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gryffindorcls · 5 years ago

Note

I'd love to see "2 I'm cold" ♡

I had Valentine’s Day on the brain when I was writing this one!

Post-Reveal/Established-Relationship Board

(If anyone else would like to submit a Lovesquare Fluff Bingo request, you can find the ask prompt here.)

February 15th

AO3

Marinette groaned and pulled her blanket over her head after a second volley of loud knocks sounded against the hatch on her floor. She was too tired to wake up, and she was too comfortable to move. In an attempt to block out the disturbance, Marinette snuggled further into her nest of warmth and softness. She squeezed her eyes shut when she heard the hatch slowly creak open.

“Princess?” Adrien’s voice filled the room. “Where are you?”

“She’s not here,” Marinette mumbled into her pillow, “Try again later.”

He chuckled. “Do I need to come up there and get you?”

“NO!”

“I’m coming up.”

“No, Adrien, let me sleep!”

“Too late!”

Within a matter of seconds, her boyfriend’s head peered over the edge of the wooden platform that lofted her bed above her room. The weight of Adrien’s body caused the far end of her mattress to creak under the pressure.

“I will tickle your feet if you don’t get up,” he warned with a teasing lilt in his voice.

Marinette quickly pulled her legs against her body. “Why are you being so mean?”

“Because I can’t wait to spend the day with the most beautiful girl in the world.”

She sat up and was met by two bright green eyes and a lopsided smile. “Aww, Adrien, that’s so sweet!”

“I can be cute sometimes.”

“No, you’re cute all the time, but it’s too early for your cuteness.”

“It’s ten o’clock, Marinette.”

“And we had to fight four Akumas yesterday. FOUR. That’s three more than one. And we didn’t finish fighting the last one until one o’clock this morning.”

Adrien scooted next to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I know, but it’s not every year that February 15th falls on a Saturday. This is our day.”

She relaxed against his chest. “I know. If only Valentine’s Day wasn’t so terrible for us every year. I’m starting to think that Hawkmoth has no life.”

“Really? You’re just picking up on that now?”

“I wish we could celebrate Valentine’s Day on the actual day like every other couple.”

He pulled away. “But you and I are not like every other couple.”

“Hmmm. I guess you’re right.” She gave him a gentle peck on the lips. “We’re pretty super.”

“Please let me kiss you again for saying that pun!” Adrien begged.

She giggled. “Nope! You wanted me up, so now you have to let me get ready. Save the kisses for when I’m looking a little better.”

“But you look beautiful right now!” He pulled her close. “You always do! You are more radiant than the sun!”

“How poetic.”

“It’s true.”

“Well, thank you. Now let me go!”

He dropped his arms with a flourish and pouted. “Fine. Go get ready. Just leave me up here all by myself!”

“You’re so dramatic sometimes.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “That should tide you over until I’m done.”

Without waiting to see Adrien’s reaction, Marinette climbed down the ladder, walked to her closet, and pulled out a light pink, long-sleeved dress with a fitted bodice and a knee-length circle skirt. She held the garment up to the light and bit her lip. Today was her day to finally celebrate with Adrien, and she really didn’t want to wear jeans.

“Hey, Adrien?” she called across the room.

“Mmmhmm,” Adrien responded, “What’s up?”

“How cold was it outside before you came into the bakery?”

“It was pretty brisk. The wind made the air feel extra cold. You should bundle up.”

“And what are our plans for today?”

“The same thing we do every February 15th. We’re going to brunch at our favorite cafe, and then we're going to the drugstore to buy several boxes of discounted chocolate truffles before heading back here to watch five hours of movies.”

“And we’re walking right?”

“Yes...will that be a problem? I didn’t think you liked having my bodyguard accompany us on all our dates.”

She took another look at the dress. “No, that won’t be a problem.”

“I should be okay if I wear tights,” she thought, “Besides, I’ll be wearing a hat, mittens, and a scarf along with my jacket. I’ll be fine.”

With a determined nod, she got dressed, ran into the bathroom, quickly styled her hair into a low bun, and applied neutral make-up. After giving herself a once over in the mirror, she hurried back to her room and put on her winter outerwear.

“I’m back!” she announced.

Adrien scrambled down the ladder. “Does that mean that my Princess is ready to go?”

“Yeah, just let me grab my purse. Does Plagg want to join Tikki in my bag today?”

A tiny black blur shot out from behind Adrien’s collar and stopped in front of Marinette’s face. “Yes, it does. You two and your silly rituals. Blech!”

Tikki zipped next to Plagg and poked him in the stomach. “Stop it! I think it’s wonderful. AND they worked hard yesterday with all the angry love Akumas. They deserve a day for themselves.”

“We worked hard, too, Sugarcube. Ugh, and they always get so mushy. Why do we need to see that on our day off?”

“Because it’s sweet.”

“Oh, yeah? Good to know your sweet-tooth is being satisfied. I’m starving. Adrien forgot to feed me this morning. If they’re gazing into each other’s eyes all day, who’s going to give me cheese?”

“Hey!” Adrien glared at his Kwami. “I said that I would feed you at the cafe.”

“You’re always thinking about your stomach.” Tikki crossed her arms.

Plagg threw his paws into the air. “Well, someone has to!”

“You know, it’s February 15th for us, as well.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re right. We do need to rest, and I was looking forward to spending some time with you today. Just you and me inside Marinette’s bag. Maybe some cheese and cookies, as well.”

“We need more than just one day to make up for yesterday.”

“If you’re not going to be nice, then you can spend the whole day by yourself!” Tikki flew into Marinette’s bag with a huff.

“Sugarcube, wait! I’m sorry!” Plagg dove into the purse and snapped the top of it closed.

Marinette’s gaze slowly shifted away from her bag and eventually landed on Adrien. The second her eyes met his, both teens began laughing uncontrollably.

“What are we going to do with those two?” Marinette said, holding her stomach.

Adrien wiped a tear away from his right eye. “I told you we weren’t a normal couple, Bugaboo!”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right. We are an extraordinary couple.”

Marinette grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the hatch. “Come on, kitty-cat. Let’s go enjoy our day!”

Adrien followed without hesitation. Soon enough, they were making their way down the sidewalk hand in hand. When they reached the cafe, Marinette resisted the urge to chatter her teeth. Her legs were freezing.

After taking off her coat and putting it on the back of her chair, Adrien paused and looked at her in awe.

“Princess,” he began, “I know you look amazing every day, but I must say that you make that dress look stunning.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Don’t you mean that the dress makes me look stunning?”

“No, the clothes don’t wear you, Marinette. You wear the clothes. The only reason that dress looks good is because the person wearing it is you.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm. “Flirt.”

“Ahh, yes, but I’m your flirt!”

They spent their time at the cafe laughing, talking, and relaxing. Even though it was no longer Valentine’s Day, she still felt the love that radiated off both of them.

When their identities had been revealed three years ago, she never pictured that their relationship would grow into something this beautiful. Not only were she and Adrien dating, but they were best friends. They were partners. They were made for each other.

After taking their time at brunch, they left the cafe and made their way to the drugstore. Once they had purchased a dozen discounted boxes of chocolate, they headed back to the bakery with their spoils.

Halfway through their trip back, Marinette’s teeth began clacking together.

“Is that you, Princess?” Adrien asked, turning his head towards her.

“Y-yes,” she responded quietly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m cold. Even though you told me to bundle up, I wanted to wear something nice. I should have listened to you. Now my legs are stiff and frozen.”

“Oh, Marinette, you could have worn a paper bag, and you’d still be beautiful. Come here.”

In one sweeping motion, Adrien scooped her up and began carrying her bridal style down the street.

“What are you doing?” she squeaked.

He kissed the top of her head. “Making the most of my day with the girl of my dreams.”

She giggled. “Happy February 15th, Adrien.”

“Happy February 15th, Princess.”

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fic #my fic #adrein agreste #marinette dupain cheng #adreinette #post reveal #established relationship #Valentine's Day #February 15th #One-shot #fanfiction #ao3 #fluff #tooth rotting fluff #LITERALLY JUST FLUFF

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lastwagontrainhopper · 4 years ago

Text

Soft sorrow

I hope it’s not too late to submit work for Royai Week! This one is for the 5th prompt (a picture of a couple sitting on a bench, watching the sunset).

Summary: Even the goodest of boys must one day be laid to rest... Riza is in need of some comfort after the loss of her furry friend.

Read it on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24713377 French version : link coming soon.

----

Being assigned to Mustang’s squad was, as Lieutenant Cooper quickly realized, in a lot of way like landing in a parallel universe.

The squad functioned in a way that was unlike anything Cooper had experienced since joining the military. Generals usually managed an entire military base or a fortress, and had only one or two direct subordinates that acted as second-in-chief or bodyguard; the rest of the troops were under their orders through a long chain of command.

General Mustang, on the other hand, was stationed right here in Central and had insisted on keeping direct control on a small team in addition to his other responsibilities. It was a close-knit squad that had gone through little change over the years: Mustang was always reluctant to trust soldiers he didn’t know, and was picky about the type of people he wanted in his team. For several years, Officer Warrant Falman’s position had stayed vacant, until the arrival of Cooper a few months ago.

Although unique, the Mustang squad universe was governed by an extremely specific set of rules that Cooper was quick to learn. Those rules determined the behavior of each member of the squad with clockwork precision. Mustang gave the orders and procrastinated; Breda teased Havoc and called dinner time; Havoc retaliated and smoked the office; Fuery tinkered and brought some much-needed optimism; and Hawkeye overviewed everything and kept the clock hand running.

That is why Cooper could not believe his eyes when, on an ordinary autumn morning, the Captain came to stand in front of Mustang’s desk and asked for a day off.

Hawkeye never took unplanned time off; that was another one of the rules he had learned, the only exceptions being when she was preparing a coup and when she was at death’s door. She seemed a little tired, yes, but she was certainly not dying, and Cooper did not want to consider the other option, so…why such a request?

The other members of the squad glanced at each other, all of them as surprised as he was, except for the General. After hearing her demand, he looked at Hawkeye with a compassionate look on his face and answered in a soft voice that Cooper had never heard him use.

“Of course. Don’t worry about us, Captain, we’ll manage. Take as much time as you need.”

Hawkeye nodded stiffly, turned on her heels and left the room without a word.

After a while, Breda broke that silence that had settled in the office.

“General…. what’s going on?”

Mustang let out a loud sigh and ran a hand over his face. Cooper now noticed that he also seemed pretty tired – although that wasn’t unusual for him.

“It’s Hayate”, replied the General after a moment. “He’s been sick for a while now…limping, hardly eating anything, that sort of stuff. Yesterday, it got worse all of a sudden: he could hardly move. I guess it hasn’t improved since then.”

The men nodded, understanding. The news didn’t seem to surprise them; after all, old dogs often got sick, and Hayate was apparently barely younger than the squad. This had made him the unofficial mascot of the team; yet Cooper felt that his colleagues’ concerns were more about the Captain. He was new to this place, but even he had noticed the strong attachment that Hawkeye, who always seemed so unemotional, had to her dog.

The rules of this small universe were simple, but Cooper was beginning to understand that they concealed another layer of them, more subtle and complex. Hawkeye seemed cold and reserved, but her dog wasn't the only one to receive her affection: she could be warm-hearted with the members of her team, and always had words of comfort for those who needed them. Breda gave the impression of being oafish, but he had a sharp and crafty mind; and beneath Mustang’s apparent laziness laid a burning passion and an iron will to reach his goal.

But perhaps the main unspoken rules were those concerning the relationship between the General and the Captain.

Cooper was not clear yet on the nature of that relationship. Mustang had a lot of affection for his adjutant, that was for sure; but the two had worked closely together for almost twenty years, and Cooper had picked up that they apparently knew each other before even joining the military. Their fierce loyalty and deep understanding of each other could very well only be the result of a childhood friendship.

On the other hand, there were the knowing glances the other men of the squad exchanged from time to time, and certain details that spoke volumes – such as the fact that Mustang had been the only one to know about Hayate’s condition. Despite this, Cooper had never tried to find out more, out of respect for his superior.

The rest of the day went by quieter than usual, even though the missing person was usually the one bringing the office back to order. Unsurprisingly, Mustang didn’t get much work done; but instead of sleeping or making phone calls as he often did in his adjutant’s absence, he seemed mostly lost in thought and glanced worriedly at the clock from time to time.

A few hours after dinner, he got up from his desk and asked for their attention.

“Alright! We’ve worked well this morning, and I think we could all do with some rest. Let’s call it a day; you’re good to go.”

Cooper wasn’t expecting this. Being dismissed almost half a day early? No one ever did this.

“Are you gonna check on the Captain, sir?” asked Breda.

Mustang nodded as he put on his coat.

“We should probably do that too”, Fuery chipped in. “Taking care of a sick dog is a lot of work; she’ll probably need a break or a good meal.”

The rest of the team agreed, except for Havoc who had to go home to look after the kids, and the men continued to chat as they got ready to leave. Hawkeye didn’t answer when Mustang called her apartment; they concluded that she was probably still at the vet.

“It’s hard to believe that Hayate is already an old dog,” Fuery commented as they walked down the stairs. “It feels like only yesterday he was still a puppy!”

Breda answered with a tired grunt.

“It sure makes us feel old…If I remember well, you and Falman were still living in the barrack at the time he arrived. You were the one who found him on the street, right?”

They stepped into the General’s car and spent the ride reminiscing, explaining to Cooper how the dog had come to join their squad. Only Mustang stayed out of the conversation. After a few minutes, Breda looked out of the car and frowned.

“We’re going to the veterinary hospital, aren’t we? Are you sure you’re going in the right direction, sir?”

“Yes, but I’m making a short detour,” he replied distractedly. “I want to check something first…”

A few streets later, they started to drive along the main park of Central, and Mustang slowed down the car.

“That’s her favorite spot to walk Hayate, so I thought…” he began, scanning the park from his car window.

“Oh!” exclaimed Fuery. “Is that her, on the bench?”

From the back of the vehicle, Cooper twisted his neck to get a better look, and finally caught glimpse of a blonde woman sitting near the middle of the park.

“Hayate doesn’t seem to be with her”, Breda noted. “That’s not a good sign…”

The men glanced at each other with a knowing look. They all knew there was only one reason why Riza would be neither with her dog nor back to work. Mustang parked the car in the closest spot he could find and turned back toward them, a grave expression on his face.

“I’ll go talk to her. If you guys want to go home,” he threw the key at Breda, “we’ll take a taxi.”

He took a deep breath, got out of the car and walked away.

The three men watched him entered the park in silence, and after a while, Cooper spoke up.

“We’d better get out of here, shouldn’t we? To give them some space…”

“I agree,” replied Fuery, “but…” He gave Breda a sideways look. “Isn’t it a bit risky for them?”

“Given the weather, there aren’t many people in the park, and the sun is setting soon anyway. On the flip side, he’s in uniform, and we’re not that far away…” He paused to think for a moment. “I think I’m going to hang out close to the entrance for a while,” he concluded, glancing at Fuery with intent.

Fuery understood immediately.

“Good idea. Cooper, want to hang out by the other entrance of the park?”

While he followed Fuery, Cooper found himself once again fascinated by the secret rules that governed Mustang squad’s small universe.

-------

As she saw Roy approaching, dressed in the military blue, Riza straightened her back and turned her head away, hastily wiping her eyes. She was dressed in her civilian clothes, and the light wind was pushing locks of loose hair into her face.

“General”, she greeted in a strangled voice as he stopped in front of the bench. “Was the workday productive?”

Roy stared at her worriedly, ignoring her question.

“Hayate”, he began in a soft voice, “is he…”

Riza looked down at the ground and simply nodded.

“They had to put him down. There wasn’t much they could do, he was just too old…” Her voice trailed off.

Roy sat down next to her. “I’m sorry, Riza.”

She felt her eyes starting to fill with tears and looked the other way, embarrassed. “Sorry, I know…” She took a deep breath and exhale slowly, trying to collect herself. “I know it’s silly, it’s only a dog, but…”

“Riza!” She snapped her head at him, surprised by his offended tone. Roy took her hand in his. “It’s not silly,” he said firmly. “He’s been by your side for, what, twelve years?”

“Fourteen”, she corrected without a thought, looking at the medals on his uniform.

“For fourteen years,” he continued. “He was important to you; it’s only natural that you would feel sad about losing him.” His expression softened. “You’re allowed to cry over a dog, Riza.”

She finally met his eyes; the understanding and compassion she read in them made her choke up, and she didn’t manage to answer.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closed to him. Riza hesitated, but there was no one around she could see; after a moment, she leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed like this, without talking, both lost in their thoughts.

“He’s had a good life, you know,” Roy said after a time. Riza wasn’t sobbing, but her chest rose and fell violently, and her cheeks were covered with silent tears. “Dogs want nothing more than to feel useful, and you know how much he loved to come with you on missions.”

She nodded, her throat still tight. “He saved my life…four or five times, I think.” A shadow of a smile touched her lips. “He probably did it more often than you, actually.”

Roy laughed quietly. “I don't have any trouble believing that. He really was an exceptional dog.”

Riza closed her eyes. She could feel Roy’s thumb rubbing circles into her shoulder, and heard the wind sweeping dead leaves around their bench.

Even though her heart seemed as heavy as lead, Riza felt strangely serene. Her sorrow was deep, yes, but it was a soft kind of sorrow. All the mourning she had gone through in her life had been stained with shame, resentment, and above all guilt; they were weighted down by duty and intertwined with stories of conspiracies, alchemy, genocide. She couldn’t even grieve without blaming herself for it: what right did she have to cry over Ishval when she had been the one to commit the crimes? How could she allow herself to lament over the state of her back, when she had been the one who wanted Roy to burn it?

But for once, her sadness brought nothing more than sadness. In the midst of her complicated life, Hayate had been a source of simple joy, and his death brought her a simple sorrow. It was her dog, and Riza had loved him; the pain that she was feeling only showed how deeply she had cared, and for once she had no reason to blame herself over it.

Having Roy by her side made her sorrow softer still.

More than anything in Riza’s life, her relationship with Roy was a heavy and complicated mess. They carried so much pain, so much guilt towards each other; they had apologized for countless harm they’ve done to the other, but had forgiven themselves for none of them. Their common past was full of remorse and their future together filled by uncertainty; and the mourning they had shared had been as complex, if not more, than anything else.

But not this one. For a moment, they were not soldiers trying to make right for a genocide or overthrow a government. They were nothing more than a grieving couple who had lost their dog; an ordinary couple going through life’s small hardship. A normal couple with a very real, but normal pain.

And for a moment, despite everything, it felt just right.

#royaiweek20 #royai #hayate #black hayate

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cinning-at-midnight · 8 years ago

Text

The Charity Gala- Part 1

The day’s lessons had been pushed back, and so I took the opportunity to sit in the garden with a nice pot of tea. I sat in an outdoor lounge chair, my feet hanging delicately over the edge. My teal dress flowed to-and-fro, tickling my legs. The garden was my getaway, and whenever I had the free time, I would sit and admire the beautiful scenery. Today, I chose to take my afternoon tea amongst the hydrangeas.

“I thought I’d find you here,” Nico said approaching me in a hurry.

I leaned forward in my seat and turned to face him.

“Giles asked me to come get you,” he said, apologetically.

I glanced down at my teacup and took in one last breath, inhaling the fresh aroma of the garden flowers.

“Thanks, Nico, I’ll see him now.” I replied, smiling.

I handed my teacup and its saucer over to Nico, and moved to my feet. With a spring in my step, I strode through the castle halls. My proposal must have been accepted, I thought. A few weeks ago, I had told Leo of my desire to assist my people better-- to make a stronger impact on their lives. Leo helped me to write the proposal so that I could present it to Giles. And now I’ll finally have my answer.

In the study, Giles was leaning over a binder, flipping through its pages.

“Giles, I brought her!” Nico said, his voice musical like wind chimes.

“Did you submit my proposal to the bureaucrats?” I asked, my eyes boring holes into Giles’ turned back.

My advisor straightened his posture and turned around to face us, his hands neatly folded in his lap.

“Princess,” Giles began, “I spoke with the members of the board responsible for clearing charity events such as this one-- and they’ve accepted your proposal.”

I became overjoyed, and threw my hands into the air.

“That’s not all,” Giles went on, chuckling at my reaction. “There are to be several booths set up with refreshments. Our guests will enter, and buy tickets that they will use to buy goods inside the event.”

Nico grinned, “It sounds like a fair!”

“Hardly. Although the ticket system is the same, the event itself will be conducted as a gala.” Giles replied, his cheeks lightly tinted crimson.

I smiled at Giles, “Thank you, but now we must call everyone to a meeting to discuss it further.”

Nico, Giles and I all set out immediately to collect everyone needed for the meeting. At last, we were together in the parlor with Alyn, Leo, and Robert. The six of us had a much better chance at fine-tuning the details of the event when discussing it all at once. Alyn was the only one who was clearly annoyed to be in attendance.

“Gentlemen,” I spoke, beginning our deliberation, “Now that the proposal Leo helped me write has been approved, we need to work together to decide who will be in charge of the booths.”

“Alyn, I’d like for you to put together a dessert booth,” I said, “I believe the nobles would be drawn to those first.”

I could see Giles across from me, diligently taking notes on the results of our meeting, to look back on later.

“Yes, of course. Um,” Alyn stammered, “My one and only request is to be away from Leo.”

“Aw, c’mon, Alyn,” Leo whined playfully.

Alyn ignored Leo’s plea, and twisted around in his chair to avoid Leo’s gaze.

“M-moving on,” I cleared my throat, “Leo, you should be in charge of the ticket booth then.”

“So, I sell tickets to the guests?” Leo asked.

“Yes, that and you’ll be responsible for the security of their donations.” Giles said, looking up briefly from his notes.

I nodded in assent, and turned to the butler, “Nico, you’ll be responsible for putting together a tea and wine booth.”

“Tea and wine?” Nico asked.

“Yes, because I doubt a tea booth alone would generate donations,” I replied.

“Your Highness, what shall I do?” Robert asked.

“Robert, do you think you could do a booth of sketched portraits?” I asked him.

“Of course, but because of the amount of time it may take for a single person or a couple, I suggest that they be a higher value item…” Robert said, twiddling anxiously.

“Definitely, we can discuss the value of our tickets and the pri

,ce points individually at a later time,” I said, making eye contact with everyone.

“Thank you for meeting with me again on such short notice” I concluded, “I promise to meet with you each individually, and if you have any questions before then please come to Giles or I.”

They all began to leave, but I pulled Giles aside.

I looked into his eyes, “Giles, I wonder-- can we invite Stein to participate?”

“Are you suggesting King Byron run a booth of his own?” Giles asked, dubious.

“Stein could have a booth-- I doubt Byron himself would run it.” I responded, the wheels in my mind turning.

Giles smiled, “Of course, and we could invite Stein’s nobility as well, and split the donations between the two nations.”

A part of me had hoped for Wysteria to benefit the most from the event, but knowing Stein would be involved meant a higher likelihood of large donations-- and even more people would attend.

“Yes, let’s arrange for formal invitations to be sent out,” I told Giles.

“M’lady, one of us should go to Stein to speak with King Byron as well,” Giles said.

A small sigh escaped my lips, and I felt my adrenaline failing. The event was now no longer an idea-- it was becoming a real thing that required work.

“Hmm, I’d love to, but I really want to be involved in the planning taking place,” I finally said, my voice trailing off.

“Princess, it’s getting late, why don’t you go to your chambers and I’ll send Nico with your tea.” Giles said, tracing small relaxing circles on my back. I shivered from the sensation.

“Thank you, Giles,” I smiled at him, “but I don’t know that I can relax until I’m sure what’s happening.”

“Hmm,” Giles frowned slightly, “Then at least take some time to yourself, if you get overworked now then you might get sick.”

I nodded, and returned to my chambers, to work out more of the details I wanted to incorporate into my charity ball. In my room, I paced the carpet floor and began to work out the plans with myself. Alyn, Nico and Robert are in charge of the entertainment booths, and Leo will take their money and exchange it for tickets. My thoughts pulled me in several directions at once. Stein will be invited, and perhaps they’ll have a booth for raffle prizes. It’d be a good idea as well if Louis… The sound of a jiggling door handle broke me out of my reverie.

“Princess, Giles asked me to bring you tea to help you relax,” Nico called as he jimmied the door open, with a full tray in his hands.

“Nico!” I pulled the door wide open, and cleared a place on my dressing table.

“Thanks for that,” Nico said, placing the tray down.

Nico poured me a cup of tea, and handed it to me.

“If Giles thinks that tea will help me get to sleep, he’s wrong,” I said, gingerly sipping the warm beverage.

Nico poured himself a cup and sat on the sofa, “He’s only looking out for your health-- we all are.”

“This is the first charity event that I’ve pulled together, and it will make me look like a failure if it goes poorly,” I mumbled.

Nico smiled, “I can understand your worry, but because you’re behind it I’m sure it will be the best charity ball we’ve had.”

“Thanks,” I replied quietly.

We sat drinking our tea in silence, and I felt my limbs grow heavy.

“I’m starting to feel tired after all,” I spoke just before a yawn emerged from my lips.

Nico took my cup away, and returned it to the tray. “I’ll let you sleep, then.”

We said goodnight and Nico exited my room, the door closing behind him. I stood and snuffed out the candles in the roo. With a sigh I loosened my dress and it surrendered gently to the floor. My bed was already looking inviting, and I climbed under the covers and turned onto my side. I closed my eyes, and felt all of my worry gradually slip away as I succumbed to the darkness.

The following day I awoke feeling refreshed and prepared to tackle my plans. I hurried to dress myself, and quickly ran a brush through my tangled locks. At the breakfast table, Giles was already seated with Leo.

“Good morning,” I said, taking a seat next to Leo.

Leo turned away from Giles and their paperwork, “Good morning, Princess.” .

“Today’s plan is to approach King Byron about the event,” Giles explained.

Nico came in then, and poured my tea. “Good morning Your Highness, breakfast is almost ready.”

“Thank you, Nico.” I smiled at him, before he went back towards the kitchen.

“Giles, shall I come with you to Stein?” I asked, offering my assistance.

“Yes, I think that would be best,” Giles replied.

Leo interjected suddenly, “Princes, I can meet with the booth directors to discuss them in detail and take notes for you.”

I grinned at Leo over my tea cup, “Oh, Leo, would you? Thanks so much!”

Over breakfast, we decided that Giles and I would leave as soon as we had finished the meal. Leo was to meet with Alyn, Nico, and Robert. He would then give me notes in detail about their plans-- color coded, he promised. As I chewed on the remnants of my toast, I remembered an idea I had the evening before in my chambers.

“Leo, could you pass a message to Duke Howard that I’d like to speak with him?” I asked.

Leo nodded, and took a sip of his tea, “I certainly can. I’ll send word to his duchy later today.”

I swallowed another bite before responding, “Thank you. Please schedule his arrival for tomorrow-- we’ll arrange to have afternoon tea.”

I heard Leo mutter about never being invited to tea, but I didn’t address it with Giles around.

At last, it was time for Giles and I to depart for Stein, and I had a terrible knot in my stomach. Giles passed me the notes he’d taken from our meeting yesterday, and I clung to them as we boarded the carriage.Hopefully King Byron accepts the invitation, I thought. It would do well for our relationship with Stein, and both of our kingdoms after all… Giles climbed in and sat across from me, his hand gently pressed to my knee. At times, my advisor’s reassurance was all I needed to take action, and in this moment I was thankful for him.

“Do you think Leo will be alright, with taking charge for today?” I asked Giles.

Giles smirked, “I think Leo would be appalled that you would question his abilities.”

I shrugged my shoulders and sunk into my seat, “I know, but I don’t like asking so much of people.”

Giles nodded in understanding, “That’s what we’re here for, Princess.”

We smiled at each other, and Giles retracted his hand from my knee. The loss of contact felt lonely, as though I was being abandoned to dwell in my own worry. I stumbled over myself to think of a new subject. Giles was the one to break the silence.

“This charity event will give you ample time to spend with everyone,” Giles noted.

I looked to him for clarity, “Yes, I hope the guests enjoy themselves.”

“What about your relationship with Stein, and more importantly, Wysteria?” Giles asked me.

“You’re not suggesting my relationships are in peril, are you?” I inquired.

Giles laughed, “They’re not failing, no. I merely mean to ask if you’re trying to solidify a relationship with a suitor.”

A blush crept onto my cheeks, “Giles, if you’re so worried about me picking a Prince Consort why not just declare one and be done with it?”

His expression became forlorn, and I had to turn away to spare myself from his unspoken answer. He’s worried that’s exactly what it’s going to come down to, I realized. I need to make a fair effort to show that I’m going to meet him halfway. The carriage began to jostle over the cobblestone streets, and I knew we were only minutes away from Stein’s palace. Time’s running out, I should say something comforting.

I reached out for Giles’s forearm, and looked into his misty eyes, “I’ll take the time spent planning the event to also bond with the suitors one-on-one.”

Giles smile lit up his face, “That’s all that I’ve been hoping for.”

The castle came into view through the window, and I leaned forward to get a look at the grand entryway. I nearly slid off the seat as the carriage slowed to a stop. Giles chuckled quietly, as I hoisted myself back up. The footman opened the door, and I took his hand to carefully disembark. My advisor exited after me, and stood by my side.

“Come now, Your Highness, your future husband awaits.” Giles said coyly.

I rolled my eyes at him, “Don’t get your hopes up.”

The footman held the doors of the castle open, and we approached the entry way. Standing a few feet in the distance was two men dressed in very dark attire. The taller man with glasses spoke first.

“Welcome to Stein,” he said.

I curtseyed to them both, “Thank you for agreeing to see us.”

“I’m intrigued, Princess,” the man with an eyepatch said, bridging the gap between us.

“Wysteria has been distant from Stein since my father ruled-- with good reason,” he added.

“King Byron,” Giles bowed, “It’s an honor to meet you.”

I followed Giles’ action and curtseyed, “King Byron, I apologize if my request to meet came as a surprise to you.”

Byron’s eye widened, “It was not a remark meant to offend you, I merely stated that due to my father’s reign I had assumed the relationship between Wysteria and Stein was irreparable.”

He smiled at me, “I’m pleased that you’ve reached out to me personally, Princess.”

My cheeks became hot, and I fought to hold his gaze. Giles clapped his hands together as if to focus the attention on him.

“I apologize,” Giles said, “but our schedule is very tight and so time is of the essence.”

King Byron’s eye narrowed, “Yes, of course. Please, allow us to adjourn in my office.”

There were two chairs seated in front of Byron’s desk, and Giles and I took our seats there. Albert stood to Byron’s side, slightly behind the desk.

“First and foremost,” King Byron began, “The brief summary you sent states that for this charity gala, there will be booths presented.”

I nodded, “Yes, you see, I have beverage, dessert and portrait booths designated already.”

Byron considered this a moment, “It would seem you have almost all of your bases covered.”

Giles and I made brief eye contact, and I turned to Byron.

“Was there something you’d like to contribute?” I asked him.

“Well,” King Byron spoke, “What about doing a raffle booth, with donated prizes?”

Giles smiled, “That’s a lovely idea. Where would we get the donations?”

Albert cleared his throat, “Perhaps we could collect donated prizes from local businesses.”

Byron smiled at Albert, “I think that’s a good place to start. We’ll combine donations from businesses in Wysteria and Stein for the raffle.”

I began to feel giddy, seeing everyone come together for a charitable cause-- and one that I inspired, at that. It was becoming hard to sit still.

“Thank you, Gentlemen,” I said, when the meeting came to a close. “I’m very optimistic about the outcome of this gala, thanks to your involvement.”

King Byron bowed, “Thank you, Princess, for including us in this wonderful event.”

He placed a gentle kiss on the back of my hand, and I curtseyed to him in response.

In the carriage, Giles and I eagerly talked about the success of gala so far.

“It would seem you’re making quite an impression on everyone, as well,” Giles said with a sly grin.

I blushed, “The week’s not over yet, there’s still time to see for sure.”

#Midnight Cinderella #midnight cinderella fanfic #midnight cinderella fanfiction #giles christophe #leo crawford #Alyn Crawford #robert branche #albert burckhardt #byron wagner #nico meier #louis howard #charity event fanfic #charity gala #charity ball

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webdesignersolutions · 6 years ago

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Hi, hopefully someone can help me with this frustrating situation involving hackers logging into my accounts and placing malicious files. This is a long post. So feel free to read the quick summary. For those that read to the end, I truly appreciate it as well as any tips and steps you give me that would help me resolve this annoying issue.

Quick Summary:

A hacker (or hackers) have been hacking into my CPanel account and WordPress websites associated with the CPanel account, and placing malicious files on them. Just tried to log back into my CPanel account today, and it turns out that they’ve changed the password even after I changed it twice and added Two-Factor Authentication. I tried to reset my password but the email address that shows up as the ‘hint’ is one that I am not familiar with at all, so they are the ones who will receive the password reset request and not me. Now I have no idea how to access my CPanel account again in order to see if there is another FTP account that they are using to log in to my CPanel account, and to find out the IP addresses that show up, so I can block them from logging in to my CPanel account (these are suggestions I received from a Hosting Provider Customer Support Agent)

Namecheap has been terrible with assisting me through this frustrating time and they haven’t been able to provide me with steps and solutions to resolve this issue. All I got was “change your passwords”.

I’m looking for steps and suggestions for:

Gaining access to my CPanel account again.

Identifying the hackers IP addresses blocking them from accessing my account again

Removing the malicious files my CPanel and WordPress websites

Whatever other security measures/tactics I should take in order to clean up and secure my site

A service provider that can take care of this issue for me at an affordable price.

More secure hosting providers (preferrably a VPS plan) that are good but also affordable

Once my WordPress sites and CPanel are clean then I will migrate the sites over to a new hosting provider and work under a new CPanel account.

—–

FULL STORY:

I have a hosting account with Namecheap. I have several domains (about 13-15) on the hosting plan.

About 6 of the domains were purchased all at the same time in July 2018. A couple days later I installed WordPress on all of those 6 sites. Then I installed WordPress themes acquired from Envato Elements on some of the sites (about 3 or 4).

Then I just left the sites sitting there since I wasn’t ready to fully embark on this project at the time.

Fast forward to December. I’m ready for my web designer to start building the sites, but right around the same time, I get these notifications from Namecheap Legal Support with the subjects Attention: Malicious Attempt to Access Your Hosting Account “hosting account name” is Detected”.

—

The hackers accessed my CPanel account and placed malicious files on my CPanel,and got access to my WordPress websites. They constantly post spammy content on the WordPress sites. They also changed the passwords for most of my WordPress websites, which I had to go back and change myself thru CPanel. They continue to change them to this day.

I already went in last month and removed the files that the Namecheap Support Team told me to remove. But they continue to hack back into my CPanel account and place more malicious files, even after I have changed the password as well. I also set up Two-Factor Authentication with my CPanel account but they continue to log into it.

—

I called a hosting provider yesterday, and the Customer Service Rep gave me some valuable information. He said to:

See the last IP addresses that logged into my account, and then block them accessing my CPanel (is this something I can actually do?)

See if there was another FTP account created in my CPanel account. He said that is probably how they are able to log into my CPanel account. Because I set up 2FA and they can still get in. I even had my web designer try and login to my CPanel and he had to enter in the code generated from my cell phone in order to log in. But somehow.. these hackers continue to log in.

Now just 20 minutes ago, I tried to log into my CPanel account to check if there was another FTP account in it, but the last password I generated for the account didn’t work. Then, I clicked “Reset” password. And the ‘hint’, was a yahoo email account that I’m not familiar with at all.

—-

Now I have no idea how to get back into my CPanel account since they’ve changed the email address that receives the notifications for password reset requests.

—

I just want everything to be safe and secure, and take all the security measures possible to ensure that hackers will not be able to (or will have a very very difficult time) trying to hack into my CPanel account and WordPress websites. This is really annoying, as I have a project to get going and potentially have to pay an IT guy to help me resolve this issue.

—

I’m also looking for a hosting provider. Preferably one with affordable rates that provides round the clock support and security to prevent issues like this to happen.

One IT guy I might hire to help me fix this recommended a VPS Hosting Plan, because it would be harder to hack into and he would have more freedom to add security to the hosting account. Is this true?

He also recommended/said that he would clean up the CPanel account, WordPress websites, and remove malicious files from them. As well as take all the measures necessary in order to prevent these hackers from accessing my accounts again (not sure what these security measures would be).

He said once they are clean and secure, then the next step would be to migrate my WordPress websites to a new hosting provider (preferrably VPS) that is more secure. Then I can have the WordPress sites associated with a new ‘unhacked’ CPanel account.

What do you think about that approach? Is that the best route to take? I look forward to hearing your recommendations and tips on what I should do to gain access to my CPanel account again and prevent these hackers from hacking into my websites and CPanel again!

Thanks.

Submitted January 28, 2019 at 12:36PM by drfid https://www.reddit.com/r/webhosting/comments/akr2xa/help_hackers_continuously_logging_into_my_cpanel/?utm_source=ifttt

from Blogger http://webdesignersolutions1.blogspot.com/2019/01/help-hackers-continuously-logging-into.html via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress

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totally-addicted-to-twice · 7 years ago

Text

i have the absolute worst fucking luck you guys

okay so i wanna read the utena manga and i did a search and my library has them so i put them on hold but it turns out that they don’t have volume 3, only volumes 1, 2, 4, and 5

no matter, you can request a loan from libraries outside my county library system, so i put a request in for utena volume 3 a bit over a month ago

the tuesday after i put the request in (on a thursday btw) i get an email telling me the book will arrive at my branch within 3 to 5 business days and i’ll get a phone call from the branch i requested it be sent to. i wait and nothing arrives. i ask at the library on the off chance it arrived, it’s not there but i can’t really complain to them because obviously they have no control over this shit

i have now renewed the utena volumes i already have checked out the maximum number of times, they are now due on 2 november (hint - YESTERDAY)

after who knows how long, yesterday (wednesday) i got another email telling me that now the books will arrive within 2 to 5 days. yes this is several weeks AFTER the first email (keep in mind, even after the first email, on the interlibrary loan website it only said that my request was submitted, it was like a week later it changed to ‘in transit’)

ok so yesterday i go to the library with my video games that are due and the volumes of utena i have checked out. i return my games and tell the librarian that i need these books checked out again, she says ‘ok’ and scans them again for me and gives me three weeks for each of them.

after messing around on the library computer for an hour (because why not? i mean i got internet at home but i feel like i should do something while i’m at the library besides picking out video games to rent) we head leave (not really relevant but i still dont have a driver’s license so my dad drove me) and we stop at taco bell for lunch, this is probably around 2:00 pm or so

when we got home, it was about 3pm and maybe after like fifteen minutes of being home we get a phone all

utena volume 3 is arrived and is ready for pickup

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh

and before you say ‘just go and pick it up, what’s the big deal?’ the library i rent video games at isn’t the local library that’s like a few minutes from my house. it’s in another fucking city and takes probably half an hour to drive there and back

so YAH now i know utena volume 3 is ready for me to get but i cant get it until we go back to the library next thursday ;_______________;

#text post #aggh #i hate this #i have the worst luck

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webdesignersolutions · 6 years ago

Text

[HELP] Hackers Continuously Logging Into My CPanel & WordPress Accounts and Placing Malicious Files on Them

Quick Summary:

A hacker (or hackers) have been hacking into my CPanel account and WordPress websites associated with the CPanel account, and placing malicious files on them. Just tried to log back into my CPanel account today, and it turns out that they've changed the password even after I changed it twice and added Two-Factor Authentication. I tried to reset my password but the email address that shows up as the 'hint' is one that I am not familiar with at all, so they are the ones who will receive the password reset request and not me. Now I have no idea how to access my CPanel account again in order to see if there is another FTP account that they are using to log in to my CPanel account, and to find out the IP addresses that show up, so I can block them from logging in to my CPanel account (these are suggestions I received from a Hosting Provider Customer Support Agent)

Namecheap has been terrible with assisting me through this frustrating time and they haven't been able to provide me with steps and solutions to resolve this issue. All I got was "change your passwords".

I'm looking for steps and suggestions for:

Gaining access to my CPanel account again.

Identifying the hackers IP addresses blocking them from accessing my account again

Removing the malicious files my CPanel and WordPress websites

Whatever other security measures/tactics I should take in order to clean up and secure my site

A service provider that can take care of this issue for me at an affordable price.

More secure hosting providers (preferrably a VPS plan) that are good but also affordable

Once my WordPress sites and CPanel are clean then I will migrate the sites over to a new hosting provider and work under a new CPanel account.

-----

FULL STORY:

I have a hosting account with Namecheap. I have several domains (about 13-15) on the hosting plan.

Then I just left the sites sitting there since I wasn't ready to fully embark on this project at the time.

Fast forward to December. I'm ready for my web designer to start building the sites, but right around the same time, I get these notifications from Namecheap Legal Support with the subjects Attention: Malicious Attempt to Access Your Hosting Account "hosting account name" is Detected".

I called a hosting provider yesterday, and the Customer Service Rep gave me some valuable information. He said to:

See the last IP addresses that logged into my account, and then block them accessing my CPanel (is this something I can actually do?)

Now just 20 minutes ago, I tried to log into my CPanel account to check if there was another FTP account in it, but the last password I generated for the account didn't work. Then, I clicked "Reset" password. And the 'hint', was a yahoo email account that I'm not familiar with at all.

----

Now I have no idea how to get back into my CPanel account since they've changed the email address that receives the notifications for password reset requests.

---

I'm also looking for a hosting provider. Preferably one with affordable rates that provides round the clock support and security to prevent issues like this to happen.

Thanks.

Submitted January 28, 2019 at 12:36PM by drfid https://www.reddit.com/r/webhosting/comments/akr2xa/help_hackers_continuously_logging_into_my_cpanel/?utm_source=ifttt from Blogger http://webdesignersolutions1.blogspot.com/2019/01/help-hackers-continuously-logging-into.html via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Blogger

0 notes

webdesignersolutions · 6 years ago

Text

[HELP] Hackers Continuously Logging Into My CPanel & WordPress Accounts and Placing Malicious Files on Them via /r/webhosting

[HELP] Hackers Continuously Logging Into My CPanel & WordPress Accounts and Placing Malicious Files on Them

Quick Summary:

A hacker (or hackers) have been hacking into my CPanel account and WordPress websites associated with the CPanel account, and placing malicious files on them. Just tried to log back into my CPanel account today, and it turns out that they've changed the password even after I changed it twice and added Two-Factor Authentication. I tried to reset my password but the email address that shows up as the 'hint' is one that I am not familiar with at all, so they are the ones who will receive the password reset request and not me. Now I have no idea how to access my CPanel account again in order to see if there is another FTP account that they are using to log in to my CPanel account, and to find out the IP addresses that show up, so I can block them from logging in to my CPanel account (these are suggestions I received from a Hosting Provider Customer Support Agent)

I'm looking for steps and suggestions for:

Gaining access to my CPanel account again.

Identifying the hackers IP addresses blocking them from accessing my account again

Removing the malicious files my CPanel and WordPress websites

Whatever other security measures/tactics I should take in order to clean up and secure my site

A service provider that can take care of this issue for me at an affordable price.

More secure hosting providers (preferrably a VPS plan) that are good but also affordable

Once my WordPress sites and CPanel are clean then I will migrate the sites over to a new hosting provider and work under a new CPanel account.

-----

FULL STORY:

I have a hosting account with Namecheap. I have several domains (about 13-15) on the hosting plan.

Then I just left the sites sitting there since I wasn't ready to fully embark on this project at the time.

I called a hosting provider yesterday, and the Customer Service Rep gave me some valuable information. He said to:

See the last IP addresses that logged into my account, and then block them accessing my CPanel (is this something I can actually do?)

----

Now I have no idea how to get back into my CPanel account since they've changed the email address that receives the notifications for password reset requests.

---

I'm also looking for a hosting provider. Preferably one with affordable rates that provides round the clock support and security to prevent issues like this to happen.

Thanks.

Submitted January 28, 2019 at 12:36PM by drfid via reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/webhosting/comments/akr2xa/help_hackers_continuously_logging_into_my_cpanel/?utm_source=ifttt

#IFTTT #reddit

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