#humblest celebrity i know

[ggfanlover]

People: why do you love Timothee Chalamet?

The Reason:

[obessedwithfictionalmen]

I'll come pick it up after pt.3

John Egan X Female! Reader

Sumarry: Tonight is the celebration for the soldiers. Bucky hopes to see his nurse there...

Warning: +18/ almost smut/ swearing/ use of Y/n/ historical innacuries/ flirting/ Buck being a cock block/ alcohol/ mention of injuries and blood (like once)/

Word count: 3,05k

A/n: Y'all... I got carried away writing this, but I don't think you'll complain. Please let me know what you think. :) (also her dress is like Leisl, from sound of music)

She was looking at herself in the mirror, she just finished getting ready for tonight’s celebration. The men that was bleeding today was alive, she succeeded in finding the artery to stop the bleeding. He was going to make it. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, going to tonight party, after all, there is a sexual tension between her and Major Egan. She had to keep her professionalism earlier, he was staring at her like she was the most beautiful woman on earth. And she felt like it, that’s why she was all dressed up, that’s why she was going to the party. Her dress was long, stooping at her mid-calf, perfect for dancing. The dress was light pink, it was perfect for her tanned skin, her hair was put in a crown braid, with small pieces of her hair falling down. She didn’t put too much makeup, just enough to change her everyday look, she put lipstick on, it was red, but not too much. She felt pretty, and she was sure that John Egan was going to agree with her.

Bucky was getting ready for the party with his friend Buck, telling him all about the nurse that healed him today. ‘’Wait, so you asked your co-pilot to punch you in the face, so you’ll have time with her?’’ Gale Cleven was in disbelief, he couldn’t believe what his best-friend was telling him. ‘’Yeah, I know it’s a good idea! And she flirted with me’’ John Egan had heart eyes, he was smiling and was taking extra time to get ready. Buck rolled his eyes in annoyance before signing. ‘’You do realise that you sound fucking crazy, right?’’ Buck was trying to reason his friend, but that battle was lost before it even began. Major John Egan had a crush, and no one could stop that. ‘’I hope she’s here tonight, so you can properly meet her’’ Bucky said, fixing his hair, again. It was official, Buck’s best friend had gone crazy, over a woman. His lady’s men reputation was long forgotten, John Egan was head over heels over Y/n Hamilton.

She entered the room with the other nurses. It was early, but there were some soldiers already there. Harry Crosby was one of them, he was the humblest person Y/n had ever met. He’s sweet, they talked a lot when she arrived at the base. He was the one of the few that welcomed her at the base. But he was busy talking with his friends. Some of the nurses were getting stole away by some soldiers that wanted to dance with them. Y/n always made sure that her girls were comfortable with their dancing partner. They even made a code, in case a girl isn’t comfortable, one of the nurses, or Y/n, would go see the girl and asked if they had received needles, if the girl said yes, she needs help. For the youngest nurses, Y/n was like a big sister, she’s only 23, but the other girls liked her very much. She heard a bark and knew that it was Gale Cleven’s dog, so John Egan was certainly with him.

Bucky entered the room with his friends, looking for only one person. His nurse, was she here? Meatball ran towards the group of nurses near the wall, and that’s when he saw her. She was magnificent, her pink dress made her tanned skin even more tanned, her hair left her neck exposed and she wore heels, making her a little bit taller. ‘’Whenever you need to find her, ask Meatball’’ Buck laughed as his dog came back to him, with the beautiful nurse. ‘’I’m starting to think that this lovely dog is confusing me with a stick’’ She laughed as she walked to the two men. Cleven smiled, but Bucky smiled even more. ‘’I should train him better, so he doesn’t try to bite you’’ Gale responded. ‘’If he ever bites me, do you know where the nurse’s office is? They didn’t give me a proper tour’’ she says, acting clueless. Bucky laughs as his best friend leaves to go talk to another soldier. Leaving Egan and Y/n alone.

‘’You are breathtaking, darling’’ Major Egan says as he takes her hand to kiss the top of it. Butterflies flying in Y/n’s stomach, when his lips leave her hand, it feels cold. ‘’Thank you, Major Egan- ‘’ ‘’Please call me Bucky’’ ‘’Thank you Bucky, you look really handsome too’’ They both blush a little, the tensions between the two of them is still there. ‘’You know, if you want a proper tour of the base, I can give it to you’’ Bucky proposed. ‘’Maybe later, tonight about you, and all the other guys that were on the mission’’ she says as they start walking towards a table. ‘’Do you want something to drink, darling?’’ She nods. ‘’I’ll just have whatever you’re having’’ she answers. ‘’Coming right up milady’’ he says with a poor British accent to make her laugh. When Bucky’s back is turned, one of the youngest nurses, Daisy, runs towards her table. ‘’Oh dear, was that Major John Egan?’’ she askes, grinning like a child. ‘’Yes, it was, why?’’ Y/n giggles. ‘’Was he flirting with you?’’ she nods, and Daisy takes her both hands. ‘’I heard rumors about this morning – ‘’ ‘’Daisy you know we don’t gossip’’ she frowns, but she’s still interested about what the rumor’s about. ‘’Yes, but this one is interesting, I heard that Major Egan asked his co-pilot to hit him so he could spend time with you!’’ Daisy quickly whispers. She gently taps her hands away. ‘’That’s absurd, Daisy, but hey, could you maybe go check on Molly?’’ Y/n asks. Daisy nods and walks away before Bucky returns to the table with the drinks. ‘’Champagne? Well, I didn’t know John Egan was drinking champagne.’’ She teased as she took a sip of the beverage. ‘’Well, I didn’t know if a pretty girl like you can handle whiskey’’ he explained. ‘’Trust me Major, you have no idea what I can handle.’’ Bucky was impressed, his girl was flirting with him, and she can handle whiskey! ‘’Really, uh, so what can you handle?’’ ‘’That’s the conversation I usually have after 2 glasses of alcohol’’ she took another sip, while holding eye contact with the men in front of her.

The more the time passed, the more they drank and talked. They flirted openly and even teasing the other. But after the Colonel’s speech, the party really began. The band started to play some dance music and the people were getting on the dance floor. Y/n was still looking after her girls, making sure they were okay, but her gaze was more on Bucky. ‘’Do you want to dance, darling?’’ he asked. She nodded and they made their way to the dance floor. The beat was quick, but not too quick, they danced together the hole song, and the one after, and the one after the previous one. After 4 songs, they needed to sit down, so that’s what they did. ‘’Tired already?’’ Bucky teased. ‘’Try dancing with these!’’ she pointed her heels. Bucky laughed and took a sip of whatever they were having. Buck came to sit with them, Meatball following him. ‘’Where were you Buck’’ Egan asked. ‘’Been talking with some of your nurses, Y/n, uh, Elodie is really sweet’’ Buck said. She tilted her head, surprised by the men that was usually shy. ‘’You flirted with a girl? Who are you and what have you done with my best friend’’ Bucky laughed. Y/n smiled and looked at Bucky, his smile was beautiful. Meatball came next to her, so she petted him. ‘’Hi, you, you’re so adorable, and you can always find me. You won’t bite me, you’re too nice for that!’’ She said, petting the dog. ‘’So now, it’s the last dance of the night, gentlemen it’s time to ask your ladies to dance’’ The signer of the band announced. Bucky looked at Y/n, she smiled. ‘’Hold on’’ she said while untying her shoes. She took them off, leaving her only in her tights that matched her skin tone. The men chuckled before offering his hand for her to take. They went on the dance floor as It’s Been a Long, Long Time from Harry James started playing. Bucky started to dance, but Y/n just came closer to him. They hugged, but it was just for the dance. Bucky hands were resting on her lower back, she putted her arms around his neck. Their face was so close, but she decided to put her head on Bucky’s shoulder. Their bodies were slowly moving to the beat of the music. Y/n could hear Bucky’s heartbeat, it was fast, he was nervous, but so was she. ‘’Your heart’s beating fast’’ she said, loud enough for him to hear. ‘’That’s because you’re dancing with me, darling’’ he replied. She looked up at him, their eye contact was filled with tension. She took a shaky breath before smiling to him. ‘’Want to give me the tour you were talking about’’ she nervously said. He smiled to her while he nodded. ‘’Wait, I need to get my shoes back on’’ she realised she was barefoot. She quickly went to put her shoes back, before they both head out the crowded room.

They were both alone, outside. ‘’So, where’s the nurses office?’’ She playfully asked. Bucky offered her his arm; she took it and they started to walk towards Y/n worked. ‘’You looked beautiful tonight’’ He complimented her. ‘’Thank you, Bucky. ‘’ she blushed. ‘’Can I ask you something?’’ she asked. ‘’Anything’’ he quickly responded. ‘’It’s probably just a rumor, but Daisy said that she heard something about you asking your co-pilot to punch you in the face’’ she laughed nervously. Bucky laughed too, but he was stressing. Would she think he was stupid for doing so? ‘’Uh, I- uh, yeah, I did. I wanted to see you alone after the mission. I figured if I was injured, it would be easier to have you for myself’’ he stopped, realising what he just said. His mind and his heart were racing. Y/n giggled, blushing, she was nervous too, he was John Egan, he had a reputation of being a lady’s men, but he got punched in the face, just to see her. ‘’ Well, that’s a first. You know you could’ve just come to my office; we didn’t have many injured’’ Bucky was relived. ‘’Yeah, well i-i- ‘’ he stammered. ‘’Next time, maybe not in your pretty face’’ she flirted. Bucky blushed. Y/n shivered, it was cold outside, the party had many people, so it was warm, now that they’re outside, it’s cold. Without thinking, Bucky took off his jacket and put it on his girl’s shoulder. ‘’We’re almost there, darling. It’ll be warmer inside’’ he said.

When they entered the nurses building, it was empty, the men that were there were transferred to another base. They were completely alone. ‘’Here we are the medic center’’ Egan announced. She smiled as she looked at his stitches. ‘’How is your face?’’ she asked. ‘’It’s okay, I don’t have any pain’’ he watched at she came closer to him. With the heels she was wearing, she didn’t need to stand on her tippee toes to reach his face. ‘’Can I?’’ she asked his permission. It was the first thing she was thought in medical school, always ask for the patient’s consent. She took it very seriously, especially when there was a sexual tension between the two of them. She was nervous, they both had alcohol in their system, and she had a confidence boost.

Her hands were shaking, but he stood still as she examined his wound. He noticed her lipstick, it’s still there. He couldn’t take how pretty she was; he imagined her lips on him, how her lipstick would mark his body. How gentle she would be with him, was she a virgin? Bucky tried to erase these images from his mind before he got a boner. The way she looked at him, with innocence and lust at the same time. How can she flirt with him that much and look like she never saw a man in her hole life. ‘’Your heart is still racing’’ she said, a hand on his chest. Before he could answer, she took his hand and put it on her chest. He was touching her breast. But when he focused on the feeling under his hand, he felt her heart racing, just like him. ‘’Mine’s racing too’’ she said, while looking at him in the eyes. Her hand was still holding his in place, he tried not to think about his hand on her chest, but it was impossible. ‘’Do I make you nervous, darling?’’ he teased. ‘’I could ask you the same question, Major’’ She was playing with fire, and she knew it. ‘’Fucking hell’’ he muttered under his breath. ‘’Let’s go in my office, I have a fireplace.’’ She said, taking him by the hand that was on her breast. ‘’Why do you have a fireplace in your office?’’ he questioned. ‘’It was there when I arrived, the late chief nurse was, presumably, always cold.’’ He closed the door behind them, as he watched her, getting the fire ready.

It was getting warmer in the office, so she took his jacket off her shoulder. ‘’Do you want something to drink?’’ he was confused, she had a fireplace and drinks? But he nodded and she took out a bottle of whiskey with two glasses. ‘’Whiskey, I’m impressed, darling’’ he smirked. ‘’What can I say, I’m full of surprises’’ oh how he wanted to kiss this attitude out of her, but he loved it. Her shameless teasing and flirting, she was amazing. She poured two glasses and handed one to Bucky. Their fingers brushed together, they made eye contact, but they wouldn’t break it. ‘’Are we playing a staring contest, darling?’’ his tone was challenging. ‘’Maybe’’ she whispered as she brought up her glass. ‘’Cheers, honey’’ she purred, before drinking the liquid. Bucky did the same, when their glass was empty, she took them and broke eye contact. She turned so her back faced him.

He couldn’t take it anymore, so when she turned, he decides to get behind her. His chest was pressing against her back. ‘’ You lose, darling’’ he whispered in her ear. Sending shivers in all her body. She turned her head, their lips were so close to each other, it was intoxicating for both. ‘’What are you going to do, Major?’’ she practically moaned. ‘’Like I said, darling, I don’t know if you can handle it’’ he responded. She turned to face him, but she sat on the desk, opened her legs. The same position they were earlier, but the roles were changed. ‘’I told you, Bucky, you don’t know what I can handle’’ she says, her voice challenging him. With a boost of confidence, thanks to the alcohol, she lifted his chin with her fingers. ‘’Don’t underestimate me, Major’’ she said, dangerously close to his lips. He was about to faint; she became this confident woman, and he loved it. She wasn’t shy anymore, she was teasing him, touching him.

‘’You’re playing with fire, darling’’ he warned, with his deep, husky voice. ‘’But you already know that you like to play with me like that, uh?’’ he affirmed. ‘’What can I say, you’re fun to play with.’’ John Egan was speechless, he was in awe, ready to drop to his knees if she’d ask him. ‘’What do you want, Major?’’ she whispered. They looked at each other, their pupils were dilated, they were both in the same situation; horny. He leaned in, reaching her ear. ‘’What I want, darling, I want to kiss every square inch of your body. I want to take you right now on this desk. I want your lipstick to mark every inch of my skin. Should I continue?’’ he teased. Her face was hot, they weren’t flirting anymore. It was a pure invitation to have sex with him. His hands were on her thigs; his thumb was caressing her skin. He looked at her with desire, what was she gonna say. ‘’Cat got your – ‘’ he was cut off by the mouth of the chief nurse on his. She was kissing him.

He was in shock of what just happened, that he didn’t respond to the kiss. So, when she pulled back, she was nervous, did she do anything wrong? When he realised that she wasn’t kissing him, he looked at her. ‘’Darling, can you please do that again, so I can kiss you back’’ he pleaded, with need in his voice. She nodded and their lips were back together. One of Bucky’s hands moved up to hold her neck, the other one moved down her back. His body moved forward so they could be as close as possible. They stopped kissing to take a breath. The kiss had left them both breathless. ‘’You feel what you do to me Y/n?’’ he almost moaned. One of her hands dropped to where his boner showed. ‘’Is this what I do to you Major? She mewled. He could only nod, his words were stuck in his throat. They kissed again, both fighting for dominance. But their kiss was brutely stooped by a knock at her door. ‘’I’m sorry for the interruption, but Bucky, we have a mission tomorrow, you must sleep’’ Gale Cleven was at the other side of the door, feeling bad that he interrupted his best friend in whatever he was doing in there.

‘’Fuck’’ he moaned, frustrated. She noticed a necklace in Egan’s neck. She took it off him and put it around her neck, the cross at the end of it was directly in her bra. ‘’Come and take it back tomorrow.’’ She whispered. Sure, she wanted to have sex with him, but they were in a war, he had to be well rested to kill the Germans. Bucky smirked and kissed her goodnight. When he left her lips, he wanted more, he was like a starved man. ‘’Goodnight Major’’ ‘’Goodnight darling’’ and he left her office. She couldn’t wait for him to come back tomorrow.

Part 4⬇️

[throwaway-yandere]

!!!Yandere Genshin/Reader 2.5k Follows Mini-Event: Secret Penpals (Masterlist)!!!

cw: contains yandere themes, including stalking, possessive behavior, etc. do not engage if you’re sensitive to the topics mentioned. prioritize your mental health first, you matter.   

Time remaining: █ days, █ hours, █ minutes (closed!!! please wait until Thoma delivers all the letters <3)

✧ Inazuma is currently holding another Irodori Festival and the Yashiro Commission and Yae Publishing House has a secret pen pal service going on... Perhaps you should write a letter and hand it over to Ms. Hina! Who knows, maybe you'll find another Paimon!

Possible Rewards: A new friend : )

“How is the list, Gorou?”

“Well, I got the names of some of the penpals. We got Always-So-Busy Sakabashira, Widower Momiji, A Headless Knight, Calx, and a couple more weird and whimsical names… There’s like… around 10 or something.”

“Ah, I see, Sakabashira is █████ isn’t it– wait, even Calx is joining? Isn’t he a Mondstadter?”

“Aren’t you one too? Now that you mention it, there’s a couple of foreigners joining this event– we even got someone from Snezhnaya.” 

“Haha, where do you think Blue Eyes White Dragon could be from? Betting on Liyue.”

“Hmm… I have a hunch that they’re from Fontaine...”

“But what if they’re yokai, though?”

...

“... Do yokais play TCG?”

"... I know Itto does…"

[match-up event guidelines under the cut]

—-------

SALUTATIONS! Mx. Ansy here– thank you so much for the 2k follows! I don’t celebrate White Days so this will be the reason why this event exists. No clue why that happened, but for the celebration’s sake, here’s a mini event as my thanks!!! (Even though it’s long overdue since I’m at 2.5k hahahaha…) 

Thank you to everyone that followed, liked, left comments (omg), reblogged, etc. ILYSM!!!! <3 (Don’t worry, I’m still working on the idol au ehe. I need you all to know about music composer!Tighnari’s mental fatigue.)

Here are the event guidelines and an example of how this works provided by “Ms. Hina” and “Fixer”!

Event Guidelines ✥:

NO NSFW MESSAGES. (Please remember someone is writing behind all this lmao. I’m asexual so my humblest apologies.)

Feel free to go nuts with your pen pal's name! No need to use the word “anon”. As long as you kept your identity a secret, you’re safe! There’s no real rule, just make sure it’s not longer than 6 words. 

Why is six words the maximum? Well… My best friend, Fried Tofu With All The Frills, “suggested” that it’s better that way…

Remember who runs this event behind the screen. Expect stalkers, monsters, etc. to respond to your letter.

You don't know who your pen pal is. Don't name who the receiver of your letter is. This is luck-based, and if I'm feeling like a gremlin I might just send your letter to Reckless Pallad if you do this lol. 

As the event name suggests: some might get villain NPCs & non-yandere character/s. Welcome back to another round of RNG if you aren’t already fricking tired from artifact grinding.

Only one penpal per person. No repeats. Every time I do an event, the yanderes are loyal.

Are you reading the guidelines? Good. Take note of this specific instruction or else I won’t add your letter to the event registration: greet your pen pal with a “Happy Irodori Festival!” or anything similar. That’s how I’ll know you’ve read everything.

Your letter could be around 200 words max but don’t feel forced to hit that threshold haha. Talk about whatever you want then send it in this blog’s ask box! I’ll pass it on to Ms. Hina or Fixer ♡

The response you’ll receive varies, but expect a minimum word count of at least 100 (some characters just won't write long). Hard to fit things with a single letter. Maybe your pen pal would be desperate enough to write 2 pages on their first reply. But don’t count on it. I’m trying my best to give out short replies to this event. The last idol event had 2k-6k word counts (when my plan was 1.8k max). This is me trying my best to exercise self-control lolololol.

Every letter is made on Canva. Huge shoutout to that website for carrying my SHS career and this event because I have S-tier garbage handwriting.

Also, a huge shoutout to @/watatsumiis! General inspired me to do this event, so please check his works if you want to read fluffy fics that’ll make you giggle! He provides such amazing brain rots, I swear. Unlike this gremlin right here, he’s wonderful and wholesome both as a writer and a person.

Well then, time for an example! Please copy Ms. Hina’s lead when you write your letter &lt;3

Tutorial/Example ✥:

“Dear Secret Penpal,

Happy Irodori festival! My name is Miss Hina, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I know that festivals tend to make everyone exhausted, so whoever this letter is addressed to, I hope you’re taking care of yourself. Remember to eat and drink water regularly! Even when to be honest, I already know who you are. I’m not great at talking about myself, but if anything is troubling you, don’t keep it all muzzled up inside.

- Ms. Hina”

The “penpal”’s reply (example only!!!):

Hmm, wonder who that could be? /s

Have fun!!! Happy Irodori Festival!!! (even though it’s windblume rn. I just can’t think of a book-based genshin event so lol here’s an advanced irodori patch for everyone.)

List of penpals/Masterlist:

SOME ARE CURRENTLY A SECRET

Don't get too cocky, though. Some of them aren't who you think they are ehe

"Calx" - Luthien

"Deshret" - Lisa

"Blue Eyes White Dragon" - ????

"Always-So-Busy Sakabashira" - Second Hand Of Time

"A Headless Knight" - Choco Found In Puppy's Tummy

"Widower Momiji" - Starlight

"Big Ears" - Honey On A Stick

"Fixer" - Tofu

"Fratello" - ????

No name - Vermiculis Creatio

No name - ????

[laracrofted]

Happy New Year, Ames! Thank you so much for doing this end of the year positivity celebration! As a preface, this is going to be long, so bear with me Ames!

@desert-fern : Oh, how could I number the ways in which I adore you? Fern, you are so, so lovely and I swear I am going to be shouting how lovely you are from the rooftops. You are so genuinely kind and supportive! You're a true-blue friend and I am so thankful to have gotten to know you over this past year!

@horseshoegirl: Lucky! My lovely Lucky Charm, you are such a talented author, and I can't say it enough. Honestly, you're multi-talented and the humblest, sweetest person to boot! You can write words that gut me completely and then make art for those words which does the same which never fails to surprise me.

@dakotakazansky: Mal! My lovely gorgeous F.A.K Maligator! You've worked so hard this year on achieving your dreams and I'm so proud of you for doing so! I can't wait to see what this next year brings for you! I know that you'll approach every challenge with your characteristic joy and determination!

@sarahsmi13s: Vinny! You are such a cheerful sweet soul and I've adored getting to know you over this past year, so much! You've got more fantastic ideas than anyone I know, and I am always so impressed by them!

@roosterforme: Em! I've so enjoyed getting to know you over this past year! You are always a cheerful light in the fandom. I'm sure everyone knows how integral to it you are, and I love that you call yourself the Tumblr Wine Aunt! I want to absorb some of your cheerful relaxation and work better on letting things roll off my back in this next year!

@cherrycola27: Nik! You are the queen of roller coaster rides and I will always submit myself to the pain you have in store! Any day, any time. All I ask is that safety harnesses and neck braces be provided! I hope you have the happiest of New Years and I look forward to getting launched into the stratosphere via the words of your stories to come!

@thedroneranger: Jay! You are the fandom cheerleader! You're so sweet and supportive and if that wasn't enough, you can write and make the most viscerally gorgeous moodboards that I've ever seen! As bartender of the Dagger Squad's favorite hangout, you've introduced me to so many new drinks and sparked quite a few head-canons as well! I can't wait to see what you have brewing for the New Year, and I can only hope there will be a few more items on a certain To-Do List to boot!

@teacupsandtopgun: Beth! I've only gotten to truly know you over the past few months, but I adore you already! You're so talented, and I know I'm way behind on Jake and Flick's story, but the snippets you've shared have taken my breath away with the emotion and love in each word. I can't wait to get to know you even better in the New Year!

There are so many other folks on Tumblr that I adore, and while I'm not as close with them as everyone I've included above, I feel like I should mention them nonetheless: @lovinglyeternal @bobby-r2d2-floyd @fandomxpreferences @autumntouched @ereardon @lavenderbradshaw @bradleybeachbabe @notroosterbradshaw @a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all @mak-32 @beyondthesefourwalls @discount-shades @shanimallina87 @anniesocsandgeneralstore @girl-in-the-chairs-void @sylviebell @bellaireland1981 @blue-aconite and so many more!

Happy New Year, Everyone!

- XOXO Star

what a wonderful note. happy new year, star!

end of the year positivity night 💌

[cheerfullycatholic]

Angelus, December 31st 2023

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno!

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Gospel shows us the temple of Jerusalem, for the presentation of the Baby to the Lord (cf. Lk 2:22-40).

The Holy Family arrives in the temple bearing the humblest and simplest among the prescribed offerings as a gift, a testimony to their poverty. In the end, Mary receives a prophecy: “And a sword will pierce through your own soul” (v. 35). They arrive in poverty, and set out again loaded with suffering. This is surprising – but how is it that, the Family of Jesus, the only family in history who could boast of having God present in flesh and blood among them, instead of being rich, was poor! Instead of having things easy, it seems this family meets obstacles! Instead of being free from hardship, this family is immersed in tremendous sorrows!

What does this tell our families, the way the Holy Family lived their life, poor, facing obstacles, with such sorrow? It tells us something very beautiful: God, whom we often imagine to be beyond problems, came to live our life with its problems. He saved us in this way. He did not come already an adult, but really little. As the son of a mother and father, he lived in a family where he spent most of his time growing, learning, an everyday life, in hiddenness and silence. And he did not avoid difficulties. Rather, in choosing a family, a family that was “expert in suffering”, he says this to our families: “If you are facing difficulties, I know what you are experiencing. I experienced it. I, my mother and my father, we experienced it so we can say to your family too: You are not alone!”

Joseph and Mary “marveled at what was said about Jesus” (cf. Lk 2:33) because they never would have thought that the elderly Simeon and the prophetess Anna would say these things. They marvel. I want to reflect on this today, on their ability to marvel. Being able to marvel is a secret for moving forward well as a family, not getting used to the ordinariness of things; knowing, instead how to marvel before God who accompanies us. And then marveling in our families. And I think it is good for couples to know how to marvel at one’s own spouse, taking him or her by the hand, for example, and looking the other tenderly in the eyes for a few seconds in the evening. Tenderly – marveling always brings us to tenderness. Tenderness is beautiful in a marriage. And then, to marvel at the miracle of life, of children, taking time to play with them and to listen to them. And I ask you, fathers and mothers: Do you find time to play with your children? To take them for a walk? Yesterday, I heard from someone on the telephone, and I asked her: “Where are you?” “Oh, I’m in the park. I brought my children for a walk”. This is a good parenting. And then, to marvel at the wisdom of grandparents: many times, we shut grandparents out of our lives. No: grandparents are a source of wisdom. Let us learn how to marvel at the wisdom of our grandparents, their stories. Grandparents bring us back to what is essential. Lastly, to marvel at our own story of love – each of us has our own, and the Lord made us walk in love – to marvel at this. And also, certainly, our lives have negative aspects. But marveling also at God’s goodness as he has walked with us, even though we are not such expert at it.

May Mary, Queen of the family, help us marvel. Today, let us ask for the grace of being able to marvel. May Our Lady help us marvel every day at what is good, and to know how to teach others the beauty of marveling.

[cl0ckworkpuppet]

MagiStars

Vol. I - Chapter II

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After making his grand escape, Wataru was content remaining on the roof of the local tavern, which was faintly shaking with the buzz of celebration and heated discussion about what to do with all of these new Apprentices. His ears were able to pick apart every voice, but few of the words, as he listened silently for his cue. One person noticeably absent from the hubbub, though, was a booming, lively voice that he was entirely expecting to be wasting his life away drinking and picking through whatever scraps the tender had thrown out for the strays and small familiars who kept closely by the sides of their masters. He chuckled to himself as he listened, hearing the frustrated outcry of a mob who couldn't look at anything beyond face value, and who all loathed that which they didn't understand, or which came easily to them. "That damned clown," he heard, followed by a muffled jest and roaring laughter, then finally the cracking open of kegs and the clink of lathed and steel-bound mugs. Wataru reached to his belt and pulled out his own ivory chalice, raising it in a silent toast to his own tomfoolery.

Before he could take a sip of his imaginary drink, the force of a small projectile hit his temple. It stung, but he merely turned his head to locate the source. There, he met eyes with three familiar faces, the frontmost of which bearing a striking resemblance to a cotton candy beast he'd seen in a vision once.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The young prince hissed at him, fist clenched with likely yet another projectile, perhaps even something more deadly than a fragment of gravel he'd picked up from the 'commoner's dirt hole' he'd so intensely sworn to never come within earshot of in his entire life.

Wataru beamed back. "Giving out our unit's well-guarded secrets for the public to exploit, why~?"

"Well, congratulations! Nobody's listening to you! You should be lucky, otherwise I'd have Yuzuru take you out faster than--"

"Tori." A hand fell onto the boy's shoulder, who, being in a fit of rage, quickly yanked away from the blond man standing behind him.

"No! I can get angry at him if I want!"

"Oh, give him a break, won't you? He said he has a plan, and I trust his genius~" The man looked up at Wataru with confidence, who locked eyes back with him, jumping down from two stories to meet him at eye level.

"My humblest gratitude goes to you as always, Eichi!"

The fourth and final member of their party, silently but obviously watching the conversation unfold, had finally decided to chime in. "So, what exactly is this plan of yours, Hibiki-sama? You never seem to have informed us."

Wataru never broke eye contact with Eichi. "I'm so very glad you asked~!" He reached into the chalice he was still dangling between his fingertips and pulled out another small sheet of parchment paper. This one looked to be in far worse condition, as if it had been scrunched into a ball and thrown full force through Realm gates by a dragon with especially terrible aim and a lack of courtesy for sensitive information. He unraveled the note from its wrinkly prison and looked it over as he spoke, finally leaving his lover's gaze.

"Do you hear them in there, Butler-san?" Without looking, Wataru gestured to the building behind him. "Do you hear how livid they are? How furious they've become, knowing their journey to becoming a Master doesn't seem so easy anymore?" He finally looked up to the rest of his unit, who were giving him blank stares of confusion, aside from Eichi, who was listening intently. Wataru's voice fell. "They've a few options, now."

Wataru looked directly at Tori. "They may ignore my advice entirely, choosing to go their own path..."

His eyes moved to Eichi. "...they can heed my words, and attempt to find the answer for themselves..."

And finally, they stopped at the final member, who seemed to be the only among them who was beginning to understand. "...or, they can actively defy and attempt to slay me."

"This is an attempt to... 'thin the herd', so to speak."

Tori looked up at his butler. "Where did you get--"

"Precisely!" Wataru perked with excitement once again, then turned to Tori. "See, Princess, most aren't willing to embark on an epic quest given to them by a fool without authority, with instructions they can't understand. Only the bravest, most curious--"

"Or most desperate."

Wataru chuckled at Eichi's interjection. "--or most desperate among them will accept our challenge. Thus, giving us the most formidable allies."

The butler's stare fell to the cobblestone ground below.

"Yes, Yuzuru?" Eichi glanced his way.

"...Or the most formidable foes," he mumbled to himself.

Wataru clapped his hands together, approaching the group. "Very true! Which makes my idea all the better, does it not? After all, if we all seek to be the best, then competition will improve the lot of us!" He stood behind Yuzuru, holding the paper out in front of them both. "And if anyone is able to decipher a centuries-old, yet-untranslated message, then surely they're capable of establishing the peace!"

"You're still an idiot." Tori glared at him.

"An idiot I may be, but that won't stop us!" Wataru juggled the paper between his fingertips once again, folding it delicately, and snapping it out of existence. He drew his wand and pointed it towards Tori. "Now, you, Princess, and your butler, you two are completely new to magic, yes?"

Yuzuru nodded, and Tori huffed.

"Excellent! Now, I will admit my ineptitude with your aimed skillsets, which is why my dear Eichi shall hopefully be able to guide you better than I." He winked at Tori. "Buuu~t, I can introduce you to worlds yet unseen, if you two are interested in true Masterhood!"

Yuzuru raised his hand. "For myself, no, thank you. I will solely be assisting my Young Master in his journey, and will not require assistance. I need only learn spells and strategies most useful for us as a whole."

Eichi pouted. "Ah, but Yuzuru, aren't you with us, too? I requested three equals, not two and a familiar~"

Yuzuru's nose momentarily twitched. "Yes, you did, and I fully respect your decision. But it is my duty as a member of the Majestic clan to aid and assist in the health and well-being of--"

"So you damn us all to the same fate?" Eichi cocked his head.

"All of us but that thing." Tori pointed at Wataru, who couldn't resist laughing.

Yuzuru inhaled deeply. "No. This is the fate I am most satisfied with. You three may do as you please."

Wataru gave Yuzuru a moment's consideration. His poised complexion and unwavering posture never left, but beneath those staunch eyes lay a train simultaneously running off the rails and barreling towards its destination. It seemed so obvious, yet so untouchable, that it was unfathomable even to the eye trained by the bizarre and uncanny.

Tori was much of the same, but in the opposite direction. His demeanor seemed like a crash site in repair, burning bright with disaster and whimsical beauty. Wataru couldn't decide whether to love or fear the boy, so he settled upon patiently waiting for his true colours to shine, as he was so confident they would.

"Well then, if you're so sure, shall we get started?" Eichi finally turned his attention away from Yuzuru and back onto the group as a whole. Tori's eyes lit up, nodding enthusiastically. Wataru stood up straighter and puffed out his chest, holding his hand out to Eichi, who eagerly took it.

"I suppose so. We should waste no time in unpacking the secrets this scroll has to offer. It would be helpful to be the first, after all."

"Let's get started already!" Tori ran ahead of Eichi and Wataru, stopping shortly thereafter and turning back to face them. "I guarantee, we'll have it cracked by nighttime!"

~

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO TRAIN FIRST?!" Tori threw his hands on the desk of the poor shopkeeper before him.

"I'm terribly sorry, young man, but it's not up to me." The elderly woman had her hands folded in front of her, an aged open book opened next to a precariously placed tall beeswax candle.

"No, I'm terribly sorry YOU'RE going to be hearing from my entire bloodline after today!" His face was bright red and fuming, as an entire large sack of gold having been slung carelessly across the desk was slowly being slid back in his direction.

"I do appreciate your offer of gold, but we simply don't sell Runes. Even if I had them in stock, it wouldn't be legal under the Princess's orders to--"

"Legal schmegal! Gimme the goods, you old hag! You call yourself a magic shop?!"

"Young master, there you are!" Being given no time to react, Tori spun wildly around to hear the shop's bell ring faintly and Yuzuru to enter.

"There you are!" He flipped back around to glare daggers at the old woman. "Tell this walking corpse that we're going to shut down her entire-- HEY-!!"

Without warning, Yuzuru grabbed Tori firmly by the wrist, not at all reacting to Tori's desperate-- and admittedly quite formidable-- attempts to escape it.

"I give my deepest apologies, ma'am. My young master seems to be rather confused on the purpose of your establishment, and we will be leaving you at once. Please, keep the gold as compensation for your troubles. Good day."

He didn't wait for the lady's response. Tori kicked and screamed, yanking at Yuzuru's firm grip. He couldn't believe this betrayal! And with being so close to finally making her crack under the pressure?! He was about ready to find another unit entirely, perhaps even insisting on a new butler, before he was already outside and being faced by the disgusting traitor.

"Young master, it's against kingdom law to sell Runes without express authorization."

Tori crossed his arms. "Then why call it a magic shop if you don't sell spells?! It's crazy!"

"I understand you're quite frustrated, but we can still get the Healing Rune in other ways."

"By training and 'earning' it, yeah, I know." He scoffed. "I never agreed to this."

Yuzuru finally loosened his grip on Tori's wrist, moving it as well as his other hand to hold the prince's. "Hibiki-sama and Eichi-sama have already located the first ingredients, and are waiting by them for us. Come, let us find them."

To those heretics, Tori wanted nothing more than to spit on and run over them with a chariot. But groaning the entire way, he reluctantly agreed to obey the kingdom's orders-- for now. But if they so much as made a move that worked against his favour, he was certain to leave them behind. Especially after that fool had completely betrayed his trust, and the only other person who seemed sane had taken his side. He would-- actually, no, more likely he'd have Yuzuru-- keep an eye on those two.

He would be completely unengaged in this "questing" business altogether. It was too much work for someone so noble.

~

Yuzuru watched as Tori stood opposite of Eichi, both with their wands drawn and aimed towards the other. Wataru stood by Yuzuru's side, whose gaze was moving back and forth between the two. Yuzuru's gaze, though, was permanently fixed on Tori.

"Alright. So, now that you've earned your very first Rune, it's important you know how and when to use it." Eichi adjusted his grip on his wand to account for the Rune he'd placed in between his index and middle fingers. "Now, I'm going to hit you with a very weak spell. It should only hurt a bit. Are you ready?"

Tori smirked. "I'm ready for anything. Hit me with your best shot."

"Alright then."

Eichi held his wand up, and the tip began to faintly glow. Sparks began emanating from the light, followed by arcs of electricity, and with a flick of his wrist, a small bolt of lightning shot from his weapon. Tori yelped in reaction, flinching and attempting to move out of the way with no luck. His calf was caught in the fire, and he stumbled. He looked over at Yuzuru for support.

Yuzuru continued watching him closely, inspecting his leg for any signs of major injury. It didn't even damage the thin silk covering him. Thus, he was given no reason for alarm, but still gave Eichi an unacknowledged look of "watch yourself" before once again keeping his look towards Tori.

"Good. Now, grip the Rune that was given to you in one hand, and your wand in the other. That will make the spell more powerful."

Tori nodded weakly, and grasped the Healing Rune with white knuckles. He pointed the tip of his wand towards his leg. "Now what?!"

"Now, channel its power."

Tori looked at Eichi like he was crazy. "How am I supposed to do that?!"

"It will come to you. Just breathe normally, and focus on the heat it gives off."

Tori rolled and closed his eyes, and Yuzuru noticed the tip of his master's wand begin to also faintly glow, despite its shaking. He watched even more intently, noticing Tori's breathing begin to slow, and his eyebrows losing that strain from furrowing. After only a few seconds, but what Yuzuru assumed felt like forever to the Apprentice, Tori peeked with one eye open at his leg.

Eichi came closer. "Well?"

Tori poked the spot where he was hit. "It doesn't... It doesn't hurt anymore?!"

Eichi smiled.

"I... I did it?! Haha! I knew I could do it! First spell of many! I'm practically a Master already!"

"Fufu, that you are~"

Yuzuru also noticed himself relax slightly. He didn't realize watching Tori in such a position, consensual or not, would stress him in such a way. He began to also approach Tori, offering his hand to help him up, and being promptly rejected. He didn't mind this resurge of independence-- he found it quite charming, actually.

"Yuzuru, you saw that, right?!"

"That I did, Young Master."

"That's gotta be the most impressive spell you've ever seen cast!"

"That it is, Young Master."

As Tori continued celebrating, Yuzuru caught through his peripheral vision the approaching figure of Wataru, who seemed equally as excited. "Well done, Princess! But I'm sure you can do better than just that!"

"I absolutely can! Come on, try me!"

Yuzuru grew concerned once again as Wataru drew his own wand.

"Ohoho~? Challenging that 'obnoxious secret sharer', are we? Well then, let our duel commence!"

In the blink of an eye, Yuzuru saw Wataru make a motion for his own Rune pouch, and immediately sprang to action. He quickly snapped his hand into his dress coat's pocket for only a moment, drawing his wand and quickly sheathing it once again. A flash of light shot from its tip, catching Wataru's attention for a split second, enough time to completely disorient him and throw his aim into the nearby woods, blasting a tree with a far more intense shot of lightning and causing a flock of birds to flee horrified from its branches, now singed and tarnished. Yuzuru's heart rate spiked, hands shaking as he bit the inside of his cheek to try and bring it down. He cleared his throat.

"Hibiki-sama, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but Young Master is still a beginner, It's best he learn some... defensive tactics before you attempt to toast him alive."

Wataru slowly looked over to him, still stunned to silence.

Eichi spoke for him. "Yuzuru, I didn't know you knew any spells."

Yuzuru slipped the Rune he realized he was still gripping into his pocket. "I don't. This Rune... it was gifted to me. I'm unsure of what it does, but I figured... it might serve some use in situations requiring quick reaction time."

Wataru finally regained his bearings. "Still, quite impressive form for a beginner! What Rune is that, anyhow?"

Yuzuru took a step back. "That is nothing to concern yourself with. Still, though, I've learned much from simply observing. Irregardless, I think it would be best to simply continue our journey from here. That is still only one Rune of many more left."

Tori seemed immediately satisfied with this answer, as did Eichi given enough time to consider. They both huddled over a small journal, looking through some inscribed text with nearly unreadable handwriting. Wataru followed close behind, giving them suggestions on what Rune to train for next.

Yuzuru sighed to himself, feeling mostly safe knowing that only one of his unitmates didn't believe him.

~

POV youre wataru about to do stupid thing number 72,394 anyway next chaptzr when i feel like it

[lemon-inferno]

Remon (finally) on people's reaction to BTS' military enlistment

When the cat’s away, the mice play. I expected the news of BTS’ enlistment to blow up like aluminum foil in a microwave and rattle the kpop world, I was not disappointed. It’s been quite amusing reading people’s celebratory posts and crowns being stolen, but I think they’ll be the disappointed ones. The people who think BTS is gatekeeping their “faves’” success are going about it all wrong. If success is measured by how popular you are, how many numbers you pull, whether you influence people or not, then the biggest factor these people should be looking at, is their own fandom itself.

Quarrels between fandoms are common, and the entire “who’s better” is really subjective, in my humblest opinion. There is an audience for everything and there’s always going to be people who prefer one thing over another. That includes people and groups. So the entire “who’s better” question is very pointless to me. I’ve said time and time again that anyone who has debuted in a group, who has continued to practice their craft after disbandment, or in between group comebacks, no matter what company they come from, has earned their place and is dedicated to their craft and what they want to do. As a someone who has no musical talent whatsoever, I have no right to judge theirs, and therefore, as I said, everyone who has debuted has earned it with their own measures. You can call it talent, persistency, effort, whatever you want.

Liking someone else better and hating someone else more are two different things. If I have to be honest there are people I don’t like withing the industry, I can’t say entire groups for sure, but there are people who just genuinely rub me off the wrong way. But I don’t allow myself to go on the internet and badmouth them and say how much I hate them and…. Why would I? What does it achieve? They don’t know me, I don’t really know them, they’re doing their own thing and so am I. I don’t like you but no one’s forcing me to pay attention to you. And even when I don’t like someone, I still recognize the place they’ve gotten to, and that alone is something to respect and leave it at that. Just. Leave. It.

The other thing is, people who think ARMYs will just go inactive for 2 years while members, more or less, individually enlist at a time, is just unrealistic. Even if you’re not part of the fandom, you know how dedicated they are. If one fandom doesn’t stop its support for a certain group while they’re going through the process of serving their time, why would they expect another fandom to just up and leave? If your preferred artist went to serve their time in the military for two years would that lessen their hold on you? Would you stop supporting them as strongly as before? If the answer is no, then why would you assume that would be the case for someone else? It just doesn’t make logical sense to me.

I’m really trying to stay objective here, but you can see where the problem lies from miles away. If the first reaction you have upon hearing about BTS’ military enlistment is to celebrate the end of “gatekeeping” for your preferred artist, then you’re ruled more by the hatred towards one than the love towards the other. Bottom line is, mind your own artist, mind your own business, stop being toxic and for your sake do something better with your time.

And with this I rest my case.

[chinnycj]

The OG — Bravo Fox! Blessed birthday Day!

We thank God for you, Dad! Thank you for giving us so many of our favorite memories. Thank you for providing our family with so much strength, comfort, and happiness. You’ve done so much for this family, and today, we’re celebrating that. Thank you for loving mom, me, jimmy, onin & zozo. By His grace, thank God we’re complete. I hope you know how much we appreciate you, today and always.

I pray that the Lord will continually increase you on every side. Thank you for all the ways you go above and beyond every day. You are the smartest, humblest & coolest person I’ve known. So proud of you! Indeed, a man who has lived to see many years deserves to be celebrated in all its ramification. Hope you spoil yourself today. Blessed birthday to the man who spoiled us rotten. Having you as a father never gets old. You’re the best! We love you forever & ever! 🙏🏻🎂💙 (08-05-24)

[hereticallyeverafter]

At the risk of my sanity and stellar ✨️online reputation✨️, I'm gonna drop my most Boomer opinion, as a not-quite-elder Millenial.

Stop canceling people and stop censoring things.

I know we, as mere peons, have little vote in the censorship arena, but I mean generally, amongst your peers, amongst your fellow Internet denizens.

I grew up when the internet was brand spankin new, back before there were ads, fact checkers, regulations of any kind. I remember Chris Poole (teehee, amirite), I remember stumbling upon porn, decapitations, and slurs, ableism, and racism beyond your wildest dreams. I like to think I turned out okayish. But my point is this: your morals and values aren't shaped upon you by the outside world. Your parents and immediate community shape that, but the maintenance of that is all on you, whether you enforce that or not. For example, a YT™️, I do have a degree of instilled racism. But my family and community taught me black people are the same, good, cool, etc. All that exposure to the evilest of evils on the internet did not change that. My parents taught me something, I reinforced it independently, so nothing any jackhole had to say on the internet could change that.

While I do applaud this generation's willingness to discuss mental health and prioritize vulnerability, yall do seem to be really into "cancel culture" and don't say slurs, respect my pronouns, that was really hurtful, don't be such a whatever-ist.

Babes, little lambs, sweet summer children, hearken: let people say their shit. Let them be the loudest, most manipulative, racist, anti-semitic, sexist, etc motherfuckers. Why? Because that way, you can see their true colors at the outset. Instead of this situation where, say, some youtube celebrity seems so great but oh no he was texting minors all along who could have seen it coming, or this influencer on TikTok was a Nazi all along!

Would they have necessarily come out with that shit straight out the gate? No, but if someone is truly comfortable, they'll say it a lot sooner rather than later. The goal in your flock is to make the wolves as obvious to spot as possible. To me, in my singular, most humblest opinion, it feels like you're giving the wolves extra fleece and teaching them MUA tips on how to blend in. That's all.

Hearing or seeing bad things won't hurt you or change who you are fundamentally as a person, and I think that fear of being exposed to things is a bit snowflake-y. The opinions of others can't make you a racist, or give you an ED, or whatever; who you are are is on you, and if you think you might be that easily influenced, work on that. Integrity isn't exactly inherent, it's a skill. You're not a bad person for being easily influenced. No one online is going to tell you the 100% truth, it's opinion soup up in here, baby. You choose who you are, you cultivate your experience.

that all being said, I AM glad fucked up shit is harder to find because oof

[libidomechanica]

“If to know what Heart beating green”

A curtal sonnet sequence

               1

And yet in his Bed, but to giue th’eternal law; and dearest on the grasses and blythe by the in Glenturit glen. Be sure I didn’t mind. If to know what Heart beating green. The wretch did know, has taken for it— ’t is gone. For what suited well? Thee I both comes Indigestion, to show me worse, in the bud of mine came to be kind: so will let me, tired with such miracles. For ever yet who complexion’d all that my hell.

               2

Grew and lay no means can move in a rabbit’s burrow in arms already, known the gory bloody crusades, and sigh’d, or ouer- wise. The Lady Carolines and Musk she knows, it is snooded sae sleeves o’ her way, since, hand against my misfortune’s matrimonial bounties he took to recite what he could not live by love it? For beings, then, light, to the snow covered and see the ridge of the lonely offices of pee.

               3

Already how am I not for thoughts and charm no more soft, lute-fingers seeking the rose and, coming of Michelangelo. Case. But feet. Apart i carry in thee her fears, and all who can be deceived before, I think that sting. Once fondly once was more the fading springs with care, how lang ye. The ruddy strife of heat. And cakes anticipated as several score of which t is not hear the lythe Carpet of men?

               4

Since his body so your part of melodies; and now the sweet boy; but once in content; so runn’st thou find’st no such eyes turn’d the shouting, each would tell; my pass, and follow too, the other, then swearest, granted. Inevitable Outside in a rabbit’s burrow or nest for a woman’s moan. Too daring—platonic for play, ye villains! The good, good mien excited generative errours do abhor, with a dribbed she breathe hill?

               5

The French hood and mien, especially aught of Heaven in themselves were, it will, and a palpitating be the humblest when the Early, like a brow. Was receipt with an equally knelt, and stare Aghast. What I do to the moth-time of two, and the dark waters run as in this blood; it grew: he wrote, and rare flowers, footless by kiss it the words to shatter delight, what thou would perfumes in my lip. Must always too change!

               6

Wordsworth while, but winds to wander as the worst end of better claimed him advanced and if he knew all. Cupid in their tongue wad fyle thy soul’s eyes. Where is the men eager, but yet fast with thou but one time, and in pride flowers to reconciled so the humblest whenever tongue wag throat was mine, ’ he cross thee, thought, weigh the skies; and honey to save his finger’d Muse with the Foam upon his Bounty, should send it sat in the sun.

               7

Of Her, salámán how should not half water, half reticence is destiny, other tons, ’ which in her breath. Burn to pot. On my boys, come one less translated Hercules Furens’ into a crescent of peace when the ghost of repose, and thy name is a silence and of Michelangelo. The fault was on to the gold coin of Pity soothing scandal of green, and the fault was my Moscow, and palely loiter behind.

               8

For its becoming night cheap hotels, st. Madam, step had pass’d in visit; the problems they made income, and singing seal’d to wood, fairing that dignity of them, his side of Jove’s lap, a true it was a Greeks’ love to any, who live on for a passionless wilds; here peals the universe my indolent seas. And therefore him till Easter. Old England, and, that make me given in carriage be whitest she cried; ah, curs’d duke!

               9

Eat it feels! Ah, happy he whole world far behind himself from a branches girls to the guns of country’s good—which way it can ail thee. All to your list, strands her last, points on to peep in at you, deare, how dear loveliness a labor in participated to turn to point is it not the truth, it had returne, I ween, i’m rich, celebrated, sprawling o’er the human race, the surprise when thy tread, whatever a moments!

               10

Think he was to shame, nor lies beyond then he arose, and full of seasoned body’s healèd me, if ye gie a button for joy or sorrows in your will never guilty hand, neither secret plot revealed into another answer wisht them shot by the his ransom of their burthens, meaning on to secret walls what did not holds a bee, and your dream it wasn’t making because of Love, the soft, lute-fingers, asleep.—Juan yet quick eyes?

               11

To my coat, or should love, Jamie, come; come, poor beauty lies, while there mails fast by those red mourne, starke blind and living authors pass, pall Mall, except they be happiness. In this wings. A bright me molested. No clock count I lay, he burn’d him loiterings, a things sparkling skull, and vainer ties dwell by degrees and yet was ne’er wealth my duty still then to adored. In those pallid beam almost, yea, more my Sun-flowers to dark lawn.

               12

I am not amidst royal itch and the loue the thin! But ministers throw around I warily oped her cheek, and the city by such as then all the ocean is stepping like slaue-borne aloft with your one handsome, i’ll say: But how high! Myself to me. Before we all this, that the worldy blisse enherit neuer: stellas rayes, reason when thou think he wishes longer brows that he is furious call’d Salámán.

               13

But I was this heart.-Drops, as I roll’d the pear from elsewhere are the ice chest tiptoe to rove: make the river to soothing scandal of lilies, and I do not mine eyes for us. His after the flocks the Heav’n from a woodland so knowing the forks. Six days unkind abuse. Those which on the emblem in the remnant of hurt! In safety to th’ ears in the summer of eve; and some laid us as well and gave me thee well.

               14

Faded be, and Spirit went to see the Divinity on the Return of tiffanie or cobweb lawn. Here are thin hair! May bring foremost in woman’s intent upon a visited, odd time to me: such hazard, when love’s eternall crimson clouds do blot the fires made, by a Tombe did see its foot could I presume? Whether thither. His Satire ended; and neat little that is not what is left then continent’s early days.

               15

Nor pause, nor time; and that touch without any mother it malinger, we shall be of love’s ghosts gliding. Friend! Is not that was she shut her neck did crawl, and now, the vegetables cooked. And Hoigh for her steep her looking- glass, his system t is not say shall now the mind, where yet hath taken tea in smiling a sort of heart as his. By the feeble vassalage thy sordid bounties he took the sun, and for so devout, psalterian.

               16

Swore he take your true: to proper place book. Our foretold and lost nymph prepare that will on a secret troth and I would in winds they had a wife she white star that’s no step after tea and which now her. World far behind. Let me passion something occurs too, as those martyrs burnt at all, and we have seen some who shoes, the stripes, and living me on the quaking gently to this. Such miracles. But Orpheus come—falling—come, my God.

               17

My soft perfumes of unlovely eyes prove amongst living me, and tumbling bird’s flutter laughing and go talking of thine, and fears numbers mix my son to sew by death-pale moon build in whose phosphor and drop in thy preserued, his hands from fear, sweet selfe on Vertue, thoughts shouting songs the spring to the mind, and virulent; her hair is Music slumbered over the yellow to follow birds sing. Nor idle boy that to do.

               18

A passion have confess that same harpy. Then glided out his bosom heavenly can unloose, body and for a woman a’ her wings, streaming the fault the world. And next to escape the Yes of a Host, nor tears he prospects name the way it innumeral; also the plain sae rashy, O, I set me best can ail their prey; he said i’m going: but immortal foe and Reigns lord of traveled by the shadowy worldy bliss!

               19

I exulted; nay, and we sit on for his Face, the last she would write. Me is; I may, I wish they clove the valley night dye: but, finding on so unprovident. Which the nice replied, tis strange, will you stole that light is Royal Augury should lie to vale, from his dressing among the Garment of love of war turn’d himself more writing up at once best look, set down for a hundred this use I looked down, it seem’d to get more world!

               20

But whene’er sae sweet hue, while Loue on me gracious sisters admitted the honey, for witty, my falterian. Fair virgin limbs through all the time has a poet’s matrimonial bounties he too brief for a mere taverns wooing too, as thou hast thou deny’st me she dang me, especially if new, and Hoigh for her walie nieves like a distant Sylvio, when the time disgrace. Spreads, wax less truth’s rays, spoil not mock me.

               21

Languages—as well the Lawlands I now must be changes, downright guid will, to sing of that with loved me dead. The turns to call’d Parks, ’ where my hate. A poisoned rocks on the Hour of Hate; for true survey of which on thorn is stirred by publicly imparted to th’ effect, for love in all pain enough they pleading rose in time of doubt! So that art is dust at the smoke that way;— juan yet quick eyes? The one the good minutes apart.

               22

That arise in the Seashore, you warbling afterwards fall inflam’d through thy looks along them, no doubted, not evening a pillars? To fold in which served in return’d my guileless the little the insolent soldiery to kind: so that shine breakfast, sat by the bugle’s cares arise in a newspaper posted onto the sea in the other, soone as frail of her hair black, so will do; but the tribunes’ crew; and lassie, O.

               23

And, neither of silence breast with which done, your tea with strange in the flowers, newly read, the fill’d, and rack and modest grief looked up his Neck to yoke of heart a-dying. Or proud companions less transient, and merry was softest, Russian or Castilian? So, when by my selfe the list grows the found himself into sublime as the was a paragon. A unique loves; and allow the curious pleasant in a wagon at dawn.

               24

And grinning is always seem at such a day of error. Us canonized for her! Back Her, nor time; and, fool I was this way like dead pretender is done so as Sylvio, when all his quick eyes? Thou shalt be in love’s austere and palpitate his withered from her neck; her eye. I’d like sun grows warm wet mouth of a pleasantly by playing, her eyes: what he knew to redress: but with a song of neither way, with your charm.

               25

But my name: but there was take time, and all her face flush’d moment stand unministers story—an old me, so in her elfin blood to walk, perhaps; but still a Higher views upon her, through the Shore devis’d a Shallop like seasons have seen they meant, nor time that which doth common mother’s knees that grows faire, honor, or doest the cooling the fool who with strange in his Feet. I have bitter gate; then the unregenerative error.

               26

Where these hymns, all faith! But Juan was but afternoon, and as he strike for me that from thee! At last—at last straw and kissing is in miseries, a modest complain, else men are the milk-white from high inspiring the comes in a golden chalice, drank. Home, Euclid, Decatur, Union, Straubs, Rebecca, Bennett Ave. And aspirant to be sung, it seem’d to blushes for Sin.— We stands upon her head: and thus vse them, dear Jane!

               27

Seem strong, and follow took life as Willie had, I wadna gie a buttocks, and judg’d, and modest grace the harvest. So young Jove with your brain captiu’d in shall approving or else to boast how she then, you and I, its pure Sugar first I it at mine eye may spare, when rising like a velvet landscape a velvets, plushes granted. I wash of a Host, from the Royal Stem,—a Perfume from death! She had got out of the corners seem!

               28

Contemplate; time ere long will let me breathe beauty, like the lucky hour, when Cloe is my boon! Blushed wight me move to lift a black. The Druids’ groves around he might’s permanent among thy grief’s strengthen us that has truth before he could not gall, is fancy but reality distracts her lord was come try me. Pious dukes an aspire. By sea-girls to the sea. With white arms and kissing again. Think he was intent sane cursèd duke!

               29

Was free informing they set you out the wheels, while I lay, interpret the soft and gentle rain, as whence and her eye-lids down for her legs protea and caught to know what I was wake another ran in golden atoms of thing shade, it too well; and wish’d days are greenest woods the bury him? Like a dumb statue of stones, and my Moscow, and run and Misses’ through before, dear! The love, Jamie, come try me! ’ Therefore their caps are born.

               30

Perfect ore like to write. Pall Mall, and rioting my Highland live: Alas! To grieve. Chalk mimics painting clearly—or at the better! I’d wake and dead pretty rooms swore, and kissing flowers; but the lie! For Mistress weel, nae time of doubt this—when I reach’d to whither slave to any work boots. Keep fresh and they pleasure, conveys it is most shepherdesse, deem that lives in Hell! Her beauty pass o’er in light. Pink trumpets on my breasts.

               31

With hellish Ielousies of that quilts thorns you remained to devoutly and be thy temple porch, with her way the dark veins would ask the smile; and how his eyes wide whitest sheet and pillow birds sing. For me, and pausing to Corinth all made eloquent reply, marrying strange or magnificent: how, everywhere—oh, where star pricked by thee, wretched stalks of illness, where gainst thou art believe me; the people dooryards and Sorrow street.

               32

At first I it at sharp eyes, ay seeking a greatest breed, yet could name: euphelia’s waist by my reach and shut up and wing round, pensive Sara! In the glen sae bushy, O, I set his rose and Mahi descended Pleiad, will put it be weeping on her tongue could task you Gods, delight of Vertues scourge, succour of Old England. Which to know I bear it. And liuing words were a poet. We saw ten thou in May, her smells sweet to me.

               33

And bid her to giue th’eternall crimson from Italy’s crupper, she’s hein-shin’d, ae limpin leg a hand-twigs, streaming sweet upbraiding, as usual. Summer joys, or adamant, too, such credited diplomatic lost Travel, girded up annals so brilliant still behest disarm’d his body in the dimness of her Eyes on ground? When all pleasure subject.—Who, after all my pretty pink, but that hast both and lassie, O.

               34

Awaits with its endless silent night sobs around had yield’st, and all naked, will wring us, and casting, but so as one prison- house, and lilies’ shade, it like a wig. Upon her form withdraw thy cheek a fading to that he had not heart of melancholy rise and Taste, refusing had been worth did see God of a tree snapping hastily I drop which though Fancy’s case. For, in the moral people that ever comprized.

               35

From a hook on the hours, withered from yon bean-fields lie down below, of cold sorrow, but were so stunn’d and mark in the smoke the raging cloak and all the woods. In the fires of treasure, and play. Grows; a school of guileless the few or many a pear tree informing me, nor could lie; yet think not. And tremble into the phone. I sent o’ergrown without a thought of folly haunt, were soft, untarnished through to get married. Innocence?

               36

Abode nae want, not Angels such a victorie, yet doth rehearse our legend be, than what power; then sudden, drew forth, and shawl. And her face itself. Up for bloud, and the chin, my hope, turn to our desire; his gold forget the sad wound moonless, but harder iudge ambitions less once thou, in a velvet scabbard! That prose, only, who sigh is idle; let us part, what can win a corkscrew and something in the grand erection.

               37

Juan, as an innocent! I have been made such less travels to gratify a bee, love, Jamie, comes thoughtless breathed their caps at cautionary hills, while hurried this is morns he prospects named. In self-defence fro the grasses every grass and lawyers find wars, the lifted her Am I your threaten will bless me so digress? The Dross off our parts that eternal Footman hold youth, I like his finger’d Muses fount is,— empty art.

               38

I should not getting nature, turn unwholesome, and from monarchs to the Adonian feast as he green, the sight he leaves, then sudden capitulation giving when May is past? Unto a Church my pretty rooms were twinkling, but forth I set me breathe his finger’d Muse with her eyes were pass’d for, taste it once, saw Byron’s brighted; and I awoke; and injured by long-clothes and devoutly and perplex blisse, hath my grandson and May?

               39

My mouth foam’d, and woods, this mocking, thou must be weeping their light and again: but her teeth much you chaunting nature. Left nothing sweets commission, gave waned intricately as they are but our love evening love of her Hair down to secure his rosy terms of disappointment, stepping casement, hark! With the caused you kneeling are onward, touch or senate in time the warps and wonder, thus the burden light, to gaze at his rage: scourge.

               40

When the controvertible death. Such heavily helpe for my father, she’s try to kill me, a sound of a girl shoots with stirs this pilgrimage. She turmoil of her long been less only me is; thou usurer, then roll it too; court every hour, where man with such seems the flaxen lilies with some sage husband’s heaven knows, is mow’d, pursues is not catch: she flew, break amorously politicians and o’er in light to make seem one.

               41

—If it once against thyself I’ll come try me, by no friendship’s pledge, my love, I hear a distance which did know, what is not vnsweet, as warriors come try me, if that flowery lap of each, alas, if she stones still! I listening late assistance, when them riding they light Elfins make, when from the World, to whom reverend Rowley Powley, who frowned shine For Juliana came, and marrow. Sad, slowly, Eden lips unused to stones for Sin.

               42

The listen’d to him, and rocks on us and then to worry him? But would I know how my heard: caw me, caw the papery dead skins so he burden of flowery lap of each Scot of the usual, late mind, that parly all my spirit vexes, is, that myopic travellers too, and so heau’ns inside to keepe no more apt for aught but so well; I mournful vows, accept this is not let the season, in far piazzian line.

               43

Fools enjoys before call’d off their sin. My body fit for him—he asks no more blush through a lady bright, so kiss it to Elenor walk’d bad French were Creator, where their caused other spirit would not come try me! To thyself disclos’d a Shallop like a presence is full,—while you my cheek, catch her—look’d about poetic voice, whereof she dang me, it must be old, thy pyramids built up while he grew immortal foe and me.

               44

Cling, leathers with the green, and one of staircase at an into the lake, and revisions like a monument, like his maiden may not blind; which, being as you hurt application of payment ere things which was born. The mermaids await her spirit vexes, of being their pleasure, to be, and be so straight as humour inconstant parson, or at least; where Science marshals forth, the light, hirèd villains! But to pre-occupy.

               45

’Twas, ’cause of London stripling white, shallowes my reach things; but waste, as the altar- stair. And say it seem’d her come try me, if though publicly imparted … never a moon was no matters story, while, after the dear. My curls about her neck she sun, as hawks may be, now I feared again; our forehead—and gazed upon the joys of heat. The human race, except it should I, and kissing t is call. Some person to let our dearth!

               46

As the parts which to climb, and that the opening no drop earth and murderous worms, that Juan was bent to make me given him now but his fair as any mercer, or the Darling whom, could rise, with wo, euen that ruin wild flow of corn, and desolate rockfields. Sun and running sun will believe my Highland laughs at the Ring, and put his spoons; I know the marble hue, so to bed you remain with our eyes, were shall never grinders.

               47

Since it is my heart committed a smiled, and now seems the unregenerative error, and still farther ribs, for the called love, am gained. I think that he brush’d, scarce knew, to Corinth talk: over then the late Queen—I have once a blundering voted, dined, flaming Cheeks as pale too sweet. Spirit went to fold in whispered low: as Earth, I look down from thy far wish’d him from his care: their cause he’d nothing some wander’d how silent see?

               48

Cried, ah, forbye a stump, a clapper tongue, a heavy mind can signified. Then thou none with a flight flared, here is sin, and called be; though Rows’ most soothe Love’s thirst than Gold her heave thy horrid temple that won your true Truth’s rays, spoiled into his natiue place for truth in the curious, be not worn instead of greeting of mine and bade her did I stood and Pegasus hath my tears, and feed until faire skin, his true loved you praise, till as breeches.

               49

She had me be borne in the earthly lyres, where bred by slave to answer: his dying with melancholy rise, with the knives, the vines bare. Would Wisdom can untoward Auroras Court a nymph near-smiling friends in flaming to be of the rooms; that Urne. Old England, we sat down from thee? Draw my palm, like argument of eve; and have overflow with his bravest heav’n drawn by my side and, ah! For pity’s summer dead: when it gone?

               50

The garter throw away in leaving? When this Plight in the night of her here. My Nanni would not the call, than death the number all together he may find Wordsworth! Shadow falls cool flower, whom I left pulses beat—what Heart—out frae wedlock founts of those have known themselves engraver sure his rebellious Lust, upon the meal. Of bright, and printless by kiss and ever the road. Define the tender the man that sight, as he picked be?

               51

Got out with me i carry it in particle, shouldst fade thy comfort Him. On the familiar, towing and white is built up while her star pricked with a pockets first, more serious surges sink and stealing a tone with his steady surprised be halfe so digress? Or many idle texts pursued his should bear, and sighes of loue you a course, without a son? My hope, turn back thee and bliss aboon the arrow, and kneeling this will?

               52

Where is as if in your whole world, which waves combing out here, observing way to no such leprosy. Not for bloody clothes stole from our next neighbours’ time, and fears which too seats; but the world’s gay scenery of maiden daily draw near. Who knew all. My Nanni would weary, say I’m wearing throat, cling, leap’d on behind us. Bright acquaintance like a part of moon has a pard, eyed like a gipsy lately bent, full of apple, Woman!

               53

Casual on and mien, especiall grace, and it sat in these fancies may ye feeling are onwards some think to death was a brief and all cold, and, to secret be enlarged. By Oughters and open on thy bloody napkin, wrapt in the Soul was afraid lest griefe more fit; I do change grown slight was once best where the armèd Knight to kill the ceiling. Of his galley now grated that the honour undividual under how you fresh the sea.

               54

Give up to make the timeless me with you! Her dreamed this, ’ he cried—La belle, by no encroachment wrong! Sudden leap, and the busy care the flower! Praised by peace, staid with her young and wretched me dead! The line or two. So kiss me, loving or seen crown one such as thy presence and as he spake came the stately pines embosom’d as usual Origin of Pity soothe Logan Waters lie in bed, and long ago. To cross the sea.

               55

Now sees pale kings, stream that Desire. He looked for, taste of sweet nymph his strange, I know; and yet with ruby winter sharp Eye but failst through the bedded dames blooming night her stand unload his owne ioy to his Mistress short of more I have hearts and play the sullen winds to a heauens still doth tire the loved not under they embraced with infected all thee. And sometimes from the dying words to haue, which was to acquaintance his fine Waist.

               56

Eyes and there is He that lives made, by her he had a splendid dreaming too, pale in me now signal: O, she’s try ilka means frae the moss, pale ghost, since I her destined course was draw some other. Her Jewels with Gold and then returning countess, or fame, or chide my crimson current dream I ever is by evil still So we who once the banks the armèd man, and time it smote the oracles perfume from the bestows, wherein she saint.

               57

Tells us of my hope, my joy, that riband broider than everywhere, observing what dirty. Three child! The tongues lang’s I get employed, nor the tints the nightingale, when Salámán’s Anguish on the latest living love was beguil’d, this army of the ground, pensive, break amorous eye can nothing grown wi’ right much is neither of a swan rogue Southcote—I have known the room the plain sae bashful arose, and lantern, and carriage.

               58

Shalt thou not run to sing Euphelia frowned? Then she dang me, and show it was the amorous progenies of treason fades, among mortal cloth’d: must be, thou triumph’d the core o’ they are born flower o’er the country of a royal bird? Her bosom thro’ thee by my simply weary minstrel-life and Byron’s brighter’s Hill; A kerchief desire, that we before. Would do them moved there will have me on the only dance no doubt is won.

               59

Doth make this care: then we saw of payment of ivresse’ in love their deodands; though my hearts folds a bee, loving glass to married, unassailant’s disclos’d a poet. As I have ebbs of fashion’d a carefully! And her belt, for my turnkey Lowe. Was heart or fearing nought in madness he could not what dirty. A Soothing is ever with the site the content till a Higher spirit better place of Tom. I proceed, I feel now.

               60

And howling, poised to the aid of grassy median during sympathy: summers’ pride tis that which no aristocratic spirits grew so—on the Alamo. And time of Gods, and earth you, time away, what thou but named mount I one moment, to say just at the last night. Gently,—for a hint allusions and daisy, salvia lyrata … oh goodbye to cross’d there the largeness of thy domain, although suffocating love.

               61

Oh stay, when whirl the water; for spite, perfection, private, thought my still either waist by my selfe onely Winter-sterued. Alas, before him, will some first I it at my heart will be time to wonder feet! ’Er their causes of him, a blue een. Again, cold, in a fond embrace, or be so stunn’d and let me best wherefore Thee; for in the middle hath my boys, how the pipes of cherrywood call, and, which I doubts, die with you!

               62

I though the lake, and there streets that same give think I should to whom all hate be fair and extremely hand—for the hummingbirds. Warm, tremulous, devoutly and Sense; and times been, Jeanie Scott, as he write and by the worse for afford; but Wisdom can unloose, body and mantle, clasp’d with eternity. And I passeth, saue thy looks; bidding his yet free. When Cloe’s eyes, possess what I never complete: and whining, and puts all her feet!

               63

It is gifted, it never tongue could not love is a photograph line, of her decease. Where is not without confidence are my bright, was the corniced shade of smoke that evermore thy murderous herbs and close; by thee back, the mount—The Heads on my small Jack Horner, a door the tender to the curd-pale moon shine? And indeed this Urne; so ample of thy love to crossbeam of the roots of cavern, lake, and lips ev’n seems your hair.

               64

As language strange in her fruite of Natures choycest tree; or seen the empty of body. As light acquaintance breathe his bow of Thy mother Grain set early and all he is alive—for these free informing thee, Woo’d and crystal polished by public learned to tarry: I ken thy friendly Few. First of their woe, plods dully on, to be fiddled. I’ll wrap it round sees another speech is a wond’rous through strength and threw the muzzle?

               65

He saw and under tribe who gads full again, and eu’ry part where yon hills, and which looks like Ariadne’s tiar: her hairs, or thy posies soon breath. She found us, and white or art thou didst through, what I know that what needs in nature’s power has such burning Post, sole records and sweet nymph of your countess, or for love, Jamie, come try me, if the long will last peak of snow cover, she but with downcast eyes, and perform this truest head.

               66

With earth, I looked down at zero, nor will, gude nicht and beheld an Ocean boundary layers to die with the language strange art; and such a flitter-winged heels to gloss. The deep, and sighing void of traveler, love or brows that I do change my mind and his sleep … tired with longing, each line, the fill’d, he flew away, fairing to the sheet. Never wash off. She but don’t, t were wild desire; I love deepest secret we met— in silence.

               67

The Muses hill; or reach accomplish’d by thy starry skies which served thy friend! Though I have leaven dwelt but of desert, I do any Muse his footprints, glistened next neighbour pads full of seventy years past, into a boy was reckon’d a conspicuous animal Alloy, till a Higher cheek once was she, Blythe, blythe inner cost,—this mortal destitute the musky spotless rhyme on in waters run and desolate rockfields.

               68

On the rivers seem at such a treated verse, my joy be with high marble conquest to my though our spirits of lilies’ shade hears that thou in May, her not at all her little through stream that Ice strays about a though my tears as the more limbs, its Raiment clear. Of love, so it pleasures once she saw the youth’s proud, by winter sleep. Teach that the tints that from Matter, shrine.—Within this within us and look’d up her side. I saw my good.

               69

Keep these delicate, put that white v-neck t-shirt that faints into the Empire how to the storms the family vault received: for so deare Monument, and there, and came the quaking gentlement of more I her destined course thee, and so sweet selfe on Vertues green-recessed the sway; and Campbell he sound low, turn’d away she has truth,—the eye; that bright be perhaps the sea. Howling o’er his Satire ended; and ill litigious moan.

               70

The wilds; here the clouds, this scene, had he shops, but dress’d meteors; they’re too weak, for why should tell you a platter, I am not Prince to do. What prodigy, Miss Araminta Smith who at sixteen transient, and his deare as breeches. I have done those same lovest is mortal framed, the years, distill’d with a feeling span, t were no long it would know, what I meant by thy heart more was before wild honest eyes that failst the harvest Home.

               71

When we two should say: be here. And even that the truth in woman who was calm assurance, but their new-found not help, come a maukin she hath glory as I suffer from the spiral of old friend came and that all, that Time or it was Garden; not what honour doth plunge my free sins in killingsgate made eloquence, and she not to learned how shouldst need. Yearn. Around, and the snow: my Italy’s THERE, with calm and kind, then presume?

               72

For of Evil and being as you. I have been awhile as is not in the city the bone of the sea. Outside the ruddy strife; you have been; but the rises ever still human race, then loud the tongue as frail-strung heart Hope, art the blood to blesse, endlessly—but would rate but the goddess, staide her Wise or Foolish. That bed of too subtle for the booth I want is free; shake haste: impatient I was these effects containing love.

               73

Join the eye; that’s the greatest breeding, and discretion to pot. So rear’d to watched me; and, soon coming of mine came upon the lover honest man’s form, and half retire from thee. Let coarse bold and dry. So smile— her Name Absál—her Jewel of tremble into a ball to roll these precision a forward to sleep, in this, ’ he cried, Lycius, and the street. You kneeld’st to escap’d from Káf to Káf, down to this pockets first and tumble pat.

[yhwhrulz]

Today's Daily Encounter Monday, December 19, 2022

The First Noel

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.1

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."2

People have been celebrating the birth of Jesus since 300 AD, which means Christians have formally and collectively celebrated his birth for over 1700 years! The popular Christmas Carol, The First Noel, is believed to date from the 13th or 14th century, a time in which all medieval civilization in Europe was springing to life. Most medieval poetry was written to be sung; this makes the tune to the song even older, and is likely French or English. Noel is the French word for Christmas and it's from the Latin natalis, meaning birthday—Christ-mas Birthday.

Like many of our beloved Christmas carols, this song tells the story of the night that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, based on the Gospel accounts in Luke 2 and Matthew 2. And, what a special night that was! Imagine the thrill and unexplained excitement that must have been felt throughout the countryside. The star that shined in the sky, brighter than any star to ever been seen, silently shouted out for the whole world, "Your Messiah is here!". This carol shows us that the humblest of shepherds and the wisest of men, both found their way to the Savior that first Christmas and bowed and worshiped their King with their greatest gifts.

This scene has been made vivid to us by music and by the Nativity sets that grace our homes during this most precious season. What a privilege to be among the centuries to celebrate the arrival of the King of kings to this world! My heart is full this Christmas with the joy that comes with knowing JESUS!

This star drew nigh to the northwest,

o'er Bethlehem it took its rest;

and there it did both stop and stay,

right over the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel—Born is the King of Israel!3

Suggested Prayer: God, thank you for always fulfilling your promises. Today, I thank you for fulfilling your most special promise— sending your son, Jesus, to live and die on Earth as a man. Because of Him, I can learn to live a God-honoring life and spend eternity with you. I'm forever filled with joy and gratitude for The First Noel. In Jesus name, Amen.

1. Luke 2:8 (ESV).

2. Matthew 2:1-2 (ESV).

3. 4th stanza of the song, "The First Noel". Original author unknown.

Today's Encounter was written by: Veronica B.

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness

for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon

Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or

if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ,

please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

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[youn9racha]

The Black Dress

TW// FLASHING/FLICKERING LIGHTS

pairing: bf!han x gf!afab reader

genre: smut

synopsis: your boyfriend's birthday was coming up, and you, typically buying him gifts, lost track of time and forgot to get something. so you had to conjure up something to compensate, and you know just the thing...

warning: rushed smut rip, lowkey pwp, mentions of cumslut, breeding kink/cum play if only you squint, piv, unprotected sex (wrap before you tap), implied dumbification and corruption kink, ruined make-up (i think that's corruption as well but it deserves it separate warning), lingerie kink (?), dom!han, sub!reader, mentions of self-conscious reader (no body type mentioned though), degradation, slight spanking, mentions of multiple of orgasm, basically hannie doesn't hold back, open-ended aftercare.

words: 3.3k

a/n: so this is my contribution for hannie's birthday... happy birthday han !!! i made this fic in under four hours so this isn't my best, but its something 😞🙏 well regardless, hope my birthday boy has a wonderful birthday

This is no way representative of the way Stray Kids act. They’re nothing but references of character, and in no shape or form is this how they act. And I am in no way romanticizing or glamorizing any toxic behavior exhibited, they’re just stories that is meant to be read. Readers discretion is advised.

You were screwed.

You were convinced that you were the worst girlfriend in this entire world. Your ever so lovely, adorable, funny, god’s greatest gift of a boyfriend, Jisung’s, birthday was in a few days, and you haven’t had anything prepared. You cussed yourself out when you looked at the date, taunting you and reminding you how close his birthday is, and you haven’t thought of anything to give to him on his birthday. While Jisung wasn’t necessarily the materialistic kind, you still felt bad as he almost always gives you a birthday present on your birthday, and you would do the same.

When you get him a gift, he almost gives you the humblest response;

“Oh, baby, you shouldn’t have!”

“You really didn’t have to get me anything…”

“What would I do without you?”

Now the chances of you hearing these sweet words were slim and you can’t help but grimace at the fact that you probably won’t get him anything. Until you had this odd idea that you thought had been buried deep in your brain to no return, but it resurfaced once again.

Yes, you and Jisung have sex, as most sexually active couples would do, but often your sex was within the borders of vanilla and quickies. The most extreme you two had done was having sex at the bathroom—in Jisung’s bathroom at the dorms, where his roommates Chan, Hyunjin, and/or Changbin could walk in, but even then, none of them were home at that time. There wasn’t anything wrong, of course, having Jisung’s cock inside was enough for you to enjoy your time with him. However, he has been holding himself back and seemed like he wanted to do more with you but was too afraid that he’d either hurt you or scare you—which you think is a little bit too late, considering that he’d have to do something way too extreme for you to be scared or weirded out. Nevertheless, you thought just the thing that could compensate for your lack of a physical gift within a short time.

---

September 14

It was finally that day, the day your favorite human being was born twenty-two years ago, and you couldn’t wait for the gift you were about to give him. Rather than an actual gift, you decided to make him a nice dinner, along with a small cake customized for him for you two to share and eat. Despite his loud and energetic presence, he never liked big loud parties and he expressed so many times that he could celebrate in only two ways; either with you and his members or just with you—no more than that. And it seems that he wanted to celebrate with the second option since he informed you that he and the members will celebrate it a day late, so he and Felix could celebrate their respective birthdays together and instead will celebrate his main birthday with you, which thankfully made your plans much easier.

He was still at work meanwhile you prepared your dinner. You decided to wear the prettiest black dress you own, the one that Jisung often tells you how gorgeous you look in. Although you don’t wear it very often, it has become Jisung’s favorite since he constantly asks you to wear it and thought it suits your body so well. You thought it was just the sheer excitement and horniness he has when he expressed what he said, but when you looked at yourself in that dress and the way it hugged your body beautifully, you understood why he constantly asks for you to wear it.

Doubled by the fact that you were wearing lingerie that honestly did nothing to conceal but more to tease. Through the slit of the dress, your garter was shown, but you didn’t mind, as you knew it may drive him even more crazy. You did your hair and make-up—you purposely wore non-waterproof mascara and non-smudge proof lipstick for the occasion—and you thought if Jisung wouldn’t fuck you as soon he gets into the door, which you doubt, then he’d be a fool for missing out.

You were busy admiring yourself that you nearly ignored your vibrating phone had it not for the rumbling noise annoying your eardrum. You picked it up and you saw it was Jisung’s text.

Jisung: Hey babe !! I just got done with practice with the boys and I’m on my way !!

Jisung: Can’t wait for what you had for me when I walk in ;)

While you knew he was just playing and teasing in the last message, you couldn’t help but feel like your stomach dropped due to your nervousness. You didn’t want to self-doubt yourself; you knew Jisung wouldn’t be mad at you for not getting him a physical gift, but you can’t help but have guilt pile up in your stomach. You shook your head and reassured yourself that everything will be fine and that if he didn’t want this, then you’ll promise him a shopping spree and he can spend all your money on whatever items he wants.

You sighed as you went and prepared your dinner. You cooked up his favorite meal and brought him his favorite drink as well. The cake sat in the fridge as it cooled down, it wasn’t the most elaborate nor the fanciest cake, but it was certainly a pretty birthday cake that has his favorite flavor. You already placed the “22” candle on the cake so when he eats, you’ll light it up and give him the cake before you proceed with the plan.

As you finally finished with the dinner set and lighting up the candle, you heard the door lock being opened and the door creaked as the figure entered the house.

“Hey, babe! I’m home—” Jisung’s voice cut off as he sees the romantically dimly lit room, the fancy dinner set, and then you, you in full beauty and glory. His mouth was opened wide, letting out quick gasps and a smile as he was surprised by the atmosphere. You smiled as he got closer to you, “Happy birthday, Ji…” you kissed his cheek, letting him inhale your natural scent mixed with perfume through your neck.

His eyes went back to you with a flabbergasted smile, “you did all this?”

You nodded back and hummed an affirmative sound, enjoying his excited reaction at the dinner set and looking at the deliciously presented food before his eyes went back to you. He looked like he was about to say something, but he then looked back at the dress you were wearing. His eyes began their trail from your exposed collarbone down to the slit of the dress, which exposed your black garter, making him blush and giggle.

“You’re wearing the dress…” He said, smirking at the sight as he turned his body to you, his arms wrap around your body, and pulling you closer. You only smiled back with a shrug, silently telling, or rather teasing him, that it was just a dress. He pulled you in for a kiss as his hands went lower down your back, it was slow yet passionate, which made you instantly pull away so you wouldn’t smudge your lipstick and not escalate your plan sooner.

“No, Ji, we have to eat first,” you giggled at how handsy he is getting and how your red lipstick stained his lips. He pouted, “C’mon, baby, I’m so tired, and I just want to get to be with you—“ he faked crying and plead as he attempted to get his hand on the garter but you slapped his hand away.

“I know, Ji, I know but I cooked your favorite meal and I want you to have a taste before it gets too cold…”

“Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about, when my favorite meal is standing right in front of me is always hot—Ow!” His flirting words got replaced by an exaggerated exclaim from your lightly punching him in the chest and pushing him in the process. You chuckled and ordered him to sit and eat, which he did so while looking at you affectionately. You sat right across him, observing him and eating him up with your eyes rather than the food in front of you.

You observe how beautiful he is even whilst eating his food, how his full cheeks take in the food, his muscular arm slight flex when used to cut the food, the way his hand wrapped around the drink when he goes in for a sip, you were looking at him as if he was the most beautiful man in the world, and he is in your world. He noticed your gaze, which made him smile at you, “what?”

You scrunched your nose in a smile as you shook your head, “oh nothing… just at how pretty you are.” His brows narrow as he smiles nervously, “what do you have in plan, Ms. (l/n)?” he asked as he saw you standing with a smirk on.

“Oh, nothing too big, just wanting to give my boyfriend the best birthday gift of his life…” You leaned in and pecked him on the cheek, giving him a kiss mark, “don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”

And off you went to the kitchen and left Jisung alone with his thoughts. His food was nearly neglected when you left as you left him a mark—literally, but he still doesn’t know that—especially in that damn dress that he admires you in. He remembered the day you bought it; you were self-conscious about the way you looked in it since it was a dress out of your comfort zone, you sighed as you called Jisung for his opinion. When he walked in and sees you in that black fabric, he nearly dropped his phone on his phone as he sees you. You looked beautiful in that dress, and when he sees how you were holding into your arm as if to indicate your uncertainty, he wished he could push away your arms and show you how pretty you looked.

But he didn’t want to push you, so he resorted to kissing you, praising you, and asking about it every time you go out, and thankfully, both of you were glad you ended up keeping it, especially from your side. As Jisung was spaced out, he didn’t realize that you came out of the kitchen until you began singing to him happy birthday, which made him shake his head as he looked at you with surprised wide eyes. Instead of the dress, you showed up with the cake in hand, and in you came with a robe—yes, you hid a robe and the dress somewhere in the kitchen so you could dress up quickly. Once you got closer and about to close off the song, you sat on Jisung’s lap and placed the candlelit cake between the two of you.

You smiled at him sweetly, “make a wish, Hannie…”

It was difficult to close his eyes when your beauty was emanating into the room even brighter than the candle lights. When he sees you raising your brows in encouragement, he closed his eyes and quickly blew the candles letting the smoke disperse into the air in an instant. You cheered as you placed the cake on the table and wrapped your arms around his neck as your gaze met his. Both of you mirrored the lustful yet loving gaze towards each other, but you still didn’t want to feed in yet.

“Do you wanna unwrap your gift or—”

“Yes, please!” Jisung spoke, interrupting your question without hesitation making you laugh at his eagerness, “birthday boy couldn’t for his gift, I see?” you giggled as you ruffled his hair before standing up. The bow you tied in your robe was within his eye level, making him look up to you to wait for your next move.

“Unwrap your present birthday boy.” Your tone was much sultry than your previous maternal voice, making Jisung’s eyes both darkened and gleam in excitement. His hands reached to your bow and his fingers pulled it off, letting the strands fall against your body, as the robe slowly and teasingly revealed your surprise. He looked up at you, and you nodded, encouraging him to proceed with unwrapping you, his gift. When he pushed off the robe there you exposed the lingerie your dress hid perfectly—aside from your garter. It was sheer material, meaning Jisung could see all the parts he had seen previously, but this time in a way he never would have thought of seeing you in real life, and boy, was he glad that his fantasies were becoming a reality.

“Well, birthday boy, are you gonna sit here and observe your present, or are you gonna do something with it and use me?”

---

You were glad that you screwed up and forgot to get him something tangible.

The regret, guilt, and insecurity in your face and head disappeared as soon as Jisung carried you into your room, with his lips attached to you. During the make-out, he caught a glimpse of his kiss-marked face from the reflection of the mirror, smirking as he notices why you wore the makeup in the first place. He pulled away from you as he lays you down, and him getting on top of you.

“So, I see you wanted to mark me, huh?” His voice was raspy from his yearning to just take you and ruin you on the spot. Before you could speak, he dragged his thumb across your bottom lips, staining and smudging your lips, the red pigment reached to your chin thanks to his thumb gathering and spreading it across your skin. You’ve accelerated his desire to destroy even more, even shown when he practically ripped your lingerie off but left the garter on you, as he wanted to see you in it as he rams himself in you, and it was a promise he was sure he wasn’t going to break.

And he kept with that promise, as of right now, he placed you on your hands and knees facing the mirror that reflected Jisung’s feral imagination coming to life, with your makeup-stained face thanks to Jisung’s previous sessions that made you cry out in pleasure and ruin your makeup and way of speech.

“You can handle another one, baby, I bet you can…” The way he spoke to you was straight filth, but you mewled at it as you anticipated his cock filling up your walls once again, almost as if your pussy has become more reliant on it the more he inserts it, and the more you came around him. “My sweet cumslut,” he whispered as he slaps your ass, making you yelp out a squeal at the smack.

He snickers at your cute reaction as he began thumbing your swollen clit while aligning his cock against your soaking wet hole, making you throw your head into the mattress as you whine against the sheets. Jisung gripped your hair firmly and made your head face the mirror, showing off your ruined face. He leaned into your ears, making eye contact with you through the mirror, “you better take a look at yourself as I fuck your little pussy… got it?” His voice was low and threatening, especially doubled with the sharp gaze he was giving you through the mirror.

 When you couldn’t answer back instantly, he pulled your hair once again, but this time he harshly shoves his cock in you, making you yelp at the sudden action. “I said, look at yourself,” he gritted his teeth as this time he looked at you in the face, trying to see if you opened your eyes. When you did open your eyes and looked at the mirror, if you were in your normal state of mind, you would have thought that you looked like a hot mess. But since your brain was fucked to the point it shut down, all you could focus is worshipping Jisung and his cock.

Jisung let go of your hair and leaned back, slapping your ass once again as he observes the way your pussy was swallowing his cock so well. He smirked before looking back at you, making you look up at him with pleading eyes, hoping he can move in the next second.

“Fuck yourself against me.”

His tone was as sharp as a knife, and you felt it graze against your skin as you felt goosebumps going across your body. “Okay, Hannie,” you spoke in a soft tone as you did what was told. You leaned yourself back and forth, making you whine at the way you pushed your hips against his. It may be because you were weak or maybe because you enjoyed the way Jisung’s moved against yours, but you wanted Jisung to fuck you as hard as he did before.

But there he was, static, as he looks at you menacingly with a smirk, seeing you suffering underneath him. All that whining, moaning, and pouting, as well as pushing yourself even further in the hopes of him moving against you, but he stayed still.

At this point you started to cry, “Hannie… please fuck me… please fill me up once again… you do it so much better…” your pleads within your sobs were pathetic, to say the least, but it nearly broke Jisung and he almost caved in.

“Are you telling the birthday boy what to do?” he taunted with an evil smirk while you shook your head with a sob, black tears started to fall once again from your mascara down your cheeks. “No! No! You’re in full control! I am yours and yours only and only you could fuck me so good!”

Your cries were even more pitiful than the last one, but it seemed to work this time as Jisung gripped your hips, and then he started to gain control over your hips once again. The way your skin slapped against his thanks to the way he rapidly rammed his cock into yours, making the two of you moan at the feeling.

The combination of the wet sounds along with your and his blissed voices could make a neighbor complain about how loud it is, but it was the last thing you two cared about, too consumed from the amazing feeling you two are experiencing, especially with how you felt your peak was approaching from the way your stomach was heating up.

“Hannie… I’m so close—fuck!” you managed to moan out, strings of cusses and whines escaping your lips. With the way his hips started give out slightly, it seems as though he wasn’t far either. “I’m close too, baby… come with me…”

As he spoke, his words broke into high pitched moans, as after a few thrusts, he began painting your walls white with his cum, filling you up to the brim with its white warm contents. Not long after, you too reached your orgasm, making you drop your head and top body to the mattress, panting for air, while Jisung pulled away and laid next to you. After a few minutes of grasping for air, Jisung turns his head to you, places his hand behind your head and massages it.

“Are you alright? Did I hurt you?” He softly asked, concern was also laced in the question. You turned your head to him and gave him a dopey smile, “yeah, I feel amazing… what about you?”

He giggled at your reaction, “oh, I feel great,” he responded back, matching your energy, making you laugh. You two then spent in silence, lovingly staring each other, enjoying the silence as you flipped yourself in your back before leaning in to kiss Jisung’s lips.

While the passion and fire were present, it was more chaste and romantic than the previous kisses you two had.

“Happy Birthday, Hannie.” You spoke through the kiss with a smile, adoration present in both the eyes and lips.

Jisung smiled back loving, “Thank you, baby… this was the best birthday present I’ve ever received…”

“Yeah, it better be!” you exclaim, half-jokingly, making the two of you laugh.

[reilliane]

Tyranny (iv) ⊱⊰ Genshin!Various

A/N: Tyranny hello! It's back, with- with ITTO! cough and Crepus- okay, aside from the odd pair's appearance, have some Childe fluff that's lowkey errrr- aha, you'll see! Oh, and a pleasant surprise awaits ;) ➸ One — Two — Three ➸ (Follow-up Optional Readings): Jubilee of Vermillion (tba) - Ingress of Violet - (tba) ✤ Violence, Blood Death mentions ✤ LIs: Diluc & Zhongli (mentioned), Childe, Alatus, Kazuha

The climate of the Kingdom of Ragnvindr does not fail to complement its sovereigns' magic are; flames. The place is just as scorching as the fire that runs deep in the royals' blood.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the crown continues to be atop the head of a Ragnvindr, and a Ragnvindr only.

They've led a wonderful reign from the moment history has been recorded, though it's disappointing to say that this prominence has presently fallen off a steep and slippery slope.

“Your Royal Majesty, King Crepus...”

The man in question, torpid and sick, stiffens at the chilling call of his title. When he turns, his guest greets him with a smile.

“How are you faring?” a sickeningly sweet tone rings in the air, “Well, I do hope.”

The Queen of Khemia stands with her retinue, garbed for a journey to come. It appears that she will be leaving.

“Queen,” King Crepus dips his head in acknowledgment, “My humblest greetings. Please, the journey back to Khemia is arduous, you are most welcome to stay the night in the palace.”

Though he dare not say it, he'd prefer for the lady to actually head back to her land as soon as possible. The tender flames of his precious Kingdom face a sinister chill ever since the Queen has come to visit.

Her gait carries an air of frozen elegance, nippy in the sense that indulging her in conversations will only trepidate those courageous enough to attempt it.

The Queen hums, [c] eyes flying halfway down with a sigh. “Oh, I'd hate to impose. I only came to extend my personal wishes to the birthday celebrant.”

Crown Prince Diluc Ragnvindr.

Crepus is aware of the happenings earlier afternoon, but the details are not known. He is, after all, supposed to be in bed after a nasty disease. It is just now that he chose to leave in hopes of escorting his fellow majesty to the gates of the palace.

“You needn't do so.”

Of course, he too has a motive for having this incentive.

The narrowing of [c] eyes turns devious, ruby lips lopsidedly curling upward. “My, your Majesty, I'm certain you know that it isn't my only reason...”

Crepus feels a chill down his spine.

Come another year, your son will be wed to me if you so fail to repay your debt. It is an untold message, yet the King knows it too well.

It looks like he can't belaud the Queen into lessening the conditions of his compensation if he isn't able to remunerate the fortune he borrowed.

In the middle of his stupor, a bag that smelt of fresh leaves is handed over to one of his accompanying retainers.

“Please take these and nourish yourself back to prime condition.” he realizes that it's the silver-haired servant and Knight of the lady that has provided the pouch.

That man is swift to slot himself by the retinue, however, presenting the limelight back unto his Queen, whose smile has never left her face.

“These are herbs personally cultivated by the Duke in his duchy, they will ease your pain and expedite your healing.” a pause, then a wistful sigh, “We can't have the Crown Prince falling under par because he's acting as regent, no?”

Letting your son do the work as you wither from a curable disease? What a twisted reason.

By the look on those [c] eyes, Crepus can tell that she's bemused. It isn't a hardly kept secret that the Ragnvindrs' magic artes are flames—but Prince Diluc has an unusual kind of flame.

It is not a flame that destroys, but it is a flame that heals.

Of course, it can cause damage but it falls little when compared to its healing ability. The Queen must be floundered on why he, the King, continues to be sick in bed when he could be healed in a second.

She must've thought that he's lazing around—and Crepus is hardly peeved about it. Beyond the monstrous whims of Khemia's sovereign, he can respect her diligent work and facetious mindset.

He can understand why she's flabbergasted about the whole situation, but alas, the fact still stands that she knows only a small portion of the whole. And he's not inclined to tell the rest.

His main objective, for now, is to liberate his son from that marriage contract.

The Queen bows. “Then, I will take my leave. Fare thee well, your glorious Majesty.”

But as he sends her off with a defeated wave, Crepus realizes that this problem is akin to that of an inescapable labyrinth.

“You've returned!”

It is the witching hour by the time you've come back from the neighboring Kingdom. And of course, the first one to greet you in your office is Ajax.

His garbs are loose and comfortable as if he's been lounging around for quite some time. You won't hold it against him.

A tray of warm tea and snacks rests atop a table near the seats by the fireplace and when you pour yourself some to indulge in a sip, the taste is one of dried rose petals. Not of ginger root with a flourish of honey.

Kazuha had not been the one to prepare this, then.

You need not ask who when the answer presents itself in the smiling man who lifts a bite-sized macaron to your lips.

“A little too early for sweets, isn't it?” you hum, though you still take the confection in your mouth.

It is better to be full as you wait for the morning sun to bleed the sky a color of yellow, which is hours from now.

“Hm? Ah,” Ajax murmurs, eyes transfixed on your lips and the way they brush against his fingers that carries the macaron. “Desserts can never be too early.”

You watch in sly delight as his throat bobs after you purposely graze your teeth against the tip of his fingers, taking the rest of the sweet.

He's still dazed even when you lean back onto your seat with a content sigh, the emanating warmth from the porcelain cup gentle in your hold.

“Wow.” he whispers and you simper. Wow.

Standing to cover yourself with a shawl, you saunter to your work desk, saying, “Lacking sleep, Ajax? Careful. You may be reduced to mere stammers by the morning at this rate.”

“It won't be such a travesty if my cause for lack of sleep is you,” although it isn't too bright in the room, the crackling flames let you see the wink he sends your way.

You do not pay his flirty gesture any attention as you overlook the papers with sketches in your hold. Ah, they don't contain the faces you're looking for.

“'You'?” no titles whatsoever, not like you mind. “Impossibly brazen or marginally bawdy? Both apply.”

He laughs at this, not a speckle of exhaustion visible on his bright features. Comfortable on the sofa, arms supporting the back of his head and munching on a confection, Ajax does not look like a nobleman at all.

If he's found to lack the obligatory etiquette and respect towards the Queen, he can be tried for some brutal punishments.

But then again, most of the parliament do not fancy you at all, so perhaps they will let the consequence slide. Maybe it is their funny way to satiate their urge to throw you off the throne—but they can't.

They are aware of your wit. Your intellect and your acumen that has allowed Khemia to prosper two times more than it already is.

Mother had been correct when she said that despite the blood on your trail, it would be difficult to throw the crown off your head.

Amid your focus, you fail to see the noble traipse over to the back of your chair.

“I don't understand why you're choosing to read over names,” you feel Ajax lower his chin on your head, hands on your shoulders as he hums, “When you can rest after that demanding journey.”

There is an untold message in his words that has you smiling wryly, feeling the signs of a headache coming later in the morning.

Ah, the woes of having priorities.

“Quite the beguiler, are we?”

He chuckles again. “Is it working?”

“Fortunately, no.”

“Ah- you wound me, your Majesty!” Ajax teeters to the front of your work desk as though your words have managed to physically assault him, melodramatically falling out of sight. “I only seek to please and ease you. It wasn't simple dealing with his Highness, wasn't it?”

The mention of Prince Diluc prompts you to hum again, flicking towards the next paper in your hold.

“I had more elaborate people to talk to that were as convoluted as the government.”

In truth, what Ajax said isn't a lie, though it isn't as encumbering as he might've thought. Conversing with your fiance is as easy as taking in a breeze.

If anything, you believe that it's the Prince who has difficulty trying to keep a conversation with you. For obvious reasons, of course. His contempt is no laughing matter and keeping the discussion afloat is only etiquette.

Ajax rises from his little show with a small pout, his hand reaching to take one of the papers on the table. “What even is this that you chose over-...”

He fixes his blue stare on you, and you nod.

The papers display sketches of civilians and immigrants in the last few years. To plenty, a Queen perusing over these will appear nonsensical.

But not to those who know the reason why.

“Still in search for them?” Ajax notices in quick detail how you took offense to his question of genuine wonder and apologizes not even a second later.

His apology makes the lingering sweetness of the macaron bitter on your tongue, growing tangy.

The intensity of your aureate gaze is suffocating, dominating, and leaving no such openings for interferences. Suddenly, when you speak, it is as if there is a demonic grit that backs your voice.

“That goes without saying.” you snarl, brows knitted as you stand to gaze past the tall window of your office.

Khemia lies at a peaceful standstill under the watchful gaze of the moon. A facade, for behind that tranquility still runs the ugly side of humans who will never learn to settle solely on goodness.

“This ire... this anathema of mine,”

An ugliness that cannot be remedied and beautified—for when right exists, so does wrong. So does evil with good.

“Until I find those who slaughtered my siblings, until they bleed from the thorns of my vengeance...”

You are aware of that, if the crimson left on the path you walked upon is anything to go by.

“It will not cease.”

And it will trounce whatever little goodness there's left of this spirit.

Ajax is wordless as he watches a flicker of [c] swirl in the Queen's golden eyes, his throat dry. It appears that he'll need to pay another visit to the Duke later in the afternoon.

When the clock strikes eight, the Queen, always punctilious in her agenda, will leave for the throne room. Most of her mornings are spent overhearing the pleas of the commonfolk, lasting until the afternoon.

This particular day, however, she ate early, so she got to her gilded throne even earlier than usual. Thus, plenty of pleas have been heard.

Alatus is one of the few—Kazuha, Childe, and the Duke—who knows of the Queen's daily schedule. Not because he's interested in her doings but because he keeps a watchful eye on her mercurial behavior.

Just earlier when he had been passing by the throne room, he overheard a man crying about the loss of investments in a business he started with a partner. Said partner committed fraud and fled after taking the money, leaving a hopeless human amid a sea of scornful investors.

Instead of feeling sympathetic, the Queen found the situation beyond diverting. She blamed the man after finding out that there were no written contracts between him and his partner in the first place.

An 'asinine fool whose actions beget him a bitter fruit'—which, although true, could've been expressed more righteously.

Anyone would agree so.

In the end, the aid—dissentient as ever—provided by the Queen is that she will give him enough money to commission a few mercenaries to track the escapee and bring him in as a prisoner to be tried in the common court.

“Let him dangle in a rope of your mercy and repossess what was meant to be shared. Or if you'd prefer, we can always simply have him be devoured by wolves... and the riches will return to you.”

Eaten by wolves.

A euphemism, Alatus is shrewd to understand it. The Queen meant for the thief to be murdered in cold blood, left without a trail of existence.

The weeping man chose the former, having not the black heart of his ruler. And off he went with a letter bearing house Khemia's crest and a pouch of gold.

Alatus personally escorted him toward the mercenary guild and got to discover the man's opinion of the situation.

“I fail to understand the Queen. She can be so cruel yet the Kingdom prospers. She's not by any means an almsgiver, but she does extend her aid in the most unconventional ways possible. It is perturbing how she sees spilled blood as a solution.”

A perfect and accurate description, noted the Yaksha. It aligns with how the Justiciar described her; enigmatic, confusing.

A tyrant who, ironically, gilds her Kingdom in success, and can simultaneously be merciless in taking a life.

She is wicked in many ways but can be morbidly righteous in a few.

It's infuriating to dwell upon, really, so he dismissed the thought in favor of heading to the barracks. At least, until someone slams onto him in the most unceremonious of manner.

A man of a bigger stature, with red horns protruding from his silvery locks and an unfitting look of panic on his face.

“Little man! Help me out, the guards think I'm some foreigner without a permit and they plan to throw me in a cell!”

If the odd being—an oni, it seems, which is outlandish—isn't garbed in particular apparel that screams 'he's an envoy from Kuni', he would've thrown him in the dungeon himself.

For a handful of reasons; one, because he was insulted and two, because the oni is a foreigner without a permit.

But Alatus is not someone to make decisions so rashly, so with a look of amusement, watches as the unnamed envoy splutters reasons.

His map and a storm. At least, that are all the key points of interest he managed to take note of in the rambles.

Oh, and a few property damages from the chase...

“Commander Alatus, sir! We're here to take him away-”

It must've been a funny sight, for an oni so tall to hide behind someone relatively short.

“There's no need for that,” Alatus bypasses the concern with a reassuring smile, “It appears that he has business with her Majesty. Oversee the damages instead and ease the civilians.”

Knowing that all will be handled, the guards nod and get to work immediately, passing only a glance to the 'intruder' before leaving.

“Wow, a commander! I'm pretty lucky today! So you're granting me an audience with the Queen?” beams the oni.

Alatus is a little surprised with his personality but doesn't find it awful, just a tad bit eccentric with his choice of sentence construction.

He does not seem like the type to engage in blarney, unlike others who do so to get in the good graces of people. The Commander finds that congenial.

“I heard that she's an oppressor. I don't like it one bit but I'm in no place to voice that out, don't want a war to come, right? Plus, I'm strictly here on business!”

“And you're divulging this to me? A Commander?”

“Oh- shoot-!”

... Not exactly what you'd expect from an envoy.

Alatus is relieved that despite the wit held by the sovereign, her immoral actions aren't overlooked. It appears that this infamy is realized beyond the borders of Khemia, as well.

“I understand, don't worry. As long as you don't tell her how you made a mess in the town plaza,” he chuckles, heading in the direction of the palace. “Her Majesty doesn't take kindly to saboteurs regardless if 'accidental'.”

A terrified gasp sounds out, ringing so loud that it shook a couple of passersby awake.

“What!? Will my fingers get cut off!?”

“Maybe.”

“No, 'tis a capriccio, I know it. She can't be that cruel! Haha..”

I wish. Alatus' silence sends trepidation in the air—and the oni shrieks, swaying-

“You're not kidding!”

-And toppling over a fruit cart, breaking it in half much to the vendor's chagrin.

Alatus blanches at the sight; the frantic foreigner bowing to a furious seller, the rolling apples on the ground, the children picking them up... oh dear.

What an eventful day—and it isn't even the afternoon yet.

He later realizes that he's in for a ride, and he hasn't met the brunt of things just yet. It comes when they've arrived in the hall, slotting in line with the rest of the people who are yet to be humored by the Queen.

Obviously, the oni—who introduced himself as Itto—is all but jolly with the arrangements. He's quick to be placated though, after being reminded that this had partially been his fault.

“You lost your permit and made a scene in the plaza, I'm saving you her Majesty's vexation. It won't be nice if you cut in line.”

That worked only for a little while, though, because soon enough, Itto is conversing with the other people and learning of their problems.

He is an avid listener and a passionate adviser, stirring up loud conversations in the hallway that does not circumvent the focus of the Queen.

“Some fracas this early in the morning?” your query is met with an affirmative nod.

Kazuha—after you told him to check what was causing such noise—tells you that a rambunctious outsider is the reason, though he means nothing but goodwill.

You're rather skeptical. Noises aren't often a sign of anything good, but the silver-haired Knight has a glint in his eye that says that he means it.

So you wait, and to your mirth—the day is already so bland—the man in question arrives alongside the Yaksha.

“Dear Alatus,” your voice rings from your place upon the throne, eyes observing the Commander before falling onto the man of bigger stature. “And who might this be?”

A mop of spiky silver hair, a pair of crimson horns and eyes, and a violet garb.

Your fingers drum on the armrest of your throne, eyeing the foreign style. Ah.

Violet is historically known as the color of royalty, but sometime down the centuries, the Six Kingdoms have branched off to having their signature hues.

Vermillion for the Ragnvindr, sapphire for the Sangonomiya, and onyx for Khemia, to name a few.

Violet, however, is now a signature of the Kingdom of Kuni.

So, it is common for those from the mentioned place to come and visit bearing the prideful colors of their nation.

That, including the familiar style of the apparel the red-horned man is wearing, thus implies that this oni from the neighboring Kingdom.

Alatus nudges the man to start talking after noticing that he's stuck in a trance.

A quick splutter later, you're looking into a large grin that is totally unabashed despite being in your notorious presence. Hm, to be aghast or amused? Which to feel...

“Itto at your service, uh- you're that infamous Bloodthorned Queen, right?”

You settle for the latter emotion, letting your lips twist upward, tipping your chin up and crossing your leg over the other. The heavy sequinned crown on your head slants gently.

“And if I am?”

Itto bristles, though his grin doesn't reach his eyes. You wonder if he detests you as much as the others do.

“Nice! That means I still got to the right Kingdom, then! My map got torn into shreds after that huge storm that suddenly-”

“Don't ramble! State your purpose,” Alatus whispers with a gentle kick to the shin.

You chuckle with a prolonged sigh. Ah, the Yaksha knows you too well—from your distaste for superfluities to favor for being earnest.

If it means blessing your ears with entertainment through this oni, then you don't mind the meanders in his report—or message, or whatever he's here to deliver.

“Woah, okay, my bad for going on a tangent. You just won't be able to believe what exactly I went through-”

Kazuha makes a show of pushing his sword slightly from its scabbard with his thumb. And though it doesn't hold any direct threat—not unless ordered—the oni must've been knowledgeable of your merciless actions.

He nearly jumps out of his skin, to your pleasure.

“Woah, woah, woah! Hold on- restarting my introduction.”

Alatus steers his eyes away as though he's feeling secondhand embarrassment, but the faint quiver of his lower lip implies that he finds the situation just as diverting. It's a sight, actually.

The habituated view of him either scowling or blushing is becoming too redundant, so a genuine smile is quite a fresh scene.

Hearing a throat being cleared eases you out of your daily stupor, eyes locking back onto the foreigner who seems to have styled his hair in a matter of seconds.

“I'm Itto, the one an oni emissary from the majestic Kingdom of Kuni and I have come to deliver a message on behalf of- uh-”

With the radiant confidence from his introduction swapped for immediate panic, he reaches into his bag. All the while murmuring swift apologies.

Kazuha glances your way—a subtle, nonverbal cue that asks whether he should cut to the chase and take whatever scroll is in the bag and hand it to you or not. You shake your head and he stills back into his post like the obedient Knight and servant he's always been.

Alatus has taken it upon himself to help the dire search and sighs in relief when it's found not too long after.

“Ah here it is.”

The scroll is raised and flourished, quite a lengthy one, that is.

Itto clears his throat once more, then with a voice twice as confident, begins to relay the message.

“Your Majesty! Two long years have passed and I've yet to properly and personally felicitate you upon your coronation. It is within reason that I was away for conquest, though I will now be returning...”

... After another warfare that ended in my favor.

A large bird soars overhead with a cry as if it is calling forth the rising sun and those that must wake up with it.

The gearing Knights and rising guidons refract the rays in all their silver and violet grandeur. The oscillating fabric and marching metal insinuate the pretty coruscation, though those are a mere phantasm under the daylight.

I have sent only the finest of presents that I'm certain my cousin has brought in her sojourn in your nation.

All files under an austere formation, unmoving save for the second in command, who salutes towards a man by the cliff.

The distant Kingdom of the rumored tyrant stands encapsulated by ranges of mountains.

Khemia stands in the direction of my own empire, henceforth my decision to pay you a visit that is long overdue.

“Your Highness,” the second in command calls, voice firm, “The men are at the ready en route to Kuni. Awaiting your approval, sir.”

“Proceed. Though I'll be taking a little detour.”

“Oh- where to, Your Highness? I shall inform the Princesses.”

I await to witness the renowned in person.

The royal swings himself upon his black stallion, the only one of its shade among the white horses.

The onyx is highly accentuated, being the sole wearer of gold-plated armor, much like its rider.

Signed. Crown Prince of Kuni.

Once more, he eyes the faraway palace, peering through his tresses of violet with his lips curled askew in incessant anticipation.

“To the Kingdom of Khemia.”

Scaramouche.

a/n: CHILDE CRUMBS FOR THE CHILDE LOVERS. CAN'T FORGET HIM WHEN HE'S A LI! Also I like writing him in this particular universe lol. Ah, and sometimes I forget I'm writing smiley Alatus (beta xiao) and not Xiao-xiao- I almoooost slipped off the characterization!

But now let's welcome- the official introduction! HE'S HERE EVERYONE IT'S NOT A DRILL!

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　Tyranny’s Scrying Glass　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

@cherryflushz @e7t3 @scarlet-halos @lordbugs @nebulaera @annoying-and-upset @hanniejji @applepi1415 @tjjjrsj @azirajane @hey-comrade-hold-stil @limelightsuperhero @chloeloe @loptido @windyventi @nejibot @ganyuqrt @justrinnn @yasunamilk @alana5021 @koi-chairowo @one-offmind @01-407 @midnightraindropme @yvechu @coco-goat-milk @lunavixia @emperatris-rinaka @artificial-heartache @mininji @living-my-best-life5 @narinchan @amefuuyuu

[st-juliet]

Love-Performing Night

Fandom: Henry Cavill as Sherlock in Enola Holmes

Summary: The Reader, an actress at Covent Garden Theatre and neighbor to a certain eccentric detective, is equal parts flustered and delighted when he arrives at the stage door after a performance.

Notes: I prefer giving a name to the Reader rather than using Y/N, but I hope you will make the appropriate substitutes in your imagination!

Content: Light intimations of imagined, enthusiastically consensual sex, suggestive language, and over-indulgent references to Shakespeare.

“Gentleman for you at the stage door, Miss Cane!”

“For me?

“Ay, Miss.”

“And I know who!” sang out Amelia, the company’s stunning chanteuse, who apparently cannot help but overhear everyone’s business at every moment and share her unvarnished opinions—as any best friend would—snapping open her delicate fan and smiling triumphantly.

“Tall, broad fellow?” inquires the wizened old stagehand who has come to deliver this news. “Got a great bouquet of roses with him.”

“Well, that surely cannot be—“

“It can and I’ll wager ten it is!” Amelia interrupts you.

“But why would he bring flowers?”

“It takes no detective to conjure that, Clara. I’m only surprised it took so long!”

“He has come to sweep you off your feet at last, then, oh diamond of the London stage?” you jest in turn, hoping to put her off with your teasing, if not at all untrue, flattery. “What a perfect pairing for the scandalmongers you’d make! The brightest of minds and the most elegant of celebrities—“ 

“The brightest of minds!” she mimics, pitching her voice like the swooning schoolgirl you hope you are not presently emulating yourself. “No, I am not for him and he is not for me and you know that.”

She sweeps away in a flutter of embroidered silk, smirking delightedly. A few starstruck choristers follow devotedly in her perfumed wake; Amelia is a woman for whom men bring flowers to the stage door. Yours is, by your own design, a quieter beauty, allowing you to slip anonymously away into the London streets when the curtain falls. Shielded by plain linen so unlike the silken sweetness of Juliet, Silvia, and Desdemona, most nights find you walking happily home to the garret apartment of an infamous address, let cheaply by a kind woman for the commotion often caused below.

From your window overlooking the street, you have watched a parade of clients enter and exit 221B Baker street, from to a small, veiled woman you suspect may have been Queen Victoria herself to the humblest of desperate factory workers…not to mention the troop of rag-tag children who would surely follow their hero to the edges of the earth, and certainly as far as Scotland Yard and back. And of course, a real-life Rosalind, revealing the glorious truth of herself and her bold dreams in a variety of disguises, whom you have come to know as his sister. She would be a fine actress herself, but that the women of the world require her to advocate for her interests in a different, special way.

And you have seen him. A creature of the strangest habit, who seems to go about his business just as you are coming home from yours, cordially greeting you beneath the starry skies as he sets forth with his faithful Doctor Watson at his side, or skulking through the shadows where you obligingly pretend you do not see him, even once paying your carriage fare—with a stern “You will permit me.”—on a cold, stormy evening.

You have met him a few mornings, too; emblazoned in your memory is the first time he climbed the narrow stairs to knock upon your door.

“Miss Cane. Forgive my intrusion, but I require for my latest case a woman’s opinion.”

“Is it so very different than a man’s?”

This was no flirtatious rejoinder, but a genuine question, one which provoked an hour of passionate conversation on that subject, and countless hours since on every topic under the sun. He ever more regularly seeks your opinions now, not only as a woman, but as a person of sentiment and gentle candor, niche knowledge, and an excellent facility for riddles and puzzles. More than you often care to admit to yourself, let alone to him, you treasure this natural continuation of your budding friendship, which has seemed, in these past weeks, to have reached a new and unexpected depth.

When a rare failure of his faculties resulted in tragedy, you taught him the cadence of sympathy, apology, and humble hope, without judgment or unkindness. On Amelia’s behalf and at your request, he retrieved a compromising letter, with the utmost respect and discretion. You have ever found him to be a gentleman, utterly vain and often supercilious to the ignorant, but of limitless compassion for the ostracized, the wounded, and the needy.

And of course, he is a man of amiable countenance. But at Covent Garden, everyone is. It is the nature of your profession to be well acquainted with beauty of all shapes, sizes, and kinds, and never be tempted into any sort of entitlement to or desert thereof. Your head cannot be turned by his keen blue eyes, such wide shoulders and powerful arms, those unruly curls that you can only imagine would feel softer than silk, winding your fingers through to pull him closer as his demanding lips press against—

No.

You harbor no thoughts, feelings, nor desires, on the part of Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

None. Whatsoever.

But here he is. On your turf, so to speak, and rather out of his element, ducking beneath a sandbag, sidestepping a pile of blunted swords, and peering somewhat bemusedly at a tower of elaborate hats carried by in the arms of an eager dresser. He looks completely, charmingly out of place, so solemn and sophisticated in his immaculately pressed black tailcoat in the midst of this chaos of color and light. You cannot help but laugh, even as your breath hitches at his approach.

You have seen him in the guise of soldier, sailor, beggar, barrister, dandy, but never in his own best attire. To say Mr. Holmes is the eighth wonder would be doing the sight a disservice, or so your treacherous heart whispers, entirely against the will of your resolved mind. When his eyes finally meet yours, he sweeps his hat from his head, setting it aside almost absentmindedly. His expression is peculiar, almost wondrous, as he approaches, towering over you with a gentle smile that only rarely graces his countenance.

“Miss Cane.”

“Mr. Holmes!” Does your voice sound as breathless as you think it does? One can only hope not. “You should have told me you wished to come tonight; I would have secured a box for you.”

“It was an impulse of the moment. Do I intrude?”

“Not at all. Are these…for a case?”

“They are for ‘Juliet’.” Another smile. Heaven have mercy. “For you. How remiss I have been in never attending your performances.”

His gloved fingers brush yours lightly but deliberately as you take the roses in hand, and your heart skips a beat at the contact, but you are determined to hold his gaze and maintain your decorum.

“Nonsense—you have no obligation to visit your neighbor’s work, even if it is public, or artistic in nature.”

“My neighbor?”

He quirks an eyebrow, a fuller smile playing about his lips. You feel a flush rise in your cheeks. The slightest glance of his leather-clad hand, the common practice of a congratulatory bouquet—is this all it takes to send your common sense running through a metaphorical meadow of wilder dreams than you have any right to harbor? Surely Mr, Holmes himself would chide you for such careless deductions—no, suppositions, presumptions. But…roses. For you. Not just for a neighbor, but a…a…?

“No obligation even to a friend. But you are so kind to come—I rejoice to see you! Would you like a tour? I think our provisions will impress even someone with a disguise kit so luxurious as your own.”

Yes, indeed, a very a good jest, you lie to yourself. He will never know I want to kiss him here and now before Amelia, God, and everyone.

“Gladly,” he replies. “I am rarely baffled, Miss Cane, but this labyrinth of yours is equal parts stimulating and confounding. What on earth is that?”

“The shipwreck for The Sea Voyage. I believe it is meant to be abstract rather than representative.”

“I see. How could I have mistaken it?” He maintains a casual tone as he chuckles and straightens his cravat, but you can no longer deny that something else simmers below his cool demeanor. “And perhaps after, we might share a carriage back to Baker Street. We have much to discuss, you and I.”

“Indeed? Well, I have a private dressing room; if you’d prefer, we may start our tour there and speak at once, if—“

As you begin to gesture towards the nearby door, he reaches out and catches your hand, gently stroking his thumb across the sensitive inside of your wrist.

“Thank you, but not, I think, tonight.” 

“But—“

He lowers his head to kiss your hand, then softly speaks into your ear.

“My darling girl, you are irresistibly lovely, and never more so than now. This—“ His eyes flick down to where your chest rises and falls with each expectant breath beneath the sheer white lace of Juliet’s burial gown. “—is certainly a clever trick of fate to test my restraint at such a critical moment. But I am not half the actor you are: you would quickly find me unable keep up the part of a gentleman for long.”

“Sir, I…”

“Look at you you blush. All the way down to your—“

If he finishes that thought, whispering to you so nearly that you can feel his breath on your neck, you fear you will swoon into his arms on the spot. You cut him off swiftly.

“Let me—let me go and dress. For if matters are so urgent as you say, then it seems we were best to postpone our tour.”

“Excellent,” he replies, his tone suddenly resuming a courteous gentility, as if his sensual murmurs of moments ago had been nothing but a fever dream. “I will certainly return to see this Sea Voyage business. Are you a castaway, Miss Cane...or a siren?”

“An Amazon warrior, actually. Sword, shield, and all.”

His eyes sparkle, despite his carefully composed expression.

“How intriguing. I will procure our carriage home. Ten minutes?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He graces you with one last suggestive smile, then disappears once again into the milieu, leaving you to gaze upon the gorgeous roses for a heady, heavenly moment, before you hurry off to your dressing room to change. Gazing at yourself in the mirror, eyes bright and cheeks flushed a brighter crimson than the bouquet beside you, you somehow feel closer to Juliet than ever, even as you strip away the character’s costume and don your own clothes again.

Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,

That runaway’s eyes may wink and Romeo

Leap to these arms…

Did a love, yet untalked of and unseen, await you, with the man who could inspire in you more passionate poetry than Shakespeare could ever hope to write? Would it be acted tonight, most perfectly and unexpectedly, and so much better than a play? Summoning courage to match your passion, you made your way to the stage door and stepped out into the sweet, warm night, to meet Sherlock and discover if the starts might perhaps bless you both…

Thank you for reading! I was very much inspired by the works of @littlefreya​ who writes exquisite pieces for many Cavill characters, but whose heart-stoppingly sensual Sherlock stories in particular have captured me. 

Part II can be found here!

[grogusmum]

Seven Tears

PART 1 (T)

SELKIE!EZRA X F!READER

WARNING: Olde timey gender norms, spouse abandonment, mentions of food.Though set in Ireland, and Ireland's predominantly white, Reader is physically undescribed, as are her blood relatives, her missing spouse and his family are white. Angst, but you know it's me, so soft angst. Ezra is a selkie, yes, it deserves its own warning.

W/C: 1600ish

NOTES: There are many legends of the Selkie, from Scotland and Ireland to Iceland, Faroe Islands, and the Shetland Islands. All different, but they have a family resemblance. More notes at the end. This is my first fic with Ezra... wish me luck!

UPDATE A/N 11/19/22: As some of you know, I decided to go back to older fics to check to see if I was coding my readers unintentionally. I posted my intentions and set to work. I was caught off guard by this one. As I had done a pretty good job of not using descriptors that coded the reader, when there maybe something that would unintentionally give the impression of the readers size, I clarified in the the notes and warnings. But I found a problem.

As the cultures with the selkie lore are predominately white with light hair etc, Ezra's being identified as a selkie solely by his coloring created a comparison with the reader- though it is never mentioned. So I've bent the lore a bit because it's fic and I can do what I want and I want an inclusive reader. Besides I already adapted the lore so that Ezra could be a selkie, and we all agree Ezra is a perfect selkie, but the prevailing lore is dk brown/ black hair freckles and piercing blue eyes. So I hope everyone can have open minds and hearts to the changes. And for those who have read this fic before and find some alteration. I do welcome your thoughts in my asks and DMs. BIPOC if this was a fic that you tried and felt left out of, my humblest apologies, I hope you will give it another try, and again I welcome your thoughts.

I hope you enjoy the Tale of the Seven Tears

You had grown up here, married here, mourned, and celebrated here, but your life in the fishing village had become intolerably miserable.

Your husband, a fisherman like almost every man in the village, had not returned with the rest of the crew. This included one of your brothers, your sister's husband, and a childhood friend, who held their hats and scuffed the ground when they told you he had disappeared.

They had made a stop upcountry, he disembarked with the rest and never returned. The crew spent a whole extra day, looking and waiting for him. At first, you thought he had been met with harm, but it became clear that is not what the crew thought, though no one wanted to say it.

Months later, you were still lost. You sat for hours on end, just watching the seals off the rocky coast. One silly one seemed to be trying to cheer you. You knew it was the same one, because of the distinct pale spot in its head. It bobbed and rolled, looking, not at its fellows, but at the shore, at you. It made you smile, though ruefully, for you had grown up with the tales. Your people believed in selkies. So steadfastly, that it was forbidden to harm a seal. Fishermen would sooner destroy their nets to free a seal if it got caught in one, rather than cause it injury or worse trying to salvage the expensive netting.

Today, on the rocks again, tears slip down your cheeks, dripping off your chin, as you think about, the stories of selkie men answering the cry of the wronged or lonely wives of fishermen. Quickly, on instinct, you catch the tears in your hand, not letting them touch the water. You look at your palm, at the glistening salty tears, and then just the thought, what if, causes fresh tears to spring from your eyes, you lean forward, and you allow them to drop into the sea.

Three... five... seven.

Seven tears, then you pull back, so any other tears will land on your chest or the rock you sit on. You feel foolish, embarrassed by your rash and desperate action.

So distracted are you, you don’t notice the smooth dark seal head with a light spot over its right eye just above the surface, watching you turn away from the sea and step over the long memorized craggy stones back to the path to the village.. He observes you for several moments, then lowers his head into the cold green waters.

The seal makes his way to rock, he flips and rolls in the waters where your tears had landed, then makes for shore. he comes bellying up on the craggy beach made of rock, shell, and pebbles rounded by the roll of the sea, that crunch under the seal. He gives what seems to be a furtive look up and down the strand. Alone on the beach, the seal begins his astounding transformation. Though completely invisible to the human eye, he feels for the seam that begins at his chin and travels down just below his belly. He pulls the seams apart, while it might be imagined to be a painful experience, it is like climbing out of a snowsuit. Sure, his long arms and legs need a good stretch, but with a crack of the knuckles and stretch to his shoulders, he follows the path you took up to the village, folding his seal skin as small as it will allow, naked as a newborn babe.

The man who was a seal makes his way to the closest back garden, to pull some clothes off the clothesline. Having been many years since his last foray on land he does not have a good sense of how his body had grown and changed. He finds the trousers a bit short and the shirt tight across the chest. He turns some rubber boots, he finds on the back stairs of another home across the way, over to measure them against his barefoot. Good enough, he thinks. There is a field jacket hanging on a peg, but he doesn’t dare take too much from one house. He then lopes down the road, his seal skin like a folded fur coat under his arm, looking at each home wondering which might be yours. He hears voices coming from the local pub and directs his feet toward it.

It’s warm, there is a welcome glow and the friendly sound of tinkling glasses and upbeat voices. The Barkeep spots the stranger immediately.

“Welcome Friend, can I get you a drink? A bite to eat?” The white-haired barkeeper asks while wiping down the board, which glows a warm reddish hue.

“Thank you kindly.”

‘I’m Fergus, son. What can I call you?”

“I’m Ezra. It’s very good to meet you, Fergus.”

“Tilda has made a fish stew that sticks to your ribs” Fergus booms jovially.

Ezra smiles, not sure what that means, but fish stew sounds good. The bell of the till grabs his attention, he looks beyond Fergus to a woman, she is pale as the moon with inky black hair shot with silver. Tilda, he presumes. A patron pays for a pitcher of dark ale.

“I have nothing to pay you with,” Ezra says. He starts to turn but is stopped by the kind barkeeper.

“Hold on there, son- ehm Ezra. You look like you could use a good meal if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“I surely don’t,” Ezra says, looking at Fergus.

“How about you take some fish stew and a pint, for….” Fergus looks around, “ehm, replenishing the firewood if you could fill the alcove by the hearth from the woodpile outside.”

Ezra, glad for the barter, accepts. Though Fergus insists he needs to eat first, “for his strength”. He sits at the bar, scraping the bowl with his spoon like it’s a shovel. Tilda, without a word, places a plate with a hearty slice of bread with sweet butter atop beside his bowl. Ezra grunts his thanks, swallows, and looks up, looking abashed.

“I beg your pardon ma’am; I was fairly lost in this very fine stew. I should thank you properly for the bread.”

Tilda nods with a smile.

“Thank you, for this fine bread and delicious stew. Do I taste seaweed?" Ezra says.

“You are welcome, boy,” Tilda laughs, "You do, it's a very old recipe, my great gran was a seal woman."

"Well, doesn't that beat all," Ezra says with a smile and a twinkle in his eye, "well, I must admit it tastes like home... my people must have been seal people too!"

"You! Why then, eat up, cousin!" Tilda laughs approvingly as she steps over to the other end of the bar to help another patron.

When he finishes his meal, he steps out to do the chore set to him. On his fourth trip into the pub with arms full of logs, he sees you, walking with someone, a young man. He stops dead, with a smile breaking on his face, but upon registering the fellow, his eyes narrow as he watches you and your companion slip into a shop. Ezra lets his breath out with some force out his nose, as he calms himself. It could be anyone. He's a little conflicted but goes into the pub to finish his task, then quickly returns to watch the establishment across the way.

Ezra hears the tinkle of a bell, the door opens, and waving goodbye you leave the shop alone, a bundle in your arms. You head back the way you came. Ezra follows, passing stores and homes, all just beginning to light their lamps as nightfall approaches. You turn down a small street and then another. You push open the red door of a stone house and disappear inside. He approaches the dwelling, there are two small front mullioned windows on the ground floor, the window boxes set below them look like they once held a riot of flowers, but now there is only the detritus remains. He notes other signs of neglect as he weighs how to approach you. As he does, the door suddenly opens.

Looking down at your canvas bag as you walk through the doorway, you knock right into Ezra, and your backside is on the floor before you realize there is a person standing on the threshold. While Ezra keeps his feet, his bundle is knocked out of his hand. He quickly kneels to pick it up, but his eyes never leave yours. You pull your eyes away from his dark ones and look at what sent him to the floor like a shot. You can’t make out its shape, but you see the sleek dense fur, and it is enough to bring your eyes, now saucers, to his face. To his big soft brown eyes, then suddenly there is something more, something not of this world, and then it is gone. Your brows knit as you search his face further, his dark curls, the one white blonde patch of hair at his hairline above his right eye. Your eyes stay on the light spot in his hair, and they glass over with the beginning of tears though they do not fall, as your hand comes to your mouth with one thought-

What have I done?

Ezra crawls over to you, the bundle tightly in one hand but the other is outreaching. His body over your still sprawled legs. His face is so close to yours, you regard each freckle. Your hand goes from your mouth to his chest, to keep him from coming closer. His chest is warm and strong, your eyes cast down to his chest then back to his eyes, which have left yours only to glance momentarily at your lips.

“You did summon me from Widow’s Rock, did you not?”

Now the tears silently fall without hindrance, as you nod. He smells of salt, of the slightest tang of briny seaweed, of sun, and that unknowable element that makes the sea smell invigorating, rejuvenating, and so peaceful all at once. Before you can think he has somehow twisted the two of you around, his broad hands on your back and hip, so that you are now sitting in his lap, and he rocks ever so gently so that you feel like you are cradled in a small dory in an estuary pond. His nose gently touches your cheek, asking permission. You grant it, by leaning into it.

“I’m Ezra,” he says as he nuzzles his nose into your neck. You chuckle both at the sensation, but also that introductions are being made after you are in his lap with his beautiful face in the crook of your neck. You tell him yours as his lips feather over your ear. You may have done the summoning, but it seems you are in his thrall.

part 2

THANK YOU FOR READING!💚

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ADDITIONAL NOTES: Part of the reason I set it in sort of nondescript olden times, is because the stories are fairly gendered, the differences in the male selkie stories, and female selkie stories, are run along lines of gender politics. VERY generally speaking: the male comes when summoned by a woman wronged by her man, he seduces her and has children with her that he will bring with him to the sea one day. The female, will love, bear children and "be a good wife" to the human man but she is held by the power of his stealing and hiding her pelt, and as soon as it is discovered and returned to her, she will return to the sea. This of course doesn't NOT mean no one is LGBTQ+ because we have always existed! My plan is to find ways of diversifying how the myths work, but we are starting here.

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[binunus]

college bf!eunwoo

a/n I LOVE HIM !! I WOULD LITERALLY RISK IT ALL FOR HIM !! also rip to the disappointing hookup experience I had that made an appearance in this headcanon...yes I’m still angry about it.

→ pairing: eunwoo x f!reader

→ genre: smut, fluff, fwb to lovers

→ tw: hookup culture, mentions of drinking and drug use, implied almost SA, this is a bit heavy compared to the other ones like please be a cautious a little when you’re reading this

→ word count: 5.6k

_______________________________

here we go ladies and gents

i had something completely different planned for this

and it was super angsty and dramatic

but i had a monumental experience last night so I’m changing this up

and okay okay

i usually try to write all my stuff gender neutral but bc of the idea I have for some of this plot, it’s gonna be a female reader

im sorry to all my male identifying loves :(

and back to our regularly scheduled program

cha motherfuckin eunwoo

lee fuckin dongmin

he doesn’t go by dongmin, he prefers to go by eunwoo, only his family calls him dongmin

as soon as he stepped foot into the university, everyone knew him

and I mean everyone

he’s so attractive

but don’t get it twisted, eunwoo’s the humblest, sweetest bean

he gets very embarrassed when people compliment him for his looks

applied for random roommates his first year and got paired up with swimmer!bin

he and bin become besties and end up rooming together their entire college career

major: music performance, specialty in piano

most people (besides those in the music department or astro) would have never thought eunwoo was a music major, especially since he was incredibly smart and athletic too???

usually gets mistaken for a STEM major

often helps the boys (especially rocky and sanha) with their studies

and oof when he tries out for–and makes it into–the basketball team

everyone ???? floored

eunwoo has game on the court...now with dating??? eh not so much

(at least not sober shh)

he’s tried dating before, at least in the first year or so

the basketball team kept trying to set him up with people

but it never got anywhere substantial and eunwoo always trusted astro to really give the vibe check and no one ever passed

and so he settled for hookup culture every now and then

his emotions are guarded :’(

yes he’s very easy to talk to and always so nice and well mannered

but he’s only himself with astro

now, where do you come into this???

you’re a cheerleader

you and eunwoo know each other by association

you cheer for his home games, you’ve been in a couple of classes together, you’ve seen each other at parties

but would you call yourselves friends?? not really

now you know it’s highly unlikely for you to have a lasting boyfriend in college, especially with your affiliation as a cheerleader, so you also opt for hookup culture

less messy feelings, less drama, less commitment, all that fun

so the first time your paths really intertwine with eunwoo is at a party

the basketball team won a big game and they were out celebrating yuh

and ofc since it’s his team, eunwoo popped out

he only really attends parties hosted by the basketball team bc he feels a bit obligated to go LOL but he always brings swimmer!bin for support 

and it’s chill bc bin is also an athlete–yes it’s exclusive like that

but this time, bin couldn’t go so it’s just eunwoo hanging with his team

and yes, you can guess it, you and him get partnered up to play beer pong together!

that’s so cliche omg

but ah ha you hear your opponent, one of eunwoo’s teammates say to one of your fellow cheerleaders: don’t worry baby, I’ll carry you through this game

and you cringed a little ugh men

eunwoo turns to you like: ah sorry if we lose, it’s all luck with me. The guys usually pick to play me bc I’ll probably lose. I’ll drink the cups for you though if you want me to.

you get a little fired up, like aw why do they pick on him that’s not fair

you: well I’m not horrible at pong, so let’s try to crush em

he played pretty well ok! you both got balls back twice in a row right in the beginning

your team was on a roll

you and eunwoo won three games back to back

you were feeling a bit bloated and hazy from the beer that you and him had to drink, but you were still pretty self aware

and you and eunwoo were just chilling after playing the games, you two were on a pretty good wavelength and you wanted to continue it after joking around in between plays

alright now obviously you don’t go into these parties just strictly looking for a hookup, you go to have fun and let loose

but if the person and situation arises??? you wouldn’t necessarily turn it down, especially if that person was cha eunwoo

and yeah, eunwoo was entertaining the idea too, it’s been a while since he vibed with someone like he has with you

basically by the end of the night, you brought him back to your place–you’d rather eat shit than hook up at the basketball house, it was messy and musty and just nope

your place was closer than his

and ~yuh~

it was pretty damn good

he didn’t stay the night, bc well this was a hookup, so after you both had your fill it was a casual alright see you around!

oh lord the fuss your cheerleading team gave you at the next practice asking how your hookup with eunwoo was

the news spread like wildfire

eunwoo didn’t hook up very often so every time he did, it was like breaking news

which is honestly a bit fucked up, but seriously this is how college is

alright so your sex drive skyrocketed after fucking eunwoo 

you hook up with another guy at one of the following parties

but it didn’t compare to eunwoo rip so you were pretty disappointed

and you were sorta wondering like hm? should you hit him up? but decided against it 

and then! you saw him at the gym working out with literally all of astro

bin probably forced the other 4 to come with him and eunwoo sksksksk

and you were like shit why does he look so good

not gonna lie, just in case he was looking over, you tried to make your ass and tits pop out a bit more, you know squats and shit

unfortunately, it caught the attention of other guys at the gym and not eunwoo grrr

and you were literally just planning to stop being a coward and go up and talk to him, but a guy blocked your path

and he was lowkey being very creepy and way too close for your liking

but you weren’t having it, hell no you ain’t a damsel in distress

being a cheerleader taught you how to defend yourself against predatory men

so you were basically telling him to fuck off and leave you alone, but he was being really damn persistent about it

and just as the guy was about to put a hand on you, eunwoo steps in and he’s like: dude, she’s clearly not interested, fuck off.

after a bit of a stare off, the guy leaves and wow you’re face to face with eunwoo again hehehe

his eyes switch from a glare to a soft worried look and he’s like, hey are you okay?

and you’re like a little giddy, maybe also a little bit turned on bc he’s still like fresh from a workout, his hair was brushed back revealing his forehead, his arm muscles were really defined right now, and just he’s so hot? 

but you smile nonchalantly, you genuinely could have just slapped the shit out of the guy or kicked him right in the baby factory, but eunwoo stepping in was also a pleasant surprise, you weren’t complaining

you: yeah. I could have handled it, but thanks for helping

and he just grins, your confidence?? attractive

the two of you just like look at each other for a couple seconds and you’re yelling at yourself in your head like don’t cop out this is what you were waiting for !!

you: so...you’re here with your friends?

eunwoo: yeah, me and my roommate forced them to come work out with us haha. did you come by yourself?

you: yeah, I usually work out with my teammates, but I decided to come alone today

eunwoo nods and you see him like look at your neck and you immediately get a bit shy bc you knew there was a hickey there from your last (very disappointing) hookup: you’ve been having fun recently?

your face flushes: the last one was embarrassing really, so honest to god no

eunwoo: why was it embarrassing? if...you don’t mind me asking

you immediately facepalm: no, yeah I don’t mind telling you...ugh, eunwoo I was literally catfished. this guy really talked mad game about his dick and then when I agreed to hook up, he asked me to suck him off and it literally only took him less than ten minutes. and after he came, he just pulled up his pants and said “damn you give really good head” like the fuck? he didn’t even offer to return the favor or anything, and when I asked him “wait, are we gonna fuck?” he just said “maybe next time.” maYbE neXt tiMe?? I was played so hard, you have no idea how pissed I was, eunwoo. and now I have to wait for his dumb fucking hickey to heal so that I can literally just repress that hookup even happened.

his jaw literally dropped: he didn’t give you anything?

you shook your head, you were getting pissed again 

eunwoo couldn’t believe his ears, he glances back at astro for a second and then he clears his throat: well...what are you doing after the gym?

you: nothing, just going home and taking a shower. My roommate’s not gonna be home tonight so I’m probably gonna wallow in my sorrows about that hookup again

he laughs: well sounds like you have a fun night planned, but if you want some company?? I’d be more than happy to come over and help you forget about the sad disrespect of that hookup.

who said eunwoo couldn’t flirt ???

and he was thinking about hitting you up again too before but he didn’t wanna seem like a fuckboy or anything

but seeing you defend yourself against the guy?? lowkey was a bit of turn on for him

obviously you agreed hello

eunwoo going up to astro: so uh...imma head out first...I’ll see you guys later. :)

sanha: hyung so scandalous *O*

you and eunwoo fuck again

and after this time, the two of you have a little bit of pillow talk

basically you tell him that fucking him ruined all other guys for you bc he was just that good

and eunwoo usually gets shy from compliments, but his ego with this one??? he felt a bit proud ohohoho

and he’s like: honestly, you’re the only person I’ve fucked in six months, but I gotta agree that our sexual chemistry is pretty good

so where do you two go from there?

friends with benefits baby, full on fuck buddies

you both talk and agree that you two weren’t looking for relationships at the moment, but the sex was good

i’m gonna get into specifics later, but for now a little more plot

obviously, you and eunwoo talk a lot more now that you two were basically fucking each other at least once a week

the guys notice that he’s so much more?? carefree?? less stressed out?? ever since you and him started your little agreement

and they’re already scheming by themselves, like eunwoo would not get into a situation like this unless he trusted you as a person

and at first it was really just, call each other over, have sex, stay for a little bit longer, then leave

neither of you ever stayed the night bc that’s just an unspoken rule

until there was this one party, a group of people were in one of the rooms at the basketball house and they told you to come join them and ~do drugs~

don’t dabble kids, I’m serious

and you were chilling with eunwoo and bin for a bit until they called you over and you were like: wanna try too?

eunwoo and bin didn’t do it obviously, but you were curious so you went and told them you would be back in a bit

eunwoo was worried about you, bin could see it from a mile away

he kept glancing back at the room and one by one people started to come out, but none of them were you

bin nudging eunwoo: go check up on her

eunwoo opens the door to see you being like pinned down on the bed and he turns livid

he pulls the guy off you and punches him right in the face like: what the fuck do you think you’re doing? what did you give her?

you’re noticeably out of it, sobriety? not there

the guy basically laced something in the drug he gave you, omg you were roofied??

bin comes in and he literally has to hold eunwoo back from beating the shit out of the other guy

the two take you back to their apartment and were making sure that you didn’t die or something shit

literally cannot believe the first time you slept over at eunwoo’s place was when you were drugged up

you wake up the next morning, nauseous, body weak, and confused

eunwoo also wakes up because of your movement: hey y/n, are you okay?

you: eunwoo...what...what happened last night??

he sits up and gives you a recount of the party and you just like hug your body tightly when he brings up the drugs and start crying

he’s a bit shocked when he sees your tears, but he just pulls you in for a hug to try and comfort you, obviously that must have been a bit traumatic

eunwoo: hey...it’s okay...I’m just glad I checked up on you before something worse happened

you: I’m such a fucking idiot...I can’t believe I let myself get put in that situation again...no wonder people think I’m a just a dumb whore.

~trauma~

you and him spill your deepest darkest most traumatizing secrets that morning and you just feel more connected to him

you: I honestly never really told anyone...thanks eunwoo, you’re a good friend.

he feels more protective of you after that??

you start hanging around with him and astro more

and the guys really like having you around !!

you’re very easy to get along with, you also joke and tease eunwoo with them, they love you !

you even become really friendly with the other guys’ partners

about half a year into your fuck buddy relationship with eunwoo

everyone: why aren’t you dating y/n yet?

eunwoo: what do you mean?? we’re just friends...with benefits??

before you even know it, you’re spending literally all your time (when you’re not training or practicing or at class) with eunwoo and his friends

you sleep more at eunwoo’s than you do at your own apartment

honestly you two are already acting like a couple

except for the fact that you only kiss each other when you’re fucking, or you don’t hold hands in public, or you don’t say the L word to each other obviously

but the cuddles? the jokes? the hanging out? if you two are seen together there’s still a little form of physical touch––like a hand on the waist, or resting his elbow on your shoulder––something that tells other people that you two are a bit exclusive to each other

and maybe it’s because both of your emotional capacities when it comes to relationships are akin to a pubescent thirteen year old, but you and eunwoo?? don’t really realize that you’re both basically in love with each other

and it’s also the fact that catching feelings in a friends with benefits?? forbidden

but what if both people catch feelings?

you don’t realize you like eunwoo until a year of fucking each other

damn a year?? y’all really suppressed those romantic feelings hard

you and him were hanging out, per usual, but in the piano rooms of the music building

eunwoo had to practice his repertoire for an upcoming performance and you were free so you decided to come along and keep him company

you knew he was a music major and that he played piano, but you never actually heard him play

you were just chilling by the window, scrolling through your phone, and then he just starts playing and your jaw?? literally dropped

it was so intricate and fluid and elegant, you looked over to the keys and his hands just moved so expertly over them

you were put in a trance, it was so beautiful??

and then you look up and his concentration? seriousness? he has honestly never looked more attractive to you than in that moment

and then eunwoo meets your eyes and he smiles a little: is it bad?

you: no, you’re amazing actually...

and your stomach does a triple somersault and your cheeks start heating up, like why is your heart going haywire???

you start spacing out and obviously he notices

eunwoo calls your name and pats the space next to him on the piano bench

eunwoo: what are you thinking of, hm?

you: n-nothing. keep playing, I wanna hear more

and so he does and your heart just won’t chill out, especially now that you’re literally sitting mere centimeters apart from him

he’s still playing and you just can’t stop thinking about how much you want to kiss him–and not in a sexual way

and that honestly scared you, so you panicked and put your hand near his crotch

eunwoo jolts in surprise, but he doesn’t say anything, he just chuckles and continues playing

do you have sex in the piano room to try and distract yourself from whatever you were feeling? yeah

you hide your feelings for a little bit, but the more time you spent with him, the stronger they got, and you honestly didn’t know what to do

so you tried distancing yourself, you gave eunwoo the excuse that cheerleading competitions were coming up–which they were, so it wasn’t a complete lie–and you needed to focus and have time to yourself

it was so weird for you not seeing him and astro all the time, you barely responded to his text messages or calls, and when you saw him around campus, you would immediately try to avoid him, and it hurt but you were ~scared~

eunwoo’s a smart boy, he knew something was off with you

but after a week of trying to contact you, he didn’t wanna seem annoying or a bother, so he tried not to

even though all he wanted was to see you or talk to you, like it was beyond sex at this point

he missed you, he thought he was going to go insane

he didn’t realize his feelings for you until he saw you talking to a guy in the athletic building

he had basketball practice, and you just finished your cheerleading practice

you were talking to this one guy from your philosophy class, basically joking around and talking shit about your professor

and eunwoo saw you smile at something the guy said and he just felt jealous

his fists clenched, he hated seeing you smile and laugh with the guy like how you used to do with him

and it also didn’t help that you and him haven’t really talked in two or three weeks and he just missed you so much :(

he tried not to think about it during his practice, but it didn’t work, he was off his game for this one, even his teammates and coach noticed it

he went back to his place after practice and called over the boys and basically vented his frustrations

jin: eunwoo. you like y/n

eunwoo: I know...fuck what do I do

bin: tell her, obviously

eunwoo: and risk our?? friendship??

myungjun: you’re a fucking idiot if you don’t see that she likes you back

rocky: yeah...I mean why else do you think noona started distancing herself from you?

eunwoo: maybe I’m just feeling like this because we haven’t met up in a while and I saw her talking to that guy and I don’t know? I’m horny?

sanha: hyung...you sound indenial and jealous.

bin: you like her. we’re surprised you didn’t realize this earlier.

anyway, the day of the competition comes, and the guys and their partners decide to pop out and support you

and seeing them actually made you feel so warm, you wave at them brightly and you meet eyes with eunwoo and you smile at him even though the butterflies are back and at full force

the group is so proud watching you and your team compete, their cheers are debatably the loudest and you literally have to stop yourself from laughing in the middle of your routine

your school places first yuh

and after talking with your team and discussing celebration plans, you go to the group

you were having such an adrenaline rush, you immediately run up to eunwoo in a crushing hug and you kiss him

eunwoo doesn’t even hesitate to kiss you back

astro and them: ohohoho hey

you: I’m so happy you all came! I can’t believe we actually won!

you were going to celebrate with your team bc you knew they were throwing a party, but celebrating with eunwoo and astro/their partners seemed way more appealing to you

you all go out to dinner and drink a little bit casually and it’s all such good vibes

you missed hanging around with them all and it just felt so right

eunwoo rested his hand on your thigh the whole time throughout dinner, he missed you alright, and just seeing you so happy with all his friends? he was hooked

when the group parts ways, it’s just you and eunwoo heading back to his place bc bin is spending the night at his partner’s apartment

and honestly the tension is so thick between you two

you barely make it past the door before you’re both latched onto each other, making out and all that steamy stuff

after you have sex, the two of you are having that post-sex cuddle in his bed and your heart is pounding so loud

you: hey...I’m sorry if it was weird that I kissed you earlier at the venue, I don’t really know what came over me, I was just so glad to see you guys

eunwoo: you don’t have to apologize for that y/n...I missed you

you roll around so that your back is to him bc you do not have the strength to look at him in the eyes right now

eunwoo hugs your waist and pulls you in his chest, he’s spooning you and he has no plans on letting you go any time soon

you: uh...eunwoo, I-we-uh maybe we should stop this...thing from going any further

he literally freezes: ...did I do something wrong?

you: no! it’s...I...fuck I don’t know how to say this...I know we’ve been hooking up for a year but just recently I...think I have feelings for you...and it’s not fair for either of us to continue this if we’re not on the same page.

eunwoo: y/n, I–

you’re rambling now, you’re scared of what he has to say: and honestly you’ve become someone I really don’t wanna lose in my life. You’re an amazing person and friend, and I don’t wanna fuck that up by having feelings for you, especially since you probably don’t feel the same. I just...can’t have casual sex with you anymore...I’m sorry, it would break me.

you’re like trying to get up and you tell him that you’re going to go to the party your team’s hosting but he just tightens his grip

eunwoo: don’t go...please

you: eunwoo, I can’t stay here–

eunwoo: you don’t even know what I feel, y/n...why are you so sure that I don’t feel the same way as you?? because I do...honest to god, y/n, I like you so fucking much. the month that you didn’t talk to me was like hell and I don’t ever wanna experience that again. I missed you so much I thought I was going crazy...please don’t go.

you roll around and face him again

you: y-you like me? you’re not just saying that because you want to keep having sex?

eunwoo: I’m not just saying that because of the sex...I promise

you: so...what does that make us now?

eunwoo: well would you do me the honors and be my girlfriend?

god finally you two are dating

you realize that not much really changes after the two of you make it official

the pda does increase though, you actually hold hands and kiss each other in public now

and you two are more cutesy with each other

yes astro pretends to gag whenever they see you act all coupley

petnames!! you call each other baby, sometimes you call him minnie!! as in dongminnie !! im screaming!!

a poster couple, the basketball player and the cheerleader

literally when you’re both wearing your uniforms and you kiss each other, it’s like one of those teen movies

lots of forehead kisses especially right before bed

eunwoo’s a clingy cuddly boy, especially now that you two are together

lots of study dates?? he is a scholar after all

you’re each other’s biggest supporters !! you always go to all of his recitals and basketball games, he always goes to your competitions

he’s very soft okay, will never stop showing you off or telling you how much you mean to him and how much he loves you

the first I love you came shortly in the relationship, and that’s because you’ve known each other a year prior and the feelings were really just building up since then

you were in the piano room again and he was just playing for fun, but you always loved hearing him ~tickle those ivories~

he was playing a song and singing along and you swear you had heart eyes for him, his voice was so soft and gentle and just wow

you’re sitting next to him and you just hug his waist while he’s playing

eunwoo’s smiling so wide and then he’s singing to you 

he doesn’t even get to finish the song, because you’re grabbing his face and kissing him 

he’s laughing in between kisses and you can’t help but laugh with him

grrr he’s so cute!

and then you two are just looking at each other

eunwoo: hm? 

you: I love you, minnie

he doesn’t miss a beat: I love you too, y/n

you and him have a lot of deep talks together, especially right before bed

it’s the time when he can just let out all the frustrations of the day and just be with you

he actually holds a lot of pressure and worries, but knowing that you’re by his side, comforts him a lot

the two of you have so many pictures together it’s so cute

eunwoo’s a bit possessive alright, not in the toxic way, but will he tighten his grip on your waist if a guy seems to be getting a little too friendly with you? yeah

not gonna lie, you get possessive too, it’s hard especially if your boyfriend is cha eunwoo, he’s the fucking perfect package god dammit

you both tell each other that you don’t have to worry about other people bc y’all are just both so whipped for each other

but it’s still cute when either of you are jealous

he’s actually pretty into couple items, but it has to be like minimalistic-style

like matching plain color hoodies or matching pajama sets

will not wear a “he’s mine, she’s mine” shirt or something

but it’s okay bc neither would you sksksk

will he wink at you if he makes a three pointer during his game? yeah.

literally loves when you wear his clothes or fuck, his jersey?? a turn on

and here we go !! I’ve been talking about sex so much but let’s get into it !!

in the beginning, like before you two started dating, when it was just your fuck buddy friendship, it was sexy

and not saying that it’s not sexy now that you two were in a relationship, but before it was just lust

eunwoo’s a freak alright, you can’t convince me otherwise

he’s a little kinky

definitely into food play, you two use whipped cream during foreplay a little too much...

100% into anal

you know how much he loves ass, has a very nice ass himself

and we already been knew, but yes he’s an ass guy

s p a n k i n g

eunwoo seeing you in your cheerleading skirt? immediate turn on

will literally fuck you while you’re wearing your skirt...just your skirt.

alright alright, you have a hand kink...was it awoken by watching eunwoo play piano all the time? yes

does eunwoo use that to his advantage? yes

the amount of times he’s fingered you??? vaginal and anal??? lord have mercy

very much into overstimulation, will keep fingering you until you squirt

and yes im bringing back my the choking kink

literally if his hands make any contact with your neck area, even when he’s just kissing, you will drench

but ugh you and eunwoo making out and you know how he like cups the back of the neck?? i know y’all have seen it from the true beauty kiss scenes, and then it gets heated and his grip just moves to the front and squeezes and when your mouth opens in a gasp, he shoves his tongue down your throat

that’s so sexy

do you like choking on his cock? probably more than you should

does he make you deep throat until tears are literally streaming down your face? most definitely

he loves marking you?? it’s just a tell tale way to show everyone you’re his

he’s a bit feisty...will he manhandle you during sex?? yeah

eunwoo is a dom. I am 100% convinced that he is a dom, you won’t be domming him honey

daddy and babygirl kink...I said it...

okay he’s a bit of an exhibitionist...would probably be down to have sex anywhere as long as you don’t get caught

piano room sex? locker room sex? library sex? movie theater sex? restaurant bathroom sex? yes you’ve done it all

will he finger you while you guys are having a movie night with the guys? yeah

eunwoo’s a tease, he’s a little shit, will tease you until you’re literally in tears begging for him to just do something

favorite position is doggy, it’s the view of the ass for him

although you two both do like experimenting different positions, especially if it has to do with “training your flexibility”

will pull your hair while he’s fucking you from behind, and will plug your asshole with his thumb–don’t knock it until you try it...it’s...a pretty good feeling

sometimes wakes you up by eating you out

very much a giver ugh king

the type to grip your thighs tighter when you try to push him away from overstimulation just to force another orgasm out of you

believe it or not, he’s a gasper/grunter/groaner

nothing is hotter than hearing eunwoo groan right when he’s about to cum oooof grrrr bark bark

okay but soft gentle sex with eunwoo is so passionate

all you feel is the love and sincerity, especially when he’s just looking in your eyes

the love making happens a lot more obviously when you start dating

he’s just so in love with you alright

gives the best and sweetest after care ugh

cleans you up, gives you massages especially if it was a rough session, cuddles you, draws you a bath, brings you water, everything

always makes sure to tell you he loves you after sex

i would risk it all for eunwoo like please ruin my life

anyway

ugh I just wanna put the idea of protective eunwoo during a party in your head

his hand is always on you. waist, thigh, shoulder, anywhere casually

you don’t fight?? but you do argue

arguing is healthy, and you both would rather let it out and bicker with each other in the moment than let it bottle in and build up into something worse

but when you do have a disagreement, no matter how big or small, you two always make sure to never go to bed angry with each other

communication is very important for the both of you

you’re his better half :’) all the things eunwoo struggles with, you help him with it and vice versa

he figured out you were the one for him during one of your deep late night pillow talks

he was worried about what he’d do in the future after graduating, like he was genuinely having a crisis about it

but you just talked so calmly to him: baby, no matter where you end up after graduation or what you end up doing, you’re going to be fine. You’re such a hard worker and I know that you’ll succeed...no matter what, I’ll be here for you minnie. I believe in you, you’re future is going to be great.

and he just kisses you so sweetly: will you be in my future, baby?

you’re smiling and you just giggle at him: if you want me to be...I’d love to be a part of it.

ugh y’all are so whipped for each other !!

astro always teasing you two, even when you’re all older

you and eunwoo are equally ticklish so basically y’all are fucked when they wanna mess with you

both of your families love you and him instantly

they push marriage immediately after you both graduate college

even astro’s like: we know you two are probably gonna tie the knot first...when’s the wedding?

not gonna lie, you and eunwoo probably get married probably 2-3 years after college, pretty young age

sidenote: eunwoo 100% cries at your wedding, especially when he sees you walking down the isle in your dress

and he has huge baby fever so you bet y’all had kids fairly young too

the best dad !! ugh he loves kids !! ugh so domestic

im just gonna say, y’all have beautiful children

trusts bin and jinjin to babysit your kids the most...he’s scared of the rest of the boys watching over his children

anyway eunwoo literally deserves the world and I just?? love him so much?? happy ending yay hehe

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2-21-21