#magik response

[amagicdoctor]

Illyana: I’ll be honest, I loved Clea. I really did. I think I bonded with her much faster than I did with Stephen. I just thought she was so... cool as hell. And for the longest time I believed her to be the greatest thing that ever came out of the Dark Dimension.

[tarotwithavi]

The type of lover you deserve

How to choose a pile?

Take a deep breath and gently close your eyes. Politely request your spirit guides to reveal the appropriate pile meant for you, then open your eyes. Whichever pile captures your attention is the one meant for you.

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Pile 1

Omg pile one I love your energy! So first things first you deserve someone who matches your energy. Like someone who understands you without even saying anything. Someone who can just look into your eyes and feel the depths of your heart. Someone who can protect and cherish your innocence. You're naive pile 1. You trust people easily and sometimes this leads you to people using you for their profit. You deserve someone who can protect you, someone who can cherish your innocence. Someone who won't taint your pure and sweet heart. Someone who won't tell you to change and be someone you're not. You deserve someone who won't tell you that you're too kind for this world and that you need to change yourself in order to survive. You deserve someone who'll let you be innocent and sweet. You deserve someone who'll be proud to have you in their life. You deserve someone who'll be sure about yourself. Someone who's ready to wife/husband you up without any doubt. You deserve someone who'll make your feel confident. I see that some of you may have daddy issues so you instantly like people who give off mature and responsible vibes. You deserve someone with whom you can share your deepest darkest secrets. Someone who won't judge you for liking things that you like, dressing the way you want to etc. you deserve someone who'll teach you new things without making you feel stupid. Someone who'll be patient with you. You deserve someone who knows how to handle their emotions, especially Anger because I see that you may have some kind of trauma revolving anger issues or people shouting and things breaking. I see that you guys had to grow up early, you had to be mature beyond your age, sometimes you feel like you missed out on so many things. So you deserve someone with whom your inner child can feel protected, secure and happy. You deserve someone who can give you the love you never got as a child. You guys could be born in June, March, November or August or these could be significant months for you.

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Pile 2

Welcome pile 2! The first message I'm getting is that someone of you could practice witchcraft or you could be interested in the occult. You could be interested in conspiracy theories or things that people do not talk about so openly. I also see that you could give off intimidating vibes. So you deserve someone who doesn't get scared easily. You deserve someone who has similar interests as you, probably someone with whom you can do witchy stuff. Pile 2 you deserve someone who understands your magic. Someone who believes in magic. Someone who is not too practical or logical like that type of practical person who doesn't believe in magik. Someone who can think outside the box. You deserve someone who learns, grows and adapts with time. You do not deserve someone who lives like an NPC. You deserve someone who matches your uniqueness, someone who is not afraid to let themselves shine. You deserve someone with whom you can travel to different places. I see that you are someone who likes taking risks so you deserve someone who has the same adventurous soul. You deserve someone who matches your freaky energy 😜 I see that you have a lot of stamina and deserve someone who matches your energy in bed. You're absolutely magical so you deserve someone who can handle your otherworldly energy. You deserve someone who can make your every wish come true. You deserve someone who is willing to put in the effort to be with you. You deserve someone who can offer you something in return. I see that you have been the type of person who does more than needed for others so you deserve someone who can spend money on you and spend time with you. You deserve someone who can show you how lovely it is to love and be loved. I also see that you deserve someone who can handle pain for some reason? Idk you deserve someone who won't feel pity for your backstory. You deserve someone who won't look at you with sympathy, instead you deserve someone who can challenge you because you love challenges. You could be an Earth or water sign, especially cancer, Pisces, Virgo and Capricorn.

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Pile 3

Whatsup! Pile 3! The first message I am picking upon is that you deserve someone who is willing to fight for your attention. you deserve someone who is ready to fight for your relationship. You deserve someone who does not give up easily. I see that sometimes you can be hard to love because you are always evolving, you are always changing, you are not the person you were a few months ago and some people cannot keep up with it. So you deserve someone who can keep up with your transformations, someone who will not stop loving you just because you have changed. You deserve someone who loves you for your soul, who loves you for your true self. you deserve someone who is willing to make things work. you deserve someone who wants stable long term commitment. you do not deserve somebody who is just looking for casual dating. I'm also picking up on the message that you deserve someone who treats you like a Queen. you deserve someone who gives you princess treatment and if your person is not willing to give you princess treatment then they might not be the one for you. You deserve someone who takes up on the traditional image of their gender, someone who is willing to provide and protect. I see that you romanticize old love, you romanticize when people used to write letters, were patient, and were ready to love. Another message I'm getting is that you deserve someone who treats your body like a temple, who worships your body. Someone who worships the ground you walk. Someone who puts you on a pedestal. You absolutely deserve to be treated like a queen. And let me make one thing clear: you'll only receive this treatment when you're willing to treat your person like a king. You deserve someone who is willing to learn new things for you, you deserve someone who is willing to change their perspective about things. You deserve someone who is also evolving and changing so you guys can keep up with each other.

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Pile 4

This is definitely my crazy pile 🤣 Hello pile 4! Welcome to your reading! You deserve someone who matches your weird energy like someone who is willing to be strange, loud and crazy with you. You deserve someone who is open and wholesome. I see that you do not give a buck about what people say and you just want to be your true self. You love spreading happiness and kindness. I am hearing “ she likes to give a smile to every stranger” . You should listen to “she's crazy but she's mine” . You're a walking representation of this song. You deserve someone who won't feel awkward by your energy, you deserve someone who does not feel threatened by the attention you attract. I see that you have a really unique energy that attracts a lot of attention wherever you go. You could be sitting there reading your book and people would still be looking at you like you are a star so you deserve somebody who does not feel insecure about the attention you attract. You deserve someone who is confident, you deserve someone who won't make you dim your light. You deserve someone who is just as crazy as you are , you deserve somebody who can match your vibe. Another message I'm getting is that you deserve somebody who is kind and humble because you are someone who likes spreading love around and you are someone who likes helping people. You do not like dishonest and ungrateful people. You deserve someone with whom you can help others. You deserve someone who is just as passionate about life as you are. You deserve an optimistic person. I see that you have gone through a lot of betrayals but you still choose to believe in love and happiness. You deserve an emotionally mature person, you deserve someone who feels their emotion and does not sabotage themselves. You deserve someone who loves children who loves working with children and animals. I see that you will be doing charity work with your future partner. You deserve someone who is interested in space, dinosaurs and random facts.

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[urdreamydoodles]

X-Men x Reader (Part.3)

You smacks their ass as they walk past (Part.3)

Each X-Man reacts with a mix of surprise and playful teasing when you smacks their ass as they walk past, leading to affectionate and mischievous moments.

Characters: Wade Wilson, Sunspot, Cable, Colossus, Charles Xavier, Hank McCoy, Lorna Dane, Magik, Domino & Dazzler

Wade Wilson (Deadpool)

Wade Wilson is the epitome of chaos wrapped in a red-and-black suit. You’ve been dating him for months now, and no matter how absurd or unpredictable things get, there’s one constant—you can always make each other laugh. Today, though, you’ve got something else in mind.

The two of you are lounging in his apartment—well, “apartment” is generous. It’s more like a collection of random objects held together by duct tape and a lack of responsibility. Wade, in full suit minus the mask, is rummaging through the fridge, muttering something about expired tacos.

“Damn it, even my healing factor can’t fix this,” he groans, pulling out a carton of spoiled milk and making a face.

You casually stroll behind him, biting your lip as you admire his figure. Wade may have scars that tell stories of countless battles and regeneration, but to you, he’s perfect. As he bends over to inspect the deeper horrors of his fridge, you decide to strike.

With a playful smirk, you swing your hand and smack his ass, a sharp, satisfying sound echoing through the room. Wade freezes for a split second, then slowly stands up straight, turning his head toward you with that signature Deadpool swagger.

“Did you just—” He breaks off, his eyes narrowing behind an imaginary mask. “Are you initiating some sexy roleplay? Because I am always ready for that.”

You laugh, giving him a sly grin as you cross your arms. “Maybe I am. What are you gonna do about it?”

Wade spins around fully, leaning against the fridge door with his arms crossed. His voice drops to a teasing whisper, but his grin is wide and wicked. “Oh, baby, you just opened Pandora’s box. And by Pandora’s box, I mean my pants. Wanna see what’s inside?”

You roll your eyes, but the heat between you is undeniable. His playful banter never fails to make your heart race, even in moments like this. He steps closer, his voice growing softer and more intimate, as if the whole world outside of you two didn’t matter.

“Careful, sweetheart,” he murmurs, his hand brushing lightly against your waist. “If you keep smacking me like that, I’m gonna have to make sure you pay for it.”

You raise an eyebrow, tilting your head slightly. “Is that a promise or a threat?”

Wade’s mouth curves into a dangerous smile. “Oh, it’s both.”

Sunspot (Roberto da Costa):

The sun was shining brightly over Xavier’s Mansion as Roberto da Costa strutted across the garden. Dressed in a sleek tank top and joggers, his toned muscles glistened with a faint golden glow—a byproduct of absorbing too much solar energy. You’d been dating Roberto for almost a year now, and one thing you knew about him was that he was as confident as he was powerful.

You were standing near the flower beds, watching him from behind as he headed toward the training grounds, admiring the effortless grace in his movements. He looked good, and you couldn’t resist messing with him a little.

Without thinking too much, you saunter up behind him, letting your fingertips glide along his back. Before he can react, you bring your hand down firmly on his ass, the sound of the playful smack hanging in the air.

Roberto stops dead in his tracks, turning around slowly with one eyebrow raised and an amused smile playing on his lips. His eyes smolder as they meet yours, and you can see the fire of his powers flicker briefly under his skin.

“Did you just slap my ass?” he asks, his Brazilian accent thickening just slightly. He looks equal parts shocked and entertained.

You grin at him, leaning casually against a nearby tree. “Yeah, I did. What are you gonna do about it, hot stuff?”

Roberto chuckles, his lips curling into a grin that could melt ice. He closes the distance between you with two slow, purposeful steps, his gaze trailing over your figure like he’s sizing up a prize. “Oh, princesa, you’re playing with fire,” he says, his voice a low, teasing rumble.

He steps even closer, his hand brushing against your hip, fingers gently squeezing your waist as he leans in. His breath is warm against your ear, and his voice drops even lower. “You think I’m just gonna let you get away with that?”

You smile, tilting your chin up to meet his eyes. “What if I do it again?”

Roberto’s eyes flash with amusement and heat. He pulls back slightly, running a hand through his dark hair before grinning at you. “You keep that up, and I’m gonna have to show you just how hot I can get.”

You bite your lip, enjoying the playful tension between you two. Roberto always knew how to turn a simple moment into something electric. His hand slips from your waist to the small of your back as he leans in once more, this time his lips brushing the corner of your mouth.

“Careful, meu amor,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. “I might just burn for you.”

Cable (Nathan Summers):

Nathan Summers, or Cable, was a man of discipline. Everything about him was precise, methodical, controlled—even the way he moved through the halls of the X-Mansion was calculated. His towering frame and gruff demeanor had always been intimidating to others, but you’d gotten to know the man beneath the soldier—the tenderness hidden under the scars and metal arm.

He was walking ahead of you, carrying a stack of mission reports as you admired the way his broad shoulders stretched his worn-out tactical vest. His silver hair fell slightly over his brow as he made his way to the War Room, but you had other plans.

The idea strikes you out of nowhere. Without giving it a second thought, you quicken your pace and reach out, landing a firm smack on his ass. It’s a bold move—one that surprises even you—but the sound it makes is deeply satisfying.

Nathan stops abruptly. The air in the corridor feels charged, and for a moment, you wonder if you’ve gone too far. Slowly, he turns to look at you, his one good eye narrowing while the other—the glowing cybernetic one—flares slightly.

“Really?” His voice is a deep, gravelly growl, but there’s a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

You shrug innocently, biting back a smile. “What? Just appreciating the view.”

Nathan’s smirk deepens as he places the stack of reports down on a nearby table, his gaze never leaving yours. He takes a step toward you, and you can feel the shift in the air—the intensity radiating off of him. He’s always been a man of action, not words, and right now, you can practically feel his unspoken thoughts.

“You know, you just earned yourself some extra training,” he rumbles, his voice low and rough. His metal hand rests on your shoulder, the coolness of it contrasting with the heat that simmers between you.

“Oh?” You tilt your head up, grinning. “And what kind of training is that?”

Nathan leans in, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers, “The kind where you won’t be able to walk straight tomorrow.”

You feel a shiver run down your spine, but you hold your ground, meeting his intense gaze with a challenging look of your own. “I’m not scared, Summers.”

His grin widens slightly as he straightens up, his large frame towering over you. “Good,” he says, his voice filled with a promise that sends your heart racing. “I’d be disappointed if you were.”

Colossus (Piotr Rasputin):

Piotr Rasputin was as gentle as he was strong. His towering, metal-clad form gave him an imposing presence, but you knew better than anyone that beneath the gleaming steel exterior was a heart of gold. Today, he was busy lifting crates in the garage, preparing for a mission with the X-Men. You watched him from across the room, admiring the way his metal muscles flexed with every effortless movement.

His back was to you as he carried one of the crates, and you couldn’t resist. With a mischievous smirk, you crept up behind him and gave his metal butt a solid smack. The loud clang of your hand meeting his metal hide was oddly satisfying, and you couldn’t help but giggle.

Piotr froze in place, the crate still balanced on one shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head to look at you over his massive shoulder, his silver face full of surprise. His steel-blue eyes blinked a few times, clearly processing what had just happened.

"Did you just… hit me?" His thick Russian accent carried a mix of amusement and confusion.

You grinned up at him, crossing your arms. "Sure did. What are you gonna do about it, big guy?"

Piotr set the crate down with a heavy thud and turned to fully face you, towering above you like a mountain of metal. A soft chuckle rumbled from his chest, and he shook his head, a playful smile spreading across his face.

"You are very bold, my love," he said, his voice deep and warm. He took a step closer, and even though he was metal, there was a tenderness in his movements. His massive hands reached out and rested gently on your hips, his fingers surprisingly gentle against your body.

"But be careful," he teased, lowering his voice. "If you start something… you may not be able to finish it."

You raised an eyebrow, meeting his playful challenge with a grin. "Oh, I think I can handle it."

Piotr chuckled again, his hands tightening slightly on your hips as he leaned down, his towering form enveloping you. His lips brushed against your forehead, a soft metallic kiss that sent a shiver down your spine.

"We shall see," he murmured, his breath warm despite his steel skin.

Charles Xavier:

Charles Xavier, the brilliant mind behind the X-Men, had always captivated you with his wisdom and charm. Though bound to his wheelchair, his mental prowess and calm demeanor always drew people to him, yourself included. You loved the quiet moments with him, where his sharp wit and gentle sense of humor made you forget the weight of the world.

It was a quiet afternoon in his study, the two of you enjoying a rare moment of peace. Charles was at his desk, reviewing files on potential new students, his brow furrowed in concentration. You watched him, a smile tugging at your lips as you admired the calm authority he exuded.

Feeling playful, you strolled up behind him. As you passed his wheelchair, you couldn’t resist giving his backside a light smack—just a gentle tap, but enough to break his concentration.

Charles’s hand paused mid-air over the files, and you saw the slightest flicker of surprise in his expression. Slowly, he turned his head to look at you, his sharp blue eyes filled with both amusement and curiosity.

"Did you just smack me?" His tone was calm, but there was a subtle smile playing at the corners of his lips.

You grinned down at him, leaning against the side of his desk. "Maybe I did. Are you going to reprimand me for it, Professor?"

His smile widened, and he raised a single eyebrow, the hint of a laugh escaping his lips. "That would require telepathic punishment, my dear."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Is that a threat or an offer?"

Charles placed the files down carefully, folding his hands in his lap as he looked up at you with a playful glint in his eyes. "I never make threats. Only promises."

He leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze locking with yours. “But I should warn you—if you’re not careful, I may have to enter your mind and… change your attitude.”

The playful banter sent a thrill through you, and you bit your lip, feigning innocence. “You wouldn’t.”

Charles’s smile softened, and he tilted his head, his expression calm but full of affection. “No. I would never change anything about you, not even for a moment.”

His hand reached out and gently took yours, his touch warm and reassuring. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t get back at you in other ways.”

You grinned, knowing that even without his telepathy, Charles had plenty of ways to keep things interesting.

Beast (Hank McCoy):

Hank McCoy, was always buried in some kind of experiment in his lab. His brilliant mind and strong, furry blue body made for a striking combination, and over the years, you’d come to love both sides of him equally—the intellectual and the feral. Today, he was engrossed in yet another experiment, the scent of chemicals and the soft hum of machines filling the room.

You watched him from the doorway, his large blue frame hunched over a table, muttering to himself as he scribbled notes on a clipboard. His back was to you, and you couldn’t resist the mischievous urge bubbling inside you.

With a playful grin, you walked up behind him and gave his furry blue ass a firm smack. The sound was muffled by his thick fur, but the impact was enough to make him stop mid-sentence.

Hank straightened up immediately, his large, pointed ears twitching slightly as he turned his head to glance over his shoulder, his golden eyes wide with surprise. “Did… did you just swat me?” His voice held a mix of amusement and disbelief.

You crossed your arms and smiled sweetly at him. “Maybe I did. What are you gonna do about it, Dr. McCoy?”

Hank blinked a few times, his large, clawed hands still gripping the clipboard, before a slow grin spread across his face. He turned fully to face you, standing to his full towering height, and you could see the playful glint in his eyes.

“Well,” he rumbled, his voice deep and smooth, “I must say, this is certainly an unexpected interruption to my research.”

He took a step toward you, his large furry hand reaching out to gently cup your chin. “But if you wanted my attention, my dear, there are far more… civilized ways of asking for it.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, placing your hands on his broad chest, feeling the soft fur beneath your fingers. “And where’s the fun in that?”

Hank chuckled softly, his golden eyes gleaming with affection as he gazed down at you. “Ah, I see. A woman of action, not words.”

He leaned down, his warm breath brushing against your cheek as his voice dropped to a low, teasing whisper. “I should warn you, though… you may have unleashed a beast.”

You grinned up at him, biting your lip. “Is that a promise?”

Hank’s chuckle was deep and rumbling, and he leaned closer, his lips brushing against your ear. “Indeed, my love. Indeed.”

Polaris (Lorna Dane):

Lorna is in the middle of assembling something mechanical in the garage, her green hair pulled back into a messy ponytail as she concentrates on manipulating the metal parts with her powers. You watch her for a moment, admiring how easily she bends the metal to her will. With a mischievous grin, you decide to get her attention in your own way, walking by and giving her a light smack on the ass.

The metal pieces she was working on clatter to the floor as Lorna whips around, eyes wide with surprise. "Y/N!" she gasps, though there’s a growing smile on her lips. "Did you seriously just do that?"

You shrug, unable to hide your grin. "What? I couldn’t resist."

Lorna raises an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk as she steps closer, her fingers beginning to crackle with green energy. "You forget I can control metal, right?" she teases, playfully levitating a nearby wrench into the air, spinning it lazily in her hand. "I could trap you in a metal cocoon right now if I wanted to."

You chuckle, stepping toward her. "But you won’t," you say confidently, knowing she’s more amused than mad.

She narrows her eyes at you, her smirk widening. "Oh, really?" she says, her tone teasing but her powers very much under control. She playfully pulls you toward her with a slight magnetic force, her arms wrapping around your neck as she leans in close. "Just don’t think you’ll get away with that every time," she murmurs before pressing her lips to yours, the slight hum of her powers in the air adding a spark to the moment.

Magik (Illyana Rasputina):

Illyana stands in the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets, clearly looking for something. You watch her with a smile, enjoying her no-nonsense attitude that contrasts with her ethereal, otherworldly beauty. As she reaches for something on the top shelf, you can’t help but walk by and give her a quick smack on the ass, a playful grin on your face.

She freezes, her hand still in the cabinet, and you can practically feel the shift in energy as she turns her head to look at you, her eyes glowing faintly with power. "Y/N," she says, her voice low, almost a warning. "Do you really want to test me like that?"

You chuckle, shrugging casually. "Just thought I’d see what happens."

Illyana steps down from the counter and turns to face you fully, her sword suddenly materializing in her hand in a flash of light. "You’re playing a dangerous game," she says with a wicked smile, her eyes filled with mischief. "I could teleport you to Limbo in an instant, you know."

You step closer, undeterred by her threat, knowing she enjoys the back-and-forth as much as you do. "And yet, I’m still standing here."

Her grin widens, and the sword disappears just as quickly as it appeared. "Maybe because I like having you around," she admits softly, stepping closer until she’s right in front of you, her fingers brushing your arm. "But don’t think I’ll let you get away with that easily."

Before you can respond, she pulls you into a kiss, her lips soft but commanding, a reminder of just how powerful she is and how lucky you are to have her by your side.

Domino (Neena Thurman):

Domino lounges on the couch, flipping through channels with a bored expression on her face. Her luck powers have a way of making life feel a little too easy sometimes, but you’ve always admired her laid-back attitude and sharp sense of humor. As you walk by, you decide to spice things up, giving her a playful smack on the ass as you pass.

Domino’s hand freezes on the remote, her mismatched eyes widening in surprise before she slowly turns to look at you. "Oh, so that’s how we’re playing today, huh?" she says, her voice dripping with amusement as she raises an eyebrow. "You’ve got some nerve, Y/N."

You chuckle, leaning against the back of the couch. "Just keeping things interesting."

Domino smirks, setting the remote down and shifting to sit up straight, her gaze locked on you. "Well, you just made things very interesting, sweetheart," she says, standing up and sauntering toward you with that confident, swaggering stride that makes your pulse quicken.

She stops right in front of you, her fingers tracing lightly along your arm. "You know, with my luck, I could turn this around on you in a heartbeat," she teases, her smirk growing wider. "But I think I’ll let you off the hook…for now."

Before you can respond, she grabs the front of your shirt and pulls you in for a kiss, her lips firm and full of playful energy. "Just don’t get too comfortable," she murmurs against your lips, pulling back slightly to give you a teasing grin. "Next time, I might not be so nice."

Dazzler (Alison Blaire):

Alison is sitting in front of her vanity, adjusting her makeup for the show she’s performing later. Her iconic silver jumpsuit glitters under the soft lights, and as she hums quietly to herself, she’s completely engrossed in her preparations. You smile, watching her for a moment, before deciding to stir things up a little. As you walk by, you casually smack her on the ass.

Alison lets out a surprised laugh, her brush slipping from her hand as she turns around to face you. "Y/N!" she says, her voice a mix of playful shock and amusement. "What do you think you’re doing?"

You grin, leaning against the doorframe. "Just appreciating the view."

She raises an eyebrow, a smirk forming on her lips as she turns back to the mirror. "Appreciating the view, huh? Well, next time maybe you could ask nicely."

She finishes touching up her makeup before standing and crossing the room toward you, her hips swaying just a little extra as she walks. "But you know," she says, her voice dropping slightly, "I can give you something even better to appreciate."

Alison steps up to you, her hands resting lightly on your chest as she looks up at you with a teasing smile. "But you’ve got to earn it, babe," she adds, her fingers trailing down your arm in a slow, deliberate motion. "You think you can handle that?"

Her playful challenge makes your heart race, and as she leans in to kiss you softly, her lips warm and sweet, you know that with Alison, there’s never a dull moment.

[diejager]

I have a fucking insane idea based on a DnD thing I saw once lmao. So basically, if someone went through an immense amount of trauma, it could sort of manifest into another being used for self defense. This being was literally only limited by their imagination. It could be a damn house cat or a fucking dragon. It was basically an extension of their body that was a result of a dangerous or traumatic situation. It could help with other tasks as well, but its main purpose is defense. I need to see the men react to this, I’m begging

Monster au. Plz

~🧋

Cw: trauma, inaccurate magic, tell me if I missed any.

They were familiar with all kind of magic. Be it Old Magics and Magiks, enchantments, hexes, curses, dark arts, and everything known to the world, yours was…. peculiar. Quite peculiar for a person without any ties to a magical lineage or prior knowledge of powers. You were just a normal human - as normal as you could be with all your fearlessness towards monsters and hybrids alike - with a few unique perks and qualities, but a human no less. You weren’t any different from your parents, your extended family or any friends. A mortal with soft flesh, resilient and persevering, wild imaginations and genial abilities to adapt and conquer, and yet, were so, so fragile. 

They hadn’t expected it, with Farah - the only witch they personally knew - tied to Alex by the hip and always on the move, their repertoire of magical knowledge was lacking. So, there was a mass of confusion between them, one that made understanding your strange ability difficult, but not impossible. They had Laswell’s help to sift through all existing records, some confidential, hidden under red tapes and confidentiality regulations, and others public, open to any curious eyes and prying noses. 

The black Maine Coon that seemed to follow you, her lumbering figure and elegantly, curled fur that stood out among patches of grey and military green and browns of the base brought many questions, but all shrugged away at the mere sight of those piercing green eyes, vibrant lime that seemed to glow in darkness. She could light up the room with a single glance. It was as odd as it was menacing, and she was fiercely protective of you, shadowing your steps, curling her tail around your leg, laying on your lap when you sat and glaring at anyone who tried to approach you. 

A spirit animal someone had commented, a guardian in the shape of a cat another had hushed. She was all speculations and would stay that way until someone found out more about your Maine Coon, or if someone grew a pair and actually asked you rather than treating it like a secret mission conducted behind your back. A mystery to resolve, a like game they thought it be amusing to play until you found them out or someone gave up after grueling weeks of hitting a brocade —a dead end. 

It was fun and all, at least while it lasted. They felt like they were so close to figuring it out by themselves - pride and ego, you’d cackle. You’d have a field day laughing at them for them, then praise them for holding out so long - and Soap went out and begged for an answer. 

“I was wondering when one of you would crack,” you smiled, running your fingers through her fur, brushing away knots and tangles, “Took you longer than I expected.”

You had known of their investigation, but never spoke up. It riled them up, a thrill at finally being given the knowledge they’re hungered for, an adrenaline that pumped from their hearts to know the answer. And you stalled, teasing them with the pretty curl of your lips, taking all the time you needed to have them squirm in their seats and hang at every word that fell from your mouth.

“She’s a… trauma response, of some kind. I don’t really know how or why, but she just appeared one day while I was recovering. I was confused,” you laughed, nuzzling her scruff when she sat up to lick your chin, “Really confused. But I did some tests, experiments out of sheer boredom and discovered she came from my mind- or a product of it.”

“Your mind..?”

“You know humans have vivid imaginations, as physically unfortunate we are, our minds are a… strange thing, and she came right out of it.”

“So she could be… anything?”

You threw your head back, pulling her up in your arms as if she was the lightest kitten ever, your smile so wide it was infectiously making them smile.

“Anything that my mind can conjure up.”

Taglist: @craxy-person @crowbird @dead-cipher @iwannabealocalcryptid @iizx7y @mxtokko @capricorn-anon @perfectus-in-morte @sae1kie @yeoldedumbslut @bvxygriimes @distracteddragoness @konigsblog @angelcakes-22 @ramadiiiisme @ramblingsofachaoticthinker @im-making-an-effort @love-dove-noora @jinxxangel13 @daisychainsinknots @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @mul-pi @danielle143 @beau-min @makayla-666 @urfavsunkissedleo @notspiders @brokenpieces-72 @luvecarson @petwifed @randominstake @heartelysia @jggykhug09090 @hayleybarnesx @shironasumi @sparky--bunny @bloobewy @call-me-nyxx @sans-chara @cod-z @sweetnanah @aldis-nuts @thigh-o-saur @evolutionarry @kaoyamamegami @cassiecasluciluce @sobbingnshtting

[kiwiana-writes]

WIP Wednesday

*taps mic* This thing on?

I'm not gonna lie to y'all; writing has been TOUGH the last few weeks. Reading has been even worse. If anyone wants to swap brains for a bit, I would be a thousand percent down. However, I did get some actual words on an actual page for the first time in a hot minute this week. It's stupid and spicy and the premise is flimsy as fuck: in other words, basically my whole brand. Let's go.

Henry just hums in response, pulling Alex in for a lingering kiss, his hands sliding up under Alex’s t-shirt and tracing patterns into his skin. By the time they break apart, Alex is hard in his sweatpants and Henry’s cheeks are gratifyingly flushed.  “Can’t believe you’re gonna cockblock me for an entire month, you asshole.” “Well, technically”—Henry quirks an eyebrow—“the deal wasn’t that I can’t have sex. Just that I can’t come.” And that’s… interesting. Henry coming undone is a beautiful thing, but Henry wanting to come undone is something else entirely—wild and uninhibited and desperate. Suddenly, Alex can see an upside. “Guess our sex life’s gonna be all about me for thirty days, huh?” He grins, letting his tongue peek out between his teeth.  Henry tilts his head, considering. When he smiles, there’s a dangerous edge to it that has heat crackling up Alex’s spine. “Or perhaps, if I’m not getting an orgasm out of it, you’ll have to work hard to convince me it’s worth it, darling.”

Tagging @agame-writes @affectionatelyrs @anincompletelist @blueeyedgrlwrites @cactusdragon517

@cha-melodius @clottedcreamfudge @cricketnationrise @dumbpeachjuice @everwitch-magiks

@firenati0n @getmehighonmagic @happiness-of-the-pursuit @hgejfmw-hgejhsf @indestructibleheart

@inexplicablymine @jellibuns @junebugclaremontdiaz @leaves-of-laurelin @lilythesilly

@littlemisskittentoes @lizzie-bennetdarcy @matherines @myheartalivewrites @ninzied

@nocoastposts @nontoxic-writes @notspecialbabe @orchidscript @piratefalls

@read-and-write- @rmd-writes @sherryvalli @sparklepocalypse @stereopticons

@thesleepyskipper @thinkof-england @tintagel-or-cockleshells @welcometololaland @whimsymanaged and, as always, anyone who wants to play! (If you take the open tag please tag me so I can see!!)

[tethrarisms]

*sigh*

Let's do this again.

The most harmful and irreparable damage the MCU has ever done is definitely Wanda's characterization and how the "fandom" perceives her even when non-cb readers migrate to the 616 side.

(This is screenshot depicting a fan reacting to Russell Dauterman's redesign of Lore, an evil Wanda variant who first debuted in 1993 in Scarlet Witch #1. She will return in the new Scarlet Witch series this year)

In addition to all the "she's always been white" constant, toxic and racist comments, which only reinforces their lack of ability to recognize issues such as colorism, Rromani representation (when they actually know the difference between Rromani and Romanian, that is) and straight-up whitewashing, they also fail to identify a most essential trait of her entire characterization: her desire to do good and become a symbol of heroism.

Wanda despises doing harm to others. Her first iteration is legitimately a depiction in which she and Pietro are being forced by Magneto to work for him and his brotherhood of evil mutants, all thanks to emotional manipulation. She never means to hurt the original X-Men except when Pietro is hurt and/or in danger. It's her protective side, not her "evil" side.

(Uncanny X-Men v1 #4; #11)

It's also fundamental to be aware that Wanda and Pietro come from a place where there's trauma for being abused by Magneto when it comes to their powers. This is why they are hesitant to join the Avengers, and yet their sense of responsibility is stronger.

(Avengers v1 #16)

Now, when it comes to Chthon, it's another rabbit hole of struggling with independence, power and agency. Being controlled by an evil force is as an old trope as any other in comic books. Still, I can't help but notice that her relationship with Chthon is never truly solved as other magic characters' issues, so why does it stick to Wanda the hardest?

Allow me illustrate with other examples:

1. Magik and the Darkchylde.

For those who don't know, the Darkchylde is "an evil side" of Illyana Rasputin, result of her captor and abuser's tampering with her soul.

The Darkchylde has several interpretations, from abuse to struggling with self-worth, and it has been established for decades as a side of Illyana that she despises, fears and suppresses.

(New Mutants v1 #71)

Illyana took years to make peace with her inner self and even had an arc to leave her reigning place of power in Limbo to Madelyne, another character who was villanized by the narrative for the very same reasons. Which begs the question.... why would a fan root for the Darkchylde to be her standard self when this is precisely what she hates the most? When it's precisely what causes her pain and leads her to a process of isolation and unhealthy behavior?

2. Doctor Strange and dark magic

Throughout sixty years of stories, there are a few moments in which the Sorcerer Supreme is faced with the old dilemma if he should use dark magic or not. And yet, from everything he went through, even in his darkest moments, he still chooses to do good. This is an intrinsic part of him. Yes, we've seen alternate evil iterations, but the main version is still a recognized, praised character for all the good deeds he performs on a daily basis.

(New Avengers v3 Annual #1)

3. Loki against fate

(Immortal Thor #2)

Loki's most recent and important journey throughout the years is precisely changing their fate, from the god of mischief and lies to the god of stories. They know they also have antagonistic roles to play as such, and yet they look forward to building a better relationship with Thor and the Asgardians. They're as complex as they come, but never back to their first and oldest iteration.

--

There are others, of course, like Nico Minoru and the Staff of One, Daimon Hellstrom and his will to deny his father's desires etc etc. I can even point a famous non-magical one: THE HULK. Yep, the guy who has spent his entire existence struggling with said dichotomy.

So you see, this is not a situation where "women can't be villains, god forbid women do anything" like some of them love to claim. You have Amora, Morgan Le Fey, Umar, even Lore now. The fact is, the MCU pushed the main version of its Wanda to be an irremediable character. Fans may or not defend her actions, but the truth is, they went too far for a role of opposition/antagonism justified by mental issues, which is yet another problematic, hellish rabbit role that we discussed so many times, over and over and over.

House of M is by itself such a harmful event in Wanda's entire characterization that, even now in the 616 universe, she still struggles to be (re)accepted by the hero community. She's still demonized by mutants, she's still depicted as mentally unstable.

(X-Men #7 - 2019)

Meanwhile, few writers are doing their hardest to give her some independence and agency (praised be Orlando and McKay). She has finally showcased her resolve to deal with Chthon by absorbing the Darkhold. She finally built a place to help people in a small community. She's an avenger yet again.

(Darkhold: Omega #1)

However, despite all that, she's still being patronized and lectured on (for instance, Agatha trying to take the Darkhold from her).

(Scarlet Witch v3 Annual #1)

The fact that she hasn't given up on the role of super hero only showcases how fundamental, intrinsic, unshakeable is her desire to do good. The fact that she's a nexus being and that the Scarlet Witch is a role passed down through generations are enough reasons to reiterate how important she is as a defender of the universe, same importance we often see in the role of the Sorcerer Supreme.

No fan has ever advocated for readers to be feared by a Sorcerer Supreme. Those are roles of heroes.

So yeah, "evil mother" and "serving cunt" will not do it for me. Because being evil means embracing everything Wanda hates the most and fights the hardest. So you come here and tell me that Wanda was supposed to be evil incarnate, to the point of comparing her to Voldemort, is plainly offensive and shows how little you understand her. You have other mothers to kneel to if you so desperately need one. Wanda is not one of them. Leave her alone.

TL;DR: Saying Wanda should be evil is stupid and harmful.

[ornii]

Jealous? Me? No…

Illyana Rasputin X Male Reader

So I finally watched The New Mutants yesterday, and I gotta say, it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad either. An okay Marvel film in my opinion, however Anya Taylor-Joy absolutely killed the role as Magik. And the idea of a Reader who also had a relative in the X-Men and is believable, gave me an idea, and this was it.

The relationship you had with Illyana was particularly hard to define. You wouldn’t call her your girlfriend, but she is also more than a friend. You sensed a Kinship with her ever since your, outburst. It sounds small but it resulted in the deaths of a lot of people, I suppose that’s what happens when a Mutant tried to live a normal life. Having the same genetic system as The Wolverine, it gave you nearly all the same powers, including a deep primal rage that could erupt at any time. Thus, leading you to being hospitalized.

Dr Reyas had an interest in you particularly, it seems only one Successful clone of Wolverine exists; you. Or so they think, you know of one more, Laura. Keeping her secret, keeping her under the nose of the Government was of utmost importance. Everything with Illyana was fine, she was being her usual self, rude, condescending, and just an overall ass to you and everyone, but it didn’t bother you. Everything was fine, until Dani made her appearance. A new challenger enters Illyanas game, and she doesn’t like it.

You and Illyana were watching Dani sleep, granted you two were outside the room, watching though the faded glass. You couldn’t make out any physical differences in her. She looked like your average teenager, maybe her powers are more psionic. You rubbed your chin and Illyana spoke. “I bet Pocahontas will try to run the moment she wakes up.” She said, almost to get a rise out of you, to see your negative but passionate response but you were simply thinking, blocking her out. She noticed your lack of response and turned to you. All your attention wasn’t on her anymore, but on this new girl.

“(Y/n).” She said with that stern Russian accent, it snapped you out of your trance and you finally looked at Illyana, as much as she annoyed and overall pissed you off, her beauty was unmatched, blue Iris, long gorgeous blonde hair like a brick road to heaven, and an accent that commands respect but has such a alluring tone.

“What?” You say, “You gonna bully this one too?” You say, Illyana smirks, finally getting your attention. “Depends, you seem to be infatuated with Pocahontas.” She said, you finally responded to her obvious jab and shook your head.

“Real fucking funny.” You mutter. “A new girl winds up here and you’re already jealous?” You said, Illyana kept her smile, but deep down she was starting to get annoyed.

“I don’t get jealous.”

“Then you won’t mind me saying hello.” You reply, and reach for the door handle, and for a moment you saw a short glimpse of panic in her eyes, as you gripped the handle, the voice of God spoke to you.

“(Y/n), remove your hand from the door.” Dr Reyas said from the intercom, she was watching, always watching. You reluctantly removed your hand. “Please gather in the main foyer, our daily session begins in 10 minutes.” She says, you look at Illyana and shrug, putting your hands in your jacket, you walk off. You and Illyana enter the room to Roberto, Sam, and Rahne, the other tree stuck in this place. It seems that there were only two chairs left, oddly enough, both seats end up with you next to Illyana. Reyas sits before you all, and starts.

“Yesterday, I asked you to think about… the first time your mutation manifested. Would anyone like to share? (Y/n)? Sam? Illyana? Roberto? Rahne? Look, we can’t help each other unless we talk to each other. I’ve said this a hundred times. This program can’t help you if you refuse to participate. So, Rahne, why don’t you start?” She said, Rahne was a short girl, pixie cut and had a soft Scottish accent, she wasn’t as feminine as most girls, but she had her own charm.

“I…” she started, but Dani, the new girl walked in, sulking.

“Please join us, Dani. This is our new patient, Danielle Moonstar. Let’s do our best to make her feel at home. Go ahead, Rahne.” Reyas said, (Y/n) shrugs and stands up and takes another chair and places it further in the circle.

“Take a seat.” You say, and sit back down, Dani awkwardly sulks next to you, and Illyanas eyes dart from her Hand puppet to you.

“Right. I was 13. I remember running through the woods.” Rahne began.

“How did you feel?” Doctor Reyas asks.

“Free. Like, the most free I’d felt my whole life. But guilty, too.”

“Why feel guilty?” You ask, “You get a turn into a wolf, that’s fucking sick.”

“Because I knew it was bad. I went to Reverend Craig… to see if he could pray it out of me. He asked me to show him, so I changed.” Rahne continues..

“And what did Reverend Craig do?”

“Beat me about half to death. Said I was a witch… that I was going to hell.” Rahne looked so, hurt. You reluctantly sat up from your seat.

“Would anyone else like to share their first time?” Reyas asks, and Illyana decides to turn to heat up.

“New girl. How fucked up are you?” She said, turning the ire on Dani, you turned to the Girl.

“Illyana.” You said, a bit of a grumble.

“Drugs, I bet. Or a nympho, maybe..” she kept pestering. You then decided to raise your voice.

“Cut the shit okay?” You said, The Russian turned to you, seeing your face and found an odd sense of pleasure in it. Reyas takes hold of the situation.

“Keep behaving… exactly like you are right now… and we can all just spend the day in solitary. I want all of you to think very carefully… about how you’d like to use your time here. And how long you want that time to be. (Y/n), since you’re already up… why don’t you show Dani around?” Reyas orders. You stood up, still locking eyes with Illyana.

“Yeah, sure..” you said, and looked over to Dani. You offered your hand to help her up and she took it, she stood up and you began to walk around, showing the new Girl around, that was a mistake.

Night has crept up to you all much sooner than expected, you were preparing to turn in for the night, finishing up clothes duty, the sudden sound of a clank of metal caused you to put the towel down and then around, you half expected death, but it was much worse.. Illyana.

“Oh, it’s you… gonna keep bullying Dani for whatever reason?” You said, but she wasn’t her cocky, overbearing self. She pouted and folded her arms, and asked a single question.

“Do you like her?” She asks, the question blindsided you.

“What?” You responded, and Illyana slowly approached.

“Do you like her? You act like you do..”

“I .. I don’t get it why are you upset?” You said, which causes her to finally just spew her feelings. “You are so fucking dense! Do you not notice anything you big dumb cute plyushevyy mishka?!” She yells, it took you less than a minute to realize she’s pinned you to the wall. Her arm now armored and placed near your head, as she leaned in, her lips barely brush up against yours.

“YA lyublyu tebya, Rosomakha.” She said, your mind translated the words.. “I Love you, Wolverine.” Your hands almost instinctively wrapped around her waist, much to her shock. Your lips pressed firmly against hers and her powers almost activate due to a high sense of, emotion. And it seems you two fall together, to her happy place.

Jealousy, from what I heard it runs in the Family…

(This was just a short thing I wanted to write, Definitely want to make more New Mutant Content, we need more of it.)

[roseharpermaxwell]

RWRB FirstPrince AU Recs - Part One

I'm such a fan of an AU, and I love how many there are in FirstPrince. Any situation you can put Alex and Henry in, I'm here for it.

Here are many of my favorites so far, up to 10k words. Give the authors some love and let me know if you find something you adore!

like a goddamn angel by @coffeecatsme. G, 1k. If it wasn’t for the hot blonde standing just inside the Red Cross vehicle, Alex doubts he would’ve even signed up to donate blood in the first place.

Alex decides to donate blood despite being squeamish, and Henry takes care of him.

take a picture (it’ll last longer) by @whimsymanaged. M, 1.4k. Alex’s physiotherapist tells him to start doing yoga, and it’s driving Henry up the wall.

Drummers Do It Better by @everwitch-magiks. M, 1.4k. "Drummers," Alex starts, hitting his drumsticks against the table for optimal effect, "are little sluts."

Nora snorts. "Are you sure you wanna make that claim about yourself, Alejandro?"

"Respect my authority on this subject," Alex says, with the conviction of someone who did in fact enjoy blowjobs in the bathroom less than half an hour earlier. Case in point. "For every idiot who wants to start a band, there's one tenth of a drummer. Which is why you have your guitarists and bass players talking about 'their band' — singular — while drummers talk about their gigs. Drummers don't play in one band, we play with whoever sounds hottest at the moment. So you don’t marry the drummer — they'll be out of your bed and on their way to bang someone else's hi-hat before you've caught your breath."

Or: Alex has some strong opinions during a riveting round of 'Fuck, Marry, Kill.' Unbeknownst to him, Henry is also in a band.

took you long enough by coffeecatsme. G, 1.5k. Alex is, as much as Henry wishes differently, very much straight, and wouldn’t think twice about curling in his best friend’s bed if he needed to shut his eyes for a bit. It doesn’t mean anything. And yet Henry can’t take his eyes off of Alex, hopelessly wishing he slip next to Alex and take him in his arms.

Henry finds Alex asleep in his bed. Cuddling ensues.

sparks fly by rizcriz. T, 1.6k. Alex smiles, glancing down at the maroon suit Nora had helped him pick out, feeling a little proud of himself. And, as he does most every time he’s in Henry’s vicinity, he almost immediately completely forgets the camera and crowd watching him in order to give Henry all his attention as he looks back up. “I’m touched,” He says, bringing his free hand to his heart, and reminding himself to speak into the microphone in his other hand. “You remembered me,” he says, as if this is his first interview with this particular musician.

It’s not. Though, when he thinks back on it, even the first interview hadn’t felt like the first.

And if the internet's response to that interview were anything to go by, they didn’t think it did, either.

or, Pop star Henry and red carpet correspondent Alex.

like it’s patrón by @hypnostheory. E, 1.8k. Henry points his gun back at the target, his left hand closing around his right on the handle. Behind him, Alexander clicks his tongue.

“Nah sweet thing, that’s gonna make the recoil hit harder,” Alexander says, reaching around Henry to adjust his grip. He leaves Henry’s right arm straight, but bends the left one in slightly, so it’s supporting but not holding the full weight of the gun. It puts the sight right in line with Henry’s dominant eye. “Put your left leg forward, right leg back against mine.”

Henry shifts his legs as instructed, which presses the two of them together from Henry’s back to his ankle. Alexander hooks his chin over Henry’s shoulder with a wicked little grin Henry can only catch out of the corner of his eye. “Take the shot.”

Henry meets Alexander at a gun range, but it’s not the first time they’ve met. Alex calls in a raincheck.

the odds are never in your favor by coffeecatsme. T, 1.9k. “Love,” Henry whispers—that pet name, it’s that stupid pet name that made Alex forget the reality of the Games—and Alex knows the words before he even utters them. “I don’t think they’ll allow both of us to live.”

The ending of the first Hunger Games book, but with Alex and Henry.

Aftercare by whimsymanaged. M, 2k. When Alex has an intense hookup without aftercare, he finds himself on his best friend Henry’s doorstep in desperate need of looking after.

Getting Clinical by @cha-melodius. T, 2k. “So, come here often?” Alex tries to joke, only to realize too late the implications behind asking such a question in a sexual health clinic. He grimaces, hard. “Fuck, I didn’t mean— you don’t have to answer that. I was just— trying to make it not awkward.”

To his relief, Blue Eyes just looks amused. “And made it exceedingly awkward instead?”

(Or: Alex, Henry & a meet-cute at the STI clinic)

you're calling me? by coffeecatsme. T, 2k. “As I was saying.” Nora claps her hands together. “I have an idea. Spin the bottle, but instead of truth or dare or seven minutes in heaven or whatever, whoever it lands on has to call their crush right now and confess.”

Alex’s heart drops somewhere in below his stomach. “Wait a fucking minute.”

Or, Nora proposes a drinking game, and Alex suddenly has to come to terms with his feelings for his best friends.

for you i'd ruin myself (a million little times) by coffeecatsme. E, 2.2k. Bright eyes meet Henry's, and impossibly there’s a grin playing on the man’s lips, amusement where there should be disgust behind the brown irises. “Will I be arrested if I sneak their prince off to my room?” he asks, head tilted to the side.

Or, Henry meets Alex one fateful night in Texas during his tour in the U.S.

voir dire. by @chaa-kiao. T, 2.2k. Henry Fox had the Heimlich maneuver perfected long before he got his job as a teacher. Along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He also never leaves the house without his phone, lest he need to call an emergency number. Generally, he isn’t so overstrung about things.  Of course, generally, he doesn’t have other people’s lives in his hands.

When his soulmate knocks on death’s door, it’s more than likely Henry will be the one answering.

doctor doctor, i'm at death's door! by dearestalez. T, 2.3k. “How did this even happen?”

“Dropped a knife.”

Henry sighed deeply, “you’re the smartest and stupidest man I know.”

“Hey,” Alex grinned, “you married me.”

Henry finally pulled back, their faces inches apart. His smile was tired but loving all the same.

Or;

Alex accidentally injures himself and decides to hide it from his doctor husband Henry because surely, that’s the smartest thing to do in that situation.

Sunkissed by everwitch. T, 2.5k. It's been a long summer of being completely ignored by one Henry Fox, the blue-eyed boy who's been deliberately avoiding Alex ever since the first day of camp. When Alex finally confronts Henry, the last thing he expects is to find that Henry isn't nearly as stoic and unfeeling as he's always seemed. As the two form an unexpected connection, it remains to be seen if this sudden spark between them will last beyond the summer sun. After all, they've spent no more than a few hours together. It's not like they'll still be on each other's mind, after they've gone back home. Right?

the best intentions by @smc-27. G, 2.5k. He sees the flyer when he’s in town picking up the fabric and books June wanted from the market.

Once a year. On the prince’s birthday. The chance for his one true love to rescue him from the tower. A cash prize to go along with the prince’s hand in marriage. The title of Prince Consort and a palace of their own.

Alex knows himself. He knows how people are with him. He’s made people fall in love with him without even trying for it. He’s had to break hearts since he was 15 and Charlotte Marks told her father she was going to marry Alex. He can get some cloistered prince on board.

how do you want me? by rizcriz. T, 2.5k. “Christ,” Henry curses quietly, lowering the camera. “You’re beautiful.”

Kneeling on the bed, his ankles crossed behind him, a hand tucked into his briefs, the other carefully weaved through his hair, is Bea’s friend Alex. The light sits on his skin, a delicate shadow of eyelashes fan over his cheeks, and when Henry speaks, he opens his eyes and looks at him from beneath those eyelashes, a careful smirk slipping over his lips. He doesn’t move from the pose, though, as he says, “You’re not so bad yourself, sweetheart.”

Or Henry’s in over his head.

The Perils of Desk Building by @hillerskas. NR, 2.6.k

2B,

Are you planning on getting any work done in your specifically rented office space? Fabulous, as am I.

The thing about an absurd amount of noise is that it can be incredibly distracting.

Regards,

Henry (2A)

When I want sincerity by @clottedcreamfudge. M, 2.6k. Alex always aces his interviews – he's never not been offered a job after an interview, and he's had a fair fucking few of them. He's not a bullshitter, either – he really tries. He learns about the company, asks engaging questions, gives thoughtful answers. He's a fucking delight.

This one shouldn't be any different. (It is.)

Total Collapse by clottedcreamfudge. T, 2.6k. Henry hates him. This is an immutable fact. So, when they'd been arguing in the third floor break room and the world had started to shake, the last thing Alex had expected was to be saved from a hefty chunk of falling ceiling as it cracked and fractured above them.

break up with your girlfriend (cause i’m bored) by fxckingeyelashes. E, 3k. the one where Alex and Nora are Henry’s new coworkers, but Henry is mistaken and jealous.

Gym Buddies by @omgcmere. E, 3k. "I'm Henry," the guy offers. Alex pushes up one rep, then another. The blood is rushing to his face as he powers through more, and seems to be rushing elsewhere as well, because there's undeniable arousal pooling in his groin from the exertion. He struggles slightly for a moment, then, and instead of taking over like Alex expects, his new best friend Henry starts—talking. "That's good, so good. Perfect, can you give me another?"

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Sweat pours down Alex's forehead as he pushes the bar back up off his chest.

"Beautiful, just beautiful. So good for me. There you are, love." Henry helps Alex settle the bar back on the rack, and Alex exhales in a rush, his heart thudding almost painfully against his chest. Fuck.

PUMP Gym is notorious for gay guys cruising, and Alex wants to hook up.

Tracing constellations by clottedcreamfudge. E, 3.1k. When Henry had mentioned he was going to be in a charity calendar, Alex hadn't really thought much of it. He'd said it casually enough that there hadn't really been any necessary follow-up questions; calendars don't exactly whip Alex into a frenzy, as a rule.

Two months later, Bea sends him an innocuous link, complete with a winky face, and Alex clicks on it without question.

And promptly loses his fucking mind.

diamonds are forever by rizcriz.T, 3.1k. Henry shakes his head. “James Bond is fictional.”

Alex raises his eyebrows. “But . . . ?”

Gaze slipping to the ceiling, Henry nods once. “It is not . . .” He says, making a face as his eyes meet Alex’s again. “Dissimilar to James Bond.”

Alex nods. “So . . .” He trails off, the information still processing. It’s a bit like his mind is buffering as he makes sense of it. It’s so little information, yet so much all at once. Like someone’s thrown an encyclopedia at his head and given him a cliff notes explanation expecting him to know it word for word. “That would mean—I’m dating James Bond?” He blinks, sitting up straight. “Oh my god,” he exclaims with sudden realization. “I’m a Bond Girl.” 

Love At First Bark by everwitch. G, 3.2k. “I still don’t know your name, do I?”

Henry watches Alex where he’s crouched down in front of David and gently scratching David below his chin. David absolutely loves Alex. Henry can relate.

“It’s David,” Henry supplies.

“Cool,” Alex says. “And what’s the dog’s name?”

Henry blinks at him. “... David?”

“What?” Alex exclaims. He looks from David to Henry and then back at David again. “Wow, okay, that is a choice.”

Henry wants to sink through the earth and never come back up again.

i wouldn't stop for red lights by matherine. E, 3.3k. There are flowers on Henry’s desk when he comes into work. They’re pretty, really – chosen by someone who knows him, because there are hydrangeas and white roses and daffodils, and certainly not enough baby’s breath for the bouquet to have been cheap. Not that Henry would make assumptions, nor that he’s the sort of person that would look up the cost of a gift, but he knows who put it here. Even before he looks at the little card attached to a rose’s stem, he knows, because he gets flowers every April 15th.

dinner and a show by rizcriz. T, 3.4k. For the first time since he walked out onto the soundstage, he eases into his chair, and nods, genuine comfort seeping into his bones. “Now it’s getting interesting,” he says, motioning towards the monitor with a grin.

He doesn't even think about his answer, either. Eyes flicking over Prince Henry’s features. He smiles slow and interested, and very carefully says, “Smash. Definitely smash.” And to send the point home and reiterate just how fucking bisexual he is, no matter how hard people try to bury it, he turns to the camera, and says, “Name a time and place and I’m there.”

Or, a game of smash or pass changes two lives irrevocably.

The Beginner’s Guide to Floriography by @harrysglasses. G, 3.4k. Henry owns a flower shop. Alex is a frequent customer with a very busy love life.

home by rizcriz. T, 3.4k. For a moment he fears Henry’s been outed against his will somehow, but he scrolls down to find a video clip. Unable to trust himself to watch the video, he scrolls a little further to read the transcript.

He learns that Henry had come out during a ribbon cutting, of all things. He’d stood in front of a crowd of a couple hundred people gathered for the opening of a new youth shelter, and he’d told his truth. Alex is tempted to watch the video, to examine his body language to see if it was planned or not, but he reads further and one sentence stands out to tell him it wasn’t.

There is no comment yet from Buckingham Palace.

or, six months after Henry rejected Alex at Kensington Palace.

sweet like candy by @indomitable-love. T, 3.5k. Alex is going to kill Nora.

A 68.9% chance he wasn’t going to fall and break his leg, his ass.

And now he has recovery from one minor surgery, a mountain of medical debt, and a story that Alex will be hearing about every holiday, birthday and other family occasion for the rest of his goddamn life to look forward to.

Alex shouldn’t have let Nora goad him on. But he was restless, and he did. He can’t be too mad though, not when his own stupidity led to him meeting Henry.

call it what you want to by rizcriz. T, 3.8k. It’s.

Not a secret, exactly.

It’s just, time fucking flies when you’re having fun and before anyone knows it you’re six months deep in a relationship that feels like its going to stand the test of time and neither you nor your boyfriend know how to sit down your friends and family and tell them the truth. And, okay, this is kind of their faults, in a way, because they had agreed to test the limits of their relationship in the privacy of their apartment and never really in front of anyone else—

Okay, fuck, maybe it is a secret. 

A different kind of Crown Court by clottedcreamfudge. E, 4k. Henry doesn't even really want to be courted, is the thing; the freedom to be himself is absolutely lovely, and he wouldn't give it up for anything, but the idea of marrying a single one of the obsequious, boring, or downright strange men he's come across so far fills him with dread. Why can't he just be himself for a while? Why can't he just… Well, not play the field exactly, but—

Actually, yes. That's exactly what he wants to do.

I Miss You Exceptionally by ronans. NR, 4.2k. Alex’s jaw clenches more and more tightly as he catches Henry’s name floating around in various strangers’ conversations. It’s not a surprise, obviously, but it doesn’t really sit well.

‘I can hear your teeth cracking,’ Nora says, shoving his arm.

‘I’m sorry if I’m not exactly thrilled that my ears are getting railed by the name of the guy who flew across an ocean to avoid me.’

‘I thought you were into that.’

Or, Alex Claremont-Diaz has been blanked for five years after kissing his college roommate, when said college roommate writes perhaps the most devastating novel Alex has never read.

kitchen confidential by @dumbpeachjuice. T, 4.3k. The NDA is approximately a mile long.

“Jesus fuck,” Alex splutters. “What, is their favourite film The Menu or something? Am I gonna come out of this one alive?”

Or, the one where Alex is hired to cater a private dinner party for Prince Henry and his friends, and it does not go as he expects.

Sleep With Me by HMS_Chill. G, 4.3k. Ever since high school, Alex has been falling asleep to the same podcast: Sleep With Me, where a British man named Tilney tells rambling bedtime stories and gives positive affirmations. But after they're outed, the podcast goes quiet, and Tilney may be closer than Alex thinks.

dad of honour by stutteringpeach. G, 4.6k. Henry and Alex are getting married. Arthur knows just what to do.

in need of assistance by stutteringpeach. G, 4.6k. Henry has a crush on Alex. Arthur can tell.

9 to 5 by smc-27. T, 4.7k. Henry is Alex’s favourite colleague. By a fucking country mile, to be honest. He’s intensely competent, has an insane memory for process and policy, and is kind to everyone.

Also? He’s fucking pretty, and Alex might be new to bisexuality, but he’s not that new. He knows what he likes, and what he likes are men with pretty eyes and kind smiles and nice cheekbones and English accents.

Other men, too, but like. Be serious. Henry’s top of the list.

Unfortunately, Henry lives in London. Alex lives in New York City. They work closely together and meet once a week, if not more, and Slack one another almost every day. Alex is on the legal team, and Henry is in business operations, and the second Alex met Henry for the first time, he knew he was truly fucked.

the love of my life, forever by coffeecatsme. T, 4.8k. “So,” the host of the talk show starts, eyes glimmering with excitement as he gazes at Alex over the desk, “your new single. I think anyone here would agree that it felt like a death by a thousand cuts, listening to those lyrics. If you don’t mind me asking… There’s been a lot of speculation online about who the song is about.”

Alex flips his curls to the other side, trying not to smile. “Uh huh.”

Or, 5 times the media speculates Alex is dating someone else and 1 time they realize he's been with Henry all this time.

when you know, you know by vibrantsaturn. T, 4.9k. With shaky hands, Henry pulls out the ring from the box, looking at Alex with tearful eyes that he adores so much. Asks, "Alex, darling, will you marry me?"

Alex lets out a watery laugh, swiping an arm across his face to get rid of the rapidly falling tears. He kneels down to cup Henry's face and brushes his thumbs across his cheekbones softly.

"Baby. Don't you remember?" Alex whispers, leaning their foreheads together. "We're already married."

or,

Alex "marries" his best friend when he's six-years-old. It just takes some time for them to fall in love, but they get there.

for you, i'd set the world on fire by softcinnamonroll. T, 5k. Alex was four years old when he first witnessed love in person. He was out for lunch with his abuela and June, munching on a cheese sandwich when a couple sitting a few tables over from them caught his eye. It was a young couple, around his mommy and daddy’s age, and they were holding hands and feeding each other spoonfuls of their dessert.

[or Alex just really wants to fall in love]

Burnin' Through The Sky by @cricketnationrise. E, 5k. This whole thing is Nora’s fault, actually, and he will hold this against her for the rest of their natural lives. Possibly into the next. His personal life is fine. It’s possible he was whining about not having dated anyone since his last boyfriend, but this event is so clearly not going to fix that problem.

Or: Alex wasn’t expecting to meet anyone at speed dating, let alone anyone like Henry.

Library Requests by M0ssPiglet. T, 5.5k. “You read anything good recently?”

“I’m currently re-reading Pride and Prejudice?” Henry offers, and phrases it as a question because he’s a dimwit.

“Ya, that checks out,” Alex says, cocking an eyebrow. “But I’m looking for something that’s, I dunno, actually fun. You got any recommendations?”

Alex gives him a smile, like this is just the kind of thing you ask a librarian. Henry supposes that actually, it probably is.

“Right, well, I can probably help with that too.” Henry grabs another scrap of paper, scribbles down The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and pushes it over to Alex. “Since you seem like the kind of person who thrives on debauchery and general lawlessness.”

A 5 +1 where Henry’s a librarian who flirts via book recommendation, and one time Alex flirts back.

Little Talks by harrysglasses. G, 5.7k. “Tío, Mr Fox likes you.”

“What?” Alex’s heart skips a beat, a forkful of spaghetti halfway up to his mouth.

“Oh my god, Alex,” June hisses, “Have you been F-L-I-R-T-I-N-G with my daughter’s teacher.”

Alex is roped into doing the school run for his niece while crashing at June and Nora’s house for the summer. He stops bitching about it once he meets the teacher, Mr Fox.

before the first light by @dumbpeachjuice. T, 5.7k. “I don’t feel anyone. And I’m not going to feel anyone. Because I don’t have a soulmate.”

Alex looks confused. “What? Everyone has a—“

“I don’t have a soulmate,” Henry tells him with a sigh, “because I don’t have a soul.”

just give me a minute by smc_27. T, 5.8k. Alex isn’t obsessed.

He just thinks Henry is fucking beautiful and perfect and smart and so, so talented. He just thinks Henry’s fingers look gorgeous on his piano. He just thinks they like the same things and have similar opinions. And he just thinks if they could be in the same place at the same time, they might like, have something.

Okay, he’s a little obsessed.

Or: Alex is trying to be a GROUPIE here, but his kindness keeps getting in the way.

All for a Taste of the Honey by chamel. E, 5.9k. “So you’re telling me you’re not in favor of this plan,” Henry says eventually.

“No, I’m fucking not,” Alex huffs, glaring at him. “It’s stupid and dangerous and unnecessary.”

Henry cocks one perfect eyebrow at him. “You have another idea for how to get access to the room where he does his deals? The one that only ever admits Vega, his associates, and the strippers who entertain them?”

(Or, an FBI agent!Stripper!Henry fic. Henry goes undercover at a strip club, and Alex has a lot of feelings about that.)

In the Dog Days by chamel. T, 6.1k. Henry had been so excited when he’d announced it to their little group, gathered one evening at the pub, that David was going to be coming over to the States. He’d gone on and on—an impossibly soft look in his eyes—about how much he missed him, and how great it would be to finally have him here, and how everyone would love him.

Alex has his doubts. He’s not jealous, because that would be absurd. Henry’s one of his best friends. It’s not— It’s not like that between them. He’s happy for Henry, truly.

He just doesn’t understand why Henry wouldn’t previously have mentioned that his boyfriend is a fucking shapeshifter.

(Alex isn’t exactly thrilled to meet Henry’s boyfriend David—obviously a shapeshifter—but what really bothers him is the fact that David refuses to show his human face.)

heartbeats under coats by HypnosTheory. E, 6.1k. Alex, a DC lawyer on his way back from a work trip, is stranded in New York after a freak blizzard grounds all flights. He gets the last available hotel room on the island, but a freak error means the room is double booked. Unwilling to leave the other stranded, both men agree to share the room and wait out the blizzard together.

Want you BRIMNESxt to me by clottedcreamfudge. E, 6.2k. "On the bright side," Henry continues, still smiling slightly, "the staff and any stranded customers have been given permission to do the one thing every IKEA employee dreams of being able to do."

Alex thinks that the one thing this IKEA employee dreams of being able to do would probably get him fired, so he just raises his eyebrows in question until Henry elaborates.

"We can stay over in the showroom beds, Alex. That's what we've been given permission to do."

So begins The Great IKEA Blackout Sleepover of 2021.

(i would stay forever if you say) don't go by coffeecatsme. T, 6.3k. The words echo in his head, unbidden. The words from another life, practically another universe, shoved inside the small walls of a gilded cage, hidden in a room in London with shuttered windows and locked doors. A boy’s voice Henry still remembers ten years later, when he doesn’t quite remember what he had for lunch the day before. A boy’s voice on a phone that understood him better than every member of his family, even an ocean, a continent, three thousand miles away.

A boy’s voice that told him in no uncertain terms that it was okay if he wasn’t okay, that allowed him to pave a path until he was.

To open a new shelter in New York City, Henry needs to interview a host of potential lawyers to hire. He doesn't expect one of them to be the boy that saved his life ten years ago.

Turnabout's Fair Play by clottedcreamfudge. E, 6.5k. He manages to get a couple of hours' sleep – after working himself into a rage that works wonderfully at burning through all the caffeine and adrenaline – and pretends to still be asleep the entire time Liam's up and getting ready for work.

And cheating. Work and cheating. Because those texts were from yesterday and Liam said tomorrow, which is... Today. Cool. Liam's putting on his shoes by the front door and fucking off to cheat on Alex after five years of being together, and that's totally fine. Alex has gone past upset and straight through to vengeful.

shake it loose together by stutteringpeach. E, 6.5k. Alex is in the corner of his sister’s bachelorette party sporting the most confused boner of his life.

“Buckle up, cowpeople!�� one of the strippers is yelling. He’s wearing nothing but a neon pink thong and suspenders. “It’s time to see how well you can ride the bucking bronco!”

‘Pony’ comes on, because of course it fucking does, there are strippers at this party. It’s basically written into the constitution at this point—where there are strippers, thou shalt play Ginuwine. Fucking Channing Tatum and his ridiculously chiseled abs.

Love is Thai food and crepe paper by clottedcreamfudge. T, 6.5k. "Jennifer says, 'love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs'," Henry says, just as the microwave goes 'ding' in an annoyingly accusatory way. Alex glares at it. He's not in love with Henry; they're just goddamn arepas.

Have You Tried Turning it Off and On Again? by clottedcreamfudge. E, 6.6k. It’s been a month and Henry’s absolutely not making up IT issues to call a stranger who lives on the other side of a vast ocean, except that he’s doing precisely that. He’s managed to figure out that Gabriel is five hours behind him, but that doesn’t narrow things down particularly well, even in a country with multiple time zones.

Not that he’s trying to narrow it down. It’s dangerous enough feeling this connected to someone whose voice is an octave or two lower than the crown would allow, let alone when-

Well, when his heart belongs completely and irrevocably to someone else already. He’s already gone and handed it to someone he can’t have and who doesn’t even bloody want him back, so maybe that’s why this whole thing is so compelling to him. He can’t give his heart away twice, can he? Not when Alex Claremont-Diaz is already holding it in his hands, whether he knows it or not.

Foreign Bodies by clottedcreamfudge. E, 6.7k. “We both know it's not a doctor you need,” Henry says, sharp and beautiful, hands hovering just in front of him like he wants to touch Alex, but knows exactly how it would be received; like he knows Alex would burst into fucking flames at the first brush of his fingertips.

Three hours ago, Alex had been quite happy to live without being burned. Now, he thinks he'd pay for the privilege.

You Know the Rules by clottedcreamfudge. E, 6.7k. "Understood," Bea says seriously, eyes on the screen. "Loud and clear. You're terrified of commitment."

"No—"

"And you think that it's your erotic fiction driving men away, when in fact it's your lack of desire to connect with anyone," Bea continues, drowning out Henry's loud protestations. "It's clear to me now. Victor could have ditched the candles and bought you that antique writing set you wanted and it would never have been enough for you because you didn't want to be seen."

Rendered silent by his own confusion and Bea's profound wrongness, Henry stares at her for a good few minutes before he manages to find his voice. "What utter bollocks."

Kind of a weird question by @gallifrey1sburning. T, 6.9k. “You’re so sure?” Nora asked, and the glint in her eyes told Alex, very clearly, that nothing good was going to come from this. So, of course, he doubled down.

“100%. Photoshoot, performance art, whatever, I don’t care. That is not just some guy hanging out on the High Line looking like he just… I don’t know, wandered off of some beach in England where he was staring moodily out to sea waiting for his lost love or some shit. There’s no way.”

“Fifty bucks says you’re wrong.”

“And how the fuck do you intend to settle that bet?”

“Easy. You go ask him.”

I fall to pieces when I'm with you by viciouslyqueer. E, 6.9k. If once is an accident, and twice is a coincidence, when it happens a third time Henry really starts to think about it.

Three times Alex doesn't want Henry to touch him and one time he understands why.

Red, White & Royal Goose by fairestfaerie. T, 7k. Happy Gooseday Alex Claremont-Diaz!

Or, the First Prince soulmate goose AU that literally no one asked for.

Original prompt: soulmate au where one person finds a goose who leads them to the other person. the difficulty comes in not being mauled by a goose

i open my eyes and i see that it's you by weather_stained. T, 7.2k. Henry plans to spend the week relaxing at Lake LBJ with Bea and David, but he doesn't anticipate the near-drowning, the concussion, or the beautiful stranger who quickly endears himself to Henry—after nearly killing him, that is. Who needs relaxation when you have Alex Claremont-Diaz in your life?

who ya gonna call? by @anincompletelist. M, 7.2k. Henry is a ghostwriter. Alex is a little confused on what exactly that means.

Chasing Butterflies by quill_and_ink. E, 7.3k. "'Hey, how's it going? Nice weather today, yeah? Cute dog, what's his name? Quick question for you - d'you wanna choke me with your dick?'"

Piss-up in a brewery by clottedcreamfudge. E, 7.3k. "I hate this," Alex says, not for the first time, and Henry covers his face with his hands.

"Yes," he says, a little muffled, "that's coming across."

"It's not, like, personal," Alex clarifies, even though it fucking is. "I just don't really like sleeping with other people. I mean, sleeping in beds with other people. I like having sex-"

"Yes, alright," Henry says peevishly, not moving his hands at all. "You needn't extol further on your love of intercourse."

"Who the fuck talks like that?"

Sit. Down. Please Stay. by @historicallysam. T, 7.5k. Alex adopts a dog he found abandoned on the side of the road. She's nervous and he wants to make sure he knows how to give her the best life possible. Enter Henry Fox and his beagle David.

Can't Buy Me Love by @everwitch-magiks. M, 7.6k. Alex is a high end escort. Henry is his wealthiest client. He's also a total asshole, which Alex has zero patience for. He'd never let a client walk all over him like that, not even one with striking features and an air of firm authority that Alex has to keep reminding himself he’s not attracted to. But over time, Alex learns there's more to Henry than fiery insults and cruel dismissal. So much more. Alex is in so much fucking trouble.

He should end things with Henry before he gets burned.

(He couldn't end things with Henry if he got paid for it.)

Class(room) Warfare by chamel. M, 7.7k. “So what you’re telling me is that you’ve begun some kind of weird aggressive mating ritual with an English professor,” Nora says around obscenely large bites of her burrito.

“How the fuck—” Alex splutters, because he honestly has no clue how she came to that conclusion. “We’re not flirting. We’re at war.”

(It starts with a polite request to erase the whiteboards at the end of class. It gets a lot more ridiculous before it ends.)

it’s (not) the end of the world as we know it by viciouslyqueer. T, 7.8k.

BREAKING NEWS: SHOOTING AT NYC’S GAY CLUB ‘Ritz Bar and Lounge’.

June is saying something. He can’t hear her – or anything else for that matter. It’s like his brain decided to shut down and not comprehend anything in front of him.

The only thing he’s aware of is a thought at the back of his mind, hitting him with such force it’s all he can focus on – no matter how much it makes his knees give out under him, how his heart feels like it’s being ripped out of his chest and stabbed repeatedly with a sharp knife, cut into a thousand pieces with no possible repair.

Henry is in New York.

Actors Alex Claremont-Diaz and Henry Fox meet on the set of ‘Roses, Wisteria, and Royal Bluebells’, and stay friends after filming is over. When a catastrophe happens that tips Alex's world off its axis, he realizes just how deep his feelings for Henry run.

Dr. Dickhead series by cmere. E, 8k. Alex doesn't really understand why boring and pretentious Professor Henry Fox volunteers to help out at his students' events every semester, but he needs all the help he can get, so he's just gonna have to put up with him.

Blooming Lovely by Celaestis. T, 8.1k. "Yes, but we all know she hates chocolate. I feel like it's harder to say a big passive-aggressive 'fuck you' with flowers, that's all."

"Orange lilies," Alex blurts from behind the counter.

The man stops, turning his full attention on Alex. Alex realises pretty is an inadequate adjective; he's hotter than the surface of the fucking sun. Y'know, objectively. "I beg your pardon?"

lying in the low light by smc_27. E, 8.5k. The thing about having a one night stand with the guy your sister is close friends with and gatekept from you is that it becomes really fucking important that she never knows.

Or, Alex and Henry have a one year stand.

Or, Alex and Henry are in a relationship, only they’re the only ones who don’t know it.

blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine by @jackwolfes. M, 8.8k. "Do try to make a good impression tonight,” Henry mutters under his breath.

Alex’s jaw clenches just for a moment before he wills himself to relax. “Only if you try to get that stick out of your ass.”

After two months - two dreadfully long, boring months - of being married to a man that seemingly does not want anything to do with him, Alex gets a tip that his husband is going to be the target of an assassination attempt. He deals with it about as well as you'd expect him to.

ft: light whump, rash decisions, and sex in a bath tub.

all the words we don’t know by @smc-27. M, 9.2k. Henry, who Alex has never met or seen, and if he had, he’d certainly have a better reaction now. Something other than standing there and staring and not saying anything.

The only thing that makes him feel marginally okay with it is Henry is doing the same thing.

Then he seems to snap out of it, literally give his head a shake, and say, “You must be Alex.”

“Yeah.” He sticks his hand out too abruptly, and Henry looks down at it like hand shaking is a foreign concept. “Hi. Henry?”

booty shorts (a saga) series by coffeecatsme. E, 9.3k. Men should not be allowed to wear skin tight spandex shorts, Alex decides, as he watches the stupidly tall blonde dip into his millionth squat in a row.

Or, 5 times Alex stares at Henry's ass, and 1 time he does something about it.

Or, 5 + 1 times Henry wears tight booty shorts and Alex has feelings about it.

You're The Best Thing That's Never Been Mine by @cityofdownwardspirals. T, 9.4k. He can admit to himself that Henry is indeed the most attractive man he has laid eyes upon. Any person with common sense would agree with him there so he doesn’t read that much into it. He argues that that is why he started sweating when Henry smiled at him, just like he sometimes sweats when he watches Star Wars and he sees Han Solo on screen. Just two objectively attractive men, nothing more.

What he can’t understand is the fact that Henry was very bluntly flirting with him.

And while the flirting itself did not make Alex uncomfortable, he had to remind himself that Henry was one of his clients and that his fiancée was just outside the door while Henry flirted with him.

Henry is getting married and his soon-to-be wife surely won’t appreciate him hitting on a guy or that guy being their wedding planner.

He needs to get a grip.

The Woes of a Professional Matchmaker by ronans. T, 9.9k. ‘Mr Clare-‘ Henry almost chokes when he lays eyes on the man in the waiting room. ‘…mont-Diaz.’

‘You’re about to do a deep dive into my personal life, pretty sure you can call me Alex.’

Henry clears his throat. ‘Uh, quite. Alex. I’m Henry Fox.’

Alex beams at him and stands up, adjusting his burgundy blazer as he goes. Christ. The air between them clouds with the smell of Alex’s unbearably tasteful cologne as he moves past Henry into the office.

He’s fucked. Absolutely fucked.

Or, Henry runs a matchmaking business. Alex is his newest client.

I only tag an author once per post, but I'm still figuring out firstprince author handles. If you see one I may not know or find a broken link, please give me a heads up!

RWRB FirstPrince AU Recs Part Two

RWRB FirstPrince AU Recs Part Three

Master List of RWRB FirstPrince Recs

Master List of Recommendations

[thosegayoldmen]

WIP Wednesday

Thanks for the tags @kcscribbler @lokimobius & @elodiah

This is a little bit more of my Lokius Soulmate AU 👀 I am working on this VERRRRRY slowly...but working on it none the less! 😅 Have a bit bigger of a snippet than I normally post, as a treat 😘 (And also because context is lost otherwise but shhhhh)

“I need to ask you a favor.” Mobius nods immediately, and she finally looks at him from the corner of her eye. “Sure, what can I do for you?” He prompts her when she doesn’t carry on speaking. He’s never seen Verity so hesitant before, and he’s seconds away from his brain starting to run away from him, thinking about what could possibly be wrong.  “I need you to go on a date with me.” That stops any spiraling thoughts Mobius might have been having, his already raised eyebrows shooting higher in response. Verity continues to look him over, her eyes intently assessing him.  “Err…I’m flattered Verity, really, but-” She interrupts him quickly, turning her head to face him fully now and lifting a hand up in a stop motion.  “No! No, I mean, come on a date with me and someone else…who I am on the date with.” She tries to elaborate, waving her hand in the air. It takes Mobius a moment before he realizes what she means, recovering from the initial shock of the question with a warm smile.  “Oh,” he breathes out a small puff of relief, that was about to get really awkward. “Like a third wheel?” Verity grimaces at that, her eyes sliding away from him for a moment before she sighs.  “More like, backup…” She finishes weakly, and Mobius smiles softly at her. He goes to open his mouth but she continues talking rapidly. “And I’ll pay for your dinner and drinks if you agree.” He closes his mouth, looking her over with an amused twinkle in his eye. “Well, how can I say no to that?” He grins, and Verity breathes her own sigh of relief. 

No pressure tags for all! @loki-is-my-kink-awakening @impulsemuppet @mythical-magik @in-my-loki-feels @mirilyawrites

@silentxsymphony @devilbearingtrouble @andthekitchensinkao3 @doomed-spectacles @natendo-art

[welcometololaland]

(sorry, it's not sunday and there are way more than seven sentences here, so I couldn't even pretend. this is a little play on canon but in europe).

“Did that man just say ‘sweat drop down my balls?’” Henry asks, mouth agape as he stands completely still.  “Hell yeah,” Alex yells back. “But you’re not gonna get sweaty at all if you stand still!” Henry gives him a very forced smile and starts to bob up and down and Alex wants to scream. He knows Henry can do better than this. Such a sexy, sexy man can't be that bad at dancing.

“He really doesn’t dance, does he?” Siobhan giggles in his ear a minute later as she, Fiadh and Saoirse pass them, hands in the air as they dig their way deeper into the throng. Over their heads, he sees Maeve pretending to slap Freya’s ass as she twerks, two hands on her knees.  “He’ll get there!” Alex yells back with renewed confidence. “Come on, Henry, loosen up.” “It’s a bit hard to loosen up when you—” “Three, six, nine, damn you’re fine!” Alex sings, along with sixty other people in the club. Henry looks at him like he’s grown an extra head, which makes Alex wonder what Henry would have done if he’d yelled out the iconic lyrics to Azealia Banks’ '212', which had been playing when they first walked in. In response, Alex pulls him towards the floor. “It’s telling you to get low!” “My knees aren’t eighteen anymore, Alex!” Alex, who has obediently dropped down in accordance with the lyrics, stares up at Henry from dick-height. “Are you saying you wouldn’t get on your knees for me?”

OPEN TAG! (plus some emotional support tags and targeted attacks below) - I'm super late lol

tagging my eurotrip emotional support people + others who have suffered through me writing this fic for like 3 years @celeritas2997 @rmd-writes @indomitable-love @clottedcreamfudge @everwitch-magiks @dustratcentral @three-drink-amy @athousandrooms @the-amber-fox @villiageidiot just to prove im still DOING IT.

also thank you for the tags @chicgeekgirl89 @suseagull04 @strandnreyes @freneticfloetry @lemonlyman-dotcom @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @orchidscript @agame-writes @three-drink-amy @carlos-in-glasses @sznofthesticks @kiwiana-writes and @heartstringsduet

targeted attack for @dumbpeachjuice @treluna4 @affectionatelyrs @bitbybitwrites @inexplicablymine @liminalmemories21 @louis-ii-reyes-strand @reyesstrand and @theghostofashton just because i felt like it <3 (sorry if im too late for you!)

[dailydamnation]

Meanwhile, not at all ominously:

Illyana Rasputin in Dark Web #1

So here’s my problem with Maddie getting Limbo and everything she’s done with it since.

The Labors of Magik actually made a pretty a pretty strong case for giving Maddie another chance. It was in the spirit of Krakoa, and there's no denying that she's had it rough. But the fact that she suffered does not diminish the fact that she responded to that by abusing other people.

Giving her power over Limbo meant giving her another chance by enabling her to abuse other people, without any real proof that she was going to do better. Giving an abusive person a second chance is one thing--doing so at the cost of their past or future victims is straight-up wrong.

It stands out all the more because Illyana's entire history with Limbo is about her battling those worst instincts. She suffered too, but that just made her try to rein in those demons literal and figurative. Was she always perfect? No. But she tried her hardest.

In Labors, Illyana supposedly put safeguards in place in her deal with Maddie, but in Dark Web, those immediately turned out to be less than worthless, with how easy Maddie got around them. It makes Illyana look stupid (honestly, giving up Limbo would have worked better if we were shown she was actually at the end of her rope and cracking, but no, she just seemed to think it was time) and it is out of character for her not to agonize over everyone who got hurt because she gave up the responsibility of keeping Limbo in check.

[amagicdoctor]

Illyana: Thanks for the questions.

Patsy: And the gifts! Thank you, thank you!!

Illyana: Please send more if there's anything else I should address...

[tokiro07]

Ichi the Witch ch.2 thoughts

[Woo-hoo! Witchy...Man...]

(Contents: character analysis - Ichi/Uroro/Desscaras, predictions - narrative progression)

Okay, chapter 2, and once again I feel compelled to talk about it! I'll take that as a good sign for my engagement with the series going forward

Not only is ch. 2 even prettier than ch. 1, but it expands on a few things that I felt were missing last week, helping to strengthen the story in my mind

Where last week felt like it was meant specifically to set up the high concept of the series (boy becomes first male witch) and the basic philosophy (killing with purpose is hunting, killing without is murder), this week gives us a bit more depth into the cast themselves and their greater purpose

Ichi the Healer

Naturally, the most noteworthy exploration of the chapter is certainly Ichi himself, at least to me. I said last week that his philosophy of "death for death" seemed like a thin veil separating him from his base desire to kill, and given the gleam in his eye when he heard the word "hunt" in this chapter I stand by that as a possibility, but his actions this week imply a much greater commitment to his claim of respecting life than I initially gave him credit for

He didn't seem too broken up about it when he was shown the damage he had inadvertently done to the land, but the moment he was told there was a way to fix it, he did so without hesitation. Ichi was likely capable of forgiving himself for something he did completely unintentionally because it was on such a grand scale that he didn't think there was any use dwelling on it, but with the capability of making reparations came the responsibility to do so. The cost of being unconscious for a few days is paltry in comparison to bringing back the lives he inadvertently took, and that speaks to his opinion on life far more than the circumstances that allow him to justify killing

I don't know how or if Nishi intends to develop the dichotomy of Ichi's desire to hunt and his desire not to do unnecessary harm specifically, but I'm glad we got to see both extremes so early

Likewise, I think that there's a bit of a dichotomy in Uroro's character as well, though a bit more subtly

Shoulder Devil

As I predicted, Uroro isn't dead, he's more sealed within Ichi, presumably a familiar pactbound to the one who passed his trial. I don't know if other Magiks behave the same way, but I could go either way on it. If they do, that would give us a Shaman+Guardian Ghost or Weapon+Meister style dynamic, but that could also carry the risk of overloading us with new characters when a Witch has acquired multiple Magiks. I imagine they tend not to since there's no indication that Desscaras has a bunch of familiars hanging out with her, but they might also just not be inclined to come out at the moment

In the meantime, Uroro immediately tries to use his familiar status to manipulate Ichi into putting himself in danger, which would theoretically get him killed and allow Uroro to be released. When he gets called out on it, he notes that he has more motivations beyond trying to regain freedom: he also doesn't want to be forced into serving the Witches

While Uroro looks down on humanity, he doesn't seem to be a heartless monster, as he refuses to turn on his own kind. We'll need to see him interact with other Magiks first to get a clear picture of his opinion on them as individuals, but considering that he cites the depth of their history, we can reasonably assume that he holds the species itself as a whole in high regard

This sets up a strong conflict of interest for Uroro going forward, as he will be forced to face off against other Magiks, and there will most likely come a time when he needs or wants to do so. Like how Ichi won't kill until he's given external justification, what will it take for Uroro to justify turning against one of his own? Will it be because a particular Magik angers him? Will one stand between him and his freedom? Will one have clearly sided with humanity or disrespected Magik culture?

Whatever happens, how will Uroro reconcile that? How will he forgive himself? Will he even need to, or is he a hypocrite who's perfectly willing to fight his kind so long as it's not on behalf of humans?

Of course, this projection is assuming that Uroro is meant to be Ichi's partner who will develop alongside him, rather than the series' main antagonistic force deliberately trying to thwart his development at all times. Obviously, he's going to think he's that for the foreseeable future, but the question is whether that will always be the case or if sooner or later he'll turn around. I always thought Sukuna would have that kind of development, but ultimately that wasn't the case, so I won't make that assumption at face value this time

Now, if Uroro is the Sukuna of this series, then Desscaras is likely the Gojo

The Strongest Teacher

Ichi's situation is a little different from Yuji's, in that if Ichi dies, Uroro goes free, while Yuji's death would weaken or ultimately erase Sukuna. However, to keep these ultimate monsters in check, the ultimate sorcerers of these respective worlds decide to take these vessels under their wings

Unlike Gojo, though, Desscaras immediately loses control of the situation, with Ichi doing his own thing and getting her into trouble with her superior and making her regret her decision to look after him. They're both goofy characters, but Desscaras' power doesn't protect her from getting comeuppance for her self-aggrandizing and transparently nasty personality, which to me makes her a more endearing iteration of the same basic trope

While we don't know what her teachings will look like at this exact moment, this chapter does give us at least a little glimpse into what to expect for the series going forward

On the Hunt

I probably should have seen this coming when the narrator called the Witches "hunters," but of course the Magiks need to be literally hunted. It's what Ichi is best at, so it would be odd to make him learn a new skillset to use in an unrelated context

With hunting solidified as the feedback loop, I think we can expect something akin to Toriko, an adventure where the cast needs to determine the locations, personalities, habits, weaknesses etc. of the various Magiks to facilitate passing their trials. However, since we learned of an academy in the first chapter, it's also possible that it'll be more of a mission-based structure like early Soul Eater, using the school as a hub until a Magik has been located

Personally, I would rather the locating be a big part of the hunt, but I can see how that would slow the pacing, so I won't be too broken up if it isn't part of it. Plus, having the rest of the core cast be students rather than professionals makes it a bit easier to incorporate them into the story, so there would certainly be benefits if it ends up happening. Whichever way the chips fall, I'll talk more in-depth about it when we get there

Whether it's a school or a business, though, I highly doubt that Ichi is just going to accept organizational regulations at face value and go along with "tradition." He's the first and only man ever to become a Witch, and he possesses the King of Magic; even before being introduced to the world proper, he's already a shakeup to the established order, so his methods must not only be outside of the norm, but a necessary addition to reform outdated ways

As Uroro says, Magiks are "an indigenous species" being preyed upon by the Witches, who certainly are trying to further their own power. It's all well and good for Desscaras to say it's for a noble goal like protecting people from rampaging monsters, but it's undeniable that Witches grow in strength after acquiring a Magik. There's simply no way that all of them are trying to make the world better, and based on her personality, I highly doubt that Desscaras is either (though she may surprise me). Even if they are, they definitely don't hold the life or well-being of the Magiks in any regard

This is where I think "death for death" comes in; Ichi will absolutely respect the Magiks. Whatever locations they hide in, however they interact with nature, Ichi will undoubtedly take the time to respect and understand them, even if that understanding leads to him deciding that there's no value in hunting them. The prejudices of the Witches likely equate to "Magik = target," but Uroro suggests that they have their own society and culture, so a fresh perspective like Ichi's will likely be necessary for finding mutual peace between the two races

Or at least, that's what I hope. It could easily turn out that the Magiks are wholly malefic and only introduced spells to the Witches to sew discord among humanity, and they're ultimately no different from the Curses of JJK or the majority of UMAs in Undead Unluck. I would much rather this series, with its themes already reminiscent of the circle of life ideology, find a way to work in an angle of coexistence, but I won't proclaim that the series is bad if it goes a more common direction

Conclusion

I...did not expect this post to go this long, honestly. I figured each segment would be one paragraph and I'd move on, but apparently I'm incapable of being concise. Oops!

But again, the fact that we're two-for-two on this series' chapters making me write reviews on par with those I write for Undead Unluck each week is a great sign for how much I currently like and can expect to like this series in the future. It could end up losing me sooner or later, especially if it gets overly complex in its power system and geopolitical worldbuilding, but for now looking forward to how both of those subjects develop

[sketchedboba]

"A Green Queen" AU

Prologue Part II

A toad was sent to the warp-pipe that afternoon and as planned a troopa had taken it to the king.

Bowser reviewed the response quickly and returned a letter back within the hour, notifying the princess that he'd peacefully arrive to discuss the situation that very evening.

So there they were, along with Toad, stared daringly at the smokey flying castle landing on a hill in the distance. Peach had made sure to include that the demands along with everything that included Luigi's safety to be discussed over dinner. She didn't want to leave room for misunderstandings or loopholes this time around.

Once they had made it to the castle dining room, surely Luigi would have a clear head and make a better decision, right?

The King Koopa had agreed to meet them but was told he could attend as long as his ship and army were at the edge of the Mushroom kingdom.

Over everything, Peach wanted to ensure the safety and comfortability of her subjects which meant she needed to have the tension relieves from both sides.

In addition to the distance and to make things fair for him, had settled with Bowser having a handful of his own guards escorting him along with his magik koopa, Kamek.

The curfew was in effect by the time he and his troops arrived at the town. The windows of the small huts and homes were shut tight, shops were closed, and the streets were empty.

Bowser grinned at the sight and with a claw simply plucked an apple from a sales crate, but as he was about to eat it, Kamek butted in.

"Your Highness, we are here on a temporary truce. Please don't eat their resources without payment..."

Bowser huffed, "Yeah yeah, just wanted a snack before we get there..". He flicked the puncture apple at the crate but the force knocked several of the apples out onto the ground. "Ugh, clean this up."

The koopas behind him nodded as they scrambled to pick up the apples. Bowser yawned and headed forward with the remaining troops and Kamek while they finished up.

The floor quaked as Bowser and his party made it to the main entrance, once they stopped, a stillness tainted the air. His scales rivaled the sun's and his eyes almost seemed calm as he gazed down at the group. Too calm.

"Princess."

"Bowser."

They had bowed to one another, the mushroom guards behind her simply glanced at each other. They were astonished by the king's composure that one of their helmets slumped over their eyes.

"It must be hard for you to see I've taken slight interest in another, but don't worry. I only intend on puni-"

Luigi's breath hitched while Mario narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

Kamek interrupted, getting in front of the King while gritting his teeth, "Your highness! Like we practiced." He turned back to the group and gave a nervous chuckle as he moved aside to let the tall koopa speak.

The King raised an eyebrow at the magikoopa, a bit confused, but once it clicked he cleared his throat and spoke, "Right... I intend to treat him like a 'queen'...."

Peach looked a bit uncertain, but nodded, "W-We can talk about the details in the dining room. Mario and I will catch up with you all in a moment. The guards will safely escort you and Luigi there."

"What?!", The bros yelled.

Mario looked more pissed than he had been before the agreement, "You can't let this-this overgrown lizard go in with my brother alone!"

"I am RIGHT here!", Bowser rumbler, smoke snorted from his nostrils as he looked over to the short plumber.

Peach, sensed the hostility, gently addressed that she only wanted to let them go ahead first because Bowser and his troops were unfamiliar with the castle, "You two can talk about the simple terms towards your.. 'demands'..."

Bowser lifted his claw to his chin and scratched it slightly. Kamek whispered something to him which lit up his expression. He grinned and stepped past the guards,"Fine, lead the way short shack."

The mushroom guards looked at each other then hurried past Bowser to lead him and three of his koopa troopa inside.

"We also need to talk..", Peach noted as she turned to Mario.

Mario took off his hat and walked over to the ledge of the rounded fountain. He rubbed the bridge between his clenched eyebrows and thoughts and scenarios played through his head.

Mario sighed, defeated. He watched as his brother and Bowser walked inside. The uncertainty and worry in Mario's eyes merely reflected his brother's silhouette.

The Princess walked over slowly and sat down beside him, "I don't know entirely what he's thinking about all of this. It's like you mentioned earlier, you're both citizens but I don't have complete say in what you do, but... Luigi is tougher than he looks and he is just as noble as any ruler. I can understand it being hard to let go of a loved one, even if it's just temporary but if he chooses to go with Bowser.. you might have to accept that as his answer right now."

"I know you mean well, and I know the plan was to have him take your place when we rescue you then get him out during the wedding. But now you both want him to go back with that rampaging trashy turtle?! I.. why?!"

Mario looked up at her as he placed his cap back on, then turned his gaze out at the kingdom and the warm lantern lights below. "Of course, but that's exactly what worries me. Him choosing this, choosing to go and this decision being the reason he's hurt even more."

"...Ugh. You, green mustached one. You look... well?"

In the castle, the group made it to the lavish dining room. The silverware and appetizers were set out on the table already which caused Luigi to instinctively lick his lips with the savory aroma filling the air.

The guards of each kingdom took to their posts as Bowser decided to take his seat and patiently wait. Luigi frantically glanced at what he was doing and followed slightly.

He sat at a seat near the middle of the long dining table, while Bowser took the far end away from him. Several chef and staff Toads were setting down the last of the food and were finally getting the glasses for drinks. Kamek whispered something to the calm king as he glanced over at the tiny man, who was now fiddling with his thumbs.

"I usually sleep in early and have a little routine I do before bed. I have this nice air purifier, so I can..", Luigi went on.

"Huh?", Luigi looked up at him confused.

'Was this his attempt at a compliment? Should I respond? Maybe compliment him?'

Bowser glared at Kamek then raised his hand to silence his rambling. Luigi flinched, but kept his mouth shut, shaking. "I'm not interested in whatever nightly rituals you perform. I just came here to get a Queen."

"Why do you... want a queen? I-If you don't mind me asking."

The King grumbled, "I don't have to explain my reasons to someone who flinches at the mere sight of my claw.". Despite that, he enjoyed the fact that he could instill fear in the plumber, unlike his measley brother.

Luigi sat up his seat, not really liking the answer he got but looked back at his thumbs, defeated; he then tried to chuckle the comment off, hoping he'd feel better if he just ignored it. "R-Right.."

A few moments later, and a guard announced the princess and Mario entering the dining room.

She couldn't understand their silent argument either.

As they entered, she gracefully walked to the other end of the table and sat down. Luigi glanced up and noticed Bowser's eyes wander as he followed her every move.

Mario quickly motioned for Luigi to move over to his end of the table,but his brother protested at first which lead the fiery lizard to awkwardly look at Peach for clarification.

As he watched for a minute, Bowser smirked at Mario's anger and decided to add to it. "Since he is to rule by my side, shouldn't he sit next to me? He will be by my side regardless.", The King demanded.

The Princess sensed where this was going, "Actually, I think the seating placement is fine. Luigi can stay where he is."

Bowser, not completely pleased by this, growled with content since he was still closer to him than his brother. A small grin plastered on his face as he looked over to the red mustached human.

Mario, now standing, sat down abruptly. Holding his furious gaze at the lizard.

"Now.." she started. "You.. had mentioned that you'd like your queen? If I remember correctly, you and Luigi aren't entirely married, since the papers were forged. Up until the point of reveal, you had no idea it was him signing them."

"Well yes. I was furious that you would pull such a scheme, Princess. You know my flames only burn for your affection. However, the laws here are different from our customs. Signature doesn't matter, but who signs it does. Even if he used your signature, he signed it physically. As for the wedding, it's more of a customary thing, I enjoy planning those kinds of events. As I said in my letter however, the green one and I are officially married.", The King grumbled. His claws digging into the chair's handles and he clenched his jaws.

"What?!"

Mario looked over at the Princess who tensed up from the realization that Bowser was truly going to force him into it. She stared at Bowser for a bit, trying to find an ounce of malice, but to no avail the king was telling the truth.

Mario noticed her look of concern almost like she'd given into his demands, but put his anger aside for a moment to reevaluate the situation.

"So you're saying that my brother, even though he signed in the disguise as the princess, is still LEGALLY married to you? How does that even work? That doesn't make sense! It should be terminated since it was a fraud!"

Bowser grumbled, but as Kamek cleared his throat, he calmed down. "His highness, has the paperwork as well as a copy of our laws to prove it and the ceremony was only there to officiate their partnership, but the documents regardless of whether it was the princess or not, state that he will be married to the king. The mustachioed human IS the Queen of the Koopas... at least in writing.."

"What...what does that mean?", Peach asked.

Kamek looked to Bowser to speak only for him to wave his claws. "Well, a queen is allowed to rule for a year, if she finds the king to be an unfit partner, if he is... sterile, or doesn't accept the king entirely, the queen can leave. In addition to this, the queen isn't entirely the ruler until six months have passed, because of...egg season.."

The King interrupted him, "But, we've decided since this was somewhat of a mix up, we're generously demanding that I keep him for the year, so we can disregard that incident."

"And?" Kamek chimed in.

Bowser sighed, "And, to dismiss the marriage documents. He can reject me or whatever by the end of the year."

"And what if he refuses?", She answered. Mustering up the courage to speak.

Luigi quivered at the thought of being stuck with Bowser for months on end, in the Darklands no less.

The Princess was still processing all of this and tried to dig out some kind of loophole.

"One way or another, I am taking him with me.", Bowser said. He looked down at her as he was taking a sip of the soup from the tiny spoon.

Mario protested, "I refuse! You have to be pulling this shit out of your ragged ass! If you think you can just waltz in here and demand-"

"Mario!", Peach gasped.

Mario was about to say something else, but turned to his brother, dread filling his eyes. "Luigi?"

"I'll do it."

"W-With your permission Princess Peach. I will go with the king as his.....Queen..", Luigi gulped finally looking up from his plate at her.

She smiled a bit, but before she could speak, ended up taken aback as Mario bolted from his chair and rushed over to Luigi.

"You can't be serious! I thought you were just messing around earlier, b-but you can'-"

"I-I'm completely serious!"

"Luigi, look me in the eyes and tell me you're one hundred percent certain and guaranteed fine spending five minutes in the same room, ALONE with the komodo dragon wannabe over there!", He said in one breath.

Luigi didn't look at him, he didn't move. His eyes were glued on the Princess, still determined to wait for her answer.

Mario knew nothing he was saying would get through to him. He remembered what Peach had said at the fountain and as he removed his hands from Luigi's shoulders, he looked at Peach awaiting her response.

The Princess knew she'd hear an earful about this later, but could see the courage in Luigi's eyes. She felt a sense of pride in seeing him boldly take this leap, but also guilt that she was partially to blame.

"A-Also, I'd like to visit at the end of each month...", Luigi added.

"I, Princess Peach of the Mushroom kingdom, agree with your demands King of the Koopas. Luigi may be your queen, but if a year passes and he is displeased with the position and marriage. You WILL let him go, no retaliation, no attacks, and no outrageous schemes to get him back. Do you agree with these conditions?"

The King grinned, knowing he couldn't lose either way, but was still conflicted about the visits. He didn't want the two to conspire, but he'll consider how to conduct the visits later.

".... Fine."

The Princess let out a breath of relief and gave a simple smile as the last of her stress escaped. Bowser looked over at her and announced that a group of soldiers and his general will retrieve Luigi tomorrow evening.

"Dress accordingly, your duties as my Queen start that night, so prepare yourself.", Bowser smirked, a deep roar building as he spoke.

Luigi nodded, not sure what he'd wear, or why he'd start so soon. He looked over to his brother, proud that he stood so firm in his decision, all on his own only to see Mario, defeated. He had the frill of his hat over his eyes as he finished up his soup then walked off into the corridors cursing under his breath.

"Fine, but we'll be back tomorrow for him."

The taller of the two had a shock of pain fly across his face, he knew Mario only retreated this badly if he was in serious distress and excused himself from the table.

Bowser rolled his eyes as he stood up to interject, he couldn't understand what the big deal was, he got what he wanted. The Toad guards defensively crossed their staffs to stop him and though he could easily crush their toothpicks, he simply sat down and finished the free meal.

End of the Prologue

[kiwiana-writes]

WIP Wednesday

Thanks @stellarmeadow @onthewaytosomewhere and @suseagull04 for the tags this evening! I've been pretty focused on the subscriber shindig fics this week, and also final edits on the podfic I recorded for @aroyallybigbangrwrb which is posting REALLY FUCKING SOON, so I haven't made a lot of progress on bigger WIPs. However, I DO actually have something to share, because I had one of those 'imagining a little snippet and had to get it down into my Notes app before it disappeared' moments this afternoon, and in the absence of any other unpublished writing lately, that's what you get! This is another new WIP and definitely won't see the light of day for a while, but after decades (months at most) of being brutally bullied and harangued (mildly affectionately teased) by @rmd-writes about the state of my WIP folder... she forced me to add one (said 'ooh I want that' in response to a joke I made). Nothing has ever been my fault in my entire life, actually.

Anyway, y'all know the drill by now. Not into it? Scrolling is a free action.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re actually so worked up about this?” “Because.” Alex runs his finger around the edge of the glass, something to focus on that isn’t Nora’s too-knowing gaze. “Falling for him—it’s a cliché, isn’t it?” Nora hums thoughtfully. “Him falling for you is a cliché. You falling for him is just your inner contrarian coming to the surface.”  “Shut the fuck up.” He scrunches a napkin into a ball before flicking it across the table, but she bats it away easily.  “Look.” Nora picks up her mimosa, taking a sip. “You like him. He, for some inexplicable reason, likes you. You’re both going into this with your eyes open. It doesn’t actually have to be more complicated than that.”

Tagging @agame-writes @affectionatelyrs @anincompletelist @blueeyedgrlwrites @cactusdragon517

@cha-melodius @clottedcreamfudge @cricketnationrise @dumbpeachjuice @everwitch-magiks

@firenati0n @getmehighonmagic @happiness-of-the-pursuit @heysweetheart-writes @hgejfmw-hgejhsf

@indestructibleheart @inexplicablymine @jellibuns @junebugclaremontdiaz @leaves-of-laurelin

@littlemisskittentoes @lizzie-bennetdarcy @matherines @myheartalivewrites @ninzied

@nocoastposts @nontoxic-writes @notspecialbabe @orchidscript @piratefalls

@read-and-write- @rmd-writes @sherryvalli @sparklepocalypse @stereopticons

@thesleepyskipper @tintagel-or-cockleshells @welcometololaland @whimsymanaged and, as always, anyone who wants to play! (If you take the open tag please tag me so I can see!!)