#can i be funny and say i hope its permanent?

[in-stitchesx]

I can't make text posts because when I'm upset I only speak like Shakespeare sorry

[kordbot]

I kept hearing that the hopeful is sooo hard and difficult and like. bug fables was harder </3

[whokilledsamara]

my REAL hear me out character is Mr.huge face 😵‍💫 trust me bro I can take it hj

so I am here to very humbly beg for some NFSW hcs for him with a fem!reader first time requesting hehe

thank uuu xoxo 💕💕

MR. HUGEFACE NSFW HCS

a Mr. Hugeface x afab!reader hc list. {only did nsfw this time per request ;)}

warnings || smut, HUGE size difference, cunnilingus, dub-con, blood play, violence, etc

{an: OMGGMGM i have a few requests of him in drafts that are actual FICS so im gonna go ahead and publish these so yall have food quicker.... he might be growing on me guys... no pun intended..}

penetrating sex with him is borderline impossible. unless you want a fucked up pussy, its not recommended. {he would say otherwise..}

though, one of his pinkies may be able to slide in. the small chance you are able to fit it that is.

most of the time, in your permanent environment with him- sex consists of him tongue fucking you while he ruts into his hand.

very few times will you actually see his appendage though,,,

his favorite position is you on all fours in his hand {anime reference....} while he uses his tongue to pleasure you to the best of his abilities.

his tongue is that of a human one, just absolutely ginormous in size comparison- making a single lick cover your entire lower half.

he cant precisely hit your clit, its more like a general area. of course it gets you off though- very quickly in fact.

it wouldnt take much, but if you are able to convince him to let you see his actual dick in all of its glory- take it to your advantage. the time will be short, and the size comparison will be HUGE.

usually when he makes himself cum, he likes to aim it for your cunt- since he cant actually fit inside of you. he enjoys using his pinky to shove it in, hence the name "breeding"

he sees you as a mere play thing. he has feelings of course, but other than sex it would take quite a while to actually develop some kind of relationship with him.

he enjoys seeing you in pain. watching you write around as he stuffs you with his finger, let alone watching the blood leak out- really does something for him.

when he cums, goodness gracious its a lot. it covers almost your entire torso if not completely.

expect to have a collar on almost constantly. you are his "pet" after all. its funny watching him tug at it with his fingers.

i cant think of more rn,,, its late,, AUGH im sorry!!! hope you enjoyed ♡

{ made by @whokilledsamara }

[mayaree-darling]

Water... Connoisseur?// Neuvillette

synopsis: Neuvillette shares his love for water tasting with the Creator (ft. Paimon and the Traveler)

from aree: this was supposed to be a short funny little thing but as always i can’t keep my mouth shut and now this is 17 pages long

content: Creator!Reader; smol spoiler(?) for and inspired by Neuvillette's story quest and profile/voice over; Reader and the Traveler (and Paimon) have Siblings Energy; I headcanon that the Traveler can see their inventory the way us players can; Pure Crack; Probably OOC Neuvillette

fic length: ~5.3k 

You are the Creator of Teyvat, spending time with the Traveler, Paimon, and Neuvillette. At one point, the Iudex offers for the four of you to take a break in his office and he'll fetch you some refreshments. Almost immediately, you see from the corner of your eye the Traveler and Paimon stutter out that they'll get the drinks themselves, but it's too late. You didn't see what was wrong with Neuvillette offering something to drink - if anything, you're curious to know what kind of drink he'd prepare for his guests. This was your first time tasting what Fontaine had to offer. So you let him go. 

When Neuvillette leaves the room, the traveling duo beside you share a heavy sigh. You turn to them and ask what's wrong. They share a meaningful look. You'll see, they say.

Eventually, Neuvillette comes back rolling a small food trolley in front of him. On top are four silver pitchers and four goblets. Paimon sheepishly laughs, "Here we go."

You step forward - because it's clear to you Traveler and Paimon have no plans on taking initiative - and Neuvillette motions to the pitchers. 

"Each one is from a different nation. I hope that you'll find at least one of them to your tastes, Your Grace. I assure you they are all of high quality, although I have no doubt of it since they are a part of your creation, after all. Personally, I can't say I favor one over the other. I find each one particularly special in its own way, so I must apologize if I cannot give you a recommendation." 

You frown. You... made them? You don't remember something about creating a drink for each nation. Was this a recipe from your old life that only a dragon sovereign could remember? The Traveler clears their throat and mumbles something under their breath. You turn to them questioningly and you watch bemused as their mouth ticks up at the corners.

"It's water." The Traveler looks at everything in the room before their eyes land on you.

You blink. "Excuse me?"

"Haha.. It's just water... The drinks..." If Paimon was standing on solid ground, you think she would be bouncing on the balls of her feet, her arms behind her. When she meets your eyes, she lets out a sheepish laugh. "That's what Neuvillette means by they're from every nation. They're... spring water from different places."

You slowly look at the Traveler and Paimon in turn, hoping for a deeper explanation or for them to tell you they were pulling your leg, but both of them refuse to look you in the eye. Your mouth is opened to a permanent gasp of understanding as you turn back to the food trolley in front of you.

Oh...

"Is there something wrong, Your Grace?" You almost regret looking at Neuvillette. Although he doesn't usually show his emotions, it's almost like he can't help but show you how dejected he looks. To put it simply, it felt like you kicked an otter to the curb, sad puppy eyes and everything. You half expect it to start raining outside that instant. "I can arrange for the Melusine to make something else, if you'd like. I'm sure they'd be honored to -"

"NO! No. It's okay. It's fine, Neuvillette. Thank you for the offer, but it's fine." You shoot a frown at the duo, who have taken to plastering themselves on one of the many sofas in the room, intent on letting you handle the water situation. You breathe in and take a step forward, taking one of the goblets. "You said each one is special, right? I'm sure they'll taste... nice..."

You pointedly ignore the Traveler as they grumble once more (you pretend you didn't just hear Paimon say "no it won't"). You look at each of the pitchers and pretend to be thinking hard about your choice. It's kind of hard to make a choice now that you know they're all just water. Your only saving grace is you know where they came from.

"I think I'll start off with... Sumeru!" Neuvillette all but beams at your decision and picks up the selected pitcher. You're glad he did because you didn't know which was which. You pray to Nahida that you didn't make a bad choice (the God of Wisdom has yet to fail you since your descent and you hope that she has your back this time, too.) Holding out your goblet, you watch as Neuvillette fills the cup half way, almost hoping there's a telltale sign of a difference (or it's a different drink altogether).

It's just water.

"A wonderful choice, Your Grace. This particular water comes from Apam Woods of Sumeru. You'll find the taste to be rich and complex. Despite usually having to take the time to savor it to fully appreciate it, I'm sure Your Grace will have no problem distinguishing its special flavor, which is unlike any other."

Did he have to put the pressure on you like that? 

You laugh sheepishly as you fight to give Neuvillette your best thankful smile. Taking back the goblet, you stare at your drink, deciding your best bet was to examine it if you were going to "savor" it. Maybe it was a different color? No, it's still translucent in nature. Swirling it a few times, it doesn't appear to have a thicker viscosity as it sloshes around your cup. As for the smell it was- 

Wait. Huh?

"It's fragrant," you mumble. Only when you hear yourself clearly do you realize the room is silent. Looking up, you see Neuvillette staring at you, and behind you, even the Traveler and Paimon have taken an interest in your exchange. All eyes are trained on you, watching your reaction. You look back to Neuvillette as he lets out a hum.

"It's... fragrant? I must say, even I have never thought to discern its smell. For a moment, please," Neuvillette steps forward and takes a goblet for himself, pouring water from the same pitcher. He pulls the goblet up to his nose. "Hmm. As I thought. It seems I am unable to smell this fragrance you speak of. How interesting."

"Wait. If you can smell it..." You turn to Paimon as she looks at the Traveler. When they look at you, their eyes are expectant.

Surely, you can...?

Looking at Neuvillette, he gives you an encouraging nod. You raise the goblet to your lips and take a tentative sip. And then another. And then... another? You lower the goblet, and then turn to the Traveler.

"It tastes like flowers." You know you and the Traveler share the same incredulous look. You can just feel the disbelief and confusion pulling at your face. Looking at Paimon, she's just as confused, head in her little hands. "When I focus on it, it's floral. Kind of like... tea? Like herbal tea, just less strong. It could even be perfume."

"Marvelous," you look at Neuvillette, and it's clear to you he does not sense the growing bewilderment you and the other two are going through. He smiles at you softly, and you don't have the heart to tell him that water isn't supposed to have a flavor. "I don't seem to recall anyone else sharing my taste for water. But I must say - even I am unable to perfectly put a name or a description to the flavor I experience. It's almost always a feeling."

"WAIT! Waitwaitwaitwait! I wanna try, too!" Paimon rushes to your side and takes your goblet in her hands, ready to drink it. You hear Neuvillette clear his throat and turn to him as he fills the other two goblets with Sumeru water. Paimon lets go of your goblet and goes to take one for herself. You see the Traveller stand up and grab one too. "Is it different from the one we had before? Wait, but it's from the Apam Woods, too..."

The Traveler and Paimon take a big gulp at the same time, licking their lips and savoring the taste before eventually they click their tongues in unison.

"Nope." The Traveler laughs, almost amused and defeated at the same time.

"Nothing's different. It's the same water as last time!" Paimon stomps her little feet in the air. "Are you pulling Paimon's leg?"

"Of course not. However, I am curious. If it is fine with Your Grace, I would love to hear more about what you can taste," If you were honest, you didn't want any more of the spotlight on you - being the Creator, you've had enough of that. But Neuvillette seemed so happy in the moment you couldn't possibly refuse him. 

"Well, besides smelling and tasting like flowers," you take a sip, letting it roll on your tongue. "It also has this sort of herby aftertaste? But only when I focus on it. Kind of like basils? Or rosemary? I can't tell you for sure what kind, but it kind of tastes like that."

When you turn back to them, you're surprised to see Neuvillette looking at you in confusion. Did you say something wrong?

"He doesn't know what those are, dummy," The Traveler sighs. You watch as they take a metal shaker out from their inventory and start preparing a drink of their own. Paimon watches on, excited of drinking something that wasn't just water. "They don't have those here in Teyvat, remember?"

"Traveler, I implore you to watch your words. Was it necessary to call Your Grace as such?" Neuvillette frowns. 

The Traveler shrugs and you both share a secretive smile. "They prefer that over 'Your Grace', though."

Neuvillette turns to you with concern. "Is-is that true, Your Grace? Why would you prefer that name? I can't quite say I agree with that decision but- "

"It's fine, Neuvillette. I forgot you didn't know any of those herbs, so I'm sorry for that. Just know the water tastes like it has a bit of herbs or spice to it." You shake your head with a laugh, thinking of a way to change the subject. "Anyway, can I taste the other ones?"

Neuvillette almost visibly lights up at that and takes another of the pitchers, filling your emptied goblet with more water.

"This one is from Inazuma's Konda Village. For its mouthfeel, I find it quite placid." Neuvillette looks at you expectantly. You're reminded again of a puppy, or in his case, an otter. A very cute otter. As you put the goblet to your lips, you have half a mind to gift him a seashell.

You take a sip and almost immediately spit it out. In an instant, Neuvillette is by your side, throwing the goblet halfway across the room. Before you realize it, you're in his arms and he has half a mind to bolt out the room to get you to a healer until you stop him.

"WAIT! Wait, Neuvi, just calm down-" you descend into a coughing fit.

"Your Grace! What's wrong? Is it poison? Were you poisoned?! Oh no, Paimon can't look-" 

"That's preposterous. I prepared the drinks myself," he says that, but Neuvillette talks like he's suddenly doubting himself. 

"You sure you don't need to get healed?" the Traveler frowns in concern, turning your face this way and that, looking for signs of poisoning.

You shake your head again and swallow down another cough, clearing your throat. "No, no, I don't need a healer. I wasn't poisoned. I just wasn't expecting to suddenly take a shot of sparkling water." 

The Traveler blinks, there's a pause as it sinks in, and suddenly they stand up and head back to the food trolley. They pick up the shaker they unceremoniously left when everyone panicked and resumed making their drink.

"Traveler, are you gonna make medicine for the Creator?" Paimon floats around you in concern. 

"You guys can stop panicking. They're not gonna die," the Traveler sighs and looks at you with a face that can only be described as 'Are you for reals.' "I think they were just surprised with how the water tasted."

You motion for Neuvillette to let you down, which he does albeit very hesitantly. You merely laugh at the concern on his face and give him a pat on the back to reassure him that no, the Creator was not going to die on his watch just because of a bad drink of water. 

The Iudex frowns hard looking at the pitcher of Inazuman water. "You called it... sparkling water? Pardon me if I'm wrong, but am I to assume water from Inazuma has different visual properties? Does Your Grace see something we are unable to? And if so, does this difference have an effect on the taste?" 

You shake your head again for what seemed like the thousandth time, before you stop and think about it for a second. You head to the food trolley and pick up Paimon's empty cup. Pouring Inazuman water from the pitcher, you watch as normal looking water fills the goblet. The normal fizzle of bubbles you expect from a carbonated drink is not present, even as you swirl it around. 

Before Neuvillette can stop you, you take a sip of it again. You hear him stifle a gasp. His hand is on your shoulder, ready to bring you to Sigewinne at record speed if needed. But you weren't mistaken - it really does taste like sparkling water. Weird. You turn to Neuvillette and try to look as reassuring as possible.

"So, back from... where I came from, we have this drink called sparkling water. It's not that it was particularly, uh, sparkly, but it did have a lot of bubbles. The water from Inazuma here looks like regular water, but it does feel like sparkling water in your mouth," you explain slowly. The look of doubt doesn't leave Neuvillete's face. "It's also not deadly for us, just like how this water isn't. I mean, you like drinking it, right? That means it's fine for consumption." 

He visibly eases up at your words. He reluctantly lets go of your shoulder with a shaky exhale. You kinda feel bad for making him so worried. Eventually, you watch as he calms down from the panic earlier and suddenly he's back to his stoic self, unable to resist his interest in your water tasting experience.

"So this so-called sparkling water... what does it feel like? May you explain? I'm afraid I cannot quite imagine it." Neuvillette looks to be deep in thought and you laugh softly. He really was into water tasting. 

"Oh? Paimon thinks Mondstadt has something similar."

The Traveler pauses from taking a sip of their new drink - Boreal Watch, you remember it's called - before opening their inventory. They scroll through a list of ingredients before taking out a single bottle. The bubbling liquid is a familiar sight. "They call it Fizzy Water. I used it to make drinks at Angel's Share once. Feel free to drink this, Monsieur Neuvillette. Master Diluc gave it as a freebie."

Neuvillette takes the bottle with a nod of thanks. He examines the packaging for a moment, pops the bottle open and takes a swig. There's a pregnant pause before he turns his back to you, takes his goblet and spits out the drink into it out of your line of sight. The three of you don't have to look at each other to know the expression the others have; Paimon sounds like she's close to tears from holding in her laughter. 

When Neuvillette turns to you again, you give him a small smile, ready to comfort him, before he drops to his knee in front of you. You try to pull him up by his arms but he just holds on to your hands.

"Your Grace, please allow me to apologize for making you go through that."

"H-hey, I didn't mind you literally spitting it out, come on now, I basically did the same thing if not worse-"

"No. Not that, Your Grace. I also apologize for that, yes, but I refused to swallow that drink down no matter the cost." He's staring at you dead in the eyes and he looked so serious it was unnerving. "I'm apologizing for letting you drink the water from Inazuma. Had I known that is what you would experience, I would have skipped offering it to you as a refreshment." 

"Please stand up. Don't worry about it. It's not that big of a deal," you pull on his arms again and he doesn't resist, standing back up. "I told you it's a normal drink from where I'm from, right? I was just shocked because I wasn't expecting it."

"Do you mean..." Neuvillette visibly cringes, much to your amusement. "People from your old land... like? To drink it? How... eccentric."

"So do those from Mondstadt, Monsieur Neuvillette," you turn to the Traveler in disbelief that they'd say that right now, but all they give you back is a devious grin peeking from atop their cup as they take another sip. "Dawning Dew was a bestseller."

Paimon clears her throat as she collects herself. "It's kind of funny that Neuvillette can't feel the fizziness when he's drinking? He said that he can feel what he drinks, not taste it. Paimon wonders what's up with that."

"What's Konda Village water like for you, again?" you hum.

"If I had to put a word to it," Neuvillette thought about it for a second. "Placid."

"Placid? That's one way to describe something." Paimon shrugs. 

"Yes, that was how I would have described it," Neuvillette shoots a glare at the bottle of Fizzy Water and another concerned look at you. "After current events, I can't quite say the same."

Paimon was right, though. Placid was definitely a different way of describing things. Placid meant... calm? Or tranquil? You definitely didn't think that's how you'd describe Inazuma. Wait, Inazuma? And that feeling of sparkling water...

"Is it possible... You think it's 'placid'... because your mouth has gone numb?" you gape at Neuvillette.

He stares back at you blankly. The silence in the room is deafening. 

“Maybe… don’t drink that for a while. Not until you’re ready again,” you offer.

“Agreed.” Neuvillette nods stiffly. 

“Alright!” you clap your hands and turn back to the food trolley. “What’s next?” 

To your surprise, Neuvillette’s hand wraps around your wrist as you manage to grasp the next pitcher's handle. He looks just as surprised as you do that he’s holding on to you. 

“Neuvi…llette?” you blink at him.

“Forgive me, Your Grace,” he lets go like he was burned, but he doesn’t exactly move away. “But we can stop here if you so wish.” 

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean to say is,” Neuvillette coughs into his fist, thinking hard about his next words. “Although I wish to learn more about the different tastes Your Grace can experience, I must admit I am unable to guide you nor accompany you in your journey, per say. Should there be something wrong with the following water samples, I can only watch and listen like the others, but not help until much later.”

You nod slowly. 

“It means he’s concerned, dummy,” a voice calls out from behind you and you roll your eyes.

“Yeah, I kind of got that, thanks for the heads up,” you groan.

“If I am honest,” Neuvillette’s voice is soft, you’d even be confident to say it’s like he only wants you to hear. “I feel like a scientist watching my latest test subject. Fascinated, and yet should a problem arise, useless.”

“Hey, don’t say that,” you frown at him, but the expression easily slides off your face when he faces you (damn those sad otter eyes). Eventually, you offer him a soft smile. “If I really considered this as life threatening as you think, I would have stopped after the first pitcher. But I’m genuinely having fun, alright? So don’t worry too much about it.”

He doesn’t look quite convinced. You have been telling him to calm down a lot this entire time. When he opens his mouth to dissuade you, you beat him to it.

“I should thank you, you know.”

“Excuse me?” Neuvillette gapes at you. “I almost rushed you to a healer just a moment ago, Your Grace. I have done nothing to earn your gratitude.”

“That’s the thing, though, thank you for taking care of me this entire time, Neuvillette. You’ve been looking out for me every time we’re together, so thank you,” without thinking it over, you close the distance between you two and hug him. When you pull away, he’s intent on not looking you in the eye. “Thank you also for introducing me to water tasting. Never thought the day would come but here we are. It really is quite fun.”

“I see…” Neuvillette says, before abruptly turning around, giving you a clear view of his reddened ears. “Pardon me for a moment, Your Grace. I just… need to recollect for a moment.” 

Before you can say anything else, he leaves your side and goes to get your goblet he threw earlier in a panic. He kneels down and picks it up, but instead of heading back towards you, he just sort of holds it, turning it around in his hand mindlessly. You watch, jaw slightly open, until you feel a presence behind you. 

“I think you broke him.” 

You turn to the Traveler with concern. “Yeah I think so, too, should I be worried?” 

You both turn to Neuvillette, seeing he’s still busy with his goblet, before looking back to each other.

“I bet 500 mora he’ll go back to normal if you make yourself another drink.” 

“It’s not really a bet if we agree on the same thing, though?” 

You clear your throat, hoping to catch Neuvillette’s attention as you turn to Paimon. “Paimon, mind if I borrow your cup for now? We can share if you need it.”

“No, that’s okay. Paimon’s had enough of water. Paimon will share with the Traveler!” Almost on cue, the Traveler offers their drink to Paimon. 

The moment you lift the next pitcher, Neuvillette is by your side in an instant, your goblet and his safely set aside for washing later. “May I do the honors, Your Grace?” 

You offer your goblet as he holds up the pitcher. He pauses.

“Promise me we’ll stop if things get… awry.”

You smile. “You said it yourself, right? This is water prepared by the Iudex himself and made by the Creator themselves. I don’t doubt for a second that it’s not safe.” 

Neuvillette shares your smile softly before pouring the water into your goblet. Third time’s the charm, right? You take a sip and… raise an eyebrow.

“It’s salty. Huh.” you take another sip. “Sort of metallic, too. That’s pretty close to the same thing but, yeah, I’d say it’s rather salty.”

“Salty? That’s quite strange.” Neuvillette double checks that he’s holding the right pitcher. “This water is from Liyue, particularly from Qingce Village. I know of the water from Liyue to have an enduring aftertaste, but I must say I was not expecting it to be salty.”

“Me, too; for Liyue I was kind of expecting it to have an earthy kind of taste. Whatever that tastes like, I don’t know, but I was ready for anything besides this,” you take another sip. “Can’t say it’s all that bad, though. I feel like I’m at a beach.”

“Only if you’re actively drinking the sea water.” 

You don’t even bother looking behind you. “I said it ‘felt’ like. I didn’t say ‘taste’ like. Get your facts straight.”

Looking up at Neuvillette, you realize he’s only watching your reactions. He smiles softly when he finds your attention on him. Not wanting to be the only one “enjoying” the drink, you offer your goblet to him. He looks at you, slightly alarmed, but when you make no move to take the goblet back, he reluctantly takes it. He turns away from you as he drinks. 

You hear the Traveler clear their throat behind you. When you go to look, their eyebrows are raised at you. They look to Neuvillette and then to you before scoffing. Oh… was it that intimate an action?

“A-anyway,” you clear your throat as Neuvillette hands the goblet back to you. There’s a small pleased smile on his face. “What do you think of when you drink water from Liyue?” 

“For me,” Neuvillette closes his eyes for a few seconds, careful of what to say next. “I always thought it had a poignant touch to it.”

“Poignant?” What did you think of when you thought of poignant? Swirling the water around your cup, you recall a story quest. Liyue, salt, and water are key factors in its plot. A sad smile overtakes your features. “Ah. Yes, I guess poignant would be a good word for that. Salty is the right word, too.”

Neuvillette tilts his head to the side at your sudden change in demeanor. “Your Grace?”

“It’s nothing. Just thought I’d visit an old friend sometime.” you tilt your head back as you down the rest of the cup. “Anyways, I think I need something else to wash that off.” 

“Ah, yes. I suppose that does come with consuming salty foods.” Neuvillette nods. “Would you like a different drink? Something aside from water, I mean.”

“Actually, water is good for washing off salt, so I thought I’d ask for more water.”

He holds up the last silver pitcher. “We have Mondstadt left, if you would like to give it a try right now.”

“How would you describe it?” you ask, but you’re already holding out your goblet.

“This particular batch is from Cider Lake.” Neuvillette fills your goblet a little more than usual, most likely to fully cleanse the salt from your palate. “Besides having a crisp and clear feel, I also find that it warms the heart.”

“Oh, wow, guess Venti’s got it nice going for him,” you lift the goblet to your lips and drink.

“I’d be bold enough to say it’s the only thing nice going for him.”

You almost spit out your drink for the second time this day. You turn to look at the Traveler, but they’re busy having a debate with Paimon. That means that the person who said that was-

Neuvillette takes the goblet from your hands and drinks. When you look at him, jaw hanging open still from disbelief, you watch as the corners of his mouth tick up.

“Are you allowed to say that?” you whisper. The Traveler and Paimon don’t seem to have heard, but you sure as hell did.

“I just did, did I not?” He offers a small smile that borders on innocent if it wasn’t so conspiratorial. “I have faith that the Creator will not spread rumors about me, I hope.”

You don’t know if you’d still call it a rumor when he so blatantly did it in front of you, but you end up laughing. You put both hands up as a show of surrender. No way in hell were you telling on the dragon sovereign of Fontaine.

“So, as for our final drink,” Neuvillette offers the goblet back. “What do you make of water from Mondstadt?”

You make a show of finishing the cup all in one go. “Out of all the ones we tasted, I think this has got to be my favorite so far.” 

“Oh? Is it that good?” Neuvillette watches you keenly, awaiting for more details. 

“Yep. It tastes like water.”

Neuvillette chuckles softly, but when you simply offer him a smile, his smile drops. “You… are not joking?”

“Nah. It’s exactly as you say - it’s crisp and clean. It’s how water tasted like back from my world,” you hum in delight. “It doesn’t remind me of anything else but the pure taste of water. Can’t put my finger on whether it’s distilled, mineral, or tap water, all I know is that it’s water for me.” 

“Hmm. Although I want to say it’s rather an anticlimactic ending, I can’t say so. I leave today with the knowledge that there is still a water sample we can similarly taste.” Neuvillette smiles to himself once more. “But that’s enough of that. I believe I’ve put you through enough for today, Your Grace. Thank you for entertaining me and my hobbies.”

“I had fun! Make sure to call me next time you get a new sample, I’d love to have a taste.” You beam at him.

Neuvillette stares at you for a moment - was he waiting for you to tell him it was just a joke? Sure seemed like it - before his smile was back, relieved. You can almost see his little otter tail waving around. “Of course. I already look forward to it.” 

“Are you done now?” 

You take a step back as Paimon suddenly steps into the middle. Her little frown does little to make you feel bad. If anything, it has the opposite effect and you laugh. Her frown deepens at you as you rub her little head. 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re done. We can get a meal now.”

“Woohoo! We're getting meals, plural. Where are we going to eat? Paimon wants some Fontainian Foie Gras!” you follow the fairy as she heads out the door, excited for the prospect of food. And then you pause as you remember.

“Ah, wait. Before we leave. Just one more thing.”

You head back to the food trolley and grab Paimon’s goblet. You make a beeline for a corner in Neuvillette’s office. You noticed earlier there was a small drinking fountain. Gathering enough water into your cup, you take a sip. You turn to Neuvillette.

“Oh my gosh, it’s sweet.”

＝＝✿＝＝｜✧••❀••✧｜＝＝✿＝＝ 

❀BONUS❀

The Traveler and Paimon share an exasperated sigh for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past week. Ever since the water tasting incident, the Creator and Neuvillette have taken to going around Teyvat, trying out different waters straight from the spring of each nation. 

"Why do we have to visit each nation? Paimon thought you could just have them delivered straight to your office!" Paimon leans on the Traveler's head, tired from floating around so much. 

"Appreciating the nation from which the drink came from is part of the experience, Paimon." Neuvillette swirls the water in his goblet, offering it to the floating fairy, who only takes a look at it before cringing away.

The Traveler and Paimon share another look. They know he just likes the opportunity to bond with the Creator over their appreciation of water.

"Are we going back home after this?" Paimon groans.

"I can make you some Sticky Honey Roast if you guide us to Snezhnaya?" You take another sip from your goblet, one made from pure magical ore.

("Your Grace deserves only the finest things, even if it's only dinnerware and the likes," said Neuvillette. "I may also add that a traveling merchant said that drinking from a crystal goblet highlights the taste of the refreshment, as it is free from the taste of metal usually found in a standard cup." You don't mention that you notice he has a matching goblet, right next to a pile of books on his desk. Embedded on it is a familiar seashell.)

In an instant, Paimon is by your side, eyes glittering with determination. "If you cook three Sticky Honey Roasts for Paimon, Paimon can take you to Kh'aenriah."

You lower your goblet and hold out a hand. "Two. And I'll throw in a Squirrel Fish if you find a lake where we can drink from."

"Deal." Paimon takes your hand and you shake on it.

The Traveller flops to the ground and sighs.

They knew they were going to be the one to look for that lake.

✨ Masterlist ✨

Taglist: 💛@wonpielle 💜@shikanosn

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine and belong to their respective creators. Their portrayal is merely my own interpretation of them and may not be accurate to their intended characterization. I stake no claim to the original works, only to the ideas and plot of the fictitious stories I’ve written them into.

[daenysx]

Could i request modern!aemond conforting his wife who just had the baby and is super tired and him taking care of the baby at dawn and making her sleep🥺

i wrote the tiniest piece for this for the sad girl sleepover, here's a little longer version. i hope you enjoy <3

modern!aemond targaryen x fem!reader

aemond's arm is carefully wrapped around you. for the past weeks it was difficult to sleep together, ever since you had your baby. now, it's slightly easier, and he's always cautious to not hurt you.

your muscles gave up completely after you nursed baby alyssa at night. she seemed peaceful enough when aemond put her on her tiny bed, it stays next to yours. you know aemond always wakes up to check on her, that makes your sleep better. you put your head on his shoulder in a weird angle but it's enough to feel him.

when the sun blinks its first light into the room, aemond stirs. he's used to waking up the moment he opens his eye, he doesn't bother to try sleeping again. like a shadow in your arms, he moves quietly, not letting you realize he's leaving the bed.

the first thing to do is looking at the cradle. alyssa's still sleeping, that gives him time to go to bathroom and maybe make some coffee. he stares at her for a few seconds. being a father is a tricky thing. he thinks he can burn down the entire world just to keep her warm. he can be a fucking poet if that's what it takes. anything to keep the heavy emotions out of his chest.

he walks to the kitchen after bathroom, the morning chill is cool against his bare chest. he makes a cup of coffee silently, opens the giant window of living room to get some air inside.

"aemond?" a sleepy voice calls for him. you walk to the window, he's already wrapping an arm around you. "why did you wake up so early? she's still sleeping."

he answers with a kiss on your forehead. "it's okay." he says. "how are you feeling?"

"i'm fine." you say. "sleepy."

aemond holds you in his arms for a selfish minute. your sleepy head drops on his shoulder, his hand goes to your head to stroke your hair. "go back to sleep. i can take care of her if she wakes up." he says, giving you a convincing kiss on your forehead.

"but you need to wake me up if she's hungry."

"i will." aemond promises. he almost carries you to warm bed, rubbing your back to help you fall asleep again.

when you're finally sound asleep, he sits on the edge of the bed. from this angle he can see alyssa, her pretty face and tiny fists. she's a perfect baby, and he's not saying that just because she's his. he is getting wrapped around her finger pretty fast, faster than he thinks.

she's a peaceful baby, content to be in her bed. when she blinks her giant baby eyes open, aemond gives her an easy smile. she holds onto his pinky, moving her tiny arm as sleep starts leaving her. it's always funny to watch a baby trying to stretch, and she's just so little, not even a month old. she doesn't know what to do with her body. aemond holds her hand, lets her stay in bed a little longer.

"morning, beautiful." he says. the smile becomes permanent on his lips.

alyssa tries to lift her arms. her fingers move, she wants to be lifted. aemond takes her in his arms carefully, minding her head just how his mother showed him. she's so warm, he walks around the house a little bit to distract her.

she's not hungry yet, he thinks, only a bit restless when she just woke up. you can sleep a little longer, aemond will keep her occupied with words she doesn't understand. the tone of his voice helps, though. alyssa stays tucked on her father's chest.

their final stop is the bed you sleep in. aemond lays next to you with his baby on his chest, moving slowly to let you keep resting. "we gotta be quiet." he whispers to alyssa as if she knows what he's talking about. "we'll let mommy sleep, okay? okay, pretty girl."

they spend the early morning like this. alyssa seems happy to be on his chest, he's more than happy to keep her there. you blink your eyes open to both of them watching you. it's a nice sight to wake up. aemond supports your back as you try to sit up to greet your baby.

[eve-1xx]

eves payjay ramblings on inanimate insanity season 2 episode 16 . obvious spoiler warning for below

even in their smallest interactions , the socalled "silly" ones played off as jokes , you can see paper genuinely upset at how dismissive oj can be of him .

take this scene for example , paper is so happy to share his adorable acronym for the Hotel OJ Party (H.O.P , going by papers not so accurate acronym that was argued over several times in the livestream , loved that reference)

after knife says it would be "H.O.J.P" rather than hop , oj goes ahead and goes all "i TOLD YOU SO" about how the acronym was a stretch

while this is played off as a funny joke , paper is seen to be legitamately hurt by this , asking why he couldnt just go with it

in the background they can be seen having a conversation

however this conversation is very one-sided , as while it keeps jumpcutting between suitcase and nickel + balloon , oj is the only one talking the entire time as paper just stands there and listens to him

[EDIT :] i realized a day late that once we DO see paper getting a word in in the conversation , oj looks uninterested and doesnt look like hes listening all that much .

in this scene when oj is stroking his fat orangey ego again by trying to make the party hats paper has been working on all day meant for the guests look like him , paper "snaps" (i dont have a good word english is not my first language) at him about how he always makes it about himself

we can see how much this hurts paper by the fact he is jealous of the fact oj was in a lawsuit . something you usually wouldnt wish upon yourself

after telling oj all of this , hoping just maybe his (very really insanely platonic) best friend of several years would actually own up , apologize and reassure him .. he just . stands there

but you can see in ojs expression , he DOES feel bad . its not like hes a neglectful demon or something , paper is still his (very really insanely platonic) best friend , but he doesnt say anything

nor does he get the chance to before his time is cut short .

and even after all of that . it had been several minutes , maybe even over 10 since he was "killed" (i refuse to believe they are permanently dead and oj wont be back) , with other hotel residents succumbing to the same fate and everyone running around screaming and panicking

hes still stuck by the inanimate corpse of oj , just staring in disbelief

[transmascaraa]

hi its 🍓 anon, can I request comfort with Gaming, Bennett, Scaramouche, Cyno, and Tighnari?

I accidentally hurt my cat's leg maybe like 20 minutes ago from when this is in your inbox but I've honestly just been crying and curling up on the ground where she's laying underneath my desk. I feel awful even though it's an accident ☹️

I'm hoping she's okay and it's not bad but I'm scared I permanently gave her a limp or that she will hate me and no longer want to be around me anymore

multiple characters headcannons!

you accidentally hurt your pet.

characters: gaming, bennett, wanderer, cyno, tighnari x gn!reader

author's note: hi 🍓anon i'm sorry i'm doing this req so late but writer's block is there for some reason🤷‍♂️ I HOPE YOUR CAT IS OKAY NOW THO AND THAT SHE STILL LOVES YOU IK HOW IT IS😭 anyways i decided to write this cuz i was bored lmfao enjoyyyy🔥🔥

♡ Gaming

-definetly gets worried after he sees you on the ground crying like that.

-"no... my love, what's wrong? you can talk to me, okay?"

-all while the pet was in the corner of the room, unphased.

-if left the room soon enough, but that was unnoticed by gaming.

-after you did your best at explaining the situation to him, he understood what you meant.

-a bit confused as to why were you thag worried about it, but he reassured you that your pet was fine and that they most probably forgive you.

-he's going to cuddle the pet with you to help you "apologize" to it.

-with gaming there, your pet will forget about what happened and just cuddle with the two of you there like nothing ever happened<3

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

⑅ Bennett

-now, he's hurt a fair share of animals in his life due to his unluckiness.

-and he always feels really bad for them afterwards, so he would understand after you vent to him about it.

-"hmm... yeah... i get it.."

-but him, knowing that you're not as unlucky as he is, he reassures you that your pet is okay and still loves you.

-he'll prove it to you too.

-but first he would first make you take your mind off of it for a bit.

-and then feed the pet together as some parents to their 3yo child.

-now, speaking of him proving it to you, he'll just let you pet it and let it slowly lean into your gentle caressing of it.

-the only time he was lucky in his life was when he got to be with you.

-you just looked to precious being happy that your pet has forgiven you.

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

✧ Wanderer

-he just doesn't get it.

-why the hell are you rolling on the floor, crying, because you THINK you hurt your pet?

-"but are you sure you've actually hurt it? y'know, if you actually did, then its anger is justified-"

-until you started crying more.

-"b-but you probably didn't. so don't worry. you'll be fine, just like that like creature you call your pet."

-i mean you stopped crying so it was something????

-you'll have to beg him to cuddle you w your pet but eventually you'll convince him.

-the funny part was the fact that the pet was just more fond of wanderer, rather than you, despite forgiving you for anything and everything.

-for some unknown reasons, all animals like him, really.

-(if your pet is an aranara in some type of this teyvat au then it's even cuter)

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

๑ Cyno

-he doesn't react much, really.

-not like alhaitham, but just more of his canon personality when he's not making dad jokes.

-i mean if anything, he's confused, but yeah.

-he just stares you on the floor.

-"what happened?"

-in the most monotone voice ever.

-and then after he understands why you're doing all of that, he shows a bit more of emotion.

-hardly spotted, but it's there.

-"well... i know something that can improve your mood. what do you call a-"

-you just give him a death stare. he doesn't continue speaking from there.

-afterwards, you'll feel the little cutie together and see that it's totally fine!

-you will get to hear the joke he was meaning to say sometime later, now he just doesn't wanna irritate you, he feels as if you need happiness now, not his dumb dad jokes.

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

✿⁠ Tighnari

-he genuinely gets worried.

-but worried in a mom way.

-"you're crying because of something you THINK? are you hearing yourself right now?"

-he's sassy, even when genuinely concerned.

-now, after telling you to take a few deep breaths, calm down, and drink a glass of water, he sits you down and lets you explain everything in great detail.

-then he brings the pet to the both of you, while he checks the pet for any scars, but they fortunately aren't there!

-you get incredibly happy and hug both tighnari and the pet, but he still doesn't understand if ut was worth the crying on the floor.

-your pet literally still loved you.

-but at least he was happy to help.

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

okay i think this wasn't that bad

i really like cyno's and tighnari's tho

but this was fun to write overall tbh lol

| 🍓anon | @mariaace <3

[thetfer]

Can you make a story where we're on a train and you turn me into socks in front of everyone and use me until I break?

I don't typically like inputting myself into tf stories, especially in the dominant role...but, I have thought of a good First Person angle for your request, so, I hope you enjoy :)

Aw, what's the matter? You all confused and smelly? Yeah, that tends to happen after you get TFed into a pair of working mans socks. Why don'tcha get to know my feet a little more as I explained what I've done to you...

It had been a long, exhausting day for me. Hours of working manual labour, followed by a good old game of footie with the lads. Taking a seat on that train had been the first I'd sat all day. So relaxing, especially for my poor aching feet...then I spotted you.

Now, sure, I could have just ignored you, that lustfull disgust in your eyes, clearly forming indecent fantasies even you were sickend by, but as I said, it had been a long day, and seeing you really pissed me off.

Despite the mood you had put me in though, I've gotta admit, they way your face flushed red with embarrassment when we made eye contact was cute as fuck, and I just knew I had to have you.

So, as I'm sure you recall, I started by playing with my shoes. Casual, innocent shoeplay...you couldn't take your eyes off them once you noticed. Oh, and that adorable little gasp you made when I kicked one off into the aisle.

That's when your manners kick in, wasn't it...or did you just use it as an excuse to take a not so sneaky whiff of that pungent foot stink? Either way, you were fucked. You just stood there, right next to my seat like a deer caught in headlights, didn't you. Your mind near enough melted from sniffing my shoe...I say sniffing, it's only really took one you end you...pathetic.

Anyway, after your "good deed", we garnered audience from the other guys in the carriage, not sure if you noticed considering I propped my two socked feet up onto the table, but they didn't appreciate our special moment. They gave us rather nasty looks for a while, mutting and shaking their heads...I even heard someone gag as you pressed your face into my hot sweaty socks, fucking hilarious.

But man, credit where its due though, you seriously went to town on them puppies. Sniffing, licking, rubbing...fuck it felt good...but just like your life, that quickly came to an end when I peeled off my socks. That contorted expression of fear you made, fuck its so hot, especially printed permanently onto fabric... The other passengers were equally as horrified...funny how fast people change their tunes when seeing a fellow human shrink down into a pair of socks, so at lease they kinda cared about you in the end...

I can still hear the satisfying Splat you made when you hit the ground...

You might be thinking, "Oh, but what about the other passengers", but you don't need to worry...I took care of them...by turned them into the stinky sweat you're currently absorbing.

But anyway, now that you're all caught up, I've got a workout to do...try not to wear out too quickly...my last pair only lasted me a month on these dawgs, so good luck.

[mazeinthemiroh]

Hi! First, I want to say I really love your writing ❤️

Can I request an Ateez reaction to catching their S/O singing and dancing to an Ateez song (maybe right when its their part as well)? ❤️

ateez catching their s/o singing/dancing to their songs

genre: insanely fluffy like idk what to do with myself, obviosuly louds of crack as well because it's funnnnnn

word count: 1.5k

warnings: mentions of being drunk in woo's

a/n: i took the liberty of doing a little scenario for this ask because i thought it was just super cute and funny! hope you enjoy <3333

hongjoong

hongjoong lent against the door-frame and grinned to himself as he watches you getting ready to go out. oblivious to your boyfriend watching, you swung your hips to the rhythm of the music, humming to yourself.

it was only when 'TO THE BEAT' started playing did you gasp in excitement, clearly in your own little world as you braced yourself to do hongjoong's rap.

he held a laugh back as he continued to watch, listening to your.... attempt at rapping his verse. he couldn't tell whether he found it adorable or utterly hilarious. once you had finished your boyfriend's verse, you swirled proudly around in a flourish, before coming face to face with your grinning boyfriend.

"nooooo how long were you watching," you whined, covering your face with both of your hands in embarrassment. you swatted a hand at his chest as he threw his head back with laughter.

"long enough" he answered in amusement, still smiling as he pulled you in for a sloppy hug as you tried to pull away playfully, "hey, you may not be the best rapper, but you're definitely my favourite!"

seonghwa

you were waiting for seonghwa to join you at the park. you had set up a little picnic date for the both of you, and the park was very nearly empty, with the occasional dog walker or cyclist enjoying the fresh air.

on waiting for your boyfriend to make an appearance, you decide to play your summer playlist out loud, since you wouldn't be bothering anyone near you.

swaying gently to the music, you smile and pull down your sunglasses as 'Eternal Sunshine' started to play. the song definitely suited the weather; the sun's rays shone persistently down, kissing your glowing skin gently.

you sang softly and gently to the melody you knew so well, watching the breeze tickle the leaves of the trees. you didn't hear the footsteps of your boyfriend behind you, clearly entranced by the scenery.

"you sound so pretty," his gentle voice spoke as he sat down next to you, his hand finding your waist. you give him a shy smile in return.

"not as pretty as you, park seonghwa" you grinned and leaned into his touch, "so pretty that i will forgive you for being late!"

yunho

you were waiting for your boyfriend to get home from work. he always arrived a little bit later than you did, and so you had a few hours to be able to do whatever you wanted before spending time with him.

right now, you had your music blasted and echoed around the corners of the house. you thought you would get ahead on the household chores. you usually did the vacuuming and dusting while yunho did the ironing and washing up.

so there you were, dusting the over the surfaces, when you heard 'WIN' start to play. you smirked to yourself, your body moving to the beat of the song.

"heyyyyyyy, we are gonna win" you sang, your body doing what you thought were the correct dance moves (you knew they probably weren't.) when it came to the dance break at the end though, you twerked like your life depended on it. it just felt right!

and yunho was glad that he came home when he did to see you like this, the dance machine you were! your flustered face told was one that is now permanently ingrained in his memory as he laughed hysterically.

yeosang

you had the tendency to sing in the shower. when you were alone in the house, you sang at the top of your lungs. but when your boyfriend was there, you tended to tone it down a bit.

there you were in the shower again, your phone just outside and turned up just enough for you to hear it over the pouring water.

as soon as 'HALAZIA' started to play, you gasped this was your moment. grabbing the bottle of shampoo and grasping it in your hands like a microphone, you weren't aware how loud you were actually singing.

you did in fact wake your boyfriend up out of his light sleep. he smiled slightly at the sound of your voice and went to investigate some more, his curiosity overtaking him.

he didn't have to press his ear up against the bathroom door to know what you were singing. he could hear you attempt to sing his lower verses before clearing your throat. he let out a tiny giggle, an adoring smile growing on his face as he left you to sing your heart out.

san

well, you got bored when waiting for your boyfriend to get changed after his dance practice. you loved supporting him, but he took so damn long to get showered and ready afterwards.

as you waited for him, you had the whole practice room to yourself. you thought that you might as well make use of it.

so getting up, you played 'HALA HALA' on the sound system. the music bounced off the walls as you stretched half-heartedly, getting ready to do the choreography you had seen so many times.

you didn't notice your boyfriend come in, an amused look on his face as he watched your intense, concentrated expression. he was impressed that you remembered so many moves!

it was only until the very last move where you were supposed to grab your head and twist it like you were cracking your neck that actually caught you off guard; your neck actually made a loud crack sound and you thought you'd died for a second.

san was concerned at first but as soon as he saw you were okay, he burst into laughter at your perplexed and shocked expression.

mingi

getting ready in the mornings was fun with you because you always played music in order to get ready efficiently and on time. it also gave you a bit of a boost to start the day.

mingi was still in the shower when 'Rocky' started playing. you were just putting your underwear on, wiggling your butt to the music. this was your favourite ateez song yet, it was hard not to sing and dance along to it.

you didn't hear your boyfriend come out of the shower so you kept getting ready, fluently belting out the lyrics as if your life depended on it. but your favourite part was yet to come.

mingi could hear you singing and grinned, peering his head through the crack of the door as you shouted "let's start the second round, fix on!" not able to contain his laughter, he chuckled loudly at your immense enthusiasm. at first, you didn't notice but when you did?

"mingi!" you pushed the door fully open to your boyfriend almost in tears "why are you laughing oh my gosh." you huffed and folded your arms over your chest. "you're just jealous that i'm a better rapper than you!"

wooyoung

you don't know how you ended up in a karaoke bar with your friends. perhaps your friends pressured you into singing. or perhaps you were too drunk to be affected by insecurities you once had before.

whichever it was, all you knew is that you were on the mini stage, your friends the only ones really paying attention and cheering you on loudly.

your chosen song? 'WONDERLAND', of course. thank goodness your boyfriend wasn't here to see you make a complete fool out of yourself, and all whilst singing one of his own songs, right??

well, i wouldn't get your hopes up because mid-song, your charming boyfriend wooyoung had entered the same bar with a couple of his friends. he was laughing hysterically at your off-beat singing and unnecessarily sexy dance moves. it was too funny not to record this on his phone.

when your... special performance ended, you could hear an all-familiar shrill laughter somewhere in the club. when you turned in that direction, your eyes met with your boyfriend's. and you knew at that moment he was never going to let you live this down.

jongho

the producers at kq entertainment would sometimes let you into the studio and mess around, just because you were friends with them as well as the partner of their beloved maknae. you did get certain privileges for being jongho's significant other and you were going to take advantage of that!

at one point, when things weren't so busy, you asked if you could have one of the studios to yourself while waiting for your boyfriend to finish his vocal practice.

you thought you would have a little vocal practice yourself. shoving the headphones over your ears, you could only hear yourself now. you hummed to yourself, wondering what you wanted to sing.

'Utopia' came to mind, and without a second thought, you started singing into the microphone. you were impressed by your own vocals, particularly when it came to jongho's lines.

you didn't notice him even enter the producer's booth on the other side of the glass, but he could hear your beautiful singing. he watched and listened intently, a small, proud smile playing on his lips.

[gallafics]

𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚏𝚒𝚌'𝚜 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠

Title: Paragraphs

Author: @palepinkgoat (Ao3)

Rating: Explicit Series: —

Chapters: 14/14 Word Count: 100.1 k

Archive Warnings: Warnings Not Used

Favorite Character: Its hard to not say Ian and Mickey because they’re both so amazing in this fic and they’re really the main focus—however I do really love a little side character named Rex and Lip is pretty cool in this one too! And I can’t forget Bill!

Least Favorite Character: Terry and he’s not even actively in this one but he’s definitely still my least favorite oh and Ian’s ex-boss, not a cool guy.

Ao3 Summary: Ian has an opportunity to be a reading tutor for ex-convicts. He meets one in particular that catches his eye. What begins as an attraction becomes more complicated with the weight of the past.

Spoiler Free Review: I ate this fic up in less than two days, when I tell you I’m obsessed…every now and then a fic comes along and you start reading and you just know it’s like this fic is now apart of your soul. I love it. It now has a permanent place on my comfort fic list. This is a different first meeting AU. There’s so much sweetness and fluff but be prepared and take care of yourself as this fic also deals with some heavier topics as well and the author does a great job at leaving notes about which chapter have the heavier themes. This fic is an amazing read, I highly suggest it, just know you’ll be adding it to your re-read list because it’s amazing!

Spoilers Below↓

Favorite Moment(s):

Ian and Mickeys entire first encounter.

Rex is honestly so funny, one of my fav side character in a fic!

“What’s complicated about getting your dick wet?” Rex squints at the numbers on the shelf. “You didn’t see him looking at you like you were a whole meal.”

Protective Mickey my beloved

“My stomach’s kind of messed up from getting punched,” Ian snaps. Mickey’s voice is rough. “You punched him? What the fuck for?” “He just startled me. It was a reflex.” “Blinking is a reflex. You don’t just punch someone in the stomach just because they surprise you.” Mickey stands up.

There’s the sweetest moment of Ian helping Mickey with reading and Mickey helping Ian with math!

Protective Mickey my beloved…again!

Ian shifts in his seat. “I guess,” he says. “I don’t know. I just had this weird run-in with this guy at the laundromat and then—” “What guy? What’d he do?” Mickey’s voice gets deeper. “He,” Ian says, and he takes a deep breath. “He recognized me. From when I worked at The Fairy Tail. And it was weird. So somehow I decided this was the next place on my list.” Mickey’s voice is small. “So you came to see me?” Ian doesn’t look away. “I think I did,” he says. His voice is clear. He means it. Mickey swipes his tongue on the inside of his cheek.

This part from Ian telling Mickey about his past!!

“You've been through a lot,” Mickey says, fingers wandering toward Ian’s palm. Ian realizes he’s been holding tight to the crumpled napkin. Mickey slowly pries the napkin from his hand and tosses it aside. Mickey’s hand slides so slowly into his that he can barely breathe.

I don’t know what to say about this one…I just love slutty gallavich

Ian presses him close. Harder. Tighter. “I bet you take it so good,” Ian whispers. Mickey’s mouth is slack, his eyes closed. “Yeah.” Ian cups his ass. God. His voice shakes. “Can you feel how big I am?” Mickey is panting, chest heaving against his. “So fucking big.” Ian lets Mickey’s tongue sweep into his mouth lazily, blissed out. Mickey’s eyes open slowly. “How big are you?” “Nine,” Ian whispers. Mickey moans, “Jesus fucking Christ.” “Too big?” Ian hopes not. It has been, before. Mickey shakes his head slowly. “That’s fucking perfect.”

I could literally list to so many moments in this fic but I’m begging you to just read it. You seriously will not be disappointed!!! Their first kiss, their first time being intimate, the first time they sleep together, all the moments in between and the journey that leads them through all of those phases!

Favorite Quote(s):

“You’re not.” Ian shakes his head. “This is only a chapter in your life. No. Wait. A chapter is too long. This is a paragraph.” “A paragraph?” “Yeah.” “The fuck’s a paragraph?” Ian stands up and hefts up his laundry, swinging his backpack over his shoulder. “I’ll show you tomorrow.”

“Come on, man. The only excitement in my life is my mom making me kielbasa and pierogies three times a week.” Ian tilts his head. “Three times a week? That seems like two times too many.” “Says you. You’ve never had my mom’s cooking.”

“I’ve been thinking about this all day,” Ian whispers against his lips. Mickey’s breath comes fast, but their lips stay slack and soft. “The taste of you.”

“Fuck, you’re so good to me. So patient. I want you, Mick.” “You got me.”

“Loved you a while,” Mickey says quietly, rising from the table. A small, almost embarrassed shrug. “Just didn’t know how to say it.”

Final thoughts: Ian and Mickey’s chemistry are written so well from the beginning. I felt it in that first moment they met, like little sparkles tingling in the air even if it was brief and not anything special. I also love when Ian is written having a good relationship with Lip and this fic definitely has them written so well together! Also having Mickey struggle with reading not just because he can’t but because he has a learning disability—as a fellow dyslexic I appreciate the representation. Then the call back to the show with Mickey being good at math! I love how they’re able to help each other with the things they struggle with.

Also the story telling around the issues Ian and Mickey both are dealing with is spectacular, they are both dealing with such complex traumas and it’s written in a way that you can really feel their emotions about it. There’s some small moments of angst, a whole lot of fluff and love and some of the hottest smut. It goes without saying I’m a huge fan of this fic, give it a read and I promise you’ll enjoy it. If you’ve already read it let’s squeal about it together!!

Thank you so much, pink_ink , for blessing us with this fic!!

— Harley, Gallafics Reviews

[oxittocin]

I was wondering if you could write

How robin would react to aftercare from a gn reader after first time like a hot bath or a massage just to help her sore body parts if it's not too much to ask of course....

soft (nico robin x reader)

nico robin masterlist

thank you for the request, my friend. here's my take on this - i hope you find it satisfactory. i am just a nico robin simp and i am not a writer by any means so please accept my humble offerings :]

cw: suggestive (mdni!), gn!reader

Love is a funny word that evokes a spectrum of emotions, depending on its adjective. Love can be sweet, secure, overbearing, suffocating, dark, temporal, lasting, kind, chaste, lustful, conflicted, permanent - anything, everything, or nothing at all.

You’ve experienced plenty in this lifetime. Whirlwind romances that make your heart run wild and free, taking risks with a kind of reckless abandon that only youths can afford. Or perhaps even sweet dates under cherry blossom trees and spring, like splitting a banana milkshake and sharing a cone of ice-cream. Maybe you’ve even had a few one-night stands, drunk on the taste of liquor and sin on a faceless stranger’s tongue. One or two committed partnerships, even, months spent mapping out a future, only to see it go down the drain.

You thought you’d seen everything love and life had to offer, until you met her.

How could you even begin to describe her? Words fail you before you could even form a coherent thought. Nothing you say, write or think could ever do her justice.

She, who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. She, who continues to live on resolutely, in spite of the injustice that life had done unto her. She, whose will to survive seems to only grow stronger, in response to the tragedies life inflicts on her. A woman, whose life is shaped by the roughness of destiny and fate. Still, her softness is what shines through.

Soft smile when she says the spookiest thing. Soft gaze that she reserves mostly for Chopper, but you catch her sneaking a couple at you secretly too. Soft skin that you can’t help noticing, whenever she leans against you, head on your shoulder while she’s buried in yet another book. Soft touches that leave a burning and yearning on your skin whenever she brushes past you, or touches your hand.

It makes you want to love her softly. Tenderly, gently, kindly, lovingly, purely, compassionately.

——————————————

Loving her softly.

Bringing her a warm cup of tea before bed every night without fail. Lazy kisses by the deck as the breeze carries with it an air of serenity. Holding her hand under the dining table, rubbing comforting circles around her knuckles absentmindedly, as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

Loving her softly was the only way you knew how to.

She had asked you once if you were afraid of her, and what being with her entailed.

“The World Government, the organisations I betrayed and the mistakes I’d made. The whole weight of my existence. Are you certain you are fine with me?” She asked, slight desperation in her voice begging you to reconsider your choices. Her typically calm demeanor started to crack as she pushed you for an answer. This must mean a lot to her, you thought.

“It’s never been a problem for me.” You responded simply.

“Why?” She asked, unconvinced that you fully understood the gravity of the situation you were getting yourself into.

“You’re so easy to love.” You say with a shrug, “That alone makes everything else easy, too.”

She tilted her head away from you before you could catch a glimpse of her expression. You waited for a response, but her silence tells you that it was a moot point. You contemplated whether it would be a reassuring gesture to slip your hand into hers, but you decided against it. If she needs time, then you’ll gladly wait. An hour, a week, a month or a year, it doesn’t really matter. Wait you shall.

——————————————

Making love, softly, too.

Brushing your thumb against her cheek as your body coaxes pleased moans out of her lips. Delicate kisses, running your mouth along her curves as you paid attention to every inch of her beautiful skin. Fingers that trace up and down her back, tenderly tingling her senses, reminding her of your presence that has since taken over her life. Slow, steady rocking against her hips as her palm grips tightly around your wrists, as if begging you not to leave her after this was over. You take her hand, gently interlocking your fingers with hers - a silent promise that you wouldn’t leave in the morning.

The pinnacle of love is vulnerability. To bare your soul for another to see, shedding layers of clothes, shame, ego to present yourself in total unadulterated being. It’s scary because it transcends lust, into the dangerous realm of intimacy. It’s the same way she always insists on pulling you into a hot bath after the night’s activities. Burying her face in the crook of your neck, small splashes in the water as she attaches herself closer towards you. With her eyes closed, breathing steadily against your chest, she looked so at peace. It must mean a lot for a Devil’s Fruit user to be in a bath, completely unguarded around you. Reaching out gently to knead the knots in her shoulder, you feel a warm glow on your cheeks and you’re not sure if it’s from the skin-to-skin contact or the steam from the bath. She sighed, breath tickling your neck as she lets out a pleased groan.

“You always insist on taking a bath together after.” You remarked.

“I do.” She responded simply, slightest hint of a grin gracing her features.

“It’s intimate.” You pointed out.

She nodded, planting a tender kiss on your forehead.

The intimacy made you feel alive. Human, even - scared, confused, loved, anxious, grateful - all at the same time. You wonder if it’s the same way for her, but you never dared to speak your thoughts into existence. In case, just in case, she doesn’t feel it like you do.

There is nothing inherently remarkable about being naked or sleeping with someone else. After all, sex can happen between two strangers without even a thread of attachment.

This, though, is nothing ordinary.

You feel it in your gut. The butterflies in your stomach tell you so.

——————————————

With love, comes expectations. Love is ultimately a commitment and there are duties that one cannot run away from. In this case, blow drying her hair after a hot bath.

To be fair, she could probably have it managed herself with a simple flick of her wrists - summoning one arm to get the hairdryer, another to comb through her hair, another to get the towel - you get the gist. She insists you do it for her, and you pretend to complain, scoffing and telling her she’s lucky she’s cute enough to make demands from you. Secretly, it’s one of your favorite parts of the night.

Fingers running through her hair as you meticulously held the hairdryer a safe distance away from her scalp, careful not to accidentally burn her. She sits still and upright, patiently letting you work your magic on her. You lightly drag your fingernails against her scalp and the back of her neck. You feel her body jerk slightly, shiver running down her spine. You bit your tongue to stifle a chuckle, thinking about how cute it was that she’s so sensitive. The scent of her floral shampoo overwhelms the room. Lavender, you think.

It is the small moments like these that make you so painfully aware of how insignificant everything was.

The storms that rage beyond the Thousand Sunny, the seas teeming with unthinkable lifeforms, the skies that hold islands so vast. So tiny and unimportant are our lives in the grand scheme of things.

Still, in the limited time that you have to exist, there is no where else you’d rather be than here with her, hairdryer in your hand.

[qoldenskies]

Just read your canary continuity and holy shit was I not prepared. I actually had to step away and calm myself down from the brink of having a panic attack MULTIPLE times while reading it (that's not necessarily a bad thing, btw, it's just that hyperempathy towards a character that I admire got hands).

It's just....the slow escalation. The way you legitimately can't tell that something's wrong at first because yeah, sometimes brothers are kind of dickish to each other, it happens, no biggie, and then it starts getting into "wait, why are they being a bunch of ableist fucks all of a sudden", and then it gets into true psychological horror territory. The way the curse takes any frustration that they might have had about Donnie's behavior- maybe not even directed at him, but maybe frustration about "god, I wish I could make things easier for my autistic brother, it sucks that he has to go through this"- and twisting it entirely on its head to make them mad at HIM for showing those traits. The way it takes their existing personality traits and twists them into something more dark and sinister- like yes, this is making me realize Leo could genuinely be a terrifying villain if he had less of a strict moral code, because he gets people. He knows what makes them tick, and he knows how to potentially wear people down until they finally snap if he ever wanted to, and seeing the curse take that part of him and use it.....it was chilling, to say the least.

Not to mention that a part of them is never really going to be fully recovered from this. The trust that Donnie has had broken is probably going to take years to build back up, and they're probably going to feel like they have to walk on eggshells around him for a long ass time. Especially Leo, god. To know that you did that to your twin, the person who's supposed to be like another extension of you, to know that you broke their trust in you and their love so thoroughly that you might never get that bond back.....no wonder he's so desperate to try and fix things, and behaving irrationally because of it.

This is super long, but I just want to say that this is an amazing fic that you've written, and....if it's not too much to ask, can you give reassurance that things will at least go back to some semblance of normalcy at the end of all this? Like, they won't be permanently broken and their relationships will heal as much as they possibly can? I can tolerate as much hurt as you please as long as it has a happy ending [pleading emoji] (Also I have a theory that Donnie is suffering from nosebleeds either because of the massive amount of head trauma that he probably got in that last fight OR because severing his ninpo or w/e is doing fucky wucky things to his immune system and I am AFRAID)

!!!! I LOVEEEEE LONG ASKS HELLOOOOOOOOOO yeasss

i can guarantee a happy ending, yes!!! i do plan on writing an epilogue oneshot that takes place ten months after CW ends (and CW will end on a happier, hopeful note!), which will show the kind of normalcy they settled into after everything settles down!! they'll get there, its just going to be a . MESS first lmfao

and ohhh yeah writing leo has also helped me discovered how terrible he has the potential to be,,, even recovering and guilty he weaponizes these skills against them (when he lashes out at raph in ch5 and calls back to the family meeting is a very good example), its a side of leo i really like exploring!! he's so tactical in his manipulation and in canon that's usually used in harmless, funny ways, but it takes a NASTY twist here as the curse takes advantage of it. and its especially painful using it on donnie, who is the least perceptive and the most likely to fall for it :( he kind of slayed in caged lungs though he was so delightfully awful

anywhizzles EATING THIS ASK IN MY MOUTH IT IS ALL HIGH PRAISE!!! hope youre doing well!! <3333

[myeliasvoid]

what do you think happens to realities after we leave? say i want to leave my current reality because i’m sick okay so i shift, is this “version” of me not real anymore or am i just not conscious of their pain? i’m having a philosophical crisis because i love myself and i don’t deserve to suffer at all yk so i kinda want to stay in “bad” situations to help myself out and i don’t know if this line of thinking even makes sense but i would appreciate your perspective on it

I know, it's not really directly about permashifting, but I think my experiences here are relevant to it. So I hope you sit down and listen for a bit.

A thought about permashifting from both sides of the coin.

Well, firstly, thank you. Somehow, you got me to unlock some of my past memories from my permashift going here. I intentionally locked them behind certain checkpoints I believe so I can access and relearn them again in due time, and I think this was one of them. Funny on how it goes full-circle here. So, instead of an answer, I give you, hopefully, a peace of mind.

I went through a similar crisis back then: What would happen to myself in the reality I was in right now old if I had left permanently? I’ve seen and experienced both sides in a sense. I was in your place, as my "other-self" as I will call them, and I am perhaps where someone wants to be when they go to a new place. In the "new place". Wouldn't it be so selfish to leave people behind? To leave A PART of myself behind?

Then I realized, this was me. Both are me. We’re not separated, ever. This is what WE want. In a sense, I can live in peace with their suffering because they suffer in my name and I gave them meaning to suffer because I was what gave them, or that self, the will to go through suffering. They’ll forever be my other-self, and that’s what they wished to willingly to be. What I wished to be. They'll forever have existed somewhere, as part of you. That is unchangeable.

You're such a beautiful soul to be so considerate. I assure you however that they'll be okay because I know I'm okay. Have faith. You're okay. Truly. Just breathe. You don't have to stay somewhere you don't have to, and we don't have to go anywhere if we don't want to. Whether we stay or go or return, life goes on, and that's not something to be scared of, but to embrace. It’s not wrong to want to be in another space. Your guilt and shame, is natural. However, on the grand scale of things? It's okay. My current existence here as a self is help enough to help the other-self I was.

I won't be able to answer what absolutely happens when we go to another relait. I don't think beings like myself are supposed to anyway. Maybe the world ceases to exist, maybe it doesn't and it's its own thing. I have my theories of course, but acknowledge I don't know how this sector of the multiverse works, nor do I need to. You say it's okay for yourself now and it will be, and that's more than enough for it to not be selfish. If you're willing to let yourself go somewhere, then let go. Approval had been given a long time ago when you decided to go another place.

But if it does, I can safely say they'll move on without you. They'll do whatever they'll do. Go through grief. The suffering. You also miss out on the healing. The smiles. The moments in the future of whatever timeline that is. It's bittersweet. You won’t know what happens or what's happening to them, but you have to trust yourself as you right. This is the wish: that's what you can respect. That this other you might not make it the way you wish them to, but they will have lived and that’s more than what the universe can ever ask for with a shifter. As a shifter. To exist. To manifest. To shift. To be.

[myreia]

Exile from Delight

—chapter 2: the casual cruelty of causality

Rating: Mature Characters: Thancred, Hilda Pairings: Thancred x Hilda [background Thancred x Aureia (WoL) and background Aymeric x Aureia (WoL)] Chapter Words: 3,372 Summary: Hilda isn’t supposed to mean much to him. A good time, a fun time, a distraction from his sorry lot. But sometimes the best of distractions come hand-in-hand with a sharp tongue and a quick wit. Call it the gift of insight, if you would. Prompt: v. laughter | gift Chapters: one • two • three Read on AO3

Where are we going?  

It’s a question he doesn’t bother asking as Hilda marches him through the streets. They wind their way through slush and snow, past the blocks of worn stone and creaking scaffolding that should have fallen down ten years ago, and join the crowd that flows from one end of the Brume to the other during the early afternoon lull. Despite the changes Aymeric de Borel’s reforms have brought, they have yet to become tangible for the folk down here. The Firmament may offer a glimmer of hope, of a community strengthened by a shared goal—but there will always be lowborn in the same ragged clothing, huddled by the same crumbling walls, warming their hands over makeshift firepits that have come and gone for gods know how long.

There will always be those left behind.

Movement catches his eye as they round a corner. The crowd is thicker and moving quicker than usual—steps swift, feet light, hoods pulled up to cover faces, as if no one wants to be caught in the street. A mark of the tension in the city, perhaps. Ishgard may have joined the Eorzean Alliance thanks to Aymeric’s efforts and Aureia as his linchpin, but in welcoming Eorzea, the city has welcomed its problems. With war brewing on the Gyr Abanian front and new primal threats on the rise, there must be a question at the forefront of her people’s minds, regardless of station: can Ishgard survive more war?

“Funny how everyone’s out for a walk today what with this weather and all,” Hilda says, huffing for breath. The Brume isn’t the place for a leisurely stroll, and what they are doing certainly isn’t leisurely—she has set a blood-pumping pace, her cheeks turning red and her eyes bright. She surveys the road ahead with the warmth of familiarity, and raises a hand to a passerby, a small smile on her lips. “Then again with all the ruckus the highborn are causin’, of course folk want to see what it’s all about—”

“Ruckus?”

“Didn’t you know? There’s some kind of goings on in the Firmament today.” She shrugs. “That young lord Francel is throwin’ one kind of a fête or another… Little early to be doing that if you ask me, but I won’t say no to seein’ lowborn in high spirits.”

He pauses, brows drawn together, and glances over his shoulder at the passing crowd. Was his read wrong?

No time to think. Hilda is off again, traipsing through the snow with fierce determination. She pauses at the lower entrance to the Forgotten Knight, slipping beneath the overhang to brush snow off her gloves and out of her hair. His chest tightens. For a moment he is certain she is going to lead him through the door, perhaps ply him with a drink or two, but she ducks back out into the snow and continues on.

He blows out a long breath and watches it rise. He has avoided the Forgotten Knight for weeks now, ever since the night he returned with an injured Alisaie. Aureia still calls the inn here home, though rumour says she has been spotted at the Borel Manor more often than not. She isn’t the type to take up permanent residence there, but knowing her she has likely strewn enough of her possessions about that she may as well be living there.

Twelve take him. His gut twists just thinking about it even though he knows she is gone, accompanying the twins to Limsa Lominsa. Even so, he’d rather not take the chance of running into her. As she has made it repeatedly clear, they have nothing to say to one another.

Up the slippery steps, past a group of children with their legs swinging over the edge, and they make it out into Foundation. The city bustles with activity—soldiers returning from across the Steps of Faith, merchants headed to the Jeweled Crozier, nobles and commoners meandering through the streets, Halonic priests pausing to talk to passersby, the aetheryte plaza lighting up as visitors and citizens teleport in from wherever their journey took them. The growing threat of a snow storm does little to hinder them.

This is just another day in Ishgard.

Hilda slows her pace as they pass beneath the Arc of the Humble and enter Saint Reinette’s Forum. She draws to a halt and folds her arms, surveying the square with a strange look in her eyes.

The snow is thicker here. Drifts form against the walls of buildings and beneath stone benches and forgotten carts and the various bits of debris that have washed up even this close to the Pillars. The head and shoulders of the great dragoon atop the running fountain in the centre is weighed down by a blanket of white. A group of children race around it, throwing snow and tripping over their feet. Their giggles fill the square with glee.

“You don’t see it, do you?” Hilda says quietly.

Thancred shrugs. “‘Tis likely I do, if you tell me what you’re looking for, which I suspect you won’t.”

“And that right there, that is the point.”

“You have lost me, I’m afraid. Look, are you going to tell me why you dragged me here? We’re not exactly the kind of couple to take a stroll around the city and see the sights.”

She rolls her eyes. “So we’re a couple now, are we? Thought I was a distraction.”  A pause. She glances at him, hesitant to speak. Odd, for her. “Grief is a funny thing, ain’t it? The more you live, the more you lose and some days it don’t matter whether there’s a sun in the sky or a fire in your hearth, you might as well have neither. Everything’s tellin’ you there’s nothin’ good left here. You can be surrounded by folk—good folk, bad folk, and everythin’ in-between—and somehow you’ve never been more alone. I find sometimes it helps to be reminded you aren’t. Does that make a lick of sense?”

“Frankly, darling, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

A dark look crosses her face. “Then you’re as blind as you are in that eye,” she snaps.

Anger gnaws at him from the inside, scratching away at old hurts. “I am not.”

“What?”

“Blind. At least, not in the way you think.” Wind gusts about the forum, chafing his exposed face and chilling him to the bone. “‘Twas an accident some time ago. A consequence of my time lost in the Lifestream. I am not blind in the conventional sense but…”

He pauses, scratching at the stubble on his chin. It’s odd to be recounting this to Hilda. They’ve been all manner of intimate, but he has said scarce about himself. Close in one way, yet distant in the ways that matter. Another habit of his, this one going back further than his disastrous exit from Ul’dah. “My ability to manipulate aether is gone. Cut off as assuredly as a limb severed from a tree.”

Hilda whistles. “Well, now… that sure is somethin’. Here I thought you insistin’ on walkin’ everywhere was some strange Scion quirk. You’ve all got ‘em.”

He meets her eyes and her expression softens. Now is not the time for jokes.

“How did it happen?” she asks gently.

“The same as anything grievous does,” he replies with a shrug. Across the forum, the children’s chase comes to an abrupt stop as one of them tips over into a snow drift. The others laugh and follow suit, one at a time, toppling over like a series of Doman mahjong tiles. “Unintended consequences for unintended actions. Do you know the circumstances that preceded Aureia’s exile to Ishgard?”

She nods.

“Then I will not bore you by recounting it. What you must know is that we—the remaining Scions, that is, and our leader—found ourselves beneath Ul’dah that night. It was clear within minutes of setting foot within that watercourse that there was no way to hasten our escape without a diversion. Y’shtola and I provided that diversion with the acceptance that we would give our very lives. Anything to ensure that Aureia and Minfilia…” His leg twinges, a deep ache above the knee that seldom bothers him save in the cold. An old injury now, though he can still recall how it felt when the arrow plunged through it. He doesn’t remember when or how it healed; he must have the Lifestream to thank for that. “And we did. Or we should have. Just as her spell brought the tunnel down upon our enemies, it thrust her and I into the Lifestream. Body, soul, and mind. Perhaps to be lost forever in the maelstrom, ‘till circumstances found otherwise. It was by no mean feat that Aureia retrieved Y’shtola. As for me…”

“You found your own way out.”

“One could say that, yes. Was it chance or fate? Perhaps an expert in aetherology can decide.”

“An aetherologist? Bah.” She snorts with laughter. “Don’t need an aetherologist to guess it spat you out on account of your foul moods.”

“Hey, now—”

“You’re a sour man. Sometimes. Wouldn’t put it past you to give the Lifestream a bellyache and watch it spit you out, eh?”

He forces back a smile. Damn Hilda. For someone who is supposed to be a casual affair, she certainly figured out how to mock him and make him laugh in the same breath in record time. Moenbryda would tease him, were she here. Something about how he always thinks himself more complicated than he truly is.

But Moenbryda isn’t here. She died well over a year ago, a distant past after the tribulations the Scions of the Seventh Dawn have gone through. Gone and forgotten. The others do not speak of her, and Twelve know Urianger will clam up the moment she is mentioned by name. Minfilia is gone now, too. Not dead, but something more than that. Worse than that. Will her memory be victim to the same inevitability? Just as Louisoix more than half a decade ago?

His heart clenches, his breath growing shallow. The ache in his leg pulses, annoyingly persistent. It usually fades faster than that after it flares up.

“Did it work?” Hilda asks solemnly. “That diversion?”

“Aye, it did. Aureia is here, is she not? And Minfilia is not.”

“What happened?”

Thancred eyes her. “You’re full of questions,” he grumbles under his breath.

She shrugs. “So, shoot me.”

“Not everything can be resolved with your rifle, Hilda.”

“Ha! Try arguing’ that at the Machinist’s Guild.” Her smile fades, her expression growing grim. “No, but truly. What happened? You Scions are among the most resilient folk I have met. So, if your Minfilia isn’t here, then…”

“Gone. She’s with Hydaelyn now. Of her own volition, or so I understand.” He pauses, the full answer far too complicated and fantastical to describe. Though Krile has assured him that Minfilia has joined with the goddess, he still cannot make sense of what happened in the Antitower nor the implications of what came before in the Ul’dahn waterways. What possessed her to turn around that night? And why did Aureia not stop her? “She was a civilian, Hilda. I trusted Aureia to keep her safe. She promised me she would keep her safe. And that is all you need to know.”

She nods. “This Minfilia… she was important to you.”

“As close as a sister. Like family.”

“Can’t say I know what that’s like, losin’ family. On account of me presentin’ a big problem to their noble arses… well. There was my mum, I suppose. And I’ve got friends who are good as kin, and if one of them up and vanished into nothing, I’d be downright furious about it. But I suppose the question is, Thancred—” She turns sharply and meets his eye. “Who are you angry at? Y’shtola, for castin’ that spell? Minfilia, for makin’ whatever choice she made? Aureia, for lettin’ you down? Or yourself, for not bein’ there to stop it all from happenin’?”

“I…” Her words are sharp and they leave him raw and aching. But it’s a good hurt—as if she is resetting a bone. Strange how Hilda has loosened his tongue on this subject more than anyone. Not even Krile, who claims to be Minfilia’s dearest friend, did as much. “I don’t know.”

Wind howls through the square, gusting snow and tugging at their clothes. Hilda’s hair blows across her face, getting stuck in her mouth. She spits it out and looks away, shoving her hands into her armpits as she observes the children shrieking by the fountain. They are playing on the lip now, walking in a short line with their arms thrown out. There are as many Hyur as there are Elezen, just as there are as many highborn to low. Perhaps this next generation is already resisting the prejudices of their forefathers.

“Look,” Hilda says after a moment. “I’ve known anger before. All kinds. Righteous anger, bitter anger. There’s a lot to be angry for. I grew up hating’ the highborn arses, and my father before that, and the drunken lout my mum was seein’ before I was old enough to know who my father was. But nothin’—nothin’—compares to the anger I feel on days I hate myself. Days when I’m too slow, too stupid, too reckless. Days when I muck things up worse than a chocobo’s stable. I’ve been trusted with things before, and aye, I have failed. And any time I’ve had reason to be angered with someone, the real person I am angry with the most is myself.”

“What are you saying?”

“Do yourself a favour and find an answer to that question. Because I don’t think there’s a way out of this until you do—HEY!” She takes off at an abrupt pace, marching towards the fountain with her hands in the air. The children freeze, wide-eyed and still as statues. Two are standing in the water, their coats hiked up to their knees. “Get out of there, you idiots! Go! Scram!”

The children scamper off, darting out of the fountain and across the forum, leaving a trail of footprints behind.

Hilda sighs and stretches her arms above her head as she watches them go, a fond smile on her lips. “Little fools,” she says as he joins her. “Don’t know what they’re gettin’ into.”

“An overreaction for a fountain, no? I didn’t take you for one to impose such arbitrary rules. Does Saint Reinette have some greater meaning for you?”

She snorts. “It’s nothin’ like that. Shouldn’t play in that water—on account of the piss.”

“…I beg your pardon?”

“Didn’t you know? Lowborn’ve been pissing in that fountain for centuries whenever some highborn buffoon gets his head stuck too far up his arse. Time honoured tradition at this point. Still, don’t want the children playin’ in… well. You know.”

“Frankly, that’s less of a mystery than how that damn fountain remains running in the first place in these temperatures.”

She chortles. With a shake of her head, she scuffs her boots on the ground, scraping at the ice and snow, then heads leisurely across the square. Always on the move, this one. Their trysts have all ended in some variation of her pulling her clothes back on, giving him a wink and a smile, and hastily exiting the scene. At first he thought it was due to some embarrassment about being (or not being) with him. The most unpleasant of the Scions, eleven years her senior (fucking hells), and with an appearance on the same level as a dishevelled nutkin. If he were her, he wouldn’t be caught dead with him, either.  

Now he knows she simply cannot stay in one place for long.

Their relationship to date has been succinct. Perfunctory. The sex is good; she’s creative and spirited and invigorating in ways that stretch even his imagination sometimes. They fulfill each other in that way (most days), but no more than that. He can’t even take a gander at who she is beyond Hilda the Mongrel. Sharp-tongued, foul-mouthed, quick-witted. Proud and determined, a voice for her people. A damn good shot. In another age, she would be a folk hero.

He knew as much the day he met her.

With that in mind, wandering the streets with her after one of their encounters, long after the point where she would have (as she puts it) fucked off, is…  New. Odd.

Newly odd.

It occurs to him that this may be the most they have spoken one-on-one outside of sex. Just as it occurs to him that there must be a reason why.

“I have to hand it to you,” Thancred says as they climb the next set of steps, following the long, sweeping arc upwards to the Pillars. They’ll exit out into the Jeweled Crozier soon enough… is the ring still at the pawnbroker’s? Should he stop and make sure? “This was a convoluted way of asking about Aureia.”

Hilda stops short, one foot ramming into a step. “Bleedin’ hells, ouch—” She sucks in a breath and winces, shaking her boot back and forth in the air. “Aye. It is. ‘Cause it’s clear to me no one else wants to do the dirty business of bringin’ her up with you.”

“Right. Perhaps because no one else considered it their business.”

“Rotten luck. I’m too nosy for that.”

“It’s rude.”

“Tough. Don’t know what manners you Scion types were brought up on, and I ain’t gonna stick around long enough to find out.” Her ruby eyes narrow and she sets her foot back down on the step. “You’re hurt. She’s hurt. Someone has to do somethin’.”

“It doesn’t have to be you.”

“I may be nosy, but I’m not usually one to shove myself into a place I don’t belong. Trust me on that. But you two’ve caught me in an awkward position, y’know. I am her friend, aye. Just as I am yours. And as much as I dislike being stuck between the pair of you, I don’t know how many times I need to say sort your shit out.” 

“I would love that, darling, but I doubt even the smartest, calmest mind in Eorzea would know where to begin.”

“You’re being unfair to her.”

“And you are not?” He steps into her, his gaze trained on hers. Their shadows flicker in the dark of the passageway, dancing away from the glow of distant lanterns. “You haven’t told her about our little sojourns, have you? For the truth of the matter, Hilda, is that you have been sleeping with me long past the point where you should have stopped. You’ve come to enjoy yourself, and a little part of you—that selfish, self-indulgent part that whispers in your ear at night, craving all the things you know you shouldn’t have—just can’t be silenced. Not yet. Not while you’re still having fun.”

She returns his gaze, a muscle twitching in her jaw. “You do realize she thought you were dead,” she says flatly.

His stomach drops, his heart hammering beneath his breast bone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“She thought you were dead. When you were lost in the wilds. There’s a reason she never came to look for you, she was grieving  your sorry arse. And when she finally discovers you alive and well, you’re holding the meanest, fattest grudge against her for something beyond her control because you’re too twisted up inside about the people you’ve lost. Did you ever stop to think she’s lost them, too?”

The passageway echoes with the sound of her voice, carrying it above and below—on and on and on, it might as well have been heard in the Brume.

“That…” He splutters. “That is not… That is…”

Hilda shrugs and spreads her hands. “That’s the truth of it, ain’t it?” she says pointedly.

For once, he has nothing to say.

Hands in his pockets, shoulders slumped, he follows her up the rest of the stairs and breaks through into the bright, cheerful pathways of the Jeweled Crozier.

next chapter (tbd) ->

[formulatrash]

what do you think about formula e seemingly wanting to replace all of their street circuits in the calendar with permanent tracks? it feels like it’s starting to lose its street circuit racing identity already (and, that’s more of a personal opinion, but the permanent track racing feels like it has been much worse, it just doesn’t suit formula e cars at all)

it's very odd, at a point when F1 can't stop adding street tracks specifically to get hype venues and big-ticket promotional races, Formula E is hiding itself further and further away in permanent circuits.

they're sort of doing it for the same reasons, is the funny thing. little circuits will host FE much cheaper than the immense cost and logistics of building a street track and the lower the bill, the bigger likelihood a local business or tourist board will foot it. for F1, the cost of building a new, permanent facility is so staggering even oil states would likely baulk at it now. Yas Marina has cost over $1.3 billion so far, which Abu Dhabi can foot but isn't small change even for them and has led to other programmes being focussed around re-using and extracting value from the facility. (like the autonomous racing thing I was at earlier this year)

not that street tracks come much cheaper but you can build them faster, for an instant gratification on that investment.

F1 can boast massive figures for what a city stands to gain for hosting a grand prix. $449 million additional spending for Miami, for instance. Formula E... cannot throw around those numbers. it's not really a tourism draw and personnel are limited. so to go to a facility that desperately needs events, with an audience reliant primarily on local interest, means it can show an impact. FE claims that it brought an $84 million boost to the Hyderabad economy, for instance but a lot of that will have been in circuit construction.

so the financials add up. but also FE is supposed to be its own, distinct, world championship with a high profile not "F1 but it's electric and goes to lower grade circuits."

if a series does not have a profile of sufficient size, it has no hope of selling out venues. this happened to F1 - Silverstone didn't use to sell out at all, you could walk up to the gate and buy a ticket and I'm talking, like, 2016 not 1994. it took a long pathway of turning its visibility around to reverse that and yes they hit lightning in a bottle with DTS during lockdown but even things like social media had been a huge start in undoing a long, regressive slide into an ageing, shrinking fanbase.

FE cannot be small. manufacturers like Porsche are not in it for it to be small - yes, it is a useful test laboratory for regen but with long periods of homologation for powertrains, the marketing has to be a significant part of the draw. and you also need, reasonably, to be able to succeed: a manufacturer's board will not keep signing off on a racing budget, however small, if there are no or frustrating results on track. and no marketing function.

I know I've been saying this for years but it's still true: FE needs to keep developing itself, keep acting like a startup (since it is one) and continue to grow. ever since COVID it feels as though the championship just said "ah well, this is what we are now" and decided it wouldn't try to progress anything any further. it's a very odd lack of ambition for what could be such a hugely important series both to OEMs and fans.

[droidders]

Transformers One review

I'll start off with a non spoiler review.

First of all, amazing voice acting especially from Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree!! I didnt think Chris would be able to do a good orion/optimus voice but boy was I WRONG. They did amazing. Scarlett Johansson's voice for Elita was an amazing pick and keagan michael for bee's voice is also good.

Stellar voice acting with so much emotion!!

The animation is amazing. And the way they showed the world of cybertron is amazing. The world building in this movie is so good, i seriously feel like cybertron is a real planet with real creatures with its own rules, history, culture. They made the planet feel so alive, its insane.

All the characters were likeable, i was really vouching for all of them to succeed in their goals. The movie knows when to be funny and when to be serious, and it can get REALLY serious when it needs to be. The movie talks about real world problems and reflects it so well.

THE TRAILERS DID NOT DO THE MOVIE JUSTICE.

The trailers really made it look like a kids power ranger type of movie. The trailers gave it a vibe of:

"Bumblebee, you go left! D-16, you go right! And Elita.. well, you just be elita."

When the actual movie really wasnt. I kept my hopes low cause the trailers weren't really hyping me up that much and i didnt expect much from the movie overall but holy moly my expectations were blown away. The movie does have its flaws like any movie but yeah. This genuinely feels like the spiderverse of transformers. Truly amazing.

Overall 9.8/10, amazing job to everyone who worked on this movie, YOU COOKED!!!

I highly reccommend watching it in cinemas. Its worth it, just trust me on this!!!

Waiter! Waiter! I'd like a trilogy of transformers movies that are as good as this!

Id also like to add that this movie is the best transformers movie. And you dont have to be an insane transformers fan like me to like the movie, nor do you have to watch any other transformer movie to understand it. Its a great standalone movie. Its a movie great for both new and old transformer fans and people who are just looking for a good movie to watch.

GO WATCH IT NOW.

Now onto the spoiler review

I said all that i wanted to say about the overall movie in the non spoiler review. Here, I'll talk about the actual characters and story.

THIS IS CINEMA HOLY MOLY.

I had to resist screaming in theaters especially the part where Orion and D16 went to that thruster thing to get a better view of the Iacon 5000 and d16 is all like: "You did all this for me?"

AAAGWGSFEGWGSGDGDHHYDTST

The character development with D16 slowly turning into the monster that is megatron is BEAUTIFUL.

The movie writes d16 in a way that makes us NOT want him to turn evil which makes him slowly turning into megatron and betraying orion all the more heartbreaking. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

Seriously, his descension into evil makes me wanna cry. His unbridled rage towards Sentinel portrayed through the voice acting is just WOW. You can really feel his anger through his voice.

The way his eyes change as the movie progresses is just great. They did great writing him, deep down I really wanted him to be redeemed and for him to NOT turn into a brute like sentinel even though I knew it was inevitable. Some transformations are good, useful even, but in the case of Megatron it was a terrifying transformation thats unfortunately permanent.

Sentinel prime, as much as I hate him he is still such a great character. I hate him so much I love him. THE SCENE WHERE HE WAS BEGGING D16 TO NOT KILL HIM SENT CHILLS. You can feel the amount of fear in his voice. It was a striking contrast to his confident demeanor, his ruthlessness as a 'leader', and he who is the literal killer of the Primes,

to see him BEG for his life truly shows how terrifying D16 is.

ORION PAX AKA THE GLORIOUS OPTIMUS PRIME.

A wonderful and entertaining main character. THE SCENE WHERE HE JUMPS OUT OF THE PIT AS OPTIMUS PRIME??? Holy moly that was so badass. AND THE LINE WHERE HE SAYS:

"We could've built the future together."

GOD IT MAKES ME WANNA CRY.

The expression he made when he saw D16 being absolutely BRUTAL to Starscream as he realizes that his friend is slowly transforming into someone evil is gut-wrenching.

And throughout the first part of the movie he was this reckless character who did stupid things, he had hope and determination unlike anyone. It made me question 'How could this guy possibly turn out to be the strong leader that Optimus is?'

But during that scene where he talked to the other miners and led the High Guard to sentinel made me 100% sure that yeah, this guy definitely can be a great leader. And the way he gave the miners a CHOICE to join him or not. That is PRIME.

Elita was a straight up girlboss. I love how they didn't make her just another love interest for Orion or made her just this girl who was a good fighter. She was sassy, witty, and a hard worker. I almost feel bad for her getting demoted and having to deal with the mess that is Orion, D16 and Bee. But anyways, shes an amazing character, really likeable personality who is way more than just a bot who's a good fighter (which was the impression i unfortunately got from the trailers)

Her pep talk with Orion was both funny and beautiful. She knows how to break someone down with her words and build them back up to be stronger. I loved her. Not to mention her design looks gorgeous??? Probably my fav elita design of all time.

At first I found Bee a strange addition to the movie and I was scared they were gonna make him an annoying character but thank god he really wasnt! He was a great comic relief character who had a lot of funny lines. He adds so much silliness into a serious movie and not in a bad way.

He knew when to be serious and the gravity of the situation with Sentinel being a terrible, corrupt leader. I loved the portrayal of him as this almost crazy guy whos been stuck being alone talking to inanimate objects in a place where all he does is burn trash all day (makes sense as to why he talks so much).

A really good character, thank primus they didnt make him annoying or overbearing.

Lastly, Cybertron itself. THE WORLD BUILDING IS SO GOOD. It's environment, its people (or bots?) make the planet feel so real. All of these cool mechanisms with the road and trains, the landscape during the train scene with the vapor wave-esque sun is just gorgeous. Such a beautiful portrayal of Cybertron that I love.

I personally dont think the movie NEEDS a sequel since the rest of the transformers just takes place after this, but if they make another movie thats as good as this, Im not complaining. If they do make a new movie though, I'll guess that it probably has something to do with the Quintessons or something idk.

Its a really beautiful take on Megatron and Optimus' backstory. And though there are many takes on it like how megatron was a gladiator and not a miner, etc,

This is still probably my favorite take on their story, its a really interesting portrayal of them and their fallout.

Anyways thats the end of my yap, honorable mentions to the music, it helped the immersion of the movie, and its really good.

Do note that Ive only seen it once, i might've gotten some stuff wrong but ill be looking to watch it again somehow in the future. My review may be subject to change but yeah.

Buh-bye!!