#god do you know how long ive been trying to get my brother to play twewy

[odysseys-blood]

HAPPY BEAT BTHURSDAY FRIDAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE

[stitchwraith-stingers]

sorry for never shutting up about how people treat hazel but ohh my god shes my fave character atm.... i get to be mad!! she has good enough information that you can play around with headcanons freely

the only moments people wouldve brung up is when dev is in the episode, there was no reason for the episode that showed her tendancy to overthink and be emberassed over small mistakes by wishing a do-over and over again, having to realise that running away from the idea of creating a problem wont help her in the long run JUST so people could go "omg haha dev has a crush on her" i could litterly not tell you what the general concensious on most episodes are because i dont know peoples opinions on them because in general they dont discuss them beyond his scenes

fanart too, ive personally muted the dev and devzel tag and when i look up #hazel wells i want you to guess how many posts i find that arent hidden! spoiler alert its barely any of them, listen im not saying im shocked at the fact The Characters Made As A Duo are drawn as a duo, its whatever and while im not personally a fan in general i really do get the appeal, but you have to admit that at some point it gets really suspicious when the only fanart you can find in one character is only with the more popular one, over 200 fics in the hazel tag on ao3 and theres only 20! without the dev tag! (10 more then when i last checked, crazy! go read fly bird, fly now), and my main problem is is that hazel is shown to be her own person OUTSIDE of their friendship, infact wouldnt you know it shes the protagonist herself! the fact that most aus ive seen are focused on dev/dale/peri is whats most confusing to me, "oh but theyre so interesting to work with"

really! youre telling me you cant think of a fic / au idea on her own? miss "i was going to have a previous godparent who didnt listen to me at all", miss "i am very anxious and i overthink to the point where my desicions", miss "i had an encounter with my evil shadow self when i was a fairy" (shout out to fairy bound au btw, im a big fan), miss "my mom doesnt fully know how to handle children inspite of being a therapist and tells me im handling things mature so i feel like i should be", miss "with the fact that im terrified my friends are making fun of me behind my back, i didnt know how to talk to anyone and a cafetiria made me so overworried and i speak to my rocks could imply the fact that i was outcasted at a young age", miss "my brother who has been my anchor and i has taught me everything i need to know has left me and hes also struggling to adjust to everything and we were insanely close to the point where the reason this whole thing started is because of him", miss "i regularly help my dad hunt a ghost that doesnt exist but it makes him happy", miss "i am litterly friends with the coolest kid in elementary school", miss "my landlords are litterly doomsday preppers and our parents want me to get along with their werido twins", miss "i didnt even hestitate to kill myself if i had to save potatoes for humanity after i pissed off mother nature", miss 'i got called out on projecting my past bonding expiriences on my best friend by some werid demon posessing her body right infront of me' none of that makes you want to think of something about her on her own? not even a spark of an idea? its almost like you guys watched exclusively 6 episodes and watched 5 minutes out of them at most

hazel is very interesting and shows her own struggles, she likes puns and fries and rocks and anime and horror movies (and apparently mushrooms if you count that one scene), she tries to problem solve so that no one is unhappy (patty being alive so winn wasnt upset, trying to get the band and orchestra together, accidently haunting her house and wishing her dads day was extra special, trying to find a dinosaur she spontaniously teleported his own job), she has multiple episodes showing her insecurities and how she tries to hide it so she doesnt look like a bad person, but inspite of it all is a understanding person and a peacemaker and doesnt like arguments, hell shes even such good autism represntation im 99.9% sure it wasnt intentional at all

dont even get me started on the takes ive seen in the finale, listen the finale has alot to be said and it definatly wont be everyones cup of tea (i think them trying to refrence every episode felt so chaotic personally) but regarding people with the ending is still giving me a headache, "she shouldve used her wish on him" that wouldve been so boring and predicable, say what you want on what she actually used it for but i think you guys should realise that for the kid whos regressing back into his bad copium mechanisms should get to face his concequences, 'hes 10 and neglected so thats why he acted like that' and 'she doesnt need to put up with how he treats her and hold his hand and be his personal therapist' can both coexist, people being pissed that she lightheartly agreed that he fucked up when HE admitted it is crazyyy CRAZYYY (also the fact ive seen someone say 'her moms a therapist she shouldve known' ???)

this isnt even touching on "hazels other relationships like her friends and family arent developed enough so thats why ppl dont care that much" while that is a valid critism i have with the show in general i still dont think applys to what im specifically talking about to demonstrate dale has appeared in THREE episodes (four if you want to stretch it), meanwhile hazels parents have appeared more often and im barely seeing them in fanart "but dale has a backstory!" so do those two have a whole episode explaining how they met "b-but dale is interesting as a role as a villain!" the guy is barely a villain [so far atleast], but also is being a therapist and a parascienists already not an interesting enough? are you guys suddenly not able to make as much headcanons expanding apon them as you did with dale? thats the thing that confuses me the most, whats stopping you from giving random information from your head to anyone else?, (i didnt know how to word this point so hopefully this makes sense)

listen im going to say it right now MOST OF THIS IS DEFINATLY UNINTENTIONAL AND NOT EVERYONE IS DOING THIS ON PURPOSE but some of u guys might really need to uncover some biases on why you think the black girl should coddle the rich white boy when he wasnt treating her well at the time, if that makes sense

[laurrelise]

i’m rewatching tua season 4 because i guess i once again need confirmation that it’s just as bad as i remember …

but ive been told im too negative about the season on more than one occasion so im going to be positive and name a bunch of things i like about each episode of the final season!! <3

warning: this post is decent sized lol

today we are tackling: episode 2

i do love the beginning montage of the siblings all being sick while simultaneously using their powers to improve their own daily agendas if only it featured more than just 3 of the siblings…?

i love five’s assistant twink and also how he’s called mr. five at the grand old age of 19 years old (i know he’s 64 but shut up)

lila’s eyeball lasers and the rubber ducky

luther being devastated over the place being “destroyed” even when it was a literal shithole to start off with

viktor finding his VOICE. viktor with CONFIDENCE. i love you viktor “ill kick your ass right now” hargreeves. king, you are 4 feet tall, but eat him tf up

“why is it cold” “the real question is, why would you touch it”

five slapping diego’s hand out of the way and him not even trying to fight it is so them and i love it

viktor actually attempting to kick ben’s ass (and as much as he looks like a feral little gremlin, i love it)

luther’s “DUDE! I LIVE HERE” he’s such a grumpus

also viktor’s little speech about him building a life for himself and it all being fucked over because of ben’s dumb ass

“i could’ve lost my job!” “did you?” “wh-” and five looking up at him with wide eyes and genuine curiosity. not the time king but thanks for asking

allison eating ben tf up and klaus supporting her

“i’m not going back to that old klaus. i like this klaus! hey, he collects coupons! he’s frugal, respectable, reliable, and most importantly, he’s a klaus that claire likes. and trusts and looks up to.” THIS IS SO SAD I LOVE HIM

diego pulling ben back to the couch by his hair is such brother behavior

i do love the wanda van. she’s truly iconic

will forever love that five gets the front seat because he’s the old man. if i were his sibling i wouldn’t even try to take it. shotgun is for the senior citizen

the gag about baby shark not being able to stop playing for the entire several-hour long road trip is pretty alright comedy-wise i guess although it would’ve been much funnier if baby shark wasn’t the main goddamn song in the entire season’s soundtrack

i will never shut up about how much i love the love-hate banter from all of the siblings. the actors did such an amazing job bringing the dysfunctional family back to life.

ben getting humbled in the diner was pretty satisfying. sparrow ben i’ve never been your biggest fan but you’ve grown on me

luther’s mention of sloane is so sweet if only she’d been mentioned more than twice

luther is generally adorable i love that man

viktor saying “phones work both ways, yknow” when allison said he didn’t call. i love how much confidence he’s found in himself this season, quite possibly one of the only characters who wasn’t horribly assassinated trait-wise

diego throwing the axes, i love him. also lila’s unimpressed reaction always gets me

klaus with the TAROT CARDS!!!!!! yes please i wish he’d used them more

i do actually like jennifer’s character. the truman-show town thing was so interesting even if it had relatively no effect on the plot for the rest of the season, it had potential but i love that jen matches ben’s freak in the sense that she is absolutely not afraid to call him out on his bullshit

old man five trying to blink :( so sad poor guy

also five immediately pretending to stretch when lila calls him out

once again i love lila and five’s reluctant alliance. why couldn’t they just continue being frenemies for the love of god

five noticing the singular guy looking at them and mentioning it to diego and lila and she says “maybe he likes you” STEVE BLACKMAN YOU COULD’VE PUT FIVE WITH ANYONE ELSE. STEVE BLACKMAN WE COULD’VE HAD A ROMANCE BETWEEN FIVE AND THE ELF STARING AT HIM AND IT WOULD’VE BEEN BETTER THAN FIVE X LILA. STEVE BLACKMAN WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME

ben defending jennifer awwwww

five’s subway station to different timelines will go down as being endlessly awesome if only it hadn’t been created solely so steve blackman could fulfill his own weird ass ideas

diego and lila once again trying to convince the other to let them save the day is a very often-overlooked sign of love that i refuse to ignore. they do it like 3 times in the show and it gets me every time

“i have laser eyes im more powerful than you!” “they’re not even working right now!” “they’re gonna work i feel it they’re gonna work!!!!” lila i love you you’re so cute

“I TOOK OUT THE TRASH” hey btw diego it’s not the time

ok but diego’s flip where he redirects all the bullets… idk how i completely forgot about that part (probably because i was busy thinking about all of the other things that i hated) but it was SO fucking awesome stfu

diego and lila collecting reindeer stuffies for the kids even while they’re fighting for their lives is still so adorable

klaus’ positive affirmations. klaus I LOVE YOU

klaus accidentally finding a fake jennifer is so on brand for him NVM HOW DID I FORGET THAT SHE LITERALLY SHOOTS KLAUS

i LOVE the part where luther’s shielding allison and viktor from the bullets. especially when viktor tears out of his grasp like a feral little gremlin and takes out half of the shooters

still don’t know what the hell allison’s power is???? is it the rumor thing except she only has to think it instead of saying it?!!? idk but it’s cool i guess just wish it was explained more!!!!!!

luther’s “i should’ve known, those sconces were too perfect” he’s all upset but i can’t help but smile he’s literally a 5 year old

the car flip is so fucking cool. the glass flying around the van around everybody is so good, the “carol of the bells” is so menacing and simple, five absolutely serving while everyone else is screaming and flinging around in the back

ALSO DIEGO’S ARM GOING OUT TO PROTECT FIVE. fuck i love them so much. STEVE BLACKMAN FUCK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO FIVE AND DIEGO

jennifer’s little “help me, ben” as she gets carried away is so tragic oh my god. and his little reach out to her as she’s taken. fuck

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, jean and gene are such phenomenal villains. nick offerman and megan mulally are phenomenal actors. christ on a cracker why couldn’t they have been utilized in a plot that was actually written well

and that’s the end of the episode! only positivity around here folks! :)

…

just kidding here’s some of the tiny little things i caught that i don’t like / that make literally zero sense

luther screaming “no! no! no” when his monkey body is back (for some fucking reason???) is so heartbreaking the poor guy hated himself 💔

i love the whole subway station thing but how the hell did five accidentally blink into the station when he was just running but couldn’t when he was genuinely trying lmfao

it’s absolutely wild that five deadass blinked accidentally and then just hopped on the subway even though he was just running for his life. if the writers genuinely believed five wouldn’t have immediately returned to help his family and checked out the subway later then they need to be fired immediately. thanks

it will never not be funny to me that literally every single person in the town has a huge gun. was that much security really necessary 😭

the part where klaus dies and they give him marigold even though he stressed 100% that he didn’t want it makes me so sad. i get why they did it (he literally would’ve died if they hadn’t) but the panic in allison’s voice as she holds her dying brother and tries to figure out if it’s right to give it to him against his will is so heartbreaking

KLAUS’ “what did you do?” WHEN HE REALIZES HE’S GOT HIS POWERS BACK IM SOBBING

ok and that’s the end

the first couple of episodes weren’t too terrible in my opinion? so it’s understandable that i’d find plenty more things i liked than i disliked in this episode. also all the things i pointed out that i liked were tiny little details when most of the season’s flaws imo were huge arcs / plot points that span multiple episodes so they might not be as relevant in a post of this format !!

might do this when i watch the rest of the seasons to truly identify if i really am too hard on this season (i don’t believe i am considering how many much smarter people have also stressed the issues with this season but it was fun so i might do it anyways)

anyways thanks for reading goodbye

[dwntwn-strnlo]

FROM A-FAR nathan doe

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎, dwntwn-strnlo.

↳ 𝐀/𝐍. ive had a heart attack and a half writing this oh my god this shit was the most stressful fic ever for no reason

↳ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆. nathan doe x reader

↳ 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘. in which reader surprises their boyfriend

↳ 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃? yes! . . . "OK THEN. Could you do a fic with nate where she goes to visit him as a surprise and is all excited and sht, and then they go play hockey but the reader is rlly bad and he leads her and helps her" ( anonymous )

this is kind of different from the request, but i still kept it around the similar lines ig (theres still the surprise as well as hockey)

reaching the hockey rink you've stood in so many times before, you cant help but feel a tinge of nervous run through your body as you park. you've been in los angeles for almost a month, now spending time with your family, and haven't been able to see nathan in weeks.

of course, you guys get to talk on the phone, but it just really wasn't the same. the two of you were lucky enough that you only had a three hour time difference, but it was still hard to keep up with the well needed communication to sustain a relationship.

you planned it all out with the triplets, your surprise. nate expects you to be showing up on thursday, four days in the future. but you booked an earlier plane ticket and arrived sometime this morning.

chris had let you know ahead of time that him and his brothers would be at the rink watching nathan play, and it would be the perfect opportunity for you to show up.

quickly as time starts to tick before the puck drop, you throw on your gray hoodie, and then nathan's extra jersey overtop of it. hopeful that the double layering will help you fight off the cold.

stepping out of your car, your immediately embraced by the chilly air that you most definitely didn't miss while you were in california. a soft breeze wisps past your ankles as you fight to keep your hair in place; not really in the mood to have to run to the bathroom to make sure you look alright.

racing to get inside the still equally as cold building, you throw your hood up just in case nate is already on the ice- not wanting him to see you until after the game.

looking up into the seats, you immediately spot matt, nick, and chris, whom currently wave frantically at you. you've missed the boys too, they're some of you're best friends and you haven't seen them in just as long as you've last seen nate. which sucks, being away from your found family for so long.

a large smile hits your face as you run up the large steps, hurriedly reaching your friends. they all stand up and embrace you in a group hug, desperately trying to keep everyone from toppling over.

as the boys are excitedly greeting you and welcoming you back to boston, they're quickly interrupted by the speakers turning on with a small hiss, and the booming voice of the announcer is heard overhead.

the four of you sit down, and you wrap your arms tightly around your body, trying to fight the cold.

smiling, you watch as nathans team starts to skate out onto the ice, raising their sticks up in the air as the audience begins to get fired up.

two teammates rush onto the ice, and then there's nathan. "number five!" the announcer roars, "nathan doe!"

the sight of your boyfriend nearly makes you melt right to the ground, only to ever be seen again as the happy puddle on the floor.

finally seeing him in person, you now realize how deeply you've missed the kid. how much you missed his bright warm smile, the way his sweet brown eyes boar into yours, and the way his contagious laugh immediately brings up the room.

you cant help but notice how dopey your grin becomes when he takes off his helmet, lifting it high above his head with a large grin present on his face. his eyes lighting up as the cheers for him ring delightfully in his ears.

. . .

your simple admiration of the boy is enough to make the game go by fast. before you know it, your sitting on the edge of the seat, anticipation rising as there's only 7 seconds left and the game is tied 3-3.

nate skates backwards for a split second, but just long enough for the puck to be shot in his direction. spinning around on his blades, he shoots the puck and scores the final goal.

the crowd stands up in a roar, screaming for their home team as they take the game.

it takes everything in you to not run right down to nate and pull him into a much missed embrace.

once the players are back in their locker rooms, you and the triplets make your way down to the hall. the boys leave you with goodbye hugs before heading out to their minivan. leaving you in the hallway as butterflies swarm your stomach in excitement, as well as nerves.

peaking around the corner, you check who's coming. two of nathan's teammates lead, while nate stands at the end of the hall talking to his coach.

you lock eyes with one of the boys, elton, and he gets excited. "oh hey y/n!" he calls out. you're well liked among the team. you tag along nate a lot when they go on group outings, so everyone knows you.

your eyes widen, and you quickly hide behind the corner again. elton gives you skeptical look before you hear your name get called out again. this time in more confusion the excitement.

"y/n?" nates voice rings in your ears. his voice uttering your name gives you immediate butterflies.

not making yourself visible, you hear the sound of someone gently shoving past someone and appearing at the corner.

when nates eyes land on you, they widen along with his smile.

shock radiates off his presents, but is overwhelmed with happiness and love. "oh my god," he giggles. quickly pulling you into a warm hug. "i thought you weren't getting back till thursday?" he questions, pulling back just far enough to meet your eyes.

you shrug with a gentle smile, "there was a slight change of plans." you giggle, pulling him back in to kiss him for the first time in what feels like years.

he turns his head to deepen the kiss, but you laugh and softly put your palms on his shoulders to separate yourself. he nonetheless chases after your lips, not wanting to break away. but you nudge him again with a smile. "calm yourself kid," you giggle.

nathan rolls his eyes before getting excited, "did you see my goal?" he asks with contempt flashing over his face. "there was two seconds left on the clock!"

smiling, you nod, "i did. i saw the whole game, you did amazing, love."

he smiles, pulling you into another hug. "god, i missed you so much. you don't even know."

pressing a gentle kiss to his shoulder, you smile. "i missed you so much, baby."

↳ 𝐀/𝐍. PART 2 i miss playing hockey oh my god

TAGLIST

@slvt444smvt @thetriplets3 @stxrniqlo @ifilwtmfc @iha8you @oneirophobic @20nugs

[baldwinivmybeloved]

★﹚﹒，Charper Eight ！ Xica X Baldwin IV

In the penumbra of his chamber, King Baldwin IV knelt, his thoughts rising like whispers to the starry sky. He prayed in silence, his lips moving faintly as he spoke to God. What fate awaited a leprous king enamored with a slave? How could someone like Xica, full of life and wisdom, reciprocate his feelings? These questions, laden with uncertainty and longing, pierced his soul as intensely as his disease corroded his body.

Lost in his thoughts, Baldwin hardly noticed Sibylla's presence as she entered the room quietly. She paused a few steps away from her brother, watching him with a mix of concern and curiosity. Finally, she decided to break his reverie.

"Brother, what has you so absorbed?" Sibylla asked gently.

Startled, Baldwin turned toward her. His eyes shimmered with restrained emotion, a blend of vulnerability and hope.

"I was reflecting, Sibylla. Thinking about love, about how to court a lady," Baldwin replied, his voice tinged with sincerity.

Internally celebrating that her plan was progressing, Sibylla kept her face serene as she approached Baldwin.

"Every woman is different, brother. Their tastes vary. Are you thinking of someone in particular?" she inquired, feigning innocence.

Baldwin hesitated for a moment, then decided to open his heart.

"Yes, I must be honest. I have met a lady whose intelligence and grace have captivated me beyond the physical. She seems to accept me for who I am, not for my appearance," Baldwin confessed, his words filled with hope.

Sibylla encouraged him with a tender look.

"You should try to win her heart, Baldwin. But also prepare yourself for the possibility of rejection. Love is such—a mix of risk and reward."

Baldwin sighed, his gaze distant.

"I fear that upon seeing my face, she will be horrified and reject me. How could anyone love a man who crumbles day by day?"

Sibylla took his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"If she is horrified, then she does not truly love you. But if she is willing to spend time with you, even playing chess, then she has already seen beyond your illness. Give her a chance, Baldwin."

The conversation continued, filling the room with words of comfort and wisdom. Finally, Sibylla bid farewell and went off to find Godfrey.

Sibylla found Godfrey in his study, poring over documents with a concentrated expression. She closed the door behind her, determined to get answers.

"Godfrey, I am worried about Baldwin. He is losing his composure over his desire to be loved. I need to know more about Xica," Sibylla said, her tone serious and determined.

Godfrey sighed and set aside the documents. He leaned back in his chair and began to reminisce.

"Xica… I met her when she was about fourteen years old. She has always been beautiful, but I stopped thinking of her as an ordinary girl when I caught her secretly reading my books and practicing with my sword, surprisingly skilled. One day, I caught her in the act, but she never revealed where she had learned those things. We only played occasionally, and she improved every day."

Sibylla listened attentively, intrigued by the story.

"I tried to propose to her when she turned sixteen, but she rejected me coldly. That surprised me, as anyone in her position would have accepted to escape poverty," Godfrey added, still perplexed by the memory.

"What do you know of her likes?" Sibylla asked.

Godfrey smiled slightly.

"That is something the king must discover for himself. As her mentor, I must give him space to learn. But I assure you, Xica would never harm him."

Later that afternoon, Baldwin IV stood on the balcony with Tiberias and Godfrey, enjoying the fresh air. A slave approached to offer them a snack, and Tiberias noticed a peculiar smell.

"Why does it smell so strongly of herbs?" Tiberias asked, frowning.

The slave bowed respectfully.

"I have cooked a medicine for one of my fellow slaves. She ate fish this morning and had a terrible allergic reaction."

Godfrey became alarmed.

"Allergies are a serious matter. What is the name of the sick slave?" he inquired.

"It's Xica, sir," replied the slave.

Baldwin's heart raced. Godfrey quickly stood up.

"I must go see her," he said, his concern evident.

Baldwin felt dizzy, everything spinning around him. Godfrey noticed his agitation.

"I will take you to your room to rest," Godfrey said, helping Baldwin to his feet.

At the Servants' Quarters

Xica lay in her bed, her body weakened by the allergic reaction. She bitterly remembered how she had decided to try a bite of fish that smelled delicious, only to find herself battling a severe allergy. Her mother and the other slaves, including the kind Jacobino, were trying to care for her with the few resources they had.

Godfrey arrived at the servants' quarters and greeted Xica, noting her critical condition.

"Let's get you to my room, where the doctors can attend to you better," Godfrey said, instructing several slaves to transport her.

Luisa, Xica's mother, watched with concern.

"Please, Lord Godfrey, my daughter means everything to me."

"I know, Luisa. She will have the best doctors taking care of her," Godfrey assured her.

In Godfrey's room, Xica felt weak and dejected. She regretted not being able to see the king that evening. Godfrey sat by her side, trying to reassure her.

"I feel like I'm going to die, but at least I've had a good life," Xica said dramatically.

Godfrey smiled faintly.

"Don't be so dramatic. The doctors say you suffered fish poisoning. They have recommended certain medicines, and don't worry about the cost. The king has already paid for them."

Xica was surprised by this revelation, just as the doctors were leaving. King Baldwin IV entered the room and asked them to leave them alone. Xica thanked him, apologizing for not being able to bow.

Baldwin sat by her bedside, looking at her with concern.

"Don't worry, Xica. They told me you will be fine, but it's sad to see you like this, your smile fading away."

Xica weakly smiled.

"Still, I am myself. And you, Baldwin, surely you are beautiful, full of virtues and intelligence."

Baldwin shook his head.

"I don't consider myself beautiful. My face is crumbling because of this disease."

Xica took his bandaged hand, looking at him tenderly.

"I don't believe that. Even if your face were completely destroyed, you would still be beautiful."

Xica found it hard to breathe, but she felt a little better. Curiously, Baldwin asked her:

"What is your favorite flower?"

Xica remembered with a smile.

"Once, when I was little, I saw a flower of a strange color. It was violet and blue at the same time, with a beautiful yellow center. That's my favorite flower."

Xica fell asleep while still holding his hand. As she rested, Baldwin IV withdrew to his own bed, his thoughts a storm of emotions. Baldwin immersed himself in his thoughts, questioning everything he had known so far. Could Xica be the exception? Could her indomitable spirit and brilliant mind be the key to something greater? The king could not stop thinking about her, and this unexpectedly deep connection filled him with a mixture of hope and fear.

That same afternoon, Baldwin IV and Godfrey were on the palace balcony, enjoying the fresh air and a quiet conversation.

"Baldwin, I've noticed something," Godfrey said, breaking the silence. "When you were taking care of Xica, I could sense a connection beyond the physical."

Baldwin tried to avert his gaze, but Godfrey continued.

"My king. If you feel something for her, you should be honest with yourself and with her, as time goes by. The poor Xica craves a love; you could be able to give it to her."

Baldwin sighed deeply, slowly nodding.

"You're right. But the fear of rejection paralyzes me. I don't want to lose what little I have with her."

Godfrey smiled understandingly.

"Love always carries with it the risk of being hurt, but also the possibility of indescribable happiness. Don't deprive yourself of that chance out of fear. Court her, create in her a blessing, form a life, have a family, an heir for whom the weight of your illness lowers more on the scale."

Baldwin nodded, with a new determination in his gaze.

That night, Xica, still recovering, had a dream that left her filled with conflicting emotions. In her dream, she and Baldwin strolled through the garden illuminated by paper lanterns and scented candles. The vibrant colors of the night flowers and the soft murmur of the fountain created an enchanting atmosphere. Baldwin, nervous but determined, took her hand and led her to a secluded corner where a table was delicately set.

"Xica, I've wanted to talk to you about something very important," Baldwin began, his voice trembling slightly. "Since I met you, you have been a light in my life, a hope in the midst of my darkness. Your courage, intelligence, and kindness have deeply moved me."

Xica looked at him tenderly, her eyes shining under the candlelight.

"Baldwin, you have also changed my life in ways I never imagined. You have been more than a king to me; you have been a friend and a support in the most difficult moments," she replied.

Baldwin gathered his courage, his heart pounding with anticipation. He knew this moment could change everything between them.

"Xica, I know I am a man marked by illness, but I also know that my feelings for you are true and deep. I want to know if there is a possibility that you see me not just as your king, but as someone with whom you could share your life," Baldwin confessed, his voice steady despite his nerves.

Moved by his sincerity and touched by his vulnerability, Xica squeezed his hand gently.

"Baldwin, I do not care about the scars on your face or your body. I see the beauty of your soul, and that is what truly matters to me."

As Xica woke up from her dream, she found herself alone in Godfrey's room, but the memory of her dream was vivid. Her feelings for Baldwin intertwined with hope and confusion, leaving her with a mix of longing and apprehension about what the future might hold for them.

[lesbicosmos]

happy first day of @chrisginnyweek !!!!

day 1 prompt: colours

my interpretation: makeup. this is entirely based on That One lesbian photo on pinterest

summary: ginny wants her makeup done for the play but can't seem to get it right on her own, so chris does it for her

this is also on ao3 if you wanna read it over there :))

ive got some colour back, she thinks so too

It was their weekly sleepover at Chris’s house, a time both of them treasured over almost every other time, especially since their friendship developed into something more. They’d been spending even more time together since Chris and Chet had broken up a few months ago, and Chris seemed so much happier. She’d originally felt bad that she’d been more focused on Ginny’s brother than her for so long, but she ensured Ginny it was nothing to do with her, she had just felt like she couldn’t fully be herself with Chet like she was with Ginny, and it was rare that she was at Ginny’s place not to see him.

Then the breakup had happened, then the confession to Ginny. And now, Chris was lying with her head in her girlfriend’s lap, Ginny gently stroking her blonde hair, which seemed even brighter than usual in the glow of the beginnings of sunset.

“Chris, can I ask you something?” Ginny asked, breaking the comfortable silence the two of them had created.

“Yeah, Gin?” Chris replied, looking up at her.

“So you know how I’ve got a dress rehearsal for the play tomorrow?”

Chris nodded. Ginny had gotten the part of Hermia in her school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and she’d been ecstatic about it for weeks.

“Well I was thinking, I want to try and do some makeup to match my costume. I’ve been trying to do it for a few days now, but I just can’t get it to look any good,” she said sadly.

“You want me to do your makeup for you?”

“Would you?”

“Of course!”

Chris jumped up from Ginny’s lap, almost scaring her with how fast she moved.

“Your costume’s pink isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“I have the perfect eyeshadow, hold on.”

Chris raced over to her dresser, opening a drawer, and rummaged through it for a few seconds before pulling out a small golden pallete. Then, she leaned over to the hand-painted pots on her dresser and took two differently sized brushes.

“Where should I sit?” Ginny asked.

“Right there on the bed will be fine.”

Chris returned to the bed, sitting beside Ginny.

“This is probably the most gorgeous eyeshadow I own,” Chris remarked proudly, opening up the golden lid to reveal several small circles filled with compacted powder, all in different shades of pinks and oranges. Fitting, Ginny thought. It perfectly matched the sunset just outside the window.

Chris took a few minutes of silent contemplation, deciding exactly what she was going to do with her girlfriend’s eyes. Ginny was becoming overwhelmed by the way Chris was looking at her…so intense but so loving.

“Okay, I have an idea,” Chris said at last, looking away from Ginny to instead look at the palette in her hand

“Sorry, before you start, can I kiss you?”

That got Chris to look up at her again, slightly confused but completely welcoming the suggestion, she nodded, and Ginny crashed their lips together. It was short, but passionate.

“Sorry, just…the way you were looking at me then, I couldn’t not.”

Chris laughed softly, then took one of the makeup brushes and dipped it into one of the light orange eyeshadows, picking up the pigment.

“Close your eyes for me?”

Ginny closed her eyes as Chris gently took her chin in her hands. She couldn’t help the soft giggle that escaped her throat as the brush touched her eyelid.

“God, you’re so ticklish,” Chris said playfully, trying to get her brush in the place on Ginny’s lids that she had mentally planned.

Suddenly, Ginny felt the absence of the brush touching her skin, and she hesitantly opened them.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, just…the lighting isn’t great. I can’t fully see what I’m doing.”

“Oh.”

“I have an idea, though. Lie down.”

Ginny was confused as to how lying down on the bed would solve the lighting problem, but she did so nonetheless, expecting Chris to simply move closer to her to do her makeup like that. Chris, however, had other ideas. She stood up, then climbed up onto the bed so that her legs were either side of Ginny’s waist, straddling her. Ginny’s breath hitched.

“Is this alright? If it’s not I can-“

“No, it’s fine. More than fine,” Ginny replied, smiling up at Chris in what could only be awe.

Chris leaned down so that her face and Ginny’s were only inches apart, pallet in one hand and brush in the other, staying stable with only her core strength.

Ginny felt the brush on her eyelid once more and seemed to zone out from reality, relaxing under Chris’s gentle touch as she painted the gorgeous summery colours onto her eyes.

After a few minutes, Ginny felt Chris shift and she opened her eyes.

“You’re all done,” Chris said sweetly, looking down at her work.

She leaned over to her bedside table and grabbed a small compact mirror that sat beside her lamp.

“Here,” she said, handing it to Ginny.

Ginny carefully opened the small pink mirror, looking at her reflection.

The makeup was done beautifully. Orange in the inner corners of her eyelids perfectly blended into pink on the outside. The colours were perfect, subtle: not too bright that it seemed glaringly obvious she was wearing makeup, but just pigmented enough to be picked up by the stage lights tomorrow.

“Holt shit…Chris, I love it. I love it so much, it’s so pretty!”

“You’re so pretty.”

Ginny could feel her heart skip a beat at the compliment.

“Those are absolutely your colours. They really bring out your eyes. And your eyes are gorgeous anyway.”

“My colours? Have you seen those colours on you? You look like an actual angel, like all of the time."

Ginny slowly sat up from the position she was originally in, Chris not moving from on top of her so by the time Ginny was upright, her girlfriend was straddling her lap instead. She could see how Chris visibly blushed from her statement, her cheeks growing slightly pinker. She looked beautiful. See! Ginny thought. Pink! It’s your colour! She silently made a promise to herself to make Chris blush more often, just to see that soft colour rise in her cheeks that suited her so well.

“Okay, one thing,” Ginny said, lifting the mirror to her face once again.

“Yeah?” replied Chris, seeming to become more fidgety, as if nervous Ginny was going to say something was wrong.

“I’m not entirely convinced the ‘lighting’ was a problem, y’know.”

Chris relaxed, a playful grin growing on her face in place of the subtle worry.

“Are you complaining?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Absolutely not,” Ginny sighed in response, taking Chris’s face in her hands and pulling her in for a kiss, this one longer and deeper than before, their hands quickly coming up to tangle in each other’s hair.

Chris’s cheeks were pink again already.

[lunar-lair]

oh my god i never told you guys abt my disaster twins competitive pkmn players concept. one sec ill put it under a cut for you bc this might get long lmao

so basically. gen 9 came out, and the boys, in their recent-switch glory, were like omg hell yes. game time. donnie and leo both get violet and mikey and raph both get scarlet (theyve got their own games bc they would tear each other apart if they had to share physical copies trust me) and generally trade around exclusives and chill etc etc. also while im on this leo picks quaxly, mikey is a toss up between fuecoco and quaxly, raph picks fuecoco obvs, and donnie picks sprigatito, as does april when she gets her own copy of violet later (which she honestly only chose for the loyalty points lmao she likes karaidon better)

anyways i was saying. donnie is one of those nerds who like perfectly iv trains his normal ass in-game team and builds perfect compositions around typings and looks up the gyms types n stuff and he was SO excited when he learned abt tera types and how they impacted team comps

leo on the other hand has the messiest type crossover and team comp EVER but still manages to thrash his opponents bc he uses really good movesets and strategies

the twins get into watching competitive videos while they play violet in silence together (hashtag parallel play) until donnie eventually starts commenting on weird stat spreads and leo eventually bursts out about shitty move choices and weird sets, or leo starts showing donnie videos abt odd pkmn getting high in latters, and then they start watching showdown battles...

and they lightbulb.

donnie loves building teams more than anything else, loves making them efficient as humanly possible.

leo loves showing the potential of odd pokemon and would kill for a good strategic challenge after all this time (hes been protecting against nemona and using electroweb against gym leaders, poor guy).

and, well, its not like you need anything special to get on the ladder in violet...

they start out simple, donnie building a basic team and leo reviewing it before going at the basic gen 9 ladders.

they kind of wreck house.

they just start going at the ladders with that team in their free time, then a different one when they get bored, then one with a few oddballs when donnie decides to ask leo what pokemon he wants to use, then they get kind of bored of just paldean pokemon so donnie gets to work understanding showdown...

but while its fun, they dont have anyone to brag to, because their brothers have no fucking clue what theyre talking about.

donnie has experience with youtube, right?

so they set up a little joint thing; a channel called disasterx2, no webcam, just videos about ladder battles. they end up specializing both in unique teams and movesets and in just vids about breaking down walls in ladders with a normal team. what makes both nifty is that donnie explains the whole team comp in a separate video to the battles, and the aesthetic quality is improved by donnies sensibilities and mikeys input (he was absolutely excited when they asked him to help with it. leo was no help. so much offense, actually, i have a feeling his fashion sense is good but the moment you try to make him make something look good visually on its own hes screwed.), and leos strategies are batshit, and ofc the boys are the boys, they go on tangents sometimes when they do real-time audio during battles and sometimes they just. dont cut them out. raph and mikey make guest appearances sometimes, april cheers them on on occasion, her and raph are very relieved bc its finally something non destructive they can spend their time on, its all great.

leo very often picks pokemon and movesets out and then donnie provides the pokemon (through breeding and stat spread tweaking, because god knows hed love that nerd shit). donnie likes it because 1. how leo uses those outlier pokemon is very interesting and 2. it gives him an opportunity to think about how to apply the right stats, natures, etc to apply to the pokemon and moves leo chose.

one of my favorite ever headcanons is that leo gets quiet when he focuses. like, dead quiet, and terrifyingly quiet. hes well known in their fandom for being very chatty over voiceover and then pretty quiet whenever hes playing challenging battles. donnie doesnt understand the strategies all that well so when leo gets too focused he just talks a lot abt the stat spreads and they add extra text to the video lmao. sometimes they utilize their clueless family members to have them ask questions they wouldnt have considered due to their knowledge in videos, sometimes donnie snags mikey while leos too quiet when theyre doing real-time audio, etc the fam knows theyre just glad theyre having fun

looks around flips through my mental notebook. nods twice. thats it i think! basically i think itd be fun if the twins played competitive but donnie built the teams and leo played hehe. i thought of it one day and it just stuck with me. anyways thanks for sticking w me through this long post that i need to end before my phone glitches out oops

[ambalambs]

Okay another question! Tell me a little bit about each member of Miko's adopted family and his relationships with each of them please! <3

Okie dokie! Gonna toss this one under a cut too in case I get carried away again lol also kinda nervous to share info on basically npcs ive made for my oc but we're gonna choose to ignore the cringe in this house!

Okay so first since ive already talked a bit about her before is miko's adopted mom. Her name is Fiona u3u she's the rock of the household obviously. She keeps the kids and even her husband in line but she is so so compassionate. Her grandfather was an instrument maker and he'd play them too so she was raised around music which miko was very fortunate to stumble on a family that had that kind of background (perhaps there were some higher power at play there that guided him to this specific family. We may never know lol) she and miko get along sooo well he adores his mom. She's had to drag him around by the ear a few times tho while he was growing up lol but she has always been very good at reading him which when it comes to miko who is master at hiding his pain, she was always the first one to be like nuh uh come talk to me lol

Next is his dad, Brynstan. Miko's mom always lovingly calls him Bryn for short. Miko's dad is a good and simple guy. He's just a farmer lol he'd much rather not think about what's going on in the rest of the crazy world and only focus on his crops and chocobo and family. It took him a bit to really figure out how to be with miko when he was a kid. Like he came to love him a lot and seeing him as his own son but there were a lot of "what am I even doing" moments for him. But miko was always the biggest help to him around the farm and never complained and always found silly ways to make him smile. Their relationship is good of course but there's like this shadow over them I think that they both have always felt that for miko its like "You're my dad and I love you but you aren't the dad that I was supposed to need" if that makes sense? Considering the situation of Miko's real dad was always left as a mystery. But still his adopted dad is a really good guy who only ever did his very best by him ;u;

Now for his siblings lol his little brother's name is Dustan and oh boy are he and miko a pair. They would constantly tease and pester each other. Dustan would always get a kick out of pulling miko's tail or blowing on his ears to make them flick and just drive miko insane lol they never got into any serious fights tho it was just lots of brother teasing. Dustan was just a toddler when miko joined the family and was the one who actually coined the name miko for him. His little kid talk would try to say miqote but itd just come out as miko and so he'd just pitter patter around the house after miko repeating mikomikomiko over and over until it just became a thing lol miko just kinda accepted it since it seemed well enough to have a new name for a new life. But now that his brother is older they still tease each other but just not as much. Deep down dunstan kinda has a bit of nervousness around him since his big brother is now some big crazy super hero wol out there killing gods. Probably wouldn't be wise to pull the tail of a guy with that kind of power anymore, which miko notices that a bit in him but he tries to not let it bother him and tries to act like things are the same as they always were between them.

And lastly he has a little sister named Bayla. She was born not long after miko was taken in so miko has been there a part of her life since day one. And oh gosh she is just precious. Definitely has her mom's temperament but she is super gentle and has a bit of an adventurer's heart in finding wonder in everything she encounters in the world. She definitely looks up to miko a lot and she'd follow him around like a little duckling when they were kids. And miko was so good with her, he would braid her hair and put flowers in it, he'd let her follow him out on his little ventures in the woods and teach her all the things he learned from his miqo'te tribe and teach her songs and just all sorts of things. They were bestest buddies and she definitely took it the hardest in the family when he decided to leave and explore the world. Every time they get a letter from miko tho she's the first to rush into the house and excitedly beg their mom to read it outloud to the family lol him being the wol is the coolest thing to her, except the moments when she hears the stories of the really awful things he's had to fight from people in town spouting his legends. Its hard for her to know if its true or not when miko doesn't include some of those tales in his letters. She won't admit it tho but she is a teensy bit jealous of the twins cuz they get to adventure with her brother and why can't she gosh darnnit! She has half a mind to join the adventurers guild herself so she can go with him but her mom keeps trying to stop her lol she's still too young for that. But anyway I've rambled off about her a lot more than the others oops but yeah she and miko are super close and he misses and thinks about her a lot ;u;

Also just as an aside miko and his siblings would sometimes hang out in his room way past their bedtime and play triple triad. Theyd get scolded every time they got caught xD

But yeah thats the family! I hope that was kinda the info you were looking for. Its probably not terribly exciting since they're honestly just a very simple family living in a quiet spot out in gridania territory. For miko when he comes home after some of his adventures its always kinda jarring for him cuz its almost like time stands still there for him, not much changes except his siblings getting older. Miko does worry a lot tho that any enemies he's made out there will find out about them and come back and hurt them to get to him so he does try to keep as little information about them as possible from reaching the public eye.

[tamajam]

I would love to hear all your thoughts on Hop. All of them. Use the full word allowance(/lh)

ohhhhh my god you have no idea what you're asking of me.

thoughts under the cut cuz this post got long ehe. thank you for the opportunity my brain was going to explode <3

ok hop is DEFINITELY one of my favorite rivals in the franchise (at least out of what ive played aha) and has some of the best character development to me. i know sometimes the writing in swsh is a bit clunky but idc, the context is more than strong enough ok. heads up some of my own hcs might creep in here but i can't help it i have so many thoughts abt him all day

FIRST OF ALL the idea of our rival being the champion's younger brother is really great. i love love love it. hop starts off as borderline worshipping leon and fully believing himself to be destined to follow in his footsteps as champion. and why wouldn't he!! he grew up watching his awesome big brother on the tv, seeing how powerful and happy he looks, and his mom probably echoed a lot of those praises back at him as he grew up. lots of "oh, you're going to be just like your brother when you're older, aren't you?" especially when he's had his own first pokemon (wooloo<3) for a while by the game's start!!! like dude!!! this guy has big dreams and he's probably never had anyone tell him otherwise, he's barely had any exposure to anything else, of /course/ he's gonna think he's meant for this!

and we know from some of sonia's dialogue in the games that leon "practically raised" hop, and there's really no other father figure to be seen, so. just saying his only real guy role model is his bro like. of course he's gonna idolize the hell out of him

and i think that starting him off as this cocky and honestly kind of full-of-himself personality while still being a good kid at heart is a really cool thing, /especially/ when we get to see how his character develops through the story!!!!! his loss to bede paired with his repeated losses to the player /and/ his first gym loss at circhester is such a major hit to him, and we /see/ that!

seeing take wooloo off of his team is SO IMPACTFUL because it's shows how desperate and conflicted he feels! we see the cracks in his confidence forming and it culminated in this harsh move of removing his #1 pokemon, the one he's had since childhood, just to try and he stronger! he's grappling with having the idea of this dream he's been wanting his entire life shaken /and/ repeated losses /and/ the stress of trying to follow in his brother's footsteps?? the feeling that he's letting leon down, that he's not good enough?? that he's somehow a stain on leon's reputation just by being himself??

BRO!!!!!!! break my heart in half why don't you!!!

that moment honestly cemented him as one of my favs. just seeing him that desperate to win </3 and then the satisfaction of seeing dubwool leading his team afterwards, when he's realized that even if he does want to win, it won't matter if he's not doing it his own way. seeing dubwool again was like getting to see his arc starting to come full circle, not nearly as unshakably confident as before, but /genuine/ for probably one of the first parts of his story!

facing him in your battle is so great </3 seeing him emulate leon's movements like the little cheek slaps and when in the way he's animated directing his pokemon is so sweet. you really see that all he wants is to live up to this unreachable shadow he's lived under his whole life, and it's so heartbreaking to beat him!! seeing him get frustrated and pull himself together!! knowing that he still cheered you on in the champion battle, knowing you took that dream from him, because really, it's not even what he wanted. we see that at the end of the game when he takes on the research position under sonia, when he's finally able to act genuinely and start exploring interests that are his own rather than those he's grown up idolizing.

who knows if being a professor is really his passion?? who knows if he won't switch career tracks 4 more times in his life?? that's the power of it!! he had nothing else to look up to his whole childhood, so he never really let himself think about those things. at the end of the game he's finally doing it just for himself, to explore himself as a person, not just as a carbon copy of his brother! he gets to tell his own story instead of following the path of leon's and it's so good!!! thinking abt how he can flourish as a person, how scary it might be to finally be without a set path in front of him but simultaneously how freeing it might feel!!

i could talk abt him for DAYS

AUGH. he is so underrated </3 i hate how much hate he gets, it's unwarranted. yes some of the writing is weird yes some dialogue could be better written, but hop's character is just so interesting!!

i have so many headcanons abt him and leon and sonia and like. everyone but <3 here are some hop thoughts thank u for indulging me <333

[bonesandthebees]

chapter six time!

and you are excited because its not going where we would expect

im not quite sure what i expect, i dont think it will go perfectly, i think perhaps something will happen that will change force their dynamic to change in a sense theyre going to this abandoned area, lots can happen they could get stuck, they could experience something crazy, a lot could happen and any one of them should realistically either drastically change their relationship or lead to a change that will eventually force their relationship to change but yk

anyways time to read!

he left the ferro thing (i cant bother to look at how to spell it right now my bad) which is you know interesting

i like this little flashback because niki obviously realizes that wilbur will do what his dad says and its obvious his father wants him to play into tomys. and thats the game of politics niki knows there arent truly friends here, but its hard to watch someone youve trusted and had on your side for so long suddenly be pulled in a different direction due to this game and i think its also just niki’s own game in a way as she figures out what she must do and yeah its a balance

and thats another thing because they know each other the way friends do but they cannot be truly “friends” because of how this works

be careful on the mountain roads… somethings going to go wrong there and itll probably be wilbur who pays the price

i think ive seen this film before and i didnt like the ending

a bad feeling…

oh my goodness shouts!

bandits!!! this is going to go terribly!

and theyre here for tommy so of course wilbur is going to protect him (right…) yeaaaa get behind him (this is going to go terribly)

oh lord we’re going off roading i dont think this carriage has four wheel drive

and crashed

PRETEND TO BE DEAD

oh god his leg is broken isnt it

yes! play dead!

A BROTHERHWHEHEHEH

the contract? someone paid for tommy’s death and i have a sneaking suspicion its one of the potential heirs quackity would make sense with his warning and schlatt probably would i wouldnt be shocked

oh lord i got so distracted it is significantly later than when i started writing this

they lived! big shock!

but uh oh! now they have to try and survive in the winter in the wilderness alone! i wonder how that will drastically change their relationship!

anyways this chapter was great im very excited for the upcoming arcs and whatnot and im very invested in wilburs broken leg and all because ive taken one too many medical courses that have made me a tad too aware of how to properly care for a good chunk of injuries but thats besides the point! hope you have a good day and i cant wait for the next chapter :]

- 🪿

the thing with niki is that her and wilbur's friendship is very real and has existed for longer than they've been aware of the political games. it's a matter of is that friendship going to continue through all of this? how far can their relationship bend until it breaks completely? niki in no way thinks her friendship with wilbur is fake or over. but she's trying to figure out what matters more to him—is it loyalty to his father, or loyalty to her? is she ever going to be the most important person to him? or is she always going to be one step behind?

"oh lord we're going off roading I don't think this carriage has four wheel drive" this made me laugh out loud thank you for that the carriage does NOT have four wheel drive

lol knew the brother line would get you guys

hmm who paid the contract for tommy's life... so many options...

wow now they're stranded alone in the wilderness together! surely this won't have any lasting impact on their relationship!

don't hold your breath for proper medical treatment tommy and wilbur are 1) trapped in the wilderness and 2) this is technically a medieval-ish era so. medicine ain't exactly up to modern standards lmao

[selfdiagnosedeyemotif]

this is beyond late but if you are willing to bite. for the character ask, maya & franziska?

my dear fellow it is NEVER too late to take me up on ask games.

Maya

Favourite Thing: i simply ADORE the burden of responsibility as a trope and maya pulls it off in SPECTACULAR fashion. you can feel the fear and uncertainty she feels about her role as the master of kurain through the screen when she finally opens up about it in bridge to the turnabout (and the little crumbs we get about it in reunion and turnabout) (and it's only augmented by the fact that it was suddenly thrust upon her by mia's departure)

Least Favourite Thing: a bit of a nitpick but there are some aspects of the mechanics of maya's channelling that give me a bit of an ick (channelling mia. go figure), but i do like the way the technique plays into the mystery during reunion and bridge

Favourite Line: either her little speech to nick before she leaves for kurain at the end of goodbyes or her so desperately trying to protect diego during the dying light of bridge, can't decide between the two

brOTP: PHOENIX!!!! they're such best friends. they mean so much to me. its like. everything that apollo and trucy did in aa4 (which i notoriously also love), only with way more time to develop and simmer, so it's like. perfect. i love maya and phoenix

OTP: i have two ships that completely consume my mind. one of them is not for this fandom. the other is franmaya. they're such unexplored narrative foils...

nOTP: i mean. phoenix. 'nough said

Random Headcanon: i think that, for all of her hyperactivity (at times), she embroiders in her free time, and got pearl into it as well during the seven-year gap. pearl quickly surpassed her.

Unpopular Opinion: STOP SHELVING HER IN YOUR FICS, PEOPLE. SHE DOESN'T GET ENOUGH LOVE. PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU IS THIS THING ON

Song: Soulgazing by Gregory and the Hawk (vibes alone, im bad at assigning songs to characters)

Favourite Picture: this redraw of her unused objection sprite by @/u3pxx, i love it so very much

Franziska

Favourite Thing: the sheer hurt and terror that sits at the corners of her character but never gets touched on outside of the airport scene because good GOD there's so much guilt and shame for her imperfection and terror about turning out like her father and CAN I TALK ABOUT THE BULLET. THAT DAMNED BULLET.

Least Favourite Thing: not enough screentime. i need more franziska content like i need air

Favourite Line: "You, you're running away from Von Karma… from me!?" "So… you're leaving me behind again!? I'll never… Never forgive you for this!" from The Forgotten Turnabout in aai2 because HELLO??? this is one of the most important pieces of franziska characterization we get EVER because a), she's still clearly still holding onto her father's memory, or at least the pedestal she had him on, b), it showcases how quickly she turns to wrath as soon as the chips are down, and c), MOST IMPORTANTLY. LISTEN TO HOW SCARED SHE IS. or dont listen i guess but like. still. she sounds TERRIFIED of losing her brother all over again.

brOTP: torn between either edgeworth because i love the vk sibs or kay because their friendship is adorably sweet and pretty underrated part of aai

OTP: once again franmaya cuz. god. theres so many emotions.

nOTP: cant think of any that i genuinely dislike besides the Nigh-Universally Hated One (her and edgeworth) so im gonna say that

Random Headcanon: she doesn't give phoenix the calling card during the hazakura temple investigation. she wants to. she has it on her and everything, but she couldn't work up the courage to do it. way down the line, deep into the 7yg, she shows up to the wright residence, has a long chat with phoenix, and finally gives it to him

Unpopular Opinion: i know its been said a lot that she probably does have some normal teenager aspects to her (the example ive seen the most is "owns a hello kitty tshirt and reads yuri fics"), but i think she's a little too repressed to have that until at least after aa3. maybe she gets a little more normal during the 7yg but im not sure yet

Song: Top of My School by Katherine Lynn-Rose because come ON. you've seen the animatic with the clip of that song over franziska stuff. if you haven't then you will soon cuz its linked here (full song first, then the animatic)

Favourite Picture: this wonderful number by the incredible and talented @/ind1c0lite because uh. i like fran angst.

[dunnswrld]

what ab bam or chris with a scream queen reader- like the face of the horror genre, jamie lee curtis and neve campbell behaviour, final girl forever type of actress

oh my GOD.

i can imagine you being the star in a new slasher horror film coming out and you have been reading the script over and over for what seemed like days because you really wanted to nail this role since it was your first leading roll.

you’re sitting on your shared bed with chris while reading the script until chris snatches it from your hands.

“you’ve been reading this all day. why don’t you take a break?”

“i need to nail this role chris, ive never played the murder.”

“well aren’t you like the hot girl next door who kills people? i think your nailing the hot part already.”

i think in the long run be would help you act out the other characters, in the mean time adding in unnecessary comments.

“‘you killed my brother!’ well, wasn’t that obvious? i mean he went to your house that night-“

“chris! act! don’t try and fix the plot!”

omg if he ever came on set to like bring you lunch or hang out there was definitely a time you were covered in blood and he kinda freaked out.

“holy shit! yn is that real!?”

he would enjoy watching you film the movie too, like he wpuld sit in a chair and just watch in awe at how you acted.

but he definitely would get excited when you killed the guys you were ‘flirting’ with in character and forget about the quiet on set rule.

“yeah get his ass baby! oh- sorry.”

but i think when the movie comes out i think instead of seeing it at the premiere he would sneak you into a movie theater (with a disguise ofc) to watch it on the big screen and see the audiences reaction.

while watching the movie i think there was a scene where you were sitting over a guys body and licked the blood off the knife you were using and chris would immediately turn to you and tell you how hot it was.

i think after the movie he would be scared of you cause he just watched his sweet loving girlfriend play a hot girl next door killer.

“you’re not going to kill me right?”

“chris why would i ever-“

but chris probably thought the movie was super cool, he probably would lick knifes on jackass then give a look at the camera that said “do you get it? you know, my girlfriends character in her movie?”

[dadbodosamu]

only you || part i

Stepdad Osamu x Fem!Reader

WARNINGS: pseudocest, stepcest, cheating, wombfucking, semi-public sex (in an alley), extremely light dumbification, breeding kink, spit kink, Osamu has a dick piercing

4.5k words. thanks to @waka-chan-out and @vanilleswtmacaron for beta reading this and reassuring me that it doesn’t suck lol

ao3 link here (aha its not too long mobile just sucks!!) part i || part ii || part iii || part iv || part v || part vi || extras || only you, too

You sighed as you tapped your fingers on the table. Your mom had decided it was high time for you to meet your new stepdad, who you had put off meeting for the past three years. You smiled as you remembered the perfectly timed appendicitis that had you missing the wedding. You couldn’t have planned it better if you tried. 

Your dad had only passed away a little under four years ago, leaving your mom to remarry only six months later. You’d opted to live with your grandmother, citing her health as a reason to live with her on her farm. Your plan had worked perfectly, and you hadn’t had to meet Osamu for three years.

Now though, with your grandmother in the hospital, your mom thought it was a great time for you to come and visit and finally meet the great Osamu.

“Osamu should be home any minute,” your mom said, smiling happily over the takoyaki she was making. “He’s bringing your favourite!”

“Yay,” you said, unenthusiastically. You glanced at the time on your phone. You were almost wishing Osamu to be here so you wouldn’t have to spend another awkward second with your mom.

You and your mom hadn’t been close to begin with, you always being a daddy’s girl from the day you were born. And after remarrying so quickly, you’d drifted even further apart. At this point, you had nothing to speak to her about.

“I’m home!” Someone called. The door slid shut behind them and you glanced around, waiting for them to appear in the kitchen. “And I brought umeboshi onigiri!”

The man who stepped into the kitchen nearly knocked you out of your seat.

He was handsome. Devastatingly, heartachingly, handsome. He was tall, with brown hair and deep grey eyes, and thick. His t-shirt was pulled taut over his broad shoulders and his thighs in his shorts were almost indecent. 

The next thing you noticed was that he was young. Probably only a handful of years older than your twenty-one, definitely closer to your age than your mom’s.

God, why had you put this meeting off? Had you known your mom was married to an actual god, you would’ve actually visited.

“Hey, honey,” your mom greeted, smiling at him. Your stomach twisted as she leaned over, puckering her lips for a kiss. Osamu pecked her lips quickly and turned towards you.

“Hey, I’m Osamu,” he greeted, smiling widely at you. Your heart skipped. “I heard ya like umeboshi onigiri so I made you some.”

“Th-thank you,” you stuttered. “I’m Y/n. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to finally meet ya,” Osamu said. “Was starting to think ya were avoiding me!”

“More like she was avoiding me,” your mom said. “She was always a daddy’s girl.”

“Oh?” Osamu asked, looking at you. Your cheeks burned. “Well, I’d never try to replace yer dad, but if ya ever need some daddy/daughter time, I’m here for ya.”

You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from saying something stupid. 

“I really appreciate that,” you said. 

“Oh, I’m so glad you two are getting along already!” Your mom squealed. She carried the takoyaki to the table and smiled as she sat down. “Dinner is finally ready.”

“Itadakimasu,” you mumbled, already loading your plate up with onigiri and the other food on the table. 

“So, how is university going?” Your mom asked. 

You shrugged as you slurped up some noodles. “It’s going. Made nationals.”

“Oh? What sport do ya play? I don’t think yer mom ever mentioned,” Osamu said. You rolled your eyes. Of course she hadn’t mentioned volleyball, it wasn’t like you’d been playing since elementary school or anything.

“Volleyball,” you said. “I was on the Niiyama girls team in high school. Hoping to go pro after uni.”

“Volleyball? I played in high school! My brother, Atsumu, and I were on the Inarizaki team,” Osamu exclaimed. 

“Not Miya Atsumu, right?” You asked, excitedly. “MSBY Black Jackals Miya Atsumu?”

“The very one!” Osamu said.

“No way! They’re my favourite team! I have a signed poster in my room, it’s my prized possession!” I exclaimed. “I heard a few members are going to the Olympics this year.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me she plays volleyball,” Osamu said, glancing at your mom.

“Must’ve slipped my mind,” your mom said.

“We should go to a game sometimes,” Osamu said. “I can get an extra ticket to the MSBY, Adlers game later this week.”

“That sounds great!” You said, smiling widely.

Your mom ate in relative silence as you and Osamu traded stories about your volleyball times, only ever inputting something every once in a while. After dinner, Osamu found a Sendai Frogs match. 

“I’m currently in the nation’s top 3 setters,” you said, proudly. “I’m number two behind Takao Michi.”

“I’ll have to start coming to yer games,” Osamu said. “See ya in action.”

“I’d like that,” you said, honestly. 

“Why don’t ya come to work with me tomorrow? I can introduce ya to a few of my friends that are in town,” Osamu said.

“Absolutely,” you said.

“Don’t get me wrong though, I’m putting ya to work while yer there,” Osamu said. Your mom yawned.

“You all have me worn out from all this volleyball talk,” she said. “I’m going to bed.”

“Night, mom,” you said as she stood up.

“Osamu?” She questioned, turning back to glance at him.

“Oh, we’re going to stay up a bit longer,” he said. “The Schweinden Adlers have a match after the Frogs.”

“Oh, okay,” she said. You could hear the disappointment in her voice.

Osamu waited until you heard the bedroom door click shut before speaking.

“I know this is probably too much information about yer mom but she must think I’m some sex robot,” Osamu said, huffing. “A guy can only do so much.”

You crinkled your nose. “Gross, I did not need to know that.” You tried to hold steady but laughter bubbled up through your lips. Osamu laughed loudly and you joined him, holding your gut with how hard you were laughing.

“We need- we need to be- to be quiet!” Osamu laughed. “She’s trying to- tryin’ to sleep.”

You giggled a few more times before quieting down.

“So, how old are ya?” Osamu asked, standing up. “Old enough for a beer?”

“I’m twenty-one,” you said. “Old enough for a beer.”

“We got wine coolers if ya would rather have that,” Osamu said, stepping into the kitchen.

“Please,” you said. “So, how old are you? Can’t help but notice you’re quite a bit younger than my mom.”

“Twenty-five, twenty-six in October,” he said, grabbing a beer and a wine cooler out of the fridge.

“Follow up question,” you said, “and I don’t mean any offence, I’m sure she’s great in some ways, but why my mom? I mean, surely there’s no shortage of people your age that are wanting you.”

Osamu took a long drink from his beer before answering. “Ask me after I’ve drunk a few of these.”

You pursed your lips and took a sip of your fruity drink. “Fine,” you said. “Then let’s play a game. Every time the Adlers score, I’ll ask you a question and every time the Tachibana Red Falcons score, you get to ask me a question.”

“Deal,” Osamu said.

“Oh! Score!” You exclaimed, throwing your hands up. “Another untouchable spike by Ushiwaka!”

“Shush, yer mom,” Osamu giggled. You rolled your eyes and chugged the rest of your fifth drink.

“You shush, it’s my turn,” you said, plopping down on the couch next to Osamu. “So, now tell me,” You hiccupped. “My bad. Now tell me, why my mom? Why not someone your age? Because I’m gonna- I’m gonna be honest, you’re hot and my mom is, like, she’s not, like, ugly, but, like, she’s, like, fifty.”

“I could just like cougars,” Osamu teased. You rolled your eyes and popped the top on your next drink.

“Tell the, the truth, ‘Samu,” you slurred. 

“Fine, but this stays between us, as best friends,” he said.

“Bee ef efs,” you slurred.

“Yer mom helped fund my restaurant,” he said. “So, I felt bad. She’s so nice and sweet. So, I married her.”

“Now you have a step kid that’s only four years younger than you,” you said. 

“Yeah, she didn’t really mention ya before we got married,” he said. Osamu leaned in close to you. “She didn’t mention how attractive ya were either.”

Your cheeks flushed. You turned your head away from him, looking back to the television.

“Oh, Falcons scored,” you said. “It’s your turn to ask a question.”

Osamu took a sip of his beer before speaking. “Why have ya been avoidin’ yer mom?”

You took a large gulp from your drink. “I haven’t been avoiding her,” you lied. Osamu blinked at you slowly. 

“Fine, fine!” You exclaimed. You sipped from your drink, then responded, “Mainly because she remarried so quickly after Dad died. And to someone only four years older than me. But we’ve never been close. She and I never really saw eye-to-eye. She was the love of my dad’s life and he was just another guy to her. Not to mention, she’s never been remotely interested in anything in my life, she’s always been so self-absorbed. I doubt she even knew I still played volleyball, that’s probably why she didn’t mention it to you.”

Osamu stayed silent as you chugged the remainder of your drink.

“I know it’s probably not comforting, but I’ll be there for ya if ya need me,” Osamu said. “Even if yer mom and I separate, I consider ya a friend now.”

Osamu’s words were oddly comforting. You nodded as you reached for yet another wine cooler. 

“I’m oddly comforted,” you said, popping the top easily. You fiddled with the top, thinking of what to say next.

“Another Falcons score,” Osamu said. “My turn again.”

“Question away,” you said. 

“Can’t think of any,” Osamu said. He yawned.

“Tired already?” You teased, elbowing him in the side. “Old man.”

“I’m twenty-five,” he argued, yawning again. “But I am going to bed. Let’s call a rain check on our game.”

“Deal,” you said, raising your bottle to him. “Might as well go to bed, too. Night, Samu.”

“Night, Y/n,” Osamu said, standing up. He stretched out before padding down the hallway to your mom’s room. 

You sighed loudly once you heard the door click shut. You gulped down your drink. “Good going, Y/n. You finally found a guy you like and he’s your stepdad.”

You finished your drink before gathering all the empty bottles and cans, throwing them in the recycling before walking towards your room. You collapsed onto your unmade bed and passed out before your head hit the pillow. 

“Two salted salmon onigiri,” you said, placing the plate in front of the professional volleyball player. “And onion soup.”

“Go ahead and join them,” Osamu said, placing a few plates on the same table. “I’ll bring you out some umeboshi onigiri.”

“Thanks,” you said. You could barely contain your excitement as you took a seat between Miya Atsumu and Bokuto Koutarou.

“So, yer a setter?” Atsumu asked, taking a bite of his onigiri. You nodded.

“Number two in the nation,” you said.

“She’s better than you were, Tsumu!” Hinata Shoyo exclaimed. You smiled widely.

“In high school, I was ranked number one under nineteen in my second and third years,” you said. “I even got to play in the junior Olympics in high school. We only won silver, though.”

“We’re playing the Olympics this year,” Bokuto said. “And a few of our friends from the Adlers.”

“Kageyama Tobio, Ushijima Wakatoshi, and Hoshimiumi Kourai?” You asked. “I’ve been keeping up with everyone considered for the Olympics.”

“Maybe you’ll be playing in the next Olympics,” Sakusa said. 

“That’s the goal,” you said, smiling. Osamu set a plate in front of you. “Thank you.”

“So our little star setter is here for the next week,” Osamu said, placing a strong hand on your shoulder. “We should play a game while she’s down, see how good she really is.”

“I’m game!” Bokuto exclaimed. “I wanna see those number two in the nation skills!”

“Probably nowhere near the level of you guys,” you said.

“We do have a few years on ya,” Atsumu said, ruffling your hair. 

“Literally only four,” you said, fixing your hair.

“Leave the kid alone, Tsumu,” Osamu said.

“Hey, she’s my niece now, I reserve the right to tease her,” Atsumu said.

“Uncle Tsumu,” you teased.

“That’s right, Uncle Tsumu and Daddy Samu,” Atsumu said. 

Your stomach flipped as the MSBY boys laughed. Osamu looked down at you and winked. You clenched your thighs together.

“All right, quiet down before ya disturb my payin’ guests,” Osamu said. 

“Lunch on Samu-kun!” Hinata exclaimed. Osamu rolled his eyes.

“Once yer finished, I want ya back in the kitchen,” Osamu said. He rubbed your back before walking into the kitchen.

“So, you plan on going professional after university?” Bokuto asked.

You nodded as the table fell into casual conversation.

“I already have offers to go play in France and Brazil,” you said, taking a bite of your onigiri.

“Brazil is fantastic,” Hinata said. “I played there for a while.”

“You liked it? I’ve been debating back and forth between the two. Can’t decide which one I would enjoy more,” you said. “Does Brazil have good food?”

“The best! Unless you’re looking for Japanese food,” Hinata said. “There’s no good Japanese food.”

“Noted,” you said, smiling.

“What are you studying in school?” Sakusa asked.

“Education,” you said. “If volleyball doesn’t work out I want to teach Japanese in another country.”

“Smart,” Sakusa said.

“So, any boyfriends? Girlfriends? Significant others?” Atsumu asked.

You laughed. “With what time?”

“Oh, come on, there has to be someone!” Atsumu exclaimed. “We all find time for a lil’ somethin’.”

“There was a girl,” you admitted. “On my volleyball team, but we both cared more about volleyball than each other.”

“Any crushes?” Bokuto asked. He winked at you and flexed his arms playfully.

You pursed your lips. “And why should I tell you if I do?”

“Because we’re all best friends now!” Hinata shouted, slamming his hand on the table. He ignored the looks from the other customers.

“There is this guy I have my eye on,” you said. “He’s tall, nice, and beefy as hell.”

“Ooo, tell us more,” Bokuto said.

You shook your head. “No use talking about him. He’s strictly off limits.”

“He’s gay,” Atsumu said, nodding his head.

“What?! No!” You laughed. “He’s taken.”

“Ah, university relationships aren’t always serious, you can probably still get him,” Hinata said, waving away your worries.

“He’s married,” you said. The boys all hissed in sympathy.

“Ask for a threesome,” Atsumu said. Your face must’ve shown your disgust because the boys all laughed at you.

“She must be ugly,” Bokuto said.

“We don’t get along the best,” you said. You sighed as you looked down at your empty plate.

“Better get to work before Daddy Samu grounds you,” Atsumu teased.

You rolled your eyes, but stood up. 

“It was nice meeting you guys,” you said. “I hope we can get a game together before I leave.”

“Oh, we definitely will,” Bokuto said.

“I’ll hold you to it,” you said, smiling. You waved bye to them as you entered the kitchen.

Osamu was leaned over the stove top, stirring a large pot of soup.

“Have fun?” He asked, wiping sweat off his brow with the towel thrown over his shoulder. You nodded.

“They were all super nice,” you said. “I feel like we’re actually friends now.”

“That’s good,” Osamu said, smiling at you. “Ya wanna start putting together a couple of onigiri?”

“No problem,” you said, washing your hands quickly. 

“We need five salted salmon and three umeboshi,” Osamu said. “And then out to table three.”

“Got it,” you said.

The rest of the day went by relatively quickly and smoothly. It was finally around midnight when the last customers finally left and you and Osamu could close down shop.

“Come into my office and I’ll show you how to count all the money,” Osamu said, locking the main doors. 

You followed him into his small office. 

“Okay, whenever you count the money, make sure the door is closed and locked behind you,” Osamu said, closing the door behind him. 

You held your breath as he slowly slid past you, your chest brushing against his.

“A lil’ cramped in here, sorry,” Osamu said, sitting at his desk.

“It’s fine,” you mumbled, sitting in the folding chair next to him.

“So, d’ya have a good day?” Osamu asked, casually thumbing through bills.

You nodded. “It was good! It was nice meeting your friends. I really liked them.”

“Ooo, any of ‘em catch yer eye?” Osamu teased. You rolled your eyes.

“I already have my eye on someone,” you said.

“Oh?” Osamu questioned.

“He’s taken though,” you said. “Strictly off limits.”

“Ask for a threesome,” he said.

You laughed loudly. “Funny, Atsumu said the same thing. But no, I don’t get along with his wife.”

“Wife? That sucks,” he said, placing a wad of cash in an envelope. 

“Yeah,” you agreed.

“Well, I, for one, think yer a catch,” Osamu said, sealing the envelope. “Anyone would be lucky to have ya.”

“Thanks, Samu,” you said, face burning. He patted your thigh.

“Anytime, princess,” Osamu said. You clenched your thighs together at the new nickname. “Well, we’re all done here, let’s get home.”

You trailed after him like a lost puppy as he double checked all the appliances were off and flipping the lights off.

You shivered as you stepped into the cool, night air. 

“Cold?” Osamu asked, already peeling off his Onigiri Miya hoodie.

“Yeah, a little,” you said, gladly taking the hoodie from him. You tugged it over your head and breathed deeply. “Smells good. Half expected it to smell like onigiri.”

“It will soon,” Osamu said, smiling. “It’s new. Just got the shipment in last week.”

“I’ll have to get one,” you said.

“Keep it,” Osamu said. “Ya look cute in it.”

You blushed deeply. You bumped his shoulder with yours gently.

“It’s like, way too big,” you said.

Osamu shrugged. “Oversized is in. Besides, I thought girls loved to steal guys’ hoodies.”

“Yeah, guys they like,” you said.

“Well, ya took it from me,” Osamu said, bumping your shoulder. “Ya must like me a little.”

“Whatever,” you said, cheeks burning. Osamu laughed.

“Someone has a crush!” He sang.

“Shut up! I don’t have a crush on you,” you said.

“Ya did call me hot last night,” he said.

“I was drunk, so it doesn’t count,” you said. He rolled his eyes obnoxiously.

“Ya have a crush on me, just admit it,” Osamu said. “I won’t tell anyone, pinky promise.”

“You’re my stepdad, in case you forgot,” you replied. “That’s basically incest, isn’t it?”

“So ya admit it?” Osamu asked. You shoved him playfully.

“I actually have a crush on Atsumu,” you said. “He’s the hotter twin.”

Osamu pushed you into an alley and caged you against the cool bricks of a building.

“Oh?” Osamu said. “Ya think Atsumu is the hotter twin?”

You nodded slowly as Osamu looked down at you.

“It’s the hair,” you squeaked.

“Oh, yeah, forgot that girls love a guy who doesn’t know what toner is,” Osamu said, leaning down. “I think yer lying.” His nose was nearly touching yours.

“I’m not,” you mumbled. Osamu’s hands moved from either side of your head to your hips. 

“You are,” Osamu whispered, lips brushing against your ear. You shivered.

“And if I am?” You asked.

“I don’t like bad girls,” Osamu said. “Lying is grounds for punishment.”

“Punishment?” You asked.

“I’d bend ya over my knee and spank ya until ya begged for mercy,” he said. You sucked in a sharp breath.

“It’s a good thing I’m not lying, then,” you said. By now, Osamu’s lips were nearly against yours, so close you could feel the heat from his breath on your lips.

Osamu ground his hips against yours, firmly pressing his hard on against you.

You bit your lip and glanced down. His cock was straining against his jeans, eager to be released.

“Tell the truth and I’ll think about not putting ya over my knee,” Osamu said, lips softly brushing against yours. 

“You’re the hotter twin,” you said, putting your arms around his neck. “And I have a crush on you. And I want you to fuck me in this alley.”

“There we go,” Osamu said. He finally kissed you roughly, like he wanted to devour you. You moaned as he ground against you.

“Samu,” you moaned, pulling back. He wasted no time, kissing down your neck, sucking and biting at your sensitive skin.

“Been thinkin’ about pushin’ this lil’ skirt up all day,” he growled, pushing your skirt up around your waist, revealing the pretty pink lace of your underwear. 

“Please,” you gasped as he shoved his jeans and underwear down, releasing his cock. You nearly moaned at the sight of it, long and thick and leaking precum from the swollen tip.

“Gonna wreck this cute little cunt,” Osamu said, tugging your underwear down and letting them fall to the ground. He dragged the tip of his cock through your wet folds, teasing your clit and hole.

“Is- Is that a piercing I feel?” You asked, feeling cool metal against your warm folds.

“I’ll give ya a closer look later,” he said, teasingly pushing the tip in and out of your hole. “Wanna be in ya now.”

“Fill me up, please, Samu,” you begged, digging your fingernails into his skin. Your walls fluttered around nothing as he lifted you up. You instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist.

“Good girl,” he muttered, lining his cock up with your hole. “Beg for my cock, princess.”

“Please, please, please!” You cried. “Want your cock in me, need it! Please, Samu, want you to fill me up.”

“Of course, baby girl, anything for my princess,” Osamu said, kissing you softly. He rutted his hips up into you, stretching you out suddenly.

You moaned loudly and let your head fall on Osamu's broad shoulder. 

“So big,” you moaned. “Hurts.”

“Shh, shh, yer takin’ me so well, baby,” Osamu said. “Squeezin’ me so tight, wanna bust just bein’ in ya.”

You whimpered as Osamu slowly pulled out. He pushed back in slowly, giving you time to adjust to each inch. Your walls clenched around him, sucking him in deeper and deeper until the swollen tip was kissing your cervix.

“Fuck,” he hissed. “Gonna ruin ya.” Osamu pulled out until just the tip was in and slammed back into you.

You gasped loudly as his cock breached your cervix, going deeper than anything had ever been in you and stretching you more than anything ever had.

“Samu!” You cried, throwing your head back and digging your nails into the nape of his neck. “Fuck, harder, please!”

“Feel that, baby? I’m so deep in ya,” Osamu said. “Fuckin’ past your cervix, yeah?”

You nodded as you bit back your moans as Osamu pounded into you. You buried your head into his shoulder and bit down, quieting your too loud moans.

“Next time, ‘m gonna have ya somewhere ya can be loud as ya want,” Osamu grunted. “Wanna hear yer pretty, little moans.”

You let out a soft moan in his ear and he snapped his hips up harder into you.

“Ah, Samu,” you moaned, struggling to keep your volume down. “Gonna cum.”

He pinched your clit as you gushed around his cock. You looked down to where your bodies met and watched as your juices leaked down his cock, dripping on his heavy balls. You moaned.

“Gonna fill ya up, baby,” he growled lowly. “Come ‘ere.”

He pulled your head up by your hair and squeezed your cheeks until your mouth fell open, tongue lolling out. He gathered spit in his mouth and spat it on your waiting tongue.

“Don’t swallow,” he said. He kissed you deeply, licking into your mouth and sucking your tongue. He kissed you messily, spit running down your chin and a thin strand of it connecting you two when he finally pulled back. 

“Such a messy, little slut,” he said, slamming his hips against yours. “Taking my spit so well. Gonna take my cum like that?”

You nodded, unable to speak beyond gasps and moans as his cock abused your cunt.

“Can’t speak? Fucked ya dumb, huh?” Osamu asked. He chuckled. “My cock makin’ ya dumb, little baby?”

You whined. God, you wanted him to fill you up so bad. 

“Cum. Inside.” You gasped out.

“Oh? Want me t’ breed ya? Make ya big and swollen with my baby?” Osamu asked, hips moving faster.

You nodded furiously. He rubbed your clit in tight, fast circles.

“Cream ‘round my cock one more time, baby,” he grunted. 

“Samu!” You exclaimed. Your stomach tightened as your walls fluttered like crazy.

“Yeah? Gonna cum again for me?” Osamu asked. You let out a high pitched moan as the coil in your stomach snapped.

“Fill me up, please!” You moaned as you came. Osamu’s hips stuttered as he pushed into you deeply before painting your womb white. You cried out, letting your head rest against his shoulder as he moaned.

“Fuck, yer still so tight around my cock,” he hissed. Your walls fluttered. “Perfect little cunt, princess. Milkin’ me dry like a good girl.”

You whimpered as he slowly pulled out. Your legs went limp, falling from his waist.

“Can’t stand,” you mumbled, legs shaking with the weak attempt you made. Osamu held you up as he pulled his pants back up and pulled your panties back on.

“Come here, baby,” he said, swooping you up bridal style. “Let’s go home, princess.”

You nodded lamely as he carried you. You must’ve fallen asleep, because the next thing you heard was Osamu talking to your mother.

“She was practically dead on her feet,” Osamu said. “Fell asleep while I was counting the money.”

“You could’ve called, I would’ve brought the car,” your mom said. You felt Osamu shrug.

“It was no problem,” Osamu said. 

“Well, go lay her down in her bed,” your mom said. “Then maybe she’ll be out for the rest of the night.” You frowned at her suggestive tone and cuddled deeper into Osamu’s chest.

“I’ll go lay her down,” Osamu said. He carried you down the hall and entered your bedroom carefully.

As he laid you down, you grabbed his arm and whined, “Don’t go.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered. “I gotta go to my own bed.”

“Don’t- Don’t fuck her,” you mumbled. “Please.”

“Don’t worry, princess,” he said, softly brushing your hair out of your face. “It’s only you from now on.” You nodded. Osamu kissed your forehead before leaving you alone.

You blinked once, twice, before you were asleep.

[therealbeachfox]

Wait, you were talking about "Gods of Astielle" being the next in line after "Rise of Empire", but I thought Queen of All Monsters came after Rise of Empire?? Does Stars Rising Infinite take place between those two, or what's going on? Who even designed this timeline in the first place?!

[[Character Breaking Information to Prevent Confusion: This whole thing is meta fan-fiction for @unpretty's Astielle series, which is written as if it's fan-fiction of a non-existent long-running video game series. This is my vision of what said game series might look at based on everything she's written so far. Legend of Starlight Hero XII: The Gods of Astielle is the name of the 'current game' Astielle is supposedly fanfiction of. This is written shortly before its release.]]

Well, no one. That's the problem. By the time anyone involved with the series realized it was going to last long enough for Lore to be a concern, they'd already played so fast and loose with the reincarnation cycles it was anyone's guess how they all related to each other. There are centuries long gaps between game-worthy incarnations, piles of side-games that constantly contradict each other, all those comics and novelizations, and so many Youtube videos trying to detangle the whole mess.

But you're in luck, Anon! With Gods of Astielle coming out, I've been mulling over this very question myself lately, and I am ready to present to you and the world the only 100% True and Canonical Legend of the Starlight Hero/Astielle timeline.

[[A screenshot of The Old Man of the Mountain sitting in his chair in front of a room full of herbs and bottles in all his 32-bit glory, but with a fox-head crudely pasted over his face]]

So come in from the cold, child, and buckle the fuck in. The Old Fox of the Mountain has some learning for you.

First, I'm laying down some ground rules so this project is halfway feasible.

I) I'm only covering video games. No novels/comics/web exclusives/terrible 1989 cartoons. I'm not getting caught in the "You forgot this obscure three issue manga from 1991 that said-" trap.

II) All numbered Legend of the Starlight Hero games have to be canonical. Yes, even Return to Monster Mountain. Yes, even Queen of All Monsters. Sorry.

III) All games involving time-travel (Tangled Skein of Destiny) or alternate time-lines (90% of the Untraveled Paths DLCs) or crossovers (Smash Brothers) are automatically out of the lineup. Yes, this means that I'm not covering some of the best games of the series, but to make up for it, the canon timeline includes the absolute worse ones.

IV) Any games which directly contradict world details or events laid out in the mainline games are out. So we wont be covering the Stardust Dungeons series or Fight of Goddesses/Final Flight or any of the PSP games. Again, not saying whether they're good (Fight of Goddesses) or bad (Stardust Dungeons), just whether they're part of the Main Canon timeline or not. "But if you assume that X is true, and Y was lying about Z, then technically~" This isn't Unraveled. If you want to imagine that there's a colony of sentient rootboars having magical adventures in their underground kingdom that no one else knows about somehow, that's all fine and good, but unless there's a sequence in Gods of Astielle where we meet them, I'm not counting it as canon.

Second:

My arrangement of the timeline may not be your arrangement of the timeline. The games I consider to be canon might not be the same ones you do. It's your right to disagree and it is my right to be correct.

Finally:

To try and make things clearer, all the Legend of the Starlight Hero games will be in bold, while all other games that are part of the main timeline like Monster Kingdom Builder will be in bold + italics.

Quick Lexicon (for the lil'ones):

Astielle: The World/Universe the LotSH games all take place in. Starlight Hero/LotSH/Astielle are used interchangably when talking about the series/franchise as a whole which doesn't get confusing at all, what are you talking about?

Dan (Thanks, Dan) Ryner: Head of Void Star Games studio and edge lord supreme. Banished to the wastes of Idaho for his many many sins

Fantastico: Plastic toy maker turned video-game maker turned console maker turned industry-cautionary-tale. Were responsible for the LotSH golden age of 1990-2000, and then also for whatever you want to call the 2001-2006 period.

Ito Makoto: The original creator of LotSH, and chief game designer until his death in 1998

Itokoto: Japanese game company that was the first publisher of LotSH and related games until it's bankrupcy in 1990

LotSH: Legend of the Starlight Hero. The main series of games for Astielle

Nichelle Augustin: Studio Head for White Spire Games. Also a former developer for Void Star Games who managed to grab the LotSH license and leap out of company headquarters right as the whole thing imploded in slow motion behind her.

Void Star Games: Owners of the Starlight Hero franchise from 2007-2015. Despite their best efforts, LotSH survived their stewardship.

White Spire Games: The current developers for LotSH since 2016.

Everything clear? Alright. Let's start at the beginning

=*=*=

Lute Bard Hero (2007) [Void Star Games] [Arcade/Wii/PS/Xbox]

[[A stylized Renfaire-esc bard playing a lute in a rockstar pose as magic explodes behind him. Jet Black from School of Rock has been crudely photoshopped over him]]

No, stop, don't click away! I swear I'm fucking serious! Let me explain.

It's 2006, era of Guitar Hero clones and endless Wii filler, and a spunky little studio named Void Star Games had just snagged up the rights to the Starlight Hero franchise in the aftermath of Fantastico's collapse. And while the studio heads plotted together in their dark crypts as to how best suck the joy and laughter and everything pure from the franchise, their shovelware department was put to work creating some quick and easy cash grabs to provide the funding.

One of these projects started as a generic Guitar Hero knockoff "with a twist". The twist being, you were a generic fantasy-world bard doing heavy metal rock if lutes were able to play heavy metal rock. Then the programmers realized that, hey, their company owned this great pre-existing fantasy world franchise that came with all sorts of pre-developed assets and started mining the entire Starlight Hero franchise for... easter eggs? Homages? Fanboying?

Regardless, what you wound up with was a too-short rock-opera where your first-person bardic protagonist traveled the countryside of 'Almost, but not quite Astielle', playing giant fantasy kingdom stadiums and rocking with Void-Magic Heavy Metal Rock, and occasionally defeating armies with wicked lute solos. If it had more than eight stages, or if they'd been able to hire someone halfway competent to write the music, it would've been awesome.

So why does this count as the first Astielle game and not just an easter-egg filled one-off? Well, the head developer of Lute Bard Hero was a bright young lady named Nichelle Augustin, and there was this other game she'd be head producer of a decade later...

=*=*=

Legend of the Starlight Hero XI - Stars Rising Infinite (2018) [White Spire Games] [XBox/PS/PC]

[[The boxart of Stars Rising Infinite featuring the Heavenly Trio in action poses.

Jet Black from School of Rock's head has once again been pasted over Vaelon's.

Brienne of Tarth's face has been pasted over Lynette’s.

Karzarul's head has been replaced with Baby Yoda's]]

*wicked heavy metal lute solo*

Go back and look at that lute in the screen shots above. Now look down at Vaelon's lute. Now look at the hands. Now compare the Aekhite Empire architecture with the architecture of the final concert arena. Now look at how Vaelon's primary mechanic is Void Magic powered by Heavy Metal Lute Solos.

[[Two screenshots side by side of first-person perspective from The Lute Bard and Vaelon with redlines connecting all the similarities. A piece of the background from Stars Rising Infinite that crudely approximates a triangle has also been outlined in red with a heavily pixilated illuminati pyramid next to it]]

Lute Bard Hero is Vaelon's prelude story. After that final blowout concert, he wound up chilling with the imperial family, hit it off with the eldest daughter, and wound up helping her run off on her quest to find fairies willing to hook her up with Goddess Smiting powers to kill her brother with.

The rest is history.

So. This game.

It really, really shouldn't have worked.

I have publicly made penance for all the unkind things I said about the concept when the first teasers dropped. I've left them up as proof that even the best of us can be young and stupid at times. But come on, it was an origin prequel that no-one asked for that retconned some of the basic foundations of the entire series and they blew a significant portion of the budget on getting Jet Black to voice one of the Celestial Trio!

It really, really shouldn't have worked as well as it did!

Obviously, this is the first main game of the series chronologically, no question of that. The Celestial Weapons don't even exist until halfway through the main campaign! So, a Shitass Long Time Ago, in a land that's the exact same land we've always been on, the Aekhite Empire is still in one piece and the eldest daughter of the dead emperor thinks her older brother sucks at the job and comes to the conclusion that the most logical and straightforward solution is to wrangle a Void Witch to her cause, track down the king of fairies, get him to help her acquire the divine blessing (and arsenal) or her patron goddess, then use those to depose her brother all while an epic-rock soundtrack plays in the background.

I love you, Lynette, but did you ever consider just hitting him with a brick?

Along the way, the Void Witch flirts with a reflection of moonlight so hard it manifests a Sphinx Cat fursona to flirt back with, everyone winds up getting Patron Goddess Blessings, and the most dysfunctional love/hate triangle in history proceeds to conquer the world before crashing and burning so hard it sets off the Unending Murdercycle that's shaped Astiellian history ever since.

Vaelon almost muscles Jonys out of the position of Best Starlight Hero.

Karzarul completes his journey from "What If Bowser was a Sexy Were-demon" to "What If A-Precious-Cinnamon-Roll-Who-Just-Needs-a-Hug was a Sexy Were-demon".

Lynette is the Queen Empress of Hot Messes, the answer to the eternal question 'Why are the Heirs Like That?' as well as the archetype of Video Game Playable Antihero that all future game-writers should learn from. She is beauty, she is grace, she will stab you in the face.

I have so much more to say about this game. And I have. Repeatedly. Check the sidebar. Or my YouTube channel. Or get cornered by me at Furcon.

[[Screenshot from the Winding Paths of Destiny DLC of the popular "Mothman" alternate monster form saving Vaelon, Lynette, and Lynette's horse during the canyon collapse scene]]

The DLC for this game is god-tier, but explicitly non-canonical, so I'll pass it by other than saying I hope the 'Venturing Off the Path of Destiny' mechanic becomes a series standard. I don't know how they'd manage the "Frantic Quicktime Button Mashing Choices that Result in new Monster Forms" mechanic from the alternate timelines, but the Gods of Astielle devs have made noises that something from that will be showing up. I'm hoping for Mothman. Everyone's hoping for Mothman. Long live Mothman, King of all Mothmans.

=*=*=

Stars Rising: Astiellian Warriors (2019) (White Spire Games) [XBox One, PS4]

[[A screenshot of the stampede scene from Lion King with Tauril heads pasted on all the wildebests and Lynette's face pasted over Simba]]

This is such a stupid game. I love it so much. It's a blatant Dynasty Warriors knockoff, it's got a multiverse/timestorm framing plot, the fucking Universal Dragon plays a major role, and the voice acting is for shit. But you can also plow through 1,000 soldiers as a Tauril before kicking their commander in the face so hard he flies halfway across the map and ragdolls Lynette right off her horse. Glorious.

Even within the story, 80% of it is explicitly non-canonical, what with the branching timelines and multiverse shenanigans, but The Untrammeled Path of Destiny is straight up how Astiellian history actually went. The fact it explains the details of the Aekhite Empire's expansion and Lynette's and Karzarul's shadow war way better than Stars Rising did is just a surprise welcome bonus.

=*=*=

Aekhite Empire: Eternal Zenith (2019) (White Spire Games) [PC/Mac]

[[An old Evony ad. The standard big boobed princess has been replaced with a seductive Abyssscale, and Aekhite Empire is pasted over "Evony". The 'Please Save Us, My Lord' text remains unaltered]]

I don't play much 4X games beyond Civ, so I can't speak to how balanced or polished or original the gameplay of EZ is, but any game that gives you combat bonuses for sexing the opposing general so hard their stats fall off, or reserves an entire gameplay loop to sending your boy toy out to open in-universe quick-travel points is alright by me. There's a lot of world-building and random details they put in this one that don't contradict anything from the core games, and I hope it continues to stay that way because I love every bit of it. It paints such a deliciously fucked up view of of pre-collapse Aekhite Empire and I love the additional look into Lynette's head via all the Event Decisions that come up during your 'Conquest for their own Good' of the world. The 'Political Maneuvering' minigame might've gotten cut from Stars Rising, but this is a very suitable replacement.

=*=*=

Monster Kingdom Builder (1997) [Fantacon/PlayStation/N64/PC/Gameboy/Game Gear] [Fantastico]

[[The American box art of Monster Kingdom Builder. If there's been any memes photoshopped in, they're too subtle to notice.]]

No, this is completely canonical! Look at the state of the Moonrise Kingdom at the end of Stars Rising Infinite. Now look at how the Moonrise Kingdom looks the next time we see it in (spoilers) Legend of the Starlight Hero I. Going from wooden "Ewok meets Art Deco" stylings to Silver-veined Marble columns and big crystal stain-glass windows?

Sounds like someone took Lynette's whole "Savage Kingdom of Sticks and Stones" speech a little personally and spent the next few decades playing an adorable city builder with perky chiptunes and chibi-Turial loading icons in order to spruce the place up for when she got back. "See, Lynette?", he'd ask, "I spent forty hours arranging all the construction bridges just right so I could get marble from the furthest quarry to the palace without loosing a single Rex to a canyon crossing! And the pathway spells out 'Please love me, Lynette" in Old Astian!'"

Pity Needle was too much of an asshole to notice all the hard work Karzarul had put in to spruce the place up for them. But what else can you expect from the guy?

=*=*=

Black Drakonis I-IV (1984-1990) [Nintendo/Atari/Sega Master/Fantacon/Others] [Itokoto]

[[Super Mario Brothers screenshot with The Hero pasted over Mario. Toad's text has been altered to "Thank you HERO! But our BLACK DRAKONIS HAS TAKEN another castle!]]

The third pillar of the the Metrokonisvania genre. Also known as Lair of the Ebon Dragon, Lair of the Black Drakon, or Drakonis' Castle depending on who was in charge of translating for each system. It wasn't until Black Drakonis II made enough American sales that Itokoto cared enough to ensure there was a single title across all systems. The Black Drakonis games have continued after the fourth, but the rights were bought by a different company, and the cross-continuity that'd developed between it and Astielle was (mostly) broken off. White Drakonis remains ones of Karzarul's iconic forms, and Black Drakonis was a surprise major character in Stars Rising Infinite, not only giving us some truly amazing/hilarious moments, but tying the original four BD games in even tighter with the Astiellian timeline.

The Black Drakonis games are relatively straightforward (storywise). A giant not!Dragon has taken over a local castle, and whatever poor sap who appears on the cover has been recruited to go deal with that... somehow. It was noteworthy at the time for having Black Drakonis be a force of nature to drive off as opposed to a Final Boss to deplete the health bar of. This was the series that got Itokoto known in the west, and paved the way for Legend of the Starlight Hero to perform as well as it did.

When White Drakonis appeared as Karzarul's final form in LotSH III, it was mostly an issue of reusing existing assets as part of the legendarily rushed and penny-pinching creation process. But Ito Makoto ran with it, bringing Black Drakonis herself into LotSH IV and officially tying the series together. And while everything from Black Drakonis V and onward is in its own unconnected universe, the first four slot in neatly in the early days of the Reincarnation Cycle as Black Drakonis continuously seeks out and claims poorly guarded (by her standards) castles/spires/megadungeons to guard until such time as some unnamed protagonist arrives to drive her back off.

=*=*=

Legend of the Starlight Hero III - Return to Monster Mountain (1987) [Nintendo/Sega Master/Fantacon] [Itokoto]

[[Box art of LotSH III with giant OSHA Violation tape draped over everything]]

This is what happens when you push for a sequel to come out eight months after the previous game, people. So, Black Drakonis II hit America in 1986 and was a huge hit out of nowhere. Then when LotSH II dropped six months later, it became one of the holiday season's biggest sellers. Itokoto management saw the sales figures and sent the orders down that they needed the next LotSH game ready for Christmas 1987 Or. Else.

They sent this order down in April, 1987. Some things in game development never change.

Under an unexpected time crunch, the team got "creative". A half-completed side-scroller with the working titles Crystal Warriors of the Underground got a bunch of Starlight Hero sprites thrown in, the backgrounds turned from weird magitech caverns into Monster Mountain, combat was changed from the time honored 'Jump on their heads' to 'hit it with a sword', and someone took Black Drakonis, painted her white, and dropped that sprite set in as Karzarul's final form.

Not that anyone got to see it.

This game was brooo~oooken. This wasn't broken as in the Nintendo Hard style of the first two games. At least with those, it's possible to get all the timing right to actually beat Karzarul into a puddle. With Return to Monster Mountain, however, it's impossible to even get to the final stage. Level 8 sees Starlight Hero having to navigate increasingly narrow platforms over the standard bottomless pits, all the while getting arrows shot at him by an offscreen Karzarul which push you back whenever you get hit. People have had AIs run this level. There is no pattern of movement that can take you successfully through the level. The Itokoto playtesters never had a chance to give the game a proper go-over before its release, and it never got taken care of. "Fortunately", most players just assumed they weren't good enough to get past it, assuming they even got that far in the first place.

Still, it's canonical that at some point before Needle, some poor-assed sap went to retrieve his birthright weapon and got shot off a cliff by Karzarul, who was probably feeling pretty damned crabby about all these Not Vaelons that kept coming around for the sword by this point.

RIP nameless Starlight Hero. Watch the first step. It's a doozy.

All this and we're not at Needle yet? Stars above! Let's continue this conversation another day, child. Next time: We -finally- get to Needle. And hopefully the other Needle. Maybe even Jonys! Hoboy, Jonys.

[illegal-spiegel]

The Selection

Pairing: Prince!Shoto Todoroki x f!reader Genre: angst, fluff, royal au Warnings: bullying, mentions of blood, scratches, and bruising. I think that’s it?? Summary: Prince Shoto is coming upon the age to marry one lucky lady, and to choose said lady, a contest is held. A woman from each district is chosen by the prince himself to compete to become his bride and the future queen. You, a woman from district nine, a poor district, are chosen and sent to the castle to compete against nine other women. ✨Drama ensues ✨ Word Count: 10k words. THIS IS LITERALLY THE MOST IVE EVER DONE BEFORE RGVIOSGNIAN A/N: This piece is for @awilddreamerwrites​‘s collab!! I had so much fun writing this because this is based off of the book series The Selection by Kiera Cass and I’ve been wanting to write smth like this for a LONG time. There is also Hunger Games themes going on in this fic. The song at the end is I Hear a Symphony by Cody Fry!! I hope you all enjoy!!

You can’t believe you won. 

And no, this isn’t the good kind of winning. You don’t get a thousand dollars or a nice, shiny trophy. No. You can’t even fathom why out of all the girls in district nine why Prince Shoto would choose you. 

He’s coming of age to marry so all women eighteen to twenty-four, who aren’t married yet, are required by law to submit an ‘application’ to become Prince Shoto’s wife. He will then go through all of the forms and choose one ‘lucky’ girl from each district, one through ten. 

You can remember filling out the form like it was yesterday.

“I don’t know what to put,” you groan from the table, wracking through your brain for something you like to do in your free time. There are plenty of things, but none of them sound good enough. Then again, you don’t know why you’re trying so hard to impress Mr. Stick-Up-His-Butt. 

“Put that you like to burp your ABCs,” your little brother jokes, making you roll your eyes at him. 

“As if I would ever write such a thing. They would come here as soon as they saw that and chop my head off in front of everyone!” you screech, starting to nervously tap your pencil on the table. 

“How about reading? That makes you sound smart,” your father offers, his hands covered in paint from where he stands by the window. You glance over at him, finding that he’s painting your mother playing at her piano. It’ll never cease to amaze you that your father can draw and paint your mother’s face from memory. God, they’re so in love it’s gross. 

“Doesn’t that sound too snobbish though? ‘Hey, look at me. I’m so smart because I like to read.’ They don’t want smart women dad, they want pretty ones that will obey orders,” you snidely remark. Yeah, it’s no surprise to anyone that you hate all the members of district one. They’re just a bunch of queens, kings, dukes, duchesses, princes, princesses, and everyone else who doesn’t like sharing their wealth amongst the poorer districts. Like yours. 

“Why do you care? I think that they will take one look at your ugly mug and throw yours in the trash,” your brother cackles. You huff out a breath and bring your eyes back to the paper. He’s right. You shouldn’t care. You don’t care. 

“You’re right,” you announce as you begin writing down the answer your dad suggested. Maybe if you make yourself sound really smart, Prince Shoto will lose interest right away. 

You go through the other basic questions, what was your favorite toy growing up, what talents do you have, how is your relationship with your family, etc. After a mind-numbing experience of filling out all the questions, you slide the papers into an envelope. “Alright, done!”

“Good, go put it in the mailbox before it gets dark,” your father says with a smile, watching you fill out your name and address on the envelope since the castle’s is already printed in the top left.

That was a month ago and now you’re here, staring down at your empty suitcase laid out in front of you on your bed. You can’t even begin to imagine what you would need to pack to go to a castle to try and win the heart of a prince. You leave your empty luggage where it is and pick up the acceptance letter that you had received. You hadn’t even bothered reading all of it earlier. 

You read through all the rules, regulations, and requirements, trying not to break down as you sit there reading it. This just had to happen to you. Why couldn’t it be that one lovely girl down the road who has always dreamed of one day living in the castle? Or another girl a couple blocks away who dreams to be a chef in the castle’s kitchen?

One sentence has you pausing, your shoulders gaining weight to them and causing you to slump. Contestants must not wear pants of any kind. All women must wear appropriate skirts or dresses. Oh, hell no. 

You set the papers down again and take a deep breath, standing from your bed to move to your window. You stare outside into the tall, green grass as you let your mind wander. What if you just ran away? Yeah, you could pack up your bag and on move-in day, you leave without a trace. That plan sounds nice for a second before you suddenly feel guilt. 

Your family would be worried about you. 

God, you need to stop acting like it’s the end of the world! 

You clench your hands into fists and give a single nod before snatching the papers back up, breezing through the rest of the words now that you’ve made up your mind. You once again freeze though when you come across something towards the end. All participants will get a weekly check of one hundred dollars that they may either use themselves or send home to their families. 

What?

Why wouldn’t they lead with that? This is good news though! Seeing as how you’re in district nine and a family of four, making it through the week can be quite hard. It helped that you were leaving and they would only have to worry about three mouths to feed, but now they can get some money too! 

You pause for a third time and reread that sentence. Every week. Being there for a month alone would give your family five hundred dollars! That would be enough for all of you to live semi-comfortably while you search for a job to help your parents out. 

You finish with the papers and then set them down, starting to pack your things away now. You don’t want to go or stay in the castle, but you’ll be damned if you didn’t give it your all to stay as long as possible to help your family. 

Move-in day comes faster than you’d like. Suddenly, a car is waiting for you in front of your house and your mother has tears in her eyes. “Mom, don’t cry. I won’t even be gone that long. I’ll be home before you know it,” you reassure softly as you pull her into a hug. She sniffles and holds you tight, her eyes closing and causing those tears to cascade down her face. 

“I know. I just...I love you, honey. I appreciate what you do for this family.” You pull back and smile at her, wiping her tears away before giving her cheek a kiss. You bid your father and brother farewell, playfully teasing your brother for crying before giving him the longest hug of all, and then leave with your suitcase in tow. 

“Is that it?” a knight questions you once you reach him, his eyes focused on your singular suitcase. 

“Um, yes?” you reply, but it comes out shaky and unsure. Why would you need more than one? 

“Okay, get in,” he says in a bored tone as he takes your baggage from you and places it in the back while you crawl inside the expensive car. He closes the door behind you and then crawls into the front, turning the car on. You stare out the window at your family, smiling at them while you wave. They wave back and even blow you kisses, a smile stretching across your face as you catch them. 

You won’t be gone long. You won’t be gone long.

First day at the castle you don’t even get to see the prince. You briefly meet the other girls but otherwise remain cooped up in your very fancy new room. Meals are brought to you and you have your own personal bathroom, so there’s no reason to leave. 

Not that you really want to anyway. 

At the end of the first day, your reading is interrupted by a loud knock. You just begin standing up from your seat by the window when the door swings open and a woman with deep bronze skin comes in. “Hi there,” she teases, closing the door behind her. You close your book and set it on the table, raising your brow at her as you stand up. 

“Um, hi? What are you doing here?” you ask before realizing that probably sounded rude. She just chuckles at you though and starts walking towards you, removing a soft measuring tape up from around her shoulders which causes her dark, curly hair to drag up with it before dropping back down with a bounce.

“I’m here for your measurements, of course.” 

“My what?” you ask, cautiously watching her as she gets closer. 

“You know, for your dresses. We already have dresses of all shapes and sizes prepared and ready for adjustments, so we just need to see what your measurements are.”

“Oh, okay,” you agree, lifting your arms to allow her to measure your waist and chest. She measures everything from your shoulders to your ankles before wrapping the measuring tape back around her neck. 

“Alright, all done. I’ll bring you your dresses either later today or tomorrow.”

“Okay. Thank you,” you say softly as you watch her go.

The second day is when you finally meet the prince himself. The same lady as before, which you found out her name is Iris, comes back the next day to help you get ready. After suiting you up, figuratively speaking since you’re in a dress, she leads you out of your room and to a dining room. The only thing that sits in the room is a long, mahogany table and chairs to match. She tells you to pick a seat before wishing you luck. You smile at her and walk towards the middle of the table, sitting there since most of the other girls are sitting towards the end, which you’re assuming is because they want to try and be closer to the prince. 

You look up from your porcelain plate when someone sits across from you, your eyes meeting wild, red hair first. You smile at her when she looks at you, her own smile coming to her face as she sits down. The second thing you notice about her is her bright, blue eyes and the hundreds of freckles dusting her cheeks. You start to wonder what class she is from when the grand doors open. You quickly stand up when you see the other girls do so, your hands squeezing the sides of your dress. You eye the prince as he walks towards the table with his father and his sister, Princess Fuyumi. They get to their spots and the king looks you all over before saying, “Welcome, ladies, to my castle. My family and I are eager to meet with all of you. For now though, let us eat.” 

After this, he and his two children sit down before the rest of you do, and you don’t begin eating until they start. You decide then to strike up a conversation with the redhead as you begin to eat, starting with asking her what her name was. Ironically enough, her name is Ruby. You shared a good laugh with her as she told you the story of her parents deciding her name. 

After breakfast, the king announces that he is hosting a ball at the end of the week for his son’s birthday. You almost just decide to go ahead and pack up now at this news when he continues his announcement by reassuring you all that you’ll be given dance lessons. Joy. 

After that day, you only see the prince again at meals like that. After the third day of dance lessons, you begin to wonder how exactly he plans on eliminating some of you and choosing a bride if he doesn’t even talk to you. 

The day of the ball arrives before you know it and you’re just a little bit happy about it since that means no more horrid dance lessons. You’re still not the best, but you won’t be stepping on anyone’s toes. Iris helps you get ready in a purple gown that reminds you of her name. She helps you with your hair as well and slides your shoes on for you, despite you telling her that you can do it yourself, and then leads you to the ballroom. At the moment, only the other girls are here. You thank Iris one last time for her hard work before gravitating towards your newfound friend. 

“Hey,” you greet Ruby, admiring her forest green dress. 

“Hi!” her chipper voice greets back. You smile at that and look around at the other women, pausing when you notice something. 

“Hey, are we down one?” you ask. 

“What?”

You count all the girls twice before confirming what you thought and repeating your words. “Are we down one? There’s only nine here now, including you and me.” She pauses and looks around at the other girls too, discovering that your words are true. 

“Oh. Maybe one of the girls is running late?” she offers. You shake your head at this though. 

“They never let us be late to anything. I think the prince kicked someone out already,” you say softly to her. 

“What? Really? Already?” she nervously asks, starting to fix her dress and hair. 

“I guess so. Strange, seeing as how I haven’t even had a conversation with him yet. I doubt she got the chance to either.” You two go quiet after that until Ruby interrupts that silence. 

 “Gosh, I’m so nervous now. I think I might sweat through my dress,” she groans. You chuckle at her words while looking around at the decorated ballroom. 

“Don’t be. I wouldn’t be surprised if the prince stayed by the punch bowl all night,” you giggle, watching her smile come back to her face. 

“I don’t know, I heard some of the others girls saying that—” 

She’s cut off by a pair of big doors opening to reveal guests trickling inside. “Oh, I guess it’s starting.” You two move to the side of the room as you watch men, women, and people alike dressed in expensive clothes filter inside. Just when you think the room is going to be too packed for any of you to even move, the doors close and everyone grows quiet. 

You turn to see the royal family at the railing of the double staircase looking down on everyone from their vantage point. “Greetings friends, family, and contestants. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to come here tonight. We celebrate my son’s birthday tonight and that he’s on his way to finding a bride! Let us drink and be merry!” Everyone claps when he finishes and as soon as they start moving downstairs, ball music starts. You take a deep breath and turn to look at Ruby to start up another conversation with her. Except you can’t since a knight is asking her to dance. She blushes as red as her hair as she agrees, gently taking ahold of his hand and letting him whisk her away.��

You sigh as you watch her go, ignoring the urge to lean against the wall. You already know that if you did, you’d get scolded for not appearing lady-like. You can’t help but roll your eyes at the thought of one of the king’s or prince’s advisors scurrying over to you just to tell you to stand up tall. 

You sigh a second time and leave the edge of the room to go to the other side of the room where the finger food and punch bowls are. You glance around you as you pick up something that looks like a yellow flower and shove it whole into your mouth. 

“Wow, you must be hungry.” You almost choke as you whip your head around to find the prince standing next to you, a small, amused smile on his lips. Oh my god. You quickly cover your mouth and begin chewing at the speed of light, swallowing it despite the fact that you didn’t get to finish chewing it. 

“No! I mean, yes! I mean—”

“Will you dance with me?” Your fumbling comes to a stop when he asks you to dance with him, all the air suddenly leaving your lungs. 

“Oh, um, sure,” you wheeze, gently taking his outstretched hand. He leads you away from the table towards the middle of the dance floor, your cheeks growing warm at the thought of how many eyes are going to be on you. He brings his other hand to your waist while you bring your hand to his shoulder, your eyes staring down at your feet once you start moving. 

“You’re (Y/n), right?” he asks softly. 

“Yeah. I mean, yes, Your Highness,” you correct, mentally cursing yourself as you stare down at your feet. 

“You don’t have to do that, you know,” he informs. 

“What?” you ask, finally tilting your head back to look up at him. 

“Refer to me as that. The same goes for Your Majesty and Prince Shoto.” You blow air past your lips and make a pfft sound, smiling at him. 

“You’re kidding, right? Your advisor just about bit my head off the other day when I accidentally referred to you as just Shoto.”

“Yes, everyone is quite strict about that. I’m not though. When it’s just the two of us, please refer to me as Shoto, okay?” You lick your lips and press them together, slowly nodding your head. You bring your head back down to look at your feet, trying to make sure you don’t mess up. “Don’t do that either,” he commands. 

“Don’t do what?” you ask, still looking down, afraid you had done something to upset him. His hand suddenly leaves your waist and is placed underneath your chin, his fingers gently applying pressure to bring your head back up. 

“Stare down like that. I want to see your face.” You can feel the heat crawl up your chest and spread across your face, your whole body feeling too warm now. 

“Sorry,” you stutter out, your grip tightening a bit on his shoulder. You spend the rest of your time in peaceful silence, both of you listening to the music and dancing away. You also use this time to actually get a good look at him. The first thing you noticed was his eyes. His eyes are heterochromia, one grey and one blue. The second thing you notice is the scar around his blue eye, but you make sure not to look at it for too long. You continue to admire his handsome features for the rest of the dance, finding the song is coming to an end quite soon. 

To your surprise though, he doesn’t let you go. He continues to dance with you until the end of the second song. You’re not sure if he would’ve stopped on his own or not since someone cut in and asked for a dance with him. He bows while you curtsy, your eyes remaining glued to each other. “Save me another dance,” he says softly before turning to the next person and beginning to dance with them. 

After having that one on one moment with the prince, you find your eyes always wandering to him when he’s in the same room as you, and, more often than not, he catches you staring at him. You, oddly enough, go about two days without seeing him again, other than when you’re in the dining hall. It still doesn’t make sense to you that he doesn’t try making an effort to meet any of the girls that could potentially become his bride. 

You blink a couple of times and realize that you just read an entire page of your book and didn’t actually process any of it since you were too busy thinking about the prince. Again. You sigh and look up from the book to look out the window that’s sill you are currently perched on. Your eyes widen when you find the prince down in the garden, taking a leisurely stroll around the hundreds of flowers. You watch him for a long moment, a soft smile finding its way to your lips as he stops to smell some flowers that you don’t know the name of. They’re unlike anything you’ve ever seen. 

You gasp when his eyes suddenly flit up to yours, your entire head turning away from the window in embarrassment. You really need to stop getting caught staring at the handsome man. You take a deep breath and bring your eyes back to your book, determined to finish this chapter before dinner. 

As you’re sitting there flipping page after page, you get the odd feeling you’re being watched. You look back out the window but find that the prince isn’t in the garden anymore, at least not the part that you can see from your spot. You turn your head the other way towards the library only to find the prince himself leaning against a bookshelf. 

“Ah, I’ve been caught,” he says playfully, giving you a small smile that, despite its small size, almost blinds you. 

“Your Highness,” you greet, clambering to get up to curtsey. 

“Ah ah, we talked about this,” Shoto warns with a single palm facing you. You stop halfway out of your seat, your cheeks growing warm.

“Sorry, Prin—I mean, Shoto!” you stutter, feeling your ears get hot now with embarrassment. He chuckles and walks over to you, taking a seat beside you on the window sill. 

“What are you reading?” he asks, thankfully deciding to ignore your fumbling words. You stare at him for a moment before quickly looking down at the book in your hands. You flip it over onto it’s back to show the front to him, the title written in big, cursive letters. “Scarlet? I don’t think I’ve ever read it. What’s it about?” he says as he reads the title, leaning back against the wall. You stare down at the book, trying to calm your racing heart and shaky hands. 

“Oh, um, I haven’t finished it yet. But it’s basically another Robin Hood tale, but it focuses on the story of one of his merry men who is actually a woman pretending to be a man. She has a dark past she’s trying to get away from and she slowly begins to fall in love with Robin Hood. It’s actually a really good book,” you explain, turning your eyes back to him only to find him intently watching you. “Uh, then again, I don’t know what kind of books you like to read. Oh! Or if you like to read at all! Not that I’m saying I’m assuming you do or don’t! I’m sure you have plenty of hobbies—” You cut yourself off when Shoto begins to laugh, his eyes lighting up with his laughter. You take a deep breath and then begin to giggle right alongside him. 

“I love to read, actually. No one else in the castle seems to care about books though. I’m really the only one who ever comes in here.” He pauses for a moment to study you before continuing, “And it does indeed sound like a good book. Thank you for telling me about it. Mind if I read it when you’re done?” 

You start nodding your head rapidly before your brain can even process what he’s asked you. “Yes! Of course! I should be done with it by tomorrow or so!” you reply faster than your mouth can move. He chuckles at your garbled speech but seems to understand what you’ve said. 

“Great. Why don’t you bring it by my quarters when you’re through?” he offers as he stands up from the window sill. You nod your head with a dumb grin, watching him chuckle softly as he heads for the door. “Alright, thank you. See you around, Miss (Y/n).”

You don’t process what you’ve agreed to until he’s out of the room and you can finally get oxygen into your lungs and to your brain. Wait, his quarters? As in, his chambers? As in, his bedroom? You suck in a shallow breath and hold it, trying to keep your brain from wandering into dangerous territory. 

You don’t even realize you don’t know where his quarters are until you’re done with the book. 

There you are wandering around the halls trying to figure out where his quarters would be. It isn’t until you come across dozens of guards in one hallway that you figure it out. 

“Halt! Who goes there?” a knight calls, pointing his very pointy staff in your direction. 

“Uh, (Y/n)?” you answer, cringing when it comes out more like a question. “I’m, um, one of the contestants,” you inform. 

“Turn back now. Contestants are not allowed to be in this side of the castle after the first incident.”

First incident?

“Oh, um, okay. That’s fine. I was just told by Sh—the prince! To come and bring this book to him when I was done with it,” you explain, holding up said book. 

“Then I shall deliver it for you,” the knight announces and begins walking towards you. You take a step back though. 

“Uh, no, that’s alright. I’ll just give it to him the next time I see him,” you say softly as you turn to leave. 

“Just give it here,” the knight demands as he takes hold of your wrist. 

“No, just let go of me! You’re making this a bigger deal than it needs to be!” you shout a little louder than what you meant. 

“Stop being a whiny little brat and jus—”

“Release her this instant!” you hear someone boom from behind the knight. The guard freezes and turns to look over his shoulder to find a glaring Shoto looking right at him. 

“Your Highness, she was—”

“I will bet every last penny I own that she, in fact, has done nothing wrong. Miss (Y/n) is not Miss Cecilia. Now, let her go,” Shoto says with an ice to his tone that you’ve never heard from him. The knight does indeed let you go though and takes a step away from you as well. “Now, apologize to her,” he commands. 

“I apologize, Miss (Y/n),” the knight says as he bows to you. You can’t tell if it’s genuine or not but you honestly don’t care. You just want to get everyone’s eyes off of your flustered self. 

“It’s fine. Really,” you reassure, gripping the book to your chest with your arm while your now free hand goes to the wrist that was held by the guard. 

Shoto’s eyes catch this. 

“Miss (Y/n), please come in,” Shoto says as he starts to walk back towards his chambers. “Miss (Y/n) is always allowed into my chambers, no matter what the scenario may be. Understood?” he says to his personal guards. 

“Yes sir!” they all reply in sync, placing their right fist over their heart. 

“Good. Make sure to spread the word to the other guards.” And with that, you scurry after him to follow him into his room. You honestly felt a little too hot in this big dress of yours, your eyes shifting this way and that in nervousness. 

“I’m sorry about that. They’re just trying to do their job. Are you alright?” Shoto speaks softly as he closes the door behind you both, gently taking your hand in his to look over your wrist. 

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. It’s not a big deal, really,” you brush off, trying to ignore the heat that ignites where he touches you with his left hand. 

“Alright, if you’re sure. I still am sorry though,” he whispers, bringing your hand up to his lips only to kiss the inside of your wrist. You might actually burst into flames from how high your body temperature is getting. 

“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault, but, um, what did you mean by Miss Cecilia?”  you meekly reply, deciding now is a good time to look away from him and at his spotless room instead. 

“Do you not know? Miss Cecilia was a contestant, just like you. She was from District Seven. I’m not sure what came over her, but she somehow snuck past the two guards that are always posted at my door and came into my room. She tried to seduce me and when I turned her down, she got violent.” You gape up at him as he tells you this story, not believing that someone had the audacity to do something like this. “I knew that if I were to tell my father, she would have been beheaded, so I just told them that I had no interest in her and to send her home.” You gulp at this, it all coming together now why one of the girls was missing during the ball. 

“I’m sorry that happened,” you mumble. He smiles at you and moves to his plush loveseat that sits in one of the corners of his room. 

“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault,” he repeats your words, making you hum and smile softly at him. “So, you brought the book? How was it?” With the subject changed, you hand him the book and start ranting about how much you loved the book. You made sure not to reveal any major spoilers for him though. 

You two ended up talking until the moon was high in the dark sky, your laughter soft and your yawns eventually becoming more persistent. Once you two decide to call it a night, he leads you out of his room to escort you to yours. When you reach your door, he lifts your hand to his lips once more and kisses the back of your hand this time. “I hope you have sweet dreams,” he whispers before letting your hand go and walking back the way he came. 

You hope your dreams are all filled with him. 

Your nightly chats end up bringing you much closer than any of the other contestants ever thought possible. While they dreamed and fantasized about possibly being his wife and future queen, you two have become more than just a possibility. You both end up making a habit out of secretly seeing each other every night, whether it be in the library, the garden, wherever. A month later though, it’s ruined by the talk show that you’ve been informed will happen each month until a single contestant has won. 

“Stop fussing, I look great,” you laugh at Iris who is fixing your hair for the second time. 

“You need to look better than great, sweetheart. You need to look perfect. All eyes are gonna be on you tonight at some point, so we need to make sure you look your absolute best.” You simply smile at her words and let her do as she pleases. Iris has honestly become your best friend here, Ruby coming in at a close second. You even ended up telling Iris that you have a crush on the prince only for her to respond with, “You and everyone else, plus their mama’s.” You love her sense of humor and her sense of style. She always makes you look like the princess that you hope to become. 

Wow, you can’t believe you’re saying stuff like this now. Just a month ago you were dreading coming here and being forced to be around the royals. Now, you’re hoping you never leave if only to be with the prince. 

You both turn when there’s a knock on the door, an advisor poking their head in to let you know that cameras will start rolling in ten minutes and that you need to be ready backstage in five. You take a deep breath when they close the door, your eyes finding Iris’ deep brown ones. “I’m nervous,” you admit to her. 

“Awe, don’t be, sugar plum. The whole staff knows that you’re the prince’s favorite. I love bragging that my girl is the prince’s number one,” she coos, finally finishing the final touches on your hair. Your face bursts into flames at her words though. 

“What? I am not his favorite!” you splutter out, watching her laugh as she sprays your neck, chest, and wrists in perfume. 

“Yes, you are. Now, let’s get going!” She doesn’t give you time to argue since she’s tugging you out of the chair and towards the stage. She puts you last in the line of contestants, seeing as how you’re from District Nine and the girl from Ten has already been disqualified. There are only seven girls left now when just a couple of weeks ago there were nine. 

You listen as someone counts down from three and someone, who you’re assuming is the host, begins laughing. “Welcome, welcome! It is I, Caesar Flickerman, your lovely host for this evening! Right beside me is the even lovelier Prince Shoto!” At the mention of the prince, the crowd erupts into cheers, mainly full of fans screaming. “Wowza! It seems you have some fans, Your Highness!” the host teases the prince, knowing good and well the crowd is always like this when Shoto is on set, or when he goes anywhere, really. 

“I’m honored,” Shoto states simply, making the crowd roar with how humble he is. They’re both angled towards the crowd and a single chair and all of the contestants are to sit to the right of them which is slightly behind their chairs. 

“Alright, I guess we should get to the good stuff then, yes? Let’s bring out the contestants!” At this, the first girl, who is from District One, begins walking out in which the rest of you follow. People clap as you all walk out, sitting in chairs behind where Caesar and Shoto sit. “Welcome, ladies! My oh my, you all are sure pretty! I don’t know how Prince Shoto here will ever choose just one of you!” he says playfully with a big smile, making the rest of the crowd laugh. “Alright then! Lucky lady number one, please join us down here!” The girl from District One stands and walks towards the empty chair before them, her white dress and tall heels glittering in the studio lights. 

After she sits down, Caesar flashes her a big smile as he crosses one leg over the other, just like she did. “Why don’t you start by introducing yourself?” he offers.

“You don’t know who I am?” she asks, raising a light, blonde brow at him. 

“Well, of course I do, Princess Tina!” he reassures with a wink. She gives a low hum as she turns to look at one of the cameras now. 

“My name is Princess Tina Renoli of the Renoli Kingdom. I’m from District One,” she introduces, giving the camera a sparkling smile. 

“My, what a mouthful!” Caesar jokes, making everyone laugh, but she just gives him a slight scowl. “Well, let’s get to the questions!” He then asks her and all the other ladies after her simple questions like what did you dream of doing growing up? and What would you do if you won a million dollars? 

When it’s finally your turn though, you feel like you’re going to puke all over Caesar’s nice shoes. “My, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” Caesar teases, seeming to sense your nervousness. You bark out a laugh before quickly covering your mouth, scared to sound unlady-like or to make Shoto think you have an ugly laugh. 

“Ah, thank you,” you say softly, trying to force the heat away from your cheeks. 

“You’re very welcome! Please, introduce yourself!”

“Oh, right! Um, my name is (Y/n) (L/n) and I’m from District Nine,” you introduce, shyly smiling at the crowd and camera. 

“Awe, you’re just the sweetest thing!” Caesar coos. He then chuckles and leans back into his seat. “So, (Y/n), living in the castle must be quite different than living in District Nine. Tell us, what do you like most about being in the castle?” 

You nibble your lip as he asks his question, taking a moment to process it before answering. “What, besides the huge bed and glorious food?” you joke. “I love the library,” you answer seriously. Caesar’s eyes widen at this though as he gapes at you a bit. 

“Oh, really? I didn’t think…” he trails off. He didn’t have to finish his words for you to know what he was going to say. I didn’t think people, especially women, from District Nine knew how to read. He clears his throat and quickly corrects himself, “How interesting! Tell me, what’s your favorite book?”

If someone would’ve asked you this question before, there would’ve been no way you would’ve been able to narrow it down to just one book. Now, you look to Shoto with a shy smile and quietly supply, “Scarlet. It’s an action and adventure book with a dash of romance.” 

“Ooh! Sounds exciting! I know all of us here love us some romance! Don’t we?” he says excitedly as he turns to the crowd for confirmation, who just screech and holler in response to confirm that he is indeed right. “Ha! That’s what I thought!” You chuckle now that you’ve calmed down some, your body finally relaxing. 

“Let’s move on with the questions! So, (Y/n), what would be your ideal first date?” Caesar asks with a grin. You blush a bit at the question as you try to think of an answer. 

“Oh, um, I suppose having a picnic in the castle’s large garden would be lovely. Maybe even being able to read a book in comfortable silence or even to each other,” you sheepishly reply. Caesar, and everyone else for that matter, awes at your answer. 

“That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!” Caesar gushes, playfully bringing his hands to his cheeks and kicking his legs in the air. You outright laugh at his silly behavior, feeling the vice-like grip your nerves have on your chest loosen more. 

“Okay, last question before we move onto Prince Shoto!” he announces, smiling when the crowd cheers. “So, I’m curious to hear your answer for this one. If you were queen, what would you change? We’ve never had someone from a District lower than five become royalty, after all.” What would you do if you became queen? 

The answer almost comes to you instantly. 

“I would get rid of the districts,” you answer confidently. At your words though, the crowd gasps and instantly bursts into worried and angered murmurs. Caesar gapes at you in shock, surprised you would say such a thing on live television. 

“You would do what now?” is all that Caesar can come up with to say. Your face sets into determination as you stare back at him. 

“I would get rid of the Districts once and for all. There is no reason to have all of us divided this way. All it does is separate us and make the higher districts believe they’re better than the lower districts, when they’re not.” As soon as you finish, Caesar is awkwardly laughing and turning to the cameras. 

“And that’s all the time we have for the contestants, folks! Thank you ladies for answering all of our questions!” Caesar rushes through to move onto Shoto’s question time. You frown at the fact that you are once again being silenced, your eyes moving to Shoto’s, who isn’t really showing you any emotion right now. 

Great. He’s probably angry at you and disgusted by your beliefs. So much for winning this thing and being by his side. 

You stand and move back to your seat, finding that the first three girls are giving you nasty looks as you pass by them to get back to your chair. Shoto stands and takes the place you were once in so that he can be across from Caesar. 

“You have quite the tough decision to make, Your Highness! Tell me, how have you eliminated the three girls that are no longer in the competition?” 

“Well, it’s simple really. I’m just like anyone else when it comes to dating. You can tell almost right away if you click with someone or not. I simply didn’t click with the three girls that are no longer here,” he explains calmly. Caesar hums and nods his head in understanding. 

“Well, may I just say that you are very humble! I would’ve tried keeping all these pretty girls for myself!” he jokes, trying to get the crowd to laugh in which he succeeds in. Shoto politely chuckles along with them at his joke. “So, I must ask if you have a favorite,” Caesar fake whispers to Shoto. 

“No, I don’t,” Shoto replies immediately, but that doesn’t stop his eyes from flickering over to you which causes your breathing to stop. 

“Ah! I saw that! Who did you just look at?” Caesar squeals, turning more to his right to see who is at the end of the line. His eyes meet yours and instantly move away to the other girls next to you. “Oh, I bet it’s lucky girl number six, isn’t it?” Ruby. 

“I’m assuming she’s your favorite then?” Shoto teasingly asks with a raise of his brow. Caesar fakes bashfulness as he rubs the back of his neck. 

“Well, I’ve always been a sucker for a pretty girl in the color purple,” he jokes, causing Ruby to giggle and playfully blow a kiss at Caesar, to which Caesar catches and tucks it away into his pocket. 

“Miss (Y/n) actually wore a beautiful lavender dress the night I met her,” Shoto informs and, if you didn’t know any better, you’d say that he let that slip without thinking. Caesar’s smile goes tight at the mention of you though. 

“Oh? Did she? Well, I’m sure she looked very nice!” After this is said, he quickly changes the subject and begins shooting question after question at Shoto. After ten questions or so, Caesar finally ends the show and bids farewell to all the watchers back home. The cameras then shut off and you feel like you can finally breathe again. You don’t bother waiting around here though as you quickly stand, pick up your dress, and swiftly leave the stage. 

Your previous words from the show didn’t sit well with some of the contestants, most of whom are a part of the upper divisions. One morning, it was decided that all of the contestants were required to go to the royal classroom to begin learning about the nation’s history. You went there every day from eight in the morning to right before dinner time. By this point, there are only six contestants left from Districts One, Two, Three, Five, Six, and Nine, which is you. You honestly don’t know how you’ve made it this long, especially since the king makes it his mission to glare at you whenever you’re within eyesight. You’re not sure why Prince Shoto is keeping you around at this point. 

One particular day, your teacher had decided to let you all go an hour earlier than usual, for which you all were thankful for. You were one of the last ones to leave, which turned out to be a mistake since contestants from Districts One through Three were outside the classroom waiting for you. 

“Well, well, well, look who it is. It’s the dirty little girl from District Poor,” Princess Tina taunts, her two sidekicks, Sandy and Cindy, snickering at her words. You roll your eyes and go to move past her when she snatches your book out of your hand. 

“Hey!” you shout, moving to grab it only for the girl from District Three to shove you away and come between you two. 

“Aww, does the little nerd want her book back?” she sneers, starting to flip through it with boredom clearly etched into her pretty features. “Ugh, hopeless romantic much?” she groans as she finds a kissing scene. “God, you’re so pathetic. You can’t get the romance you so desperately crave in real life so you read it in fairytales.”

You remain quiet, clenching your jaw to help you remain silent. “What? Brainiac has nothing to say?” the girl from District Two teases. Your eyes move to her as you cross your arms over your chest, taking a deep, calming breath as you raise your brow at the three of them. 

“You do realize that the prince can only choose one of us, right? Why are you three banding together when, in the end, you’re just going to have to fight for the prince?” Cindy and Sandy pause at this, sharing a worried look. 

“Don’t listen to her, girls! She’s just trying to put us against each other!” Tina shouts, throwing your book at you and hitting your cheek. You let out a small cry and cradle the spot, feeling it throb. “Maybe if we make her ugly enough, the prince will want nothing to do with her!” Tina suggests, convincing her minions that you’re the enemy, not her. 

Before you can react, you’re being shoved to the wall by Tina. If it was just her, you probably could’ve taken her. Seeing as how it was three against one though, you didn’t stand a chance. That doesn’t mean you didn’t go down without a fight though. You kick and hit at them as they all swarm you, scratching at your skin, slapping and punching other marks into your skin. 

Once they had enough, they back up and let you fall to the ground. Sandy and Cindy stare down at you, what seems to be sympathy and regret in their eyes. That disappears though when Tina loops her arms through theirs and smugly smiles down at you. “You might as well just go home now. The prince has never wanted you and never will. He’s only kept you around for as long as he has because he felt bad and needed the votes of all the rest of the losers like you.” Once she finishes her spiel, she spits at you before turning with her minions and walking away with giggles escaping her. 

You didn’t let a single tear fall the entire time they tormented you but as soon as she walked away, you couldn’t help the tears that swarm your vision. You can’t believe you’re even going to listen to her, but what if she’s right? Shoto hasn’t spoken to you or visited you in the library since what you said on the talk show. He probably thinks you’re a joke and only keeps you around to gain the acceptance and love of the lower districts who are rooting for you to win. 

What a joke. 

You sniffle and wipe at your teary and bloody face before pushing yourself to stand, only having stumbled and fallen down two times on the way to your room. Once you reach your room, you curl up in the bed and let the sobs flow freely. You miss home. You miss hearing your mother play the piano. You miss your father getting yelled at by your mother for showing up at the dinner table still covered in paint. You miss your brother teasing you about liking to read, despite the fact that he was the one begging you to teach him how. You even miss the dumb leak in the corner of your room that could fill up an entire bucket after a storm. You end up crying yourself to sleep, ruining the satin covers and sheets with your blood and tears. 

You wake up from a knock at your door, hearing Iris’ comforting voice. “Sweetie? Are you awake yet? You’re going to miss breakfast!” she calls through the door. 

“Yes,” you croak, much too quietly for her to hear. You clear your throat and try again, “Yes, I’m awake. I don’t feel well though. I’m just going to go back to sleep.”

“What? You know you can’t miss a meal. Are you sick?” she calls, trying to open the door only to find it locked. Oh, good. At least you had the mind to lock it last night. 

“Yes, I feel sick,” you inform. It wasn’t a complete lie. 

“Alright, I’ll let them know that you will be absent,” she says softly before you hear her footsteps fade away. You slowly sit up and feel your head pound as you do, a grimace taking over your features. You slowly slide off the bed and frown when you see the mess you left on the lovely covers. You can’t find it in yourself to feel guilty though as you move to your personal bathroom to clean up. You make the shower’s water lukewarm before slowly stepping under the spray, biting back a hiss when the water hits your open wounds. They aren’t that bad, mainly just scratch marks, but your mother always used to tell you it’s the smaller wounds that hurt the most. You know she was just trying to make you feel better when you felt embarrassed by balling like a baby when you skid your knee, but it comforts you now. 

You clean yourself up and then get out of the shower, standing before the mirror with sad eyes. Your cheek is bruising from where she threw the book at your face. You’re just glad it wasn’t your eye. Scratch marks litter your face, neck, chest, and arms along with small bruises. Your eyes start to sting again, surprised just how far people will go to get what they want. It never mattered who they put down to get what they wanted.

You leave the bathroom to go to your wardrobe, pulling out one of the few dresses you owned from back home. This dress is a light sundress that should be open and loose enough not to disturb any of your wounds. You let out a heavy sigh as you pull out your suitcase underneath your bed, setting it on the grand mattress before starting to place all of your things back inside of it. You can’t believe you’re going to quit after all this time, letting Tina and the others get to you and get their wish. 

You sniffle and wipe at your eyes when your vision starts to blur again with tears. You really did love Shoto. God, you’re even using the L-word now. Could you get any more pathetic? Tina is right. You’ll always be some dumb loser who won’t amount to anything. 

You jump out of your skin when there’s a knock at the door. “Iris, I already told you that I’m not hungry,” you weakly call, quickly rubbing at your eyes since she is probably going to want to come in anyway. She’s going to lose it when she sees the state you’re in. She doesn’t verbally answer though, simply giving another knock. You sigh and walk over to the door, unlocking it as you say, “Fine, you can come in. Don’t start nagging me abou—”

Your heart beats so hard against your chest that you’re pretty sure it just flew right out of your chest and into the tray of food that Shoto is holding. He stares at you with widened eyes, his beautiful heterochromia eyes moving this way and that across your upper body, no doubt gawking at the marks on you. You quickly start to swing the door shut, gasping when he sticks his foot out and stops you from closing the door. 

“Let me in,” he commands, his voice getting the icy tone it had when regarding that one guard. 

“Your Highne—”

“I said open the door!” he shouts, making your body quiver at his demanding tone. You quickly move away from the door and put your back to him, listening to him rush in and close the door behind himself. He sets the tray down somewhere, you’re assuming on the small table in front of your sofa by the door, before you hear his footsteps come towards you. You tense up when he stops right behind you, the warmth of his body radiating against yours. 

You almost start to believe you’ve imagined the whole encounter when nothing happens right away. You jump a bit when fingers gently brush over your arm, ghosting over scratches that lay there. “Please turn around,” he whispers, his voice sounding...broken? You shake your head despite his worry though, pulling your arm away from his hand. “Please,” he shakily whispers again, placing his hand on your upper arm but not forcing you to turn around. 

If you were stronger, you wouldn’t have turned around, but you’re a desperate woman who wants the attention of the one she loves. You slowly turn around but keep your eyes downcast, hearing Shoto suck in a breath when you’re fully facing him. “What happened?” he mumbles, gently placing both hands onto your upper arms now. You cross your arms over your chest, shaking your head as you continue to stare down at your feet. His hands leave your arms to go up to your cheeks, cupping them and tilting your head up to face him. Your teary eyes widen when you find his eyes are moist as well. 

“Who did this to you?” he asks so softly that you wouldn’t have heard him if he were any farther away. You shake your head again, closing your eyes and letting tears cascade down your face. He’s quick to catch them though, gently wiping them away. With your eyes closed, you don’t see him look over your shoulder to your bed that has your half-packed luggage sitting there. 

“Please don’t go,” he croaks, making your eyes fly open to find him crying now as well. You gawk at this, at the fact that he doesn’t want you to leave and that he’s crying. Crying. 

“I don’t belong here, Sho,” you whisper, using the nickname that you gave him one of the many nights you two laid under the stars, talking the night away. 

“Who put that thought into your head? Caesar? My father? One of the other contestants?” he asks, moving his hands to your shoulders now. “It doesn’t matter who because whoever it is, they’re wrong. You belong here, with me. No. I belong wherever you are. Do you wish to go home? I can come with you.” Shoto speaks fast as he tries to make you happy, his worried frown and jumbled words only succeeding in bringing a smile to your face. 

“Sho, calm down. You need to stay here, for your kingdom. Your...your older brother has already died in war and your sister will one day be married off to another kingdom. You must remain here and take care of your people,” you say softly, lightly knocking your head against his. 

“Stay by my side then. Become my wife and the future queen,” he whispers, the words being mouthed against your lips from how close he’s gotten to you. His words make you rear back and stare at him as if he’d grown another head. 

“Are you mad? No one wants me to be princess, let alone queen!” 

“I do! The lower districts do! God, just saying that angers me. You’re right, I want to be rid of the stupid districts just as much as you do.” You’re not sure why those words specifically have your gut churning in pleasure, but the next thing you know, your lips are smashed against his. 

It’s a very messy kiss, filled with teeth, spit, and too much tongue, and you can tell he’s inexperienced, but God, you’ve never experienced anything hotter in your life. His hands gently cup the side of your neck, keeping you in place as he passionately kisses you back. It didn’t take long for you both to run out of air, pulling away almost at the same time to gasp for the oxygen that you lack. 

You stare into each other’s eyes with half-lidded ones, your breaths mingling with how close you two remain together. “Marry me,” he begs between pants, looking at you with hopeful eyes. 

“Fine,” you grumpily agree despite the fact that your heart is currently soaring. He smiles brighter than you’ve ever seen as he smashes his lips back against yours. 

I used to hear a simple song  That was until you came along  Now in its place is something new  I hear it when I look at you 

Shoto doesn’t really know what came over him. You agreed to marry him all those years ago and with his father passed, you and he are the new king and queen. He swears that he feels like a completely different person, his subjects have definitely taken notice as well. He used to be quiet and polite, only speaking when spoken to. Now, with you by his side, he can laugh as loudly as he wants to and let his smile go from ear to ear without a care in the world. 

He doesn’t think he’ll ever tell you this, but he swears that every time he looks at you, it’s like angels are singing, letting him know that he made the right choice choosing you as his bride. He, honest to God, has never been happier in his life. 

With simple songs I wanted more  Perfection is so quick to bore You are more beautiful by far  Our flaws are who we really are 

Growing up, all around him he had people telling him how to look, how to dress, how to eat, how to do everything. He found that hiding his emotions and what he was truly thinking became easier than having to put up with rulers to his hands every time he rolled his eyes or made a snide comment. It was hard for a kid his age to be perfect in the eyes of everyone around him. It was boring and he hated his life for the longest. When he used to ride through the districts to get to other kingdoms as a child, his face would be solemn as he watched through the windows at other kids his age running around screaming as they kicked a ball or played some sort of game where they touched the others before quickly scrambling away with loud laughs and screeches. He wasn’t allowed to have flaws, despite the fact that he had many of them, just like everyone else. 

He had to be perfect. 

You never had to worry about such things before though. In his eyes, you’re already perfect, despite all of your flaws. You always get so flustered when you catch him staring and he just compliments you no matter how you look or what you’re doing. He couldn’t ask for anyone better. 

I used to hear a simple song  That was until you came along  You took my broken melody  And now I hear a symphony

Now, the kingdom you two share is a completely different place. The districts were removed as soon as he was announced king and he had never felt happier in his life when you hugged him and thanked him. It was a dream come true for you. Finally, all your friends and family back home could move to better places and earn more money. Your instant family came to live in the castle with you though and he watched with tearful eyes as you reunited with your family at long last. Your parents were iffy around him at first, since he was still learning how to show emotion around others, but after a little while of being around him, they came to love him just as you did. 

Every night when you two go to sleep cuddled up in your bed, he gently runs his hands over your arm, your hip, everywhere he could touch you. You didn’t feel real to him. It was like you were too good to be true. He never once thought that his required marriage and the stupid competition would lead him to finding the love of his life. He also figured his marriage would end up like his parent’s. Loveless. Sad. Boring. Seeing the worry in his eyes, you passionately kissed all his worries away and he swears that the angels singing turned to many angels singing, pianos, violins, harps, a whole symphony would play.

He wants to hear that sound every day. 

⊱ ────── {⋅. ♪ .⋅} ────── ⊰

MASTERLIST

More with Todoroki!!

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⊱ ────── {⋅. ♪ .⋅} ────── ⊰

[leossmoonn]

Play Ground Days

masterlist

pairing - carl gallagher x fem!reader

type - fluff

note / request - “ughh FINALLY someone that writes good imagines abt carl from shameless! could you write one where you two grew up together and you've always been close n stuff and then at some point he realizes he loves the reader and he talks to ian and lip (maybe mickey too bc i love him) about it? (fem!reader btw if that's cool) thanks babe xx” thanks for inspo on the beginning @poesflygirl​ <3 ,,, carl and you are 16 also pls dont come for me ive only played COD 2 times last year so lmao i dont remember a lot about it, enjoy!

summary - carl has liked you since you two were young, and seeks advice from his brothers and mickey

warnings - strong language, drugs and alcohol, little talk about bad body imagine 

————

*gif isnt mine*

“I fucking knew it!” Lip exclaimed.

“Why are you telling us? We’ve known this.” Ian commented, smirking at his little brother.  

“How the hell—” Carl started. 

“You’re not exactly great at hiding your crush on her,” Mickey chuckled. 

Carl’s eyes were the size of saucers. “You knew?”

“Of course I did. I’m not fucking Helen Keller,” Mickey rolled his eyes. 

Carl groaned and ran his hands roughly through his hair. “I can’t believe this. Well, secret’s out, I guess. What do I do?”

“Just go tell her you like her. It’s not like she’s going to turn you down.” Lip shrugged, putting his cigarette to his lips. 

“Lip!” Ian hit his brother’s shoulder. 

“What?” Lip asked. 

“You weren’t supposed to say that, dumbass,” Mickey said.

 “What does that mean?” Carl asked, looking in-between his brother’s and Mickey. 

Lip sighed. “Ah, shit, right. I’ve already said too much.”

————

4 hours earlier: 2:00 PM

“Hey, shit head!” She called out, throwing rocks against the window. 

Carl got up from his bed, shocked but happy to see her. He opened his window, leaning against the frame. 

“What’re you doing here?” He asked.

She threw the rocks to the ground. “Escaping from my druggie dad, duh. What’re you doing?”

“Nothing,” Carl shrugged. 

She did her signature smirk that always made Carl’s heart flutter. “Wanna go and stuff our faces at Patsy’s Pies?”

Carl’s eyes lit up at the mention of fatty, greasy food. “Hell yeah. I’ll come down.”

She nodded, going to the front of their house. Carl ran down the stairs, putting on his shoes and opening the door to find her on the steps. 

“Hey, why didn’t you just come into the house?” Carl asked, shutting the door behind him. 

“Putting damage on your window seemed more fun. Oh, hey! Do you have an extra bed I can sleep in tonight?” She asked. 

Carl nodded. “Yeah, of course. Your dad is that bad, huh?”

“Yep, he relapsed. Super fun,” she laughed sarcastically. 

“I’m sorry. That shit sucks,” Carl said.

She shrugged. “Yeah, well, it’s life. Anyways, ready to go?”

Carl nodded. They got into her car, the girl starting it and driving fast to the dinner. As she was driving, humming to the songs on the radio, Carl stared at her. She was absolutely gorgeous. 

Her name was Y/n L/n. Carl’s oldest and only real friend. They had grown up together, Y/n living only a few houses away from him. They had met in detention in 1st grade and had been close ever since. 

“What’re you staring at?” Y/n asked, glancing over to him. 

Carl blushed. “Nothing.”

“Alright,” Y/n sang.

Carl had often been caught staring at her. It was something he usually did from time to time, but now it was more often. He couldn’t help it. There was something about her. Maybe flawless her skin was, how pretty and bright her smile and eyes were, the way she would make him feel secure and loved, something he had never got from anyone consitently. 

He never really knew why he thought those things about her. People had told him that he probably had a crush on her, but he knew that wasn’t right. He had crushes on girls before and the things he was feeling for Y/n were a lot different than what he had felt for his past girlfriends. He figured it was just that she was his closest friend and he happened to be a horny teenager, so naturally, he just thought those things about her. But oh, how wrong he actually was. 

Y/n parked her car at Patsy’s Pies. They walked into the diner, seeing Fiona at the register. 

“Hey, Fi,” Y/n smiled. 

“Hey, Y/n, Carl! Long time, no see. How are ya?” Fiona asked. 

“Good, good,” Y/n smiled. 

“Good,” Carl said. 

“Great! Well, get yourself seated and someone will be right with you,” she smiled. 

Y/n and walked off to a small booth and sat down. They picked up the menus that were already on the table. 

“You gonna get your usual?” Y/n asked. 

Carl shrugged. “Maybe. Should I change it up?”

“Yes. The double bacon cheeseburger looks good,” Y/n said. 

“Are you getting that?” Carl asked. 

“Maybe. I’ll probably get a salad or something. Gotta watch those calories, you know?” She half-joked, putting a hand on her stomach. 

“I think you look good. You don’t need to worry,” Carl smiled. 

Y/n’s eyes widened. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Carl nodded. 

Y/n looked back at the menu, hiding her embarrassment.

Carl complimenting her was something that was rare, but did happen. Y/n never remembered Carl as a romantic type of guy, but it seems that he had developed  those traits from having a few girlfriends. She liked that, actually. She liked him complimenting her, staring at her for minutes at a time, the way his ears would turn red when she teased him. She liked all of that. 

Y/n would never admit it to anyone, but she had a crush on Carl. She had a crush on him since their freshman year of high school. Well, in reality, she probably has always had one, but the first time she really realised she liked him was in biology when he got in trouble in one of the labs. She remembered when the teacher was yelling at him and he looked at her, smiling at her mischievously and winking at her. That wink had her heart racing and mind go foggy. From then on, she had liked him as more than a friend. Yet, she never said anything because well, as cliche as it was, she was afraid of ruining their friendship. He was really the only one who got her and who never abandoned her. She couldn’t lose him, so she just kept her feelings and gestures to him as friendly as she could.  

“Hi, I’m Carly and I’ll be serving you today. What can I get you today?” The waitress asked. 

“Hi, can I get the philly cheesesteak with a medium coke and fries,” Carl ordered. 

Carly nodded and wrote his order down, turning to Y/n. 

“Um, I’ll get the bacon cheeseburger with a small sprite and fries. Thanks,” Y/n ordered. 

Carly took their menus. “Great. I’ll have your drinks out soon.”

Y/n and Carl smiled at the waitress as she walked away. 

“Hey, so I thought your dad was in rehab,” Carl said. 

Y/n sighed. “He was, but I guess his girlfriend got him drunk, then convinced him to do some lines. God, I can’t believe he's even with her still.”

Carl frowned. “What about your mom? Where’s she?”

“She’s going to nursing school right now. She’s the only one responsible in this family, yet she never calls or anything,” she scoffed.

“You’re really responsible,” Carl said. 

Y/n smiled. “Thanks, C. You are, too.”

Carl laughed, “Me? I sold drugs on the streets once.”

She giggled. “True. But you’ve really shaped. I'm proud.”

Carl smiled sheepishly. “Thanks.”

Y/n hummed a ‘you’re welcome’. Carly came back with their food quickly and they dug in. Carl and Y/n spent their time talking and eating, spending about 2 hours there as they just kept talking. 

“Are you two finished?” Carly asked, gesturing to their empty plates. 

“Yeah,” Carl nodded. 

“Great. Here’s your bill, pay whenever you’re ready,” Carly smiled and took their dirty dishes. 

“Ready to go?” Y/n asked. 

Carl nodded and got out his wallet that he had in his shorts. Meanwhile, Y/n also got out her wallet. They both looked up at each other, awkward expressions on their faces. 

“Oh, I was gonna pay,” Carl said. “No, no, my treat. I invited you here,” Y/n said. 

“You sure?” Carl asked. 

She smiled and put a hand on his arm. “Yes, I am, Carl.”

Butterflies irrupted in Carl’s stomach as she touched him. He nodded slowly, putting his credit card away. Y/n and him walked up to the register and paid for their meal. They then went back to Y/n car. 

“What do you wanna do now?” Y/n asked. 

“Wanna play COD Black Ops 3?” Carl asked. 

“Yes!” Y/n smiled. She drove them back to his house, parking haphazardly on the street. 

The two hurried into the house, grabbing a seat on the couch. Carl got the controllers, turning onto the playstation. Y/n logged onto her account, selecting the gun she wanted to use. Carl then started the game. 

“Where are you?” Y/n squinted her eyes at the screen. 

“Right behind you,” Carl smirked. 

Y/n turned around, gasping as Carl shot her. 

“Fuck you!” Y/n exclaimed. 

“Little rusty, huh?” Carl teased. She rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna kill you next round.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Carl said. 

“Winner gets to pick what’s for dinner,” Y/n said. 

“Deal,” Carl nodded. 

The pair played for a couple hours, the game ending with Y/n getting the last kill. 

“Good game,” she smirked, setting the controller down. 

“I forgot how good you were at this,” Carl frowned. Y/n giggled, “I forgot how bad you were.”

Carl rolled his eyes with a smile. “Alright, where do you want to eat?”

“Hm… Noodles n Company?” She suggested. 

“Sure,” Carl nodded. 

“Alright, I’m gonna use the bathroom and then order. Text me what you want,” Y/n said, getting up from the couch. 

Carl nodded and watched her go upstairs to use the bathroom. Then that’s when Lip, Ian, and Mickey all came into the house. 

“Hey, guys,” Carl said. 

“Hey,” Ian smiled. 

“Is Y/n here? We saw her car out front,” Lip said. “Yeah, she is,” Carl nodded. 

“Asked her out yet?” Lip smirked. Carl’s face turned red. “Wh-What?”

“Oh, you’re not in love with her then?” Ian furrowed his brows. 

“I… am I?” Carl asked. 

Ian chuckled. “Yeah. You always are always happy around her, blush whenever she teases you.”

“And you’re always staring at her,” Lip added.

“That doesn’t mean I like her,” Carl said.

“Do feel dizzy and nauseous when she touches you? Does your heart race when she gets close? Do you see yourself kissing her? Would you do anything for her?” Ian asked. 

Carl furrowed his brows. They were right, all those things did happen when she was near. She was his best friend. He also sometimes think about kissing her and being with her in a romantic way. And yeah, of course he would do anything for her. Maybe… Maybe he did love her. 

“Oh, shit,” he muttered. “I… I guess I am in love with her.”

And that, ladies and gents, is where we left off. Lip, Ian, and Mickey teased Carl until Carl begged them for real help. 

“What do you mean?” Carl asked anxiously. 

Lip looked to Ian and Mickey for help on what to say. Little did Carl know, Y/n actually did admit her crush to someone. And that someone, or someones, were Lip, Ian, and Mickey. 

“Don’t worry about it, man,” Mickey said. 

“Did she say something to you?” Carl asked. “No,” Ian shook his head. “Like Mick said, don’t worry.”

“I… fine. Well, what do I do then?” Carl asked in slight distress.

“Give her some flowers and chocolate. Girls love that shit,” Lip suggested. 

“Alright,” Carl nodded. “I don’t know what her favourite flowers are, though.”

“Just get her roses. That’s really romantic,” Lip said. 

Carl smiled, “Alright. Awesome. Thanks, guys.”

He decided to get the flowers early morning tomorrow before Y/n woke up. 

————

Carl sneaked back into the house, hoping not to wake Y/n up. As he walked into the kitchen, he was shocked to see her at the table drinking coffee. 

“Hey, Carl!” Y/n smiled. 

Carl’s eyes were blown wide. “I.. uh…”

“Who are those for?” Y/n got up and pointed to the flowers and chocolate in his hand. 

“Um… you?” Carl said. Y/n smiled. “Me? What did I do to deserve this?”

Carl knew that he couldn’t make up an excuse. He was horrible at lying to her. So, he decided to just have his confession here. 

“I.. I’m in love with you,” Carl said. Y/n’s jaw dropped and she froze. “Wha-What?”

“My brothers and Mickey helped me realise I was yesterday when you were ordering dinner. They told me I should get you flowers and stuff so I did. I hope you like roses,” Carl explained and held up the gifts. 

Y/n’s lips upturned in a wide smile. “How long have you liked me?”

“Honestly, probably since we were little,” Carl shrugged sheepishly. 

Y/n giggled. “Me, too.”

“Really?” Carl smiled. 

Y/n waked up to him and took the gifts, setting them on the kitchen counter. She went up to him and put her arms around his neck. 

“Yep. I always have,” she grinned. 

“Oh, sick!” Carl exclaimed. “Oh wait.”

“What?” Y/n asked in confusion. 

“That’s what they meant!” Carl exclaimed in realisation.

“Who? What?” “Oh, Lip, Mickey, and Ian kind of told me yesterday when I asked for help,” Carl explained. 

Y/n’s eyes widened and she turned to the stairs, glaring. “Mickey, Lip, Ian! You better fucking run!”  

————

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