#final full cross country tour

[0-n-1-x]

WBC!Carl Gallagher x Rich/Northside!reader

link to my masterlist <33

Your private school requires you to do community service, and you’re assigned to help out at a youth center in the Southside. It’s far from your usual environment, and you feel a bit out of place, but you’re determined to make the best of it. You could've gone to the pet center, like the other girls your age, but you desperately needed to get out of suburbia. Carl, who occasionally visits the center for free meals or to hang out, notices you the moment you walk in. You’re clearly not from around here, and he’s instantly curious about why someone like you would be spending time in his hood. At first, Carl’s interactions with you are laced with sarcasm and teasing. He pokes fun at your clean-cut appearance and the way you seem so out of your element, but there’s no real malice behind his words— mostly curiosity. I mean remember this is still Carl, just in the body of a wanna-be gangster

You actually responded to his quips just as quickly as he spoke them, but you also spoke with interest, most of it in your appearance

I'd believe that you aren't full a nepo baby, I like to headcanon that you'd be half or part southside, having spent time there young and maybe one of your parents married rich and such

But you do know how to make your words somewhat powerful, and that intrigues Carl, in a different way than trying to scam the other kids

You’re organizing supplies in the back room of the community center, stacking boxes of canned goods for the food drive. It’s your second day volunteering here, and you’re still getting used to the place. The door creaks open, and you glance up to see the same boy from yesterday leaning against the frame, watching you with an amused smirk. “You lost or something? This isn’t exactly the country club.” he says. Crossing his arms, he saunters into the room, eyes glinting with curiosity. Without missing a beat, you straighten up, brushing the dust off your hands before replying

“I could say the same thing. You don’t look like you’re here to volunteer.”

“Nah, just checking out the new blood. It’s not every day we get someone like you around here. You sure you can handle it? This place can get a little rough.”

“I’m tougher than I look. Besides, I’m not here to play it safe.”

“Is that right? Most people like you wouldn’t last a day down here. You must really be slumming it to end up in this part of town.”

“Real, huh? Well, you definitely found it. But be careful—get too close, and this place might suck you in.”

“Maybe I’m counting on it. I like a challenge, I guess I’ll just have to see for myself.”

He grins, finally extending a hand "Gallagher, Carl Gallagher" You reach for his hand, “Nice to meet you, Carl. Now, are you gonna help me with these boxes, or just stand there and look all pretty?”

After a few days of volunteering, (its mostly you guys talking) he invites you out with him on a 'tour'. You visit The Alibi, his corner, and he ends the trip by taking you to his house

The Gallagher house, if you could call it that, was way different than yours. Not just in size, but in functionality, you hear 3 different people screaming talking and a baby crying with loud video games noises in the background. Luckily, when Carl takes you to the basement which of course resembles what you identify as a 'mancave' there's no one there and its mostly silent

"So.. nice family uh- ya got there?" you joke, slightly uncomfortable in the bean bag he sits you on, the pleats of your plaid skirt ruffling up and you don't miss the way his eye flicker down and the way his cheeks blush peach "Um, y-yeah, it's not always like that but it usually is"

For Carl: it's weird that he's drawn to you, southside kids are literally raised to the 'eat the rich' mindset. Especially Gallaghers, but he couldn't help but want to spill everything he knows and even what he doesn't to you. So he does, he tells you about juvie, about the dysfunctionality of Gallaghers and their shit, fuck he even tells you about Monica

You guys talk for what comes across as hours. Part of him is scared that he opened up to quickly, but surprisingly you listen, without judgement. You even mention how you find some of his life similar to yours. The feelings of being ignored, or in your case paid to go away (which Carl finds not too bad).

As you speak, he moves from his beanbag chair to yours, inching and inching closer together you eventually are a breaths away from one another. You halt your speech, all your well thought out analogies fading away as you both look between the other's eyes and lips.

Carl speaks, "is it crazy.. that I find it really hot when you talk about being rich?" you pause, a sly smile reaching upon your face as you answer "no.. is it crazy that i find it really hot when you talk about being poor?"

More silence fills the room, then Carl brings his eyes straight down to your lips. "No" he whispers, as light as humanly possible

And that's when it happens. you lean in, his hand reaching up to cup your cheek. His touch is surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble image he usually projects. You close your eyes, leaning into his touch. The kiss starting out rushed, messy, and all over the place. But it's not lustful, more childish if anything and you both have no idea what you're doing.

His hand hesitantly moves to the back of your neck, pulling you closer as he deepens the kiss. You respond in kind, your hands finding their way to his shoulders, pulling him even closer

When you finally pull back after what feels like forever, you’re both breathless, panting as your bodies gasp for air. Carl’s thumb gently returns and strokes your cheek, his eyes searching yours for any sign of regret. But all he finds is a soft smile and the lingering warmth of the kiss you just shared.

“Damn,” he mutters, a crooked grin spreading across his face as he leans back slightly, still keeping you close. “You’ve got me all messed up, you know that?" you respond

Then it hits you, that was your first kiss

and it was with Carl fucking Gallagher

[shuenkio]

Moonstruck | 성훈 🖤 엔.하.이.픈 (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧

Paring: idol!Sunghoon X M!reader

Genre: Fluff. Synopsis: Taken a week vacation in the UK that Jay suggests to find out that, he's not the only child, he had another little brother?

Non proof read English is not my 1st.

This is a work of fanfiction, do not throw unnecessary tantrums on this nsfw/sfw blog. ©Shuenkio

A/N: Forget to mention m/n have the punk/hip-hop style in dressing, black from head to toe you can imagine ;) btw English here is a bit cheeky, hope you don't mind.

The World Tour comes to an end, the boy band group "ENHYPEN" gets a chance to take their own break, vacations and personal doing. It is a blessing and relief that they all get time to rest, after doing concerts non-stop, they're gonna spend time in their own way.

On the other hand, in the dorm, Jay, one of the members chit chatted with his teammates if they wanted to go on vacation in the UK. Positivity, they are all immediately drawn and agree to the suggestion idea. The boys had never stepped foot in the UK before, so why not ? Even better, Jay would pay half of the tickets too, isn't that Great? Only idiots can decline this offer.

After flying a few hours from Korea to the UK, it finally arrived. The land of the united kingdom, known as the British country. It's like entering another side of the world, people have their own unique remarkable, people speak British English, chaos and busy days, with the high technology here. This is gonna make one of the best memories ever.

Moving on to Jay's place. Actually it was one of his parents places here. After hearing Jay would bring his teammates in, his parents happily flying over the moon, quicker than the speed of light, arrive in the UK to prepare and welcome them, not to mention they have a private jet that's why.

Knocking on the tall well-built traditional door, all 7 guys greetings by Jay's parents, with a warm hug and kiss. While taking a peek inside, it is like taking a vacation in a damn golden castle. Everything is decorated in luxurious furniture, the light, the floor, and it's hella large, just imagine a mansion like.

Settled down inside, Both of Jay's parents went through the kitchen to prepare a lot of meals for the family, and the guests but that's not the case, they're all family too. Admire in the surroundings, Jay would be given them and show them their guest bedroom, and what to do and don't until most of them are in their own guest room, left Sunghoon who was there, standing alone like a lost puppy in his mate's house.

"Uh Jay-ah, where can I sleep for tonight?"

"...hmmm.. all the guest rooms are full now for them so maybe my brother's room, come on let me show you, I hope he won't be mad"

Sunghoon blinks, furrow his brows confused as Jay mentioned he just has a brother knowing all along he is the only one, when he said that, it makes no sense.

"brother? ... You had a brother? I thought you were the only child?" Said while walking, as Jay guided him to M/N room.

"it's a long story, I didn't tell you all for a reason, haha now now we're here" Knocking on the door, Jay speaks calling, for M/N name. Later, the door opened, revealing a boy who was dressed, in a very... Different style, that quickly grabs Sunghoon's attention.

"JAY?" You happily shout, knowing Jay home after waiting for him for days, greeting him with a hug, which is soon returned by him.

"M/N! How I miss you. How are you? Are you doing great?"

"well yeah I am, I'm very good and I hope you're doing okay too" You respond, crossing your hands in. Then your eyes land on a taller pale guy, behind Jay. You might know him, but he probably doesn't.

"oh, is he Sunghoon hyung?" Mutter, you peeking behind your brother's back, to see clearly. Sunghoon who was an introvert guy, feeling and surprised that you know his name, mixed with awkwardness in this kind of situation, especially with strangers, but does he have to get used to it? It's Jay's brother after all.

"you know a lot don't you? Yeah He's the Park Sunghoon that you like the most" like the most? Sunghoon's face turning tomatoes, as he is puzzling. feeling like his heart Sprint away from his own beat, so you do like him? Well when fans confess they like Sunghoon, it's just a normal reaction but when He knows you like him, it's weird, different feel from those fans. or maybe he is just shy ? Or super shy?

"Hi! Sunghoon hyung it was nice to meet you, I'm M/N" bowing down in a respectful way, you suddenly switch language once you greet him, which once again makes Sunghoon feel dumb like a lost sheep. There's so much information going on here.

"O-oh yes... M/n... Good to see you. Your Korean is nice I'm Impressed" Sunghoon greet back, feeling more used to and ease once you speak to him in Korean. After all those greetings, Sunghoon just stood there, didn't know what to do next as he watched Jay and You, asking about their days.

"oh right, Sunghoon you must be wondering. Actually he was my adopted brother. We had him when I was pre-teen. But I understand most of you guys don't know about him because we like to gatekeeping him Haha well today all the members would know, don't worry—

He is half asian and europe also, that is why he has a unique style, from his head to toe isn't it cool haha. Punk style but you'll get used to it, I know ni-ki is gonna love him—

Okay I talk too much, so M/n mind if I borrow your room for a few days? For Sunghoon? All the guest rooms are full, can he stay with you" Jay state, after the small talk. Meanwhile, M/n agree to his brother request, not that he was a creep, it because of the situation, also who wouldn't? It was the Park Sunghoon.

"Sure, hyung can sleep in my room. I'm all good"

"Thanks bud, now Sunghoon? You can settle in here— oh right... Sunghoon?" Jay called, Sunghoon catches himself zooming out to your appearance, it not everyday to see someone looking good in such style, black from head to toes. Seeing such reactions makes you chuckle, as Sunghoon snapped out, ashamed with a blushing red face before getting inside to load away his stuff.

"Right, Right I hope you don't mind me M/n"

"I should say that, hehe since you're the guest, just asked me don't be shy, I'll do it"

"Thank you ha" seeing the two of you getting along well, Jay's warm smile appears as he leaves the room, and gone downstairs.

-///-

In the rest of the evening all the boys and family, get to know you better, as you introduce yourself as Jay's adopted little brother. Jay was right when he said You'd be ni-ki favorite, because once he saw you, he imma befriended you. Exchange the number, ask about your Style, and talk for hours about stuff ni-ki wanted to know. While the other member was also surprised when they realized that Jay was keeping you well in the basement for the whole time and none of them knew about it. It can also be reasonable because of that gorgeous handsome face you got there, that catches every member's attention.

Jake would ask you to chat with him in English as he wanted to learn how to talk in British too, and so is Heeseung. Your accent makes their knee weaken with that soft tone of yours.

Jungwon would also be talking to you too, asking this or that and often joking about your brother why he is a comedian in the group. Sunoo would compliment your skin tone, the skin you got on your face stunned him in a way that he can't help, but to ask what's your skin care routine.

But for Sunghoon, He just laughed and giggled along, when the members asked or talked to you. He was so shy and afraid to make conversation with, and he had nothing to talk about. He was devastated to get to know you well just like the other but then it clicks when he learns that he'll spend every night sleeping on the same bed with you.

Yet that's fine. On the first night, you asked him if he wanted to sleep on the bed alone, if he was a light sleeper you can move to the couch but Sunghoon insisted, both of them should be on the bed. He was the guest anyway he didn't want to burden anybody.

And so on, Sunghoon got a more private chance than others when it comes to talking, especially at night when it's just the two of you. Most of the time, all night he would ask this and that, and do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, about your life and personal thing which you happily respond to. Sunghoon was your bias of course, you would tell him everything, admire his million dollar face while you talk so, people would fight for him.

As the days passed on about a week. It's time for all the 7 members to go back to Korea. You help them pack their stuff, and so do your parents and Jay. The past few days, they are spending time with you by talking, going out, shopping and the Disney land date, it was such a good snapshot in time to get to know them all better. Before they leave you give each of them a promising and memories gift to remember this precious time together, the boys happily satisfied accepted and their heart melting to the gesture. You were so sweet.

However, for Sunghoon it was different. Even though it's just a simple gift he clearly enjoys more than the rest, and he promised he will cherish this gift for a long time.

"Thank you m/n letting me stay in your room, you're so... Cool and nice, sweet, like Jay. Here, I have my PC card haha I know it's not much but I hope you like it" gasp, you feel like you're about to ascend up to heaven as Sunghoon gives you back a gift, a rare PC card that you wised to have.

"oh my GOSH thank you hyung, I love it so much thank you woah it's sighed? I'm going to be crazy!!"

Laughing. Everyone finds the moment cute and adorable as you express yourself as a fan. Soon the time will come, you wave goodbye to the seven guys as you watch them disappear in the plane.

"Good luck hyung!! See you sometime later"

"yess" they all said in unison, enter the aircraft with a warming heart. On the way, Sunghoon can't help but to say it out loud.

"I like him, Jay"

"ehhh"

"No Sunghoon hyung, I like him first he was my buddy!" Ni-ki argue.

"ey ey ey he was my British guy before all of you guys, he was my first" Jake burst in playfully.

"but I do really like him, in a way"

"...."

"well— what "

[pseudowho]

Seasons of Grief

The reader comforts Kento as the anniversary of Yuu Haibara's death approaches, and after, as Kento faces the threat of losing her.

WARNINGS: 18+, Fluff, comfort smut and angry smut, hurt, angst, grief. You know what you came here for, you dirty birds.

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You felt Kento change like the seasons, when Yuu Haibara's death anniversary approached. His signs of grief, the post-traumatic stress, and his guilt at being unable to save his best friend, showed in the most curious ways. Remaining, as always, so outwardly stoic, Nanami appeared to all others unaffected; but to you, who as his fiancée, loved and knew him best, your heart broke softly for him year after year.

Firstly, the holiday brochures. More and more of them, ordered online and addressed to Kento- Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand...and countries you knew he and Yuu had spoken about visiting together after qualifying from Jujutsu High. Backpack tours of Europe. Scotland and Ireland. The Americas. Sometimes Kento mentioned taking a holiday to you, and sometimes he didn't- but you had seen his notebooks and the itineraries he had written, all comfort blankets for him, all escape plans, all safety nets. In one instance, you saw where he had accidentally written Yuu's name instead of yours, then crossed fiercely through, and replaced. He had always insisted you were his best friend. It never upset you that Yuu had been his first best friend.

Second, the clumsiness. The sound of porcelain smashing to pieces on the kitchen floor as Kento tidied the dishes. The quiet swearing as he caught his belt loop on the doors. The increase in minor injuries from missions, and his hushed, subdued apologies to you as you cleaned and dressed his wounds, laying gentle kisses on his temples while his forehead rested on your breasts, quiet and still, shadows long against the evening sun.

Thirdly, the phone calls to his parents and grandfather. Usually a weekly event, they become twice weekly, then every other day, then daily. He could not face calling Yuu's parents; although they would never allow him to apologise, full of guilt, for his perceived part in their son's death, his thumb still sometimes hovered over his screen, the Haibara's name listed on his screen. So, he called his own parents, just to let them know he was fine, and safe, and that you were fine and safe. His grief, he shared with his grandfather, in quiet Danish, curled up in an armchair late at night.

Finally, came the nightmares. Kento would wake up gasping, bare chest coated in cold sweat as he reached out for someone he would never make it to in time. You reached out to take his hand when it flung out in the dark, and he would pull you to him and start comforting you, and start reassuring you, wholly unaware that you heard his deep voice breaking so slightly in his chest. Unaware that he had been crying out for help in his sleep- help that never came when he and Yuu had needed it so badly. He stroked your hair and hushed sweet reassurance to you, letting you know he would never leave you, alone and afraid in the night.

Except, for this night. The night before the anniversary of Yuu's death. Kento did not want you to visit Yuu's grave with him on the anniversary, not wanting to burden you with his regrets. Wanting to offer Yuu the one-on-one time that he offered just once a year.

Kento's nightmares on this night were his most vivid so far. Desperate to sleep dreamlessly, he had sunk his fears into a whisky bottle, wordlessly allowing it when you gently removed the bottle after five large glasses. He had fallen asleep fitfully, tense with terror for the night ahead, but taken by force, numbed by the sweet opium of the drink.

You had curled close behind him, spooning him to you. You fell asleep with your nose to his shoulder blade, your arm barely reaching round his barrelled ribs to his chest, where he had grasped you tightly with his upper arm.

Kento's panicked shout broke you from your sleep in the wee small hours of the night. Chest heaving violently now, you were pushed away to your side of the bed. His hair, mussed and soft sat scatteringly over his forehead, head tossing from side to side, his arm reaching out again. You took his hand, calling his name, but Kento's hand clasped and unclasped around yours, unable to gain purchase. Your heart clenched painfully and you began to panic, unable to wake him, unable to bring Kento back and feeling like he would die there if you left him--

"DON'T HURT HIM-- PLEASE--"

"KENTO!"

Kento woke, shuddering gasps and wide-eyed, seeing Curses in every shadow as he sat hard up in bed, leant back on his elbows, chest and abdomen lurching with exertion. You crawled to him instantly, straddling him and clasping his tear-stained cheeks in your palms. Your face, contorted with pain, all for him, filled his vision. He sat up fully, thick corded arms wrapping you to him completely, enveloping you against his sweating chest.  This time, you held him, whispering reassurances that you wouldn't leave him and that he was safe in your bed. Fingers tangled in his hair, scratching his scalp softly, rhythmic, in circles. His breathing calmed, his bounding heartbeat beginning to slow against your breasts.

Gently leaning you away, he wiped his eyes with one large movement. He had never loved you more than when you held him during his pain. He knew he was never less of a man to you, for crying out in his sleep. He knew he could hold his head high outside of these four walls, wearing your love like armour as he headed to battle.

Kento pulled you closer on his lap, nuzzling deeply into your neck and feeling the heat of your core against his hips. In his shirt, and only his shirt, he noted. Sighing against your throat as you felt him begin to harden beneath you.

"Thank you...please-- I just need to sleep." He groaned as you rocked your hips softly against his, granting wordless permission. He shuddered, chest bursting with love and gratefulness, lips and tongue paying homage to your throat while he unbuttoned your shirt. Your pussy sat directly atop his hardening shaft, and you shivered, whining as your shirt fell open, and Kento's calloused fingers cupped your breasts, insistently rolling over your nipples.

Kento moaned softly as you rode him through his pyjamas, cock straining upwards against the soft material. Your hand reached downwards, snaking across his abdomen and trail of hair until you grasped his shaft, pulling him gently upwards out of his clothes. His cock rested against his abdomen, and you swiped your thumb against the drop of precum at its tip. Kento's shoulders tensed and rolled at the sensation, yearning to be inside you, to feel you closer.

Kento took your nipples into his mouth and hands again as you gripped his cock, feeling his pulse bounding there, and you began to stroke him, firm and practiced, from ball to tip. Kento's eyes fluttered closed in pleasure, reaching down to grasp your hand under his, obsessed with how exceptional your small hand felt gripping his length.

Kento's hands left your body to lift you upwards, and you guided him to you, rubbing him between your folds to coat him in your arousal. Still sat upright as your knees and thighs embraced his hips, Kento's hands grasped your waist and gently pushed you downwards. You whimpered at the stretch of his length and girth, feeling so full before he was fully sheathed in you.

He shushed into your hair as you fell forwards against his chest, your fingertips pressing hard against it.

"You're so good to me...just a little more," and his arms wrapped around you, forearms pressing your hips downwards until he bottomed out, groaning and bucking, lips firm against yours as he drank your gasps and cries.

Barely pulling out, you cried his name as you felt him rocking your pussy tightly against him. Kento allowed no space between you, chest tight with affection and holding himself back so as not to squeeze you too hard. His pulsing tip continually pressing against your cervix and deepest walls, Kento gripped your hair at the roots, tipping your head back swiftly to expose your throat, his second hand still effortlessly thrusting you down his length, trying to close the space between you until you were one. His head tipped sideways, teeth scraping down either side of your throat, and you stilled completely, at his mercy as he took his comfort and pleasure from you.

The constant pressure against your cervix, and clit rubbing against his pubic bone, had your orgasm building quickly, and you fell prone in his arms; his hand gripping the roots of your hair grew tighter, and you felt him growl against your throat as his own built.

"Kento...harder...please..." And you felt his hand lifting you on and off his cock quicken in response, his hips raising to meet them, feeling the pressure of his thrusts jumping in your belly now. Your cheeks flushed and your belly tightened as you rocked harder against him, taking the clitoral stimulation you needed to shunt you over the edge. You gasped and cried, his name tumbling off your lips in waves.

"I'm so close...wait for me," Kento whispered against your lips, breaths quickening as his hands thrust you against him hard just a few more times before he stilled, pouring deep inside you, breaths juddering, feeling the fear seep out of him, his own body and mind full of you, and only you.

Kissing you softly, Kento deftly flipped you onto your back in bed. You gripped him by the back of the head, kissing and nipping at his ears, and he gently pulled out of you, reaching to his bedside table and pressing a soft cloth between your legs.

"Stay," he urged. As he rolled aside again to close his drawer, you clung against his back, spooning him again. Kento hesitated, tears pricking in his eyes, suddenly overwhelmed by the love you gave. He allowed you to pull his back to your chest, falling asleep with you, shadows chased away, for now.

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"I've been requested for a mission. I don't like to be away, not today. But..." Kento smiled gently at you, hand reaching out to cup your cheek as you straightened your mission-wear.

"I'll be alright, I promise." He assured you, on the day of his visit to Yuu Haibara's grave, "But will you be? You're going with someone?"

"As always. I'm supporting Ino. It's only a low-end Second Grade apparently. We'll be fine."

Kento's stomach clamped painfully for a second, but he urged himself to relax- she'll be fine, Ino would never let anything happen to her.

You left shortly after, Kento's lips lingering on your own a second longer than usual. He finished getting ready, lunch prepared to sit with Yuu and catch him up on his life and his love, and headed to Jujutsu High. Under Torii gates, past effigies and low soft willowy branches, he found Yuu's grave, surrounded by too many others. Relaxing, feeling the positive purpose of his visit start to wash away the pain, Kento sat, greeting his old friend.

Kento sat with Yuu for hours. He found it just as easy talking to Yuu now as he had all those years ago-- probably easier, mused Kento sardonically, he talks a lot less now. Brushing crumbs off his suit, and picking up his jacket, Kento placed a hand on Yuu's headstone, wishing with a pang that it was Yuu's shoulder instead. Quashing the feeling with firm resolve, he spoke to Yuu, with Yuuji Itadori, and all of his subordinates clear in his mind.

"I'd die before I let them go the way you did, you know. Gojo and I...he may be a moron, Yuu, but we can change the system. I'm sure of it."

Kento bowed deeply, bidding his friend goodbye. Fat drops of rain started to fall, his light suit growing quickly more speckled, a flick of hair loosening and tipping over his forehead. Heading up the steps to the school buildings, and hoping he may run into you there after your mission, he passed another pair of sorcerers, and he froze as he heard a snippet of their conversation.

"...Second Grades died on a mission today. Body's being brought in now."

"Oh man. Just one of them at least. Wonder who it was?"

Kento felt ice-water rush through his veins. A thousand violent, bloody images flashed across his mind, and a wave of nausea threatened vomit. He clapped a hand over his mouth as he lost his footing, staggering sideways into the red pillar of a gate. Vision swimming, rain and red mist clouding his vision, he yanked off his glasses and dropped them into the mud, brown shoes slapping into a run, spattering gravel up his trouser legs.

You. Ino. You. Ino. You. YOU. Your faces and voices flashed in Kento's mind as he sprinted towards the mortuary, feeling sick to his stomach as he hoped beyond hope to meet Ino's corpse there, and not yours. Full of shame and fear, he ignored everyone and every greeting along the way until traditional Japanese wooden corridors made way to clinical white floors, metal doors. Slamming through the final set of metal doors, the scent of chloroform and death hit his nostrils, and he found Shoko completing the sign-in of a single body bag.

Shoko's eyes met Kento's as she reached into her pocket for her phone. Thick eyebrows tilted in surprise, she took in Nanami's appearance, dishevelled, soaked, wild.

"Nanami," she started, hesitantly, "I was just about to call you. Why are you crying? Nanami? Nanami?"

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It had taken a long time for Shoko to calm Kento down for long enough to tell him it wasn't you in that bag. Kento had fallen to his knees, hyperventilating, eyes wide and seeing nothing, as Shoko had shaken him by the shoulders and called for him.

There had been two second-grade missions that day; yours, and another. The casualty had been from the other, another young sorcerer slaughtered in combat. Your phone had been destroyed in your combat, so Ino had contacted Shoko at your insistence, for her to seek Kento out to tell him in person instead of interrupting his vigil at Yuu's grave. Just a misunderstanding, Nanami, Shoko insisted, she's alright, she's alright.

Fragile and exhausted, Nanami sat alone now in a quiet office, hands shaking around a mug of cheap coffee. Aside from the creak of passing footsteps on floorboards, Kento was in silence, only his thoughts for company.

"Nanamin? Can I come in?" Kento didn't answer, and a few seconds passed, before the door clicked open, Satoru letting himself in. His usual plaintive smile on his face, Satoru walked forwards to place a reassuring hand on Kento's shoulder.

"Nanamin. Shoko told me what happened." Silence, again, from Kento. Satoru continued, "Ino just messaged. They're in the car with Ijichi now. Both of them. She'll be back soon. Minor injuries apparently, Shoko can fix them right up, but..." Kento scowled up at Satoru, alarmed.

"I'm not in the mood for your games, Gojo. What is it?" Gojo's smile dropped, face uncharacteristically grim, and...disgusted?

"It wasn't some low second-grade they were sent to, Nanamin. It was a middle of the road first-grade at least. And the higher-ups who sent Ino and y/n knew that. I've suspected for a while that they've been bribing the administrators to rank certain Curses lower so they can justify sending in lower-grade sorcerers, and spare the big clan sorcerers. Saves them money, and it's handy when they don't have the higher-grade sorcerers to hand to deal with it." Satoru grimaced. "I'm going to deal with it, but I thought you'd want to bring them hell too. You and y/n deserve to know."

Kento was silent again as Satoru left. But, this time, he was wordless with rage. A red veil had descended over his thoughts, and Kento found himself close to collecting his blade and hunting down the Jujutsu Headquarters' higher-ups one by one.

How dare they, Kento seethed, up and pacing now, fists flexing pulse points in his temple and neck raised with fury, how dare they send you like a lamb to slaughter, to protect their wallets, to protect their own in the great clans.

His stomach churning, Kento realised now why the location of Jujutsu Headquarters was a closely guarded secret-- they'd have been murdered through spite years ago, he realised. He had only one connection to the higher-ups, and he had reached for his phone with shaking hands, when the door opened once again, and you walked in, scraped and bruised but undeniably, completely you.

Kento dropped his phone back into his pocket and crossed the room in three great strides, lifting you into the air with the force of his embrace. Putting you down, huge warm hands patting you down all over, Kento checked you- scrapes, bruises, but whole, alive. A shaking sigh of relief escaped him. You stroked his cheek, the look of sweet concern in your eyes nearly bringing him to tears. You opened your mouth to speak, but Kento interrupted.

"Get home. Now. Call a taxi, charge it to my card." You opened your mouth again to argue, but Kento silenced you instantly. You felt a chill in your stomach, Kento looming over you, an unstoppable force, undeniably livid, but not with you.

"Don't argue with me. Go home, clean up. Eat. Lock the doors. I've got something I need to do, then I'll be home. And you're never coming back here again."

Kento left the room, leaving you in stunned silence. You hadn't even been able to greet him. Shaken up, you called for a taxi, and made your way outside. The corridor was already empty, Kento's footsteps fading away from you.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

"Principal Gakuganji?"

Yoshinobu Gakuganji sat in his office, a steaming cup of tea in front of him, and he is prickled instantly at the tone of the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Speaking."

"Good. I'd like you to listen very carefully." Cold seeped into Gakuganji's stomach as the man continued to talk.

"You, and yours, at Jujutsu Headquarters, approved two second-grade missions today. Neither of these missions, as it turns out, were second-grade appropriate, were they, Principal Gakuganji?"

Gakuganji's grip tightened on the phone. He knew this voice.

"Nanami-san? I suggest you think very carefully before saying anyth--"

"Oh no, Sir, I suggest you think very carefully. One second-grade sorcerer died today, and you should consider yourself extremely fortunate that my fiancée was not the one brought to the school in a body bag. Because the next body bag would have been yours."

Gakuganji stood, appalled at being spoken to like this.

"And before you ask yourself how I'd have the audacity to call you like this, I'd like you to consider: would you like me as your enemy, after you take from me the thing I love most in the world?"

Gakuganji had dropped the receiver now, staring at it like it had burned him.

He heard the voice at the end of the phone hum, pensively.

"I could be quite the Curse-user, you know."

A faint click as the call ended, and Gakuganji was left alone with Nanami Kento's threats and a lingering dial tone.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

You had been home just long enough to shower and pull on a dressing gown, worry clawing at your insides over the state you had found Kento in. His voice, cold and gravelly, had chilled you, and you needed him home and happy with you to feel certain you had done nothing wrong. Stomach roiling, you couldn't bring yourself to eat. The door clicked, and your heart leapt into your throat. Stepping into the hallway you found Kento, trousers and shoes coated in dried mud, jacket slung on the hooks by the door, tie already off and hanging from his pocket. You could feel the rage still rolling off him in waves and your hands went cold, pushing them round yourself and under your arms.

"...Kento? What's happened?"

Kento's jaw-clenched. He was quick to reassure you, "You've done nothing wrong. I'm not angry with you. I could never be."

You visibly relaxed, and Kento continued, "But you're never going back to that place. They don't care about you. Hand in your notice."

Filled with indignation, you began to argue back.

"You think you can order me to leave my job without an explanation? Please, Kento. I'm not a child."

"An explanation?" He spat, striding towards you now, "Here's your explanation. It has come to my attention that the higher-ups are routinely under-ranking Curses to send inappropriate sorcerers to manage them. You and Ino dealt with a First-grade Curse today, so congratulations to you, but another Second-grade sorcerer came to Shoko in a body bag today, unsuccessful."

You felt cold to the pit of your stomach. You had been convinced the Curse had been an innocent misclassification. You had been overwhelmed, your life very much on the line, and you and Ino had succeeded through luck and teamwork alone. Suddenly, you understood Kento's rage, but couldn't allow him to make rash decisions on your behalf. You inhaled deeply, and let out a shaking breath. Kento was inches from you, cursed energy bounding off him in hot pulses.

"Be that as it may, and we can address this so it doesn't happen again, I'm not leaving my job over thi--" Kento snarled at you, backing you into your bedroom now.

"This is what you want?" He inquired coldly, slamming the door behind him, "For me to bury you? Or, what's left of you? We only had half of Yuu's body, you know. I wonder, did they know that Curse was a First-grade?"

You continued to back away from Kento, unable to quell his rage, the backs of your knees bumping against the bed.

"Is that what this is about? What happened to Yuu? Kento, be reasonable--"

Kento's hand pressed over your mouth. "Enough," he rumbled, voice low and dangerous. You felt heat pool in your belly now, feeling the heat, anger and possessiveness radiating off him.

Kento removed his hand and tilted your chin forcefully up to him, crushing his lips to yours, so different to his usual tender kisses, and his hand slipped under your dressing gown, squeezing your breast hard. You mewled against Kento, pleading again for him to be reasonable--

"I am being reasonable," he purred at you, hands now undoing your dressing gown, stripping it off you, tossing it aside and leaving you naked and vulnerable in front of him, "because you and I both know I wouldn't want to live without you. Why do they deserve you more than I do?"

Kento spun you away from him, tossing you face down onto the bed. You gasped, opening your mouth again to tell Kento off, and as you began to lift yourself off the bed, you felt Kento's knee on the small of your back, forcing you down, and his hand over your mouth. Your breath hissed from your nose in surprise, and you felt Kento, powerful and completely immovable, caging you in.

"So if I am being reasonable, and we know I am, how else can I make you leave that place?" You felt his tongue on the back of your neck, licking a bold stripe up to your ear, before biting your earlobe a little too harshly. You mewled behind his hand again, growing wetter, pussy aching despite your indignation.

"How about I put a baby in you?" You squeaked in shock behind his hand, and he laughed dryly, "Come now. It's not like we haven't spoken about this. Would that be enough to take you off the battlefield?" You felt Kento palming himself through his trousers now, completely unhinged in his anger and desire to protect you, and heard the zip of his trousers, feeling his bare cock dropping, throbbing and huge between your thighs, wet with your arousal.

Kento hummed at you, prone and gagged by his hand beneath him, and slipped his length between the wetness of your thighs, groaning as you clamped them together in surprise. He began to slowly thrust into the tops of your thighs, groaning lowly and wettening his cock. He felt your panting breaths from your nose against his hand, rage still coursing through him at your refusal, his irrational mind placing your safety above all else.

You nearly fell apart at his next question, asked slowly, millimetres from your ear; "Should I be gentle?" A moment of hesitation from you, before you shook your head. Kento chuckled darkly- "Good. I wasn't going to be."

With no warning, Kento angled his cock upwards and thrust deeply into your prone body, instantly bottoming out, grunting with the pleasure. You squeaked behind his hand, arms reaching round instinctively to grab at Kento. Now your body was pinned completely by his, his other hand swiftly collected yours together and pressed them hard to the bed above your head.

You mewled and whimpered behind Kento's hand as he pounded into you relentlessly, owning you, marking you as his own with harsh lovebites to your neck that no amount of make-up would hide. You were dizzy from his pace, cockhead slamming against your cervix and sweet spot, now unmoving and completely succumbing to Kento, allowing yourself to be so used, as he panted and groaned above you.

Kento felt only a spark of guilt as he continued to bully his way into your pussy, feeling wholly justified in his rage, needing you to know how serious he was about keeping you home and safe.

His hand left your mouth to reach under your body, sliding between your folds and pinching your clit harshly, "Loud as you like now, my love." And Kento was rewarded with you gasping his name, before crying out like a song, music to his ears, and his pace picked up again, determined to hear you call his name again.

Your orgasm crashed into you with little warning, Kento's harsh ministrations on your pussy and clit rushing you through your orgasm rapidly to overstimulation, and you squirmed and writhed beneath him, only spurring him on more.

"Again," Kento ordered, growling into the back of your neck as within seconds, you cried his name out again, begging him now for relief.

Kento continued, and you lay spent as he continued to pound you into the mattress, pussy now fluttering weakly around him, and he reached under you, holding your lower belly as he came with a roar, holding you up to him as he spilled himself inside you. You panted, duvet tear stained beneath your eyes, and Kento pulled out to a whimper from you. He appraised his work, using his fingers to push drips of his cum back inside your pussy.

You lay in silence as Kento dropped back onto his knees, head tipped back and cracking his neck from side to side.

"Alright," he spoke slowly, as you laughed into the mattress at his strange duality, "we can talk about it now."

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Love you all, MWAH

[ac3may]

" the wag diaries "

How You Met

~ Georgia Stanway ~

~~~~~~~~~~

it was evident to everyone who knows you that you and Georgia were meant for each other

it all began on a rainy autumn day in Germany

as an up-and-coming American singer-songwriter, it was your first time in the country

with your latest single blowing up on TikTok you had somehow managed to wrangle yourself a European tour

having come from a close but not wealthy family unit back in Colorado travelling at all was new to you

but especially travelling SO far around the globe

that's the reason you made it a mission to get out and explore every place you go

even when the weather is miserable!

which brought you to the hole-in-the-wall café you’d found yourself in

bundled in several sweatshirts and a rain jacket on top

rushing out of the cold and wet into the first local-looking business you saw

you had underestimated quite how busy the small business would be

so in your stumbling, feeling like a wet cat dragged backwards through a hedge, you ended up tumbling into someone

and it wasn’t just any someone

after recovering from the hot coffee you had spilt on yourself in the fall

and the feeling of the stranger's hands electrifying you through your many layers as she steadied you

you finally took in the full glory of the women in front of you

cheeks rosy from the cold, an amused smirk resting on her face 

Georgia was just as stunned to see you 

despite the wind-whipped hair stuck to your forehead and the bewildered animal look you had going on

you were obviously not from here 

sucking a deep breath she managed a cheeky smile

flustered and embarrassed you began stuttering out badly strung-together phrases of German in hopes of not being shamed out of the shop entirely

Georgia’s grin only widened as she realised that you had  mistaken her for a native

finally putting you out of your misery she, in her very English accent, boldly stated her most commonly used German phrase 

“entschuldigung, ich spreche kein Deutsch”

the confused look that crossed your face only reminded Georgia more of a puppy than you had originally 

so with a chuckle she held out her hand and introduces herself

only laughing harder at the embarrassed but relieved expression that crossed your face as she did so

after much debate over who owed who coffee the two of you found yourselves settled snugly together in the corner of the shop, drinks steaming in front of you

with conversation flowing but mugs long since emptied the pair of you are only broken from the bubble you created when your phone begins buzzing incessantly 

ignoring it once you’d sent an apologetic smile to Georgia as it rang again

after encouragement to answer you are immediately met with the worried voice of your manager (and older brother) 

after confirming where you were, and that you were safe he was quick to remind you of how close you were cutting it to sound check for your show that night

eyes widened at how long you had spent talking with the English women you’re quick to exchange numbers and a ticket to your show

it’s months until you see each other again though

and even longer before you became official

but Georgia had never been more thankful for the awful weather than she was that day

~~~~~~~~~~

Idk if what I’ve written is great but G is one of my favourite concepts so far! Let me know what you guys think.

We're moving through the WAG diaries nicely!! Reader Origin's and dating blurbs coming next unless I get some requests so feel free to make suggestions ◡̈

[fandom-go-round]

Sea Salt Like Glitter: Part One

Summary: You’re a forest ranger. Trees and mammals are your specialty. Mermaids in the ocean? Way outside your area of expertise. Good News: They like you. Bad News: They like you a lot

Mer! Sun x  Plus Sized! Reader x Mer! Moon

Part One (Here!), Part Two ,Part Three

Enjoy the first of the wedding month stories! I’m guessing this is going to be around 3-4 parts. I’m a sucker for Sun and Moon and couldn’t leave the Mer AU alone. I hope everyone enjoys!

Warnings: Trapped in Rocks, Blood, Dehydration, Different Species, Threats of Bodily Harm

           The best time to go to your beach is around twilight. It’s not technically your beach but your house is the closest one to the water for miles. And technically it’s a ranger station, not a house, but it feels like home after a year of working. You enjoy the calmness of the ocean, gulls screaming and diving overhead. The air smells like salt but you appreciate the burn now. Part of the job is that you have to patrol the waterfront at least once a week and you do that at twilight.

           Fredrick Fitzgerald Beach and Forest. One of the most treasured pieces of nature in the country. Nicknamed ‘Pizza Beach’ after the restaurant chain started under the same family, the protected land is looked over by a special kind of warden. A cross between forest ranger, ocean rescue and PR personality, they have the job of living on site full time and making sure people leave the animals alone. And right now, that’s you.

           There are other people of course, tour guides and rangers that help at the nature center. You wave at the groups on the hiking trails and listen to the animal facts that you’ve heard 100 times. What you do is different, more secluded. You’re on the other side of the ‘Do Not Cross’ sign and you take your job seriously.

           The last few days have been quiet and you’re hoping that the weekend stays that way. Thunderstorms are going to start later in the evening and you’re hoping to be done by then. You had chased some kids off earlier, teenagers looking for ‘a cool place to hang’ and the weather would hopefully deter anyone else from sneaking in.

           The water is starting to darken, deep blue going navy. You take a deep breathe, scanning the sand for any trash or people. There isn’t anything as far as the eye can see and you relax, smiling to yourself. Some people think that it’s lonely, being out here for weeks and sometimes months at a time. You enjoy it; you’d rather be with nature than people any day.

            You start to hum, watching as the sun finally slips below the horizon. Now your favorite part of the night starts. There are a few moments of darkness before lights begin to flicker under the water. The underwater bioluminescence becomes visible to the naked eye; even after all this time it’s hard to believe that it’s real. The water is much, much deeper than it looks and there’s something in the water that promotes the creatures to glow. Scientists come to study sometimes and you stay out of their way, you’re more of a forest person.

           Everything in the water looks normal and you watch the fish dart around, smiling as you stroll part of the beach. You jump as thunder rolls overhead and speed up, calves burning with trying to move quickly through sand. You don’t want to get poured on, walking up the path towards your cabin. The climb is steep and you’re panting by the end of it. The cliffs gives a great view of the water, large rocks creating an outcropping off shore. They jut high out of the water, the largest shaped like an arch. Lazy glowing turns into streaks, fish scattering; must be something bigger under there.

           Another clap of thunder bellows and you take off, rain falling in waves. You swear to yourself; your boots had finally just dried out. It’s a struggle to get the cabin door open and you’re glad you know your way around; it’s hard to see anything with the rain and wind. You watch the trees sway for a bit before going to get changed. There’s nothing to do now but wait out the storm.

♥

           It’s a couple days before you head back to the beach. Lightening hit one of the larger trees and you’ve spent the last couple days making sure none of the forest caught fire. It’s not ideal but the job can change quickly. After making sure the nature center was alright, you finally head down to the beach. It’s mid-day, much earlier than you would normally go but you’re tired and want to head back early.

           The beach is a mess. Seaweed and branches still cover the sand, the waves calm as if nothing had happened. These are some dead smaller fish but nothing too large and you’re thankful for that. Without thinking you begin to clean things up, gathering the sticks closest to you. You half watch a diving gull, seeing it swoop low and then fly off towards the large rock outcrop.

           The air leaves your lungs as a gasp, wood falling to the ground at your feet. You can feel your heart starting to pound faster, brain trying to catch up to your eyes. It’s hard to see from the beach but there’s something in the rocks. You curse at yourself for not having your binoculars on you and turn to the stairs, taking a deep breath. It’ll be easier to see up from the cliffs and you’ll be able to tell what it is. Hopefully.

           You curse the stairs once you’re at the top, knees aching. You love your job but it’s not made for fat people, even if you’re damn good at it. The sun is hot on your skin and you place your hand over your eyes, squinting at the rocks. It’s a better angle but farther away and you think you see something in the rock arch. It looks like another rock? Or maybe a log? It’s gray and part of you wonders if it’s some kind of ship that’s gotten stuck. The thought quickly leaves as something dark rises out of the water and slams hard against the surface. The gulls scatter with loud screaming and you feel like your eyes are going to pop out of your head.

           Some sort of animal is stuck. Maybe a sea lion? A baby whale? Or a dolphin? You go over the possibilities as you rush back to the cabin. There’s a small boat you take out sometimes, mostly to chase fishing boats off. It’s nothing huge but the engine works and it should get you to the rocks.

           At least you hope so. Being on the water makes you nervous; you can swim just fine but the boat rocking makes you sick. You don’t think about any of this as you take it to the water, putting it into the back of your truck. There isn’t a direct ride down to the beach but it’s better than nothing.

           It takes an hour before you’re in the water heading to the rocks. You made sure to bring as many tools as you could, along with a camera, an emergency phone and gloves. You have no idea what kind of animal that you’re dealing with but if this creature has been stuck since the storm, it’s going to be in rough shape.

           The rocks loom high overhead, casting dark shadows on the water. The sun is just starting to sink, even if it’ll take a few more hours. You have a water bottle and resist the urge to drink; you want to see what you’re dealing with first. You turn the boat off about 20 feet away and try to come to terms with what you’re seeing.

           The hole in the rocks is about as big as a basketball hoop backboard, the edges not completely smooth but close enough. It’s about two feet above water and something is stuck. Scales so navy they look black are scrapped against the stone, bits of blood smeared as well. It doesn’t move as you get closer, swinging yourself around to get a better look.

           You think that you’re looking at its back half. This side of the rocks is shaded by higher formations and it’s a bit difficult to see clearly under the water. Something that you guess must be a tail is slumped into the water but you can’t make out the shape. You grab an oar and paddle closer, letting the waves move you mostly.

           Something hits the bottom of the boat and you jump; it was a brush more than anything and of course there are fish out here. The next hit is harder and the boat sways. You place your oar in the water to try to turn and something yanks. You yell as the oar is ripped from your hand and disappears into the water.

           A loud rumble fills the air and you watch, horrified and full of awe, as the creature in the rocks moves. The tail rises and you realize that it’s not a tail, it’s webbing. Tentacles shoot out, some grabbing onto the rocks and others into the water. You quickly grab the other oar and move backwards, barely missing the flailing tentacles. Gulls on the rocks take to the sky and the creature begins to shift again.

           It doesn’t take long to realize that it’s not doing well, whatever it is. It only struggles for a moment before sagging once more, the tentacles barely holding on. They push against the rocks but it’s weak and the longer you look, the worse it gets. The scales that are out of the water look dull and are starting to crack; it really has been stuck here since the storm.

           You know that this isn’t a normal fish. First off, it looks like either a squid or an octopus but both of those would be able to get out of a hole. Also, the hissing and growling coming from the other side of the rock is ominous. You’ve never heard anything like it. You want to head back but you can’t ignore the suffering in front of you. Taking a deep breath, you count to five before paddling to the other side. You ignore the way your hands shake and hope that whatever it is won’t kill you.

           Immediately the hissing turns into snarling and you meet blood red eyes. You flinch, holding the oar across your chest like it’ll help you defend yourself. Sharp teeth snap at your and you can feel the waves from the tentacles behind the rock. You’re not in the line of fire and you take a moment to understand what you’re looking at.

           A furious face is set on a head coverd in fins, gills fluttering around the neck. The strong torso is covered in navy scales and two arms are digging into the rockface. You look the creature over once and then twice, your eyes always going back up to its face. It looks pissed and like it wants to break you in half. Blood red eyes stare out from a gunmetal gray face and keeps you in it sights.

           “Holy shit.” Your voice makes the snarling quiet down, almost like it’s waiting for you to say something. “You’re a mermaid?” You phrase it as a question and the creature, honest to fuck, rolls its mother fucking eyes at you.

           At the same time you take it in, the creature looks you over. You’re not much to look at, between your sad little boat and ranger uniform. It eyes you for a little longer between settling back down and looking exhausted. It’s hands, covered in long claws, detangle from the rock and lay against the surface. That’s when you realize it’s pinned.

           There’s a log wedged between the rocks, washed up from the storm. The creature is half wrapped around it, the log pushing hard against it’s chest and forcing it’s torso out of the water. One of it’s arms can touch the water but the other is pinned too high up, it’s shoulders pushed far back. It looks painful and you wince in sympathy. You get a snarl for your look, the creature sending you a glare.

           It’s eyes close with what you guess is exhaustion, not deeming you a threat. You want to argue but don’t; no need to push your luck. It looks worse from the front, scales dull and patches missing. The rockface has be gauged deeply in the mers struggle to be free.

           It’s beautiful. Navy fins on its head and arms lay low, curled up and dull. It’s torso is lighter, the color of sand in moonlight. It’s clearly built for hunting; it might be lean but it’s covered in muscles. Darker scales cover the torso like stars and you know that you can’t leave it here, even if it wants to kill you.

           “Hey.” Your voice has the creature opening it’s eyes again but only halfway. It takes you a second to get that they’re squinting at you; the sun must be bothering them. You lick your lips, knowing that it’s crazy to be talking to something this big. “Do you uh, want me to help you?” You wince at how uncertain you sound and the creature looks even more unimpressed than before. You hear something hit the water and assume it’s a tentacle.

           You hold up a length of rope and then gesture ot the log. Eyes flicker between rope, your face and log. Some sort of spark comes into its face and it’s claws curl into the rocks slowly. You put the rope down and grab the oar, slowly moving closer.

           It’s hard to get a good judge of size because of how it’s stuck but you guess that it’s at least eight feet long, maybe closer to nine. It doesn’t move as you get closer, eyes locked on you. The log is wedged in two places, one part under the water and the other above. When you look down, the bottom half seems to be covered in rocks, probably from the struggling. The only real option is to loop the rope of the top and yank.

           “I’m going to go for the top.” You talk and gesture as you move closer, trying to be transparent in your movements. “The bottom half looks too stuck.” You would be concerned by the lack of response if it wasn’t for the red pinned on your face. It takes a little bit to get the boat maneuvered just right and the scrapping of its claws gets louder. You do your best to ignore the impatience; you don’t want to end up in the water today. Not now that you know things like this exist.

           There’s a splash in the other direction and you flinch hard, almost falling from where you’re standing. The creature snarls, sharp teeth flashing in the sun and you look over the water. Nothing breaches the surface again and you shake your arms, trying to get rid of the tension. As long as there isn’t another predator you should be alright.

           You have to throw the rope a few times before it’s looped just right and you can feel the waves of judgment coming out of the mermaid. Mer creature? You’re not stupid enough to pretend this isn’t some sort of intelligent creature; you’ve been pinching yourself too much for it to be a dream. That doesn’t mean that you want it commenting on your physical abilities and ignore how embarrassed you’re getting. Finally, you get the rope secured and you tug it to make sure. You can sense the growing impatience behind you and vow silently to go faster. It’s already in rough shape and you don’t want it to suffer.

           Sending one last silent plea inside your mind, you start the boat engine back up. The creature flinches inside the rock and the gentle rumblings turn more into a hiss. You glance over and it flashes it’s teeth with a ‘get on with it’ feeling. You don’t hesitate, afraid that you’re going to lose your nerve. You throw the engine into reserve and gun it back, the boat taking off as fast as it can.

           The rope is pulled taught quickly and you jerk, almost going into the water. Creaky rumbles come from the creature and you want to swear when you realize it’s laughing at you. You ease the boat back forward before going in reverse again, your eyes locked on the log. The first time it didn’t move but the second it seemed to slip. Gritting your teeth you repeat the actions, the log slowly becoming free.

           The creature must feel it moving because it begins to push, well as much as it can with it’s chest. It looks painful with the open wounds but it doesn’t care, eyes getting brighter as the log shifts. You give it one last tug and the log comes free, the creature letting out an ear-piercing shriek.

           A few things happen at once. Your boat, tugging with all it’s might, flies back once the resistance is gone and you scramble to not turn over. The creature slides backwards into the hole, sliding into the shadow covered water. Lastly, bright red fins crest the water in front of you, darting behind the rock.

           Your boat spins for an embarrassingly long time; your arms ache and it takes everything in you to prevent it from flipping. The bottom of the boat has a good couple inches of water but you’re upright. A miracle. The clicking and hissing sounds are all gone now and it’s just you and the gulls. You watch the water once your heart calms down, eyes darting around to see if you can spot the creature in the water.

           You wait for ten minutes before slapping your cheeks and turning the boat back towards shore. Your mission was officially done and you need to lay down, maybe have a drink, maybe get high. There was a lot you have to think about and you don’t want to do it in the open water. Two pairs of eyes, one red and one blue, watch as you make your way back to shore and share a silent look. The water barely ripples as they sink below the waves, determined to pay you back in some way.

[x-elyssa-x]

Remix AU - Chapter 1

Part 2

Trollex rushed forward, towards the royal library. He was very excited and the trolls he passed on his way saw it. They knew the reason why. The young king quickly entered a large room full of books, just as the troll servant unpacked the books from a large box.

"Did they come?", Trollex asked excitedly.

"Yes, my king.", the servant replied. "They arrived about five minutes ago. I started unpacking them."

Trollex swam closer and looked at the new additions to his library. The books he had ordered a while ago were about music. They weren't techno books, he had plenty of those, but country, funk, classical, pop, and rock. Trollex picked one up.

"Finally.", the king smiled. "I was really looking forward to them."

The servant looked at the books with curiosity. He wasn't surprised that Trollex had ordered them. Ever since Queen Barb's World Tour, Trollex had shown a great interest in other music genres. Before, the techno trolls were very isolated from the outside world, they didn't know that other trolls existed, let alone other music. Trollex, being a young king, was hungry for knowledge. Unable to meet other trolls on a daily basis, he decided to learn through books.

"Time to read!", Trollex took his new books and sat down at the table.

“Should I leave you alone?”, asked the servant.

"Yes. And tell the others not to bother me for now."

The servant nodded and left the library, leaving Trollex alone with his new reading. The young king began to read. The first book he took was a book describing the rock genre. It was the first music he had heard that was different from techno. Loud and destructive. He wanted to know more about it.

After half an hour of reading, the door to the library banged open, making Trollex jump in his chair.

"What the-!?"

A small green fish swam into the room, moving quickly and agilely.

"Trollex!", the little creature shouted.

Trollex sighed and shook his head with a small smile. The fish was Beat Drop, his best friend and party partner. They were never apart, even when Trollex wanted to be alone, just like in that moment.

"I think I asked to not be bothered.", Trollex said, crossing his arms.

"Your orders don't apply me!", Beat Drop smiled slyly. "I heard your books arrived, I want to see them!"

Without waiting for an invitation, Beat Drop swam over to the table and looked at the books. Their covers fully reflected the genres of music they described.

The classical book was beautiful, decorated with gold detailing and an exaggerated font. The rock book was made of dark leather, decorated with sharp studs. The country book had yellowing pages and a few ink stains. It must have been handwritten, over many generations. The pop music book was a lovely felt cutout. Trollex couldn't wait to read that one. But the most interesting book was the funk music book. This one was covered in sequins, and opening it turned on a hologram that read itself and presented the history of funk. Beat Drop was impressed.

“Wow, amazing books!”, he said. “Are you going to read them all?”

Trollex nodded in the affirmative.

"I want to know as much as I can about the other music. Until now, all I knew was techno. Now I know we're not alone. There's so much to learn!"

"And lots of books to read. That'll take you a really long time.", said the little green fish.

"I have time."

Beat Drop nodded slightly and settled into his friend's hair. They sat there in silence for a while. Trollex continued reading, and Beat Drop began to get bored. Books weren't his favorite thing. He definitely preferred parties and fun. The fact that Trollex was able to sit in one place, in silence, reading, was a great feat in his opinion. He was about to say something, when Trollex got ahead of him.

"You know what? I'm reading this and I'm wondering…"

"What is it?"

"What do you think rock would sound like if you mixed it with techno music?", asked the king. "That would sound pretty cool, right?"

Beat Drop hummed thoughtfully. That would be cool, wouldn't it. Techno was a great music, the best even. It would definitely be a great remix.

"In fact, techno can be combined with other genres.", Trollex continued. "Imagine that, create something new, something unique."

"It would definitely sound better with techno.", smiled Beat Drop. "Well… Why not? Why not try it? It's a great idea!"

Trollex smiled and closed the book. He had decided.

"I learned better through experience than through books anyway.", he said. "This way, I'll also get to know other genres of music and other trolls. Beat Drop, I think it's time to get ready for a little trip!"

"Yes!", shouted the little green fish.

Beat Drop stood up and began to swim around his friend happily, excited at the prospect of venturing to other kingdoms. Trollex laughed and grabbed his fish buddy.

"Okay, mate, time to get ready."

[rjmartin11]

Hide and Go Seek One Shot

Pairing: Elvis & female!reader

Summary: Elvis had been away from you for far too long, and you want to play with him in more ways than one.

Word Count: ???

Warnings: Material is not suitable for under 18 years of age. Viewer discretion is advised!

Author's Notes: Hello, world. RJ here. I'm just passing through with a one-shot that's been on the shelves of my mind for a while. I'm retired from writing, but I wanted y'all to have this. Something dirty. Enjoy.

・ʚ♡ɞ・・ʚ♡ɞ・・ʚ♡ɞ・・ʚ♡ɞ・

It's been a full thirty-five days since Elvis left on his cross-country tour, and you missed him deeply. Even though he calls every few days to let you know where he is and how the shows are going, you need him around. His physical presence keeps you humble.

Although you have your hands full with a one year old baby boy. You want his daddy around to play with both of you. You feel like Elvis would have missed his first steps if he didn't walk in through the door that very moment.

He called you last night stating that he'd be home today. You haven't truly slept since the call. It only mattered that baby boy had rest, so he could play with daddy. You made sure he was fed and bathed.

You started cooking immediately for your weary traveler and his band of soldiers. All of Elvis' favorite dishes were to be made with exceptions. Fried chicken, barbecue chicken on the grill, potato salad, mustard greens, mashed potatoes with Smoky Mountain gravy, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, cream onion casserole, and cornbread. For dessert, banana pudding, sweet potato pie, and Ms. Mary's chocolate cake.

You scrambled all over the kitchen with Ms. Mary and Ms. Nancy came in to help with the load. You worked a full six hours in preparation for your love to come home to a great meal. You knew the meals on the road consisted of junk food, so this had to be special.

As you started to slow down a bit, Ms. Nancy asked you to go upstairs and rest. You didn't want to fall asleep on Elvis, so you did as asked and slept for a few hours.

"Mama???" You hear his little voice from down the hall and open your eyes. "Mama???"

You rub the sleep out of your eyes and head to his room. You creep slow around the corner as you hear him continue to call your name. You peek your head in the door, and he starts to giggle. Your son has his daddy's contagious gift of laughter.

"Is that my little Garon?" You ask.

"Mama!" He says with excitement in his voice.

"Hi, Mama's baby boy. Mama's handsome baby boy," you say, taking him out of his crib.

You get him ready for the day, and you both head downstairs. The ladies have taken care of dinner just as promised. You hand Garon off to his Great Aunt Delta and Great-Grandma Dodger so you can finish getting dressed for Elvis' arrival. You take a quick shower and get your hair and makeup ready for him. You want to look irresistible for your love.

As you put the final touches on mascara, you hear a big commotion downstairs.

"Daddy's home," you say to yourself, finishing up.

You run out of the room and to the staircase just in time to see Elvis look up at you. His smile lights up the room, and your glows.

"Hello, Mrs. Presley," he says, greeting with Garon in his arm.

"Hello, my husband," you reply, walking down the stairs.

He walks up to you with his free arm open to you. You embrace him gently as your son is in his other arm. He kisses your head and whispers he missed you. You tell him how much you miss him and how glad he's home.

Everybody crowded into the kitchen to get a plate. You made Elvis' and Garon's plates first, and then everyone piled in for their plate. Ms. Nancy made you a plate, so you sit and eat.

For the next thirty to forty-five minutes, the house was alive with laughter and conversation. Everyone talking about the tour and their adventures on the road.

"All in all," Elvis starts, "it was an amazing trip. This tour was great. Now, I'm just grateful to rest for the next three months."

"Rest? My husband wants to rest?" You ask.

"Yes," he answered. "Traveling around the country is fun, but I wanna rest."

"I guess you can wait on that surprise I have for you," you whisper in his ear.

"Surprise??? Baby, you didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to," you say, kissing his cheek. "Get rid of the boys and come find me upstairs."

You pick up Garon and walk toward the door. You bid everyone good night. Your sister drops by and takes Garon home with her, so you and Elvis can have Graceland all to yourselves.

You go upstairs and wait for him on the bed. You waited six months, so another fifteen to thirty minutes wouldn't hurt.

You peek out the window as everyone leaves out the front door, piling into their cars. Elvis tells everyone goodnight and thanks them for everything. He turns and looks up at the window. He sees you staring back at him and smiles the notorious smile of his. You bite your lip and close the curtain.

Seconds later, he's up in the room looking at you sitting on the bed.

"My pretty little Satnin. How I've missed you," he whispers as he crawls on top of you.

"I missed you, E," you whisper back.

He starts passionately kissing. You start slipping your fingers in his hair as he does so, kissing him back. You've longed for this moment for six, dreaded long months.

You roll yourself on top of him and push yourself off of him. You stand in front of him and begin to undress. Elvis watches in awe of you. As you slip out of your panties, cock begins to tent in his pants.

"You missed me, E?" You ask.

"Can't you tell?" He asks back.

"Then why are your clothes still on?"

Without another thought, Elvis starts to unbutton his shirt and undo his belt. Pulling his pants down off of his hips, disposing them to the floor. His cock sits up long and hard before you. All the things you want to do his penis. All the things you've longed to do to his penis.

You bow in front of Elvis. Not allowing him to wait another moment to start to suck him off at the head of his cock. His head falls back, and he moans your name. You only do this for a few seconds until you get off of your knees. You gently climb on top of him until you both are face to face, kissing one another. Elvis rubs your back. Followed by your ass. Then, he slides his fingers in between your legs to your vaginal lips, gently stroking your clitorus. You indulge in the feeling a moment.

Then Elvis pumps his cock a few times, attempting to penatrate you. You stop him and whisper,

"I wanna play a game."

"What?" Elvis asks confused.

You crawl off of him, standing before him and repeat,

"I. Wanna. Play. A. Game."

Elvis, reluctant to your quips, answers you as he gently strokes the throbbing in his dick.

"What kind of a game, Y/N?"

"Hide and Go Seek. In the house. Naked."

Elvis, wide eye, pops his head up to look at you.

"A... w-what? Hide and seek in the house naked?" He answers.

You nod your head enthusiastically. The smile never leaves your face. You squeeze your legs at the thought of him catching you. It makes you wet.

"Y/N, baby. Garon? What if he needs us?"

"He's with his aunt. He'll be with her for the rest of the night."

"Mary? Nancy?"

"I gave them the night off. They helped me cook your welcome home dinner. They earned it."

"Dodger? Aunt Delta?"

"E, everyone is gone. Graceland is all ours for the evening. Surprise."

Elvis smirks to you with that infamous smirk that makes your heart gallop, your knees quiver, and pussy drips. Elvis sits up on the bed, looking at you like he could eat you alive.

"You have twenty seconds to hide before I stuff my dick so far up your pussy they hear you scream on Beale Street," Elvis says.

"That's only if you can catch me," you laugh, running out the door and down the stairs.

"One!" Elvis shouts, standing from the bed.

"Two! Three!" He continues to shout.

Elvis gets quiet as he starts searching the house for you. He walks downstairs, allowing the soft carpet to massage his bare feet. He quietly looks in the living room, and he even takes the extra steps to see if you're hiding in the music room. He'd love to fuck you on top of the piano.

He walks into the dining area and checks under the table. He makes way into the kitchen, silently searching for you. He rubs the ache in his dick, begging for a release only you can prove.

"Y/N?" He calls out to you. "Oh, Y/N. Where are you?" He asks.

He walks towards the Jungle Room, but there's still no sign of you. It doesn't make him mad. It only makes him want you more. He so enjoys the chase.

"Oh, you are so good at this, Y/N," he says. "I'm going to find you, and I'm going to fuck you so hard that you'll be begging me to stop."

You start to giggle but quietly move downstairs. Elvis heard you and ran to the sound of your voice.

"Baby, no cheating now. If you left the house, that's cheating. You want the public to see you. That beautiful, naked body of yours."

*ring* goes the phone.

Elvis looks at the phone confused. Who could be calling you and him right in the middle of your game. Hesitant, Elvis picks up the phone and answers.

"Hello?"

"I didn't leave the house," you say over the phone.

"Y/N, you naughty girl. You deserve a spankin'."

"Don't threaten me with a good time."

"Once I get my hands on you..."

"Talk is cheap, Presley."

"Tell me where you are."

"Where's the fun in that?" You answered him. "You're so close, E."

"Give me a hint."

"Well, there are six phones in the house. One in your study. The kitchen. The bedroom. The living room. And the other two are... E?"

Elvis goes quiet. Dead quiet to the point that it scares you. Then you realize he knows where you are!!! He knows you're downstairs! You drop the phone and try to make a run for it, but he grabs you as you get to the doorway. You yell with excitement.

You back away from him. You made him wait to pleasure you too long. He's sex deprived, hungry, and needy for you. You can see the lust in his eyes. Where the color of his eyes was once a clear blue, you now see a stormy dark gray.

"Now, E..." You say trying to calm him down.

"Silence," Elvis says, backing you up to the sofa.

You run away from him further into the den of the room, but he's right behind you. He grabs you and lays you face down on the sofa. He slaps your ass a few times cause moans to escape from your lips.

"Bad girl," Elvis says, through clinched teeth.

*smack*

"Making me wait to fuck you."

*smack*

"Not allowing me to take what's rightfully mine."

*smack*

"Awe!" Is all you can muster up.

The action makes you wetter. You start to hump the couch as another smack lands across your backside. Elvis has your hands where you can please yourself, so you fuck the sofa.

He forces his hand upon your ass once more, then he raises you ass in the air where you can't grind the sofa.

"Elvis, please," you beg.

"Elvis, please!" He mocks you, placing another smack to your rear end.

Then, without warning, he stuffs himself inside your pussy from behind. You let out such a moan at the penatration and pleasure that fulls you up. Holding your sides, he pounds his rock-hard dick inside with fervor. You delight in the feeling of being one with him.

With your hands free, you waste no time placing your fingers on your clit to work yourself into a frenzy. He pumps into you for a few minutes until he pulls out of you, turning you around to fuck you from the front.

He hungrily kisses your lips and makes his way down your neck. He takes his time going down to your breast, giving them special treatment. You moan at the sensation of his lips on your skin. They're like two plush clouds massaging you.

Elvis bites your left nipple causing you to scream. He looks at you with that devilish grin and licks the ache away. He sits up for a moment, and you take this opportunity to kiss him. You push him on his back, mounting his cock. He helps you line yourself up with his cock, and pulls you down to relieve the ache of pleasure. You both moan at the first stroke of each other.

You begin to ride his penis like you're on saddle back. You start slow at a slow trot and pick up the pace into a full gallop. Your heart has been racing since the beginning of your little game. But it's nothing compared to the way it races with Elvis inside you. You love this man so much.

He pushes himself inside you just right where he hits your g spot, and your moans fill the room. You are so blissed out from ecstasy that you tumble on top of him. He holds you closer than a toddler holds his or her teddy bear.

You both lay there quietly, just enjoying each other's company.

"Baby," Elvis says, "That was the best game of hide and seek I've ever played. I never knew running around Graceland naked could be such fun."

"Oh, I did, E. I knew," you say, wrapping his arm around you.

"So, what's the next game, Y/N?" He asks, kissing your head.

"I'm sure you'll think of something."

Taglist: @missmaywemeetagain @beeandheroddobsessions @headfullofpresley @everythingpresley @epforeverohyes @vintagepresley @pianginferno @powerofelvis @ab4eva @foreverdolly @searchingforgravity @thatbanditqueen @daffieapple @18lkpeters @dkayfixates @epsgirl @richardslady121 @literally-just-elvis-fics @eptodaytommorowforever @vintageshanny @iloveelvis @dreamingofep @aliypop @littlehoneyposts @msamarican

[angelasscribbles]

Birthday Surprise

Series: None, this is a one-shot and you can find those here.

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake x OC!F (Jen)

Rating: G

Warnings for this chapter: None, it's PG. (Sorry, Jen lol)

Word Count: 559

A/N: Follow up to Summer Vacation. Happy birthday @nestledonthaveone

My other stuff: Master List.

Jen looked at herself in the mirror. She did a little twirl to watch the skirt flare out.

She looked cute.

She sighed as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. It was her birthday and she felt…. discontent.

It wasn’t anyone's fault. Her friends were amazing and they had planned a whole night for her. An early movie followed by dinner, then dancing.

Gifts, cards, and happy birthday texts had been arriving all day. She turned and made her way to a vase full of red roses. Buring her nose in them she inhaled deeply. Running her fingers across the soft petals, she sighed again.

This summer had been going fine, but she couldn’t help but compare it to last year. Last year she had spent her entire birthday month traveling across Europe. It had been unforgettable.

The flowers she was currently caressing had been sent by the new friend she’d made while there. The smoking hot drummer of a band they’d seen while on an unplanned layover in a tiny country called Cordonia.

He had promised to visit, but that hadn’t happened. Between his band’s touring and recording schedule and her classes and new internship, there just hadn’t been time for either of them to travel.

There had been phone calls, video chats and text messages, but those were a poor substitute for the real thing.

It’s fine, she told herself as she threw her wallet and lipstick into a small clutch just as the doorbell rang.

Her best friend was picking her up so she could drink tonight without worrying about driving home. She promised herself that she would have fun tonight and not focus on the long distance relationship that might or might not be happening.

She crossed the living room and pulled the door open ready to ask if she should bring a jacket. It was hot outside, but movie theaters in Texas were kept arctic cold during the summer months.

The words died on her lips and shock coursed through her when she found the person standing on her doorstep wasn’t her best friend.

“Drake?”

He was as heart-stoppingly handsome as he had been the first time she’d seen him. Chestnut hair fell to his shoulders. Eyes the color of hammered copper sparkled with anticipation. His mouth split into a smile. “So, you’re happy to see me? This is a good surprise?”

She finally recovered as happiness flooded into her. “The best!”

She wasn’t sure who moved first, but the next thing she knew, she was in his arms again.

Finally!

After what seemed like forever and no time at all, her across the hall neighbor cleared her throat loudly. “Take it inside. The rest of us don’t need to be subjected to this!”

“Sorry!” Jen flushed, but she was giggling as they pulled apart. She took his hand and pulled him inside, closing the door behind them.

“We should go if we’re going to make the movie.” He laughed softly.

“Wait. You know about the movie?” Her eyes narrowed. “My friends were in on this?”

“Yeah.” He chuckled. “They also said we can just meet at the restaurant for dinner if we’d rather skip the movie.”

Heat exploded through her at the implication.

She would have to remember to thank her friends later.

They were definitely going to miss the movie.

[pinksunsetsandstarrynights]

Adamsapple Harvest: Bonfire

Hey guys, here's another fill that takes place in my Human AU. This one was inspired a bit by the idea I saw floating around a while back that two of the background demons in "Apology Tour" were secretly Adam and Lucifer in disguise.

Watching a bunch of admitted hot people burn an effigy of some dickhead who broke their hearts in a bonfire was not what Adam was expecting to do on a Saturday night. Neither was he expecting to roast some marshmallows in said bonfire.

Why did Tex invite him here again?

Right. To give Adam a chance to finally see his band play live.

It was still so awkward being here though, surrounded by so many jilted people. This guy with the stylized heart tattoo on his forehead was a total stranger to him. He wasn't even friends with any of the exes!

Tex didn't count because he was here strictly for work.

"Addie, I got us some cake!"

At least Lucifer was here with him. It was tempting to call it an early night and just have a sleepover at Lucifer's place. Hopefully Tex's band will play soon.

He turned his head to greet his boyfriend, but seeing what Lucifer brought made him pause for a second. The pieces of cake he held were shaped like hands. "At least the cake is Halloween themed, thanks babe."

"Actually, the cake's a sculpture of that guy everyone here hates," Lucifer corrected him, as he stole one of Adam’s marshmallows. "You should see what someone did to the crotch. It looks like it was stabbed like 50 times!"

Adam winced and crossed his legs. He couldn't imagine either of his exes hating him enough to throw a big, expensive house party. Neither of them had been the type to waste their time and energy on someone they didn't give a damn about anymore. He took a bite out of the cake, trying really hard not to think about that time an ex moved to another country and ghosted him without so much as a breakup text.

Holy shit.

The host really did go all out. This cake tasted way too good for something covered in fondant. Maybe they can get some treats to go before they leave…

"That's Verosika Mayday!" Lucifer exclaimed with a mouth full of marshmallows, pointing at the makeshift stage surrounded by a lot more party goers than were there a moment ago.

Adam glanced over to catch a glimpse of the pop star. There she was - and Tex's band too - but surprisingly she wasn't standing center stage. Instead a tall, slim man dressed like a count from the 1800's was the center of attention. He'd missed Verosika's introduction of the guy, but Adam wouldn't be surprised if this was another ex.

"I let you get too close I let it go too far Now I know, now I know Now I know exactly what you are!"

Damn, this count guy could sing! And he was right, this was another ex. Adam was still enjoying the song and, from the way his head was nodding along with the music, so was Lucifer. Too bad it wasn't something he'd want to dance to with his boyfriend.

He wrapped an arm around Lucifer's waist and scooted closer to him. His tiny boyfriend smiled and leaned up to give Adam one, two, three slow kisses. Lucifer left the taste of his apple chapstick and the marshmallows he stole on Adam's tongue.

Adam usually liked to keep PDA to a minimum, but he wanted to keep kissing Luce. There was just something the sitting around a bonfire with Lucifer on a cool autumn night that felt just right. At least they had the area to themselves while everyone else was watching the band. No one would notice if they started making out.

Lucifer must’ve been in the mood to keep going too. He had a mischievous grin on his face as he climbed onto Adam's lap.

Adam will let Tex know that his band's music sounded great live. He'll just leave out the fact that he zoned out after listening to one song.

---

A car horn's continuous honk was echoing into the night when they finally left the party. They ignored it as they headed towards Adam’s car. It wasn’t their problem that someone has a busted horn. Besides, the happy couple had better things on their minds...

Like what they should pull out of Lucifer's toy box for playtime that night.

[chrisevansonly]

Momma’s Special Surprise For Arlie (Little Duck au🐣)

pairing: Momma Evans (Female Reader) x Arlie Mae x Chris Evans

summary: Momma has a very special present for Arlie, and she got some help from some very special friends

warnings: none just fluffy goodness

a/n: i’m really excited about this little fic, i’ve been wanting to write it for a while so here it is🫶🏻

You had been planning this surprise for a few months now, Arlie was absolutely gutted when you couldn’t go see Harry Styles in concert when he was in the United States. Despite her best smiles, you knew it gutted her not being able to see her favourite singer, but thankfully you’d been talking to Chris for a while trying to plan something. Harry would start his last leg of Love on Tour in May, and you reached out to him right away asking if there was any chance he could find you tickets to watch his shows in London at Wembley Stadium.

~

“I really want to do this for her Chris, I know London is far, and it’ll be expensive…I think it would make her really happy”

Chris nodded, his arms around you as you sat out on the back patio

“Why don’t we make a family trip out of it?”

“Really?!”

You were elated, eyes wide as you looked at him, a chuckle escaping his lips

“Yeah why not, we haven’t gone anywhere in a while, Arlie’s well behaved, Wes is still small enough to keep close to us, you and duck can go to the shows and Wes and I can get up to some boy stuff”

Laughing you pressed a kiss to his lips, clapping in excitement because let’s be honest, you were just as excited to be going to see Harry Styles live on tour

“I love you, thank you baby”

“Anything for my girls”

~

That brought you to today, setting up the living room with snacks for an afternoon tea party at Arlie’s request, Canyon Moon playing softly throughout your home, Wesley down for a nap.

“Arlie my girl, everything’s all set up, and Momma’s got a surprise for you”

She came in the room helping Chris carry over the tea which was really organic apple juice

“S’upise for me momma?!”

“Yeah for you baby”

Arlie smiled and Chris set the drinks down on the table before she sat cross legged beside you, her eyes bright and full of excitement

“So momma and daddy have been planning something for us as a family, we were thinking of going away on a trip”

“Wike we did the beach?”

You nodded

“Exactly baby, but we aren’t going to the beach this time”

“Where we go momma?”

Chris had pulled out his phone to start filming secretly

“Well we are going to a city called London baby, it’s in a country called the United Kingdom”

Arlie blinked raising her eyebrows

“That the one with the big clock momma?”

“Yep, Big Ben baby, you remembered”

Arlie smiled, they’d been learning about landmarks at school, and she’d made a mental note about Big Ben, asking Chris to go through photos of it every afternoon after school

“Momma has a surprise for you though and why we are going”

“What momma!”

You swiped a loose strand of hair behind her ear leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead

“Well, who’s your favourite singer?”

“Harry Styles!”

She’d finally managed to get the R’s in Harry down after a long time of talking about him

“Mhm, well Harry and Momma have been talking, and we’re going to go see him in concert”

“MOMMA REALLY?! REALLY MOMMA!!”

You laughed as she squealed jumping up and starting to clap

“Yes my love! He wants to have you out, and he wants to say hello to you too!”

“We gonna see Harry daddy!!”

She ran over jumping in his lap to hug him, his arms holding her to his chest

“Yes we are duck! You excited? Was this a good surprise?”

“So good! I’m so happy daddy!!”

He pressed a few kisses to her cheeks before she bounded over to you and jumped into your arms

“Fank you momma”

“You’re so welcome my baby”

She remained in your arms beginning to talk about all the idea she had and everything she wanted to see, what she wanted to say to Harry. This was priceless to see, her pure excitement and happiness at the fact that she would be seeing Harry after thinking she’d need to wait for a while. You’d do anything for your Arlie girl, and felt more than grateful to be able to experience these beautiful moments with your family.

[seacee16]

hues of you | charles leclerc

charles leclerc x original female character

warnings: none

next chapter

chapter one ~ pink

Bahrain '23

juliette.amelie

Liked by pierregasly and others

juliette.amelie accidentally got onto a plane to Bahrain, whoopsies ✈

pierregasly best accident ever

juliette.amelie aww, you sound just like my parents :,)

pierregasly wtf ?!

pierregasly stop it. get some help.

juliette.amelie noooooooo, what if therapy makes me lose my 🌟sparkle🌟

pierregasly or maybe, just think about it, what if therapy actually fixes you?

juliette.amelie ARE YOU CALLING ME BROKEN BITCH BOY?!

pierregasly YES!!

juliette.amelie ...fair (I'm slashing your tires)

pierregasly alpinef1team she's threatening me!!

alpinef1team I pretend I do not see

Juliette had always been amazed a how one small interaction could lead to something bigger: love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship. How the universe set up every aspect of every life, and how some lines are destined to cross in ways boy mundane and strange. But each crossing had a purpose. And one fated crossing back in the country of her birth had led her to where she was today. No matter how many years passed, she found it impossible to forget about it.

“Is this your first time in La Castellet?” The man asked in another attempt to strike up conversation with the young woman. It was two questions ago that she had begun to regret her decision of going out alone, but her friends were knee-deep in assignments and heck she was only in town for a few nights.

“No, I’ve been before,” she replied politely, just as she had with the other questions.

“Pity, I’ve been told I am a great tour guide.” She nodded, bringing her glass to her glossed lips in hope of finding a way out at the bottom of her drink.

The man’s eyes raked over her sitting figure before taking a step closer. Too close. “You know-“

That is when she first met him. She felt his hand on her back first, the presence of his body behind her own prominent and towering. Then came the smell of his cologne. And finally, the deep French-accented voice a little bit above her head.

“There you are, ma chaton.” My kitten.

The strange man’s head dipped down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, so soft that it was barely felt. He lingered; eyes focused on the man opposite her as he froze in place.

“Need some help?” Her saviour whispered, the music around them keeping his words hidden from anyone else.

Her eyes flickered, catching a hint of stubble and dirty blonde curls in her peripherals. She turns her head slightly, enough to return the subtle kiss her had given her. His jaw was rough beneath her lips.

“S’il vous plaît,” she whispered back, feeling the man’s fingers tap the span of her back in response. Please. She saw him straighten his body to its full height, his gaze never leaving her unwanted company. But then he smiled, stepping forward to offer a hand to the confused man.

“Thank you for keeping her company while she waited. There are some real creeps in this world and I would hate for anything to have happened to her before I arrived.” She couldn’t see his face, but it had the other man stumbling over his words and feet until he was no longer in sight. The woman let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding, sweeping her hair over one shoulder.

Her saviour made himself comfortable in the seat beside her, giving her the perfect opportunity to take him all in. He leaned forward to say something to the bartender, oblivious to her stares. Expensive was the first word that came to mind as she gave him a once over. With both sleeves of his slightly creased white shirt pushed up to his elbows, she could see the large watch shining on his wrist. A pair of sunglasses hung from the front, exposing a hint of chest and muscle. Blonde hair and stubble all along his jaw. And when he finally turned towards her, she noticed his eyes. Blue as the melting glaciers, clear as day.

“That happen to you often?”

She shook her head. “Usually, I have a few friends around to keep the sharks at bay. Guess this is what I get for going out alone,” she joked, offering the new stranger a smile.

He seemed shocked by her words. “You’re here alone?”

With a raised eyebrow, she teased, “Why so surprised? Because you just can’t believe that a girl like me would come to a bar without a man dangling from her little finger?” The man grinned, amused by the words that surely any other man would have spewed in her presence.

“I was, but that makes me seem a bit douchebag-y, so let’s just say I’m wondering because it’s not entirely safe,” he played along. A drink was placed on the bar top in front of him. After thanking the man behind the bar, the stranger stood. “If you’d like, my friends and I have an area reserved further in. You are welcome to join us. You know, for the sake of your safety and all.”

The woman looked towards the table he was motioning towards. They were a group of around nine men, with two women in between laughing at something one of them said. Too many for her liking this evening.

“I think I’m good over here,” she declined sweetly. The man’s shoulders seemed to slump. “But, if you need to get away from all that chaos at any point, you know where to find me.” His mouth twitched. Instead of leaving, he sat back down.

“One night without me won’t hurt them,” he admitted, grinning against the rim of his glass. “Not that I don’t love a good mystery, minette, but an introduction is in order, no?” Kitty.

“Juliette,” she told him, watching as he took her free hand in his and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “And what name should I put to the face of my saviour?”

His face lit up in a grin that screamed trouble, his thumb grazing over the skin of her hand as he held it between them. Juliette found his blue eyes captivating, like the tide daring her to go deeper into unknown waters. Waters that would soon become as familiar as Nice shores.

“Pierre.”

The friendship was effortless after that. Both of them travelled for work, but on the rare occasion that they found themselves in the same place at the same time, it was as if no time had passed.

And now, Juliette stood outside of the Bahrain International Circuit. The first time Pierre told her about his career as a Formula One driver, she laughed in his face, failing to believe how the man who looked like he would trip over air was capable of driving at such high speeds. It wasn’t until he actually showed her the highlights of his 2020 win that it hit her. From then on, it was a constant battle of denying his requests for her to join him at races, swearing on his life that he would be able to focus better – maybe even win – if she were there with him. Two years later, and she had eventually been worn down, giving in to his pleas and arriving a little before qualifying was due to start. Having already let him know of her arrival, she slid her dark sunglasses up into her hair and walked through the paddock. It wasn’t long before she noticed a familiar team name on a nearby motorhome.

As if sensing her, the door opened and a tall Frenchman hurried out. With one hand up to shield his eyes from the bright Bahrain sun, she watched in amusement as his head turned from side to side, trying to find her among the many faces occupying the surrounding area. He looked well. He stood docked out in his Alpine gear; racing suit tied firmly around his waist. His hair was tousled, as if he had just woken up, no doubt from the balaclava he would have to put on once again when it was time to drive.

When his eyes finally landed on her, it took mere seconds for him to jog over and wrap her up in his arms. A small squeal left her lips as she felt her feet lift from the ground, legs swinging as the man carried her away.

“Pierre,” she whispered aggressively, eyes wide as she noticed the heads turning to watch the pair. “You need to put me down, mon coureur. People are staring.” My racer. The man ignored her complaints, tightening his arms around her waist and only setting her back down once they were inside the motorhome. However, her freedom was short-lived, as she was immediately pulled into another hug by her friend.

“Vous m’as manqué, ma chaton.” I’ve missed you, my kitten.

“You saw me two months ago,” she told him, giggling at the way the tip of his nose tickled her neck when he shook his head. Juliette tried to pull away to get a better look at him, but the man refused, wanting nothing more than to keep her in his arms for as long as possible. Realising that there was no winning, she smiled. “You’re so clingy today, mon coureur. Why is that?” Her fingers traced shapes on his back as she spoke, causing him to shiver against her.

“Let’s call it pre-race nerves,” he whispered into her hair, the tone of his voice implying something all too familiar. Pierre let his lips fall to her neck, an action that resulted in her pinching his sides playfully.

“Get pole position and I’ll see what I can do about that pre-race nerves,” she teased, finally managing to pry the male off of her. His eyes were daunting, but the smile on his face was a soft as she remembered it to be.

Juliette was no stranger to the undeniable charm of her friend. And she would be lying to everyone and herself if she denied the affect it had on her. There were multiple occasions where a night of drinks and his sweet words had led to the pair finding themselves tangled among the other’s sheets, only to laugh about it over breakfast the following morning. In fact, that was how most of their meet ups ended. Despite that, they remained the closest of friends. There was a time, not long after they had met, that the idea of being in an official relationship was brought up, and for a few months they tried it. Chaste kisses and candle-lit dates. It would have been perfect for any other person. Only they weren’t anyone else, and the whole ideal just made their relationship awkward and borderline boring. So, they called it off and went back to their comfortable routine of drunk nights on brief trips. However, this didn’t stop Pierre from hinting towards wanting to introduce her to his friends on the F1 scene, a bribe to get her to return the favour with her friends back home.

“Come on, you need a tour.”

There was no room for protests as she let Pierre drag her out of the small building and back into the sun.

“Also,” he mentioned as they walked. “Don’t think I don’t notice you showing up in Alpine colours. You look beautiful as always, chèrie.” Darling.

She couldn’t help but laugh as Pierre lifted their intertwined hands, watching as she happily twirled beneath their locked fingers. He then brought her back to his side, comfortably resting his arm over her shoulders as she played with the rings on his fingers. The black and pink in her clothing matched almost perfectly with the shades seen in his racing suit, the coordination bringing a smile to the male’s face.

It wasn’t long before Pierre was being called to the garage to get ready for qualifying. Given the okay, Juliette followed him down to where the car was being prepped. She watched in awe as a mix of strategists and engineers rushed in and out of the area, a few sending their ‘good luck’s to her friend as they passed him.

“Have I ever told you that you look really good in your racing gear?” She asked him as he zipped up the front of his black suit. Her eyes trailed down his tall frame, making sure to let her gaze linger when she knew that he was staring back at her.

Pierre looked around the garage for any prying eyes before stalking over to her. She had unintentionally backed herself against a wall in the back corner of the room, feeling his hands grab hold of her arms as his body pressed into hers. Juliette stared up at him, relishing in the way his crystal eyes flickered between her lips and her own eyes.

“Yeah?” He asked, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a grin as his face inched closer to hers.

“Gasly! Stop flirting and get your ass in your car!” A voice shouted from somewhere in the garage. A smile broke out on her face, followed by a laugh from both of them. Ignoring the calls, Pierre leaned down and put his lips to hers, pulling her body closer to him. She breathed him in, smiling at the feeling of his lips against her own. There were zero feelings behind the kiss, but it didn’t stop her head from spinning. When he pulled back, he pressed one last kiss to her temple.

“I’ll see you when I’m done?” Pierre asked, already taking steps back in the direction of the car.

“Good luck, mon coureur.”

[goodluckclove]

Lucas [Redacted] Powell Intro Story Thing

i said I would do this a couple of days ago, but I got a bit of a head cold and I had to focus on more important things - mainly being a giant baby. Crucial.

But yes, people decided they wanted to hear about Lucas, Bluerose's head tailor. And I understand why! He's everything you could ever want in a man - he's got great style, an extra X chromosome, and he's deeply loyal and devoted despite constantly lamenting how done with everyone's shit he is.

This ended up longer than intended. Who's surprised by this point?

So Lucas is what some affectionately call a Colony Kid (he hates this term). Colonies are independent attempts to form a new Witch Town. It used to be a lot easier to create a colony and have it be functional enough to be approved into the official network of Witch Town - these days, though, resources and funding are thin enough that crossing that finish line is a lot harder.

Lucas was the brother of Andrew Dogbane Powell, the unofficial "elder" of this so-far unnamed colony on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan. The colony started falling apart for various reasons, and it ultimately was disbanded after Dogbane's breakdown and subsequent suicide. But the Detroit colony did manage to get closer to long-term success more than any had in some time, so the elders of other witch towns offered positions for some of the other leaders. This included Elder Noriko Ninokata of Bluerose, Oregon, who invited Lucas to join their new textiles team.

This was not an easy sell. Lucas was off-the-bat pissed, actually. He caught on quick that he was one of, if not the only person not in direct authority of the colony who was offered a new job and saw that as bullshit. Dogbane's whole dream in life was creating a functional refuge hub for the undeserved population of the community he loved so much, and now one of the only refuge hubs left in the country was just offering a job to Lucas, a person with no interest in the social service aspirations of "traditional birthrights"? Fuck that.

It's not entirely clear why Lucas accepted the tour. Maybe it's because Nori called him on the phone to follow up on her email, listened to him cuss her out for a solid five minutes straight, and took his rage without batting an eye or rescinding her offer. Maybe it's because he found Dogbane's journals and remembered how eloquent and passionate his little brother was about all of this. Or maybe he just wanted to get out of Detroit in the dead of Winter for a couple of weeks.

He went to Bluerose and felt nothing. He was 27 and already needed a cane to walk most of places. Bluerose was out in the mountains and comically accessible, just as Dogbane said places like that tended to be. Paved paths everywhere. Guides and lights and sensory considerations. It made Lucas feel a little sick to see it work and work so well. He knew it couldn't be as picture-perfect and Sesame Street-friendly as it looked, but he didn't care. Lucas would just humor the Elder to take a free vacation.

The lodging they arranged for him was by the beach, which provided some welcome solitude for the first few days. After that Lucas woke up one morning and went out to drink coffee and brood at the ocean - which is when he finally noticed the kid.

This fucking kid. Lucas watched him from a distance at first, just to see what his deal was. He was usually alone, even though he looked slightly too young to be alone this far out from town. Sometimes he would be lying in the sand. Once Lucas saw him having a full-on conversation with a passing seagull. What always ended up bothering him was the boy's outfit. It was some sort of colorful dress, and at first Lucas figured that's what bothered him. But lying in bed one night he realized suddenly that he didn't actually give a shit that the little boy was wearing a dress.

No, what was gradually making Lucas angrier and angrier was that the dress was shit. It was tattered, stained, and clearly too small for him. Is that how they treated the kids in these supposed utopias?

Finally one morning Lucas woke up and found the kid sitting on the beach, and he decided enough was enough. He grabbed his coffee and walked down the paved path until he was close enough to call out to him and ask what the fuck he was wearing.

Despite not making any sort of introduction, the kid wasn't really surprised to see him there. He explained it was his third favorite dress.

Lucas asked why it was so small. The kid said he got it when he was "a lot littler".

Lucas asked why he didn't ask for a bigger dress.

"People try," the kid explained, digging his toes into the sand, "it's not good, though. The fabrics are bad. They make me feel crazy."

The kid went on to say his name was Scott Skylark Kaufner. He offered Lucas an apple from the small satchel he kept on him. The satchel, it seemed, contained mostly apples and a large bottle of chocolate milk.

By now, even though he made no attempts at hiding his anger before, Lucas declared himself furious. He stormed into Noriko's office and demanded to know how the leadership of a refuge hub could be so behind in terms of handling basic sensory issues. Once again Nori showed no response to being yelled at - so much so that a reserve guard called and asked if she needed Lucas to be removed from the building.

Noriko explained that refuge hubs had to scale back tailoring services a few decades prior. After a few successful grants, bringing back the textile team was the first thing she wanted to do. She believed easier access to education and employment within the trade would only help Bluerose's clients and birthrights. At the same time, she said she never learned how to load a simple sewing machine. Which is why, when she heard news of the recently disbanded colony that included a tailor, she moved to contact Lucas before anyone else could.

Lucas, by now was - conflicted. Still a little annoyed, especially since Nori reacted to hearing about Scott with a feigned surprise that was unconvincing. But he forced himself to play along.

He had a meeting with Scott Skylark Kafuner and his mother at the design studio. The studio was sparse, but the equipment was new and they had a greater variety of materials than Lucas could ever hope to get access to. He took Scott's measurements (it took twice as long before the guy could barely keep still) and spent a solid hour going through materials and explaining all the different types of colors and sleeves and skirts.

For a kid as clearly manic and distractable as Scott, he listened to all of this dense terminology with a surprising curiosity. He was happy to pick the colors of the fabrics used in what Lucas would make, and even happier when he learned he could request the size and amount of pockets (Although his mom quickly stepped in to veto what Scott described as a frog pocket).

That night, Lucas got to work. Scott didn't want anything complicated, so he was able to complete five dresses over the course of two exhausting days. He was only supposed to make two. When Nori woke him up after he apparently fell asleep in the studio she gently thanked Lucas for his efforts, told him not to push himself like this again, and had a guard escort him back to his lodging.

He heard young Scott Kaufner's reaction to his new wardrobe secondhand at first. First it was a vague positive reception from Nori, then a sincere word of gratitude from the mother. Lucas stayed in bed, unsure how to feel, until he got a knock at the door one morning and found the kid from the beach beaming up at him in one of his new dresses.

Scott pointed out at the chest pocket, which bulged with a strange, shifting lump.

"You did it," he whispered in conspiratorial glee. "You made the Frog Pocket."

Lucas made a mental note to send the mother a list of stain removal tips for linen and cotton. By the looks of it he imagined she would need it.

Anyways he ended up staying and leading the textiles department. He designs clothes for clients and employees, giving higher priorities to those with sensory issues or mobility needs. He made pretty much everything in Scott's wardrobe, although they have a consistent fight about how Scott only wants to wear different colors and patterns of what are ultimately the same, like, three designs.

Lucas claims to find Scott irritating. He also refuses to design a suit for him when Nori requests one for the sake of not making Scott out to be a target while he travels. When he finds the suit they order, though, he does rip out and replace the lining so it's less itchy.

He then starts drinking more and more after Scott leaves, eventually being put on probationary leave and barred from going back into the studio until he completes a set number of recovery group hours. By the time Scott comes back to Bluerose, it is three years later and Lucas bothered even starting the meetings.

I forgot this is like roughly what Lucas looks like when Scott really gets to know him. He can grow a bit more facial hair than Scott can but also never got top surgery - a big reason why Scott never does either.

[westernstarofthenorth]

If you follow me because of Bruce only- i post very little about him right now, because I can't see him next Tuesday here in Denmark. I had tickets, for me and my friend, but because of ongoing menopause that just refuse to stop, i can't go- started last winter and thought it would be over within a year, like my mother when she went through hers, but it don't, seems like i'm among those where it lasts two years or more. I'm constantly tired, can't sleep or have marathons of weird scary Dreams, burning of fever and heat flushes, or shaking of cold, feels like ice in my limbs, periods that's totally unpredictable too, pains in all limbs from time to time, it's all as terrible as it sounds. Plus, my pollen allergies are much worse this summer, it is for many because the season for grass pollen started much earlier than normal, the amount of pollen is much higher than usual. There's absolutely no way i can be outside on a huge grass field where the concert takes place, as it is now, medication only takes the top of it, and I have absolutely no energy or stamina to stand up for hours, i'm totally drained and exhausted. Had to sell the tickets and are beyond sad about it. Last year i couldn't go either because I then had none to accompany me, and now all this health mess... !! I'm in absolutely no mood for posting anything Bruce-related for the time being, or it's just very rare. I have never seen him live, and was so happy when I thought it would finally happen. Can't describe how heartbroken i am right now. In just a week he will be in my country again, performing the 3rd show here within a year, and I will have to miss it this time too... !! 😪😪😪😪 Life is CRUEL. Now i just hope he will come back here next year- there's 4 postponed shows waiting here in Europe scheduled for next summer, and I cross my fingers for that Denmark will be included again, it just HAS to be ! I doubt he will go here just to perform a few concerts, guess it will be a full European tour again ??? Waiting for information later this year, guess it will come when the tour is done in November ? And I will see my doctor about my menopause-hell if it dosen't stop by itself this winter, because it's really a hell going through. But right now- no or very little Bruce-postings here... 😔😪

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Eye of the World! Chapter 28: Footprints in Air

Yup, we're back to Whitebridge and I'm up to my old tricks. This reread is going to have spoilers for everything in the whole damn series and if you don't like that, you should skip this post. And maybe block the spoiler tags.

For everyone else, let's talk chapter icons! We've got Moiraine's staff again, and it might as well be her magnifying glass because she is playing detective this time around. She also plays off of Nynaeve, our POV, this time around (and really any time she and Nynaeve are in the same room).

Another legend, and they don’t even seem to notice. She resolved not to stare where they could see. They’ll laugh if they see me gaping like a country bumpkin.

Nynaeve is really good at getting in the way of her own happiness. Moiraine is way too busy contemplating the singular purpose to which she's dedicated her life to at the exclusion of all else like some kind of 90s anti-hero and her statue of a Warder would probably start gushing at Nynaeve about every cool relic he'd ever seen if he thought it would make her smile. While part of Nynaeve's attitude is just about spiting Moiraine, I think her insecurities come from the same kind of logic that Rand observed in how Wisdoms wouldn't possibly be allowed to dance at festivals: she's not allowed to have emotion or she's even worse at her job than everyone treats her already.

The scowl made her feel like a girl who had been caught acting the fool by someone in the Women’s Circle. That was a feeling Nynaeve was not used to, and the calm smile on Moiraine’s face only made it worse.

See what I mean? Nynaeve hasn't let herself be imperfect in a long, long time.

If only there was some way to get rid of the woman. Lan would be better by himself—a Warder should be able to handle what was needed, she told herself hastily, feeling a sudden flush; no other reason—but one meant the other.

"Their romance comes out of nowhere!" - people who clearly didn't read this sentence closely.

It weighed on Moiraine and Lan, too, as outwardly unperturbable as they were. She soon realized that, beneath their calm surfaces, hour by hour they wound tighter and tighter, like clocksprings being forced to the breaking point. Moiraine seemed to listen to things that were not there, and what she heard put a crease in her forehead. Lan watched the forest and the river as if the leafless trees and wide, slow water carried the signs of traps and ambushes waiting ahead.

They spent the last two weeks assuming that they were finally done looking and could get onto the much easier part of their job of fleeing to Tar Valon. Their POVs right now would be absolutely hysterical and full of exciting expletives, most of which Moiraine learned from Siuan.

Then, contradicting what he had just said, he added, “You should go back to your Two Rivers when we reach Whitebridge, and the Caemlyn Road. It’s too dangerous here. Nothing will try to stop you going back, though.” It was the longest speech he made all that day.

Much like Rand, Lan wants to keep his loved ones out of danger. If they were flirting any more strongly, Moiraine would have to look away for decency's sake.

Around the square at the foot of the White Bridge piles of blackened timbers, still leaking smoky threads, replaced half a dozen buildings. Men in poorly fitting red uniforms and tarnished armor patrolled the streets, but they marched quickly, as if afraid of finding anything, and they looked over their shoulders as they went. Townspeople—the few who were out—almost ran, shoulders hunched, as though something were chasing them.

Western Andor really isn't going to recover from Rand's recent tour for years, is it? And Elayne really has her work cut out for her; Whitebridge isn't anywhere near as far away from Caemlyn as Baerlon. It is a distance, but the books have already noted that this is one of the only river crossings anywhere in the continent.

Of course, maintaining the bridge is a complete non-issue because it's magic and not repairable even if it did start breaking anyway. If anything happened they'd have to just scrap it and start all the way over. So the crown would have no strong reason to worry about this place and without any serious military threats (*points and laughs at Altara and Murandy*), funding is quite possibly lower to this place than it is to Baerlon, whose mining territories aren't supernatural so far as we know.

So I guess the worldbuilding for the near collapse of Andorian territory actually checks out in a lot of ways!

The truth of the matter was there was a man somewhere in the town meddling with the One Power. It was time to have the Aes Sedai in; past time, was the way they saw it, no matter what the men said about Tar Valon. Let the Red Ajah settle matters. One man claimed it had been an attack by bandits, and another said a riot by Darkfriends. “Those ones going to see the false Dragon, you know,” he confided darkly. “They’re all over the place. Darkfriends, every one.” Still others spoke of some kind of trouble—they were vague about exactly what kind—that had come downriver on a boat.

This is a rare moment in the series where the rumors are more right than wrong. There was a male channeler in town (even though they couldn't have known that, because Rand did nothing), the Fade attack is basically a Darkfriend, and the trouble did indeed come downriver on a boat. Poor Bayle, being driven off for something that wasn't his fault. On the plus side, it may have saved him from further problems.

He seemed resplendent to Nynaeve, in his peaked helmet and burnished breastplate, until he took a pose just inside the door, with a hand resting on the hilt of his sword and a stern look on his face, and used a finger to ease his too-tight collar. It made her think of Cenn Buie trying to act the way a Village Councilor should.

By the end of the series, quite a few people will have put on costumes they never thought they'd wear. Maybe even this militia guy will have the benefit of growing into his role. He's certainly just a dick now though. What kind of asshole tries to kick Nynaeve out of town?

The Aes Sedai studied the tabletop for a moment before raising her eyes to Nynaeve’s, and when she did, Nynaeve started back from a flash of anger that almost seemed to make Moiraine’s eyes glow. Then her back stiffened, her own anger rising, but before she could say a word, the Aes Sedai spoke coldly.

It's incredible that Moiraine spent years being trained to modulate her emotions, first in the crazy political schemes of Cairhien and then by the White Tower itself, and Nynaeve gets her to be openly angry in just two weeks! She could make anyone break.

And that's a wrap on another short chapter. See ya next time for another Perrin POV!

[aestheticvoyage2023]

Day 127: Sunday May 7, 2023 - “The Lou’s Zoo”

After a nice breakfast at Ben’s house, and a ride in Eve’s big tree swing, we rolled into the Central West End to visit Forest Park - whoa talk about nostalgia being back here!   I used to spend a lot of time in this park, circling the back path that now I crossed pushing a stroller almost 15 years later, but an old friend Ben beside me still after all this time commenting on how nice it is that he’s now seen William 3 times before he is 2!  That is pretty memorable and I am glad for the good men in my life and that I can count him as a friend, and that he’d be willing to go out in public with me on a muggy day like today where the sweat just ran out of me....like my desert dried bones didn’t know what to do with all the moisture in the air. 

The big adventure for today was to take William to the St Louis Zoo, which I believe to be one of the best zoos in the whole country on the simple fact that it is free on top of also being pretty damn awesome.  Beautiful here with all the greenery and the trees and the well done habitats with flowing water and waterfalls.   I made a big deal with William about finally seeing a Hippo for the first time and we went straight for that right away and with amazing luck, all three hipps were all together napping up against the glass where William could stand in awe and watch the bubbles come out of their noses, occasionally lifting for air, then settling back down on each other for their Sunday Siesta.  Ten Minutes in, and the zoo visit was a complete success. 

This Zoo, I’d always bring family and visitors here for a run around the park and a chance to see Giraffes.  I even sent AC here once on a long overnight to connect with a place that feels like home to me.  But to experience it all again with William in the stroller, after spending so much time together in our own zoo, was memorable - you see and experience it all different now as a Dad, seeing the wonder in his eyes while a polar bear swims in front of him, or real live penguins danced on the rocks for him, running with their arms out behind them like he does.  The Sun Bear definitely won for best overall habitat and we agreed that he is winning at Sun Bear life.  I was impressed with the new monkey habitat built in together with a kids monkey play area.  We saw several Asian Elephants, and Grizzlies, Sea Lions swimming.  It was a pretty awesome day - and several times I caught pictures of William looking lovingly and respectfully at his Uncle Ben - hes.a good Dad and a good man, and I appreciate that he has a good soul to look up to along with all the other really good friends and dad-models I have backing me up on this journey.  They played together and laughed and looked at Puffins and I imagine that William probably thinks this is Ben’s zoo.   Just imagine when we come back and get you the behind the scenes tour!   

A day after going to his fourth major league ballpark, this was William’s fourth major league zoo to go with Detroit, Phoenix, and Tucson and it really got me thinking that maybe this could be our thing for this next little stress.  Which zoo should we go to next?  Cant wait to find out!

Song: Bob Dylan - Forever Young

Quote: “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ― W.B. Yeats

[janatours]

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