#excuse me as I think about this for 1 billion years | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sadceline · 5 months ago

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THE ENHYPEN HOST || 13

|| Reverse harem || ft. TXT, Mingyu (Seventeen) & BTS

WARNINGS: foul language, explicit content, group sex, humiliation, sex in public, threesome, foursoome, rough sex, red flags, immoral acts, unprotected sex, morbid jealousy, comedy, parody, possessiveness, violent quarrels, arguments, betrayals, lies, femdom sometimes.

GENRE: +18, reverse harem, comedy, enemy to lovers, friends to lovers

SUMMARY: You moved to Seoul to start over after a bad experience, and everything seems to be going well, you even manage to work for HYBE. You discover, however, that you owe them almost a billion won, money you don't have and don't know how to recover: but don't worry because Hybe itself offers you a solution.

Your body in exchange for paying off your debt.

Do you accept?

TRAILER 1

TRAILER 2

PREVIOUS CHAPTER:

FIRST CHAPTER:

The truth is that I am not immune to Niki's charms either, but I have to resist. I don't do it for Heeseung, I do it because it feels right.

"Niki...do you really want things to be like this between us?" I ask him, motionless, as he continues kissing my neck, my shoulders, cupping my breasts with his large hands.

"Why? - He pauses for a second, laughing. - Did you think it would go differently?"

The driver must really be a pervert, the way he keeps glancing at me from the mirror. Okay, I have to keep calm but mostly I have to talk some sense into him: beyond all that, he's a kid, I don't feel comfortable at all.

"Noona - he says, lifting his gaze to me - I'll be good... I won't treat you like Heeseung or Sunghoon, can you just trust me?"

How does his voice, so dark, say things like that while he has the expression of a sadist printed on his face? Fucking Riki, you put me in serious trouble.

"It's not that. You're too young..."

He trails off, annoyed. "But excuse me, in your country in what year do you come of age?"

I look at him surprised as I reflect. "Eighteen..."

"Then it would be perfectly legal!"

"Im not worried about the legal thing right now - I sigh in frustration, adjusting the neckline of my shirt - if you want to force me to do it I will, but know that's not what I want."

Will it end like it did with Heeseung? Will I give in to the next temptation with Riki as well? I hope not, I'm already in a lot of trouble.

"Noona... I think I will force you. But it bothers me that you would then be angry with me."

Is he serious? Heavens, I really can't find his face cute now. "R-Riki...it's not easy for me to refuse you either."

He crosses his legs, huffing and looking offendedly toward the window. "Then don't do it."

"Really..."

"Anyway, don't think you've won. - He says and I'm very puzzled. - I never lose."

I smile tiredly, perhaps it is true that this is all a game, everyone plays their own personal game, everyone makes choices that inevitably affect the course of history, everyone follows a strategy. Perhaps the only one who has not implemented any strategy is me.

"Riki, am I pretty? - I ask him after a few minutes of silence. - Why do you want to sleep with me? Honestly...doesn't it bother you to know that I have also been with your friends?"

Niki doesn't even turn around, just sighs. "I am not like them, and they are not my friends."

It breaks my heart to hear him say such things, he is different from the little boy in I-Land, he is dark as a forest at night, it is not only his deep voice that makes me think so. Looking at him closely, even though he almost turns the back of his head to me, I can see that his face is sad.

"Has he always been like this?" It comes naturally to me to ask.

The japanese boy sighs again. "I've never forgiven them, so I guess so."

Oh no, my heart is broken in earnest now. His voice... Is so sad, his beautiful eyes are so sad. My chest is trembling, my body is shaking, and honestly I feel my eyes are wet too, it's crazy. I dry them immediately, I don't want him to see it.

"The point is that you allow them to do everything to you - he says, turning to me - but with me you hide behind the nonsense of age."

"You haven't answered me - I try to keep my attention, before losing myself in desire. - Am I pretty? Is that why you want to... do it with me? Or is it because you think it's your right?"

"What do you care? - He asks annoyed. - You can't refuse anyway."

"Then why did you stop?"

He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Can I continue?"

"N-No. I mean, if I can't refuse why don't you force me?"

"Noona - he interrupts me, in a very serious tone - stop saying these things, it's already hard. - He points to his erection with his eyes. - I'm not even a patient type."

I cough nervously, looking away since I've blatantly looked in the direction of his cock. "I-I don't think you're that kind of person, I mean this..."

"Just because I was nice to you a couple of times? - He asks again amused. - Don't get any ideas, I only let it go because we're coming soon. I told you noona, I never lose."

I petrify, I freeze, I paralyze. Did I really assume that Riki... or rather, Niki, was different from them? Did I really underestimate the fact that he is still and always a man?

I spontaneously think about telling to Heeseung, but maybe that's not a good idea. Even if this kid acts like this, I'm sure the boys in the band hurt Riki a lot, and that's why I'm angry with them. They should be united, helpful, kind to the younger one, a foreigner to boot!

After a while the driver stops, Niki gets off for about five minutes, which makes me think it was a somewhat questionable encounter, partly because the boy keeps a plastic bag in his jeans pocket when he returns.

I know because he pulls it out after the car starts up again, stuffs it into his boxers in front of me.

"Riki! - I feel like calling him back, spontaneously. - Don't tell me that..."

"Don't worry about things that don't concern you, and try not to tell your friend."

"Of course I wouldn't! What do you think? I care about you all."

The japanese boy turns to me, smiles as if almost pitying me. "Even though we are all so horrible?"

Unfortunately, yes.

"I'm sorry if you've suffered over the years." I say suddenly, completely heartbroken.

He looks at me in silence, perhaps not expecting it.

"You know, I've thought many times that if I could have made a wish I would have asked to go back to the day I arrived home, however, now . - I smile, bitterly - I think I would ask that everyone had treated you kindly. Maybe because deep down I knew it too."

I'm sorry Riki, you who were just a hyperactive kid, with eyes full of passion, drive, and lots and lots of talent. You who were always so unique, so positively eccentric, you didn't deserve this.

Nobody deserves this.

I would like to caress his face and hug him, but I don't want to misunderstand. I really, from him, don't want anything.

"Thank you. - He tells me after so many seconds that I thought he would never speak again. - Thank you... for noticing."

Oh no, I can't contain the tears, it's obvious but I don't want him to see me cry, so I simply turn away. I wipe them away but they keep coming out, I feel like a fool, my heart explodes and it's like it's clamped around a vice.

"Noona, don't cry. - Says Riki, grabbing my shoulder. - I'm not so good-looking if I start crying too."

I look at him, wow... he managed to make me feel better in just one second. "In my opinion, you're handsome even if you cry."

The boy sketches a half smile before wiping the tears on my cheek with his thumb. "Let's hope you never find out, I always want to be handsome in your eyes."

Oh no. He can't take advantage of the fact that I am so vulnerable to get to his ends! If he says things like that, he's no help at all.

"Noona, I want to tell you the truth - he sighs as if he is about to say something unpleasant - this will not change today's plan."

"Huh?"

"I think you're a nice person - he says, stroking my cheek and smiling - I got that impression right away. I expected you to scream, to cry, but you remained composed."

I stare into his eyes briefly, then have to look away or my chest will explode. "I did it because I was ashamed since I met you all under these circumstances, not because I am a good person."

"Shy people who feel ashamed - says the boy, smiling sadly, - I don't remember them since I've been in this environment."

What is he getting at? And why is it that while he is telling me things like this, he keeps claiming that he will go ahead with his plan? With his intentions?

"Then why do you want to do it anyway?"

"Cause you aren't pretty, you're beautiful noona - he says, as if it were obvious - we are colleagues. You may have already forgotten because those idiots tormented you, but you are here to help me get better... physically."

I swallow upset. "However..."

"Having fun together won't stop us from becoming friends, if that's what you want. - Sigh Niki. - I told you, I like you as a person too, but I can't and won't give that up."

What is he saying? Can it really be done? Could we become friends anyway? No, that's not the point! Riki suddenly caresses me, again, this time, however, I shudder and back up in my seat.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful not to make you fall in love with me." He says, laughing.

"We're here." The driver speaks for the first time, and I must say he has the voice of a mature man indeed.

The singer looks out the tinted window and nods. "Yes, should be here."

"Who are we having lunch with, Riki?" I ask then, puzzled.

He laughs again and my doubts increase. "You'll like it."

"A-Are they celebrities?"

"Does it seem possible that I hang out with ordinary people?"

Oh no, then they really are.

After the driver parks in the club's private parking lot, which I have only seen from the outside, he gets out of the car to open the door for Niki. I get out, too.

"Mr. Nam - Riki seems to scold him after getting out - first you open the door for the ladies."

The man coughs, looking annoyed. "I thought you wanted to do it."

The young man does not respond and sets off, I follow him and see that the driver remains leaning against the car, he is not coming with us and it was obvious, but I don't know why this surprised me. Maybe because he looks just like the secretary of the young CEO of a kdrama.

"They cook japanese here. Do you like sushi?" He asks me as we go upstairs.

I look around surprised, everything is lavishly decorated, plus the customers all look like rich people. They are wearing designer clothes, they are beautiful and groomed like celebrities and maybe some of them really are, I feel like a fish out of water, also I feel very embarrassed to show up dressed like that.

"Don't you like it?" He asks me again, after a few seconds, as we wait for someone from the staff to vacate to greet us.

"Huh? N-No, I love sushi!"

"Really?"

I nod awkwardly. "I've always been fascinated by japanese culture, since I was obsessed with games, anime and manga as a kid, I wanted to know more about Japan."

He doesn't say anything, just stands watching me in silence until the beautiful waitress arrives. "Mr. Nishimura." She says, in a shy little voice, looking at him spellbound.

How can I blame her. Niki notices her only after a few seconds, as if she is reflecting on what I said. "Ah... yes, there is a reservation Choi, it should be room 7."

She nods, not giving me a glance as she waves for him to follow her. As we walk through the corridors of this beautiful place, I can't help but look at the wonderful paintings on the walls, they seem to date back several centuries and look like originals, given how preciously they are kept in these glass cases that cover them.

"It's been a long time since we've seen it. We're really glad...I'm really, really happy too..." smiles the girl, as enthusiastic as a fan.

"Have the other two arrived yet?" Riki asks, brutally ignoring her words.

I naturally hit him on the shoulders. "Yah! Didn't you hear what she said?" I scold him.

Niki stops and stares at me, not angry but confused. "What did I do?"

"She said something you should have thanked her for." I explain, in front of her who, however, looks at me irate.

Now I'm the one wondering what I did wrong.

"H-how dare you? - She tells me, I am genuinely shocked by this. - N-N-Not... you mustn't allow yourself!" She just says, I can tell she's too nervous to even speak, maybe because in front of Niki, but I didn't quite understand what I did to offend her.

"Excuse me?" I ask confused.

"I don't... I don't need d-your help. Mind your own business."

Now I slap her across the face. No, okay, calm down Amanda.

"Are you done, Shinhye?" Riki asks, surprising me.

He knows her name, and his tone is very informal. "W-who is she? She's n-not even famous."

The boy snorts impatiently. "Will you accompany us or shall I have someone else call?"

Yes, the two know each other. I look at Riki surprised he snorts again.

She resumes walking in silence and eventually accompanies us to

Room 7, a private room. When she walks away, I see Riki nervously scratching the back of his head before entering.

"Have you been with her?" I ask him.

"A few times."

"But she's like 30!" I become alarmed, like a worried older sister.

"She's cute, though, isn't she? And I like older girls anyway." He says, leaving me petrified as he opens the door.

The situation obviously could only get worse: I see Yeonjun and Soobin sitting at the table, yes, them, from TXT.

He had said he didn't want to harass me, like the others, but that's exactly what he just did. He comes in, I stay in front of the door, he notices, looks at me and laughs.

"Noona, won't you come in?"

"W-Why them?" I just ask.

"Did you really think you were twisting everything just to make Heeseung happy? Noona, don't think of stupid things - he says, still laughing, sadistically. I feel naked right now. - I will always treat you well, but don't ever think you can be his. He's won a little too much, hasn't he?"

He.... really is a crazy kid.

It's not because of Heeseung that I said no to him, but why don't I deny it? Maybe because deep down, that's why, too? The point is that I just wanted to spend time normally with him... but since they are there, knowing that I am a host, I just can't do that. But Heeseung? Why is he talking about him?

Heeseung is not a nice person. I don't like him. It's not for him that I'm doing this but...

"I have nothing to do with him." I tell him through clenched teeth.

He smiles. "Do you know how many people in Korea have his number? - He pauses briefly as if to give me time to think about it, I lower my gaze in confusion. - I don't think he's really interested in you, though.... surely he wants to take possession of you, your body, and just for fun even your heart."

It hurts me what he says, but it shouldn't. "But what are you saying, Riki?"

"I'm doing this for your sake. You don't know him, he will always ask more of you."

I don't understand any more, my head is spinning. Even though we spoke softly, on the doorstep, I'm afraid those two heard us. Soobin is busy on his phone, but Yeonjun looks at us amused.

I feel really anxious.

"Although it won't seem real to you, given what's going to happen - says Riki, looking toward his friends - you're safe with me noona. If you trust me, you'll have more fun."

"Riki..." I don't know what to say.

"Are you two done? What, you don't want to have lunch with us?" Yeonjun calls us right back.

I sigh and prooced, defeat. I sit between Niki and Soobin, voluntarily putting myself far away from Yeonjun, who, however, is standing right in front of me. I try to look away, I'm not even listening to the conversation, I haven't even said hello.

"Did you bring her with you?" Cuts Soobin short, putting down his cell phone.

"Aren't you happy?" Riki smiles, carefree.

Yeonjun sensually curls his lips as he turns to me. "And are you happy?"

"Not at all." I reply, annoyed.

Heeseung may be a bastard, and he probably hurt Riki, but whatever Yeonjun is no better than him. Someone who enjoys rubbishing each other's insecurities with the intention of humiliating him cannot be a good person.

"How nice, you look different from last time." Soobin comments, drinking some water.

I lift my gaze annoyed but also inevitably honored to hear him say that, damn, he's really nice too. "There's no mask now, so I can be myself." I admit, bitterly amused.

"What masks? Are you saying that because you are a host?" Yeonjun asks.

Niki doesn't care for the conversation, looking over the restaurant menu. "Yes, now..."

"Isn't that a good thing? - He interrupts me, the boy from the other band. - This way you don't have to pretend you don't want to fuck with all of us. If you want to, we can just do it."

I look at Riki terrified but he doesn't give me a glance, and this not only annoys me but also worries me a lot. What does he mean? Isn't this going to be an ambush like Heeseung's?

"What do you want to eat, noona?" The japanese young man asks.

I look at him confused, he doesn't look at me but seems serene. "I would like to go home."

"During my shift, I choose what to do." He replies, relaxed.

I swallow terrified now, look at Yeonjun who is smiling, Soobin too! Why am I standing here? Why has the situation become so strange? What should I do now?

"R-Riki..."

"Noona trust me, nothing bad will happen to you." Having sensed that I am uncomfortable, that I am worried, he tries to reassure me failing miserably.

"Riki, I don't like... this." I tell him, my voice trembling.

"I'll have sashimi! All kinds." Exclaims the blond, Soobin, delighted.

"Do you like sashimi, noona?" Riki asks me again, looking at the menu.

I don't answer. Damn. Although my mouth keeps trying to reason with him, my mind, my belly, wishes for him to continue. This situation, unnaturally erotic and above all unbelievable, makes me horny.

"You should try ramen." Yeonjun says.

I swallow again, my mouth dry. I try to pour myself some water but Soobin anticipates me, grabbing the pitcher for me and pouring it into my glass. I thank with a quick nod, looking down low.

"Call me oppa, like you did to Yeonjun last time." Says the TXT leader.

is sobin, right? lol

I mumble offended, I won't. I don't even remember saying it. "No thanks?"

"You scared her - Soobin laughs, looking at his friend, "she was a fan of ours before you scared her."

Yeonjun smiles, shifting his gaze to the open menu on the table. "Instead, I think Heeseung has her stocky, that's why she's so nervous."

"Can't you keep it out of your talk?" It comes naturally to me to ask.

This time Niki lifts his gaze, and he doesn't look pleased. He looks at me, then snorts and returns to the menu. "No need to get worked up, noona. Nothing will change."

What does that mean? I know that even if I asked he wouldn't answer me directly, and I'm really still convinced that I'm going to refuse whatever is offered, but...seriously, it's hard while sitting at Yeonjun, Soobin, and Riki fucking Nishimura's table.

I can always ask Heeseung for help, but should I? Not to mention that if he knew, Sunghoon would never stop annoying me. What to do? What to do?

A good-looking young waiter enters the room; he is here to take orders. They all seem calm as they list the various dishes, but when the young man turns to me who haven't even opened the menu, they all seem to get a little tense: maybe they're afraid I might accuse them in front of this guy?

No, I'm not that crazy.

After all....

"What do you want to eat?" Riki asks me.

"I'm not hungry." I answer, annoyed. Actually, in the heat of thinking about sushi, sashimi, uramaki.... yes, I'm actually lying.

"Make a tasting course of everything - Soobin says confidently - do you like sashimi? Caviar? Or do you prefer cooked foods?"

"I...I like raw fish." I admit, under my breath, pouting.

I see out of the corner of my eye Yeonjun chuckle. "Yes, make it a mostly raw fish course, but put in some other stuff too. Some carbohydrates, the chef knows what we like."

"What would you like to drink?"

"I want this - says Yeonjun, pointing to the menu - two ... or three?" He asks the rest of the table.

"Make that two of those and a Brunello di Montalcino." Riki says, surprising me since it is an Italian wine and he even pronounced it right.

"I'll be right there." Says the waiter finally making a respectful bow before leaving the room, I stay staring in this direction for a long time.

"Have you ever tried it?" The japanese boy asks me.

I was sure it was a coincidence, but perhaps not. "What? The wine?"

"Yes."

"Why? Are you Italian?" Soobin then asks.

"Yes, it is." Yeonjun replies.

I glare at him. "I didn't even know it existed, however, I understood the name to be italian."

"I suspected so, since it costs two million won."

The blond boy, Soobin, glares at him. "Are you buying?"

"What cheap hyung." Riki mutters.

"They'll take a while, right? - Yeonjun suddenly asks, especially catching the attention of the other two. He picked up a pack of cigarettes, put one between his lips, and now looks at me. - I'm still not hungry... I should get some exercise?"

"Why don't you have a joint, t-then?" I wanted to sound tough, I wanted to sound stubborn and strong, but I ended up stuttering, making him laugh.

By now I can no longer misunderstand, I realized that everyone only thinks of one thing but deep down I don't even criticize them. When what's around you is beautiful, you want to appropriate it, you want to follow your instincts, and I understand that well since I find it really hard to resist these three, but...

Am I one of these things? In this life, can I simply be myself and not have to pay terrifying consequences?

I'm afraid not.

Yeonjun takes a long drag from his Marlboro Gold, then blows the smoke in my face. "Do you want to smoke?"

"No..." I sigh, but why do I keep answering him?

"Yah, don't smoke with the windows closed." Soobin moans and coughs, getting up from his chair.

I look at Niki, who is also looking at me. "What's up, noona?"

The blond man continues to approach, Yeonjun has also stood up, and they both come toward me. I get up too, backing away spontaneously, my body knows it's in danger.

"W-What are you doing?"

"In Italy you greet each other with kisses, don't you? - Laughs Yeonjun, who has already reached out and grabbed my wrist. - We didn't greet each other properly."

"Riki! - I call to him, as Soobin grabs my other wrist. - What are they doing? What do they want?"

"Just saying hello." He says, in an amused tone.

In the backpack my cell phone suddenly and providentially rings, and there are two possibilities: either it's Ester, or it's Heeseung. I should hope it's the latter, but in a way, as Yeonjun looks at me with thinned eyes and Soobin smiles sensually at me, maybe I hope it's Ester.

Riki gets up and without asking permission takes it, but doesn't look inside the bag. He sticks his hand in it until he finds it, but he shouldn't anyway.

"Star...boy? - He asks, amused. - Is that how he marked himself?"

"But who? The asshole?" Yeonjun also asks, laughing.

Soobin has suddenly placed his lips on my neck, tickling me, but I am forced to clench my thighs to put pressure on my pussy so as to stimulate it. I am horny and don't really react lucidly.

"Should I respond?" How the japanese amuses himself.

Even the little friend, the oldest of them all, is just amused. "No, we'll call him back in a while so he can hear."

It is a proposal, it's a very lucid plan. These-these guys are sadists, I feel like I'm inside a video game, it's like a confusing, random sea battle, with a good dose of stupidity.

Soobin licks my fucking earlobe, I'm shaking.

"Come on. Call me oppa."

"N.. - I try to say, but just then Yeonjun starts squeezing my nipple with his index finger and thumb, turning it, as if playing with it, my knees almost give out though. - Stop..."

"Shall I push him away?" Soobin whispers in my ear.

What is it with this guy today? I really find him irresistible.

"Yah! I'm even older, you can't do anything."

Soobin chuckles, then with his lips bites my neck as his hand slides between my thighs. "Ah...you're also wet...then it's not true that you don't want to."

Niki laughs, I want to kill him but I'm not lucid enough to focus on that as Soobin is using his fingers on my clit, while Yeonjun licks, bites, and sucks my nipples.

"Aish... noona, you are so shameless." Says Riki, hearing me panting because of these two.

How nice, I love the scent of their skin, their hair, I love how we have different touches...similar to Heeseung's and.... Sunghoon... maybe?

Soobin is actually a little more delicate, but thinking about it and that's how I imagine it is to do it in a normal way with Sunghoon. Elegant, irresistible.

"Y-You like whatc... ah! - I exclaim, when Soobin slipped a finger inside me, fuck...it's...I simply want more and more. - Watching.. w-while.. I being fucked?"

Oh fuck. Riki Nishimura, this gorgeous guy, he bites his lip in front of me and I feel like I'm losing control, especially after I see him touching his crotch, swollen, visibly swollen.

"And you like to have everyone use you? All the time?" He asks, as his cock becomes more and more evidently outlined.

Soobin laughs, Yeonjun too. "You are all... pigs."

"But you are the sluttiest." Says the older man, biting my ear.

I gasp as Soobin sticks his second finger in.

"Now I'm going to call Heeseung hyung. - Riki laughs, unbuttoning his jeans and pulling out something extraordinary, perhaps the most legendary creature ever spotted: an anaconda. - Talk to it, you can even tell it everything."

"R-R... Ri... - I can't speak, Soobin's hand vibrates like sex toys, I feel like I'm going crazy, and then Yeonjun is practically undressing me. - Ri...Riki.... no..."

"Noona - he says, moving closer. - You should understand me."

"N-No I don't understand you!"

"Let's make him despair a little since he likes you so much."

"He... - I gasp, already tired, I don't know how Soobin can maintain this pace without getting tired -- He..he doesn't...like me..." I say that my voice trembles unnaturally.

"Of course not - Riki replies - he only targeted you because Sunghoon likes you." He says this with such serenity.

"Really?" Yeonjun asks, breaking away from my skin.

"Yes, he has really lost his mind."

But what is he saying? He hasn't understood a thing. No...even if Heeseung is terrible, it can't be as he says, and it's not true that Sunghoon likes me, it's not true that he has lost his mind. It doesn't make sense, but I'm too involved.

"But... R...Riki..."

"But isn't Sunghoon dating Wonyoung? He seemed like a jerk but I didn't think so with girls too." Soobin asks, equally quiet as his hand automatically moves like a crank.

"Indeed it's strange." Admits the japanese man.

"We can still call him, though." Remember Yeonjun, what a bastard.

In my almost unconscious state, I didn't even notice that Niki has.... Niki beat all his hyung, for sure. His... dick.. is really long, big, he could grab it with both hands and it still wouldn't cover him.

It can't be that serious, I'm obviously dreaming.

These damn idols. Who designs them like this?

Niki picks up my phone, however he notices that has to enter the code and looks at me. I am still in the hands of these two who use me as they wish, while Yeonjun has lifted my shirt and now, favored by Soobin who has finally stopped his hand, pulls down my shorts skirt.

Fuck, I am completely naked, on my breasts and between my legs, in front of their ravenous eyes, the idiotic eyes of two horny men. I must be an idiot, too, because I damn well am one, too.

"Please Riki, don't call-ah! - I gasp, after Yeonjun sticks his head between my legs, starting to lick me really intensely. Oh my god. - Don't... Don't..."

"If you don't want him to find out - says the little bastard boy, masturbating shamelessly in front of me - don't moan."

I know, I'm a horrible person, he's just a little boy, and I shouldn't even have the thought to look at him, to watch his tense expression as he bites his lips, emitting small, guttural breaths of pleasure.

"What's the code?" He asks in concentration.

"N..I won't tell you!" I gasp, desperate, as my knees now give way in earnest because of Yeonjun, but they both hold me up so that I don't fall.

"You don't want me to tell them to go hard, do you?" He asks, smiling as he continues to touch himself. Jesus.

"Ri...ki... you said...t-that..."

"You should call him." Soobin proposes, as he kisses my neck and is so good at it.

"Maybe I should."

"N-No!" I try to say, again, but Yeonjun is eating me up, squeezing my buttocks to get closer to his face, and it seems really impossible for me to resist him now.

My humors are running down the sides of his mouth, he is not disgusted, in fact he continues with more eagerness. I can't help thinking about when Heeseung did it, the way Yeonjun touches me is very similar to his, but less aggressive.

And Soobin, too, who uses his lips to bite and kiss me, never coming close to my lips, can't help but remind me of Sunghoon, who wouldn't kiss me until the very end last night.

Riki smiles amusedly. "You're enjoying this so much, aren't you, noona? You make me feel jealous."

He says this as Yeonjun sticks his fingers in, continuing to lick. "A-Ah... Riki..." I call out to him, but I don't know what I want to say.

He looks at me in silence, then starts the call.

He puts it on speakerphone, brings it closer to me. Heeseung doesn't answer right away, he lets it ring three times as I try to compose myself terrified, but also unable to push Yeonjun away. No, I don't want to and should not point this out to him.

Maybe Niki is right, and he is faking it, but if not, knowing about Yeonjun and me would really hurt. I don't want to see him sad, even if he's just pretending to be sad.

"Where are you? - The older asks after taking the call.

Niki mumbles, it makes him laugh to look at me. He pulls the phone closer to me, I breathe as quietly as possible. - Yah, did you call me not to talk?"

Niki sneers but when he meets my gaze he seems to become strangely serious. "Hyung, why did you call Amanda? And why did you give her your number?" He asks him, continuing to touch himself.

"Does it concern you? Where is she?"

"Here, next to me." Says the younger.

Soobin chuckles, but fortunately Heeseung doesn't seem to notice. "Why doesn't she answer me? Put her on."

"Noona, Heeseung wants to talk to you." He says, as if nothing is wrong, bringing the cell phone closer to my mouth.

I bite my lips hard as Yeonjun uses his two fingers to make me enjoy more and more, I can't even move freely because Soobin is sucking my breasts, kneading them.

"Where are you?" Heeseung asks again, as I do not answer.

I breathe through my nose, but it's hard to contain the moans, it's hard to speak normally. "At...lunch..." I whisper, avoiding as much as possible to expose my real voice.

"Why are you talking so quietly? What's going on?"

"No ... it's just t..that ... - I bite my lip even harder, because Yeonjun has started sucking my clitoris and seriously, it's wonderful, but I can't do that to Heeseung, so I force myself. - It's all... good..."

"Where are you? Don't make me ask again."

"I don't know... - fuck, a really suspicious sigh comes out of me, he seems to notice since he remains voluntarily silent - what's its name..."

"Is Niki doing something to you? You had... You had said..."

"What had you said?" Niki then asks.

"No! N-No, isn't...anything!" I say this before plugging my mouth, with both hands, Yeonjun continues but Soobin has moved away to unbutton his jeans.

No, it can't end like this, not again. But I don't want Heeseung to hear either, I don't want him to know, no matter what.

(Wow... his dick is really impressive, too.)

"Really? Can you swear that Niki is not touching you now?" He asks, in the tone of someone who sounds really nervous.

"T-To swear!" I reply in a rush, after all, it's true.

Heeseung remains silent several seconds, then sighs. "When... when are you coming back?" His voice is different, it sounds like-he believed me.

Although I am literally losing consciousness because of Yeonjun, I still have an ounce of energy to be pleasantly surprised by his reaction. He... he believed me, even though I technically did not lie.

Niki pulls the phone away from me, looking annoyed. "I'm hanging up hyung, have a nice day." Then he ends the call while looking at me expressionless.

I look away. "Are you... - panting, tired - happy?"

"Not much - he snorts, watching as Soobin grabs my wrist to bring it closer to his arousal. - That's enough now, hyung."

"What?" Soobin asks surprised and also amused, he has already started using my hand to masturbate -- wow, that's really thick.

"You got it, that's enough now."

"But if I haven't even come." He answers very, very honestly.

Yeonjun doesn't give a shit, he keeps devouring me and I keep enjoying because of him. He seems to have found a taste for it.

The waiter who has been taking orders enters the room, along with a cart. He does not immediately notice what is going on at the edge of the room, but when he does, he is paralyzed.

"No knocking?" Soobin asks, visibly irritated, looking him seriously in the eyes as he pleasures himself with my hand in front of him.

"I-I apologize. It was not my...intention...I'm very sorry. I'll leave now!" He says, bowing.

Riki watches him in silence a few seconds, then smiles. "You're here now, finish your work."

This choice pleases the two boys very much, as while the young waiter is setting up the table, casting curious but also frightened glances at me, the two singers continue to blatantly harass me. Soobin uses my hand to enjoy, Yeonjun offers me his tongue to do the same, all while I just can't contain myself.

Even being watched and humiliated like this, I enjoy it. It's terrible.

"Noona stop moaning like that - says Riki, biting the corner of his mouth in amusement - you're getting the waiter hard too."

He changed his mind quickly, the little boy.

When the staff boy is done, he quickly heads for the exit but Soobin, who didn't seem to be focused on him at all since he keeps looking at me, groping me while physically forcing me to masturbate him, calls out to him.

"You're not going to say anything, right? - He asks him. - You're not even to look at her face, understand? That way you'll forget it right away."

"A-absolutely yes sir."

"Good, now get out. "

He executes and I see Riki observing his hyung quite surprised. "That's enough now, though."

"What?" Soobin asks again.

Yeonjun also pulls away this time and I feel like I can catch my breath. "What?" He also sidles up.

"It seems to me that noona has come enough." He says, as if it were a very normal speech.

"Wait, is that what you meant?"

Yeonjun wipes his mouth, covered in my humors. "No, I want to fuck her."

"Don't think about it." Sighs Riki, quietly moving closer to me and putting my clothes back on.

I feel like I'm about to collapse, to pass out. I am rehearsed by the intensity of the pleasure Yeonjun and partly Soobin have given me, but I am shocked, to say the least, by this unexpected turn of events. Niki..... no, Riki changed his mind.

Did he do it for me or for him? Certainly not for Heeseung. What if he saw this coming from the beginning? No, he couldn't have known things would turn out this way... he couldn't have done it for me. It's a strange thing to "give" to someone.

"What the fuck?" Complains Yeonjun, who has been kneeling until now and getting up has taken to stretching.

"Sorry noona, were they too rough?" He asks, in that deep voice of his.

I take a step toward him, unintentionally, but he opens his arms, as if he is giving me permission to access them and it appears to me as a solid wall to lean against, I am clearly flattered and shaken by this. I want to hug him but.... maybe I shouldn't.

"Are you tired? You can lean in." He tells me.

I swallow as I stare at him probably looking exhausted. "Don't be nice to me, Riki."

He twists his lips, as if considering what to say. "I will be because I want you to be nice to me."

Damn kid, your words... they make me feel good, and because of that, I feel terribly bad right after. Riki you are absurd, I just don't understand you, but even so... I seriously collapse in his arms.

He holds me, he's solid, but he doesn't hold me. To me, that's fine too. After all, it's already too much anyway.

"Why did you make them stop?" I ask with my face resting against his really wide, really hard chest.

"I didn't think it would bother me. Right now, though, I just want to fuck you alone. I want be the only see you, noona."

I flinch away, me speechless. "Riki!"

"Don't lie noona - he comes closer this time - I saw how you were looking it all the time, you can't wait to ride on it too, can you? - He touches my ear with his lips, I can hear his fucking giggle echoing in my fucking brain, while of course, the blood is pumping hard in my veins. - You were being enjoyed by two others, but you were only looking at my cock. You've never seen one like that have you?" He says this and then walks away, serenely.

"Y-You really are a pervert, you know that?" I look away embarrassed, how did I sustain him the whole time while he was saying those things?

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry, you just happened into the wrong dorm."

Yes, I noticed.

today is my birthday so i am giving you a present: post today and not tomorrow! hahahah sorry

more polling, although the same question... since we are further along in the story, i wonder how if the initial percentage has changed

the ending of the story is already decided, and i already have the plot for the next ff

NEXT CHAPTER:

#enhypen #enha smut #enhypen smut #kpop smut #enhypen heeseung #heeseung smut #niki smut #riki smut #nishimura riki #enhypen niki #ni-ki #yeonjun #soobin #txt #fanfiction smut #ff smut #yeonjun smut #soobin smut

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silviakundera · 7 months ago

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Does it feel like they're trying to redeem the dickless bore? idk if he's doing a con on her or they're showing he has real feelings for her wasn't the novel different?

One thing I'm really noticing in the Princess Royal (Grand Princess) adaption is that they will 'play it straight' with characters like Su Rongqing and the Emperor: giving the character similar dialogue and facial expressions as they would have in the novel -- except without PWX or LR's internal dialogue of 🙄 why u lying???

🙄 lol ok sure

😒 oh i see, back on your bullshit again

😤 the AUDACITY

😬 oh shit oh shit danger BE COOL

The consequence is that if you take everything at face value, the Emperor seems like a reasonable guy and not up for The Absolute Worst Dad award. Under the surface, the novel reader knows he is acting out a play and coldly calculating every interaction with Li Rong, the Crown Prince, and Consort Ruo. Every single scene with him, Li Rong is in peril and she knows it. She's pretending to be his sweet, obedient 19 year old daughter who believes in him and is following Pei Wenxuan's direction and acting as a puppet, making moves that he has already approved PWX to make. The Emperor's pretending that this play isn't supposed to end with LR and the Crown Prince taken down & the power transferred into Consort Ruo and the other prince's hands.

The viewer can just interpret all the words coming out of a character's mouth as facts & just believe everything they claim about their motives/real agenda as true. Or they recall the implied horrorshow of Life 1 and view all of these interactions with a cynical eye, questioning what else could be under the surface.

With SRQ, that guy is so fucking complicated. I think actually he's portrayed in character. Nothing we have seen isn't .... him. At least so far, as of ep 19 he aligns with the novel.

But 3 different factors: A) The music is romantizing him; B) The audience is given a couple internal-thought voice overs from him, which other antagonists don't get; C) With those voice-overs, the screenwriter has chosen to affirm his love for his brother and LR way earlier than the reader has it confirmed in the novel (where he is intentionally kept a total mystery for far longer, while the reader is the math lady meme, trying to piece together clues to figure him out).

And ultimately, when in SRQ's PoV in the drama, we have to deal with him being the hero of his own story. He is absolutely sincere about himself and, as has been revealed, in his own way he's sincere about wanting LR and his brother to have a good life this time around.

So does that mean the writer intends to do a swerve in the narrative arc and redeem him in the end? It's totally possible. Maybe?

However, not necessarily.

#1 There is a certain refrain from many of the great cnovel/drama villians: I had no choice! You all forced me to this!

We saw it from Shen Yurong in The Double, we saw it from Meng Yao/JGY in The Untamed, and in the novel (and I presume in the drama), we're gonna see it from Su Rongqing.

And it's the reason why they become villians who can't be saved. Because so many people suffer in life or experience unfairness. But they don't turn around and use this as an excuse to enact horrible cruelties on others.

Out of the billions of people in the world, few have no problems but so many of them actively chose to do good, or are willing at least to turn back and be better.

#2 imo the reason LR has historically been bad at reading people's hearts but has an exquisite read of SRQ, his flaws & darkness, is THAT'S HER FUCKING MOM. And I do think ep 16-18 put that out there in the text, if you're looking for it. He and the empress are the same sophisticated aristocrat who is clever & educated but with a narrow perspective limited by their privilege and desperate need to maintain the status quo. So sorry bro, but no wonder she might have settled for marrying you in the first life if you wanted to, but she was never gonna fall in love with you 💀.

PWX can see that SRQ loves her and he thinks that matters, so it scares him. LR has tender nostalgia for her empress mother and her former companion but she's all too aware that their love for her will not necessarily get in the way of stepping on her to protect the social structure of a powerful aristocracy class operating at a higher level above the peasants and restraining the throne. To them, this is safety and stability that guards the realm.

(ofc both those characters are complex and when it comes to LR's life & death we can't be confident on what they will always choose. that's part of what made all the palace drama aspects of the novel incredibly suspenseful. So many of the suppporting characters are layered and tho everything they do makes sense when it happens, you can't often predict people's hard choices when their back is up against the wall)

Story of Kunning Palace and The Grand Princess say that caring about people and trying your best to understand them, wanting what's best for them by listening to what's best for them, can make a huge difference. But not everyone is willing to change.

#silvia answers asks #cdrama #the grand princess #the princess royal #the princess royal spoilers #one of the fascinating aspects of the grand princess was #is that PWX is imo more consistently sympathetc to SRQ than LR is #because they both love her #and PWX can empathize with that #(btw if u enjoy the kind of narrative where characters frequently misrepresent their feelings and motives)#(like people frequently do in real life)#(and you have to pay attention to their actions and cross-check what they say against a pattern of what they do)#(then i recommend The Vampire Diaries)#(one of my fav aspects of that show)

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hauntingthenarrativepod · 10 days ago

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Begging the question

After our economics episodes, multiple people (3) have begged for (expressed mild interest in) an explanation of how to actually use the expression "begging the question" correctly. As the pod's no.1 pedant (to be fair to me, I have some stiff competition), I/Máiréad am delighted to have an excuse to word vomit at length about an obscure concept.

Lemme start by saying, yes yes, misuse makes use, meaning shifts over time and "begging the question" has been used as a synonym for "raising the question" for so long that it doesn't matter if people use it "wrong". This is true, but a) I'm a pedant and b) understanding how meaning shifts over time gives us a window into how people in the past thought and conceptualised the world. This is important, because it prevents us from assuming that everyone in the past had the same standards and norms as ourselves, and thus that anyone who believed something different from what is generally believed now was simply backwards and ignorant. The history of words = the history of meaning = the history of thought. Understanding the history of thought teaches us that ideas have consequences. What may seem like arcane BS dreamed up by some ivory tower academic one hundred years ago is actually something that influences the daily lives of billions of people. So basically, I like to question people about the way they use words because I like to push people to reflect on how they think, and why. And c) have I mentioned that I'm a pedant?

Anyway, here goes with the actual answer: "begging the question" is an informal logical fallacy whereby someone makes an argument in which the premise rests on the assumption that their conclusion is true. Essentially, they're saying, "well, if A is true, then A is true." Which is not internally inconsistent (the main point of logical debate is to identify internal inconsistencies. An argument that contradicts itself cannot be true), hence it being an informal rather than a formal fallacy, but it is not really proving it either.

So how did something as obvious as a circular argument end up with a bizarre name like begging the question? Well, that's actually a bit hard to work out. The "beg" part is clear enough. The "question" part is harder (to me at least). The problem seems to be a cascading history of bad translations. So. Let's start with the original term: like most concepts relating to logic/the art of rhetoric, the idea of "begging the question" stems from the Ancient Greeks. Aristotle mentioned this type of fallacy when describing a certain form of logical debate known as dialectics. In these debates, the speaker undertakes to defend a certain proposition - the proposition is your starting point for the argument. Aristotle called it "the initial thing". The speaker's opponent makes them defend their initial proposition by asking yes or no questions until the speaker contradicts themselves. In an argument of this type, you can't simply ask "is the [the initial thing] true"? That's not a proper argument: the speaker will simply say "yes", and then you are no closer to identifying an inconsistency.

But then Aristotle's Greek phrase (ἐν ἀρχῇ αἰτεῖν) got translated into Latin, and the conventional Latin translation was: petitio principii. And apparently (I know nothing about Latin), this is a bit ambiguous. Petitio could mean "to assume" or "postulate" or it could mean "to ask" or "beseech/beg for". Principii means beginning or basis - i.e. the initial thing, the point you started from, or the thing in question. And then in the 16th century, the use of vernacular English in formal contexts became more common (presumably a reformation side effect? Total guess, no one quote me on that), and some of the translations were a bit dodgy - or perhaps it's more that the words used to mean different things. "Beg" apparently could have the meaning of "assume without warrant/justification". "Question" was not a straightforward synonym for "enquiry for information". It could also be the basis of a problem, or a subject or proposal for a debate. You could see, given those differences, how a Latin phrase that could be interpreted as "beg for the initial proposition" could come to be known as "begging the question".

Honestly, having really dug into the topic, it's more complex than I thought and I'm not sure I explained it right! I relied heavily on this blog post for my explanation, so try that if you're still unsatisfied.

Anyway, as they say in French, we'll all go to bed less stupid tonight.

#this got agonisingly long #htnpodcast #lockwood & co #begging the question #we're channeling George in the chat today ladies

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silvermoon424 · 1 month ago

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As an American, I don't blame you for feeling this way. How can anyone in this country be this stupid over WHAT's going on? Are they seriously brainwashed or something?

It really is all by design. Americans are brainwashed from birth by our shitty education system and equally shitty media ecosystem. I do have sympathy for a lot of these people, because the brainwashing is so extensive and I used to be in their shoes.

I've talked about this a lot on here before, but I used to be pretty conservative- the byproduct of growing up Catholic and upper middle class in a red state. I didn't start deconstructing my worldview until I went to college and later joined the workforce. A quality education + being exposed to the bottomless horror that is American work culture radicalized me.

But it's fucking hard to change your entire worldview, especially the one you were raised with. It took me years to get where I am today, and it was very uncomfortable a lot of the time. I think a lot of people don't want to confront all the cognitive dissonance they've been ignoring, and they don't want to acknowledge that the beliefs they hold are harmful. Nobody wants to be the villain, we all think of ourselves as good people and are willing to do Olympic-level mental gymnastics to keep telling ourselves that

I'm not excusing these people for being ignorant and hateful btw, because at a certain point you need to be a fucking adult and take the time to educate yourself. But it's also extremely important to acknowledge how stacked things are against us; billions of dollars are pumped into the propaganda machine to keep people ignorant and apathetic, which is what the 1% want.

#asks #tomboyjessie13 #rant #us politics #politics

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daughter-of-prospero · 2 years ago

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Jonah Rant

Someone on Youtube reminded me that I rage-typed an essay-length tirade about Jonah Magnus and his status as a certified Bastard Man right after the finale. They asked if there was a chance they could see it, which was a good question because did I even still have it? Turns out: Yes! It’s evidently been chilling in Onedrive for ~2 years. So for those who wish, my thoughts regarding that awful little man are below.

Spoilers for The Magnus Archives.

I went into the finale fully ready to not hear from Jonah again. I thought ‘oh, cosmic horror, as important as he thinks he is, he’s inconsequential and John just zaps him with eye lasers or something’. I didn’t want it per se, but I thought it was plausible.

But no. Oh no. Jonah Magnus speaks again, and he hasn’t been around for all of season 5. We heard him on a recording and we heard him chanting in the background and also all distorted in a job interview flashback, but there has been no actual uncompelled words being spoken by Jonah Magnus in real time since 159.

Yes he wrote the incantation but, rather crucially, he did not read it.

I binged TMA right as it got up to the season 4 finale. I got through season 1 in one day, and season 2 the next, and then got through three and four in the days after that. I caught up just in time for 160 to drop.

So I, foolish, naïve baby that I was, had over a year to forget what this character actually sounded like, and just how much of a slimy, insufferable fucker Jonah Magnus is. Was. Bitch.

I’ve gone into this elsewhere so I won’t belabor it but one of the reasons I’m so viscerally miffed by him is because of every human character in this podcast, he is the only one that is never shown sympathetically. I’m not counting Nikola Orsinov, or NotThems, or other manifestations of the Entities. I mean of the human, or avatar-human characters he is the least grey. Morality in this show is complex and tough to think about in my brain and one of the great ways it does this is through having really layered characters with motivations that are, at least a little, understandable. Jude Perry was a violent, sadistic lady...she was also devoted to Agnes and in some ways I think you could argue they were each other’s only links to humanity until what’s-his-name came along. Coffee shop Himbo guy. Peter Lukas is a misanthrope to the max who will send people into a nether realm if they so much as look at him wrong – which is to say, look at him at all. He was also raised to know nothing but loneliness, and pursuing it was kind of the only way he ever got some sort of approval. Which also manifested as more distance.

We get these little nuggets of what brought a villain where they are now, and we certainly don’t have to excuse them, but we have some context. We have some understanding that there is humanity in there, and that understanding makes them all the more unsettling.

Not fuckin’ Jonah.

What do we know about him? He’s a couple centuries old. Great. He found out about the powers, was drawn to the eye, and decided to start body-hopping to cheat death. He’s been doing this for ages. He tried a ritual and it failed. He took his time then, plotting and planning, and being smug, and finally arriving at a hypothesis that had a lot of credence to it. Everything fell into place, he was right, its all or nothing with the entities but the Eye rules because it opened the door (or WHATEVER).

So his big motivator is he doesn’t want to die.

And you know what, this is super understandable. We don’t know what his childhood was like (Jesus, can you imagine him in a little powder wig, climbing a tree to get a high vantage point to spy on people and get blackmail on them?), but fear of death is almost universal.

And of all the billions of people on this planet, I cannot help but notice that we are not thwarting narcissistic necromancers every fifteen minutes. Because the world would have fucking exploded a long, long time ago if we had more Jonahs in it. i.e. the people who would make aggressive selfishness a full-time occupation.

There’s a sort of cocktail of shit that makes him a memorable baddie not the least of which is that he never even attempts to justify his abhorrent actions. He’s not lying to himself, or anyone else, he’s not serving a cult, or a bunch of worms. He’s in it for himself, and if he has to stack the corpses of every living thing on the planet to reach immortality he’ll fucking do it without hesitation. Couple that with his manipulations, his merciless psychological torture, and a low, smooth voice that is always so infuriatingly composed and you have a Hell of a villain.

(I maintain that one of the reasons he’s so effective is that he enunciates so carefully. He doesn’t run words together, or mumble, he never really raises his voice, he is always in control, and everything is a flex right down to the articulation. I feel like we associate crisp, clear speech with formality, presidential addresses, or theater, things like that. Where you know what you are going to say and so the recitation is more confident. We hear this happen in statements, to a certain extent, but there’s still a lot of emotional range. For 199 episodes we never heard Jonah lose this pointed, smarmy tone. People don’t talk so formally in life, or when they’re talking on the podcast. There is something unsettling and intimidating about hearing such clear and confident speech all the time. It sounds like he knows exactly what to say in any situation. It sounds like he is utterly confident in every word that leaves his mouth. It sounds like he’s in a scene and no one else got the script but him. Because that is kinda what’s going on. At the very least, he thinks that’s what’s going on)

When he drops from wherever he’s suspended in the panopticon, he, you know, sort of makes a noise because that’s gotta be jarring. And we for once, for once, for fucking ONCE hear him even vaguely uncertain. And stupido io, I thought he was finally brought low and we might get a tantrum or something.

But no. Jonah Magnus has a lot of lost time to make up for, it’s been 20 eps since he’s been able to serenade everyone with his unique brand of horny arrogance. This motherfucker has exactly a millisecond of confusion and grogginess before “I was having the most...wonderful dream”. You can hear him edging.

And he’s kiiiiind of surprised to see John by himself with a knife, but still, so blasé, so, ‘oh, is that all?’ He’s a liiiiitle regretful to hear it’s over, but immediately heads into waxing rhapsodic about seeing a thousand lifetimes and the rapture of infinite sight and suffering and other Hellraiser shit when John speaks for all of us and tells him to shut up. Yet another reason to respect him.

And John has a lovely little catharsis where he gets to tell this orchestrator of his despair that Jonah has failed because the Things that Jonah is so devoted to will die a slow death. How long has he been waiting to say that, do you think? I mean at this point there’s nothing that could do what he’s probably feeling justice but he says it himself he gets some satisfaction from “knowing that I’ll be leaving these things that you serve trapped and starving in their own private hell.”

And all Jonah has to say is: “That we serve.” To the bitter, bitter end he is determined to just...okay I was gonna say twist the knife but that seems a bit tasteless now...determined to cause even more hurt. He cannot resist, it’s kind of all he knows. He is at the edge of a cliff and taunting the person that’s about to push him off of it.

And if you ever need a posterchild for ‘hubris’ just pull up a sound clip of Jonah Magnus. He tries to play the old ‘alright, playtime’s over,’ card, brushing the dust and what-the-fuck-ever else off his suit and manipulate John again. He has the...not even audacity, he’s looped back around from being semi-omniscient, to being so confident in that omniscience he thinks he knows everything and therefore acts way more stupidly than someone without that surety. He is enough of a dipshit to try and say to John “we both know you don’t have it in you”.

Motherfucker, what have you been doing for this entire season? What have you been doing this entire show? You have purposefully created someone who has withstood the brunt of every entity and come out more or less intact. You purposefully guided him into honing his powers, and put him in a position where he has nothing to lose. Well, Martin, but Jonah can’t do anything about that. Not anymore. Because the one person who can protect Martin is coincidentally the same person who can, will, and reeeeeally wants to Kill Jonah.

“King of a ruined world and I shall never die” my ass. King? Really? You were a placeholder, my dude. The Eye didn’t give a fuck that you were at the top of the panopticon and it didn’t give a fuck when John pulled you out of it. You said it yourself, dipshit. You might have started the archives, but John IS the archives. He is the only person more powerful than Jonah and Jonah, of all people, should know this. Especially considering you could presumably see John cutting through the domains, dishing out biblical vengeance, on a warpath for your tower.

So of course, he decides to antagonize John even more if that is even possible by telling him they both know he can’t do it.

And John fucking punches him and it’s great. Extended sounds of brutal ass whooping, please and thank you.

And then we get one of two lines that sums up Jonah Magnus for me.

“P-please John, I don’t want to die”.

This guy. Who dedicated his several lives to ruling the world and feeding on everyone else’s pain. Who has committed atrocities that numerous to count and too horrible to name. Who is being confronted by the direct target of his machinations and who, I think it’s safe to say, hates him more than anyone or anything else in existence. Has the absolute fucking nerve to go “but I’m scared :(”

When he went ‘I don’t want to die’ I actually said to literally no one because I was alone in my room “HA, Fuck you.”

John puts it a bit more eloquently. “Neither did they”. Beautiful. And then he’s gutted like the repulsive little fish he is.

The second line that sums up this insufferable megalomaniac is a little earlier. It’s casual, neither of them makes a point of it. Maybe because it’s a little redundant. “Empathy only holds you back in the end”.

I don’t want to die, and Empathy only holds you back in the end.

I mean, that’s the thesis statement of the shit-eating essay that is Jonah Magnus.

He’s so far beyond regret, or anything that isn’t 100% self-motivated he cannot perceive that perhaps John will have maybe, I don’t know, changed a bit. Gotten used to horror. Killed. He cannot fathom anything outside the tower as more than a food source. He is so used to seeing people as pawns he dies not actually understanding why John killed him. “Good luck” are his last lines.

First of all, the direction is ‘wetly’ and on the one hand I know what that means, but on the other, I cannot think of a more fitting adjective to end on with this guy.

Second of all, the ambiguity of how sincere he is or isn’t being is enraging, and so classic and I hate him, which is to say fucking excellent job of writing and acting both.

He goes to his grave thinking John’s making a power grab. He cannot conceive of any other reason for John doing what he’s doing. They’re opposite ends of the spectrum. One who can think of no one but himself, and one who will sacrifice himself because he’s thinking of everyone else. You know how matter can’t be created or destroyed? I think guilt might be the same way. And Jonah found a handy receptacle for all the guilt he doesn’t have time for and that receptacle is named Jonathan Sims head Archivist of The Magnus Institute.

What a good villain. What an infuriatingly mellifluous bitch. The thinks he’s King of the World, he thinks he’s going to get such special treatment, he thinks consequences apply to everyone but him, he thinks this is a game he can win when he doesn’t even know what the fuck he’s playing.

As much as he looked at John and went “perfect, an insecure idiot”, the Web looked at him and went “perfect, a pompous ass”. He wanted to live forever, but now he’s dead. And he doesn’t even get to live on in memory. No one knew he was up there. No one remembered Elias, let alone Jonah. You think Georgie, Melanie, Rosie, and Basira are going to tell the world about him? What would be the point?

Congratulations, Jonah. You tried to ensure your immortality and ended up ensuring that you died both literally and figuratively. Before it got yeeted into another dimension The End must have had a fucking Field Day the second his heart stopped beating.

What a bastard. What an unfathomable bastard. Like he really thought this would all work out for him, that he was the most Important Thing in the world when, at best, at best he was a glorified fucking contact lens.

Ass.

#The Magnus Archives #TMA #Rusty Quill #RQ #Jonathan Sims #Jonah Magnus #Rant #The Eye #TMA spoilers

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megabuild · 1 year ago

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what is aoyuer? is that an acronym for something?

okay so i meant to make a big doc explaining what aoyuer is like months ago but then i started working on different projects and put it on the back burner.. and then i got ill and now i don't have much time to work on stuff at all. but not having the doc sucks and means anything i ever say about it is very confusing. so i'm so sorry anon for using your ask as an excuse to just dump as much aoyuer lore as i can without reasonably spoiling it but also thanks for reminding me that i have a lot of followers here who have never heard of it. a sobering thought

tldr; aoyuer (as of yet untitled empires rewrite) (sorry bree) is my au rewrite of empires smp that aims to connect seasons 1 and 2 as well as after life, new life, and a bunch more inbetween, with a major focus on pixlriffs' story. it also ties up a lot of loose ends and is generally darker and more adult-aimed than the original series. technically that's all you need to know but here's the no spoilers plot rundown for those interested

so aoyuer is built up of ~7 arcs but only 4 of them are like Super important

arc 0: this is just afterlife smp and a ton of early worldbuilding, the crash of the great stags, etc; what's most important from this is that oli exists and has for thousands of years, probably

arc 1: empires season 1! set in the 1500s, the world is going through a sort of renaissance period with massive technological advancements. pixlriffs the copper king (cprk) is working a boring little library job and spending most of his time kicking himself and being mad he hasn't done anything with his life (he is only like 30 but the idea of feeling old and unaccomplished even when you're young is a major theme for arc 1). enter fwhip! who is his annoying ex-roommate ex-bestie ex-boyfriend from university that left him on pretty bad terms. he has a way more accomplished job and as part of that he has been allowed to head The Empires Project which is a major journey intended to further some distant colonies while also investigating the land they're on. the land has some weiiird properties which fwhip thinks could be harnessed to create functional immortality (which was the subject of pix's thesis). he wants pix to come with him and investigate. pix feels weird about it but agrees to come along and be the "emperor" for the desert colony while he does his research... and then things get fucked up and scary! its a high fantasy that switches between a metaphorical dissection of their horrid will they won't they relationship and both of their issues aaand a more Literal dissection of the land and things living in it. including people and animals. at times. and also involves pix accidentally awakening a curse for a billion million years which sets the rest of aoyuer in motion.

arc 1.5 is sort of Not important but iwlike it a lot. there's not much to be said for it without major spoilers but it's set a little bit after arc 1 and comprises of fwhip being very upset about how his stupid project fell apart and trying to write up an Official Report on why everything fell apart while also coming to terms with him being the worst guy to ever have lived or something. much of aoyuer is like thinly veiled metaphors for mental illness but this one is just about mental illness

arc 2 sends us years forward into season 2 in the 1800s and our protagonist is professor pixelle riffs, lorekeeper (lrkp) who leaves his job as an archaeology lecturer to go and study the ancient capital and The Machiiine. because the machine set up WAY too much cool stuff to just ignore. sculk infection/possession is a big part of this arc. however while he's doing all this he meets oli! remember him? who has crash landed in S2 (basically the same way he did in canon) and is now regularly butting heads with pix. they eventually become friends and then umm something more :3 a lot of this remains the same as canon except the sculk arc gets a proper conclusion and ties into the ghost stuff. it ends with oli's finale where he still fakes his death (the goblin stuff is going to be changed but it's up in the air right now) and pix is devastated but pretty certain there's something not quite right so he picks greggory up and goes off in search of his lame ass boyfriend.

arc 2.5 actually takes place mid arc 2 because it's the hermpires crossover, which is less different dimensions and more different times (hermitcraft is our present and the rift facilitates time travel). when pixelle the archaeologist steps through the rift it causes serious time fuckery and so he sort of gets. forcefully ejected from his body and becomes a ghost possessing pixl riffs of the hermitcraft recap (rcp) who stumbles out of the rift very tired and very confused! there's a lot of fun mistaken identity stuff between him and oli and this is generally the most like. comedic and casual of the arcs though it still has some sweet moments.

arc 3 is just new life smp. where pixelle finally ends up in nl, finds that his lame ass boyfriend is still alive, and has relationship drama with him Except on top of that the land that new life is set on has similar properties to the land from arc 1 (functional immortality except it has some different effects, aka. going through drastic physical changes every time you "die") and so pixelle starts investigating that and maybe finds out that his whole life and his ancestors and descendants lives might be caught up in a time loop because of the copper king. forever and ever. this hasn't got much for it because i was going to work from new life canon as a base but then both pix and oli stopped playing on it LMFOHALDH but anyway.

aaand arc 4! final arc! which is set in the present right after pixl (the recap one) returns home from the hermitpires crossover. except the weird ghost voice of his ancestor in his head.. isn't going away? or rather its been replaced by a different one who is sending him on The Heros Journey. along with zloy and lyarrah and modern fwhip. this is basically the long awaited Conclusion to the curse that the copper king put in place and a lot of bullshit happens that icant really explain but it ties up all the loose ends and is generally just pix consistently having the worst time. hes the only pix who goes through hell without bringing it upon himself like he was just born.

and um. that's aoyuer! obviously there's more for all the arcs and i am happy to answer Basically any questions even though i get a little nervous sharing stuff about it because im shy. But iwhope thag explains at least a bit for everyone. My dream is to write this all into various fanfics but that looks kinda unlikely rn but it means a lot to me and you can kinda safely assume if I'm ever talking about or drawing empires there's a 99% chance it's actually aoyuer because I forget canon exists .AOYUER WORLDWIDE

#anon #asks #aoyuer

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not-goldy · 1 year ago

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https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nationalheraldindia.com/amp/story/international/skorean-cabinet-passes-bills-to-allow-single-people-to-adopt

Simple

It's only been 1 yr since this new ammendment. And it's gonna be even easier in 10- 15 years as single parent system is increasing rapidly because most korean woman wants to get married/get pregnant and birth rate is declining. So if he wants kids while also being with JK.. all he wants to do is adopt a baby while being single dad officially. He satisfies all official criteria as of now.. he got money and influence which makes legal processes easier and makes him 10x privileged than average single parent.

Do you all really think Jikook 'luckily' won that lottery system to enlist together? Be fr. They might have started the procedures in August but I bet they didn't had to go through 'computer lottery selection'.. they got power, they got money, they got influence, they are governments fav child who they want to finish service fast and start milking, they will be promoted two times faster than average soldier, they will be appointed as head roles in their camps, they will be allowed for companion enlistment if they applied for that, THEY ARE BTS... ONE OF THE PROMINENT PEOPLE IN SK. If SK government approved a Korean queer couple to enlist together and turned a blind eye towards all those protests against it... they don't mind Park Jimin adopting a baby while being in a relationship with Jeon Jungkook. All they want is a official record signing Park Jimin is a single parent, just to make legal sides clear... with whom he's raising that kid is not their concern.

Yea I'm done with them.

They know and admit Jikook have privilege and power but fail to see how and where that privilege and power works in their favor.

Personally I don't want them to just adopt, although any child they adopt would be so lucky- and my goodness would it be nice if they adopt children of different races😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I will uproot my life and volunteer as nanny with no pay for the rest of my life. I will take care of them kids like they are the most precious beings on this earth🥺

I do want to see their own biological kids too you know?

A Mini Min with his father's eyes and lips and if they turn out even more androgynous with big booty then what😩

Also they will be so loved by us BTS and their kids🥺

One wrote in and said, well single father has nothing to do with Jungkook. They think JM would have to cut Jungkook out of his life at some point in order to live a traditional life.

They are very very highly ignorant if that's what they think. Jungkook will forever be a part of JMs life unless they fall out of love at some point- and even then they would be very good friends too.

Like I said it's his choice and he certainly has options if all that is in his way is institutionalized homophobia.

They came up with a travel documentary as an excuse to go on a trip together before serving they can certainly come up with a billion other creative ways to enjoy a fulfilling life together.

If not, then all the more reason for them to enjoy it while it last. What is it JK says, make hay while the sun shine.

Two years ago I almost broke up with my girl for good because of these uncertainties. I knew I didn't want children, didn't even consider let alone desire marriage because coming from a very conservative Christian black home, that's not an option to marry a woman. You can't be gay and you can't be unmarried and childless. And for me, those who know think it's some sort of phase I will outgrow once I'm faced with reality.

So while I am this way, hiding the truth of what I am from people in my life, openly living in my truth when I'm away from my family- I'm learning to stand up to them. To confront them with my truths without shame and with confidence.

I'm not hiding anymore- may be a little. Lol. But I'm not making excuses anymore. I'm not telling them, I'm still young I'll worry about that latter. I'm not saying, she's just a good friend. That the rumors are false. That I'm waiting for the right one, that I haven't found the right man- I'm not saying all that anymore.

I may not able to tell it as it is but I'm telling exactly what it is not.

No I don't want a wedding but yes I do want life long commitment and I want legal rights with it dammit

I want consistent immutable inalienable rights and that is more important to me than having kids getting married and all that other stuff.

I want to be able to live my life in peace and not worry about changing laws that give one minute and take away the next.

I want freedom. I want paradise.

and may be one day I'll want children may be I won't.

I want what I want and I don't want what I don't want. I'm manifesting for myself through positive affirmations.

Nothing is as black and white as they make it seem.

And I'm cautious in this discourse because some have committed suicide rather than "face reality" or choose to conform to these societal standards they are perpetuating and wielding over jikook's heads.

They are perpetuating the very thing oppressing us and the very thing we spend most of our lives fighting.

They are not saying if Jikook are gay this system would be a challenge for them as it has been for others, they are saying this is the system and Jikook have no right to go against it. This is the system, they must conform to the status quo as many queer men have and they will.

There's something oppresive, sinister and disturbing about that to me. The lengths they will sink to to invalidate Jikook is crazy.

On the flip side, pointing out Jikook's privileges too too much also alienates them and puts a target on their backs as we might make it look as if they would not have to face all the many real struggles others face due to their sexual orientation in SK. It's a lose lose situation however you look at it.

It's their life their choice and whatever they choose to do is very valid. I'm sorry to Jikook they have to deal with this and I pray things get better in SK over time as you have rightfully pointed out.

I stand with Jikook and every queer person in that system. Things are a bit better today compared to years ago but boy are they living in the vip region of hell.

And Bang PD's advice to that artist about the challenges he would face if he chooses to live his truth and wear heels will always give me comfort especially the fact he was willing to help him make it work in his career in spite of the odds against him

I know, there are people close to jikook with the same mentality. They know the "reality" and situation on the ground, they empathize with them, are willing to direct them on how to make it work if they choose this path and so they don't feel isolated.

Please help me support Jikook okay? Stay with them to the end, pray for them love them fight for them.

The challenges they face, I wish I could say it's all just fiction, it's real, it's dangerous, it's traumatizing, the mental turmoil alone is

Sigh.

Support Jikook. Jikook is real.

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phantomram-b00 · 1 year ago

Text

You know, as much as I would love to talk more about ineffable husband/wives/partner/idiots or aziraphale and Crowley. I do want to talk about something that involves God for once. (While stilllll giving me an excuse to talk more about Aziraphale and Crowley 🤭🤭) so spoiler warning ahead:

So, we know God. she’s kinda the focal point of the story, the footprint that everyone goes back to if you will even though we don’t really see what they look like. Sure you can say Metatron is the voice for God as stated in episode 4, season 1 “Saturday Morning Funtime”. So him plus the archangel in a sense speak for God and do whatever bidding she gives them without question, well exactly for Aziraphale and a Crowley; and everyone is quite ready to just shun them just for not complying with the norm. well I saw a post where it said that God isn’t cruel or unjust but rather put all including her most trusted archangels on a test. So I want to add on to their post as I do agree with their statement; it is evident all the way back in episode 1 where she described the whole baby swapping in the metaphor of cards; so I feel the statement is not far off. What I want to add on is, “what if, God intended Aziraphale and Crowley to be nonconformist the true champions that can truly save the world and are soulmates.”

Now, I’ve made a hefty post about Aziraphale as how he’s an outsider to his own side despite his effort is masking his true identity and beliefs. Though I didn’t touch on Crowley, so let’s change that: Crowley was a follower before he became his own leader. What do I mean? Well when we see Season 2, Episode 1, we are confirmed that Aziraphale and Crowley did met way before the Garden of Eden; and one of the first thing we do see if just how joyous Crowley is at his work with the stars. He’s cutely proud of his work that is until Aziraphale breaks the news to him and you see his walks breaking, he is absolutely devastated that his work is basically for nothing and while Aziraphale try to cheer him up, you can also tell this was the start of Crowley’s conscience that would lead to him falling. Now granted, we don’t exactly know why he fell, we going for implications which would most likely be him asking question. And one thing I did mention when talking about Aziraphale is that Heaven think any question regarding the almighty’s plan is treasonous, making you in their word a “traitor”. But what we can get from the implication of the fall is that if it wasn’t for Aziraphale, his conscience wouldn’t have even invented which is a parallel with the garden of eden as Crowley was the reason for Aziraphale’s conscience to be formed as when we get to after that he lied about the sword. I do think this can’t be coincidental, seem like it was dated all along me thinks 🤔

Now, I bring this up, because since we talking about the almighty themself, it could possible be that she wanted this to happen. I mean, if we look at all from season 1 as a whole; we see that all the angels and demons are quiet literally ready to destroy what they created. Eagerly reading to draw their swords or magic to fight; which is really bizarre how after all those years they’re blasé about the apocalypse. Now I’m sure everyone know the ending that the world got saved and they got punished for it; but not by God or even Satan. They’re punished by people of their own side. Which got me analyzing this show for the billion time: don’t you think that God would’ve punish them themself if she was truly serious about this plan to end the world? Or really, since the angels will do it no question asked wouldn’t she have made the ineffable husband/wives/spouse/partner/morons duo more compliant rather than having consciences? Now granted, it can very well be that she did authorize the punishment, I really won’t be surprised as this is the same heaven that gamble Job’s kids just to see if he still righteous. However, my point still stands, if they really wanted to kill earth or even her own creation she could’ve but she didn’t, she wanted this outcome to happen, she wanted to see how this will play out, this is her playing cards and seeing what strategy they’ll use and she got her answer.

Which let me mention when Aziraphale lied really quickly before I get to Job; now, Aziraphale’s lies is an equivalent of glass, you can see right through that he was lying to God and she most likely knows it too. Now I’m not going to say they would’ve smite Aziraphale for it no, that would’ve been over the top, but I felt she couldn’t scolded him like any archangels would’ve but she just did this:

Now, one thing about the almighty is that, they’re all knowing. So her just accepting that; is a bit fishy innit of itself. Especially when it come to a flaming sword at that, which is her taking an interest in Aziraphale’s story, as He’s the only who isn’t rigid or compliant no matter how much he tried to hide it. It only the archangels and Metatron who are judging and ridiculing him for it. Hell Metatron calls Muriel Dim, (which me and Metatron are gonna fight, no one called them dim, they’re angelic), the angels/Metatron are using their status and the fact they work closely with God to “regulate” the things. But the one thing that if you will, raise my eyebrows is that; we never hear what the Almighty have to say about this, even within her narration in season one, not once she would say anything regarding with Aziraphale and/or Crowley’s decision with apocalypse. This is all in a sense her writing their story and see whatever material Azirphale, Crowley and all her angels can handle; just so happen the way Crowley and Aziraphale are handling their material is what capture God’s eye.

Now to talk about the Job episode, yes. The almighty did make a bet with Satan to see if Job is as righteous as he is, by slaughtering everything and everyone but his wife. Because I guess just giving him a task to prove it was a snooze feast. Now, we did see Crowley killing the goat; until they were just birds. Same with the fact that Crowley turn the Kid into geckos instead of killing them. Now, we did see God talk to Job about whales and ostriches (which if that isn’t every single Bible story ever, I don’t know what is) but I feel given that at the end of the story of job, we see the kids come right back again…wouldn’t you think she would’ve intervened? Considering the kids aren’t dead, even the archangels have suspicions if it wasn’t for Aziraphale lying. Not to mention that, wouldn’t she have intervened when Crowley tempted Aziraphale to eat and they talk about the sides? Oh and let me remind y’all from the post when Aziraphale had a breakdown about falling, wouldn’t she had made Aziraphale become a fallen Angel for trying to save children? But she didn’t, she didn’t make aziraphale fall, she didn’t do anything regarding with the change they both did. While sure, the Almighty does win the bet since Job’s still righteous. But she also got to see the ineffable duo developing as they got their heart to heart with each other.

Which going into season 2, we got to the aftermath of season 1, we see that they relatively left the duo “alone” (by alone I mean they straight up abandoned Aziraphale while Shax actually check in on Crowley to exchanged what going on and beelzebub asked for Crowley help when it came to Gabriel). So it kinda hard to speak as this is now just the duos story with no narration, so, I like to think that just maybe, this is God’s taking a backseat and watching the show with us. She is watching the aftermath from season 1; maybe to see how their doing perhaps? Or to see what they’ll do now as there is going to be a sequel to armageddon, which mean we might see Jesus and most likely we going to see God/Satan make their grand appearance and I can’t wait to see that, it going to be insane. But let talk about that sequel.

So I mentioned about the ineffable plan that seem to be a niche to the story, it the one thing people bring up when talking about armageddon and it’s sequel. But, what if I tell you guys that the ineffable plans wasn’t armageddon? And that, the true ineffable plan is for Aziraphale/Crowley to save Heaven, Earth, and Hell?

“But Phantom don’t be silly, how can it be if the world almost ended in season 1?” And you’re right, she did almost let the world to die but Aziraphale,Crowley and Adam stop that from happening as Adam call out his deadbeat ex-dad. But, also as I mention, don’t you think she would’ve intervene and not let their lot speak for her? She could’ve easily visited Aziraphale like she did back at the garden of Eden to tell him to stop his shit or visited Crowley to stop his shit, but again she didn’t, and as the post say the almighty want to see justice to be done, she want to see who would protect the sacred creations she work so hard for for her people. She want to see what just who would “dare” to save everything even if it mean to doubt her plan, so maybe she calls armageddon the ineffable plan to cover up what the true ineffable plan is: to save all in the name of justice. And while the archangel listen and is willing to go through the “ineffable plan”; Aziraphale and Crowley are indirectly completing the true ineffable plan, her two creation whom are the only one with conscience are doing what a true angels/hero should do: protect and defend. And they are definitely going to be rewarded and recognize for saving humanity and listening to their heart rather than complying just because “it is what it is”.

Now the soulmates part, look I know season 2 had us all in tears. Trust me. I’ve been crying since the beginning of august because of it. I’ve been reading fanfic to cope. But I’m telling you, it not a divorce, because you know what, I have a feeling the almighty ships these two morons as much as the next person. Because, she had plenty of times to smite them or if you will, punish them. She have that power to do so, she did it with Adam and Eve; she has it in them, but she didn’t. And I think, this was what is meant to be, Aziraphale was meant to meet Crowley (or whatever his angelic name was suppose to be), he was meant to meet him again in garden of Eden, he was meant to befriend Crowley, to spend six thousand years with him and fall in love with him just as it was meant for Crowley to protect, to talk to him and love him in return. While yes, they would be considered star-crossed lovers but I don’t think it doomed, she the biggest shipper since they never try stopping it, she never tried to break them apart, and above all never disapproves of them. It just that archangels/metatron are so corrupted with their self righteousness that they misconstrue anything in the name of the lord which you can say is a great way to depict toxicity with religious as we see that Aziraphale truly suffered in the hand of the side that is suppose to true all equally but excludes him for being different, so having Crowley be the only person that never judge Aziraphale but instead indulge and supports it with him mean that these two were created with the image of them fitting with each other like a puzzle pieces. She have plans for them for sure, this isn’t over for them; it might ended on a painful note as metatron got what he wanted, Aziraphale’s masking again and Crowley lost the one thing that light up the dark by the end of the tunnel. But I’m sure, she will give them an happily ever after and that there not star-crossed, they’re not doomed, they never had and never will.

I guess thank for coming to my tedtalk? Sorry for my rambling, I just realize not a lot talk about the almighty. I get why as she a footprint to the story and that the true starts are the ineffable lovers. This show have me in a choke hold, and this is just my excuse to talk about this. You are more than welcome to disagree or agree with me, all opinions are valid 💜. Hope you guys are having a fun day, and hope you’re feeling good after good omens. Because I’m still going through it lmao.

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love-songs-for-emma · 10 months ago

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Shuffle your favorite playlist and post the first five songs that come up. Then copy/paste this ask to your favorite mutuals. 💌💛

OMG ty adrey!!! i love any excuse to share my music!!!!

songs BE SHUFFLED‼️

1. With A Little Help From My Friends (Remastered 2009) by the Beatles :3

2. death bed (coffee for your head) by Powfu & beabadoobee

3. How To Never Stop Being Sad by dandelion hands

4. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing by Jack Johnson

5. Ocean Man by Ween

HOLY COW. WHAT A GENUINE SHUFFLE ALCBKSCN USUALLY SPOTIFY IS SO BAD AT SHUFFLING WHAT!!!!! I love all of these songs actually omg

This was not apart of the task but im using this as an excuse to talk about these songs below the cut:

1. Beatles songs fill me with such warmth. Hugs. My sister loved them sm and anything my sister loved, I loved. She was ten years older than me. I was raised on the Beatles. Plus they remind me of my beloved emma ( @love-songs-for-maria ) and her family/her mom. My second family being a Beatles household is so nice c: I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends :')

2. There was a time period where i could Not stop listening to this song. I started making art about it back then; this is absolutely reminding me to finish it omg. Also, this song actually /sampled/ beebadoobee's song "coffee," it's not just like a song they made together. So check out "coffee" for a song about healing that makes me CRY and also feel like I'm being HUGGED. Love u beebadoobee

3. Wow. What a classic. How To Never Stop Being Sad was my ULTIMATE cry song when I was like 13. I still think about some of lines (it reads more like spoken word/poetry with backdrop) more as How To *Stop* Being Sad, yknow? Motivational. Like "Become a background character to your own motion picture" -> Be the main character in your life. Take up space. EXIST. ♡

4. The album this comes from, "In Between Dreams," sounds like childhood. Like sitting on the lil fold down square seats in the back of my dad's old lil red pickup truck as we drive to other side of the island to go dirtbike riding with my mom and brother. It's also become something I dont /have/ to associate with that. I got a vinyl record of it when I was about 15/16 and used to play it while dancing around the front room and making breakfast (various friends and partners over the years there or not). It's also mine. My solo drive peaceful music. Sittin, Waitin, Wishin :)

5. This is the sound of the Spongebob Squarepants Movie ending. That's it. That's what it is. First credits song. One of the rare movie endings where the credits actually go SO HARD and I actually prefer letting them play out. I watched this movie a billion times since it came out when I was a kid. The end credits when this plays show waves crashing and it looks like you're surfing and reminds me of Hawai'i, which is where I was still living when it first came out and I'd watch the DVD endlessly!! Perfect song. 0/0 notes. Ocean Man, Take Me By The Hand, Lead Me To The Land That You Understand

Lastly,, I probably would have skipped a song if I didn't like it bc I've been unliking a lot of my Liked Songs on Spotify lately so that my shuffle on Liked Songs is better and bam! There's the payoff! Didn't even skip one for this ask! Wahoo!

If anyone read this to the end, thanks for sharing these memories with me. :) Much love, always. I'll send this out to a few peeps, but if anyone wants it sent to them specifically so they too can be involved and/or ramble on, DM me/let me know! MWAH

#asks #i think i change my ask tag every single time i answer one so i just accept that they'll never be found again once eaten by my blog #t3acupz #THANK U FOR SENDING!!! im sure u didnt expect a maria essay but um. you are Beyond welcome to ignore the cut akfhkscjd #hashtag maria lore #personal #maria is literally just rambling. hi #.txt #music #ask game

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sjsmith56 · 10 months ago

Text

The Fae Elements, Part 2 - The Others

Summary: After a tough day in court Sage is attacked on her way to her car. She is rescued by several fae and wakes up in their stronghold. Buck tells her more about the fae world.

Length: 5.6 K

Characters: Sage, Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Buck, Maria.

Warnings: Sam and Steve say too much, violence causing injury, talk of attitudes towards women including some condescension.

Author notes: AI images created by the author using Microsoft Copilot in Designer mode.

<<Part 1

⭐️ 🌕 ☀️

It had been a week since I last saw James Barnes. There had been no further contact with him, but I had noticed at several of my appearances in court, two other men in attendance. Both of them were distinct in appearance, strong featured, and like Barnes, with scents that identified them as being fae. One of them, a tall blond with broad shoulders, took notes as I asked questions of the CEO of that logging company that had actually ventured over a national park boundary during a clear cut, cutting down an old growth stand, as well as damaging the habitat.

In my request for an injunction, I wanted all logging in that area to cease immediately. Justin Hammer, the CEO, claimed it was a GPS error that sent them over the boundary and would not be repeated. I found it difficult to believe that a billion-dollar company, working in such a sensitive area, couldn’t afford better equipment. When he said it was the best, I asked him for the brand and model. With a wave of his hand, Hammer smirked, as if dismissing my question as unimportant.

“I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand how GPS works,” he replied. “It’s very complicated to a lay person.”

“Someone like me?” I repeated. “I’m an experienced camper and hiker who regularly goes into the mountains using GPS. I’ve never become lost and have always been able to find my way in and out. Is it because I’m a lawyer, or perhaps because I’m a woman, that you think it’s too complicated? Which is it, Mr. Hammer?”

He looked nervously at the judge. “Well, you don’t look like someone who would go camping. You’re in heels and wearing a business suit.”

“You’re also in a business suit and your shoes look a lot more expensive than mine,” I commented. “Does that make you more of an expert? Which GPS units do your crews use?”

“I would have to look that up,” he finally admitted.

“Would you like the court to recess so you can get that information?” I glared at him.

“Yeah, that would be good,” he said, as his lawyer began shaking his head. “Could we recess?”

The judge was not amused and frowned at him as he spoke to the man.

“Mr. Hammer, you were aware that you would be questioned extensively on how your logging machinery ended up a mile inside the national park boundary, caught in the act of felling a stand of trees that were several hundred years old. I would have thought a man in your position would have brought that information with him, especially if you’re going with GPS error as your excuse.”

“Well, I wasn’t … that is to say, I was led to believe that we would get a slap on the wrist,” he replied, while his lawyer looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. “It was an honest mistake.”

I brought out a stack of photos, offering them to the judge.

“Your honour, I would like to submit a series of photographs, showing the positioning of signs along the boundary of the park in question. They are placed every half mile, indicating that it is the boundary and if anyone crosses into the park, they are subject to the laws protecting the resources in those parks. Hunting, logging, and mining are expressly forbidden. We have photographs showing several of these signs knocked over and left in the clear-cut areas. It appears Mr. Hammers’ crews didn’t even bother to remove the evidence that they knocked the signs over as they continued their operations into the park. I move for an immediate injunction against any further logging in the area by Mr. Hammer’s company, and that a fine be levied for the destruction of the trees and the habitat they stood on.”

I passed the photographs to the judge as the other lawyer had already received them during discovery. I was really pissed off at this Hammer guy, as I knew that they had adequate GPS equipment, that would show them exactly where they were. The signs were also very visible and should have been obeyed without question. Instead, they ran roughshod over the sensitive natural areas. The park’s naturalists were still cataloguing the damage to the habitat, but it was extensive.

“I’m inclined to agree with you, Ms. Hawthorne,” said the judge. “I hereby grant the injunction. The fine to be levied will be determined after the extent of the damage has been catalogued. Mr. Hammer, if you want to be taken seriously in this court, I suggest you and your legal representative come prepared with more than assumptions. Court is now recessed to allow the next case to prepare their presentations.”

We all rose as the judge vacated the bench and retired to his office. As I gathered my files, placing them into my briefcase, I became aware of a presence behind me, as another scent reached my nostrils. The scent was pleasant, reminding me of warm breezes, as odd as that sounds.

“Ms. Hawthorne,” said a voice and I turned around to see the second man, a handsome man with an engaging smile. He offered me his hand to shake. “Sam Wilson.”

“You’re with Gaia Life, aren’t you?” I asked, as I had recalled seeing the name after I did some more research on them.

“I am,” he confirmed. “My colleague and I were sitting in on your case today. We were both impressed.”

The blond man was still making notes but looked up and smiled at me. His scent was subtle but reminded me of the ocean. Finishing his last sentence, he closed his notebook and stood up, approaching me.

“Steve Rogers,” he said, as he shook my hand. “You were impressive.”

“I was doing my job,” I said. “May I ask why you’re here?”

They looked at each other, and I got the distinct sense that they could speak without using their voices.

“Our CEO recommended we observe you in action,” said Rogers. “I believe you had dinner with Mr. Barnes last week.”

“I did, but haven’t heard anything from him since,” I replied. “I was under the impression our business together was finished.”

“About that,” said Wilson. “Mr. Barnes was called away to an emerging situation in another location which is why he hasn’t contacted you. We were tasked with reporting back to him on the status of this case and another one you will be continuing this afternoon.”

“Yes, HYDRA Mining,” I stated. “The pollution they’re getting away with is criminal.”

“What do you know of them?” Rogers looked steadily at me. “Mr. Barnes has concerns.”

“About my approach or the strength of the case?”

“For your safety,” said Wilson. “Sorry to be so blunt, but we’re kind of here to make sure you’re not in any danger.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. HYDRA did have some deep political connections but the runoff from tailing ponds in their mine just outside a national park had made its way into some sensitive fish spawning habitats, causing a significant drop in the viability of that fish population. Not only that, but the tributary they had polluted fed into a larger river system which was a major water source for several populated areas. People could become ill and perhaps die from the effects of that runoff.

“Why would Mr. Barnes think I’m in danger?” I looked at the pair, who again seemed to have a moment of nonverbal communication between them, almost debating what they could tell me. “I know what Mr. Barnes is. He was quite open with me during our meal together. Do you have a similar background?”

They looked at each other again, obviously surprised by my admission.

“We’re princes in his council,” said Rogers. “My responsibility is for the waterways while Sam deals with air quality.”

“Elements,” I said, impulsively. “You’re not just fae, you represent the classical elements. Mr. Barnes is forest, which is the earth, you’re water and Mr. Wilson is air. Who is fire?” I said it rather facetiously.

“Fire is an unencumbered element,” said Rogers, being quite serious. “She is not part of the fae council, as she is both dark and light, capable of causing destruction but also acting as a catalyst for life under certain circumstances. Fire provides light, warmth, and comfort but also death if it is not respected. If you wish to meet her, we can arrange it. She would be a formidable ally for us if HYDRA chose to act against you. She has her own issues with them.”

I wasn’t expecting to receive such an answer to my comment that I considered more of a joke, but apparently things in the fae world were taken much more seriously. I looked at my watch, having two hours until I had to return to the courtroom for the HYDRA hearing.

“We have time to go to my office and talk,” I said. “I’m not sure why Mr. Barnes thinks I need your protection, but I’ll let you make your case.”

They gazed at each other again, and frankly, it was already bothering me, then Wilson must have realized it was because he nodded his head.

“I apologize,” he said. “We’re so used to working closely together that we often dispense with audible conversation. It wasn’t our intention to ignore you. Let’s just say that you are an intangible element, like love, one whose essence can be overlooked as unimportant. But you are important, not just to Mr. Barnes, but to many more, both fae and human.” I must have looked confused. “You are truth, Ms. Hawthorne. It shines out of you like a beacon. To the fae like us, you are as important as any element, known or unknown. To those who worship the darkness, you shine a light on their evil that reveals them to the world. They curse you when you shine brightest, then wait for your gaze to look elsewhere, using the darkness to perform foul deeds.”

“You’re for real,” I said, sighing. “You believe this completely.”

“You’re a descendant of Lilith,” replied Rogers. “Your element is the moon. The ancient mortal men who wrote about you claimed you were the evil one who worked in the darkness but the fae knew otherwise. You spoke truth and shone a light upon the darkness, just like the moon. It is why you must be mated to the earth, to Buck … James Barnes.”

“Out,” I said, pointing to the door of the courtroom. “I’m not doing this. I’m not a beacon of truth. I’m an environmental lawyer who is passionate about my job. Tell Mr. Barnes that I don’t need his protection as no one in their right mind would believe all of this mystical mumbo jumbo that you just spouted. Coming from him, it sounded so poetic and romantic, but you guys are taking it a little too far. Leave me alone.” They spoke silently to each other again, with a worried look on their faces. “I mean it … don’t come back here. I don’t want to see either of you here again.”

Reluctantly, they left, and I sat down on the chair at the desk. I really should have been more sceptical of James Barnes. It was obvious to me now that he was the leader of some new age cult, using Gaia Life as their front. After turning him down, he sent those two acolytes to keep an eye on me, obviously hoping that somehow, they could convince me of my divinity, or whatever it was they wanted me to think. I had worked too hard to get to where I was. Being associated with a cult of any kind, even one with an environmental interest, would remove all validity to my position. It would make me a laughingstock and I would never be able to appear in a courtroom again.

After about twenty minutes I stepped outside the courtroom and didn’t see my two admirers, so I headed to the café in the building, needing to grab something to eat as the afternoon session was going to take all of my concentration.

Four hours later, I sat at the same desk in the courtroom, frustrated beyond belief at what had transpired in the HYDRA Mining hearing. All of my evidence had been presented, then the lawyer for HYDRA, Alexander Pierce, had poked holes in every piece of information, reducing my argument to pieces. Somehow, he had raised enough doubt that the mine was the source of the pollution, claiming that the toxins were naturally present in the watershed, a product of millions of years of weathering and land upheavals that had exposed underground deposits laced with multiple sources of the toxins. They had found the same toxins further upriver than where their mine was, claiming they were actually helping the environment by encasing them in state-of-the-art tailings ponds. He was very convincing, and I was given another month to come up with new evidence or face having the injunction dismissed.

It was disappointing and I decided to go home. It was late, I was tired, my feet and back hurt, and I just wanted to eat something, then lie in a hot bath for an hour, with soft music playing, before trying to sleep away my frustration. Outside in the dark it was threatening to rain, and I hoped it held off long enough for me to get to my car. A few rumbles of thunder in the distance promised a thunderstorm later, which I preferred to watch from my windows. Just before I reached my car a man walking towards me drew my attention. He was dressed in dark clothing, wearing a hoodie that covered his face. Just the way he walked made me uneasy, as his stride was aggressive. Trying not to stare, I kept my stance strong and focused on my car which was visible. As he passed me, I heard him turn then he grabbed me from behind and placed something cold and metallic into the side of my neck.

“I don’t carry cash,” I said automatically. “If you want my car, you can take it.”

His raspy voice grated against my ear, releasing a sulphurous smell that almost made me gag. “My master wants to talk to you, Ms. Hawthorne. We’re going to take a ride.”

For good measure he pressed the item further into my neck. I nodded and heard a vehicle approach from behind us, the sound of a sliding door reaching my ears. The next thing I knew I was on my backside and two winged men were fighting two men in black, presumably one of them was the one who pressed a gun into my neck, a gun that now laid on the sidewalk. The intensity of the fighting could be felt with each blow exchanged between the combatants, even though their hits were made so fast that I could barely see them. Scrambling to pick up the gun, I pointed it at one of the men in dark clothes who had momentarily stunned one of the winged men, who I recognized as Sam Wilson.

“I know how to use this,” I said loudly. “Stop what you’re doing and put your hands up!”

He smirked at me, twisting his face in a way that was almost cliché but was definitely frightening as his red eyes flared as he focused on the gun. Advancing towards me I shot him above the knee, making him scream in fury, but it didn’t stop him as he ignored the blood coming out. He struck me across the cheek then grasped the gun with one hand and my throat with the other, lifting me up so that my feet left the ground, and I started to choke. I could also smell something burning but didn’t know what. Just as I was about to pass out, I saw a red light from the sky descend on all of us and I was dropped, as he was dragged away from me like a rag doll. A flash of light was followed by the sound of thunder reverberating everywhere. Still stunned I watched as the two winged men, several other men and a woman fought the two red-eyed men who somehow seemed to have become many more. Then I felt strong arms pick me up and I was flown into the sky. Looking down at the scene was surreal, as the fight looked like something out of a superhero movie then I forced myself to look at the person who had picked me up.

“You’re alright,” said Buck, as he held me in his arms, while giant wings flapped from his shoulders. “I’ve got you. Close your eyes and I’ll take you to a safe place.” I tried to speak but he smiled. “Sleep.”

Whether it was a hypnotic command, or I was weary enough to pass out didn’t matter as I closed my eyes and descended into a dreamless sleep. How long I was out was unknown as when I woke up it was almost completely dark, except where the room was illuminated by the full moon that shone through the window. I was still in my clothes, although my shoes were off. When I sat up, I hurt everywhere, especially in my neck and I gingerly felt where the man had squeezed my neck tight enough to raise me above the ground. It was tender, as was my cheek, and no doubt there would be bruises.

There was a knock on the door to the room then it opened, and a woman came in, her face not visible in the shadows closest to the door. When she stepped into the moonlight, I recognized Maria, the woman who served the meal I had with Buck at the restaurant. She smiled at me.

“You’re awake,” she stated. “Mr. Barnes said you may have acquired injuries in the attack on you. If you come with me, I can show you to a pool that will rejuvenate and heal you.”

“Where am I?”

“A safe place,” she answered. “It is a stronghold and a spiritual place for all light fae. It is unseen by the outside world. Although we live and mingle with the mortal world we return here when our spirits need the solitude. You are a welcome guest, Ms. Hawthorne. Please, come with me.”

I stepped off the bed and picked up my shoes, prepared to put them on but she showed me her own bare feet, so I dropped them, feeling the soft carpeting under my feet as she led me to another door. It opened to a large tunnel carved in rock, lit up softly with a light source that seemed to glow in the walls.

“It is a phosphorescent light,” she explained, anticipating my question. “It lights without heat but draws energy through the rock to do it.”

After a short walk through the tunnel, we came to an underground cave pool, dimly lit by soft glowing walls, that gave it a definite muted atmosphere. Its blue green waters were warm, as a mist wafted over top its surface. The warmth from the waters was evident on my face, bringing out a sheen to my skin. She gestured to a bench where some clothing was laid out, then at a shower beside it.

“It’s a mineral pool with healing qualities,” she explained. “It’s perfectly safe but works best if you enter it unclothed. Shower first, and cleanse off any dirt from your skin. You may sit in the waters as long as you wish. No one will enter here without your permission. When you are finished, please dress in the clothing provided and you may exit through the blue door. Your clothes will be repaired while you are our guest. I will be waiting for you.”

She left through the blue door, and I stood there, reluctant at first to take off my clothes. I kneeled down, wincing at the pain in my knees, realizing they were skinned. Brushing my fingers through the water in the pool I was amazed at how warm and soft it felt. Struggling to get back up I went over to the bench and took my clothes off, then stepped under the shower head, looking for a control. It started automatically; a soft warm stream that felt amazing. Maria said I should cleanse myself and I looked for a product, finding only a sponge that I began rubbing against my skin. A natural foam came out of it that gently cleaned my skin, without irritating the scrapes and bruises I had. After I rinsed off, I walked to a spot where steps into the pool were laid and glided down into the warm waters, groaning loudly as I immersed myself in it. It was nirvana, as I felt the warmth in my bones. There was a ledge to sit on, that allowed me to be covered up to my neck and I sat there with my eyes closed for what seemed like an eternity. Bringing one of my knees up to examine it I was surprised to see the skin was no longer broken. In fact, it looked like new skin had already begun to grow. The bruises on my arms were gone and when I touched my neck there was no tenderness at all. Whatever minerals were in this pool were a miracle, although a part of my brain insisted there was likely some magic involved as well. Deciding it was time for me to leave this healing pool I made my way back to the steps, then showered to rinse off. A large fluffy towel dried me off and I put the clothing on; a camisole top, soft panties, leggings and a tunic, all in a soft brown colour that seemed to be iridescent, as I caught glimpses of gold in the folds. There were still no shoes, so I walked barefoot to the blue door, took one last look at this little haven then went through the exit. Maria was exactly where she said she would be, and she smiled at my appearance.

“You look much better. Please follow me.”

“Are you fae?” I asked.

“Part fae,” she answered. “My father is fae while my mother was mortal. She wasn’t a descendent of Lilith, but she became part of the fae world after my father intervened on her behalf and fell in love with her. They were together for over 80 years until her time came.”

“How old are you?” I immediately regretted asking that as it was really none of my business. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”

“I am 86,” she answered, seeming not to be offended by my question. “My lifespan is unknown as the mortal part of me has the longevity gene. I could live longer than the normal mortal / fae beings, or I could be hit by a truck when I cross the street and leave this realm forever. I have already seen much, and I am prepared either way.” Her young-looking face was serene. “My mother had no regrets falling in love with an eternally youthful and beautiful fae. My own mate is fae and he is devoted to me, as I am to him. Our child will be free to marry who he chooses, fae or mortal. We share this world together.”

She stopped in front of a large wooden door, that was covered in a carving like something out of the Lord of the Rings. All around it the rock glowed and the light from the room behind the door glowed. Maria took my hand in hers.

“I know you have doubts,” she said. “He is still saddened by the death of his wife Daere. She was his life but after her sister was declared a witch and sentenced to death during the troubles, she wasted away in despair. He tried to save her sister but was too late and has felt unworthy of love ever since. That is why he could not offer it to you, not because you’re not worthy for you are.”

She knocked three times, then opened the door and gestured to me to enter. It was a library, with shelves of stone and wood carved into the space that seemed part of a mountain, except for a panoramic window that looked out over a vast valley. The room was lit by a fire that burned but had no logs, seeming to come out of nowhere. Buck had been sitting on a sofa and stood up at my arrival. Wearing blue jeans, a blue T-shirt and a brown leather jacket, with his hair loose around his shoulders he looked like a rock musician or an artist. He hadn’t shaved for several days, as evidenced by the short beard that graced his face and chin.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, standing up and checking my neck carefully from where he stood. “Your cheek is still bruised.” Placing his hand on my cheek I felt a warmth flow from his hand into my skin. After just a few seconds he withdrew his hand. “Better?”

“Better,” I replied. “That pool is amazing. You have healing abilities?”

He smiled, the skin at the corner of his blue eyes crinkling. “The pool is a marvel. The right combination of warmth, minerals and a touch of healing magic to fix almost anything.” He looked at his hand. “I gave you a few moments of my life force to remove the bruise. I can heal some things that way, but we use the pool for everything else.”

Everything except a broken heart … and my father.

We both started to speak at the same time, and he stopped, gesturing for me to speak first.

"Could you have saved my father with that pool?"

He didn’t answer for a long moment. "It was an option that would have helped, but was refused. I respected your parent's decision."

I wasn't surprised but I wish I had known as perhaps I could have convinced them.

“Thank you for having your two emissaries there,” I said. “I wasn’t very nice to them just a few hours before they showed up to rescue me.”

“They are still young and sometimes overeager to share their knowledge. The attack on you inspired another to become involved. She was angered at how they hurt you and made her decision quickly to intervene on your behalf. Steve and Sam spoke of the fire element to you, did they not? Her name is Wanda, and she is very powerful.”

“I didn’t believe them.” I frowned, feeling like I had misjudged them all. “I thought … I thought by the way they spoke of you and me, that they were part of some weird environmental cult …. I’m sorry. It was a lot to take in.”

“And now?” There was a hopeful quality to his voice.

“Why did they attack me?”

“First, because they know I was trying to court you to be my queen,” said Buck. “Secondly, because Sage, you are powerful, more than you know. I must be truthful and admit that I need your power to spread the light into the darkness of ignorance and misinformation that is being spread by those who wish harm upon our world. It is a darkness, one that would hold the population in a vice of misery. Those who are like the owners of HYDRA see people only for the labour that benefits their pockets. If they die from hunger, or pollution, or disease, they will turn to another part of the planet and exploit them instead. Many of them who take advantage are mortal, but there are also fae involved, those who have turned to the darkness instead of the light. They see themselves as masters of everything, not only on the ground but below and above it as well.”

It was a lot to take in. Just over a month ago I was mourning my father at his funeral and now I was in some sort of mystical retreat after being attacked by … something not of my world.

“Those men … their eyes were different.”

He nodded. “They are dark fae, more like demons really. Their master controls them. We have an idea of who that is, but he is well hidden from our abilities.”

Something must have shown on my face because he approached me cautiously.

“You are safe here,” he said with conviction. “No one can enter without being noticed. I will defend you with my life, as will the council and all the fae and part-fae who are present here.”

“I believe you,” I replied, then sat on an armchair. “Why am I so powerful and why now? I haven’t seen you in a week. Did you know this when you let me leave the restaurant?”

His face became serious. “The emergence of your power will take some time to explain. I did wonder about it but wished to learn more before I shared it with you. This may seem like I’m going on a tangent but what do you know of the connection between the moon, the equinoxes and solstices?”

I shrugged. “Is there one?”

“Yes, every time a full moon happens on either an equinox or a solstice, it is a time of great significance,” he said. “This year, 2024, there is a full moon on the summer solstice, June 21. The sun will be at its highest on this longest day, and the moon will be at its lowest on this shortest night. It is a time of new beginnings, a spiritual transformation.”

“In what way?”

He sat on the chair next to me, leaning forward, as if trying to determine how to tell me.

“A mortal descendant of Lilith, who mates with the fae king, can be transformed into a full fae herself,” he said finally. “Her transformation rejuvenates the fae, and more. Women carry the ability of childbirth, and the fertility of a full fae queen extends to the environment.”

“So, my value is in my fertility?”

His explanation wasn’t winning me over, especially since I got the feeling, he wasn’t telling me everything.

“It’s part of it, yes.” He seemed a little exasperated. “You are more than your womb, Sage. Much more. Perhaps at the beginning of thought and reason in ancient peoples, your fertility was the most important, as it was tied to the success of a community … to their crops, to their survival as people were born, lived, and died. In these modern times, your knowledge, and fearlessness in fighting against powerful forces is just as important. You may make arguments in a courtroom, but that is your battlefield, and you are its warrior.” I tilted my head, accepting his observation. He smiled, pleased that I had. “There are spiritual places around the world, that are sacred to the fae. They harness the energy of the elements.”

“Like Stonehenge?” I interrupted.

He smiled again. “Stonehenge is specifically sacred to the Druids and the Wiccans, built to celebrate important moments in the year, like the equinoxes and solstices. They are not fae although they share some of our beliefs. Our sacred places are more natural, and less known, as they are hidden from the mortal world. If you were to agree to become my mate we would consummate our marriage after the main ceremony, in two additional rituals, both of them in a sacred place. The first ritual would be at the moment the sun is at its highest on the summer solstice in a place open to the sky. The second ritual would be when the full moon is at its lowest on the solstice, in a place on the water.”

“You mean consummate in the sense of having sex?”

Buck gazed directly into my eyes; his blue eyes were almost hypnotic in their intensity. “That is part of the ritual, but it is also part of a pledge of devotion to each other and a promise to the fae kingdom to protect the natural world against threats. The result of the two ceremonies would be the transfer of some of my life force as well as the natural energy of the earth, sky, and water into you. Since my element is the earth and yours is the moon, it is symbolic of the relationship between the two, joined together in a cosmic dance that has lasted for an eternity, figuratively speaking. It is a formidable partnership that wields great healing power for the natural world.”

It was all so mystical, even for me, someone who grew up hearing and reading the stories of all sorts of mythological beings. My feelings must have been evident on my face because he stood up and gestured to me.

“I can see you must be at the limit of your patience. You are likely tired from your day. The effect of the healing waters is reinforced by a good sleep so I will walk you to your room.”

“I have hearings tomorrow,” I protested. “I’m expected there.”

“Of course,” he replied. “We will get you to your apartment in the morning with enough time to get ready for court. You have my word. For tonight, I believe you will be safer here.”

What choice did I have? I had no idea just where I was. I followed him out of that beautiful library, and we walked down the hallway carved out of those glowing walls. Soon, we arrived at my room, and he stood there as if he wanted to say more. Instead, he leaned over and kissed me gently on the cheek.

“Goodnight Sage,” he said softly. “I will see you in the morning.”

I opened the door and watched him walk away, his tall frame seeming to dominate the hallway as he retreated from my sight. Inside the room, there were sleeping garments on the bed. A bathroom was attached to the room and had cleansers and lotions that smelled wonderful. After washing my face and brushing my teeth I put the night clothes on then slipped under the sheets. The lights turned off almost immediately, likely through magic. For once, I had no problem falling asleep and had a good rest.

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