#maybe I gave her supper too late

[kittymeiga]

Sound on 🔊

My cat has one (1) responsibility. And that is to wake me up at the ass crack of the morning to give her breakfast.

I then take my meds and go back to sleep. When I wake up, hours later, enough time has passed to be able to consume caffeine without interfering with my meds.

But for the last two days she has NOT woken me up. Now I'm so hungry and I have to wait for breakie. 😞😞😞😓

SHE HAS FAILED ME 😭

[ellieslittlewh0re]

Temptations - stepsister! ellie x fem reader

wk- 3.5k

summary- reader and ellie visit home for the summer after their time away at collage

additional tags: IM SORRY!! I know this is pushing it but it can’t be inc*st if they’re not blood related right? 🙃, reader is Joel’s bio daughter, sarah doesn’t exists in this bc I said so, ellie is adopted, rocker! ellie, band! ellie, loser! ellie, perv! ellie, weed! mention, ellie is kinda awful in this, like typical f*ck boy beat, reader and ellie are polar opposites so they kinda don’t get along, reader is a overachiever, ellie is a deadbeat, nothing too crazy happens in this part, masturbation! warning (ellie), no physical description of reader, mutual pinning and gay longing etc…

part 1 - part 2

psa!! I know this isn’t for everyone!! If you don’t like it, don’t read it!! 🥰

——————————————————————————

The sweltering blaze of the summer Texas sun made my thighs stick to the leather seat of my 97' Buick as I exited the car.

I looked up at the pale yellow house, peeled siding, and a crooked white picket fence hugging the perimeter. It was familiar. It was home. Memories, good and bad, rested in the floorboards.

I stood in the driveway, the strap of my tank loosely hung off my shoulder, backpack slung over one arm, and the other weighed down by a suitcase.

"Hey- kiddo! You're late."

A man shouted from the front porch, waving his hand excitedly.

"I know. I'm sorry. Traffic was bad moving' through Houston." I gave the old man an apologetic smile as he met me halfway, pulling me in for a familiar embrace of musk and pine.

"Jus' glad you made it safe, is all. Dinners on the table. Hope yer hungry- I think I made too much." Joel gave me a smile, the wrinkles on his face looked deeper than I remembered.

He escorts me into the house, taking my bags from me and relieving me of the extra weight.

The house looks the same, but at the same time different. Smaller maybe? The furniture was in the same positions, the walls the same color, although slightly faded from the years.

"Can you go get yer sister? Tell her supper s' ready." The man asks as he turns to the staircase off the entry, bags in hand to put them in my old bedroom.

I tense, my body physically rejecting the idea of my sister- well, step sister.

I was hoping to make it here before she did, give me a few hours of peace before she'd ultimately ruin it.

When Ellie came into this family, it didn't take long for me to become jealous. She quickly clicked with Joel, bonding with him over things that he took an interest in; building shelves, working on cars, hell, even playing guitar.

It's not like I thought my dad loved Ellie more or anything. I knew I'd always be his little girl that got perfect grades and stayed out of trouble, but seeing how his face lit up when Ellie was by his side, grease smeared on her cheek made me heart seare.

I start to head up the stairs, following Joel's lead when I remembered she hasn't slept up there since she was a kid.

During Ellie's angsty teen years, she had begged Joel for days to let her move her bedroom in the basement, claiming "a growing girl needs her own space."

Joel always shot her down, but Ellie wouldn't let up. One night when I couldn't sleep, I got out of bed to get something to drink only to be met with Ellie's 16 year old string bean self pushing her mattress over the railing, and ever since then, the basement has been her territory.

I turn, slowly waking towards the door off of the kitchen that led to said basement, not a hint of enthusiasm in my step.

I creaked open the heavy door, and the wooden steps creaked beneath my feet with each step. Sounds of electronic gunshots and disgruntled curses grew louder as I reached the bottom.

I extend my neck around the corner of the cement room, clothes and empty cans scattered on the floor, music and movie posters filling every inch of the wall surface.

"Els...Ellie." I repeat her name, but she doesn't acknowledge it, her focus never straying from the first person shooter game on the tv. The LED lights that outlined the room turned the space into a purple hue.

My patience wearing thin, I yell her name one last time.

"What?!" Ellie huffed, tearing off the headset that covered her ears and looked at me.

"Dinner is ready." I said plainly, rolling my eyes before going back up the stairs.

"What? I don't even get a hello?"

Ellie yells from her still seated position, a cockiness tingled on her lips.

I scoff, rolling my eyes even harder even if she couldn't witness it. I picture that familiar smug smirk on her face that she had whenever she was trying to piss me off, and it was working.

Ellie loved toying with you like this since you were 16, and she was 17, poking and prodding at you as she sat back, and watched you get worked up. Ellie would never admit it to you, but she loved how no matter how little she tried to rile you up; you'd always bite.

"How's yer classes going? Likin' your teachers alright?" Joel asked between bites of his burger, his eyes glancing at me and over to Ellie, more specifically towards Ellie.

"Good... yeah, everything's good." I nod towards him, giving him a sincere smile to assure him.

Joel winked, smiling back like he knew he could count on me when it came to that sort of thing.

Ellie didn't respond, too busy shoving food in her face which made Joel kick her under the table, jolting her attention away from her plate.

"Ow! What the hell?" Ellie yelled, throwing her hands up.

"Yer classes, Ellie. How are you doin'?" The man asked, a seriousness overtaking his tone.

Ellie groaned, throwing her head back over the top of the wooden dining chair.

"They're fine. Stop worryin'." Ellie gave him a glare before diverting her attention back to her food.

I watch her from across the table, my legs crossed as I quietly ate which was the complete opposite of her.

Ellie's elbows rested on the oak table, her body slightly hunched as she devoured every last bite like she was a starved animal.

I stood at the sink, washing a cup when I felt a hand grab my hip from behind.

"Sorry- here's another one." Ellie talked into my neck, her fingers digging into my hip slightly. Her chest brushed against my back, and her lips too close to my neck. It felt suffocating.

I hadn't realized her presence had me washing the same cup for the entire interaction.

"Hey, Ellie-"

Joel's voice boomed, interrupted into the kitchen, causing Ellie to push herself away quickly.

Joel stood in the archway, his forearm coming up to lean against it.

"I haven't been down in the basement for a long time- please sleep upstairs. I don't need ya gettin' bit by a widow or somthin'."

Ellie groaned, her eyes lolling back into her skull, but she didn't argue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner was long over. Joel retreated into his bed room for the night, placing a kiss on the top of my head before doing so.

I was sitting on the couch; the tv show I was watching was the only source of light that illuminated the main floor.

It was quiet and peaceful, Ellie had gone back down to her dungeon shortly after dinner, playing video games by the sounds of it.

My quiet was disturbed as the heavy basement door swung open, revealing a homely looking Ellie. Her sweatpants hung low on her hips, checkered green and blue boxers peaking above the waistband, and black wifebeater that snugged her torso.

"Isn't past your bed time, young lady?" Ellie teased as she opened the fridge, pulling out a beer before lazily making her way to the living room.

"Who cut your hair, Hellen Keller?" I snapped right back, a smirk on my lips as she took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"Oh- ha. Ha. You're funny."

Ellie pulled a lighter out of the pocket of her pants, using the top to pop open the cap of the brown bottle.

Her chuckle was low and raspy as she brought the rim of the bottle to her lips, her head dipping back as she swallowed the liquid.

Ellie had changed a lot since the last time I saw her, almost two years ago. Her hair is shorter, choppier, and a darker shade of brown, almost black.

Ellie is also taller and more muscular like she really grew into herself. Her face has hardened, her cheeks and jaw more apparent than before.

I sneak peeks at her, looking her over and familiarize myself with my step sisters new look. My eyes travel down to the dark green-blue ink that covered her forearm, a moth with fern leaves. It was pretty, almost too delicate looking compared to her, but it suited her.

My eyes scale down further to her hands, long fingers and a prominent veins that curved along. I have to give it to her, she always had beautiful hands.

"Take a picture it will last longer."

Ellie's voice jolted me out of my trance, my head quickly turning back to the tv.

I try to think of something- anything to cover my tracks.

"Don't get cocky- I was looking at your tattoo. It's nice... who did it?"

Ellie lifted her arm, turning it over to observe it.

"My ex. She bought a tattoo gun online and needed someone to practice on." Ellie said nonchalantly, shrugging before looking back up at the tv.

"Well- she did good. Why is she your ex now? You should've kept her around and gotten tatted up." I ask with genuine interest.

Ellie shrugged, taking another sip of her beer.

"Dunno- We kinda just fell out? Plus she caught me with another chick and freaked out." Ellie stated, not a hint of guilt after just admitting she's a cheater.

Somehow it didn't surprise me after all the girls she'd bring home after school. I'd see the same girl come over a few times within the week, only for the girl to be replaced by a different girl, and the cycle continued like that until she left for college.

"You think your big sis is a bad person now?" Ellie asked, a grin on her lips and she took another sip.

"It doesn't make me think of you any differently." I lied. It did make me think of her differently; I started to imagine what her sex life was like.

What's so great about her? That had these girls constantly following her home like a lost puppy. Surely, it's not her sunshine personality.

My mind flicks back to her hands, my eyes still glued to the tv. Her long and rough, calloused fingers must be the magic touch.

Ellie hummed at my response unconvincingly. The light from the tv illuminated the freckles on her cheeks and nose.

"The fuck are we watching anyways? Some cheesy reality show? Wait- is this the gay one?"

Ellie's voice piqued in interest, her back shimming further back into the cushion to her comfortable.

"Um- yeah, why?"

I ask, side eyeing her, not really understanding what the big deal was.

********

The big deal was; Ellie never knew if you were into girls; or not. She tried to figure it out for years, carefully observing the people you brought home for school. You didn't make it easy, and truthfully you were kinda a loner, only having a few close friends that you'd invite over.

Although there was that one time; you came home from school with a different girl that Ellie had never seen before, and when Ellie tried introducing herself, you quickly took the mystery girl's hand in yours and ran upstairs, locking the two of you in your bedroom.

Ellie fought herself over it for a long time, trying to picture you with a girl. She wondered if you had kissed another girl, held another girl's hand, and it drove Ellie fucking insane.

Ellie had a dark secret that she wouldn't dare say out loud and definitely would never let you know about it.

Ellie started thinking about you a lot after you turned 16, and they were almost never innocent thoughts. When you turned 16 it was like Aphrodite came down to earth and blessed you herself.

Ellie wasn't proud that she had these thoughts, I mean, you were her little sis after all, but it didn't stop her from picturing you whenever she fucked random college girls in the fraternity bathrooms.

********

Ellie shushed my question, motioning for me to turn it up and I do.

Four episodes in, both of us were dead silent as we watched the horror that is reality tv dating shows. We shared glances at each other whenever one of the cast members said something outrageous, but other than that, we just watched and enjoyed the presence of one another.

It was getting late, my eyes grew heavy and harder to keep open.

"Alright- it's gettin' late, and I have to shower still. Pick this up tomorrow?" I pause the tv and stand up with a yawn.

Ellie pleaded for one episode, holding her hands in a prayer. I stand my ground, promising her we can binge it tomorrow and that seemed to work.

We go up the stairs, Ellie following close behind as we mumble goodnights to each other before we go into our designated bedrooms.

I rummage through my suitcase, pulling out a over sized t-shirt and underwear.

I turn on the light in the bathroom, closing the door, but not all the way. It was a bad habit that I never grew out of, leaving the bathroom door open a few inches whenever I took a shower or bath. I did it because growing up, I was terrified of the bathroom, scared I'd get locked in and somehow the lights go out, and the grudge lady would be hiding in the shower.

I slip off my jeans and my tank, dropping them to the floor and turn on the water. I wait, holding my hand under the stream until the temperature was up to my standards.

I get in, letting the hot water soothe my aching muscles from sitting in a car all day. I felt the tenseness of my shoulders relax and my heart rate slowing down to a more relaxed pace.

***********

Ellie laid in bed, her arm folding under her head as the springs in the mattress poked her back. She scrolled through various apps, checking social media, playing games and repeating.

The sound of the water running in the room down the hall could be heard faintly in Ellie's old bedroom. The walls were still painted a dark shade of blue, with doodles of planets and rockets hand painted by Ellie herself.

Joel couldn't bring himself to paint over them.

The joint (or a few joints) Ellie smoked after dinner; was starting to kick in and made her crave some sort of barbaric concoction.

Pickles with peanut butter, maybe?

Ellie sighed, lifting her myself from the bed lazily, scratching the back of her neck before she turned the nob.

Ellie entered the long stretch of the hall, passing your bedroom the illuminated with a soft pink hue. Coming up on the bathroom, she paused.

At first, she wanted to tease you, to scold you for still keeping the bathroom open when you showered. You weren't a little kid anymore, and you needed to grow up in Ellie's mind.

On the other hand, Ellie was intrigued. She found herself peeking through the gap, the steamed glass door of the shower made it hard to make out details, but it was enough.

She felt wrong about it. One part of her was pulling her body away, telling her to stop looking, but the other part of her (the more fucked up part) couldn't look away.

Her eyes trailed up the profile of your body; pausing momentarily at points of interest.

Ellie didn't know it at the time, but she was biting down on her lip hard as she looked at the curve of your ass, plump and full, and the way your tits sat so high and perky.

Her hand coming down to cup her cunt, rolling her wrist against her clit. A moan escapes her lips as she continued to watch.

The sound of the water shutting off made Ellie snap back to her senses. She quickly backed away from the door and as quickly and quietly, as she could, made her way back to her bedroom and shut the door.

She fell into the mattress, taking a deep and shaky breath as she realizes what she's done. A wave of guilt washed over her- no, more like a tsunami. You were her step sisters, and even worse you've know eachother since Ellie was 14 and you were 13. You practically grew up together, but how would've Ellie known you'd grow into that.

Ellie couldn't deny she thought you were beautiful. Not just the fake, superficial type of beauty, but naturally, you were breathtaking to her, and your body matched.

As Ellie conflicted with herself, she continued to picture you. She imagined what you looked like underneath her, what you sounded like when she was splitting you open.

The guilt was replaced by lust and hormones, but mostly; lust.

Her hand crept down to the hemp of her boxers, slipping inside. Her other hand grabbed the bottom of her tank and brought it up to hold between her teeth- leaving her breasts exposed.

Ellie's fingers glided along her folds, coating them in her slick. She teased her entrance, rubbing gentle circles around her clit.

"Fuuuck- look what you do t' me, y/n" Ellie stifled a moan, dropping the fabric from her teeth as her middle finger sunk into her pussy, pumping in and out, slowly.

She moaned your name; over and over, adding another finger and quickening the pace.

The scene was honestly pathetic. Ellie's sweats and boxers tugged down to her knees, not bothering to take them off completely. Her breasts were the only thing holding the tank up, her hardened nipples- red and swollen as she harshly tugged at them.

"Fuu- your s-so wet, baby. You like when I fuck you like this? Huh?" Ellie babbled and stuttered, gritting through her teeth as she reached closer to her peak.

She pictured this is what you felt like as she sunk her fingers inside, curling against the spongy walls, hitting the spot that made you squirm with each pump.

She wanted to hear you beg, wanted to hear you say her name over and over until it didn't sound like a word anymore.

"Fuu-fuckin' bitch- d-dirty fuckin' whore-" Ellie curses, jaw slacked and her eyebrows furrowed upwards. Her rhythm became jagged as her hips bucked upwards, fucking herself through her orgasm.

Ellie panted, sprawled across the bed as bolts of electricity continued to send shock waves through her body.

Her inner thighs glistened, her breasts malled and violated.

It was official, Ellie had hit a new level of fucked up, but that's okay as long as you never find out.

It's not like you had your ear pressed against the wall as soon as you heard strange noises coming from your step sisters bedroom.

[catsteeth]

Sugar & Violence

Podrick Payne x reader 

+:✿ Chapter 5 ✿:+ : To The Wall

chapter index | next chapter

Summary: You’re a Mormont being held hostage by House Lannister.  You are acting now as the Handmaiden for Margery Tyrell, whom you’ve grown quite close with. But it seems that a squire has caught your attention as you have caught his. 

CW: afab reader, MDNI, pining, queer unresolved romantic tension, unspoken confession, threats of violence, misogyny, mention of violence, mention of alcohol consumption, mention of NSFW themes.

Word Count: 4.9k

 

It had been a few days since Joffrey's murder.

You had spent those days locked in your chamber for the entirety of those two days. You spent it laying about and hoping that Podrick had received your orders and followed them. 

How silly of you, you thought. Laying about thinking of a man, worrying about a man. How dreadfully pathetic. 

You hoped that the news of Joffrey's murder traveled North to your family. Your cousin, and your father. You hoped they heard it, it would satisfy them at least. 

But mostly you thought of Podrick. What he said before he left, he “wanted to marry you”. What would that have looked like? ‘(Y/N) Payne’, it sounded right to you, felt like bliss. You imagined he and you back on the Island. There’d be no need to sneak and hide, you could sleep in the same bed and sleep til the late morning without fearing anyone would catch you. 

Maybe you’d even carry a babe in your belly… 

Look at you, a silly girl twirling her hair thinking of boys as you laid on your bed. Now wasn’t the time for that, no now was the time to do everything you could to get back to him.

Just as you thought it, a guard holding a tray of food entered your chambers. “Supper time, bear bitch.” He said about sliding your tray across the floor. 

“Wait,”  You called out as you sat up on your bed.

“You aint got nothing I wanna hear.” He said pushing your tray across the floor.

You walked towards him, your hand trailing down the cleavage exposed from your dress. “I might have something you want to feel.” Your seductive facade was clearly working as the man closed the door behind him. “It’s been awfully lonely in this room, relieving myself on my pillows simply won’t do.” You whined as you trailed your other hand down his chest.

He looked around the room to make sure he wasn’t being set up, “You any good at it?” The man smirked,

“Better than any whore in any brothel. And cheaper too, infact I won’t cost a thing.” You batted your eyelashes and faked a giggle.

He cupped your chin, “How about your mouth?” You took his thumb and sucked on it, the man groaned “Hells, alright then get on with it-”

You immediately stopped and looked at him, your facade dropping, “Oh but for that you’ll need to help me with one thing.” 

The man groaned and whined about it but eventually gave in. After all, he was already half way hard.

You made him smuggle you down to the dungeons in a dark cloak. Down to the cells where they kept your lover's former Lord. 

As you stepped inside the dungeon cell you removed your hooded cloak.

“I must speak with you.” You spoke with intention and direct purpose. 

“Not very smart of you. You were accused just as I was.” He was clearly upset, being locked away in a dungeon does not tend to bring out the best in people.

“I am to be released soon enough.” You were already growing annoyed by the way this conversation was going.

“Not quite. You’re still in King's Landing.” He was right of course “Besides if two accused come together as one person might talk. ‘What other King will they kill?’” He spoke in a mocking tone.

“I didn’t kill a king. Why would I risk my Lady’s position?” You should have, but at that point, your attention was solely focused on keeping you and Podrick together. Maybe you were being selfish.

“Because by letting her marry him, you’d be risking her life.” You felt a comfort in knowing someone else knew and recognized his cruelty. Most were too scared to express it.

You looked down and rationalized, “She is a woman grown. Capable of deciding her own path. As are you.” You looked back at him, ready to return the accusation, “Joffrey was quite cruel towards you.” 

“As he was to most.” 

“Especially you.” You said stepping closer to him,  “No one would have blamed you for it.” 

“Oh but they could.” He said, holding up his hands in chains.

You shook your head, “I’ve not come here to argue with you.” 

“What did you come for? And how did you? The guard-“

You interrupted, knowing your time was limited, “I told him I’d suck his cock if he let me in.” 

He chuckled “Not quite faithful to our mutual friend are you?” he said with a raised eyebrow.

“How do you-“

He interrupted you, “Please, I am not blind. Love comes from the eyes. I could see it in him and you whenever you found one another.” His gaze was softer, as if he knew how dear you were to Podrick. He shrugged, “That and I've seen him shuffling out of your chambers in the early morning.” 

“I’m not going to suck the guard's cock.” You shook your head and looked down almost ashamed you’d even told him that you would. You knew you wouldn’t, ever.  “Once I leave here, I’m going to tell him if he doesn’t forget it happened I'll tell the queen he let me out, and I’ve a witness now.” You said looking at him.

“You are smart.” He nodded, 

“I'm terrified.” Your eyes focused on him, “Never been terrified before. But I am… now.” You huffed,  “Not even for me. Cersei could throw me in here for a hundred years and I'd be content as long as I know I did what I could to free him from this place.” Your words were much more sweet and sincere than Tyrion would have expected.

He looked confused, “A squire. A loyal one I will give him that. But a girl of an honorable house name… picks a squire, I don’t understand.” 

“it’s not meant for you to understand.” You said defensively, then you sat on a crate that was in the room, you looked down and smiled, “He was kind. The only kind man I'd ever known. His kindness was pure of any ambition or desire. He was kind to me because he wanted to be. Even when he saw me being unpleasant and harsh… He still was kind to me.” You finished sounding sorrowful almost.

“He was a good lad.” He nodded, his face was one of understanding.

“He is. And right now all I am concerned about is where he is going?” Your voice was quiet and soft.

“You think I know?” His cynical facade, still hanging on.

“You owe him your life. Of course you know.” Your eyes looked desperate, and Tyrion could see it.

He looked down, “My brother Jamie has sent him to squire Brienne of Tarth. That’s all that I know.” 

“I can work with that.” You smiled slightly. 

As your conversation with Tyrion was coming to a close the dungeon door opened.

“Alright birdie, your times up with the imp. And your time with me is about to start.” The man was grinning ear to ear, it made Tyrion wince. 

You didn’t look at the man at all, not acknowledging his existence at all “Thank you.” You said to Tyrion before you stood and turned to the man in the doorway. “I’m not touching you and if you so much as whine I will tear your pathetic excuse of a cock off and stuff it in your mouth so that you cannot speak when the queen questions why you let someone accused of murdering her son out of her chamber and into the cell of another accused murder.” Your voice was deep and venomous.

Tyrion cracked a smile as the man stood there processing what you’d said.

One he did after a few moments of silence he took you by your arm and dragged you back to your chambers, huffing and puffing like a child the whole way. 

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

A few days earlier, 

Just as Tyrion had said Jamie assigned Podrick to Brienne to aid her in her quest to find the Stark sisters and bring them to safety. 

Podrick was heartbroken without you, and without the certainty that he’d find you anytime soon. However his one solace was that he was to serve the very woman that had inspired such happiness in you. When you saw her you saw a bit of yourself in her. You saw a great warrior and someone worth something. Podrick was proud to serve such a Lady.

“I don’t need a squire.” Brienne said annoyed that one was even being pushed onto her.

“Of course you do.” Jaime said

Brienne’s annoyance only escalated, “He’ll slow me down.” 

“My brother owes him a debt, he’s not safe here. You’re keeping him from harm. It’s chivalry.” Jamie smiled at her annoyance.

Podrick felt the need to interject, “I won’t slow you down, ser–” Brienne looked at him with daggers in her eyes and Jamie looked at him like he was mad, “My lady…” He attempted to correct his mistake. “I promise I’ll serve you well.” He nodded,

“See? He’s a good Lad. You’ll get along.” Jamie said, patting him on the back.

As their journey began Podrick realized two things. Firstly he did not learn anything in Lord Tyrion's service. Especially how to ride a horse, 

“Come on move,” Podrick said to his brown horse, trying to get it to comply with his directions that he clearly did not know how to give. 

Brienne looked over at him with irritation, “Didn’t they teach you how to ride a horse?” she questioned.

He continued to struggle with his reigns, “Yes, my Lady when I was young. There wasn’t much call for Lord Tyrion, though. He preferred litters.” 

“Perhaps you should have stayed with him.” She said clearly unsatisfied with Jamie’s ‘gift’  “It’s not going to be a pleasant journey for you. It could take weeks to get to the wall, depending on the weather.” 

His horse made its own way off the path and back on it again at its own leisure. “That’s a long way off,” He said, hiding his slight excitement as best he could. If they were going to the wall there was a chance he’d see you if you did as you said and escaped. Or at least he could try to convince your father to send aid. 

“Well Lady Sansa's brother is at Castle Black. If I were her that’s where I’d go.” She looked back at Podrick again, rolling her eyes, “Feel free to stop at any point.” 

“Never, my Lady. I am your squire.” he attempted to say it with conviction but his constant struggle made his tone waver.

“I’ve made it this far in the world without a squire. Don’t see why I need one now.” 

“All knights have squires, my Lady.” 

“I’m not a knight. And I’m not a slaver, either. I don’t own you.” 

“I swore an oath, my Lady.” His conviction was strong.

“I am releasing you from that oath.” She looked back at him, noticing he was still there, “That means you can leave.” 

“I know.” 

“What do you think will happen if you leave?” She raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious why someone would want to stay with her.

“They’ll say I wasn’t a very good squire.” The truth was the past hour proved to him that he couldn’t make it out here on his own. And if he were going to find you he would need to learn to stand on his two feet first. 

The second thing he had learned however, was how similar you and Brienne were. Though of course he preferred you to her. She was direct, stubborn, and clearly loyal. 

It made him more inclined to tolerate her words.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

A day after your meeting with Tyrion, Margaery had snuck into your chamber as she often did now. You begged her to find more information about where Podrick might have gone, the next day she'd already found an answer to your question. 

“Podrick left with Brienne of Tarth. Jamie Lannister commanded him to squire for her, aid her efforts to find Sansa Stark.” Her words were heavy as if she’d known something you didn’t.

“What is it?” You asked,

“I am to tell you that you may resume your duties as my lady.” Your eyes lit up and hers darkened, “You have been cleared as a suspect.” She said, once again her voice and her face did not match the happiness of the news you’d received. “I found these last night.” She handed you clothing and armor, you recognized it. It was the very same armor that you’d arrived in Kings Landing with. Not your best armor but you took it, happily.

“Thank you. Thank you for what you’ve done for me, Margaery.” You said sincerely, smiling at her.

“So you are leaving me?” She asked, 

You looked confused, she must've known it was coming, “I must. There’s nothing left here for me.” You said, your brows furrowed.

“There’s me. Your dearest friend.” She held onto your hand with a tight grip. 

“Margaery, Pod-” You began to explain but she interrupted. 

“My last two husbands were murdered. I could have run to the high garden but I didn't.” 

“You’ve a goal, and I’ve mine.” You tried to reason with her.

She shook her head as if she were shaking away her thoughts from it, “I know. I know. Love.” She said as if the word were a silly concept, something foreign. “I just wish you’d choose me.”

You leaned into her, “This place is not safe. for me or for you for that matter. You should leave, marry someone who you love.” You tried to have her see reason.

She shook her head, looking at you with eyes filled with an emotion you did not understand. “I can’t marry someone I love.” she looked down at her hand hold yours then back into your eyes, “I am going to be the Queen.”

You nodded, she had made her choice and you made yours, “And I cannot always be your lady- Handmaiden.” 

“Why not?” You were about to open your mouth to explain but she stopped you, forcing a false smile. “You are right. It’s best we leave our girlhood behind us and realize we’ve stepped into our womanhood. Silly dreams and feelings cannot hold such weight. But, for whatever it may be worth, however little. I enjoyed the time," She held your hand even tighter, "The time we spent laughing.” You smiled at her, you understood now. But still, I could not give her what she wanted. “The Guards by the stables leave it unattended for a few minutes each night, when the moon is highest. That’s your best chance.” She said, slightly tearing up. 

“Goodbye, and thank you.” You said, smiling warmly attempting to not cry.

“Goodbye, and thank you.” She repeated back to you.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

You did as she said and you left that night. 

You stole a Lannister horse, being sure to remove its colors and saddle from it but that meant you’d have to ride it bare. ‘They hang horse thieves,’ you thought. So you were sure to steal a sword while you at it.

You had been riding quite a long time, didn’t know how long even but you knew the sun had come and gone a few times, and now were quite hungry. You found a nearby inn. You knew that eventually they’d throw their left overs out in the back eventually. 

As you hanged around the back you let your new horse drink from a creek.

“Hello, there.” You heard behind you, you turned around and saw a short and stout boy.

“Hello…” You said with narrow eyes and a furrow brow.

“You want to come in? It’s much warmer inside, there’s ale, water, kidney pie-” You could tell he was a talker and cut him off before he could keep going.

“I don’t have any money.” You shook your head, “Just watering the horse, I’ll be on my way.” You said looking back at your horse.

“Your armor is quite nice, are you a Knight?” The boy continued to question you, 

“Women cannot be knights.” You said not looking back at him.

“What's the bear for?” He asked innocently, 

You thought for a moment, you couldn’t admit who you were, “House Brune of the CrownLands.” 

“Looks like a Mormont sigil.” He said,

You shook your head, “They’re loyal to the traitors from Winterhell.” You were good at lying, but somehow you couldn’t quite say that without your voice wavering.

“It is a Mormont sigil, isn’t it?” He said. You thought you’d been found out by someone loyal to the crown. So naturally you took hold of your sword's handle, “I didn’t mean to offend!” He said, raising his hands. You couldn’t bring yourself to escalate the situation anymore than that. 

You took your hand away from your sword, satisfied he wasn’t a threat. You turned back to the horse once again.“Just let me be on my way.” 

“You’re a long way out from the North.” He said concerned, and you didn’t respond. “You want a hot meal?” He asked kindly.

You looked at him, your eyes a bit softer now. “I told you I don’t have any money.” 

He shrugged, “I am happy to give it.” He looked around to make sure no one else could hear him say whatever he was going to, “Starks need a loyal ally.” You nodded and he went back into the Inn for a few minutes before returning with food wrapped in a cloth.

“Thank you.” You nodded at him as you took the food. 

“What was your name?” 

You thought for a moment, then deciding you could tell him. It was the least you could do. “(Y/N) Mormont.” 

“I knew I was right.” He said with a smile. You smiled back as you ate the pastry.

The two of you talked, or more like he talked at you for some time and you went on your way.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

Little did you know that a mere few hours later Podrick and Brienne would be stopping into that very same place.

As Brienne and Podrick sat at a table. She dug into the pie in front of her “A bit of comfort never hurt anyone. We’ve been sleeping in ditches. I think we can treat ourselves with a featherbed for the night and a hot meal not cooked by you.” She said, 

“Couldn’t agree more, my Lady.” Podrick said defeatedly as he drank the ale in his cup.

“Just don’t expect silk underclothes. Not working for your former lord anymore.” 

“Yes, my Lady.” He began to drink even more of his ale,

Brienne took his cup away, “Don’t get drunk,” she snapped at him.

“No, my Lady.” He submitted, 

That very same short and stout boy began talking to Brienne the very same way as he did you.

“That’s nice armor, are you a Knight?” He asked innocently. 

“No.” She was frustrated by the assumption.

“Oh it’s just people with nice armor are usually knights. Generally speaking. Funny enough I saw another Lady in armor, she wasn’t from around here there. From King’s Landing though, aren’t you?” Brienne looked at him with disdain and Podrick looked at him uncomfortably. “From there myself originally, flea bottom born and bred.” He continued, “What brings you to these parts?” 

“We’re looking for someone. A girl, tall, red hair, very pretty. Her name is Sansa Stark.” Brienne got directly to the point. Podrick looked at her empathically, but concerned.

“Stark? What like them lot from Winterhell? Ain't seen anyone like that. Them lot are traitors. No room for traitors in here.” He feigned his loyalty to the crown as he picked himself up and left Brienne and Podrick on their own.

Podrick found it difficult to hear such things about a place you were so loyal to.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ 

As Brienne and Podrick left the inn, Brienne noticed Podrick’s worried look as he readied their horses.

“What?” She asked devoid of any emotion.

“It’s nothing, my lady.” He shook his head, 

“You wouldn’t screw your face up if it was nothing.” 

“Don’t want to offend, my lady. Truly I don’t” 

“You’re not interesting enough to be offensive.” 

“The Lannisters want Lady Sansa. The Lannisters have money. People kill for money. I don’t think that we should be telling people about us trying to find Lady Sansa.”

“My lady, My Lord.” He got the attention of Pod and Brienne, “You seem like a proper lady, someone who can be trusted… I don’t know a Sansa Stark. But I know her sister, Arya.” 

Brienne furrowed her brow, "No one's seen Arya Stark since her father was beheaded. She's presumed dead."

"She weren't when I last spoke to her...heading up north with the Night's Watch. She was all dressed up as a boy...going by the name Arry. "

Her interest peaked, "So what happened to her? The quick version."

"The Lannisters took us prisoner. We escaped. The Brotherhood took us prisoner. They 'sold' me to the innkeep. They were gonna sell Arya to her mother at Riverrun, along with another prisoner: big ugly fellow, foul mouth and a face like a half-burnt ham. Not friendly." He shook his head, 

“Thank you,” Brienne said, 

“You know it’s funny, It’s not everyday you meet a Lady in armor. And it’s not everyday you meet two in one day.” He said, Pod and Brienne losing interest quickly, “And this one was a lot like you too, My Lady. Not very friendly at first,” Brienne looked at him, “Meaning no offense. But once I found out she was a Mormont she was pleasant enough.” Podrick looked at him as if lighten had struck him, Brienne noticed and looked at him strangely, 

“What’d she look like?” He asked, Brienne looking at him even stranger. 

The boy described you, exactly, there was no mistake.

“Did she say where she was going?” Podrick continued to press him uncharacteristically  

“No, my Lord. I asked and she wouldn’t say.” He said, 

Podrick looked defeated and went back to reading the horse, but Brienne kept her eyes on him, curious as to what that meant to him.

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

On your long journey you stumbled into a camp, but not any camp. You could tell just by looking at the boys that they were Knights Watch recruits.

This had to have been a sign from the Gods. Safer passage North and saver passage to your father. As you rode up you were eyeballed by all the new recruits, unfamiliar with who you were. 

“Hello pretty girl,” A man said, 

“Bring me, Yoren.” You spoke confidently and coldy. 

“Now is that a sweet way to ask?” The same man asked a shorter man beside him. 

“No, not sweet at all.” The short man said. 

A younger man with short hair behind them spoke up, “She’s wearing Mormont armor.”

You sat up tall on your horse, “My father is Jeor Mormont. I am (Y/N) Mormont. Now bring me Yoren.” You reasserted,

“Yes, My Lady.”  The short man said before rushing to find him. 

Soon enough Yoren was with helding you and dismounting your horse. “Lady Mormont.” He said happily enough for such a grumpy old man. He had known you since you were born.

“Yoren.” You said with a smile,

“What can we offer ye?” His arms crossed and his eyes softened towards you,

You sighed knowing he’d not want what you were going to propose, “I want to go to the wall. To Castle Black.” You nodded.

“Well, I think you know better than anyone that a lady can not join the Knights watch.” He teased,

“I’m not looking to join it. I am looking for my father.” 

His tone shifted slightly to a deeper one, “It’s unusual, and dangerous road, that's for sure.” He sighed and looked down, then back at you, “But your father would bury me deep in the ground if I didn’t.” He smirked, 

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

Weeks had passed. Pod and Brienne’s journey was taking a hard turn. Everything had gone wrong. 

They’d found Arya like the boy at the Inn said, but when Brienne fought the Hound for Arya they’d lost her. She didn’t want the protection to begin with, the entire thing hurt and frustrated Brienne more than she knew to describe. 

So naturally she took it out on Podrick.

“Will we head North at some point?” Podrick asked about setting up camp, “You said Sansa had a brother at Castle Black. We’re a few days' ride from the kings road. It’ll take us-” 

“Us?” Brienne asked, her voice devoid of all emotion, “The only reason you’re here is because Jaime Lannister told me you weren’t safe in the Capital.” Podrick stood still, unsure of what to do or say, “You’re hundreds of miles from King’s Landing.” She said removing her armor. “No one knows what you look like, no one cares. You’re safe.”

“But I am your squire.” He couldn’t let his opportunity go, to prove himself to himself, and to you.

“Do you even know what a squire is?” She looked at him with a look of contempt. 

“An attendant to a knight?” He looked confused,

“I’m not a knight, that means you’re not a squire.”

“Well where will I go?” 

“I don’t care, I'm not your mother.” She practically spat her words at him,

“You swore to find the Stark girls.” 

“I found Arya. She didn’t want my protection.” 

“Sansa still might.” He attempted to calm her,

“Will you shut your mouth?” She snapped at him, “I didn’t ask for your advice. I don't want you to follow me because I’m not a leader. All I ever wanted was to fight for a lord I believed in. The ones are dead and the rest are monsters.” She scowled as she looked off into the distance and then looked back at Podrick, “And all your lords, they’ve all been so kind to you.” She stood and walked away, “All except me,” She took a breath and looked back at him, “I’m sorry you have to squire such a nasty person.” 

“That girl he talked about in the Inn. I knew her well. She met you once, and couldn't stop talking about you.” He continued to set up camp, “I’m not sorry. You’re the best fighter I’ve ever seen. You beat the hound. I am proud to be your squire.”

She looked at him, “I’m sorry I am always snapping at you.” 

“If you didn’t snap at me I wouldn’t learn anything.” He said with a strange optimism, 

“You want to be a Knight, Pod?” 

He looked at her, his eyes filled with excitement “Yes.” 

She nodded and sat down, pointed to the armor she wanted him to take off of her, “Starting tomorrow, we’ll train with a sword twice a day. Before we ride in the morning and after you make camp in the evening. And I am going to show you how to ride properly.” He finished taking off her armor for her, “I can’t knight you, but I can teach you to fight.” 

“I suppose that’s more important.” He smiled ear to ear. “You weren’t a knight, but you were a Kingsgaurd to Renly Baratheon, weren’t you?” He questioned, genuinely curious. 

“I was.” She said, 

“Lord Tyrion said he was a good man.”

“He was.” You could hear her grief, 

“How did you end up serving Renly?” Podrick asked as he sat beside her. 

Brienne hesitated for a moment but began her story, “When I was a girl my father held a ball. I was his only living child so he wanted to make a good match for me. I didn’t want to go but he dragged me. And I loved it.” Podrick smiled, she reminded him of you. “None of the boys noticed how mulish and tall I was. They shoved each other when they thought it was their turn to dance.” She smiled looking back at her own story, “I’d never been so happy.” Her smile faded, “Till I saw a few of the boys snickering.” Podricks smile faded as well, “And then they all started to laugh, and couldn't keep the game up any longer. Brienne the beauty they called me- great joke. And I realized I was the ugliest girl alive. A great lumbering beast.” You could feel her pain just in her words alone. “I tried to run away but Renly Baratheon took me into his arms. ‘Don’t let them see your tears,’ he told me ‘They’re nasty little shits, and nasty little shits aren’t worth crying over.’” Her smile returned again, “He danced with me and none of the boys could say a word. He was the King's brother after all.” Podrick smiled back, 

“But wasn’t he… Lord Tyrion said that he was,” Podrick asked awkwardly, 

“Yes Pod, he liked men. I am not an idiot. He didn’t love me. He didn’t want me. He danced with me because he was kind.” She explained. 

She looked down, thinking back to the memories she had with him,“Nothings more hateful than failing to protect the one you love.” 

Those words stuck with Podrick,

꒰ ୨୧ ─ ・┈ ・ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ─ ・┈ ꒱꒱

NOTE: Timelines shimelines amiright? 

BELOVED TAGS: 

@ryn-away @boojaynaqueen @holierthancunt @symonedoesart

@siimiasoi  @friendlyspacemartian

[strawberrybasilsorbet]

Jilytober Day 11

Missed yesterday, but I'm hoping to go back when I have time! In the meantime, here's my try at today's @jilytoberfest prompt:

October 11th Prompt: 🎶“Uncovering feelings unfound”🎶 - Out of the Blue by Katie Pruitt

Lily peeked out from behind the corner of the cricket shed before surreptitiously lighting her cigarette. Smoking wasn't prohibited, but her break wasn't officially supposed to start for another twenty minutes; it had only been thanks to some fairly pitiable wrangling — and a promise to take on her Friday shift — that Anne had agreed to cover the last hour so that Lily could decompress.

Closing her eyes, Lily leaned her head back against the shed and sunk to the ground, taking a long drag. It was only half-past noon, but some blokes had made a mess of one of her tables at the pub last night, and she hadn't finished closing until after one in the morning. She was already looking forward to sinking into bed.

In the distance, she heard a splash and a shout. It sounded like some kid had flipped his canoe again. She snickered a little; Anne would definitely be more annoyed about switching shifts now that she needed to get her hair wet.

It had been a long summer. Seventh year was going to be expensive — she'd need money to pay the application fees if she wanted to try for a Healing apprenticeship, to pick up a set of dress robes for the Leavers' Ball, to make a deposit on a flat rental after she finished Hogwarts — and Lily was trying to save as much as she could. Most mornings, she got on the bus for her day job at the nearest holiday camp, only to take the 5pm back to Cokeworth, eat a quick supper, and start her evening shift at Oscar's pub. Lily didn't mind hard work, but after six weeks of both jobs, she was beginning to feel run down.

At least she didn't have to spend much time at her own place. Between Tuney's sniping at home and Sev's lurking around the park, hoping she'd forget his horrible behavior at school now that his pack of Death Eater-wannabes wasn't around, it was hard to get a moment's peace.

She took another drag. Maybe she could talk Oscar into putting her on the early side tonight. He owed her, after the amount of mopping up she'd done yesterday...

"There you are, Evans!"

Lily jumped and opened her eyes. She thought she'd heard...but that made no sense...

"Potter?" She blinked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Improbably, James Potter — wearing a fairly convincing set of Muggle clothes, although his orange checkered polo shirt clashed horrendously with a pair of short, salmon-pink trousers — was striding toward her from the nearby woods, looking far too cheerful for the August heat. "Looking for you!" he said affably. "It seemed a nice day for a visit, and we'd been getting on well this summer, so I thought—"

"Potter, I'm at work." She stared in surprise.

He had the grace to turn a bit sheepish. "Oh, I'm sorry, Evans," he said, looking around. "Is now is a bad time?"

"No, I just—." Lily blushed. She'd given Potter her address earlier this summer — only so he could practice with the Muggle post, of course — and suddenly, she realized that she'd been writing him rather a lot.

Potter made a surprisingly charming pen friend. His letters, full of witty jokes and updates about his summer with his mates, were a welcome connection to the magical world and a relief from her tense avoidance of Sev and Tuney. More than once, she'd found herself looking forward to reading them as she came home from the pub, or scribbling quick replies by wandlight so she could get them in the mail before she caught the morning bus to camp.

"I just — how did you get here, anyway?"

"I stopped by your house," said James, shrugging. "Remember, you gave me your address? Someone — I think your mum? — answered the door and said that you were here." He still looked abashed. "I guess she might not have expected me to come by, but she said you might not be home until quite late, so I thought—"

"That's alright—"

"I can visit another day—"

"No, it's really okay, Potter," said Lily, who by now was quite red. Somehow, it wasn't the fact that Potter had showed up at her job, but the unflattering color of her uniform swimsuit that was on Lily's mind. She hadn't brushed her hair this morning, and she'd been sweating in the heat... "They're not too fussy here, and I'm basically on my break, anyway. It's nice to see you." She took another drag on her snuck cigarette, trying to look a bit less flustered. "You just showed up a bit out of the blue, that's all."

"Literally," said Potter, with a playful smile. He gestured toward the cloudless sky. "Stashed my broomstick in the trees back there."

She groaned theatrically at the terrible wordplay, knocking him with her shoulder. "Too scared to take the bus, Potter?"

"Oh, certainly. Petrol is too advanced for me, I'm still grasping bicycles."

She grinned. She knew perfectly well that Potter had likely passed his Muggle Studies exam with flying colors, as he did most of his others. "If you stick around until 5 o'clock, I'm happy to show you the ropes on my way back to Cokeworth."

"Gladly," said James. He peered curiously around the shed, taking in the archery setup, large lake, and row of cabins just beyond the cricket field. "What do you do here, anyway?"

"It's a holiday camp," Lily explained. "Families come to play games and get away from home for a bit during the summer."

"They don't holiday abroad?"

"God, you're posh." Lily rolled her eyes. "Why go to France, honestly, when you could stay at camp and win the donkey derby?"

"The what?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," said Lily.

"I have to see this. You run a donkey derby?"

"Not me personally," Lily said, giggling. "I'm hopeless with animals. I mostly serve lunch or take shifts dragging the little kids out of the lake."

"Why are the kids in the lake?"

"Oh, we do canoeing on one half and swimming on the other. Except sometimes the canoeing turns into swimming, because there's always some troublemakers flipping their boat on purpose."

James grinned. "Good for them."

"I'm appalled," Lily replied. "Are you trying to make my job harder, Potter?"

"In this weather?" said James. "Nah. I'm giving you an excuse to cool off, I expect."

James's eyes flickered to her swimsuit and quickly away. Lily swallowed, suddenly wishing she'd finished her shift after all. "I'm tied up tonight," she said, "but if you were to come back another day...if I took a night off from my evening job, I mean, and you wanted to go for a dip?"

James looked up. "Yeah," he said, a bit too eagerly. "Just because it's so hot, I mean," he said, smoothing out his tone. Lily noticed, amused, that his voice had suddenly got a bit deeper. She put out her cigarette, noticing that her earlier exhaustion had vanished.

"Well, alright then," she said. "It's a date." James gave her a dimpled smile. She hadn't noticed how sweet his smile was, before.

Where had it come from, this strange new fondness between them? Was it a fleeting thing, driven by Lily's exhaustion and James's boredom — destined to fall off with the autumn leaves when they returned to school, and to the old habits of their old stomping grounds? Or, maybe, could their letters be turning into something, well...a little bit more, maybe, lasting, or...

"Can anyone come to these holiday camps?" James asked, interrupting Lily's train of thought. "Because if donkey derbying is allowed, I want to kick Sirius's arse."

Lily threw her head back with a laugh. "With a day pass," she told him, "but if you've got a connection on the staff, she can probably sneak you in for free."

[stoneagedevil]

“Heads or Tails?” | Alastor x AntonChigurh!Reader

TW/CW: Murder/murder for hire. Mentions of sex/drug crimes and crimes involving children. Reader’s personality and morals are modeled after Anton Chigurh of “No Country for Old Men.”

—♥️—

It was the late evening, the time when Charlie insisted all of the residents of the hotel gathered in the lounge and share stories of their life on the surface. After a filling supper, of course.

So there you all sat. Demons of different ages, sizes, and shapes teetering on the edges of food comas, waiting to see who Charlie’s next victim of honesty will be.

“Maybe it’ll make you think on the good you’ve done on Earth, or even make you reflect on the bad and how you can change.” The Princess justified.

Change. It was something you didn’t like. Even in your life you’d been one to uphold some sort of routine.

You’re assigned a target.

You track.

You kill.

You disappear.

You get paid.

You sleep.

You get on the road.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

However, you could adapt if the circumstances called for it, and you were adept in doing so. It was what led you to be a great and feared overlord in Hell. In life you never made deals. Your targets could never bargain for their lives, as nothing was equal to them. In a theoretical sense, you wanted their souls. Fate brought you to them, and you wouldn’t reverse fate’s outcome. But here in Hell, soul contracts was the best and most efficient way to the top. So, as they say, you improvised, adapted, and overcame. Now a reaper of souls in the most literal way possible.

“Y/N, why don’t you go? Everyone’s shared what brought them to Hell.” Charlie’s voice was soft, and almost sympathetic. The sympathy made you uncomfortable, and though you never outwardly expressed it, you took a quarter out and started thumbing the ridges on the side of it.

“Same reason as a lot of demons are here for. I’ve killed many people.” You stated it as pure fact. You weren’t remorseful. You weren’t giddy at the memories of your victim’s slaughter. You were so entirely neutral it sent a chill down the spine of every demon in the room.

Alastor sat up in intrigue, subtly shaking the shiver out of his spine as well. Truthfully, you’d always been an enticing enigma to him. He had a feeling you’d been a killer in your lifetime, the way your observant eyes would flick from one side of the room to the other. The way you never flinched away at violence. The way you did everything. Always knowing the layout of a building the first time around. You didn’t seem like the type to commit crimes revolving around sex, or drugs, or children, otherwise we would’ve led you out of the hotel and killed you.

It was like you were two sides of the same coin, and yet you couldn’t be more different from each other. Alastor was a showman at heart, while you were so ghost-like, performing as though you were the very shadows that moved at his fingertips. His face was contorted into a permanent smile, while you seldom gave away your thoughts through expressions, he had to admit that you were harder to read than him.

Charlie cleared her throat and clasped her hands together in her lap. You knew she was uncomfortable by the soothing gestures she made to calm herself. “How many would you say? And for what purpose?” Everyone’s eyes were on you once more.

“Too many to count. I was a professional hitman in the 70s to 80s.” Now this thoroughly captivated Alastor, he’d never expect you of all people to be one to be hired. He always thought you were one of a strange principal (much like him), but money driving you to kill? It just didn’t make sense to him.

“For money?” Charlie parroted what Alastor’s brain was trying to wrap itself around. She couldn’t imagine taking a life in exchange for money. How could one put a price on a life?

“Yes, and no. I was always the right tool for the job. You only pick the one right tool for such things.” Your sentence sent a wave of confusion through the room.

“Right tool?” Charlie tilted her head like a puppy. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for this. Even Alastor had a set of morals.

“Once I was hired to kill a target and retrieve a satchel containing $2.4 million-“

“$2.4 MILLION?! Christ toots, I woulda just shot the guy and took the money myself!” Angel interrupted.

“Then you aren’t the right tool.” You replied, coldly. “The man who hired me ended up hiring a group of men to kill my target. I went to his building and I killed him. He changed the rules.”

“But you took the money he had, right?” Angel asked, confused.

“No. The job wasn’t completed by me.” You stated simply, almost sighing at the simplicity of Angel’s mind, as if your reply was simple at all. Money, sex, drugs. It was all these demons wanted.

You were growing tired of it.

“My dear, if I may interrupt, what was your reason for killing? If it wasn’t money, nor for personal gain, then what was it? Morals? In my day I killed the most disgusting dogs that had the nerve to call themselves men.”

Charlie loved that everyone was joining the conversation, no matter how macabre the topic was. It created a sense of family that she’d been longing for the taste of ever since her parents had split up and neglected to visit her.

You didn’t mind Alastor. He wanted something other than what everyone else did. He made fine company, and always seemed to be watching you, as if to figure you out. He’d be doing it for the foreseeable future.

“I suppose it was money that led me to kill, but not in the sense you mean.” You flicked your quarter in the air, it coming back down into your awaiting hand where you quickly slapped it onto your other arm, the hand that caught it covering it. Your eyes flicked to Alastor’s, and it was then that Alastor saw how truly psychotic you were.

It was exhilarating.

“Heads or tails?” You queried.

Husk had witnessed a great many coin flips in his life and afterlife, but none made him chew on the inside of his cheek like this. He knew the internal wound would last for months to come, as his sandpaper tongue kept tonguing it anxiously. The tension that suddenly filled the room was palpable, and Alastor didn’t know if his heart was racing from fear, excitement, or something else he wasn’t entirely familiar with.

“My darling, I haven’t put anything up.” He chuckled, but it was mostly to try and calm his racing heart. How hungry your eyes looked awakened that prey animal within him, and he hated how much he loved it.

“You have. You just didn’t know it. You’ve died, gone to Hell, and now here we are. Fate led me here, with this quarter, and now it’s either heads or tails.” You said lowly. My, how talkative you became when it came to fate. This was your motive.

You were death incarnate. A tool of fate. The right tool.

He took a shaky intake of breath, deciding it was the feeling he wasn’t familiar with from his options listed earlier in his mind, his cheeks warming ever so slightly. “Tails.”

You lifted your hand, everyone’s eyes anxiously darting down to the outcome of the toss, and the coin read in Alastor’s favor. “Well done, Alastor. Fate favors you.”

His chest puffed out at the praise, almost as if to make room for the swelling of his heart. It was the first time you’d said his name, and given that you viewed yourself as a tool for fate, when reading between the lines, you’d just stated that you favored him. It was a feeling he could get used to. Perhaps he should listen to his body more often, as the only reason he picked tails was because of the excitable wagging of his.

It was this day that Alastor decided to begin pursuing your heart.

—♥️—

Combined two interests into one. It was bound to happen at some point.

[mixtape--oh]

Miroh – Bang Chan

Chris x best friend Bora, circa April 2019

Finally getting their first ever music show win, Chris realized just how much he wanted to have his other firsts with Bora.

This one mentions references to Mirror, can go check that one out first for context.

The night of their first music show win ever with Miroh passed by in a whirlwind for Chris. After finishing M Countdown, PD-nim treated them to a late night supper of barbecue, which lasted until way past midnight. Chris couldn't remember the last time he felt this happy; he really couldn't stop himself from smiling the entire night. Despite everything, though, he also couldn't help but think about the one thing – or rather, one person – who would've made this night even more perfect. 

When said person didn't show any sign of getting out of his mind, Chris excused himself – after making sure that the kids were still cheerfully chatting and chomping on their food – and went to the deserted sidewalk outside the barbecue place, dialing a phone number he'd memorized off the top of his head. 

His call only went through after the seventh ring, just when Chris started to think she wasn't going to answer. "Hello? Chris?" 

On the other end of the line, Bora's voice sounded a little slurred and heavy. Chris grimaced; it was one in the morning, he should've known better. "Hi, sorry. Did I wake you up?" 

"It's fine," Bora mumbled, sounding just a tad bit more conscious now. "Is everything okay?" 

"No, yeah, everything's fine. I'm at a barbecue place. PD-nim's treat." 

"Ah, right." Almost fully awake by now, Bora made a cheering sound. "I understand some congratulations are in order?" 

Chris beamed. "You know?" 

"Of course. Do you really think that little of me? I even watched it live on TV, you know. You did really well, Christopher." 

"I wanted to share the night with you too," he admitted, absentmindedly picking on a loose thread on his shirt. "That's why I called, despite the ungodly hour. Sorry about that." 

"No, no, don't worry about it." There were rustling sounds, as if she was shifting on her bed. "So when can I see you to congratulate you in person? Next month?" 

Chris knew he really shouldn't. He knew he was being selfish. But this was Bora, he thought, his mirror, his love. Maybe he could afford to be a little selfish with her. "How about tonight? What say you?" 

"Tonight?" 

Bora didn't say anything else for a while, long enough for Chris to start feeling bad. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't think – " 

"Tonight would be great," she cut him off. More rustling sounds as she probably made to climb out of her bed. "Better than next month, I'd say. When and where?" 

An hour later, Chris found himself sitting on one of the deserted chairs at the equally deserted 24-hours convenience store just around the block of his dormitory, anxiously eyeing the parking lot waiting for Bora's familiar car to show up. He nearly couldn't contain his mixture of feelings when it finally did. Then he couldn't stay seated when Bora's familiar figure, clad in sweats and a hoodie, got off the car, so he stood up as she made her way to him. 

The second she was within his arms' reach, Chris crashed himself into her in a hug. She laughed softly as she rocked him from side to side, arms clinging to his neck. Her voice was just as soft as she whispered to his ear, "Congratulations, Christopher. You made it." 

Chris always tried his best not to cry. He thought he was at his most vulnerable whenever he cried, and he didn’t like being vulnerable. He'd almost failed when they were receiving the trophy back on M Countdown, but he'd managed. Right now though, with Bora in his arms, her voice in his ears, he found himself frantically grasping at his ever-slipping self-control as he tried to keep his emotions on check. 

Though Bora, having known him for almost eight years now, seemed to notice. She gave the back of his head a little pat. "Let go. I know you were holding back on stage earlier. You can let go now." 

So let go Chris did. He cried silently to the comfort of Bora's shoulder, letting his emotions took over for once. He couldn't remember exactly when was the last time he'd cried, but at the moment he couldn't find it in him to care, not one bit. Especially not when Bora kept murmuring praises and reassurance to his ears. 

Only when he was sure the tears had stopped completely did he pull away – though not by far, since his hands refused to leave Bora's shoulders. "Sorry," he croaked. "Got carried away. It's just... it feels emotional." 

Bora offered him the brightest smile, as if Chris hadn't woken her up in the middle of the night and asked her to drive just to meet him. She reached up to brush the lasts of tears off his cheek with her thumb. "It is emotional." 

Chris had something else to say, he swore he did, but when he opened his mouth the words he heard in his ears were: "Can I kiss you?" 

He saw Bora's eyes widened and silently cursed himself and his stupid, stupid mouth. "But you still have another year," she finally said. 

Took Chris a few moments to realize that she was talking about his 2-years dating ban; he did still have another year before he's finally allowed to have a girlfriend, as per his contract with the company. He cursed, out loud this time. "Can we just screw it? It's just – this is my first music show win, and it made me realize how much I want to have my firsts with you." 

Her entire face softened at that. "Ah, Chris." The sound of his name coming from her lips might just be his favorite ever. "As much as I want to screw it too, I can't. You'll be breaking your contract if we were to date now. I can't do that to you." 

"We'll just go under the radar, then." 

Bora shook her head. "Still too risky. We can't do that to the kids." Her hands went to frame either side of his head. "You should never choose between me and the kids, Chris. No matter what happens, they always come first." 

"But – " 

"Promise me," she insisted. 

He held her persistent gaze for a while. He was being selfish and irrational, he realized as his rational thoughts started coming back to his mind. But the thought of choosing anything over Bora, his mirror, his love, was far too unimaginable for him. 

"Chris?" 

"I promise," he finally muttered. 

"Good." She smiled, pushing his untamed curls off his forehead. "Don't worry, love. I can, and will always, wait for you." 

Chris had something cheeky to say to lighten up the mood, he promised he did, but then Bora leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, and his mind – his entire world, really – went blank. 

They'd never kissed before. Not once, not even after the conversation they had last year – where she'd told him that she was pretty sure she loved him, and he'd asked her to wait for him. This was a first, their first, and boy, did Chris look forward for many, many others – both in kisses and in firsts – after this one. 

This one, though, was as brief as it was soft. When Chris finally managed to knock some senses back into his blank head, Bora was already pulling away. He tried to chase her lips, tried to steal a few more kisses because how was he supposed to feel enough with just one – 

Bora chuckled at his impatience. "You said you want to have your firsts with me. There, you have another one." 

"It wasn't my first kiss, though?" 

"I meant your first with me," Bora deadpanned. "You – good lord, why am I even trying?" 

He laughed. "Was it your first kiss ever?" 

"Of course not – Chris!" 

previously on | coming up next Find more tales of Chris & Bora and the rest of Stray Kids here!

[late-to-the-party-81]

Coming of Age

AN: A little something for @steverogersbingo and sort of a late birthday fic for Stevie.

Unbeta’d

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Moodboard by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics

Likes are loved, Reblogs are golden

Master List | SRB Master List

Challenges and Bingos:

SGR Bingo Square B4 - Coming of Age

Summary: “Alright,” said Steve with an expression so grumpy it looked totally put on, and probably was. “I’ll come over later. Just for your Ma. And the girls.”

Bucky grinned, hands in his pockets and leant back on his heels. “Just for the Ma and the girls? What am I, pal? Chopped liver?”

Relationship: Steve Rogers & the Barnes family, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes

WC: 1k

CW: Mild Angst, reference to Sarah Rogers’ death, Bucky POV, confusion about feelings, pining, Fluff, Jewish Barnes Family.

“You don’t have to do this, Buck. You know that.”

Bucky rolled his eyes at Steve. “I know I don’t have to, but the thing is that Ma wants to.” He saw Steve’s expression change and knew that he had him with that - there was no way on earth that Steve was going to disappoint Winnie Barnes.

“Alright,” said Steve with an expression so grumpy it looked totally put on, and probably was. “I’ll come over later. Just for your Ma. And the girls.”

Bucky grinned, hands in his pockets and leant back on his heels. “Just for the Ma and the girls? What am I, pal? Chopped liver?”

Steve broke into a smile and he elbowed Bucky sharply (and given his sparrow-like frame it was always sharply). “Jerk!”

“Punk!”

Bucky pulled Steve into a hug, one that would have been classed as a few seconds too long if either of them had been other people. “Don’t be late,” he muttered into Steve’s mop of hair.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” came the reply, somewhat muffled by Bucky’s own clothing.

Several hours later and there was a knock at the door to the Barnes’ apartment.

“I’ll get it!” shouted Becca as she sped past Bucky, eager to be the one to answer. “Steve!” came her excited exclamation as she opened it and barreled into Steve, almost knocking him over. Bucky looked on, amused. It wouldn’t be long until Becca was taller than Steve, a fact that Becca liked to affectionately tease him about. Steve liked to retort that it was because her body had to grow to contain all her sass.

Eventually, Steve managed to untangle himself from Becca’s embrace and the other two girls as well, who’d gathered around him like bees around honey. Bucky gave him a lazy smile over their heads and Steve returned it with a bashful one of his own.

“Bucky! Steve! Girls!” Winnie called from the kitchen. “Time to come eat.”

They all walked down the hall and squeezed into the small kitchen-diner, Bucky and Steve sharing a bench that could only just fit the two of them, their elbows pressed together. Neither of them cared - this is where they always sat when at the Barnes’ supper-table. When they were all sat, George Barnes recited a blessing for the food they were about to eat and then they all dug in.

Bucky liked the way that Steve just seemed to ‘fit’ with them all here. He’d been so worried about how Steve would manage when Ma Rogers had passed away. He’d even invited Steve to come and live with them all, stating they could put the couch cushions on the floor for him, but his best guy was nothing if not stubborn - boy was he stubborn - and Steve had insisted that he could manage on his own. It hadn’t stopped Bucky, or his Ma, from stopping by with a ‘surplus’ of food every now and then, or offering to do his laundry because they were doing some anyway and the addition of a few more shirts and under-things wouldn’t make much difference.

Now this day had come for Steve, Bucky was hoping that he could convince Steve it would be a good thing to live with someone else, and not just on his own. And that maybe, that someone else could be him. Steve deserved to not be alone - he deserved happiness. The fact that it would mean he wouldn’t be under his parent’s thumbs anymore would just be a bonus.

Steve’s laughter at his side from something his father had said, caught Bucky’s attention and he turned to look at his friend, the light bouncing off his blonde hair and catching the sharp edges of his cheekbones. He knew he wasn’t supposed to notice how handsome Steve was, but he couldn’t not notice it either. Because despite his short stature, wiry frame, bad heart and substandard hearing, Bucky thought that Steve was the most captivating fella he’d ever seen. He wished out of the pair of them he was the one with artistic talent so he could capture what he saw so that other folks could see it too.

As the meal came to an end, Bucky looked over at Winnie. “Ma? Can Stevie and I have our dessert out on the fire escape?” Why did he sound more like a small boy asking for permission than the grown man that he was?

Winnie smiled at the pair of them indulgently. “Of course you can. I suppose you boys want some quiet time.”

He could see Steve’s blush as he smiled at his ma. “Thanks, Mrs Barnes.”

She shoo-ed them off with a smile and a wave of her apron. “When are you gonna start calling me Winnie, Steve?”

“Ask me next time I’m round,” Steve teased back. Bucky took the opportunity to cut a large slice of the dessert, plate it, grab a fork and a few extra things and then he and Steve walked through to the back bedroom and climbed out onto the fire escape. Steve had grabbed a couple of pillows from one of the beds so the hard metal plating wouldn’t dig into their backsides. 

They were just getting settled when the first fireworks lit up the sky in a riot of colour and sound. Bucky sometimes wondered what they looked and sounded like to Steve, with his colour-blindness and partial deafness. However, Steve seemed to like them enough and Bucky used the moment to stick a small candle in the top of the slice of apple cake and light it with a match from his pocket.

“Happy twenty-first birthday, Stevie,” he said, a lump of emotion forming in his throat. Steve smiled up at him, face shrouded in darkness except for when an exploding firework reflected in his eyes, and then leant his head against Bucky’s shoulder. The pair of them watched the candle burn down for a few moments, before Steve blew it out. 

“Thanks, Buck,” he replied, obviously trying to hide his own welling of emotion. Bucky allowed him that dignity.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t celebrate this with your Ma.”

“I know. But she’s still here. Somewhere. And it’s not like I’m alone. I’m still with family.”

On that warm night, on July 4th 1939, two best friends traded bites of apple cake while watching the fireworks, neither knowing what was to come.

Tag list: @km-ffluv, @wheezy-stucky, @kmc1989, @kombatfather1796

@christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @doasyoudesireandlive, @galactusdevourerofworlds,

@crayongirl-linz, @mightstill, @nicoline1998enilocin, @starrkermarvel, @king814318

[callsign-dexter]

Love's Awakening

Summary/Request: Hi babe 😘 😚,

Loving the our little girl universe! Wondering if you would take this request. Don't worry if you don't but how about that one night Jake and Bradley come home late and their daughter brought a boy home to do the dirty... And they don't know how to react to their little girl not being so little anymore.

Pairings: Bradley Bradshaw x Daughter!Reader, Jake Seresin x Daughter!Reader, Bradley Bradshaw x Jake Seresin, OC Mason Floyd x Y/N Bradshaw-Seresin

Warnings: fluff, implied smut

Master List

Our Little Girl

A/N: Reader and Mason are 16 years old

In all fairness, her dads did say they were going to be at The Hard Deck for a while, like well into the night. So she didn't think anything of it when she brought her boyfriend over to the house to hang out and maybe make out and take it a little too far.

Her boyfriend you may be wondering is none other than Mason Kolten Floyd, Bob's teenage son, they had been friends since diapers. At first, the thought of them two dating repealed each other and vowed to never get together. But that was when they were younger and thought all boys and girls had cooties. Now teenagers they absolutely have fallen in love with each and don't want to let the other go. Of course, it took a hot minute for them to realize that but everyone was hoping they would get together.

It was a Friday night meaning that it was soon to be the weekend and the Seresin-Bradshaw residence couldn't wait to sit back and relax. The Daggers were having their traditional meet at The Hard Deck leaving the kids behind and enjoying themselves. Y/N had just gotten home from school to find her Dad and Pops already at home and in the kitchen. When she walked in she set her backpack down and put her keys on the hook by the door. Bradley was the first one to turn around when he heard the door shut. "Hey, Honey!" He said excitedly which made Jake turn around.

"Hey, Sweets!" Jake said with the same excitement. They both came over to her and hugged her which she gladly accepted but couldn't help with a confused look on her face.

"Um hi?" She said but sounded more like a question. When she broke away from Bradley and they saw the look on her face it was a mixture of Bradley and Jake. "What are you doing home so early?" She asked moving further into the kitchen and swiping a piece of raw cookie dough from the bowl they gave her only parents give when their child does something they don't like. Jake and Bradley walked over and Bradley took the bowl and set it away from his daughter. She just gave the signature Seresin smirk and moved to jump onto the counter and again her parents gave her another look like she was not supposed to do that but they let it pass.

"We will be going out to The Hard Deck tonight for the traditional Friday meet-up with the other Daggers so you're on your own for supper. I hope that's ok." Jake said and she nodded of course that was ok with her that meant that she could eat whatever she wanted and that included fast food.

"Yea that is perfectly fine." She said nodding enthusiastically. The parents already knew what she was going to get and they were ok with it every now and then but just not all the time. But they're going to have a talk with Slider about getting their little girl addicted to McDonald's.

"But to make up for us not being here. I'm making mom's famous cookies." Bradley said as he finished mixing the dough and started to spoon it out. She tried to sneak another bite but he smacked her hand away and gave her the look, she knew the look, but she looked him right in the eye and stole more. She just smirked while doing so.

"What time are you meeting them there?" She asked as Jake passed her some grapes that he was eating.

"Leaving at 7 and will be out for well into the night probably." Bradley said picking up some grapes after he had put the cookies in. "Now off the counter." He said and she rolled her eyes but got off anyways.

"Well, I'm gonna start homework and figure out what I'm gonna do with the house to myself." She said grabbed her backpack and headed off upstairs. She knew what she was going to do but couldn't let them know that. The truth is that she was going to bring Mason over to watch a movie or two, eat junk food, and fool around.

While she was upstairs Bradley and Jake were getting the cookies out. They were being the overbearingly cute couple. If Y/N had seen it she would've faked gagged and they would've laughed. When 6:50 PM rolled around they called her down. "Y/N!" Bradley yelled and that had her practically tumbling down the stairs.

"Yea? Yes? I'm here." She said as Jake caught her before she fell. They chuckled.

"We're leaving. Cookies are on the cooling rack." Bradley said as he was putting on shoes and grabbing keys as Jake put on his shoes too.

"Remember if you need us call and we'll be home in just a matter of seconds. If you can't get a hold of any of us call The Hard Deck or Penny." Jake said standing up.

"You got it, Pops." She said and they came over and kissed her on the forehead and exchanged 'I love you' and they were off. She stood at the window and watched as they were just out of view when she texted Mason.

Dad and Pops are gone. Want to come over?

He replied in just a few seconds.

Mason: You know I do. Want me to get McDonald's?

She smiled

You know I do.

Mason: Be there in a few minutes. Your regular?

She smiled again

You're the best boyfriend ever.

Mason: Well, you're the best girlfriend ever.

She smiled he was truly the best boyfriend ever, but then again Bob was his father so what do you expect? She had moved to the couch when she started texting him.

Some boring TV show was playing in the background while she waited. When she heard the distinct sound of Mason's F-150 pull into the driveway. She jumped up and ran to the door and opened and saw him get out with the food. Mason closed the door and turned and smiled at his girlfriend. He shut the door and walked over to her and kissed her and she kissed him back. They walked in and went to the couch and began eating while they put on a movie. They were cuddled into each other and eating. They laughed and made comments throughout the movie.

8 PM rolled around and they were into their second movie. The movie playing was more intimate than the other. They came up to a steamy scene in the movie and they looked at each other and started to lean in until they were kissing. Mason took off his sweatshirt he had on and threw onto the ground.

Mason had moved Y/N until she was lying on the couch and he was on top of her. Her arms were still around his neck and he was kissing her neck. One of his hands found its way under her shirt and bra to her breast and the other was on her waist. They heard Y/N's phone buzz but they ignored it and continued. Mason moved from kissing her to kissing her neck and she turned to give him access. Slight moaning was coming from her. One of Y/N's hands moved down to his clothed dick and started to slowly stroke it. They were so wrapped up in a heavy make-out session they didn't hear Bradley's Bronco pull up and the engine shutting off or the door opening and closing.

Mason and Y/N didn't know they had company until Jake's voice boomed into the room. "What is going on in here?!" He shouted and that had both teenagers pulling away and jumping up. Any sort of sexual feelings they had quickly died out. It was only 10 PM, what were they doing at home when they were supposed to be out at The Hard Deck for well into the night? Their hair was a mess, their clothes were wrinkled and their faces were flushed.

"Pops? Dad? What are you doing home?" She asked.

"We decided to cut it short because the power went out at The Hard Deck." Bradley said being the in-control parent while Jake freaked out. Of course, Bradley was freaking out his baby was growing up but he knew it was bound to happen.

"You didn't answer my question." Jake said crossing his arms and looking at Bradley who had an expressionless look on his face. Both teenagers were silent they didn't know what to say.

"It's not what it looks like Pops." She said

"It looks like our little girl was just about to have sex on our couch with her boyfriend." Jake said.

"Ok, so it is what it looks like." She said Mason had been quiet. He was just hoping that a black hole would open and swallow him up. Jake threw his hands up in the air and rolled his eyes and had an exasperated look on his face. He turned to his husband.

"Are you not going to say anything?" Jake asked him and Bradley just stood there with his hands on his hips. He sighed and hung his head and then pulled Jake into the guest bedroom. Mason and Y/N just looked at each other and decided to sit down on the couch they held hands and waited.

Jake was pacing around the room while Bradley leaned upon the closed door and watched. "Why are you not freaking out?" He asked stopping to look at Bradley.

"Oh trust me I am. But having both of us freaking out isn't going to help the situation. To be honest you tend to freak out more." Bradley said walking to his husband and taking his hands and leading him to the bed.

"But Bradley. Our daughter, our little girl was just about to have sex with her boyfriend. Bob's son." Jake said still freaking out.

"Yes Jake I know. But I trust our little girl to make the right choices. We raised her well. Our daughter is smart." Bradley said and caressed Jake's face and he leaned into the touch. "Now let's go out there and talk to them with clear heads. Ok?" Bradley asked and Jake nodded.

"Ok. I'm good." He said and they kissed and headed out to the two teenagers. When they got out the TV was off and the living room was clean and the two teens were sitting on the couch. Y/N had put on Mason's sweatshirt which was a little big on her. They looked up at the two men. "We talked. I want to say sorry for freaking out on you." Jake said and they nodded.

"We know you're growing up and having these feelings that you may not understand yet. When you do decide to act on these feelings please come to us or Bob. We just want you to be safe. You're a smart girl and boy and know you were raised right." Bradley said being the calm, cool, and collected parent.

"We want to be grandparents but we don't want to be grandparents just yet." Jake added and everyone chuckled about it. "It's getting late. Mason why don't you go and call Bob and let him know you're staying here tonight since it's late." Jake said and he nodded and headed off outside to the backyard.

"I'm really sorry Pops and Dad." She said looking down Jake sat down beside her and Bradley kneeled in fron of her.

"Nothing to apologize for. We were 16 once and we get it. Just please come to us before you do anything. Goose and Momma Carole would be too thrilled about being great-grandparents but they would spoil the hell out of the baby but they would want you to wait too." Jake's said.

"Just like they spoiled you. We really do want grandchildren but not until you are in your 30s." Bradley said and you all chuckled again. They hugged and she knew she could count on them for anything at any time. Y/N loved her Dad and Pops and nothing is going to change that.

Tag list:

@athenabarnes

@fanboyluvr

@aizawash0e

@els-marvelvsp

@alohastitch0626

@itsdesiree86

@multifandomimagin3s

@happypopcornprincess

@kmc1989

@atarmychick007

@nyx2021

@sabrinaselina55

[fluff-a-nutter]

May I request reader who's varians rival/enemy and he hates that he has a crush on her? He would follow her around like a lost puppy if she wasn't his enemy, she's also the one that tickles varian half way to death every day to tease/make fun of/annoy him but it's really just to show affection because she can't actually do anything lovey because they're rivals, and varian has tried tickling her back but finds out she's not ticklish (except her tickle spot but well get on that layer). But one day she gets stuck/harmed/anything you can think of and he's the only one there so he FINALLY finds her tickle spot and exploits it like FU-

In short they're dorks who have crushes on each other and tickle each other to death for fun

Of course! Enjoy!

Varian hated you. But he also loved you. This was very problematic for him. He both wanted to avoid you at all costs and follow you around like a goddamn golden retriever. There was one thing he enjoyed about you and that was how you were able to tickle him into oblivion. Of course, he knew you were showing affection, but his dignity demanded he at least act like it was annoying.

Unfortunately, he was never able to tickle you back. No matter how sneaky or intense he was, he couldn’t even get a giggle out of you. You just weren’t ticklish and he found this very unfair. So being the stubborn alchemist he was, he devised a plan to find your ticklish spot.

Y/N walked to Varian’s lab. He had sent a note via raccoon mail aka. Ruddiger delivering a small roll of parchment with a note telling you to visit the lab. This was vague and a bit suspicious. Varian never invited you to the lab unless he was absolutely desperate for help or his dad needed someone to force him to get some goddamn food. But loathe as you were to admit it, you cared about Varian and you wanted to make sure he wasn’t dead.

So you were on the way to the lab. When you arrived you knocked on the door. There was no answer. Typical. Feeling a bit annoyed that Varian hadn’t bothered to answer the door, you pushed open the door and marched inside, planning to give him a piece of your mind.

It was pitch black in the lab and you couldn’t see the trip wire, until you stepped on it. With a stunned yelp, you triggered one of Varian’s goo traps, leaving you stuck on the floor from the waist down.

“Dammit Varian!” You swore, twisting around to no avail. The lights flicked on and Varian approached you with a smug grin. You wanted to slap it off. Or kiss him. Maybe both.

“Get me out.” You growled through gritted teeth. Varian’s grin just grew.

“Nah, I need to test something first and you won’t complain.” Varian replied, cheekily poking your side. You didn’t flinch. So sides weren’t ticklish.

He continued to circle you, poking you in various places, not receiving any reactions other than your annoyed glare. Varian frowned in thought. Where hadn’t he tested yet? Ah yes, that might work. With a cunning smirk, he crouched down and squeezed your thigh.

You tried to stifle your squeal, but it was too late. Varian beamed like he’d won the lottery and proceeded to tickle the hell out of your thighs. You shrieked with loud laughter.

“Varian stop it right now or I swear I’ll- hahahaha!”

“You’ll what? Laugh? That’s threatening.” Varian deadpanned, unrelenting in his attack.

You couldn’t do anything but take what he was dishing out. You really couldn’t take what you doled out and now you’re regretting the daily tickles you gave Varian. Finally your legs gave out and you fell forward, landing on top of Varian.

The tickles on your thighs abruptly stopped as you lay on Varian. Your lips were inches from his. Why was he so attractive up close? He had a lot more freckles than you had realized…. Cute.

The moment ended as quickly as it happened when Quirin walked in.

“Son, I was thinking I’d make a roast for supper, do you want potatoes- oh! Have I interrupted something?”

Faces burning, you and Varian scrambled away from each other.

“Gah! Dad! No, y/n was just helping me out with my experiment! Potatoes sound great! Be there in a minute!”

Quirin stood there for a few moments before leaving mumbling something about strange teenagers.

You and Varian stood there awkwardly, unsure where to go from there.

“Erm…. Y/n would you like to stay for dinner?” Varian asked, breaking the silence.

“Oh…. Yeah I suppose. Roast sounds good!”

“Heh, yeah…. Roast.”

The two of you glanced at each other and smiled a little as you headed to the dining room for dinner.

[cyncialwoo]

Lies Dipped in Rococo

-pairing: hyunggu x reader, huitaek x reader

-genre: angst, smut, rococo au, the progress of love???

-words: 7k words

-warnings: a bit of yelling,

-a/n: This one was in the works for a while. I might release a part two... if it goes well, and maybe separate endings. I just wanted to put something out there. I'm still active I swear!!! Thank you all for support!! >>Masterlist

Rococo is an art style, a lifestyle. Organically shaped and covered in gold and pastel colors. Putting an innocent tone over paintings that aren’t so innocent, for tea rooms where women gossip. The high life of the French. 

You sat in the tea room with the other ladies. You had on your best fake smile. You were the youngest out of all of them. Recently, you married the high priest. It was arranged, of course, but he was quite handsome. His name was Kang Hyunngu. Unlike your husband, you grew up in a noble lifestyle. He climbed his way to the top. 

You hummed at one of the lady’s comments. You weren’t listening to what she was saying. You were staring at the panties around the room. One caught your eye, a picture of naked figures on the sea with putti above them. 

“I see you like the painting I added to my collection.” She smiled at you. Her name was…. You could not seem to remember her first name. But her last name stuck out to you. You were still new to this group. Learning all of their names would take time.

“Ah yes, Mrs. Beaumont. What is the name of the painting?” You gained the attention of the ladies in the room. Most of them didn’t have an eye for art. You knew of some that would have their maids. 

“The Triumph of Venus by Francious Boucher.” She let out a slight smile while sipping her tea. You nodded back to her and let the conversation move elsewhere. 

.

The piece stuck with you throughout the day. It could be because of the erotic nature of the painting. She had planned a day to go to the academy to look at the new pieces. You took care of most of the finances in the relationship. It was the only task that you had that wasn’t mundane.  

When you went to his office, he barely looked at you when the two of you were talking about taking over the finances. He replied with one word and pointed at the finance books. You didn’t know him too well at that time. He didn’t know you too well either. 

You picked up the books and looked back at him. He hadn’t looked up from his papers to see you out. It seemed that he did not have even a bit of interest in you. You didn’t talk to him much after you left his office that day. The two of you had never sat down and had a proper conversation. With you, he was reserved and you were the same with him. Neither of you would open up. 

.

You had been home since the meeting at the Beaumonts' place. You were going over the spending for the month, what was in savings, and what were the allowances. You were in your own office, like a hermit. Most days you wouldn’t dare to come out ‘til supper. There was no reason to stroll, but now you wanted to explore art galleries. You were looking down at the finance book, how much money should be put away for artwork? How much did it cost to be a patron?

You could send a letter to some ladies, but you know how judgemental they are. You could ask your head maid to do some digging on others. You were reading about the art world, trying to get as much information as possible.

You had been alone for a while when someone entered the room. You didn’t pay it too much attention at first until a shadow had loomed over you. You looked up to meet the eyes of your husband. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you this late in my office?” You gave him a smile reaching out your hand. He took it and placed a small kiss. It was a flirty gesture you made at him, but a large smile reciprocated it. 

“I hope you will be this public for our upcoming ball.” You raised your eyebrows at his words. Hyunggu wasn’t a social type of person. 

“A ball? Us? We barely attend others, and you want me to host?” You added a bit of a playful tone in your voice even though the matter was serious. Your fake concern was seen, but not spoken on. Although it was true, you did not attend many balls when the two of you married. People didn’t see you and Hyunngy together outside in public often. This would be a first. “I was hoping for a change. I want to present our name as something grand. I am sure you can handle hosting”

You hummed for a bit. “I can handle hosting and planning, but can you handle all the aristocrats? They can be quite annoying.” No matter how much you wanted to add to a pet name, you held yourself back. He hadn’t gone that far with you, and you wouldn’t with him.

“I can’t wait to see how you pull it together. It is in a month. That should give you enough time.” He gave you one final smile before he left the room. He didn’t prolong the conversation, but you wanted him to. The conversation was a bit longer, and you thought you had kept the mood up. So why didn’t Hyunggu talk to you for just a little while longer? He seriously drove you crazy.

.

You were busy the rest of the week trying to design some theme for your home and party. You were still hung up on the artistic style of rococo and decided to go with that as a theme. It was a new and upcoming style. It would make the two of you seem more stylish than you gave off. And you had to budget the whole ball plus the gowns. To you– that was the most important part of the event. It would probably cost more than the catering and cake. 

You knew one thing for certain, you were going to be locked inside your office for the rest of the day. 

. 

The ball rolled around, and you were exhausted from all the planning. You had your maids help her get ready, the dress, the makeup, the hair. There was a sense of pride when you walked downstairs and saw the array of flowers and colors of pastels. Some of the paintings that you ordered have come and were displayed. 

Your husband walked up to you, “It looks amazing such as you do.” You smiled. You felt flattered. 

“Thank you.” 

You sat on a couch sipping tea while watching your husband converse with others. It was a big party with a large guest list. You thought that you were in over your head inviting people that were of a higher class than you. Especially this one noble family. Their son was best friends with the prince. You didn’t expect them to arrive, but it still was a way to get your name out there. 

Your made rushed to you whispering in your ear that they had arrived. You jolted up, the excitement was too much. You followed the maid to where. You were too stunned to speak just follow. It felt like there was no possible way that this man could be in your house right now. 

You walked up to him, still beaming with excitement. “Nice to meet you, Mr Lee. Thank you for coming to my event tonight.” When you looked up at him you could feel your heart beating faster. He had a sweet puppy-like face and was too handsome. Now you were glad he came to your event. 

“Now that I’ve met you, I can say that I’ve come for a good cause.” He reached out his hand to your own slowly bending down to kiss it without making eye contact. There was heat in your cheeks. “Why don’t you show me around your lovely home?”  There was a look in his eye, something of interest. 

.

You showed him around your house, ending up in your private library on a couch. The two of you were laughing. You had to say, he got some good conversation out of you. The more you two drank, the more handsy Hui had gotten. His hands hovering above your own and his eyes rarely broke contact with your own. You sucked in a breath before you took another sip of champagne. It had already been late when Hui arrived at the party, heavens knows what time it is now. 

The two of you were still in deep conversation when your maid slipped into the room looking a bit nervous. She tapped you on the shoulder. “Erm… I just wanted to (warn) tell you that your husband has been looking for you and is headed to the library. Most of the guests have left by now.” 

You brushed it off waving your hand in the air, “It’s probably about the clean-up and what to do next.” You had a smile on your face with a pink tint on your cheeks. It was Hyunggu and he didn’t talk much to you. He only spoke business because, technically, you were part of his business image. 

“Oh dear, does that mean I have to part ways with you already? I thought we were just getting started,” Hui added as he snuck his hand under your own and laid a kiss upon it once more. He had an enamored look in his eyes now like he got a taste of what he was looking for. 

The made to you two was once again a ghost, and nothing else existed but the sound of your voices and the heat between your bodies. The only thing that would break the trance would be two hands on your shoulders. Surprised, you looked behind you to find Hyunggu. “Oh, Dear! You have to meet my new friend. He says my home is lovely and–”

“I'm sure our home is lovely, you designed it after all, but shouldn’t I be the one to talk business with the man, I am the husband.” He didn’t leave much room for you to respond, tightening his grip on your shoulders. You spoke no more. 

“Ah, we should soon. Let’s make a date where I can come over again.” Hui had a smug look that anyone could mistake for liquor. But the way that Hui made a quick glance at you, made your heart skip a beat.

“You’re right. Tonight has already gone too far. I’ll walk you to the door.” Hui stood up and you watched him. Hyunggu had finally lifted his harsh grip from your shoulders. You stood up as well, but the men were already half out of the door. Hui looked back at you and gave you a wink with a soft smile. 

.

You had returned to your room undressing, bathing, dressing, and slipping into bed with a book. Hui gave you a recommendation from your library, and you promised to read it. You had walked around the library with Hui before sitting down and talking. Hui was an observer, the way he watched you talk, and the way he examined the room. While the two of you walked around the book collection, he suddenly pulled out a book and gave it to you. You smiled to yourself holding the book to your chest. There was a knock at your door that interrupted your flashback– or shall I say daydream. “Come in.” You said in a soft voice to the person on the other side of the door. 

Hyunggu opened it, only now you were able to see his eyes. Angry, almost, but for a reason that you don’t know. You only turned to him to see who walked into your room, then turned back to your book. 

Your husband bored you and to you, whatever he was going to say would not make it any better, so you went back to your book. You heard him sigh, maybe it was the stress from hosting such a huge party. You flipped the page. 

“Do you have any shame?” Hyunggu said in a slightly irritated voice. It was clear he was trying to hold himself back, but the venom slipped through the cracks. 

“What?” You said now putting your book aside. You looked directly at him. 

“You disappear for half of the night into some secluded room, and you don’t think people will talk. Especially with that man’s ties with the prince?!” There was urgency in Hyunggu’s voice. He ran his hands through his hair. He was still angry, now you looked at him, analyzing him. He hadn’t changed from his attire from the part. He looked like he had been sweaty. You were sure it had been some time since Hyunggu walked Hui out the front door. So what had he been doing since then? 

Either way, he was coming for you, almost accusing you of adultery. Sure, you didn’t like Hyunggu as a husband, but you did have some respect for the man. “So this is about image? Because if it is–”

“It’s not about image it’s about the fact that my WIFE was gone half of the night and I didn’t even have an answer as to where you were. God, I had to ask your maid for an idea. The event went well if people weren’t asking for your appearance half of the damn time.”

“You don’t like me by your side if you mind me reminding you.”

“And when I did seem to find you when everyone else was gone, you were with a man. A man? What do you think about how he thinks of me now? So oblivious that I can allow my wife to slip away? “ He didn’t even hear your statement. He was ignoring you just blabbering on and then he got to the part about Hui’s glances. “He was looking you up and down undressing you with his eyes. In my house! He was thinking of undressing YOU. IN. MY. HOUSE.” 

“Have you been drinking, Hyunggu?” You said without giving too much thought to what was coming out of your mouth. You were starting to become concerned. 

“THATS NOT IMPORTANT.” Hyunggu was pacing around the room now. He was in over his head angry. A part of you was scared. This normally quiet man of your husband was now yelling in your bedroom. 

“I think you need to calm down.” You said with a little more urge in your voice. You were ready for him to leave and didn't know how to calm Hyunggu down. He was still walking back and forth when you got up from your bed walking toward him. You cupped his face, “You need to calm down.” You spoke softly to him, looking into his eyes. “Okay?” He looked back in yours before he ripped his face out of your grasp, and stormed out of the room slamming the doors. 

You didn’t sleep that night, the book acted as a source of comfort.

. 

You had been avoiding meeting hyunggu ever since the incident in your room. Dinner was the only time that you couldn’t escape from him. Neither of you had spoken either. You avoided eye contact from him, or read your book at the dinner table. 

You awaited Hui’s return, but perhaps he did not mean it when he said he would visit again. You spent your time in your drawing room, embroidering, reading, painting, and anything to pass the time. Going on strolls in the garden behind your house was your new favorite pastime. It felt more and more empty with every day, and you asked for more flowers and asked for more statues. You needed something more than an empty garden.   

You searched for some type of fulfillment for your boredom. You frequented as many teas and balls as you could in hopes of running into Hui again. Especially at balls, since you had met him on your own. It was a new move trying to go to all of the events of the social season since you weren’t that high of a noble. You needed the connections, so you had the ball in the first place, but you didn’t see much of a chance moving up in the ranks. 

You did get the attention of many of the lady’s husbands, which got you somewhere in mentioning your husband. Even though you were not interested in Hyunggu as much, you still had to stick by him. Who else was going to support your endeavors in art? You could think of one person but still could not find him anywhere.

.

You were getting ready for another ball you frequented with or without your husband. Sometimes Hyunggu would “tag along” for the connections that were there. This ball in particular, Hyunggu did not fancy it at all. You didn’t hear anything from the staff about him getting ready or wanting to go.

You left your estate feeling free since there wouldn’t be someone’s (hyunggu’s) eyes on you all night. You walked into the ball, the lights were dim creating a sense of ambiance. You wandered about most of the ball. You weren’t much of a dancer, but more of a socialite. 

You were laughing with one of the ladies you usually have tea with when someone tapped you on the shoulder. You turned yourself around and met Hui’s eyes. You curtsied to him, and he took your hand again to kiss it. His lips left a small fire burning on your hand for the rest of the night. “I have not seen you in so long.” You smiled up at him. You wanted to say that you missed him, but it felt like too much. 

“I am not an easy man to come across.” He had a sly look on his face as if he had won something. He held onto your hand escorting you somewhere more quiet, like before. You could tell he liked his privacy. 

“I can tell, you never called when you say you would.” You remarked in a slightly pouty tone. You would not give him too much, not yet at least. “At this point, you are just... teasing” You looked up into his eyes looking for something, and was met with a soft smile. 

“I did not think even if I were to call, that your husband would accept it. I am glad you felt the same way I have.” His hands lingered on yours, holding them. The two of you were outside in the garden. The sky was clear and full of stars. 

“What feeling do we share?” You asked inching towards him. The moonlight only made him look more dreamy. 

“The feeling of something igniting every time your skin touched. The passion.” His hands holding your upper arm. “That is why you were looking for me again, is it not?”

“You looked down at your own hands, “That is why. I do miss your company and our conversation. Which is why I wish you could visit me in my garden. It is empty, almost like my house. Like my heart when you are not next to me.” 

He tucked a hair behind your ear as an excuse to hold your face. “Then I will meet you in that garden.” He leaned in to kiss you, and it was soft. You leaned more into him grabbing him by his waist, and he grabbed you by yours in return. You smiled into the kiss, as he ran his hands up into your hair. 

He pushed you up against the wall, as the two of you became breathless. His hands were still in your hair tugging at it making the kiss deeper. He pulled away after a few moments trying to catch his breath. “We both can’t continue this here nor today.” Hui was looking down at the ground. His hands were on his hips as he thought of a solution to both of your dilemmas. “I shall have to visit your garden sometime…” Hui said, looking at you with a smile. 

“We should get back to the ball now before we are missed.” You replied and linked your arm with his. The two of you walked back to the ball to enjoy the rest of your night dancing and talking with Hui. You enjoyed his company more than Hyunggu’s. You felt like you had known Hui for an entire lifetime. 

.

You spent more and more time in the garden. New flowers were blossoming, and your statues came in. There was one you put on a pedestal– an angel. He looked like he was sitting and had a finger in front of his mouth hushing. Two other statues sat on the ground. They were angels, one hugging the other. You smiled to yourself proud of the way you had decorated the garden, but it was missing something.  The trees around your garden looked overgrown. The biggest tree had a branch that seemed to curl into itself. You couldn’t put to your mind what you were missing just yet. You walked around more of your garden seeing where else you could put statues. You had a thing for putti, the little devious angles that were found everywhere. It was too cute and fitting for Hyunggu’s job. 

You smiled to yourself looking over at your garden one last time. You turned to head back to your estate when your maid ran to you with a letter in her hand. “A.. Letter… from Marquis Lee.” As soon as those words left her mouth you beamed and ran to her to retrieve the letter. Your two dogs barked in the back of her. One was a brown and white cocker spaniel who was perfectly groomed and a Coton de Tulear, who was more energetic. Coco, who was the white puppy, and Ava, who was the brown and white puppy both ran up to you before you could get your hands on the letter. You giggled playing with the puppies, for a moment before making sure to take the letter and shove it into a pocket of your dress for safekeeping. You continued to run around the garden playing fetch with the puppies. 

You had been out there for somewhat of an hour when you felt someone’s eyes on you. You turned around to see Hyunngu leaning on a pole of your veranda. He had a soft smile for a moment before he got caught. He made his way towards you, and you called the dogs to your side as you walked to meet up with him. “Did you need my presence?” You said as you curtseyed a little at him.

“No, but you can say it was missed. You are usually inside.” Hyunggu said as he looked around at your backyard. It had changed since the last time he had been back here. It bloomed with your taste and creativity. He allowed himself to smile, admiring what you did to the place. “I think I know what your garden is missing… I shall order it and have it installed.”

“I already have more statues on the way,” you said. You guessed earlier that the garden missed more statues. Your garden needed a story of itself to tell, and to you, statues would fix that. 

Hyunggu chuckled a little, “No not that. Something else. Exotic, but I think you will enjoy it.” He nodded to himself before looking down at the two pups following you. “Seems that you liked my wedding gifts as well.” He felt proud of himself with that one. 

“I have grown attached to them, yes.” You answered Hyunngu bending down to ruffle Coco’s soft white furr. Dogs were often a gift in marriage as a symbol of loyalty. Given to a woman for the expectation of her loyalty. You knew that and so did he. Coco and Ava were a symbol of what you were meant to be as a woman. Sometimes you loved them but hated them for the reason they were here. “I shall see you at dinner,” you said with a smile and a curtsey to excuse yourself. Once again, you called the dogs after you while heading inside. It was time to read your letter.

And write a new one you would send in secret.

.

You almost fell asleep at your desk with all of the drafts you had written to Hui. You wanted to sound smart and eloquent, but you could not seem to get the right tone down. You groaned in frustration, throwing yourself back in your chair. His words were so sweet and rolled off the page like melting wax with a cherry scent. How could you ever match up with that? How could you make him feel like he’d be melting off of a small piece of paper?

In the back of the garden, there lies a pathway leading to a woman with her angel of a child. Next to her is a pedestal of our own, where our love can grow taller than any tree in my garden. We will make the flora around us bloom continuously. 

At the end, you signed your name. You wished to meet him there in that spot, on that same pedestal. You wished to steal another kiss from his soft lips and feel the way he held you. You found yourself with your hands in your hair, soothing it and slightly tugging on it just the way he did. Your hands trailed to your lips, brushing your fingers across them softly. A smile fell upon your lips reminiscing the one kiss you shared with him, that made every fiber of your body burn even a couple of days after. You leaned back in your chair sighing from the satisfaction of your daydream. You stayed like that for moments upon a time, just thinking how it would be if Hui could have courted you. When you were satisfied with the tiny scenarios you opened your eyes. You still needed to seal the letter that sat on your desk. You melted the wax and bored it onto the folded paper before you pressed the wax seal on it. It was your old one– before you were associated with Hyunggu. It was personal and just… you. Just you and him. 

You hid the letter you had written for Hui in between a textbook, for safekeeping. The one he wrote you needed a special place in your room. You could go shopping the next day for boxes, but for now, the best place to keep the letter would be close to you. You crawled into bed, taking the letter with you, sliding into the covers, and sliding the letter under your pillow. 

.

You sat at the dining table dressed up ready to go get some more writing supplies along with a box for yourself. Something about it just made you feel so giddy about the idea of getting to exchange letters with Hui back and forth. Even though you prefer to speak to him face-to-face letters would have to do. You wouldn’t want Hyunngu to become as frustrated as he was the night of the ball. Nor would Hyunggu ever let Hui set foot on his property. Letters were still personal, but not as intimate. 

Hyunggu had been acting differently since the night he came into your room. He had been softer in a way, and trying to connect with you more. He would try and match up the time the two of you had meals, he would try to meet you in the library acting as if he needed a book, and the way he came in the garden the day before. The gift he mentioned, you wondered why he would possibly want to get you a gift and what even was the gift. Hyunggu was still three-quarters of a mystery to you. You broke fast talking with your maid about what stores you wanted to visit, and if there was anything new that you had not seen before. 

Hyunggu walked into the room, and you quieted down in front of him. You looked up to see him smiling so early in the morning. He walked up to you to where you were sitting, “I am going to have something being installed today. You are going to be out today, correct?” 

You nodded at him replying, “I am.” You took another bite of your food to postpone talking to him. Hyunggu stared down at you a small smile still on his lips. You looked up at him, there was something more that he wanted to say to you or wanted to do. You noticed the way his fingers twitched at the side of him. “So I suppose you better have it installed before I come home. So I should take my time out today.” 

.

You hadn’t checked the garden to see what was installed when you came home, not when you received another letter so fast. The rest of the afternoon was sent in your room drafting yet another letter. The day had gone by so fast that by the time you looked outside your window, it was already late at night and there was no use to go outside. Hui had mentioned how he would come by soon to that pedestal and how your love story would grow. 

There was a knock at your door in the middle of the night. You had called your maid to come retrieve the letter and have it sent off as soon as possible. Hyunggu peered his head through the door before a sound could come out of your mouth. You coughed a bit slipping the letter under other documents and books. You plastered a fake smile on your face sitting with your legs crossed. You were leaning against your desk wearing only a nightgown. Hyunggu let himself in your room, “You never visited the garden today… Did you catch something while you were out in town?” His head tilted to the side as he walked closer towards you. “You did not eat dinner either. I was worried about you.” Hyunggu’s hand fell upon your cheek and traveled to your chin lifting it. 

You cleared your throat once more. “I apologize, when I came home I was feeling too well. I retreated to my room for some rest. I hope you were not offended.” Hyunggu smiled. His hand left your chin and went up to your forehead. His other hand went up to his. 

“You do feel a bit warm. Shall I call our  physician?” You shook your head slightly. You could not be more of a bother to him, nor did you seek his attention. You used to try everything to get him to look at you. You had suspected that this had something to do with Hui. Ever since Hyunggu found you in the library smiling, laughing, and talking with Hui, something inside Hyunggu flipped. Hyunggu visiting you in the middle of the night is rare. He did visit you a few times on the topic of financial matters, but nothing more than business. “Alright,” He replied letting his hands fall to his side. “But you should rest nonetheless, so you can feel better in the morning. I will be there to break your fast with you as well.”  Hyunggu leaned in to kiss your temple before leaving your room. 

You felt stunned by the sudden affection from your husband. You touched the place he kissed on your forehead. You bit your lip and called in your maid to give her the letter. Your sentences were short, telling her to send the letter out and that you would spend the entire day outside tomorrow. When she left you could barely fall asleep drumming your fingers in your chest. Your head played back to the kiss on your forehead from Hyunggu, then to the kiss you shared with Hui in the garden.  

..

The next morning felt brighter than the rest. You would find a surprise in the garden, and hopefully have a surprise visit from your so-called lover. The day was quiet and bright with a subtle breeze flowing through an open window. You had eaten with Hyunggu earlier that morning, and you could still not get over how he smiled at you. He held your hand and walked you to the garden that bright morning. 

He showed you the swing, tied by a thick rope into the three. It was gold with a velvet seat. It almost looked like a throne he got only for you. Hyunggu had lifted you from your waist to sit you in the swing. He held his hands in yours gripping the rope and pulling you back on the swing. He pushed the two of you forward. It felt like a moment that could be frozen and displayed for eternity. The way you flew through the air was a different type of magic. The sound of his laughter rang in your ears. He sounded so pure, so childlike. It was different from the way you knew him before. Everything had changed so fast in such little time. You two stayed in that moment that could have been taken out of a fairytale before a butler called him into the house to work on some matters. He caught the swing to slow it down so you could get off. He helped you off, holding your hand and giving it a peck before bidding you adieu. 

A pinch of guilt was felt in your stomach, the feeling that you betrayed Hyunggu. Even though your vows weren’t genuine, they still existed. You strolled through the garden, fingertips grazing the blooming petals around you. The way Hyunggu kissed you by your hand, took you aback to the way Hui kissed your hand. And soon enough, you were thinking of the way he kissed your lips. Flashes of scenes of the past two to three weeks ran through your mind. You sat and thought on a ledge of a wall. You closed your eyes to feel the breeze and the way the sun made parts of your skin tingle and warm. The sun felt like there was a second embrace hugging you and comforting you through your thoughts. The warmth helped with the loneliness that you felt, till the warmth was gone and you were cast in a shadow. 

You opened your eyes slowly, slightly afraid of what your eyes would meet as soon as they were introduced to the outside world. Hui whispered softly, “I know this wasn’t the place we were supposed to meet, but I hope you don’t mind.” You smiled and scooted over patting a seat for Hui to sit.

“I don’t mind at all. I am grateful you saved me from loneliness on this beautiful day.” You laid your head on his shoulder, your smile growing by the seconds. The two of you were deep in the garden of your estate, hidden by the numerous flowers around you. The sweet aroma of the flora filled the two of you with romance. Hui had an arm around you, and his other holding your hand. “I read the book you recommended to me.” You said in a soft whisper.

“Do you think I have good taste?” The arm over your shoulder drew circles on your forearm. The two of you were looking ahead as if there was nowhere else to look, nothing else to do, and nothing more to say. 

“I think we both know the answer to that question”. You laughed a little, letting your eyes crease, relaxing and acting naturally with Hui. You turned your head to look at him and gave him a small peck on his cheek. The creases on the corner of his eyes soon mirrored your own. He leaned down trying to give you a proper kiss. Being playful, you quickly switched out your lips for a flower before running off. You threw the flower to the side once Hui realized what was touching his lips. You were on your feet, running around the garden while Hui sprung off of his seat behind you to chase you. The sounds of your giggles filled the air as Hui continued to catch up with you. He tackled you into a patch of grass, he nuzzled into your neck starting to peck you. Hui attacked you with kisses all over your face and neck while you squealed trying to escape him. 

The rest of the day went by quickly with mostly chatting, soft touches, and short kisses. It was a fever dream, an idea that you could escape your marriage in your magical garden. You had dinner with Hyunggu that night barely looking up to meet his face. There was guilt that beat the smile off of your face. You stared down at your food, watching it slowly get cold. You also couldn’t bring yourself to hold the fork to your mouth, not in his presence. “Was there something I did that was wrong today? I’m sorry that I could not stay outside with you. And because of that interruption, I have some news for you. I will have to leave the estate for some business out of state for a while– I shouldn’t be too long. Three weeks to a month.” You looked at him blankly, not knowing what to say. “I know this is a lot and sudden.”

There was nothing you could think to say to him. Guilt began to fill your mouth, trying to force its way out. “It is, I hope it goes well.” A nice quick reply would do for now. You didn’t mind him being gone when he was barely there initially. Only just recently did he start making an appearance in your life. Still, Hyunggu had the title of your husband, and that was enough to make you feel a bit of guilt. 

.

By the next day, Hyunngu was packed up and gone from the estate. You made the most of the time having the place to yourself. More talks in the garden lead to talks in the library and many things behind closed doors. Carelessness filled your head as you let Hui inside your room, for a break from the sun. Really, it was so that you wouldn’t sweat under the layers of clothing when he touched you. You could be free from worry, and clothing. Hui held your face kissing you with passion he had not shown you before. He had nothing to hide anymore, not his passion for you. You held his shoulders for support as he kissed down to your neck trying to pry open your bodice. You helped him take off your dress, smiling and giggling with him. Hui took care of himself as you got comfortable on the bed. Who knew sex could be so fun when you add a bit of passion and the joy of eating the forbidden fruit? Hui’s lips were on you in an instant, his hand on your thigh soothing it. He made room for himself in between your legs, while his kisses trailed down your body. He worshiped you, every inch of your skin was left on fire after his kisses. When his face reached your heat he looked up at you. Hui’s eyes were glistening by the candlelight. “May I, my dear?”, he asked licking his lips.

“You may,” was all you needed to say before his lips were attached to your clit lapping and kissing like he wasn’t going to be able to do this again. His hands squeezed at your thighs, to keep you from closing in on him. His breath was hot against your cunt, as he gasped for air. You moaned as you felt his tongue enter you. You grasped his hair, whimpering as he sped up this pace. You were so close to your release, holding onto your sheets for dear life as your legs shook. You came with a screech, closing your legs around Hui’s head. He continued to lap up your cum, rubbing his thumb on your inner thigh. Your breathing was heavy as you ran your hand through your hair. 

     Hui detached himself from you, only to kiss you. He was murmuring something you couldn’t hear. You could feel Hui’s hard against your thigh. You helped guide him towards your entrance, needy for what more pleasure he would bring you. He pushed in with a deep kiss on your lips. He was slow at first so you could get used to him. He pulled back to look at you, and you stared at him with all of your combined beauty. You pulled him into a kiss with such passion urging him to quicken his pace. Hui bit at your lip pulling it while he quickened his pace. You could feel him drawing near as he began to let out moans of pleasure. You kissed his neck biting it and sucking at it trying to draw him closer. Hui came with a shaky moan, falling on top of you and leaving small kisses. The rest of the afternoon was a blur. 

.

You had been so caught up in your new love affair, that Hyunggu was coming home sooner than expected. The house seemed buzzing, with gossip about the past week and preparations. You tried to control as much of the gossip as you could. It was bad that you only felt guilty after the fact that you had done something. Your maid had come with a letter from Hui, and you rushed to put it in a chest that you kept. This whole ordeal made you nervous, even though you had put yourself in a hole. You barely loved Hyunggu, so what was this sinking feeling in your chest? You waited in your room for Hyunggu to arrive home. You cross-stitched until there was a knock at your bedroom door. You opened it to see Hui smiling back at you looking a bit frantic. You hadn’t read the letter he sent you earlier. Moments later you heard the commotion of unpacking in the house.

[moonlightpirate]

Return to the Madding Crowd

Chapter 5: The Letters: No one has heard from you in so long they begin to wonder if you have forgotten about them. Have you?

Part one of your guys Christmas gift 😘 sorry it's a few days late wasn't expecting to get my butt kicked at work so hard haha also sorry it has taken so long for this one to be written!

Taglist: (this was for the last chapter let me know if you want to be added or removed) @nothingbutcloud @thegoldfishbowl @its-just-me-chey

Materlist

Ao3

It was nearly Christmas and neither Bathsheba nor William had heard a word from you. Bathsheba watched the men as they began setting up the Christmas trees around William's house and hoped that maybe getting ready for the ball would be enough of a distraction for him. She knew he was becoming more worried about you and didn’t want to see him do something foolish or see him end up back in jail. 

“What do you think so far?” William inquired, approaching her with a proud smile on his face.

“It looks so lovely. I can’t wait to see how it will look once everything is finished. Have you decided on food yet?” Bathsheba replied.

“Oh my food! Do we know how many people are actually going to come?” William gasped as he realized he had forgotten about feeding his guests.

“We were just in town a few days ago and everyone we spoke to said they would love to come.” Gabriel chimed in. 

“Goodness so a feast is needed. I’ll send my staff out right away!”.

“I’ll head back to the farm and have some of our staff help yours then if we are going to be needing that much food.” Bathsheba offered.

“You are too kind. Thank you.”.

Bathsheba gave William a hug and made her way back to the farm and gathered a few reliable staff members to help Williams with the feast. Once she was done with that she did a lap around the farm to make sure everything was still in good order and ready for the winter months. After she was satisfied she made her way back to the farmhouse where she saw a letter sitting on the table. Anxiously she grabbed it and ripped it open once she saw that it was from you. 

Bathsheba,

Sorry for the delay. Everything is well. My brother is due to get married 12/18 just before Christmas. His bride has kept me beyond busy helping her plan everything for the wedding. I can’t wait for it to be over with. Though my mother keeps fussing over me and one of my brother’s friends who is conveniently single. Pretty sure she is already trying to plan my wedding to him which I do not want. What I want is to return to the farm so badly. I miss all of you so much. Perhaps I will make an escape after this dreaded wedding. Wish me luck. 

Love, Y/N

Bathsheba gasped as she realized that today was the 22nd and the wedding had already happened. She wondered if you would be attempting an escape or not especially since you had been so sure that William was going to propose to you on Christmas. Later that night after supper she showed Gabriel the letter. He read it over and looked up at Bathsheba with a smile.

“The wedding was four days ago……do you think?” Gabriel wondered.

“I wouldn’t put it past her to even just run away and come back here to William. That is if her parents didn’t try to force an engagement on her to that man.”. 

“Do not say a word to William about this letter. It will not do to get his hopes up. He is happy getting ready for this ball. It seems to be enough of a distraction.”.

Bathsheba nodded in agreement as they both went about their night.

Meanwhile at Williams estate:

“Sir, I found a letter for you. It came at such an odd time of day.”.

“Oh. Let me see it.” William held his hand out to take the letter from the help, he gasped and nearly dropped the letter into his soup when he saw it was from you. Quickly he opened it and began to read it trying to hold back his tears.

William,

I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to write. Also I am sorry for just leaving on such short notice. I will do what I can to return. But, I am fairly certain my parents are trying to marry me off. The man seems understanding so I will tell him that I can’t be with him and my heart belongs to another. But dear I beg of you do not come here please. Once this wedding is over and I am no longer needed here I will do whatever I can to return to you. I will let you know if I need your help darling. Keep your eyes open for me around Christmas time.

Lots of love, 

Y/N

William burst into tears as he set the letter down. Could he really hope to see you again in just a few days' time? Or would you be taken from him again? All he knew for certain is that he could not let Bathsheba and Gabriel know that you had written to him. Gently he folded up the letter and stuck it in his coat pocket and continued to eat his dinner. 

The following day everyone continued to prepare for the Christmas party at Williams. William made sure all the decorations were in place and that there was enough food and drink for everyone. Bathsheba and Gabriel did all they could to help William and spent time anxiously wondering and waiting to see if you would appear. When Bathsheba went shopping for herself for a dress for the ball she decided to splurge and get a dress for you just in case you did show up. 

It was Christmas eve and time for the ball. Bathsheba and Gabriel dressed and made their way over to Williams. Before they left, Batsheba laid out the dress she had bought for you on the table with a small note telling you where they were just in case you did show up. William was on edge and beyond anxious pacing around waiting for his guests to arrive. He hoped beyond hope that tonight would be the night that he would finally see you again. As guests began to arrive he put on a happy face and began welcoming people in. His face fell some as he saw Bathsheba and Gabriel by themselves without you but he quickly regained his fake smile. 

“Welcome!”.

“Oh William, it looks magnificent here! There's so many people as well!” Bathsheba exclaimed, hugging him. 

“Thank you! Now go eat, drink, have a good time you guys have deserved it.” William smiled. 

“So have you, dear, make sure you go enjoy yourself some!”.

“I’m the host! I must welcome my guests. Then I can enjoy myself.”.

Gabriel gently pushed Bathsheba in past William before she could protest any further. It was getting a bit late but the party was in full swing and even William himself seemed to be relaxed and enjoying himself. Everyone was dancing or socializing but very clearly having a great time. Bathsheba had just decided that perhaps you weren’t truly coming tonight or maybe at all when the doorman came towards William and whispered something in his ear. The color drained from William's face as he nodded and jumped up looking between Bathsheba and Gabriel in shock. They both looked at him with a questioning look. Nodding he hurried towards the front door. Bathsheba looked towards Gabriel before also springing up and rushing after William. Just as she got to the front door and saw William he stepped aside. 

Bathsheba gasped, “Y/n! You made it! Finally!”.

[hannah-heartstrings]

It’s a Beautiful Thing

For the 25 days of tes cheer prompt: snowfall

I'm late as per usual but I’m excited to share this one because my writing has gotten better but I keep not finishing the fics with my better writing in it, and because I don’t think I’ve actually shown Lecrinn’s and Garrus’s dynamic yet.

This supposed to be a quick snippet ended up 1,000 words so 700 words of it are under a read more.

Please tell me what you think!

@tescheer @nine-blessed-hero

------

           As afternoon turned to evening Cheydinhal grew colder and darker, a fog beginning to thicken. No one was outside who didn’t have to be, leaving the streets near empty. It was the kind of quiet that felt somehow peaceful and spooky at the same time.

           Walking through the streets Garrus’s steps were purposeful but heavy, his face a tired scowl. Just a few more patrols and he could go back to the barracks for supper and a much needed break, albeit a too short one.

           Nearing the east gate he stopped, the scowl fading.

           There stood a familiar Redguard woman. The red hood and skirt that always accompanied her leather armor made her stand out against the fog. Her hood had fallen down as she stared up at the gray sky, her short reddish brown hair framing her light brown face.

           “Lecrinn?” He said with a surprised smile.

           Looking down she smiled back.

           “What are you doing here?” he walked up to her. “I thought you had to go to Bruma.”

           “I did,” she stepped towards him, “but I ended up back in the area so I thought maybe we could go to the Newlands Lodge for supper.”

           “Of course!” His smile brightened before faltering. “Uh, but first I must finish my patrol and pass my shift on.”

           “No you don’t!” One of the gate guards yelled to him. “We’ll take care of that, you go with her.”

           He looked at him annoyed. “I cannot just abandon my patrol.”

           She linked her arm with Garrus’s, pulling him along. “Come on, if you get in trouble just say you got kidnapped.”

           “Am I being kidnapped?”

           “Make sure he actually takes a break!” a guard yelled from the wall.

           She raised an arm to wave back to them. “Will do!”

           They walked further into town.

           As sunlight disappeared behind the city walls the sky darkened, the fog taking on a blue tint.

           “Looks like it will rain soon,” she glanced up, pulling her hood back up.

           “It’s been dreary for days,” he frowned. “Do you think Marcus will actually take care of the patrol like he said?”

           “I don’t know why he wouldn’t.”

           “Maybe I should check-” he turned away but she tightened her arm around his, planting her feet in place.

           “Can you stop worrying for a minute?”

           He turned back to her, tilting his head down to meet her eyes. “It’s my job to worry.”

           “You’re not on your job you’re with me,” she gave a playful smile before looking more serious, “and it sounds like your men are worried about you so why don’t you try to relax? It’s too cold for crime anyway,” some of the playfulness returned.

           “I suppose you’re right, about needing to relax, I don’t think that’s how crime works,” he narrowed his eyes.

           “Criminals need to stay warm too.”

           They started walking again.

           “What if someone trespassed to get warm?” he asked.

           “See that doesn’t sound like a crime to me.”

           “It’s compromising someone else’s security.”

           “Mm,” she frowned, “you have a point… Oh!” her eyes lit up. “You take them somewhere warm that wouldn’t be trespassing.”

           He lit up as well. “Like an inn.”

           “Exactly! And buy them a room so they have somewhere warm to stay.”

           A smile started to form before falling. “Wait that wasn’t my point.”

           “Well I made a better one,” she said jokingly aloof.

           He smirked.

           They reached one of the roofed bridges and were halfway across when a breeze blew in from the side.

           She crossed her arms and shivered, coincidentally pulling his arm closer.

           “We’re almost there.”

           She stopped as a few white flecks blew in.

           “What is it?”

           Holding out a hand she caught them on her fingertips, watching them melt on her leather gloves. “Snow?” She looked to the side as more flecks began to fall. She gaped slightly, her surprise coming out in a breath of white mist.

           “What?”

           Slipping from his arm she stepped to the rail to stare out. “I didn’t know it snowed in Cheydinhal.”

           “We are just south of the Jerall mountains.”

           Snow floated through the blue fog to land softly on the river, on either side silhouettes of willow branches swayed in the breeze, brushing against the water’s surface.

           “It’s beautiful!” she breathed.

           Garrus stepped up beside her confused, to him it just looked like snow. It used to be beautiful but now it was just a sign of how cold it was going to be, that he needed to make sure everyone had enough wood for their fires and hope he didn’t have to guard outside today.

           But watching her wide smile and her bright brown eyes seemed to put the beauty back into it. With a smile he looked from her to the snow. “It is, isn’t it?”

           Another gust of wind made the snow swirl and dance.

           His eyes lit with a curious glint, though the air was no less cold it felt less bitter, the sky was just as gray but felt less dreary now. Nothing had changed and yet something changed it all. Slowly his gaze shifted back to her, eyes filling with adoration, his voice a whisper. “It’s a beautiful thing.”

           Feeling his gaze on her she looked at him confused. “The… snow?”

           He quickly looked away. “Well yes, it is,” he cleared his throat. “But what I meant was: it’s a beautiful thing, how someone can come along and turn your entire day around.” He nervously looked back to her.

           Her head tilted back with a warm smile. “Happy to do so.”

           Nervousness slipping away he returned the look.

           They faced forward.

           The air grew darker and bluer before the blue began to fade, the scene before them ever changing; but it also grew colder.

           As she shivered Lecrinn kept glancing at Garrus from the corner of her eye. Stepping closer she looped her arms around his.

           “Do you want to go in?”

           “Nah,” she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Unless you want to,” she looked up, keeping her head against him.

           Unable to contain the bubbling grin he stayed faced forward. “I’m all right.”

           Seeing the corner of his smile widen so did hers.

           Together they watched the snow fall, warmed by the other’s company.

[can-of-pringles]

When I'm Alone with You - Chapter 3

Rating: Gen

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1k

Summary:  Silas returns home after his work day.

Note: A Silas-centric chapter

Also Read On AO3

Silas took a tired breath, pulling his keys out of his pocket to unlock his apartment door. Even though he was plenty used to the long work hours by now, it didn’t mean he didn’t feel exhausted afterward. At least his joints hadn’t flared up recently. Once he opened the door, loud barking and a fluffy wagging tail greeted him.

Blizzard jumped up and tried to lick him, continuing to whine happily and bark now that he was home.

“Alright, alright, get down. I missed you too, buddy.” Silas chuckled and rubbed the grey dog’s head. “Thank you so much for checking in on him throughout the day.” He focused his attention on the woman standing next to the couch, walking towards him.

“It’s not a problem, though he might need another walk soon.” She smiled and crossed her arms.

Silas began to take out his wallet, but she shook her head.

“Hanna. Come on, you deserve something, at least.” He gave her a slight frown.

“Nah, it’s fine. I really don’t mind looking after Blizzard a bit. And besides, we’re friends, aren’t we? If you really want to pay me, just save it for next time.” She shrugged.

Silas had known Hanna ever since he was a kid. They had become friends once during a summer Silas spent with his father in Sweden. After they bonded over both liking Moomins, they’d been best friends ever since; promising to keep in touch and write letters whenever he had gone back to the states. Though now he’d been living in Sweden since his late teens, the distance between them was gone.

“Alright, if you say so.” He held his hands up in mock defense. “Though I know you’ve been wanting to open your own dog grooming place, you could’ve saved the money for that partially.”

“If you just let me practice on Blizzard, then that’s good enough.” She joked.

Blizzard tilted his head in confusion and whined quietly, causing the two of them to laugh. Silas gave the dog a comforting pet, and he settled down again.

“Really, Silas, it’s fine. I’m getting it worked out. And I’ve been busy earning from work,” Hanna spoke genuinely, giving him a small smile.

He was silent until an idea popped into his head. “Well, if you won’t let me pay you, maybe I can treat you to supper?”

She hummed in consideration. “Okay, you win. I’m pretty hungry, and it’s already kind of late.”

“Perfect, now let me see what I have…” He went to look in his pantry.

---

They sat at the table eating and casually talking about their day. Blizzard lay curled up by his food bowl, already empty, leaving him with a full stomach.

“So, how was work?” Hanna asked before taking a bite.

Silas propped his head on the palm of his hand. He furrowed his brows as he thought. “You know it’s the typical quiet cleaning day, very occasionally having to talk to my boss or more like bosses…”

She nodded.

“Although today was a lot more interesting.”

Hanna raised an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“I had already finished my shift and was honestly kinda messing around with one of the pianos they have there…” He confessed, glancing down at his plate for a second.

“You’re gonna get caught one day, you know.” She teased.

He remained silent.

Hanna stared as she pieced it together. “You did get caught!”

“I thought I was the only person left, I swear!” He protested.

“Alright, so who was it? The main boss lady you talk about?”

Silas scoffed and shook his head. “No. I would’ve lost my job had it been her. It was actually the Cardinal they’d promoted recently for their music or worship…”

“Wait, the one you said looked pretty?”

Silas began to choke on his drink, coughing until it had settled. “I never said that!” He could feel the blush rising on his face.

“Oh, wait, I think you said ‘fancy’, my bad.” She took a drink, glancing away.

“Anyway…” He cleared his throat. “He found me playing the piano, and instead of getting mad, he was very calm about it, which was extremely surprising.”

“You’re lucky you didn’t get fired.”

“I know, I know… Then we talked about the music just for a bit until I had to leave. It was unexpected, but he seemed very nice, definitely nicer than my boss. Although, I think his job is ranked under hers. I think he's supposed to replace the Papa in charge below her soon.” He explained.

“It's the third one before him, right?” She asked.

He nodded. “Yes, um… Papa Emeritus the Third, I think. Oddly, the Cardinal is also Italian like he is… I guess the majority of them are. I don’t think they’re related, though; must’ve come from whatever ministry they have in Italy.”

“You got a bunch of eccentric Italian church people in Sweden… remind me how you got this job again?” She joked, getting a short chuckle from him.

Sure, it was a weird place to work, but he couldn’t deny the good pay.

“I don’t remember interacting with him as much or the other ones, except maybe once he might’ve pointed out a spot for me to clean… it’s been a while. But it’s odd… I guess he stepped down? But Cardinal Copia is taking his place as far as I know.”

“That’s a lot to remember.” Hanna sighed.

“Yeah, well, when you’re a janitor, you do a lot of observing and listening.” He glanced away for a second.

“But it sounds like that Cardinal is very nice.” She changed the subject.

“Oh, yeah, I think he might even try listening to the song I was playing. And whenever we see each other again, he said he wanted to tell me what he thinks.” He fought the urge to smile.

“Well, I’m all for you actually getting along with your coworkers.”

He frowned lightly. “It’s not that I don’t get along with any of them. I’m just staying busy working and I know how my boss feels about me ‘slacking’ as she puts it…”

Hanna gave him a sympathetic look. “I just sometimes worry about you being lonely. Maybe this could turn into a nice work friendship…?”

“I don’t mind having time to myself, but I get what you’re saying. And who knows? Maybe this will turn into something more than a one-off meeting…” He murmured. “Either way, I’m glad I still have my job. He told me to be careful next time.”

“And he’s right. I don’t know why you thought it was a good idea to play there.” She facepalmed.

“But if I hadn’t been playing it, we wouldn’t have had that talk.” He pointed out.

Hanna scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Well, all things considered, I hope he keeps running into you, for your sake.”

Silas silently hoped so as well.

[odysseywritings]

Keep in Touch

(for @flashfictionfridayofficial​!)

413 words

///

To Jess:

I don’t know if you changed your number, so I’m hoping your mailing address is the same. Nights around here have been pretty dull lately and I’ve been restless to talk o someone familiar. I couldn’t help feeling nostalgic.

You remember that old boat we used to ride in on those warm summer days? Man, the river was something else. We could travel for so long and forget everything until sunset and supper. I remember us trying to grab fish and then falling in. We were so soaked, Mom gave me an earful, but it was worth it. Anyway, it was getting too damaged to use anymore, and it had to be destroyed. Mr Thompson is using the spare parts for some project, so I guess it's still around in some way.

I haven't heard much from Cynthia after the accident, so I'm hoping she's well. She hasn't been the same since Dan passed away. A heart attack at his age? Talk about shit luck. You always were better at keeping up with others. I'd be lucky if I can remember to change everyone's numbers when they move.

The paper showed Will being arrested for embezzlement some weeks ago. No shock there. You'd think with his parents' money, he could afford something nicer like therapy or whatever. But then you got Susie who's found her own place. That's her new name, I don't want to say what we used to call her, but you know who I'm talking about. So I guess money can't solve everything. But goddamn I wish I had more of it.

Oh yeah, I remember the last thing we talked about. We were talking about traveling and where we’d want to end up. You said Italy, and I said India. I just got laid off again, so I'm back on unemployment for a while. I really wanted to go someplace else, but maybe another time.

It's been a real pain making new friends here since everyone has their own little circle. Pretty much everyone else left and it feels like I'm in another town. Hell, they even tore down the old drive-in and made it into another law office. No one seems to want to do anything except have kids or work. Guess that's adulthood, huh?

Give me a call back when you can, my number’s still the same. I thought up more ideas on how to celebrate for a get-together with whoever is still around.

-Simon

[believingispowerfulmagic]

Crown My Heart

Summary: After Regina rescues Snow White from the runaway horse, she becomes engaged to King Leopold. However, he quickly learns that Regina is less than thrilled with the arrangement. So he sees a chance to strengthen Mist Haven’s ties with a neighboring kingdom, and proposes that Regina marry the new king of Sherwood. This time, though, the decision is entirely in her hands and she agrees to the arrangement.Regina arrives in Sherwood already carrying a dark secret. While she and King Robert—often just called “Robin”—have an immediate connection, she learns she will be Sherwood’s first foreign born queen and the court is already suspicious of her because of that fact. Can she prove herself to her new people and will her secret affect her marriage to a man she falls further in love with each day?

Chapter 1: FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Chapter 33: A Betrothal 

FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Regina leaned against the balcony railing, taking a deep breath of late summer air. It felt reinvigorating and she enjoyed having the sun warm her face. She soaked it in, wanting to hold onto the memory when the snows came in a few months and covered Sherwood in beautiful but cold white blankets.

"Room out here for two?" Robin asked, approaching her with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Always," she said, watching as he stepped next to her. He unclasped his hands and covered hers with one.

Robin kissed the side of her head. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, smiling. "I'm just enjoying the weather and the beauty of the country I love so much."

"Sherwood loves you too," he replied. "Remember that. In the coming weeks it may not always seem like it, but the people do love you."

"I will," she said, letting Robin pull her in for a hug. She sank into his embrace, closing her eyes and just enjoying his presence.

He kissed her forehead. "Maybe I'll remind you how much Sherwood loves you tonight."

She chuckled, knowing what he meant. "What about Henry?"

"I don't think it will take much to get my mother to take him for the night," he replied, rubbing her arms.

"No, I imagine not," she agreed. "Though I hope she doesn't mind that we're asking her to take him again."

He frowned. "That was a few weeks ago, darling. I don't think we're in danger of encroaching on my mother's good will."

She nodded, knowing he had a good point. Regina still bit her lip. "I just worry, you know?"

"I know," he replied, rubbing her arms. "Your mother…well…she certainly didn't seem like a shining example of unconditional love."

"No," Regina agreed. "She wasn't."

He shook his head. "You deserved so much better."

"Well, I have it now," she told him, pressing her forehead to his as she hoped he knew how much he had changed her life.

"And you will always have it as long as I have breath in my body," he vowed, making her insides melt.

Someone cleared their throat and they looked over, finding Uncle Joseph standing there. He smirked at them. "Supper has been served if you two would care to join us."

"We'll be right in," Robin said. "Thank you."

He then turned to Regina, holding out his arm to her. "Shall we?"

"We shall," she said, taking his arm and letting him lead her back into the room where their family sat around the table to enjoy the evening meal together.

"Ahh, here they are," Aunt Eleanor said, teasing them. "Thank you for joining us."

Robin pulled a chair out for Regina as he gave his aunt a look. "I doubt you were waiting very long for us."

"We weren't," Catherine assured them. "Everyone is just teasing you."

Uncle Joseph shot her a look. "Spoilsport."

"I think they are going to have some difficult times coming up," she replied. "We can go a little easier on them."

"Thank you, Mother," Robin replied, taking his own seat. He looked around the table. "Well, we're here. Let's eat."

Will reached for the food as Ana rolled her eyes. "Don't have to tell me twice."

Regina placed a pheasant on her plate and scooped some potatoes before moving toward the vegetables. "Everything looks so delicious. The kitchens outdid themselves today," she said.

"I think it's because the harvests are coming in," Catherine replied. "The festival will be soon."

"Oh!" Regina exclaimed, happy about that. "I'd love to experience the festival when I'm not sick."

Robin paused next to her before chuckling. "I almost forgot we learned you were expecting Henry during the festival last year."

They both looked over to where their son slept soundly in his cradle, wrapped in a blanket. Love filled Regina and she sighed happily. "It was one of the happiest days of my life. I just wish I hadn't been so sick. I never really got a chance to enjoy the festival."

"That is true," he said, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I promise we shall spend as much time as possible there this year so you can really get a chance to experience it."

Joy and excitement filled her as she recalled everything she had heard about the festival but had not been able to experience for herself the year before. "I'll be able to support you in person this year during the feats of strength."

"Yes, you will," he said. "I think I will do even better this year with you there to cheer me on as I compete."

"Ahh, to be young again," Uncle Joseph mused, sipping his wine as he leaned back in his chair. His eyes shone with mirth.

His wife rolled her eyes. "You are not that old."

"Well, I'm certainly not the generation competing in the feats of strength anymore," he replied.

"No, you're not," she agreed, patting his hand. "But you're still young where it matters, at least to me."

Ella made a face. "Can you two please do this away from us?"

Aunt Eleanor chuckled, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. We're allowed to be just as lovey-dovey as your uncle was with your aunt."

"And we have to show your cousin and your sister how it's properly done for their spouses' sakes," Uncle Joseph said, winking at Regina.

She chuckled, taking her husband's hand again. "I don't think Robin has any trouble speaking from his heart."

"Not when it comes to Regina," he replied, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Robin is certainly Edward's son," Catherine said, sipping her wine. She smiled sadly. "I wish he were here to see how happy you two are."

Regina squeezed Robin's hand comfortingly as she said: "I wish he was here too. I would've loved to have met him."

Catherine reached out and patted her free hand. "He would've loved you. And he probably would've keep hogging little Henry. He would've been so proud of him and doted on him from the moment he was born."

"That is true," Aunt Eleanor agreed. "He was just like that with Robin, Ana and Ella."

"He was a devoted father and uncle," Uncle Joseph said. "He just loved children, honestly. The way I've seen them flock to Regina reminds me of how they used to flock to him."

Regina felt her cheeks heat up and she grew sheepish under their compliments. "That is sweet of you to say."

"It's the truth," Catherine told her. "I've thought so as well whenever I've watched you with children."

"Robin is also good with children," she said as her husband kissed the side of her head.

He then pulled back, rubbing her back. "Yes, but not in the same way you are. You've always been a natural with them."

Daddy sighed, sipping his wine. "I've always regretted your mother's decision to keep you away from the other children because I could tell you were a charismatic and sweet child. Thankfully, she was unable to stomp them from you."

"Why would she have wanted to stomp them from her?" Ella asked, frowning in confusion. "I would think she would want Regina to be charismatic and sweet if she wanted her to be queen."

"That wasn't the kind of queen my wife wanted Regina to be," Daddy replied, a dark look filling his eyes. "Cora wanted her to be ruthless and to crush those Cora believed had wronged her when she was younger."

Regina swallowed, trying not to think of the miserable life she would've had if her mother had gotten her way. Beside her, Robin once again squeezed her hand as he said: "Regina's loving heart was too strong for her to crush."

"Yes," Daddy said, smiling. "I agree. Her heart was just too resilient to succumb to her mother's plots."

"Can we talk about anyone else?" she asked, feeling as if her face was on fire. "I don't think I can take any more compliments."

Everyone chuckled as someone knocked on the door. Silence fell over the room and Regina felt Robin tense as he stood. He nodded at Will, who stood and crossed to the door. They watched as Will opened it and John stepped into the room.

"I apologize for interrupting your meal," he said, bowing. "But there are visitors in the courtyard."

[thesims4-adventure]

Not So Berry Legacy Challenge

Generation  Two: Rose

EP. 56

The next day I went to talk to my most important constituents at Moonwood Mill. I didn't even realize I stayed so late.

No dia seguinte fui conversar com meus eleitores mais importantes em Moonwood Mill. Nem percebi que fiquei até tão tarde.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

On my way back home I had missed the Mischief and Humor festival, well, I don't really like pranks and lame jokes. I can campaign elsewhere. Cody seems to prefer to stay home alone.

Voltando para casa eu havia perdido o festival de Humor e Travessuras, bom, eu não gosto muito de travessuras e piadas sem graça. Posso fazer campanhas em outros lugares. Cody pelo jeito prefere ficar em casa, sozinho.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

The next day I went back to Moonwood Mill, but I wasn't in a good mood, I tried to calm down but it didn't work very well. I spent the day running, fighting, digging...

No dia seguinte voltei para Moonwood Mill, mas eu não estava em uma bom dia, tentei me acalmar mas não tive muito resultado. Passei o dia correndo, brigando, cavando...

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

...and at night the mood still hadn't improved. But that @#%# no one listens to my speech, maybe I need to invest more in fame.

...e a noite o humor ainda não havia melhorado. Mas que @#%# que ninguém escuta meu discurso, talvez eu precise investir mais em fama.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

In the morning Cody was excited, his class was going to the zoo. He doesn't like people very much but he gets along very well with animals... should I be worried? Is he like that because he's going to become a wolf too...or a fish like my mother? Or will you know what a bizarre thing Bartolomeu can be in secret? We all have secrets don't we?

Pela manhã Cody estava animado, sua turma ia ao zoológico. Ele não gosta muito das pessoas mas se dá muito bem com os animais...eu deveria me preocupar? Será que ele é assim porque vai virar um lobo também...ou um peixe igual minha mãe? Ou vai saber que coisa bizarra que Bartolomeu pode ser em segredo? Todos nós temos segredos não é?

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

And I went campaigning in the fashion district today. Crystal helped me, but it was time for me to give her back to my stepdad.

E eu fui fazer campanha no distrito da moda hoje. Crystal me ajudou, mas já era tempo de eu devolver ela para o meu padrasto.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

After taking her to her house I continued with my work.

Depois de levá-la para a casa dela eu continuei com o meu trabalho.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

But soon I returned home.

Mas logo voltei para casa.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

Just in time to pretend I didn't see Bo attacking my neighbor.

A tempo de fingir que eu não vi Bo atacando o meu vizinho.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

When I entered the house I realized that it was Harvest Festival day. Better please those little rabid ones before something bad happens to us.

Quando entrei em casa me dei conta que era dia de Festival de Colheita. Melhor agradar esses pequenos raivosos antes que algo de ruim nos aconteça.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

Cody went to make some decorations for us and I went to do the cooking. I invited my neighbor to supper, I thought it would be polite and could be a vote.

Cody foi fazer algumas decorações de para nós e eu fui fazer a cozinhar. Convidei meu vizinho para a ceia, achei que seria educado e poderia ser um voto.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

I gave Bartolomeu the key to my apartment, so he can get in right away and stop making a fuss just because it took me a while to answer.

"O que está cozinhando? O cheiro está ótimo aqui no corredor. O que você está cozinhando, eu posso provar um pouco? Sou uma ótima companhia."

"Eu acho que você não quer ser incomodada"

Dei a chave do meu apartamento para Bartolomeu, assim ele entra logo e para de fazer drama só porque eu demorei um pouco para atender.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━ It is not safe to leave food unattended in the kitchen.

Não é seguro deixar a comida sozinha na cozinha.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

I think it was better than each spending the night alone, each in their own apartment. After all, I never had problems with my neighbors in this building.

Acho que foi melhor do que cada um passar a noite sozinhos, cada um em seu apartamento. Afinal nunca tive problemas com meus vizinhos neste prédio.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

Despite Bartolomeu playing on my computer all night.

Apesar de Bartolomeu te ficado jogando no meu computador a madrugada toda.

━━━━━━ • ✿ • ━━━━━━

But what mattered was that I had been promoted yet again, even though no one had heard my speeches or participated in my protests. The goal is to try to gain some fame points and kiss in the process...

"Promovida a uma Líder de Respeito - Charlotte foi promovida a uma Líder de respeito! Ela agora ganhará US$ 53 adicionais por hora, totalizando US$ 231 por hora. Ela também recebeu o seguinte bônus: $4.268 e novas roupas para criar um sim!"

Mas o que importava é que eu havia sido promovida mais uma vez, mesmo sem ninguém escutar meus discursos ou participar dos meus protestos. A meta a tentar ganhar uns pontos de fama e dar uns beijinhos no processo...

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