#i'm also attempting my first garden this summer

[raiiny-bay]

lil headshots of the boys bc i miss them

[icewindandboringhorror]

Apparently I can meet my goal of roughly 400,000 words in 6 months if I just somehow write at least 2,200 words a day ghbjh... Almost 2,500 today... huzzah...

[youreverydayfangirl]

Death By A Thousand Cuts

pairing: lando norris x fretwell! reader

summary: y/n y/ln has always been in love with lando, or in which lando brushed y/n off until its too late

warning: angsty tbh, attempted sa, roofie, swearing

a/n: i like this one tbh, also this takes places over a couple years tbh

Y/n wasn't entirely sure when it happened, whether it was love at first sight or something more gradual, all she knew was she was entirely and irrevocably in love with Lando Norris.

Y/n first met Lando when she was 10 and he was 11. To him she was his best mates little sister. He found her childish and annoying. She found him kind and attractive, although she barely saw him because he was always off karting.

The moment that solidified her crush on the boy was when their families went on their first family vacation together. They had booked a holiday house at the beach for a week during summer. Both families had made there way done the beach.

Max and Lando were playing catch on the beach, chatting about random things, there parents were busy gossiping and sunbaking and Flo and Y/n were swimming in the ocean.

"Y/n sweetie, don't swim out too far please." Her mother called out to her and she nodded back.

"I'm gonna give this to my mom so I don't lose it." Flo said, gesturing to the bracelet her grandmother had given her for her birthday. Y/n nodded in response and watched as Flo ran back ashore, heading over to her mom.

Y/n watched everyone, feeling peaceful. Lando was currently watching Max strike out with a girl who was definitely to old for him and Flo was talking to their parents.

Suddenly she was dragged underwater, getting completely disoriented. Her lungs screamed for air, a burning sensation spreading through her chest. She tried to swim to the top, splashing above the water for a split second before being pulled back down.

Her legs were powerless no matter how hard she tried to kick. Her vision was spotty, she struggled to fight off the black spots dancing in her vision when she felt herself being pulled up above the water and dragged onto the beach.

She fell to her hands and knees and began coughing up salt water, someone holding her hair behind her head. She looked up to see Lando looking down at her worried and annoyed.

"Are you crazy? He asked the girl. Before she could answer her parents came over to her wrapping her around in a towel and fussing over her. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks at how she had embarrassed herself but also at the fact that Lando had come to save her.

Y/n looked at the diy grave she had made. Her pet hamster had died and she was holding a full funeral. The Norris' had come aswell, paying there respects.

"I'm sorry about fluffy Y/n." Lando said, moving to stand next to her. She looked up sending him a small, sad smile and he held out a bouquet of flowers for her. They were scrappy, definitely picked from his moms garden which he would get in trouble for later but the thought counted. She gave him large smile and took them from him before wrapping her arms around him.

"Thanks Lan." She said.

"Its alright to cry you know, you don't have to be strong." He said, whispering into the top of her head before planting a kiss on it.

She began crying into the boys chest and he let her until she felt better.

By the time she was 14 Y/n felt so out of place in their little group. Flo, Max and Lando had all become quite close due to their closeness in age and interests. She didn't feel out of place in the social sense, it was more out of place in life. The boys had karting, Flo had riding but what exactly did Y/n have. She had no clue what she wanted to be, a doctor? A journalist? Something in fashion? She just had no clue.

She felt a nudge in her side and turned to look at Lando whos eyes were trained to the TV. He looked at her, "Are you okay?" He whispered to her. She nodded. "Y/n, tell me the truth." She sighed, Lando could always see straight through her.

"No. Yes. I don't know. Its just, I feel so out of place, all of you guys know what you wanna do and I - I just don't know." Lando snorted and Y/ns eyes shot to him.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked, suddenly feeling very self conscious. Lando felt bad seeing the panicked look on her face.

"Sorry, Its just you shouldn't be worried over something like that. Whatever you end up doing is going to be amazing just like you, don't stress Y/n." He said, sincerity in his tone.

She smiled, thankful that he couldn't see how red her face had gotten and turned to face the tv.

Once she had turned 15 two things were pretty obvious. Y/n was head over heels in love with Lando Norris and Lando wasn't interested, shutting her affections down a million times with the excuse of her being Max's little sister.

---------------------------

2015

yourusername has posted

liked by yourbsfusername, maxfretwell and 234 others

yourusername summer 2015 so far

tagged: yourbsfusername, maxfretwell, landonorris, flonorris

maxfretwelll get off instagram your a baby

yourbsfusername LITERALLY SO FUN

→ yourusername I KNOWWWWW

-------------------------------

Y/n found herself drunkenly dancing with Y/bsf, the girls opting to go to a party instead of staying in. She started dancing with the random guy when she felt herself get pulled away. "Hey." She stuttered out, not coping well with how much she had already had to drink.

"What the fuck are you doing here Y/n."

Lando.

Still, she defiantly crossed her arms, glaring at him. "I'm having fun, what are you the fun police."

Lando faltered at the attitude he got, before glaring at her. "Your too young to be drinking, and your definitely too young to be at Thomas Bakers party." She just rolled her eyes, "I'm sixteen, not a baby anymore."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not." She said again.

"You sure are acting like one right now, now come on." He said grabbing at her wrist but she refused to move. "Where are we going." She asked him, not wanting to move.

"Home, Max is literally going to kill me." Lando responded, trying to grab at the girl but she refused to budge.

"Y/n."

"Lando." She said back to him, "You know I'm not going to move." She stated, Lando raising his eyebrows at this, as if it were a challenge.

"Really?" Lando asked, challenging her right back, she faltered for a second before nodding firmly. He smirked a little, before grabbing at her waist and tossing her over his shoulder.

"Lando? What the fuck! Put me down." She said, people at the party watching but being to drunk to properly care.

"Nope, your going home Y/n." The girl sighed defeatedly, letting it happen. Lando walked over to his car, putting the girl down and helping her into his front seat.

He hopped in and began to drive back to her house. Y/n looked at the window, resting her head against the glass. Once they got home, Y/n saw a familiar figure standing on the front porch. "Really? You had to call Max?"

"Goodnight Y/n." He said, she rolled her eyes, about to exit the car before she decided to plant a cheeky kiss on his cheek before hopping out of the car.

"Y/n get inside now." Max said sternly.

"But I-"

"Inside." He raised his voice, not shouting but Y/n could tell he was mad. She went inside and watched from her bedroom window as Max and Lando talked about something before Lando drove off. She sighed and fell back on her bed, just wanting the day to be over.

--------------------------

2016

yourusername has posted

liked by yourbsfusername, maxfretwell and 321 others

tagged: yourbsfusername, maxfretwell, landonorris, flonorris

yourbsfusername oh heyyyy

→ yourusername heyyy

flonorris I LOVE YOU AND I MISS YOUUU

→ yourusername I MISS YOUUU

maxfretwell cringe tbh

→ yourusername loser tbh

----------------------------

"Maxiieee." Y/n stumbled out of the kitchen onto the back porch looking around for her older brother. They host was a mutual friend of theirs which is why they had both been invited. The girl was about the fall down the porch steps when an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back firmly onto the porch.

"Woah, be careful there little Max." She heard that familiar voice say. She turned around to face him still slightly dazed and confused, a pout on her lips when his words registered in her head. "Landoo." She drunkenly whined, "I told you to stop calling me that, 'm no little. "

The boy laughed, smiling down at her "Yes you are little max," he teased, smiling before noticing the faint tear tracks on her face. Landos body language changed, worry seeping into his gaze. "Y/n whats wrong?" He asked, brushing her hair out of her face so he could see her more clearly.

"Tom." She said shakily, ready to burst into tears. Lando tensed at the mention of the girls boyfriend , a million different things running through his mind, if she was hurt, if he had hurt her. Lando began checking her up and down, making sure she wasn't injured, once he was certain that she was alright he looked back at her.

"What did he do love?" The nickname slipped out, Lando hadn't meant to say it, it just felt so natural. Luckily for him, she didn't catch onto what he said, her brain to scattered to pick up on it.

"He cheated on me. I walked in on him and some chick." She wailed out, throwing herself into Landos arms, a gesture that Lando was not against. Lando wrapped his arms around her waist, rubbing small circles on her back.

"Oh dove, its gonna be okay." Lando rested his head on her hers, squeezing her tightly before pulling away. "I'm gonna take you to the car, can you wait there for me and Max to come out." He spoke softly, waiting for a nod before heading towards the car. Once he walked her to the car he instructed her to wait there while he went back inside to look for Max.

Max came out of the party, far less drunk than the other two and immediately went to his sister, forcing her to look up at him. "Are you okay." He asked her, Y/n just nodded and quietly mumbled something about wanting to go home.

On the car ride back, with Max driving, Lando opted to sit in the back seat next to Y/n who nearly fell asleep on his shoulder. The drive back was silent, no one feeling up to making conversation. When the car stopped Lando looked down at the girl sleeping on his shoulder, "Feeling better?" He croaked out, Y/n turned to look up at him. She paused for a second, absorbing the moment when she felt bile rise up her throat. She paused, trying to undo her seatbelt, before opening the doer landing on the grass, puking. "Ah shit moms gonna kill me." Max groaned while a pair of hands grabbed her hair in a makeshift pony tail, rubbing her back. "Lets get you inside." Lando said, helping the girl up.

When they got to her room, Lando grabbed her a change of clothes passing them to her. "Put these on, I'll be right back."

Lando came back up the stairs, opening the door to Y/ns room. "Look I need you to - oh shit." Lando said, closing his eyes tightly. The drunk girl turned around to look at him, clad in her bra and underwear. "Landoo, can you please help mee get these offf." She said, still clearly drunk. Lando swallowed hard, cursing whatever God was out there. "You can't get it off yourself." The girl shook her head.

He swallowed, putting the things in his hands down before moving the girl towards him. He ran his fingers up her back, definitely slower than he should have, goosebumps forming on her back at the touch. He reached her bra and unbuttoned it slowly, eyes looking at all of her bare skin. He shook his head spinning around. "Now put you shirt on." She did without a fuss.

He then took her to the bathroom, stating that she would regret not taking it off in the morning and while that was true, he really just wanted more time to hang around the girl.

He grabbed a cotton pad and makeup cleaner, instructing her to sit on the bench as he walked between her legs. He gently wiped her makeup off, Y/n looking up at him, admiring his features. "Your pretty you know that." She mumbled, not entirely meaning to say it out loud.

"Oh am I." Lando said teasingly, a grin making its way across his face. "Mhm." She nodded, Lando wiped the last bit of mascara off before looking down into her eyes. The pair stayed their, Y/n could have sworn he leaned in slightly but the jingle of the front door was heard, Max having returned from dropping his girlfriend off. Lando pulled away quickly, throwing the cotton pad in the bin. "Done." He mumbled, ready to walk out the room and never return.

Y/n followed him out of her conjoining bathroom into her room. "Goodnight Y/n." He said, making his way to her bedroom door as she climbed into bed. "Goodnight Lan." She said, the duvet pulled up to her chin at this point. Lando paused at the door to looked at her, "And Y/n?" She hummed in response, "Next time pick someone who isn't a complete dick okay." He continued before closing his door gently.

Y/n felt her hear shatter all over again, it was just a reminder that no matter how much she wanted to, Y/n and Lando were never going to be together.

The next day when Y/n went to pick up her stuff from Toms she noticed a huge black eye but Tom refused to tell her how it got there.

----------------------------

2017

yourusername has posted

liked by yourbsfusername, maxfretwell and 678 others

yourusername officially the big 17

tagged: landonorris, yourbsfusername, maxfretwell, flo_norris_showjumping

landonorris happy birthday little max

→ yourusername your the worst

yourbsfusername besties legal nowww

→ yourusername yayayaya

→ maxfretwell nononono

maxfretwell happy birthday little sis

→ yourusername thanks loser

flo_norris_showjumping YAYYY

→ yourusername YAYAYYAYAYAY

friend1 happy birthday

→ yourusername thank you

friend2 hope you had a fun birthday

→ yourusername i did thanks

--------------------------

Y/n sat watching the fire. Her family and Landos were having a bonfire and celebrating Y/ns seventeenth and Lando who was doing really well in his Formula 3 season.

She felt the bench she was sitting on dip and looked to see Lando sitting next to her. "So the big seventeen huh?"

Y/n sent him a warm smile, "Yeah actually, its funny though cause I don't feel older even though I am." She said.

"That's what happens, any big plans for the future." He asked her, staring at the fire. Y/n glanced at him confused for a bit, Lando never really was willing to have proper conversations with her if he could escape it.

"Um yeah actually. I signed a campaign with Louis Vuitton so next month I'm flying out to Paris." She said excitedly, a fond smile crossed Landos face.

"Thats great Y/n, I'm really happy for you." He said, giving her a small nudge which she giggled at.

"How are you holding up Lan." He rolled his eyes slightly at the nickname, it had been something that she had never stopped calling him, despite his protests against him.

"Um alright, everything is going so well at the moment, but I'm kinda scared I guess, like I'm worried its all gonna go wrong and I'm gonna fuck everything up." He said, slightly shaky, Y/n turned to look at him and that was the first time she truly saw him, she could see how broken and scared he was. She smiled.

"The last thing your gonna do is fuck this up Lando, this is your dream, this is what your good at. I know you well enough to know that your not gonna fuck it up." She said, seriously and wholeheartedly which mad Lando believe her.

It was silent for a moment and then Lando spoke up, "Thank you."

"Always Lan."

-----------------------

2018

yourusername has posted

liked by landonorris, yourbsfusername and 25, 678 others

yourusername sometimes you need a little break

tagged: landonorris, maxfretwell, flo_norris_showjumping

landonorris no pic creds????

→ yourusername SORRY guys ill just repost this because lando needs creds

→ user1 HELP SHES SO FUNNY

yourbsfusername miss you so much

→ yourusername I MISS YOU MOREE

flo_norris_showjumping y/ns everything and landos just there

→ yourusername don't speak to loudly hell hear you

→ landonorris HEY rude much

user2 whos the man

→ user3 Lando hes y/ns brothers best

----------------

It had been nearly a year since Y/n had last seen Lando, things had gotten busy with her modeling. The families had decided to go on a beach vacation together, forcing Y/n and Lando to spend the next two weeks together.

Flo had decided that the four of them should go clubbing together, a group catch up or something like that. After not seeing her brother and one of her best friends for so long it was necessary.

"Drink up Y/n." Flo said, passing a shot to her. Y/n downed the shot quickly scrunching her nose slightly.

"Slow down there sis." Max said whilst Lando bit back a grin, snorting slightly.

A while later Max had left the booth to go dance with his girlfriend whilst Flo had wondered off to get more shots. "Hey Lan." Y/n said giggling drunkly, Lando smiled back at her.

"You might wanna slow down on the drinks there Little max." Lando said, acting nonchalant but eyeing the drink in her hand.

"Oh come off it Lan, were here to have fun." She said raising her eyebrows slightly before downing the whole drink in front of him, acting as if it were a competition.

His face changed, into awe and an expression that she couldn't quite place. She smiled slightly before getting more serious, "Lan I-"

"Oh my god Lando?" They both turned to face the girl standing on the outside of the booth, Lando scooting away from her as if he had been burned.

"Alyssa what are you doing here?" Lando asked, shock taking over his face. Alyssa. Y/n felt the bile come up her throat, the burning hot jealousy. The pair started talking but she tuned out what they were saying until Lando turned to face her. She quickly fixed her expression into a smile when he faced her.

"Do you mind if I?" He paused, she shook her head. "No go ahead." She said, moving to leave the booth.

"Y/n you don't have to leave." She smiled, falsely and it was something Lando saw right through.

"Its fine really I just need to go to the toilet." She said, moving to leave again.

"Y/n, wait what were you going to ask me?" He asked her, she smiled at him, heart fluttering at the fact he was paying attention.

"Oh um- just if you wanted another drink." She said, lying through her teeth.

"I'm alright thanks." He said before turning to face Alyssa. Y/n headed straight to the bar, her plan to go to the toilets long forgotten.

"Two shots please." She asked, leaning against the bar.

"Rough night?" Y/n turned to look at a man standing next to her, he wasn't ugly in any sense, but definitely wasn't her type, he wasn't Lando.

She just smiled, muttering something under her breathe before turning back to the counter praying for the bar tender to hurry up.

"What's your name gorgeous." The guy asked, stepping closer, obviously not being very happy with the way he was being ignored. Before she could answer the bar tender came back and she quickly downed the two shots.

"Can I buy you a drink?" The guy asked, clearly annoyed at this point from the lack of response. She turned to him, about to tell him to fuck off when her eyes locked on something, Lando and the blonde. He was smiling at her, looking at her in a way Y/n could only dream of being looked at. She turned back around to face the man, unaware of the eyes that had clocked her and the guy. "Sure." She said with a forced smile and a shaky voice.

Once she had gotten a drink from the bar tender she moved with the guy onto the dance floor. As she danced Y/n noticed a pair of eyes staring daggers at the guy behind him, Lando. She decided to test the waters a little, grinding up against him. Her eyes clocked the way Landos grip tightened around his glass, knuckles going white. She smiled a little and drank the last of her drink. As she took a sip she noticed that she had begun to feel hazy, out of place.

She pulled away from the guy, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom." She slurred out, shaking the black spots from her vision.

She stumbled into the corridor when she felt someone's hand grab her and pin her against the wall. "What are you doing? Stop." She got out, trying to fight the urge to slip unconscious.

"Don't act like you didn't want it slut. The way you were acting, Grinding against me." Her wrapped his hand around her throat and placed sloppy, drunken kissed down it.

"Stop get off me." She said, to weak to push him off. He didn't.

She kept muttering at him to get off when someone ripped him off of her. She sunk to the floor, trying to pick up on her surrounds.

"Lando get off him you've already done enough damage." She heard someone say. Lando. Her eyes locked in on the head of curly brunette hair, punching the guy over and over again, rage present on his face.

"Lando." She called out to him, he stopped instantly throwing the guy down. Two hands came to cup her cheeks. "Y/n hey. Can you hear me." He asked her softly to which she nodded.

"Were going home alright, woah hey stake awake for me love." He said, grabbing onto her as she fought off the spots.

"Your okay." He muttered, more to reassure himself than her.

"Flo hey." Lando said, grabbing onto his sister who was dancing. The girl spun around, face dropping at the barely conscious girl Lando was gripping onto like a lifeline. "I need you to find Max now okay? I'm bringing her to the car."

She nodded and walked off, "I'm just gonna have one word with the bar tender okay? Then we can go home."

He walked over to the bar, "Hey were you the prick who served her." Lando asked one of the bar tenders who spun around to face her.

"I uh-"

"I suggest you keep a better eye out, my girlfriend got drugged because of you." Lando spat out, anger filling him. The bar tender nodded shakily, unsure of what else to do. Lando exchange a couple more heated words before heading over to the car.

His phone rung in his back pocket. "Hey Flo whats up?"

"I can't find Max, do you just wanna take Y/n back to the hotel and we can uber back." Flo said, worried for her friend.

"Okay sure." Lando said before chucking the phone in the back seat. Once he was sure that Y/n had gotten in the car safely he started driving back to the Hotel and Y/n blacked out.

"Y/n" Lando asked softly. "Y/n." He called out more loudly this time, no response. Shit, he muttered to himself, changing the route he was headed.

After sending a quick text to Flo, he sped up taking her to the hospital. When he carried her to the hospital a nurse immediately came over. "My girlfriend was drugged." Was all he could seem to say.

Y/n woke up to a beeping sound, the light was very bright when she opened her eyes. The nurse turned around to look at the girl, "Oh great your up, your boyfriend was very worried about you."

Y/n furrowed her eyebrows in confusion now picking up on the sleeping boy beside her. Once she had finished talking with the nurse she turned to look at the boy beside her.

"Lando." She said nudging him with no response. "Lan." She called out more and the boy shot up awake confused, he quickly got out of his daze when he saw the girl who was staring back at him.

"Y/n." He said, standing up and cupping her face. He stayed there for a moment, but then realised what was happening, where he was and stepped back awkwardly.

"Where's Flo and Max?" Y/n asked, trying to break the awkward tension.

"Oh, um back at the hotel, they needed to sober up and everything." Lando said.

"Oh right. And you stayed because?"

"I wanted to." He said quickly, much to his embarrassment.

"Right." She said, nodding slowly, causing a flush to run through his body.

"How are you?" He asked, clearing his throat, worry taking over his face.

"I'm fine." She said, brushing him off.

"Do you want to-"

"No Lando I'm fine." She said more sternly, causing an awkward tension to rise up in the room. After a moment she spoke up again, wanting to keep a lighthearted conversation with him since they barely talked.

"So girlfriend hey?"

"Fuck off."

----------------------------------

2019

yourusername has posted

liked by landonorris, yourbsfusername and 283, 686 others

yourusername couldn't be prouder of you landonorris i knew you could do it ✨🧡

tagged: landonorris

landonorris 🧡🧡

→ yourusername GO LANDO

→ user1 HELP shes too cute

maxfretwell Lando gets posted 3 times and i don't get 1 measly slide

→ yourusername sucks to suck

→ landonorris im juts better🤷

yourbsfusername GO ORANGE

→ yourusername actually its papaya

→ yourusername better fruit anyways

mclaren our fav papaya girl

→ yourusername my favourite papaya team

user2 EVERYONE SHUT UP!!! new y/lando lore just dropped

→ user3 no frfr they have to be a couple now just look at them

--------------------------

Y/n could hear the click of cameras following her as she headed towards the Mclaren garage. She had come to the Bahrain Grand Prix after missing Landos first due to scheduling conflicts.

"Y/n, its good to see you here." She heard a voice say and turned around to see her brother.

"Maxie." She screamed excitedly, jumping to wrap her arms around him, making him stumble back slightly.

"Easy there, how are you dove?" He asked his sister, pulling back to take her in.

"Pretty good, just exhausted." She said, rotating herself so could lean back against him and watch the track.

"Does Lando know your here?" He asked his sister, noting the familiar hue that still spread across her cheeks at the mention of the boy.

"No, I thought I'd surprise him." She responded, taking in the surroundings. Everything was so much bigger, a vast contrast to what she was used to watching Lando race at. She smiled slightly thinking about how far he had come.

"Hes gonna be really happy to see you, I'm really happy too see you." Y/n smiled up at her brother before looking at her watch.

"I'm gonna go surprise him now before things get to hectic." She said, patting her brothers arm before the siblings split off.

Y/ns eyes went everywhere, taking in her surroundings as she walked into the McLaren garage, eyes finding Lando instantly who was staring at something on his phone. She walked over to him, covering his eyes as she reached him.

"Guess who?" She whispered in the boys ear and he spun around immediately to face her.

"Y/n." He said excitedly, a huge smile spreading across his face as he took her in. Once he felt like he had fully looked over at her to make sure she was really there he pulled her into a tight huge. "What are you doing here?"

"Mf, thought I'd surprise you," She said her voice muffled in his chest, "I'm sorry I missed your first race."

Lando shook his head, "I don't care, as long as your hear now." He said, placing a small kiss on her head.

"Let the girl breathe Lando." Y/n heard someone with a thick accent say and the pair both turned to face Lando teammate, Carlos Sainz. "Carlos, pleasure to meet you." He said, sticking out his hand.

"Y/n." She said, shaking his hand, Landos arm draped protectively around her shoulders. A flicker of recognition crossed Carlos' face.

"Ah, So your the famous Y/n I've hear so much about."

"That would be me, all good things I hope." She said smiling.

"I don't think he could ever say bad things." Carlos said, giving Lando a pointed look. A confused look crossed her face for a second before she went back to smiling.

As she went to say something else someone called the two boys over. Carlos left but Lando lingered for a bit, "Stay here, please, I want to know you'll be here when I finish." He asked her, nearly begging.

"Of course." She said softly, up at him. A smile took over Landos face as he looked at her, quickly placing a kiss on his cheek and a quick goodbye as he was called for the fourteenth time.

"Y/n right?" She spun around to see a pretty girl looking at her, missing the way Carlos nudged Lando before whispering something to him.

"Yeah I am." The girl said blushing.

"I'm Isa, Carlos' girlfriend. Come sit, we can watch the race together."

The two girls sat together, watching the race and chatting although Y/n spent half the time forcing down her nerves. She watched in anticipation as the race came to a close, celebrating when Lando got sixth, his first points in Formula 1.

After everything came to a close, Lando came over to Y/n, wrapping her in a tight hug. She hugged him back tightly, disregarding how sweaty the boy was.

"I'm so so proud of you Lan, you did such a good job today." She said beaming from ear to ear, pulling back to look at him.

"Nothing without my good luck charm here." He said, making a rosy blush make its way across his cheeks.

--------------------------------

2020

yourusername has posted

liked by maxfretwell, yourbsfusername and 967, 394 others

yourusername conragulations lando 🎉

tagged: landonorris, lilymhe

lilymhe i MISSED you so much

→ yourusername stop i wanna see you again alreadyyyy

yourbsfusername GORGEOUS GIRL OML

→ yourusername STOP I LOVE YOU

maxfretwell missed you by one weeked

→ yourusername I'll BE HOME SOOON TRUST

user1 no lando interaction

user2 something feels off about this one tbh

user3 this seems so forced

user4 SHES LEGIT HIS GOODLUCK CHARM

----------------------------------------

Y/n and Lily walked towards the bar when she felt an arm wrap around her wrist, pulling her to the.

"What the - Carlos?" She asked, confusion and shock present on her face. "What are you doing."

"Your over Lando aren't you?" Carlos asked her making the girl stop and stutter.

"I- How did you- why?" The girl started and stopped, not sure what to say.

"Come with me, we should go find Isa or-" Carlos said, pulling her away from Lily.

"Carlos what's going on." She asked confused, turning around to look back at the Lily, and thats when she saw them.

A gorgeous brunette had her arm wrapped around Landos. She was slim, tall and had a gorgeous smile and made Y/n want to hide in a corner and cry. Its not like Y/n was jealous, she knew she was gorgeous, she was a model after all but this girl ha d something Y/n didn't, Lando. And he seemed infatuated with her.

Lando couldn't take his eyes off her, he was beaming. Y/n watched as the girl grabbed onto his arm, playfully swatting at his chest. Y/n felt like she had been stabbed over and over and Lando was just watching as she slowly bled out. "Oh."

"I'm so sorry, I knew he was talking to someone but I never thought it was serious enough for him to bring her to a race." Carlos said, pity laced in his voice. Y/n shook it off. "No, its fine, I'm fine. I guess I just didn't really think." She said.

She turned around and headed off in a random direction, Lily following behind her. It was at that moment Lando looked up, eyes finding the head of hair that was making its way further and further away and Carlos looking at him disappointedly before shaking his head and following after the two girls.

Lily was rubbing a comforting hand on her back when Carlos caught up with them. "Y/n." He said softly before engulfing her in a hug. She finally broke down, all those years of built up hurt and frustration caused by Lando was all let out.

"I just don't understand why he can't love me, whats wrong with me?" She sobbed, Carlos hugged her tighter.

"Nothing is wrong with you, Nothing Y/n. He's the one with the problem." Lily said so her. Carlos knew that when he had the chance he was going to rip into Lando.

"Why can't I just be happy?"

It had made one thing crystal clear, something that Lando had seemed to be repeating to her for years, he didn't want her. It was time to move on.

Landos first podium felt bittersweet, she gave him a small half hearted hug, but it had become obvious that it was over. This was the last moment for a long while that Y/n knew she would share with Lando, she needed space.

On her way out she accidently walked into to something, someone.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry."

"No its completely my fault, I should have been paying more attention." Someone said to her. She looked up to see a rather attractive man. She recognised him from around the track but they had never spoken before. "I'll buy you a new coffee." He said again.

"You don't have to but if your offering a doughnut with that I might just have to accept." She said to him.

"Of course, wouldn't want you to miss out on a free doughnut now would I." He said, matching her tone.

She smiled up at him, "Y/n Y/ln by the way." She said, sticking out her hand to him.

"I know - I mean nice to meet you, George Russell." The boy stuttered out, blushing slightly.

--------------------------------

2021

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yourusername nothing like monaco grand prix guys. so excited to be here and enjoy with those closest to me. ✨

tagged: maxfretwell, yourbsfusername, lilymhe, carlossainz55

maxfretwell always fun with my sister around

→ yourusername RARE!!!! max showing love to his sister

yourbsfusername BESTEST TIME WITH YOU

→ yourusername I KNOWW IT HAD LEGIT BEEN AGES

lilymhe STOP I MISSED YOU

→ yourusername agghffghhgfhfg

carlossainz55 my number 1 supporter

→ yourusername ferrari is legit my bae so...

mclaren 😢😢

→ yourusername IM SORRY

scuderiaferrari our favourite

→ mclaren back off she was ours first

user1 doesn't feel right without lando

user2 wheres lando

user3 i miss lando tbh

→ user4 so does everyone else in the comments tbh

user5 lando camping out in the likes frfr

user6 y/n here means a lando podium

→ user7 no cause shes his good luck charm fr

------------------------------------

It was the first time Y/n had been to a Grand Prix since Austrias Grand Prix the year before. Monaco was a big deal in the Formula 1 world and she knew it, the glamour, the elegance, it was one of her favourite races for a reason.

The day also marked the first race that she would go to since she started dating George. The pair had decided to keep their relationship lowkey and away from the public eye until they figured out how they wanted to function as a couple.

After meeting at the Austrian Grand Prix, Y/n and George had become good friends. Y/n trying to give herself sometime before jumping straight into a relationship. George was patient, he knew that there was history between Lando and Y/n but didn't push it. He took her out on picnic dates, would make dinner for her and was overall a loving a respectful boyfriend, never pushing her boundaries, he had been the perfect candidate for Y/n to move on.

The pair had gone long distance for a while because of busy schedules, but Y/n had made an effort to come to the first Grand Prix back.

Y/n had organised to meet at the Paddock Club with Lily and begun to make her way over when she bumped into someone.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry." She said, bending down to pick her stuff up. The person helped her and she felt a spark touching his hand as they both went to pick something up. "Lando." She said in recognition.

The boy tilted his head as he looked at the girl, "Y/n? What are you doing here?" He asked confusion laced in his tone. It didn't make sense, Max wasn't there and she only ever went if Max went.

"I came here to watch the race." She said curtly, shooting a small smile, the tone in her voice sounding as though she was saying 'duh.' She began to walk away from him. Lando chased after her confused, grabbing at her arm to make her stop walking and face him.

"Yeah but like why, you never come if Max isn't, you don't like being in the garage alone." She rolled her eyes. Lando felt his heart clench in his chest, why was she acting like this.

"Have you stopped to think maybe I won't be alone, maybe I'm not here for you Lando." She said and Lando felt as if Y/n had personally stabbed him herself. He had never experienced this side before.

Y/n forced herself to look at his face, trying to distract herself from how hot he looked, and how hurt he looked. Lando opened his mouth to say something but a voice called over from the side.

"Y/n." They both turned to see George. He came over and planted a kiss on her cheek, wrapping an arm around her wait. Lando tensed up immediately. "Hey baby." She said, leaning into him slightly, although she felt very tense.

"Lando." George said, nodding towards the man. Lando ignored him, eyes focused on the arm wrapped around her waist, heart hammering in his chest and blood pumping in his ears. When he noticed the look that Y/n had given him he responded to George, venom laced in his tone. George didn't notice but he did sense the awkward tension.

"So you guys are-"

"Dating, its pretty new though." Y/n cut him off, wrapping her hand around Georges which was sitting on her waist. "We very happy."

Lando could pick up on her tone, one telling him to leave them alone. He excused himself, coming up with some bullshit reason to get away. Once he had gotten far enough away Lando turned to watch Y/n and George, she hugged him tightly and placed a kiss to his cheek before walking off.

Lando felt sick. That should be him. He hated George. He hated himself. He didn't understand why he was feeling like this, maybe he always had. He just knew if he cared for Y/n the way he claimed, his heart wouldn't be hurting so much to see her and George together.

Carlos watched the whole interaction painfully. Lando had been in love with her for a while now and Carlos knew it, but Lando had never admitted it. From day one Lando talked about Y/n. How she was caring, kind, one of Landos best friend. He liked her in a platonic way he argued, he just admired how she would always stop to pat random pets, would bring him food after each race, could tell when he was upset. He even admired the way she would bite off the heads of gummy snakes so they wouldn't feel the pain. After Lando had spotted her at the last grand prix he broke it off with his girlfriend. He had argued that it had nothing to do with her he just didn't feel the same way about his girlfriend anymore.

Lando should be relieved that Y/n had moved on, its what he wanted for years. So why did he feel so uneasy about the whole situation?

-----------------------------

2022

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yourusername brazil with my fav

tagged: georgerussell

georgerussell 💙

→ yourusername IM SO PROUD OF YOU

yourbsfusername your so sexy ml

→ yourusername I LOVE YOUUUU

francisca.cgomes my fav

→ yourusername STOP ILY SO MUCH

lilymhe CUTIE

→ yourusername YOUR A CUTIE

mercedesamgf1 OUR FAV

→ yourusername stopppppp

user1 missing the y/lando content so much

→ user2 grow up shes moved on

user3 idk something just feels wrong

user4 anyone find it so interesting that the two races Y/n came to was Landos only podium and a dnf

→ user5 NO FRFR SHE AFFECTS HOW HE DRIVES I STG

---------------------

Y/n wasn't a hundred percent sure how she had ended up there. It was Christmas time and she had brought George home with her. Her family and Landos were doing there annual Christmas celebration and somehow Lando and George both had to be there.

Lando was unable to keep his eyes off of her the whole night, it was getting creepy and he knew it. Max had also noticed Landos borderline creepy staring. Lando had been rotating between pouting like a toddler and not subtle staring through the whole night and Max was sick of it.

"Come grab a beer with me." Max said standing up off the couch.

"What-" Lando started but Max forcibly grabbed him up, pulling him into the kitchen.

"You need to stop Lando, I'm sick of it. You either like my sister or you don't. She's happy and I don't want you ruining it." Max said in a threatening tone.

"What are you - How?" Lando stuttered.

"Its obvious." Max sighed, "Just answer me this and I'll be on your side."

"What is it?"

"Do you love her?" Before Lando could answer Max's question the girl in question walked in. Lando felt his heart jump, she looked gorgeous as ever.

"Interrupting boy time?" She asked teasingly, moving past them to pour herself a champagne.

"No, just grabbing a beer." Max said uncomfortably.

She nodded, "I see how it is." She said, heading back into the living room.

Lando turned back to face Max once she left, not giving Max a chance to speak before speaking up, "I'm so in love with her it hurts me. I need her more than the air I breathe, I need her more than the moon needs the sun. She's everything."

Max nodded, engulfing Lando in a tight hug, the boy bursting into tears. He wasn't a hundred percent sure why, but he was.

Y/n was frozen in her place in the door frame, there it was, the words she wanted to hear her whole life. It wasn't fucking fair. She left with George pretty soon after, making some excuse about not feeling well when really she couldn't be in the same vicinity as Lando.

She was done, she had decided. She was fucking done with Lando Norris.

-------------------------

2023

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yourusername life out and about

tagged: yourbsfusername, friend1, friend2

friend1 last night was WILD

→ yourusername not worth the hangover

yourbsfusername never again

→ yourusername NEVER I SAY

maxfretwell are you coming home soon???

→ yourusername if i have time

fransica.cgomes missing my baby

→ yourusername i miss you too

lilymhe HOT

→ yourusername HOTHOTHOT

user1 sorry but shes spiraling

user2 i miss the old y/n era

→ user3 nah this era is the best era

user4 LANDOS IN SINGAPORE ASWELL

-------------------------------

Y/n had lost track of how many drinks she'd had at this point. She was in Singapore for a modelling event, conveniently Lando was in Singapore for the Singapore Grand Prix.

She had convinced the other girls to go drinking with her, needing to get Lando out of her mind. She was spiraling and she knew it. Ever since Landos confession the year prior she had completely gone out of control. Her and George had a messy break up, not for the lack of trying from George to make things work out. He had finally called it quits when she cheated on him during one of her many drunken escapades.

He wasn't certain but George was pretty sure her completely 180 had something to do with Lando, after that Christmas she had started acting weird. After her breakup with George Y/n completely lost it, going out every night, a million different hookups, everyone close to her knew she was out of control.

They wanted to help but they didn't know how. She didn't listen no matter how much they tried to shut it down. They all just wanted her to get better, to feel better. This lead them to hear, at a random club in Singapore. With much reluctance she finally convinced her friends to go out with her.

Y/n swung her hips to the beat, leaning against some random guy. He was her prey for the night she had decided. She turned around to face him. "I'll be right back." She whispered in his ear, heading over to the bar, aware of his stare on her ass as she walked away.

"Another shot." She said the bartender when someone slide next to her.

"Can I get a whiskey please." A familiar gravely voice asked. It couldn't be. The girl turned to look at the guy standing next to her. Lando.

The boy felt someone's gaze on him and shot a glance to the side before double backing. "Y/n." He whispered her name out like a prayer, like something had saved him.

"Norris." She sent him a tight lipped smile. Lando could hear his heart shatter, the indifference was killing him.

"What are you doing hear." He asked her.

"Just a modelling gig. Thank you." She said to the bar tender before taking the shot, making Landos eyebrows raise in surprise. "Look I have to go but it was great seeing you."

Somehow Lando could tell that it was insensire.

Y/n had felt Landos eyes on her all night, she basked in it but also hated in. It was so conflicting. She had bumped into Carlos one her way back to the dancefloor and they had talked for a little while.

The dudes hands started to explore her body, running up her chest to cup at her boobs. She embraced the feeling, imagining it was Lando instead. The guy began to kiss down her neck and she lifted her hand to grab at his hair when all of a sudden he was pulled away.

"What the fuck." She turned around to see Lando holding the guy and yelling in his face. "Lando what are you doing." He ignored her. The dude pushed Lando off him.

"Fuck this shit, this pussy isn't worth it." The dude said, Lando went to chase after him but she held him back.

"What is your problem Norris." She yelled at him in his face, not caring who was watching.

"What's my problem? Whats your problem Y/n. And can you stop with the Norris, what happened to Lan or even Lando? When did you start hating me." He said, emotion thick in his voice.

"Hate you? I don't hate you I just really fucking sick of being treated like shit. I loved you Lando, and you just lead me on for years. I got sick of it, of you never doing anything." She screamed at him, Lando deflated slightly.

"Loved?" He asked her. She rolled her eyes, stepping away from him.

"I'm done listening to this bullshit." She said, walking off, he pulled her back to him.

"You still love me. I know you do." He said, taking step closer.

"No I don't, I don't want you anymore Lando." She said, her resolve crumbling.

"If you didn't you wouldn't have been dancing with some other guy, trying to make me jealous." He said, pausing slightly. "Tell me, were you imaging my hands instead of his, wishing it was me." He whispered, Y/n felt a flush break over her because it was true, she felt like she had been caught red handed.

"Come on, baby, you miss me, I know you do." He said, pulling her chin up lips closing in on hers.

Y/n was in a daze, breathing in the familiar smell of his cologne after so long without him. All of a sudden she felt herself get pulled out of the trance she was in. She pushed him off, Landos gaze filtered in confusion.

"You know what I'm so done with you. Of course you want me now, I'm trying to get over you Lando, I need to get over you." She said, her voice breaking a little. He wanted to grab her, hold her, apologise.

"What if I don't want you to." He said.

She completely stepped back, tears in her eyes.

"Fuck you Lando Norris."

-----------------------------

a/n: tbh did not spell check this so it might be completly shit also tell me why it took me a whole week to write this and also ignore if timeline is completely wrong - 8K words which is insane

[its-actually-minicika]

Hi, love your works so much! Can't wait for more updates 🥰🥰 I was wondering maybe you'd like the idea where book!Aemond and Velarion!(Strong?)Reader are in an arranged marriage. But Reader just knows what to say and how to act so that Aemond is wrapped around her finger (kinda thought of Margaery and Joffrey situation, she was such a talented schemer, worthy of winning the Throne 😭). I don't really know about the setting, like if it's before, during or after the Dance... just thought it'd be interesting to see this kind of plot with our beloved Prince 🤴🏼🐉

If you don't like it, just ignore me 🙈

Dragon Sickness (18+)

Pairing: bookcanon!Aemond x Strong!Niece!Reader

Warnings: No usage of (Y/N), Greens win AU, bookcanon Greens, the obvious Targaryen incest, mentions of major character deaths (we're entering spoiler grounds, but not really), blood, gore etc.

Word Count: 3.5K+

Author's Note: I fell in love with this idea the moment I saw it! I ended up altering the plot line for this one-shot a little bit - the reader will definitely grow into the Margaery architype, but today you shall see her as she was when she just learned how to make ends meet with her newfound life at Court.

I don't know if I should turn this into yet another series, but if you guys enjoyed this, let me know

Also, thank you so, so much for your kind words ♡ i'm hugging you to the moon and back!

PART 2 IS OUT NOW ♡♡♡

Who could ever blame you for your indiscreet acts? Alliances change when the world you know suddenly turns upside down.

She remembered how weak she was. How scared she had been.

How her eyes widened into two brown specs of uncertainty, how her mouth fell agape, as she mulled over Alicent’s words.

‘You shall marry Aemond within the next moon turns. For the good of the Realm.’

The Dowager Queen had openly admitted to being against the match – of course, the prospect of her perfect son, married off to a lowly bastard of Rhaenyra's (otherwise said, her last surviving child), didn’t specifically thrill her. Much less her demanding and scornful father.

Still, it couldn’t be helped. And if the Velaryon wanted to keep her head away from a spike, she had no other choice but to comply.

Although… she wasn’t a Velaryon now, was she? Aegon the Usurper made sure of that.

His final gift to her was to strip her of all her titles. She had been openly declared a bastard – before the masses, before the Court.

With a wide smile upon his burnt lips, the “King” had told her she’d be a Targaryen instead. Driftmark wouldn’t matter, her legacy wouldn’t matter. Aemond would inherit the seat with the Usurper’s blessing, as a homage brought to his able fighting and his shown bravery on the bloody battlefield.

Never mind that he’d never partaken in a fight; save for the one that killed her stepfather, Daemon, and sent her poor mother in a downward spiral. Aemond had chosen his adversaries wisely, and managed to go through the whole war without as much of a scratch upon his silver armour.

‘I shan’t marry your son. Not now, not ever.’ Her own voice rang out.

‘You will do exactly as demanded.’

‘I would rather die than bear the treacherous children of that monstrous beast.’

A monstrous beast. That is what Aemond was.

And that is what he shall remain. No matter how many gifts he brought to her. No matter how many hours of their days and days in their weeks and weeks in their months they spent promenading those ghastly gardens.

‘You will if you know your best interests. Your own head may hold no value to you, but a single swing of my son’s sword would be enough to bring forth the ruin of House Blackwood.’

At first, she’d been restless in her attempts to escape the Keep. Her every waking hour was spent shamelessly inside the Sept, where she prayed not for the safety of her brothers’ souls, but for revenge against the mutted Greens.

The slight breeze of the cathedral mended her flesh from the heat of summer. And no one dared to approach or talk to her. The quietness was a welcomed deed.

During the first night of their betrothal, her glossy eyes scanned Aemond’s face. His hands wantonly gripped at his thighs and a slight twitch of his mouth, accompanied by an elongated hum escaped his lips.

There was no other discernable expression. And when he led her to the chambers of her early girlhood, he merely bowed and kissed her hand.

She spent the first night of their betrothal scraping her knuckles so harshly, that they broke and cracked under the stimulation of the cold water.

Her thirst for vengeance ceased after the first two months. Her wedding date was approaching swiftly, and she found herself faced with the abhorrent truth. She had no allies. No more friends at Court. The girl had shut herself in her tiny room, losing her mind with the pain and grief that flooded her at night: the faces of her mother, her brothers, her father. The sound of their screams and their endless pleas for help.

Every night, without a fail, she woke up tormented by nightmares – her throat burning with absolving shrieks of fear, exacerbated breaths of air and flimsy nightdresses, damp throughout by breaks of sweat.

The first night she lashed out onto her bedding was the night she found out Aemond had moved his Quarters next to hers. He yanked the door open and stepped into the light of her candle – looking ravished, completely out of breath and startled. Started not for his own accord and safety, but for the state that his future wife had been in.

‘Shit, it’s alright, I’m here–’

The echo of his mellow voice deterred her to let out a blood-curdling scream, that would have rivalled even the one of the late Queen Rhaenyra, after Aegon the Usurper ceased her at Dragonstone, and reeled his dragon to eat her whole.

‘Get the fuck away from me! Get the fuck out of my room!’

Her sobs pierced into the man’s heart, but his hurt expression was masked quickly with one most bitter and taciturn. He clenched his fists ruefully by his side, and spat out an apology in a low and dangerous tone.

‘As you wish.’

And how dearly he loved those words:

‘As you wish.’

'As you desire.’

Even though nothing had been, or ever will be, as she achingly wished them to.

“You could at least attempt to look happy.” His chastising tone rained upon her, as his Lady remained hammered in her seat. Maids flocked to her like lost chickens to their cock, arranging her hair and picking out dresses fit for their engagement parade.

Her face contorted into the mirror, and a faint sigh beleft her lips. Carefully she turned around, reflecting his stance with a subtle arch to her shapely brow.

“It’s bad luck to see your bride before the wedding ceremony.”

“An old wives' tale. And one that applies only on the day itself.”

“Perhaps we should encourage tradition more. Make it so we don’t cross paths at all til then.”

Just as fast as it came, the feral look dissolved over his tired face. Aemond heaved out a heavy exhale and merely settled to growl at her maids.

“Leave us. Now.”

A discontented look painted over her fair features. His niece opened her mouth in protest, to try and stop the fleeing girls from truly making their escape.

“I must remind my Prince that the engagement assembly will be held in less than an hour. I believe I should like them to stay.”

The gathered women exchanged lost and protruding glances, until the former King Regent spoke again.

“They will leave us at once.”

“They’ll do no such a thing. They must make haste to get me ready. We wouldn’t want to upset your mother.”

“I’m more than capable of lacing up a loose bodice.”

The tight expression on her face deserted her features with the leave of his smug retort. She swallowed thickly in enraged abandon, and silently beseeched her ladies not to leave her all alone.

Still ravishing her with his bold stare, Aemond stepped another foot into the cosy confinements of her tidy prison. “If I’m to turn around now and find any of you standing before me, I’ll arrange that you’re all flogged and defiled beyond the utter of salvation.”

Brisk footsteps swallowed the room, echoing wildly through the narrow dark hallways. The former Velaryon shook her head in disarray, and graced her soon-to-be-husband with a tight smile and a nod.

“Congratulations.” She uttered humorously, “I should enjoy looking like a fool tonight much more than being proper by your side.”

As if drowned below a trace, Aemond took another step in the direction of the frowning Princess. His face remained impenetrable, but as he opened his mouth to speak, his voice ran meek, unsure and hoarse.

“Turn around.” He commanded her gently, whilst grabbing a deep green garment from the cluttery made on her bed. Despite her lack of desire to abide by his request, the woman turned her back to him and muttered slowly, though much softer than intended.

“I don’t like that one. It’ll make the skirts look out of place.”

“Which one do you want, then?” His whisper had made her draw in a sharp gasp; the warmth of his breath fell soothingly over the nape of her neck, caressing her delicate skin in a way she hadn’t known was possible.

“The red one with black lacings.”

His hand came to spin her back around, and their noses nearly touched together. A smile tugged at the ends of his upturned lips, but the look inside his eye remained frigid and unforgiving.

“Your petticoat won’t be those colours.”

A conceited scowl graced her face. She reached her hand behind him and skillfully snatched one of a different design. “Fine. I want to wear this one, then.”

The obnoxious blue and silver danced across her paling skin. And if Aemond weren’t so dazed by their proximity and lack of air, he might have laughed at her feeble attempts of vexing him.

“Those are Velaryon hues.”

“Perfect. I shall honour my house well.”

“You are not a Velaryon to grace them with such a feat.”

“No, you are absolutely right. Your brother did name me a Targaryen.”

Their faces were so close to each other, that their moving lips were almost touching.

“Yet I can’t wear black and red either.” A prompted look disarmed the Prince, “It is all very confusing.”

His lone orb descended to her puffing bosom, but Aemond soon directed himself upon a more elusive image. His fingers twitched with the need to grab a hold of her – to pull away those last pieces of cloth that shielded her away from view.

“You know full well why I can’t allow that.” He hummed in unmoving disapproval, “As much as I enjoy your voice and the raptures of your closeness, I must say this conversation bores me.”

“I should be able to wear what I want.” Came her prompt and swift reply, “But of course, Your Grace, forgive me. ‘Tis not for men to pounder on laces and brims.” Her palms took to rest upon his bulging chest, and the girl nearly removed them at once, as the thrumming of his heart enterlaced with her slim fingers. Still, she furrowed her brows in a most perplexed of mockeries, and insatiably drove on, “Indeed resilient men such as yourself occupy their time much better.”

The callouses of his hands fell heavily upon her cheeks.

“Fucking their ways through brothels, getting their pricks wet, and fantasising about wars.”

The harshness of his next tug nearly broke her brave facade – her eyes widened in mistrust, and a slight recoil braced over her straightened back. Her small fingers clasped over his shaking wrist, which held onto her face with a gentleness untoward; one completely mismatching with the predatory glimmer in his eye.

The man he was, and the man he was trying to be would surely never mend to one.

A Kinslayer. A monster. A divergent freak.

Nothing more, and nothing less.

His thumb played absent-mindedly at her lower lip, and the young Princess tried her damnest not to bite him. “Did I strike a nerve with that one?”

“You are as imprudent as you are beautiful. A family trait, I assume.”

“You have my gratitude for the flattering commentary. I’m very proud of my heritage.”

His lilac orb bore into her, and the man let out a reserved laugh, “Your bastard brothers were ample proud. Look where that brought them.” The rough end of his hand gripped her own painfully, before she could make for a swing at his handsome face. “Lost in the seas, rotting at the bottom of an ocean, nestling inside Sunfyre’s belly.”

While her hands were clasped together, her mouth wasn’t sown shut. With a single and effective move, she spat harshly in his face, eliciting a groan from her broader perpetrator.

Though his nostrils flared up in disdain, the man graced her with a calculated smirk. “Did I strike a nerve with that one?” He mocked her with feigned interest.

“Fuck you,” She hissed out slowly, “Don’t you dare talk of my family – my brothers were ten times the man you are.”

“Oh, but I have every right to talk about your family. Given that I will be yours quite soon.” Once more he forced her to turn around, and kneeled over to her spasming form, to begin dressing her up; in nought else, of course, but the mundane silks of his choosing.

"Doesn't the prospect thrill you? To become my lady-wife, to finally bear a true Targaryen inside your royal womb?"

So hopeless and defeated she felt, that the youth jerked herself relentlessly, while repeating him the same plethora of words. “You cannot force me to be your whore. You cannot force me to wear this. I will not bear your Hightower green.”

Aemond could feel his patience running thin – and when her foot came into contact with his setting knee, the man let out a ferocious growl, and promptly trapped the girl in his arms, with the aid of a nearby wall.

“So you want to be difficult? You don’t want to wear this? Hmm? Well, who am I not to abide my Lady’s burning wishes?”

The sharpness of his dagger came into quick contact with the milky skin of her thighs. And she might have almost screamed, if Aemond didn’t immediately pull himself away. His hard chest grazed hers for but a moment, as the Prince cast his attention to her moving shadow.

“If you wish not to attend our engagement parade wearing the clothes I’ve chosen for you,” He muttered against her face, a scorned look adorning his own, “Then you won’t be wearing anything at all.”

She huffed out a dispensing pant and pursed her lips into a tight line.

She remained rigid and poised, until a spark of amusement swirled into her eyes.

The first crack was that of a lax smile. The next, a tremor to her lips. The calm before the storm approached, until all rattled down with a mirthed laugh cascading from her reddened lips.

“Do you mean to frighten me with this promise?” She asked through the arch of an uncertain brow, “As if every man in this cursed Keep won’t get to watch me whore myself out to you anyway, when our wedding night will come?”

His face suddenly hardened at the notion of their reality – as if he didn’t give much thought to the bedding ceremony. To his Lady being watched by a thousand other eyes but his.

Aemond suddenly darkened, and his fist came into contact with a near spot on the wall, so awfully close to her frightened, paling face.

She watched with wide eyes how his stare contorted from one of realisation to one of fury. He stiffly peeled his body away from hers, and strained himself to leave her be. The jealous and possessive knots that churned painfully inside his stomach burned his skin upon the surface, and constricted the air he brashly took in.

He nodded to her in a spry and calloused manner, and brought his hand out to touch her cheek. His knuckles had begun to bleed, busted by the force of impact that his fist had faced for him. Behind his eye danced a look of seldom shame – he gnawed harshly at his bottom lip, and pondered, for a while, on apologising to his niece; for his lack of princely conduct, for his show of impropriety – for his inability to keep himself at bay.

Still his thoughts failed to merge to words, and so the man ran his eye one final time over her defensive pose, and merely left her standing there.

As if turned into a statue, the girl barely registered the lethargic closing of the door, the hurried and heavy footsteps that travelled further and further away from her quaint and cluttered space, and the animated curse that slipped past her uncle's throat.

Did he just dare to leave her there, with her petticoat half up her legs, in nought else but a flimsy nightdress?

At first she thought that his avoidance was a blessing in disguise.

For after clashing wits with Aemond, and after his swift hurried departure, the man had barely graced her with another word.

His hand held onto hers for the whole duration of the procession. He wordlessly forced her to dance two dances, and led her to her Quarters as soon as she mentioned that she was tired.

But his palms didn’t linger on the shape of her narrow waist – his lips barely grazed her knuckles, and Aemond turned with lest a word to add after their fake sympathies were exchanged.

Had he gotten bored of her? Realised what a terrible match they made, and begged his mother on his hands and knees to break off their ill engagement?

For the first time in a while, a new notion of fear engulfed her.

The Greens couldn’t kill her. Of that, she was almost certain. It wouldn't be a wise move, and it would anger the North beyond the power of salvation. The war had had its say on every army that fought into it, yet the Crownlands were especially weak.

But if Aemond were to sever their solidary alliance, then her future would be most uncertain.

Otto Hightower would make her join with an old and withered Lord, no doubt – one with more than enough sons to further on his pesky line. One who couldn’t even get it up to her, who’d never procreate and mend their blood, who’d make sure Rhaenyra’s line would end with her.

Or perhaps she’d be sent to join the Faith – become a Septa or a Silent Sister, among the infamous Maris Baratheons of the Realm. Yet another girl who wouldn’t keep her tongue when asked.

And history might remember them as ‘the women who couldn’t be tamed’, but their lives would be thrown to ruin. Their existence would remain a sham.

No, she had whispered to herself, as she writhed into the soft bedding. If she still thirsted for revenge, she would have to marry Aemond. Keep him interested and relaxed – yearning for her voice and company.

… And if she had to whore herself to him to do it, she would obediently assume her role.

“I beg your pardon?” Aegon asked through another gulp of bitter wine, “Gods be good – I believe that now I’ve heard it all.”

Aemond paced about his brother’s room, with his hands clasped behind his back, and his face set into a deep grimace. He hummed in admission to his brother’s words, and glanced his way with the instance of a hooded eye.

“There is to be no bedding ceremony.” He repeated himself with ease, “I frightened her enough already. The girl will be plenty uncomfortable without the aid of chafing eyes.”

His brother smiled and raised his brows in nothing else but blinding wonder. A small shake of his head indicated his perplexion, and a sharp inhale his drawn decision.

“Mother insisted upon it. You know that well.” The man steadied himself in his chair as he spoke, whilst letting out a small grunt at the contact that the wood made upon his burnt remnants of skin. “I don’t see any reason to annul it. Especially now, an eve before.”

Another sip of the stinging liquor interrupted his smooth and ready trail of thought. The Targaryen brushed off Aemond’s concerns, and gleefully bided his teasing.

“It’ll do the two of you good – you’ll get to see she’s as pure as a bastard girl can be; and she’ll have no deniability that any of her future heirs are yours.” He pointed his weary digit in the direction of his stiffened form and swallowed down a hefty laugh. “Not to mention that Lord Redwyne and Tarly already placed bets on the state of her maidenhead. Would be a shame to disappoint them both, don't you think?"

“What mother thinks is of no consequence. And the amusement of the Realm matters not to me. There will be no bedding ceremony.”

“Nonsense, Aemond. It is our duty to upkeep the Realm – and to entertain its inhabitants if need be.”

When his reckless teasing was met with glacial silence, Aegon sighed as he briskly leaned forward. He watched his sibling with an indiscernible expression across his scorched veneer, and yawned greatly at his indisposed behaviour.

“Of course, we’re here to talk it out. But after so much time spent in your company, I fail to see the necessity for such a thing.” A sly smirk danced across his puffy lips, “Are you concerned that she won’t bleed? Or that you’ll be too cunt-struck by her to last enough to make a statement?”

Aemond’s fists descended upon the polished wood of Aegon’d desk. He thrashed his brother with a defiant glare, and hissed through his gritted teeth, and tight-set jaw.

“There will be no bedding ceremony for my niece and I. Tell that to every Lord that wishes to glance upon my wife – if they do so much as to cast their eyes on her, they’ll be fucking their own wives with a wooden cock.”

Amusement laced with grave concern – the finality of Aemond's words ought to have vexed him, irk the King in his sibling's weighty insolence. Instead Aegon nodded, pushing back the feeling of dread that settled deep within his bones. His head jerked towards his closed oak door, signalling to his brother that his visit had been overstated. “What sort of brother would I be, to not grant you with this simple whim?”

The younger Targaryen mirrored his stance, and turned abruptly on his heel after a low grunt of gratitude.

His hand reached for the golden handle, but Aegon's words deterred him to a halt.

“But be careful with that one, Aemond. She’s brash and wholly unpredictable. Make sure the blood that stains your sheets come morning isn’t somehow your very own.”

Perma Tag List: @welcometothelioncage @kravitzwhore ♡

[lucysstoryworld]

The Veil Whisperer | Azriel x Reader (1)

Summary: The aftermath of Bryce Quinlan's arrival has stirred up some trouble for the Night Court. After weeks of trying to resolve the issues on their own, the inner circle of the Night Court are left having to consult a dangerous female to complete the job much to Azriel's dismay.

Themes: Love/hate relationship, enemies to lovers kinda.

Warnings: CC3 SPOILERS, NSFW from the get-go, canon-typical violence, angst.

No use of (y/n). I might have gotten some info wrong about acotar and can't double check bc I gave my friend my books so pls be aware of that. I would also massively appreciate any criticism! I'm trying something new and would definitely appreciate any pointers of any kind!

Words: 3620 | Part Two Here

Azriel stood before his High Lord and Lady, frustrated and exhausted. Irritation was rippling off him in waves, his shadows swirling as though there were snakes poised to strike. Azriel was poised as though he was going to strike. The fresh spring wind had melded into the sweltering summer breeze since he had last been in Velaris. Gods he wished he could sit on one of the many balconies of the River House, with a whiskey and book in his arsenal. The feeling of the sun on his wings, the sweet scent of Elain’s garden being pushed around by the wind and the faint sound of Nyx cooing close by felt like a dreamscape away.

“So there’s nothing,” Rhys stated, more than asked.

Azriel felt his muscles tighten and his fists close. More than anything, he felt the tiredness weighing on his eyes as he furrowed his brows. The actions were so slight that, to the normal eye, they would go unnoticed. But to Rhys and Feyre, the actions were as obvious as the sky being blue. “Not even a trace,” He started, reigning in his annoyance. “My spies have tried, their connections have tried, I’ve tried and I can’t even pick up a hint of a track.”

Azriel wished he could go back in time and make Bryce undo whatever it is she did to the Prison during her impromptu visit. Azriel had spent the last number of weeks cleaning up after her. Or attempting to at least. Azriel watched as Rhys assessed the weight of his words, observed as he and Feyre spoke mind-to-mind.

Feyre lifted her chin. “So what we are faced with is that this is not something we can resolve…” she looked hesitantly toward Azriel, trying to lay the words delicately. Feyre very rarely saw Azriel so wound up. There had been glimpses in the war, like when Elain had been lured away by the cauldron. But this was a different ball game. Bryce had stirred up Prythian in her desperate attempt to save her world. Feyre could not fault the girl for that, no matter the swagger Bryce flaunted. But, they had been cleaning up, Azriel had been cleaning up the chaos she left behind. “Not on our own at least,” She finally finished.

Azriel struggled to move past the feelings of failure with his High Lady’s words. Though his bones were aching, his wings seemed heavier and heavier with each tick of the clock and his shadows now swirling lazily as if they were the embodiment of his exasperation, Azriel couldn’t help like feeling he could have done more. Like he could dig that little bit deeper to give his brother and Feyre some semblance of information. Anything, if it meant they wouldn’t have had that slightly disappointed look on their faces.

Azriel did not acknowledge Feyre’s words, instead picking a spot on the wall behind both of them. A pawn, ready to be ordered to their next position. Rhys could see his brother recessing. He remembered the time he saw Azriel again after the first wars, that same demeanour being mirrored right before his eyes. “We will discuss what to do later. You’ve been gone awhile, brother. Rest for a bit,” Rhys declared, and rested a hand on Azriel’s shoulder. A sliver of guilt snaked up Rhys’s spine when Azriel seemed to deflate slightly, as though he was prepared to go back into the field if he was ordered to. Azriel finally met the High Lord’s eyes, a silent thank you and apology all twisted into the gentle nod. We are grateful, Az,he whispered into his mind.

With that, Azriel left Feyre’s study. Walking the halls, Azriel debated saying hello to the members of his family that were in the River House. One would think that he would have been excited to see them. Typically, he would have. Though, this mission was particularly gruelling and with no result, the thought of disappointing anyone else on that day was the very last thing he wished to do. So, Azriel stopped in his tracks and winnowed to the House of Wind. Usually, he flew home so he could enjoy the sight of his home after a long mission like this but, it was an effort to keep his wings from dragging on the floor.

***

Steam billowed in the grand bathroom, so thick it was hard to determine where the steam began and Azriel's shadows ended. The aforementioned Illyrian warrior breathed a silent thanks to Nesta and her power for granting the House a consciousness. The bath was already drawn with various oils diffusing into the air by the time he left his knives down in his room. Slowly, Az began to peel his leathers from his aching body. Bit by bit, the articles fell away revealing the constellation of scars mixed with tattoos. Azriel stood bare before the mirror, studying the reflection before him. His eyes skimmed and paused a different points, though they were sure to keep clear of his hands. Scuffs of mud clung to Azriel's legs from the trenches he had to almost wade through, along with a few almost-healed scratches he acquired that morning. A few past battle wounds decorated his torso, the newest being from the arrow that had pierced his chest the day Nesta and Elain were Made. Averting his eyes, Azriel focused on his face instead. As if just taking his eyes away could take away from his failures of that day. Failing his High Lady and failing each of her two sisters was something that would take a few more years to be at peace with.

Azriel admittedly looked like shit. His hair was much longer than when he left, and he had done a few rough chops in the time that passed. Darkness underscored his eyes, and his skin looked like it had aged a few decades, if that was even possible. Azriel lowered himself into the almost blistering bath. A sigh loosed from deep within his chest, relief prickling across his skin like wildfire. Stretching his wings out in the water, his muscles relaxed from the weeks of pent of frustration. Azriel scrubbed gently, almost massaging his worn out body. The lavender and honey soap clung to the dips and bumps of his body. Gladness was all Azriel could feel. Finally, he felt like he was home. No disappointment or worry, just the pleasantness and serenity that Velaris promised. Azriel supposed the only thing that could possibly complete this scene would be a loving mate, massaging his scalp with her soft luscious legs wrapped around him from behind. Maybe she would kiss his neck, or whisper how much she loved him in his ear. The thought sent a rush of blood between his legs, arousal beginning to cloud Azriel's mind. Azriel gripped himself and began to pump slowly, thinking of how her body would push against his back. His head rolled back as he imagined her soft tits against his wings, her nipples grazing against the sensitive area close to the base. Suddenly, his hands were hers. Her fingers would be wrapped around his cock, stroking away his tough day as she kissed and nipped at his neck. Closer and closer, she would take him to the edge of ecstasy, running her thumb over the head of his cock. Shivers rippled through Azriel's body as he neared completion, his toes were curling as he felt his head became light. His mate would begin to lick at the spot on his neck that drove him wild, and her other hand would reach to lightly caress his wings. The thought of the sensation sent Azriel careening through his orgasm, spilling into the water around him.

With laboured breaths, Azriel got out of the bath. While he needed release, it seemed to highlight just how lonely he was feeling. How he wished the cauldron had blessed him with Elain that day, instead of matching her to Lucien. But alas, like always, he was not worthy of such a fate. Drying off, Azriel heard a slip of paper land on the vanity nearby. A letter from Rhys. Padding over to it, it read that there was a family dinner that evening to celebrate his return and have a discussion with everyone over what to do. Confirming his attendance, because with his dear brother it was always a choice, Azriel let the paper vanish into thin air. Until then, he was going to crawl into the mass of satin sheets and plush cushions that were seemingly screaming his name.

***

Rhysand or Feyre must have brought everyone else up to speed on Azriel's mission before he arrived because no one had asked about it and they were already three courses into dinner. He momentarily caught Feyre's eye, questioning her with a single glance. His High Lady merely winked and smiled, then returned her attention to the cooing babe in her arms. Trust Feyre to take care of their family in ways they didn't know they needed. Azriel allowed himself to sink in to the idle chatter, striking up a conversation with Nesta and Cassian, who looked as though they were about to have a domestic.

"I'm sure you'll be able to hold your own against me in a couple decades, Nes," Cassian teased and looked to Az for backup.

Nesta caught the bothers' exchange and directed her cutting glare to Azriel. "Well?" She calmly demanded, though like always, there was a cool fury ready to strike.

The Shadowsinger raised his arms, "Maybe when you can reanimate a skeleton and kill a Middengard Wrym with it, then perhaps you'd be able to hold your own against her," Azriel quipped, earning a satisfied humph from Nesta. Cassian chuckled, squeezing his mate's shoulder.

Mor, in true Morrigan fashion, used the allusion to recent events to bring up the topic that had been looming in the air since Azriel arrived. "So... how do you think we should tackle the escaped prisoner issue?" She asked everyone. Everyone halted their conversation, waiting to see what the others came up with. Azriel dipped his head slightly, embarrassed at his lack of answers.

Rhys sighed deeply, his brows knitting together. He kept his eyes trained on his hand, which was currently being toyed with by Nyx. He studied it for a moment, wishing he could be as innocent and oblivious as his son. "I was thinking that there might be one person left who would have the knowledge to track them," Rhys started. He was unsure, not enjoying the idea of what he was about to suggest.

Azriel seemed to catch on and he couldn't help the scoff and eyeroll. Elain looked between the two brothers, "What?" She asked, wariness prickling down her arms. Elain had never seen Az so tired and irritable than this evening. It had to be bad, for Azriel to act so animated compared to his usual demeanour.

"Nothing," Azriel nearly spat, "It's nothing because we are not going to see her."

A collective realisation occurred across the original members of the inner circle, and more confusion within the Archeron sisters. Everyone's reaction was different. Mor frowned, Amren remained unsurprisingly indifferent and Cassian puffed a breath out of his cheeks. "Amren, will you explain please?" Feyre asked, clearly not in the mood for dramatics.

"The 'her' they are referring to is a female gifted with a magic long since purged from this world," Amren explained. "She is known in this land as the Veil Whisperer. The Veil Whisperer has been known to exchange services in return for hefty bargains, some of which has left those who have availed worse off than before they struck the deal."

"This sounds like it is ill-advised," Elain replied, rubbing her hands over her arms.

"It is ill-advised," Azriel affirmed, sticking Rhys with a hard glare.

Squaring his shoulders, Rhys did not yield. "Does anyone have a better solution?" He asked everyone, though his eyes remained on Azriel's.

"I hate to say it, Az, but Rhys could be right. We are in under our heads here," Mor added. "I don't like it either, but what other options do we have?"

"Why don't we ask our friends in other courts? Maybe Helion could offer us something we don't have?" Nesta questioned.

"We didn't tell any of the other courts about Bryce's arrival or what she did when she was here. We would have to explain that in order to explain why we are in this predicament." Cassian's words breathed a sense of awareness across the table. Of course they couldn't ask for help. Not without creating tension and distrust with their friends and fraying what little lines they had with other courts.

"So we are on our own in this," Elain began tentatively. "If we do attempt to solicit this Veil Whisperer, who's to say she will accept the job?" Azriel felt gratitude towards the middle sister for the support.

"Rhysand has only had dealings with the Veil Whisperer on a very limited amount of issues. Each time, her price is different than what she is typically known for," Amren's voice was unforgiving.

"I have only heeded her services a handful of times, for very specific reasons," Rhys told the sisters, Nyx's eyes began to lull as he nestled into his mother's chest. "I asked her to hide my mother's ring in a place that would be hard to get it out of."

Feyre's lips straightened into a line, and she met Rhysand's eyes, and damn... if looks could kill, the High Lord would be dead five times over. "I thought you put the ring into the Weaver's cottage yourself," Feyre stated, a slight hiss in her tone as her jaw clenched.

Cassian had to conceal his grin as Rhys looked at Feyre apologetically. "Not exactly," his brother began, and a barely muffled snort erupted from the general. "You remember that my mother wanted it to be a challenge. The only person I thought could be creative enough to hide it would be her... and I was right," Rhys explained and shot his brother a glare, returned only by a smug Cheshire smile.

"So you let this Veil Whisperer do your dirty work then." Trust Nesta to not pass up the opportunity to gain the upper hand.

Cassian outright cackled at his mate's criticism, "Nes has got you there, brother!"

"No, Nesta," Rhys challenged. Things had not been completely amicable between Rhys and Nesta since she gave away the Mask to Bryce. "I do not let her do my dirty work. Let's not join in on discussions you couldn't possibly have any understanding on."

"Rhys," Feyre warned.

The warning went unheard, as Nesta tipped her chin -- a tell-tale sign that she was about to enter battle. "No, what understanding could I possibly have. Surely no one else in this room has superior knowledge to their High Lord," She spat. Tension began to thicken in the room, like a fine soup. "Well, unless that 'understanding' matches your own. Gods forbid anyone truly disagree with you... Rhys." Nesta's eyes narrowed and when she saw her words had hit their mark, a smirk tugged at her lips.

"Well, now that we're totally off topic," Mor drawled. "Anyone fancy another drink?"

"She's right," Feyre sighed. Rhysand broke his staring competition with Nesta, anger coiling in his gut. "We need to make a decision on if we are going to approach her or not."

"What price does she typically demand?" Elain questioned.

"For my mother's ring, she demanded a specific tea." Rhys looked at everyone but skipped over Nesta. "I thought she took mercy on me. But no, this tea comes from a particular plant that grows in the Bog of Oorid, and happens to be protected by the Kelpies." Everyone looked reasonably put-off, Nesta particularly whose mate pulled her hand into his own. "Not to mention that it is poisonous in its plant form so I had trek back to the Whisperer's dwelling feeling like death warmed up."

Elain frowned, her mind trickling through her knowledge to determine which plant could have possibly debilitated the High Lord of Night. "She didn't tell you that it would do that?" Elain already knew her answer.

"No," Azriel finally spoke. "The Veil Whisperer is a master of manipulation. Everything that leaves her mouth has an ulterior meaning. Lies hidden within lies. You won't know the truth unless she wants you to. Not telling Rhys about the tea was her way of showing that she can down him in ways he would never even think of, without even a touch of her magic. She is a snake and jumping into this with her is stupid," He finished with a grunt.

"Have you ever seen her magic?" Nesta asked the table.

To the sisters' surprise, everyone shook their head. Nesta raised a brow at Amren, thinking out of anyone she would have seen it. "I do not enter into bargains with the likes of her," Amren stated as though it was obvious. "And I have never been in her presence. She does not participate in war, under any circumstances. Though I have heard that she works with other... deities. A rumour, but a dangerous one to float in these lands." Everyone remained silent at that little bit of information, not entirely sure on how to digest it, let alone comment on it.

"All this being said... I don't see any other viable option," Mor declared. The lack of argument was agreement enough.

"So how should we go about this?" Feyre asked. She hated instances like these. As High Lady, she should be able to provide solutions for her friends and family but her overall lack of old age inhibited her in these niche situations.

"The Veil Whisperer lives in the Middle. Azriel and I will go there tomorrow and ask her if she wants the job."

Before Azriel could even protest his involvement, Amren cut in, "She will want this job. She will gain information that she can work to her advantage, and that says nothing of her asking price. Tread carefully, boy." The warning was not taken lightly. Rhys dipped his chin, though his mind seemed a million miles away.

Feeling his social battery wearing quicker than usual, Azriel declined any offer of further drinking and decided to return to the House of Wind. Though he gave the excuse of being tired, which he was, he caught the look in Elain's eyes. The look that screamed that she could see right through the excuse. Whether it was her seer abilities or that she had come to pick up on Azriel's subtle giveaways, he was unsure. Feeling the need to fly off some of his stress, Azriel made for one of the balconies. Though the aforementioned middle Archeron sister followed him to the terrace. "You don't have to go. You can stay and talk, if you wish." The kindness and observation rattled Azriel's chest. He had never experienced a female be so attentive and caring toward him before. Not one he also cared for anyways.

His shadows began reaching for Elain, slithering and weaving affectionately. "Thank you, Elain. I'm okay for now, I will sleep it off. But I appreciate the offer." Well, it meant something to him but that didn't mean her gesture was enough for him to emotionally offload onto her.

Frowning ever so slightly, Elain's shoes clicked on the polished marble as she shortened the gap between herself and the Shadowsinger. Gingerly, she reached for his gloved hand and squeezed gently. "I hope you know that I truly mean that. There is nothing so severe that it should be shouldered by you alone."

Azriel brushed her cheek with his free hand, unable to stop the smile that tugged on his lips. "And I truly appreciate that, thank you Elain. Your kindness is beautiful, I truly hope it never pales." He said by way of a goodbye and backed away from her blushing face, stretching his wings. He could tell she wanted to stop him but he launched himself from the balcony before she had the courage to respond. Azriel felt like an ass, pushing her away when she was trying. He often found himself slipping under Elain's spell of sweetness and beauty, yet something in the back of his mind always reeled him back to reality. He desperately wished it wouldn't, he ached for the companionship both his brothers had. Though it seemed the Mother had different plans for Azriel... if she has any at all Azriel often thought to himself.

Azriel pushed all thoughts from his head and soared higher and higher, testing his limits as the air thinned around him and became harder to fly through. Up and up, closer and closer. Then, his wings stilled and curled around him. The descent was vicious, the earth was pulling Azriel down with a fury. The air whipped past the Shadowsinger, and finally, his mind felt empty. In that moment, Azriel was nothing more than a drop of rain from a cloud, falling from grace. Opening his eyes, the lights that dusted Velaris like golden glitter inched nearer. And just as they went from specks of stardust on the ground to discernible buildings and faelights dotted along the river, Azriel finally opened his wings and levelled off. Adrenaline coursed through his blood and finally shook the cobwebs that felt adhered to his bones. Azriel soared across the sky, allowing his thoughts and feelings to ebb and flow through him.

And when he eventually touched down, Azriel felt prepared for tasks laid out before him. Felt prepared to come face-to-face with the Veil Whisperer.

Part Two Here

[zarvasace]

It’s “appreciate yourself” hours! Pick five pieces of writing/art that you’ve done that you love and talk about them! ❤️❤️❤️

Ahhhh okay, thank you!! 💜🌻 I finally have a free moment (aka work is slow) so I'm going to work on drafting this out :) I have far too much art I'm proud of—I'm at a stage in my progress right now where I think my art looks pretty awesome. So this list will be stuff from my Greatest Hits collection on AO3. In order of oldest to newest, I think:

incandescently happy

An LU post-adventure work, one of the first longer fics I posted. I released one chapter a day over the summer of 2022, so a lot of the notes have something about my day in them. It's about 30k all told.

I absolutely adored expanding on what the boys might do after the whole LU adventure happens (though I did forget about the fact that I think Time and Malon have a kid during this time!) This work features some proto-Shatterproof stuff, like Wind having a prosthetic leg and Four starting to specialize in crafting prosthetics/disability aids. I gave Hyrule longer hair and a job making maps for the royal family. Legend got another adventure but also started a magic garden/orchard, which pulls in more business than Ravio's stuff. Four and his grandpa adopted a single mother and her two kids. Man I went off with some of these headcanons. I've always considered writing more in this world, but I think it stands very well on its own. Maybe someday I might revisit and rewrite it with some of my new skills. :)

Rise and Shine and Fall

Whumptober 2022, focused entirely on LU! Guys this thing is almost 78k. I realize now that most people pre-plan or pre-write for things like Whumptober, but I wrote these one by one every day, which was extra-hard because I had both college classes and a day job at the time. I came up with some fun AUs, learned a lot about writing (especially whump), and proved to myself that I can do hard things like this!! I've adored doing daily challenges since, though I haven't done it in a while. I look forward to this year's whumptober though!

I really like the table of contents in the first chapter—it makes things easy to find. I know individual works are probably more accessible, but I was still getting to know AO3, and those big numbers are fun. XD I have a hard time picking favorites, because I really went off on these, but I'd say a couple of them are:

Chp 3, "Right Here" about Sky

Chp 7, "Proof of Life" about Four and Shadow

Chp 18, "I'm onwy a babey :(" about Wind

Chp 21, "6:13" about Hyrule and Time

Chp 26, "Silence is Golden" about Wild

Chp 31-32, "The Worst Thing About Earth" about Legend, but kind of more specifically the rewrite/expansion I did last year... haha...

The Marvelous Misadventures of Wind and His Merry Band or Maybe-Human Heroes

It's been a while since I updated this story (56k, 6/8 chapters), but it's constantly on my mind. I've started chapter 7 twice, and I know what I want to happen, but I am easily distracted by the siren call of some other whump fics. XD

I freaking love this story, though. I really want to finish it. It's kind of an... experiment? I guess? I want to get published someday, and I picture myself writing middle-grade novels. This story is sort of my attempt to hit that tone. Also I just love Wind so so so much. Let him be cool!!

Blood-Sucker's Guide to High School

56k Four Swords completed story! I wrote this in a frenzy of like two or three weeks, then took another two to edit. It takes plot points from a vampire novel I enjoyed and twists and applies them to a story about Shadow and the Four Swords manga boys. I'm very proud of what I accomplished here, and that it's a complete story! I think it worked out really well. I learned a lot about plotting and handling larger stories, and it helped that I had the half-remembered structure of an existing novel to use as training wheels.

I love the worldbuilding in this story! The premise is that Shadow is an evil soulless vampire from a (rather abusive, not that he sees it) family of the same, but then he gets the ability to walk in the sunshine. He's assigned to go to high school for a while to get a feast for the vampire gala, but meanwhile he's developing a conscience and getting very attached to these human boys. I think I did a good job. I love rereading this, every scene is just so fun! :)

Counterbalance

55k exactly of a stupid LU darks AU. This started life as a series of oneshots and then the plot progressively got more and more convoluted and I love these stupid boys so much. The plot is very much not tight, in contrast to Blood-Sucker's Guide, but I learned a lot about how I write and how I like to plan with this one, too.

The characters are stupid and the plot is just kinda silly and there is both a bathhouse scene AND a spa scene. Legend blows up multiple things, my lovely nasty little Dark Links need smacks and therapy, and Prince has a legitimately emotional moment at the end. I love how it turned out, it's like an ugly little stuffed animal I made and hug until the eyes pop out.

That's five but I would be extremely remiss if I did not also mention something from Shatterproof:

The Incredible Shrinking Chain

About 10k, this is entry 31/68 in my series Shatterproof, which is a close-canon AU in which each of the boys has a different physical disability. This series also plays into my publishing ambitions, because whatever I publish will very likely have some disability representation. I'm rather passionate about it, actually! Shatterproof is close to my heart, and I'm so honored that so many people seem to love it too. :) I need to work on the next entry again!!

This entry in particular is so much fun. In it, the whole Chain sans Four is stuck mouse-sized, and Four has to travel out to Twilight's castle with them to get Dusk to help break the curse. They all have to figure out how to navigate while tiny, and Four pulls some very silly stunts. I love them.

Anyway, there's my list!! I've written a lot over the last like two and a half years, and I'm so so glad that I get to be here and part of this community. The LU fandom as a whole (or at least the parts I've seen!) is so welcoming and positive and I try to give back where I can! I'm going to suggest looking through my bookmarks and ultimate rec list collection to find some new favorites from some very talented authors! :) (oof I need to update the collection soon!! I've been seeing some awesome stuff!)

[chloe-spade]

A Doomed Love Story (Noco x Island of the Slaughtered)

We were both young when I first saw you

I close my eyes and the flashback starts

❤️

Noah saw a boy when he entered the docks, a strange brown-haired boy, but he was smiling. It was weird; no one had smiled at him like that before, but he waved before joining the others.

It was one of Noah's first moments with Cody.

❤️

I'm standin' there

On a balcony in summer air

See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns

See you make your way through the crowd

And say, "Hello"

❤️

"Hey, I'm Cody, Cody E.J Anderson, you?" The boy smiled at him as they unpacked at the cabins. "We never introduced ourselves to each other."

Noah was silent, but he spoke briefly, "Noah Mudalier Streaca."

"Oh, I like that name. How about we get some breakfast together before the challenge?" Cody recommended. "Maybe we should get to know each other? I get it if you don't, though."

"I prefer to read, but…if you insist," Noah nodded and got up, following the boy out.

Cody was an interesting person, to say the least, and Noah could see that he tolerated him, even during the challenge. He felt odd, but he knew what it was; it was love, an emotion he thought was foreign to him, but being with Cody made that emotion much more known.

❤️

Little did I know

That you were Romeo, you were throwin' pebbles

And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"

And I was cryin' on the staircase

Beggin' you, "Please don't go, " and I said

❤️

Before the challenge began, Noah, being a schemer, knew he had to take a chance with someone in hopes of winning. He started with Owen simply by tolerating his jokes, pretending to laugh even, but Cody was a different story, so when they were together, no one was there. Noah had to make sure that Heather wasn't even there as well.

Cody was confused but felt chills as Noah wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered an invitation in his ear.

❤️

Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run

You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess

It's a love story, baby, just say…

❤️

Noah smiles at Cody's blushing, but it works enough that after the first challenge to chat amongst themselves, he can't help but let these feelings develop, even to a small shy kiss behind the cabins, to their enjoyment. They talked much about themselves, both from not-so-great upbringings and joining Total Drama was an attempt to be bigger than they were.

But that is when things get worse since Geoff's screams fill the camp.

Ezekiel, the Canadian homeboy, was murdered, and body pieces were spread around the camp, which resulted in the abandonment and the string of murders when they stayed even longer.

❤️

So I sneak out to the garden to see you

We keep quiet, 'cause we're dead if they knew

So close your eyes

Escape this town for a little while, oh oh

❤️

He remembered why it all started and how badly things kept going, but having new friends, Owen, Eva, and Izzy, made him feel better. Having a small fling with Cody also helped. Even when they were alone, things were made better, but Noah knew it wouldn't last in this horrid place.

Cody did say something that made him better.

"Focus on the now,"

Noah did. He always tried to focus on the now, only planning when he had to. This helped many survive close encounters. Owen claimed that Noah was a great leader, but Noah couldn't be bothered with that position, especially with his messed-up head after seeing Tyler's elongated body, which made him throw up at the sight.

❤️

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter

And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"

But you were everything to me

I was beggin' you, "Please don't go, " and I said

❤️

When the day came to rummage, Noah was with Duncan, Bridgette, Izzy, Courtney, Cody, and Katie, while the others were with Eva. Noah kept his mouth shut regarding Duncan's rash demands, but within the circumstances, Noah didn't make it a big deal. But when Noah realized they were around in circles, he had to call it out, which, in hindsight, didn't help with Duncan. Noah didn't come to fight, but Duncan did, as Noah tried to end it. Duncan escalated it to japing at Noah's loneliness and odd obsession with being with someone else despite being a loner.

Cody and Izzy, as expected, defended Noah, but Duncan wasn't having it. Noah didn't expect Duncan to grab them both harshly in the arms and demand to leave. But Noah couldn't let that happen. He felt powerless, even when he tried to speak. Duncan was more threatening, and his delinquent status made it easy for the girls to listen to him.

But Noah looked Cody in the eyes, and Cody knew what those eyes meant.

❤️

Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run

You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess

It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"

Romeo, save me, they're tryna tell me how to feel

This love is difficult, but it's real

Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess

It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"

Oh, oh

❤️

Noah wished he could've kept his mouth shut but was alone and scared. Imaging him with his friends helped, but only a little. The only noises around him were the wind brushing against the leaves and the occasional howl of the wolf, an unfortunate reminder of Sadie's demise a few days prior.

But he felt bitter, and he chose to sit down to collect his thoughts, but he couldn't, even when he tried.

❤️

I got tired of waiting.

Wonderin' if you were ever comin' around

My faith in you was fading

When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

❤️

Those thoughts of loneliness were amplified as he felt the rope around his neck and the knife stabbing his shoulder. His body was forced into the water, and his body sank. He had never felt so cold in his life, and he was shivering once he burst out of the water, trying to gasp for air, but a realization hit him.

He didn't need it anymore.

He was dead.

Noah was dead.

He was now a ghost, a ghost who saw his own body lifeless on the docks. Seeing his eyes dull and lifeless was odd, but he couldn't help but stare at it for who knows how long.

Noah remembered it clearly, but he should have expected it. But the loneliness continued; it made him question why he even fought with Duncan in the first place. None of it truly mattered, did it? Noah hated it, feeling like a naive fool. He wanted to scream, but his voice was more hoarse than usual, and no one could hear him. He could only look forward.

But his worst fear came to reality.

He heard Cody scream his name, his voice becoming more panicked as he continued to cry. Noah didn't want Cody to see his dead body, but it was too late. He saw how Cody stopped midscream, and he rushed towards Noah's dead body, his hands hesitating to grab his body. Cody didn't want to comprehend that Noah, one of the most intelligent people he knew, died so quickly. Noah could hear Cody begging Noah's body to wake up, but nothing could wake a dead body.

Noah sighed sadly, wishing he could tell Cody to leave, but it was inevitable at this point.

❤️

Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone

I keep waiting for you, but you never come

Is this in my head? I don't know what to think

❤️

Noah gasped as he saw Cody cuddling his dead body, sobbing. He didn't comprehend how much Cody would feel. He heard a loud proclamation of love; his voice was broken from sadness and terror even when Cody cried. He knew Noah could probably hear, but it fell on the dead ears of his love.

❤️

He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

And said, "Marry me, Juliet

You'll never have to be alone

I love you and that's all I really know

I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress

It's a love story, baby, just say,

❤️

Noah, despite being internally soaked, felt tears dripping down his face, and he swam close to Cody, hating how the brunette held his dead body close, trying to warm him up the best he could.

He knew he had an answer to that…

"Yes."

That was the last thing he could even say before Gwen had to pick him up and walk away.

Leaving Noah alone.

Again.

(Island of the Slaughtered owned by @eavee-ry)

[dearmrsawyer]

my GARDEN is DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It took 2 years but we made it 🎉🎉🎉 its life story under the cut

last year i dug up all the roses that the previous owners of this house had planted in this space. I HATE ROSE PLANTS. They're VERMIN. It took me a year (interrupted by la niña) to finally get them all out because i had to dig so far down to remove as much root system as i could. i learned that after the first attempt at removing them, where they all simply grew back because i left too many roots in tact 🙃 due to continued la niña last summer i wasn't able to get the space all the way ready so i spent autumn weeding everything that grew in the rain, digging about a foot into the ground to remove as much old dirt (and more roots) as i could, and tidying up everything we'd dumped there while the space was disused. I had pictures of that stage in the process but i can't find them, just know it looked like a garbage dump hahaha. i got all that done right as the temperature started to drop so i laid out a bunch of tarps to minimise the number of weeds that would grow back over winter and waited.

and then! SPRING. I ordered the soil back in September, 8 cubic metres of it which was definitely more than i needed sdkjlgfdkj but how am i supposed to know what a cubic metre is 😅 i was SO excited when it arrived (first photo), quickly followed by 'oh god i need to move all of this myself.' thankfully we had great weather in september so i could use every free moment i had for two weeks shoveling it into our wheelbarrow and then wheeling it down to tip into the garden area (the conclusion of my work in photo 2 lol). It was only at that point that i was like oh boy okay i REALLY have too much soil here. i filled up every single pot i could find and i added some more dirt to to our citrus tree garden in the courtyard since the existing soil had settled by that point and could use a top up. it still felt like way more than i had planned to buy BUT i thought you know what would be good, i could create tiers to organise the vegetables by how deep their roots grow! i laid down a couple of layers of newspaper to deter anything from the existing dirt growing up into my new soil and then started flattening it out. when we first moved in here there was a tonne of random building material around that the previous owners left behind, and we never got rid of it because we figured a purpose would eventually arise. and my garden was it. i collected all the cement blocks and bricks down the side/behind the house, plus the random lattices that had been piled up where our yard meets the neighbour's, and a scrap of fence leftover from the one we put alongside our driveway last year. There were also heaps of random planks of wood, and some logs from a tree that we trimmed earlier in the year. and i used ALL of it (picture three).

Then a couple of weeks ago i finally got to plant my seeds :D (final product, final photo) the tall section up the back is for the deep root veges, so i've planted pumpkin and cucumber there. in the middle i've planted zucchini, cabbage, cauliflower, silverbeet, radish and green beans. and the shallowest area down the bottom has beetroot, celery, lettuce, broccoli and snow peas. also a passionfruit plant in the corner :) i've also scattered flower seeds all over as i've read that it helps to attract pollinators/insects that will eat other insects that want to eat my vegetables. i've put a couple of flowering herbs into pots down there too, and i marked where i planted everything with sticks so i can remember dskfdklj also i drew myself a map.

i'm so thrilled with it :') its such a good space and now it will be useful! there's a good chance some of my seeds won't sprout as they're a couple of years old, but some of them are new and anyway i don't care, whatever grows will grow and whatever doesn't i'll try again in autumn. its just so exciting to have a garden to tend again, i know that i need to be able to just put my hands in dirt sometimes, it is a very helpful outlet, and also will maybe save us grocery money \o/

[jazlynriddle]

Welcome to your life - Pt 3:

It's My Own Design Ch 2:

Summary:

Ominis fought to control his expression, to keep his hands from trembling. Five years. Five years since he'd seen his parents, and this. This was the reason they'd given him the honour of their time? This was the reason they'd sought him out at Hogwarts?

The bitterness welling up within him was thick enough to gag on.

New year, new allies, new responsibilities, new avenues of revenue, and new aspects of their own Ancient Magic to explore. As the Keeper and their partners enter their last year at Hogwarts, it remains to be seen if the new school year will bring with it new problems or adversaries, but they are confident in the strength of their relationship with Sebastian and Ominis. The three of them would endure, no matter what befell them.

And if they were wrong?

What a joke, they would suffer no alternative.

Warnings: Sebastian x MC x Ominis! Drug Addiction! Spoilers! Slow-burn corruption! Dark content! Fucked up 1800s orphanages! MC has no love for Anne or Solomon! Dubious happy ending (it's happy for MC, Seb and Ominis at least).

You can also read on AO3! (chapter specific warnings below)

Notes:

Warnings: Characters getting PTSD triggered, meltdowns, an absurd amount of foliage lore, gardening, and mentions of feet. Not necessarily in that order.

As hinted in the last chapter of Part Two, our kids are starting to grow up and things like finances are starting to matter real fast.

So, this chapter is going to establish some things that the kids didn't pay very much attention to up till now.

As well as establish the current state of their relationship after the events of Part Two since that epilogue was a bit more general.

Also, my end notes are very long this chapter, I'm sorry, I couldn't pick anything to leave out- TvT

"How's the stability looking on your side?” The Keeper's voice called out, and Sebastian could hear them making their way around the construction site towards him.

He hummed, as they came to a stop beside him, where Sebastian was still crouched. Inspecting the rows of bricks that he'd been carefully aligning and stacking with levitation charms, meticulously shaping them into walls for the last five hours or so.

Standing, he breathed a sigh. “I feel like we should stop here so it can dry, before setting the next layer of bricks. I'm guessing it's the same on your end.”

The Keeper made a distant sound of approval, also surveying the site. “Yes, I think we've done as much as we can today.”

“Not bad for our first day, guess I'll go find Ominis then.” Sebastian flashed them a tired but satisfied grin, guessing that, before leaving, they'd want to speak with-

“Indeed, we're off to a good start. You go ahead, I'll speak with Tynx and then join the two of you at the landing strip in a bit.” The Keeper nodded, patting him on the shoulder before striding towards the other end of the site, where Tynx was also stacking bricks.

Sebastian grinned fondly, his lover was predictable, if nothing else, and he tucked his wand away, before setting off as well. His boots tapped against the cobblestone path that meandered through the grassy courtyard and paved the way to the greenhouses. One of the first things the elves had constructed, seeing as melting snow was awful to walk through.

The late afternoon sun was becoming warmer than comfortable with the arrival of summer, and he tugged absently at the open collar of his light blue button-down. The days were getting longer too, and the Keeper had already made an attempt to continue working till the sun went down, but Ominis was adamant that their lover would be getting more sleep this holiday than their last summer break.

As he neared the southern wall, where the greenhouses stood, Sebastian's eyes idly roved over the land as it were, blanketed by the sun's rays. The castle's courtyard was still covered with tools and materials, barrels of metal ore from the caves that they'd used to craft the cell doors and such. Large boxes tucked under the more beautiful trees that they'd left standing to decorate the grassy lawn that Tibsy had been trimming and neatening.

Sebastian didn't think himself much of an artist, but even he could see that the young elf had a good eye and skill in pruning shrubbery. They were lucky enough to have several bushes of Myrica Gale, a raisin scented shrub that repelled insects and could even be made into tea or essential oils that soothe skin irritation and acne.

They also had small patches of Purple Saxifrage oppositifolia growing like an elegant carpet of small, rounded flowers over the grass. Ominis had been happy when Sebastian found that these spring and summer flowers were even known to relieve indigestion. As well as some scattering of Calluna Vulgaris, which were good for treating inflammation, though the Keeper had originally mistaken it for lavender, until Ominis’ nose had protested their visual conclusion.

It had been a lot of fun, the three of them working to identify the various plants within their territory, over the course of the past year, before Sebastian would comb the Hogwarts Library for information on them. The greatest gem they'd found, however, had been on the plains, near the foot of the hill on which Dìon stood.

The Scilla Luciliae, a plant that produced Squill bulbs. A much sought after ingredient of the Felix Felicis potion that, like the Bloodroot, was likely a relic of the previous owner of this land, since it wasn't native to this region. They'd transferred all instances of this plant to the greenhouses the moment they were ready and had the elves harvest the bulbs to sell, whilst they were buried in exams in June.

While the plant itself was not rare, they only flowered for harvesting in spring and didn’t grow in the United Kingdom, so these were fairly valuable. According to Tynx's report yesterday, those bulbs of Squill alone had carried most of their expenses on the construction tools that they couldn't transfigure for the castle building.

Still, despite all the construction, the courtyard was actually beginning to look like owned property. This morning, the Keeper had suggested placing a fountain in the middle of the courtyard, in front of the house, like the one in Hogwarts, and Sebastian could already imagine how polished the castle would feel with small touches like that.

Though, sadly, Ominis had shot down his suggestion of placing gargoyles with menacing sharp teeth about the parapets as well, a pity since Sebastian thought it'd look brilliant.

Poking his head through the greenhouse's door, he couldn’t help the smile that formed when he spotted Ominis busying about the greenhouse in an apron and gloves. The sun's light caught on the tips of his hair and fair skin, setting him aglow, as the soft sound of hisses drifted through the air as his lover chatted with the snakes. Even after a year, Sebastian could still barely believe that the beautiful boy he'd admired for so many years was his.

“While you decide if you're coming in or not, at least close the door. You're disturbing the atmosphere's humidity.” Ominis huffed, rolling his eyes as he harvested a dittany's leaves.

Sebastian grinned and stepped in, letting the door close behind him. “Just enjoying the view.”

“Of the greenhouse?” Ominis asked with some confusion as he dropped the leaves into a basket.

“Of you.” Sebastian quipped cheerfully, and with a few quick strides, he was wrapping his arms around Ominis waist, happily tucking his face against the slender exposed neck that was peeking through a loose thin white blouse.

“Ugh, Merlin's beard, Sebastian, it's already far too warm in here.” Ominis protested, peeling his cheek from his clingy boyfriend's forehead.

The twin snakes behind them hissed and Ominis let out a quiet laugh that made Sebastian hum curiously, still busy nuzzling against the pleasantly soft skin of his lover's neck, sticky or no. Perfectly content with the likelihood of being the butt of the joke, if it made the blond laugh like that.

“So, did you have a purpose, or did you just come here to make me feel more unbearably hot?” Ominis sighed, resigned to having an octopus attached to him and not getting any more work done.

“More hot? I don't think that's possible, you're already incredibly hot.” Sebastian grinned, unable to resist lapping at the tempting beads of moisture on Ominis’ skin.

“Ugh, stop it, Sebastian!” Ominis protested, redness climbing up along his neck, and to his ears, as he renewed his attempts to wiggle free.

Sebastian chuckled and released his grip, holding his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright, we're done with building the castle for the day. If you too have naught else to do, we can return to Feldcroft.”

Ominis removed his gloves and rubbed a hand over his neck with a huff. “Well, I suppose I can leave the remaining plants for tomorrow.”

“Nice, looks like we've got a lot of potion ingredients this harvest.” Sebastian nodded, peering into the basket.

“Hopefully the potions we make from them sell well. I was listening to Tynx's report yesterday and I honestly thought we'd have more left over from the Squill bulbs.” Ominis sighed as he tidied up, removed his apron, and put the basket away under the potting tables, giving the snakes a farewell kiss on the snout each.

Sebastian placed an arm around his shoulders when he was done, the sound of hisses fading as Sebastian pushed the door open. “It'll be fine, we're getting on well enough, with the elves foraging a fair portion of our food and building materials from our land itself.”

“That it may be... it certainly helps that we need only worry about food during the holidays, when we can help with hunting and fishing.” Ominis nodded, letting Sebastian guide him through the door. “However, while it's fine to live off the land for now, since it's only during the holidays and gives the environment time to replenish while we're at school, it's not sustainable and we're definitely going to need to start work quickly after graduation.”

“Yeah, we could probably use another elf too, Tynx and Tibsy are probably running themselves ragged, though I know they’d never complain, but that would cost even more money.” Sebastian grimaced, all things he never had to think about much before. “Maybe I should take on a part time job too... Guess that's what it's like becoming adults.”

“Stressful. Though... they've been worrying about this kind of thing for a lot longer than us." Ominis flashed a strained smile, thinking of the Keeper for a moment, before shrugging off Sebastian's arm to take his hand instead. While it was cooler outside the greenhouse, it was still far too hot to be that close.

“They grew up faster than us... I mean, I'm grateful to have had their support, but it's sad that they had to.” Sebastian murmured, absently rubbing circles on the back of Ominis’ hand.

The three of them had long since pooled their funds together, which consisted of the small allowances Ominis’ family still sent him, Sebastian's half of his parents’ modest inheritance and the Keeper's... earnings. Specifically, money earned from fulfilling requests, plundered from the Ashwinders and goblins, obtained from selling relics that they'd unearthed from ruins, materials from beasts and spiders, and more recently, the more valuable materials that the elves had gathered off the land.

In truth, the Keeper's contribution made up a vast majority of said funds pool and they had basically been paying for pretty much everything up to this point. They'd never even asked Sebastian or Ominis to help with managing the finances and he hadn't thought of offering either, content to leave such complicated calculations and decisions to them.

“We can't change that, but we can do our best to share that burden.” Ominis smiled wryly and Sebastian nodded.

He really should start being more aware of this stuff, rather than always relying on the Keeper to run the numbers and worry about their finances, after all, he'd be entering the working world in a year. As they cut across the grass to reach the landing strip, Ominis paused halfway and bent down to scratch irritably at his ankle.

“Ugh, bloody grass.” Ominis muttered when Sebastian made a curious sound.

“Something wrong with your ankle?”

Sebastian looked up at the Keeper’s voice, their expression concerned as they approached with Sepulchria in tow.

“Nothing, it's just the grass, it's scratchy and tall, and it keeps getting under my pants. Of course, the one time I decided to wear short socks.” Ominis grumbled with a grimace.

“Hm.” The Keeper crouched to examine their grass. “Admittedly this grass has been a bit of a bother, Tynx says that it takes Tibsy a long time to trim them every week. Perhaps we should replace the grass in our courtyard.”

“Yes please, a white clover lawn would be lovely. My hom-” Ominis caught himself with a wince, clearing his throat. “My parents’ home has a lawn of white clovers and it's really comfortable, soft like a carpet. I could run about barefooted, and I'm told it looks beautiful too.”

“That sounds nice, I'll tell Tynx to purchase some seeds.” The Keeper smiled, deciding to let that moment slide as Ominis seemed to wish, giving him a kiss on the cheek with a small smirk. “Come on, let's get back to the house and you can run about barefooted so I can see if it’s beautiful.”

Ominis frowned at their tone. “I have no idea what double entendre that was supposed to be.”

The Keeper chuckled. “You'll be surprised how many people find bare feet to be sexually appealing.”

Ominis’ eyes widened. “Feet!?”

“I mean, you do have pretty feet.” Sebastian commented thoughtfully.

“I what!?”

“Close your eyes.”

The Keeper's eyes slid shut without hesitation.

“I want you to picture a place. Somewhere safe, somewhere secure.” Ominis murmured, the three of them sitting cross-legged on the bed in the Feldcroft cottage, clean and full, the scent of their dinner still hanging in the air. “Let me know when you have one.”

The Keeper thought for a moment. Safe... quickly the Undercroft came to mind, the place that they trusted enough to hide the Repository. Yet, it was a part of Hogwarts, and was not truly theirs. The Trial grounds they'd found in Gringotts? That was secure they supposed, only accessible by one with Ancient Magic. Dìon? It wasn't completely secure yet, but it would be.

“Done.” Sebastian didn't seem to have quite as much hesitation, and they imagined that his was easily the Undercroft.

“The appearance of the location can be changed later, it's just symbolic, as long as you feel that it's a safe place to hide your memories.” Ominis smiled, guessing what was taking the Keeper awhile.

The Keeper chuckled, very well, Dìon then. For now, the most secure place in there was the Dungeons, so they pictured the third basement floor. “Done.”

“Next, imagine doors, many doors. Behind each door is a part of you. You may define them any way you wish. Age, location, people, or even aspects of your personality, whatever is comfortable.” Ominis continued.

Easy enough, the Dungeons were already filled with doors. The Keeper considered how they'd sort it, eventually settling on time and age to start with. They visualised the space, walking through the corridor, and allocating the time-period of a year to seventeen cells. They then created eight cells for the older orphans that they wanted to find, three for their caretakers at the orphanage, one for Solomon, one for Rookwood and Harlow, and one for Ranrok.

They hesitated for a moment, before envisioning another three secret rooms, hidden in the wall on the opposite end of the stairs descending into their mindscape. A room for memories involving Sebastian, a room for Ominis, and a room for Professor Fig and the Elder Keepers.

They thought for a moment more, before going back to the cells to assign one to Anne and another four for the friends they'd made in Hogwarts.

“Done.” The Keeper murmured and they waited with Ominis for a few more minutes before Sebastian echoed their statement.

“Now, imagine protection for these doors.” Ominis nodded. “Lace them with memories of pain. You want to shock any intruders that try to access them and force them to withdraw from your mind.”

The Keeper felt their eyebrows raise, well, that was easy too. They dug into the depths of their memories for pain, the pain of broken bones, of rent flesh, of air just out of reach, the nauseating burn of humiliation, of shattered dignity and broken pride. They poured their pain into the bars of the cells, melting it into metal. Anyone wanting to access their memories would need to touch that agony.

“Done.” Sebastian's voice was tight, and theirs wasn't much better when they gave their own affirmation.

They felt Ominis’ hand slip into their own and the residual discomfort from recalling painful memories eased some.

“Next, remember something safe for others to view, something boring.” Ominis’ instructions continued. “Something benign. Fill the open space with it.”

The Keeper thought back to their classes, pulling forth a memory of listening to Professor Sharp's lecture and letting it fill the room. “Done.”

“Done.” Sebastian followed.

“Alright, you can open your eyes now, but try to keep the place you envisioned in your mind.” Ominis’ smile was the first thing that their open eyes gravitated to as he spoke, before they glanced at Sebastian, noting his adorably focused expression and they quickly felt the image of the Dungeons begin to slip away.

The Keeper frowned and gripped tighter onto the visualised space, trying to remember the memory they'd filled the room with, rather than fresh thoughts of how handsome their boys were. This was turning out to be more challenging than they'd expected.

“Now, you remember the incantation, yes?” Ominis continued. “You can take turns practising the Legilimency Spell on each other, while trying to hold onto that representation of your mind. Though I will forewarn you, while I am admittedly unsure of how it'll feel, my siblings never seemed particularly excited for their lessons.”

“Duly noted. Would you like to go first, Sebastian?” The Keeper asked with a teasing smile.

“And let you learn from my failure? No thanks, I'll let you go first, for the small chance that you might.” Sebastian grinned back.

“You think I'll muck up a spell on my first go?” The Keeper drew their wand with a snort.

“First time for everything, love.” Sebastian winked.

“Fair, ready?” The Keeper smirked, waiting for his expression to focus again with a nod, before staring into Sebastian's eyes and swishing their wand, the way that Ominis had shown them before. “Legilimens.”

It was a strange feeling, one moment they were staring into Sebastian's warm brown eyes, and the next, they were standing in the Undercroft. There were doors fitted into the walls and they could feel, as though in the back of their mind, a memory of Professor Hecat demonstrating a spell, a mild sensation of curiosity and a tinge of anxiety drifting through the air.

Somehow, the whole place felt distinctly Sebastian. If that made any sense, and curiously, unlike their own greyscale mindscape, Sebastian's actually had colour. His own fascination fluttered about them as they examined the space, tinged with some exasperation because of course you got it on your first try, as usual. The Keeper smothered their own amusement, enjoying the comforting warmth of his affection swirling about them. Such a wonderful feeling, wrapped around every stray thought that whispered through their senses.

Stepping further into his mind, they moved towards one of the closed doors, feeling his apprehension ripple through the air. As they reached a hand forward, the Keeper could already feel a creeping numbness begin to crawl up their fingers. Bracing themselves, they gripped the door handle.

Immediately, it felt as though the very air had been pulled from their lungs, their body became laden with weight, their muscles seized up uncontrollably, and their stomach filled with ice, while their heart was firmly encased in the tight grip of despair. Of sorrow and loss, of hurt and betrayal, loneliness and abandonment, and a grief that was overwhelming in its agony.

They recoiled, as though burned, and the space around them warped, all of Sebastian's present thoughts and feelings overridden by these turbulent emotions and sensations. Losing their grip on the spell, the Keeper was ejected from his mind.

As they returned to themselves, the Keeper found their breaths laboured and the sound of Sebastian's own heavy breathing filled their ears.

How could anyone live with that? How could he continue to love, after having loved so deeply, and lost so horribly?

It was so different, Sebastian's suffering, yet no more or less than their own. Different but equally agonising and more than unbearable. Perhaps it was because they hadn't gotten used to that specific pain, they hadn't grown and learned to live with it as a part of themselves. A grief over a loss they’d never experienced, so foreign and sudden, jarring and nauseating.

“A- are you alright?” Ominis asked with a worried frown.

“Yes.” The Keeper forced out as they caught their breath, trying to focus on Sebastian through the moisture gathering in their eyes.

Within them swirled an instinctive desperation, welling within them in response to his emotions, yet the feeling itself was slowly receding from their mind. Much like how one would be unable to hold on to physical sensations after it had passed, the fact of its occurrence could be recalled, but not re-experienced without the root of said feelings buried in one's self.

They took a steadying breath. “It's starting to fade... and you, Sebastian?”

“...yeah..." He grimaced, shaking his head. “Well, that was unpleasant.”

“Sorry about that.” The Keeper pressed a hand to his cheek, feeling some relief at being able to touch him, to tell themselves that he wasn't about to crumble like an illusion. The foreign, yet raw sensation of loss gradually bleeding from their aching and throbbing heart.

“It's alright, we're testing our defences. If anything, it is I who should be apologising.” Sebastian smiled wryly.

“Not at all, it's a good thing that your defences are painful enough to throw me out like that. In a manner of speaking.” The Keeper shook their head and Sebastian gave a strained chuckle in response.

“I imagine entering someone's mind is a very intimate and fraught experience.” Ominis murmured, rubbing his thumbs soothingly over both the hands that were still within his grasp.

“It certainly is, but I'm glad to have done so. I have a new respect for you, Sebastian.” The Keeper smiled sadly, the moisture in their eyes finally swelling enough to roll down their cheek. “Living and enduring despite such pain, even though it must be terrifying. I'm proud of you, proud to have your trust.”

Sebastian's eyes were wide with wonder as he reached across to touch the wetness on their cheek. He hadn't thought his pain enough to draw tears from his stoic and seemingly fearless lover.

It’d been Anne who'd been hurt, Anne who was cursed, what did it matter that he had been alone, fighting to save her, that he had been hurt just as badly when she'd been ripped from his side. No one had paid any mind to him when he was lost, blind and adrift in a storm without a sail, rowing desperately in search of the shore, a vine without support.

After all, it was Anne who'd been hurt.

The moisture against his fingertips was indescribably precious, a tiny, shattered bead of light, healing his very soul.

Sebastian's cheeks were warm, and his trembling smile was soft, vulnerable, unlike his usual cocky grins. “That's... thank you, it's... quite something, to have someone genuinely understand my pain. To know they literally do.”

“I can imagine...” The Keeper shook their head with a sad smile, thinking of the pain they’d felt in him, the betrayal and hurt, a raw wound still festering even now. Goddamn Solomon, their hatred for that man would never die.

The fucker never cared, or perhaps never understood, what he was doing to his own blood, to the nephew he was supposed to love and guide. The kin he should have been comforting, rather than hurting. Solomon was supposed to be Sebastian's rock, his support and shield to weather any storm, someone he could rely on, but instead Solomon had bared his sharp edges at Sebastian.

The man merely berated him for trying to reclaim his happiness, for needing an outlet and course of action after being hurt. Ominis, who wasn't even family, had tried to be there for Sebastian far more than his uncle ever did, or Anne for that matter. Though, they would give that Anne wasn't in much condition to support him, that was supposed to be the job of adults like Solomon.

“We'll always be here for you, to share both your pains and joys.” The Keeper caught his hand in theirs as he withdrew it, squeezing his fingers, seeking to communicate the firmness of their conviction with their grip. To lighten the weight of his ever-looming despair and give him the reassurance they now knew he needed. “I will never abandon you or give up on you.”

“Forever and always.” Ominis nodded in agreement, lifting Sebastian's hand in his grasp, and pressing a kiss to it. “I may not be able to feel your pain through Legilimency, but I will always try to help you bear it.”

Sebastian swallowed thickly, finding it difficult to speak, but forcing the words out anyway. “I- thank you... both of you.”

The Keeper released his hand with a smile, allowing him space to collect himself for a moment and taking the time to do the same, scrubbing their sleeve over their eyes.

“Should we stop here?” Ominis asked, his voice laced with concern.

“No, it’s- it’s fine, I can keep going.” Sebastian closed his eyes and breathed deeply, the tension loosening from his body, before he looked up, his expression resolute. “Alright, your turn then.”

At his words, the Keeper took a deep breath, pushing aside the residual emotions and focusing on their mindscape as Sebastian drew his wand.

“Ready?” He asked and they nodded. “Legilimens.”

A moment of anticipatory silence later, Sebastian sighed with a grumble. “How in Merlin's name are you always able to get a spell right on your first attempt?”

The Keeper chuckled, while Ominis smiled and gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Don't be discouraged, it's an incredibly difficult spell. At least you can learn it at all, training for it begins with eye contact, so I can't even attempt to practice the basics.”

“Is it possible to use this spell without eye contact?” The Keeper asked curiously.

“Theoretically, I suppose. However, I've never known anyone to achieve such an advanced level of skill. Then again, the art is considered illegal and anyone who had such capability would likely never admit it.” Ominis shrugged, and Sebastian gave an intrigued hum, before shaking his head.

“Alright, let's try again.” Sebastian nodded and the Keeper focused again on their mental visualisation as he met their eyes, raising his wand. “Legilimens.”

It was bizarre, feeling him inside them, like a warm little light floating through the cool air of their dungeon mindscape. The urge to cuddle him, to wrap their entire being around him, was unbearable with him so close, within their very mind like this. He drifted about for a while, and they wondered if he could feel their love for him, like they'd felt his.

The Keeper felt a moment of concern as he approached one of the cells. They knew that they had to, but they were still worried about him touching their defences. He was already so hurt, they didn't much desire to burden him with theirs too.

His fingers touched the bars, and the explosion of pain hit like a bludgeon to the head. That familiar disgust that crawled under the skin, that made them want to tear at it, and rip it all off just to get it out. Then, Sebastian was gone, and they were left disoriented, trembling upon the mattress once more.

Several minutes passed, the sharp sensation slowly ebbing as they struggled to steady their breathing, swallowing hard to keep the nausea down, and rubbing their thumb over their wrists to soothe the prickling skin.

The Keeper gave a strained laugh. “...congratulations, second try.”

“Yay.” Sebastian groaned, his hand covering his mouth like he was about to be sick.

“You alright there?” The Keeper asked with a concerned frown, a little perturbed with themselves that the words came out slightly shaky, as if their own feelings were anything new.

“Let's just say that I was expecting the physical pain, but the emotional... Well, it was a lot more horrific than I could possibly imagine.” Sebastian shuddered, releasing Ominis’ hand, and reaching out to draw the Keeper into a tight embrace.

“As were yours..." The Keeper murmured, their voice muffled as he pressed their face into his shoulder, rubbing his hands over their back and arms, as though seeking to scrape off the disgust and disgrace still clinging to and crawling all over their skin.

They hadn't thought it'd hit so hard, even after Sebastian had said it literally a few minutes ago, but it was insane, realising that he now understood on an intuitive level, exactly how their pain felt. That someone now knew the exact way that their skin burned and itched when...

That someone knew exactly what to give them. What they needed.

It was such a foreign feeling, in fact, that they were suddenly feeling uncomfortable with said fact. This was probably the most vulnerable they'd ever been. Sebastian had only touched their pain, hadn't even delved any deeper into them, and already he had a level of power that no one had ever had over them. The ability to give them precisely what they needed.

The Keeper swallowed, fear creeping up their spine, but they pushed it back down. They'd already decided to trust him and Ominis, all those months ago, when they were struggling with withdrawal from their addiction. Or perhaps the fear came from those feelings of loss they’d tasted in Sebastian, a fear that that pain might someday find its home in their own heart.

Taking a deep breath, they allowed Sebastian's touch to drive away the lingering nausea, before straightening, his grip loosening to allow them to withdraw. “I'm alright, Sebastian... thank you.”

“You don't always have to be.” Sebastian replied, his expression uncomfortably knowing, and the Keeper nodded silently, trying to collect themselves.

“I think we can stop here for today.” Ominis wore a strained smile as he reached out to pull both of them close, and placed a kiss on their foreheads, one after the other.

“How'd we do Professor Gaunt?” The Keeper asked, struggling to inject some levity into their voice, tucking their head under his chin comfortably.

“Very well, honestly. My siblings took several days to even breach each other's minds. Though, perhaps your willingness and trust in each other made it easier. I assure you that it is a testament to the strength that both of you have over your minds, that your defences even deployed correctly with so little preparation and practice.” Ominis was quiet for a few moments before continuing. “In truth, I'm not sure if there are other means of protecting memories, I'm only teaching what I learned and I don't know how any of that actually feels...”

The Keeper frowned at the carefully concealed bitterness in his voice, one they might have missed if they hadn't felt his fingers twitch on their shoulder.

Sebastian hummed thoughtfully. “I'd wager your family uses this method of achieving Occlumency because it works regardless of the individual's pain tolerance. After all, everyone's pain is different, and one cannot have built a tolerance for someone else's pain because they have not learnt to cope or live with it.”

“So, it hits with the impact of a sudden traumatic experience, enough to disrupt the focus of the intruder.” The Keeper nodded absently, lifting their head from Ominis’ shoulder to examine his expression.

“Exactly.” Sebastian nodded, seeming entirely lost in his churning thoughts and analysis. “I think it even helps that the person, whose mind is being invaded, can't think of anything else when the defences are triggered, thus concealing their own present thoughts. Bit of an extreme way to protect one's memories, putting yourself through a traumatic breakdown, but I have to admit, it works nonetheless.”

As Sebastian spoke, the Keeper observed Ominis’ expression. There was something almost wistful around the corners of his eyes, and perhaps some frustration in the tightness of his lips, and they recalled his words prior. I may not be able to feel your pain through Legilimency.

“Ominis... are you-” The Keeper spoke, almost without noticing it themselves, catching themselves and Sebastian's attention, before taking Ominis’ hand in their own. “Could you share with us how you're feeling?”

Ominis sighed, he should have known that he wouldn't be able to hide, sometimes he wondered if his lover was an actual mind reader. It probably would have upset him, if they hadn't proven their surprising loyalty to Sebastian and himself so quickly. If anything, it ended up being something of a relief, to not need to draw attention purposefully, to not feel guilty for being overly needy when upset.

“I- it's... incredibly inappropriate.” He shifted uncomfortably, drawing confidence from the soothing circles that the Keeper was rubbing against the back of his hand. “But, at the risk of coming off crudely, I suppose, I am... envious. Not of the pain, but well, the ability to share it in such an intimate manner.”

“I just, I try not to think about it. I can function just fine on my own, I don't- I don't need it but- but there's just... there's so many things I just can't understand, colours, and light and-” Ominis smoothed a hand over his hair, finding it difficult to put his feelings into words, his fist tightening when it returned to his lap. “And now, there's yet another thing I can't share, that I can't experience, and it's with the two of you and it's just- it's so- frustrating.”

“All because of some preposterous concept of purity that drove my ancestors to bed their blasted siblings to the point where I was born- born broken!” Ominis covered his mouth as the last word came out, a shaky breath choking past his lips.

“Love...” The Keeper murmured, placing their hand gently on his arm. “You're not broken...”

“I know!” Ominis burst out, shaking their hand off, his breathing agitated and his voice rising with anguish. “But I want- I want to share my pain with the two of you! I want to have that understanding! I know it's selfish, it's childish, but I just- it's not fair!”

His voice broke on the last words, shattering Sebastian's restraint along with them.

“But you have!” Sebastian exclaimed, reaching past the Keeper to grab Ominis by the shoulders and shake him. “Ominis! You're doing it right now!”

Ominis’ eyes were wide, and Sebastian's voice cracked, tight with emotion. “Don't call yourself selfish or childish for wanting to connect with us! Because you're right. It's not fair. And you don't have to be okay with it!”

Ominis’ breathing began to slow as Sebastian's hands clenched tightly around his shoulders, his eyes quickly filled with tears, and they rolled down his fair skin in thin streams.

“Ominis. Sebastian and I may have touched each other's pain, but without the empathy and love for each other, it would have done nothing to connect us.” The Keeper gently dabbed at the wetness on his cheeks with their sleeve. “We merely attained a quick shortcut in exchange for a jarring reminder. What you've done just now is the same, and you've felt our pain before, remember?”

Ominis’ breath caught, recalling this very cottage, holding Sebastian in his arms as the boy was overcome with fear and regret, sobbing on the floor hard enough to pass out. The Keeper sitting on a step as they panicked over their addiction and loss of magical control, the trap they'd run headfirst into with reckless abandon.

Ominis closed his eyes with a weak smile. They were right, he'd already felt them, held them, both of them, when they were at their lowest, when they needed him. It wasn't like his family, where he was left alone, left out, where no one bothered to explain things to him, things he had no way of understanding. Where he was treated like an afterthought.

Perhaps, the Keeper was right here too, even if he had been able to use Legilimency, he might still not have been able to understand his parents or his siblings. He might still not have been able to understand how they could cast the Cruciatus curse on him, when he'd loved them so much. Perhaps, even with Legilimency, they might not have understood how he'd felt, might not have cared enough to understand.

He sniffed, hiccupping lightly as he felt the Keeper's arm around his shoulder and then Sebastian's, then the warmth of their breaths against his cheeks and the press of their foreheads against his.

“T- thank you...” Ominis could barely get the words out, but his heart was light and for once...

...he wasn't the odd one out.

Notes:

Sebastian: *pokes Ominis in the cheek* Also, how dare you insult my boyfriend. Ominis: *teary laughter* Keeper: Smooth. Sebastian: Why, thank you. — It may sound strange, but I feel like people who have to struggle with PTSD are actually mentally strong, the amount of control that one must exert in order to not lose their sanity when encountering trauma should not be understated or underestimated. As such, I headcanon that people with PTSD, thanks to the compartmentalising required to cope with trauma, are likely to be skilled at Occlumency.

Also, did you know that some people can mentally visualise imagery from memory with colour, but some can't? There are also people who can't visualise at all too, and not because they're blind x'D

I think that people tend to forget that when someone gets hurt or falls ill, the people who love them get hurt too. Some people cope by fighting and kids especially, don't know how to direct that energy and they need guidance. The whole “well, other people have it worse” argument literally does nothing but victim blame and shame. Sure, it could be worse, but it also could be better and there's no reason to shame someone or beat yourself up for wishing it were better.

I think Ominis being a rare case of incurable blindness must be absolutely isolating, on top of being a Gaunt and having that shit reputation. It's already difficult irl, for blind people to socialise when it's not rare to this extent and we see many instances of the game's NPCs forgetting about Ominis being blind.

There's no way all of that isn't bothering him. Like, imagine someone asking you, “Why are you blind? It's curable, isn't it?” Well, not for me bitch, thanks for assuming I had a choice and chose to remain disabled. Rude.

It's the whole, “I may not need it to survive, but I need/want it to be happy” kind of thing and Ominis’ struggle with admitting it is a “well, I don't need it, and I don't want you to think less of me, but maybe I do want it.”

Just because he can live and function perfectly fine on his own and he's proud of that and doesn't have that type of performance self-esteem issue, doesn't mean that being treated without respect or consideration, or treated like an outsider that people avoid just because they don't know how to interact with him and they'd worry about what they can and can't say or do around him, wouldn't frustrate the living shit out of him.

Because here's the thing, while it sounds so easy, like oh, if only we could read each other's minds, we'd understand. No. No, that's pure bullshit. If you care enough about each other, you will eventually come to understand each other, with enough time, effort, and communication. But if there isn't care, all the mind reading and telepathy in the world wouldn't help.

If there isn't mutual respect and empathy and genuine desire to work hard to understand each other, even Jesus can't save that relationship. There aren't shortcuts to relationships, familial or romantic or platonic. It's blood and sweat and mistakes and forgotten birthdays and broken promises, it's trying over and over to understand the other, even when you're tired and frustrated and burned out by everything.

So, if you're trying and you know the other person is trying, you'll eventually understand them. Even if that still ends up in a parting of ways due to irreconcilable differences in way of thinking, at least I can say that, you'll understand them and you'll understand why it didn't work out.

(It's also kinda fucked up for Ominis’ parents to basically say “I'd rather my kids get a traumatic breakdown than leak info from their brain”, but we're talking about people who crucioed their own kid. So.)

[feathers-nest]

First fic I'm posting directly to this new separate blog.

I still need more practice writing for Prince and this is also my first time attempting to write Clavis, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a new suitor.

This will likely be the start of a series of fics, not exactly in chronological order and most of them able to sand alone, of a Magic/Fantasy AU with Water Dragon!Readerx Clavis, inspired by the following event and my slight obsession with magical or non-human characters (is the lack of it why I struggle a little with Prince although I want to write more for it?).

This part was written for:

By @violettduchess

Did I even finish it in time?

The event's prompt being Water and it turned to be the basis of the whole series more so than this specific fic as I didn't have the time to work on the first idea I had.

Series Maserlist // Main Masterlist // Read on AO3

“We could…” Clavis started to suggest, watching the streams of water in the air that dripped over the garden’s plants.

“No.” You interrupted your lover, trying to walk away, but he followed.

You were trying to water the plants that morning - gardening was a good hobby and a good use and training for your newfound powers - when he had approached you.

“What about…”

“No!”

“But it would be interesting, wouldn’t it? And it’s not like anyone would get hurt.”

By his tone of voice, he found your frustration as amusing as whatever ideas he had. Not that you were exactly frustrated, you just wanted him to believe you were.

You finally spun around, looking him in the eyes.

“Clavis, I love you, I go along with a lot of things” both because it was difficult not to let him drag you around and because you were willing to indulge him, “but I will not use my powers to help you on your pranks.” You kissed him, smiling softly.

Ever since you found out your family wasn’t completely human, and that you had water powers, Clavis had been trying to convince you to join him in his pranks. You had no plans to give in, but even you found it amusing to see him try.

“Is this a challenge, my dear?”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t dare challenge you. But you know I’m not comfortable using my powers in such a way, and I know that, although you insist, you wouldn’t force me to.”

“Not comfortable? What about what I saw yesterday with Emma and Linet?”

“It’s different between us. A ladies game. Why do you want me to help you so badly?”

“Is it that strange that I would like to share some fun moments with my lover? You already work so hard, I thought of making your training more interesting.”

In other words, he wanted more time with you. You were surprised, but so touched.

It was true that you had been busier since you discovered these powers, but it had been because of him, too.

“Thank you, Clavis.” You kissed his cheek and held his hand. “Sorry I have been busy, but you don’t need to go that far. I actually wanted to get better at controlling my powers to avoid an incident like last week.”

“So getting me all wet was an accident? I thought it was your way to come on to me.”

“And I was so torn between laughing and staring at how hot you looked all drenched that I just let you think so. But it was an incident. You surprised me and my powers burst out. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, but I wanted that to happen. A small sacrifice to cheer my lover up.”

“Sure.”

You chuckled and stepped closer to him again, but stopped when you felt water dripping into you, freezing when you realized you had gotten distracted when using your powers. The water streams had spread, creating a soft drizzle in the whole garden.

You panicked and tried to retreat them, but when Clavis touched you out of nowhere you nearly jumped and the water burst in all directions, drenching both of you, and by the cries you heard in the background, caught someone else too.

“Was that on purpose, too?”

“No. But it is a hot summer and you look cute with your hair all wet like this.” He pushed a strand of wet hair away from your face.

He really did it on purpose, but you just couldn’t be mad at him. You also reached to adjust his hair, laughing, while Clavis smiled at you.

You should get used to how things were going to be from now on and, sincerely, you didn’t mind much.

Series Maserlist // Main Masterlist

[brown-little-robin]

5, 6, 17, and 25. :)

5. What was the last thing you watched?

...huh! strangely, it was not jojo! it was in fact the next-to-last episode of Over the Garden Wall!

6. Show us a rock?

uhhh okay so it's not a rock exactly but have this brick thing from the porch below my bedroom window :]

17: Tell us about your favorite character?

current favorite character is Jotaro Kujo. there will be spoilers and I got a little excited and wrote more than I meant to, so if you don't want jojo's bizarre adventure spoilers, don't click read more. <3

okay SO!

JOTARO KUJO!!!! He's one of the main characters of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Jotaro inherited magical powers, improbable buffness, beautiful blue eyes, and a homicidal vampire enemy from his great-great-grandfather, the first ever JoJo (Jotaro is the third to bear that nickname). He's a complex, self-contradictory character, but essentially he's a self-caged tiger. He loves deeply but he knows his own size and strength and claws, so he keeps himself away from his loved ones physically and emotionally; he thinks of himself as a monster before he ever actually becomes one. He's quiet but has an immense presence, a smothering fire under a blanket of his own making. He's seventeen in 1988, a Japanese high schooler who likes jazz and sumo and cigarettes and manga, who calls his mother slurs but drops his entire life to go save her life when she falls ill. He kills for her. He goes through plane crashes, car crashes, boat sinkings, over twenty assassination attempts, and any number of injuries for her. He makes a few friends and loses over half of them. He thinks he's only good for violence and his vampire-killing quest confirms that belief for him. He's tragic.

But that's just the part of the story where he's the main character. Later, he shows up as a visibly depressed but somewhat coping 28-year-old marine researcher, and I say good for him. Good For Him. He really said "yes, I'm the most powerful person in the world and I could spend my entire life doing Hero Stuff, but what I want is to study the ocean" and then went and did that. What I really enjoy about Jotaro Kujo is that he seems to be a bit self-aware about being A Manga Main Character, and that responsibility crushes him—but doesn't kill him completely.

He stops his own heart to play dead once, have I mentioned that? ???? clutches my chest and groans. I love a good self-destructive character, okay. Jotaro is (as I've been lovingly told by several friends now) Robin Catnip.

25: Talk about something you love?

Man, I just did, what do you want from me? (<- joke)

now for something completely different: hats. I really love hats and specifically my hat collection. for example, I have this really incredible, like, newsie cap? it's brown and cream with a front brim that I can pull down over my eyes to shade my eyes and emote with. It's very useful. adorable, too, if I do say so myself. Also, it's lightweight, so it's cool to wear in the summer. I've also got a silly grey baseball-cap thing that says "BLESS YOUR HEART" in pink and blue on the front in stitching, which makes me laugh. it also makes other people laugh. I am winning at fashion.

[elvendria]

Noticing You - e.m x fem reader Part Two

Chapter Song: Chaotic - Tate McRae (Y/n will act like it's her song)

(Also Eddie has a job as a mechanic apprentice because let's be real, the idea of Eddie all sweaty and covered in grease is appealing)

tw: shy nerdy reader, shy eddie, sleazeball hellfire member (Not the guy unlisted, this is an OC character)

word count: 4467

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

part one part two part three part four part five part six part seven

September 2nd

My fingertips pressed against the ivory keys of the school's beat-up piano. Robin had asked me to consider joining band, and realistically I never play the piano at home anymore, at least not for myself. But I'm not totally sold on the idea.

It runs the first half of lunch, and it would be nice to get back out there and play with a group of people, not just to the mannequin the art department left in here after they were finished sketching the human figure. The thing is so creepy, I tried putting a hat on it just to make it look less, well, creepy, but all it did was make it look like a sleep paralysis demon with style.

After band, Robin caught up with me in the halls. She started rambling on about something Steve had said during their shift at Family Video. I was only listening to snippets of the conversation, trying desperately to get to the library before she dragged me to the cafeteria. But before I knew it, she'd linked my arms and started walking to the disgusting pit that people choose to eat lunch in. Willingly.

You'd think that I would at least have a chance at overpowering Robin given how tall and slight looking she is, but the truth is Robin spent her entire summer slinging ice cream, and she's got seriously strong arms because of it. An unfair advantage if you ask me, giving piano lessons to kids hardly builds up your strength.

"You're not holing up in your nerd castle just so you can avoid facing him." Robin laughed, practically dragging me down the halls, each step taking me closer and closer to food poisoning.

"I have no idea who you-" I started

"Shut up Y/n, did you forget that I sit beside you in bio already? I've seen how you look at him, I'm surprised he hasn't found out yet, you are one serious stealth master when it comes to hiding how you feel about someone,"

"I don't feel that way about anyone. It's a stupid concept reinforced by stupid people. I just get shy around him that's all,"

Just as I said that Vickie caught up with us and complimented Robin on her trumpet performance at band. Robin immediately went red and kept stumbling over her words, but in the end, she managed a "Thanks, you too," before Vickie walked away.

I keep forgetting how nervous Robin gets around people, especially girls. I guess it's another thing we have in common.

Walking into the cafeteria, I pulled my green and black flannel around myself, partially hiding the Metallica shirt I wore underneath. It used to be my Dad's, but I doubt he's going to come back to scold me about wearing his clothes. Even so, I didn't want Dustin to see it, he'd have a million questions and every second one would be "Are you okay?"

After grabbing what I can only assume is an attempt at lasagna, I spot my brother and wave before going to sit two tables down. He tries to beckon me over to sit with him, or to at least sit at the empty table between us, but he's with his Hellfire group, and I just wanted to be by myself. With Robin.

I taught Dustin how to play D&D when I was 10 and he was 7. Mom and Dad couldn't stop fighting, and he was almost always drunk. I didn't want Dustin to hear him, so I'd take him down to the basement or the back garden and try and distract him. He then brought his friends around and I taught them how to play D&D too, eventually resigning and letting Will Byers become their Dungeon Master. But with him having moved to California with Johnathan and Eleven, I guess they needed someone else to take over for Will.

I just wish it wasn't Eddie.

"Y/n, you're staring at your lunch like it's going to kill you." Robin laughed, sitting down across from me.

"I swear I saw the pasta move on its own," I say, poking at it with my fork. "See? It just blinked at me." I looked at the lunch lady, scratching at the mole on her face, and suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. That was when I felt the weight of the cafeteria benches shift.

Looking across, I saw my brother's massive grin as he sat down beside me. He was digging into his lasagna and I suddenly wanted to be sick, even going so far as to fake gag. I picked up his lunch tray and put it in the trash in an attempt to prevent anything that may end with him in the nurse's office.

"Hey! I was enjoying that!" He grumbled, folding his arms and sulking in his seat.

"Yeah well I'll make you a grilled cheese later, one that won't leave you with your head in the toilet bowl," I said. He started to mimic me, which resulted in me mimicking him back, and we went on like that until Robin slammed her hands on the table, forcing us both to look at her.

"Oh my god, you two are the most childish people I've ever met, yet somehow you're still the most adorable people I've ever met. If I didn't already know you're brother and sister I would definitely guess that you're somehow related" Robin laughed, exchanging knowing looks with Mike.

"See? Even the thought of being related to you is sending my friends crazy." I nudged him in the side.

"Friend, singular. I don't see multiple people sitting here." He nudged me back.

"Speaking of, why are you sitting here, isn't your club table there," I said, nodding my head in the direction of the table Dustin normally sat at.

"Well you wouldn't sit with us, so we wanted to sit with you," I glanced over and saw that the rest of the hellfire club had started to pick up their lunch trays.

"Well, that's very sweet Dustbin, but Robin and I have something we need to work on for Bio class," I said, kicking Robin under the table. Harder than I meant to.

"What? Ow- I mean yeah, tons of homework, Mr Wright will be pissed if we don't finish it by Monday." Robin said, saving me from humiliation as we both stood up and began to walk away.

"What about coming by Hellfire tonight?" Dustin called out again,

"I'll pick you up at 6:30, but I've got homework and lessons Dustin so I'll be pretty busy." Suddenly mid-sentence my eyes locked with Eddies, and he held my stare for a moment, or a lifetime, I couldn't tell, and deep down a feeling stirred within me. I pushed it down and away as I turned and walked as fast as I could before I had the chance to make a fool of myself, Robin following along behind me.

"Damn," She said, "You've got it bad for that boy huh?" She teased me as we walked down the halls,

"I don't 'Have it bad' for anyone. I've already told you this. I'm just shy around people in general."

"Yes, but you're especially shy around our dear Mr Munson," She said, over-dramatically fluttering her eyelashes and cupping her hands beside her face.

"I'm not continuing this Robin, I'll wind up with a headache that will last for days," I said, stopping to sit on a bench in the hall "Anyways we've discussed this before, I'm more nervous around him because I made a fool of myself in front of him in middle school."

"Fine, I get it. But we have a problem with our excuse. Dustin's going to say it to Eddie, and Eddies in our bio class, he's going to know we have nothing due." Robin said, sitting beside me and placing her head on my shoulder. We both let out a really loud sigh

"Oh god," I said, wanting to hide in the furthest corner of the world where no one will ever find me.

Classes seemed to drag on until the bell rang. I thought about making my way home to start on my English homework. But as I was passing by the music room, I caught sight of the piano, and it was like my heart lulled me to it.

I waited till the halls were fairly empty, getting a few homework assignments done before I sat at the bench and played random notes that had been bouncing around my head all day. Humming the tune as I played, I tried pairing it with lyrics I had written down sometime last week,

"I have this paralyzing fear that I'll maybe go nowhere," I started quietly, afraid in case lingering students still in the halls might hear me.

"But God forbid me ever admitting I could be scared." I continued humming the tune until I got to the next section of lyrics I had written.

"You said it looks like I've been going through hell,  How did you know, how could you tell?"

I didn't have anything else to go along with that just yet, but it was getting there, and I liked the way it sounded.

As I was getting up to leave, I could hear some rustling outside the door followed by the sound of someone running. I just grabbed my bag and left, if I was late to another teaching lesson, Mrs O'Dwyer would find someone else to teach her bratty child how to play the piano. The girl doesn't even attempt to learn, but her mother pays well and doesn't skimp out even though I'm not qualified to teach.

Getting into the car, I saw there was only one car left in the parking lot. He sat in it and looked straight ahead like he was thinking a million things at once.

I suddenly felt awful. Everyone calls him "The Freak," and here I was, acting as if I agreed with them. There were days when I so desperately wanted to speak to him, to say that I liked his tattoos, but the minute I see him I clam up, and no words are uttered until I'm alone in my car that afternoon. Then I go and say everything I wish I said to him during the day.

I checked my watch. It was 3:30 now, Dustin would need me to pick him up in 3 hours.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I did what I do best, and pushed everything down until I couldn't feel anything anymore.

I got home and by the time I finished teaching the little brat and done a few assignments, it was time to pick up Dustin. It was dark out, and it looked like it might rain. I grabbed an umbrella just in case and made my way to the school.

It held some type of fascinating eeriness to it at night. The kind that made the hair on your arms stand up straight and sent a chill down your spine.

Dustin, Lucas and Mike came bouncing out of the school doors, laughing at each other before hopping in the car.

"How was Hellfire?" I asked as we pulled out of the parking lot. The steering had become stiff, which is never a good sign.

"It was so cool Y/n, Eddie is just the best!" Mike announced from the back seat, earning a round of agreements from the rest of the boys.

I was halfway home when my baby made a sputtering noise that didn't sound good. I was only a mile from home, and thankfully we made it to the end of the street before she gave out completely.

"Guys get out, Dustin go to the house and call the Sinclair's and the Wheeler's. Tell them my car is broken down but Lucas and Mike are more than welcome to stay with us till tomorrow. They left clothes from the last time they stayed and mom washed them so they should be OK" I told them as they clambered out of the car and made their way up the road,

"Guess I'm taking you to the shop tomorrow," I said, rubbing the wheel of my car. 

"That should be fun."

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EDDIES POV

*earlier that day*

I sat in Ms O'Donnell's, twiddling the pen between my fingers, trying my best to pay attention, but all I could think about for the past 37 days was my D&D Campaign, playing the guitar, and the redhead that I knocked over outside the library on the first day back.

I'd seen her around, and I almost always saw her coming out of the library during lunch. The day that we bumped into each other and she dropped everything, she forgot to pick up a pen, and I don't know why, but I held onto it.

Y'know, in case she ever needed it back.

But every time I'd get close to her, She'd rush away. I almost caught her at her locker once, I was going to tap her on the shoulder and give it back, but I froze about 5 steps away from her. I remember my heart was beating louder than Gareth on the drums and my palms were weirdly sweaty. The next thing I know the bell is ringing and I've turned and walked away in the opposite direction.

At first, I thought she was like everyone else, who only saw me as Eddie "The Freak" Munson, but then her brother joined Hellfire, and I slowly but surely wormed the answers I needed out of him when no one was around. And boy, when I got one answer, I pretty much got them all at once.

Dustin did not know when to shut up. Kid was a goddamn blabbermouth. He wasn't a bad dude. Less annoying than I thought he would be, but not by much. Still, I liked him. He brought a decent sense of humor to the party.

-Last Week-

"Oh, Y/n? Yeah, she's just shy around everyone. I'm surprised she's friends with Robin, maybe it's because she sits beside her and is pretty much forced to talk to her. All she ever does is hang out in the library or give music lessons to little kids." Dustin rambled on. "And every other evening she's working in the new diner."

Guess I was going to have to start making more trips to the diner then.

"Oh yeah? What kind of instrument does she play?" I asked after Hellfire one night when no one else was around, not sure what I was expecting to hear.

"Piano mostly," He told me as we packed up the last few bits from the game. "She used to play the guitar a lot." He said quietly, packing the last of his things into his bag.

I had about 10 more questions just off that sentence alone. Why did she stop? Who taught her? Was she any good still? I was about to ask when Dustin called out a goodbye before exiting the room, leaving me with what felt like a million unanswered questions.

-Present Day-

The class bell rang, signalling the start of lunch, and I was making my way to the cafeteria when I suddenly found myself making my way to the library. I stood there for about 10 minutes, not fully knowing why this was happening, but 100% knowing what I hoped would happen. That she would turn the hall and walk down here, smiling and saying hi as she saw me, before walking into the library and doing whatever it is she does in there.

I looked at the ground and thought of where she fell that day. I thought about how her glasses flew from their resting place on the crown of her head, and how I felt when I handed them back to her.

In that moment, all the colours in the world suddenly felt so dull and drab compared to the pool of blues and greens in her eyes.

Suddenly, they were the only thing I wanted to see for the rest of my life. I wanted to study each individual eyelash and watch as her eyes crinkled at the sides when she smiled.

After 10 minutes, she hadn't arrived, and I couldn't see her inside already. Feeling defeated, I turned and walked to the cafeteria, meeting up with the rest of the guys at "the freaks" table. Gareth, Jeff, Paul and George sat there with Mike and Dustin, the group trying to convince George not to leave the group. Personally, I couldn't care less if the sleazeball stayed or left. When I sat down and started shoving pretzels in my mouth we began talking about the important stuff, the new campaign.

After a while, I saw Dustin waving his arms around like a crazy person, which I've come to realize isn't totally out of the ordinary for him, but this time he let out a defeated sigh, which made me think he was trying to get someone's attention.

This was my chance. I smirked at Dustin from across the table.

"10 bucks you can't get her to sit with us," Giving him a sly smile. Surely she wouldn't say no to sitting with her brother right?

"Hell, I bet 20 bucks he won't even be able to talk to her." George laughed, not realizing the relation. "She's in my English class, and let's just say I'd like to see those lips do more than recite Shakespeare."

I kicked him under the table and shot him a death stare, "Do you have to be so fucking gross all the damn time?" Why was I so angry right now?

"What man? She's a hot senior who apparently listens to good music, of course I'm gonna want a piece of that," He said smugly,

I threw a handful of pretzels at his head, wishing they were something a lot heavier.

"Watch your goddamn mouth George." I hissed through gritted teeth.

"Deal," Dustin said loudly, breaking the tension as he gave me a knowing look, and yet he looked curious at the same time, "On the getting her to sit with us thing. Once Mike and I are over there, we'll give the signal and you come join us. Piece of cake."

I could hear her conversation about how disgusting the lunch looked, and to be fair she wasn't wrong. When she said the food was blinking at her I nearly laughed but suppressed it as Dustin had just sat at her table.

He started digging into his lunch and she looked like he was going to be sick, even feigning gagging.

"Eddie, he is so blowing this." George said smugly as she got up from the table "I can smell my 20 bucks already."

Dustin gave the signal, but I didn't want to go just yet. I motioned for the boys to hang on for a bit before heading over, and just as I suspected, she came back and sat with Dustin,

"Hey! I was enjoying that!" He sat back in his chair and folded his arms

"I guess you're down 20 bucks George, Dustin over there is chatting up a storm." Jeff laughed.

"Yeah well I'll make him a grilled cheese later, one that won't leave you with your head in the toilet bowl," She said back.

"Did she just invite him over? Is that even legal?" Gareth questioned in all seriousness. I just watched her as she poked fun at Dustin. She was terrible at impressions, but clearly, it runs in the family. I didn't realize I was staring until Robin Buckley slammed her hands on the table, pulling me from my daze.

"Oh my god, you two are the most childish people I've ever met, yet somehow you're still the most adorable people I've ever met. If I didn't already know you're brother and sister I would definitely guess that you're somehow related," Robin laughed at them. I wanted to laugh too, but I was trying to keep a straight face.

"Wait, they're related? No fair! I'm revoking my bet, it doesn't count if they already know each other." George was such a sore loser, both in and out of D&D campaigns. Things will be so much easier when he quits, and thank god he's not in the band so I don't have to see him outside of school.  

"A deals a deal gentlemen, and we said we'd go join him. Grab your lunches and let's go." I said to them, but just as we picked up our trays, I heard her say,

"Well that's very sweet Dustbin, but Robin and I have something that we need to work on for bio class." She hurriedly rose from the table as Robin muttered something about homework for Mr Wright.

We didn't have biology homework. 

Wait did we?

No, we didn't, I remember class this morning. He was talking about cells and other boring shit, but I remember not getting homework because Harrington would not shut up about having more time over the weekend.

As she got up to leave she told Dustin she'd get him from Hellfire tonight after her lessons. Does she give lessons? I remember Dustin saying she gave them to little kids, but I thought that was just a summer job-type thing.

Our stares met for a moment, her eyes were like the colour of a golden hazelnut and I felt a weird tightness in my chest. As she turned away I saw her Metallica shirt and raised an eyebrow.

"So, big sis is a heavy metal fan huh? Doesn't seem the type." I asked Dustin as lunch ended.

"Oh, the shirt? It was my Dad's. He used to love heavy metal music. He used to put it on and dance around the room with her. Or at least attempt to dance," he spoke both quietly and nonchalantly, "When he left, she stopped listening to it, but she still keeps his old vinyl collection in her wardrobe and she wears that shirt when she's stressed or upset," He let out a sigh as I walked alongside him in silence "She thinks I don't know that, but I do."

I couldn't think of anything else to say. I felt like I was starting to know her, to relate to her, without ever actually speaking to her. I couldn't bring myself to say her name, it felt weird to call her by it when she hadn't even officially spoken to me.

I gave Dustin a pat on the shoulder and a small smile, before turning and walking to class.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I spent most of my time in my last few classes doodling notes for tonight's campaign. When the bell finally rang, I jumped out of my seat and was almost out the door when Mr Finch called me back into the history classroom.

"Eddie, I know you don't care now, but I hope you understand that you need to work a bit harder in class and pay attention. You may not care now, but if you want to graduate you need at least a C in this class. It's very important."

I nodded in agreement and he let me leave the class. How is anything I learn here going to benefit me in the future? I grabbed a few books from my locker but when I was passing the music room I could hear someone playing the piano.

I looked through the window in the door to see if it was her. She sat playing a few keys once in a while and then jotting something down. Did she write music?

"I have this paralyzing fear that I'll maybe go nowhere," She sang quietly

Well, that answers that question.

I listened to her finish her piece, sitting on the floor outside just in case she might see me. When I heard the music stop, I peeked my head up to look at her, and she was just about to get up to leave.

"Shit," I whisper-yelled to myself, grabbing my bag and sprinting down the hall before anyone could see me, almost falling a few times in the process.

I reached my car and sat there trying to catch my breath. There was a reason I didn't try out for the track team. I thought about her singing, her voice, her laugh, and the tightness in my chest came back.

I reached behind me into the back of my van to pull out my box of cigarettes and a lighter from my duffel bag with my spare clothes in it for work at Wayne's Mechanic shop later. I was only going to check stock, but that place is covered in oil, and I didn't want to ruin my clothes.

I sat around for a few minutes and smoked, not thinking of much, before heading in to start up the club.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hellfire can not be run in just 3 hours," Mike groaned at the end of the session, "Every time we get somewhere good, we have to finish up for the week."

"Normally I'd agree with you Wheeler, but next week is going to blow your minds!" I laughed whilst twiddling my thumbs, attempting to appear manic and succeeding.

Everyone filed out of the classroom turned dungeon and into the car park, and there she was, just like she said she'd be. Dustin, Lucas and Mike walked over to her, her eyes lighting up slightly as she saw them. I wanted to go over and talk to her about anything and everything. To let her know that she has a fantastic smile that I wish she would direct at me, just once. But before I could move my feet, they drove off in her little yellow car.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that evening, I was about to close up shop when the phone rang. Probably someone in need of help during the rainstorm.

"Hey-lo, Munson Motor Shop, Eddie here," I answered

"Fuck." the woman on the other end of the line whispered, followed by a dead silence.

"Um, hello?" I was getting impatient now, it was 9 and I wanted to close up shop.

"My car broke down, there was smoke coming out of the hood but it seemed to have stopped, I don't know if that's because of the rain or what, but I was wondering if you could send a tow car out tomorrow to bring it back and have a look?" She rambled off.

"We can send one now if you need immediate assistance, the rains really coming down out there."

"Thanks, thankfully I broke down near my home, so I'll be okay for tonight."

"As long as you're sure,"

"I'm sure," She breathed down the phone.

"Okay well, if you just want to give me a number and address I'll come by tomorrow and pick it up," I said, taking down her details as she called them out to me.

"I'll also just need your name." I held the pen to the paper, ready to start writing again,

"It's Y/n Henderson," She replied, I could almost hear her shiver down the phone.

As if on instinct, I removed the person's name from the very first slot and put hers in. Mr Carver could find someone else to wash his sons car.

"No problem Y/n, I'll be out to you first thing tomorrow,"

We both said our goodbyes as we hung up the phone.

Tomorrow should be fun.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

let me know if you want to be tagged in upcoming parts!

part one part two part three part four part five part six part seven

[xxsycamore]

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭

↬ 🌸 You and Napoleon welcome the spring out in the fields, trying an interesting new date idea... And Napoleon learns about something curious from the future, along the way, using it to his own advantage.

Napoleon Bonaparte x f!reader • rating: G • tags: Picnics; Painting; Dates; Fluff; Humor; Married Characters • wordcount: 1, 680• masterlist

a/n: This is a birthday gift for a fellow Napoleon lover! This fic was a stay idea lounging in my mind since forever, but it's for @topaz-carbuncle that I decided to put it on paper, with hopes that it would make her smile ❤ With that birthday date, I was so sure that it overlaps with the first day of spring - it turns out it was the day prior, but!! Spring actually came late into the evening where I am, so I really hope it counts! Happy Birthday, dear Lucille! Thank you for being here and sharing your lovely works with us, from one napo lover to another I hope you'd accept this humble gift in turn for all the smiles you've put on my face (and undoubtedly, on many others', too!), I wish you a great day today!! ❤❤🎉🎉🎉 Woooho! • Also for day 8 of Spring Showers Spring Flowers by @aquagirl1978 & @violettduchess Prompt: Picnics (fluff)

"Now, the sun might not be that strong, but I'm still demanding you wear your hat, Mrs. Bonaparte."

You sigh, staying still with chin tipped up while a pair of familiar, sturdy hands tie the ribbons of your straw hat for you. Glancing at Napoleon's face behind your lashes from that point of view, you think it might be fair, after all. He looks a little silly with his own straw hat, it's the one that Sebas uses when working in the garden… maybe it's because you're so used to seeing it on the butler's head that you're seeing something comedic in the current situation.

"Alright, alright, whatever the monsieur wants."

Napoleon smirks at your words, shooting you that boyish gaze while finishing up tying the ribbons under your chin.

Oh, wait! Now you're actually protected against his hair-ruffling attacks! Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.

"Allons-y!"

***

It's surprising how much the grass has grown, fresh and green as if winter hasn't come to your secret spot at all. With the exception of the few trees in the distance, which are now spots of white instead of spots of green - all in blossom, and surely buzzing with bees, you almost can hear all the way here - the sight is reminiscent of those of the summer days. Napoleon is right, the sun is not as cruel today - and that's why you both intend to use its welcoming rays for company in today's pastime.

"Napoleon, give me those already… you don't have to carry everything."

"Nonsense. What other reason is there for your strong boyfriend to be around?"

You sigh. Again. Napoleon can be such a show-off occasionally, but oh well, it's not like you're too annoyed by it… and it looks like you've arrived too.

Napoleon sets down the many items he carried - picnic basket full of yummy refreshments; another, larger one, filled with painting supplies; two foldable chairs; and of course, the two wooden easels. Today is the first day of spring, and what other way to welcome and commemorate its glory than to capture it on the canvas…! Or at least attempt to, and have fun in the course of it. It's a bit different from your typical dates, but you love the idea either way. Spending time with the love of your life is always exciting, no matter the activity.

"Vincent showed me how to put those up, so I won't do the same mistake as last time. Just watch."

True, last time you two tried painting together Napoleon has been stubborn about putting up a painting easel by himself, refusing to ask for help even when the tripod kept falling apart. To think that there are things even Napoleon can't do…! Alas, that was a short-lived miracle, as you're now witnessing the work of a professional, putting the easel as if it's something mundane he does every day. And so, waking up early remains the only thing Napoleon Bonaparte cannot master.

"There. Please tell me what direction would you like yours to face."

You let out a lengthy hum, cutting it off as soon as the invincible light bulb pops up above your head.

"How sad are you going to be on a scale from 1 to 10 if you were to not see my face through the whole duration of our date?"

"Huh? Ten. No, even more than-"

"Okay, but listen - it's a good idea, listen - both this side," you gesture to the outstretching meadow ahead of you, "and that one," you turn around to point to the opposite one, "are worth putting on the canvas… so why don't we paint two different paintings? We'll sit back to back, and we won't turn around until we're done. No peeking! How's that?"

"Well…"

You suspect that a battle is taking place in his heart this very moment, but you know that his mind is always a little louder than his feelings. You think.

"Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense. That's my clever Nunuche."

"That sounds like an oxymoron."

***

Even though the sun was high in the sky when you came here, the spring day remains a little too short for your liking, calling for final touches to be added soon.

It's true that somewhere amidst it all, a bear roared - not the real kind, the one that would make you pack your stuff and run, shouting at Napoleon not to attempt dueling with it with his rapier at the ready - but also not the one in your stomach either! Instead of that cute bear cub Napoleon likes to tease you about, it was a papa bear, awoken from its slumber in… Napoleon's belly. You thought the lunch you made earlier at the mansion was enough for him, but alas, a snack break was due. And a snack break you had.

Napoleon was a bit grumpy when you denied him the afternoon nap'n cuddle™ on the picnic blanket, but the slight change of scenery in the afternoon spoke to his inner artist just as it did to yours, fortunately.

Armed with a paintbrush anew, there you are, dipping the bristles into shades of rose-gold mixed on your palate. Napoleon has been quiet for awhile, but that's okay - the wild birds speak enough in his stead, in their various whimsical languages.

The pink on your palate seems to be dominating over the warm yellow shades, and instead of trying to mellow it down, you stand with your brush in the air, staring at the canvas.

Your painted field is a satisfactory still image of the one behind the easel - not that the real thing is much more dynamic. As rules call, one third is taken by the greenery, two thirds are taken by the sky. The occasional trees in the distance make for a good perspective, yet the upper part of it seems rather… empty? You trail off in thoughts about skies you've seen, and naturally, they're all skies you've seen in your own time period.

"Hehee…"

"What are you giggling about, Nunuche?"

Napoleon leans a bit onto you, using you as a backrest. He's not putting his whole weight, of course, but it successfully makes you huff and takes your attention. You push back against him likewise, nudging until your backs are parallel again. It's actually you that have been using him as a backrest in the last half an hour, but, but, he was the one who wholeheartedly suggested it!

"Nothing. I'll just add a little detail in mine."

"Oh? Can I take a peek?"

The whole ordeal about not looking at each other's paintings has been a bit too much… and you give in with a shrug. You clutch the brush with determination, peach-pink paint still at its top.

And you draw a straight line across the stark blue sky of your painting.

Just on time, Napoleon turns on his chair, moving his long legs so they're on either side of your chair.

"What is that…?"

You chuckle some more at his confusion, understandable as it is.

"A chemtrail! I've told you about the advances of planes in modern times… that's the trail their engines leave in the atmosphere. It's a white line showing their trajectory."

"But yours is pink?"

"That's because," You look up beyond the margins of the painting, as if there is a chance you'd see exactly what you're explaining in that very sky above you and Napoleon. "When the sun goes down and we can't see it on eyelevel anymore, sometimes planes are up there - and with how high they are, the sun is still shining on them. And on their chemtrails, too, painting them orange-pink, like so. It's just a little something I've always noticed, sooo…"

"I like that. Thank you for sharing with me."

You smile, turning halfway to meet Napoleon's cyan gaze. You recognize that thirst for knowledge in his eyes, your heart beating warmly in your chest with the sentiment of the moment.

Napoleon reaches over your shoulder with his own brush, dipping it in your freshly blended pink and stealing some.

"Hey!"

"Now I want to add a futuristic element in my painting too. I'm not going to be left behind you like that."

You watch in awe as Napoleon's hand strikes boldly on his own freshly painted landscape. But it's not a straight line like yours.

"A heart?!"

"Yep, a heart… what, don’t tell me they can't do that. There's no way things are so advanced yet they can't do that."

The need to close your jaw triumphs over your bewilderment, somehow, still left speechless at Napoleon's clever deduction. No wonder he is one of history's greatest geniuses, his place among the mansion residents is deserved.

His painting skills… they're so-so, but it's because of that that the line curving in a heart shape in the middle is so eye-catching, making his painting a whole masterpiece.

"I still like yours better, though. You've got talent, Nunuche."

"I think you might be biased, Monsieur de Wahaha." You nod with eyelids fluttering shut, finally turning all the way on your little chair so you can face Napoleon. The impending talk about stunt planes and his right guess about their existence can wait. "…Because I thought the same about yours."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because a person in love is naturally biased for their partner, and everything they do."

Your sudden straightforwardness surprises Napoleon, coloring his face in shades you picked and mixed personally. He holds your gaze like that for awhile, then it all happens in the way it always does.

Napoleon shortens the distance, and so do you. And right in the middle-

"Oh!"

The resistance of two straw hats colliding startles you both, making you withdraw from each other in a rush.

"Pfft. Hahahaha!!"

As Napoleon falls into another of his infamous laughing fits, you wonder if the protection against his hair-ruffling attacks was worth the ruined moment. But the rising urge to laugh - with him, or at him, it doesn't matter all that much - might be worth it all.

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @ale-teodora @kimi00twin @otomelady @privilegedpancake @g-kleran    @pumpumnnnp @thesirenwashere @ravenarld @kimmy-banana @devonares @animeworldsposts @randomanimatedhusbandoseeker @galaxyprison @sadshaxk @starshards26 @pro-cat-stination @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @keen19thcenturygoatsstudent @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @canaria-blackwell @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @ikemenlover24 @mcofthemansion @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @cilokgoang Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[anime-simp-0]

Hi how are you?? i hope your holidays were great!!

Can I please request prompts 4, 62, 64, 65, and 100 for Izuku?

These are rough times and i can really use comfort from my fav character. Thank you and take care <33

i'm surviving lol i managed to pass my classes this semester and that felt like a minor christmas miracle. hopefully this helps ur holidays <3 also i tried really hard to get this done before new years so i hope you get to enjoy it before then lol #4. "you can't keep doing this" #62. "it's okay to cry..." #64. "talk to me" #65. "look at me--just breathe, okay?" #100. "i adore you"

why did the holidays always have to suck?

i guess it wasn't the holidays as much your family. always giving their imputes. always criticizing. always belittling.

they couldn’t just be happy for you. there was always something you did wrong. first it was you wanting to be a hero. then it was you even thinking you were good enough to be accepted to UA. then it was how you didn’t get first place at the sports festival. then with the summer camp catastrophe, it was how could you possibly let your classmate be taken. honestly it was beyond exhausting. being around them made you physically ill. it didn’t help that your family would get mad when you avoided them. saying you weren’t grateful and disrespectful were the most common remarks.

so, you decided to stay at the dorms for new years. christmas decorations had been replaced the day before with black and gold decor. the entire commons had been flipped into a party room. streamers hung from the ceilings thanks to sero and uraraka and satou had been baking desserts while bakugo owned the appetizers before setting it up all pretty on platers and plates. music had been blasting thanks to jiro and the games had been laid out by denki, kirishima and mina. everyone was bouncing around from the different stations, playing games and grabbing plates of food while jamming out to music.

everything should have been perfect. except for the fact you promised you'd make an appearance at your family new years eve party. one that had officially started two hours ago. you had gotten a few called from your parents but had decided that putting your phone on do not disturb would be the best way to actually enjoy your holiday for a change. tons of memorable moments flashed by, some getting captured in photographs and others alone in memories.

"check your phone!" mina giggled as she turned her screen towards yours, "i just sent you your pics!" on her screen was a picture of midoriya's arms around your waist as he held you from behind, kissing your cheek after winning your teams beer pong game.

you smiled at the picture before pulling your phone out, "thank you!" you signed into your phone and opened the message app without thinking. your first mistake. dozens of hateful messages from your family littered your inbox.

"you're seriously not gonna come?!" "you're so fucking selfish" "literally making this holiday all about you by not coming" "don't ever show your face again if your only gonna use us" "you are such a fucking bitch" "you dont deserve half the shit you've got if this is how you treat your family" "slut" "disappointment"

you froze, completely blindsided by the messages. you turned your phone off quickly, feeling pain in your chest.

midoriya, who had walked away to get you a drink, noticed the change almost immediately, "baby?"

you ignored him, brushing past everyone and quickly walking away towards the garden for some fresh air. the door slammed behind you but that was the last thing on your mind. not when you could feel your eyes watering as the tears started to fall or the tightening in your chest that had you dropping to your knees. you couldn't breathe. every attempt felt like you were trapped in a plastic bag. your nails started to dig into your skin as you clung to everything around you.

everything kept slipping as you fell farther and farther in the darkness in your mind. your body was shaking from the tears that were wrecking you and your fingers had started to draw blood.

then, you felt it. the strong arms of your boyfriend wrapping around you tightly as he pulled your hands from your skin. "it's okay baby, i got you..." he purred softly into your ear as he rocked you both back and forth. he placed his hand gently on your face before turning you towards him, trying to get you to look at him. you pulled your head away and started rubbing your face harshly, trying your best to rub away the tears that had stained your skin. "it's okay to cry..." he put his hand back on your face, this time not doing anything other then letting you feel his touch, "come on baby, please just look at me--just breathe, okay?" his voice was laced with pleading as you slowly turned your face. "good," he smiled softly, trying to encourage you, "good baby." his thumb stroked the side of your face as he looked into your eyes, "talk to me..."

you shook your head quickly, pulling away from him and trying to push him away. he didn't let that happen though. instead, he tightened his grip even more, forcing you to remain against him. "y/n," he spoke sternly. he rarely ever used that tone on you. the last time he had it was because you hurt yourself in training for him and let's just say the talking to he gave you made you regret it more than the annoyed looks from aizawa and recovery girl combined. you stopped fighting after a couple seconds, accepting that you were going to win this fight and laid back into his arms. "y/n, you can't keep doing this. i need you to talk to me. i can't help if i don't know what's wrong."

you tried one, two, then three times, desperate to get the words out, but all that happened was more tears and ore frustration on your part. eventually, you just pulled out your phone and held it up in front of him. he gave you a confused look, "the pictures mina sent?"

"no," you huffed, biting your lip. a part of you was scared. what if he believed them? if he stopped caring about you? if he had been lying and it was all just a game? i mean, come on, who could possibly like you enough to date you? he glanced back at the phone before putting in your password. one that made him smile every time. the day he asked you on a date for the first time. the day you officially started dating. he had flashbacks to the way you smiled under the lights as you walked the streets of japan. his chest burned at the thought. now, here you were in tears, shaking so badly he could barely keep you still and with blood bubbling at the marks your nails had left. how could he let it come to this?

the second those number were entered, your screen assaulted him. "what the fuck" was all he growled. the things written were so volatile that he could feel OFA started to spark in his veins. his hand started to bawl as he one holding your phone nearly cracked the screen. "who the fuck thinks they get to talk to you like that?" there were very few times izuku 'deku' midoriya cursed, one of which was when he flew head first into a building using his quirk and yelled 'shit' so loud bakugo was rolling on the ground laughing while everyone else was making pikachu faces. but in that moment, he looked at you with such an anger, you forgot how to think. did it really bother him that much what they had said to you? did he really think they were out of line?

"izuku," you reached for your phone, not expecting him to jerk it away from you.

"i asked you a question, i want an answer," he glared. your heart skipped a beat in your chest. "because you better tell me the labels in your contacts are wrong and your family doesn't actually treat you like this..." you sat in silence for a moment, turning your gaze from him to the ground. that simple action was all it took for him to put your family on his shit list. he took a few breaths to calm himself down, your fingers brushing across his arms that held you made that easier then it would have been otherwise. because at least you were here. and not with those bastards. he sighed before pressing a kiss to your shoulder blade, "fuck them." you turned and gave him a surprised look, "we are gonna go back inside and enjoy the rest of the party, yeah? and we can deal with them in the morning."

"okay," you sniffed, rubbing a few stray tears off your face before going to stand.

"nuh-uh," he pulled your back down, "not yet. if those damn pictures mina got caused all this then they better at least be good."

you giggled and watched as he opened mina's texts. pictures of midoriya and you throughout the night filled the messages, all clearly showing the love you have for each other. some pictures you were aware of, others you were shocked she managed to get. like ones of him spinning you around when your favorite song came on, or one where you could see him watching you from across the room with heart eyes. we both smiled as you went through the pictures, the tears the earlier being stripped away and forgotten about.

in sat for a few more moments before mina messaged you, everything good? it's 11:53 and you guys are still outside...

"shit," you and midoriya muttered in unison before he helped you up. you both shuffled back into the party. a few people asked you both if everything was okay but you both just played it off as getting overheated. luckily no one seemed to want to push the topic anymore.

if felt like it was only seconds ago you had come back inside, yet the close read 11:58. midoriya was right by your side as your friends partnered up with their special someones. that didn't seem to stop the excitment that spread around the room while all the girls giggled about celebrating the new years all together.

like a family...

the thought almost made you cry. but not because it reminded you of what had happened. because it reminded you that this had been the best holidays you had ever celebrated. surrounded by people that cared for you in ways it seemed your own blood could never. over the months you had been stuck with these idiots, you had grown to not only respect them, but love them. for every flaw. for every poor decision or ick that used to annoy you. you had discovered a group of people that would put their asses on the line for you in a heartbeat. guys that would take bullets for you and treat you like blood. these people that become more than just your best friends.

they were your family.

your chosen family.

and frankly, that mattered a hell of a lot more then blood. you smiled as your eyes started to water again and midoriya turned your face towards him, "what's wrong?"

you shook your head softly in his hand as you looked down at his lips, the sound of your friends counting down surrounded you, "im happy..."

"bet i could make it even better..." he smirked as he leaning into you.

3...

2...

1...

"happy new year!"

his lips met yours in a way you hadn't felt before. something intoxicating and possessive. in a way that lay claim to your skin and took the air from your lungs. when you pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours.

"i adore you..." he whispered softly in the chaos of the room, "god, i... i'm inlove with you..."

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

My Garden Flowers Part 5

All photos mine. The blue flax is edited for colour since the camera didn't catch it and washed it out. The curlytop smartweed is edited for contrast and the scarlet bee balm is edited for colour since that phone camera sucked.

In order of appearance:

121. Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) Flowering for the first time this year! I hope she gets pollinated.

122. Blue Flax (Linum lewisii) Finally got this thing to flower. She doesn't live very long and my first two attempts grew just fine but didn't flower and therefore didn't reseed. Here's hoping this one does.

123. Lakeside Daisy (Tetraneuris herbacea) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

124. Fringed Sagebrush (Artemisia frigida) Took me several tries, including the wrong species sent, before I got one to take off but she survived the winter and is doing nicely this summer!

125. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Sadly she didn't make it through the winter and I'll have to try another area, but she certainly looked nice while she was here.

126. Gray-Headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) Flowering for the first time this year! Also my first successful attempt as BOTH my previous plants were cut where I had them. Two in a fucking row. She doesn't even look that weedy. I don't know what the fuck.

127. Narrow-Leaved Vervain (Verbena simplex) Sadly she didn't survive the winter. Trying her in another place and she seems to like it so far.

128. Pink Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) Well, she certainly understood the assignment to prettify that area, though I had no idea she'd spread so much. My other Oenothera species are much more well-behaved. lol

129. Streamside Fleabane (Erigeron glabellus pubescens) Lovely little thing in the small spot I have her in. An ideal small space plant.

130. Green Comet (Asclepias viridiflora) Now she flowered last year but didn't make pods in spite of all the ants who came to visit. Hoping she'll make pods this year!

131. Spike Goldenrod (Solidago simplex) She looked nice here but didn't survive the winter. I'm trying one in another spot.

132. Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) Not pictured as I haven't got any pictures yet.

133. Blue Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

134. Clammy Groundcherry (Physalis heterophylla) She also spread much more than I expected, but I don't mind. Potentially lots of ground cherries!

135. White Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) A bit leggy as a bush, though that might be due to where I have her, but the flowers are yet again white and lacy and loved by pollinators.

136. Curlytop Smartweed (Persicaria lapathifolia) I didn't plant that, and wish I had gotten a better photo of her because she sadly never reseeded until this year, and her daughter is not quite as impressive as she was.

137. Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) She is no longer with us as of this year and I'm not sure why. I've planted fireweed in that spot now and we'll see how she does. Maybe I'll plant slender mountain mint in the back instead.

138. Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

139 Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense) Every year I end up with more! Springtime flower only and then she fruits.

140. Canada Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) one of the relatively safe members of the buttercup family. You can pop a flower or two into your mouth for a refreshing sweet snack.

141. Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) Probably the most showy of her genus. Avens flowers tend to be small white or yellow on leggy stalks, but prairie smoke has red parts around white flowers that eventually become fluffy seedheads, hence the name. Plus the leaves turn red in the fall so very nice all around.

142. Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) She can get leggy in the summer, but the bright yellow flowerheads are nice in spring.

143. Canada Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis) She didn't make the winter. Again I think it was too dry. She may have reseeded, however, or else I've let a clump of crabgrass stay for far too long.

144. Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) She's another one I had to get from a Manitoba company because no one in Ontario was selling this species (some do now though). She is thriving!

145. Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis) The area I have her in is fairly dry and blocked by sidewalk. She does occasionally get in the cracks but is otherwise well-behaved in her enclosure. The same cannot be said for the one I gave to my friend for her landlady's plant war. Apparently she's taken over the neighbourhood. Well done, native mint.

146. Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma) She lived well for one year in that area and then never again. I'm trying her in a different spot where she hasn't flowered yet but seems to like it.

147. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) That's a cultivar. I did eventually manage to get the wild type, but don't have a picture yet.

148. Canada Garlic (Allium canadense) In my humble opinion these are much tastier than ramps. They usually don't make flowers, opting to make bulbs instead, but this was a nice exception. They're springtime only, though.

149. Annual Fleabane (Erigeron annuus) I rescued her from a fallow area. Sadly she didn't reseed but I don't feel bad because that area is completely under development now and her offspring wouldn't have made it anyway. I gave her a chance.

150. Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale) Not pictured as she hasn't flowered yet.

[compressednerve]

🖌, 📺, and 🍂 for the ask game?

HELLO! Richard 🐔 welcome to the askbox thunderdome 🌩️⚡. Thank you for sending me this ask I have appreciated it greatly to be asked these emoji questions :~)

🖌 - Do you have/want any tattoos? Yes, I have two tattoos. One is of a wasp on my shoulder/back that I got when I was 17 (regret, mostly, want to get this covered up ASAP), and my other one is a Sunrise/Sunset over the ocean with a palm tree in the foreground that I got when I was 19, on my right bicep. I won't post a picture but here's a drawing of them. The wasp was because I wanted a tattoo so bad so bad so bad so my mom hooked me up with a tattooist who happened to live down the street from us... I don't like it because it's just, very small, on the large expanse of my back, right next to some cigarette burn scars??? it just feels. out of place... The sunset was because @parasitefun and I had made life plans to live together within like, two months of us talking, and the original plan was for Florida. Because we met thru the Hotline Miami fandom, and also there was this band I was obsessed with that originated in Tampa and this article I read about them made it seem so romantically warm and humid and hazy... gosh. So the same tattooist who did my wasp also did my sunrise. It's not nearly this vibrant IRL because she was doing my work directly on my skin, and at the time I was only working in watercolor?! so it actually looks faded as fuck 😭 but other than maybe touching it up, I want to retain the meaning and build around it. my favoritest part has to be the lines in between, they're really broken up like that so the skin shows through!!!

as for if I want any more tattoos, yes, of course I do! I want more tattoos every day, but I've gotten more picky in the past few years... I can't really decide on any one design, and Parasite has been the sole earner for our entire relationship >_< so there's not usually any fun money set aside for things like body mods, unfortunately. Here's a design I've wanted since 2016- it's the cover art for Oneohtrix Point Never's "Garden of Delete" which is one of the only things that saved me that year ;_;

This morning I read an article about how heatwaves affect Train Tracks, which for some reason I can't find the article now but I'll try to find it later, but anyways heat causes train tracks to "buckle" which is just ludicrous to me, I had no idea, very terrifying. Railways are beasts... so beautiful... so feral... augh.

^aspd mantra.

so anyways, then I fell into a 3hour nap and woke up to the sound of Parasite cooking dinner/lunch (pork chops n rice a roni), banging the spatula against the pot <3. And the first mental image that came to mind was of a tattoo design for a buckled rail, as a metaphor for having a hard time with your body, and doing what you're supposed to do especially when under heat and stress >_< cripple metaphorz, I guess...

📺 - Favourite show? This has been answered here:

🍂 - What’s your favourite season? ah god.... oh fuck.... *falls over and clutches my chest and sobs and weeps*

I'll attempt to keep this a little short, but mainly: my system is so fragmented, so compartmentalized and so blacked out of Sense Memories, and seasons are senses. My mom has bipolar (or schizoaffective bipolar, or Sadistic Personality Disorder + HPD + ASPD, or god knows what else) and Seasonal Affective Disorder, and I ended up with Seasonal Affective as well v_v I think most people end up with a Strong Sense Memory attached to, usually, only one season, usually Winter or Summer... that's at least what I see most often when people talk about it, if they talk about it at all, but I ended up with serious trauma that seemed intrinsically linked to each of the Seasonal Changes 😓 It doesn't help that I'm exquisitely sensitive to temperature/air pressure changes, and I'm more or less "severely" agoraphobic both on a physical level (outside is way too large) and on a mental level (i am so small and there are so many people out there, people who can and will stare at me, and the architecture, oh god!)...

I have a lot of good memories attached to each season, and a lot of bad memories as well... so I guess it's more about the minute moments contained within each swirling maelstrom of seasons. Going out to the city with my mom in late October on an unusually crisp, sunny day so I'm sweating under my leather jacket but the air is stinging my face. Laying down on the concrete in the middle of the road in early March, feeling the sun on my eyes. That first breath of fascination upon waking up to the first snowy morning, at any point in Winter, except for most of my life I lived in Washington so, sometimes there wouldn't even be snow :/ These are flash in the pan memories that stick out like little shimmering crystals in a sea of lead and blood.

Most of my positive associations with seasons also has to do with how nature changes alongside with it, seeing the trees die and regrow, rain falling or sun shining or clouds moving, animals present or not, etc... it's all very magical and wondrous. Listening to birdsong calms me down, and it's one of my nicer hallucinations usually when I'm awake in the early morning hours... god there is nothing better than being awake at 4am in the middle of summer and seeing the very first slivers of sunlight followed by birds waking up 🐦🦆🕊️🌅