#i like these people but nothing really prepares you to have to deal with former coworkers on such short notice

[fingertipsmp3]

I really get back from a (1) event and I have to lie in the recovery position for approximately three business days

[whimsiwitchy]

Controversially Young Girlfriend (part two)

Hugh Jackman x popstar!reader 

series masterlist & main masterlist

summary: y/n is a globally beloved pop star. She is known for her talent and dedication towards her craft. Recently, she has also been known for her preference for older men. After a breakup with her former older boyfriend, she had a run in with the hottest dilf right now, Hugh Jackman. Y/n tried to warn him, but what can she say, she has an effect on hot, older men. 

warnings: age gap (23/55), cursing, y/n used, implied shorter reader, afab reader, she/her pronouns. 

warnings will change as the story progresses! all descriptions of real people in this story are FAKE. I do not know these people and this is purely fiction. Please let me know if I missed anything!! <3

authors note: I truly appreciate every single one of you who has enjoyed this story and has shown it love. I want to have a slow start to things so I hope everyone appreciates a good slow burn lol. enjoy! <3

part two: pathetic

London was absolutely beautiful. You’d always dreamed of coming here- simply exploring anywhere out of America really. It was so fun being in a foreign place hearing silly accents all day, you loved it. You wanted nothing more than to do a world tour for your debut album but your label decided to play it safe by only touring around North America. Now that you were here, you dreamed bigger and would try your hardest to gain the fan base it took to have a world tour. Traveling was honestly one of the best perks of being famous. 

famous

It was a word you were still getting used to as it almost felt shallow to refer to yourself as such. Though it was true. You were famous. Having that interaction with Hugh and Ryan yesterday made the reality sink in even more. Two men who had been in the industry for decades knew who you were, it was mind boggling to put it simply. The embarrassment seemed to keep creeping in when you would remember your interaction between the two men yesterday. The yelp of surprise and the quick, but loud, ‘holy shit’ that was thrown from your mouth involuntarily made you cringe. Hugh asking about Pedro was something you weren’t prepared for at all either. It made sense for him to ask, if he was a close friend of Pedro’s then your name being brought up didn’t seem like the oddest thing. However, never meeting Hugh before, you wished the conversation could have been different. 

Ugh stupid hot, tall, older, Australian man that could sing. He was literally everything you found attractive bundled up into one man. You had a brief obsession with The Greatest Showman, as every theater kid did, but your celebrity crush of the movie was Zac Efron. If only freshman you could see current you, she’d probably laugh. 

Hugh had been on your mind all night and hadn’t left since you woke up this morning. If you could remember, you’d be certain he was the focus of your dreams too. The following and the comment was shocking to say the least. From Ryan’s words, they were fans but why did he follow you after he had met you instead of before. Ha, as you think about it more, it probably wasn’t even him. It was more than likely someone who was hired to run his socials, just like the person on your team that posted that photo for you. You were definitely overthinking it all…This morning when you were brushing your teeth, you kept trying to remember the feeling of his big hand on the base of your spine. It was all a bit pathetic. 

“Helloooo…earth to y/n.” Ashley, your best friend, says as she snaps her fingers in front of your face. “Are you going to tell me what has you all spaced out or do I have to deal with you moping around this entire trip?” There's a hint of annoyance in her voice. 

Ashley has been your best friend since middle school. She was always your number one supporter, so in return, you take her almost everywhere with you. Of course you invited her to London and of course she planned an entire itinerary around your busy work schedule. Her company was appreciated but it was impossible to hide your emotions from her, making moments like this difficult. 

“I’m sorry. It’s nothing really, it can wait until later.” If the two of you weren’t sitting in the middle of a small cafe, you would have told her every single thought that sat in your brain, but you couldn’t. You never knew who was listening in on your conversations. That became something you had to get used to, not being able to exist in public. It usually wasn’t too bad, for example, you could sit in a cafe with your best friend but sometimes things got out of hand and you couldn’t even walk down the street.

“Okay, you better.” She gave you an understanding nod. “So, I bought us tickets to go on the London Eye at 2pm then I thought we could go grab a late lunch or dinner, whatever you-” You’re looking at her and nodding trying your best to pay attention but you can’t. You hated the way one singular interaction with Hugh had your entire day scrambled. If you ever saw him again, you’d have to tell him off for being so hot and ruining the fun London trip you had planned. 

—

The wait for the London Eye ended up taking an extra forty five minutes and Ashley was pissed. She was a very schedule oriented person, one minute off and she’s stressed the fuck out. The entire time we waited, she complained and would have had the king on the phone if you hadn't stopped her. Her mood was unchanged by the time you stepped into your private cart.

“If I tell you all of my boy drama, would it make you calm down and enjoy the ride?” You ask slyly as you look down at the water below as the wheel starts to move the bubble you’re sitting in higher. 

She gasps and her eyes go wide.

“BOY DRAMA???” She screams out, her previous negative mood disappearing and her eyes light up with excitement.

You sigh as you gather your thoughts. 

“Well..it’s not really drama. I may or may not have a teensy crush on someone.” 

“Oh my god!! Who is it? Have I met them?” 

“Uh no. I actually just met him-” She’s cutting you off before you can finish your sentence. 

“YOU SLUT!” She yells, pointing an accusing finger at you. 

“What the hell Ash? I didn’t even tell yo-” 

“It’s Hugh fucking Jackman isn’t it? Stacy said she saw the way you looked at him yesterday. Jesus y/n, you don’t even know the guy.” She’s rambling on, judgment clear in her voice. 

“Since when are you and Stacy on talking terms?” You purposely ignore everything else she said. Ashley was jealous of Stacy for awhile. When you asked her about it she claimed that Stacy was trying to steal her best friend away. It took a lot of reassurance that the relationship you had with Stacy was work before friendship- and if she had become a good friend along the way, that was something you weren’t going to tell Ashley. 

“We can be civil when it comes to concerns for you.” 

“And what concerns are there lately?” 

“Huh… Stacy let me in on your little conversation yesterday about swearing off men for a little bit but once Hugh stepped through the door, she said that she could tell that idea was out the window.” She’s trying her hardest to keep a straight face but there was a slight smirk peeking through. 

“Oh my fucking god, you guys are so dramatic. Yes he’s fine as FUCK but like you said I dont know him. I probably won’t ever see him again.” You sigh at the end. You really wanted to see him again. 

“What even happened that has you wrapped around his finger already?” You don’t speak for a moment as you think about how to say your thoughts without feeling dumb. 

“Please don’t tell me you only have a crush on him because he’s hot…You take your crushes too far for that.” There's a look of panic resting on her face. 

“He uh…well…you know how we took the pictures yesterday for BBC?” You ask and she's nodding. “I thought he looked good but I swear I wasn’t thinking anything irrational. It was when we had to take those stupid pictures and he rested his hand on my back…Ash, I swear there was a spark or something. It felt so… I don’t know…so.. right?” The cart you’re in is sitting at the top of the wheel and you’re taking advantage of the view while you wait for Ashley to respond. When she doesn’t, you turn to look at her. She’s staring blankly at you, giving you slow blinks. 

“What?” Your voice is soft, barely above a whisper. 

“Y/n, how old is he?” Her expression is unchanging. 

“Fifty five…I googled it last night..” You were feeling ashamed of your behavior. You felt like a kid with a stupid school crush. Pathetic. 

“Hm, that’s your oldest yet. What’s next, eighty or ninety five is probably more to your taste huh?” She’s making fun of you and it hurts. You know she’s never approved of your taste in men but you can’t really help it. It’s not like you block out guys your age, they just don’t satisfy you. They’re mean, boring, and losers. You wanted a real man. Someone who was established in life and could take care of you. 

“Whatever..” You let out softly. The cart was nearing the bottom once again and you were ready to be free of the room of gossip and judgment. 

“Y/n… you know I only want what’s best for you. I mean look at what happened with Pedro and all the other men before him.” She’s sincere and you understand her point of view but you wished she would understand yours as well. 

“I know Ash. It’s just a stupid crush anyways.” It was more of a reminder to yourself rather than to Ashley. She was right, you did have a habit of taking your crushes too far. You always had to try to get the guy who held your attention but you were confident in who you were. Most times it worked but a break from dating was what was best for you. 

—

To apologize for being mean, Ashley was currently on the phone with some poor worker from one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants. She already made a reservation for tomorrow night but thought tonight would be better to cheer you up. You tried to reason with her by telling her that there were plenty of great restaurants in London we could get into tonight, but she insisted on having a very touristy dinner tonight instead of tomorrow, like it made any of a difference. 

“I know the reservation is for tomorrow but miss y/l/n needs it for tonight.” Her voice is strong and unwavering, determined to get a table tonight. She’s been throwing your name around left and right hoping that someone would know who you were. It all felt too pretentious for your liking but you couldn’t control Ashley when she was like this. 

You were sprawled across your hotel bed, scrolling through instagram. The voices inside your head were screaming to look at Hugh’s page, just a peak. Last night after you saw the comment, you practically threw your phone across the room, too afraid to look at it again. You're honestly thankful for that reaction because who knows how long you would have stayed awake thinking about it and diving into his life. You did make that quick google search to see just how old he was but that was the end of your exploration. 

Your fingers moved faster than your brain could process, typing his name into the search bar and clicking his profile the second it popped up. You didn’t have to scroll far into his account before your heart started to race. You clicked on a mirror selfie he had posted of him in his wolverine costume with sunglasses on. The pose and the caption really showed his age but for your sick brain, it made everything about him even sexier. You cautiously swiped out of that picture to prevent an accidental like. The next picture to catch your attention was one of Hugh in the trunk of a car. Your eyes almost jump out of your face with your tongue rolling onto the ground like the cartoons. The size of his arm was insane. You weren’t one to go for muscular men, but Hugh could choke you out with that arm any time he wanted to. His smile was so dreamy. You hadn’t seen Deadpool and Wolverine yet, not really having interest before, but now you might have to take a solo trip to the movies. You were cooked.

“Thank you, I’m glad we were able to come to an agreement. Yes tonight at 8pm.” Ashley is hanging up the phone and lets out a high pitched squeal. 

“How do you do that?” You’ve always been amazed at her negotiating skills and her ability to get whatever she wants. 

“Natural talent..also having a famous bestie doesn’t hurt.” She giggles and checks the time. Her laughter turns to a gasp. “We have to get ready, it’s already 6pm!” She’s gathering her things and as she’s rushing out of the door, she’s telling you that she’ll be back soon to get dolled up together. 

You had to learn how to style yourself over the past year of being in the limelight. Fashion was something you had been interested in but in Minden, if you dressed too out of the ordinary, people would stare. You shied away from it for longer than necessary and only recently learned how to express yourself freely thanks to your stylist, Kat. For dinner, you picked out a lengthy fitted black dress. It had the prettiest floral pattern that covered it with butterflies popping up here and there. What sold you on the dress though were the two frilly pieces of fabric that hung on either side of the dress. It was stunning and it looked even better on you. You decided on letting your hair sit in its natural state, not caring to put much effort into it. 

When Ashley came tumbling back into your room, wearing a red fitted dress, the two of you put some music on and got to work. You weren’t going for a super complicated makeup look, simply deciding on a small winged eyeliner, mascara, a dark blood red lip stain, and a hint of blush. Layering a few necklaces and adding some hooped earrings, your look was almost complete. All that was left were a pair of black heels that had two strings that you effortlessly swirled around your calf tying it into a cute bow at the top. 

“You look smoking hot! Let me take a picture of you.” Ashley whistles and grabs your phone to take a few shots. She was right, you looked good. You decided to post one of the pictures of your instagram story with a small caption that said ‘dinner time 😋’. 

What you loved about Ashley is that she took your fame with a grain of salt most of the time. When you wanted to take an uber or taxi somewhere, she never complained. You often got tired of taking private cars everywhere, wanting a little normality when you could get it. The uber ride over was a quiet one, both of you too focused on the view outside of your own windows, soaking in the reality of being in Europe. 

The restaurant was gorgeous. It wasn’t over the top fancy with normal everyday people littering the dining area, it was nice. Ashley and yourself were in quiet conversation as you looked over the menu. Feeling adventurous, you asked the waitress what she recommended and you ended up ordering the dish. Sipping on your espresso martini, you took a moment to feel grateful for the life you got to live. 

“Oh you have got to be kidding me.” Ashley is sighing with a slight roll of her eyes. 

“Good evening y/n.” A voice is approaching behind you before you could question Ashleys sudden annoyance. It was a voice you recognized, hearing it the day before. You turn around to see Hugh standing behind your left shoulder and you stand up to greet him properly. You’ve gotten accustomed to hugging almost everyone you meet nowadays, you lean in without thinking. 

“Oh my god! Hi Hugh.” There's a big grin on your face. It felt like a sign that you were seeing him again. 

“I don’t want to bother you ladies for too long. I recognized your dress and wanted to come say hi. I also wanted to apologize for bringing up Pedro yesterday, it was rude of me to do without even introducing myself first.” He lets out in his gruff voice, accent strong. His arm and yours are still interlocked in a weird side hug type of position. 

“It’s totally fine, you didn’t know.” You look into his eyes with utmost sincerity. “Oh uh, this is my best friend Ashley. Ashley, this is Hugh.” He breaks the side hug to reach to shake Ashley’s hand. 

“Nice to meet you.” Hugh lets out and Ashley responds with a short ‘you too.’ You give her a look that says ‘be nice’. 

“Well, I’ll get out of your hair. It was really nice seeing you again sweetheart.” He smiles down at you.

“It was nice seeing you again as well.” 

“Here let me.” He’s motioning to your chair. You take a seat and he's pushing it forward for you. 

“Thank you.” Looking back at him with a shy smile. He gives your shoulder a squeeze of acknowledgment and he’s walking away. 

“Maybe the universe does want you with a man old enough to be your grandfather. I mean what are the fucking odds of running into him at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant.” Ashley lets out in total disbelief. 

You don’t say anything, you give a sly shrug instead. The rest of the dinner is tame. The food was delicious and you felt woozy from the martinis you’d been downing. Ashley let you know half way through the dinner that Hugh was sitting not to far from us and that he ‘had a fucking staring problem’, her words exactly. It made you giddy to think he was looking over here and if you begged Ashley to trade seats with you it was no one else's business. She obviously refused and you spent the rest of your time focusing on your friend, with Hugh sitting in the corner of your mind. 

When you got back to the hotel, you immediately stripped yourself from your heels and dress. Laying in the bed in nothing but your undergarments, you opened instagram and took a look at your story one more time, wanting to see just how good you looked. It was shallow for sure but it made you feel good. You saw the hearts flooding the bottom of the screen and decided to swipe up to see who had liked it. As you scrolled nothing really caught your attention until that name caught your eye again.

“I recognized your dress and wanted to come say hi.” 

What the actual fuck.

thank you for reading <3

part three

series taglist: @chronicallybubbly @spideybv28 @pear-1206 @robertthehoover @reidsworld @bloody-bunni666 @quillycrow @kythefangirl25 @bluetimeombre

I think I got everyone tagged that asked to be! If you want to be added/removed let me know. <3

[harque]

" debt "

💭 . . . 0.6k "whenever you're ready." aventurine pov, gn!reader, angst, mild spoilers (aventurine's real name + backstory), pre-relationship, starvation

Aventurine was charming in every sense of the word.

He was handsome, a poker shark, always the life of the party, and a better friend than some might guess. He was well-learned about finer things: liquor, gems, and numerous other small, but interesting tidbits that could start a conversation. But he doesn’t know how to be a boyfriend. Or, really, how to be anyone who isn’t on the verge of falling apart.

So, Aventurine’s initial reaction to your confession was not at all soft or romantic. His knee-jerk response is to withdraw. If there was any truth left in him, you were uncomfortably close to unearthing it and he wasn’t prepared to deal with the carnage built up underneath his delicately cultivated persona yet. He does, however, understand love. He is not heartless. He had been loved, when he was younger. He could not love you now. What more did he have to offer?

His sister loved him, his people loved him—the harsh sun, coarse sand, and fleeting rain all once adored him as if he were their own. Kakavasha was very loved, but there is no sense in loving dead things. Aventurine was needed. He likes that.

Aventurine likes and wants to be needed, because being craved, sought after, desired or even admired by someone, no matter the person—makes it easier to twist the game in his favor. He can control others by being relied upon, can make them want him. As long as he could trick other people into thinking he was indispensable, he was safe.

(He carved away pieces of himself to sell as commodities, a fine cloth for the wealthy to wear until there was nothing left, no remnants of his former self, just a hollow shell to be discarded.)

You didn’t need him. He doesn’t feel safe. You know he isn’t who he parades himself as, and he’s scared.

You were too patient. Too gentle—he sees you, the wolf in the clothing of a lamb, prowling the edge of his enclosure. (My friend, we are one in the same, why do you insist on living among them? You cannot hide. You are not like them. You can layer all the pleasantries you like on top of your appetite, try to bury it, but it is always there. I know how to get it out. Kakavasha, aren’t you starving? Do you eat in secret because you can’t bear the thought of becoming an outcast?)

He sees a lover with lips that drip sweet rot when open. You lean closer, pressing a chaste, warm kiss to the birthmark on his wrist right above his watch and oh—like the pathetic, wretched sheep he was, Aventurine wants so desperately—but he was too wary of taking more than he was allowed.

“I understand," You said as you pulled away, replacing your mouth with the pad of your thumb. His pulse raced as you traced his veins. “It’s about time for me to go, anyways. Whenever you’re ready, come find me, alright? We’ll talk.”

(Come closer, come closer. The table is made, the world is your plate, I will give you everything so you will not have a need for anything. Indulge freely in my bounty, savor the flavors and feast to your heart’s content. No, even then, you are not filled, you still hunger. Do you ever stop wanting more? Do you ever feel satiated? When your belly is bursting, when your teeth are stained with the juices of the hunt, is your thirst ever quenched? Never. Never.)

With an even and calculated tone, he simply responds, “Of course. I always keep my promises.”

The smile on his face was nonchalant. It is only his hands that betray him, trembling behind his back when you leave.

© harque — all rights reserved — notes & reblogs are much appreciated ¡¡¡( •̀ ᴗ •́ )و!!! thank you for reading!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Good evening (or morning, afternoon, wherever u r) to you, Miss Raven, *tips hat* How do you do?

First of all, I was reading through the your canon Malleus romance analysis and i’ve just gotta say I love how you give a realistic approach to these characters and their world! 🙌🏻

But that also got me thinking, how would Leona prioritize his romantic vs royal life?

As second born prince, I wanna say Leona actually has more breathing room to pick whoever he wants as a partner (if the royal family doesn’t arrange a marriage before he gets that chance), plus, the Sunset Savanna’s next heir apparent is already born, so really there’s nothing worry about succession unless something happens to Cheka and or Falena. But at the same time Leona is still ridiculed by his people, so will that have any affect on who he wants to be with if he happens to choose someone other than another beast(wo)man or someone in a class lower than a noble?

And even tho he isn’t first in line for the throne, Leona is still royalty. I think he could pick a partner who is more private and less sociable with their life, but I also think they still might need to be prepared for the royal life, lack of privacy, speaking with the public, and other royal duties (even if Leona himself won’t do them).

TL;DR Do you think Leona’s status as second prince actually gives him a benefit for who he can pick as a romantic partner and how would the people’s view on him affect this, and what do you think would expected of Leona’s partner in the royal life even tho he’s not first in line for the throne?

What’s your take on this?

Related posts: Malleus / Kalim

Greetings 🎵 Life’s been a bit stressful lately, but I’m getting by! Busy planning something big for the blog too, so excited for that.

I think you must be talking about that post where I discussed what the expectations would probably be for Malleus’s future spouse? Thank you for the praise though! While anyone can ship themselves or their OC with Malleus in the latter, there’s certain in-universe logic that must be followed in the former. It feels very different to be a character in that world versus an outsider looking in. Being able to switch and see from those perspectives is important, I feel.

My thoughts on this topic aren't as concrete as what I laid out for my Malleus post, mostly because we don't know as much about Sunset Savanna's politics and since Leona isn't burdened by the same expectations as the crown prince or first in line to the throne. I feel like this post will be a lot of speculation, so just be cognizant of that.

As Leona is right now, I don't think he has much of an interest or an obligation to find someone. His focus seems to be on tending to himself and his own goals to help those around him, be it his juniors (Epel, Jack, Ruggie, etc.) or his country (due to his internship at a energy and mining lab). I definitely feel like that's where his priorities lie, and anyone he might take on as a life partner would also have to have a passion and dedication for this kind of service, whether they also engage in it or they at least support Leona's endeavors.

I also think that Leona would personally want an intelligent partner that's able to hold their own in a discussion, but only to a certain extent. Like, they have to be able to coherently express their own thoughts but I don't think he wants to deal with someone so stubborn that they constantly put up a fight with him if they happen to disagree. Leona has demonstrated multiple times that he finds it a hassle when people don't listen to him, so he tries to put himself in situations where he doesn't have to face that in the first place. For example, Leona states that he dislikes Silver and Rook, as they constantly act on their own and seem to disregard anything that others around them say. Additionally, he lacks a vice dorm leader because he made the conscious decision to not pick one, as he doesn't want someone challenging his decisions. Leona also strategically caves to his sister-in-law's demands to avoid wasting time and energy in an argument, since he knows that beastwomen tend to be strong-willed. His partner would have to know when to step back and give him space or when is not a good time to keep pressing a point. That means there'd be a certain element of emotional intelligence involved too, not just general wisdom or knowledge.

In these circumstances, I don't think there would be as much of an importance placed on the social status of Leona's spouse since he's like... what? Fourth in line to rule? His father is still alive, Falena/Farena is still fine, and Cheka's there too. The chances of Leona actually having to step up to that plate are low. There's no pressing need for Leona to find a partner or to produce an heir of his own. I don't recall there being lore about his older brother and sister-in-law having an arranged marriage or what social class his sister-in-law is from, so... there's not a lot to go off of there. I think, at the very least, we can assume there's not as much pressure for Leona to be in an arranged marriage since he isn't the crown prince. I don't get the sense that Sunset Savanna is as conservative with its social expectations as Briar Valley is, so it's doubtful whether or not the public would care about a royal marrying a commoner or a beastman marrying a non-beastman. To my latter point, there doesn't seem to be as strong of a racial divide between beastmen and humans (unlike fae and humans), so I don't think this would pose a major concern. But hey, maybe they do care a lot about status since Leona's flashback keeps harping on the importance of birth order--but that ultimately has no baring on the commoner versus royal thing. Maybe this is me being too much of an idealist, but I do think it would be possible for Leona's partner to come in and prove themselves, since their reputation (unlike Leona's) isn't already marred by being second in line to the throne and having a golden child to be compared to. If anything, I feel like the people would fear for the safety of Leona's spouse rather than what their "marrying outside of the norm" means for the country. Since there's a negative public view of Leona, I feel that this would translate into worry for the spouse rather than assuming they are "just as bad" as Leona. They're an outsider with a completely separate background from Leona's, and that I doubt that most people have the magic to rival his strength. Where would their fear of the spouse be reasonably coming from? I think the more likely situation would be the public feeling sympathy for the spouse (like, what if Leona's magic harms them) and wondering what they must see in the second-born prince. There might be a lot of gossip or concerns swirling around their courtship, little judgmental whispers and passing glances that are hard to avoid, maybe some hissed warnings to be careful around Leona, etc. The spouse should be careful how they react to public opinion though, as lashing out could make them be perceived as ill-tempered and crude, a poor reflection of both their own attitude as well as confirming preconceived notions of Leona. They should be equipped to handle socially complicated situations with grace and tact. When it comes to Leona, they should also be ready to provide him with some emotional support—not as a therapist he trauma dumps to or anything like that, but as a trusted and nonjudgmental confidant.

I think the spouse would receive the harshest scrutiny should they step into a more public-facing role… like if they started to enact or push for policies that go against the country’s reverence for nature and living in harmony with it. They would most certainly get pushback for it, maybe earn ire for not being “attuned” with its people. Leona’s spouse would, at the bare minimum, be expected to represent the values of Sunset Savanna and to engage in its ceremonies and traditions. For example, Leona—the second prince—is meant to train the winners of the Bead Brawl. Whatever royal duties are set for the spouses of the royal family… well, they should be prepared to fulfill them.

On the subject of privacy and sociability, it might actually be a drawback if Leona’s spouse were private and not sociable. Not being seen or interacting in public very often means people are left to their own devices and assumptions—and if Leona is the first person they associate with his spouse, it could lead to the public forming negative thoughts. "Oh, they're withdrawn because they don't care about us. Oh, they must be moody and hard to get along with." There’s a lot of earning trust that has to be done, especially if Leona intends to enact social reform, so I think it would make for better optics if his spouse really put themselves out there and was proactive in the community. Instead of framing themselves as a shut-away or some rando that married into the royal family, they have to be willing to step outside of their comfort zone and act like a leader if push comes to shove, show how outgoing and determined they can be.

Last thought I have on this matter I guess is related to how Leona’s loved ones would react. I don’t think the named characters would care about the details all too much?? Farena appears to respect his brother and treats him warmly, even when Leona brushes him off. He’d want Leona to be happy and at his best mentally and emotionally when and if he decides to help govern the country. And Cheka, well… maybe he’s a little too young to fully understand what’s going on, but I think he’d want his uncle to be happy too. I’d say even Kifaji would be on board with it, though perhaps not as openly as Farena or Cheka. He’s a stern older man, so I can absolutely see him scolding Leona and nagging him about his choice of partner—but in the way that a concerned grandparent would, you know? Not in an outright malicious way like the Briar Valley senators might. Unlike them, Kifaji can see the good in his prince and wants the best for him, even if he comes off as too overbearing at times. Kifaji doesn't unnecessarily act vitriolic or belittling to Leona, he states truths (that Leona acts improperly at times) and earnestly expresses his wish that Leona recognizes his own potential. He'll probably pull up to interrogate the spouse (because he cares that Leona marries someone who loves and values him), but ultimately give his blessings along with a plea for them to take good care of his second prince.

[clairedaring]

random msi ep 7 thoughts - joe's guilt and obligations to the old owner of his new body/life

so i did my reread of the chapters last weekend in preparation for this week's episode and one part stood out to me that i missed in last few rereads was this precious bit where joe expresses his guilt about about using his new body for sex

“Mom, it’s true. I also think that I came across such a good thing. He said that I can repay him slowly, but he’ll lend me the money first for our pressing needs. This money is really nothing to him. The money we owed, we can repay a part of it first. I’ll work hard. It’ll definitely get better in the future. So Mom, you must not have any burden. You must comply with the treatments. It’s only if you live that we can have hope, okay?” [Ing]’s voice trembled, “There is really such good people? How can there be such good people?” [Joe] smiled and confirmed the matter over and over again; only for [Ing] to feel as ease. If she knew that he agreed to such a deal… he wouldn’t dare to think about the consequences. If it was his former body, he may not feel as terrible. He is not a woman, not to mention that he had slept with [Ming] before. However, this body was not his. Although they have converged for so long, [Joe] still could not fully accept this body. Using [Ing]’s son’s body to do this made his heart filled with a sense of guilt. Moreover, when he thought of [Ming] using this body as a (substitute)……he could not describe his feelings. Embarrassed, awkward, and resentful. [Joe]’s heart is full of negative emotions. - Chapter 60, Professional Body Double by Shui Qian Cheng

And obviously since these are more of Joe's inner thoughts, I thought we weren't gonna get them. But then MSI team really took me by surprise by incorporating that bit seamlessly into this scene.

gif courtesy of @pharawee

it's a tiny detail. but one i appreciate very much to the team for having joe (the soul) remains considerate to the old owner of his body, someone he owes his new life to.

and it's actually not the only bit in the novel where he is constantly reminded by the old owner of his new body. like for example, when he first learned of ing's illness, he also considered donating one of his kidneys.

[Joe] made an arrangement with the doctor to have his kidney tested for compatibility the next time he come. This he did secretly behind [Ing]’s back. Even if his kidney is a match, the first issue is that he has no money for the surgery and second is that he’s afraid [Ing] would rather die than to agree to accept his kidney. But no matter what, he has to give it a try. At least there’s more hope to save her. Although [Joe] felt a little fearful on the possibility of having a kidney removed, he had no reason to back down. This body was not his to start with, but belonged to this youngster named [Joe]. He was just a dying person fortunate enough to have his soul hosted in this body to continue on living his life. This youngster is [Ing]’s son. On this body that hosted his soul, every strand of hair, skin and even this life came from [Ing]. He is the closest relative to [Ing]. He cannot evade nor can he be selfish. - Chapter 57, Professional Body Double by Shui Qian Cheng

and i also really like that even in as early as the beginning of the novel, since joe's woken up from his coma he's already committed to being ing's son because he's indebted to the old owner of his new body for giving him a 'renewed treasured life'.

[Joe] glanced at her. Although this woman is not his mother, he thinks that he has the responsibility to take care of her for the rest of her life because he took over her son’s body, making her lose her son forever. He, on the other hand, got a renewed treasured life. He can’t just accept that. He should also take up the responsibility that this life should have taken and complete his obligations. - Chapter 3, Professional Body Double by Shui Qian Cheng

anyhow this was not really a thoughts post, more like an excuse to gush about how much i love this novel and how well the series has been able to capture nuances that i thought would be left out due to tv constraints.

[huskynotwolf]

Convexian Hitman AU

Part 1 I guess

AU by @tibbycaps/ @tibby-art

Written by @thecrazyhusky

(I mixed in dsmp, it’s more fun with those swearing idiots :D )

Mission: Find and destroy target’s weapon supply (target’s name is Tubbo and Jack Manifold)

Cub’s PoV

“I want you to destroy his weapons.” Doc looked at us, dead serious.

We (me and Scar) were in the NHO’s conference room, listening to Bdubs rant about this new case we had to deal with. Scar had already yawned at least two times and I had grabbed every single one of their cans of carbonated drinks or whatever at the table and shook them so hard they looked like ticking bombs. Etho was also eyeing us with much suspicion, and I suspected he was up to something.

“All of them?” I asked.

“All of them.” The goat-creeper confirmed. “He was some sort of former president of a country. He’s got some ass-load of explosives. Specifically, bombs. Lots of those.”

“Ah.” Scar smiled. “Big boom.”

“Really?” I looked at him.

“And here are the conditions, since you three are definitely gonna loophole out of this.” Doc growled.

“You have to get this done by this week, which is three days. No eating anyone, and I mean anyone. You find those explosives, disable them, then leave. Nothing else. I don’t want those Snowchester people come fighting with nukes.”

I raised an eyebrow. “They got nukes?”

Scar sniggered. I kicked him.

Doc glared at my fellow Vex. “And bring Grian. He’ll be of use.”

“Grian? You sure?” I asked.

“Yes.” Doc grunted. “And you better get the job done. Go. Now.” He said.

I nodded, grabbed Scar’s wrist and dragged him out of the conference room, heading down to Grian’s “office”, while hearing Bdubs and Beef screech loudly along to the sounds of soda exploding. I allowed myself a slight smile.

“Dang it. Should’ve rigged ‘em better.” I said.

Scar gave me a look. “Don’t tell me you shook all of them.”

“I did. But I could’ve just fitted them with grenades instead.” I replied, taking a left turn down the hallway.

We found her studying a file about Tubbo.

“Hey.” She greeted us, not looking up.

“Hiya. You ready?” I asked.

Since Grian has her Watcher powers, she could technically see us coming, so I assumed she was already prepared.

“Let’s just go. Tango yelled at me earlier. I want to get out of here as soon as possible.” She stood up, then walked towards us.

“Tango? Why?” Scar asked.

“None of your concern.” She shrugged.

We headed out the door, taking the lift down, then exiting the building. As soon as we stepped out, Grian winced.

“You okay?” I asked her.

“Y-yeah,” she replied. “It’s just…overwhelming.”

“Hmm.” I shot a glance at Scar. “Scar, you got the map? Coords, at least?”

“Ask the all-seeing.” He pointed at Grian. Grian made a low growling sound.

“Wow, I though you prepped.” She muttered under her breath.

“Yes, I have the map. It’s in my head.” She raised her voice.

“Great!” Scar smiled. “Let’s go, then.”

I leaned closer to Grian. “You okay, dude?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine. It’s fine. Everything’s…” she exhaled. “Alright.”

“Good.” I said, then secretly kicked Scar. The man glared at me but I didn’t reply.

“Let’s go.”

***

“We gonna take a subway. Then a cross-country train. Then another high-speed railroad.” I said, laying down a drawn map.

“Snowchester’s all the way out there, so we probably need to either stop to eat on the way, or we have to bring food.” I rolled up the map and shoved it in my pack.

Scar rolled his eyes. “You’re concerned about eating?”

“Grian needs to eat as well.” I hissed.

I had shoved the three of us into a Seven Eleven’s, where my reason was, “we need substance.”

Grian nudged Scar. “Here’s the thing, bud. We don’t have money. How-“

I waved a five dollar bill I snatched from someone. “Steal.”

“Did you get his whole wallet?” Scar asked, his eyes glinting mischievously.

I gave a low chuckle. “Duh I did.” I held out the stolen wallet. Scar sniggered. “This guy’s got a hundred and fifty.”

Grian gave us a look of annoyance and frustration. “You know it’s illegal to steal, right?”

Scar materialised behind her, making her jump. “Nah. It’s fine.”

Grian narrowed his eyes at him but didn’t snap back a comment.

I handed Scar about thirty dollars worth of bills. “Grian, you can go with Scar to buy food.” She shot me a dirty look, got up and disappeared behind the aisles with the Vex.

I took out twenty and nabbed a sandwich and two bottles of water, in which to avoid getting yelled at by Grian, I payed for it instead of stealing it.

Though I will admit I stole a can of Sprite.

Yeah. Maybe.

Grian bought coffee and milk tea (where did she find that?) and Scar bought a bun and bottled Cola, though I could tell he didn’t intend to drink it, he’s just gonna prank me with it.

As we left that store, I searched for enough money to get us to the subway station. Six dollars to get in, then they needed eighteen. I decided not to give them the coins and bills yet, as Scar had a tendency to lose things.

Very, very often.

We headed to the subway station, while Grian kept cautiously looking around for signs of danger. However, despite this, Scar seemed extremely carefree.

“G, man, there’s nothing to worry ‘bout. It’s not like someone would just suddenly drop down and try and kill us, right?” He said to no one in particular.

“Don’t jinx it.” She huffed. “I see something. Though I can’t pinpoint where it is.”

I approached the subway tunnel, with the two nitwits trailing behind. “Yeah, something’s definitely wrong. I can feel it.”

I stepped down the stair, then halted when something whizzed past me and embedded itself into the wall with a thunk.

“Honestly, Foolish, how bad can your aim be!” I heard a yell. The three of us swivelled our heads towards the noise, and standing on the side of the street, armed with crossbows, were two deranged-looking people. At least that’s what the first word that came to my head when I saw them.

The one who shot the projectile, Foolish, looked suspiciously like a totem of undying, and it made me question whenever he’s an actual totem or not. His friend was a girl who wore dark sunglasses and had long streaks of hair running down both sides of her head. What she wore screamed pirate in every way.

Grian sighed. “Scar, you jinxed it.”

Scar glared at her. “No I didn’t!”

I slapped Scar before he could argue any further and hissed, “don’t make the situation worse, dumbass!” and marched towards the pair with crossbows. Scar gave me an offended look but I knew he was playing around for fun.

“What do you want?” I demanded.

Foolish looked at me. “You don’t have the authority to order me around.” He said.

“You just tried to kill me. Are you hitmen?” I snapped.

His friend glared at me. “You were trying to destroy our military.”

Grian and Scar came up from behind. “What do you know about that?” Grian challenged.

“I know for a fact that you were sent to destroy our nukes. We’re from Snowchester, mind you.” The girl growled.

Grian suddenly looked like he was lost in thought. Scar stared at her, then shook her to try snap her out of her trance, but did nothing except from earning a well-deserved smack in the face by her.

“Well, we don’t really care about who sent you. This is about our country’s safety. You back off, or we’ll make you.” Sunglasses Girl said, raising her crossbow.

I processed her words, then turned to Scar. “Wait, if we die, is our contract technically broken?”

He paused. “Wait…you know what? You’re right! We can just let ‘em kill us!”

“But do we like, reincarnate or something? What do you think we’d be-“

Sunglasses Girl facepalmed. “No-that’s not what I meant! I don’t want anyone dead!”

Foolish nudged her. “Whatever, Puffy. They’re not part of our nation.”

Grian shook her head. “You have your own problems. Deal with whoever the fuck Dream is first, then come back and kill us. Besides, Tubbo is a literal threat to society.” She said. “You shouldn’t be listening to that menace.”

Puffy, aka Sunglasses Girl, looked promptly taken aback by Grian’s comment. “How do you know about Dream?”

“Can we take this conversation somewhere else? We’re attracting quite a lot of unwanted attention.” Grian interrupted. “One dude who passed by thought you were a terrorist.”

Foolish and Puffy took a while to discuss, and as soon as they took their eyes off the us and Grian, I took out the stolen can of Sprite, shook it hard, opened it (but barely) then yeeted it at Foolish. It landed on the ground and the entire can burst like a grenade, spewing soda everywhere.

We bolted for it, making a beeline for the subway station, with Scar mainly being dragged all the way. By the time the pair from Snowchester realised what’s happening, we were already down the subway and had managed to get into the train already.

“Ok, that was…awkward.” Grian panted, slightly out of breath.

I grunted. “Whatever. You shouldn’t have told them about your powers.”

She shook her head. “I…sorry.” She muttered.

“Eh. We could go back and kill them both.” I shrugged.

Scar nodded. “Actually, yeah. I would love to do that.”

Grian paled. “No you don’t!” She cried. “Why must you always kill people left and right?”

Both of us Vexes turned their piercing gaze at her. She immediately shut up and sank into the seat.

“Can I kill Tubbo?” Scar asked.

“No,” Grian and I said almost simultaneously. I gave her a look but she said nothing.

“Aww.” He huffed. “I’m bored.”

“You won’t be when we reach the border.” Grian said.

“What?” I asked. “Are you talking about…the border between the city and Greater Dream SMP or whatever that place is called?”

She nodded. “You know we don’t have our IDs or passports. It’s gonna be a wild chase with the border guards there.”

“Ooo, what do they do?” Scat asked.

Grian groaned. “They would chase you down on horses and they never stop. Literally, they could hunt you continuously for days without stopping.”

“Sounds fun,” Scar said.

Grian bit her lip to prevent herself from snapping back at him.

I looked at her. “Listen, if you know about the border guards, do you think we can get past them?”

She nodded. “You can get past them, but it’s gonna be hard.”

I gave both of them a wide smile. “Alright. We have two hitmen on our trail, we don’t have IDs of any sort and we’re about to be chased down by a few border guards. What’s the worse that could happen?”

To be continued

(I did it on another platform and then tried to paste it on Tumblr but ended up with so much lag I can’t even type properly lol)

[alice-after-dark]

Random Song Ideas/Inspirations

These are just some random ideas that I had and I'm no song writer so I'm just gonna thought dump them for you all to suffer through lol I wish I had the ability to make fan songs like damn. These are in no particular order btw.

TW for implications of abusive relationships. Contains abusive StaticMoth.

Hell is Forever (Vox's Reprise) - A much more dark and sinister version of "Hell is Forever" sung by Vox, more reminiscent of how he started "Stayed Gone". The song is basically addressing how he doesn't believe redemption is possible and how the Vees are going to rule Hell.

Pipedream - A "Nothing Left to Lose" from Tangled the Series and "Open Up Your Eyes" from MLP: The Movie style song between Charlie and Vox. Idea originally from and expanded on in this old post and this old post, but it's essentially Vox being bitter and pessimistic vs Charlie being hopeful and optimistic.

You and Your Chain - A Angel and Husk duet about their complicated relationships with the people who own their souls featuring flashbacks to what their relationships with them were like before things got bad and how they turned sour. It's a split duet aka they aren't actually in the same space (like "Whatever It Takes").

My Hand in Yours - A Niffty song about Alastor reminiscent of "King" by Lauren Aquilina. Basically her singing about how Alastor is struggling with both his injury and his deal and about their relationship.

Soundwaves - A Alastor and Vox split duet about the deterioration of their relationship. Has "Somebody That I Used to Know/Because of You" vibes.

What I Am - A Vaggie song with "I'm Gonna Show You Crazy" by Bebe Rexha vibes. Basically a "fuck you" to her old life and her having a let loose moment.

Welcome! - A group song with Owl City's "Good Time" vibes led by Charlie as the group prepares for the grand reopening of the hotel.

New and Improved - A Sir Pentious song in the style of "I'm Still Here" from Treasure Planet. He sings about how he's always been an outcast and how he finally found acceptance and belonging at the hotel and is missing his friends. Features flashbacks to his human life.

Pretty Playtime Dolly - A Velvette song with "Sit Still, Look Pretty" by Daya vibes about her insecurities being the youngest Overlord and comparing herself to Vox and Valentino.

Had Me at Hello - A dark Vox and Angel split duet inspired by "Tag, You're It" by Melanie Martinez about their relationships with Valentino and how they've been manipulated by him.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain - A Vox song with "Dollhouse" by Melanie Martinez vibes. The song focuses on the stress of maintaining his perfect image.

All Bets are Off - A Husk song reminiscent of "Roses" by Poets of the Fall. It's about him regaining faith in himself and that he can be more than what he resigned himself to. He's still not sure if he can be redeemed, but he has hope he can be better. Has hints of HuskerDust.

Silence - A Rosie song with "Listen to Your Heart" by DHT energy. Takes place after Alastor seeks her advice about the situation with Vox. Features Alastor and Vox's relationship from Rosie's perspective from the beginning to the fallout, with Alastor becoming bitter and Vox cutting himself off from all his former friends.

In Your Shadow - A "Waiting in the Wings" from Tangled the Series style song sung by pre-canon Vox. He feels trapped in Alastor's shadow and is uncertain of his own ability and what he really is to Alastor (a friend? a pawn? a source of entertainment?).

[pathetichimbos]

Hey! How do you think Thomas would deal with a reader slowly becoming blind or deaf in their later years of being together or in old age?

I haven't really had the time or energy to go through my asks but this one hits close to home. f!reader

So, everyone knows that as one gets older, their hearing, sight, and pretty much everything naturally deteriorates as their body begins to decline.

But for some people, it gets worse. Blindness, Deafness, Amputation, Dementia, Parkinson's, the list is rather endless.

It's a daunting thought, knowing that it could happen to you. Sometimes there are warnings. A familial history, environmental factors, medical tests... There's time to prepare, come to terms with your fate, learn to live with it.

Other times there's nothing.

One day, you're a healthy adult, your aging body functioning to the best of it's abilities, working despite the slow tick of time that's flown by.

The next, you're gripping railing at the top of the stairs, shaking and afraid because you can't see the steps in front of you.

There's a couple of different reactions Thomas could have to this.

If there's a warning, a time to process and accept what's going to happen, a former knowledge of what's to come, he'll do his best to take care of you. He goes out of his way to learn about things he can do to accommodate you, to make your life easier when it begins. He's no carpenter, but he'll do his best to accommodate the house to the best of his abilities. It's your house as well, after all, and he wants you to be comfortable in it, at any age.

If there isn't, it's panic. He's confused, and he doesn't know how to help. Thomas is a man who thrives on being helpful, and suddenly he isn't. He's worried about you, and rather than having time to come to terms and accept this new world, you're both simply thrown into it, and it makes him spiral. It's a huge adjustment, but he does his best to take care of you and accommodate the house the best he can. In this situation, he's much more likely to accidentally baby you, not understanding how to handle your sudden disability, so it's important to teach him how he can best help without being overbearing.

...I know this ask was specified to blindness and deafness, but I'd also like to touch on the mental and personality aspects to this as well.

His reaction will tract close to the same for things like dementia and parkinson's, specifically if he has a warning, but if he doesn't, things are very different.

He notices the tremors first. The way your left hand seems to tremble, and the way you seem to stand just a bit differently.

Well, that's not entirely true, really, he noticed you becoming more forgetful ages ago, but who wasn't forgetful these days?

Neither of you really think much of it, after all the two of you are getting older, the grays in your hair as present as the ache in your back when you play with your grandchildren.

So, it's forgotten, the shakes and poor memory swept under the rug until it becomes a normality, the progression leaking in at such a steady pace neither of you really notice the way your right hand begins to tremble as well.

"...Is mom okay?" Your daughter finally asks on one of her frequent trips in from the city, "She seems... different."

Thomas gives her a look of confusion, Of course she is, why wouldn't she be?

"Dad... Look at her."

And for the first time in a long time, he really does.

He watches the way you sit, hunched in your favorite chair by the window, arms tucked closely to your chest as you stare out into the yard, a sort of distant, absent look in your eyes.

You're interrupted by the squeal of children running towards you, yelling 'grandma!' to the top of their lungs.

He watches your face light up with a genuine surprise and delight, struggling to lean down and greet them with a hug.

"Oh, how wonderful!" You tell the children with a great, big smile, "I didn't know y'all were coming to see me!"

But you did. He watched you talk to your daughter just a few hours ago on the telephone, telling you she'd be bringing the kids fown for the day.

His chest aches as for the first time, he sees how much you've really changed.

He's more attentive, finally noticing full extent of the tremors, how you can barely move your arms, how with everyday, more and more of you begins to fade from your eyes.

You start getting angrier, snapping easily over small things that would have never bothered you before. You can't stop shaking, constantly taking in your surroundings as if seeing everything for the first time.

You lose the ability to do certain things, your movement much to jagged to brush your own teeth, to comb your own hair. All of those responsibilities falling on Thomas' shoulders, as well as many others.

You spend most of your time in your favorite chair, watching the TV, or listening to the radio. You can barely stand on your own, your legs shuffling and unstable when you do manage to get up.

Thomas does his best to take care of you, to watch over you and make sure you want for nothing.

It's a taxing, and exhausting job, but he can't imagine not doing it.

He's tired, his own body aching and sore from his own old age. Your children begin to visit more often, just trying to help out as much as they can.

"Grandma!" Your grandson calls out for you as always, running up to your chair to greet you as soon as he comes in the door.

"Jacob!" Your son follows his child close behind, "What did we just talk about in the car?"

Your once excited and delighted expression at seeing your grandchild is gone, exchanged for one of confusion as you seemed almost frightened.

"Nicholas..." You ask, shaking as you hold your arms close to your chest, "...Who is this...?"

Thomas has to leave the room.

He's heartbroken, slowly watching the love of his life become a shell of herself, each day slowly becoming worse and worse.

"Thomas, honey, what's wrong?" Shaky hands cup his face when he finally comes back into the room, eyes red and swollen from crying.

He shakes his head, holding your frial wrists as he kisses your cheek.

Within that same week you lose the ability to climb the stairs, and Thomas begins carrying you.

It doesn't take long after for you to become completely bed ridden, unable to recognize either of your children who have practically moved in to help care for you.

Thomas is the only one you don't forget, even if you can't manage to remember the year, your wedding, or even the fact that you're married.

You never forget Thomas.

It's a warm, April Tuesday. Clouds dance across the blue sky, inviting the singing birds to swim in the cool breeze of a rain storm that'll come in the afternoon.

It's the first time you've been this coherent in months, managing to recognize both of your children and your eldest grandchildren.

It's a good day.

Thomas sits in a chair beside your bed, something he put there so the two of you could still sit together, like you used to, when you could walk to the porch and drink your coffee in the early mornings.

He holds your shaking hand, rough hands rubbing soft circles against your skin.

You've become weak with time, barely managing to give his hand a small squeeze to catch his attention.

There's a knowing look in your eyes, and he lets out a shaky sigh.

"...Will you forgive me...?" Your once lively and full voice is small, and broken, shaky and devoid of life.

He squeezes your hand, leans onto the bed and presses his forehead against yours. A silent answer, an understanding sense of relief that you can finally be at peace.

You let out your own sigh, leaning against his warmth for one last time.

It was a good day.

[queenie-official]

Chapter Fourteen: ‘Distractions’ Bridgerton Au!Anakin

part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

a/n: first of all i would like to say a big thank you to all of you 🙌 you’ve gotten me to 300+ followers 🥹 i wanted to get this out sooner as a treat but i knew it’d be much more of a gift if i waited and put all my focus into this💋 that being said this chapter has smut 👀

one would think with three heads working on all the preparations to be done for the big day it would be fast. you quickly realized how wrong that thought was, so much to be done in such a short amount of time. you probably would of had more time had you not spent so long avoiding the problem and pushing people away but you tried your best not to dwell on something you could no longer change. No you had much more pressing matters to attend to like planning a ball and a race. oh and figuring out what to do with the now former members of the royal court who’d betrayed the kingdom.

the simple solution would be off with their heads- a solution you secretly favored, it seemed right to you. an eye for an eye kind of deal, and they did kill your father. unfortunately it was your father who’d put an end to the death penalty and to bring it back for the death of a monarch- the same monarch who spoke of his people as equals, would suggest that his murder weighed more than if someone of the Ton was murdered and their killer was caught.

which in a way his death did weigh far more but that wouldn’t make it any less of a scandal in the eyes of the people. not to mention Lady whistledown would have a field day, she was quickly becoming one of the number one tabloids for all of the hottest news. it would be easier to look over if everything she wrote wasn’t true in a sense.

so now you’re stuck with the choice of damaging Alderaan’s image, one of peace and equality or resurrecting the old image of Alderaan your father fought to change. the Clock was ticking and everyone was watching, waiting for the next course of action. to simply throw them in a prison didn’t feel severe enough for the crime that was committed, personal bias or not they killed a king.

to distract yourself from the passing time you focused your energy into working on the ball with Padme. was it working? not at all but you liked to pretend it brought you at least some piece of mind. picking out color themes and what food was to be served, you ended up consulting Anakin quite a lot to your surprise- not because he had good taste in decorating but mostly because he’d attended enough balls in Tatooine to provide you with an idea of certain differences you could possibly include.

your goal was to find a way to intertwine both Tatooine ball traditions and Alderaan ball traditions. that was the whole point of hosting the Tatooine races in Alderaan to begin with, to unite the two kingdoms and become closer ally’s outside of a simple marriage arrangement- and of course showing them that all was well. the new king still lived and what happened in the past was not affecting the current.

you’d already written to Anakin’s parents to flesh out the details, and as it so happens they would all be coming to both view the races and join in the ball. so yes maybe you also wanted to impress them, and make them feel more welcomed. this would be the first time your meeting his father and sister after all. although you weren’t really scared of meeting his father at all, it was his sister you worried about.

you knew from what Anakin told you before that she was a good person, but you also knew from what he’d told you that she wasn’t exactly keen on you yet. that was an added pressure for the day to come, but Anakin repeatedly assured you that Ahsoka would go easy on you. which to be honest did not do that much to ease your mind but as he put it you’ve done nothing wrong and shouldn’t have reason to worry. which of course is easy for him to say as he knew the full story whereas you weren’t even sure Ahsoka knew you weren’t the one who made the arrangement to marry him.

the only thing you didn’t technically have to worry about was the races, Anakin was handling all of that himself- occasionally consulting you when needed. that of course didn’t stop your mind from thinking something might got wrong. Anxieties plagued your mind more often than not.

it was late as you found yourself mindlessly tracing circles on the desk in your new study- you couldn’t bring yourself to step back into your father’s after everything that happened, it was too much. you found grief strange in that way, what once brought you comfort as if it were a piece of him left behind was now tainted with the stains of a previously unknown tragedy. even looking at the door of it evoked a heart wrenching emotion from you. “you seem stressed” Anakin’s voice pulls you from all of the thoughts in your mind, looking up at him from where you’re sat as he enters the study closing the doors behind him.

had he even knocked? you weren’t entirely sure but even if he had you doubt you’d have heard him. “how can i not be” you huff letting out a small sarcastic chuckle before leaning into the palm of your hand, watching him as he now rounds the corner of your desk.

standing behind you he places his hands onto your shoulders, gently massaging the exposed skin. the robe that had covered them was resting on the back of the chair, you’d gotten hot with it on and didn’t think anybody would be up late enough to see you in just your nightgown. “well maybe i could help?” he offers his voice raspy from sleepiness. it brought a chill to your spin, your skin prickling with goosebumps.

“how could you possibly help?” to the defense of your oblivious nature, it truly was late in the night and you really weren’t thinking straight. your question doesn’t go unanswered even though he laughs, leaning down so that his face was at the crook of your neck.

warm breath fanning over you as he speaks “well i am your husband there’s quite a few ways i could help, the one i have in mind however could also serve as a nice distraction.” you feel your face heat up as you realize what he’s hinting at, you find yourself unsure of what to say or do.

he places a soft kiss to your neck as he waits patiently for you to react. turning in your seat to face him completely as he stares down at you, the look in his eyes making you burn. the usual pale blues swallowed by blown pupils, he was being completely serious and you felt your stomach swirl.

as a women you aren’t entirely taught as to what happens in the bedroom- society often shuns it, though thankfully for you Padme had given you a brief rundown as to what happens so you weren’t entirely left in the dark. an explanation however never translates to how it’ll truly feel, what you where currently experiencing for example was entirely new and barely anything had happened yet. it was strange but you felt thrilled in a way, excited for what could possibly come and also nervous. a very odd combination, but as the silence dragged on and the look in Anakin’s eyes burned hotter you felt your mind run blank ready to allow him to guide you completely in this moment through each new feeling.

you give him a soft nod that makes him smile, taking your hand into his and gently tugging you to your feet. “let’s take this to a more comfortable place then” he keeps hold of your hand as you walk out of the study and down the halls towards your bedroom, mindlessly rubbing circles with the rough pad of his thumb. it was silent in the castle, all of the servants sleeping.

the only thing you could really hear was the sound of your own heart pounding in your chest the closer you got to the room, you started to grow nervous again and you could only hope Anakin hadn’t noticed. ever the intuitive person the second he turns to you as you enter the room and the door closes he notices immediately. “you alright?” he asks concerned, cradling the side of your face with one of his hands.

you nod whilst leaning into his touch, he stares at you for a moment in deep thought before he speaks up again. “y/n if we’re going to do this i’m going to need you to use your words okay?” he phrased it as a question but you could tell by the tone of his voice it was a command. “okay” the response came out quieter then you’d meant, you couldn’t bring yourself to speak up though.

feeling shy from the intensity of his stare and power behind his words. “do you trust me?” he asks with a tilt of his head, moving his hand down to the base of your neck.

“this is my first time-”

he cuts you off with a chuckle “that’s not what i asked.” there’s a brief silence before you answer “i trust you Anakin.”

his eyes trail down to your lips as the words leave your mouth. “have you ever thought about it?” the question makes your face burn again, had you thought about it before? maybe a little, mostly out of curiosity. since marrying him however, well you’d be lying if you said you haven’t thought about it more often than you should.

“is it going to hurt?” you dodge his question with one of your own, his gaze returns to your eyes.

“not if i do it right.” not entirely promising in your mind, did he know how to do it right? you had to fight the urge to ask that question out loud. “we’ll take it slow” he uses his free hand to bring your hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss to the tips of your fingers. “you say you trust me, so don’t worry so much. i’ll take care of you” he adds to further reassure you, you let out a soft breath as he finally pulls you closer to him. his lips now hovering above yours “i’ve got you” he closes the gap between you both, kissing you soft and with purpose. showing you just how much he cares.

it’s slow at first, his thumb subtly tracing your jaw as you relax into his arms. that’s when it picks up, he sucks your bottom lip as he moves both his hands down to your waist pulling you flush against him.

your whole body ached for him, you couldn’t resist threading your fingers through his hair. tugging slightly on the soft curls causing him to let out a low hum of delight. guiding you towards your bed with his body, never breaking the kiss until you fall back onto the bed. panting as you catch your breath before he crawls on top of you, kissing your lips again before trailing kisses down your jawline and to your neck.

tilting your head so he has more access when he kisses the delicate skin. opening his mouth and sucking gently, the feeling makes you mewl and you can feel him smile before trailing back up to your face. he looks down to your chest, reaching up to the strings of your nightgown before looking back up to you silently asking for permission to continue. “please..”

the plea seemed to spur him on, quickly pulling the strings loose and removing the gown entirely leaving you in just your underwear. your body on full display for him, he looked over you. soaking in every detail, you thought you’d shy away from his gaze but the way he was staring. like you were the most beautiful person he’d ever laid eyes on, but then the look on his eyes changed to hunger. it made you squirm, and he couldn’t help but groan at the sight. “you don’t know what you do to me” he says in a low growl that sends heat straight to your core.

“Ani-” he cuts you off with a open mouth kiss to your right breast causing you to gasp. the sound doesn’t go unnoticed by him as he sucks gently, leaving a small hickey before kissing down your stomach stopping just above your navel.

“Are you ready for this?” he asks while looking up at you, lips swollen from kissing all over you. he looked ethereal. “we can stop at anytime.” he quickly added, wanting to make sure you felt comfortable and safe as he hooked his fingers over your underwear waiting for your answer before he pulled them down.

"I am yours to do as you please." you answer in a sudden burst of confidence, he liked that answer. pulling your underwear off with a fervor "You'll be the end of me." he mumbles as he lowers his face between your legs, gently pushing them open and taking a good look at you. he moaned at the sight. your legs spread, thighs wet with arousal that dripped down showing just how much his actions affected you.

he didn’t hesitate to dive right in, licking up the mess he’d caused. the feeling had your head spinning, an intimacy you never felt before. so passionate and pleasurable, and he was skilled.

moaning into you, sending vibrations in all the right places as his nose nudged your clit with each movement. your hands gripping the bed sheets from how intense the feeling was, moan after moan slipping out of your own mouth that just made him groan more.

it wasn’t long before he deemed you ready enough for one of his fingers, slipping it inside of you slowly not stopping until he was knuckle deep. it didn’t hurt but it felt old at first, your body adjusted quickly as he moved it. you must not have given him the reaction he wanted because he added a second finger about a moment later making you gasp. both fingers now pumping in and out of you and they reached so deliciously deep inside.

you were completely lost at this point, head growing foggier with every passing moment. you hadn’t even realized what was happening until you felt the wave crash over you. he worked you through it, before carefully pulling his fingers out.

you open your eyes panting as he moves back overtop of you, face wet with your slick. the sight alone works you back up again. he leans forward, resting his forehead against yours as he catches his own breath. “You’re doing so well.” he says softly before kissing you on the lips, he didn’t start off slow this time- instead kissing you passionately and groping your breasts.

you moan against him and he takes the opportunity to slip his tongue into your mouth, subconsciously beginning to arch into him. everything he did was driving you crazy in the best way, and you couldn’t help but want more. you tug on his shirt causing him to pull away from you, a string of saliva keeping you connected. “want to see you to Ani” you practically whine at him.

he’s quick to remove his sleep shirt as well as the pants he’d half hazardly tossed on when he initially went to wonder the castle leaving him solely in his underwear just as you’d been.

he gives you a moment to take him in before he finishes, you can feel him watch as you trail your eyes down his body. paying extra attention to how toned he was and the way his tanned skin seemed to only glow warmer in the candle light. god he was beautiful in every sense of the word.

“you can touch me too you know, i am yours as much as you are mine.” his statement snaps you out of your daze, looking up into his eyes with a light blush on your face. he gives you a smile, always teasing you any chance he can get. you don’t try to resist his offer though, reaching out and placing your palms against his chest. caressing his abs before testing out the waters and running your nails against him. he shuttered at the feeling, his bulge becoming a bit more obvious when you notice it twitch.

to say it escalated quickly from there would be an understatement, you didn’t even have time to process him take off his underwear before he was spreading your legs and lining himself up. “i’m going to go slow okay, if it hurts i need you to tell me okay sweetheart?” the sweetness of his words helped ease your mind.

“okay” you breath out a bit nervously before he begins to push in. the stretch of him stings, not painfully so thankfully. but it was still odd, not as odd as him being inside of you. the feeling was foreign but with each inch he sunk in further the feeling began to stir into something else.

both of you moan out once he was fully inside you, filling you up in all the right ways. you can tell he’s holding back as he looks down at you, brows creased in focus. “you doing alright pretty girl?” the nickname makes you burn, that familiar warmth going straight to your core. you nod, finding words difficult from how flustered you are.

“come on, remember what i said? you gotta use your words” he gently reminds you, cradling your face with one of his hands and gently running his thumb over your bottom lip. you wrap your legs around his waist shifting slightly to get more comfortable, the movement making you both groan.

“doing alright Ani, want you to move please.” you say with a slight pout and you feel him twitch inside of you.

he doesn’t hesitate to move after that, beginning to pump in and out of you slowly. taking his time with you, he was doing it that way for your sake but god was it practically torture. teasing you with what’s to come and when one of his hands travels down slowly tracing circles around your clit, you can’t take it anymore.

“Anakin Please, move faster” you beg, small whimpers escaping your lips in between each word. you claw at his back as he begins to pick up the pace. your eyes fall shut as the pleasure takes over, forcing yourself to take in gasps of air in between breathless moans.

"Don't close your eyes. Look at me." he demands, snapping his hips roughly. you force your eyes open doing your best to maintain eye contact as he pounds into you, bringing you closer to a second climax with each thrust. “That’s it, taking me so good sweetheart” he coos into your ear, you felt like you could cry from the pure bliss you were in. his words making your whole body flush, burning from his praise and the newfound pet names.

Anakin grabs one of your thighs pulling your leg up higher and adjusting the position your in so that he’s going even deeper, the new depth making you see white. you could feel it building this time, the familiar wave growing closer.

Anakin’s voice rasping out a string of praises, practically babbling in your ear as he grows close as well. “let go for me” that was the final push you needed for the cord to snap, your body spasming beneath him. it took you a moment to register the added feeling of his cum pouring into you. the warmth coating your insides and spilling out as he fills you up.

panting as you tried to catch your breath. he waited for you to calm down before pulling out. then he laid himself down beside you and pulled you into his arms.

you could feel how fast his heart was beating in his own chest from the exertion, your own heart beating in a similar fashion. slowly you found your thoughts again, processing the new milestone you shared as you breath him in.

Anakin kisses the top of your head before moving down and burrowing himself into the crook of your neck. “I love you y/n” he whispered against you, not wanting to raise his voice in fear of breaking the quite intimacy of the moment.

you run your fingers through his sweaty hair, scratching lightly at his scalp and feel him relax against you. “i love you too Ani”

it was safe to say he’d done what he’d set out to do. all the stress from your body was gone as you lay together, a mess of limbs.

part 15

Tag list: @luvvfromme @gatekeepingirlboss @bimbo-baggins86 @iluvanakinskywalker @bby-imasociopath @curlycarley @burnthecheshirewitch @misscaller06 @sweetcheesecakesblog

okay a few things- first off this is my first time ever writing smut so i hope it doesn’t disappoint 😭 (it’s lowkey been eating me alive that i’d completely fail writing it) another thing i know i said chapter 14 was going to be big with all the stuff in one go but it was getting way to long for one chapter imo, so i decided to break it up into different parts. but don’t worry because i will be posting all these parts simultaneously so don’t worry the next part will be up in a few minutes (about 10-15 since i want to space them out) 💋💋 i hope you lovies enjoy 🫶🏼

[melanieph321]

Dusan Vlahovic x Reader - Boss Me Around Part 1/6

I'm so excited for this one!🤭

Reader is a former yacht girl now newly moved to Turin, Italy for her job as a real-estate accountant. There she meets Dusan Vlahovic, a former client of hers, a client she never thought to see again. However, with Dusan being Readers new boss their past becomes a liability. Nevertheless the spark between them still lives. This story is a romcom with both His and Her POV!

Enjoy!

Miami did get a little crazy in the summer, thankfully it was your last year being a yacht girl. Yupp, you were keeping your promise. Once you were out of college you were putting your flip flops on a shelf and stuffing your bikini in the back of your pantie drawer. It was time to grow up and stop treating life like a circus. It was time to get a real job.

"But you'll still visit me when you move to Italy, won't you?" Izzy said, as the two of you shared a scooter on your way to the marina.

"Are you kidding? With my new salary I'm flying you out to visit me. We'll have so much fun together in Turin."

Although it was considered a job, you had formed many great friendships through yachting. Izzy was your best friend in the game, the one you never road without. If it hadn't been for Izzy teaching you the ways of the yachting game, you might as well have ended up in some really bad situations that a lot a girls do whilst seeking the fast way to earn some cash. It was important not to get too in awe of the experience. Izzy had tought you that. Izzy had also taught you that the biggest mistake girls in yachting did was fall in love with a client, a mistake you were thankful you had avoided throughout your career. Although college boys never realky gained your interest either.

"So who's this guy anyway?" You asked. "A nepo baby looking to party?"

"More like a self made billionaire. Raul says he owns like half of Serbia when it comes to real-estate."

"Impressive." You nodded. Your last job as as a yacht girl would be a breezer. It was easier to deal with rich entrepreneurs than spoiled nepo babies who believed to rule the world.

Or so you thought.

********************************************

"I think they're here." Alex said, looking over the boat deck, keeping an eye out for the girls. Once he spotted them Dusan rose from his taning bed, on his way to alert the crew to prepare the boat for departure.

"There's only two of them." Alex said, looking displeased as he returned from the deck, approaching his friend.

"Yes, one for you and one for me." Dusan said, pointing between the two of them.

"Man, you really have gone soft." Alex sighed. He was already suprised to be invited for a fun day out on his friend's new yacht, only to find the vessel empty of people if you excluded the crew members. "What happened to the old Dusan?" He said. "The one that likes to party. The one that taught me that the more the merrier, huh?"

Dusan chuckled. "I guess he's retired."

"At twenty four? How sad."

"Look, we can still have a good time. The girls said that they were up for anything."

"Yeah, but if I know you you're probably gonna ask them to watch you take a nap."

Dusan shook his head, a smile in his lips.

"When did you get so boring man, is that what a billion dollar empire does to you?"

Dusan opened his mouth to get back at his friend but that's when they heard voices below.

"Hello, anybody home?"

"Up hear!" Dusan shouted, a minute passing before they heard footsteps climbing the stairs. Two girls emerged, dressed in nothing but strips of fabric,  bikini's barley covering enough.

"Hi, I heard you guys were looking to party." The blond one said. Her hair was cut short with several tattoos covering her arms.

"Yeah, that's us." Alex grinned.

"Well, the party has arrived." She cheered.

Dusan had nothing against girls with short and bleached hair, but tattoos never did it for him.

"Great. How would you girls like your martinis?"

"Dry." The blond girl was quick to make clear. "And no olives."

"Got it, dry and no olives. How about your friend?"

All eyes turned to the second girl who's presence hadn't been as notisble as her friend. But now that he had his eyes in her, Dusan found it almost impossible to diverge his attention from her.

"Y/N?"

"Huh?" The girl seemed distracted,  her gaze having stuck to a point below Dusan's chin. He wasn't wearing a shirt,  only swimming trunks. Perhaps she found it rude, him introducing himself half naked. Not that she was any better.

"What drink do you want?" Her friend asked, in a bit if a rush to get the party started. The crew was heard above their heads,  the yacht would set sail at any minute now.

"S...ame as you." The girl stuttered. Her voice was unique. It was quite deep but in a very feminine way.

"No olives?" Her friend confirmed.

"No olives." The girl nodded. Her friend then followed Alex downstairs to the bar, leaving Dusan with no trail of thought in the presence of the girl which his eyes had yet diverge from.

"You have a very nice boat." She said,  trying to somther the rise of an awkward silence.

"Um, thank you." Dusan said, clearing his throat. "It's new actually."

"I can see that." She seemed fairly fascinated, as she dared approach the boats railing, admiring the view of Miami Beach.

"Yeah, how so?" Dusan asked, joining her side. But instead of admiring the view, he couldn't help but to admire her. She had eyes that sparked something within him, a sudden thrill.

"What do you mean?" A frown ruined her face.

Dusan felt the need to make himself clear. "You said that you could tell that my yacht is brand new,  how so?"

"Oh." She turned for her back to rest against the railing, her eyes now wandering across the newly swiped deck. "Well, it's every billionaires dream to own a boat and put it on display in Miami, or am I wrong?"

"I don't know." Dusan smiled. He was quite entertained. "I've never heard of this fenomenon. Surley the expert is you considering your experience with billionaires and boats."

The girl's eyebrow rose with interest, however Dusan's slik comment did not seem to have insulted her.

"Perhaps it's not every billionaires dream." She said, turning her head to face him. Again, her eyes sparked a thrill within Dusan, a thrill he was more than excited to explore. "But it sure is every newly crowned billionaires dream."

He wrinkled his nose.

The girl had a twinkle in her eyes. "My friend googled your net worth on our way here."

"I see." Dusan nodded. "Fair enough. I may or might not have bought this yacht in honor of my business flourishing this past year. However I'm not planning on docking it in Miami for display."

"Your gonna sail it across the seven seas?"

Dusan snorted, unintentionally of course. How did she make him do that? Her comment caught him of gaurd. "Not really." He said, collecting himself. "I'll have a friend of mine bring it home for me. He's more of a professional."

"Yeah, that's probably a better idea. Sailing a boat through pirate infested waters can be tricky without experience."

Again, the girl made him chuckled. It was pathetic how tipsy he came across. The girl must smell the glass of champagne he had earlier on his breath and think he's one of those creeps to invite yacht girls on their boats just to get them drunk. He had to assure her that he wasn't like that. He had to assure her that she could feel safe with him.

"We got martinis!"

Just as he was about to ensure her safety, the girl's friend showed up, followed by Alex who carried a tray of filled glasses. "Let's get this party started!" He said, handing out the drinks, making sure everyone had a glass in their hand for a toast. "To a lovely day, spent with two lovely girls." He said, as cheesy as ever.

"Cheers to that!" The blond girl said, rasing her glass.

Before downing his drink Dusan turned to her friend, making sure that she looked to be having a good time as well. He was suprised to find her smiling at him, an empty martini glass in her hand. "Drink up." She winked.

Dusan did exactly that. He would do whatever she asked him to, whatever.

[devastator1775]

Uzi's quest for N's birthday gift

Summary: Nix Doorman AU. After finding out that N and the other Disassembly Drones don't have a birthday, Uzi decides that at least she can give him a birthday gift anyway. Shouldn't be a problem. There's no-one who knows N better than her. How hard could it be, right?

Prompt by @gravityglitch-blog: Not sure of how Drones regard the concept of birthdays, but maybe Uzi makes one for N since he can’t remember his original? Or N gives Uzi a gift on her birthday, if Workers keep track? You absolutely don’t have to do anything with this, it’s just what popped into my head first

Uzi let out a long, frustrated groan as she crossed out another item on her notepad. She had been at it for a few hours now and she wasn’t getting anywhere with ideas. Why was this so difficult? She tapped her pen on the subject at the top of the list.

Birthday present for N, because I am an awesome girlfriend. >:3

“’Awesome girlfriend’ …right.” Uzi muttered to herself. Part of her was really mad at herself for coming up with the idea. “I can’t even come up with an awesome present for my boyfriend who does anything and everything for me.”

Another part of herself was mad at her for being mad at herself for this. “But you are doing this for N, so he can feel special as well, so this will all be worth it.”

And then there was the self-doubting, angsty teenager side of her – that she really thought she had overcome ever since dealing with eldritch being, powers, dead moms that weren’t dead after all, ect, ect… “But what if he hates what I’m potentially giving him?”

And, of course, the zealous overachiever. “No, he’s not going to hate it because it’s going to be the most awesome present given by his awesome girlfriend.”

The girlfriend part of her made her giggle. “He’s totally gonna make out with me where I stand. And I’m gonna be like ‘N, no, don’t do that. That’s embarrassing!’, but I’m gonna let him….”

She looked down at her list. “But first I need to figure this out…” She had gone through this routine a few times over the last few days. Quite the vicious circle she’d gotten herself in.

With a heavy sigh, she went through her memory banks and opened the recording of the event that had led to her current enforced labor.

UziBirthday_TalkWithNVLizzy.mp4

She smiled as the video popped up. Her birthday was a few days ago, and unbeknownst to her, N had managed to round up V and Lizzy to help organize a surprise party for her. Even more surprising, people had actually shown up …with presents …and were having a good time. Thing sure had changed after she ‘helped stop the End Times’. Sure, everyone was told a rather …embellished version of her involvement, because they felt that the real truth would …be rather hard to believe.

She shook the thought from her mind and played the memory.

Music and the chatter of people filled the room Lizzy had managed to occupy for the party. She and N were standing by the snack table with Lizzy and V, with the former sitting comfortably on the latter’s lap, taking advantage of her girlfriend’s wheelchair-bound status. There were taking sips from a bottle of gasoline from Lizzy’s father’s private supply she had smuggled with her. There was a warm tingly sensation all of her body – nothing to do with the glass of gasoline – as N wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She leaned into N, laughing at a joke Lizzy had made at V’s expense. Judging by the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips, she wasn’t really bothered by it.

“Stop laughing.” V warned.

Feeling bolstered by spirits, both alcoholic and emotional, Uzi let out an amused scoff. “It’s a little funny.” she said, giggling as V threw her a disgruntled look. “I wish I was there to see you struggling to say anything.”

“I was put on the spot.” V explained herself. “It’s not like I prepared something for when I was named prom queen.”

“You prepared to slaughter us all.” Lizzy countered. “Which you used me to do.”

“And you used me to let Doll kill me.”

“Aww, I’m sorry.”

“Ugh, you’re forgiven.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet.” N cooed.

“Shut up, loser.” Both V and Lizzy replied in unison, although the smirk and glint in their eyes betrayed the friendliness behind their jab. N just chuckled, having – finally – figured out the signs that showed the difference between those two being serious or playful in their threats.

V shoved Lizzy, who had been sitting way to comfortably on the former’s lap, off her. “Hey, wheel me over to Thad, I want to laugh with his ridiculous hat.”

“Use your crutches, lazy bolts.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Then you’ll stay right here.”

“Fine, I’ll ask someone else, then.” She turned her wheelchair over towards another group of people. “Maybe Chelsea, whom I heard totally has a crush on me, will be- “

Uzi snickered as Lizzy promptly grabbed the handles of V’s wheelchair and started to haul her away from the group. She could overhear the latter mutter something about her ‘being the only one that’s allowed to do that’, which made her giggle. Despite everything. Uzi was happy for her former-enemy-turned-frenemy-turned-friend. She knew that V had been struggling to adjust to her new condition. And despite the brave face, Uzi knew that V still had ways to go before she’d be completely there.

“You know, sometimes those two seem more like rivals than girlfriends.” N remarked, taking a slip of his glass of gasoline. The face he pulled made Uzi giggle, and she quickly took the glass of liquor out of his grip and replaced it with a bottle of oilnade. The way he beamed at her made mechanical butterflies flutter in her stomach.

“Well, if they drink any more of this stuff, I wouldn’t be surprised they’d start serenading each other in front of everybody.” Uzi replied, swirling the gasoline around in her glass. A giggle bubbled up from deep inside her. Maybe she’d better slow down with the stuff as well.

“So …you enjoying your party?” N asked, rubbing the back of his head.

“Surprisingly, yes.” She replied sincerely, looking up at her boyfriend with a bright smile. “I mean, it’s a bit …crowded for my liking, but …yeah, I’m having a great time.” She stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on N’s cheek. “Thank you for doing this, N.”

“You deserve this, Uzi.”

Robo-God, that smile of his could make her melt. She managed to wipe her goofy, lovestruck smile of her face and cleared her throat, trying to get some of that ‘edgy loner coolness’ back, leaning casually against N. “So …when is your birthday? Like, for no reason. It’s not that I want to organize a party for you too, hehe…”

“Oh, I don’t have one.”

Uzi chuckled. “C’mon, be serious.”

“Seriously, I don’t have a birthday.”

Uzi almost dropped her glass. It was like something fell in the pit of her stomach. “You …don’t?” She asked. She pointed over to where Lizzy had brought V. “How about…?”

“Nope.” N smiled, oblivious to the shock in Uzi’s expression.

“You don’t celebrate the day you were activated?”

N rubbed the back of his head. “Well, I don’t have any memories from my life before I got rebooted and Tessa saved me from the dumpster.” He explained. “And my time with Tessa is still fuzzy. And then there are the numerous times I regenerated from normally fatal injuries, so there isn’t really a date I can pick, y’know.”

“But- “

At that point, their conversation got interrupted when the commotion of V launching herself at someone who had made a rude comment compelled them to separate the fighting Drones. Uzi sighed as she paused the memory and returned back to her regular vision. While they hadn’t picked up the conversation after that, it really had stuck with her. N was an incredible Drone, a wonderful friend and an amazing boyfriend. Someone as sweet, loyal, kind – Uzi made a mental node she’d write down all the positive traits of N someday – as N deserved a birthday. A special day where it was all about him, with people celebrating that you are here.

Uzi never really had that until the party a few days ago, so she knew how special such an event could feel. N deserved it, and even if there wasn’t a day where they could celebrate his birthday, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t get a present. And that’s why Uzi had secluded herself to the floor of this ruined skyscraper: to think and decide on a present for N. New determination steeled her spirit and she looked at her list …only to feel her confidence falter again. The entire page was filled with ideas and all of them had been crossed out.

A puppy? Bad idea. Poison air’s gonna kill the thing.

Book about puppies? Boring.

Golden Retriever plushy? He’s not a kid.

A bottle of gasoline? N doesn’t like to drink heavy stuff.

New coat? Lame!

Coloring book? AGAIN, HE’S NOT A KID, UZI!

A picnic? Romantic, but not original enough.

A saucy picture of myself? NO, NOT GONNA DO THAT!

Uzi let out a frustrated yell and fell backwards, staring at the decrepit ceiling. She felt tears form on her screen. She felt like such a failure of a girlfriend right now. She knew N better than anyone and she couldn’t even come up with the perfect gift for him?

“’Awesome girlfriend’, my rear plate!” She threw the notepad out of a window and pulled her knees up to her chest to sulk. A shadow passed the window, making her look up in surprise. A moment later, she heard something land on the roof, followed by footsteps that clearly were coming closer to the room she was hiding in.

“Oh no… not now…” She mumbled with hollowed eyes on her screen.

The door creaked open, and to her dismay, it was N that peeked inside.

“Hey, there you are! I was looking for you.” N greeted her as he stepped in the room. He held the notepad in his hand. “This yours? It landed on my noggin as I was flying past.”

“Uh, yeah, it’s mine…give it back.” Uzi rambled, holding out her hand.

N cocked his head, raising a digital eyebrow. “Is everything okay, Uzi?”

“Sure, sure, why wouldn’t it be?”

“You are digi-sweating a lot.”

“Hormones!” Uzi blurted out, instantly regretting the waterfall of excuses that came out of her mouth. “I’m on my robo-period.”

N wasn’t buying it. “Uzi, are you avoiding me?”

“Pfff, what?” Uzi waved away his comment. “Naaaah….”

“Sure feels like it.” N commented, and the sad expression in his eyes made Uzi hate herself that she was making him feel like that. “Uzi, I know you’ve been busy with school and it’s healthy in a relationship to spend time apart and such, but normally you text me non-stop about your day or you come over to my home, things like that. And you haven’t been doing that lately. It makes me …miss you.”

“N…”

“And today, when I came over to your house, you dad told me you were out here and you were ‘looking glum’ and I find you here in this …rather unsafe building, throwing a notepad on my …hang on, what’s on here?”

Uzi felt a panic rise up and she scrambled up to run up to him. “Girl stuff! Give it back.” She jumped up to grab the pad, but due to her accursed short physique, she was unable to take it out of his hands.

N remained silent as he looked at the notepad, eventually looking up at Uzi with a puzzled expression. “Uzi, will you please tell me what this is about?”

“Nothing!” Uzi liberated the notepad from N’s grasp and turned away from him, clutching the item close to her chest. “Forget what you saw.”

“Uzi…”

“It’s dumb! It’s stupid. Not worth your time!” Uzi squeezed her eyes shut, self-loathing bubbling up from a dark place she thought she had overcome. She took in shaky breaths, trying to keep tears from falling down her visor. Uzi flinched as she suddenly felt a pair of hands fall gently on her shoulders.

“Uzi, remember back when we went looking in that ruined warehouse?” N began, his voice soft and patient. She could practically hear that little smile on his lips, feel that soft expression in his eyes. “And I had that …little accident?”

“You mean: you overheated and attacked me because you hadn’t been telling me you hadn’t been able to drink enough oil to cool yourself down?” Uzi guessed. The memory flashed before her eyes. It happened not too long after the events of prom and she had been desperate for answers. She had been taking N to the furthest reaches of the city for long times and he hadn’t been able to consume oil. He had overheated and his system made him automatically attacked her. He had managed to stop himself, but he almost managed to bring himself permanently offline in the process. She luckily had been able to feed him enough oil to wake him up. He still needed some of her oil, so she had permitted him to bite her …and she vehemently denied she kinda enjoyed the experience because he was so gentle with her.

“Yeah, that’s the one.” N squeezed her shoulders softly. “Remember what we promised each other then?”

Uzi remained silent for a few moments, before eventually letting out a heavy sigh. “We’d tell each when something was wrong. No more secrets between us.”

N hummed agreeably. “And I’ve been keeping up my part of the promise.” He slowly turned her around, so she was facing him. He cupped her chin and made her look up, smiling softly at her. “Will you?”

And there was the melting feeling again that his smile always gave her. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She took hold of N’s hands and placed them on her cheeks, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the warmth that they gave off. She eventually nodded, taking a deep breath.

“Okay…. but I’m telling you, it’s dumb.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“I, eh …it’s…” Uzi took another deep breath. “At the party, you told me you didn’t have a birthday, and I was, like, ‘nah, a great guy like N deserves a special day’, but I can’t just pick a day and decide it’s your birthday, right?”

She didn’t wait for N to answer. The frustration that had been building up the last few days needed to be vented out. “So, I figured that I still could give you a present, because it’s a nice thing to get, you know. And I thought it would be easy because who knows you better than me? So, I made a list with ideas, but nothing I’ve come up with is good enough for you and why did I ever think that I could do this because I am such a failure of a girlfriend, and- “

Uzi got the air knocked out of her as N pulled her into a hug, which she immediately returned. She started to sob softly into his shoulder while he gently rubbed her back and kissed her cheek.

“You, Uzi Doorman, are not a failure.” N eventually said, his fingers running softly through her hair. “If anything, you are an awesome girlfriend because you would do this for me, even though I never asked for it.”

“You deserve it, N.” Uzi mumbled softly.

“That doesn’t mean you need to do this alone.” N said, pulling away from the hug. He cupped her cheek. “Together, remember?”

“Together.” Uzi repeated with a soft smile. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I went crazy over this.”

“Eh, I’m used to you acting crazy. It’s probably the thing I love most about you.”

“Oh, thanks!” Uzi laughed as she playfully punched his chest. “You goof.”

N took the notepad out of Uzi’s hand and gave it a look. “You know, you’re right that you know me the best, you know? I’d enjoy any of the things you’ve written down …maybe not the puppy, because, yeah, poison air and such…” His eyes turned back to the list, and suddenly blushed as his eyes hollowed. A sly smirk spread on his lips. “Out of curiosity, what would you wear for the picture?”

“Okay, we’re done being mushy!” Uzi announced as she snatched the notepad from N, blushing ferociously. She grabbed his hand and started to drag him to the roof. Uzi felt a lot better after talking to N. She now realized that she had been acting silly, letting herself get so worked up over this. She hooked her arms around his arms and rested her head against his shoulder as they walked. When they reached the roof, they sat down on the edge of the building, looking at the sky for a while.

“You know …I think I know which day I’d choose for my birthday.” N suddenly announced.

Uzi looked up at him in surprise. “Oh?”

“The day we met.” N answered with a bright smile.

Uzi chuckled, but stopped when she saw he was being serious. “Really? Why? I shot your head off that day. You stabbed my hand. You nearly killed me twice that day.”

“Okay, but beside that, it feels …right.”

“Still not following you…”

“Because everything changed for me that day.” N looked up at the moon, the rings reflected around his eyes. “That day was the first day to becoming …me.”

“Have you been huffing gasoline fumes?” Uzi teasingly asked. “You’re not making sense.”

“Think about it.” N explained. “At first, I was just a regular, same-as-everyone Worker Drone. With Tessa, I was basically just a real fancy pet and as a disassembly Drone, I just …followed orders. Sure, I was always, me, but …I was never allowed to explore being me. Does that make sense?”

“Eh, kinda.” Uzi replied, making a shaky gesture with her hand. “I think I get what you’re saying. You mean, you were just what they told you needed to be, right?”

“Yeah, like that.” N pulled Uzi unto his lap, chuckling as she started to blush like crazy. “But you, you changed all that. You made me question things. You made me see I was more than just what other told me I needed to be. You let me be how I wanted to be.  You made it possible for me to grow to being the person I am now. And it all started that very day, with you. And that makes you, Uzi Doorman, are the greatest present I ever gotten for my birthday.”

Uzi believed that if her cheeks would burn any brighter, they’d melt right off. “Oh, I, you, I mean, ….oh, my…”

N let out a laugh. “Seems I have got you flustered, Uzi?”

She jumped off his lap and turned away from him. Something was building up deep inside her core. A warmth and happiness that made her tingle all over her body. She tried to push it down. “N-no! I just…you’re being….”

Oh, what the hell. Just give in, Uzi Doorman.

Uzi buried her burning face in her hands and let out a loud squeal of delight, jumping up and down like an excited child. She couldn’t stop giggling. And every time she thought it was going to stop, she’d look at N and his bright, amused smile and she’d start giggling again, her cheeks blushing bright and leaving her flustered. She suddenly turned on her heels and ran up to N, jumping up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. She planted her lips firmly on his, kissing him as hard as her tiny frame could allow.

Once they finally pulled apart, a dizzy Uzi rested her chin on N’s shoulder, trying to catch her breath.

“I guess – whew…” N began, stroking Uzi’s back. “You liked what I said.”

Uzi giggled and planted a few kisses on his cheek. “Shut up…lovable idiot.”

“So, that’s a ‘yes’.” N adjusted his grip, making sure Uzi was completely secure in his embrace. He deployed his wings and winked at Uzi. “You ready?”

Uzi wrapped her arms around N’s neck, nuzzling against his cheek – reveling in the fact that she made him blush. “Always.”

Uzi whooped as N took off and flew up high in the sky, both of them laughing as N did a few daring tricks. As they were flying back to the bunker, Uzi sighed contently as she enjoyed the sigh of the clouds drifting underneath them. And as she looked up at N, she realized something as well.

N was her greatest gift at well.

…

Maybe she could get Lizzy help her take that picture, if she swore never to tell anyone. She’d figure it out later.

Right now, she was with N.

And that was enough for now.

[mandatory-blog-stop-asking]

Weird thing, but I miss Alfred.

It's shaping up to be one of the longest "deaths" of a famous, legacy secondary character, at least in modern DC history. And in that way, it served the narrative pretty well, subverting the usual problems with death in comics. Sure, it was all over an ego trip some bad former Editor in Chief decided to have on a whim; King didn't really plan to kill off Alfred so nonchalantly and it wasn't meant to stick. People know that, it's well documented and they even had foreshadowing that he was Clayface being a part of the plan. So the fact that it sticks should be lauded, right? This is, after all, how death works.

And, sure, it made some characters grow. Bruce, specifically, moving to a brownstone and taking care of his son all by himself is a genuinely cool idea and I'm enjoying seeing him bond with Damian in ways he never bonded with the others. Dick as a billionaire philanthropist dedicating his newfound fortune to Alfred, his late sponsor, is a genuine stroke of genius. Actual change and progress in comic books, holy shit. A feast Spider-Man fans don't even remember how it tastes!

Yet it sometimes feels like you're reading a Batman book in an empty house, because Alfred is gone, and it was over nothing. An unplanned death that took him suddenly with no real gravitas or preparation. Not exactly the same -- okay, not the same by a wide margin, -- but it kinda reminds me of how Buffy fans reacted to The Body.

The character was here, and now they're not, and it genuinely feels empty and real in a way you're not really expecting popcorn media to feel. There's no power fantasy or melodrama or anything. Someone broke his neck and threw his body on the floor, and that's the end of Alfred Pennyworth.

And like, yeah, man, people obviously write stories about other versions that are alive and flashbacks. Nobody is literally gone from comics, things don't move forward *exclusively*, Alfred is a brand unto himself and will never be truly gone. It's the same reason why aging up Jon Kent isn't that big a deal; Super Sons will release as long as someone gets the approval, it's just going to be a flashback. It's fine. But to see the world having to move forward without him has been quite something, you know? People have had big personal moments that he's not there for.

Dick and Barbara got back together, Jason moved to the Hill, Tim got a boyfriend -- it's the kind of stuff these kids could rely on Alfred to talk about, or to help out with, or to simply Be There as a zealous figure for them, and he's just. Not. And the story moves on all the same, yet now it feels like there's a panel missing, somewhere.

Albeit they had like two or three individual times when the actual fucking ghost of Alfred Pennyworth came to say goodbye and peace out to Bruce, I still think it's a pretty solid guess that he'll come back before the end of the decade. The nature of comics means sometimes you need a back from the dead story to keep things fresh, and those can be done extremely well -- Resurrection of Magneto might be the best thing released in the Krakoa era, as far as fully realized minis go. But...

Shit, Alfred missed Damian going to school, you know? That's really sad. I miss Alfred. In a way I'll never miss Uncle Ben or the Wayne couple, I really miss opening a monthly and reading the latest wit out of Alfred's mouth at his silly son and his funny crusade. The nature of comic books being infinite until they're cancelled means this sort of relationship just doesn't get cut like this very often, and I can't recall the last time I *cared* when they tried cutting it.

It will be an awkward day when he comes back and it's back to normal business again, honestly. There's now an understanding of what Batman is without Alfred that I feel they don't have a great way of addressing. Don't really envy the writer who gets the job.

[inquisimer]

WIP Whenever

I was tagged by a handful of people in WIP games recently, but fell behind on accident and then it became an insurmountable thing to tackle, you know how it goes. So! Starting fresh with a little WIP whenever, from my Zevran/Tabris help Lucanis fake his death pre-Veilguard WIP >:]

tagging forward for whenever! @shivunin | @greypetrel | @dreadfutures | @the-rebel-archivist | and @skinwalkingxana

-

He could still hear the whistling of her dagger as she flipped it between her hands, waiting for…what? If she’d been told to kill him with flair, or humiliation, she’d just had the perfect opportunity and done nothing.

Well she did say…

“If not to kill me, then what?”

“Oh, I’m just keeping you occupied,” she said casually. “He needed a few minutes of your attention divided.”

“He?”

“That would be me.” Lucanis whipped around as someone new spoke, concerning but also not for the familiar Antivan accent that wrapped around his ears. A black-cloaked elf that could only be Zevran Arainai pulled the cord of the curtains and light flooded back into the room. “Shall we put our blades away and have a civilized conversation? I believe we were invited.”

“You were.” Lucanis pointed to the other elf with his chin. “I have no idea who she is.”

The dagger vanished from the elf’s hands and she hooked a thumb in her belt, holding her cloak back from the badge pinned there. Lucanis sheathed his sword.

“Of course,” he murmured. “Warden-Commander Tabris.”

Ariya let her cloak fall back over the badge. “I don’t really use that title anymore.”

“It is mighty useful in tense situations, however,” Zevran said cheerfully. He swept out a chair and gestured for Lucanis to sit. Grumbling, he retrieved his now lukewarm coffee and joined the elves at the table.

“Took you long enough to get here.”

Now that he wasn’t actively targeting them, Lucanis got a better look at the former Crow and the legend he called a lover. Both were strapped with weapons, as he would have expected. There were the obvious: the catch of her cloak on the hilt of her sword, his daggers strapped flashily on his belt. And there were the more subtle: a hilt all but hidden at the lip of her boots, stiletto blades tucked into her plait, throwing daggers nearly invisible at his wrists.

They’d come prepared. Or they just always traveled with a small arsenal. He would, if he was doing what they had been doing.

Their faces were lined with age and the kind of stress that only sat on those charged with holding the world together. But there was laughter written there too, and love. When they moved, they adjusted to each other naturally, automatically, covering each other’s blind spots without a second thought. Not just covering, Lucanis noted, gaze lingering between the elves. Tabris was actually sitting in Zevran’s blind spot, and he seemed even more relaxed for it.

Blind trust. Lucanis had never given it to anyone. Knowing the Crows, and House Arainai, he could only imagine what it must have cost this woman to earn it. Unwavering loyalty, at least. And a great deal of blood—others, and hers, most likely.

“Ran into a bit of a scuffle at the border,” Zevran said, smiling until Tabris coughed pointedly. “Yes, yes. If you need to call any covert meetings in the future, do try to avoid Rivain, if you would. But enough of that,” the elf clapped his hands together and both their gaze’s sharpened on Lucanis. “I believe we are here to speak of information. And skills. So what does the great Lucanis Dellamorte want from us?”

“And what does he want in return?” Ariya muttered under her breath.

Lucanis sipped his coffee, swirling it with his tongue before swallowing. There would be no going back, once he spoke. Of course, that was rather the point, wasn’t it?

“I’m going to fake my death,” he said. Only the second time he’d spoken it out loud, and it fell from his lips with finality. “I want you to help me do it.”

[donnerpartyofone]

Halp I'm having social anxiety about something I'm probably not even gonna do. Recently my former boss from the lecture series thing said she'd be passing through town and wanted to meet up. I was a little surprised by this because I didn't think she actually liked me, or at least she might have been totally neutral on me. She was impossible to get to know, which is a funny thing for me to say since I'm not the greatest at connecting. She always seemed really sad and anxious about our little company, so I'd try to engage with her about our successes, and that wouldn't work; then I'd try to commiserate with her about the hard parts, and that wouldn't work either. Allegedly we were both doing this labor of love because of our personal enthusiasms, but somehow I never once had a conversation with her about film or horror or anything. The few times that something controversial happened she was really cold and sort of deceptive about it; I felt like I was back in my dark corporate job instead of in a small group of volunteers who are basically hobbyists and just trying to create something cool together. (That wasn't totally her fault I think, there were some Personalities involved, but it still shouldn't have resulted in this clandestine atmosphere) When she left I wrote her a really personal, appreciative email (this is all remote work), and her entire response was basically "Yeah, it was just too hard to make money," there was nothing about the parts she was proud of or that were just fun, and actually that was the only thing I could ever really get her to say. This makes her sound like some sort of evil accountant, but that's the confusing part, because she's actually a borderline hippie whose other main interest is poetry, and she says things like "thank the gods" in earnest, and her apartment looks like it's all full of earthy folk objects. I always thought the sad hippie poet lady could use a little connection but all my efforts to make her feel comfortable and appreciated never worked out and I just never got a handle on her. I thought we were probably both relieved to not have to deal with each other again...

But lo and behold she asked if I wanted to hang out while she's in my neighborhood, which I thought was really nice...and now I'm like Jesus do I really want to do this? Smartly she only invited me to some group activities so she's not dependent on me for anything, although that's a bit of a double-edged sword because I think they're wandering around a museum and then going to what looks like a loud, tacky pub. Which sounds like a lot of work to me, socially, in order to not just be a straggler/creeper/fifth wheel. On the other hand I've been trying to make myself say yes to more activities because I'm desperately unemployed and lacking purpose/direction/etc at the moment, and I think it would behoove me to practice being brave and also to take every opportunity to meet new and potentially relevant-to-me people because you never know what might come up. But also the activities in question are a pain to get to. But also but also but also. Ugh.

I'm already cycling through my catalog of near-truths to get out of it, and it's not going to hurt anyone if I do. A funny manifestation of my executive dysfunction is that consciously I will be fretting over something while physically I am already preparing to do or not do the thing, sometimes it just starts happening with or without me even as I'm still arguing with myself all the way to the door. My dad is a philosophy wonk and he once told me that thought and emotion follow action and not the other way around. This outraged me, like what so we just get random electrical impulses that make us dance around for no fucking reason? This is like something you hear from narcissists all the time when they do something terrible, that everything is somehow out of their hands and they're a victim of circumstance or only guilty of being human, but it made even less sense. And I think he refused to explain himself just because he was enjoying how much it bothered me, but years later on my own I read the William James bit about this, which was like: If you encounter a bear in the woods, you don't have feelings about it, evaluate those feelings, and subsequently develop the motivation to run. Your brain automatically goes into emergency mode, and all the chemicals involved in the self-preservation impulse create the feeling of fear. (More or less, forgive me, it's early) In such a case you're not running away "for no reason", you're having a legitimate reaction to something, it's just that the feeling of fear and your thoughts on bears are symptomatic of the situation and not the beginning of a decision-making process per se. Dear old dad just likes it when I get upset and confused so he didn't tell me himself that he did NOT mean that we're all just flailing around randomly for absolutely no psychological reason, performing unmotivated actions and coming up with ideas about them later...but anyway I'm entering that type of process now, where I seem to be gearing up to take a certain course that my subconscious believes is best while emotionally I'm still arguing with myself about it. TGIF I guess.

[universaln0b0dy]

Bully twist au v.s reader (untouchable) part 5

《Summary》: Through an potion accident you become invisible and decide to get revenge for the way they treated you. Betraying them out of the nothingness just like they had done to you.

《Note》: inspired by @.azulsluver. Also proceed with caution.

Ace+Deuce: haunted house

It hurt. You thought they were your friends, but they betrayed you in more than one way. You hated them for this. How dare them turn their back on you out of the blue.

You sniffle into your knees before looking over the potion assignment. Because of the fact that your eyes were blurry you couldn't read what stood on the assignment anymore, but you still worked on it, aggressively throwing the ingredients into the pot, pretending you were growing stuff at your former best friend.

"Take that for spilling all my secrets!" You smash another ingredient into the pot, not realising it was the incorrect one and the liquid exploded.

"Have you seen the prefect?" Ace mutters looking and Deuce both of them waiting in front of Ramshackle. You hadn't shown up to class for two days now and it bothered them.

They weren't able to see your face, your cute little face, that tear filled eyes every time they laughed at you. It was almost like you had disappeared from the face of earth.

Ace was about to knock again, before his face was smashed against the door. He snaps his head towards Deuce.

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR?" He screams accusingly while Deuce looks at him in confusion.

"I didn't do anything!" Deuce exclaims rushing over to Aces side, before an unknown force pushed him back. It was as if there was an invisible wall trying to keep them separated.

Something punched Deuce right into the face, multiple times, leaving him with a bloody nose. That's what he got for destroying your notebooks, spilling his coke on you and punching you in the face.

Ace on the other hand had to deal with diffrent punishment. You threw his school books into the mud, stomping on them before pressing Ace into the mud.

The two boys don't know what's happening to them and you don't give them the opportunity to catch a break until you decide that it's enough for today. You had given each of them a very special taste of their own medicine.

But that wouldn't be the end. As a ghost, that's how you called it, you had everything you needed to plan out the perfect revenge, though it hadn't been exactly your idea.

You knew you had a week to do everything you needed before you would become back visible. A week was enough. After all they had only taken a week to destroy your reputation.

You used the second day to expose their secrets. No matter what they had told you, everything would be given to someone else. You really felt icky because of that, but it was a revanche for what they had done.

You purposefully leave out secrets that could connects you to them of course. You spread them through letters, letters you drop in lockers, send through Classrooms and even go your way out to whisper it into other peoples ears.

Wich meant, second day, spreading rumours was done. You let yourself fall onto your bed feeling amazing. Mentally you prepare yourself for the third day.

Haunt Ace and Deuce softly. Despite you being ruff with them right on the first day you decided that you would keep it slow for now. You sometimes made Ace trip, make Deuce drop all of his Books, or change answers on their tests.

Well it was small stuff, nothing that could make someone think their haunted.

On the 4rth day you decide that you would start dropping hints to your identity.

You plopped a sandwich onto Deuces desk out of the blue and not just any kind. It was your favourite sandwich. The sandwich he always stole from you or threw into the dirt, ignoring your growling stomach. You started to drop more and more sandwiches and Deuces head until he was covered in them, salad hanging in his hair and butter sticking to his face.

For Ace you had something else planned, dropping cold water on him the moment he entered a new Classroom. He had started to pull such prank on you and you really hated him for that.

He pulled this prank on a real cold day, forcing you to have to run through the freezing wind, not even bothering to help you in any way.

On the 5th day you decide that you would top what you had done on the 4rth day, making Deuce trip over and over again, having him have a blue jaw after a while. In the middle of class you decide that maybe Ace should dance. He had used his magic to make you do embarrassing things too! He deserved it!

On the 6th day you lure them into Ramshackle, locking them in the most coldest room you could find without any light. They had done that to you too! They could of course just free themselves but you wouldn't be there to see that, busier with making Ramshackle become a haunted house.

The seventh day you aren't even in NCR, you having talked with your friend who would just claim that you were with them the whole week you were gone.

Despite what you expected the two gossiping hadn't been able to free themselves out of the room wich means when you open the door to the locked Ramshackle room, you see them sit together shivering in fear.

"PREFECT! W-why didn't you ever tell us that R-ramshacklewas haunted?" Deuce mutters, fully believing it was a ghost that had tormented them. You smile behind your hand.

"What do you mean? Its always been a haunted house?"

_____________

Epel: The ghost in me

Epel, how should you describe him? Maybe we should start with his toxic obsession with masculinity. Yeah, let's start with that. Vil had tried to get him to accept the fact he was a pretty boy and get him to act a bit more well mannered. Maybe this is the reason he always acted so violently with you. In order to deal with the anger.

You giggle sarcastically looking at your body on the floor, the potion pot next to you. Whatever had happened caused your soul to be separated from your body and you found it very funny.

You could float around and do whatever, even possessing people was possible. You frowned a bit as you realised that you couldn't touch anything, but that didn't matter.

The possessing people gave you an amazing idea! Epel had always used you as a punching bag, maybe you should make him yours! Though it would be more of a marionette type of thing.

You float around making your way to the pomefiore dorm, watching Epel eat dinner, suffering under Vils gaze. You laugh again, deciding to humiliate him. He had done that two! He had once or twice grabbed your notebook reading pages out loud, or pushed you around calling you a weak and stupid person.

It was honestly annoying to think about the fact that that used to make you feel bad.

You grab a hold of Epels shoulders, shutting your eyes, before opening them again, seeing everything out of Epels point of view. You start munching on the food like a wild animal, completely forgetting the fact you were supposed to eat the food with a fork and not with your hands. Just before Vil could say something you let go of Epels body, moving away.

You sadly couldn't return to your body for now, but possessing Epel on random occasions, making him get himself into embarrassing situation was enough justice for now.

You had started to appreciate the fact you could leave your body behind and just posses Epel in order to let your anger get the best of you.

But no matter how hard you wanted to show Epel it was you making his life unbearable, you were still just the ghost of you.

___________________

Jade+Jack+Silver: To you who only watched

You decided to disappear from the world for a while, away from all your bullies, away from Crowley and there was no better place than RSA. People might try to deny it, but while the students were just as bad as those at NCR, they at least proved themselves as helpful allies.

"Ah! Hey friend!" You mutter walking over to the shadowy figure that rode the carriage. The figure tapped on their hat with a greeting motion before you step in and ride away.

No one knew about why you disappeared, but the ghost of you hunted the halls. There was nothing that could replace the hole you left. But you didn't care.

It felt great being finally away from all that abuse and be under people that reminded you of mean girls. You mentally chuckle at the thought, before you suddenly get a message.

It was Silver, begging you to come back, simply because of Malleus. He even tried to reason with you that he didn't hurt you. You shake your head sighing.

Silver was one out of three students that thought they could make you come back by saying they had nothing to do with your bullying, but you wanted to avoid them especially.

They had only watched, hadn't they? They didn't help you when you were laying on the floor, bleeding and coughing. None of them helped, the only thing they did was watch.

And this is what you would do. You would watch the school fall into chaos, without lifting a finger.

(Okay! We have the main series settled, but of course we need a grand finale right?)

Next part: A Bully twist au v.s reader, untouchable.

Side story: The secret friend

[king-shane-of-the-redcloaks]

what's your relationship like with abeke at the moment?

Let's see . . . I have apologized to her several times, and I'm pretty sure she's forgiven me, but sometimes she holds my betrayal over my head when she wants to get out of petty household chores. Like one time, she wanted to go hunting with Uraza, and I had a few messages to send and couldn't finish doing the dishes. So I asked her to do it. She then proceeded to tell me that I owe her "1001 chores before I'll forgive you for real", which I'm almost certain was a joke. But just in case, I did the dishes that day. That same day, Uraza vomited all over her favorite pants, and she made me wash them! I don't think she's actually counting, because I'm supposed to be on 896 right now, but yesterday, Abeke told me that I owe her "like 800-ish" more chores. I didn't correct her, but that makes me think she wasn't really being serious. However, on the small chance she is, I'm counting and keeping very close track in a log called "Chores for Abeke's forgiveness", which has dates and details.

I don't like the way the other Redcloaks talk about us, though. I caught Worthy smirking at me one time when she was correcting my thumb's position while teaching me to nock arrows. I don't really know what that was about. But Worthy is part cat, so maybe his face just looks like that (Abeke's does sometimes, and she's not even a cat, just bonded to one), so I let that go. But after I implemented the rule that Abeke was off-limits to talk smack about, Talon made a very unfunny and implicative drawing about me and Abeke. I won't describe the details, but it was very inaccurate and not at all true. She then spread it through the Redcloak ranks, and even though there were only about fifty of us, it was still heavily annoying to deal with, especially since that was around the time I was trying to whip them all into shape. Also, one of the Redcloaks that was supposed to be cleaning the balcony of our base threw flower petals down at us while I was showing Abeke around the courtyard that was directly beneath it. I haven't figured out who was responsible for that, but I'm almost certain it was Howl. I've had several talks with the Redcloaks telling them that this is inappropriate behavior and that I am their leader and should be showed the proper respect, but they have all aligned against me and continue to disobey my very clear orders. Sometimes, when we get a new recruit who doesn't know all the rules yet, they offer to be my wingman/woman, and I have to correct them and tell them that I feel absolutely nothing for Abeke. I have no idea where these rumors are coming from, since I am not in love with Abeke and that is clear to anyone with a functioning brain. So I am choosing to believe that the Redcloaks do this because they're bored and annoying me is fun.

Other than that, my relationship with Abeke is very good. We recently went on a hunting excursion together in Nilo. Well, that was unofficially. Officially, I was going between several areas in Nilo to try to show goodwill to the people that I regretfully treated quite poorly in my former life. I even found a few more Redcloak recruits, which is always good. But we had to do a lot of hunting together while traveling, and even though she made me do a lot of the skinning and preparing, it was still fun. I think Uraza is starting to warm up to me, too, but she reminds me of the Redcloaks when they're at their most annoying. She once nudged me into Abeke, which Abeke claimed was an accident. I'm inclined to believe that, since she's Abeke's spirit animal, but I still don't like the implication. Anyway, we stopped by Abeke's home before we left Nilo, and I almost punched her father in the face (Abeke stopped me) and called her sister something I probably shouldn't repeat. I don't really know why she puts up with those two when she has an amazing, supportive family at Greenhaven, and hopefully someday she'll realize that and cut them off.