#i took like an entire day with three breaks to type this whole thing out *is dying*

[akkivee]

there was an interview with the bat seiyuu in this magazine and i finally sat down to read it (almost two months after its release *wheezes*) and here were the highlights!!!!

it’s basically the whole thing so buckle in lol

upon being asked how they felt about bat’s anime debut, all three of them revealed they were certain they would have had a last episode cameo LOL

sakakihara-san even gave us what he thought the dialogue would be lmao so there was a lot of disappointment when they were told only rei was making a s1 appearance

needless to say, they are very happy bat’s now in rhyme anima lol

they were asked how their impressions of the characters has shifted over the years!!!

hayama-san responded when he first played kuukou, he got the sense he was a massive brat lol but that bad attitude of his stemmed from his understanding of the world. kuukou’s mellowed as the story progressed and had him experience more, eg establishing his teacher-pupil relationship with jyushi, and now understands how to navigate others weaknesses with tolerance and warmth

he’s still childish and still has a high perception of the world and that clash is where kuukou’s energy stems from. he’s at a crossroads between youth and maturity so to say

hayama recalls recording for kuukou’s first radio where he was a lot more mature, and then moving to chaser from the past, the track where he invades fragrance, and how hard it was adjusting mentalities LOL

harmonious cooperation really drove home for hayama-san that kuukou was the sun tho!!!!

that strength and energy that opens and paves the way is how sakakihara-san and takeuchi-san can tell he’s the leader

on that note, hayama-san mentions he’s never seen kuukou’s weaknesses. compared to jyushi and hitoya, we know next to nothing about kuukou’s past besides that he reached a point higher in his asceticism than his father and hopes to see everything leading up to it someday

for sakakihara-san, he was told jyushi was a crybaby and assumed he was a weak person. but once he learned about jyushi’s past, he realised that even tho he does cry, he’s still able to assert his feelings and doesn’t back down from anything, so jyushi actually has a very strong heart

jyushi sings in moonlight shadow, ‘i bask in the spotlight’s growing brilliance, in seizing a mic, anyone can become a hero’ and with that lyric, sakakihara-san understood jyushi may have a very tragic past but there’s a very strong flame burning inside him and he’s able to illuminate others with that light

bat’s come a long way and sakakihara-san finds comfort that jyushi’s around people who can laugh and joke around with him and will continue to strengthen his heart with them

takeuchi-san says jyushi is blessed to have so many good people around him, including his band members, which triggers sakakihara-san to start thanking the both of them, esp after takeuchi-san mentions it was hitoya who introduced kuukou and jyushi to each other lmao

and speaking of hitoya!!!! takeuchi-san felt he’s been mature since the beginning and thinks it’s cool that he talks to kuukou and jyushi like they’re equals. but he likes to compete against them sometimes so he’s got a very childish side to him lol

lately, hitoya’s dark and sordid past, his childhood hobbies, have been targeted as a joke and takeuchi-san is absolutely amused by it lmao

hayama-san brings up ‘amaguni the magic king’ and ‘amaguni moon’ from arb and takeuchi feels hitoya’s being bullied a bit lol but it adds to his charm!!!!

when it comes to dubbing the anime versus the drama tracks, all three of them are cognisant of pacing

in the drama tracks, for example, when jyushi is in vkei mode, sakakihara-san is allowed to take his time to croon out his flowery words but in the anime he does have to fit everything he says in a set amount of time

now that he has pictures and movements to match, sakakihara-san was trying to make those words flow with what jyushi does, rather than what he imagines jyushi does by nature of the drama tracks, while maintaining the vibe of what jyushi’s saying. there was some trial and error involved trying to get it right

it’s the same for takeuchi-san and he appreciates getting to see hitoya’s hand movements as he does his two thing bit lol

they were then asked if there was any directorial direction that stood out to them and they didn’t really receive any!!! takeuchi-san commented there were more cases where staff consulted them about their characters

the interviewer said it’s probably because the characters are embedded into them by this point but hayama-san laughingly thinks they still have a long way to go before they can say that lol

he says this but follows up with, it does make him happy that when he’s reading something and questions if this is something kuukou would do; it means he has a good understanding of kuukou as a character

they start talking about episode three!!!! the episode exists as ‘the strawberry episode’ in hayama-san’s head LOL

hayama-san is happy to see kuukou interacting with the locals (and loves that the old ladies call him ‘kuu-chan’ lol) and takeuchi-san comments it’s neat that they all spoke with nagoya accents!!! bat doesn’t really speak with the nagoya accent and it’s also very rare for anime to have characters that do, so that makes him happy as someone who grew up in aichi prefecture

sakakihara-san liked how so many of bat’s charms and elements were condensed into one episode!!! with jyushi, tho he was being picked on by the antagonists, he liked how the episode highlighted the trials jyushi’s gone thru to make him strong enough to lend a helping hand to belial

hayama-san comments that ever since the battle between bat and mtr, he thinks bat’s appeal is that, just as we witnessed with jyushi and belial, they take your hand and pull you up when you’re at your lowest to give you the strength to stand up on your own

whether it’s the hand that’s offered or the hand that receives it, they are joined and will walk as equals and as friends. bad ass temple guides others by building relationships with them, hayama-san said

the interviewer was particularly charmed by hitoya telling jyushi ‘friends you make when you’re young stick with you whole your life’ and so was takeuchi-san. he feels hitoya mentioned this because of his relationship with jakurai, with all its turbulence they’ve still come back to together

the interviewer then brought up ichiro and kuukou’s past as naughty busters!! hayama-san said kuukou’s relationship with ichiro is something that’s been forged stronger than what he has with jyushi and hitoya so there’s a lot of trust kuukou places in ichiro. takeuchi-san said they have the kind of vibe where because they’re former teammates, they can understand each other without saying anything and hayama-san agrees

hayama-san feels mcd and nb have a similar connection and when the four of them got together, ichiro and kuukou kinda had their own little bubble. the interviewer thought ichiro and kuukou’s conversation, where kuukou asked why didn’t ichiro call him and ichiro’s asking if he really needed to (and ofc he didn’t) had that atmosphere and that conversation honestly made hayama-san swoon with how smooth and natural it was lol

when asked about their thoughts about sanity, the insert rap, hayama-san initially felt it was similar to rip but that opinion changed after listening to the demo. sanity, to him, felt similar to a division all stars song where he doesn’t sing in kuukou’s style in order to bring out the harmony of the song. sakakihara-san also takes in account to how much of jyushi’s vkei style he should put in songs like division all stars songs

takeuchi-san also found himself considering the harmony in sanity and didn’t go hard on the volume for his parts as he would with other songs

takeuchi-san feels like sanity has a very strong kuukou influence and after hayama-san listened to the whole thing, he felt excited thinking about how to maintain bat’s individualities when performing it live

next up was next stage!! all the artists who wrote for each individual team has done so in past songs and moroha’s afro, who gave us kaigen, returned for next stage. hayama-san was very happy to work with him again

the part in jyushi’s verse, where he goes ‘guided by the sky, protected by the heavens’ and onwards was a bit of a struggle for sakakihara-san to portray jyushi’s feelings like he wanted to. he kept asking for retries to get the vibe he wanted

hayama-san felt the same since kuukou’s thanks in the song isn’t something kuukou really does. kuukou’s not one to be shy or embarrassed so he did multiple takes in order to portray the warmth afro intended when writing those lyrics

takeuchi-san comments that with an artist like afro, it’s really hard to come in after listening to his demo and making his style of music work with their characters. hayama-san followed that with it’s because afro’s music is one that pierces the heart of the listener, himself included, so he’s immediately at the ready to do what he needs to in order to preserve that whilst playing kuukou, hence the multiple takes

and now rise from dead!!! it’s a song with a lot momentum, very fitting for rhyme anima!!!! that momentum is what made the song fun for takeuchi-san

sakakihara-san enjoyed getting to sing for his verses and hayama-san felt like nagoya’s part could be summed up as, kuukou bringing the breakneck speed, jyushi’s like a dance and hitoya wraps it up with a crash

the interviewer then commented it felt like the three of them got along with each other very well. but had their impressions of each other changed over the years??

hayama-san doesn’t think so but takeuchi-san Has Words About That (and hayama-san and sakakihara-san start laughing LOL)

they’ve gotten less shy around him and hayama-san teasingly tells him that’s because he’s spoiled them rotten by letting them get away with everything, with sakakihara-san chiming in, ‘papa!!💜’

naturally he wasn’t as comfortable with them when they first met, they were strangers, but as they hung out together more, he felt he could let go of walls and manners around them. this makes sakakihara-san giggle💜

hayama-san takes the time to apologise to takeuchi-san, he feels like he’s been taking it too far lately and takeuchi-san calls him a liar LOL

the interviewer asks them what they think their appeal is as performers and hayama-san and takeuchi-san both went, ‘destructive power probably????’

takeuchi-san thinks they’re like, A Lot, whenever they perform together lmao

hayama-san, from day one, has set out to destroy the atmosphere the og divisions set lmao in a breaking barriers way. takeuchi-san honestly feels like he will every time he takes stage and sakakihara-san feels the same way watching the both of them lol

takeuchi-san feels like there may be a sense of friendly rivalry between the three of them as they all try to find ways to shatter glass ceilings with every live and each of them trying to take that momentum higher

hayama-san agrees and says one way they can do that is to bring a gold sachihoko on stage like the way mtr brings palm trees out for papillon

takeuchi-san tells the interviewer hayama-san has been asking for this for a while lol

sakakihara-san also relays to the interviewer that he’s been trying to manifest this for them by speaking it into existence lmao

the interviewer laughs at them and asks about 8th live stories. sakakihara-san starts giggling and upon takeuchi-san asking why, he brings up the shinkansen pic story and hayama-san and takeuchi-san missing their cues. he is very determined to never let them live it down lmao

the interviewer finally asked for their final words!!!

takeuchi-san comments the rhyme anima story seems to be pushed along by those being controlled against their will. it’s been handled lightheartedly but will the story take a darker turn?? tune in!!!!

sakakihara-san commented tho the episodes as of now are solo division focused, there will be a time when viewers can watch and enjoy the chemical reactions that happen once the divisions start to mingle. please enjoy the story impacts all of the characters!!!

hayama-san says finally nagoya and osaka are in the anime. do look forward to seeing all 18 people come together, what conversations they’ll have, what kind of atmosphere it creates and how the characteristics of each person stands out. kuukou and ichiro have more conversations, so if you enjoy naughty busters, please look forward to it!!!

[itneverendshere]

you said i have to trust more freely - r.c series (three)

requested here; (one); (two)

pairing: rafe x pogue!reader (the duff inspired) word count: 5.4k

You hadn’t planned for that kiss to happen the other day.

It was supposed to be all part of the game, of the plan.

You just wanted to learn things properly. Right? But you knew, you had wanted it, and worse, you had liked it.

God, what the hell were you doing?

He was Rafe Cameron. Cocky, rich, your nightmare with a reputation that should have sent you running in the opposite direction. And yet, here you were, feeling the ghost of his lips against yours, wondering what would’ve happened if he hadn’t pulled back. If you hadn’t let the spell break.

"Focus," you muttered to yourself, shaking your head like you could shake him off too. You had bigger things to worry about—like Nate.

Remember Nate? The whole point of this was to get him to notice you, to finally realize that you were more than just the girl he studied with. You weren’t supposed to be getting caught up with Rafe Cameron’s sudden vulnerability or, God forbid, catching feelings for him.

You groaned, running a hand through your hair as you turned down the street toward your apartment. But no matter how hard you tried to ignore it, the thought of Rafe stayed with you for hours, sneaking its way back in every time you thought you’d pushed it out for good.

What was it about him, anyway? He was hot, sure. But it wasn’t just that. It was the way he looked at you sometimes, like he was seeing something deeper. Like there was more to this than either of you were willing to admit. And maybe that was the problem. Maybe you were starting to want him to see more.

By the time you reached your door, you had spiraled enough to know you needed a distraction. So you did what any girl in your situation would do: you grabbed your phone and texted Harper back.

You: Movie night better include wine. Lots of wine.

Her reply came almost immediately.

Harper <3:  “Already taken care of, babe. See you soon.”

You smiled to yourself, feeling a little better. It was exactly what you needed. Maybe after a few glasses of wine and some cheesy rom-coms, you’d finally stop thinking about that stupid kiss.

As you closed the door behind you and flopped onto your bed, your phone buzzed again. Expecting it to be Harper, you lazily reached for it, but your heart nearly stopped when you saw Rafe’s name instead.

Rafe: got your notes ready for tomorrow? or should i just show up and charm my way through it?

You stared at the screen for a second, unsure whether to laugh or throw your phone across the room. Why did he always have to do this? Act like nothing had changed when everything felt different?

Not that you were any better.

Finally, you typed back.

You: “depends. can ur charm get you through an entire chapter on portuguese colonization?”

His reply came almost instantly. Like he’d been waiting for yours.

Rafe: “we both know my charm can get me through anything.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the stupid smile tugging at your lips.

You: “let’s not test that theory. see you tomorrow.”

You tossed your phone aside, willing yourself not to overthink the fact that just seeing his name pop up on your screen made your heart race.

You were going to get through this. Nate was your goal. This thing with Rafe was just a detour. A very distracting, very complicated detour that you’d handle... eventually.

But tonight? Tonight was for your girls, your movies, and drowning out the chaos in your head with as much wine as it took to stop thinking about blue eyes and stupid smirks.

Later that night, you found yourself sprawled out on Ava’s couch, surrounded by blankets and popcorn, watching some cheesy rom-com that Harper had picked out. The glow of the TV cast a soft light over the room, but your mind was still elsewhere. Even with your best friends beside you, laughing and making snide comments about the movie, your thoughts kept drifting back to him.

It wasn’t just the kiss—although that had definitely been messing with your head lately—it was everything. The way he’d been acting, the things he’d said, the stupid nickname that you couldn’t seem to shake. Harper and Ava had a point, but they didn’t know Rafe like you did. Not anymore, at least. You’d seen sides of him recently that no one else had, and while you weren’t exactly sure what to make of it, there was something there. Something more than just the cocky rich boy everyone saw.

You sighed, reaching for another handful of popcorn, but Harper, ever the perceptive one, caught the look on your face before you could hide it.

“You’ve been quiet,” she said, nudging your leg with her foot. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Yeah, you’ve barely roasted this movie,” Ava added, throwing a piece of popcorn at you. “That’s not like you.”

You didn't want to get into it, “Just tired, I guess. Long day.”

Harper wasn’t buying it, though. She turned the volume on the TV down and sat up, crossing her legs underneath her. “Okay, spill. This is about Rafe, isn’t it?”

You groaned, covering your face with a pillow. “Can we not talk about him ?”

“Nope,” Harper said, yanking the pillow away. “Not until you tell us what’s going on. I know a liar when I see one."

Busted.

“Did something happen?”

You hesitated, glancing between the two of them. They were your best friends, and you knew they only wanted what was best for you. But the whole thing with Rafe felt complicated, like more than just a stupid crush. Still, you couldn’t keep it all bottled up forever.

“Fine,” you sighed, running a hand through your hair. “There was... a kiss.”

Harper’s jaw practically dropped. “A kiss? With Rafe?”

“When did this happen?” Ava demanded, practically bouncing in her seat. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

“I was scared!” You bit your lip, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks again as you thought back to that moment in the library, “He knew I never kissed anyone and offered.”

“Wait, what? Your first kiss was with Rafe freaking Cameron?”

Ava gasped, covering her mouth in shock. “He offered? What the hell does that even mean? Did he just, like, present his lips to you like some weirdo?”

You groaned, wishing you could shrink into the couch and disappear.

“It wasn’t like that, okay? We were talking, and it came up. I told him I hadn’t kissed anyone, and then he was all, ‘I can fix that,’ or something. It just... happened a few days later.”

“So, what was it like? Was it good? Did he use tongue? I need details, girl.”

Harper elbowed her. “Ava! Let her breathe, she’s clearly still processing.”

You felt your cheeks heat up even more as you fidgeted with a loose string on your sweater. “I don’t know. I mean, yeah, it was good, okay? Really good. But it’s Rafe, and now everything’s weird, and I don’t know what to do.”

Harper’s expression softened,  “Okay, I’m trying to wrap my head around this. You’ve hated Rafe for, like, ever, right? And now, all of a sudden, you’re kissing him? What about Nate?”

“I know!” you groaned again, throwing your head back against the couch.

Ava looked like she was about to explode. “So... do you like him? Because it sounds like you’re starting to like him.”

“No! Maybe? I don’t know.” You buried your face in your hands. “I wasn’t supposed to like him. It wasn’t part of the plan. But then he had to go and be all... different. Like, he’s still Rafe, but sometimes he’s—I don’t know, sweet? Ugh, that sounds ridiculous.”

Harper sighed, shaking her head slowly. “Babe, if you’re getting all messed up over a guy like Rafe, this could be a problem.”

“Tell me about it,” you muttered. You didn’t want to like Rafe. He was the last person you should be catching feelings for. 

“Guys like him? They’ll pull you in, mess with your head, and leave you confused as hell.”

“I know,” you said, hating how true that sounded. “But it’s not just that. There’s something else. Like, when we’re alone, he’s— I don’t know. He lets his guard down, and I see a side of him that I don’t think anyone else does. He's weirdly honest."

Harper raised an eyebrow. “You sure you’re not catching feelings?”

You let out a frustrated sigh, flopping back against the couch. “I don’t even know anymore. I thought this was just a stupid kiss, but now it feels like everything’s different. And it’s so dumb because I should be focused on Nate!"

Ava and Harper exchanged a glance, both of them looking concerned. Harper was the first to speak.

“Okay, maybe this is a sign you need to figure out what you really want. Do you want to keep chasing Nate, or... do you want to see where things go with Rafe?”

You blinked, the question hitting you harder than you expected. What did you want? Nate had always been the plan—nice, safe, uncomplicated Nate. 

It wasn’t just the kiss. It was how you couldn’t stop thinking about him. His stupid grin, the way he’d tease you but also get serious for like, two seconds, just long enough to make you question everything.

You sighed, pushing your hair out of your face, “This was a terrible mistake.”

Harper crossed her arms, studying you. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. Call him.”

“What?!” You sat up, heart racing. “No way. I can’t just call him out of nowhere.”

“Yes, you can,” Ava chimed in, nodding like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Here’s the test—if he picks up right away, it means he’s been thinking about you too. If he doesn’t? Then maybe he’s just playing games.”

You stared at them like they’d just suggested jumping off a cliff. “Are you guys serious? There’s no way I’m doing that. You're not serious."

Harper smirked, grabbing your phone off the table and holding it out to you. “Do it. Right now. Trust me, if he cares, he’ll pick up.”

What kind of fucked up science was that? Rafe? Liking you? It was ridiculous. There was no way. Not when he'd been with so many girls, kissed even more, and never gave you a second glance. You were just...there.

Your stomach twisted in knots. “What if he doesn’t answer? What if he thinks I’m weird for calling at night? What if I just— explode from embarrassment?”

Ava waved her hand dismissively. “If he doesn’t answer, then you know where you stand. But if he does... well, that’s another story. And I highly doubt you’ll explode. Just call him and see.”

You took a deep breath, staring at your phone like it was about to bite you. It felt reckless, terrifying even. But you were curious too���what would happen if you actually did it? Would he care? Would he answer?

“Fine,” you muttered, grabbing the phone from Harper and quickly finding Rafe’s name in your contacts before you could change your mind.

Ava grinned, leaning in. “Ooh, this is gonna be good.”

“I thought you hated him—"

“Call him!”

You hit call, holding your breath as the phone rang once, twice—

And then, to your absolute horror, it stopped. He picked up.

“Hey,” Rafe’s voice came through, “Everything okay?”

Your heart jumped into your throat.

You glanced at Harper and Ava, who were both staring at you like this was the most exciting thing to ever happen. You cleared your throat, trying to sound normal, like you hadn’t just spent the last ten minutes freaking out about calling him.

“Uh, yeah, everything’s fine,” you said, cringing at how awkward you sounded. “I just... wanted to see if you were ready for tomorrow’s study session.”

Lame. So, so lame.

Rafe chuckled softly. “You called me at night to ask about studying? I didn’t know I was that irresistible.”

You rolled your eyes, but your heart was pounding. “Don’t flatter yourself, Cameron.”

He laughed again, and you could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “Too late. Anyway, I’m ready for tomorrow. Was studying really the reason you called?”

You glanced at Harper and Ava, who were both nodding furiously, encouraging you to say something—anything that wasn’t study-related.

“Well... maybe not just that,” you admitted, feeling your cheeks heat up again.

There was a pause on the other end, and when he spoke again, his tone was softer, more serious. “I’m glad you called.”

Your heart skipped a beat. You weren’t sure what to say, so you just muttered, “Yeah, me too.”

There was another moment of silence, like you were both trying to figure out what to say next.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Rafe said, his voice a little lower, almost... warmer? “Night.”

“Night,” you replied, and then the call ended.

You dropped your phone onto the couch, staring at it like it had just turned into a bomb.

Harper squealed. “He picked up right away! And he was flirty! Oh my God, he likes you!”

Ava clapped her hands, bouncing on the couch. “I knew it! He’s totally into you. Nevermind what we said earlier. Rafe Cameron is into you. We were wrong. Scratch the whole 'he’s just messing with your head' thing. He’s definitely catching feelings.”

You scowled, “Where’s your backbone? Five minutes ago, you were all, ‘Rafe’s trouble, don’t fall for it,’ and now you’re practically shipping us?”

Harper shrugged, unapologetic. “Yeah, but that was before he picked up right away and sounded all soft. That’s different, babe.”

“Exactly!” Ava chimed in. “Nate who?”

You rolled your eyes. “I don’t know. He’s... safe. And uncomplicated. Why am I even entertaining this idea of Rafe?”

Harper raised an eyebrow. “Because safe doesn’t make your heart race. And it sure as hell doesn’t make you stay up all night overthinking. If you were so into Nate, you wouldn’t be calling Rafe at night. Or letting him kiss you!”

You opened your mouth to argue, but nothing came out. They had a point, as annoying as it was. Nate might’ve been the goal, but Rafe was what had your head spinning. You groaned again, flopping back against the couch.

Sure, maybe he’d been acting a little off lately. Like, sometimes he’d actually ask you how your day was or show up when he knew you’d be around. You didn’t think much of it, though. That’s just how it was with guys like Rafe—he probably wanted something, or maybe he was just bored.

You huffed, feeling your cheeks heat up. “It’s just so stupid. He’s Rafe. He’s... ugh, he’s complicated, and I don’t even know if he’s serious, or if he’s just bored, or what. And now I’ve kissed him, and I can’t stop thinking about it, and—”

“And now you’re realizing that maybe Nate isn’t what you really want after all,” Harper finished.

You sighed, hugging a pillow to your chest. “What am I supposed to do now?”

He’d flirt, he’d flash that stupid grin, and then he’d move on like nothing ever happened. Why would you be different? 

“Easy. You figure out what you want. Not what Nate wants, not what Rafe wants. You. And until then, just... enjoy. No one said you had to decide everything right now.”

Harper nodded in agreement, giving your arm a reassuring squeeze.

“Yeah. Take it slow. And for tonight, let’s just not overthinking every little thing, okay?”

Yet, you thought about him all night. You’d seen the way he treated other girls. He’d throw them those lazy smiles, the ones that practically screamed I’ll forget your name by tomorrow, and it always seemed to work.

They all fell for it—why wouldn’t they? Rafe was good at getting what he wanted, and he never stuck around long enough for things to get messy. You? You were invisible up until recently. He only paid attention when he felt like pissing you off. Your friends had to be reading too much into things.

This was Rafe. The same Rafe who was impossible to figure out, who never took anything seriously—least of all you. There was no way he liked you. 

But the next day came way too fast, and you were paying for it. Hard.

You groaned as you dragged yourself into the library, sunglasses on like they were going to somehow shield you from the pounding headache.

Harper and Ava had insisted on one more glass of wine, which of course, turned into two. And now, you were here, praying Rafe wouldn’t notice that you felt like death.

As you slumped into the chair across from him, he immediately raised an eyebrow, “Rough night?”

You gave him a look, your head already throbbing too much for his sarcasm. “Don’t even start, Cameron.”

He leaned back in his chair, eyes twinkling with amusement as he took in your state. “Wow, I can smell the regret from here. You look like you partied with a bottle of tequila and lost.”

You groaned, rubbing your temples. “It was wine, thank you very much. And yeah, it was a little too much.”

He chuckled softly, flipping open his notebook. “A little? You look like you just survived a war zone. Was the study session that boring to look forward to?”

“Ha ha, so funny,” you muttered, wincing as you reached for your bag. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Barely.” He tilted his head, clearly enjoying every second of it. “I’m impressed you made it at all. Should I have brought a bucket? You know, just in case?”

You glared at him from behind your sunglasses. “I hate you so much right now.”

Rafe just grinned, unfazed. “Trust me, it’s mutual. But seriously, you need water or something? You’re about two seconds away from face-planting on that table.”

You bit your lip, knowing he was right but not wanting to give him the satisfaction. Still, your mouth felt like a desert, and the thought of anything cold and hydrating sounded like heaven.

“Maybe… a coffee?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Huh? No?”

“You’re not drinking coffee before you eat.”

You squinted at him, thoroughly annoyed. “Rafe, I’m hungover, not five years old.”

He just raised an eyebrow, clearly not swayed.

“Hungover means your brain’s working even worse than normal, so yeah, I’m pulling the adult card here. You need food before coffee.”

You rolled your eyes, regretting it instantly as your head throbbed harder. “Fine. I’ll get food after the coffee.”

He shook his head, already getting up. “Nope. I’m grabbing you a bagel or something.”

“Rafe, seriously—” you started, but he was already walking away, not even bothering to let you finish.

You slumped back in your chair, groaning under your breath. As much as you hated to admit it, he was right. You hadn’t eaten anything since last night, and your stomach was twisting in a way that wasn’t just from the hangover. But it was so typical of him to boss you around, like he knew what was best for you. He seemed almost too serious about all this, like it wasn’t just about breakfast or caffeine. Was he actually… worried?              

He was being so over-the-top about something so simple. Maybe he noticed things you didn’t even realize were slipping—how little you’d been eating, how tired you always seemed. You didn’t want him to worry, to get so wrapped up in how you were doing. But the fact that he did… 

Rafe returned, dropping a bagel in front of you. “Eat. Then you can have your coffee.”

You blinked at the bagel, caught off guard. “You actually got me food?”

He gave you a look. “You really thought I wouldn’t? What kind of person do you think I am?”

“A pain in my ass?” you muttered, but there was no real bite to it. You unwrapped the bagel, taking a cautious bite, and, annoyingly, it actually helped. “Thanks, I guess.”

“You’re welcome. Now, once you finish that, we’ll get started on actual studying. You might wanna take those sunglasses off too. It’s not that bright in here.”

“Stop being so smug about it,” you grumbled, but you took another bite of the bagel, your headache easing just a little.

He leaned back in his chair, stretching out like he owned the place.

“Hey, if you’re gonna drink like that, you should at least have someone who can take care of you after.”

There was something about the way he said it that made your heart skip a beat. “Is this your way of saying you care?”

“Eat your bagel.”

You rolled your eyes, but there was no denying the flutter in your chest. Why was he always like this? One minute he was the biggest pain, and the next, he was sweet? You took another bite of the bagel, trying to ignore the way his comment made your stomach do a weird little flip.

Rafe just watched you, arms crossed, looking smug as ever. "I'm not saying anything," he teased, leaning forward slightly. "But you did call me last night."

You nearly choked on your bagel. "That was for studying!"

He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth pulling into a grin. "Oh, right. You totally call guys at night to talk about history."

You threw a balled-up napkin at him, feeling your cheeks heat up again. "Don't start with me, Cameron. You texted me first!"

"Fair enough," He caught the napkin effortlessly, still grinning, like teasing you was the highlight of his day. He was holding his hands up in surrender, but there was no hiding the amusement in his eyes. "Don’t know if it’s the kiss or maybe you’re just starting to realize I'm not all bad."

You scoffed, trying to brush off how much that actually hit home.

"Please. You're still an entitled jerk, Rafe. One kiss doesn’t change that."

But the truth was, maybe it did change something. You hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since. And now, sitting here with him being all unexpectedly considerate, it was getting harder to pretend like there wasn’t something going on.

“So it hasn’t been keeping you up at night?”

“Why would it? It was just a kiss. Happens all the time, right?”

His smirk widen, “So I didn’t get your panties in a twist?”

You were going to throw a book at his face.

"You’re so full of yourself," you muttered, trying to act unbothered, but your pulse quickened.

Rafe leaned in a little closer, that stupid smirk still plastered on his face. “I’m just saying, it seemed like more than ‘just a kiss’ with the way you keep getting flustered. You sure it didn’t mean anything?”

You narrowed your eyes, determined not to give him the satisfaction.

“What do you want me to say, Rafe? That I’m totally falling for you? That I can’t stop thinking about the kiss? Because that’s not happening.”

He chuckled softly, leaning back again, but something shifted in his expression. He was still teasing, but there was an edge of curiosity now, almost like he was testing the waters.

“Good to know. Guess I’ll just keep doing my thing then.”

“Your thing? What, being an annoying, arrogant jerk?” you shot back, though there was less bite in your tone than usual.

Rafe’s lips twitched, “I’d hate to think I’m keeping you up at night.”

Ugh. Why was he like this? Why was this working on you?

You rolled your eyes, trying to stay focused on the whole reason you were here in the first place: studying, Nate, anything but this. But the way Rafe was looking at you right now, like he could see through all the walls you put up... yeah, it was messing with your head again.

"Can we just study now?" you grumbled, flipping open your textbook, praying the conversation would shift before your cheeks got any redder. "I didn’t drag myself here to talk about your ridiculous fantasies."

His grin softened into something more genuine, and he shook his head, finally relenting. “Alright, alright. I’ll be good. Let’s get started before your brain melts from that hangover.”

But as you pulled out your notes, you couldn’t help but notice the way his gaze lingered just a little too long. And worse, you knew your heart was doing the same—stupid fluttering and all.

There was something about this back-and-forth with him that was starting to feel... different. And maybe, just maybe, that scared you more than you were willing to admit.

As the two of you dove into the study session, you tried—really tried—to focus on the material in front of you. But every time he leaned in a little closer or cracked a joke that made you roll your eyes, your mind wandered back to that kiss. To the way he looked at you when no one else was around. To the fact that, as much as you hated to admit it, Rafe Cameron was making you feel something you hadn’t expected.

“Do you remember that bonfire when we were sixteen?” he asked all of a sudden.

You raised an eyebrow, confused for a moment. “Which one? There were like, a million bonfires.”

“The one where you dumped your drink in my face.”

Your hand froze halfway to your mouth. Oh. That bonfire. It felt like a lifetime ago, but the memory came rushing back, clear as day.

“I can’t believe you remember that.”

Rafe chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, it’s not exactly something you forget. One minute I was talking to you, and the next, I was soaking wet with a face full of—what was it? Lemonade?”

“Spiked lemonade,” you corrected, biting your lip to keep from laughing. “You deserved it.”

“Deserved it?” he echoed, leaning forward, clearly enjoying this trip down memory lane. “I asked if you wanted to hang out by the water. How’s that deserving a drink to the face?”

You rolled your eyes, feeling the old annoyance bubble up again. “You asked me to hang out after you and your friends had spent the whole night making fun of me."

He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay, maybe we were a little rough back then. But I swear, I wasn’t trying to be a dick that night.”

“You were always a dick,” you muttered, but there was no real heat behind your words. Sixteen-year-old you had despised him and his cocky attitude. 

He smirked, “You were so pissed off. Your face was all red, and you were shaking with anger, like you couldn’t believe I’d even dared to speak to you.”

“You had it coming.”

“I probably did,” he agreed, a softer look crossing his face. “But I remember thinking, even back then, you were different. You didn’t take shit from anyone.”

You blinked, taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. “Wait, are you actually complimenting me right now? What is happening?”

Rafe just grinned, leaning back again, but his eyes stayed locked on yours. “I’m just saying, you’ve always had more fight in you.”

Your stomach did that weird little flip again, and you quickly looked away, focusing on the crumbs left on the table. “Well, maybe if you hadn’t been such an ass, I wouldn’t have had to.”

“I think that’s why I liked messing with you so much.” His voice was quieter now, more thoughtful. “You always pushed back.”

You bit your lip, not sure how to respond to that. The Rafe you remembered from back then was all arrogance and teasing, but this... this was different. It was like he was admitting that he’d seen you in a way no one else had back then. 

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approaching cut your conversation short. You glanced up, thinking it might just be another student passing by, but your heart nearly stopped when you saw Nate walking toward you and Rafe.

Rafe’s smirk faded instantly when he spotted him approaching.

“Hey,” Nate greeted with a casual smile, though his eyes flicked quickly between you and Rafe, “Didn’t know you guys studied here too.”

You cleared your throat, trying to sound normal even though your brain was racing. “Yeah, uh, just catching up on some work.”

Nate’s smile wavered slightly as his gaze lingered on Rafe, then back to you. “Mind if I join? I was just gonna find a spot to get some work done, but...” His voice trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air.

For a second, you were torn. Nate was here, right in front of you—the guy you’d been chasing for months, the one who was supposed to be the plan. But Rafe was sitting across from you.

He leaned back further in his chair, crossing his arms with that signature smirk creeping back onto his face. “Yeah, sure, the more, the merrier.”

You shot him a look, silently pleading with him not to make this worse, but he just raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the situation.

Nate pulled out a chair, setting his bag down, “What’re you working on?” he asked, glancing between you and Rafe.

Before you could answer, Rafe spoke up, again, “Just a little review. Nothing too complicated, right?” His eyes flicked to you, daring you to answer.

You swallowed hard, feeling both their gazes on you. “Yeah, just going over some notes. We’re almost done, actually.”

Nate’s eyes lingered on Rafe for a beat longer than necessary, like he was sizing him up. “Right. Cool. I guess I’ll just... grab a spot over there.” 

“You do that.”

“Rafe.” you grumbled under your breath, kicking him under the table.

"You wanna grab lunch after? I was gonna head to that new sandwich place, and figured you might want to come."

For a split second, you hesitated. Lunch with Nate was the safe, easy option—exactly what you’d been trying to hold onto. But the way Rafe was watching you now... Nate’s invitation wasn’t just about lunch. It was a claim, a reminder that he was the one you were supposed to be into.

"I, um—” you started, but the words were stuck in your throat.

You’d just spent the last half hour trying to convince yourself that Rafe didn’t matter. That this whole thing with him wasn’t a big deal. But now, with Nate standing right here, it felt like your brain was short-circuiting.

Rafe stood up suddenly, his chair scraping against the floor. "Well, looks like you’ve got plans," he said, his voice flat. He glanced at you, before grabbing his notebook. "Catch you later, I guess."

Before you could say anything, he walked away, his footsteps heavy as he left the library. You stared after him, your heart doing this weird thing where it felt like it was both racing and sinking at the same time.

Nate raised an eyebrow, watching Rafe go. "That guy’s... intense," he said, his tone light, but you could tell he was fishing for something.

You forced a smile, "Yeah, that’s Rafe for you."

But even as you said it, your mind wasn’t on Nate. It was still stuck on Rafe—on the way he’d looked at you before he left, like maybe he’d been hoping you wouldn’t just go along with Nate’s plan. Like maybe he’d wanted you to choose something different.

"So, lunch?" Nate asked again, his smile back in place, but it didn’t feel the same. Not anymore.

You swallowed hard, nodding automatically. “Sure, lunch sounds good.”

But as you followed him out of the library, you couldn’t ignore the feeling that you’d just walked away from something important. 

[captainsophiestark]

Crib Construction

Cassian x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: ACOTAR

Summary: Cassian and his mate have been tasked with putting together Nyx's crib. Unfortunately, it's a harder task than they thought it would be.

Word Count: 1,282

Category: Fluff, Humor

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"Cass, come here. Does this look right?"

My boyfriend didn't waste a second before joining me on the floor, kneeling behind me and looking over my shoulder. Neither of us spoke for a minute, then I heard a rustling of paper as Cassian sighed.

"Yeah, it looks right. That hasn't stopped it from being wrong before, though."

"Well, let's just hope for the best."

I could feel through the mating bond just how little Cassian wanted to do that, but he knew as well as I did that we didn't have much other choice. I took a deep breath, then gently pressed the two pieces of wood before me together, trying to get them to link like they were supposed to.

Of course, it didn't work. I added slightly more pressure, but still nothing. I put my entire weight and all of my strength into it, and when the damn thing still didn't budge, I let out a scream and shoved both pieces away from me before I could really lose my temper and accidentally break something.

"This is bullshit!" I shouted, whirling around to face Cassian. He had a look of grim resignation, meeting my eyes with sympathy. Our positions had been exactly reversed about ten minutes ago. "Rhys set this up as a way to get back at you for winning the snowball fight last time, and I'm getting caught in the collateral. This sucks."

"Honestly, maybe he did," Cass said, sighing and leaning back on his hands. "Or maybe Az did something to break this one too before he got kicked off the job."

I groaned, flopping over and into Cassian's side to lay against his chest and stare at the ridiculous contraption that had been defeating us all afternoon. Rhys and Feyre had asked us to assemble Nyx's crib, and at first, we'd been honored and happy to help. But hours later, when nothing was going right and none of the pieces were fitting together the way they were supposed to, I was about ready to throw all of it out the window and into the Sidra below.

We'd been given the task in the first place because Az had shattered the same type of crib to pieces after spending a day being stumped by the puzzle. Cassian and I had inherited the task for our ability to keep each other calm, and because we were generally less destructive when continually frustrated by a puzzle. This crib was about to ruin that reputation.

"Okay, maybe we should just start over from the beginning," I said, sitting up and turning to face Cassian after our brief rest. "Like, take everything apart and lay it all out on the floor again, then start back from step one."

Cassian groaned. "Honestly, I hate that idea. But what we're already doing clearing isn't working, so..."

"So let's try it. Deep breaths, and then a total reset. A fresh start."

"...Alright. Let's do it."

With a lot of heavy sighing, Cassian and I took apart what little progress we'd made, separating the crib back into its individual parts, the way it had come. Once we got it all laid out again, I took the instruction manual from Cass and laid that out in front of us, too. With one last deep breath, we started in again at step one on page one.

I wish I could say this attempt went better. But it didn't. Cassian and I almost destroyed the whole thing Az-style in a fit of frustration three times each, one of us barely managing to pull the other back every time. We were just lucky our destructive streaks never lined up, or the pieces of the crib before us would've already become nothing more than a pile of ash.

"Alright, that's it!" Cass finally shouted, standing up abruptly from where we'd been trying to wrestle together the corners of the crib with no luck, despite using both our strength at once. "I'll be right back."

"What?" I flung my arms out to either side of me as Cassian headed for the door. "You're abandoning me? Seriously?"

"Not abandoning! Changing tactics."

Before I could ask for clarification, Cassian was out the door. I stared after him, waiting for him to reappear or say he was kidding or something, but he didn't. I huffed, then shook my head and turned back to the crib, its pieces still mostly laid out on the floor.

I sat there and stared at the pieces for a few long beats, contemplating my next move. Honestly, I'd just about decided to throw them out the window and tell Rhys the thing'd never been here when the door came swinging open again.

I turned to find Cassian striding towards me, the confidence and determination back in his step. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he just grinned.

"I've solved all our problems."

I snorted, but smiled at Cassian all the same as he came to a stop before me. The fact that he'd managed to make me laugh at all in the middle of this nonsense was exactly why we were mates, and it made me love him even more.

"Cass, you know I love you, and you know I trust you, but... I'm having a hard time seeing how that could possibly be true. Unless you convinced Mor to take over for us...?"

"No, but just as good." I raised an eyebrow, and Cassian's grin widened as he dropped down next to me. Slowly, from behind his back, he pulled out a hammer, tape, and a few other supplies.

I just stared at everything for a moment, then snorted and leanded into Cassian. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"Babe... we can't use that stuff to put this crib together."

"Why not?"

"Because it won't be sturdy enough! We don't want it to give out while the baby's in it. We both know we can't risk that."

Cassian hummed, rocking forward just enough to get a few of the pieces of the crib into his hands. He lined them up like we'd been doing all day, then raised the hammer in his other hand.

"Maybe you're right about the tape," he said. "But all we need to fix this is a little extra power. We can't force it together with our strength alone, so we'll use a hammer."

"Cass-"

Before I could get another word out, Cassian swung the hammer. I could see him putting his full Illyrian strength into it, and sure enough, the pieces whacked together. Unfortunately for us, they also splintered into more pieces than would be fixable, even with tape.

Cassian and I just stared at the wreckage for a moment, neither of us speaking. Cassian was the one to break first.

"Shit."

I laughed, all the stress and ridiculousness of the past few hours disappearing along with our hopes of actually succeeding at our task. I leaned into Cassian, and a moment later, he joined me.

"Well, that didn't go like I was hoping," sighed Cassian. I laughed again.

"Really? That's not what you were going for?"

"Not quite."

We shared a smile, then slumped back together, Cassian's arm around my waist as I leaned into his chest. I sighed, staring at the ruins of the crib before us. Not a single part of me wanted to do something about fixing it.

"So... how about we call Mor and find a way to pass this on to her?"

I laughed, then nodded as I leaned even further into Cassian.

"Baby, I was thinking the same thing. You, me, and Az have had to tear our hair out over this thing already, I think it's her turn."

"And even better, if any of us has to call Amren in, it'll be Mor."

"Exactly."

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

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen @misshale21

Maasverse Taglist: @lilah-asteria

[evillemons]

hiii i love ur work!!! could u do what their marriage proposals would be like? like who’s most likely to have a public / private one, or spontaneous or planned? ☺️

Hi there! Thank you for your request, I love this one :) I'm sorry it took so long to get out, I've had an unbelievably crazy month and took a little break from Tumblr. I also initially tried to write these in the form of short stories, but absolutely hated them, so I decided to scrap them and start over in my usual style.

As an aside: realistically, I don't think any of them would propose in a public setting due to their status. I actually see most of them having really humble and intimate proposals to keep things simple and away from public attention. Now, without further ado:

How BTS would propose

Jin - Jin would really want to make his proposal special, so he would likely start planning a few weeks in advance. He's extremely introverted and a little shy, so there's no way in hell he would propose in public, but he would still want to make a grand romantic gesture to show his girlfriend how much he means to her. It would be a whole day affair, involving breakfast in bed, a professional massage, and online shopping. For the actual proposal, he would take her to the beach at sunset where he manually set up an intimate oasis with a blanket and pillows, candles, lanterns, champagne, and flowers. "Marry me" would be spelled out in rose petals on the sand. Traditionally, he would also get one knee and present a white gold ring with a modest, singular round diamond.

V - Taehyung wouldn't want the proposal to be too grand or flashy as to not attract attention from bystanders, yet he would try to be creative and unexpected. And while elaborate, he would likely come up with the plan last minute and spend a sleepless two or three days arranging everything. The theme would be a scavenger hunt around the city, where each destination holds a cryptic poem that leads to another. Each place would hold some sort of significance in the relationship, like where they first bumped into each other or had their first kiss. The final clue would lead her to him in an open field at night, atop a picnic blanket underneath the stars. He would take his time to tell her everything he loves about her, that she is his soulmate and he couldn't imagine his life without her, before officially proposing. His ring choice would undoubtedly be something nontraditional or vintage, like an opal or emerald.

RM - As he does with everything, Namjoon would be overthinking about whether or not to propose for months, maybe even a year. He might come up with a few ideas here and there that he thought his girlfriend might like, but end up getting so frustrated that he decides to put it off for another time. While he would prefer to plan something meaningful, his proposal would end up being a completely in-the-moment type of situation as a result of his sentimental nature. Him and his girlfriend might just be chatting over dinner one night, where he has the sudden epiphany that he is certain he wants to spend the rest of his life together and that there is no reason to wait. He would ask her to marry him spontaneously, without a ring or a grand gesture, but he would somehow find the most poetic, extraordinarily romantic and loving words to say. He would later take her shopping to pick out exactly the ring she wants.

j-hope - Hoseok's bougie-ass would insist on taking his girlfriend on a fancy, first class vacation to propose; anything less would be inappropriate. Hobi is undeniably the planning type, although I think he might hire someone to arrange all the details and reservations for the trip rather than doing it himself. I also think he would have the most traditional proposal, and take her somewhere undeniably romantic like Venice or Paris. He would make sure there is a jam-packed agenda for the entire vacation, transitioning directly from one scenic outing to the next. At sunset, he would take her to a high-end restaurant by the water, where he would recite a rehearsed speech that he practiced for days (at a private reserved table, of course) about how much she means to him. He would then pull out a burgundy velvet box to reveal a sparkling, semi-large diamond ring that he picked out with the help of an expert.

Jimin - Jimin is probably the type to dream about proposing to his girlfriend after the first date. However, he's not one to be selfish either, and would try to perfectly cater the day to exactly what he thinks she would want. He would listen closely when she talks about the places she wants to visit, and then write them down later so he doesn't forget. I imagine the proposal occurring somewhere scenic and private that also incorporates some sort of fun activity, like a wine tasting in a winery followed by a walk in the vineyard, maybe even next to a small castle. Jimin would be grinning ear to ear the whole time, and as he gets on one knee, she would probably say yes before he can even utter a word. He would pick out a ring that's semi-traditional but with a unique twist, like a light pink diamond for the main stone, with a diamond band.

SUGA - Yoongi's proposal would be shockingly heartwarming and sentimental. He wouldn't do anything extravagant like a vacation or or grand gesture, but rather pour meaning into his proposal by revisiting history and the landmarks of their relationship. He would take her to the restaurant where they had their first date, the spot by the river where they had their first kiss, and reminisce together. The last location would be at the concert venue where they first met, to which he would book out for the day. In a cheesy, unlike Yoongi fashion (because the day has him feeling particularly sentimental), he would take the stage with his acoustic guitar and sing her a song he's been writing about her since the beginning. It would end with a declaration of wanting to be with her forever, despite everything. He may not initially opt for a ring and choose to discuss it with her afterwards, but if he did, he would pick out something extremely simple like a solid gold band or a very small diamond.

Jungkook - I think Jungkook would want to impress his girlfriend so badly (and also feel influenced by what a proposal "should" be like) that he would end up going way overboard with his proposal. He would send an outrageous amount of flower bouquets to her house, buy her a luxury dress, and take her out to eat at a high end restaurant. And that's not even part of the proposal. The proposal itself would be something adventurous and exciting, like inside a hot air balloon in mid air. It would all be a little excessive and overwhelming, but the sentiment still sweet nonetheless. He might also have the entire day planned in advance, but not know exactly when to propose until the right moment arises. When he does, he would probably be in tears and too nervous to say too much, and only manage a mousy "marry me". Ring wise, I think he would be excellent at picking something that suits her style perfectly.

[eaglyn]

Because you stuck around | Gojo Satoru x reader college au

Summary: you had been Gojo's only die-hard loyal friend in his so far twenty years of life, but it took saving him from a quarter-life crisis for him to finally admit to you just how precious you were to him Not proofread bc we're lazy Decided to switch it up a little from the usual Genshin stuff

You first met the man child when he was only a child, as your parents were great friends of his parents, which meant you two would get a whole lot of play dates as kids.

Whenever he looked into your eyes even back then, you felt like you were frozen in place by those radiant blues. There was also something about the way he looked at you, and only you. For a while you felt as if you weren't the only one who's stomach filled with butterflies when you gazed at one another.

Eventually, he got older and achieved a great amount of fame via all his amazing accomplishments, and also good looks. While he never had a weird phase in puberty regarding looks, he definitely did have a personality change.

All the praise went to his head, so much so that whenever he talked to you, it was always just about how awesome he was. In middle school, he had his own little cult, or gang of devoted followers, who by themselves could be considered the cool kids, but only when Satoru wasn't around.

He turned into one of the most insufferable of egotistical bullies, but he didn't bully you, and you stuck around. You always did.

In high school, you two went to separate high schools that were on the same street, right across from one another. Girls from your school would often sneak into his school during lunch break just to get a glimpse of him in the flesh, while you just rolled your eyes at the whole situation.

Still, you were there if he ever needed to boast about all the love letters he had received that week, or tell someone about all the details of his new girlfriend. You stuck around, even though it was a type of thankless devotion. It was a well known fact that you were his only long time good friend, so while many girls envied you and stared daggers at you in the halls or on the streets, other girls did anything they could to be friends with you, just to get information about Satoru.

You'd be lying if you said you weren't at least a little bit happy with your popularity.

Things changed when you two reached college. Both you and Satoru moved across the country to attend a prestigious college. During the first year, he got to live in his very own three bedroom mansion, while you just shared a dorm with three other girls, which you didn't mind, but it wasn't exactly luxury.

Your friendship was only being held together by the feelings you still had left for him after all this time, as now, he barely even talked to you anymore. He was way too caught up in his lavish lifestyle, blasting mountains of money on girls and partying each week, and steadily failing all his classes at the same time.

Still, you stuck around and watched over him from afar, but you could only roll your eyes and shake your head at what he was doing with his life. That brings you to this summer.

You had the highest grades from your entire year in your college, while it wasn't hard to guess that Satoru's were the lowest. You became quite popular, as many people asked you to help them with things they didn't understand, as well as just taking advice from you in general.

You'd never have expected a depressed looking Gojo Satoru to approach you one day, asking for help with dark circles around his eyes, messed up hair and clothes, and a look in his eyes that indicated a mental breakdown. Still, the way he looked at you was the same as back then.

"Y/n... can you please help me improve my grades? If I continue like this, I'll be kicked out. Please, I'll do anything." He said to you. If it were any other person with his lifestyle begging for help, you may have just laughed in their face and told them to change life paths entirely, but it was Satoru. You could only nod and offer a comforting hug.

You contacted his parents regarding his issues, and while they were furious at him, they couldn't stop thanking you for sticking around and helping him. They arranged for you to stay at his college house from now on, just so you could keep a closer eye on him as you two worked through his quarter life crisis together.

By the time you reached Christmas, his grades had improved majorly, and he was a completely changed person. He had gotten back his cheerful, bubbly personality that you once knew him for, and while he wasn't blatantly rude and egotistical, he continued to play into the act, partially as a joke, and also because old habits die hard. And you were the one to thank for this change for him, because as always, you stuck around.

This was his first time in so many years that he didn't spend Christmas partying, but instead with you, and only you, enjoying all the amazing foods you made, and otherwise curling up on the couch with you as you two binged movies.

You don't even know how many romcoms you two had gone through the past couple days, but while it was entertaining, you couldn't help but envy the people in those movies, always getting their happily ever after with the one they love, while you were just here, raising a man child that you had been in love with since you were two.

Little did you know that when you'd be opening your present from him on Christmas Eve, you'd find amongst all the amazing things he bought you, a hand-written letter, and that he'd be watching you anxiously as you opened and read it, praying to everything both up above and down below that you wouldn't react by ripping it up and tossing it on the floor.

My dear Y/n, This is my 89th attempt at writing this letter, but I'm afraid if I tried to tell you what I want to say in outspoken words, it would be even worse than this. Please don't hate me. I want to confess to you something that I was too scared to say out loud, so here goes. I know I might have never shown it, but I've loved you ever since we were just little kids. I know I was a really bad friend to you growing up, but you always continued to stick around, no matter how insufferable I got. I could never understand it. I was the one who was famous, the one who was deemed perfect by everyone on the outside, but it was you who turned out so amazing, while I just became a wreck, leaving you, the only one who stuck around after all this time, to fix me. I'm eternally grateful for everything you've done for me, and I wish I could repay you. I wish that some day you could find it in you to reciprocate my love for you, but even if you can't, I will always wait for you, just as you did for me, as a way of paying off my debt. Keep in mind that I've never actually confessed to anyone, as I never truly loved anyone that I've been with in the past, though you probably knew that by yourself. With sincere love, Satoru. P.S. I hope you didn't die of cringe by the time you reached the end of this.

You giggled as you read the line on the bottom of the paper, looking up at Satoru afterwards, and he seemed like a lost puppy with a begging look in his eyes. Even the time he came asking for your help, he didn't look like he was so hopeful.

"I didn't die of cringe, as you can see." You said with a smirk on your face, taking all of his constipated facial expression in as you kept eye contact for a long time period.

"...and?" He broke the silence after about fifteen seconds, gulping right after.

"I love you too, you idiot." You said, catching him as he practically flew into your arms. You had been waiting for this moment for way too long.

He leaned down and softly pressed his lips against yours, stealing your breath for a short time before pulling away after a few seconds. His cocky persona had returned.

"Why did I ever have my doubts? I'm awesome!" He said, making you giggle.

"What a man child." You shook your head before kissing him again, just enjoying the romcom moment you had been desiring for so long.

[idrkwhatthisisimsorry]

Flying to Italy pt. 2

Description: Y/N finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend, and decides to take the trip she had planned with him to Italy anyways, but alone. But she meets Harry along the way, and so it goes... Does she decide to stay with Harry, or is it too soon and too fast? Or will she forgive her boyfriend? Only time will tell.

Warnings: nothing, really! Just Harry

Word count: 2K

Masterlist

A/N: heyyy!! new part. I hope you guys like it, nothing really crazy happens, but Harry's finally here, stuff is going to be picking up soon, so stay tuned!

I spent the next couple days trying to get everything in order so I wouldn't be stressed out of my mind on this trip. It was supposed to be a month of relaxing by the pool, on the beach, in cafes, etc. And now I was going to have to figure out how to not cry the entire time I was there.

I met up with Collin to let him know what was going on. I didn't want to have to be the person to break the news to him, because no one wants to hear that kind of news, but I though better to hear it from me, someone who just went through the same exact thing with the same people, rather than hear it from Lily who probably would've fed him some kind of lie to portray the situation in her favor.

He was extremely heartbroken, which I knew was going to happen. We honestly both just cried together in shock about the whole situation, and he decided he was going to cut ties with her as well. I told him I was going to go on that Italy trip anyways, and he was more than welcome to come with me, but he didn't want to be reminded of what that trip was going to mean for him, so it looked like it was going to be me alone on that trip.

...

The past few days had been exhausting. I would be fine one minute, and then just break down crying the next. It's not easy losing your best friend and you boyfriend all in the same day, and it was really difficult coming to that realization and trying to cope with it. So being in the airport just three days later, knowing I was going to be on a flight from LA to Italy for about the next twelve hours was not a calming thought. I was probably going to sit next to some stranger that smelled funny the entire time, instead of who was supposed to be my loving boyfriend.

The second I got on the plane I put my AirPods in, blasting Fleetwood Mac as loud as I could, and put a sleeping mask on. I was going to sleep on this flight for as long as I possibly could to try and one the world out.

And I was very successful in doing that. Almost the very second that sleeping mask was on, I was passed out. I couldn't hear a thing, and I was happy I achieved my goal. Until suddenly, I feel someone nudging my shoulder. I couldn't hear or see them, all I could feel was them pushing on my shoulder a few times until I finally regained my consciousness. I took off my sleeping mask and took out one earbud on the side of the person who was annoying me. "What?" I said, groggily and annoyed. I immediately regretted it once I looked over and saw who it was. It was Harry fucking Styles. Holy shit. "So sorry to bother you, but they're bringing the food cart around and you've been asleep for quite some time, and I just wanted to make sure you didn't miss out on the food in case you wanted some." He said, anxiously, not wanting to upset me further. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you, thank you. Just been a rough week." I said, chuckling, and then turning to the flight attendant as she brought around the food cart, asking me my preferences.

We both ate in silence next to each other, and it killed me not being able to immediately text Lily who I was sitting next to. She was the biggest One Direction and Harry fan ever since we were teenagers. Anytime anything happened with Harry, I knew. I wasn't as big of a fan as her, not because I don't like his music or anything, because I do, but because I'm just not much of a fangirl type of person like she is. I was nervous to break the silence and say anything to him, but he got rid of that fear for me, and spoke up before I got the courage to.

"Rough week, huh?" He asked, a small smile on his face. "Oh, you really don't want to hear about it, it's kind of a lot." I said, looking down, kind of shy, because I didn't want the first time I ever spoke to Harry Styles to be me telling him about how my boyfriend cheated on me with my best friend. "I've heard just about everything, and we do have like six more hours left of this flight, I don't know how many more movies I can watch." He says, with a bright smile on his face. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you. But only if you tell me why you're on a commercial flight to Italy first." I say smiling. "That's an easy one. I don't have my own personal private jet. I have one that I use but it's not only mine, and it was in use today, but I really wanted to go to Italy, so I just booked the first first class flight I could find, and luckily there was a cancellation on this seat and I took it." He said, hesitating before he said the next thing, "I'm assuming that has a reason to do with why it's been a rough week?" I groaned a bit before looking at him to say, "Possibly... Ugh, you are going to be the first person I'm actually telling about this, so... who knows. But uh, basically I was supposed to go on this trip this month with my boyfriend, my best friend, and her boyfriend." I said, pausing so I wouldn't start crying in front of Harry Styles. He looked at me, weirdly supportingly, and said, "What happened? I get it, you don't know me, you don't have to tell me if you really don't want to. I can watch a few more movies. But if you want to tell me, I'm all ears." "Basically, I caught them hooking up in a bar bathroom like four days ago. My best friend of twenty years and my boyfriend of ten. I had to break the news to her boyfriend, who is also one of my best friends. They all canceled their tickets, but I've been wanting to come to Italy for years, and I thought it might be a good way to get my mind off of everything. We'll see. A lot of the stuff I planned for us to do was like specifically couple stuff, so I'm pretty much just going to be winging it the whole time I'm there, which isn't exactly comforting in a city I've never been before, but we'll see!" I say, the last part sarcastically.

It's gotten to the point in the breakup where I'm more bitter than anything. Yeah, I lost my boyfriend and my best friend, but clearly they're very shitty people. It just sucks having lost both of the people I talked to more than anyone else in the world at the same time. "Holy shit, it sounds like a rough week. They're assholes, I'm so sorry. Italy's amazing, though, you'll find fun solo things to do. I'm here solo, it's a fun place to be." He said, trying to be encouraging, but I wasn't a millionaire who could just rent my own private yacht and find fun things to do as easily as he could. "Thanks, it's just weird, they've been my whole life, and now they're not. Like for instance, Lily, my best friend, would have already gotten a text that I was on a plane right next to Harry Styles, she happens to be obsessed with you. Obsessed. And not in the healthy way, not that there's a healthy way. But now I have to just keep it to myself. And Jackson, too. She roped him into her obsession with you. Sorry, now I sound kind of like a crazy fan. I didn't scream when I saw you, though, you have to give me that." He stared at me, kind of looking like he was trying to hold back laughter. "You're not obsessed with me too? I would've bet money on it from the way you looked at me when I woke you up." He said, laughing bit as he said it. "Okay, I'm not going to say obsessed, but I have been told everything about you via Lily. And I do enjoy your music. But don't flatter yourself, I'm more of a Fleetwood Mac kind of girl." He throws his head back in laughter in response to my words. "Oh really? So I mean, you've got to be a little obsessed. You know everything about me! But, I understand the Fleetwood Mac thing. You were listening to them on repeat. Uh, I'm actually planning on meeting up with Stevie tonight a little after we get there, you're totally welcome to come if you want. I'm sure she'd love to meet you, and you seem chill enough." He said, a little too nonchalantly. I was not going to respond the same way. "Oh my god, are you serious? Are you seriously inviting me to meet Stevie Nicks? Oh my god. Sorry sorry sorry. I am chill. I swear. I can be chill. I would absolutely love to come if all that I just said didn't change your mind." I said, way too fast to be a chill response. He just laughed. "You're good, I'd love to have you there."He said, smiling at me.

...

The rest of the flight was like a fever dream. Me and Harry talked the entire time. About pretty much anything and everything. I talked a little too much about Lily and Jackson, probably, but Harry listened to everything I had to say, and completely hated them by the end of the flight.

After we got our baggage and went to the car pickup station, I began to order an uber to the nearest hotel to try and see if I could get a room, because we cancelled our big two-room suite, and I needed just a regular one room one now, but Harry turned to me and said, "Hey, you don't need to order an uber, I have a driver, I can give you a ride to your hotel if you'd like. Where are you staying?" He asked me. "Oh, I don't know yet. We were all supposed to stay in a hotel together, but now that it's just one of us instead of four we cancelled it, so I was just gonna try and find a hotel." He looked shocked when I said that, so I raised an eyebrow in question. "Oh, you can't be serious! Finding a last minute hotel in Italy is not a good idea, you're going to get overcharged like crazy because you're a foreigner." He said, looking genuinely worried. "Well didn't you book your trip last minute? What were your plans to get a hotel exactly?" I asked, putting a hand on my hip. "I don't need a hotel, I have a house here. I have like fifteen guest rooms. You're staying in one, not some shitty last minute hotel." He said, very matter-of-factly. "Oh my god, Harry, you absolutely do not need to do that, I'll be fine. What if I was psycho? What if this was some whole act and I actually am a crazy fan and you just invited me into your house? I'm supposed to be here for a whole month!" I said. "Well I guess I'm just going to have to take that risk, then," He said, looking over to a large black SUV pulling up to us, "Oh look, there's the car. Come on let's go. I give really good tours."

[sfehvn]

the apprentice

Description: AU- An ambitious criminal justice major undertakes an internship at, arguably, the most noteworthy law firm in the country. Things don't go as she plans, as the title of intern to Astarion Ancunin is synonymous with personal assistant, apparently.

A/N: I've been so all over the place with what I'm working on writing-wise, but this has been deep in my drafts and I figured I'd set it loose. I was reading '30 Days' by Astarionhq on A03 and really took inspiration for my own modern twist on an Astarion/Tav love story. I linked their story above; please check it out! Also my obsession with the whole 'enemies to lovers' trope is totally not apparent, psh. There will be a lot of pining and eventual smut. I'll include content warnings in individual chapters if any apply. Enjoy!

Rating: M (18+ minors DNI)

Word count: 4,595 Characters: au!Astarion x fem!au!Tav

━─━────༺༻────━─━

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

The shrill sound prompted you to pull the heavy comforter over your head, willing away the sunbeams shining obnoxiously through your window. You groan as your hand smacks the wood of the nightstand haphazardly in a desperate attempt to stop the godawful noise coming from the alarm clock. Relief floods your senses as it finally ceases. You close your eyes and are on the precipice of sleep until realization dawns on you. 

Fuck.

You had already snoozed the alarm three times prior. Meaning you were going to be royally late. With adrenaline pumping through your veins, you toss the warm blankets off you and bolt from the bed, barely glancing at the clock's LED. You could make out the emboldened numbers through your sleep-recovering eyes. 

9:54

��Fuck. Fuck.” It was all that you managed as you darted around the room. In a flurry, you pull a black dress from your wardrobe. Making quick work of pulling off your pajamas, you slip it on hastily and step into your bathroom, carelessly sliding toothpaste over the bristles of your toothbrush before brushing your teeth. You pause, clamping down on the toothbrush with your teeth, bracing it as you lean down to secure the black heels to your feet that had been unceremoniously tossed aside on the bathroom floor the night before. Not typically the type to be late, of course the one time you were just so happened to be on the day that could make or break your professional career.

You push aside the self-berating for the time being as you rinse the paste from your mouth. Not having the time to shower now, you pull your long strands of hair into a high pony, carefully leaving out a few whisps of hair to frame your face. You had managed to make it out of your apartment before the clock struck ten, and hope bubbled in your chest at the thought that you may make this interview after all.

The bus you would have caught was long gone, so you jog the entire way. Juggling your purse, papers that included a resume, pages of references, and your phone to observe the time. You’re well aware of the disorganized mess you must look like as you stand in front of the receptionist’s desk. Chest heaving from the jog there, papers in disarray in your hands, the blonde woman behind the desk eyes you with a passing look of judgment, and the need to crawl into a hole and hide flits through your deflated ego. You give the woman your name, and she types it quickly and efficiently into the computer.

“I’m sorry, miss Tav.” The woman starts, “Mr. Ancunin has an eleven o’clock meeting. Your interview was scheduled for ten thirty. You’re nearly fifteen minutes late.” She looks up at you from her screen, and though she tries to appear sympathetic, the emotion is missing from her eyes. You glance at the clock above her head, stomach sinking to your toes.

10:43

“Right, yes. I completely understand. I had car troubles this morning and had to walk here; you know how crowded these sidewalks are.” You let out an awkward laugh, attempting to gain some level of relatability with the woman. She laughs wryly along with you, causing your face to visibly drop. “Listen, I-I really need this interview.” New approach: honesty. “Is there a later slot? I’d be happy to wait here all day if needed.” 

“A lot of people need this interview, miss Tav.” The woman is unfazed by your pleading tone. “Unfortunately, there will be no more slots for this particular internship. The final interviews will occur later today, and Mr. Ancunin is completely booked for six months. It’s safe to say he will have come to a decision by then.” 

Your shoulders drop. The sleepless nights of preparing, the references you had compiled from professors and other dignitaries alike, it didn’t matter. While, yes, you could always strive for another internship, Ancunin Associates was an elite law firm. In any case, you would have been guaranteed a job at any firm post-graduation had you completed this apprenticeship.

The woman is eyeing you expectantly, waiting rather impatiently for you to make your retreat. “Miss Tav, I will have to ask you to leave. Mr. Ancunin-“ 

You can barely hear her anymore as you make out the man passing through the large office. Walking with purpose past the tall, windowed walls overlooking the bustling city many floors below. His unnaturally silver hair is brushed back purposefully, leaving a few curls to swoop and fall over his forehead. Eyes that could only be described as honey pierced forward as if looking right through anyone who stood in his walking path. The finest of tailored suits adorned his figure, a figure you had no doubt was toned to the gods underneath. You recognized him from various news articles; he had been considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the country, after all.

You brush aside your musings, and adrenaline pumps through your veins. “Mr. Ancunin, my name is Tav. I had a ten-thirty interview for the open internship. I recognize I’m severely late, and I apologize, but I swear it is entirely out of character for me. Is there any possible chance I can fit into your schedule later today?” 

He halts, staring at you with an indistinguishable look from across the office. You nearly regret speaking up to 

him as he scrutinizes you. You can feel those golden eyes of his scanning over you, and you fight the urge to falter under it. You remain unmoving, trying to appear like you belong. His eyes are fixed on your chest for a passing moment, and the need to cover your frame burns through you.

“A bold one, hm?” His tone is teasing, though his face still holds firm. “Late and less than presentable. Does all of your clothing have those stains on them?” He gestures towards your chest, where he had previously been staring. You finally glance down and are met with a small white stain in the center of your chest. You’re sure your cheeks are flushed at this point, but instead of backing down, you shift the papers you held against your bosom, hiding the marred fabric from his eyes. You made a mental note that the next time you found yourself late to an important meeting, perhaps you should ensure toothpaste wasn’t all over you before leaving home.

“Mr. Ancunin, ten minutes of your time is all I need. Please.” He didn’t visibly react to your pleading, and his face remained stone-cold.  The silence was deafening. The only sound you could make out was the thudding of your heart against your ribcage.

“Clear my eleven o’clock.” He says simply without addressing you, looking at the blonde woman you had just spoken to. “Come.” His words were firm. He turns on his heel towards the office he had just emerged from, silently expecting you to follow. You quietly breathe a sigh of relief as you oblige. A sleek black desk with an expensive-looking chair sat behind it in the center of the room. He holds out a hand, gesturing to one of the two armchairs in front of the desk, overlooking the large windows behind his chair. You silently obey his command, crossing your legs over one another as you wait for him to speak once more.

There’s a deafening silence as he eyes you, hands folded and resting in his lap once he’s sat down across from you. Mouth opening to speak, you close it when he holds his hand out in a quiet bid for the papers you had been holding. You wordlessly hand over your resume and references, and he scans the pages with an unreadable expression. The quiet stretches, and you fidget nervously in your seat, wishing you knew what was happening in his mind.

Finally, he looks up, those golden eyes locking onto yours. "Tav, is it?" he asks, his tone revealing nothing.

"Yes, sir. And I apologize again for my tardiness. It's not a reflection of my usual professionalism." You reply, trying to maintain a professional composure.

"Hm." He murmurs, leaning back in his chair. "Your credentials are impressive, Tav. Top of your class, stellar recommendations. But I'm curious—what makes you think you can manage this apprenticeship?”

You take a moment to gather your thoughts before responding. "Mr. Ancunin, I understand punctuality is crucial, and I take full responsibility for my tardiness today. However, my dedication, work ethic, and ability to adapt under pressure make me a valuable candidate for this position. I've faced challenges in the past and have consistently proven my commitment to overcoming them. I'm not one to let a setback define my capabilities."

A white eyebrow quirks in response, a smug look on his features. “Clearly. The tired university student you are, I presume you know how to make one hell of a cup of coffee?”

“I-” You start, feeling yourself shrink under his gaze. “Yes.” You murmur, brows pulling together in confusion.

He leans back in his chair, eyes never leaving yours. There’s a hint of amusement in his honey-pooled eyes, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “How about laundry?”

“Mr. Ancunin, no disrespect intended at all, sir-” You start.

“Astarion.” He says flatly.

“What?” Your voice catches in your throat, causing the word to shake as it leaves your lips.

“Call me Astarion.”

“Right, uh, Astarion,” You corrected. “I was hoping for an internship that would assist my legal career in flourishing. I didn’t anticipate I would be a personal assistant.” Your words trail.

Astarion clicks his tongue. “What a shame. I suppose there are many less desirable internships for you to pick from.”

Your mind races as you process the unexpected turn of events. Astarion's gaze remains fixed on you, a challenging glint in his eyes. You weigh your options, considering the potential impact on your career aspirations.

Taking a deep breath, you respond with a measured tone, "Astarion, I appreciate the opportunity to interview for this internship, and I am genuinely passionate about pursuing a legal career. However, I believe my skills and dedication would be best utilized in a legal capacity rather than as a personal assistant. I've worked diligently to excel in my academic pursuits and gain valuable experience in the legal field, and I'm eager to contribute those skills."

He tilts his head, the smirk on his face deepening. "Ambition, I like that. But you see, Tav, I value versatility. A good legal mind is undoubtedly crucial, but navigating the intricacies of the legal world often requires more than just legal acumen. It requires adaptability, resourcefulness, and an understanding of the broader aspects of the business. Consider this a test of your ability to handle the unexpected."

You take a moment to absorb his words, recognizing the challenge he's presenting. The internal debate intensifies within you — compromise for the sake of opportunity or stand firm on your premise. After a brief pause, you choose your words carefully, "I'm eager to prove my versatility and dedication to this role. If this is the path you believe will showcase my abilities, I am open to embracing the challenges it presents."

Astarion's eyes narrow slightly as if assessing the sincerity of your response. "Very well, Tav. We'll start with a trial period. Consider today's events as part of your initiation. Now, as for the legal matters, we'll get to those as the internship progresses. But for now, let's see how you handle some of the more... practical aspects of the job.” 

You nod numbly, and you’re confident you look silly sitting there with your mouth slightly ajar from the whiplash of the situation at hand. 

Astarion leans back, seemingly satisfied with your response. He gestures for you to follow him once again as he stands, leading you through a maze of offices and hallways in the prestigious law firm. As you walk beside him, you can't help but feel a mixture of anxiety and determination. This internship might not be unfolding as you envisioned, but you're determined to prove yourself in whatever capacity necessary.

The two of you eventually arrive at what appears to be a spacious lounge area, complete with an elegant coffee machine. It's clear that Astarion's definition of versatility extends beyond legal matters.

"Now, Tav," he begins, "We'll start with a simple task. Make me a cup of coffee."

You nod, moving towards the coffee machine. While you might be more accustomed to preparing legal briefs, you're not one to shy away from a challenge. As you navigate the machine's buttons, you glance over at Astarion, who has taken a seat in the lounge area.

The machine whirs to life, and you focus on measuring the coffee grounds and water precisely. A sense of determination fuels your movements. Astarion watches you intently, his unreadable expression giving away little.

Once the cup is filled with the scorching liquid, you reach for the creamer and halt your movements as he speaks again. “Black.” You turn to hand him the mug, seemingly awaiting his approval as he sips from the cup. You fidget with your hands in front of you, eyeing him with the same scrutiny he had watched you with earlier in your encounter.

He does not note on the coffee you had readied for him; instead, he is fishing into his pocket. He pulls out a set of keys, handing them to you. “You are aware of the apartments on Oleander, correct?”

Taking the keys into your hands, you gaze down at them in confusion. Of course, you knew that only the most affluent resided in them. There was a sinking suspicion of where this was going deep in your gut.

“Mine is the penthouse at the very top. You will do my laundry and clean it until it is sparkling. Understood?”

There was a new feeling sated into your bones. Anger. Not to mention the fact that he expected you to go into his home when he was not present. “I don’t feel this arrangement would be very professional.” You fire back, trying to hide the malice dripping in your tone. He was toying with you.

Astarion’s eyes still held that teasing gleam as he spoke. “That’s undoubtedly alright. We have many other candidates coming in later today. I’m sure one of them would be up to the task.”

You close your eyes briefly, taking in a large breath of air in order to keep yourself calm. You open them once more, smiling wryly down at him. “I’d be happy to.” You mutter through gritted teeth.

“Brilliant.” Astarion states, standing from his seated position. He sets the mug down on an end table. “Oh, and do try to improve on your coffee-making abilities. That was rather lackluster.” 

How the fuck do you mess up black coffee?

There was no doubt left in your mind about what he was doing. You needed this internship, though, and you were prepared to go to questionable lengths to secure it. “Of course.” You deadpanned, no amusement left on your face. What an arrogant bastard.

“You can keep that set.” Astarion gestured to the keys in your hand. “I expect you’ll be done before I return home. I’ll see you back here tomorrow morning.” The smirk never left his smug face as he spoke. He departs the room, surely to whatever big meeting is next on his agenda. Perhaps to terrorize someone else. You’re left standing there, dumbfounded at how wrong this entire day seemed to be going. 

As Astarion strides away, leaving you with the keys and the absurd task ahead, a maelstrom of thoughts swirls through your mind. You glance down at the keys in your hand, a symbolic link to the penthouse on Oleander that you are now responsible for. The weight of the situation settles on your shoulders, mixing with the frustration and determination that courses through your veins.

Taking a deep breath, you gather your composure. This might not be the internship you envisioned, but it's an opportunity nonetheless. You remind yourself of the stakes, the prestige of Ancunin Associates, and the potential doors this internship could open. Swallowing your pride, you decide to tackle the tasks ahead with a professional mindset. Even if he was not.

–

You hadn’t anticipated spending your day cleaning some corporate asshole’s million-dollar penthouse, yet here you were. No doubt, he had to have staff for this. So why was it being made your problem? The penthouse wasn’t anything that you weren’t expecting. It looked like it had been taken straight out of a catalog, and it seemed to be missing any warmth. There was nothing hung on the stark white walls, aside from small discreet security cameras tucked into the corners. You wondered briefly if he was watching you and decided he had to be. You were a complete stranger he had sent into his home by yourself. You mutter an expletive quietly, toeing off your heels by the front door. A few dishes are in the sink, and you figure that to be the best place to start.

As you tackle the dishes, the silence of the penthouse is only broken by the occasional distant hum of city life far below. The gleaming surfaces and pristine environment reflect the meticulous nature of the man who owns this place. You can't shake the feeling that every move you make is being observed by Astarion himself or by the unassuming security cameras.

While you scrub away at the plates, your mind replays the unusual turn of events. How did a promising legal internship morph into a personal assistant role with a side of housekeeping duties? The anger you felt towards the man came back in full force. You were well aware that you were being taken advantage of, but the need to prove yourself to Astarion gnawed at you either way. 

Think of the years of schooling, Tav. Of who you plan to be after graduation. You silently reminded yourself. 

As you navigate the unfamiliar kitchen, you spot a sleek tablet on the countertop. It seems to control various aspects of the penthouse – lights, temperature, and security. You make a mental note to familiarize yourself with it, realizing that understanding the intricacies of Astarion's living space might become essential.

The pristine silence is suddenly interrupted by the chime of an incoming message on the tablet. You approach it cautiously, noting Astarion's name on the notification. With a sense of trepidation, you open the message.

"Ensure you clean the living room thoroughly. I'll be hosting a small gathering there tonight. Impress me."

His words are concise, leaving you with a sense of urgency. The mundane task of washing dishes has evolved into preparing a high-profile space for an event you weren't aware of until now. A twinge of frustration simmers beneath the surface, but you push it aside, noting that you had only a few hours before the sun began to set.

You move from the kitchen to the living room, carefully dusting surfaces and arranging furniture to meet an unspoken standard of perfection. The penthouse, already immaculate, undergoes another level of scrutiny under your watchful eyes. You can't help but feel a sense of absurdity, thinking that a legal intern's day would involve ensuring the alignment of decorative pillows and the spotless shine of a glass coffee table.

As the day progresses, you are caught between bouts of irritation and determination. The controlled environment of Ancunin Associates has given way to the uncharted territory of Astarion's penthouse. The duality of your responsibilities — legal intern and personal assistant — blurs lines, leaving you grappling with the unexpected.

Stumbling into Astarion’s bedroom, you narrow your eyes at the scene before you. It was a change from who you had come to anticipate him as. Clothes were tossed carelessly to the ground, and upon further inspection, you were under the impression that one of these shirts could pay two months of your rent. You huff, gathering the misplaced clothes into your arms and setting them aside to be washed. You made quick work of putting his bed together, fluffing pillows, and tidying the sheets and blankets. 

Stepping into the bathroom adjoined to the bedroom, you prepare to toss out the small trash bin. Your eyes narrow, and you make a sound of disgust at the sight. Two used condoms were the only contents.

There’s no way in hell I’m touching that.

You grumble as you step back out of the bathroom, flicking the light off in your wake. You would settle on simply putting Astarion’s clothes in the washer and heading out. Surely he wouldn’t expect anything more of you? You had already spent hours here.

However, as you return to the living room, the notification chime on the tablet draws your attention again. Another message from Astarion, and the words cut through your plans this time.

"Make sure you check the bedroom and bathroom. Attention to detail is crucial. I trust you won't disappoint."

Your frustration spikes, but you suppress it, realizing that your choices in this matter are limited. Taking a deep breath, you return to the bathroom. You need this apprenticeship, Tav.

You gather the courage to dispose of the used condoms, not allowing yourself to dwell on the

contents of them. The situation's absurdity is not lost on you – an intern scrubbing someone else's bathroom, particularly a man of Astarion's means. You felt as if you were living in a movie.

The sun begins its descent, casting a warm glow through the expansive windows of the penthouse. Your eyes sweep the living room, confirming that it meets the standards Astarion expects for his gathering. Despite the challenging nature of the day, a slight sense of accomplishment settles within you. You may not have expected to play the role of a personal assistant, but you've embraced the challenge and proven your ability to adapt.

As you prepare to leave, the tablet chimes again, signaling a final message from Astarion.

"Lock up behind yourself. Be ready for a full day tomorrow. We have much to discuss."

The weight of the day lingers as you walk home. The anger festers in your chest, though you try not to indulge it. This couldn’t have been the first time Astarion has taken advantage of having a desperate college student under his thumb. You can’t help but think the people who had deemed this to be one of the best internships for criminal justice are full of shit. You grumble in distaste, your feet feeling as if they’re on fire from the miles you were walking back to your shithole apartment on the south side of town, ten miles from Astarion’s penthouse. At this rate, you had been walking for an hour and a half, yet you were only halfway there.

You lean down, slipping the high heels off of your burning feet and cradle them in your arms.

The cool night air hits your face as you continue your journey, heels in hand. The events of the day play over and over in your mind, and the determination to prove yourself mingles with the frustration of the unconventional tasks assigned to you. As you approach your apartment building, a mix of exhaustion and frustration boils deep in your chest. 

Opening the door to your modest apartment, you let out a heavy sigh. The contrast between Astarion's penthouse and your own space is stark, but a sense of resilience fuels your spirit. You toss the heels you had been holding aside and head straight to the bathroom, catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. Disheveled hair, tired eyes, but an unmistakable fire within them.

“Finally home?” A voice rings out, and you see Shadowheart leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, dangling two empty glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. “I figured we could celebrate.” You sigh, leaning against the bathroom sink and turning to face her. She raises her eyebrows, wiggling the bottle in a way that wordlessly says, ‘you know you want to’. You did, but your knees felt weak under your weight and your calves burned to the hells. 

“I’m not even sure if there is anything to celebrate.” You snort in response, shooting her an apologetic look. She finally takes note of just how tired you truly looked, and her shoulders slumped. 

“You didn’t get it? I just assumed since you were gone all day.” Shadowheart furrows her brows. “What happened?”

“No, I did get it. I think.” You huff, pursing your lips into a thin line. “Though it’s not at all what I expected.”

Shadowheart sits on the edge of your bed, listening as you fill her in on the day's events. The arrogance of the one and only Astarion Ancunin. “So he has you cleaning his house? I mean, truthfully, the coffee thing isn’t totally unheard of. But his used condoms?” She makes a sound of distaste deep in her throat, screwing her face up to match her tone of disgust. 

“I’m a mess, Shadow.” You mutter, retreating from the bathroom in a fresh change of pajamas. The thought of spending a second more cleaning up his messes filled you with dread and, after knowing Astarion for only a day, you knew with full certainty that your distaste for the man would only grow.

“Was he as hot as the tabloids make him look?” She asks teasingly.

“Really?” You mutter, accepting the now-filled glass as you sit back into the pillows on your bed.

“What?” Shadowheart chuckles. “I’m just saying it may be more manageable if you’ve got eye candy to look at while you spend your days doing his laundry.” Her tone was teasing, though you knew there was a hint of truth in her tone.

The groan that left your lips was exasperated, bringing the wine glass to your lips and accepting the bitterly sweet liquid as it rolled over your tongue.

As you sip the wine, a mix of exhaustion and frustration settles within you. Shadowheart's attempt to lighten the mood brings a small smile to your face, but the reality of the situation looms large. The taste of the wine is a welcome reprieve, a momentary escape from the days to come with Astarion Ancunin ordering you about.

Nevertheless, the conversation with Shadowheart provides a brief respite. “He looks like a god if I’m being honest.” You finally admit with a slight chuckle. “Like he’s been cut straight from stone. He just so happens to be the biggest asshole I’ve ever had the misfortune of knowing.” 

You finish your glass and return it to her, smiling gratefully as she takes it. “You just so happen to be the toughest girl I know. It’s, what, a six-month internship? Just keep your eyes on the prize, Tav.” She reassures before letting out a yawn of her own. “That being said, I’ve got to be up early myself. I’ll make sure you’re actually awake before I leave.” Shadowheart says pointedly.

Once she leaves, you relax into your duvet, eyes closing as relaxation settles into your bones for the first time since you’d sprung out of bed that morning. No, nothing had gone particularly how you had hoped. Shadowheart’s words stoked the burning fire of ambition inside of you, and you felt eternally grateful to call her your friend.

Just keep your eyes on the prize, Tav.

[changbinisms]

Coup De Grâce - Park Seonghwa x reader (Part Three)

coup de grâce

/ˌkuː də ˈɡrɑːs/

Noun

A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal.

An action or event that serves as the culmination of a bad or deteriorating situation

wc: 1,330

Royalty au / Arranged marriage au

contains: angst, time period specific discrimination, misogyny, classism. more will be added as the series progresses.

this work is not proofread (as usual)

feedback is welcome and encouraged

[a/n: this fic may not be entirely time period accurate, but it will contain time period specific discrimination (i.e. misogyny and classism)]

[a/n2: I'm also trying out a new banner so please let me know what you think]

Sitting by the fire, you went over everything that had happened. After Prince Seonghwa had stormed out, you took the opportunity to change out of your wedding attire and into something to sleep in. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, your body twisting and turning almost painfully to reach behind you to the ribbons of your corset that were neatly tied into a bow and double knotted for security, but it was miles better than the alternative which was asking the prince for help. No, thank you, you’d rather suffer in silence. Either that or you would have to ask one of your maids, which would leave you open to a whole new barrage of questions; the first one pertaining to your husband and why he wasn’t the one to help you out of your garments.

It was clear that there wouldn’t be any consummating of the marriage tonight. You weren’t sure if that was good or not. It was good as you didn’t want to engage in any type of intimacy with someone who obviously didn’t hold a high opinion of you. You had yet to figure out exactly what you had done. You weren’t the one to arrange the marriage. You weren’t the one who was keeping him and his lover apart. Okay, maybe in a sense you were. But at least not directly.

However, it was bad in the sense that the sheets would be checked. And if they check the sheets, they’ll see that there’s no blood, and if there’s no blood then they’ll know that you didn’t lay together.

You had to come up with a way to fix this.

*

It was late by the time Prince Seonghwa had come back inside. You had since moved to the bed, laying the covers over you lap with a book in your hand. You had figured that sleep wasn’t an option yet and needed something to occupy your mind. The only prompt you received of him entering the room was the soft click of the latch as he closed and locked the balcony doors. You chose not to acknowledge his entrance. Despite not being tired, you lacked the energy for any fight he still had in him, and it had been a long day.

It wasn’t until you heard a soft “what are you reading?” that you looked up, marking your spot in the book with your bookmark, closing it, and putting it to the side after flashing him the cover. The sight in front of you left you a tiny bit taken aback. At the foot of the bed stood Prince Seonghwa, with one hand rubbing up and down the upper part of the opposite arm and a sheepish look on his face. His eyes never held yours for long, contact breaking every few seconds or so, which was surprising due to the fact that any time you had seen him, he always seemed so sure of himself, he always knew what exactly to say and when exactly to say it, easily commanding the attention of a room. The man in front of you seemed quite the opposite, like an entirely different person.

He let out a quiet sigh at your lack of response, giving his head a light shake.

He moves around to the side of the bed that isn’t occupied by you and sits on the edge, slightly turned towards you. You still don’t say anything, you simply watch him, curious as to what will happen next.

“I,” he starts, before clearing his throat and trying again, “I believe I owe you an apology,”

You raise one eyebrow in intrigue. Now you were more inclined to listen to what he has to say. He doesn’t continue, which prompts you to give him a nod in encouragement. You knew you were owed an apology; however you were curious as to whether he would apologise for treating you the way he did, or for something else he came up with.

His eyes finally met yours, a soft determination in them, as he squared his shoulders and opened his mouth to speak.

“I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way that I did, I had no right, and I shouldn’t have accused you of throwing yourself at Prince Wonwoo. I know that you are very close and have been friends for years,” 

He did?

He continued on; “and I know that there’s nothing romantic to it. I’ve simply had a lot happen recently, and adding onto that, the marriage and worrying about the image we should present – the image I present – especially if my wife looks happier in the arms of another man instead of me. I let it all get to me and I took it out on the wrong person, you didn’t deserve that. So, please, accept my sincere apology,”

You could tell from his eyes, the candour that they held, that he was telling the truth. Although you were still annoyed (and a tiny bit upset) about how he spoke to you, you can understand where he’s coming from, even if it didn’t justify it.

You take a few minutes before replying, wanting to correctly articulate what you want to say. The moment seemed very fragile, as if the wrong words could shatter it and turn it sour.

“thank you, Prince Seonghwa, for apologising. I understand that it’s not an easily thing to do, especially when you’re being particularly vulnerable about it, I also understand where you’re coming from this,” despite knowing what you want to say, it was now your turn to not meet his eyes, picking a particular spot in the bedsheets, noting the loose thread. It’s easier to get the words out without looking into his intense eyes, “but I need you to remember that we’re in the same boat here, from now on we have to be a team, a united front. It’s quite literally us against the world, if any of our enemy nations see any kind of weakness or disconnect like that, we give them an opening. Which is why I ask that when you plan any future rendezvous with your lover, that you’re both more careful.”

“My lover?”

“Yes, your lover. I understand that you do not like me, and that you’ll never love me, you made that very much clear. But I hope in time that you will grow to be my friend,”

“Princess, I appreciate your words and your ability to keep a level head, but I do not have a lover and I do not intend to take a mistress. I have no idea where you got that impression from,”

“Don’t take me for a fool, I saw your mother’s handmaiden leaving your room in the small hours of the morning. I have no intention of keeping you both apart. You deserve to have a romantic love in your life,”

The prince looked like he wanted to argue it more, however he shook his head and let out a sigh. “this is a conversation for another time, which I promise we will have. But we need to figure out how we’re going to convince everyone that we lay together, it wouldn’t feel right to consummate the marriage in this moment,”

Oh… ouch. That hurt lightly, you can’t lie. However, you had more pressing matters than licking your wounds.

“I’m way ahead of you, your highness, I’ve already marked the bed with just enough blood to convince them that we consummated the marriage,” you could see the look of confusion in his eyes and raise your arm to show the small cut near to the crease of your inner elbow. Far enough away from anywhere that would cause issues, but close enough to your crease to remain inconspicuous. “I have one or two friends that are in marriages that started the same way as ours,”

“That’s genius, although I’m concerned about those wives,” the prince chuckled “and please, we’re married. Call me ‘Darling’,”

[scribesofcalamity]

Our boys have finally confessed to eachother, after learning of a 30 year old prophecy where they were dubbed the wounded lovers 🥺 We made it soft and I had to create a doodle of the aftermath.

Small written collaboration piece from myself and Derrick’s player below the cut 💖

Derrick winced as the entrails fell from Briars body, calling an end to the whole spooky business in the Hecata's basement. He glanced at Seth, and was surprised to see his partners brow scrunched as he bored a hole into the floor with his icy stare. The whole mumbo jumbo prophecy must have spooked him a bit, although Derrick wasn't so sure that Seth took much stock in those types of things. He certainly didn't.

Before Derrick could make a joke to try and lighten the mood, the older Brujah had already made a break for the door. The rest of the night, Derrick could hardly start a sentence before Seth was away, first to feed, then back into the creepy hotel and all around. Derrick frowned as he watched Seth banter with the others. He looked calm, but there was something off…and he was definitely avoiding him. When had he last acted like this? Derrick mused in silence as he and Angie sat in the car, watching the silhouettes of their friends inside. It was certainly an unusual behavior for him. Derrick landed on an answer to his question- it had been two years ago, when Seth had returned from a job that was helping to fund school supplies for the community kids. Carol had dared Derrick to give Seth a kiss on the forehead when he walked in, proclaiming him their hero, to welcome him back. Derrick had taken the dare and done just that. Seth had frozen on the spot for a solid minute before silently taking some documents and money out of his bag, handing them over, and immediately walking back out the door. He spent the next three days avoiding Derrick entirely, going so far as to leave out his window at one point when Derrick had burst into the apartment in a surprise attack. After that…everything went back to normal. He had never quite figured out why Seth had gotten so angry about the joke. “What the hell is his problem?” Derrick mumbled as he rubbed his chin in thought. Well, the night had to wind down at some point. He'd corner Seth then.

Seth rubbed the back of his neck in exasperation as he watched Angie and Tommy out on the water. Vee looked up at him, eyes full of curiosity and what seemed to be a hint of mirth after his and Tommy's argument on the stairwell. “Who could blame me?” Seth thought.” There's all sorts of monsters in the fucking swamp. How was I supposed to know they wanted to recreate the scene from the little mermaid after 3 days of knowing eahother?” He nodded back to the building and began walking in with the young man. Vee stopped halfway, giving an interested look at the sniper rifle slung over Seth's shoulder. “Think you could teach me how to use it?” Seth half smiled,partly genuine at Vee's interest, and partly because the longer they were out here, the better. He helped Vee hold the gun up,gently adjusting his stance and pointing out the scope, magazine and safety. Vee looked unwieldy and unprepared holding the large weapon, and Seth was reminded of when he had first been taught to hold a gun, looking much the same. He chuckled as he took it back. Vee was quiet before he asked why they were helping him. Seth answered truthfully. He hoped they could help Vee. Give him another chance. Make him survive. In the silence that followed, Seth awkwardly reached out and ruffled Vee's hair. He wasn't terribly good at comforting people, but he wanted to try. Vee scoffed. “Thanks, I guess?”

As they opened the door to the station, Angie and Tommy zoomed by on the motorbike. Seth watched them speed away with a slight pang of jealousy. Tommy was certainly a braver man than he was. Vee headed towards the kitchen area and Seth turned to the garage, mentally making a list of things to prepare…he should clean the guns and count how many incendiary rounds he had left…

“Seth.” He flinched, Derrick's voice breaking into his inner monologue. He had been a bit too focused, and the brunette had walked right up behind him. Seth turned slowly. Derrick wore an irritated expression. “Are you avoiding me?”

Seth quickly averted his gaze,admiring the basic concrete of the wall in great detail.”Not really.”

“Not. Really?” He could feel Derrick glaring at him. He'd never been good with lying to him.

"It's just...been busy of course.” Seth quipped as he tried to side step around Derrick. That plan was quickly thwarted as Derrick stepped in front of him,shutting the door and blocking his escape route. “We’re always busy. Did I do something? You know you can always talk to me, Seth..”

Panic settled into Seth's chest as he looked at Derrick's hurt expression. "No,you didn't do anything…” He took a pause. Maybe this was a good time to try and steer Derrick out of here…”I

…was actually just thinking maybe it would be good for you to take Vee and head back to New York with...all the strange stuff happening around here…”

Derrick's voice was sharp as he cut Seth off.

“Excuse me? That’s not happening. What are you even on about? Where is this coming from?”

Seth winced internally. Perhaps not. His head felt all over the place tonight. He wasn't good at convincing people without force.

"Well you know...with the Cam and that wierd prophecy and all the monsters in the swamp...maybe it would be good to remove some pieces...and you're certainly better with people than I am.”

“Remove pieces, yeah okay.” Seth could tell Derrick was getting riled up, his hand motions becoming a tad aggressive as he spoke. “You really believe this mumbo jumbo prophecy? We have been through literal shit together and now you’re going to tell me to leave?” His fists curled as he closed the distance between them. “I fucking can’t believe you. Do you think I’d just leave you here on your own?” Amid the anger, Derrick suddenly paused, before looking Seth straight in the eye. “Am I in your way?”

Conflict raged in Seth's head. How could he make Derrick understand? He took a step back, trying to clear his argument in his head.

"No, that's not it...You're not in the way. You never have been. I just...I don't think we should ignore something so potentially serious, that's been around since before we ever met, when all this other wierd shit has happened and now we're all here…”

“Leaving kind of sounds like ignoring it.” Derrick stepped forward to close the gap Seth had just created. “I thought we were in this together. Why has that changed now?”

Fuck. This wasn’t working. Seth began almost rambling, looking anywhere but Derrick's angry gaze. "I...we are...but in this case...I mean, Vee is called the sacrificial sheep for fucks sake! I think the kid has been through enough... and it seems we would uhhh....share a fate too, including one where our eyes get gouged out...you have alot of responsibility back at home and we can't possibly have something like that happen to you, and I'm sure it might be a nice thing for Vee to just get a fresh start. A-and, it seems it's not even Peele that's here, maybe just a copycat, so....” he trailed off. This was the farthest thing from convincing. Seth felt fear wrap its way around his throat.

Derrick practically spit his next words, rage simmering below the surface. Seth considered sticking with it. If he let Derrick knock him out, they couldn't argue anymore.

“I can’t even believe the words coming out of your mouth right now. Let’s say these prophecies were fated, what’s leaving with Vee going to change? For Christ’s sake the guy is safer with us as a group than for me to run off with him and take him to New York!”

Derrick's voice was strained. “Maybe it is a copycat here.Even so, I’d never leave you alone to deal with all of this.” he gestured at the air, at everything as a whole. “You’re not impractical. There’s something else isn’t there? You can’t even look at me, Seth. What is it you’re leaving out?”

Seth dug his nails into his palm, releasing a thin trickle of vitae as he considered his options. This night had been utter turmoil for him. Hearing the different versions of the prophecy of cranes, he had felt dizzy. When the spirit identified him and Derrick as the “wounded lovers”, Seth had felt like a glass cage he hadn't even known was there had shattered directly on his head. This entire time? Kindred in this strange little town had seen them before they even knew of the other's existence.

Maybe Tommy was onto something though.Although he had never planned to say anything…even if he lost Derrick forever this way…it would be better than something forced upon him. Perhaps it would make him listen.

Seth decided to let go.

"Derrick...listen...I'm worried because these prophecies are calling us the wounded lovers. I...I know we're not lovers,nor do we have any kind of of relationship like that. You could say the prophecy is fake based on that alone, even without knowing what the other few visions showed. "

He stopped one more time, ruminating in the silence. If he spoke it now, there was no turning back. Derrick shifted slightly,crossing his arms as he waited for Seth to speak. Seth smiled at the memory of the previous day, their eyes meeting in the reflections of the sunlight bouncing off the water pools in the bunker. At the very least, he could cherish that memory. He looked up and met Derrick's eyes.

"Derrick,I'm taking this so seriously... because I love you. I've been in love with you for a long time now.” He let the words hang for just a moment.

“I really considered if my feelings were perhaps caused by this prophecy but..." Seth slowly clutched his hand into his jacket over his heart. He had let the thought cross his mind for a only a moment, but he knew that wasn't true. It had been a gradual fall. He hadnt even trusted Derrick at first, but three years ago, he had realized it was much deeper than simple friendship and affection. No future vision, no matter how sinister, could have created those feelings. "I know that's not it.” Seth struggled to speak his conclusion. “Which means that it would be because of me falling in love with you that you could get dragged into some crazy mess that you didn't ask for, perhaps have your mind manipulated into having feelings for me or something else. If you got hurt,mentally or physically, because I couldn't keep my emotions In check for my best friend and work partner, I could never forgive myself. "

Derrick was silent as he simply stared back at Seth. Well, that was that. Seth let his gaze drop, his arm releasing his jacket, exhaustion and defeat flowing into his body. This place was the worst. "I'm sorry. I know that is alot to drop on you out of the blue. I just want you to be safe....” The ground had never looked so interesting. Derrick was still silent as Seth moved around him and opened the door. “I don't need an answer. I can’t make you do anything, so if you plan to stay, we need to focus on the battles ahead.” As he stepped over the door frame,he uttered a final sentence. ”I understand if you don't want me to come back to New York when this is all over. “

Derrick's eyes widened before softening. He almost let Seth walk out of the door before his new found brain fog broke for a moment and he whirled, catching the door and causing Seth to turn back towards him, his blue eyes wary.

“Seth, don’t go.” He felt as if he let Seth go, he would never get his thoughts out. “This whole time? You’ve been holding this back the entire time?” Derrick's voice wavered.

“I can’t- I won’t even entertain the thought of some prophecies controlling my emotions. Or yours. I’m well aware how dangerous this will be. I won’t lie and say this isn’t some of the scariest shit I’ve seen in my life.” Seth had fully turned around now, caution holding his cold expression, but Derrick could see a small spark of hope in his eyes. He continued speaking, letting the words spill out.

“ Yet I find comfort in facing it with you… and you’re delusional if you think I’d abandon you here to deal with it on your own. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.” He stopped suddenly, before his next words fell out of his mouth.

Memories filled his mind of pestering Seth in his apartment when he first moved into the slums of New York. At first Derrick wanted to know who this stranger was and keep a close eye on him. After some time however, Derrick had started to crave his company. Maybe it all started there.

“Whatever all of this is, we can figure it out together… and… even if it is fated, it’s a fate I want to share with you Seth…because…I love you too.”

[bleachanimefan1]

The Midnight Masquerade Part 12

His Butler, Competition Part 2,

Everyone was sitting in the living room, thinking about what they had just heard. Sebastian was pouring tea for Cassandra, Ciel and Lao. Cassandra glanced over at Soma, in concern, who was sitting in his chair, seething in rage.

"Why would Agni leave me like that!?" He clenched his fists in frustration. Then he got up and slapped the teacup over the table, almost hitting Ciel and Cassandra, and it shattered as it fell on the floor.

"Hey!" Ciel exclaimed in surprise. Soma threw more of the sets, breaking on the floor.

"Why does everyone around me vanishes! Why? Why!?" He cried out and Soma ran off and left the room.

"I went through the trouble of picking up that tea set for the young master..." Sebastian sighed then he looked at Cassandra and Ciel. "Are you alright?"

Ciel nodded and so did Cassandra.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Maybe I should go talk to him-" She got up, but Sebastian stopped her.

"I'll go. Somebody needs to teach him some manners." and he left the room, closing the door behind him. Cassandra yawned, feeling her eyes getting heavy.

"I'm going to turn in for the night." Cassandra said, tiredly.

"Fair enough." Ciel spoke and Cassandra left the room as well, heading back to the guest room and turned in for the night.

Today sure was an interesting long day.

She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

The next morning came, and Cassandra blinked as she slowly opened her eyes. She felt something heavy on her. Confused, she looked down to see an arm wrapped around her waist and her eyes snapped wide open. She immediately sat up and tore off the blanket and saw Soma lying next to her, mumbling in his sleep. Her eye twitched.

Why is he here!?

She quietly watched him sleep, watching his chest move slowly as he breathed. He was probably lonely, considering Agni left. 

Cassandra slowly pulled Soma's arm off of her and he slightly shifted. Then Soma was met with a pillow to the face when Cassandra slammed it down on him.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

Soma sputtered, sitting up from the bed and Cassandra got up, putting on her shoes.

"Did everything go okay with Sebastian?" She asked him.

"Uh?" Soma blinked, still half asleep, recalling what happened the other night. He shivered.

"Yes. I must apologize for my behavior. I was acting like a spoiled brat."

"You shouldn't have to apologize for that." Cassandra spoke and Soma looked at her confused. "I mean, we all do sometimes. Don't get me started on Ciel. That boy is a whole new level." She laughed.

"Did anyone ever tell you that your cute when you laugh like that?" Soma spoke. Cassandra's eyes widen a little in surprise.

"For my entire life I've always had people do things for me. I want to make my own choices."

"Careful, that kind of sounds like a marriage proposal." Cassandra joked. Soma blinked a little, blushing a little.

"Uh, that's not what I meant-M-Maybe someday I might-" He stammered and Cassandra laughed a little.

"Hey, relax. You're sweet. I'm sure some lucky girl will come. But I'm not ready for that type of thing right now. I just don't think it's for me. But doesn't mean we can't be friends." She spoke, smiling.

"I'd like that." Soma smiled.

"Now, get dressed. Let's go see what Ciel and Sebastian are up to."

The two headed towards the living room and saw Ciel sitting down with Sebastian standing next him as they went over the papers from the attacks. Cassandra took a seat and Soma sat down next to her. She noticed Soma eyeing Sebastian, warily, slightly trembling a little.

What in the world did Sebastian say to him?

"Now if we can get back to the conversation we were having before the prince interrupted. All we got from that conversation from Lord West was a three-year plan and the completion of the plan within a week and Agni's right hand is essential." Sebastian explained. 

"Well, what's happening within a week? All I can think of is the curry contest about Indian culture at the Crystal Palace." Cassandra spoke. Silence filled the room and Cassandra looked around, wondering, noticing everyone looking at her. 

"What?"

"And you didn't think to mention this?" Ciel asked.

"I just thought of it just now. What do you want from me?" Cassandra frowned.

"That must be it." Ciel spoke.

"The young master has been invited to act as a judge for the contest. The show has several companies competing against each other to make the best curry. There is a rumor that the Queen will be there as well."

"They're probably targeting other rivaling companies so they can't compete from the competition." Cassandra spoke.

"And also, the fact that West has a coffee shop that sells the best curry. If he wins, it'll help boost his sales." Ciel explained. Cassandra smirked.

"So, it looks like the Queen's guard dog is going to have to enter the contest." Ciel pushed her away from him and looking over the papers that were left at the crime scenes again. 

"I still don't understand what this means. All of these papers have the same symbol with a tongue sticking out."

Soma's eyes widened. "General Randall got pretty angry at the sight of it, seeing it as an insult to England. But is there any meaning behind it?" Ciel wondered.

"It represents the Goddess Kali, who sticks her tongue out. So then, the God that Agni wrote this for. Everything is for his God. Don't you think this is written as some sort of apology?"

"Even after Agni left you, he still had faith in you and still lives for you." Sebastian replied. "You have a good butler."

"Then what's the deal with Agni and Mina!?" Soma questioned.

"That we don't know." Cassandra wondered as well.

"The competition is within a week and fortunately my other rivals have been removed. In other words, if the Funtom Company enters and wins against West, the royal warrant will go to my company and boosts my sales." Ciel smirked.

"But wait, West has Agni in the contest!" Soma said worried. "There's no way you can win with his right hand of God."

"Yes, we've seen his destructive powers. However, this is not the time for martial arts-" Ciel spoke, and Soma shook his head.

"That's what I mean! It's a curry contest!" 

"I'm still confused." Cassandra said.

"You don't know anything about Agni's ability or real curry."

"It's not like you're saying his right arm makes a brilliant cook, is it?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

The following week came, and it was the day of the curry competition. The group was waiting for the competition to begin, along with the Phantomhive servants who came to cheer Ciel and Sebastian on.

"Do you think you came up with the best curry to win the competition?" Cassandra asked the two of them.

"With Sebastian I have no doubts." Ciel told her.

"Why if it isn't the Earl of Phantomhive!" Everyone saw West walking over to them. "Long time no see! It hasn't been since last year's social if I recall correctly?"

"You never change."

"Come to think of it, isn't your group entering the contest?"

"Yeah, I'm considering entering my company into the food business." Ciel spoke.

"I was surprised to learn that you have entered. Did you find a talented chef? My company will not lose! We have hired a curry specialist."

"Is that so."

"Between you and I some spies broke into my home. They broke some of my favorite valuable items. It scares me to think of it. Luckily, secrets of the curry was safe. I get shivers knowing that the criminal may even be here." West finished. Ciel, Sebastian and Cassandra laughed, sheepishly.

"Enough of that. I've heard that the Queen might be attending. And... Well, since the passing King Albert, her majesty just doesn't appear in public so often. I was hoping to have her taste we are so proud of in front of the audience before I receive the royal warrant. This chat has gone on long enough. I will see you later." and he left.

"So, you think you will win? I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realizes he lost." Ciel murmured, smirking.

"Yes, my lord." Sebastian smiled as well.

"Now we have come to the highlight of the Empire Governed Indian culture and prosperity exhibition. With participants from famous curry houses, let the curry contest begin!" the announcer shouted. "We have also prepared a special curry for the guests! Please wait until the end!"

Cassandra looked over at the judges table seeing three men and one of them she immediately recognized. Viscount Druitt.

How did he get out!?

"I thought he was arrested by the yard." She shivered, wanting to kill him on the spot.

Ciel saw him as well. "He probably bribed his way out."

The announcer introduced the contestants who were competing, along with Sebastian and Agni. The contest began and each competitor quickly began to cook their curry dishes, racing against the clock. Agni was throwing in some spices into the pot with his right hand. Then to everyone's surprise, Sebastian began to put in some bits of chocolate into his pot. Then Agni pulled out a rare blue lobster and began to boil it and cut it up. Sebastian began to knead and roll up balls of dough and began frying them. 

The announcer stopped the competition, and the judges began to taste each one of the dishes, eliminating most of the competition. Now, it was down to Agni and Sebastian. Agni presented his blue lobster dish with some curry as dipping sauce. Two of the judges gave high approval and Druitt began to moan seductively.

"It reminds me of the beautiful lady I unexpectedly met. With seven precious stones, wrapping their beauty around you. You've stolen my heart that day!" He shouted. Cassandra shivered.

"Can I kill him now?" Cassandra whispered, twitching uncomfortably, to Ciel. Ciel smirked, enjoying her torment.

The judges moved to Sebastian's dish, revealing to just be an ordinary fried bun. They stared at it in confusion.  Sebastian sliced it open, showing that there was curry inside the bun. Each judge took a bite and were completely stunned and speechless, giving it high appraisal.

"This one reminds me of that lady that make me want to love her tenderly. The mischievous dove singing like a child in the daytime. But in the evening, you show your true colors. The heartstrings pulling smile behind your mask. A young girl, alone. I really want to hold you tightly in my arms!" He cried out. Cassandra was fighting back the urge to gag.

The judges began to decide on which dish was the best. Minutes after minutes have gone by, trying to make the difficult decision then the announcer finally spoke.

"After much discussion, the winner of the curry show is...Harold West and The Funtom Company! It's a tie!" The announce shouted as he held the trophy, shocking everyone. Then the trophy was suddenly knocked out of the man's hand by a whip. A young man with short white hair, dressed completely in white uniform caught the trophy as it fell into his hand.

"Please, wait...the victor-" The man began to speak before a horse rode up, trampling over him. It was an old woman.

"Your majesty! Why have you come here?" Ciel shouted, in surprise. Everyone else was surprised and shocked to see the Queen as well. Cassandra silently watched her, surprised to see her as well, as it was the first time actually seeing her in person. Then Cassandra noticed the man who got trampled by the horse, trying to get up.

He is he even still alive? She looked at him, suspiciously. 

"I am done talking but it appears the Queen has something to say." He got up and helped her down from the horse.

"Thank you, John. The curry show was exciting. The fragrance permeating throughout the entire room reminds me of a time I had curry with Albert on White Island." She began to cry over her late husband and her bodyguard was trying to cheer up and snap her out of it.

"I received an invitation as a judge on this contest, I have one vote, don't I? I have chosen...The Funtom Company's butler, Sebastian. This is for you." She smiled and handed the trophy to Sebastian.

"W-Why!? How can a curry we made lose to a doughnut!?" West demanded and ran over. The Queen gestured to look behind him. The crowd was enjoying the curry bun that Sebastian had made but was struggling with Agni's dish.

"The Funtom Company made something that requires no utensils and can be consumed by anyone. Yes, that right, this is a method takes even children into account. Everyone is happy, the rich, the poor, the adults, the children, all are equal. This is the kind of essential for Great Britain as it heads into the new century. I highly approve the Funtom Company accounting for our future, the children. Thus, the victor is the Funtom Company!" She smiled. The crowd cheered as well as the Phantomhive servants. Soma noticed that Cassandra wasn't cheering along with them.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked her, wondering. Cassandra shook her head, snapping out of her trance.

"N-No, I'm really glad, Sebastian won!" She smiled.

"Then we must dance in celebration!" Soma quickly grabbed Cassandra's hands.

"No, wait-!" He began spinning her around. Several of the Phantomhive servants joined in as well, dancing with them.

Cassandra glanced over and looked at the Queen, again, silently.

This woman seems genuine and says endearingly, kindhearted things.

But something feels off...

There was something strange about her and this man who served her.

She couldn't place her finger on it.

The she saw West walked away muttering in disbelief and an Indian woman quickly rushed over to him. Soma stopped as soon as he saw her, his eyes widened in shock.

"Mina!?"

Mina turned when she heard Soma call out to her, shocked to see him. 

"Prince Soma?"

Soma released Cassandra and slowly began to walk over to Mina, still stunned to see her. "I finally found you! Mina!" He immediately wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly.

"I've been looking for you for a very long time! It must have been so frightening when you were kidnapped to England! I finally found you! You don't have to worry anymore! Let's us go home together!" He smiled.

"Prince-" Mina sputtered looking at him in disbelief then her expression turned as she scowled at him. 

"Are you some kind of idiot?" She spatted out, angrily. Soma's eyes widened in shock, stepping back a little.

"Who the hell do you think you are, coming this far!? Just to get in people's way? Come home with you!? Don't make me laugh! Who'd want to come home to a place like that!?"

Cassandra stared at the woman, furiously, wanting to slap her. "How dare-"

Sebastian turned to Agni who was completely still in his place.

"You...you knew about this the entire time, didn't you?" 

Soma stared at Mina, completely shattered as she continued.

"Sorry for not wanting to live my whole life bound to my social class! I even took great pains to sneak out of India!"

"Then you went with West..."

"That's right. Even a child could understand which is better, being an ordinary cook or a rich wife and I was sick of looking after such a selfish master!"

"I'm sorry." Soma said and smiled, shocking Mina. Cassandra's eyes widen a little, surprised as well. "We were close, and I didn't even understand your feelings. I'm sorry for chasing you all the way to England. And... thanks for everything up until now." He brushed past Mina, who was still stunned. 

"Up until now, I've always blamed other people. Being alone in the palace was my mother and father's fault. Mina's disappearing was West's fault. But I was wrong. Even though I was gnawing at my parent's ankles, I did nothing but complain. There's no one who'd love a brat like that. I've met people on my own who made me realize. And one of them is a dear friend of mine that I will cherish forever." He stopped and looked at Cassandra, who looked at him completely stunned by his words. 

Then Soma continued and stopped standing in front of Agni.

"You stayed by my side from the very beginning. Even when we were separated. I've given you nothing but trouble up until now. Will you stay by my side and be my Khana-sama? Agni." He smiled, looking down at Agni. Streams of tears trailed down Agni's cheeks as he cried.

"Yes."

[ordinarytalk]

So I'm just finally beginning to recover from the three day paranormal weekend event thing I helped run, and I'm just writing highlights so I can reassure myself that yes, this all actually happened:

I just barely got trained in running the historical tours in time for this event. Meaning, I spent the entire week prior cramming the history of the site with more intensity than I crammed for my college finals. The tours had to be about an hour and fifteen minutes, I would be doing them all day, and I had to be prepared for questions.

Part of my cramming involved me typing out five pages of notes outlining my planned tour path, the buildings I was stopping at, and what historical highlights I was planning to talk about at each building. Because I was teaching swimming lessons until 7 or 8pm most weeknights, I didn't have time to meet with the operations manager who was helping train me, so I just sent the document to her so she could fact-check it.

The night before the event was a ghost hunt/celebrity mixer for VIP guests. They oversold the VIP tickets so we had way way more guests than was originally planned for. The operations manager was told at the last minute that they needed seven history tours to be run simultaneously that night because the guests had been promised history tours, and the tours needed to all be done at around the same time. We had two history guides, me and another guy.

The ops manager ended up printing out my notes and handing them out to other employees and saying "just improvise, sorry, and thank you." We pulled it off flawlessly.

After the tours, I was supposed to be giving the paranormal guide staff members their breaks throughout the night. I got yanked to be a celebrity handler instead because we were short on people. I did not want to be a celebrity handler. I am very awkward around new people at the best of times, and I don't know anything about celebrities.

Celebrity and her crew turned out to be super friendly. I still felt awkward as hell, but then they started asking me about history and that unlocked my hyperfixation powers and I started getting excited and rambling cool facts about every room we walked into. Eventually I realized they were filming me. Success?

The paranormal investigations during the whole weekend were like the least successful/least active ones I have ever seen here. I think if I was dead and several hundred people were stomping all over my house and trying to talk to me, I'd shut up and go somewhere else too.

Ended 3am. Woke up 8am. Dying.

Me and the other history guide alternated giving tours all day Saturday. Apparently I did good? Some people cried and one group applauded me.

So sleep deprived I straight up passed out in the grass for ten minutes after two of my tours.

Can a person die from hydrating solely with Monster energy drinks, asking for a friend

Monster energy drinks did nothing, started laughing loudly at nothing at one point and then took another lawn nap when coworkers started looking at me

Another VIP mixer/history tour/ghost hunt that night!

The celebrity & crew from last night specifically requested me to lead them around for the ghost hunt tonight because they liked me? Success???

We were still very short on people and we really needed me to do breaks so I only was supposed to be with the celeb team for 30 minutes but it got stretched to 45 because they asked me about history again, whoops

I am still being filmed. I am still not sure what I am being filmed for. Success???????

Had to do all the breaks speedwalking, while being rained on. The last person was almost dying by the time I got to them. I almost pass out again as soon as I sit down in their chair, I've been standing almost all day aside from the lawn naps.

Destination Fear left snack and drink shrapnel everywhere at where their meet & greet table had been. Someone there really likes cheez-its.

2am bedtime. Feet are looking a little swollen and gnarly and I'm walking like a chicken on hot coals.

Sunday! Everyone on crew looks like the walking dead.

I actually had a little over an hour free before the history tours start and I was able to look at vendors! I bought a dracula pin and a movie monster crop top that doesn't fit.

More history tours. We're getting more sunshine today so I ask to borrow one of the hats from merch because I will get a migraine if direct sunlight hits the top of my head for more than two minutes.

Smaller tour groups, everyone's a little more tired.

One of the other employees tells me how she had to babysit the Destination Fear crew when they filmed here. Apparently they kept on trying to go places they weren't supposed to.

The Destination Fear meet and greet line from yesterday is still there, and it's still terrifying.

The guys from Mountain Monsters are like the best guys ever. They are never not having a good time. They're like if my Uncle Gerry and Uncle Rance decided to make a cryptid-hunting show together. At one point, during the other guide's history tour, one of 'em suddenly busted out of a nearby porta potty yelling "WHOO-EE! I tore that porta john UP!!" and everybody on the tour just lost their shit. I might need to watch their show now.

Everything shut down by 5pm, but I stayed until 7pm to help with teardown. I offered to buy the hat from merch I'd been wearing but was told I could just keep it, so I got a hat now.

If there's one thing this incredibly busy week was successful at doing, it was stopping me from thinking about my birthday, because I keep thinking about all the stuff I was supposed to have done by this age, and all the stuff I'll never get to do or have because it's too late, and crying.

My birthday literally just happened as I was typing this. Still trying not to think about it.

[smokeybrandreviews]

Guten Essen

It’s been a few weeks since Confluence of Nothingness completed and i was able to sweep the new Iron Blood ships. That sh*t taxed my pockets way more than i would have liked but, i must say, just Bismarck Zwei has been worth the effort. She has been everything Ultra Rare ship should be. In terms of raw power, Zwei is a whole ass problem. Sure, stat wise, she’s slightly above average but her skills, when executed properly, are kind of f*cking amazing. Zwei is, admittedly, no Musashi but for a UR KMS, I'm here for all of it. Regensberg is a fun ship, overall, but kind of a pain to use properly. A lot of her appeal is based on how she’s deployed but i kind of don’t care about that type of stuff. I have my Feet which i run and Regensberg is, more or less, eye candy to me. Also, but that Dark Dragon, Brilliant Beach, though! I just really love her design. Now, Otto von Alvensleben, on the other hand, is a gem. This ship is quite the powerhouse and really made the grind to max out my new boats, a total breeze. Otto eats mobs for breakfast and when you’re about that power leveling, this sh*t is a goddamn godsend. Confluence of Nothingness paid off tremendously for me in terms of raw power and i am completely satisfied with the results.

As far as the grind is concerned, i have finished maxing the levels of all of the Nothingness ships, their affection, as well as their skills, save U-556 META. Still debating whether to actually grind her out as i don’t use META ships at all but, you know, KMS main and all so we’ll see. It’s odd having completely maxed out the new boats in such a short time, took me about three days after they dropped from the Banner, one of which is topped out at 125. I’ll let you guess which one that is, or not. It’s Zwei. Of course it’s Zwei. She’s a UR Kraut. Of course i would break her limit first. The problem i have now is the fact i only have enough of those goddamn Cognitive Arrays to Limit Break one of my SR ships. I’m leaning toward Otto for the sheer versatility but i REALLY like Regensberg. I’ll get enough to break the other one during the next Seasonal Cruise but, i mean, right now? The Limit Break grind is the only thing i have left for these two so it kind of doesn’t matter either way but, like, doesn’t it? Decisions, decisions. It’ll probably be Otto but, you know, Musashi is also an option. She’s just sitting over there in my neglected Sakura dock, looking awesome and being the best UR available in the game right now, with a stockpile of Experience that will immediately blast her to level 125 the second i Break her. But that’s kind of the point. The short-lived KMS grind is complete and i have found myself at the same impasse i was at before Azur Lane dropped Confluence of Nothingness: What do i do next?

Marco Polo is basically complete, i just need to grind out that last bit of Experience. I mean, U-556 META is always an option but I'll never use her for anything, especially considering the other Super Rare KMS subs in my Fleet are, technically, better and they’re all topped out at level 125 already. I could construct another PR ship or two, kind of gave up on the other Docks because that sh*t was getting expensive and i don’t care to do it in general. I still want Kronshtadt and Shimakaze, but, like, i don’t particularly care to finish the rest of those docks. And the Ruskies are actually my second favorite Fleet in the entire game! Maybe I'll focus on the Rainbow Ships for now. Not only the Ultra Rare boats but the Decisive ones, too, because, holy sh*t, some of those Decisives are a big time. Azuma dropped way back in Series Two so i imagine a Fate Simulation may be on the way and, even without one, she’s still a problem. Her Series mate, Friedrich, got one a few months back and that sh*t has made her an absolute monster, even if she was one to begin with. I dunno, man, I'll think about it while i enjoy my buffed up Iron Blood dock for a while. So far, we KMS mains aren’t eating like last year but the dish served up this time, was absolutely decadent.

[crystalelemental]

This month has been interesting in two ways.  One is the abundance of supports, three of which all focus on the same cluster of stats to boost: Atk/Def/Crit.  The other is more interesting, though.  Three whole sync pairs use Rebuffs, a mechanic very rarely seen prior to this.  Given the introduction of so many, as well as the new Champion Stadium parameters including a condition to stop weather, terrain, and zones, I feel confident saying that Masters is attempting to establish a new Rebuff Meta.

The Zone Meta Pokemon Masters has long emphasized the need for field effects.  Not in any absolute way, in the sense that optimal play tends to include it.  The multiplicative 50% bonus to damage is significant and devastating, and the game has always, to some degree, warped around it.  In the early days, entire types were considered good or bad based on the presence of a field effect that multiplied their damage.  The old saying of "Everything is weak to SS Red" had truth to it.  Under Sun, a powerhouse like Red really did outperform the best most other types had to offer. So it made sense that, given time, they would introduce a mechanic like Zones to compensate.

And it worked!  Types began to explode in popularity with the introduction of types.  Starting with Ghost meant that Anni Lillie went from pretty sad to wildly impressive, and for a brief bit was one of the highest DPS units in the game. This hasn't lasted, as wild powercreep took over, but the impact of Zones has been significant.  Now, instead of a handful of types like Fire, Water, and Psychic dominating everything, almost every type competes (except Ice, which is cursed).

This has had a profound impact on the meta overall.  Most notably, on the shift to on-type.  In the days when I started playing, on-type was for chumps.  The solution to everything was Kantrio, and Weather Titans.  SS Red was unstoppable in his raw power, SS Leaf was stall bot supreme, and SS Blue was a defensive powerhouse that wouldn't break.  Having each of them meant having three wins under your belt, regardless of what the stage weakness is. If you had Maxie and Archie, you basically won CS.  But with Zones, now on-type seems far more common, because of how quickly you can clear.  Even in Gauntlet, it's a major source of just nuking the daylights out of a threat.  The field effect meta defined which units were worth using entirely in the early days, and developed to the point that now it is an equalizing force across types, but decisively the strongest effect available.  And that's bad for business.

The Gauntlet Meta Gauntlet, I believe, was designed to break up the use of field effects.  The Zone setters tend to be powerful tech nukes, which can handle stages independently. You don't want your best damage dealers of a type partnered with sync nukers who can handle the stage just as well.  You break those up.

This has been the interesting limitation of Zones for the last year and a half. Zone setters are considered supportive in nature, but their emphasis as tech nukers makes them much more viable alone in Gauntlet.   They support in CS, but they're the center of everything in Gauntlet.   And it makes things difficult when you have extremely potent damage dealers like Champion Hop supporting a really weak type.  Why use anyone else's sync when Hop's will do better? When the Zone setter is too strong, it's hard to justify using them to support a different favorite.  It's wasting materials.

Add to it, Gauntlets require gimmicks.  Sure, you have a good damage dealer and a field effect tech support.  Can you apply status?  No?  There goes any hope against Uxie, Cobalion, and Tornadus.  Can you debuff?  No?  There goes Latias.  For types that aren't weather, good luck against Moltres.  Depending on your tank, heavy hitters like Tapu Bulu will steamrolls you too.  There are a ton of issues that plague field effect setters in Gauntlet.  This is one of the reasons that weather setting supports were in such high demand.  They weren't about to overshadow the main damage dealer, and provided strong complementary skills that were useful to types they supported overall.  Unfortunately, we still don't have Terrain supports, but we did get a Zone support in Aura Cynthia, who is widely considered one of the most ridiculous sync pairs currently in the game.

Gauntlet did this interesting thing where it placed emphasis on role compression, pushing the field effect onto the support instead of a Tech.  And that particular development hasn't fully taken effect yet.

The 12.5k Meta The new CS parameters are a push for two things.  First, Standard Damage Reduction pushes for players to always approach things on-type.  This is meant to limit the potential of off-type clears, which had been a standard in the 7.5k meta, and continued to be defining in the 10k meta.  12.5k intends to put a stop to it, or at least slow it down.  The limited CS events all being weak to the same type is meant to capitalize on this; now you need five competent damage dealers of each type for this mode.

The other big name is "No Weather, Terrain, or Zones."  This effect is worth 150 points, and shuts off everything.  Well, on your end.  Enemies can still do it.   This doesn't prevent the use of these effects, but it does encourage using something else.  Notably, this condition is 50 more points than No Stat Debuffs. Exceptional stat debuffers like Lucian were largely underappreciated because they had to compete with field effect setters. Now, Lucian competes.  He's an extra 50 points.

But man, if it were that easy, then every Leer support in the game just steps up. We have commons doing that!  If only there were another way to push some kind of new mechanic forward...

The Rebuff Meta Rebuffs seem to be that answer.  Sure, you have debuffs, but you can save 100 points if you don't use them.  Sure, you have field effects, but you save 150 points on those.  250 points is 10% of what you need per match.  Maybe consider it.

Rebuffs are still new, and are admittedly kind of unexplored.  We only have 8 users: Halloween Allister, Gordie, SS Wally, SS Hilbert, C!Serena, SC Steven, SC Zinnia, and SC Lyra.  And for all of them, the effect is bizarrely limited.  Almost all of them involve a single application on the first successful hit, with Hilbert's even requiring a specific condition.  SC Zinnia is only once, but on use of trainer move.  The other three are applied, but capped to two MP.  Nothing in the game reaches the maximum of -3 rebuff.  Maybe for fourth anniversary, eh?

What I find fascinating about this effect is how specifically it seems built for CS. When your opponents don't change, one application is all you need. But in Gauntlet, the HP bars shift, and you lose that Rebuff.  It's also worth noting that for Uxie purposes, the rebuff counts as a status change, yet because of how it works, only the 2MP options can make this matter.  The Rebuff meta really doesn't extend beyond it's one area of use.  Which is fairly distinct.  Debuffs and field effects found great success across modes, but Rebuffs seem weirdly locked to a CS-specific benefit.

To compound the oddity, they seem to have recognized instantly that role compression matters.   The first ever Rebuff sync pair, Halloween Allister, came in with 2MP selected uses, and was a support.  This is unusual.  It usually starts as a Tech kind of skill, and many of the users are in fact Tech.  But they're aware of the value of role compression, and have done it twice...and oddly, both users are pretty lackluster.  Allister's too slow to matter much with most Ghost types, but he does combo well with fast options.  Meaning the commons specifically benefit most from him.  Lyra’s almost the inverse, being pretty bad as a fit for Ground-type, but exceptionally strong for units like Maxie and SS Giovanni who don’t really care what their support is doing, so long as it’s not Sandstorm Ingo.

I find this interesting for a few reasons.  First and foremost being, they're trying to push on-type clears, but the support rebuff users don't interact that well with their type.  Gordie rebuffs a type he barely targets.   The whole situation is just bizarre.

It's also strange because the Tech units seem complemented by absurd firepower.   Their relevance in CS is to support with the Rebuff, but their Gauntlet presence is to be the center of attention like field effects.   Which...doesn't break any particular barriers.  If anything it makes them far worse, because at least 1/5 field effect units could be useful for supporting a longer fight.  The Rebuff user doesn't help much, and can't use their nuke, without 3/5.

But I think that’s the point.

Rebuff Game Plan The truth is, as has been said by many others, that Masters has plateaued. There's only so much variety that can be introduced into the game before we start hitting some theoretical walls in what's possible.  The clearest example was the Palentine's Mallow situation, where she really is just "less successful SS Brendan."  Her kit is highly similar, but just...worse.  So what use does she have?  Especially for players who aren't interested in long streaks in Gauntlet? Which I imagine is most of them.

The truth is, I think Masters is trying to push for a new source of revenue with this.  Rebuffs are meant as an answer to the new CS meta’s parameters.  And unlike field effects, you need 3/5 for their sync nuke to matter, otherwise they’re wildly lacking in Gauntlet.  But that’s the point, isn’t it?  People could pull field effects at 1/5 and get value across every mode of play.  Rebuffs are more limited, and therefore encourage 3/5 for other avenues of use.  It’s just strange how much they seem to be holding back, given Allister and Lyra.

So the only remaining question now is, will it last?  Will this kind of approach be successful?  And my answer is a resounding no.  To put it bluntly, the pressure for these skills isn’t there.  Zone mattered tremendously, because they evened out a horrific discrepancy that existed in the game.  When you have like five types dominating the entire game, and rendering all 12 of the others irrelevant?  That’s a major problem.  The introduction of Zones had natural appeal.  Rebuffs don’t.  They aren’t an equalizing force; they’re an attempt to create a secondary avenue to higher damage, that’s just functionally worse.  Especially for the Gauntlet meta, which I realize is no longer the focus, but still needs to be considered.  Modern units typically aim to have tremendous use in both CS and Gauntlet.  While certain options lean toward one or the other, there’s often intent for both.  And Rebuffs don’t have that appeal right now.  They can with the MP, but most of them focus on immediate application.

I think there’s going to be a lot of rebuff coming out in the next few months, with likely different means of application.  I don’t know what will wind up working or sticking, but it seems to be their approach.  For my part, I don’t think they’ll be a significant draw at all.  Not with how they’re working right now.  Tech units with Rebuff are more useful for their sync than their rebuff, functionally mimicking the field effect users, while support units with rebuff don’t have good enough buffing kits to make a huge impact.  We’ll see if they can strike a nice balance.  But for now, rebuffs just feel...really boring.

[angelvyxen]

on the jayson cheating on ella topic… her last album was entirely abt him……………. i haven’t listened but apparently he’s not a saint lmfao

It took me three days but I finally listened to the album (the deluxe) Here is a summary of the songs in chronological order:

Trying; this one is about the beginning of their relationship/dealings with each other. She says prior to meeting him she had a couple flings that she was never attatched to because that’s not her, she was more focused on other things. Then she met Jayson, that changed. He told her he’d been working hard to get her attention, he made her ‘feel so soft’ & ‘threw her decisions off’. She says that she’s not a typical girl & she’s not easy to read but she can see that he’s trying. He’s making time for her, they spent some time together, then he proceeded to be all that was on her mind. He’s not her usual type, she tried to cut him off, he didn’t allow that, now he’s ‘messing up all her plans’ and she ‘was trying to fight it’. She said she made him wait and he’d never had a girl put him in his place. (2nd chorus happens) fast foward, now she’s hooked on him. ‘Truth is I’m down, you ain’t never been in love but you’re learning how. I need you now, kinda feel weird cause you’re not so comfortable sharing your feelings.’ They must have had a conversation when he explained this to her. By the end of the song he’s the only man she’s talking too, she says he has no competition.

Not another love song: She’s DEEP in love with him. She says multiple times that she feels like she’s drowning, so maybe she’s investing a lot of herself into the relationship and he’s not. She thinks she’s in love (she is) & she wants to know if he is also in love. He’s very laidback, sometimes he ignores her. He’s using sex as a pawn and I don’t think she realizes it. He be fucking her goodt, I guess he says a couple sweet nothings and she’s on her merry way & alright with the half-assedness of it all. ‘I guess it’s all in my head until you let my body know, cause everyone needs you babe, don’t want nobody but you babe, so tell me what you gon do babe?’

Didn’t say: He’s not good at expressing feelings, she takes his standoffishness at face value and decides to fall back. ‘It’s all the things that you didn’t say, that made it so clear to me’ she says ‘her views changed now and she can’t entertain’ his bs. ‘So take it, here go your nonsense, all the shit you hide ain’t no need to lie. No more weighing on your conscience. You playing clue games.’ That man was messing with other hoes behind her back. ‘Flip games on you…pulled the rug from under your feet, did you think I would my eyes closed? Who’s going to vouch for you, you and your mixed signals, you coulda kept it so simple, I woulda made you official.’ She cut him off or either started reciprocating the same energy because she realized he ain’t shit. He did a whole lotta lying. She’s also come to the realization that he was mainly with her for sex, ‘like when you go off it but you just stay for the profit, and I ain’t talking bout wallets’.

Break My Heart: All that character development from ‘Didn’t Say’ has been thrown out the fucking window. She’s once again giving into her love for him and is now willing to step into something with him KNOWING what she knows about how he his, ‘Cause if I had to choose who would break my heart, baby it’ll be you.’ She says they’re connected, he commands her, this bitch is ditzy, he got her singing love songs daily and shit. She’s facing ‘her fears’ by choosing to stick with him, says ‘she doesn’t want sleepless nights anymore’ and asks him to ‘be careful with her heart’. Bitch. 🧍🏾‍♀️ next song, she pissing me off.

Fallen Angel: Crank that previous delusion up 10,000, she has lost her GODDAMN mind. They have fully reconciled at this point and she accepts him back, ‘Even though my hearts been torn apart, I still welcome you with open arms’. She thinks that this second time around is different and that he’s changed ‘maybe this is compensation for unmet expectations. Feels too good to be true, been questioning you, but lately you make me feel at home’. Throw a brick at her head, NOW! But in the back of her mind she still has sense, she knows this man isn’t good for her, ‘but I know where you’re from… it’s a long, long, way from heaven and I know you don’t belong so let’s make the most of this’, she knows it’s still not going to work but the delusion makes her stay the second time around. It was going well, until it wasn’t, he switched up on her in her ‘darkest hour’, she said he let her down and now all she has is Ella, herself.

How: THE REDEMPTION ARC HAS ARRIVED! It starts with ‘what’s the worse that could happen, rolling with myself, I got too attached, now I’m working on my health’. She’s saying she’s facing the facts, she can’t let heartless, broken boys win (Jayson lol). She’s let him go, it’s just her, herself, and time and he’s out so she has put herself back in her heart. And then there’s the added ‘how could you switch up on me’ yadda yadda shit, but overall, she’s in her growth era.

Pieces: Throw everything I just said out of the window, she’s done got back with this man and is now actively giving excuses and I quote, ‘maybe it’s cause we’re two fools, broken by love.’ *sigh* but this time is different because they’re taking it slow, she’s not going to do too much, chase him, or let him change her. She says she’s not gonna sweat him this time, because they both know better this time. She says that they’re happy with this new arrangement, it sounds more like friends with benefits to me imo.

DFMU: I love this song, it’s been in my playlist for like a year. Literally the only song I listened to on the album. In this one she’s just asking him not to fuck up again and let her down, because she wants to be around him. She’s in love with this man, real bad. She says she knows exactly where she wants to be and that’s with him, she’s asking him to open up to her, says if he really cares for her then he’ll be there for her and she is very aware that she’s falling back in deep but she’s okay with drowning now. She’s pissing me off, but the song is good.

Hide: She’s on her soft girl shit real bad in this song. This sounds like a love song directly to Jayson. She says he gives her so many feelings, he’s one in a billion for her. He is her safe space, her place to ‘hide’. Is that healthy? Probably not.

Power of a Woman: She’s saying her pussy got power, in a pick me way. Think of like.. Beyoncé ‘Upgrade You’. She’s saying she knows her position, she says she can take care of him and she’ll show him she’s exactly what he needed.

A Mess: the beginning of her just talking, it’s sounds light hearted. All she’s saying is ‘we don’t want love if it’s toxic, mmm mmm, no ma’am’. Yet another sappy ass love song saying she can fill the space in his heart if he’ll let her. She can ease his pain if he feels the same. The whole song is this and at the same time she’s acknowledging that it’s a mess, but it’s their mess. A noteable quote ‘it’s just different, they wont understand. We can’t waste time trying to explain’. ‘Know it should be easy, but we make it hard.’ It’s a good song though, 10/10.

Feels like: ‘Can you do all the things you say you’re wanting to? Keep on talking all you want but talk is cheap. And if I’m investing my evenings on you, you better fucking please me.’ That’s the beginning line, and basically summarizes the entire song. She’s sick of empty promises, wants to be treated like a goddess and says she knows what she wants and likes, she doesn’t need her time wasted and she doesn’t need it or want it if it doesn’t match her expectations.

Leave You Alone: She’s self aware, she knows that she keeps going back and that’s her fault. She doesn’t know why she does it, but she does and she can’t get enough of him. Every time she goes back he gets her out her draws and she knows that’s bad. She hopes that it’s not just her body that he wants, but at this point it’s sounding like that’s all he wants.

Sink or Swim: The album is getting repetitive now. She’s sinking, she knows. He’s started his lying again, not answering calls, staying out late. She even admits that she goes to the lengths of calling his friends to find out where he is. She says it seems like he just loves doing her wrong, but she’s stuck on him. His ‘love’ costs too much, and she’s broken.

Fading Out: THE REDEMPTION ARC IS BACK (a little). She acknowledges that they’re not working out, he’s fading out, she’s fading out, they’re both fading out but they keep going in circles, whenever she says she’s leaving, he begs her to stay, and the next day they’re back on their BS. But she says by now they should just know they’re not working out, and she’s coming to terms with that.

2 O’clock: SHE MADE HER DECISION Y’ALL AND ITS DIVISION! THE SHIT IS DONE! She says she should’ve never let him in, because he’s flip-floppy with his love, one day he’s in love the next he’s not and she doesn’t want to deal with it anymore.

This is: This is a sample of ‘This Is For The Lover in You’ by Shalamar lmao, it’s cute. It’s another love song, and I think the redemption arc is done for once again. She says she wants to stick with this man, good and bad, thick and thin, flaws and all and if he’s ever in the wrong she’s going to let him know. At this point I don’t even know if it’s worth me being disappointed in her again. Her overall excuse is that love is unpredictable and that’s okay because this is what she wants to do for the rest of her life, and it’s worth every bit of her time. It’s ‘real love’.

Our Song: Last song on the album. She’s with him once again, they’re spinning the block for what seems the be the 3rd or 4th time. They’re leaving the broken promises at the door and trying once more to make a healthy relationship out of unhealthy habits. It’s a nice song, don’t like what it represents, but it sounds nice.

In conclusion, the album was good. They’re toxic, but if she’s happy all we can do is be happy for her.

[finnlongman]

I apologise if this was a rhetorical question, but here are a few thoughts from my perspective.

First of all, there is no such thing as universal writing advice. Not everything works for everyone, and even things that work for some authors sometimes don't necessarily work for every book. So if it absolutely doesn't work for you not to edit, that's okay.

This advice is usually aimed at a specific (and very common) type of writer: the people who have never finished anything, because every time they start making progress on a project, they go back to fix something, and then they notice another problem, and then they decide to rework the opening entirely, and three years later they've never made it past the first five chapters and they've definitely never made it to the end.

If that's you, then it might be worth trying the no-editing strategy for a bit, because you have to break out of that loop somehow. While going back and editing works for some people without getting them stuck in a perfectionist loop, for many others it's paralysing, and results in nothing ever being finished. And you do, eventually, need to finish something! After all, a book that's bad but finished is still better than a book that's perfect but only exists inside your head. Because nobody can read the book that's inside your head, and that means it's failing at being a book.

But you asked how to turn off the inner editor. Well, I wouldn't consider correcting a typo as I go to be editing, so don't feel that no editing means no backspacing. But it does mean learning to sit with the imperfect sentences and move on. It means thinking "oh, I could do that better", making a note of it, and then continuing. Sometimes it looks like "[finish scene]". Sometimes it looks like "[NOTE TO SELF: MENTION HIS FATHER EARLIER]", or "[SHOULDN'T HE BE MORE EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS?]" or "[HOLY INFODUMP BATMAN, CONSIDER SEEDING HER BACKSTORY MORE GRADUALLY NEXT TIME, YOU FOOL]".

(You don't have to insult yourself. In some cases this is counterproductive. But you're allowed to, if you want.)

Often, accepting these imperfections means not rereading what you've already written, lest the urge to fiddle get too strong. To help resist that temptation, at the end of a writing session, leave yourself a few bullet points of what you're planning to write next. That way, you can look at the last couple of sentences and pick up where you left off, without needing to go back over the whole previous scene (at which point the inner editor might get twitchy).

If the imperfect sentences are bothering you while you write, there's a nuclear option, which requires a certain degree of self-trust and patience with typos: turn your font to white for a little while, or zoom out so far that you can't read it, or otherwise prevent your ability to read what you're writing. And then write. If you can't see the sentences, you can't see if they're bad. But they exist. That's progress.

This is a temporary measure. I'm not advocating for doing this forever. Maybe you do this once. Maybe you do it for a week, or a month, or one project, or three. You do it until perfectionism stops holding you back, and then you no longer need to, and you let it go.

I took a no-editing approach for years. Now, I mix it up a bit more. I'll read through the previous day's work and fix sentences and tweak scenes, but I won't make big plot changes, and I will accept that I will never, at any point while writing a first draft, have any sense of whether the pacing is working or not. I will tend to think it's not. I will usually be slightly right, but it's never as bad as I think it is. I leave notes for myself for things to fix later, but I also fix the smaller things.

However, I'm at the point where I can stop and play around and fix the smaller things without losing my overall momentum and confidence because I have written twenty-four complete first drafts and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I can and will get to the end of them. I am no longer stuck in the perfectionist loop of non-completion, and I've learned what I can reliably fix as I go and what I should leave until later to get a better perspective on how well it is or isn't working.

Lock up your inner editor, as advice, is for the people who are struggling to get to the end of things because they're trapped by perfectionism. It may or may not be helpful in breaking out. Like all writing advice, it's a tool, not a rule -- but if you're stuck in the loop, give it a shot.

*through sweat, blood, and tears* YOU WILL NOT EDIT THE FIRST DRAFT AS YOU GO. YOU WILL NOT EDIT THE FIRST DRAFT AS YOU GO. YOU WILL NOT EDIT THE FIRST DRAFT. AS YOU GO.

YOU. WILL. NOT. EDIT. THAT. FIRST. DRAFT.

[constantly-tired-unwell]

On earth, there are seven continents, 195 countries, around 203 states, over 10,000 cities, over 15,000 towns, 38% of the population is made up of families, and there are over 8 billion people on this earth. Every second four people are born and two people die. The world turns like clock work, around the sun, being the only consistent thing that happens to every individual. We see hundreds of nameless faces, only to pass by them without a word. To every person the world revolves around them. We are the constant, the main character, the person who either has their story being written for them or the person who took the pen and started a new chapter. People have at least 27 types of emotions, over 800 ways to respond with said emotions. There are 16 different types of personalities and yet everyone still tries to fit into one. The sad thing is, to some, that one is their entire life. For their unfinished book has been locked away and replaced with a finished one. However there is no lock in the world, that with the right tools and enough time, you can't break through.

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“Rest your eyes my child, even though night is dark, the stars will light your path to the correct future.” Oliver remembers his mothers words vividly. Even though he was five at the time, he remembers every time he gazes at the night sky. However unlike the night, morning is fierce and demands his attention. A knock at his door was the final thing that officially told him it was time to get up and begin his day.

“Your majesty, may I enter your quarters?”

“Yes Vynn, you may enter.” With that Oliver’s door opened and stepped in a slim, tan man. “Also how many times must I tell you to call me Oliver?”

“153 times, including today your majesty” quipped Vynn. in return he got an un-amused look from Oliver. As Oliver starts to rise from his bed Vynn works his way around the room setting everything up that is needed to start the day. Something catches Oliver’s attention out the window.

“Vynn come here,” As Vynn approaches Oliver opens the large window and when Vynn was next to Oliver, Oliver pointed to the sky. The light had only just broken over the hills and the sun rose to light the castle grounds.

“I believe today would be the perfect day to view the new flowers that have been planted in the gardens, Your majesty.”

“Why yes, my lovely servant, i would agree with you.” Vynn’s eyes caught Olivers, and both stood appreciating the others' presents. Oliver could stare at Vynn for hours because in the current lighting, the cherry red highlights stood out against the brown, and his usually mossy green eyes turned to shining emeralds. Oliver, as always, loved how Vynn looked in the morning light, how his usual tan skin turned to a hot chocolate color with the sunrise. It always surprised Oliver how different their skin looked under the sunrise even though they share the same tones and shades. On the other side, Vynn saw how Oliver’s normally chocolate brown eyes were now light with gold flecks, and that slight height difference allowed for Olivers bleach blonde bed head to tickle Vynns forehead. Suddenly, Vynn laughed. “What?” asked Oliver, eyes crinkling as he narrowed his gaze.

“Sorry but, because of the rising sun, you could almost be mistake for a ghost”

“Well at least i would be a tall ghost, people could mistake you for a gremlin”

“I'm 5’ 9”! You only have three inches on me!” Oliver stared amused at Vynn, who was glaring right at him. Silence consumed the room until a sudden bang outside the room, followed by hurried footsteps, made both men jump. Vynn’s Gaze caught Olivers and both doubled over laughing. It took a handful of minutes before both were composed. “Come, your majesty, let's begin your day. You have a meeting with the king soon."

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“ENOUGH,” Shouted the King. “How many times must I tell you Oliver? You are a Barlowe! When you turn 18, your coronation will be a glorious moment for the whole kingdom to share.”

“I understand that father, but I do not wish to be displayed for other royals to determine if I'm husband material or not!”

“Then who shall you marry? That servant boy of yours? The kingdom would never accept such a partnership.” Oliver bowed his head. This has been an ongoing argument since he was 15. Looking around the throne room, the room that was filled with memories of his childhood, he wondered ‘Why should I lead a kingdom who doesn’t accept me?’ “Oliver, my dear boy, this world is not a kind one. I wish you could love who you want, but that is just not an option. Now go, you have your lessons today, and I have paperwork to complete.” Oliver sighed and turned to leave. He wasn’t even 5 paces out the doors until he saw his mother. His face must have shown how upset he was because without a word, he was grabbed into a tight hug.

“I take it that this talk was not in your favor?”

“When are they ever, mom?”

“Your father is just trying to keep the peace, though I do agree that maybe he should think a little before he speaks.”

“Think! All he does is think. Thinks he knows what's best, thinks he knows how to, thinks, thinks, thinks. Mother, when will I be able to think that I know best? This is my life!”

“I know darling, the world is not as dark as he believes. However, someone can only control your life for however long you let them have your strings.”

“Why must you always speak in riddles?" Oliver let out a sigh and finally fully relaxed from the tension that the meeting with his father caused. The Queen laughed at that, a quick chuckle before she placed her hand on Oliver’s shoulder.

“How’s this then, Live your life, my darling boy, for you can only live this life once.” the Queen said with a fond smile. “Now go to the courtyard for your lessons, you mustn't be late, again.”

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Much time passed, and before dinner was ready, Oliver and Vynn decided that doing some work in the garden would make a fine addition to their day

“So” Vynn turned his head to face Oliver as he spoke. “Hypothetically if you got a hat, would you stop messing with your hair?” For the past hour, instead of focusing on the paperwork Oliver was supposed to be doing, all he could focus on was Vynn messing with his hair. It had now reached his shoulders and still held on to the shag cut that Vynn had gotten some months ago.

“Honestly, maybe? It has gotten quite long and is very distracting it wont stay out of my eyes"

“Why not get it cut in the village?”

“The barber is not as good as he used to be with his hands and i would rather not lose an ear as well as my hair.” Oliver reached to brush Vynns hair back, allowing for his eyes to fully be shown.

“I could cut it for you?”

“Oh what a show that would be.” Vynn said with an amused look on his face.

“Hey! I would like to say I am very good with my hands!”

“Whatever you say, your majesty.” With that, Oliver shoved Vynn out of the sitting position he was in. While being shoved, Vynn was laughing a deep rumble, and eyes showed pure amusement. When both calm down, they admire the surrounding scenery. How the reds and blues of the flowers blend. The sweet smell of honeysuckles and the evening light highlighting the high points of both their faces. Oliver was suddenly filled with overwhelming love. Love towards the man right in front of him.

Without so much as a thought, Oliver blurted out, “Lets run away!” The words were as much of a shock to Oliver as they were to Vynn.

“Oliver what?”

“it could work, you and me no pressure of who would and wouldn’t agree.”

“We can’t, You can’t.”

“Why not! I don't need all this money or power to be happy. I especially dont need my father telling me who to and to not love Vynn.”

“You’re needed Oliver, you have a kingdom to rule and people who are depending on you. Your coronation is right around the corner. The preparation has already started to begin. You have lessons that need finishing and people to help, you have-”

“Vynn-”

“No, your majesty, you're going to meet an amazing woman i know it! She will aid you with whatever you need and be your partner in many things. You will have kids, and then you shall grow old together. During all this, the both of you will rule this wonderful kingdom. That is the correct path. I can't allow you to risk your entire future for a servant like me.”

“Vynn…no”

“This will happen! You have an amazing support system to ensure you have the best life you can have!”

“We can fight this! You and me, Vynn, that’s all I shall ever need!”

“All the fight in the world will not change that you are royalty, and I am your servant,” Vynn stood, looking deeply conflicted. After a moment, he sighed and turned to face away from Oliver. “I'm sorry, your majesty.” With that, Vynn walked away before Oliver could stand to go after him.

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“He left Mother.”

“Oliver-”

“He left, I told him and he left.”

“Darling, fear is a powerful thing. Sometimes we need a guiding hand to get us through it.”

“I was scared, always afraid i'm going to do the wrong thing. I told him though and he walked away.”

“Oliver, do you remember that night you got lost in the town. You ran away from your guard because you saw a butterfly. i was terrified, But you showed up at the entrance of the castle holding on so tight to another boy's hand, completely fine”

“Why are you telling me this mother?”

“Do you remember what you told me when I saw you?”

Oliver turns to avoid his mothers gaze before saying “‘I followed the star's mama, and they led me to him.’ That's what i said.'' When Oliver’s eyes met his mothers, their tears were collecting in his.

“Correct, you also said that he was your right future. Sometimes, though, people just need some more reassurance, so go give him that reassurance. You and him were raised very differently from each other. Your father and I tried our best to keep people away who might harm you, but that also means it was easier for harm to come to others because we were watching you. I can not tell you what people might have told him. Jealousy is powerful and can harm many, my dear. Go to him. I know he feels the same. Show him that it is ok to take this risk.”

“But father-”

“You let me deal with him, now what are you waiting for?” With that, Oliver ran past his mother and out of the gardens.

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Oliver spent over three hours running through the village. Lefts and rights, up streets and down them. Looking for one person but seeing hundreds. Listening to all the townspeople around him. At that moment, he knew that when he saw Vynn next, he was not going to let him go again. Oliver had almost run through the entire town. He ran to the last place, the docks. After all his searching there, Vynn was, with his back facing Oliver, out of breath Oliver called out.

“Vynn!”

Turning around so fast that he almost lost his balance, Vynn responded, “Oliver? What are you -"

Oliver cut Vynn off, “No matter what, you Vynn, you are my future. You are the beginning, middle, and end. Please don't leave me. I knew from the moment i saw you that i wanted you by my side, as we got older, that I wanted turned to love. I love you and forever will. Please come back. We shall be ourselves next to each other, and we will rule this kingdom, and if they truly love this kingdom like I do, then my people will not care, I promise Vynn!"

“But what if im not good enough for you, your majesty.”

“You are the stars in my night, Vynn. As long as you are you, then you will be enough!”

“Okay." Vynn gave Oliver a teary smile.

“Then let's go home, my love.” Oliver stretched out his hand, and Vynn grabbed it, and Oliver pulled him towards home.

Notes 📝

Sorry that this is so short and kinda rushed but I hope everyone who reads this will enjoy what they have read!