#however the journey to get this man: absolutely embarrassing

[jerriisspeakingnow]

I can’t believe my Imbibitor Lunae is slapping as hard as he is and I haven’t even leveled up any of his relics.

[megamindsecretlair]

Make Me Weak, Part 1

Pairing: Sex Therapist!Terry Richmond x Sub!Black!Fem!/ Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+, Minors DNI, You are in charge of your own reading experience. Intentional use of AAVE. Cursing, mentions of depression, anxiety, and description of sex acts and sexual issues. Power imbalance, Shy!reader. Dark!Terry. Dom!Terry, AU Terry, all consensual. Sorry if I missed some. I'm not a therapist and while I do not make light of therapy, this is purely for my own fun. Please seek real medical attention when necessary.

Summary: Desperately at your absolute limit, you decide to see one last therapist to try and help with your condition. After one session, Dr. Richmond manages to put you at ease, giving you enough tools to start you on your journey. As the exploration continues, your true hope is that you don’t get burned.

Word Count: 4,648k

AO3 Link | Part 2 | Part 3

A/N: Don't judge me for this chile. I saw that beautiful man in a black turtleneck with glasses and lost my marbles. I had TOO much fun writing this and you will not hurt my feelings if you don't want to read this one. However, I must tag to keep my taglist updated. Forgive me, my loves. Toss a coin to your blogger by leaving a comment, gif, or unhinged ask.

You

He came highly recommended. That was the only reason you were here. You’d stared at his pictures and read all of the available posts recommending him but you couldn’t get over the fact that he was so damn pretty. And intimidating. 

But after going through nine different therapists, most who ended up as creeps or couldn’t help you, you were at your wit’s end. It was already embarrassing enough starting over with a brand new therapist, but this had to take the cake. 

The hallway was quiet, with muted browns and reds. Supposedly academic, soothing colors. As if the darker the color, the less likely you were to think about anything sexual. You stared at the imposing brown door with his name embossed on a placard. Dr. Terry Richmond. 

You bit your lip and stared at the slip in your hand with the referral scrawled across it. He took on special cases. Pathetic cases. 

“Fuck this,” you said to yourself. You turned on your heel and stepped down the hallway. The door opened and the man himself looked down the hallway. 

“Are you my two o’clock?” He asked. His deep baritone was unexpected. Soothing. Calming. Unnerving. 

“Uh,” you sighed.

He continued to stare so you continued to stare back. He wore an all black outfit, right down to his black tennis shoes. He wore a long sleeved black T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Black, form fitting pants that only highlighted how tall he was. He had to be 6’1. Hell, possibly 6’3. 

He cleared his throat, looking for an answer. Light refracted off of his frames, temporarily hiding his eyes. You gripped the straps of your purse and squared your shoulders. “Yes,” you said. 

Dr. Richmond nodded his head and waved you inside. You walked behind him, feeling like you were walking to your doom. Inside his office, it was just as drab as outside.

Bookshelves lined the walls, stuffed with medical texts and non-fictional books on powerful Black figures through history. The office was small, but clean, with a golden brown sofa pushed against a solid wall of taupe. He had a painting above the sofa, showing a serene ocean view with a boat out on the water. 

Natural light filtered into the room from a window showcasing the cityscape outside. His office was high up in the building, letting you look down on all the people living their normal lives. 

The door closed behind you and you jumped, whipping around to see Dr. Richmond leaning away from the door. He raised his hands. “I’m sorry, would you like it to remain open?” He asked. 

You shook your head. Closed was preferable. You watched Dr. Richmond take his seat behind a massive desk, everything in a neat stack and in its proper place. He rolled forward and then opened a black folder, picking up a pen.

“Please, have a seat. Tell me about yourself,” he said.

“My thick ass file didn’t give me away? Sorry, I shouldn’t say ass. Sorry,” you said and winced after cussing so much. You pointed to a thick file on his desk and you knew without a doubt that it was yours. 

It was crazy how you had a full record of your insanity, detailing how you started down this deep, dark path. Cataloged every doctor, every note, every nasty thought in your mind. Okay, you were being a little dramatic, but this was just so…embarrassing. And it didn’t help to have someone who looked like that hearing what you had to say. 

“There’s no rules here. You want to say ass, go for it,” he said and shrugged. 

You giggled, feeling more at ease. You nodded and took a seat on the sofa. There was a clear coffee table in front of it that held a zen garden complete with little trees, shiny rocks, and…were those Lego figures? You looked from it to him and he smirked, drawing your attention to his full, lush lips. 

 “Some people find it easier to occupy their hands during discussions. You can give it a try if you want,” he said.

You sat back on the sofa. Maybe later. You felt too awkward as is. Like you were some alien visitor testing out your disguise on the human population. You rubbed your sweaty palms on your leggings and shook your head. “What, uh, did my file say about me?” 

Dr. Richmond shrugged and leaned back in his seat, fixing his thin gold glasses on his face. “Those are words and opinions from other doctors. I’d rather hear what you have to say,” he said and leaned back in his seat.

He was so…disarming in a way that allowed you to release the ironclad control you held on to. You picked at your nails and focused on that, rather than his stormy eyes. “I think I’m broken. And I’m not entirely sure why I’m even entertaining this,” you said. 

“Why are you then?” He prompted.

You shrugged your shoulders. “Tired of feeling like a freak,” you said.

“A freak? Why would you use that term?” He asked. 

You snuck a glance at him. He no longer held the pen. He rested his hands against his stomach, clasped, and just looked at you. Even that was different from all your other therapists combined. 

“Because that’s what it feels like. Like I’m in a freak show. I–,” you stopped and licked your lips. But you were here now. May as well rip the bandaid off. “I can’t cum! And I know, it’s normal. I know plenty of people experience it. I know that women especially have a hard time doing it. But no matter what I fuckin’ try, I just can’t. I feel it coming, I know it’s coming, but then it sort of…goes away? And then I’m sitting there embarrassed that I can’t and when I’m with a partner, they pretend that it’s cool, but then I never hear from them again.” 

You clicked your teeth shut as you realized you were rambling. You picked at a stiff hangnail, tugged at it until it started to hurt. You continued flicking at it, egged on by your awkwardness. And realizing you were being awkward was only making it worse. So you picked. And picked, until the hangnail tore and hurt worse. 

“Why is it important that you cum?” He asked. 

“What?” You asked. You looked at him, expecting to see pity. Disgust. Curiousness. Dr. Richmond held none of those things. His face was a pillar of stoicism, balancing the perfect mix of professionalism and empathy. 

“Why is it so important to you? If you know that it’s normal and plenty of people experience it, shouldn’t the journey matter more than the destination?” He asked. 

Your mouth fell open on a silent gasp as you looked at him. Your mind emptied of every single possible answer to that question. It was important because…it was. Because you never got anything else right either. You were always a step behind, slow on the uptick, feeling like you were taking up too much space in the world even after shrinking yourself to the smallest possible point.

Not easy to do considering your size. You loved your body and wouldn’t trade it for the world, but it wasn’t exactly easy to hide. You were unassuming, sweet, kind, and a great friend. But beneath all of that, you wanted desperately to fit in. This was a basic human release. It was part of the big three things that humans needed. Food, safety, sex. And you could only achieve one of those things.

But how did you word that without sounding like a pathetic kook? You pulled at the hangnail, felt the burn as it ripped, and shrugged your shoulders. Might as well tell the truth. “Because I feel like a freak when I can’t. Like I waited too long. To have sex, to experience life, to explore what I’m into,” you said. 

“Do you think there are goal posts for life?” He asked. He may as well have been a statue for how often he moved. He retained his position, chair turned slightly towards you, as he looked at you like you were a puzzle. 

“Isn’t there? That’s why we call them milestones? Reach your 18th birthday, yay you’re an adult. Find the love of your life, yay you’re married. Pop out some kids, yay, you’re continuing the bloodline. I feel like now, at my age, I should know what one fuckin’ orgasm feels like,” you said. 

“How do you know you haven’t had one already?” He asked.

“I know my body. There’s nothing. There’s the build up, there’s the excitement, there’s everything leading up to it. But I never get over that peak. It just…goes away,” you said. 

Dr. Richmond nodded and turned his attention to the pad. He wrote down a few sentences and it was so quiet in his office, you could hear a clock ticking nearby. You also heard his pen scratch against the paper. He must be using some fancy, fountain pen. He looked the type. 

“What do you hope to achieve through therapy?” He asked. 

You shrugged. “If I knew, you wouldn’t be my tenth therapist,” you said with a heavy sigh. When you first thought about going to therapy, you thought it wasn’t truly for you. There was nothing that really bothered you outside of life’s stress. Everybody had that. 

But you ended up finding some that encouraged you to dig deep and find the woman within. The one comfortable in her skin. Encouraged you to explore your sexuality and think about it in depth. You crawled through so many forums, so many health websites, so many articles that you had a great idea of what ailed you. 

“There has to be a reason you keep trying,” he said. 

You leaned back into the sofa with a huff. “You definitely ask the easy questions. What happened to the intake and whatever?” You asked.

Dr. Richmond chuckled. He tapped his pen against your folder. “You’ve done plenty of that, don’t you think?” 

Your lips twisted with a smile. Okay, maybe you were starting to see why he was so highly recommended. He was comforting without being condescending. Soothing without being smarmy. He treated you like an adult and for the first time, you had a little beacon of hope. 

“I keep trying because I want it. I don’t have the words right now to describe why I want it. I want to know the hype. I want the relief. I want to know what post nut clarity feels like,” you said. 

Dr. Richmond chuckled and you chuckled with him. It sounded funny, but you were so serious. It was exhausting at this point. Pretending like you knew what the fuck you were talking about when others asked you. Your group chat blew up with your equally single friends who were less discerning about who they took to bed.

Every other night, there were stories about dick sizes, oral, and a whole treatise on the lack of finesse these guys had. You almost snorted thinking about your best friend, Brooklyn, and how she said that no wonder men were trapping women in marriages in the past. It was the only way they could get women to be with them. It certainly wasn’t because of their pornographic sexual prowess. 

“What’s been your journey with sex so far?” He asked. 

You took a deep breath and told him all about it. The way that you picked up a book one day with sex in it and never looked back. In a lot of ways, that book probably shaped how you viewed sex and your sexual kinks. Before long, you were searching for more and more books with the exact same tropes. A sexy, semi-asshole alpha male that was too big to be real. 7’8, long dick, and a short attitude. Typically bad boy types with tattoos and “touch her and die” vibes. The kind to only be soft with the female main character.

You could wax poetic about why it appealed to you. Blah blah blah, you had a terrible childhood where you felt invisible. It was all there in the file if he wanted to take a gander. 

“I know I’m submissive, that I want to be dominated in bed. But, whew, the game out here is ridiculous,” you said. “The men I wouldn’t mind submitting to are too damn weak to take control. The men I would never submit to act like I’m their pet already and can speak to me however they want.” 

“Do you think you’re being too picky?” He asked. 

You were startled into a laugh. “What gave me away, Dr. Richmond?” You asked.

Dr. Richmond chuckled. “I have a process, bear with me,” he said. That ain’t all you wanted to do. He was fine as hell. You mentally shook your head. No, you could not go there. Not at all. 

You continued to discuss how you led to certain conclusions. Yes, you were picky. But why shouldn’t you be? You weren’t seeking perfection. You just wanted something normal. Something healthy. Something toe curling, mind numbing, sickeningly disgusting and sweet. Was that too much to ask for? 

Dr. Richmond asked more questions and you relaxed fraction by fraction, getting right to the core of why you were seeking professional help. You told him about some of the partners you had. Some who were sweet and really tried. You had a long term boyfriend at one point who was attentive and caring. But he fell short of making you cum. 

He ate you out long enough to get you wet and going and then jumped straight to sex just so he could cum. You often lied about cumming until it got too exhausting to keep up with. He promptly got mad, hurt that you lied, and possibly embarrassed that he wasn’t God’s gift to sex. His loss. 

It was awkward at first to discuss such intimate details with Dr. Richmond but you often forgot he was even there. Until he asked you to expand on something you said or ask a clarifying question. Even the scratch of his pen faded into the background as you spoke about how you arrived in his office. 

Dr. Richmond finally finished and leaned back in his seat once more, squaring his broad shoulders against the high back of his chair. He crossed his leg and looked at you and you briefly wondered what he’d look like without the glasses. 

“We’re nearing the end of our session but I think I’m getting a clearer picture of why you’re here. After hearing from you and looking through your file, it seems like your perception of what sex really is has been skewed. Either through these books, these movies, or even porn. It’s perfectly okay to consider what you like in bed or what you prefer in a partner. But most people’s foray into their sexual journey starts with themselves. What’s your relationship like with your body?” 

“I love my body,” you said, immediately. Why wouldn’t you love your body? You were gorgeous. Sure, you struggled with your weight, but you didn’t want to be thin anyway. You just wanted to roll out of bed without being out of breath sometimes. Or cut your toenails without having to stop every few minutes for air. 

Dr. Richmond licked his lips and your eyes dropped immediately to it. He rubbed the corner of his mouth with his thumb and it drew your attention to his big hands. Too damn bad you hadn’t met him under better circumstances. You bet he could make you cum. Often.

“What else?” He asked. 

“What else is there?” You asked, clearing your throat, and drawing your attention away from how drop dead gorgeous he was. Your thoughts ran wild still, picturing him in all sorts of nasty scenarios. If nothing else, your imagination was always there to show you a good time. Your own perfect world where you experienced back to back orgasms. 

“What has your personal sexual journey encompassed besides you loving your body? Do you touch yourself?” He asked. 

You fought every urge you had to squeeze your thighs together. How the hell did this man end up in this profession? He missed his calling as a phone sex operator. Or an erotic audio content creator. Good lord, he could have people eating out of the palm of his hand if he so wished. Swimming in a tub full of money earned from hundreds of thousands of horny bitches who could cum to his voice alone. Lucky bitches.

You shrugged. “Of course I touch myself. I can’t cum that way either,” you said. 

Dr. Richmond chuckled. “This only works if you lower them walls you try so hard to hide behind,” he said.

You kissed your teeth and rolled your eyes to the ceiling. The hell did he know. So what if he had fancy doctor diplomas behind his chair. So what if he had a MD in this field. What the hell did he know?

After cursing him out two ways from Sunday in your mind, you deflated. “I know I’m not relaxed when I masterbate. I lock my door, I put on headphones, and I still feel like I’m…”

“Like you’re…?” Dr. Richmond prompted. 

“Being watched? Being judged? You can probably guess I grew up religious. It’s not like I had enough time or space to explore my body. My room was directly next to my parents’. If I so much as sighed too loud, my mom was banging on my wall telling me to fix my attitude,” you admitted. That had been oodles of fun. Growing up, you couldn’t even roll your eyes without someone telling you to fix your face. 

“What does relax you then?” He asked.

“When I find out, I’ll tell you,” you said.

Dr. Richmond smiled, showing off a dazzling, mega-watt movie star smile that made your knees weak. If you weren’t already sitting down, you’d fall flat on your face. 

“I believe I can help you, but you have to be willing to do the work. I need total, focused commitment from you. Do you think you can do that?” He asked.

“Yes,” you said instantly. There wasn’t even a question. You wanted this more than breathing, more than eating. And that was saying something because you would happily drive far and wide for a good meal. 

Dr. Richmond nodded. “Good. I’m giving you homework. I want you to spend the next week exploring your body. Nothing sexual. Spend time in your body and with your body. Touch yourself, but no masterbating. When you shower, acknowledge your body. When you lotion up, pay attention to every mole, every scar. This is the only body you’ll ever have so it’s time to think beyond simple body maintenance. Admire your body. I also want you to keep a journal. You won’t share it with me unless you want to, but this exercise is to get you in tune with your body. Rewire how you perceive sex and sexual completion. Does that sound doable?” 

You nodded, not trusting your voice at the moment. He must not know the effect he had on those around him. He had to be completely clueless. Batshit fucking oblivious. The wreck he was having on your libido was absolutely insane. 

Joking aside, you were taking this seriously. In just one session, Dr. Richmond managed to give you a tiny spark of hope. That maybe you weren’t a lost cause. You immediately tempered your thoughts. Hope hurt. You’d been hopeful so many times in the past, with different therapists, who seemed like they had a plan to help you.

Only for them to diagnose some other problem. You had anxiety, duh. You had depression, shocker. You had a laundry list of diagnoses from doctors and therapists who just thought you were obsessed with sex. That was like saying the sky was blue. Who wasn’t obsessed with sex? Besides asexual people. 

“I’ll do it,” you said.

“Good,” he said. He went over your schedule, working out a time to see him once a week until you would eventually graduate to fewer sessions. That bummed you out. Not seeing his gorgeous face ever again? Could you fake another issue and continue seeing him? 

Dr. Richmond dismissed you and you left his office feeling a smidgen lighter than when you entered. Maybe this would actually work out. Maybe. 

Terry

Terry finished with his last client of the day and went over his notes, inputting his clearer thoughts into the patient portal on his laptop. When he ran across your file, he paused and opened it once more.

Your case fascinated him. He couldn’t stop pouring over your files, doctor’s notes, direct quotes. There had been plenty of therapists before him, all trying to help the beautiful woman who entered his office earlier in the afternoon. 

He wasn’t immune to his patients. Some were beautiful and charming and all tried to flirt their way into his bed. He never crossed that line. Never. Yet…when you discussed your story, the rawness of it captivated him. He held onto your every word like you were a theater production right before his eyes. 

He hardly took notes because he was so fascinated with the dichotomy of you. On the outside, you were a bit shy. Perhaps too self-aware which led you to shrink, hide who you really were. He got the sense that there was an entire universe wrapped up in your mind and he began asking deeper questions than he ever had on a first session. 

The hour had gone by too fast for his tastes. He wanted to hear more. Learn more. Know more. He hated to admit it, he even got semi-erect as you told your tale. He was understandably disgusted and it wasn’t the first time; occupational hazard. But it was the first time he’d ever cursed his medical degree. 

You were perfect. Absolutely perfect. When you admitted to being submissive, his dick even twitched. Ached. Why couldn’t he have met you somewhere else? Surely, fate hadn’t been so cruel as to put the perfect sub within reach and then ensure that he could never have you? Never touch you? 

Describing your previous lovers actually made his chest boil. You had been subjected to ignorant men who wouldn’t know what to do with a woman like you. And they had you believing that you were the problem. It was laughable. It was maddening. It was cruel. 

He frowned at your file. He had gone over it so many times in preparation for the session. He didn’t know what would walk through the door. A file this thick? He thought he’d have a sex-obsessed, delusional fiend on his hands that he’d have to contend with.

Your wish of cumming was almost cute. Terry sighed. He shouldn’t be thinking it was cute. If anything, he should be passing your case off to his colleague down the hall. Dr. Crawford was as capable as Terry was, their ideas often aligning in regards to treatment.

He preferred a holistic approach. Most problems could be resolved within a few months, once people began to shift their idea of sex and their role in it. 

“Everything is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power.” That was one of his favorite quotes, said so many times that no one truly knew where it originated. 

It was a quote he often repeated to his patients at the right moment. When they were beginning to discover a part of themselves previously unexplored. He wondered how long it would take for your moment? That dawning realization. 

He was only sad he couldn’t see it in real time. That moment when you let yourself feel. Let yourself relax and sink into that subspace you so desperately needed. Terry grunted and closed your file. 

He was about to crack you open like an egg and watch a brand new woman emerge. He was about to hand you off to the first man who pretended to understand your needs. He took out his fresh notepad, every patient got one, and scribbled some more notes. He’d have to make sure you understood the difference between a real dom and a little boy playing dress up. 

His eyes scanned across his earlier notes, little things he jotted down while you spoke. Areas you skipped over, areas you expanded on. They were only a sentence or two long, something to kickstart his memory. Because at the time, his eyes were focused on you. On your face, your voice, your mannerisms. 

It was both a curse and a blessing to notice so much. See so much. Understand so much. But it worked when necessary. You deflected about your sexual partners, retreated when he tried to push further about how you reached these conclusions. What methods you tried.

Usually, Terry did a whole song and dance to ease patients into talking about sex. Sex was taboo until it was time to have it. Now everything was awkward, unbalanced, and led to too many instances of abuse. 

But between your file and how skittish but determined you seemed, you didn’t need a song and dance. You needed someone to give you guideposts. You didn’t truly need therapists. You just needed a nudge in the right direction. A nudge to someone else.

Terry pursed his lips and looked at your name on the file. He had to be careful. If he wasn’t, you would end up being trouble in more ways than one. 

He finished up the last of his notes and then scanned through for anything he might have missed. He wrote down what your homework assignment was. He hadn’t truly known where that came from. 

Perhaps it was the look in your eyes. Perhaps it was the helpless, frantic twist to your mouth that had him going from zero to one hundred where you were concerned. But the more he described it, the lower your eyes went. The way your mouth slackened just a bit. As if you were caught in some picture in your mind that he couldn’t see. 

Terry leaned away from his desk and looked outside of his window. The tinted glass showed the sun in the distance, sinking lower towards the horizon. A bird flew, twisting and turning with the hot currents it found. 

He ought to do the right thing. There was no way to remain objective in this manner. Not when he was strangely drawn to you, drawn to your file, and drawn to the unique challenge it presented. 

You could very well end up a case study in some medical textbook or journal, name changed, but the presentation exactly the same. He didn’t relish the thought of being the one to put you there. But your case could end up helping someone else. It was the way the world worked.

He only hoped that he had enough self-restraint to walk away if he found himself compromised. If he couldn’t reign in his personal tastes and habits to help you. If he found himself looking at your lips as you spoke, your smile as you made self-deprecating jokes, or the shy way you licked your lips. 

“Shit.” He took his phone out of his bag and hit up his on again, off again submissive play partner, Tasia. Perhaps it’d been too long since he took care of his own needs. Perhaps what he needed was to release the pent up tension he carried around all the time. 

How long had it been? He didn’t know. But even as he set up the details with Tasia, he couldn’t help wondering if you were following his directions to the letter.

I said don't judge me! LOL. Thank you for reading, truly.

The Secret Terry Richmond Files | Part 2 | Part 3

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[ryebread0605]

Breeding kink with Lilia plz I’ll kneel for it

OH BOY ANON YOU GOT ME HOOK LINE AND SINKER I AM AN ABSOLUTE FERAL WHORE FOR BREEDING 

This is also gonna be a response to another ask that wanted Lilia with a female reader

Hope you enjoy! 

 (Ik it’s short I’m so sorry my brain just blanked on how to write Lilia)

When you got news from Silver that something was wrong with Lilia, you probably should’ve stayed to listen to what exactly was wrong. If you had, maybe you wouldn’t be pinned to the former general’s bed currently. His hard on was pressed to your ass, your chest against the soft mattress as he grinds into you. The feeling was something that caused arousal to pool in you and you were sure the fae could smell it.

“M-my dear,” the former general began with a shaky voice, “I’ve been thinking recently..” his hips ground against your ass harder, more desperately as he groaned softly and leaned closer to you so he could whisper the next words into your ear, “I’m ready to raise another child”

If you weren’t already aroused, that would’ve opened the floodgates immediately. The image in your head of your belly swollen with his offspring, part fae and part human, giving Silver a sibling, sevens it sounded heavenly. You hadn’t even known that was something you desired, always fearing pregnancy in the past. And yet, this felt right.

“Lilia, a-are you sure? I mean, with me?” Your face was flushed red as the man chuckled softly and gently bit your lobe, 

“My dear, I wouldn’t want anyone else to mother my child. But, do you want this too?” His words held his restraint, he oh so badly just wanted to take you now but he couldn’t possibly do so without permission. It was completely against who he was, the values and morals he held, to force you into this major decision. But with a nod of your head and a feeble ‘please’, that restraint snapped.

The sound of his balls against your ass, both your fluids running down your legs as he had you on all fours, one hand holding your hips up while the other pressed your head into the pillows. You didn’t mind it at all, however, as you could barely think about anything other than his cock moving in and out of your cunt at a rapid pace one wouldn’t expect from the fae. His grunts and your moans were loud enough for everyone to know what you two were doing, you could only hope out of some miracle that Malleus had taken Sebek and Silver out of the dorm as otherwise you two would get another very lengthy lecture from a very flustered Sebek and be ignored by Silver (not because he is angry, he’s just embarrassed). 

With one final groan, he stilled inside you again and painted your fluttering walls white. Panting heavily with sweat coating almost every inch of his body, he pulled out with a slight pop and lay beside you on the bed. With a love drunk smile, you lay your head on his chest and kiss the numerous hickeys lining his neck as he runs his finger along the bite marks on yours. 

“So, are you hoping for a boy or a girl?” He wriggled his eyebrows at you teasingly as you laughed and playfully slapped him, a bright yet tired smile on your face as you kissed his cheek. You weren’t nervous at the idea of being pregnant anymore, as long as it was his baby in you and him by your side throughout this journey

[fairytaleendingss]

Room For One More?

Chapter 3

Summary: You have an unsuspected guest join you on your walk home from work.

CW: None.

Pairing: Poly!Marauders x fem!reader

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

__

“So Remus hates me.”

You were leaning against the water cooler in your office, chatting with Mary as she took a longer than necessary break from her desk.

Her head shot upwards.

“What?”

You sighed. “Remus. He doesn’t like me. I don’t know what I did to him but ever since I’ve moved in he’s been super standoffish.”

“I’m sure that’s not true!” The girl attempted to sooth. “Remus doesn’t hate anyone. Sure he can be grumpy and a bit off-putting at times. But deep down he’s a sweetheart.”

You scoffed. “Yeah well I’ll believe it when I see it.”

You looked out the window at the snow-covered trees that surrounded your office building. It had begun to snow for the first time this year over-night, something you’d been very excited to discover this morning when you’d woken up.

You loved winter. The snow covered buildings, Christmas decorations, carols playing in the living room as you drank eggnog by the fire. It was your absolute favourite time of year.

“Oh look at the time! I’d better head off soon,” Mary exclaimed. “I have that date to get ready for!”

You smirked and nudged her shoulder gently. “I still can’t believe you won’t tell me who you’re going out with!”

She shrugged playfully. “It’s early days yet. I don’t want to jinx things.”

“Well, let me know how it goes, anyway.”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! I’ve got to run but see you tomorrow.”

You bid her goodbye before making your way back to your desk to grab your coat. You weren’t looking forward to the walk home today. Despite your apartment being only a few blocks away from where you worked, the temperature had dropped drastically over the last few days and a 30 minute walk home in the winter air was bound to be unpleasant.

You loved winter time, but only when you didn’t have to be outside, in the heart of it.

You made sure you were huddled up in your coat as you exited the building, however, you still weren’t prepared for the blast of cold air that hit you as you stepped outside onto the street. You shivered, wishing you’d brought a thicker jacket for the journey.

You glanced around the frost bitten streets and an icy gust of wind rustled through you. Then you stopped, eyes narrowing as you observed a figure leaning against the side of the building.

“James?” You managed to call over the noise of the traffic.

He looked up from where he’d been scrolling on his phone, smiling widely as he met your eyes.

“Hey!”

“What are you doing here?” You questioned, making your way over to him.

“I finished early with my trainer,” he explained. “And your building is on my way, so I figured I’d walk you home.”

You couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips as you imagined him getting off the tube a stop early just to walk you home in the cold.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you sighed.

He shook his head, a few stray curls falling in front of his eyes. “I wanted to.”

He held out an arm and you linked your own through his as the two of you began to make your way down the bustling London streets.

“So how was your session today?” You asked, subconsciously pressing yourself closer to him. The man was like a walking radiator.

“It was great!” He exclaimed. “How was work?”

You shrugged. “Same old, same old I guess. Mary has another mystery date tonight though.”

James’ brows raised. “I can’t believe she still hasn’t told anyone who she’s seeing. I wonder if there’s something off with this mysterious suitor or hers. Maybe she’s embarrassed by them.”

You chuckled lightly. “Maybe. That’s definitely one explanation.”

You walked along in silence for a while, taking in the scenery around you. London was beautiful in the winter time. All festive, snow layered streets and colourful wreaths hanging on front doors. It looked like something out a Christmas movie.

Then, after a moment, James stopped suddenly, dragging you to a halt alongside him.

“I just remembered,” he exclaimed. “There’s this amazing little cafe around the corner. It does the world’s best hot chocolate! You have to try it. Fancy stopping in?”

You looked up at him for a moment and couldn’t help but smile at the way his eyes lit up when he was excited. He had a particularly boyish charm about him, one you found awfully hard to say no to.

“Sure, that sounds lovely.”

“Great,” he said enthusiastically. “Let’s go.”

When you stepped into the cafe, you were hit with a burst of warmth, stark in contrast to the biting chill outside. The cafe was a small hole in the wall but immensely cosy. It was decorated in festive Christmas decorations and a deliciously chocolatey aroma hung in the air.

“James! So good to see you darling!” There was an older woman standing behind the counter, dressed in a red dress with a green apron tied around her waist. Her salt and pepper hair was pulled back into a low bun and she had motherly energy about her as she rounded the counter to pull James into a warm hug.

“Hey Margo,” he responded fondly. “It’s good to see you.”

“And who’s this lovely thing?” She directed a warm smile at you as she pulled away.

“This here is y/n. My new roommate and friend.” You smiled at the introduction. “We were walking home and I told her that we couldn’t carry on until we stopped for a famous hot chocolate here.”

“Well it’s wonderful to meet you, dear,” she pulled you into a hug as well. “Any friend of James, is a friend of mine. Now, go and take the table by the window. I’ll bring you over the usual in just a moment.”

She hurried back into the kitchens and James gestured for you to follow him. You sat down in a cozy little booth in a bay window, that looked out over the crowded streets.

“This is beautiful,” you exclaimed, watching people passing by, going on with their day to day amidst the snowy London winter.

“It’s good isn’t it.”

“How did you find out about this place?” You pried. It wasn’t really a Main Street attraction.

“Peter actually introduced us to it,” James explained, pushing his glasses further up his nose. “Back in school. His Mum is friends with Margo. The four of us used to come here all the time after class in winter.”

You nodded gently. “That’s really nice.”

James chuckled. “Yeah, Sirius claims this place is why our friendship has lasted so long. A lot of arguments were settled over this table.”

You bit your lip thoughtfully. There was a question playing on your mind. It had been sitting there for a while but you never quite knew how to ask it.

You took a deep breath, eyes settling on the sweet boy across the table. He gave you a lopsided grin and you figured now was as good a time as any.

“James, I was just wondering. Is there something… going on between Remus and Sirius?”

You thought back to the way they looked at each other that night at the bar a few weeks back. Like there was some unspoken language between them that you couldn’t quite understand.

James huffed good-naturedly. “You picked up on that, did you?”

You nodded in return.

“Yeah, they went out for a while in high school but it didn’t really last very long. To be honest I’m not 100% sure why they ended things. I they were good together, truth be told.”

“That’s good to know,” you muttered, smiling softly. But there was a twinge of something else burying itself within your gut at the thought and you didn’t fully understand why.

At that moment, Margo returned, two steaming hot chocolates in hand.

“Here you go, loves. Enjoy.”

She placed the cups on the table, sending you a wink before heading off to deal with some other customers.

“Cheers,” James jested, raising his mug to clink against yours.

You took a sip and your eyes widened.

“James, you were so right. This is incredible!”

—

With bellies full of warm chocolatey goodness, you ventured back out onto the cold streets.

You’d been so comfortable inside Margo’s cafe that you almost forgot how freezing the temperature was. It jumped out and bit you like a venomous snake as you exited the threshold.

A harsh shiver ran down your spine and you wrapped your arms around yourself in hopes to fend off the cold wind. It was then that you realised it had started snowing.

“You look freezing!” James stated as you began the rest of your walk home. “Here take this.”

In a swift movement, the man had shedded his winter coat and wrapped it around you, leaving only his hoodie to stand between him and the brisk air.

“James, no! You’ll freeze,” you protested, attempting to rid yourself of the garment with frozen fingers.

“I’ll be fine,” he responded earnestly, that warm, charming smile of his overtaking him as he rubbed his hands up and down your arms.

“We’re only a few minutes away from home. Besides I run hot anyway. You need it more than I do.”

You felt something flutter inside of you at his sincerity. He looked down at you, a twinkle in his hazel eyes as his hands still sat on your forearms, holding you as if you were made of glass.

There were snowflakes settling in his dark curls, his nose and cheeks slightly flushed from the bitter chill.

“Thank you, really. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“You can make it up to me by getting out of this cold wind before you get sick. Come on.”

Mindlessly, he clasped your hand in his and began to guide you down the street towards your home. A smile tugged at the corner of your lips and for the first time that afternoon, a warmth began to fill you. Only this time, you knew that it had more to do with the boy beside you than anything else.

—

Taglist:

@hisparentsgallerryy

@navs-bhat

@shushbruv

@magicwithaknife

@eeviee4

[grinsgrimmy]

Hi! This is my first time ever requesting anything so sorry if this is bad. 😣😣

Can you do a Izek van omertà from how to win my husband over? (I love him so much 😭) Like we’re Ruby’s younger sister, we go to visit her, and while we’re there we get to know Izek. Can this also be platonic? Please and thank you! I love your work as well! ☺️

Ｌ Ｉ Ｔ Ｔ Ｌ Ｅ Ｓ Ｉ Ｓ Ｔ Ｅ Ｒ .

ㅤᯓᡣ𐭩 𝖨𝖲𝖪𝖤 𝖵𝖠𝖭 𝖮𝖬𝖤𝖱𝖳𝖠 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖠𝖥𝖠𝖡!𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

HOW TO GET MY HUSBAND ON MY SIDE

๋࣭⭑ֶֶֶָָָ֢֢֢𖹭 drabble . (1013 words)

sum. ruby's little sister decided to visit her one day, only to judge iske platonic

note : thank you for the request and nice words, anonie!! my first platonic fic, so idk if i did well but i tried! i also tried my best to write beyond just meeting iske so im REALLY REALLY sorry for changing the prompt. i wish i can write more but this is suppose to be a drabble, so i had to shorten the ending...

drabble request slots

ㅤ⪩⪨ m.list

“ruby, i don't like him.”

you muttered under your breath almost immediately after stepping out of your carriage, greeted by your sister and her imposing husband.

it had not been a minute, but you were absolutely certain that you did not like duke iske van omerta.

ruby's eyes widened, a mix of embarrassment and amusement flashing across her face as she glanced at iske, who stood baffled by your blunt words, but his expression remained unreadable (much to your annoyance).

ruby let out a nervous laugh, pulling you to her to give a quick hug. “you little—! you just got here,” she whispered sharply, her wobbly, embarrassed smile betraying her amusement. “you haven't even talked to him, and you already decided that he's the bad guy.”

“he looks mean.” you glanced up at the towering man with an icy glare of your own as you furrowed your brows, “and kind of ugly.” you could hear the screech of disbelief from ruby when those words left your mouth.

you yelped as ruby pulled you to her, as she covered your mouth with her hand. ruby gave a nervous and apologetic grin to iske, “she doesn't mean it! she's just tired from the journey—”

you struggled, attempting to protest against ruby's words, “no i'm not he's— mmph!” ruby's grip on your mouth tightened, keeping her stilling grin.

“she doesn't mean it!”

iske's eyes narrowed slightly, his bewilderment shifting to something more unreadable. iske did not know whether to be offended or stunned by the audacity of ruby's sister. 

he could not exactly be angry since, well, you are ruby's sister.

iske was quite confident about himself as a duke and commander, who often instilled fear and rumors— however, being called mean and ugly by his wife's teenage sister was certainly a humbling experience.

though he did not show it, he was genuinely bothered by it.

iske raised a brow, folding his arms across his chest. “does she always introduce herself like this?” ruby let out another nervous laugh, still holding your mouth shut, “oh, she's usually much, much worse.”

“am not!” you managed to squeak out as you wriggled free from her grasps. as you stumbled on your steps, you quickly jabbed a finger to iske, “i'm being honest! you look scary! why does ruby always sing praises about yo— ow! ruby!”

despite iske's stoic demeanour while watching the exchange between ruby and her sister, something about your words seemed to pierce through iske's unshakeable confidence. his stature had stiffened since you called him ugly, and so did his sharp gaze.

when hearing that you were visiting ruby, iske actually put in a whole lot of effort to look neat, tidy, and sophisticated to have your approval after ruby said that you were a cranky teen that did not really like people.

ruby managed to calm you down from your crankiness of disliking iske, she turned her head back to iske—

only to find him leaning against a pillar of the manor, as if sulking. well, ruby assumed he was sulking, judging by his faltered shoulders and contemplating expression. 

if anything, he looked troubled. 

ruby could barely hear the mumbles coming from him

ruby paled to see iske having an existential crisis. she shot you a warning glare before walking to iske, trying to comfort him, “iske, don't let my sister's words get into your head! you're fine the way you are!”  

iske is a duke, a commander, a man accustomed to respect and feared by many.

yet here he was, troubled by the blunt opinion of a teenager.

his wife's little sister.

it made him extra bothered when you really liked iske's sister, but not him.

during the duration of your stay, iske tried to appeal to you. somehow, that was. he always struck up conversations with you whenever you were around, which you found completely awkward and weird of him, unfortunately.

then he tried to appeal to your taste palette. he made sure that every meal from breakfast to dinner had meals that you were fond of, which ruby thankfully told him what you did like. that still did not make you like him at all.

iske had also attempted to give you tiny gifts. this was a strategy that ruby herself had told iske to try since you were quite fond of gifts. 

he had started to look like a kicked puppy due to not having ruby's little sister's approval.

“this isn't actually bad.” you admitted to ruby as you raised the toy plush of an animal you were fond of, gazing at it with satisfaction. “see, he's not that bad, right?” ruby mused with a strange sympathy for her husband, who's been in turmoil for two days due to you.

you gave her a look before sighing, “i'm surprised he's doing all of this. the attempts to talk to me, the food, and now the gifts. he's a real weirdo.” you huffed out.

you returned your eyes back to the plush. after a long while of thinking, you pouted, “ugh, fine... he's not that bad. i guess he's better than the rest of the other choices father had for you.” you grumbled out, embarrassed to admit that iske is actually a good man for your sister.

as you prepared to leave, you decided to apologise to iske about your behaviour. despite your irritation and resistance (and probably protectiveness over your sister), you could not ignore that iske had genuinely tried. 

you also had seen the way he looked at ruby. genuine love and care.

he was unlike those disgusting men.

you only gave a curt apology to iske. there was no need for grand gestures or for it to be lengthy before hopping into your carriage.

when you glanced out at the window, you noticed that iske's eyes brightened, like a dog. he looked at ruby with disbelief and pride. iske finally got your approval after three days of trying.

you could not help but feel a quiet sense of happiness, knowing that your sister will be fine with that weirdo.

・❥ want a hc / oneshot? please consider commissioning in ko-fi !

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Bonus- Chapter 32

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

Yes it is 8 am and yes I am eating chicken gnocchi soup for breakfast. I stand that soup is and always will be a breakfast food.

No hot drinks today! This wedding required a feast :'3

I can't believe this is it! The series finale if you will.

I have been waiting 32 chapters for this moment. at last!!!

This man (SQQ) has been sleeping with this other man for what- months(?) years(?) at this point and he is STILL over here totally bewildered at the fact that LBH does not want to marry a woman. p355

This is kind of sweet though. I'm so glad Cang Qiong Mountain sect has embraced these two absolute weirdos. I love that they can visit now! It warms my romantic heart that they can travel for a while and then come "home" for a time. p355

omg these two are so embarrassing. The way in which LBH is asking him to marry him is so awkward. p359

oh no, now I feel like an asshole because LBH was SO NERVOUS the days leading up to him asking. (granted totally fair with how SQQ acts towards him/about their relationship- I too would not know if he wanted to actually marry me or not in this situation). I just want to pinch LBH's cheeks though, why is he so cute. p360

aaaaaah- this is so cute. SQQ being actually happy about him asking instead of trying to gaslight himself and side step his feelings or "reluctantly" agreeing to marry LBH pp360-361

my heaaaaaaaart LBH's confession pp362-363

The fact that LBH had wedding outfits ready. I need to know two things; 1. where/how did he get them and 2. how long has he had them and had this planned. p363

I truly don't know if MXTX has written a tender sex scene. Why does it always have to be a little traumatic? Granted I have only read SVSSS and MDZS BUT both of these series have either uncomfortable (SVSSS) or just have freak4freak energy (MDZS-but I will take this over crying and bleeding) there's never something soft and lubed. I hope that TGCH has something (no spoilers pls) but my bar is so low. (okay but wangxian was fine for the most part- they just were also dry and mutually unhinged). pp366-367

NO LOL the wife-ing of SQQ. p370

Okay okay- the ending was so sweet. The little shy embarrassed SQQ calling Binghe husband and him pretending not to hear. My headcanon is that eventually over time SQQ feels less and less embarrassed, works through his internalized homophobia, and learns to say what he actually feels more often. Even without my hopes and dreams, I still think this ending was such good character growth for SQQ.

Holy shit we did it!

Thank you to everyone who joined me on this reading journey. It has been so fun getting to read the books along with you and talk about the experience.

I am a little bit sad that it is over :'3

I do however, now have a pile of fanfic to start working through and am so stoked to continue this journey via fan works. Thank you, thank you to everyone who sent me fics to read!!

In terms of what is next- I will likely spend some time reading SVSSS fanfic- if I get to a point where like Wangxian, I have hundreds of fics in my collection, I may start recing Bingqiu!

BUT in terms of danmei, I am hoping to read TGCF next and round out my MXTX collection (likely end of December start)!

This has been such an amazing experience that I will continue to live blog future danmei series :)

Thank you thank you again!

[roriaa]

When Sun and Moon meet - S2

Zuko x Fem!WaterBender!Reader Enemies to Lovers

As one of the Princesses of the Northern Water tribe, you were blessed with a gift by the moon. However you were permitted to be allowed to use the gift at all costs. From many hidden waterbending usages, the aftermath of the avatar visiting the Northern Tribe had led to your beginning journey, hiding yourself as a water bender as a princess from the Northern water tribe

Warnings: Fighting, arguing

Masterlist

҉ * ‧͙ ⋆ ⁺ ༓ ☾ Chapter 7 - Refreshing Tea

“Have you heard of that tea-house? All of a sudden their tea has been the best in Ba Sing Se!” One of the men said. “Oh then I must try it out! I have been craving tea recently," the woman responded with a laugh. I wasn't the biggest fan of tea outside of the northern water tribe. The only tea that exists was Spirit Oasis Tea which was only used for meditating in the Spirit Oasis to the Moon spirit. Ironic that the water tribe doesn't have a variety of drinks. “Uhm ma’am” I snapped out of me zoning out. I have been doing that more recently. “Sorry…” I said sheepishly as I handed him water tribe money. “You must be hearing about the new tea at the tea-house, I haven't had the time to go there but man I really want to. Sadly I'm constantly stuck at work.” The worker complained. Maybe I should check out the new tea area. “Water tribe money? Wow I haven't seen this currency in a while” The store owner said as I packed up my groceries for today. “Sorry, that's all I'm able to carry” Internally praying he accepts the pay. “Money is money” He shrugs and I let out a sigh of relief. “Have a nice day” he waved off while I smiled in gratefulness, taking Aku by the lead.

  ҉   ☾

Aku and I managed to get there, the sky was dark and the moon was slowly rising up. I really like the night sky because that's the only time I get to see Yue again. I smiled and parked Aku near the entrance. “Stay here buddy” I consoled before going into the tea-house. Once I walked there were still a lot of people, only one table was empty. Is the tea here really that good? Or this is the only tea-house here. I'm here to find out anyway. I was able to sit down at the empty table after making my order, which was just…tea. My mind wanders off thinking my father and Yue would have loved tea, not just specifically from here but in general. “Here’s your tea” a boy said, placing down the cup on the wooden table. I smiled softly “thank you” looking up at him, the realization hitting me. He has a very familiar scar on the left side of his face, it was none other than Zuko himself. Both of our eyes widened from the realization of who each other was. He totally figured out who I was. I immediately got up in fear, preparing to run away however it was prevented by Zuko himself. He grabbed my wrist, softer than I expected. “What are you doing here?” He whispered which made me irritated. “What are you doing here!?” I hissed. I didn't even get my answer due to an interruption made by…Jet?! 

“These two are firebenders!” Jet yelled out, holding two of his swords. How did he figure that out? Did he fight with them? “I saw the old man heating his tea,” Jet continued to yell. “He works at a tea shop,” one of the soldiers defended. He made eye contact with me, I freaked out internally thinking what was he going to do. “He is attacking this girl right here!” He pointed the sword at Zuko and I. We both looked down still seeing Zuko’s hand wrapped around my wrist. Due to this we quickly pulled back, I blushed in embarrassment. “N-No! The tea was too hot so he pulled my hand away before I could get burnt” I explained, my voice going a pitch higher than I wanted it to be. I don't know why I defended Zuko, but he didnt do anything bad to me at that moment. Zuko said absolutely nothing, way to go Zuko. “Drop your swords boy, nice and easy” The soldiers got up but Jet didn't care. “You have to defend yourself, then everyone will know. Go ahead! Show them what you can do.”  Zuko took the sword of one of the soldier’s “You want a show? I'll give you a show!” I grabbed my cub and tea before Zuko moved the table with his leg. I honestly couldn't be bothered with this situation. It doesn't include me and I wasnt that close with either of them to care. I tried taking a sip of the tea made, which was surprisingly still warm and I was even more surprised that it tasted really good. No wonder everyone wants to come here, and father would love this!

I continued drinking until I realized Aku was still outside. I went outside near the door frame to see a crowd of people surrounding Zuko and Jet, who were on opposite sides. “It's true sir, we saw the whole thing, this crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in this city.” One of the soldiers said, making the old guy blush. Jet's eyes meet mine again making me flinch and look away. “Y/N do you trust me?” He says out loud making all the eyes go on me. My eyes widened and I looked down in embarrassment. What should I say? It's not like me saying anything would make much of a difference, unless if I took my hood down I would be able to use my princess card. “Stop bringing the young lady into this, can't you see she is scared” One of the women said, shielding me. Slowly everyone was defending me. I looked at Jet one last time before turning away. I'm sorry Jet, the person you shouldn't trust is me. He looked at me painfully before getting taken away from the guards. Jet continued spouting out words which slowly went faint and slowly everyone in the circle disappeared. “Some kinda friend you are” I turned around and saw Zuko. “He was not my friend,” I sneered. “Why did you defend me anyways, your the one that actually saw me fire bend”

“I didnt even defend you, I was trying to keep attention away from me” “Did it work?” “What is your problem? Isn't it more beneficial for you than it is for me?” I spat in annoyance. 

“Calm down you two” The old man said, calming the both of us down. “How did both of you recognize me?” I asked worriedly, holding the hood closer to my face. “Your face is quite recognizable once you've seen it, Princess Y/N. Now how about some tea, it will be on the house.” The old man whispered the second part which made me breathily sigh. “I'm good for the day” I glared at both Zuko and the old man. I go outside to take Aku and leave.

“Sorry Aku, i'm just going to go for a little walk okay?” I patted Aku on the head before I left. I was never allowed to go out at sundown before so I wanted to see what it was like. I stretched my arms over my head before seeing a kid and an adult. The adult had the kids' ball, taunting him. Really? How immature are these adults? “Hey, let the kids have some fun” I stated, defending the kid who turned towards me. His eyes were bloodshot red, tears were streaming down his face. “Hah, what are you gonna do? Hit me?” The guy taunted, shaking the ball. “I might just do that” I get water out of my water pouch, slapping them. “Ow” the guy hissed and let go of the ball “you will regret this!” he yelled running away. I grab the ball and gently hand it to the boy. “You need to be careful at night, who knows what could happen” I wiped the tears that were on his cheeks. He sniffed in response, grabbing a ball. Shakily saying “T-Thank you kind lady” He looked down. I smile softly “No problem, now where are your friends?” I looked around to see no one. “They all left once the scary man came” He sniffled. I patted his head sweetly. “Let's get you home little guy” I smiled as he grabbed my hand.

“Say thank you to the kind lady, who knows what we would do without her” The mom patted his back, ushering him to thank me. “Thank you!” He smiled. Both the mother and the son waved in delight. I waved them back and turned around, away from the house. I should probably go home by now, I'm feeling a bit tired. I yawned in my hand, till I heard something. I turned around quickly, searching for anything but there was nothing. Huh…I guess I'm just hearing things. Then I felt a grasp around my wrist. I immediately flick it away, using my water bending to hit them back. “Who's there?” I said out loud. “I told you, you will regret this” the guy from before said, chuckling evilly. The same guy who stole a kids ball. This time he had two additional accomplices. “Please you're so immature” I laughed mockingly which heated him up furthermore. Before he could strike, a figure barged in, striking them with two blades. My eyes widened at the scene and I quickly took out the figure behind me, whacking him down. I turned around to check out the scene again. I got a better look of the figure who held two swords, wore a blue mask and an all black outfit. “Just who…are you?” I raised my brows, moving closer. Just as I was about to get close enough, he ran, taking the three guys with him. That was awfully weird, man I really need to get home now…

<- Back - Next ->

a/n: Sorry for the late post WOOO Managed to post it on time!! So yeah! Thats literally it LMAO have a nice day and take care fo yourself!!

--

Taglist: @luvkvni @katovano @karmaswitch @someonesmember @velvet-spider @sh3sa1dwhat @nerdisthenewcool @meiraloves2dmen @fqnfics101 @iluvme547 @leaderwon @yukihatesreoyo @heart4hees @4l3x1s @kkissaku @corpsebridenightamare @newjellis @fatkish

[eyesthatroll]

NOBODY'S LOVE

pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader

summary: your best friend is getting married, this is supposed to be a happy day, right?

warning(s): sad shit, idk

word count: 1.7k

author's note: would first like to give a disclaimer that i am not meaning any ill will toward any blondes who meet the beauty standard, it's just a plot line within the story. secondly, here are the songs that i listened to while writing this, that you could also listen to, to better the experience:

-Nobody's Love by Maroon 5

-Can I Be Him by James Arthur (acoustic version!)

-Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon

really hope you enjoy. sort of ends on a cliffhanger but i kind of like this a lot for the moment. as per usual, reblogs + feedback / constructive criticism are always appreciated. sending my love —mari

You can't help the sour expression that twists your features as your gaze remains fixed on Luke and Lacey. They're entwined in an intimate dance on the crowded floor, more akin to grinding than traditional dancing, with his hands gripping her waist as she moves against him.

Luke, as always, looks gorgeous, his white dress shirt slightly unbuttoned to reveal the glimmering silver chain nestled against his neck, and droplets of sweat glistening on his chest. His hair had at last emerged from the clutches of that dreadful mullet, now a lush cascade of curls artfully styled, with their length nearly reaching the nape of his neck.

She looks absolutely stunning, adorned in her sleek, form-fitting, white lace reception dress that gracefully accentuates every curve of her figure. Her blonde hair, meticulously blown out, showers down her back like a silken waterfall, its length elegantly concluding just below her waist. Of course, Luke had to marry a girl who was the epitome of the beauty standard.

You savor another mouthful of your White Russian, the sweet liquid sliding down your throat in a single, indulgent gulp. The empty glass collides with the table, emitting a sharp clink that punctuates your mounting inebriation. The responsible choice at this point, would be to balance it out with some water to regain sobriety. However, the longer you fixate on Luke and Lacey, the more you find yourself making repeated trips to the bar for another round.

Drinking, aside from providing a numbing effect to shield you from the emotional turmoil of observing Luke and Lacey, also effectively distracts you from dwelling on the rather disheartening image you must present: a solitary figure at a table in the back corner, solemnly nursing your drinks amidst the vibrant celebration of your best friend's wedding.

In this moment, regret gnaws at you for not scrounging up a plus one. Granted, you wouldn't have genuinely cared for the guy, but at least it would have spared you the pain and humiliation of sulking alone the entire reception. You could have been dancing with him, providing a buffer against the impending flood of tears as you watched Luke dance with Her.

Finishing off your glass, you stand up from your seat, and begin an unsteady journey back up to the bar, your gaze fixated on the ground in hopes of not having to make conversation with anyone. You slump on one of the barstools, and the bartender sends you a look of pity, shaking his head before you can even open your mouth to ask for another refill.

"Boss man says you're cut off, sorry." He apologizes, his hands efficiently polishing an empty glass.

Your mouth drops open, bewilderment etched across your face. You rub at your eyes, hoping to shake off the daze. "Boss man?"

He nods affirmatively. "Mr. Hughes."

Your face goes blank at his words. The revelation that Luke had noticed your excessive drinking at his wedding and even went as far as instructing the bartender to cut you off, feels like another dagger to your already wounded heart. An overwhelming sense of embarrassment envelops you, clinging to you like a suffocating second skin. Tears threaten to spill from your eyes, and with a heavy heart, you make a hasty retreat to the nearest bathroom, craving the solitude it offers for your impending emotional breakdown.

You rush into the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind you with a resounding thud. Your back meets the cool, unforgiving surface of the door, and you sink down to the floor in despair. Sobs wrack your body, escaping your quivering lips in a heartbreaking symphony of agony. Your elegant dress, once a symbol of celebration, now clings to you in disarray, its baby blue fabric gathering at your ankles. Unchecked tears stream down your face, creating dark rivulets against the pastel material, as you draw your knees up to your chest, a fragile attempt to find comfort amid the chaos of your sentiments. Snot drips from your nose, and you make no effort to wipe it away, too lost in your own despair to care about appearances.

The pounding music from outside serves as a veil, muffling your cries and offering you a small refuge, shielding you from the judgmental eyes of the reception as you succumb to this moment of pathetic, emotional turmoil.

You shouldn't have come. The realization hit you like a sledgehammer to the chest the moment Luke's voice choked out his vows to Lacey. It was in that poignant moment that you understood that attending this wedding had been a grave mistake. A searing pang of bitterness and longing seized your chest, an agonizing blend of emotions that consumed you entirely.

Luke poured his heart out to Lacey, and your own heart burned with a fiery jealousy you couldn't extinguish. You wished desperately that it was you standing at the altar, facing Luke with the warmth of family and friends as witnesses. You yearned for the opportunity to exchange vows with him, to profess your love openly and honestly, but it was a privilege that belonged to Lacey. Beautiful, intelligent, and sweet Lacey.

You searched relentlessly for a rational reason to despise her, an explanation that could somehow justify your feelings towards her, but she remained an enigma of kindness and grace. Lacey always went out of her way to strike up conversations with you, treating you with unwavering honor and consideration. She respected the cherished traditions you shared with Luke as best friends, even went as far as asking you to be a bridesmaid in the wedding. She truly was the epitome of an angel in human form, embodying virtues and qualities you felt outperformed your own shortcomings by a mile. Even so, you hated her. You didn't show it, but you felt it in your chest every time she was around, or Luke mentioned her.

You're unsure how much time passed as you sat there, silently weeping. A soft knock on the bathroom door, however, jolts you back to reality, and you unsteadily scramble to your feet, trying to compose yourself in a quick manner. As you gaze at your reflection in the mirror, a bitter, mirthless laugh escapes your lips. The person staring back at you is hardly recognizable.

Your once-radiant makeup is now a smudged mess. Black mascara and eyeliner have streaked down your cheeks, giving you the appearance of a disheveled raccoon. Your eyes are swollen and red from crying, and your foundation is ruined, marred by tear stains that have traveled all the way down to your neck. The reflection staring back at you is a stark contrast to the composed, put-together version of yourself you had intended to be at Luke's wedding.

You hastily tear off a few sheets of paper towels from the dispenser, letting them soak under a stream of warm water for a few moments before setting to work. The damp paper towel becomes a weapon against the lingering evidence of your emotional breakdown as you scrub mercilessly at your skin, each harsh stroke a testament to your turmoil. You ignored the stinging pain that accompanied it, and only when the paper towel had become a shredded, saturated mess, rendering it unusable, did you finally cease your relentless efforts.

Exhaling a series of deep breaths, you wipe at your eyes one last time, a sudden exhaustion mixed with the overwhelming desire to be alone, washing over you.

The night was far from over, and the lively atmosphere of the party still pulsed through hall. Family members of both Luke and Lacey, along with a scattering of friends and NHL players, mingled and celebrated. Your eyes scanned the crowded space, contemplating the possibility of making a discreet exit through the back door, escaping without notice.

As you inch closer to the side exit, your heart skips a beat when a sudden hand lands firmly on your shoulder. Startled, you instinctively clutch your chest, the adrenaline from the surprise coursing through your veins. You turn around, your breath slowing at the relief of seeing it's only Jack. His intense gaze locks onto yours, his hand still resting on your shoulder as he asks, "Leaving without saying goodbye?"

Your voice quivered, barely rising above a harsh whisper, as if the music's deafening volume could somehow amplify your confession. "I can't be here."

Jack's gaze softens with a deep understanding as he witnessed the raw emotion you could no longer conceal. His gentle touch finds its way to the small of your back, effortlessly drawing you into his comforting embrace. Your body quivers with dejection, and you give in to your overwhelming afflictions, sobbing uncontrollably into his collar.

"I shouldn't have come, Jack. It hurts too much," you stutter, your sobs punctuating each word like an unwelcome intruder within a happy home. He stays silent, his hands tenderly massaging your back in a desperate attempt to offer solace. Though it's a mutual understanding that the one person who could truly comfort you in the situation, could never know the reason behind your pain.

"I'm sorry, Y/N," he says, his apology carrying the weight of an unspoken truth. Jack shouldn't be apologizing for his brother, but he can't help it. He was there throughout the entirety of you realizing your newfound feelings for Luke. He truly believed that the two of you were destined to be together, especially after you had confided in the him about what happened between you and Luke that one night.

He was there when the light dimmed in your eyes, the day when Luke introduced everyone to Lacey just a week after meeting her, claiming immediate love at first sight. You are like the little sister he never had, and he found himself standing at a crossroads, torn between the pain his little brother had caused you and his desire for both of you to find happiness. But the realization that it might not be with each other changed the dynamic within everything.

"What's going on here?"

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Ignore this if you want but please write a ryan gosling!Ken x Shy!human!Reader? Like I can’t stop thinking about Ken being human and a dad of a infant son who’s a mommy boy and Ken brings them to Barbie land, just hardcore fluff? Like everyone is happy to see the reader again but also happy to see a baby. So cute shy reader brings her infant son to girls night. 💖💖💖💖💖💖

"You think they'll like him?"

"They'll love him, [y/n]. I'm sure of it." Ken popped his head out of the camper van's window, smiling as he saw you sitting outside on the lawn chair.

You weren't the only people making a trip back to Barbieland, however, as you were currently cradling your pride and joy:

It was your infant son, who had the same hair color as you, and the same bright blue eyes as his father.

Yes, the baby was also Ken's.

After he decided to become human with your help (and a whole lot of patience), he was finally at a place where he felt genuinely happy with his life and purpose:

He started working for Mattel to advocate for the Ken dolls and skyrocket their sales, got married to you--his owner who finalized his decision to leave all his dollness behind, and settled down in a house that you could both call your own.

Despite all of these great happenings, however, he did feel like something else was missing.

Something that he desperately wanted to experience as a man.

And no, it had nothing to do with horse or beach or patriarchy.

It was fatherhood.

During his second time in the Real World, he's seen families bonding with their kids in movies, books, and even just walking down the street.

He was a bit embarrassed about obsessing over horses and ignoring the beauty of humanity happening all around him back then.

But now? He got to truly appreciate it.

While Ken didn't explicitly tell you that he wanted to know what it's like to raise a family, you could just tell from his lingering stares and smiles that he would give anything to experience that.

So you had some conversations about it, and you were absolutely happy to have a kid with him.

Yet after coming home from the clinic with the confirmation that you were pregnant, he became utterly terrified, his mind cluttered with the "what-ifs"?

He knew that he messed up a lot as Barbie's handcrafted boyfriend, and even as a human...that guilt followed him back to the Real World. He may have left behind the pastels and plastics, but these overwhelming emotions stuck to him like super glue.

He's just so, so afraid of screwing up again. Or that his expectations of fatherhood will fall short and the kid will hate him if they knew what he-

But you reassured Ken he was going to be a great father; him worrying about raising them right before they're even born just shows it.

Those nerves finally went away the moment he got to hold his son in the delivery room, sobbing after he realized he helped create this beautiful life with you.

Something that he, a dumb blond plastic doll who only knew how to do beach, never thought he'd get to experience.

Like Barbie, he finally got to be the creator...rather than the created.

Now he couldn't wait to revisit Barbieland with you and introduce his child to everyone there.

You've taken a trip there a few times before, so you were well aware of the long rollerblade-snowmobile-camper van-tandem bike-rocketship-speedboat-convertible journey ahead.

This time however, you were reasonably nervous, given you now had one extra fragile passenger to take care of.

Luckily, it's been a rather smooth trip so far, and your son didn't make a single fuss.

Not in the freezing cold during your snowmobile ride...and not even when a mama bear was currently emerging from the surrounding woods, approaching you both. You still held him closely, staying calm and cool, knowing these animals wouldn't hurt you.

Ken, on the other hand, damn near jumped out the window to drive the scary beast away--his newly-acquired dad instincts kicking into maximum overdrive.

But you took notice and hushed him, before turning back to the bear who was now sniffing you and your son with curiosity. You got to pet her on the head, and eventually she huffed and left you two alone.

"See?" You glanced back at your husband, amused that his torso was now halfway out the window. "Seriously, Ken? There's a door y'know."

"W-Well...had to make sure my family is safe! But I see you got it under control...g-good job, sweetie!" He forced a smile, although he was clearly struggling.

"....are you stuck?"

"......maybe."

'Great...now I'm dealing with two children.' Shaking your head, you gently set your baby in the carrier, before going to help Ken.

Yeah, this trip was going to be longer than you thought.

And not because of the kid.

................

"Barbies! Kens! Allan! We're back!"

"Oh my god!"

"Everybody STOP what you're doing!! It's [y/n] and Ken!!"

"Hi [y/n]!!"

"Hi Ken!!"

"Welcome back guys!!"

"Ken, dude!!!"

"[Y/n]! How you've been-??!"

"Guys, guys..at least let us get out first." After stepping out of the car, you looked around at the dolls surrounding you and Ken, seeing that Barbieland had gone through some changes since the last time you've seen it.

Nevertheless, it still felt warm and welcoming. Like your second home at this point.

With a bashful smile, you cradled your son closely to your chest, sighing as you wondered how you'll break the news to them. You were never one to make huge announcements...especially as everydoll here now had their eyes on you.

Weird Barbie--now in a uniform fitting for the garbage workers here--was quick to notice the bundle of blue you were holding, tilting her head. "What's that you got there, hun? A gift for us?"

"O-Oh! This is...um-"

"Oh it's not just any gift you can buy, Weird Barbie," Ken interjected, trying to hold back the tears in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around you, smiling from ear-to-ear. "We have brought to you the gift...of life!!"

There was a silence so loud, you could almost hear crickets chirping from the other world.

"...he means we had a baby boy." You bluntly stated, uncovering some of the blanket so they could see your child.

At first there were gasps, before there were cheers and smiles all around as they came closer to congratulate you both.

The Barbies cooed at how adorable your son looked, while Midge asked you if he just "popped" out of your belly like her Real World counterpart (to which you said no, of course).

Meanwhile, Ken struck up a conversation with the other Kens, who had their own praise to give and told him about all the cool jobs and other opportunities they've gotten since he left.

Of course, though, he was the first among them to be a dad besides Sugar Daddy Ken.

"But enough about us, and more about your son..." Tourist Ken spoke up, leaning forward. "Tell me, is he shaping up to be a "beach boy" like his dad?"

"Nope. He's...definitely a momma's boy." With a warm smile, Ken looked to you, seeing how his son clung to you while looking mesmerized by all the colorful and sparkly things in the cul-de-sac. "But he has my eyes and...that's enough for me."

A small chorus of "awh's" were heard, but before all the guys could start spouting about the sports they wanted to teach your son, he noticed you approaching them.

He stood right up, his focus on you. "Yes, my love?"

"Oh! So..I was wondering..uh--girls, c'mon." You huffed to the giggling Barbies behind you, shooing them away. Then you turned back to your husband. "Anyways, they um...invited me to girls' night tonight. And they're hoping our little guy can come along, too!"

"........."

"It'll just be for a few hours, I-I promise." You nervously added, suddenly remembering how he felt about that event. "I won't be-"

"I don't mind if you two go."

You blinked. "...you don't?"

"Nah, the Kens said they're having their own boys' night on the beach...which so-happens to be tonight as well!" His grin returned. "You have fun with the ladies. You'll know where I'll be."

Those words brought a huge smile to your own face, and you stepped forward to peck him on the lips. "Thanks, sweetheart. You boys have fun.." Your gaze flickered to the male dolls. "Try not to "beach-off" my husband while I'm gone."

After that, you turned and walked back to the Barbies, while Ken stared at the other Kens, noticing their bewildered expressions.

"What?"

"Th-That was an actual kiss."

"I've never seen one like that before!"

"H-How did you do that???"

"...it took practice, and don't forget..I'm human now, too." He chuckled, feeling a bit smug. "Humans kiss very differently."

[helix-enterprises117]

Halo Reloaded: Shut Up & Dance With Me

The Marathon Infinity is a place more accustomed to the clang of armor and the buzz of orders than anything else. But today, a rather unusual sound was cutting through the usual cacophony of militaristic-industrial efficiency.

Spartan Fred-104, known amongst his peers for his tactical brilliance and less so for his musical talents (which he absolutely has, let's not kid ourselves), had somehow found himself lost in the rhythm of a catchy tune. "♪ Oh, don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me. ♪" The song slipped out, wrapping around the cold, steel corridors like a warm blanket, a sharp contrast to the usual ambiance.

Master Chief his footsteps silent, a ghost among men. Stopping DEAD in his tracks, Chief tilted his head as Fred's serenade unwittingly continued. "♪ I said you're holding back, ♪" Fred crooned, completely oblivious to the audience he'd acquired.

The moment Fred caught sight of Chief's towering frame, the song died in his throat, replaced by a strangled sort of gurgle. Imagine, if you will, the color draining from someone's face. Now imagine it trying to find a way through a Spartan's helmet. That was Fred.

"Chief!" he sputtered, voice cracking like a teenager's. "I, uh, didn't hear you come in."

Chief stood motionless, yet the air around him seemed to vibrate with mirth. "I gathered," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of amusement that one might miss if they weren't paying attention.

Caught in the headlights of Chief's undivided attention, Fred scrambled for an explanation that sounded less like a schoolboy caught passing notes. "It's just a song, Chief. Nothing to read into," he stammered, hoping the floor might open up and swallow him whole.

Chief, however, wasn't one to let things slide so easily. "Fred," he said, that one word carrying a weight that could crush a lesser man. "Fess up."

Under that gaze, Fred felt his resolve crumble like a cookie in a Spartan's grip. "Okay, okay," he relented, the words tumbling out in a rush. "It's Kelly. I've got it bad for her. Like, really bad."

The confession hung in the air between them, a tangible thing. Chief's reaction, however, was not what Fred expected. There was no reprimand, no lecture on Spartan decorum. Instead, what came was advice, served straight up with a side of sincerity.

"Freddie, look," Chief began, his voice adopting the tone of a mentor rather than a commander... which is funny because John is younger than everyone else, Fred notwithstanding. "This might be the only time you'll hear me say this, but it's okay to have feelings... I know. I'm a hypocrite."

Fred blinked. This was not the conversation he'd anticipated having today, especially not in the bowels of the Infinity, and especially not with Master Chief playing the role of love guru.

"Take it from me, your feelings for Kelly don't make you weak," Chief continued, his voice steady and sure. "If anything, they make you more of who you are. And for what it's worth, I think she could do a lot worse."

Fred's mouth twitched, a smile fighting its way through the embarrassment. "Thanks, Chief. I think."

As they resumed their journey through the ship's labyrinthine corridors, Fred felt a weight lift from his shoulders, his steps lighter. The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on him—a Spartan supersoldier getting relationship advice from the most decorated warrior humanity had ever known, all because of a song.

"Chief?" Fred ventured, a thought striking him.

"What is it, Fred?"

"Do you... ever sing when you think no one's listening?"

For a moment, there was silence. Then, Chief replied, "That, Spartan, is classified."

[mayberaspberrywrites]

Kitty Maid - Prologue

I’m nothing special. I’m an ordinary maid working under the ever elusive Diluc Ragnvindr. I can’t say I absolutely love my job. but the pay is quite luxurious. Now, how could I pass up such a kind offer? I digress. My name is Y/N, and I’ve been a maid in Dawn Winery for 3 years now. My life is very simple. I wake up, clean myself up, make my trek to dawn winery, perform my job, and leave. 

However…

I cannot deny that ogling Diluc has also become a normal part of my schedule. I can’t help it, really. He’s a handsome, rich man, and he never mistreats his workers. It’s not that I have a crush on the Master, but more-so high respect for him. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

Right now, I’m in my own home, standing in my vanity. I turn my head to the right side, inspecting the right side of my face. I turn to the left, inspecting the left side of my face. I look presentable enough, I think to myself. I flash a smile at myself in the mirror before twirling in my maid uniform. It’s very comfortable. Master Diluc takes very good care of his workers, down to making sure that the fabric they wear is comfortable. I stop, turning to face my bed. My cat, Eleanor, is fast asleep, her miniature form sinking into the softness of the covers as she purrs in content. 

I saunter over to her position on the bed, my body sinking down right next to her. I run my fingers through her fur lightly.

Surprisingly enough, I never actually wanted a cat. It’s not that I hate or like them, I just didn’t feel the need to have a pet.

That was until my little girl stumbled towards my door. Coincidentally, that was the same day I first started working for the Dawn Winery. I’d just arrived home that afternoon, tired and ready to pass out. I approached my door, stopping a few feet away when I noticed a strange clump of matter on my front doorstep. She was only a tiny kitten, and had already managed to endure the harshness of the world. Her fur was bloodied and matted, and she looked just about ready to give up.

We couldn’t have that, no no.

Without hesitation, I picked her up with gentle hands, welcoming her into my humble abode.

I’d like to believe that she was thankful for my help, because after that day, she cozied right up to me, rubbing up against my legs as soon as I came home. 

I smile at the fond memory, before my face morphs into one of shock. Oh no. I’m going to be late! I carefully stand up. Eleanor lifts her fluffy head up, blinking the sleep out of her eyes as she watches me. 

“Meow?” 

I huff a sigh. I don’t want to leave her either, but at least one of us has to be strong enough to leave the bed and make mora to keep a roof over our heads.

My heels clack as I make my way towards the front door. Eleanor leaps down from the bed, her paws padding against the floor as she approaches me. She rubs up against my legs, and I resign my efforts to leave without petting her one last time. I lean down, rubbing her head.

“Goodbye, Ellie. I’ll be home shortly.” 

She purrs in response. I open my front door, the morning sun leaking into the house, beginning my journey to the mansion.

—

Adelinde scolds one of the maids. The maid holds her head low, clearly embarrassed by her mistake.

“Don’t be so hasty! Clean carefully, or you’ll knock something over.”

“Y-yes, Ms. Adelinde…”

I quietly enter the mansion, attempting to walk by Adelinde without being noticed. I really don’t feel like getting reprimanded for being late again.

Of course, my efforts are in vain, for she turns around the moment I think I’m in the clear. It’s like she has a sixth sense.

“Young lady!”

I stiffen before dropping my shoulders. I slowly turn to face her, bowing my body in respect.

“Ms. Adelinde…you look quite beautiful today.”

She rolls her eyes.  “Why, thank you. However, flattery will only get you so far.” She crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing. “Care to explain why you’re late this time?”

Quick, think of an excuse! I clear my throat, straightening back up. “I apologize, Ms. Adelinde…I was stopped by a group of hilichurls on my way here.” I explain, smiling as I hope she doesn’t question it.

Adelinde’s eyes scrutinize my outfit. She closes her eyes. She takes in a large breath of air before pinching the bridge of her nose and exhaling. “If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.” She slowly opens her eyes again, looking directly into mine. “I can’t keep excusing your tardiness, y/n.” Her eyes suddenly shift to a look of sympathy. “I don’t know what’s going on, nor will I invade your privacy, but you must get it together.” She scolds lightly.

I nod, looking away from her eyes. I didn’t mean to disappoint her. I’ll have to make a few adjustments to my morning schedule, it seems.

Ha. Maybe being a cat would be easier. I envy Eleanor sometimes.

 I bow my head before turning to get to work.

—

What a long day…I can barely keep my eyes open. I yawn, deciding that it's time to get a move on. I say my goodbyes to the maids of the winery. As I walk, I think about my day. Hm…how odd…I hadn’t seen the young master all day. I shake my head. It’s none of my business, really. He’s a busy man, with running the winery and Angel’s Share.

As I’m thinking, I forget to watch where I’m walking.

Oof!

I bump into something hard. I fall down onto my butt.

“Oh, dear me!” A feminine voice says. I rub my back, groaning in pain from the fall.

I crack my eyes open. She offers out a hand to me. I gingerly take it, allowing myself to be lifted back up to my feet.

“I do apologize. I hope you’re alright.” She exclaims, holding onto my hand as she examines me for any injuries.

I can’t see her face. It’s covered by the large hat she wears on her head. 

The mysterious woman gasps. I snap my eyes up to where I’d assume hers are, only to see her looking down. A shattered glass bottle lays at my feet, and a strange purple mist seeps out of it in my direction. My eyes widen as I quickly shuffle backwards.

“Please forgive me!” The lady, who I have now assumed to be a witch, apologizes profusely. Despite her apologies, she quickly makes an escape into a portal. I cough, beginning to wheeze as the world quickly spins around me.

Before long, everything goes black.

I awaken again, feeling groggy.

The first thing I notice is that I’m no longer outside.

The second thing I notice is that I’m in a luxurious bed with soft sheets and incredibly soft pillows.

The third thing I notice is…

WHAT THE HELL?!

I sit up, looking down at my hands.

Or rather…

My soft kitty paws.

I begin to breathe heavily. 

This is a dream, right?

Right?

Okay, time to wake up…

Now.

Right now.

FUCK!

I slap myself across the face with a soft paw. My heart sinks when I feel the impact.

My eyes widen. I run my “hands” over my face, feeling the soft fur underneath my paw pads.

Okay. This is real. Oh archons…

I’m not dreaming.

My body stiffens when I feel something shift next to me on the bed. I slowly turn my head. Normally, this low light would be hard for me to see through. 

However…I don’t think that applies now. I’m a…a cat now. That feels weird to think about.

My breath hitches when I see the unmistakable soft red locks that drape across the pillow.

And the fourth thing I noticed…

…Is that I’m in Diluc Ragnvindr’s bed.

And Diluc Ragnvindr is asleep right next to me.

[blackjackkent]

OK, I was a good girl and I did some move prep stuff today; gonna try and squeeze in a bit more of Rakha's playthrough this afternoon. c:

Good news right off the bat - Rakha wakes up after the party and discovers she DIDN'T KILL ANYONE. \o/ Fantastic. Lae'zel is VERY tired after staying up all night keeping guard on her because she didn't want to let Wyll take a shift, but it didn't turn out to be necessary at all; Rakha slept like a rock.

And she did dream of Wyll, indeed. She dreamed of all the other usual things too - images of blood and death and gore - but occasionally a calmer image mixed in, just flashes of their conversation on the beach. And it was enough, for once, for her to sleep moderately soundly.

The next morning, Halsin has a big old reality check for everyone, of course - they have a lot more work ahead.

"I trust you enjoyed your evening? After all your efforts, it was well deserved. It may be some time before you are afforded another such night. There is much to be done, and I promised I would help you however I could. I'm certain a cure for you can be found at Moonrise Towers, but it's... complicated. The journey, specifically - it's extremely perilous. Though it seems you're well-accustomed to navigating danger."

"To Moonrise Towers, then," Wyll puts in earnestly at her side. "May the sun and stars guide us."

Rakha shoots him a look sidelong. The knowledge of their conversation last night is still hanging between them - a new bond forged with halting, fumbling words - and she feels a strange flicker of something like embarrassment. But he just looks back at her steadily, a light smile playing around his lips. So she just nods slowly and answers Halsin in her usual clipped manner, trying to focus on the task ahead.

"Moonrise Towers it is, then. I'd better make haste."

"Wait," Halsin says grimly. "There's more you need to know."

Rakha focuses attentively at once. Halsin does not know everything, certainly, but he is very free with the information he does have, something Rakha is rapidly coming to respect him for.

"To get to the Towers," he goes on, "you'll need to pass through a terrible place. A cursed place. This curse shrouds everything in shadow - you will not find life, light, or anything natural there. Any who linger are twisted by the curse; they become shadow beings - tormented, dangerous souls."

A disconcerted silence falls over the group. Rakha scowls pensively. "The Absolute's forces can tolerate such a place?"

Halsin shrugs. "So it seems - though I don't know how. You will have to choose your approach carefully."

He goes on to describe two paths - an overland route through the mountains, and another through a place called the Underdark, which Rakha gathers is some sort of underground tunnel network. He also mentions that this Underdark route is the location of a stronghold that once belonged to a man named Ketheric Thorm - a Shar worshiper, like Shadowheart.

He recommends the Underdark path - and moreover, he wants to come with her.

"I helped overthrow Ketheric Thorm and his Dark Justiciars years ago," he explains gravely. "But I failed to prevent him from unleashing darkness across the region before he was defeated. I spent years researching the curse, trying to put an end to it. Nothing has worked - yet. If I can join you and get close to Moonrise, perhaps I can lift this curse, same as you may find a cure for your infection."

She nods. She knows nothing of this curse - and little more of the Shar worshipers who were apparently behind it, beyond what little Shadowheart has told her. Her aim is to reach Moonrise and exact revenge for the chaos she and her companions have been put through.

But she does not mind Halsin's company. Like all those she most respects, he answers her questions in plain terms and is free with what information he has. And she is curious about his bear transformation - which he described almost as she describes the beast in her head, something violent within him over which he does not have complete control.

As for the journey itself...

It will keep. They still have other priorities before Moonrise. The githyanki creche is the first order of business - Lae'zel has said from the beginning that it was the only true solution to their infection, and regardless of Halsin's (or the Guardian's) assertions, Rakha still firmly believes her. Karlach, too, has unfinished business - the "Paladins" that chased her from the Hells.

When all that is done, and the worms are gone from their heads... the Underdark sounds promising. As Halsin describes it, it bypasses more of this "curse" that lines the land around Moonrise. And Shadowheart will know things of this Sharran stronghold, even if no Sharrans still linger there.

It's a plan - as straightforward as they come, like all her plans. One step after the next until she can wrap her fingers around the throats of those who have put her in this situation, and demand of them who she is.

[danwhobrowses]

That Time I was All In: Written Review

Less than 24 hours ago I was in a record-breaking event, among 81K other wrestling fans and my first ever live wrestling show. So I'm gonna detail my time at the event in segments. We shall start with the general experience here, and then I will put as many photos as I can put within Tumblr limits (which means I may have to spread it out a few days) that I took from my phone which aren't absolute crap or obscured by flailing hands, signs and foam fingers XD

I will try to pair them in the hashtag #danwhosallin

[pictures p1: Boxpark] [pictures p2: Zero Hour 1] [pictures p3: Zero Hour 2] [pictures p4: Main Card 1] [pictures p5: Main Card 2] [pictures p6: Main Card 3] [pictures p7: Main Card 4] [pictures p8: Main Card 5] [pictures p9: Main Card 6] [pictures p10: Main Card 7] [pictures p11: Misc]

So without further ado, let's talk about my experience.

My journey to Wembley started on Saturday morning. I had purchased to attend the Box Park party, promised to have meet & greet, early access merch and a £10 voucher for food and drink. Problem however is that I don't live too near to London, and I had only ever been to Wembley once for an England football game vs Montenegro - which much to our disappointment was a direly boring 0-0 draw, so I had to leave for a 7:48 train, I came out the wrong stop where it ate up my ticket and had to walk to the box park, and I was met with a familiar British custom.

Queues.

It may be associated with Brits but we fucking hate queuing, we just uphold a level of decorum when it comes to cutting in, this queue was like an advanced game of Snake, every time you went around a bend there was another bend, then right at Wembley rampway there was zigzag queues, you got wristbands then zigzagged more just to get into the building and: more queues!

All this queuing sadly meant I could hear but missed Jericho, Bryan and the Acclaimed addressing the crowd while in the queue, but I made it in for Tony Schiavone - prompted to curse by RJ City, Lethal and Satnam doing Woos, Jarrett struts and a Macho Man impression, Nigel McGuinness doing some Derren Brown magic with Singh and Lethal (picked the smallest woman in the crowd to lift and neither could lift after the trick) and then Jarrett and Karen doing a Q&A. The Q&A was pretty insightful actually, he talked about mental health, a Terry Funk story, Grado teases, his hatred of Hogan, he outwardly confronted a guy who asked Karen who was better in bed between him and Angle. Hobbs was also in the building, I spotted him when queuing to the merch stand, Aubrey was doing an AEW Heels table too and Rosario Grillo & Dean Alexander (The Young Bucks' 'stunt double' were outside taking a break). There was also an action figure box to pose in, and I did a photo with Lethal and Satnam, the dude is fucking massive, I had to pose with 2 other strangers for time reasons and that was it. If I'm honest I probably wouldn't do it again, you queue more than you explore.

That experience led me to arrive to Wembley on Sunday much earlier, I got there about 2:30, an hour before doors will open. I had an overpriced ice cream that would unwittingly be the last thing I ate for 23 hours and slowly soaked in the surroundings; cosplay, various shirts from AEW and other companies (the guy in the Hana Kimura shirt behind commentary was on my train), there were a pair in full Bret and Bulldog cosplay too. I noticed the Cultaholic guys by their logo and they offered to interview me on 4 questions, though I am a little embarrassed by some of my answers, I said that Rey Mysterio was the most underrated wrestler given how much he overcame, which is still a statement I maintain but if I were asked again I would probably say the most underrated is Malenko, a great technician who never got his flowers. Also a slight addendum since while I would have Chad Gable in AEW like I said I'd probably pick Io Shirai ahead of him.

Regardless, a few steps forward soaking things in I found myself in the path of a woman with her phone up dressed in purple, I wasn't sure if it was a vlog or a panoramic picture but then I realised something:

Oh shit that's Emi Sakura

Had I been half a bit braver I probably would've asked her for a photo, but seeing her taking it in as a fan - alongside Lulu, Mei was apparently at the event but I didn't see her - made me reconsider, wrestlers are people too.

Getting into the stadium was weird, they had me queue at Turnstile G, but I had to go all the way to Turnstile C's area to reach the block I'd enter through. The fact that my wristband said 'Pitch Access' made me realise how grossly I had underestimated my closeness to the ring. I just had to soak that in too, I was on the pitch, four rows from ringside! People were still coming in halfway into the pre-show, that just showed how much were coming.

Attending a wrestling event also had its pros and cons. When the Pre-Show started we could only see the matches, all the packages and interviews done by Renee and Kip were not shown to us, which is a major shame and also kept us out of loop such as people cheering far back and not knowing that's RJ interviewing audience members, and even though there's a chance of getting on tv there's also the chance that people with signs and foam fingers will get in the way of your FOV especially when they feel the camera's on them 90% of the time. Security would also keep asking us to sit down at times, something the ringside seats seemed exempt from, meaning anything outside the ring couldn't really be seen unless on a time delay on the screen. I also felt like the bass of the crowd noise wasn't pitchside, we were chanting and loud but not as loud at it would seem on a tv screen, much of that would've came from the stands (given the larger amount of people there) but it made it hard to hear. But on the other side you get to see the downtime stuff too, so we got to cheer for Tony, Justin, Bryce, Aubrey and Hobbs before the cameras rolled, I also spotted Whatculture's Simon Miller to massive surprise (Oku and Leon Slater were also among the security beaten by Miro and Hobbs).

Pre-show was good, but since we were only privy to the matches it was a bit quiet, part of me thought the Hobbs stuff was just for the attendees, it irked me that no women's match was on either; could've put Emi in a 10 woman tag with Nyla, Bunny, Penelope and Taya vs faces like Itoh (since she's facing Nyla for TJPW), Sky Blue, Riho, maybe even Billie and Athena. Or could've just had a 4-way of Ruby, Diamante, Willow and Mercedes Martinez to determine the TBS title contender. Still, people were into it, Grado made his much teased appearance - no Like a Prayer though - Cole and MJF actually won the ROH tag titles, and HOOK and Jack Perry put on a nice little no rules match which saw Jack get scraped up pretty good by the real glass - I only heard about the altercation this morning, I don't really have thoughts on it - but it was a matter that the 2 hours could've offered more wrestling, even if it was unaired matches for the audience not seeing the promos. Mercedes Moné appeared on the tron 3 times, but each time I grabbed my phone to snap a photo the screen moved away, leading to me cursing each time XD Also TK promotions of the Fulham game and Jacksonville Jaguars games were met with loud boos, it was hilarious.

From the main card though it was just all fun and entertainment. Watching wrestling live is a bit slower, but fan engagement does make it more enjoyable. Wembley was 90% Samoa Joe territory, and while that opened the door for some Punk shithousery with Cena and Hogan moves we all knew he was keeping his X Division unofficial belt. In fact the biggest pop he got was simply hovering around a trans rights sign, but make no mistake people are cheering the sign in that case. It surprised me that the Elite matches came straight after, the trios match was good but it never hit full gear, we kept trying to will the Golden Elite on but their momentum often got stifled. That being said, shit does Takeshita and Ibushi hit each other hard, you could see them rattling their opponents, the Gunns were also quite entertaining at ringside but the finish caught us all by surprise. The Bucks/FTR match was good, it was a slow burner and the Bucks' streamers stuck to the scaffolding for the rest of the night but as much as the audience were Anti-Punk and Pro-Kenny they weren't exactly Pro-Bucks either, also chants of 'Please don't shoot me' for Cash was a bit tongue in cheek.

Stadium Stampede may not have been everyone's cup of tea, and alas I didn't get the pleasure of seeing someone obliterated at my feet, but dammit it was one of my favourite matches. The BCC walked down a few rows away from me, but people were swarming to them so I didn't bother trying there. I could spot Kingston up in the stands brawling with Claudio, and while yes there were some botches and unwilling equipment, there were a lot of fun and brutal spots, including Penta hitting some chair shots that did not look like they were protected (maybe a gimmicked chair?). And Eddie is fucking over, that man will destroy the metaphorical roof when he becomes world champion. The women's match was fun too, lots of good wrestling there, however between the Buck's Freddie Mercury gear and Saraya coming out to We Will Rock You I did again think back to Emi Sakura missing out, and other people using her shtick. As much as the crowd loved it I also was a bit let down that Saraya won, because there was little reason to put the title on Shida in the end - and I was really hoping Shida could retain in a PPV in front of a crowd for once - but to their credit they did build Saraya's face turn well in the match, the PTO/Curb Stomp combo to Toni was pretty awesome too.

The Coffin match was fun, I actually expected more interference, but there were a lot of hefty bumps. English Oak tables too sturdy to break once though we'd find, as Sting needed two attempts to send Swerve through it. Sting was a lot of fun here, Swerve was great too and his blue robe was pretty awesome. Jericho/Ospreay though, fuck what a match that was; we have to start considering Ospreay as one the best in the world because he keeps on delivering. I never had doubts that Jericho could put on this performance at the big stage, his snap rana caught me by surprise though, and while he is no Freddie (who is?) his Fozzy entrance was fun, surprised Sammy didn't turn either it felt like we were gonna linger on it. The Trios title was good too, good on Julia - who like the other HoB members rocked the white outfit, and the Bray lantern - for taking a bump too. Wembley loves the Acclaimed but we also loved us some Brody 'woof' King, right result in the end too and maybe a HoB face turn or at least a show of respect, it definitely set us up for the big finale.

And what a finale, fans were high on both but it was Adam Cole who played the heel for most of the match, the absolutely grisly brainbuster on the edge of the steps, but the dramatic tension was palpable throughout. It was the right move not to turn either too, and the draw fakeout too was great for fan engagement, we ate it all up, and news that they'll come back next year was met with much approval and confetti - some of which I grabbed for keepsakes. TK even came into the ring to close the night, no boos there.

After the show I hovered around to find Simon Miller's live Ups & Downs show, you can only see me briefly because we were all squished like sardines, the girls chanting for Willow was by my suggestion though, but after the recording Simon was nice enough to see us all and to do photos. It was a late and long travel back because it was a lot of last calls for trains (last calls that lasted 2 minutes), very tight, very warm, then I slept for 5 hours XD Airbeds suck y'know?

So yeah, a long weekend but a great show. Even the best show isn't perfect of course but that doesn't subtract it from being great. All in 2024 will be different however, the first time can carry on being the first time, but the second will depend on the card. But the fans were still great, signs and obstruction aside it's not like they mean it, many of them were very friendly, so it was all a good time.

Match of the Night: For me it's the main event just edging Stadium Stampede and Ospreay/Jericho, the story won out in investment Best Entrance: Jericho with the Fozzy entrance for me, Saraya's was nice with her family and Jack Perry in the limo was decent but Jericho takes the best one easily Best Attire: Toughest one to pick because of how many good ones there were but the one that stuck with me was Swerve's blue robe Best Performance: Ospreay for wrestling, Cole and MJF for storytelling Spot of the Night: Adam Cole's Brainbuster on MJF on the steps, it was a spot where you had to be inch perfect because it was right on the line of the steps, and MJF sold it like he was murdered

[ncisfranchise-source]

If there is one thing NCIS: Origins knows how to get right, it’s an emotional journey filled with tears and fears. No character on the show is safe from development. We just hope the show picks up the pace a little.

One of the main concerns viewers have for the premiere season is that Special Agent Lala Dominguez needs to be developed and utilized correctly.

NCIS: Origins Season 1 has had some ups and downs, but the show has consistently delivered exciting episodes. However, some definitely shine above the rest.

Best Episode — “All’s Not Lost” — Season 01 Episode 04

There are emotional episodes, and then there is this gem sitting smack dab in the middle of the season. Viewers have likely not forgotten much of what happened in this episode, but let me give you a little refresher.

The episode opens with Gibbs getting the news that his family was murdered before the NIS takes on a case about a missing little girl, bringing to the surface everything that Gibbs has been avoiding.

If you read the NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 4 Review, you know we had to give it up to the actress who played the little girl. Hattie Hoskins as Mildred Jones was absolutely incredible.

It was a tearful moment that Gibbs shared with Mary Jo, which led to Gibbs finally accepting Franks’ dinner invitation. Out of every other episode so far, this is the one that saw Gibbs make a change for the better.

Lastly, the one thing that stayed with me and still does is how high Mary Jo’s damn heels were in this episode. That woman can do no wrong looking as fabulous as she always does.

Worst Episode — “Bend, Don’t Break” — Season 1 Episode 3

This was the kind of episode Gibbs should look back on in embarrassment. Did he help solve the case? Absolutely. Did he do it completely unhinged? The man was nuttier than a squirrel up a tree.

Gibbs broke just about every protocol while trying to detain a suspect in an elevator. Sure, his instincts were right about the security guard, Prado, but Gibbs didn’t make any friends with his tactics.

From beginning to end, Gibbs manages to rub just about everyone the wrong way. From Franks to Gibbs Senior, everyone got a piece of the chip on Gibbs’s shoulder.

This episode made it hard to root for Gibbs after everything he went through. Thankfully, Mike managed to get Gibbs back on track.

Best Character — Mike Franks — Season 1 Episode 5

I’d say it’s unanimous that every viewer absolutely loves Kyle Schmid’s portrayal of a young Mike Franks. Schmid better get at least an Emmy nomination for this role.

The actor completely disappears into the character, and all that’s left is one surly Mike Franks.

In “Last Rites,” Mike practically goes to the end of the Earth trying to uncover the remains of a victim after promising the family they could lay their lost loved one to rest.

If you have seen that episode, you know that Christopher Redman (Chicago Fire), as Albert Hope, gave Mike Franks a run for his money.

Seriously, Mike seemed like he was ready to rip out what hair he had left. Hannibal Lecter would have been proud.

The bottom line is that this episode showed why we love Franks so much. He may be rough around the edges, but Mike genuinely cares for people to a level he would never admit.

Even those who aren’t Mike’s biggest fans have come around. Remember how Franks and Strickland bumped heads in “Last Rites” because she wanted Mike’s help to get her profiling program off the ground?

Worst Character — Lala Dominguez — Season 1 Episode 6

Listen, I don’t want this to become a witch hunt, but what is going on with Lala Dominguez? The agent has been in every episode but is by far the least developed.

Considering the first episode, that is a strange choice for the NCIS: Origins writers. If you recall, a present-day Gibbs narrates at the end of the NCIS: Origins Season 1 Premiere by saying, “This is the story of her.”

Like you, I have struggled to understand what makes that statement true. At first, Lala just came across as an intelligent and capable agent who doesn’t take crap from anyone.

The NCIS: Origins Season 1 Episode 6 Spoilers discussed how that episode could finally answer the question of how Lala fits into Gibbs’s story.

It could be me, but I don’t see any chemistry between Gibbs and Lala. The scene where Gibbs tried hard to get Lala to go out for a drink felt so forced.

Gibbs went from the brooding, always-serious agent to acting like a kid asking his crush to hang out. Hopefully, Lala’s inclusion will make sense when the show returns.

You didn’t think we’d have a whole article about NCIS: Origins without specifically talking about Mary Jo, did you? This phenomenal character is the beating heart of the show.

She gets some of the best lines, like when Gibbs asks Mary Jo how to get the enormous printer off his desk, and Mary Jo replies, “With your arms, baby.” I couldn’t stop cackling.

Later in the same episode, she comforted a teary-eyed Gibbs. And who could forget the “come to Jesus” talk she gave Mike in “Last Rites?”

The only words to describe Mary Jo are funny, fabulous, and fearless. Hopefully, we’ll get more of her back story as the show continues.

We should all keep an eye out for when Gibbs starts to put his plan together. You know the one I’m talking about. Possibly the reason he joined NIS in the first place.

If you remember, Gibbs Senior told Leroy he was not cut out for the NIS. There’s only one reason I can think he wanted to join: to find the man who murdered his family.

There were hints early on that the show was headed that way, but things have fallen curiously silent since then. Regardless, longtime fans of the franchise know the event is inevitable.

All I can say is that we don’t know what we don’t know, and CBS‘s NCIS: Origins could have something epically intense planned for the second half of the season.

We’ve got a good team here. Let’s just hope the team can make it to the finish line in one piece. Not everyone makes it to the original NCIS.

[rinndjarin]

Book Review: "The Wrong Mr. Right" by Stephanie Archer

Rarely do I experience such a strong connection with a romance protagonist. I can often detect bits and pieces of myself in the characters, but Hannah Nielsen in Stephanie Archer’s “The Wrong Mr. Right” was like looking in a mirror. She’s a romance novel junkie who wants to make people proud, and more than anything, to find her true love. I have never felt so seen.

Initially, I worried about the “hot man teaches shy woman how to get a boyfriend” trope. It can derail rapidly because of its potential to spotlight misogynistic behaviors and force its female characters to change into something they are not. This story, however, takes a different approach and delivers something truly moving and beautiful. Wyatt does not force Hannah to change. He encourages her to be herself but also to step out of her comfort zone, take chances, and experience embarrassment, supporting her in overcoming her anxieties. He gives her the opportunity to become the “hot girl” she so desperately wants to be. And, in the process, he becomes bewitched by her, body and soul. His commitment averse world view of living in the moment and not for the future is shattered, and it’s delightful watching him squirm.

Hannah’s been living in a rut, running her late mother’s outdated book store. She knows it’s time to modernize, but her father is resistant to change, afraid of forgetting and dishonoring his wife. Wyatt’s encouraging, steady presence helps Hannah find the courage to take a leap of faith and save “Pemberley Books.”

I use the term “book boyfriend” sparingly. It is a title I reserve only for the absolute finest of MMCs. My “book boyfriends” inspire patience and the belief that true love is worth the wait. I recognize myself in Hannah for this reason. We both want the ultimate love story: our “Mr. Darcy,” as she claims. Wyatt is charming, easygoing, supportive, passionate, and protective. The summer romance between him and Hannah feels so genuine, and seeing him fall for her is a cathartic journey that makes me cheer for Hannah and wish I could be her. Everyone deserves the love that Wyatt has for Hannah. He sees her for who she is, not just the shy book seller who has never had a boyfriend, but a compassionate, gentle, funny, and brave soul who only needed a little push to embracing her whole, wonderful self.

[totori-01thoughts]

PREDICAMENT OF THE PRESENT DATING WORLD

As I prepare to mark the completion of the half-journey in my twenties, I can’t help but reflect on the absurdity that has now surrounded the dating world. Growing up, I always promised myself that I would make sure to date the most romantic fella I could get my hands on. The guy had to be hot of course. Other than that, the guy would frequently surprise me with not expensive gifts (I happened to inherit the idea of not being thrilled by grand and expensive gestures from my mother), but simple and most importantly memorable gestures. Heck, I even wanted a guy who would sing about his love for me any chance he got. Maybe my last expectation is all on me and my obsession with High School Musical.

I do not need to emphasize my disappointment over my dating experiences so far with my bar being over the heavens before seriously dating as an adult. I say this with utter embarrassment… my silly dating experiences in both middle school and high school have brought forth more elation compared to my adult dating experiences. In what world would a 13-year-old me fathom that the silly puppy love that I had with a certain Brian would give me more joy than a grown man could when I was an adult? Absolutely heart wrecking…

Anyway, before I’m taken out of context, I am certainly not one of those people who blame their partners for their wrecked relationships. I definitely played a part in the wrecking of some of my previous relationships… issues that I’m currently working on.

If you’re a girl like me, one bad experience affects the rest of your experiences. For example, in my first serious relationship as an adult, there was a lot of sneaking around… this, in turn, resulted in my major trust issues. However, when we met with this ex-lover (obviously much later after the break-up when we did not feel like cutting each other’s throats) I got to learn his issue with me during the relationship was that I was always insecure about him loving me for real and that I had projected that he would eventually cheat on me. Now get me clearly, were my insecurities and projecting tendencies justifiable reasons for him to cheat on me? Absolutely not. However, through this experience, I learned to refrain completely from seeking love and validation from another person for me to feel valuable enough.

In this generation, I must say most of us are broken from traumas from either our childhood or early adulthood. Expecting these same people to have healthy relationships with each other without being intentional in acknowledging personal problems and working on them with the aim of being better for each other, would just result in more trauma. I don’t think this is a saying but, we all know hurt people, hurt people. Now I’m in no way a qualified person for dishing out dating advice… Lord knows. However, this is my two cents.

Let us all take therapy seriously… if you can’t afford therapy sessions from a professional… join me in surrounding yourself with positive people who can help in your journey of self-discovery and inner healing. It’s working for me… that’s all that matters right?

(Don’t get triggered my loves):

Takeaway Quote from me;

Trauma bonding is not real love.