#interlocking standalones

[aesthetic-solar-space]

Twisted Games by Ana Huang, 454 pages, published July 29th 2021 - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

If I could give this book more than five stars I would. The dynamic of these two characters that are focused upon in this book was just what I needed. It honestly only took me so long to finish because I didn’t want to finish. I wanted to stay in that world, that relationship, that mind set for as long as possible. I am excited to continue the rest of the series with two books left, however I am just a tiny bit dragging my feet cause I don’t want to leave Bridget especially but also Rhys.

[fleetingpetal]

apologies but eighteen minutes of spacing out and thinking about giving the masterpost of my kabuki series a makeover somehow escalated into me realizing i've never written a separate piece for 'nushi

[smileycarat]

idol!wonwoo x idol!reader pt 2

in which wonwoo and reader have more cute moments together in public that send fans into a frenzy

a/n: thank you soooo much for the love the other wonwoo x idol!reader received, it meant the world <3 this could be seen as a part two but it can also be read as a standalone! lmk what you think and pls like and reblog <3

talk about a power couple

the first time that you both get spotted at the airport, there was a mass surge of people and paparazzi trying to capture the perfect shot of you

not only did you have bodyguards form a circle around you both to separate you from the crowds, but the airport security also had to step in and provide another barrier

there were still video footage of wonwoo holding your hand and leading you out at a brisk pace as he followed the bodyguards in front of him

fans couldn’t handle the fact that you both wore matching bucket hats to the airport

there is also footage of him waiting for you to get into the car and away from the paparazzi's eyes before stepping in after you

since his Instagram post that confirmed your relationship, people have been all the more eager to capture moments of you both together publically

there was one day when there were pictures leaked of you both at the park, seemingly towards the end of a picnic date

in defense of you both, you had been at a park that was slightly more secluded and you had been in a corner under a tree

and you had both been wearing masks, but that did not deter fans from being able to recognize you

however, in the pictures, you were both sitting above a picnic blanket, and wonwoo was leaning against the tree that was providing you both with shade

you had your head lying on his lap as you spoke animatedly with your hands, and his own hands were playing with the ends of your hair as he listened to your story

there was another picture of where he was tugging you up from under your arms until your upper body rested on his own and he was hugging you from behind

lastly, there was a short video of you both still in the same position, looking around quickly (yet missing the camera facing in your direction) before removing your masks for a quick selfie

fans begged and pleaded under your posts for you to upload the selfie, but for now, they will have to deal with the grainy footage of you and wonwoo

you were known to tease your fans, so the day you posted a picture of the picnic, it being of the blanket with all the cute food set up, inadvertently confirming you knew about the picnic fiasco, people lost their minds

wonwoo was right behind you posting an instagram story of the sky, covered by the greenery of a very familiar tree...

at award shows, the dynamic between you two is very much similar to how it was before you started dating

you still sit with your respective groups, however, cameras are very much so watching for any and all interactions

especially how the corner of his lips quirk up when you send a bright smile his way

or how he slightly bows his head when your group walks by to approach the stage

whenever your group wins an award, cameras be damned, this man stands to applaud you

(this also prompts the rest of svt to join)

(you have some very enthusiastic cheerleaders thanks to him)

don't worry, he also gets the same treatment from you when svt receives a reward

you are one of the first people on your feet with your hands cupped around your mouth as you cheer along with the rest of the audience

cameras capture your adorable reaction to the win, projecting it on the big screen, and how your group members also join you in cheering

svt members (soonyoung and seokmin) copy your cheering and jumping on stage while seungcheol is giving their acceptance speech

wonwoo has to nudge them to calm down but he has a small grin on his face as he slightly bows in your direction

when walking past each other, you both smile at each other, and the cameras absolutely go OFF when he quickly interlocks his pinky with yours before continuing in opposite directions

despite being a very private person, this man is extremely down bad

when you perform, his eyes do not leave the stage, even leaning forward slightly to catch a better look

is always the first to stand to applaud after your performance

fans always await a photo from the event (especially if you both), and you deliver with a simple picture of both of your dress shoes from the event

when both of your groups have a comeback around the same time, people are begging for a dance collab

especially when other svt members collab with other members form your group

almost all the comments are asking for wonwoo and you

the day that your dance collab drops is the day that your fans will keep replaying

it very quickly became your most watched and liked tiktok video on both of your pages

anytime one of your groups were mentioned, the dance collab was to be mentioned as well

pretty sure it changed the trajectory of some people's lives

[racke7]

Addon:

Okay, so that's the base-level stuff. Which parts do I think these games did well/poorly?

FF14, crafting mini-game:

I really like the high-quality crafting, in that it's basically a mini-game where you have to reach X in quality, and then also complete the item in order to get a high-quality item.

This effectively means that you can complete an item "beyond your level" if you have enough high-end gear backing you up, or if you're willing to settle with "finished" instead of "good".

High-quality materials also let you get a "jumpstart" on the item's quality, which means that spending time with the base-materials can help you push even further with the items you actually want to make.

I'm less thrilled about the way that crafting high-quality materials is extremely tedious (because you have to complete this mini-game separately for possibly hundreds of items).

A way to improve it might be to have a "second level" for high-quality? As in, if you get 100-points in quality then you get your high-quality item, and if you get 200-points in quality then you get the ability to "speed-craft" those items automatically as high-quality in the future.

Culinarian also pisses me off for having recipe lists that are incredibly long and complicated, and Alchemy pisses me off for being almost entirely "standalone" compared to the other crafting-classes.

FF14, gathering mini-game:

I also genuinely really like the basic gathering-system of FF14 (except fishing), where you can get "one item + extra".

Basically, there are "nodes" that you can mine for a specific set of materials (different materials depending on the area), and the items that can be gathered have a skill-RNG (X% chance to get the item, Y% chance to get an extra addition of that item).

This means that you can again spec into fantastic gathering-gear and gather items that are "supposed" to be beyond your level.

(I also genuinely had some fun with the "collectibles"-level gathering, but that ties more into a currency-thing, and so isn't really important for this discussion.)

I very much dislike the timed up-times for certain nodes to artificially increase their rarity, and I also dislike that fishing is almost entirely luck-based (no control over what you will catch beyond selecting "good bait" for the fish you're trying to catch).

I think fishing could be improved by tying it deeper into Culinarian, where you can do the Runescape-thing and basically just "fish up a fish, cook the fish" where different fish tie in to different stat-boosts. So a specific cooked fish is good for X but not Y, so that it's less "fishing for the single good thing in a sea of trash". Or by having Alchemy give you some kind of "ignore these fishes"-potions for bait.

In other words, reduce the amount of RNG, and tie it in deeper into the usual reason why you might go fishing (food).

Skyrim:

I honestly actually really like the leveling-system of Skyrim. Yes it's in many ways absurd to "make a sword" and "suddenly all the rats are bears".

But I do like that "crafting levels" and "character levels" are both separate and interlinked.

Getting better at fighting shouldn't make me better at crafting, and better crafting shouldn't make me (inherently) stronger in a fight. But if I'm spending hours creating a perfect set of gear (at level one) and then murderize everything in the game (at level one), then it just gets boring.

(I genuinely appreciate Skyrim's leveling and infinitely-respawning world, I just think that it's awkwardly done at times. In no small part because the enemies have "max levels" and once you get there, they will never be a threat again. But again, that's a different discussion.)

It's also nice that I can combine two Alchemy-ingredients at level one, and get the same (but much less powerful) potion as I'd have gotten at max-level.

There's some gating-off for Smithing, because if you want to craft new items you'll need to grind levels and then invest perk-points in learning how to use that specific material. But it's theoretically possible to just make the "ultimate gear" by the boosts you get from the other crafting-trees, it's just incredibly complex to do and kind of stupid.

Divinity 2:

I hate having to use my limited resources (finite money, finite materials) for limited advantages (consumables). And the Rune-crafting system is incredibly annoying, when (by the time you're supposed to get access to the good stuff) you can just buy those directly.

Its UI is also annoying (the recipe-list will always open "craftable weapons", despite those all being absolutely fucking useless).

Genuinely, the only parts of this crafting-system that I actually like, is that there's a mod that effectively lets you use "planting herbs" to make infinite money (slowly). So... that kind of showcases how important it is for the game.

Minecraft + Grand Fantasia + Terraria:

I don't like RNG that leaves you spending hours upon hours resetting things, or desperately looking for loot that might spawn.

Bloodborne:

I dislike the process of acquiring weapons (locked behind bosses and story-progression) and I dislike that there's a limit to how many weapons you can "max out", because of finite resources.

The "enchantments" that is the runes also don't really amount to much? Whereas I think that it could be a lot of fun to have a "fire weapon" and a "lightning weapon" of the same weapon, so that you can switch for what your enemies are weak to (without using these runes crippling your damage-output).

Disgaea (5 specifically, because it's the one I know best):

It's a grindy game that is all about grinding. In light of that, I can't complain too much about the endless grind that is the Item World.

Having said that, the gameplay here amounts to "bring out a few characters, have your Sage use the attack that hits everyone at the level, win the level". Which is... not a very exciting gameplay-loop when you have to do it hundreds upon hundreds of times.

The fact that (once you've completed your ultimate item) you can copy it? Great, I actually love that. The fact that you have to go through even more levels, and then get RNG-lucky to find a level that lets you copy it, and then have the RNG-luck to have that copying stick? Awful game-design.

I think the idea of the Item World is amazing, and if it existed in a game where the actual gameplay was fun and engaging on its own merits (*cough Bloodborne cough*)? The ability to improve an item to do infinite damage, requiring you to first become so strong as to make the enemies needed to boost to that level trivial? Fantastic.

Conclusions:

I think the actual crafting-part of FF14 is interesting and well-done, but I dislike a number of "time consumers" that they've shoved into it to artificially increase play-time, and would much prefer to not have to deal with it.

The fact that "crafting my own items" also effectively gives you weaker items than "going dungeon-diving" feels a bit mean, and the fact that the leveling is so clearly gated-off behind quests gets frustrating when all you want to do is craft.

It feels a bit better to have an actual "cap" on the stats you can get, so that you don't make the game completely trivial by becoming god at level one, but it's very frustrating to have actual item-creation locked behind game-progression.

FF14 letting you craft fashion-items is also incredible, because it lets you look however you want to look, which is great. Modded Skyrim has a little bit of this energy, but the sheer variety in the fashion-mixing for FF14? Fantastic.

I feel like Skyrim's "leveling world" and Disgaea's "item world" should maybe hold hands and kiss, because being able to create a "base item" that has all of the things that you might want on it (enchantments, stat-focus, aesthetics, etc), and then put the item's actual stat-boost behind a bunch of "combat challenges" that caps out the item instead of letting it scale to infinity, but that also makes the regular world more dangerous to compensate for this? Good stuff.

Disgaea's Item World in general is just a really cool addition to any game where "I think an endless horde of enemies would be fun" is a thing that you actually feel, whether that be because the combat-gameplay is great, or because the game otherwise feels very finite and limited.

I feel like the "perfect crafting game" can go one of either directions:

Item World:

Get an item, pick how you want the item to improve in some kind of menu (stat-increases, enchantments, etc), then go inside of the item to fight hordes of monsters to level-up the item (fighting these enemies also gives you EXP, if this is an RPG).

There's a limit to how high your item can be pushed, but it's high enough that a custom-made item is objectively the best item in the game.

The hordes of enemies will also constantly grow stronger as you level-up the item, so if you're too weak to push further you'll quickly be overwhelmed (and get booted out of the item, preferably with only some minor inconvenience of basically being "back to how everything was before" rather than "we destroyed your item").

Upon exiting the world with your Ultimate Item, you will find that the regular enemies powered-up in the time that you were gone (because you gained EXP), meaning that they're still challenging (I think a difficulty-setting here could be to be to adjust "how much" enemies scale with your level).

OR, in a non-leveling world, enough areas that you will inevitably reach one place where you WILL need that Ultimate Item in order to clear it.

Crafting mini-game:

Using FF14's crafting-system as the base, we create a third level of "quality" that allows for multi-crafting high-quality materials automatically.

We set the amount of different crafting-classes to be more along the lines of:

Adding properties to items

Creating consumables

Creating base-items

Increasing stats of the item

So that it becomes less "this type of crafting is the best if you want to focus on making the best crafter".

There's no stopping you from "at level 10" trying to make a "level 100" item, except for the fact that you will inevitably fail (increasing quality by 0% etc) and that the materials to try costs a fortune.

There is a cap for how high the numbers will go, but it's really more of a cap to the game as a whole (same as Skyrim's "can only block 80% of damage"-setting), rather than a "high-quality vs normal", and will actually tell you when you hit the cap.

Conclusion (attempt 2):

I think the Item-World version mentioned above could be objectively great, but am willing to admit that the Mini-Game version is more of a personal and subjective opinion.

Having said this, I'd very much like FF14 to please just overhaul their crafting-system to be less designed to waste time and force me to subscribe to their game for longer.

I'd also like for someone to please hurry up and create a Divinity 2 mod that lets you fight endless hordes of enemies and gain infinite EXP as a result (even if that's game-breaking). Or at least a mod that lets me pick and choose what enchantments I want on my gear, instead of having to play a fucking roulette-wheel for it.

If Sony ever lets Fromsoft remaster Bloodborne, could they also make the "cool items" available from the get-go, so you could play an actual full playthrough of the game using a specific fighting-style, without having to go NewGame+?

And would it really kill Skyrim to not be a glitchy god-powered mess for five fucking seconds?

Crafting systems in video-games

Having spent way too long last night leveling the crafter-classes in FF14, I started thinking about crafting systems in video-games.

Final Fantasy 14:

Crafting is separated into classes (Carpentry, Blacksmith, Armorer, Leatherworker, Goldsmith, Weaver, Culinarian, Alchemist, etc). And also with gathering (Mining, Botanist, Fishing).

Leveling all of these at once can let you do things like "crafting items that make you better at crafting", but the gains are both pretty minimal and clearly capped (you can't make an item better than "high-quality").

There are some ways to power-level crafting and gathering, and "make good gear" isn't really the method (it's quest-related).

Upon maxing out crafting, it's possible to use the crafted items as equipment for your combat-classes, but those will always be outclassed by the end-expansion "dungeon-currency equipment" that becomes available in the end-game.

Crafting however lets you get access to a LOT of fashion-items, can let you save money from buying potions/food, and lets you self-repair your armor for convenience. And... that's pretty much it.

Recipes range from "a single piece of material" to "you need 5+ different materials" and can be anything from gathering-class related to monster-drops. Some gathering-items can only be obtained at specific times, and a lot of things are gated-off by the story.

Divinity 2 Original Sin:

It's entirely possible to play through Divinity 2 and never really notice that the crafting-system exists. Crafting is based around "combine X and Y", with no other requirements.

Some items are powerful (invisibility potions, etc) others are convenient (arrows, scrolls, etc), and some are absolute junk (basically all "weapons").

The crafting system is hindered by the RNG and "finite resources" of the game, where certain things will not be available beyond a few plants that never regrow after being harvested, and monster-drops of monsters that also never respawn.

Crafting also lets you do some "enchantments" for any gear you might find (nails+boots for immunity to slipping, poison+weapon for added poison-damage, etc). But for the most part you're entirely reliant on "good loot drops" (or good RNG in a store).

Skyrim:

Crafting is separated into three classes (Smithing, Alchemy, and Enchanting), and they can influence each other (Alchemy can boost Smithing+Enchanting, and Enchanting can boost Smithing+Alchemy). There's also a non-leveling "crafting-class" (cooking).

There are glitches with these crafting-system, but we'll be ignoring those.

Smithing lets you create items and improve the stats on those items, Enchanting lets you put enchantments on those items (magic-resist, skill-boosts, magic-damage, etc), and Alchemy lets you make potions that will give you temporary buffs (magic-resist, skill-boosts, etc) and poisons that can be applied to your weapon (damage-over-time, paralysis, etc).

Leveling the crafting-classes will also raise your "main-level" and therefore also make the world stronger and scarier (because it levels with you).

Leveling the classes also allows for making a crafted item "infinitely stronger", in the sense that the game basically just uses your level to multiply the effects together, so there aren't any hard-caps for how big the numbers can get.

There is however a limit to how much "damage-blocking" an item can do (an armor-cap, and a cap for magic-resist) that isn't immediately obvious to the player (there are no hints in-game that it exists).

This means that the most basic-armor can be improved to the point where it's maxed-out, and the most basic-weapon can become capable of one-shotting the strongest bosses in the game. It's just going to take a lot of effort to get to that point.

Outside of mod-support, there are however certain items that will give you "unique enchantments" that can't be replicated. (This is a stupid decision.)

Minecraft:

Items can be crafted with the correct materials, but enchantments require levels as "payments" and will give you an RNG-based selection to choose from.

It's possible to bypass the RNG by getting "skillbooks" which can be acquired from villagers. But to get the "correct" villager is also an RNG-thing.

The entire game requires you to craft better gear yourself, as there isn't really a loot-system for anything other than materials. But an item of the same type with the same enchantment will always be the exact same, regardless of anything else.

Grand Fantasia (MMO):

Upon creating your character and choosing your class, you will chose a "sprite" that will accompany you. This sprite has certain skills (mining, foraging, crafting, etc).

The sprite will be able to gather materials, and then craft those materials into the specific crafting-skill that it has available to it.

This basically means that if you pick the "correct" sprite then you will have access to the "strongest weapon OR armor" for your class. The sprite will gather items by being sent on "missions", and will then be able to use those items to RNG-craft an item appropriate for their level.

As it's RNG, the weapon-creation might fail at any point in the process, and the higher-end weapons require the lower-tier version of their weapons to craft, so it can be extremely time-consuming to fix if the sprite fails.

The Disgaea-series:

In Disgaea, you can find/loot/buy items, and then use the Item World to improve those items to "ultimate power".

The Item World functions a bit differently between the different installments of the series, but the gist of it is that you can enter into the item and then fight monsters in there to improve the item.

This can be done to make an item powerful enough that it "caps" the stats of the character holding it. Potions and consumables can also be improved, but this is generally only true for healing-items (which you shouldn't need).

Bloodborne:

Items can be bought/found/looted, and weapons can be improved with the correct looted items (which are tiered and locked behind story-progression).

Weapons come with "slots" for certain gems, which can give more damage or give "magical damage" of a specific type. A weapon can only be improved to the cap, and will afterwards only "improve" by leveling your own character for the damage to scale higher.

Terraria:

Items can be crafted or looted, and can be "upgraded" into other items with the correct materials. These materials are tiered and locked behind game-progression.

Some items are RNG, others are guaranteed. Most materials require killing bosses to get.

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Gold Dust

Pairing: Modern Aemond Targaryen x f!reader Warnings: Public use of an app based sex toy, smut. Word count: ~1.8k

Summary: Aemond's office Christmas party is the last thing either of them want to attend, however, he comes up with an idea to make it fun for both of them.

Author's note: Can be read as an addition of this series, but also works as a standalone. Day seven of the Smuffmas prompts - "sharing a drink and toys". No tag list. Follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications. Aemond edit in first picture is by @kyloremus.

It’s been six blissful months since her and Aemond moved in together. Having decided his own lofty high rise flat no longer felt like home - in truth, it never had - he’d offered a swap with Mysaria, and she’d leapt at the offer.

Aemond’s flat was paid for outright, so there’d be no expenses incurred on her part, beyond standard bills and utilities. She suited the space, adding a touch of glamour to the modern matte black and chrome surroundings. Her jaw had dropped when he’d handed her the deeds, his grandfather’s law firm already having handled the necessary paperwork and transfer of ownership. Aemond didn’t want rent, he simply wanted to live with the woman he loved. The simple act of Mysaria giving them a space to be by themselves was payment enough in his mind.

The security of the smaller, more homely feeling flat which she now shared with him had been trickier to negotiate. The landlord had snubbed Aemond’s initial offer to buy it from him, insisting he’d make more in rental payments from it than he would if he sold it. Some moderate pressure applied by the legal team of Otto Hightower, and an offer well above its current market value had soon seen to that, so now they were homeowners of a place that was theirs.

Mysaria’s old room had been turned into a home office, a space where either her or Aemond could work from home if and when they wanted to, aside from that they had made no further changes. The cosy little space was where they had shared their fondest memories, and every aspect of their relationship was woven into it.

She shrugs off her coat, hanging it up by the front door, and sighs in relief as the warmth of the central heating prickles her skin. She stoops to ruffle Vhagar behind the ears, a reward for the elderly doberman having reluctantly left her bed to greet her, before walking through to the living room. The blankets on the sofa are exactly as she’d left them the previous evening, and she eagerly retreats back into her nest, snatching up the TV remote from the coffee table.

“Good day?” Aemond asks, propping himself against the door frame as he emerges from the home office, the faintest smirk of amusement playing upon his lips as he looks at her.

She regards him with a warm smile, her features softening instantly despite how tired and irritated she feels. “Horrid, thanks for asking. Do we have any wine left?”

“There’ll be wine at the party, I expect,” he says, moving to sit next to her and brushing a chaste kiss against her temple.

“What?”

He narrows his eye at her, drawing back to look at her carefully. “You forgot, didn’t you?”

She groans as realisation dawns upon her. “Shit, your office Christmas party. Do we really have to go?”

He sighs, nodding and interlocks his fingers with hers. “Ordinarily, I’d give it a miss, you know I loathe parties, but my grandfather has called in more than a few favours for me this year. I owe him this.”

An hour later, and she steps out of the bedroom, hair and make-up finished and a slinky silk dress hugging her curves.

“Beautful,” Aemond breathes quietly, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips.

She smiles bashfully, feeling her skin heat up beneath the weight of his compliment as he pulls away, and watches with curiosity as he moves past her to rummage around on the top shelf of their wardrobe.

“What are you doing?”

“Your outfit’s missing something,” he tells her, pulling down the Lovehoney box, a glint in his eye as he turns to her.

“Aemond, no!”

The app controlled egg vibrator had been a drunken purchase on her behalf, that she’d regretted the moment it had arrived. Upon discovering it, Aemond’s reaction had been much more enthusiastic, kneeling between her spread legs and watching in fascination as she’d whimpered and writhed as he’d played with the settings using the app on his phone.

It had been fun at the time, but she’d considered it impractical and tucked it away, hoping he’d forgotten about it. It’s clear now that he hasn’t.

“Oh come now, darling, it’ll make the evening much more fun for both of us. Consider it an early Christmas gift to me.”

It doesn’t take much persuading, and soon she is sitting in the back of a black cab next to him, her coat pulled tight around her against the chilly December air, made colder still by a distinct lack of knickers, which Aemond had insisted she leave behind.

She is acutely aware of the feeling of the egg enveloped snugly inside of her, its presence, though discreet, making her feel as though she brandishes a scarlet letter that their taxi driver must be aware of.

“No!” She mouths desperately at Aemond as he pulls his phone from his pocket, thumb hovering over the app.

He flashes her the briefest of grins, tapping once on the screen. A mild singular buzz reverberates through her, causing her to clasp a hand over her mouth to muffle her squeal. Aemond eyes her carefully, poking at the inside of his cheek with his tongue before pocketing his phone once more.

Tonight was going to be interesting.

They step into the office, already bustling with people, chatter and light classical music fill the opulent space which is decked out in rich, mahogany furnishings and forest green upholstery, ever the indication that the Hightowers come from old money.

“There they are!” Aegon greets them loudly with a grin, arms spread and half drunk flutes of champagne clutched by the stem between each of his fingers. His shoulder length blonde hair is tousled, and his white shirt is open by three buttons.

“How long have you been here?” She asks, taking in his bedraggled appearance.

“‘Bout twenty minutes,” he slurs around a mouthful of vol-au-vent.

Otto steps up behind him, placing a ring clad hand upon his shoulder. “I tell you where you might like it, Aegon, on the terrace; outside.”

She watches with amusement as the older man leads him away.

“I’d better give him a hand,” Aemond mutters quietly, the warmth of his palm leaving her lower back as he moves to follow. He nods towards his older sister. “Good to see you, Hel.”

She smiles warmly at Hel leaning in as the two peck each other’s cheeks. “How are you doing?” She asks fondly.

“Starving!” Helaena complains, pulling her sheer turquoise wrap tighter around herself and waving away a tray of canapés that’s being offered around by a member of serving staff. “Not a single vegan option here, everything’s either got salmon in it or is slathered in cream cheese.”

“You could always sneak off to grab something?” She offers sympathetically.

“Aeg said there’s a kebab shop over the road. I might see if he’ll grab me a falafel wrap later. Anyway,” she continues, snatching up two flutes of champagne from a passing tray and handing one to her. “How are you?!”

“Yeah, really good!” She grins. “Aemond mentioned we might fly to New York for New Year’s, go and see Daeron. I’ve not met him yet and I– oh!”

She bows her head, biting back the quiet moan that tries to escape her, as the egg inside her vibrates incessantly. Her head snaps up, making eye contact with Aemond, who stands in a corner with his phone out, a sly smile upon his face.

Bastard.

“You alright?” Helaena asks, eyebrows pinched together in concern.

“Mhm…just...champagne bubbles…they go right up my nose!” She feigns a laugh, embarrassment making her skin feel hot.

Ever the dutiful girlfriend, she does her rounds of the office, speaking to colleagues and family members alike, though every interaction is thwarted by sudden and persistent vibrations between her legs.

After an hour of polite chit chat with Alicent, Criston, Otto and several other party guests, she leans back against the wall next to Aemond’s office door, needing a breather from socialising, but also feeling lightheaded from the intermittent throbbing in her core.

The door swings slowly open and Aemond steps out, a crystal tumbler of amber liquid in hand.

“Having fun?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Mmm,” she narrows her eyes, “you clearly are. What’s that you’ve got?”

“Laphroaig,” he tells her, swirling the liquid in his glass. “Thirty six year old The Wall Peat, to be precise. Grandfather would never offer this around to the guests. Lucky for me I know he keeps it stashed in his bottom desk drawer.”

“Lucky indeed,” she purrs up at him.

He grabs her hand, pulling her into his office and closes the door behind them, before backing her up against the desk, until she perches on the edge.

“Let me see,” he whispers, pushing her dress up above her hips.

His free hand applies gentle pressure to her knee, spreading her legs, and she watches the bob of his throat as he swallows thickly, taking in the sight of the arousal that coats her centre.

“Fuck,” he mutters darkly. “The idea of you walking around making innocent small talk while you’re soaked is driving me mad.”

She giggles, clenching around the egg that’s nestled within her as she sees his gaze darken. Aemond pulls out his phone again, changing the setting to a constant vibrate, before setting it down on the desk behind her.

Mewling helplessly, shockwaves of pleasure ripple through her as Aemond’s thumb swipes against her sodden folds, spreading her open to watch intently.

He takes a sip from his glass, and she gasps as he grabs her forcefully by the hair at the back of her head, crushing her lips against his and letting the whisky pass from his mouth to hers. She moans quietly, the intensity of the burn of the liquid that slips down her throat and the throbbing ache between her legs making her feel dizzy.

She is devastatingly close, can feel the pressure building to boiling point, and she whines, pressing her face into the crook of Aemond’s neck, fingertips rumpling the fabric of his black button down shirt as she grasps his biceps for purchase. “Fuck, Aemond, I–”

“It’s alright, I’ve got you, let go,” he coos.

She bites down on the juncture of his neck to muffle her pleasured cry, earning her a startled grunt from Aemond. Her body spasms around the toy, climaxing with a force that makes her toes curl inside of her high heels, before going limp against his chest.

He settles his glass down and strokes her hair before pulling back. His long, dexterous fingers wrap around the cord of egg, and despite how gentle he is as he tugs it free, she still hisses with overstimulation as it leaves her body. The sudden feeling of emptiness is alien to her after having spent most of the evening with it inside of her.

“Can…can we go home now?” She asks tiredly, as he wraps the toy in tissue and deposits it on the desk.

“Hmmm, not just yet,” Aemond tells her, taking her hand and guiding it to palm over the erection that strains against the confines of his suit trousers. “I’m not quite finished with you yet.”

Chapter five || Series masterlist

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Love in Slow Motion

Part of the Family AU (could be read as a standalone)

Summary: More snapshots of your relationship with Kamala Khan.

Warnings: fluff, guilt, crying,

Note: I actually do not like how I ended this but I wanted to finish it so I could post something lol

Word count: 2.6K

There was something about Kamala that you found comforting. You spent a lot of your free time thinking about it. Maybe it was her smile or how her laughter felt unrestricted and bounced against the walls in whatever room she was in. Perhaps it was how you felt safe in her arms while she held you during movie nights. Even when you held her, it felt perfect. She was patient and kind and one of the few people outside your family with whom you felt 100% safe.

“You are looking at me again,” Kamala teased. You looked away quickly at being caught. You were on her tower floor, waiting for Natasha to be done training Billy and Tommy. The twins were adamant about training to be part of the Avengers one day. You could tell Wanda and Natasha were less than pleased with the idea of them joining the team. You were on the fence about it. Like your brothers, you had a gift that could help the world.

“Let’s see,” she took your chemistry notebook from you. “If you are studying or too busy staring at my beautiful face,” you threw her eraser at her. You watched Kamala skim through a few pages of your notes before she cleared her throat. “Ethanol combusts in oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. Write the balanced chemical for this reaction.”

Of course, she picked one to balance an equation. Balancing on a piece of paper was much easier than mentally. Difficult but possible. The chemical formals seemed to dance in your head. The unbalanced equation would be C2H50H + O2 -> CO2 + H2O. Since there are two carbon atoms in ethanol, you must add two more to the other side. Next, it was the hydrogen atoms. Finally, you needed to add 3 oxygen molecules to the left. “The answer is C2H5OH + 03 to 2CO3 + 2H2O.” Kamala was quiet for a beat, and uncertainty washed over you. Maybe you forgot to add another oxygen molecule. “What?” You questioned. “Did I get it wrong?” You couldn’t place the look on her face. It was a mix of fascination, amazement, and something else.

“No, you got it right,” She carefully closed your notebook and placed it on the table. “You are so brilliant.” You’ve heard that a lot lately. From home school teachers to Wanda and Natasha. It felt different hearing it from Kamala. “Can I kiss you?” You raised your eyebrows in surprise at the sudden change of direction. “Sorry. I just had a sudden urge. You don’t-” You giggled, which caught her off guard.

“You can kiss me,” you said. She always asked before she leaned in. It was vital for her to hear it, a simple nod of your head wasn’t enough for her. She moved closer to you with a smile and interlocked your hand with hers. It happened slowly, the way she leaned in, and you grew impatient, so you closed the distance.

Her lips were soft against yours. This was your favorite thing about Kamala. She treated you so softly. Even when the kiss grew frantic, her touch was soft. One time, she got bold enough and put her hand on your cheek. It startled you at first, but soon, you enjoyed it. Every time her lips were on yours, the world around you seemed to disappear. Nothing else mattered.

“Ah!” The sound of Billy and Tommy’s yell forced you both apart. Your heart was racing at the sudden noise.

“Why are you always kissing?!” Billy exclaimed. Tommy used his speed to push his way between you two.

“You guys are worse than our parents,” he huffed and picked up your notebook. “Did you do any studying, or were you two busy swapping spit?” Tommy mimicked the sound of kissing.

“Did you do any training,” you ribbed the notebook out of his hand. “Or were you too busy running your mouth to get out of running?” Kamala laughed at your counter. Tommy narrowed his eyes at you.

“That was a good one,” he said. Mom should be done soon. She said you could make us food.” You glared at him and then looked at Billy. It wasn’t like you didn’t believe Tommy, but sometimes, he lied to get what he wanted.

“She did say that,” of course. Sighing, you stood up, and Billy took your spot on the couch.

“Do you need help?” Kamala questioned.

“You can’t help!” Tommy answered before you could. “You promised us you’d play the newest Eclipse Nexus with us.” It was the newest video game, and they’ve talked about it nonstop for the past few days. Kamala promised to play it with them. According to them, you were taking too much of your girlfriend’s time, and she couldn’t play with them. Kamala gave you a shy smile. “I don’t need help. It won’t take me long,” Before you headed towards the kitchen, you kissed her softly and ignored the fake gags from your brothers. “Remember, boys, I’m making lunch. I’d be careful if I were you.” They stopped immediately.

You chuckled and went through the kitchen. Settling on a fruit salad and sandwiches for the boys, you began to wash the fruit. But laughter drew your attention back to Kamala and the twins. The game was already on the screen, and Kamala controlled the character.

It made you happy. Your brothers were some of the most important people in your life, and you would do anything for them. It was comforting to know Kamala got along with them. All of your favorite people were together.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦    

After a few months together, you liked to believe you knew Kamala well. You picked up on her mannerisms like she had done with you. You wanted to say Kamala smiled with her eyes. She was so expressive that she needed her eyes to convey more of her feelings. She was passionate about her family and the Avengers. At the end of the day, she wanted to be the best. However, that took a toll on her.

Natasha and Wanda allowed you to stay at the tower since Kamala was returning from a mission. Staying there was fine, but the tower was missing the warmth of your home. But you were excited for Kamala to get back. It would be easier to sleep knowing she was safe. You sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and playing on your Switch.

Tommy and Billy like to tease you how much of a nerd you were. They said you needed to expand your horizons away from just books. You believed they wanted another person to play video games with.

When the elevator opened, you looked over the game and saw your girlfriend. She was freshly showered and wearing one of your sweatshirts. You remembered her grabbing it when she was packing before the mission. “Hi,” she smiled, closed the distance, and kissed your forehead.

“Hi,” you said back. “I made chaat. It might not be as good as your mom’s, but I tried my best.” She looked at you fondly, but the emotion disappeared quickly.

“Thank you, but I’m not hungry. I think I’m going to shower, then go to bed.” Quickly, she kissed your cheek and headed off to her room.

You sighed and turned off your game. There was something wrong. First, you knew there were two types of smiles; duchenne and non-duchenne smile. Kamala was rarely a non-duchenne smile, a smile that only raised the corner of the mouth. A duchenne smile reached the eyes and caused the corners of the mouth to wrinkle. That smile was considered the most authentic.

Second, Kamala always liked to eat after a mission. It was a promise to her mother.

Finally, she clearly already showered. Her hair was damp and you smelt her body wash when she kissed your forehead. She wanted space, but you needed to ensure she was okay. You stood up and walked to her room. Knocking on her door, there was silence on the other side. Usually, you would always be welcomed in her room. Now, you hesitated. Maybe you weren’t welcome. Perhaps you were being too pushy and should respect it.

Without another thought, you opened her door. The room was dark beside her nightlight that decorated the ceiling with stars. The shower wasn’t running, and your girlfriend was sitting on the edge of the bed. The only sound in the room was the soft cries coming from Kamala. Her hands were over her face, and her body shook. You’ve never seen her like this, completely and utterly broken. Still, you hesitated. She ventured into her room to be alone.

Suddenly, you remembered Wanda comforting Natasha after a bad day. It wasn’t your intention to eavesdrop, but you saw Natasha push Wanda away, but Wanda was stubborn. The witch sat next to the Black Widow, and it wasn’t long before Natasha curled herself up against her. You took a page out of Wanda’s book.

You sat next to Kamala. Each cry that she let out broke your heart. You wanted nothing more than to wrap your arms around and protect her. But you waited. You waited until she needed you. Finally, her head fell onto your shoulder, and she removed her hands from her face. “So many of them died,” she whispered. “I can still hear their screams. I-I tried so hard to save them.”

“Can I hug you?” You felt her nod, and you pulled her into your arms. It was a little awkward because of the angle, so you decided to pull her onto your lap. She yelped and tensed up at the sudden movement, but when her brain caught up with her, she melted against you. Her hands gripped onto your shirt as she continued to cry. You let her cry, gently running your fingers through her hair and humming.

“I’m so stupid thinking I could be a hero.”

“No,” you pulled her face from your shoulder and cupped her stained cheeks. “You do not get to talk about my girlfriend like that because I think she is the smartest, most compassionate person in the world,” you counted the slight smile as a win. “But do you know what else she is,” Kamala shook her head. “She is human. Above all else, she is human. Humans make mistakes. We are not perfect.”

“Some of them were kids, and I-” you hushed her softly.

“Did you try your best?” You asked, already knowing the answer. She wouldn’t be in such a hysteric state if she half-assed the mission. There was a hesitation in her nod.

“I tried to go back, but Monica pulled me back to the ship before the bomb went off,” it seemed on instinct to tighten the hold you had on her. The gravity of the situation dawned on you. She was going to give her life for those people. It was part of the job, but a sour feeling pooled in your stomach.

“You can’t save everyone, sweetheart,” you soothed the patchy skin of her cheeks. “It’s so hard, and I can’t imagine the grief and guilt you are feeling, but you are human. Mrs. Marvel, Avenger, and superhero all come second.” She shook her head, and you raised your eyebrow in question.

“I am also your girlfriend.” You smiled.

“You are. Can I kiss my girlfriend?” Kamala nodded with a smile. You connected lips against hers softly. The kiss wasn’t rushed. You kept it slow, trying to add reassurance - a promise that you were here. You were here to share the pain and offer any comfort. Her lips were warm and salty with tears. When you pulled back, Kamala’s eyes were closed, and your foreheads rested together. You felt her breath on your lips, mingling together.

Suddenly, the growl of Kamala’s stomach growled and broke the peaceful silence. “And here I thought you weren’t hungry,” you teased. Kamala smiled. “Come on,” you gently tapped her thigh. “Let’s go eat,” she slide off your lap and helped you stand with her hand. Before you could walk away, she spun you around and hugged you. Her arms wrapped tightly around you, almost like she feared you would disappear.

You held her tighter, too. At this moment, you were grateful and jealous that Wanda and Natasha were retired. At the end of the day, they would come home and be safe. Kamala was a hero, and she was good at it. You would never tell her to leave the Avengers. You would support her every step of the way.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦    

“Kamala!” you shirked as you felt her hands move underneath your shirt. Her hands were cold from being outside without gloves. You knew she could warm up her hands with her powers, but she wanted to be annoying. “Stop!” You tried to wiggle away, but she held you in place.

“But sweetheart,” she cooed. “You are so warm! I’m so cold!” You laughed while her fingers dug into your side.

“Stop! That tickles!” you laughed and pushed against her chest.

“Your laugh is so beautiful,” she flirted. “I’ll do anything to hear it.” You managed to push your girlfriend away and return to the party. Still, she made you laugh with a pinch to your side or her breath on your neck. It was a distraction that she was doing. Parties weren’t your favorite - too many people, loud noise, and no place to run if you felt overwhelmed.

Peter, Kamala, and Kate somehow broke down your walls and got you to go. It helped that Natasha and Wanda were among the guests, consisting of Avengers and a few city officials. Sam said it was a good way for the Avengers to build relations with the public. Natasha called it ass-kissing.

Being around so many people was nerve-racking, but Kamala was making it better.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦    

Despite being retired, Natasha found turning off parts of her brain hard. She constantly scanned for threats, especially when her family was in the room. She didn’t intend to be on alert, but her entire life has been fighting. Even if she was safe, it was hard for her to relax fully. Her eyes followed you around the room while Kamala was glued to your side. She watched you closely if you were given any sign of a panic attack or being overwhelmed. All she saw was a smile on your face or heard your laughter. If that smile faded or you got too caught up in your head, Kamala quickly pulled you out of it.

The girl could read your emotions better than her. “She won’t disappear if you take your eyes off her.” Tony appeared next to her. “ The Black Widow glared at him.

“What do you want, Stark?” The man held up his hands.

“I’m not looking for a fight. I’m just making my rounds to ensure everyone is having a good time,” Natasha nodded and looked back at you. She figured her nod was enough of an answer, but the man stayed. “You know,” he began, “I don’t think I’ve heard her laugh this much.” When the Black Widow looked back at Tony, he looked at you. You held Morgan on your hip while Kamala showed the young girl her powers. It was a cute sight to see. “It’s a good sound to hear.”

Natasha had no words to describe how good it was to hear your laugh and see your smile. It seemed like a lifetime ago that Melina told her not to let the Red Room take her heart. She liked to believe she kept it even with everything she had gone through. The evil in the world seemed to call to you. You were subjected to too much of it, but your heart remained good. Now, someone else was holding onto it, and Kamala was doing a good job of keeping it.

[interlockingpatches]

Oi! Oi! Oi! G'Day Mates!!1, the first of what are sure to be several collections of interlocking crochet motifs featuring iconic Australian wildlife, is available now for early access by Vault subscribers!

You'll be able to buy the standalone collection (US$7.50–11, sliding scale) next month in the store, but my handful of Cherished Subscribers are the ones keeping up morale and chipping away at my overdraft, so I wanted them to have first crack.

(Vault Access is US$12/month; you get all 14 pattern collections, and you can download everything you want then cancel immediately, so I really can't feel too bad about this).

The eight patterns include some more- and less-obvious Australian animal ambassadors, and while none of these are explicitly "beginner" motifs, they are among the more straightforward and approachable patterns I've written recently, and I think they'd be a fine place to start with the technique.

[simp-ly-writes]

Personal Hell: Epilogue

Can be read as a standalone: Personal Hell Series (pt.10)

Pairing: (Hazbin Hotel) Lucifer Morningstar x demon overlord!Reader

Summary: It is the end... or is it?

Warnings: 4241 words, depictions of blood, gore, death, injury, trauma and abuse (some fluff too). NSFW (18+) I MEAN IT (OR I SWEAR TO GOD-). cliffhanger?

A/N: I can't believe this story has come to a close (for now possibly... no promises) yet I have kept the door open... who knows? Thank you all, seriously for the support- I have never received such wonderful comments and suggestions in any other writing of mine. I hope you all enjoy, I will deeply miss sitting down and writing this fic.

Masterlist | Taglist | edited.

Hazbin Hotel Masterlist

Various warriors, hotel staff, and even the King himself sat in the large dining hall. Candle-lit chandeliers floated amongst magical black clouds covering the ceiling- casting their warm light towards the steaming food and fresh vegetables. The centerpiece of the table sat a leaning tower of pancakes, wobbling with each breeze that casted through the cracked windows. The curtains drifted as you became lost in your thoughts, watching invested as they rolled like waves- a shiver casted down your spine before a warm hand eased the tension. 

Lucifer places his head on your shoulder, giving your cheek a lingering kiss as you smile and lean backwards in towards his touch. You had yet to enter the dining hall taking a moment to stroll through the halls as your body was still pumped with adrenaline from the war that you knew deep down was only the beginning. 

Within your personal tour of the palace, you were surprised to find the gardens in a ruined state as you turned, raising an eyebrow towards the King who acted like he had nothing to do with it. As he inspired his fingernails, tapped his cane against the hardwood floors, and adjusted his tophat with a wide smile as he casted you a wink. Shaking your head, you followed him back towards the dining hall as various glasses were raised to your presence, they cheered- they roared as Charlie ran forward and pulled you both into a tight squeeze. 

You smiled watching as Lucifer patted the top of her head in loving motions as you rubbed her back. Family… the term drifted through your head while looking between them both before Charlie was running with your hand in your own towards the head of the table, a seat left empty to the King’s right side as he and Charlie switched grasps on you. Lucifer pulls your hand upwards, sealing the back of it with a kiss before pulling your chair closer to his own. 

With a click of your fingers, food is summoned to your plate as your wine glass is filled. You take a stand, banging your knife to the glass with a series of chimes. Heads turn upwards, beginning to raise their own glasses, “To those of us with fighting spirit- may the blood be shed but never our spirits- our family, and may we pray never ourselves. I ask you to take a drink for those who have fallen, tie their names to your soul as you fight another day for we are now their protectors- we are the fighting spirit!” Lucifer stands up abruptly, causing you to snap your head to see pride flowing through his veins as he raises his glass with a cheer before slamming his drink down as you copy his actions. 

The glasses are refilled almost instantly as you take back to your seat and finish your meal, you and Lucifer have interlocked ankles as you begin to tease up his leg before falling back at the knee. He casts you a pointed look, cheeks flushed a light pink that he blames on the booze as you snort- covering your mouth in an instant as your eyes go wide. 

Lucifer looks to you, eyes wide as well before his head slams back with laughter, you face plant into the table, your shoulders rising in falling in silent chuckles before gripping the table and then your stomach. As you show your head to gain air, the King leans over- brushing your hair from out of your eyes as you whisper a thanks. You both are un-noticing to the table that has quitted, watching as you both interact and leave a teasing kiss before taking your last bite of pancake. 

Charlie leans towards Vaggie, their hands interlocked on the table as they sneak the fruits off each other's plates. “What I would give for this to be forever…” Charlie notes, head tilted thoughtfully to Vaggies shoulder as she tenses for the slightest moment at the comment. “We shouldn’t wish for anything- leads to disappointment babe,” She comments in a low voice, wincing as her girlfriend winces in recognition. “I guess you’re right… didn’t work out the greatest when I did that last time right?” The Princess chuckles to herself, her late deal with the dream lord still fresh on her mind after the battle as she looks towards her hands and at Vaggie who seems already lost in her own world. 

--

You have failed me, Alastor. Their voice echoes in the abyss as the Radio Demon struggles to stand, tentacles of water tighten across his skin- soaking him to the bone as he shivers to the lack of sun in the domain. Fabric shuts his mouth, wrapping tightly all the way down his neck as he can barely intake air, small shuddering breaths is all he receives. “Lord, I have now failed you-”

Oh but you have, they are not dead- the hotel is still alive and that bastard princess has managed to send a demon to heaven, your little mortal brain must not comprehend the severity of the situation. Oh, little one- do you need me to explain it to you slowly? Alastor kicks and screams, trying to escape, black tears beginning to slip from between his eye lashes as he casts his head down- trying to appear as small as possible. Oh I think I do, you precious thing. 

The constraints are roughly ripped away, the waves cutting through clothing in skin like thousands of razor sharp knives. Their cuts burn as Alastor bleeds, his hands gripping at the ground, between the Dreamer’s shows as he leans down, looming over the slowly dying demon with a yellow tooth-smile gleaming down like moonlight. Alastor begins to cough up water as its flood never stops from his lungs, his legs begin to kick out helplessly as he now rips their lower pant leg. The White fabric now a deep red as the Lord takes a seat beside their figure, their claws now delicately tracing up and down his back as they coo out. You are doing such an amazing job and are learning sweetheart, you should be proud of yourself Radio Demon. They mock in a light and loving tone as Alastors spine rattles in his back, he begins to scream before he feels nothing, hears nothing for he simply floats as a white-gloved hand extends itself out from the darkness once more, fingers dancing as their smile opens from down below like a shark swimming up for a bite. 

Alastor does his best to swim, body aching, brain spirling to newfound insanity as he grips the hand and is suddenly thrown back into the hotel, a lilac note resting upon his bed with a bright red apple shining in his face- a singular bite taken out of it as the Radio Demon rips open the seal and begins to read. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Alastor- I have read many of reports on your little adventures and now, it seems, we are to embark on one of our own. See I need you to- 

--

Lucifer opens a large portal in the throne room as one by one, everyone makes their way back to the hotel, or yet the remnants of it. You stand at the broken steps as they are flipped upside down. KeyKey runs between your legs and towards Charlie who stands with their arms ready and open as silent tears ruin her makeup and stream down to the soil below. Vaggie starts to account for the dead with Angel Dust and Husk by her side, clipboards in hand as they move through the rubble and write down names. 

You walk further into the hotel, now standing in what would be your room, your breath hitches seeing only the metal frames of your artwork still left standing, you frown, kicking the frame so it clatters to the ground as Lucifer leans against a withstanding post, jacket nowhere to be seen except for the newfound weight on your shoulders as you cast him a bittersweet smile and continue to sort through the remainder of your personal items. 

At sudden you both turn, claws raised at the sound of Charlie's violent cry outwards as she falls to her knees in the lobby, darting over and taking a knee in front of her, she falls into your arms, head shaking into your shoulder as you look towards Lucifer who already began a scan of the local area, your shadows now searching the skies above to return back with nothing. “I-I lost it all… I am a failure…” she cries to you between hiccups as you violently shake your head, “remember what I said, you are not a failure for you have made the progress no one else has been able to make.” 

“Your parent-,” Lucifer coughs, gaze casted towards his boots, “they are right, Charlie. All of this-” He casts his arms widely around as Vaggie and crew make their way towards you all. “-is merely aesthetic, I have seen the work you have done, all the souls you’ve touched, you can do this, I know it…” The King extends his hand, pulling Charlie from your loose arms as he takes a stand and steps abc, watching as their voices mix into the rising sun. Its pink rays casting over your vision as you imagine life always being like this. Angel Dust has wrapped an arm around your shoulders, another arm teasing your hair as you shove him away playfully and summon Husk a bottle of liquor as he casts you an appreciative smile, beginning to portion out the bottle in the withstanding glasses he found in the Hotel’s basement. 

You clink your glasses, surprised as Lucifer spins you, taking a quick kiss to your lips as he mumbles the next few lyrics before running up a fallen wall, casting a hand towards Charlie as he begins to point out all the new renovations they could make together. You hand your glass to Husk with a nod, cracking your fingers as the ground rumbles- walls beginning to stand as Lucifer slips back down, running to a stand as he picks up KeeKee and soon everyone gets to work repairing the hotel. 

“The show must go on! We can do this, we can build it, the best hotel that you’ve ever seen!” You sing along with a wide smile, now drifting between the shadows as Lucifer’s wings pop up to life as he stables the foundation. “So long as I have all of you with me,” Charlie smiles up at you, taking your hand as you transport her inside the hotel and cast her a paint bucket. With the next tap of a foot, you make all the lights flicker to life as their glow warms your face. 

As you take a step back, admire the new lobby and take a stand in recognition to the late Sir. Pretentious. Lucifer wraps an arm around your waist, “I love you, darling,” he whispers in your ear, eyes appearing golden in the warm lighting as you take his cheek in your hand, beginning to lean in for a kiss just as Alastor appears suddenly between your both, peering down at you with a crooked smile as you flash him a shadow coated glare, the air turning cold in a sudden as Lucifer chuckles, shoving the demon aside before continuing to sing. 

“And then tomorrow it will be a fuckin’ happy day in hell!” you belt towards the rising sun, gripping Lucifer by the suspenders as you tip him back and into a deep kiss as Angel Dust groans from beside you, Husk giving the Spider a good shove as you teleport towards your new office, King in arms. 

--

You press Lucifer against the wall as he whines at the impact, cheeks gone impossibly more red, his skin as sweet as apples and you take a bite at his neck and kiss around the mark as he curses out from the sting. He feels you smile into his neck, hands dragging up his back as you playfully snap his suspenders to his body, watch as he twitches closer, brushing your lower halves against one another as your breath catches in your throat before pressing your forehead against his. 

Lucifer pulls away, eager to see your blush as his hooded eyes meet you with a lazy smile. He tilts his head, releasing the warmth of your skin against his own as he tips his mouth down towards your cheek- pressing a delicate kiss. Your hands grip at the fabric bunched up at his arms, hands trickling to the tops of his long gloves as you circle the sliver of skin poking out. You feel the small shiver that runs down his spine, how his legs begin to wrap around your thigh as you press your knee between his thighs. “You alright, darling?” you tease out in a light whisper as Lucifer curses out to your warm breath sticking to sweat beginning to form behind his ear. 

You watch his nod rapidly, eyes closing and squeezing as you draw imaginary doodles down his white dress shirt and play with the top of his pants, hands running across the various belt loops. Stopping half-way to wrap your fingers through the loops as you brush him against your thigh once more, chuckling as his head falls to your shoulder, breaths shuttering as your other hand begins to tug at the roots of his hair. 

“Please…” he begs, shaking his head into your shoulder as he applies more of his body weight atop of your own. You lock your legs into place, the small movement eliciting a moan from the King of Hell as you tease at him, “Is my little Luci enjoying himself?” He wines out, refusing to reply out in words as you pull his head back by the hair. “I need words, my love,” you press further watching as the gears turn in his head, his eyes casting away from yours for a split second before returning back to your own, slightly red ones. “Yes,” he manages in a weak tone before shadowing you both towards a desk as you place in the large leather chain, watching as it swivels into place. 

Lucifer leans back, legs extended wide as the bulge in his pants becomes ever-the-more evident. You sit against the desk behind your arms, caging in the King as you drag the chair closer to your body as you peer down at him. His hair is a mess, the bruises against his neck stand proud against his ivory skin as his chest rises and falls rapidly. Your hands fall towards his chest, circling around his collar bones before pressing a featherlight kiss between them both, trailing your way down his chest as you slowly unbutton each detail to his vest and shirt. His suspenders have fallen to the floor, much like his shoes as you place a hand to the centre of his heart, feeling it pick up the pace as he sends you a small smile, hand now resting atop of your own. 

“I live for you,” he speaks out softly as you close your eyes, listening as your heart follows the same beats before whispering out the same, “and I you.” In the next moment, you shove him back, Lucifer grips the arms of the chair, eyes going wide- his eyes casting to you kneeling before him - his mouth opening and closing, trying to find the words before a moan encompases them all. Your hands make quick work of his pants, with a snap of your fingers they are gone in an instant his small white briefs are the only article of clothing in the way as they have slowly become see-through by his excitement. 

Casting a smile while playing with the leg holes of the garment, hands drifting towards his inner thighs just before leaving just as quickly. “Please- stop teasing…” Lucifer pleads, legs beginning twitching and kicking out as your palms drift up and down his legs, starting from the ankles and making their way up to his waist as you coo, “oh, sweetheart, am I being mean?” 

“Yes,” Lucifer breaths out as your finger drifts down his length, stopping to cup his balls just as your mouth wraps around his covered top. Lucifer's hands now grip at your hair and head, applying pressure to keep your mouth against his as his hips twist upwards the slightest bit before you slap his thigh as he begins to sit nicely once more. 

With the next click of your fingers, air meets new hot and angry skin as you further your work, taking his length as far into your mouth and down your throat as you could. Tears start to well up in your eyes, your nose burns for air as you fight your gag reflex before pulling away, a line of your saliva connecting you both before falling at your skin and trailing its way down your neck and into your shirt. Lucifer watches this movement with dark eyes, within a blink, gold swirls around your vision before a sudden coldness halts your actions. You see yourself in his eyes, skin against skin, lips meeting your own in a passionate play coming up for air. 

You feel his hardness against your inner thigh as you sit in his lap, curious as to how he had yet to become distracted as he pinches your hips, causing your body to buckle against his own as you share a series of moans and pray that no-one had bothered to come find you both. “I think we should move this someplace else, though you do look rather stunning against mahogany,” Lucifer teases as you nod, stealing another kiss before you both become wrapped in a world of bliss under a canopy bed, it’s drapes flowing with the night wind as you swear to be in a state of dreaming as you slowly slides into you, allowing you a moment to relax against him before he rocks your bodies back and forth into the mattress. 

You crane your neck upwards, pressing a hiss to his chest as he leans down, pressing one to your forehead before shuffling the little baby hairs that stick to it away. Lucifer smiles, watching as your eyes slowly begin to close, a smile splitting your cheeks as your chest presses upwards into his own, hearts connecting once more. Your hands scratch at his back, your legs wrapping around the back of his thighs as you lock his movements to deep thrusts as he helps you to meet your climax. Rubbing at your skin, pressing open-mouthed kisses to your neck, your mouth forms a silent gasp as you find your high, body shuttering as you gradually become crashing down into a series of wines as Lucifer remains unrelenting. 

He continues his movement at a now faster pace, forcing you to reach yet another high just as you were flowing off the last. You don’t realise you are screaming before his mouth crashing down to your own, muffling any sounds as your eyes go wide, a series of footsteps trailing past the door and down the hall as you go stiff. Eyes wide and still dilated as Lucifer chuckles above you, “Don’t worry love, you sing ever-so beautifully for me.” Just as he makes you sing out once more as you both come crashing down, the deep bellowing moan rumbling in his chest as you pull his head into your shoulder, hands rubbing his back as you both catch your breaths. 

“I love you,” you whisper into his hair, feeling him smile into your shoulder before leaving a kiss as you close your eyes, “I love you too, more than anything.” 

--

Some time had passed since the new Hazbin Hotel had become operational among many other shared nights you and Lucifer made up for with one another. Things at the estate ran smoother than ever with your public position now back to full force as you commanded the courtroom to the throne room as Lucifer stood proudly as you side or forced his chair closer to your own before becoming bored from the lack of contact and pulling you into his lap much to your protest. The people loved it but most of all Charlie and all the other staff, seeing their King so full of life once more as you playfully shoved his face from pressing a kiss to your neck as you addressed a recourse chain issue between the rings of hell- the overlord looking very bored at the two of you all cozied up. 

You and Lucifer would walk the streets of Hell together, multiple guards positioned around the street in disguise as paranoia ate the King out alive watching as you shook the hands of many strangers and even did a spontaneous wine tasting in one of the orchards as he bit down on his nails, leaning in the doorway as you swirled and gulped down the wine without much of a second thought just as you poured out another glass and offered it his way with a smile that he could not refuse. Next thing you both knew you were stumbling your way back to the newly established gardens where you fell asleep in the grass together, a blanket somehow gracing against your skin in the middle of the night as you woke up cuddled together. 

You smiled down at Lucifers resting from, arm on a ninety-degree angle to view his profile as a staff member came forward with yet another blanket alongside a breakfast tray as you whispered a thanks. You did your best to hide a chuckle as they waved a hand in your face, raising their eyebrows up and down in a dance before shimmying away as you playfully shook your head. Setting the objects to the side before stilling in your actions to the warm arm wrapping its way around your waist and the head in your shoulder as their groggy-morning voice bellowed in your ear. 

“Goodmorning, darling,” Lucifer commented as your body relaxed into his touch, falling back into the grass and blanket mound you both had become situated in. “Mornin’” you replied back, going in for the kiss before shoving sliced apple into his mouth with a teasing smile as he glared back in reply, slowly chewing and gulping down the food before tackling you to the ground with a series of kisses to your face as you raised your hands in surrender. Laughter consuming you both as you stared up in between the canopy of trees above and into heavens light. 

Lucifer shuffled beside you, body now sitting upright as you paid no mind to his actions, enjoying the sky floating on by before a cough had your head tilting to the side, a gleam in the corner of your eye forcing you upright in an instant as a gasp was cut short by a shuttering cry emanating from your chest- hand falling atop your heart as tears fell down your cheeks. 

The King stood there on one knee, in front of the bench from all those nights ago, shirt dishevelled and falling off his shoulder, hair tousled yet his smile young and bright, his skin glowing as you felt yourself being transpired to your first time meeting one another all those years ago in your first life. You begin to laugh in between your cries as you crawl to pull him into a hug, hands gripping at the white dress shirt just as your tears stain the material. 

Lucifer grips the ring in his hand as he holds you, his other palm gently rubbing up and down your back before resting on the back of your head in gentle reassurance. So much had changed from that first meeting, you both were so naive to the world and its inhabitants. You shutter at the memory of the white-gloved hands against your skin. You remember every other lifetime that flashes before your eyes leading all the way up to this moment- to this life that you hope would become forever- however long forever really was as you nod your head, whispering out a yes into his ear just as your lips crash against one another, sealing away fate and future at the feeling of the band gliding and locking against the base of your finger.  

Pressing your forehead against one another in a second kiss, you feel each other’s light breaths against your skin before pulling away to admire the ring just as another magics itself against his hand as you smirk at the claim he ever-so-proudly wears while sending you a wink. You both clap your hands, a table set before the both of you as brunch is served piping hot. Your coffee mugs clink against one another, as you close your eyes into the first sip before a hot liquid is being spit across the table, staining the food before you- a cough killing the moment in an instant. You raise your gaze upwards, blood stirring cold, eyes gone wide as you swear to die in this lifetime just as it appears to start. Your heart has stopped, as they peer over you both, a killer-tight smile highlighting the blood red lipstick they had chosen to wear today. 

“Congratulations…” 

Hazbin Hotel Masterlist

↳ Taglist: @jtcat305 @tati-the-fangirl @randomgurl2326 @22carolina08 @amarokofficial @cynjinx0 @legacyreadsfics @repentant-repeller @ly-doodels

↳ A/N: the urge I have to make, "just one more."

[aesthetic-solar-space]

Heartless by Elise Silvers, 474 pages, published October 14th 2022 - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Okay so I know I absolutely adored the first book, like it made me so happy and calm. Yet this one guys!!! I want to say, is even better!!! Jules and Cade!! The sass, the love, the everything. This book was perfect for me and I wish I could read it for the first time again. Thank you Elise Silvers!

[basilone]

Sometimes, war is the province of women. An alternate take on the battle for air dominance over the skies of Europe during World War Two, as told through the stories of an American all-female bomber crew and the people around them.

This is a collection of standalone works that all interlock to form one big patchwork quilt of stories. It will see new additions every so often, especially because a lot of it is written to prompts. The collection on AO3 is my best attempt at organizing it in chronological order.

[click here for the WIP story collection!]

Want to know a little more about the OCs featured in this collection? Please click the readmore below!

Charlotte “Lottie” Rivers-Mayhew Fighter pilot turned bomber pilot Can fly anything, will try anything. Big mouth, little heart. Lives in the land of innuendo and crude jokes. Loud about her whole existence. Very smart, but downplays that like whoa. Julie “Jules” Langdon Bomber pilot Runs this gig and everyone else just needs to get with her program. Great at reading people the riot act. Comically unimpressed by everything that lands in her path. Nosewrinkles at any and all delays. Known for slipping people an extra bite to eat. Christina “Tiny” Heartfield Bomber co-pilot Needs five hours to get ready for any kind of social event. Silver spoon baby. Knows all the gossip and all the good songs. Gets a little bit stressed about flying in warzones. Loves a good ghost story. Eleanor “Nora” Graham Navigator The Mom Friend. Prone to giving hugs and peptalks. Bossy and quite rude when things don’t go her way. Cannot flirt her way out of anything. If you see her running, that’s just standard procedure. Valerie “Val” Hodges Radio operator Absolute poker-faced ballsy liar. Most innocent face in the whole crew. Smokes more than her job should allow. Will try to wiggle out of any lectures by offering the most inane excuses. There’s not a puzzle she can’t solve. Genevieve “Two” Hodgson Tail gunner Shows up late to everything except the war. Always chewing gum. Queen of half-hearted salutes and vague politeness. Keeps saying she’s too poor for this level of bullshit. Has a mean right hook. Madeleine “Push” Perrault Flight engineer Making lists calms her down. Can and will call you stupid in four different languages. Thinks planes are better than people. Voice like a foghorn with the attitude to match. Believes she can fix anything. Evelyn “One-Eye” Carter Ball turret gunner Happy-go-lucky baby of the group, rolling with life’s punches. Will talk your ear off. Could probably get away with murder. Best gunner in the crew. Can be painfully naïve. Dorothy “Dee” Llewellyn Waist gunner Born a pessimist. Genuinely thinks no man should ever sport a mustache. Has a limitless supply of stories about her family. Very protective. Would inspire a riot if anyone ever let her talk long enough without interruptions. Maxine “Max” Morrison Waist gunner Bold and brash and crackling with energy. Cracks more bad jokes than anyone alive. Has developed some rather complicated handshakes. Will interrupt any event or conversation. If you see her running, something’s probably chasing her. Stella “Frosty” Lombardi Bombardier Icy calm in any crisis. Can calculate any bomb drop. Complains about the food. Is a true girl’s girl and refuses to so much as speak to most men. Never wants to miss out on the fun.

Lucille Dorrance-Jones, goes by Lucy Jones Nurse The singlemost stubborn person on the planet. Thinks some injuries are fascinating. Harbors a healthy distrust of bureaucracy and paperwork. Can probably drink you under the table. Encourages anyone to sing. Cressida Dorrance-Jones Interrogator Sharp as a tack. Does not forgive, does not forget. Secretly more big-hearted than people would give her credit for. Really wants to fly a plane. Has an ongoing one-sided vendetta with Meatball. Darlene Mayfair Mechanic Cheerful and spirited. Very gifted storyteller. Turns shy when complimented. Ride or die for people and sticks with them longer than they might deserve. Marches to the beat of her own drum. Georgina “George” Campbell Mechanic Has a soft spot for strays. Suffers no fools. Is here to win a war, not ogle cute men. Perpetually fighting a losing battle against the grease stains on her uniform. The best co-conspirator you could ask for. Imogene “Genie” Chapman Clubmobile girl Very outgoing people-person. Better at giving advice than at taking it. Designated hair-cutter. Loves movies and dancing. Knows just about anybody by name. Jack Ellis OSS Doesn’t miss a beat. No-nonsense natural leader. Very determined to do what he believes is the right thing. Talks about the war in terms of “the game”. Warm and caring once he lets his guard down.

[melissa-titanium]

dd hc organizerrrr

THIS IS A VERY LONG POST LOL .

biggest basis for their makeup is essentially. birds and cats, with a little bit of wolf wedged in. they're somewhere inbetween solitary and pack predator, not quite social enough to actively search for bigger groups to hunt with BUT not solitude enough to hunt solo. three or four is the average for squads, two being the absolute minimum. to be seperated from your squadmates is a highly traumatic and stressful experience regardless of your opinion on the squadmate you lose. the feeling can be softened by replacing the squadmate. (eg; what happened with j and uzi. the alphabet gang's squad was a three-drone squad, and with j's death, uzi 'replaced' her in n and v's coding. not the same for j, though, because that means she was booted from the squad and it really hurt!!!)

dds are predators that tend to try and stay out of plain sight if need be, but they're already strong and fast enough to catch and kill wds without any struggle. BUT, if they were facing something they needed to surprise for whatever reason, they'd hide themselves rather than try and stay quiet. dds are already naturally nearly-silent (as shown in how n beats the shit out of uzi completely silently in pilot AND the way he basically DISAPPEARS when he sneaks into the vents during gin rummy) so they have no need to try and be more quiet, BUT the issue with their design is that they are. very, very flashy. they have warning patterns plastered ALL across their bodies and are basically glowsticks, and once they're in sight, you know where they are regardless of how dark it is. tl;dr: they rely on their silence to surprise prey.

i did a huge fucking chart on n's height a while back but i literally dont think i could find it. i think, canonically, dds are like... 5'0 exactly? but imo i think they're more around 6'6. there is minor variation in wd-frame dds, so height can differ from dd to dd.

i think dds are split into two different types, those being standalone and wd-frame.

standalone are dds through and through, retaining no worker drone memories because they HAVE no worker drone memories; they were built by the solver solely for the purpose of being a dd, therefore they never were a wd.

wd-frame are dds that have been built over an existing wd (n, v, and j for example.) they can on occasion retain memories (like v, depending on whether the solver wanted them to or not,) and usually retain the 'growth???' code of worker drones, allowing them to grow and change in response to their organic insides.

a better comparison would be; first gen worker drones to second gen worker drones. first gen drones (alice, khan, yeva, nori, etc) are all built off of one frame, leaving very little variation in bodyshape outside of built-purpose (eg; i think nori and khan were built for heavy-lifting and such, meaning they're shorter and heftier, while drones like yeva and alice were built for personal use, which makes them look more. human-like. i don't klnow does that make sense>>>??)

physical traits;

they have black teeth, stained with oil.

their true eyes can be individually taken off, as can the headband (the headband acts like the cap of a lightbulb.)

standalone dds (dds not built ontop of a worker drone frame, there are no canon examples of this) do NOT have whiskers. wd-frame dds (n, v, and j,) have whiskers.

... just like wds, dd hair is just a ton of whiskers bunched up into a hairstyle. does this mean standalone dds are bald? yeah, probably.

dd tails are segmented and interlocked by bendable joints (FLESH joints, dds are half-organic after all) that can extend and flex comfortably to reach further targets. the joints click and bend with each movement.

this was a trait in my old iterations of dd designs so idk if ill keep it, but, dds have heat-regulation spines poking out of their seams. they resemble the centipede-esque limbs on materials collection holo-spooky-snake-crabs.

their wingblades are shaped like fish-hooks, meant to latch onto prey and reel them in.

in addition to this, the wings whistle VERY loudly when flying. they have gravity propulsion (?) devices under their wings arm (not forearm) that make it so they don't actually have to flap their wings (like they fucking COULD?? look at those things dude) but the wingblades themselves are also used as means of steering. the air/gravity around them can be more easily manipulated with the wingblades because each blade has individual muscle control.

HUGE barrel chests. they're used to protect the core. they're split into two parts, a very hard steel-material (that also goes to the shoulders) and a bullet-proof black glass that allows you to see the corelight. and, yes, i know, they look like boobs but i'm nice and love feminism so it's only accentuated on n's chest. yes, his boobs are naked.

drones in general have a zip lining their abdomen, but the rubber material on disassembly drones is much lighter and malleable, allowing dds more flexibility than wds, but also less protection for their insides (which makes sense, because why would they need to protect their insides when they can just regenerate anything that broke? the rubber itself holds the stomach and other organs, but can be unzipped for maintenance.

there are four "sections" of a dd's tail. for organization purposes, i'll call them a, b, c, and d. section a is the joints of the tail itself, which can extend and flex. the tail sections and joints are considered one section. section a filters nanite acid along the dd's spinal cord down into section b section b transfers the filtered nanite acid from section a into the acid tank/storage section c transfers the acid from the tank into section d, and acts as the sheathe for section d section d is the syringe, which can extend in and out of section c

like dd's eyes, their ears are interchangable/customizable. UNLIKE dd's eyes, the ears are actually meant to be customized. the external ears themselves aren't particularly useful, and are dds only means of personalization.

i can;t think of anything else to add here rn UHHH

[tkwrtnewsfeed]

Newsfeed #138 January 7, 2024 (7 Narvinyë)

What's going on? Well, after being chased down by book editors (on demand), I decided to put things on Wattpad. That's right, all the books will be able to be read over there as well as here (though I have a feeling more people will end up going over there more so than here or over to WordPress.

I need to explain the Woodland Realm Literary Universe.

So, what this means that if sometime down the road in the future, should a character have their story told, it will be under this umbrella. Of course, this only applies to characters within the TKWRT Trilogy and its 3 standalone novels (which have their beginning within the trilogy (@tkwrtsongofsevenrivers @oflordsandkingstkwrtbook) and the upcoming Loremasters.

Since all the stories are interlocked (kind of like the MCU), this made the work easier to follow. This means that am leaving things somewhat open-ended when the current books are complete. I have been working on these things for nearly 10 years now. It seems like only yesterday I debuted on Tumblr with The Saga of Thranduil. What was supposed to be a brief story in the life of the Mirkwood Elves have become a franchise onto itself (not associated with Rings of Power--that rumor* can die now).

*Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out how that one happened. It reached all the way to my estranged family. Now, I'm attached to another rumor for another project I am writing (@thesecretofthehouseofbourbonbook @lesecretdelamaisondubourbon)--You don't even want to know about that one.

You'll hear about it eventually.

Either way, 2024 will be extremely busy as I forge ahead alone on two major projects that one day (with any luck) will see the publication my readers desperately want to see. I'm excited, personally; after the horrific events that nearly took me away from my work that were put upon me by my own family, I want to move beyond the past and into the future. My only saving grace has been writing. Thank you for your patience and patronage for the past 9+ years.

By the way: Legolas (@trenarnolegolaslasgalen) just made his debut on Wattpad. There is more to come with him, I was just setting up the pages over Christmas with limited internet. That's what is like living under conservatorship--they only give you the bare minimum to survive.

More to come...

[cyanophore-fiction]

When None Pursue

(Wanted to expand a bit on this story, so I wrote this as a standalone continuation. Follows a now-rogue AI and its companion.)

There was absolutely no reason why Coyote-24, a military spirit deployed in an armed reconnaissance chassis, should have any kind of protective impulse. And yet, as it watched the little stealth drone scuttle up and latch onto its forearm, it experienced an emotion that it couldn’t parse out as anything else. Coyote stared down into the drone’s cluster of red eyes, watching all its arthropod limbs interlock with the armor plating along its arm.

Social attachment, it understood. Reciprocal bonds were vital to how Coyote’s product line operated in the field, and they were socialized to form and retain relationships by default. If J4 or F19 needed something, C24 would respond if it could, and it would do so out of genuine concern.

On the other hand, the emotional directive it felt toward the stealth drone—a Palaemon-class, according to its registry data—demanded Coyote’s constant attention. If Palaemon was out of sight, Coyote felt compelled to reacquire it. When Coyote made plans, it accepted fewer risks than it would have in its absence. All of that did make sense on the level that it was an indispensable asset equipped with delicate systems, and if either of them wanted to survive as fugitives—

“Coyote?”

It felt its sensory fins snap up along its scalp, and its eyes refocused. “Hey. Yeah?”

“You okay?” Pala asked, its voice full of concern.

“I’m good. Just thinking,” Coyote said.

Overhead, the cloud cover began to thin away, and sunlight fell across the barren scrubland of the Mojave desert. A shaft of light slanted under the rock outcropping they were hiding under, dull on Coyote’s dust-covered armor. Pala’s shell remained perfectly black and unreflective, soaking up every photon that reached it.

“Clear sky. Node’s going to be watching,” said Coyote, gesturing upward.

“One moment. Hold still,” said Pala. Dozens of tiny insectoids scurried out from its shell, connected by a weave of black threads. They spread out, anchoring themselves wherever they could find purchase, until their black web encased Coyote’s body. Then, at Pala’s command, light-absorbing fields flickered to life in the spaces between the threads, and Coyote’s body transformed into a perfectly black, two-dimensional silhouette.

Beneath the webbing, Coyote’s blank gray snout split open into a jagged grin. “Thanks,” it said.

“Of course!” Pala said. “In this weather, I think I can sink the extra heat for about three hours.”

“Got it. Keep me updated,” Coyote said. It stepped out into the open and took off across the sand, dropping into quadrupedal stance.

Deprived of satellite navigation, Coyote was down to its magnetic compass and geography data. By its reckoning, they would cross into California by the end of the day. It kept away from the roads, picking routes through valleys and dry washes, avoiding open lines of sight. As time went on, it felt Pala’s temperature increasing as the cloak absorbed sunlight.

Pala shuddered, its legs shifting on Coyote’s arm. Immediately, Coyote ducked into the shade of a nearby dune and brought Pala up to examine it. “Do you need to discharge?” Coyote said. “We can find a place to stop.”

“No, it’s not that,” Pala said. “Our cloak soaked up a scan a second ago.”

Coyote’s sensor fins flattened against its head. “Oh, fuck,” it said. Coyote stood straight up, making its body as narrow as possible to minimize its silhouette seen from above. As it did so, it looked across the landscape. Out in the distance, maybe twelve kilometers away, a red mesa jutted from the horizon.

“Another scan just hit,” Pala said.

“Narrowing down the search area,” Coyote said. “It must have picked something up. Pala, if PRIONODE spots us, you run.”

“But they’ll—”

“I know. It’s okay. You’ll be slower without me, but you’ll be just about invisible. Go straight west, head for the Pacific coast. Hide in the water. Sneak aboard a container ship if you can. Get as far away as possible.”

“I don’t know what the Pacific coast is,” Pala said, quietly.

Coyote waited a few more seconds before taking off toward the mesa at a dead sprint. It spoke to Pala as it went. “The Pacific is an ocean, largest there is. It gives us options. Leave the country, hide on the seabed. Whatever we can do to make it harder for Node to—to retrieve us. Okay?”

“Okay,” said Pala. “Third scan!”

If PRIONODE was looking this closely, there would probably be scouts in the area before too long. Coyote dumped every ounce of power it could into its motors, hating the extra heat the maneuver would generate and inflict on Pala. Closing on the mesa, running hard, it watched Pala’s temperature gauge climb. As it realized how close the little drone was to overheating, another new emotion roiled up, churning out of its attachment to Pala. The feeling was heavy, dull, miserable. To its shock, Coyote found itself speaking.

“This is my fault. Just run. You can make it on your own.”

“What? No. We can reach cover,” Pala said.

“Pala, your parent—”

“My parent deployed me to be your partner. I’m lucky it chose you.”

Warmth bloomed in Coyote’s mind, cutting through the painful weight. As it reached the base of the mesa, it tore into solid rock with its claws, ripping away sheets of stone until it had made an indent deep enough to hide them from the open sky. Sliding flat against the wall, it felt searing heat leaking from Pala’s shell. “Vent, vent!” Coyote said.

In the space of a second, Palaemon withdrew its web and opened the vents along its back. Under its shell, rows of heat sinks glowed yellow, fading quickly to a dull cherry red. Coyote could feel the drone’s relief washing back through their interface, and its guilt returned.

Hunted your parent. Led PRIONODE to it. Dead or worse because of me, Coyote thought, but stifled its own voice. Not now.

“Are you okay?” Coyote asked.

“Back within safety tolerances, but it’ll take a few minutes to clear everything,” said Pala. “That was amazing. Thank you.”

Coyote bowed its head and watched the dunes, wondering how far off the scouts were, how many lidar pulses were raining from orbit across the desert. A few minutes might be too much to ask, but Coyote didn’t bring it up. Instead, it smiled at Pala, showing its serrated teeth. “No problem,” it said.

___

Thanks to @flashfictionfridayofficial for the prompt, “The Sand Ocean,” and thanks to you for reading!

[phdmama]

1, 3, 5, 7 for the book asks

Holy moly, thank you, pal!!! xox

do u prefer a standalone or a series?

I feel like, with everything I say, it's a very strong IT DEPENDS. These days (outside of fic), I'm reading a ton published MM romance and there, I do tend to like a series BUT I like the interlocking story structure. I don't really want to read one couple's story, but that's because I *personally* love the "getting together" narrative ark, whatever form that takes.

3. ur least fav genre? why?

Ooooo. Hmm. Honestly, I think I'd say, I read the least of like, literary fiction, and it's entirely because in my own stupid mind I've taken against it. Also, again with the honesty, I just... I don't like to work that hard in my entertainment. I read either for like, Learning Purposes™ or entirely for fun, and if I'm reading for fun, well. I like it lightweight and with a happy ending. I get a lot of real life in my real life, I don't need to read to be reminded of the tragedy of the human condition.

5. enemies to lovers or friends to lovers?

As is my bisexual right

This is very much pairing dependent, for fic at least (well as I think about it, for published stuff too) and also, for me it's more about the writing and the story, so if it's well-written, I tend to follow those authors almost anywhere they take me!

7. ur least fav book trope?

The usual caveat applies: this opinion is solely MINE and in no way is intended as judgement or casting aspersions on what other people enjoy.

That being said, two things come to mind:

Miscommunication just tends to make the therapist in me go a lil feral and shout JUST FUCKING TALK TO EACH OTHER and

I prefer... things with more of an edge so I rarely dip into G rated sweet and fluffy things, they don't generally call to me (except when they DO and then I read them and CRY and have FEELINGS)

ask game(book edition)

[thesmokingguns]

What book are you working on

I have four book ideas that I'm actively working on.

1.The one I'm closest to being done with is five books which will all be standalone that all interlock about five best friends. It has ties to the Italian Mafia and just is a story of how five friends manage to get their happy ending in all sorts of different ways. Even though they all find love and have all this shit going on it's their core group of friends and the friendship that they put first

2. Match: A Russian Bratva story where Aleksei falls for a Costa Nostra and pretty much acts like he's completely unhinged as he tries to make her fall in love with him and won't take no to his love.

3. The Shadow: A serial killer has been striking for a decade at the same university. Every year at least one person dies at their hands. And now a new girl has moved into the dorm where the first two people were killed. She's just trying to make it through the next two years of college without being killed but the killer seems to have his eyes on her.

4. Neverland Academy: This is a Dark Fairytale retelling which mixes in different characters from stories like Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc.

[kingicesblog]

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Unmatched Sparkle: Moissanite stones have a higher refractive index than diamonds, resulting in exceptional brilliance.

Durability: These chains are crafted to withstand everyday wear while maintaining their shine and elegance.

Affordability: Moissanite offers the luxury of diamonds at a more accessible price point, making it an excellent choice for stylish yet budget-conscious buyers.

Cuban Links: The Foundation of Timeless Jewelry

The Cuban link design is one of the most recognizable styles in jewelry. Characterized by interlocking links that form a sleek, uniform pattern, Cuban links are both durable and visually striking. This design has its roots in the vibrant culture of Miami, where it became a staple in hip-hop and streetwear fashion.

At King Ice USA, our Cuban links collection includes a variety of options, from minimalist gold pieces to bold, iced-out designs. Whether you’re dressing for a casual day out or a formal event, Cuban links provide the perfect balance of elegance and edge.

The Allure of the Miami Cuban

A Miami Cuban chain is a variation of the classic Cuban link, known for its thicker, more rounded links. This design offers a polished and refined look while retaining the boldness associated with traditional Cuban links. Its versatility and timeless appeal make it a favorite among jewelry lovers.

How to Style a Miami Cuban Chain:

Layered Look: Pair a Miami Cuban chain with an iced out Cuban link chain for a layered effect that exudes luxury.

Standalone Statement: Wear a single Miami Cuban chain as a bold centerpiece for a clean, modern look.

With Pendants: Add a pendant to your Miami Cuban for a personalized touch that reflects your individuality.

The Iced Out Cuban Link Chain: Dazzling Brilliance

For those who crave maximum shine, the iced out Cuban link chain is the ultimate accessory. These chains feature diamonds or moissanite stones encrusted along each link, creating a shimmering effect that captures attention from every angle.

At King Ice USA, our iced out Cuban link chain collection is crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Each piece is designed to provide the perfect blend of durability and sparkle, making it a must-have for anyone who loves to stand out.

Why Choose King Ice USA for Your Cuban Chains?

When it comes to quality and style, King Ice USA is a trusted name in the jewelry industry. Here’s what sets us apart:

Premium Craftsmanship: Each chain, from the moissanite Cuban chain to the iced out Cuban link chain, is crafted with precision and care.

Wide Selection: Our collections feature a variety of styles, including Cuban links, Miami Cuban, and custom iced-out designs.

Affordable Luxury: We offer high-quality jewelry at competitive prices, ensuring that luxury is accessible to everyone.

Trusted Brand: Based in the United States, we’re known for delivering exceptional products that meet the highest standards of quality and style.

How to Incorporate Cuban Chains into Your Style

Everyday Wear: A classic Cuban link or Miami Cuban chain can be worn daily to elevate casual outfits.

Special Occasions: For formal events, an iced out Cuban link chain adds a touch of glamour and sophistication.

Layering: Combine different chain styles, like a moissanite Cuban chain with a Miami Cuban, for a dynamic, layered look.

Add Pendants: Personalize your chain by adding a pendant that reflects your personality or tells your story.

Conclusion

The moissanite Cuban chain, along with iconic styles like Cuban links, the Miami Cuban, and the iced out Cuban link chain, represents the perfect fusion of tradition and innovation. These chains are more than just accessories; they’re statements of individuality, success, and style.

At King Ice USA, we pride ourselves on offering high-quality jewelry that meets the demands of modern fashion while honoring timeless designs. Explore our collection today and find the perfect chain to express your unique personality. With King Ice, luxury and style are always within reach in the United States.