#cloudywrites

[misscloudykiss]

Almost done with "game night" dust x reader. I have to finish the ending and editing so in the meantime here's a small snipit.

Scrolling through the busted screen on your phone. you looked through your old messages with a friend you used to know, looking back on all the memories you two had before being forced into nightmare's castle. He had brought you here after tending to killer's wounds in your au. At the time you were unaware of just who you were helping and it inevitably led to your current situation, stuck taking care of the lazy murders.

You were a “vital” part of the group in nightmares words.(You think he's just buttering you up to keep you compliant) You stayed and took care of the manor. While also making sure their wounds were tended to. Now you were stuck here left with the memories of your old life. Lifelessly scrolling through your phone in your lofted space. Your room was surprisingly well kept compared to the rest of the messy manor. Your personal items on your desk. You had to practically beg nightmare for a loft bed so killer would stop jumpscaring you at night.

You were bored, playing with the door stopped bored. Your phone was dry, all your books read, the playlist isn't hitting right, and no motivation whatsoever. So you decided to see how long you could annoy dust before getting slapped. Dust was in the common area on the couch playing his new video game, dead by daylight. It was only the two of you in the manor because the other three were on a “supervised mission”.

You were brought to a stop when he yelled out. “Get off my dick you tunneling asshole!” It took everything in you not to burst out laughing as you suppress a chuckle, unfortunately he had heard you as your attempt was futile.His head snapped your way with a piercing glare, but he said nothing going back to his game. He was bitchin 'left and right.

you sat next to him side eyeing him whilst he played. Finally when you looked at the screen you noticed it… bunny Feng. And he was an asshole player. It all made since. “Dude you're kinda a dick.” You said watching him bully the killer. “I'm not a dick they just can't play well. It's not my fault.” He retorted back to you. He finally finished the game and turned to you with his eyelights lowered. “Do you need something?”

You shrugged and with a shit eating grin snagged the controller making a run for it. He yelled out chasing after you at an impressive speed. ‘Who the hell did she think she was?!’ he thought, as he ran.He was so close to catching you before you locked yourself in the bathroom. He banged on the door furious.

“Give me my control back or so help me God I'm going to kill you!” he spat out. You could hear the venom in his words. “Damn dude calm down!” You said from the other side of the door. Your back pressed against it so it was harder for him to get in. You heard footsteps leaving the door and relaxed for a second. You were safe from his fury for now. You also still had your trophy for surviving, But just as you were about to celebrate your triumph you heard the footsteps come back.

Dust had snagged a butter knife and was trying to pick the lock. Placing the knife into the small lock slot and twisting. You had to hand it to him, he was smart. As well as being resourceful. You tried to press your back to the door to keep it shut but as soon as it was unlocked he banged in, slinging you across the room as the door flew open.

You landed on the cold tile with a grunt, staring up at Dust who was standing over you, looking furious. you could see the red flush of anger on his face. For a moment, you were both standing completely still, the only sound in the room was the hum of the ventilation system. Dust’s eyes narrowed as he took a step toward you. “You think you’re so smart, huh little mouse?” he said, his voice low.

You scrambled to your feet, backing away slowly. “You win, you win! Just don’t kill me, please?” Dust still looked irritated. He snatched the controller away from you, now back in his grasp. “You’re really pushing it today. What do you want?” You rubbed your sore back and dusted yourself off. “I was bored! No one else is here and I'm stuck in limbo.”

Dust sighed, pinching the bridge of his nasal bone. “You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that?” “I wasn't trying to upset you that bad. I thought it was harmless..” you spoke out. It was true you didn't think he'd get so pressed about a controller. He looked at you still with a harsh glare as he pulled you up by the arm. “Don't do that again. I don't care if I finished the game, its rude.” He said pulling you back to the couch with him. He sat down pulling you into his lap while he played.

“Will this cure your insufferable boredom little mouse?” he asked sarcastically. You shifted on his lap trying to get comfortable muttering to yourself. At your squirming his breath stifled and his body froze up. He put his hands on your hips holding you still.

“Stop moving.” He said sharply. Holding you down. Not liking being restricted you tried to get him to stop holding onto you so firmly, wiggling around in the process. He grunted before slamming you down onto the couch and holding your hands above your head.

“I said stop. You don't want to pull this stunt with me little mouse.” He spat, as he hovered over you. Your hips in-between his legs. Your face heated up. Was he challenging you? You could take him. Okay probably not in a fight but still.

[strxnged]

for the electroculi, if you haven't found them, i'd reccomend making the electroulous finder and going to each island and using it and seeing what happens, or check the hoyolab map

thanks for your suggestion! i've managed to find them all now, but my main issue was that i have not understood the resonance stones for the longest time. i ended up doing research on them and now my inazuman statue is maxed lol

[cloudyonpluto]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)

Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Hisashi & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Hisashi & Midoriya Inko & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Hisashi/Midoriya Inko, Midoriya Izuku & Shinsou Hitoshi, Midoriya Izuku & Monoma Neito, Minor or Background Relationship(s) Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Midoriya Inko, Midoriya Hisashi, Shinsou Hitoshi, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Monoma Neito, Midoriya Izuku's Family, Original Characters, Nedzu (My Hero Academia), Bakugou Katsuki, Class 1-A (My Hero Academia), Class 1-B (My Hero Academia), (relatively) - Character Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Not Canon Compliant, (i have never read nor watched the show lmao we are running on fanfiction information only pfft), ergo, Out of Character Midoriya Izuku, whatever that means to you, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Has a Singing Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have All For One Quirk, Midoriya Izuku is Not a Hero, Midoriya Izuku is Not a Villain, he's a secret third option, a menace, Midoriya Izuku & Shinsou Hitoshi Friendship, but not really, Midoriya Izuku & Monoma Neito Hateship, Musical References, kind of, Authors General Fear of Choir Kids, Music Meister Izuku, Overpowered Midoriya Izuku, Crack Treated Seriously, Crack Crossover, Midoriya Izuku Has a Crush, but thats not the focus so dw bout that, and because im obligated to include this tag, Songfic Series: Part 1 of Somebody Shut This Kid Up Summary:

Izuku's quirk makes the world his musical (He makes it everyone else's problem)

[cloudywriter]

masterlist

✧ - in progress, ✦ - completed, ☼ - fluff, ☾ - angst

A Court of Thorns and Roses

multi-chapter:

✧☾☼ vanilla pudding cups (feysand - university/college au)

✧☾☼ i never got to say i love you (feysand - hospital modern au)

one-shots/prompt answers:

✦☼ early mornings (feysand - canon)

✦☼ some attention, please? (nessian - modern au, domestic fluff)

✦☼a tale of questionable carnival rides (nessian - modern au, carnival fluff)

Throne of Glass

multi-chapter:

✧☼ camp staghorn (rowaelin - camp counselor au)

rowaelin month:

✦☼ day 1: promposals

✦☼ day 3: what happens in the dark, part 2

✦☾ day 4: the duty of court, part 2

✦☼ day 6: a trip to target

✦☾ day 7: the lost princess of terrasen

✦☼ day 10: a morning meeting

✦☾ day 12: the duty of court part 2 

✦☼ day 13: a healthy dose of rock & roll

aelin week: 

✦☼ day 2: the best kept secret 

The Infernal Devices 

✦☼ the best things are unexpected 1 & 2 (wessa - canon) 

[writtenonreceipts]

I’m new to the acotar fandom sooo… I just pulled an all-nighter to binge all of your fics and OMG I NEED MORE!!! I love these characters sm and your writing is amazzzinnnggg 😩 do you have any recommendations? I love these books sm and I can’t get enough of feysand

Hey nonny! Welcome to the fandom 🥳🥳 I hope this ends up being a great experience for you 💜

And thank you so much for reading! I'm so glad my fics were enjoyable for you!!

Okay, so here are some blogs and writers to follow.. these are the ones I interact with most. It is certainly not an extensive list. I haven't been reading as much acotar recently, I am terrible, we know this. But this is a great starting line up. Please reblog or comment other recs, or shoot me a message and I will add/reblog with other writers or fics.

@elentiyawhitethorn -- queen. We love abby and how she writes feysand

@live-the-fangirl-life -- fluff extraordinaire, glorious human, multiships, but plenty of feysand

@the-lonelybarricade --canon divergence and Canon compliant. A delight to follow.

@moononastring -- elucien needs can be met here and some fluffy feysand too!

@thegloweringcastle -- has some great fics, plus a western feysand au, need I say more?

@cloudywriter -- has some angst fics to enjoy

@hlizr50 -- mostly writes gwynriel and we love it!

@houseofhurricane -- canon fics, multiships

@c-e-d-dreamer mostly writes nessian with some gwynriel. But the nessian is awesome! I love her fics.

@darling-archeron --lots of fics with modern and conon fics, a delight as always

@talkfantasytome --extensive masterlist, mostly Nessian. and just an awesome person

@tealnymph24 --gwynriel Stan whom we love immensely and will die fighting for

@alifletcher2012 -- so many wonderful fics. Feysand mostly modern aus

@julemmaes -- extensive masterlist, wonderful human, wonderful writing

@perseusannabeth -- mostly Nessian ❤️

@dawninlatin --"how did we get here" will destroy you and you'll be grateful

@illyrianbeauty lots of feysand and is always great to follow because they reblog lots of fics too

@iambutmortal has some great elucien that I love

[rowaelinismyotp]

END OF YEAR THOUGHTS

saw quite a few people do it and decided to give it a shot... wow it has been quite an eventful year. it has almost been a year since i've made my account (the anniversery's in feb/march) but i got into the sjmass world late october last year. i was on a camping trip with my friends and borrowed acotar from the public library (...yes it was because of booktok). i started reading more and fell in love. i got into the fanfic world soon after and i am so thankful for each and every one of you here who have made me feel so welcome here. this has truly become my safe haven and i really try to make everyone else's experiance as great as mine was. from the get-go, everyone was so kind and welcoming and it really kept me going during the self-isolation periods. i started writing this september so it's pretty recent but as i write and try to produce as much quality content as fast as i can, i am so in awe of the writers here who crank out AMAZING content FOR FREE so quickly. you all are literally my heroes. i am so thankful for every single one of the readers, the writers, and the content producers. you are so appreciated and i love you all so much. thank you for making 2020 one of the best years i've ever had. (and if i forgot you, that is 100% because of my exhasted brain.... i am so sorry if i did)

@themoonthestarsthesuriel @charincharge @morganofthewildfire @rowaelinrambling @tomtenadia @shyvioletcat @live-the-fangirl-life @writtenonreceipts @letstakethedawn @highqueenofelfhame @leiawritesstories @lala2sstuff @pen-paper-and-ink @heirofflowers @fireheartwhitethorn4ever @llyncooljones @moodymelanist @moononastring @story-scribbler @cloudywriter @hellodeedles @the-regal-warrior @rosegoldannie @noodlecatposts @whimsicallyreading @sayosdreams @in-love-with-caramel-macchiato @hellasblessed @house-of-galathynius @perseusannabeth @arinbelle @alifletcher2012 @starseternalnighttriumphant @punkassbookjockey26 @tswaney17 @imaginedhaven @snelbz @theladyofdeath @sassyhobbits @thewayshedreamed

[rowaelinscourt]

Aelin Week Day 2 Masterlist

Prompt for Aelin Week day 2: Aelin and the magic of friendship

Works:

themoonthestarsthesuriel (moodboards)

shyvioletcat (fic)

cloudywriter (fic)

gretanotkreta (art)

backtobl4ck (fic)

ladykreads (fic)

writtenonreceipts (fic)

-------

Note: if you don't see your work on this masterlist, shoot us (@rowaelinscourt ) an ask, and we'll make sure it's get added properly! Thank you so much for participating!

[theladyofdeath]

i noticed your sjm writers list needs some updating :)

@a-court-of-milkandhoney @acciowests @asteria-of-mars @cloudywriter @cuquitalocita @emikadreams @flyingtortillasworldsblog @firqheart @gracie-rosee @heartofwildfires @hellasblessed @hellodeedles @hellogoodbye14 @highladysith @house-of-galathynius @howtotameyourillyrian @lemonade-coolattas @letstakethedawn @live-the-fangirl-life @llyncooljones @manonblaqkbeak @missbrightsky @mmvalentine @myfavoriteinvestment @pen-paper-and-ink @rhysandswingspan @rowanaelinn @rowanwhitethornisbae @sanktaleksander @story-scribbler @sunflowix @talkfantasytome @tealnymph24 @terrible-and-proud @thebonecarver @thenerdandfandoms @tomtenadia @westofmoon @whimsicallyreading @wickdwriter @wrathscannoli @writersplanetarium

And @rhysand-vs-rowan —> @rhysand-vs-fenrys

THANK YOU!!!

[neurotoxitic-blog]

Writing blog that'll probably die rip XD

@cloudywritings

[elentiyawhitethorn]

Thank you for the tags @live-the-fangirl-life @heirofflowers @mybloodrunsblue @rowanaelinn @morganofthewildfire and @tomtenadia <3

Masterlist | ToG Masterlist

Multi-chapters:

When Passion Rules the Game

Who here is looking for a good smut fic? This one has it all—drama, sneaking around, love confessions, and a heck ton of smut. Set in an office building in which Aelin resides as CEO, what will happen when the boss unintentionally sleeps with her newest employee?

You’re a Mystery to Me

Looking for a more complex plot? Something romantic but also mysterious and dramatic with a large dose of humor tossed in? YAMTM is a Scooby-Doo au and yes! It’s just as crazy as it sounds! Follow Aelin, Elide, Rowan, and Lorcan as they navigate love and crime on a grand summer vacation. It’s in progress and hasn’t been updated for some time but I assure you I haven’t given up on this one. I’m so excited for everything I have planned out and I think you’ll love the intrigue!

Oneshots:

A Dance to Remember

A personal favorite of mine: a missing scene from KoA where Aelin and Rowan share their first dance after being crowned. Fluff fluff fluffy

An Experiment

My most popular fic by far, this one is smut. Literally just smut. Have fun with that ;)

The Loathsome Librarian

This is a humorous little piece featuring grumpy librarian Rowan and spiteful bookworm Aelin. I had fun writing this one and I think it ended up being a decently funny oneshot, so if you’re into the humor this one’s for you.

This is just a sample of my writing: I’ve written tons and tons of fanfics, mainly ToG (all Rowaelin), and if you’re looking for a variety here I am lol. I mainly do fluff, also some smut, and the occasional angst.

Tagging @rowaelinrambling @westofmoon @cloudywriter @rowaelinismyotp @thewayshedreamed @letstakethedawn @mariamuses @alifletcher2012 and anyone else who wants to hype up their fic(s), feel free to jump in!!!

ok idea. what if we did like a self-advertising thing where you for example make a little thing talking about idwtw (or another one of your fics) and how good it is and why people should read it, then tag a few other people who chose one of their own fics to advertise? maybe this fandom needs some boosting from the writers themselves 🤷‍♀️

Love this idea. Here goes:

Rowaelin fans. If you love friends to lovers, I Don’t Want To Wait is waiting for you. It started off as my personal agenda to right the wrongs of Dawson’s Creek (my favorite show), but it ended up being my magnum opus about girls who have been told that sex is wrong and that body autonomy is wrong. So for anyone, young or old, who believes that sexuality and sex are not shameful and are to be explored, check out this friends to lovers fic. It’s changed me and I hope it changes you.

Tagging @westofmoon @highqueenofelfhame and @morganofthewildfire to promo their own fics. Let’s go team Rowaelin 💗

[writtenonreceipts]

Hi, I'm very in love with Feysand and would like to know if you know of any accounts that have fanfincs about it. Ps: I read everything you posted, I think your writing is amazing

❤❤😘😘 thanks for reading nonny! I'll admit, I've been a bit of a mess lately and have failed at reading and reblogging.

But!

@themoonthestarsthesuriel is awesome. I love her works. Always creative, original, and fun and always interesting. Plus she is a delight. If your not already reading her stuff, you should be.

@darling-archeron has a really great hades persephone au that is lovely. I haven't gotten caught up with it yet, but the first two chapters are beautiful.

@moononastring I am low key obsessed with how she writes elucien. But she also has great feysand fics and is just awesome in general. Always recommend.

@colteyes I haven't done a deep dive of their fics yet, but their writing style is lovely and a lot like what I look for with fics.

@emikadreams writes a lot of darker themed fics and has some great one shots.

@cloudywriter has some heart strings to pull with their fault in our stars au

@cuquitalocita has some super sweet feysand fics that i really like going back to

@darling-cas has some great one shots too

Again, I'm sorry I've been the worst with reading and stuff. I've been very much in my own head recently. I'm going to try and be more involved with other fics and blogs here and hope yall have some other recommendations too!

[live-the-fangirl-life]

@cloudywriter Me too! Lol I’m so glad you like it

Florence, Italy

A World Away Part 1

Aelin Galathynius x Rowan Whitethorn - World Travelers AU

Travel Tip #12: Avoid gelato that's piled high in mounds. The tall stuff is eye-catching, but it isn't real; it's full of additives and chemicals that help it stand up in the heat—it's a tourist trap. Instead, look for the gelato that sits low in the tins. Go down a side street a little farther away from the crowds, don't worry, you’ll see at least one gelateria every block. The low-lying gelato is real; it's authentic, delicious, and when you leave the shop with a small scoop of it in your cup, you’ll feel like a local.

Fic Masterlist

Warnings: Language

3757 words

*******

One of Aelin’s favorite things to do in a new city was to get lost. She would spend a day, or at least a few hours, just walking around aimlessly. Of course, she’d make sure her phone was charged and had the address of wherever she was staying written down, but Aelin thought the best way to get to know a place was to experience it like a local.

She always found a coffee shop or small café to get breakfast. She always tried some vendor’s street food if she could find it. And she always found a bookshop to buy a book in the language of the place she was visiting.

She tried to balance her time between getting the local perspective and diving headfirst into tourist attractions. Some things were overrated, but most of the so-called touristy things were popular for a reason—and if she was going to spend her time in a particular place, she was going to get the most out of it. Because as much as she fell in love with any particular place, she was always excited for the next adventure; she would rather choose to explore someplace new than to go back to a city or country she had already visited. That meant that Aelin was determined to experience a place to its fullest while she was there because she didn’t know when, or if, she would ever be back.

For as long as Aelin could remember she wanted to travel the world. Growing up in New York, she met people who traveled all the time and were from places she practiced over and over to pronounce correctly. She knew she was lucky to live in such a global city, but she always itched for more.

She didn’t just want to listen to other people’s stories, she wanted to experience those adventures herself.

Her family was very well-off. The Galathynius' were practically a dynasty in the corporate world; there wasn’t a Manhattan socialite who didn’t want a Galathynius gracing their event. Aelin had been her parents' obvious choice to take over the family businesses, but even when she tried her hardest to want to want that kind of successful, corporate life…all she could see in her future were passport stamps, spiced foods, interesting people, and languages beyond her comprehension.

She had been told countless times that if she became the head of her family’s company, she could still have all those things, albeit in moderation. But she wanted the freedom to simply pack her bag and go onto the next adventure, without having to think about business meetings or schmoozing donors. And she knew how lucky and privileged she was to be in a position to even hope for that kind of life.

By the time she graduated college, she had given up any plans of attempting the corporate life. Instead, she suggested her parents take her cousin, Aedion, under their wing and train him to run things. Aedion had always loved the business and Aelin knew he would help steer the company in a better direction under his authority.

So, she packed up most of her belongings and put them in storage after her mother insisted she not permanently get rid of anything.

Then Aelin bought a plane ticket and finally began her adventure.

“Buongiorno!” Aelin greeted the barista at the café down the block from the small apartment she was renting that week. She paused, trying to remember how to order her coffee in Italian. “Vorrei un piccolo cappuccino, per favore.”

The lady behind the counter smiled at Aelin and replied, “One cappuccino, coming up.”

While Aelin paid, she tried not to feel discouraged over the fact the woman replied to her in English. She’d just have to work on her accent some more. Aelin always loved when the person she spoke to replied in their own language, it made her feel like her accent sounded genuine and that the person didn’t immediately realize it wasn’t her native language.

“Grazie.” Aelin thanked the woman and enjoyed her coffee, figuring out what exactly she wanted to do with her day.

The sun was shining as Aelin stepped out onto the cobblestone streets of Florence. She’d found there were many things she loved about Italy: the food, the wine, the weather, the people, the wine—but what she loved most was that everyone looked like they were in the middle of their own story.

She passed children playing tag in the street, laughing excitedly as they ran for each other. She watched as women as old as her grandmother walked along dressed to the nines—because they never left the house without their pantyhose and tailored ensembles. She saw a woman stride purposefully, the wind catching her scarf and blowing it behind her as she moved expertly in her stiletto heels across the bumpy cobblestone street.

Aelin was about to cross the street towards San Lorenzo when someone bumped into her shoulder. Stumbling a step, she turned to see a tall man with silver hair hurry away from her, adjusting what looked to be a camera bag on his shoulder and letting out a curt “Sorry” before hurrying on.

“Whatever” she muttered; she wasn’t going to let some rude stranger ruin her morning.

Arriving in one of the main city squares, she spotted the Uffizi Palace and decided she would spend her morning there touring the galleries. She was super excited to see Botticelli's Birth of Venus. Extremely touristy, but again, it deserved to be.

Sometimes she liked to plan every day of her trips, other times she liked to go with the flow; this trip was one of the latter, hence why she hadn’t bought a ticket to the museum in advance, not sure when exactly she would choose to go.

She mentally prepared herself for a long wait and stepped in line behind a man who looked vaguely familiar. Content to study him with his back turned to her, she took in his tan arms peeking out from the rolled sleeves of his fitted shirt. She thought she caught a bit of a tattoo. Even hunched over his bag she could tell he was tall.

With a jolt, she realized this was the man who ran into her that morning.

***

Rowan loved his job. Really, he did. As a photographer for a travel magazine, he was always in a different city getting to try the foods and see the sights. He loved being able to read an article about the hottest new restaurant or the hidden gem of an area and see his photos attached to it.

What he didn’t love was the jetlag, or the unnecessary early morning video calls with his supervisors to make sure he was prepared for the appointments that day. It didn't help that he had slept through his alarm and had to rush to the Museum he was shooting in this morning.

Practically jogging up to the front entrance, Rowan patted his pockets looking for his complimentary pass. He couldn’t find it.

“No, no, no…” Rowan set down his camera bag and dug through it even as he knew the pass wouldn’t be there. “Shit.”

Perfect. He groaned as he straightened back up. Not only had he not had time for coffee this morning, but he also had run into a woman in his hurry to the museum barely having a second to get out an apology, and to top it all off he didn’t have the entrance pass his bosses had provided. So now he had to wait in the ever-growing line.

Just Perfect.

Accepting his fate, he shrugged his camera bag back onto his shoulder and walked to the end, and waited.

***

Two hours. That’s how long Aelin had been standing in line. The wait itself didn’t bother her so much, it was the man in front of her that made her want to grind her teeth.

She had tried three times to talk to him. At first, she hesitated, having no idea if he spoke English or not, but she finally decided to take her chances and try.

She thought maybe they could strike up a conversation, maybe laugh about their mishap that morning, maybe flirt a little.

But then he turned out to be a rude, grouchy ass, and she started counting down the minutes until she wouldn't have to stand next to him anymore.

***

Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo and Baptistry, Boboli Gardens…

Rowan was checking off all the places he had needed to photograph while he was in Florence. The only one left was…he flipped through his notes searching for the instructions he was given, ah there it was, Piazzale Michelangelo.

Easy enough, Rowan could make the trek up there tomorrow evening. Maybe he could try a long exposure shot. He’d been dying to make one of the city, and that might be the perfect place for it.

“Another glass of wine, Signore?”

Rowan looked up as the waiter took away his finished pasta. He probably could’ve eaten another full plate of the house-made pesto gnocchi, but it was probably best he didn’t.

“Si, un altro, per favore.” But he wasn’t going to deprive himself of another glass of the Italian wine.

Looking pleased with Rowan’s attempt at the language, the waiter smiled and walked away.

A loud laugh from behind him caught Rowan’s attention. He turned to find a familiar golden-haired woman seated at a table near the terrace. She was engaged in an animated conversation with her waiter. From what Rowan could hear she had mistaken one Italian word for another and accidentally called someone a very rude name. Thankfully, she reassured her waiter, the person had found it funny and not as insulting as it could’ve been.

Rolling his eyes, Rowan turned back to his drink and tried not to be a little envious at how easily that woman seemed to make friends with everyone around her.

After the third time trying to talk to him while they waited for the museum the other day, she ceased her efforts with him and turned to the family behind her. By the time they made it to the front entrance the woman was sharing stories with the family and promising to email them her recommendations for restaurants for their upcoming trip to New York.

Rowan felt slightly bad for blowing off her attempts at conversation. The first time she tried, he hadn’t turned around to look at her, too distracted checking his camera bag to make sure he didn't forget any of his equipment during his rush that morning. He hadn’t meant to be rude, but he was already on edge and snapped back at her.

The second time, she poked his arm until he turned around. For a moment he was struck by how beautiful she was; her golden hair shown in the morning light and her eyes were a mix of turquoise and gold that he hadn’t ever seen before.

Then she spoke and any regret he felt at being rude vanished entirely.

“Wow, are you always so charming? First, knocking me over in the street and now snapping in my face? Real nice.”

He looked at her incredulously. “I didn't knock you over. I ran into you, and I can assure you that was an accident, but it's not like I sent you flying into the street.”

She snorted, imagining how that would’ve gone. “Okay, fine, maybe I exaggerated that a bit.”

“A bit?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

She was cut off from saying anything as a loud tour group walked past them with matching headsets, following a guide holding up a large, ugly flag with some logo on it.

Twenty minutes went by without her saying anything. Rowan was enjoying people-watching as tourists and locals walked through the Piazza della Signoria headed either for the Ponte Vecchio: the bridge spanning the Arno river filled with jewelers stands and trinket carts; or the Palazzo Vecchio: the old palace that once housed the Medicis before the Duke moved into Palazzo Pitti.

A young man selling roses walked by, trying to get anyone in line to buy a flower. He went by Aelin before backtracking and giving her a rose.

“For the Bellissima Donna.” He held out the flower to her as he bowed dramatically. Laughing, she accepted it and he blew her a kiss as he left.

Rowan had watched out of the corner of his eye as she smiled and smelled the rose again, before turning back to him.

“You know,” she began, still twirling the rose between her fingers, “we’re gonna be standing in this line for a while. Might as well get to know each other.”

He looked at her suspiciously. “Are you always this friendly to strangers you meet?”

She rolled her eyes, seeming to get more exasperated with him. “Only with the ones who I think are interesting.”

“Wow. I feel so honored to be considered interesting enough to talk to.”

Her smile dropped. “What's with the stick up your ass?”

He scoffed. His conversations with this woman weren't going how he thought they would, but he was too stubborn to backtrack. “I don't need to waste my time in meaningless conversation with someone who is so enamored with receiving a flower from a stranger.”

“Is someone jealous?” She gave him a simpering smile that made him even more frustrated. “Well, I don't need to waste my time talking to someone who is so obviously insecure with his own skill with the ladies. I bet the idea to buy a rose from him never even crossed your mind.”

Then she turned away from him, throwing her hair over her shoulder barely missing hitting him in the face. They ignored each other for the rest of the wait.

As soon as they had entered the Uffizi, Rowan had been glad to escape the aggravating woman.

And yet somehow, she chose the same restaurant he did for dinner.

He paid his check and left, deciding he may as well get started on some editing.

***

On her last night in Florence Aelin knew she wanted to go up to Piazzale Michelangelo on the other side of the Arno to see the best view of the city. She wanted to order a little gelato and sit on a bench or lean against the railing and watch as the city began to glow during golden hour.

It took her almost an hour to walk from her room a few streets away from the city center to the lookout point across the river. When she finally made it to the top she was surprised to see the spot she was eyeing already taken.

She supposed she wasn’t surprised it was taken, it was a popular lookout after all, but what startled her was who had claimed that spot. It was the same man who she saw in the restaurant the night before, the man who was in line with her at the museum, the same man who had almost knocked her over a few days ago.

Seriously? How the hell was this happening?

She stood watching him for a moment, trying to catch her breath from making the steep incline moments before.

He was setting up a tripod and aiming his very expensive-looking camera at the city.

Part of her envied his high-tech camera that she assumed took stunning pictures. When she planned to travel, she had thought about taking a nice camera with her, but eventually, she decided it would be too much to lug around and in her opinion, her phone was good enough. Besides, she wanted to live the moment, not spend her whole day looking at the world through a camera lens.

Huffing a breath, Aelin set off in search of a treat. She found a small stand selling scoops of gelato and happily indulged in the sweet chocolate and caramel ice cream.

Looking over she could see the man was still in the spot she wanted. Annoyed, she walked over to a nearby railing and paused to look over the city.

She could see the mismatched building along the Arno, the bustling Ponte Vecchio with the Vasari corridor connecting it to the Palazzo Vecchio on one side of the river and the Palazzo Pitti on the other, the Duomo and Cathedral in the heart of the city, and bright russet-colored rooftops as far as she could see.

It was moments like these that she tried to memorize. The view, the people, the ambiance, but especially how she felt in those moments. Totally at peace.

Sometimes it felt like her soul was stretched out across the world, and she had to go searching for its edges. Moments like this, when she felt peace, it was like a part of her soul had found its home here and she was returning to it.

Aelin stood there watching over Florence for a few more minutes before taking a breath and turning back towards where she wanted to take pictures.

Throwing her cup in a garbage can, Aelin walked back over to the spot she really wanted.

To her irritation, the man was still there. He wasn’t even actively taking pictures! He was sitting on the bench a few feet away from the camera, unknowingly, or simply uncaringly, taking up the best view in the place. After a few moments, he walked up to the tripod and Aelin slowly started walking towards him, hoping to snag the open view as soon as he left.

Only, he didn't leave.

He looked through the lens for another moment, and then walked back to the bench and started scrolling through his phone again.

Aelin had enough. All she wanted was to get a few good pictures of the city, he could move over to let her do that.

“Do you mind?”

“Excuse me?” The man looked up at her and blinked. He seemed just as shocked to see her again as she had been.

“Do you mind? You’ve been in this same spot for an hour now and it’s the best place for a picture.” She waved her hand at his camera set-up and his face changed from disbelief to exasperation

“It is the best place for a picture.” He smirked, finally standing up and looking down at her. “That’s why I’m using it.”

She scoffed. “You’re not the only one who wants to take pictures. And I want to get some before the sun completely disappears.”

“You can go over there.” Rowan waved vaguely to a stretch of railing around the corner. He was in the middle of his long-exposure shot and he wasn’t going to let some entitled tourist ruin it.

Aelin glared at him and crossed her arms. “But over there I can't see this side of the Duomo.”

“Not my problem.” He shrugged and went to turn towards his camera, but she stepped closer to him forcing him to back up.

“Excuse me?” What an ass. “It is your problem.”

“No, that sounds like it’s your problem.” Rowan was getting tired of arguing.

So was Aelin. “Look, I’ve been patiently waiting for you to do whatever it is you’re doing for almost an hour; I just want a couple pictures before I leave.”

“I’m working.” He said as if that justified monopolizing the view.

“And I’m going to take my pictures.” With that, Aelin moved to shove past him but he was quicker and used his arm to block her from getting any closer.

“No. You can’t go in front of it, I’m taking a long exposure shot and if you walk around my camera you’re going to ruin it.”

Aelin raised her eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips angrily. “Long exposure? Doesn’t that mean if I stand there for a minute I’ll just look like a blur in the picture? It’ll barely seem like I was even there.”

“Not the point. I’m not going to do extra work because you won’t move down a few feet.” Who did this woman think she was? This was his job.

“Get out of my way.”

“You can literally go three feet that way and take your pictures.”

Maybe. But Aelin was always too stubborn for her own good. She glared at him and he glared right back.

“Now it's about the principle of the thing.”

Scoffing, Rowan stepped back. Was she serious?

“Seriously? I thought it was about you getting your precious pictures.”

“It is, but I’m not going to let you patronize me.”

“Patronize you? I’m working, this is for my job,” He took an exaggerated moment to look her up-and-down, “something you probably aren’t familiar with, princess.”

“Princess?” She hissed. She could feel her nails digging into her palms from how hard she was clenching her fists. Who the hell did he think he was? He was just some arrogant, infuriating asshole.

The look he gave her was the definition of condescending.

Aelin stepped into his space and poked him in the chest, hard. “I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you don't own Piazzale Michelangelo. I’m going to take my pictures and I'm going to leave. If you hadn't been such a gods-damned jerk, maybe I wouldn't have done this—”

Aelin feinted right and side-stepped him as he reached for her. She jogged the few remaining steps to the lookout, deliberately standing right in front of his camera.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Rowan fumed, watching as Aelin took shots of the city and then took about a dozen more exaggerated selfies just to piss him off further.

Satisfied, Aelin turned to leave, waving goodbye to a seething Rowan. “I hope your camera runs out of battery.”

His glare was icy. “I hope your pictures are blurry.”

She could hear his grumbling all the way down the path.

***

As Aelin boarded the train headed for Pisa, she thought over the last few days. Overall, it was great. The pasta, the wine, the art, the gelato—if only she hadn’t met that photographer. Gods, he had some nerve.

Trying to think about what she would be doing tomorrow and not about how much she wanted to throw the silver-haired man’s camera into the Arno, she leaned back in her seat and watched the countryside go by.

Her last thought before drifting off to sleep, lulled by the steady movement of the train, was that she was happy she’d never have to see him again.

***

Taglist: @allthebooksunderthemoon @astra-ad-mare @becarefuloflove @bisexual-genderfluid-fan @booklover41802 @charlizeed @cookiemonsterwholovesbooks @danibutterr @doubt-less @emily-gsh @enormousbooklover @foughtconquered @fromthelibraryofemilyj @hakunamatatazz @i-have-but-one-brain-cell @in-love-with-caramel-macchiato @jorjy-jo @live-the-fangirl-life @mariamuses @mayhemories @midsizewitch @morganofthewildfire @nehemikkele @rowaelinismyotp @rowansfirebringer @sayosdreams @sheharahu @sleeping-and-books @stardelia @story-scribbler @superspiritfestival @swankii-art-teacher @tomtenadia @westofmoon

[rowaelinscourt]

Rowaelin Month: Day 1 Masterlist

Prompt for Rowaelin Month Day 1: I just realized I'm desperately in love with you

Works:

highqueenofelfhame cuquitalocita manonblaqkbeak live-the-fangirl-life seasonofthewicth shyvioletcat sanktaleksander whimsicallyreading pen-paper-and-ink morganofthewildfire talkfantasytome tomtenadia punkassbookjockey26 writtenonreceipts myfavoriteinvestment highladyof-erilea imaginedhaven lemonade-coolattas llyncooljones foreverfallingforthestars julemmaes cloudywriter fireheartbuzzard

Note: If you have created something for Rowaelin Month, but your work isn’t on this masterlist, please submit your works here! Follow the instructions in the provided link, and we can reblog your work and add it to the masterlist!

[rowaelinscourt]

Rowaelin Month: Day 7 Masterlist

Prompt for Rowaelin Month Day 7:  Fairytale AU

tomtenadia shyvioletcat - Moodboard punkassbookjockey26 talkfantasytome llyncooljones whimsicallyreading westofmoon  - Moodboard morganofthewildfire  - Moodboard highqueenofelfhame cloudywriter

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[rowaelinscourt]

Rowaelin Month: Day 6 Masterlist

Prompt for Rowaelin Month Day 6:  The Firstborn Arrives

Works:

manonblaqkbeak tomtenadia shyvioletcat cloudywriter whimsicallyreading talkfantasytome highladyof-erilea punkassbookjockey26 artbycharlizeed  - Fanart morganofthewildfire writtenonreceipts lemonade-coolattas llyncooljones morganofthewildfire

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Rowaelin Month: Day 4 Masterlist

Prompt for Rowaelin Month Day 4:  Libraries or Librarians

Works:

artbycharlizeed - Fanart live-the-fangirl-life tomtenadia manonblaqkbeak themoonthestarsthesuriel foreverfallingfromthestars julemmaes punkassbookjockey26 llyncooljones shyvioletcat talkfantasytome writtenonreceipts cloudywriter highladyof-erilea highqueenofelfhame rowanaelinn

Note: If you have created something for Rowaelin Month, but your work isn’t on this masterlist, please submit your works here! Follow the instructions in the provided link, and we can reblog your work and add it to the masterlist!