#gender changes

[sirenofthegreenbanks]

😊🥰👽

👽 a fic that isn’t prose (poetry, text fic, etc.)

woahg what a cool question 0:

rhymesswith‘s WOH modern setting Cat!ZZS AU comic strips

rhymesswith's WOH Ladyhawke AU specifically this part of it! (masterpost with context in chronogical order)

you already know this but annannjay's iwtw WOH republican era shanghai AU that still has me be wildly insane

bardorable's WOH canon compliant introspective wen kexing poem Entropic Notions

megafaunatic's modern TYK setting comic of zzs throwing a birthday party!

😊 a fic that made you smile on a bad day

this wouldve been much harder to answer but fOrtUnaTely [at the time of writing this] im having a bad mental health month .. phase ,, time! (laughcrysob) [it's been a few i'm fine now!]

i‘d always been rigid before you by thehoundisdead. The Untamed modern au, wangxian, gender changes, wlw, identity shenanigans, texting, food as a gateway for love, university, light angst, misunderstandings, G. wei ying flirts with the driver who delivers her food orders via text, not knowing who they are, and it has no connection at all to lan zhan, her classmate! i love this little fic. its fun and silly and sweet and makes me go all warm inside, its exactly what i need when im down. i remember that u dont prefer school fics but maybe u like this??? there is not much serious school stuff happening there aside from the opportunity for wei ying to flirt with lan zhan since theyre classmates

no one understands the chemistry we have by livinginaworldofnoise. WOH, wenzhou, modern au, story told in posts, G. wen kexing tries to woe the most handsome man in the world. zhou zishu needs advice to get rid of a weird creep. these things are not at all related, why would u think that! its been a few weeks but i read this when i was having an extremely bad night and it lifted my spirits!!!!!! livinginaworldofnoise is one of my fav fandom authors, theyre so good at balancing rawness with humour. and i like how this fic transplants wkx from canon to a modern setting and shifts into an outsider‘s pov (the reddit community, this is told in posts), which automatically removes any context that would explain his Behaviour and Attitudes. i mean, wkx is actually disturbing! if u dont know why he is the way he is agdgdgdg

🥰 a fic that gives you warm fuzzy feelings!!

hey girl (you are what i've been looking for) by detectorist. The Untamed, MDZS, modern au, wangxian, background niehuan. gender changes (EVERYONE is a lesbian except for jiang cheng, who is the token gay man), wlw, house parties, drunk kissing, chaotic friend groups, casual queerness, T. wei ying and lan zhan meet on a house party the jins are hosting. sparks fly. highly recommend to read this together with its sequel!

the only place you wanna be by aiyexayen. WOH canon divergence/fix-it, gu xiang/wen kexing/zhou zishu, background wenzhou, four seasons manor arc, multiple pov, gu xiang-centric, introspection, non-sexual intimacy, hurt/comfort, angst, found family, rarepairings, polyships, M. zhou zishu has a problem, and its just as annoying and confusing as wen kexing. gu xiang realizes that the lao bing gui her zhuren keeps following around might be a little bit good-looking. wen kexing rearranges his perspective of what it means to him to care for his silly little girl. while they all live at four seasons manor, things develop. this fic single-handledly changed my brain chemistry! and the dynamics are so warm and so gah!!!! also aiyex shared a little of the bts process of working on it here!!!!!

ask me for a fic rec meme <3

[frownyalfred]

i sent an ask a While ago, but ive been thinking about it Again. and i am still compelled by betas being like. bettas. like fish - able to change genders according to need. like consider: if a pack needs a stablizing triarch influence? awesome! beta is On It. but also, ditto if a pack needs more omega or more alpha influence - cue a very much delayed (to much former? beta Plus? consternation) Something Very Much Like a presentation heat/rut, again, WELL into 'adulthood'. also pls consider the pun: fishgender not cisgender ❤️

This is SUCH an interesting idea. I also wonder if there could be tiers to it? Like betas would start pushing out alpha or omega scents/pheromones when needed but wouldn’t fully present as one unless truly needed?

I wonder what this could mean for poor Alfred in a world like that.

[rjthirsty]

Based off the otome game Ikemen Prince, I've created an AU where the princes are (mostly) female, and MC is male. Several character names have been changed to suit their new gender (notes will be provided), and lore has been altered to work with the new setting and my accompanying headcanons. Tags: Angst and Fluff, Violence, Sexual Themes You can find the masterlist for this series here. You can also find the full fanfic on my ao3, along with a full list of tags. The entire fic is roughly 100,000 words through 30 chapters, making it 3.5k words per chapter on average (8-10 pages in a standard novel).

Chapter Five - A Hero Emerges (IkePri AU)

Leanne joined me at the end of the corridor lit only by moonlight. “What are you doing out here, Emmit?”

I finally took my eyes off the shadows Suriyel had disappeared into, deciding she probably wasn’t going to be reappearing. The unease I was feeling melted away as soon as I met Leanne’s gentle gaze. Her amber eyes looked like deep pools of honey in the darkness.

“You vanished in the middle of the party, so I came looking for you. Then I heard voices, and– I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just that Suriyel…” I trailed off.

I don’t want to say she scares me. What if she was still nearby and heard me?

Leanne grinned at me, likely amused at my refusal to finish the thoughts I had about the shadow woman. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t anything you shouldn’t have heard. And thanks for coming to find me.”

“Yeah, you’re welcome.” I considered turning to head back to the party, but something was niggling at me. I watched Leanne, trying to figure out what this secret not-so-secret meeting in the dark was about. “I’m a little surprised, you know.”

“Hmm? About what?” Leanne was watching me as much as I was watching her. Her full attention was on me once again. I felt like I was her sole focus, like the party didn’t matter, like the previous conversation didn’t matter.

“I thought you were just having fun drinking with those men, and that’s all it was.”

“I was just having fun drinking with them.”

“But then…” I glanced down the corridor again, the memory casting Leanne’s and Suriyel’s shadow where they had been standing minutes ago. “What was that all about?”

Leanne gave a shrug, and when I looked back at her I saw she had continued to put me front and center of her attention despite my gaze skipping away. “I wanted to drink with them, so I did. While we were drinking, they told me their problems. So I dealt with it. That’s all.”

She made it sound so simple. Not only did she manage to get us out of a bad situation, she befriended our would-be attackers, AND addressed the reason for their law breaking ways. I remembered how genuinely happy she had looked at the festival, and how the men had all freely spoken with her.

It’s no wonder they didn’t figure out who you were, you treat people like people and discard class and status.

It was starting to come together for me. Leanne placed everyone on the same level playing field, no one started higher or lower for her. Even after those men had attempted to rob us, and she had thoroughly beaten them, she offered her hand and her ear to figure out why it was that they had gone astray.

That’s why you’re so nice to me, isn’t it? Because you see us as the same.

The thing is, we were not the same. Leanne was royalty. She had privileges that common people didn’t. Rhodolite was a relatively stable, economically healthy, and genuinely happy place to live, but even with all the blessings we had, status mattered. There were several steps between where she stood and where I stood, but she reached out to me all the same.

“You talk to the townspeople on the same level, don’t you? Like you’re one of them, even though it’s clear that you’re not.” I just wanted her to confirm my conclusion.

“Look, Emmit, I think our position here as royalty is important. We’re here to protect the kingdom and guide it in the right direction. I’m not shirking my responsibilities.”

“No, I know that.”

“But the thing is, whether we’re of royal blood or common, we’re all human. There’s nothing that makes us different aside from luck.”

It hit me then. Leanne WAS the hero in the books I read; charismatic, strong, regal, and a little bit of a troublemaker. She was living the stories I had dreamed of. She met every problem head on with a smile on her face, and I suddenly felt dwarfed standing next to her, under that intense amber gaze of hers.

“Besides,” she continued. “It’s the people who make this kingdom what it is. I know it seems obvious, but Rhodolite exists because of the people. And that’s why I care about every single Rhodolitian. I want to hear what they all have to say, so I can help make a place where everyone will be able to smile everyday.”

There was a solemn gravity to her words that reminded me again of the king of beasts, and I was captivated by how majestic she looked in this moment. The moonlight haloed around her, giving her an enchanting shining aura that made her look even more regal.

“But if I want to know what the people really think, I can’t just stay cooped up in the palace all the time, can I?” Leanne smiled and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, swaying half a step back just like she had when she invited me into town. “I guess what I’m saying is, you’ll sneak out of the palace again with me sometime, won’t you?”

“Of course! No question. Just say when.” I grinned, my heart thrumming with that excited energy that I had felt all night.

“Good. Now, why don’t we head back and join the others? I hope there’s still some of Yves’ apple pie left.”

As soon as I had arrived at the ministerial office the following morning, I was led to a study room where a smiling devil awaited me amidst a mountain of books. Once again, I was struck by just how scary Suriyel was, despite her diminutive size. I’d already learned not to trust that smile, the one she constantly was wearing while she issued threats, and how easily she managed to lie or speak the truth without a single tell.

“Oh shoot, that reminds me– I came to find you because Jean was trying to eat the whole thing. I didn’t even finish my slice, I hope she didn’t eat it while I was gone!”

I took a steadying breath and made my way to a chair at the table piled full of literature. I eyed the stacks, some of them were taller than me while I was sitting. For a brief moment I considered how funny it would be if the mountain of books made it impossible to see Suriyel, but it seems this had been seen to already and I had an unencumbered view of her on the other side of the table.

I knew it was going to be rough, but I’m ready to do this.

After another breath I gave a resolute nod, which Suriyel must have taken as acknowledgement that I was ready to begin.

“Starting today, you will be learning the bare minimum of knowledge required to fulfill your role. Naturally, your teacher will be me.”

I tried to school my expression. It wasn’t that Suriyel wouldn’t likely be a great tutor, it’s that I wasn’t sure I was up to her idea of ‘training’ based on what she had said yesterday. “Aren’t you really busy, though? You seem to be handling most things around here and all the communication between the royal family as well– at least that’s what I saw last night.”

“Please don’t let it concern you. This is just one of my duties as the king’s regent.”

“Oh, I see– wait. Hang on. Did you just say YOU’RE the king’s regent?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Is this like when you said I came here of my own free choice? Because… you holding absolute power is SCARY.

“So when… at the bookstore… and then you broke into my house… Oh hell, I closed the door on you and you’re kind of like the King of Rhodolite right now– er, Queen?” I scrunched up my brow, trying to figure out if she got a title for being in charge. Suriyel, on the other hand, continued to smile that perfectly sweet smile that unnerved me, her hands folded in front of her, waiting for me to say my piece.

Burying my face in my hands, I internally groaned and muttered, “I’m sorry, Suriyel.”

I was so rude. How am I not dead yet? Wait… if no one knows that the King has passed away, then she can’t openly wield her power. Is that the only reason I’m sitting here?

I peeked out between my fingers only to find Suriyel in the same pose as before. “You can’t tell anyone, can you? Does the rest of the royal family know?”

“Of course. They are aware that His Majesty named me as his regent before he passed away, and how astute of you to realize needs must keep this information held to only a few trusted individuals. While I currently wield all the power in the palace, it is from the shadows.”

Suriyel, the Shadow King of Rhodolite. That’s fitting. Amazing and terrifying, but suiting.

“Now, let us start today’s lesson by reviewing the current state of affairs in Rhodolite. Before we expand to other areas, we must first establish that you have some schooling. I trust you can summarize Rhodolite’s current situation as I described it to you in the Round Table room yesterday.”

I straightened in response to the challenge in her voice. “I can do that.”

“The kingdom of Rhodolite is a small nation, surrounded by three other nations. We’re allies with Benitoite, and on neutral terms with Jade, but we have good relationships with both countries. Our other neighbors, Obsidian, are watching us because they want Rhodolite for their own.”

“I see you have a good memory for these things. I am most impressed.”

Was that a compliment?

“Now, do you know why Obsidian is so interested in Rhodolite?”

“Honestly?” I shook my head. “No, not really.”

“Think about it. Doesn’t it seem strange to you that a nation as large as Obsidian would want a tiny kingdom like ours? Even the most baffling behavior has a motive behind it. Figure out the motive, and you will better understand your opponent.”

I searched through the bits of info I had picked up over the years, from word of mouth or that I had read in books about the continent. There wasn’t a lot of information on Obsidian, they kept most of their arts and literature to themselves, and besides being warmongers, I knew very little about the country to our north and west border.

“I remember reading somewhere that Obsidian has really poor soil, so they often lose crops and have a lot of food shortages…” I began slowly, piecing it together. “And we have really good soil, and an abundance of food. We trade with other countries because we always have a surplus, I know the markets are always affordable, especially during harvest times.”

Suriyel remained silent, studying me as I spoke.

“I can see them wanting Rhodolite just to ensure additional food supply. Is that their reason?”

Suriyel raised her hands and gave a small double clap, daintily praising me. “Well done.”

I didn’t realize how relieved I’d feel passing my first test from her, but it felt really good.

“But you only came up with one reason, so that only counts as a passing grade.”

Good feeling gone.

Suriyel tapped a finger on the map that was situated near her side of the table. “Obsidian’s ultimate goal is to occupy Rhodolite, Jade, and Benitoite.” She drew a line to the three countries. “In fact, they won’t stop there. They are dangerously hungry for power, with an eye for world domination.”

“The WHOLE world?” The enormity of that ambition was just so foreign of a concept to me. Who could imagine the entire world under one kingdom?

“Yes. And Rhodolite is the first step towards achieving that goal. If they don’t first occupy Rhodolite, there is no way for them to invade Benitoite; this is one of the reasons Benitoite chose to ally with us - they need us to remain free to ensure Obsidian never invades them.”

“That’s because the mountains are impossible to cross, right? The ones here between those two?” I reached across the table to also tap on the mountain range to our north, a high altitude set of peaks that extended further than I had seen a map show. 

“That is correct.”

“And that means that Obsidian is desperate to find a chink in our armor so they can occupy us without destroying our food supply. Then they can feed their armies and continue to invade other countries?”

“It is as you say. That is why it is not profitable for them to invade in large numbers and suppress us by force. They have more than enough people to overwhelm our small kingdom’s army. But the declaration of war would summon Benitoite, and our farmland may suffer from the resulting battles.”

I blanched and slowly sat back in my chair, my thoughts spinning. It was one thing to read about fighting and war in a book where it was ghastly enough, but we were talking about the real possibility of it happening here, where we lived. Goosebumps prickled across my skin, and I shivered involuntarily. I was suddenly keenly aware of how blissfully ignorant I had been my whole life, despite living all of it right here in Rhodolite. I knew Obsidian was an enemy kingdom, but living in the capital put Obsidian very far out of reach.

I thought I was ready for this when I said yes, but I underestimated the full gravity of the situation.

If Obsidian found out the King had passed, they might very well attempt to make the push to seize control while we didn’t have a leader on the throne. Suriyel had said that ten years ago they had invaded; I know of Bloodstained Rose Day, but didn’t have a personal connection to it. It was just a somber day on which we remember those that helped protect our kingdom.

Leanne made her way through the palace later that evening, at an hour when most of the residence had long since found rest. She happened to be passing by a particular hallway that not only had Suriyel’s office, but several study rooms where she had once had her lessons long ago. The light coming from a room with the door cracked open caused her to slow her step, and curious to see who was occupying the space, she peered into the room. Emmit sat among a mountain of books, deep in the literature he was reading.

“Suriyel?” I refocused on the present and peered across the table at her. She responded with an incline of her chin, telling me to continue. “I want you to teach me everything you know about Rhodolite, and Obsidian. Oh! And the other countries, too.”

She watched him for a few moments before the sound of footsteps coming from the other end of the hallway called her attention away. Another person was busying themselves at this hour and that was unusual.

A short, blonde woman offered a bright smile, her hands clutching a tray of fresh tea and biscuits. Leanne had seen her with Suriyel before, and at that time she had been informed that the blonde was employed as Emmit’s attendant.

“Princess Leanne! Good evening!”

Despite the late hour, Rina was as cheerful and energetic as usual. She stopped just shy of the door and tilted to look inside, checking on Emmit, before leaning back and looking up at the dark-haired woman who had been watching him.

“Emmit has always been really earnest and determined, and I think he’s desperate to do the best job he can as Belle.” She pressed her lips together to try not to frown, but Rina was so expressive that Leanne had no trouble seeing right through the polite attempt to mask her emotions.

Her eyes went from Rina to Emmit and back again. “You know him pretty well, don’t you?”

“Of course I do! Emmit is my master.” Rina left the answer at that, as if the title explained anything at all.

“Hmm.” Leanne said in response, trying to make sense of what the implication meant about Rina and Emmit’s relationship.

“Honestly, though, I’m a little worried that he might be pushing himself too much. It’s his first day of study, and here we are, not far from midnight and he hasn’t moved from this room since he arrived this morning.”

“I see.” Leanne took in the scene one last time. Emmit was giving his reading rapt attention, and Rina was clearly bringing a snack to allow him to keep at it for even longer.

My first task as Belle was studying everything I needed to know, and asking Suriyel for help when something wasn’t clear. I threw myself into my books, determined to learn everything. I had 28 days to catch up on all the current affairs of Rhodolite, past political and economical matters, get to know the royal family, and figure out who would lead this country to a bright future.

“I better deliver this before it gets cold.” Rina said, lifting the tray slightly. “Good night, Princess Leanne.”

It was a little daunting.

On my second day of study, Leanne invited herself to join me.

“Hmm? Are you hitting the books again? Maybe I’ll join you, then… nnn…” She had come in and pulled the nearest open book in front of her, one I was using for a reference.

“Leanne–” I started to protest, but one look at her and I realized she wasn’t going to be interrupting. “Hang on, are you asleep? How?!” 

**********

On my third day of study, Leanne invited me to run away with her.

“Hey, Emmit, did you know there’s a pie-eating contest in town today? Let’s go. No one will notice us if we just watch.” She had flipped my book closed and tried to lead me out of my chair by my arm.

“Wait, you mean right now? Leanne, I was in the middle of studying– Okay, okay, hang on. You don’t need to pull me, I’d love to go with you.”

**********

On my fourth day of study, I was taking a much needed break, stretching my legs and getting fresh air with a stroll through the rose gardens. Leanne was there as well.

“Are you taking a break?”

“Oh, hey! Yeah, just a small one. It’s really beautiful out here.”

“I know the best spot in the whole gardens for an afternoon nap,” she grinned at me. “Come with me, I’ll show you and you can rest a bit.”

“I really should be getting back soon…” I wanted to see this hidden spot. I glanced over my shoulder, half expecting to see Suriyel materialize out of the shadows, but she didn’t appear so I took it as a sign that I could at least check it out. “Okay, just a short rest. Take me there!”

**********

On my fifth day hitting the books, Leanne didn’t drag me away from studying, but she did stop by for a brief request. I had started to rely on her for a distraction when I needed it most, and right when I was starting to get dizzy from trying to memorize dates her velvety voice interrupted me.

“Hey, Emmit?”

I looked up and instantly offered a smile. “Hey, Leanne!”

“I won’t take up your time right now, but do you think you could give me an hour or two tonight? I want to take you somewhere special.”

“Yeah, sure! I can manage that.” I had no idea where this place was, but when it came to Leanne, I could never guess what she was up to, she was constantly surprising me.

I had no idea what to expect after dinner, and as the time approached I found myself growing a little anxious, so I ate a light meal with hopes that my stomach wouldn’t object. It turns out trying to not predict Leanne was a lot harder than I thought. I was ready to go wherever, and do whatever, but my mind kept trying to make decisions based on the possibilities.

“Great. Meet me in the entrance hall after dinner, okay?”

When I thought about where we might go, I wondered if I should change my clothes. Did I need to dress up? Or should I dress down? Did I need to bring anything? She specified after dinner, so eating was probably not on the agenda.

Nervously I made my way to the entrance hall. I had no idea why I was so nervous.

Leanne was waiting for me and gave me her signature warm smile when she saw me. “Heya, Emmit. Are you ready?”

“Well…” I started slowly, “I suppose that depends on where we’re going. Do I look ready?”

Leanne broke into a hearty laugh. “Oh, right. Sorry, I didn’t explain properly, did I?” She spanned the short distance between us and hooked her hand onto my upper arm, lightly pulling in the way she does when she wants me to follow her. “The somewhere special is actually here in the palace. You look fine. Let’s go!”

I didn’t need her to drag me along, I was willing as ever to have another exciting adventure with her. I didn’t resist her gentle pull, but when she saw I was moving in the same direction she was and removed her hand from my arm, I kind of missed the warmth of it.

I followed Leanne through the halls of the palace, until at last she stopped in front of a door I’d never really noticed before. The palace was huge, and I had only really figured my way around the important areas.

I don’t even think I’ve come to this wing before.

“In you go.” Just like when she had brought me to my welcome party my first night here, she opened the door and ushered me in the room first. This time, however, I barely made it a step inside before I came to a shuffling stop.

Oh. My. God.

I forgot to breathe, standing in awe at the sight in front of me. The room was two floors tall, with books lining every wall from floor to ceiling. It wasn’t just the walls, though, shelves were staggered around the room as well. There was enough room in this giant library for several tables and chairs where one could study. The moonlight that shined through the window gave the silent sanctuary an ethereal glow and I felt like I had entered Book Heaven.

Leanne somehow came through the doorway behind me and peered at my dazed expression. Her soft chuckle kicked my brain into working again, and I drew in a gasping breath.

“WOW!” I exclaimed much louder than I had intended to. This brought Leanne’s chuckle to a full guffaw. My gaze bounced around the room as I spoke. “I mean, I knew Suriyel was getting the books I needed from somewhere. But I thought that maybe she had a private library for things important to Rhodolite or something– I’ve never seen so many books in my life!”

“That’s what I thought.” Leanne grinned, her eyes never moving from my face. “You’ve never once mentioned this place, so I figured you hadn’t found it yet. And with how much you love books, there was no way you wouldn’t have said something.”

What she said registered and my eyes moved from the thousands of adventures I could dive into, to the adventure right in front of me. I was again reminded of the heroes in my stories, and how Leanne seemed to always encompass everything that was charming and confident and considerate and…

“Leanne?”

“Hmm?” She raised her eyebrows as she watched me.

“Why are you always so nice to me? From the first day I arrived, you’ve gone out of your way for me. I’ve noticed how you show up right when I need it, and you bring a new experience or a new way to look at an old experience.” I folded one arm over my chest to grab my opposite elbow, squeezing in uncertainty.

I don’t want to ask… But I need to know.

I watched as I voiced the concern currently eating at me. “Is this all just because you want me to choose you as the next leader for Rhodolite?”

We gazed at each other in silence. I didn’t need her to answer right away, she could figure out the best way to say her thoughts, I didn’t mind. But I kept my eyes on her, watching her considering her words. Her eyebrows had lowered, and I had the feeling she was studying me too.

“If that was all it was, I wouldn’t pick such a roundabout way of doing it.”

True.

“I’m sure it would be much quicker to seduce you like Nokto had suggested.”

I made a noise that even I didn’t recognize, something between a choke and a snort and a laugh? My cheeks instantly flushed and I had to look away, mainly from embarrassment at that sound, but also because Leanne had been serious in her answer, as ridiculous as it sounded.

I coughed and chuckled awkwardly, trying to cover for myself. “What are you saying? You don’t think showing me a room this size full of books counts as seduction?”

“Haha!” She was laughing again. The serious moment we had vanished just like that. “Maybe! I guess if that’s your thing it could be! But there are quicker ways to win someone’s heart. In this case, I’m sure you’d fall in love with the books before me, this would set me back if that really were my end goal.”

“You have a point.” I felt my smile shift into something genuine rather than the awkward one I had been wearing. “I do really love books… I could probably find a hundred– no, two hundred love stories in here.” My eyes wandered the shelves. I was too far away to make out any titles, but I could appreciate the different sizes and shades of each binding.

This is what love is.

I heard Leanne moving and her form blurred in my peripheral vision as she came closer. Her voice dropped lower than I had heard before, velvety and sultry and when I looked into her eyes there was something in there I hadn’t seen before. Not from her. “Now that you mention it…”

Her words were rolling into a purr and my breathing became shallow, my heart suddenly thumping loudly. She brushed her fingers down my sleeve, caressing the fabric but not quite touching me.

I didn’t know you could be so gentle.

“Since we only really have a month, what do you say, Emmit?” She was close enough that I could feel the heat emanating off of her, and I was sure she could hear the way my heart was pounding. “Want to skip all the courtship games and just go straight to bed with me?”

My thoughts were a mess. This couldn’t be real. But it was real. I knew this wasn’t some sort of dream despite how fantastical the evening had been. I felt a pull to Leanne, an attraction that had me staring at her time and time again. She was amazing. I admired her. She lived a life I’d only seen in books, and I longed for that life. She had also shared that life with me, offering me adventure after adventure.

She was also a princess . That sole thought was the only thing chaining me from acting, and it was a mighty heavy and strong chain.

I licked my lips, my eyes moving down to her lips that were slightly parted. “Right here?” I whispered.

Leanne’s lips turned up in amusement. Her eyes wandered my face. I knew I was starting to flush, I could feel the heat around my eyes. “Well… there isn’t a bed here, but if books are what turn you on…”

Was she teasing? At a time like this?

I swallowed hard. My hand twitched and closed in a fist as I fought between what was the right thing and what was the thing I wanted. Slowly I brought my fingers to brush through her hair. Leanne closed her eyes and leaned like a cat being skritched behind its ears, only a slight tilt that showed me she didn’t mind– maybe even enjoyed the touch.

Her hair was soft, and I allowed myself to bury my fingers deep in it as I cupped the back of her head. The way she let the air pass between those parted lips in a small sigh sounded sexier than it should have. I wanted to kiss those lips. To suck in her breath and share the same air.

I stepped that half-step that was left between us, a sound that she must have heard because she cracked her eyes open to look at me. That lidded gaze was as inviting as always, but heated to scorching instead of warm and comforting. I couldn’t be certain what face I was making, but I knew I had the same sort of look in my eyes before I closed them and lightly brushed my lips against hers.

That staticky tingle that I felt in her touch was present with that brief meeting of our mouths. I pressed my lips together and rolled them between my teeth, trying to get some normal feeling back into them. They were on fire and I worried any more would cause the tingle to turn into a stinging burn.

I felt Leanne’s fingers glide against my side, digging into my vest and clutching at it as if asking me to not step away quite yet. The way that small bit of connection anchored me to this moment, to her, was overwhelming and I responded by kissing her again.

I want to be closer to you.

Slow and sensual, I was testing the waters, seeing how she’d respond. A closed mouth promise of affection was first, and she moaned in her throat. I found her hips and roughly ran my hand up her side to settle on her lower ribs; I wanted to pull her closer, but she had always kept space between us and I didn’t want to cross a line.

I want to respect you.

Another press of a promise. Then I tilted my head to try a different angle. This time I lapped at her lips, lightly dragging my tongue against them, requesting the opportunity to take this further, to go deeper.

I want to cherish you.

I felt her smile by the pull of those lips I was drawn to. Then suddenly I was the one being kissed. Leanne leaned into me, hungrily feeding into the moment. Our tongues twined and she tugged on my vest, pressing her chest against mine and I shuffled closer to oblige. My fingers splayed on her back and I pulled her as close as I could manage, feeling like any space right now was too much distance.

Another moan came from her throat and I repeated a similar noise, groaning at how good it sounded. I unwrapped my fingers from her hair and tried to find another place to put my hand, roaming her body from shoulder to hips, settling on the small of her back. I could feel the boning of her bodice under her clothes, and the image of a fortress wall came to mind.

It was just a piece of clothing that women wore, but for some reason it felt like another layer that Leanne had put on to keep people out.

How high are those walls you’ve built?

I hooked my thumb around her ribs and gave a timid nudge to separate us, leaning back to find a gap in our unspoken promises. Leanne responded immediately, creating a space between us and leaning back enough to look at me. She searched my gaze and I watched her.

Why do you look at me like that?

There really was so much I wanted to say, but I didn’t know where to start. I caught my breath as we stood there, locked in silent contact.

“I…” My words were a raspy whisper. “I would love to continue…” I quietly sighed, not sure how to say the next part.

But you’re a princess. And I’m… nobody.

Leanne seemed to understand, or come to her own conclusions, because those fingers of hers that had been clutching at my clothes released me at once. She straightened her fingers and set her fingertips on my chest, pushing me away as she took several steps back. I also stepped back, though her separation had been gentle, I let that push move me.

This is the right choice. We should keep a safe distance.

“Mmm,” she hummed and turned her back on me, heading further into the library. “Since we’re here, why don’t you make the most of it and spend a few hours relaxing and reading?”

I watched her widen the gap, eventually trailing after her. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“I did it because I wanted to.” She looked over her shoulder and it was the same Leanne I had known up to now, a smile in her eyes and an easy-going attitude. “I think I might give it a try, too.”

“Does that mean you like reading, too?” She hadn’t said anything like that before.

“Not really.” Leanne tapped her fingers over several books before pulling one out seemingly at random. She dropped to the floor to sit leaning against the bookcase. Cracking it open, she gave a yawn.

I hurriedly scanned the books nearby, it took me longer to find one than it did her, but once I pulled it from the bookcase I took up a spot next to Leanne on the floor. “If you don’t like reading, you don’t have to–”

I stopped at the sensation of weight against my arm and shoulder and I glanced at Leanne next to me. She was leaning against me, eyes shut, book still open. “Uh… Leanne?”

I received no response, only her body slowly slumping into me. Her breathing was even and deep, and I realized she was sleeping.

What the heck? How does that even happen?

I stared in disbelief.

Were you just that tired, or…?

Her warmth was comforting, and I didn’t want to interrupt this innocent moment of intimacy we were sharing. I set my book aside and leaned into Leanne, resting my head on hers. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.

This will be alright. We can take a break, there’s no harm in that.

[khunspikesficrecs]

Title: while the world turns around

Author: madsabouthugh (@melodydrifts)

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Kinn Theerapanyakul/Porsche Kittisawat

Summary:

Soft knuckles brush Porsche's cheek. Kinn asks, "What are you doing walking alone so late at night, gorgeous? Don't you know it's dangerous out here?" Her eyes gleam, shining with a feral sort of hunger. "You should be more careful." "You're out here too." Kinn smiles. "I am the danger, honey."

[bibxrbie]

Masterlist

DC

Batfamily

The Batman [2022]

Set in the Battinson universe, a series of one-shots featuring the introduction of Dick Grayson.

in desolation, we find each other

Bruce Wayne is bullied into going to a circus. The Graysons fall.

not family yet

Dick Grayson finds the cave. Sorry, the Batcave.

Robin

Jim Gordon goes to Batman with a case when the cape giggles.

With these broken bones I'll build our home

The multiverse has proven that when there is a Gotham, a Batman will rise from its shadows. Bruce Wayne is Batman. Thomas Wayne is Batman. Terry McGinnis is Batman.

In this universe, Rachel Wayne is Batman.

The Cruelest Gift

Rachel Wayne is seventeen when she leaves Gotham. She is twenty-two when her entire world breaks once more.

Blue Eyed Birdy, Flying

Rachel relearns the lesson the world had taught her at the tender age of eight: life moves on, and the only thing you could do is to try and keep up.

Or:

Batman meets the Justice League. Rachel Wayne goes to a circus.

mother's love, mother's rage

Batman can't kill. Rachel Wayne can and will.

Or,

Sometimes, to keep your kids safe, you have the get rid of the people who endanger them.

this is me trying

Most people divide their life into the before and after, the action and its consequence. Significant change was at the centre of these divisions, like how they lived before they had the baby and the things that changed after the baby. The relationship dynamic before they got married, what happened after they got married.

Before and After. Good and Bad. Day and Night.

Rachel Wayne divides her life into periods of love and mourning, an endless cycle of trying.

Broken Hearts Cause Birds

holding hands with loss and victory

Tim Drake loses in life just as much as he wins. For everything he gains, there is something he must lose.

heart beats differently for the same eyes

Tim Drake's heart stops beating on the operating table. When it starts up again, it beats with fear at the thought of Red Hood.

Superfamily

Superman and Lois

Kon-El

Conner wakes up in a world that differs greatly from his own.

Conner

There’s a boy on the bleachers, a leather jacket straining against his broad shoulders, and Jonathan can’t help but think he’s familiar.

anywhere i want (just not home)

Kon wakes up. Sadly, he doesn't exist.

the heartbeat I long to hear

Sometimes, when he flies, Clark finds himself smiling to his right, expecting someone to smile back only to end up disappointed.

Jon invites his new friend over for breakfast.

worlds apart

Natalie Irons wasn’t stupid, but she was beginning to think the Kent family were.

It had taken her one introduction with Conner Drake to know who he was.

my daughter, i know you not

Natalie Lara Kent wakes up in a crater with no memory of how she got there.

Now she's stuck in a world that resembles her own, yet is so different. With parents who aren't her parents, brothers who weren't her brothers, Lara has to find her way home before her father brings done the wrath of the Justice League onto this Earth.

Also, where the hell is Conner?

How To Train Your Dragon

On The Backs of Dragons

Learning to Fly

Hela Horrendous Haddock was the strange daughter of the Chief of Hairy Hooligan Tribe and had the misfortune of being the most un-Viking-like Viking to be born on Berk. Small, weak, and clumsy, Hela doesn't fit in with what the tribe thinks a future Chief would be.

During one of many dragon attacks, Hela, determined to prove herself to her father, manages to sneak out and shoot down a dragon. However, due to the many, many, many instances in the past, no one believes her. Left to her own devices, she goes searching for it and finds herself unable to kill it, leading her down the most un-Viking-like path a Viking had ever walked before.

Or,

How To Train Your Dragon but Hiccup is Hela, Astrid is Aron, Toothless is adorable, and Stoick is just trying to connect to his daughter while running a village.

Fullmetal Alchemist

The Life of Eden

Simplicity of Life

Trisha Elric is a simple woman. She knows her daughter won't be.

her (father's) golden eyes

The world keeps spinning, Al grows, and Ed learns new things.

It is during the year of her fourth birthday that she learns a valuable lesson. It gets etched upon her heart with never-healing scars and tear tracks on her cheeks; out of sight but never out of mind. Of course, this lesson is taught by her father when he leaves in the middle of the night.

Star Wars

Luke Jade Skywalker

sun of the son

"She had always loved Anakin Skywalker. When he was the mirage of the desert dunes, sands of lies set to keep her safe. When he was a collection of war stories harshly sewn together by bloodied hands. When he had a heart singing the song of hatred, composed in the name of her death, metal hands bruising her skin, tearing her apart. She had loved him as a monster and man.

She had held him as he died a free man, alive once again. She saved him once, and now she's going to do it again."

The problem Luke Skywalker was currently facing was the fact that she didn't know she was Luke Skywalker. Instead, her mind is a mess of memories she doesn't remember living, and, unbeknownst to her, she is as far from home as one could get.

There are few things does know: she is a Jedi, and she would do anything to get back to where she was from, but as time goes by, Luke remembers and is faced with a mess of problems to solve that might save the galaxy.

Emphasis on might.

Luckily, she gets picked up by the Jedi Order. They, in turn, throw her into the front lines of war. The Clone Wars, to be precise.

Or,

Luke Skywalker in the Clone Wars as Obi-Wan's padawan.

meeting the parents [one-shot]

Luke Skywalker introduces Mara to her dads.

[miniconsuffrage]

Fandom: Chess - Rice/Ulvaeus/Andersson Rating: General Audiences Relationships: Svetlana Sergievsky/Florence Vassy, Anatoly Sergievsky/Florence Vassy, Frederick Trumper & Florence Vassy

found you at last

When Svetlana met Natalia, it felt like a miracle. Natalia turned her world upside down. Natalia felt like a revelation, like everything had been leading to her. Men had looked at her with desire in the past, but she looked at Svetlana like she saw her—and she liked what she saw. Svetlana didn't stand a chance. By the time Molokov knocked on her door, she’d had time to reckon with the whole thing. She’d had time to get angry.

happy secret santa @17yearcicada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tgcf-fic]

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: F/F

Fandom: 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù

Relationship: Huā Chéng/Xiè Lián

Characters: Huā Chéng, Líng Wén, Xiè Lián, Péi Míng, Fēng Xìn, Mu Qing

Additional Tags: Hua Chengs canon gender shifting, Everyone is attracted to San Niang. Everyone, F!Hua Cheng, F!Xie Lian, tired HR rep ling wen, spoilers for the whole book

The ascension of a new god was usually a spectacle, for better or worse. The kind of fanfare that drew out the crowds to come see who the lucky new member of the group was.

And of course, to see if the new meat was of any use to them, but that was a little less openly discussed.

How strange it was then, to see an unfamiliar god roaming the streets of Heaven without any word at all of a new ascension. Ling Wen was certain she would have heard if somebody new had passed through the ascension gates. It was a pretty hard thing to miss, what with the tremors and bell chimes and whatnot.

And yet, an enchanting stranger in flowing red now walked the golden roads with her head held high, as if she had always belonged there. If the trappings of divinity rolling off her extravagant robes were anything to go by, then she certainly did.

How on earth did such a powerful god end up in Heaven without anyone noticing at all?

This would require investigation. It had been a while since Ling Wen had had a real mystery to play with.

--

A new god is causing trouble in Heaven. Ling Wen investigates.

[exilley]

I do sort of wish western anime fans would analyze anime and manga from a framework of japanese historical and cultural context. Specifically a lot of works from the 90s being influenced by the general aimlessness and ennui that a lot of people were experiencing due to the burst in the bubble economy and the national trauma caused by the sarin terrorist attack. I think in interacting with media that’s not local to our sociocultural/sociopolitical sphere it’s easy to forget that it’s influenced and shaped by the same kinds of factors that influence media within our own cultural dome and there ends up being this baseline misalignment of perception between the causative elements of a narrative and viewer interpretation of those elements. It’s a form of death of the author that i think, in some measure, hinders our ability to fully understand/come to terms with creator intent and the full scope of a work’s merits

[nova-rpv]

doom morph morphing

dont forget ur daily clicks!!

[daftpatience]

haruhi is forever in my heart a sort of boy thingy

[estragonsgayass]

[sirenofthegreenbanks]

🐞🦗🪳

hehe someone stepped into my trap mwahaha

🪳 recommend a great AU!

falling til four in the morning by phnelt. MDZS, The Untamed, modern au, wangxian, T. 90s AU where lan zhan and wei ying meet through analog media. its been a while since i read it but i have a weakness for analog media, especially tapes, and these things really get to shine here.

widow‘s weeds by travelingneuritis. MDZS, The Untamed, modern cultivation, wangxian, wlw, comphet, E. very fun AU about wei wuxian being engaged to jin guangyao, and lan wangji, the landscape gardener wei wuxian hired for her wedding, suspecting that wei wuxian has been killing her former husbands (plural). jin guangyao has only a small role here but i liked how the author has written him and his incidental cahooting with wei wuxian!

but the wind keeps blowing by morwen. WOH pre-canon/canon divergence, wenzhou, amnesia, ghost valley, M. a man without a name wakes up in a place without a yesterday. on his travels to find out who he is, he picks up two interesting companions with their own agendas. a really cool stab at zhou zishu’s and wen kexing’s and gu xiang's pre-canon selves, and a look at how wen kexing‘s coup for the throne of ghost valley might have been like, now with zhou zishu thrown into the mix. i especially loved how the department of the unfaithful plays into this. this fic is written in german!

the remains of summer by nirenhuang. WOH modern AU, wenzhou, fluff, T. zhou zishu and wen kexing are students in the Berlin of 1920-30. this is a bilingual fic (german, english). due to the time this is set in, some of the places that show up here dont exist anymore, they were destroyed during the third reich or ww2. i loved how the author interweaves these aspects and creates this rich tapestry of culture, identity, language, queerness, and finding your crowd, in the years just before hitler comes into power. (politics have no impact, though.) this is a rewrite of a similar fic by the same author in mandarin, and there is a sequel! predominantly written in english with some german phrases!

🐞 recommend a favourite fic or several from one of your friends OR a fic author you really look up to!

how to be ravenous by caffeineaddict94. WOH modern au, Ride or Die AU, wenzhou, wlw, E. zhou zishu and wen kexing reunite after years of not speaking with each other. their complex relationship is unravelled over the course of wen kexing comitting murder for zhou zishu and their subsequent escape from the authorites. a story about want and yearning and these hidden things lodged deep inside that even if u dont acknowledge them, still have the power to ruin your life—or change it for the better.

one of the moments i cant stop thinking about:

Her fingers fit perfectly around Zishu‘s throat, right against her windpipe. Zishu studies Kexing‘s flushed face and vicious eyes with no reservations. Serenity washes over her like a deep ocean as her pulse beats rabbit quick beneath Kexing‘s fingertips. “You didn’t have to get my hopes up,” Kexing seethes, grip tightening just enough to make it difficult to swallow. “I was over all of it. I was over you but you had to pop up again, you selfish asshole!” “Kill me then.” That throws Kexing off balance.

written by my wonderful, talented friend!!!! read it!!!! if u want to feel, like, a little gutted!!! for fun!!! read it!!!

🦗 recommend any fic, wild card!

so pretty but your heart‘s got teeth by livinginaworldofnoise. WOH modern au, wenzhou, crack, G. zhou zishu‘s terrible and chaotic neighbour wen kexing devises a masterful plan to woe zhou zishu, much to zhou zishu‘s chagrin. that plan includes feral kittens and lots of atrocious ignorance of boundaries. nothing at all goes wrong (lie). i reread this one recently and it was great :D

bug me for fic recs!!!!!! seriously im begging u

[oh-look-a-homosexual-punk-bitch]

You can change your name, it doesn't matter how often you change it, it doesn't matter however many names you go by, if you want to, you can change it, you could change it every week, every month, every year, it doesn't matter, you can change your name, don't feel bad about it

[rjthirsty]

Based off the otome game Ikemen Prince, I've created an AU where the princes are (mostly) female, and MC is male. Several character names have been changed to suit their new gender (notes will be provided), and lore has been altered to work with the new setting and my accompanying headcanons. Tags: Angst and Fluff, Violence, Sexual Themes You can find the masterlist for this series here. You can also find the full fanfic on my ao3, along with a full list of tags. The entire fic is roughly 100,000 words through 30 chapters, making it 3.5k words per chapter on average (8-10 pages in a standard novel).

Chapter Two - New Horizons (IkePri AU)

Rina led me from the throne room through a series of corridors that made me dizzy just trying to keep in mind how many turns we had made. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem to have an issue finding her way to my new room even though I couldn’t tell you which way was the way out of the palace. Too caught up trying to figure out the layout, I missed my chance to ask how she had managed to expertly navigate to the door at the end of the hall that we had come to a stop in front of.

“Here we are!” She said as she reached for the handle, turning towards me like I’d imagine any proper attendant would before she pushed open the door. “Welcome home, Master.”

You did not…

My eyes didn’t follow the door, instead they stayed on Rina as she continued to offer a cheeky smile. She was having entirely too much fun playing the role of her new job, and my heart wasn’t going to be able to handle her calling me ‘Master’ day in and day out.

I almost wish Suriyel hadn’t given in– No, I’d be really lonely without Rina. I’m glad she somehow got Suriyel to agree to take her on as my attendant.

Rina lifted her eyebrows, waiting for me to make a move or respond in some fashion. She didn’t seem to realize just how shook up I was from her formal greeting. Instead she offered a curtsy that looked incredible, like she had been practicing it all her life. When I still didn’t move to enter the room, she grabbed my hand, dropping all propriety and pulled me inside.

“Ta-dah! It’s our very own love nest!” She outstretched the hand not in mine to wave at the room. My eyes followed the white glove and I took in ‘my’ room.

“Wow… this is…” The place was huge! “This is AMAZING. I bet the whole bookstore could fit in here with room to spare!”

The room was tastefully decorated and luxurious. It wasn’t as fancy as the grand entrance, or the throne room, but it was clear that only the best furniture and items were used in crafting the comfortable atmosphere. Not only was there a bed, a dressing table, a full sized mirror, and a wardrobe, but also a sofa, a writing desk, and a table where someone could take meals. It really was an entire house, except for a kitchen area, and there even appeared to be a door on the far wall that was likely my own private bathroom.

I hadn’t ventured any further in than where I ended up when Rina pulled me into the room, glued to the spot. I rocked slightly from toe to heel, taking note of the plush carpet beneath my boots. Realizing my mouth was hanging open, I slowly clamped it shut and tried to convince myself that this wasn’t a dream, that this really was happening.

“It’s a little daunting, isn’t it?” She had read my mind.

“Yeah…” I breathily agreed, my gaze running from the sparkling chandelier to meet Rina’s sparkling eyes.

“But, hey, you know what?” She stepped closer. “I’m here with you, so you’re gonna be fine.”

I realized she was still holding my hand when she gave it a squeeze to reassure me. I gave a genuine smile in return, suddenly feeling much better knowing I wasn’t going to be doing this alone. “You’re right. Thanks, Rina. I feel a lot better knowing you’re here with me.”

“Emmit… I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”

I knew she meant it, too. Since that day three years ago, she had always been a part of my life, and whenever I needed her, she was always there. I wasn’t sure what I could offer in return, and I hoped that I was somehow half the friend to her as she was to me. I found myself at a loss for words despite opening my mouth to say something in response, and we stood there, the moment passing into something more intimate.

There is that look again. It’s almost like you’re serious about–

Rina’s smile tilted, stretching to a crooked, mischievous grin. “And I think you should enjoy yourself and live it up a little while you’re here. So use me as you wish, Master. ”

OH MY GOD! YOU DID NOT!

I broke away from Rina, pulling my hand free and taking several steps back. I turned in a circle to try to make it look like I was looking around the room rather than running from her, but with the way she was giggling, I knew she knew.

“Hey, you know what?” I said without looking at her. My eyes trying to find purchase anywhere but in her direction. My cheeks were burning, I could feel the heat so intense my eyes were warm. “I should probably go take a look around by myself, try to learn my way around instead of just following you blindly.”

“Sure thing!” She chirped happily. “But if you get lost or you need me, just call my name and I’ll come running!”

I made my way slowly through the palace, trying to better orient myself so that I wouldn't get lost every time I left my room. I wasn’t used to being in a place that felt like several city blocks, only indoors. And while it wasn’t exactly the same down every hallway, all the doors were very similar in singles or sets of two, and they were all colored the same. Sure, there was some art and other decorations placed in various locations, but I didn’t have any clear landmarks to mark which corridor was which.

I nodded and glanced in her direction before flashing a smile. “Thanks again, Rina.”

Let’s see… the ministerial office was down there… And that hall leads to the kitchens, I think…

Blowing out a puff of air, I glanced down the way I had just come.

I’ll manage, I’m sure, but…

I was finding myself overwhelmed once again. Closing my eyes, I took a slow breath to try to sort out the circles I had just walked. I was sure I could figure this out if I stopped doubting myself. I could hear the distant sound of meals being prepared, I was near the kitchens.

I haven’t eaten since lunch… 

I gave the air a sniff, hoping to add the scent of food to the memory of this corridor, but it was the faint fragrance of roses that caught my attention. More than happy to take a break, I let the delicate and delightful scent lead me astray, and allowed my mind to wander along with my feet out of the repetitious hallways.

Somehow I made it out onto a balcony that overlooked the city below. Long, languid vines twisted around the railing, covered with roses in full bloom. It looked like several varieties of roses had been worked into the framework in order to create a bouquet of colors.

No wonder it smelled so good.

The last remnants of day colored the very edge of the horizon, covering the town in the distance with a dim blanket of dusk. Dark sky hid the edges of the town in shadows, and while I couldn’t make out the entirety of the city, I knew there was more out there than my eyes could catch right now. I had never seen the city from so high up, and it was surprising to see how big it really was.

You’d never think it when you’re in the city that it would stretch so far.

I had been so taken by the scenery that it took me a few moments to realize that I wasn’t alone. Leanne stood silently further down the extended balcony, staring out at the city, or the skyline, I wasn’t sure which. The breeze that had brought me the scent of roses now toyed with her hair, allowing it to sway enough to let me glimpse her amber eyes. Her gaze seemed oddly lonely somehow, and I found myself captivated by her expression.

Without warning she turned that gaze on me and I quickly looked away.

Well, crap. She definitely caught me staring.

“Emmit? What’s up?”

“Oh, um–” I slowly turned to follow the random direction I had looked to try to keep her from knowing I was staring. “There are a lot of roses out here.”

Really, Emmit? You’re hopeless.

Leanne chuckled. A brief glance at her allowed me to see the grin she was wearing. I relaxed a little and huffed a small laugh, then turned back towards her and wandered a bit closer. “I was just trying to get my bearings here, this place is huge. All the doors look the same. I don’t even know where the exit is.”

“Mhm,” she nodded, giving me her full attention. Her expression was open and friendly as she waited for me to go on, and it reminded me of the way she had looked when interacting with the lost child earlier in the day. Once again I was drawn to her; the warmth and safety that radiated from her was a pull that I didn’t really want to ignore, so I let myself shuffle a few steps closer.

“Hey, do you remember our conversation back in town? When we first met you made it sound like you barely knew Chevalier, and it turns out she’s your sister.”

Her lips quirked into a smirk with a bitter edge to it. “Yeah, but it’s not far from the truth. I wasn’t kidding when I said we don’t talk much.”

“Okay, I guess I get that, but I had no idea you were royalty, either. You could have said something.” I thought about how she had collected my fallen books, and how I hadn’t even properly thanked her for preventing that drunk from hitting me. Embarrassment for my earlier actions began to gnaw at me.

I would have done SOMETHING different if I knew you were a princess. I don’t know what, but… having you see me like that– I was so out of sorts and it was so uncool.

Wait, why do I care if I look cool?

I stared at Leanne, trying to sort out why that thought had crossed my mind in the first place. She met my gaze head on. The look in her eyes at this moment reminded me of how she had looked at me in the Round Table room. While everyone was deciding for me if I should be acknowledged as Belle, she was the only one who had looked at me, the person, and asked for my thoughts about my future.

Now that I think about it… You were watching your siblings, too. Nothing really escapes your notice, does it?

I couldn’t help but think that she was somehow appraising everyone in every situation. Watching those around her like we were all out of reach and only joining when brought in by someone else. Even now, with her standing out here all by herself, she was far away from everyone, and her gaze made that distance feel even farther.

Leanne huffed a small laugh and brushed her fingers through her loose hair, pulling it back behind her ear. She broke eye contact and shifted her weight to one foot. “Sorry if it felt like I was keeping secrets from you. How about I do something to make up for it?”

“Oh, no, you don’t need to–” I was already shaking my head but I didn’t get to finish my protest.

“Sure I do. And tonight they just happen to be holding a festival to celebrate Foundation Day.” She nodded towards the city cloaked in darkness. “Festivals are way more fun in the evening than they are during the day, you know.”

I didn’t actually know, but I didn’t want to tell her that either. In previous years, and most cases in general, I was either working or staying at home with a book.

“Can you hear that music on the breeze?”

I looked out at the night sky and I could actually hear the faint sounds of music. “Wait, that’s the town? You can hear that from here?”

“Sure can! And the streets look amazing at night, all lit up with lanterns.” She was painting a picture of the place I loved that was even more lovely than I knew it to be.

“It sounds great and all, but I kind of got the impression that I’m supposed to stay here, in the palace, for my duration as Belle. Suriyel is…”

“Easy to manage.” She finished my thought with the complete opposite answer I was aiming for. I blinked at Leanne, trying to figure out if she was being honest about the shadow devil minister of the court. She looked entirely serious, a knowing grin on her face, and that charming smile was winning me over.

“I don’t think I can just go waltzing out of here.”

“Wanna find out?” Leanne inclined her head, giving her the impression of looking down at me in a challenge despite me being taller than her.

“I don’t even know where the exit is…” I gave my last excuse, but it was weak and I knew it didn’t hold water as long as she was with me. Certainly she knew how to get out of the palace.

“All we have to do is make it through the doors– once we’re out, they can yell at us all they like, but we won’t hear them.”

I found myself nodding. It was sounding better with each new point she made.

“And it's not hard to shake off anyone trying to follow us. I think we’d be fools not to go, really.” She gently grabbed my upper arm, leaning back as she took a slow step away from me to coax me along.

I studied her. She had already convinced me, but I was trying to figure out why she was trying to convince me to sneak into town with her. Yeah, it sounded great. It sounded fun. And I already felt comfortable around her, but today had been so eventful that I wasn’t sure if I should chance another exciting encounter. I took a step, following her lead, Leanne granting me another charming grin, knowing she had won.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I reminded myself. I wanted to make this adventure I’ve embarked on as thrilling and amazing as I can. I want to remember this time forever.

“Okay, smooth talker, but if I get in trouble, I’m blaming you– I don’t know any better! Of course I’d trust the words of a princess!” I flashed a teasing grin back at her.

“Perfect,” she said. “Get ready to run.”

“Wait, run?”

“Of course, try to keep up.” With a wink, Leanne turned and trotted a few feet away, starting the pace slow. I pulled myself together and hurried after her.

“Right behind you!” I yelled, feeling a joyous chuckle rolling out of me.

The great escape was underway. We ran through the halls, turning corners, dodging servants, with Leanne a few feet ahead of me and I somehow managing to keep up right on her tail. People turned to stare at us, but Leanne only grinned as we passed them by.

“Princess Leanne?! Are you–” some maid called, clearly concerned, but Leanne cut her off.

“We’re fine!”

I saw a flash of silver quickly exiting a room up ahead. It was one of the twins, but I honestly hadn’t figured out which was which at first glance. She stopped in her tracks, eyebrows crawling up her brow. “Leanne? And… Belle?”

Yves peeked out from the room the twin princess had come out of. “Hey, hang on! Where are you two going?! We’re about to–”

“Sorry, Leni! Sorry, Yves! Get everything ready, okay?” Leanne shouted, her voice full of laughter as we sprinted past the two of them. I threw an apologetic look over my shoulder, trying to bite back my grin at their stunned expressions.

“Uh-oh, looks like there’s a final boss.” Leanne warned me.

Ahead, Suriyel was standing with her hands folded in front of her, not exactly blocking the path, but I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to try to make it past.

“Princess Leanne, surely you don’t intend to sneak out of the palace yet again? Especially not with Emmit in tow?” She smiled calmly.

That’s the smile of a devil! We’re done for!

“Yeah, actually, I do, so…” Leanne spoke as she fussed with something around her neck that I couldn’t see due to her being ahead of me. In a practiced movement, she slid free of both her cloak and jacket and threw them at Suriyel. “Hold these for me, will you?”

Suriyel let out a surprised squeak when the clothes crashed into her and I saw her stumble backwards, giving us plenty of room to maneuver past.

I can’t believe she just did that!

We’d come to the grand stairs and Leanne paused for a moment, just enough time for me to catch up. I heaved a heavy breath, this was the most exciting thing I’ve ever done in my life. At least I thought it was, but without warning Leanne wrapped an arm around my torso and dipped to scoop me up into her arms.

“Wha–!” I twisted, trying to find the ground again but she snuggly pulled me closer.

“Arms around my neck. Hold on tight!” She commanded and I obeyed immediately.

“Wait, can we–eeh!” My words launched into my throat as my stomach lurched with the sudden leap Leanne took, jumping onto the nearest banister. She jerked with my weight and I squeezed her tighter, certain we were about to fall and crack our skulls open on the hard stone floor below. Then we were speeding towards the bottom floor of the grand entrance, sliding down the railing at a breakneck speed. In seconds, we’d reached the bottom, but my heart was still pounding as Leanne leapt again, jumping off the banister to land with what seemed like little effort.

She set me down with a small “oof” and stood tall next to me, grinning triumphantly. All I could do was slowly lower my arms and stare at her.

I can’t believe you just did THAT!

I was still reeling from everything that had just happened, I didn’t even know how my mind was going to catch up with the events. I looked back at the stairs and thanked the heavens that only one banister was heavily decorated with roses, Leanne might have just lept from the upper level if they both were.

“Emmit,” her voice snapped me back to the present, it was warm and inviting. I turned my wide eyes on her and noticed she was holding her hand out to me. “Take my hand, and your whole world is gonna change forever. But the choice is yours.”

My heart was thrumming, thumping hard, but it gave a little flutter at her words. This was just like when she asked me if I wanted to be Belle and I had a feeling that she would respect my choice if I said no. But she was giving ME the choice, and I really didn’t want to say no now that I’d come this far.

I know what I want.

I gave a firm nod, sliding my hand over hers, and I felt a buzz of elation as she twined her fingers with mine. Her hands were rougher than I expected, calluses lining her palms and fingers.

“I’m ready.” I declared, finally managing a smile after our rapid descent of the stairs.

Leanne grinned at me, tilting her head back to let out a hearty, rich laugh as she stepped off and we fled out into the night. The dark velvet sky had glimmering stars scattered across it, and I thought of how her laughter made her eyes sparkle in the same manner as the stars. I let her lead me into whatever the rest of the night might bring, absolutely enchanted by her fearless thirst for adventure.

[khunspikesficrecs]

Title: oh damn, never seen that color blue

Author: frangiblefealty (@vegascriesduringsex)

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Vegas Theerapanyakul/Pete Saengtham

Summary:

It’s easy to make sure the bodyguard doesn’t see her, even though that’s likely the only reason she’s here. It’s easy to subtly catch the attention of the staff, and pay them handsomely to slip something in the bodyguard’s drink. It’s even easier to tail the bodyguard to the bathroom once she starts to look woozy. “Are you alright?” Vegas asks, as the bodyguard loses her footing against the sink after trying to splash water on her face. “I don’t know,” the bodyguard says, swaying.

[butchlifeguard]

we need to destroy the idea that girls should wear makeup. normalize bare faces on prom queens and flower girls and cheerleaders. no products at all instead of '7 product simple makeup routine.' no more 10 step skincare and regular facials and dermablading and gua sha just to be comfortable with yr natural face. i want to see eye bags on the funny librarian and acne on the swim coach and wrinkles on all our adult role models. i want to see a 16 year old girl that has never tried putting on eyeshadow. i want to see a 7 year old girl who doesn't have to go out and buy powder for her dance recital. i want to see trans women and girls everywhere to never have to wear makeup, regardless of how well they 'pass.' no more 'contouring to look masc' either. a post-beauty industry world is possible

reblogs are on but if you bring up the stage makeup point that i have addressed three times yr blocked on sight ☹️