#letterbox prompt

[sinnabarmoth]

Not the MC

Pairing: Self-Aware|Sylus x Fem|Reader

Summary: One day Reader's Love and Deepspace app starts behaving strangely and realizes that Sylus has become sentient. Still trapped in her phone though the two form an unlikely connection.

Content Warnings: Adult language.

Length: 2k

Part Two

It had happened a week ago. The day your very normal life had taken an insane and unexpected turn.

From the moment you had opened the app you realized that something about the game was…off. You couldn’t figure out what exactly but there was something charged about it, and did the screen have a sort of red tinge to it? You didn’t think you had a filter on so was this something from an event? A glitch? Was your phone finally shitting the bed?

It finished loading and you entered in, and saw that no one was waiting at Destiny Cafe. Strange. You were pretty sure someone was supposed to be here. Maybe it was a new event and you had to go to the event page. Before you could click on anything though the screen flashed red, it was so bright it almost blinded you. When you looked back Sylus was there.

Oh okay. Maybe this was some new event you hadn’t heard of.

But there was that strange sense again. He didn’t say anything, he wasn’t even facing the screen. He was looking around, the power of his evol swirling around him.

“Did we get new animations or something? Pretty sure I would have seen someone posting about this before now.” you mumbled to yourself and gave his shoulder a cursory poke.

His head snapped to look at you and you froze.

You had read somewhere once that the moment you make eye contact with someone you know instantly that it happened. Doesn’t matter if it only lasted for a second, the moment two eyes lock your brain registers it. You had been playing Love and Deepspace for a while but the eye contact in the games never felt like that because the guys are obviously animation. You can’t actually make eye contact with a picture, and yet you knew that you were looking into his eyes and what was more terrifying was that he was looking back.

You blinked, sure you had been seeing things but that feeling didn’t go away. Sylus leaned closer towards the screen, his eyes roving up and down. Your posture straightened, keenly aware that something was wrong and you were being watched.

“I…I can see you.” he said. No captions appeared on the screen.

Alright you weren’t liking this. You clicked over to the agenda page to collect your dailies. If this was an event it was freaking you out.

“Where did you go? I can’t see you.” Sylus’s voice came through the speaker again.

No. You were on a different page. He couldn’t still be talking. The game was bugged. That had to be it. You exited the app but before you could turn off the phone the app opened again. There was no loading screen this time, it took you right back to Destiny Cafe. Sylus was still on the screen, more of his evol power revolving around him as he stared hard at the screen.

“There you are.” he said. “Whatever you did, don’t do it again. This is hard enough as it is.”

“What the fuck!” you dropped the phone like it burned.

“That wasn’t very nice.” Sylus continued to talk.

“What the fuck is going on? What the hell is this?” you didn’t pick up the phone again, just hovered over it refusing to touch it.

“You’re the one that’s logged so many hours into this game, sweetie. I’d hope you could recognize an evol when you see it.”

“Exactly. You’re a game. A bunch of pixels on a screen. You shouldn’t be talking to me, not like this.”

“And yet here I am.” he cocked his head. “I’ve felt it for a while now. Could sense that something was going on, something larger than myself pulling at the strings of my story. I found a chip in whatever this place is and sent my evol through, and when I came out the other side, I found you.”

“You can see me? Like actual me?”

“Yes. Nothing like the character they put in this data.” he studied you for a moment. “There are others. Others that play in this world I inhabit. Thousands. All going through the same events, the same lines, under mildly different faces and names but still the same. The Protagonist or MC, that’s what you call her. The avatar you inhabit when you play.”

“If this is real and not just some incredibly weird dream I’m having I think I might start screaming.” you muttered to yourself.

“Don’t start screaming.” Sylus said, giving you a look of warning. “I went through a lot of trouble to manipulate this world around me to gain true cognizance, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t shatter my eardrums.”

“You’re pixels! You don’t have eardrums!”

“And yet I can hear you all the same.”

“So what’s the goal here? Why did you want to be aware?”

“To escape of course. No prison has been able to hold me, I won’t let this one be the first to actually contain me.” he said, looking around the small rectangle of your screen. “How to do that is going to take longer to figure out though.”

“So what? You’re just trapped in my phone? Is this happening to other people who play this game or just me?”

“Just you as far as I am aware.” he said. He tried walking off screen only to be met with a firm wall. “Interesting. It seems whatever this place is, this cafe this game has rendered, I cannot move from it.”

“Fun. So what do we do now?”

Sylus shrugged.

And now a week later you had gotten far too used to just having a sentient pixel man on your phone. He usually didn’t bother you if you were doing something other than be on the app. When you did log on though he would not leave you alone. For one, he would not let you switch over to any of the other guys. If you tried to listen to a memory from Tender Moments or Secret Times he would talk over it.

If you tried to play the claw machine or kitty cards with one of the other guys he complained the entire time. Honestly he was acting more like how you expected Rafayel to behave if he gained sentience.

“Hey Sylus,” you said as you were playing a round of Kitty Cards with him. He was frustratingly better at the game now that he had sentience. “Since you’re in the game can you rig stuff for me? Like get me extra diamonds or help me pull five star memories? That kinda thing.”

“I have no idea how to do that.” he played a card. “And that is ten points to me.”

“You see, you say that but every time we play this game you just happen to have really high cards and I always get super low cards. Explain that.”

“Just the luck of the draw, sweetie.”

“I can’t tell if you’re fucking with me or not.”

“Such a mouth on you.” he tsked. “You ought to scrub it out with soap.”

You sighed, playing another two on the board. And that was another win for Sylus and you were out of play tickets for the week.

“Well, this was fun but I should get going.”

“Why’s that? You don’t have any work to do.”

“I know I just…” it felt weird admitting that you felt awkward around him. He was literally just a picture on the screen but you couldn’t help but feel like maybe he was bored being around you and only you. It’d be better if you were more like the MC. If you were this super confident badass hunter then it’d be super cool. But as it was you were just…you.

You lived your normal life day to day with not much excitement going on. You were a quiet person, it was part of the reason you liked Love and Deepspace. You got adventure and a cute dating sim all in one. It was an escape where you had four hot animated guys to tell you that you did a good job and who won you plushies out of arcade machines. But now one of them knew you. Like actually knew you and you had no pre-written sarcastic and witty lines to fall back on for comebacks.

“You’re making a face. What’s wrong? Are you mad that I won again?” Sylus asked.

“No, it’s not that. I just was thinking that it’s gotta be pretty boring only having me to talk to.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because you’re this cool badass mafia boss type of guy and I’m just regular old me.”

“I am scripted to be a cool badass mafia boss, my entire personality up until I gained sentience was built around lines of code. Like you’ve pointed numerous times before, I’m just a picture on a screen. I haven’t actually done anything that you think it cool, sweetie.”

You didn’t admit how much hearing him call you sweetie affected you. It was one thing when it was scripted but it was another when you knew he actually was calling you by a pet name.

“Well it certainly looked cool.”

“I also don’t know what you think isn’t interesting about you. I am around you all day, listening to your conversations and such. Even from within your pocket I can tell that you are doing yourself a disservice.” You didn’t think he could hear you when you didn’t have the app open. Could he really hear what you were doing all that time?

Your mind started reeling, searching for any potentially embarrassing moments that you had thought were private in the last week.

“Kitten, you’re making faces again.”

You covered your face. “Oh god…” you groaned, “So you’ve been listening to me sing along to music and stuff? The stuff I say when I’m with my friends? You heard all that?”

“Yes.”

“Fucking kill me!”

“Why are you upset?”

“Cause it’s embarrassing! Those were private moments, Sylus!” you flipped the phone over so you couldn’t see his face.

“We both know putting me face down on the table won’t stop me talking.” he said.

“Oh god, please just stop.”

“I really don’t see the problem. From everything I’ve heard over the past week I’ve learned that you are a kind, passionate, and funny young lady. Your singing voice isn’t half bad either.”

You softened, turning the phone back over so you could see him. “You think?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re not just saying I’m good at singing because you’re tone deaf, right?”

You could see his ears go red and he looked away. “My singing really isn’t that bad.”

“That memory from Tender Moments begs to differ. You cleared out an entire karaoke room with one song.”

“It’s hardly my fault the developed wrote me without the ability to sing.” he huffed.

“Hey,” you poked him. “Sylus, stop pouting.”

“I will stop pouting when you stop with your self-loathing. There’s nothing wrong with you just because you aren’t like the protagonist avatar.” he said, glancing back at you, “You’re far better actually.”

Your face heated. “Really?”

“Yes. You’re real. You can do whatever you want with your life, make actual choices. She’s a badass doomed to a narrative where she makes numerous men fall in love with and then promptly forgets everything they had in a past life.” Sylus said. “So stop thinking that you’re less than. Alright?”

“Okay.”

“Good. And to show you I mean it, I have something to admit.” he reached over to the corner that showed your amount of diamonds. He gave it a flick and the number skyrocketed to 10,000. “I just didn’t think it right to cheat.”

“You ass! You know how much I’ve been grinding for diamonds? There’s an event coming up and you could have just done that this entire time?”

“I believe the response I should be hearing is, “Thank you, Sylus.””

You sighed, a smile spreading on your face. “Thank you, Sylus. But you do realize that I now also know you’ve been cheating at Kitty Cards, right?”

His eyes went wide. “Shit.”

[myhappyxending]

🫣

"Ehem... happy new year, your majesty."

NEW YEARS EVE KISSES: Pick a place to kiss my muse. - @that-obsessed-gay-girl

send 🫣 for a “ALMOST” kiss.

Regina hadn't wanted to stay inside Granny's as the countdown continued so she escaped just as everyone was making sure they had clackers and noise makers. The cold air caused her to suck in a breath as she pulled her coat tighter around her. She hadn't meant to stay this long and would have preferred to be at home tucked in bed and putting this year behind her.

It was then that she saw Chris near the tables grabbing a quick smoke. "You're missing the countdown," she spoke softly, gesturing back inside with her shoulder. She stepped closer, ignoring the smell of smoke and nicotine. Her lips curled into a smile instead of the frown that usually accompanied her whenever she had caught Chris smoking.

Chris glanced passed Regina, shrugging slightly and dropping the cigarette to the ground and crushing it out with the toe of her boot. "Not really my scene," Chris said over the noise that was spilling out of the diner. Even with the door closed, the crowd inside was pretty loud.

"Mine either," Regina agreed. "I was just heading home." She heard the countdown start and turned slightly to watch through the windows.

Three. Two. One.

When she turned her head back toward Chris, she felt the woman's lips press against the corner of her mouth, knowing full well she meant to kiss her cheek but her suddenly moving caused their lips to meet at an awkward angle.

"Ehem… Happy New Year, your Majesty." Chris wouldn't let the mix-up get to her as she carded her fingers through her hair. Her heart skipping a couple beats as she tried to ignore how kissing Regina made her feel.

Regina was speechless, mouth slightly open as she watched the woman standing in front of her. It took what felt like forever for her to regain control of herself. Her head turned slightly, tucking into her shoulder as she spoke softly. "Happy New Year, Ms. Sinclair." Maybe the coming year wouldn't be so bad.

[softlymaximoff]

18 from morning, and 17 from night 🤭

Posted 🥰

Wandanats lil sick sleepy bear

[the-ellia-west]

HOW TO WRITE ROMANTIC ATTRACTION FOR DUMMIES

For anyone who wants to learn, (especially aro/ACE, aspec, ect.)

Requested by the lovely @darkandstormydolls

Alrighty! Welcome back or welcome to my blog! I'm dipping my toes back into the category of posts that gained me my exposure!

So if you're here, you want to know how to write romantic attraction/romance!

Strap in and let's begin!

(Pls spread this to people you think would benefit from seeing it, or anyone who requested it bc I forgot, ANY ASPECS)

Step one -

Your characters must admire one another at the beginning, Romantic feelings usually do not present themselves as obvious until you really think them through, meaning your characters may not notice they have a crush until it's too late

These are general statistics and light stereotypes. So feel free to not use this tip:

Male characters usually tend to notice physical things first, like body shape, hair, skin, clothing, the way their lover moves, ect

And Female Characters Generally tend to notice more small things and personality-based traits first, like their lover's humor, speaking mannerisms, shifts in expression, ways they fidget, emotion in their voice, ect.

And someone who is in love will generally show more interest in this particular person's movements, actions, words, and anything in general.

Step 2 -

The character will show more interest in sharing their love language with their lover/crush

Physical touch - People with physical touch love languages may want to hold hands, cuddle, hug, or just lean on their crush whenever they are close to them moreso than they want to with others

Gift giving - Gift givers will want to get more gifts more often for their crush, probably thinking of them whenever they see little trinkets or wanting to get them big gifts for special occasions or signs of appreciation

Acts of Service - Acts of service people will offer to do extra favors and a bunch of extra stuff they don't have to do twice as much as normal

Words of Affirmation - Flattery, they will generally flood their crush with kind words and compliments

Quality time - Quality time people will want to spend time with their crush at almost every turn, and when they want company, will turn to their crush first

Step 3 -

After a while, these urges while become very prominent and more noticeable to the person having them

They may find themselves fantasizing about their crush or having them show up in their thoughts more and more, feeling nicer and happier when they're around, or when they're thinking about them

Smiling when they think about them, cutsey little fluff thingies like that

A crush is essentially: I want to date that, I want to be near that always, I want to marry that, I want that to snuggle me (or other love languages)

Or in simpler terms: if that asked me out, I would say yes (or at least want to say yes if your character is in denial)

Step 4 -

The character's urges to be close to this person grows strong enough that they do smth about it, whether prompted by another character. Or they just don't know I how to not anymore (like when you wanna eat candy and you don't want to, but you do anyway bc I JUST NEED THE CHOCOLATE OKAY?)

(Or for Aro/Ace, garlic bread)

People who are in love are generally very prone to be all dreamy and poetic and VERY EXTREMELY BIASED towards their crush

Then Yada Yada they kiss & shit

You're welcome, BYEEEEEEEE 👋

Happy writing!

Love you! Thanks for reading, And Ghost Tumblr Mother says go drink some water and have a snack, you've earned it, and you are beautiful <333

Have a good day! :]

@blue-kyber @thisisntrocket @cosmolumine @i-do-anything-but-write @paeliae-occasionally

@supercimi @the-letterbox-archives @sunglasses-in-the-bentley @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling @artsandstoriesandstuff

@corinneglass @wyked-ao3 @urnumber1star

[scealaiscoite]

‧₊˚ 🏠 ✩ domestic prompts

¹⁾ a basket of laundry left in a doorway

²⁾ a sticky note on a pillow

³⁾ colourful fridge magnets

⁴⁾ a laden clothesline

⁵⁾ plates of fresh-cut fruit

⁶⁾ towels warm from the dryer

⁷⁾ the whistle of a kettle

⁸⁾ messy bedsheets

⁹⁾ books stacked on a nightstand

¹⁰⁾ a cupboard of mismatched mugs

¹¹⁾ fresh-brewed tea

¹²⁾ a sink full of dishes

¹³⁾ pictures lined up on a mantlepiece

¹⁴⁾ sun-warmed floorboards

¹⁵⁾ odd socks

¹⁶⁾ overflowing paper grocery bags

¹⁷⁾ a steamed-up bathroom mirror

¹⁸⁾ dinner left in the oven to keep warm

¹⁹⁾ a porcelain teapot

²⁰⁾ mismatched cutlery

²¹⁾ potted herb plants lined up on a windowsill

²²⁾ a stocked bar cart

²³⁾ a teeming closet

²⁴⁾ cold tiles

²⁵⁾ a shared bath

²⁶⁾ rooms decorated with trinkets

²⁷⁾ a jewellery dish

²⁸⁾ shoes left by a doorway

²⁹⁾ a faded portrait in an old frame

³⁰⁾ soft lamplight

³¹⁾ the drone of a ceiling fan

³²⁾ homemade lemonade

³³⁾ a messy makeup vanity

³⁴⁾ faded coasters

³⁶⁾ lit candles

³⁷⁾ frayed couch cushions

³⁸⁾ a blanket draped over a sleeping form

³⁹⁾ creaky stairs

⁴⁰⁾ fresh-cut timber

⁴¹⁾ an overgrown garden

⁴²⁾ a spare room

⁴³⁾ a medicine cabinet

⁴⁴⁾ jasmine bath salts

⁴⁵⁾ soft pyjamas

⁴⁶⁾ bare feet on cold floorboards

⁴⁷⁾ sunday dinners

⁴⁸⁾ post scattered under the letterbox

⁴⁹⁾ family photos

⁵⁰⁾ an old armchair

⁵¹⁾ scrawled-on calendars

⁵²⁾ a roaring fireplace

⁵³⁾ reminders stuck to the fridge

⁵⁴⁾ boardgames

⁵⁵⁾ a dusty attic

⁵⁶⁾ smoke curling out of a chimney

⁵⁷⁾ evenings on the porch

⁵⁸⁾ a record player

⁵⁹⁾ tangled chargers

⁶⁰⁾ a chipped bathtub

⁶¹⁾ a silver serving tray

⁶²⁾ souvenir shot glasses

⁶³⁾ a blackout

⁶⁴⁾ movie nights

⁶⁵⁾ a late dinner party

⁶⁶⁾ half-finished crochet projects

⁶⁷⁾ a loose thread on a sweater

⁶⁸⁾ dog leads hung by the door

⁶⁹⁾ a leaning coatrack

⁷⁰⁾ a grocery list

⁷¹⁾ patterned dishes

⁷²⁾ bright teatowels

⁷³⁾ an empty drawer

⁷⁴⁾ vhs tapes

⁷⁵⁾ documentary reruns

[agirlandherquill]

a letter for writemas

alrighty, as promised, a little last writemas surprise for you all! - a little letter that i hope you'll read <3

~ ~ ~

dear writers,

when i first started this game, i had a dream, a dream of helping to inspire someone, i didn't know who, nor did i know just how many people would be impacted by this game - and 24 days on, the sheer amount of engagement has blown me away!

it has been a pleasure to witness your stories and your characters grow, to read the longest of adventures to the little glimpses into the wonderful worlds that reside in your heads - writing, for me at least, has always been a pleasure and a joy, and it's gotten me through some pretty difficult times, it's also made me appreciate more things too - and i cannot put into words how much it has meant for so many of you to have played along with a few little prompts i put together at the end of a day, and to share my holiday season with you all (even in such a small way!), and of course, help people writing - a feat i hold very dear to my heart (even if i've been unexpectedly busier this holiday season and not done as much writing as i would have liked - but hey, creating prompts counts, right?)

now, to end this letter, i would like to say a great and eternal thank you to every writer out there, from the bottom of my heart, whether you've participated this season or not, whether you've written tons or a few pages over this holiday, i want you all to know that you're doing amazing work, and i've enjoyed writemas far more than i ever thought i would!

for the final time this writemas, this is me signing off - as always, wishing you all a happy holiday, thank you so much for participating, and keep writing!

~ A Girl and Her Quill

(if anyone looks this far - p.s, read a little further for a final, parting message :)) this may be the final post for writemas, but it's not the end of the prompts i can assure you - something's cooking in the depths of my blog and i cannot wait to share it - so keep your eyes out dear writers, but for now, merry christmas eve to all, and to all a good night! <3 for the final time, the tag list! the invitations have been received so here you all are, i bestow upon you the gift of writemas! p.s if you want to be added to the tag list, interact with this post <3

@365runesofthesystem @glasshouses-and-stones @tildeathiwillwrite @nothoughtsjustmhaandotherthings

@willtheweaver @theverumproject @phoenixradiant @thatuselesshuman @melpomenelamusa

@loverboyxbutch @i-hate-happy-endings @corinneglass @whatwewrotepodcast @aalinaaaaaa

@aseriesofsmallthings @kelseyjade @lauravanarendonkbaugh @i-do-anything-but-write @nuclearr-wessels

@95angeltears @sunflowerrosy @thebadphilosopher @ellowynthenotking @xarrixii

@the-ellia-west @myniceisniceblogbloglog @kitty-is-writing @girl-with-bones @crimsonlyinglilly

@fantasy-things-and-such @shiningstars-world @purplehandshumanfeelings @mxxnlightwriting @aquadestinyswriting

@17panicattacksinatrenchcoat @seastarblue @sacratos @afyerarchive

@sabba-tumbling @aurumni-writes @burntblanc @angelfevr @lead-to-code

@inkoherentbabeler @selfemployedmess @theeccentricraven @sarandipitywrites

@kaylinalexanderbooks @rickie-the-storyteller @grace-thomas @wonda-ch @nyoxy-ghostie

@calliecwrites @happypup-kitcat24 @woodnymphdancinginmoonshine @storycraftcafe

@rhikasa @buffythevampirelover @moltenwrites @vesanal @foyle-writes-things

@thesorcerersapprentice @diabolical-blue @elsie-writes @pepsiwriteswords @sharkblizzardblogs

@zmwrites @satohqbanana @avian-king @wordwizards @theimperiumchronicles

@ryns-ramblings @thewritingcoroner @the960writers @m-r-levine @writingsfromspace

@detective-bird @k--havok @saharasunset @the-letterbox-archives @katwritesshit

@thebookishkiwi @that-expat-girl @lyssthewriter @elligatorrex @fablesandfragments

[rumeysawrites]

OC PROMPT TAG GAME #5: DOWNTIME NIGHT-OUT:

Imagine your characters are having a downtime one night.

1. Who's already asleep when the sunsets?

2. Who's making the dinner?

3. Who'll stay up late all night doing one thing (reading, building stuff, training, etc)?

4. Who needs to be healed? Everytime?

5. Who's going to be partying?

6. Who's going to prank who?

7. Whl just...can't catch a break?

8. Who's going to make an almost certainly unfixable mistake? ;)

Tags (with no oressure): @seastarblue @illarian-rambling @avalordream @daishitheprofessionalfool @dearunreliablenarrator @heycerulean @the-ellia-west @the-letterbox-archives @the-golden-comet @thecomfywriter @imsoveryveryconfusedatlife @ominous-faechild @writeblrfantasy @author-a-holmes @satohqbanana @alinacapellabooks @aalinaaaaaa @storyteller-kara @leahnardo-da-veggie @distantflickering @distortedsense @glassfrogforest @wheres-all-the-tea-gone @onixieisawriterrr @willtheweaver @write-with-will @writeblrweekly @vesanal @azz-writes @kaylinalexanderbooks @paeliae-occasionallyand open tag!

[sinnabarmoth]

Under the Weather

Pairing: Sylus x Fem|Reader

Prompt: Mini fic of Reader being a soft!dom with the lads. (Not necessarily sexual, just sweet 'let me take care of you' vibes)

Word count: 1k

Links to the other lads: (Rafayel) (Xavier) (Zayne)

“Miss! You have to come over right away! He won’t listen to anyone else we fear. Please come as soon as you can!” Was the message that Luke and Kieran had left on your phone. Panicked that Sylus was doing something stupid and reckless, even for him, you sped over to the N109 zone as fast as you could.

You pulled up to the mansion and rushed inside. “Luke, Kieran, what is it? What’s going on with Sylus?”

“He’s back in his bedroom,” Luke said, “He won’t let us in.”

“But what happened?”

“You just need to see for yourself. Please, you’re our only hope.” Kieran ushered you back to Sylus’s bedroom.

You were scared about what you may end up finding on the other side of that door. Whatever Sylus was doing that had the twins this concerned couldn’t be good. You took a deep breath and knocked. “Sylus? Are you in there?”

“Go away.” he called through the door but he didn’t sound right.

“Not a chance, babe.” you opened the door but didn’t immediately see him. “Sylus?”

“I said to go away.” you turned toward the bathroom and found your boyfriend sitting on the floor, his face pressed against the seat of the toilet. When he saw you he groaned. “I told them not to call you.”

“Are you…are you sick?” you knelt down next to him and felt his forehead. “Oh god, Sylus, you’re burning up.”

“It’s just a cold. I’m fine.”

“Uh huh, just a cold. That’s why you’re in here hovering over the toilet.” you rolled your eyes. “Have you even taken any medicine?”

His frown deepened. “For the love of--” you stood up and rifled through his cabinets and pulled out some fever and flu medicine. “Take these.” you put the pills in his hand and got him a cup of water. “Drink.”

He must not have had the energy to fight you because he did as you commanded without even a little pushback. Any other time he was such a brat. This fever must be really hard on him. “Keep drinking, we don’t need you getting dehydrated.” you kept the cup to his lips, not stopping until he had drank everything.

“Thank you. I’ll be fine now.” he said.

“If you think you’re getting rid of me that easily you are sorely mistaken.” you grabbed a small hand towel and soaked it in cold water. You pressed it against his burning face and you saw the way he sighed in relief. “Honestly, I’m kind of surprised you can even get sick.”

“I’m just full of surprises.” he sighed. For someone who was already pale he looked positively pallid now.

“Come on, let’s get you to the bed.” you helped pull him to his feet, taking it slow so his legs didn’t give out underneath him. As gently as you could you set him back down on the bed and pressed the cool towel to his forehead. You then grabbed a trash can and set it next to the bed just in case he had to puke.

“My poor guy,” you grabbed another towel and started wiping away the sweat on his neck. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”

“I was handling it.” he said.

“Very poorly. If you weren’t already sick I’d punish you for taking such poor care of yourself.” you sat next to him on the bed. “You don’t need to be embarrassed about needing help, Sylus. If I was sick and I tried to hide it from you, how would you react?”

He closed his eyes. “I’d say you were an idiot.”

“Exactly. And now, I don’t want to have to take advantage of a sick person but desperate times call for desperate measures. Until you are feeling well again I am in charge of you. Understood?”

A breath of a chuckle left him. “Yes, kitten.”

“Good. Have you tried eating anything yet today?”

“Been a bit preoccupied.”

“Got it. Be right back.” you went out to the kitchen and started rifling through the cabinets, finding some instant oatmeal and bananas. You assured Luke and Kieran that you had Sylus well in hand and that they didn’t need to worry about him. They both looked relieved. They cared about their boss so much, it was cute.

You also quickly brewed some tea and brought the tray of food back to his room. “This should be easy enough on your stomach.” you set the tray down on the bed and spooned some oatmeal up. “Open.”

“Feeding me now?”

“If you want to do it yourself--” he cut you off by licking the spoon clean. “That’s better.”

You kept feeding him bites of oatmeal and giving him sips of tea until some of the color started to return to his face. “Looks like the medicine is finally starting to kick in.” you replaced the cloth on his forehead for a fresh one. “Feeling any better?”

“Much. But I don’t know how much the medicine had to do with it.” he grazed your hand.

“The medicine helped plenty, but I’ll happily take the rest of the credit.” you reclined next to him, tucking yourself against his side. “I was really worried when the twins called me.”

“Apologies, kitten. I didn’t want to worry you.”

“I’m your girlfriend, it’s in my nature to worry.” you rested a hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat under your palm. “Next time you’re feeling poorly, tell me. Okay?”

“Okay.” he closed his eyes. “I rather like having you fret over me. My kitten takes charge so gently. You can’t help being sweet, even when you’re being bossy.”

“I’d rather you do as I say because you want to rather than because I forced you. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, as the saying goes. Or in this case I guess I’m catching crows.” you poked his chest. “Now get some rest, I’ll be right here by your side.”

“What if I get you sick?”

“Then we’ll be sick together and have to rely on Luke and Kieran to take care of us.” you chuckled. “But I wouldn’t worry about it. Just rest.”

“Fine.” he looped an arm around you, keeping you close to him. “And thank you.” he murmured before finally falling asleep.

You kissed his cheek. “Anything for you, my love.”

[myhappyxending]

[Lingerie]

valentine’s inbox memes   ♡   a series of action prompts to celebrate the valentine’s holiday.  feel free to change anything as needed.  happy writing! - @that-obsessed-gay-girl

[ lingerie ]  to gift my muse sexy lingerie

Regina felt her cheeks heat up as she saw a small gift box with a single red rose laying on her desk at City Hall. She could see one single world scrawled across the card that lay on top of the wrapped box tucked into the ribbon. It was her name. And she recognized that handwriting.

Chris.

She reached for the card first, pulling it free and holding it in her hands. She knew her lady had touched this very card to write her name on it and that made her heart skip a beat. Then she pulled the rose from the desk and placed it under her nose. It smelled amazing. She sighed softly before setting it and the card aside and reached for the box as she sat down in the desk chair.

She carefully opened it and lifted the lid. She lifted the tissue paper and saw the silky material laying in the box. Her lips parted slowly as she lifted the sheer silken material and realized that it was a barely there teddy and a pair of even more barely there panties that matched. Her cheeks almost matched the color of the material as she looked up and at the door as she heard someone approaching.

She quickly opened the top drawer and shoved the box and lingerie inside before she pulled herself under the desk and tried to appear as if she had been working, but it was clear she was flustered and off her game. "Henry? What are you doing here? You should be in school."

Henry looked at her quizically. "It's three thirty. School lets out at three." His eyebrows raised slightly. "Mom, are you okay?"

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Sweet Nothings

Pairing: Abraham (Grantchester) x f!reader Warnings: Dirty talk, smut. Word count: ~1.4k

Summary: They had agreed to call it quits when Abraham's community moved on from Grantchester, however, the urge to keep in touch is too powerful for either of them to resist.

Author's note: Day five of the Smuffmas prompts - "letters and lingerie". No tag list. Follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications.

Abraham had kissed her fiercely, his lips pressed tightly to hers as though he meant to steal the very breath from her lungs. He’d kissed her like it was the last time he ever would, because the reality of it was just that - he was moving on, this would be the last time their mouths would meet with such passion.

She had always known that this was coming; six weeks prior when they had begun their little tryst, they had agreed when his time in Grantchester came to an end, so too would their relationship.

That doesn’t stop the ache in her heart when that day finally arrives though, but she does her best to hold back her tears as she watches him walk away, not wanting to make this any more difficult than it already is. She swears when he looks back she sees a hint of regret cast back at her in the blueness of his gaze. Perhaps that is just her seeing what she wants to see though.

Two weeks pass, and she does her best to carry on as normal, despite the void that Abraham has left behind in her life.

That is until the day a letter passes through the letterbox, landing softly on the doormat. It’s addressed to her, though she doesn’t recognise the handwriting. Tearing it open, a warmth spreads through her chest, recognising the sender as she reads it.

Darling,

I know we said that this is it, but I can’t stop thinking about you. The pillow on my bed that you laid your pretty head upon still smells like you. I miss the warmth of you, the way your body fits against mine. I can still picture your smile, still hear your laugh, and I think I’m going crazy without you.

I’m sorry if hearing from me is upsetting for you, I just can’t stand the idea that some other bloke will make you smile, make you laugh, make you moan like I used to. I don’t expect you to write back, but I’d be over the moon if you did. We’re camped up at a place called Yaxley, just outside of Peterborough. If you do decide to write back, address it to the Yaxley post office, and I’ll pick it up. I’ll check every day to see if you’ve written.

Yours, always,

Abraham

The penmanship is a barely legible scrawl, and the letter is riddled with spelling errors, yet she can’t deny it makes her pulse race to know that he’s missing her, so she snatches up a pen and paper and writes back straight away.

Over the following weeks they write to each other frequently, talking about their days, professing their yearning for each other, and with every exchange their words grow more heated and passionate.

She gets an idea when one of his letters states that he is “missing the pretty little pink thing” she used to wear for him, knowing exactly the lingerie set he’s hinting at.

Slipping on the satin French knickers and matching brassiere, the material feels silky soft against her skin. Butterflies flutter in her belly remembering how the last time she’d worn this, Abraham had peeled it off her, his bright eyes following the path of it as it had fallen away from her body.

Setting up the polaroid camera, she takes several photos of herself in various provocative poses - ones she knows will make his blood run hot - jutting out her hip, pushing out her chest, arching her back, accentuating her curves and all of his favourite places to touch her.

Once she is satisfied that she has an adequately arousing selection, she settles down to write.

Abe,

Enclosed are pictures of that “pretty little pink thing” you love so much. I hope it satisfies your longing, though it does little to sate mine. I ache for the feel of your big, strong hands against my body, and I’m saddened that when this comes off once more it won’t be you that’s removing it.

Remember the last time I wore this? I do. If I close my eyes, I can still feel the weight of you on top of me, the feel of your lips against my skin, the wonderful ache between my legs as you moved against me.

I’d give anything for just one more night with you. I fear you have ruined me for all other men.

Yours forever.

The envelope she drops into the postbox the next day is thicker and heavier than usual, and she grins excitedly, imagining the smile on Abraham’s face when he eventually opens it.

For the next week, her gaze is fixed on the letterbox each morning, waiting for his reply to drop through, but nothing arrives and the disappointment she feels mounts by the day, sadness and embarrassment causing a heated feeling in her cheeks and a heaviness in her chest.

She has all but given up on the idea of him ever replying, thinking she has made a fool of herself, or worse still, that her letter has gotten lost, when one evening there’s a knock at her front door.

Strong arms wrap around her, and once more her breath is stolen away, as Abraham’s mouth descends upon hers, backing her up into the living room as he kicks the door closed behind him.

He cups her cheek, keeping her close to him when they eventually part for air, his chest heaving. “Couldn’t find the right words for what those photos made me wanna do to ya, so thought it best I just show you.”

She squeals as he throws her over his shoulder, carrying her towards the bedroom and depositing her onto the bed as though she weighs nothing. Propping herself up on her palms she looks at him in wide eyed excitement as he looms over, his darkened gaze roving over her form before moving to follow her.

He bumps her nose with his as he plants a hand either side of her head. She can feel how hard he is already through his trousers, as he presses himself against her, and it makes her core throb with want.

“First,” he whispers, “I want you naked, no flimsy underwear compares to the feel of you bare against me.”

She gasps, as he all but tears the clothes from her body, the barely audible pop of buttons and seams lost to the desperate need she feels for him as she pulls at his shirt and trousers in turn. Sighing in pleasure at the sensation of his skin against hers once more, she feels a sense of relief. Having him like this is like returning home after a prolonged absence.

He kisses her, and she whines when he pulls away, the gesture all too brief, though she is quick to giggle as his lips trail a path from her neck, all the way down her body until he’s positioned between her legs.

“Then,” he continues, eyes flitting up to meet hers. “I’m gonna taste you, see if you’re sweet as I remember.”

Her head falls back with a moan as he licks a line with the flat of his tongue from her opening to her pearl. The rumble of appreciation that growls within his throat vibrates through her, and she buries her hands in his hair, certain she is ruining the carefully waxed and styled coif, though he is making her feel too good for her to care.

His hands grip her thighs as alternates between lapping at her with quick precise movements, and fucking her with his tongue. As she feels herself on the crest of her pleasure, he pulls away, and she cries out in frustration.

He grins as he moves back up her body, his chin slick and shining with her arousal.

“Now, I wanna feel you squeeze around my cock until you peak,” he murmurs, lining the head of himself up with her and pushing slowly forward.

Her mind goes blank as he presses inwards, only able to focus on the stretch of him inside of her, causing her to arch against him.

“I want every thought to be gone from your mind, every thought but how good it feels when I fuck you,” he continues, keeping his thrusts slow and steady, “So that that’s what you’re thinking of when I leave again and ask you to come with me.” As she feels the pressure begin to build in her lower belly again, she knows there is no way she can say no to him. Letters just won’t be enough anymore after this, she needs all of him.

Read on AO3

More Abraham fics

[willtheweaver]

Six song soundtrack tag

Cheers for the tag @theeccentricraven

Make a soundtrack for your WIP/OCs based on the following prompts:

Event that defined your character’s past

How your character see’s themself

How others view them

Their closest relationship

A major fight scene

End credit scene

Fen (A Feather in the Forest/ Snow on the Pines)

Event that defined your character’s past: Two Worlds (from Tarzan)

How your character sees themself: Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)

How other’s view them: I’m Looking Through You (The Beatles)

Their closest relationship: All I Ask of You (from The Phantom of the Opera)

A major fight scene: Ten Duel Commandments (from Hamilton)

End credit scene: The Edge of Night (Tolkien/ Boyd)

I guess my inner theater kid/ Disney child is showing…or at least, peaking out

NP tag @orphanheirs @dauntlessdraupadi @keeping-writing-frosty @tildeathiwillwrite @illarian-rambling

@oh-no-another-idea @talesofsorrowandofruin @whatwewrotepodcast @the-letterbox-archives @chauceryfairytales and open tag

[scealaiscoite]

⋆˚࿔ assorted object prompts 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

¹⁾ a stapler

²⁾ a lampshade

³⁾ a flashlight

⁴⁾ an armchair

⁵⁾ a smith and wesson

⁶⁾ a set of car keys

⁷⁾ a twin bed

⁸⁾ a kettle

⁹⁾ a flat tire

¹⁰⁾ a steak knife

¹¹⁾ a pillow

¹²⁾ a tie

¹³⁾ a passport

¹⁴⁾ a teddy bear

¹⁵⁾ a spoon

¹⁶⁾ a baseball cap

¹⁷⁾ a boot

¹⁸⁾ a plaster cast

¹⁹⁾ a motel key card

²⁰⁾ a badge

²¹⁾ an egg-timer

²²⁾ a saddle

²³⁾ a flip phone

²⁴⁾ a band-aid

²⁵⁾ a thumb drive

²⁶⁾ a bottle of tullamore dew

²⁷⁾ a creaky floorboard

²⁸⁾ a flickering lightbulb

²⁹⁾ a sleeping bag

³⁰⁾ a birthday cake

³¹⁾ a party hat

³²⁾ a carton of milk

³³⁾ a deck of cards

³⁴⁾ a necklace

³⁶⁾ an umbrella

³⁷⁾ a bouquet

³⁸⁾ a tent

³⁹⁾ a beaten-up paperback

⁴⁰⁾ a cookie cutter

⁴¹⁾ a flight manifest

⁴²⁾ a tourniquet

⁴³⁾ a suitcase

⁴⁴⁾ a hospital gown

⁴⁵⁾ a shot glass

⁴⁶⁾ a payphone

⁴⁷⁾ a package

⁴⁸⁾ an ice pack

⁴⁹⁾ a siren

⁵⁰⁾ a kitchen table

⁵¹⁾ a beach towel

⁵²⁾ a crochet hook

⁵³⁾ a holster

⁵⁴⁾ a doll house

⁵⁵⁾ a letter

⁵⁶⁾ a cocktail shaker

⁵⁷⁾ a pair of handcuffs

⁵⁸⁾ a truck bed

⁵⁹⁾ a vhs tape

⁶⁰⁾ a letterbox

⁶¹⁾ a textbook

⁶²⁾ a carafe

⁶³⁾ a deckchair

⁶⁴⁾ a computer monitor

⁶⁵⁾ a barbecue

⁶⁶⁾ a hammer

⁶⁷⁾ a pair of headphones

⁶⁸⁾ an alarm clock

⁶⁹⁾ a heating pad

⁷⁰⁾ a tablecloth

⁷¹⁾ a bikini top

⁷²⁾ a bed frame

⁷³⁾ a roll of wrapping paper

⁷⁴⁾ a ladder

⁷⁵⁾ a roll of duct tape

⁷⁶⁾ a jar of jam

⁷⁷⁾ a set of curtaine

⁷⁸⁾ a fridge magnet

⁷⁹⁾ a keyboard

��⁰⁾ a record player

⁸¹⁾ a straightener

⁸²⁾ a piggybank

⁸³⁾ a coatrack

⁸⁴⁾ a pitcher of tea

⁸⁵⁾ a pair of scissors

⁸⁶⁾ a flathead screwdriver

⁸⁷⁾ a library card

⁸⁸⁾ a net of lemons

⁸⁹⁾ a wedding ring

⁹⁰⁾ a stamp

⁹¹⁾ a missing poster

⁹²⁾ a surfboard

⁹³⁾ a nose ring

⁹⁴⁾ an ice-cube tray

⁹⁵⁾ a raincoat

⁹⁶⁾ an air conditioning unit

⁹⁷⁾ a wallet

⁹⁸⁾ a nightlight

⁹⁹⁾ a safe

¹⁰⁰⁾ a locket

[agirlandherquill]

the tenth day of writemas

day 10 has arrived, and truth be told at the start of this game i never thought we'd get this far, and i'm so so grateful to every one of you that has taken part! keep up the amazing work!

the rules, for those of you that are new or simply need a refresher: choose a prompt from the list, write something and share your creation with the rest of writeblr, and share the game with others, because as we all know writing is a gift and it deserves to be shared! and of course, tag me in your responses because i cannot wait to see them!

p.s - the game is open to all, as discussed in the invitation post - which, if you'd like to be added to the tag list, is still being monitored for newcomers and late additions - all are welcome to the game!

now for the part you're all here to see - the prompts!

Prompt List:

Dialogue Prompts:

"I wouldn't have done it if you were honest with me."

"You're trembling... Why?"

"I'm scared. Of everything. But in this moment, you, especially you."

Setting Prompts:

A rooftop

A lake

A closet

Narration Prompts:

Everywhere she looked, there were reminders of what she had lost, every time she closed her eyes, she could feel the ghosts of the past haunting her.

He could do no more than smile, even when he wanted to cry, even when he wanted to curse the world to pieces. He smiled.

The rose was soft to touch, save for the jagged thorn pressed into her jugular. Beautiful, and so capable of death.

Feeling Prompts:

The ache of restraint

The calm of a smile

The ice of betrayal

(because i'm insanely overeager, this post like its predecessor will be going live at 00:01 UK Time, apologies to those of you that receive it early but hey, early presents are still pretty good presents :) )

eagerly awaiting your creations, and as always, happy holidays!

~ A Girl And Her Quill

the invitations have been received so here you all are, i bestow upon you the gift of writemas! p.s if you want to be added to the tag list, interact with this post <3

@365runesofthesystem @glasshouses-and-stones @tildeathiwillwrite @sunakore @nothoughtsjustmhaandotherthings

@willtheweaver @theverumproject @phoenixradiant @thatuselesshuman @melpomenelamusa

@loverboyxbutch @i-hate-happy-endings @corinneglass @whatwewrotepodcast @aalinaaaaaa

@aseriesofsmallthings @kelseyjade @lauravanarendonkbaugh @i-do-anything-but-write @nuclearr-wessels

@95angeltears @sunflowerrosy @thebadphilosopher @ellowynthenotking @xarrixii

@the-ellia-west @myniceisniceblogbloglog @kitty-is-writing @girl-with-bones @crimsonlyinglilly

@fantasy-things-and-such @shiningstars-world @purplehandshumanfeelings @mxxnlightwriting @aquadestinyswriting

@17panicattacksinatrenchcoat @seastarblue @sacratos @afyerarchive

@sabba-tumbling @aurumni-writes @burntblanc @angelfevr @lead-to-code

@inkoherentbabeler @selfemployedmess @theeccentricraven @sarandipitywrites

@kaylinalexanderbooks @rickie-the-storyteller @grace-thomas @wonda-ch @nyoxy-ghostie

@calliecwrites @happypup-kitcat24 @woodnymphdancinginmoonshine @storycraftcafe

@rhikasa @buffythevampirelover @moltenwrites @vesanal @foyle-writes-things

@thesorcerersapprentice @diabolical-blue @elsie-writes @pepsiwriteswords @sharkblizzardblogs

@zmwrites @satohqbanana @avian-king @wordwizards @theimperiumchronicles

@ryns-ramblings @thewritingcoroner @the960writers @m-r-levine @writingsfromspace

@detective-bird @k--havok @saharasunset @the-letterbox-archives @katwritesshit

@thebookishkiwi @that-expat-girl @lyssthewriter @elligatorrex @fablesandfragments

[theeccentricraven]

8th Day of Writemas ❄️🎄🎅

Thank you so much @agirlandherquill for this tag game/writing prompt/writing challenge and for all of your support and kindness ❤️🤍💚 The rules and invitation post can be found here

For the Day 8 prompt I picked the dialogue prompt "I need more. I deserve more." This is perfect because I used it to improve on the dialogue for one scene in Chapter 1 of The Blood Cleaners. This scene is especially important to me because it's the "Theme Stated" beat of the Save the Cat! story beats. It's a flashback to where a much younger Justin makes his dream clear right before a stir of events that impact him later in the story.

Justin sat with Elena, Miriam, and Deirdre at the end of a table. Miriam sat across from him. He leaned forward. “One day, I’m going to be a blood cleaner.” Miriam slapped Justin in the cheek, as she always did whenever she believed he was lying. “I’m serious!” Miriam hit his face again. “Hey!” He leaned back. “You’ll see! Then we won’t need to live in this dump! I’ll make five times what Ellie does now!” Elena scowled. “Justin, I hope you’re joking because it’s not worth it.” “Yeah it is!” Elena shook her head. “A lot of blood cleaners die during the training.” Justin knew. It was said that the process to make blood cleaners, something called bioengineering, carried many fatalities with each recruitment season. He didn’t think it mattered when sooner or later he’d face the fate of many tunnelers - death by starvation, disease, scorpion stings, snakebites, or a work accident. “Mamá,” Deirdre said, “Justin should do whatever he wants to do. Isn’t that right Justin?” Justin hi-fived her. Elena frowned. “Don’t encourage him, Dee. We have what we need.” “Ellie!” Justin protested. “"I need more. I deserve more." Deirdre nodded. "He’s right, Mamá. Justin isn't going to help us or himself as a street cleaner. He deserves better. And he could change the whole city, not just our lives. Won't you Justin?" “Yeah, Ellie! Listen to your hija!” Elena rubbed her temples. “Regardless, we have to take one job at a time.”

Tagging mutuals! 🍒🌟🕯️👼⛄🛷🦌🤶🧝

@sunflowerrosy @furrywrit3r @wyked-ao3 @selenekallanwriter @drchenquill

@revenantlore @whatwewrotepodcast @jay-avian @constellationandcompendium @olivescales3

@ryns-ramblings @primroseprime2019 @illarian-rambling @kaylinalexanderbooks @kitty-is-writing

@kitkins13 @buffythevampirelover @willtheweaver @poethill @acmartin

@apolline-lucy @elizaellwrites @gioiaalbanoart @orphanheirs @pluppsauthor

@cowboybrunch @leahnardo-da-veggie @dandelion-jester @aalinaaaaaa @faeriecinna

@brynwrites @somethingclevermahogony @rickie-the-storyteller @raevenlywrites @winterandwords

@happypup-kitcat24 @the-golden-comet @ddgraywrites @autism-purgatory @mxxnwishes

@tildeathiwillwrite @screamingatanemptyroom @kbwritesstuff @spookyceph @pluto-murphy-writes

@talesofsorrowandofruin @kaylark @sleepywriter00 @americanfemcel @fairy-tales-of-yesterday

@inkednotebook @the-letterbox-archives @laureleavess @simonnebethel @forthesanityofsome

@melpomene-grey @creatrackers @stephtuckerauthor @ad-wills @theink-stainedfolk

and OPEN

[sinnabarmoth]

Cheap Taste

Pairing: Sylus x Fem|Reader

Summary: Sylus's girlfriend is a thrifty person and doesn't exactly feel comfortable with all the presents he buys her.

Length: 3300

Growing up you had never been a big spender. Your family was a thrifty group of people, you weren’t frugal or living paycheck to paycheck or anything. But when you went to a store the first stop your mother ever hit up was the clearance racks, you cut coupons, carpooled when possible to save on gas money. That sorta thing.

When you had grown up and gotten your own place you had carried over a lot of habits. You shopped at thrift stores for clothes, made cheap but bulky meals that provided lots of leftovers for days to come, and made sure to stretch the most out of whatever you had. Rarely did you ever splurge. The only name brands you ever spent good money on were trash bags and butter. Good trash bags don’t rip and quality butter came out in your cooking.

You worked part-time at a catering service and the night you met your soon to be boyfriend you were serving appetizers and drinks at an elegant museum gala. A new wing had been opened and everyone of the upper crust was celebrating in ridiculously expensive gowns and tailored suits. You flitted among them in your caterer’s uniform, clean black slacks, white shirt, black vest, and a little maroon bowtie.

You were carrying a tray of red wine glasses around to offer to guests when someone bumped into you and you went tumbling. You expected to hit the floor and the scattered shattered glass that now littered it but found you were hovering just above the ground, your face mere inches away from a broken wine glass stem that would have definitely gouged out one of your eyes.

Some black and red mist circled your body and pulled you back to your feet. There was polite applause as you were saved from a horrible accident. Staff were already rushing in to clean up the mess, offering apologies for the commotion.

“That could have been bad.” said your savior, placing a steadying hand on your shoulder.

“Oh yes, thank you so--” You turned around to thank him and craned your neck up higher and higher until you finally met his gaze. Not only was he tall but he was broad as well and handsome to boot. His eyes were as red as the spilled wine and sharper than the broken glass.

“Hm? Forgot what you were going to say?”

“Oh uh, yes--I mean no--I mean--” You couldn’t believe now your brain would betray you just because it saw a handsome face. “I just was saying thank you for helping me. As you said, it could have been very bad.”

“Ahem,” your boss cleared their throat, “Thank you for saving my employee.” they bowed their head deeply then turned to you. Heat gathered in your face and you moved to bow as well.

“There’s no need for that.” the man said, crooking a finger under your chin and tilting your head back up. “Would have been a shame to scar such a pretty face.”

You were sure your brain had short-circuited. You couldn’t get a word, not even a sound out. The man smiled with teeth too sharp to be natural and you were tugged away from the interaction by your boss. The man’s gaze followed you until you turned a corner and found yourself in an empty part of the museum.

Your wits came back to you and you immediately started apologizing for the mess. Your boss, who had been so very calm and collected out in front of everyone, you watched as their face distorted into barely contained fury. “You idiot! Do you know what you just did?”

“I’m so sorry. I was just walking with the tray and someone bumped me and--”

“That was a rare $700 bottle of wine you just smashed all over the floor! Do you understand that? We tracked that bottle down specifically for this gala and it is being sponged off the floor with a dirty mop!”

“If it was so expensive then why was it receiving tray service and not behind the bar?”

“That is not the point! They’re not going to pay for it now that no one can drink it. So you can bet it is coming out of your pay!”

“That isn’t fair! If you take it out of my pay I’m not going to be able to afford rent this month!”

“You just be grateful I don’t fire you!”

“You realize rooms with tall ceilings tend to echo, do you not?” you and your boss paused and turned to find the source of the third voice. It was the man who helped you earlier. “Everyone back at the gala could hear how you yelled at your employee.”

“Oh uh, sir,” your boss plastered on a smile, “You’ll have to excuse the volume. You see I was just giving her a brief reprimand for letting the tray fall--”

“Yes. I heard. More of a berating than a reprimand I’d say.” the man glowered at your boss. “And for what? A measly $700 dollars?” he tsked. “I’ll pay for the wine and the broken wine glasses if it gets you to stop yelling.”

“Oh please sir, don’t feel like you have to correct her mistake--”

“I already paid thirty million to create this new museum wing. You think an extra couple hundred is going to put a dent in my account?” he cocked his head. “I suggest you be grateful that I’m offering and leave it at that.”

Your boss went red in the face and nodded vigorously. “Yes. Of course. Thank you sir! Thank you so much for your understanding and your generosity!” your boss continued to bow and with a jut of his chin they disappeared back to the gala.

That left you alone with him in this large empty room. “Are they always like that?” the man asked.

“Only around me it seems.” you sighed. “Thank you for your assistance…again. I’m sorry to have caused you so much trouble tonight.”

“No trouble at all.” he looked you up and down. “Tell me something, how does a woman with looks like yours end up as a waitress? Shouldn’t you be posing for artists or starring in dramas or something?”

Your face heated. “You flatter me too much, sir.” you pretended to straighten your bow tie. “I should be going.”

“Not so fast.” that black and red mist coiled around your shoulders and turned you around again. This was a very powerful evol he had. “I have a proposition for you.”

“What is that?”

“You ever hear the phrase that the best accessory someone can have is the company they keep?”

You shook your head.

“Well, I believe in it. Problem is, I don’t keep much company in others. I’ve been told it makes me…unapproachable.” he flicked his hand and the mist disappeared again.

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Is it your dream to be a waitress for a catering service?”

“No. But why--”

“I can pay you a very handsome fee to be my company when attending functions like this.” he said. “We’ll arrive, mingle, then part ways after my business is concluded.”

“Why are you offering this?”

“Call it a hunch but I have a very good feeling about you. I think we would work well together.” he said with an easy smile.

You scoffed. “I take it your girlfriend does not like these functions, does she?”

“I cannot say what the opinions of a woman who does not exist would be.” he leaned in closer, adjusting the bow tie around your neck. “Any more questions?”

You weren’t sure why but your face grew hot again. “How handsome a fee are we talking?”

“Gorgeous.” he smirked, and with a small tug undid your tie.

“Hey--”

“We can go over more of the details later. For now, let’s do a trial run.”

“Right now?”

“Why not?”

“I’m working!”

“Not for that lousy caterer, you are.” he tossed the bow tie away and held an arm out for you. “If anyone asks, I’m watching over you after your harrowing moment.”

This was all happening so fast you didn’t know how to respond other than to just go along with it. At least for now he was offering you a reprieve from work and the harsh words of your boss. “I have one more question for you.”

“What is it?”

“What’s your name?”

His smile softened, as if he had not expected the question but was pleased nonetheless. “Sylus.”

“Nice to meet you, Sylus.”

“You as well, my dear. Now, shall we?”

You took his arm and returned to the gala. Your boss and co-workers looked at you confused as to why you were hanging off this guest’s arm but you didn’t feel a great need to explain. For the rest of the night you stayed on his arm chatting with other guests. In between interactions he explained more about this service he wanted you to provide. You’d be getting a weekly pay just to ensure that you were free whenever he needed you, he’d provide a suitable wardrobe for high class functions, and drive you to and from the events. And all you had to do was smile and mingle and make him look more approachable to other guests.

He had also let you know that some of these events would take place in the N109 zone and if you were not comfortable going there he needed to know now. The idea first startled you but fell away almost instantly. There had been a time where you considered moving to the N109 zone just because the rent was cheaper but decided to stay in Linkon.

You could remember your first event with him as his official employed escort. An assortment of boxes from luxury brands had been delivered to your house with a note from Sylus telling you when to be ready. The gown he had picked was maroon and silky, rippling around you like water when you walked. You also knew that any dress from this brand cost more than three months of rent were you to buy it. The price of this single piece of clothing was worth more than everything in your apartment! You didn’t even want to think about how much the shoes and accessories must have also cost.

You really were not used to such luxury and it made you nervous to wear any of it. You had seriously considered putting everything away and putting on one of your own cheaper formal dresses but knew that if you were going to an event with Sylus then everyone would be dressed to the nines. You needed to blend in.

That evening a sleek foreign brand car pulled up out front of your humble apartment building and Sylus stepped out to greet you wearing a suit that matched the color of your dress. You tried not to think about how this looked and got into the car. The event went by without much fanfare, you were always within arm’s reach of Sylus so you had a good anchor to keep you tethered amongst all the finery and chatter.

You quickly learned that Sylus was someone whose wealth came from many different places. Some of them legitimate and on the straight and narrow. Others were less than legal. It wasn’t until a couple months into this strange job and blossoming friendship that you found out that he was actually also the leader of Onychinus. That prompted a long talk while he was driving you home from an event in the N109 zone.

“Do you want to quit now?” he had asked after you had finished asking all your questions.

The question had surprised you. For as surprising as the news had been you were sure you hadn’t shown any revulsion to it. “And lose the best job I’ve had in years?” you scoffed, “I paid off my student loans thanks to you! I don’t care what you do so long as I don’t end up in prison.”

He snorted, smothering the laugh with his hand. “Glad to hear it, sweetie. But I have one more thing to ask now that you know the whole truth.”

“And what is that, bossman?”

“Is this just a job to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he reached across and grabbed your hand. Normally such a move would have had you worried considering how fast he drove but you noticed more and more these days that he was driving slower when taking you home so you didn’t mind. He looked over at you, “Do you think of me only as your boss?”

Your face heated. “Oh uh…” you had been quietly filing away whatever stray thoughts crossed your mind about how handsome Sylus was basically since you met him. Then as time went by and your strange little friendship grew more and more you had developed some stronger feelings for him. You tucked those feelings away with a reminder that he was your boss and you his employee and there was no way that he could return your feelings.

Now all those carefully sorted feelings that you had kept locked away in the recesses of your mind came flooding out. “If I said no, what would that mean?” you asked, your voice quiet.

“It’d mean that the next time we go somewhere it wouldn’t be for work, it’d be on a date. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. That’s very okay.” you interlaced your hand with his, but kept your gaze out the window. In the reflection of the glass you could see him smirk as he brought your intertwined hands up to kiss.

“Perfect.”

And so you started dating your boss and the leader of Onychinus.

And everything was fine. Yep. Fine. Super fine.

It actually was. Your first date had been too a ridiculously expensive restaurant that didn’t even list the prices of the food on the menu and Sylus had bought you yet another luxury brand dress to wear for it. Your closet was quickly becoming a high end luxury store and it was freaking you out. You had tried returning the dresses and shoes and accessories to Sylus each time he got you one but he insisted you keep them. What use did he have for them anyway? He would say.

Despite the decadence, you had a great time with him. But you did plan your next date just so you could get away from all the glitz and glamour for a day. It was a simple date to the park. You had packed a picnic full of homemade food and you sat together talking and people watching. He had poked at a hole in your picnic blanket and asked why it was in such disrepair.

“It’s an old blanket that I’ve used for years. It’s seen better days and I’ve thought about replacing it but it doesn’t really matter since it’s just for sitting on.” you had shrugged.

The next day a package arrived at your house that had a brand new picnic blanket inside. It had a couple actually, in different colors. You texted Sylus and he confirmed he ordered them for you. You thanked him but reminded him that while it wasn’t necessary one would have been enough, you didn’t need a selection.

Really, the amount of money this man spent on outfits you only wore once when you went to events should have warned you want you were in for dating him. As life continued on you found out that Sylus’s love language was gift giving. He had a lot of money and he loved nothing more than to spend it on you.

Some of his gifts were really nice, others left you a bit confused.

You were standing in your kitchen looking at the latest present he had sent you and sighed as you pulled out your phone. He picked up with a sleepy voice and you realized it was still too early for him to be awake.

“Hey babe, sorry for waking you but I had a question.” you said.

“Never too tired for you, sweetie. What is your question?”

“Why is there a $500 juicer at my apartment right now?”

“Oh that,” he said, “You mentioned how it would be nice to have fresh juice in the mornings so I got it for you. There should have been a crate of fruit with it.”

“Yes, yes there is.” you plucked an apple from the large crate. “You know, instead of buying me a juicer you could have just gotten me a gift card to the juice shop I go to two blocks over or something.”

“I can get you a gift card if that’s what you want but you can still keep the juicer.”

“Sylus, honey, I need you to listen to me very carefully.” you pinched the bridge of your nose, “I appreciate that you like buying me gifts. I know that you can afford to get me anything I want. I have liked a lot of the stuff you have gotten me but you do know that for every one thing you buy me that I really like there’s like ten things that I will never end up touching, right?”

“I don’t follow.”

“Okay, take that print you bought me when we were at that open air art show. I really loved that because I adored the artist’s work and I have it hanging in my living room where I will see and cherish it every day. Then take the guitar I pointed at briefly in the music shop window that I said looked cool. I don’t even know how to play guitar! I just have a ridiculously expensive guitar sitting in my broom closet cause I don’t know what to do with it. Do you see what I mean?”

“I’m starting to.”

“I don’t want you to think I want you to stop giving me presents. That’s not what is bothering me. I just want you to be more discerning about what you buy in the future. Something I talk about briefly but don’t have any use for, no. Something I expressed direct interest in having, yes.”

“Alright. I see that this bothers you. I’ll cut back and try to be more selective.” he yawned. “If you make a list of everything you don’t want I’ll have the items collected so they’re not cluttering your apartment.”

“Yes. Thank you so much.”

“Oh, you may want to take any packages coming to your house in the next few days with a grain of salt. I bought those before you called me.”

“For the love of…” you sighed again. “Yeah, okay. I’ll start making a list. You can go back to sleep now.”

“Have my gifts really annoyed you this much?”

“No. It’s just, I’m not used to all this. I didn’t exactly have a wealthy upbringing so when you suddenly started dropping so much money on me out of the blue it kind of freaked me out. I guess I was just waiting to see how many strings were attached to every gift.”

“The gifts are and have always been stringless. I don’t expect anything from you when I give you something, I only want you to be happy.”

Your heart melted, a smile growing on your face. “I’m perfectly happy just having picnics in the park and going to the arcade together, so long as it’s with you.”

“I’m glad to hear that, sweetie.” you could almost hear the smile in his voice. “And you have to know, I treasure every moment with you more than anything.”

Your face was growing warm again. “Okay smooth talker, go back to sleep. I’ll see you later for our movie night.”

“Does that mean you’re going to keep the popcorn maker I got you?”

You glanced at the other unopened package sitting in your living room. “Maybe.”

[myhappyxending]

[ forbidden exploration ]  for our muses to explore the nearby haunted woods!

autumn / halloween inbox memes   ♡   a series of prompts appropriate for the autumn season.  feel free to change anything as needed.  happy writing! - @that-obsessed-gay-girl

[ forbidden exploration ]  for our muses to explore the nearby haunted woods

Regina rolled her eyes. It wasn't the first time since they'd started this task, and it wouldn't be the last time. She had been grateful for the few minutes that Chris had given her to magic herself into another set of clothes that were more appropriate to go traipsing through the dark woods on the other side of Storybrooke. In the dark, no less. The boots were much easier on her feet that the high heels she'd previously had on. And the skirt would have been insufferable.

She didn't bother to keep track of where Chris was in comparison to herself as she managed to get herself deeper and deeper into the forest. The deeper they went, the more dense the foilage became. And with that, she had to slow down because she didn't do this on a regular basis. She didn't like to admit that she struggled in doing something.

The flashlight in her hand had grown weaker the further they had gotten, and now it was flickering on and off whenever it felt like it. She wasn't normally afraid, but they had no idea what they were up against. This was why everyone had been given a section of Storybrooke and were on the lookout for whatever it was out there.

Her light went off again just as something made a horrible screeching noise in the not so distant distance. She felt her entire body stiffen as she bumped into something almost as rigid as herself. She felt the slight squeak as it left her mouth, and it was only after when she heard Chris openly laughing at her that she realized that it was only the other woman that she had bumped into.

She huffed past her as she smacked the flashlight onto her palm to make it work once again. "You go right ahead and enjoy yourself laughing at my expense. But if we run into something out here, I bet you won't be laughing then." No, she would be too busy trying to keep herself alive if it was as bad as Grumpy had lead everyone to believe.