#grateful every day for talented friends
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Five recs (but the recs are my own writing)Â
Thank you to lovely @gardenofnoah and @stellamancer for tagging me!Â
Halfway through this I realized I was treating it like a writing critique instead of an actual fic rec so itâs more a reflection on how Iâve developed as a writer lmao.
hard feelings â I love Rin and the potential for exploring complicated relationships and feelings through him. Out of all my works, this is the most reader centric. I always feel like I can improve on my angst, and that itâs never as emotionally crippling as I want it to be, but I enjoyed writing about a more imperfect reader in this one. Iâd love to keep writing for âbadâ readers, actually!
ask me no questions and Iâll tell you no lies â I like amnqaitynl because itâs how I became friends with Aleks but also because I think it really captures the pining of a friendship turned something more. While itâs not high stakes because itâs just a college relationship, at the same time, itâs so intense! Itâs everything to you, this friendship and the potential of losing it and the potential of earning something more, if youâre willing to take a little (big) risk.
religion, like crime, is also organized â Writing mafia fic is inherently hard because Iâm constantly trying to avoid the wattpad label, but I really enjoyed exploring a fraught, tense dynamic where youâre not sure if the other person has your best interests at heart because the push and pull is so fun. Playing with religion as an element has always interested me as well!
a lost love takes a long time to die â The only long fic that made it onto this list is for Nanami, which is the way it should be. When I was writing Teen Dad Gojo all the way back in 2021, I always knew I was going to write a series of (unconnected) long fics for the big three (Nanami, Gojo, and Getou.) It took me until 2023 to finish alltalttd because I was so underdeveloped as a writer that I could never manage to write more than a few lines. I think it pushed me a lot in learning how to write fight scenes, deal with major character death, create a complete world, etc. whereas in Teen Dad! Gojo I completely bullshitted it if Iâm being completely honest. I also really loved the supernatural element in this! If I could do it over, I wish I could explore the ghost marriage aspect more, especially culturally.
cruel summer universe â This is a love letter to the ordinary extraordinariness of having love in your life. Even though I write it to be very sweet and happy, in the back of my mind, Iâm always thinking about how it ends in tragedy for Gojo and crew, so it reminds me of this quote about how even if the love didnât save anyone, it was there. So this is the work thatâs closest to my heart because itâs about how beautiful my relationships with others are.
Itâs also my coming of age requiem! While I look forward to getting older, Iâm nostalgic for a life that I know is now slipping out of my hands. Iâll still have the people I love, but the shape of our relationship will inevitably change with age. It feels like growing pains, something I have to resist until I realize how good it can be for me.Â
Someone commented that it feels like a hug to read, and thatâs how it feels to write. Even though it flopped so badly when I first posted it to the point where I thought it didnât make it into the tags, it ended up being the fic I connect most with others on. Cruel Summer has brought me the most beautiful and heartfelt interactions.
honorable mention: arrive through obliteration â I donât like the smut in this and I wish I could take it out lmao but I like the atmosphere! Fight scenes are also hard for me, so Iâm really glad I pushed through it.Â
honorable mention: starboy â technically star boy isnât posted yet, but while I was working on it, I realized Iâve improved a lot since Teen Dad! Gojo. One of the reasons I dislike Teen Dad! Gojo so much is because I feel like a lot of the scenes could be trimmed down where I was struggling to move the timeline along, whereas in starboy, it feels fluid and natural.
no pressure tags: @seoafin (hope youâre enjoying Japan!) @oh-katsuki (also in Japan and presumably doing better things than thinking about fic lol but in case you want to!) @mintmatcha (no pressure means no pressure but I love your writing so Iâd love to know what you think are your top five are!) @andypantsx3 (on hiatus...this is not shaping up well for me lol but if youâd like to, Iâm interested in what your personal top five are!) @princess-okkotsu (youâve definitely been tagged in this before but I would love to hear your thoughts on your writing!)Â And anyone whoâs reading! Iâm serious, I would love to hear peopleâs thoughts on their own work! A writer I really like does authorâs notes whenever she posts a fic and reading them after I finish a fic is the best feeling.Â
#bea if you're reading this I'm so glad we mutually agree that#your god came to you bloody and you fell to your knees is INSANE writing#truly terrible what it did to me I'm so glad I found you#Niku between the moon's divide is going on my list right next to shine on the sea which is the very next thing I'm reading#I'm so so so excited for it based off the little bits and pieces I've been reading and the snippets of your writing#grateful every day for talented friends#but also the way half of my friends aren't available for comment lmao#this is what Gojo's non idol friends feel like in star power
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why are they laughing at him as he gets straight up killed??? he doesn't deserve this! he's a sweet kid at heart! he literally just needs one (1) real friend!!
#jack facts#willow and xander and tara all got that exact type of chance and you could argue the same is true for cordelia and anya!#and why don't we just not even start in on angel#like jonathan went from attempted suicide to so grateful for one moment of attention he created a whole award to give about it#to IN ONE YEAR becoming so powerful a witch he seamlessly altered the perception of the entire population of the world#without any adverse effects to himself and only the one (1) flaw that is inherent to the spell he used#to all but instantly giving up that power when he realized it posed danger (that he understood) to people#to feeling genuine remorse for doing that even tho he needed it explained to him why they were so upset#and making every apparent effort to learn that with humility and offer whatever wisdom he could in return#to... this.#like why tf didn't anybody say hey man are you doing alright after being suicidal?#hey man the spell you did was wrong but that doesn't mean you can't do magic anymore why don't we meet up sometimes and study together#or better yet he could have mcfuckin joined the coven god damn#like they went from witch being a relatively gender neutral combo of innate talent and learned skill in early seasons#to now we're supposed to forget the boy willow and amy did spells with in hs + the fact that giles himself was in an all male coven#and even believe that only Special Girls like willow and tara can do any significant amount of real magic at all#why on earth is willow the biggest witch of ever and started out floating pencils and then having a whole plotline#about learning to use her power ethically and control herself and practice temperance and etc#AND anya gets to be a good guy even though she has to be taught about ethics and consent and compassion and all that too#but jonathan's thing is being soul crushingly lonely and having no self esteem but being incredibly sweet once given the time of day#and is instead relegated to two bit loser villain?#why because he's the Actually Uncool type of unpopular instead of the Too Smart And Nice To Be Popular type of unpopular?#makes me sick he literally just needs a friend. just one genuine friend who cares about him personally. that's all.#and it's not like they're doing a ''this is what happens to vulnerable kids when no one cares about them!'' thing which would be different#no they're just like lol he's unpopular like our protags but he's also short with a nasally voice! which means he's bad!#once again i swearrrrr i'm not doing armchair psych on a creator based on the content of their work#please i swearrrrrrrrrrrr i'm not doing that i prommy i know it doesn't work that wayyy i knowwwww#don't worry about ittt i'm so totally definitely not doing that at allllll#anyway
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Iâll be like âI love u ur my friendâ and bad will be like âhmm instead of saying I love you back what if I dropped a couple thousand words of fic that rip you open from gut to sternum and splay ribs to leave your heart exposedâ
And then Iâll say âI value how you listen to meâ and sheâll share writing that makes me want to commit arson and tear bricks from the walls and turn glass to dust with my fingers
How am I friends with so many people who will crawl into a tree when I tell them they make my life brighter but then throw back things so profound and gorgeous I worry my heart is going to collapse from the ache- HOW. ITS NOT JSUT BAD ITS ALL OF THEM. IT KEEPS HAPPENING
Also âwhy are you posting thisâ bc itâll take them a while to see it and I want to be sworn at
#how do I get to be friends- family with so many beautiful people#my partner my best friend my little group of people I visit and talk to every other day#all so insanely and brutally talented#why am I posting this CAUSE I ALSO WANT TO CRAWL INTO A TREE SOMETIMES#RAHTER THAN BURDEN THEM WITH MY ACHEY FEELINGS#I am loved and lucky and reminding myself of that powers my brain#any of my friends who are going âthis isnât about meâ yea it is#mark rambles#might delete in the morning but I wanted to write down#when Iâm grateful- for when I forget
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im gonna be real with you chat, it has been very hard to attempt to quell my "irrational" thoughts when the universe seems intent on proving them right
#vent#i genuinely dont understand what im doing wrong#when it SEEMS like im doing everything that im supposed to#and all my performing friends act like im the most talented person in the world#but if thats true why is it that NOTHING CHANGES!!!!#i havent been able to break out of the ensemble and ive been doing this for OVER. A. DECADE#and ik i should just be âgrateful to be castâ or whatever#but it's FRUSTRATING to not be making any tangible progress!#honestly after my current audition cycle ends i might just say âf itâ and give this up for good#not because i think im not talented enough to make it or anything#because objectively i am (not to toot my own horn lol)#but because this happens EVERY TIME#when an audition doesnt go my way (read: every audition)#i have a legit meltdown#a literal tantrum. like a five year old#that lasts for multiple days#lowkey this isnt even making me happy anymore#and i have no real reason to believe my situation will change if it literally never has before#definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again#so this is probably just a sign from the universe that i need to find something im actually good at#that wont also destroy me from the inside out
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One More Night
Summary: You and Bucky Barnes are fuck buddies for a while. The problem is you have feelings for him but you don't think he reciprocates and it just makes it impossible to continue your relationship. Little did you know how much he wants you and how hard he's trying to keep it casual.
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader
Warnings: +18, friends with benefits, idiots in love, unspoken feelings, miscommunication/misunderstandings, angst with happy ending, unprotected sex, pet names, no mention of y/n
Word Count: 3.4K
All work is mine, please do not repost or translate without my permission.
It is one of those days when you feel absolutely worthless. It wasnât something you felt often before but nowâŚ. It is starting to feel like your new normal. You know itâs your fault, and it just makes you feel even worse. You let this happen when you let Bucky Barnes walk into your life without any consequences. Now he just has a free pass to destroy you anytime he wants.Â
It was supposed to be just fun. Something casual because you know he has no intention of settling down. Especially not with you. Not that he said any of those words but he doesnât need to. You just know it.Â
Heâs one of the popular guys in your college. Itâs not surprising considering how handsome and charming he is. Heâs also talented and hard-working. He takes school seriously unlike a lot of people around you. So when it comes to his free time, he just wants to have some fun, no strings attached and you were fine with this arrangement. You wanted to be close to him and this is the price: Your heart breaks every time.Â
You donât blame him but you definitely blame yourself because you put yourself in this position. If you werenât so pathetic, you could simply say no and this regularly hooking-up arrangement of yours would have ended. Yet you never said no and he never stopped coming back to you. Probably because itâs convenient, you canât come up with any other reason. Like who says no to an easy fuck, right? That is what you are. An easy fuck. Still, itâs breaking your heart every time he leaves your bed. You say to yourself âThis is gonna be the last timeâ but when the next text or call comes, you fold once again.Â
Thatâs how you ended up here. Your face is buried in the pillow while Bucky is pounding you from behind. It feels good. Actually, it feels pretty amazing. It always does but this time your emotions are overshadowing the physical pleasure. Tears are streaming down your face and you are grateful that he canât see it thanks to this position. Then a sob escapes your mouth and you feel betrayed by your own body.
âDoes it feel that good, doll?â He sounds smug but you canât answer him. Not while trying to hold the rest of your sobs back. That seems to worry him. He suddenly stops and when he takes a closer look sees that your eyes are filled with tears.
âHey, hey, hey! Are you alright?â He sounds genuinely worried. You try to say something but instead, more sobs come out. âWhat happened? Did I hurt you?â
He didnât physically hurt you, yet you are hurt. You donât know how to explain this to him. You feel embarrassed and angry at the same time. You pride yourself on how good you are at hiding your emotions. You donât want anyone to see you cry. You donât want anyoneâs pity. Yet here you are. Eyes filled with tears, sobs escaping your lips and your heart is shattered.
âPlease talk to me!â His desperate tone snaps you out of your thoughts. You try to turn on your back and quickly dry your tears.Â
âItâs fine. Sorry for killing the mood. I justâŚâ You hesitate for a second but no, you wonât back down this time. âI just canât do this anymore.â
âThatâs fine.â That wasnât the response you were expecting. âYou know itâs okay right?â His worry is so apparent in his voice. âYou can always tell me to stop.â What is he talking about? âIf you donât like something or you donât feel like it anymore⌠Just tell me next time and I will just stop.â
âThereâs no next time Bucky.â The words come out of your mouth before you can process them. You didnât intend to be so harsh but it came out so definite.
âWhat?â
âIâm telling you that I canât do thisâŚâ You wave your hand between you two. â...anymore. Iâm done. We are done.âÂ
âWhatâŚâ He sounds shocked and hurt at the same time. You try to avoid looking at his eyes while he struggles to find the right words. âWhat are you talking about? Did I do something?â
âYou didnât do anything. Itâs all my fault.â You have no intention to blame him. You know itâs on you. He never promised you anything.
âI donât understand.â He sounds so lost. âJust help me understand what happened, okay? I thought everything was okay.â
âThey were, for you. It was never okay for me.âÂ
You watch how his expression changes into something that breaks your heart even more. You never thought he would care this much but⌠apparently, he does. Maybe heâs not used to being rejected. Especially in the middle of sex.
âI⌠I donât know what to say.â He looks at your face and then around. âI thought this is what you wanted.â
âWhat I wanted?â You repeat his words without missing a beat. âI never wanted this. This is what you wanted and thatâs why we kept doing it. I was justâŚâ You hesitate for a second because you hate to admit it. âweak.â
âWeak? You are never weak.â
âOh, I am weak. This is why I kept saying âone more nightâ to myself whenever you called or texted me. Iâm weak as fuck and it makes me angry, okay? I shouldnât be like this.â
âDoll, what are you talking about?â
His confusion confuses you as well. Canât he see how much heâs hurting you? Is he really that blind or maybe he just doesnât care.
âThis arrangement might be working for you but itâs not working for me, okay?â
âBut⌠this is what you wanted.â
âI never wanted this.â
âYou said we canât get emotions involved!â He sounds somewhat angry this time.
âBecause you didnât want emotions involved!â Your answer comes instantly.
âWhen did I ever say that?â
His question makes you stop for a second. He never said that but did he really have to? You know how popular he is. Everybody loves him. He has the prettiest face you have ever seen. You desperately wanted to be with him. You didnât care how.
âJust look at you.â
âWhat does that even mean?â Is he doing this on purpose? He surely knows everybody wants him. Why does he have to hear it from you?
âIt means you didnât have to say it.â
âHow does⌠I really donât understand you.â His confusion is written all over his face. The way he hesitates makes you realize you have to say it out loud to make him understand.
âYou are handsome. You are talented. Everybody loves you.â He keeps looking at you with confusion. He really doesnât get it, does he? âYou can have anybody you want!â
âApparently not.â Why does he sound broken?
âOh, come on!â Your reaction is instant. âYou know you can. Donât act humble. Iâm just easier.â
âEasier?â You donât miss the disbelief in his voice. âEasier?â This time it comes out more angry. âYou were never easy!â
âYou know what I mean. An easy fu-â
âDonât you fucking dare!â The tone of his voice startles you. You never heard him talk like this. âI never wanted just an easy fuck. Especially not with you but that was all I could get!â Your head flinches back slightly. What is he talking about?Â
âBuckyâŚâ He doesnât let you continue.Â
âI donât know what has gotten into you because this⌠what you called it? Arrangement, yes, was never my idea! You were the one who didnât want to involve emotions. You were the one who said anything more than this would affect our friendship. I never said that!â
âI was trying to protect myself!â
âYou never showed any interest to me!â
You blink a couple of times, trying to process that information. What did he think you were doing with him?
âWhat the fuck are you talking about?â
âYou never showed any interest in staying over. You never wanted to do anything outside the bedroom or wherever the fuck we were fucking. Whenever I tried to take you on a date, you came up with a lazy excuse.â
âUh⌠what?â
âI tried so many times, sweetheart. You never let me in. You were only interested in sex and now you are blaming me for it. No. Be honest. If you wanna end this thing, itâs fine. You donât need any lies. I get it. I knew it would happen eventually.â Heâs speaking so fast, you canât even find any opportunity to interrupt him until he stops.
âYou tried to take me on dates?â He squishes his eyebrows together like he canât believe you are focusing on that part.
âMany times. I suggested study dates, tried to take you on that concert, then that one comedy club thingâŚâ
âI thoughtâŚâ You donât know how to finish that sentence.
âYou thought what? You knew what I was trying to do and you werenât interested, so I finally gave up.â
âNo, no, no.â You jump from your awkward position on the bed. âI never realized.â
âWhat did you think I was doing?â
âI thought⌠they were activities with other⌠people. Not dates.â
âWhy would I take other people to a concert with us?â Oh, he really doesnât get it.
âI thought⌠you had plans with your friends and⌠you were⌠inviting me as well. Just to show⌠we are nothing more than friends.â
âOh, dear god.â He covers his face with both of his hands. âSeriously? Why would you even think that?â
You mimic him and cover your face with embarrassment. You donât want to say it. Especially not to him.
âI⌠just never thoughtâŚâ You donât know how to say it without making him realize how low you think of yourself. âYou were interested in anything more than sex.â
âIâm handsome. Iâm popular. Everybody loves me. Is that why?â He repeats your words with that god-awful mocking tone and it hurts to hear. What you donât realize is that heâs making fun of himself.
âYeah.â Your response comes out so weakly but he hears it.
He starts to laugh all of a sudden and all you can do is give him a confused look.Â
âGod you are so blind.â
âHey!â You instantly respond.
âHave you ever looked in the mirror?â You make a face but it just spurs him. âYou are gorgeous and smart. I always thought you were way out of my league.â
âWhat?â
âYou heard me. You are out of my league.â
âCome on⌠Thatâs-â He interrupts you again.
âPlease.â The way he says it makes you stop talking. âI have been struggling to come to terms with you not liking me. I just told myself, you have done everything you can. You tried so many times. Itâs a miracle she still wants to fuck you. I convinced myself this was all I could get so I tried to make peace with it. Now you are telling me you donât want to keep doing this. What did you think I was gonna think?â
He just baffles you with every word coming out of his mouth. You look at him, not knowing what to say or what to think, even.
âAnd you thought you were just an easy fuck? Jesus, doll. Do you have any idea how many times I prepared myself for rejection? Every time I called you, I thought you werenât gonna pick up. Every time I texted you, I prepared myself to hear ânoâ, and every time it did not come, I was the happiest man on earth because I had one more night with you!â
You donât know when it started but you start to feel tears filling your eyes.
âPlease donât cry anymore.â He moves his hand on your face and catches a tear before it drops on your cheeks.
âIâŚâ Itâs so hard to speak normally. âI never thoughtâŚâ
âWhat?â This time it comes out softer. You know he wants to hear it because he needs that assurance as much as you do.
âYou would actually like me.â
âLike you? Oh, doll⌠I donât like you. The word like doesnât even cover it.â The smile he gives you ignites something inside you. Something you tried to push down for a long time. Suddenly you push him back a little bit and his mouth falls open but he doesnât get the chance to say anything. You just sit on his lap, taking him back inside you and it slips right back in so easily. It makes you want to moan out loud but instead, you wrap your legs around his torso and trap him there.
âOh fuckâŚâ His moan is like music to your ears. Itâs so raw and unfiltered.
You donât say anything. Your hand wraps around his neck before you start to move. His hand quickly finds your breasts, squeezing them a lot harder than he ever did before.Â
âYou are so fucking gorgeous.â He says right next to your ear. You feel his breath on your neck and his lips attach to your neck as if he knows what you want. He starts gently. First, he sucks the skin and makes you whimper. Then his teeth graze the sore skin. When he finally bites the same spot, you realize he was just giving you some time to protest but it never came. His bite pulls a groan out of you and the way it hurts falters your rhythm.
âSorry, I couldnât resist.â He licks the same spot, trying to soothe the pain. âThereâs a part of meâŚâ He tries to find the right word. â...that wants to mark you. Show the world that youâre mine.â Fuck, is he serious? He stops for another second to ask âAre you mine, doll?â He sounds so nervous yet possessive.
âI am.â You move a little back and look into his eyes while saying that. âI have been for a long time.â
He grabs your cheeks with both of his hands and pulls you in for a long, passionate kiss. It's all tongue and teeth, making you burn with passion.
âIâm yours, too. I think I always have been.âÂ
Itâs your turn to show how much those words mean to you. You start to move again on his lap. This time itâs faster than before and it just makes both of you moan loudly. He wraps his arms around your body while he supports your movement by grabbing your ass and moving you a bit faster than before.
âShit!â It feels good but it also restricts your range of movement and he realizes it quickly.
âSorry. I just want to feel you all over me.â
You want to say itâs alright but heâs a lot faster than you. Suddenly you find yourself on your back. Buckyâs still between your legs. He never left inside you while changing the position.Â
âWrap your legs around me, baby.âÂ
God, the way he says it sounds like a soft order. You can practically feel the desire running through your veins. Your legs are automatically wrapped around his ass while he starts to move but he doesnât put any distance between you. His whole body is pressed against yours while heâs kissing and licking all over your neck.
Sex with Bucky never felt like this. It was always good. You donât remember any occasion you didnât enjoy it or reach orgasm. Yet this feels like real intimacy. The way heâs making you feel is indescribable. You can feel everything he said before while he moves inside you. How much he wants you, how much he adores you⌠The way he clings to you fills you with love. All of it enhances the physical pleasure. Loud moans escape your lips.
âSo⌠All this timeâŚâ Bucky starts to talk. âYou thought I was here because this is easy.â
Ah, fuck. He isnât gonna let that go, is he? You shouldâve known that. You roll your eyes in response but he doesnât see it. His head is still buried in the crook of your neck.
âAll this time⌠I was where I wanted to be.â Your annoyance quickly fades away as he keeps talking. âUnderneath your body.â
âYou werenât always underneath me.â You answer him with a playful tone.
âAs long as Iâm inside you, the position doesnât matter.â
âSoâŚâ You try to ask as quickly as possible before your sudden courage disappears. âYou havenât been sleeping around with anyone else.â
He raises his head just to look into your eyes.Â
âAll this time, you thought I was fucking other people?â
âI meanâŚâ You were just friends with benefits. What else you were supposed to assume?
âWere you?â
âWas I what?â
âFucking other people?â His question is a lot more blunt than yours.
âI asked first!â You sound so defensive all of a sudden.
âI canât live without touching you, smelling you, feeling you⌠I have been craving you non-stop, only stopping myself from calling you every day, just so I wouldnât scare you away and you are asking me if I have been fucking other people. Jesus Christ, doll. How blind are you?â
You are questioning the same thing yourself, to be honest. How blind were you? While trying to surpass your feelings, you were overlooking his, as well. Itâs just unbelievable.
âDoll?â You didnât realize you were lost in thoughts. âItâs fine if you have been.â It doesnât sound fine at all. It sounds like heâs trying to rationalize it so it would hurt less. âIâm not saying I wonât be jealous but itâs not like we were actually together.â
You start to laugh and he gives you a strange look.
âYou are such an idiot and you call me blind.â
âWhat?â
âI only ever wanted you, you moron.âÂ
His smile is so big and bright, itâs worth everything you two went through. His happiness is practically radiating. Suddenly, his lips are on yours, kissing you like a madman.
âYouâre only mine.â He starts to move inside you again and you can feel how close you are to coming.
âOnly yours.â Your words make him groan loudly.Â
âFuck that mouth of yours. Youâre gonna make me come before you.â
âYou can do that later.â You tease him while moving your hips to meet him.
âIs that a promise?â
âIt can be. Only if you fuck me just a little harder so I can finally come!â
That makes him move away from you. He stands up and without losing any time, pulls you on the edge of the bed. You know whatâs coming and it makes you smile like a fool. He positions himself between your legs while pushing your knees on your chest. In a couple of seconds, heâs back inside you but the position feels so much better this time. A loud moan leaves your lips every time he hits that sweet spot inside you.
âHarder, huh?â
âYeah. Just like that.â Itâs so hard to not roll your eyes with the pleasure heâs giving you. Itâs familiar yet it feels so different this time.
âMy girl wants it rough. Why didnât you just say so?â He sounds cocky thereâs also a hint of eagerness in his voice. You can tell heâs close.
âDo I have to tell you everything?âÂ
âFrom now on, yes. You have to tell me everything.â That authoritative tone pushes you over the edge. âEvery fucking thing you feel, okay? Every fucking thing you want. I wanna know everything!â
âYes!â You practically scream. You donât know if you are answering him or just screaming because of the way he makes you feel. Your legs are shaking violently while your whole body tightens up. âFuck yes. Please, please, please, donât stop!â Your eyes are closed while you are riding your high.
That makes him groan so loudly. Even though you canât directly look at his face anymore, you just know heâs about to come. He starts to pound on you so forcefully, it just unlocks another level of orgasm for you. Both of your moans fill the room and he keeps going until he empties himself inside you. After what feels like an eternity, he pulls out of you and lays right next to you.
âFuck, that wasâŚâ The struggles to find the right word.
âOn another level?â You offer to end the sentence for him. Thatâs exactly how you feel.
âYeah.â He doesnât miss a beat. âWe shouldâve talked to each other before.â
âWe were busy doing other stuff.â You smile and he smiles back, knowing exactly what you mean.
âI guess we did everything other than talking things through, huh?â
#bucky barnes#bucky barnes x reader#bucky barnes x female reader#bucky barnes smut#bucky barnes au#bucky barnes fluff#bucky barnes fanfiction#bucky barnes x you#bucky barnes x y/n#bucky barnes imagine#bucky barnes one shot#sebastian stan#marvel fanfiction#bucky barnes x reader smut#bucky x reader#bucky x you#my stories#college bucky barnes#college bucky barnes x reader
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Do NOT Support Hard Drive On Patreon
You might see friends today suggesting you support Hard Drive on Patreon today. You know, the funny video games version of The Onion? As a journalist, I will firmly tell you DO NOT GIVE THEM A DIME.
The CEO has pushed out all former staff that have built the site up to its current greatness and has been pushing the use of AI. The staff begged to have a Patreon before basically all being pushed out, but the idea was refused until now, when it will only line the pockets of a single person instead of hard working writers.
I know they might have provided laughs before, but Hard Drive is a shell of what it was once. Let it die and support the people who actually made those moments of joy possible. Don't believe me? Check out what former employees are saying below:
Kevin Podas: Okay you know what, I would feel bad saying nothing about this, so here goes:đ¨SAVE YOUR MONEYđ¨
We passionately advocated for a Patreon at Hard Drive & were aggressively shot down. The talent & people who built the site were pushed out. To see this now is beyond upsetting. For the past few years or so I put a lot of myself into this website. I pitched a ton of jokes, got over 120 articles published, & met a lot of great people. I'm sure if you've been following me for some time you could easily see this.
However, there is a lot of misinformation. I was eventually promoted to Managing Editor of the site & was ecstatic. Grateful for the opportunity. Felt like all of my hard work in the comedy mines was finally paying off. But things took a turn for the worst, & each day there were new surprises that affected our livelihoods. These were all very avoidable surprises, mind you.
A patreon was going to be our hail mary, but alas, for some reason, the power that be did not want it. Causing us to leave a dream job behind. "At least we did all we could," we consoled ourselves afterwards. I put a lot of myself into this project. I pitched all sorts of ideas that could have helped-- we all did. Merch collaborations, Patreon-integrated YouTube content, so much more. And most of them were shot down out of sheer stubbornness and nothing more. To see lie after lie spread, and multiple big publications and YouTubers that I am a fan of promote this Patreon under these pretenses is incredibly upsetting. There are so many receipts.
Please share this and consider pulling out if you've already put money into this. On Hard Drive using AI, also from Kevin Podas: I can't personally confirm that part aside from some of the recent header images for articles on both Hard Drive and Hard Times are being made with AI. As far as writing, it's been mentioned in the past, but I personally do not know. Maybe others do, maybe not. MORE From Kevin Podas suggesting the owner denying a Patreon being set up earlier cost an artist a job that was replaced by AI: We had a social media person who was awesome! He made the images until this AI implementation. He had to leave because ad revenue was low and a Patreon was aggressively refused.
Luca Fisher: at the risk of burning some bridges, i have to back up kevin here. i've only been part-time, in-and-out of hard drive since i got in last year, but i can corroborate that management doubled and tripled down about not hosting a patreon/crowdfunding and that many other suggestions and ideas, including mine (and ones much smarter than mine!), were shot down in really long, apocalyptic threads of everyone left on deck desperately trying to come up with ways to keep the lights on. managerially it has been messy and sad
i've written for multiple publications that have long since died, ones that were in the process of dying, and ones that, in this case, are soon to be put in the ground. it is sad and sucks every time. i don't know what could have been done differently, but i do know that a lot of great writers and content creators were left shorthanded and unhappy by the way things have gone. and it is sort of puzzling to see the sudden championing of patreon after we were all told plenty of times that it couldn't work and we should move on also, just to add my own personal two cents here, i was really disappointed by the shuttering of many different article sections on the site over the past 6-8 months. i understand cutting corners in a deficit, and i know it had to be done. that saidâŚ
all in all, i'm really sad to see this all happen. i don't fault anyone, if only because i don't really know enough about how this all can happen to make sense of it. games journalism is in a sad, sorry state, and will likely no longer be a thing in the next decade
VideoSealMan: I'm gonna say this because I think I deserve to. For months, MONTHS on end I was bugging Hard Drive management about a Patreon. Often I got ignored for a week+, but when I actually got a response I was encouraged to - of all things, write up a Google Doc pitching the concept I did it regardless. I wasn't the only one trying to sway management on a Patreon, but so fiercely was I fighting for it that last night, I was accused of making this comment directly by the CEO! With no evidence whatsoever! After I'd been gone for over a month.
I vouched so hard for Patreon because I wanted all the writers and creatives working with Hard Drive including myself to get paid better. When I actually got a response, the idea was often shut down. Eventually due to the state of my company, my pay was cut for a second time I confronted management alongside a couple other important figureheads at the org and told them that if we couldn't do a Patreon - I could no longer financially justify staying there. The answer was still no, so I left. Baffled at the decision, but whatever.
It is unendingly frustrating to know that myself and many other people who put their soul into Hard Drive LEFT because of management's absolute refusal to compromise on a Patreon, to then see them launch one anyway a month later and get over 1000 people pledging money. I'm seeing a lot of things float around about greed and people being fired. No one was fired. Everyone who left, left because they were sick of management's decision-making. And honestly, management is a lot of things but I would not call them greedy. (From my experience.) They did genuinely make an effort to pay people as much as possible. I found the pay very fair for a while. I am not disputing that I was paid what I was owed - yet management frequently feels the need to remind critics of that. Lmao, yes. I was paid what I was owed. No one is disputing payment. You did the bare minimum a business owner should do and paid everyone their due, very well done. I make no allegations of greed, cheating or foul play. I make allegations of poor management and incompetence that has fucked over other people.
Basically the only people left at Hard Drive have been there for about 2 months. They will reap the rewards of this successful Patreon I and so many others passionately fought for for so long. We will not see a dime.
I do not know the new people at Hard Drive, But I feel bad for them. They were haphazardly thrust into Hard Drive's workplace with little to no explanation on how anything works, or given any context on the state of the place. Even now managements feeds them half-truths and misinformation about other people's grievances. I am broke and have been for a while. I had to move out of my flat in Reading and back with my family because of how little money I was making. This has basically doomed my flatmate to moving back in with abusive parents, which is something I feel guilty about every day. If we had gone with the Patreon I worked myself hoarse over back then, this could have been avoided. Some of my other good pals could also not have been fucked over.
It was a bad judgment call, but it's not a crime. It's just management getting it wrong.
So should you give to the Hard Drive Patreon? I don't know! I don't think any of the new people working there to patch up the holes left by the recent mass exodus have any bad intentions. Maybe they deserve it! But it is not the same site you knew a year ago, or even a month ago. Myself and many people who were there far longer than me and did far more for it than I did are all gone now because we could not deal with management's terrible decision-making and dogass communication any longer. That's what you should know, imo
I had an agreement in place with management that I would receive the next 8 months of revenue from the Hard Drive YT channel from my leaving in November. This was a deal I appreciated, and thought was very fair on management's behalf. So far, the deal has been honoured for 2 months. However as of last night I was removed from the Hard Drive Slack without warning, and as an editor for the YouTube channel. This means I no longer have any way of verifying how much I am owed, I just have to take their word for it. I'm sure management will make their own statements full of half-truths and weird language on the many cases being brought against them - I'd take everything they say with a pinch of salt if some of the screenshots I've seen of them talking about me are any indication lol
To management; I do not want to talk to you. I want you to DM me a screenshot of how much I'm owed every month and then send me the money per our agreement until June, then we can go our separate ways. Do that and admit to your mistakes, and maybe you can recover your reputation! That's it from me, lol. If they pull out of the deal and fuck me over I'll have more to say, but most of what I know is other people's stories of incompetence and poor decision-making, lol. I genuinely get no pleasure out of doing this; I do not think management is evil - I just think they're really bad at what they do and it's cost other, more talented people, lol. You should believe the writers imo
One last thing I wanna say btw, management did often stress that no one should try to make Hard Drive a full time thing. They were transparent about that, and that is fair. I was working on it because at a few points, I was lead to believe we actually were doing a Patreon. Many other ppl have similar stories of being strung along by management changing their minds and stop-starting shit every 2 weeks. We all made the fatal mistake of overestimating our manager - who would tell you one thing one day and something totally opposite the next week lol
Hunter R. Thompson:
I'm not your dad, but speaking as a Hard Drive writer, I don't know that funding Hard Drive on Patreon is worth it
The driving talent on the back endâbehind the kickass site I joined in 2019âhave peaced out over the years as the site's been (in our view) increasingly mismanaged. Mismanagement like, not setting up crowdfunding before the ship sank and all its best crew failed; or publishing a screenshot of Andy Ngo pedojacketing a trans writer, complete with her deadname; or a disgruntled ex-writer getting falsely accused of shit-talk, by actual staff. I'm grateful for the writing I've gotten to produce for HD (and will forever be kicking myself for not writing even more, in the four years I've had to do it!! i'm a dumbass!!!) but it is very much no longer the site I signed up for.
I don't want to resign as a contributor altogether, because I'm open to the idea of the site recovering and bad practices being retired as finances level out-- it would just be dishonest for potential backers to not be Aware Of The Circumstances, I think.
Jeremy Kaplowitz: i truly don't want to start shit, but feel compelled to say: i want to see Hard Drive succeed w/o resorting to throwing former writers & editors, myself included, under the bus. surely there's a way to save the site without building it over the corpses of those who left. my $0.02 i don't blame anyone who wants to sign up for the HD patreon and i support the website, but that includes those who worked on it for years, have complaints, and don't deserve to be treated like bitter assholes like this kind of stuff is just objectively true, meanwhile there's these new writers who joined the site after i left (meaning, in the last ~3 months) claiming people are liars. decide for yourself if you care, but this is what happened! [Quotes this Tweet]
Seth Finkelstein: Writing for Hard Drive has been a privilege the past few years, and it makes me so angry to see people I looked up to get jerked around behind the scenes. The amount of grenades the editors jumped on our behalf is immense, and I don't think the way they're being treated is right.
Other Bits On AI: We do know for sure however that AI art has been used by the site. Its fucking owner confirms it here:https://twitter.com/MattSaincome/status/1743040541603123622. Seems the owner pushed AI written articles as well! TayFabe: My vaguetweet is making the rounds & these made me apoplectic. - owner regularly lobbied using ai. Once he tested it & said ai was writing better satire than 25% of the HT/HD writers. - ai images were used on the site & socials w/o consulting the team or disclosing it publicly I found the ai bit relevant to include bc 1) it illuminates a stark change in HD's current direction & leadership, 2) ai images have previously been used on the site and (since deleted) ig posts, 3) ai content fucking sucks, and repeatedly pushing to use it is a telling quality The "handful of writers who chose to leave" includes 2 editors-in-chief (both cofounders who wrote a combined total of >1,000 articles & defined the voice of HD), & at least 3 other editors. These guys put in WORK since 2017, so cool to be corrected by ppl who joined in Nov 2023 [Link to mentioned vague tweet from post.] More from TayFabe: owner continuously lobbied for using ai in every possible way. No one else wanted to do it, but he kept on, saying ai was writing better satire than 25% of the HT/HD writers. Also, ai images were used on the site & socials without public disclosure or consulting the team.
The owner has responded now multiple times in a private discord... Thank you for people sharing screenshots! First Screenshot:
Kevin's Response: He banned me from the server for speaking out, so no, I didn't see it. And he gave no indication of a timeline, it was just "we'll do one when *I* say so" and gave every inclination he was totally against it. It bred an environment that pushed our hands to have to leave. Screenshot Round Two:
Kevin's Response: "Starting one in 3 months" is an absolute lie. He denied it, I have screenshots and others who can confirm. No timeline was given. Just "this is what it is now" and like, I couldn't live off of that. I wanted to do more but he was allergic to good ideas from others around him.
Matt, owner of Hard Drive, responds publicly on Twitter.
Matt: Kevin, the patreon launch was delayed because I didn't think it would work. Everyone is happy that it did work. Everyone who left the site because we didn't have money to pay for creative content which didn't revenue is welcome to return home. But unclear why the hostility.
Hard Drive paid out literally every dollar it had, then a bunch more, to creative people who worked on the site. When we ran out of money, we couldn't pay anymore. We did our best.
Kevin: Right, and my point of this thread was that it was completely and totally avoidable. This is reasonable to be upset about. How could I have been any more clear?
Matt: If we knew with 100% certainly that the community would have supported us via patreon, we would have done that. We didn't know. We had tried 4 years ago and got no support. We were wrong this time. We did our best to figure it out. We paid all the money we could.
Kevin: So you knew with 100% certainty this time? Or you took a leap of faith?
Matt: It was a last gasp panic effort after ad rates got cut in half on january 1st due to seasonal spending changes. We didn't know it would work. We were embarrassed to ask for support. We wanted to figure it out.
Kevin: Every site has a Patreon. Every YouTuber, comedy group, etc. But you insisted that nobody cared about Hard Drive. Which is wildly untrue. I know you see that now, but again, I think you can see why I and many others are pretty upset. A last ditch panic effort was long overdue. A couple more things from Matt:
It was about the size of the hole we needed plugged budget wise, the time I had left of personal resources, and the past data I had about us trying a patreon (which turned out to be a bad indicator). I didn't think the Patreon would help us fast enough. I made a bad estimation
aka "if we make $1000 more dollars a month via patreon, which would be 10x what we got last time, we will not solve any of our problems. If instead we try to plow down path B, we might make it out in time." That was the thinking. I chose the wrong path, but didn't mean to Kevin also retweeted this comment from the user Matt was responding to: So you're saying that you're bad at running the business, didn't listen to any of your employees until after they were forced to leave their jobs, and now you're going to get more of the money from the Patreon that was their idea in the first place? Matt's Response: Respectfully, I made a mistake delaying the patreon decision. But keeping a comedy site alive for 9 years is not easy, there are lots of potential ideas, and think overall we've done a good and honorable job. Will leave this thread in peace now to allow people their space.
Sorry for linking to Elon's hellsite (derogatory), but sources need links so...
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One thing I haven't seen a lot of talk about in the fandom so far is about the financials of this season.
It took us two whole months to get a confirmation of renewal from Max, and I talked at the time that I think there was probably a lot of heated negotiations going on at the time with contracts and that's why it took as long as it did.
I think we see a huge number of indications of the compromises that were made in order for S2 to be made. One obvious one that has been talked about is being making in in NZ instead of LA, to save $.
But there's also the eight episodes instead of ten. And then the cast aspect. One downside of moving overseas was having to fly out and house the cast, not just pay day wages.
We knew immediately about Guz Khan not coming back, losing Ivan as a character. At the time I was sad but I thought it had the air of a pretty harshly practical call. If you went through the main recurring cast and said okay which character will affect the fewest things, has the least character interactions of anyone? It would be Ivan. (With the only competition being The Swede IMO, but he's Stede's crew and therefore a little more central.)
And then this season started and we got first The Swede sidelined and taken out of major scenes. And then I noticed that different members of the crew were simply absent for long stretches, like Wee John isn't around for ep 5 at all. And then Buttons takes flight.
Lucius and Pete aren't at the party for most of it. Fang isn't in the torture scene. Roach and Fang aren't in the bar. Etc. SCHEDULING IS HAPPENING.
The new characters are almost entirely played by NZ local actors, which is great, but also...cheaper.
In other words there are big signs that they did everything possible to give us a giant cast of almost everyone we love from S1, and cool new characters, in the most economical way possible.
And I'm grateful for it. I'm grateful we got S2, and it looks great, and it's well written, I'm having a blast, and we get to spend more time with this awesome cast.
But I also kinda think it needs to be said that the cost-cutting shows. That it shouldn't have been only 8 episodes, the pacing is off. That we miss every time someone from the ensemble isn't on screen.
That despite what they've put on screen looking very good, there's far less costuming budget, there's less elaborate sets, and it's a little disappointing. And it's clear it's not a lack of will or talent or vision but blatantly lack of money.
Look, streaming networks want brilliant shows that people love (that will get them to subscribe) but they very don't want to pay anyone to make them. That's like, the whole moment we're having right now.
Max puts out promos about how great it is to not have unions messing shit up in NZ. Well I have friends who are union costumers in LA and guess what union costumers did amazing last season. This season, well, I guess Stede got three whole shirts, so that's cool.
So I dunno. It's just stuff I think about. I'm not trying to be negative about the show in any way. I'm extremely happy with this season; I love it more than well, possibly any show I've ever been in fandom for.
But I see you, Max. You're cheap. You weren't that cheap when you were called HBO.
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TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
ROUND 1
Lee Know x reader. (s)
Related chapters: Round 2.
Synopsis: Let's play two truths and a lie, and here goes the first thing about you: You want to fuck your roommate's boyfriend, Minho. (9k words)
Author's note: It's a quick one-shot I made like a year ago but pls enjoy it nonetheless đ
Content warning: Infidelity.
This is how you play two truths and a lie. You share three statements about you, two being true and one false, and people must determine which is which.
-
So here goes the first statement: You want to fuck your roommate's boyfriend.
A few months ago, you came to the city for your new job and were placed in a housing with a group of unbearable people. Since you've just started working, you tried looking at another option to get a temporary place to stay until you're financially stable enough to rent an apartment.
Long story short, a friend of a friend introduced you to Kim who happened to have an extra room you can rent. She owns the apartment and does not necessarily need the money, she offered her room for the sole reason which is to help you. You're aware that you don't meet this kind of that is to help you. You're aware that you don't meet this kind of person every day and for that, you're grateful for her.
After a week of living as roommates, you learn that Kim is just as graceful as her occupation, a ballet dancer. She's beautiful, kind-hearted, amicable, and ultimately, a very attentive roommate.
The room you're staying in was supposedly her private dance studio but she uses the living room to practice now and you have to adjust yourself to the huge mirror covering one side of the wall in your room.
Not long after that, Minho comes into the picture. A sharp nose, sharp jaws, and feline eyes, a beautiful face that only reminds you that the world is unfair to some people, including you.
"This is Minho," Kim introduces him with a smile
The second your eyes lock in a gaze with him, you feel an instant attraction and it intensifies as he stares back into your eyes.
"My boyfriend," Kim adds a little too late.
It's funny that the word boyfriend doesn't stop you from being attracted to him, if anything, you want him more than before.
Kim and Minho have been together for two years now and they met at the dance academy which explains a lot of things, including Minho's lean and toned body.
How do you know? Because sometimes he stays over and on more than one occasion, you found him walking out of the bathroom with nothing but a white towel hanging lowly around his waist.
That's also when you learn that this attraction is strictly physical, your uterus is acting up when you see him, and lewd thoughts rush through your head. It's all biological. There's no way you want to pursue him romantically, you couldn't even think of a person more deserving to be with him than Kim. They're both beautiful and talented dancers, oftentimes, you get so envious because they have such a lovely relationship.
Like tonight, you hear their laughter the second you step into the apartment, finding Kim and Minho in the kitchen just casually talking to each other while sharing a bowl of fruits. You love how simple yet endearing their interaction is.
"Hey, you're home!" Kim says with a sweet, welcoming smile.
You wave your hand at her and briefly at Minho, "Hi, everyone!" You awkwardly say, feeling like you're interrupting them.
"Have you had dinner?" Kim asks, attentive as always.
"Yeah, I grabbed dinner after work," you lie, but you can always creep your way to the fridge late at night for dinner.
"There's a pie in the fridge. Help yourself to some dessert," she sweetly offers then shoves a piece of blueberry into her mouth.
Without having to look, you can see how Minho looks at you, he has this deep, intense gaze that makes you the slightest bit intimidated.
"I will, thanks," you hurriedly respond, wanting the interaction to end as soon as possible, "I'll just... get into my room."
"Yeah, you should rest," Kim softly mutters.
You hoist your bag higher on your shoulder and head to your room, before you get in, you mutter to them, "Night, guys."
"Night," Kim cheerily says.
You hurriedly get in and catch a glimpse of Minho with his intense stare a second before the door completely closes and clicks in place.
The trick to surviving the night is to wait until they get into the bedroom and put headphones on as you come out of yours, not only to avoid hearing unwanted noises, but you reckon it's only right to take the extra measure to respect their privacy.
As you're listening and catching glimpses of the movie playing on your phone, you walk around the kitchen to prepare your simple, unhealthy dinner: a cup of noodles and a can of soda.
You're quietly eating your dinner by the kitchen counter with the headphones still on and once you finished, you treat yourself to a slice of pie, then put the rest of the pie back into the fridge.
It gets messy as you're munching on the pie while watching the movie on your phone. The cherry filling gets all over your fingers and you hurriedly lick it off before it getsâ
"Oh, my God!" You shriek in surprise, seeing someone standing by the fridge. Once you realize it's Minho, you break into laughter.
"I'm just getting a bottle of water," he says, his face illuminated by the glow of the fridge lights.
"I'm sorry," you say while clutching your chest, and a second later, regret for saying it when he should be the one apologizing.
There's something different in the way Minho looks at you, he has one corner of his mouth raised higher than the other, giving you the impression that he's thinking of filthy things when he looks at you like that. He's giving you that look now and it does certain things to you.
He then stops leaning against the fridge, taking the bottle of water as he walks back to the bedroom, leaving his signature faint smirk on the back of your head.
The signals are there, they're subtle yet constantly pinging, asking you to respond. For now, you're going to ignore it like you always do and continue existing like you're not sharing the same space with him.
-
Statement number two: You believe Minho wants to fuck you too.
At first, you thought you imagined it, you want to fuck him so you started being delusional and thinking that he wants to fuck you too. Once you started paying attention though, you realized that what he's been doing to you meant something or some sort of message he tried to deliver.
The first occurrence that came to your realization is when the two of you were in the kitchen, you were enjoying your yoghurt and he suddenly came behind you to get something from the drawer that happened to be blocked by your body. Instead of telling you to step aside, he made you stand there as his hand curved around your waist to get something out of a drawer.
From there, you noticed a lot of things he did, the way he briefly rested his hand on the small of your back as he walked past behind you, his hand that would often brush a part of your body when the two of you are next to each other or the way he would speak close to your ear as if he's seeking to be close to you. Simply put, he always tries to make physical contact with you.
The scariest part of it is not the possibility that the two of you will eventually get caught, but how unfazed he is even when his girlfriend is there. Like that night where the three of you shared the sofa and somehow, his hand found your shoulder and instead of retreating, he continued to caress the nape of your neck with his knuckle.
However, what happens tonight is what makes you believe that he wants the same thing.
After making sure that you're the only one still awake in the vicinity, you make your way to the bathroom to take a nice, hot shower to help you relax and sleep faster. You skip on using the hairdryer since it'll make too much noise and tiptoe your way back to your bedroom.
In the middle of putting on your clothes, you realize that you left the door ajar and you notice Minho is watching through the reflection in the mirror.
Instead of stopping or rushing to close the door, you pretend to not see him there and continue, turning your body to the side, showcasing every curve of your body through the reflection in the mirror.
You arch your back as you put on the night dress over your head and slowly slip yourself in it, shimmying your body as you pull the dress down with your hands. Then you look at him through the reflection in the mirror and make it known that you're aware of his presence.
From the crooked grin on his face, you can tell that Minho is pleased to be caught watching you and you received his signal loud and clear: He wants to fuck you too.
But sadly, tonight's show is over so you walk to the door and close it.
-
Friday afternoon, Kim barges into your room and she rarely comes into your room without knocking on your door. Seeing that she's carrying a dress in her hand, you guess she needs your opinions on her clothing choices.
You sit on the bed and take your headphones off, "What's up, Kim?"
She stands at the end of the bed and lifts the dress with both hands, "What do you think?" She asks.
It's a mini dress with spaghetti straps in a deep purple color and it's a nice dress, you're just not sure if it fits Kim's style that well, she usually opts for dresses with flaring hem and floral prints.
"It's nice, Kim," you say but skip on giving her the detailed explanation.
She puts the dress close to her body and hugs it, "Do you like it?"
"Yeah," you shortly reply, even though it doesn't fit her style well, it certainly will look good on her.
"Good!" She shortly says, handing the dress to you, "Cause you'll be wearing it.
Somehow, you reach for it and awkwardly hold it in front of you, "W-why? Why me?"
Kim goes to your vanity table and flips open your jewelry box, she holds your earrings one by one to find ones that would match the dress.
"You're coming with me to this party," she says, leaving a lot of details in her answer.
"What party?"
"Party at my friend's," she simply answers, deciding on the gold small hoop earrings.
But that's against your plan, you want to steer clear of Minho and party at Kim's friend means that he'd likely be there too.
"Kim, I don't think that's a good idea," you tell her.
She then leans against the desk in your room and crosses her arm together in front of her, "These past few days you refused to hang out with me so you have to hang out with me tonight."
So Kim knows that you've been purposely avoiding her but you need to explain that it's not because of her, "But that's notâ"
"Nuh-uh!" She quickly cuts you off again, "Tonight you're going to the party with me," she decides on her own, not accepting any more excuses from you.
"Is it okay though? I mean... it's your friend's party. I don't want to intrude," you meekly say while playing with the strap of the dress.
"Why would it not be okay?" She says, coming to sit on the edge of the bed, "Besides I want to introduce you to Gaspard."
Maybe you owe this one to Kim and hearing a guy's name piques your interest, "And who is Gaspard?"
"A cute guy," she shortly answers with a sly grin on her heart-shaped face, "And you'll like him."
It's not like Minho's presence would bother you that much and Kim needs you, she wants you there, therefore, as a good roommate, you should be there.
"Yeah, okay, I'm in the mood to meet a cute guy tonight," you tell her, not forgetting to show enthusiasm as well.
"That's the spirit!" Kim says with a wide grin dancing on her face.
Well, since you'll be there and possibly meet Minho, Gaspard better be a cute distraction for real.
-
The taxi pulls up in front of a house and you reckon it's where the party at from how many cars are parked outside and the faint thumping of the music playing inside.
The fact that you get here by taxi only means that there's no Minho so you can relax, for now.
Kim excitedly links her arm with you as you both walk into the house and you expect a party with laid-back music and endless glasses of wine but the second you step inside, upbeat music is blasting from around the house and everyone is having beers from red plastic cups.
The party is not what you imagined it would be, but it's what you need.
Kim cranes her neck to find her friends and once she finds them, she raises her hand to signal her arrival to them.
"Come on! Let's meet my friends!" She says.
Please, God, let him be a cute distraction! You repeatedly mutter in your heart as she drags you with her to meet her friends who are gathered in what you guess is a rec room in the house.
When Kim's friends finally come to sight, you put on a smile as you quietly guess which one of them is Gaspard. Kim goes to hug them one by one before introducing you to them.
"This is Ellie, Jena, Paul..." she introduces her friends back to you one by as the mentioned person warmly greets you.
"And Minho," someone adds from behind you.
You immediately look over your shoulder to see Minho standing there, Kim gently slaps his shoulder in response and laughs.
"This is not a roll call, honey," Kim says with a smile and then leans in to give Minho a quick peck on the lips.
Minho is already here and there's no Gaspard yet. No Gaspard means there'll be no distraction. You keep your smile on even though you're slowly descending into distress.
"There he is!" Kim exclaims, pointing at something behind you.
You reflexively turn on your heels and see a tall man with brown hair, striking green eyes, and a scintillating smile. This man will make the perfect distraction.
Please let this man be Gaspard, you deeply wish inside your heart.
Kim comes to your side and puts her arm around you, "This is the man I told you about," she says.
"I hope you only told her nice things about me," Gaspard says with a sly grin that makes his whole face light up.
The universe heard your plea and decided to make it true for you, this is Gaspard, the perfect distraction you want and need.
"Holyfuck..." you lowly mutter in disbelief.
"What's that?" Kim asks, hearing you saying something but doesn't quite catch it.
You've already forgotten where you are and what you're doing. And Minho? Who is Minho? You let out a chuckle and shake these silly thoughts away.
"So this is Gaspard, huh?" You say in all confidence.
"That is me," he answers, returning the confidence with a wide smile, "I'm better than you expected, I guess?"
Gaspard is confident and then gets shy in the next minute which you find charming, you smile at him and say, "I need more time to decide on that."
"That's fair," Gaspard says, offering his hand at you.
You think he's just going to shake your hand but he takes you into the crowd gathered in the middle of the room, dancing.
"A fair warning, I'm a bad dancer," you warn him as he takes your hands in his and makes you stand facing him.
"We still have time to decide on that," he pokes fun at you, taking you by the waist and pulling you close to his front.
Kim is right, Gaspard is cute and you like him already. He has just the right amount of facial hair and it grazes your cheek whenever he leans in to whisper into your ear, giving you a tingling feeling inside and outside.
After a few moments though, you find yourself panting from dancing with him. You should've known this would happen when you're dancing with a real dancer.
Since Gaspard is way taller than you, you have to put your arm around his shoulder and stand on your tiptoe to whisper to his ear, "Hey, how about we get drinks?"
"Drinks?" He asks you in confirmation since the mix of loud music and chatter is filling the room.
"Yeah," you answer while repeatedly nodding your head.
He doesn't say anything but takes your hand and leads the way through the crowd to the kitchen where bottles of liquor are strewn around on the kitchen island.
You intently watch as Gaspard is excitingly making you his special concoction. He finishes it off with a spritz of lemon before handing it to you.
"Thank you," you mutter in gratitude.
"Come on. Taste it!" He encourages you, curious of what you think of his drink-mixing skill.
Well, you've been staring at it long enough to give him the impression that you hesitate to drink it. You hurriedly take a small sip and you don't even have to lie, it's good.
"Wow!" You gasp, impressed with the drink he made.
"I know," he confidently says with a smirk and drinks his drink.
It's so refreshing and sweet like it has no alcohol at all, you hurriedly take another sip.
"It's really good," you tell him.
"Thank you," he says with a grin.
He then offers his hand at you, "Let's find somewhere to talk?"
You take his hand without question, letting him take you wherever he wants because it seems like he knows where he's going. He leads you to the backyard where everyone is hanging out by the pool.
"Hey, you!"
Recognizing the voice, your head snaps toward the source, and see Kim waving her hand at you from the long sofa that curved around a fancy fireplace.
You stop walking on your track and end up leading Gaspard there. You unconsciously let out a sigh of relief after seeing that there's no Minho there.
"Oh, hey," you greet back.
Kim scoots to the side to make space for you on the sofa, "Where have you guys been?"
"Oh, we were just dancing and he made me a drink," you honestly answer, not forgetting to show her the drink in your hand.
"And where were you going to take her, Gaspard?" Kim asks with eyes squinted at him.
"Anywhere but here," he jokingly answers.
"Well, since you guys just got here, it's your turn to play!" Someone says, you can't remember what her name is but she's one of the friends Kim introduced earlier.
"Turn to play? What?" You ask in confusion.
"Two truths and a lie," someone says.
You feel bad for not being able to remember their names, Gaspard's influence is that powerful on you.
"You know how to play, right?" Kim asks.
It's not about whether you know how to play or not, it's just so unexpected that these talented, gorgeous dancers like to play this kind of game at parties.
"Yes, I do," you answer.
Kim turns on the sofa to face you and looks at you in anticipation, "Okay then. Shoot!"
"Right now?"
"Yes," Kim shortly answers with a chuckle.
You admire their eagerness whether for the game or to know something about you, you rake your brain to think of three things about you and one of them should be a lie that would likely fool them good.
"Okay first is uhm... I'm allergic to cats," you share.
There's no response from them but you can see how they're looking at you and probably every detailed facial expression you make that will give away hints about whether you're lying or not.
"Second thing is my mom has a twin," you confidently share with a faint smile.
"Ah," Kim lowly gasps and you guess because you've shared this information with her before.
"Last thing is..." you look around as you think of the last thing to share with them.
You eventually turn to the side and see Gaspard smiling at you, "I think Gaspard is cute," you share the third thing about you.
"That's the one! That's the lie!" Someone excitedly guesses, and you suddenly remember his name as Paul.
You laugh because Gaspard looks so offended by his friend, "No, it's not a lie," you quickly defend him.
Gaspard shoots him a glare and triumphantly laughs, "Just drink, man!"
Paul drinks his beer in defeat.
"I must say the second one is the lie," the girl says again, still can't remember her name though.
"No. Her mom has a fraternal twin," Kim says, learning that information from you on the first day you moved into her apartment.
"Drink up, Jena!" Kim tells her that she guessed wrong and not wasting time but drinks her beer as a punishment.
"Oh, so you're not allergic to cats?" Gaspard asks.
"No, I'm not. I like cats," you answer.
He then sighs in relief, "That's great because I have a cat."
"Oh, wow?!" You utter in disbelief.
Other than being a great distraction, you share a lot in common with Gaspard and that says something.
"I also have cats," someone adds, joining in on the circle.
You can tell by the voice that it's the man you've been trying to avoid seeing tonight. You remain calm and have a sip of your drink.
"Yes, Minho, we all know you're a cat daddy," Jena says, finally knowing her name from Kim.
Kim groans and tosses a cushion at Jena, "Don't say that!"
Minho takes a gulp of Kim's drink and sits with his back reclined and his legs spread open, even his sitting position oozing with confidence and you eat that shit up.
You feel like slapping your face at that thought and have another sip to swallow that thought down.
"Is it my turn to play?" Minho asks around.
Jena shrugs since no one is taking the turn to play, "Yeah, sure, go ahead."
Minho softly scratches his chin before speaking, "I want to kiss someone tonight."
He starts easy but from the faint smirk on his face, you can tell he's brewing something in his mind.
"That someone is not my girlfriend," he calmly says.
Welp, there you go! Minho acts like he didn't just drop a shocking statement while his girlfriend is sitting prettily next to him.
You glance at Kim and she looks calm, but you can see that her jaws are slightly clenched. She's not happy so Minho should stop it.
But instead of calming his girlfriend, Minho looks at you and continues to share the third statement, "The person I want to kiss is one of you."
Your heart skips a beat because he keeps looking right at you and making it obvious for everyone to see who it is. All of a sudden, you feel the urge to exit this scene but walking out only makes it even more obvious.
Minho is sick of doing this to you and Kim, it's like he doesn't even care what it can do to either you or Kim.
"Oh, Minho, that's..." Paul hisses, not able to finish his sentence.
"Why, Paul?" Minho daringly asks him.
"Nothing," Paul says while scratching his head.
Minho leans forward and says, "It's you, Paul. It's you who I want to kiss."
Paul's tense face melts in a second and everyone bursts out laughing, "Fuck you, man!"
"It's you. I want to kiss you," Minho taunts him more, throwing himself at him and jokingly tries to kiss him.
Paul keeps pushing him away, sloshing his drink as he tries to dodge Minho's kiss while everyone else is laughing at them.
Even though it turns out to be a joke, you feel sick in the stomach and feel the need to get out of here.
"I need to go to the restroom," you mutter, getting up from the sofa.
Gaspard puts down his drink, "I can show youâ"
"It's okay. I can go by myself," you tell him off, you regret being so crass but you're sure he'll understand.
"Okay," he says, sitting back down on the sofa.
While clutching the hem of your dress, you head back inside the house and find the bathroom to only queue to get inside, you decide to try on the second floor. You can easily find the bathroom as it's wedged between two bedrooms.
It's a party, you're sure the host would be okay with you using their bathroom, you don't even need to pee or something, you just need a space to vent.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," you keep muttering to the reflection in the mirror.
When you touch your neck, you can feel a sheen of sweat there so you run your hands under the cold water and tap it to your neck.
This is the first time you realize what it'll do to you when it comes to following your desire. You'll ruin not only their relationship but also your friendship with Kim and she's been nothing but good to you.
"Fuck!" You mutter once again as you splash cold water on your face like it would help to put some sense into you.
Coming here was a bad idea!
But you're already here so you only need to stick to your plan, staying away from Minho and sticking with Gaspard. You allow yourself to spend a few more minutes just to compose yourself before coming out of the bathroom.
As you're about to climb down the stairs, the plan comes to a failure.
You see Minho is coming up the stairs and he seems to be looking for you as well from the way he stops once he finds you.
Instead of avoiding him as you planned, you feel the need to confront him about what happened a while ago. You grab the front of his shirt and take him into one of the bedrooms. The first one is locked so you try the other one and it's empty.
Once both of you are inside, you slam the door shut and push him against it.
"What the hell are you doing?" You aggressively ask, pushing his chest until his back hits the door.
"What? What am I doing?" He plays innocent but that smirk knows it all.
You slap his chest with both of your hands now but all you can feel is how firm his pecs are.
"You just don't care, do you?"
He puts his hands on each side of your waist and draws you closer, not hesitating to plant his mouth on your jaw.
"Minho!" You whine, ending up getting trapped in his hold with his arms wrapped tightly around you.
He glides his lips up and presses a kiss there on the skin under your ear, sending a tingling down your spine as his warm breath brushes your skin.
You helplessly dodge away from his lips yet somehow, he manages to capture your lips in a kiss and oh, you hate it so much! You hate how you like the way he kisses you, so passionately and hungrily, he makes it known that he wants it so much.
Okay, maybe the kiss is a slip-up and you hurriedly pull yourself out of it. You push him and pull away from the kiss.
"You know we can't do this," you mutter but you're looking at his lips, tempted to kiss him again.
He ignores your words and kisses you again, and you fall into it again. You try harder this time and break the kiss.
"Minho!" You whine, looking away to not let the temptation win again.
Using it as an opportunity, Minho plants his mouth on your ear and nibbles on it, peeling a layer off of your sanity which brings you to slip down the slope again.
Your lips are colliding again, harder and deeper, causing even more damage than the previous one as his hands go all over you and pull the straps of your dress down your shoulders.
The two logics in your head are clashing against each other, the one wants to satisfy this desire and the other wants to get out of this situation altogether. If you follow the former then at least, your curiosity will be fulfilled and if you follow the latter, then you get to keep the peace.
As you are caught in that inner battle, you blank out and stiffen against him.
"We have to stop," you mutter to him.
But is that what you want? To stop when you already have your toes dipped in the water?
Minho also takes a moment to assess the situation, he looks at you with his lips red and wet, "it has to stop," he says in agreement.
You take a step back and feel the sudden detachment as he lets go of you and you can't believe that he agrees right away that this is the better decision. You can't help but think that he doesn't want you enough.
He stays standing there, leaning against the door and looking at you with his eyes dark and wide with lust.
"So what do we do now?"
That's such a wrong thing to ask you because what you want to do now is be selfish for the night, for one fucking night, and if you're going to do it, you may as well go all in, right?
Take the chance or pass? Right or wrong? Continue or stop? Now or never?
"Fuck!" you heavily sigh and take down the straps of your dress, sending your breasts spilling out of the front.
"Suck my tits," you order.
It takes Minho a moment to process it and when he finally catches on that you've made up your mind, he goes for it. He comes at you full speed, hands off the brake and head first.
His mouth lathers at your breasts before sucking at them like you asked, taking them in turns, and leaving them wet with his saliva.
"Nibble on my nipples," you command.
You look down to watch him obeying you, using his tongue to nibble on your blossoming buds and alternating it with his teeth next.
"Oh, fuck," you breathlessly mutter as he sucks hard on your nipple.
While his mouth is busy latching on your breasts, his hands are snaking to the back and kneading at your asscheeks, caressing them with his fingers, and teasing your underwear.
This feels so wrong yet so good, you have your inner battle still but your logic is being defeated by your body's needs. You pull him by the shoulder and make him kiss you again so you'll stop thinking.
The rattles on the door startle you both and Minho immediately pushes the door with his back, then holds the knob to not let anyone in. Whoever tries to get it seems to figure out that the room is occupied.
"Sorry," someone says from behind the door.
Minho immediately locks the door while you take a step back from him, he gives you that look again, the kind of look that sees right through you and knows that you feel conflicted inside.
"Kim is my good friend," you tell him, feeling a pang of sadness in your chest that it aches.
He comes at you again and kisses you in which you're returning with the same eagerness. He seems to know that it's the only way to make you stop talking and thinking altogether. He pulls you closer than before his hands snaking to your rear, cupping the ample flesh in his hand.
"This is terrible," you mutter as you break the kiss so you can take your underwear off.
"This is terrible..." you mutter again, pulling him close by the waistband of his jeans and proceeding to unzip his fly open, "Betraying her like this."
It's like your body has a mind of its own, it's doing the opposite of what you're saying.
You impatiently take his semi-hard out of its confine and stroke it in your hand, "terrible," you emphasize the word and nail it deep into your head.
Minho doesn't say anything but follows what your body wants, he kisses you again, sloppily with his hands mindlessly roaming around your body.
"Touch me there," you whisper into him.
Without looking, his hand knows where to go. It goes to where you want him to be, going to the front to that wetness between your legs.
"Put your fingers in."
Minho runs his fingers down your slit repeatedly before inserting his finger into you. One digit is enough to make you moan in pleasure as he pumps it in and out of you.
"Add one more."
He draws his finger out and brings his index and middle fingers, shoving them into your mouth to wet them with your saliva. He brings them back to your entrance and slowly pushes them inside.
"Fuck, oh..." you moan, burying your head in his neck.
Two fingers are going in and out of you and you're already losing it. You start to think of what his cock would be like inside you as it feels hot and hard in your hand, pulsating with so much desire.
His lips nestle in your neck, kissing and lightly sucking on the skin as your body clings to him for support.
"Curl themâ Oh!"
Minho knows what to do, he curls his fingers and carefully finds that spot that makes you whine and moan at the same time, and the lewd noise echoes in the dimly lit room.
You look over your shoulder to locate the bed and start steering his body there, walking backward without having to take hands off of each other.
He slowly pulls out and breaks the kiss only to pull your dress up, making the dress hunched around your waist. You plop down onto the bed and get on, you take a moment to continue undoing his jeans and pull it down enough to let his erection free.
Without thinking, you put his cock into your mouth, take him as much as you can and compensate for the rest you can't take with your hand. You lick and suck, alternating those two as you enjoy every inch of his delicious length with your mouth.
Minho tangles his hand in your hair and gently tugs at it, "I feel so guilty," he says.
Oh, so he's not that selfish after all but the thought of him thinking of his girlfriend with his cock deep in your mouth doesn't make you jealous at all, it makes you feel more aroused than before.
"Oh, so guilty," he says between his hoarse, low moans as he stares back into your eyes.
You slowly pull away and replace your mouth with your hand, restlessly pumping his swollen cock.
"You should be," you tell him, sticking your tongue out of your mouth and swirling it around the pink tip of his cock.
All of a sudden, he grabs your hand and takes it away from his length, he then takes your other hand to pin it against the bed. He hovers above you as he kisses you again, his tongue prying open your mouth to taste more of you.
You can feel him rubbing his length between your folds and you spread your legs open so he can do it more, making you drenched than you already are.
It's obvious to you now that you want him, you want him so bad and what you want is only inches away from you, and you can feel how much he wants you.
"Put it in," you breathlessly say against his lips.
Minho wastes no time to position himself between your legs. He then holds his cock, lubricating it with your essence and giving it a few pumps to finally aims it toward your entrance.
The more time he takes to be inside you, the more impatient you get.
"Put it deep inside me," you demand, opening your legs wider for him.
Yet Minho keeps teasing your entrance, heightening your anticipation and the tension in the room, making you arching your back at him.
When he finally pushes in, he only inserts the tip. It's just the tip but Gosh! It feels good already when he starts thrusting at a slow, steady pace.
"That's it," you say, keeping your waist afloat to take more of him, "all the way in."
Minho is just as impatient. He takes your wish as his command and pushes the rest of his length into you, hitting you deep inside that you blank out and you can't hear your own scream of pleasure.
It only registered to you now that it's all real once you take a look at how his cock is fully buried deep inside you and there's nothing like the feeling of finally having your desire fulfilled. Minho feels so good inside you, every inch of his length fills you perfectly like he was made just for you.
"Oh..." you loudly moan as he starts moving.
You're in and out of you at how hard he's thrusting into you that it reverberates throughout your body and in the middle of it, you manage to look at him, his face is masked with pleasure from the way his eyes are half shut and his lips pressed together.
Maybe the two of you want it so much that the sex feels rushed and a little rough, almost animalistic even. You can feel you're about to cum and so is he.
"Don't cum inside," you warn him before bringing his head close for a sloppy kiss on his lips.
In return, Minho goes sloppy with his thrusts that the bed quakes along with his movements and you're gripping the sheet to hold on to. He's twitching inside you and your legs are shaking. The knot in your stomach keeps tightening and you feel like exploding at any minute now.
He incessantly thrusts into you while you keep gripping the sheet, he probably senses that you're on the brink of climaxing and takes you there, sending you into your release with your eyes screwed shut, seeing white. He cums not long after you and keeps himself deep into you, completely forgetting your warning.
When it occurs to you that he completely forgot about your warning, you slowly push him away and force him to pull out of you.
"I told you not to cum inside," you whine.
Minho's eyes fixated on the way his cum drips out of you, pearly white and glistening wet, inviting him to taste. He finds a way to solve it by settling his head between your legs and licking your mixed juices off of your cunt and not hesitating to swallow it. He sucks on your gushing hole before using his tongue to insert it, he makes sure to not leave any drop of his cum in you.
Watching him eating you and swallowing his own cum is getting you off in the best way, you suddenly don't mind it that much that he cum inside you. If anything, you want him to fill you so you get to watch him do it all over again.
"Stop, Minho! Stop!" You tell him, tugging at his hair to stop him from diving further into your wetness.
He abruptly stops and lifts his head with his mouth and chin glistening wet with your essence. You grab him by the front of his shirt and make him hover above you again. You know you already got what you want and it's time to stop.
What are you going to do now? You ask yourself.
Seize the chance. This is probably the last time you ever had this chance and this could be the one and only chance. You roll him over and straddle him, thinking of having him again for the last time, selfishly.
Taking a moment for this could be the only chance you get to do it, you look at him and his beautiful face, and you allow yourself to kiss his lips. You're running your hands down his clothed chest and patiently unbuttoning his shirt, then part it open to reveal his toned upper half body.
It's only fair if you get to touch him all over too so you do it, using your hands and your lips next, it's just you and miles and miles of his warm, honey skin.
Minho lets you do everything as he lays on his back, watches you kissing every inch of his abdomen, and eventually has him in your mouth again. He props his hands against the bed to see how your lips wrapped around his cock.
After a while, you suddenly pull out and gasp for air, "We have to stop."
He sits up on the bed and puts your hair away from your face, "But I don't want to stop," he says, then continues putting your hair away to the back so he can kiss your neck, chest, and breasts.
They're just words, they've been just words that you say in vain and have no effect to make you stop whatsoever. You only say that just to remind you that this feels so wrong but it feels good to do it.
You sit on his lap and position his cock at your entrance again, slowly, you lower yourself on him. You let out a mewl as you take him in little by little, feeling his girth stretching you out.
"Do you want to stop?" He asks you with his hands cradling your head in between.
"We have to," you sigh with your eyes closed, overwhelmed by his cock that buries deep inside you.
"I don't want to," he breathlessly says, holding you by the waist, guiding you to start moving.
Putting your arms around his shoulders for support, you're switching between pulsating and rolling your hips around him as he latches his lips on your neck and chest.
Somehow, he feels bigger and harder inside you, and he fills you better, therefore, you just want to keep feeling his length around you. However, in the middle of it, your logic fights to come out of you.
"This is wrong," you breathlessly mutter.
"Mmh-hmm," he hums against your lips, mindlessly answering to you.
"This is so wrong, Minho," you say again as you keep moving to chase your high.
If this is wrong then why it feels so good? If this is wrong then you never want to be right. If this is wrong then you want to be a sinner, forever.
"Oh, I can't do this anymore," you cry, it's unclear whether it's the body or your conscience speaking.
"Keep going, keep going," he repeatedly mutters through his gritted teeth, watching you bouncing on his cock.
The sex is more intense and harder than the previous one, you keep holding your breath even though you're running out of air. Your nails dug into his skin, your mouth locked with his lips, and you feel a sheen of sweat forming on your skin.
It all comes down to the one moment when everything hits you all at once. Other than the wave of dopamine and oxytocin that surge through your body, you feel good, you feel light and happy, but underneath that, you feel that bitter feeling, guilt that is gnawing and eating you alive from the inside.
You open your eyes and find Minho looking at you with a soft gaze and it feels tender that you feel like crying, or you're about to as you feel tears forming in the corners of your eyes.
"Oh, God! What have I done?" You roughly brush the hair stuck to your moist forehead.
"It's okay," Minho says, trying to justify this act of betrayal.
"Oh, my God!" You press the heels of your palms to your eyes to stop you from crying.
Minho gently holds your chin and softly presses a kiss on your lips as if he's trying to take the pain away but that's useless because you caused this yourself and he's a part of the problem.
But his kiss no longer holds the same effect, you feel restless the more he kisses you so you slowly pull away and keep a safe space between you and him.
"Let's just stop," you say with a sigh and then rush to get off his lap. You lowly gasp from the sudden emptiness and once your feet touch the floor, you're staggering backward.
Then, you feel it, his hot cum that drips out of you and down your inner thigh.
"I can help you with that," Minho offers.
You immediately hold your hand up at him and firmly say, "Just stop!"
You start fixing your dress, putting your arm in the straps, and pulling them to your shoulders. You look around for your underwear and once you find it, you put it on.
"Kim can't know about this," you meekly say as you pull the hem of your dress and smooth them down.
There's no looking back at it now. You've got what you wanted and now it's time to move on. You turn the door knob and head out without saying anything else.
Rejoining the party downstairs, you immediately head to the kitchen to get a drink but on the way there, someone catches you by the hand.
"Come, dance with me!" Kim says with a grin, pulling you with her to the middle of the room.
"Kim, Iâ" you can't find anything to say to her without the guilt clogging your throat, "I need a drink."
"Here. Have mine!" She hands you her cup.
"I'll get us drinks and get back to you, okay?" You kindly refuse her but she won't let go of your hand.
"Oh, come on, it's my favorite song!" She pleads with her puppy eyes, making you feel worse than you already are.
Seeing her and how oblivious she is to what you and Minho have done is breaking your heart.
That brings you to the third and last statement: That will be the first and the last time you've had sex with Minho.
-
Things are going back to normal. Or that's what it seems to you.
You're still roommates with Kim and she's still oblivious about what you and Minho did behind her back which means he keeps true to his promise.
And yes, he still comes to the apartment but it doesn't bother you as it used to. You learn that your friendship with Kim is far more valuable than his boyfriend's cock, in fact, you've been taking her kindness for granted.
So for these past few days, you've been trying to avoid them as much as possible. You purposely come home late from work and if you do find them together in the apartment, you make excuses to stay in your bedroom.
Fewer interactions means fewer chances of this guilt from bringing you down further.
The new plan is to get your own place as soon as possible and for that to happen, you have to start looking for it.
Today, Gaspard offers to help you check a few places and it's also the perfect getaway than staying in the apartment. You quietly get dressed and slip out of your bedroom to find Kim catches you while dunking her teabag into her cup.
"Where are you going?" She asks.
You don't want to tell her about it yet that you plan on moving out soon so you make up an excuse on the spot, "Just getting a few things for work, yeah," you lie.
She tosses the teabag into the trash and uses a spoon to stir it, "Just getting a few things for work, huh?"
"Yeah, I need new work shoes," you lie again, seamlessly this time.
"And you think you don't need my help?"
"No, no," you hastily reply, "I just know how much you like staying in on the weekends."
"I would to go out on the weekend too."
Kim keeps misunderstanding you so you decide to tell her, "I'm going out with Gaspard," you admit, but keep the details from her.
Kim lets out a laugh and puts down her cup of tea, "Oh, my God! Why did you lie about it?"
"I don't know. It feels weird," you awkwardly answer.
"Why would it be weird? Cause he's my friend?"
"Yeah..." you meekly say.
She laughs again and comes up to you, "Why would it be weird that my roommate is going out with my good friend?"
That's true, this is nothing compared to fucking your roommate's boyfriend. You swallow the guilt that crawls out of your throat.
"I can lend you my shoes to match it with that cute dress?" She offers, kind as always.
"No, it's fine. It's comfortable this way," you say, opting for the sneakers you're wearing since you're going to do a lot of walking today.
"As long as you're comfortable," she says, fixing your hair as she speaks.
The front door opens and the two of you are turning your heads to see who's coming, it's none other than Minho. You hurriedly sling your purse around your shoulder and ready to leave.
"I'd better get going," you tell Kim, giving her a quick hug.
"You can come home as late as you want," she jokingly says as she hugs you back, "Actually, don't bother coming home tonight."
You laugh it off and pull away while ignoring Minho who walks to the kitchen to get something out of the fridge. You head for the door and wave bye at Kim before getting out.
-
The search for a new place comes to fruition, you have two potential living spaces but the only problem is you can't afford the rent, yet.
You end the day with a hearty dinner also as a treat for Gaspard for being so helpful and patient with you. He's simply a great guy to be with and you wonder why didn't you want to fuck him instead of Minho.
Oh fuck, you think about Minho again and it reminds you that he's in the apartment now so you stay out as late as you can. You consider Gaspard's offer to come and visit his place but you don't want to give him the impression that this is a date.
It's too casual to be counted as a date in the first place but you make sure to promise him a proper one next time.
"Maybe next time when I'm not sweaty and the day is not as humid as today," you kindly refuse the offer.
"I agree," he says as his hair turns a lot curler in this humidity and shyly brushes it to the back.
He walks you to the entrance of your apartment building and you turn on your feet to face him, "Thank you for today," you sincerely say.
"No worries. I had fun today," he coyly says with a smile.
You know he wants to kiss you and you want to kiss him too because he's just so attractive and fun to be with, he's a great guy... you can list so many reasons why you should kiss him so you muster up the courage to do it.
You stand on your tiptoe and press a kiss on his lips, putting your hand on his shoulder for support and Gaspard returns the kiss with so much gentleness with his hand cupping your jaw.
In the middle of it, you come to a realization that you kiss him for so many reasons but not because you like him. You slowly pull away from the kiss and quickly put on a smile for him.
"Goodnight, Gaspard," you mutter.
He allows himself to place a gentle caress on your cheek and smiles back at you as he says back, "Goodnight!"
The walk back to the apartment feels like a punishment. At least, it's late enough that you're sure Kim is already asleep by now so you quietly unlock the door, pushing it open without making any noise, and walk through the living room until you get to the safety of your room.
You kick your shoes off, throw your purse onto the bed, and take off your jacket, just standing there in your dress facing the huge mirror with your reflection staring back at you.
"Do you need help with that?" Minho asks through the cracks of your door.
You hate it that he's still here and you're happy to see him, you're not answering but he comes to your aid anyway. He stands right behind you and slowly unzips your dress for you.
It must be intentional the way his knuckles graze your skin as he pulls the zipper down your back.
The memories from that night come back to you and unlock all the feelings that you try to keep at the bottom of your heart.
Minho then places his hand on your shoulder and looks at you through the mirror, "Do you need help with anything else?" He asks with a voice so low it's almost like a whisper.
You turn your head to the side and meet his gaze, "No."
All sorts of thoughts come rushing through your head but it's the same contradicting questions: Take the chance or pass? Right or wrong? Continue or stop? Now or never?
Those questions going around your head and won't stop bothering you until you make up your mind.
You turn around to face him and notice how close he's standing in front of you, so close that you can feel the heat his body is emitting.
"But I'll help myself," you say and then kiss him.
Well, you guess people can tell which one is the lie now.
-
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vengeance.
roommate!abby anderson x fem!reader
- summary: youâre tired of dealing with your boyfriendâs awful habits. when he ends up crossing the line with you one day, you decide to get back at him, and your not-so-innocent roommate has the perfect way to do it.
- content: smut MDNI, no outbreak/modern au, reader and abby are roommates, reader has a shitty boyfriend, slight mentions of alcohol consumption and partying, infidelity/cheating, sex tape/amateur porn, kinda roughdom!abby, strap usage (r!receiving), abby referring to the strap as her cock, slight choking, daddy kink, abby hits it from the back, oral & fingering (r!receiving), pussy slapping, squirting, aftercare at the end ofc
- authorâs note: hi everyone!! so i decided to do my very first collab with none other than the amazingly talented @whore4abby, iâm so grateful to have done this with you!!
also, consider this fic as our 1k special from us to you. thank you so much for all the love and support youâve given to the both of us đ¤ we hope you enjoy it!!
you donât really know how you got yourself to this point.
well, you do, actuallyâŚbut you didnât know how this could have possibly escalated so fast.
it was just a silly little conversation at first. you were simply venting to your roommate, abby about your boyfriend for what was probably the millionth time now.
âugh, i just canât believe him!â you exclaimed to her as you frantically paced around your room. âi told him to make the best impression to meet my parents last weekend and what does he do?! he shows up to the restaurant thirty minutes late smelling like alcohol. how can he be soâŚso inconsiderate?!â
youâve been in an on-again, off-again relationship with your boyfriend for about a year now. everything went fine with the two of you at first, but now it somehow just progressed to where you both canât even make it a week without breaking up.
abby is sat at the foot of your bed, nodding in acknowledgement as you continued to ramble to her about your asshole boyfriend. you truly couldnât ask for a better friend like her to listen to all of your problems about this, because unlike abby, you knew that anyone else you might know couldnât withstand having to hear about the same person every damn day of the week.
âi seriously think iâm gonna break up with him now, for good this time.â you tell her with confidence.
abby lets out a sigh and rolls her eyes at your statement. âisnât that what you said the last fifteen times though?â she asked, further manspreading on your bed before pulling her phone out of her pocket to scroll through it.
âi know, i know,â you said, continuing to pace around your room. âheâs done so much stupid shit lately, but this is honestly the final straw for me. who knows how much worse he could get if iââ
âhey, umâŚyou might wanna see this.â abby says, showing you her phone screen. âisnât that him?â
âwhat? what are youââ your words drift off for a moment. you take a step towards her to take a closer look at her phone. it was an instagram story that her friend manny had posted, containing a video of some frat party happening right now and you could visibly see a girl grinding and making out with your boyfriend, clear as day.
now that was really the last straw for you.
âthat assholeâŚâ you mutter quietly to yourself as you watched the story again.
to be honest, you werenât even that upset about it. well, you were, but not to where youâd be in tears crying over him. but rather, you had an urge to try to get back at him somehow. you wanted to retaliate against him. you wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine.
you wanted to give him vengeance.
âi seriously canât believe him right now,â you tell abby again as you hand the phone back to her. âyou know, iâm not even upset that he cheated on me, i justâŚâ you pause for a moment to take a deep breath. âi just wish i could get back at him, give him some sort of payback you know?â
âyeah, i get you.â abby replies before looking back down at her phone. âyou knowâŚi think i might have an idea to get back at himâŚshow that asshole what heâs missingâŚâ she said, flipping her phone around to eye at the camera for a moment before looking back up at you.
âreally?â you asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity as you took another step towards her. âiâm down for whatever, what did you have in mind?â
Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź â・Ë
and thatâs how you got to where you were now, as if it had happened in a matter of seconds.
âcâmon, baby⌠look at the camera for me.â abby murmured to you from behind.
you laid at the center of your bed, bare body sprawled out with your ass up and abbyâs thick, black strap nestled deep inside your wet cunt.
you didnât want to admit it, but the stretch that abbyâs cock had in you was overbearing. you really thought youâd take it, you told her so yourself. but now that you were feeling every single inch inside you, from base to tipâyou were very, very wrong. youâre trying as best as you can to follow abbyâs commands, but the immense length and girth of her strap has you feeling dizzy.
one of her hands reaches down under your stomach and makes its way up to your neck. âyou really want me to repeat myself right now, princess?â she says in a firm tone, keeping her grip on your neck. âi said, look at the camera for me.â
âoh, fuckââ you whimper to yourself as chills start to go through your spine. your whole body is fucking trembling and abby still has yet to move her cock inside you.
you try to lift your head up, looking straight into the camera on abbyâs phone that was currently propped up in front of the two of you, the most dumbfounded expression was stricken on your face at the moment. you were already so cockdrunk and it clearly shows.
âatta girlâŚwould you look at that?â abby says, looking into the camera with you as well. âsee how pretty your girlfriend looks on my cock? sheâs already drunk and i havenât even started moving yetâŚnot so bad for a girl if i do say so myself.â she continues narrating into the camera. âiâll show you how itâs really done, yeah?â
and with that she began to start moving, painfully slow to say the least. you felt her hand let go of its grip on your neck and move to your hip, gripping it tightly as she kept slowly thrusting her cock inside you.
âyou like that, princess? like how my cock feels inside you?â she asks in between her thrusts.
you end up mumbling something into the sheets, and abby couldâve sworn that you were calling her a name. her hand quickly returns back to your neck, lifting you up and pulling you back towards her as she kept her cock inside you. âwhat did you just call me? tell me what you just said.â she says in a stern tone, slowly tightening her grip on your neck.
âf-feels so good, d-daddyâŚâ you slur out to her, eyes rolling to the back of your head as the tip of the strap gently presses against your g spot.
the smirk on abbyâs face grew wider as she heard you call her that name. it was like music to her ears, and she couldnât help but play along with it. âyeah? does it feel good, princess? does daddyâs cock feel good inside that little pussy of yours?â she asks, receiving a whiny nod from you in response.
abby looks into the camera and lets out a quiet groan at the sight of the two of you on her phone screen. âoh fuck, youâre not wrongâŚletâs take a closer look there, shall we?â she says, keeping your body up against hers with one hand as she moves forward and grabs her phone with the other. you look down as she brings the front camera down to both of your lower bodies where the strap was connecting it. now keeping her bicep firm on your upper body, she snakes her hand down to your gushing pussy, spreading its puffy lips open with two fingers in front of the camera.
âwould you look at thatâŚâ she murmurs, bringing the camera closer. âthat pussyâs practically crying all over my cock. does he ever get you this wet, princess?â
ân-noâŚâ you whine out, shaking your head. âhe doesnâtâŚâ
âoh, poor thingâŚâ she murmurs from behind, reaching down to rub your throbbing clit. âseems like you need daddy to take care of you, yeah?â
ây-yes, daddy, pleaseâŚn-need you to fuck meâŚâ
abby gently lowers you back down onto your bed before setting her phone back to its original spot, screen still fixed on the both of you. she places a hand onto each of your hips, gripping them tightly as she begins to slowly thrust her cock into your pussy.
as abby began to fuck you, you were now buried into the sheets again, releasing muffled moans and whines with every thrust of abbyâs hips. in that moment, your boyfriend, and all of the fights and encounters youâve had with him were the last things on your mind. you didnât care about him. you didnât even care about the video, knowing that heâll be watching it soon. all that was on your mind now was abby and the large piece of black silicone stretching you open.
âdoes that feel good, baby?â she asks, slowly speeding up her pace. âcâmon baby, why donât you tell him how it feels?â
you muster up the energy to at least turn your head to the side to respond. âf-feels amazing, daddyâŚb-best cock iâve ever hadâŚâ you slur back to her, eyes fluttering shut in pleasure as you fist the sheets tightly.
âyou hear that?â she says into the camera. âitâs not even real, yet itâs the best cock sheâs ever hadâŚbet itâs bigger than whatever you have going on down there tooâŚâ
you continue to whine into the sheets, weakly pushing your hips back against abbyâs cock as a sign for her to speed it up. âf-faster daddyâŚp-pleaseâŚâ you whine out to her.
abby looks back down to what was below her, that same smirk growing onto her freckled face once again. âwould you look at that, sheâs already so eager for moreâŚâ she murmurs to herself, tightening her grip onto your hips as she began to thrust into you faster than before.
âoh f-f-fuckââ you moan out, turning your head back to see her and watching her smirk get bigger again as she admires your drunk, fucked out expression. âdonât look at me nowâŚâ she tells you before pointing at her phone. âlook at the camera. look at him. tell him how good iâm fucking you.â
despite how heavy your eyelids were getting, you try to keep your vision straight, looking into the camera for as long as you could. âs-s-sheâs fucking me s-so goodâŚb-better than y-youâŚâ you slur out into the camera before letting your head drop back down into the sheets.
âyou hear that? iâm a better fuck to her than youâll ever be.â she narrates to the camera, still continuing her fast thrusts inside you. âcanât believe youâre letting a girl beat you at your own game, man.â
it didnât take long for that feeling to build up inside you. abby had only been fucking you for less than five minutes, and you were already about to cum now.
âa-abby, fuckâg-gonna cum n-nowâŚâ you whimper out to her, bringing a trembling hand to hold hers from behind. abby instantly swats your hand away and brings her hand down to your ass to slap it, the sting causing you to flinch a bit. âthatâs not my name, princess. you wanna try that again?â she asks you, still not stopping her fast pace.
âfuck, daddy!â you exclaimed, tightening your grip on the sheets to stabilize yourself. âp-please daddyâŚn-need to cum so badâŚâ
âthere we go, that sounds better nowâŚâ she replies, looking back to the camera before back down at you. âgo ahead, babygirlâŚcum for daddy.â
your grip gets even tighter on the sheets, and your cunt begins to clench down hard on the strap before cumming with a loud muffled moan, completely coating abbyâs black strap with your release.
âholy fuckâŚâ abby groans out from behind, now slowing down her pace. without pulling out just yet, she leans over to grab her phone, stopping the video and flipping the camera to the back to record a new one. âwould you look at thatâŚâ she murmurs, zooming in on your lower body, particularly on the white ring that was being formed on her strap.
she then points the camera to the very back of you where your pussy was before slowly pulling her strap out of your fucked out cunt. abby lets out another groan as she watches your pussy clench and spill out your thick release, quickly running two of her fingers over it to pick it up. you whimper and whine due to the sensitivity from her thick fingertips, but you still oblige and let her do it.
âlook how fucking good this pussy looksâŚâ abby murmurs to the camera. âyou know, i heard her tell me that you refuse to eat her outâŚâ she says, pausing for a moment to suck her fingers clean before continuing. âyouâre definitely a fucking idiot, to say the least. who wouldnât want to get a taste of this sweet girl?â
you hear abby stop the recording on her phone, letting out a breath of relief as you set the rest of your body back down onto the bed. youâre already fucked out as is, and you feel the slumber slowly starting to take over you.
however, you didnât get to have much of it now that abby has shaken you awake again. âlie back on the bed, iâm not done with you just yet.â
âw-what?â you say weakly, fully blinking your eyes open. âi-isnât that one enough already?â you ask, pointing to her phone.
abby shakes her head in response. ânope, we still have one more video to makeâŚand youâre holding the camera this time.â
Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË Ë ŕź âď˝ĄË â§ Ë ŕź â・Ë
you take the phone into your shaky hands, almost dropping it in the process before steadying it, abby's eyes practically burning through the camera lens as you angle your phone to film her between your legs, she slaps her hand against your folds and you whine out her name, "keep it fuckinâ steady, you hear me?"
your grip tightens on the phone and you try to keep it as steady as possible as she connects her warm mouth onto your clit, flicking her tongue up and down it a couple times, before drawing back and looking into the camera. "you see what you're missing out on, huh?" she tsks and shakes her head slightly. you draw your bottom lip between your teeth as she sinks back between your legs.
she presses her tongue to your sensitive folds as she messily kisses and licks at your pussy, groaning as she tastes you. her fingertips find your clit, rubbing circles over it as she slurps up your juices. the phone starts to slip from your grasp and abby shakes her head mockingly, slapping her hand straight down onto your pussy, fingertips smacking at your clit cruelly. "i'm not telling you again, keep that camera on me or imma keep slapping this pussy." she drawls, voice low and demanding as her gaze shifts from the camera lens to look straight into your half-lidded eyes. her stern tone has you nodding your head immediately in fear of another sharp slap.
her fingers start to slide into your entrance, slick squelching around them as she thrusts them in and out. her lips move up to suck at your swollen clit, with more purpose this time around as she feels you clenching around her fingers. "lemme hear you baby. c'mon, let it out. let him hear how good i'm making you feel." she whispers, thrusting her fingers in and out faster. she lifts her head and smirks up at you, clearly waiting for you to cum for her.
your back arches up into her and her free hand slides between your legs, roughly rubbing your wet folds as her tongue flutters over your clit, bringing you over the edge. your thighs tremble as they clamp around her blonde head which gives her no other option than to keep her head buried between your legs, sucking on your clit as you ride out your high and start to cum on her face.
her fingers continue to plunge in and out of you at practically record speed, fingertips curling against every inch of your g-spot and without warning, a stream of juices spurts from your pussy to soak her fingers and her face. she slides her fingers from your entrance, holding them up for you to see that they're covered in your juices, glistening in the light.
"look at the mess you made." she chuckles as she looks up and notices the look of absolute shock on your face as you realise what just happened.
"never done that before, huh?" she raises an eyebrow. "nuh uh." you pant out, feeling the need to pinch yourself as there is absolutely no way in hell she just made you squirt. "he's never made me do that....like ever." you giggle.
your head is still reeling as she lays you comfortably up against the pillows before she quickly fetches a washcloth from the en-suite bathroom. she returns less than a minute later, warm washcloth in hand, and starts to clean you up between your legs doting to your every need and want so soothingly, kissing at your thighs and stomach sporadically whilst doing so.
she eventually lends you one of her t-shirts to wear, gently holding your arms above your head, the soft material grazing against your skin. she climbs into bed beside you, the two of you bundled up under the thick sheets, snuggled up into her arms as your scroll through the footage taken on your phone. abby rubs her hand up your spine softly before pulling you tightly against her as she smirks at you, "gimme his number, i wanna send the footage to him."
you giggle and hand her your phone as she quickly copies down his phone number from your contacts into her own with a couple taps of her screen before opening up a text conversation with the new contact. she attaches the videos and starts to type out a message which reads:
"took care of your girl for you tonight...looks like she likes me better, don't you think?"
you shake your head and give her a little amused smile as you see the sheer look of smugness filling her flushed face, "that'll fuckinâ teach him." before pressing send and placing her phone face down on the bed in front of you.
itâs safe to say that thanks to abbyâs bright idea, you were successfully able to give your boyfriend the vengeance that he deserved after all. as abby pulls you in closer to her chest, you get the feeling that this wonât be the last time youâll do this with her.
and by the looks of it, youâve found a new habit of your own to enjoy too.
2024 Š atomicami & whore4abby | all rights reserved. do not copy, modify, or translate any of our works.
#abby anderson#abby anderson smut#abby anderson x reader#abby the last of us 2#abby anderson tlou2#abby anderson tlou#abby x reader smut#abby the last of us#abby x reader#abby tlou#abby x you#abby anderson the last of us 2#abby anderson x you#abby x fem!reader#abby anderson the last of us#abby anderson fanfiction#abby anderson x female reader#wlw#abby anderson fic#the last of us#the last of us x reader#the last of us part 2#the last of us fanfiction#the last of us abby anderson#the last of us 2
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Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse comes out later today so I wanted to write a post reflecting on my journey and experience working on this movie. So many people have supported me through this and I am so thankful to each and every one of you!
Text version of this post under the cut:
Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse comes out tonight. It feels really weird to be typing that out right now. I worked on the movie as a visdev artist for the last 2.5 years, from 2020 to 2023. Long post incoming.
There are a lot of reasons why I'd consider this film to be one of the most ambitious animated films to ever be made. As artists, we were asked to push ourselves far beyond our comfort zones and do things that had never been done before in animation.
Every time we reached a point where most people would say "this must possibly be as creative and weird as it gets," our entire team of artists and animators would smash right through the ceiling. The driving direction for the visuals of the film was to push the limits of every single frame; to challenge audience expectations and make something truly original.
The best thing about this film was that there wasn't a single boring day working on this movie. The hardest thing about this film was also that there wasn't a single boring day working on this movie.
There were times while working on this where the imposter syndrome hit me hard. This was my first big movie, and what a hell of a first movie to get thrust into.
I came in only a few years out of school with absolutely no idea what the hell I was doing. I constantly feared that someone had made a mistake in bringing me onto this film, and I was going to let everyone down. There was a solid chunk of those 2.5 years where I wasn't sure if animation was the right path for me.
If there's anything I could tell my past self it would be this: there are so many people who love you and believe in you. There will be a time when you get to stand on the other side of it, look back on everything and see how far you came.
I'm still working on self-acceptance every day (it will be a lifelong struggle, I'm sure), but I'm glad I didn't give up on myself. I'm proud of myself and my contributions to this film, and I'm certain that this movie will continue to change and shape the animation landscape just as the first one did. That's truly a special feeling to have been a part of. I am so incredibly grateful to every single person who helped me along this journey.
Here come the thanks:
To the ENTIRE visdev & art crew- it's been an honor getting to work alongside each and every one of you. My jaw is literally still on the floor from seeing your incredible talent day after day.
I want to thank Tiffany and Felicia especially for being there for me through tough times- I admire and respect you both so much as artists, and even better than that, my life is greatly enriched for being able to call you my friends.
Thank you Patrick and Dean for taking chances on me, teaching me so much about art and what I'm capable of, and encouraging me along the way. To Aymeric, your art is one of the reasons I initially became interested in animation and you have been one of the kindest & most empathetic mentors I could ever have asked for.
I want to thank my wonderful parents for believing in me always and raising me into the person I am today: everything I do in life is to make you proud. To my brother Andrew who is perpetually awake at 3 AM when I need someone to talk to- thank you for always picking up the phone and making me laugh.
And finally to my partner Luke for making me grilled cheeses on all of the difficult days, for never getting sick of me even when all I would ever talk about was work, and for patiently and steadfastly loving me throughout this entire thing. I don't think I could've done it without you.
Starting tomorrow I will begin posting and sharing some of the art I made for this movie; I'm looking forward to sharing some of my personal favorites with you. I hope each and every one of you enjoys Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse when it hits theaters later today!
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Can you do something with a reader who represents their country at Eurovision and gets along well with Joost and everyone ships them? Maybe smth like Joost comforts us before the performance and during it we can see that he is proud of us and itâs just fluff
YESS!!đđ
Just be yourself
Joost Klein x fem!reader
English is not my first language, so feel free to point out any mistakes or errors! More posts here.
A/n: it's so short I'm so sorry! I didn't have much of inspiration...
Wc: 429
---
This was it, the moment that you were waiting for, but you were nervous about it, how could you not be nervous. At least you had Joost here with you. Nothing else mattered.
But what if you mistake some words? Everyone will start to say things like you can't speak, sing or worse, what if they start to laugh? Luckily Joost saw you and your shaking form of nerves.
He approached you with a reassuring smile and said, "You've got this Y/n," his voice filled with confidence. "Just be yourself, and let your talent shine." He added, kneeling in front of you and took your hands in his, squeezed them for comfort.
His words were like a soothing balm to your frayed nerves, and you nodded, grateful for his encouragement. "Thank you Joost."
With a deep breath, you stood up and stepped onto the stage, the spotlight shining down as you prepared to share your music with the world.
As the music swelled and you began to sing, you felt a wave of emotion wash over you.
The crowd's cheers filled the air, but it was Joost's proud gaze that truly warmed your heart.
With every note, you poured your soul into the performance, pouring out your passion and love for music.
As the final notes faded away, the audience erupted into applause, and you couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. It was a dream come true.
Stepping offstage, you were greeted by Joost's beaming smile and enthusiastic hugs from the rest of the group. "You were amazing!" Joost exclaimed, pulling you into a tight embrace. "I knew you could do it."
The rest of the night was a whirlwind of celebrations and camaraderie, but it was the moments shared with Joost that meant the most. With his unwavering support, you felt like you could conquer the world.
"Thank you again Joost, it really means a lot to me..." you spoke quietly and looked into his ocean blue eyes, he really is beautiful.
"Don't thank me, you would have done the same." He said with a smile that reached his eyes.
You pulled him in another hug and just stood here. He is something else. Kind, friendly and has never ending support for everyone.
As the night drew to a close, you and Joost were surrounded by old and new friends, you couldn't help but feel grateful for everything that this day gave you.
And as the crowd whispered and winked, it was clear that the chemistry between you and Joost hadn't gone unnoticed. Everyone saw these stolen glances.
---
Don't copy or translate my work! Also the picture is not mine! Credit goes to owner!
#joost klein x reader#joost klein#joost klein x fem!reader#x reader#k0juki's stuff đŠˇ#x female!reader#eurovision#europe#netherlands#stand with joost#justice for joost#blurb
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rivalling teams | oscar piastri
a bit of a part one to this. thank u for the idea @insunia đŤś
pairing: oscar piastri x williams employee!reader
summary: the story of how it came to be that a member of loganâs team went on a date with a mclaren driver, and all the hardships you had to face because of your different team colours.
warnings: james vowles being a dick
working in formula 1 had always been your dream, and landing a job as a data analyst for the williams f1 team was that dream come true.
but the thrill of joining such a prestigious team was quickly ruined by the nervousness you felt as you stood outside of the doors on your first day. you were younger and less experienced than almost all other employees and you felt a sense of segregation as you first entered the team.
luckily for you, you were starting at the same time as logan sargeant; a young and talented driver who was also new to the team.
from your first day at williams, logan and you formed a quick bond. both of you were fresh out of adolescent, very ambitious, and more than eager to prove yourselves. the shared experience of being newcomers provided a foundation for a strong friendship and you often found yourselves working late into the night together, enjoying each others company immensely.
it happened one day, after a particularly grueling week, that logan invited you to join him for a casual dinner.
"you need a break," he had said, flashing his characteristic grin. "and i want you to meet an old friend of mine."
curious and eager for some downtime, you had agreed, and you soon found yourself following logan to a small, cozy restaurant.
the old friend he had wanted you to meet was oscar piastri, and you found yourself extremely grateful for logan when you realised that his fellow driver and longtime friend was charming, with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye that made you feel at ease instantly.
the evening turned into night, and you found yourself drawn to oscar. while he had seemed closed of at first, you had soon realised that wasnât really the case. the three of you talked for hours, and by the end of the night, oscar asked if he could see you again.
over the next few weeks, you and oscar started dating. he was thoughtful and kind, always making time for you despite his hectic schedule. your relationship blossomed quickly, and you cherished every moment together, even though you had to keep it discreet. you had no idea what the reactions of your employers would be, but you were both nervous to find out.
and find out you did, because the secrecy didn't last long. the williams team found out about your relationship, and the reaction was less than favorable. one afternoon, you were called into a meeting with your boss.
"we've heard about your relationship with oscar piastri," james began, his tone stern as he looked at you. "it's causing concern within the team. we need your full commitment here, without any distractions."
you felt your heart sink at the words. âmy relationship isnât affecting my job, i can assure you of thatââ
âiâm not sure i can trust you to do your best for the team while being involved with a rivalling driver.â he interrupted you.
his tone made you feel like a misbehaved kid and you looked down to avoid his gaze. "are you asking me to choose between my job and my relationship?"
he nodded, his expression unyielding. "unfortunately yes, we are."
the news left you devastated and confused. you loved your job and had worked so hard to get there, but you also cherished your relationship with oscar. torn and unsure of what to do, you confided in logan later that day.
"this isn't fair," logan said, frustration evident in his voice. "why should you have to choose? they should be happy for you, not punishing you."
oscar was equally furious as soon as he heard about the situation. "they can't make you choose," he insisted. "we can make this work without affecting your job."
determined to support you and keep what felt like his only friend on the team, logan decided to take matters into his own hands. he arranged a meeting with the team management, his confidence unwavering.
"sheâs a valuable asset to this team," logan argued passionately. "her work is impeccable, and sheâs extremely committedâeven with how negative everything seems right now. itâs not fair to ask her to choose between her job and her relationship."
his words seemed to surprisingly resonate with the management, who began to see the unfairness of their request, and after some deliberation, they agreed to let you stay, recognizing your contributions to the team and the dedication you had shown.
you had never been so grateful before, and the gratitude you showed logan almost made your boyfriend jealous. he couldnât be though. not when he was just as thankful towards his american friend.
as your relationship continued to flourish, you and oscar found ways to navigate the challenges of your respective careers. sneaking away to see each other on the weekends and convincing the team to let you stay in his hotel room, you cherished every second you got together while still being careful to maintain professionalism at the track.
despite the continued subtlety of your relationship, he relentlessly supported you through the challenges of your job, always there to listen and offer advice, and you did the same for him. the bond you shared deepened, filled with late-night talks, shared dreams and a love that felt completely unshakable.
one evening, after a particularly grueling day, oscar takes you out for a quiet dinner. he holds your hand across the table, his eyes filled with warmth. âiâm proud of you,â he says softly. âfor everything youâve handled, for standing strong.â
you smile, squeezing his hand. âi couldnât have done it without you.â thinking for a moment, you add: âor logan.â
oscar chuckles at your words. âyeah, heâs been quite amazing too.â
after dinner, you join logan for a movie night, a tradition that started when you first joined the team. as the movie plays, you sit nestled against oscar, logan on the other side of the couch. at one point, logan looks over, pretending to be annoyed.
âyou know,â he says with mock exasperation, âi really donât want to be the third wheel here.â
you laugh, reaching over to nudge him playfully. âsorry, logan. but youâre stuck with us. itâs your own fault, really.â
he grins, shaking his head. âyeah, yeah. just donât get too cozy over there.â
as the movie continues, you feel a deep sense of contentment. despite the challenges, youâve found a way to balance your job and your relationship with oscar, thanks to loganâs unwavering support and your own determination. the three of you have become a close-knit team, navigating the highs and lows of the racing world together.
in those quiet moments, surrounded by the people who mean the most to you, you realize that no matter what obstacles come your way, youâll face them with courage and love. with oscar (and logan) by your side, you can conquer anything.
#f1#f1 x reader#formula 1#f1 imagine#formula 1 x reader#mclaren#mclaren racing#op81#op81 imagine#op81 x reader#op81 x you#op81 x y/n#op81 fluff#op81 fic#oscar piastri x yn#oscar piastri x you#oscar piastri imagine#oscar piastri#oscar piastri x reader#logan sargeant#williams f1#williams racing
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10 things i love about you.
ekko x piltover! fem!reader
âł in which ekko lists ten things he loves exclusively about you.
He loved that you made it easy for him to be vulnerable. You showed him it was okay to feel weak and not be afraid to talk about his struggles. You welcomed him with open arms, ready to be there for him whenever he needed it. Youâd wipe away his tears along with your own, so that one day, you both could find lasting peace together.
He loved that you knew a relationship needed both people to put in the same effort, but he felt there was more to it. It wasnât healthy for you to do everything for him, but itâs not like he doesnât do anything for you. He sees you as someone who works hard and always tries to be strong for everyone, including him and yourself.
He loved that you werenât stuck-up or judgmental. You didnât look down on people because of where they came from. Even though he was from Zaun, you treated him like an equal. You welcomed him completely, both as a friend and as something more.
He loved that you had a great sense of humor and always welcomed his semi-awkward jokes. He adored how youâd get flustered when he made flirty jokes that subtly hinted at his deeper feelings and desires. The way your nose would crinkle when you felt self-conscious, even though you were breathtaking in every way, was endearing to him. And he loved how only you could truly get him riled up, pushing his buttons in the most exciting way.
He loved how you listened to him. How youâd take the time to lend an ear, even for something as small as a fleeting thought he had. He appreciated how youâd hear out his worries about what people might think of youâa woman from Piltover and a [last name]âdating him, a Zaunite. He also appreciated how you listened when he talked about his sadness over his former friend, who had become Jinx. He missed her and hated how things had turned out for them, and your willingness to hear him out meant a lot to him. He was genuinely grateful to have you.
He loved how you faced adversity with confidence. No matter the criticism, you stayed strong and never hesitated to challenge anything if you believed it could lead to a better future.
He loved that you were open to meeting his family and friends from the Under city and welcomed them warmly. He was unsure of how youâd react to Vi or even meeting Scar, his right-hand man. And when he first brought you to the Firelight hideout and all the kids kept saying how pretty you were, he could feel his cheeks heating up. It made him feel like he didnât deserve you at all.
He loved when youâd sneak him into your manor, also known as the [last name] estate. He was amazed by its grandeur. And when your parents caught you both, you didnât hesitate to introduce him as your boyfriend, not caring whether they accepted him or not. To your relief, they did. It didnât take long for you to introduce him as your boyfriend to your friends in Piltover. You introduced Ekko to Caitlyn Kiramman, your childhood friend who you absolutely adored, and then to Jayce Talis, another friend of yours. Jayce was a councilor and inventor like Ekko, so you thought theyâd get along well. However, Ekko wasnât too fond of Jayce (he was jealous of jayce, lol).
He loved when youâd ask to have a self-care night with him, where youâd both do self-care together and youâd pluck his usually untamed eyebrows. He loved how youâd hover over him while he lay in your bed, your body close to his as you worked on his eyebrows. The way youâd stick out your tongue in concentration was just adorable.
But he truly just loved you. You were a gifted painter, with a talent that brought beauty to everything you touched. Your words had a way of captivating and comforting, always knowing just what to say. You had a deep love for your home, Piltover, and a genuine desire to see it flourish. Yet, you were never blinded by the wrongs committed against Zaun; you strived to improve both worlds, aiming to unify Piltover and Zaun. Your compassion for those less fortunate was evident in how you consistently gave back to the community, always seeking to make a difference. Every facet of your character, from your creativity to your noble intentions, made him love you more deeply than he could ever express.
âGuide your hands here, my love,â Ekko whispers, gently directing your fingers to rest against his lips. His gaze locks with yours, intense and tender. âJust like that. I want to savor this moment.â
He leans in closer, his breath warm against your skin. âYou always know how to make everything feel special.â With a soft smile, he presses a gentle kiss to your fingertips, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulls back, eyes still holding yours.
Let him cherish these moments with you. Itâll all be worth it in the end.
#`âŚË ahlore#arcane#arcane show#arcane season one#arcane season two#arcane ekko#ekko x reader#ekko x you#arcane fanfic#arcane fic#ekko arcane#arcane season 2#arcane season 1#arcane jinx#league of legends
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âŠâŹ âË.đ§ââžââşâ⧠đđ¨đđ¤, đđ§đ? â Han x FEM Reader!
cw : guitarist and singer, rockstar, semi public sex, concert, bfwb to lovers, little bit crazy, perm han, love your thighs
sw : choke kink, biting, oral (both), piv, unprotected sex, humping, blowjob, hair pulling, pet names, MDNI.
wc : 6.600 words
synopsis : You and Jisung have been friends since primary school. A unique friendship. He had a special personality, quirky, a bit manic in some ways. Whereas you were always shy and kept to yourself. You always supported him, even in his budding career as a rock star. You loved the way he held the stage. Unfortunately, this job deprived him of many of life's pleasures, such as sex. One day he made a suggestion which, despite your initial embarrassment, you did not refuse. You were also sexually frustrated because you had never found a man who met your standards. And Jisung was the perfect man. So you began to be best friends with benefits. One day he will start his performance with a new look that will drive you crazy and this will result in a long and hot sex session.
a/n : this is the third fic that I wrote here and I'm so happy to see that a lot of you really liked this plot so after some waitings here for you the full story !!! đ Hope u enjoy this, let's see in the next one !!! đ¤đ¤đĽ°I opened a ko-fi account, i will post there some stories and drawings, if you want to support me i will be grateful to anyone who wants to give me tips, ITS NOT OBLIGATORY
MASTERLIST
[ HARD SMUT ]
You and Jisung have always been best friends. You met him in primary school when you were just two kids. You still remember the afternoons you spent together eating snacks and helping him with his homework. He was truly a child full of surprises and talents, he could do anything and you followed him everywhere because you loved him. Jisung was a part of you, you shared everything with him. You were two completely different personalities: you were kind, calm, shy and quiet, and he was quirky, eccentric, talkative, who loved to be the centre of attention and show off his talents, but you knew that deep down he was a kind-hearted person, despite some of his peculiar behaviour that you could sometimes not understand. Jisung really was a personality in his own right. He was unique, and that was what made this friendship unique. No one was like Han Jisung. Like your best friend. And no one would ever be. Never. You were a part of each other and had made a promise to each other. Over time, even your different passions and paths had failed to separate you. You had a job that reflected your personality, a simple bartender and photographer, while he, with a brilliant personality, had become a big shot in music. A wonderful rock star. A lifestyle that perfectly reflected his: free, flamboyant, unique. Han Jisung was simply the rock itself.
Unfortunately, however, our duties often and willingly take us away from what is pleasurable. And indeed it did. Because of the time you spent between the cafĂŠ and the photo studio, you could rarely go out at night to find a man to take to bed. And the frustration was high; you felt the physical need to get laid like never before. To get rid of all the stress weighing on your shoulders. Jisung's situation was no different. With his life as a musician, between studio work and concerts scattered around the country or even on tour, he never had time to relax and indulge in his manly pleasures. He had always been a bit of a playboy in his high school days, you well remember him taking advantage of every party to get into bed with some girl. It was amazing how the next day he would tell you everything in detail and you would tease him about his performance in bed. He was so sweet and convincing when he told you about his talents in bed.
However, when he started to devote himself to music, everything changed. No more tales of strange performances in bed. On the contrary, he would tell you how frustrating it was not to be able to take anyone to bed because of lack of time and fame. If he was caught, he would surely end up in the middle of a scandal, and he was determined to avoid that. He hated having to apologise for indulging his pleasures. Also because you were aware of your best friend's strange habits in bed.
Yes, because Han Jisung loved to play strange bed games with anyone who came along. You were in eighth grade when he first told you about one of his crazy nights at a party. He had left bite marks all over the girl's body and had fucked her in a position that you weren't sure you fully understood when he described it to you. Even less did you think it was normal to prepare the girl with the neck of a wine bottle. But that was Jisung, as special in bed as he was in real life.
Sometimes you were afraid of what she might do when you were not around. He was a strange personality and you loved that about him.
Every once in a while, before he went off to the studio for rehearsals or the release of a new album, he would drop by to tell you about the latest happenings over a good cup of coffee. He remembered how you take it from your high school days and loved to bring you breakfast every morning and tell you about the previous day. It gave you the feeling that nothing had changed over the years. You and Jisung were still the same kids in primary school, fighting over which stickers to put under the desk to make it your own.
You loved this side of your friendship, you felt more and more connected to him in every way, it was as if the longer you went on, the more nothing changed. It warmed your heart and you were grateful. You followed him to every concert in the country, leaving the cafĂŠ under the leadership of your clique of friends. Occasionally you took the opportunity to travel and see his concerts around the world, and when you couldn't join him, he would call you and you would stay up all night. He would always send you videos of where he was going, full performances just for you. You were his privileged fan and he loved it all.
Whenever he came back from tour, you would find him at your door with two beers and two pizzas, ready to spend the next two days with you, telling you about his colourful life away from home while on tour. And you smiled broadly when he told you of his madness and when he held you close to him after months of not feeling the contact of your body and the scent of your skin, which he loved madly. You remember how many times he told you how much he loved your perfume, whether it was some new scent you had bought or the simple smell of your skin after a hot winter shower.
Nothing could compare to the feeling of having a Han Jisung as your friend, as your best friend. It was like having a holiday home all to yourself, only in this case the holiday was for life and nothing could change that fate. Not even his crazy ideas about you, or those strange illuminations he had at night, telling you to follow him through the streets at four in the morning, or to play in the playground.
°ââ.ŕłŕż*:シ
It was so strange to think about how you had ended up in that situation with Jisung. Him naked at your side, caressing your skin with his lips.
One day, you remember exactly when and how it happened, you were eating a good kebab, he was complaining about how frustrating his life was since he could no longer take anyone to bed with him. You were about to choke on your beer when the idea came out of his mouth. "Yes, we could help each other! You give me pleasure and I give you pleasure. It's a fair deal, see? So I can show you my talents, you who have heard so much about them for so long," he said excitedly, clapping his hands. Do you remember how you looked at him in shock, your cheeks almost burning? You almost didn't choke on your salad. You were embarrassed, you didn't think your best friend could think such things, with you too. With you. Did Jisung really want to fuck you? You were a bit afraid that it would ruin your friendship. But on the other hand I felt he was right, you were the only one he could go with and he was the only one you had time to spend with. It was an offer with merit, and in the end quite tempting. You were shy, but at the same time you didn't want to turn down the offer, after all Jisung was your best friend, what could go wrong that it wouldn't work out? after all, no man reflected your standards and Han Jisung was really the perfect man. Muscular body, slim waist and long legs. Strong arms, a beautiful face with a predatory look. Jisung was simply ethereal.
"Jisung, are you sure about what you are asking me?" you asked, still a little incredulous. "Of course, Princess. I trust no one but you, and among other things, your body is wonderful, you have gorgeous thighs, I would love to stick my face in them." He whispered in your ear, making you blush. You hadn't expected him to be like that. This boy was a constant surprise. He bit your neck, then took a sip of beer and blinked at you. He was going to drive you crazy, you were more than sure. No one could make you like him, it was amazing the power he had over you.
You sighed and looked at him, "All right, I'm in, but don't get any strange ideas Han". You continued to eat as a huge grin appeared on his face.
And when you saw him grinning, you knew it was over for you.
That's how you ended up where you were now, in Han Jisung's arms, naked in his bed. Secretly, perhaps not so secretly, you loved the way he drew strange patterns on your skin, the way he kissed you and branded your breasts. You were always at his mercy. You caressed his warm stomach skin as he almost massaged your shoulder with his eyes closed. You felt him move underneath you to reach for the water and take a sip before he kissed your hair and began to slide his hand down to your bottom, cupping it in his hands and letting out a giggle. He was amazing, that boy, he would never change.
He ran a hand up your back, cupping your neck from behind and letting the back of your neck tilt back, biting your lower lip and pulling it towards him as he massaged your buttocks. You loved the little touches he would give you after a long session of sex. Also because he had worn you out enough that night. You knew how crazy he was in bed, he always proved it to you, and this time he had only confirmed the theory. He had chosen to eat you, laying you on your stomach on the mattress and taking your legs, wrapping them around his neck as he teased your hole with two fingers. You loved it when he pulled at your pussy lips with his teeth, it drove you crazy the way he squeezed as if he wanted to pull them away from you. "What are you thinking about?" He distracted you from your thoughts, you giggled as you thought about him and what you had done in bed just before. "About you and your extraordinary sexual performance," you laughed and then planted a soft kiss on his lips. He patted your bottom as he burst out laughing and covered his face, then rubbed it and rested on his elbows. His chest was full of your marks, as were your breasts. He had enjoyed branding you that night.
"I have a concert tomorrow, are you coming? I will be wearing a new look and there will be a new song on the set list, I hope you like it, Princess." He smiled and then slipped under the covers and catapulted himself over your body, laughing and kissing your stomach. "Of course I'll come, Jisung. I could never miss a concert of yours. I'm curious too. What are you going to do? Will you come back with blue hair like in high school?" you scoffed. He knew how much you had loved that high school period; blue hair had been your favourite look.
He smiled and jumped out from under the covers, towering over your body, your naked intimacies colliding and making you moan. It was literally driving you crazy. "No, something sexier, I have a performance in store that will blow your mind and you will be in the VIP station with backstage access. I need my princess to recharge, in fact I'm feeling very tired right now, I need a healthy recharge." He grinned. And that sneer could only mean one thing with Han Jisung. Another round. This guy really never got tired when you went to bed. "You really are a lost cause, Han," you said, stroking his hair as he rested his chin on your belly. "And you adore me so much." He laughed, then reached between your legs and began to bite your thighs. He loved your thighs and told you so every time you fucked.
"You have no idea how much I love the taste of your skin under my lips." He whispered, still licking away traces of his cum that were present along your thighs. Another thing you loved about fucking was the fact that you were both clean, no protection and on the pill. So he would release inside you and you loved the feeling of the heat spreading inside you.
He kissed your intimacy and began to slowly run his tongue over it as he cupped your thighs. He took a bite and began to penetrate you with his tongue. He may have given you heaven on a silver platter. He squeezed your buttocks and continued to move his tongue inside you, nimbly moving his hot muscle which, on contact with your already hot walls, seemed to plunge into the hidden, fiery caves of the pleasure circle. He broke away to get some air and took the opportunity to bite one thigh and continue to leave marks all over it, again not stopping there but continuing up the thigh as well. "You cannot understand the desire I have for you. You are delicious. My favourite dessert." He slid two fingers together with his tongue to spread you as wide as possible, even though you were not tight because of the act he had already performed earlier; it wasn't your first time together but he wanted you to be not only comfortable but as pleasurable as possible. He didn't mind giving you pleasure vicariously, especially as he knew how much you enjoyed his actions. He began to move his fingers inside your opening, almost simulating the same movements as his tongue, only the latter went much deeper. From two fingers he went to three and he was sure that he had uncovered your sensitive spot because you moaned. And that could only make Jisung competitive. He started to hit that spot while he used his tongue to lubricate it, after all, no one forbid you to come several times in one night.
The more he looked at your naked body, the more Jisung blinked with eyes filled with lust. Caught in a burning passion that could only be stopped by satisfying it, the boy held your thighs tightly and pushed himself into you for the umpteenth time, almost exhausting you. So he was surprised when he saw you rise, but without a word he let you go to see how far you would go. And so he eased you down, laying on the back of your bed that had accommodated you until then, before moaning hoarsely as he fully felt your tight walls welcoming his member from head to toe, "Holy shit baby...you are so tight, how is it possible that I just fucked you."
He placed his veiny hands on your tight waist to help you move as uncontrollable moans and gasps escaped from both your lips. You were about to reach the climax, but it was too soon for him to stop this inexplicable pleasure; he would have gone on indefinitely just to hold you and fuck you. He smiled mischievously as he watched you gain confidence and begin to jump on his member faster and faster. You grabbed his neck, pulling his hair back, and he made you tighten your grip, looking at you with piercing eyes. "Don't be afraid to hurt me Mummy - do whatever you want to me. You have no idea how much you drive me crazy." He whispered convincingly as he moved closer to your ear before relaxing under your captivating touch. You loved having that effect on him. To see when you were fucking tired after long sessions without having to see him squeeze you into strange positions. Jisung was enchanting in everything he did, which drove you crazy.... You felt completely at his mercy.
You groaned when you felt him bite your shoulder and turned around to see the teeth marks on your shoulder.
He giggled in amusement and took your chin in one hand and kissed you hard while holding your side with the other, helping you to move faster and faster.
You grinned to yourself, especially when you saw how helpless Jisung was against your touch. "Please make me cum, you're so good, fuck Princess" he moaned into your ear.
Your tongues intertwined as you sought each other out. You sucked on the older man's as you rose and fell on his intimacy. You loved the feel of his hands gripping between your waist and buttocks; it was a sensation that went to your head. "Do you want to come? Who am I not to please you, baby?" You smiled amiably, but with a hint of mockery, not because you wanted to tease him, but because you wanted to provoke him further. You wrapped your hands around the young man's neck and pressed your now joined bodies closer together. You continued to thrust until you tightened around the young man's length and poured yourself onto him. But it was not over there, he had not yet come and you had regained your strength to finish there. You had to give him his endurance for the performance. You continued to move quickly on his member until you were close to his ear. "Why don't you fuck me, hard, use me, cum inside me". You were provoking him. And who was Han Jisung to deny you that? You pulled away and licked the line that connected the beginning of his jaw to his chin. You loved provoking him, it was his favourite part. Especially to see his reaction.
He took you by the neck and pulled you closer to his face, barely laughing at your words. "Oh, but baby doll, we're not done yet." As he spoke, he had brought his free hand to your intimacy to collect some of your moisture, which he immediately brought to his mouth, not taking his eyes off you for a moment, wanting to enjoy your expression as you realised he was tasting you. And that drove you crazy. You loved the look Jisung always reserved for you. He licked his fingers and then looked at you with a mocking grin, determined to take what was coming to him. His member ached from how hard it was and he didn't want to waste any more time, "Do you want me to use you, baby doll, mh? Do you want me to fuck you?" He whispered lasciviously in your ear before grabbing your waist again with both hands, squeezing you and holding you still as he had you lie back against the mattress and began to thrust hard and fast on your sensitive spot again. The uneven rhythm allowed Jisung to enjoy your screams as he picked up the pace after a short pause. It was like music to his ears, so much so that he soon found himself moaning along with you. "Fuck baby you are so tight. How I love this feeling." He whispered into your ear. You were crazy about this Jisung. You worshipped him. "Mh...fuck Jisung faster please, I could come again at any moment..."
The last thrusts were harder than the others, he poured himself completely into you, moaning your name in the climax, followed by you, now exhausted.
"You have no idea what I have in store for you tomorrow baby, it will be the most memorable fuck of your entire life. Even the walls will fucking know your name." He laughed, then bit your thigh.
°ââ.ŕłŕż*:シ
It had been a tough day at work, you hadn't heard from your best friend and you were sure he was getting ready for the concert that would be this night. In fact, you had already planned your outfit for the evening: a black sheath dress over the thigh with a braid on the chest, a leather jacket and your beloved black knee-high boots. You had also thought of a make-up that would drive Jisung crazy and bring out the colours of your skin.
As soon as you got home, it didn't take you more than two minutes to catapult yourself into the shower and wash up. You were ready in no time, and when you looked in the mirror for the first time in months, you felt really pretty. Beautiful, in fact.
You were really curious about what Jisung had in store for you that night. He had been teasing you until he left your house the day before. He had said that he was going to change his look and you were sure that he was going to do something to his hair as it was the first thing that usually he would change. But you were also very curious about the song he was going to perform in preview this night, as it had not yet been released on any platform. You were sure he would come up with something sexy, as he usually did when he came up with these sudden things. You giggled to yourself. As you grabbed your last things and left the house, you had a smile on your face, happy and curious to see this new side of Jisung. You didn't even need a note, because by now your best friend's security and staff knew you well, not least because you had been caught making out in his dressing room a couple of times and Jisung had been forced to reveal everything to his manager, who had teased him about being desperate. You remember laughing at the look on Jisung's face at that moment.
It had been a tough day at work, you hadn't heard from your best friend and you were sure he was getting ready for the concert that would be this night. In fact, you had already planned your outfit for the evening: a black sheath dress over the thigh with a braid on the chest, a leather jacket and your beloved black knee-high boots. You had also thought of a make-up that would drive Jisung crazy and bring out the colours of your skin.
As soon as you got home, it didn't take you more than two minutes to catapult yourself into the shower and wash up. You were ready in no time, and when you looked in the mirror for the first time in months, you felt really pretty. Beautiful, in fact.
You were really curious about what Jisung had in store for you that night. He had been teasing you until he left your house the day before. He had said that he was going to change his look and you were sure that he was going to do something to his hair as it was the first thing that usually he would change. But you were also very curious about the song he was going to perform in preview this night, as it had not yet been released on any platform. You were sure he would come up with something sexy, as he usually did when he came up with these sudden things. You giggled to yourself. As you grabbed your last things and left the house, you had a smile on your face, happy and curious to see this new side of Jisung. You didn't even need a note, because by now your best friend's security and staff knew you well, not least because you had been caught making out in his dressing room a couple of times and Jisung had been forced to reveal everything to his manager, who had teased him about being desperate. You remember laughing at the look on Jisung's face at that moment.
When you arrived at the entrance to the park where the concert was to take place that night, you were greeted by the staff who escorted you to your reserved seat in the VIP box. Whenever Jisung gave a concert, you felt important just because you were accompanied by his bodyguards. You usually visited him before each concert, but this time you didn't want to spoil the surprise. You wanted to discover his much-vaunted new look at the same time as the performance. You bit your lower lip when the announcer started talking about Jisung and the concert as an introduction, and tugged at your lip fur when the first VCR started. Jisung was truly breathtaking; you had never seen a boy with such refined beauty. He had such delicate and sweet features, but at the same time he was so masculine. Every time you looked at him, you were amazed that his petite body was so well defined and muscular. He was just spectacular. Maybe he was the only guy you would want to fuck no matter who your best friend was. Jisung was the kind of guy you thought was perfect just the way he was. You wondered what he would be like as a boyfriend. But perhaps your mind began to fantasize too much about a hypothetical and almost unlikely relationship with him.
When Jisung appeared a few minutes later and greeted everyone with a big smile, the staff almost had to bring you a glass of water to get you back. It was his usual winking look, that look that drove you crazy, especially when he stuck out his tongue and raised his eyebrows. But it was not that that had particularly impressed you. It was the long-awaited "new look" he had to show off. Her hair was permed, it wasn't quite curly, but he'd waved it to set off his face. It was simply stunning. He wore a shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black trousers that dangerously bandaged his toned legs, and his beloved ankle black boots. Not to mention the inexhaustible amount of jewellery he always wore. You could even see his gleaming nose and lip piercings from under the stage.
His eyes caught yours and he winked, and for the first time you actually blushed under his amused gaze. He licked his lips and craned his neck, then approached the microphone. "I want to dedicate this song to someone special. It's new, you've never heard it before, and I want to give you a sneak preview. It's called 'Don't Say'," he finished, picking up his electric guitar and starting to sing. Your lips were open, Jisung made you tremble when he sang, he was really born to be on stage. He had the air of a rock star. His movements, his voice. He was magnificent. You started to feel hot when he threw his knees over the edge of the stage to start a guitar solo. How crazy he made you when he played, he really made your head spin. With that tongue stuck between his teeth, that defiant look. And then that hair, that curly hair falling down over his face, it really drove you crazy. You felt that night that you could have let that boy do anything to you.
You imagined what it would be like to pull his hair like that, to have those curls trapped between your fingers, your fingers trapped in those curls. You bit your lower lip so hard that you felt blood coming out from too much force. You imagined Jisung on top of you, fucking you so hard that you went crazy, arching your back and rolling your eyes. He was the only one who could make you feel like that. You knew that. You had had enough experiences in your life and Jisung, your best friend, had been the best. Now you understood and mostly believed what he told you about his performance in bed, because you had experienced it yourself on your skin, on your body. Jisung could do it, and that drove you crazy. You would have wanted him all to yourself, all the time. Not just for simple fucks, although they weren't that at all. He would take care of you afterwards, spend time with you. You weren't just a one-night stand. Or just a one-night stand friend. Jisung was in love with you, and if you had only understood the way he looked at you, you would have realised it much sooner. He adored you so much. But just seeing him on stage with that erotic look on his face as he smoothly ran his fingers over the guitar strings made you realise how attractive he was even when he was doing normal things. You were crazy about him, and you realised it just by watching him play.
When he unbuttoned the first four buttons of his shirt during his speech, leaving only two, you squeezed your thighs because you were soaking wet. You were sure that Jisung would tease you even more if he saw you in that state. That was typical of him. He loved to see you under him, moaning and trembling at his touch. Well, how could you not when he reserved that feline look for you. Normally Jisung had such big eyes that he looked like Bambi, you always called him "Squirrel Boy" because of his cheeks or "Bambi Boy" because of his eyes. But when you were under him and he was fucking you, his look was that of a hungry panther who would not be easily sated by you. You were very sure of that. Also, because when you were in bed, the rounds were always three or two, you remember how he once lasted until dawn. It was one of your best fucks.
You returned the look he had reserved for you for a few moments, and you quickly realised that he wanted to take you backstage with him after the concert. You were a little scared after what happened last time, when you were caught. You thought he was a bit of an exhibitionist. Also because it was to be expected, given his personality.
His manager came to see you in person, rolling her eyes; she knew exactly what was coming, and maybe you did too. Jisung was a lost cause. You bit your lower lip again and made yourself comfortable on the small sofa in his dressing room while the manager asked for the door. "Please be discreet, don't make too much noise." She giggled, sending a trail of blush down your cheeks. You looked around and waited for your best friend to arrive, probably stuck at the meet and greet taking pictures with fans. All the more reason for you to be quiet. Or at least you were the one who had to keep a certain voice tone. Every time you fucked the morning after, you had to drink one of those hot herbal teas with honey. And that had always made Jisung sneer and boosted his ego.
°ââ.ŕłŕż*:シ
About half an hour after you arrived in his dressing room, the elder's slender, toned figure peeked through the door, his neck craned to one side with his customary wink. He watched you as he finally unbuttoned his shirt and pulled back his semi-curly hair.
He approached you slowly, as if to support the pace of a panther, as if to seduce you. It was an erotic vision. His unbuttoned shirt revealed his toned tan chest, the two nipple piercings reflected in the room as he licked his lips, playing with the piercing in them. You tightened your legs and lost your breath and he noticed it well. "So I see you enjoyed the show quite a bit, very much so my new look, did you?" He laughed as he spread your legs with one knee and rubbed it against your wet cunt. You were unable to respond, as if the cat had really eaten your tongue. In this case, the cat was him. "I can see that you enjoyed it very much. Look at you, princess, all wet just for me." He whispered on your lips and then began a ravenous kiss. He wanted to devour you and you gladly let him.
"You don't know how much, Jisung," you rested your head on the back of the sofa you were sitting on. "Oh, well, I really do notice it, Princess. But you have to be quiet until we reach my apartment, let me tease you a little now," he grinned and then lowered himself between your legs and began to take long bites of your thighs. He loved your thighs, he had told you so many times since you had become what you were at this moment: best friends with benefits. It seemed almost strange to say, but it was true. Although you thought of Jisung as something more than just friends. Who knows what he thought.
Your hands began to ruffle his hair, tugging at the curls at the base of his neck, noting how remarkably well his hair actually grew and how extremely beautiful it made him look. As he left marks and brands on your inner thigh, his curls wrapped around your fingers, you rolled them around your index finger and bit your lower lip. Jisung droves you crazy. When he stood up, you looked down at him, feeling his gaze go straight into your veins and especially between your legs, as the fabric of your panties was now completely wet. But he took advantage of this detail. Yes, he lowered his trousers and you thought he was going to fuck your mouth, but in fact he pulled out his already erect cock and spread your legs even wider and began to rub the length between your covered and wet folds. Now it was hard to hold back your moans. And to help you, he covered your mouth with his hand. His movements were fluid as he trapped his lip between your walls, simulating a fuck. "You're so wet princess, all for me. So warm. God, if only I could fuck you right now." He moaned as he pushed the tip between your pussy covered by the wet fabric of your panties. "MphfJis...I'm...about...to...come!" You said disjointedly because of his hand.
He took your chin with the hand that was covering your mouth and opened your mouth with two fingers, playing with your tongue as he fucked your walls again. "Me too baby, open your mouth." He said and began to fuck your mouth as his thumb made room under your panties and began to move quickly over your clit. This made you roll your eyes back and moan in a way that made his cock jerk. He was driving you crazy. This was going to be the best fuck of your life and you were sure of it.
After several thrusts he poured into the warm walls of your throat and you into your panties and onto his thumb. You almost bit his cock. "You did great baby." He said, leaving your lips to swallow and clean up the cum that dripped down your chin. You did, licking it off as he licked his thumb and lowered himself between your thighs to lick off your humour and rip off your panties. "We won't be needing these anymore." He laughed and threw them into the trash. You almost screamed, you were still very sensitive down there. "You're crazy Han Jisung, you know they can hear us," you said, biting your lip. "Let them hear baby, you are mine and only I can fuck you like this." He whispered in your ear and then pulled you towards him. "Come on, let's go. We have a long night ahead of us Princess." He said, slapping your thighs and pulling on his jacket without putting his shirt back on.
He dragged you with him and left the room, shouting to his manager that he was going home. You were open-mouthed; you had never seen him so eager to fuck you. When you reached the car, all he did was squeeze your thigh as he stepped on the accelerator. Your legs were close together and the fact that you were not wearing panties allowed your vaginal lips to rub between them and wet the seat of Jisung's car. Perhaps a little too much, as the older man noticed and put his hand between your labia and began to rub them. "Jisung, please, I am too sensitive..." you begged him, but that did not stop him, for it only brought another grin to his face.
"Princess, that is not even the beginning."
Indeed he was right, for as soon as you arrived at the elder's house you were immediately thrown into bed and stripped of all your clothes. And now you found yourself naked beneath the still covered body of your best friend. And as he rubbed his covered knee over your naked intimacy, he began to undress until he too was naked in front of your eyes. He lowered himself onto your breasts and began to bite and suck on them, especially your sensitive nipples. Your legs were tight around his waist so that his erect intimacy rubbed against your already sensitive and wet cunt. In fact, as he bit your skin from your neck to your collarbone and your tits, you felt the tip of his cock pushing and rubbing between your walls. "I can feel you so fucking wet for me." He moaned into your ear as you gasped out unconnected words, including his name. "Jisung please fuck me, I can't stand it anymore."
"As you wish my princess." He sneered and then grabbed you by the throat, squeezing you almost to the point of suffocation, and thrust into you, immediately beginning to move with a force you did not believe he had. You moaned like never before and it drove you mad. The way he slapped and rubbed his cock between your walls. His hands slid gently over your hips, massaging and squeezing. It was wonderful, the feeling of your walls around him, around his member, the warmth that only your body could have given him. You squeezed again until his intimacy touched perhaps your inner and weakest part. His lips roamed over your bare skin, lingering here and there to leave marks, bites, kisses. Now and then he focused on your nipples, tormenting them, biting carefully, pulling with his teeth and then sucking. Again. His hands also came to cupping your buttocks, spreading them, massaging them, so to your hips and thighs. Then he began to give you more precise, powerful, almost violent thrusts . "You are fucking magnificent." He whispered in your ear, then bit your earlobe and went back to kissing that bare skin, long since unbleached. He was hungry, you were his favourite dish, his delicacy. If he could, he would have fed on your perfect body all the time.
At that moment, all you could think about was Jisung and how he made you feel by fucking you. For a moment you could not understand where you were. Your mind was clouded with bliss, heat enveloped your whole body like a thick cloud. You couldn't help but melt into the arms of the boy whose name you couldn't stop saying, thrust after thrust.
You dug your nails into the flesh of his arms that blocked your breath, seeking support as you felt your body slowly melt with pleasure, almost too overwhelming to bear. You clung to his lips; it was hard to pull away. You grinned mischievously and rested your hand on the boy's, enticing him to tighten his grip on your neck. You tried to get closer and closer to his body, this pathetic closeness was not enough for you, you wanted more, you felt the need to become one with him. You rested your forehead on his and began to move your pelvis against his.
He pulled away from your body, tightening his grip around your neck as you continued to moan his name. You were sure the older man's neighbours had heard all the times you had screamed his name. But you wanted more and more, you were greedy for his cock, you couldn't get enough of it and you just wanted to feel his hot cum dripping down your thighs. You were addicted to his cock. It was pleasurable to feel the sensation of his nails gripping your flesh, branding it and making it his. Your walls also tightened around his member from the stimulation and God, God only knows how much pleasure Jisung felt at that moment. You began to thrust more and more with your pelvis, helping him with the thrusts. The older man took both of your legs and decided to bring them to your chest so that he could thrust more accurately. To say that you had both become a moaning mess seemed a fairly obvious thing to say, as that had been the case. He lay down by your side, not getting out of you, now you were lying on your side, your legs against his chest as he fucked you, holding you tight from the waist as he knocked the air out of you. "Fuck you are so warm and tight even though I fucked you yesterday. You always welcome me so well, mhh, baby like this, hold me like this," he whispered in a hoarse, almost lazy moan in contrast to the thrusts he was giving you. By now your brain had been disconnected.
"I fucking want you all to myself forever. You are only mine, no one can ever fuck you like I can." He pushed even deeper. "I'm yours Jisung, you're the only man for me." you moaned as you grabbed his hair with one hand, the hair that had driven you crazy all night long, and pulled it, and with the other grabbed your clit, stimulating it. "And you, my only woman," he growled, then moved your hand away and began to move his fingers quickly to facilitate your orgasm.
"Princess... Mhh I'm about to fucking cum," he moaned into your ear and then gave precise strokes inside you. "Mhh ... Jis ... m...e to...oh ..." you cried out, only to come in warm spurts onto his hand and he cums into you. But he did not come out of you, rather he overpowered you and resumed his thrusts, overstimulating you as he rode out his orgasm. "Fuck your walls always so warm and welcoming to me, let's rock all night baby." He growled.
And so you fucked until dawn, rocking all night long.
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Time Can't Stop Me Quite Like You Did | Part Three
Text Divider by @saradika-graphics
SUMMARY | The music blares and everyoneâs out of it, but she turns and sees him. Detached from it all, Aemond stands on the balcony with a cigarette dangling lazily from his lips - watching the party unfold, watching her. The realization hits her as their eyes meet.
Itâs him. Itâs always been him.Â
WARNINGS | 18+; SMUT; Angst; Non-Con and Violence Elements; Use of Substances and Alcohol; Complicated Relationship Dynamics.
PAIRINGS | Modern!Aemond Targaryen x Reader [MAIN]; Modern!Daeron Targaryen x Reader
WORD COUNT |Â 24.5k [I'M SORRY]
Check out the art created for this fic by the lovely, talented and so very kind @azperja here! Â
A/N | By now it's obvious. I really don't beta read things -_-
She starts with small changes.Â
She takes different routes around campus, chooses study spots on the opposite end of the library, and declines any parties where she might run into him. Theyâre usually in different parts of the campus anyway, so avoiding him should be easy. But it isnât. They run in the same circles, and all her friends know him. She has to be mindful, strategic, careful not to linger in places where their paths might cross.
The one shared class they have is her biggest challenge. She slips into the lecture hall just as the professor begins, taking a seat in the back, hidden among the sea of students. She keeps her head down, her attention fixed on her notes, refusing to let her eyes wander to where she knows heâs sitting.
But she feels his presence, even without looking. She can sense the way his gaze lingers on her, like a weight pressing on her shoulders. It takes every ounce of her willpower to ignore it, to pretend she doesnât notice, that she isnât affected by it. She keeps her mouth shut, barely even acknowledging the professor, just so Aemond wonât have a reason to notice her.
But heâs seen her. She knows he has. And yet, he hasnât made any attempt to approach her. He hasnât tried to talk to her after class, hasnât texted, hasnât even sent a cryptic message through a mutual friend.
The silence from him is both a relief and a torment. On one hand, sheâs grateful that heâs giving her space, that heâs not forcing her to confront what happened. But on the other, she canât help but wonder why. Why hasnât he reached out? Does he understand that she needs space, or is he simply indifferent?
The conflicting thoughts whirl around her mind, making it impossible to focus. Sheâs avoiding him, yet she canât stop thinking about him. She wonders if heâs reached the same conclusion she has - that whatever happened between them was a mistake. Or maybe⌠maybe the girl heâs seeing is back, and heâs realized that what they had was a moment of weakness, a lapse in judgment that he regrets.
The thought makes her skin crawl.
It stings more than sheâd like to admit. Itâs ridiculous, she tells herself. She should be glad that heâs keeping his distance. Itâs what she wanted, after all. But the doubts creep in, feeding the anxiety thatâs been gnawing at her ever since that night.
Her finals donât help either. The pressure to perform well, to maintain her grades, is a vice around her chest. She spends long hours in the library, her nose buried in textbooks, trying to drown out her thoughts with the relentless march of deadlines and exam schedules. But he is a constant presence at the back of her mind, and she cannot shake him off.
The final exam of the semester passes in a blur, each answer she scribbles onto the paper feeling more mechanical than the last. When itâs over, she walks out of the exam hall with a numbness that clings to her. The weight of the past weeks - the stress, the sleepless nights, the constant battle to keep her emotions in check - finally catches up with her.
She spends the entire day holed up in her flat, the blinds drawn to keep out the bright summer light. The silence is thick, the hours stretching on as she flits from one distraction to another. She tries reading, but the words blur together on the page. She turns on the laptop, but the shows barely hold her attention. Even scrolling through her phone feels empty.
As the afternoon fades into evening, a slow realization dawns on her: she canât keep hiding forever. The exams were a temporary distraction, an excuse to avoid dealing with everything sheâs been running from. But now that theyâre over, sheâs left with nothing but her thoughts - and the gnawing certainty that she canât keep avoiding Aemond.
Heâs likely finished his exams too, probably somewhere out there, living his life as if nothingâs changed. The thought brings a fresh wave of frustration. He hasnât reached out to her, hasnât made the slightest effort to clear the air.
Itâs almost as if heâs content to let things remain as they are. But she's not.
The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that waiting for him to make the first move is futile. Heâs not going to reach out, not after the way sheâs been avoiding him. And maybe heâs thinking the same thing - that she doesnât want to see him, that sheâs already moved on.
The idea of confronting him terrifies her, but the thought of continuing on like this - of pretending that she can keep dodging him forever - is worse. She canât live in this self-imposed exile, trapped by her own fears and doubts. If thereâs any hope of moving past this, of getting closure, she needs to take the first step.
With a deep breath, she makes up her mind. The decision brings a strange sense of calm, like a weight being lifted from her chest. She canât predict how it will go, but at least sheâll be taking control, no longer at the mercy of her own avoidance.
The evening sky outside her window is turning shades of pink and orange, and for the first time in days, she feels a spark of determination. Sheâs not going home for the summer, and neither, as far as she knows, is he.
Thereâs no more running, no more hiding.
Her eyes settle on Aemond - sprawled across his bed, completely at ease, as if heâs got not a care in the world.
The familiar scent hits her first - weed, strong and pungent, curling through the air and invading her senses. She pauses at the threshold, taking it in, before leaning against the doorway.
He doesnât notice her at first. Heâs too absorbed in the book heâs holding, his fingers lazily turning a page. She canât make out the title, but she recognizes the Valyrian text on the cover, the ancient script curling elegantly along the spine.
For a moment, she watches him. Thereâs a strange, almost surreal quality to the scene - like sheâs an outsider looking in on his life. His face is calm, his expression softened in the dim light, but thereâs a tension in his posture, a quiet restlessness that she canât quite place.
âSo this is what you do when youâre high? Read Valyrian books?â
âTheyâre interesting,â he replies, his voice casual, detached. He doesnât look at her, his eye still roving over the page, words spilling out as if she wasnât there. Almost as if they hadnât been icing each other out for weeks.
She doesnât know what to say. The weight of their silence presses heavily down on her chest. She hesitates, her mind racing, but before she can form a coherent thought, he gestures toward her, a lazy wave of his hand as he adjusts himself on the bed.
âCome here.â
Itâs not a request; itâs a command, spoken with the kind of casual authority thatâs so inherently him. She swallows hard, the tension in her stomach coiling tighter. Part of her wants to resist, to stay rooted in place, but thereâs another part of her - smaller, more vulnerable - that aches for the familiarity of being close to him again.
She pushes off the doorway, her steps slow and hesitant as she crosses the room. The air feels warmer near him, the scent of weed and smoke mingling with the faint smell of his cologne, a combination thatâs both comforting and disorienting. When she reaches the bed, she pauses, unsure of what to do, where to sit, what to say.
Aemond looks up at her then, his gaze locking onto hers. Thereâs something different in his eye now, something softer, more aware. Itâs like heâs really seeing her for the first time since she walked in.
He nods and she gives in, sitting down beside him, the mattress dipping under her weight. Thereâs a tension between them, a fragile thread that could snap at any moment, but for now, it holds.
She hesitates for a moment, then slowly lies down next to him, feeling the warmth of his body radiate through the thin fabric of her shirt. He doesnât say anything, just shifts slightly to make room for her, and as she curls into the mattress, he slips an arm around her waist, pulling her in closer.
His hand rests on her side, fingers tracing slow, absentminded patterns on her skin through the fabric, the movement steady and soothing. She feels his breath against her hair, steady and calm, and for a moment, she closes her eyes, allowing herself to melt into him.
She takes her time, letting her gaze drift over him, tracing the sharp lines of his jaw, the way his hair falls messily across his forehead, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes. The book is still in his other hand, balanced carefully as he continues to read, the pages illuminated by the dim light of the bedside lamp. Heâs so absorbed in it, yet his hold on her is firm, as if heâs anchoring both of them to this moment, this shared silence.
She shifts slightly, her head resting on his shoulder as she glances at the book in his hand. âWhat are you reading?â
He pauses for a moment, his fingers stilling on the page as he looks down at her. âItâs called The Last Embrace.â
She raises an eyebrow. âI didnât take you for a romantic.â
He chuckles softly at her remark, his voice a low rumble that reverberates through his chest. "Itâs a Valyrian classic," he says. âI know someone who can find the premium first edition copies.â
âHm.â She moves into him, and his hand roves over her clothed back, warmth seeping through. She nestles against him, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear. âRead to me?â She asks softly, almost shyly, as if the request might shatter her pride.
He considers her for a moment, then gently adjusts his position, making sure sheâs comfortable as he continues from where he left off. With his arm still wrapped around her, holding her close, he begins to read. The words flow from his lips - his voice deep and rich as it carries and fills the quiet space between them. She listens, captivated by the way he brings the story to life.
One word in particular catches her attention, its lilting syllables intriguing. She stops him, her gaze curious. âWhat does that mean?â
He looks down at her, his gaze tender and slightly dazed. âGevie means âbeautiful,ââ he explains, his tone mellowed by a subtle high. She repeats the word, her attempt tentative. âGevie.â Her pronunciation falters, and he gently corrects her, his voice a soothing murmur. âGevie,â he reiterates, his lips curving into a soft smile.
She tries again, her voice more confident, âGevie,â and he nods in approval, his hand squeezing lightly on her arm, a touch that sends a shiver down her spine.
The reading continues, and sheâs captivated by another word.Â
âJorrÄelagon,â she asks. âAnd this one?â
âIt means âlove.ââ He replies, his eyes soft and hazy, the high giving his voice a languid quality that almost lulls her to sleep. She echoes. âJorrÄelagon,â but her pronunciation is awkward at the first try. He guides her gently, his voice dropping as he enunciates the word.
 âJorrÄelagon.â
She repeats the word again, and he nods, pleased. She doesnât want to dwell on how pleasing him feels.
When they reach 'VĹŤjigon', she leans in closer, her curiosity and desire blending seamlessly. âWhat does this one mean?â
âTo kiss,â he murmurs, his gaze growing more intense. She wonders if sheâs seeing the slight red on his cheeks, or if itâs actually there. She repeats, âVĹŤjigon,â her pronunciation faltering again. He corrects her, his voice a velvety whisper.
As she practices the word, the anticipation builds between them. Her body shifts, aligning with his, and she straddles him, her movements deliberate and sensual. The mattress dips under her weight, and she feels the heat of his body radiate through the thin fabric of their clothes. His hands find her sides, gripping firmly but tenderly, his touch sending electric currents through her skin. She leans in closer, their foreheads touching, and she inhales deeply. The scent of his cologne mixes with the distinct smell of the weed. The high he's on adds a dream-like quality to his touch and his gaze, making every sensation more vivid and intense.
âVĹŤjigon,â she whispers, her voice husky with desire. The correct pronunciation flows from her lips, and the air between them is heated and heavy.
His eye darkens with desire as he gazes at her, the effect of the high amplifying his senses. He responds to her unspoken invitation, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that is both urgent and tender. The kiss deepens quickly as his hands move to her waist, pulling her closer, the heat of his touch igniting a fire within her.
His hands tighten on her waist, pulling her flush against him, and she can feel the hard line of his desire pressing against her. The sensation sends a shudder through her, a wave of heat that pools low in her belly.
This is happening, this is truly happening-
His kisses are a heady mix of passion and need, his tongue exploring her mouth with a fervor that leaves her breathless. She responds in kind, her own desire spiraling out of control as her fingers thread through his hair, tugging gently as she presses herself against him. The weight of him beneath her, the feel of his body so close, so real, is intoxicating.
With a low, rough sound in the back of his throat, he flips them over, his body covering hers, pressing her into the mattress. His hands are everywhere - roaming her sides, cupping her breasts, sliding down to grip her hips. The urgency of his movements is matched by the haze of the high, adding a surreal, almost dream-like quality to the moment.
She arches into him, her back curving as she seeks more of his touch, more of the heat thatâs building between them. His mouth leaves hers, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, until heâs tugging her shirt aside, his lips finding the sensitive skin beneath. Every touch, every kiss, feels amplified, the high making her hyper-aware of every sensation.
Heâs moving with purpose now, his hands tugging at the waistband of her pants, sliding them down her hips with a practiced ease. She helps him, kicking them off, leaving her bare beneath him. He follows quickly, discarding his own clothes until thereâs nothing between them but heated skin.
His hands are back on her, rough and gentle all at once as he positions himself between her thighs. She feels the blunt pressure of him at her entrance, the anticipation so sharp it almost hurts. She meets his gaze, his eyes dark and blown with lust, the effect of the high making them seem even more intense. He pauses, just for a moment, his breath ragged. âIâm on the pill,â she murmurs, as if sensing his hesitation.
He thrusts into her with a single, powerful stroke.
The sensation is overwhelming, a mix of pain and pleasure that has her gasping, her hands clutching at his shoulders as he fills her completely. He stills for a moment, letting her adjust, his forehead pressing against hers as he takes a shuddering breath.
Then heâs moving, his hips snapping against hers in a rhythm thatâs fast and unrelenting. Each thrust sends sparks of pleasure shooting through her, the friction, the heat, the intensity of it all pushing her closer to the edge. She wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, her own hips meeting his in a desperate attempt to keep up with the pace heâs set.
His breathing is ragged in her ear, a rough counterpoint to the smoothness of his movements. She can feel him tensing, the way his thrusts grow more erratic, more desperate, as he nears his own release. His hand moves between them, fingers finding her clit and rubbing in tight, precise circles, pushing her closer and closer to the edge.
With a low growl, he slams into her one last time, his body tensing as he comes hard, the force of his orgasm shaking him. He rides it out, his hips still moving in shallow thrusts as he chases the last remnants of pleasure.
But he doesnât stop. Even as his breathing slows, his hands remain on her, one sliding down her body until his fingers are slipping between her folds, finding the wet heat there. He pulls out of her slowly, and she whimpers at the loss, but the sound quickly turns to a moan as his head dips between her thighs.
His mouth finds her, his tongue licking a slow, teasing stripe up her center before his lips close around her clit. He sucks gently, his fingers pressing inside her, filling her again as he works her with a relentless, skillful rhythm. Sheâs already so close, her body still buzzing from the intensity of what theyâve just done, and it doesnât take long for the pleasure to build again, fast and unstoppable.
As his mouth works her, his tongue drawing her closer and closer to the edge, he lifts his head just enough to murmur against her skin, âGevie⌠ao gevie issi, jorrÄelagon.â
His voice is thick with desire, the words rolling off his tongue with a reverence that sends shivers down her spine. Sheâs too far gone to try and grasp the meaning, her mind clouded with the overwhelming pleasure heâs giving her. But something about the way he says it, the heat in his voice, makes her gasp.
âWhat⌠what does that mean?â she manages to ask between moans, her voice breathless, shaky.
He doesnât answer right away, his mouth returning to her with renewed focus, his fingers curling inside her in just the right way. The pleasure is dizzying, her body trembling as sheâs pushed closer to the brink. When he finally speaks again, his words are low and guttural, vibrating against her skin.
âGevie⌠beautiful,â he says, his voice thick with lust as he looks up at her, his eye dark and filled with heat. âJorrÄelagon⌠love.â His hand moves in sync with his words, drawing more moans from her lips, her mind barely able to process the translations as the pleasure intensifies.
Her body arches into him, desperate for more, needing more, and he gives it to her, his fingers working her relentlessly. Sheâs on the edge, her breaths coming in short, sharp gasps, when he murmurs one last word against her skin.
âVĹŤjigon,â he says, the word slipping from his lips like a caress, his voice deeper, rougher, as he lifts his head to look at her, his gaze burning into hers.
âKiss,â she breathes, finally understanding, the realization sending a fresh wave of desire crashing over her. Her body moves of its own accord, her hips grinding against his fingers as she chases the release thatâs just out of reach.
He doesnât give her time to dwell on it, his mouth returning to her with a fervor thatâs almost too much to bear. The sensation is overwhelming, a mix of pleasure and need that builds and builds until sheâs teetering on the edge, her mind a haze. Her hips lift off the mattress, seeking more, needing more, and he gives it to her, his tongue and fingers moving in perfect harmony until sheâs falling over the edge, her orgasm crashing over her in waves. She cries out, her hands fisting in his hair as he pushes her through it, his mouth never leaving her until sheâs trembling with the aftershocks, her body spent and sated.
When he lays back down and his lips meet hers, she thinks there could be no better feeling than being held in his arms.
The fact that he may still have another woman in his life slips her mind completely.
Tonight, he is hers.
The morning after, he's gone off for an early class, leaving her to rest. She finds The Last Embrace on his nightstand and picks it up, her nimble fingers turning the pages as she scans his notes scattered throughout the book.
Love is a disease of the mind, but one we willingly suffer for.
Itâs the kind of observation she can easily imagine him making aloud, his voice detached yet tinged with a subtle irony. She almost pictures him writing it, pausing to consider the implications of the passage before inscribing his thoughts with careful precision. Itâs a stark reminder of how his mind works - always a step removed, always observing from a distance, even when heâs most deeply involved.
Itâs so very Aemond, the way he can reduce something as chaotic and overwhelming as love to a mere intellectual curiosity, and yet, in doing so, reveal more about himself than any grand declaration ever could.
A small smile plays on her lips as she closes the book, gently smoothing the folded corner.
She least expects it, but it hits her with the force of a brick wall when it does.
She finds herself at Aemond's apartment again, perched on the familiar countertop in his kitchen, picking at a bowl of leftover pasta heâd casually reheated for her. Aemond stands at the stove, his attention focused on a kettle of water beginning to steam. He moves with his usual grace, every action deliberate and precise, but thereâs something slightly different about him todayâa subtle energy that she canât quite place.
Almost offhandedly as he reaches for a mug, he speaks. âI might not be around tomorrow night. Iâve gotâŚplans.â
He says it so casually, the words slipping out as though theyâre of no consequence. But thereâs a flicker of something in his tone, something that makes her glance up from her bowl, her curiosity piqued.
âPlans?â she echoes, trying to keep her voice light, nonchalant, though a strange tightness begins to form in her chest.
âYeah,â he continues, filling the mug with hot water before turning back to her, his expression as composed as ever. âDinner, actually. With someone.â
The way he says it - "with someone" - is so deliberately vague, so carefully chosen, that it sends a chill through her, the pieces beginning to fall into place. The quiet confidence in his voice, the way he doesnât elaborate, doesnât feel the need to explain. Itâs a subtle giveaway, but one she canât ignore.
âOh,â she murmurs, her gaze dropping back to her bowl, her appetite suddenly fading. She forces herself to take another bite, though it tastes like ash in her mouth. âThat soundsâŚnice.â
âYeah,â he replies, his tone so matter-of-fact, so indifferent, that it stings more than anything else. âIt should be.â
For a moment, she doesnât know what to say, the silence between them suddenly feeling heavier, more oppressive. The realization settles in slowly, a painful clarity that makes her heart ache. To him, what they have is justâŚconvenient.
He isnât even trying to hide it. The ease with which he mentions his plans, the lack of any concern for how she might feel about itâit all points to one thing.Â
Casual. Non-exclusive.
Then again, he made no promises.
The realization - reminder, if she was being practical - is a bitter pill to swallow, and she fights to keep her expression neutral, not wanting to betray the sadness thatâs creeping into her. She allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, there was something more to this. But now, sitting there on his countertop, she sees it for what it truly is.
âEnjoy your dinner,â she says, her voice sounding distant to her own ears as she pushes the half-eaten bowl away and slides off the counter. She offers him a small, strained smile that doesnât reach her eyes.
âThanks,â he replies, his gaze flicking over her briefly before returning to the kettle, as if her words are of no particular importance.
As she moves to grab her bag, her movements slow and deliberate, Aemond turns to look at her. The casual indifference that colored his words just moments before falters when he sees the expression on her face - something distant, guarded, as though sheâs trying to shield herself from the truth thatâs just settled between them.
âYouâre upset,â he says, not as a question but as a statement, his tone flat. Heâs always so direct, so infuriatingly precise in his observations, as if everything in the world can be neatly cataloged and understood.
She hesitates, her back to him as she reaches for her bag, fingers brushing over the strap, but she doesnât pick it up right away. She can feel his gaze on her, sharp and assessing, waiting for her to respond.
âItâs nothing,â she murmurs, forcing herself to keep her voice steady, even though the words feel like theyâre sticking in her throat. âJustâŚyou couldâve mentioned it before.â
Thereâs a beat of silence, the air between them taut with unspoken things. She knows heâs searching for the right words, something that wonât sound like an admission but also wonât deny the reality sheâs trying to ignore.
âYou always knew there was someone else,â he says finally, his voice low, almost gentle, as if that can soften the blow.
She swallows hard, her grip tightening on the strap of her bag as the truth of his words settles in. Of course, she knows. Thereâs always been something in the way he holds himself slightly apart from her, something that hinted at the boundaries she was never meant to cross. And yet, she crossed them anyway, hopingâfoolishlyâthat maybe he would meet her halfway.
âDid I?â she asks quietly, her voice trembling just enough to give her away. She turns to face him then, her eyes searching his, looking for something - anything - that will contradict what heâs just said. But thereâs nothing. His expression is calm, measured, as though theyâre discussing something inconsequential.
He doesnât answer, but the silence that follows is more telling than anything he could say. She can see it now, how heâs always been careful with her, careful not to let things go too far, careful not to give her any false hope.
But he never really needed to, did he? Because she already knew, deep down, that whatever they had was just a small part of his life - a convenience, a passing thing that will end the moment someone else comes along. Someone more important, more permanent.
She lets out a breath she hadnât realized she was holding, the sound heavy in the quiet of the kitchen. âRight,â she says, nodding to herself as if that will help make sense of everything. âI guess I did know.â
She hesitates, the words tasting bitter on her tongue as she adds, almost too casually, âDaeron texted about coming to Oldtown over the weekend. I probably have plans with him anyway.â
The silence that follows is suffocating, and when she dares to meet his gaze, she catches the subtle shift in his expression - a small, almost amused curl of his lips. Itâs as if he can see right through her, peeling back the flimsy layers sheâs tried to build around herself. The realization that he sees her so clearly, that he understands her attempts to guard herself, makes her feel smaller, more exposed than she ever intended.
His smile fades, replaced by something darker, more contemplative, and the weight of his gaze makes her want to shrink away, to hide from the way heâs dissecting her. He steps closer, the space between them shrinking to nothing as his presence looms large, overwhelming. She feels like sheâs teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something that could shatter her if sheâs not careful. But she doesnât move, rooted to the spot by the intensity of his gaze, by the way heâs looking at her like heâs trying to decide if sheâs worth the effort of breaking down completely.
The resignation in her voice must cut through him because he shifts, leaning back against the counter, his eyes never leaving hers. But he doesnât move toward her, doesnât try to reach out. Itâs as if he knows that any attempt to comfort her now would only be hollow, empty of meaning.
She can smell the faint scent of the coffee still lingering on him, mixing with his cologne, and it makes her head swim, makes the room feel smaller, more suffocating. Everything feels too close, too real, and she needs to leave before she says something she canât take back.
âLook, itâs fine,â she says quickly, forcing a smile that doesnât reach her eyes. âI should get going anyway. Iâve got things to do.â
He doesnât stop her. He just watches as she slings the bag over her shoulder, his gaze cool and detached, like heâs studying her, trying to understand why sheâs making such a big deal out of something they both knew had an expiration date.
But just as she turns to leave, he reaches out, taking hold of her hand. The contact is brief, almost hesitant, but itâs enough to make her pause. Thereâs something in his touchâsomething that feels more like pity than affection. It twists in her chest, making her feel even smaller, more exposed.
âTake care,â he says, his voice polite, almost distant, as if the gesture was merely obligatory.
The words sting, made worse by the way he immediately lets go, his hand slipping away as if it never held hers at all. She walks away.
She pauses for a moment, hand on the doorknob, before glancing back at him. Thereâs so much she wants to say, but she knows it will all sound pathetic and desperate, and she refuses to let him see her like that.
âYeah,â she replies softly, her heart aching in a way that feels almost physical. âYou too.â
She sits on the edge of her sofa, her fingers idly tracing the patterns on the faded fabric.Â
She stares at the shadows, feeling them stretch and distort, like her own thoughts, twisted and knotted.
The apartment is a mess - books splayed open, cold coffee mugs scattered about, and a half-burnt vanilla scented candle that hasnât seen use in days. The quiet hum of the city outside the window is distant, almost surreal, as if it belongs to another world entirely. Inside, itâs as if time has stopped, leaving her in a stagnant pool of self-pity that she hates like nothing else.
Her mind drifts to Aemond. She canât shake the image of him talking with his date. The warmth of his voice, the way his eyes subtly light up - it all feels so tangible, yet so out of reach. She imagines him in those moments of connection, and each thought pulls her deeper into the mire of her own emotions. The more she dwells on it, the more isolated she feels.
The room feels colder now, the silence pressing in on her from all sides. She wraps her blanket tighter, but it doesnât offer much comfort. Her phone buzzes on the coffee table, jolting her out of her reverie. She hesitates, a mix of curiosity and apprehension swirling inside her. Itâs probably not Aemond, she tells herself, but she canât help the flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, it is.
She reaches for the phone, her hand trembling slightly. The screen lights up with Daeronâs name. She swipes to open it, her heart pounding as she sees the photo heâs sent. Itâs Daeron at Oldtown Airport, his face lit up with a smile that seems to brighten the whole frame. A text follows.
Lunch tomorrow?
She smiles.
She waits outside Moonbloom, the cafĂŠ's warm, inviting light spilling onto the pavement. She watches as people bustle by, each face a fleeting moment in the urban blur. Her nerves are a tight knot, and she checks her phone for the umpteenth time, though she already knows Daeron will be on time. She hears his voice before she sees him.
"Hey," Daeron says, a smile tugging at his lips as he approaches. His eyes, as familiar as they are, carry a weight that wasnât there before. They embrace awkwardly, and it makes her bristle.
Inside, the cafĂŠ is bustling with midday energy. They choose a corner table, its cozy atmosphere offering some solace from the crowd. Daeron settles into his seat, his movements slightly hesitant. She follows suit, their conversation initially faltering as they tiptoe around the more profound emotions that linger between them.
âSo, um,â she begins, fidgeting with the menu, âhave you been to this place before?â
âNot really,â Daeron replies, his fingers tapping nervously on his coffee cup. âI mean, Iâve passed by, but Iâve never actually been in. Itâs...nice.â
âI love the way theyâve decorated it.â
Daeron looks around, taking in the mismatched furniture and the array of quirky knick-knacks. âDefinitely. Itâs kind of...charming. I guess I didnât expect it to be this warm.â
She smiles, relieved to have found a neutral topic. âYeah, itâs cozy. I come here when I need to get away from everything for a bit.â
âSounds like itâs a good spot for that,â Daeron says, his voice warming slightly. âI could use a little escape myself.â
They both pause, a slight awkwardness settling over them. The menu sits between them, a practical distraction from the underlying tension. Daeron glances at it, his brow furrowing as he tries to decide.
âSo, have you tried anything here thatâs a must-have?â Daeron asks, attempting to steer the conversation back to safe ground.
She looks at the menu thoughtfully. âThe avocado toast is really good, and the latte is pretty great too. Itâs one of those places where you canât go wrong with pretty much anything. Oh and they have a really good cheesecake!â
âSounds good,â Daeron says, nodding as if making a mental note. âIâll have to try both then.â
She chuckles softly, trying to ease the nervous energy between them. âYou wonât regret it.â
The menu arrives, and they both laugh over the choicesâan easy distraction from the real conversation they know is coming. They talk about trivial things first: the new book sheâs reading, Daeronâs latest coffee obsession. The conversation is light, almost too light, as if theyâre both waiting for the right moment to dive into the deeper waters.
As their meals arrive, Daeron takes a deep breath, his fingers absently tracing the edge of his coffee cup. âI didnât realize how much I missed this. You.â
She looks up, surprised by the shift in tone. âYeah, moving away does that to you.âÂ
Daeronâs gaze meets hers, a mixture of nostalgia and hesitation in his eyes. âItâs like, Iâve been so caught up in trying to manage everything that I forgot to appreciate these simpler things. Iâve been trying to figure out what really matters, and I think...I think thatâs why I wanted to talk to you.â
Her curiosity is piqued, the earlier awkwardness giving way to a more genuine connection. âWhat do you mean?â
Daeron hesitates, fiddling with the edge of his napkin as he searches for the right words. âFloris and me. You know, things seemed okay, but I was always looking for the next problem, the next thing that might go wrong. I never really stopped to appreciate what we had, or how well things were actually working.â
She listens intently, her eyes softening as she senses the depth of his struggle. âAnd?â
Daeron sighs, his gaze meeting hers with a sincerity that tugs at her heart. âIâve realized that I need to take a step back and figure things out. Itâs why I came to stay here for the next month. Itâs not just about getting away from everything. Itâs more about taking the time to understand myself better. I want to be in a better place for her - when I go back, I want to be someone whoâs really ready.â
The cafĂŠ hums around them, the sounds of chatter and clinking cutlery providing a gentle backdrop to their conversation. She absorbs his words, feeling a mix of sadness and a surprising sense of relief. âYouâre actually going to do this?â she asks quietly.
Daeron nods, a small, hopeful smile touching his lips. âYeah, I think itâs what I need. Just some time to be with myself, to figure out what really matters. I want to make sure Iâm not just rushing through life, looking for the next thing. I want to be present for her, for myself. You know?â
Thereâs something endearing about Daeron, who heâs grown into, and his willingness to admit he needs to take time for himself. It is eons ahead of the boy she knew. For a brief moment, she sees Aemond in him, and she takes a deep breath before she lets her thoughts carry her away.
âI think thatâs really brave,â she says softly. âItâs not easy to take a step back and admit you need to sort things out.â
She wonders if her words are for him, or herself.
Your Starry Sept postcards are at my place.
The afternoon sun hits just right as they walk through the market with their condensing iced coffee cups in hand. The stalls around them are alive with the scent of fresh bread, spices and flowers. Itâs been days since sheâs seen Aemond, and she ignores his texts and any chance to see him like the plague.
They sip their coffee, exchanging easy smiles as they pass by vendors selling everything from handmade jewelry to antique trinkets. The atmosphere is relaxed, yet a tension lingers beneath the surface. Daeron, seemingly content, glances at her and notices a shift in her demeanor as they approach an antique store.
âWhatâs up with you?â he asks, his tone light. âYouâve been a bit...off today.â
Now more than ever, she hates how well the Targaryen brothers know her. Her heart skips a beat.
âUh, itâs nothing,â she says, her voice a bit too high-pitched, betraying herself. âJust...a lot on my mind, I guess.â
Daeron raises an eyebrow, his concern deepening. âCome on⌠Weâve known each other long enough. You can tell me if somethingâs bothering you.â
She looks away, her eyes darting over the colorful array of vintage items displayed in the storeâs window. She takes a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The prospect of confessing her recent history with Aemond is daunting, especially since she had poured out her feelings to Daeron not so long ago.
If anything, it makes it all feel a lot less valid if she thinks of it that way.
âItâs a bit complicated.â
âComplicated how?â
The question hangs in the air, and Wylde feels a lump form in her throat. She swallows hard, weighing the consequences of her next words. She recalls the emotional turmoil she experienced when she admitted her feelings for Daeron and how vulnerable she felt. The idea of now revealing that sheâs been seeing Aemondâhis brother, no lessâfeels like an insurmountable hurdle.
She takes another sip of her coffee, trying to buy time. âItâs just...I donât know how to explain it. Thereâs been some...changes, you know?â
Daeron looks at her intently, sensing her hesitation. âLook, if youâre not ready to talk about it, thatâs okay.â Her heart aches at his genuine concern. She knows she should be honest, but the fear of how Daeron will react clouds her judgment. She finally meets his gaze, the weight of her secret pressing heavily on her shoulders.
âIâve been seeing someone,â she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. âItâs...complicated.â
Daeronâs expression shifts from concern to confusion. âSomeone? Who?â She sees his frown lift into a smile.
âWho⌠thatâs not relevant.âÂ
Before he can interrupt and charm Aemondâs identity out of her, she continues. âHe was already with someone, but I caught feelings for him anyway. Then we hooked up, and I worry that I justâŚâ
âYou worry that youâve made a mistake.â
âAmong other things. IâŚâ She sighs. âI just want someone thatâs mine, you know? It is a bit of a shame that the boys I like always belong to someone else.â
He chuckles. âIâm going to ask you to think well and be honest. Do you know him well enough?â
âVery well.â
âDo you think heâs the type to cheat?â
âDefinitely not.â
âAnd did you ask him about this? What he wants from you, and what his situation with the other person is like?â
âI guess.â
âAnd what did he say?â
âHe made no promises. He said I always knew there was someone else. I⌠I messed up. I shouldnât have encouraged him, to be frank. He always knew what it was. He always knew, and I⌠did too. Just took a while for it to sink in. And⌠I was slightly foolish in hoping that heâd be just for me⌠for a while there it felt like⌠the last few months, it was all building up to it.â
âAnd youâre sure a fling is what he wants?â
âHe went out for dinner with this other girl yesterday. Safe to assume.â
âI guess the question isâŚâ He sighs. âHaving as little of him as he can give you⌠is that something youâre willing to have? Because if not, youâll have to push him away entirely. Protect yourself.â
She closes her eyes and brings a hand up to her mouth in resignation. âI feel so stupid.â
Daeron places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. âHey, it takes two to make something work. Donât beat yourself up if he isnât.â
When she walks back to her flat that night, Daeronâs words echo through her mind like a fast growing wildfire.
Is he worth it?Â
She knows the answer long before she even ponders on the question. It is simply a question of whether or not she can handle it.
Thereâs more cheesecake in the fridge.
She avoids Aemond and his texts for the next few days, her thoughts spiraling as she wonders what he really wants from her if heâs seeing someone else. Every time her phone buzzes, she tenses, half-hoping, half-dreading itâs him.Â
Of course he wonât say he misses her. He wonât say he wants to see her. Thatâs just not his style.
She stares at the screen for a long moment, her thumb hovering over the keyboard before she decides to leave him on read. Her heart pounds, but she doesn't know how to respond. Itâs easier to focus on Daeron, easier to avoid the growing confusion that Aemond has brought into her life.
They lie on the blanket, the sound of waves crashing below the cliffs filling the comfortable silence between them. The sky above them shifts in shades of pink and orange as the sun inches closer to the horizon. Itâs a scene that could easily be romantic if things had turned out differently between them.
âYou know,â Daeron starts, his voice light but thoughtful, âweâre pretty compatible.â
She turns her head to look at him, a small smile playing on her lips. âYeah, we are. Itâs kind of a shame things didnât⌠I donât know, grow between us the way they couldâve.â
âYeah,â he echoes, his tone carrying a hint of wistfulness. âIt just never⌠happened.â
With you, she wants to add. I loved you for so long, you just didnât love me back.
They both know thereâs no regret in those words, just a shared acknowledgment of something that could have been but never was.
âI remember the first time I realized I had feelings for you,â she says, her voice softer now as she gazes out at the sea. âI was probably eight years old. That day on the school grounds, when you and Luke fought because he was bothering me. In my defense, I was eight years old and that was the most romantic thing ever.â
Daeron laughs, a genuine sound that makes her smile. âEight years old, huh? Wow, I didnât know I was such a charmer back then.â
âYou werenât. I was just an idiot.â
âThanks.â
âYeah, well, you had your moments,â she teases, nudging him with her shoulder. âBut really, it was just a silly crush. I got over it eventually. Wasnât great, but I managed it somehow.â The gravity of underselling her feelings hits her, but sheâs not quite upset about it anymore. Daeron is a thing of her past - how much power can feelings from the past hold anyway?
âIt all seems silly to me now.â
Daeron nods, understanding. âI get that. I always thought youâd make an awesome girlfriend, though.â
She raises an eyebrow, amused. âYeah?â
âYouâre cool and smart, and we always have a good time together. But I just⌠never felt much more than that. I do love you, justâŚâ
âYouâre not in love with me. I donât blame you.â She sighs. âAt least, not anymore.â
âYou know what I mean,â Daeron says, chuckling. âWe were close, and it always felt like we couldâve been something more, but it never felt⌠right. I think I just always saw you as my best friend.â
âItâs funny, isnât it? Weâre practically perfect for each other in so many ways, but the spark was never really there. No matter how much I used to want it.â
âPractically perfect,â Daeron agrees, smiling as he echoes her words. âMaybe weâre too practical.â
âOr maybe too perfect.â She grins, looking at him through her sunglasses.
âOn paper, definitely.â They both laugh, the sound mingling with the crashing waves. Theyâre not sad about what could have been; theyâre content with what they have.
She realizes she quite likes it this way.
âHey, you know what?â Daeron says, his tone suddenly playful. âIf weâre both still single at forty, we should just get married.â
She snorts, covering her mouth as she laughs. âSeriously?â
âWhy not?â he says, grinning. âWeâd make a pretty awesome couple, donât you think?â
She looks at him, pretending to consider it. âYeah, perfect on paper.â
âCome on, indulge me.â
âFuck no. What if Iâm actually single at forty and have to follow through?â
âIt wonât be so bad, I promise.â
âIf Iâm still single by forty, Iâd rather throw myself off this cliff.â
âBe a little brave for once. Itâs just a far off possibility.â
âUgh, fine. You have a deal.â Just as she says it, she extends her hand to him.
âDeal.â He laughs, and the realization is devoid of any pesky feelings as she thinks this is the best laugh she knows.
Hearty, boyish and pure.
Came by the flat, itâs locked. Tell me youâre okay. Itâs been more than a week.
Iâm fine.
She doesnât want to see him till she knows exactly what she wants to say. Heâs made his stance very clear - that this is very casual to him, and that he doesnât take what they have as seriously as she thought. She envies him, in all honesty. Why canât her heart be as straightforward as his?
Daeron had met Aemond and their uncle Gwayne for a game of tennis at the Hightower Townhouse and invited her - but she refused politely and chose to not dwell. A few days later, he takes the private jet to Essos to visit Helaena during her exchange year and she clings to him in a tight hug before letting him go.
Like Daeron, who has chosen to relax this summer, she knows that first-year internships aren't mandatory. If she wanted one, she could easily get it - her name carries significant weight in the world of art and history. Her great-great-great-great-grandmother, Coryanne Wylde, left an indelible mark on the Westerosi art scene with her scandalous and groundbreaking series of erotic paintings titled A Caution for Young Girls. The collection - now cared for at the Citadel in Oldtown - is notorious for its bold sexual depictions, and is considered a turning point in the history of Westerosi art. That, coupled with her familyâs considerable wealth - she has the luxury to forgo work during the first year holidays and focus solely on herself.
This summer, sheâs embracing that privilege fully. Her days are spent immersed in books, wandering through museums, and exploring the city. She takes day trips to quaint coastal towns, armed with her sketchbook and ready to draw.
Summer will come to a close in less than a fortnight, and sheâs grateful for the rest. As much as she loves studying art history, it does take a lot of energy out of her to channel that interest into wading through a structured syllabus that doesnât run on her own time or pace.
Mornings begin with walks through the city, sketchbook always in hand, capturing the delicate lines of the older architecture or the vibrant chaos of modern installations. She takes her camera too, and each photograph she takes feels like a small rebellion against the uncertainty that has plagued her thoughts.
Afternoons are reserved for exploring the smaller towns along the coastline. She finds solace in the simplicity of these placesâthe way the sea breeze carries the scent of salt and wildflowers, the way cobblestone streets wind past charming cafes and artisan shops. She sits by the harbor, sketching boats bobbing gently on the waves, or wanders through quaint markets, photographing the scenes. She lets the local old women near the port weave flowers and shells into her hair, and wears loose fitting bright gowns that she finds in smaller stalls.
As the weeks pass, Aemondâs messages become sparse. When the texts stop altogether, she feels a pang of guilt she canât quite shake. She knows itâs probably for the best, that she needs the space to sort out what she wants from him, but the silence echoes in her mind, leaving her to wonder what she might have done differently.
In every possibility, she realizes she wants him. But she never dwells in her thoughts long enough to understand what that means for them.
One evening, a few days before the next semester is set to begin, she finds herself at the Quill and Tankard, a charming little pub nestled in a cozy corner of the city. The warm, dimly lit space is filled with the hum of conversation and the clink of glasses. She orders a drink, the amber liquid swirling in her glass, and settles into a secluded booth. The conversations around her blur into a comforting background noise as she sips her drink, the alcohol loosening the tight knot of anxiety in her chest.
As the night wears on, her thoughts drift back to Aemond. She has tried so hard to avoid him, to drown out the questions and doubts he has stirred within her. But here in the pub, the memories feel sharper, more insistent. She glances around the room, watching other couples laugh and share stories, and wonders why her own connections feel so fraught with uncertainty.
Her phone buzzes on the table, a reminder of the texts that have long ceased. She glances at it, feeling a pang of longing and frustration. The lack of communication from Aemond leaves her with unanswered questions and unresolved feelings. She takes another sip of her drink, the warmth spreading through her, and feels a surge of impulse.
With a deep breath, she reaches for her phone. Her fingers hover over the screen for a moment, trembling slightly. She knows she shouldnât be doing this, that reaching out might only reopen wounds she isnât ready to face. But the need for some semblance of understanding is too strong to ignore.
Finally, she presses the call button and holds the phone to her ear. The familiar ringtone feels both comforting and jarring in the quiet of the pub. She takes another sip, steeling herself for whatever comes next.
"Hey, can I come over?â
Despite living a stoneâs throw away from each other, she hasnât seen him in a month - and the moment she lays eyes on him again, sheâs struck by how effortlessly captivating he is. Aemond sits at his desk, a stack of papers spread out before him, his focus completely absorbed by whatever it is heâs reading. The dim white light from his half-open laptop casts a soft glow on his face, accentuating the sharp lines of his jaw and the intensity in his expression. Heâs in his element, completely at ease in the quiet of his own space.
She realizes, not for the first time, that itâs easy to stare at Aemond. Easy, because heâs always so absorbed in whatever task demands his attention. His head is often down, his gaze fixed on the papers, books, or screens in front of him, making it simple for her to observe him without the risk of getting caught. But more than that, itâs easy to stare at Aemond because thereâs something about him that draws her in. He doesnât have the easy, effortless charm of Daeron or the overwhelming presence of Aegon, but his appeal lies in the subtleties.
Thereâs a sharper, quieter beauty in Aemond that reveals itself in the smallest of ways. The way his brow furrows slightly when heâs deep in thought, the almost imperceptible lift of his lips when something amuses him. His beauty isnât meant to be obvious or attention grabbing; itâs there for those who take the time to notice, for those who can appreciate the details that make him who he is. Itâs the kind of beauty that makes her wonder about the thoughts that flicker behind his stormy eye, those that he keeps so carefully guarded.
In many ways, Helaena is much the same. Thereâs a quiet elegance to her, a softness thatâs easy to overlook but impossible to forget once youâve seen it. The two of them, siblings with such contrasting temperaments, share this unspoken, understated allure. They leave a lasting impression, like a delicate piece of art that grows more intricate the longer you look at it.
She stands there for a moment longer, taking him in - the way his long fingers trace the edge of the paper, the way a few stray strands of hair fall across his forehead. The familiarity of this scene almost comforts her as she leans into the doorway, unsure if sheâs ready for this confrontation, but knowing itâs inevitable.
âI wasnât sure if I should come,â she murmurs, the words slipping out like a secret, barely more than a breath. They drift into the space between them, fragile and hesitant.
âI told you to,â he replies, his voice steady, almost indifferent. His eyes remain fixed on the papers before him, the rustling of the sheets filling the silence between them.
She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself. âWhat are you working on?â
âGoing through some numbers, drafting reports for Otto,â he answers, still without looking up.
âDid you work with your grandfather? For the summer?â she asks, grasping at the small talk like a lifeline.
âYes, father wanted me to train with him.â
âHm.â
The conversation stalls, and she moves away from the doorway, retreating to the kitchen as if the physical distance might help her regain her composure. She rifles through his fridge, finding a slice of cheesecake and brewing a pot of coffee. The mundane actions feel almost grounding, but the tension remains, coiled tight in her chest.
As she watches the coffee drip, her mind races. Sheâs tense at his curtness, but a part of her knows she deserves it after avoiding him for so long. Still, she canât help the anger simmering beneath the surface. She left to protect herself, but heâs acting as if her absence was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
She walks back into the room, determined now. She nudges herself between him and his work desk, leaning back with her palms pressing against the surface. He finally looks up, his gaze sweeping over her from top to bottom, assessing. His hand rests over his lips, elbows braced on the armrests of his chair. The quiet intensity of his stare sends a shiver down her spine, but she doesnât back down.
âWhat are we doing?â she asks, her voice low but firm.
âYou disappeared for weeks on end, and now youâre back,â he responds, his tone maddeningly calm, as if nothing has happened.
Her nostrils flare in irritation. âWhat were we doing before I left?â Sheâs not letting him off that easily.
âHm.â He takes a deep, audible breath, the kind that makes her want to scream. âWe slept together, and you walked away to sort yourself out.â
âAre you serious right now?â she scoffs, her voice rising in disbelief. âI left because we slept together, and then you told me you were still seeing someone else! Something I asked you about, and you never bothered addressing!â
The frustration bubbling inside her threatens to spill over. She feels like a petulant child, but she knows sheâs not entirely in the wrong. Yet his infuriatingly level-headed tone only makes her feel more on edge.
Without warning, he stands up, looming over her like a dark shadow. His presence is overwhelming, and when he steps closer, she can feel the heat radiating from him. His hands slam down on the table on either side of her, caging her in. Their breaths mingle in the small space between them, and she refuses to break eye contact, challenging him with every ounce of defiance she has left.
âDid you, for once, consider that I may not have wanted to wreck whatever it is you have with this other girl youâve been seeing? For more than a year too, if I might add?â Her voice is laced with bitterness, but thereâs an edge of vulnerability there too, one she canât quite hide.
âHm.â
His nonchalant response is the final straw. âDo you have nothing to say to me?â she nearly pleads, her tone wavering. Itâs borderline pathetic, and the entire situation feels far messier than she can handle. âYou blindsided me.â
He watches her for a moment, his gaze unreadable, before he finally speaks. âDo you regret it?â
Despite the storm of emotions swirling inside her, that answer is easy. âI probably should, but no.â
Her words hang between them, and for a moment, neither of them moves. Then, almost imperceptibly, his hand brushes against hers where it rests on the table. Itâs a tentative touch, the barest graze of his fingers, but itâs enough to send a jolt of electricity through her. She inhales sharply, her breath catching in her throat.
He leans in closer, the distance between them shrinking to nothing. She can feel the heat of his body, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and the tension thickens, wrapping around them like a vise. His gaze drops to her lips, and she feels her resolve weakening, her anger melting away into something far more dangerous.
âAemondâŚâ she whispers, her voice trembling.
He tilts his head slightly, his lips almost brushing against hers. âWylde,â he murmurs, the sound of her name on his lips making her heart stutter. His eyes darken, and she knows thereâs no going back now.
She can feel the tension, heavy and palpable. And then, without another word, he closes the final gap between them, capturing her lips with his in a kiss thatâs anything but gentle.Â
Itâs messy, complicated, and far from perfect, but at this moment, he is all that matters.
His lips find the tender skin of her neck, trailing a path of open-mouthed kisses down to her collarbone. The wet warmth of his mouth sends shivers down her spine, his breath hot against her skin. His hands are everywhere - exploring, claiming, running up and down her sides under her shirt, fingers pressing into her flesh as if trying to memorize the feel of her.
âBeen too fucking long,â he murmurs, the words flowing like water.
She pulls his head up, capturing his lips with hers in a fierce kiss, a desperate melding of mouths that leaves them both breathless. They move together with a practiced urgency, her shirt sliding over her head, his following a second later. Her bra is discarded just as quickly, tossed aside without a second thought, as their bodies come together, skin to skin, the heat between them searing.
But when she reaches out, shifting his papers aside to sit on the edge of the desk, he laughs quietly, a low rumble that sends a thrill through her. He shakes his head, amusement flickering in his eyes, and lifts her effortlessly, his hands strong and steady beneath her. Her legs instinctively wrap around his waist, holding on tight as he carries her toward the bed.
âThose papers took me a while to organize,â he murmurs sharply, his tone laced with mock seriousness. If she didnât know him better, she might think he was truly annoyed.
But she does know him, knows the way his eyes glint with barely concealed mirth as he lowers her onto the bed. The cool sheets contrast with the heat of their bodies, and she arches up into him, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pulls him down for another kiss.Â
Aemondâs hands trail down her body, his fingers hooking into the waistband of her pants as he pulls away slightly, eyes dark and intent. She watches him, breathless, as he slides her pants and underwear down in one smooth motion, the cool air hitting her skin making her shiver.
He kisses his way down her body, lingering at her hips before settling between her thighs. The anticipation coils tight in her belly, her breath hitching as he looks up at her, his expression unreadable but undeniably hungry. He presses a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh, and she feels the tension in her body build with each brush of his lips against her skin.
When he finally touches her where she needs him most, she gasps, her hips arching off the bed in response. He holds her down gently, his strong hands firm on her thighs as his mouth moves with skillful precision. The sensation is overwhelming, every nerve ending alive and thrumming with pleasure as he takes his time, drawing out every gasp and moan that slips from her lips.
She threads her fingers through his hair, tugging lightly as she loses herself in the feeling, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts. His name slips past her lips, a breathless plea that only seems to spur him on, his tongue and lips working in tandem to push her closer and closer to the edge.
Itâs a slow build, a steady climb toward something that feels almost too intense to bear.Â
When she finally falls over the edge, itâs like the world shatters around her, a white-hot burst of pleasure that leaves her breathless and shaking, her hands gripping his hair tightly as she rides out the waves of her release. He stays with her through it all, his mouth still moving against her until the sensation becomes too much and she gently pulls him up to her, needing to feel his lips on hers, to ground herself in the warmth of his kiss.
Her breath is still uneven as she pulls him closer, her hand sliding down his chest, tracing the hard lines of his torso. She meets his gaze, eyes dark with desire, and murmurs, âI need you.â
Without breaking eye contact, her hand slips into his slacks, finding him already hard and straining against the fabric. He hisses at the contact, his jaw tightening as she wraps her fingers around him, stroking slowly, deliberately.
But it doesnât last long. With a low growl, he pulls her hand away and stands up, quickly shedding his slacks and boxers, the clothing falling to the floor in a heap. The sight of him, fully bared to her, sends a fresh wave of desire coursing through her.
Heâs back on her in an instant, his mouth on hers, urgent and demanding, as he positions himself between her legs. She wraps her legs around his waist, drawing him closer, and when he enters her in one smooth thrust, eliciting a gasp from them both.
He stills for a moment, buried deep inside her, his breath hot against her neck. Then, with a groan, he starts to move, slow at first, each thrust measured and deliberate, as if heâs savoring the way her body reacts to him. It doesnât take long for the pace to quicken, the room filling with the sounds of their bodies moving together, the bed creaking beneath them.
She clings to him, her nails digging into his back as he drives into her, each thrust sending shockwaves of pleasure through her. His grip on her hips is firm, his movements powerful and unrelenting, as if heâs intent on losing himself in her.
âAe-mondâŚâ
Their breaths mingle, their bodies slick with sweat as they move together, the world outside fading away until all that exists is this. A conversation is due and far from over, but her mind is clouded by thoughts of him, him, him-
She breaks the kiss, her head falling back as her body tightens around him, pulling him deeper as the pleasure becomes almost too much to bear. He buries his face in her neck, his breath ragged against her skin, and with one final, languid thrust, he comes in pleasure as he moans into her skin.
For a moment, they remain tangled together, their breaths harsh and uneven, the aftermath of their release leaving them both dazed and spent. He stays inside her as long as he can, as if reluctant to break the connection, before finally pulling away and collapsing beside her, pulling her into his arms.
Her head rests on his chest, the steady beat of his heart a comforting rhythm beneath her ear. His arm is draped over her back, holding her close as if to keep the world at bay for just a little longer.
But as the silence stretches on, the reality of their situation begins to creep back in, and she feels the familiar weight of her thoughts clouding her mind. What are they really doing here? What does any of this mean? The questions swirl in her head, tugging her back to the uncertainty sheâs been trying to avoid.
He notices the change in her immediately. The way her body tenses slightly, the furrow that forms between her brows. Heâs seen this look before - when sheâs lost in thought, when somethingâs weighing heavily on her. His grip tightens around her, and he presses a gentle kiss to the top of her head, trying to anchor her in the present.
She tilts her head up, meeting his gaze. Thereâs a softness in his eyes, a tenderness that makes her chest tighten. For a moment, neither of them speaks, the air thick. His hand comes up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, his touch lingering on her cheek.
Her heart skips a beat as she tries to find the words to express the tangle of emotions inside her. But before she can speak, he abruptly breaks the silence.
âItâs never going to be exclusive or long-term with her. Thatâs not what we have.â he says, his voice steady but laced with something she canât quite place. âYouâre not destroying anything.â
The words hang in the air between them, heavy and final. Heâs said them almost as if to preempt whatever she was going to say, as if to take away the guilt and confusion thatâs been gnawing at her since this all began. His eyes search hers, gauging her reaction.
She blinks, trying to process what heâs just said. The admission should bring some relief, should ease the turmoil inside her, but instead, it leaves her feeling more conflicted. The clarity she sought doesnât come; instead, sheâs left with a hollowness that only deepens the questions sheâs been grappling with.
âYou think saying that makes this easier?â she finally asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
âIâm saying it because I donât want you to feel guilty,â he replies, his tone firm but not unkind. âThisâwhatever this isâdoesnât have to be complicated. It can be just us, without any strings attached.â
She bites her lip, the words sinking in. Heâs offering her an out, a way to keep whatever they have without the burden of labels or expectations. But is that really what she wants?
Especially now that her heart skips a beat whenever he comes around?Â
âYou were in love with him for a long time. This is what you need. Something that wonât trouble you.â His hand trails down her arm, grounding her in the moment. âYou donât have to overthink it,â he murmurs, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. âWe want each other.â
She likes him. More than she should, if a fling with her is all he wants. But she can't bring herself to push him away.
âWe can just be.â
She looks up at him, searching his face for any sign of hesitation, but thereâs none. Heâs being honest with her, laying it all out so she can make her own choice.
âYou're saying you've been seeing a girl for more than a year, but she's alright with you sleeping with me?â
âThink that's how an open relationship works. Don't you?â
She wants to ask who it is, but she has a feeling that's more trouble than it's worth.
âAnd what if I don't want this?â
âYou can stop anytime. But you won't.â
His functional eye narrows and there's knots of muscle in both corners of his jaw, a slight twitch of the eyebrow. She likes him when he's like this.
She likes when he knows her. She likes that he's indispensable to her. She likes that he knows that too.
She kisses him and goes to sleep in his arms.
Does any of it matter if she gets to have him like this?
The room is quiet except for the faint rustle of pages as Aemond flips through her sketchbook, his arm draped loosely around her shoulders. She traces absent-minded patterns on his chest, the tip of her finger skimming over the faint lines of his muscles, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
The dim light filters in through the curtains, casting a soft glow over them, highlighting the contentment on her face. Her head rests against him, hair fanned out over the pillow as she relaxes into the moment, her mind drifting aimlessly.Â
Aemondâs fingers lazily flip through the pages filled with rough pencil strokes, some finished, others abandoned halfway. His gaze pauses on one drawing in particular - a silhouette of a woman standing at the edge of the sea, her figure gazing out toward the endless horizon.
He runs his thumb over the page, his voice low. âWhatâs this one?â
She turns her head, glancing at the sketch. Her lips curve into a small smile, though her mind drifts back to the scene that had inspired it. âI was hanging out at the Sunset Sea for a few days. Iâd been studying Jaeron of Lys in my class with Professor Rivers, you know, the old painter?â He shifts slightly, and she shifts along with him. âHis work was all about those distant, far-off humans in his portraits, always framed by these huge, sweeping landscapes.âÂ
Aemond listens intently, his fingers still resting on the paper as she speaks. He turns his head slightly toward her, encouraging her to continue.
âItâs why his work is so widely discussed. The people in his paintings are always so still. Silent. You barely notice them at first, almost like theyâre not even the focus. But the longer you look, the more you wonder what theyâre thinking, what theyâre feeling. He made the audience do the work to comprehend them.â
Aemondâs brow furrows slightly, intrigued by the thought. âIâve seen some of his work in the books. Thereâs this tension in it, like the figures are waiting for something, even though the rest of the world moves on around them.â
She nods. âExactly. That tension is what makes it brilliant. Whatâs even more tragic, though, is what happened to him.â Her voice softens, the weight of the story pulling her deeper into it.
âJaeron went blind in his later years. He couldnât paint, couldnât create for years. The grief of not being able to see art, beauty⌠it destroyed him. He never touched a brush again, not until he was on his deathbed. And even then, he wished for one last chance to paint.â
Aemond turns fully to face her now, propping his head on his hand, captivated by the story. âAnd did he?â
She nods, her gaze distant as she recalls the details from her class. âHe did. Blind and frail, he recreated his first-ever paintingâa woman looking into the sea. It was perfect, down to the smallest detail. His final masterpiece.â
âThe class was about muscle memory in art,â she continues softly. âHow creativity, no matter how burnt out you feel, is what makes you⌠you. Even after all that time, even when he couldnât see, his body remembered. His hands knew the strokes, the curves, like heâd never left it.â
âHm.â Aemondâs noncommittal sound hums through the air as she turns her head, her eyes searching his face. âIt is,â she murmurs, almost to herself. âI think about that sometimes - how you can leave something behind, but when you pick it back up⌠itâs like it never left you either. You just know.â
His thumb traces slow, soothing circles over her hand, his attention fully on her as she sighs, lost in thought.
âA lot of it translates into real life,â she continues, her voice softer now. âLike cycling, or swimming⌠even driving. Things that require focus and rhythm.â
She pauses, a small smile tugging at her lips. âItâs like learning to be in sync with something, or someone.â
Aemondâs eyebrow quirks up slightly at her words, a hint of curiosity flickering in his gaze as she drops her eyes, feeling the warmth of his chest beneath her cheek. She presses on, her voice barely above a whisper.
âLike how we didnât see each other for the entire summer,â she says, her fingers idly tracing patterns on his skin, âbut when we came back together⌠the chemistry, whatever it is. It was there. You didnât forget what I liked, and I didnât forget either.â
Her words hang in the air, the silence stretching. She feels a pang of doubt, wondering if her attempt at lightness had been too blunt, too revealing, too⌠stupid. She glances up at him, ready to brush it off, but Aemond is staring straight ahead, his fingers threading gently through her hair, the weight of his thoughts visible. She can see the wheels turn in his head.
âI wouldnât want to forget anything about you,â he says. His voice settles deep within her chest.
Her breath catches, and for a moment, sheâs at a loss for words, the intensity of his statement catching her off guard. A flush creeps up her neck, coloring her cheeks, and she feels the fluttering in her chest threaten to overwhelm her.
Desperate to lighten the mood, to distract herself from the way his words made her feel, she lets out a shaky laugh, trying to mask her flustered mind. âYouâre being fucking pretentious now,â she jokes, but her voice betrays her, a bit too breathless, a bit too forced.
Why say things like that if you don't mean them?
Aemond doesnât respond immediately, his gaze steady on hers. He doesnât smile, doesnât laugh, just keeps looking at her with a quiet intensity that makes her heart race. The flutter in her chest doesnât fade, and the realization hits her, taking her down with the force of a well-aimed punch to the gut.
Heâs seen right through her.
When she wakes, she glances at the clockâher classes start in an hour or so, but Aemond's are earlier, and heâs already gone. The quiet of the apartment feels warm, almost comforting.
She heads to the bathroom and steps into the shower. As the steam fogs up the glass, she notices faint traces of where his fingers must have absently brushed across the condensation, drawing random patterns.Â
Proof that this isnât a dream, he was hers last night.
After her shower, she rummages through his cupboard to find something to wear, but instead finds a shirt she left behind long ago, forgotten until now. She pulls it on, feeling the fabric cling to her still-damp skin, and shimmies into the same pants from yesterday. The hunger hits her suddenly, and she practically inhales the toast, eggs and coffee, savoring every bite.
As she prepares to leave, she looks for the keys to lock the apartment. By the keystand, a small note catches her eye. She picks it up, her heart giving a small flutter as she reads the familiar handwriting.
Remember your postcards.
She finds the small stack right next to the note and smiles. She picks it up and almost walks out, before she walks back in and takes the note along with her too.
They sit across from each other at one of the long, narrow tables, the polished wood catching the golden hour light filtering through the tall windows.
Months have passed, and classes have begun again. Their time together has been good, even great, filled with moments that make her heart flutter more often than sheâd care to admit. But with each passing day, a nagging feeling settles deeper in her chest - a constant reminder that theyâre not dating, that her feelings for him shouldnât matter. Itâs something she has to tell herself over and over, especially when he does something that makes her smile in his own subtle way.
Sheâs focused on her laptop, typing away at her latest assignment, but her concentration wavers every now and then. She canât help but sneak glances at Aemond, whoâs engrossed in one of his textbooks, his brow furrowed in that familiar way that tugs at something deep within her.
Every so often, his foot nudges hers lightly under the table, a small gesture that sends a tingling sensation up her spine. Itâs almost as if he does it without thinking, but the effect on her is anything but casual. She tries to keep her mind on her work, but the reminders keep coming - small touches that feel too intimate, like the brush of his hand against hers when they both reach for their coffee, or the way he sometimes squeezes her knee under the table, just for a moment, before going back to his reading as if nothing happened.
The thoughts swirl in her mind, making it harder and harder to focus. She needs a break, something to pull her away from these confusing feelings. So, she stands up, mumbling about needing a book for her research. Aemond doesnât look up, but she can feel his presence, his quiet attention, as she walks away from the table.
She wanders through the rows of books, her fingers brushing along the spines as she tries to steady her thoughts. The libraryâs quiet, the only sounds the soft rustle of pages and the distant hum of conversation. Sheâs been walking for a few minutes when she suddenly stops, feeling a familiar presence behind her.
His shadow falls over her, unmistakable in its solidity, in the way it looms, tall and certain. Even without turning, she knows itâs Aemond. Thereâs something about the way he stands, the way his silhouette feels different from anyone elseâsâbroader, more composed, with an intensity that seems to fill the space around him.
She senses him draw closer, the warmth of his body pressing gently against her back. Her breath catches in her throat when she feels his hand brush her hair aside, the strands falling softly over her shoulder. Aemondâs fingers graze the nape of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. He leans in, his lips just barely touching her skin, teasing her with featherlight kisses that make her knees go weak.
âHi,â she faintly murmurs. He grumbles just slightly, his voice low and rough in her ear, laced with a quiet amusement that makes her heart skip a beat. His breath is hot against her skin, and she can feel the faint rumble of his laugh as his lips travel along the curve of her neck.
Her breath catches as one of his hands slides under her skirt, fingers brushing over the curve of her ass, squeezing lightly before venturing lower, teasing the sensitive skin at the top of her thigh. The other hand moves up, slipping beneath her shirt. His touch is firm, confident, as his fingers trace over the fabric of her bra, finding the sensitive peaks of her nipples. He brushes over them, his touch sending a shudder through her that she canât hide.
âAemondâŚâ she whispers, her voice a mix of plea and warning, but it only makes him smile against her skin.
âTell me to stop, and I will,â he says softly, his voice full of a challenge sheâs not sure she can meet. His fingers pinch lightly, just enough to make her gasp, the sound swallowed by his quiet groan of approval.
But she doesnât tell him to stop. Instead, she leans back into him, her body betraying her mind as it seeks more of his touch. His hand on her ass tightens, pulling her against him, and she feels the heat of him, the way he presses against her as if he canât get close enough.
âYou drive me insane,â he murmurs, his lips trailing back up to her ear, nipping lightly at the lobe. âYou know that, right?â
She nods, her breath coming in shallow, uneven bursts as his hand beneath her shirt continues its slow, deliberate torment.
âSay the word,â he whispers, his voice a low rumble that makes her insides twist with want. âSay it, and Iâll stop.â
But the words wonât come. Instead, she turns her head slightly, catching his gaze out of the corner of her eye, the intensity there stealing whatever resolve she thought she had. His eyes are dark, filled with something deep and consuming, and itâs in that moment she knows sheâs lost.
âAemondâŚâ she breathes again, but this time, itâs not a warning. Itâs an invitation, and he knows it. His hand leaves her ass, sliding around to her front, pulling her even closer, and she feels the low, satisfied hum in his chest as he kisses the side of her neck, harder this time, more insistent.
The hand slides further down, slipping beneath the waistband of her panties. His fingers move with agonizing slowness, tracing the curve of her before dipping into the heat between her thighs. She bites down on her lip, trying to stifle the gasp that escapes her as his fingers brush over her entrance.
âSo wet for me,â he murmurs against her ear, his voice thick with desire. His fingers start to move in slow, deliberate circles, teasing and tormenting her with a touch thatâs just enough to make her want more but not enough to satisfy the growing ache inside her.
She grips the edge of the bookshelf in front of her, knuckles turning white as she tries to stay quiet, but every slow, precise movement of his fingers makes it harder. Her breath hitches in her throat as he presses harder, moving against her in a way that makes her whole body tense with need.
âPlease, Aemond,â she whispers, her voice trembling with the weight of everything sheâs feeling. She wants more, needs more, and she knows he can give it to her.
A low, dark chuckle rumbles in his chest as he withdraws his hand, making her whimper at the loss. But before she can protest, heâs turning her around, his movements quick and deliberate, as if heâs been waiting for this just as much as she has.
He pushes her back against the shelves, his body pressing into hers, trapping her between the cool wood and his heat. His mouth is on hers before she can say anything else, kissing her hard and deep, swallowing the moan that escapes her as he reaches between them to tug her panties down. His fingers work deftly, the fabric falling to the floor around her ankles as he frees himself from his pants.
He pulls back just enough to meet her eyes, his gaze dark and filled with something primal. âItâs a shame,â he murmurs, his voice low and rough. âI quite like it when you scream.â
Her breath catches at his words, the anticipation tightening in her stomach as he leans in, his lips brushing against her ear. âBut youâre going to have to be quiet, or theyâll hear you.â
He doesnât give her a chance to respond before heâs lifting her leg, wrapping it around his waist as he guides himself to her entrance. She gasps as he pushes into her slowly, stretching her inch by inch in a way that feels both torturous and utterly perfect.
She bites down on her lip to keep from crying out, the intensity of the sensation almost too much to bear as he fills her completely. His hand slides under her shirt again, pushing the fabric up and palming her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple in a way that makes her arch against him, her body desperate for more of his touch.
He begins to move, thrusting into her with a slow, steady rhythm that has her head spinning. Each movement is deliberate, controlled, as if heâs savoring every moment, every sound she makes. She canât help the small moans that escape her, each one muffled against his shoulder as she clings to him, her body trembling with the force of her need.
But even her attempts to stay quiet arenât enough to satisfy him. He kisses her again, harder this time, swallowing her cries as he picks up the pace, his hips snapping against hers with a force that makes the bookshelf behind her rattle. The sounds of the library fade away, leaving only the echo of their ragged breaths and the wet, slick sounds of their bodies moving together.
âSo fucking perfect,â he groans, his lips brushing against her ear as he pounds into her, each thrust hitting deeper, harder.
She can feel the tension building inside her, the pressure coiling tighter and tighter with every thrust. Her fingers dig into his back, holding on to him like heâs the only thing keeping her anchored to the ground.
âI need you,â she gasps, her voice a desperate whisper against his neck. âPlease, Aemond⌠donât stop.â The thrill of being caught only seems to make her want more.
His response is a low, guttural sound that sends shivers down her spine. He shifts slightly, changing the angle just enough to hit that perfect spot inside her, and suddenly sheâs teetering on the edge, every nerve in her body alight with sensation.
âCome for me,â he whispers, his voice a dark command that she canât resist.
And she does. Her body shatters around him, her release crashing over her in waves that leave her trembling and breathless. He kisses her again, swallowing her cries as he thrusts into her harder, faster, riding out her orgasm until sheâs nothing but a quivering mess in his arms.
Aemond isnât far behind. With a few more powerful thrusts, he buries himself deep inside her, his body going rigid as he finds his own release, groaning her name against her lips as he spills into her.
They stay like that for a moment, both of them breathing heavily, their bodies pressed together as they come down from the high. He kisses her softly, his lips lingering on hers as if heâs reluctant to pull away, and for a moment, itâs just the two of them, lost in the aftermath of what theyâve just shared.
When he finally pulls back, thereâs a look in his eyes that she canât quite place, something intense and raw that makes her heart skip a beat. He smooths her hair back, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before helping her adjust her clothes, his touch now tender, almost reverent.
When sheâs done with adjusting herself, she brings her hands over her mouth and lets out a long, shuddering breath - disbelief, over what theyâd just done. He seems quite unfazed, almost as if he constantly engages in semi-public sex and she canât help but wonder.
Has he done this with her too?
When he pulls her into his chest with an arm over her shoulder, she smiles. She smiles and smiles and smiles until her lips go taut and her dimples are seemingly permanent.
Aemond pushes open the door to her room, stepping inside with a quiet creak of the hinges. He pauses, his gaze taking in the chaos that greets him: clothes scattered across the floor, stacks of books and sketch pads teetering on the edge of her desk, and an assortment of half-packed bags and boxes cluttering every available surface.Â
Raising an eyebrow, he surveys the scene with amusement. âYouâve been busy,â he says, his tone both teasing and intrigued.
She glances up from where she is hunched over a suitcase, her hands busy stuffing garments into it with an absentminded efficiency. âI am,â she says with a sigh, straightening up and brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. âIâm packing to go back home next week. One of my older half-brothers is launching his business, and my dad called me today. Heâs got plane tickets for me, so I thought Iâd just stay at Kingâs Landing until the Targaryen Charity Benefit.â
Her eyes flicker over to him, a hint of apology in them as if she were embarrassed by the state of her room. âIâm taking my classes online while Iâm there.â
Aemond hums, his gaze drifting to the cluttered bed as he sits at the edge. He runs a hand through his hair, still processing her news. âYouâll be gone for three weeks.â
She leaves the mess behind and stands in front of him, between his legs. Almost as though itâs second nature, she straddles him, her legs wrapping around his waist. His hands settle on her hips, holding her in place, and she smiles. âYes, whatever will you do without me?â
Aemondâs grip tightens around her hips as she straddles him. He lifts a hand to brush a strand of hair from her face, his touch tender. Without a word, she leans down, capturing his lips in a soft, lingering kiss.
Itâs gentle at first. His hands roam up her back, steadying her against him, while her fingers trace the line of his jaw, feeling the sharp angles beneath her touch. She melts into him, savoring the warmth of his chest and the familiar feel of his arms around her.
Her mind betrays her, hitting her with the sudden realization of how much she cares for him - how her feelings have resurfaced in full force despite everything. She told herself before that this was casual, but now, pressed against him, it's impossible to ignore the tenderness of the moment, how much it means to her.
Just as she's about to lose herself entirely, Aemond pulls back slightly, his lips brushing against hers as he speaks softly. âCome with me⌠to the Targaryen Charity Benefit.â
She blinks, his words cutting through the haze of her thoughts. âWhat?â
He meets her eyes, his thumb stroking her side. âCome with me.â
âAs your date?â She raises her eyebrows, knowing very well that going with him to public events is probably not a safe bet to make.
âAs whatever youâd like.â
Her heart skips a beat, the invitation sending a flutter through her chest. For a moment, she hesitates, her mind whirling. She can see herself there, on his arm, but doubt quickly gnaws at her. What about the other woman? The one she knows heâs seeing? Wouldn't that complicate things further?
But she pushes the thoughts aside, smiling softly at him as she whispers, âOkay.â
Before she can overthink it, she leans down and kisses him again, her lips urgent against his, as though trying to drown out the uncertainty lingering in her mind. But as the kiss deepens, the doubt creeps back in. Can she really be the girl on his arm without stirring up more trouble? Will his other entanglements only complicate things further? What are they even doing?
She canât shake the feeling that itâs not as simple as he makes it sound.
Pulling back from the kiss, her breath still mingling with his, her fingers still on his chest. The question thatâs been nagging at the back of her mind breaks through, and she canât keep it at bay any longer. âWhat about her?â she asks, her voice quieter now. âThe girl youâre seeing⌠is that not going to be a problem?â
Aemondâs expression shifts ever so slightly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his gaze. He sighs, his hands resting lightly on her hips as he looks down, avoiding her eyes for a moment. âItâs not what we do,â he says, his voice soft but edged with a weight that makes her heart sink. âWe donât⌠go out.â
Thereâs a heaviness to his words, something almost resigned in the way he says them. It breaks her heart just slightly, the realization that this other girlâwhoever she isâ isnât someone he even takes out in public. But why? Why would he hide someone if she wasnât important to him in some way? Why come to her if she was important?
Her brows knitted together as she looked at him, searching his face for answers. âWhy?â she asked softly, the question slipping out before she could stop herself. âWhy hide her if sheâs notâŚ?â
He met her gaze then, his expression hard to read. For a moment, he didnât say anything, as if weighing his response. âItâs complicated,â he finally said, his voice low, almost distant. âItâs not what we do. We canât⌠itâs not what we do.â
The way he said it, the way the words hung between them, sent a pang through her chest. She had no idea what he was dealing with, but it was clear that whatever this was with the other woman wasnât as simple as sheâd imagined. Still, it left her wondering if sheâd ever really have him, all of him, or if he was always going to be torn between worlds she couldnât fully understand.
She looked away, trying to process it all. The warmth of his body against hers, the comfort of his arms around herânone of it could quiet the confusion that swirled in her mind. Aemondâs fingers tightened ever so slightly on her hips as he noticed the way her expression shifted, the light in her eyes dimming.
âHey,â he murmured, his voice softer now, almost pleading. He lifted a hand to cup her face, gently turning her head so sheâd look at him. His thumb brushed lightly over her cheek. âItâs not what you think.â
She held his gaze for a moment, her expression guarded, but the doubt lingered in her eyes. âIsnât it?â
Aemond exhaled, feeling the weight of the moment press down on him. âItâs not like that with her,â he said, his voice low, steady. âShe wonât mind.â
She wonât mind. She wonât mind. She wonât mind. She wonât-
Her time with him was all because this other girl did not mind. And if she did? What then?
The words echoed in her mind, reverberating off every wall of her thoughts until they drowned out the sound of Aemondâs voice, the warmth of his touch. She wonât mind. It burned into her, the reality she had been pushing aside - her time with him, their moments together, the intimacy they shared, all hinged on the indifference of another woman. Her existence in his life was allowed because someone else didnât care enough to stop it.
But what if she did? What if this other woman, whoever she was, suddenly decided she did care? What if, one day, Aemond had to choose? She already knew the answer, and it made her stomach twist painfully.
Her mind raced, flicking through every moment theyâd shared - every touch, every kiss, every lingering glance - and she saw it clearly now. This arrangement, whatever it was, wasnât the casual thing she had imagined. It was precarious, temporary, held together by his convenience and Aemondâs careful balancing act between her and someone else. And if that balance tipped? If the other girl did mind?
The thought is ugly, but she canât help it.
Sheâll be the one left behind, a brief chapter in his life, an afterthought in the wake of his real relationship. The thought makes her sick. She doesnât want to be with someone who canât put her first, who keeps her around because itâs easy and doesnât disrupt his life. She doesnât want to be the girl waiting in the wings, always wondering when itâll end, when sheâll be discarded because something else took precedence.
Aemondâs touch no longer feels like a comfort. His words, however sweet, now seem hollow. She wants him, yesâwants him desperately, but not like this. She doesnât need him. Not so much that she would destroy herself, let herself be diminished, just to be with him.
She doesnât want to help him keep up his image while he spends the entire night waiting to go back to her.
The realization hits her like a wave, flooding her with a clarity she hasnât grasped before. Sheâs been clinging to him, holding on to the fragments of what they have because she thought she couldnât let go. But now, she sees it for what it is. She deserves more than being someoneâs second choice, someoneâs convenience.
She exhales softly and looks at him, really looks at him. His sharp features, silver hair falling slightly into his eyes, his expression holding mild confusion as he notices her shift. Heâs beautiful, enigmatic, the kind of person who draws you in without even trying. And she loves him. That much is clear. But she loves herself, too. And thisâthis isnât good for her.
For a long moment, she stays silent, her heart thudding in her chest as she gathers the courage to say what she knows has to be said. Her eyes search his face, memorizing him, this moment. Because after this, everything will change. There will be no going back.
All of this is happening on borrowed time - she deserves more.
Before she can fully process her resolve, Aemond moves. In one swift motion, he lifts her effortlessly, a startled gasp escaping her lips as he throws her back onto the bed. Her body bounces lightly against the sheets, her heart pounding as she looks up at him. He looms above her, a quiet intensity in his eyes, and for a second, everything else fades away - thereâs only him.
His thumb grazes her bottom lip, slow and deliberate, as if heâs committing the feel of her to memory. She canât tear her gaze away, her breath hitching when he leans down, pressing his forehead against hers. The warmth of his skin, the closeness of his breath - itâs intoxicating, and despite everything, despite her earlier resolve, she feels herself crumbling.
âCome with me.â His voice is low, a quiet plea she can't resist. Their foreheads press together, breath mingling, and for a moment, it feels like the world is holding its breath.
Her heart wavers, but the word slips out before she can stop it. âOkay.â
And then he's on her, kissing her with an intensity that steals her breath. His hands roam her body, rough yet tender, like he can't get enough of her. She melts beneath him, her hands tangling in his silver hair, pulling him closer, deeper.
Their bodies move together, a rhythm they know too well. He pushes into her slowly at first, drawing out her pleasure until she's arching into him, her breath coming in short, desperate gasps. His hands grip her hips, holding her steady as his thrusts become more urgent, more insistent.
She moans, her nails digging into his back under his shirt as she rides the waves of her release, trembling beneath him. But he isnât done.
Before she can catch her breath, Aemond flips her over, positioning her on all fours. The cool air hits her back, sharp against the heat of his touch, and she shivers. His lips trace her spine with sweet kisses before he grips her hips again, pulling her back towards him.
Without warning, he thrusts into her hard and deep, and she cries out, her fingers clenching the sheets as he fills her completely. His movements are rough, every thrust powerful, almost desperate, as he chases his own pleasure. She can feel the tension in his body, the way his fingers dig into her skin, the low growl escaping his lips as he loses himself in her.
Each thrust sends her reeling, her body arching as he pounds into her, the bed creaking beneath them. The pressure builds again, her senses overwhelmed by the roughness of his touch, the way his body dominates hers. Itâs primal, raw, and she gives in to it, letting the pleasure wash over her once more.
He moves faster, harder, his breaths ragged as he pushes them both to the edge. His fingers tighten on her hips, pulling her back into him with each powerful thrust, his control slipping. She feels him tense behind her, his rhythm faltering as he reaches his peak, his final thrusts erratic and frantic.
With one final, forceful push, he groans, his body trembling as he spills into her, his grip tightening as he holds her close. She gasps, her own body quivering from the intensity of it all, pleasure mingling with the rawness of what theyâve just shared.
Aemond shifts beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulls her into his chest. His warmth envelops her, the steady rise and fall of his breathing soothing against her skin. She nestles closer, feeling the way his body fits perfectly around hers, his arm draped possessively over her stomach.
The room is quiet, just the sound of their breathing filling the space. She stares at the wall, her mind still spinning from everythingâthe way he held her, the feel of his body against hers. It feels so real, so perfect, and it terrifies her.
"I'm hungry," she whines.
And then, he laughs. Itâs quiet, just a low chuckle, but she feels his whole body move behind her, his chest pressing into her back as his shoulders shake slightly. She doesnât need to see his face to know how he looks when he laughs - his lips upturned slightly, the sound soft but genuine, his whole body leaning forward with it. Itâs rare, but she cherishes it every time.
She smiles to herself, her heart swelling in her chest. She likes him too much, more than she ever thought she would. Maybe she even loves him. The thought sends a pang through her, bittersweet and undeniable. Loving him wasnât supposed to happen, not like this, but itâs too late to deny it.
But sheâll leave soon. And when she comes back, sheâll tell him the truth. She needs to know if thereâs space for her in his life, or if the woman he guards so fiercely already holds that place.
Her chest tightens at the thought. She wants to be the one he turns to, the one he holds like this, the one he laughs with. But she canât let herself be second. Not again.
She closes her eyes, breathing in the moment, memorizing how it feels to be wrapped in his arms. Because when she returns, everything will change.
One way or another.
She sits cross-legged on Arianneâs living room floor, nursing a glass of wine as she absentmindedly swirls the deep red liquid around in her glass. The cozy, dimly lit flat is filled with the soft sounds of an old record playing in the background, casting a nostalgic haze over the room. Arianne, always effortlessly composed, lounges on the couch, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders as she watches her with a knowing look in her eyes.
"You sneaky little bitch," Arianne says, narrowing her eyes playfully, lips curving into a teasing smirk. She exaggerates a cross-eyed look, making her wince and laugh in guilt.
âIâm sorry. I should have told you sooner,â she mumbles, her fingers tightening around the stem of her glass.
âYeah, you should have,â Arianne huffs, tossing a pillow at her. âI wouldâve liked to know you were fucking Aemond Targaryen, for godsâ sake! Girl, you should have told me!â
She winces again, guilt gnawing at her. âIâm sorâ"
âAemond. Fucking. Targaryen of all people,â Arianne says, incredulous, her eyes wide as she takes a gulp of her wine. âHe doesnât seem like your type, though. Whatâs going on there?â
She blinks, a little taken aback by that. âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
âWell,â Arianne begins, leaning back into the couch with a lazy smile, âheâs Aemond Targaryen. The man calls Facebook âBook of the Face,â for crying out loud. Posh, arrogant prick.â
âHeâs posh? Youâre a bloody Martell!â She retorts, raising her glass to her lips. âAnd for the record, heâs not even on Facebook.â
Arianne rolls her eyes dramatically. âWeird. Iâd have thought the youngest one, Daeron, wouldâve been more your type. The life of the party, you know?â
Of course, sheâd say that. Arianne has known the Targaryens for most of her life. The Martells, like the Targaryens, are part of Westeros' seven most prominent familiesâthe others being the Starks, Lannisters, Tullys, Tyrells, and Baratheons. In these circles, itâs not just about wealth or influence; it's about legacy. Apart from the reclusive Starks, the children of these families grow up in each other's orbits, attending the same elite schools, galas, and events that reinforce their status at the top.
Wherever life takes them, they find one another, keeping close within their exclusive, almost impenetrable social circle. Friendships and rivalries are passed down from generation to generation, their connections as powerful as the fortunes they control. She understands this better than anyone. Her family, after all, has sat on the board of Targaryen Consolidated for generations, their fates intertwined with the silver-haired dynasty. Itâs a world where the personal and professional are inseparable, where trust is as valuable as the wealth that surrounds them.
She shifts uncomfortably. âYeah, Daeronâs... charming in his own way, but heâs basically Aegon if he wasnât trying to screw anything in a dress.â
Arianne bursts into laughter, loud and unfiltered, leaning her head back. âAegonâs fun though! Iâve hooked up with him a couple of times, and the sex was goo-ood!â
She groans, burying her face in her hands. âEw, stop!â
âIâm just saying,â Arianne continues, completely unbothered. âAegon may be a bit of a mess, but at least he knows how to have a good time. Aemond, on the other handâŚâ She trails off, raising an eyebrow, clearly amused by the whole situation. âI canât believe youâre with him.â
She rolls her eyes, though a small smile tugs at her lips. âItâs not like that. Not really.â
Arianne scoots closer, intrigued. âOh? Do tell.â
She sighs, taking a deep breath before the words tumble out. âI think Iâm falling for him, Ari. But... It's so confusing. I mean, I was in love with Daeron not even a year ago. How does that even look? Like Iâm hopping from one brother to the other.â
Arianneâs teasing expression softens at that, and she reaches out, placing a hand on her knee. âYouâŚâ she says gently, her voice lacking its usual playful edge. âYouâre not hopping from one brother to the next. Youâre figuring out what you want. Itâs okay to change, to grow. And itâs okay to love someone new.â
Arianne tilts her head, considering her words carefully. âLook, if Aemond thought you were confused, he wouldnât be spending all this time with you. Heâs smartâtoo smart to waste his time on something that doesnât matter to him. And from what youâve told me, it sounds like he does care about you.â
She lets the words sink in, her chest tightening. âBut itâs so much more complicated. Heâs seeing someoneâor was seeing someone. I donât even know. He says itâs not serious, butâŚâ
Arianne lets out a sympathetic sigh, pulling her into a side hug. âYou need to talk to him. Really talk to him. Figure out where you both stand.â
She leans into her, resting her head on Arianneâs shoulder. âIâm scared. What if telling him ruins everything?â
Arianne rubs her back gently. âAnd what if it doesnât? What if this is exactly what you both need to figure out where youâre going? You canât keep avoiding it.â
She takes a deep breath, nodding. âYouâre right. Iâll talk to him when I get back.â
âAnd if itâs real,â Arianne adds softly, âyou wonât lose him. But if itâs not... youâll be okay. I think you deserve better anyway.â
âStop!â She whines. She then smiles, feeling lighter. âThanks, Ari.â
âAnytime,â Arianne grins, nudging her playfully. âNow, can we please watch something trashy and stop talking about your Targaryen boys? My brain needs a break from all this drama.â
She laughs, grateful for the distraction. âI brought soda and chips!â
Arianne cheers, grabbing the remote. âYou know just how to spoil me.â
âAe-mond, pleaseâŚâ
On their last night before her flight back to King's Landing, they move slowly together, every touch deliberate and heavy. Their bodies come together with a fervor thatâs almost desperate, as if theyâre trying to hold onto something thatâs slipping through their fingers.
Each kiss feels like a search, an attempt to erase the lingering traces of someone elseâs touch from his skin. She wonders if sheâll ever fully wash away the imprint of anotherâs fingertips, or if sheâs merely adding her own layer to him. Every caress, every kiss is an exercise in forensics, a quest to mark him with her own brand, hoping that her touch will replace any remnants of someone else.
As he presses into her with a familiar, almost instinctive harshness, she canât help but wonder if the other girlâs body was fuller, more curvaceous. The way he handles her, the way heâs rough and gentle all at once, speaks of an experience that goes beyond her. His touch is meticulous, as if heâs dedicated to exploring every contour of her body with a reverence she feels he must have practiced before.
Sheâs acutely aware that he isnât new to the art of adoration. His hands, his lips, his entire presence seem to carry a certain expertiseâeach stroke, each touch is a testament to a history of worshiping a womanâs body with precision and care. He seems to know exactly where to touch, how to press, as if heâs memorized the map of desire and is determined to chart every inch of her.
With every touch, she is reminded that there is someone else. It breaks her like nothing else.
Aemondâs hands roam with purpose, tracing every curve, every hollow with a skill that leaves her breathless. She canât shake the thought that this is a ritual of sorts, a final act of devotion before she departs. Each touch, each kiss feels like an affirmation of what theyâve shared, an attempt to seal their moments together into something tangible, something she can carry with her.
As she nears her release, her body arches and shudders beneath him, her breath coming in short, desperate gasps. He follows soon after, his movements urgent and final, his breath ragged against her skin.
Afterward, they lie together in the dim room, the sounds of crickets chirping softly through the open window.
âHow are you getting to the airport?â His voice is soft in a way that she wishes she can bottle up and take with her.
âDadâs sending a car to the flat,â she replies, her voice muffled by the pillow and his embrace.
The room is filled with the subtle buzz of the lamp and the gentle rustling of the curtains in the night breeze. Aemond pulls her close, his arms wrapping around her as he kisses her shoulder tenderly.
When they wake, he says nothing as she takes a shower in a hurry to leave. He cooks a quick breakfast for them both with whatever he could find in her fridge, and she eats like a woman starved. He kisses her gently before he lets her go, and she cannot help but think.
Sheâs leaving every inch of Aemond to another woman exclusively for three weeks. What if he decides he does not want her when she comes back?
Then the thought at the back of her mind resurfaces - that sheâs the other woman. No matter what Aemond says, she knows that much to be true.
âAemondâŚ?â She murmurs, quickly debating whether or not she should tell him now, if only so that heâd be tempted to not push her aside completely in her absence.
âHm?â
âNothing.âÂ
The words die on her tongue, just like a piece of her heart does when she gets on the plane.
The weeks pass by in a blur, and soon she finds herself standing in a crowded event hall, meeting her half-siblings after what feels like an eternity. Two of them are launching their new venture in the city, and the occasion has brought them all together. She interacts with them as much as she can, offering polite conversation and smiles, but she canât help but feel a quiet astonishment at how little she truly knows about them. Despite the shared blood, they seem like strangers bound only by a distant connection.
It isnât surprising, really. Jasper Wyldeâs five children by his first wife had been adults long before he met her mother, and by the time she was born, the youngest of them was just leaving for college. The age gap, the separate lives - they had grown up worlds apart. Thereâs only so much they could have in common, and that knowledge weighs heavily on her as she exchanges pleasantries with them, feeling the disconnect more keenly with each passing moment.
She watches them closely - the way they move through the crowd, how they speak to each other with an ease that sheâs never known with them. They have their own inside jokes, shared memories, and a rhythm that sheâs never been a part of. Itâs like watching a family dynamic she canât quite break into, one sheâs always been on the outskirts of. Even as they make small talk, she feels the invisible walls between them, the years of absence and unfamiliarity creating a distance that no amount of cordiality can erase.
But she plays her partâengages when they speak to her, listens as they recount their stories, and smiles when itâs appropriate. Yet all the while, she feels that sense of being on the outside looking in. They talk about their father, Jasper, with a familiarity that she canât match, their experiences with him vastly different from her own. Itâs clear that, in many ways, they had a father she never really knew.
What amazes her most, though, is how much closer she feels to the Targaryens than to her own blood. The realization strikes her with a quiet weight as she stands among her half-siblings, exchanging polite words, but never quite connecting. With the Targaryens, everything feels differentânatural, easy, as though she belongs in their orbit in a way she never has with her own family.
With the Targaryens, she doesnât feel like sheâs on the outside looking in. She belongs. In their world, sheâs more than just the youngest child of a man with a complicated past - sheâs someone who matters.
Being home has made her feel strangely untethered. Itâs not that she isnât used to itâthis distance from Aemondâbut somehow, this time it feels different. Maybe itâs because she knows sheâll see him again soon, in just a matter of weeks, but it feels like the days are dragging by, each one marked by the weight of missing him.
She lies in bed late one evening, her phone resting on the pillow next to her, waiting for the familiar buzz. Itâs become a routineâAemond calling just before she falls asleep, his voice the last thing she hears at night. When the phone finally lights up with his name, she answers without hesitation.
"Hey," she says, trying to keep her voice casual, but her heart picks up the pace as soon as she hears his breath on the other end.
"Hey," he replies softly. Thereâs a brief pause, and she can hear the faint sounds of his apartment in the backgroundâthe muffled hum of traffic, the creak of his chair. "Howâs home?"
"Fine, I guess. Quiet." She smiles a little, thinking of how everything feels slower here. "I saw my half-siblings today, for the launch thing."
"How was that?" His tone is neutral, but she knows heâs asking because he cares, not out of mere politeness.
"It was... weird. I donât know, I barely know them. I guess Iâm just realizing how distant we are." She pauses, feeling the words settle in the quiet between them. "I feel closer to your family than to mine. Maybe because yours is the better family. Although, I do have the better father."
Heâs quiet for a moment, and she imagines him leaning back in his chair, considering her words. âI can assure you, your family is just fine. You donât want mine.â
She laughs, a little caught off guard by the softness in his voice. "Yeah, maybe."
They fall into an easy rhythm after that, talking about nothing in particularâwork, the weather, what he had for dinner. Itâs all so simple, so familiar, and yet she finds herself hanging on every word, savoring the sound of his voice, the way he says her name. Itâs the closest she can get to him right now, and it isnât enough.
Thereâs a pause, and then Aemond asks, "So, how long now? Two weeks?"
She bites her lip, her heart skipping a beat. "Yeah, just about."
"Youâre counting the days?"
She can hear the smile in his voice, and she feels her cheeks flush despite herself. "Maybe."
"You miss me," he says, his voice gentle, and itâs not a question. Itâs a statement, and it lands with a weight that she can feel in her chest.
"Maybe I do," she admits quietly, her heart pounding. Thereâs a moment of silence, and in that space, the truth presses at the edges of her thoughts, threatening to spill out.
When she speaks again, her voice is softer, more serious. "Aemond, we need to talk.â
She hears him shift on the other end, a subtle rustling of fabric. "What is it?"
She hesitates, not ready to say it yet. "A conversation best had in person."
"Alright," he says, his voice low, almost tender.Â
She hangs up, her heart racing, her fingers still gripping the phone tightly. The warmth of his words lingers, solidifying her resolve. When she sees him again, sheâll tell him. Sheâll tell him everything.
The event takes place in a grand hall, tucked away in the heart of the city but worlds apart from the modern, bustling life outside. The walls are lined with rich mahogany wood, centuries-old oil portraits of stern ancestors in gilded frames, and shelves stacked high with leather-bound books whose spines are worn with age.Â
She steps inside and is immediately enveloped in the hushed murmurs of conversation, the gentle clinking of crystal glasses, and the soft rustle of fabric as guests move gracefully through the dimly lit space. Despite the outward calm, thereâs an electric tension in the air as the auctioneer lifts the gavel to announce each winning bid. Thereâs a certain satisfaction, almost smug, in the faces of those who come away with a prized possession, as if theyâve secured another piece of their heritage. For the others, thereâs no outward disappointmentâjust a cool, composed silence, knowing there will be another opportunity to prove their worth.
She sits back, observing it all, feeling both a part of this world and strangely removed from it. The dark paneling on the walls, the rich smell of leather and smoke, the soft glow of the fireplace at the far end of the room - itâs all familiar, yet thereâs something about it that feels performative, as if the evening is a carefully constructed illusion. The charity, the good intentions, seem secondary to the ritual of it all. As the final item is brought out - a centuries-old manuscript in a glass case - the room stills. In the end, the manuscript is sold for an astronomical price. The gavel falls with a sharp crack, and polite applause ripples through the crowd, though itâs more a gesture of respect than enthusiasm.
As the final round of applause fades, the grand oak doors at the back of the room swing open, and Viserys Targaryen steps forward. His presence is immediately felt, even if he looks frail and thinner than ever before. She heard from Aemond that heâd taken up residence at Dragonstone now, having bought an apartment for himself to stay after his parents' secret, unofficial separation.
"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice is smooth, warm, and commanding all at once, carrying easily over the subdued murmur of the crowd. "What a night this has been. Iâm not sure whatâs more impressive - the art weâve auctioned off or the fact that some of you managed to keep your bids as discreet as you did. Subtlety, after all, is an art in itself," he says with a slight chuckle, eliciting polite laughter from the audience.
"Your generosity tonight is overwhelming," he continues, his tone shifting to one of sincere gratitude. "These contributions will go a long way in supporting the causes we hold dear, ensuring that history is preserved for future generations to appreciate - something I think we all understand better than most."
"And now," Viserys adds with a glint of amusement, "I know youâve all been quite serious about your bidding, but it's time to relax a little." The room hums in agreement.
"Please," he gestures toward the doors leading to the adjoining ballroom, "join me for a night of music, dancing, and, of course, more wine. I think weâve all earned it after such a spectacular evening."
With a final smile, Viserys steps down from the podium, the soft clapping of the crowd filling the room as guests begin to rise from their seats, gathering their evening coats and handbags. The heavy double doors to the ballroom swing open, revealing a space even grander than the auction hall. The light spills out, golden and inviting, as the soft strains of a string quartet begin to play from within.
She takes her fatherâs hand and walks in with him, their pace in tandem with each other.Â
Do you think weâll make it through this evening without someone bringing up a new investment opportunity?" she murmurs, her voice laced with dry amusement, eyes scanning the sea of chandeliers, gilded mirrors, and finely dressed people mingling as they enter the ballroom.
Jasper Wylde glances down at her with a half-smile. "Doubt it," he says. "Thereâs always someone with a 'brilliant' idea that just needs a little backing."
She lets out a soft chuckle. "Maybe we should place bets on who brings it up first."
"Ten crowns on Lord Massey," he says, his tone casual, but the glint in his eye betrays his amusement. "Heâs been circling us all night."
"You're on," she replies, feeling lighter as they reach the grand archway leading into the ballroom. The gentle strains of the string quartet swirl around them, and she allows herself to soak in the surroundings.
Their moment of ease is brief. As soon as they step fully into the room, a cohort of middle-aged men in dark suits, all clutching glasses of whiskey, make their approach, their faces lighting up at the sight of her father. She can see the shift in his demeanor - the casualness dropping ever so slightly, replaced by a more guarded, professional air.
"Ah, here we go," Jasper mutters under his breath.Â
One of the men, a stocky figure with graying hair and a booming voice, claps her father on the shoulder. "Ironrod, just the man we were looking for!" he says, raising his glass. "We were just discussing the latest venture down in Stormâs End. Care to weigh in?"
Her father gives her a rueful look, the corner of his mouth quirking as if to say I told you so. "Duty calls," he says softly to her, before turning to the group with a more affable expression. "Gentlemen, lead the way."
And just like that, heâs swept up into the conversation, nodding and exchanging knowing glances with the men as they disappear into a corner of the ballroom. Before she can fully orient herself, Daeron appears at her side, his usual easy grin plastered across his face.
"Well, look who it is," he says warmly, pulling her into a quick embrace. "I thought I'd have to search the entire ballroom to find you."
She laughs lightly. "I wasnât hiding, just waiting for you to make your grand entrance. How was Essos?"
Daeronâs face lights up, and he launches into a recount of his summer abroad with Helaena, his energy infectious. "It was wild. Good time with Hel, she took me along to the coastline and we went around looking for almost-extinct bugs in Lys." He rolls his eyes but thereâs fondness in his voice.
She smiles at the thought of Helaena. "Sounds like her. Where is she tonight?"
"With our grandfather and Aemond, somewhere over there," Daeron says, nodding toward a nearby cluster of people. Sure enough, she spots Helaena waving enthusiastically, her face alight with joy as she talks to Otto. Aemond, standing next to her, gives a small, almost imperceptible nod when their eyes meet. His gaze lingers for a moment longer than it should, and her heart stirs in response.
She canât help but smile softly, and, on a whim, she winks at him. Sheâs had a bad feeling about this night ever since she woke, but it all dissipates massively the moment his gaze meets hers. He doesnât react outwardly, but thereâs something in his posture that shifts ever so slightly, a subtle acknowledgment.
Daeron catches the exchange but remains oblivious, laughing as he gestures to the ballroom. "Come on, letâs take a look around. It's the same as always, but a little darker, don't you think?"
âPerhaps,â she remarks dryly, glancing around at the decadent decor.
As they stroll through the room, their eyes catch Will Tyrell, who is deep in conversation with an older man near the far end of the ballroom.
"Ah, Will," Daeron says, grinning as he gestures toward him. "His father's expanding their business, you know. Will's been training to take over soon. Everyone's talking about it."
"Iâve seen him around campus," she replies, keeping her voice casual. "We almost hooked up once, actually."
Daeron raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Really? What happened?"
Her stomach twists at the memory, a flash of the panic that had overwhelmed her that night. She remembers calling Aemond, his voice steadying her over the phone as she told him where she was. Heâd picked her up, no questions asked. The bitterness that rises in her throat is unexpected, but itâs there, sharp and real.
"Donât even ask," she mutters, her voice tight as she glances away, trying to shake off the heaviness of the memory.
Daeron, sensing her shift in mood, just nods, his usual carefree demeanor faltering slightly. He doesnât push for details, instead flashing her a soft smile as they continue to walk through the room, the tension between them dissipating into the hum of the ballroom.
"Oh look, itâs the little runts," Aegon drawls, his speech a bit slurred. He saunters toward them, an empty champagne flute dangling from his fingers, Sara Snow by his side. Sheâs looking slightly amused, though thereâs a softness in her expression that suggests she's trying to rein him in.
"Aegon," Daeron greets him with mock surprise, a grin spreading across his face. âDude youâre already drunk, mumâs going to kill you.â
"Give it time," Aegon quips with a lazy smirk. "The nightâs still young, brother."
Sara stifles a laugh, though her eyes are warm as she glances up at Aegon. "Iâm doing my best to make sure he behaves," she says, her voice carrying a playful edge.
"Oh, please," Daeron rolls his eyes. "Aegon behaving is like...what, dragons coming back to life?â
"Exactly," Aegon retorts. "No fun at all."
"Yeah, you're all fun and no taste," Daeron jabs back. "In...well, pretty much everything."
Aegon dramatically clutches his chest as if wounded. "Excuse you, I happen to have impeccable taste."
"Oh really?" she chimes in, unable to resist the tease. "Let's not forget the time you tried to convince everyone that that neon green sports car was âclassy.â Or when you spent a fortune on that God-awful abstract painting that looked like a child had spilled paint on a canvas."
Aegon raises an eyebrow, clearly unfazed. "Hey, that car is an acquired taste, and the painting? Itâs avant-garde. You wouldnât get it."
Daeron bursts out laughing, shaking his head. "Right, keep telling yourself that."
But before anyone else can jump in, she adds with a smirk, "To be fair, Aegon has great taste in women."
Sara, who had been quietly listening, suddenly blushes furiously, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink. She ducks her head, trying to hide her smile, but itâs clear sheâs both flattered and embarrassed by the comment.
Aegon, however, grins wickedly. "Ah, finally, someone recognizes my true genius," he says, draping an arm around Sara, who shoots him a look but doesnât pull away.
"Yeah, genius is the word Iâd use," Daeron deadpans, earning another round of laughter from the group.
Aegon, noticeably tipsy and grinning like a Cheshire cat, leans in close to Sara, his words slightly garbled. "You know, Sara, I just remembered I left something...um, somewhere. How about we go find it together?"
Sara looks at him with a mixture of amusement and mild concern, but before she can respond, Aegon takes her hand and starts to guide her toward the door.
"Careful with that one," Daeron calls out, his tone light and teasing. "Iâve seen him turn a charity event into a rave before."
"Ah, donât worry," she replies, her voice tinged with a hint of laughter. "I think heâs already got plans for a private after-party."
With a final chuckle, Daeron watches as they exit, the door closing behind them.
She turns back to Daeron, her gaze thoughtful. "By the way, whatâs up with Floris? I havenât seen her around tonight."
Daeronâs expression shifts, a shadow of sadness crossing his face. "Oh, um, we broke up," he says quietly, almost as if heâs still coming to terms with it.
Her heart twinges with genuine sympathy. "Iâm really sorry to hear that. I hope youâre okay."
Daeron nods, managing a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks. Itâs been...a lot. But Iâll be fine."
"Where is she, then? At the event, I presume?"
"Yeah, sheâs here," Daeron confirms. "Probably with her parents and sisters. It was a bit weird to be honest.â
âI can imagine.â Just then, a waiter with a tray of champagne flutes comes by. They each take one, and Daeron is about to take a sip when he is called away by Otto Hightower.
As Daeron makes his way through the crowd, she turns to find Arianne Martell approaching her, her presence immediately drawing attention with her striking elegance. âYou look amazing, Ari!â
Arianneâs eyes sparkle with a hint of mischief as she greets her. âSo do you. But letâs cut to the chase. Thatâs not the Targaryen I was expecting to see you with tonight.â
âI havenât told him yet. The time isnât right. Soon though.â
âYou mean you keep putting it off.â
âNo, I just⌠I donât know.â
âLook around you, babe. Half of these people are on the lookout - and those Targaryen kids? All their mothers are training their girls to get one. If my father had his way, Iâd be throwing myself at Aegon!â
âAri! Donât be so crude.â
âIâm being realistic. Make your move.â
âYouâre ridiculous.â
âIâm your best friend.âÂ
As they talk, she feels a strange unease settling in her stomach. Her gaze drifts across the room, taking in the opulence and the perfectly polished ambiance of the ballroom. Something about it all feels off, like thereâs an underlying current she canât quite grasp.
Noticing her silence and distant look, Arianne asks, âIs everything okay? You seem a bit⌠off.â
She hesitates for a moment before responding, âI donât know. Itâs just⌠something feels off. I have this gut feeling, but I canât put my finger on it.â
Arianneâs brow furrows in concern. âWhat do you mean?â
She shrugs, trying to shake off the unease. âIâm not sure. Maybe itâs just the atmosphere. Everything is so perfect, almost too perfect.â
Arianneâs brow furrows in concern. âWhat do you mean?â
She shrugs, trying to shake off the unease. âIâm not sure. I donât know if itâs just me being paranoid or if thereâs actually something going on.â
Arianne nods, her expression thoughtful. âItâs in your head babe. Calm down alright? Youâll be fine!â
Aemond finds them, cutting through the crowd with an ease that only someone accustomed to these events could manage. His presence alone seems to command attention, and she feels her heart flutter as he approaches. He leans in and presses a soft kiss to her forehead, his breath warm and comforting. âYou look pretty,â he murmurs, his voice low and genuine.
Her eyes follow him as he straightens, unable to help herself from shamelessly ogling him. The way his dark suit fits him so perfectly, the sharp cut of his jaw, the glint of his eyesâitâs all so striking that she finds it hard to look away. Heâs right in front of her, and yet he feels like a distant star that she canât quite reach, but desperately wants to.
Arianne, ever perceptive, catches the look on her face and raises an eyebrow with a playful smirk. âIâll leave you two to it,â she says, her tone dripping with teasing. âYou know, give you some space.â
She winks at them both before wiggling her eyebrows suggestively and slipping away into the crowd. Her departure leaves a space between them that feels both comforting yet like too much. âYou look very nice,â she says.
Aemondâs lips curl into a faint, enigmatic smile. âFlattery will get you everywhere,â he replies, his tone a mix of aloofness and affection that she finds utterly endearing. âThough I must say, Iâm quite taken with how you look tonight.â
She catches his gaze, her smile widening. âWell, Iâm glad I managed to impress you.â
His eyes twinkle with mischief. âYou always manage to.â
Thereâs a pause, a moment of quiet intimacy, as their eyes lock. Aemondâs hand on her back feels reassuring, grounding her in the present. He then wordlessly gives her his hand, and she takes it. She always will, she is his.
With a gentle but purposeful tug, Aemond guides her through the maze of the ballroom, leading her into the darker, quieter corridors of the estate. The soft hum of distant conversations and the clinking of glasses fade as they move further from the main event.
Eventually, they reach a secluded room, dimly lit and private. Aemond closes the door behind them, cutting off the noise from the outside world. Without a word, he steps closer, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that starts soft but quickly deepens. Aemondâs hands find her waist, his grip firm and possessive.Â
His lips are demanding, their kisses fiery and passionate. She responds with equal fervor, her hands sliding up his chest to grip the lapels of his jacket, pulling him closer. The connection between them is raw, almost desperate, as if theyâre trying to make up for lost time with every touch.
Aemondâs hands roam over her back, his fingers pressing firmly against her skin, as if heâs trying to imprint her presence into his memory. She can feel the heat of his body through the fabric of their clothes, the tension in his muscles as he holds her tightly.
She gasps into his mouth as he pulls her even closer, his touch igniting a fire within her. His hands travel down to her waist, pulling her flush against him, his lips trailing hot, urgent kisses along her jawline and down her neck. She arches into his touch, her fingers tangling in his hair, drawing him back to her lips with a desperate hunger.
Gods, she likes him too much for her own good.
Finally, their lips part, and they break away, both gasping for breath. The room is filled with a lingering tension, the air heavy with the intensity of their embrace. They take a moment to collect themselves, their faces flushed and eyes still locked in a shared, heated gaze.
Aemond gently brushes a strand of hair from her face, his touch tender despite the fervor of their earlier kisses. âI have to go shake more hands,â he says, his voice reluctant. He offers a small, apologetic smile, his knuckles lingering on her cheek for a moment longer before he pulls away. âIâll find you later.â
She nods, her heart still racing from their encounter. âOkay,â she replies softly, her voice a touch breathless. She watches as he turns to leave, and the moment he does - the feeling of unease comes back.
She walks back into the ballroom, smoothing down her dress and taking a deep breath to calm the rapid beat of her heart. The lingering warmth from Aemondâs touch is still on her skin, but the feeling of unease that had vanished in his presence now returns in full force.
As she steps further into the room, she spots a familiar face from across the crowd - one of the curators from the Westeros National Museum. He strides toward her with a knowing smile, gesturing to a nearby exhibit of her ancestor Coryanne Wyldeâs paintings. âI was just about to ask if youâd seen these,â he says as they exchange pleasantries. âItâs rare to come across someone with a direct connection to the artist.â She smiles in response.
The curator nods in appreciation, and together, they walk over to the group of art enthusiasts who are gathered around the paintings. As they approach, she immediately recognizes someone else among them: her professor Alys Rivers. The professorâs sharp gaze softens slightly when she spots her, clearly surprised to see her here.
âProfessor! So good to see you here, I wasnât expecting you! Are you with someone?â
Alys chuckles lightly, offering a polite smile and points her finger beyond her shoulder. âThatâs my brother.â She raises her eyebrows as she follows her gaze and raises an eyebrow. âYour brotherâs Headmaster Strong?â
âMy half-brother, yes. Which explains the different surnames.â
âWow, small world.â
âWe were just discussing some of the first-edition Volantene classics that weâve been trying to source for the museum,â one of the curators says, a note of excitement in his voice. âA few Valyrian classics as well. Itâs been quite the hunt.â
Her interest piques at the mention of Valyrian literature. The conversation drifts toward a particular Valyrian classic, The Last Embrace, and her attention locks in immediately, memories of Aemond reading it to her still vivid in her mind. One of the curators leans forward, adjusting his glasses.
âItâs such a beautiful work,â he says. âThat passage where they talk about love being both a gift and a curse? The language is so intricate, itâs no wonder itâs one of the rarest Valyrian texts weâve managed to preserve.â
Another curator nods in agreement. âYes, I believe the exact line is something about love being a disease, but one we choose to suffer from?â
Before Wylde can speak, Professor Rivers steps in, her voice measured and calm. âLove is a disease of the mind, but one we willingly suffer for. Itâs one of the most poignant lines in the entire text.â
Wylde's breath catches at the familiarity of the words. It was the same phrase he had marked, tracing the words as he read.
âThat line,â Professor Rivers continues, âitâs always struck me. The complexity of love in Valyrian cultureâhow it could be both destructive and profound at the same time.â
The first curator smiles thoughtfully. âItâs fascinating how much depth there is in just one sentence. Thatâs what makes it a masterpiece. Weâve been trying to source a first-edition copy for years now.â
Rivers nods. âItâs difficult to find. I was lucky enough to own one of the first editions. Loaned it to someone close a while back, actually.â
Her chest tightens. The same line. The same book. She tries to push the thought away, but it grips her, the unease from earlier settling deep in her bones.
I know someone who can find the premium first edition copies, he had said.
But she doesnât even teach him. And heâs Aemond Targaryen - he probably knows a hundred people of resource who can find him all the books he wants.
But thereâs only three known copies of the first print in WesterosâŚ
The feeling of unease that she had pushed aside the entire night comes back in full force - she doesnât know why. It is a nagging feeling that refuses to go away, and she does not know what sheâll do about it.
Before she can dwell on it further, an attendant addresses her. He tells her that her father is asking for her from across the room. She excuses herself, turning away from the group with a polite smile. As she moves, she catches a fleeting glimpse of Professor Riversâ necklace, the light glinting off the familiar design. Her breath falters.
She recognizes it.
A few months ago, she had seen that very necklace at Aemondâs apartment. She remembers asking him about it, how he had alluded to it belonging to a woman that heâs seeing. At the time, she hadnât pressed him, unsure if she even wanted to know the details.
One of the curators points out the necklace, commenting on its unique craftsmanship. âThatâs a Strong family heirloom, isnât it?â he asks with admiration. âQuite the rare piece. One of a kind, if Iâm not mistaken.â
Alys smiles, her hand brushing over the pendant. âYes, it is. Passed down through generations. Only one of a kind.â
She feels like the ground is shifting beneath her feet. She canât stop the flood of thoughts now, the connections falling into place. Her chest tightens as she pulls away from the group, her steps unsteady, her mind whirling with possibilities she doesnât want to entertain.
No. Itâs not what you think. It canât be.
âItâs very beautiful, professor,â she says. âIt was⌠uhm⌠it was nice to see you here. Iâm going back to⌠my fatherâs expecting me.â The torrid nature of her thoughts shows on her face, and she can feel her palms sweating as the music and the crowd threaten to overwhelm her.
âAre you alright, Ms Wylde? You seem quite disoriented,â her professor says. She holds her onto her elbow to help steady her even if she hasnât quite careened to the floor yet. Her skin burns where she holds her, and she wonders if she knows.
She looks her professor straight in her eyes, hoping to find any recognition. Then again, she doesnât want to know too.Â
âNo, just⌠you know how these things can be. They tire you out quickly I suppose. Iâm just going toâŚâÂ
She walks out of the ballroom and into the vast expanse of open gardens. She breathes and breathes and breathes.
It canât be.
MASTERLIST
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B's-LOG October Issue's Tokyo Debunker Character Interview Translations
It's finally done~~~!!!! Me and @kurosagileo worked hard on it so I hope everyone can enjoy it too! Also big thanks to @tzutako for providing the raws of the interview!
Credits:
Translation: @kurosagileo (Frostheim, Vagastorm, Sinostra), @tokutaiseichan (Jabberwock, Hotarubi, Obscuary, Mortkranken) Raw Provider: @tzutako
FROSTHEIM
Jin
Incantation: Bianerus Effect: Commands have compelling power over others.
Q: What is your favorite subject? A: People who donât understand Anomalous Information Studies have no right to talk about anomalies. Thatâs all.Â
Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: âŚ. If youâre talking about the mission, contact Tohma.
Q: Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A: The dorm balcony. Having a smoke there is especially nice.Â
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Should I go to my vacation home in Niseko and take a nap? âŚ. Itâs not impossible. Hey Tohma, get the helicopter.
ăźăźăźăźăź
Tohma
Incantation: Argeas Effect: Vibrations can be transferred to distant places through materials like walls and floors.
Q: What is your favorite subject? A: Iâm very sorry, but nothing in particular. Darkwickâs subjects are a bit unique, so I can just barely keep up.
Q: What is good about your house? A: Itâs thoroughly cleaned and furnished to be pleasing to the eyes. Also, the elegant Frostheim students, perhaps.
Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: With the assistance of a uniquely talented master and the perceptive juniors, there are no concerns at all. The captain isnât feeling well? No, that wonât be a big deal.Â
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: If I get an R&R permit approvedâŚâŚ letâs see. For example, how about going out to a nearby mountain and going trekking. Thatâs surprising? HahahaâŚâŚ Of course I mean it.Â
ăźăźăźăźăź
Luca
Incantation: Iggnaim Effect: Invokes an invisible barrier.
Q: What is good about your dorm? A: The atmosphere is similar to my hometown and itâs comfortable. And then, the air on the premises is so clear that at night there are times when you can see the Aurora. If Iâm here, I feel like my soul is in harmony with nature.Â
Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Actually, I want to be sent on a higher ranking mission. I train every day to make that wish come true. Definitely somedayâŚâŚ I will be able to subjugate a demon with my hands.Â
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: I want to go to a restaurant that Kaito said âAll the Japanese boys like.â If I remember correctlyâŚâŚ it was called Jiro style ramen. Since thereâs not a restaurant like this in my hometown in England, Iâm really looking forward to it.Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: From the day I transferred to this school, Kaito was my first friend and has been a really good friend to me. Iâm also very grateful to Tohma for all the help. Now, all thatâs left is for Jin to fulfil his duties, butâŚ.
ăźăźăźăźăź
Kaito
Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown
Q: What is good about your house? A: HmâŚâŚ my house, on the surface, is a symbol of authority! Or thatâs whatâs said. Honestly, commoners like me feel out of place⌠theyâre all always trying to get the upper hand, I canât stand it.Â
Q:Â Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Nonono, firstly Iâm concerned that the mission itself even exists!? I just want to live a peaceful and fun school life!!
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Um⌠wait a sec. I think it was featured in Menâs Anâa*, butâŚ. ah, yeah yeah! The number 1 for classic dating spots rankedâŚâŚ.. the Tokyo Skytree!!! [*Possibly a parody of An An magazine]
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: HmâŚâŚ the captain and vice captain honestly feel like they live above the cloudsâŚ.. Rumor has it the two of them are colluding with Darkwick, I heard theyâre doing something nasty. Eh? Luca? âŚâŚ I donât know that bastard with an unrivaled face.Â
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VAGASTORM
Alan
Incantation: Yagsal Olbasa Effect: Specifics unknown. It seems to be a very dangerous ability.
Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: âŚâŚThe path he chose, will it lead closer to the truth? I keep asking myself that.
Q: Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A: A fishing spot. Since itâs in the forest, no one usually comes there. How do you get there from the main buildingâŚâŚ? âŚ.. I wonât know until I go back to the dorm.
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Mount Hotaka. Ah, itâs in the Northern Alps. Itâs definitely far from here, butâŚâŚ Iâd take the car so itâs not a problem.Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: Weâre just some random people who obtained power by chance. But, clawing their way up like their life depends on itâŚâŚ those guys have that kind of nature.Â
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Leo
Incantation: Haxs Effect: It can enhance hearing, allows far away sounds and sounds being shielded to be heard.
Q: What is your favorite subject? A: No~thing. You just have to memorize the textbooks. Itâs so easy itâs boring. I had high hopes because it was supposed to be specialized study of anomalies.Â
Q: Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A: The bath. When I enrolled, there wasnât even a bath in my dormâs shower room. I had to use my own money to remodel. Itâs honestly ridiculous, right?Â
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: The club. Since I entered Darkwick, I havenât been able to go out at all. Iâm so stressed Iâm gonna go insane.Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: No matter how you look at it, Cap is a himbo. Eh~, ShoâŚâŚ.. heâs my slave, I guessâĄÂ
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Sho
Incantation: Spurno Effect: Unknown
Q: What is your favorite subject? A: Nothing reallyâŚâŚ. ah, but Anomalous Combat is still better. Since I get to move my body, itâs a good stress reliever, yâknow?  Â
Q: What is good about your house? A: Whatâs good about it? âŚâŚ Since thereâs a garage, bike maintenance is easy. Thatâs it.Â
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Thereâs a famous restaurant in Nakame thatâs famous for its delicious broth. It seems like a creative Japanese restaurant. Iâd like to go there once.Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: AhâŚ. Leoâs the kind of guy you just canât get rid of. How should I put it⌠weâve just been hanging out together for some reason since middle school. Mido-senpaiâŚâŚ I never know what heâs thinking. That guy, heâs the type that doesnât have enough words, right?Â
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JABBERWOCK
Haru
Incantation: Bahnti Effect: Can freely reduce gravity effects on his own body.
Q. What is good about your house? A. You can feel healed and refreshed by numerous adorable anomalous animals! You'll even get a full hospitality service from Jabberwock's very own handsome ghouls!! What do you think, dearest customer? Would you like to come and try?!
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Hmm... I don't mind going for missions but there's no one to watch my kids while I'm gone. Even when I tried using an automatic feeder, the less domesticated critters just won't get used to it...
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. That reminds me! Recently Ren told me that I "looked like someone who wanders around Don Quijote late at night." When I looked it up, apparently it's a store chain that sells various useful appliances! Now that's music to my ears~Â
Q. What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Both Ren and Towa have a nice build so I think it's better if they try to make use of it. If they make the most out of those muscles, they'll be much more reliable... Hm? This sound......... Oi, Towa! Hoooold your horses~~~~~~!!
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Towa
Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. ~~~~? ~~~~!
Q. Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A. ~~~~đ
đ
Ľđ
Ž
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. ~~~~~~~~đ
đ
Ľđ
Ž
Q. What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. ~~~~đ
đ
Ľđ
Ž ~~~~!!
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Ren
Incantation: Raothtas Effect: Specifics unknown. According to Ren himself, it's a rather useless power.
Q. What is good about your house? A. Nothing. It smells... and itâs gross too... I'm the one who wants to ask if there's anything good to say about this sorry excuse of a dorm.Â
Q. Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A. At Darkwick, the only place where I can just lounge freely and do my own thing is my room... Well, it's nothing out of the ordinary; I'm just playing some mobile games and watching some movies...
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I have a lot: Sagara is being too loud, Sagara is being too pushy, and Sagara is being too. Damn. Loud.
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Anywhere as long as that clown isn't there is great...... Oh, right. There's also this movie theatre in Shinjuku called Musashinokan. I want to go there... Huh? I'm going alone of course. Isn't that obvious.....
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SINOSTRA
Taiga
Incantation: Malab Effect: Unknown
Q: What is good about your house? A: Ah~? Itâs getting money out of greedy small fry customers and unskilled dealers, isnât it? Gyahaha!
Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Whenever I go on one, I get hungry right awayâŚ
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: Macao.Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: Lulu gets so angry every day, I could never get bored of it~ âŚâŚ Ah~? Shinjo? Who the fuck is that?Â
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Romeo
Incantation: Tiris Effect: Can turn objects into bombs.
Q: What is good about your house? A: This casino that can barely keep running has no good points. At best, itâs just a place to make a little money
Q: Do you have any concerns with missions? A: Hmph, that WTWUT, isnât it obvious!? Wall to wall useless trash!
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: When I have some free time, I want to go to South Korea. HaâŚâŚ. if I don't earn more, there wonât be enough funds for thatâŚâŚâŚ..Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: Iâm fed up with my boss. No matter how often I say the same thing, itâs a WOE. Ha? âWasteâ âofâ âeffortâ obviously. Then, as for Shinjo, Iâll be giving him a thorough education from now on, and weâll see how he turns out.Â
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Ritsu
Incantation: Acimo Effect: His body becomes as hard as steel and heavier.
Q: What is your favorite subject? A: Thereâs something to learn from every subject, but my best subject is, of course, Anomalous Law. Instead of the basic Six Codes, the subject deals with special cases, like how the Anomalous Investigation Institute and Darkwick regulations handle legal proceedings surrounding anomalies.Â
Q: Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A: Thereâs no location in particular, but the restaurant on campus called the Mystery Diner is a good choice. Since it is always deserted, it is a good location for client meetings.Â
Q: Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A: If I get permission to go out, I would like to go to the opera. Before entering this school, I often went to the New National Theatre in Tokyo with my mother. Bizetâs âCarmenâ is recommended for beginners. Do you understand French?Â
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A: I have come to the conclusion that it is futile to try to change the violent behavior of the captain, Taiga Hoshibami, as well as the vice captain, Romeo Scorpius Lucci. From now on, I will defend them and certainly win the Laurel Crown.Â
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HOTARUBI
Subaru
Incantation: Talnandio Effect: It's said to be a power that allows him to communicate with the "Tsukumogami" that resides in objects, but...?
Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Favorite subject... I guess you could say I like Anomalous Biology the most. Professor Hyde's lectures are always so interesting, I can't help but to be all ears whenever he talks...
Q. Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A. Lately I've been enjoying my lunch at the second floor terrace of the main school building. It's an easier place to stay for me compared to the ever-crowded cafeteria.
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Hotarubi normally doesn't really have many chances to go through difficult missions so I don't really... Oh, but if I must say, perhaps I rely too much on Haku... I feel awful for being such an undependable captain.
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Shibuya...... I suppose? I've been living all my life in Tokyo but the truth is, I've never been there. Not even once. O-oh, no! Please don't mind me! I really just mean that I hope I'll get the chance to go some day......! I'm⌠not too good with crowds.
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Haku
Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown
Q: What is good about your house? A. Let's see... It feels humid everyday thanks to the rain and the building is so old that itâs probably on the brink of collapsing. Haha... I guess it's always easier to complain, huh. Despite everything, this place does give me a sense of tranquillity. Perhaps because the atmosphere is similar to my family's home.
Q. Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A. Can I choose a place from our dorm? Then I'd recommend the open-air porch of our guest room. Enjoying a cup of hot tea while your eyes feast on Hotarubi's esteemed gardenä¸it's one of a kind experience.
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I don't really have any particular complaints... scratch that. There's one. Our dorm is a little understaffed. Well, I guess there are some who can help outâbut asking them would be a little troublesome. We already have someone who can keep this place lively, you see.
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Another difficult question, huh. Let's see... Subaru is a very capable leader. His only flaw is that he always tries to carry everything by himself. As for Zenji... how do I say this... being around him cheers me up. I'm grateful to him for that.
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Zenji
Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown
Q: What is good about your house? A. I'm so glad you asked! As a matter of fact, our esteemed Hotarubi house is an ensemble of chic, peaceful, and artistic boys and girls!
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Uh-hmm? Let's see... Concerns, concerns... if I must say something then I suppose it's how Haku seems to like working all by himself? Oh, but it won't be a problem! I'll simply put more work to help him...... from the shadows, that is.
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Of course! Immediately to the left side as you start ascending Natsume-zaka from the Waseda intersectionä¸there, proudly stands a black granite monument inscribed with the words "The Birthplace of Soseki Natsume"... It's my dream to be able to touch that monument.
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. If I were to describe Subaru as anything then... he's someone with a heart of glass... On the contrary, I can't help but notice Haku's tactless conduct. He ought to learn to be more mindful if he's going to call himself my manager.
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OBSCUARY
Edward
Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown
Q: What is good about your house? A. There are a lot. For starters, it's far removed from the boisterous campus and nobody dares to interfere with these grounds. But the best part is how there's no sunlight. I'm a vampire, you see. So a dorm that is always engulfed in night time is a comfortable place for me to live in.
Q. Whatâs your favorite place on campus? A. My own room would be the best place, after all. I can watch Youtube anytime and the Nishikawa bed that Rui picked is exceptionally cozy. What do you think? Would you like to try sleeping on it with me?
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I have no such concerns since I don't go on missions. Cough cough..... Aah, pardon me. The cold I caught last month still hasn't gone away, you see. Will it be okay to excuse myself soon?
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. I'm envious of how those two are so young and full of energy. When I was around their age, I....... oh dearie me. It's quite an old tale so I have completely forgotten about it.
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Rui
Incantation: Unknown Effect: By blowing a kiss, he can send a wave of energy with anesthetic effectä¸temporarily relieving pain and fatigue of the target.
Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Ehh~~~? I haven't been going to classes though~~~...... I don't even remember what subjects theyâre teaching here. I try not to go to the campus building as much as possible, after all.
Q: What is good about your house? A. Most of the room interiors are hand picked by yours truly so I can recommend all of them~.... Ah! But only cute girls are allowed to stay the night!
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Hmm~.......... If I can go out without worrying about curfew then I'd like to go shopping at Daikanyama and then go home after enjoying a pleasant meal at Yebisu Garden Place Tower~â Well, I can't really go out into crowded places though, so everything is just a pipe dream! Ahaha!
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. It's such a pain how Ed barely has any life skills to save himself. I'm practically nursing him at this point......... As for Lyca~..... Huh? That one is pretty much like taking care of a kid.... Oh, c'mon! What do they take me for?!
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Lyca
Incantation: Ramsochisa Effect: Allows him to know the location of his target and follows them no matter where they goä¸provided that he recognize their scent beforehand.
Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Hmm.... I don't really understand but everything is so fun!
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. I told everyone that I'm fine doing missions on my own but they keep worrying about me.
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. .... I want to see Neros. I still don't know where he is though...
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Exactly what I call them: a Moth-Eaten Casanova and a Blond Gigolo. I'm a human too so why won't they put me in the same house as Suba and his friends?!
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MORTKRANKEN
Yuri
Incantation: Agnihaet Effect: Hyperstimulates his brain cells so that it allows him to solve complex calculations and logically process informations in a matter of seconds.
Q: What is good about your house? A. Hmph! Other than the fact that it houses this genius doctor, Yuri Isami, do you really think thereâs any other redeeming qualities about this house⌠No, about Darkwick at all?! Of course not!
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. Thanks to all those brute germs from other houses destroying each and every anomaly, I never have enough specimens to use for my experiments!
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Now that weâre talking about it, itâs almost time for me to buy clothes for the next season. Where am I going to buy them? Why, at the Nihombashi Takashimaya Shopping Center of course!!
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Are you referring to Jiro, assistant and patient to the genius Yuri Isami? Well, he still needs a lot of training, you see. He lacks knowledge, skills, experiences, and education. That is to say, heâs 100 years too early to become a doctor of my caliber.
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Jiro
Incantation: Unknown Effect: Unknown
Q. What's your favorite subject? A. Anomalous Medicine, I suppose. But since I specialize in infectious disease, I usually research papers and materials that aren't included in the curriculum on my own.
Q. Do you have any concerns with missions? A. If I were told about the mission schedule in advance, I can prepare to increase my medication dosage from the day before. Oh, but everything will be fine as long as Yuri is there to give me immediate treatment if something happens.
Q. Where would you like to go if you have your R&R permit approved? A. Nowhere in particular. Or rather, I don't really know where I should go.
Q: What do you think about the ghoul(s) in your house? A. Okay... The only other ghoul is Yuri, though. He's my attending doctor. If it wasn't for Yuri, I may be as good as dead now. I feel grateful to him, to put it simply.
#tokyo debunker#tkdb info#tkdb ref#b's-log magazine#b's-log translations#my translations#Partially!!!
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