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yaut-jaknowit · 10 months ago

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New Feelings

Pairing: We'ar-ow (Female Yautja) x GN!Reader(Platonic)

Word Count: 3057

Summary: During this time, We'ar-ow takes a momentary step back from ruling to care for you. Just in the confinements of her private room though. You come to realize how different she acts in front of company.

Author Note: Had a bit of a mix-up on the masterlist but it's resolved now! I've also got the next chapter finished about to finish the one after that so I'm getting back to writing book. Not beta read. If there is something confusing or stupid, let me know and I'll fix it.

Masterlist

Ao3

In We’ar-ow’s throne room, many Yautjas have come to report to their leader. It was a short line at first when she had originally dragged you from the safety of her room early this morning. A regular amount of people, you had thought at first. It doesn’t just take one person to lead a clan like this. But more later filled the throne room that it finally hit the door.

It’s not like you paid a great amount of attention to them. Just enough to see each of their faces and file them away for a later date. All for sake of one of them being your stalker. Whoever hunted you through the halls of this very ship could possibly be in this room with you. Would they slay you before the Monarch? And what would their thought process be? Cleaning the ship of scum? Disturbing We’ar-ow?

That had you rolling your eyes, head bowed to hide away your emotions. We’ar-ow did not care that much about you to have your death disturb her. Just a fucking pet. Your senses still completely open for an attack. Anyone of them could slip out of line and slaughter you without remorse. These are hunters. Born, bred, built to maim anything in their way. A shiver ran its course through your body.

The tablet in hand was momentarily discarded mentally. The thoughts of decapitation or dismembering filled your head. None of them would blink an eye about it. Just your blood staining the like-carpet material blanketing the stairs and floor. Or the cushion gifted to you. All would be brushed off. Their day would continue like normal. You sighed heavily through your nose and tilted your head back to stare at the strangely decorated ceiling.

A mural of sorts had been painted over the expanse of the ceiling. Only spots of flush lights broke the illusion of how intricate. You shook your head and focused back on the line.

Someone bypassed the entire line and marched up the stairs that lead to We’ar-ow’s throne. Your back tensed at the sight, on the verge of snapping in half. This Yautja, male by his shorter stature, ignored you and stopped before her seat. A nearly playful look twinkled in his sea green-blue eyes. He gave a polite bow to his leader then begun to discuss with her, short, sweet.

“May I?” he questioned and motioned over to you. Your heart dropped to the floor. Instantly, you rapidly shook your head to deter him or her from getting close to you.

We’ar-ow nodded her massive head and returned her attention back to the figure before her. Your jaw dropped at her abandonment. A week ago you had almost died! Maybe, possibly. You didn’t know if death was going to happen that day but it made it all the scary of not knowing.

The new figure smiled with his alien mandibles and spun on his heel to face your sitting form. Terror ran cold in your blood at his first step. The next had you trembling. He knelt down a step just before yours. He wasn’t a young Yautja anymore. The lines and many scars the decorated his skin were an indication. What caught your eye like shining gold was his right arm. The elbow and below was gone, poof. Just a nub and gnarly scars. A well decorated hunter who’s earned his title by the looks of it.

You swallowed thickly but stayed seat on the cushion. Somehow. The Yautja huffed, the lightest of smirks playing his face. He reached out with his only hand and plucked the tablet from your grasp. “Whatcha got here?” he questioned and began to scroll through the page you were on. An article about Yautja Prime, their home planet.

He snickered and gave a look that ‘really?’. The device was tossed back into your lap but your attention was solely on the potentially dangerous figure before you. But… We’ar-ow seemed at ease around him and allowed him to approach you. Something you hadn’t expected after that night and the following days.

“If ya wanna know about home world, you could get it from the source,” he spoke in a voice that gave you smoker vibes. It almost drowned out the translator tucked underneath your skin, behind your ear. Automatically, you glanced over at We’ar-ow hard at work. A light tap to your knee had you snapping back to him. “Not her, ooman. Me!”

Your brows furrowed in confusion. Him? You just met him. Not even completely! He hadn’t told you his name. He saw the puzzle look on your features and snorted. “Monarch may say she could care less if I dropped off into the space port but she cares, doesn’t she?” What was his point? His angle? What did he want? And why was he being so friendly to you? Did he get knocked up side the head far too many times?

Plus, why did his last two words sound like there was an underlying tone in his voice. “I don’t, don’t even know your name,” you stuttered and gave him a look as if he was crazed. Curse the stutter!

“Oh, right. Thought she would’ve said a thing or two about me. Hurts the heart a little.” You just kept staring at him, puzzled on this whole attitude. He was completely different from any Yautja you’ve met before. Even if the list is fairly short. They’ve never acted so… carefree. Was this the crazy old man of the ship?

“Call me Xilo, short for Xilomere,” he finally introduced. Still tensed painfully, you stiffy nodded your head and murmur a ‘okay’, hoping it was enough to get him to leave. It wasn’t. “And you’re the Monarch’s pet. An ooman who’s been talk of the town for the last half solar cycle! You don’t realize the uproar you caused when the newly blooded brought you here. If it wasn’t for her, you wouldn’t have survived to see the next day.”

He said it so causally. You could’ve died when Dwainet brought you here… death. This was all a horrible mistake with consequences hard to live with.

We’ar-ow stopped them from killing you. She allowed you to stay. Why?! Your eyes drifted back over to the hard-working Yautja ensuring her ship and community don’t collapse on itself. Did… did she want you back then?

A hunter at their core must be patient.

That what it is to be a hunter. What did this all mean?! You gnawed on your bottom lip when the green Yautja before you patted your knee. “She didn’t tell you? Whoops.” Then, he leaned in close to whisper something of importance. “Don’t tell her I told you. Act natural.” All you could do was blink dumbly at him.

‘Act natural’? ‘Act natural’?! He was just as irritating at We’ar-ow with their up front, uncaring, idiotic words! How could you just go one knowing that if it wasn’t for her you would be dead!? Or the fact she might have been wanting you for her own pet this entire time?! Just waiting like the hunter was born to be for the right moment to snatch you up.

All of this was a mistake. You wanted to breakdown all over again. The wounds still fresh enough to ache in your poor heart.

Xilo pulled back with that same cocky smirk. “If you ever need to chat, dear ooman. My contact has been inputted into your toy. Now, I should dip before I spill more than I should about our lovely Monarch.” He pushed back up into a standing position, knees popping with the action. He gave you a two-finger salute, spun on his heel, and left through the way he came.

On his only hand, he was missing his entire pinky and the tip of his ring finger. Something you realized after he already left. You grumbled underneath your breath for a few minutes after the interaction and messed around on your tablet. He didn’t need to announce to the whole throne room what you were doing on the tablet. Yes, you were gathering information about their planet. It’s not like you freely look for ways to escape the mothership right in front of her. You were on the steps, before her throne though to the side. One turn of her head could expose your whole plan.

To be honest, you’ve thought about this. She has to have some knowledge of you wanting to escape. But if she’s not worried… that means she is confidence there isn’t way to escape. But there is. At least to get off of here. Away from being her damn pet.

The like-leather encasing your throat is a feeling you’ve started to grow accustomed to. At nights, We’ar-ow allows you to take it off. Thankfully. But in the morning, it’s back on; with complaints almost every time. It’s a loosing battle at this point. The only way to gain back what you’ve lost is to escape. Away, far from this place.

So, you learned, research what you could about Yautjas. From their planet to the motherships they use to roam the universe to the different subspecies to hunting styles. Everything. To know your enemy is the way to defeat your enemy. To outsmart them, her. It’s the only way to escape.

But is that what you want?

Once the day ended, in the middle of the afternoon, the two of you retired back to her quarters. The safety away from prying eyes and possibly danger. Though, to be frank, this was the lions den you not only eat and bathe in, but also sleep and relax in. You ran your fingers through your hair after the door seal shut, leaving you alone with We’ar-ow.

Said salmon pink Yautja strolled across the living room and into her room. Door left open. That struck you. The door always shuts after her. Why leave it open?

Curiosity may have killed the cat… and now you.

You tiptoed across the length of the main room and peered around the entrance of her door. You’ve been in here before. With her permission. She’s never left the door open before though. You didn’t dare take another step into the bedroom.

For a moment, you couldn’t find her until a light flicked on and caught your eye. We’ar-ow’s back was to you as she stood in the doorway of another room to the right wall. The new light shone on what looked to be clothing. She has a walk in closet, what else did you expect from her?

Then, the Yautja began to strip. You felt your eyes bulge out from your head at the sight, but unable to peel your sight away. Its not like you hadn’t seen Dwainet naked before… plenty of times, plenty. He had bulk similar to We’ar-ow but she has honed in to be able to be agile and lethal. Move faster than you could process sometimes.

You chewed on your bottom lip, eyes partially glazed over. Her muscles weren’t well defined as some you’ve seen. That didn’t mean thickly corded muscles didn’t lie underneath her thick, pink skin. No wonder many Yautjas looked at not just respect/fear of her being Monarch but for her beauty as well.

Her thumbs shimmied under her waistband and began to push down. This is where you slam your back against the wall outside of the room and slapped a hand over your mouth.

Boiling heat flushed to your cheeks, eyes clenched shut. Why had you done that?! That… that-

“You are missing the show,” We’ar-ow’s voice funneled out into the main room where you were. Your knees nearly gave out right then. She knew. Oh my god. She fucking knew! “Come on out, pet.” She used a honeyed voice as an attempt to coax you out from hiding. She already knew that you were right there.

With whatever courage you still had after all this time, you stepped back into the doorway with your head bowed. She would have to rip your head off to make you look at her.

Pink feet entered your vision. A knuckle tried to tilt your head up at first before you felt her lean down, mouth close to your ear now. “Did my pet enjoy the show?” she whispered softly into your ear. Your spine locked up, chest heaving with unsteady breaths. “Calm, little one. I asked a question.”

Anger flashed to life in your veins was quickly stomped out from the embarrassment. She wanted you to speak! Why does she keep doing that? You felt on the verge of crying. “S-sorry,” you sputtered then pressed your lips tightly against each other. Her knuckle was still firm against your chin, not relenting. But neither were you.

We’ar-ow softly huffed and corralled you to the nearest wall. Her free hand wrapped around your neck and locked you against said wall. “That is not the answer I was looking for, pet.” You best believe she could hear how wild your heart was pounding in your chest. On the verge of jumping out into her hands.

From past experiences, you knew she wasn’t going to stop until she got your answer. Lying was off the table too. Yautjas have a keen sense of smell. They know. You swallowed the lump down, feeling her hand twitch slightly around your throat. “Yes,” you murmured just above a breath. She was able to tilt your head up and you met her eyes.

Far from anger. We’ar-ow looked down at you with an alien smirk gracing her face. Your heart stuttered, but not from fear. She wasn’t furious, not at all. It’s like… oh my god, she wanted you to look, to watch even. It was all a setup. Your face soured. You had nowhere to go though. We’ar-ow had you trapped to the wall.

“Smart ooman.” She read you like an open book. You scowled at her. “I am glad that enjoyed what I offered. I will know what to do for next time.” Then, her body heat left you as she pulled away. “Go eat. There are some berries in the cooling containment for you.” Sometimes the translator wasn’t the most accurate about words.

Blindly listening to her, you unsteadily stumbled your way into the kitchen-like room. In the refrigerator, you pulled out the bowl and berries then added a couple of fruits to it as well. You were still dazed while sitting down on the one-seater in the living room.

A berry was tossed into your mouth. The taste bursting over your tastebuds. They were delicious, not something you expected from a species that looked like they had a stick always stuck up their ass. You scoffed and curled up more on the couch. Your legs tucked underneath your body with the bowl placed in your lap.

As you sat peacefully on the couch, you couldn’t help but remember what We’ar-ow had said earlier. Something on the lines of knowing what to do for next time. Next time? Why would there be a next time?! She… fuck, you couldn’t deny the fact you were watching her, curious on what lied below her clothing. Though, there wasn’t much fabric she used to cover herself. None of the Yautjas did. Nudity wasn’t frowned upon like it is for your species.

Your brows furrowed the more you thought about it. They way you watched… and she wanted you to. She set you up and you enjoyed it!

All thoughts came to a halt… Enjoyed? Did you enjoy it? You didn’t dare answer that. You frowned and shifted once more to have your legs over the arm rest, back to the other side. Another few berries were tossed into your mouth, mindlessly munching on them.

What is wrong with you? You sighed and curled more in yourself. This was all wrong. After Dwainet, you sworn to never feel a thing for any of these monsters. That’s what they are. Dwainet took you from your home, away from everything you knew and promised you love that he clearly lost for you. Now, look where it got you. In the worst place possible. Escape was hard enough but if she was interested in you… that was a whole either situation you had to worry about. At a later date. Today, you had to survive the stalker.

Warm arms scooped you up from the couch. You yelped and scrambled to right yourself but the limbs tensed and kept you firmly in place. When a familiar pink flashed in your vision you stilled, eyes wide and glancing up at the Yautja holding you. “What are you doing?” you questioned, voice faltering.

We’ar-ow held you close to her, against her bare chest, turned around, then stole your spot. A grumpy look fell over your features as you were ready to flail around to escape. The Yautja chuckled and patted your cheek. “You look cute when you are pouting,” she teased and plucked a piece fruit from your bowl. There was nothing you could do to fight her.

Stiffly, you hesitantly relaxed into her lap once realizing there wasn’t a chance to wiggle free. She let a slackened arm fall over your lap. You tensed but returned to your former position, half-mindlessly munching at the berries she snacked on as well. The Yautja didn’t say anything else and seemed to enjoy your company.

Despite the will to fight her, to fight this; after the last week living in the terror of being hunted down by a Yautja has worn you down. She was there. She willingly protected you. She carried you to her room, set you down in her bed, and locked you in her room. For your protection. She cares. To what extent is a great question you would love to answer.

For the time being, you would enjoy her warm body and food she provided. Though, it came with an unfortunate title: pet. Your lips pressed against each other at the reminder. There was always a trade off and maybe it had to come with that title to live a life worriless.

You’ve yet to come to terms with that though. The pain still far too fresh to think of lying and rolling over for her. Or anyone for that matter.

Special tag: @michellefoster12

#yautja #predator #yautja x reader #yautja x you #alien vs predator #predator x reader #yautja x human #predator x you #predator x human #x reader #We'ar-ow

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katyspersonal · 2 months ago

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Here is a question for you. What do YOU think Gideon Ofnir saw that shook him so baldly he abandoned everything he was working for?

This question has no right to be THIS hard, and I might have genuinely missed something somewhere, so anyone is welcomed to help with this :т

For now, I think it was him learning what Marika actually wanted initially: for "god" to be killed! I was confused too at first, but I think I've put the pieces of the puzzle (him chickening out, Hewg helping the Roundtable for Marika's wish and what limited information Roundtable Hold knew)!

Hewg, who is smithing to 'help to slay the god', reveals in a prayer that we catch him doing that it was her wish:

However, the way he said his words were not meant to be heard by any Tarnished here made me think it was more about it actually being sort of a secret, rather than preserving his more sincere feelings, for some reason:

I questioned if I had my Common Autistic L by looking into something through less "emotional" lense than I should be? But my hunch was that as far as Tarnished of the Roundtable are concerned (except for Roderika of course), he is the guy helping them with weapons to hunt those damn detractor Demigods! But to think of it, it might be JUST the case:

The information the others have is that you will just become the new Elden Lord, not "kill the god"! The Two Fingers are not genuine, of course, and it is further evidenced by another bit:

*meme 'failure' sound effect*

The Two Fingers have been grooming the Tarnished for who knows how long to 'just slay the Demigods for their Runes as a proof they're worthy and become next Lord'! This is also THE information that reached the ears of others so far, and where things are heading:

This is just something everyone in the setting knows, including us, but no one knows that Marika actually does not wish for the things to get fixed! People know she "committed a trespass" but everything will be fixed once someone becomes the new Lord for her! Except for Hewg, Roderika.... and THE GUY HIMSELF:

I think he learned why she wanted the Elden Ring to be shattered! Three out of six endings we get are about mending the Elden Ring with the runes other Tarnished had the capacity to create, Radagon who directly contradicts Marika's will wanted to mend it... Marika did not actually want anyone to come and fix her garbage Order with their new Order, or course! She wanted everyone to "continue to struggle into eternity"!

I had that rant a month or two before SOTE dropped, that the way I saw her, when she realised what everything became, she figured how one corrupt order will only be replaced with another corrupt order! So why not to try to avoid the vicious cycle of endlessly changing orders that harm the world all the same by keeping the world in permanent chaos? There is SOME consistency in it, right? One problem forever is better than the deceit of fixing everything? I suppose that holds up still...?

^^^ So, I think this refers to Marika's wish, rather than to like... Gideon learning that you'd have to face That Fucking Thing (Elden Beast) to advance! "A Tarnished cannot become a Lord" is realisation about the lie of Marika's "consort"! Everyone believed, until this point, that Marika was very much alive but just imprisoned, and simply becoming new Elden Lord would make things "right" again! But... she wanted to die.

Because she IS Golden Order! We mend Elden Ring in three endings through her own shattered body holding it inside! Death of GO is her death and vice-versa!

She gave Melina her task and Hewg his knowing that she would not instantly die/kill but Elden Ring had a defence mechanism, and Hewg only confided in Roderika who likewise tells us to go kill Marika! They can't know in advance that she will remain in this not-dead-not-alive state. Marika expected that though, but maybe she hoped that someone someday will find the way?

Gideon now knows that pushing for becoming a Lord is "the end that should not be", but her wish to destroy the darn thing that equals her death, that also horrified him, can't be delivered as far as he knows. He knows what it was all about, but it is not like he can watch Ranni's ending lore on Youtube to know there IS a way hfdhfdshfd

Ranni is the only one who gets AT LEAST close to actually "killing god" as Marika dissolves into dust in her cutscene, but Ranni is also not mere human, so Gideon is still correct! You do become a Lord, but you do not rule alongside Marika like Godfrey and Radagon used to! A mere Tarnished can't kill god, but a mere Tarnished also can't fix god! So, all he can offer is "struggling for eternity". So Elden Ring, existing as the vision of the Greater Will whether it is present or absent, remains shattered, meaning that Greater Will at least has its effect on the Lands Between crippled. It is as close as "mere human" can get to what Marika actually wanted, and he respects that, even if the very concept horrified him!

Why not push for Lordship anyway? Again, he most likely also learned why Marika rebelled to begin with! He did not study his whole life only to miss the point of vicious corrupt thing better left not-perpetuated through deceit of good intentions when he sees one!

In conclusion, I think the world is still broken even if we mend Elden Ring, because Elden Ring is broken fundamentally. THAT one can't be mended *insert my fav 'ohhhh aren't you a philosopher!' reaction image*. Ranni's ending is the closest to initial Marika's wish as it yeets Elden Ring infinitely far away. Radagon liked the Golden Order of course, but he probably also liked living normally. xD

#elden ring #sir gideon ofnir #marika the eternal #ask replies #elden ring theory #(?)#elden ring reference #screenshots #again this post had no business being THIS hard to convey #like I know what I want to say but I can't find the words that feel explanatory enough!!!!!!!!#so admittedly I keep walking in circles!#but I hope you understand my idea!

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rockanroller · 11 months ago

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i actually watched the first two episodes and i just gotta say they left me feeling just kinda…meh?

beautiful BGs, props to the animators and designers, some really good character acting.

but the plot flow… was so… empty? yeah, they packed in a lot of exposition and character intros but to the point there was little room for you to like…sit with the info, laugh, or enjoy a moment before having to listen for the next piece of lore or story point. not to mention some of the lore was straight up confusing.

some shots gave enough pause, just overall it felt very like… bloated/rushed/one thing and then the next with no real interest or entertainment taking place inbetween (to me) if that makes sense?

i can see how less critical folks that are attached to the characters would enjoy this though. but of course it leaves the question of how would this experience be for fresh new audiences who *don’t* know all the lore?

ironically Adam had me dying. i was not expecting to laugh at him after reading his various lines showing a misogynistic douche but the way they were executed slayed me—though tbf i suspect it was due to the ep already had worn me down combined with his first batch of lines being more “Preppy Jock Thinks He’s Cool But He’s Clearly A Dumbass” vibes to me, then of course the misogyny trickled in and it was like ok jerk villain got it.

other occasional moments gave me a chuckle i can admit as much.

Katie Killjoy was awful. to me she was completely out of place with Brandon’s voice, that was just…him. she only had a few lines so who knows if she’ll show up and they felt it was fine for a one-time gag—idk we’ll see.

Valentino… …bro… his accent was all over the place… i couldn’t even tell what it was “supposed” to be until he delivered some pre-song lines but until that he was slipping between accents i couldn’t place, back to a flat American “Just Some Guy” accent then back to a deeper accented voice that I couldn’t place…woof, just odd.

Angel’s trauma felt sudden/forced in like a lot of things in the episodes did.

the whole redeeming sinners thing i felt wasn’t executed great either, i had a hard time understanding Charlie’s outlook as it was shown in the episodes. and her values? she literally **applauds** Sir Pentious for his performance in a growth exercise for declaring that he will not do drugs and he will wait to have sex until after marriage, and Angel Dust is standing right there like…girl what?

does Charlie believe that shit or is she just going by what she thinks will get sinners into heaven? it’s unclear. she also seems generally off-put and disturbed by several of the sinners in the Happy Day In Hell song that she allegedly wants to redeem so badly/cares so much about so…what does she see in them?

idk, thems my first impressions. opinions subject to change.

#Hazbin hotel first impressions #thoughts #Hazbin hotel critical #vivziepop critical

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lunar-years · 1 year ago

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Okay because it was briefly mentioned in this post speculating on Roy's parents I really want to hear people's thoughts on Keeley's parents/childhood and why she had no prior family obligations on (Sexy) Christmas!

Similarly to Roy we only get very brief mentions of their existence in canon (and they're notably just about her mum, never her dad):

"I did used to worry I was gonna end up like my mum. She spent years tirelessly working at the same company just for a man to take all the credit. She wasn't brave enough to dream big. So I decided to do things very differently" - Keeley "We didn't open [the champagne] when your mum moved back up North" - Roy

The headcanons I've got are:

Keeley's parents are divorced and she isn't particularly close with either of them. Her mum irritates her literally every time they see one another. Her dad has a new wife and (step)kids he treats as his "real family," and Keeley is always the afterthought; she rarely sees him.

Her mum is extremely conventional and thinks Keeley needs to fit into that same box. She was appalled by Keeley's choice to do nude modeling, refused to talk to her because of it (which Keeley was thrilled by, and once her mum realized that she got even more upset and immediately started calling Keeley up again) and has never treated Keeley's modeling career as a real career.

Keeley moved out of her childhood home asap, like age 17/18 after taking her first modeling gigs. She rented a cheap flat with a bunch of other girls.

Keeley has made some of her choices in part just to spite her, whether its subconscious or not. For instance, if her mum was complaining about her first topless photoshoot, where her nipples were strategically covered by liquor bottles, Keeley made sure the next shoot she signed on for was tits out, no coverage. When her mum complained about that she did full nudes, etc.

When Keeley started working for AFC Richmond it was a backhanded "finally you have a REAL job, thank goodness" instead of "congratulations, I'm so proud of you." everything with her mother is like this

It is even worse with relationships. Her mum thinks Keeley needs to settle down, get married and have kids in that order - none of which are things Keeley has ever intended to do with her life.

her mum was thrilled when Keeley introduced her to Roy because "finally my daughter is in a serious relationship and they will give me grandkids soon" she completely dotes over Roy because of this while asking increasingly intrusive, prodding questions about the status of their relationship. Roy of course sees right through this but is trying his best to stay polite because this is Keeley's mother. The whole thing slowly infuriates Keeley until she's had enough and abruptly informs them they're leaving. this is how roykeeley have the "I never want kids" conversation very early on in their relationship

with holidays like Christmas, at first Keeley would use the other parent as the ~reason~ she couldn't be at theirs for the holiday. Like, she'd tell her mum "sorry, i told dad I'd go to his" and she'd tell her dad the opposite. of course this only works a few times before it's "why do you spend every holiday with the other parent instead of me," and which point Keeley remembered that wait, actually she doesn't give a fuck! and straight up told her mother she isn't coming because she doesn't want to and already has plans with her boyfriend/girlfriend (whoever it was at the time) 🤷‍♀️ slay queen

Keeley is out and proud and always has been, but her mum treats her being bi as another lie she's telling for attention, even though Keeley has literally brought girlfriends home to introduce to her mother before. No matter what she does, her mum maintains that Keeley is only doing it to piss her off and basically doesn't believe her or acknowledge her sexuality, which is understandably very upsetting to Keeley

Bonus ot3: Not to make everything about ot3 but I have a very distinct scene in my head where Keeley introduces Jamie and Roy as her boyfriends and her mum is forcibly polite to Jamie (whom she is meeting for the first time) but then pulls Keeley aside to be like "enough with your stunts, Keeley, how could you put Roy through this nonsense, after he took you back and all, this is how you repay him, by dating someone else?" (because 1. she's adamantly ignoring the part where Keeley told her all three of them were dating, royxjamie included and 2. she acts like Keeley obviously did something to "cause" Roy breaking up with her). Keeley for once is totally speechless and all the retorts she wants to and would usually say die in her throat and she just wants to cry because she's tired of this. Roy and Jamie overhear the conversation and Roy steps in like "okay, that's enough, we're leaving." Keeley has a breakdown in the car before they've even gotten out of the driveway and after that she basically cuts off contact for a long while with her mother, with Roy & Jamie's full support.

#Keeley Jones #ted lasso #ted lasso headcanons #can you tell i've thought about this at great length? lol #anyway PLEASE drop your thoughts into the tags/reblogs I NEED MORE KEELEY BACKSTORY #it's criminal that we know so little #luckily in the ot3 canon in my head georgie and simon literally adore roy and keeley and they get to spend christmas with them forever afte #it is very lovely and healing for all involved

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opultea · 1 year ago

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Maybe It Was Always You

Xiao x GN Reader (No pronouns)

Romantic - Oneshot - Fluff - SFW

Word Count: 1.2k

Note: Loved loved loved writing this, my favourite writings are always secret character analyses lol (hope you enjoy!)

Perhaps Xiao had always wanted to love you.

Maybe he could admit that whenever he looked at you from afar, something deep within him would light up at the way you smiled, and then recoil as he reminded himself that he could never allow you to smile that way for him. But that was as much as he could ever admit.

Xiao took pride in his ability to stamp out any desire, any traces of mortal consciousness in his heart that made him yearn for worldly comfort. He did not need such frivolity. He was a Yaksha for Archon's sake; a creature of battle, an instrument of war. His heart had no room for simple temptations. He had no room for his heart.

So what was the tightness in the chest he swore was hollow? How could you fill him with more air than he thought possible to breathe? Maybe Xiao had always wanted to feel. Perhaps he never let himself stray too far from his position of duty because he couldn't know how. However gruelling it was to slay and strike and punish, it was almost comfortable. Xiao knew all of this well.

He knew not of how to speak to you.

"Which tea would you prefer Xiao?"

What kind of question was that? Why would a weapon like himself have any preferences? Was this a test of some kind? A cruel joke? How should he know what tea you'd like best? Of course you would make this difficult, you always found a way to make things difficult for him. Why was it always so hard to breathe around you?

"Does it matter?" He settled into his usual scowl. What he knew couldn't hurt him, right?

"Well, I guess not," You smiled warmly. You were always so warm. "But isn't it nice to indulge in little things that make you happy now and again?" Xiao clicked his tongue.

"Adepti do not indulge. Why would we ever have a need for such insignificant things?"

You took a moment to ponder the question, taking it as the genuine misunderstanding of someone who was used to an outsider's perspective rather than as criticism. You knew Xiao well enough by now to understand what he truly meant when he said such things.

"Well, I think that it's important for everyone to have things that bring them joy, no matter how insignificant they are. It makes living a little easier when you can rely on even the smallest things to make you happy,"

"Ease has never been the goal of my existence," Xiao argued, though the soft croak in his voice revealed what his words could not.

"Maybe not a goal, but you surely still need rest and recuperation?" Deciding Xiao was not going to pick a tea flavour, you plucked the one closest to you and began to brew it. "Like right now, we're having tea and chatting, even if it's not classically productive,"

"It is not... this... I would not call this an insignificant thing." That made you smile wide, your head tilting affectionately.

"Well for the record, you make me happy too Xiao,"

Maybe Xiao would never know if the racing in his chest was normal.

It was not uncommon for you to visit Wangshu Inn, but it felt as if the frequency of your visits had increased as of late. You would always start by greeting Verr Goldet, but the boss never kept you long before she ushered you upstairs, sneaking a knowing look toward the balcony.

For your first few visits, Xiao had not always been there, often out attending to his eternal duty. When the vigilant Yaksha returned to find you waiting on the balcony for him, it took him a moment to unfreeze.

“You need not waste your time waiting,” Xiao huffed.

"Well I come here mostly to see you, I think it would be a bit useless if I left without even accomplishing a hello,"

"You-" Xiao's reflex rebuttal caught in his throat. You came to see him. Maybe he would never figure out why that made his whole body feel light. "Then, the next time you come, call my name. I will arrive."

Now, you visited what felt like every other day, and each time you climbed to the tallest point of the inn and called the name of the Conqueror of Demons, he would dutifully appear. You both learnt to expect each other, and neither would dream of breaking the silent oath of commitment. Perhaps Xiao was pleased with the synergy you had created together.

It was a regular visit for you when Xiao asked that fateful question.

"Why do you persist?"

The night air was cool and crisp, the light breeze from the north still carrying some of the sweetness from its birthplace in Mondstadt. The two of you stood leaning against the railing of the balcony, savouring the time together. You blinked at the question, staring openly as if your gaze would be able to permeate the Adeptus’ mind.

“I’m sorry?”

“You endlessly approach me with conversation, as if I am like you,”

“And what am I like?”

“Mortal.”

You knew that Xiao had trouble accepting friendship; he had once told you that he was a weapon as if it was a fact of the world. But did he honestly still believe himself nothing more?

“Xiao,” you breathed softly. “I come to you because you make me happy, because I want to, because I desire your companionship. Is that not reason enough?”

Xiao turned his head away just enough that you couldn't see his face, but it did not do much to hide his ebbing emotion.

"It was never a good idea for you to interact with me, let alone so casually. I warned you as much." Xiao's head bowed slightly, as if his mind was tired from attempting to comprehend you. "And yet you persist. You come and you make me feel this way, and then you go and you make me feel even more. So why? Why are you doing this to me, to yourself?"

Xiao finally turned back to you, brow furrowed and eyes searching, maybe even hoping. You stepped closer, not wanting to scare him but wanting desperately for him to understand.

"Because you deserve to be loved, Xiao. And I want to provide that for you,"

His eyes widened in response, his whole body alight with confusion at the foreign thought. But somewhere just below the panic sat an old desire, a desperate part of him that craved the tenderness in your voice.

Perhaps that was all Xiao had ever wanted to hear. Maybe you were the only one his waking heart would ever allow to speak it. You, with your soft tones and gentle sincerity, your understanding nature and your persistence. Maybe your love was all he had ever dreamed of.

When you carefully opened your arms and stepped a fragment closer, Xiao was surprised at his willingness to accept the gesture. For a rare and incredible moment, he did not feel the weight of the world upon him. Only the comforting weight of you around his soul.

Perhaps you were all Xiao ever needed to feel free enough to love.

#fluff #genshin impact #genshin x reader #gn reader #no pronouns #sfw #genshin impact x reader #romantic #gender neutral reader #genshin impact x you #Xiao x reader #xiao genshin impact #Xiao x gn reader #alatus x reader #mutual pining #oneshot #xiao x reader oneshot #genshin impact x gn reader

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bri-sonat · 2 years ago

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NSFW Questions About Gwen's Big Five - Part Five

Questions are taken from this. The original poster deactivated their account, so it's the reblog that is linked. All the questions are modified and some are removed (either because the question had already been answered or because it referred to hetero relations.)

NSFW Questions About Gwen's Big Five Masterlist

A very slay team effort between @daydream-cement and I, as per usual. With the occasional assistance from my love, @na-shoba.

Have they ever had a threesome? If not, would they?

Brienne: No and she would not.

Larissa: She has not, but she almost did once during her party girl days of college. Now that she is headmistress, no, she has no interest.

Lucifer: Sure. If it’s with their partner, it would be their partner’s idea.

Phasma: Of course she has.

Miranda: No, she has not and she isn’t really interested.

What is one random object they’ve used to masturbate?

Brienne: No random objects. Only fingers after she learns how to masturbate.

Larissa: She once used the handle of a hairbrush when she was young. Since then, only fingers and sex toys.

Lucifer: No random objects.

Phasma: No random objects. Only fingers or sex toys.

Miranda: No random objects penetratively, but she has used a detachable shower head once. Only fingers or sex toys, and regrettably, a few penises when doing penetration.

Do they like oral sex? (why/why not)

Brienne: At first, she was very hesitant about letting someone perform oral sex on her because of how exposed she would be and how she tastes so it takes a while for her partner to get her consent of giving her oral. When she does feel ready, she loves it and she loves giving it.

Larissa: Yes please! It is so erotic and wonderfully sapphic for her.

Lucifer: Absolutely! They find it to be a wonderfully pure way of giving and receiving pleasure.

Phasma: Yes. Loves it. She loves the pleasure it gives both her and (sometimes) her lover. She only lets her romantic partner perform it on her, however.

Miranda: OH GOD YES. The sensation of someone’s tongue on her is next level for her. She can’t totally explain why, but she will always want it more than someone's fingers.

How do they feel about tattoos on someone they are interested in?

Brienne: She holds no opinion.

Larissa: It can be attractive if she already finds the person attractive. Especially tattoos on someone who is muscular.

Lucifer: They think that it’s wonderful their partner enjoys getting tattoos. They don’t think it heightens their attraction though.

Phasma: She doesn’t really care.

Miranda: Hot!

How would they feel about taking someone's virginity?

Brienne: Considering she herself is probably a virgin herself up until this or up until recently, she would be very careful with and appreciative of the trust put in her. Very understanding about the amount of stress about the foreign situation and the array of emotions. Will exercise the same patience and care that was shown to her.

Larissa: When she was younger, it wasn’t something she particularly cared about. She just knew she would take her time and make sure her partner was comfortable. Now she would be hesitant, but if she loved the person then it wouldn’t matter so much.

Lucifer: If they want to give it to them, they will appreciate the vulnerability and make sure their first time is wonderful.

Phasma: …she has. Multiple times.

Miranda: She wouldn’t be opposed! She is a patient partner when she needs to be and will take her time with them to make sure they are comfortable.

Is there any food they would NOT recommend using during a sexual encounter?

Brienne: No food.

Larissa: She isn’t interested in many foods during sexual encounters other than the strawberries previously mentioned.

Lucifer: No food in the bedroom.

Phasma: Any. No food in the bedroom.

Miranda: Nothing savory for her.

Would they consider becoming a sex worker?

Brienne: No.

Larissa: Not now, but she did consider it for a short time during college.

Lucifer: No.

Phasma: No.

Miranda: No, but she has had offers.

Do they watch porn?

Brienne: She doesn’t go search for it, no. During olden times, her porn is her partner’s naked body or moans. In modern times, her porn is her partner’s videos or pictures, if they send them. She will watch that.

Larissa: On occasion. It needs to be from specific websites that make REAL lesbian porn.

Lucifer: No.

Phasma: Sometimes.

Miranda: Sure! She loves amateur lesbian porn the most, especially with good oral sex included. Nothing too kinky for her, however.

Have they ever been called a freak? Why?

Brienne: Not sexually.

Larissa: Maybe once when she kept asking for it rougher and rougher.

Lucifer: Not really. The demon crowd is pretty freaky.

Phasma: Well… perhaps behind her back about some of her kinks or about the fact that she murders for fun. But no one would dare say it to her face or say it if they knew it would reach her ears. Not that she’d care. She’d mostly maliciously smile if she knew that someone called her a freak. She’d take it as a compliment. That freak.

Miranda: Not sexually.

Do they feel comfortable going “commando”?

Brienne: “Commando?” Once she learns what it means, she’ll say “no.”

Larissa: “No, thank you.”

Lucifer: They have and will if they want to that day.

Phasma: In her quarters after her evening shower, sure. Otherwise, no.

Miranda: Not at work, but lounging around the house, sure!

#gwendoline christie #brienne of tarth #captain phasma #miranda hilmarson #phasma #lucifer morningstar the sandman #larissa weems #lucifer morningstar (the sandman)#gwen christie

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borisbubbles · 2 years ago

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Eurovision 2023 PRESHOW - part 2: the irrelevants

Sometimes you come across countries that try their best and still somehow, fail to make it past the stage of mediocrity. These entries aren’t going to make a splash, they merely attend the contest where they’ll likely not make much of an impact. Nothing to be offended by. That doesn’t take away they’re still kind of shit though. 💔

33. SAN MARINO Piqued Jacks - “Like an animal” Semi 2, slot #12

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Another year of me not caring about San Marino. Hooray! 😐

Though let’s be honest that on this occasion I’m in the majority. 🙂 I don’t dislike PJ as much as most fans appear to do though. I think it’s because there are days (most days) I forget San Marino are in this year’s rotation?

But when I am forced to remember San Marino are in and THIS is their entry and... has there ever been an entry this far away from the concept of “a slay”? The goat noises at the ends, jeeeesus. There probably are more inane entries out there, but not in 2023. Everything about Piqued Jacks is painfully heterosexual ranging from their nicknames to the song and its lyrics.

Speaking of the lyrics, um, yeah let’s pick apart its many issues I guess? First and foremost the narrative is that of a random straight man chasing after a woman on the dancefloor (so: IN PUBLIC) because she looked at him funny and he is failing to control his impulses to grind all of his appendages against her bodice. YIKES. 😬

This image is then further enhanced by the..; um... colourful metaphors in which body parts are being assigned animalistic properties (SNAKE eyes, BITING tongue) and suddenly this flirty song about a hopeless normie desperately trying to get laid has taken a turn towards sinisterville. There are plenty of vibes you can go for here, but “accidentally preditorial” is not one of them. 😐

Still better than Salvaje though. 🙂

ODDS at Eurovision

No amount of divine or satantic intervention is going to prevent San Marino’s impending last place.

This is not a question of “Will they receive enough points to qualify?”. it’s a question of “Will they receive points from anyone?”

Qualifier tier: F Projected placement: 14th-16th (semi).

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32. NETHERLANDS Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper - “Burning Daylight” Semi 1, slot #14

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:snore:

To be honest, when I first heard Duncan Laurence would write a song for Eurovision and it would be sung by two indie randoms who barely knew each other, I instantly assumed I’d hate the Dutch entry this year. Yeah, Arcade was good but I am SO sick of it and Duncan at this point (in a similar vein to other people having had enough Måns and KEiiNO) . Mia/Dion meanwhile were giving off Isaiah/Evie vibes. ALLL the worrying signals were there!

So it is any surprise "Burning daylight” churned out to a few stilted, horrendous messy lives that have made it abundantly clear that Mia and Dion do NOT mesh together, at all? No, of course not.

That said, the song’s like........... fine, I guess? I don’t fucking understand why Burning Daylight had to be a duet or you know, this insipid. DE DIEPTE JUST HAPPENED, AND GOT IT ALL RIGHT.

I did get a small snort out of AVROTROS outright admitting that they hadn’t known in advance about the juries getting nixed in the semi, and if they had they probably would have picked something else. Is that admission more painful than the preparty performances at Madrid and Amsterdam? I’ll let you decided. Moral of the story if the selection offers up a choice of MEROL, you always fucking take the MEROL. Morons.

Odds at Eurovision - Netherlands

“GOODBYE OLD LIIIIIIIIIIIFE” -- Netherlands saying goodbye to the Success Era.

Like, seriously. Logically, I feel like good staging and Netherlands’ excellent draw should be enough to clinch a qual on paper. In reality: We’ve all seen the footage.

To be fair though, I was there when they flobbed in Amsterdam, and it seemed not as bad as some others (then again, ESCUnited’s Sean was standing next to me drunkedly SHRIEKING the chorus down my ear canals so i may have missed most of the essence). Alessandra was VERY bad, and Vesna weren’t too great either - too bad Vesna and Alessandra actually have competitive songs where the vocals matter less~

What is going to secure this NQ though is that the Dutch have already lost their fooken MINDS about what have been two supbar lives, and are going to drag Dion and Mia down in their negative spiral. I do feel that if the home country doesn’t support you, your press doesn’t support you and worse, if foreign media and commentators pick up on that and report it back to their audiences, you’re in for a miserable experience and a headfirst collision into a bottom of the scoreboard finish. There is a small window for Netherlands to qualify because, you know.. .Malta aren’t secure. Latvia aren’t secure. Switzerland aren’t secure. SERBIA aren’t secure, Czechia aren’t secure either. And since only five countries die (note that I am not mentioning the two obviously dead NQs) there is a chance for NL to slip through if they fix their most pressing issues.

There is sadly little fixing can do if you’re song’s unvotable.

Qualifier tier: D Projected placement: 10-15th (semi), 23rd-26th (Grand Final)

31. ALBANIA Albina Kelmendi & Family - “Duje” Semi 2, slot #14

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A family! isn’t it CUTE!!!

I’d argue that thanks to the awkward shuffling in every live of “Duje” and the strangely sinister narrative of the music video (are they GENUINELY implying that Albina is having the hots for her own brother?! lol?!), Albania’s song is the fucking antithesis of “cute”. 🙂 “Duje” is so strange man. If you were to just listen to the track without any other input you may find it pleasant enough, I guess. The Kelmendii are just... not very gifted at performing live (Albina excepted), and ESC IS a live performance contest, soz. They’re like D-mol, but less funny and only slightly less embarrassing.

So of course Albania became the object of an irony-fueled lovefest by the fans, because “lololol so inept bless” but i’ve decided I find that particular discouse patronizing, and the entry itself off-putting. 🙂

Idk, an entire family singing a song about LOVE CONQUERING ALL, while awkwardly touching each other and exchanging meaninful creates a cult-like undercurrent that I’d rather steer away from as much as possible.

Odds at Eurovision - Albania

Okay so semi 2 is a really fucking crapshoot in that there are 7 obvious qualifiers, and the others (not counting SM) have a shot at claiming the last 3 spots.

Even with that information in mind, I still feel like Albania are one of the three LEAST likely countries to qualify in that semi? (after, of course, Romania and Poland). As I said before, the Kelmendi’s unironically remind me of D-Mol,and their song is a strange off-putting janky mess that even the Albanians will be reluctant to vote for.

Albina’s only trump card is that she’s brought her family along, and this is a dicey USP when most of them aren’t particularly good at doing Eurovision things.

Also, Albania are missing their biggest allies which are Switzerland (semi 1), Montenegro (not in), and NoMac (not in). So yeah, it will be a huge uphill battle. BUT AT LEAST LOVE WILL CONQUER EVERYTHING (when Gustaph destroys the concept of homophobia and wins the semi)

If Albania do qualify, bottom 4 in the finale seems very clear, here?

Qualifier tier: D Projected placement: 9th-15th (Semi), 21st-26th (Grand Final)

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30. IRELAND Wild Youth - “We are one” Semi 1, slot #06

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A blistering 9th-to-last place for everyone’s favourite act to hate! Hooray!

I don’t know, I do think Wild Youth are strangely... overhated? Like, if you’re Ireland and you want bring a typical sound to the contest your country is known for, then why not go for a U2 B-side track? It seems really valid choice to me. how you can despise any act that DENIED Johnny Rotten’s bid for ESC is beyond me, tbh.

But yeah, “We are one” is really fucking insipid. Musically I don’t have anything negative to say about it though? The composition is fine, if unexciting.

Its message though is where I lost all interest - being INCLUSIVE and DIFFERENT and UNIQUE so that WE ARE ONE. It is meant to be inspirational and instead achieved the opposite effect - annoying clichémongering is not a way to go, ever in life, anywhere. 🙂

Now, I will say that I feel a bit sorry for Wild Youth because their Eurovision experience so far has been a big pile o’ misery. Like at EIC, Connor was DENIED ENTRY to the afterparty by the security guards because he didn’t have a wristband, eventhough he showed up in the SAME outfit he had performed in earleir that night.

When the cunts yelled “NUNCA AL FINAL” at them in Barcelona, they lowered the bar even more in terms of fanbase toxicity - and even this distinction was immediately taken away from Wild Youth when the same crowd chanted “RONELA” at Piqued Jacks (the most pathetic thing i’ve seen eurofans do, aside from maybe that Andromache shell tattoo)

so um yeah. Wild Youth don’t make it higher than NL or SM specifically based on musical merit - although they, unlike Mia and Dion can at least hold a tune.

They made it this far because I feel sorry for them. 😬

Odds at Eurovision - Ireland

Yeah this is NQ. I know, you know, Wild Youth know, let’s not rub it in. Notionally there are scenarios where other countries could fuck up and crash themselves out of the Grand Final, but if I’m honest if that were to happen, it'd probably benefits the other hopeless NQ more?

Besides, Ireland have already run their reputation into the ground through their HORRIBLE non-qualification streak; inept leadership and uninspired entries. At this point everyone expects them to be last place because that’s what we’ve been led to expect from them over the years. I don’t think WY necessarily place dead last though. I could see the parents that tune in liking it enough to cast a vote for it, granting it a random 12th place. Qualification is too big a feat to pull off here though. Qualifier tier: F Projected placement: 12th-15th (Semi)

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And that concludes the entries that were kinda shit, but not shit enough to actively dislike hooray! In the next update I’ll talk about three songs that leave me fucking COLD. Up next: the BORING entries.

THE RANKING:

Part 1: The BAD entries (Switzerland / Croatia / Israel / Greece)

#Eurovision 2023 #ESC 2023 #Eurovision Song Contest #Liverpool 2023 #Albania #Kelmendi Family #Albina Kelmendi #Duje #Ireland #Wild Youth #We Are One #Netherlands #Dion Cooper #Mia Nicolai #The Netherlands #Burning Daylight #San Marino #Piqued Jacks #Like an animal

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sarcasticsciencefictionwriter · 9 months ago

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Idk if you ship Helen/James, but if so, Some kind of Fantasy AU? Au where there are dragons.

Ooo, dragons! I love dragons + Sanctuary! And yes, I do ship Helen/James! :) Same drill as before! Three sentences + extended scene!

___

To his kingdom, Sir James Watson was a knight, extremely achieved, brave and true, just the right sort of person that could rescue Princess Helen Magnus from the clutches of the dragon that had carried her off some months earlier, even if it would take months more to execute a rescue attempt from such a fearsome beast.

To the princess in question, however, he was simply a partner in many ways, the person that loved her, that would rescue her from such a fearsome beast, if the need arose.

However, what no one else knew was that while James would rescue Helen if needed, there was no need at all, considering she had only pretended to be kidnapped by the agreeable dragon so that she may study the species in peace with the added bonus of quite a bit of time alone with James.

___

James sighed at Helen as he took the notebook she had handed him, pretending to be annoyed with her as she grinned at him and gave him the pencil that went with it.

He pretended to be above all of this.

He one of the most reputable knights in the entire kingdom and had been selected to rescue the princess from the dragon that had carried her off months earlier, keeping her as its pet and hostage.

No one expected him to return with the princess immediately.

Everyone knew that dragons kept princesses as pets and that they lived in areas of the mountains that were incredibly difficult to traverse and that it would be harder still to slay the beast without harm coming to the princess.

What no one but the two of them--and if he was honest, Helen's father, probably--knew was that Helen had not been taken by the dragon as a hostage.

Oh no.

Dragons, after all, were a sentient species, and Helen adored studying all manner of the strange beings that shared their world.

She had once spent a summer at the seaside studying mer when the court had been vacationing there.

What that meant, however, was that she was able to strike a deal with the dragon in question.

She would live with it as its pet for a few months as long as she had the chance to study it.

James had known that even before she had been 'taken'. After all, it had been all her idea that he come to rescue her, though James was fairly certain that their ability to marry after all this was just a bonus in Helen's mind.

"Write down the measurements exactly." Helen ordered as she unwound the length of rope she was using as a tape measure.

"Of course, your highness." James said dutifully, making Helen scowl before she broke into a smile.

She turned her back on him, approaching the dragon that was lounging on the other side of the cave, being very polite as she spoke to the creature.

The dragon extended its wing and lowered it so that Helen could measure it and Helen precisely recited the measurements and which parts they applied to over her shoulder.

James wrote it down, using the baby dragon that was snuggled in his lap as a desk. It didn't mind and snuggled against him some more, letting out a small purring noise as it did so.

Helen's dragon had several young and James had the sneaking suspicion that it had been so agreeable to whisking her away because it wanted a babysitter.

"This is hardly work befitting a knight." he called over to Helen as he awaited the next list of measurements.

"If a princess can do it, so can a knight."

James chuckled and scratched the dragon in his lap along its eye ridges, which they had discovered the creatures enjoyed.

Eventually when Helen had stopped her measuring and had climbed up on to the dragon's back to remove some shedding scales, James shifted the baby out of his lap and joined her.

"I am going to have to 'rescue' you eventually, you know." he said, somewhat quietly.

Helen paused in her work, letting out a sigh.

"I know."

James squeezed her knee gently.

He would let her stay as long as they could get away with, but there were many factors to consider in this. His reputation--perhaps even his life--was on the line. And Helen, as future ruler of her kingdom, couldn't stay away forever.

"I'll give you all the time I can, my dear."

"Oh, my shining knight." Helen teased, going back to her task.

James chuckled and shifted to help remove the shedding scales alongside her.

With the two of them, the work went by rather quickly and the dragon beneath them growled in appreciation before shaking itself lightly, letting them know it was time to get down.

James slid down first and turned, reaching his arms up for Helen, taking her around the waist and setting her firmly on the ground.

She smiled at him and placed her hands on his chest.

"This will be worth it." she told him.

"Yes." James agreed. "Rescuing you from a dragon will practically force us to marry."

Which was rather ironic, considering that James's rank as a knight, under normal circumstances, was not considered high enough for him to wed a woman of Helen's status.

"Oh." Helen sighed lightly. "I was talking about how this research will further our understanding of dragons."

James burst into laughter as Helen grinned up at him and he bent his head, drawing her mouth to his for a kiss.

#misscrazyfangirl321 #thanks for the ask!#helen magnus #james watson #sanctuary #dragons #helen/james #this was so fun to write #fanfiction #my fanfiction

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grimm-rider · 2 years ago

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Entry 4

We’re in the Dancing Hut and today was a crazy day. Like…I thought yesterday was busy. Today so much happened I feel like my head is going to rip itself open.

Or maybe just that much happened to me specifically.

Anyways I don’t think I mentioned in my last entry, but at the end of my date with Greta we went to her favorite bar and got some nice spiced wine to top off a very fun evening. We talked, and Greta told me she wanted to come with us.

Which…well, like I said before. I was certain once I told her about my not being a Winter Wolf, she was either going to dump me or kill me. I didn’t want to ruin a perfect evening though, so I told her I had something to tell her the next day, and that she should wait to decide until after that. Plus we had a dragon to slay.

I went back to the resistance base, Solveig shared some stuff about Aenland’s cursed sword, we each reported in about our missions, Nestian got weirdly defensive about the creator of the Mirror Men, and then we parted ways for the evening. I went to talk to Edeya in private.

Unlike the resistance members, Aenland, and even Nestian, I trust Edeya. She understands my way of looking at the world better than the others. Maybe because she’s also from Irrisen, or maybe because she was raised by Winter Witches. I don’t know. I don’t really care about the why. All I know is that she’s someone I can actually talk to about things without getting that judgmental look or a bunch of preaching or talking about emotions or what-have-you.

So I told her the parts I purposely left out of my report to Solveig—the fact that Nazhena had come to my box to talk to me personally and was real buddy-buddy with me. We talked a bit about the implications. Maybe I was a Winter Witch, or at least someone with a lot of power who had earned a position despite being neither a witch nor a woman. What was it Edeya had said? Welcome to the Winter Witches who don’t want to be Winter Witches club?

Well. I’m in good company, at least.

I ended up sharing a bit more than I’d come to share, because she asked about my memory loss, and I decided Edeya was someone I could share the full story with. So I told her about how I found myself snowed in, in a cave somewhere between Ustalav and the Realm of the Mammoth Lords. And I decided to go looking around the cave while I waited the storm out. Except I cut my hand on something in the wall, and when I did I heard a voice speaking in a language I didn’t understand. I’m starting to wonder if it might have been Necril, but I didn’t voice that theory to her because I can’t remember what was said, so it’s just a wild guess based on me suddenly remembering how to speak Necril recently when I didn’t know the language before I passed out.

Anyways, Edeya asked if it was a voice from on high—like a god or something—or just a voice. I don’t know. It all happened so fast, and then I blacked out. I couldn’t tell you if I heard the voice in my head or with my ears, much less if it was a godly presence or a mortal one.

Then Edeya asked a question I really didn’t want to answer. How had I woken up? I hesitated. I knew exactly how this was going to sound and exactly what sorts of conclusions even she was going to jump to. It was why I hadn’t told anyone about it so far, because I knew exactly what sort of reaction I’d get, and I didn’t want to hear it.

Still, I told her. I’d woken up in the town on the Western border of Taldor. In a grave. Surrounded by dead bodies.

Edeya, of course, asked if I was some kind of zombie. Despite my continued insistence that I am not undead to both Aenland and Nestian before now. I told her I was certain. I’d been checked with detect undead since waking up and detected as a living person. And! I pulled out the Pallid Crystal and showed it to her, explaining that it would be dark purple if I was undead, but it was still pink in my hands.

Well…apparently Edeya recognized what it was because she clammed up a little and asked if I’d had that since I woke up. I decided in for a copper in for a gold, and told her the truth that it had just appeared in my room one night. She said that was somehow worse. I agreed, and noted that it even came with a threatening note attached. Edeya noted that I had a really messed up past, whatever it might be.

Gotta say, I think I’m starting to agree.

We talked a bit more, and discussed our magic. Hers comes from Shezhinka. I don’t know where mine comes from. I just woke up with it, and I seem to be remembering how to do more as we continue our journey. My parents weren’t magic users, and I didn’t have magic before I fell unconscious. Edeya noted that meant one of two things. Either I’d learned magic on my way to Irrisen. Or I’d learned it in Irrisen. The later of the two was the worse option, she decided.

Given every magic user we’ve met in Irrisen so far has been someone okay with crossing the line into child murder…yeah, I think I’d really prefer if I learned magic elsewhere too. Which means I almost certainly learned magic in Irrisen with my track record.

…Actually, I may have met the person who taught me magic, now that I think about it, but we’ll get into that later. I’m not certain of that but…it seems likely it was him...

Edeya revealed that she got her magic when Shezhinka saved her life, when she’d run away from home and almost froze to death in the wilds of Irrisen. So, I asked her something that I’d wondered for a while. Why did the leave when she had a life of luxury and power laid out before her? She almost got herself killed leaving, for what?

Edeya said she’d discovered the horrors of what the Winter Witches were doing to people, and she couldn’t stay. She had to leave, because she found what they were doing morally repugnant. It sounded like the sort of thing Nestian and Aenland would agree with, and I said as much—without saying in so many words that I don’t think I’d have thrown away a future of power and luxury over such concerns.

…In that light, I suppose it’s not that surprising the kinds of circles I would have hung around in a different lifetime. Although I sure hope I had some plan in the background for Nazhena’s fall if I knew about the things she was doing. Something other than introducing her to a cheating lowlife.

Oh I should have told her he was cheating on her before she died, that would have been hilarious. Damn. Hindsight and all that.

Anyways, eventually I left to head to bed. Not before slipping up and admitting to Edeya that I was going to be telling Greta about my not being a Winter Wolf the next day and that I was anxious about it. Edeya talked to me about it and I said some embarrassingly genuine stuff I wish I hadn’t, but Edeya said I should just tell her that and maybe she’d understand. So…I decided I’d think about it.

I bumped into Nestian on the way out to head to bed, so I guess our bear companion had something to talk to Edeya about too. Poor thing is too popular for her own good.

I slept…fitfully. Between replaying the conversation with Nazhena over and over in my mind and the conversation looming over my head with Greta in the morning, it was a difficult night.

The next day Solveig seemed on edge about something. When Nestian asked, she mentioned that Logrivich might have hostages and that we should be careful in our fight. I wasn’t overly concerned at the time. The others were sure to take care of any hostages. I had other things on my mind.

We made our way to the Clock Tower. Greta was waiting for me there. I broke off from the others. Edeya offered to send Snezhinka with me for support, but I didn’t want even the fox to overhear whatever this conversation was about to be, so I declined. Besides, according to Edeya, Snezhinka is a horrible gossip, and Edeya at least can understand everything she says, so if the fox came with me Edeya would know every word of the conversation within the hour.

I met up with Greta. She noted that it was time to slay a dragon. I said if she still wanted to after this conversation, I’d be happy to have her along. She said that wasn’t a reassuring sentence, I knew that right?

Yeah I did.

She asked if it was her or me that was the issue.

I explained that we hadn’t been entirely honest about everything we’d said coming in the front gate, all things considered.

She asked what I was lying about.

I took a breath. Moment of truth. I told her I wasn’t really a Winter Wolf.

She seemed incredibly confused for a moment, because I looked like one and I smelled like one. Then the wheels in her head visibly started turning. She asked if I’d ever met a Winter Wolf with heterochromia. I confirmed that one had tried to assassinate us on the way to the city.

She asked me if she could see what I really looked like. I undid the Rimepelt’s spell and watched her expression—bracing myself for disgust, but I had to see with my own eyes.

Instead, she looked me up and down, and simply asked one question. Why? Why had I lied about it? Had everything with her just been for the revolution? Because the night before I’d told her there would be time for just the two of us.

I’d meant it when I’d said that. And that date, when it was just the two of us, was the most fun I’d probably ever had on a date.

I didn’t say any of that.

What I told her was a…much more difficult truth to speak. But one I had to if I was going to keep Greta with me. I told her that when we’d first come to the city, it was just about getting in the front gate. But then I’d met her. And…my looks aren’t what they were before I lost my memories. No one had looked at me the way she did since I woke up. I wanted to cling to that for as long as I could. I was having so much fun spending time with her, I didn’t want the fantasy to come to an end.

I expected a lot of different possible reactions. Most of them negative.

I didn’t expect what I got from her.

Greta told me to take a look at all the Winter Wolves in the city. They all look the same. It’s part of Baba Yaga’s curse. Humans all look pretty similar to her anyways. And I still looked handsome to her as I was.

I still looked handsome. Even like this.

Greta is a wonder.

Greta told me that she still wanted to come with me if I would have her—she felt she would be a hypocrite for being too upset over someone being in a transformed form, all things considered. And I’d told her fairly quickly. She realized as she said this that we’d only known each other for roughly 24 hours.

It really had only been 24 hours.

It was a busy 24 hours.

She warned me that she wouldn’t look the same once we’d left though, however. She could only take on her human form here and in one other location, so she would be in her wolf form while we travelled elsewhere. I agreed that it didn’t bother me. I’d already taken it into consideration.

Like I already said earlier in this journal, people aren’t weird about people who have a relationship with dragons and they’re big shapeshifting lizards. There’s literally no difference, except that Greta’s going to be stuck in her wolf form for a bit.

With things smoothed over, we made our way back to the others. As we did, one of the mirrors in my bag began vibrating.

I was concerned about who it might be—but I also wanted to know who it might be so I’d know who was trying to contact one of our mirrors. I angled the mirror so I’d be the only person seen and opened it up.

Turned out I didn’t need to worry, because it was just Solveig. She needed some backup and asked us to send one person over to help her out with her leg of the rebellion. She said she might even get a shot at Nazhena early.

We had a bit of a spat over who to send. Myself and Nestian rightfully said that Greta should stick with the rest of us. Because she doesn’t know the resistance, and she wanted to help slay the dragon and was an excellent warrior, and because she’s here with me, not for everyone else’s sake. Aenland argued that she knew the city better, and Nadya had been with us from the beginning so she should stay with us. Which was a weak emotional argument that didn’t hold water.

Nadya told Aenland it was alright, and that Solveig had said they might get the first shot at Nazhena if she went—so she wanted to be the one to go.

With that decided, we made our way into the Clock Tower. There was little in the way of resistance on the first floor. Most of the guards that would have been there had been called off to other places around the city to deal with the disturbances we’d set up the night before.

There was one albino bugbear tormenting some children in cages, and an ice troll.

I sent my own ice troll to say hello.

I don’t think they got along as Reggie clawed and bit her way through the ice troll. Aenland followed up, downing the troll with a volley of arrows. I finished the job by splashing her with acid to fry her regenerative powers.

On the opposite side of the room I turned just in time to see Greta practically bisect the bugbear—and the children cheered. It was great.

The kids started clamoring for things, until Aenland entered the room and they all got distracted by his incredibly strange presence. Calmed a bit, we were able to get answers from them about where the keys to their cells were. They also told us about a nasty witch upstairs named Granny Nan. An ‘icy ghost’, which I identified as a cold variant Blast Shadow. A ‘fire dragon’ and the ice dragon. The fire dragon is in quotation marks because it turned out not to be a dragon at all, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

They also told us that another little girl had been taken upstairs and had not come back down, and that the dragon had kidnapped a princess who was being kept upstairs, and who they’d heard crying and singing.

Singing. I had a bad feeling, remembering Solveig’s earlier twitchy mood and her warning about hostages.

We directed the kids on how to reach the resistance so that they’d have a safe place to go, then continued up the stairs.

On the second floor we got the jump of the Blast Shadow. I told the others that I would handle it, and cast Command Undead on it, taking control of the undead creature to use as my own.

Which was great since Reggie had been too big to fit up the stairs.

I sent the Black Shadow, who told me his name was Evija, to open all the doors in the next room. He couldn’t open one door because it was locked. One was the bathroom. Within one was Granny Nan. The old witch greeted Evija and asked what he needed, unknowing that I had taken him over. I ordered him to kill her.

Unfortunately I couldn’t see into the room to see what happened, but he clearly did not succeed in killing her, as a moment later Aenland started saying inane things that could have been summarized as ‘she teleported into the room next to us, open the door and kill her’.

So I opened the door and used Boneshaker to grab her and drag her towards the door.

In her eyes I saw the same flash of recognition as Nazhena and Radosek. Only in her eyes I saw fear.

Good, I thought. Fear I can work with.

Not that I needed to, as a moment later a volley of arrows flew past my head and peppered her until she hit the ground, dead. I’d lined her up perfectly with the door so Aenland could finish her off.

The fight wasn’t over however, as we still had ‘the fire dragon’ to worry about.

It was a living oven, a twisted evil construct used in the cooking of children for the trolls’ meals.

It took Nestian nearly being swallowed and Aenland and Greta running in and also beating up this thing for it to be destroyed. Me? I couldn’t do anything to it. It turned out it was healed by negative energy, so the only thing I had to hurt constructs was out.

I’m glad Greta was okay and that thing didn’t spew any fire on her. I can’t believe she ran in there like that. I don’t think she could believe she did either, as she seemed a bit surprised at herself after the fact.

As the others healed up, I took the keys from Granny Nan’s body and went to unlock the door Evija had been unable to open prior.

Inside was the last child, a little girl who asked me if it was time to go see Queen Elvana.

We’d found letters from children talking about being excited to go see Queen Elvana, and how they were being super good for Granny Nan so they could go.

At first I was concerned she’d been brainwashed, and I called Edeya over as I wasn’t sure how to navigate something like that delicately. However after watching her body language a little more closely I got the feeling it was less that she’d been brainwashed and more that she was just trying to be good and do what she was told in order to get away from this place.

I told her that she didn’t have to worry anymore. Granny Nan was gone, she’d gone somewhere far away, and she didn’t have to stay here anymore or go see Queen Elvana. The little girl brightened up considerably. I told her about how to get to the resistance and told her that she would be safe there.

She ran over and hugged me.

I’m not sure what to do with that.

…knowing that kids who were being kidnapped were being taken here and sent to Elvana had me concerned about just what had been the plan for me as a kid. I’m…glad we were able to at least save a couple of the kids here.

Speaking of just what the plan for me as a kid was, once we were done looting the place I sat down with Granny Nan’s body. I was too focused to really care to shoo people out, although in hindsight I wish I had. This was private stuff, I didn’t really want Aenland of all people knowing about my childhood stuff. Greta, obviously, was welcome to stay. I offered to Edeya that she could stay, but when I confirmed it probably had to do with some of what we’d talked about the night before she said absolutely not, she was going to go guard the steps.

Fair enough. I probably wouldn’t want to hear about my bullshit if I weren’t me, either.

I cast Speak With Dead on Granny Nan. I saw her soul as it was leaving her body. Then a spectral shortsword came down and pinned it in place.

It looks like I still have someone’s attention. Good. After something I saw today I intend to work on keeping it that way. I think I’ve found that loophole I was looking for to worship Norgorber without pissing off Urgathoa. But we’ll get into that later.

I had four questions before the spell would deteriorate.

1: How do you know me.

She answered that she had tried to acquire me as a child.

2: What did she do to me back then.

She answered that she tried to kidnap me, but my parents got in the way.

With that answer I had flashes of memory. Not from the same time as the time I was actually taken. This was a different time. A memory I’d completely repressed. I remembered an old woman grabbing me, and then my parents shouting and grabbing me back. And the old woman teleporting away. It wasn’t the same as the time with the woman with black hair. So it had happened to me more than once?

3: Was someone else involved?

Her answer was simply yes.

4: Who was it?

Her answer…Queen Elvana.

…That was not the answer I had been expecting.

I had been expecting a name for the black haired witch who had taken me. I still don’t know who she was.

Instead I just found out that Queen Elvana had ordered this woman kidnap me. Me specifically or children in general? I’ll never know now. I was so distracted I didn’t think to take her body so I could ask her questions once her soul was capable of being called back again.

No wonder my parents left. I was nearly kidnapped by a witch once, and successfully kidnapped a second time and only returned by…luck? I still have no idea how I actually ended up back at the edge of the forest and not sacrificed or something, my memory of that’s about as bad as my memory of the last year. Except at least I have a good idea why I don’t remember being kidnapped by a Winter Witch as a child. Trauma is one hell of a thing.

Losing a year of memories is something else entirely.

Anyways…no use dwelling on it right now.

We met back up with Edeya at the stairs. She said she could hear singing coming from upstairs. If we were correct, it was likely Bella. I couldn’t tell if I recognized her voice or not over the sound of incredibly deafeningly loud clockwork—I could barely hear the singing at all over the roaring noise.

We made our way upstairs. Aenland decided to distract himself by throwing copper pieces into the gears of the clock tower to smash them, under the impression that they would come out the other end with interesting designs or something. I don’t know, I never know with him.

While he did that, Nestian opened the door to Bella’s cell and let himself in. He smashed her mirror to keep any risk of a Winter Witch spying on us to zero, then introduced us. She was understandably suspicious at first, but she immediately lost all sense of caution once we mentioned we were sent by Solveig. She packed up and was immediately ready to leave—until she heard that the dragon hadn’t been slain yet. She sat back down and said she wasn’t leaving until that dragon was dead. She was afraid if she left before then, he’d just swoop down and snatch her from above.

Which, I mean, it did already happen once. She was still in her costume from the opera, albeit far more disheveled. Apparently as Bella was leaving the performance that evening, Logrivich decided he liked her singing so much that he wanted to keep her, and he snatched her up and brought her here.

Greta and I complimented her stellar performance, of course.

Our little group gathered below the ladder leading up to Logrivich’s lair. We discussed just how we were going to handle getting up there when this was a choke point. Aenland of all people had an idea. See he’d been playing with a wand of spider climb the entire time we’d been in this clock tower. And now it finally came in handy. He suggested those of us who were less inclined to be sneaky could hang on the walls and be ready to jump in at a moment’s notice. That seemed reasonable—if not a bit cramped.

As for me, I felt capable of sneaking.

I sent Evija up first, and when we didn’t hear anything it seemed he’d managed to sneak past the dragon’s senses.

I followed. I was perfectly quiet following behind my Blast Shadow. The problem came when I tried to steady myself against the nearby ice outcropping and didn’t take into account how slick the surface was. I slipped and cried out—just a sharp quick noise, but it was enough to cause the dragon to turn to face me.

He told me what a big mistake it was that I’d come here, and then breathed an unbearably cold blast of ice over me and Evija. Not that Evija cared—stupid bastard was immune to the cold unlike me.

Aenland charged in and began shooting the dragon with a weird fury for him. Not to be outdone, I focused my magic and burned the motherfucker, giving him a taste of what damnation felt like with a fun new spell I recently picked up called Screaming Flames. The dragon howled in terror at the spirits that screamed and clawed at him and the flames that burned him. Good. Stupid dragon needed to learn his place.

Nestian charged in and slashed at the dragon, followed by Greta who unfortunately couldn’t quite reach us in time before the dragon stepped back and unleashed another breath of ice.

I got a distinct feeling that it was aimed at me, and everyone else was collateral.

I grabbed him with Boneshaker and pulled him by his skeleton. Greta’s axe fell upon him. And the dragon finished thrashing, pathetically trying to kill us when he was so clearly outmatched, when Aenland unleashed three arrows into the beast. Head, heart, neck.

It left a very fine corpse behind, and I immediately knew that I wanted to take that dragon with me. What is a more clear show of power than having a whole ass dragon under your command? Even if it is just a relatively small one.

However before I could voice this idea, the others were already discussing how they wanted to throw the dragon’s body out the window to help signal the resistance’s uprising. And how could I say no to that? The utter defeat and humiliation that dragon would feel to have everyone see his body be tossed out like so much trash and used to signal Nazhena’s fall was…too beautiful.

I would just pick it back up downstairs. A bloody skeleton didn’t care about a few fractured bones, after all.

The others began pushing the dragon to the ledge, so it was my job to aim the firework and light the fuse. With a single use of Spark, the fuse lit up, and the firework went flying. It lit up the sky, despite it being midday, in the shape of a red rose. I suppose that means subtlety was no longer on the table.

Chaos broke loose on the streets as the Grey Guard and the rebels began battling the Winter Guard. We ran down the clock tower, I collected my new dragon (I named him Leviathan to appease Aenland), and we made our way into the chaos that had overtaken Whitethrone.

As we ran, my mirror began vibrating again. I answered it, and once again saw Solveig on the other end. She said she’d gotten a shot at Nazhena, but she’d escaped and holed herself up somewhere. Solveig believed she was probably at the Dancing Hut, fortifying her greatest prize. She asked if we could have someone help her to keep the Winter Guard off of us while we dealt with Nazhena. It could be Nadya, but Nadya wanted a shot at Nazhena herself.

As much as I didn’t like to ask Greta to do things for the resistance apart from me, I knew that Nadya deserved this. Her kid had been kidnapped and could have been killed by Nazhena. She deserved that bitch’s blood as much if not more than the rest of us.

Greta, thankfully, agreed to go help Solveig, and also agreed to help Bella to get to Solveig so she’d be safe. She told me not to get any ideas, because she didn’t just let people do this normally, then she turned into her wolf form and let Bella ride her away.

Yeah. No ideas from that at all.

The rest of us made a beeline for the Market Square, where Nazhena was waiting.

But it turned out someone else was waiting for us too.

Well…waiting for me, at least.

We were just down the road from the Market Square, when we saw an odd sight. In the middle of the chaos, there was a perfectly normal café scene. Everyone was enjoying their meals and drinks as if the world wasn’t burning around them.

I noticed it just a moment before the man made his move. Thin, almost invisible cords, connecting a silver haired man to the rest of the patrons. A spell came to mind. One I don’t know—one far too powerful to be within my grasp anytime soon. Flesh Puppet Horde.

I knew it immediately: this man was an extremely powerful necromancer.

The man was unassuming, drinking his tea as if the world weren’t in chaos just like the rest of his puppeteered patrons. At first glance one might have mistaken him for a Winter Wolf, but his eyes weren’t right. Winter Wolves eyes are a pale color. His eyes were a much darker shade of blue.

The man stood from his spot and greeted us. He said he was happy to see us here. Especially me. He started walking towards me with that same familiarity I’m starting to get really sick of. I pulled away before he could touch me. So far everyone who’s known me has been someone who’s had reason to hurt me—or was Nazhena and was too stupid to know she had reason to hurt me—so I wasn’t about to trust this guy’s intentions without knowing a thing about our prior relationship. He said that made sense—I never did like being touched. Which I would disagree with under most circumstances. I’m fine with being touched by people I like. I like being touched by the people I like. I’m not fine with people I don’t know or don’t trust or don’t like touching me. And it always seems to be those people laying their hands on me lately.

For once in my damned life the man recognized that I didn’t remember anything, and actually introduced himself. Dren Fielder. Master Dren Fielder.

I knew as he introduced himself that this wasn’t his real name. His real name came to me unbidden when he introduced himself. Keisuke. Master Keisuke.

You know how I mentioned earlier I think I might have met the person who taught me necromancy…?

I noticed Keisuke had tattoos on both his palms—one of Norgorber’s unholy symbol, and one of Urgathoa’s.

There’s no way that’s just a coincidence.

Keisuke held out the hand with Norgorber’s symbol for me to shake—and I did. He turned and walked a few steps away. He said he only had one thing to ask me. Was I still going to help him find ‘her’.

I knew immediately that he was talking about his cousin. I didn’t know any details, but I was positive I knew who ‘she’ was.

I told him flat out that I didn’t remember the details, and asked him to refresh my memory of why he wanted to find her. He told me that she had something he wanted. And it was to reconnect with family. But the most important thing he whispered to me. A single word: Mythic.

I feel like that single word has some heavy implications. It ran deeper than just the idea of myths and legends. I had a feeling that whatever it was, it was some powerful stuff.

Keisuke started to say he would await us somewhere, but then he stopped. It looked like there was something in his eyes—clocks or something. Then he cursed at the air and said to Xanthadon that he’d wanted that location.

This immediately triggered Aenland’s hair trigger rage at Xanthadon. He shot an arrow at Keisuke, managing to hit the necromancer—who looked disapproving if anything. He asked me to tell my companions not to shoot him next time, then he disappeared.

Dammit, Aenland. I still had things I could have asked him. I get a distinct feeling from how he talked that we’ll be meeting him again, but who knows when that will be? I could have gotten a few more answers now. Instead, I’m still in the dark about pretty much everything.

Master Keisuke. Talking to him really seemed to jog my memories though. A lot more than any other conversation I’ve had. I wish I could get a better feel for what my relationship to him was. It doesn’t seem antagonistic, so I don’t think I screwed him over and stole his magical secrets or anything like that. And apparently I was helping him to find his mythic cousin. I think we were on pretty good terms. And unlike Nazhena, I don’t presently see a problem with that. Him being associated with Xanthedon is Aenland’s problem not mine.

Honestly of all the people we’ve met from my past, this was the most pleasant meeting we’ve had. I really wish Aenland hadn’t shot him so maybe I could have learned a little more.

Nestian told us after he left that he wasn’t really human. Apparently, Keisuke was a kitsune. Similar in a way to Nestian in that he could change between a fox and human form, like Nestian did bear and human. Shezhinka didn’t seem terribly comfortable with Keisuke though, despite them both being foxes in a manner. Territorial dispute? Or maybe it was him being a necromancer. But she doesn’t have a problem with me…

And there’s his tattoos. One for Norgorber, one for Urgathoa. I wish I could have asked him if he worshipped both. Is that something you can do? Worship both? If so then that would be how I could still worship Norgorber without pissing off Urgathoa. Of course I don’t even have a symbol of Urgathoa, it’s not like I can buy one at the market, it was hard enough to trick Solveig into letting me buy a bunch of onyxes for my spells. And I haven’t found one like I have Norgorber’s symbol. So…I dunno, I guess I’d just use the Pallid Crystal for now.

Keeping this secret is going to get a lot more complicated.

…and then there’s Greta…after the whole rimepelt thing, I’m not sure if I want to keep this secret from her…

I don’t even know how she’d react to all this. She’s been okay with everything I’ve been doing so far, even if she seemed a little offput by Reggie. Norgorber is easy to explain. We’re already killing people—what’s the big deal if I’m just killing those same people for a god instead? They end up just as dead either way. It’s really Urgathoa I’m not sure how to explain. I think maybe because I’m not entirely on board with Urgathoa myself yet…

…Anyways…I’ll figure it out when I get there…

Keisuke left, and we remembered that we had something important to do. We continued racing down the street towards the Market Square. Soon the Dancing Hut came into sight. There was a small army of enemies before it—ice constructs, and winter wolves, and ice trolls, and even some fey who had pushed their way into this plane to try to retake the Dancing Hut in the chaos. And in the middle of it all, standing before the Dancing Hut, was Nazhena Vasillanova.

She yelled at us that we were the reason that everything in her life had fallen apart. She bet that we’d even killed her Radosek.

I sneered and told her to say hello as I pulled the bloody skeleton that was once Radosek Pavril from my bag of holding. Nazhena screamed in rage, and said she thought we were friends, but that she was going to kill me like all the others.

Damn. I was really hoping for a little more dramatic reaction to that reveal. I should have shown her the engagement ring. I really wanted to break apart every last shred of sanity she had, and I don’t feel like I quite got there—although it was a close thing I think.

She deserves all the worst.

Unfortunately, Nazhena didn’t come to this fight unprepared. She turned to the Dancing Hut and summoned something from within it. An enormous Fossil Golem from the edges of space. It positioned itself between us and her, making it impossible to get a clear shot at her.

So instead we cleared out the grunts. We weathered winter wolf and ice construct frozen breath attacks, set trolls aflame, cut and shot fey, and I did more a few choice Boneshakers.

Eventually there were only the ice constructs, hanging on by a thread, the Fossil Golem looming over us, and Nazhena.

The Fossil Golem brought its fist down on Nadya first. She managed to survive, but she was badly injured. Edeya healed her, but Aenland called to Nadya and asked her to please get behind him and fight from the back lines. Is he worried about her? Why insist she come with us if he’s going to pull her back and have her fight less effectively just because he’s scared?

He should have been worrying about himself, because a moment later he got smacked by the Fossil Golem and his arm began petrifying—making the one thing he’s good at, shooting a bow, nearly impossible.

I can’t say I was really focused on any of this, though. I vaguely remember seeing it, but at the time I was focused on Nazhena, who had flown out of cover. She hexed me with an Evil Eye she somehow quickened. Then she hit me with Suffocation. I felt the air try to be pulled from my lungs. I managed to keep breathing, but every breath was a fight. I fired back with my final Boneshaker, snatching her from the air and pulling her towards the ground by her bones.

I hope it hurt like hell.

Around me, things were chaos. I was having a hard time focusing on what everyone else was doing. Aenland pulled an Adamantine Warhammer from my bag of holding and went to town on the Fossil Golem in close combat. Nestian was also fighting the Fossil Golem. I was struggling to stay conscious. I threw a Screaming Flames at Nazhena, but she resisted the worst of it.

Then I lost focus on my breathing as I saw Nazhena throw a new hex at Edeya. Ice began to encase her entire body. I tried to use what little I had left of the Black Rider’s power to break it, but something icy cold broke through my power and kept it from affecting her. Edeya became comepletely encased in ice.

And I couldn’t breathe. I tried to gasp for air, but no air reached my lungs. Dark spots began overtaking my vision—and in moments I had blacked out.

I came to when I felt the familiar cold embrace of negative energy revitalizing my body. I opened my eyes to see Edeya standing over me. Somehow, she’d been broken out of the ice. I learned later that Nadya had smashed the ice prison herself.

As I sat up, I saw the silhouette of the Fossil Golem crashing to the ground as Nestian destroyed it.

Aenland shot an arrow at the final ice construct—which had been have a very unproductive one-on-one fight with Levi—and destroyed it in one shot. Then he aimed the rest of his arrows as Nazhena and fired.

She was still standing, but she was badly bloodied. She was on her last legs.

Nadya failed to make the final shot. I wasn’t risking her getting away just to give Nadya the final shot—and I had told Norgorber I was going to kill this bitch, so I had a promise to keep—so I used my final use of Screaming Flames, and set her alight.

Nadya still got a shot at her, throwing her handaxe at the bitch. The winter witch fell from the air and landed before the Dancing Hut.

The Hut quit playing at being so passive. It leapt to its feet and immediately began tearing her to pieces with the beak above the door. A moment later there was only blood and her key left.

Thankfully I’ve confirmed that when it swallowed her, the body ended up inside the Hut, so I can still ask her some follow up questions after I’ve gotten my spells back.

Anyways, we went to pick up the key, and it melted in our hands. When it did, the Dimensional Shackles on the Dancing Hut also melted.

I contacted Solveig so I could let Greta know that we were heading out. She came running, fast as a winter wolf could. Solveig asked that if we could return to help after we were done, since the Hut was said to be able to travel through time and space, it would be a huge help if we would return. We didn’t directly agree to anything, but I told her that overthrowing Queen Elvana was on our to-do list, so we’d likely meet each other again.

We all entered the Dancing Hut. Inside we met two rather strange individuals. One was a small fey creature with a bird-like face named Zorka. The other was a human man who called himself Ratibor the Bold. Ratibor was initially suspicious of us, until Zorka smacked him over the head and told him that we had the Geass on us that meant we were honored Riders. Ratibor was confused at there being four of us, but both of them bowed respectfully.

Zorka asked for the two strange items we’d received that would act as keys to the hut—the blue beard and the plague doctor mask. I think I may have forgotten to mention those in previous entries? They didn’t feel super important at the time. Nestian and Edeya came out of the winter portal with a blue beard and a plague doctor mask on, which we identified as two keys to the Dancing Hut, so I’ve been storing them in the bag of holding since then.

Zorka took the two items, said some things about them, then threw them into a boiling cauldron in the middle of the room. She asked for someone to stir the pot. Nestian took pot duty. He was told he had to believe it would work. Then we were told there were some controls that needed to be worked, and once again whoever did it needed to believe it would work. Finally, someone had to just stand in the back and also believe everything was going to work out and we were going to reach our destination.

It was a weird set of requirements, but this was the Dancing Hut. I’d heard stories about it since I was a kid. If what we had to do was believe it worked, I believed it worked.

Aenland took the controls, and Greta and I stood in the back. Greta asked me if things were always like this, to which I confirmed. She said good.

Good…I’m excited to face whatever crazy thing happens next with her.

Unfortunately right that moment, the next crazy thing that happened was that alarms started blaring, and an image of what was outside popped up, showing that Queen Elvana was approaching us from across the Market Square. Zorka told Nestian to stir harder, and for everyone to believe.

And then, suddenly, we weren’t there anymore.

We were somewhere else entirely.

But that’ll have to wait for my next entry.

#journal entry #pathfinder #reign of winter

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grinagoggrog · 1 year ago

Text

The princess was, of course, surprised when the first lock fell mere seconds after this particular knight arrived. To be fair, he was surprised too.

"Hmm," he said, surprised. "I expected that to be tougher."

Raising his visor, he glanced up at the woman with a cautious sort of curiousity and asked, "That really stops some people?"

"You'd be surprised," She responded bitterly, noting, against her better judgement that he had pale brown eyes, the color of her favorite chia once mixed with milk and honey.

"Well, I guess it's best to impart a true sense of hopelessness on the inept," he said, half joking, "I'm sure the next one will be harder."

And it was, but not by much.

-*-

Three days later, the princess frowned down at him as he worked on the 311th lock.

"You know," she said, "The last person to get to that one took just an many days, but five times as much time."

"Oh?" The knight replied, a smile in his voice at the last tumbler rolled into place.

"Yes," she responded simply.

"Is that meant to be a compliment, Princess?"

She considered for a moment before deciding, "No, no it is not. At least the last guy spent most of the day with me. He had a better sense of humor, too."

"Well, not much to be done about that," The knight laughed, "Though I can spend all of tomorrow here, if you like. Arrive early, say half past dawn? I just thought we both had better things to do."

"Better things?"

"Well, I mean..." The knight paused, as if baffled, "This has to be a bit of a disruption, right? I'm sure you have a routine."

"Other then wait around to be rescued?"

At this, the knight laughed again, and responded simply, "Quite."

She princess didn't know what to say to that, so she watched him work the next hour or so until he hit the four hundredth lock. Then, as was quickly becoming custom, he gathered his supplies up, offered her first a wave, then a bow, and said, "Goodnight, Princess."

Then he added, as was not custom, "I'll see you in the morning."

_*_

"Slay a dragon? Ha! No, not at all," The knight responded, working on the 600th or so lock, "I uh, well. That is to say I rather got knighted by mistake. It's a long story, but I can shorten it to this: There was a barn fire, and in that fire, I saw opportunity. I rushed in to, erm. Aquire a steed, if you catch my drift, and happened to find a young girl maybe half our age passed out from the smoke. I might have been a theif, but I wasn't going to just leave her there, and when I exited the building all the local lord saw was a brave man exiting the fire with his daughter and three of his most prized horses."

"Three of them?!"

"Only one was on a lead, mind you. I opened the gates for the others, figured dying running would be better that dying trapped for an animal like that, you see."

"So you're nothing but a common theif?" The princess said, "I imagine if I told my father that, he'd have your head."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him then, Princess."

She stopped and considered, finding that she really didn't want to. Still, "If you are to be my husband, I think I would like you to be a man of more virtue than that."

"More virtue? I saved a girl! And three horses..." He scoffed before continuing, "Though if it makes you feel better, I have lived as an upstanding citizen of the crown since my knighthood. Furthermore, I actually do the whole vanquishing thing, now. And, I even go on boar hunts! Though honestly those aren't my favorite."

"Boar hunts are boring, are they?"

"Quite," he said, smiling up at her. Without his armor on, she could see he was a small man, though well muscled, with fine dark hair and a cowlick. "Do you have a basket on a rope or something?"

"Why?"

"I mean, you must get food and such somehow."

For whatever reason, the princess frowned, feeling irked by such a question. She did, of course, have a basket on a rope for show when a knight was around. For the most part, though, she get her food from the market, just as anyone else would.

"I do," she said, "What do you need it for?"

"I mean, it is lunch time. Though if you aren't hungry, more sandwich for me! Beef and onion. Oh, and there was a woman selling the most lovely apples, so I got us each one of those as well."

She lowered the basket and raised it moment later to find exactly what he had described, plus a small crock of good mustard. Simple, hearty food, simpler than any knight had dained to give her before, and lacking the customary flowers. The beef was salty, the apple sweet, and she picked at it daintily as the knight below her wolfed his down like a starving street mongrel. Truly, a man of culture, she thought with a smirk.

"What do you vanquish?" She asked, after a moment.

"Well, the last beast was a rapist," he said, and she nearly choked on the statement. Most didn't acknowledge the existance of such things around her. "Before that, a murderer. And before that, a man who sent an assassin after me."

"Not the assassin?"

"Oh, I killed them too, but I didn't really mean to. They were just trying to do their job, you know?"

"Pray tell, what is the alternative?"

"Well, I give them a choice. Imprisonment in my dungeon until I think the won't kill me or a one way trip to the eastern continent."

The princess thought that was a good way to get assassinated, but didn't voice that opinion. Instead, she asked, "Do you have attempts on you life often?"

"Yeah," He said, wiping his fingers off in a handkerchief, "I'm not real popular."

"And why's that?"

"Well, I mean. I kill monsters masquerading as people, you know. Sometimes they're of means, so to speak."

"Judge, jury, and executioner then."

"Only if I'm certain enough."

The princess cocked an eyebrow, "How are you certain?"

"Enough. Certain enough." He frowned, "And I'd rather not get into that, today at least. But I have resources."

He started getting ready to resume lockpicking after that, only to swear harshly when he looked into his pack.

"What?" The Princess asked.

"I forgot I brought pickles, too."

_*_

Eight days later, the knight was on the 3,458th lock and finally experiencing some difficulty. He'd gotten further than anyone else ever had by the end of that third day, and been stuck here for a mere 10 minutes, but still made disgruntled noises like a cat watching a canary.

"Are you alright?" The princess asked.

"Yes, but I think this lock is broken."

"It's not broken just becuase you can't pick it."

He glowered up at her, "How long did the last lock take me?"

"About three minutes or so."

"And I promise you, Princess, once I finish this lock, that the next will take me comparable time. This lock has something wrong with it, and I think I know what it is..."

"Well, out with it then."

"Leaf bee."

"Leaf bee?"

"Yes. Aren't you familiar? Little bee, bundles it's babies up in little, like. Leaf packet things. I don't know, I'm not a bee expert, but they tuck their little leaf-swaddled infants into holes and cracks and such. And, unfortunately for this particular baby bee, one of them decided your lock looked like a good nursey." He flicked something out of the mechanism, "Sorry, baby bee. Anyway."

The lock popped open. The next lock did the same roughly three minutes afterwards.

_*_

"These ones are actually getting quite interesting, Princess."

"Thank you," She said, impressed enough to take it as the compliment it was. There were only a few hundred locks left now, and they had known eachother slightly less than a month. His time was becoming inconsistent at this complexity, which made sense - around 7,000 or so she'd really just started playing with her designs. One he'd open in minutes, the next in hours, the next minutes again. The hardest, he'd actually had to sleep on. She'd actually worried he might not return the next day, despite bidding her the standard "Goodnight, Princess, I'll see you in the morning." before he left.

"How'd you get into making locks, anyway?"

"The same reason you got into picking them: Necessity."

He glanced up at her, "Necessity? No offense, Princess, but you are a princess."

"I am," she allowed, "A princess whose father, I will remind you, locked her in a tower."

He considered this, speaking almost absently, "I thought you did the locking."

"I did," she said, with steel in her voice. Cold and pointed. "But if I hadn't, he would have hired a guard. Perhaps an ogre or a giant. On my 14th birthday he actually bought a manticore egg and hired two beastmasters. Alas, one of them was crooked and stole the thing shortly after it hatched."

The Knight gasped, suddenly.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said, a bit too quickly. The princess stared at him from her perch above until he elaborated.

"I just knew a girl with a manticore, once. Told me a princess gave it to her along with a diamond necklace and asked her to run."

"Is that so?" The princess said, smiling.

"Yes," The knight sighed, "You'll be happy to know that Caramel, Taffy and Sugar are massive thriving. Anyway, back to necessity?"

"Well, I needed to stave of boredom somehow, and me and my parents strictly disagreed on what activities were both interesting and suitable for a young lady. We agreed on dancing, horseback riding, basket weaving, and clock making."

"First of all, basket weaving?!" The Knight said, "Second, I notice lock making isn't on that list."

The Princess shrugged, "Once I was working with metal and fine mechanisms it was easier to branch out, so long as I could make it pretty."

"I did notice these were all rather elegant designs," The knight said with a frown, "You sacrifice utility for it."

"Only for my mother's benefit," She said, "You'll find the last hundred or so are much more utilitarian."

"Mm," he said, "I look forward to them."

_*_

Seven weeks in, the princess had the horrifying realization that she was smitten.

She made this realization by being quite upset the day the knight didn't show.

_*_

"STABBED?!"

"Only once."

"STABBED! You were stabbed! You shouldn't be here at all, you should be resting!"

"Your father is being amazingly lenient allowing me to continue after missing yesterday. According to the rules the two of you agreed to, failing to complete any locks should have disqualified me."

"You were stabbed!" She repeated.

"Yes," He confirmed with a sigh, "I was stabbed. Only a little, though."

_*_

The knight was upset. The princess didn't ask, she thought she already knew.

"Your father beheaded him." He said, after the first lock of the day was off.

"He was an assassin," She replied as he started the second.

He only opened two locks that day.

_*_

The knight reached the last 100 locks around the 5th fortnight. Each lock took him quite a while by this point, yet he still slowed dramatically once he reached them, as though he was savoring them. It pleased the Princess to see this; she'd poured her heart and soul into each and every mechanism by this point, and she loved to see how he loved them.

_*_

When there were only fifty locks left, he started doing only two a day, one when he first arrived and one before he left. Between them, the knight and the princess talked for hours.

When there were only ten locks left, he only did one a day.

_*_

On the day of the second to last lock, the knight didn't start the day by picking it, as he did the last eight days. This surprised the Princess, as she thought he'd learned his lesson of the seventh to last lock, one so tricky that he barely completed it before the stroke of midnight.

In truth, in fact, he hadn't, completing it about 30 seconds too late. The only clocks nearby were in the princess's tower, however. If the royal guard monitering the knight's progress had their own timepiece, they didn't mention it.

But no, instead of opening his kit, the knight sat and spoke with her.

"What will you do, princess, once you are out of your tower?"

"Be your wife, I suppose," She responded dryly, not acknowledging that they had seen eachother briefly in the inn the night before. They hadn't spoken, hadn't even gotten within 30 feet of eachother, but she smiled at him and laughed as his eyes widened, gave a little wave and left with her bottle of cherry mead.

"Sure," He said, "But what do you want?"

"Does your keep have space for a garden?"

"House," He said, "But yes, in fact there's an orchard there already. I quite like apples."

"You don't say?" The princess teased, as he had brought them each an apple for lunch every day but once since the first day they ate together. At some point, she'd taken to tossing her cores at his head once she'd finished, watching him pick the seeds out of it before discarding the rest. He ate his own apples core and all, an act that made her cringe a bit each time.

He started picking the second to last lock, and the princess ran through a mental checklist of all of her important possessions, making sure they were packed away and ready for her move. After three hours or so, there was an abrupt silence down below, and she looked down to see the knight staring at the final lock.

"What is it?" She asked.

"The last lock," He responded, "It's very simple."

"You never noticed that before?"

"I don't look ahead much."

"It's the first lock I made that I was proud of," She offered freely with a smile.

"I see."

Picking the second to last lock took him late into the night, and once he was done, he looked up at her.

"Good night, Princess," He said, sounding almost sad, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait," She said, after he had turned and ambled a mere handful of steps, "...You could pick that lock easily tonight, if you wanted."

"I could," the knight confirmed, "But I don't think I will."

Temultous emotion swept over the princess, but after a moment, she gathered herself and offered, "Well, goodnight then."

_*_

The knight did not come in the morning. The princess panicked at first, then remembered what the knight had said: Tomorrow, not morning. She wasn't certain what he was up to, but she resolved to breath deeply, wait, and see.

When he arrived late in the afternoon, it was without his usual kit, just the royal guard and a picnic basket filled with food. She didn't think much of it, though, knowing that he'd need only a simple pick for the final lock and that they were both well aware of that.

She started lowering the basket for lunch, becoming alarmed only when the knight ran for the tower, took a great leap and started scrambling up the wall like some form of obscene spider. Within a minute, he was sliding into her window, basket slung gaily over his elbow.

"You could do that the whole time?!" She yelled after a moment of shock.

"Well, yes. I was a good enough theif to pick all those locks, you know? Do you really think I never did second story work?"

"You could do that the whole time," she repeated. It was a realization similar to stabbed.

"Yes," He repeated back, "Anyway, lunch? It's emptier up here than I expected."

"I've been packing."

"...Ah."

The lunch was unremarkable, the conversation natural and warm. It was different, being close enough to really watch his face. She wondered if it was the same for him. She wondered if he wanted to kiss her as much as she did him. As the day went on, she found herself growing increasingly giddy, certain the knight was savoring the last day of the challenge.

Near midnight, then, she grew confused when the knight pulled out a gorgeous blown glass apple. A blush of green and red, speckled with yellows the color of sunlight, he handed it to her solemnly.

"To remember me by," He said, after a moment, "Truly, Princess, I think you are one of the most remarkable people I have ever met."

"Remember you?" The princess said, realization cutting through her previous delight, "Whatever do you mean? There's only one lock left, and we both know it's a simple one."

"Your first," he said, not meeting her eye, "And I am sorely tempted, Princess, trust me. But I never came here for you, not really, but rather for your locks. I wanted to see if I could do it, and I think we both know now that I could. However it strikes me that you made each of these locks yourself, and I can't help but trust that was for a reason. Tell me, did you ever want somone to open that final lock?"

"Well, no," she said, "But-"

"Then I would like to think myself a good enough man to respect your wishes. At least you'll have, what, a week or so of peace while the king's men reset the challange?"

"WHAT?!" The princes yelled suddenly, catching them both off guard. "No, you absolute moron, you-"

She stopped, and forced herself to breathe. "You are going to go down and pick that lock right now. You only have ten minutes left!"

"You want me to-"

"Yes! Of course! Go, now - I don't know how long it takes to climb down a tower, but it seems more dangerous than climbing up one."

The knight, however, was laughing sadly.

"What?" She snapped, gesturing to the window.

"I can't," He said, "I didn't bring my lock pick!"

"I'll give you the key!" She shouted, "Just start climbing!"

She ran, then, for her packed bags and began ripping them open, feeling every second slipping by. Alas, she couldn't find her keys! Not a single one, in fact, most were long since lost. The entire point of the challenge was to have the contender open the locks without a key, after all, and she had her own door, hidden, that she used. Near tears, she looked to her clock to see it a mere minute to midnight, and was seized by sudden inspiration.

"I couldn't find the key!" She shouted, "Use the hands instead!"

And with that, she hurled the clock to the cobblestones below. The knight, for his part, was shaking like a leaf, dropping the minute hand twice as he picked it up and ran for the final lock. It took him longer than it should have, the royal guard behind him watching with their own timepiece in hand as the princess chanted her encouragement from above. When the final lock finally opened, it was with a sudden silent stillness, as two pairs of eyes went, instantly, to the royal guard. The royal guard, who smiled at them slyly and put their time peice away without a word. If the knight didn't open the final lock in time, they never mentioned it.

When the king announced she would be locked in a tower, as was traditional, the princess demanded to be allowed to bring her crafting materials.

She made lockpicks, of course, but only used them to evade those coming to rescue her.

The rest of the time she was happy there.

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punkscowardschampions · 2 years ago

Text

Buster & Rio Pt.4

Buster: [you know he’s gonna go like the gentleman he is and that he doesn’t need to ask because he’d been watching her all night since the second he walked in mcvickers’ pub door so knows what she likes and will shamelessly buy her the most expensive version of her fave because he is that bitch being all ‘they’re on me’ about it cos not gonna let her buy a single drink the entire time actually]

Rio: [‘I can get the next round’ like excuse me, I wanted to but we’re only that non-mad level of hey about it ‘I never buy drinks’ like if anything the world is owed so many on me]

Buster: [‘and you’re not starting now’ as he bowls off to get these drinks like no no]

Rio: [be here shaking your head like oh you]

Buster: [just be staring at her while it takes forever and a day to get served because how busy it would be in there makes me feel anxious]

Rio: you have really intense eyes, you know

Buster: The drugs are too long gone to blame

Rio: it’s just you

Buster: I’ll take it over nice

Rio: it’s a compliment, obviously

Rio: piercing just feels like the sort of word they only use in romance novels

Buster: I’d have to take your word for that, or be lying if I said I’d read any romance novels

Rio: 😏

Rio: only if it’s on your syllabus right now, I’m sure

Buster: yeah, and for better or worse, they definitely aren’t

Rio: I’ll read one to you when your head is done in by what is

Buster: A promise or a threat?

Rio: I guess we won’t find out how you feel about them ‘til we start

Buster: already knowing how I feel about your voice takes some of the guesswork out of it though

Rio: probably meant to be in your voice

Buster: What do you mean?

Rio: the Prince Charming of it all, Hugh Grant

Buster: too predictable and tired

Rio: alright, I won’t set you a reading assignment back 🤪

Buster: There are better tasks you could set me

Rio: tempting thought

Buster: you’re welcome for it then

Rio: got to keep entertained somehow whilst we wait

Buster: Almost sounds like a dare

Rio: I’m up for the challenge if you are

Rio: the crowd I’m swamped by rn is so boring

Buster: of course I am

Rio: that’ll be why I like you best

Buster: The question is, do you want to dare first or be dared?

Rio: dare me

Buster: [we’re gonna have to say he does and it’s scandalous but she obvs does it because my googling and brain have both let me down but y’all would slay]

Rio: fuck, okay

Rio: [however long it would take you to do that and prove it etc]

Rio: 😇😇😇

Buster: Dare me, we’ll see how 😇 you actually are

Rio: alright, I’ve thought of a good one

Rio: tell someone at the bar that you fucked your cousin today

Buster: okay, come here so you’re in earshot

Rio: [do that, at least you’re tiny, snekk through these hoards of people casually]

Buster: [do that because my boo isn’t a flop and actually thought of something, and I’m gonna say either the bar person or someone else gives you a shot thinking it’s bants so you can give that to her]

Rio: [do that feeling like such a spy like haha you have no idea, random person]

Buster: You earned that for combining a dare and a truth

Rio: I’m good at games, you can’t have forgotten

Buster: I remember

Rio: you can tell me I’m 😇 now

Buster: [pulling her even closer to him through however many peeps necessary, excuse us, I have to do a hot move, so he can fully whisper in her ear just to be the most extra about it ‘you’re my angel, you can’t have forgotten either’]

Rio: [doing a shiver because we have not honey, shaking our head ‘never’]

Buster: [we all know it’s not a cold shiver but putting his arms around her anyway, just to be even closer ‘don’t’ because seriously never forget thank you]

Rio: [leaning into him like yes hug me ‘I promise’]

Buster: [hugging and kissing her in this little queue for drinks, no fucks given]

Rio: [‘I missed you’ as if you lasted any time at all]

Buster: [‘because you’re a good girl’ like yes of course you did]

Rio: [‘because you’re so…’ looking him up and down like you’re trying to think of an appropriate word for how missable he is ‘daddy’]

Buster: [gotta kiss her harder because he loves hearing that]

Rio: [making him hold you for a sec ‘cos you need to, making happy noises]

Buster: [and you’ll probably be able to get your drinks not long after that because the kind of charmed night you’re having and charmed life he leads in general so everyone will be thrilled about y’all leaving this queue]

Rio: [get out the way lads, and drink some of this drink instead of just making out, as is the temptation to do at all times]

Buster: [drink some of your fancy drinks and maybe you’ll calm down, my boo say]

Rio: [you absolutely won’t but we must at least not totally abandon them after the time and effort to get lol]

Buster: [there’s no calming down remotely until he’s at the airport but yeah, take a sec here]

Rio: [check in on all your siblings to make sure everyone is behaving even though it makes you sigh ‘cos real life]

Buster: [put an arm round her again but this time in a genuinely trying to be comforting manner because that sigh which you can easily guess the reason for]

Rio: [shaking it off metaphorically and literally like no, fuck that, can’t waste time]

Buster: [in the spirit of that, down what’s left of your drink and get her to do the same and go do some more grooving]

Rio: [you know none of the songs will be close to slow so do the most getting hot and sweaty]

Buster: [it’s been a minute since the initial dirty dancing that started all this, love that we’ve come back around]

Rio: [go us, if you want we can skip to when you have to start leaving ‘cos we know the vibe here]

Buster: [my boo says drinking and dancing is what’s up, but we absolutely can skip you’re so right, cos that’s gonna be the drama]

Rio: [just a thought lol ‘cos you’re probably just calling a car straight from this club so good luck saying this goodbye]

Buster: [I wonder what time clerbs shut on st paddy’s, something I have no clue about]

Rio: [me either, I’m just assuming they could stay open later but who actually knows]

Buster: [even if it’s poetic licence I agree that him leaving straight from there is a whole mood, and I am gonna be a massive cliche and say that he takes his jumper back but gives her his watch, which will be as adorably big on her, with the energy of counting down til Easter, soz again we are cockblocking you, love how cinematic it would be that he’s putting his jumper back on and she’s lowkey sad about it but then he puts his watch on her wrist, which he has been grabbing all night, though]

Rio: [it’s a cliche but a glorious one and yes v cinematic girl, unable to help our very real 🥺 about it, hugging you the tightest we are capable of]

Buster: [nbd just giving her his rolex like it’s nothing, sir ILY but you are ridiculous]

Rio: [thank god we know she’ll look after it lmao]

Buster: [his fam gonna think he’s been mugged lol, but he cares not and he’s just hugging her back and saying ‘I’ll see you soon’ from within it because a promise even though it ends up taking y’all longer to see each other again than you think rn]

Rio: [also your fam like where did you get that but that’s not an issue for now, excuse us we’re having emotions, just kiss him in response like it’ll be a million years regardless]

Buster: [they simply DON’T care about that soz baze and cali fams but they’re too in love atm keep your questions to yourselves, all they are bothered about is having this epic goodbye kiss and keeping it going to the literal last possible second and I do mean seriously until he’s getting in this car, don’t @ us]

Rio: [just annoying this driver by lowkey getting into this car to continue until you’re really forced to stop by time and said driver like hello ‘I’ll be waiting’ as you finally untangle yourself]

Buster: [sorry to that man, but I’m sure he’ll tip you to make up for it, sir, so you’ll be fine ‘Good’ with ALL the feeling ever that you can put into a single word]

Rio: [clearly you’re already like an exclusive and pricey driver or you’d never find one on this day at this short notice so you’ll be fine lmao, just shut this door for him and start waving like you’re not gutted]

Buster: [dramatically staring out of this car window at her until he can’t see her anymore is the only acceptable move because likewise trying and failing not to be and seem devastated lol]

Rio: [don’t know where the hell you’re going to go now and how you’re remotely going to start to process that]

Buster: [honestly, he has a flight to catch but she’s just been left there with nothing but a rolex and her feelings]

Rio: [like on the one hand, being alone would mean you could think about it but you might want to distract yourself so going to a friends is best of both but then if you fully wanted to distract yourself you could go back to the fam but I really don’t know at this point and probably neither do you so]

Buster: [lowkey wandering the streets but on her own this time, reliving it all, again how cinematic]

Rio: Will you tell me when you get back to London

Buster: Yeah, unless you’d rather I didn’t

Rio: why would I rather that

Buster: because it ends things, for now, at least

Rio: you don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want, I just wanna know

Buster: I’ll tell you, I said so

Rio: okay

Buster: It will be, you know

Rio: ‘course it will, there’s no reason why not

Buster: [telling her what time he’s due back so she can check this rolex like hang in there sis]

Rio: be home before you know it

Buster: Back to my real life

Rio: right, only a holiday here and for the night

Buster: exactly

Rio: probably take me longer to get back

Buster: Walking, in those shoes, we can call it a definite, babe

Rio: pisstake 😏

Buster: I’ve spoilt you and you’re out of practice even walking at all

Rio: Yeah you have

Buster: if you’re waiting for an apology you’ll be waiting longer than the easter hols, I’m not sorry

Rio: I’m only sorry it’s over, don’t get it twisted

Buster: It isn’t over yet, London marks the end

Rio: so talk to me

Buster: You don’t need to dare me to

Rio: The driver wasn’t that scary

Buster: Fear’s a motivator regardless

Rio: not necessarily one I aim to inspire though

Buster: you inspire the other

Rio: yeah?

Buster: tonight proved it

Rio: Agreed, definitely weren’t scared

Buster: Relying on a John Lennon quote as the basis for anything, though, is hardly the move

Rio: other % of your heritage being celebrated, like

Buster: playing fair isn’t always totally redundant, it has its place

Rio: If it’s fair to us, sure

Buster: it was complimentary to you, so

Rio: I know you can do better than that

Buster: You don’t like inspiring?

Rio: Hmm

Rio: 6/10, could be more if proven

Buster: noted

Buster: I’ll prove it using the pics of you, first chance I get

Rio: 😋

Rio: okay, that works

Buster: your underwear will too, very well

Rio: you were right, you needed them much more than I did

Buster: I’m rarely wrong, I did tell you

Rio: It might take a bit longer for me to get used to just how right you are

Buster: Truthfully, I can’t get used to having them in my pocket, it’s really distracting

Rio: I bet your hand is on them right now

Buster: one of them, it’s a secret where the other hand is

Rio: from the driver but from me?

Buster: you can guess, you’re a lot smarter than he is

Rio: I can imagine, almost well enough to feel it myself

Buster: like I said, smart in the Scouse sense

Rio: I just look like I’m really worried what time it is

Buster: Or really worried about wearing a watch like that as a girl all alone

Rio: being this naked felt smarter when you were here too

Buster: I’m going to have to teach you how to keep yourself safe when I’m not there

Rio: I know how to talk to people, it’s not gonna get nicked

Buster: I’m not worried about it, and I won’t be about you when you know what to do when talking isn’t working

Rio: Don’t worry about me, I’ll be at the pub before long

Buster: tonight, but I’m not back until [whatever date Easter is, soz once again babe lol]

Buster: I’ll make the lessons fun, you don’t need to worry it’ll be boring

Rio: I’m not worried about that

Rio: you’re meant to be remembering what’s good about me though, not thinking about my literal shortcomings

Buster: It isn’t a negative

Rio: that I can’t take care of myself?

Buster: that I get to show you how to

Rio: that has appeal, definitely

Buster: Or that you’re such a tiny little baby

Rio: being totally dependent on you was so good

Buster: it won’t be long before I’m not gonna be in London any more and you can be all the time

Rio: You know how much I need you to look after me

Buster: And we both know I’m the only one who can do it right

Rio: you’re the only one I trust

Rio: others have tried

Buster: but try is all they can do, never succeed the way I have

Rio: it’s never been anything like how it was with you

Buster: Because you’re mine, for me

Rio: like I was made for you

Buster: we fit together like that, I told you how into it I was

Rio: you like how small I am as much as I like how big you are

Buster: Like isn’t the word

Rio: it’s an obsession, I can’t stop thinking about it

Buster: Yeah, it is

Rio: I’ll be sick in the head if it means I can have you

Buster: I can’t stop touching myself right now

Rio: you have to, you’ll be so bored otherwise

Buster: you’ve got me feeling the strongest urge to

Rio: you can do whatever you want, you’re paying top dollar

Buster: What do you want me to do?

Rio: just keep thinking about your tiny little baby and touching yourself

Buster: You’re all I can think about

Rio: Good

Rio: you aren’t allowed to forget about me

Buster: Don’t let me

Rio: I can annoy you constantly

Buster: No, it’d only be annoying from someone else

Rio: you want all my attention

Buster: Why would I accept any less?

Rio: I’m obsessed with you, if you want it, you can have everything, you know that

Buster: All or nothing, you know that

Buster: give me fucking everything

Rio: It's already yours, I am

Buster: I’m yours, so completely

Rio: Buster

Buster: Rio

Rio: keep me forever

Buster: if you could fit in my pocket too I’d take you out and have you wrapped around me like this underwear is

Rio: you need me that close, that often

Rio: you need looking after too

Buster: yeah

Rio: give them back at easter so I can wear them, feel how many loads you had to blow into them

Buster: You’re on

Rio: that makes me happy

Buster: you make me

Buster: Jesus, this feels so good and you’re not even here

Rio: How are you staying quiet?

Rio: it’s so loud when I walk

Buster: I’m not

Rio: that’s so sexy

Buster: Stop walking, sit down and show me how happy you are

Rio: [do that despite the fact you’re still just in the street somewhere because simply must]

Buster: oh god, now taste yourself for me

Rio: [video for that]

Rio: you miss how it tastes

Buster: I really do

Rio: I do taste good but I like it better when you can taste me for yourself

Buster: you’re my favourite taste, you know that

Rio: if you don’t remember how much I love your cum, you’ll have to look at the photos

Buster: I haven’t been able to close them

Rio: I’ll send you new ones every day

Buster: I’ll book you a flight as soon I can

Rio: you will?

Buster: I need you in the same city as I am, as much as possible

Rio: I love you, you know

Buster: Fuck, don’t say it if you don’t

Rio: I’m not

Buster: then say it again, please

Rio: I love you

Buster: It’s too late to show you what that just did to me

Rio: I wanted to say it when you were still here but I was too scared to

Buster: I can protect you whatever happens, scared is for other people

Rio: I’ve said it now, I couldn’t take it back if I wanted

Rio: did you manage not to make a mess, as I’m not there to clean it up for you

Buster: That’s not true, I wouldn’t hold what’s said in the heat of the moment, or when we’ve both had as many drinks as we have, against you

Buster: wrong twin, you can take it back, or anything else, if you want to

Rio: do you want me to?

Buster: I’m giving you the option, I didn’t say it

Rio: alright

Buster: you know it is

Rio: obviously I can do what I want

Buster: Yeah, that’s been the entire point of tonight

Rio: I don’t know if point is the right word

Buster: doing what we both want has been the most important thing, how could it not be the right word?

Rio: I dunno, wasn’t like there was a game plan or something

Rio: It was unavoidable, bound to happen

Buster: I’m obviously not suggesting either of us planned this

Rio: No

Buster: of course not

Rio: be mad to

Buster: and another case of mistaken identity

Rio: awkward at this point

Buster: awkward definitely wouldn’t be the word

Rio: closer to mortifying

Buster: As is the fact she’s getting yet another mention

Rio: I didn’t bring it up as a 💭

Buster: no, I did, and I was trying to make you feel better

Rio: Why? I’m good

Buster: Because I give a fuck and I wanted to make sure you were

Rio: You’re good, honestly, don’t worry

Buster: okay, Rio

Rio: Oi, why are you Rio’ing me like you don’t believe me?

Buster: Why would I believe you?

Buster: we barely know each other, which is why you were scared to tell me you love me in person and why I was giving you an opportunity to act like you hadn’t said it once you did

Rio: I don’t care, we’re still family

Buster: Don’t, that’s so distracting

Rio: You can’t deny that, it’s facts

Rio: no matter what else

Buster: I know, I’m not denying it, or you

Rio: Then let it be distracting, let me

Buster: What are you asking my permission to do, baby?

Rio: Let me turn you on

Buster: I can’t stop you, remember, everything you do is a turn on

Buster: and I don’t want to, that’s a proven fact in itself now

Rio: You like it, I like it, there’s no reason to fight that, whatever words you put to it

Rio: You want me

Buster: It’s a fight I’m well aware I’d lose, and that isn’t a position I’d ever willingly put myself in

Rio: it isn’t one I’m interested in putting you in either

Buster: we’re left with plenty of others

Rio: my current options are slightly limited but you’re still right

Rio: pretty quiet here… should’ve found this spot earlier

Buster: Mine too, but I can be quieter myself this time

Rio: Do you have to?

Rio: your driver has such bad taste to not want to hear more

Buster: If you wanna hear me, I’ll let you

Rio: You’re the best

Rio: but it’s cute, imagining you trying to keep quiet

Buster: I am, so don’t underestimate me, babe

Rio: Doesn’t sound like me, babe

Buster: at least I know you haven’t been robbed yet, it’s still very much you I’m talking to

Rio: I can take care of myself a 🤏

Rio: just prefer it when I don’t have to

Buster: Completely helpless would be a turn off, there are already too many girls like that in my circles

Rio: I’m familiar

Buster: my sister talks about it enough without me bringing it up as well

Rio: I’ve met a few of them, had my own friends like it before

Rio: it’s usually a grift anyway, stupider or kind guys will fall for it ‘til they learn better

Buster: I don’t doubt for your friends it is, mine actually need a nanny along with the rest of their staff until they’re 21

Rio: 🙄

Buster: yeah

Rio: well, must be nice to be able to afford to

Buster: Everything has its pros and cons

Buster: but I’d personally rather see my parents more than a couple of times a year

Rio: Obviously, everyone knows how fucked up posh kids can be

Rio: just a different look on how fucked up really poor kids can be too

Buster: Living in extremes leads to behaviour that is

Rio: and suburban middle class kids are bored, everyone has their shit

Buster: and their excuses ready

Rio: Valid or otherwise

Buster: I don’t think there is any valid justification for shitty behaviour, or that anyone should be given further encouragement to push blame around

Rio: Sure but there’s exceptions

Buster: that’s such a polite way to disagree

Rio: I don’t gain anything by judging anyone

Rio: have to make sure you’re perfect before you start that

Buster: Well, you are perfect, take the moral high ground as often as you like

Rio: That was smooth

Buster: it’s a fact

Rio: Did your parents have to get the earliest flight possible

Buster: They didn’t know I’d have a reason to want to stay this badly

Rio: True, can’t exactly bring it up for a reschedule either

Buster: No, but I could’ve brought you to the airport with me

Buster: I’m an idiot for not taking full advantage of this driver

Rio: Oh

Rio: why didn’t we think of that before now 🥺

Rio: I’m stupid for getting out the car

Buster: We weren’t thinking clearly

Rio: Impossible to

Buster: I forgive you for not being here, it’d be as impossible not to when I still can’t stop thinking about everything we did while I was there

Rio: I’d know you were lying if you tried to say otherwise

Buster: You’ve always been able to tell

Rio: maybe I just pay close attention to you

Buster: there’s no maybe

Rio: not now

Rio: no plausible deniability with you, at least

Buster: Oh, do you think it’s plausible to pretend there was ever a maybe?

Rio: Oi, that’s nothing to do with me, you just think everyone is always looking at you 😏

Buster: As I’m not totally oblivious, I notice the people who definitely are

Rio: It’s definitely now, is it?

Buster: you chose maybe, I didn’t

Rio: You know how I think about you, and how often

Buster: Remind me

Rio: I think that looking at you has always been enough to turn me on

Rio: for as long as I can remember

Rio: which could be very inconvenient considering but I never minded

Buster: [Tell her about how turned on you were the last time you saw her and have a lil reminisce, I won’t commit y’all cos we might wanna do it at some point as there’d obvs be a vibe if not also a full moment ™️ to end up here, I think it would’ve been Christmas, even if you bailed before nye to party with your flop friends, correct me if I’m wrong]

Rio: [I think it would deffo be Christmas, nothing else is big enough bar NYE and like you said, you’d both be with friends for that more likely]

Rio: You looked even better than the last time I saw you, I don’t know how it’s always possible for you to best yourself but 😾

Buster: I could say the same about you and managing to wear my jumper so well though

Rio: Almost as well as I’m wearing your watch now

Buster: and you will the lingerie when that arrives

Rio: you’ll be the first to know

Buster: It’ll soften the blow of returning home

Rio: Distracting you from your studies sounds more interesting than my own

Buster: Being distracted sounds too tempting not to allow

Rio: You have to play too, you’ve heard the saying

Buster: but it’s undeniably almost as tempting to see what you’ll do if I ignored you again

Rio: Well that’s just mean

Buster: Come on, play along

Rio: maybe I will when you actually ignore me

Rio: risk you have to take, isn’t it

Buster: you’ve heard the saying, no risk, no reward

Rio: 🤞 babe

Buster: Wishing me luck implies you think I’ll need it, a belief I can’t and don’t share

Rio: 😏

Buster: How did you know that’s what my face looks like right now?

Rio: I got a pretty good look

Rio: not just across crowded rooms, like

Buster: Pretty good?

Buster: that isn’t good enough

Buster: [obvs sending her a pic like hey]

Rio: 😍😍😍

Rio: I can’t handle you

Buster: Not true, you’re the only girl who can

Rio: You ain’t gonna wish that weren’t true any time soon

Buster: I know

Rio: just like you’re not REALLY going to want to ignore me

Rio: right, daddy?

Buster: I included the almost for a reason, baby

Rio: 🥰

Rio: the walk back feels longer

Buster: The drive to the airport is too short though

Rio: what you get for paying for a decent service

Rio: I’ll miss having you all to myself

Buster: I already miss you

Rio: It’s weird, I couldn’t miss you before

Rio: who knows when we’d see each other again

Buster: Christmas was the only real certainty

Buster: and we couldn’t tell each other how much we did, if or when

Rio: definite risk, no idea on the reward, yeah

Buster: Some idea, still a foolish amount of risk

Rio: Not as much idea as you’d like

Buster: unfortunately

Rio: it’s different now

Buster: and we aren’t really gonna go back, I was just playing about ignoring you

Rio: You know I wouldn’t let you for long

Rio: only long enough to be fun

Buster: I know there are so many other ways we can have fun

Rio: I know you do, even if I wasn’t totally certain before tonight

Buster: Weren’t you?

Rio: Not saying I thought you were boring or anything

Buster: What are you saying?

Rio: Just that I didn’t know how fun you were, obviously

Buster: We both outdid ourselves tonight

Rio: agreed

Rio: No need to hold back now

Buster: agreed

Rio: so you can talk to me a bit when you’re on the plane, right?

Buster: Yeah, of course

Rio: 🥰 thank God

Buster: You should be thanking me

Rio: I intend to

Buster: yeah?

Rio: you don’t remember how I worshipped you?

Rio: that won’t do

Buster: I haven’t forgotten, that wouldn’t do either

Rio: I’ll still remind you

Buster: good

Rio: soon, don’t want any random thinking it’s for them

Buster: Where are you?

Rio: nearly at [the location of the party]

Buster: Well then I wouldn’t worry, nobody left there is gonna be capable of forming a coherent thought

Rio: That’s true for the whole town, I reckon 😏

Buster: except for us

Rio: You’re worth being sober for

Buster: Nobody has ever told me that before

Rio: Sounds like they’ve got a problem then

Buster: A drinking problem?

Buster: true for my whole town

Rio: If anything gets in the way of feeling good, what’s the point

Buster: It’s a pointless postcode which I don’t belong in

Rio: Couldn’t agree more, obviously 😋

Buster: You’re biased, about Trinity’s location and me

Rio: Me? 😇

Rio: not at all buzzing how long it’ll take you to be properly qualified either

Buster: absolutely not

Rio: You’ll like Trinity

Buster: [tell her the uni stats etc cos idk but you would before you accepted that offer]

Rio: I meant the atmosphere but that’ll undoubtedly help

Buster: Oh, I’m sure I’ll love the atmosphere

Rio: You’re adorable

Buster: Me?

Rio: Very

Rio: and I’m not just saying that because I’ve got here and everyone is, as predicted, a total state

Buster: or because I’d have insane FOMO if you don’t

Rio: you know damn well you’re the only person I actually want to be with right now

Buster: I feel the exact same, you know

Rio: I’m gonna go sit on the kitchen floor and think about you

Buster: You’re full of the best ideas

Rio: [pics to show as much]

Rio: feeling like the best/worst idea and I’d rather go with your analysis so

Buster: The choices we’ve made shows our judgement has been impeccable

Rio: I can’t even remember how it happened but I couldn’t be happier it did, conscious choice or otherwise

Buster: It happened because I’m full of the best ideas too

Rio: okay, so tell me what I should do now

Buster: That depends on which of the kitchen floor moments were your favourite

Rio: How can I pick when it was all perfect 🥴

Buster: think really hard

Rio: I can only think about how your cum should be all over my face still

Buster: Look at the pics again

Rio: Fuck, okay

Buster: it was you that was perfect, don’t forget it

Rio: I can tell you think it, just looking at these pictures you took

Buster: Everybody thinks it, I just acted on the thought before any of them did

Rio: I only want you

Rio: you treat me right

Buster: How else can I expect to keep you?

Rio: I’m yours for a reason

Buster: and you’ll stay mine for a reason

Rio: when you rub my feet…

Buster: I should be, you’ve walked so far

Rio: it aches

Buster: my poor baby

Rio: I really, really need you to look after me

Buster: Without me to take care of you, you’re never gonna feel better

Rio: I can’t do anything right now I’m so overwhelmed

Buster: [this boy just sending her a v extra and ‘comforting’ voice note as if this driver doesn’t exist]

Rio: your voice is so sexy, you haven’t talked to me enough

Buster: [obvs gonna call her, again as if both of y’all are alone when you absolutely are not]

Rio: [just answering with 🥺 noises as if you’re incapable of anything more rn]

Buster: [giving even more comforting noises back because of course]

Rio: [‘Buster, I seriously miss you’ as if you were thinking we were playing like no, you gotta know]

Buster: [saying her name with ridiculous amounts of !! because hard same in case she didn’t know lol]

Rio: [just moaning in response to this ‘I want you back’ again like its not so obvious already]

Buster: [‘I want you here’ likewise as obvious and also totally impractical for her to be in this car rn, the poor driver is having to deal with enough but anyway]

Rio: [‘if I was there-’ with the oh the things I would do not needing to be said]

Buster: [I don’t need to be going into the graphic detail he is about the things he’d be doing if she was, we know damn well and Clove is barely letting me type rn as it is]

Rio: [being blatant about how this has made us feel and what we’re having to do about it]

Buster: [it’s clearly mutual despite Clove saying no saucy antics]

Rio: [‘I don’t even care how embarrassing it would be if anyone walked in on me’ ‘cos clearly]

Buster: [add to the number of approx peeps who have witnessed y’all being feral as if someone had, being like ‘[such and such] isn’t an embarrassing number’ because we all know y’all are about it]

Rio: [‘but I’m alone this time’ like isn’t that what would make it cringe, even though we actually don’t think it is]

Buster: [‘No you aren’t’ because really trying to do the most to make it like y’all are together rn]

Rio: [make happy noises about it]

Buster: [in the spirit of what she said about getting walked in on and not caring, tell her about this poor driver’s reactions to y’all being feral as per]

Rio: [‘tell him I’m sorry’ in the least sorry voice of all time tbh]

Buster: [‘I’ll tell him to make a detour and pick you up’ just saying we don’t care if we miss our flight as if baze wouldn’t be like um wtf son]

Rio: [‘you know I’d love that’ because obviously we don’t think it’s going to happen]

Buster: [I simply can’t let it happen sir, this is night 1 there will be plenty of time for things like that, calm down lol ‘I know you love me’ because he was into it sis, however much he tried to be like you can take it back if you want lol lol]

Rio: [‘yeah’ like you’re so nonchalant and there’s no part of you freaking out over how he feels that you said that ‘you don’t want me to get married’]

Buster: [‘you don’t want to marry somebody else’ just hardcore saying she does wanna marry you there, bighead, where’s the lie but you didn’t have to say it atm]

Rio: [you can’t really clapback like yes I do because who so just making a noise like the cheek]

Buster: [‘you belong to and with me’ like that’s case closed]

Rio: [when that shamelessly turns you on to a ridiculous degree ‘alright, come pick me up’ like you must]

Buster: [‘What do you have to say first?’ do we mean please or ILY or both, shan’t elaborate]

Rio: [going with neither and parroting ‘I belong to and with you’ like it’s a contract]

Buster: [this nerd being so turned on about it, I have to lol, being loud like that’s remotely acceptable]

Rio: [‘it’s not right that I’m not there’ as if there’s anything y’all can do about it ‘you wanna spend more time with me, don’t you?’]

Buster: [‘yeah’ but there’s nothing nonchalant about it, it’s obvs indecent and he’s also obvs going into yet more graphic detail about how that time would be spent]

Rio: [‘I swear that’s all I wanna do’ getting louder ourself because we’re so !!]

Buster: [‘You’re so good at promises’ because how she sounds just is sending him, he’s dying over here]

Rio: [‘you make it really easy to want to give you everything’ no lie, we’re on the same level here]

Buster: [‘You make it possible to offer you everything you could ever want without turning me into a liar’ because will give you everything, you’ll see, gal]

Rio: [just have to call him daddy because too compromised in all the ways]

Buster: [calling her baby in response because simply must but we all know he’s feral about the d word so that’s coming out sounding indecent af]

Rio: [‘keep me’ with all the sincerity and urgency like you cannot just leave this at this point, even though we know you all can’t, you’d obviously still be slightly concerned in the AM you might change your mind]

Buster: [‘it’s all I wanna do’ as !! ‘keep you feeling like this’ as if that makes it any less sincere or you can remotely pretend it’s just in a saucy manner]

Rio: [‘I will do anything for you’ so seriously like name it and it’s done lmao because we just wanna scream ILY at you at this point]

Buster: [‘say it’ because honey he wants to hear her scream ILY at him, can’t and won’t even pretend otherwise in this moment]

Rio: [we know what you mean and that gets to us like nothing else could so we are saying it but it’s amazing it comes out at all for how indecent a tone we are having to say it in]

Buster: [we all remember it making him cum the first time she said it so there’s no way it isn’t going to this time when she’s not only saying it again but being that extra about it, fully losing it in this car, soz to that man driving]

Rio: [which will in turn make you cum gal so excuse us, this party, we aren’t soz and it cannot be helped, here attempting to catch our breath]

Buster: [likewise so I love that you’re breathing together v dramatically on this phone lol, thank god he didn’t actually insist on the car being turned around cos how awks]

Rio: [gonna say you have to hang up this call to talk to someone who has walked in, whether they’re being like can u stop or flirty about it]

Buster: [both are realistic and feasible scenarios depending on the type of person strolling in, meanwhile this boy just sending her a pic of the mess he is in after all that, shamelessly and unrepentant]

Rio: 🤤

Rio: gimme

Buster: I swear I can feel your tongue on me

Rio: I wish I could taste you

Buster: I’ll do it for you

Rio: did I mention I fucking love you

Buster: [sending her a lil video of that moment for no reason except to be feral and so he can also react to the ILY because never over it]

Rio: I swear you aren’t real, you’re so perfect

Buster: Everything you could ever want, that’s what I said, and I’m a man of my word

Rio: How do you know exactly what I want though

Buster: because we’re soulmates, remember, I told you that too

Rio: how could I forget that

Buster: don’t

Rio: never ever

Buster: Rio

Rio: Yeah?

Buster: I’m basically at the airport

Rio: it’s okay

Buster: okay isn’t the word

Rio: no but I can’t say how gutted I am without sounding hysterical

Buster: I don’t know what to say and speechless for me might as well be hysterical

Rio: I won’t tell if you don’t

Buster: you can’t and neither can I

Rio: is that a good or a bad thing for you?

Buster: It’s a little jarring, given that this is the first thing in my life I won’t be bragging about after the fact, but I like having you as my secret more than I care about scoring points with people who are soon to be totally irrelevant

Rio: that’s logical

Rio: and you have so much else to brag about

Buster: exactly, why would I chalk it up to any kind of loss for staying between us when it’s actually the opposite

Rio: secrets are fun, if your friends didn’t suck so hard, you’d know

Buster: I can be myself with you, even if that’s bordering on hysterical

Rio: Not a word I’d choose but still, of course you can

Buster: it hasn’t been an of course before, with anyone else

Rio: People can be hard to trust

Rio: like you said, there’s security in this, neither of us can say anything without blowing our own shit up with it, and why would we do that

Buster: I don’t think you would betray my trust, under any circumstances, these are unusual but if they were more conventional and you had the option to, you still couldn’t

Buster: it isn’t who you are

Rio: I mean, yeah, I would never do that to you, I can’t imagine wanting to do that to hurt you for any reason

Rio: you wouldn’t do it either, we couldn’t have taken the risk if we really thought that was a possibility

Buster: That was never where the risk came from, no

Rio: we won’t get caught

Buster: I’ve done worse, you can rely on me

Rio: Fucking you whilst they were all in the building was so good, we can’t get caught because I need it again and again

Buster: We won’t

Buster: I had you up against the cellar door and nobody on the other side of it realised

Rio: I screamed your name so many times

Buster: I need that again and again

Rio: I don’t care who else is around then, or how close

Buster: I don’t give a fuck how close this airport is, all I can think about is making you scream

Rio: you’re so thoughtful, baby

Buster: you’re so important to me

Rio: your favourite

Buster: my girl

Rio: your soulmate

Buster: my perfect match

Rio: made for you

Buster: blood, like you said

Rio: you can fuck me forever, there’s no going anywhere, we’ll always be family

Buster: Jesus, I’ll miss my flight whilst waiting outside the airport if you don’t stop turning me on

Rio: I’ll try to behave, even though nothing about that really makes me want to

Buster: behaving could mean making me cum for the last time

Rio: protecting my reputation and halo like I’m not debating all the ways you can make me scream with our family there

Buster: You’re my angel, not theirs

Buster: and you know how badly I want to do every way

Rio: you like it as much as I do, that’s why you’re touching yourself again, just like I am

Buster: I love it

Rio: no one else should be able to touch me, not when you’re the one who’s always turned me on the most

Buster: they’re not anymore

Rio: you want me just for you, tell me

Buster: any cunt who lays a hand on you will lose the use of it and I’ll break their jaw if they even try to kiss you

Rio: I’m so in love with you

Rio: too bad I’ll never see it because I’m solely yours now

Buster: I can always go for eye sockets when they look, if you wanna see how I feel about you

Rio: I wanna see you fight, can I

Buster: I’d let you watch every single one, be in London all the time

Rio: move me in

Buster: fuck you in each room of the house

Rio: I want you to be thinking about me wherever you are

Buster: I already am

Rio: every room, yeah

Buster: You know I’m obsessed with you

Rio: you can be all I think about, keep this up

Buster: I could travel back to America or anywhere I’ve been before or have yet to go to and I’d still have thoughts of nothing else

Rio: I’m yours before I’m anything else, you know that was true the moment you touched me

Buster: You didn’t need to touch me to make me yours, I haven’t been anyone’s the way I am for you

Rio: Buster

Buster: none of it means a thing, I thought I wasn’t being real because it’s all too shallow for any depth of feeling, and that’s true, but it was also because I was waiting for you

Rio: there’s nothing fake or shallow about this

Rio: you have to fuck me forever to make up for the fact you had to ever wait

Buster: And I feel like I could love you for that alone, never mind the rest

Rio: I don’t need you to say it, you show it

Buster: words get twisted, I twist them, manipulate conversations however I like, whenever it suits me

Rio: you’re intentional, you said I can have everything I need, what more could I possibly ask for

Buster: Ask and it’s yours, it’s as simple as that

Rio: I know, daddy

Buster: We could have it all, I believe that would be as easy

Rio: you do?

Buster: don’t you?

Rio: I wanna

Buster: I’ll show you, the world was mine and now it’ll be ours

Rio: Okay, show me

Buster: I’ll put a ring on every finger, you couldn’t get married to some other cunt if you were desperate to

Rio: fuck, do it

Buster: you can have the first at Easter, I’ll bring it with me

Rio: you know why I want it, yeah

Rio: not because I’m a golddigger

Buster: You’ll be richer than me, babe, the content you’re gonna put out, I’m not worried about you being interested in my wallet

Rio: I’ll give you your share

Buster: I’ll earn it, or it isn’t my share at all

Rio: You know what I mean

Rio: only fair if you’re half of what they’re there to see

Buster: I know it won’t be hard work doing any of it with you

Rio: I should hope not!

Buster: You’re adorable

Rio: Yeah, I am

Buster: I’d do it for free but I’ll take my share and save for a house I seriously can move you into

Rio: 😍

Rio: If only

Buster: it’ll happen

Rio: but there’s no point moving me there now

Buster: I didn’t say I would, we can do loads better

Rio: I don’t mind coming to see you in halls

Buster: I should hope not, babe

Rio: 😏 just saying, probably the only way I’m experiencing it

Buster: There’s nothing stopping you going when you’ve achieved your other goals, you’re more than intelligent and hardworking enough

Rio: yeah well

Buster: I’m just saying, you could do it

Rio: I’d rather be distracted by you though

Buster: Well that’s easily arranged

Rio: go on then

Buster: [sending her the hotel booking confirmation he’s just done for where they said they wanted to stay at Easter, soz you won’t get to do it, huns]

Rio: I’m going to buy so many pretty things to wear for you

Rio: like now, too excited to wait

Buster: Good, it’ll keep you busy, I’ve got a flight to catch and I’d hate for you to think I’ve started ignoring you

Rio: Thanks for the warning, babe

Rio: I won’t go hysterical now 😘

Buster: [do go and do that sir so there’s obvs a pause here]

Buster: I like you hysterical

Rio: You missed it

Buster: I’ve missed you

Rio: [the number of days it is ‘til Easter] to go

Buster: You counted

Rio: I had time

Buster: How did shopping go?

Rio: I’ve made a start

Rio: but you aren’t getting any clues

Buster: Why not?

Rio: because it’s a surprise of course

Buster: but since you’ve only made a start there’ll be surprises left

Rio: 😖 rude when you know I can’t say no to you

Buster: It’d be both insulting and ridiculous if you wanted to say no to me

Rio: I don’t wanna

Rio: [send him some of the purchases you have made, you know the vibe, nothing practical]

Buster: I’m really proud of you

Rio: 😳 stop it

Buster: no, I am

Rio: you like what I chose for you, daddy?

Buster: very much

Rio: Good thing I know what you like

Buster: You’ve proved it and yourself

Rio: well, you have good taste

Buster: I know

Rio: Are you in the air yet?

Buster: [send her a pic of whatever part of the airport process you’re at idk cos I’m disabled and have to be there ages early and am also not rich, realistically I’m sure you’re on the plane already]

Rio: 🛫☁️💭🛬

Buster: Are you still in your friend’s kitchen?

Rio: Thereabouts, yeah, when I wanna go to sleep, I’ll probably go to the pub or somewhere, no point trying to get to mine

Buster: I don’t know whether to be impressed or offended that I haven’t tired you out yet

Rio: Be impressed, that works for me and you

Buster: Good answer

Rio: I like the idea of you being impressed with me

Buster: I have been for as long as I can remember

Rio: You know you’re impressive, so I don’t know what I can say for the same effect

Buster: Don’t you know you are?

Rio: I don’t think I am yet, not that it’ll never happen

Buster: You are, and you’re allowed to acknowledge it while striving for more, it’s the kind of attitude that’ll only help you get there

Rio: You’re a good motivator

Buster: I’m just stating a fact, you’re a business woman, at our age that’s impressive

Rio: I’ve barely started but thank you

Buster: nevertheless, you’ve started, instead of sitting around talking about what you might do

Rio: Talking is just that, we both know that

Buster: yeah, and most people are all talk

Rio: definitely

Rio: it’s hard to relate to my friends like that

Buster: I don’t relate to mine either

Rio: You’ll find them

Rio: school is just, the dickheads you live near, you know

Buster: absolutely, and it’s almost over

Rio: Thank God

Buster: We’re both ready to move on, plenty of those friends aren’t

Rio: it’s sad, how some people are already clinging on so tight before its even over

Buster: sad as in embarrassing, sure

Rio: A lot of people get lost in their 20s, as long as they sort it eventually, then we can say embarrassing not sad

Buster: As long as I don’t have to express sympathy toward or interest in said people during their 20s, they can waste their own time and opportunities however they want

Rio: Not the friends I had pictured for you, no 😏

Buster: I appreciate that, babe

Rio: I’m not that bitch, anymore than you would let me tell you what to do

Buster: I’m not opposed to you telling me what to do

Rio: oh yeah?

Buster: there’s a definite time and place for it

Rio: Interesting

Buster: Think about it

Rio: I am

Buster: What would you like me to do then?

Rio: Is now the time and place? 🤔

Buster: You’d rather wait until we’re together again?

Rio: On the one hand, yes, because there’s more I could have you do but on the other, maybe I’ll be too shy then

Buster: Well now I’m not going to be able to stop thinking about how stunning you look when you’re blushing

Rio: [an adorable selfie]

Buster: I’m never gonna get over how fucking beautiful you are

Rio: It’s mutual

Rio: I keep looking at everything I have of you

Buster: Same, plus everything else you’ve posted, which is an unfair amount of content in my favour compared to what I’ve given you, and I would feel bad about if I didn’t already feel a completely different way

Rio: It is entirely unfair and if it wasn’t my only desire to make you feel that way I’m sure your feeling, I would insist you felt sorry for me right now

Buster: At least you can’t demand it by looking at me 🥺 because I honestly can’t resist when you do

Rio: that’s a really smart way to ask me to send you more and more photos

Rio: [do a 🥺 photoshoot]

Buster: You’ve given me such vivid flashbacks [and obvs he’s recounting every time during their feral antics that she’s made that face but I’m not gonna go back and re-read rn so I can list them lol]

Rio: Vivid is the word

Buster: and I’m so turned on right now that it’s bringing back the memory of how wet you were for my bulge and your reaction to the tip of me

Rio: I’m as wet as that from nothing but the memory now too

Rio: you have such a hold on me, you know

Buster: I wanna hear you

Rio: [send that voicenote]

Buster: Jesus

Rio: good thing you remembered headphones

Buster: True, but it’s a shame some passengers would notice me using your underwear as a gag

Rio: another reason to earn private flight sort of money if I ever heard one

Buster: And book a [huge number here because the whole point is they can hook up for ages uninterrupted whilst still ending up at a destination they’d wanna be at] hour flight to [the boujee destination that he knows from her socials she hasn’t been before and he obvs hasn’t either for that first]

Buster: [then just describing said holiday under the guise of all the saucy antics they are gonna do on this long af flight and at the hotel and every landmark cos that’s the mood y’all are in rn but we both know underneath that you’re not at all casually planning a romantic summer holiday cos it’s never just horny nonsense]

Rio: That would be perfect

Rio: you are

Rio: say we really can

Buster: Of course we can

Rio: and we can [add more sexual exploits you’ve somehow thought up]

Buster: [add some more of your own too, boy, you’re both extra bitches]

Rio: alright, lets do it

Rio: I can take a solo vacation, no one will be asking questions about that

Buster: We’ll have both earned it after acing our exams

Rio: I’m going to have to knuckle down

Rio: I haven’t always been that focused

Buster: You haven’t always had me rewarding you

Rio: exactly 😋

Rio: everything used to be more drama before this year too, when most of us realised none of that really matters, you know

Buster: Too many people have their priorities all wrong

Rio: you’re telling me

Buster: but I’d rather tell you more about mine and how right they are

Rio: I’m certainly not opposed

Buster: [make some more plans for y’all’s summer that I won’t commit you to rn cos we can decide when we get there lol]

Rio: it’s the first summer of the rest of our lives

Rio: full freedom

Buster: You know we don’t have to wait until summer to do whatever we want though, tonight was the beginning of that

Rio: ‘course but all we wanna do will be easier living in the same city

Buster: What do you wanna do first?

Rio: tonight, or when you live here?

Buster: Tell me both

Rio: I’ll tell you anything you wanna know

Rio: tonight I just want to keep going, not lose any of it, make sure it’s real

Rio: when you live here, I’ll have to take you out properly, show you what you’ve been missing out on, convince you how much you need me

Buster: Haven’t I convinced you yet how much I need you?

Rio: Never hurts to be doubly sure

Buster: I’ll do whatever it takes to make you as sure as you want

Rio: you know I’m sure too

Buster: yeah, I do

Rio: I told you

Buster: And you know you can tell me anything

Rio: Might take a while to get my head around but yeah, right back at you

Buster: A lot of what’s happened could have that effect if you let it

Rio: potentially

Rio: not going to change my mind though

Buster: good, don’t

Rio: we’re a bit past that

Buster: Ordinarily we would be, but like I said when you said you love me, all normal bets are off as it’s just me and you who can and do have any idea where we are and what we’re doing there

Rio: Well yeah, but we can’t just pretend to ourselves like it didn’t happen

Buster: We haven’t had that luxury for a long time

Rio: okay, true

Rio: I can promise you I have 0 desire to go back to how it was

Buster: I swear I have no desire to either

Rio: I believe you

Rio: you’re not an idiot

Buster: I believe you

Buster: you’ve obviously learnt from your previous terrible relationships

Rio: that’s not fair, I can’t judge you for your crap choices

Buster: I’m not judging you, I’m judging them, which you’re perfectly within your rights and welcome to do

Rio: only if I had time or inclination to go through your tagged pics

Buster: you don’t need to pretend you haven’t

Rio: Shh

Buster: we’re definitely past that, babe

Rio: anyway, not all my boyfriends have been shit

Buster: Bullshit

Rio: you’re hot when you’re jealous

Buster: I am, but there’s nothing to be jealous of where your ex boyfriends are concerned

Rio: 😏

Rio: maybe not now

Buster: not at any point

Rio: that’s just mean

Rio: they’d touched me and you hadn’t

Buster: I could’ve while you were with them though and they can’t now you’re with me

Rio: not just them

Buster: exactly

Rio: you said with you

Buster: I did

Rio: 🥰

Buster: [a pic that’s like the equivalent of that and v 😍 just because and also if you were making summer holiday plans for a while there I could realistically say you’re getting off this short af flight and it not just be blatantly just a we’re on page 29 shh move]

Rio: that was too fast

Buster: Remember what a short flight it is when you’re waiting for me to show up for Easter

Rio: Who knew you were so positive

Buster: You should know I’m in a good mood

Rio: I like to see it

Buster: and you like how much credit you can take for it

Rio: it helps

Buster: I’m glad because you’re gonna have to stay positive yourself while I’m heading home

Rio: I get it

Rio: no privacy in a car filled with your fam

Buster: I’ll talk to you soon, hold me to it

Rio: You will

Buster: yeah

Rio: talk soon then 🤎

Buster: Goodnight, Rio

Rio: Buster

Buster: I know

Rio: Sweet dreams then

Buster: you too, baby

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landhinlove · 2 years ago

Text

The Don’t Worry Darling Premiere: A Summary

At the Venice Film Festival

FLORENCE BEING SO SASSY

Interviewer: “Your role is so inspiring”

Florence: “why is it inspiring?… I think it’s inspiring for a woman to say ‘no’ on and off camera”

They said she couldn’t make it to the press conference due to scheduling issues but she showed up 10 minutes after it started. The lead actress didn’t want to go to the press conference.

also these posts and the captions (Rebecca Corbin Murray is Florence’s stylist)

HARRY TAKING NOTHING SERIOUSLY

literally giggling at fans during the panel when Olivia was asked about the Shia and Florence controversy

this man did not answer a single question and he knows it (louis was spot on when he said “you do talk some shit in interviews” lmao)

Harry during the panel:

“Was that an answer? It was words.”

“what I like about acting is that I have no idea about what I’m doing”

“my favourite thing about the movie is that it feels like a movie”

During the interview with him and Chris Pine he went directly against what Olivia has said about the movie saying that it’s more misogynistic than feminist

NO ONE EXCEPT OLIVIA LOOKS LIKE THEY WANT TO BE THERE

Chris Pine is taking one for the team and being a neutral party (but still looking like he wants to leave). He was not asked many questions at all. Also he was the one to sit next to Olivia for everything

Gemma Chan was barely asked a question in the press conference and when she was she was reprimanded for being too quiet.

Harry doesn’t care at all about the panel, just talking and giggling with Gemma and the fans. He was asked the most questions of the actors and the only ones he gave a real answer for were about his fans and music

Obviously Florence doesn’t want to be there and wasn’t in the panel, but she’s also getting pushed to the side even though she’s literally the lead

REPORTERS WERE STOPPED FROM ASKING ABOUT THE SHIA AND FLORENCE THING

FLORENCE AND HARRY SLAYING WITH THE FITS

Harry giving Elton John energy with the glasses and just over all outfits. Or fruity Tony Stark.

Harry wearing a blue bandana during the press conference ;) (it’s technically a scarf but close enough)

Florence showing up in an adorable three piece purple shorts and blazer set (link)

Then she stole the show in the sparkly gown giving Marylin Monroe with the hair and diamonds

Also Gemma Chan is just one of the most gorgeous people to ever live and she slayed too of course because how could she not

Chris Pine and Nick Kroll hyped Florence up on the red carpet, taking pictures and acting like a proud dad

OLIVIA WAS IGNORED ON THE RED CARPET

Harry and Florence both went out of their way to hug everyone except Olivia, walking right past her. Neither of them talked to her, barely even looking at her

Harry stuck with talking to Gemma again, and flirting talking with Nick Kroll

When taking a picture with the whole cast, Harry’s as asked to stand next to Olivia and he refused. In this moment he also walked straight past her to fist bump Nick Kroll.

As they sat down for the movie she kept looking over trying to get Harry’s attention but he just stared straight forward or talked to Gemma

When the movie was over people only clapped for the actors, and all the actors were facing away from her and laughing with each other

Similar to Harry, Florence refused to make eye contact with Olivia when the movie audience was applauding her

HARRY AND NICK KROLL KISSED AFTER THE MOVIE. TWICE. LMAOOOOO

Olivia saw this happen and had a disgusted look on her face (link bc I can’t put any more pictures)

Edit: that not her reaction to the kiss sorry!!! Its after she was tried to get Harry’s attention and couldn’t

Also Harry and Nick 100% planned it. If you see the video they give each other a cheeky little look and go right for it. I am will to bet that Nick was like “you should just kiss me after because everyone will be expecting you to kiss her”

THE CLAPPING AFTER THE MOVIE WAS CUT SHORT BECAUSE FLORENCE LEFT

After about 3 minutes of clapping Florence started leaving and the rest of the cast followed. That’s a statement if I’ve ever seen one.

OLIVIA AND THE MOVIE ARE BEING EATEN ALIVE IN REVIEWS RIGHT NOW

(these are just a very few of the many examples)

Florence is praised for her performance, taking a bad movie and giving it her all

Harry is said to be sort of lost in the movie, not with terrible acting, just outshined by Florence’s performance. And yet it apparently still reads as a fan edit of Harry

The sex scenes that were so hyped up are supposedly very uncomfortable

So in conclusion the premiere was awkward and kind of a train wreck, as is the movie according to reviews. The actors in the movie showed up, slayed with the outfits, laughed with each other, didn’t answer a single question, not-so-subtly shaded Olivia and left.

#i was so not looking forward to everything being about Olivia today but this was leaps and bounds better than I expected #venice film festival #florence pugh #harry styles #gemma chan #chris pine #nick kroll #olivia wilde #don’t worry darling

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amjustagirl · 3 years ago

Text

castles in the air: chapter 9

chapters: one.// two.// three.// four.// five.// six.// seven.// eight.// nine.// ten.//

pairing: kuroo tetsuro x f! reader

genre: uni romantic dramedy, angst, fluff

wc: 5.3k

warnings: minor violence

Kuroo doesn’t expect anything to change.

There are things that can’t be rewritten, songs that can’t be unsung. But when you slide next into the seat beside him at class and bid him goodbye without prompting, he thinks maybe he might be able to flip back to page one. The next day, you offer him some cookies that Yua supposedly baked - even though he remembers from a throwaway comment that your roommate is a walking disaster in the kitchen and shouldn’t be allowed near a stove.

“It’s delicious”, he says while munching his way through cookie dough and chocolate chips.

“It’s not too sweet?” you ask, frowning.

“Not at all. It’s perfect”, he replies.

He has to bite his tongue from adding that the sweetest thing there is isn’t the cookies - no, it’s you. But he’s learnt from befriending Kenma, from befriending the stray cats in the alleyway behind Nekoma you can’t rush building a bond, earning someone’s trust. It requires patience - it’s not a simple case of storming a fortress and slaying a dragon.

Actually wait a minute - shouldn’t he be luring you in with food? Like Kenma and his apple pie, the stray cats and the dried salmon flakes he and Yaku tote around in hopes of getting them to allow a pat or two - maybe he should try to ask you out for ramen, but maybe that’s a little soon. He spends half of conditioning during practice thinking about snacks that you might love and gets shouted at by his captain for not having his head on straight.

And of course, trust Kenma to notice his lovesick mood.

“Did you finally play those dating sims like I advised you too?”

And of course, trust Kenma to bring this up at the most inopportune moment - when his old Nekoma team are having their monthly video call and in a lull in the conversation at hand about Yamamoto’s tryouts for the Kanagawa Div 1 team. And of course, trust the man in question to yelp and dive headfirst into any topic involving a girl.

“Kuroo-senpai, you have a girlfriend?!”

“Thanks, Kenma”, he says sourly. “Really, thanks a lot.”

“Anytime”, Kenma replies so casually, even though Kuroo knows that gremlin is probably sniggering internally in his black, wizened little heart.

Lev, as usual, manages to put his foot right into his mouth. “You mean someone’s willing to date Kuroo-senpai?”

“Oi -”

“She must be deluded or drugged - “

“Thanks, Yakkun”, Kuroo replies dryly, rubbing circles into his temple. “For the record, no I definitely did not drug her, and she’s definitely in a right state of mind, despite what you may think - “

“Is it that pretty girl we met on New Year’s Eve?”

A collective ooh swells amongst the more simple minded ones. Lev and Inouka descend into an argument where you fall on the scale of pretty vs. cute (both, you’re both, duh). Shibayama shyly points out that Kuroo has good taste (he’s always liked Shibayama, he proves that liberos can actually be nice and normal) and Fukunaga stays silent - which is slightly concerning, because who knows what off-beat jokes he might pull out from his arsenal at any given time.

“Yeah, that’s her - ”

“Wow, I don’t know what she sees in you because she could do so much better -” Yaku snipes (he’s probably having a bad time trying to find girls in Russia, given his height) and some of them snigger (Yamamoto, that traitor), and at least Kai, ever the peacemaker, notes mildly that you seem nice (um, not a word he would use to describe you).

“Guys, we’re not dating yet -”

“I knew it”, Yaku scoffs. That asshole, seriously. “Someone’s gotta tell her to run for the hills -”

“You said yet”, Kenma points out quietly. “So, when are you planning to ask her out?”

The entire conversation descends into how he should ask you out, with ridiculous suggestions like charging up to you with some huge vat of food with your name spelt out in bacon (Fukunaga is obviously taking his job as a part time chef very seriously), or kidnapping you off to disney world (Lev, that’s a crime punishable with prison time - d’you know that?!).

“She’s just gotten slightly less hostile with me - can all of you stop rushing me? Sheesh, I thought we learnt patience through our play style.”

“That’s volleyball”, Yamamoto says, as if that explains everything. “Girls are different! You need to be manly! Profess your affection!”

“Yamamoto, I think you should play dating sims again -”

“Kyanmaaaaa?!?!?!”

The video call lurches in the direction of Yamamoto and his very dismal, very non-existent love life which is great, because that gets him out of the line of fire for further interrogation. He has no interest in rushing things now that he’s made some progress despite what his old team might be pushing for - interfering old biddies, the lot of them, but yeah - he’s happy.

The weather seems to reflect his mood. Clear summer skies for consecutive days, the sun shining brilliantly along the leafy campus avenue, wildflowers blooming in the streets. He brought you a buttery, flaky peach pastry ostensibly to thank you for lending him your notes that you split into half to share with him, and you allowed him to reach over and wipe off a dollop of cream from the top of your lip with his thumb, quipping that you’ve suddenly sprouted a moustache.

You even start to insult him when it’s sorely deserved.

“Idiot.” You scold when he falls asleep on his notes in class, wakes up with ink smudged all over his cheeks. “You look ridiculous.”

He’s so glad you’re returning back to your usual self where you actually care about him enough to bicker and banter that he’s willing to agree with everything you say. “Yep, I’m an idiot.”

You stare. “Why are you agreeing with me that you’re an idiot? Do you even hear what you’re saying?”

“I hear you loud and clear. Yep, I’m an idiot.”

“You’re so - you’re so - idiot, seriously - what an idiot, ugh!”

He just leans back, appreciates the fact that you’re now comfortable enough with him to rub a wet tissue across his cheek, even if you’re muttering to yourself under your breath that he’s a baka - an idiot - well, you’re right that he’s an idiot for you.

So things are going well. It’s his turn to build his castles in the air.

Maybe you might say yes this time if he asks you out for dinner, maybe at the old ramen place he’d been avoiding all this while to give you your space. Maybe you might let him catch your hand on the pretense of - well, he’ll come up with a lame excuse or a bad joke on the spot that’ll make you laugh at him - that’s a win in his book. Maybe you might even let him lead you to a quiet spot in Toyama Park where he’s spent so many sunlit mornings running alongside you, a bench framed by violets and an old wisteria tree, where he can pour his heart out to you once more and ask if you might - as impossible as it may seem - give him a second chance to win your affections once more.

In hindsight, he really should’ve kept his daydreams out of practice because he’s so distracted during serve drills that his jump serves keep careening straight into the net. When Sato shouts at him for nearly faceplanting himself into a serve (the guy’s an asshole, but he’s their star pinch server, so he runs the drills when the coaches aren’t free, unfortunately), Akaashi drags him aside.

“What’s wrong with you”, Akaashi mutters, dry voice carrying over his gulps of water. “Seriously, you’ve been distracted and it’s - it’s distracting for the rest of us - ”

“I’d have expected you to have a more extensive vocabulary considering you’re a lit major - ”

Akaashi ignores his snark and continues. “I’ve played with Bokuto and you’re seriously coming close to his antics, at this rate - ”

Kuroo whistles. “Woah. Low blow, Akaashi.”

The younger setter only folds his arms, arching his brow expectantly.

“Fine”, Kuroo says. “Sorry, yeah. I got distracted - “

“I’m not sure I even want to ask what you got distracted by. “

Akaashi’s completely the wrong person to confide in about you considering he’s one of the guys who’ve gone out on a date with (which does make him a little jealous, even if nothing came out of it, thankfully) but he’s right here and he really doesn’t want to deal with Kenma’s inner gremlin, nor the rest of the Nekoma team’s shenanigans, so he sheepishly runs his hand through his hair (not like it’s going to make it any neater) and confesses that he’s been distracted lately.

Because of you.

Any reaction Akaashi might’ve given is interrupted by the exaggerated choking behind him. Trust his luck to have the worst person in the world overhear his conversation. He could play it off, pretend what he just said is a joke because Sato’s dislike for you has only deepened this semester when you’d told him off for trying to palm off his work to yet another junior.

But he won’t.

He’s not going to make the same mistake again, put you down for the sake of his reputation amongst his peers so he just tries to sidestep this unwanted interaction altogether. “Let’s get back to practice”, he says, but his suggestion is ignored as Sato swaggers up to him, slaps a sweaty palm against his back, lets out a guffaw that grates on his nerves.

“C’mon, you don’t have to ask her out on a real date just ‘cos you feel bad for her, y’know?”

He really, really doesn’t want to discuss you with this asshole - who doesn’t seem capable of getting a clue that insulting you in front of him is off-limits, at least by now.

“Yeah, I’m not - “

“Good man!” Sato says heartily. “Cos that girl’s a real bitch, all claws and teeth - you don’t want your cock sucked with a mouth like hers. I mean sure, this semester maybe she’s started dressing a little better, actually discovered and decided to flaunt the fact that she’s got tits and an ass, but she’s still frigid as fuck. If you let her anywhere near you, you’ll get frostbite for sure.”

Kuroo’s always been slow to anger, but you don’t deserve to be spoken of in this manner. Especially not by someone as odious as Sato, and especially when you’re not here to defend your reputation from being dragged through the muck. It falls to him to take up the sword to defend your honour then.

“Don’t talk about her like that.”

Sato glances at him curiously. “What, you like her or something?”

“Yes”, he says immediately, voice even though he’s simmering with annoyance and frustration, a cauldron of anger building inside. “Yes, I do.”

That asshole actually manages to make a double take look doubly obnoxious by scoffing loudly. “You gotta be joking.”

It’s really none of his business, but Sato chuckles when he tells him so.

“Look, I’m just looking out for my kouhai. You’ve got to be mad to want to stick your dick into crazy - c’mon, you could do so much better than that. This is so funny - “

“It really isn’t”, he grounds out, fists clenched. “Don’t joke about her - ”

“About that frigid, know-it-all bitch who thinks she’s better than everyone else?”

He doesn’t even know when was the last time he lost his temper - and perhaps that’s why he erupts, exploding in a sudden flash of rage. All he sees is red before his vision narrows, tunneling out into a straight path for his fist to crash into Sato’s face. The resulting crack is sickeningly satisfying.

“What the - FUCK?!”

The howl of pain still isn’t enough to jerk him out of his trance. It’s an out of body experience, honestly - punching someone hard enough to make their nose bleed. He can’t help but think that it’s a damn good thing that they’re in their practice shirts today, all in Waseda maroon, because at least it kind of hides the blood stains even if it doesn’t wash off. It’s all he can think off as everyone in the vicinity swivels their head to stare at him, as if they’re shocked beyond words that cool, generally calm Kuroo Tetsuro has finally just lost it - to be fair, he’s surprised that he’s lost his temper so spectacularly -

“Why, you ungrateful, little -”

He’s unsurprised when Sato rallies and resorts to violence himself. He should sidestep the fist swinging his way, but he’s still staring at his fist in shock, the knuckles stained ever so slightly red - crimson, really, the colour of fresh blood when the impact knocks him off his feet, the older boy climbing on top of him to rain blows down on his face, and it’s all he can do to try to curl up and shout at him to get away -

“Right. ENOUGH!”

Akaashi, for all his quietness, roars loud enough to almost deafen him. He yanks Sato off him, and it’s just his luck that the coach runs in, having heard the commotion, his face thunderous at catching his starting middle blocker and star pinch server get into a brawl barely two meters away from the volleyball court.

“WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?!”

For all the pain that hits him like a bullet train after the adrenaline wears off and he’s lying spread eagled on the floor, he’s lucky that Akaashi (and several other eavesdropping teammates) spoke up to vouch that Sato said something unfathomably rude about a female classmate, ignored his attempts to defuse the inflammatory conversation and got in vastly more blows in than his initial swipe. He’s also lucky that the coach probably just wants to sweep the problem under the rug because once the school nurse mops up their respective wounds and pronounces them good to go, he faces no further consequences - no ban from practice, no official complaints made. All he’s made to do is to shake hands and apologise (insincerely) to Sato, who accepts even though he looks like he’s tempted to spit into Kuroo’s hand like the child that he is, and then both of them get kicked out of practice, just for the day.

It’s his bad luck that the summer days stretch into the evenings so it’s still daylight when he trudges back to the dorms, bright enough for onlookers to peer curiously at the patchwork of bruises smattered across his face. He tries to flatten his hair to cast some shadows on his face, but only succeeds in looking more like a ruffian, a herd of freshmen scattering when he passes through them, bleating in surprise when they catch sight of his face. It’s embarrassing.

He rushes back to the dorm, jumps into the shower, grabbing a hasty one before everyone returns to their rooms, an attempt to avoid any more awkward looks. He’d rather skip dinner than face the cafeteria on his own - there are enough snacks to keep hunger at bay in his room, courtesy of his grandparents and Kenma’s mom - and ugh speaking of which, Kenma is going to laugh at him when he finds out about his scruffle, laugh in that irritating way of his. He can just imagine him kicking his heels up, leaning back in his chair, a tiny smirk of amusement at his predicament - he’s definitely not telling him -

Of course the universe hates him. Of course Kenma calls him, like he’s clairvoyant or something - and the cheeky bugger doesn’t even start the call with a hi, how are you -

“I heard you got into a fight.”

“Who told you, seriously - do you have my phone bugged or something?”

Predictably, Kenma doesn’t divulge his secrets.

“Are you okay?”

Huh. That’s new. “Did an alien abduct you and replace you with a suspiciously caring version of yourself?”

A haughty sniff. “Should I proceed to point out that you’re an idiot for getting into a fight and risk being thrown off your team or worse - be completely expelled instead?”

“No, I’m good, thanks. Please proceed and heap loads of care and concern on me, like a good best friend.”

Kenma snorts, a huff of air that crackles static across the line. “Nah, you just told me you’re fine.”

“I told you no such thing!”

Any retort Kenma might have made is interrupted by a hesitant knock on your door. “Who is it?” Kuroo calls, reluctant to get off the phone when Kenma’s in such a rare mood (seriously, he needs something to commemorate this day, when Kenma’s actually being nicer to him than his usual gremlin self).

“Ah, I guess Akaashi sent her too”, Kenma says before hanging up and - what does that even mean, who’s her - he’s gotta get to the bottom of that but then you murmur your name and oh it’s you and he’s tripping over himself, phone still clamped between shoulder and ear as he pushes open the door.

“Hi”, he says breathlessly. It’s really you.

You gawk at him openly.

“Gods, what did Sato do to your face?” He’s gratified that you actually care, a line of worry marring the smooth plane of your forehead as you stare at his ugly mug. “It’s worse than what Akaashi said - ”

“Akaashi Keiji has a big mouth, it’s really not that bad - ”

“You look like someone’s tried to mow your face down with a bullet train - ”

“Why, do you miss my handsome face already?”

You roll your eyes at him, but there’s an amused tilt to your lips. “No one said anything about missing your face but I do bear an offering of ramen for your dinner, if you haven’t eaten, and a pack of ointment, since you still look like an overripe plum.” You pause. “That is, if you’ll let me in...? Or do I need to come back and make a further offering of ice cream to you?“

The familiar scent of ramen suddenly hits him, makes his stomach try to crawl its way up his gullet, but love sickness wins out over hunger anytime. His feet remain rooted to the ground even as his brain sends frantic signals to move, damnit - but he’s still stuck on the fact that you’re actually here, wait -

“You wanna come into my room?” He asks dumbly.

You frown. He already wants to reach over, smooth out the lines in your forehead, hold your cheeks in cupped palms and cherish your smile -

“I mean, I don’t have to if you don’t want me to. I can just drop off your share of ramen - “

“No!” he interrupts, panicking. “No, o-of course you can come in, I - it’s just a bit unexpected and I haven’t cleaned up, but you can come in!”

He stumbles back to allow you to enter, cursing himself for not tidying his room up beforehand. It’s a typical volleyball-mad boy’s room, posters on the wall, pictures of his Nekoma teammates in poses of varying seriousness, an overflowing laundry basket that he really needs time to clear. It’s his castle, his humble abode, sorely lacking in hospitality. But he tries his best, offers you the best seat in the house (the only seat, really, his study chair) but you gamely take a seat on the floor beside him, settling the packets of ramen on a makeshift table.

“Should we eat first or after I put the ointment on your face?

He might not survive the night from the way his heart is pounding in his chest if you come too close to him. Ointment (applied by you!) might be the death of him, so ramen - despite being oily and salty and undeniably bad for his sodium levels - is definitely the better option. You hand him chopsticks, urging him quietly to eat up, or his bruises will never heal.

“Itadakimasu”, he claps his hands together, thanks you for bringing food to him.

He savours every bite of the most amazing bowl of ramen ever (never mind the slight sogginess, it bears that title because you brought it all the way to him) as you talk at him - about Yua and her rambling about whether she should ask Meian if and when he’s going to propose (he will, you’re sure, he’s head over heels for the smartest ditz you know, and he’s already asked you to steal one of her rings so he can get her exact size), about the project you’re both working on, that you’re sure you and he will ace (as if that’s ever in doubt, when he’s working with you), how Okamoto-san of the ramen shop welcomed his newest grandchild that he’s secretly over the moon about, showing you picture after picture of a chubby little baby girl with big brown eyes (he can’t help his mind from jumping from imagining you with a child. perhaps one with him).

“So” you say, after he’s mopped up every last drop of that sinfully thick, delicious broth and packed the food cartons away. “Do you want me to help put some ointment on your face? It’s supposed to help your bruises fade. I don’t think you want to be walking around campus looking like you’ve gotten into a bar fight.”

“You don’t think it makes me look cool?”

“You look like a low ranking member of the Yakuza, all that’s missing are some tattoos.”

He affects a sigh, tries to fall back into the well worn patterns of banter between the two of you. “You wound me with your words, princess”, but you’re relentless, pushing him into his study chair, uncapping the tube before coming to stand between his legs.

You’re standing between his legs.

Wait.

Wait just a moment - you’re standing in between his legs - what is this - did he hit his head against the gym floor too hard, is he hallucinating? It can’t be - he can feel the brush of the soft pads of your fingers against bruised flesh, smell the subtle scent of summer fruit of your shampoo, peaches, strawberries, a hint of raspberries perhaps. His brain starts to short circuit, overheating itself with overactive hormones firing on all cylinders, seconds away from hitting the panic button - he’s got to calm himself down the only way he knows how.

By reciting the periodic table in his head.

Never mind that he’s proving Yaku and Kenma right that he is indeed a science dork. He goes through each element in sequence. Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium - gods you’re close enough that he can count every flutter of your eyelashes, the soft give of your thighs brushing against his - he can’t even try to recall what comes after Beryllium. Under normal circumstances he can rattle off the entire list, no sweat - but he can’t help how his body reacts to your (lack of proximity) - palms dampening, pulse racing, not to mention the urgent need to shift in his seat -

“Are you alright? Am I pressing down too hard?”

“It’s fine”, he grounds out between clenched teeth. “You can continue.”

“Are you sure?” You lean in to peer at him, concerned as he screws his face up and eyes shut. But now he can feel your breath against his skin, a bloom of warmth that would be welcome in any other situation, but it’s terrible in this situation when all he can think of is pulling you into his lap and kissing you senseless. And that dangerous thought just worsens the situation, pink dusting his cheeks, his head starting to fog up. “You look like you’re in pain.”

“I am”, he’s unable to stop himself from being truthful.

“Well, deal with it. I’m almost done but I’ll try to be nice and gentle for once”, you reply, dabbing cream along his cheekbone, vivid violet blooms fading slowly as you rub gentle circles, allowing the blood to circulate. “It’d have been better if I had a cold, raw egg to roll out your bruises - it’s an old wife’s tale, but my mom always said it works.”

He tries to pay attention to your words, but it’s hard enough trying to keep his mind clear enough to grunt at appropriate intervals. But thankfully you finally take a step back, and he has room to take a deep breath -which he promptly chokes on, because you catch his chin to tilt his head back, running down the column of his neck with your fingers, smearing ointment down the bruises there - Sato was vicious, but if he dies tonight, it’s definitely not because of him, and gods he seriously needs to get pants a size up -

“You really shouldn’t have gotten into a fight with Sato, of all people”, you murmur distractedly, rubbing circles into the tender skin of his neck. His ears erupt into flames. “He’s not worth it, and it’s not like you to lose your temper.”

“Says you, when you were ready for him to hit you to get expelled. ‘Sides, he was a huge dick - ”

“You could’ve been seriously injured -”

“Worth it - “

Your hands drop to your side. “It’s not worth it if you get hurt.” You’re frowning, before you avert your gaze from his, taking another step back. It’s ridiculous how he’s immediately craving to have you back within touching distance, his body developing an even deeper addiction to you in such a short amount of time.

“I - ”

“Akaashi told me, you know. What Sato said. About me.”

He wants to pummel Sato into the ground because you’re crowding your shoulders in, unable to meet his eyes. “You - you didn’t have to do that. It’s fine, what he said about me.”

“It’s not fine at all - ”

“Kuroo, I’m a big girl, I can handle myself. Fight my own battles, slay my own dragons - all of that. You don’t need to be noble and try to defend my honour.”

He wants to laugh in disbelief. You never fail to surprise him, blow him away with your strength, your unwavering bravery in the face of mean spiritedness.

“It’s not about whether you can handle it”, he says slowly. “Sato shouldn’t have been saying those things about you in the first place. And while I handled it really poorly, I just - what he said about you wasn’t true, you don’t deserve to be described like that -”

“A frigid, cold bitch?” You smile, strained. “That’s not untrue.”

“It is”, he says, aghast that you could even think that. “You’re kind, even though you don’t know it. You reached out to my grandparents. You helped down out, took care of them even though they were total strangers. You’re funny, super smart, spunky - what he said is completely wrong - any guy would be lucky to have you.”

He doesn’t realise what he’s babbling until he meets your eyes. You drop your gaze to the floor, taking another step away from him.

“Any guy?” you echo.

There are castles in the air that he’s built over these past weeks, all of them involving you in some shape or form. It’s a gamble to see if fortune favours the bold, but he thinks it’s finally time to bring his castles back into the ground.

“Any guy”, he says, firm. “Though I’m still hoping that some day it’d be me. ”

He hates the look of disbelief on your face, hates that he’s the one that put it there in the first place. But this time at least, you do not run away.

“Do you really mean that?” you whisper. “You’re not making fun of me again?”

“I mean it”, he replies, earnest, utterly sincere. “I don’t deserve to ask you this, but if you gave me the chance to try and win your affections again, I’d consider myself the luckiest guy in the world.”

It isn't the moment that he planned, no wisterias nor violets in bloom, no eloquent confession made as the sun sets, but it's perfect nonetheless. You approach him again, slowly allowing yourself to be drawn into the circle of his arms. Dusk dims the evening's light, but it's still bright enough, light spilling through glass window panes to illuminate the fondness in your smile, the softness in your eyes.

“It’s not as if you need a chance when you’ve already won my affection long ago.”

His castles are built in the air, sustained on wisps of cloud. Yet somehow it does not crumble when it touches the ground. You walk through the gates, bringing the sun with you to greet him with open arms, a smile on your face.

“Do you mean that?” It’s his turn to whisper, awestruck. “I behaved awfully to you - ”

“You did”, you reply truthfully, but your tone is warm, a far cry from the usual dry, cutting edge that usually accompanies your words to him. His heart swells with hope and anticipation, pounding thunderously. “But we all make mistakes - especially when someone’s silly enough to get drunk on campus, on cheap alcohol -”

“Hurts, but true - “

“ - and it’s not as if I was the easiest person to get along with either - ”

“ - also true, considering you stabbed me with a fork - “

Your laughter is loud, open and bright. It makes him think of ramen dinners filled with good-natured banter, success that’s all the sweeter because he achieved it with you. You allow him to draw you close, fingers threaded in yours. Time slows to a stop, and he wants nothing more than to live in this moment, forever.

“But if you want - if you want my heart, it’s yours. Not that you have to ask for it, considering you started our relationship by stealing my food and now you’ve decided to take your heart for yourself, you greedy guts -”

“I want it - I’ve always wanted it. I’m just a fool for not realising it earlier.”

It’s the fairytale ending he never knew he dreamed of. All of a sudden, he’s filled with visions of bigger dreams, his ambitions taking wings. He’s no longer satisfied with his castle on the ground - no, he wants it to stretch all the way to the sky. One day, he’d like to have a home with you, have a family that won’t fall apart like his, share life with all its ups and downs with you.

One day, some day, hopefully not too far away in the future he’d really like that with you.

But first, since it seems like fortune truly favours the bold -

“I’m definitely a little greedy. Maybe I’m even asking too much”, he murmurs, gently tilting your chin up to him. “I’d offer you a fair trade - I’ll take your heart, and you can have mine, but I find myself wanting something more.”

“More?” you echo, your smile impossibly wide. “More than my heart? You are greedy, Kuroo Tetsuro.”

“More”, he confirms, palm warm against the small of your back. “What can I say? I’m a greedy fool.”

He should give you space, act like a gentleman according to the codes of chivalry, let you give your answer with any pressure, but even though you whisper “so what is it?” - he suspects that not only do you already know what he’s about to ask, you are very amenable to acceding, because you lean onto your toes, one hand reaching up to tangle your fingers in his hair, the other twisting in the soft cotton of his worn sweater to keep your balance.

“A kiss”, he whispers, breath mingling with yours. “A kiss - is that too much to ask for as well?”

There is no need for an answer - at least, not a verbal one.

You close the distance between you, pressing your lips against his. It’s a little awkward as first kisses usually are, noses bumping, you stumbling into him, but your mouth is warm, soft - a veritable dream come true. He cradles your face with shaking palms, sighing in satisfaction and contentment and utter relief that you’re willing to share this with him.

“Only one kiss?” you laugh breathily, when the need for air becomes too great, and he reluctantly breaks away.

“Why”, he chuckles lowly, pulling you back in to lean his forehead against yours. “Are you offering more?”

You don’t even bother with words, angling your lips against his, responding with a hard kiss that he gladly loses his breath to.

m.list.~ taglist.~

a/n: so...do you guys like the chapter?

#haikyuu angst #haikyuu x reader #hq x reader #kuroo tetsuro #kuroo x you #kuroo x y/n #kuroo x reader #nekoma #haikyuu fluff #storm chaser universe #castles in the air #kuroo tetsurou #kenma kouzume

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