later that I uncovered the location of the park

Searching for day 11 was much more fruitful

I was really excited to track this one as Mahiru mentions it being the filming location for her favourite movie. So I thought if we could discover that, then we may unlock more clues about her as a person

I got about this far before realising I could try a different tactic. If this was a well known spot, surely in my broken Japanese I could google it right? So with a little help of my dictionary I spat out "Tokyo red hand railing movie". Somehow this barely worked

The movie? Your Name

At this point I was rolling on the floor laughing because I had been expecting some Japanese cult classic romance movie or a domestically popular but internationally obscure rom com meanwhile Your Name was a massive box office smash hit in many places. One of the few anime movies that even non-anime fans will be aware of.

Despite this, I hadn't actually seen it myself and wasn't really in the mood to watch it (I had more locations to track down, dammit) but fortunately Gunsli came in clutch, having previously seen the movie and also in the mood to rewatch it for clues about Mahiru.

These stairs are actually at a place called Suga Shrine, making this our second landmark. (Fun fact: if you look it up you'll find pictures of movie fans recreating photos of the place)

We were starting to build up an idea of Where Mahiru's world was, the border between Shibuya and Shinjuku ward. There were several parks in the area, so I figured I'd set out to find the day 14 park location by searching through each one. I was worried this would take a while but when I started with the biggest park, Yoyogi, I basically hit jackpot right away. Immediately upon seaching it, google recommended me results for images of the park at night. It turns out that Yoyogi had a large area used for concerts (that also may have been used for movie nights). By chance, I found this image from the park at night

which looks awfully similar to the lamp/benches seen in the background of day 14... According to Gunsli, the nearby yoyogi station is featured in an important scene in Your Name, so that's another thing pointing towards them being in this park. It's not solid evidence but we'll come back to this later.

At this point I'm both hyped up and bored, so to amuse myself and just to see if I can, I decide to search for the place Mahiru's boyfriend is working at in day 8

At first I had written it off as pointless to even try searching, but Gunsli noticed that in the top left corner you can see a hint of the store's sign. It is the same colours as a Seven Eleven (a chain that exists both in the US and Japan) This greatly narrowed down my search, as it ruled out the many Family Marts and Lawsons in the area (I cannot stress how many convenience stores there are in Tokyo) Unfortunately, there were still many 7/11s to search through and thus leads to the several hours I spent on google maps, individually going to each 7/11 in Shibuya and trying to look for those bike racks, floor tiles and old security camera. It was demoralising. But when hope was nearly lost and I almost gave up (there was a heat wave outside so my brain was melting during this). Gunsli reminded me of something very important. On day 8 we get two images, the above of Mahiru waiting outside the 7/11, and one of her sat on a park bench. If we were right about the day 14 park being Yoyogi, then surely our 7/11 would be in walking distance? The search began again. The third 7/11 I found near the park was it.

In one fell swoop I had confirmed both day 8 and 14. In celebration I made a tumblr post

Now, at this point I'm running out of images to search for because a lot of the locations in Ainan are indoors, meaning they could be taken from a studio or even one of the milgram crew's homes (which isn't actually uncommon) and thus, not a relavent location. I did half heartedly attempt to look for the day 9 bar, but as you can imagine, without any external landmarks it was even more of a goose chase than the 7/11...

The last location I decided to look for was all the way back in day 5

This edit was pretty tough to make so i was very annoyed when it didn't work. By this time it was late at night, but Gunsli had a hunch that this would be a well known running route, so started looking for those. By the time I'd woken up, she got it down to a route called the Imperial Palace Running Route, which is very popular (especially with tourists, it is recommended to give it a go if you're in the area)

I found it on streetview by following road signs seen in a video of someone running the route Gunsli found (the part in Mahiru's video appears at about 1:35)

It's an area called Takebashi and here is a screenshot both of what we saw in ainan, as well as what Mahiru would've seen in the direction she ran (the route loops back on itself)

Ok I'm tired it's 1 am, finally here's a really rough map of everywhere in relation to each other

An interesting thread throughout is that many of these places are sort of tourist-y, suggesting Mahiru's boyfriend may not be from Tokyo either. The university (assuming I'm guessing the right place) taking in lots of international students and Mahiru's boyfriend working at a 7/11 (which Japanese people can do but is also Stereotypically the part time job of choice for people from outside Japan while studying) could perhaps even hint to him not being Japanese, but it's all speculation right now

I hope you enjoyed this long rambly mess, I'm so sorry it took me so long to write it all up....

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Crab

Designed in 2719 during the last days of the Star League, the Crab was built as a medium-weight raider and guerrilla fighter for the Star League Defense Force. Although lacking jump jets, it possessed good overland speed and its all-energy weapons payload was suitable for long-range missions without the prospect for resupply. The Crab also boasted a highly advanced communications system, the Dalban Series K, and was built mostly with proven parts that were easy to maintain. The term "Crab walk" soon became synonymous with easy duty, since technicians spent less than half the time maintaining the Crab than with other 'Mechs of the same weight class. So popular was the Crab that many believed it was likely to become the standard medium 'Mech of the SLDF. Unfortunately the Amaris Civil War and the dissolution of the Star League put an end to any future plans for the Crab.

Less than 1,000 Crabs had been produced when the Succession Wars began. Cosara Weaponries' factory on Northwind was practically destroyed in 2786, one of many strategic targets attacked in the opening salvos of the First Succession War. Although dedicated technicians were able to keep portions of the assembly line open, producing what spare parts they still could to rebuild damaged Crabs, the technology used for both the original's advanced armor plating and communications system became lost. Designated as CRB-20 models, these Crabs were only slightly inferior to the original; with the destruction of the military infrastructure necessary for the Dalban Series K's more advanced functions to work, its replacement by lesser systems ironically became less of an issue. By the end of the Fourth Succession War 100 or so Crabs were still active in the Inner Sphere and all were CRB-20s.

Unbeknownst to many, ComStar had secreted away massive stockpiles of Star League technology and 'Mechs, including the Crab. When it came time to form their own military, original CRB-27 Crabs were used to outfit the Com Guards, while at the same time gifting downgraded CRB-20s to the Draconis Combine during the War of 3039 as part of Operation Rosebud. Concurrently, the discovery of the Helm Memory Core allowed the refit line on Northwind to start upgrading the remaining downgraded Crabs to their original specification. Unknown to anyone in the Inner Sphere was the continued existence of the Crab in the arsenal of the Clans, although by the time of the Clan Invasion these had been relegated to second-line and garrison units. Eventually Cosara Weaponries was able to restart production of the original Crab in the 3050s and brand-new variants began turning up. Among these were new CRB-30s built by ComStar, later acquired by the Word of Blake, which made use of new C3 technology; it was also rumored ComStar sold these models to the Free Rasalhague Republic. During the Jihad the Word of Blake managed to capture the Northwind factory and begin producing their own radical variant known as the CRB-45.

The Crab carries two RAMTech 1200 large lasers, each housed in the claw and forearm of either arm. While excellent weapons, they are quite delicate with the focusing mirrors liable to be knocked out of alignment if used in hand-to-hand combat; fixing them requires the pilot to leave their cockpit and stick their head up into each arm's elbow to make the necessary adjustments. Backing up the large lasers is a Ceres Arms medium laser in the center torso, well-protected from the fusion engine and with easy access to the 16 heat sinks, and an Exostar small laser in the head, a last-resort weapon more suitable for fighting infantry and rioting citizens. Nine tons of ferro-fibrous armor provides good protection for its size as even the weakest locations, the left and right torso, can each survive a shot from a PPC. Originally lacking hand actuators, Cosara later provided a refit kit to install one in either or both arms.

The centerpiece of the Crab is its Dalban Series K communications system with an integrated 650 RND targeting-tracking system. It monitors all radio and short-wave bands to not only determine the 'Mech's exact location on a world but the approximate location of other units, friend or foe, without the use of satellites. The system was smart enough to predict enemy movements and project a path towards a given location while avoiding their notice. However, in contrast to the rest of the 'Mech, this system was extremely hard to maintain, even breaking down when not in combat. As the Succession Wars dragged on, only the most elite and prestigious mercenary and House units could maintain the system, and when the last living Series K-certified technician died it soon became a matter of guesswork.

The other notable feature of the Crab is its ejection seat, which performs in two different modes. When an explosion is imminent, the top hatch is blown off and the seat ejected up through the roof as commonly seen in other 'Mechs, with seat stabilization thrusters providing a controlled fall some 200 meters away. If more time is allowed, then the seat will instead rotate 90° and eject the pilot out the back of the 'Mech. This is a much briefer and gentler experience for the pilot, with their seat landing some 50 to 90 meters behind the Crab.

[livinchaos]

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JENNA ORTEGA? Não! É apenas VALERIE “AVA” SANCHES, ela é filha de DEIMOS do CHALÉ 32 e aparenta ter 21 ANOS. A TV Hefesto informa no guia de programação que ela está no NÍVEL III por estar no Acampamento há OITO ANOS, sabia? E se lá estiver certo, AVA é bastante LEAL mas também dizem que ela é IMPULSIVA. Mas você sabe como Hefesto é, sempre inventando fake news pra atrair audiência.

✘ BIO

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Just sayin’… sometimes we need a little chaos.”

Confundida como filha de demônio desde o momento em que nasceu, Valerie “Ava” Sanches é uma semideusa filha de Deimos, o deus do terror e do caos. Ava, como prefere ser chamada, é Caçadora de Ártemis desde os 14 anos, levada pela própria deusa para a Caçada. Ela é muito agitada e muito impulsiva, dona de uma personalidade impassível, arisca e levemente agressiva. Pode ser arrogante e prepotente, mas não se vê dessa forma. Costuma implicar e perturbar as pessoas a sua volta, assim como fazer piadas impróprias e inapropriadas, além de não saber seguir nenhuma regra imposta. Gosta de toda a temática de terror, e é sempre vista perturbando as outras caçadoras e semideuses. Em batalha, seu humor é totalmente o oposto, se tornando muito centrada e disciplinada. Apesar de todo o contraste “problema” e humor ácido, é extremamente leal e justa. Por ser filha de quem é, não detém nenhum medo, o que a torna uma ótima aliada em batalhas, uma vez que aceita desempenhar qualquer papel.

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✗ PODERES: Controle sobre o Terror

O terror é uma variação avançada e melhorada do medo, se tornando algo incrivelmente horripilante ou as vezes até assustador. A manipulação do terror então seria fazer o medo aflorar e evoluir de uma maneira catastrófica, ocasionando em gritos e pavor instantâneo. As íris de seus olhos adquirem a cor totalmente negra quando seu poder é utilizado, e se torna mais forte, alimentada pelo pânico do oponente. 

✗ HABILIDADES: Agilidade e Reflexos Sobre-Humanos

✗ ARMA: Léon

É uma espada feita de um material especial denominado 'Panico Estígio', que além de possuir as propriedades naturais do Ferro Estígio também emite ondas de pânico ao ferir alguém. O cabo da espada é feito de ébano e a lâmina possui a gravura de um Leão rugindo.

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✗ Ava nunca teve contato direto com seu progenitor divino. Uma vez, brincou dizendo que se deuses morrem, provavelmente mataram seu pai. A Tenente a puniu com uma semana de limpeza no estábulo dos cervos;

✗ Sua ligação com Ártemis é a única coisa que a prende à Caçada. Sente que precisa provar seu valor à deusa, em um forma de agradecimento por ter a "adotado";

✗ É extremamente indignada com sua altura, uma vez que semideuses tendem à serem mais altos e esguios. Em compensação, sua baixa estatura a faz se tornar extremamente leve e rápida, o que a fez aprimorar suas habilidades com a espada;

✗ Adora filmes de terror e suspense, apesar de sempre se irritar com os mocinhos das tramas. Detém uma coleção de VHS de filmes do gênero, principalmente os das décadas de 80 e 90;

✗ Uma vez, as Caçadoras à fizeram assistir The Addams Family, por jurarem que Ava se parece com a filha mais velha da família. Ava concorda com a comparação, no entanto, sempre argumenta que tem melhor senso de humor e socialização do que a personagem Wednesday;

✗ Por não saber seguir regras, constantemente está recebendo punição da Tenente e demais Caçadoras mais altas na hierarquia;

✗ Ártemis a escolheu para uma missão secreta a 3 anos, e por ter concluído com sucesso, recebeu sua espada diretamente de seu avô, Ares. Ava costuma dizer que ele é mais baixo do que aparenta nas estátuas do Acampamento;

✗ Seu tempo no Meio-Sangue à concedeu diversas brigas e implicâncias com seus tios de Ares. Suas confusões com as crias do chalé 5 a concederam uma cicatriz abaixo do queixo;

✗ É extremamente desleixada e desorganizada com seus pertences e chalé, com exceção de seu pequeno arsenal de armas;

✗ Odeia usar tranças e afins, por isso, não se parece com as demais caçadoras. Veste sempre preto, justificando que precisa honrar seu pai;

✗ Nunca fez nenhuma oferenda à Deimos, suas orações e pedidos sempre são feitos à Ártemis;

✗ Tem o costume de implicar e flertar, por passatempo, com as demais Caçadoras e semideuses. Recebe inúmeras chamadas e atenções de Quíron e da Tenente por suas brincadeiras impróprias;

✗ Uma vez conseguiu acessar o maior pavor do Sr. D, frustrando-se ao descobrir que é ficar sem vinho. Porém, acredita que apenas vislumbrou parte da proteção mental do deus.

✘ BIO

✘ WANTED CONNECTIONS

[pyrodan]

⸻ 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐍𝐄́𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀, filha de Hefesto.

Ousada, pragmática e engenhosa, Danika Adelaide Torres é uma atiradora de elite da infantaria militar de Washington, D.C. Ou era, até ter que pedir uma licença do cargo para atender ao chamado do Sr. D.

𝟐𝟖 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐒 ✦ 𝐍𝐈́𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐈𝐈𝐈 ✦ 𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐀, começou a servir no exército aos vinte e um anos, pouco tempo depois de deixar o acampamento para seguir sua vida além das demandas divinas. Herdou do pai a habilidade de magnetismo – logo, controla ferro. Todo seu arsenal de balas é desse material – e ela não erra um alvo já que manipula o direcionamento de todos os tiros.

A TV Hefesto informa no guia de programação que DANI é bastante ASTUTA e também dizem que ela é muito RECLUSA. Mas você sabe como Hefesto é, sempre inventando fake news pra atrair audiência.

PODER: Manipular o magnetismo. Ou seja, ela pode atrair ou repelir objetos de ferro e metálicos, controlando-os através dos campos magnéticos ao seu redor.

HABILIDADES: reflexos sobre-humanos e sentidos aguçados.

ARMA: Danika possui uma dupla de revólveres gêmeos feitos de ferro estígio. A munição é composta de balas do mesmo material e em miniatura como bolas de canhão – o que é, inclusive, criação sua. Tecnologia desenvolvida nos seus anos nas forjas do acampamento.

Danika não tem uma das maiores admirações pelo pai, já que nutre profundo ressentimento do mesmo. Ela tinha uma irmã gêmea chamada Cecília – que também foi para o acampamento junto dela aos onze. Elas foram resgatadas por um sátiro após a morte da mãe, já que não tinham mais nenhum parente próximo para assumir a tutela das duas. Cresceram como unha e carne, mimadas como princesas pela mãe que – apesar de muito brusca, era muito amorosa. A mulher chegou a abdicar do alto cargo de major no exército para dedicar-se inteiramente a criação delas, mas infartou durante o sono quando as meninas ainda tinham 11 anos de idade.

365 dias depois que chegaram ao acampamento, Cecília acabou morrendo em missão e no mesmo dia, Danika foi reclamada por Hefesto. Ela sente raiva e muita mágoa dele por isso, pois acredita que o deus só a reclamou como compensação e o culpa por não ter feito nada para impedir a morte da irmã.

Danika ficou desolada após a perda. Sua adolescência inteira foi especialmente difícil já que ela passou a ser uma pessoa muito complicada de conviver. Era explosiva, mal contida, qualquer desavença era tratada no murro e no pisão. Sua ira desenfreada só amenizou depois de Quíron lhe dar um propósito: atividades para se ocupar nas forjas. E foi ali que ela acabou se encontrando. A proximidade constante com metais, ferros e o fogo foi essencial para o progresso de Danika, que acabou fazendo daquilo seu hiperfoco. Mantinha-se sempre ocupada para não pensar ou sentir demais, vivendo uma rotina reclusa entre chalé > forjas.

Foi aos 14 que ela teve a primeira manifestação de poder. Durante seu primeiro aniversário sem a irmã, ela acabou tendo uma crise emocional que a lhe desestabilizou totalmente. Em decorrência disso, tudo quanto era metal perto dela nas forjas se retorceu completamente e foram lançados ao seu redor – que para a própria sorte, estava sozinha na hora.

A vida dela tomou um rumo diferente depois dos dezesseis, apenas. Alguns semideuses estavam determinados a tirá-la daquela penumbra ardente na qual ela havia se metido para fazê-la viver como uma adolescente normal – vendo-a além daquele poço de luto e ira. E apesar do comportamento ácido e da sua natureza impetuosa, Danika ainda tinha seus atributos: era afetuosa com quem tinha mais intimidade, apesar da tendência sarcástica ela se mostra engraçada em raros momentos e tem uma lealdade inquebrável com aqueles que ganharam sua confiança e um profundo ódio contra aqueles que a quebraram.

Ela sempre foi mais passiva que ativa nas missões para as quais era designada, agindo normalmente como suporte à distância. É muito furtiva e observadora, entrando em cena somente quando necessário. E haviam ocasiões que ela apenas deixava os colegas lutarem sozinhos, já que não via necessidade alguma de conquistar Glória, ainda mais em nome de Hefesto.

Assim que teve chance de partir, ela se foi, alistando-se ao exército. Passou sete anos como soldado até ser promovida para a infantaria, assumindo a posição de atiradora. Atualmente ela tem um a residência modesta no centro de Washington e é co-fundadora de um clube de tiro para mulheres. No seu tempo livre, participa de algumas corridas esportivas de moto ou está dentro da oficina que construiu na garagem de casa.

[dailycharacteroption]

Herbalist (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)

(art by ivonadenovic on DeviantArt)

When we look at Second Edition archetypes, we go in knowing that same-name syndrome is going to come up, and that it’s not necessarily a bad thing, since it’s a new edition and while things may be a bit different, these 2e options are essentially the inheritors of their 1e counterparts. Usually.

That’s not super the case here, though, as well the 2e herbalist has the same thematic roots, there’s no connection to leshies here.

Indeed, this archetype seems more to be about the more general applications of herbalism, bringing to mind other horticulture-focused archetypes rather than it’s 1e namesake, with perhaps a smattering of having a way to bring the herb-gathering themes from Ultimate Wilderness into 2e.

Additionally, despite being free for any class to take, herbalists maintain some of their old alchemist feel in their mechanics.

In any case, this archetype promises some lovely answers for nonmagical healing, curatives, and even buffing!

(Also note that this archetype got an additional feat from the Knights of Lastwall book)

The dedication to the path of the herbalist grants the ability to procure daily ingredients like an alchemist, but only to make healing tonics and various herbal concoctions.

The herbs in their arsenal are always the freshest available, letting them use natural medicine with greater effectiveness at the cost of some of their daily prepared batches.

Those from Lastwall often learn how to make especially potent brews of Lastwall Soup, making it easier for others to hide from the undead.

Some also learn to prepare their medicines as poultices, no longer requiring others to consume them to apply the effects, but also helping to seal bleeding wounds and smother other forms of persistent harm in addition to the normal effects.

Many also learn how to bring out the best in local herbs and plants, adding a small bonus effect to them, usually tied to whatever dangers lie in that biome, such as resistance to extreme cold in the artic, or greater agility and balance in mountainous terrain.

Normally these herbalists learn only the basics of finding and preparing these medicines, but some learn to break that limit and grow in skill, even adding higher-level healing elixers to their arsenal.

This is a simple archetype, but one that can provide many benefits to those seeking to help allies resist and overcome negative effects without magic in a fun, thematic way. The final feat granting actual higher crafting levels is super important if you want to do more than just dip into the archetype, but even if you go with the minimum you’ll never know when an elixir will com in handy. Thematically speaking, try pairing this with alchemist, ranger, druid, or witch. However, it can be quite useful for any class and build where you want a small supportive edge.

With the concept of the herbalist comes a lot of assumptions, such as the character being wise, kind, empathetic, and having a gentle bedside manner. You can lean into this or go the opposite direction. Heck, perhaps the character is only the “team mom” reluctantly because these idiots of a party can’t take care of themselves? It can certainly be a lot of fun to explore or subvert.

The herbalist Keysha Everbloom once claimed that her aloe vera extract could soothe even the eternal burning of the undead known as combusted. An exaggeration to be sure, but a dreadfully ironic one as one such creature has trapped her on the second floor of her home. While the walls are stone, her many plants are not so impervious to fire, threatening to choke her with the smoke… unless a party of heroes just happens to be on their way to visit her.

The ways of the Great Healer, god of medicine, teach that a person’s true value lies in their ability to provide comfort and aid to others. So then is Kovas of Rathaam dually blessed, the redeemer champion also having a knack for medicinal healing in addition to their divine healing touch. However, they have gone missing, and the path to find them again will take the heroes into the sewers, where their calling has led them to an ysoki warren.

Though shunned by other cultures, the goblins of Valdheim are surprisingly skilled at herbal medicine, having come to rely on it when they rejected the old goblin gods. Those seeking such herbcraft can learn a lot from them if they will only listen.

[thehorrortree]

Deadline: April 1st, 2024 Payment: Royalties Theme: Speculative Fiction about Tarot Tarot cards have long been looked upon as a window to the past and future of human existence. Fortune tellers of old have utilized the power within the cards to advise or warn away inquisitive souls from the potential folly of their choices. What happens when the power of the cards escapes into the realm of humanity with the desire to play out their core intentions on the unsuspecting? A mortal once controlled the power of the past, present, and future. In his innocent desire for companionship, he made a mistake: he got too close to his creation and lost control. The foolish mortal’s artistic magic escaped the confines of the cards and trapped their maker to pursue their magical intent. Walking carnations of the major arcana of the tarot are free to roam and manipulate the mortal world without the constraints of their maker, who has been recreated as The Fool. The Magician, the first excommunicated card, will do anything to free his friend from the confines of art. But can he convince the others to put aside their petty urges and use their magic to help, even if it puts their livelihood at risk? Or have the cards become too accustomed to life in the modern world to allow anything, or anyone, to send them back to a one-dimensional life? The tarot is the only magic left in the mortal world, and they’ve had their way with it for a long time… We’re looking for new, previously unpublished stories that take us on an adventure and leave us wanting more. Genre: Speculative Fiction Word Count: 5,000 – 10,000 Opening Essay by: TBD Edited by: Charity Ayres Anchor Author: TBD Due Date: April 1, 2024 Email submissions to: threeravenspublishing @ gmail dot com with “Tarot” in the subject line Payment: Stories selected for publication in the upcoming Anthology(ies), will receive a percentage of sales divided equally between the contributing authors. MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES We are looking for amazing stories from any genre that are fun to read and will take us on an adventure of epic proportions. Please download our standards template by clicking here ***NOTE*** We publish genre fiction with aspects of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. If your work does not include one of these aspects, we are less likely to pick up the title unless it is of exceptional quality. What we are NOT currently accepting: Poetry Single-author collections of short stories. Hard and fast rules of what not to send: Fan-fiction: Just simply don’t. It will be immediately deleted or tossed into the recycle bin. Gratuitous Sexuality: (i.e. smut, softcore porn) (Please, we know that there is a market out there for stories in this genre, but it’s not for us. Contact our affiliate, Tanglewood press for submissions in this genre at tanglewoodromance (at) gmail.com Gratuitous Abuse/Violence: While we at Three Ravens Publishing understand that graphic situations can alter or otherwise move the plot forward in ways that the reader may not expect when properly used, these elements should not, however, be the primary focus of the story. (i.e. torture porn). Discrimination: Again, whether racial, religious, social, etc., when used properly as a plot device can become a powerful tool in the authors arsenal, but should in no way become the focus of the story unless you’re writing something along the lines of “Schindler’s List”, “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. And we do understand that to be perfectly accurate, period pieces will contain such things because historically, that is what happened. It’s sad, but it’s the truth. Message Fiction: While we understand that everyone has their own stance on a myriad of subjects that can become very emotional and heated, we will not publish message fiction. Message fiction is defined as: Fiction that attempts to convey a sociopolitical message, as opposed to mere escapism. That being said, message fiction can crop up from many different topics.

The cut and dry of it. If it doesn’t add to the story, don’t do it. If the story itself is a platform for you as the author to get up on your soapbox, then don’t bother submiting the piece, because we don’t want it. Special Note: RPG and game-based stories: We do accept these types of stories; however, your submission may not violate any game’s copy written, or trademarked, content. (refer back to the line above on fan fiction. We do not want it and will not accept it.). As an example, you might have a character running around in one of the popular online multiplayer games. You might want to write a story about your character’s adventures. That, in itself, is fine. Do not mention characters, creatures or the game world itself. Rename them to something of your own creation. We do understand that the muse may strike at any time and that ideas can come from anywhere. So please, before submitting, ensure that what you have submitted will not violate any copyright or trademark laws. Reprints/previously published: We accept previously published works as long as you have the rights and can provide proof (if necessary). Other than that, we really want to see what you have. Payment rates: To be determined at the time of the contract and will be in the range of 50-70% of sales, and competitive with other publishing houses. The hard and fast rules of Submissions: If sending a Query letter, include a full synopsis of the story, the first three chapters as a writing sample and links to your social media pages. Response time may vary. Expect a reply within 9-18 months. We would prefer to see complete manuscripts that have already been somewhat edited by the author. Note: A contract offer will not be made based on a Query alone unless the work is of exceptional quality. Offers, in general, will only be made on completed works. Your submission must include your (Legal) name and your (Publication) name if using one, email address*, postal mailing address, and telephone number on both your cover letter and the first page of the manuscript. Include a plot outline if possible. *Also include links to all of your social media pages Spelling and grammar checkers are great, but they are not foolproof. Review your work for flow and content prior to submitting it. Minimal formatting, please! Indent paragraphs; single or double-spaced text is fine, though we prefer to use 1.15 spacing, with no extra lines between paragraphs; center chapter headers and scene break indicators (###, ***, etc.); use page breaks only at the end of chapters. For emphasis, choose either underline or italics and use it consistently throughout. Use straight quotes and apostrophes, … ., –, etc, no special characters, please! Times Roman 12pt is highly preferred. Make it readable, or we won’t read it. It’s that simple. If something specific requires special formatting then explain it in a cover letter. Please download our standards template by clicking here. Electronic Submissions: Neither disks or thumb drives will be reviewed, so do not send them unless requested. Our preferred method is by electronic submission, but we will accept a printed hardcopy. Attach the manuscript as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file. Any other format will not be considered. Send the manuscript as a single file (do not break it into separate chapter files), so any synopsis and contact info needs to be in the file with your manuscript. NOTE: Any viruses attached to your submission will send your manuscript straight into file-13. (For non-military members, that means the trash can.) Hardcopy Submissions: (for those who cannot submit electronically) Standard manuscript format only: double-spaced, one side of the page only, 1/2″ (i.e., 0.5″) margins on all four sides of the page. We will consider photocopies if they are dark and clear. Title, author (last name only is okay), and page number at the top of each page are mandatory. Include your name, mailing address, and telephone number on the first page.

Hardcopy manuscripts identified as “disposable” will be recycled. Disposable submissions should be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped, letter-sized envelope for our reply (please ensure proper postage has been supplied!). Manuscripts intended to be returned should be accompanied by self-addressed packaging and sufficient postage. We will not be responsible for any manuscripts lost or damaged in the mail. Return packages will not be insured, tracked or otherwise paid for by Three Ravens Publishing. Via: Three Ravens Publishing.

[arsenalgbt]

declan and big gabi were like full on fighting in the fulham game and all i could think about was your fic send help!!! happy new year btw 🫶❤️

HAPPY NRW YEAR BUT WHEARE IS TI IT THE GIF THE VIDEO THE CUT I DIDN\T WATCH THE GAME IM SORRY FOR SCREAMING IM HONESTLY SCREAMING?????????

no im serious where can I see it, what time stamp on arsenal . com?

[wileys-russo]

I was watching the bbc stream of the game and yup that’s exactly what she said. She basically said that the break in play due to what happened with Frida would shake arsenal and give Chelsea the advantage. I’ve never lost my shit at the tv more. Like not only was it disrespectful it was just downright disgusting like frida could’ve been in serious trouble like we didn’t have any update on what happened at that point but what pisses me off is she can say shit like that and keep her job. Like what the actual fuck

she’s always been a dropkick on coms but that’s a new low

[hotnew-pt]

Inter de Milão x Napoli: onde assistir ao jogo do Italiano #ÚltimasNotícias #Brasil

Hot News A Inter de Milão recebe o Napoli neste domingo (10), no estádio San Siro, em partida válida pela 12ª rodada do Campeonato Italiano. Os Nerazzurri ocupam a vice-liderança com 24 pontos, enquanto os Azzurri estão na liderança com 25 pontos. Confira a seguir onde assistir Inter de Milão x Napoli ao vivo. A equipe milanesa chega embalada para o jogo após a vitória de 1 a 0 sobre o Arsenal…

[raw1111official]

Hey #Lovers❤️‍🔥! Stay informed with 🌺RAW1111.COM🥑 🍎🚨 Apple Juice Recall Alert: Arsenic Contamination! 🍏🚨. Keep your health first! #GVWU Go Vegan With Us 🌱💚

[carhirenews]

What is ceramic coating for cars?

Auto detailing continues to evolve, and one of the newer tools in the detailer’s arsenal is ceramic coating. Like wax products, ceramic coatings add a protective layer between a car’s clear coat and the elements. It won’t fix paint major issues, but it will keep a clean car clean for longer and can help reduce […] The post What is ceramic coating for cars? appeared first on CAR RENTAL NEWS. https://car-rental.news-6.com/what-is-ceramic-coating-for-cars/