#did not make it v far in that post. was going in order of each characters 1st appearance and made it all the way to............ isaac lmao

[seventh-district]

so uh. that 2.2 Special Program, huh

[uniformbravo]

alright im like 5 years back in my drafts y'all want anything

[irmawrites]

Sleeping with the enemy | One-Shot

Summary: your father, Gwayne Hightower, had always told you to beware of Davos Blackwood, son of one of your grandfather's most ardent haters. But when you meet him at a party years after graduating college, you can't help but think he's not so bad after all.

Rating: Explicit [18+], MDNI.

Pairing: modern!Davos Blackwood x Hightower!Reader (appearance isn’t specified, everyone is 18+ in this)

TW: smut with a tiny bit of plot, fingering, oral sex (m receiving), p in v sex, praising kink, unprotected sex, loss of virginity, dom/sub undertones, afab reader, not proofread.

Words count: 4393

Author’s note: Hi, everyone! This is my first time posting here, and I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated ahaha like a lot of people, I fell in love with Davos Blackwood's in episode three and ABSOLUTELY had to write this idea that's been on my mind for a while now.

I should probably mention that English is not my mother tongue, so please excuse my grammar mistakes!

Davos Blackwood had a bad reputation in your neighborhood, that much was true.

The rumors about him had started when you were still in college, something about red liquid smeared on the mirror in the boys' bathroom. A silly prank involving fake blood and strange theatrics to scare off a younger classmate that had perhaps gone too far. It was your own cousin Aemond who had found the fake crime scene just after the culprit had left, still licking his red-stained fingers. It caused quite a stir at the time, and he hadn't been seen on campus for at least two weeks. It may have been fake blood or just a tasteless joke, it was still inevitable that action would have to be taken.

It was Aeron Bracken in particular who had helped make these bizarre stories popular. He told anyone who would listen that Davos Blackwood was a deranged, violent madman. It was no secret that the two young men didn't get along. But no one expected things to get as bad as they did. There had been rumors in the hallways and whispers in the cafeteria, but that wasn't all. His car had been vandalized and marked with insults on several occasions. Even Gwayne Hightower, your father, had warned you.

A real witch hunt.

As far as you knew, however, the main target had remained unaffected by the situation, even toying with those who provoked him. In a way, he almost seemed to enjoy the wild, mysterious aura that all this fuss gave him.

You, for one, had never really believed it. After all, he didn't look like a bad guy, with his big, green eyes and permanently disheveled black hair. He seemed a little strange to you, a little off, but not enough to be considered a clear danger. But your opinion didn't matter much.

Nothing had ever destined the two of you to spend time together. His parents' company only did business with Rhaenyra's, refusing any ties and especially any agreements with the Hightowers. His father seemed to harbor a fierce hatred and boundless distrust of your family, apparently fearing that Otto's overweening ambition would lead him to overturn the order of succession established by Viserys himself and install his own grandson as sole ruler of the company.

And in your world, your parents had a bit more say in who you dated than they did for other people. You couldn't just go out with a guy because he seemed interesting, especially if he was the son of one of your grandfather's most ardent haters.

So you'd never spoken to each other in college, let alone at the lavish charity galas your family hosted.

Never, until that day.

"You like Iron Maiden?" a hoarse, unfamiliar voice said from behind you as you wrung the water out of your hair, "or is that your boyfriend's shirt?". The sun was high in the sky and you could feel the heat of its rays burning your exposed neck. The clear waters of the Targaryen family pool sparkled, and the garden echoed with the bursts of voices of those Aegon had invited to what should have been a casual gathering of the younger generation with ties to the Targaryen business.

You didn't think he'd invite Davos Blackwood, though.

"It's mine," you replied, giving the young man a mischievous smile, your fingers playing absentmindedly with the string that held the bottom of your swimsuit to your hip, "and yeah, it's one of my favorite bands actually." He seemed to take a moment to assess the situation, his eyes roaming up and down your body, an unreadable smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Never pegged you as a little rebel," he crossed his arms over his chest before continuing, "more of a model daughter." You knew he was toying with you, trying to tease you, but you were more than happy to play along.

Besides, you understood where the thought came from, you who were usually more used to short skirts and high heels than band shirts.

Mentally, you thanked Aegon for thinking of him. "Be careful, Blackwood," your voice sounded like a playful threat, "you might be surprised."

You were about to leave to return to the deck chairs, but it seemed that Davos wasn't quite finished with the conversation. "Wait," he ordered, taking your wrist between his broad fingers. Mechanically, you glanced around to make sure no one was watching. After all, the last thing you wanted was for someone to spy on your conversation with someone who still belonged to your grandfather's enemy side. "What is it?" it was your turn to cross your arms over your chest, your eyebrows furrowing as you waited for some kind of justification from him. It was clear he had something on his mind, but you just couldn't figure out what. "Do you want to come over to my place sometime?" he finally said, and you felt your breath catch somewhere between your throat and your lungs. "Why?" the question crossed your lips before you could even think about it.

You didn't know each other, had never spoken before, not to mention the fact that your families didn't approve of each other. You were tempted to agree, of course, because whether you liked it or not, you felt this kind of almost magnetic attraction pulling you together.

You'd have liked to think it was fate, but you knew it was just your love of danger and the forbidden.

His voice pulled you out of your thoughts again. "You seem like a pretty nice girl, and we obviously have the same taste in music," he replied, finally loosening his grip on your wrist, "we could watch a movie, get to know each other, something like that." The offer was tempting, the prospect of spending a little more time with him appealing, but even though you desperately wanted to say yes, you knew you couldn't. You had to be reasonable and listen to that little voice in your head that told you it all sounded like a terrible idea. But he seemed to sense your reluctance because he quickly added, "Don't worry, no one will know."

***

Davos’ room wasn't exactly what you'd call tidy. You noticed a half-full ashtray on the windowsill and a few empty cans on his desk. It was the opposite of your own bedroom, neatly decorated and perfectly organized. Your wardrobe drawers were a bit of an exception, but that didn't really matter.

Even so, you couldn't help but find it a little charming. The smell of his cologne in the air, the half-unraveled sheets, this was unmistakably him. It tasted risky and illicit, and it stirred something unfamiliar in the pit of your stomach. A reaction that no boy had ever managed to provoke in you.

"There's no denying it, vampires really are the best supernatural creatures," you muttered, sinking your teeth into the last slice of the half-cold pizza you'd ordered earlier. You were especially comfortable sitting cross-legged on his bed as the rain pounded against the windows and the end of the movie drew near on his computer screen. His parents were out of town for the week, on a business trip or something, providing you with an opportunity to finally meet away from prying eyes. He seemed quite comfortable too, with his leg pressed against yours and his hand wrapped around his soda cup, which he sipped absentmindedly. "I have to say, I never thought you'd be into movies like this," he told you after a few long seconds, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "given your looks, I thought you'd be more into romantic comedies or something." You held back an annoyed sigh.

"Like I said..." you finally replied, "you should beware of appearances."

They can be misleading sometimes, you kept to yourself.

It was true that you were usually a sweet, sensible girl, the ideal daughter who always smiled and never caused trouble. The pride and joy of your parents. But lately you had grown tired. Tired of following orders, of doing everything you were told without ever being able to listen to your heart. You were eager to get rid of this constant fear of disappointing your loved ones if you didn't live up to their expectations, and it seemed that life had given you the perfect opportunity to free yourself from all that. 

"Is there something I should know?" the young man’s hand came to rest on the top of your thigh, his thumb delicately stroking the soft skin there, "some dark secret of yours, princess?". His almost mocking tone and the annoying nickname were enough to bring back that scorching heat in the pit of your stomach. The way he looked at you, at your breasts, made you think that he was affected by this sudden closeness, too. His gaze burned, almost as much as his fingers, which were now creeping dangerously up the hem of your shorts. And when you felt them graze the lace of your underwear in the hollow where your leg and hip met, you thought that maybe, just maybe, you'd bitten off more than you could chew.

But even though you were entering unfamiliar territory, something foreign to you, you refused to lose control and let him take what he wanted without saying a word. This wasn't your style. You always had a witty comeback ready to go. And you were going to show him.

Slowly, you moved forward a few inches on the bed to sit astride his very inviting lap, never taking your eyes off his lips. Your hands found his shoulders, and you could feel the hardness of his desire beneath your thighs. Gods, the sensation was divine. This was your doing. You and no one else’s. The sudden surge of power and dominance made your head spin. "Be very careful what you do now," his fingers settled on your hips to bring your chests a little closer together, his grip tight and bruising. "Or what?" you replied in an almost insolent, even provocative tone.

"Or we could end up doing something you might regret."

This was all a very bad idea, that much was true. Davos Blackwood was a very bad idea. But you didn't want to dwell on what the future might hold, let alone the potential consequences of your actions. All you knew was that you wanted more. More of his hands on your skin, more of his lips on yours, and more of him.  

And it seemed that he, too, was eager to take it further.

His fingers made their way up from your waist to your chest, slipping under your tank top to brush his thumbs over the two little hardened buds. The ghost of a touch, really, but it was enough to make you moan. Your mouths were now just a few inches apart, your breaths mingling, but you didn't want to kiss him yet, choosing to prolong this delicious, exhilarating tension for a few minutes longer.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" he asked, his voice hoarse with desire. "Do you feel it?". He backed up his words with action, rolling his hips and planting a kiss right at the corner of your jaw. "You know what this is?" he added, rolling one of your nipples between his index finger and thumb, "what happens to a man when a woman behaves the way you do?". Of course I know, you wanted to say but the words stuck in your throat and only a moan managed to break through the barrier of your lips. You weren't stupid, you were perfectly aware of what happened in this kind of situation. But you'd never seen it, let alone touched it, and the theory was very different from the actual reality.

"Shut up," you replied at last, before planting a kiss on his lips. You didn't mean it, though. To be honest, you wished he would talk to you like that all night long, sending a wave of heat straight to your core with words alone. His tongue found yours, silencing your thoughts, and you wrapped your arms around his neck to keep from losing your footing. "Such a foul mouth," he said, smiling against your lips as he gave you time to breathe, "we'll see if you're still so talkative once I'm done with you."

The young man's hands found the bottom of your tank top and pulled it over your head, and soon it was your shorts that suffered the same fate, leaving you in nothing but your black lace panties. You suddenly felt exposed, lying there under that hungry gaze that regarded you like a precious gift, a prized possession. You waited eagerly for his next move.

Where was the bold young woman who had taken the lead just a few minutes earlier, the one so determined not to lose control? It seemed like she'd already vanished, replaced by some shy creature beneath his crude words and inappropriate touch.

"What are you going to do to me?" you tilted your head to the side to give him better access to the skin of your neck, which he was kissing with increasing fervor. "Nothing you won't like," he replied as he stood up to get rid of his t-shirt, which joined the pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. Your eyes couldn't help but wander over his toned torso dotted with dark hairs, your hands itching to touch him.

Soon enough, his lips found your jaw, then your neck, then the top of your chest, and you immediately shivered. The weight of his body lying on yours was delightful, comforting. "Please..." you whimpered as your hands settled on his shoulders, urging him to give you what you were so desperate for. You felt his fingers slide slowly against the skin of your belly, then lower, much lower, to play with the lace of your underwear, and your back arched almost reflexively. You wanted more, you needed more, and you were getting tired of waiting.

"Be patient, princess," he said, nibbling on the soft skin of your breast, his mouth soon wrapping around your hardened nipple. A grunt escaped you, and you weren't quite sure if it was from your frustration or the dominant tone he had just used. His hand slipped under the fabric of your panties to tease the top of your slit before brushing over your already soaked folds. It was annoying, really, the effect he was having on you with such a light touch. But it was heavenly, and you had decided to ignore the voice of reason for the night.

His index finger found the little pearl nestled at the apex of your center, and the contact felt like a delicious electric shock. You threw your head back, eyes closing, lips parting in a silent cry as he drew little circles around your most sensitive area. "Have you ever had anyone here?" he asked after a few seconds. When you didn't answer, he added: "I asked you a question, and I want you to answer me." There it was again, his commanding, almost controlling tone.

"N... no," you stammered as you opened your eyes again to meet his, "nobody." You suddenly felt like prey under his hungry gaze that devoured your trembling body. "Perfect," you heard, just before his fingers found your entrance, which was already clenching around nothing, "and here?".

The idea of being the first to enter you seemed to obsess him.

You nodded, this time from left to right, signifying that no, you had saved your virginity for the right man, the one who would know how to make you tremble under his ministrations, the one who would know how to make you beg for more, always more.

"Perfect," he repeated again, as the first knuckle of his index finger sank agonizingly slowly into you, teasing your inner walls. It was barely there, nothing really, and yet you already felt incredibly full. "You're so tight," he growled against the skin of your throat, "so warm too, you're going to feel amazing around me." He added a second knuckle and soon his finger was completely buried inside you. It felt good, and it felt right, but it didn't feel like enough. You wiggled your hips and it seemed as if Davos had understood your silent request immediately. "I need you to take another," he straightened on his left elbow to look at you with lust-blown pupils, "do you think you can do that for me?". Once again, you nodded your head in agreement, but this time it didn't seem to be enough for him. "Use your words, princess." You fought the urge to roll your eyes. "I... I can take more," you murmured right against his lips as you looked down between your thighs.

"Good girl," he said, his voice low and rough as you felt his middle finger pressing into you. He curled them both, brushing that spongy spot against your inner wall, and you threw your head back.

You dug your nails into his pale skin to stay anchored in the present as his thumb found your clit. But you knew you wouldn't last long. You could already feel tingles of pleasure buzzing through your body, and in the pit of your belly, the fires of delight burned a little more fiercely. You wanted to warn him, to tell him you were close, but he was quicker than you: "Come for me."

He didn't need to tell you a second time.

Soon, the wave of your orgasm washed over you.

It made your whole body shake with spasms, your climax exploding like fireworks behind your eyelids. Your lips crashed against his neck to stifle your final moan as your back arched under the intense sensation. The young man was merciful enough to give you a few seconds to recover before withdrawing his fingers, leaving you empty and frustrated. "Look at the mess you made," you heard him groan, "clean it up." His index and middle fingers brushed across your lips, which parted eagerly to welcome them into your warm mouth.

You timidly wrapped your tongue around them under his predatory gaze. The mere thought that you could taste yourself on your taste buds set your body on fire once again. It was indecent, inappropriate, and you probably should have been ashamed to be used like this, but you couldn't care less.

Maybe it was his fault, or maybe you'd just found each other despite everything that kept you apart.

His fingers left your mouth to wrap around your neck. But as he lay back on the mattress and guided you towards his lips, you resisted. Once again, you straddled his hips, only this time completely naked. He looked at you for a few seconds, a little confused, until you reached under the elastic of his underwear to slide it down his legs. This seemed to make him realize the extent of your intentions. His hard member jumped free and caught your eye. Standing proud with a mass of dark curls adorning its base, the sight alone made you salivate. "Let me thank you," you said, as your fingers gently traced its length. "I want to make you feel good too." You slowly moved between his legs to kiss his inner thighs.

You reached out tentatively and wrapped your fingers around his manhood. It felt heavy in your hand, massive and your index finger couldn't quite touch your thumb because it was so wide. You brought your lips to his crotch and, watching Davos from beneath your long lashes, planted a quick kiss on the head where it was already weeping for you. Your tongue traced a vein on the underside without ever breaking eye contact. He threw his head back, his lips parted to let out a muffled curse.

The rush of power you felt when you saw him so vulnerable under your touch was sinfully delicious.

You tilted your head to the side to plant a series of kisses all along his hardened manhood, your big innocent eyes still locked with his. There was a pause, a few tense seconds, before finally, finally, you moved your head forward to take him fully into your mouth. His big hand found refuge at the back of your skull, and you let him guide you completely.

The grip on your hair tightened, almost to the point of pain. "Breathe, through your nose," the young man ordered, but his voice was more urgent than before, his breathing becoming ragged from the growing pleasure. "You can do better than that." The fingers buried in your locks soon forced you to swallow him whole, your nose pressed against his pelvis, the unruly hair tickling your face. You could feel yourself drooling around him, the action messy. "Such a filthy girl," he said as his thumb came to caress the corner of your mouth, right where his member disappeared between your lips, "sucking my cock like a real whore." You let out an audible moan around his length in response to the foulness of his words.

But instead of disgusting you, it only served to encourage you.

You hollowed out your cheeks, still following the rhythm of his hand, which had resumed its place at the back of your head. He was big, and he filled your mouth in a way you hadn't experienced before, but you wanted to prove to him that you could satisfy him, that you could make him proud. Tears formed at the corners of your eyes, which he hastily wiped away with the tip of his free thumb. "Shh... you're doing so well," he praised you in a reassuring tone. You knew he was close to reaching his climax. His breathing had become labored, his movements erratic, and it was evident that you were causing him to lose his balance. But it seemed he didn't want to end it that quickly.

"Wait, not yet," he straightened into a sitting position, placing his hand on your cheek to force you back a few inches, "I'd hate to waste it." The implication made your cheeks flush, but you couldn't help but look forward to what would come next.

His hands came to rest on your waist, encouraging you to sit on his hips again, this time making his still impossibly hard manhood brush against your soaked cunt. The contact alone was enough to elicit a moan from you. His own fingers wrapped around his member as he guided it towards your narrow entrance.

And after what felt like an eternity, he finally thrust into you.

He stretched you to perfection, the foreign sensation a mixture of delicious pain and aching pleasure. "Fuck princess, you're tight," your head found refuge in the hollow of his neck, but you could hear that annoying smirk in his voice, "I'm going to ruin you." And oh how you couldn't wait for him to make good on his threats. "Move," you pleaded against the skin of his throat as you hesitantly moved your hips up and down to get that delicious friction you craved. He seemed hell-bent on teaching you self-restraint, even though you desperately wanted to see him lose control. He grabbed your waist in a firm grip, keeping you pressed against his hips and making you whine. "Did I say you could move?" he asked, kissing the side of your jaw. Once again that night, you'd annoyed him by not answering, and he repeated, "did I say you could move?".  

It seems he was also trying to make you learn obedience, in addition to patience.

You didn't even have a chance to react before the young man used his grip on your waist to pull back almost completely, revealing his member glistening with your sticky juices before thrusting himself into you once more. His head was rubbing against that most delicious spot inside you, making your legs tremble with pure bliss. "Please, I..." You didn't even know what you were asking for as he moved back and forth continuously. You thought he'd ask you to speak again, but he was too caught up in pleasure and close to his release to be bothered by your pleas.

But even if he'd lost his rhythm, it was clear he was still determined to satisfy you. His thumb was back on your little pearl, tracing small circles around it, while inside you his length relentlessly pounded against your inner wall. You could feel yourself clenching around him, and the heat between your thighs was back with a fiercer intensity than ever. “I’m going to fill you up,” his teeth nibbled at the soft skin of your neck, marking it possessively, “I’m going to fill you up and you’re going to take everything I’m going to give you, feel me for days.” The moans that came out of your mouth were now completely incoherent, a confused jumble of yes and please.

Your climax hit hard and fast—stronger than the one Davos had offered you earlier that night. You dug your nails into his shoulders, leaving red half-moons as evidence of your forbidden actions. Your back arched off the mattress, pressing his body against yours as reality slipped through your fingers and a myriad of stars danced behind your eyelids. He followed you just a few seconds later, pouring into you with white ropes.

He stayed inside you for a few more moments, his length softening. But neither of you felt like moving, not when you were so comfortable, lying against each other, your limbs tangled. He placed a tender kiss on your forehead that made your heart clench. You still refused to think about the future and the problems that might arise from such a strong connection between the two of you. All that mattered for the moment was his skin against yours and your fingers in his hair.

"We should do that again," you murmured as you kissed his cheeks, his chin, his nose, "someday."

He smiled.

"We will," he said with confidence, "I'll make sure of that, princess."

The nickname made your stomach flutter with excitement.

[acradelius]

"Incoming Video Message"

KINKTOBER POST #1 / #16

FANDOM: Call of Duty - Modern Warfare (2019-2023)

PAIRING: Johnny "Soap" MacTavish x Female! Reader, Simon "Ghost" Riley x Female! Reader, Johnny "Soap" Mac Tavish x Female! Reader x Simon "Ghost" Riley

SUMMARY: While having some downtime on a mission Soap proceeds to check his phone, seeing that he has some incoming video messages from his best friend, Simon, who's on a break from missions. Let's just say that Simon's been taking good care of Johnny's woman while he's been away.

RATING: Lemon [🟡] - (NSFW!)

WARNINGS / MENTION OFS: MINORS DO NOT INTERACT WITH (MDNI), Established Relationship Between Johnny And Reader, Non-Established Relationship Between Simon and Reader, Non-Established Relationship Between Johnny and Simon, Non-Established Relationship Between Johnny, Reader, And Simon (They All Consider Themselves In A Relationship With Each Other Eitherway), Downtime Mission! Johnny, Off Mission! Simon, Singular Masturbation, Partial Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, Lewd Media Content, Groping, Oral Sex - Receiving! Simon, / Giving! Reader, Top!/Dom-ish! Simon, Bottom! Reader, Unmentioned Switch! Johnny, Unprotected Sex, Unprotected P in V, Spanking, Hair Pulling, Unprotected Creampie - Giving! Simon / Receiving! Reader, Cum Fetish, Cum Digesting, etc.

WORD COUNT: 1,816 Words (Not Including Images)

TAGLIST: @masterofpuns

(If you'd like to be tagged for all posts, certain fandom posts, or certain character posts then feel free to message me!)

He had almost forgotten about how boring downtime could be during these missions. 

Being on unaccompanied missions didn’t happen as often these days since Johnny had been within the ranks of being a Sergeant within Task Force 141, but it still occasionally happened. Yeah, there were certain segments of being physically alone during missions, but he never was truly alone during those moments. Typically, Laswell or Price would either be on the other end of communications, and that someone else would be meeting up with him to initiate the next part of whatever plan was next. 

Usually, it would be Simon. 

Simon wasn’t here though. 

Johnny hadn’t encountered anyone else within the safehouse that he was temporarily staying at, at least till morning, but nor was he informed if anyone else might be showing up as well. Not that he would necessarily go out of his way to be making a new friend, maybe just some small talk in order to pass the time till he fell asleep. 

There wasn’t much to actually do within the safehouse itself, and right now it was far too risky to actually go out and spend a couple of hours occupying time with something. While there was a television it was something of an ancient piece of technology, which probably only showed local, over the air channels which would bore him almost immediately. The radio had been ransacked for parts and batteries quite some time ago, and the books were worn and torn, probably had sections of them missing as well. Even the break rooms back on base had much more for entertainment than this safehouse did, even if Johnny was only going to be staying for a couple of hours. 

Bzz. Bzz. 

Oh, that’s right. 

There was his work phone within his back pocket. 

Initially, Johnny had forgotten about the phone that typically lingered within his back pocket, seeing that it’s primary use was supposed to be for work purposes only. Yet, it seemed that whatever was on the device was going to be the sole entertainment opportunity for the night, and at this point he would take it. Waking up the phone doesn’t take much more than a press of a button and then a mere password, bringing him to the main interface. There’s that little thing that proceeds to catch his eye, that little, red circle on the right corner of the mail icon, the number one practically burning into his retinas. 

Could it possibly be a message regarding the mission? 

Could it possibly be a message about some special going on from some restaurant he had ordered from earlier in the day? (Don’t tell the higher ups about that, Johnny hates when they put their damned parental locks on the phone.) 

To his surprise, or possibly not, it’s actually a text message from Simon. 

Johnny eyebrows raise as he sees the prompts to download the videos, the man considering himself quite intrigued now. Simon was always a man of words in person rather than over text, but he definitely wasn’t a photogenic person, which is what causes curiosity to creep up within his mind. If Simon was sending him something over the phone, especially videos after Johnny mentioning his missus, then this must have been something good. 

His finger couldn’t hit that download prompt much faster than it had. 

‘Sendin’ this ta’ Johnny.’ 

Simon’s voice could be heard clearly once the video had begun being played, sending shivers coursing straight down Johnny’s spine. He had to adjust himself on that small, worn couch within the living room of the safehouse, already starting to unbuckle and unzip his pants. Johnny was well aware that he himself was quite easy to exhilarate, and knowing that Simon and (Y/N) both involved, he was definitely going to be in for a ride. 

‘Hiya, baby!~ Miss ya’ so much!~’ 

Pausing the video for a moment to place a kiss upon the missus' beautiful face. 

‘Hope you’re keeping yourself safe out there!~ Simon’s been keeping me company!~ Good company, of course!~’ 

There’s some teasing aspects to the first video, subtle but noticeable enough for Johnny, but it’s tame for the most part. It’s a cute outing between the two, essentially a date if it’s to be described as anything else, between Simon and (Y/N). (Y/N)’s wearing that endearing sundress that she had bought on the previous shopping trip, the one that’s extremely low cut from the top and high riding from the bottom, Johnny hasn’t had the pleasure of getting to see it in person yet. Throughout the video there’s times where whenever (Y/N) would bend over or purposely lift the bottom of her dress up slightly that Simon would zoom in, sometimes even catching a peek of some lacy, white panties. Other times it would be Simon pressing her up against a wall wherever they happened to be at, bringing a large hand to grope at one her breasts or having his hand trailing up her thigh and underneath her dress. 

‘Be a good girl and flash those new piercings of yours to the camera, sweetheart. Show Johnny-boy what’s waiting for him once he gets back home.’ 

‘Yes, sir. Johnny, look at how cute my nipple piercings are~ Maybe we could look into getting my clit pierced next?~’

Johnny doesn’t want to end up finishing too quickly, that would ultimately ruin it for him, especially since he hasn’t even viewed the second video yet and he’s sure that there’s definitely going to be some delicious jerk-off material within it. 

His grip around the shaft has tightened, causing a shiver of pleasure to course down his spine while his hips involuntarily buck up. “Ohh, fuck~” His stroking speed being leisurely, making sure to drag along the veins of his erect cock up to that burning, red tip where he would tease himself by brushing the buildup of precum across it, and using it as lube for the rest of his cock. 

The second video was longer than the first video, but Johnny definitely didn’t mind. As a matter of fact, the longer the better. It gave Johnny the challenge to see how long he could last while watching his two favorite people in the world with each other. It made him more enthusiastic to get back home. Pressing the play button upon the screen he’s met with such a beautiful sight. A sight that he would never be able to get tired of, that would be able to get his cock hard and throbbing at any second of the day, no matter where he was or what he was doing. Those pretty eyes looking up into the camera through fluttering eyelashes, a gentle grip as the bottom of her dress is gripped within both hands, lips pursed and glistening from the saliva continuously coats them from bobbing her head. 

(Y/N) looks absolutely gorgeous being on her knees while sucking Simon’s cock. 

‘Johnny’s taught you quite well, hasn’t he, love? Using that pretty mouth of yours so well.’ 

‘Mmph!~ Johnny’s such a good- uhmm, mmph!~’

‘Didn’t give you permission to speak, love. Especially considering that I’ve got you busy with my cock in your mouth.’

Johnny’s thumb briefly brushes against the phone screen as he adjusts himself on the couch once again, causing the video to skip forward a couple of minutes. What he was seeing was an absolute tease, but also an absolute heaven. How such an obscene noise of skin slapping against skin was blaring through the phone speaker as Johnny watched Simon manhandle his cock in and out of his girlfriend, watching the plush flesh of her ass and hips bounce with every collision of Simon’s hips against her backside. How (Y/N)’s hands were tightly fisting the loose sheets underneath them, face buried into the pillows. Even then, Johnny could still clearly hear the loud moans and occasional shrieks that left her lips, those words of completely being in the grasp of pleasure. 

‘M-Mm, fuck!~ T-Too much, Si!~ Too much!~’ 

‘You can handle it, love. I know for sure that you can handle my big, thick cock. Taking it slow, taking it rough, taking it anyway that I want you to take it.’ 

Simon’s hand gracefully travels across the supple skin of (Y/N)’s ass, chuckling softly at her reaction of letting out a squeal of surprise as his hand collides with the flesh of her ass, giving a squeeze before proceeding to spank her once again. Squeezing the flesh of her ass is soon replaced with his hand slowly trailing up her back, thumb brushing against the structure of her spine, (Y/N)’s hips bucking up against him, until she’s forced to arch her back as Simon roughly grabs at her hair and pulls her head back. 

‘Simon, gonna cum!~ W-Wanna cum!~ Please, please, please!-’ 

‘Uh uh. There’s someone else that you need permission from to cum.’

‘J-Johnny, please!~ Please, can I cum?~ N-Need to cum, want to cum!~ Gonna cum, gonna cum, gonna cum!-’ 

It was absolutely beautiful watching her unravel due to the intense orgasm that Simon had withdrawn from her, and in some aspects, Johnny did as well. That soft cry that escapes past her lips while her eyes briefly roll back, a hand pressing back against Simon’s abdomen to get him to slow down. Yet, it proves to be fruitless, whatever words that Simon was speaking not clearly being picked up from the phone video, until his body takes up most of the view, his loud voice echoing throughout the living room of the safehouse. 

‘FUCK! TAKE MY FUCKIN’ CUM, LOVE! FUCKIN’ TAKE IT!’ 

Johnny’s breath becomes hitched within his throat at the next sight that causes his mouth to water, how the camera pans down from (Y/N)’s pleasure contorted face down to her messy cunt, Simon using two of his fingers to push apart the outer labias to reveal his thick cum slowly dripping from her and landing on the sheets below. ‘What a waste,’ Johnny thinks to himself briefly, wishing that he was home so he could clean up both of his girlfriend and his best friend, to enjoy the taste of them amongst his tongue, a taste that only he would be rewarded with out of all people. 

It’s the clear visual and imagining the taste upon his tongue that brings Johnny to his own orgasm, hips bucking sporadically while the pace of him stroking his cock becomes sloppy and erratic as well. “Fuckin, hell!” He groans out, head falling back while his eyes briefly close, cum spurting in thick stands across his lower abdomen and some upon his chest. He’s a damn fiend, Johnny is, gathering an abundance upon his fingers and bringing it to brush against his tongue. A soft chuckle, he finally begins to text Simon back. 

[katshelluvacritic]

Charlie Morningstar is probably one of the worst written characters I’ve seen in the series.

(This one’s gonna be a long one…)

Ok…. So I watched all six episodes and to be honest I’m pretty much pissed off by this character specifically. This might be more of a rant rather than a critique, so I do understand that not everything I say in this will end up being as constructive exactly but I genuinely need to get this off my chest, especially since she is a character I’ve specifically and recently been hyper fixating on before the show released…

(Side note: I realized the post was very long so, to have it be easier to read I added titles for each section! Hope this helps)

!!WARNING FOR SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES BTW!!

> Charlie lacks the qualities of being a main character.

Now besides the piss poor excuse of an introduction for her (and the rest of the cast) in the main series, I honestly question why exactly Charlie specifically is the “protagonist” in the first place (and I say protagonist with the biggest of quotes here, you’ll see why).

In the first episode of the series “overture”, we don’t really see much of her character, most of the time we’re shown screen time of Vicky (a nickname I made for v*ggie since I’m not gonna call her by her genitalia thank you) trying to make an ad for the hotel and even when we do get the screen time of her, she’s barely doing anything other than hearing viv’s self insert- I mean- Adam just go on and on about whatever he’s talking about.

And when Charlie does go on to explain her plan to redeem sinners she’s just interrupted and then stands there when they start singing hell is forever, she doesn’t “go off” like the hazbin Twitter says, she just stands there and then tries to say something only to get interrupted again and again and then gets pushed out of the meeting room before going back to the hotel to see it’s spread across in the news that the next extermination happens in 6 months.

Now although one might argue “Well didn’t Charlie at one point said in the show that giving orders is so mean?” Well yes but again, Charlie is literally the princess of pride ring, you would think that since her parents are literally rulers of pride, they would’ve probably teach her how to stand on her two feat, especially if your RUNNING A HOTEL. And the thing is, she has stood up and did so in episode 6 and the goddamn pilot (which is at this point is probably canon due to Charlie calling it the hazbin hotel instead of happy hotel), even going as far as to fight Katie Killjoy because she thought it was stupid.

Not only that but the episodes after overture, her screen time lessens until somewhat in 5 and 6. She doesn’t really appear that much in the between these episodes to the point where she feels like a supporting character rather than a protagonist. And when she does get screen time, she’s either forgettable at best and infuriating at worst.

> Charlie’s character is poorly written and just dumb.

In the episodes past overture, she’s literally rock solid stupid that I literally screamed in real life multiple times “you’re a fucking idiot” because of how frustrated I was from what she was doing, In episode 2 she literally trusted sir pentious to go to her hotel even though he almost destroyed her place and in episode 6 thought it was a hunky dory idea to let a person who literally exploded buildings to take charge of giving her employees a “good time”. Yes it could be played off as her being naive but if she’s that naive of a person then maybe she shouldn’t be a boss of a hotel to rehabilitate sinners.

Heck, in episode 4, Charlie gets pissed off and turns into her demon form because val literally started hurting Angel when he followed him into the room (and rightfully so) but when angel tells her to leave and drags her out of the studio, she’s just in her normal form and fucks off??? Reminder she’s literally the princess of hell! She could beat the shit out of val if she wants to, why did she just fucked off after angel had her leave?

“But Kat, what if something bad happens to angel if valentino dies?” Like what? If it was explained that if an overlord dies then the sinners that made a deal with them die too or something like that then yeah, that would make sense but we don’t know that whether or not that’s the case, if anything angel could be just fine after Valentino dies but we don’t know that.

And even when Charlie had the opportunity to go out there and apologize to him herself after he stormed out of the hotel, she and Vicky just send Husk to do it. And I have to ask, WHY? HUSK didn’t know what was happening to Angel earlier. HUSK wasn’t at the porn studio that Angel was working at. CHARLIE WAS….

“Well Kat, what if Charlie was scared about making things worse?” Fair enough, but again sending Husk is a stupid idea, I feel like it would’ve AT LEAST made sense if she sent Vicky out there. Because Charlie didn’t know if husk could fight (if you could even call it that, all he did was throw cards at people), BUT SHE KNEW VICKY COULD THOUGH. But nah we gotta do it for the ship right?

And then Charlie had the gull to be crying that angel forgave her after she fucked up, like shut the fuck up… it’s like if viv looked at a bunch of chars that had the optimistic care-free ‘ish personality and thought that meant making her as pathetic as a baby crying that they didn’t get a lollipop from their mommy.

Like I’m gonna be honest with you, it’s literally gone to a point where I think Orel Puppington (aka the 11 yo Christian kid who worships Jesus and gets harmful lessons from other Christians) makes a better Charlie Morningstar than the Charlie Morningstar herself!

And that thought is justified when he tried to go help people in Sinville, “Kat he ended up turning into a pimp at the end of the episode” yeah but AT LEAST HE TRIED TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING! Which leads me to another question….

> How is Charlie gonna redeem sinners exactly???

Like honestly, I’m serous with this one. How is Charlie gonna redeem these guys?

I ask this because in the series, she barely does ANYTHING to help these guys, she and the rest of the characters just sit around and then do an activity that is the equivalent of something you would do in kindergarten except it’s with ADULTS.

I don’t know about you but If your idea of helping people is doing just that and nothing else, then the only thing the people around you are gonna get is them being annoyed at first and eventually walking out with thinking your not helping them but rather just treating them like a baby who doesn’t know anything, and the only thing your gonna get personally is nothing because you did dick all.

Like other than that she pretty much just whines about sinners not going to her hotel and oh gee I wonder why, it’s not like your not doing anything to help these sinners not committing sins anymore, oh definitely not, your absolutely being helpful.

“Oh but Kat! Charlie was born in hell, how can she know how to help people? She’s not from the human world so, she wouldn’t exactly know how to help these people!” I would tell you to look at the world building for the series and it’s spin off but that’s a whole other can of beans that I don’t wanna cover today and this is already getting to long, so y’know what? We’ll go with that.

If Charlie didn’t know how to help people and was trying to figure out what she can do to help sinners get better, then why didn’t she just ask her employees for suggestions? Y’know, the other sinners who were from the human world and had experiences while they were alive and such?

Yeah, I get that not all of their advice would be exactly good or healthy (since they’re sinners who’ve done many bad things after all) BUT ITS AT LEAST SOMETHING FOR FUCKS SAKE!!!

She literally does nothing, she just expects you to immediately get better after some improvisations or whatever other activities she does and once you’ve done one nice thing then boom you’re close to redemption.

> Conclusion.

Charlie Morningstar is (like I said in the beginning) probably one of the worst characters in the hazbin hotel series, she at best a stereotype of the “everything is sunshines and rainbows” character tropes and at worst is a pathetic excuse of a main character and is nothing but a rotten shell of her character from the pilot.

I would go on about how her design’s also bad but I’m sure millions of people have already said the same issues and I’ve already posted my redesign of her before the show dropped.

I might plan on posting a rewrite of her or maybe explain my problems with another character or episode but I don’t know.

But until then, I’ll see y’all later!

[kckt88]

Scorched Hearts IX

Summary:

'We loved with a love that was more than love - Edgar Allen Poe'

Valaena takes justice into her hands after she makes a discovery, and Aemond sees his sweet wife in a whole new light.

Warning(s): Angst, Drama, Language, Uncle/Niece Incest, Kissing, Confrontation, Violence, Murder/Death, Blood, Smut, Rough P in V,

AEMOND x O.C Niece

Word Count: 4150

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon or Fire & Blood characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are very much appreciated, do not copy/post to other sights without my permission.

Tag List - @jasminecosmic99 @kaelatargaryen @yesterdayfeelings-blog @immyowndefender @0eessirk8 @darylandbethfanforever9 @killua2dot0 @msassenach @xcharlottemikaelsonx @moonnicole

Valaena had always been perceptive, and it hadn’t taken long for her to notice Mira’s not-so-subtle attempts to repeatedly gain Aemond’s attention.

The young dark haired maid fluttered around him like a moth drawn to a flame, her eyes lingering far too long, her touches grazing his arm under the guise of serving him, her flirtations barely concealed by faux innocence.

It was clear what Mira wanted. But no matter how hard she tried, Aemond remained utterly indifferent to her advances.

He only had an eye for Valaena, his love unwavering, and his disinterest seemed to frustrate Mira to no end.

Lirri, ever vigilant and fiercely loyal, had taken it upon herself to sabotage Mira’s seduction attempts.

Whether it was "accidentally" spilling wine on Mira’s dress or intercepting her before she could approach Aemond, Lirri had become a formidable force standing in the way of the maid’s ambitions.

Arro, Aemond’s loyal guard, appeared to be in on it as well, watching Mira with hawk-like intensity and shadowing Aemond more than usual.

Their quiet efforts to protect Valaena and Aemond’s marriage had not gone unnoticed by her, and she had found their devotion comforting.

But then one day, everything changed.

Valaena had been tending to the children in the gardens when Lirri, who had been standing nearby, suddenly swayed on her feet.

She pressed a trembling hand to her nose as blood began to trickle from it, her eyes wide with confusion before she collapsed onto the grass.

Panic surged through Valaena as she quickly rushed to her side, calling loudly for help.

The maesters had arrived swiftly, attending to Lirri and examining her condition.

Their conclusion had been grim—Lirri had ingested some form of poison, although they couldn't be sure what.

Aemond had been livid, his fury barely contained as he ordered the entire manse into lockdown.

No one was allowed to come or go and Arro had been reassigned to guard the children exclusively.

And much to Valaena's displeasure, Mira had taken over as her personal lady in Lirri's absence.

Valaena had grown incredibly fond of Lirri, not just as a servant but as a friend. She spent hours by her bedside, clutching Lirri's hand, praying to the gods for her survival.

The maesters had induced her into a deep sleep with milk of the poppy, claiming it was necessary for her body to purge the poison.

Each day that passed felt like a waiting game, as Lirri’s still form lay in the bed, a shadow of her former vibrant self.

Despite Aemond’s best efforts to root out the culprit, there had been no clear suspect. No one seemed to know how the poison had entered the manse, but Valaena did.

The answer had been there all along, glaringly obvious to her.

It was Mira.

The tension had been building for days as Valaena watched the sly maid carry out her duties with a false air of innocence.

The sight of her smiling, knowing what she had done, made Valaena’s blood boil.

It wasn’t until one night, after the children were put to bed and Arro had resumed his watch, that Valaena decided she could wait no longer.

Steeling herself, Valaena moved through the manse, her footsteps quiet as she approached Mira’s chambers.

She pushed the door open, her heart pounding in her chest. The room was empty, which gave her the opportunity she needed.

She began searching through Mira’s things, rifling through drawers and cupboards. At first, there was nothing unusual, just the typical belongings of a maid. But then, in the bottom drawer, Valaena found something that made her stomach churn.

One of Aemond's cotton shirts, a pair of his small clothes, and even a lock of his silver hair, all neatly hidden away.

Valaena's hands trembled as she stared at the items—proof of Mira’s twisted obsession with Aemond.

It was no longer just an attempt at seduction. This was something far more dangerous.

Slamming the drawer shut in a fit of rage, Valaena stormed out of the room.

She wondered where Mira was, but luckily she didn’t have to search far as she found the little harlot in her chambers, lounging naked on her bed, a smug smile on her face as though she was clearly expecting Aemond.

Valaena's voice was cold as steel. "Well, what do we have here?"

But when Mira saw Valaena standing there instead of the one she desired, her expression quickly shifted to one of shock and fear as she scrambled to cover herself, but it was too late.

Valaena shut the door behind her with a soft click, her movements slow and deliberate.

Her voice was low and menacing as she stepped closer to Mira, her eyes gleaming with cold fury. "Did you really think that you could just try and take what is mine?"

Mira trembled, her naked body shaking under Valaena’s withering gaze. "I—I didn’t mean to—" she stammered, scrambling for an excuse.

Valaena’s laughter was sharp, cruel. "So, you're in my bed naked because?"

Mira’s voice quivered, "Please, have mercy, my lady. I beg you—"

Valaena cut her off with a venomous sneer. "Mercy? Like the mercy you granted Lirri when you poisoned her?" Her words were like a blade cutting deep.

"I-I didn’t—" Mira started, but Valaena suddenly lunged forward, looming over her like a dark storm.

"Don’t fucking lie to me!" Valaena snarled, her voice dripping with anger. "Lirri was getting in the way of your pathetic attempts to seduce my husband, so of course, you needed her out of the way. Or-" Valaena’s eyes darkened further, her tone chilling. "-Was the poisoned wine meant for me? So that I may die, and you could swoop in, and offer my poor grieving husband a shoulder to cry on, hoping that he'd fall into your arms?"

"I-I d-don't-" stuttered Mira.

"Oh give it up, your innocent little girl act won't work on me" snarled Valaena.

Mira stood frozen as Valaena threw her dress at her, the red anc creame cotton fabric sliding against her trembling hands.

 "Get dressed, Now-" Valaena commanded, watching the girl with cold, calculating eyes.

Once Mira had hastily pulled the dress over her shoulders, she whispered, "Please, my lady, I just—"

Valaena cut her off again, her voice lethal. "-What makes you think that Aemond would even cast you a second glance?"

Mira swallowed hard, fear twisting her features. "Your husband is a very beautiful man," she whispered, her eyes pleading for understanding.

Valaena laughed again, this time louder. "Indeed he is," she agreed, her voice coldly amused. "But there is far more to him than just his looks." She took another step forward, her gaze never leaving Mira. "-Come on, tell me what else you like about my husband."

Mira hesitated, her fear growing more palpable with each passing second.

But Valaena’s voice boomed again, sharp and commanding, "Come on! I asked you a fucking question."

Mira flinched. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she stuttered, "He—he’s a good father, and he’s kind and-and strong."

Valaena’s lips curled into a dark smile as she advanced slowly, like a predator stalking its prey.

"Me and Aemond are two hearts, one life. We are forever." Her voice dripped with certainty, her steps closing the distance between them.

Mira tried to back away, fear consuming her. "Please," she whimpered, as her back hit the wall.

Valaena leaned in, her voice now a deadly whisper. "We bound our blood. We risked everything so that we could be together. Do you really think I would let some pathetic wanton whore destroy everything we have?"

Mira’s eyes suddenly darted to the door and then she desperately tried to push past Valaena, her bare feet stumbling over the floor.

But Valaena was faster. She seized a fistful of Mira’s dark hair, yanking her back with a brutal force.

Mira let out a strangled cry, struggling against Valaena’s iron grip.

Valaena shoved her to the floor, watching as she landed in a haphazard heap.

"I am his, and he is mine," Valaena hissed, her voice cold and unyielding. "From this day until the end of our days."

Mira, sobbing and desperate, tried to plead again. "P-Please, my lady—"

But Valaena was done listening. Her hand moved to her sleeve, where she withdrew a gleaming dagger.

"My husband gifted this to me when first arrived in Qarth-he said it for just in case-and oh how right he was" said Valaena.

Mira’s eyes widened in horror, and she whimpered, trying to crawl away.

But it was too late.

"He is mine," Valaena whispered, her voice hollow and dangerous.

And with that, she plunged the dagger into Mira’s chest.

Mira gasped, her hands scrabbling at her chest, her body jerking in pain.

But Valaena didn’t stop.

"He is mine!" Valaena screamed, each of her words punctuated by a vicious stab. "He is mine! He is mine! He is mine!"

The chamber echoed with the sickening sound of blade meeting flesh, Mira’s blood spilling onto the floor, soaking the stone beneath her.

Valaena’s vision was red, her anger consuming her.

Then, she heard the door creak open behind her. The room suddenly fell silent, the only sound the ragged breaths escaping from Valaena’s lips.

Slowly, she looked up.

Standing in the doorway, his eye wide with shock, was Aemond.

Valaena and Aemond stared at one another, the room heavy with the smell of blood and death.

Gods, what a sight she must have made—her dress soaked in Mira’s blood, her hands stained crimson, her face spattered with it.

She was a vision of fury and violence, yet in Aemond’s eye, there was no fear.

Only an intense, burning gaze.

He stepped slowly into the room, his boots quiet against the stone floor.

The door closed with a soft click, and he locked it without saying a single word.

He slowly removed his belt, the weapons clanging as he laid them on the desk, then he removed his leather jerkin, placing it on th eback of a chair.

Valaena wiped her nose with her bloodied sleeve, feeling the weight of the silence between them.

She stood up, her body trembling—not from fear or regret, but from the raw energy of what she’d done and the intense way Aemond was staring at her.

Aemond walked towards her, his steps deliberate and measured, his eye never leaving her.

His gaze was filled with something dark, something dangerous, but not directed at her.

It was as though he saw her—really saw her—and what he saw only drew him closer, it made his blood go hot, in a way he never expected.

When he reached her, he grabbed the fabric of her bloodied dress in his fist and shoved her hard against the wall, the dagger falling to the floor with a loud clatter.

The force of it knocked the breath from her lungs, but she didn't resist. She lowered her gaze, her chest heaving.

But Aemond wasn’t having that.

He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his, the intensity in his eye blazing like fire.

There was no judgment in his face, no anger. His expression was unreadable but fierce, charged with a storm of emotion.

Slowly, his hand slid around to the back of her neck, his fingers gripping her firmly, and possessively.

And then, without warning, he pulled her to him, crushing his lips against hers in a ferocious, passionate kiss.

It was hungry and desperate, filled with everything they couldn’t say in words.

Valaena’s hands, still covered in blood, found their way into his hair, tugging hard as she kissed him back just as fiercely.

The world outside ceased to exist in that moment—all the fear, the blood, the chaos.

There was only them, bound together in fire and fury

Aemond’s grip tightened on Valaena, his breath ragged with intensity as he manically tore at her dress.

The silken fabric ripped under his hands, shredding apart and leaving her bare before him.

He took a step back, his eye roaming over her naked body with raw hunger, and without a word, he began quickly pulling off his own clothes.

His gaze never left her as each article of clothing hit the floor, exposing his lithe muscled body.

Valaena’s heart raced, her body humming with anticipation, but then her eyes flickered to the side—Mira, still alive, barely clinging to life on the floor.

Her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, eyes half-lidded, blood pooling around her.

Aemond, now naked, caught the direction of Valaena’s gaze.

A dark, twisted smile played on his lips. “Let her witness what she could never have,” he said coldly, his voice a low growl that sent a shiver down her spine.

Without hesitation, he roughly grabbed Valaena by the waist and lifted her against the wall, her legs instinctively wrapping around him as he pressed his body against hers.

His hands gripped her hips tightly, fingers digging into her skin as if he were claiming her all over again.

Aemond’s lips found hers again, this time more demanding, more urgent, as he devoured her with each kiss.

His body covered hers as he moved to suck and lick the delicate skin of her neck, leaving red marks in his wake.

Valaena moved her head to the side and moaned loudly as she felt Aemond’s teeth digging into her skin.

Not having the patience to properly prepare her, Aemond spat into his hand reaching down to run it up and down the hard length of himself, eyeing Valaena with an animalistic hunger, a smirk on his lips as she rolled her hips towards him.

Valaena barely has a moment to think as Aemond guides himself to her entrance and sheathes his cock forcefully inside and stretching her brutally, causing her to cry out.

“FUCKING TAKE IT!” spits Aemond.

Valaena can’t think of anything but the intense pounding thrusts that greet her, causing her to wail and moan, causing the tears form in her eyes, before running down her cheeks.

Aemond sets a brutal pace, his hips crashing into hers, his fingers digging into her hips as he pushes and pulls her against him.

His cock reaching deep inside her, the sting of being stretched by him now giving way to a pleasurable ache.

“YES! YES! AEMOND!” screams Valaena as she claws at his back.

“FUCK!” shouts Aemond as he feels her cunny clenching around his cock.

“P-Please. Oh Please. Yes-yes” babbled Valaena ignoring the pain in her back as the force of Aemond’s thrusts kept slamming her into the wall.

“That’s it-that’s it-” encouraged Aemond his gaze rooted to the place where they were joined, transfixed by the sight of her cunt stretched around his cock.

“Oooh-please-please” muttered Valaena.

Aemond leaned forward and took one of her rosy nipples into his mouth, sucking on the stiffened peak before he bit her.

“Ooooh Aemond-“ whined Valaena as she writhed against him, he smirked as he released her nipple and moved across lavishing the other one with the same attention.

“P-Please-Please-” sobbed Valaena as she felt his hard cock sliding against her folds.

“Your cunt is dripping, it's so beautiful-” sighed Aemond, his thrusts slowing down as he pulled away further each time, until his cock entirely withdrew from her warm wet entrance.

“Tell me you want me-“ growled Aemond as he ran the head of his cock through her wet folds.

“I want you” exclaimed Valaena.

“Tell me you need me” whispered Aemond as he sheathed himself back inside her.

“I need you-“ muttered Valaena as one of Aemond’s hands slid up her body and wrapped around her throat.

Aemond smiled and then began to fuck her again in earnest, his fingers digging into the flesh of her throat, using her as leverage as he repeatedly plunged his cock into her cunny, thrilled to hear his wife’s moans of need echoing around their chambers.

His thrusts once again brutal and unrelenting.

“Come for me-” breathed Aemond.

Valaena screamed as her desperately needed peak exploded from her body, making every limb tremble as her body bucked around Aemond’s cock.

“That’s it baby, take it. Take all of me-good girl”.

“S-so good-Aemond-“ whimpered Valaena.

“I-I’m never leaving this sweet cunt-“ moaned Aemond.

Valaena slid her hands over his shoulders and coiled her fingers into his long silver hair as she moved her hips against his, his cock hitting the sweet spot inside her perfectly.

“A-Aemond” moaned Valaena as he moved his hand to her breasts and once again took one of her nipples into his mouth, his teeth gently grazing the rosy bud.

“Let go baby, I can feel you clenching around me again-” exclaimed Aemond, as he moved to the other breast.

“I-I c-can’t. It’s t-to m-much” whined Valaena.

“Yes. You can. Peak for me, I want to feel you-”

Valaena’s thighs began to burn, as she felt her second peak approach.

“AEMOND” screamed Valaena her vision going white as she came around his cock.

“I-I’m going to spill my seed inside you-exclaimed Aemond, the tension in his abdomen was about to burst.

“Yes-yes-Inside me-please-” whined Valaena.

 “FUUUCCCKKK” roared Aemond as he exploded. His cock throbbing and twitching as he finally spilled his seed inside her.

Aemond groaned as he withdrew his softened cock from Valaena and then gently lowered her to the floor, his singular eye focused on his seed slowly running down her leg, he shook his head as he felt his cock begin to stir.

He reached forward and cupped her face tenderly as he peppered soft kisses across her forehead, cheeks, and lips.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a low, gentle voice, his brows furrowing with concern.

Valaena, still catching her breath, smiled faintly. "I'm fine," she whispered, touching his hand.

Aemond's gaze flickered with worry. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant.

She chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Only a little-but I liked it."

Relief flooded Aemond’s features. He quickly pulled on his breeches and a cotton shirt, then crouched beside Mira’s lifeless body, his fingers checking for any sign of life.

"She's dead," he declared, standing up with a heavy sigh.

Valaena pulled on a robe, tightening it around her body as she glanced down at the body.

"Are you ashamed of me?"

"No. Never. Hows could you even ask me that?" replied Aemond.

"Just I-I killed someone a-and-"

"I've killed before, do you think any less of me?" asked Aemond.

"No. I do not" muttered Valaena softly, her fingers fiddling with a loose thread on her robe.

"Well there you go then. Besides I never knew how insanely hot you would look covered in blood-"

"Lets not make a habit of it" replied Valaena rolling her eyes.

"What can I say, my sweet wife has found her inner dragon-I quite like it"

"Oh I know how much you liked it" said Valaena grimacing as she felt the sticky sensation between her thighs.

"The occasion called for it"

"What are we going to do with her?" asked Valaena, her voice calm but laced with the weight of what had just happened.

Aemond reached into the wardrobe and he slowly slipped on a hooded cloak, his mind already calculating the next steps. "You need to bathe," he said, not missing a beat. "I'll deal with her."

"But what will we say if people ask where she is?" Valaena questioned, her mind racing ahead, already trying to foresee the questions and suspicions that might arise.

Aemond, now fully dressed and ready to act, looked at her thoughtfully. "We could say she was caught stealing and then we asked her to leave-"

Valaena frowned, thinking for a moment. Then her voice grew sharper, more resolute. "She was the one who poisoned Lirri. Or rather, the poison was meant for me-"

Aemond froze, his face darkening with fury as he processed her words.

“What did you just say?”

“Mira-she intended to poison me so she could have you to herself, but Lirri-”

Without hesitation, he strode forward and pulled Valaena into a tight embrace, burying his face in her hair.

"I could have lost you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

"It's because of Lirri that I’m still alive," Valaena murmured, running her fingers along the jagged scar on Aemond’s cheek.

Aemond cupped her face, staring deep into her eyes. "She will forever have my gratitude. I couldn’t bear to live without you."

Valaena smiled softly, her fingers brushing against his lips. "Thanks to Lirri, you don’t have to."

He kissed her quickly, a fierce and urgent gesture, before pulling up the hood of his cloak.

Bending down, he hoisted Mira’s body over his shoulder effortlessly.

Valaena went to the door and unlocked it, her eyes scanning the dimly lit hallway for any sign of movement.

Once the path was clear, she stepped aside and glanced at Aemond.

"It's clear"

"Remember to bathe," Aemond reminded her, his voice low and steady.

Valaena nodded as Aemond slipped out of the room with Mira’s body, his figure disappearing into the shadows.

She closed the door quietly behind him, her heart racing as she stood alone in the aftermath.

Turning back to the room, she noticed the bloodstain on the floor and the remnants of her torn dress.

With a steadying breath, she picked up the shredded fabric and used it to wipe away the blood.

Once the floor was moderately clean, she tossed the soiled dress into the fire, watching as the flames devoured the evidence of the night’s events.

After a moment, Valaena summoned one of the maids to help prepare her bath.

She kept herself hidden in the shadows, ensuring that her face and body that was still covered in blood remained unseen.

Once the maid had finished, Valaena excused her politely, waiting until she left before discarding her robe.

She stepped into the bath, the water warm and soothing against her skin.

As she washed away the blood from her body, the water soon turned a pale shade of pink.

Valaena leaned back, closing her eyes, her mind replaying the night’s events—the danger, the passion, the resolve.

She was safe, the children were safe and Aemond would handle the rest.

Aemond moved swiftly through the shadows, Mira’s lifeless body draped over his shoulder as he made his way to the clearing where Vhagar and Silverwing nested.

Luckily, it wasn't far from the manse; as both dragons preferred to stay close to their riders.

The air was still, the only sound being the faint rustling of the leaves on the tree’s as Aemond approached the looming forms of the great dragons.

Vhagar, stirred at the sight of him, her huge golden eyes observing him with curiosity as he neared.

But it was Silverwing, the dragon bound to Valaena, that Aemond intended for this task.

He dropped Mira’s body unceremoniously in front of the silvery dragon.

Silverwing sniffed the body, her massive nostrils flaring as she nudged it with her snout, unsure of its significance.

"I know I'm not your rider but-" Aemond said, his voice low and commanding. "Aderī, Silverwing, kisātās." (Quickly, eat.)

Silverwing hesitated, her sleek head tilting, showing little interest in what was being offered to her.

Aemond narrowed his eye, knowing that the dragon needed just a little more incentive.

"Ziry sylutan naejot ossēnagon aōha kipagīros," he said, his tone sharper now. (She tried to kill your rider.)

At this, Silverwing let out a low, rumbling roar, understanding dawning in her eyes.

Her fury was palpable, and without further hesitation, she opened her jaws, and a stream of scorching flame engulfed Mira’s body.

The fire crackled in the night, turning the corpse into a blackened heap.

Once the flames subsided, Silverwing devoured what remained, her sharp teeth crunching the bones as she ate.

Vhagar, watching nearby, huffed in clear annoyance, her massive form shifting restlessly.

Aemond smiled, walking over to his old dragon. He placed his hands on her massive head, feeling the familiar warmth beneath her scales.

"Naejot byka syt ao uēpa riña," he chuckled. (Too small for you, old girl.)

Vhagar, however, wasn’t appeased by his words, and she nudging him impatiently with her snout.

Aemond sighed, amused at her persistence. "Paktot māzigon va pār." (Alright, come on then.)

He started climbing the rope ladder attached to her saddle.

Once he was fastened in, he gave Vhagar the command to fly.

With a deep growl, she spread her colossal wings, launching into the sky with a powerful lurch.

Aemond could feel her joy as they soared together, the wind whipping through his silver hair.

Vhagar loved flying with him, her massive form cutting through the night sky with ease.

After a little while Aemond directed her toward the open sea, letting her instincts take over.

After a time, her keen eyes spotted something in the water, and she swooped down, claws outstretched.

With a quick, violent motion, she snagged her prey—.

They returned to land, and Vhagar dropped her kill before landing with a heavy ground shaking thud.

Aemond climbed down, inspecting the whale with a satisfied smirk. He glanced over just in time to see Silverwing creeping forward, trying to steal a bite from Vhagar’s prize.

Vhagar let out a low, rumbling growl, warning Silverwing away, and the smaller dragon backed off immediately.

Aemond couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Umbagon aōha pālegon," he called out to Silverwing. (Wait your turn.)

Satisfied that the dragons were content for now, Aemond dusted his hands off and began his walk back to the manse, the chill of the night air a stark contrast to the heat of dragon fire still lingering in the clearing behind him.

His task was done, and the world had one less threat to his family.

TBC

[feelmyskinonyourskin]

What You've Heard [Bodyguard AU Trope]

Pairing: Billy Russo x AFAB Reader

Trope de Sept Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Bodyguard AU alternate universe 1. Character A is tasked with keeping Character B safe. Feelings, or at the very least sexual tension gets involved "Billy Russo is your bodyguard, hired by your diplomat father. You hate him and he hates you but still, you end up in bed with him."

Warnings: SMUT/18+ (don’t interact if your age is not in your bio). No use of Y/N. Dom/sub dynamics, Oral (M receiving), Use of toys (vibrator), Mutual masturbation, Pet names (baby, princess, sweetheart), Light choking, Pussy spanking, P in V, Creampie, No aftercare.

WC: 2,800

*I never give permission for my fics, manips, or any other original creation I post on this site to be copied, posted elsewhere, translated, or fed into any AI program. The only platform I currently post anything on is Tumblr. Thanks!*

“You are such a goddamn spoiled brat.”

“Oh shut it Russo, you’re the one ruining my evening and my life!”

Billy was right behind you as you climbed the stairs two at a time, holding the skirt of your sequin evening gown practically up your thighs in order to avoid tripping. You just wanted to be as far away from Billy as quickly as possible. 

“Believe me baby, if I could be anywhere else in the world right now I would be, but your daddy is paying me too much money to keep you safe, which is what I was trying to do. I’m sorry it made you a little…testy.”

You rolled your eyes and spun around on the spot at the top of the ornate staircase in your penthouse apartment. Billy stood on the last stair, allowing you to be face to face with him, making close eye contact to make sure he got the message.

“Testy? Really? I’m working the room at a charity event and you deem some handsome well-todo dangerous enough to pull me out of there prematurely and ruin my night and expect me to not be testy?!” you shouted in his face

“Okay. Maybe he wasn’t dangerous. Maybe I just didn’t like the way he was looking at you.” 

Even during a heated argument, Billy had the ability to remain eerily calm and even-toned which just irked your irritation at him even more. 

“Don’t you dare tell me you were jealous, Russo.”

“Not jealous, just doing my job.” he replied “You know, you dignitaries' daughters are all the same. Full of yourselves. Assuming everyone is always so charmed by you. So happy to just be in your presence. Assuming everyone just wants to fuck you.”

“Pfft. Maybe they do. Just admit it, Russo, you do too.”

“What if I do? Huh Princess? You gonna do anything about it or just keep running that pretty fucking mouth of yours?”

You don’t know why you did it. You knew he was just trying to rile you up. To upset you into stomping off and cursing him out under your breath for the rest of the night. But you were so sick of him winning every single time the two of you butted heads. Which was a lot. And in that second, your brain told you it was the only thing that would shut him up and actually give you the upper hand for once. So you did it. You pulled him in by the lapel of his suit jacket and kissed him.

For as hard as your lips were planted against his, it was a surprisingly tender and soft kiss.

After the initial moment of shock wore off, Billy reached forward to place a hand on your waist, His tongue traced the crevice between your lips, inviting himself in further. Oh god, was Billy actually kissing you back?

You pulled away as soon as you realized it, meeting his dark gaze. The corridor echoed with silence as the two of you stared each other down.

“Billy, I…”

“Bedroom. Now.” he commanded with a raise of his brows and a nod towards the hallway.

“I.. wait what?”

“Do not. I know you heard me.”

But still, you weren’t sure what was going through his head. Was he telling you to go to your room because he was angry and sending you to time out like a misbehaved toddler? So filled with lust that he couldn’t control himself in your presence a moment longer and wanted you far away so he didn’t give in to it? Asking you to go to the bedroom so he could meet you there and continue this?

Processing words had never been this difficult as you remained rooted in your spot at the top of the stairs. He answered your unspoken question, lunging forward to lift the skirt of your gown up your thighs so he could pick you up in his arms, wrap your legs around his waist and resumed kissing you deeply. 

He practically threw you on the bed, taking a step back as you bounced and looked down with his lust filled eyes. 

“You know princess, as much money as your daddy spent on this place, it sure does have thin walls.”

“What?”

“Any time you bring one of those air-headed, spoiled boys around here when I’m on night duty, I can hear everything.”

“You… you can?”

“Yes. Every moan, every whimper. You know, you’re not that good at faking it.”

“How do you know I’m faking it?”

“You see, the walls are so thin, that I can hear everything on the nights you have company… and the nights you don’t.”

You looked up at him, confused. He took a step to his left, reaching out and opening up your nightstand drawer and held out your favorite vibrator in front of you.

“So, I know what you sound like when you really are coming and when you’re just playing along so some rich asshole’s feelings won’t get hurt.”

“So?”

“So, if I hear you fake it tonight, I’ll know. And you better not. Now come on, stand up and let me get that dress off of you.”

“Billy, I…”

He just raised his eyebrows and you obeyed, standing and facing away from him. As one hand worked the zipper down your back, the other was caressing, roaming up and down your arm and the curve of your waist. His lips soon found your neck, licking and sucking as your dress slid down your body and pooled on the floor around your feet.

Billy continued to press sloppy kisses into your neck and down your shoulder as his left hand crept around to your front, reaching between the delicate lace of your bra and skin to find your nipple. His fingers worked it, pinching and pulling lightly to elicit a moan from you, before squeezing your entire breast in his hand.

Meanwhile, his right hand moved downward, toying with the top of your panties as he kneeded your chest, only moving onward once you were pliably moaning in his arms. He stroked you over your panties a few times

“Already soaked for me. I know you’ve wanted me since your daddy first hired me and you laid those pretty eyes on me. But I didn’t know just how high and dry I was leaving you. Tell me, you ever think about me on those lonely nights while you’re using that thing?” he nodded toward the vibrator he left laying on the bed

You nodded in response, grinding your crotch down against his hand, hoping to feel some more friction in relief.

“What was that? I can’t hear you.”

“Yes Billy.”

“Yes what?” He slid his hand down your panties, hovering his fingers over your sensitive bud while he waited for your response.

“Yes –Oh god. Yes, I’ve thought about you when I touch myself.”

“Good girl.”

Finally, he began working his fingers against your clit, rubbing slow languous circles to tease and work you up.

“Oh god Billy.” you threw your head back against his chest as he picked up the pace

“Damnit, you sound so pretty moaning my name.” he growled in your ear “Tell me something…”

“Mmm yeah?”

“When you’re thinking about me, late at night, what are you thinking about?”

“Billy… I”

“C’mon now baby, don’t get all shy on me. Remember, I’ve heard you before. And I know you’re not shy with those other guys. So tell me. What have you thought about me?”

“Your… your hands Billy. Touching me just like this.”

“And?”

“And your mouth, all over me.”

“And?”

“And me, on my knees f – for you.”

“Well, I’m not about to stop you. Go ahead, if that’s what you want.”

You slowly turned to face him as he licked his lips into a smirk across his perfect face. Damn him and that cocky grin. If you weren't so desperately needy for him right now, you’d smack it right off his stupidly beautiful face.

Instead, you obeyed, taking your time to drop to your knees in supplication before him. You drew out the reach forward of your hands towards his thighs in an attempt to regain some control over him, to punish him just a little for how easily he was bending you to his will right now. 

His lust was obvious, straining against his perfectly tailored dress pants right in front of your face. You rubbed his clothed bulge a few times before finally bringing him some relief and freeing him from his pants.

Grasping him firmly, you gave him a few long strokes that made his eyes squeeze shut. They snapped open and met yours though when you wrapped your lips around him and took his cock down your throat in one swift motion.

“Damnit princess, I knew that smart mouth of yours could do a lot but this, I think, is a much better use of it, don’t you?”

You pulled back to say something smart-alicky, but he pushed you back down on his length via a hand placed at the base of your skull, before you could retort, keeping you in line just how he wanted you.

He grunted as he continued to hit the back of your throat. Just as suddenly as he made the noise, it disappeared. His quiet observance of your obedience resumed, the wet sounds of you sucking him off the only other noises in the room. 

His pace slowed, no longer guiding your skull in a steady rhythm as his pleasure caught up to him. Your throat became an anchor point for him to push you off before he could finish, his long fingers giving you just enough pressure to want more. 

“Show me.” he finally spoke

“What?”

He reached for the vibrator once more and held it out in front of you.

“Show me. Exactly how you touch yourself when you think of me.” he commanded

You felt the heat pooling in your cheeks as you took it from his hand and rose your feet.

His suit jacket found a home in the chair in the corner, followed by his tie, while you also rid yourself of the remaining pieces of fabric barely keeping you concealed from his gaze. Now totally bare except for the strappy pair of heels on your feet, you laid back on the bed and guided the toy between your spread legs. Keenly aware of just how closely his stare followed you while you moved, you pressed the button to turn it on to the lowest setting, letting the humming vibrations tickle your most sensitive area.

You squeezed your eyes shut as the pleasure began to build.

“Uh uh. Eyes on me.” he instructed

You opened your eyes to meet his piercing stare, now feeling even more vulnerable in front of him as you brought your other hand between your thighs, keeping the vibrator on your clit and pushing two fingers into your pussy. Pumping them in and out slowly in order to work yourself and him up, you noticed how he lurched forward, as if to help. But only for a split second before he was upright, facade of a man in charge back in tact while he reached down and began to fist his own cock.

“Tell me, pretty girl, what else do you think about me doing to you?”

“I think – Oh god. I think about riding you. How good… it’d feel.

Billy had a difficult time deciding where to focus his attention - the way your pussy looked so pretty being spread open and fucked by your fingers, the ethereal way your face looked as you brought yourself to ecstasy, or how intently your eyes met his, growing desperation to cum swirling behind them.

“I can’t decide princess, if I want to watch you finish like this, or make you be good and wait until my cock is inside you.”

You stifled back a beg and simply whimpered at his conundrum. You both knew what you really wanted was for him to fuck you. But you couldn’t bring yourself to beg for it. Not yet. Begging for it would be the ultimate victory for him and he’d never give you another inch of resistance against him as your bodyguard without bringing it up. 

Just as you thought you were going to come apart, Billy reached forward and pulled your hand away, the vibrator whiring in the air as your pussy clenched around your fingers, desperate for the release he denied you. You wanted to cry. You also wanted to cum.

“Did I give you permission to cum?” he asked

“Pfft. I need your permission now?” you sassed back

Whack.

His large hand came down in a swift swat to your pussy, the stinging sensation sent a jolt through your already sensitive bud, causing you to clench around your fingers once more.

“Yes. You do. Since I can’t get you to listen to me out there” he nodded towards the door, an action which brought your mind temporarily back to the situation at hand. You were laying naked in bed, about to beg the head of your private security detail to fuck you senssless. A man you loathed and we’re stuck with for the foreseeable future. No way this could end poorly.

“I might as well make you listen in here. Understand?”

His voice brought you back into the moment and your desire won the game of tug of war against your brain. You nodded in response.

Whack.

“What was that?”

“Yes Billy.”

“Good girl.”

You removed your fingers and turned off the vibrator, looking up at him with the most doe-like eyes you could give, waiting for his instructions.

“You think about riding me? Okay, I’ll give you what you want this time, but don’t get used to it.” he said as he climbed on the bed beside you.

Tugging at your waist, he guided you to hover over him. In another moment of trying to show him you still had some control in this situation, you swirled your hips a few times, running his length through your now soaking folds. 

He caught on to you right away, fingers pushing into your hips hard enough to ache in order to stop you from being able to move at all.

“Easy sweetheart.” he warned

He took it slowly, once he finally released a hand and guided himself inside you, allowing you to adjust to every inch before pushing further. 

Billy studied your face as you oriented yourself on his cock and once he was satisfied with how your eyes pinched shut in pleasure and your lips remained slightly parted in anticipation, he began to rock you. With less of a death grip this time, his hands moved your hips back and forth, until the two of you got in a rhythm and you took over.

“You know sweetheart, after listening to you all those nights, it’s nice to see just how pretty you look getting fucked. I knew you would.”

“Mmmm Billy.”

“I knew it would sound just as pretty when you moaned my name too. Go ahead, let me hear it again.”

“Oh god– Billy.” you whined again, feeling the nirvana of him all the way through your body.

You brought your hands to his chest to steady yourself as he began to thrust upward and meet your tempo, taut muscle under your fingertips like heated marble. 

Every thrust, every slap of sweaty skin, every grunt from his smug fucking mouth had you careening closer and closer to your edge.

“Billy– please. Please Billy, may I cum?”

‘Yeah princess, go ahead. Let me feel it…”

That was all it took for you to release, crying out over and over as you came undone, his name a symphony spilling from your lips.

Billy wasn’t far behind you, the way his face contorted a rare moment of vulnerability from him. He spilled inside you with a silent sigh then stilled beneath you.

Only for a moment though, until the mental fog cleared and his eyes met yours. A dark abyss. But not in the lascivious way they were earlier, in a way that felt vacant and void. 

And the next thing you knew, you were flat on your back in the bed and he was getting dressed in the corner of the room.

“I’m going to make my rounds. Do all my safety checks for the night.” 

He left you without another word as he walked into the hall and closed the bedroom door behind him.

[lxclerc]

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 | 𝐜𝐥𝟏𝟔

summary: “because if this is it then at least we can end this right.”

requested: [YES] [NO] warning: pure unfiltered angst, break up, soft/mild smut, oral sex (female receiving), implied p in v. pairing: charles leclerc x reader word count: 1760

note: my first post for 2023! hopefully this continues on. also don't ask me why i decided to write an angsty smut because i also don't know. happy new year, everyone!

masterlist

You know disappointment well. You’d go as far and say you know it a little better than love. Overtime, you learn to expect it – every trip, every plan, every dinner, you’re always ready for the chances of it not happening, always expecting disappointment in order to limit the damage. 

You always thought you had no right to complain, no right to feel upset. You signed up for this after all, didn’t you? You knew that loving Charles meant sharing him – sharing him with the rest of the world, sharing him with the sport he loves. You knew from the very moment you realized that you loved him that he isn’t yours, that he will never be fully yours. 

You always wondered just exactly how long you could take it. How long can you take waiting for him in an empty restaurant despite knowing he’d never come? How many excuses can you make to your family for his absence? How many nights can you spend waiting for a call or a text that never arrives? When does it all become too much? When do you finally stop adjusting your plans, adjusting your expectations, adjusting your life, in order to fit his? 

You supposed you’d finally reached it. When after another sleepless night waiting, you realize that unconditional love simply isn’t enough.

He stands before you now though, so close that you can smell the cologne clinging to his skin, so close you can reach out and touch his cheeks, feel the heat of him one more time. You want to close the distance between you, to feel the beat of his heart against your own. You wanted everything to be okay and you so badly wanted okay to be enough.

“I wanted it to be you,” you said, voice hoarse and quiet, laced with so much emotion you’re surprised the words managed to slip past your lips. “Goddamn, I really wanted it to be you.”

And when the tears fell to his cheeks, you almost took it all back, almost laid yourself bare and raw in front of him once again, willing to wait, willing to sacrifice, willing to be whatever he needed you to be. Loving Charles is all consuming, every neuron in your body becomes stars at the brink of a supernova, his touch being the catalyst to push it all together. 

But to break and be reborn each time is an utterly exhausting process no matter how beautiful and perhaps you’d reach a point of needing to close your wounds, to an end to a chapter. Being beautiful is no longer enough. To be loved but not cherished is no longer enough. 

“It can still be me.”

There’s a plea in his voice that you’ve never heard before as his tears fell and this time, you did as your heart begged you to, you closed the distance between you as you wrapped your arms around the man you loved. 

And when you pressed your lips against his perhaps for the last time, the salty mix of your tears is a reflection of your broken hearts. 

“I love you,” you whisper against his lips, your foreheads against each other. “But it’s not enough anymore.” 

Charles’ arms seem to only tighten around you, terrified to let go in case it might be the last. His lips are greedy, seemingly trying to memorize the feel of your skin. “Not yet. Not yet please.” 

“Okay,” you agreed. Who are you to deprive him of this? “Tomorrow.” 

Your heart was already breaking, why not twist the knife?

Another tear fell to his cheek as he nodded. “Okay. Tomorrow.”

And with that, you welcomed the searing heat of his lips against your skin, giving him more access to your neck as the two of you stumbled to the bedroom you once shared. One more taste, you promised yourself. A parting gift, a goodbye. 

Your hands were already working to rid him of his shirt before the two of you could reach the bed. You let him gently push you down, his eyes glassy against the dark room with only the streetlights from the window providing little light. But it didn’t matter. You know him like the back of your hand. You know where every freckle is. You know the exact curb of his lips and the heat from his hands. 

Charles Leclerc will forever be inked in your soul, a part of you you have no desire to ever rid of. 

“I love you,” he whispers, voice shaky as his hands reach to cup your face. His eyes met your, trying to convey what words cannot. “I love you so much.”

And you’re crying again as you pull him closer. “I know. I’m sorry.”

Charles takes his time. He takes his time as he gently peels off your clothes. He takes his time as he marks your skin and unclasps your bra. He takes his time as his hand holds your breast and as his lips plants kisses along your chest. It was not pleasure either of you are after. It was not for pleasure as he explores your body.it was not for pleasure as his hands touched your most sensitive area. 

He’s memorizing you, trying to memorize the exact curb of your body, the heat of your skin, the feeling of you below him. He’s a tape record, determined to record the moans and gasps escaping your lips as he touches you, determined to tattoo it all to his memory. 

“Charles,” you gasped as his finger entered you, thumb against your clit. His touch lingers, slow and gentle but it leaves your body abuzz. “God.”

He adds another finger and your back rises as he forms a rhythm. He moans as your nails burrow into his skin, hard muscles flexing against the pain but his movement doesn’t falter. 

He’s patient, not as domineering as you’ve known him to be. His touch is soft as he swallows your moans. It’s not pleasure he’s after tonight but rather the intimacy of becoming one for the last time. 

“So close,” you manage in between pants, your eyes rolling to the back of your head as Charles’ fingers slightly pick up pace, hitting the exact spot you needed him to. 

“Go on, baby,” he coos, lips marking up your neck. “Come for me.” 

You didn’t need to be told twice as your body arches, toes curling. A chorus of pleases and Charles escapes your lips . Charles doesn’t think there could be a much better sound in the world as he speeds up. You’re shaking as you ride out your high, vision cloudy and sweat clinging your bodies together. 

With a weak, shaking hand, you wipe off his tears. “I love you.”

“You’re beautiful,” he tells you. “Je vais passer ma vie entière à me remettre de toi.” I will spend my entire life getting over you.

A sob tumbled out of your lips as you pulled him closer and as you held each other, bodies shaking, you realize that perhaps you’ll end up spending your entire life trying to get over him too. 

Neither of you are willing to let the other go, salty kisses and desperate declarations of love being whispered against each other’s skins as he enters you. Moans and gasps mixed with sobs as he becomes a part of you for the last time.

And as the morning comes and the sun trickles from the open window, you wake with his arms still around you, tear stains on the pillow case. You’re facing him, his face inches from yours. Your breath stills as you memorize his face from this close. You take your time counting each freckle and memorizing the curl of his lashes. You inhale his scent and basks in his warmth. 

But you know it can’t last forever. You know that if you don’t leave now, you might not be able to leave at all. You know that when you see those green eyes and hear his pleas for you to stay, you will.

And so you leave. You remove his arms from around you and gather your things. 

I will miss you forever, your note said – a final goodbye. 

—

Your laughter echoes with the loud booming of the fireworks above you, arms thrown around a friend or another in celebration as the party goers around you seems to only grow more energized as the clock approaches midnight. 

You’re a little more than tipsy but not quite drunk yet, your mind beginning fuzzy but not quite lost yet. You’re in that euphoric state of in between, feeling yourself losing all of your reservations with each sip or shot you took. 

“Happy New Year!” Your best friend, arm wrapped around you, screamed by your ear. The two of you are swaying with the crowd of people. 

“Not quite yet,” you say, giggly. 

Just as the words leave your lips, the counting begins. 

Ten 

Nine 

Eighth 

You throw your head back, taking a sip from your drink as you embrace the vibrations of everyone screaming in sync. 

Seven 

Six 

Five 

In a moment of curiosity, your eyes flit across the sea of people. You hadn’t expected to find green eyes already trained on you, full of longing as his hand nurses a cold beer. And it was so cliche, so overdone, but everyone disappears, becoming background noise as your eyes meet, the two of you seemingly the only people on the planet, standing across the room but somehow feeling as though it’s ocean’s away.

A thousand words exchanged between the two of you, a thousand promises and a thousand pain and a thousand understanding.

Four 

Three 

Two

The last time you’d seen Charles was the morning you left. You did as you both promised, loving each other goodbye. Maybe you expected it to hurt. You expected the ache in your chest and the heaviness in your soul. That’s certainly all you felt the days that followed. You’d avoided everything to do with him, even avoiding the screen of your television every sunday. 

But it doesn’t hurt now. 

One

Maybe throughout the weeks and the months, you’re both still silently hoping that time had made a mistake and that the universe reserved a moment for the two of you to find each other again.

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[morallygreychaoticneutral]

Well, the last time I posted my opinion on this subject on Tumblr I got harassed so it's why I'm only "active" as an anon. People tend to be very judgemental (on both sides) over this subject because any different opinion is being perceived as an attack on someone's relationship choices. Or judgement over how they play the game, which isn't the case for most of us.

However, I've always taken issue with both "Astarion is poly" AND "Astarion is mono" purely because the canon itself doesn't confirm either one of them. He's not poly just because he allows his partner to have a fling with Halsin. Just like he isn't necessarily mono just because you only romance him in a playthrough. What he is or not is ultimately left for each one of us to headcanon. Like you said, maybe HE will be interested in having multiple partners after the game. Or maybe he wouldn't be. Who's to say exactly?

Again, Larian did a bad job if they truly intended to portray him as poly OR as truly, undoubtedly okay with Halsin. The timing just sucks. And just because he says no when Tav proposes poly with the other companions, it doesn't mean much considering those proposals all come before his act 2 confession, at the time he was performing a lot by trying to be that horny, hedonistic sexy vampire in order to seduce Tav. Likewise, if you date Shadowheart and Astarion at the same time and propose poly to her, she will say "you may be overestimating his desire to share" and "he may seem like a carefree hedonist, but there is something fragile behind the facade" (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3HEkbnM_AM - Minthara says something similar. If the writers truly wanted him to be a poly character why did they had two other characters say that basically he's not into sharing?). So these dynamics are vastly different than those when Halsin comes in with his proposal: usually at a time when Astarion takes a break from sex, when he is in a truly insecure position. He may be feeling like he has to allow Tav this since they stuck with him for so long, even after he admitted his plan to seduce them. Even after Cazador when his response is usually seen as being more secure by the fandom, he's still not very enthusiastic. He even says "it is okay if things between us change because of this" or "I trust you to make a decision that won't hurt what we have". How is this him being enthusiastic? Or him wanting this in the first place? I don't know, but if you want to introduce such a big change to your relationship (like opening it), your partner's first instinct being "it's okay if things between us change" aka a hint to a future break up is not a positive thing at all. It's great to hear he will be fine without Tav, but it's also not true that he won't mind if you break up with him (just try the option to see for yourself, if you do it in the epilogue at the Elfsong he gets really angry).

I also want to point out how he allows Tav a lot. If you cheat on him with Mizora all you have to do is say "I'm sorry" every single time he says something and he forgives you in an instant, without even rolling a persuasion check. Yeah, he will try to break up with you but...he forgives so EASILY. You can even have him bite Araj and with the right dialogue choices you'll still be able to keep the relationship. Or force him to eat the astral tadpole. Yes, he learned to say "no" and put some boundaries but Tav can still easily manipulate him.

Simply put, there are far too many hints in the game itself that this isn't something he really wants or that to some extent he is going along with his partner's wishes, at least at this point in time. Sure, he gives Tav his consent but does he really want it? There is a difference between giving consent to a certain thing and wanting that thing for yourself.

I'm sorry you were harassed. Cognitive dissonance can be extremely triggering for some. However, that does not give them license to be abusive.

You have a lot of good points. Which sucks, because if they did intend him to be poly they really missed the mark. And I can absolutely see where that would be disappointing to someone who was expecting that representation.

I agree with what you are saying. He is quite pliable. His boundaries are very blurry. And the personality that I am, that bothers me as well. It very well could be intended as residual trauma behavior. He is so used to just having to go with what whatever decisions others make regarding him that he is still doing it? As someone who was not allowed boundaries for ages. I find myself still slipping into this behavior from time to time.

He is wickedly complex. And I know its silly, his not real. But I even struggled to ask him for a kiss after the confession in act 2. I really needed him confirm he still wanted them. Have a next day interaction where he thanks you for being so understanding, like after the bite scene, and then pulls YOU in for a kiss.

Its just one of those things where you can't please everyone. And we just need to be allowing of how people perceive it through their own lenses. Thank you for the discussion!

[wowowwild]

I asked for 20 but I also want to ask about 21! I love fic recs.

21. Did you ever read fanfictions? Which one is your personal recommendation?

Sorry it took so long! It took me a while to get everything in order, but here it is.

So fun fact: Whenever I read a fic I love I book mark it with the note j'adore so I can read it again later. Some of them get this note preemptively. I also tend to go through a tag on ao3 in date posted ascending order so I start with the oldest and work my way forward so I don't potentially miss anything, but I haven't made it all the way through some tags that I would like to. If there's a fic you think I would like that's not on here, I probably just haven't gotten to it yet! (Most of the newer ones on here I found through Tumblr.)

Also! I'm pretty sure any of the ones that involve smut I have marked as such, but please check the tags on the actual fic before reading! I am not responsible for what content you choose to consume!

That being said, here is Ace's All Time Best Fic Rec List (AATBFRL for short):

Nobody Can Just Say What They Mean (Series)- The first fic is Narumitsu and the second is Klapollo and I think about them allllll the time, especially Things Are As They Are altered me on a microscopic level. Rocks are just rocks, you know? (Narumitsu, Klapollo)

undeniable you (the currents pulling me onward)- Idk what to say. Kristoph Gavin dies in prison and Klavier is suspect #1. Apollo flies back to defend him and yaoi happens. I'm a sucker for Klav getting all scrungled up.

fame vs infamy (the price of writing fanfic out of spite)- It's a crack fic. It's funny. 10/10 would recommend. (Klapollo)

The Definition Of Home- And there was only one bed?!?!?!?!?! What?!?!?!?! And there was a little angst in the bed?!?!?!?!?! Unbelievable. Actually the angst was on the couch, the bed made it better. (Klapollo)

13 Hours- This fic keeps popping up in my fever dreams. I'm not even kidding. I didn't have it bookmarked the first time around but when I found it again, I was like 'oh, I know this one! It haunts my dreams!' and immediately slapped a j'adore on it. Airport Klapollo getting together.

Dig Enough Graves- This one is still being put out, it's a Klapollo roleswap and I love it. I get so excited when I see it's updated. So many things are happening and we have clues and I'm gonna figure it out, ok? *boston accent* I'm sleuthin 'ere! (rated M for violence and sex reasons)

stop the presses (series)- V funny. Apollo works as a columnist and writes thirst essays about KlavGav and gets a date out of it. I am very impressed with the coding used to make this look the way it does.

And if my wishes could all come true- I have reread this one a couple times. I think about it a lot. It is genuinely so funny and makes me feel all sorts of things. I love pre-relationship klapollo divorce complete with alimony while they were not not dating but actually not dating, Apollo you can't just assume that.

Nothing Like This Feeling- Apollo top suregery fic with a dash of Klapollo!

Turnabout Dishwasher- For when you get the hankering for a 422.6k work of art. It's like three fics in one that happen concurrently, which doesn't sound like a description that makes sense unless you read it. There are so many characters here, and shipping is part of it but it's also a whole lot of everything else. These characters are actually living and you get to take a look see. (klapollo, blackmadhi, wrightworth, look just read the tags on the fic there's so much going on)

Such Terrible Tales- A gorgeous magic filled AU with a focus on the casts of aa5 and aa6 and fun cameos from Investigations (so far). This fic is still on going and I would def recommend reading it as it comes out! I love trying to figure out the lore and what will happen next! This fic kind of pulls me off my hinges lol. (blackmadhi)

You Wear Stripes, Too?- Apollo and Klav come out to each other as trans and nb respectively.

Things Best Shared- Klav teaches Apollo guitar.

For A Bad Time Call Simon Blackquill- Iconic blackmadhi fic. I think about it all the time. V funny fake dating au with bits of angst.

Last Resort- And they were roommates! Blackmadhi roommates with lots of healing and shenanigans.

Dating for a Turnabout- Narumitsu fake dating for a case. Larry is there doing Larry things. Franziska did it to them bc she is very smart and cool.

Vacation All I Ever Wanted- I think about this sooooooo much. Tagline: One condo. Six lawyers. Seven secret plans. What could possibly go wrong? (klapollo, narumitsu, athena blackquill and trucy are there)

Alternative Dispute Resolution- Apollo makes Klavier talk to Mr. Wright before they can start dating. It's awkward (and funny) and Trucy is a delight.

Turn(about) my words- The fic where I realized I instinctively start laughing when someone gets shot. He's fine. uhhh narumitsu, phoenix got shot of course bc why wouldn't he and found family stuff.

You're Alive (And that's the only thing that truly matters.)- Klavier gets poisoned and Edgeworth tells the nurses Apollo is his partner so he can get in to see him. Turns out I don't laugh at poisonings, only shootings.

Dog Days- Apollo and Trucy go to another Gavinners concert and Polly misinterprets everything all the time.

Reckless Endangerment- One of the funniest klapollo get togethers. Pollo insults him real good while he's standing behind him, klav thinks about going abroad to study, phoenix has prosecutor going abroad ptsd, apollo might actually be into the gavinners, or at least the titular member.

Good Advice- Klavier Gavin makes categorically bad decisions in the face of love. (klapollo)

Hot For Justice- klavgav gets a muse, guess who?

Rules for Dating a Rockstar Prosecutor- klapollo first date that literally everyone is more invested in than Apollo (until he actually goes).

The Things We Do For Gym Access- Fake dating so Apollo can use the gym at Klav's place until the one he normally goes to gets fixed. Except they're actually really into each other and it's killing me everyday it's killing me I'm dead I'm dying they're so dense and in love and can't figure out why they haven't been caught and it's bc they actually feel like that and on top of pretend dating are pretending to date each other to themselves just kiss istg. Rated Explicit for sexual reasons.

The Walk to Tomorrow- Narumitsu doing Narumitsu things.

Legal Partners- Oooooooo this one! I also think about this one a lot. Narumitsu and klapollo and everyone is idiots they're all idiots. Klav and Edgeworth make a stupid, stupid bet about who has the more meaningful connection with their preferred defense attorney. I love this type of fic.

Turnabout Rubesville- Edgeworth gets accused of murder in a small town bc he's a grump. Phoenix sorts it out.

You Ever Been In Love?- Everyone gets way too involved in making Wrightworth happen, and it goes horribly until it goes right.

Gravity- Rated Explicit for sex reasons. Tbh I really like the oc. She's real cool. def read the tags for trigger warnings. (klapollo)

The soul truth (and nothing but the truth)- Franmaya! There's some spirit medium shenanigans and Lang is a bro.

Exorcism- Klapollo AU aa4 rewrite Kitty is a doll I love her these boys are unhinged look they have a conspiracy closet ok? Rated E for sex reasons.

Play Your Cards Right- Narumitsu agree to go on a date and shake hands about it. Rated E for sex reasons.

Hostile Environments (Series)- Justquill Shenanigans

satisfaction brought him back- Justquill Simon gets turned into a cat. I love fics where someone gets turned into a cat. There aren't a lot but it is a trope I enjoy. I've def read this one a couple times.

Stripped- Klapollo impending. Apollo is also secretly a stripper. Idk if this fic will ever get finished but I liked everything in it.

Curiosity Created the Cat- Klapollo impending. Also not finished and maybe never will be and only 3 chapters but in this one Klav gets turned into a cat. I'm sorry.

if it's really me you seek- Klapollo. I'm just going to post the official summary bc I j'ador'ed it but I don't remember exactly which one this is: Or, when Apollo comes home from Khura'in only to learn that Prosecutor Gavin is avoiding him, the last thing he expected was for Gavin to offer to let Apollo stay at his house while he looks for a new apartment.

As of right now this is everything in my bookmarks that I've read, I think you can figure out my favorite ship lol.

[ihatesocialmedia45]

Ch 2: Secret Agent Man

So, I *have* already posted this on A03, but I like adding it onto Tumblr as well. Here is ch2!

Romantic playlist for your listening pleasure (and immersion!) "Homelander's Theme (Reader's Theme)" ⏬ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lcsddnb3Oc&list=PLS41qcbRSTzvdPNfdVcjf5Uy4kWNiuKIX

"She was at the Vought New Year's event! How hard could it be to find her?!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I need a clearer photo. This snippet from VNN is too blurry for me to gather any intel!"

"45 million fucking dollars a year, and you can't find a person -  after I give you a picture?! What the hell are we signing your checks for.."

Annika blanched, but her eyes were resigned. She sighed. 

"I'm sorry, Homelander. Maybe, if you leave the picture with me... I can reach out to Finance, and see who bought tickets to the event. Then, I can go from there?"

For a second, Homelander was appeased, if not a little angry - that had been all he'd wanted. Did she have to make him yell at her in order to get it? He turned to leave... but a feeling of discontent rippled through him, growing stronger with each step he took. What was wrong with him? Each lurch he took toward the door felt too heavy, as though his body was fighting against his exit. He stopped, furrowed his brow. Annika looked up at him, a mixture of wariness and fear etched into the bags under her eyes.

"Sir?" 

Homelander grit his teeth, and clenched a fist - only to realize what had felt so wrong. "Leave the picture with me," she'd said. Homelander tightened his jaw, muscles twitching delicately under his skin.

"You know what, Annika?" his voice was too sweet, dripping honey, when he hovered backwards toward her, in that smooth, uncanny way that made him look like a marionette flying through the air. He knew they all hated it when he chose to fly like that, feet dangling obscenely, like those of a hanged corpse, as he lifted only a few feet off the ground. That was why he did it: control, of the narrative. Of their perceptions of him.

"I'll take it from here. I feel just awful, for taking up your time like this..." he placed a hand on his heart, and sending a mock concerned look down at her. Quicker now, almost harsh in its urgency, Homelander snatched up the blurry picture from Annika's desk - and immediately, all was well. The photo, folded neatly into a small square, fit perfectly in the palm of his hand, just like the person captured in it had last night; Homelander felt a peace wash over him that comforted as well as unsettled. The feeling, however brief, of wholeness, seemed to sing from between the slats of his ribs, bubbling in his veins. 

It was perfect.

It was pathetic.

Homelander snarled lightly, feeling a small twinge of satisfaction when he saw several members of Crime Analytics shiver. Good.

Without another word, he rose in the air again, sending the smallest hint of heat through his eyes, listening in grim amusement as all the hearts in Crime Analytics pattered in double-time. It was good for them, he thought as he graced down the hall. Those nerds, locked in that lightless dungeon, hardy ever getting any exercise... maybe an occasional jolt to the heart would benefit them.

Homelander lay on his stomach in bed, laptop set on the soft duvet; he clicked away, looking through everything he'd amassed during his brief search of the girl from New Year's. After threatening Annika into silence, he'd taken her idea and gone to Finance, presenting his demands of finding the woman - it was top priority. After around thirty minutes of pacing the halls, they'd procured everything he'd wanted: a name, a real picture of their face, where they worked. He stuffed down the relief and let disdain take its place, grabbing the files they handed him with a wolfish glint to his eye. It was bad enough that he felt this way, obsessing over some girl who likely didn't care nearly as much as he'd imagined - but to have an audience to his shame, however buried it may be, was a bridge too far. He needed to take this on himself. No witnesses.

And so that was what he'd done - and he'd had to say... maybe he'd been a bit too harsh on Annika for her reluctance to jump into this project. Finding people was work, with half of his leads directing him to dead ends; social media accounts she'd deleted, blog posts which were interesting but gave him nothing further to work with - he'd skipped over those, waving his hand dismissively. He kept up the search, typed her address into Google Maps, hoping to glean something, anything about her through this look out onto her street - but, to his mounting frustration, the girl remained elusive. Instagram - nothing. Tiktok - nothing. Even LinkedIn, Twitter, fucking MySpace... all provided no answer. She was nowhere to be found, the warmth of her presence absent from any platform he searched. 

For a dark moment, the thought of streaking across the sky to her, slicing through the air like a bullet, raced through his mind. Yes, Homelander purred, he'd go to her apartment - she had given him her address, he thought, excitement black and tantalizing in his gut. He'd go to her apartment, and...

What?

Kiss her?

Kill her?

Both scenes played in his mind.

Her lips, plush and velveteen against his, the scent of bergamot in the air.

Her blood, smeared across his suit, congealed in his hair, sweet as syrup on his tongue. Her heart, clamped in his jaws.

Even in his darkness, the desire to taste her, hot and shameful, permeated his being.

He'd kill her, punish her for cracking him open, humiliating him.

He'd whisper sweet nothings into her ear, the roll of his hips gentle as she clung to him, panting.

The thought made his stomach - among other things - jump. Not now, Homelander thought, stuffing that train of thought into the recesses of his mind.

Bringing his focus back to the laptop, he poked his tongue out in concentration, typing her name into Facebook's search engine, snarling when she didn't come up. But before his mind could darken, he found something else, that stilled the restless beast within.

Another person, with her last name, her eyes - those enormous eyes... copied into this older woman's face. Her mother. He clicked on her profile, hating the tremor in his hand.

Scrolling through her page, he felt his eyes cloud over with disinterest. There were photos of her mother, a man who he presumed was her father, other girls, a young boy, all sharing her likeness - siblings? But they were so young... she had to have been in her late twenties, early thirties at most. But these were... children. She must be the eldest.

He dragged his way down the page, a roll of disgust washing over him despite himself. There were no pictures of her on her own mother's page. Plenty of the brats - the girls dancing on stage, the boy proudly brandishing a tooth with a jack-o-lantern smile... but none of the girl who'd voiced a murmured desire to kiss him, that cold winter night.

I'd kiss him.

Then kiss me.

Please.

"Fuck!" Homelander hissed, shoving the laptop away from him.

He paced around the room, hands in his hair, taking a few deep breaths to center himself. 

She is nothing, he thought, letting the words sink in before repeating them back. She is nothing, and you are everything.

"Nothing," he whispered. Tried to believe it.

Suddenly, he felt a strange pulling sensation in his stomach. Like a piece of dental floss, coming from his navel -  and someone behind him was giving it an insistent yank. At the same time, the sound of his own voice called to him, and he felt his body chill as he realized where it was coming from. The mirror.

"Jo-ohn...!" it teased. Homelander screwed his eyes shut, hanging his head.

Not this, not now..

Sighing bitterly, he trudged over to the John in the mirror, avoiding his paternal, if condescending, gaze.

"John," he started, giving him an amused look. Homelander looked above him, avoiding his gaze. The mirror John sighed.

"Look at me, buddy." Homelander shook his head, lip beginning to quiver before he stopped it.

"John..." his voice sounded sad now. The thought of his pity had Homelander wrenching his gaze to meet him, resolve shining brightly, jaw tight. Mirror John smiled appreciatively.

"Atta boy. That's what I like to see."

"Now, John.. why are you getting so worked up? I don't understand... over a human?" His voice was incredulous, though not unkind.

"It's natural for us to be lonely. Nobody... nobody, could understand this pain. They're not meant to. That's the burden of a god."

"I wish I'd never met her. I hate her," he whispered, a low roll of thunder sounding within him.

Mirror John tutted. "Now, that's not true, is it? Lying is beneath you, John."

A beat of silence passed, Homelander's glare murderous. But then he sighed, dropping his head.

"No..." he mumbled, defeated. "I... I just..." the unvoiced longing caught in his throat. He closed his eyes hard - and the visions started, the sound of her weaving around his heart and squeezing.

' I'd kiss him...' ' I'd kiss him...' ' I'd kiss him...'

The weight of her in his lap, her lips parted in a throaty moan as he filled her.

Her lifeless corpse in his arms, the steam of her entrails curling around him like incense.

'He'd looked so... lonely,'

'I'd kiss him...'

Then fucking kiss me

'Goodnight, Homelander. Happy New Year.'

Call me John.

'I'd kiss him.'

Then kiss me.

Please.

"Fuck! Why did she have to be there at all?!"

Another moment of quiet, still as graveyard air.

"What do I do?" he asked, raising his head - only to see that Mirror John was gone, leaving his own troubled reflection in his place.

[flower-seeks-the-moon]

More Tarot Musings on Baxter Ward

Hi, it's been a while since I updated my fics or posted anything about Baxter Ward my beloved, but I come here today to give you this. If you've read my previous practice card reading for Baxter before and enjoyed it, I hope you'll also like this one!

Today, we're here to take a look at his tarot birth cards and the Fives of the Minor Arcana. Because 5 is a significant number to his character and his DLC - born on the fifth month, and the significant periods he met the MC having 5 years in between each of them.

I'll be using my The Philosopher's Tarot deck, but I'll also add the original RWS imagery to make it clearer what I'm referring to in some areas.

Part 1: The Birth Cards

This is an interesting topic on its own with a little numerology used to determine a person's birth cards, but essentially: your birth cards determine your life paths, who you may become as a person, and the lessons you will need to learn.

Baxter's birth cards (for 5/19/1997) are XIV: Temperance and V: The Hierophant.

Somehow, he truly can't escape having angelic imagery connecting to him one way or another.

So what do these cards mean for Baxter?

As a person, he is someone who is well-suited to leading others and taking charge of a situation in a socially graceful manner. Baxter can present himself as a reliable and welcoming man who has a good understanding of people. He's adaptable - when it comes to handling people and social situations, he's very willing to accommodate others and expand his horizons. If it means trying to understand someone on a deeper level, he is willing to do it so he doesn't hurt others and keeps them happy.

Strengths

+ mediation + flexibility + accommodation

Unfortunately, as indicated by both cards, with The Hierophant emphasizing adherence to the overall community's well-being and Temperance possibly indicating an inclination to people-please everyone and settle on a middle ground? Baxter runs the risk of spreading himself too thin and overextending himself. The two cards together paint a picture of someone who feels that their own needs and wants take a backseat to others'.

Another weakness is fearing the unknown, which aligns with one interpretation of The Hierophant as someone bound to dogma or tradition.

Weaknesses

- rigidity - self-sacrifice - fear of the unknown

Here's the interesting part: Temperance and The Hierophant contradict each other, as I have laid out so far. Did you notice that there's something odd about the strengths and weaknesses? How can flexibility and rigidity be a part of the same person? Open-mindedness with the fear of the unknown?

Temperance advocates compromise. It encourages meeting someone in the middle and experimentation, which brings forth new and unfamiliar things. Pair this with The Hierophant, which advocates sticking to old traditions and what's old and familiar to you, with an emphasis on order and structure, and you get a walking, talking contradiction.

Doesn't that suit Baxter Ward and his duality? A love for all things black and white, formality paired with a cocksure and cavalier way of going against tradition - being improper but polite.

Someone who's trying to freely express himself, who rebels against a hateful and dogmatic upbringing, but still finds himself bound by the chains of his upbringing. The way his parents have raised him continue to sabotage his life, and particularly his relationships, despite his desire to get to know and understand others.

The Baxter Ward we know and love.

Part 2: The Fifth Cards of the Minor Arcana

Five, ah, five. Five years after the first meeting at a Soiree. Five years after that summer in 2016, which changed him. Born on the fifth month of the year. And even one of his birth cards is the fifth card of the Major Arcana.

Let's get into it:

5 of Wands

The card of conflict and disruption, misunderstandings and confusion. It could mean either an internal struggle (vs oneself) or an external struggle (vs others).

internal conflict - He is his own greatest enemy, always in conflict about what his heart wants and what he thinks he deserves. He believes that MC's life is better off without him and simply can't comprehend the idea of someone wanting to stay with him and be a part of his life for who he is, and not what he provides. external conflict - Misunderstanding his own place in other people's lives, his friendship/relationship with the MC as the biggest example. It could also point to how he never quite gets along with people and his lack of friends despite his attempts to be congenial and flexible with everyone.

5 of Cups

The card of loss and grief, it's a simple read: someone who mourns what's lost and loses sight of what remains with him. Note how the figure never notices the two remaining cups behind them. For Baxter, he has always trained himself to mourn the loss of someone or something that hasn't yet left him. He thinks in terms of what he can lose instead of in terms of what he can keep and hold on to.

5 of Swords

The card of shortsightedness and intentional miscommunication. It calls out the selfishness of one who makes a decision for someone else without consulting them, taking their agency out of their own hands, or employs cruel tactics to communicate. What he did at the end of Step 3 was both cruel and shortsighted, taking away the MC's ability to decide for themselves by assuming their relationship will have a forgone conclusion he drew on his own.

5 of Pentacles

The card of uncertainty, insecurity, and struggling. This is also an interesting card since the Pentacles suit governs things material and financial. But it can also be connected to the home, career, and family. Narratively, it fits Baxter's character arc - he threw away the safety net of his parents' wealth plus all those connections they can give him. He wanted to be free and become a better person and gave up what he was born and accustomed to. This is how he finds his true companions, completing that part of his story.

Other Notes

So that's a wrap! I had this lying around in the drafts for a while after sharing a more disorganized ramble on Discord to my fellow Baxter-loving friends. @im-pure, this took a while but here it is LMAO. Thanks to everyone on the server for providing such an encouraging place to discuss this character <3

Disclaimer: This is just for fun and not to enforce or dictate a specific interpretation of this character on you, the reader's, personal headcanons, and conclusions. I'm not some sanctimonious prat who believes other fans' interpretations to be inferior to mine. That said, I hope this was interesting!

[angy-grrr]

hello!! about your post the other day on how people think bkdk is just another sns, do you happen to have the source for ‘horikoshi dislikes the ending of naruto’? its such an integral part of my bkdk worldview and why im so convinced theyre gonna be canon, but i cant for the life of me figure out where horikoshi mentioned that 😅

This is the link of a transcription of the twitter thread! This was from the middle of 2015, even before Katsuki got kidnapped and wasn't super clear whether he would stay in the hero or villain, so I think we need to keep it in mind when reading about this too.

To give more perspective, a reminder of what happened in that time: Bakugou vs Deku 1 happened in January, and this interview probably happened when the sports festival was starting (as we see it goes until August/September)... A year later we get Katsuki's origin chapter, two years later the second Kacchan vs Deku fight after the kidnapping and rescuing, and six years later we get the apology.

(Interview under the cut, the parts where this is discussed)

The interviewer asks what Horikoshi thought of Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry, and Horikoshi says it was frustrating. Horikoshi says he really liked the "Valley of the End" and thought that would be the end of the series. - Kishimoto notes a lot of readers though Naruto and Sasuke would make up after the Valley of the End and go back to the village together. But he made them fight. - Horikoshi continues that all the misunderstandings during the second part were frustrating to watch and when it all came together in the final fight he almost felt like a parent watching these characters he had grown up with, and he was rooting for them both. - Kishimoto says he's happy to hear that, he wanted people to be able to understand both Naruto and Sasuke's feelings. Horikoshi notes it was really emotional, built up over 15 years. - Kishimoto notes he likes Bakugo as a rival and found it funny how he's an ally almost like a villain, telling the main character "die". He thinks Horikoshi did a good job since you don't know if Bakugo will stay an ally or become an enemy. - Horikoshi notes Bakugo is horrible, but thought it would be more interesting that way. He says he wants him to be like Vegeta from Dragon Ball but doesn't know how it'll play out from here. Kishimoto says he thinks it'll be interesting whichever direction Bakugo goes.

I think this last comment is kind of a reference to what he planned for prototype Katsuki Gougou -he was a really nice guy who would insult ppl accidentally and be loud during fights, but he found it annoying. He probably thought and took inspiration from V*geta in order to craft a rude personality for the beginning, and as we know it wasn't clear whether he would even ever support Izuku in the first place or stay as an obstacle to surpass.

I dont believe we are reading into things when thinking Katsuki has become way more than another V*geta, and that his relationship with Izuku doesn't resemble the one he has with G*ku, as far as I know -cmon he is literally crying over feeling like he lost his chance to be by deku's side forever, while not caring about his own arm or possibility of not being a hero, I dont know about DBZ but I dont think something similar happened lol.

When we say he doesnt like it, its because he clearly states very bold declarations in front of the author -who is basically a sensei, a superior role than his and who he should always respect the most. So being critical about it makes it even more clear how much he truly disliked it -he was tired of the misunderstandings and hoped they would just go back together to the village. So, to say the least, he never really truly enjoyed the idea of a rivalry where the characters are so important to each other, but end up fighting for more unnecessary misunderstandings.

We can see how he took notes from the whole everyone coming together for the fight, and he likes that emotional aspect -also making tribute to DBZ with everyone cheering for the hero just like many ppl did irl. We'll have to see what happens, but I believe we'll see more of Katsuki and the reasons why he was able to survive this long and see vestige All Might

[reviewinghiccup]

RIDERS OF BERK | HTTYD SERIES | BREAKING DOWN HICCUP

Blog Post Series : Breaking Down Hiccup

Title : Thawfest

Ep/Season : Episode 12, Season 1 (Riders of Berk)

Premise :

It is the annual Thawfest Games, but with a welcomed twist! This year will feature 3 new obstacle courses for dragons and w that, maybe even a new winner.

COMPARI-SONS

Let’s talk about the show the way the creators designed it. So, in the beginning we are introduced to the Thawfest games. We know that Snotlout & his family are reigning champions. As far as we are told, no one has ever beaten a Jorgenson.

I found that hard to believe considering Astrid’s skills. I reckon if anyone was going to win it would’ve been her, or someone in her family previously. I mean, the girl got her fight from somewhere yannow?

And it was even harder to believe that Stoick would’ve lost to Spitelout back then. Like what even? Then I realised that the games have no hard and fast rules. Fishlegs accidentally kicks Astrid off one of the courses, Snotlout shoved Hiccup aside during a race and there were no disqualifications or referees. So, the games are held just for fun. Sport.

I say that because if it actually meant something, a person as competitive as Astrid, would not be so cool about letting Snotlout win.

SNOTLOUT GARY JORGENSON V HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK III

The episode begins comparing the two of them and their attempt uprooting small to medium sized trees. Something Snotlout could do but Hiccup couldn’t. We are also introduced to Spitelout, which I have to say, is my least favourite David Tennant character, based on the shows I’ve seen him in and (keep in mind) I love David Tennant.

The story will continue to contrast their personalities. One is physically weaker, the other stronger. One is cleverer, the other not so quick. One is a better friend, the other not entirely there yet. Etc.

THE JERK PARADIGM

Snotlout is a jerk. The equivalent of a dumb quarter back struggling w his studies and bullying the nerd tutoring him. Maybe if this was a high school setting, he might be the popular kid, and many would look up to him out of fear. He could even have his own posse.

However, he doesn’t get very far w the other teens on the island because he’s nothing but a big bully to everyone. The other riders do not like him for what he’s said, acted or done to them. Among all the recipients of his bad temper, Hiccup bears the brunt of it. I’m thinking this comes from a place of jealousy.

In Snotlout’s mind, he deserves reverence. Yet, he knows that Hiccup commands the most respect, with the people in the village and the dragons. He can’t fathom how someone so small and skinny could lead him and he, someone so large and brutish be made to follow.

The Thawfest games is a test of strength, endurance and courage. Winning the game (to Snotlout) means possessing all the above qualities. And that’s why winning it means more to Snotlout than the others. That and another thing.

CHASING THE FATHER’S APPROVAL

At first I thought both Hiccup and Snotlout chased their own fathers approval. But, as it turns out, Hiccup was just trying to make his dad proud, but Snotlout HAD to win for his dad to accept him. And that’s wild.

You can see how the relationship between Spitelout and Snotlout drastically changed each time he lost. And the scene before the final round set the tone of two types of father-son relationships pitted against each other.

Stoick didn’t push Hiccup to win. All he did was broach the subject, but was only keen on the idea after Hiccup tells him of his plans to beat Snotlout. Then, at the final battle, Stoick’s awkward “NO PRESSURE” pep-talk was perfect in summing up their relationship. It wasn’t that Stoick didn’t believe Hiccup will lose or disappoint, I’d like to think that Stoick gave room to Hiccup to forfeit in order to do the right thing.

Spitelout has no such courtesy. His “pep-talk” was passive aggressive and that’s where you finally get why Snotlout is built the way he is. He pushes his son around, who in turn bullies everyone else.

HICCUP’S RESPONSE

With dragons involved, the playing field is levelled for Hiccup. And with Snotlout’s lousy attitude towards him, it felt right for Hiccup to fight back. However, when Hiccup won his first challenge, he gloated.

Should we excuse it? I mean, this boy has been getting it from Snotlout for years. It only felt right, right?

But the message doesn’t stop there. Hiccup starts to realise why Snotlout is the way he is. And in a battle to be the “Better Viking,” Hiccup learns that winning isn’t everything. And that must’ve been hard to give up. Hiccup trained and worked hard to beat Snotlout. Even Toothless judge him. His ego was also at play.

Maybe, the real test of strength, endurance and courage is the power to do the right thing. In throwing the race, Hiccup demonstrated that he was the better Viking, and an even better friend. And those around him, his father, Astrid could tell what he did to keep Snotlout’s relationship with his father.

THEME & MESSAGE

THE STORY OF SNOTLOUT

Those who have been following the show will know that Snotlout has major daddy issues and well, nothing explains it better than this episode. And if you see this post by @rosiethedragongeek , she explains thoroughly the many reasons why she hates Spitelout. This is also the many reasons contributing to Snotlout’s trauma.

The gang knows this. Which might be the reason why they tolerate him. That, and also because Snotlout will end up being a core member of the team and friend. He’s not completely useless. His crude remarks sometimes spark ideas for Hiccup. And when push comes to shove, he does care for his friends and will do the right thing. Hopefully, he will be better than his father.

HICCUP’S COMPASSION

Winning wouldn’t have been everything to Hiccup. In fact, it might have caused a fracture in his relationship w Snotlout, to even losing a rider. And maybe even causing a bigger fracture in Snotlout’s relationship w his father. This, to me is an example, of losing the battle to win the war.

Hiccup also earned Snotlout’s respect. We know Snotlout realises that Hiccup threw the race. And this is exactly how Hiccup becomes someone Snotlout learns to respect. Of course, in the coming episodes, this notion is challenged, but Snotlout doesn’t try to take over Hiccup’s position as heir or as chief later on. In fact, as we journey into RTTE, he is resolved in playing second fiddle. Even third, after Astrid, because Snotlout has been put in his place in ROB.

A LITTLE HICCSTRID MOMENT

I enjoyed this episode. Probably one of my favourites as well. I like to see character growth, and here is where we find a different, competitive, even childish side of Hiccup. And Astrid chiming in as his conscious.

I didn’t mind that little Hiccstrid moment thrown in at the end either. Like a reward, for doing the right thing.

Also, the part where Stoick validates Hiccup’s loss was pretty wholesome too.

STORYLINE

This was a really interesting episode. Particularly because of the psychology play, and the riveting race towards the end of the show. When I first watched it, I didn’t quiet know what to expect, and though we could end up telling what Hiccup would do, I’m glad that his growth is showed in a different angle and aspect this time round.

You also get to learn more about their Viking culture and the friendship / family dynamic at play. I was pretty excited to share this post with you guys, because this is one of my favourite episodes as well.

Thanks once more for all the positive reviews/feedback. Hope to continue providing more of the same in the days to come.

PERSONAL TAKE-A-WAY

And just as a final note, you don’t have to continue reading if you don’t want to, but I had to take some time to evaluate this show on a personal level.

I interned in a small company a few years ago. It was something I had to do for extra credit in high school. There was this girl there. We were the only two of the same age. At first, she seemed really nice, but towards the 3rd week of our internship, I realise that she was pretty mean.

We ended up liking the work culture, and the supervisor offered us a spot to work over the summer provided we met targets. However, the moment that happened, she started saying things to me like “Oh, I’m sure you will be able to find other spots” or “I heard that you should do your work this way, because the supervisor said you’re sloppy. Just watching your back, no hard feelings.”

The thing is, she sounded like she was helping, but she really wasn’t. And it caused a lot of self-doubt to creep in. Every time I was commended for a job well done, she would make some passive-aggressive remark. And when I confronted her about it, she gaslighted me.

I started to think I wasn’t good, that maybe I wasn’t as nice as I thought I was, especially when I confronted her and she said that it was mostly my fault why things turned out the way it did.

When another intern joined us, they ganged up on me. Wouldn’t eat w me at lunch. Invited other colleagues to dinners in front of me, without extending an invite. And towards the end of the programme, I was given the spot first and she was given the spot later (nearly towards the end of the programme). That just made it all the worse.

Anyways, how she reacted reminded me so much of Snotlout. A little bit more of Spitelout. And it took me awhile to forgive her, but I started wondering maybe she was just behaving that way because so much of her life rides on out-doing others. She was a high achiever. So, maybe there was a push from her parents to be like-so. I was a high achiever too, but my parents never pushed me that hard, which could probably be the reason why it never occurred me to bully others. I mean, who works this bitterly over a high school internship programme?

Well, talk about full circle. A year back, I worked as a supervisor in a management company. I was the youngest person to get the role. And the junior under me, heard I knew this passive-aggressive girl. I explained that we interned together. The junior was so surprised that I was nice, and appreciative of her work. And I wondered what she meant by that.

The junior said, that this girl was really mean and vindictive towards her. And when she confronted her, the girl explained that she had it rough w seniors before, and so she is just returning the favour. “That’s how the world works,” she claimed.

The junior was surprised to find that I held no vendetta. I do remember going through my fair share of senior-junior berating, but it never occurred to me to pay it back to anyone.

Snotlout is such a real character. But so is Hiccup. I felt encourage when I saw their personalities play out, because it helped me understand that there is always more than meets the surface. I actually even feel sorry for that girl. I hope she will wake up one day and see what she’s done wrong. And even if she doesn’t, I’m glad that I grew up well enough to tell the difference. Because Snotlouts can only go so far.

[identitheoret]

My Thoughts on the Story/Lore of “Ashes of Memory: Part 1”

(I might make this into a video if I have time btw)

Hey guys, IdentiTheoret here! :)

I’m not really sure what else I need to say here before I just jump right into my thoughts on Ashes of Memory. I think this Tumblr thing will actually work super well with what I’m aiming for here, but I’m still kinda new to it, so if you guys have any tips for me there I’d love to hear them. And my DM’s are also completely open, so you guys can ask me directly about literally anything you like or need help figuring out, lore related or whatever else you wanna talk about or say to me.

Anyways I guess I’ll just get right on into my thoughts now.

First of all, I had like no idea they were going this hog wild with changing up everything in terms of how the system works. I wasn’t keeping up a whole lot with the update prior outside of the one major teaser, so when I hopped on after maintenance and saw everything they changed I was kinda stunned.

I won’t be going with any particular order of events, rather I’ll try to go through each particular topic with all the details in mind from the beginning to end of Chapter 1.

Alice DeRoss (Reporter)

When I first saw her in the teaser I was like “Eh, not sure how to feel about her, it’s a little jarring seeing her like this.” And I didn’t even look back over it again to analyze because of the stuff I mentioned in my update video that was draining my energy. Although even then, I thought the idea of following adult Alice was absolutely dope.

But then I played the new story and got an actual good look and feel for this version of Alice and—OH MY GOD SHE IS SO FREAKING PRETTY LIKE AAAAAAH I CAN’T 😳🫠

Seriously they did such a good job with these new designs. And they kinda had to because they were gonna have far more normal designs outside of just Orpheus. I’m not going to go into any detail about my opinions there though, I’ll save that for a separate post soon after this one. I’m just looking at the story and lore right now.

So when it comes to everything leading up to her visiting the manor, they don’t really show off anything too odd. After her separation from Orpheus when they were kids, Alice suffered great social trauma/isolation, which we knew a bit about already with certain letters. But what we didn’t get to see was what happened after she left the orphanage. I was assuming maybe her trauma was going to mess her up in the long term, and if it didn’t I assumed she was going to lose her memories entirely or something because it seemed like things were just that intense during her time in the orphanage. But no, she has a fairly decent memory of her past by the looks of it. However, just like Orpheus in Time of Reunion, we are told she has little memory of the actual events of the manor tragedy, and in general some of her memories are a bit hazy. Not to mention the fact that she doesn’t find anything to be odd about Orpheus when she meets him in the manor.

Yeah, she hadn’t seen him since they were super young, but as we’ve seen before, the nickname of “Orpheus,” was a major detail of the two’s past friendship, because it represented their bonding experiences of making up stories and playing characters. The Orpheus nickname catching on and eventually being the name young Alice used for him exclusively was meant to show how close they were. But by the looks of it, she doesn’t remember the nickname at all.

And sure, it doesn’t mean she should immediately be like “ 😱 Oh mah gah that’s the same name it must be him ☝️🤓 .” However, this detail doesn’t even strike her as odd in any way. This could just be nothing, and she just decided to pay no mind to it, but when it comes to Identity V writing, these things are usually pointed out afterwards at the very least with a little “Huh, [Insert Minor Detail] is pretty odd” sorta thing. It happens a lot.

Outside of that, there’s not a whole lot she’s gotten involved in yet. I mean, it is only Chapter 1, so it makes sense. BUT, I do still have one thing to mention about her.

After you complete Chapter 1, you’re given the S-Tier Costume “Moment of Leisure.” And well, I mean, just look at it.

(Yes I am aware of the fact that one is a dress and the other is sleepwear but like, c’mon)

It’s possible that both the adult and child characters we always see together are probably BOTH meant to be Alice. There was really no reason for them to include this costume otherwise. Although, we do see in both the cinematics and in summaries by Orpheus that the older woman was a mother to the girl, and that she died a “horrific death.” Of course, the mother thing would make sense to conclude from Orpheus’s perspective so we can pretty much ignore that, but what about the death and it’s importance to the “Little Girl” after that? How would that fit into any of this?

Well, I have somewhat of an idea to propose for that, and for quick context I need to bring up two simple details: First, the character lineup was likely intentionally different from what we were expecting with Melly/Norton to draw attention to how the timeline’s gonna work out, since we know the Melly/Norton/Orpheus game was the last one Orpheus participated in before the amnesia and all that. And second, most of Alice’s personality and character in general is centered around her persistence and vigilance, literally stating word by word that in the face of her past traumas and mysteries, she needed to “Face it, and it’ll all be over.” This wording about it being “over” also specifically draws attention to the idea of moving on after facing the issue instead of just facing it persistently and learning to live with it or something like that.

So, with that all in mind, this is my early theory for how I think this is all gonna go. Either:

Alice will find the answers she needs to understand the missing bits of her past so she can come to terms with it, and she moves on while Orpheus stays in his ways. And maybe after Alice finds out who Orpheus really is, and she realizes he is actively choosing not to face his own traumas and is beyond persuasion, she escapes the manor and leaves him behind because she simply has to move on. The depictions, both written and seen, of her “horrible death” would be based in Orpheus’s (subjective, rather than objective) view of her facing her issues head on and suffering through the worst of it before she finally is able to overcome her sorrow. To her, she would be getting through the worst of it to finally rid herself of the prolonged pain she’s felt for so long. But to Orpheus, that short phase of pain needed to overcome his trauma seemed far too horrible of a thing to be worth suffering through. Thematically speaking, this would definitely make sense (and because the depictions of the “mother” and girl are clearly not literal or direct about their meaning at face value). All the depictions of young Alice trying to guide Orpheus are things he put into his own head from a deep regret for not listening to her and a desire to have her take the lead for him once more because he doesn’t feel like he can rely on himself to change. But these feelings are still hidden under his repetitive denial, and that’s why it’s something he doesn’t know he’s aware of yet.

Alice dies during the game, either because she wants to try and save Orpheus from himself and fails, and/or because Orpheus starts to believe he can do it but hesitates and gets her killed in the process. This would make sense because most of the themes in Orpheus’s story center around his inability to stay firm in what he needs to do with his trauma, and to not look back with doubt based on what he’s done before. And this would also tie perfectly to the Orpheus myth of him turning to Eurydice with doubt and dooming her to the Underworld, leading him to a life of sorrow and regret in the land of the living. Since this is, well, Identity V, I am pretty certain that this aspect of the myth is intentionally tied into Orpheus’s theme of traumatic repetition and him constantly choosing not to look forwards. This persists in most of the elements of his story, especially with the major details such as the “Don’t Look Back” line that comes up a whole lot when you think about it. So assuming that to be the case, and also assuming that Alice dies, we can conclude that she becomes a spirit in the form of her past younger self as she embodies that wholly innocent part of her life, and maybe just to make herself easier to recognize to Orpheus I guess…? The reason why she’d stay in the form of a child is harder to explain here than it is in the other point. It’d make sense why the child version would be there when accompanied by the older version because it was so long after Orpheus saw Alice that he separates his view of her into his memories of what he thought she was like and what she is now in front of him. That also explains why he tries to see her in the exact same dress as the younger version of her, because at the core the two versions are still the same person.

Those are just my initial thoughts at the moment. I may build onto these conclusions more later on after giving it more thought or when we see more of the next chapter. I guess I’ll leave my thoughts there for now though and move on.

“Orpheus” DeRoss (Novelist)

Well, there’s not much to say for him really. Same’s gonna go for the other two as well for the most part because of how early we are into this, but I do want to point out the way he interacts with everyone. It sometimes may give off a vibe like he knows way more than he lets on, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think the depiction here is still accurate/still will be accurate going forward with the explanation given in Time of Reunion about him having his memory wiped over and over. I don’t think he is actually aware of anything behind the manor in this state. The way he pushes certain details and questions towards others, like the point about betrayal directed at Melly about her insects, and the other point about Mary’s French heritage with Fredrick, seem to just be derived from his intrigue for drama stemming from his interest in writing. He likes a good mystery and finding little things out. We even see him do this with Alice herself in the cutscene after Chapter 1, where he asks her to play the piano for him in exchange for some information on his new book. Besides that, not much needs to be said here.

Fredrick Kreiburg (Composer)

Okay, imma just be real here, I am COMPLETELY lost when it comes to this guy. I was really confused when it was revealed that he was going to be one of the four main characters of this thing, because the guys literally just came out not that long before and we didn’t even get like any buildup for him in the lore before his release. And when it comes to his connections to the racecourse with Mary, like yeah I’m completely clueless. But that actually has nothing to do with the Mary thing though, because I was well aware from the start that there was the theory that Mary wasn’t the actual Mary Antoinette but rather a noblewoman of some sort (based on bday letters if you’re confused). And I knew it was probably true, and was most likely gonna be important later on, but I still was just like “Nah I don’t care right now I��ll just wait on that one.” And now it’s already introduced but I’m still confused about like, why?

I will say one thing though, all the details surrounding that weird Mary subplot, such as the “was it a suicide or a murder?” mystery that’s almost treated like a legend, and the way the death is presented generally, and how the backlash against the racecourse afterwards is completely directed towards one man in particular, and how everyone just kinda goes like “🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️ Uh idek why she did that 🤷🤷‍♂️,” it all gives off MAJOR Atropos Ropes vibes and it’s definitely intentional. Not sure how to feel about that just yet, but that’s mostly because of my big lack of understanding about anything Mary/Kreiburg related.

Not only that, but look at the way they describe the legend of the past owners of the manor and the mysterious death of the male owner’s female lover before the closure of the course and selling of their manor before some seemingly random dude who is clearly a descendant (Fredrick) suddenly shows up upon invitation from the new owners, and he is is heavily associated with a certain art expression and deals with social pressures.

Like, dude. That’s literally the plot of Lone Moon from T&I. The husband is the Knight, Mary is the princess, and Fredrick is Narcissus.

(+ We have already gotten thematic connections between Lone Moon and Atropos Ropes in terms of the themes of repetition and supposed fate, but we also have literal connections through the Amethyst Duchess, linking Narcissus to Bella (aka, you know, Mary)).

And also, I think the way they use the racecourse specifically of all things leads me to believe that there must be a connection to COA 4. And no, it has nothing to do with the horse imagery in that story, because that was directly linked to Cavalier and his Don Quixote inspirations (but if you wanna get refreshed on that go watch my COA Lore vid). The reason why they did horses here and not cars is simply because, well, rich people shit.

The thing that really makes me certain about this, outside of the obvious specificity, is once again that reoccurring theme of repetition and mistakes from those who came before. It’s present in Atropos Ropes, it’s present in Lone Moon, and it’s definitely present in COA 4, because that story is entirely based around that concept. And all of these have strong connections to either the manor’s history or the DeRoss family, which I highly doubt is a coincidence based on the theories about the DeRosses I’ve been making for the past while.

Melly Plinius (Entomologist)

Not much to say about her either. She’s got that same weird personality that we’d expect from her, and talks about the betrayal thing in a very weird way with connecting it to bugs. But the most important thing I can really point out so far about her is how she has little to no importance of any kind to the events going on regarding the manor and the Kreiburg racetrack. I think this has something to do with what the devs want us to notice about how this timeline works, since Norton hasn’t appeared yet. So I’m guessing Fredrick either dies or just leaves and is replaced by Norton sometime in the story. Knowing how weird some of the other diary stories were written, I’m sure Fredrick just gets like a little bit deep into how he may be involved with the racetrack and the Baron as a result of that, gets uncomfortable and goes like “Nah no thanks” and just kinda bails. I’m not even kidding, I could see that happening tbh.

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

Well, anyways, that’s all I have to say for now. Like I said before, I’m already planning another post sometime soon, and I’m also thinking about making this post into an actual video as well, but I’m not sure which will come first. Thanks for reading, I’ll see you guys again soon💖💖💖

[angelpuns]

In order to show you that we love your Rural Au as much as you do, i have compiled a bunch of asks.

Sorry if you have already answered any of these, i am going to read you IFTW comic after.

How did they become mutants and where is Draxum in this Au?

Did Yoshi work in the navy bc you metioned him working on the farm in his naval uniform?

Why did Yoshi leave? In Raphs ref, it said that he took over most of the out door labour after he left.

Does Yoshi ever go by the name of Splinter?

Is the farm on the outskirts of Tokyo?

Is the farm within human communities or is it in Yokai Villiage?

If it is do the turtles ever have to hide from human passers by?

How do they enter the Yokai Village on their first entry? Assuming that it is above ground, unlike the Hidden City.

Do humans know of it?

Are they welcome/welcomed in Yokai Village as they are mutants and does anyone know that they are?

How do Leo and Usagi first meet? Is it through one of his brothers first?

Why are they frenemies? Other than their catching frogs game?

Is Leo suspicious of him or anyone else in the Yokai Village, like he is in canon?

Do the brothers still learn martial arts/ ninjitsu?

Do they use their training, other than to practice?

Do they use any mystic weapons/have any powers?

Do they know of they anscestors and their destiny?

My apologies that this is super long, you do not need to answer them all in one go. Thank you.

P.S I will most likely have more questions for you once i get these answer and will definitely ask about each one of the brother.

NGL I AM SO EXCITED TO ANSWER ALL OF THESE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE AHHHHHHHHH

I am silly and love this au and I'm glad someone wants to hear me talk about it >:33333OKAY SO SO SO SO In this timeline, there's also a hidden city underneath Tokyo - since Tokyo was one of the bigger cities in Japan at the time ( there's also one underneath the old capital, but it's gotten smaller due to yokai moving to Tokyo).

Draxum is sort of same situation as canon, he's a scientist, he is silly etc etc. Rather than a prophecy though, Draxum (along with lots of other yokai) heard the stirrings of war in the 20s and 30s and decided ' I'm gonna make some super soldiers just in case the human war becomes the yokai's war too '. Captain America type beat. So he illegally made these four mutant turtles and the yokai council did NOT like that at ALL so they have a warrant out for his arrestr (v similar to rise ) and basically Draxum dropped those guys off far, far away from Tokyo and just hoped for the best. I haven't decided if he makes any sort of comeback, I wanna say no because the nature of the au and all but who knows :3333

Yes! So Yoshi acutally is one of the youngest captain's of the navy - which btw fun fact!! After WWI, Britain stepped in and helped Japan build their Navy up a bit since they didn't really have on! So Yoshi ends up being pretty decently ranked while also being fairly young. It helps that he comes from somewhat of a military family, though I haven't really gone too far on his fam's backstory just yet.

He actually ended up being called for duty because Japan was entering WWII, so he just literally leaves to go back to his original posting and all that. He did not end up telling any of the kids except Raph about it because he wanted to protect them but it kinda ends up biting him in the ass later :(

Yoshi himself never actually goes by the name Splinter, but the yokai villagers call him that because they just hate humans ( more on that later, I've actually got a comic for that :D)

The farm is actually pretty far from Tokyo, it's in Northern Japan! They live in the mountains near Aomori prefecture, probably somewhat near Lake Towada but not near enough that there is regular human traffic. The farm itself is up on a nice big hill, so typically they don't have to hide too much. They live sort of in a human farming community, but the neighbors are 15-30 minutes down the road so they truly don't have to hide too often. Yoshi's family owns the land/farmhouse they live in so they don't have to deal with trespassing and all that either.

So the yokai village is surrounded by a huge huge foret, it's kind of like a valley in the middle of the forest that was cleared by Yuichi's family like wayyyy way back. It's only hidden by the forest, I think Yoshi may have found it because of stories talking about a yokai village or just by chance. The boys first went when they were very very very young (with Yoshi) So they all know the way pretty easily!

Humans don't know if it/visit the village but I think there are definitely some stories going around.

The yokai welcome the turtles, they believe they are yokai as well ( the boys also think they are yokai), however Yoshi is not entirely welcome. The village really does not trust him and they sort of pity the boys for 'having to live with him'.

I actually have a comic for their first meeting: here. they're just frenemies because they didn't exactly like each other upon first meeting, plus Leo knows Yuichi doesn't like Yoshi and all that. However, Leo likes spending time with Yuicihi and considers him his best friend! They have a complicated friendship and also Leo might just have a crush on him later :3

Leo is a lot more trustworthy of other people in this au, probably because of the nature of how Yoshi found them and all. Raph is the more suspicious one of the group. Leo also grew up around the yokai village so he finds it a very nice, friendly place!

they don't know any martial arts, have mystic powers or do any training. Truly their lives are just ' farm, have fun and enjoy life as it is'. Plot wise, they all have their own goals and perception of their life. They all have complicated feelings about Yoshi not being around, about the war ( whn they learn about it) and about their futures. They don't really have any destiny to speak of (except for what Draxum wanted for them). They also don't know anything about their family - Yoshi has kept it from them on purpose because he doesn't want what remains of his family to find out about them. He also had a wife that passed away and they don't know anything about her

SORRY FOR THE HUGE HUGE HUGE WALL OF TEXT I GOT SO SO SO EXCITED TO ANSWER THESE BECAUSE AUFREJNEF this au lives in my head RENT FUCKING FREEEE

I fr frr have been developing this au in my brain for MONTHS but haven't really been able to discuss it :D