#made the preserved cherries as well

[ithinkwehitametaphor]

[choerypetal]

Cherry Red / Coriolanus Snow

summary : Snow had always harbored a liking for you, and your awareness of the platonic relationship with Sejanus only fueled his obsession, eventually culminating in decisions like appointing you as the First Lady of Panem. Just two pretty bestfriends both in awe by your beauty.

I apologize for any grammar errors as English is not my first language. Additionally, please refrain from copying my work without proper credit, as it may result in being flagged. Thank you!

How does one begin to describe this innocent youth, who simply wished for Panem to thrive in tranquility? Fate thrust him into the shadows of the reaping ceremony or the role of a mentor due to his father's actions. Despite being fully aware that survival in the Games was improbable, he, like many of his peers, managed to mask his fear, a skill he lacked. It was on that fateful day that he first laid eyes on you. 

You served as his mentor, a role you assumed without the same coercion he experienced. Unlike him, you had the choice to either be a mentor or a regular student at the Academy. Yet, recognizing that being among the select few who would secure a favorable position in the university and potentially pave the way for a brighter future for your family, you saw it as the least profitable option you could contribute. Even if it meant overseeing the fate of a stranger, your assigned tribute, in a perilous game of cat and mouse. 

During the inaugural week of the Games, you found yourself alongside Sejanus as you met your assigned tributes. Despite Sejanus displaying a sense of conscience regarding the circumstances and grappling with the notion of witnessing another species confined in a cage, he observed closely as you tended to your tribute. From that pivotal moment onward, each day saw him adopting a similar approach—nurturing his tribute, attending to their well-being, and primarily focusing on their strengths, all while harboring his internal opposition to the entire ordeal. 

You were the one who comforted him in the aftermath of the accident following the memorial for Arachne. While he was paying tribute to his deceased classmate, Snow instructed you to remove Sejanus from the scene. He, too, attempted to cling to her in a desperate effort to preserve her life, but it was already too late. With your guidance, advising Sejanus to shift his focus away from the crime scene, he found solace when you encouraged him to breathe and exhale. You assured him that everything would be okay. 

After that initial encounter with him, he underwent a profound transformation, growing closer to you. Your attentive check-ins during rehearsals, reminiscent of his mother's caring presence, played a significant role in this connection. Even stolen glances in class became a source of solace for him, helping maintain his sanity amidst the chaos of the Hunger Games, a veritable freak show.

You were well aware of his strong opposition to the idea. Despite enduring his complaints, you consistently reassured him that the popularity was just a temporary phase until graduation, and the Capitol would soon move on and forget. However, it turns out you were terribly mistaken. Despite the misjudgment, you believed it was the best you could do at the time. 

Fortunately, your relationship gradually deepened over time, even though you hadn't experienced the concept of falling in love. In a world where survival was commonplace in Panem, the notion of allowing oneself to fall in love seemed as ironic as it was rare. Despite attempting to suppress any burgeoning emotions for Sejanus, his softened gaze upon seeing you and the way he spoke your name with such warmth made it increasingly challenging. This, in turn, fueled suspicion from his friend Snow, who seemed to resent him more, suspecting Sejanus's potential feelings for you. Eventually, it became inevitable that you acknowledged and accepted your emotions toward Sejanus, whether they remained platonic or evolved into something more; the signs were undeniably clear. And Snow hated every bit of it. 

Certainly, rumors circulated throughout the Academy, fueled by the idea that someone as intelligent as you could outsmart even the wealthiest family, such as the Plinth. However, it wasn't until a few days before the commencement of the 10th Hunger Games that the scrutiny from your classmates' watchful eyes compelled you to hide your relationship in shame. You outgrew the stares, until finally implied official a mark to the relationship, all by holding Sejanus's hand with pride. The poor boy, initially taken aback by your sudden display of affection, was well aware of your usual reluctance towards public displays of emotion. Despite this, he began to grasp that your actions spoke of genuine love. It became increasingly evident that the sentiment was more than mutual. 

The aftermath of the Hunger Games told a different tale. Sejanus's emotional breakdown during the games hinted that his involvement was driven by a sense of altruism. However, many of your classmates, including yourself, emerged from the ordeal seemingly unscathed. It was as if you all were like minions, compliant in a sick and twisted game, a game where refusal meant facing death the very next day. The turning point came when you witnessed Sejanus screaming helplessly, condemning the Capitol as "sick monsters." His tear-filled eyes and desperate plea were a stark warning. You felt his gaze fixed on you, but this time, it carried a profound sense of hatred—a gaze that lingered ever since that fateful day. In Sejanus's eyes, you had become a monster, and he was painfully right. 

When Lucy Gray Baird was declared the victor of the 10th Hunger Games, Snow couldn't help but notice the shift in the dynamics of the relationship you had once shared with Sejanus. Despite his previous disdain for Sejanus, Snow's animosity towards his District 2 classmate intensified as he observed the unwavering focus of your eyes on him. You managed to hold back your tears, unlike Sejanus, burst into a complete symphony of a manic episode. Snow recognized that upon his return as a Peacekeeper, that he would make it his priority to take care of you. To Sejanus’s request if he didn’t make it out. 

Sejanus was acutely aware of his impending fate, discerning the emotions in your eyes as you fought to contain your tears—an act you were often admonished for in the harsh realms of reality and sorrow. A palpable distance had grown between you, and he acknowledged that he deserved every bit of it. However, when the news broke that he, too, was joining the Peacekeepers, you couldn't resist bidding him a final farewell. As the departure approached, Snow spotted you, witnessing the emotional exchange with his own eyes. 

He observed you shedding tears for another man, a sight that must have stung his pride. Despite the limited display of affection, there were undeniable traces of your past love for Sejanus. "I'll be a good boy." Sejanus would assure, and as you cupped his face, a rare moment of genuine closeness enveloped you. It was one of the first times you truly felt connected to him, and you yearned to grant him a farewell kiss, recognizing that this might be the last time you'd see him. "I'll keep your picture close with me... Even if you hate me so—" Sejanus began, but you swiftly cut him off, desperately emphasizing that any perceived hatred was rooted in self-centeredness. "I never hated you, Sejanus. Remember that." 

"I will." Came Sejanus's response without a hint of hesitation, and just before he departed, he sought a final taste of your lips. This act served as the last straw for Snow, tempting him to announce that it was time for duty, that he too would soon be called to fulfill his responsibilities. However, he resisted the urge. Instead, he chose to observe what it felt like to be genuinely in love, watching the two lovebirds share their final goodbyes. Though deeply haunted by the realization that Snow wasn't your sole choice, the haunting thoughts accompanied him throughout the journey back to District 12. Snow yearned to make Sejanus prove to whom you truly belonged, finding some solace in the benefits of the situation—until Sejanus's impending death sentence, that is. 

You received word of Sejanus's death while in the Capitol. On that particular day, you joined Sejanus's mother for dinner, a comforting routine that helped alleviate the absence of her son, engaged in his duties away. Despite her earlier tendency to downplay her husband's concerns for their child, she now comprehended the profound emotions you were experiencing mere weeks after Sejanus's departure. It was a moment of revelation for her when she looked into the eyes of her own child, realizing that her husband had been the true villain all along. 

Later that same evening, you started clearing the table when you heard the official news. A Panem Peacekeeper had arrived at your apartment. For some inexplicable reason, an ominous feeling gripped you, signaling that something had happened to Sejanus. Questions swirled in your mind—was he injured, or had homesickness prompted his return? However, any hopeful optimism quickly turned to tears as Sejanus's mother's anguished scream echoed in your thoughts. The heartbreaking truth emerged: Sejanus had passed away. The official explanation cited him as a simple rebel, but you suspected a much darker reality. Sejanus wasn't merely a rebel; he was someone the Capitol despised, refusing any association with their ideologies. 

The Plinth family arranged a formal funeral for their son, and while you had hoped for an invitation, you only learned about it through consequential rumors. Thanks to Tigris, who had the opportunity to style Sejanus's mother for her new job as a stylist, you were surprised to discover the disgraceful rumors circulating about your family. It was suggested that you had manipulated Sejanus to bend to your will, driven by your ambitions in the Games and an unbridled willingness to perpetuate a sick and twisted narrative for another year. 

According to this narrative, you were deemed no different from the rest—a citizen with psychotic tendencies, adorned in the veneer of fake affluence. These rumors reached Snow as he returned calls to Tigris back home, he wanted some update about you. Know how you were doing, as Tigris before hand had your confirmation that she would tell what had happened. Which provided a simple yet substantial reasons for his disdain towards the Plinth family from the very beginning, not only due to their subjective opinions but also their newfound hatred towards you. 

Upon returning to his role as a Peacekeeper, Snow found greater delight in seeing you. As you had gradually gained acceptance to the university yourself, securing a personal apartment became a challenging endeavor. The recent imposition of a new tax by the Plinth family added to the financial strain, making it doubly difficult to cover your university expenses. Fortunately, Tigris stepped in to assist, swiftly helping you secure a job. A renowned cabaret in the Capitol was in need of entertainers, and although hesitant to showcase your body for money, you recognized it as a necessary option. Fortunately, your employer treated the dancers well, and as long as you were able to pay your bills, he harbored no objections. Over time, you even developed a group of favorite regular customers. 

The streets of the Capitol had changed since his arrival. Not only had his hair grown, but wearing his father's wealth, symbolized by a stupid coat, had also demonstrated a newfound influence. Snow made sure to flaunt this affluence. The prospect of returning to the university and seeing you again mattered most to him. However, it wasn't until that particular evening when he decided to stop by your apartment that he noticed your absence. Puzzled, he thought to himself, as it was typically your time to prepare dinner or watch local television. Surveying the surroundings for any clue to your whereabouts, he recalled that his cousin Tigris had briefly mentioned something about you being the talk of the town lately. This revelation prompted Snow to consider searching the deeper and less savory streets of Panem for answers. 

It didn't take him long; as soon as the sun set and the lights of Panem's stores illuminated the streets, he spotted a poster. There, your face stared back at him, unmistakably you. "Cherry Red this afternoon! 9 PM!" Proclaimed the bold red and gold font, showcasing your entire body. Snow couldn't believe it—let alone fathom the idea of other men being captivated by you. Nevertheless, he entered. 

True to the promise, only the least affluent men in Panem and fellow Peacekeepers populated the bar. It being a Friday evening meant people were there to unwind and prepare for the weekend. Snow found himself struck by the stark contrast between his own downfall and the impoverished part of the Capitol. Despite the surroundings, he couldn't help but marvel at the luxury and lifelike atmosphere of the cabaret. Soon, other dancers spotted him, offering drinks or suggesting a little show, but he declined, asserting that he was there only for you, using your stage name, Cherry Red. 

Fortunately, he arrived just in time for your performance. With a man who wore outfits reminiscent of Flickerman noticed Snow's arrival, sporting a somewhat absurd demeanor. Cheeks flushed, a clear sign of pre-show indulgence, he exclaimed each word of your name with awe and pride. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight, we have someone we love so much right here at Pub Rouge. It is none other than our favorite, Cherry Red!" 

Snow uncomfortably fell in line with the predominantly male clientele. Hearing "Ladies and Gentlemen." Was just one of the few flaws in the cabaret that he would have corrected if given the chance. To avoid arousing suspicions, he simply followed along, clapping like everyone else. However, rather than voicing your name in a distasteful manner, Snow quietly waited for your performance. 

The room filled with the vibrant sounds of the band and trumpets as you gracefully took the stage. Your outfit perfectly mirrored your name—bold and red as cherries. For those observant enough, it seemed as if Snow intentionally coordinated his attire to match yours. You immersed yourself in the character, embodying the woman you intended to be. The men of your age exhibited a mix of pride and envy, further boosting your confidence. Your playful interactions, especially teasing one of the Peacekeepers, earned you considerable admiration, much to Snow's chagrin. He overheard some background chatter about you, with phrases like. "I'd be with her anytime. Have you seen her curves? If I were the lucky guy, I'd do everything to show her who she belongs to." 

That fueled Snow with an intense anger, a boiling rage that churned within him. Fortunately, he managed to contain himself, sitting just far enough away to avoid you spotting him in the moment. However, his composure shattered when another voice crossed the line. "With that beautiful pair of lips, I bet she'd be a nice little whore and can take my big ass dick!" Laughter erupted, and though you were accustomed to such comments in the typically crowded environment, Snow, unable to restrain himself, swiftly delivered a punch to the man's face. Snow had completely lost his composure. As the scuffle continued, with the brawl escalating to a level one out of five, you were being escorted away. It was then that you noticed Snow's figure amidst the chaos.

"Coryo..." You murmured softly, as one of your colleagues attempted to escort you backstage. You complied with the act and tried to move, but upon catching his gaze after you called out his name, it took only seconds for Snow to be brought in, obliging even to be outside the hub before long. As he was pushed outside, one of the onlookers cursed under his breath. "Well, I'll be damned! If I see that guy again, he'll surely get a punch from me!" With his friends trying to calm the angered Peacekeeper down, he observed as you were escorted back, remarking, "I sense that someone had a little vulnerability over Cherry's presence."

Snow hadn't left entirely. In fact, he made sure to stay until the bar was ready to close. As he observed the group of Peacekeepers, memories of his own time in that role surfaced. They reminded him of the Peacekeepers in the Districts—little pieces of trouble, he'd openly declare if given the chance. Fortunately, you didn't have any bruises; in fact, you were so distraught that your colleague helped clean your makeup and took care of you. "My god, Y/N. What could've possibly happened there if you had intervened?" She questioned. Even you hated the fact that she was right; who knew what might have occurred if you had tried to break up the fight and ended up taking the punch meant for the Peacekeeper. You were well aware that Snow wouldn't easily excuse himself after this incident. 

By patiently waiting at the backdoor of the cabaret, he caught sight of another escort he had noticed earlier, who swiftly disappeared inside. He wasn't trespassing; rather, he was trying to reunite with you. Explanations could wait; for now, he wanted you all to himself, to taste your lips and be the one to incite jealousy among the Peacekeepers. Skillfully, he found his way backstage, drawing uncertain glances from ladies younger than you. They hesitated, contemplating whether to alert their boss about the intruder. It wasn't until he spotted you from a distance that even your colleague, who had taken care of you, noticed his presence enough to understand that it was her cue. “I’ll see you later, darlin’.” She said with her typical southern accent, and as soon as she was about to leave stop herself next to Snow. “Sir.” And bowed before leaving. 

On the other hand, you hastily adjusted your robe to cover your skin. Quickly, you applied the remaining red lipstick, swiftly cleaning the messy edges, assuming it was your boss's presence prompting the need for an explanation or reassurance that you were okay. However, as soon as you turned your head to see who it truly was, your eyes widened in shock. It felt almost too surreal, as if you had seen a ghost. "Coryo?" was all you could say. 

How he had missed you calling him by his nickname. Even though you had been in a relationship with Sejanus before, it was all thanks to being close to Tigris that you adopted the habit of using his nickname, something he cherished every time it left your lips. Particularly because none of his classmates, let alone his closest friends, used it. "What is this?" He questioned, his eyes scanning everything��from the booth to you, with a hint of disgust, shame. "Why didn't you tell me—" He felt a sense of sorrow, realizing he hadn't provided you with enough wealth, let alone a clean lifestyle. Tonight, he vowed to make a change soon. 

"Blame the Plinth." You uttered, attempting to push aside memories of Sejanus and your first love, concealing them as best as you could. Snow couldn't help but let out a light chuckle at the irony, recognizing that he, too, intended to make them pay for it all—every little bit. And in this endeavor, he envisioned you by his side. "I've missed you, you know." You continued, and to Snow's relief, he admitted the same. Perhaps, just maybe, a little too much.

"You have no idea how much I missed you too, sweetheart." He expressed, closing the distance between you. He kneeled, and even his piercing blue eyes softened as he lifted his gaze to meet yours. His finger gently traced your blushed cheek, the heavy makeup unable to conceal your undying beauty. "How about we go home? Together."

"Home?" You tilted your head slightly, doing your best to restrain your tears at his request. Despite the history of your relationship—from being a stranger to a friend and now a soulmate. "How—?" He nervously gulped, appearing confident in his words yet afraid to witness you in that emotional state. A state where money and selling your body didn't align with the image he wanted to see. "Because I'll do my best to take care of you." He assured, keeping his words simple yet sincere. 

"Home. A place to finally be yourself. No trouble, no feeling of doubt within your own self." And with that, you simply dissolved into tears, nodding in response to his confession. "Please," You begged, yearning for him, longing to feel his lips like you did with Sejanus back in the days. But this time, it felt genuinely true. Was this what true love really felt like? "Kiss me." There was no hesitation as Snow's lips instantly met yours in a hungry and passionate kiss, an expression of love since the very beginning. 

And in that very moment, Snow realized all too well that you had become his Lady. Not any kind of lady but the First Lady of Panem. 

Y/N, Snow.

[simpforboys]

hey babe!!

i was thinking maybe protective!gf!reader x rafe, where they’re at the kegger together and a random girl starts clinging onto rafe, not knowing you’re his girlfriend and reader throws some punches

i live for protective reader oml🙇🏻‍♀️

learn your place

rafe cameron x fem!pogue!reader

summary: you teach a kook girl her place.

warnings: swearing, violence, fluff, rafe is proud af

sorry this took forever </3, also not proof read

the way your stomach turned over when you walked into the kegger with your long-term boyfriend, Rafe Cameron, was enough to shoot some red flags.

hundreds of kooks were on the Lighthouse Preserve, dozens of red solo cups littered onto the sand.

you were the only pogue who came to these parties, not really because you wanted to, but because Rafe had asked.

and unfortunately, whenever those baby-blue eyes looked pleadingly at you, you always seemed to cave.

“what’s up, Cameron?” Topper asked loudly, dapping up Rafe as you stood beside your tall boyfriend.

Kelce did the same to Rafe, before turning to give you a side-hug. “hey, future Mrs. Cameron.”

you playfully rolled your eyes at the nickname. “yeah yeah, shut up.”

you felt Rafe’s fingers interlock yours, pulling you into his side. more people came over to greet you, and the stares some of the kook girls were giving you were a nightmare.

you didn’t want to be one of them, and maybe that’s why they hated you so much. and maybe the fact you were dating the ‘Kook Prince’.

“let’s go get a drink.” Rafe said to you, holding you close to him as he walked over to the keg, supervised by some other guys you’ve never seen before.

as they pour you and Rafe a drink, you narrow your eyes at a short blonde who is drunkenly giggling at Rafe.

the sparkle in her blue eyes almost made you sick. you felt Rafe’s grip tighten around your waist, kissing your temple as he mumbled into your ear, “relax, baby. you look like you’re gonna kill someone.”

while you knew he was joking, you pressed your lips together and began to chug the beer.

➽───────────────────❥

a few hours later, you wandered around trying to find a bathroom. Rafe wanted to go with you, but you insisted that you were a big girl.

you finally found a little outhouse. after a couple moments, you walked back to the party, desperate to find hand sanitizer.

one of the only nice girls, Lizzie, happened to have cherry scented sanitizer. while you rubbed the liquid into your palms, your eyes looked around for your boyfriend.

the same blonde girl from earlier was holding onto his muscled bicep, trying to get his attention. the poor girl looked desperate, as Rafe wasn’t even acknowledging she was there.

Topper and Kelce looked uncomfortable, knowing all too well of your protectiveness of Rafe, and how badly you were going to kick the shit out of this chick.

“you can’t find any other guys to hang onto? or do you look for specifically taken ones?” your voice sent goosebumps down her tan skin as she drunkenly stared at you.

“excuse you?” she asked, trying to raise her voice, one that sounded almost babyish.

“i know my boyfriend is hot, but girl if you think holding onto him is going to catch his attention then you’re damn wrong.” you snapped, your blood boiling from her ‘pick me’ behavior.

“Rafey- this crazy girl is trying to fight me.” the girl looked up at Rafe, a forced pout on her face. you cringed at the nickname she gave your man.

Rafe just now seemed to be aware of the situation, as he tugged the girl off of him. “who the fuck is Rafey?” he laughed, his eyes shining as he turned his head to look at you.

you looked exactly like how he described earlier, like you were going to kill someone.

Topper and Kelce immediately downed their beers, knowing what was going to happen next. and while Rafe did too, he didn’t really care too much to stop it.

“you’re going to pick some… poor slut over me!” the girl whined, stomping her foot.

Rafe’s jaw dropped slightly, but before he could defend you, you had already shot your fist forward.

a loud crack was heard as your knuckles came in contact with her nose, shattering the bone. people from around moved into a circle, some recording as you moved forward again.

blood was gushing down from her nose, tears pouring from her eyes as you pushed her backwards.

rage filled your body, the alcohol pumping pure adrenaline through your system as you straddled her, throwing punch after punch onto her face.

your head was ringing, and you barely felt Rafe’s arms scoop you up. you kicked out, kicking the girl in the boob. you managed to get out of Rafe’s grasp.

“how’s that for a poor slut, huh? stay away from my man, bitch!” you shout, impulsively spitting on the girl as Rafe grabbed you once more.

“alright, baby. this isn’t Jersey Shore.” Rafe joked, pulling your body into his. your head rested against his chest, hearing his pounding heartbeat.

your own heartbeat matched his, the adrenaline beginning to wear off. you recognized the aching in your hands, your knuckles bruised and bloody.

Rafe helped you onto the little speedboat you two arrived in, turning the engine on. while Rafe was silent, you sat on the couch with your head in your hands.

your head ached with a migraine. the loud sound of the motor wasn’t exactly helpful, either.

the ride home was silent, except for the sound of the motor against the water. when Rafe pulled up to your dock, he tied off the boat.

“let’s get my girl cleaned up.”

Rafe said gently, walking in front of you. he opened the door to your run-down house, knowing where the first aid kit is.

there’s been multiple occasions of either you or Rafe getting into fights, so it became routine for the both of you.

as you put the toilet seat down, you sat on the lid as Rafe sat on the edge of the bathtub.

“damn, y/n. you might’ve broken a knuckle.”

Rafe comments, cleaning the blood up with rubbing alcohol. you hissed at the sting, shaking your leg. the motion caused his leg to shake too, before he trapped your legs between his thighs.

“stop moving, mama. let me take care of you.”

his words were gentle, soft. as he put gauze and bandages over your knuckles, you followed him into the kitchen where he grabbed two bags of frozen peas.

he placed them gingerly on your bones, careful not to hurt you.

“i’m sorry i hit her. so many fucking times…” you mumble.

Rafe lets out a soft chuckle, kissing your forehead.

“when will these kook girls learn their place?” he jokes, making you smile as you kissed his lips feverishly.

[coffee-and-tea-time]

KEEP PRETENDING TO SLEEP! KEEP PRETENDING TO SLEEP!!!

HEHEHEHEHEHE I WAS WAITING TO COOK THIS

Coffee insanely speaking! Thanks Dear, you gimme the perfect excuse to write a second part just in time although I expected the option of talking to him to come first. Not that I'm complaining lol

➤ first part

➤ here to see the other option

↪︎ ☾ I love to see you ....................................... .......................................☆ I love to hear you↩︎

TW: yandere behavior, delusions, murder of self-preservation, stalking, obssesion, somewhat willing reader, kinda denying of bad decisions

Of course, the best option is to stay still, not because you are enjoying this no no, of course not...

Despite his soft voice that sounds rather familiar, you can't really recall who or where. So the safest option is just giving in at the moment, you didn't know how he could react so the safer the better, isn't it?

A smile starts creeping on your face against your will, seems like you are a rather bad actor when it's required, huh? 

“Oh, I'm really glad, you seem like you're finally having a good dream… will it be too greedy if I want to be inside that little dream of yours? Well, if you find that greedy, you won't be able to handle me later”

Hearing a close mouthed giggle following the whisper makes your heart flutter softly, like this is some kind of really romantic scene in his mind. You were able to hear the faint sound of footsteps, he seems like he's doing a little room tour, making it a little hard to hear him.

“Oh Dear, you were researching that thing again?”

It seems like he found his way into your phone, what was he referring to?

“Why do you keep reading so much about romance? Are these words good enough to keep your focus?... Maybe I have to start practicing oral expression? It's been a while since I felt like that, last time was when you downloaded that stupid dating sim… This is truly irritating, the names they use, the way they ‘communicate’ to you; do no justice, I can express myself way better, my love, and how my eyes change when I see you walking by… just... please, I need only one chance, and I promise you won't have a room left for doubts”

Even though he made the effort to lower his voice in order to 'not wake you up', it's clear how his tone is changing with every word depending on the topic; First, a low hint of infatuation, then, what sounds closer to a plead and, finally,...was that...hopelessness?

Honestly, in a normal situation, you would be annoyed by someone searching through your phone but only an idiot would think this man would judge you even if you had pictures of dead people there, more like he's genuinely looking for more of you, despite the fact that it's really not the ‘proper’ way, you can't say it didn't work.

“My beloved Cherry, what can i do for you to talk to me? Those characters seem to steal your attention quickly… I would be lying if I sad I'm not a little hopeful because of them though, you seem to have quite the specific taste, Cherry, and I believe I fit perfectly on them... if only I could find the right moment to get into your routine, to be part of your life…”

Weird that he worries about getting to talk to you with an ideal scene but not worrying about stalking you, but maybe it's kind of understable? Since well, everyone likes to check on their crush on social media even if they take a while to actually talk, even if this guy took it a little too far, he sounds... harmless like his wish is just to win your affection…

wait a second…

Are you truly relaxed in this kind of situation? What is going on with you? Why? Why… well, can't say you didn't ask for this, even as a joke, you know this time is different because it's real, but… why does reality feel like a fantasy right now? Is it because of him?

“Huh, I come here as a routine by now, I still get the same queries, I’m dying to find the answers soon..”

Sensing that lightly sweet fragrance once more makes you know he’s approaching your ‘sleeping’ form once again, making it easy to hear him despite his constant whispering.

“Would you let me cuddle you? Would you let me kiss you? Would you mind if I were clingy? Would you mind if I get jealous? Would you mind if it seems like I already know more about you than I should? I want to hold you my dear, I can’t wait for the day I can just snuggle with you every time we want… I really can’t wait anymore, I need to be closer to you… I guess I have no option other than to talk to you out of the blue, I dislike to be so imprudent, but I promise I will make up for it once you accept me in your life, Love”

You feel a gentle hand slightly caress your cheek as a little peck is placed on your forehead, making you almost smile like a fool if it weren’t for the fact that pretending to sleep is your priority in this sweet moment, unexpected but called for moment.

“Sweet dreams Cherry, I have to prepare what I should say tomorrow, I will put all of my efforts to be my best self to make a good first impression, I hope I snatch enough of your interest to be on your mind even for a moment”

Oh, he is definitely gonna be stuck in your mind for a while, as you try your best to focus on the sounds, you catch his steps as he seems to walk away… but you keep up with your act just in case.

So, tomorrow, huh? Seems like once again you have important decisions in your hand, should you indulge in your fantasy and let him get near you? It also sounds fun to go to him first… But, maybe you should try to avoid him? It’s the safer choice, but do you really want that? He seems safe enough not to raise any of your flags, he seemed so caring for you…

sorry for any misspellings or weird sentence structure ❣

images from pinterest

[genericpuff]

I wonder why christian misrepresentation are rarely talked about if compared to other religion misrepresentation. Like, I've seen people really vocal about Greek myths misrepresentation in LO and such (and it's valid because it's a culture and religion) but I rarely saw the same thing with christian even though there are many media who use christian religion innacurately, to the point where it comes off as using it as an aesthetic and not a proper religion.

Is it because of rampant religious trauma especially in western world? No ulterior motives on this question. I'm not a christian and yet I'm curious about this. I apologize if this sounds harsh.

I obviously don't have The Answer(tm) to this but personally speaking (and I'm about to get VERY personal here so take this with MOUNTAINS OF SALT), I think it's just the obvious - Christian mythology is one of the most well-documented and strongly protected out of virtually any other religion on the planet. Especially here in the West, it's commonplace for kids to go to Sunday school, for couples to have Christian weddings even if they're not practising Christians themselves, even the American anthem references the Christian God. It's simply not as easy to 'misrepresent' it because the representation is written into our very fabric of society. Even Greece itself is primarily made up of Orthodox Christians.

So anyone that does 'misrepresent' it are either completely mislead hardcore Christians, or people who are doing it intentionally, such as with the intent to make a parody of it or to deconstruct it through a different context or whatever have you. And of course, people will still get mad at those things, if you're implying that people aren't vocal about Christian misrepresentation then frankly IDK what to tell you there LOL If you want a contextual example in the realm of webtoons, Religiously Gay was dragged to hell and back during its launch for having a very crude and insulting depiction of St. Michael, and frankly, yeah I don't disagree because what the fuck is this-

(like at best it's just terrible character design lmao that said, there's also plenty else to criticize Religiously Gay for, including its fetishy representation of gay relationships and the fact that it's still just the "naive person who looks and acts like a child hooks up with mean person in a position of power" trope, blech, but the character design is definitely the first thing you notice)

There are even plenty of hardcore Christians who will deadass claim "misrepresentation" over things that ARE factually correct but they just haven't read the actual Bible and simply cherry pick what works for their own agenda. And of course those people are routinely called out by people like myself who know for a fact that Jesus wouldn't have promoted the war crimes that many modern day Christians are committing and justifying today. So it really depends on the definition of "misrepresentation" here.

The issue specifically with LO and Rachel that I personally call her out for (and many others) is that she's called herself a "folklorist" and claimed she's so much more knowledgeable on Greek myth than anyone else, while making a complete mockery of the original mythologies while not being honest about her intent as to whether LO is actually supposed to be a legitimate retelling OR a parody (because it sure acts like the latter more than the former, but she still seems to expect us to take it seriously and consider her knowledge of Greek myth superior?) Which leads to a lot of her teenage audience claiming shit like "Persephone went down to the underworld willingly" and "Apollo did assault Persephone in the original myths actually" and the classic "why would Lore Olympus lie or make up fake myths?"

You just can't pull off this extent of erasure with Christian mythology because we have a whole ass book of it that's been preserved, sold on shelves, and systematically integrated into society for thousands of years. Of course, there are people who will still try their damned best to twist the Bible to match their own bigotry with the whole "Jesus hates gays" bullshit (he would never), but it's met with equal amounts of 'misrepresentation' that are actually fully well-read and are intentionally subverting and changing things to either critique, parody, or restore the original intent of a lot of stories in the Bible without all the manufactured right-wing crap.

Greek myth, on the other hand, has some stories that are well preserved, and others, not so much. And in the modern day outside of the poems and hymns, you'll also rarely, if ever, see anyone use stories from Greek myth to ostracize, torture, and murder other people. "Misrepresenting Christianity" is more often done by actual Christians who are using the Bible to commit hate crimes than the people who have actually read the Bible and are just taking creative liberties with it for the sake of deconstructing / parodying / analyzing / subverting it. Veggie Tales "misrepresents" Christian stories because obviously Moses wasn't a fucking cucumber lmao but it still accomplishes its goal by retelling Christian stories in a way that's fun and educational for children.

By comparison (on the whole, I'm not comparing LO to Veggie Tales LMAO) LO just isn't clear in its intentions beyond Rachel's initial statements that she was trying to "deconstruct" the myths, while labelling herself as a folklorist. Therefore, I'm going to criticize how she does it because the way she's done it up until now has been very mishandled and has resulted in a lot of misinterpretations of the myths simply for the sake of fandom. And yes, these people exist in Christian media as well - they're called TV evangelists.

And that's my (very heavy) two cents.

[zhongrin]

flowers for you, my dear 💐

◇ characters ◇ zhongli, xiao, kazuha, al haitham, heizou, albedo

◇ tags ◇ fluff, character gives you flower(s) that's it that's the post

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡

zhongli, the traditional man that he is, will buy you flowers every now and then. but once in a while, he will give you your favorite teyvat flower variety… with a twist. they’re made of carefully crafted cor lapis. just like how the finest cut of diamonds glitter beautifully under watchful eyes, your flower is just as ethereal, and just as eternal as his love.

xiao’s signature qingxin flower is quite literally always on your person - well, at least a part of it. he gives you a crystallized, freshly bloomed petal, imbued with his blessing, for you to use as a pendant of your necklace or a charm on your bracelet/anklet. seeing it glint under the sunlight as you call his name is a sight he would never trade for anything else.

kazuha gives you at least a flower a day, and they vary from small wildflowers to a full fresh batch of blooms, but they’re always given to you from familiarly bandaged hands and accompanied by a sweet smile and warm, twinkling cherry-colored eyes. and with each flowers you try to preserve, the wandering inazuman feels himself fall for you even deeper.

al haitham gives you a full bouquet of flowers which can be barely held by some random colored ribbon that doesn't always match the bouquet’s color scheme, whenever he has to leave you for a period of time because of his work. little did you know each flower is grown by his own vision every time he thinks of you and misses your presence.

heizou leaves you random papers containing riddles almost every single day, and they're usually accompanied by random things, including pretty little flowers he found from searching through byakko plains for clues about the recent case he's investigating… when he comes to see you later, he sees them on the vase by your desk, and he gives you a teasing yet also lovesick, grin.

albedo gives you some kind of otherworldly flower that took him days of pondering and researching about how to make it bloom using his alchemy skills. they’re one-of-a-kind and magical, and even though most of the time they wither within a day no matter how you tried to care for them, he will gladly gives you kisses in exchange.

© zhongrin | 2022 ◆ no repost. reblogs much appreciated. feel free to reach out to submit suggestions, feedback, comments, or if you just want to talk!

◇ taglist ◇ @paintingsofdragonspine | @genshinparty | @abyssmal-skies | @hamdehlesmis | @depressivecomforts | @sophiethewitch1 | @why-am-i-here-someone-save-me | @sunnshineflxwer | @heartonthemoon | @yuutasbabe | @percyval-archives | @carbs-need-more-love | @rebeccka | @queen-belial | @stygianoir | @niverine | @silentmoths | @niktwazny303 | @dustofthedailylife | @herdrops | @clovcly | @marina-and-the-memes | @angryhope | @mixed-kester | @shuangxo

[wongyuseokie]

The Best Day | l.c

Summary: It’s Valentine’s Day, and your boyfriend has everything perfectly planned. 

☆ 18+ minors dni |☀︎fluff | ♕smut | ♥︎ completed

Word Count: 1589 words

Pairing: Lee Chan x Female Reader 

Genre/Trope(s)/AU(s): Smut, Fluff 

Content Warnings: Valentine’s Day fluff, silly dad jokes, funny banter (I think). Inaccurate but vague descriptions of Korea’s scenery. I googled images—kissing and Dino driving. 

Smut Warning: oral sex (fem receiving), food play (whipped cream)—ass slapping, spanking just once. I'm drooling over Chan, but that’s normal. Orgasms 

Authors Note 1: This is written for @svthub's Cupid for You collab and my lovely wife, @bitchlessdino 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷. I adore you so much, my darling. This was relatively last minute, but I hope you like it! I love you, my darling—Happy Belated Valentine’s Day. 

© wongyuseokie 2024. All rights reserved.

“Chan, I will fall!” You protested as your boyfriend insisted you wear a blindfold as he helped you out of the house. 

“Shh, trust the process, baby,” Chan cooed. 

“What process? You are kidnapping me with zero details,” you whined. 

“Three years, you have so little faith in me?” Chan asked, feigning hurt. 

“You’ve blindfolded me and told me to dress comfy and said all we’re doing is something fun,” you said. 

“Sorry baby, I need to be vague for our Valentine,” Chan declared. 

“Shit,” Chan mumbled as he helped you into the car. 

“That’s what we're doing?” You exclaimed as Chan mumbled a ‘yes.

“It was meant to be a surprise,” Chain complained as he got into the car and the driver's seat and you could hear the pout in his voice. 

You blindly reached out your hand over the console, placed it on Chan’s thigh,  and squeezed it slightly. 

“All you’ve told me is it’s for Valentine’s, nothing else. Don’t worry, you haven’t told me anything,” you said, attempting to comfort him. 

“Phew, then we’re good,” Chan said determinedly. 

“Okay, you can take the blindfold off,” Chan instructed. 

“Wait, you made me wear a blindfold just to walk from the house to the car?” You exclaimed dramatically as you ripped the blindfold off. 

“Yes, if you saw how handsome I looked, I was worried you’d just drag me back to bed,” Chan said with a wink. You rolled your eyes at his admission.

 “You are hot, and you’re right. I would have dragged you back to bed, but I do have self-control,” you joked. 

“Not that I’ve seen,” Chan said with a smirk. 

“Shut up.” 

As Chan drove, you both embarked on your road trip through Seoul. The landscape unfolded before you like a painting. As you both left the bustling cityscape behind, you found yourselves slowly cruising along the winding roads that led you to the lush green countryside.

The journey was picturesque as you both navigated through serene valleys adorned with vibrant cherry blossoms, and their delicate petals danced in the gentle breeze. You saw mountains that stood majestically in the distance, and their peaks shrouded in wisps of mist, creating a scene straight out of a postcard.

You pass by quaint villages, where you catch glimpses of traditional Korean architecture, that had been so well preserved. You observed lush, emerald coloured rice paddies, that created a patchwork of greenery.

As the drive continued, the road meandered along the coastline, allowing you to steal a breathtaking view of the sea, the way it sparkled with the sun. You saw the waves rise and crash, and you took a breath, as you soaked in the tranquility of the sea.

You saw cascading waterfalls tumbling down moss-covered rocks, serene temples nestled in verdant forests, and ancient fortresses perched atop rugged hills.

As day drew closer to an end, you saw the sun starting to dip below the horizon, watching as the sky turned into hues of pink and gold, and in that moment you found yourself overcome with joy, love and emotion.

“Chan, this is beautiful,” you sighed as you saw the sights. 

“Isn’t it? I wish I could do this more often, but time with you and the sights almost make up for the fact I’m not the best boyfriend,” Chan mumbled. 

“Hush, you are the best boyfriend ever, and yes, maybe we have to do things a little differently than most couples, but that doesn’t mean you’re not amazing,” you said, reaching over to run your hand through his hair. 

“I think Cupid shot me in the ass because I think I just fell even more head over heels for you,” Chan said smugly, making you roll your eyes. 

“You are so lucky. I love you,” you mumbled. 

“I am.”

“Holy shit,” you gasped as you walked into the beautiful house Chan had rented. 

“You rented this for us?” You asked as he led you into the house, holding your hand. 

“Yes, for the entire weekend. Notice that it's super isolated, too? So you can scream as much as you want,” Chan suggested flirty. 

“Why would I be screaming?” You asked. 

“Because baby, it’s Valentine’s Day, and I’m going to spend it showing you how much I love you multiple times, too,” Chan explained, making you giggle. 

“But first, we must set the mood. I am going to get the strawberries and cream,” Chan said. 

“Huh?”

“They’re aphrodisiacs,” Chan stated. 

“You just want to start fucking straight away, don’t you?” You teased. 

“Problem?” 

“Nope, but I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t prepare as much for today. I’ve been strapped for cash after online shopping, so do you want to unwrap me instead?” You teased. 

“Gladly, you’re the best present, plus I can eat you.” 

“Chan! Shut up!” 

“Can you please, for the love of god, get hard?” Chan yelled at the bowl of whipping cream that just would not seem to comply. 

“Babe, if getting hard is a problem, I hope you realise that it happens to many guys, and there is medication if it persists,” you said. You were peeling the stalks off strawberries, being Chan’s dutiful sous chef, and making smart-ass comments like the last one was high on your resume, and Chan turned around to glare at you. 

“Okay, one, don’t quote friends to me. Two shut up.”

“You look hot, by the way,” you complimented, focusing on your strawberries. 

“I know I am.” 

 “Baby, I’m serious. Come here for a second,” you said, motioning him to the kitchen counter where you were sitting. 

“Yes?” Chan said as he placed his arms by your legs. You pulled the hoodie of his zipper off and pushed the fabric off his toned body. Chan narrowed his eyes at you.

 “Seriously, how is it fair that I am shirtless and you aren’t?” You smiled, rolling your eyes at his comment. 

“I’m wearing a shirt. You, on the other hand, like a fucking idiot, wore a hoodie in a kitchen,” you quipped. 

“Why are you, my assistant again?” Chan asked. 

“Simple, you love me, and you’re a simp.”

“I am.” 

You had to bite your lip when you saw your boyfriend’s exposed back. His broad, tanned shoulders and muscles were enough to have you drooling. 

“How are the strawberries going?” Chan asked; you grinned as you hatched a plan. 

“They’re good,” you mumbled, a mouthful of strawberries, and Chan dropped his whisk into the bowl. 

“You’re not meant to be eating them,” he said as he turned around and glared as he saw you suck and bite into a strawberry. The fruit's juices coated your mouth, enough to make Chan snap. 

“Okay! That’s enough!” 

You looked at Chan innocently as you licked your lips.

“Baby? Is it sweet enough?” You asked, and Chan closed the gap between you as he pulled you in for a kiss. Chan’s hands went to the bottom of your shirt, pulling it off, groaning when he found you naked underneath it. 

“Sweet,” he said against your lips.

“Fucking sweet,” he praised as his hands moved to move the glass bowl of strawberries to the other counter. 

“Lie down,” Chan said. You nodded, gasping slightly at the cold marble hitting your back. 

You felt something cold on your stomach, and it moved its way down to your cunt. “Fuck, Chan, what is that?” You asked.

“Whipped cream, god, and it is going to make that sweet little cunt of yours even sweeter,” Chan said as he lowered his head. You moaned as you felt the whipped cream trail further down. Chan pushed your legs apart as he leaned down to wrap his lips around your cunt.

 “Fuck, I was right. So sweet,” Chan praised, making you moan as you tangled your hands in his hair. You felt his lips and tongue move in such delicate yet thorough movements. He left no part of you untouched. It didn’t take long; with the way his full lips wrapped around your clit, and the way his tongue flicked at your clit you came pretty soon. 

“Fuck, you somehow taste sweeter than the cream,” Chan said as he helped you sit up on the counter. 

“Come on, let’s get you to the shower. I want you to cream for me,” you glared at him. 

“Do you ever think your jokes might be the biggest turn-off for me?” You joked, and Chan threw you over his shoulder and slapped your ass, making you moan. Chan smirked.

“Yeah, that moan proves otherwise.” 

[justanobodywriter]

Public

Kaoru Sakurayashiki - Cherry Blossom

CW: female bodied reader, reader wears a skirt, reader's nickname is Princess (used by multiple characters), public sex and I mean real public, exhibitionism, degradation, dirty talk, vaginal penetration, creampie (seriously be safe a wrap it), reader orgasm

2.1k words

"Now it's time for amateur hour," some kid announced.

S had been much more frequented recently with all kinds of younger kids wanting in on the big races. That lead to once a week amateur hour. Where those who weren't as versed as others could still get in on some of the action and get their names out in the community.

"The amateurs are lining up, you don't wanna be late to the start," Cherry teased.

You snorted, "Come on, I could smoke those losers any day."

"I hear there's a new kid who is really good in this one," Joe chimed in.

The three of you had come to see some of the newcomers. Joe was right. There was a rumor going around the community that there was a young kid who would give even the best of the best a run for their money. It intrigued you all, which was probably why you all ended up here together.

"They're getting started now," Joe observed. "You guys wanna move down the track?"

"Sounds like a good idea to me," you beamed.

Cherry sighed, following behind as you and Joe made the walk through the crowd, "I suppose."

Thankfully, Joe parted the sea of people in front of you all. There weren't many people who didn't move, so the walk down to a more secluded spot was pretty quick and painless.

"Damn, it's more crowded here than usual," Joe groaned.

"Well, there possibly is some more excitement than usual this time," Cherry reminded.

"Come on, Joe," you cooed up at him. "You know you can push your way to the front, can't you?"

Your feigned puppy eyes made his features go soft before showing irritation.

"Fine," he grumbled.

Joe went to push his way through the crowd with you close behind. However, you were stopped rather abruptly.

Cherry's hand gripped tight against your hip and he lowered himself to growl in your ear, "Better watch it, princess."

You shivered at his tone.

His voice was low and demanding. He meant every word he was saying. It would be in your best interest to listen to him, but where's the fun in that?

"Joe, wait up," you called after him, dragging Cherry behind you towards him.

Joe did a pretty good job at getting you all to the front. You stood in front of Cherry who was able to easily see over you. There was a huge rock next to you which allowed you to lean on since you were standing. Joe stood on the opposite side of you as the rock. You all had a very good view of the track and should be able to see the racers coming and going for a while.

"So, Joe, how's work going?" you asked.

You leaned over the railing as you listened to Joe droll on and on about his work. He talked about customers and new recipes and anything else he could think of. While you had no real interest in Joe, it was very remarkable how much passion he had for his job.

You felt a quick pinch to your ass and yelped a bit.

"You alright?" Joe asked.

Cherry looked down at you, "Yes, Princess, are you ok?"

Oh, he was such a cheeky little shit.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you waved them off. "I thought I felt a bug on me."

You shot Cherry a look when Joe wasn't paying attention.

You see, the two of you had been seeing each other in secret for a while now. It wasn't for any particular reason other than to preserve your personal lives. No one had any idea with how well the two of you hid things.

Usually, because of wanting to keep things private, you both would hold back on things like PDA or paying special attention to one another. Which just gave you the opportunity to tease Cherry by flirting with Joe every once in a while.

"I warned you to watch it," Cherry spoke down in your ear.

You glared at him over your shoulder, "You should be more careful. We are out in public."

"Oh, please," Cherry chuckled. "You think that will stop me from stuffing your pretty little cunt with my cock?"

His words sent chills down your spine and a flush to your cheeks.

"There they are!" you heard Reki call.

Of course. Just in time to see you flustered.

"Hey, guys," Reki greeted.

You gave a small smile and wave to them, pretending to watch for the racers.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" Langa asked.

"Fine," you waved them off.

"Are you sure?" Cherry asked. "You seem like something might be wrong."

You could see the smirk on his lips reaching his eyes. He was thankful in these moments that he was wearing a mask. It helped keep his true expression covered, but you knew what he was hiding.

"Seriously, guys, I'm fine," you reassured.

They all gave you skeptical looks, but returned their attention back to the race.

Large screens flashed before you all showcasing the different racers. Someone with a mic talked about where they all were and what was going on. It was exciting, even though they weren't at the top.

"What do you say we have a little fun," Cherry suggested.

You looked over your shoulder at him skeptically, then moved your gaze back to the rest of your friends. Everyone had their attention on the race, thankfully.

"Here?" you questioned him.

His hand trailed up your skirt and over the soft skin of your ass, right over where he had pinched before. He squeezed a bit, but you were more prepared this time and didn't alert the rest.

You leaned over the small railing in front of you. To anyone else around, it just looked like you were trying to get a better look at the screen. Cherry took the opportunity to press his finger against your bare cunt.

"No panties," he lowly chuckled. "Bold choice, don't you think?"

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Joe chimed towards you and Cherry.

"We were just talking about the spot we're going to get you in the next amateur race," Cherry smirked.

"Oh, shut up," Joe retorted, turning his attention back to the race.

You giggled, "Good one."

Cherry pressed one of his long and skilled fingers into you suddenly causing you to let out a low whimper.

You internally thanked yourself for your outfit choice of the day. Cherry was easily able to hide his hands under your skirt on the opposite side of the crowd. The no panties was just an added touch of ease today... though, this was the last thing you thought would happen today.

His fingers curved within you to caress your g-spot just right. Your legs threatened to give out from under you. You choked down a moan. Damn, why was he so good at this?

"Hey, you can see them up on the hill," Reki called out to everyone.

The crowd seemed to press in a bit more.

"Perfect," you hear Cherry smirk.

He had something planned, and you were at his mercy.

His finger left you, causing you to let out a quiet whine. However, it was quickly replaced with his cock prodding at your entrance.

You sucked in a sharp breath.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Langa asked placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Fine," you managed.

Cherry saw you going to speak more and moved his cock slowly between your folds, going straight through to your clit.

"I-oh," you started and were cut off by Cherry's actions. "Shit, sorry. I thought one of th-the racers was-was in trouble."

Langa looked at you skeptically.

"Maybe you should go sit down," Reki suggested.

"No-no, I'm fine, really," you reassured again.

It was impossibly hard to concentrate on their words. Cherry continued to slowly and barely move his hips causing the tip of his cock to repeatedly brush against your clit.

Without much warning, he pulled his hips back and pressed himself fully into you.

You bit your bottom lip so hard, you swore you drew blood. It was the only action that kept you from letting out a moan. Cherry always felt so good inside of you. He fit within you perfectly and hit all the right spots with ease.

It was all you could do to hold yourself up on the railing and try not to let yourself jerk too much as Cherry thrust in and out of you. His hips were barely noticeably bucking into you. Still, he was long and easily pressed the tip of his cock against your cervix.

"Here they come," you faintly heard someone call.

Skaters went flying past you, but you weren't paying attention. You felt the cool air from them going by cool your very flushed face.

"Come on, I bet we can make it down to the bottom before they get there," Reki called out as he was already running off.

"Hey, you two coming?" Joe asked, lingering behind the others.

Cherry looked down at you, "I think we might just stay here and take a minute."

You were so thankful that he was so willing to cover for the both of you right now. You weren't sure that you could form words as his cock stilled within you and only moved slightly as he shifted, effectively grinding his hips into yours.

"Ok, I'll see you two down there," Joe beamed.

It was a moment where the two of you stayed like that before Cherry began moving his hips again.

"Everyone's gone now, Princess," he cooed in your ear.

"Thank-ahhh," you were cut off by a quick snap of his hips back into you.

"Look at you," he snarled as he continued snapping his hips into yours with brute force. "Who do you think you are coming out here in this short of a skirt with no panties on?"

"I-I-I'm-fuck, s-sorr-sorry," you managed.

Each thrust had you gripping the railing harder and pressing yourself back into him.

He scoffed, "Such a slut. Flirting with that idiot, and right in front of me. Have you no shame?"

"No, I'm just a slut," you moaned out.

"Of course you are," he teased. "Only a slut would be taking my cock like this. Everyone was just so close. Even now, anyone could come around the corner. I'm sure there are some racers left."

You let out a beautiful moan.

He flipped you around, so you were leaning with your back against the railing. His hands gripped at the back of your thighs and lifted you. He lined his cock back up with your cunt and slid back in. He began thrusting again.

Your legs were pressed so tight to your chest, as you were suspended and completely at his mercy.

He scoffed again, "Look at how disgusting you are. Taking me out in the open for anyone to see."

"Please, I'm gonna cum," you panted out.

You could hear the slaps of his balls against your ass. His gaze was so stern on you. He moved his mask down and kissed you once.

His skilled fingers trailed down to your clit. He pinched and circled it pushing you over the edge.

"That's right, cum all over me," he instructed.

You were trying to hold back, but when he gave you the go ahead, you let go. You felt your legs shake uncontrollably and your cunt spasmed around him.

He let out a low growl as he looked down to see the white rim you left around the base of his cock. With just a few more pumps, he leaned over you and filled you with his own release.

There was a moment where he just stayed leaned over you. He lifted himself off of you and kissed you again sweetly. His cock pulled out of you, while also pulling some of his release from you.

"Well, that's something I never get tired of seeing," he smirked down at the sight.

His fingers pressed the mix of your releases back into you. You moaned at the overstimulation he was causing you as his fingers curled upwards into your most sensitive spot.

"Hm, think you can keep that there?" he asked.

"I can try," you managed out.

His fingers retreated and he helped you back to your feet.

Immediately, you felt the thick liquids dripping down your thigh.

"Shit," you huffed.

Cherry chuckled, "I guess you're just going to have to face everyone like that."

"You ass," you spat.

"Come on, we've got a race to finish watching," he spoke, helping you walk down the hill.

You rolled your eyes, "Can we at least stop and try to get me a little cleaned up?"

"Why?" he shrugged. "I think you look beautiful."

"Yeah, well I would like to not have to explain the liquids rolling down my leg."

"Oh, now you have a problem with being so forward in public?"

"Shut up."

[marsmarbles]

If you have the time, could you maybe do a scene with bigb teaching grian how to bake his famous cookies? Or maybe something a bit more angsty, like one of them getting to the other only to find their leftover items? Or whatever you want honestly! Thx for the secret soulmates food! :p

I had an idea for this request but it would be too much to draw so I’m actually gonna try and do some writing instead. Sorry for those who don’t like reading. It’s kinda long.

Golden Light to Silver Shadows

Grian nervously stood before the Food Crew’s bakery entrance, clamping his sweaty hands on a present he had spent all day preparing for BigB. Turning the knob of the door and pushing it open activated an alarm system set up by Fwhip. A bell rang and a few note blocks could be heard. It was a charming little jingle to welcome customers. The bakery was cozy with cherry plank walls and coffee colored spruce floors. A few circle tables were sprinkled in the center of the room with booths lining the walls. Lanterns, succulents, and baskets of flowery bushes hung from the ceiling. BigB was sat behind the counter. He was examining the creases in the floorboards with his head resting on his hand. He had been daydreaming. BigB loved his bakery, but it was admittedly boring to wait for customers. The door jingle alerted him to Grian’s presence.

“Grian!” BigB lit up in excitement, his antennae wiggled with joy. The genuine excitement to see Grian was more than enough to make Grian’s face flush. “Hey, BigB. I uhhh… made something for you.”

Grian slid a bag of cookies across the counter with shaky hands. They were neatly wrapped in a shimmery clear bag, tightly fastened with a blue ribbon with gold accents. “This was my first time ever making cookies, so sorry if they’re bad. Maybe you can show me your secret recipe,” Grian laughed nervously.

BigB gleefully loosened the blue ribbon holding the bag shut, took a cookie, and ate it whole. It was crunchy and thin and….hollow(?)…they weren’t bad by any means. For Grian’s first time, BigB appreciated the love and effort he put in. He had waited all day for someone to show up to the bakery. And the fact that it was Grian made it even better. He didn’t want him to leave just yet.

“How about we make some cookies together! The cocoa beans should be ready in the greenhouse,” BigB suggested, gesturing to the entrance to the greenhouse just behind him.

“I’d love to!” Grian quickly replied. The word ‘together’ was enough.

After BigB stashed away the cookies for later in the top cabinet, he and Grian made their way to the back door to the greenhouse. Grian had to do an awkward shuffle around the counter to keep up. The greenhouse was gorgeous. Golden light shone through the semi transparent overhang and broke through the flowers and leaves. Parrots chirped and bees buzzed. Luscious plants swayed in the gentle breeze. Glow berry vines slung from the ceiling as axolotls and frogs popped out from the ponds, curious of the new visitor. Grian stared in awe. This was more of a massive nature preserve than any greenhouse he’s ever been in.

“Grian?” BigB broke Grian out of his trance. “The cocoa bean farm is over here.”

“Uh right,” Grian said, adjusting his glasses and wiping his mouth and chin with his coat sleeve (just to make sure he didn’t drool while distracted).

BigB led him to a cluster of jungle trees. They reached high, popping out the top of through the ceiling. Podzol and bamboo were dotted around in clumps. Just past the cocoa bean farm was the end of the greenhouse. Through the transparent walls could be a seen an expansive jungle forest, stretching well beyond the world borders. BigB pulled off a ready cocoa bean plant and inspected it for abnormalities. After checking that it was good, he held it out for Grian. “Why don’t you try to break this one open?”

“Uhh I dunno,” Grian held his hands up, unsure.

In that moment, Grian took a pause. Actually, the whole world felt in slow motion. Something unseen had disturbed the peace. His Watcher senses were tingling, so to speak. Something was about to happen….. Suddenly, as the world picked back up in speed, BigB’s calming smile was shot down with an excruciating pain all throughout his body; every muscle, every ligament, every organ, each and every follicle of hair. The cocoa bean plant dropped and exploded on impact with the earth. A jolt went up his spine and his legs went out on him. He tumbled to the ground. He had no process time to scream or cry out in pain. He just fell.

“BIGB!!!!” Grian shrieked, dropping to his knees to assist him just as fast as BigB fell. “B-BIGB WHAT HAPPENED ARE YOU OKAY??”

“I-I…I think I’m going…J-Jimmy…he-”BigB managed to get out with a weak shaky breath.

“BigB! BigB! Please I need you to stay with me BigB,” Grian frantically cradled BigB in his arms. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He checked chat…

…Jimmy had fallen to his death…

Oh, fucking of course, Grian thought. Grian hadn’t considered Jimmy being in control of BigB’s lives, but with that confirmation he’d might as well think of this as his final moments with his secret soulmate.

“Grian….” BigB mustered the strength to caress Grian’s cheek and wipe away a tear. “…it’s ok….i’ll be right back….it’s just one life….”

“BigB….” Grian quietly whined, taking BigB’s hand, keeping it held to his cheek. He felt it go cold and his arm become heavy. Grian saw the last of the light in BigB’s dark eyes fade as his body became limp. Grian pulled his lifeless corpse into one final hug. And as BigB dissipated into smoke and billowed away…..Grian was left alone.

All the light and magic that the greenhouse had greeted him with was gone. The birds went silent, the bees hid back into their hives. The trees and flowers went grey and the golden light became silver shadows. Silently, Grian collected BigB’s fallen items, keeping his head down to hide his tearful look. And as he slowly closed the chest he stored BigB’s items in, he heard voices in the distance. It was a collection of people, most notably Scott, Martyn, Fwhip, and Joel, with a tomato faced Jimmy stomping ahead of them.

“Jimmy!!! We’re sorry!! We didn’t think you’d miss the water!” Scott cackled as he tried to explain himself to Jimmy.

“It was bad maths!! Bad maths!!” Martyn pleaded with a giggle.

“We didn’t think you’d die!!” Scott added, trying to breathe through his laughter.

“IM NOT HAVING ANY OF IT!!!!” Jimmy snapped back at them. “PLAYING BUNGEE JUMP WITH FISHING RODS IS THE LAST THING WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT DOING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK IMMA TELL BIGB, ‘THAT IT WAS JUST A PRANK’!!??”

Jimmy stormed into the bakery, and as he slammed the door, Fwhip’s voice was cut off; “but it was just a prank-“

Grian could here Jimmy stomp about in the bakery. He must’ve been looking for BigB. Jimmy ran out into the greenhouse and froze to find Grian and the aftermath of the incident. Grian stood there with a clenched fist and a chest by his feet. He gave Jimmy a stone cold glare with his dark eyes. Jimmy flinched at the sight of his expression.

“I put BigB’s stuff in this chest,” Grian said almost robotically, pointing to the box.

Jimmy desperately wanted to apologize, but Grian looked like he would accept nothing; not even a notch apple. Grian stiffly walked past him.

“I’m sorry….about BigB…” Jimmy made an attempt at an apology, hoping that Grian could find it in him somewhere to forgive him. Grian paused.

“It wasn’t your fault, Tim….” Grian said without turning back to him. “It was their’s….”

Grian continued walking, leaving Jimmy to wallow. He made his way to the bakery and took a seat at one of the circle tables. The room felt cold and desolate compared to before. Like it was a completely different place that the greenhouse had spat him back out into. He shuffled his chair forward and laid his head down, waiting for BigB’s return.

I actually had a lot of fun writing this, even though I wouldn’t consider myself a very skilled writer(and there’s most definitely a lot of mistakes I made lol). I felt like it was easier to depict a full scene compared to a comic(which would’ve probably taken me weeks). So I’ll do more writing like this in the future.

[statelysapphic]

Chessy and the Farmer

Chessy x Reader

Summary: Chessy has a farmer's market crush.

Warnings: None, just some fluff.

Notes: Lightly proofread. Feedback is always appreciated. Enjoy<3

It was a crisp September morning in the Napa Valley. Sun shining, fog looming, and a layer of dew painting the greenery. Chessy’s favorite farmers market weather. She smiles and pulls her coffee mug closer to her mouth, lips remaining curled. She began making a mental checklist of things she needed, but soon found her thoughts elsewhere. Hallie and Annie had agreed to accompany her, a rare occurrence and one Chessy looked forward to. She only needed one more thing for the day to be perfect: you. Her favorite local farmer.

You wouldn’t necessarily call yourself a farmer. You just grew various fruits, vegetables, and herbs in six raised beds out back. Sure, you grew way more than you needed, but the process was something you cherished, so you didn’t mind making more work for yourself. Tending to your garden was a therapeutic exercise for you. There wasn’t a problem in the world an hour in the garden couldn’t fix. Cool soil grounded you after a long day. Caring for your plants made you feel alive.

Some of what you grew was harvested and either eaten or preserved for yourself. Everything else was sold or preserved. The local farmers market was the only place you set up shop. After all, this was a hobby and not your career, and you didn’t want to overdo it. What you didn’t sell at the end of the day, you donated to the local soup kitchen. You didn’t want anything going to waste. 

—-

Packing up your old, beat-up pickup, the last box you grab curls your lips into a grin at the label, ‘Chessy.’ You’ve seen the redhead almost every Sunday morning for the last year and a half, though it only took a few months of her consistent patronage for you to be smitten.  Although her purchases each week varied, you noticed a couple of patterns. The second Sunday of every month, Chessy would buy a jar of your canned pickles. Today was the second Sunday of the month. Peaking into the box, you see the jar of pickles amongst small baskets of cherry tomatoes, brussel sprouts, green beans, and bell peppers, and bushels of chives, mint, sage, and dill. All for her. 

You hoist the box into the passenger seat of the truck, rather than letting it jostle around in the bed with the rest of the crops. You hesitate as you grip the truck door, looking back at the precious cargo. Without a second thought, you grabbed the seatbelt and buckled the box into the seat. “Safety first,” you whisper to yourself, shutting the door before hitting the road.

—-

“Ooh Lala, your woman is here, Chessy,” Hallie teased. The older woman chuckled slightly and pulled a ten dollar bill from the breast pocket of her denim jacket, handing it to the twins.

“Very funny. Here, go get yourselves some lemonade over there and I’ll catch up with you.” She nodded to the girls and watched them walk to the lemonade stand before making her way to your table. “Well, good morning,” she said as she approached, a smile on her face. Your favorite smile.

“There’s my favorite customer,” you said, a grin on your face, “I hope you don’t mind, but I put a little something together for you.” You turned away from her to retrieve her box from the truck, missing the way Chessy smirked and bowed her head in an attempt to hide the blush that painted her face. When she lifted her head again, she was met with a box in front of her. A box, she noted, meant just for her. Now, there was no hiding her blush, though she wore it with pride. 

Chessy admired the harvest chosen specially for her. “This all looks delicious, hun,” she pauses for a moment as she locks her eyes on the jar of pickles, “And you remembered my midnight snack.” Her eyes find yours, and heat rises to your face.

“Every second Sunday of the month,” you say casually. “They’re my go-to midnight snack as well. Good taste.” The older woman’s smile widens at your confession, as you push the imagine of you sitting on your kitchen counter with Chessy standing between your legs, hands loosely on your hips, as you feed her pickles as far out of your brain as you could. 

“Do you remember the snacking habits of all your customers?” The redhead asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“Only the one that matters.” One. You play it off as if you didn’t just confess that she matters to you in some capacity. 

Chessy’s breath hitched in her throat at your words. She couldn’t take her eyes off of you, and she didn’t really want to. Her features softened as she released her breath. Her farmers market crush: reciprocated. Everything is quiet for a moment, as if it was just the two of you in this gravel lot. The familiar chuckle of certain twins pulled Chessy back to reality. “What’s the damage for a spread like this?” She asked you, reaching into her pants pocket.

Quickly, you raise your hand to stop her. “Nothin’. It’s on me this time.” You can tell she’s about to protest, so you don’t give her the chance. “Consider it a gift. For my favorite customer.” You notice that the twins are standing behind Chessy, though your eyes never leave her. 

“Then come over for dinner a night this week. Let me cook for you,” she says, “and I’m not taking no for an answer.” Her words sculpt a wide grin on your face and paint it red. Was this really happening? You finally break her gaze only to lock eyes with the twins, who are both nodding their heads fervently with large, toothy smiles. 

When your eyes are once again locked onto hers, you nod your head and reply, “Yeah, I think I’d like that. Thank you. I’m free Tuesday if that works for you?”

“Six o’clock. Don’t be late,” she said with a wink and a smirk that you’ll never forget, before grabbing her box and turning to leave. She’ll take the afternoon to convince Nick to make everyone scarce on Tuesday evening. Chessy walks past the twins, who are still giggling and whispering to each other, not bothering to acknowledge the sarcastic smile the older woman gives them. “Girls, let’s go!” She yells once she’s a few yards ahead of them.

You throw your head back in a small chuckle before hearing the twins sing, in unison, “Chessy and the farmer sitting in a tree…”

[francesminos-tt]

i don't know if you've done anything like this but older joffron finally getting closer as a real couple? i mean i imagine they've been married for years and their kids are 10-5 but their relationship has always been more about duty than love 💕😘

This thing is going way too long than I expected.

Daeron came home later than usual that day. As the Financial Director in Hightower Corp, it was normal for him to work late from time to time, especially in tax season. It was already midnight when Daeron entered his family house. The house was dark, indicating that his husband and daughter were already sleeping.

Daeron went quietly towards the kitchen. He only had an energy bar for dinner, which meant he was starving now. Daeron would die for a hot meal right now.

The blonde rubbed his temples as he entered the kitchen. He had expected to see a dark and empty room like the rest of the house, but to Daeron’s surprise, there was someone there.

“Hey.” Joffrey lifted his eyes from the cell phone screen to Daeron, “You are late today.”

“Tax season.” Daeron shrugged, trying to hide his surprise, “Why aren’t you sleep?”

“Rhae and I had pizza for dinner today.” Joffrey said, yawning as he took a plate out of the oven, “You daughter saved you a piece. She made me swear that I would deliver the piece to you safely.”

Joffrey put the pizza plate down on the kitchen table. It was a simple pepperoni pizza with overflowing cheese. Daeron knew immediately that the pizza was not a takeout. It was too poorly made to be store-bought.

“Is it…?” Daeron didn’t have to finish his sentence, because Joffrey began nodding as soon as he opened his mouth, as if the brunette knew what Daeron was about to ask.

“Rhae made it.” Joffrey smiled, “I kept it in the oven, so it should still be warm. You probably didn’t eat much for dinner. Come, sit down. Do you want soda or tea?”

“Diet coke.” Daeron said, throwing him into the kitchen chair, “God, I am starving.”

“I am not surprised.” Joffrey took out a cherry diet coke from the top of the fridge and handed it to his husband, “You are always like that. Never remember to eat whenever work overflows.”

Daeron opened the can and took a huge gulp, the cool liquid like a balm to his burning throat. They didn’t keep many sodas in the house, trying to limit sugar intake of their 10-year-old daughter, but Joffrey always hid a couple of canned coke on the higher compartment of the fridge, for Daeron’s late night sugar cravings. They knew each other’s habits and preferences so well that sometimes they didn't even need to speak. A single nod, a raise of the eyebrow, or even a side-eye was enough for them to communicate.

“Do you need anything to go with your pizza? I think I have some leftover vegetable stir-fry.”

“No, I am good. Thanks.” Daeron said while chewing his pizza. Normally, Daeron had perfect table manners, growing up under his mother’s influence and all, but he had long gotten used to letting his guard down around Joffrey. It was impossible to keep up the appearance for 15 years, after all.

Daeron and Joffrey had been married for 15 years. Well, 14 years and 8 months to be precise. Daeron couldn't really count the days. He only knew that their anniversary was in June, and it was approaching February now. June wedding sounded romantic, but unfortunately, the reality was quite the opposite. Their marriage was one of duty and necessity. They married each other in order to preserve the family heritage. They didn't hate each other, per se, but they weren’t in love either. Neither of them were in a serious relationship when the marriage proposal was brought up, so there was no reason for them to fight back. Daeron remembered that he went through the whole wedding on autopilot. His mind was completely blank; he slipped into a fancy suit, let the stylist do his hair, got the ring, and walked down the aisle. Joffrey was standing at the end of the aisle, right in front of the altar, with a blank expression mirroring Daeron’s own. They exchanged the vows and kissed each other on the lips, and then it was done. They were married.

Joffrey leaned against the kitchen counter and watched Daeron eat his late dinner. If they were a normal couple, they probably would have kissed already. Yet all Joffrey did was watching Daeron eat, while sipping on his own nighttime tea.

“Can you make time this Friday? Rhae’s team is playing in little league. She’s making her debut.” Joffrey asked after Daeron had finished the pizza, “She will be happy if you can be there.”

“When is the kick off?”

“3PM. You don’t have to watch the whole match, but-”

“I’ll be there.” Daeron said before Joffrey could finish his sentence, “I won't miss our daughter’s first football match.”

Joffrey seemed a little taken aback by Daeron’s words. Don’t get him wrong. He knew Daeron was a good dad, highly devoted to their daughter and trying to make time for Rhaenys as much as possible, but Joffrey also knew how hectic the tax season could be. Joffrey wouldn't really blame Daeron for not showing up, but it surprised him how quickly the blonde made his decision.

“That…will be great.” Joffrey managed to find the right words, “Thank you. Rhae will be exhilarated.”

“You don't have to thank me.” Daeron shrugged as he put the plate in the dish washer, “Rhae is my daughter, too. It’s my responsibility to be part of her life.”

Daeron pressed the button on the dish washer before turning to face Joffrey. The brunette was still standing next to the counter, in a faded graphic T-shirt and baggy sweatpants, curls greasy and skin pale from staying up so late. It was not the most attractive picture Daeron had seen, to be honest, but somehow, the scene screamed home.

Joffrey had become the equivalent of home to Daeron at some point. When Daeron thought of home, Joffrey was the first thing that appeared in his mind. Though they hadn't shared a bed since their daughter’s birth 10 years ago, they functioned more like a family than Daeron could have ever imagined. They split house chores, took care of their daughter, showed up family gatherings together, even went on family trips twice a year. They were like a real couple, except for the sex part.

“Well, it’s remarkable of you to make the effort nonetheless.” Joffrey yawned before continuing, “I know how crazy the tax season can be.”

“Go to sleep, Joffrey.” Daeron said, “I am capable of keeping the kitchen clean, you know.”

“Right.” Joffrey chuckled, “Sorry. I must have spent too much time with Rhae. I am used to seeing everyone as a child, I guess.”

“I am not a 10-year-old.” Daeron said in feigned annoyance, “I can take care of myself, mommy.”

Joffrey laughed and bumped his shoulder against Daeron playfully.

“You look no better than me, Joff,” Daeron observed, noticing the dark circles under Joffrey’s eyes, “and I just come back from 12-hour work day. You should get some rest.”

“I will.” Joffrey’s laugh turned into a tender smile, “Good night then. I will see you tomorrow at the field, yeah?”

“Okay.” Daeron nodded, “Good night, Joffrey.”

If Daeron had known what fate awaited them then, he would have never let Joffrey take Rhaenys to the field alone.

The next day, when Daeron showed up at the football field, both Joffrey and Rhaenys were nowhere to be found. It was already 3:30, and the game had already begun. Daeron looked in the crowd, but still no trace of his husband and daughter. Daeron tried calling Joffrey, but the phone went straight into voice mail.

Daeron’s heart sunk into his stomach after he learned that no one on the team had heard anything from Joffrey either. It was unlike Joffrey to just disappear without warning, especially not in a big day like today. Something must have happened.

And then, Daeron got the call.

“Hello?” Daeron tried to keep his voice flat, but failed miserably.

“Do you know a Joffrey Velaryon Targaryen, sir?” A man’s voice came from the phone, but the background noises were so loud that Daeron had trouble hearing him clearly. Was that siren?

“What?” Daeron raised his voice as he ran to the parking lot to get his car. His instinct told him that the call didn't bear good news.

“Joffrey Velaryon Targaryen!” The man repeated, “He’s in a car accident. I am the paramedic, and we are on our way to King’s Landing Clinic. I found your number on Mr. Targaryen’s phone as speed dial.”

Daeron’s heart skipped a beat. He had trouble breathing, as if all the air had been punched out of his lungs. It took all his self-control not to have a panic attack now. No. Put yourself together. Panic would not help Joffrey.

“Yes, I am his husband.” Daeron finally managed as he practically fell into his car, “How… How is he?”

“He’s in a coma. A truck lost control and hit his car from the driver’s side. He probably has a concussion and some broken ribs, but I can’t say for sure without further inspection. Oh, and there’s a girl in the car with him as well.”

“My daughter,” Daeron murmured, “the girl is my daughter. Please tell me she’s okay.”

“She is. She only has some scratches on the face and legs-”

“PAPA!” A girl voice came from the phone. Rhaenys’s voice.

“Hey, Rhae, it’s me. Papa’s here.” Daeron tried to keep the tremble out of his voice, “Are you hurt, my girl?”

“No, I am fine.” Rhaenys answered, her voice muffled, as if she had been crying, “But mama is hurt really bad. He won’t wake up no matter how hard I called him.”

Daeron bit the inside of his cheeks to prevent his thoughts from going to the darkest place. The paramedic said Joffrey was in a coma, right? Probably just a mild concussion. Nothing too serious. So stop worrying and put yourself together, god damn it.

“I am sure the doctors will make him better once they get to the hospital.” Daeron said in the softest voice he could manage, “Can you put the phone on speaker, please, dear?”

“Can you go to KL clinic now, sir?” The paramedic asked, “We are about 10 minutes away.”

“I will meet you there.” Daeron said before stomping on the accelerator, “Rhae, be a good girl and wait for papa, okay?”

“Okay.” Rhaenys sniffed, “Hurry, please, papa. I am scared.”

Daeron’s heart shattered at his daughter’s shaking voice. He probably shouldn’t drive in this state, but Daeron couldn’t afford waiting for an Uber. He needed to get to his family, as fast as possible.

Daeron arrived at the ER 20 minutes later. It took him no time to reunite with his little girl because Rhaenys stubbornly kept her eyes on the entrance, and ran to him as soon as Daeron walked past the door.

“Papa!”

Daeron swept his daughter into a tight hug. Rhaenys looked a little worse for wear; her pink jacket was dusty, her little face too, and there were several scratches on her left cheek and one on her left brow. She was wearing a pair of football shorts, exposing her shin that was covered in bruises and bloody scratches as well. Daeron observed her closely for a long while. Fortunately, apart from the scratches, Rhaenys looked okay. All her limbs were intact and she had enough energy to cry. It was supposed to be good thing, right?

“Thank god you are okay.” Daeron let out a long sigh of relief as he kissed the girl’s forehead, “Sorry for coming so late, but you are safe now, Rhae. Everything will be okay.”

“They rushed mama to the operation room.” Rhaenys said against Daeron’s shoulder, unwilling to let go of her papa, “Will mama be okay, papa? He hurt his head pretty bad when the truck crushed on us. They are not opening his brain, are they?”

Daeron had no answer to that. He hoped with all his heart that Joffrey would be okay. He might not love Joffrey in a romantic way, but he definitely loved Joffrey as family.

A nurse found them and saved Daeron from the awkward silence.

“Mr. Targaryen, right? Follow me, please.”

Daeron carried Rhaenys in his arms as he followed the nurse to the operation room. There was already a resident doctor waiting to brief them.

“Your husband suffers from two broken ribs, a broken knee, and a strained wrist.” The doctor said, “We are able to deal with those wounds, but the concussion is a little bit tricky. He seems to be blooding into his brain, so we have to perform an emergency procedure to remove the blood clot. He’s stable now, but we can’t know how much damage the bleeding did to his brain function until he wakes up.”

Daeron covered Rhaenys’s ears for the later part. She didn’t need to know her mama was bleeding into his brain.

“He will recover, right?” Daeron asked, desperately in need of some good news.

“Most likely. We have seen situations like this before, and normally the patient will make a full recovery.” The young doctor smiled reassuringly, “Right now, all we can do is wait.”

The doctor had a point. Daeron needed to pull himself together, at least for Rhaenys’s sake. He should probably call his sister Helaena and ask her to look after Rhaenys while Daeron dealt with this mess.

“Papa…” Rhaenys whispered quietly in Daeron’s ear, as if she could read his mind, “I don't want to leave mama alone.”

“We are not leaving him alone, okay?” Daeron brushed some soft blonde strands from her face, “But you are injured, too. You need to rest. I promise I will let you know as soon as Joff is out of surgery.”

“No,” Rhaenys shook her head stubbornly, “I need to make sure mama is okay. You don't understand! The truck was heading my way and mama steered the car at the last minute so it crushed on him!”

Rhaenys’s cheeks were stained with tears again by the time she finished talking. She seemed out of breath from speaking too much, so Daeron had to pat her back so that she wouldn't suffer from hyperpnoea. Daeron didn't have time to process what the little girl had just said, or rather, he was reluctant to. He didn't want to dwell too much on Joffrey’s self-sacrificing act. He couldn't, or he would collapse with guilt.

“Your daughter needs to stay in the hospital for the night.” The doctor spoke up, “The surgery will finish soon. You can wait here if you want. Is there anyone you need to call?”

Daeron had a long list of people that he needed to call. Joffrey’s mother, his brothers, Daeron’s own mother and sister, Rhaenys’s school, the football team, etc. However, Daeron couldn't bring himself to do the job now. He might appear calm, but he was just as worried as Rhaenys, maybe more. He had never felt so scared that he might lose Joffrey. The mere thought was enough to make his blood freeze.

“I will just wait here for my husband.” Daeron said eventually, “I will make the calls after.”

Joffrey’s surgery was a success. The doctors were able to stop the bleeding and remove all the blood clots from his brain. According to the doctors, there was no permanent damage.

Daeron had been staring at Joffrey while sitting beside the brunette’s hospital bed for the last five hours. He hadn't even moved, and barely blinked, for fear that Joffrey might disappear if he looked away. Joffrey had half of his head shaved for the surgery, his skin ashen from the loss of blood, and his body was hooked into more monitors that Daeron had ever seen.

Daeron had never observed Joffrey’s face so closely, despite them being married for over a decade. He hadn't really paid attention to Joffrey as they grew up either. Daeron cared more about beating Jacaerys in both academics and sports. Joffrey was just a stranger to him, until his mother announced their marriage. Daeron fought against his mother at first, but his struggle proved pointless, as the duty to his family prevailed in the end. Daeron married Joffrey reluctantly, and their relationship remained cold in the first few years of their marriage.

Daeron remembered their fifth anniversary. They never celebrated it, since the day brought no joy to either of them, but that night, Joffrey came to him with a bottle of whiskey and a bag of homemade popcorn. They ended up finishing the whole bottle before they could eat half of the snack. The alcohol made Daeron’s head spin. He didn't know who initiated it, but somehow, they started kissing on the couch. Joffrey’s body was scorching hot, his breath stinking of alcohol, and his kiss was so sloppy that he missed Daeron’s lips multiple times. Daeron had to grab his face to kiss him properly. The alcohol must have corrupted their brain, making him more passionate than their wedding night. Before long, both of them were naked on the couch, Daeron on top of Joffrey, their groin pressed tightly together.

It was the night that Rhaenys was conceived. It was also the first and last time they had had sex. Rhaenys was an accidental child, though that did not make Daeron love her any less. Daeron and Joffrey warmed up to each other during the brunette’s pregnancy, and continued after the girl was born. Now, no one would have guessed that their marriage was a loveless one. Not even their daughter.

Daeron hadn’t realized how important Joffrey had become until today. The brunette had become a staple, a necessity in Daeron’s life. Like oxygen. Impossible to see, but could not live without.

“Rhae is worried about you so much that she ended up crying herself to sleep.” Daeron whispered, placing the back of his hand against Joffrey’s cheek, “And I am too. Wake up, please.”

Joffrey’s anesthetics should have worn off by now. He could wake up at any moment, and that was why Daeron hadn’t gone to sleep yet. He couldn’t let Joffrey wake up now.

Daeron squeezed Joffrey’s hand gently. To his surprise and relief, the brunette squeezed back.

“Joff! Are you awake? How do you feel?”

Joffrey let out some muffled moan before slowly opening his eyes. He seemed confused, as if he had no idea where he was. Daeron wouldn’t blame him. It was not hard to imagine how much Joffrey had gone through.

“My head hurts.” Joffrey murmured, frowning deeply and squinting his eyes, “The light. It hurts my eyes.”

Daeron rushed to dim the light. Thank God he insisted on taking a private room.

“Does it feel better now?” Daeron asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and using his own torso to block the light.

Joffrey tried to nod, but hissed in pain as soon as he tried to move his head.

“Hey, careful, don’t move just now. You just had a surgery.”

“Surgery?” Joffrey sounded even more confused than before, “Why do I need a surgery? Where am I anyway? Why are you here?”

“You were in a car accident.” Daeron replied gently, “You had a concussion and brain bleeding, but the doctors managed to repair the damage. You are in a hospital right now.”

“Oh.” Joffrey said, “No wonder my head feels like someone has drilled into it.”

Daeron actually chuckled, for the first time since he had learned the news. Joffrey always had the ability to make him laugh, even in situations like this.

“Stop joking. I almost had a heart attack when I got the call.” Daeron wiped some cold sweat from Joffrey’s forehead, “You also have several broken bones, so stay still, okay?”

“Why are you here, Uncle Daeron?”

Daeron’s heart skipped a beat. Why was Joffrey calling him uncle? Joffrey hadn’t called him uncle for 15 years now.

“Of course I will be here.” Daeron replied, trying to keep calm despite the bad feeling rising from his stomach, “I am your husband and Rhae’s father. I am your family.”

“Husband?” Joffrey’s eyes widened I surprise, “Since when? Have we hooked up or something?”

Now, Daeron was sure something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

“Your husband’s cognitive function is intact.” The doctor said after examining Joffrey, “The loss of memory is most likely psychological, not physical.”

“Is it permanent?” Daeron asked, “Will he remember? When?”

“I can’t say for sure. Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps a couple of weeks, or…” The doctor trailed off, but Daeron didn’t need him to say the words anyway. It was clear that Joffrey might never remember their marriage.

“What should we do? Surely there is some meds that can help, right?” Daeron tried to cling to the last hope, like a drowning man holding onto a driftwood.

“I think it is best we hold back on the meds right now. I suggest taking him back to familiar places and try to stimulate his memory.”

Daeron knew it was the best solution, but the problem was, he couldn’t do it. Joffrey had lost the memory about their marriage and the fact that they had a daughter, which meant he also forgot about the truth of their marriage. Though he was surprised to be married to his uncle Daeron, Joffrey didn’t question the nature of their marriage. To him, the marriage was made of love, not duty.

How could Daeron tell him the truth? How could Daeron tell him that they had never loved each other in that way and they slept in separate rooms? How could Daeron tell him that their daughter was a drunken accident? How could Daeron be so cruel to Joffrey?

“I am sorry, Uncle Daeron.” Joffrey said after the doctor had left, “Or should I just call you Daeron? Do we have some specific nicknames? You called me Joff before.”

“Daeron is fine.” The blonde replied with a strained smile, “I normally call you Joff, or just Joffrey.”

“Sounds boring.” Joffrey scrunched his nose, “Are we a boring couple?”

We were not a couple at all, Daeron wanted to say, but he found himself unable to reveal the truth to Joffrey, not so soon, at least.

“I guess it’s just time.” Daeron mindlessly made an excuse, “We have been married for more than a decade. You know how people say. Time is the killer of passion.”

In hindsight, Daeron probably should not have blurted out the last part, because Joffrey’s face visibly dropped at his words.

“Is that why you haven’t kissed me since I woke up?” Joffrey asked in a low voice, “We don't get along so well, do we?”

“No!” Daeron denied instinctively, “Of course not! We have a daughter together, all right? If we don't get along, how could we manage to produce a kid?”

Joffrey chuckled, but this time, his smile didn't reach his eyes.

“You know better than me that having a kid together does not require any deeper feelings.” Joffrey murmured, more like a reminder to himself than Daeron, “Anyway, I will be glad if we do get along. I don't want my daughter to live a strained family, but I totally understand if we don't. From what I remember, we are practically strangers. When you told me about our marriage, I was half expecting the whole thing to be a bad prank.”

Daeron was genuinely surprised how sharp Joffrey could be. The brunette had already grasped the nature of their duty bounded marriage, even though he had just woken up from a coma and lost part of his memory. It would be a perfect opportunity for Daeron to reveal the truth to Joffrey, so that they could find a way to function until Joffrey got his memory back, but the blonde found himself reluctant to confirm Joffrey’s guess.

Why? Their marriage was more about duty than love, wasn’t it? They might lead a relatively comfortable life now, but that did not involve love. They didn't hug or kiss, let alone having sex. They were more like roommates who decided to raise a child together. Nothing more.

But why was Daeron hesitating?

“We…” Daeron spoke, his heart pounding, not caused by worry, but by the lie he was about to make, “we do love each other, Joffrey. The reason why I didn't kiss you is because I don't want to shock you with more information. Ask our daughter, or anyone else. They can prove what I just told you is true.”

Daeron was confident that no one would have noticed their loveless relationship. In fact, most of his colleagues would agree that Daeron was family man. He seldom went for drinks after work, always opting to spend time with his family. One of the office administrators even joked about how deeply in love Daeron was with his husband. Daeron had laughed it off then, but come to think of it now, that old lady might have a point. Daeron slowly began to value his time with Joffrey more and more as time passed, and by now, he could confidently say that Joffrey meant a lot to him.

“Okay.” Joffrey said, still a little skeptical, “You can kiss me now.”

“What?” Daeron expected a lot of things from Joffrey, but asking for a kiss was definitely not one of them.

“I say you can kiss me now. I won't be shocked.” Joffrey repeated, lifting his big doe eyes to look at Daeron, “Maybe I will heal a little faster with your kiss. Mental support and all that.”

Daeron had dug his own grave, and now he was about jump into it.

The blonde moved closer to Joffrey, gently cupping the brunette’s cheek and kissed him tenderly on the lips. It had been years since their last kiss. They would exchange kisses on the cheeks as a social etiquette, but never on the lips. Daeron inhaled sharply; He could smell Joffrey’s distinctive scent, and tasted the brunette on his tongue, despite the pungent smell of antiseptics. The kiss was tender and soft, with no intertwining of tongues or whatever, but Daeron was hit by a strong sense of nostalgia. He had forgotten how soft Joffrey’s lips were until now. He had forgotten how good it felt to kiss his husband, to press their body together, and to feel Joffrey’s heartbeat. How did he live without all this before?

“Never scare me like this again.” Daeron murmured against Joffrey’s lips.

Joffrey let out a heartfelt chuckle and sealed their lips together again. Daeron didn’t oppose the idea of continuing the kiss, at all.

“See? I told you. We are a happily married couple.” Daeron said as he let Joffrey in their house.

“Mama!” Rhaenys rushed to Joffrey and gave the brunette a huge bear hug, “Welcome home! I’ve missed you!”

Rhaenys had been released from the hospital a week ago. Daeron tried to keep the distance from Joffrey and the girl, to give Joffrey enough time to process, so it was the first time Rhaenys properly hugged her mother in over a week. Daeron decided not to tell Rhaenys about Joffrey’s memory loss, for it might make the girl even guiltier, since she already blamed herself for Joffrey’s injury. Instead, Daeron told his daughter that Joffrey needed time to heal, so it was better not to bother him too much.

“Hi, little girl.” Joffrey wrapped his arms around the girl instinctively, “I’ve missed you too.”

Daeron couldn't tell if Joffrey was lying or not, for the brunette sounded so genuine and sincere.

“Papa says you need to rest.” Rhaenys said, untangling herself from Joffrey after planting a small kiss on the man’s cheek, “I shouldn’t been bothering you too much.”

“Rhae.” Daeron sighed, sending an apologetic look to Joffrey. He had clearly underestimated Rhaenys’s clinginess to Joffrey.

“You are not a bother.” Joffrey assured her as he returned her kiss tentatively. Daeron was relieved that he had decided to brief Joffrey about how to deal with their daughter, and by the look of it, Joffrey clearly did a good job at pretending to remember.

“I made you a strawberry sandwich! It’s your favorite!” Rhaenys’s face lit up, “Let me fetch it for you!”

“Strawberry sandwich? Really?” Joffrey whispered to Daeron as the girl ran to the kitchen in her full footballer speed.

Daeron dared not to speak. Honestly, he had no idea what Joffrey’s favorite food was. He never paid any attention. He just vaguely remembered that Joffrey might have a sweet tooth, but that was all he knew.

Rhaenys came back with a plate of sandwiches. The strawberry sandwich was made from plain white bread, with strawberry puree mixed with fluffy cream as filling. The sandwich had a nice color combination, but the overflowing cream didn't make it too appetizing.

“Look! I did just as you taught me! I even cut off the edges of the bread!”

Joffrey laughed whole-heartedly. He picked up one piece and took a huge bite. Daeron wasn’t sure if he himself could do that. He was never one for sweets.

“It tastes amazing, Rhae.” Joffrey brushed some blonde curls from his daughter’s face. Though he couldn’t remember having a child, Joffrey still felt drawn to the girl. His heart warmed whenever Rhaenys smiled to him.

“Okay, you guys enjoy your strawberry sandwich.” Daeron couldn’t help but smile at his husband and daughter, “I’ll carry your things to your, uh, I mean, our room, Joff.”

The blonde picked up the duffle bag and practically escaped to the master bedroom. In order to keep his lie, Daeron had to pretend that he and Joffrey shared the same room (and bed), instead of sleeping in separate rooms. Daeron had already carried his own things from the guestroom to the master bedroom, trying his best to make the space look like it had been shared by two people instead of one. Fortunately, Joffrey kept the king-sized bed that Daeron’s mother had bought them as a wedding gift, or else Daeron would have to order a new bed.

By the time Daeron went back to the living room, Joffrey was sitting on the couch with Rhaenys pressed tightly against him, the plate of sandwiches on the coffee table, browsing through Joffrey’s phone.

“Let your mama rest, Rhae.” Daeron spoke, “He just had a brain surgery. He isn’t supposed to watch the screen for too long.”

Rhaenys pouted and made a face at her papa, but she obeyed Daeron’s words nonetheless.

Joffrey pouted when Daeron snatched the phone from him. His pout mirrored Rhaenys’s.

“I am fine.” The brunette complained, but Daeron wasn’t going to back down.

“No, staring at screens will put too much pressure on your brain.” Daeron put the phone in his own pocket, “Go back to your room, Rhaenys. Let your mama rest.”

“Okay.” Rhaenys jumped off the couch before giving Joffrey another hug, “I will see you at dinner, mama!”

“I can’t believe I gave birth to such a lovely girl.” Joffrey said after Rhaenys’s blonde ponytail had disappeared in her room.

“Come, let’s go to the room. You need to lie down.” Daeron wrapped his arm around Joffrey’s shoulder and gently led the brunette down the hall. He had gotten used to their intimacy in the past week. Now he would not blush whenever he felt Joffrey’s breath on his skin.

“I am not made of glass, Daeron.” Joffrey chuckled, but didn’t struggle. He seemed to enjoy Daeron’s overprotectiveness.

“I am your husband. It’s my duty to worry about you.” Daeron replied.

“Only duty?” Joffrey asked in a mocking tone when Daeron helped him lie down on the king-sized bed.

“And love.” Daeron bent down to kiss Joffrey’s strawberry and cream flavored lips, “Satisfied now?”

Joffrey laughed, tilting his head forward to deepen the kiss, and Daeron gladly let him. It was incredible how easy it was to play the loving husband. He learned to kiss Joffrey regularly so fast that as if he had been waiting for the opportunity for a long time. Daeron welcomed the intimacy, the tenderness, and the love, however fake it was, between them. He even anticipated more, such as sex and cuddle.

This thing of pretending to be in love with Joffrey had become too real at this point, but Daeron couldn’t stop now. Perhaps, just perhaps, he wasn’t pretending at all.

[ripeteeth]

Hi!! First: congrats on becoming a sommelier! And relatedly, for the three q’s meme, in your opinion:

1) Best bottle of white and/or red under $50

2) best bottle of white and/or red under $30

3) the wine that’s tickling your fancy the most right now

Thanks! And god, it’s so hard to single it down to best, but here are some that I’m loving right now!

1. Under $50

2020 Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, California

As a general rule, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Au Bon Climat. A truly iconic winery founded by the legendary Jim Clendenen, Au Bon Climat has been instrumental in influencing the style of California Pinot Noir away from the overly jammy and blowsy big fruity alcohol bombs to something a lot more refined and elegant, similar to those made in Burgundy. In fact, Au Bon Climat is the only winery where I belong to their wine club and get regular shipments, all because I’ve never had a wine I’ve disliked from them, but I have had many I love. They’re my go-to for introducing someone to getting more serious about wine, and this particular Pinot is a beautiful example from a famous vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills, Sanford & Benedict, and from a parcel of vines over 50 years old, imparting a ton of flavor and character. I get notes of cherries and rosemary from this.

2. Under $30

2022 Greywacke “Wild Sauvignon” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

I’m a complete slut for New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Truly, they are just SO fucking good. Sauvignon Blanc is such a fun vibrant grape and the NZ climate brings out the best in it, with a moderately cool climate that preserves the acidity well, but also with a lot of sunlight that brings out notes of tropical fruit, green bell pepper, and jalapeño. (One of my favorite wine facts is that Sauvignon Blanc grapes have pyrazines, which are the same aromatic chemicals that give bell peppers and chili peppers like jalapeño that characteristic green vegetal flavor. So there’s a good reason you’re tasting these things in wine, even if the peppers have never been in the wine! Science, baby!)

My current favorite is 2022 Greywacke “Wild Sauvignon” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. It’s vibrantly green and lush and tastes almost athletic to me. Lots of papaya and green mango, something grassy and herbal, this is a perfect summer wine. I like to bring it down to the beach near my dad’s place and just drink it all day at the lake. I think Total Wine frequently carries this, so it shouldn’t be hard to find.

3. Wine tickling my fancy most!

2019 Left Foot Charley, “Gitali” Blanc de Blancs, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan

If there’s something to know about me, I’m deeply passionate about Michigan wines. Michigan is where I grew up, not far from the Fennville and Lake Michigan Shore AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) and all of this pursuit of wine knowledge is in the hope of starting my own vineyard and winery there. Michigan has always had some great sleeper wines that you can get for a goddamn steal, since many people aren’t aware of how good they can be (to be fair, there is also a lot of really really bad wine), and Left Foot Charley is one of my two top favorite producers in the state (the other being Mawby). These two producers are really serious winemakers and they fully believe that Michigan is ideally situated for becoming the sparkling wine capital of the U.S., something I fully agree with and support. That said! This is a really delicious dry sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and in the traditional method, which is the same method used in making Champagne. The bubbles are very delicate, small, and explosive, and it has beautiful notes of yellow apple, toasted brioche, and yellow cherry.

[elminx]

What I've Been Up To

In a word, super busy. (shhh...that's two words...I know...I KNOW!)

It's the busy season here in Southern New England; by that, I mean harvest season. My first real harvest of the year was sour cherries, which my partner and I picked last weekend.

These are from my friend's (now wild) cherry trees. I think that they are some cultivar of Prunus virginiana, though one can never be sure. S has been living in the house for about 8 years and has always "meant" to pick the cherries growing in his backyard. Now, we make it happen every year. I've been working with Wild Cherry Bark as part of my bitters projects, but I hadn't realized until now that this is the same plant. So neat!

My first project was to add some cherry to the ongoing lemonade experiments I have conducted weekly all summer. I added the cherries directly to the lemon peel phase (you can read more about lemonade making here), and it turned my lemonade into the most beautiful shades of orange and pink. I also made a wonderful cherry cake in a cast iron skillet and am in the process of experimenting with cherry syrup, cherry whipped cream, and a stone fruit vodka infusion - stay tuned for more on those as it evolves!

This cherry journey has been a pretty deep dive into herbalism (a long-time favorite), Chemistry, Ethnobotany, and even a little bit of Phytotoxilogy since the seeds of cherries (and other stone fruits) contain Amygdalin, which is poisonous to humans in high doses. I wanted to study medicine (I ended up with a minor in Biology because I legit qualified for it without having to do a thing), so this kind of shit is pretty up my alley.

I'm also deeply into continuing to work with these cherry pits because it is using all of the fruit which is something that I strongly believe in as a part of my craft.

I also picked (and froze) about 8 lbs. of blueberries yesterday afternoon. The time was right. My partner had the day off, and we don't celebrate Fireworks Day. I found the cutest local farm that does blueberries and raspberries that's only about 15 minutes from my house. Plus, picking under a giant bird netting made me feel like I was in Jurassic Park, so 10/10 on the place's vibes.

I'm not done with Cherry yet, though. I joked yesterday that I can't cross the streams, but it is so true. One of my more well-used preservation books has a whole section on cherries - both sweet and sour - and I want to make every single recipe. She even has a recipe for using your brandied cherries to make cornish hens and I am dying to try that (though probably with chicken). I don't think I can get any more sour cherries from S, but most of my local farms have pick-your-own or it for sale at their stands currently.

On the docket for today: set up my dehydrator for the summer season. (honestly, it is slightly past time)

I'm also still chugging away at my astrology commissions. I'm almost entirely caught up - I have an unusual transit report to write and one more natal birth chart to do, and things will return to normal.

I'm also looking at Mercury, who is going to retrograde on 8/5. I should have a transit report for the retrograde out soon and will offer a handful of commissions ($12 each) for anyone who wants a more personalized read on how the retrograde will interact with your chart. (Message me if you are interested or tip me $12 to save a spot if there's not already a commission offering for this when you read this).

I am still working my way through writing about violets and rose syrup. Watch for those—they are coming!

[trashcanplant]

Mob AU fun facts? Your characters (Specfially Grover) with Cherrys and Cloudys have such an interesting story

Oh my golly!!! Well, first of all, thank you. I’ll be using my neighborhood interactions format for this.

Marnie: Her vocal cords were entirely ripped out by Wally and have been preserved in his office. She is the replacement bartender and uses exclusively ASL to communicate. Marnie spends most of her time organizing the liquor and helping to manage funds. She was previously used as entertainment, but she kept trying to tell the police, so Wally had to fix her.

Grover: His Heart, the source of what makes Grover himself was removed as a test of loyalty to Wally, and its ashes are kept in his office. Grover is intimidation and torture with has the special task of feeding Vince’s crows bimonthly. He has one of the highest liquor tolerances of my characters in the Mob au. Grover has his own warehouse on the verge of the city, and is not allowed to go outside with express permission or an escort. He is often kept separated from the rest of the family and is left to his own devices.

Deirdre: Deirdre is not directly involved in the family, instead she is a member of the city council who has been blackmailed into exploiting her position to indirectly favor the family. She works most directly with Wally and Barnaby. It’s not been confirmed why she does this, though it’s been suspected that her hooves have been in someone else’s pockets.

Jonesy: Jonesy is now a vampire bat and his family runs a winery. He is being trained in diplomacy by his father, who has made a deal with the family. The deal between the Vampirebat family and the Darling family is simple, the winery will send 5 bottles of slightly aged wines (and a few made with blood) in exchange for free fertilizer for their vineyards and protection against attacks. Jonesy’s father plans to have him take over the company, and by extension, working with Wally as soon as possible. He’s only 11 years old.

Paulette: Paulette lost 3 of their 20 fingers due to outstanding debt to the Darling Family, and has since given up her study of astronomy in joining the family as a financial advisor. He mostly works alone and with Frank in the vaults and has a good head on their shoulders. Wally has preserved their fingers on a model of their hand in his office and plans to one day have the whole set.

Antoni: Antoni is a secondary intimidation and torturer along with Grover, whom he hates. He mostly deals in the finer things and acts like a true Italian gangster. His preferred weapon is the Tommy gun, and he’s arguably the best chef in the family. Antoni will go with Paulette to help negotiate with other gangs. While he lost nothing physically, he lost what was the most important thing to him. And he had to do it himself.

Minerva: Like Deirdre, Minerva is not directly involved in the family. She’s slightly older in this AU and lives alone in the city as a philanthropist. She owns an art gallery which acts as a holding space for any of her “charity cases”. Her nickname amongst the family is The Old Maid. Minerva uses a walking stick due to falling down a grand flight of stairs. She isn’t fully aware of what Wally does, but they will send a strong man or so to escort her to her parties and charity balls, so she won’t complain.

Doctor Topps: There’s a skull in Wally’s office, perfectly preserved.

I hope you had fun with that!!

[lostusagis]

@jiraipink asked:

A gasp leaves her through separated ringed fingers against her agape mouth. Amethyst optics quivering in awe at what Kamui arrived to her doorstep with. "Kamui... You... You really brought me another one?" Namida remembers texting Kamui how the flower he gave her on the day they met up for the Cherry Blossom Festival was beginning to show signs of withering and how sad it made her feel. Well, it was a bittersweet feeling at least. The memories of that day are a good and happy one. It will always live on in her mind and within her diary. Actually, she's thinking about "pressing" the flower flat to preserve it's white pink gradient colors and unique shapes forever within the written page about that wonderful day in her diary. Like the dried up flowers you'd see as a beautiful addition to scrapbook pages or handmade cards or being used in arts and crafts or displayed in frames. All good things must come to end... Not unless Kamui has something to say about it! He always knows how to make her happy so easily. He's so thoughtful. That cheerful smile on his handsome face radiated the kind of charm and warmth that captures her heart. He KNOWS this gift would make her happy and she appreciates him so much for it. She truly is so grateful for Kamui being in her life.

"Kamui..." She wanted to jump up and glomp him in a tight embrace in glee, but she didn't want to damage the flower in any way. It felt like Deja vu to when he gave her the beautiful flower the first time. Namida carefully takes the blossom from his hand and raises it up to hide half of her face behind it to cover her grin. Her head slightly bowed in shyness as she giggles and smiles so wide like a happy idiot; as if she were a lovestruck school girl that received a flower from her boyfriend on their first date. Her fingers twirling the stem in circles closely to her face. "Eheheheh~! Kamuiiiiiiii~! I'm so happy! Eheheheh~!" She then leans up on her toes to plant a chaste gentle kiss to his cheek as a sweet symbol of thanks. This is something Namida has done a couple times before especially when she wants to kiss his forehead; leaning up on her tippy toes to reach him better. "Thank you, Kamui. It's so beautiful." She says softly with the warmest of smiles, before closing her eyes and taking a small whiff of the precious flower. "Mmmm I love the smell it gives. It's so nice and elegantly delicate."

With the flower in her one hand, her other hand takes his and merrily leads Kamui inside her apartment. Inside, she takes him to the living room where the small round table is specifically used for the vase of the flower Kamui gave her before and decorated in cherry blossom petals. Actually, she's thinking of pressing those petals too in her diary to preserve forever. "Eheheh. I really love this table. It helps me to smile whenever I'm alone here..." She replaces the almost withering flower with the newly fresh one, but she doesn't throw out the more cherished one. Instead, she lightly hugs it against her chest and smiles fondly down at it. Black nailed fingers carefully caressing the frilly petals. "I um... I don't want to throw it away. I know it'll eventually wither completely if I keep it, but... It's really important to me, so..." She looks up at him with an optimistically-hopeful expression. "I have an idea on how to keep it~! I'm basically going to use the 'pressed flowers' method! With appropriate care, pressed plants can last for hundreds of years. It'll feel more dry when it's done, but the longevity is the goal for me. Wanna see how it's done?"

Namida goes to her bookshelf to take out a sketchbook, full of drawings she'd done, with a cherry blossom cover on it and then goes to the kitchen to take two pieces of parchment paper sheets one would use for baking purposes. She then takes a pair of sharp scissors and sets everything down on the dinner table. She was excited to prepare such a precious memory with Kamui, the one who bestowed unto her an unforgettable memory, next to her. It also felt endearing to teach him something that humans do when they want to keep a plant forever. Perhaps it could be a skill Kamui could use at any point in his life? Oh! Maybe Kagura would want to know of this skill too for any arts and crafts, if she wants! "It's quite simple, really! I remember doing this in school when I was a kid. This flower is kinda thick, so I'll have to cut it in half so it can be dried flat easier." She lays the flower down on the surface and uses the scissors to cut the flower and stem equally in half and doing her best to keep it even. It's perfect, because she wants to keep on half in her diary within the page written about that cherished day and the other half she'll display in a glass frame! Namida really... really doesn't want to let this precious gift go. It means so much her.

"Okay next step: the parchment paper~! It's used to absorb excess moisture from the flowers as they dry out." She places the two halves of the flower between the two sheets of parchment paper and then sets them between the blank pages of her sketchbook. She made sure to choose a sketchbook that she won’t need to use over the next several weeks since that's how long pressing flowers take. It's a good thing she has an extra sketchbook she still needs to draw in! "And last step: stacking 2 or 3 heavy books or something heavy to provide extra weight~!" She hurries off into her room to take out books from her bookshelf again. This time gathering hardcovers about dark/gothic romances that aren't manga; one of them telling a romantic story about a girl who rescued a handsome fallen angel. She comes back side-eyeing Kamui with flushed cheeks, because yes... There's smut in this story. "D-Don't say it... I know you're thinking it DON'T. SAY IT." She stacks them on top of her closed sketchbook and smiles proudly at it with hands on her hips and chest puffed out. "Eheheh~! And done! Now I just gotta wait like 1 to 2 weeks. They should feel like fine tissue paper."

Namida takes note of the time on the clock and just realized Kamui had visited later than usual. Was he busy today? He looks tired too. And yet he went through all that trouble to find another flower for her... "Kamui..." A sympathetic smile is warmly glowing, like a lit candle in a dark room, on her face as she gently places her hand atop his hand against the table and caresses his bandages with her thumb. Her voice soft and quiet. "Hey... Let's do something relaxing together today, hm? I really don't mind just sitting in silence with you, just so you know. If anything, I find it really comfy... Just having you here with me is enough to make me happy." She takes a moment to close her eyes and press her forehead gently against his own like an affectionate cat, before eventually standing up and leading him to the sofa in the living room hand in hand.

She sits down with him and kindly gestures him to lay his head on her lap. When he did, she could feel how his limbs fall loose and his breathing relax. Staring down at him, he reminded her of a cat and smiles softly at the thought. He looked so peaceful right now. Completely harmless. We all need a cozy place to hide at times; to feel safe and cocooned from within. This is how it should always be like for him; peaceful. He deserves for everything to go right in his life. To not worry about the urge to kill anymore. To not worry about the deep pains of his past. To use his hands for what they were born to do: to hold and not to hurt. To simply just... feel calm and relief in his heart. There is a solace in feeling the goodness of his soul as she slowly combs through his hair with her fingers; in the gentle certainty that he was born to absorb and reflect love. And oh how he reflects love alright... So much so she's feel she's found heaven from basking in how he treats her and would witness the embarrassed and honest parts of him that reveal how he really feels. Who he really is underneath the surface layers people tend to see. The kind that proves love isn't fiction like she previously thought.

While in her quiet contemplation, she notices his ahoge bouncing and forming a heart. This manifests a loving grin to appear. He's soooooooo cute! ♡ She gently pats and pets his head a couple times in between her still brushing his silky orangey-auburn hair. He must be really content and happy, huh? She's so glad. After all, Namida always wants nothing more than to make him happy. Her index digit leisurely tracing the heart it made and gently twirling around his ahoge before untwirling it, while her other hand rubs his back slowly up and down. That's when she hears a phone going off in the dining area. It's not hers since it's in her bag, so that must be... She turns her head to look behind herself and sees Kamui's phone on the floor next to the dinner table. it must've fell out of his pocket without them noticing. It's vibrating repeatedly, which means it's most likely a phone call.

"Oh uh... You can stay here and rest some more, ok Mui? Don't worry I'll get up and get it for you, so you don't have to move." However, when Namida tried getting up... She'd feel his arms wrap around her waist tightly. His hold keeping her rooted on the spot. "A-Ah... Kamui?" He doesn't want her going anywhere; acting clingy. It's always been hard to budge him. Whenever she tried, it was like moving a wall: impossible for a human. She blinks a few times in astonishment, before her facial features softened and she smiles. "Oh, Kamui.... Okay." He's being sooooo cute. Maybe the call is job-related, considering the many times Kamui has ignored Abuto's calls, but... Namida can't find it in her heart to leave him when he's like this. Ultimately, she brushes his hair some more and plants a loving kiss to the top of his head. Whispering reassuringly. "I'll stay. I won't go anywhere. I'm right here."

Then an idea crosses her mind. "Hey, Kamui? Do you know what a sleepover is? It's something friends do on earth when they want to stay the night. Games, DVDs, gossip, spa treatments, blanket forts and junk food are sleepover mainstays, but we can also just... Stay like this relaxing and sleeping... Is it okay for you to stay one night? Eheh... Waking up in the morning to see you would be a nice change. I feel like it'd be fun to find out if you snore in your sleep or not hmmmm~?" She cheekily, though quietly, giggles at that little tease, but then stops when realizing he'll find out if SHE snores or not. Cheeks growing red. "Th-That's not to say that I'M the type to snore! I-I don't snore!" Yea we'll see about that.

Kamui had been really excited to give her this flower. It was the one that he had mentioned to her not long ago, saying it reminded him of her. It was a Lisianthus flower, which was the same color as her eyes. Kamui honestly really liked her eyes. Especially with the way they'll lighten up whenever he'd do something that made her happy. Since Namida had mentioned the previous flower he gave her was withering, he decided to go back to that planet he went to where he found a large field of lisianthus flowers. Just like he wanted, she looked really happy when he gave her to her. Kamui couldn't help smiling himself.

''I just didn't want you to be sad over the other flower wilting at some point.'' He'd say, warmth filling the hues of blue he'd gaze at her with. Kamui, however, wasn't aware that the flowers he gave her were well known for representing lifelong love. It could very well represent how he felt for her, even if he, himself, hadn't yet realized the truth.

''And I really enjoy seeing you smile too. ♡'' He really couldn't help but feel a racing within his chest, just from her influence alone. Happiness filling him from seeing how her features brighten, made him want to do nothing but strive to make sure she always looked like that. When he was with her, it seemed... every blood thirsty thought was replaced with this gentle feeling. It only increased when she took the flower, and kissed him on the cheek. The feeling was impossible to fight, he really didn't make an effort to though. ''You're welcome.'' Yeah, he probably would do just about anything for her. Just to see her like that, just to feel this way from the sight of it. He'll do anything.

Kamui was glad she hadn't been busy and brought him inside her apartment. His ahoge would even excitedly wave about, since he gets to spend time with his favorite person. Her apartment always felt so relaxing. More when she was there though, whenever he came over when she wasn't home just didn't feel the same. But, he did like having a meal cooked up for her by the time she came home. Then being able to eat together too? He loved that.

When Namida guided him to the living room, showing Kamui a table where the wilting flower had been placed. Seeing how much this meant to her, resulted in a soft laugh escaping him. ''You're.... really cute you know?'' He couldn't help saying that when observing her. He's definitely going to continue getting her more flowers in the future.

However, when she brought up the whole topic of pressing flowers, to no one's surprise he just looked at her confused. He's never heard about that, but Kamui was really intrigued on this method that allowed someone to keep a flower from wilting. ''People on earth really know some interesting stuff, so sure I'd like to see.'' The fact that she's going through the trouble to preserve a gift he gave her, meant a lot to him. Kamui would stand there observing her closely, to see how the whole process worked. When she brought up doing this in school though, he was perplexed since all his education came from his parents, and anything he learned on his own or from experience. Maybe he'll ask her about that some other time. He was more interested in watching her in silence right now. However, the way she acted after bringing out those books made him unable to hold back a snort.

''I wasn't even going to comment, but you made yourself guilty by the way you're acting. I can already guess what's in those books now. Pervert.'' Cue the playful smirk he gives her, since he had been more interested in the flower pressing but Namida was just giving him ammo to bully her at this point. When she was finished, he'd made an impressed sound.

''Oooh, so the flower will last forever now? That's pretty cool. So you can keep any flower I give you for as long as you want. I'll make sure to get you a lot more. I mean, you're as beautiful as a flower in my opinion. Only makes sense to.'' Complimenting her came so natural, since his thoughts about Namida were always positive nowadays.

Before he had arrived, Kamui had been busy. To make matters worse, his sleeping wasn't all that good either. But he still went to the effort to get her the flower before visiting. He would always prioritize her over anything, which would be worrying had he revealed that out loud. Kamui just really... wanted to see her happy. He was being a good friend, wasn't he? She was the only thing that mattered, so that's how it should be.

He'd see the way she smiled at him, and would immediately catch onto how she noticed his state despite him showing her his own smile. It was genuine, he rarely showed that usual fake smile to her, if ever anymore. But he did feel genuine happiness being here because of her, though he'd avert his gaze when witnessing that sympathetic look on her face. It'd end up focusing on the way her hand laid over his own on the table, the way she caressed it easily made him so relaxed. Namida's touch had a strong impact, it made him feel like things weren't terrible. It made him delusional enough to believe he wasn't worthless.

''I'm honestly.... happy doing anything as long as you're there.'' He'd say, quickly brightening up. When their foreheads touch, for a moment Kamui stares while she had her eyes closed. Just admiring her face for a second. How could someone be so beautiful in every shape and form?

When he was led to the sofa, without question Kamui laid his head on her lap. He loved being on her lap so much, it was so relaxing. Plus, he loved getting such a good view of her face. Her nice hair, pretty eyes, kissable cheeks and even more kissable lips. Hearts were liable to float around him with how fond he's become of her. When Namida started brushing through his hair, it really felt like he was on cloud nine. Kamui loved whenever her fingers laced through his hair. It was so relaxing.

His ahoge pretty much expressed everything, bouncing happily before forming into the usual heart shape it would go into whenever he was around her. Hues of blue even flutter close, basically he left himself completely vulnerable and at her mercy which he had no problem with. The way she pat his head, did make his cheeks redden somewhat. Kamui was being pampered with affection and relishing in every minute.

Eyes would open slightly, watching contently while she played with his ahoge, and rubbed his back. She was great.... so, so, great. It was only unfortunate that pleasant thoughts were interrupted by his phone. The most irritated of noises came from him, since he didn't like being bothered when he was alone with Namida. He had been quick to stop her, since he didn't see it as important. ''....Don't worry about it, and stay, please?'' His arms were wrapped around her waist, getting all pouty. Abuto can handle whatever boring crap he needed to on his own. He was just relieved Namida settled for not getting up, even reassuring him. Which made Kamui sigh out in relief.

He immediately beams when she started being affectionate again with him. This was everything to him. However he'd listen to her talking about sleep and the suggestion immediately interested him. So much so... he got really excited and it led to him basically pushing her down on the sofa with Kamui looming over her.

''A sleepover sounds reaaaaally fun! I'd love to spend the night! We can do that whenever you want! I love that!'' The idea made him so happy, although when looking down at her... Kamui couldn't help but lean in to kiss her. His own lips gently brushing against her gloss covered ones, lingering for a bit before pulling back.

''Sorry, I got... really excited. I always wanted to stay over but I wasn't sure if you'd be up for the idea.'' Kamui laughs before nuzzling into her neck affectionately,

''I'm not sure if I do snore, but if I do... you're not allowed to say anything or I'll bully you more. Maybe I'll check out those books you got so flustered over and see how perverted they are so I can tease you about it.'' He meant every word of that, since he loved seeing her blushing expression. Kamui couldn't wait to have their first sleepover, it sounded great from what she mentioned. Maybe sleeping in her apartment, with her nearby might help him sleep better.

''What kind of junk food are we talking about? Can it just be anything like maybe pocky, taiyaki, stuff like that?'' Of course, he was most concerned over what to eat. But overall, he was just happy he'd get to stay with Namida for an entire night. Seeing her face first thing in the morning sounded like the best thing ever. He could even surprise her with breakfast too. ''I hope you know... visiting you makes me the happiest guy ever. You make it so easy to not worry about anything just from being around me.'' His lips pressed themselves against her cheek.

''Spending time with you makes me soooo happy, so I'm really looking forward to this. ♡''

[sl-vega]

✧The Wonderful World of Sveltana✧

✧Sveltana✧-The world that ✧STARWARD✧ takes place in. A world rich in culture and history, said to be protected by a goddess that watches over them from the stars.

✧Yamazukara✧-An empire in the South-East of Sveltana. With an Emperor ruling over it's vast lands and a Shogun presiding over the military affairs. Yamazukara is known for it's military prowess and beautiful cherry blossoms, which is where it namesake is derived from.

✧Alvena✧- A Republic in the southeast of Sveltana. Known for it's technological advancements and advanced society, many well-known inventors and scholars originate from Alvena. Unlike other major nations in Sveltana, Alvena bows to no King and instead elects two consuls every two years and has a large Senate made out of both nobles and commoners alike.

✧Forsythia✧- A kingdom in the East. Forsythia's name is derived from the word Forsyth, meaning "man of peace". True to it's name, Forsythia has mantained good relations with all of it's neighbours and hasn't been touched by any major wars in the past three centuries. It is known for it's beautiful art and gorgeous flower fields

✧Moroz✧-A distant land in the far north of Sveltana. It is prone to harsh blizzards and has a freezing climate. Unlike the rest of world, the people there do not worship Sveltana's Goddess. Rather, they have their own deity, the goddess Shiva. Moroz is closed off from the rest of Sveltana, which has allowed them to preserve an untouched culture for over a millennia

✧Khepra✧-The Kingdom of Khepra is in the Southwest of Sveltana. Khepra has a desert climate and is home to a variety of exotic animals. While they have a pantheon of their own deities, they still have the utmost respect for Sveltana's goddess. Despite it's burning weather conditions, Khepra is an incredibly popular place for tourists. Khepra's citizen's are known for their kind demeanor, and their kingdom has it's own distinct and wonderful culture.

✧Althea✧-The Althean Empire is one of the oldest standing political powers in Sveltana. It neighbours Alvena due to their shared history. Alvena was once part of Althea before a rebellion 5 centuries ago. The two are on good terms currently, though certain citizens believe that Althea should still have full control over Alvena. Althea is also incredibly religous, there are many temples and shrines dedicated to Sveltana's goddess and several festivals and ceremonies dedicated to her. Althea and Moroz aren't on good terms due to this, Althea claims that Moroz worships a false god. The two haven't sided once in all of Sveltana's history.

✧Astria✧-An ancient kingdom that has fallen eras ago due to an unknown tragedy. It is said that Astria was in the very center of ancient Sveltana, and that it was favoured by the goddess, thought not much is known about it, supposed remnants of Astrian culture are scattered all over Sveltana. It is said that descendants of Astria's royal lineage are born with special powers given to them by Sveltana's goddess. Rumour has it that many experiments were conducted to replicate this power. It is said that only one has ever succeeded