#but I'm prepared to live in bronze

[vinetabris]

I thought I was decent at project sekai until they introduced ranked matches, now I see how awful I truly am

[idkyetxoxo]

Aegon Targaryen - A Night on Silk Street

Summary - It was well known that Aegon Targaryen had a preferred brothel worker and he made no secret of his appreciation for her. His gratitude was as generous as it was lavish, reflecting his clear favour. Truly, Aegon the Magnanimous, they say.

Pairing - Aegon Targaryen x reader

Warnings - Sexual content (smut!), mild language

Word count - 2114

Masterlist for Aegon • House of the Dragon General Masterlist.

Silk Street in King's Landing truly came alive after dusk, transforming into a vibrant tapestry of sights and sounds. 

The clink of tankards filled with ale echoed through the narrow streets, mingling with the boisterous laughter of patrons spilling from taverns. 

Lanterns flickered in the warm night air, casting a golden glow on the cobblestones as the whores, draped in silks and lace, paraded with practised grace, their smiles as much a part of the night as the moonlight itself.

Working in a brothel was an experience unlike any other. It wasn't something I ever dreamed of or took pride in, but it provided a dependable way to make an honest living. 

Each night, I traded fragments of my soul for coin, a small price to pay for survival in a city where women like me had little choice.

I reclined on my back, the bronze silk robe already draped over me as I toyed with the coin between my fingers. My latest patron, having finished his indulgence, was now dressing and preparing to leave.

The curtains of my alcove were thrown open with a sharp flick, and I let out a resigned sigh. 

"Not yet," I murmured, stretching my legs out languidly without bothering to lift my gaze.

"I'm sorry, my love," Sylvi's voice broke through the dim light. I turned my head to see her standing in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the flickering lanterns in the corridor.

"He was Northern," I began, propping myself up on one elbow and clutching the coin tightly in my hand. "And we both know what Northern men are like," I added, swinging my legs back and forth with a weary, yet knowing smirk.

"It's the king," Sylvi interjected, her tone sharp and urgent. I exhaled sharply, the weight of the revelation sinking in.

"You go," I instructed, but Sylvi's eyes narrowed in question.

"I'm with the prince," she replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and challenge.

I sprang from my makeshift bed, grabbing a pillow that had fallen to the floor, and poured myself a drink. 

"Look at us," I said, gesturing between us with a wry smile. "Commanding them like royal hounds." 

Sylvi laughed, the sound a rare burst of genuine mirth in the otherwise subdued atmosphere.

It was no secret that the royal brothers had their favourites. Aemond clung to the first woman he'd been with, finding comfort in familiarity, while Aegon had made me his chosen plaything after sampling every other woman in the brothel.

"Loyal pups, aren't they?" Sylvi remarked, and I nodded, downing my drink in a swift motion.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and adjusted my robe, preparing for the night's demands.

With a playful curtsy, I left the dim confines of my alcove and made my way toward the more opulent quarters reserved for those patrons who could afford the highest pleasures. 

The clink of coins and the promise of indulgence awaited in the luxurious spaces where the city's nobles sought their desires fulfilled.

I entered the private alcove, pulling the curtain shut behind me with a practised motion. Aegon turned with a boyish grin, his clothes already strewn carelessly about, revealing his eager anticipation. He was already in the mood for the evening's pleasures.

"Would you like a drink?" I asked, moving to the small table where a jug of fine wine awaited.

The wine reserved for nobles was always better, sweeter, more fragrant, and rich with layers of flavour. I poured myself a generous cup, the liquid glistening in the dim light.

"Yes," he responded, his voice warm and inviting. 

He approached me with a confidence that came from knowing his own desires, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His fingers deftly unfastened the ties of my robe, letting the fabric slip away with practised ease.

As his hands traced a slow, deliberate path up my sides, he pressed soft kisses along the curve of my neck, gently pushing aside the strands of my hair to expose more of my skin. His touch was both tender and thrilling, a prelude to the night ahead.

I turned to face him, feeling the heat of his body against mine. Our chests brushed together, and I handed him his cup, my eyes meeting his with a knowing glance. 

With a gentle, guiding touch, I led him towards the bed, our steps synchronized in the intimate dance we knew so well. 

The anticipation crackled in the air, blending seamlessly with the allure of the fine wine and the promise of the pleasures yet to come.

"Has it been a long night?" he asked, his voice low and warm as I settled onto his lap, straddling him comfortably. His hands rested casually on my hips, a gesture of both possession and affection.

"Not really," I replied truthfully, my fingers idly playing with the soft strands of his silver hair. The familiar hum of his contentment vibrated against my fingertips.

"Just some Northern men," I added with a knowing smile. "We all know how they can be." 

The Northern men were known for their brutish charm and cold demeanour, a contrast to the warmth and ease of my current company.

"Well, aren't you lucky that I have you for the rest of the night then," he said with a grin. 

His arm slid down the gentle curve of my back, coming to rest possessively on my ass, where he gave a soft, appreciative squeeze.

"So lucky," I whispered, leaning in closer, our breaths mingling. His smirk widened, a reflection of his satisfaction and the shared intimacy of the moment.

He leaned in, capturing my lips in a kiss that quickly turned fervent. His tongue sought entry to my mouth, and I responded with equal hunger. Our kiss deepened, a tactile conversation of longing and desire.

His hands slid up my back, pulling me closer as he stood up, carefully twisting us around. With a graceful yet decisive motion, he laid me back on the bed. I propped myself up on my elbows, watching him with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity as he pulled away.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, he reached for the cup of wine beside us. 

"Lay back," he instructed softly. I complied, my heart racing as I settled into the plush covers.

He tipped the contents of the cup, the rich, red wine cascading slowly down my chest. The cool liquid trickled down the valley of my breasts, and a soft gasp escaped my lips at the unexpected sensation.

Aegon positioned himself over me, his tongue darting out to savour the wine from my skin. 

"You taste divine," he murmured, his voice a sultry purr that reverberated through the room.

He licked the liquid off my chest with deliberate strokes, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. He followed the trail of wine down to my navel, pausing just under my bellybutton.

"So sweet," he murmured, his voice a low, sultry purr that reverberated through the room.

With a tender, deliberate movement, he pressed a soft kiss just below my navel, his lips lingering briefly before he continued his sensual journey upwards. His kisses traced a path to my breasts, his fingers trailing up my midline in sync with his lips.

He opened my mouth gently with his thumb, placing his fingers just in front of me. 

"Taste," he instructed softly, his voice a mix of command and allure.

I complied eagerly, my lips wrapping around his fingers as I began to suck the remaining wine from his skin. Each slow, deliberate motion was met with his intense gaze, a silent exchange of desire and connection. 

His eyes never left mine as I moved, savouring the taste and the shared experience.

He withdrew his fingers from my mouth, his eyes lingering on my parted lips, and then he kissed me again, his lips capturing mine with a fervour that spoke of the passion that had been building between us. 

He paused briefly to admire me, his eyes dark with lust. With a smooth, practised motion, he positioned himself above me, the weight of his body a reassuring presence.

The anticipation built to a crescendo as he aligned himself with me, his touch both commanding and tender. The moment he entered me was a heady mix of relief and ecstasy, our bodies moving in a rhythm that spoke of both need and satisfaction. 

His movements were deliberate and controlled, each thrust a blend of passion and dominance.

The room was filled with the sound of our breathing, the mingled scents of wine and sweat, and the soft rustle of the bedclothes. 

"You feel incredible," he panted, his gaze locked onto mine. 

Aegon's rhythm grew more insistent, his hands gripping my hips as he drove into me with a fervour that matched the intensity of the night. His breaths came in deep, ragged gasps, and his gaze locked onto mine.

"Ride me," he commanded, his voice a low rumble filled with desire. 

He pulled out of me, his gaze locked onto mine with a compelling intensity as he guided me to switch positions. I nodded, my heart pounding with anticipation, and shifted until I was straddling him.

As I lowered myself onto him, the sensation of him filling me again was both exhilarating and grounding. I began to move on top of him, starting with gentle, rhythmic rocks. Aegon's hands rested on my hips, and he reached for the cup of wine once more.

Without breaking our rhythm, he poured the remaining wine down my chest, the cool liquid mingling with the heat of our bodies. 

He leaned forward, his tongue tracing the path of the wine, licking it off my front as I rode him, the sensation driving us both wild.

His touch became more insistent, his hands trailing up to cup my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my nipples in a way that sent shivers through me. I increased the pace, our movements perfectly synchronized as we lost ourselves in the moment.

Soft, breathy moans escaped my lips as I leaned down, my hands resting on his chest for support as I bounced up and down. His mouth followed the trail of wine up my body until our lips met in a heated kiss, the taste of the wine and the shared pleasure making the moment all the more intoxicating.

"Is this what you wanted?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sounds of our shared pleasure.

"Yes," he panted, his eyes locked onto mine with a fierce intensity. "Just like that." 

The sensations built and swirled around us, each movement a perfect harmony of desire and fulfilment. As his breaths became more erratic, his grip on my hips tightened. "I'm about to—" he choked out, his voice breaking off into a deep, guttural groan.

With a final, powerful surge, he reached his climax. The warmth of his release spilt inside me, the sensation both intense and familiar. I could feel the depth of his pleasure as it enveloped me, marking the peak of our encounter.

As he reached his climax, I gradually slowed my movements, allowing the intensity to gently fade. We separated, the room now enveloped in a quiet, satisfied stillness. I slipped off him and fell onto the bed beside him, the cool sheets a comforting contrast to our shared heat.

His arm reached out to pull me closer, his fingers trailing softly down my body in a tender, lingering touch.

"Much better than those Northern brutes?" he asked, his voice laced with playful satisfaction.

I laughed, nodding in agreement. "Oh, absolutely," I replied, the sound of my laughter mingling with the quiet of the room.

He fumbled around for a moment before presenting me with a small pouch. I sat up, curiosity piqued, and opened it to reveal a substantial amount of coins. The sight of the glittering pile was impressive, more than I had expected.

"What's this?" I asked, spilling the contents onto the bed in front of me. "This is way too much."

"Nonsense," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, his fingers drumming through the pile of coins as if to emphasize their abundance.

"It's more than you've ever given me," I pointed out, astonished by the sheer amount.

He shrugged casually, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Consider it a bonus for the night," he said nonchalantly. "You've earned it."

I looked at him, a mixture of surprise and appreciation in my eyes. It was almost endearing, seeing this powerful man so completely under my spell.

"Well, I certainly won't complain," I replied with a smile, my fingers deftly gathering the coins and tucking them away. The unexpected generosity was a pleasant surprise, a mark of the night's success.

Tonight, Silk Street thrummed with an unusually vibrant energy.

A/n -  Wine and sex... pure heaven for Aegon the Magnanimous 👀

[wileys-russo]

Lucy bronze and reader are in a secret (not quite) relationship. Reader is Georgia stanways sister and therefore Leah’s honorary sister, and the two have their suspicions you’re seeing someone but won’t tell them. They think it’s Alessia you’re dating because she’s your best friend and the two of you are always together. But you and Lucy get drawn as room mates for camp and maybe there’s a hickey or two that isn’t covered up properly and that’s when the ball drops? And when confronted lucy just is quite casually like “yeah that’s my girlfriend. And?” Shocking reader as well because they’ve never actually talked about it before

girlfriend II l.bronze

"nah i'm telling you g it's gotta be less." "but they're just mates!" "mates who are together all the time. they even live together, no?" "well she said she's inbetween places while she waits to see if her contracts renewed." "georgia...they're dating."

"whose dating?" keira interrupted her best friends, taking a seat at their table and placing down her tray of food, shoving away leah's hand who reached for her packet of crisps.

"y/n and alessia." leah announced matter of factly as georgia hummed, still not completely convinced. "and exactly how have you come to this conclusion?" keira sighed before taking a bite of her banana, staring blankly at the two blondes across from her whose gazes were focused on the other stanway sister sitting across the dining hall.

"well. she's been staring at her phone a lot lately all smiley but a different kind of smiley, then she keeps posting them photos of someone else on her instagram but not tagging them, she dodges our facetimes saying shes out with a friend but won't tell me who-" georgia started to recount as keira hummed, completely unconvinced.

"- and then the other day when we was at our parents place she was clearly on the phone to someone and was dead giggly, but then i walked in and she went all weird and hung up." georgia rolled her eyes.

"and this makes you think she's dating alessia?" keira narrowed her eyes. "no! that's leahs theory. but i know she's datin someone and we're gonna find out who." georgia replied firmly as leah hummed in agreement, keira shaking her head.

"well don't include me in this we, cause this is not gonna end well gee. leave her be! she's got a right to privacy much as you have." keira chastised as georgia merely scoffed.

"not in this family she hasn't."

~

"who ya textin then?" you were quick to turn off your screen as your younger sister collapsed beside you on a beanbag, shoving her away and mumbling about personal space.

"looking awfully chipper there aren’t we my girl." you sighed as leah immediately flopped down on your other side, slipping your phone into your pocket and trying to leave, only to be pulled right back down.

"i was smiling at a tiktok, can i help you both solve any other mysteries holmes and watson?" you huffed, fed up with your sisters consistent prying into your personal life, just trying to enjoy the down time before training this afternoon, all of you currently in camp preparing for the euros squad selection in just a few weeks time.

"yes you can matter of fact. you can help us figure out who you're dating!" georgia beamed as your face dropped and you tried to get up with a huff, leahs hands grabbing at the back of your jumper and tugging you down again as she stretched an arm across your shoulders.

"that's none of your business. lee get off me!" you grunted at leah who effectively held you down into the beanbag. "so you are dating someone then?" georgia gasped, clapping her hands together gleefully as you rolled your eyes.

"i didn't say that. i just said that topic is none of your business!" you warned as your sister waved you off. "yes it is. so whose the lucky lass? or lad? no judgement here!" georgia shrugged as you glared daggers into the side of her head.

"no one. you always do this georgia, i'm sick of it!" you growled and leah sensing you were actually starting to become upset quickly let you go as you shot to your feet.

"you're a nosy little cow and you're always sticking it in my business. my personal life is mine and the more that you, and you, try to pry into that the further i'm gonna ice you both out." you glared at both blondes sitting on the beanbags before storming off, alessia watching from the other side of the room with a concerned frown and hurrying off after you.

"see? told you. dating!" leah pointed it out with a nod, georgia shrugging in somewhat agreeance as keira appeared in front of them with her arms folded and a stern look on her face. "what?" leah frowned as the girl shook her head at them.

"are you happy now? thats clearly upset her and the pair of you aren't even sorry. just leave her be!" was all the brunette warned before walking off again.

~

"she's relentless!" you groaned, head slumping back onto the older girls chest as her hands gently massaged your shoulders whilst you sat inbetween her legs on the bed.

"she's just being your sister, she cares about ya." lucy chuckled, finding the whole situation quite amusing as she tried to ease the mounting tension in your neck.

"i wish she didn't! thank god we got roomed together or else i don't think i'd be able to see you all camp. she's probably paid someone off to follow me round!" you rolled your eyes with another huff, folding your arms over your chest.

"aih grumpy, settle down or you're gonna pull a muscle." you felt her body vibrate with quiet laughter behind you, eased by her thick northern accent as she pressed a kiss to the back of your neck.

"easy for you to say. they haven't a clue we're sneaking around so you're off their radar, they think i'm dating less of all people!"

"sneaking around then are we?" "well what else would you call this?" "hey you were the one who told her and leah you're staying with alessia instead of with me, no wonder she thinks you're dating the two of you are practically attached at the hip."

"jealous are we bronzey?" you turned around to give her a teasing grin as the brunette rolled her eyes and shoved your face away, shuffling back on the bed a bit and laying down.

"don't need to be, i'm well aware of everything i do to ya that less certainly couldn't." lucy now smirked as your cheeks tinted pink and you smacked her leg, climbing on top of her as her hands settled on your thighs.

"she could! what would you know anyway?" you grinned as you slowly leant in, much too slow for lucys liking who tugged on the collar of your jumper, pulling you down into a kiss.

"much more than you know kid." lucy sat up and flushed your body closer into hers, lips beginning to attack at your neck as your eyes fluttered close, feeling her large warm hands begin to roam your body.

"your ego needs checking." you chuckled with a small shake of your head, her confidence being one of the things that had attracted you to her the most the night you'd first began this little series of hook ups.

in all honesty you weren't sure what the two of you were, you'd not really had that conversation yet in the month or so you'd been seeing one another, staying with her in manchester while you navigated the impending transfer season.

"there's other parts of me that require checking right now love!" lucy smirked and you squealed as she quickly flipped the two of you, her taller form now hovering over yours as her lips teasingly brushed yours.

her hand slipped up your jumper and pressed you down into the bed as you tried to kiss her, her lips once again attaching to your neck as you pushed your head back into the pillow with a sigh of pleasure.

"you know sarinas rule." you managed to breathe out feeling her nip at your neck, hissing in both pain and pleasure as her tongue traced the mark she just created.

"ay, no sex. but there's plenty we can do that's not that."

~

"nobody better notice, it's bad enough having her on my case for smiling at my phone. once she see's this she's gonna bury me!" you glared at lucy as the two of you exited the room to head down to dinner, tugging your hood over your head as the older girl simply smiled and wrapped her arm around your shoulder.

"incoming!" you braced as you heard an all too familiar voice, a body charging into you from behind and jumping onto your back as you tried to stay on your feet but failed miserably, crashing to the ground and taking georgia with you.

"you're such a dickhead!" you groaned out in pain, shoving her off of you as leah came bounding up behind her, rubbing at your head which had thumped against the ground at the sudden attack.

"excuse me what is that?" leah asked with an accusatory tone, pointing to your neck with a stern glare as you were quick to flip your hair over your shoulder and tug your hood up.

"nothing." you dismissed, trying to get to your feet but crying out as georgias body again slammed into yours, the two of you rolling around on the floor before she eventually sat on top of you and pinned your hands under her knees.

"georgia get off man! this isn't the wwe." you grunted, struggling underneath your younger but seemingly stronger sister who tugged your hood off and gasped at the dark red hickey on your neck.

"who gave you that! where's alessia?" georgia looked around as you rolled your eyes. "probably in her own room. she's my best friend georgia we are not dating, you're deluded!" you dismissed the accusations as leah looked between you, lucy and the hotel room you'd both just come out of, cogs turning in her head before it clicked.

"you!" leah pointed accusingly to the taller brunette, georgia looking around and then putting the pieces together before her jaw dropped and you took the opportunity to shove her off of you, standing quickly to your feet.

"aye, she's my girlfriend. and?" lucy stated quite casually as her arm again slipped over your shoulder and you turned to her with a look of surprise, the shock only hitting leah and georgia further.

"see you at dinner then." lucy smiled, tugging you with her as she headed off toward the elevator, leaving a stunned leah and georgia in her wake as the doors closed behind you.

"girlfriend?" you asked with a surprised smile, the midfielder shrugging calmly. "is this you asking me or telling me?" you took a step away from her and folded your arms over your chest.

"asking, but then again you're only human...so is it even a question?" the girl smiled smugly and you scoffed, smacking at her chest as she pulled your body into hers, trapping you in a tight hug.

"your confidence is nauseating." you fake gagged as she rolled her eyes. "acting like you don't love it." she promptly shut you up with a kiss, pressing your body into the wall beside you before the doors opened and she pushed herself away, offering you a hand as the two of you stepped out, missing your sister come flying out of the fire exit having sprinted down the stairs.

"LUCY COME HERE I'M GONNA KILL YA!"

[anantaru]

✦ ۫ 𑄼ల۫  ۪ DEC 18TH — WARMING YOU UP

featuring: kaeya, venti, zhongli, kaveh, tighnari, cyno, kazuha, ayato x fem! reader

warnings: n.sfw, dacryphilia (venti), ૮⍝◠ ·̫ ◠⍝ა | event.

✦ 𝐊𝐀𝐄𝐘𝐀

you allowed yourself to lay back into the soft cushions of your bed.

you do not speak, but your breathing was fastened by the blissful wrap of kaeya's arms around your parted legs.

now right here and there, the sheer motion of his face lowered itself into you, the growing heat within your core sank down through your bones, covering the entirety of your nerves with the throb of your soft pussy yearning the touch of your lover.

"there?" from the start, he will tease you, always, tickling the desperation out of your now crumbling body as you mewled sensually, your eyes pulling daggers into his bronzed skin.

your fingers quickly got a hold of his long hair, fondling through the unruly strands to keep him as close to your most desired place as possible. "t-there."

"you're breathtaking when you're so open for me, you know that?"

with your eyes sliding close upon perceiving his warm breath on your tingling clit, you fell back to indulge, time stilling.

for some it might seem like nothingness, but the way kaeya handled your body couldn't be described in its totality.

easy, tender and without added pressure, as if you were to break under him any moment. His eyes were gentle too, the glow of love was visible on his dilated pupils, covering his blue eyes.

"let me take care of you beautiful, it's okay."

before anything, kaeya was gathering enough spit on his tongue, he prodded the wet muscle out to slick around the entirety of your spongy folds, smearing the filth on your pussy.

kaeya treasured your taste, the sweet scent and your hitching noises whenever he pranced his tongue deeper, buried himself past your labia to hit your clit, so close and maddening, you couldn't possibly hold back the desire to forcefully push him down your ache.

the unbearably sensual combination of his wet and skilled tongue had your brain laced in pure ecstasy, building your arousal with little to no control left on your body.

✦ 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈

at first, you barely felt the handiwork venti put you through, after all his fingers were simply stirring over your warm cunt, not doing much.

you could say it was a slight habit of his, he'd always prepare you before fucking you roughly into wherever he had split you open on.

you were aware that your boyfriend was in fact, a little piece of shit, who never knew when to stop annoying and teasing the living hell out of your being.

but even then, even when venti realized you were on the brink of crying from overstimulation, he wouldn't stop himself right away because you see, in a way that sinful expression was what he wanted to be gifted with in the first place.

"your reactions are so cute."

he murmurs into your ear, his voice was so kind and tender, but the menacing tendencies in them made you shake, the complete opposite of his pseudo sweetness was viewable when he used his fingers to relentlessly fuck in and out of your clenching hole.

it didn't surprise you on how skilled venti was with his slender digits, it's as if he had you figured out from the start, letting you grind into them.

how come you didn't even have to show him your favorite spots the first time he had you splayed under him?

this man had targeted them from the very start, fumbling himself deeper within you gooey walls while messily fumbling and touching you with his roughed up finger pads.

"v-venti please, i can't anymore."

his sight suddenly widened, the beginning of one tear, just one, would surely have more follow suit and he knew, he always did.

in a single motion, venti drew himself to you while kissing away the lonely warm tear that drooled down your cheek, gathering it on his lips before messily licking it up.

"come on now darling! i'm almost done and you're doing such a great job for me, i'm truly flattered!"

the brief stilling of his fingers wasn't held long as he adjusted his pace, digging himself to the hilt into your sobbing sensitivity and remembering to curve his digits up whenever he met your desired spot.

he slipped in and out in a chorus of rough strokes with your hips beginning to do circling motions into them, meeting his filthy touch while fluttering and twisting around his thin fingers.

his grin would never slip away, not when you're looking like this, fucked into delirium from nothing more than a mere of two digits.

✦ 𝐙𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈

zhongli muttered dirty nothings into your ears, things he wanted to do and experience with you and your person alone.

fuck, he needed you right now, his cock was desperately straining his pants and causing him to heavily pant out through his clenched up jaw.

"m-my control is fading." he's grunting, digging his hands into the disheveled sheets to regain some of that long lost control.

it was safe to say that his slacks were already ruined by your slick covering and drenching them in whole. You knew he wasn't done with you yet, not now, not ever, his stamina was out from this world.

but really, it was his fault and not yours!

no one forced him to slowly grind his hips and dry hump into you, rubbing his hard hidden member on top of your drenched swollen pussy.

"i-i need you, zhongli."

you responded weakly, with a husky voice as you propped your hips up to show him your messy pussy, stretching your legs farther apart as he carried on with rutting himself on you.

he was shamelessly grunting and groaning before he forced himself to speak to you, "my hunger for you will never be queried."

quivering in response he had you caged underneath and you were accepting it, maneuvering deeper, zhongli rubbed both his clothed member and the rough material on your drenched nerves, urging you to moan in bliss.

his fingers brushed beneath your chin to hold it up, motioning you to his hungry lips as he captured you in a languid kiss, feverishly pulling his tongue out to bury it into your wet mouth.

on this, you weren't struggling to imagine how the curve of his throbbing member would feel like, the pressure inside your core mounting, cry on cry.

✦ 𝐊𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐇

at a single push forward, you got caught in utter euphoria, sudden tension thrumming through your frame as kaveh dragged himself past you with your swollen flesh capturing him fully.

"f-fuck." his whines were music to your ears, how they were slightly higher than his normal voice, primally to his initial tone, he had now become a cursing little mess.

"h-how are you still so tight for me, hmm?"

how your boyfriend couldn't control himself was gathering your cheeks within a warm sensation.

his over the top dirty talk didn't help one bit, kaveh could overdo himself quite a bit in that aspect but you didn't mind, it was a compliment from how far gone your pussy could make him.

you, of course, couldn't blame him, kaveh prized how tight you were, how you twisted and throbbed on his shaft without a single care in this world. How your sloppy cunt was all the more messy with him stuffing you full.

his little darling surely knew how to drive him into despair, unbearable madness without a way out, not before he cummed at least and covered you in his bittersweet cum.

"fuck baby you're so tight, f-fuck, you want me dead."

and again, your body shook and squealed at his sudden smirk, his before slow hips skillfully working, pressuring additional pleasure into your core.

your spine was curved up now, grimly bending and arching at another punctuated rut from your boyfriend who had nothing else in mind than making you cum first, he had to.

you were so unbelievably ravishing tonight, his loins were on fire from nothing more than your crossed eyed face, chin covered in drool and spit with your cries turning louder each thrust.

the combination on your lower area of both piercing pleasure with faint pain laced around it was addicting, every fiber of your consciousness gathering itself into the depths of your skin before it dissolved into nothing more than total submission to your lover.

✦ 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐈

tighnari's interest in you sharpened the moment he had seen you, so for him to have you in all your glory now, bare and beautiful, while bouncing up and down his cock, felt surreal.

was he really not dreaming right now?

truly, he thought he was imagining things, the moment passion took you over, this one time, not one of you was able to walk away, not when the tension flowing through you was as defeating as it, well, was.

"i-is this all you got?"

what a jerk, obviously he was his usual self, even while you fucked his brains out. Tighnari couldn't hold back his filthy tongue, not this time and probably not ever.

his hands were helping you rub yourself back and forth yet they haltered at last, sliding all the way up your bouncing breasts to grab them, catching them in his palms, suddenly squeezing the flesh with a squeal escaping you next.

"fuck, tighnari!"

you mewled at the rough fondling of his hands, arching your back while additionally applying more pressure on your already burning hips. "you're too rough."

it was gruesome, that's what it was, you were certain he was intentionally not helping you out much, he just had to have that last dwindling string of control you both eagerly grasped after.

"let me hear you, come on." he let his hands rub circles and spirals over your swollen nipples before forcefully pinching them in between his pads, catching you off guard.

you could only give him a lost embarrassing smile, his words made you all giddy with your head feeling heavy. All the greater was your work on him now, his slick covered cock was slipping out of you carelessly and the sharp pain from before was barely to be perceived at all.

well, well, you were still a panting mess from the fast tempo and it wouldn't take you long until you practically collapsed your body on top of his from over exhaustion.

before you knew it, you were already met by the thrill of his own authority when he pulled you down to sharply share a hard kiss. His lips were hungrily seeking yours, leaning into your softness with his mouth framed in an annoying smirk.

the result of it was now with tighnari thrusting up your heat, so unbelievably fast and messy, the pain in your legs was surely fleeting but now you could barely feel them if anything, almost as if they had turned numb from the sheer strength behind his sloppy cock.

all the cries and moans were filling the room that had a piercing scent of sex and pleasure, your whimpers were all the more thrilling and archons, tighnari would make sure to have you remember this night.

✦ 𝐂𝐘𝐍𝐎

cyno simply refused to keep his mouth shut while you were suckling on his cock all too well.

after all, he wanted, no, needed you to know on how good you made him feel and how thankful he was for your skilled tongue twisting around his shaft, grating perfectly over his impressive cock.

the blood in his groin was hardening and pulsating roughly throughout his entire length, his hands grew cold from the sensation of your mouth sucking blatant euphoria on the tender, thin skin.

if only you were aware he was fantasizing about this scenario all day while at work. He knew better than this but couldn't stop himself regardless, cyno groaned louder now, shuddering as you massaged his balls in your warm palm.

another swallow lifted off him when he lowered his head to watch you suck, rub your sweet lips up and down his swollen cock, the drool messily blurting over the entirety of his member, without leaving his balls uncovered.

as tired and low lidded as his eyes were, he still didn't once close them, the sight of you on your knees for him, it's certain you were going to feel it in your legs the next day.

he gathered the courage to drag you down further, making your mouth take him much deeper until you physically weren't able to proceed anymore.

"k-keep taking me like that."

his voice was beginning to be raspy now with the additional breaks of his words. You took a deep breath through your nose and gulped a little, flexing your throat while being stuffed full as you proceeded, this time faster.

"a-archons, you're amazing."

your mouth was assembling enough spit and cum together to have it as comfortable as possible for cyno, he craved it that way. As much as he denied said fact, the messier it got, the harder he'd cum in you.

you persisted to keep it going, as always, to get him over the edge and let him cover your face in his white milk you gravely yearned for this night.

✦ 𝐊𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐇𝐀

kazuha's breath was heavy on your collarbone with his teeth nibbling the dampened skin.

you could be such a brat sometimes and he knew, he always did. Yet despite his usual gentle nature, kazuha could be quite rough with you, more so when you obviously displayed traits of a sweet, little brat who didn't know any better.

did you do it on purpose? obviously. But who wouldn't do it if their boyfriend would react the exact same way as kazuha did.

he's barely touched you, at all, only gently nudging his upper leg over your sobbing folds as he watched you bubble with further excitement, that without you knowing, would never get satiated.

"hmm how interesting." his voice was always gentle, but this time it had something menacing to it, something that wasn't able to be looked into, his eyes were glowing with both desire and anticipation.

all the fondling had heightened your senses, had made you more sensitive and salivating at his growing reaction standing up while throbbing in his hand.

his next words were followed with a punctuated rut with his leg on your tingling walls, "hah- it seems like you're close, don't hide it from me now." the grin on his face made you gasp with your spine rolling upwards, your cunt slicking him all up without giving a damn.

it was sort of embarrassing to you, to be placed in a position like that.

the fact he hadn't touched you properly yet and you still were a wet swollen mess, smearing him full and aching at every little pleasure he'd inflict on you.

he had you in such a sensitive state now, both your body and mind, it was as if he had taken over the authority in your entirety, letting you bear the weight of his punctuated ways to make you scream.

continuing to grate his leg into you, sometimes harder sometimes with only a small amount of added pressure to switch it up, your gasps had only gotten louder and entailed.

"i might make you cum if you're nicer to me next time."

✦ 𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐓𝐎

ayato could never deny the fact that eating you out relaxed his muscles and spirit, it's a required daily thing for him to do whenever he saw you.

as luck would have it, he was especially skilled with his sloppy muscle, making sure to gather enough spit on it to plaster it on your folds first, proceeding down to meet your gushing hole.

planting an additional kiss on your heat made you roll your eyes back greatly, the sense of worship each kiss had was mesmerizing.

because, yes, ayato worshipped you, his wonderful darling, your pussy was so fucking hot and ravishing, he wanted to bury it in his cum and claim you in so many more ways imaginable.

the back and forth of both tender suckles and rougher licks on you developed a tightened grip on your stomach with your muscles crying out, it was intimate and surreal, how much you missed him was insane.

ayato was slowly stroking a hand down from your chest to your navel before gathering his thumb over your clit to press right past the flesh of your pussy to hit the spot particularly well.

with your next squeals of his boldness, his eyes met yours in a thrill of hunger, "i'm not done with you yet." a sweet grin laced on his swollen lips as he drew himself back in, working both his tongue and thumb in sync.

his hair strands would fall into his face to hide his intoxicating features with your hands quickly catching them to smoother them back.

you settled on the soft sheets underneath with your eyes pointed to the ceiling until falling close at last, crying out at his electrifying way of savoring your being.

maybe it was due to the fact that the both of you rarely saw each other, but whenever you got intimate with it would turn better the more you had been apart from each other.

the hunger in his antics was immediately to be recognized, so dearly when ayato began to hump the mattress under him with his hands keeping you tightly to his head, groaning breathlessly.

smearing your slick over his cheeks, his warm breath wasn't anything but cooling, the growing mewls he pulled out of your throat had him moan into your pussy, over and over, his tongue now swiping alone your hole to swallow the huge amount of liquids that had sank down from you.

©2022 anantaru do not share, copy, translate

[stariikis]

𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 | 𝐥.𝐡𝐬

synopsis ; top of the class and elected by all his peers as class president, lee heeseung is paired with you for a biology project. yes, he's crazily attractive and yes, your friends tease you about how he's taken a liking for you, but would it be weird to say that his stands on a gummy bear brand debate are the reason why you would risk it all?

pairing ; class president!heeseung x fem!reader genre ; fluff, mutual crushing wc ; 1893

this sort of feeling is more than a candy (more than a candy) like the sweet feeling that i'm getting

"So... you wanna come over?"

You looked down at your hands, clasped tightly together, slightly flushing when you remembered how the popular, handsome class president, Lee Heeseung, had asked you over to his house to begin your assigned biology project.

Of course, Lee Heeseung wouldn't have chosen you by his own will… 

Your teacher had assigned partners, and you had been lucky enough to be paired with the boy who persistently gave you butterflies every time his gaze locked with yours.

In all honesty, you didn't like the jittery, nervous feeling. You didn’t enjoy being impressed by the talented boy when he proudly achieved an A plus on a Maths test. You didn’t like being so awe-struck by coincidentally hearing his melodious voice as you walked past the music room.

It made you feel like one of those annoying side characters who thought they really stood a chance to pull their crush.

But in reality, you really did have a chance… and since it was way too good to be true, you hated it.

Your loyal posse of friends, Yang Jungwon, Kim Sunoo and Nishimura Riki were quite close to him, and it came as a rude shock when they had excitedly announced that Lee Heeseung, the Lee Heeseung, whom you’d been drawn to the moment you met him — found you attractive.

It was difficult to believe at first, but when Sunoo gently reminded you of how Heeseung would stretch and look over at you during lessons, Riki recalled how he had so gently called out your name while marking attendance, and Jungwon added that Heeseung had this habit of mentioning you in every little conversation… 

It gave you the glimmer of hope you never thought you would ever feel.

The bus you were taking came to a halt at your stop. You stumbled on your feet, abruptly snapping out of your thoughts.

Gulping, you stepped off the bus in an embarrassed hurry.

Briefly glancing at your watch to check the time, you ran home upon noticing that you only had an hour to prepare yourself to show up at Heeseung’s house. You couldn’t possibly appear in your dishevelled uniform and loosely bunned hair.

Waves of excitement washed over you, causing chaos and wreaking havoc inside your weak heart. 

This wouldn't do. 

You let out a shaky sigh, wringing your hands to rid them of anxious nerves. It really would be terrible if you turned to mush right in front of your crush, and to emphasise it again, the Lee Heeseung.

You still couldn't wrap your head around the fact that you were going to his house, which would probably be completely perfect, not a pinky out of place.

Then again, who were you to assume what Heeseung's house looked like? If you were lucky his house would be as messy as yours and you wouldn't have to worry about your usual clumsy antics causing dismay in his living room.

You scowled in indignation at that thought. Did Heeseung have to be so obnoxiously perfect?

Subconsciously, as you were drowning in your thoughts, you slammed the front door closed. Luckily, no one was home to hear you mumble to yourself about how you would have to meet Heeseung in about forty-five minutes.

You threw your bag on the floor enthusiastically when you reached your room, and took a quick shower. When you were finally ready, you looked back at your outfit, making a disgusted face at yourself.

Since when had you become so self-conscious about how you dressed? When did you start to take a liking to jewelleries of gold, silver and bronze? Lee Heeseung was indeed doing something to your heart. Something that you wondered whether you liked or not.

You shrugged it off, tossing it all behind you just as you stuffed materials into your bag. You threw in your airpods —  who wouldn’t be grateful for their favourite songs as a distraction? Your thick biology textbook, at which you turned up your nose at. Who even enjoyed answering questions and getting them wrong after forgetting one key word? A few pens, rough paper.

And finally, a packet of gummy bears. Born with a sweet tooth, you were very particular about candies and delicacies, especially their respective brands. This meant that you would have to buy that specific brand of gummy bears, otherwise you'd utterly refuse to eat them.

You thought that you'd have a little snack with heeseung after starting your project and whatnot. He had better be in agreement with your Yupi supremacy agenda. Ah, the infamous debate between Yupi and Haribo. Personally, for you, it was Yupi above all. Haribo was simply too tough on your teeth… the flavours weren’t susceptible to melting in your mouth. 

With that, you heaved your packed bag over your shoulder, and finally left the house.

You passed by countless houses, endless trees that seemed to mock the way your stomach tossed and turned, folding in all three dimensions, "you're not at his house yet, why are you so nervous?"

You yourself could hardly explain the flits in your chest every time your mind wandered to Heeseung's face and kind demeanour. Hands clutching more firmly onto the straps of your totebag, you continued down along the sidewalk, looking out for the bus stop Heeseung had specifically told you to meet him at.

"It’s adorned completely in green vines and red blossoms that are half-bloomed." The words he had murmured softly as he rose from his desk. They still rang in your ears.

You tried swallowing the thickness in your throat. Facing your definitely unreal feelings for him was challenging, unfamiliar. The mere thought of it made your mind whirl in confusion, and your heart pound.

You couldn’t overthink. Not at that moment. Not on a day as nice as that. The breeze wasn't too strong, the weak sunlight merely enough to cast faint shadows of the greenery across the road. 

Weather like that always made a swell of a dull desire to immerse yourself in your own thoughts. Weirdly enough, you had learned to give in to that feeling. Maybe it was better to think. About the good and the bad. About what happened and what may.

That was one of those times.

But when you looked up and saw the unmistakable bloom of rouge-tinted flowers dotting the roof of a bus stop, all emotions faded away, to be replaced with simple anticipation.

With another turn of the head, you saw a familiar face looking back at you, wide eyes aglow with eagerness.

You were being uncharacteristically dramatic over something so small. So miniscule. Something as unimportant as meeting up for a graded project. And he was only your partner out of necessity, for goodness’ sake. In what world would Heeseung choose you? 

What on earth is wrong with me? 

Your guts wrenched nervously when Heeseung flashed a soft smile at you.

"Yn, good to see you! You ready for our project?"

You should be ashamed of it, but you could barely hear his voice. Your head was screaming curses. Get your act together and behave yourself in front of him - he's the class president!

On the other hand, your heart protested loudly. He was the same guy you saw everyday in the school cafeteria playing around with Riki and Sunoo just to entertain their childish antics. In fact, Jungwon’s the one who stepped in to calm them down.

Well, you supposed that was the class president version of Lee Heeseung. This Heeseung, clad in a soft brown hoodie and plain jeans, looked like a laid-back and cool Lee Heeseung. Like he wasn’t all that perfect like his image portrayed him to be. 

Somehow, this version of him was one that looked more reliable, more real. 

The thought helped you to smile back more effortlessly, nodding. Heeseung gestured for you to follow him and you quickly sped up your pace so that it matched his, wincing inwardly because your legs were definitely not as long and efficient as his. You had to take ridiculously long strides in order to keep up with him.

Which, in all honesty, you were used to considering you’re friends with Riki, Sunoo and Jungwon. They all teased you for it, a mutual pastime.

You shook your head to clear your thoughts and glanced up at Heeseung, who, fortunately for you, looked a little nervous as well. His eyes darted to the side so often that you were surprised that there was actually nothing where he looked.

"So I kinda had an idea about what we could do for our bio investigation..." you tried to strike up conversation, and luckily, Heeseung instantly relaxed, seeming more comfortable when he looked back into your eyes.

You could see his own orbs widen with curiosity as he urged you to carry on with an encouraging, "yeah?"

Once you were encouraged to start talking about something, you couldn't stop. You started blurting out the doodles encasing ideas you had jotted down in class, theories and experiments and projects and conclusions. Heeseung just nodded along, his eyebrows tilting in genuine interest as he listened to every word that came out of your mouth.

You just ignored the flutter it brought to your heart.

It was a miracle that both of you managed to keep up the conversation — socialising is certainly difficult. 

The moment one foot went in through the door you noticed that his home wasn't all that classy like you imagined it would be. It looked… reassuringly ordinary. It was like a reminder that you didn't have to act like a prim and proper barbie doll in front of this guy, whether your crush or not.

You kept that in the back of your mind for the following hours as you carried out the experiment with much giggling and small talk. And tea.

"You know," Heeseung said between bouts of laughter, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. “Once, Riki tried wooing this girl — but she complained that he was too tall for her! I swear, I think that was the first time I ever saw him frustrated because of his height."

At that, you rolled your eyes, snapping, "and he still believes calling me short is funny.”

At  the end of it all, you were both exhausted from trying to smother laughter, and fortunately, somehow, you had finished your project in the nick of time. Just an hour before the report had to be submitted.

 As you laid back in his chair, your mind sneakily offered, well, what next?

"Hungry?" Heeseung interrupted your mental debate on whether or not to bring out your pack of gummy bears. You grinned sheepishly before finally sticking your hand into your totebag and pulling out the packet.

There was an immediate, shocked response from Heeseung. "You prefer Yupi too??"

You must be the textbook definition of soulmates! 

You looked up in disbelief, only to see Heeseung’s eyes alight with an adorable, burning passion that could’ve been funny in the situation.

With a nod, you launched into an expressive speech on why it was better than Haribo, and attentive Heeseung nodded vigorously along to all your passionately conveyed points.

With that, suddenly everything was a lot easier to take in, less confusing and more exciting. 

Who would've known it'd start with a packet of your favourite gummy bears?

i don’t wanna make it blue create it, your la vie en rose

if this is familiar, it's because i'm republishing it from a loooong time ago. i reread it from my prev account and was unsatisfied but liked the concept! so i edited it and polished some parts and here it is ^^ hope you enjoy! yupi >> argue with the wall now. okay i'm joking but if you give this a like and reblog maybe i'll forgive you for liking haribo 🎀

more of my works >

[bruhnze]

Apple tarts and tiramisu - Part 6

Summary ''Apple tarts and tiramisu'': Lucy just moved to Barcelona, you offer to teach her Spanish. Reader gets into a relationship with Lucy Bronze who she met while she served her an apple tart.

Other parts: masterlist

SMUT - MINORS DNI

Wordcount: 5K

Part 6 as requested😘

As Lucy was getting Narla some food you were messing around in the kitchen a bit, once you found some things you prepared two breakfasts.

"Hmm, what a life," Lucy said as she hugged from behind. ''I could get used to this''.

"Me too'' you said as you melted into her embrace ''but I couldn't find anything for macha or anything else to drink, what do you always drink with breakfast?"

"Yes Macha, but that's why I always came to your coffee shop, at home I usually just drink water."

"mkay, let's drink water then" "about today by the way…"

''Yes?''

''a friend of mine is having a dinner tonight, people are bringing their partners...i was curious if you'd like to come..we wont stay too late because i have opening shift tomorrow but i thought we could sleep at yours after that''.

Lucy kissed your neck ''ofcourse''.

''They're making paella by the way, and yfs/n will be there too''.

"Well then I'm completely convinced."

You chuckled and then remembered ''oh shoot, how late do you have to go?''.

''hmm, in 35 minutes''.

''ugh, and i'm going to the gym this afternoon, with yfs/n''.

''really'' Lucy asked you ''oh if she wants yfs/n can drive with us to the dinner''.

''okay ill ask her, she'll probably like that''.

///

It was almost dinnertime, this afternoon you had told your bestfriend all about the last few weeks, with the highlight being your mother walking into your home and ofcourse the fact you now had a girlfriend.

But your friend had laughed way harder at the story about your mom.

You had asked her if she'd like to come with you and Lucy and as you expected, she wanted that.

You had texted Lucy and now you were together at your house, you had walked from the gym to your house together and had put on nice outfits for dinner.

..

"Hello beautiful" Lucy said as she stepped in after you opened the door for her.

You gave her a kiss and then walked her to the kitchen. Where your friend was having a drink.

"yfs/n!" Lucy called out.

Your friend stood up and there was this special handshake again.

You thought it was funny how your friend was so bro-y but she liked men and on the opposite was you, who was quite girly but you were very much not into men. A long, long time ago you once had a crush on yfs/n, but that was long gone. Yfs/n had been very nice about it, she had said that she thought it was an honor but that she ''didn't swing in that way''. She had never made jokes about it, your friends on the other hand... they sure liked to from time to time.. you just hoped they wouldn't with Lucy around atleast not the first time you'd introduce her.. but then again you had never brought someone ovet so you didn't know how the evening would go.

///

The three of you arrived at the party, in the car ride your friend had talked about her Tinder adventures the whole way, Lucy had laughed so much that they almost took a wrong turn, but eventually they had arrived at the house of Pascal, one of your friends who lived just outside the city.

Your friend went over to a few that were kicking a ball, but you and Lucy took your time to introduce Lucy and your friends to eachother one by one.

It was a fun night and the food was good, two guys had recognised Lucy as a soccerplayer but other then that nothing really special had happened. Everyone seemed to accept Lucy as a new addition to the group.

After dinner you had helped cleaning everything up while Lucy was asked to kick a ball with some others, you had encouraged her to go. Telling her there would come other nights where she could do the dishes.

-----------------------conversation outside, that you didnt hear----------------------

[This is the first time y/n has brought anyone]

Lucy: oh really, well im honered you guys are have a great friendgroup

[Yeah, she seems to be really in love]

[Haha, we had never expected it]

[Shut up guys]

Lucy: what

[Nothing theyre stupid]

Yfs/n: yeah guys, shut up. Y/n will tell Lucy herself.

[Oh shittt does she not know]

Yfs/n: how would i know, maybe, maybe not

*everyone laughed*

[Yeah how would you know, lovergirl]

Yfs/n: sorry Lucy, their English is not good, they're being stupid. And they had beer.

Lucy didnt respond but thought about what this could possibly be about.

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

After a few more rounds of drinks, some drinking, others just keeping it at soda or Lucy who just drank water, you 3 left the party.

"Goodbye guys, see you next time" you said as you gave some friends hugs.

Lucy and your bestfriend also said their goodbyes.

When Lucy unlocked the car, your friend got in and you stepped towards Lucy to give her a kiss "did you enjoy yourself?"

She kissed you back "yeah they're all very nice, very good english also, had a nice chat with Ale and Pascal, theyre cute"

"Aw yeah they are, i love that you met everyone now, and that they liked you a lot"

Lucy laughed "well i dont know if everyone liked me a lot, but most dont hate me, but ill work for it, i want them to like me"

Your friend knocked on the window "hello lovebirds lesgoooooo"

Lucy and you laughed and stepped in to the car.

"Jeez cant even go half a day without a kiss?" Your friend joked.

"Oh shut up, i was just saying that it was nice everyone liked Lucy"

"Most liked me" Lucy said.

You looked at her confused "why do you day that, did something happen?"

Lucy pulled out the driveway as she sighed "i dont know maybe im looking into something thats nothing,... wait yfs/n.. you were there"

You turned around looking confused at your bestfriend who was turning as red as a tomato. "What happend yfs/n?"

"van fer una broma sobre tu però crec que la Lucy no se n'ha adonat, no sabia si encara m'ho havies dit, saps de mi" (they made a joke about you and me, you know what im talking about, i didnt know if you had told her already, but anyway i dont think Lucy got it) your friend whispered quickly.

You blushed and looked at Lucy before turning back to your friend "merda, no, encara no ho havia fet, gràcies per mantenir-ho, com ho dic, ara ella creu que és un gran problema" (fuck, no i haven't yet, thanks for keeping that secret, how do i tell her that now tho, dont want her to think its a big deal).

"I dont like this" lucy said "i cant understand, you two are talking too fast and my Catalan is not good, you know that".

"Uhm, ill tell you, its nothing special, im sorry"

Lucy put her hand on your knee "its okay".

It stayed silent for a bit before Lucy laughingly said "well go on then"

"Oh i thought when we'd dropped of yfs/n"

"Why, she seems to know already right?"

Your friend in the back laughed as you were thinking out the best way to tell her.

"Just tell her y/n, its nothing"

"Yeah i know, but i want her to know that too"

"She's right here" Lucy laughed "come on baby, you dont have to be embaressed or anything"

"Okay, its a running joke in our friendgroup" you paused only to be encouraged by Lucy to go on "yesss anddd.."

"Well you know how Keira is in your team"

Your friend groaned "y/n you make it so hard for yourself, because litteraly nothing happend and Lucy and Keira had a whole ass relationship"

You gulped "oh fuck yeah, i didnt mean it like that, basicly they joke im in love with yfs/n" you quickly said.

Lucy laughed "this yfs/n" and pointed with her thumb to the back of the car.

Your bestfriend laughed with her "yup, crazy right".

"But your straight?" Lucy questioned "or is it just because the two of spend so much time together".

You chuckled nervously, happy that Lucy took this as the joke it was "no we didnt know yfs/n then, i told my friends i liked her and then they put in so much effort to get her in our friendgroup for me, and then it turned out she was straight" you and your friend laughed out loud now.

But Lucy got a little quieter "oh".

You looked confused at her "so nothing happend, yfs/s was nice about it, but my friends still think its the funiest thing".

You arrived at your bestfriends place.

"Oh thats me" your friend said "thanks for the ride girls, see you later" she said as she stepped out the car "dont let it ruin your night babes" she said as she closed the cardoor.

At her door she waved before she got in, you waved back.

"So- " you started

"Its a good thing i like her"

"You're not mad" you carefully asked as you took her hand.

Lucy shook her head "ofcourse not, i trust you, i love you".

"I love you too" you said, but you couldnt help but sound a little dissapointed.

"No why do you sound dissapointed" Lucy laughed, "you dont have a thing for anger issues do ya" she joked.

You gulped "n-no" "not for a-anger issues".

"you want me to be jealous" Lucy concluded with a smirk.

Your breath hitched in your throat.

Lucy acted mad, taking her hand from your thigh "I cant believe you went to the gym with her alone this afternoon! You want to fuck her dont you, i saw you laughing at her jokes, you were basically undressing her with your eyes at one point tonight!" She faked.

You chuckled "Luceee"

"You think this is funny? Because im being serious"

///

The rest of the ride had been a little back and forth of Lucy and you teasing eachother, but you acted a bit more submissive then usual.

From the car to her frontdoor she guided you by your upperarm. You gulped, this was very much working for you, she reached around you to open the door.

When she brought you in to the house, you eyed Narla that was laying on the couch ´´oh, do we have to take her for a walk?''

''Later'' Lucy said ''i walked her just before i picked you up''

‘’first i need to know are you going to listen to me, letting me take the lead?’’ Lucy said with a low voice.

‘’yes Lucy, tell me what to do’’.

‘’Such a pretty girl, I’m curious to see how good you can be’’.

‘’very good’’ you said as you got closer to Lucy and tried to kiss her, but she stepped back with a mischievous look on her face ‘’hadn’t said you could kiss me pretty girl’’.

‘’s-sorry’’

‘’I’ll forgive you this time, only because we still have some talking to do’’ she put her hand on your lower back, ‘’let’s go to the room, get comfortable’’ her hand glid down on to your butt and she squeezed it.

She sat down on her bed and patted her lap, you took place on it sideways, because of the dress you were still wearing, much to your own annoyance.

‘’good girls do need to know the rules to be able to follow them’’ Lucy stated as she took a strand of hair out of your face, placing it behind you ear.

‘’mhm’’ you nodded, very much turned on by the way she spoke to you.

‘’if you want to stop, you have to say stop. If you need to slow things down, you have to say slow down. If I ask you how you feel, you will tell me exactly how you feel and you will not say things you think I want to hear, unless that is truly how you feel ofcourse’’ She looked at you.

‘’yes’’ you said eager, wanting to get on with it.

‘’can you repeat that for me?’’

‘’if i want to stop, i say stop. If i need things to slow down, i say slow down. If you ask how I am feeling, I will tell you the truth’’

‘’Good’’ Lucy said ‘’Okay next rule, if you disobey, you will get punished for it. But saying stop or slow down will not get you in trouble it’s not disobedient.’’

‘’Saying stop and slow down is not disobedient’’. You repeated.

Lucy grinned at you ‘’forget something?’’

‘’if I disobey I will get punished’’

‘’good girl’’ Lucy said ‘’now tell me if there is anything you are not okay with doing’’.

You swallowed hard and thought hard about her question, but the only thing you think about was Lucy fucking you right there and then. ‘’I don’t think so’’.

‘’Think a little harder for me pretty girl’’ Lucy cooed as her hand went lower and lower on your back until it rested just above your butt.

‘’Oh’’, you said, thinking about it now ‘’not in my butt please, i- uh- i don't have a lot of experience with that’’ you chuckled at the ridiculousness of the sentence.

‘’Okay good, anything else?’’ Lucy said with a neutral voice, you tried to detect disappointment but couldn’t.

‘’maybe no spitting in my mouth’’ you said carefully.

Lucy laughed ‘’well good to know, didn’t really planned to, but good to know’’. ‘’okay, if we are doing anything you are uncomfortable with just tell me’’ she kissed your shoulder ‘’shall we take of this dress?’’

You jumped of her lap, she laughed at your eagerness ‘’slow down pretty girl, we’ve got time’’

You whimpered at the thought of this taking another way to many minutes but you nodded.

Lucy stepped behind you and pulled down you zipper, kissing the bare skin that got revealed.

´´hmm, such a pretty back´´ she murmured against your skin. She slipped the dress of your shoulders, making it fall to the floor.

You stepped out of the dress and wanted to take your panties of.

´´nuh uh´´ Lucy smirked devilish as she gripped your hands, tight but not harsh.

´´Luce´´ you whimper.

´´Turn around´´ Lucy said. You obeyed and looked at her.

´´I have given you multiple chances already, I said let´s take of this dress, nothing else, did I pretty girl?’’

‘’yes- - Lucy’’ you hesitated.

‘’mkay’’ Lucy scoffed, you ached for her touch and almost stepped closer to her but rethinking that decision just in time, your feet shuffled.

‘’your such a needy girl, aren’t you’’ she smirked, ‘’so needy for my cock, suggesting we go to mine because you want my cock so bad yesterday and today again, or did you wanna sleep at mine for another reason’’.

You got weak in the knees, this was exactly what you had been thinking about and it was even better then you had imagined.

‘’bet your thinking about it right now, aren’t ya’’ Lucy scoffed and put her fingers under your chin guiding you to look up ‘’tell me, what were you thinking about?’’

‘’y-you’’ you stammered ‘’I want-

‘’tsssk’’ Lucy sucked air through her teeth and patted you cheek ‘’get on your knees little slut’’ she smirked ‘’ill give you what you want’’.

You lowered yourself to the ground, you were sure your eyes were sparkling with joy but you held your composure. You had to focus really hard on yourself not to reach out and hold Lucy’s legs and sat there on the ground waiting for Lucy’s next words.

She walked away ‘’don't look at me, just sit there and think about me pretty girl’’.

You heard the dresser and some shuffling, then some other sounds, you heard a buzzing sound that quickly got turned back off again. But you didn’t dare looking over your shoulder, feeling a rush of excitement running through you by this version of Lucy.

Lucy walked to the bed and you saw her drop a towel in the middle of the bed, you couldn’t see what else she did because she was at the foot end of the bed.

You gulped as Lucy stepped in front of you, she was wearing the strap-on that you had seen a few times now, only this time she was wearing a harness that was a bit more interesting, it was a leather harness that made her butt look perfect.

You were wishing you could see her behind again, only seen a glimpse of it, but Lucy clearly had other plans for you.

‘’my eyes are up here’’ Lucy waved effortlessly infront of your eyes ‘’you can’t think about anything else can you, so eager for my cock’’.

You nodded while looking up in to Lucy’s eyes.

‘’Go on, show me how much you want it’’

You sensed eagerness in Lucy's eyes and realized she wanted you to suck her of, you had never sucked on a toy, it had always seemed silly to you, but you were actually turned on by the idea now. You wanted to give Lucy a show.

You treated the rubber strap as if Lucy could feel everything, softly kissing up the shaft, licking it before you took the tip in your mouth. You played around with your tongue and put it a bit further in you mouth. Looking up you saw two eyes staring intensely, this made you work even harder.

‘’Fuck’’ Lucy groaned and took your hair in her hands ‘’such a pretty girl, looking so good with your mouth full’’. She pushed herself a bit deeper, making you gag. You looked at her with watery eyes but continued with eagerness.

After a minute she gripped your hair tighter and pulled you back, you hadn’t expected it so you were not able to control the saliva that was dripping from your mouth.

She sat on the bed tapping her lap ''come sit on my lap bub''.

You pushed yourself up, using the bed and went to sit on her lap like Lucy had told you.

She held you legs and placed you on her thighs, you felt her cock inbetween your legs and instinctively rocked against it.

‘’Youre such a slutty girl for me, grinding against me, cant even wait for my cock’’ Lucy groaned ''or would you do this to others too?''.

''no only you'' you gulped.

‘’Go sit on the bed, with your back against the board’’ Lucy commanded.

You obeyed quickly and crawled to the middle of the bed.

Lucy smirked at your questioning face ‘’Good, very good, you did so well that you may touch yourself now’’.

You frowned ‘’but i- want you to touch me’’ you were very confused and the throbbing feeling between your legs seconded that.

The devilish smirk was back ‘’and I want you to show me how you do it when I’m not there, so guess what we’ll be doing?’’.

‘’we do what you want Lucy’’ you blushed, the thought of your late nights alone embarrassed you, especially with the subject of most recent times standing right in front of you.  

‘’Are you sure?’’ Lucy broke character for a second, reaching out to you thinking you were hesitating.

You smiled ‘’yes, just a bit ashamed´´.

She got on the bed and shuffled towards you on her knees, ´´if you don´t feel-

‘’no, no, I feel comfortable’’ you smiled. She leaned in to kiss you, after a soft and tender kiss she pulled back slightly and whispered against your lips ‘’okay now make yourself come for me pretty girl’’.

You wanted to take your panties of again but thought about asking it first this time.

‘’Yes you can, such a good girl for asking me’’. Lucy said as she helped you pull them of.

You dipped you hands in your arousal, you were dripping wet. Lightly circling your clit you grabbed you boob with your other hand and closed your eyes.

‘’eyes on me’’

Forcing your eyes open, you tried to remain concentrated, focusing on the feeling between your legs, it didn't take too long before you came undone. It was an easy and superficial orgasm but you wanted to continue with the real deal so you did it quickly.

Lucy scoffed ‘’Now I understand why you're such a slut for me, you can't do it yourself properly’’.

She walked over to the end of the bed and took something, she handed you the vibrator you had seen laying on the nightstand weeks ago ‘’try again, let it be good this time, I want my pussy to be treated right’’.

Her words drove you crazy, Lucy calling your sex hers.

After you had made yourself come for the second time, this time taking it a little slower you still weren't satisfied. Your hole felt empty and Lucy was right there, wearing the cock you had tought about many times ever since you had seen Lucy wear it the first time.

Lucy took the device from you and put it away, she grabbed your ankles and pulled you lower onto the bed, making you yelp.

She laughed at you, squirming below her. Now that your thighs were against Lucy's, you could no longer deal with the empty feeling, you wanted her.

''Lucy.. fuck'' you breathed out.

As she pushed your legs apart and admired your glistening hole, she lowly said ''tell me what you want little slut''.

"I want you inside, luce fuck me" you whined

‘’good girl, telling me what you want’’ she lined herself up against you, swiping trough your folds first with the head of her rubber cock.

You moaned when it contacted your sensitive clit, it wasn’t uncomfortable, the sensations were just way more intense after the two orgasms you had already had.

Very slowly she slid in. Your eyes rolled into their sockets, and you bit your lip which stifled the moan that came from the back of your throat.

In one slick motion she bottomed out into you and started pumping into you rhythmically and at a leisurely pace.

The sight of her concentrated face, her bulging biceps and the way she hit all the right spots immediately brought back the feeling of an oncoming orgasm.

You were surprised at yourself, you didn't know your body could perform such feats.

Uncontrollable noises left your mouth. Lucy grabbed your hips and repositioned herself, she seemed to be chasing her own orgasm, she sped up her rhythm and was grunting lowly.

You were already approaching your high and grabbed Lucy's wrists.

"Tell me if you're close" she panted.

''so close'' you moaned.

This made Lucy slow her pace and she gently pulled out. ‘’good girl for telling me’’ she cooed.

You whined at the sudden loss and the denial of your orgasm, which you felt fading away.

"Turn around" Lucy directed as she shuffled you and herself in another position.

Your jaw dropped a little as you heard her say it, thinking about how you were going to do this with your unsteady legs.

As you were getting yourself together, you no longer had to think about it anymore as you were already being pushed into the bed.

''Okay wait like this for me pretty girl''. Lucy walked around the bed and put something in her harness, she saw you looking over your shoulder and smirked ''you just can't help it, can you?''.

''sorry'' You mumbled and turned around facing the bed.

''no it's good, i like it when you look at me, as a matter of fact, im the only one you should be looking at''.

You looked back at her grinning, she was really nailing this whole thing.

''mkay'' Lucy walked closer to you and got back on the bed, you felt the bed dip as she kneeled behind you, her hands traced your ass as she lined herself up with you again, but now you felt a slight vibration from the strap.

''your going to be a good girl and take me until i have come, if you get close you tell me''.

''yes Luce''

''good girl'' Slowely Lucy slid in. After she'd given you a moment to adjust to the new position she started to build up her rhythm again.

''fuck'' you moaned as she roughly took your ass in her hands, fingers digging in the flesh, you arched deeper pushing yourself further in to Lucy. Waves of pleasure rippled through your body, the feeling of the orgasm that had build up coming right back.

A small grunt escaped Lucy's throat, you knew she had put a vibrator in her harness so you imagined she probably felt really good too.

Her thrusts became faster and faster, it made it hard for you to control yourself but you wanted to be obedient for her.

''Luce-

''dont come, you wait''

''i cant Luce- im-

Lucy pulled out ''fuck''

You whined at the second denial of your orgasm. Without having any control over it, you moved backwards, wetness dripping down your thighs, and your hole longed to be filled again.

She slapped your ass, resulting in a moan from you.

''so fucking desperate''

''you fuck mi molt bo luce, si us plau''. (so good, please).

''El inglés no es lo suficientemente bueno para ti''. (is english not good enough for you?) Lucy said in spanish

''N-no, i mean y-yes it's good''.

''no more talking behind my back okay''. Lucy slapped your ass and kneeded it after, the prickling sensation made you even more wet.

''n-no sorry Luce''

''mkay'' She pushed herself inside you in one swift motion.

´´no cumming, tell me if your close´´.

You tried everything to delay your orgasm, feeling Lucy pump in and out of you, the sounds coming from her throat tell you she´s really close and you can´t handle loosing her from inside you another time.

She thrusts deeper and faster, bottoming out in you and grinding on your ass with her front you feel her shuddering breath against your back.

You moan as she changes her grip on you and reaches on of her hands around your body to hold you closer to her.

´´fuck that´s it pretty girl´´

With a couple more thrusts she comes undone and slowly rides herself through her high.

You know you can´t contain yourself any longer ´´im close´´ you moan.

Appearantly it gave Lucy a bit energy, because she pushed herself up and once again left you empty.

You fell forward on the bed, you whimpered "Lucy".

´´I need to see your face as you come´´. Lucy stated ´´but you can decide if you want to lay down or sit on top of me, because you´ve been such a good girl´´.

You rolled over as you whined her name again ´´Lucy´´.

Lucy grinned and leaned over you, giving you a couple kisses 'i didn't break you did i'.

''si us plau''

She no longer wanted to deprive you and pushed herself inside you, this time solely with the intention of bringing you to your climax.

Lucy held your thighs as she hit all the right spots with practiced movements, it was as if her fake cock was made for you.

When she reached for your clit your eyes closed and your head fell back.

´´look at me´´ Lucy practically moaned.

You forced your eyes to open as the orgasm washed over you, you felt it from your toes to your nipples and everywhere beyond. Your eyes rolled back and the feeling fell from your legs, your muscles tensed before falling completely limp and it had become a wet affair between your legs. Wetness gushing out of you along the plastic cock. But you didn't realize that yet because your hearing and vision had temporarily failed, just like your other senses.

You didn't hear it when Lucy cooed "pretty girl, you were so good."

You didn't feel it as Lucy gently slid out of you.

And you didn't feel when she very gently placed sweet kisses over your body, ending at your face.

After a few seconds, which had felt like minutes to you, you stirred slightly.

´´there she is´´ Lucy gently said, while gently stroking your body with her hand.

You gave her a weak smile and she looked at you with soft adoring eyes. ´´was it too much?´´. Lucy asked with a quiet voice.

"No" you say with a soft and hoarse voice.

Lucy chuckled ''good, how did you like it?''.

"It was perfect Lucy, but can we talk more later, I can't feel my body."

She looked at you worriedly which made you smile ''don't look so concerned, it feels like that one time, our first time, do you remember?''. you blushed ''fuck did i-

Lucy looked at you with a smug face ''mhm, yup, so don't try to walk to the bath on your own, we know how that goes''.

Now the feeling was back and you felt an uncomfortable wet spot where you lay ''how do you keep making me do that''.

"You don't like it?" Lucy asked with a neutral tone.

Your cheeks flushed ''w-well''

Lucy's hand rubbed your side encouragingly.

''i like it, but i feel bad ruining the bed''.

''Ruin it? No, I really enjoy making the bed, so don't feel bad about that."

You laugh ''no you don't''

''no I don't'' Lucy admitted ''but i'll happily do it 200 times if i'd get to see you do that again''.

''good to know'' you chuckled ''does that work for other choirs aswell?''.

''hey hey, don't be a brat, I'm still in control''. Lucy joked.

You gulped ''i really liked you taking control Luce'' you said as you took her hand.

She chuckled ''really, i didn't notice''.

You pushed her weakly, rolling your eyes.

''I'm joking baby, i think we're a perfect match, because i loved it too''. She smiled at you and went to wipe some hair out of your face. ''i love you''.

----

more parts

Thank you @ginger12202 for the inspiration to write this part!

[writing-until-i-drop]

The Devil Doc & The Flyboy | Sneak Peek

Hangman x Marine Corpsman-Devil Doc!OC

Every time Fiona "Kitten" Reid is deployed, something bad happens. Win-a-medal type bad. And when Warlock is looking for a survivalist instructor for the Daggers during the uranium mission, he's shocked that the top recommendation from his colleagues is a young medical corpsman the Marines she served with dubbed "Kitten." After making a grand entrance at the expense of Jake's older brother and Bob's sanity, Fiona finds herself squarely in Hangman's sights. But he better pay attention in class because her lessons come from more than a textbook...

“Corpsman Reid, at ease.” The Rear Admiral better known as Warlock motioned for her to take a seat. It was the first time that morning she was happy to be in uniform, she would have felt naked in scrubs. 

“Sir,” She dug her short nails into her palm under the table, keeping her composure even as her pulse skyrocketed. You’re a marine, she chided herself, get a damn grip. She felt like the kid she had been before her first deployment with a marine detachment. A timid, little midwestern girl who didn’t drink or curse. The rough necks had had a fun time breaking her in. 

They jokingly called her Kitten. As in a scared little kitten afraid of her own shadow. Then the worst had happened and they’d discovered that the kitten had claws. That’s when she became one of them, a marine. She felt the ghostly weight of two hands on her shoulders and sat a little straighter, meeting the Vice Admiral’s gaze head-on.

“I read your file, corpsman but your ribbon rack tells one hell of a story on its own.”

“Oorah, sir.”

“Two Purple Hearts, three bronze stars with combat valor, if you weren’t a corpsman you’d be well on your way to admiralty and a senate seat.” She must not have done a good job at disguising her disgust at being part of the brass, Warlock’s laughter filling the room.

“I asked for a shortlist of men for a special assignment and imagine my surprise when the first recommendation from a general was someone named Kitten.” Aw fuck. 

Fiona’s smile couldn’t be helped. General Matteo Alverez. He had visited her detachment in Iraq for a dog and pony show and when things went south, as they always seemed to do when she was involved, he’d seen Fiona in action, running towards danger with a stethoscope around her neck.

“Am I going brown side out again, sir?” She could already feel the sand in her boots from another desert deployment. “Give the word.” She wanted him to give it to her straight. As much as she wanted to stay, she would always go if the Navy asked her to.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the scuttlebutt about a classified flight mission,” Warlock raised a white brow, knowing nothing classified stayed fully secret in a town like North Island. She nodded. “Enemy territory is a rough place to be,” Rough was putting it lightly in her experience and opinion. “I want you to prepare them, teach them how to survive. No manual, no guidelines, your experience will be their gospel.”’ That was…insane. She wasn’t an instructor. She would run towards live fire, snap a man’s neck, and put her phone on the bar when Penny wasn’t looking. She was used to doing dangerous and ill-advised things. But teach?

“Sir, I-”

“Before you respond, the General said to remind you that a true marine never runs from a fight.” Fiona sighed,

“Aye aye, sir. Just don’t give me a big chicken dinner when I kill your flyboys’ egos.” Warlock laughed, spilling coffee on his pristine uniform.

“If you can do that, I’ll give you another damn medal for doing the impossible.” 

Big chicken dinner = Bad conduct discharge

Scuttlebutt = gossip

Can't wait for more? Let me know, I'll add you to the taglist.

Fiona and Jake's story is going to have mentions of combat, war, torture (nothing too graphic), too many Navy/Marine inaccuracies to count (I'm doing a lot of research though), plenty of good times at the Hard Deck, Warlock being an enabler, and Jake being the next in a long line of Top Gun students to be hot for teacher.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 33

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 5k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Saturday, January 9th; 9:15 AM - At Lucy's Place.

I gently hug the pillow against me, letting out a long sigh from between my lips. Negative thoughts immediately flood my mind, even though I've only just woken up. Sometimes, I wonder why I'm still alive. My life is so miserable that I doubt I'd be missed by many. I tell myself that the only thing that has saved me is my new life. I blink in this unfamiliar room, where I realize I'm alone in a large bed and a room that isn't mine. The events of last night come rushing back, reminding me where I am. I understand my earlier thoughts even better now. A muffled groan escapes my mouth as I realize that Lucy knew about my night terrors and that it’s not something new. Although she seemed calm last night, she must be upset with me for hiding things she didn't want hidden. I’ll have to face the consequences now. She must have held back last night because of my state, but I doubt it'll be the same this morning. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s waiting for me in the living room to discuss it. I check the time before forcing myself out of bed. Hiding from life by staying in bed is cowardly. That’s what my dad used to tell me when I was feeling down in Barcelona. I discreetly leave Lucy’s room and head down the hallway. Not seeing her around, I continue towards the living room. I smile when I find her standing with her back to me behind the counter. As I approach, I notice that she’s swapped her pajamas for jogging pants and a black t-shirt. When she turns around, she must be surprised to see me because she stops for a moment before finally smiling at me.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Hey,” I say timidly, blushing at the nickname.

“I didn’t expect to see you up this early.”

“I don’t sleep as long anymore…” I admit.

“That’s true,” she smiles. “I made breakfast. I hope you’re hungry.”

I relax for a moment, relieved that she doesn’t immediately bring up what happened last night.

“I’d never say no to breakfast,” I reply with a bit more confidence.

“Good. Sit down. What would you like to drink? Tea, hot chocolate? I imagine I don’t need to ask if you want coffee.”

“Hot chocolate, please.”

“Alright, I’ll make that for you. Sit down, everything’s ready.”

I nod gently and turn towards the dining table. Everything is indeed set out. It looks like she had time to prepare a real feast. I sit down, fidgeting in my chair. I’m not particularly comfortable, knowing what’s likely to be discussed soon around this table. Lucy joins me, placing my cup in front of me before sitting across from me with her own.

“Have you been up long?” I continue the conversation.

“Since seven-thirty. I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a run.”

“Oh! You’re brave…”

I distract myself by looking at the table. I don’t know where to look because there’s so much. She thought of everything. There are as many fruits as there are pastries and bread. She must have picked them up this morning. There’s also butter, jam, and even Nutella to go with it.

“Help yourself, that’s what it’s there for,” she invites.

I bite my lip and nod. I can’t bring myself to look at her, especially now that I remember we ended the night in the same bed… In her arms. Damn. Just thinking about it makes me even more uncomfortable.

“Ona,” she calls me, a touch of amusement in her voice.

I finally dare to lift my head and find her looking at me with her head tilted. I get the feeling she can read me like a book right now.

“I think it’s best we talk about it now, huh? I sense you’re going to go crazy before the end of the meal if we don’t.”

I blush, suddenly feeling really foolish. I can feel my heart racing with stress. Still, I nod to confirm what she’s saying. It’s best to talk about it now, to get it over with, even if it means she’ll chew me out properly. What surprises me is that Lucy is more relaxed than I expected. She almost seems to be teasing me. I take a deep breath before starting.

“I’m sorry for waking you up last night…”

My response makes her raise an eyebrow. It’s like she wasn’t expecting me to say that.

“Oh, so that’s all that’s bothering you?”

“Of course not,” I mumble.

“Relax. I’m not going to eat you, you know. Since when are you like this with me?”

Since I don’t want to disappoint you. That answer sticks in my throat. She doesn’t need to know that. Instead, I decide to be honest.

“I feel bad for hiding my episodes from you… Especially since it seems you already knew…”

“I did, yes. I was just waiting for you to come talk to me about it yourself,” she admits.

“Are you mad at me…?”

“A little. I think that if you hadn’t come here, who knows how long I would’ve had to wait for you to tell me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you with something so minor. You already do so much for me, and I was managing on my own until now. It frustrates me to have to turn to you every time something goes wrong with me,” I finish, averting my eyes.

My thoughts are so jumbled. I consider her a friend, but I don’t always feel like she sees me the same way. Sometimes, I feel more like her student and nothing more. It’s ridiculous because if that were the case, I wouldn’t even be here. She places her hand on mine, prompting me to look up.

“Stop thinking like that, it’s not true. I’m doing this as a friend, okay? Wiegman doesn’t ask me to solve your problems. I do it of my own free will because I care about you, and I feel the need to help.”

“It’s fine, I assure you… Everything’s okay for now.”

“Stop lying to me.”

“I’m not lying to you, it’s true. Since you came into my life, so much has gotten better! You have no idea how much you’ve helped me.”

She sighs, running a hand through her hair. She doesn’t seem to realize how deep of a hole she pulled me out of. The change is obvious.

“If what you’re saying is true, then you shouldn’t have any trouble confiding in me when you have a problem. That’s what helps you get better.”

“I do! I came to you when I didn’t know what major to choose. The same when I needed help studying.”

“I’m talking about real problems, Ona. Like your drug issue or your insomnia… See?”

“I do talk to you,” I sigh. “I told you about my problems with my mom and with Feli. You can’t deny that!”

“Maybe, but you’re always hesitant, and you often do it too late.”

“But put yourself in my shoes, damn it! You’ve never lived through what I’ve been through! It’s hard to open up when you’re not sure the person will still be there at the end!”

I freeze, realizing what I just let slip. I hate how easily she gets me to talk. I look up to see her expression soften.

“What are you talking about…?”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. Now that I’ve started talking, she won’t let it go until she gets answers.

“How do I know we’ll stay in touch once all this is over, huh? I’m already scared you’ll drop me the day I don’t have any more problems to solve…”

“Where do you get these ideas?” she frowns. “I’d always be happy to talk to you, Ona.”

“They’re not just ideas. It’s already happening. You ignore me when I behave all week. If this keeps up, I’ll be tempted to mess up just to get your attention.”

“No, come on. I forbid you from doing that! I’m not ignoring you.”

“Yes, you are. Can you tell me how many times we’ve seen each other these past few days?”

“Ona,” she sighs. “Camp Wiegman is my job. I’m sorry if you feel like I’m ignoring you, but it’s not intentional. I have other things to worry about besides you, though I wish I could avoid them.”

“Sorry… It’s just that… Everyone I’ve ever trusted has a tendency to let me down or disappear… You’ve become the person who knows me the best, and… I really don’t want to lose you too.”

Her sympathetic smile makes me turn away. I don’t like being pitied, even though she rarely does it. A long silence follows. When I look back at her, I find her with a little playful look that makes me frown.

“This isn’t funny, I’m opening up to you here.”

“I never said it was funny. I just find it cute, that’s all,” she says with amusement.

“It’s anything but cute to be abandoned.”

“I would never abandon you, silly! Stop thinking that. If you want to spend time with me at school, nothing’s stopping you from coming to my office during your free time.”

“Really?”

“Of course. If I hadn’t suggested it before, it’s because I thought you preferred spending time with your friends.”

I sink into my chair, suddenly feeling deeply ashamed and foolish. I should have considered other alternatives before revealing my innermost thoughts to her. Now, she knows that she means something to me, even though I didn't necessarily want it to be that way. I feel weak and like I'm giving her the chance to hurt me.

"Hey," she pulls me out of my thoughts. "Everything's okay, alright? I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Never forget that. And if you need to come to me, don’t hesitate, okay?"

I sigh and nod. I wish I could believe it, but it's hard. She gives me a small smile that I struggle to return.

"Well... Can we talk about your nights now? I’d like to know when your first episode happened."

"The first one was the night between Wednesday and Thursday," I confess. "I'm sorry that the second one happened with you."

"Don’t apologize for that. I wanted to be informed so I could keep track of your condition. I was really disappointed to hear it from Alexia."

"You should know that I don’t like to bother people, which is why I didn’t say anything. You don’t need to keep track of this."

"Well, actually, I will be. I want to be notified during your episodes, and I will be, even if it’s not through you."

I sigh and cross my arms, showing my displeasure.

"We’ll find a solution, okay?"

"Okay..." I mumble. "Oh, and, um... Thanks again for letting me sleep with you last night."

"Was it okay for you?" she asks. "I offered it on a whim, but I forgot that you usually sleep only with Mapi or your brother."

My eyes fixate on the cup I had been fiddling with. I realize I hadn’t even had the chance to think about it for a single second, and that’s frightening. I've come to trust her blindly without realizing it. I actually care for her more than I thought. I shake my head slightly to regain my composure and clear my throat before responding.

"Uh, yeah... Everything was fine..."

"Good," she smiles gently. "It looks like you’re starting to improve, huh?"

I awkwardly return her smile and nod. She doesn’t seem to understand that this is all thanks to her.

"Well, now that we’ve talked, we’d better get ready. We have a busy schedule ahead."

I nod enthusiastically. This news delights me. I appreciate that she has planned something specifically for me. This afternoon will be a good way to clear my mind.

"I hope you’re going to show me your version of the city. I don’t want the tourist version. The monuments and all that stuff don’t interest me."

"Don’t worry about that, you can trust me. I’ll take a shower while you finish up. See you later."

She tousles my hair as she passes by to put her cup in the dishwasher, then winks at me before disappearing behind the sliding doors. The bathroom door slams shortly after. I finish my breakfast quietly, appreciating all these small gestures. Once done, I try to tidy up what I can and gather the rest so she doesn’t have to do it all. I then return to my assigned room. I open my suitcase, which has remained in place, to choose my clothes. I opt for a casual outfit with jeans and a shirt. I then make my bed and Lucy’s, thinking it’s the least I can do for her welcoming me so well into her home. It’s also the only way to show my gratitude. When I turn around to leave her room, I jump, not expecting to see her behind me. A wave of heat washes over me when my eyes fall on her body covered by nothing but a towel. Holy shit! I blush even more when I lift my eyes to meet hers. I turn my gaze away to try to hide, even though it’s probably too late for that.

"Sorry, I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you’d be in the living room."

"Sorry. I... I had some time... I took the opportunity to... To make the beds and... And then..."

"No problem," she laughs at my embarrassment. "Can I get dressed now?"

"Y-yeah, of course. Sorry again."

I quickly leave her room, doing my best not to look at her again. I blush once more when I hear that small voice that sounds remarkably like Mapi saying, "See, I told you." It’s complete nonsense. I’m not interested in Lucy. And even if I were, it’s not meant to be. It’s a lost cause. To clear my mind, I head to the bathroom to get ready... Or maybe not. The steam Lucy left in the room reminds me of what I just saw. Once again, I think about the unhealthy ideas Mapi must be having on my behalf. What if she’s right? I shake my head vigorously at that thought. No, she’s not right, and I should probably strangle her for making me think such things. I’m not interested in Lucy, and I’m even less infatuated with her as she suggests. She’s just a friend... A friend I particularly care about. I splash water on my face to shake off this unpleasant theory. I then dry myself with a towel, which I find is already damp. I groan, imagining Lucy using it before me, and grab a new one. I then take my toiletries to brush my teeth, my hair, and finish with makeup. I’ve always kept it simple: foundation with cream, a line of eyeliner, and mascara. I pack everything up, making sure to take my bag with me as I leave.

"BOO!"

"AAAH! What the hell!" I shout at Lucy for scaring me.

I hit her on the shoulder, intensifying her budding laughter. I regret letting Lucy Bronze into my life so much. Her laughter is the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard, and I hate myself for thinking such a thing.

"Oh come on, it was just a joke."

"You’re really mean," I pout, pretending to be upset.

"No, I’m not," she laughs. "Why are you bringing that?" she finally asks, noticing my bag.

"I was going to put it back in my suitcase."

- Why don’t you just leave it here? It’s ridiculous to have to search for it every time. Look, you can leave it here.

Before I can counter her suggestion, she takes my toiletry bag and places it on the counter next to the sink.

- See, I’m organized enough to find a place for you, she teases.

- Thanks.

- Don’t mention it, she says as she pulls out her makeup. I should be the one thanking you for making the beds and tidying up the kitchen.

- Oh, it’s nothing... It was the least I could do.

- Are you ready?

- Yes, yes, I was waiting for you. What are we starting with?

- Don’t be so curious. You’ll find out soon enough.

The frustration and impatience grow within me knowing that I’ll have to wait to find out. On top of that, she announces that we’ll be driving a lot. Long car rides don’t usually bother me, but they might today.

- Okay, I’m ready, she says as she finishes with her mascara. We can leave. Do you think you’ll be warm enough? We’ll be walking a lot and it might be windy.

- Are you telling me I need to change? I ask, looking at myself.

- Don’t you have a big sweater?

- I have one, but not very thick ones. I spend my days in a fully heated classroom, remember?

- Take off your shirt, I’ll be right back.

I grumble but follow her instructions and take off my shirt. She returns shortly with a navy blue sweater, which must be hers. I put it on over my tank top as she advises.

- Is this better?

- Perfect, she smiles. We can go now. Also, take a big scarf.

- Are you taking me to the North Pole? I tease.

- Believe me, you’ll thank me tonight.

I stick my tongue out at her, which seems to amuse her. I put on my shoes, coat, and scarf in my room, then join her in the living room. She takes the time to examine me from head to toe. It seems that my outfit satisfies her, as she finds nothing else to criticize. She then opens the front door, and we use the elevator to reach her car in the basement. Before getting in, we remove our coats and scarves and place them in the back to be more comfortable for the trip. Once done, we leave the building to the sounds of Lana Del Rey. I’m starting to enjoy this CD from hearing it so much. The basement darkness is replaced by the white snow continuing to fall from the sky. The weather here no longer surprises me. I comment on this to Lucy, who has decided to be playful today.

- Is it because you’re humming that it’s snowing? she retorts.

- It’s not likely to be your fault since you never sing.

- Is that a challenge? she raises an eyebrow.

- Maybe. I’m still trying to figure out if you’re a stuck-up girl or not.

- You think I’m stuck-up? she huffs. Well, thanks, that’s nice.

- Well, you’re always so serious at camp. It makes you wonder.

- Stop calling it a camp. It’s a school!

- And you stop dodging the subject. Besides, I’ll call it a camp if I want to, I provoke.

- I’m not dodging, she giggles. Camp Wiegman is my workplace, so it’s normal that I stay serious, right?

- Yeah, maybe too serious for my taste. Especially with the rules, I grimace. Rules are meant to be broken.

- Oh yes, sure. I respect rules so much that you’re in my car right now, she says sarcastically. Maybe I should drop you by the roadside.

- You wouldn’t dare.

- Want to try and see? she challenges with a sly smile.

- Of course, I mock. You wouldn’t be able to anyway.

It’s well known that challenging someone in jest is a risky move, but I’m sure she’d never leave me by the roadside. At least, that’s what I thought until I notice where we are. To put it mildly, nowhere. We’re far from civilization, and we haven’t been driving for long. I start to panic when she surprises me by stopping by the side of the road.

- Get out of the car.

- Seriously? I was just joking!

- Can you trust me for once in your life? she laughs. Come on, get out.

I feel completely disoriented. Still, I unbuckle my seatbelt without thinking and get out of the car as she turns off the engine. Without saying anything, she climbs over the gear shift to take my place. I have a moment of reflection before she gives me the message by tapping the driver’s seat.

- You’re letting me drive? I ask with wide eyes.

- Yeah. You better not make me regret letting you drive my baby.

A beaming smile spreads across my lips. I quickly walk around the car before she changes her mind. I settle into the driver’s seat, not knowing where to put my eyes.

- Adjust the mirrors and the seat if needed, she commands.

I move the seat forward slightly when I realize the pedals are too far. I then adjust the mirrors under Lucy’s watchful eye. I smile as I caress the steering wheel and look at the dashboard.

- Are you comfortable?

- You’re really letting me drive? Aren’t you afraid I’ll mess up?

- I just hope you still know how to drive, she laughs.

- It should be fine...

I buckle up and wait for her permission to start the car. I feel nervous under her scrutiny. It feels like I’m reliving my early driving lessons. It’s been so long since I last drove, and now I’m behind the wheel of an Audi. Lucy’s Audi, no less. When I turn the key, I stall immediately, not noticing that she had left it in gear.

- It’s off to a great start, Lucy chuckles. Are you sure you have a license? Do you even have it with you? she realizes with concern.

- Yeah, I laugh at her reaction. You can check my wallet if you want.

- Hmm, that’s exactly what I’m going to do, she says as she leans toward the back seat.

She rummages through my bag to find my wallet. She seems relieved to find my license and gives me the green light to start. I do as she asks and, fortunately for me, I don’t stall again. I then merge onto the road, making sure there’s no one around. I glance briefly at Lucy, who still has my license in her hands.

- Watch the road, she scolds.

- Oh, come on, I’m managing.

- Obviously, she snickers.

- Where am I going?

- Go straight and at the next intersection, turn right to do a U-turn. There shouldn’t be much traffic here. Do you think you can handle it?

- Normally.

- Hmm, hmm, she smiles. Slow down, will you?

- Are you done yet? I scoff. I feel like I’m hearing my mom when I was learning to drive.

- Hey! I’m far from being your mother, she replies, tapping my thigh.

I mock her while following her instructions. I make the U-turn without any problems, which seems to reassure her. I was lucky there were no other cars. I think she deliberately took this route to give me back the reins. She has me take the previous road to reach a more attractive road. She directs me to the right, introducing me into traffic. I’m proud of my driving, even though I sense that Lucy is not too comfortable beside me. She winces in advance at each possible mistake I might make.

- How did you learn to drive? she asks.

- My dad taught me one summer when I was fifteen. My mom never knew. The day I started driving with her, I had to pretend not to know, I giggle.

- Were you already on bad terms with her back then?

- Yeah. It was a real disaster. At my slightest mistakes, she’d yell at me, which made me mad. We never finished a trip without it ending in a fight.

- I see. Take this way.

Excitement hits me when I see we’re driving along a beach. It’s far from as beautiful as Barcelona’s, but at least there is one. Lucy reminds me to focus on the road. It’s funny how she’s so concerned about her car.

- Do you want to make a stop?

- Can we?

- I had something else planned, but it’s just nearby, so we can park and walk a bit.

- Cool! I’d like that.

I stop at the first parking lot we find and choose a spot where no other cars are around to make sure I don’t hit a mirror. I engage the handbrake and turn off the car with a big smile.

- Happy to finally drive an Audi?

- Thanks for letting me drive at all. I missed it.

I unbuckle and throw myself into her arms, catching her by surprise. She accepts my hug after getting over her initial shock. She then retrieves her keys from the dashboard before we get out. I understand why she asked me to dress warmly the moment I feel the cold air hitting me harshly. It’s even colder than in downtown. I quickly put on my coat and scarf. Lucy puts our bags in the trunk so we don’t have to carry them and lock.

- It's freezing here, I said, pulling up the zipper of my jacket all the way.

- I warned you, she laughed. Follow me. I want to show you something now that we're here.

- Do you come here often?

- Occasionally, when I want to clear my head.

- What do you want to show me?

- Don’t be impatient, princess.

I smile at the nickname she hasn't used in a while. Everyone thinks Leah is the one who started it, but Lucy called me that from my first day. We walk a bit more until she stops in front of a rock formation that is more imposing than the others. I grimace, realizing her intentions.

- Don’t tell me we’re going to climb up there?

- Yes.

Without waiting for my response, she starts climbing. I sigh and try to follow her at a certain height.

- Remember that I’m afraid of heights, right?

- Don’t be a wuss. I promise it’s worth it. Come on, give me your hand.

Since she doesn’t seem to change her mind, I take her hand and she pulls me up to her level before continuing higher. I eventually reach the top without falling. She finds a flat spot where we can sit. It wasn’t so complicated after all. I look out at the horizon thoughtfully. She was right; it was worth it. The view from up here is magnificent. The breeze whistles in my ears, but the place is so soothing that I don’t mind. To think I almost missed this spot. We can see everything from here, but no one can see us thanks to the rocks in front of us that hide us.

- This is where I come most of the time when I need to be alone.

I tear my eyes away from the sea to look at her. She gazes out admiringly. I appreciate that she’s sharing something personal with me. She promised she would this weekend, and it seems she still keeps her promises.

- Tell me about yourself. I want to get to know you better... You know, the real Lucy. Not the camp instructor.

- What do you want to know?

- I don’t know. Tell me about your family, your friends, what you like... Everything.

- Everything? she chuckles. Am I tormenting you that much?

- Totally.

A smile forms on her lips, but she still doesn’t look at me. I turn my attention back to the waves crashing on the rocks below us. I can already imagine this scene in my sketchbook. She takes a deep breath that prompts me to meet her gaze.

- Alright. One thing you can know now. Where do you want to start?

- I already know a few of your friends... So why not talk about your family? If you don’t mind, of course.

- Alright, but only if you tell me about yours in return.

I grimace but agree anyway. It’s the only way to learn things after all.

- Very well, she says, taking a deep breath. To be honest, I’ve never known my real parents.

I don’t hide my surprise. I expected many things, but certainly not this revelation.

- I was adopted at birth, she continues. My parents were clear with me as soon as I was old enough to understand. I never worried about who my real parents were. To me, I already knew them and didn’t need anyone else.

- Wow... I wasn’t expecting that, I admit.

- I know, she smiles. It didn’t stop me from living a normal life, quite the opposite.

- Are you close to them?

- Quite, yes.

- It didn’t stop you from leaving them to come here.

- It was only for studies; otherwise, I would have never left, she tells me with a small smile. I don’t really have much more to add, she chuckles, shrugging. My life can’t be as exciting as you might imagine.

- Don’t you have any siblings?

No, I’m an only child. My mother couldn’t have children, which is why they adopted me. However, I consider Jenni like a sister. We’ve known each other since childhood and grew up together.

- I see... So, you’ve never had any conflicts with your parents or anything like that?

- Not really, she giggles. They’ve always let me live my life. Well, let’s move on to you. What are you still hiding from me? she asks curiously.

- Well, I have divorced parents, a blended family... I’m now waiting for my mother to announce that she’s getting remarried.

- Do you think that will happen?

- I suppose. It would be logical, I shrug.

- And... And your father? she asks delicately.

I could have sworn she’d bring him up. It’s one of the few things she doesn’t know about my family yet. I look at her for a moment, noticing no insistence in her expression. If I wanted to, she’d let me dodge it, but that’s not the most courageous decision. I look ahead as I begin to answer her.

- There’s not much to say, I murmur.

- Sorry. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.

- If there’s not much to say, it’s because he’s no longer here.

I spoke before my mind could torment me too much. I didn’t want to backtrack now that I was decided to tell her.

- He’s dead, Luce. He’s just dead.

A heavy silence surrounds us at this news. Saying it out loud still hurts just as much. Tears burn my eyes, but I quickly wipe them away with the back of my hand.

- H-He died on a mission when I was eighteen. He was a soldier. H-His death caused my breakdown after high school...

If I look at her now, I won’t be able to hold back the tears that threaten to fall for good. Without saying anything, she puts her arm around my shoulders to pull me closer to her. I don’t think twice about snuggling against her desperately.

- Don’t hold back. You have the right to be devastated...

These simple words release my tears. She squeezes my shoulder and kisses the top of my head.

- It must be hard, but know that you will never be alone again. I’m here now, and I don’t intend to leave you. Okay?

I nod, unable to respond any other way. My throat is too tight, and I might break into uncontrolled sobs.

- D-Do you promise? I ask with a broken voice.

- I promise.

She holds me a little tighter, giving me all the comfort I need. The words are finally out. Someone other than my family or Mapi now knows. I’ve wanted to manage to do this for a long time, and I’ve finally succeeded.

- I’m glad I met you...

- Me too, Ona.

She gives me the time I need to recover. Long minutes pass while I start to feel better and slowly straighten up.

- I think we have a plan waiting for us, don’t we? I ask with my slightly hoarse voice.

- That’s right, and it’s quite packed. Do you feel up to continuing?

- Yeah, I want to enjoy what you’ve planned for us.

- Good, she smiles. So let me suggest we start with the fairground over there, she says, pointing to the place I saw earlier.

- That sounds perfect.

And I mean it. I wanted to go there the moment I saw it, and now she’s offering it to me on a silver platter. She helps me up and down the rocks. She mocks me when I close my eyes on the way down, but it was the only way to manage it. She suggests we head back to the car to get to our next destination faster. I didn’t say no, feeling my feet freezing. It was definitely the best choice.

Saturday, January 9; 3:30 PM - Downtown Manchester.

Our late morning at the fairground was perfect. Lucy is amazing. She managed to make me forget our conversation from this morning. It’s the first time I’ve seen her as anything other than my boss. We’ve just left the restaurant we went to after having fun. She’s taken the wheel for the drive back to downtown. I was happy she let me drive her Audi at least once. It’s the only one that has trusted me so much, and I enjoyed it immensely. The little restaurant she took me to was cool. She once again paid for everything, despite my protests. I ended up abandoning the argument.

- Are you ready to walk?

- Yeah, it doesn’t bother me.

She smiles at me before we stroll through the streets. I don’t know where we’re going, but I trust her. Well, that was until she stopped in front of a dilapidated building. I remain skeptical as she pushes open the door.

- What are you doing...?

- Are you being a wuss?

She challenges me with a mischievous smile, raising her eyebrows. I hate it when she does that. She knows I can’t say no to her. She gives me a nod to go into the creepy building, and I do. She goes ahead to climb the stairs without seeming bothered by the environment.

- Are you okay? she asks, glancing at me.

- Uh-huh...

She chuckles before turning around and climbing at a faster pace. She doesn’t seem to notice that I’m already struggling to keep up.

- What are we doing in this creepy stairwell?

- Patience, you’re too curious. Remind me to ban horror movies for you if you can’t handle places like this.

- I’m not scared! I mutter.

- Have you seen your face? she giggles. You look like you’re going to have a heart attack at the slightest noise. The building is abandoned; there’s no one here.

- You can’t be sure!

- There’s no one here, I’m telling you, she laughs.

I’m relieved when we finally reach the top. She forces open a heavy metal door that eventually creaks open. I cautiously step in behind her. My eyes close as the daylight dazzles me. She props the door open with a slab she found on the ground. I realize we’re on the roof of the building. I slowly move beside her, taking in the surrounding buildings.

- Wow...

I look at Lucy, who’s smiling at me. I momentarily pause on her outstretched hand.

- I know you’re afraid of heights, but you need to see this.

I take her hand without thinking. She carefully pulls me to the edge, which is protected by a safety railing. I hold onto the railing as she positions herself behind me to let me take in the new view.

- Look down...

I take a deep breath before looking. I’m momentarily overwhelmed by vertigo, but Lucy places her hands on my shoulders to ground me. I smile, appreciating what I see. It’s breathtaking. She’s showing me Manchester from above, and it’s a real spectacle. The streets are crowded with as many pedestrians as cars. Everyone continues their lives, unaware that we’re watching them. Walking across the city is so much more effective.

- Visiting in your style, huh?

- Absolutely, she smiles. Not so bad, this haunted building, huh?

- Shut up, I chuckle. Admit it’s scary!

- It’s true I was hesitant the first time I came here, she laughs. But it’s worth it, right?

- Yes! You can’t imagine the number of drawing ideas that have come to mind since this morning with everything you’ve shown me.

- Hey! Copyright then. These are my private spots.

- Is this the first time you’ve brought someone here? I ask curiously.

- Yes and no. Let’s say someone showed me these places, and... I’m showing them to you now.

She leans over the railing beside me to see the city. She looks at me for a moment, a smile forming on her lips.

- These are my personal places that I’m sharing with you. Make sure not to divulge them.

- I won’t say a word, as long as you tell me about the person who showed you these places.

She raises an eyebrow but smiles at the seriousness of my request. It’s a chance to learn more about her.

- It was my first girlfriend... My first love, I’d say. Her name was Kiera.

- What happened...? I ask softly.

Her eyes remain fixed on the city below us. She doesn’t say anything for now. Maybe my question was a mistake. I was about to speak, but she beats me to it.

- She was the first person we met here with Jenni. Let’s say she was a bit like you... She had drug problems she was trying to overcome. I helped her through a detox.

- Oh... I understand better now why you reacted so well with me...

- Yeah, it’s thanks to her, she laughs nervously. I had helped her get out of that. Or so I thought. Everything went wrong in a day. One of her friends called me in a panic. He said she wasn’t responding and he didn’t understand what was happening. My first reaction was to grab my keys and go to her. When I arrived, I just found my girlfriend’s body... She had overdosed.

A strange feeling washes over me. She told the story without any apparent emotion. There it is, her dark memory that she had kept hidden. I try to meet her green eyes, but to no avail. Her reprimands and worries about me become so much clearer. She doesn’t want me to become like her. She’s afraid of losing me like she lost her. It’s my turn to put my arm around her shoulders. She surprises me by resting her head on my shoulder.

- Please don’t fall back into that.

- I won’t. And if I’m feeling down, I’ll talk to you about it.

She ruffles my hair before kissing my cheek. It’s the first time she’s shown such an affectionate gesture towards me.

- Alright, we’ve had enough gloom for today. Do you have any particular desires for this afternoon?

- I thought you already had a full schedule?

- I do, but I prefer to ask you first.

- We’ll stick to your plan, just because I love what you organize.

- Alright, she says, standing up. We can go to Old Trafford if you want. Otherwise, I also saw there’s a street art exhibit nearby if you’re interested.

My eyes light up at the mention of her second suggestion. Her smile is amused.

- The exhibit, I suppose?

- Obviously!

- Good. However, it doesn’t start for another hour, she tells me, checking her watch. But we can take a walk in the park first if you like.

- Good idea, so we can do both.

I’ve always loved nature anyway, and it seems she does too. We head back to the car to reach the park, as it’s too far to walk from here according to Lucy. In any case, she’s truly gone above and beyond to make me happy until the end.

[milk-tea-sakura]

𓍢ִ໋🎂 ༘ ⋆˚🌷𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎𝒷𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝒹𝒶𝓎𓍢ִ໋🎂 ༘ ⋆˚🌷

𝓒𝔀: 𝓕𝓮𝓶! 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻, 𝓯𝓵𝓾𝓯𝓯, 𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓗𝓪𝓷 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓶𝓮𝓼𝓼𝔂 𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓶, 𝓹𝓸𝓵𝔂! 𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓗𝓪𝓷, 𝓕𝓮𝓵𝓲𝔁, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻, 𝓗𝓪𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓕𝓮𝓵𝓲𝔁 𝓭𝓸𝓻𝓶 𝓽𝓸𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻

𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽: 1631

𝓔𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮: 6 𝓶𝓲𝓷 16 𝓼𝓮𝓬

𓍢ִ໋🎂 ༘ ⋆˚🌷𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎𝒷𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝒹𝒶𝓎𓍢ִ໋🎂 ༘ ⋆˚🌷

Y/N was pacing the dorm floor, checking the clock almost every minute. It was Han Jisung and Felix's birthday, and they wanted Y/N to hang out with them, maybe even spend the night at their dorm; as the pair had no plans for the morning and just wanted to spend a casual night. She decided that she'd get them both some small presents, not much, but she was certain to get both their favorite snacks. The two were also close friends, and she was excited to spend the day with them and possibly even give them their presents early.

Han Jisung was in his room cleaning up the place - He was normally very messy but decided today was the day to make the room look nice. He was hoping Y/N would show up, and he wanted to show her he could be responsible if he wanted to

Felix was in the kitchen, baking a cake as the two had no idea what they wanted to do for their birthday this year. He decided it would be better to make something himself, so he baked a chocolate fudge cake, hoping Y/N would like it.

There was a knock on the door, and Han Jisung hurried to answer the door to Y/N. He opened the door and greeted her with a smile and a hug. "Hey, Y/N!" He said excitedly, and he gestured for her to come in.

"Hey Jisung, Happy birthday!" Y/N said, grinning as she stepped inside and saw Felix in the kitchen. She put down her bags and then ran over to Felix, hugging him tight. "And to you too, Felix," She said with a big smile.

"I made some cake, I hope you like it," Felix said with a small smile, and Y/N got excited. "That sounds wonderful!" She said, looking over at Jisung and smiling. "I brought some snacks too. Do you want to just chill out and watch movies or play games?"

"That sounds perfect to me," Felix replied, and Y/N nodded. "Sounds fun!" Jisung said, grinning. The three of them sat on the couch in the living room, and Y/N pulled out some snacks from her bags and placed them on the table in front of them.

"I did also bring you both presents but I'll give them to you both after we eat cake later"

"Aww, you didn't have to get us presents," Jisung said with a chuckle, but Y/N shook her head. "I wanted to," She said with a little smile. "Now, what should we do to pass the time until it's time for cake?"

"We could play some games if that sounds good to you both?" Felix suggested, standing up and grabbing the controllers. He turned on the TV and handed one controller to Y/N and the other to Jisung. "That sounds perfect!" Y/N said with a grin.

"You just want to get past bronze" Y/n jokes to Felix.

Felix scoffed a little at that and playfully stuck his tongue out at Y/N. "As if, I'm already silver!" He said defensively, and Y/N playfully rolled her eyes.

"And for some weird reason, I highly doubt that"

Felix scoffed again and then smiled. "You doubting me makes me wanna prove you wrong even more now," He said with a wink. Y/N chuckled and shook her head, teasing Felix about his pride.

The two began playing the game, and Y/N started to win the round. "Ha!" She said with a grin, looking over at Felix. "I'm winning already," She taunted, and Felix rolled his eyes. "You just got lucky!" He said, determined to win the next round.

"Fine then, let's see if Han can beat you. See if it's just luck." Y/n says passing the controller to Han.

Han grinned and took the controller. "I'm going to win! Prepare to be beaten!" He exclaimed, jokingly. Felix smirked and chuckled. "You wish, Han," He said with a confident grin.

Y/N leaned back to watch the two of them play, amused by how competitive they both were. She ate a few snacks and watched them, and before too long Jisung won. Y/N burst into laughter, and Felix let out a little groan.

"Told you I'd win!" Jisung exclaimed, doing a little victory dance. Y/N continued to laugh, and Felix rolled his eyes. "Let's play again, you just got lucky," He said with a grin, determined to win this time.

So they played again. They decided that the one who won the most out of 3 rounds would win overall, and Y/N watched as they competed against each other. Jisung won two rounds, and Felix won one, making Jisung the winner overall. Felix let out a little groan and Y/N laughed again. "Well, I guess Jisung is the real winner here!" She said jokingly, and Jisung grinned.

Before they can start a new round the timer beeps for Felix to go decorate the cake.

"Ah, time for decorating!" Felix said, and Y/N got just as excited. "Yay, time for cake!" She exclaimed, grinning as she jumped up. She followed Felix to the kitchen, and Jisung got up to follow too.

"Alright, who's helping me decorate?" Felix asked, and Y/N raised a hand. "I will!" She said, and Felix chuckled. "Jisung would probably be more of a burden than he would help." He teased, and Jisung scoffed and made a fake offended expression, joking around with Felix.

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Jisung said with a little pout as Felix passed some frosting and sprinkles to Y/N. "Sure, whatever you say Jisung," Felix said, rolling his eyes playfully and smiling. Y/N giggled and began to help Felix decorate the cake.

Jisung started taking pictures of them both and took the occasional bite of frosting when Y/N and Felix weren't looking. Y/N noticed right before Jisung's second bit of frosting and turned around to scold him, and he laughed sheepishly. "Sorry," He said with a little smile.

They finish decorating the cake and Y/n goes to grab the presents she brought.

Y/N went into the other room to retrieve the presents she had brought along, and she returned holding four small packages for the two boys. She handed the presents to her boyfriends with a big grin and sat there excitedly for them to open their gifts.

The two of them opened their presents at the same time, and they both were thrilled to see what Y/N had gotten them. Jisung's gift was a new bag and a few skincare products he wanted, and Felix's presents were a new microphone and a bag with some new cosmetics he had mentioned in passing a few weeks earlier.

"Aww, Y/N! Thank you, it's exactly what I wanted! How did you know?" Felix smiled, and Jisung nodded in agreement, smiling.

Y/N shrugged a little. "I just paid attention to what you said," She said happily, and then she started giggling at how happy she had made her boyfriends. She was so glad that they liked their presents, and her heart swelled when they both pulled her into a tight embrace.

"You're the best girlfriend ever," Felix said with a smile and kissed Y/N. Jisung wrapped his arms around Y/N from behind and nodded in agreement, giving her a little nuzzle.

"And a very pretty girlfriend too," He said, smiling at her playfully.

"Now let's eat cake!" Y/n exclaims

"Oh right, I nearly forgot about the cake!" Felix exclaimed, grabbing some plates and utensils and then cutting the cake into slices for the three of them. Y/N was excited, and Jisung was too, and they sat down together to enjoy the cake.

"Mm, this is delicious!" Y/N said with a grin after taking the first bite of the cake, and the two boys nodded in agreement. It was a peaceful evening of good food and good company, and Y/N felt content.

As they sat there eating the cake together, Y/N looked at her two boyfriends and felt immensely grateful. They always treated her well, and they always made sure she was comfortable and happy. She knew that she was lucky to have both of them and that their relationships were strong and stable.

Y/N smiled to herself, feeling the warm fuzzy feeling in her chest grow stronger as she ate her slice of cake with her boyfriends by her side.

After a little bit, they had finished their cake and were just sitting on the couch together, Y/N in the middle with Jisung and Felix on their sides. Jisung had his arms wrapped around Y/N and his chin on her shoulder, whereas Felix had one hand wrapped around Y/N and his other hand holding hers. They sat and talked amongst themselves, and Y/N felt complete and safe between the two of them.

She listened to their conversations and added comments from time to time, but mostly she just soaked in the feeling of being loved and safe. Jisung seemed to notice, and he started peppering her with light kisses on the cheek, making her giggle and smile. Felix nuzzled her neck gently, and she leaned into his touch.

Y/N knew she was lucky to have not just one loving boyfriend, but two. She wrapped an arm around each of them and held them close, knowing that they were not only her boyfriends but her best friends too. They understood her completely, and they both made her feel treasured and loved.

[lucybronzey]

dream big, big dreams - lucy bronze

pairing: lucy bronze x fem!reader warnings: none? no proof reading done. author's note: please note that i'm dyslexic & non-native english speaker - i make mistakes! feedback is very welcomed! enjoy! NO MINORS! 18+ READERS ONLY!

(Y/N) had always dreamed of making it big in the film industry. From a young age, the allure of the silver screen had captivated her and she spent countless hours honing her acting skills, taking on small roles in indie films and theatre productions. Her dedication and talent were undeniable, but the breakthrough role that would catapult her into the limelight seemed elusive. That was until she received a call from her agent that would change everything.

"Y/N, you might want to sit down for this," her agent said, voice trembling with excitement. "You've been shortlisted for the lead role in a major biopic."

Y/N's heart raced. "What biopic?" she asked, barely able to contain her anticipation.

"It's the story of Lucy Bronze," her agent revealed. "Her journey from grassroots football to the World Cup final in 2023."

Y/N was stunned. Lucy Bronze was a living legend in women's football, known for her tenacity, skill and inspiring journey. Playing her on screen would be a dream come true, but also a tremendous challenge. She knew she had to give it her all to honour Lucy's legacy.

The audition process was gruelling. Y/N immersed herself in studying Lucy's life, watching countless matches, interviews and documentaries. She worked tirelessly to replicate Lucy's mannerisms, her way of moving on the pitch and even her accent although she had no issue with maintaining it as Y/N already had a northern accent. When the day of the final audition arrived, Y/N felt a mix of nerves and excitement. She stepped into the room, ready to give the performance of her life.

The casting directors watched intently as Y/N delivered her scenes with raw emotion and precision. She portrayed Lucy's early struggles with poise, her triumphs with genuine joy and her moments of doubt with vulnerability. When she finished, the room was silent for a moment before the casting director spoke.

"Thank you for coming, we will give your agency a call when we have decided the outcome!"

A few days later, Y/N received the call she had been waiting for: she had been cast as Lucy Bronze.

Filming began in earnest and Y/N was thrown into a whirlwind of training and rehearsals. She worked closely with a professional football coach and team to ensure her skills on the pitch were up to par, striving to embody Lucy's athletic prowess. The transformation was intense, but Y/N embraced every moment, knowing this role was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As part of the preparation, Y/N was scheduled to meet Lucy Bronze herself. The production team had arranged for Lucy to visit the set, providing Y/N with the chance to get firsthand insights into her life and personality. Y/N felt a mixture of excitement and nerves as she waited for Lucy to arrive.

When Lucy walked onto the set, Y/N was struck by her presence. She was even more impressive in person, radiating confidence and warmth. Lucy approached Y/N with a smile, extending her hand.

"Hi, Y/N, you alright? It's a pleasure to meet you," Lucy said, her voice friendly and genuine.

"The pleasure is all mine," Y/N replied, shaking her hand firmly. "I've been looking forward to this."

They spent the day together, with Lucy sharing stories from her career, her training routines and her experiences on and off the pitch. Y/N was captivated by Lucy's dedication and passion for the game, and she found herself deeply inspired. As they practiced football drills together, Lucy offered tips and encouragement, helping Y/N refine her technique.

"You've got a great footwork, but obviously needs some clearing and smoothen," Lucy remarked, watching Y/N manoeuvre the ball. "Just remember to stay light on your feet and always keep your eye on the ball and your team members."

Y/N nodded, absorbing every piece of advice. "Thank you, Lucy. I will take down the note from you."

As filming progressed, Y/N and Lucy developed a strong bond. They often found themselves laughing and chatting between takes, sharing stories and insights. Lucy's presence on set was a constant source of motivation for Y/N, pushing her to give her best performance.

"You've done an amazing job, Y/N. I can't wait to see the final product."

Y/N could see a mix of emotions in Lucy's eyes. "Thank you, Lucy. It have been a massive honour to portray your story."

Lucy smiled, though it was tinged with a hint of introspection. "You know, some days it's a bit weird to think there's a biopic made about me. It's surreal to watch someone else live out my life on screen."

Y/N nodded understandingly. "I can imagine. But at the same time, your story is so inspiring. It is a proper privilege to bring it to the world."

Lucy sighed softly, then grinned. "Yeah, it is exciting and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. It's just a lot to take in."

With the film completed, the next phase was the press tour. Y/N and Lucy were both excited and nervous about the media frenzy that awaited them. They spent hours preparing for interviews, discussing how to present the film and share Lucy's journey with the world.

One evening, after a particularly long day of interviews, Lucy suggested she and Y/N grab dinner together.

"Let's some well-deserved take a break from all the madness and just relax," she said with a smile.

Y/N readily agreed and they found a cozy, dimly lit restaurant nestled in a quiet corner of the city of Manchester. It was the perfect escape from the flashing cameras and relentless questions. They were led to a secluded booth by the window, where the soft glow of candlelight cast a warm, intimate ambiance.

As they settled in, the waiter brought a menu filled with an array of delicious options. They decided to share a few dishes, opting for a mix of comforting favorites and adventurous new flavors. As they waited for their food, the conversation began to flow naturally.

"So, tell me, Y/N," Lucy said, leaning forward with genuine curiosity, "what inspired you to become an actress?"

Y/N smiled, appreciating Lucy's interest. "I've always loved storytelling. From a young age, I was captivated by how films could transport you to different worlds and make you feel so deeply. Acting allows me to be a part of that magic, to bring stories to life and connect with people on a profound level."

Lucy nodded thoughtfully. "I can see that passion in your performance. It's incredible to watch."

The waiter arrived with their first course, a beautifully presented array of appetizers. As they dug in, their conversation shifted to the film and its impact.

"Playing you has been such a transformative experience for me," Y/N said between bites. "It's not just about football - it is about perseverance, resilience and the power of dreams. It is about making the world of football or sports in general for the girls and women better and more accessible. Your story is so inspiring and I hope the film does its justice."

Lucy smiled warmly. "Thank you, Y/N. That means a lot - sometimes I still cannot believe it is all real. Watching you bring my journey to life on screen has been surreal, but also incredibly moving. You have managed to capture so much of who I am or was."

As the main course arrived, they continued to delve into deeper topics. Y/N was struck by Lucy's humility and openness. Despite her fame and achievements, Lucy remained grounded and genuinely interested in those around her.

"What is next for you then?" Y/N asked, curious about her future plans.

"Well," Lucy began, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "I'm looking forward to continuing my career in football until my knee says no more, but I also want to use my platform to advocate for women's sports and inspire the next generation. There's so much more to achieve, both on and off the pitch."

Y/N admired Lucy's vision and commitment. "That's amazing! You are already making such a difference for others."

As they finished their meal and ordered dessert, the atmosphere grew even more relaxed and intimate. They shared stories about their families, their favourite books and films and their dreams for the future. Y/N found herself drawn to Lucy's genuine warmth, feeling a comforting sense of safety and acceptance in her presence. The way Lucy listened intently, her eyes reflecting sincere interest and understanding, made Y/N feel truly seen and appreciated. The ease with which they connected was almost magical - conversations flowed naturally, punctuated with shared laughter and moments of mutual introspection. It was as if they had known each other for years, their bond forming effortlessly amidst the backdrop of shared stories and common passions. Y/N was captivated by Lucy’s authenticity, her ability to be both a global athletic star and a down-to-earth, empathetic individual who cared deeply about those around her.

"You know, Y/N," Lucy said softly as the evening drew to a close, the soft glow of the restaurant's ambient lighting casting a warm halo around her, "I've really enjoyed getting to know you. It's rare to find someone who understands and appreciates this journey so deeply, even though met like only a few months ago."

She paused, her gaze locking onto Y/N's with an intensity that was both tender and sincere. "Throughout my career, I've met countless people, but very few have taken the time to truly understand the nuances, the highs and lows, the sacrifices and triumphs that come with this path. You’ve not only portrayed my story with incredible accuracy and respect, but you've also delved into the heart of it, grasping the emotions and the essence behind every moment."

Lucy leaned in slightly, her voice filled with gratitude and a hint of awe. "It’s almost like you’ve lived it with me, feeling every victory and setback as if they were your own. That kind of empathy and dedication is rare and it's made this entire experience profoundly meaningful for me. It may sound way too selfish of me, but you've shown me parts of my own journey that I hadn’t fully appreciated until I saw them through your eyes."

Y/N felt a warmth spread through her at Lucy’s words, a deep sense of connection and mutual respect. "I've enjoyed getting to know you too, Lucy - more than I ever expected. Portraying you has been an honour and getting to know the person behind the legend has been an incredible privilege."

Their hands brushed against each other on the table, a silent acknowledgment of the bond they had forged, one that transcended the roles they had played and touched something deeper within both of them.

They lingered a while longer, savouring the some of the last moments of their evening together, but never knowing what future was holding for them. When they finally left the restaurant, the city lights twinkling around them, Y/N felt a deep sense of connection and possibility. She knew that their bond had only just begun to form into some sort of notion and electric sense and she was excited to see where it would lead, but never expecting anything serious to happen.

As they walked side by side through the city streets, Y/N's thoughts drifted to her own personal journey, a path marked by self-discovery and inner turmoil. For years, she had grappled with her sexuality, wrestling with the fear of rejection and the burden of societal expectations.

Growing up, Y/N had always sensed she was different, but it was not until her late teens that she began to understand her internal feelings and sense of herself. She realised she was bisexual, a revelation that was both liberating and terrifying. In the years that followed, she had slowly come to terms with her identity, but the fear of not being accepted by her family and the world at large loomed even bigger now than ever.

Now, thrust into the spotlight with the success of the biopic, Y/N felt the pressure more than ever. The media attention, the upcoming public appearances and the constant scrutiny made her anxious. She did not want to be labeled or pigeonholed, fearing it would overshadow her talent and the hard work she had put into her career. Yet, she also yearned to live authentically, without hiding a crucial part of who she was.

The bright city lights blurred into streaks as they continued their walk, Y/N’s mind swirling with thoughts. She remembered the nights spent in quiet contemplation, the moments of doubt and fear and the gradual acceptance that came with understanding herself. She had grown to know herself intimately over the years, recognising her bisexuality as a natural part of who she was. However, the fear of the world’s reaction lingered.

Her family, though loving, had traditional and rather conservative views, and Y/N worried about their acceptance. The idea of disappointing them or facing rejection was a constant shadow. Despite this, Y/N knew she couldn't keep hiding. The authenticity she craved in her professional life mirrored the honesty she sought personally.

As the evening wore on, Y/N felt a mix of vulnerability and determination. The journey ahead would not be easy, but with each step and breath she took, she felt a bit more courageous. The connection she felt with Lucy gave her hope, a reminder that she didn't have to face her struggles alone. The bond they were forming was more than just a professional connection - it was a source of strength and support, illuminating the path ahead with newfound clarity.

Their bond only deepened as they continued to work together on the press tour. The long days of interviews and appearances brought them closer, each shared experience reinforcing their connection. They laughed together, supported each other through the nerves and stress and celebrated their successes. Their chemistry became palpable, not just to them but to everyone around them.

One day, they received an invitation for a high-profile interview with Vanity Fair, a prestigious opportunity to showcase the film and their unique friendship. The preparation for the interview was meticulous, involving multiple meetings with their publicists, stylists and the Vanity Fair team. The excitement was mixed with a touch of anxiety as they both wanted to make a lasting impression.

As the day of the interview approached, Lucy's playful nature resurfaced, a welcome relief from the intensity of their schedule. They were in the dressing room, surrounded by a flurry of activity—hair and makeup artists, wardrobe assistants and photographers capturing candid moments.

"Everything okay? Ready to charm the world, Y/N?" Lucy teased, giving Y/N a wink as she adjusted her outfit in front of the mirror.

Y/N laughed, feeling a rush of warmth at Lucy's playful confidence. "Yeah, a bit anxious and only if you are by my side,"

Lucy grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Always! We make a great team, don’t we?"

Y/N nodded, their eyes meeting in the mirror. There was a moment of shared understanding, an unspoken agreement that they would support each other no matter what. The camaraderie between them was evident and it was this bond that they hoped to convey during the interview.

The Vanity Fair team arrived shortly, setting up the scene with an elegant backdrop and perfect lighting. Y/N and Lucy were seated side by side on a plush sofa, the atmosphere both professional and relaxed. The producer, a seasoned journalist known for their insightful and engaging style, greeted them warmly.

As the cameras started rolling, Y/N felt a surge of nerves, but Lucy's presence was a calming force. The producer began with questions about the film, their roles and the process of bringing Lucy's story to life. Y/N spoke about the intensive preparation, the challenges and the honour of portraying such an inspiring figure.

Throughout the interview, Lucy’s playful nature shone through. She recounted anecdotes from the set, shared behind-the-scenes moments, and teased Y/N good-naturedly. "There was this one scene where Y/N had to do a particularly tricky defending on the pitch," Lucy said, laughing. "She nailed it, but not before a few hilarious attempts!"

Y/N blushed, joining in the laughter. "It is true, yeah, I had a quite few epic fails before getting it right. But Lucy was there, cheering me on and giving me tips."

The interviewer smiled, clearly charmed by their dynamic. "Your friendship is pretty evident and quite heartwarming. How has working together on this film influenced your relationship?"

Lucy glanced at Y/N, her expression softening. "It has brought us incredibly close. Y/N has not only portrayed my story with remarkable authenticity but has also become a dear friend. We have shared so much, both professionally and personally, and getting to know each other each day."

Y/N nodded, feeling a swell of affection for Lucy. "This journey has been transformative for me. Lucy’s support and friendship have been invaluable. I believe we have formed a some sort of incredible strong hold that goes beyond the film."

As the interview continued, they delved into deeper topics, discussing the impact of Lucy's career on women's football, the challenges they both faced in their respective fields, and the importance of representation and authenticity in storytelling. The conversation flowed naturally, punctuated with moments of laughter and introspection.

When the interview finally wrapped, the interviewer remarked on their palpable connection. "You two seem to have a special kind of relationship going on I see. What's next for both of you?"

Lucy looked at Y/N, her expression filled with a mix of excitement and determination. "Well, I think we have a lot more to explore, it depends obviously in what certain areas but we shall see about it."

Y/N smiled, feeling a sense of anticipation and happiness. "I couldn’t agree more."

As they left the interview and had another sort of video shoots to do (game-like), the studio lights and the buzz of the bustling Vanity Fair office faded behind them. Lucy and Y/N stepped into the cool evening air in MediaCityUK, the soft glow of the city lights in Salford casting a gentle radiance on their faces. The excitement from the interview still lingered between them, a palpable energy that made the moment feel almost electric.

Lucy turned to Y/N, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. She reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against Y/N's hand before clasping it firmly. Her touch was warm and reassuring, a physical reminder of their connection. As they walked side by side, Lucy’s grip on Y/N’s hand tightened just enough to convey her affection.

They strolled down the sidewalk, the city hum creating a soothing backdrop to their conversation. Lucy's playful demeanour took on a more intimate tone. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a soft, flirtatious whisper.

“You know,” she murmured, her breath tickling Y/N’s ear, “you looked absolutely stunning in there. But I have to admit, it’s hard to focus on anything other than how good you look right now.”

Y/N felt a shiver of excitement at Lucy's proximity, the warmth of her breath mingling with the cool evening air. She turned slightly towards Lucy, catching the glint of her eyes and the teasing smile that played on her lips. The affectionate gesture and the whisper sent a rush of warmth through Y/N, mingling with the lingering adrenaline from the interview.

In that moment, Y/N's heart raced uncontrollably, a flurry of butterflies erupting in her stomach as if they were fluttering wildly in an unrestrained dance. Her breaths became shallow and the adrenaline from the interview seemed to intertwine with the new, heady sensations stirring within her. It was as though her emotions and hormones were performing an exhilarating ballet, twisting and swirling in a whirlwind of delight and anticipation.

Every touch and whisper from Lucy felt like a jolt of electric current, igniting a cascade of warm, tingling sensations that coursed through her veins. The gentle squeeze of Lucy’s hand was both comforting and thrilling, creating a potent mix of affection and attraction. Y/N’s senses were heightened - her pulse raced and her skin felt hypersensitive to Lucy’s closeness.

The butterflies in her stomach were not just fluttering but performing somersaults, sending waves of exhilaration through her body. It was as if every nerve ending was on high alert, responding to Lucy’s playful and flirtatious demeanor with an unspeakable rush of emotions. This heady cocktail of feelings left Y/N breathless and dazed, swept up in the intoxicating blend of connection and attraction that made her heart skip and her mind reel.

In Lucy’s presence, Y/N felt a thrilling uncertainty, a thrilling mix of vulnerability and excitement that was both exhilarating and disorienting. It was a moment charged with possibility, where the boundaries between professional respect and personal desire blurred, leaving Y/N with a deep, almost overwhelming sense of wonder and anticipation for what lay ahead.

As the evening drew to a close, Y/N and Lucy decided it was time to head back to their hotel. They ordered a cab, the cool night air brushing against their faces as they waited for it to pull up. The city lights sparkled around them, creating a magical backdrop for the end of their enchanting evening.

When the cab arrived, Lucy opened the door for Y/N with a playful bow. "After you, my lady," she said with a charming grin. Y/N laughed, feeling the warmth of Lucy's humour and the closeness they had shared throughout the night.

Once inside the cab, they settled into the backseat, their knees brushing together in the confined space. Lucy’s hand found Y/N’s once more, their fingers interlocking in a way that felt both natural and intimate. The soft hum of the cab’s engine and the gentle sway of the ride created a cocoon of comfort around them.

Lucy leaned in, her voice low and inviting. "I have to say, you looked absolutely radiant tonight. It’s not just the lights—there’s something about you that just... shines."

Y/N felt a delightful flutter in her stomach at Lucy’s words, the butterflies she’d been feeling earlier now a more insistent dance. The close proximity and Lucy’s soft, flirtatious tone made her pulse quicken, each moment heightening the sense of excitement and attraction between them.

Their conversation continued, punctuated by soft laughter and meaningful glances. They spoke about their favorite moments from the evening, the highlights of the interview, and their mutual admiration for each other’s efforts. Every touch and glance was charged with an unspoken connection, making the ride feel like a continuation of their earlier, more intimate exchange.

As the cab neared their hotel, Lucy’s gaze lingered on Y/N with a look of genuine affection and playful mischief. She gently squeezed Y/N’s hand, her thumb brushing lightly against Y/N’s skin.

“It is going to sound a bit silly, but,” she said softly, her breath warm against Y/N’s ear, “I am truly glad we got to share this evening together again. It has been one of those magical evenings that I will remember for a long time.”

Y/N’s heart raced, a rush of emotions and hormones swirling within her. The blend of Lucy’s touch and her words created a thrilling mix of vulnerability and excitement. “I am glad too,” Y/N replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Tonight has been insane and incredible.”

The taxi pulled up to their hotel, the building’s lights casting a welcoming glow. As they stepped out, Lucy took Y/N’s hand once more, guiding her towards the entrance with a gentle yet purposeful touch. The night was far from over and the sense of anticipation for what lay ahead was palpable.

As they entered the hotel, Y/N and Lucy walked towards the elevator, their steps in sync but their thoughts racing with the anticipation of the evening’s end. The soft hum of the elevator echoed in the quiet lobby as the doors slid open. They stepped inside, the confined space amplifying the sense of intimacy that had been building between them all night.

Lucy pressed the button for their floor and as the lift doors closed, they were left in the small, intimate enclosure, alone with their thoughts and feelings. The tension between them was available being cut with a sharp knife, the air thick with unspoken words and emotions. Y/N could feel the electricity crackling between them, each heartbeat seeming louder than the last.

Lucy turned to Y/N, her eyes meeting Y/N’s with an intensity that made Y/N’s breath catch. There was a moment of stillness, a charged silence that seemed to stretch out as they stood so close together. Lucy’s gaze softened, her lips curving into a mischievous yet tender smile.

Before Y/N could fully process the shifting energy, Lucy closed the distance between them. Her hand gently cupped Y/N’s cheek, her touch warm and reassuring. Y/N’s heart raced in a very fast pace, almost like having a heart attack, her senses heightened by Lucy’s closeness. Then, without warning, Lucy leaned in and pressed her lips against Y/N’s in a quick, surprising kiss.

The contact was brief but electric, a jolt of sensation that left Y/N's head spinning. The softness of Lucy’s lips and the suddenness of the kiss were both thrilling and overwhelming. When Lucy pulled back slightly, their faces remained inches apart, their breath mingling in the confined space of the lift.

Y/N’s pulse was skyrocketing, her emotions in a tumultuous whirl of excitement and longing. Her lips parted in a breathless whisper, her voice trembling with desire.

“Don’t stop,” she whispered, her eyes locked onto Lucy’s with a mixture of hope and need.

Lucy’s eyes sparkled with a blend of surprise and warmth at Y/N’s words. Without hesitation, she leaned in again, her lips meeting Y/N’s with a deeper, more lingering kiss. The world outside the lift seemed to disappear as they lost themselves in the kiss, the gentle pressure and tender exploration of their lips creating a sense of connection that was both exhilarating and profound.

The lift continued its slow ascent, but inside the small space, time seemed to stand still. The kiss deepened, becoming a dance of intimacy and passion, each touch and caress conveying the emotions they had both been feeling throughout the evening. When they finally pulled apart, their breaths were quick and uneven, their faces flushed with the intensity of the moment.

Lucy looked at Y/N with a smile that was both affectionate and full of promise.

“I’m glad you said that,” she murmured, her voice low and sincere. “I have been waiting for this moment to happen.”

Y/N smiled back, feeling a rush of happiness and excitement. “Same words, likewise.”

As the lift reached their floor and the doors slid open, they stepped out into the hallway, their hands intertwined within a mere second. The shared kiss had only heightened the sense of anticipation for the rest of the evening or future. As they walked towards their rooms, Y/N could not shake the feeling that this was the beginning of something truly special, a night that would mark the start of a deeper connection between them.

[bomberqueen17]

archaeology report snippets

So I'm still chewing through Vol II of the Must Farm Site Reports. Vol I was a bit dry but comparatively breezy, like 350 pages of summary. Vol II is the specialist reports, broken out by topic, and it is. Well. Dense. (I'm on page 1189 of Vol II, and have just reached the section on coprolites, LOL.)

But. I printed off a map of the site while reading Vol I, and have been notating things on it as I read. And so I can do things like. Well, I got to the bit about the beads, and noted down the findspot of the one assemblage of beads that very, very likely was a strung necklace (including the large amber bead, the photo of which in the fingers of a finder is the main image on the post I reblogged about the whole thing)-- and was able to put together that this necklace was probably dropped very close to the likely location of an exit door from the structure. Some of the beads were shattered by the heat, but the amber bead was only slightly charred-- and amber burns very well and readily, as I found out when I had my own house fire some years ago. (RIP those earrings I loved)

More random observations under the cut, and I do mean random. I should write up a proper summary sometime, and maybe I will, but I'm still going through the first readthrough. So this is just scattershot Things I Care Deeply About.

Among the textile finds was a lot of flax. Flax seeds, in caches-- some near the food but others not, likely seeds for replanting the next year. Flax stalks, unprocessed. Flax fiber, processed. Flax spun into thread. Linen fabric.

There was also a lot of flax debris all over the floor. They'd rippled, broken, and scutched the flax indoors. Flax seeds and chaff everywhere! But the floors seem to have been covered in grass and reed mats, largely. And there were live sheep in the houses, who left shit scattered around, much of which charred and was preserved. So I suppose a few flax seeds and some chaff wasn't going to add a great deal to the assemblage that wasn't already there.

The flax wasn't retted.

The wheat had been picked by hand, and then the wheat straw had been uprooted to harvest it in as long a length as possible. The straw was woven into mats and some might have been roof thatch.

They ate wheat prepared several ways, and they seem to have stored it still in the hulls, then threshed a few days' supply at once, then roughly ground it, and only finished grinding it more finely into flour right before using it. In a wet environment this made the most sense to keep it from spoiling. They made the wheat into porridge, dough, and also several pots were found with mixtures that included a lot of unpalatable chaff-- possibly they were brewing this mixture, as the chaff would give the necessary breathing room for fermentation to take place.

The textile remnants were all preserved by charring, so there's no information remining about color. No evidence of dyeing exists in the region until a bit later, the Iron Age. But there were roots of yellow iris in the corner of the building where the loom probably was, and one had been neatly cut in half: yellow iris is occasionally used in medicine, but is also a decent yellow dye.

It was the Bronze Age, and there were many bronze tools discovered-- a sort of "set" in each of the households, like everyone had around the same quantity of tools for various purposes. But there were also a bunch of flint tools discovered. Bronze Age worked flints aren't anything on the artistry of those of earlier eras, but the basic functional knowledge was obviously retained, and I feel like the little flint knives were like shitty plastic-handled scissors of today, you'd get one and use it until it broke and toss it and then go whack another flake off the household flint core. There were flint "querns" in three of the houses, similar in shape to the stone querns used to grind grains, but the flint ones would leave dangerous razor-sharp shards if they were used for food, and in other contexts have baffled archaeologists-- why would you make a quern out of a dangerous material? Here's the answer: They were used as sandpaper. If you had a wooden item you wanted to sand smooth, you used the flint block for it. You also, in a pinch, could flake yourself a new cheap little knife off the side of it.

There were a few human bones discovered and all of them were old. Most of them were in the mud under the houses, as if they'd been deposited just before the houses were built. One was a near-complete skull that was worn smooth with handling, and possibly had been worked immediately after its owner (a young probably woman)'s death to make the base flat so it could sit on a shelf or table. One was an arm bone with butchering marks on it, gnawed by dogs at some past point. There was a vertebra, in one of the houses there was somebody's adult canine tooth, and outside the wall of the settlement there was a bit of a femur that had been roughly handled (possibly deposited from the earlier causeway there, which the settlement had been built overtop the ruins of). Only one bone had charring to suggest it had been in the conflagration, it was a bit of a skull and had apparently been somewhere in one of the houses as it burned-- maybe in the roof rafters. So it seems like there was some practice with dedicating a site with human remains? It doesn't read like ancestor worship, which had been my first thought, but those descriptions-- well obviously their ideas of what was suitable or respectful were different than mine but. They read more like offerings, perhaps. Impossible to know! But fascinating. None of the human remains are of the people who lived there, that's fairly certain given the age of the bones and the contexts. (Another bit of analysis: isotopes of the bones suggest their owners had eaten highly terrestrial diets, while we know from coprolites and fish bones that the people in the pile dwellings were eating fish.)

Most of the collapsed buildings lie in such a way that it's clear they were not disturbed after the burning, no attempts were made at salvage, the site was not interfered with. Except for one of the buildings, Structure 3, which was damaged in the 1970s so we don't have much of it-- but of what's there, several of the timbers are disarranged in a way that doesn't make sense for how the building would have collapsed, and one of the beams especially looks as though someone flung it aside sometime after the building collapsed-- possibly much later-- but before the site was buried in sediment. Either a survivor coming back just to look for one important thing, or a much later scavenger poking around? Impossible to say. But it wasn't beavers, and no other animals would bother with timbers like that. And whatever they were looking for, they didn't disturb any of the other ruins-- at least, not of the ones that survived to be excavated. It is important to remember, as we discuss the site, that given the shape of the palisade and the extent of the quarrying nearby, there were probably originally twice as many buildings at least, if not more, and no trace survives of the rest.

While there's no evidence of bronze casting at the site, suggesting all the bronze implements would have been imported from elsewhere (and their somewhat-diverse origins don't contradict this, though many of them are similar/of similar material), the pottery does seem to be local. The assemblage of pots also all have a fairly strong stylistic resemblance to one another, but are not all made with the same level of skill. It seems very likely that within the community were several potters, some more experienced and some novices, and the work was shared among them, but they clearly worked in close proximity and shared stylistic preferences and techniques. One pot in particular is rather lopsided and there's a lump where the clearly-novice maker thinned the wall too much and had to glob more clay on to fix the hole. They broke a lot of pots-- estimates put it at a pot per week across the whole settlement, a pot per month per house-- and it was mostly the cooking pots that got broken. It's possible to estimate how many people were eating in each house by counting how many eating bowls and drinking cups there were.

Piece after piece of evidence tells us this settlement didn't last long-- the wood was green when it burned, and oak seasons in a year or two; there are no signs of nuts or fruit which ripen in late autumn; the wood was all cut at once sometime between March and September given the state of the sap in it, and the pilings were certainly driven when the water was at its lowest in the winter; the articulated lamb skeletons totally free of any evidence of butchery were probably live lambs when the fire started and given their age and the time lambs are born it was late summer or early autumn when they died.

To that I'll add that I know flax ripens in high summer and the debris of processing it was all over the floors.

Piece after piece of evidence suggests these people were farming on dry land, had largely terrestrial diets. But they were also eating fish, we know from the arcs of pike bones scattered outside the footprints of the houses. There's very little residue of fish in their cooking pots, but we also know they were eating it, and eating it undercooked or raw in some instances, because of the parasite eggs in their coprolites. And the absence of roundworm eggs suggests they did not spend much time in terrestrial living settings; many of those sites when explored show evidence of roundworm infestations. I haven't seen this conclusion drawn yet in the literature but that suggests to me that they came to this pile-driven settlement from another one, if they only spent at most a year here. But that's just my concusion.

I keep not looking at the index of Vol II so I keep thinking I'm at the end and then there's another chapter. The joys of reading a PDF rather than a paper book, LOL. Oh I'm almost at the end! OK let me read this last chapter then. Oh it's a report on the mechanics of the conflagration. Okay. This is the central mystery! Well they say up front they can't possibly tell what caused it.

Other pile-driven lake-dwelling settings from similar eras are known to have been burned down, possibly deliberately, and then rebuilt over the top of the ruins, probably because the buildings would be so difficult to maintain and it would be easier to reuse the prime settlement spot without the debris of old, failing buildings. This was very, very clearly not that.

"The presence of so many items of apparent value and use within the conflagration debris, and the deep, localized char patterns on timbers left to smoulder for many hours undisturbed, when a person present could have easily separated them to extinguish the last burning elements and to save useful timbers from destruction, suggest the inhabitants were either unwilling or unable to respond to the fire, or else unaware of the destruction." (p. 1264)

They think it started in the southeast-middle of Structure 1, and collapsed the roof of it rather quickly but not before spreading to the others. But there are no signs of any attempts to put it out. The smoke would have been visible for miles, even if by some weird chance everyone in the settlement was out doing something like tending the dryland fields their crops were obviously in (there's no way this would be true for a routine reason, you just can't leave premodern houses untended like that, somebody is home to tend the fire and start dinner, that's just got to be how it works, but even if everyone had gone out they would see the smoke and come back!); it's not like there wasn't water all around to use to put out a fire. It starting in one place not many, with no sign of accelerants or fuel caches placed around to speed it, is a sign that it wasn't intentionally set, but it's just plain bizarre that nobody tried to put it out, or tried to salvage anything from the houses, or even just set loose the live animals that were in the houses who surely would have fled (they weren't tiny lambs, they were a few months old, well old enough to run).

Something happened, but we just can't know what. The fire burned unattended, un-interfered-with: nobody was inside. We simply can't know why.

[hezzabeth]

The description of the space station is based on my own experiences during a ten hour layover in Singapore.

"Are you alright? Do you have a bout of telesickness?" Brigadeiro Bun asked as Revati stared off into space.

"Telewhat?" Revati asked, her brain snapping back into place.

When Amma and Nanni heard that Revati was about to go off-world, they tried to prepare her.

"It's not like your other wasteland adventures where you wandered into a city on foot! You'll need to buy tickets; then apply for a tourism visa," Amma explained.

"My what?" Revati asked, completely confused.

"The actual teleporting takes less than a second, but you will have to spend at least an hour in customs and immigration and four hours in the teleport waiting your turn," Nanni added.

It was all incredibly exhausting and confusing.

The teleport hub they were waiting in was deliberately designed to make people forget they were waiting. Bright, expensive shops with intricate displays created pathways to different teleportation gates. Massive, giant flowering bushes surrounded by clouds of butterflies brushed against the glass ceiling. In the center of everything, there was a crystal pond. Robotic bronze mermaids swam up and down underneath the lily pads.

"Telesickness! It's okay, a lot of people not used to teleporting end up with upset stomachs," Brigadeiro reassured her, handing her something small and pink from his shirt pocket.

"This should help, their stomach stabilizers! I bought them in the bathroom," Brigadeiro smiled helpfully, and Revati took one, popping it into her mouth before promptly spitting it out.

"It tastes like gasoline," Revati grimaced.

"You're not supposed to eat it! You rub it on your temples," Brigadeiro explained gently before picking the stomach stabilizer up off her lap.

"Please don't rub that all over my temples; it has my spit on it," Revati pointed out, shutting her eyes.

"Are you sure you're not sick?" Brigadeiro asked.

"I'm just exhausted; we've teleported so many times I have no idea where we are," Revati sighed, closing her gritty eyes.

"We're at the Anh Do memorial teleport hub; he was a figure from southwest Sydney legends! When he was a baby, he was on a boat attacked by pirates. Then he grew up to become a famous children's writer and artist," Brigadeiro rattled on.

Revati felt herself slump to one side with exhaustion, her head landing on something soft.

Brigadeiro's home wasn't even technically a planet. Rather, it was a series of six space stations, each representing different areas of a land once known as "Australia." The Southwest Sydney Station was so big it had its own weather patterns, ecosystem, and geography. Most of it consisted of expensive tourist resorts, beachside towns, and theme parks. Brigadeiro had explained many times before that his family was part of the 15 million-strong workforce that lived in the secret employee-only towns and cities. Someone, hopefully Brigadeiro, was gently massaging her scalp, and Revati felt herself fall into a drowsy, dark state.

Revati wasn't sure how long she had been snoozing when the screaming sirens suddenly filled the air. Revati's self-preservation instincts kicked in, and her eyes snapped open. Within seconds, she was back on her feet, reaching for her mace.

"You had to leave the weapon at security back on Mars," Brigadeiro reminded her as hundreds of people suddenly started flowing out of the teleport gates. The air was thick with sirens and flashing blue lights as the crowd swelled around her. Brigadeiro snatched her hand, and together they were swept forward in the tidal wave of chaos.

People were everywhere, their faces blurred by the rapidity of the moment, their shouts and cries a blurry nonsense of at least a dozen different languages. In a second of terror, Revati found herself thrown down. Feet pounded on her back as she curled herself up into a ball. There was a sudden break in people, and Revati saw a glimpse of the mermaid pool. Revati forced herself forward and grabbed the pool's safety fence, hauling herself over the edge. She landed with a splash into the shallow water. For a few moments, all Revati could hear was the pounding of the mob and sirens.

All Revati could feel was her body as the robot mermaids bumped into her before swimming away. The glass ceiling above had clouded over, turning an eerie white. There was a sudden buzzing on Revati's wrist, indicating her bangle had an incoming call. It was the android. Of course, it was.

"Ignore," Revati groaned, sitting up, and a tiny mermaid bounced off her cleavage. Somehow, half her shirt had managed to get ripped off. The crowd wasn't as thick, but people were still charging past the shops heading to some unknown destination. The sirens suddenly stopped.

"All interstellar teleport gates have been switched off temporarily! We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused," a lady's voice chimed over the speakers. People slowly stopped running and instead began to shuffle around.

Tiny first aid drones began to zoom out of the shops, attending to the fallen. Through it all, Revati scanned and searched. Spotting Brigadeiro was far harder than usual since many people in the hub had pink, curly hair. Finally, she saw him across the crowd in the doorway of a chocolate shop. A woman was lying at his feet. Revati slowly stood, her legs wobbling, before climbing out of the pond. By the time she managed to push her way through to the storefront, she had heard several whispers. There had been an attack on another Space Station known as “Cairnes”. The crowd consisted of tourists and travelers who fled when an employee opened up a teleportation gate during the attack. Brigadeiro was attending to the woman who was bleeding all over the shop floor from a gash on her temples.

"Oh, thank Goup!" Brigadeiro cried, wrapping Revati in a smothering hug. Brigadeiro was, of course, a little shorter than her, and he nuzzled his face into her shoulder, sobbing.

"It's alright, I'm fine," Revati assured him, petting his back, and Brigadeiro sobbed.

"It's not that; Cairnes has been destroyed! Millions are dead," Brigadeiro's voice choked.

"Destroyed?" Revati gasped. The bleeding lady on the ground twitched, and Revati let go of Brigadeiro in order to check her. The lady was a bit older than Revati, probably in her late twenties. She had the pale, sickly skin and brighter blue hair of those who came from the northern parts of Mars. Her haircut, however, was similar to the trendy “mushroom cap” style she had seen on the space station – short with a blunt fringe. Revati reached into one of her pants pockets, pulling out a trusty medibandage, and stuck it onto the woman’s temple. Even while unconscious, she had the expression of someone fully capable of starting a riot in a coffee shop. It clashed violently with her bright purple tropical print shirt and neon pink watch. The watch. Revati grabbed the unconscious lady's hand to examine the watch.

"SOS Emergency Medical Information," she said to the watch. Its screen flickered, and a tiny 3D hologram of the lady appeared.

"My name is Pauletta Chuchotor, I am twenty-nine years old! My blood type is B- and I'm allergic to Venusian swamp gas," the hologram said cheerfully, and suddenly the hologram switched off as tight fingers wrapped themselves around Revati's wrist.

Revati glanced at the lady who was now staring at her with bloodshot green eyes.

"My personal information isn't for you," she said in a deep, raspy voice.

"Good to know," Revati said. Pauletta Chuchotor was staring at her curiously.

"I don't forget faces easily," she said, her fingernails still digging into Revati's wrist.

"Ok," Revati replied uneasily, wondering if the lady had a brain injury.

"You look a little like someone I met a long time ago," Pauletta said, as if accusing Revati of something terrible.

"I got a message from Dad; the news says all the teleporting hubs have been shut down! He says we should leave the hub and take the workers' bullet train back to Paprika Station before they stop running," Brigadeiro said, gesturing to his grey bracelet.

"A bullet train? Like the one in Olde Landon? I thought this space station was supposed to be super advanced?" Revati asked, completely confused.

"It is, but teleportation has a weight limit of six hundred kilograms; the trains are used when we need to transport bulk goods and supplies to different resorts," Brigadeiro explained.

"I also need to go to this Paprika Station; I will follow you," Pauletta Chuchotor remarked, and Revati exchanged a look with Brigadeiro.

"I mean, it's not like we can stop her," Brigadeiro pointed out.

The train ride to Paprika Station turned out to be far more exhausting, bewildering, and strangely smelly than teleporting. Everyone seemed to know Brigadeiro Bun, and by extension, everyone seemed to know Revati.

"Bridgadeiro! Your mama said you would be back for Applefestus! And is this the famous Revati from Mars?" An old lady with orange hair said to them as they waited for the train.

"I may have mentioned you in my messages home; this is my mother's friend Mrs. Jambalaya from church," Brigadeiro said as the old lady descended onto Revati in a cloud of vanilla perfume.

"Oh, she's so pretty! Such big amber eyes! And who's that?" She asked, nodding at Pauletta, who was standing several feet away from them, staring into the distance.

"No idea, we think she's an injured tourist," Brigadeiro admitted as Revati quietly blushed. No one in Olde Landon had ever called her pretty.

"Bridge! Did you hear about the terrorist attack? My dad said appliances from Mars did it," someone yelled when they finally got onto the cramped train. A teenage boy with dark skin and fuchsia braids was waving at them from a row of seats.

"We were at the capital telehub when it happened! Revati, this is my cousin Pecan," Brigadeiro explained as they sat down.

Pecan gasped with horror. "Oh, Goup! You're the girl Bridge is bringing home for Applefestus! You probably don't want us talking about the war," Pecan remarked.

"It's fine; I'm too tired and freaked out to care," Revati assured him.

"Why don't you take a nap? The ride to Paprika Station takes around four hours," Brigadeiro said, tapping his shoulder. Revati sighed gratefully, her head dropping onto his shoulder. Before her eyes shut, she spotted Pauletta standing on the other side of the carriage, staring at her with dried blood still in her hair.

[the-pen-pot]

SNEAK PEEK! (Coming.... somewhen?)

Summary: Prince Arthur Pendragon, Captain of the Llamrei, would far rather spend his days patrolling Camelot's waters than assume his place on the throne. Yet when he finds the wreckage of a vast ship and one lone survivor on board, nothing can prepare him for the path his life will lead.

Nor the demands his heart will make.

(A 4k word first chapter to a Merthur age-of-sail fantasy AU, because I'm weak for world-building)

-----

The waves boomed against the Llamrei's hull: a steady rhythm like the heartbeat of the ocean. The breeze hummed through the rigging, plucking tunes upon the sheets and swelling the sails. Under Arthur's palms, the wheel rested easy, their bearing steady and sure: homeward bound, back to Camelot.

They had been at sea for two long months, patrolling the boundaries of their waters, seeing off pirates and incursions alike. Their hold lay heavy with the loot of those ships who had surrendered their cargo in recompense for trespass. All-in-all, their voyage had been a success.

He knew his men craved solid land, good company and a drink with more flavour than the mead ration or water, but for him there was little joy in his home-coming. More and more, his father expected him to put his sea-faring days behind him and take on the burden of his role as Crown Prince. He thought a kingdom could be ruled from a throne and was content to let others ride the waves.

The thought of that, of land-lock and narrow horizons, made Arthur's breath catch in his throat. He understood his duty, the one he had been born to. He would not shirk it when the time came. He only wished he were free to rule how he wanted, rather than being forced to follow his father's edicts. It was not as if the man had any intention of letting go of his power in the near future. Uther Pendragon would live forever if he could.

'You could always hope for war, Captain.' Leon Delgrace narrowed his eyes against the sun, his hair bleached bright bronze and his face scattered with freckles. 'That would see us back to sea soon enough.'

Arthur huffed. 'And with whom should we fight? Lot, fat and useless to the east, but with more ships to his name than most? Bayard, to the North, who rules his waters with an iron-fist, or Caerleon to the West, who would block trade and starve us rather than raising a finger towards our annihilation?'

'Any one of them would shit themselves to face down Camelot's fleet,' Gwaine said from where he was adjusting one of the sheets, shifting the angle of the sail to better catch the breeze. 'Lot's got more ships, but half of them are in splinters. Bayard's men are in a constant state of revolt against his admirals and Caerleon… All right, Caerleon's a swine who's got every other kingdom by the balls since he's got control of the Strait of Caerdor, but he won't hold it for long. Not against the Wildwash.'

Arthur glanced down at his bosun where he stood on the quarterdeck. Gwaine wasn't wrong. The Albion Sea existed in a constant state of teetering balance. At the moment, there was a reluctant truce, each kingdom too busy dealing with their own strife to turn their mind to war. Still, all it would take was a tiny shift to send it all plunging into calamity.

Caerleon was an obvious target. The other kingdoms looked upon his control of the strait with greed because it meant he could restrict and tax the flow of trade along the Southern Way: a rare safe route of good water. It was a ripple-road that led to the MittelMer, the sea that was encircled by the remnants of the old-lands, where the Romans had once dwelt.

They conveniently forgot, however, that he also bordered on the Wildwash, the vast stretch of open ocean to the west that brimmed with legendary creatures, roaming sorcerers, mad gods and vengeful spirits. The sailors who ventured out into those waters rarely returned, and if they did, they came back changed.

Worse, the denizens of that vast, fathomless ocean – lawless and unruled – were constantly encroaching on the Albion Sea, finding their way past the towering reefs and ocean mountains that had once protected them. They sought the relatively tranquil, warmer waters and the wealth they had brought the Five Kingdoms, and they sowed death and destruction in their wake.

'I do not envy him being so close to the frontier.'

'I fear that, one day, we will hear the news that he is overcome,' Leon admitted, raising his voice to call out an order before resuming a more normal volume. As Quartermaster, he was of almost equivalent rank to Arthur's Captain: his right-hand man and, in the event of a calamity that took Arthur's life, his successor – at least where the Llamrei was concerned. If Arthur died at sea, Camelot would fall to Morgana. Sometimes he was tempted to abdicate and let her have it. He suspected she would do a better job than he.

Except that Uther would never permit it.

'No, we pray Caerleon holds fast against the Wildwash. Let some other political strife call us back to the waves. The goddess knows my father is good at stirring up conflict when it suits. Or even when it does not. We will enjoy our time back in Camelot. I will play the obedient prince, and in a week or two, he will grow bored and we'll be back at sea.'

'Better be,' Gwaine muttered. 'Don't think there's enough beer in all Camelot's taverns to keep me happy on land.'

'Captain!' Elyan's cry was as clear as a sea-bird, carrying with ease. He had a spyglass pressed to his eye. A sextant hung from his belt and one foot was braced on the top of the crow's nest, as if he were about to take flight. Arthur hated it when he did that. A fall from that height, onto deck or into the water's embrace, would be the death of him. If the grief of that did not gut Arthur hollow, then Guinevere's pain at losing her brother surely would.

'What do you see?'

He squinted, noting the way Elyan swayed, a shift of his weight back and forth. He was too high to make out his expression, but that small tell had lost Elyan many a card game. It meant he was uncertain and questioning himself.

'Wreckage, Captain, off our port bow. Sharp turn!'

Arthur picked up the order, calling it out and watching the crew come alive as they set about their duties, tending the yard-arms and spanker as they tacked the Llamrei, altering her course in a stately sweep. The sails slackened as they turned through the eye of the wind before filling anew, the thick cloth swelling as they caught the edge of the breeze.

Almost immediately, Leon gave the order to reef so that they could slow as they approached whatever it was Elyan had seen. They could circle if they had to, scouting the area in large sweeps. Arthur would rather not bring the ship to a full stop until he was sure what they were dealing with.

'Bugger me,' Gwaine breathed as he squinted at the water. His unease was a living thing among the rest of the crew as they took in the flotsam: broken spars and tattered sails like bridal veils upon the waves. It covered a large area, yet it had not dispersed with the currents, and Arthur surrendered the wheel, moving to stand with Gwaine and Leon as they stared.

The Llamrei was a Destrier class, a medium sized warship with good manoeuvrability perfect for patrols and privateering. Whatever had once sailed the waves before them was far bigger, and the possibilities spilled from the lips of the men around him.

'Too much wreckage for even a first-class Charger,' Leon pointed out, speaking of the behemoth four-deck war ships that were the jewels in any kingdom's fleet. They carried more than a hundred cannon each: floating fortresses.

'Not much left that's bigger than that,' Gwaine muttered, folding his arms across his chest and making room for Lancelot. The ship's surgeon's hands were white-knuckled around the rail. Where they saw the carcass of a mighty vessel, Arthur knew that Lancelot would be thinking of the souls lost on board.

Arthur ducked his head in agreement, looking over his shoulder as Elyan's bare feet hit the deck. His quick stride brought him to the rail, and he took up the space to Arthur's left. The only one not with them was Percival, and that was because he would not leave the cannons until he knew he would not be called upon to put them to use. No doubt he was watching out of the hatches as the debris drifted by and the Llamrei continued her steady circling.

'A merchant Draft, maybe?' Elyan sounded doubtful even as he said it. He was fully aware that he was wrong. They knew what this was, but none of them wanted to say it out loud.

This was all that remained of A Stables – a colony ship. They were huge, used for moving large numbers of people: evacuations, refugees – that sort of thing. There weren't many left, any more. One fewer, now. The last resort of the desperate. This was all that was left of the sort of event that went down in the history books.

A Desolation: a wreck that was akin to an extinction. One that wiped out hundreds, if not thousands of lives at once.

Arthur swallowed down the low nausea of heartbreak as he stepped back, calling out commands to bring the Llamrei to a complete stop. Those who were not tending the sails and rudder instead watched the water, searching both the surface and its depths for any dangers.

'Colours!' Someone cried. There was a flurry as they reached for poles to pull the pennant from the sea's clutches. It hung, sodden and torn, squelching as it hit the deck. Immediately, the men got to work unfolding it. They clustered around, Arthur with them, the chill biting at his fingertips as he straightened out the flag.

'It was Lot's,' Leon murmured, indicating the black serpent on the white shield that represented the kingdom of Essetir. 'A long way from home.'

'In Camelot's waters.' Arthur grimaced, a trickle of horror rushing down his spine. This was a political powder-keg, and suddenly their jokes of war seemed like a poor showing. 'If we're not careful, we'll stand accused if its destruction.'

'The Llamrei couldn't take down a Stables alone, even Lot would know that,' Lancelot murmured, shaking his head. He looked as if he had aged five years in moments. 'They're too big. Base crew to manage a ship that size is more than a thousand souls.' He pressed a curled fist over his heart, this thumb pointing up towards his collarbone in a traditional symbol of mourning: a mute plea to whatever gods might lurk beneath the waves to carry them safely into the afterlife.

'Where are the bodies?' Gwaine asked, shifting back to the rail and peering around. 'That many crew, plus whatever refugees and passengers they carried… there should be some afloat. Even if the hull dragged them down as it sank, there should be some trace of 'em.'

Arthur caught the glance Gwaine shot in his direction, one grim and shadowed with fear. It was enough to make him turn his eye back to the water, reading the evidence that wrote itself in the wreckage.

Some bits of wood showed evidence of cannon-fire: round shot, the kind used by raiders. They'd disable the ship, take its cargo grab those they could to sell as slaves and kill any who put up too hard a fight. Raiders were like wolves; they gave chase in packs, and a Stables ship was a gold mine for them – a slow, easy target.

But that didn't answer the question of why it was out at sea in the first place. Many of the colony ships were in dry dock and had been for decades. There had been no conflict or boundary change that would mean people needed to move en-masse. It didn't make any sense. Not unless these people, whoever they were, were chased out of port by some threat – but what?

Arthur sighed, shaking his head. That was the problem with being at sea. As much as he relished the freedom, it left him disconnected from news of the kingdoms. Answers probably awaited him in Camelot, though whether he would wish to hear them was another matter. A Desolation was the kind of thing that would have the Five Kingdoms at each others' throat, eager to place and dodge the blame in equal measure.

'Spread those out to dry,' he ordered, indicating the colours on deck. 'We'll take them back with us as proof. Man the row boats, set up a search.'

'What are we looking for?' Elyan asked, raising his voice to be heard over the cries of the crew carrying out Arthur's orders, reaching for ropes and pulleys as they prepared to winch the twelve-man row boats down towards the surface.

'Survivors.' Lancelot did not sound hopeful, but he straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin as he crossed his arms over his chest. 'Bodies, if not. We need to know where these people came from. Their families…'

'People deserve to know what happened.' Arthur rested a hand on Lancelot's shoulder. 'Anything that can tell us what fate had in store for this ship will be of benefit. A figurehead, if we can find it.'

All ships had unique carvings upon their prow, something to mark out their identity so that even the illiterate would know what vessels lay at harbour or had gone to sea. Some were panels with carved symbols, others were creatures, flowers or objects, each with its own significance. The ships of royal houses, like the Llamrei, stood out amidst any fleet thanks to the gold paint that coated their prow and flared back along the hull in sweeps and whorls: a blessing for strong winds and good tides.

The ship that had sunk here had a name, once, Arthur did not wish for it to be forgot – lost to the obscurity of the ocean depths.

'Leon, the helm is yours. Gwaine, you take the other boat. Keep your eyes peeled.'

'Aye aye, Cap'n.'

The boat eased into the waves, the oar tips pressed briefly to the Llamrei's hull to ease them away from her embrace before they set forth. This close to the water's surface, the ocean was a living, breathing thing beneath them. Brine flavoured Arthur's top lip and roughened his hair as the wind caught in the linen of his shirt and plucked at the laces of his collar like an eager lover. On a better day, he would have relished it, but he was too absorbed in the carnage before him.

It was every sailor's nightmare: a risk they all took but prayed to forever avoid. Wrecks were a messy affair, made worse by the voracious hunger of the sea. Within a day, all sign of what had happened here would be scattered, carried off by the currents or pulled beneath the waves. Death, he fancied, rode the breeze here, and he reached into his belt pouch for a gold coin before tossing it overboard: payment for the ferryman.

Behind him, he heard his men do the same, keeping one hand on their oars as they gave up whatever trinkets they may have: copper, silver or stone, it mattered not. None of them would leave a debt standing.

'Captain!' Pellinor's pointing finger thrust out to the east, and Arthur narrowed his eyes against the sun, taking in the section of hull that bobbed like a cork off the starboard bow. It was a fragment not much smaller than the craft in which they currently sat, but that wasn't what mattered. He knew what had caught Pellinor's eye. This debris did not bear the scars of shot that splintered the other pieces of wood he had seen from the Llamrei's deck. Instead, gouges raked the planks, parallel lines that sheared through the wood, exposing the timber beneath.

Arthur swore. Bandits and cannon-fire were one thing, but this?

'Leviathan. Keep a sharp eye.'

'In these waters?' Pellinor's voice was faint, and Arthur could not blame him. Leviathans were meant to make their homes in the Wildwash. They were huge creatures of the deep, bigger than any ship that rode the waves. According to the old salts, those few who had made it back from beyond the western horizon, they came in many shapes, but they were all monstrous in size and temper. They lived only for their hunger and sated it with neither thought nor conscience. There was a bounty, never claimed, for any sailor who could bring back the eye of one such beast.

No one had ever managed it.

'Watch the depths. Hold your tongue.' He could not risk a panic, not among the rowers nor aboard the Llamrei. Yet if there was a Leviathan that had made its home in the Albion Sea, then all Five Kingdoms needed to know of it. It would care not for the boundaries of their realms. If vengeance took its fancy, it would drag down any vessel that crossed its path.

Arthur scanned the water before him, looking for anything moving down in the murk as they rowed, slow and cautious, past the floating piece of hull. A thick silence lay over the men at his back, tar-black and gilded at its edged with the flash of fear, but they were stout souls all, and they did not forget their purpose. Not that their search yielded much to speak of, at least not until the rise and fall of the ocean pushed them closer to the centre of the wreckage, and Owain gave a bellow from the port side.

'Survivor!'

Arthur whipped his head around, scanning the flotsam until he saw it: a flat piece wallowing in the water, threatening to go under with every wave that washed over it. The figure sprawled upon it did not stir, and Arthur wondered if Owain was too optimistic. From here, the man looked dead, pale and limp, yet he had clearly had the strength and savvy to climb atop the makeshift raft. He lay on his back, insensible to the cold water that still threatened, even now, to grasp him in its clutches.

'Haul him in!' Arthur ordered. 'Be quick about it!'

Some of his men reached for hooks and poles while the others tilted the oars, guiding their boat as close as they dared. Arthur lifted a foot onto the boat's side, braced and ready to jump in if it were necessary. Dead or alive, he could not lose this soul to the seas. At least one deserved to be buried with proper rites, if that was all he was good for, and if he yet lived?

Perhaps they'd get their answers after all.

He reached out and down, tangling his fingers in the sodden fabric of the man's tunic the moment he could reach. The others joined him, half the crew shifting to counter-balance the craft as they wrestled with the suck and swell of the tide. Arthur tried to ignore the coldness of the body beneath his touch as they manhandled him into the boat, laying him on the deck as they panted from the effort.

'Back to the Llamrei. Double-time!'

Arthur's fingers pressed to the hollow of the man's jaw as the oars dipped and splashed, his crew grunting as they threw their all into skimming back towards the safety of their Destrier. It took a moment, but at last a flutter of life stirred against his skin, thready and weak, but there all the same. It seemed Owain was right. They did have a survivor after all.

'Hey.' Arthur tapped the man's cheek, noticing his youth: younger than Arthur, if he had to guess, though perhaps only by a year or two. He had the rangy, lanky look of someone who'd lived a life on the uncomfortable cusp of not enough to eat, and the wet fabric of his clothes was simple and home-spun. 'Hey, come on. Open your eyes.'

Those dark lashes didn't so much as flutter, and Arthur whispered a curse as he patted down long limbs, checking for breaks and blood. The sea could batter a person to a pulp in a heartbeat, but there was no trace of harm. Not until he pressed his fingertips to the wet, black hair and drew them away to find a crimson stain. There was an impressive knot there, up high behind his ear. Something must have struck him, though he was otherwise in one piece.

Arthur only hoped it hadn't addled his wits.

The ropes were secured to the prow and stern, the pulleys squeaking their protests as the row boat was winched back up to the main deck. Lancelot was there immediately, thrusting the spyglass back into Elyan's grasp before he reached out, helping Arthur and Pellinor get their human salvage to safety.

He wasted not a moment, checking for a pulse as Arthur had done as others hurried to find a stretcher. Honestly, Arthur thought he was light enough to carry without breaking a sweat, but on a shifting ship it was all too easy to overbalance, and he had no wish to drop the newcomer on his already brutalised head.

'Well?' he demanded.

'Doesn't look too bad,' Lancelot decided. 'Skull seems sound, though he'll probably wake with a nasty headache. He's chilled through though. We'll get him out of these wet clothes and under some blankets, see if he doesn't come back to us before day's end.'

'See it done. Come and get me the moment he wakes.'

'Aye, Captain.'

Arthur stood back, watching Lancelot and Elyan lift the man's lax body onto the stretcher before bearing him away, a strange, still figure amidst the bustle of the Llamrei's crew.

'Your orders, Captain?'

He turned, blinking his way free of his thoughts to stare at Leon. Over on the starboard side, Gwaine's row boat had just settled into its cradle. Their time here was done. The remnants of the ship that had once sliced through the waves had given up all its secrets, and in Arthur's mind, none were so intriguing as the survivor.

Questions itched at him, but they would have to remain unanswered for a while yet. Until he awoke to tell his story, the newcomer would hold his silence, and Arthur would have to bear it as best he could.

'Resume our course for Camelot,' he said at last, tapping his hand on the ship's rail. The ring he wore chimed against the hardwood, and to Arthur's ears at least, it sounded like a death-knell: a final farewell to all who had found their watery grave here. All souls, it seemed, but one.

'Let's go home.'

[mmavverickk]

Oh haha I just checked and the post I didn’t like wasn’t by you. Mandela affected myself from spending so much time on ur blog ig. My bad. A question for you to headcannon on: Where did they get the chains to hold the doors of death down? It can’t have been in Tartarus otherwise they would have done this a long time ago. But if it came from the mortal realm, how did it get down? Was a monster holding onto it when they died or something?

oh lmao i'm sitting here like, "yay friendly debate!" but nope lol i have only ever had good takes yep mhm that's what that means yes that is indeed Accurate and True Information.

and holy shit i've never thought about that before? but, you know what would make sense? you know what i've come up with?

the pit of Tartarus is simultaneously a massive living organism, the near-infinite body of this dark primordial god, and its own ecosystem. the closest way to equate it to a person would be to call the rivers his blood. monsters reform within his skin, both lending him power and absorbing it from him. there are mountains and forests and caverns and they are all part of him, deeply and intrinsically.

there are also mineral and ore deposits. there are forges. because, how would they get chain in Tartarus? in the same vein of thinking, how do monsters get weapons and armor? how can a dracaena find a spear in the world above? we don't exactly mass produce them, and they certainly wouldn't be celestial bronze or imperial gold. they stand no chance of stealing celestial bronze from the mines on Olympus or the forges under the sea. so they have to get it from elsewhere. monsters in Tartarus make weapons from materials they find in Tartarus. they're self-sufficient.

as for why they never chained the doors of death before HoO, i have a few reasons i can find. first, they had to find them. these doors are so incredibly elusive that death himself is the one person to know where they are at all times. second, we only ever see monsters organize in large groups to accomplish a difficult feat like that when there is a higher, more focused leader guiding them. Kronos assembled them into armies. the giants did the same. without those leaders telling them what to do? they just meander on upwards and hope to kill some demigods. and finally, without a leader telling them that they're going to be chaining the doors down, i think there's probably no reason to waste what's likely limited resources on chain rather than weapons. it probably took a long time for them to make those preparations. about, say, six or seven months, months that percy spent in a magical coma and chb spent building a massive ship??

[twoidiotwriters1]

Almighty (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Making my teen self's dreams come true next week I'm seeing FOB live -Danny Words: 2,767 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Sailboat Bed' -by The Devil Music Co.

XII: My Lil Prince (Derogatory)

In retrospect, she just pretended not to know this would happen because then maybe it wouldn't happen. The gods use that tactic all the time and every now and then it works, but now she's mending bones and stitching up campers, going from one side to another because Austin and Kayla have been taken, so Lily and Ara try to help where they can. 

Harley is devastated and frightened, he thinks Apollo will see to his death, and considering how impulsive he is, Ara wouldn't put it past him. However, Apollo and Meg are nowhere to be found. Ara keeps Harley close, not wanting him to run into the forest in a desperate attempt to fix things. 

Day becomes night, and Ara acknowledges she can't go home. Her campers need her. She's going to Chiron when she discovers Apollo is there, she just hadn't noticed him. Meg is there too. 

"Ara..." Harley whimpers quietly, clinging to the back of her shirt. 

Ara's voice remains firm. "Recognize your faults and move on. I won't let him hurt you." The boy grabs her hand, the other clinging to his beacon. Ara takes him to Apollo and clears her throat. "Harley, go on..." She squeezes his small, calloused palm encouragingly.

"It's my fault," the young boy mumbles tearily. "I got them lost. I... I'm sorry." She looks at Apollo prepared to threaten him if he tries to curse Harley, but the boy looks at the camper with a heavy gaze.

"It's all right," Apollo says hoarsely.

"The racecourse went into the woods," Harley continues, lip quivering. "It shouldn't have done that. They got lost and... and—"

"Harley," Apollo says slowly. "May I see your beacon?" 

The boy looks at Ara and she nods. "It's okay, I'm here."

Apollo begins to tamper with it carefully. "I'm not an inventor—I don't have your father's skills. But I do know music. I believe automatons prefer a frequency of E at 329.6 hertz. It resonates best with Celestial bronze. If you adjust your signal—"

"Festus might hear it?" Harley drops Ara's hand. "Really?"

"I don't know. Just as you could not have known what the Labyrinth would do today. But that doesn't mean we should stop trying. Never stop inventing, son of Hephaestus."

The boy wraps his arms around Apollo and crushes his ribcage, then runs away in a sort of giddy state. Ara pushes a strand of hair behind her ear trying not to look pleased. "That... that was nice. Thank you. Harley's learning to deal with his pent-up stamina and I haven't been able to give him the attention he needs. It's been a couple of hard..." she sighs. "Years."

Lester blushes, everyone tends to get flustered when Ara bestows upon them her kind side. "It wasn't his fault. The labyrinth... I think someone is controlling it."

Ara frowns. "That's impossible, only Daedalus and Pasiphaë had control over it."

"Let's go get Chiron."

"You're not going," Meg concludes. 

"What? You can't—"

"That's an order. No going into the woods until I say so."

Apollo's body stiffens after she says that. Apparently, the whole being her servant is a real thing. "Meg McCaffrey, if my children die because you wouldn't let me—"

"Like Chiron said, you'd just get yourself killed. We'll wait for daylight."

"I'll go with you," Ara announces. "If you're right and someone is using the labyrinth to get a hold of my campers, I have to take care of them."

Chiron makes a face. "Well, then... I will see you three in the morning. We will find a solution. I promise you that."

The centaur leaves them. Apollo glares at Meg. "I'm staying out here tonight, in case Kayla and Austin come back. Unless you want to forbid me from doing that, too." 

It's a useless deed, but twenty minutes later, the three of them are camping at the edge of the forest. Apollo and Meg sit on a blanket while Ara paces quietly with Pollo seated a few feet to her right, pushing little rocks out of her way each time she approaches. She changed into flannel PJs because her clothes got bloodstained. Snow starts to come down then, worsening Ara's mood. She hates cold, Leo and her met in winter, so now this season is not only annoying but also depressing.

Whenever they had cold nights in the Argo, she would sneak into Leo's room and cuddle with him, and at home, she could use his forgotten hoodies if hers weren't warm enough. Leo had always represented warmth, and safety in her life, someone she could be soft with. At camp she doesn't get that kind of princess treatment, she gives it. 

Ara remembers what Percy said, about her being run dry by the world, and she wonders if Apollo is here to do that. It's his fault Leo isn't here, so that's quite the obvious hint.

"We should go inside," Meg shivers, slumping into her jacket.

"And abandon them?" Apollo scoffs.

"Don't be stupid." Meg says. "You'll freeze out here."

"They were my children." Apollo's voice quivers. "I should've done more to protect them. I should have anticipated that my enemies would target them to hurt me."

"You've had a lot of children. You take the blame every time one of them gets in trouble?"

Ara thinks of Michael, if the god even knows how much Ara and Lily loved his son, and how much the entirety of Olympus owes him. There would be no daughter of Olympus without Michael Yew. 

"It's my fault Python retook Delphi," Apollo continues. "If I had killed him the moment he reappeared, while I was still a god, he would never have become so powerful. He would never have made an alliance with this... this Beast."

"What beast?"

"That's who's in charge of whatever's happening inside the forest and the labyrinth," Apollo glances at Meg with a frown. "And you know him. In the Labyrinth, when you heard the Beast's voice, you were terrified."

Ara turns to the girl. "Do you?"

"Meg, he wants to destroy me," Apollo insists. "Somehow, he's behind these disappearances. The more we understand about this man—"

"He lives in New York."

Apollo and Ara share a look. "All right... That narrows it down to eight and a half million people. What else?"

"If you're a demigod on the streets, you hear about the Beast," Meg stares at her fingers as she grumbles out her response. "He takes people like me."

"Takes people... why?" Apollo asks.

"To train. To use like... servants, soldiers. I don't know."

"And you've met him."

"Please don't ask me—"

"Meg."

"He killed my dad."

"That's what they meant," Ara crouches. "The plague spirits..." the girl places a gentle hand on top of Meg's to absorb some of her discomfort. "I could've been one of those kids if my satyr hadn't found me. But you... you weren't abandoned, Meg, so why did he take you?"

"I refused to work for him. My dad tried to..." Her breath trembles. "I was really small. I hardly remember it. I got away. Otherwise, the Beast would've killed me, too. My stepdad took me in. He was good to me. You asked why he trained me to fight? Why he gave me the rings? He wanted me to be safe, to be able to protect myself."

"From the Beast."

Meg moves her hand away from Ara's. "Being a good demigod, training hard... that's the only way to keep the Beast away. Now you know."

"I had no idea of this," Ara says. "How come neither Chiron nor I knew about this?"

"It's not your job," Apollo says bitterly. "It's supposed to be us, we should keep track of our kids. We're meant to tell you where to find them, but we don't. We forget."

Ara locks eyes with the boy, and for the first time, he looks almost human. "It's shameful. Why do we worship you if everything gets done by us?" The gods never delivered the right resources, tools, or information to do the job right. The very own system she leans on was messed up since before she was even born, and all she's achieved has been mostly thanks to her human side.

After an hour or so of irate silence, helicopter noises catch their attention. Apollo gets up and stands next to Ara. "Who's that?" Meg asks.

"That is Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Apollo sounds relieved. "Let's go see what the Oracle of Delphi has to say." 

"Rachel?" Apollo croaks out.

She seems just as disappointed in him. "So it's true."

Apollo turns to Meg, looking to keep her away from the grown-up talk. Ara used to hate that. "Would you tell the others that Rachel needs some space? Fetch Chiron. He should come up. The rest should wait." Meg turns to Ara for confirmation and she nods, so the girl obeys. 

"A friend of yours?" Rachel asks.

"New camper," Ara eyes her with concern. "Let's go to your cave."

Rachel glances at Apollo. "Heads up, you won't like it. But yes, that's probably the safest place."

The murals have been painted over except one: The Daughter of Olympus. That image has been on display like an ID so everyone can recognize Ara in case they need help. She'd only seen it once, a few weeks after the war with Gaea when trying to get a prophecy to look for Leo. Rachel added a golden outline to her body that looked like her soul light, and Ara wonders if Percy or Annabeth told Rachel about it and that's why she'd put it on the painting.

They sit down to wait for Chiron, and he comes up after a few minutes with Meg—and Lily. "Rachel—Where are Millard and Herbert?"

The girl shakes her head. "They arrived at my house badly wounded. They... they didn't make it." They all sit together and Apollo explains what's been going on, and what they found on the labyrinth. Rachel gapes. "The Delphi. You saw Python and you..."

"At present, I cannot defeat Python," Apollo explains miserably. "I am much too weak. And... well, the Catch-88."

Chiron sighs. "Apollo means that we cannot send a quest without a prophecy, and we cannot get a prophecy without an Oracle."

Rachel glares at her old stool. "And this man... the Beast. What do you know about him?"

"Not much. The Beast apparently has a reputation for snatching up young demigods in New York. Meg says... Um, she's had some experience with the Beast."

"Can you tell us anything that might help, dear?" Chiron asks kindly.

"I've crossed paths with him. He's—he's scary. The memory is blurry."

"Blurry," Chiron glances at Ara and Lily, the three of them sensing the girl is hiding something.

"That's all right, Meg," Rachel eases her, she's just a little girl, after all. "I have some information that may help." The girl pulls out her phone. "You guys have probably figured it out, but phones are going even more haywire than usual around demigods. I'm not technically one of you, and even I can't place calls. I was able to take a couple of pictures, though. Chiron, you recognize this place?"

"That is the building you described last summer," Chiron raises a brow, "where you parleyed with the Romans."

"Yeah," Rachel continues while Lily examines it. "Something didn't feel right about that place. I got to thinking... how did the Romans take over such prime Manhattan real estate on such short notice? Who owns it? I tried to contact Reyna, to see if she could tell me anything, but—"

"Communications problems?" Chiron finishes.

"Exactly. I even sent physical mail to Camp Jupiter's drop box in Berkeley. No response. So I asked my dad's real estate lawyers to do some digging."

"Your dad has lawyers? And a helicopter?" Meg asks in awe.

"Several helicopters." Rachel wrinkles her nose. "He's annoying. Anyway, that building is owned by a shell corporation, which is owned by another shell corporation, blah, blah, blah. The mother company is something called Triumvirate Holdings."

Ara chokes on the coke she's been drinking. "My gods, are we going to have another fight with the Romans?"

Rachel makes a face again. "Look at this next shot. These are the owners of Triumvirate Holdings—Just getting this one picture wasn't easy. I've spent the last two months investigating them, and I don't even know their names. I don't know where they live or where they came from. But I can tell you they own so much property and have so much money, they make my dad's company look like a kid's lemonade stand."

"The Beast said that his organization was everywhere," Apollo mentions. "He mentioned he had colleagues."

"Adult demigods?" Chiron frowns. "I can't imagine they would be Greek, but perhaps Roman? If they helped Octavian with his war—"

"Oh, they helped," Rachel scowls. "I found a paper trail—not much, but you remember those siege weapons Octavian built to destroy Camp Half-Blood?"

"No," Meg pouts.

"Sorry, Meg. You seem so at home here, I forgot you were new. Basically, the Roman demigods attacked this camp with giant catapulty things called onagers. It was all a big misunderstanding. Anyway, the weapons were paid for by Triumvirate Holdings."

"So they are Romans?" Ara glares at the phone. "What are they doing in New York?"

"I found something even worse," Rachel shifts awkwardly. "You remember before that, during the Titan War, Luke Castellan mentioned he had backers in the mortal world? They had enough money to buy a cruise ship, helicopters, weapons. They even hired mortal mercenaries."

"Yeah, and we never figured out what he was talking about or where did he got all of it. We sort of just assumed it had to be all stolen."

"Now we know. That cruise ship, the Princess Andromeda, was property of Triumvirate Holdings."

"What? That doesn't make any sense! The gods said Romans and Greeks had been tricked into forgetting each other, so then why these three men had a way to contact each side years before we even triggered the big prophecy?"

"These men..." Apollo gulps. "I'm afraid they are not modern demigods."

"You think they're ancient demigods who came through the Doors of Death—like Medea, or Midas? The thing is, Triumvirate Holdings has been around since way before Gaea started to wake. Decades, at least."

"Centuries. The Beast said that he'd been building his empire for centuries."

"So like a whole bloodline of demigods?" Ara offers.

"That's impossible, the demigod genes would've washed down with time, and I doubt they would've managed to keep the godly offspring from decaying without being known." Lily shakes her head.

"Yeah, but Meg said they're stealing kids from the streets, so who's to say they're not raising predecessors to keep whatever thing is going on hidden and running?"

"For what purpose?" Lily huffs. "It doesn't make sense. What do they want?"

"I don't know. But the Beast... in my dream, he called me his forefather. He assumed I would recognize him. And if my godly memory was intact, I think I would. His demeanor, his accent, his facial structure—I have met him before, just not in modern times."

"One of them is immortal, then?" Ara gets even more confused. "Lester, that's impossible. Only gods are immortal..."

"The name Triumvirate..." Apollo rubs his forehead. "The last triumvirate I dealt with included Lepidus, Marc Antony, and my son, the original Octavian. A triumvirate is a very Roman concept... like patriotism, skullduggery, and assassination."

Ara feels uneasy. "You mean these are sovereigns... of what?"

"Again, I do not know. But it seems these men have been plotting against us for a very long time. They funded Luke Castellan's war. They supplied aid to Camp Jupiter when the Romans attacked Camp Half-Blood. And despite those two wars, the Triumvirate is still out there—still plotting. What if this company is the root cause of... well, everything?"

"That is a very troubling thought," Chiron comments as if it needs to be said. "Could three men be so powerful?"

"You've lived long enough to know, my friend. Gods, monsters, Titans... these are always dangerous. But the greatest threat to demigods has always been other demigods. Whoever this Triumvirate is, we must stop them before they take control of the Oracles..."

"Excuse me? Oracles plural?" Rachel questions.

"Ah... didn't I tell you about them when I was a god?"

"No, you did not tell me about them."

"Oh... well, my mortal memory has been faulty, you see. I had to read some books in order to—"

"Oracles. Plural."

"In ancient times," Apollo gives in, "there were many Oracles. Of course Delphi was the most famous, but there were four others of comparable power."

"But those were destroyed ages ago." Chiron points out.

"So I thought. Now I am not so sure. I believe Triumvirate Holdings wants to control all the ancient Oracles. And I believe the most ancient Oracle of all, the Grove of Dodona, is right here at Camp Half-Blood. I also worry," Apollo gives Ara a look. "That they may be planning to take you."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh @ebony-reine-vibes

[j0kers-light]

What about a Indian reader and She and Joker are eating Indian food and it’s jokers first time eating it????🩷

Hey hi anon!! This was buried in my emails (tumblr literally did not show it in my inbox! This dates back to Aug 30th!!!) 🖤✨

I probably have more requests than I think I do if I'm going by my email and not the blog ask box 😭 moving right along..... I'll panic on my own downtime.

Disclaimer: I’m not going to try and attempt to write about a culture I have no knowledge of. I’m so sorry anon in advance! I’m black, not Indian and I do not wish to disrespect your culture if I say something out of turn. I’ll try my best to fill your request but it’ll be surface level. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

I did extensive research to fill this one!

Joker does not care what part of the world you hail from. You can be from Antarctica and he’d still love you. It’s your character that he’s head over heels for.

The way you carry yourself and the way you don’t put up with any of his nonsense. You aren’t afraid of him and you have patience that very few people possess. 

He understands there is a huuuuuge culture difference between the two of you and he will never get in the way of your traditional practices, teachings, etc.

If you do something out of the ordinary, he observes and files that information for a later date. He’s in awe most of the time whenever you introduce him to something and he never judges you. 

When you speak in your native tongue, (I used Hindi here- terribly sorry if the translation is horrendous) Joker is automatically hypnotized with heart eyes and a dopey smile. 👁👄👁 okay?

It sounds so enchanting to his ears and oftentimes he forgets you’re not talking directly to him. 

“Whatever ya say, Bunny.” cue you staring at Joker in confusion since he interrupted your phone call.

“Shh, J! मैं फोन पर बात कर रहा हूं” You could’ve called him an illiterate purple platypus for all he knows, but the idiot just nods along as if he understands. 

Has Joker fallen asleep to the sound of you talking in your native tongue? Yes, and he’ll do it again!

He hides and listens to you and your mother talk on the phone on some mornings when he can't sleep.

Your voice lulls him to sleep right there on the floor. You trip up on his slumbering body but pay him no mind as you start your house chores.

Moving on! He adores your traditional clothes!!

The rich colors, the detailed fabric and textures all come together to transform you into a living, breathing goddess.

You can make a trash bag look like high couture but the first time J saw you in a formal saree with beads and gold jewelry adorning your bronzed skin, his jaw fell to the floor.

He couldn’t think straight as you fixed your hair in the mirror as you prepared to leave. You were going to a wedding, Joker thought you were a deity walking on Earth.

Best believe Joker followed you without your knowledge so he could see the ceremony for himself and he was floored.

Everything was so beautiful and elaborate!! Even if he didn’t understand a single thing, he was inspired to learn. Knowledge is uhhh power.

The man is whipped for you. 👏🏾👏🏾 He studies your culture from top to bottom so he doesn’t accidentally disrespect you and he even tried to learn the language from your region. (Mac and Neo laughed for hours at that failed attempt)

You thought it was sweet but yeah… J does not need to speak your language to love you. (He sounds awful btw)

Joker shows that he cares in other ways. He’s mindful of the little things you do or don’t do and he’s always down to try new things.

Which is why you wanted him to start eating more traditional dishes for dinner. You wanted to start J off with something simple before throwing him into the world of spices and complex flavors. 

Joker ate sugar, junk food, and pre-packaged foods before you waltzed into his life. His knowledge of spices was salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika. Like? What? 🤦🏾‍♀️

It amazed you that men went to war for spices yet limit themselves to such bland food. Bless this Caucasian man. You love Joker, but his taste buds deserved better. 

You started off slow and made a huge serving of samosas for an apartment complex meeting and packed a few in Joker’s to-go bag as an 'accident'.

Joker called you in the middle of the night (still munching on them) asking you what they were. You could hear the crunchy crust over the phone as you padded to the kitchen for a midnight snack.

You found some homemade Kulfi and sucked on it as Joker explained the snack to you. 

It was like a kid discovering their favorite dish. He thanked you over and over for being such a sweet thing and cooking for him.

Up until then, you made sure something American was on the table for him to eat while you ate dishes from your culture. Little did he know that was all gonna change.

Joker notices how you didn’t eat with utensils much and he'd glare at the odd concoctions you passed as food in intrigue. His mild curiosity would end very soon. You set a time and a date to get him to officially try Indian food.

Joker made sure he was home before ten pm and burst through the door, hoping he wasn’t too late for dinner.

“I’m back, pretty girl. Did ya…” He stopped in his tracks when an explosion of aromas smacked him right in the face.

It was coming from the kitchen but it hit him the second he walked into your penthouse. He couldn’t describe what it smelled like, it was simply phenomenal. His stomach growled just off of the scent alone. 

You sent him a text reminding him not to eat anything and to come home with an open mind for dinner. You piqued his interest.

Usually Joker wouldn’t eat dinner with you on the nights he prowled Gotham City. He’d come back to your place around five or six in the morning and warm up whatever you fixed him (your dinner/his breakfast) before crashing. It's how things worked with the clashing work schedules. 

However you begged and pleaded with Joker to call the night early, before it truly began, and come home to eat with you. 

He wasn’t expecting all this. 

You decorated the table with a rounded tray filled with vibrant sauces chutneys, pilled high with some kind of bread, rice, and other mixtures, and aromatic fixings. Joker eyed the candles you lit and was wondering where you were when you emerged from the kitchen with a pitcher of water. 

His eyes softened seeing you in a stunning saree. It was the same one he commented on when you unpacked it from its original boxing. 

Sure it was a little too fancy to be wearing around the house and your mother would scold you if you got it dirty, but you wanted to dress up for Joker. Tonight was special in a way.

“सुस्वाग���” you mumbled but then remembered Joker couldn’t translate. “Welcome home.” You gestured to the spray of food on the table. “I offer you a thali. It's a variety of dishes that represent a balanced diet."

Joker walked over to the table and you trailed behind him, pointing things out as you explained. 

“That’s a mango chutney. We call that dal. Oh that’s murgh mahani." He furrowed his eyes at a bowl. "That’s just rice Joker. I didn’t make it fancy." He laughed and made a comment about the bread looking more fluffier than normal.

"Oh c'mon J, you had my naan before. This one is just garlicky to go with the yogurt.” you finished explaining everything and an awkward silence fell over you both.

Joker nodded to himself but he didn’t say much else. It was a lot to take in and you picked up his reserved demeanor. 

“If it's too much, I can defrost some samosas that you like or we can order take-out or or..”

You were rambling. A habit of yours that he loved to pieces. Joker didn’t know why you were so nervous but he smirked before leaning down and kissing you speechless. You rested your hand on his chest and blinked in confusion when he backed away and sat down at the low table you set up instead of the normal western dining table. 

You really went all out for this so he'd try to have an open mind here.

“Is there a uhh order, I gotta eat this in?” He asked. There were so many individual bowls before him and he finally noticed the entire spread was atop a banana leaf of some sorts.

This was too cool, he felt like a seasoned traveler being honored at the elder's table. If only the native would participate.... you thought.

He took his eyes off the food to find your hesitant e/c gaze. You were still standing in that gorgeous gown of yours. He’d appreciate that later tonight… but for now.. he was rather hungry for actual food.

“Well Bunny? Can I just dive in orrr whaT?” Joker clicked his tongue and you blinked out of your fog.

You managed to hear what he said and laughed to yourself before joining him on the floor.

Why were you so bent out of shape over finally embracing your culture with Joker? This man would accept anything you offered and he would never turn down food if you made it. Being accepted was a new concept to you so yeah you got emotional.

You dabbed at your lash line for any stray tears and clapped your hands together.

“Yes! There’s an order, J. Thali is all balanced. Here, I’ll help you. You are only to eat with the fingers of your right hand. Okay?” You demonstrated by scooping up some rice with a bite of vegetables.

You brought it to his mouth and he kept eye contact with you as he opened his mouth for the morsel.

Joker groaned, causing you to blush. Your fingers brushed his lips as you leaned back. "D-Do you like it?"

Like it? This was just the beginning of a long course and it already tasted better than anything he'd eaten in Gotham! (Excluding your cooking of course) And you made this as a side dish!? Nah, he loved it.

Green eyes bore into your soul, "I want more."