#he’s just like subtlety? nah.

[ordon-pumpkin]

Me going in a furniture store I’ve never been in and seeing a little storage box with a tiny gold statue for the lid handle. I walked closer because the shape looked familiar.

Apollo: Hi. 👋

Me: of course it’s you. 😆☀️

[nikalibres]

reading the book and I knew armand didn't like claudia from the start but I wasn't prepared for him to just outright tell her to go die and leave louis to him the first time they met

[kashverse]

things people should know:

do not mess with your cat.

do not mess with your sukuna.

you thought this was common sense. apparently, it wasn’t.

it started when you left sukuna in the waiting area of the vet clinic, because you needed to pick up some medication for your cat—bless his furry little soul, the bravest warrior you know, who had just survived a vet visit with minimal casualties. sukuna, being the grumpy menace he is, had grumbled about waiting but ultimately sat down with your cat carrier beside him, arms crossed, looking like a bouncer for a very exclusive club. and that’s when they appeared.

the poodle posse.

a group of women with perfectly manicured nails, dressed like they were about to star in a reality tv show called luxury lives of lapdog owners. their poodles were equally pampered—fluffy, primped, wearing tiny designer jackets that probably cost more than your rent. you weren’t there to witness it, but based on sukuna’s expression when you came back, things had escalated.

“oh, wow, such a strong, brooding man,” one of them had probably purred, leaning into sukuna’s personal space. “is this your cat? he’s so cute!”

bad move.

your cat is not "cute"—your cat is a warrior. a veteran of the battlefield (otherwise known as your apartment). he has fought many enemies (the vacuum, a particularly aggressive curtain, and one unfortunate houseplant that did not survive). and most importantly, he is loyal to you. so, when a stranger’s hand reached out to pet him?

he hissed. and not just any hiss—this was a legendary hiss. a hiss that spoke of betrayal, of fury, of how dare you touch me, peasant. and sukuna? sukuna looked at them like they were the scum of the earth.

"ya deaf?" he had grunted, because subtlety has never been his strong suit. "he doesn’t like strangers."

but did that stop them? oh no. if anything, it made them more interested.

“aww, he’s just shy! maybe he just needs to warm up to us!”

and that’s when your cat, your beautiful, petty little creature, smacked their poodle in the face.

gasp. horror. scandal.

the poodle recoiled like it had just been personally insulted. its owner gasped, clutching her dog like a victorian maiden about to faint. "your cat just hit my precious baby!" she shrieked.

sukuna? sukuna had the audacity to laugh. “good. he had it coming.”

the poodle posse was outraged. they tried to guilt-trip sukuna, fluttering their lashes, attempting to appeal to his (nonexistent) softer side.

“you know, a guy like you shouldn’t be wasting time with a cat person. dog lovers are way more fun.”

mistake.

because that’s when sukuna turned to them, his usual mean grin stretching across his face, and said, “you think i like cats? nah. i like my girl. the cat’s just part of the package.”

devastation. utter defeat.

when you finally came back, you were greeted with the sight of the poodle posse storming out, their spoiled dogs in tow, throwing death glares at sukuna—who looked smug as hell. you raised a brow at him. "what did you do?"

"nothin'," he said, draping an arm over your shoulders. "your little monster defended his honor. i just enjoyed the show." meanwhile, your cat, still sitting in his carrier like a king on his throne, looked very pleased with himself.

moral of the story?

don’t mess with your cat. don’t mess with your sukuna. and definitely don’t mess with both at the same time.

[beloveds-embrace]

Nah, I didn't have a kink for men grovelling (/lie) I have a kink for men suffering. I need reader to have her own happiness

Reader suddenly switches and starts acting more energetic again. For a while the boys like it bc not they don't have to face the consequences of their actions and can escape the guilt if there's no constant reminder.

But something's wrong. It takes them a while to notice - or rather, they take a while to notice BC noticing shatters their illusion that everything is well and they aren't bad people

She's still not eating Johnny's prepared meals but she's gaining weight again and it takes a while to notice BC he's not in charge of stock but some ingredients have been disappearing at nights. Some that can be eaten right away, but funnily enough he also finds himself low on ingredients that need to be prepared. It just so happens that he notices when he makes one of his more easy and filling dishes most all of the ingredients he reaches into are much lower than last time he made it.

She still seems unkempt but her hygiene improves. Her hair is brushed and Gaz hears the showers, though he knows that none of her maids have taken up their duties again. She also still doesn't wear any of her dresses, not that the boys see her enough to notice, but Gaz knows how difficult those are to put on on your own. So when he swears he hears the rustling of fabrics or sees a glimpse of her holding a dress through a crack in the door, even though he knows he saw all her maids elsewhere, he tells himself he just miscounted.

She's more energetic sure, but she's hardly more happy, in fact there seems a determination that borders on desperation to her if anyone watches her for long enough. Not that she lets them. She doesn't leave her room during the day still but once Simon was awake and saw her walking the grounds in the middle of the night. If he had looked again the next night he'd have seen the same, but, well, who wants to face their mistakes

The boys notice, because of their guilt, but choose to ignore. Price, on the other hand, doesn't notice at all

Well, he notices his reputation dwindling. And seeing his wife less and less often. But he doesn't notice any of the changes and doesn't even realise she's began to leave her room again as no rumours change

He does, however, pay attention to his boys.

When Gaz seems jittery at meetings, when Johnny lingers at the table, when Simon stalks the halls more frequently, with the attitude of a predator ready to strike fleeing prey.

So when they tell him they haven't seen her in a while, he's confused. He thought they all hadn't seen her in weeks?

At their explanations - which devolve into pleas - he goes to check up on his wife. Only to find her room empty.

See, she knew she wouldn't have to worry about anyone interrupting her or noticing her, and realised how much of a power that was.

Learning how to cook by spying on the cooks and Johnny, finding little recipe books for when he would leave. Stocking up on food.

Beginning to take care of herself, but only just enough. Dresses that were heavy and difficult forgone in favour of stitching old tablecloths and sheets into simple and freeing garments.

Walking the grounds as much as possible at night to build up her strength again. Background training in dancing and standing with heavy garments for long periods of time helping in building her cardio back up.

She'd had to have a little subtlety in hiding her intentions around the boys, but her real weapon was her husband.

Her husband with an extensive library with books about survival, hunting, wilderness guides. Her husband with plenty of money and expensive items scattered across the place. Her husband with maps and notes of the nearest towns and their prospects and differing prices.

Her blind husband who didn't notice as his wife planned her escape right underneath his nose.

And finally, her. Just her. No husbands or titles or maids or society breathing down her neck. Her, free and already behind a mountain in the distance on the back of a working donkey - the Duchy's fine horses would have gathered too much attention. She stopped for supplies and to sell her goods where possible, but left as quickly as she came, knowing the village folk would write her off as a thief but any who knew would be able to trace where she sold the items. Best to ditch them at her journeys start rather than end.

Not that she knows where it will end. Not that she cares. She could die tomorrow and would still take her last breath more free and happy than she's ever lived before.

(idk maybe she joins some bandits or meets a wandering knight or jumps aboard a ship or something and makes it far far away. Maybe she becomes a stable hand to a Grand Duke and his dashing young right hand man Mr Parra (can you tell my bias). I need her to have a happy end tho, so that if/when the 141 find her they have to realize that she really is better off without them.)

Holy fuck. I’m in awe of you??? Of your brain?? This was amazing to read omg thank you so so much!! You’ve already written so much of her with the 141, so i wrote a little bit of her with rudy! I hope you’ll enjoy this as much as I enjoyed reading your ask! 🫶🏻💕 also i feel like i will never learn how to do a decent ending that isn’t abrupt as fuck 💀😭

Dukedom au masterlist

The sun poured golden light through the arched windows of the estate, its brilliance softened by sheer, embroidered curtains. The atmosphere was serene, the kind that made one’s soul settle into quiet contentment. Seated by the window, harp nestled against your shoulder, you plucked the strings with practiced grace and ease. Music spilled into the room, lilting and wistful, speaking of stories not with words, but with melodies.

Grand Duke Alejandro sat nearby, sharp eyes softened by the rare tranquility your melodies provided.

He had been the first to notice your talents, taking you in when you stumbled upon his estate seeking work. What began as small performances to soothe his guests had blossomed into something more. You were now a cherished member of his court- an artist whose music could bring grown men to tears and whose presence brightened even the darkest days, and your past a thing of, well, the past.

You glanced up briefly, right as Rudy entered the room. His eyes immediately sought yours, like a compass pointing north, a warmth in them that never failed to make your breath catch. He wasn’t the Grand Duke, but he carried himself with a quiet power- a man who commanded loyalty and admiration with ease, especially yours. And though his duties often kept him busy, he always found time to sit and listen to you play even if only once a day, as though your music was as essential to him as the air he breathed.

Never before had you felt so cherished.

Today was no exception to his focus. He lingered by the doorway for a moment, his gaze enthralled, before moving closer to you.

You smiled, the motion soft and genuine, your fingers never faltering on the harp strings even as you leaned towards him the way a flower leans towards the sun.

When you finished, Rudy (and Alejandro) applauded, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile that felt like the first rays of dawn. “You outdo yourself every time, mi querida,” he murmured, his voice low and rich. You felt like you would melt into his should he choose to cradle you.

Alejandro chuckled from his seat, always ever so entertained by the two of you. “You’re lucky I tolerate your interruptions, Rudy. I’d have her play all day to myself if I could.”

Rudolfo grinned but never looked away from you. “A day very well spent, I’d say."

Your cheeks flushed, but there was no embarrassment in it. Just a gentle warmth, the kind you hadn’t felt in years. Rudolfo’s attention wasn’t like John’s distracted glances, Simon’s intense, disdained looks, the unseen glares of Johnny and Kyle. It wasn’t tainted by resentment or obligation. He saw you- truly saw you- and cherished what he found.

You fell into an easy conversation, one Alejandro occasionally joined, though he often just watched with an amused glint in his eyes. It was clear to anyone who observed you that something unspoken yet profound was growing between you and Rudolfo- if not already at full bloom. Alejandro wasn't going to intervene, he knew his friend had a lovely little proposal awaiting just the right moment.

Though not everyone was quite as content as you.

They hadn’t expected to find you so far from the duchy, let alone flourishing like this. The rumors of your presence in the Grand Duke’s court had been thin whispers, barely heard, yet they had clung to them in their desperation for answers.

Price led ahead, his jaw tight and his expression grim. Duke Riley followed close behind, his unease well-hidden. They entered the estate under the guise of seeking an audience with Alejandro, but their true purpose to themselves.

It was Simon who first spotted you through an open doorway, seated at your harp. For a moment, he froze, his breath hitching as he took in the sight of you.

You were radiant. Your hair, no longer a tangled mess, shone in the sunlight. Your once sickly complexion was now warm and healthy. And the way you played- it was as though the music flowed from your very soul, unburdened and free. The few times he'd heard you play back at the Price duchy were nothing compared to the melodies you now strung.

“Bloody hell.” John muttered, his voice barely audible and just as shocked as Simon.

John stepped forward, his presence imposing, but before he could even make his way towards you, Rudolfo appeared beside you. He leaned down to speak to you, his expression gentle and fond, and you laughed- a soft, delicate sound that made Price’s chest tighten.

They watched as Rudolfo offered you his hand, which you took without hesitation, without any fears. He guided you to your feet, his thumb brushing over your knuckles in a way that spoke volumes, more than any words would or could.

The two of you looked at each other with such affection it'd make the stars sigh in envy.

Simon and Price could only stand there and stare. No words would come to them.

Much latwr, when they returned to the manor, Johnny and Kyle were waiting, their expressions anxious. “Did you find her?” Johnny asked, voice tight.

Price nodded slowly, his gaze distant. “We found her.”

“And?” Kyle pressed.

Simon shook his head, lips pursed. “…she’s not coming back.”

[cloudcountry]

auburn!!! i’m so glad that over these five years (half a decade wow 🤑) your work and most importantly your amazing personality has grown to receive so much recognition and love. i’m proud of you and i’m glad we’ve known each other for so long 🫶🏽. i hope your work continues to grow and you continue to do amazing things and be generally pretty cool. okay thats too much sappiness bleggh poop fart shit fuck ass ☝🏽

erm anyways i would like the chocolate swirl bread slices with brown sugar bubble tea in the special 3k event cup with cat cap… rubs hands together like fly…

would also be cool if the reader was FTM and/or was not-so-subtlety avoiding leona for any reason

DANIEL YOU BUTT THATS THE SWEETEST THING YOUVE SAID TO ME IN FIVE YEARS AND YOU END IT WITH POOP FART SHIT FUCK ASS????? ANYWAYS this almost made me cry what the fuck i feel like a baby bird leaving the nest even though im older than you. i cant believe we're like adults now. what happened to being weird ass teenagers on quotev dot com. i cant say i miss that era though but i do miss kaomoji IDK WHERE HALF THE FRIEND GROUP IS LMAO anyways thank you for being my friend mwah you are a real one you have seen me at my worst and stuck with it IDK HOW YOU DID THAT anyways your lion man

an order of romantic angst with leona kingscholar!

Leona watches your back as emotions he would much rather not acknowledge fester and boil in his chest. His tail flicks, his ears twitch, and it’s obvious to everyone around him that he is exceedingly annoyed.

That’s not the shocking part, however.

It’s the fact that he’s annoyed with you, the one boy in this whole school he never should have felt that way towards.

Leona wouldn’t be so annoyed in the first place if it wasn’t for the fact that you’d been inexplicably ignoring him for the past few weeks. As petty as always, Leona was sure he could outlast you, ignoring you in much the same way. He was good at being nonchalant, at taking it easy even though his affection shifted to bitter resentment.

Could he really call you someone close to him if he’s starting to genuine dislike you?

Nah, it’s not like he should have expected anything in the first place. He turns on his heel and walks off in the opposite direct of you, tail flicking lazily behind him. If you don’t want him anymore, that’s fine. If he’s not your number one anymore, he’ll just grin and bear it, bear like he always has and always will.

He thought he had something just for himself. How naive could he be?

Leona scowls, digging his hands into his pockets. If he sees everyone else in the hallway giving him a wide berth he doesn’t show it, his vision laser focused on Savanclaw’s dorm, his room, his bed, where he can sleep and ignore his reality for a little while longer.

The reality that you were so clearly avoiding him, the reality that you probably didn’t want him anymore, the reality that he was finally number one to someone and now he wasn’t.

Leona was once again second, but when there were only two people in a competition, second was the same as dead last.

[lyneira]

♡ Things they'd do to gain your affection ♡

-> what would these twst boys do to show their love for you?

feat. malleus, azul, leona

MALLEUS

Okay, the real question is: what is Malleus NOT doing to gain your love? This dude will literally try anything and everything he can to show you he loves you.

Well, maybe he's not going to directly say "I love you and I want to be with you forever" just yet. He doesn't want to scare you away. So he's going to go for a lighter attack.

He'll invite you to his parties, to his homeland, invite you to go on walks/ruin exploring, and send you thoughtful letters (as he already does for Yuu in the game lmao)

He's also going to show up in places you wouldn't expect him to be, which tended to be wherever you were lol. While he'll look for more ways to spend more time with you, he also wants to help you with whatever task you have at hand.

As for words, he'd probably often compliment you and mention how much he admires you. And if you had low self-esteem? He would do so all the more. He'd be shocked if you had low self-esteem. He just couldn't understand it and he wouldn't stop until he got you to believe him. All his words would be genuine and true, he wouldn't flatter you falsely. He isn't the type. He simply would want you to see yourself the way he sees you- so beautiful and so worthy of love.

He will try to make his affections known as much as he can. He wants everyone to know that his eyes are set on you, so he's not going to want to be discreet about it.

AZUL

Another massive simp right here! If Azul ever fell for you, he'd fall hard. I honestly think Azul would be second to Malleus on the simp scale LMAO.

However, unlike Malleus, he'd try to be more discreet about it and would try to put on a cool front despite the great ardor he's feeling for you inside.

Azul would use his acquired knowledge of you to his advantage, figuring out all of your likes, dislikes, preferences, and would make sure to act accordingly to them. (nevertheless, he'll still try to learn even more about you and your subtleties face to face. It was more pleasant that way)

The Mostro lounge suddenly came up with a specialty dish based on your favorite food? That's great! That means you can come on over there more often.

Are you having difficulty studying for a certain subject? You're in luck! Turns out that he's got some helpful study notes laying around and he's willing to give them to you. He'll even offer to help you study, saying that it's just a show of gratitude for being a loyal customer at the Mostro Lounge.

And your favorite color? Well that so happens to be the color of the napkins/tablecloths at the Lounge during the month of your birthday.

He's gonna try to act slick but it would be plain to see that he's in love with you. It would be especially obvious to Jade and Floyd as they see how Azul treats you differently. He's doing all these favors and little things for you without any practical benefit. Why?

If confronted about it by Jade or Floyd, he'll say that he simply felt like doing it "out of the goodness of his heart", or that the tablecloths needed changing anyway, or some other excuse. He'll honestly act like such a tsundere.

But if YOU confront him about it- now that's a different case. As always, he'll try to act all cool and suave, but if you thank him with the warmest smile on your face or even hug him, he'll melt and get all red.

On the other hand, if you tell him that you're suspicious of him, he'll be a little hurt that you think that he has some bad ulterior motive behind his actions (though, in his head he will admit that he couldn't blame you)

All he wants is to see you face all aglow when you see what he's doing for you. Pay him back with your happiness and that'd be enough for him (for now)

LEONA

He'll hang around you very often. He would think that his prsence is enough to get you to fall for him LOL 💀

Nah but in all seriousness, if Leona loved you, he'd show it through his patience and tolerance for you. We know this guy doesn't like being bothered or going through any trouble, but he'd make an exception even if you were the "troublesome thing"

He'll allow you to bother him to an extent far greater than he'd allow others.

He'll listen to you yap away about your day, any complaints that you have, anything you're interested in, he'll listen to it all while closing his eyes. You might think he's sleeping, but I can assure you he's not. He's taking in all of your words and storing them in his head. He's learning more about you this way while he can sit back and relax (quite literally). He also enjoys simply hearing your voice. It relaxes him. It's when you stop talking that he'll finally open his eyes and see what's gotten you distracted.

He will also tolerate your tomfoolery. Heck, if it interests him enough and it isn't too much of a bother, he'll join you. He will aid you in your plans to disturb the peace and you two would be absolute menaces to the other students of NRC hehe #partnersincrime

He'll let you run your fingers through his mane and let your touch his ears as much as you want. While you're enjoying the softness and fluffiness of it, he'll also be relaxed by it as well. But be gentle with his ears, they're sensitive! If you rub or scratch a certain spot, you just might hear a soft purr from him. He'll deny that you ever heard such a thing though, teehee 🤭

a/n: I decided to switch things up a bit instead of writing the usual "how to gain their affection" stuff! Most of the hcs here parallel the hcs on there tbh lol. Thought they'd be cute tho

© 2023 lyneira. PLEASE DO NOT COPY, PLAGIARIZE, OR REPOST MY WRITING ONTO OTHER PLATFORMS

[satorushousewife]

how you got a date with the most popular guy in campus! or college!au satoru gojo x reader - part 1.

warnings: none, but gojo is actually a few years older than reader (he's around 20 and reader is aroung 18, just starting college) important note: i'm in college but i'm not from usa so some things might be different from the usual college things you're used to! nothing too far tho. also, not a native english speaker, be kind please! otherwise, hope you enjoy your reading!

you knew about satoru gojo way before you met him.

actually, you got to know about him within the first few days of college. he was famous all around campus, partially because he was incredibly attractive and partially because he was rich—filthy rich, may i say—and had a reputation of paying things for people he liked. so, it was no surprise that everyone talked about him.

even though you hadn’t met him, you already knew his appearance (blue eyes, white hair, normally wearing sunglasses), his full name (satoru gojo), his age (21), the last party he attended (aiko's party, apparently it was a banger), and the latest instagram post he made (at a cafe with his most close friend—shoko). not because you looked it up—you just heard people commenting about it.

to you, he seemed like a typical frat boy. not that you cared much. it wasn’t in a bad way, you just didn’t feel the need to fawn over him like everyone else seemed to. still, you tried not to judge people before meeting them.

then you saw him once.

you recognized him instantly: tall, white hair like fresh snow, and signature sunglasses that made him stand out even more. he was chatting animatedly with a girl, her cigarette smoke curling lazily around them as she listened with a soft smile.

for a moment, you paused. he didn’t look like the frat boy you’d imagined: blonde, with blue eyes and super toned. no, he seemed... cheerful. but there wasn’t time to dwell on it—you were late for a lecture.

running late, you found one of the last seats, an empty spot with no one on either side. perfect. you weren’t the most extroverted person and preferred your space, so you were relieved as you actually did not knew many people from around here yet. settling in, you pulled a bag of gummies from your backpack and began savoring them.

minutes passed, and the room started filling up. suddenly you noticed someone sitting beside you out of the corner of your eye and let out a mental groan. without thinking, you glanced over and caught them staring—not at you, but at the candy in your hand.

it was him. the satoru gojo.

he still wore his sunglasses, but it was obvious he was ogling your gummies. you bit your lip to stifle a laugh at his lack of subtlety and decided to offer him some.

that’s when the magic happened.

he accepted immediately and launched into a dramatic monologue about his love for sweets.

“you see, i’m on this diet to gain some more muscle—and don't get me wrong when i say this, i know i'm already handsome and hot and i have fine muscles, i just want to be a little bigger, you know?—but anyway, the nutritionist said to eat less sugar, so i haven’t had any since yesterday, and i’m like, almost dying.” you chuckled at his theatrics, and he grinned, encouraged. “don’t laugh! i swear, it was a life-or-death situation. you just saved me!” “saved you from dying from a lack of sugar?” “exactly!” “well, guess now you’re in debt with me.” “oh, guess i am...” he said, making a mock thoughtful face. “would you like to have lunch with me later? it’s on me.” you stared at him for a moment. he stared back, unbothered. “we just met.” “so?” “what if i’m an evil person?” “nah, evil people don’t offer candy to strangers,” he said, popping another gummy into his mouth. he paused mid-chew. “unless...” you rolled your eyes, smiling despite yourself. “it’s not poisoned.” “that’s what someone who poisoned their candy would say!” “ah, yes. the candy i’m also eating is totally poisoned,” you said, popping another one into your mouth for emphasis. “maybe you’re suicidal,” he shrugged, shoving the candy into his mouth anyway. you couldn’t help but laugh at his stupidity.

the conversation ended when one of your professors tapped the mic, announcing that the lecture was about to start.

contrary to your expectations,  during the lecture gojo was surprisingly well-behaved and actually paid attention. well, except for his occasional snarky remarks, which made you chuckle. he was incredibly easygoing and, despite his self-absorbed humor, a genuinely fun person to be around. within an hour, you found yourself getting comfortable and adding your own quips. he looked absolutelly delighted that you matched his energy.

so, not needing to say much, it's pretty clear you accepted the lunch offer. and that’s how you got a date with the most popular guy on campus.

end notes: guys, this is my first ever satoru fic i'm so excited mweheheh!!! there will be some angst and actually i will use this base for three possible outcomes (gojo only, satosugu x reader, tojisukugo x reader). hope you guys enjoy it 😎

♡⃕ xoxo mikki

[sunflowerabyss]

Brewing Hearts

Pairing: Professor!Remus Lupin x Professor!Reader

Plot: Tired of seeing the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and the Arithmancy professor dancing around each other, the Weasley twins take things into their own hands with a little bit of love potion.

Warnings: fluff

__________________________________________________________

The Great Hall bustled with the usual chaos of students and the aroma of delicious food. Fred and George sat at the Gryffindor table, exchanging glances as they observed the unfolding drama between Remus Lupin and (Y/N) (L/N). The two professors were seated across the room, stealing subtle glances at each other while seemingly oblivious to the world around them.

Fred nudged George with his elbow and nodded toward the couple. "George, mate, look at them. It's like watching a Muggle soap opera, only with more awkward glances and less drama."

George chuckled, his eyes narrowing as he observed Remus and (Y/N). "I swear, Fred, if they don't do something soon, I might just hex them into confessing. It's getting painful to watch."

The twins exchanged an amused look as Remus and (Y/N) continued their dance of stolen glances. Fred leaned in, his voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "I've got an idea. What if we do something about it? You know, give them a little push in the right direction?"

George's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Now, that's what I'm talking about. What's the plan, my dear brother?"

Fred leaned back, studying the couple across the hall. "We need something subtle, something that'll make them realize what they're missing. A little potion, perhaps?"

George raised an eyebrow. "A love potion?"

Fred shook his head. "Nah, too strong. We don't want them running off to elope. How about a mild infatuation potion? Just enough to make them see each other in a new light."

George grinned. "I like it. We brew it tonight, slip it into their drinks at the Yule Ball, and let the magic happen. They'll be thanking us for years to come."

And with that, the mischievous twins began plotting their matchmaking scheme, setting the stage for the events that would unfold in their secret workshop later that evening.

The Weasley twins sneaked out of the Gryffindor common room under the cover of darkness, making their way to their secret workshop hidden within the depths of Hogwarts. The passage was concealed behind a tapestry depicting a group of mischievous pixies wreaking havoc on a potions classroom. With a swish of Fred's wand, the entrance revealed itself, and the twins slipped through.

Inside the dimly lit workshop, shelves lined with jars of rare ingredients and experimental potions greeted them. Fred conjured a small flame to light the room, casting flickering shadows on the walls. The twins wasted no time as they set up their cauldrons, eager to brew the potion that would finally push Remus and (Y/N) out of their pining stupor.

George cracked his knuckles, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "Fred, mate, let's get this show on the road. We've got a date with destiny tonight."

Fred nodded, tossing a handful of powdered moonstone into a cauldron. "Absolutely, George. Let's make this potion so good, they won't know what hit them."

The twins worked in tandem, each intuitively knowing their role in the brewing process. They measured out ingredients, stirred cauldrons, and shared mischievous glances. The room hummed with an air of excitement, and a sense of accomplishment fueled their determination.

As George carefully poured a vial of crushed fireflies into the mixture, he glanced over at Fred. "You know, Fred, this feels like one of our pranks, only with a touch more subtlety. It's like setting off a dung bomb in a library and watching the chaos unfold, but with hearts instead of first-years throwing up in the bathroom."

Fred chuckled, stirring the cauldron. "Exactly, George. This is the prank to top all pranks and the best part? We're doing it for love. No harm done."

The potion began to emit a soft, enchanting glow as they added the final ingredients. The twins exchanged satisfied smiles, their plan coming together seamlessly. Fred raised his wand, tapping the cauldron with a flourish.

"There we go, George. One batch of Cupid's Secret, ready to make magic happen."

George admired their handiwork. "They won't even know what hit them. Now, let's get this bottled up and ready for the Yule Ball."

And so, with the potion completed and mischief in their hearts, Fred and George sealed the vials of Cupid's Secret, eager to unleash their concoction on the unsuspecting professors during the magical festivities of the Yule Ball.

__________________________________________________________

The Yule Ball was in full swing, the Great Hall transformed into a magical wonderland. The twinkling fairy lights above cast a warm glow over the elegantly dressed witches and wizards as they twirled around the dance floor. Remus and (Y/N) entered separately, both looking stunning in their respective outfits.

Fred and George, dressed in dapper suits that were a mix of classic and whimsical, discreetly moved through the crowd. They each carried a tray of glasses filled with punch, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. As they approached Remus and (Y/N), Fred winked at George, a silent confirmation of the mischief about to unfold.

"Care for a drink, Professor Lupin?" Fred offered with a charming smile, presenting the tray of punch.

Remus, slightly surprised, nodded in gratitude and took a glass. "Thank you, Mr. Weasley. Much appreciated."

Meanwhile, George turned to (Y/N) with a grin. "And for you, Professor (L/N)? A little something to enhance the festive spirit."

[Y/N] accepted the glass, returning George's smile. "Why, thank you, Mr. Weasley. That's very thoughtful."

The twins exchanged a quick, conspiratorial glance before blending into the crowd, leaving Remus and (Y/N) to enjoy their drinks. As the professors took sips of the enchanted punch, the subtle effects of Cupid's Secret began to take hold.

Unbeknownst to them, a gentle warmth spread through their veins, and the enchanted atmosphere of the Yule Ball seemed to intensify. Remus and (Y/N) glanced at each other, their eyes meeting in a way that felt different, charged with a newfound energy.

Fred, watching from a distance, nudged George with a sly grin. "Well, George, looks like our little potion is working its charm. Now, let's sit back and enjoy the show."

George chuckled, raising his glass in a mock toast. "To love, mischief, and a Yule Ball to remember."

And so, with their plan set in motion, the mischievous twins observed from the sidelines, eager to see how Cupid's Secret would unfold in the magical dance of the Yule Ball.

Under the soft glow of the floating candles and the enchanting ambiance of the Yule Ball, Remus and (Y/N) found themselves swept away by the subtle effects of Cupid's Secret. The love potion worked its magic, creating a warmth that seemed to linger in the air around them.

As they danced, the once hesitant glances turned into lingering stares. Remus, with a newfound confidence, gently took (Y/N)'s hand, and the dance floor seemed to fade away as they moved in perfect harmony. The atmosphere crackled with an energy that was both enchanting and irresistible.

Fred and George, hidden in the shadows, exchanged triumphant grins as they watched their plan unfold. Fred elbowed George, nodding toward the dancing couple. "Look at that, George. Our potion is doing wonders. They're practically glowing!"

George chuckled. "Our own brand of magic, right there. Who knew we had a knack for matchmaking?"

As Remus and (Y/N) twirled across the floor, the barriers that had kept them apart began to crumble. Conversations flowed effortlessly, laughter echoed through the hall, and the spark that had been lingering finally ignited into a full-fledged flame of connection.

The mischievous twins couldn't help but revel in their success. Fred whispered to George, "I told you, George, this is going to be legendary. They're like a pair of phoenixes rising from the ashes of awkwardness."

George nodded, raising his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Fred, my dear brother, we might be onto something here. Maybe we missed our true calling as love wizards."

The dance continued, and the enchanted glow of the Yule Ball seemed to intensify around Remus and (Y/N). The Great Hall buzzed with the newfound energy of romance, and the Weasley twins, hidden in the shadows, savored the moment, knowing they had orchestrated a magical night that would be remembered for years to come.

_________________________________________________________

The morning sun cast a warm glow on the Hogwarts grounds as Remus and (Y/N) found themselves walking together near the Black Lake. The events of the Yule Ball lingered in the air, creating a palpable tension between them.

Remus hesitated for a moment before breaking the silence. "About last night, (Y/N)… there's something we need to talk about, something that's been on my mind."

(Y/N) nodded, a mix of curiosity and concern in her eyes. "Remus, I've been thinking too. There was something… different about the Yule Ball, wasn't there?"

Remus took a deep breath, glancing at (Y/N) with a sincerity that seemed to cut through the uncertainty. "I can't shake the feeling that something was influencing us. The way we were drawn to each other, the warmth in the air—it wasn't just the magic of the Yule Ball, was it?"

(Y/N) sighed, realizing the truth. "No, Remus. It wasn't just the Yule Ball magic. There was something else at play. Something that brought us together, made us see each other in a new light."

As Remus and (Y/N) shared their thoughts, unbeknownst to them, Fred and George were hiding behind a large oak tree nearby. The mischievous twins exchanged knowing glances, their ears perked up to catch every word of the conversation.

Remus ran a hand through his hair, a hint of frustration in his expression. "I've been racking my brain, trying to understand what happened. And then I remembered—Fred and George offered us punch. I think they might have had something to do with it."

(Y/N)'s eyes widened in realization. "The Weasley twins? But why would they…?"

Remus sighed. "Knowing Fred and George, it was probably another one of their pranks. They must have slipped something into the punch to create some kind of atmosphere. I can't believe I fell for it."

(Y/N), a mixture of surprise and amusement on her face, couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, if it was a prank, it might be the best one they've ever pulled. Because, Remus, I can't deny that something changed between us last night."

Remus smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "And I'm grateful for it. More than you know. The truth is, (Y/N), I've fancied you for quite some time. The Yule Ball, or rather, whatever those two put in my drink, just gave me the courage to admit it."

As the conversation unfolded, Fred and George shared a triumphant grin. Fred whispered to George, "Looks like our love potion did more than we bargained for. They're talking about it!"

George nodded. "Mission accomplished, Fred."

The mischievous twins quietly retreated, leaving Remus and (Y/N) to navigate the aftermath of the Yule Ball and the unexpected twist of fate that had brought them closer together.

In the weeks that followed the Yule Ball, the Hogwarts corridors whispered about the unexpected romance between the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and the Arithmancy professor. Students and staff exchanged knowing glances, their curiosity piqued by the undeniable connection that seemed to have blossomed overnight.

The Weasley twins, having successfully orchestrated the tale of love, moved through the castle with an air of mischief and satisfaction. Fred grinned at George. "Our little project paid off, didn't it? Professor Lupin and Professor (L/N) are the talk of Hogwarts! I even heard McGonagall and Dumbledore talking about it."

George chuckled. "Who would've thought we'd become the puppet masters of love? We might have a future as romance consultants. Well, if the joke shop goes to hell, anyway."

As they reveled in their matchmaking success, the mischievous twins couldn't resist the occasional sly glance toward Remus and (Y/N), secretly pleased with the love story they had set in motion.

__________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, Remus and (Y/N), having navigated the revelation of the Weasley twins' involvement, found solace in the genuine connection that had sparked between them. The Yule Ball, orchestrated or not, had been a catalyst for something real and undeniable.

While sitting next to Remus on his bed in his living chambers, (Y/N) turned to Remus with a playful smile. "You know, Remus, I never thought I'd owe a debt of gratitude to the Weasley twins for anything other than a good laugh."

Remus chuckled, setting his book down, eyes filled with warmth. "They have a way of surprising us, don't they? But in a strange way, I'm grateful for whatever potion they slipped into our drinks that night. It brought us together."

(Y/N) nodded, a twinkle in her eye. "Love has a way of finding its path, even in the most unexpected circumstances. Maybe this was meant to be."

Remus smiled, pulling (Y/N) closer. "Perhaps it was. And I, for one, am glad fate brought us together, even if it took a bit of mischief to make it happen."

And so, as the whispers of love drifted through the Hogwarts corridors, Remus and (Y/N) embraced the magic that had sparked between them. The Weasley twins would never openly admit to meddling with the love potion but found joy in the newfound connection between their favorite professors. As they navigated the castle, their mischief was now tinged with a sense of smug satisfaction.

[delusionalbitchinthehouse]

Hi, I wanted to write ghoul’s night out antics, so here it is. This is pointless, they’re just being chaotic.

It’s late, the ghouls are all different degrees of drunk, it’s getting harder to maintain their glamor up in the dim light of the bar, and Swiss and Ifrit can’t keep their hands off of each other.

They’re probably the drunkest out of the little group that decided to go get drinks in town this otherwise boring Thursday night, and it shows. 

Swiss has a hand in Ifrit’s back pocket, an impressive fit given the vacuum sealed black jeans he’s wearing, groping the fire ghoul’s ass without any shame whatsoever. Ifrit isn’t much better, two hands shoved under Swiss’ shirt, roaming unsubtly on warm skin.

They’re swaying clumsily to the music, so close their foreheads keep knocking together, giggling and blushing in between heated kisses.

« Too much tongue, » Mist comments idly from her chair, spinning her beer bottle in her hands, « why do they always put too much tongue ? »

Rain shrugs on the stool next to her.

« Swiss likes it messy. »

« And Alpha taught Ifrit, » Pebble adds in a snigger that gets cut short when Alpha kicks his chair already kept in a precarious balance on two legs, sending Pebble sprawling on the floor. 

Dew silences them with an annoyed hush, invested in the two ghouls all over themselves a few feet away.

Swiss is mouthing at Ifrit’s neck now, the fire ghoul melting against him, hips canting up and knocking against Swiss’.

« Fritter’s getting worked up, » Aether chuckles, rubbing circles in the back of Dew’s hand.

« Bet his tail would be wagging if he were unglamored, » Pebble hums, still rubbing his elbow with a glare in Alpha’s direction, only looking away when the fire ghoul grins feral at him.

« ´s cute, » Mist huffs. She tilts her head back to down the rest of her bottle, gently knocking knees with Rain.

It is, in a way. At least until Ifrit scrambles for Swiss’ waist, pushing their hips together again. They rearrange themselves, heads on each other’s shoulders, in what could be a way to accommodate the slower romantic music, if not for the way their hips relentlessly grind together. 

They’re too drunk for subtlety, and what little costumers are still hanging around couldn’t miss what’s going on even if they tried to.

With a snort, Dew slouches against Aether, drumming his fingers on the arm the quint wrapped around his shoulders.

« Should we separate them, for decency’s sake, or wait and see how far they’ll go ? »

« C’mon, puddle, we all know you like the second option better, » Mist points out. She tries to take another swing from her bottle, only to to be reminded it’s empty. Aether hands her his, still half full, which she returns with a nod after a long sip.

The unmistakable sound of a half choked moan reaches their too keen to be human ears, Ifrit visibly biting his lip raw to keep some semblance of silence.

« Never been a quiet one, Ifrit. He’s gonna embarrass himself before the end of the song, I’m calling it, » Alpha huffs, now manspreading the day away next to Pebble, who, surprisingly, doesn’t protest.

Rain shakes his head, throwing his long legs on Dew’s lap.

« Nah, I have faith in him. He’ll hold on for two songs. »

« Oh you’re on, tadpole. »

With all their staring at Swiss and Ifrit, everyone misses Alpha’s hand slipping under the jacket thrown on Pebble’s lap, the way the earth ghoul tenses, a muscle twitching in his jaw, before he seemingly helplessly give in, legs parting slightly more.

Everyone but Mist, who sinks more comfortably in her seat to wait for when they’ll inevitably get kicked out. 

Who’s fault it will be is yet to be determined.

[ns-media]

Elaborating on my previous Oda romance/LuNami post

For the ones who read my previous long post analyzing Oda's thoughts on romance in One Piece + LuNami, thank you!

I'd like to elaborate on some things right here in case some people may misinterpret some of my viewpoints on how Oda portrays LuNami. So, one thing I see many LuNami fans point out is that Oda making LuNami subtle in his manga is on purpose, which I do wholeheartedly agree with! While it definitely is intentionally subtle, my post was to point out WHY that is the case, because Oda goes out of his way to show off the more cliché or "obvious" stuff in non-manga material, while the manga basically exclusively contains subtle things, indicating that there is something holding him back from putting this cliché stuff in his main story, which is what 95% of the content Oda makes even comes from. And as I pointed out in the post, I think it's him wanting to appeal to boys. I do think that if it wasn't for that, plus his shyness about romance, that he would put in more obvious cliché things in his manga, as he seems to be doing that for his non-manga material.

Now, this subtlety LuNami has in the manga is what draws many LuNami fans to the ship, which makes a ton of sense no doubt, in the manga it's basically the ship's bread and butter. My post wasn't to say "Omfg stop being subtle forget your audience and put in obvious shit in your manga Oda!" Nope, definitely not. My post was to point out that he truly DOES see LuNami as romantic and the reason I pointed it out in the first place is because it's so subtle in the manga that some people need convincing that the subtleties in the manga are truly LuNami hints and not just something you can dismiss like all the naysayers do.

This is why I talked about the non-canon material so much in that post, to prove how it's obvious that he DOES really like LuNami because of how the non-manga shit is so much more obvious with LuNami hints. Mr. "I think romance is a good idea for Film: Gold" also said "OP is a shounen manga ffs, no romance depicted lmao". Totally different statements, one for his manga, one for an optional movie... hmm, there's no way my post has any sort of validity!

By the way when Oda said "no romance depicted" he's not full of shit or whatever, he clearly refers to obvious romances stories that aren't subtle hints like how he portrayed LuNami in the manga. Every time he mentions romance it's clear he means the obvious stuff, of course I think it's obvious how UsoKaya is basically canon but there's no dedicated romance story between them in the manga.

This predicament that I think Oda is in with making it subtle in his manga and less subtle outside his manga, is why LuNami seems so easy to trivalize for so many people. Because in the manga it's so subtle that people can easily just go "Nah that is not what it means" and in non-manga material it's like "No man it's non-canon bullshit who cares it's not in the manga". But see, these people saying this is exactly what I think Oda wants his boy audience to think! So... good job I guess!

Now, I know that I may seem to be putting in just a bit too much stock into Oda being restricted by his audience, which yeah I do see why you would think so if you happen to think that. However he keeps bringing up his readers, over and over and over AND OVER AND OVER again when nobody even asked him about that, dude.

Some guy asks: "So uhh who does Nami like?" Oda: "Uhh this is for boys and they don't care man"

The guy: Umm... I didn't ask for that but thanks?

Aoyama: "I wouldn't leave if you do romantic stuff"

Oda: "Well shit, PEOPLE seem so supportive of couples huh!?"

You uhh, seem a bit too concerned with the opinions of "people" and there's a bit too much "shounen shounen manga boys boys boys" when NOBODY ASKED YOU to talk about them in your answers for it. How should that not to arouse suspicion in me?

And those 2 examples aren't even the only time he's like that.

Buuut, I think this is all I gotta say... for now I think. I might edit this post to further elaborate on stuff later, no promises but I'll think about it!

[yuurei20]

To your knowledge, is there any reference to the Tweels being afraid of sea snakes? I could swear that there was, but no one else seems to think so. I just wanna make sure whether I'm crazy or not.

Hello hello! Thank you for this question!

I have not been able to find a reference to the tweels being afraid of sea snakes! :> Concerning sea snakes themselves, they come up in Book 3 (when Deuce asks if that's what the twins are) and "Sea Snake" is also Floyd's nickname for Jamil!

As for what the tweels might be afraid of, I looked into the harrowing experiences we have seen and those that they have described, and this is what I found:

Floyd says that "morays are cowards at heart," but while we have heard a lot from Azul and the twins themselves about how terrifying life under the sea can be they all speak fondly of their home, with Jade saying that he finds it to be "a comfortable and pleasant kingdom."

Jade can be difficult to read as he will say things like "I'm beside myself with anxiety" and "I'm terribly concerned" while smiling. During Spectral Soiree Ruggie asks if he is actually that concerned and he follows with, "The idea of this being incredibly amusing never even crossed my mind."

Jade has what he describes as "an incredibly close call" with a distraught Malleus during Halloween, but it is difficult to tell if he means to say that he was sincerely afraid.

When faced with the Vargas Monster of Vargas Camp Jade is much more level-headed than Trey. He may have been concerned about the Crewel Monster during that same event, but he still takes the opportunity to inconvenience Azul by leaving him to deal with Vargas, helping only (the much lighter) Grim.

Jade has a voiceline from the Playfulland event about a roller coaster being rougher than he had anticipated, but it is unclear if this means he was frightened. He follows with how he would like to make Azul ride it as well.

It is possible that Jade was frightened--or at least made uncomfortable--by the thought of jumping the ravine during Harveston, saying that the stunt "seems ill-advised" and trying to talk Epel out of doing so (Jade appears uncomfortable during flight lessons, but I am not sure if he has said outright anywhere that he is afraid of flying).

Thank you very much for @octahyde for pointing out a moment during Playfulland when Ferro makes a joke about putting the students under a spell, and Jade seems very unimpressed.

When Floyd relates a harrowing experience from his childhood Jack comments, "Must've been real scary," but Floyd says, "Nah. I just got mega ticked off."

And it does seem usual for Floyd to become annoyed in frightening situations: he is the only character (outside of Leona) who makes the connection between STYX's lack of subtlety and the likelihood that "they have some REAL reliable way of cleanin' up after themselves," but he seems more displeased than afraid.

Floyd is so unimpressed by the Vargas Monster that he initially refuses to cooperate with the other students, wanting to fight it alone, instead.

When the opportunity arises to battle an actual monster in the mine, he seems delighted.

During his third birthday vignette Floyd says that Vargas has told him that the reason he is one of the fastest-learning mermaid-flyers is because he is not afraid.

The most distressed we have ever seen the twins may be Book 3, immediately before Azul's overblot.

They seem uncomfortable in the lead-up to Jamil's overblot as well, but I have not been able to find any dialogue where they explicitly say they are afraid of something, or dialogue from someone else explaining something that the twins might be afraid of :>

[ohallthecrushes]

"Elegant and subtle"

A/N: it's short headcanons. Sorry about the joke below. It's just hard not to think about his growing, overwhelming, delicious D- devotion... ok, I'll stop now.

Summary: Ways of how Morpheus approaches you, his romantic interests, to show you his growing dick, sorry affection.

Nothing too obvious, my dear, he won't say he has feelings for you, nah-ah. Not at the beginning at least. Not until he's sure, you'll reciprocate his affection.

Considering his enigmatic character, he may approach the situation with a sense of subtlety and elegance,cause those are the ways thatt befit the Lord of Dreams.

Since he has difficulty with expressing emotions directly, he may use dream symbolism or metaphorical language to convey his feelings.

For example, he can send you cryptic dreams that mirror your shared experiences or create dreamscapes that resonate with you on a deeper level. Through these dreams, he can subtly reveal his admiration and fascination with you.

You will wonder however... Did he spy on your dreams to know your desires and likes so he could create the perfect dreamscapes for you? I won't say yes, but... He won't tell.

You will find small well thoughtful gifts around your flat, something you only briefly mentioned you'd like to have.

If you don't know how to flirt, it's ok, it doesn't matter. Your blushing cheeks and soft smile in his presence are enough for him to know you welcome his romantic gestures.

If you are aware of your own issues and awkwardness when it comes to romance, then so is Morpheus. He's attentive and observant. But don't worry. His approach is gonna be patient and understanding. He will demonstrate that he respects your boundaries and independence and that he values you as an equal, showing empathy for your struggles (with a more practical way of course).

Is there a specific nightmare or a memory that haunts you often? Poof! It's gone.

Do you need his help with anything? Poof! It's done.

Morpheus will also listen attentively to your thoughts and feelings, allowing you to open up at your own pace without pressuring you. His nonjudgmental nature and willingness to accept you as you are can foster a sense of trust and comfort, making you feel less out of hhis league.

the ethereal and mystical nature of Morpheus' realm can allow for unique and romantic experiences. It's inevitable that he will invite you to explore the Dreaming with him, to share the beauty and wonder of his domain, forging a deeper connection through you mutual fascination with the dream world.

Even though it's all subtle, it is hard to miss all those romantic signs and gestures.

And even if you,for some reason, still don't see them or refuse to see them, Morpheus will find a more subtle way, though still elegant and romantic, to show you his interest and how serious he is about you.

[aita-blorbos]

Am I the asshole for wanting to be a sugarcane farmer?

I was a born in London, a loyal subject of the king. I was a soldier for my country, was voted into parliament, had a burgeoning career. I was asked to run a township. I, of course, accepted. And then the king assigned me here.

Really, here? Seven thousand miles from England, in the middle of the jungle with the bugs? The food is barely edible, in this colony so far away it takes a month to get a message home!

But it's three thousand acres of land so fertile you could grow almost anything off it. I figured I'd skim each harvest, and soon enough be so rich I'd leave Guiana in the dust and buy a house in Chelsea.

But noooo. No, no, I'm still here. And now these engineers are building flywheels and some ridiculous brick sphere on the waterfront, the best place I can grow my contraband, sugarcane. Ah, glorius sugarcane. A letter comes from London telling me to give them what they need. Now I'm stuck with nothing. No, your Majesty, that's not what we agreed upon!

Then in comes this celebrity and everyone adores him. Even the monarchy. He speaks a lot of nonsense—some rot about the stars, while his soft hair shines in the low light and his eyes glitter like the constellations he loves so much. Personally, I don't find it worthy of my time to listen to him. Besides, it's infuriatingly distracting the way his lips purse when he maps out the stars. And—do you know the worst part? Then he has the nerve to invite an American! Woman! to run the project. Can you believe that?

Well, I of course tried to put a stop to that. At first I tried my hand at subtlety, poisoning the clay that made their bricks with lime. I'd hoped they might leave my township if their flywheels splintered, but no luck there. Yet another American woman noticed that one. There seem to be an awful lot of them, these days. And that celebrity, well. He kept looking at them. Like he's their friend. Hmph. He never looked at me like that.

But then I realised: this was an opportunity! If there was an accident, it wouldn't reach the throne for thirty days! I'd remove the evidence, using my quick wit and myriad employees, and I'd send a report home. Something tearful, painting me as a bystander who, tragically, was the only survivor of the dreadful accident that occurred. Murder wouldn't even cross their minds!

I've done my time! I've been the upstanding subject of his Majesty, and now? Now this "sphere" of theirs will crash to the ground, into the dust where it belongs. Here? I'll be the last man standing!

And the sugarcane will finally be mine. Rows and rows of it, and soon I'll be living like a king! Well, I'm not just doing this for sugarcane. I'm also doing it... because I don't like them.

So, AITA?

[crimson-calligraphyx]

What do four best friends do when they can't agree on where to go on their next "Girl's Trip"? Well, they have a competition—whoever wins gets to choose where to go. The catch? It involves candy underwear and subtlety. Disclaimer: this is completely fictional. I do not own Bad Omens or anyone affiliated with them. This is a RPF; don't like? Don't read. Hope you enjoy! 😊 Sexual content: oral sex & fingering; female receiving. slight knife play. Word count: 5,204 Costumes: Anastasia Riley Adeline I think y'all can picture Gemma's costume Candy thong Tag list: @kingdomof-omens @cheyfi @daylightlvrs @blade-in-red @ladyveronikawrites @jay02bo *if you'd like to be added to the tag list, let me know!

Heavy bass vibrated through not only the walls of our home, but the entirety of my body, shaking me to the core. The air in the foyer was thick with the smoke billowing from the fog machine, creeping low against the wooden floors and swirling as I walked through it.

Continuing through our home, I couldn’t help the nagging thought in my head of whether we really should have a strobe light going or not. It was starting to make me dizzy; the last thing we needed was someone dropping in the middle of the living room from a seizure, but the girls insisted it was necessary for the night and told me to stop being such a worry wart.

It was Halloween night, and the girls and I were getting ready for the impromptu party we threw together. We invited practically the whole block, shoving flyers into their mailboxes the night before, not expecting half of them to show. Still, we went all out and bought two kegs and brought out the entirety of our liquor cabinet, along with probably a dozen pizzas just in case.

It was LA after all, and word does spread like wildfire here, so maybe there was a chance of a huge turnout.

I made my way up the stairs and into my bedroom to check on how the others were doing with their costumes, stopping short when I got a look at Gemma’s outfit. Nicholas outdid himself—the ‘ink’ on Gemma’s arms was that of Noah’s, though rushed from the amount of time we had to get ready. Still, he did his job, and you could tell they were supposed to be the crimson waves and the grayscale portrait Noah had. And of course, the snake with the forbidden fruit on the neck.

Gemma stood with a proud smile on her face, waving her hands up and down her body to brandish her outfit. I snorted, taking in the cropped black tank top, short black skirt, and fishnet combo. She had a white shoelace around the waistband of the skirt to mimic the drawstring on his stage pants, and even had the chain necklace and bracelet he wore on his left wrist.

“Single glove or hand wraps?” she asks, holding up one in each hand. “The glove is more infamous in my opinion, but it might get sweaty,” I shrugged. “Up to you.” She tilts her head back in forth, pondering before settling with the hand wraps. She tossed the glove onto the bed, hitting Adeline with it, who was lying on her stomach.

“If you’re gonna hit me in the ass with a glove, make sure your hand is in it,” Adeline teases, looking back at us over her shoulder. "Duly noted," Gemma laughs and makes her way over to the bed, promptly slapping Adeline over her bustle-clad ass. "What even are you?" Adeline rolls over and stands up, picking up her fedora and placing it on her head. She points to the holster strapped to her thigh that holds a knife, presumably fake. "I'm a monster hunter. You know, like if the Winchester's had a sister." Gemma nods her head slowly, "Riiight, gotcha."

I shake my head at them with a smirk playing on my lips, turning my attention to the mirror. I adjusted the frilled collar around my neck, hoping it wouldn't suffocate me too much during the night, followed by the thigh-high stockings, having the bells on my skirt jingle as I moved. "You think I should do some sort of clown makeup or just leave it with the smokey eye?" I asked, turning to Nick. "Nah," he shakes his head and takes a sip of his beer. "I think it's fine the way it is."

I shrugged, accepting his answer, and tightened the pigtails on my head one last time just as Riley made her way into the room. I gasped when I saw the orange tattered dress and burlap hood, adorned with Sam's stitched face. I was astonished at how good she looked. She wraps her arms around herself, trying to make herself small as a pink tinge formed on her cheeks. I knew she felt uncomfortable, completely stepping out of her comfort zone, but her costume really was amazing.

"Is it that bad?" she asks, digging the toe of her platformed boot into the carpet with uncertainty. "Girl, no! You look amazing!" I reassure her, motioning for her to spin around so I could get a full view. She obliges, hesitantly spinning and extending her arms out by her sides, the skirt of her dress swishing around her. She halts facing me, "Thanks, Stace," she giggles, the start of a confident smile spreading on her face.

"Alright bitches, now that we're all here," Gemma announces, gaining everyone's attention. She holds up her hand, clasped around a bundle of what appeared to be candy necklaces. "I have a little game for us to play tonight. Know how we've been fighting over where to go for our next Girl's Trip?" She asks, tossing each of us a string of candies with a sly smirk. I held the candy up in front of me, quickly realizing these weren't necklaces, but thongs. "Gem, what the fuck are you getting at?" I asked accusingly. She chortled as the rest of us girls exchanged wary glances, only imagining what she had in mind. "We're going to wear these tonight and see who can get rid of the candies the fastest. Winner gets to choose our destination," she winks, stepping into the G-string and sliding it underneath her skirt, completely disregarding Nicholas sitting behind her. "A-and how do you expect us to do that?" Riley asks timidly, the blush rearing her face again.

Gemma chuckles and makes her way over to Riley, taking the ties of the burlap hood between her thumb and index finger, and twiddling it. "C'mon Riles, use that brain of yours. You're gonna get each and every one of those boys at this party to take a nibble," she chomps the air playfully and tugs on the string to release the knot with a laugh. "Hey!" Riley gasps, throwing her hands on her head to stop the burlap sack from falling to the floor. "Not funny," she grumbles, situating the hood back in its original place. "I don't know, Gemma. That's a little... risque." "That's the whole point, Riles! Maybe you'll get lucky with Jol—" "Shh!" Riley frantically covers Gemma's mouth and glances briefly at Nick, her face now beet red and eyes wide as saucers.

I exchanged a knowing look with Adeline, both of us snickering quietly. It was no secret that Riley had a thing for Jolly, always growing quiet and tucking herself behind one of us whenever he was in the room. And when he spoke to her? Forget it. It's like her brain short-circuits and she forgets how to speak, only able to laugh and play with the hem of her shirt. It was cute though, and I knew that a part of this game Gemma had planned was to break Riley out of her shell a bit.

With a shrug, I slipped out of my non edible underwear and tossed it into my hamper, replacing it with the candy thong. It was a little snug, and felt weird as the chalky beads rolled over my skin, but I was determined to get this off as quickly as possible. I was desperate to go to Hawaii.

Adeline steps into my bathroom to exchange her underwear, and Riley looks between the three of us when she returns, visibly shaking. She takes a deep breath and makes her way into my bathroom, doing the same as Adeline.

"Y'all are crazy," Nicholas comments with a chuckle and stands up, slipping his Michael Myers mask over his head. "Please, like you don't want to take a nibble," Gemma winks, bending slightly and wriggling her hips in his direction. I could just imagine the eye roll that was hidden by his mask as he silently sauntered through us, heading downstairs. "At least he's in character," I snorted, and we shared a laugh then trailed after him, ready for our night of fun as we descended the stairs.

Hitting the bottom step, I could just barely hear the doorbell over the music blasting through our home, the bass still vibrating through me. I made my way to the door, throwing it open to be met with a pair of dark eyes, covered slightly by shaggy bangs and shimmering from the strobe light behind me. I take in Noah's blood-stained white T-shirt and jeans as he holds a Ghostface mask in his right hand.

A smirk slowly spreads on his face as I stared for much longer than I should have, soaking in how fucking easy it was for him to look so good, and I could feel my face start to warm. Heat simmers low in my belly from the way he locks eyes with me and smolders at me—he knew exactly what he was doing. Noah and I have been playing this cat-and-mouse game for months, both of us too stubborn to admit our feelings to one another regardless of how obvious it was.

I cleared my throat, "Billy Loomis, huh?" "How could you tell?" he chuckles. I rolled my eyes, "It's not like Scream isn't my favorite slasher or anything." He feigns surprise, his eyebrows rising. "Is that so?" he teases, that smirk finding his lips again. I remained silent while I watched his eyes trail up and down my body, taking in my Jester costume.

He slowly brings his eyes back to mine, lingering on my chest briefly. "So, you gonna let me in or am I supposed to party on the porch by myself all night?" "Right," I chuckled, opening the door wider, allowing him room to enter. "Welcome to the night circus, where you can be a freak on purpose," I shoot him a wink, waving my arm in a grand fashion. "Why thank you, Anastasia," he crosses through the threshold, the way he put emphasis on my name causing a shiver to roll down my spine. No one uses my full name.

His eyes never left mine as he brushed past me, the bells on my dress jingling as he ran a finger across the bottom of it. My heart pounds from the seduction in his eyes, his proximity, the anticipation of his fingers grazing my skin. I watched him disappear into the kitchen while the strobes gave the illusion that his body was lagging behind, leaving nothing but the fog swirling in his wake.

Huffing out a breath, I go to shut the door blindly, having a boot wedge between it and the frame. I looked up at the owner of said boot, belonging to Jolly, who stood there sporting a kind smile with fake blood dribbling down from the corner of his mouth. "Shit, sorry Jolly. I didn't see you there," I apologized with a grimace and stepped back to allow him inside. He laughs, and I catch a glimpse of the fake fangs settled on his teeth. "That's alright, I could see you were a bit preoccupied," he winks before making his way inside, trailing after Noah.

I felt my cheeks burn hot from embarrassment, and suddenly the collar around my neck was beginning to suffocate me. Shutting the door, I took a deep breath to recollect myself and calm my erratic heart. This was going to be an interesting night.

-

The night carried on, with dozens upon dozens of strangers funneling into our home. Half the pizza was gone, the kegs have been tapped, and I was feeling pretty good after a few drinks. I managed to get a couple bites taken from the candy G-string by said strangers, as did the others, but we appeared to still be neck-and-neck in our little competition.

Folio was running rampant around the house in his werewolf costume, sloshing beer in his wake, while Adeline and Noah were nowhere in sight. Riley had tucked herself in the corner of the living room, trying her best to make small talk with Jolly, who seemed very interested in what she had to say. And of course, Nicholas was taking advantage of his Michael Myers costume, sneaking up on people and scaring the shit out of them.

"Stacy!" I heard Gemma call my name as I snagged a slice of pizza. I turned towards her while taking a bite, perking an eyebrow up in questioning. "Come do a keg stand with me!" I rolled my eyes, swallowing the bite I took. "Let me finish my slice of pizza first, Gem. I haven't eaten all night!" She wasn't even paying attention to what I had to say, giggling as she skipped on over to the keg.

I followed after her, shaking my head with a chuckle as she threw herself onto Matt's back, who barely had time to register what was happening. He caught her just in time, nearly falling forward as he hooked her knees on his elbows, scolding her. "Matty," she laughs, "can you help me with the keg stand?" "If it gets you off my back, sure," he huffs. "I may be dressed as Goku, but I'm not a Super Saiyan, so you gotta find another person to help hold your drunk ass up." "Deal!" she lands a sloppy kiss on his cheek before sliding off his back, immediately waving me towards her.

I sighed and tossed my pizza onto the closest counter, knowing she would just keep pestering me until I obliged. Gemma takes hold of the handles and bends at the waist, beginning to hoist herself up by kicking her legs out. Matt and I exchanged looks and rolled our eyes at her impatience, both of us grasping a leg to steady her as she flipped upside down, her skirt falling and exposing the candy underwear.

"You ready?" Matt asks her, not even noticing that her ass was now exposed, and brings the spout to her mouth. She responds by giggling, taking the spout between her teeth. "Three, two, one... Go!" he counts down, opening the spigot and funneling beer to her.

It was messy at first as she continued to giggle, foam billowing from her lips, dripping into her hair and on top of the keg. After a moment, she stifles her hysterics and gets a better grasp on the spout, finally drinking it down as the room starts to count how long she could stay up.

"Gemma, what the fuck are you wearing?" Matt laughs just after the room counts to eight. I brought my attention to him; he finally noticed the edible underwear, unapologetically staring at her ass with a shit-eating grin spread across his face. Gemma starts to laugh, the spout falling from her mouth, which continues to pour beer all over the floor. Her arms buckle as she laughs harder, and she topples backward, landing straight on her back. She groans out in pain, only to erupt into another fit of giggles.

I snorted with amusement and shook my head at the sight before me, reaching for the spigot to close it. "Are you alright?" I asked her and promptly offered a hand to help her up. She accepts my hand and pulls herself up, stumbling to her feet. "Oh yeah, that was hilarious," she chuckles, turning her attention to Matt. "For your information, Matty, it's called candy underwear." "Right, but why are you wearing it?" She motions her head at me, "We're having a competition—me, Stacy, Adeline, and Riley—and for the life of us, we can't agree on where to go for vacation. So, like the genius that I am, I decided whoever can get all the candy bitten off by the end of the night, wins."

He barks out a laugh, shaking his head. "That is the stupidest shit you've ever come up with, Gem." He grabs a solo cup and starts to fill it with beer from the keg, "Where is it that you guys want to go that you can't agree on something?" I mimic his actions, filling my own cup. "I wanna go to Hawaii," I shrugged, followed by taking a sip of my beer. "Riley wants to go to the Bahamas, I think Addy wants to go to Niagara Falls." "What about you, Gem?" Matt asks, pointing his cup in her direction. "Las Vegas!" she shouts.

He nods slowly and takes a long sip of his drink, mulling over our answers. With the hand that was holding the solo cup, he points a finger at me and gives me a quick head nod. "Bend over, I'm taking a bite." "Excuse me?" I folded my arms over my chest, quirking an eyebrow at him. "Hawaii is the best option in my opinion," he shrugs, putting his cup down and closing the gap between us.

He sidles up behind me, lifting the skirt of my dress on his own as he crouches. I shiver from the feeling of his warm breath on my backside as he brings the candy into his mouth, his lips brushing against my skin. I could feel him pull on the string as he fought with it to break the candy, having it snap back into place when he successfully took what felt like a big chunk off. I glanced at Gemma with wide eyes, not expecting this from Matt, and she did not seem amused by any means.

"You better fucking win this shit, Stace," he mumbles and stands up, chewing on the candy. "That's the whole idea, Matt," I winked at him, tugging my dress back into place before returning to my pizza waiting for me on the counter. Gemma scoffs, "What about me? That doesn't seem very fair." "You said it yourself, Gem. It's a competition," Matt retorts. "One of you has to win, and none of you will if I take a bite off each of your asses." Her mouth drops open, appalled by his words, and she quickly exits the room with an exasperated exhale.

"Drama queen," he snickers as he washes down the sweets with a pull of his beer. "The other guys know about this?" "Nick does, not sure if the others caught wind or not. A few strangers were brave enough to take a nibble or two," I chuckled. "Well then, carry on. The night is still young." He bumps his cup with mine in cheers before trailing after Gemma.

With a shrug, I did just so and topped off my cup before heading into the living room. The air in the room was sticky from all the heat radiating off people's bodies, everyone practically shoulder to shoulder as they danced and drank whatever they had in their hands. I take a large pull of my drink, starting my journey through the sea of people until I lock eyes with those same alluring eyes from earlier in the night.

Noah stands there, leaning against the wall opposite of me with his arms folded over his chest. A smirk begins to spread across his face when he sees that he has my undivided attention, and my heart leaps into my throat from how long he holds my gaze. He only breaks eye contact when Nick sidles up beside him, lifting his mask to speak to Noah.

I take another sip of my drink, hoping to swallow my heart back where it belongs but to no avail. Whatever Nick had said to Noah only made his smirk grow, his eyes flickering back to me as he pushed off the wall and began to cut through the crowd towards me.

What the fuck did Nick say to him?

I straighten my posture as he stands in front of me, trying to give the impression that I wasn't beginning to crumble underneath his devious presence. He leans towards me, bringing his mouth so close to my ear that I can feel his breath ghost by it, a chill running down my spine. "Come with me," he says lowly, his tone immediately spreading warmth to my core.

He brushes past me, this time his fingers grazing against my thigh, and my breath gets caught in my throat. Taking another gulp of my beer, I followed him out of the living room and down the hallway that passed by the kitchen. He halts when we're away from the crowd, leaning up against the wall again with the same smirk on his face from moments before. He doesn't say anything, just stares at me.

Now annoyed by his silence, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Why did you bring me here, Noah?" "Like you don't know," he chuckles. I squint my eyes at him, "What are you getting at?" He hums with amusement, pushing himself off the wall, and stalks towards me again, this time brandishing a knife. My eyes grow wide and I back against the wall, my heart pounding as panic starts to wash over me.

He snorts, lowering his hand. "Relax, it's fake. I'm just trying to stay in character. You know, Billy Loomis and all." I huffed, "That wasn't funny." "Mmm, was pretty funny to me. Shoulda seen your face." "Fuck you, Noah," I let out a breathy laugh. "So, you gonna tell me what's going on or can I go back to the party?" He takes another step towards me, tipping my head up with the blade of the plastic knife under my chin. I remained calm this time, knowing it was fake, and stared up at him as I waited for an answer. "A little birdy told me there's a competition between you girls. Is that true?"

So, that's what Nick told him.

"That is true," I confirmed. "And does it involve candy underwear, or was that a lie?" My throat goes dry; I swallow as my heart begins to pound again. "Y-yes," I stammered. "Interesting," he muses, tracing the blade leisurely down my throat. "I love candy necklaces; it's the same candy, right?" I nodded shallowly. "I may have to partake in this competition then if you'll allow it." I take a deep breath in as he continues to skim the knife across my breasts, dragging it down the front of my dress. I lost my voice while my reply swirled round and round in my head, dizzying me as I saw his eyes darken with mischief while he scrutinized my every move.

The knife reaches the middle of my thigh, and he changes direction, slipping it under my dress. He inches it back up my thigh, bringing the heat in my stomach to a simmer as it neared my center. I squeeze my legs together when he slides it between them, and he chuckles. "I'll take that as a no," he says, retracting the knife. "No, you may," I breathed. "Maybe without the knife, though." "Fair enough." He agrees, tucking it into his back pocket.

He lowers himself to his knees, leering up at me with hunger in his eyes as he fists the bottom of my dress. "May I?" I gave a quick nod and held my breath as his head disappeared under the skirt. He wastes no time at all; I can feel the tug against the strings as he takes a section of the beads into his mouth, his warm breath caressing my mound. I chomp down on my lip to hold back the mewl that wanted to escape me from the sensation.

The thong snaps back into place when he successfully takes a bite, causing me to jump slightly. I heard him chuckle, but he didn't pull back. Instead, he takes another mouthful, this time sucking them into his mouth rather than taking them in between his teeth. His lips brush against me ever-so-slightly, my body reacting to the closeness by clenching around nothing.

Fuck. This was turning me on way too fucking much.

"Noah," I warned. "I-I think you've had enough." He releases the candy, and they snap back against me, once again causing me to buck my hips forward. The sweets were now sticky from his saliva, the underwear even more uncomfortable now as the beads stick against my skin. His face emerges from my skirt, and he looks up at me through the dark bangs covering his eyes, licking his lips slowly. "Sorry, I just really like candy necklaces. Let me take one last bite."

He doesn't even wait for me to respond, heading back to where he just was. "No-waaah," I began to scold him for his behavior, only to be interrupted by the moan he elicited from me. He had slipped his tongue through the strings, padding it against my clit while he pulled on another mouthful of candies. "That bite tasted really good." He chuckles deviously, the vibration buzzing through me and sending another tingle through my middle.

He moves back, looking up at me with that same sly smirk he's been brandishing all night. "I really wanna eat it all. And I don't just mean the candy." Heat rises up my neck and across my face from his words, and my clit throbs just from the thought of him devouring every last bead before devouring me. I clenched my thighs together, trying to get some friction where I wanted it the most as I eagerly waited for him to touch me again.

"I know you want to win this competition, Anastasia," he mutters sardonically. "Why don't you let me help?" I swallowed harshly, giving him a quick nod. "Come with me," he coos, taking my hand as he stands, and brings me into the closest room.

It felt wrong as he shut the door to Riley's bedroom and locked it, and even worse when he shoved me playfully onto her bed. The feeling of guilt quickly diminishes, melting into desire as he slowly clambers onto the bed, settling between my legs. He bunches my dress up, exposing the edible underwear once again, lowering himself until his mouth was only a mere centimeter away from it.

He takes one single bead between his teeth, breaking it off and chewing it, all while staring up at me with fire burning in his eyes. He does it again, and again, his mouth dangerously close to my clit, until I couldn't handle him teasing me any longer. "Noah," I whined, wriggling my hips in front of him eagerly. "Please." "Ah, ah," he scolds, "you gotta wait until all of this candy is gone." He laughs when I let out an aggravated huff, taking another mouthful of the candy and sucking on it.

"Tastes so good," he moans out. "The candy is sweet, but your arousal makes it even sweeter," he muses, letting the moist candies fall from his mouth, slapping against my clit. I whimpered and bucked my hips forward, having him take the same candies back in his mouth and finally break them off. I breathed deep with anticipation, my chest heaving as I watched him lazily chew the sweets, his eyes boring into mine with animosity. "Hm," his eyes fall back to the thong, a satisfied grin grazing his lips. "Would you look at that, all the candies are gone. All there is left to eat is..." His eyes flicker back to mine, the smile only growing on his face. "You."

I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth, biting down with a bruising force while he brought his mouth down to me. He pushes the strings aside, never breaking eye contact as he runs his tongue along my soaked folds agonizingly slow, the look alone shaking me to the core. He takes his time, savoring me as he casually licks his way up to my clit, lolling the tip of his tongue around the sensitive bud.

"Fuck," I whispered, and my head falls back against the mattress. My eyes fluttered shut when he applied a bit more pressure to my clit, still moving in slow circles. I moaned lightly when he entered a finger inside of me, and then another seconds later. He unhurriedly curls them upwards, just barely pressing against that sweet spot as he carries on.

"Look at me," he mumbles against me. I don't move—I can't, not with the way he's paralyzing me, spreading bliss through my entire body with just his two fingers and tongue. "Anastasia," he says sternly, retracting his fingers. "I wanna watch those pretty eyes of yours roll to the back of your head when I make you come." I whimpered from the unwanted emptiness, once again clenching around nothing as I craved to be filled again. Knowing he wouldn't continue until I obliged due to his stubbornness, I had no choice but to pick my head up and look at him.

"Good girl," he chuckles lowly, his eyes glimmering with fervor. He rewards me by sliding his long fingers inside of me, thrusting them with urgency. It took every fiber of my being to not throw my head back down and cry out, knowing he would stop if I were to do that. He lowers his mouth down to me, working his tongue around my awaiting clit strategically, quickly building up my climax.

My legs start to tremble, my hips involuntarily lifting off the mattress to press my cunt harder against his tongue. "That's it," he moans against me, the bass in his voice vibrating through me. "Let go, Anastasia." His eyes darken as he continues to leer up at me, grazing his teeth against my clit before encasing it with his lips, sucking on it. His fingers continued to curl against my walls feverishly, beckoning me to come undone, his eyes commanding me to fall apart under his control.

The pressure continued to climb with each stroke against my G-spot, and I knew by the curl of his lips that he could tell I was close. The more my body trembled beneath him, the more he concentrated on his actions, watching the way my body reacted to him.

The spool finally springs loose inside of me, my hands fisting the sheets as I cried out from the ecstasy coursing through me. My eyes wrench shut, my body quakes uncontrollably, and he continues to carry me through my high, his actions relentless. He laps up every last drop of my orgasm with a breathy laugh, his hands pressed against my thighs to hold my legs open, not finished with me just yet.

He only stops when I go limp, collapsing against the sheets, and my chest heaves as I try to catch the breath that he knocked out of me. As I lay here, nearly comatose, I felt him pull on the strings of the candy thong one last time, only I didn't feel them snap back into place. “That oughta do it," he says confidently. I lift my head to look at him; the plastic knife is in his hand again, and the strings of the edible underwear are dangling off the blade.

I threw my head back and laughed—looks like I’m going to Hawaii.

[myarmsaretoolong]

had the sudden inspiration for a band fic scene. no idea if it'll actually be usable in the fic or not but its fun as

(ignore any mistakes ive not proofed it at all)

Ianto leant his elbows on the counter, chin in his palm, and surveyed the remaining customers. There was Owen in the centre table, tongue between his teeth and his usual deep scowl lining up his face. He had a dozen books spread across the table and twice as many loose sheets of paper, one of which he scribbled on frantically. Maybe he was practicing his signature style of illegible doctors’ scrawl–Ianto certainly thought he’d get a first in that regard having peered over his shoulder once or twice.

Across from Owen sat Mark, a bored and slightly vacant look on his face as he chewed the lid of his pen while simultaneously tapping the nib on his notebook. As Owen had his headphones on, Mark had no one else to entertain him and no luck at entertaining himself either, so he switched between looking blankly at his textbook and glaring around at the other patrons.

About five other people remained. Three girls at one table, heads together and their fair share of books and notes and coloured pens between them. Ianto saw them often, and they always ordered with shy smiles and plenty of thanks. Which was to say he liked them immensely. One of them flicked her eyes up to catch his, and when he smiled back she blushed and looked down. One of her friends nudged her and all three giggled.

The other two sat at opposite ends of the long table by the window, remnants from when the cafe was chockablock and both too stubborn to be the one who moved. One kept his head down, while the other snuck glances about the rest of them.

It was Mark who made the first move, slapping his book shut and leaning across the table to poke Owen in the arm. Ianto slipped off one of his own headphones to listen.

“Oi, ‘m off then.”

Owen grunted some reply he couldn’t pick out over the violin solo currently filling the room.

“Coming or what?” Mark asked sharply as he roughly stuffed his belongings in a falling apart rucksack.

“What?” Owen looked up, frown deepening. “Nah. You go, I gotta finish this.”

It wasn’t the answer Mark wanted. As Owen turned back to his work, Mark leaned in closer and snatched his headphones away, tongue poking in his cheek as he worked to keep the leer from his mouth. “C’mon, I wanna relax tonight.” He raised his eyebrows, all the subtlety of a derailing train.

Setting his pen down loudly, Owen fixed him with a glare. “And I’ve got an test tomorrow–”

“A mock.”

“Find someone else to whet your whistle. Ain’t struggled with that before.” Owen shook his head, anger simmering not all that far below the surface at all.

Mark sat back, pulling Owen closer by the headphone chords. He fought back, taking the Walkman from his pocket and slapping it on the table along his pen and papers. It drew a few stares from the rest, and Ianto quickly looked away and pretended to pick at his nails.

Owen crossed his arms, now in some sort of staring match with Mark. Eventually, Mark’s eyes flicked over Owen’s shoulder and out of the window. “Whatever,” he spat, scooping up his bag and shoving to his feet. “Nice pair of thruppnys just walked past.” 

He made sure to jam Owen in the leg with his shoe as he stomped past, and Owen hissed and spat back, “You’ve always liked arse more.”

Possibly for the first time in his life, Mark took the high ground and kept on marching, while Owen reeled his headphones back in and returned to his work.

As soon as the door slammed after Mark–who was now stalking after a woman halfway across the square–the antsy woman from the long table stood up too. It only took a minute more for her table-mate to follow suit, and the group of girls quickly packed up their things as well.

“Bye, Ianto,” the one who’d smiled at him mumbled on the way past.

Somewhat shocked, he looked up from the menu he’d been reading for the tenth time just in time to say bye back, which just made all three giggle again as soon as they stepped outside.

Which just left Owen, who showed no sign of leaving anytime soon. Ianto trailed after the girls and flipped the sign in the door to closed, not that he thought anyone else would be stopping by at this time of night but better safe than sorry. He made the journey plenty obvious, same with wiping down those last tables and clearing the final cups of the evening, and yet Owen showed zero sign that he knew Ianto was still there. Good.

Leaving the record to spin itself to death, Ianto popped into the backroom to retrieve the Telecaster and bring it through. He felt rather self conscious doing it, but Owen still didn’t spare him a thought. Still, dragged a chair behind the counter and set up behind the safety barrier it provided. 

As he hadn’t bothered to bring the book with him the exercises were left up to memory. Fishing a pick from his pocket, he set it between his teeth and carefully held each of the tuning pegs between his thumb and forefinger in turn before retrieving the pick and giving the strings a shy strum. They rang out clear, and he shot a look at Owen.

Nothing. Owen just squinted at a long passage in his textbook.

So Ianto strummed again, each string once at a time while watching Owen and not bothering to keep the noise down. Obviously the thing wasn’t plugged into an amp at all–although he might be able to plug it into the Moat House’s sound system if he so wished–but the guitar was loud enough on its own.

Building a bit in confidence, he fumbled his fingers into position for a G chord and gave it a strum. It sounded alright, he thought, until he plucked individual strings and found the fourth was muted and dull. So he shifted his fingers about until all the strings rang clear.

Quick check on Owen; nodding his head along to his own music and scribbling again.

Now quite sure he was free to practise undisturbed–and without incurring the wrath of a pre-test Owen–Ianto worked his way through the other three chords. Em was easy, he had that one down without any trouble at all, and while the C provided more of a challenge it was still that D that yielded the worst screech of a noise. And, even if he managed to get his fingers in roughly the right place, he ended up too focused on that and strummed the wrong strings which left the open bass notes cutting over top of the delicate chord and ruining it.

But like Glyn said, he had to keep at it. After a few practices of each chord he started up a simply strumming pattern. Just four downs on each chord at a slow pace and switching between. He’d never been more glad of Owen’s penchant to ignore him. He sounded like two cats scrapping down some alleyway, yeowling and hissing at each other. The strings either twanged or thunked dully, his fingertips hurt already, he hardly ever maneuvered his fingers into the right place before the first strum of a new chord. In fact, the only halfway decent part was his ability to keep time. Even when he slowed his strumming down to a frankly embarrassing speed, the strums came evenly spaced without hardly thinking about it. He nodded along, foot tapping as he pressed his lips tight together in concentration on the rest of it.

The Em, at least, he usually got in place and sounding alright by the second strum. Sometimes even the first. But that D chord remained an enigma, never sounding right by the time he cycled back to the beginning again.

“You’re pretty shit at that.”

Ianto jumped, twanging the strings worse than usual and fumbling his pick. It hit the wooden floor with a tick as he looked up to find Owen looming over the counter, peering down at the instrument across his lap.

“I know,” he muttered, realising how hunched his position had become to look over at the strings. He sat up straight, and tried to look comfortable with the instrument. “S’why I’m practicing, innit.”

“S’pose.” Owen tiptoed to see better. “Nice bit ‘a kit, that. Where’d ya get it? No offence, but reckon it’s outta your price range workin’ ‘ere.”

Ianto held back a smirk, sticking his tongue into his cheek. “Yeah, bit. A friend of mine, actually, he didn’t want it anymore.”

Owen clucked his tongue, clearly impressed. “Some friend…”

“Got the rest of the guitar back home,” Ianto carried on, emboldened by Owen practically salivating at the mouth. “Amps and the rest.” He didn’t need to know that the ‘rest’ was nonexistent, and the ‘amp’ was one loud sneeze from falling apart.

Owen’s eyes widened, almost lustful. “Oi, won’t give us a go, would ya?”

After a nod from Ianto, Owen hurried around the counter and they switched places, Owen perched on the edge of the chair and Ianto watching on. Immediately, he knew he’d made a mistake. Owen looked ten times as natural with the Telecaster across his thigh than Ianto ever had. He ran his fingers along the neck, gently feeling the strings and licking his lips. His other hand plucked at the strings at random frets just to hear the sound. “Show a man ‘ow it’s done then.”

Walking him through the chords was surprisingly easy. Ianto knew all the right terminology from his repeated studying of the book, and Owen turned out to be much more the hands-on learner, picking it up swiftly as he went and only asking for a couple of reminders of the correct positions.

When he strummed his first chord, the G, it sounded perfect. Ianto fought to keep his jaw off the floor while Owen grinned and burst into an energetic rhythm of strums. His mouth actually did fall open when he switched chords near effortlessly. Then again. And once more, though his D did come out a little limp.

“How are you doing that?!” Ianto demanded.

Owen kept strumming quickly. “Dunno. Just doing whatchu said to.”

“But I’m bloody awful at it!”

“Must be a good teacher. S’what they say about those who can’t do, right?”

“And your blooming talking,” Ianto mumbled angrily, though also immensely impressed. “Can’t ever keep that mouth shut.”

“Mm.” Owen hit a final loud chord and smirked up at him cheekily. “Show you just what this mouth can do if you’d let me.”

“Bugger off with you.”

Owen turned back to the Tele. “Nah. Like this too much. Know any more?”

[coldgoldlazarus]

I wanna work Lariska into my G3 concept so so so bad but I still need to figure out a way to do it that would make sense

But I do have this mental image of her introduction being like

Okay, it's the middle of the night, sky's pitch black, moons all out of the way right now. Jaller's team are in a city area, dragging a bit from a recent battle and injuries sustained thereof, but still in decent enough condition to keep going towards whatever their goal is atm.

Jaller is still a bit paranoid about being followed, but Hewkii or Takua or someone is like "nah it's fine, if those idiots were still following us we'd be able to tell, they wouldn't know subtlety if it smacked them in the face!" And someone else responds along the lines of 'takes one to know one'. Despite himself, Jaller relaxes a bit from the banter, shakes his head in bemusement, and follows after the group with a last look back down the road before walking offscreen.

The shot continues to linger after he leaves, though, for like a full agonizing minute, just sloooooowly tilting up and sloooooowly focusing in on a dark rooftop against the darker sky, with a weird shape on the roof that looks like some sort of chimney or power box or something. And then a pair of narrow eyes open within the silhouette.

The next shot is from the roof looking down on the street and the departing Toa, and a narrow shaft of light on part of the rooftop reveals just a tiny glimpse of dark teal and dark green armor, and a bit of her silver mechanical arm, before she shifts back into the darkness. And then with a slight hint of a rattlesnake sound, Lariska moves forward, her long tail slithering through the light after her, and her silhouette leaps to the next roof in pursuit.

Cut to black.