#because I wasn't allowed to on mobile

[fideidefenswhore]

Just thought I would address this again because unfortunately, she repeats this claim in her latest book:

"Anne's own mother had lost several babies in infancy and her sister Mary had borne a son with disabilities who Anne would not suffer to be at court."

Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I (2023), Tracy Borman

There is a primary source (not that she cites one...in either...) which alludes to AB 'not suffering [Henry Carey] to be at court' (it's not terribly definitive, however...the actual quote seems speculative, it's hearsay of another speculating that she "might not" suffer him at court, actually), but it certainly doesn't mention or imply any disability, much less disability being the reason he was not wanted at court:

"Finally, I confess the four bills by Mr. Feerne, Mr. Leeke, Mr. Skydmore, and Sir Thos. Mody to be true, and that by such seditious ways I have maliciously slandered the King and Queen and their Council; for which I ask forgiveness of God, king Henry VIII., and queen Anne, and shall continue sorrowful during my life, which stands only in the King's will. "Moreover, Mr. Skydmore dyd show to me yongge Master Care, saying that he was our suffren Lord the Kynge's son by our suffren Lady the Qwyen's syster, whom the Qwyen's grace myght not suffer to be yn the Cowrte."" [John Hale, Vicar of Isleworth, to the Council.] April 1535.

It's also not clear whether it was Mary Stafford or Henry Carey that Hale was referring to when he claimed Skidmore said AB "might not suffer [them] to be in the court". Natalie Grueninger posits that it was the former:

"While most of the rumours circulating were unfounded [...] Hale was right about one thing-- in 1535, Mary Boleyn was not at court with her family." The Final Year of Anne Boleyn, Natalie Grueninger

There's a thread about this claim on TudorQ&A also:

A commenter over at the Anne Boleyn Files blog asked the same question, only referencing Carolly Erickson's Mistress Anne rather than Borman's book. I checked it out and it looks like Borman utilized Erickson's book on this particular subject nearly verbatim, although she did not cite it [...] Mary Carey and her husband did apparently have the wardship of an "idiot" heir; I assume when William Carey died this reverted to the Crown. At around the same time, however, Mary's son Henry became a ward of his aunt, Anne Boleyn. Perhaps Erickson or her researchers may have confused the two separate wardships. It would be interesting to see kb's review of Borman's book; it's clearly directed at a popular audience, and the "mentally challenged" son comment does not inspire confidence, but it has interesting things to say about Elizabeth's familia throughout her life and I would like to see a qualified scholar assess the historical veracity of the work.

So, I was not able to find any clear evidence of Mary having wardship of a disabled person. Weir's biography of Mary Boleyn mentions that "at some point in her widowhood, Mary [...] was granted wardship of one William Bailey", but I was not able to verify this anywhere. Thomas Boleyn was granted wardship of William Strongman in 1529, but again, have found nothing that suggests the ward had any disability. The only wardship of William Carey's I was able to find was that of Thomas Sharpe of Canterbury, who was described as an "idiot", maybe(?) this did revert to Mary, at some point, but no academic biographies of the Boleyns mention this.

Regardless, whether Borman did get her wires crossed on whether or not she was referring to a wardship (certainly not someone Mary had 'borne', if so), this seems egregious, not least because there was a member of the Boleyn family who was disabled and was cared for:

"In September [1535], Thomas [Boleyn] again left court and spent time in Hever, taking care of his mother who was living out her final years [...]

Nicholas Harris Nicolas, Testamenta Vetusta, Vol. II, 465. It was reported that, from 1519 onwards, Margaret [Butler] was unable to take care of herself or her affairs, and so Thomas moved his mother down to Hever, where he could care for her for the rest of her life.

It would seem that William [Stafford] had also petitioned Henry [VIII] for control of Thomas’ lands in Essex but Thomas had made it clear they were to go to his mother and, upon her death, his granddaughter, Elizabeth. This document suggests a far more proactive Mary [Stafford], as they had already taken possession of several properties before this document had been drawn up. Kent Archives." Among the Wolves of Court: The Untold Story of Thomas and George Boleyn, Lauren Mackay

So Anne Boleyn didn't want her nephew Henry Carey at court cause he was supposedly disabled? Just like Gregory, Borman turned a good thing Anne did for her sister into a nasty thing? What evidence does she shows for Henry being disabled, or Anne not wanting him around? And for goodness' sake, isn't it strange that some historians and fiction writers seem to hate Anne (like Borman or Weir) but can't help to end up writing about her, because, let's face it, ANNE BOLEYN SELLS! They must feel so bad for always having to return return to this woman they are so eager to portray as the Worst Human Being Ever.

Literally none, and I'm not even joking. There's no citation, no additional information or details, she doesn't even name this nephew so I don't even know if it's Henry Carey to whom she's referring, or one of the Stafford children (whose existence/survival remains disputed), or even the later Elizabethan priest, George Boleyn, dean of Lichfield, who has been erroneously labeled as the son of Viscount Rochford, George Boleyn(illegitimate at times, by marriage other times), Julia Fox has argued for the likelihood he was some distant Boleyn cousin, and I'm inclined to agree. The claim is dropped into a paragraph about the perils of childbirth to contextualize Anne's own potential fears as if from the sky:

Worse still, Anne's closest female relations had suffered an unfortunate history in this respect. Her mother had lost several babies in infancy and her sister, Mary, had borne a son with mental disabilities whom Anne would not suffer to be at court. But in her favour was the fact that her health was generally considered good, and as one observer remarked, she seemed 'likely enough to bear children.' --Elizabeth's Women, Tracy Borman

So...yeah, if who she meant here was Henry Carey, I have no idea what she's talking about, A, and B, this is the sole* "factoid" she chose to mention about their relationship? Not that she had wardship of him, not that she arranged for him to receive his education from the scholar she patronized, Nicholas Bourbon, alongside Henry Norris (the younger), Henry Dudley, and the son of Nicholas Harvey, her 'strong partisan' and the husband of her great friend, Bridget Wingfield...all signs which point to Carey being in Anne's favour. I have no idea if he was ever at court, but if there's no record of him at court while Anne was queen, does it not seem more plausible to attribute this to A) how brief that time was and/or B) that his mother was banished from court due to the marriage she had made without royal permission?

I just don't...know, with Borman, really? It'd be interesting to have the unedited interview footage from BSR because I was surprised how overall sympathetic she was towards the subject, honestly. And I can't speak to the new book, I haven't read it, but the PR push for it has centered around praise of AB as an individual, as to her character.

For Weir, I mean, she received the deal to do that fictionalized serial on the six Queens of Henry VIII, of course AB had to be included. If I'm being perfectly honest, I feel like everything she has done since Lady in the Tower has had this weird self-animus pushing behind it, guilt over having further popularized a figure she hates so implacably. Her original view ("a total bitch...she alienated so many people that that must be true") has been evident in all her subsequent works and interviews; from claiming in one in 2017 that there exists a letter extant in AB's own handwriting where she orders Lady Shelton to beat her stepdaughter (there isn't), to depicting AB in her latest novel as having been so ugly and "painfully thin" naked that it was an instant boner-killer for her poorest little meow-meow.

*I believe other sections of this book are dedicated to the Careys so hopefully she expands later...I can't remember if she does. So far in my current read she has not mentioned the wardship and it was in 1528 and the book is now in 1533, so....

[croquettish]

A Hans Capon Character Analysis

Part 1: Hans' Disillusionment with the Nobility

I went into this wanting to write one thing and then instead ended up writing something different entirely which, after watching it get stupidly long, I decided to split in two. So you can consider this an analysis triptych (they other two are already drafted and ready to go). It's still stupidly long, so I apologize for that.

We know that Hans learned what the platonic ideal of a noble looked like and from that point on did his very best to live up to that ideal. He saw what he was supposed to be even while realizing that he could never live up to that ideal. Hans spends all his time trying to reach for perfection only to find his best only ever being at best shy of where he wants to be. More often, his best is far removed from where he thinks he's meant to be / supposed to be.

This is a theme that comes up several times throughout the game. First, when they're at the inn in Troskowitz where Hans pulls the "excuse" about why he can't do work:

I say "excuse" in quotes because the more time you spend talking to Hans the more it becomes obvious that he actually believes what he's saying. All that stuff about the three states of man is 100% something that he was either taught directly or overheard. It's entirely possible that he once tried to help out the castle staff and was told he wasn't allowed to do that because it went against the will of God. Like I fucking love AUs where Hans and Henry met as kids, but there's a non-zero chance that any attempt to do so, if not simply preempted, would have been shut down by Hanush and the others around him. This is what it means to be a noble, Hans. You're not allowed to do any of these fun things. You have a job to do. You're going to rule Rattay someday and that comes with certain responsibilities.

Here are some choice excerpts from that conversation:

I want to draw special attention here to the role that Hans places himself in, the role of the Bellator, a protector of others. This is what he's allowed to do. Remember that for later.

The other thing I want to draw attention to is this bit:

This isn't just about losing face. This is about the fact that he grew up hearing how wrong it would be for him to do peasant work. This is about the fact that he was told that if he did this, he'd be going against God, and everyone would think less of him for not acting as he's supposed to / required to. Not just in the eyes of God, but in the eyes of society.

Remember how I said that Hans has an idealized notion of nobility? That applies here as well. As the codex entry on the Three States of Man tells us, this is the ideal medieval society, one that is meant to be conducive to peace. That lack of social mobility and freedom that Hans has been chained by his whole life has a purpose: to ensure harmony.

But the script he's so used to, that he clings to so desperately, fails him. Harmony could not be further from his reality. Case in point, at the beginning he tells Henry that he can protect him with his name and therefore his own noble status:

But then, that doesn't turn out to be true. He does everything in his power to declare his noble status, to invoke his name, even places his arm behind his back and attempts to bow in order to properly present himself as nobility to the guards at the Trosky Castle gates—all for naught. No one cares. Hans tries so fucking hard to stick to the script he's been taught his whole life, and no one gives a shit. Svatya makes fun of him, refuses to apologize, and then physically assaults him. Instead of seeing Svatya getting clapped in the pillory, he is.

During the divorce era, he once again tries to grasp for any amount of familiarity from his old life by turning to hunting. It's a noble sport and something he's good at. Camping and going out to hunt, being out in nature over an extended period of time, these are all things he's done before. Things he can comfortably fall back on. If he forgets about the fact that he's alone—no Henry, no horse, no hunting dogs—he can almost pretend he's back in his old life.

Even his attempt at romancing Enneleyn at the wedding fits into this desperate attempt to cleave to his understanding of his noble title. (This is a point that also crops up in this fantastic analysis of Hans' character by @codeword-art, that Hans knows what people think nobles should be like, this including a love for women. This post and the one that preceded it are analyzed in greater depth in part two of this analysis.)

And then even that is torn from him when he's told he'll hang for poaching. Nobility was the one thing that was supposed to act as a get-out-of-jail-free card for him, his guaranteed fallback. Nobility was meant to remove the noose from around his neck... and then failed to do so. What's the point of being a noble if no one believes that you are one? What's the point of being a noble if it only comes with a lack of social skills, a lack of relationships, and a lack of freedom? What's the point of sticking to a script if everyone refuses to play their parts? Growing up, nobility always acted as a panopticon for him, surrounded by people's judgments of him. His character, his aptitude, was always everybody's business. But that pain, that judgment, always came with benefits before.

This illustrates for Hans, quite clearly, how quickly those benefits can be stripped for him and made meaningless. Nobility can't save him. Nobility has only ever taken from him, and then, when he needed it most, it wasn't there for him as a parachute.

At the end of Next to Godliness we can talk to Hans about what he's going to do with Arse-n-balls. And if Henry advises Hans to punish him, first Hans tries to defend him.

At which point Henry invokes his noble status and suggests that letting this transgression go unpunished would lead to people questioning him in his position:

At which point Hans folds quite quickly:

How much do you reckon Hans' worldview was shaken in hindsight, upon realizing the reality of the punishments he might have subjected people to. A day in the stocks or pillory? Being hanged for poaching? Suddenly he's seeing these things from the perspective of a peasant and what that might feel like.

Nobles are meant to protect people and dole out punishments only when necessary. But this whole system is so easily upended the second corruption gets involved.

He's next confronted with this issue in a big way if you decide to sell out Olda and go to Semine with Hashek. Despite von Bergow's wishes, Hashek wants to burn the place down to the ground along with all the people in it. Everyone is to die. This isn't what von Bergow wanted (and if you do agree to Hashek's plan, he is appropriately outraged after) and while Hans questions if the two of you did the right thing if you decide to go against Hashek's wishes, he's quite distressed if you don't go against his wishes and kill everyone. It puts him into a funk for quite a while after and leaves him viewing himself as inherently tainted by the experience.

Horrified as he is that Olda, as a nobleman, would side with Zizka and co (and expresses this right after the possible torturing if the truth is discovered), he's just as horrified that Hashek, a nobleman, would order the slaughter of innocents. He objects on several occasions but mostly goes along with what Henry says, only questioning what the right decision was after.

Nobles are supposed to be better than this. If he was expected to do better, to be better, to live up to all these unachievable ideals, why does no one else give a shit?

The next time this crops up in a big way is after the Maleshov rescue when Hans become quite upset at the sight of a destroyed village. A conversation with Brabant follows that showcase a number of Hans' feelings on the matter:

This is unjust, he says. Because in his eyes, the nobility should be above such dirty, underhanded tricks to get what they want. Brabant insists that the village will be resettled before long ("people die, it's what they do" etc etc) and that this is just how war is.

Hans, however, is unsatisfied:

Here too we see his idea of the Bellator and what that means for him as a noble. In Hans' eyes, their job is to protect the common people. To do everything in his power to make sure that these atrocities don't happen.

If Henry then agrees with him, Hans says something else telling (regardless of what happens with Semine):

These things happen because of his failure. He's a Bellator, a noble who should be capable of protecting people. Instead they failed at Nebakov and he was captured. The death of these people, to Hans, is on his own head.

We know that our boy Luke lost rizz points with pretty much everyone because he decided to burn down the village near Maleshov during the siege, but this too is a moment that's worth remarking on. In the moment, Hans defers to Henry and insists that well, they're in a war, aren't they? But after von Bergow's interrogation, he has quite a few things to say to Henry:

On the flipside, if Henry goes against Dry Devil, Hans praises his actions while simultaneously acknowledging that he wouldn't have been strong enough to do the same:

It's interesting that at this point in the story he trusts Henry (not a noble) with ethical judgments far more than either himself or other noblemen. Deferring to Henry isn't entirely new for him, but that's another post entirely. What matters here is that we're witnessing the wool being pulled from Hans' eyes in real time here: the inherent superiority of nobles is rapidly evaporating.

In addition to that, the fact that he's constantly put into the position of damsel in distress means that he's frequently saved or protected by Henry. He's not the Bellator of his own life. Henry is. Henry is more noble in Hans' eyes than any noble he's ever met. This even comes up at one point early in the game, following their first romance option:

I'm sure I don't need to point out how this means that Henry effectively dismantles Hans' sense of self only to build it up again. All his self-esteem was rooted in the fact that he's a capable Bellator, a defender of the people and worthy of his position as a noble. Then Henry comes in, does it all better despite his peasant upbringing, and then shows Hans that he has value in spite of what he perceived all his faults to be.

Even before the siege on Maleshov, Hans is slowly starting to build up an increasingly robust view of himself as a Laborator. I talked about this in more detail here, where we see Hans volunteer himself for manual labor that we see no one else in the game do other than Henry. In fact, it's something that is often (and jokingly at that) offloaded onto Henry. But here, Hans presents the far more noble position (in this case, dealing with the hunted game) to Henry while taking the manual labor task for himself.

With what noblesse oblige is Hans left with then? Stripped of all the artifice, what remains?

Just his word. The word of a nobleman.

Hans and Henry both get into an argument with Hanush at the end of KCD1 when he gives Toth his word that his safety will be ensured if he lets Radzig and Lady Stephanie go. Henry is (understandably) upset that Hanush will just let Toth go, but Hanush insists that his word as a nobleman is his bond. At which point Hans steps in to argue that they may as well not honor that bond:

Henry also argues, but Hanush ultimately comes back with this:

It's a point that sticks with Hans, and we see it invoked fairly early on in the game:

It's also challenged right toward the beginning as well. Henry responds to what Hans says with something that makes no sense, invoking the idea of one's word but here in the name of him being a blacksmith:

@antivanwine14 recently made a spectacular post about precisely this. There's no such thing as the word of a blacksmith. It doesn't carry the same weight whatsoever. But Hans decides to take it that way regardless:

No pretension, no posturing about the importance of a noble's words over those of a peasant. Either Henry has been elevated in Hans' mind (no doubt) or nobility is losing the special, unique lustre that it might have once held for him (almost certainly true as well).

We fast-forward a bit. His next encounter with the word of a nobleman is at Raborsch, where his word is given... for him, when he's engaged against his will. If you ask me, this changes things. In a big way. Hans has very little, but the one thing that he thought he had was his word to give. Every thing he swears by from that point forward serves as a reclamation.

And the first thing he does with that reclamation is swear that he'll be there for Henry just as Henry was there for him:

(and then he did, etc etc)

I do find it curious here that he doesn't invoke the word of a nobleman here in this promise to Henry. Instead, he swears by God, their mutual belief system. Giving Henry his word isn't enough anymore. As if Henry has outranked it in his eyes. I wonder if he thought back to the moment when Henry responded to Hans' word as a noble with the word of a blacksmith here. Unlike social stratification, this is a place where they are on equal footing.

The next time that Hans does give his word is at Maleshov during the siege: von Bergow's safety in exchange for both Rosa's safety and von Bergow's agreement to switch sides.

This makes sense. He's speaking to another nobleman here, someone who would understand what it means if the word of a noble is given.

And it is, of course, then immediately put in danger by Sam:

If Sam kills von Bergow here, he takes the last remaining vestiges of any sort of sense of self or identity from Hans. Nobility is losing its lustre, he's not a worthy Bellator and instead always has to have Henry saving his ass, and this is all that remains. What is a noble without his word? As Hanush told him very clearly at the end of the first game, his word is his honor. And without honor, he's nothing.

What's left if the artifice is stripped away? If all he has left to him is his word, if that too is rendered meaningless, Hans, in his mind, will be left as nothing.

It should also be noted here that Sam is not held back by the rules of this society that Hans is so solidly part of. Much like queerness, he exists well outside of it, as both Jews and sodomites were considered heretics. Sam has that freedom that Hans so badly longs for, but it comes at a considerable cost, that of oppression. It's risky to exist at the fringes of society.

As @hallowedlore perfectly put it (in private conversation), when Sam attacks von Bergow, a statement throwing into question why he should care about the rules of their fancy nobility, the only thing that stop him is the threat of violence from Zizka. Death, not social decorum.

Hans is clinging on to this bit of identity with all his might here as though it's a life-raft. And Godwin immediately backs him up, reminding him that what he did there mattered.

But it doesn't get him very far. And certainly not with Sam, who couldn't care less about pleasing a Christian god. It strikes me as curious (and topical) here that he comes away from the big roundtable discussion with von Bergow and the other nobles feeling like insignificant shit while their talk at the Devil's Den did not leave him feeling that way.

Being a nobleman was meaningless here too. His nobility didn't matter one bit, all that mattered was being the strongest personality in the room. And Hans is anything but that. That boy is made of insecurities, his outward facing personality all a mask behind which is only hot air.

Only his jealousy regarding Sam's inbuilt relationship with Henry makes him turn back to old patterns:

See, Henry? He's different from us. But the argument doesn't work on Henry and barely even works on himself.

Increasingly, Hans realizes that the nobility isn't where he feels like he belongs the most. This worldview of his is fucked and all wrong. Who went and decided that he should be a Bellator while someone like Henry isn't?

Because he does associate Henry with nobility in a big way. When Henry goes to ask Hans what he should do about Erik's offer of a duel, Hans thinks it over and then comes back with this:

These are different times. Are they? Or is it just Hans' heart that has changed here? Because right after this, he asks Henry to stay. To forgo honor and nobility and not put himself in unnecessary danger.

The aftermath of the silver heist likewise serves as a painful reminder of what is waiting for him on the other side of all this: a marriage that he doesn't want to a woman he doesn't know. What benefits remain of nobility? All he'd see by this point is obligations. No one listens to him, no one cares what he has to say except for Henry. All the bluster is ultimately meaningless. He doesn't belong with the other nobles, and all his best attempts at fitting into the mold fail him. All his life he's spent his time trying to be like those around him, trying to be someone he isn't, and it's never good enough.

The people he feels most comfortable around, Henry and Godwin, are both people with ties to nobility while wanting as little to do with titles and related obligations as possible. They both have social mobility to a certain extent. The opposite of nobility, to Hans, is freedom.

Shorty after the attack by the Praguers, Hans goes to wait for Henry in front of his room. When Henry asks him how he's doing, because he's clearly got experience leading troops, Hans laughs it off:

If there was any doubt left that he views himself as an incapable Bellator, this is excellent proof, backed up even more later on following the suicide mission:

This is what being a noble has gotten him. People's judgments and expectations, obligation to marry and carry on a family line, and the ability to play God and decide who gets to live and who dies. All he wanted was to protect people. Instead he gets to send them to their deaths.

This will come up again in part two, but it bears mentioning here as well. After getting laid, Hans vents to Godwin about how much he hates that no one ever treats him like an adult. He's a noble and an adult, and none of it ever seems to matter:

Who's "they"? Because the rest of what he says mentions that he thought the Trosky delivery would make "them" take him seriously. This isn't just about Hanush. This is about all nobles. That he'd finally fit in.

But he doesn't, and he won't.

When Hanush arrives at Suchdol, he highlights that everyone there is a hero for their deeds there, but it doesn't matter. Hans once more has his noble obligations shoved down his throat, which effectively feels like the last straw in this disillusionment. Nobility has granted him nothing but pain and any child of his would suffer the same fate. There's even some easily missed idle dialogue you can walk in on where they're arguing about precisely that. It doesn't matter what he does, how heroic he is, how many good deeds he performs, at the end of the day none of it ever mattered (read left to right):

It always strikes me in that conversation how unbelievably bitchy Hans sounds here. The "I'm glad you noticed" could not be cuntier. He is not happy. And even then, Hanush barely offers him any guarantees.

Effectively, this leaves Hans open to questioning the harmony of society as it was taught to him and, in questioning it, realizing that that harmony never existed to begin with. He spends the whole game realizing that the social order he's been subjected to and thought he fit into perfectly is not only illogical but also something he has despised his whole life. This is discovered not only because he was shown an alternative in his own shift into more of a Laborator beside Henry (who to him embodies the qualities of a Bellator far better than he), but also in his own queerness.

It doesn't escape me that there's something to be said about Suchdol here. During the siege, Henry and Hans effectively live outside of the bounds of nobility or social stratification. Everyone is equal in the face of Hunger and Despair. And it's only in this space, this place outside of what is and isn't deemed acceptable by society, that Hans finds it in himself to kiss Henry. To breach every code of conduct he's ever known. Because they're already in the space outside of social acceptability. Hell, the entire Devil's Band is situated in precisely this space just by going against Sigismund. You couldn't ask for a more perfect environment for Hans to step outside of the bounds that have held him since birth.

This is even shown even more starkly with this anon's point in mind about how it goes if you don't romance Hans:

This is unjust. Henry is only in danger because he's not a noble. There's something to be said about agency here, but that discussion has to wait for part three of this analysis triptych. Nothing about this social stratification serves him any longer, all the more so when he romances Henry. It's also why he seems so uncertain about the two of them when Henry returns, and they are meant to return to reality and the expected social order.

This social order that was meant to bring with it harmony for all is the same social order that would demand that he marry and beget an heir. Why should he try to fit himself into this cookie cutter mold if he never fit to begin with? As we see with Barnaby especially, being discovered as queer spells an existence at the fringes of society if not outside of it entirely. Queerness is inherently and by definition at odds with social order, thus returning us to the nobility vs. freedom dialectic. And regardless of which of the two Hans ultimately chooses, obligation or what his heart wants, that disillusionment can never be undone.

Part 2, Part 3

[readingbunny44]

I'm So Hungry I Could Eat Your Ex │ Oliver and Mark Snippet

Very small snippet of Oliver doing the "I'm so hungry I could eat …" trend on Mark

CW: ooc, does not fit anywhere in canon plotline, very short

WC: 1.6k

Oliver was giggling to himself while holding an old, clearly worn-out phone that he had found two weeks ago when he was aimlessly walking around the house.

It was boring to be left alone, and it was only natural that he went snooping around drawers and cupboards in search for something to entertain himself.

That was when he found an old phone that used to belong to someone else in the house, the older model and the scratches that littered the front of the screen clear that it had a previous owner a long time ago.

Though it was his now—not that mom or Mark knew.

They said that he wasn't allowed to have his own phone until he was older and was taught properly about internet safety. Which was stupid, he'd been on the internet before on Mom's phone and it wasn't like it had fists to fight him!

Not that he would lose if it did—he'll so kick its ass.

Using his not-really-brand-new phone, he found the App Store and began downloading a bunch of stuff.

It was mostly mobile games with bright flashy colors and the simplest game mechanics known to man, but he became hooked on them quickly. That was until Oliver became slowly fed up at how each time, he finished a level, a one-minute advertisement would pop up to interrupt his fun.

He associated his phone to simply playing games when no one was around, not really thinking anything more of it.

That was until one of his mobile games advertised TikTok to him, and he was so curious on seeing what it was he downloaded it immediately.

And boy, it was the best thing ever!

Oliver discovered so many funny things and discovered funny people! He followed everyone and anyone that made him laugh, and he actually began gaining some mutuals because of how active he was in every comment section he came across.

His favorite thing right now however was the trend that was going around about people saying they were hungry and calling out the name of the person's friend that they shouldn't know—it was hilarious!

Oliver kicked his feet in the air, the phone close to his nose as he opened up the comment section.

XxsupercoolkidxX 😂😂😂ts so funny i gotta do it 2 my bro

He got a notification that someone replied to him.

bonsubear LOL do it n post it while the trend is still alive !!

XxsupercoolkidxX ok😂😂😂😂

Oliver jumped from the couch, floating in the air with his phone still in hand. He scrunched his brows as he tried to think how to get the funniest reaction from his brother, not really knowing how to find out the names of any of his friends.

Especially one that would get a big reaction out of him.

Eh, he'll figure it out!

He snooped around hard enough to find this thin, black book that was lying around the house. It was stashed inside the corner of a closet, clearly tossed and forgotten about as soon as it hit the wall.

In front of the cover was written in a white marker, Mark Grayson, with the year written next to it.

This belongs to Mark!

Opening it curiously, it was a bunch of photos with words next to it. He had an unimpressed look on his face as he flipped through the pages absentmindedly, not really interested in what the paragraphs had to say.

He came across endless pages of random people posing for a picture, and Oliver pouted as he thought this was boring.

That was until he came across a page that had a picture of a girl with curly hair, the frame around her picture adorned with hearts drawn on. The colors were pink and red, with yellow stars next to it.

Underneath the photo portrait was the name Amber Bennett, and it seemed like Mark really liked her.

“Hehe.” Oliver giggled, a mischievous grin blooming on his face. His lips resembled that of a cat’s smile with how the corner of his lips curled, rounding upward. “Perfect!”

Mark Grayson was sitting at the dinner table, having entered the house through the sliding doors. He was stuffing his face with the dinner that they had last night, heating it up in the microwave moments prior.

He was hungry and tired, practically shoving the food down his throat without swallowing with how empty his stomach was. He had pushed off not eating because of so many things happening for too long, the stomach pains while flying over here actually caused him some trouble.

Oliver flew around the corner, hiding the phone behind his back that was already recording. He had a sly grin on his face, Mark not noticing as he was too preoccupied by filling his stomach.

“Hey Oliver.” He greeted lazily, not sparing a glance as he barely chewed his food.

“Hehe, hi.” Oliver giggled, already unable to suppress his laughter that was bubbling in his throat. He hovered closer to his older brother, shifting the phone in his hand to face his direction. It was slanted, but it still captured Mark eating—completely unaware what was about to happen.

“I’m—pfft—I’m so hungry right now.” The purple-skinned boy snickered, covering his mouth with his free hand.

“There’s still leftovers from last night.” Mark pointed out, still not looking over to the direction of his younger brother that was having difficulty in holding it in. “Go heat it up for lunch, it’s still good.” He commented, stabbing his fork inside a cube of meat and popping it in his mouth.

Oliver shook his head, dismissing what his brother had told him to do. Mark was about to plunge his fork into another piece of meat, Oliver continuing to speak. “No, like, I’m so hungry right now I could eat Amber Bennett.”

CRACK!

Mark hand slipped, the fork going straight through the ceramic bowl that held his food in and impaling itself inside the wooden frame of the dining table. His head whipped to Oliver, his eyes wide and blinking like crazy, processing what his younger brother had just said so casually.

Oliver jumped, startled, letting out a nervous laugh.

“How—what I—how do you know her?!” Mark stuttered, looking at Oliver as if he had grown a new set of arms. He stood up from his seat, the chair getting knocked back and falling on the floor with a thud.

He let out a nervous, but deranged laugh not knowing exactly how to take his brother bringing up the first ever girlfriend he’d ever had. “How do you know her? How—ah—Oliver how do you know who that is?”

“Uh... you never get hungry for some Amber Bennett?” He shrugged. The camera was still filming.

“Wait—well uh, I used to I guess—okay that’s beside the point. Oliver, how do you know who that is?” Mark repeated the question again, walking towards his younger brother. He narrowed his eyes, noticing the phone peeking out of his back that had the flash on.

“Are you filming me? Whose phone is that?”

“It’s mine.”

“You’re not allowed to have your own phone yet! I didn’t get my own phone until I was fourteen!”

Oliver stuck his tongue out, blowing raspberries. “Sucks to be you! I’m mom’s favorite!” He taunted, bringing the phone in front of him to emphasis his point. “Got my own phone and everything.”

Mark scoffed, shaking his head. “I’ve been with mom for 18 years, I’m pretty sure I’m her favorite. Now, give me that phone—how’d you even get that?!”

“No!” Oliver screeched, turning on his heel in the air to run away. “I still have to post this!” He screamed before running out of the room, Mark quick on his trail.

“Post?! You are not old enough for social media!”

“I’m old enough for some Amber Bennett!”

“No, you’re not! Never say that again!”

Oliver burst out laughing, his smile reaching his ears as he landed on the wooden sleek floors just in time before Mark swung his arm in attempt to grab the younger Thraxan hybrid.

The momentum he was going at in the air didn’t transition well when he hit his feet on the ground, his socks causing him to slide across the floor. His eyes widen as he was hurled straight into a wall, crashing inside of it leaving a gaping hole of his silhouette behind.

He let go of the phone he had in his hand, the electronic flying across the floor.

The front door suddenly opened, Debbie holding a bag of takeout that she had bought before coming back home. She looked up, a gasp leaving her lips as she immediately noticed the gaping hole that was inside the wall of the hallway.

Oliver hissed, rubbing his head while he stepped out of the hole.

“Oliver!” Debbie gasped out.

Oliver jumped, looking at his mom. “Uh,” his eyes flickered at the hole in the wall that was obviously shaped like him. He raised a finger, pointing at Mark who was standing behind him, trying to muffle his laughter. “He did it! He pushed me!”

“What?! I did not push him!”

“You so did!”

“I so didn’t! Stop lying!” Mark turned to his mom, pointing at his younger brother. “He has a phone somehow! And he brought up my ex!” 

Debbie looked at the two of them like they were wild, shifting her gaze from Oliver to Mark. She was confused on what was happening, not expecting to be greeted so soon with chaos. “What?”

“What’s an ex! I said Amber Bennett stupid!”

“Stop saying her name—how do you know her?!”

Oliver simply stuck his tongue out, “Amber Bennett! Amber Bennett! Amber Bennett!” He repeated like a mantra, Mark raising his voice as he grabbed a hold of Oliver’s shoulders—shaking him back and forth in an effort to interrogate him.

 Debbie sighed, shaking her head as they continued to bicker loudly.

Oliver I'm so hungry I could eat the fine piece of ass called your older brother aka Mark Grayson !!

also this is just so random whyd i write this

Tag List for All Works: @calicocat-ina-tuxedo

[redheadspark]

Divine

Summary - Azriel and his mate find each other again during alone time

Warnings - SMUT! SMUT SMUT SMUT!! Although a bit mild, there is smut in this, no minors allowed from here on out!

A/N - This is part of the Ocean Eyes Series. A little smut piece for Azriel and the Reader to enjoy together! I hope you like it!

"I don't like how quiet it is,"

"I knew you were going to miss him as soon as we dropped him off with Cassian and Nesta,"

"I wasn't going to say anything and ruin the mood,"

Azriel barked a laugh, walking over to the fireplace to feed fresh logs into the fire, across from the loveseat where you were already sitting. Watching Azriel feed the fire and let the flame rise a bit, bringing warmth into your little home, made you relax all the more as the early evening was getting darker outside. 

Both you and Azriel had the evening to yourself, Alec having a sleepover at The House of Wind with his Uncle Cassian, Aunt Nesta, and Cousin Rose. Rose was big enough for Alec to play with her, thinking she was so fun to run around with and play with for hours on end. Cassian reassured you and Azriel that Alec would have the best time with his relatives, promising to teach him how to sword fight and do flips in the air with his wings.

The latter Azriel shot down real quick, but he was happy to let his son go for the night,

Plus, you can tell Azriel wanted to have some time with you and only you. Since you finally healed all the way through from being near close to death, you were simply trying to go back to a normal life. Though normalcy was not going to be in your life anytime soon because of recent events: Eris was still on the run with no leads as to where he was, Autumn Court's alliance with Night Court was shaky because of Eris. 

With all of this happening, you were worried about Azriel. No one told you, but you caught onto the fact that Azriel had a personal target on Eris. He was too strung out, too tight in his backside and his stance, and there was no sign of him being relaxed anytime soon. You understood why, but you also didn't wish for him to be wound tight like a tot.  Even feeling the bond and how he was not even relaxed for one moment. Stiff, a bit rigid, and you hoped you could find a way to get him to relax and unwind. 

Maybe it was perfect timing that you two were alone at your home.

Azriel stood back up, looking at his handiwork in the fireplace and the roaring fire that was now active. You stayed in your spot on the loveseat, your head slightly cocked to the side as you were looking at your mate with adoration and love in your eyes. For the last week and a few days, Azriel nursed you back to health and made sure all of your needs were met. Applying the ointment to your wound, delivering your food to the bed you were resting in, traveling back and forth between the River House and your cottage to get you books and some of your cross stitching when he noticed you were getting bored. Mor joked that he was becoming more of a wet nurse than a Spymaster. Azriel never cared, he was more focused on helping you get back to health and making sure you were 100% better. 

With a nasty sliver of a scare along your wing, you finally were able to leave River House behind and head home. But even when you did make it home and were given permission to be mobile, thanks to Madja, Azriel still was on edge. Rightfully so, you couldn't tell him to calm down because the threat that almost killed you was still out there somewhere in Prythian.  You weren't simply wanting Azriel to go back to the leisurely being he was before, but you wanted that light back in him.

"You're quite good at that, my love," You teased, seeing that smile on his face and the reflection of the fire dancing along his cheeks and nose. He looked back at you, his silhouette against the orange tint of the fire would look daunting to others. But not to you, not when he was walking back over to you and lowered himself on the loveseat to be shoulder to shoulder with you. His wings touched yours, making him look over at your wigs that were tucked against your backside.  Reachingup, he grazed his finger along the scar that was still fresh. You shivered from the touch, your wing was a pinch more sensitive thanks to the scar.

"It's healing well," Azriel stated, his voice calm as he was looking at the wing with intrigue. You weren't paying attention to your wing and its sensitivity, you were focusing on your mate. Watching his hazel eyes dancing along your wing, the smoothness of his cheeks after a recent shave, even the soft smile he had made you feel at peace. 

"Thanks to Madja, and you," You replied, Azriel's fingers that were hovering over your scars moved away from your wing swiftly. He moved his hand over to rest in his lap, though you were faster, and took his hand in yours to cradle it. Azrielwatched, you simply lacing the fingers together and smiling at him. Maybe it moved him a bit, seeing how relaxed and calm you were with him since you both were alone. You had plenty of things to say to him but had no idea where to start. Azriel must have sensed your quietness, he looked at you in concern as he squeezed your fingers together.

"Sweetheart?" He asked tentatively, he was searching your face as you were looking down at your joined hands. You are overwhelmed in that moment, being able to be back home at your home, healthy, and able to share this moment with your husband and mate. It made you want to cry, but something was holding you back from bringing on tears. Azriel reached over with his spare hand, placing a finger under your chin to gently raise your gaze to him. All you could do was smile, Azriel was about to say something else when you finally spoke.

"I'm happy," You explained to him as he was searching your eyes. You might have sounded odd to say that since you were on the verge of crying, but Azriel said nothing and simply watched you as you kept talking, "I'm happy that I'm here, and I have you to thank,"

Your voice sounded broken, yet you were smiling as if nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong, you were in good health and you had your family with you. Maybe you were thinking back to that moment when you woke up in River House, in insane pain, and Azriel perched over you like a guardian angel of sorts. 

Even with the pain, the near close to death, seeing Azriel gaze at you with so much devotion and love in his eyes was enough to bring you back again. You thought for a split second in the bed that you were in a dream, or that you died and were now in some kind of afterlife with Azriel waiting for you. 

But he did more than that, he brought you back to reality. 

Azriel gently grazed your cheek with a singular finger, catching the one tear that was about to spill over, and smiled lovingly at you, "You never have to thank me for loving you with all of me,"

He made it seem so light, so simple, even freeing. He rarely expressed his feelings to others, even with you though you two have been together for centuries. It was the very simple moments that were sprinkled with love and gentleness, youloved those moments since they showed an intimate side of Azriel that he rarely brought into light. 

"There was nothing in all of Prythian that would stop me from having you in my life, sweetheart," He explained, thefinger that traced your cheek was now curling around your jaw, his palm against your jawline and the touch alone was a shocking sensation to you as he searched your eyes with his soft smile and his bright eyes, "I've told you this before and I mean it when I say it: You make my life so much better. I can't picture going on in this life without you in it,"

It moved you to hear that from him, even though you've heard it say many times from him during your long span of a relationship and courtship. Even back when you two met so long ago as teenagers, fresh in your adoration and love for one another, Azriel poured out his love for you and was willing to give you his heart. He did, to which you took it delicately in your own hands and swore to never break.

You haven't broken it yet, hundreds of years and a son later.

You leaned up and kissed him, starting it soft and sweet as he leaned into your touch. His fingers still against your jawwere delicate for you to feel while he kissed you back and snuggled a bit closer to him.  Something about kissing Azriel in that moment, alone in your small living room away from the rest of the world, made you feel a like of fire in your belly.You knew this feeling, you've felt it so many times before in the throws of intimacy and passion. 

But this time, it felt so slow and like a crawling passion.  Nothing rushed the pair of you as the kisses continued, your fingers both digging into his hair and the soft shirt that he decided to wear that night. His own hands and fingers were moving as well, the hand along your jaw was still gentle but was holding you in a possessive manner.  His other hand was slowly inching up along your arm, sending you shivers and chills that you felt all along your skin and even under it as well.

It felt like you were young again, young and pent up with these losing feelings for one another as the kisses were slowly evolving and growing. Azriel never strayed in his affection towards you, his body curled over to you while you two were getting impossibly close and still kissing one another. Now it was passionate, that fire in your belly was only growing stronger as you felt Azriel trace your lower lip with his tongue.  Barely a graze along your lip with the very tip of his tongue.

You whimpered, moving without realizing it and you were now straddling him.

Something inside the both of you clicked open, like a tight chest that was locked down for so long and now finally free. Azriel tilts his head up to kiss you soundly and wrap his arms around you softly. Your fingers were in his hair, tugging at him slightly as your head tilted to the side to feel him kiss you deeply. Nothing else was in your mind as Azriel was touching you, kissing you, making you feel so whole and alive again. Even after being with him for centuries and with a very healthy sex life, this time it felt different. It felt deep, It felt complete.

It felt alive. 

His fingers were now under your shirt, pushing up your shirt to be under your armpits to give you a chill along your soft stomach and backside.  You huffed, throwing it off within a second and diving back to kiss Azriel and framing his face in your hands. He smiled against your lips, you feeling his skin skim along your stomach and hips while your fingers were not moving down to the collar of his shirt to give it a gentle tug. Azriel laughed against your mouth as you tugged it again.

"Impatient little thing, are you?" He teased against your lips, though you silenced him with one massive kiss, your own tongue then licking into his mouth. He groaned, you having a small smirk as you were needing to lean back but Azriel was chasing after your lips. But you placed space between yourself and him, a hand on his chest and seeing his dilated eyes watching you like you were prey to him, His chest heaving, his lips plump and dark, and the flushness in his cheeks. He might have looked like a wreck to anyone else.

But to you, he was angelic.

"Who's impatient now?" You challenged back to him.  He grinned, a predatory-like grin etched on his gorgeous face as he then grabbed the collar of his own shirt and yanked it off. You watched as it fell to the ground, Azriel seeing it too as he broke out into a laugh.

"Thank The Cauldron these shirts are Illyrian friendly," He said in a snort, you giggling as well as you saw your shirt crumbled next to his.  Having this small moment to laugh, even when you both were shirtless and in a compromising position, was a sweet reminder of how you two were so in love with one another. The centuries of having one another,and learning from one another, all lead to a fulfilling life. Nothing felt bland or out of place, you still had those butterflies in your chest when you had these moments with him. 

You both took in a breath together, looking at one another with big grins on your faces as Azriel finally dived back in to kiss you. The heat was still there, no throes of passion but still active enough to have Azriel place his hands along your backside to touch your bra and the latches behind it. You were feeling so good all over, the heat was getting bigger in your stomach as you nodded against his lips.

"Please," You said along his lips, Azriel groaning in approval as his fingers were skillfully taking off the bra straps and letting your bra slip to the ground. His hands immediately moved, cupped your breasts as you moaned against his lips and curled into him more. The feel of his calloused palms against your soft skin, you feeling your nipples hardening immediately from his touch, it was a weakness for you that your mate knew far too well.

You could even feel your core reacting to this, shockwaves under your skin were felt like Azriel moved his lips along your lips and then to your jawline and then your neck. You clung onto him with one hand, your other moving down to undo the buttons of his pants. 

"Let's go to our bed…" You felt Azriel hum against your neck, making you shiver from his lips along your sensitive skin. But you shook your head rapidly, not wishing to lose this momentum or this drive that was building.  You popped the one button open skillfully with your fingers, and the sound alone was heard by both of you.

"No," you said hotly, feeling him lean back and look up at you while his hands were still cupping your breasts delicately. You saw that fire in his eyes alone just in the way he was watching you with desire etched all over his face. You took in a long inhale, almost feeling powerful to have the Spymaster himself bend to your will.

So you leaned down, nuzzling his nose against your own and looking at him directly in the eyes.

"I want you, here and now, on this couch," You instructed him.

You've never seen him cave so fast and so willingly.

You both moved elegantly, knowing this dance far too well as you both helped strip each other's clothes off while remaining close to one another. Like magnets, unwilling to be too far apart as you both were now bare and holding onto each other.  In this little home that was your safe space, a space you two built up and kept strong for years on end, your love was blossoming all over again. Feeling his lips descending to your breast, kissing one breast with delicacy and yet with fire while his other hand took care of the other breast with ease. You were too far gone in the lust and sensations of his mouth and hands on you to notice Azriel's own shadows licking along your skin, making the lust come out all the more. You had to give him credit, he knew how to use all his tools to his advantage. 

Moans and sounds of passion filled your little home as Azriel sunk into you, you both holding onto each other so closely as he finally sunk into you.  It always took your breath away, how he both stretched you to your limit and yet made it feel so perfect and so right. So many times in the past you thought how perfect he felt inside of you, snug against your walls and hitting the right spots within you that made you see and feel stars. You felt it again that moment, his cock fitting you so perfectly that you felt like you two were made for one another. It made you speechless for a moment, frozen in his lap as he was watching your reaction. No matter that you couldn't find the words or put together a sentence, you were feeling everything and everywhere. 

You had no idea what Azriel was thinking at that moment, watching up be speechless as he was buried deep inside of you. He was feeling that sensation as well, pure lust and euphoria rolled into one. Nothing else could feel this amazing, this close to heaven or any kind of heaven, and it all came from you.  Your shining eyes, your tender heart, and yourwillingness to love him for all he was and for all his flaws. But the physical love he felt for you heightened all the more.

But seeing you bare, eyes lusted over in bliss and love with your head tilted back and looking up at the ceiling, chest heaving, and your hair cascading down your back, Azriel was in love all over again.

"Mother Above," He said in a breath, almost sounding winded himself from the sight of you. If he were to die in that moment, he would die a happy being and have no shame in it. You opened your eyes, hearing him and looking at you with your breath barely on your lips. He smiled the rare smile that made you think he hung the moon. He uttered one word, a word that he would use to always describe you and his love for you:

"Divine"

From that moment on, you both moved so softly and carefully yet filled with passion and possession simultaneously. Youwere inwardly thankful that your home was tucked away from anyone else, giving you all the privacy to fully enjoy this moment with your mate as he rolled his hips deeply and almost in a feral manner. You were letting him, having the experience know that this wasn't going to be anything typical. Your sex life with Azriel was never typical: it was always driven to ecstasy. Somehow, this time seemed deeper.  Being on the couch in front of a roaring fire, the sounds of bothyourself and Azriel enjoying one another as you rode him carefully with his arms around you, it all felt like an out-of-body experience.

As you were getting close and closer to your peak, you were closing your eyes and leaning against Azriel as you were feeling every sensation: his cock hitting your sweet spot inside of you with every roll of his hips, his hands roaming along your sweaty skin, his lips brushing along your neck. Even hearing him moan and grunt, the pure love and lust he was feeling too while he pleasing you, was making you get closer to the edge as well.  You both were feeding off each other, a tactic you both have done for years and years.

I love you, Cauldron I love you so much. I can feel you….mph….everywhere! You hear in your mind through the bond,that his voice was sounding raw and emotional as you were moving hotly in his ear. You felt wrecked, emotionally and lustfully as you were attempting to connect words to make a thought or two. But he was fucking you so good, drilling into you to the point that you were losing your breath once or twice. 

Right there Az….fuck…right there! Please…please fill me up. You moaned through the bond to him, the rational side was slipping away and something else was taking over. Something that you could only show to your mate when you were in the throws of pleasure. Perhaps you weren't thinking about it too much, but Azriel let out a gutted moan. Something you never heard in a long time, such a long time. It made you open your eyes briefly, looking down at your mate and seeing the wrecked look on his face.  So disheveled, and yet beyond gorgeous to you as he kept rolling his hips over and over to not stop the momentum. 

You knew then that a new side of Azriel took over. 

Say that again! He pleaded in the bond, his eyes slammed shut as you heard his pleading tone in your mind. You were confused at first, not knowing what he was talking about while you were petting his hair and still staying so close to him. He said nothing at first, just grunting with every thrust he was giving, but you were moving your fingers then from your face over to the top of his wings, being dangerously close to running your fingers along the membrane to throw him off.

Say what, baby? You asked him, almost sounding a bit smug about it while you tried to hold back from touching his wing. Just seeing his face alone was enough to make you want to crumble and fall to pieces, your pleasure getting at an all-time high and about to tumble over. But you still had the one last piece of resistance, of control, to hold back until you knew Azriel was going to tumble over with you. 

To…oh fuck….to fill….fill you up. He confessed, having you smile widely in pleasure flowing through you so quickly to take over your entire body. Hearing that from your mate, from a Shadowsinger and feared Illyrian throughout all of Prythian and even beyond, stunned you.  He was putty in your hands, and the way he was shaking and whimpering against your skin, you knew he was close. Beyond close, and all he needed was a push.

With a brush of your fingers along his wing, you whispered against his ear, "Make me fucking full,"

He roared, orgasming and emptying himself into you in such a force that it made you cry out and orgasm as well.

The orgasm alone was enough to make your head swim and your skin crawl in the best way possible. The pleasure alone, mixed in with the lust and love that you had for one another was now filling the room as your body was riding through each moment that felt like a lifetime. Azriel clung onto you as he was shaking, still riding his own high as you felt like you were going through it in slow motion.  From the top of your head to the tip of your toes, it was all there. You felt out of your body for a split second, floating in the air right above your home and embracing the air.

You were floating back down to the ground again, back onto that couch where you felt boneless in the arms of your mate, who was still shaking himself and feeling just as exhausted as you were. Both of your shared labored breaths, you blinking slowly as the white-hot pleasure that once soared through you was now a Luke warm, a soothing warm. Azriel'sscarred but beautiful fingers were dancing along your bare back, his face dug into your neck and sounding breathless and exhausted. Yet you felt a smile along your skin, you grinning as your face was against his head.

"That's….that's a first," You commented in a gasp. Azriel laughed, sounding so light after giving you an earth-shattering orgasm, "Never took you to like something like that, sweetheart,"

"You bring out the side of me that I never knew I had," Azriel confessed, having you giggle in a shy manner as you finally pulled back a bit to look at a blissed-out Azriel. You loved this look, the look of bliss and pure happiness that could only come from something like this. You were feeling it too, the sense of being the only two beings in the world and everything else ceasing to exist. And having Azriel cradle you close in his embrace, almost shielding you from the outside world and keeping this small bubble of bliss intact.

"You know, the last time we were in a position like this….I got pregnant with Alec," You explained to him as you reached down and ruffled his sweaty hair. He lit up a bit from the memory, you thinking about it too that fateful night when you two were in the deep throws of pleasure together in your bed. It was in the same manner too, you being in his lap and cock buried so deep side of it that you felt every moment and the insane pleasure that he experienced. That memory alone was vibrant in your mind, Azriel leaning up and perhaps reading your mind through the bond, you feeling his flicker of joy over and over as he spoke up again.

"Are you suggesting that we have had a repeat of that fateful night?" He asked, almost in a tease as he saw you blush. Youwere about to hide your face from him, moving your eyes away from him. However, he was faster in catching your jaw with his fingers and making sure you were facing him again. You felt the butterflies in your stomach as he kissed you sweetly. This kind of intimacy, this kind of love, it was something others around dream to at least experience once. Youhad it for centuries, years of building it up together and making it as strong as it was. 

As Azriel pulled away from your lips, he still kept his smile and his loving gaze on you as he searched your eyes.

"If we did, then I am all the more happy for It," You whispered, your heart beating out of your chest. You were thinking in the back of your mind that maybe down the road, sooner or later, another little one would be in your family. It was never a topic you or Azriel spoke about, but then again it wasn't closed either. Life with Alec was beyond a blessing, unlocking a part of your heart and soul you never thought you would have in this lifetime. A child that was the perfect mix of you and your mate, was all you've ever wanted and more.  And thinking of another child, another perfect child that you and Azriel would guide in the world.

It was so tempting.

"I think a shower is in order," Azriel hummed, carefully slipping out of you and you shifting a bit uncomfortably. But he moved swiftly, he picked you up bridal style, you laughing as your arms were around his neck and he stood up. You both were naked and yet ecstatic, Azriel carrying you over to the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom as you leaned your head on his shoulder. 

The flickering dream of perhaps another child in your family was still in the back of your mind. 

The End.

Tagged - @valeridarkness @impossibelle @acourtofbatboydreams @prettylittlewrites @fxckmiup @alwayshave-faith

[accidentcache]

um um um um um um um um um um hi um um um can i um have a love song duet with our baby boy touya pweaaaaaaaaaaassssseeee

emergency contact | pierce the veil / dee’s karaoke night

notes: post war / canon adjacent touya. he’s okay with your name being on a lot more of his things now. mentions of seizures, touya being stubborn. (this is more a bittersweet love, but this is still love <3)

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆

his suitcase is heavy when it lands on the floor beside him. cat hair scatters on the hardwood at his feet, though the feline is nowhere to be seen. he can't remember the last time he's seen your cat. would he even remember him? would he still curl on his chest like he used to, beg for scraps like touya had always pretended he hated giving him?

the door shuts softly behind you as you step in beside him. the energy is tense-- not the reunion he was thinking he was going to get after coming home from rehab.

of course, the mushy, sappy bullshit happened at the hospital. he hugged you with the arm that wasn't under intense healing, he let you cry tears that he knew he didn't deserve into the ratty t-shirt you had brought him weeks before his official discharge.

he doesn't say much anything else, swallowing a lump that had forcibly formed in his throat. you don't say anything either, but there's a reassuring hand on touya's bicep that allows him the strength to drag his suitcase back to the bedroom.

in the weeks that follow, touya struggles to find his routine now that he's out of rehab and under intense surveillance and medical care. there are good days, and there are bad days. on good days; touya snuggles on the couch beside you, watching whatever crappy television show you decided to put on and eats himself stupid on take-out because he finally has an appetite.

on bad days, he shuts himself out. forgets to take his medication. snaps at you for helping him to the bathroom when he's about to vomit and when he ultimately falls to the floor, he pushes you away.

it's a back and forth. a step forward and two steps back kind of relationship. before the war there wasn't this much tension, but then again touya wasn't trying to relearn mobility in an arm he burned trying to end his family and himself.

on a really bad day, you have to rush him to the emergency room when he starts to tremble violently, throwing up like he can't control what comes out of his body. you're scared-- shaking and crying as you drive, trying to shut out his moans of pain out of your ears. you have to erase how he pleaded your name when the nurses rushed him back, leaving you in the lobby. you weren't on file. he hadn't added you yet.

touya's different after that stint in the hospital. physically, he's gone downhill. he struggles with the treatments. it affects him mentally.

he doesn't know when the switch happens. one day he wakes up next to you-- before your alarm goes off for work. the sun is just barely starting to peek over the horizon, the morning twilight softening the lines of your form under the blanket you had picked out the last time both of you went out together.

he takes his medication and makes coffee, setting out the mug you normally use off to the side for you to fill when you finally woke up.

the day isn't any different. the schedule is still the same, the routine the same as before. touya thinks he must've hallucinated something. he doesn't bring it up to you, nor does he mention anything to his therapist when he goes in for his bi-weekly appointment.

two weeks later, touya suffers from a grand mal seizure. his body almost shuts down on him-- you physically see the color drain from his body. you don't think you'd make it to the hospital in time, and you think the ambulance is running out of time.

when he's loaded onto the stretcher, the paramedics are telling you which hospital to meet them at. you nod through the tears, your body shaking with adrenaline and dread-- when touya's hand wraps around your wrist.

his grip isn't tight, but it's enough to get your attention. it's enough to glue your eyes to his form, even when his aren't even open. his ring finger taps three time on your wrist. he doesn't let go-- he practically hisses when the paramedics try to separate you from him.

they're telling him how only family are allowed, though when they pull him further into the cab of the ambulance he does not let go of your wrist.

touya was never one to think that far into the future. even before the war, especially afterwards. he was in a constant battle with his body, his health, thinking for sure he wouldn't reach 30. he never wanted to tie you down when he knew he wasn't going to get that far in the first place.

one thing he is sure about, is you.

how you’re always there, at the worst of times, and the better of it. how you’re still here. how you have yet to give up on him, even when both of you know he’s nowhere near easy to handle.

and even though that look of pity still flashes in your eyes from time to time, touya has gotten used to it. hell, he’s gotten used to a lot of things he thought he was already used to.

your name is added as an emergency contact to his medical profile before the ambulance reaches the hospital.

© accidentcache do not repost, translate or alter my work without permission. all rights reserved.

[dialoverswritesssx]

This is kind of curious, but I imagine that if the diaboys (specifically the Sakamaki Brothers) If they had a girlfriend who wasn't sent to them but instead lives alone in an apartment in the city, I can imagine them breaking into her house as if it were theirs. 😂 (yes, I know they would probably kidnap her to live with them)

for example:

Girlfriend: Why are you here? It's three in the morning.

Diaboys: you forgot the window open..

(Sorry if it was confusing, I'm getting it from the Google Translate)

YES! also i have everybodys asks oneshots on a03, im here still , but id rather die then have a regular posting schedule because then everybody would be too happy.

Sakamaki s/o that doesnt live with the sakamakis.. headcannons.

personal space...your personal space? Wrong i think you mean our , as in we ... as in our personal space-that we share...that you dont have.

SHU

He uses your apartment to sleep in.

youll come in from work and he'd be on the sofa or on the bed lying there like he owns the place

drops in nearly every day bro doesnt leave

it gets to a point where hes just too lazy to leave and its almost like hes living with you at this point

shu would never admit it but the best perk is coming into your apartment right after youve left the house , when your bedsheets still smell like you and the bed is still warm

REIJI

he tries to be polite with coming round to your house , but doesnt want to come off as clingy - if that makes sense.

so instead he dresses it up as hes coming over to look after you/the house

theres no warning of course- this man would rather put hot water and then the teabag in than get a mobile phone.

if you were to ask him , what are you doing here?. Imagine him phrasing the most out of case scenario to try justify why hes there but with the most fancy language so that it sounds sensible .eg( what if you get robbed...what if your house spontanously combusts?)

eventually it gets to a point where hed make you a cup of tea and point blank tell you that you are moving in with him ( he phrases it like a pros and cons list - with more pros than cons naturally)

problem solved.

AYATO

at your house at the most random hours.

you legit be sleeping and roll over and bump into ayato at full speed

he comes up with the most bullshit excuse out of any of them

i imagine that hed follow you around the house like a puppy - constantly trying to get your attention ( he wishes he had you as a captive audience - that wouldve been much easier.)

when he gets tired of it he just pick you up and takes you back to the sakamaki mansion , then it gets to a point where you just spend more time there anyway

LAITO

He would HATE to be seen as clingy

tries to guilt trip you into moving in with him with corny likes like "nfu bitch chan i missed you sooo much~~"

his favourite time to interrupt you would be when you are cooking/making meals for yourself ( because then he would have the excuse hes hungry - ho you are a vampire.)

would love sneaking around your house especially if you have pictures up of friends/family , he would use this snooping opportunity to get to "know" you better

youd be surprised but hed let you stay in your apartment because hed feel like hes not really in competition with any of his brothers and its a quiet safezone he could retreat to aswell.

however laito would keep a good handful of his familliars on your house.

SUBARU

doesnt know what to do or say...

when you first showed him your house , he liked how cosy it felt , not to mention it practically radiated you

he would go back to his cold, bleak mansion and start having strange dreams. That you were living together - away from his brothers and completely safe from makai. ( on rare occasions , hed even dream about a happy family)

he tried to restrain himself from coming around - so that he doesnt become too dependant on you - but he feels anxious , like somethings going to happen to you when you are alone

subaru would need assurance that hes allowed in your house and that you want him there

when hes in your house he tries to be useful and takes out of character care to not break anything

some nsfw asks next i fear.

[katswritingthings]

real sweet, but i wish you were sober

asisstant!reader x councillor!sevika

⋆𖦹.✧˚masterlist

synopsis: you attend an event with sevika, but things take a turn when you get a moment alone with her...

warnings: intentionally lowercase, swearing, alcohol (reader and sevika drinking), age gap if you squint, reader wears makeup, heels, and a dress & has long-ish hair, allusions to smut but nothing graphically written other than kissing

wc: 5k

author's note: this is my first fic so it's not the best but i thought i'd post anyway for shits n gigs. i sprinkled in some song lyrics from wish you were sober so you can listen to the song while reading this if you want. or don't, i can't tell you what to do. you have free will, baby. also out of pure convenience, mobile phones are a thing in this fic, and i'm aware they probably don't exist in the arcane universe, but they do now because i said so. i mean, c'mon, they made a giant world-destroying hammer out of hextech, i'm sure they'll figure out ipads n shit eventually. enjoy!

you had been sevika's assistant since the day she became a councillor, and she'd been her usual stoic self in the beginning, but you'd ever so slowly cracked her hard shell. you always remained professional with her - well, unless you were sneaking glances at her when she wasn't looking - but you'd let your sassy and witty personality shine through every so often. you bonded over the fact that you were both from zaun, though you had been in piltover most of your life in the academy in your early days but ended up working for the council after your late twenties. you'd seen many councillors come and go and worked as an assistant for a few of them, but sevika had been your favourite so far. you helped her understand the council and their ways, taught her the way they acted, strategies to get them to listen when she wanted to add some input. most of them were so stuck-up that they'd try to disregard any aid to zaun, but with your help, she was making great progress.

unfortunately for her, that meant attending piltover gatherings, especially where the council was concerned. sevika had never liked the idea of spending her evening surrounded by prissy pilties, but it would look bad if she were the only councillor to not show up, so you always went with her almost as emotional support, though the alcohol there was always an added bonus, too.

she adjusted the lapels of her jacket, observing herself in the mirror. she never had a reason to wear anything fancy like a black suit down in zaun, but here in piltover, everything was different. she'd ditched the tie, partially because she didn't know how to tie it and partly because she felt like it was doing too much. she felt like she was playing dress up in all these formal clothes, so trying to maintain even just a hint of her usual ruggedness made her feel slightly more comfortable.

she let out a long sigh through her nose before heading out of her apartment to go to her office where you'd told her to meet you so you could walk to the academy hall together. all the councillors were to give a speech tonight, so it was bound to be packed there.

~this is definitely not my crowd~

sevika paused outside her office door for a moment when she heard you inside, speaking on the phone to someone. it sounded like something work related, as it always was, due to your cool, professional tone as you spoke. not wanting to distract you, she quietly pushed the door open and-

shit.

with your back turned and slightly bent over as you shuffled through some files in a drawer, she had the perfect view of the shape of your ass under your dress. she swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly going dry. she knew she needed to stop looking at you in that way, but she couldn't help herself, not when you looked so fucking hot.

despite the many times you'd attended professional speeches or gatherings with her, she never got used to seeing you with your hair down to allow it to cascade over your shoulders - she had grown accustomed to you having it always tied up in a ponytail secured with a claw clip - nor was she used to seeing you in formal party wear instead of your normal casual clothes.

not that she was complaining, though.

she stood in the doorway for a long moment just to watch you, the sound of your voice fading into the background as she heard her heartbeat pick up. she never quite understood why she had that reaction around you, but it was becoming bothersome in an oddly pleasant way.

her gaze travelled over your figure, eyes landing on the small slit in your black dress low on your thigh. you always had a way of wearing a mostly modest outfit and yet always looked sexy as ever with it on. you idly flicked some hair away from your face with your free hand, revealing your bare shoulders with long sleeves that gave the dress a sleek look.

eventually, she forced herself to tear her eyes away, even though she didn't want to. standing almost hidden behind the door just to observe you felt like it was bordering on creepy behaviour, so she stepped inside and cleared her throat to politely indicate her arrival.

not that her thoughts were anything remotely polite just two seconds ago.

she leant against the wall, casually crossing her arms as she waited for you to finish speaking on the phone. the faint blue glow of her mechanical arm hummed underneath her jacket sleeve. her old mechanic arm had used shimmer to work, which obviously wasn't allowed in the council, so she'd gone without it and continued on with just using her good arm while covering the missing one with a cloak. but she'd struggled, always complaining about mundane things being more difficult than necessary. sure, she could live with just one arm, but she'd been used to having an artificial one to allow her to live easier, so you'd gotten her a hextech one commissioned for her birthday recently. you'd been all sheepish giving it to her, hoping it hadn't crossed a line or anything, but she found the gesture extremely endearing.

needless to say, it had helped her a lot, and you didn't have to hear her grumbling while trying to open envelopes with just one hand anymore. win-win.

when you became aware of her presence in the office, you looked up at her from the files drawer you were rummaging through. you almost dropped the phone with the sight before you. she looked like she was modelling the suit that hung from her frame perfectly with the way she stood so casually like that. it reminded you of the first time you'd attended an important gathering with her a while back, when you shamelessly looked her up and down and told her she cleaned up nicely. it was the first time you'd seen her get a little flustered, her cheeks going a pretty shade of crimson. but, sevika being sevika, she brushed you off and muttered that you looked even better, that her suit was itchy and she'd be glad to take the damn thing off. you still slipped in compliments towards her whenever you could just to see that same reaction time and time again purely for your own amusement.

you had to remind yourself now wasn't the time to gawk at her, so you just smiled politely at her and asked the person on the end of the phone to repeat their question. because seriously, how could you focus when sevika was standing there looking that good?

once you found the file you needed, you finished up on the phone and hung up to gather your things.

"sorry about that, just had to get some final things sorted before we head off," you say as you conveniently avoid looking at her in case you start drooling while you pack away your phone into your purse and start heading towards the door.

"s'fine," she replies with a nonchalant shrug. "ready to get going?"

you nod, following her out the office. as you walk beside her, you start going on a spiel about what she'll say during her speech. ever the workaholic, you never rest. even though you've been over the speech you helped her plan numerous times now, it helped her to have it reinforced in her head, even if she was having a hard time listening to what you were saying when all she could concentrate on was trying not to look over at you every two seconds.

once you both reached the large academy hall, you stepped inside to see it already crowded, bustling with overlapping conversions with decorated tables set up in rows on either side of the room. there were crystal chandeliers illuminating the room with the sounds of heels and boots clacking against the hard, tiled floors.

you chuckled as you heard sevika let out an irritated grumble before making a beeline to the buffet table for some alcohol. you had to admit, you shared her insistence on needing something in your hands before you went off greeting people, so you followed her and chinked your champagne glass to hers before setting off to engage in the usual small talk filled with polite smiles to keep up appearances. you understood why she hated these things, they were always the same old boring back-and-forth with prim piltovians, but it was sometimes a nice change from sitting in an office hunched over paperwork all day.

eventually, though, the sound of cutlery incessantly clinking against glass cut through the hustling chatter to catch the room's attention. one of the councillors was already standing on the stage, ready for giving his speech. his assistant obediently scampered off to go and sit down as everyone else migrated to the tables. you sat down with sevika as she snatched another flute of champagne from a server's tray on her way, the lights dimming a little for ambience.

"showtime," you say in a hushed voice with a teasing grin, waggling your eyebrows at her. she rolls her eyes, but you catch the hint of a smirk on her face as she turns in her seat to face the councillor currently on the stage. he gives his over-the-top speech about his love for piltover, making sevika glance at you multiple times during it to give you an 'is this guy serious?' look. you just stifle a snort and shake your head at her in amusement, finding the bored look on her face far more entertaining than the rant the guy is harping on about.

you find yourself looking at her more often than you should, trying to sneak glances at her when you think she isn't looking. you weren't quite sure when or how you started doing that so often, but it became harder and harder to stop the more you did it. she distracted you and she didn't even have to try.

after nearly falling asleep during a few councillor's speeches, it was sevika's turn. she looks to you for a moment, not nervously, but almost as if she was seeking some encouragement, so you give her a subtle thumbs up.

"you got this," you whisper to her, throwing in a wink for good measure. she takes a deep breath and stands to head to the stage.

you may be biased because you helped her write what she was going to say, but her speech was far more interesting than the rest. she talked about zaun and how crucial it was to ensure kids weren't always forced to be alone in the streets down there anymore, how it was vital they keep making progress in improving the undercity. while the other councillors had talked about the progress of piltover, sevika's words held actual importance.

it would still take some people to come around to accepting the fact that they couldn't be ignorant to zaun's poverty anymore, but with a quick glance around the room, it was nice to see the majority of them were actually listening. your heart swelled a little with pride when the applause for sevika was just as loud as it had been for the others, though you were certain you clapped the loudest, even more so when she glanced over to you and you gave her a huge grin before she exits the stage.

the lights increase again as some people stayed at their tables to eat while others got up to graze at the buffet tables. you and sevika settle for standing around the food and alcohol.

"well, miss sevika," you say proudly as you pour both of you a glass each of wine, already having lost count how many drinks you'd both had tonight. "i'd say that went extremely well."

she hummed and nodded her head in appreciation when she took the offered glass. "couldn't have done it without you, though."

the sincerity in her tone made your cheeks flush, but you just blamed it on the red wine as you took a long sip.

"but seriously," she says as she leans nearer to you, making your heart pound in your ears as her smoky cedar cologne reaches your nose at the close proximity. "you've gotta stop with the 'miss' and 'councillor' bullshit. how many times do i have to tell you to just call me my name?"

you smirk and huff out a laugh. she'd chastised you multiple times about this, but you'd never listened. deep down, you knew if you broke the professional barrier, you weren't quite sure you could let yourself stop. you both already joked around often during slow days in her office, and if you kept up getting closer to her... well, let's just say you had to remind yourself you were just her assistant and that was all you could ever be to her.

"now, now, councillor," you started, as if playfully scolding a child. "cursing in a place like this wouldn't look very good now, would it?"

she dramatically rolled her eyes and sighed, muttering under her breath something along the lines of 'i'll fucking curse if i fucking want to', but you didn't catch the rest, too busy laughing into your wine glass.

"y'don't suppose we could just sneak outta here without saying goodbye, do you?" she asked, munching on some of the fancy appetizers laid out even though she looked like she was doing it mostly out of boredom rather than actually enjoying the food. piltover cuisine was vastly different to zaun's, and there was a silent understanding between the both of you that you sometimes missed the taste of home rather than all the rich, lavish foods around here.

"probably not, no," you answer, but you had to admit, you were also becoming a little tired of it all now, too. oddly enough, you found yourself wishing you could retreat back to her office with her to just spend the evening alone with her instead of hanging around all these people.

~this party's shit, wish we could dip

go anywhere but here~

the next few hours of the evening dragged on yet also passed by in a blur of fake smiles and small talk. sevika usually let you do all the chatting, claiming you were better at it and she already had a hard time enough as it is resisting the urge to groan in annoyance every 5 seconds, but she was being quieter than usual. you almost hadn't really noticed, not when the two of you were going through the booze like there was no tomorrow, but you were so hyperaware of her presence in particular that you constantly felt her gaze burning into you. you tried your hardest to ignore it, but it was difficult when she wouldn't stop touching you.

she normally preferred to stay close to you, almost fearing you'd get lost in the crowd at these types of events and leave her to the disgusting task of actually speaking to people she couldn't give less of a fuck about (her words, not yours), but you could literally feel her right beside you tonight.

it started off innocent enough, just gently moving you aside to avoid anyone bumping into you or brushing her fingers against yours whenever you passed her another glass of wine (okay, maybe that was an accident at first, but you were sure it was on purpose after it happened the second and third time) but now she kept her hand permanently fixed on the small of your back or her arm around your bare shoulders. she even gently moved some of your hair away from your face at one point when you were speaking and it took every ounce of willpower you had left not to stumble over your words.

it was torture because you wanted nothing but to lean into her touch, to let her scent wrap around you, but the shred of rationality you had left kept you from doing something stupid in front of everyone. most people were too tipsy by now as well to notice how improper sevika was being, and it seemed to make her go from not-so-subtle to outright aching to feel you.

"i'm just gonna go touch up my lipstick, i think it's all rubbed off onto the champagne glasses," you say eventually, trying to find an excuse to put some distance between the two of you just for a few minutes to compose yourself.

she nods. "i could use a freshen up, too, now that you mention it."

well, shit. that didn't work.

~take me where the music ain't too loud~

she gestures for you to lead the way, keeping one hand on your back. you weaved through the crowd and towards the toilets, and she holds the door open for you before following you inside. the cubicles are all empty, so you find yourself alone with her. you almost hoped no one else would come in here, but maybe it'd be a good idea if they did, if only to prevent you from begging her to bend you over the counter and-

you didn't let yourself finish that thought, grateful for the fact that she was too busy hunched over the sink splashing some cold water on her face to notice the way your cheeks flushed.

you stand next to her at the sinks in the counter and dig out your lipstick from your purse before looking into the mirror to reapply it. neither you or sevika spoke, but you could see her watching you from the corner of your eye when she stood upright again.

you risk a quick glance at her side of the mirror, but found yourself unable to look away when you saw the way the water droplets dripped down her face.

fuck. why did she have to make that look so erotic?

after a moment of staring at her in the mirrors the same way she was with you, you look back at yourself to see that you'd managed to smudge your lipstick on the corner of your lips. you'd been so distracted looking at her that you hadn't been paying attention.

you cursed under your breath and shoved the applicator back in your purse before you went to fix the mess you made, but before you could, sevika reached out to cup your jaw and turn your head to face her. she was already staring straight at your lips, licking her own in a way that made you feel dizzy as you watched the rivulets trickle down her skin. her thumb came up to brush away the smudged makeup on your face, her hand still holding your jaw.

you wanted to say something, anything, but your mind drew a blank with the way her thumb was oh-so-gently caressing your mouth. you couldn't keep your eyes off her, couldn't do anything but allow her to clean it off.

you were sure you were both inching closer to each other when she was finished, and yet, her hand never left your face. you were sure you were about to let her get as close as she wished, but just then, the door creaked open, and you jerked away as a lady stepped inside. she merely just glanced at you before heading into one of the cubicles, but when you looked back at sevika, her hand dropped, and she almost seemed... disappointed? at what, the way you'd moved away to stop some random woman watch you have a strangely intimate moment? surely not.

right?

either way, the tension bubbling in the air between you had abruptly popped, so you snatch up your purse from the counter, muttering "thanks," as you pass sevika with your head down, and walked swiftly out into the hallway, not bothering to check if she was coming or not.

"wait." you barely get three steps away from the bathroom door before the command in her voice stops you in your tracks. it takes her two strides to catch up with you, and once again, you're alone with her. you can hardly hear the muffled sounds of the music and chatter in the other room over the sound of blood rushing to your ears. she's so close that you can see some of the water still stuck to a few strands of her hair, and you have to resist the urge to rake your nails through it.

"we should get back to the hall," you somehow manage to get out after a long, awkward silence, still uselessly trying to maintain professionalism.

"fuck what we should do," sevika retorts, a slight growl in her tone. she steps closer until your back hits the wall. "there's something else i'd rather be doing."

you gulp, clutching your purse a little tighter so your fingers don't unintentionally reach out to touch her. you should've seen something like this coming with how she'd been acting tonight in particular, and you'd be lying to yourself if you said you didn't want it. with the alcohol to reduce your inhibitions, you were tempted to let it happen.

"and that is?" you play dumb, listening to your heartbeat increase its tempo.

"you." her voice is so low, so quiet you nearly miss it. her lips twitch ever so slightly in a minute grin at your attempt to cover up a choke. you hadn't thought she'd be so forward, not verbally, at least. but, then again, this was sevika you were talking about, so it wasn't exactly out of character for her.

"we can't," you pointlessly protest. "i'm your assistant."

"so assist me." she says it so flippantly, but you hear the undertone of something completely opposite in her voice.

"with what?" 

satiating these burning feelings you've inflicted inside me. is what she thinks.

"showing me what your lips feel like." is what she says.

you swallow thickly again, exhaling a shaky breath. you weren't quite sure when you gravitated towards her until your faces were mere inches apart, but seeing her this near only made you want to give in, to trace the faint blue shimmer scars on her jaw just to see what they feel like.

you don't even get a second to overthink it or consider stopping it from happening before her lips are crashing against yours. it takes a second for your mind to catch up, but when it does, you're grasping at her, desperately needing to feel her against you. you drop your purse to the ground at some point, and you're pretty sure the lady from the bathroom comes out to see you two hungrily making out against the corridor wall, but neither of you care. she says nothing and briskly walks away back to the main hall. if your were in your right mind, you'd be paranoid about the possibility of that woman telling everyone and having that gossip follow you around like a whispering phantom clung to your side, but it's too distracting to be rational when your hot boss is pulling you against her like she's worried you'll run away at any moment.

you should. it would be the smart thing to do. the responsible thing.

but you don't.

instead, you tangle one hand in her hair, your other clinging to her jacket while her hands are busy holding you by the back of your neck and around your waist.

"sevika..." you gasp her name into her mouth when she nips on your lower lip, your hot breaths mingling together with the close proximity.

"oh, now you drop the formalities?" you can hear the smirk in her voice even if you can't see it because she hasn't actually pulled away from you. "all it took was having my hands and mouth all over you, hm?"

you don't know what to say to that, but you don't have to think of a response because she's already tilting her head a little to deepen the kiss, sliding the tip of her tongue over your lip as if to tease you.

it only leaves you wanting more, but when she starts peppering sloppy kisses down your neck with her hands trailing to more... intimate places, it's only then that she pauses to look at you, noticing you tense a little.

it's at the sight of her - dishevelled hair and debauched with your lipstick - that the reality of where you are and what just happened washes over you like a bucket of cold water.

you just kissed your boss.

well... kiss is a bit of an understatement. acting like horny teenagers in some random hallway at a prestigious event of all places is more appt.

fuck.

~real sweet, but i wish you were sober~

"are you alright?" she asks, genuine concern slipping into her tone, but she doesn't let go of you.

"i, um..." your voice cracks, because of course it does. you clear your throat and try again. "i should get going."

you reach down to pick up your dropped purse, faintly hearing her suck in a breath above you. you stand, casting her one last look before rushing down the corridor. you hear her call your name, but you don't turn back.

~kinda hope you're following me out~

leaving her with nothing but heat between her legs and your lipstick smeared on her skin, she stands in the hall and watches you go.

you're unsure whether it's a good or bad thing that she doesn't catch up to you this time.

sevika had played the kiss over in her head a million times. she felt like she was going insane. she couldn't focus on her work when the ghost of your lips were still on hers and the sight of you against the wall was burned into her memory.

she tuts when she looks down at the paper on her desk, realising she'd signed it three times without noticing because she'd been so busy daydreaming. it made her feel like a high school girl with a crush, which for a woman at her age now, she found utterly ridiculous.

she checked the clock again. 8:34am. you were usually here at bang on 8, if not even earlier. this was technically her office, but you were always here first to greet her with a coffee and a pretty smile. the mental image of that made her rub her temples. damn, she could really do with a coffee, actually. it'd help with her hangover, or at least soothe her ego a little with how you ran off last night.

just when she thought you were going to avoid her all day, the door clicked open and you stepped inside, closing it behind you and approaching her desk cautiously. she said nothing, watching you like a hawk.

you placed her morning coffee down, but she didn't touch it despite how much she had wanted it moments prior. she wanted you even more.

you clear your throat, shifting on your feet awkwardly.

"miss sevika," you start, trying to keep your voice even and cool as usual, though professionalism seemed a little futile now. "i deeply apologise for my actions last night. i was intoxicated, and that's no excuse for what occurred. it won't happen again."

sevika could've rolled her eyes. you sounded like you were reading off a mental script. and, knowing you, you'd probably spent all morning planning it out while getting ready and reciting it all the way to the office.

she didn't say anything for a long moment, keeping her eyes on you as she leant back in her chair and linked her fingers together.

"what if i want it to happen again?"

your eyes widened a little at that. it was slightly infuriating that she could speak like she was talking about the weather whilst saying something completely scandalous.

"your position would suffer greatly," you respond almost meekly, internally cursing yourself for the pathetic excuse. whilst it was true, you both knew she couldn't care less about that.

you stay still as stone as you watch her rise out of her chair and step around her desk to position herself in front of you. even in your classy work heels, she still towers over you. you refuse to step back, but the sound of her voice when she speaks again - low and husky - makes your knees feel weak beneath you.

"i would give up my position if it meant kissing you again."

as if to accentuate her point, her gaze drop to your lips as her tongue darts out to wet her own. her lust-filled grey eyes eventually trail back up your face at a leisurely pace as if she has all the time in the world to just admire you.

she wants another taste. and you'd be dammed if you didn't want it, too.

"you shouldn't," you reply, voice quiet. "there'd be dire consequences."

she laughs, rich and hearty. the sound goes straight to your core.

"fuck the consequences," she says. "didn't i already tell you i don't care about what we should do?"

she did have a point there. maybe you were the only one worried about what would happen if people found out. you'd tried so hard to resist selfish desires.

but if she wanted you as badly as you wanted her, maybe it wasn't so bad.

"councillor-" you begin to protest, but she merely just commands, "stop."

she steps closer, and instead of tensing or pulling away, you melt into her touch when she cups your cheek and strokes your jaw with her thumb.

"please," she whispers, and that does it for you.

yeah, fuck the consequences.

soon enough, your mouth is on hers once again, and it feels like coming home, especially when her hands find purchase on your hips or in your hair.

it was like she was trying to imprint herself into your memory, and without the alcohol to cloud your judgement, she was doing a damn well good job at it.

she shudders when you let out a small moan, gently backing you against her desk and sliding her thigh between yours.

neither of you were going to get any work done today, it seems...

let's hope you locked the door.

;)

[something-about-sunflowers]

ALRIGHT, *cracks knuckles* let's get into that teaser, shall we?

Should I itemize this? I think I'm going to itemize it lmao.

So:

Starting here because this is a baseline for Stede, he's got no neckerchief here. This is likely early in the season, probably the very start.

Man's got a fuckin' ARM.

This is Ed. You can see the bare right arm in both shots.

Red neckerchief. Ed's scrap of silk? Beat to shit if it is, which, he did toss it out to sea so, it would be.

Ed's not wearing the knee brace. Or gloves for that matter. I know the knee brace being an actual mobility aid is unconfirmed canon/fanon but it does make me :(c to see him without it. Either it wasn't actually considered as a mobility aid or he's lost it like he's lost his gloves OR he's going without it because he doesn't care if it hurts.

Closer shot of the neckerchief.

I just wanted to point out all the knives stabbed into the table. Also, those look like bits of paper on the windows, did they keep some of the books to repurpose for window blocking purposes?

THERE HE IS!!!!!!!! Other people have already pointed out the makeup and his ring still on his tie, along with the whip on his hip cjizzy real. He's got a new baldric but I also think his clothes look. Darker? Than in season 1? This is a darker/heavier contrast setting but it carries into other shots of him too I think? Like they're less sun/saltwater faded or something?

Other thing to note: If I have my orientation right, this is to the right of Stede's bed nook and to the left of the library, which means this shelf is the one with the auxiliary wardrobe opening mechanism. Which I bring up because:

This little guy seems to be in the place of the mannequin. Ed kept the auxiliary wardrobe and gothed up the mannequin to justify it still being there.

SO much here. This is, I'm fairly certain, Benjamin Hornigold. This camp he's set up (along with what he's wearing) looks like it was made out of a shipwreck. Ed's barefoot and missing his jacket and gloves, and his shirt's torn up at the sleeves. Definitely where he washed up from his dip in the ocean.

Note the trees and the lighting, that comes up later. Ed shoots here and Ben moves with the shot but it doesn't look like he was actually HIT by it to my eyes.

'Wanted. |Blackbeard| Villainous Pirate. Murderer, thrice over. $400 Reward for the criminal responsible for: theft - brigandry - larceny - arson - tax evasion ➡' Presumably there are more crimes/info on the back, though we see the reverse side in the next cut and it's either blank or all in very small text, I couldn't quite tell.

The poster to the right says 'Port' something which has me wondering Port Royal but that's just the only 'Port' something I know, could def be somewhere else.

(Also, just for fun:

Here's how much abouts Ed's capture would be worth now.)

Wider pic than it needs to be but I didn't wanna cut out Olu lol. ANYWAY. Neckerchief again. Also the back of the poster, see what I mean about it either being blank or very tiny?

Babygirl. . . But also that Bride Ed figure kinda slays. Little bralette with the midriff showing, I see you Babygirl. When will he be allowed to just rest and do silly little crafts WITHOUT heartbreak looming over him?

Well. Four is not nine. So. There's that. The other five could be used or out of frame though, of course.

OH. He's back to his fingerless gloves! They might actually be different from his original ones though, they look different at the wrist to me, not quite sure though.

The BOYS!!!! Frenchie looks like he's having a GREAT time. Considering he suggested they turn the hostage into a table and complained about the Republic of Pirates being a bit gentrified I'd say this is more in line with what he's used to in piracy. I 100% buy he was going along with Stede's way because he knew it was an easy ride compared to real piracy. This wouldn't necessarily be a return to form for him but definitely something he's more used to? And he gets to be kitty :3c

And FANG!!! Look at him showing a bit more skin!! Good for him!!

Everybody say 'Thank You David Jenkins'. Right now. Look at this Mad Max shit. Fuckin' Imperator Jimenez right there. LOVE that tye added the 'beard' after the 'fuck's wrong with your face?' bit in 1x10. Full 'it looked weird on you but I slay' energy.

Jim

Izzy

Fang

Near as I can tell at least. I can't make out if Frenchie is in the shot and I'm pretty positive Ed isn't cause he stayed by the cake when they charged in.

Man, yknow I know we were all kinda clowning on it a bit at the end of 1x10 but this look really is so JARRING. Like, in the dark it's menacing but in the light? It's unhinged and that reads as more dangerous imo.

Also just for comparison's sake the pre-Ed-ified version of the bride figure. He really did full on customize that thing lol.

I DON'T THINK ANNE KISSED STEDE HERE. It feels out of character of the show to pull the 'It's fine if a woman does it to a man' kind of thing with regard to unwanted kissing. This is the frame the scene starts on in the trailer. She's leaning back from him and isn't nearly close enough to his mouth to say for certain that's where she was coming from. My money is on her leaning in to whisper something into his ear, maybe under the guise of it being an advance/intended kiss, which would also explain the annoyed look when she's interrupted. She either got ACTUALLY interrupted or it's part of the act. Stede doesn't look nearly as uncomfortable as he would be if she'd kissed him or tried to, he looks confused.

Izzy going for his sword when this guy tries to get the drop on Stede. He either is starting to care or he knows how much Ed needs him alive.

Also, this is the other potential source of Stede's neckerchief. Mr, Knife right here has a red one and Stede doesn't have it in this scene. I do think this one is a little less distressed than the one Stede has though so it could just be coincidence.

See? No neckerchief. He DOES have a sword at his hip tho! So this, I think, is after Izzy's started training him.

Also, he actually looks really good in red lol.

Baby. He's definitely missing the ring in this shot. It sits higher than the baldric is covering. I want to give him a little kissie on his ouchie and then let him have a nap, he needs that.

The pants match the coat. Also, black shirt. Stede is kinda slaying ngl.

Still missing her head :(c. Isn't that bad luck?

Maybe yall didn't hear me properly with the Jim pic. I'll repeat:

EVERYBODY SAY 'THANK YOU DAVID JENKINS'.

I can't get over how Stede's just standing there politely with his arms behind his back lmfao.

Also, Izzy's got his right leg up, he's putting his weight on his left. . . 'foot'.

I SAID EVERYBODY SAY-

I know tits and all but also. The belly. I would like to. Bite.

*ahem*

ANYWAY. On the left (our left) side of the barrel you can see the tip of his right boot so he's def got that leg off the ground. Perhaps someone is trying to relearn their footwork? Now that they've got a different balance than they're used to? And perhaps a difference in sensory input in the leg he's standing on? Possibly?

This is the same beach Ed was on when he did the fuckin' RAD takedown of the other officer but it definitely looks like different times of day. Having both in the teaser is def meant to be a red herring. He doesn't have the neckerchief in this shot either.

Bra för honom. (Is how google translate tells me you say 'Good for him' in Swedish.)

Is Jackie's hair the same here as it is in the VF pic with Ed? Or like, similar enough to be a 'later in the day after some Fun™ messing it up a bit'?

Roach!!! Fully sleeveless now, added a belt, got some flowers tied to the strings/straps of his apron. Looks like he's having fun lighting that cannon lol. Pretty sure this is the same scene as that one leaked photo of him dancing with Fang and Izzy's green screen sock. He had the flowers in that, right?

[Ran out of allowed images, please hold]

[hivemuthur]

Maybe this is gonna be a strange ask, but how do you think Viktor would be like, if he existed in the real world? Do you have any headcanons for real world Viktor, some adaptations of canon Arcane lore…? I’m new here, and I know you have stories set in modern times, but I kinda want to know your understanding of him first (so I get everything when I check those out).

Hi Anon! This is a very fun ask, thank you! And if you are new here, welcome! Got very long, so under the cut:

So, since in Arcane we see Viktor in around his 30s mostly and he is said to have an eastern-European accent (specifically Czech per Harry), first and foremost I HC him as a Czech millennial. And those facts matter to me in terms of his character building, because here the generations of millennials and gen-X overlap due to the existence of Soviet Block. What it means culturally: most of the western trends and technology were introduced to Eastern Europe throughout the 90s and 00s. The way his situation is presented in Arcane makes me believe that a character such as him wouldn't be coming from an imperial country. If we put him in his 30s now, he also wouldn't remember communism, but would be the last generation affected by it through his elders and the slow shift in the general system.

It's perfectly valid that he would still be disabled. As I favour femoral rotation for his disability, it's very likely that when he was born it wasn't spotted and treated properly, leading to him using a mobility aid throughout his life. I do believe that with medicine advancement in 00s, it would be possible for him to avoid wearing the back brace OR fully reverse the need for it due to the last few years rise in awareness about physiotherapy. When it comes to his lung disease: it wasn't very common in Europe to have areas so heavily polluted for him to have definitely developed it, but! If I were to give him one, it would be squamous cell lung cancer, which can affect anyone with proper genetic predisposal or weak immunity only after a short exposure to for example asbestos. I admit, I tend not to, because I really don't want him to die :c So, for me, he grew up in some small city in Czechia :x

As for what he is like: definitely a nerd. I can see him finishing biochem or maths/physics profile in highschool and then following it through to university (unis here are state, so education is free, you just have to pass the exams). Throughout school I can imagine him attending after-hours extracurriculars such as chemistry classes or programming classes where kids could play computer games on ZX-Spectrum in the last 30 minutes (and given how long those games would load it's not a lot of game time okay). I can see him programming his own games and being able to make an early radio receiver using a crystal detector. He would construct toys too. And maybe break toys to make new ones.

I think he would follow through with STEM/engineering but with an idealistic purpose. Oddly, I don't think he would become a physician (I'm a med person, so I'm allowed to say this) - I believe a lot of physicians are ego-driven (this is not necessarily a bad thing). There is no ego in anything Viktor is doing throughout the show: he doesn't attempt to steal Jayce's research, he wants to see it through, because it could change the world for the better. So he doesn't let Jayce drown. He's not interested in being the face of it. The ambition lies within the goal, not within the recognition.

Moreover, I think he would act from within deep philosophical understanding of life, which would lead to him reading a lot of books on different subjects. I can see him reading fantasy, sci-fi as well as people like Deleuze and Jorge Luis Borges and connecting all those dots. When it comes to relationships, I think he would be more open to those in modern era, especially when we erase the seizing fear of death coming from his health deteriorating. Still, hard to get through to or to be found by his person, but entirely more possible than in Arcane universe.

From smaller things, I think he would still be a workaholic. I think he would love animals, because it's impossible for someone so kind to not love them. I think he would feel alienated by the world and have difficulty taking pleasure from spending time with large groups of people simply because of his intelligence and the ability to think systemically. Which is why once someone who he gets on with appears, he would keep this person very close, no matter if it's friendship or romantic relationship.

In general, I think Viktor would grow up to be a very well-read, intelligent, kind and ambitious man that would struggle against the system his whole life. I think he feels a lot and deeply but doesn't show it so often, it would be visible in his work.

Okie, I think these are the most important aspects of his character in modern era for me. I hope I passed the test and now you can enjoy my modern Viktor blabber in fics!

[verstappentime]

wrote this for @sf-25's birthday, i think it's ready to see the world! charles and max have an announcement at an f1 event. they're cheeky about it. <3

Red Bull and Ferrari are getting along. Fred indulges Max. He'd allowed him into their mobile home at Monaco last year, tugged him out of sight by the back of his fireproofs and told him he could go see Charles, but only to calm him down, and only for five minutes. GP will step aside on the grid so Charles can come and tell him to be safe before the race. Everyone's happy to use pictures of them entering the paddock holding hands for marketing. F1's Royal Couple, or whatever people call them.

Still, it isn't enough to let Max and Charles arrive together. No one's letting Max hitch a ride in a LaFerrari.

He's already done his red carpet walk. He's answered all the questions about the little jeweled bulls on each of his cuffs, the matching blue pocket square, all the little details Charles had picked. He's said he's excited to see the car, even though that's a lie, because it's the same as every year. He's picked Franco as his guess for world champion. He hasn't paid attention to a single second of it. He's waiting.

Charles was supposed to arrive five minutes after Max. Maybe that's all it's been – he's trying not to check his phone out here and look like an asshole – or maybe Charles is late, or his car has crashed on the way, or he's had to go back for his wallet because he's Charles–

A hand squeezes the soft part of Max's shoulder. Once. Twice.

He turns, and breathes.

Charles looks incredible. His suit is simple, the usual Ferrari, sharp in black; it's not what Max is looking at, or cares about. It's just that he wasn't here before, and now he is.

"Hey," he says, and breaks into a grin. "You look very handsome tonight, Max Verstappen."

Max has no say in whether he smiles back or not. "Hi." He presses a kiss to Charles's cheek. Steals just one second to breathe him in. A few cameras flash. It will be like that, tonight. Even more so in a minute. "You want to do this?"

Charles's eyes flicker for just a second, and then he nods.

Max takes Charles's left hand in his right. While they walk, he touches the ring with his thumb, idly. He likes the shape of it. He likes the weight of it. He likes knowing how much money he spent on Charles.

The first person to stop them is Laura.

"Hey, you two," she says, and offers the microphone to Charles first.

Max brings their hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to Charles's knuckles, and lets go. Charles takes the microphone. Laura is staring at Max.

"Charles," she says. She always says his name the French way. The way Max had first heard it. "Is this a new ring?"

Charles laughs. He turns the microphone around in his hand, watching the diamond. "Yes, it is," he says, "She is very pretty, no?"

"Absolutely gorgeous," she confirms. "Any chance it came from this man here?"

Max slips his arm around Charles's waist. He rubs his thumb in little circles on his back. It's a chilly night, but he's still warm from the car. "Ah, yeah," Max says. "It was his big gift."

"No holiday or anything," Charles says. "It's all this world champion money."

Laura rolls her eyes. "Is there an announcement you would like to make?"

"Mm, no," Max says, titling his head at Charles, exaggerating. "Was there, baby?"

"I don't think so," Charles agrees. They can't stop smiling at each other. Max is starting to flush. It makes him feel exposed, knowing what other people must see.

They're both waiting for the other to make a move. But it was Max who said I love you first; Max who asked Charles to marry him. So it has to be Max.

"Oh," he says, and nudges Charles. "It will be a summer wedding, I think."

[thearcanetooth]

[prefacing by stating that i have no knowledge of league/the arcane characters' preceding, league-relevant lore, so please excuse any lapse in information that is canon in the league-verse] now take a shot every time i said league]

i would just like to say that i absolutely love the implication that if things were different — if viktor wasn't terminally ill and didn’t have a life-long disability — THIS is what his combat style would be.

a perfected fusion of gymnastics, parkour, acrobatics, various martial arts and figthing techniques for close-quarter combat.

of course, viktor in his mortal human form couldn't have fought in the war or partaken in any of the piltovian-zaunite altercations. his ‘glorious evolution’ however allowed him to transcend form, escape the fatal clutches of mortality and human disposition. become.

the sheer cuntiness of the mannequin-viktor aside, i LOVE the implication that this is viktor's conceptualisation of what the intersection between human and perfection would look like.

and tell me why the first thing that comes to mind when i think of this is red room trained assassin/espionage operative. which is perfect because i can totally see him as a ballet dancer too.

and in this alternate reality wherein viktor is essentially a widow, i can totally imagine him using one of the runestones to enhance his dexterity, agility, mobility, speed, power — you name it.

more so, i can imagine jayce engineering some kind of bodysuit for him [green and gold for obvious reasons], fitted with/powered by the stone(s). something similar to the upgraded panther habit shuri engineers for t’challa — absorbing energy for later redistribution, near-indestructible in the face of explosions and gunfire, materialising on command, regenerative, feather-light and silent, perfectly tailored for movement and agility.

[starscream-is-my-wife]

Ok so your 'Megatron as the 2nd in command to Starscream' idea has brainblasted me /pos.

Does Starscream allow anyone else to wield Megatron or is that his privilege alone?

Does Megatron know that Starscream is only helping the lower castes as a side thing but believes that, no matter his motivations, Starscream is ultimately doing good or does Megatron genuinely think that Starscream is invested in this conflict as a way of creating equity?

Are the other members of Decepticon high command actually loyal to Starscream?

Thanks for giving me the chance to yap about this!

I think that in the beginning Starscream wouldn't care too much about who's shooting him as long as they are victorious but Megatron only trusts Starscream to be the one pulling the trigger.

As time goes on, Megatron got more comfortable letting Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Soundwave shoot him but Starscream had realized how powerful of a weapon Megatron is and how much he enjoyed being the only one that Megatron allowed to wield him. He got more possessive but Megatron enjoys how much Starscream cherishes(?) him

I think the second question depends on the backstory a bit, Megatron didn't know much about the world before Starscream other then he's just a thing to be used by the elites, and his altmode being a gun really limited his mobility. I did think about some possibilities of what he did beforehand:

1. He was a miner or worker (I don't think he would be so easily pacified if he was a gladiator and could fight himself) whose altform was pretty useless because always held back to not be used to hurt anyone, he mostly kept his head down and worked until Starscream came around and took over. Megatron was so awed that someone had thought about bots like him and took the first chance he got to present himself to Starscream and show him his real strength as a weapon

("new ruler the workers are demanding for rights! We must send forces to squash this before it gets out of hand!" "Why would I do that lol" "new ruler please! If those low caste get what they want then our economy will crash!" "Listen I'm leaving in 3 days, so I order that you give them what they want now and YOU can deal with the political and economic ramifications! If you succeed I'll send someone later when you did all of the work to take credit, if not, well, you're to blame for everything.")

Or

2. Gunformers are quite rare, and no one wanted to reformat to be one especially if they weren't a triple changer. He ended up being sold to be the weapon of the police to keep the lower caste in check, no matter how much he tried to hold back he was still a powerful gun and was forced to execute innocent mechs. The chief had him trapped in his alt mode due to his... disobedience and dunked him in energon every once in a while to keep him alive. But they would forget that he was a cybertronian so he would just lay there in a locker, unmoving, starving, until someone used him and noticed that his shots were weaker, then they would dunk him in energon to use more. Megatron was starting to grow numb to it all, his hatred for the elites bleed into everything else, why did the mechs rebel? If they didn't then maybe he wouldn't be used against them.

It wasn't until Starscream came along and none of the police could hit him, his trine, or any of the seekers, they were too fast. The police chief who wielded him managed to get a lucky shot on one of Starscreams null rays. Annoyed, Starscream turned his target to the chief and landed a shot on him. The chief dropped Megatron at the feet of a Starscream who landed in his root mode, Starscream decided to shoot the pest with his own weapon, as payback for destroying one of his expensive null rays.

Megatron, realizing that he was being pointed towards the mech that has caused him so much pain, stopped holding back for the first time ever when Starscream pulled the trigger. The blast that fired turned everyone's vision white and caused an explosion that left a big crater where the chief was, body instantly vaporized. Starscream (and Megatron) didn't expect the blast to be so strong and the pair got flung back from the force. Starscream stunned, hit the ground with the gun still in his hand. He looked at it before strapping it in his cockpit seat and transforming to join the fight again.

Megatron felt every swoop and roll Starscream did, like watching an elegent dancer preform before they come to sweep you off your feet, he was still trapped in his alt mode but flying through the air as Starscream won the battle, he finally felt something, freedom.

After Starscream took the territory over, got the resources he wanted, allowed the lower caste to move up or whatever, he then looked more into this strange gun he picked up. It was different then all of the other guns that the police used? There's a machine in the basement that traps bots in their alt mode? Ohhhh.

In both of those options Megatrons self worth is pretty low and being with Starscream is better then anything he ever had in his life (at least at the start), but in the first one he's probably going to be alot more pushy about helping the lower caste and bicker more in general, and is probably more in line of the first option you said

I dont think either Megatron would fully believe the second one unless Starscream actually does want to make his equality his main goal, but the second Megatron can definitely dilude himself into thinking it! If he does accept that equality is only a secondary thing for Starscream, I want him to be like "might as well dedicate my entire being to Starscream because thats the only part of my identity that I feel is real".

There's just so many possibilities like how hard Starscream pushes to keep Megatron dependent on him, if they have a fallout how big would it be, if they ever have a healthy mutual respect, if Megatrons infatuation ever dies down, or if they just reflect themselves in the cartoon where they just bicker with each other but don't do anything to permanently change their positions. Although Megatron wouldn't declare himself leader he just. Does. The autobots are confused on who's actually the leader they don't question it anymore. (At the end of the day it's always Starscream)

As for everyone else in the high command, his trine are loyal, the rumors why Thundercracker and Skywarp aren't co leader, SIC, or TIC are blown out of proportion, they aren't secretly against Starscream, they like to enjoy all of the benefits of high command with no paperwork, probably the only bots other then Megatron that are strongly loyal to Starscream. Soundwave is still TIC, and competent at it, he doesn't mind that Starscream is leader but he wouldn't fight Megatron if he ever does want to take over, he still reports on any other traitors though. Would actually push for Megatron to take over if Starscream seriously hurts his cassettes. Shockwave and Starscream are on good terms but he does recognize that Megatron would also be a pretty good leader if he were to take over, I dunno about any other high command cause they change alot but if they liked Megatron normally then they *really* want him to take over, otherwise they're pretty indifferent, the lower rank you go the more popular Megatron is, hes even growing on some of the seekers who are still pretty loyal to Starscream.

Ngl I'm still pondering on what version I like the most, feel free to take any ideas!

[ranticore]

Are female kobolds intrinsically from a higher cast from birth, or do they have the same social status as their male counterparts- just with the ability to socially climb if a priestess has a dream or someone appoints them? Both in Holly'w and Kettle's societies, i'd love to hear the differences between those groups on that, if any

i think these two asks are asking more or less the same thing or similar enough that i can just meld it into one post.

first of all i want to avoid the words 'harem' or 'caste' when describing these fictional societies, they are not applicable here

the two colonies (holly's and kettle's) are different but have the same sort of attitude towards male kobolds which isn't a 1:1 reverse sexism. male kobolds are seen as somewhat inferior due to being impermanent. they're a deviation from a base state which is parthenogenetic. they aren't allowed to forget that they'll be the first to go if anything happens to the colony and that the overarching society, the colony as it has persisted for centuries, is not made for them. they're tourists in their own colony, not residents. you can have fun with them, but they're fair-weather friends, so don't get invested.

Are female kobolds intrinsically from a higher class from birth - no, there are female kobolds in every class, they just tend to be over-represented in leadership and in legacy bloodlines because they can trace an unbroken lineage and accumulate generational resources and wealth. they have the privilege of never being seen as entirely disposable, no matter their status. but, realistically, for scavengers and those living outside the warrens, everyone's in the same meat grinder.

social mobility is rare and works differently in different colonies. for holly, he was allowed a chance to jump to a high social class. any red-black kobolds are also fast-tracked to working directly with the dragon, regardless of sex, and this can be a very privileged if strenuous position. the mother-of-matriarchs is also not an inherited role - the reigning matriarch selects a kobold who has a track record of never having birthed a son. once a mother-of-matriarchs has provided the colony with a daughter who survives infancy, she is allowed to retire into a cushy life in the warrens and a new mother-of-matriarchs is chosen. the matriarch herself is guaranteed to have only sons because of her proximity to the dragon's heat, and yes her sons do get put in as consorts for a new baby matriarch to ensure at least some continuation of the matriarchal bloodline, though only if they're considered a suitable fit for one of the 6 consort roles. if their new baby matriarch dies, these failsons are just kicked out into the warrens where they usually end up in normal social roles like labourer or artisan.

in kettle's case, she was selected because her colours were the best match to those in the high priestess's vision. i think i'd have to make a separate post about the social structures of this colony because it's several centuries older than holly's and far more developed. but kettle faced classist barriers to becoming a priestess - she received a lot of pushback from the other junior priestesses who felt they were being mocked by a scavenger's inclusion in their ranks. when it came time for her to interpret her own visions and select a candidate consort, even thinking about picking another scavenger was social suicide and confirming all the worst stereotypes about her, but she went ahead with it because she knew lucky would die on his own (he was very badly injured at the time of her own selection and she was forced to leave him then, and that was eating away at her 24/7. she had to confirm with her own eyes that he was even alive before she dared to select him as a candidate).

lucky himself faced less scrutiny than kettle did, because he was barely a person from the get-go and wasn't considered to have any agency whatsoever (which he did not. he is, at best, a professional sperm donor). but he was considered a reflection on her, and she was not brave enough or secure enough in her role to pick him from the candidate pool to be her own consort, so she basically dragged him to the enclave against his will and stranded him there without much support. as a junior priestess she could only pick two boytoys and couldn't have exclusive rights over either of them, had to share with another junior priestess. with increasing seniority, a priestess is allowed to have exclusive rights over one consort, then two, and so on. she picked two randos she didn't know or care much for, and then proceeded to neglect them while being a terrible busybody around the priestesses who'd picked lucky.

[drarryspecificrecsdaily]

2024.10.11

Complete fics posted on AO3 this day

1. The Banned Pasta by @hoko-onchi-writes [T, 1k]

“Draco keeps cooking for me. Weird, right?” “Well, not really,” Ron says, “because you’ve been dating for the past year. Haven’t you?” [...]

2. Come, Sweet Death by EvilDime [E, 27k]

When Draco's ancestor passed on the mantle of Death to him, he failed to mention that the Deathly Hallows had at long last found a Master.

3. I Can Hear Your Smile in the Dark by Ace_Phoenix [E, 2k]

Draco wasn't the biggest fan of Muggle things, but when Harry insisted that he get a mobile phone so they could always contact each other, Draco relented. The first time they call, things take a turn neither of them could object to.

4. Nostalgia Can Be a Turn On by Devious_Muffin [M, 1k]

Harry doesn't understand why Draco would keep his old Hogwarts robes, and Draco has fun explaining it.

5. Raising Hell! by @wolfpants [E, 21k]

Harry and Draco are sent undercover as a married couple to investigate a dodgy Muggle love cult. Something evil is lurking in Glastonbury… but to get to it, the reluctant partners must be initiated first. And this is, after all, a love cult…

---

Fest/Exchange

1. At a Glance by Anonymous [G, 2k]

Stripped of his magic, Draco has settled nicely into the muggle world. He goes to university, has muggle roommates, and enjoys his afternoons drinking coffee in the local café. That is until Harry so happens to pass by the café window. ★ 2024 H/D Muggle Fair | @hd-fan-fair

2. But Don't Miss by Anonymous [M, 15k]

After a mysterious attempt on Draco's life, Harry reluctantly allows Draco to stay with him until the culprit is caught. Draco's insistent questions about Harry's muggle flat, and Harry in general, push Harry to the edge, and then over it. ★ 2024 H/D Muggle Fair | @hd-fan-fair

[centrally-unplanned]

Japanese website Forest Page is shutting down ~today, a tragic loss of "Heisei otaku memories", as so many are calling it. Launched in 2003, Forest Page was a "Geocities for mobile", a site that hosted user-created websites and gave them tools to allow non-coders to make them. In practice, it became one of the premiere places for fanfiction in Japan, with the stories hosted on author-created sites.

It wasn't quite the Fanfic.net of Japan, as for one the Japanese fandom just never centralized quite the way the 2000's western one did, instead being spread out over a half dozen or so sites. But additionally, it wasn't initially popular for fanfic so much as cell phone fanfiction, because in 2000's Japan the "cell phone novel" was a specific thing. These websites were being made for flip phones, not smartphones, and not only would people read them on those phones, they would often write them. None of that was very conducive to the creation and consumption of a "traditional" novel; so starting in the 2000's Japanese writers started making stories fit for the medium, namely:

Very short

A huge focus on dialogue and inner thoughts, with no/minimal description or scene detail

Using a limited POV of a specific character

Often employing the medium-as-message, like using emojis, structuring the story as IM's or emails, etc.

Also they all had huge gaps between lines, I'm not really sure what that is about:

Probably for readability on the phone given the small screen size? But it was absolutely part of the genre. A few of these novels actually made it big, got movie adaptations, people wrote articles about the "cultural phenomenon", it was the 2000's so Hiroki Azuma had a take on it of course, and so on. It slotted neatly into the vibe of the time of technology changing culture, paralleling discourse around otaku in the same era.

In fanfic those trends met up, and anyone familiar with fanfiction probably read that list of traits of the cellphone novel and thought "oh, this is perfect for fanfiction". Skipping out on description? I don't need it, I know what they look like already. Focus on conversation and POV? Perfect for shipping fics. Short lengths? Yeah, we are shortcutting to the good stuff, that is the point. Mirroring trends in the west, Forest Page's userbase was ~95% female, and the most common content on the site was romantic or edgy-dramatic stories in the franchises you'd expect. The closure page linked above actually summarizes the site's history by year, and lists the biggest fandoms:

Which is exactly what I would expect from a female otaku fanfiction website. Congrats to Pirates of the Caribbean for making it though, freeaboo's represent.

I do think the fact that the site was a website hoster as opposed to a fic hoster did align with the way the Japanese fandom was more "creator focused" and embraced the media mix more. There were "fic circles" a la doujin circles who made their own pages, people would make fanart, fan video games, and so own to host alongside it, and all of it was centralized to the creator; it made following them-as-a-person just a little bit easier. Most websites were simple text, but others did have the full Geocities experience:

Something that was somewhat common were basic visual novel concepts where the reader could make choices, or even insert their own name so they would be the "MC" of the story:

(Dream novels are in fact their own thing in Japan) My understanding is the site was quite popular through the 2000's and into the 2010's, though over time the "cellphone novel" as a concept fizzled out. People got smartphones, more people got PCs, and the constraints didn't make sense anymore - you can read ebooks and normal websites on your phone now after all. You can probably draw a line between these kind of stories and the webfiction/light novel boom of the late 2000's/2010's, something that was equally born on the internet, that streamlines the novel to "shortcut to the good stuff" but without the need to fit on a flip phone's screen. Though I will admit my own understanding of their histories shows them more as two sides of the same "youth demand for new literature" coin.

In 2017 Forest Page launched Forest Page Plus, a new service fully optimized for the smartphone era; but it did not transfer over all the old content, starting the clock ticking on the original Forest Page. My understanding is that in June they announced Forest Page was officially closing down; and from what I have gathered from reminiscing writers on twitter, they did not provide any easy, one-touch way to save any of the content, so people are archiving Wayback Machine links or sharing tips on how screenshot-save stories (I think the rub is they gave people a way to transfer content to FP+, but most don't want to do that, as places like Twitter & Pixiv are the content kings of this era).

As of tomorrow I would bet the large majority of the content will be gone; quite sad given both the quantity of stories there and how many got sometimes millions of readers. I am sure most of the biggest stories are archived at least, but particularly the early stuff was a very ephemeral genre, one that doesn't make sense to revisit once you aren't a 16 year old teen writing and reading fics on a flip phone in between classes. Which means another legion of the ghosts of the Wired is being born today. May we pour one out for a fellow online community that lived and died!

[seb-boo]

Sebastian Vettel Interview with Tages-Anzeiger [2025-03-09] English Translation ↴

[It's Tuesday lunchtime. Excited pupils stream out of a school in the Zurich Unterland. They have just had a visit from four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel. The German, who has lived in Switzerland since 2007 and in the canton of Thurgau since 2009, attracted attention in the last few years of his career by suddenly talking about environmental issues, such as the importance of biodiversity, or collecting litter in the grandstands after race weekends.

This Tuesday, the 37-year-old and Andreas Fehr debated the topic of the circular economy with four classes. Fehr is the owner of a fashion label and the topic was sustainability in the clothing industry. Vettel spoke about the possibilities of more environmentally friendly mobility. Afterwards, the former racing driver took time for a personal discussion.]

Sebastian Vettel, are you driven by a guilty conscience?

That was perhaps the case at the beginning of my involvement, when I thought: Oh, I've been racing and flying around the world for so many years, that wasn't good! Now it's much more optimism that drives me.

What do you mean?

When people talk about the climate crisis, many things are very, very bad, the outlook is devastating, the mood is doomsday. Children see their future as correspondingly bleak. It's important to me that we talk about solutions. There are a lot of people who have great ideas. Like in the textile industry, where there are so many approaches to greater sustainability. Today's children are much more perceptive and have a greater awareness of these issues. I had no idea about it when I was young. Of course I knew that you don't just throw things away, but I didn't know anything about the meaning behind it.

How environmentally conscious are you?

I am in a position of luxury. I have the time to deal with these issues and also the opportunity to afford alternatives. Fast fashion is advertised, it's tempting to buy two or three T-shirts at once. Our aim is to show that they don't last long and that someone is paying the price - the planet, the environment, the people in the production chain. It all starts with awareness. If you are aware of things, you can change things. I want to raise this awareness in the children.

You were a racing driver, you jetted around the world. Can you erase this huge ecological footprint?

I could by buying the relevant certificates. I did that before I retired in 2022. But that raises questions: does that really balance the books? There are many great projects that are perhaps not implemented so well. Planting trees is a great tool. But are the right trees being planted? In the right location? Are they being cared for? Will the tree still be standing in five years' time? Receiving such a certificate eases the conscience, but it is often worth taking a closer look. Even ticking a box when you fly is not enough. It is therefore very difficult to completely eradicate my footprint.

Where is it particularly large?

Flying accounts for the largest share. It's like other global sports. The fact that I then drove a car in circles and burned gasoline is no longer so important.

And today you are campaigning for environmental issues: are you a hypocrite?

I have to put up with this accusation. And yes: I am the biggest hypocrite there is when I talk about environmental issues and at the same time leave such a big footprint. I flew around the world for years - and not economy, but business or first class. But do I have to feel bad about it? We won't solve the problem with shame, but rather by confronting it and looking for solutions. We are all hypocrites because we also enjoy things that we know are not so good. Do we have to go on vacation to Thailand? No. But it's also incredibly beautiful there. We shouldn't ban travel, but offer technological options that allow us to do the same things as before - only more sustainably.

You and your family are often on the road in a camper.

Yes, we pitch up at the campsite and are a normal camper family. When I'm recognized, some people are amazed, but after the first beer together that's over.

How much did your childhood influence you in this respect?

Very much, we spent weekend after weekend on the road in our camper van, which was really great. Camping is also about memories and experiences that I want my children to have.

You have two daughters, who are 9 and 11, and a five-year-old son: do you feel you have missed out on parts of your childhood because of your career?

After I retired, I realized that I was on the road a lot more than I meant to be. When I was still fully involved, I thought: I'll be back home soon, just a few days and then I'll be back. When I stepped back, I realized that I had slept away more than at home. I'm enjoying having a completely different everyday life now.

Are you happy in your role as a father?

It's nice that I have time. I can also look back on a very rich childhood of my own, in which I was able to spend a lot of time with my parents and siblings. This time together is the most beautiful thing that my parents gave me - and I now live that too. Even if I don't travel from kart track to kart track with my children like we did back then.

Why not?

It hasn't turned out that way yet.

Does racing even have a future and a raison d'être?

That is a very good question. While interest in Formula 1 is constantly growing in America, people in countries like Germany are questioning whether it still fits in with the times. If Formula 1 doesn't move fast enough and find answers to important questions, it runs the risk of social pressure becoming so great that a ban will be discussed.

What questions does Formula 1 need to ask itself?

How are the cars refueled? How does the whole circus get from A to B? Hundreds of thousands of people travel to the races: How do they get there, how do they travel home, what do they consume on site, what food and drink is on offer anyway? There are a lot of issues involved. I would certainly find it a great pity if Formula 1 were to disappear.

Why is that?

There are many people who appreciate the sport on the one hand, but also the culture behind it on the other. It's a piece of history and cultural heritage, especially in Germany, where the automotive industry is very big and has a long history. You can't simply erase that. So Formula 1 basically has a right to exist. But in terms of vehicles and technology, it has to move on.

Formula 1 cars already have highly efficient hybrid engines, and from 2026 they will also be running on synthetic fuel.

Yes, thanks to this fuel, CO₂-neutral driving is possible. But synthetic fuel is not a panacea. The major drawback is the high electricity consumption during production, regardless of whether petrol, diesel or kerosene is being produced. The process is inefficient - while the electricity would actually be needed everywhere else, for example for heating buildings. Synthetic fuels are a bridging technology for forms of mobility for which we do not yet have any other solutions, such as shipping or air travel. There are no electric or hydrogen-powered container ships or airplanes yet.

And what about private transportation?

The electric car is much more efficient and has a higher degree of efficiency than a combustion engine. However, it is not fair to ask people to buy electric cars, as they are even more expensive than combustion engines. They need to become cheaper - the range also needs to increase and the network needs to be better developed.

The reality is this: There are 1.3 billion cars with combustion engines on the road around the world.

And for them, synthetic fuel makes sense as a transition. But if we think ahead, 30, 40 years into the future, it is important that the rich countries set the pace, set a good example and make the transition to electromobility.

What does your personal fleet look like?

It's not yet purely electric because I want to keep my VW bus, which runs on diesel. I also have an electric Porsche - okay, a Porsche - but also an electric Nissan.

You live in the country in Europe with the best developed public transport system. How often can you be found on the train?

I travel by public transport very often. Zurich is the perfect example of how it makes no sense to travel around a city by car. And that's a key: if the offer is there and public transport beats the car in terms of attractiveness, people are more likely to switch. In general, Switzerland is the model country, you can get to the most remote villages by post bus, the connections are great and the timetable is perfectly timed. Public transport has to be a real alternative everywhere, then people will change their minds.

Was it the same for you?

I was influenced by motor sports in my childhood and counted the days until I could get my driver's license. It was still important to my grandfather that his car had a star on it, our generation also drove other brands, and today's children often have completely different priorities anyway. So walls come tumbling down and new things emerge. The future can also be better than the present. If there is less traffic in cities, more electric cars, more public transport, that is better for everyone.

When you're on trains and buses, aren't you constantly recognized and harassed?

Of course I get recognized sometimes, but I appreciate the fact that the Swiss are very discreet. It's very different in Germany or other countries.

Is that one of the reasons why you moved to Switzerland in 2007?

That's the main reason why I want to stay here. I feel very comfortable. The initial spark was that I was a test driver at Sauber - even though I then quickly switched to Toro Rosso. I liked it here. And of course there were also tax advantages. But I would also have those in the place where many of my ex-colleagues live.

You're talking about Monaco. Why don't you live on the Côte d'Azur?

Switzerland is incredibly beautiful, a paradise. Monaco is certainly also beautiful and a bit warmer, but living in such a concrete jungle wouldn't be for me. I need space, mountains and nature.

Michael Schumacher has also lived in Switzerland for years. You always looked up to him.

He's the hero of my childhood and, in my opinion, the greatest Formula 1 driver in history, even if statistically speaking it's Lewis (Hamilton).

Since his skiing accident in 2013, Schumacher has been cared for at home in Gland, Vaud. You still have contact with the family through his son Mick, how important is that to you?

I get on well with Mick and we keep in touch, even though I no longer race and he no longer has a cockpit in Formula 1. That is important to me.

Michael's brother Ralf Schumacher recently made headlines because he came out as gay. That is …

… a taboo. Just like in many other sports. If we look at the statistics, many tennis and football players would have to be homosexual. But it's still very difficult to come out and be accepted in sport.

Why is that the case?

Let's take football: if a player comes out and then has to bend down for the ball before a throw-in, for example, there are bound to be many in the stands who burst out laughing. That's why role models who have the courage to come out are so important. I don't know if I could speak openly about it myself. That's why we should appreciate it when someone does.

How was Schumacher's coming out received in the motorsport scene?

Good, actually. But of course, motorsport is still a world where old white men have a petrol party. Some things are taboo for many. Lewis has already broken down many walls as the first black Formula 1 driver. He brought up the subject of racism and other things that were suddenly being talked about. I came into Formula 1 at the same time as him, I remember there were a lot of bad comments about him.

For example?

Because of his skin color, that he had no place here. In the meantime, he has not only shown through his performance that they were completely wrong. We need people like him. We used to be told not to talk about certain topics - money, love, sex, religion. Today, we've come a long way, and that's a good thing.

You are committed to the concerns of the LGBTQ community. Why is that?

People fight very hard in sport and do everything they can to win. But it should be fair. And that's what it's all about for me: fairness, fair treatment of all people, no matter who they love and who they are. Sometimes we take a step backwards in this development, such as with the election of Donald Trump as US president. Such decisions are usually made at the expense of people who do not fit into society's image. Drawing attention to this and giving these people a voice is extremely important.

You spoke earlier about your former home country of Germany: can you still be seen there at all?

Why is that?

Because you are campaigning for a speed limit on highways.

*smiles* In this discussion, freedom is often confused with habit. I live in Switzerland, where there is a speed limit. Does that make us less free here? Or do Germans immediately feel deprived of their freedom when they cross the border into Switzerland or France? But I am aware that driving without a speed limit is sacred for many Germans.

You have been able to let off steam on the racetrack all your life. What do you miss now that you can no longer do that?

I miss a lot, especially the competition. Or getting a result straight after a performance and knowing where you stand. The sport, the thrill. But I've also gained a lot and have more time for other topics and interests. I see it more as a trade-off than a loss.