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coralinnii · 1 year

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It’s Him or Grim…and It’s Grim

Ignoring him to take care of Grim feat: Sebek · Azul · Jade · Riddle genre: fluff note: gn!reader, no pronouns are used, relationships up to interpretation, some of the TWST boys basically taking the L or getting catblocked,

piece of advice, never bring someone like me to an animal cafe for a date cuz I will ignore you. Also, don't question why I keep changing the banners. I just love messing with pictures of our handsome TWST boys <3

Sebek didn’t say it out loud but he was excited over you visiting him during his club activities. He’s proud to show off his skills on his steed and present his knightly appearance to you.

Unfortunately, he’s not doing too well when he’s constantly getting into screaming contests with an uninvited guest…Grim

He didn’t know why he was so surprised though. He should have predicted that wherever you intend to go, the cat-shaped menace will surely follow in curiosity and make a ruckus while he’s here.

“Nyah, I can ride these crazy horses no problem!”

“I will not allow it. Beginners need to learn the basics before even attempting to-“

Before Sebek could finish, Grim already went ahead and climbed on top of a nearby horse. But, your feline companion accidentally pressed his claws too deeply into the poor horse’s skin and spooked the large animal.

“Grim!” You screamed when you saw your dormmate being pushed off the horse’s back and landing on his head. You ran to his side while Sebek did his best to calm the horse before it started to run amuck and cause more issues.

Sebek wanted to scold the reckless cat monster for his actions but he bit his tongue and sighed in exasperation instead since it looked like the konk on the head left Grim feeling woozy.

“I should bring Grim to the infirmary” you worriedly look at your companion as you cradle his body in your arms. “I’ll see you another time, Sebek. I’m so sorry for disturbing your club time”

Sebek panicked over your departure, telling you that you could just come back after bringing Grim to the infirmary. He planned so many things today for you, to introduce you to his trusted steed, show off his horse riding skills, and maybe even let you ride with him.

But you had to decline, wanting to stay by Grim’s side until he feels better. You gave an apologetic smile before you took off with Grim in your arms. You missed the look of utter defeat on the lime-haired freshman. You managed to get out of earshot as Sebek started shouting to himself, declaring to learn from his defeat against that cursed cat. His clubmates however did hear him loud and clear, Riddle looking over in confusion and Silver silently rooting for his fellow knight-in-training.

“I admit my loss in this battle but I will prevail in our next encounter, Grim. I swear on my honor!”

Azul plans ahead in everything, be it his next business venture or a deal to be made…and definitely when meeting you. He wanted the most optimal results from this meeting he planned with you. He made sure he reserved the best spot in his restaurant that showcases him in the best lighting, the food is to your taste and the ambience sets the mood to his satisfaction. He took everything into consideration. But of course, things don't always go the way he wanted to.

Like Grim coming along with you to your engagement with him.

“I’m sorry, Azul. Grim was bored in the dorms and Ace and Deuce had make-up classes today” you apologized, Grim in your lap as he gobbled the food Azul had picked out for you. “I hope it doesn’t inconvenience you too much”

“Of course not,” He lied. “I’m more than generous enough to extend hospitality for even surprise visitors”

“I gotta hand it to ya, Octavanilla guy! Your food is super delish!” Grim offers his compliments. “I can’t get enough of it!”

Grim really couldn’t. He ordered seconds and thirds (RIP to your wallet) and didn’t stop himself from practically inhaling the food the moment it reached the table. It was a real mood killer for Azul. The silver-haired entrepreneur couldn’t find his opening and soon he’s left to watch you from the sidelines as your focus was solely on the fattened cat who is grumbling in your lap.

“Nyahhhh…my tummy hurts~” Grim cried as his stomach ached. You let out a sigh as you did your best to soothe the monstrous feline.

“I’m pretty sure it’s because you just ate your weight in food” you quipped which earned a weak whine from Grim.

Azul just couldn’t believe his plan went to ruins by simply adding Grim into the equation. Any attempt for your attention is ripped away by Grim’s loud munching or simply you turning away from his gaze to reprimand the messy feline as you cleaned his dirty face.

He needs a new plan, and a contingency plan should anything like today happen again. He needs back ups to distract him, perhaps Kalim-

“Azul” your voice snapped him out from his thoughts. “I might need some money after how much Grim ate today. Do you think I could pick up some shifts in the lounge?”

Oh, Azul could work with that.

“Oh no, it seems that Grim has left you in quite a predicament. Come, vent your woes to me”

Jade was excited to show his treasured terrarium collection to you. It would be delightful if you were to grow to share his interest caring for these fascinating flora, something only you and he would share in this whole campus. Imagine…Just you and him alone together, standing close to each other as you admire his projects.

Well, that’s what he imagined…but often fantasies do not match reality as he was not alone with you as he had hoped.

“These are some funky lookin’ mushrooms ya got here” Grim narrowed his eyes on one of the colorful mushrooms that seems to have just fully matured. “Henchhuman, you think they’re edible?”

“I personally don’t think so but you should ask Jade” you turned to Jade, the first time in a while he would add if he were the petty type. But of course he wasn’t.

“I believe so but I have yet to test my theory on that” Jade smiled down at the small creature which sent shivers down his back. “Are you volunteering yourself for a taste test?”

“Nyah, as if!” Grim yelled out as he backed away from the menacing aura Jade was exuding. In his panic, the monster student accidentally ran his paw over a pair of scissors which snagged his fur and pulled from his skin painfully. Grim let out a painful yelp which made you rush over to your dormmate’s side, worriedly looking over your friend. “Grim, what happened?”

“My beautiful fur! It got cut!” Grim made an inaccurate assumption but to his defense, it did sting really bad and you could see some of his fur on the pair of scissors. So, you proceeded to check over Grim’s paw for any wounds.

Jade stood in the sidelines as he watched you handle the monster’s paw, gently sweeping the fur to check for any blood, even blowing on it to ease the poor creature’s pain. The eel merman slightly drooped his shoulders, this was his loss.

Walking over, Jade picked up the offending scissors that caused all this fuss. His heterochromatic eyes inspected the tool as he admitted that it was getting dull and he should replace them soon or something like this may occur again… Oh?

You heard something fall behind you which made you turn to know the source. You saw the pair of scissors that Jade picked up back on the floor and your ocean-haired senior was holding one of his hands in the other. “Jade?”

“Oh dear, it seems that I have accidentally nicked myself as well” Jade looked at you with his best pleading eyes, holding his hand towards you. “Could you help me?”

“…can’t you do it yourself?”

“Ah, it hurts quite a bit I don’t think I could focus enough to check my wound” Jade sighed as he clutched his poor hand in his own. He looked to you with pleading eyes and despite your suspicions, you accepted to help your senior and carefully took Jade’s “injured” hand into your own. With your eyes focusing on searching for this supposed wound, Jade smiled as he shared a glance with Grim behind you which scared the poor creature.

“It seems I have quite the challenge on my hands. How interesting”

Riddle worked up the courage to invite you to spend the day with him alone and when you accepted, he made sure that everything was perfect. Only Trey was aware of your intimate outing since he offered to take up any non-urgent Housewarden work during Riddle’s day with you so no one else was aware that you and Heartslabyul's leader were meeting.

Everything was going smoothly, albeit a little stiff in the beginning. Riddle was shocked by how nervous he was. The teacup in his hand was shaking in his grip as he sat just across from you from the small table.

Eventually the atmosphere settled and soon the two of you relaxed and chatted over trivial topics, enjoying each other’s presence over anything. But alas, good things must come to an end, but not in the way Riddle had planned. Instead, your date was interrupted when the two of you heard a loud call of your name from a distance, from a very familiar voice

“Henchhuman, you went ahead and got grub without me?!” Grim accused you, immediately climbing onto your lap without your complaint. This was his natural seat after all. Then, more voices were heard coming close.

“Grim, there you are. Don’t run off like that- Ahh Housewarden!” Like a storm, Ace and Deuce walked into the once private space while running after Grim then froze in place when they noticed their senior, who seemed to be a really bad mood right now. “Sorry, Housewarden. Grim said he smelled something good and went running over”

Apparently, Grim was getting hungry and since Ace and Deuce were short on money, the cat-like monster went on the hunt for any morsel of food and caught a whiff of the tarts Riddle had prepared. However, mere tidbits of sweets were not enough to satiate this monster’s blackhole of an appetite.

“Let’s go to the shop, I want fancy tuna tonight!” Grim whined to you, lightly clawing at your shirt.

Riddle wanted to scold the furry student for being shameless in his demands but you reassured the redheaded senior that this is a common occurrence, considering you were in charge of handling the allowance you receive from Crowley so Grim tends to ask you to buy things for him.

“We can go see if Sam has any in stock” you smiled at your gluttonous dormmate then looking to Riddle “I’m sorry, Riddle. I had fun today but we should get going before Sam’s shop closes”

Riddle, stunned in the sudden shift in his plans, could only offer a nod as you let Grim yank you away to walk faster towards the merchant’s store. He wanted to walk you home and perhaps invite you to another engagement with him. But in the end, he was left in your dust with his other Heartslabyul dormmates and very awkward silence.

Though three students quickly turned to one as Ace and Deuce silently snuck away from the scene. After being in the Queen of Hearts-inspired house for a while, they can when to book it lest they want to be collared by their hot-tempered Housewarden.

“I was caught off-guard by that surprise…I will take this as a learning experience for the future”

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gatorlovebot · 1 year

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continuation of this blurb here. read the rest of king!simon blurbs here.

you had gone to sleep in your our own bed for the first time in weeks, at the absolute horror of your king.

(“what if i start internally bleeding in my sleep and you’re not here?”

“well, your highness, the doctor said the risk of complication was almost at zero now. and how would i even be able to tell if you were bleeding internally?”)

it wasn’t an easy conversation, having to put your foot down to your king for the first time in a while. but you felt it was important to go back to your routine. put a little bit of space between the two of you again.

you would be lying if you said the encounter with simon’s new secretary hadn’t stuck with you. he only had to take one look at you to decide that you were nothing more than someone to keep simon’s bed warm. you know that’s not true, you know that your relationship with simon is complex and one based on respect and honor. but you can’t help but let the looks and the harsh words from others eat away at you.

you weren’t excited to start sleeping in your lumpy bed again, but you needed to face the reality that this is your life, your life is not sleeping in simon’s bed every night.

but when you awaken, you awake to a sharp pain across your skull and blurry vision. you had felt fine the previous evening, having walked all the way down to your sleeping quarters with no issues. you had no idea what could possibly be making your head feel this way. you force yourself onto your feet and that seems to make the pain worse, pressure behind your eyes making you want to curl up and cry. you took pride in being by simon’s side everyday but you would be no help to him in this condition.

you make the trek to the grand kitchen, hoping to intercept one of the maids before they bring up simon’s breakfast. usually by now you would be upstairs, picking out simon’s clothes. as he’d dress you’d accept breakfast from a maid at the door and the two of you would eat together. that wouldn’t be happening this morning.

once you make it to the kitchen you squint through all of the light streaming in from the big windows and feel relief when you see the maid who usually brings up simon’s breakfast prepping the trays.

she notices you before you can open your mouth to speak, “oh, it’s you.” she remarks, sounding shocked. “what a sight, to see you outside of the king’s room for once.”

it’s an easy dig, a version you’ve heard many times, but it digs up shame, knowing that sleeping in simon’s bed for the past weeks will make the gossip and teasing even worse for you. but you can’t begin to deal with that now in your stricken state.

“yes, i woke up in my bed this morning with terrible pain in my head.” you begin to explain. you don’t know why you even tell her you were in your bed, she probably won’t even believe you or care. “when you bring up his breakfast, could you please inform him that i won’t be available to assist him today?”

she smirks and if it was any other day you’d give it back to her but right now you feel like you can barely stand on your own feet. you just try to grit your teeth and brace for her response, “i bet the king will be devastated,” she teases, “oh well, maybe i’ll just have to offer the king my own services.”

good luck with that, you think, reflecting on the countless times simon has rebuffed the advances of other female staff. simon wasn’t someone who cared about intimacy or companionship, he’d rather laugh in the face of another handmaiden who tried to seduce him with their big bust size than let them in his bed.

“best of luck with that.” you dig back before turning back to make the walk to your sleeping quarters.

you could cry when you finally reach your room, legs giving out the last few steps to your bed, body so exhausted from the painful assault going on in your head. you curl up under your blanket, using your pillow to cover your eyes to block out any light as you pray for sleep.

you awake to a knocking at your door. letting out expletives as you untangle yourself from your blankets. your head still feels like its being split open, maybe the sleep made it worse. you manage to make it to the door and when you open it reveals the concerned face of one of simon’s guards. simon’s guards were some of the only men on castle grounds that you felt comfortable around as they were always pleasant and kind, wishing you a good morning and a good evening as you came and went from the king’s chambers.

“the king sent for me, he’s concerned about your wellbeing and doesn’t want to continue his day without you.” the guard explains as you squint against the light coming in from the corridor. “he ordered me to bring you up to him, regardless of your condition. or your protests.” he tacks on, with a hint of humor in his voice. the guards are pretty much the only members of simon’s men that understands your true relationship with the king. they hear your inside jokes, the way you talk to the king casually, they understand your friendship to the king unlike anyone else.

“i figured simon would send someone for me.” you sighed, knowing how stubborn simon can be and how little he takes no as an answer. you figured he would want to see you with his own eyes before going on with his day without you. “can i hold onto your arm? i don’t think i can make it up all those stairs on my own.”

the guard wordlessly holds his arm out to you and you loop yours around it, thankful for the kind gesture. you make your way up to the king's chambers, heavily leaning against the guard the entire trip with your eyes squinted against all the light coming into the castle. it’s a relief when you finally reach simon’s door.

the guard leads you inside and presents you to simon, who was stood at the end of his bed looking at pairs of pants strewn across the blankets. “your highness,” the guard announces, “your handmaiden, as requested.”

simon gives you an assessing look before nodding to the guard, “thank you, back to position.” the guard leaves the room and you begin to make your way over to simon’s bed to sit, but he intercepts you before you make it. he places his big hands on your shoulders to halt your movement and gives your face an appraising look. “the maid that brought me my breakfast said you weren’t able to execute your duties today.”

you nod as you squint up at him, “i woke with a terrible pain in my head.” there’s a slight whine in your voice that you would feel embarrassed about if you weren’t consumed by the white, hot pain in your skull.

he raises one of his eyes, “you were just going to suffer by yourself?” he questions, leading you over to his bed and you shamelessly sink into the soft blankets, curling up around his perfectly tailored pants.

“what else was i supposed to do?” you mewl, feeling like a child being scolded by their mother. when you awoke this morning you felt that the best course of action was to allow the pain to pass on your own, you were no use to simon and maybe a day apart would do the both of you some good.

he picks up one of your limp hands and brings it up his face, lips brushing against your palm as he growls out, “you don’t have the choice to hide from me.”

“simon,” you try to counter but he’s already releasing your hand and turning back towards the door. your motivations for staying in your chambers were pure, you couldn't keep up with simon today in your state, but it seems that maybe he had caught on to your little plan of keeping distance between each other. even after all of these years you had no idea why he always needed you when he had a number of other female staff.

“i’m going to call for the doctor, i need you better so you can help me pick out some fucking pants.”

#gator.writing #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley #ghost headcanon #simon ghost riley imagine #ghost x reader #cod x reader #king simon

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mschievousx · 4 months

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now and then | b.b.

pairing: benedict bridgerton x ofc, anthony bridgerton x ofc (platonic)

summary: loraine silva always knew she was not normal. she loves unusual things. she loves her father's guns, horses, boxing, climbing a tree, falling from a tree, engineering, astronomy... oh, and a man eleven years older.

series masterlist

n. interlude: anthony

the death of the patriarch of the bridgerton family was immensely sorrowful to the immediate relatives and close friends. but no one took it as painfully as anthony did. the grief it brought them is not a competition to who has it heavier, but in a different way, anthony had it bad.

he was there, at that exact moment, watching his father turn breathless, watching his mother cradle him. he was old enough. he was the eldest, yet felt so helpless.

and, he thought that maybe it will get better. perhaps, time does heal things. after draining all his tears at the last sight of his father, he was resolute—i will not give my family this kind of grief. i will not let anything to happen to them.

however, it was easier said than done. he did manage to keep the family intact and away from any issues so far, but he was not able to check on one member—himself. it was starting to show, that the cost of him being as great a viscount as his father was, is himself.

and so, he has chosen to stare longingly at nothing inside his study. today marks the first year of edmund's death, and anthony has chosen to remain in the comfort of his office, which was not offering much at all. their family invited the silvas and lady danbury for a dinner in honor of edmund.

as much as he wanted his peace, a seven-year-old child seems quite adamant to ruin it for him.

raine entered his study with the aim to drag him to dinner. she believed it was disrespectful of him to not be present to honor his father. but, as soon as she stepped foot in the room, it was dripping with despair.

"tony?" she called out with a small voice to the man sitting on the couch at the left side of the table, seemingly wary of awaking a sleeping bear.

she was not welcome, of course. anthony does not have it in himself to deal with her right now. nevertheless, she continued forward, utterly clueless of the sensitive and emotional state the man was currently in or utterly an annoying child.

when she was midway inside the study—too near to go out, too far to him—anthony spoke in a clear, monotone, and depressed voice, "go to your mother."

raine halted, beginning to get scared of the man before her. this is not the anthony she knew. the little silva chanted in her head that his anger is coming from the right place. hence, a thought entered her mind, pushing her feet forward.

perhaps, this is the anthony—the one she needs to get to know.

and so, she sat beside him, not speaking for quite the time. she felt as if she was on his place. and anthony? he sits on a very lonely throne. without any thought, she leaned her head on his shoulder and spoke softly.

"you can do this, tony. i know."

he could feel his heart tightening, breath hitching. he did not expect for her to utter such words. and maybe, he himself got to know another side of the child.

the young viscount extended his arm around her, hugging the little one. small whimpers can be heard from the man as he shut his eyes close. raine looked up to him by the sound, and seeing the man crumbling down beside her, she did not know what to do but follow his lead. she cried alongside him, without understanding anything but him.

and so, that is how the viscountess violet bridgerton found them as she went to bring dinner to her eldest, the young silva asleep on his lap and him caressing her hair.

there are indeed times when someone does not need shoulders—times that only arms can hold.

━━━ ✦ ❘ ☽ 【❖】 ☾ ❘ ✦ ━━━

"ben, lord silva is calling for you."

the twenty-year-old viscount called from inside their home, his younger brother coming immediately at the mention of the general.

he turned to anthony with confusion written on his face as the latter pushed him to keep walking towards their garden, "what? why?"

"i do not know." he subtly whispered in reply, tapping benedict in the back as signal to go on, "go to him."

as the younger bridgerton gets more and more nervous step by step, anthony has an idea of what all of this is about. he neared the table where both the families sat.

"ah, benedict," armand turned to him with a laugh and cheer in his voice, gesturing to the little eight-year-old, "my daughter thinks you are handsome."

at the mention of that, the bridgerton boy did not know what to say or do at all. the young girl, however, threw herself under the table at once, "papa!"

the viscountess silva slapped her husband's arm for putting their daughter in the spot, but certainly not without a laugh. anthony tapped his brother once again, followed by a slinging of his arm to his shoulders, as if gesturing that he has not said a word yet in reply.

benedict gave out a light cough first, regaining his composure as a wide smile made its way on his features, "oh, thank you, sir. i think loraine is quite pretty too."

anthony was sure the girl did not hear his brother's reply. she was so busy wanting to dug a hole for herself under the table that she seemed to have ignored the others.

a muffled voice from raine can be heard, "mother, is he away?"

her mother only laughed, not giving a straight answer just as her brother has taken it to himself to just drag the girl out.

"lance, stop!" raine fought her brother's and anthony's hands trying to grab her from the comfort under the table.

"do not be embarrassed, loraine. my son is shy too." violet spoke with a small chuckle beside her mother.

the eldest bridgerton smirked as he did a sole whistle, "ben's got an admirer."

for the first time in a while, anthony felt like they were really being a family again. he was genuinely happy that things are somehow starting to go back as they were before—which is why the young girl's rant fell on deaf ears as the man simply looked at them all with a warm smile.

"shut up, anthony!"

━━━ ✦ ❘ ☽ 【❖】 ☾ ❘ ✦ ━━━

the young viscount now finds himself in front of the young silva's doorstep just months after their gathering in the garden. and, all it took was just months for her mother to depart the living world.

"raine, come now. let's go." anthony has been trying to get the girl out for the past thirty minutes.

raine has locked herself in her room for three months now, after her mother's burial. everyone has tried to convince the young one out from time to time. but, now? she needs to step outside her room. today is her birthday—her ninth, to be exact.

sighing for the nth time, anthony tried to coax her once more, certain that the girl is listening despite the lack of noise from the inside, "ben is downstairs. we can just spend time by your garden."

his attempt proved to be successful as the knob turned and the door started to open, revealing a very defeated child.

she stepped out, eyes squinting at the sudden intensity of light, voice apparent with hoarseness, "i miss mama."

he bended down to her level, placing a palm on her cheek lightly as he smiled tightly, "i know you do. she would not have wanted for you to waste away in your room."

he was worried about her state, moreso when her lips started to quiver as she speak, "i need her."

honestly, anthony felt helpless once again. he does not know what he can do to offer the little girl comfort from losing a parent. suddenly, a thought entered his mind—were my siblings suffering this much too, yet i was too up in my own grief that i was not there for them?

"i need my father too. but, hey," he began, feeling that he could at the very least make up for those shortcomings to the girl in front of him, "perhaps, they have each other's backs now."

the young viscount has now realised that children are indeed not too young to understand lost, to understand grief. sorrows do not pick their target by age. and, oftentimes, they may come stronger to the young.

and so, anthony reassuringly smiled at her, "and we have each other's."

━━━ ✦ ❘ ☽ 【❖】 ☾ ❘ ✦ ━━━

the two families have decided to have dinner at the silva's. it has been quite some time they did one, and it also serves as a welcoming dinner for the patriarch of the silva family. he was away for a year, doing his military duties.

after dinner, the two lone parents have decided to settle on the couch, catching up about things—things their children did not care about as they all dispersed in groups, doing their own activities.

anthony and raine have settled on the balcony. the bridgerton was first to arrive, but he could not push the girl away as she threatened to tell his mother he was smoking.

they sat by each other, directly on the floor, leaning on the wall. after exchanging banters, he exhaled the last smoke as he pocketed his cigar away, "why do you even like my brother so much?"

he wanted to gauge her eyes so much as the eleven-year-old silva rolled her eyes at him, "do not be a gossip."

"i am simply asking."

she gave out her mischievous smirk, "are you jealous?"

he glared at her before turning away, feigning indifference, "he can have all your attention."

he managed to hold his silence well for a couple of seconds, yet ultimately, he sighed as he turned back to her, curiosity dripping in his tone, "but really, why? you despise everyone, especially boys. you despise me."

raine raised her brow at him in jest, "everything there is to you is to be despised."

"you are full of hating bones in your body."

she replied at once, "as you are."

anthony opened his mouth to retort, but closed it again before speaking with disgust, "god, we are alike."

the young silva laughed at that, and it's safe to say that she agree, judging by the lack of denial from her.

"did you know that ben paints?" she asked out of the blue.

the viscount hummed in reply, "he draws here and there."

she looked up at the sky, quite full of stars tonight as she smiled warmly, "he painted my mother."

"ah," he looked at her, understanding her implications, "i did not know he is that good."

raine turned and stared directly in his eyes, "look at everyone around you for once, anthony. nothing bad is going to happen anymore. be with them at the present."

"i am here." he shrugged it off as he broke the eye-contact.

"your heart is not."

he turned to her with an incredulous look this time, "are you sure you are not viscountess silva?"

she grinned, starting to prompt herself up from sitting on the floor, "i am not because i doubt mother would slap you like this."

and she did. she slapped his arm purely to annoy him and ran as fast as she could, probably to the safety of her father.

"raine, you brat!"

━━━ ✦ ❘ ☽ 【❖】 ☾ ❘ ✦ ━━━

it has been a year after the death of her brother. hence, both families are once again having their dinner in honor of the dead. at this point, by the amount of deaths the two families have gone through, the dinner is now a tradition.

"let's dance. lance will come alive if you mope around." anthony began, offering a hand in front of the pouting girl.

"i will mope around more then."

"he will not be human, but something similar to the horror stories of children."

raine glared at him, her annoyance starting to increase at the crude mention of her brother, "oh, shut up. do not talk about him like that."

"then do not mope around anymore."

he did not leave much to argue when he decided to simply grab the girl from her seat, stepping everywhere as francesca played the piece.

"heavens! you cannot dance even if a gun is pointed at your head, anthony."

the silva only danced with him once, and after it was done, she glared at the older man. as they all go deeper in the night, the rest of the family did not notice the lack of two presences in the drawing room.

the said two can now be found in a guest room, laughing and fighting each other—such an unusual combination. the fourteen-year-old girl snucked a whiskey, and now, both are giggling fools.

"you know, benedict is adamant on not marrying anyone as of yet. this is going to take years." anthony said as he placed his glass down after downing it.

raine was not even properly seated anymore, with herself so deep on the chair. if anthony was sober, he would have worried about her posture.

she stared to nothing in particular, inebriated herself as she replied, "the time will pass anyway."

the young silva was about to drink from her glass once again when two footsteps nearing them can be heard from the hallway.

"oh, fuck." the viscount was forced to sober up a bit, enough to hide the liquor as he seized the glass from raine's grasps.

he placed it under the bed immediately, his feet wobbling in doing so. he was able to sit back again on his chair just as the door opened.

"oh, and what do we have here?" colin raised a brow with a smirk, the smell of the room giving them away. that and the fact that anthony forgot about raine.

"the misery of first-borns!" she yelled in a sarcastic tone, making the man beside her want to slap himself so he can sober up entirely.

there might still be saving in this though, so he tried to play with it as well, yelling himself, "tragic!"

it did not help their case at all as benedict entered the room too and he immediately, physically recoiled when the smell hit his nostrils.

colin turned to the younger one, "you are not even a first-born."

anthony placed his face on his palms at the cluelessness of his brother, knowing entirely what is to follow.

raine let out a scoff, "i might as well have been. where is my father's first-born then? where is he now?"

yet, perhaps, anthony cannot really fault the young silva. after all, she was just a girl gulping a woman's grief.

benedict interjected between everyone's dramatics, "have you both been drinking?"

"only anthony." she said with a very intoxicated grin, and the eldest have never had a stronger urge to throw the girl than now because of her betrayal.

benedict was completely concerned about another thing though, "unchaperoned?"

colin chuckled at that, "since when did raine ever need a chaperone to spend time with any of us?"

the said girl placed a hand on her right ear, face grimacing by the loudness, "go away! anthony and i are talking about adult stuff."

━━━ ✦ ❘ ☽ 【❖】 ☾ ❘ ✦ ━━━

after the wedding and a very eventful season, the entire family has decided to spend a week at the aubrey hall before leaving them to have their honeymoon.

the seventeen-year-old silva finds herself looking at kate with a smile as they all play pall mall, "i have always told you I like kate."

on the other side of the table, anthony sighed, seeing through what she meant between the lines, "you are just like daphne."

"we were right, weren't we?" she grinned at him. her playful grin turning into a serene smile at the way he was looking at his wife.

"you love her so much." raine stated, not questioning, not prying. simply as if it was a fact.

"i do." anthony nodded and agreed without any trouble at all.

the young silva could not be happier for him. she knew the hardships he went through all these years, and to see him finally freeing himself, she was so happy for him.

"i hope a love like that comes for me too." she turned back to the rest of the family, kate winning the game it seems.

"it will," anthony reached for her hand across, squeezing it tightly to offer comfort, "in due time."

taglist: @aadu2173 @imgondeletedis @pumkiinpasties @rebleforkicks @perseny @everavenclaw

#benedict bridgerton fanfiction #anthony bridgerton x oc #anthony bridgerton #benedict bridgerton x oc #bridgerton

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alpaca-clouds · 8 months

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The DnD Lore Problem - Accessibility and Characters (and how BG3 might not help)

You know what? I am gonna talk about DnD Lore and the accessibility of that lore. I talked about this exessively before. But to summarize that long blog very shortly:

Wizards of the Coasts currently makes the mistake of putting basically most DnD Lore behind a paywall, rather than offering official ressources. This leads to a lot of tables actually playing with their original worlds, rather than Toril/Faerûn, which in turn also means, that they are not spending money on official products. While my anti-capitalist ass things that the lore should be accessible just so that people can enjoy it, I also think that this inaccessibility actually costs WotC A LOT OF MONEY.

Today I want to talk about another aspect of this inaccessibility, that is kinda linked to some of the stuff I talked about before, but also is linked to the things WotC is currently not doing in terms of both Honor Among Thieves and Baldur's Gate 3. A thing, that also might not quite work with BG3, though.

See, the core problem of this inaccessibility is, that a) there is no official place where you can just get base information about the world and the timeline, b) this world has grown organically for about half a century, which lead to clutter, but also to the fact that things are at times showing their age.

I might actually make a post on the gods and religion in the world at some other point - but for now let me talk about something else: Extended universes and access points.

The Problem with Extended Universes

Okay, let's talk about how a lot of the big franchises for the longest time have told their meta stories - including DnD - and how it kinda struggles to find its audience. The extended universe.

I am frankly not entirely sure what franchise has started this. I am assuming it was Star Trek? But that is just a guess. But at some point in the 60s oder 70s someone had the idea that: "Hey, we could totally give the fans more to chew on by making official tie-in comics and novels!"

And that was how it worked for very long. Like a lot of the big franchises had at times around 10 novels and comics (if not more) releasing per year that would just explore other parts of the universe and allow the very engaged fans to... well, learn more about the world. Now, I am not going to talk about all the drama connected to the Star Wars stuff, but if you know, you know.

DnD did this too. (As did a lot of the big TTRPG systems, like Shadowrun and WoD as well.) Having a lot of tie in stuff - in the case of DnD mostly novels - that told more stories on the world and also established like some big player characters within the world. Elminster Aumar is probably one of the best examples here.

Those established some characters that play a big role within the world and also told just more stories of those big world changing events. In the recent DnD history that would be stuff like the Time of Troubles, the Spellplague and the Second Sundering.

Now, here we have one big issue. And one issue where I am not entirely certain where it arose from. But the fact is: In recent years, people invest way less into those kind of books. This is just a fact.

It is the reason why those big universes went from publishing like ten novels a year to often not more than three. We saw that in the failure of the extended Universe Disney tried to pull off for Pirates of the Caribbean (though I will still maintain that another big problem was that they barely marketed that at all - hi, everyone, who did not know there were extended universe novels for PotC). We also saw that with League of Legends, who really, really tried to tell a lot more stories with short stories and then also some novels set in Runeterra, before finally giving up, because most people didn't care.

In terms of Dungeons & Dragons I can totally see that a lot of people will also say: "I do not care what some other people's characters do within the world." Buuuuuut...

Stories actually can help you understand the world. Which brings me to...

The Elminster Problem

Okay, I do not know how to put this, but... If you look at the novels coming out for DnD literally half of them focus on either Elminster Aumar or Drizzt Do'Urden. Characters that have pretty much been around since the very beginning and. Look, I don't know how to put it but... It shows.

I am currently reading some of the newer novels and the fact is, that they do not really feel like fantasy books from the 2010s and 2020s. Because Elminster and Drizzt are very clearly characters originating in a very different time when stories were told very differently.

I mean, just look at Elminster. He is a wanna-be Gandalf character. He is from the early, early days of fantasy and... Look, I personally just really am unable to identify with a character like this.

And while Drizzt is a bit better as a character, but even he... How to put this delicately? They are both very much characters written by white cishet men for white cishet men. There, I said it.

I am noticing this a lot with reading Salvatore's books currently. Like, female characters are not overly sexualized, which is a plus. But they also very much exist most of the time in service to a man or at least in relation to a man. There is not a lot of female characters running around that have their own agency.

Which kinda leads to another thing. I actually saw this one brought up by one of those very cliché nerdy Youtube channels talking on DnD, who recognized the problem as well: There are basically two large groups of DnD players who barely intersect. One is the cliché nerds, the other is a largely queer and largely diverse group. And the youtube guy, who was very in the white cishet nerd group, suspected that actually the later group makes up more of the player base by now.

Buuuut... that is also the group who really do not get catered to by the canon lore so far. That was until 2023 with DnD:HAT and BG3 - both catering actually a lot to those groups.

Honor Among Thieves and the undermarketed books

Okay, here is the thing: Honor Among Thieves had two novelizations (one for young readers, one for older readers) and two tie-in novels. One featuring Edgin, Holga, Forge and Simon before the stuff with Sofina went down. And the other featuring Simon and Doric taking place at the time while Ed and Holga are in prison.

I am honest: I really, really liked the Ed and Holga novel. It was super cute and charming and really gives a better understanding of the characters.

But of course once again there is the thing: The books - just like the Pirates of the Caribbean books - were super undermarketed. Like, most people I know off do not even know that there were books released. Heck, even within the actual active fandom there are again and again people who will be surprised that those books exist.

And... I actually also think that the books waste one big ass opportunity, by not at all tying into the broader lore. They are super self-contained.

And that is actually just a waste. Because the place were Edgin lived in? Yeah, that place was super affected by the Second Sundering. Heck, that might have had to do something with his troubles.

Why is that an issue? Well, because... there was not a lot going on there that was inviting you to further interact with the world and learn more abotu what is happening. For once, again, because I think it is a super fun and interesting world. But also, because... WotC wants to make money and is so bad at it, that it really boggles my mind.

See, here is the thing: They could've used those characters - that really are fun and sympathetic characters - to create an accesspoint into that world.

Alright, so what about Baldur's Gate 3?

Which brings me to Baldur's Gate 3 and the thing that a lot of people have noticed: The other Baldur's Gate games - as well as some of the other games releasing around 2000 - had their own tie-in novels going into the characters, their background, but also what they were doing in the future.

Something that so far BG3 has not done, which some fans have already critized. Because a lot of people have actually gotten really invested into those characters. A lot of the kind of people especially who so far are underserved by a lot of the tie-in stuff: Queer and generally diverse audiences.

Like, I think there would be a lot of people, who totally would read a novel, about...

Astarion getting drawn into some sort of political intrigue in Baldur's Gate while serving Cazador

Karlach's time in Avernus

Some Adventure Wyll got dragged into while being the Blade of the Frontier.

Shadowheart going onto a mission for Shar (maybe together with Nocturne)

Whatever Gale was doing during the Second Sundering

Lae'zel's youth among the Githyanki

The Dark Urge and Gortash starting up the entire conspiracy

... whatever Halsin had been up to in his long live

Heck, people would eat that stuff up. And you could not only use it to worldbuild but also once more create some access into the world and what happened there. And they are kinda wasting a lot of potential by not bringing out those novels.

Of course, there is one big problem: BG3 makes it kinda hard to write about anything happening after the ending. Because as it is right now, someone is gonna be pissed if a novel set after the game does not go with the decision for a character they go for. Like, Ascended Astarion fans are gonna be pissed, if they go with Spawn Astarion - and the other way around. Same goes with every other character where you have those big decisions happening.

This is something they will have to tackle eventually if they plan on doing something with the characters in the future (no matter if we are talking Larian or WotC), but it is definitely an issue that just arises from the structure of the game.

Bonus of course is, that you just cannot define a canonical Tav. But without a Tav, you also gotta act as if the story of the game happened without a Tav, which still is not ideal. I am honestly not sure with how they are gonna deal with this on the long run.

Access via Characters

Alright, but what is the actual issue here?

Well, basically there are two hurdles to overcome for the accessibility of the lore. The first is the physical accessibility - aka, what I talked about in the last long blog post. The second meanwhile is more related to making the lore engaging. And that happens through characters.

It is for me what happened last year. I actually tried to engage with the lore as the movie came out - but only when BG3, that tied a lot more into the actual lore was released I actually found proper access to the lore. Because I had concrete things I could now look for because the game hinted at so much both through characters and major story events happening.

Here is the thing: If you just have the lore on its own, it is about as engaging as reading a history book. Sure, as your local history nerd I find reading history books fun, but most people really do not want to read a history book to engage with a hobby.

People will however engage with stories and characters that interest them. Which is where we get back to the thing I talked about at the beginning: Right now most canonical novels and stories still cater to an audience that is male, cishet, white and also, let's be frank, definitely over 30 years old. Leaving behind a lot of potential fans that theoretically make up a big part of the player-base, but actually do not engage a lot with the lore for this exact reason.

Look. DnD right now is fairly close to being an actual mainstream hobby, due to the recent proliferation of formerly nerdy stuff. And yet WotC is bleeding money, especially in regards of DnD.

If you ask me, sure... DnD should go into public domain. But it doesn't. And given that there are so many creative, skilled people working on this - no matter how dumb Hasbro is and how shitty of an employer they are - I actually do want them to succeed. I have really become engaged with this world now. And I think it is a pity that they clearly do not know how to market this stuff.

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matan4il · 10 months

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Daily update post:

One of the issues that caused the delay in the hostage release yesterday was Hamas' violation of the agreement. Israel demanded that families will be released together, mothers with their kids, Hamas agreed. Yesterday, on just the second day of implementing the accord, Hamas violated this term, when the list only included a 13 years old girl named Hilla Rotem, but not her 54 years old mom, Ra'aya. This is tragic in itself, but it was compounded by the fact that Hilla is the only daughter of a single mom. Think about what it means to her, that she's being released, but not the only immediate family she has in the world. Israel insisted that Hamas must honor the agreement, but Hamas said the only way they'd stick to the agreement of not separating Hilla Rotem from her mom, is if the girl wouldn't be released. But seeing as the kids are considered the most vulnerable, Israel relented and accepted Hilla being released without her mom. Why is Hamas so insistent on separating the two, we can only guess.

So, for those keeping score, Hamas violated the agreement twice (potentially three time), first with firing rockets 15 minutes after the fighting was supposed to stop, then forcing families apart. The third issue is that Hamas promised the Red Cross would be allowed to meet the hostages remaining in captivity, but so far, that hasn't happened. If it stays that way, that's another violation. We're all waiting to see what will happen today, since on both previous days, the hostages release was delayed.

On its part, Hamas claimed Israel was the one breaking the agreement, even though there was independent confirmation that Israel met its obligations, such as the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza as part of the accord. Today, the aid trucks went in even earlier, and with video documentation, so that Hamas would not be able to use this as an excuse again. Another thing that Hamas claims is that Israel is supposed to release prisoners based on how long they've been in jail, but Israel said it was not a part of the signed agreement. Hamas gave a list of 14 hostages to be released, eventually it released 13 Israelis kidnapped. The agreement said Israel is to release 3 convicted terrorist per each release hostage, so Israel was set to release 42 prisoners. When it turned out that Hamas is only releaseing 13 people, Israel still released all 42 people who were already went through the process of release. No official explanation was offered, but my guess is to prevent any riots from those three who would not be released, and their families outside.

The other day, a ship flying Malta's flag was attacked by an armed suicide drone in the Indian ocean. It turns out that while being operated by another company, one of the owners of the ship is an Israeli businessman. To target the ship for its ownership rather than operators, implies the intel probably came from Iran. The ship was damaged in the attack, a fire broke out, but no one was hurt. There's an initial report of another ship, supposedly under Israeli ownership, that was kidnapped today near Yemen. If true, this is the third ship targeted for supposedly being Israeli.

A video was circulated the other day, which I will not be sharing, but you can see it here. It shows two Palestinians from Jenin, shot to death for supposedly collaborating with Israel, and then their bodies were hung, a crowd gathered and filmed this, then the bodies were taken down, dragged along the streets, abused, and eventually they were dumped in a garbage site. Are they really informants for Israel? I recently watched a documentary about Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' current leader in Gaza, who was imprisoned by Israel up until 2011. But it wasn't for killing Israelis, it was for murdering Palestinians for supposedly collaborating. An Israeli internal security official said that out of the dozens upon dozens of Palestinians that Sinwar killed with his own hands, maybe 2 or 3 were actual informants. Sinwar murdered these people to make a reputation for himself (he was nicknamed "The Butcher of Khan Younes"), and for an array of other, more personal reasons. So... I'd say most odds are these people had nothing to do with Israel, too.

As antisemitism is on the rise, and too many are adopting a narrative that justified or dismissed Hamas' crimes, the Prime Minister of Ireland did the sameon Twitter. He got community notes correcting his erasure of an Irish-Israeli 9 years old girl's kidnapping.

Just a reminder that when one terrorist in Dublin stabbed five people, three kids included, there were massive riots, with lots of public infrastructure burned down, and rioters arrested. What would Ireland do if they would have been subjected to a terrorist attack equivalent to the one Israel suffered on Oct 7?

The really tall guy is an Israeli officer whose name can't be published, only his initial Y.

He finished a specific military role two months before Hamas' massacre. On the day of Oct 7, he realized that the guy who replaced him, who lives further to the north, would not be able to make it to the fighting zone in time, so Y jumped into his car and drove there, without a weapon or a bulletproof vest. On the way, terrorists ambushed his car, and shot him in the stomach. Realizing he's beginning to pass out, he stopped his car at the side of the road. He woke up to the sight of the second guy in the pic, Mulogate Gazhai. He's a citizen of Eritrea seeking sanctuary in Israel. Mulogate was in a taxi, getting away from the fighting, when he saw the wounded Y's car. He asked the taxi driver to stop. When Y regained consciousness, Mulogate told him, "I'm with you all the way." He stayed by his side, putting pressure on Y's wound to stop him from bleeding out, for almost three hours, hiding together in a ditch on the side of the road, while terrorists keep driving through this area. Today, for having saved Y's life, Mulogate was granted an honorary Israeli citizenship.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

#israel #israeli #israel news #israel under attack #israel under fire #terrorism #anti terrorism #antisemitism #hamas #antisemitic #antisemites #jews #jew #judaism #jumblr #frumblr #jewish

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charmedreincarnation · 1 year

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I’m kind of in a similar situation to your college indecisiveness post bc I want to shift but never have the time cuz all this studying. I’m really hating life rn. I’ve tried shifting a few times and managed to detach my awareness from this reality for a few minutes at a time, so i know what works for me, but I never have time to do it. I feel kind of drained that I could be achieving so much but I’m stuck not even having the time cuz I’m not smart enough to get done with all this HW fast enough

TLDR how do I be cool like you and too smart for school to be a big concern? Do I just say f**k it and do a shifting attempt when I’m supposed to be studying?

This was such a sweet ask 😭😭💖 I'm overwhelmed by the sweetness of your words, and I assure you, I'm far from being as cool as you think. In fact, I found myself facing the very same dilemma in the past! Now, I'm not sure if you're looking for some wisdom from Loa or valuable studying tips, so ill share a little bit of both? Also college-related questions/asks have been pouring in lately, so I've decided to address them all right here. I should probably just make it a post but I’ll use this ask as a reference.

Pre law perspective:

So my senior year, was when I really started my journey. It was during this time that I learned about shifting and manifesting (kind of law of attraction) so I naturally attempted everyday and had my focus to that. However, I basically spiraled into burnout and indifference towards school. Tbh It's still a mystery to me how I managed to do fine in school when I basically stopped attending classes mentally and barely did my work.

I've always had ADHD, anxiety, and procrastination issues throughout my high school years, But senior year took it to a whole new level. The boredom and disconnection from my studies were unbearable. I went through the motions, completing my homework, but for classes I didn't enjoy, I mindlessly attended without caring or understanding the material. It was a year filled with academic mediocrity, and certain subjects like AP Calculus and AP Biology, which I didn't even need for my future plans, were absolute torture.

And at the time I didn’t even fully understand what shifting was, But I clung to the notion that school no longer mattered in the grand scheme of things. Looking back, I realize it was a detrimental mentality to have for my well being. If there's one piece of advice I can offer, it's this - find a balance. Avoid burning yourself out completely, but don't neglect your mental well-being either. You are still here, whether you're shifting or not, whether you’re god or not, and whether you're actively manifesting or not. Diving deeper into a negative mental well will not benefit you in any way. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

As my burnout intensified, I reached a point where I no longer wanted to be alive in this boring ass reality. It became so severe that I almost didn't apply to college. My entire focus was consumed by shifting, and I simply didn't care about anything else. It was my friends who came to my rescue, pushing me to apply and offering unwavering support. Without their guidance and nurturing, I honestly don't know where I would be today.

Eventually, I grew tired of being tired. I began diving into my subliminal journey, creating playlists that combined affirmations for school,success, and luck. I learned the importance of dividing my time wisely. During the second semester, I continued this approach, focusing on school-related practices during the day and dedicating my evenings to shifting attempts.

Affirmations and scripting became the root of my routine too. Miraculously, my grades improved, even when I skipped classes for an entire month or neglected to read the lectures.

I was able to graduate high school with honors, which in itself proves that success or whatever isn’t even just about being naturally "good at school." I worked smarter, not harder and knowing about manifesting really helped with that!

So I really advice you to find a balance in your journey. Don't pour all your energy into just school or just manifesting. Embrace the plethora of easy methods available - scripting, subliminals, binaural beats - and integrate them into your study routine. Make it work in your favor. Treat shifting like a cherished hobby, something that complements your academic pursuits rather than overshadowing them.

Also, set realistic standards for yourself. In high school, I used to obsess over achieving straight A's, disregarding any grade below perfection. Looking back, I realize how misplaced my priorities were. As long as you maintain a mix of A's, B's, and even a few C's, you'll be absolutely fine. Set a goal of achieving a GPA of 3.0 or whatever scale your institution uses, and celebrate every success along the way.

Loa perspective

Ok, now let's talk about the power of the Law of Assumption!

Now that I'm in a place where I give only about 20% of my time and effort to school and still do very well, I can help and reflect on my journey properly. Back in high school, like said I struggled with anxiety and ADHD, and I thought these challenges would hold me back.

Test-taking, deadlines, remembering information it all seemed overwhelming. But you know what helped me? Subliminals.

Listening to subliminals for intelligence and confidence made a significant difference in my life. They boosted my abilities and gave me the belief that I could excel academically. And that belief was everything.

As you probably know the Law of Assumption states that whatever we expect and assume to be true will become our reality. So, I decided to apply this principle to my studies. I assumed that I was capable of achieving great grades with ease. I assumed that school life would be manageable, and I would continuously improve my skills throughout the semester. I always visualized seeing As, revised my past grades, teacher giving me the grade I know I deserve no matter what.

And guess what? It worked! My mindset shifted towards greater productivity, and I started using my time more efficiently. As a result, my grades improved, and I had more time to focus on the things I genuinely enjoyed. It was a game-changer, and it accounted for about 70% of my success. Just imagine that - simply switching my mindset and accepting the positive results from my previous subliminal experiences.

I understand that college can be more stressful and demanding than high school. But it's still the same principle at play. You don't have to drastically change your study habits if you don't want to. Instead, use general resources during the day to aid your studying. And while you're at it, listen to subliminals that align with your goals. Instead of imagining and affirming to yourself that you're a failure and worrying about all the things that could go wrong, shift your focus. Imagine the grade you want, affirm and visualize that no matter what happens on your test, you'll still pass the class with flying colors. Remember, it's just one test, one assignment, and there are so many more opportunities ahead.

General school tips

* Stop checking your grades every day. Seriously, it's only stressing you out. Grades can fluctuate randomly, especially in college (and honestly, even in high school). Instead of obsessing over the numbers, focus on staying on top of your assignments. Keep up with your work, put in your best effort, and trust that alone will reflect in your grades.

* Say no to all-nighters. Trust me, reading the same material for 12 hours straight won't magically make you understand it. If something isn't clicking, it's probably an internal issue. There's no need to spend an entire night alone trying to grasp a single concept. Look for alternative resources like recap lessons on YouTube or seek help from a tutor or classmate. Remember, it's okay to acknowledge what doesn't come naturally to you and instead focus on your strengths.

* Realistically, doing your homework and attending class means you're probably not failing. Even if you're not getting the grade you want, it doesn't mean you're headed for failure. Those big tests that carry a significant weight in your grade may impact your GPA, but they don't define the trajectory of your life. Take a moment to reflect on all the times you thought a single grade would ruin everything, yet here you are, still alive and thriving. You've been through challenges before, and you're stronger than you think. Breathe, remind yourself that you're not alone in these thoughts and stresses, and keep pushing forward.

* Make friends and join class group chats. Trust me, these connections are gold. Joining group chats on platforms like GroupMe or Snapchat allows you to ask questions, collaborate on study guides, and realize that you're not alone in this journey. Even if they're not your closest friends, having a support system within your classes can make all the difference.

* Use EFT tapping for anxiety, especially before tests. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping is not only useful for Law purposes, but it can also work wonders for managing anxiety. Check out my pinned guide on how to use EFT tapping. It has personally helped me immensely, and I hope it does the same for you.

* Work smarter, not harder. The truth is, those who seem to breeze through school while partying every night still manage to graduate and pass just like everyone else. The key is finding shortcuts, utilizing the vast resources available on the internet, and working smarter, not harder. Embrace technology, explore online study tools, and leverage the power of the internet as your greatest friend in this journey.

Here are some free recourses:

Math and Science

1. MathMagic Lite: This app lets you write any mathematical expressions and various scientific symbols easily

2. Equatio: A powerful equation editor that makes it easy to create digital, accessible maths

3. Microsoft Mathematics: Can be used to write mathematical expressions, solve equations, and plot graphs

4. Desmos Scientific Calculator & Graphing Calculator: Utility apps for students and teachers for calculations and graph plotting

5. WolframAlpha: A computational search engine that can solve a wide variety of problems, especially useful for math and science

Article/Video Summarization

6. Smmry: A website that summarizes articles for you

7. TLDR This: A browser extension for quick article summarization

8. Inshorts: An app providing news in 60 words or less

9. Listenable: Converts articles into short audio files

Note-Taking

10. Evernote: A note-taking app where you can jot down thoughts, save things you find online, and even scan physical documents with your phone's camera

11. Microsoft OneNote: Allows for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration

12. Notion: An all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and get organized

Concept Explanation

13. Khan Academy: Offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom

14. Coursera: Provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online

15. Complexly: A YouTube channel that produces a variety of educational content, including the series Crash Course which covers many different subjects in depth

16. citation machine: you never have to make source citations by yourself. This gives your both in test and citations for your essays and research.

Lastly I’m gonna put all the free resources most colleges offer for free!

Academic Resources

* Online Study Platforms: Websites such as Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX offer free or low-cost courses on a variety of subjects that can supplement your coursework.

* Academic Advising Centers: Most colleges have an academic advising center where students can get guidance on course selection, degree requirements, and academic planning.

* Writing Centers: Writing centers provide assistance with writing assignments, including proofreading, editing, and helping with citations.

* Library Research Databases: Your college library likely subscribes to a number of research databases (like JSTOR, EBSCO, and ProQuest) that can provide access to academic journals, books, and other resources.

2. Career Resources

* Career Centers: These centers offer career counseling, resume reviews, interview preparation, and job search assistance.

* Internship and Co-op Programs: Many colleges have programs that help students find internships or co-op positions in their field of interest.

* LinkedIn Learning: This platform offers courses on a variety of career-related topics, including networking, resume writing, and job interviewing.

3. Mental Health and Wellness Resources

* Counseling Centers: Most colleges offer free or low-cost mental health services to students, including individual therapy, group sessions, and workshops.

* Fitness Centers: Regular exercise is important for both physical and mental health. Most colleges have fitness centers that offer a variety of workout options.

* Mindfulness and Meditation Apps: Apps like Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations that can help reduce stress and improve mental health.

4. Financial Aid Resources

* Financial Aid Office: Your college's financial aid office can provide information on scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities, and student loans.

* FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to accessing federal financial aid, including grants, work-https://www.tumblr.com/charmedreincarnation/712878654521262080/everything-eft-tapping?source=share funds, and loans.

* Scholarship Search Engines: Websites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com can help you find scholarships that you may be eligible for.

Other questions I got

Q: How did you manifest graduating early?

A: Graduating early was always a desire deep within me. I didn't realize it was on track to manifest until I had a meeting with my advisor. Interestingly, when I found out it was happening, I wasn't as ecstatic as I thought I would be. It made me realize that desires can change as we grow and evolve. So, if something you once desired doesn't bring you the same joy anymore, it's perfectly okay. Life is all about evolving and embracing new desires.

Q: What affirmations do you use?

A: Since I had a multitude of desires in various aspects of my life, I found it tiring to have a separate affirmation for each one. So, I opted for general affirmations that encompassed all areas of my life. For example, I would affirm statements like "I am the luckiest person alive," "Everything works out my way," and "I always get my desires." These affirmations can be applied to all aspects of life, including school. The key is to find affirmations that resonate with you and create a positive mindset.

Q: How do you manage the law/shifting and school?

A: As I mentioned earlier, integration is the key! You don't have to view manifestation or shifting as something separate from your school life. Instead, incorporate these practices seamlessly into your daily routine. The goal is to make it a part of your lifestyle without feeling like it's an extra burden or sacrifice. For example, if a certain method, like wbtb lucid dreaming, is disrupting your sleep schedule, consider switching to other methods like subliminals or reality checks. You can still set intentions before going to bed, which will be effective without compromising your sleep. Find what works best for you and strike a balance between school, manifestation, and your mental health

Q: What to do if affirmations don’t work:

A:maybe you don’t think with words. I’m more of a visual person and will always believe and like images more than words. I would just imagine my grades always being an A. No matter what, no matter if I failed a test or forgot to submit a homework even if I failed everything I still got an A! If you don’t like to visualize then change your wording to how you naturally speak. Maybe you don’t even like affirmations, it’s really different for everyone.

Q:I don’t want to go to this college but I still have to apply, is that affecting living in the end:

A: nope I don’t think taking action or not taking action affects anything If you’re living in the end. Just because you apply doesn’t mean you’ll get in simply because you took the action. Do what you have to do it doesn’t matter if you’re living your 3D life but know imagination is your true reality. If you’re a billionaire and sleep in a homeless shelter that doesn’t take away from the fact you’re a billionaire. Who knows why you’re at a homeless shelter and who knows why you’re applying for college. It doesn’t dictate anything.

Q:I needed to get into the void before college but now I’m here without my dream life and I hate it. What do I do:

A: well it’s happened so take a deep breath. You can still master the void, in fact you already have you’re just being silly and want a funny humbling story. There is no better time than now to be delulu. When you’re trying to escape something and it passes accept it and make it your bitch tbh. honestly keeping busy definitely helped me in my journey anyways, but I did provide tips above so you have free time because you shouldn’t just be immersed in school. For example when I was poor, it was because I needed a humbling back story because no one likes people born into wealth. I’m assuming you still want to be in college, and yea, it’s just cool to have started from the bottom before you become that It girl. That’s your choice and your truth but now you’re done with being humble so go tap into the void.

Q: what’s your perspective on manifesting a perfect life. like nothing bad ever happens but also having a good life with just minor challenges (nothing too big) and I don’t wanna normalize suffering bc who wants to suffer?

A: ok this had a school ask but that was just the gist of it. anyways not that my opinion matters first and foremost. But I think that’s great. Who wants to suffer… exactly. You know I like being human, but I did not like my human experience before Loa. I do like challenges, I like growth, I like not being perfect, and I like being happy and getting what I want too! you can still have all those human aspects and manifest everything you desire. Mary Sues do don’t exist because humanity exists. Don’t worry about it. Your life won’t feel stagnant or unreal or something, I promise

Ok sorry this came out longer than I expected but I had a lot to say. I hope that answers all the asks I’ve been getting ! You all got this, college, your manifesting journey, your anxiety, all of it. All of your dreams & desires are within your reach (right in front of you !!!) so go for it and still live your best life <3!

#law of assumption #manifesation #manifesting #my asks #void state #shiftblr #reality shifting #school #hot girl scholar 👩‍🏫#college

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maxwell-mtv · 2 months

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Maxwell_MTV's Store Swap AU for SDV!

[I've been working a lot as always, so it's been hard to write. But... I guess the stars are aligning because one of my fave artists and mutuals ( @vilochkaaa ) posted their own Store Swap AU art today (WHICH IS SUPER COOL YOU SHOULD CHECK IT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT ALREADY!!!) and I was also planning on posting my own Store Swap AU stuff today that I've been working on...

I hope everyone enjoys! I've put my extra braincells into spicing this up. Written stuff is below the cut... I was allowed to cook and I made the best meal I could for all you wonderful folks out there lol]

Morris: You ever feel like you're doing better in another life?

The general idea:

In this universe, Pierre finds success after a long career as a professional boxer and manages to somehow use his fame to open a chain of convenience stores after he retires. This, of course, competes directly with Joja and while it’s not enough to drive them completely out of business, it manages to split business fairly evenly between the two.

While Pierre reaps the daily grind of those beneath him as the CEO of what is simplified to being called “Pierre’s”, someone else finds himself settling into a small town to try and live out his own dreams of running a store.

Morris:

While Pierre is living the dream, Morris has been put through the wringer.

With the success of “Pierre’s”, many JojaMarts were forced to shut down as a result.

Morris was on a fast track to his first promotion to be a manager when his store had to shut down no thanks to “Pierre’s” success in that part of the city.

With the store shutting down, many were laid off (only current management got to relocate to other stores) so Morris became ✨unemployed✨.

While Morris began with quite the rising confidence as he gained notoriety in his store, him being laid off brought all that to a crashing halt.

So, with a new sense of humility given his circumstances, he gathers what he can and searches for a new path in life.

He finds himself in a small town by the seaside, a village, really, with how small the populace was.

But during his time soaking in the calming charm of Pelican Town, he notices an issue with the locals.

All of them needed to take a day’s trip to the city to purchase their groceries for the week. A huge inconvenience for those who needed small, simple necessities like bread or toilet paper. And when it came to purchasing from the locals, many farmers were out of seasonal stock by the time the locals needed them.

So Morris takes the initiative and opens up what he calls “Morris’s Market” in the semi-vacant building next to the clinic.

Semi-vacant, only because of the public access to Yoba’s altar.

Morris runs a successful business, feeling himself renewed as he gains a positive reputation amongst the locals.

But still there’s this feeling deep inside of him as though something had gone astray in his story. Like something in his fate had been tampered with to have stolen his dreams from him.

But thanks to time, he finds himself proud and content with his small success as a small businessman.

That is, until someone decides to break ground in his small town, which leads him to a dizzying disparaging of his confidence once again.

Morris, in a desperate plea to keep what he has, often finds himself praying in front of the altar beneath his home. Although he’s never been religious, he doesn’t think he can take another blow to his ego. At the end of the day, when numbers are crunched and sales are charted, he doesn’t see himself doing anything but this.

It is evident that in this universe, unlike canon, Morris is more humble and anxious. Where his insecurities were buried deep beneath the corporate mask JojaMart had given him in canon, he has nothing but his more organic self to offer to a fairly organic town. Polite, tired all the time, and just doing his best…

Pierre:

After his famous career as a boxer comes to an honorable end, he retires and uses his fortune to start a business. With the charms of what is reminiscent of a small business, Pierre’s General Store (later simplified to “Pierre’s” for better mass marketing) goes toe-to-toe with Joja’s long time success as the better box store.

Competing with a conglomerate like Joja isn’t easy, but “Pierre’s” values that are taken straight from the founder himself aid in toppling them to a mere equal competitor.

"A family business from humble beginnings with the drive to give back to the farmers who give them their produce to sell."

It feels like a more country version of a Trader Joe’s. And (not to intentionally out my current geography) competes against Joja like Meijers does with a Kroger.

On vaster scale, it’s like Walmart/Sam's Club against Costco…

Hard to explain but that’s the general vibes of “Pierre’s.”

After a little vacation to Pelican Town with his wife and daughter, he decides to take on a capital expenditure which challenges the very competence of his title as a CEO.

Seeing that the only store these people in the middle of the Valley were confined to were either his stores in the city or a “pathetic excuse of a general store” (his words, not mine), he has a little talk with the Mayor.

Breaking ground in Pelican Town was easy, a convenient plot of land was just over the bridge from where "Morris’s Market" was and so customers would be a breeze to snatch up.

Despite what his advisors warned him against, Pierre ignores all odds and sets his eyes on the prize. Not even JojaMart could do what he was about to do, and that would catapult him from just an equal competitor to the top dog.

It was easy enough to draw a crowd, but there was a growing issue with his store just barely breaking even each week. It seemed that though the town flocked to him for most things, the majority tended to stick with “Morris’s Market” in the name of loyalty. I mean, it wasn’t like his prices were much better than Morris’s store anyways since he aimed for both profit and quality.

As he contemplated it each morning as he hit the gym, the problem became all too clear to him. It wasn’t his prices or the quality of products, rather it was the sense of community amongst the town.

I mean, just look how they all gathered every month (sometimes more!) in that old, barely functional Community Center to hold meetings, plan festivities, hold celebrations, and just socialize and bond!

If only there was someway he could break that and shatter that sense of loyalty they had in the name of supporting their fellow townie.

It would be a shame, really… if someone were to report that sad, beaten building to the proper authorities for an inspection. Without the Mayor knowing of it, he might be able to convince them that the building wasn't just “well loved” as the Mayor put it and was hardly still up to code, if at all.

If only he could prove it wasn’t up to code…

Damn his advisors, damn his wife, and damn everyone in this "hick town". He will succeed at all costs… even if he loses his charms along the way.

Pierre uses his charms as an admittedly still good looking man. If you ignore the small crook in his nose from it being broken too many times before, you’d see why his wife still stayed with him despite her seeming too sweet and meek for his own good.

It would be easy, if he laid it on thick, to sway the town amongst a tragedy to lean on him in some regard. Just a little wink, an offer of setting up events every month outside his store. Hey, maybe if he could drive Morris’s store out of business he could buy that storefront from him and use it as the new gathering place. It seemed fitting seeing as half the town gathered there every Sunday for Yoba’s altar anyways.

It’s too bad his daughter puts a dent in his plans though… She never did outgrow that rebellious phase…

Pierre works out often in this universe, having the time and freedom to make his own schedule as CEO. He treats his family well enough, although he’s never home long enough to let them see the monster he’s let himself become. But his daughter can see glimpses in the way he talks to her and her mother that he’s not the same father he had once been. It’s like something changed in him along the way to make him worse than he’d been before…

Having never lost a match in his career, only when it was planned for ticket sales, Pierre has an inflated ego which blinds him to his own faults. In his eyes, this is the life he’s always been destined for. To be on the top of the world and determined to never fall from grace.

His daughter, on the other hand, would say otherwise. She often has a similar epiphany as Morris. Where an existential feeling of dread consumes her and deep down, despite her fairly privileged life, she knows this was not what she was destined for.

(I'd like to think Pierre just doesn't bother with the "no-homo" stuff and constantly flirts with Morris in this AU just to rile him up and throw him off his game. Especially when they get into fights about ethics and business and blah blah typical enemies to still enemies but also lovers stuff.)

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warabidakihime · 2 months

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Rules and Roses Chapter 5

★ characters: kibutsuji muzan x reader x akaza

★ plot summary: Kibutsuji Muzan has finally decided to expand his empire, and the way he intends to do so is by running for the highest political position. With you, his darling wife, at his side, he believes he can achieve and have everything the world has to offer. He is, after all, the Phoenix of Phario.

★ fic playlist: sometimes, same day, as time stops, wolf’s song (this is also the vision board for the fic).

★ content warnings : implied violence, self-harm and abuse, profanities, toxic relationships, smut.

★ Previous Chapter

a/n:

i MIGHT have indulged this chapter ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

and i most definitely had a change of heart as to where this story will go ૮ ․ ․ ྀིა

as always, comments are always welcomes and super appreciated!

"Good day, Azudellin! Thank you so much for the warm hospitality you bestowed upon us. It's truly an honor to stand before you today in this beautiful province, surrounded by such a passionate and vibrant community."

Muzan said proudly as he stood at the stage with the rest of his political party sitting just behind him, who were also gazing at the huge crowd that gathered today in the city proper to attend the party's town hall. He stood there with a dashing smile on his face, patiently waiting for the applause and cheers to subside before speaking again.

Meanwhile, you were sitting in the front row, mirroring your husband's smile as you listened intently to his speech. For a brief moment, he turned to you, and a giggle slipped through your lips as you witnessed his smile getting bigger.

"Good luck," you mouthed to him, to which he subtly and cleverly responded with a wink before turning to the vast crowd once again.

"I’ve traveled far and wide across our great nation, but each time I come here, I am reminded of what makes our country truly special. It’s the people—the heart and soul of our nation. And tonight, I want to speak to you not just as a presidential candidate, but as someone who deeply believes in the potential of every single person here."

Since you were at a fairly far place from home and currently a part of a really huge crowd, Muzan took it upon himself to double up the security in the vicinity, not just for your safety but for everybody's as well. Not that he has enemies (he's aware of) that are out to get him; it's just that elections in general are a time where anything can happen, and so it's still better to be safe than sorry.

Akaza and Kokushibo are standing on each side of the stage upfront so that they have a fish-eye view of the whole venue, and god forbid something happens. Your two most trusted allies are just a few feet away from the both of you.

"I’ve heard your voices, your concerns, and your dreams. From the stories shared with me in the fields, to the struggles faced by our small businesses, to the aspirations of our young people yearning for a brighter future—your voices have been a guiding light for my campaign.

Azudellin is a province rich in history and potential. But like many places, you’ve faced challenges—economic downturns, educational disparities, and the need for better infrastructure. I know that these challenges are not just statistics; they are real issues that affect your daily lives. And I am here to tell you that change is not just a possibility—it is a certainty if we work together."

As your husband got into his speech, his passion for his cause was evident in his face, and the crowd started to clap for him. Some of them even stood out and cheered loudly for him. Chills went down your spine as the cheers got louder and louder.

Then, Muzan raised his hand to calm the applause and cheers, despite feeling elated at their passionate support for him. His smile never left his face as he continued his speech, his voice laced with passion and strong will.

"Thank you. We must remember that real change begins at the grassroots level. It begins with our children having access to quality education, with our farmers getting the support they need, and with every worker having a fair opportunity to succeed.

When I think about Azudellin, I think about resilience. I think about the community spirit that binds you all together. It’s in the way you come together to support each other during tough times and how you celebrate each other’s successes. That spirit is what will drive our nation forward."

The crowd broke out into another round of cheers and applause, and this time, you were cheering with them. You stood up proudly and gave your husband a warm round of applause. Your eyes were slightly misty because you were also incredibly moved by Muzan's speech. So much pride surged within your veins as you continued to watch him in awe. You were so damn proud of the man he's become all through the years.

Images from the past flashed through your mind when you and Muzan were still in college. You could still remember how his eyes would twinkle each time he would share his dream to you and how much his voice carried so much hope.

From the stage, Muzan saw you wiping your tears. You were so immersed in your little trip down memory lane that you couldn't help but get emotional. His eyes and overall expression softened, while his heart swelled with so much joy that he himself was this close to getting emotional himself. And the cheering crowd wasn't helping; they kept getting louder and louder as the seconds went by.

Once again, he raised his hand to calm everyone down, taking a deep breath to ground himself before facing the crowd again.

"I see the hope in your eyes, and I feel the determination in your hearts. This election is not about one person; it’s about all of us. It’s about what we can achieve together. Every vote you cast, every voice you raise, every action you take—it all contributes to shaping the future of our province and our nation.

I promise you this: I will not be a president who stands apart from you. I will stand with you, listen to you, and fight for you. Together, we will build a future where no one is left behind, where opportunity is abundant, and where our values of unity and compassion guide every decision we make."

From his post, Akaza glanced subtly at Muzan, who's clearly reveling in the love and support he's getting. Then he looked at the crowd; everybody was now on their feet, applauding loudly and chanting his name. Akaza couldn't help but feel immensely impressed by his boss' charisma and command on stage. It's like it was written in the sky that Muzan was born to be on stage. Born to be in the spotlight.

At this point, Muzan couldn't help but flash everybody with the biggest smile he has ever worn in front of everybody, but to you, that was a smile you'd fallen in love with twelve years ago. You already saw that smile a bunch of times. From the day you said yes to him when he was courting you, the day you celebrated your first anniversary, when you said yes to his proposal, and when the priest announced you as husband and wife.

'Hakuji Soyama x L/N Y/N - Just got engaged! (03/03/2015)'

As that flashed in your mind, you stopped dead in your tracks. It has been a few days since that day, and sadly, it has continued to haunt you. From time to time, either the photo or the words scribbled at the back would flash in your mind, making you rather uneasy and agitated. As much as you wanted to deny it, it was clear as day as to who you saw in that photo.

"Thank you, Azudellin. Your spirit has filled me with renewed strength and conviction. Let us walk this path together, with hope in our hearts and determination in our souls. The future is ours to build, and I believe with all my heart that we will build it together.

Thank you, and may we continue to forge ahead with courage and unity!"

As Muzan finished his speech strongly, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause once again, many of them even coming forward to shake hands with him and express their utmost support for him. The loud cheers woke you up from your stupor. Looking up, you saw your beloved husband get showered with so much love and support. Meanwhile, Akaza and Kokushibo were doing their best to do crowd control.

At that moment, your eyes darted from your husband to your personal bodyguard multiple times before Muzan's voice called out to you. From his point of view, you must be feeling quite overwhelmed given that there's a high volume of people walking and running from all sides, and so he took it upon himself to call you to him, but the loud crowd made it impossible for you to hear him.

"Madam," Akaza said while reaching out to you to guide you to Muzan.

You gingerly took his hand and let him guide you away from the roaring crowd. Akaza couldn't help but frown a little upon seeing the rather unusual look on your face. He knows you tend to get overwhelmed with crowds, but he can't help but assume that something else is plaguing your mind.

Muzan shared his sentiment as well, and so he called out to Akaza, "Escort her inside! I'll be right there."

Akaza bowed and uttered a 'yes, sir.' before proceeding to guide you out of harm's way.

"Are you okay? Do you need something?" Akaza asked you while you took a seat.

You smiled sheepishly and said, "A glass of water would be nice."

Akaza nodded politely and excused himself so he could fetch you your drink. While waiting, Muzan emerged from the door along with his political party. You could hear the noise from outside subsiding, which meant the people were gradually leaving now that the townhall was over.

Muzan immediately went to you, kneeling in front of you while wearing a worried expression on his face.

"Hey, darling, are you okay?" he said, one of his hands cupping one side of your face and his thumb caressing your cheeks tenderly as he tends to you.

You nodded and smiled fondly at your husband.

"I'm fine. I was just a bit overwhelmed earlier. You did a little too well back there with your speech that everybody was on their toes shouting their hearts for you," you joked.

Muzan snorted and chuckled at your joke, "Did I?"

"Mhm. Show off~"

Your husband smirked at your joke, pinching your cheek playfully as he replied, "How can I make it up to you then?"

"Madam, your water," Akaza said, unknowingly disrupting your sweet moment with your husband. You gratefully took the water bottle and mouthed a thank you; meanwhile, Muzan got up and sat next to you.

After taking a swig of your drink, you turned to Muzan and said, "Since it would take us six hours to get back to Areswood, can we stay the night here, my love?"

"Hm? Sure. I don't see why not."

Smiling gratefully at this, you leaned forward and gave your husband a peck on the lips, to which Muzan audaciously chased after your lips when you pulled away and captured them again for another sweet kiss.

"I was also hoping we could go on a date with just the two of us, like without Akaza or Kokushibo tailing behind us."

Muzan was slightly taken aback by your request; his face was rather unreadable. There were a lot of things racing in his mind, mostly your safety, but you woke him up from his stupor when you pressed on, "Please?"

After a few seconds of you doing your damnedest to give your husband the cute puppy face, he yielded. A fond smile danced on Muzan's lips as he looked pointedly at you.

"Your wish is my command."

You broke out into a huge smile and tackled your husband into a tight hug, almost pressing your whole body against his, totally not caring people were around.

"You're the best!" you exclaimed, to which Muzan responded with a fond laugh as he reciprocated your hug with just as much passion.

He then placed a kiss on top of your head before pulling away from the hug to face both Akaza and Kokushibo. As much as he wanted to revert back to his stoic self, the smile that was tugging at the corners of his lip was winning, as you and the townhall had put him in such a good mood.

"Tomorrow, have the day off. Azudellin is vastly big, so take the opportunity to roam around. I'll give you some pocket money. Just have your phones open just in case of emergencies."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." Both Akaza and Kokushibo responded politely.

Muzan nodded. "We're done here, so have the car ready so we can all return back to the hotel."

He was met with another chorus of 'Yes, sir.' before the two of them hurried back to the parking lot to get the car ready to escort you back to the hotel.

Muzan watched as Akaza and Kokushibo walked off. When they opened the door, the two of you noticed that the noise from outside had completely died down and the ambiance in the entire place had become more peaceful.

With a soft sigh of contentment, Muzan turned his attention back to you.

"Ready to go?"

You nodded happily and said, "Yes."

As you both stood up, ready to leave the venue, Muzan placed a protective arm around you. "I must admit, I am looking forward to our date. Thinking about it now, it really has been a while since we last went on a proper one, no?"

You nodded in agreement, letting Muzan guide you through the now-thinning crowd. Akaza and Kokushibo were already waiting by the car, the vehicle's engine rumbling softly in anticipation of the journey ahead.

While walking side by side, you gave his waist a loving squeeze and even stopped him for a moment to give him another kiss on the lips, and your husband immediately picked up on the longing that lingered in the sweet gesture.

"It really has. To say that I've been missing you is an understatement, to be quite honest."

Before stepping into the car, Muzan glanced at you one last time, his expression a mix of excitement and tenderness. "I feel the same way, Y/N."

"Let's make the most of our free time here, hm?"

"Of course, and I'll also see to it that we go on dates as much as we can when we get back home."

You smiled at this, clearly happy and thankful for Muzan's thoughtfulness. You really are the luckiest woman in the world.

"I'd love that."

With that, Muzan opened the car door for you, and as you both settled inside, he turned to Akaza and Kokushibo. "Take us to the hotel, please. And remember, enjoy the day off. I trust you’ll keep things under control."

"Understood, sir," Akaza responded as he slid into the driver's seat, and Kokushibo took the front passenger seat.

As the car began to move, you turned to Muzan, your eyes shining with pride. "Your speech today was incredible, my love. You really have a way of connecting with people. I could see how moved everyone was."

Muzan smiled, his grip on your hand tightening slightly. "Thank you, darling. It means a lot to hear that from you. I put my heart into that speech, hoping to reach everyone in the crowd."

"You did more than reach them," you said softly. "You inspired them. I’ve never been prouder of you. Seeing you up there, speaking with such passion and conviction... it reminded me of why I fell in love with you."

Muzan's eyes softened, and he leaned in to kiss your forehead. "I’m glad I could make you proud. Your support means everything to me. I couldn’t do any of this without you by my side."

You blushed at his words, feeling the sincerity behind them. "I’ll always be here for you, Muzan. No matter what."

The car glided smoothly through the evening, and Muzan couldn’t help but glance at you with a satisfied smile.

"Tonight, let's celebrate. Not just the success of the town hall, but us—our partnership, our love. I promise, tonight will be special."

You smiled back at him, feeling a warmth spread through your chest.

"I’m looking forward to it."

From the driver's seat, Akaza's eyes remained focused on the road, but a faint smile was dancing on his lips, but it immediately disappeared the moment he realized what he was doing.

But he couldn't help it.

He couldn't stop himself from feeling genuinely happy for you at this very moment. And he couldn't help but feel admiration for the man he swore was the bane of his and your existence.

He bit his lips as he continued to drive back to the hotel. On the outside, he remained stoic, but from within, in the depths of his heart, he feels incredibly conflicted.

"Akaza, what's wrong?" Muzan asked from the backseat. It was dark in the car, so no one could see how piercing his gaze was.

Akaza merely shook his head, not wanting to lose focus on his driving. "Nothing, sir."

Muzan's eyes narrowed slightly, his intuition telling him otherwise. "Are you sure?"

Akaza shook his head rather sheepishly.

"It's just... I noticed Madam seemed a bit off earlier. I wanted to make sure everything was alright."

Muzan glanced at you, his expression softening as he saw the concern in Akaza's eyes.

"She was a bit overwhelmed, but she's fine now. You know how these events can be."

Akaza nodded in agreement.

"Of course, sir. I just wanted to be sure. We can't afford any mistakes."

Muzan's gaze softened a bit as he saw the genuine concern in Akaza's eyes. "Your vigilance is appreciated, Akaza. But sometimes, it's just the weight of the moment. Thank you for looking out for her."

Akaza relaxed slightly at Muzan's reassurance.

"Understood, sir. I'll keep a close watch."

Kokushibo, who had been silent until now, chimed in from the passenger seat. "Akaza's right to be cautious, but I agree with you, sir. It seemed like a momentary lapse. We have everything under control."

Muzan nodded, feeling more at ease. "Very well. Let's focus on getting to the hotel. We all need some rest after today."

As the car continued its smooth journey, Muzan squeezed your hand gently, offering you a reassuring smile. "We're almost there, darling. Just a bit longer."

You smiled back.

"Thank you, Muzan. And thank you, Akaza. I appreciate your concern."

Akaza glanced at you through the rearview mirror, his expression softening. "You're welcome, Madam."

The car finally pulled up to the hotel, and as you stepped out, Muzan wrapped an arm around your shoulders, guiding you inside. Akaza and Kokushibo followed closely, their watchful eyes ensuring your safety.

Once inside your suite, Muzan turned to you with a tender smile.

"Now, let's enjoy our evening and tomorrow. Just you and me."

You nodded, feeling the stress of the day melt away.

"I couldn't ask for anything more."

The date was fantastic.

Azudellin was a feast for the senses. Grand, old structures lined the streets, their intricate carvings whispering tales of Phario's glorious past. You and Muzan, both art lovers, wandered hand-in-hand, marveling at the architecture.

At one point, a group of tourists recognized you, but instead of rushing over, they gave a polite nod and a smile, respecting your privacy. You sent them a grateful smile in return.

The bustling market was your next stop. Unlike the grandeur of the historical sites, the market was a riot of colors, sounds, and smells. The air hung heavy with the aroma of spices and sizzling meat. Muzan chuckled as you excitedly dove into the throng, bargaining for souvenirs.

You emerged with a delightful mix of treasures: a hand-painted fan for Kokushibo, a woven scarf for Akaza, some trinkets for the maids and guards back at home, and of course, presents for your friends as well.

"Don't forget about me," Muzan teased, his voice warm.

You winked. "Of course not."

Your fingers brushed against a rack of clothes, and then you spotted it—a button-down shirt made from a fabric that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. It was a perfect shade of blue, and you knew exactly who it would look good on.

Muzan slipped the top on, and your breath hitched. The rich blue brought out the vibrant contrast with his scarlet eyes, and the fabric skimmed his toned physique.

A blush crept up your cheeks as you stammered, "It looks amazing! Absolutely perfect."

Muzan's lips curled into a satisfied smirk. He struck a pose, eliciting a giggle from you. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring hidden alleys and sharing stolen kisses, the joy of the day bubbling over in every interaction.

Dinner was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

The restaurant, renowned for its seafood, boasted a breathtaking view of the Azudellin coastline. As you savored the melt-in-your-mouth fish and the tangy local salad, you couldn't help but steal glances at Muzan across the table.

Gratitude filled your heart for this man, who brought so much love and laughter into your life.

The fairy lights strung across the restaurant balcony twinkled like captured stars, casting a warm glow over the table. The gentle sea breeze carried the murmur of waves and the scent of salt, creating a serenely romantic atmosphere.

You took a sip of your mango iced tea, letting the cool sweetness dance on your tongue.

"This has been such a fantastic day," you said, leaning back in your chair with a contented sigh. "Azudellin is simply amazing."

Muzan, seated across from you, mirrored your smile. His warm, scarlet eyes sparkled with genuine affection. "Absolutely," he agreed, taking a slow bite of his fish. "Though the scenery pales in comparison to the beautiful sight before me."

A blush crept up your cheeks at his unexpected compliment. "Muzan," you chided playfully, "you always know what to say."

He chuckled, making a rich, rumbling sound. "Flattery? No, sweetheart. It's the truth. Seeing you so happy and so engaged with everything today...it brings me a joy I never thought possible."

His words sent a thrill through you. It wasn't every day that Muzan, a man known for his sharp intellect and driven nature, spoke so openly about his emotions, but then again, behind closed doors, you always see this side of him, but even then, when he speaks from his heart, it never fails to sweep you off of your feet.

You reached across the table, your fingers intertwining with his. "Me too, Muzan. I wouldn't have wanted to spend this day with anyone else."

A comfortable silence settled between you for a moment, punctuated only by the soft clinking of silverware.

"Remember that little market stall overflowing with fans?" you asked, a smile tugging at your lips. "I almost forgot how much you struggled with the heat."

Muzan's lips twitched. "An astute observation, my love. Although witnessing your bargaining prowess was...interesting, to say the least."

You laughed, the sound tinkling like windchimes.

"Oh, come on now, it wasn't that bad! Besides, you can't deny the satisfaction of getting a good deal."

"Perhaps," he conceded, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Though, I daresay the look on that vendor's face when you countered his offer was priceless."

You both dissolved into laughter, the memory of your playful haggling warming the night air. As the laughter subsided, Muzan leaned closer, his voice dropping to a tender whisper.

"You know, Y/N," he began, his scarlet eyes searching yours, "this day has been exactly what I needed. Honestly, it was a brilliant call suggesting this date."

A blush crept up your cheeks. "Really?"

He squeezed your hand, the warmth radiating through you.

"Absolutely. The campaign has been all-consuming lately, and quite honestly, there have been a few times where I felt overwhelmed. As much as I don't want to admit it, but as the day of the election draws closer, I can't help but feel nervous."

His gaze softened further.

"So seeing you so happy and so carefree today... it reminded me why I'm doing all this."

Your heart ached with a mix of joy and a touch of sadness. "I know this election means the world to you, Muzan. It's always been your biggest dream."

A flicker of regret crossed his features. "And it is, darling. But maybe I haven't been as good at showing you just how much you mean to me in all the craziness. These past few weeks, I've missed..." He trailed off, searching for the right words.

Taking a deep breath, you placed your free hand over his. "You've missed us, haven't you?"

You weren't accusing; you were just stating the truth.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Yes. I've missed us. I've missed these quiet moments, these shared laughs. Truth be told, I've missed you terribly."

His voice softened further, tinged with a hint of apology.

"I know you've been holding back a bit, wanting to be supportive, and for that, I apologize. But please, don't ever feel like you can't tell me how you're feeling, even when things are hectic."

His words washed over you like a wave of relief and understanding, and as cliché as it sounds, you're almost certain you've fallen for him all over again.

All the wariness and anxiety that damn photo has been giving you these past few days have completely vanished. That old lady must've mistaken you for someone else, and there's also the possibility that the woman in that photo was just someone who resembles you, because you honestly could not picture yourself being in love with someone else.

Muzan is the love of your life, and he will always be. You've built a life together, filled with shared dreams, laughter, and moments like these that reaffirm your bond. The thought of anyone else simply doesn't fit into the picture of your heart.

You pushed the doubts aside, focusing on the here and now.

The truth was in the way he looked at you, the way he held your hand, and the way he spoke with such sincerity.

Nothing else mattered.

You were certain of your love and of the future you were building together. As you squeezed Muzan's hand a little tighter, you knew that no photograph or fleeting worry could ever shake the foundation of the life you were creating.

You looked at your husband with misty eyes and a huge smile on your face and said, "I love you so much, Muzan."

His expression softened, his thumb gently stroking your hand. "And I love you more than words can express, my love."

With a tender smile, Muzan rose from his seat and walked around the table to stand beside you. He took your hands and gently pulled you to your feet. Under the fairy lights, with the ocean as your backdrop, he wrapped his arms around you, drawing you close.

"Let's make a promise," he murmured, his breath warm against your ear.

You tilted your head back to meet his gaze. "What promise?"

"No matter how busy life gets, no matter what challenges come our way, we'll always make time for moments like this—moments that remind us of why we fell in love in the first place."

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, but they were tears of happiness. "I promise," you whispered.

He leaned down, pressing his lips to yours in a tender, lingering kiss. The world around you seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in your own little bubble of love and contentment.

When the kiss ended, you rested your head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Thank you for today, Muzan. I had so much fun."

He held you tighter and mirrored your smile.

"Anything and everything for you, Y/N.”

“What did you just say?”

Muzan's voice was dangerously calm as he looked at Akaza, his expression unreadable. But as the words sank in, his face turned sour.

“You're resigning? Why?”

Akaza winced but held his ground.

“No reason in particular, but I’ve been doing some thinking, and I figured it’s time for me to look for other opportunities elsewhere.”

Silence enveloped Muzan’s personal office in your mansion. Your husband stared pointedly at your bodyguard, clearly flabbergasted by the sudden decision to resign from his post. It was all too sudden, and rather... unexpected.

Akaza shared the same sentiment.

He hadn’t planned on resigning anytime soon; he was hellbent on seeing everything through, even if a bitter end awaited him. But after last weekend in Azudellin, an epiphany struck him.

Maybe it was for the best that he stood down and gave up.

He didn’t want to, but seeing you so happy and in love, maybe... Just maybe, it was okay to give you up as long as you were happy.

“I’m not allowing it.”

Muzan’s commanding voice snapped Akaza out of his thoughts. He looked up and finally noticed the fury on Muzan's face.

“We’re in the middle of the election season. You know damn well Y/N’s safety is at stake because of my candidacy, and you know how risky it is to entrust your job to someone else, Akaza. You’re the best at what you do, and you’re the only one I trust to keep her safe.”

“Sir Muzan, I understand, but—”

“No, you don’t understand!”

Muzan's voice rose, echoing through the office.

“You don’t get to walk away just because you’re having second thoughts. Your loyalty is not something you can just toss aside on a whim.”

Akaza took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

“It's not on a whim. I've thought this through. I just—”

“You just what?”

Muzan interrupted, his eyes blazing.

“You think you can just leave and everything will be fine? You think I’ll find someone who can protect her like you do? I demand your commitment, Akaza. And I will not let you walk away when we need you the most.”

Akaza’s resolve wavered under Muzan’s intense gaze. He had never seen his employer this furious. “Sir, I—”

“No!” Muzan’s voice was thunderous now.

“You’re not resigning. You’re not leaving. You will stay, and you will do your job. Because if anything happens to Y/N, it will be on your head. Do you understand me?”

Akaza’s shoulders slumped, the weight of Muzan's words crashing down on him. He couldn't argue with the man because, quite frankly, he did have a very valid point.

Not just you, but Muzan also has a target on his back solely because of the elections, and this is not the time for any big changes, especially with everything so volatile. His resignation could create a significant gap in your security, jeopardizing not only his safety but yours as well.

Any disruption could have far-reaching consequences.

“I understand, sir,” he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll stay.”

Muzan’s anger slowly dissipated, but his gaze remained stern.

“I'll let you go once the election is over and only once the coast is clear. But until then, I expect you to do your job and maintain the highest level of vigilance and dedication. ”

Akaza nodded solemnly. “Understood, sir.”

Muzan took a deep breath, his voice softening but still carrying a sharp edge. “I know this isn’t easy for you, and I appreciate your commitment. But I need you to understand that this isn’t just about personal preference. It’s about the safety of everyone involved, especially Y/N.”

Akaza met Muzan’s gaze, feeling the weight of his words. “I get it, sir. I won't let you down."

Muzan nodded, though his expression remained serious.

“Good. Remember, this isn’t just about duty. It’s about trust. I trust you to handle this responsibility, and I expect you to honor that trust.”

Akaza straightened, his resolve returning to his stance. “Yes sir."

As he turned to leave the office, Muzan watched him with a mixture of frustration and reluctant respect. The door clicked softly behind Akaza, and he was left alone with his thoughts.

Muzan sighed deeply, turning back to his desk, though his gaze lingered on the door where Akaza had just exited. The mounting pressure was more than he could handle, and in a moment of frustration, he struck out.

Against his will, the weight of exhaustion and doubt crept into his veins. He had always prided himself on his strength and capability, but the constant pressure of running Obelisk Kibutsuji, combined with the relentless demands of his political campaign, had worn him down.

The accumulated fatigue was making him question his ability to keep everything under control, and Akaza’s sudden resignation attempt pushed him to his breaking point.

It felt like a slap in the face, and Muzan simply couldn’t afford the added stress.

The fatigue was beginning to overwhelm him, while imposter syndrome whispered doubts that he was failing and couldn’t manage the responsibilities tied to his ambitions.

“Ah, this isn’t good,” Muzan said to himself, shaking his head in an attempt to rid himself of any unwanted distraction.

But the frustration was too much.

With a surge of anger, he brought his fist down hard on the table, leaving a nasty dent in the furniture and a painful bruise and cut on his knuckles. He winced at the pain, clenching his jaw as he tried to regain his composure. His heart raced, the pain amplifying his frustration, and he felt a moment of regret for not finding a healthier outlet for his emotions.

Just then, you appeared at the doorway, your face etched with concern.

“Hey, are you okay?”

At the sound of your voice, Muzan forced a small smile onto his face, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Your timing always amazed him, even in moments like this. He turned to see you standing there, your worry evident on your face. You gasped as you saw the blood seeping through his clenched fist, your heart sinking.

His gaze fell to his injured hand, still throbbing from the impact.

"You’ve hurt yourself," you said, rushing over to him with a frown. "What happened?"

Muzan tried to downplay it. "I'm fine. It’s nothing. Just... got caught up in the moment."

He tried to brush off your concern with a wave of his hand, but his pained expression betrayed him. Gently, you placed a hand on his shoulder, your touch tender and soothing. The sight of his injured hand and the distressed expression on his face had alarmed you.

"Oh, God, your hand is swelling." You winced as you examined his injured hand, and then you turned to him with a disapproving frown, but more than anything, you were hurting for him. "Care to tell me what happened?"

He quickly covered his hand with his other, though the damage was evident. "It's nothing, really. Just a moment of frustration," he explained, his voice calm but with a hint of weariness.

"It's nothing, but you look like that? Muzan, what if you got seriously hurt?" you scolded him, your voice laced with concern. "You know I worry about you."

He sighed, avoiding your gaze. "It’s just... the stress. The campaign, Obelisk Kibutsuji, everything. It’s been a lot, and I didn’t handle it well."

You gently cupped his face with your hands, brushing a thumb over his cheek.

"I understand that you're under a lot of pressure, but hurting yourself isn’t the answer. If you need to let out some steam, you can vent to me, you know?"

Muzan closed his eyes briefly, savoring the comforting touch. The warmth of your presence helped ease the tension in his shoulders and the gnawing stress that had been building.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just been overwhelming."

You nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "I know, and I’m here to help. But please, stop resorting to things like this, my love. I wouldn't know what to do if you seriously get hurt."

Muzan opened his eyes, meeting your gaze with a mixture of relief and gratitude. "Thank you. I really appreciate your support. It means more than you know."

You leaned in and kissed his forehead softly. "I’ll always be here for you. If you need a break or just a moment to breathe, let me know. We can go for a walk or just spend some quiet time together."

Muzan wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. "I’m grateful for you. I promise to take some time to rest and not let the stress consume me."

You held him a little longer, feeling the weight of his stress ease slightly in your embrace. "Good. And remember, if you ever need to talk or just want to escape the chaos for a bit, I’m always here for you."

"Thank you, Y/N," Muzan said wholeheartedly, his voice reflecting the sincerity of his gratitude.

You smiled, feeling the depth of his appreciation.

"Well, I’ve got a few errands to run today, but if you need anything, just call me." Your voice sounded anything but resolute as you hesitated, glancing at the dented desk and his swollen hand.

The pang of reluctance to leave him alone in this state was evident.

“Actually, maybe I should stay a bit longer and help you get settled. I’m really not comfortable leaving you like this.”

Muzan shook his head gently, a reassuring smile returning to his lips. "I appreciate it, really, but I’m fine now. I don’t want you to miss your commitments because of me."

You looked at him with a mixture of concern and understanding. “Alright, but promise me you'll be careful and take it easy. If you need anything or just want to talk, don’t hesitate to call.”

“I promise,” Muzan said, his voice steady.

“Thank you. I’ll call Aoi to help you treat your hand,” you said, with a last, lingering look at him before turning to leave.

“I’m fine, darling. I have a first-aid kit here in my office. You can have her bring me ice instead.”

You nodded, smiling at your husband before giving him a kiss on the lips, hoping it would somehow relieve some of the burden he’s carrying on his shoulders. “Alright.”

With a final, affectionate glance, you gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before heading towards the door. As you left, you couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to stay longer, but you trusted him to handle things.

Muzan watched you go, feeling calmer and more grounded. As the door closed behind you, he gingerly walked to the corner of his office where he kept a first aid kit for emergencies.

With a determined sigh, he bandaged his hand, mentally steeling himself to face the rest of the day with renewed resolve. After treating his hand, he returned to his desk, ready to tackle the tasks ahead with renewed clarity and determination.

taglist: @bffrrufr @unadulteratedhandsbanditdreamer @unlikelybananawerewolf

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hazzyking · 1 year

Text

I made a Sephiroth x reader! It's gonna be in two parts tho cause I am BUSY this one is fluffy but the second one might be smutty just a warning

You are Angeals Lil sister and Sephiroth is interested in you ;)

When no one is Watching

Sephiroth didn't grapple with most of his thoughts. There wasn't any issue that ever really kept him up at night. Tossing and turning. And groaning ferociously at the fact that his mind is keeping him awake. But then he met you... Angeal's sister... younger sister to make matters worse. The honor hungry soldier would never let anyone like Sephiroth near his little sister... never...

"To protect her," Angeal answered softly, looking over the VR sunset.

"That's it? Just her?" Genesis scoffed at his weak minded thinking.

"She is everything I've ever lived for," Angeal answered. Crossing his arms over his chest.

"How noble..." Sephiroth trailed off. He sat at the end of the cannon, looking down at the steep drop... if they were all auctually standing there, he woulve dived down into the abyss. Knowing he can never fully be with you... and that's what keeps Sephiroth up at night.

"Well, I've had enough fun today I'm gonna turn in," Angeal muttered as he turned off the reality and took his headset off. As the virtual reality crumbled around Sephiroth he lazily took his head set off and looked over at Genesis and Angeal "gotta check in on (Y/N)" Angeal spoke as the team passed their headsets into the sanitizer.

"Head on in. I can do it," Sephiroth shrugged. "You two have been working harder than me anyway." He spoke softly.

"I don't want to be a bother-"

"No bother, we're all like family anyway. I've been meaning to see how (Y/N) is settling in," Sephiroth said with a slight smile pulling at his lips.

"Thanks," Angeal said, and the group walked their separate ways. Sephiroth made his way down the hallway. The linoleum floors and white walls were a green glow with the lights that shot up from the floor. Sephiroth missed the presence of his friends as he walked further into the barracks of the lower level SOLDIERS. His breath hitched in his throat as his foot steps stepped up to your door. His hand hovered over the door before he knocked, and then his hand met the wood. Lightly rapping on the door.

"Commin!" You yelled and gracefully opened the door."Oh! Sephiroth, I wasn't expecting -"

"I know, I came to check on you... how are you settling in?" Sephiroth spoke softly like normal... but his heart was thumping out of his chest as soon as he caught a glimpse of your eyes.

"I'm fine, come on in," you smiled, opening the door wider, letting him step in. Your room looked like a dorm room. Pretty average, bed, dresser, closet, all the normal things. The walls were barren, and the only thing that was unique were the bed sheets and stuffed animals that sat on your bed. Seph's eye was caught by one in particular.

"That Moogle-" Seph motioned towards the plush.

"I-i kept it... after you won it for me at the Midgar fair, " you spoke, blushing a dark red.

"I'm glad you appreciate it," Sephiroth simply said.

"It's more the memory than the toy," you chuckled softly and sat down on your bed. "Angeal sent you, didn't he?" You sighed softly.

"Guilty," Sephiroth shrugged.

"I knew it - he just can't let me be myself." You shook your head. "It's like every time I do anything by myself, he has to be there watching me. Like if I fail, I'll break, " you scoffed, looking down at your hands. Sephiroth's expression softened at your plight, and he rested his hand on your back, which surprised you.

"I was worried how you were settling in also -" Seph hummed, studying your expression. "Not many female soldiers, so, I was hoping you'd settle in okay," he spoke gently, brushing some strands of hair away from your face. "I offered to go cause I know how he gets," he let out a half chuckle.

"Controling? You mean he gets controling?" You replied, laughing softly.

"Yeah... controlling, " Sephiroth says as his gaze lingers on yours, you look up into his eyes, still blushing under his intense gaze "(Y/N). " Sephiroth began to say... before he shook off this intense feeling and looked down at the ground. "Glad to see you settling in." He said, standing up from the bed and walking to the door "goodnight"

#final fantasy 7 #sephiroth x reader smut #sephiroth x reader #sephiroth #ff7 crisis core #ff7 #fanfic

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crazyunsexycool · 1 year

Text

My little love

Chapter 26

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x enhanced!Reader

Word count: 2.8k

Warnings: just fluff, implied smut at the end,

A/N: here’s some good old fluffiness for our favorite family. A little bit of Fury and Lottie interaction.

Series masterlist

“What are you doing here?”

“It’s beefing.” Lottie says as she takes a seat at the table. She smiles at Fury who stares at her from his place at the front of the room.

“Beefing?”

“She means briefing.” Henry says as he walks in right behind Charlotte. “She can’t say her ‘Rs’ and ‘Ls’ sometimes.”

“Hm. And where are your parents?”

“Mama will be here in a minute.”

“Good, you know kids shouldn’t be in briefings right? There is a lot of information that can’t be talked about outside of the meeting.” Fury says.

“Yup, you talk about secrets.”

“What secwet?” Lottie looks over at Henry curiously.

“It’s like a surprise, you can’t say anything about it.”

“Oh, no say suwpwise. Am good.”

“You still can’t be in here.”

Lottie pouts and crosses her arms while Henry giggles at her antics. You walk in a minute later with a few agents in tow.

“Your dad is waiting for you two down the hall. He said he had something fun planned.” You lean down and kiss Henry and then Lottie before she hops off the chair.

Once the kids are gone and the door is closed Fury begins his briefing.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Alright doll, let me make sure you’re strapped in correctly.” Bucky says as he looks over the seatbelt on the car seat. He tugs on the straps and when he’s satisfied that everything is in place he closes the door and walks around to Henry and makes sure his seatbelt is on properly.

Steve slides into the passenger seat as Bucky starts the car. He turns back and smiles at the kids.

“Ready to have a fun morning?”

“Yeah.” They both say at the same time.

“What did Y/N say when you told her you were taking them into town?”

Bucky looks at Steve out of the corner of his eye and gives a little shrug. The SUV is already in motion and heading toward the main gates of the compound.

“You didn’t tell her? Are you insane?” Steve is slightly panicking and the kids giggle in the back seat as his voice goes up in pitch. “We are so dead.”

“I’m sorry what’s the issue? You know why we’re going out and I want the kids to be involved in it. They’re with us, plus Nat and Wanda are meeting us there.”

“I’m too young to die. There’s so much I haven’t experienced yet.”

“You’re being so dramatic. Everything will be fine.”

****

Wanda pushes off the car she’s leaning against once Bucky parks behind her. Steve gets Charlotte out of her car seat and Bucky helps Henry. Both of them run to Wanda and hug her as if they haven’t seen her in years.

“Where’s Nat?” Bucky asks as both men walk up to her.

“In the store she’s checking the security.”

Nat walks out to meet everyone.

“Everyone has already signed NDAs and all of the security is good.” She tells Bucky before explaining the emergency exit routes.

While they were only a few minutes away from the compound this was the first time the kids had been outside of it. Anyone and everyone they’ve ever interacted with were agents. They were very surprised as they kept looking down the street. Bucky takes a knee in front of them.

“Ok, do you remember what I said?”

“Stay close.” Henry says.

“No wunning away.”

“What else?” Bucky asks.

“Listen to you.”

“Or Steve, Nat and Wanda. And don't touch anything.”

“Kay.” Lottie says as she takes Henry’s hand. They walk side by side as they follow the adults inside.

“Sergeant Barnes, my name is Victor and it is an honor to be able to help you today.” An older man no taller than five feet with a big belly and balding head greets Bucky as soon as they walk in. He smiles and holds his hand out which Bucky shakes. “Before we get started I would like to thank you and Captain Rogers, you saved my father during the war. If it hadn’t been for you and the commandos who knows what would have happened to him.”

Steve offers Victor a smile before he ushers everyone further into the store. Other than two other employees the store is empty and closed so that Bucky could shop in peace. One of the other employees walks up to Bucky and the kids and leans down to their eye level.

“Hello little ones, would you like a hot chocolate?” She asks.

Henry and Lottie both look at their dad for permission. He gives them a nod but Henry is way too shy to speak up.

“Yes pwease. Bubba habe one too.” Lottie answers for him. The employee smiles and excuses herself.

“Sergeant Barnes, why don’t we sit over here and we can talk about what you’re looking for.”

“Well it’s simple. I’m looking for a ring.”

****

They had been there for about 45 minutes. None of the rings Bucky had been shone felt right. He had even asked everyone’s opinions on the rings and they didn’t really like them for you either. Fortunately the kids were entertained by some crayons and coloring pages so they weren’t fussy.

Bucky was about to give up when he felt Lottie pat his arm.

“Are you ok doll?” He asked as he looked at her.

“Found it dada.”

“What did you find?”

“Wook it.” She said as she pulled his arm toward a display case at the front of the jewelry store. “This one dada. Mama wikes it.”

Victor immediately opens the back of the display and starts pulling out one ring but Lottie stops him. This happens until finally he grabs the set she was talking about.

The ring was beautiful. It was gold and had an art deco style to it. It would have been something he would have picked back in the 40s for sure.

“Are you sure, doll?” Bucky picks Lottie up so that she can see better.

By now Steve had joined him and was holding Henry so that he could also look at the ring. Nat and Wanda were also looking and gushing over the choice.

“See it dada.” Lottie says as she touches her head. Victor looks completely confused by what Lottie’s saying but no one seems to notice.

“Ok, I’ll take it.”

“Do you know what her ring size is?”

“It doesn’t matter, she can adjust it.”

“Are you sure about that? I wouldn’t want her to lose it.”

“She works with metal.” Bucky says and it dawns on Victor who he’s referring too.

“I will box this up for you right now.”

Victor walks away while Steve, Nat and Wanda talk about the wedding and proposal. Lottie wiggles her way out of Bucky’s grasp and looks around at all the beautiful jewelry. After a few minutes she pulls Bucky toward a display with necklaces and bracelets and points at one specific item.

~~~~~~~~

Bucky and the kids walk into the apartment a few minutes after you did. It was a good thing Bucky had asked Nat to keep the ring hidden.

“Woah did you guys go shopping without me?” You joked as you watched the trio walk in with bags in their hands.

“Yeah.” Henry says happily as he sets his bags on the couch.

“Habe fun mama.”

“Wait,” you looked up at Bucky. “You really went out? Did you take the kids?”

“Yeah.”

“Mama, habe suwpwise.”

“Just a minute sweet Angel.” You say as you take Bucky’s hand and pull him toward the kitchen. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Steve, Nat and Wanda were with me. We were out for maybe an hour and a half.”

“But hydra is still looking for them. What if they have people placed in the town? What if someone would have taken them?” You ask worriedly.

“Hey,” Bucky cups your face so that you look at him. “I wouldn’t have taken them if it wasn’t safe for them to go. We didn’t go far and it was only a few stores. Besides, Lottie saw the trip and she knew it wouldn’t be bad.”

“Ok. You’re right I’m sorry it’s just I worry about them.”

“It’s because you’re a good mom. You have all the right to worry about them.” Bucky smiles and leans in to give you a few kisses.

“Mama, can I show you what we got?”

“Of course, sweet boy.”

“I think the only problem we do have is that they’re little shopaholics.” Bucky murmurs as you walk back into the living room.

You laugh as you take a seat on the couch and let Henry and Lottie show you everything they got. It went from something simple like some shoes to a video game console that Nat insisted Henry needed. A few video games and extra controllers so that you could all play together. He even went so far as to get a few toys and treats for Alpine.

Charlotte got a few more bows and extra nail polish for her ever growing collection as well as extra kid friendly makeup. It also seemed that she went by an art store because she had all kinds of painting and drawing supplies. Thanks to Steve you were sure. But what caught your eyes was the little plastic bead kit she had.

“I used to have something just like this to make bracelets with.”

“Can make together, mama.” Lottie says as she holds up the kit.

“Of course we can.”

After that she showed you one or two more pairs of sunglasses as well as a pretty new dress and a purse. Finally she grabbed the last bag which had the name of a jewelry store on it.

“Mama, habe suwpwise.” She pulls out a long velvet box and hands it to you.

“For me?”

“Yeah mama.”

You open it to find a locket in it.

“Oh sweet Angel, it's beautiful. Did you pick it out?”

“Yeah mama, wook it.” She says as she pulls on a chain around her own neck and she reveals the same locket.

“We have matching lockets. I love it.”

“Open mama.” Lottie says as she struggles to open her own.

Once she does though she shows you what’s inside. She looks up at you and smiles as she displays its contents. On one side there’s a picture of Henry and on the other it’s a picture of you and Bucky. She points at yours and you open it. Inside there’s a picture of Bucky on one side and a picture of the kids on the other.

“Oh this is perfect. I love it so much, thank you.”

You bring her up to your lap and give her a hug.

“I got you something too.” Henry says as he gives you a bag.

When you open it you find a lovely summer dress inside.

“Henry, this is beautiful, did you pick this out all by yourself?”

“Yeah, daddy just helped with the size.”

You bring him in for a hug. “It’s perfect and I love it, thank you.”

“How about we have a family date.” Bucky says as he gets up and starts cleaning up.

“A family date? That sounds fun.”

“It will be, Sugar. Meet me on the roof in an hour and a half. I’ll have everything ready.”

“Alright kids you heard your dad, let’s go get ready.”

~~~~~~~~~~

When you and the kids get up to the roof of the compound you’re surprised again. A picnic has been laid out as well as a projector and a screen. There are also a few board games set to the side for you to play together.

“This is amazing.” You say as you step up to Bucky and wrap your arms around his waist.

“I’m glad you like it. Now everyone, go get comfortable.”

Henry and Lottie run over to the laid out blanket and pillows and pick their preferred spot. Bucky offers you his hand and you sit down. Then he starts fiddling with his cellphone until the projector is running a movie. It’s more for background noise than anything else.

After everyone is done eating you move on to some board games. You teach the kids, and Bucky, how to play candyland as well as chutes and ladders. Once the board games are done Bucky shows you that Henry’s new game console is also connected to the projector.

After showing Bucky how the racing game works you all get ready to play. While you and Lottie are happy to just play together Henry and Bucky get very competitive. They push each other or cover each other's eyes. It’s very childish but entertaining to watch. It gets to the point where they completely forget they’re playing a video game and start to play-fight.

“Yay mama!” Lottie exclaims from your lap.

Immediately Henry and Bucky stop their play fighting to look at the screen and realize that you in fact were in first place.

“That’s not fair.” They both say at the same time and you laugh.

“Well if you would have focused on the game instead of trying to cheat you would have won.”

“Wook mama.”

“Look at that Lottie you came in 8th place. Good job.” You say with a chuckle because Henry and Bucky still hadn’t crossed the finish line.

They scramble to get their controllers and at least beat each other but they come dead last. You and Charlotte laugh at their matching pouts.

“Let’s play again. I’ll beat all of you this time.” Henry says as he starts to reset the game.

“How about you two play and Lottie and I will be over here making bracelets?”

“Fine but I wanna play against you too.”

“That’s fine by me. I know you can beat your dad because he’s an old man and he doesn’t know what he’s doing but it’s going to be harder to beat me.”

Bucky holds a hand over his heart. “Me old? You wound me Sugar.”

“And grumpy.”

“No, don’t say that.” He fake cries and Lottie runs to Bucky and hugs him.

“Mama, no say that. Not nice.”

“That’s right, it's not nice.” Bucky gives you a wicked grin while he lets Lottie hug him for a bit longer.

“I’m sorry. Could you ever forgive me? I’d do just about anything.”

“I’ll think about it.”

You roll your eyes as Lottie pulls away and gives Bucky a kiss on his cheek. He murmurs sweet little loving words just for her to hear which make her preen under the attention. By the time she finally sits back down on your lap you have what you need to start showing Lottie how to make bracelets.

“Ok the first thing we have to do is pick out some colors. What do you want to start with?”

Lottie examines the colors before picking three.

“Make fo Steebie.” She says as she starts to grab some red, white and blue beads.

“He’s going to love it.”

You teach her what she needs to do and she picks up on it rather quickly. After about three bracelets are made and a few rounds of video games you call it a night. Bucky sends you back down to the apartment while he cleans up.

****

The kids had fallen asleep rather quickly in Henry’s room. You didn’t even get to read more than three pages of the book they had chosen. But they had a big day so you couldn’t blame them.

The extra time did give you a chance to change into something more revealing. You could hear Bucky walking down the hall and then checking in on the kids before making his way into your shared bedroom.

“Sugar? I’ve been thinking a lot about forgiving you.” He says playfully. “And I’ve been thinking about what you could do.”

“Would this help?” You open the door to the en suite bathroom and step out in the lingerie set you’d chosen.

“Fuck Sugar, you could give an old man a heart attack dressed like that.”

“Good thing you’re not old.” You quip as you stop right in front of him.

Bucky picks you up and tosses you toward the bed. The sudden movement causes you to yelp and Bucky is on top of you before you realize what’s happening.

“You gotta keep quiet Sugar,” he says between pressing kisses up your neck. “Or else you’ll wake up the kids and I want to have a seepover with just you tonight.”

You giggle as your lips meet his. And you both get what you want, a seepover with just the two of you. Once you're asleep on his chest Bucky can’t help but picture when he asks you to marry him. He has it all planned out and he can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with you.

Ch 27

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beyondfabric · 2 months

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Brands to Know: Atelier Estorninho

Portugal is renowned for its fashion industry worldwide, with some the leadi ng fashion labels producing in its collections here due to the vast know-how and expert craftsmanship. It’s a fact that the quality/price ratio is virtually unmatched, what might lead us to think that we’d have a burgeoning market for new designers and independent fashion brands to pave their way into the mainstream market. However, that is not the case here, as let’s admit it, we lack the branding capacity to make it happen and government support is solely focused on massive scale internationalization.

Nonetheless, every now and then a new name pops that caughts the attention on both local and international markets with the prime players being Portuguese Flannel, La Paz and more recently, Ernest W Baker. As you may know by now if you’ve following me for a while, I’m a sucker for promoting local quality products and projects and on this note, today I bring you and up and coming label that has been gaining momentum in the local scene: Atelier Estorninho.

Inspired by a retro-vintage meets military aesthetic, Estorninho has been consistently putting out interesting designs that are thoroughly tested before hitting the shelves, a philosophy I can relate with including in my own project. I reached out to Hugo, the brands founder, to learn a bit more about his vision of contemporary menswear

1 - Hi Hugo. Can you tell us a bit more about what lead you to create this eponymous label?

The creation of Atelier Estorninho was driven by a desire to blend my personal interests in classic timeless garments, vintage aesthetics and military-inspired fashion with modern textile technology. I wanted to bring a unique perspective to the industry, offering pieces that are not only stylish but also functional and timeless.

2 - Do you come from a fashion background or is it born out of pure passion?

While I don't have a traditional fashion background, I do have a strong foundation in design. Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of pursuing a creative career. I was obsessed with video games like Medal of Honor, action figures like G.I. Joes and war movies, and I often funnily geared up in camouflage in kindergarten. My passion for creativity and design, combined with my fascination with military aesthetics, naturally led me to start my own label. Although I've never had any formal classes related to fashion, my journey into this field is fueled by pure passion and a lifelong love for innovative and expressive design. I've always been fascinated by how fashion can tell a story and express individuality, which motivated me to start my own label.

3 - You have a keen eye to create stand out pieces with heavy military influence but that simultaneously merge preppy elements. What inspired you to go this way?

The inspiration comes from a love of classic military uniforms and their functionality combined with the refined, versatile and polished look of preppy style. I wanted to create a fusion that captures the best of both worlds – ruggedness and elegance.

Specific army uniforms that have influenced my designs include the US Army's OG 107 uniforms issued during the Vietnam War, named after their color (Olive Green, shade 7). These uniforms inspired the cut of my cargo trousers and the rear patch pockets with flap closures. Another significant influence is the Gurkha shorts used by the British military, named after the fierce Nepalese soldiers. The wide fit of these shorts inspired the silhouette for my Ivy Chino Shorts.

Additionally, my Ivy Chino Trousers are inspired by the French Military M-52 trousers, known for their back flap pockets and shallow pleats. These trousers were adopted by the French army in 1952, during a time when iconic designers like Christian Dior, Balenciaga, and Chanel were active, marking the golden age of French fashion. This era also saw significant events such as the China War and the Algerian War, where military force played a crucial role. The M-52s were created in this historical context and were mass-produced as French uniforms for about a decade.

On the preppy side, the reason I named many of my clothing items "Ivy" is because I am very interested in the clothing worn on college campuses during the late 1950s in the Northeastern United States, particularly those of the Ivy League. These institutions were the predecessors of preppy style, and I wanted to embody the lifestyle of someone who lived in an Ivy League school environment. This includes a shared dorm room and a small wardrobe that demands a carefully curated selection of items elegant enough for classes, lectures, and school events, but also comfortable, stylish, and versatile enough for adolescent life—whether wrestling around at the park with friends or grabbing a beer at the bar. These clothes are meant to be reliable companions in every situation. My Ivy League Cardigan is inspired by the cardigans worn during that era too, but combining it's charm with a cozy feeling of a hoodie by utilising jersey fabric instead and kangaroo pockets, just like your favourite hoodie.

By merging these historical military elements, preppy charm and modern fabrics, I hope to create distinctive and versatile pieces that stand out.

4 - What would you say are the trademark features of an Atelier Estorninho item?

Simple: Timeless charm, deliberate craftsmanship, premium materials.

5 - You approach each design carefully, releasing limited styles and runs at a time. Is this a necessity due to the scale of the brand or a business model in itself?

It's both a strategic choice and a practical necessity. Being the sole designer, I take a hands-on approach to every aspect of the creation process—I love every bit of it, but it's a ton of work! Although I have a small team, this setup enables me to produce meticulously crafted items that stand out and ensures each piece meets exacting standards for quality and timeless design. Limiting our runs isn't just about enhancing exclusivity; it's about managing production sustainably and staying true to my commitment to quality over quantity.

6 - What’s your favourite item in the collection and why?

My favorite item would have to be our signature military-inspired Ivy Chino Shorts. They perfectly encapsulate the brand’s ethos, combining quality, practicality, and versatility with style. The attention to detail and the story behind their design make them a standout piece in the collection. Features like the double pleats, side waist adjusters, and flexible cotton fabric ensure comfort and ease of movement. The deep front slanted pockets and two back pockets with flaps provide convenient storage where your items won’t fall out. These shorts can be dressed up or down thanks to their classic and elegant cut. The use of Spanish luxury cotton fabric, Italian corozo buttons, and patterned pocket liners add a fine, luxurious touch to the detail.

7 - We seem to share a common passion for unique trouser styles. In your opinion, what makes trousers so special?

Trousers are a cornerstone of any outfit, second only to shoes in their visual impact. They have the power to transform the overall look and feel of an ensemble. For me, investing in high-quality trousers is crucial; I'd prefer to pair a $100 pair of trousers with a $10 t-shirt rather than the reverse.

I have very specific rules for trousers: the leg opening shouldn't be tight on the ankle, but rather sit at least half the length of your feet. This ensures a comfortable fit and a balanced silhouette. I also prefer high-waisted trousers with a long fly on a man, as this enhances a man's physique and silhouette, providing a classic and flattering look. Additionally, a straight cut for a standard fit is my go-to, as it offers timeless elegance and versatility.

Personally, I prefer pleats for suit trousers and chinos, as they add a touch of elegance and functionality, providing extra room and comfort. For jeans, selvedge denim is my fabric of choice due to its durability and classic appeal. The meticulous craftsmanship involved in creating selvedge, indigo dyed denim results in a superior product that ages beautifully over time.

One of the reasons I focus so much on trousers is that they need to be both stylish and functional. People often tell me how much they appreciate the practical elements, such as deep pockets and durable fabrics, alongside the aesthetic appeal. For example, my cargo trousers, feature rear patch pockets with flap closures that are both stylish and highly functional. Additionally, the preppy influence in my designs, particularly seen in my Ivy Chino Trousers, offers a versatile option that fits seamlessly into various settings, from casual to more formal occasions, you'll always look appropriate and stylish.

Trousers not only provide structure and style but also offer versatility and comfort. They carry a lot of personality in a look, more than any graphic t-shirt ever can in my opinion. Their design, fabric, and fit can dramatically enhance personal style and make a strong fashion statement. The right pair of trousers can elevate any ensemble.

8 - You recently launched a capsule collection at The Feeting Room. What are the future plans in terms of collections and brand evolution?

I plan to continue exploring new design ideas and collaborations, maybe diving deeper into functionality, timelessness, and style. I aim to create clothing that is practical and comfortable for traveling or everyday errands, yet elegant. This includes incorporating classic visual influences, durable construction, functional pockets, and using natural and luxury fabrics.

For the long term, I hope to continue capturing an essence of timeless masculine charm, balancing ruggedness and elegance. Maybe including a women's collection too, with a different approach that merges seamlessly with the brand. I hope to expand internationally and eventually open a flagship store. I hope to create memorable pieces in my customers' wardrobes, prioritizing owning less but owning better.

9 - Where can we get your items?

Our collections are available at select boutiques, including The Feeting Room, and through our online store. We also participate in pop-up events and fashion fairs, which are great opportunities for customers to experience our brand in person.

#menswear #men's fashion #men's style #style #fashion #inspiration #beyond fabric #atelier estorninho #brands to know #collection #details #lookbook

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