#melody gates celebrates
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melodygatesauthor · 1 year ago
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GUYS I CAN'T BELIEVE I HIT 2K OMG. Big big big thank you again for everyone who followed me, reblogged, and contributed to this milestone. I love you all so so so much.
I have WAY too many WIPS, including my own original fiction (you can check it on @lockandkeynovel), so I'm not going to be doing any drabbles or anything like that. I'll save that for another milestone babes. I do have some fun things we can do instead though below the cut.
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Blorbos Invited to Celebration
Note: Some characters have different versions. When sending an ask you can choose any character and type listed. - Please read the types of questions I'm accepting below the blorbo list.
Poe Dameron - Regular/First Order (Dark Poe)
Nathan Bateman - Regular/Yandere
Miguel O'Hara - Regular/Yandere/Not Spider-Man
Blue Jones - Asylum/Club
Jake Lockley - Regular/Yandere/Mafia/DBF
Steven Grant - Regular/Yandere/Professor/DBF
Marc Spector - Regular/Yandere/Venom Host/DBF
Santiago Garcia - Regular/DBF/BFD
Jonathan Levy - Regular/Professor
*You can also ship any of the characters above
Writing Related
WIPS (for me) is defined as any chapter or fic that I'm currently working on, for instance, if I have a chapter started for The Fractured Moon, that chapter is considered a WIP.
I'll write some VERY short headcanons or blurbs for any blorbos listed above.
Pick a character and I'll pick a random WIP to share a line from. (If you have a specific WIP you want just lmk)
Ask me anything about any of my fics: headcanons for fics, mini-blurbs, thots e.t.c.
Send me a word and if any of my WIPS have that word in it, I'll post the line from that WIP.
Games
Make me choose between 2 things
Ask me my top three of any topic
Would you rather - blorbo edition (just make your question blorbo related lol)
Miscellaneous
Ask me literally anything, I'm super open about most things
Send me pics of my favorite blorbos or ask me what my fave pics of a specific blorbo are!
Pick a character above and suggest an AI character for me to make!
Send as many submissions as you want!
This will go on for a few days while I'm not working as much.
Non-anonymous requests will be prioritized over anon.
Ends Wednesday night 08/09/2023 at 6pm EST
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natsaffection · 1 year ago
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Kingdom of Secrets | Prologue | N. Romanoff
Knight!Natasha x younger!princess!Reader
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MINOR DNI!! (18+!)
warnings: age gap (Natasha is 16 when she comes to the palace and the reader is 4 years old. At the end of this chapter Natasha is 33 and reader 21) fingering, begging, crying
word count: 4,5k
A/n: welcome to the prologue of Kingdom of Secrets! (Yes the title has a meaning) This is just the opening chapter. So it's not the first real part. It cost me already tears because I wanted it to come across the way people spoke back in the Middle Ages..so please give feedback!🫂
In the heart of the great kingdom of Celestria, where emerald fields stretch as far as the eye can see and spires kiss the sky, there was great anticipation in the royal court. King Alistair and Queen Seraphina Dawn, the beloved rulers of the realm, had long yearned for an heir to carry on the legacy of their noble lineage. The palace echoed with the whispers of courtiers as news spread of a momentous event.
Queen Seraphina was expecting a child.
Months passed, each one accompanied by prayers and whispered hopes echoing through the halls of the palace. The kingdom collectively held its breath, waiting for the joyous news that would bring new life to the royal family. The gardens adorned with blooming flowers bore witness to the ebb and flow of the seasons, reflecting the anticipation within the palace walls.
And then, as the golden colors of autumn tinged the landscape, the long-awaited moment arrived. Like a melody of hope, the announcement resounded through the kingdom and spread from town to town. Queen Seraphina had given birth to a daughter, a shining beacon of joy in the embrace of her parents' love.
The kingdom erupted in jubilation. Banners swayed in the fresh breeze, their colors dancing to the rhythm of the joy that flowed through the streets. The citizens rushed to the gates of the palace in their finest clothes to join in the royal rejoicing. The sweet scent of flowers was in the air and the distant sounds of musicians tuning their instruments heralded the great celebrations to come.
Inside the palace, the little princess lay in her mother's arms, wrapped in a tapestry of delicate silk. Queen Seraphina's eyes, glistening with tears of happiness, met King Alistair's gaze, a silent exchange that spoke volumes about the unspoken journey they had traveled to reach this blessed moment.
As the sun sank below the horizon, the palace gates opened to welcome the many well-wishers. The Great Hall, decorated with golden tapestries and crystal chandeliers, shone in the light of a thousand candles. Laughter and chatter filled the air as nobles, commoners and dignitaries alike joined in the celebration.
In the midst of this splendor, the little princess lay in her crib, surrounded by a symphony of admiration. Her tiny fingers, like rose petals, grasped at the air as if reaching for the love that surrounded her. The flickering candlelight painted her delicate features and cast a warm, ethereal glow on her.
Y/n, as she would later be called, became the beacon of hope that united the kingdom. Her laughter echoed through the palace like silver bells, eliciting smiles from all who basked in her innocent radiance. The court musicians, attuned to the heartbeat of the celebration, played melodies that blended with the collective heartbeat of the kingdom, a harmonious testament to the unity created by the birth of the princess.
Over the years, the princess's birthdays became a cherished tradition. The kingdom celebrated with greater fervor each year, turning the anniversary of her birth into a grand spectacle. The gardens, where once the whispers of anticipation could be heard, now bloomed in vibrant colors that reflected the princess's exuberant spirit.On her birthdays, the people of Celestria gathered to honor their beloved princess. The streets were lined with stalls selling sweet treats and enchanting trinkets. Musicians played lilting melodies and performers brought fairy tales to life through dance and theater. But amidst the splendor, it was Y/n herself who was in the spotlight.
Her laughter, the elixir that had breathed life into the kingdom years ago, echoed through the air. The joy that emanated from her was infectious and transformed the celebration into a mosaic of smiles and shared happiness. Y/n had become the living embodiment of the kingdom's dreams with her sparkling eyes and a heart full of kindness.
As Y/n grew, so did the kingdom around her. The once silent halls of the palace echoed with the footsteps of a vibrant princess whose spirit danced like the sunlight that fell through the leaves. She became a symbol of hope, bridging the realms of royalty and commonality - a beacon of unity for a kingdom that had waited with bated breath for her arrival.
And so, under the golden skies of Celestria, the royal court and citizens celebrated the birth of their princess, whose laughter echoed throughout the kingdom, mingling with the melodies of joy that had marked her grand entrance into the world.
But a shadowy group lurked in the hidden corridors beneath the splendor of the kingdom. Unseen and unheard, this gang shrouded in mystery plotted insidiously to infiltrate the royal house.
In the dimly lit chamber adorned with ancient symbols, the agents of the group - Shadows of Darkness - received a chilling instruction. The leaders, shrouded in the cloak of shadows, readjusted their strategy. Princess Y/n, an unforeseen variable, demanded an adjustment to their malevolent plans.
As Y/n's laughter rang through the palace, the group's secret game unfolded on an invisible chessboard. The birth of the princess upset their carefully laid plans and brought an element of unpredictability into play. Beneath the surface of the festivities, a calculated dance played out, where joyful echoes collided with the malice lurking in the shadows. Citizens and royalty revelled in blissful ignorance, unaware of the ominous threat lurking in the hidden corners of the palace. A dangerous dance began. One in which the laughter of a princess served as an eerie soundtrack to a covert operation that would reshape Celestria's destiny.
As daylight bathed the kingdom in golden hues, the shadowy group moved in secrecy. Their ominous influence extended to unsuspecting future queens. The dark puppet, manipulated by unseen hands, infiltrated the royal court and left a menacing presence.
The king, who had followers in every country, became aware of the terrifying power. Fearing for his family and the future of his country, he had his troops strengthened and also looked for a guardian for his daughter. So he spread the word throughout the country that a tournament was to be held in the late evening and that the bravest and strongest fighters were to take part.The anticipation of the great tournament was in the air that day. The king, seeking the perfect protector for his most precious treasure, gathered warriors from faraway lands. Men vying for the honor of protecting the jewel of the realm presented themselves in the arena.
The tournament, a spectacle of skill and courage, began with the clash of swords and the thundering hooves of warhorses. Knights from all corners of the realm showcased their skills, a dance of blades played out under the watchful eyes of the royal court.
As the dust settled and countless fighters succumbed to the skill of their opponents, there was a quiet tension among the spectators. The king, seated on his magnificent throne, surveyed the remaining warriors, his keen eyes searching for the one who would serve as a shield against the impending danger to the princess. Then, amidst the remaining fighters, a lone, young figure emerged, clad in armor that seemed to absorb the essence of the shadows. The air fell silent as this knight stepped forward, exuding an aura of fear and admiration. A murmur went through the audience, a collective acknowledgement that a formidable force had entered the arena.
The king, mesmerized and wary, leaned forward in his throne, a silent question etched on his regal countenance. "Tell me, what is a child doing on the field?" he asked his 1st in command. He bowed to his king, "Forgive me, my majesty, but you emphasized that the gates were open to anyone carrying a sword." The king forced the moment back into his mind and now looked further down, at the person.
At that very moment, the mysterious knight removed the helmet, revealing a cascade of fiery red hair framing a face marked by the scars of countless battles. Her piercing gaze, a mixture of steel and determination, met the king's eyes with an unwavering intensity. A murmur went through the hall as the realization set in. "Lady, Natalia Alianovna Romanoff," someone breathed, the name inspiring both awe and fear. As the first young woman to be knighted, Natasha was widely known, and her accomplishments on the battlefield were whispered about in saintly tones. The king, who also learned of her presence, widened his eyes.
As she approached the king, Natasha dropped to one knee, a sign of respect and submission. Her armor bore the marks of countless victories, and the sword at her side was a testament to her skill as a warrior.
"Your Majesty," Natasha's voice, a symphony of authority and humility, echoed through the arena. "I am Natalia Alianovna Romanoff, sworn to protect those deemed worthy of the Empire's protection. I offer my skills and loyalty to defend your princess, the jewel of Celestria." The king, observing the steely determination in Natasha's eyes, pondered her words. Isn't she too young to be a knight? Presently good..She could form a bond with Y/n. He thought.
The court remained in a collective breathless pause, awaiting the monarch's decision. After a moment's thought, the king nodded, a gesture that echoed through the arena like a decree.
"Lady Natasha Romanoff, rise. You have proven that you are an excellent Fighter. May the realm be witness to your service as my daughter's protector."
The crowd erupted in a mixture of cheers and whispers in appreciation of the gravity of the moment. Natasha rose from her knees and hid her features behind her helmet again. With measured steps, she returned to the ranks of the assembled knights, her presence leaving an indelible impression on the tournament and setting the stage for a new chapter in the kingdom's saga. Since then, the unique bond between the young princess and the fearless knight began to grow. Y/n, a little bundle of joyful energy, zoomed through the flowerbeds. "Tasha, look, I can fly!" she cried, spreading her tiny arms. Natasha, with a smile on her lips, leaned down. "Really? Show me, little whirlwind." And chase her through the field.
"Tasha, why are you so strong?" asked Y/n three years later, while they were playing in the halls. Natasha, with a mischievous smile, replied, "Strength comes not only from muscles, but also from courage and determination, my Princess."
The royal parents, from their thrones, watched the scene with warm smiles. "Look how Natasha is teaching our daughter," said the queen. The king nodded proudly. "A bond strengthened not only by duty, but also by the heart..I could not have chosen anyone better."
In the shelter of the pavilion, Y/n and Natasha talked about the years of shared experiences. "Promise me, Natasha, that you will always be by my side," Natasha, serious yet tender, replied, "As long as I breathe, I will watch over you, Princess."
Over the years, not only did Y/n grow up, but so did the love between her and Natasha. Adventures together, laughter and tears formed a bond that blurred the boundaries between princess and protector.
At the age of 20, Y/n found herself in the midst of an inner turmoil. The years had passed since Natasha had taken up residence as her protector, and a subtle change was creeping into the princess's mind.
In the quiet moments when the sun slowly disappeared behind the palace walls, Y/n discovered a growing urge to seek Natasha's closeness. Every look from the knightess, every gentle touch, seemed to break through an invisible barrier within Y/n.
The glances Natasha cast across the ballroom as they shared in royal festivities carried a deeper meaning. Y/n recognized the warmth in Natasha's eyes, which came not only from her proximity to the king, but betrayed something more intimate. Uncertainty gnawed at Y/n as she thought about these growing feelings. Society, royal expectations, all created a veil that kept her growing affection for Natasha hidden.
The Royal Mother observed the subtle changes in Y/n's behavior, but the secret remained hidden between the lines. Y/n felt her heart beat faster when she faced Natasha, and the soft sighs that escaped her were carried on the winds of fate.
One day, Natasha, bathed in sweat from the rigorous training session, gracefully moved through the courtyard, effortlessly wrestling each knight that dared to cross her path to the ground. As Y/n strolled through the palace, she unexpectedly caught sight of Natasha in action, sans her usual formidable armor.
Mesmerized by the raw power and agility on display, Yn found it challenging to look away. Natasha's every move seemed like a choreographed dance of strength and finesse. It was the first time Y/n had seen her like this, vulnerable yet invincible
Natasha, engrossed in her sparring session, sensed Y/n's eyes on her. Mid-wrestle with one of the knights, she subtly shifted her gaze to meet Y/n's, exhaling almost imperceptibly. In that brief connection, Natasha's intense focus softened, and a ghost of a smile played on her lips, as if she had caught Y/n in the act.
Y/n, startled by Natasha's awareness, quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be absorbed in the palace architecture. The blush on her cheeks, however, betrayed her attempt to conceal the intrigue Natasha's athleticism had sparked.
She continued her training, each movement deliberate and powerful. Y/n, despite her efforts to remain discreet, stole occasional glances, hoping Natasha wouldn't notice..
When a maid approached, unaware of the silent exchange, Y/n stammered, "I-I was just, you know, walking around," as she tried to divert attention from the fact that Natasha had momentarily captured her focus. Natasha, still engaged in her training, shot Y/n a knowing look, her eyes betraying a hint of amusement, silently acknowledging the unspoken connection while respecting Y/n's attempt to keep her feelings concealed.
Several hours passed, and Y/n immersed herself in the demands of royal duties. As she diligently attended to matters within the palace, she couldn't shake the memory of Natasha's training session. Much to her surprise, as she returned to the main hall, there was Natasha, seamlessly transitioning from warrior to protector, resuming her role by Y/n's side.
Their eyes met once again, and this time Natasha's expression spoke volumes. A playful glint in her eyes suggested a shared secret, referencing the earlier stolen glances. Y/n couldn't help but smile in response, a subtle acknowledgment of the connection they had formed.
Weeks later when the moon towered over Celestria, Y/n dared a tentative look into Natasha's eyes. It was as if the universe melded their souls together, and in that moment, Y/n knew it was more than mere reverence for the brave knight. The realization that her heart was following a path of love was like the blossoming of a delicate flower within her. But the world she lived in demanded secrecy - a love that blossomed in the shadow of royal duties.
Another year passed and Y/n's duties to the throne drew ever closer. Her parents now saw her as an adult woman who would later rule the people. However, this could not be done alone and the time had come to find a suitable mate. So they embarked on various journeys to neighboring countries to consider their princes and princesses. A point Y/n is proud to show. With all the fuss she secretly has about Natasha, her eyes opened to another part.
It was a sunny day when the royal family were visiting another kingdom. The family was welcomed with joy. But the festive atmosphere was pervaded by an underlying tension. As Y/n strode through the hall in royal garb, she was swarmed by the polite remarks and advances of the foreign prince. The looks he gave her were full of obvious interest, and the smile on his lips betrayed intentions that went beyond polite courtesies.
Natasha, standing in her imposing armor alongside the royal family, felt a flame of jealousy flare up inside her. Every passionate look, every touched hand, felt like a stab in her chest. In a quiet moment, when the prince engaged Y/n in a private conversation, Natasha could hardly bear the sight. Her hands clenched into fists as she inwardly fought back the burning sting of jealousy.
Finally, the festive gathering broke up and the royal family returned to their chambers. The opulent chambers of Y/n awoke to the pale glow of candles as the evening shrouded the royal estate in an atmosphere of twilight. The prince, wearing a polite facade, had made his intentions clear. But Natasha sensed the unease in the air. When the prince attempted to cross the boundaries of politeness and seek out Y/n in her chambers, Natasha turned cold as ice. Her eyes, normally as impenetrable as the darkness, bore into the young nobleman. Without a word, her gaze spoke volumes, and the prince retreated as if he had entered an invisible barrier.
When Natasha entered Y/n's chamber, the discomfort was reflected on Y/n's face. "Thank you.. I was so uncomfortable, but I didn't mean to be rude," Y/n murmured, her voice low in the intimate atmosphere. Natasha stepped closer, her touch cooler than the night breeze blowing through the open window. "My princess, you never have to compromise for politeness."
In a calculated move that blurred the line between protector and seductress, Natasha lifted Y/n's hand and stroked her fingertips over the delicate skin. "Don't let anyone enter your world if you don't want them to. You deserve respect and so much more."
The darkness of the room seemed to tighten around the two of them as Natasha continued, intensifying her own touch. "And maybe, there is someone..who is willing to go deeper than politeness allows."
The words echoed between the walls as the coolness of the night turned into a dance of desire. Y/n sensed the play of shadows as Natasha, took on the role of seductress. A passionate revelation that in the twilight of her chambers revealed a connection that transcended the duties of the royal hall.
The room lost its dimensions in darkness as Natasha and Y/n were caught in a mesmerizing dance of tension. Y/n's heartbeat quickened as Natasha's words sounded like a breath in the night, a promise that implied more than it stated. "Natasha, I don't know what you mean..." whispered Y/n, her voice caught between curiosity and an underlying desire that lingered in the air. Natasha stepped closer, her gaze like the dark veil of night that hid everything and yet revealed everything. "I speak of desire that goes deeper than any protocol that exists within the walls of a palace."
The atmosphere thickened as Natasha began to loosen Y/n's royal robes with deft fingers. "You can feel it, can't you? This suppressed energy between us. It's time to explore the shadows that lurk in the corners of our connection."
Y/n's breathing quickened as the warmth of Natasha's hands touched her skin. A mixture of fear and desire flickered in her eyes as she embraced the unknown.
"N-Natasha, I... Is this right?" asked Y/n, but her reticence was swallowed up by the darkness.
Natasha replied with a cool smile that betrayed a deep, hidden passion. "Right or wrong, Y/n, does not exist in this world of shadows. There is only what you desire and what you are willing to experience." The air between them was charged as Natasha gently placed her lips on Y/n's. A passionate kiss that burned down the blurred lines between duty and desire. Still, Natasha paused for a moment and looked her princess in the eye, “I notice your looks, your breath when I sneak up on you..you’re begging when I retreat to my chambers..” Natasha pushed the princess onto the bed. The redhead had Y/n's legs wide open. Open for her to devour.
Natasha licked her lips, staring at Y/n's underwear, a hungry look in her mouth. Y/n still felt the slight urge to protest. What is she doing here? What happens if her parents find out about this? Are they allowed-
But all words of resistance melted into a moan in her mouth as Natasha opened her entrance with her tongue. She lay down in front of Y/n, lifting the princess's legs by her thighs onto her shoulders. Natasha's tongue turned her princess's moans into groans and then shouts of ecstasy. After tasting Y/n for long enough, Natasha lifted her head. Her mouth was covered in Y/n's fluid, giving her face a glow that Y/n found simply intoxicating.
"How are you feeling? Can I continue?" Natasha's eyes widened as she saw the sight of her ruler. Spread wide and with her hands clenched in the pillows, "K-Keep going please..” Natasha smiled and climbed up to Y/n to take off her dress and while she undressed Y/n, Natasha kissed Y/n and she tasted herself on her lips. Without breaking the kiss, Natasha inserted two of her fingers into Y/n. In response, the young princess let out a deep moan into Natasha's mouth as she slowly penetrated her. As Natasha alternated between driving her index and middle fingers in and out of Y/n's cavity, Y/n was disturbed by the amount of armor Natasha still had on and set about removing it.
Natasha smirked again as she realized what Y/n's plans were and sat back up, "You could have asked, my highness..." Y/n's eyes were wide as she watched Natasha remove every single piece of metal from her body. Eventually it just tinkled on the floor and Natasha stood before her in a white shirt. She wasted no more time and pounced on the young girl again.
"What do you want me to do, princess?" Natasha now asked, breathing in unison with her aroused ruler. She had already slipped a hand between Y/n's thighs and was leaning on her shorts. Y/n knew what Natasha wanted to hear. "Please.." she begged, "fuck me." Natasha watched Y/n's flushed face. It was so, so lewd. This time, however, Natasha stroked a finger over the edge of her labia and felt how far the wetness had spread.
"You really want it, don't you?" said Natasha with a hint of smugness in her voice. Y/n knew it wasn't to humiliate her, but rather to increase her sense of exposure.
Yes, I really fucking want it, Y/n wanted to say, but managed to hold back. Natasha, however, didn't miss the look on her face before she leaned in and slowly kissed Y/n again. She began to run her fingers up and down the wetness between Y/n's legs, stroking slowly and rhythmically.
Y/n held back any sound that wanted to come out of her mouth, knowing there was more to come. A touch slipped past a certain spot so briefly and lightly that Y/n's body flinched in response. Natasha had to keep her senses together, just a little longer. The stroking and kissing gradually became faster, without either of them noticing against the backdrop of their growing arousal. Natasha's fingers were touching Y/n's clit more and more frequently now, and Y/n couldn't keep up, the tension between her legs growing and her mouth remaining slightly open.
"A-A-hh..." she gasped, and her body arched back more and more. She was crying out now, twisting and turning, her clit at the center of the movement, her hands wrapped around Y/ns, her face pressed into her shoulders, her upper body arched so that her breasts and erect nipples moved against Natasha's body in the same rhythm as the caresses between her thighs. "Nat-..Natasha...!" She cried out. "I'm... ah, I'm..."
Natasha kissed her neck in response and concentrated fully on bringing Y/n to climax. She wanted to hear her princess scream, to feel her thrusting against her body in a frenzy of pleasure. She wanted Y/n to lose all inhibitions and move against her hand like a horny slut. Y/n couldn't take it anymore. Her hips and buttocks began to move against Natasha, thrusting towards her with desire, begging her not to stop. It felt so dirty to cooperate and beg so earnestly, but Y/n didn't care about any of it. Natasha moaned along with Y/n and couldn't hold back either after listening to Y/n feel this way about her.
“Cum for me.”
When Y/n heard Natasha's soft and loving voice moaning like that, she shook with pleasure. Her mind went blank. The room disappeared, the bed vanished. The world consisted only of her body, which contracted and pulsated to release all its pent-up arousal in one go. Y/n didn't know how much time had passed while she trembled and shook and moaned, even though she didn't want to. All she knew was that Natasha had been holding her the whole time and watched every single facial feature of her beloved princess.
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TAGLIST: @taliiiaasteria @natty-taffy @natashaswife4125 @lifebyinez @aemilia19 @natwifesblog @clearcoloredlenses @ragoshmog @eringranola
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lilylovestowrite · 4 months ago
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Could I request Neuvillette getting a big surprise from his partner and the Melusines? The surprise? They wrote a song about him and decided to sing it to him.
Neuvillette gets so touched it almost rains
HYDRO DRAGON, HYDRO DRAGON, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ୨♡୧
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PAIRING ୨♡୧ Neuvillette x Gn! Reader
WARNINGS ୨♡୧ Slight angst
SYNOPSIS ୨♡୧ You give Neuvillette a little surprise
WORD COUNT ୨♡୧ 700
A/N ୨♡୧ Thank you for the request! I CAN’T STOP WRITING ANGST I CAN’T HELP IT -
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Divider by @/cafekitsune
Sigewinne plops herself on a chair, spreading refreshment drinks all around the table of yours and Neuvillette’s shared garden. Under the lovely gazebo, many of the melusines gather, pretty eyes all wide with excitement. As a musician, you pride yourself on leading the top opera performances in Fontaine, and as easily as you could ask some of the best singers to perform for your husband, you decide to take the melusines who volunteered to perform under your wing and teach them to perform some of Neuvillette’s favourite songs for his birthday. 
To be honest, you’re not sure why anyone hasn’t thought of hiring them to sing before. As water creatures, their voices range around a high-soprano key, the cadence of their voices lovely and controlled like the rolling tides of the summer seas. Sigewinne herself has such an adorable singing voice, you have to stop fawning over her as if she were an infant, and focus on the rest of the choir. Around fifteen melusines eagerly agreed to volunteer, and they organise themselves in rows, dressed in lovely organza silks with light blue flowers clasped in their tiny hands. 
“I can’t believe I’ve heard this non-stop in Monsieur Neuvillette’s office, and now I’m here singing it.” One of them shakes her head, and the lovely soprano melusine lightly whacks her upside the head. 
“You volunteered, dummy.” 
“I know, but I can’t bear hearing it again. I’m investing in earplugs.” She snaps, and you and a few other melusines giggle in reply. 
“Alright, ladies! Let’s go over the plan again: Neuvillette is arriving any moment now, and we’ll start after I tap the baton on the music stand. Lady Furina, thank you for playing the piano.” You nod at her in acknowledgement. 
“Enough with the theatrics, darling. You’ve worked with me for years. I would do it for Neuvillette anytime.” She waves her gloved hand dismissively, short bobbed hair dancing as she shakes her head dramatically. “Now hush, he’ll be here at any second.” 
Sure enough, the clack of heels is heard, the sound of keys jingling rings out and everyone quickly stands up straighter. One of the melusines nearly whacks her elbow into the table next to her and covers her mouth to block her pained yelp. The melusine next to her covers her mouth too, to conceal her laughter. The silence permeates for about all of thirty seconds, in which Neuvillette finally looks outside the window of the dining room to see the gazebo decorated in blue ribbon, fifteen melusines, Lady Furina, and the love of his life standing there in the garden. He smiles softly, shedding his coat and making his way to the garden. Just as he opens the gate, you tap your baton three times, and the melusines’ melody begins to soar in tandem with Furina’s lovely piano accompaniment. 
Neuvillette stands, stunned. In all of his years, he has isolated himself from the society of Fontaine to hide his true identity, to mourn the loss of those who have departed before him and those to come, the weight of their sins shattering his back from punishment he wasn't sure were entirely fair. But now, with the death of Focalors, it’s been the first time since he’s let loose and allowed himself to really indulge in society’s little rituals. Like birthdays, although unfamiliar with them, he finds it so… bizarre. The melusine’s singing is beautiful, and though he can’t see them properly because of a weird haze that possesses his purple eyes. It’s so peculiar, celebrating a birth he can’t quite remember. His existence, quiet yet loud and theatrical in the Court of Law, is it really so important to you that you wish to celebrate it with so many other people?
For some strange reason, a few drops of rain wet the stepping stone in front of him. It isn’t until the song ends with a crescendo that Furina shrieks and tries to pull fabric over her piano that Neuvillette takes notice of the tears burning the corner of his eyes. You walk up to him and embrace him, his hand rakes through your hair. You wipe away a stray tear from his cheek, flushed and unaged from years of loneliness, but the childlike glimmer in his eyes he had thought would never return ignites in his sea of lavender once more. 
“Don’t cry, Neuvi. Happy birthday.”
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koji-haru · 4 months ago
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Time Travel AU Part: 5
Lucifer and Lilith stood by the garden's gate, worry and fear plastered on both their faces, with Lucifer in front of Lilith, all of his wings furled out in an attempt to shield Lilith from whatever that would come. Opposite them were Adam, Michael and Sera. Michael tried to keep Adam away from the scene, to ‘try to protect him from the pain and keep his innocence’. But there was no way Adam was going to miss them being kicked out of Eden. He missed it in his previous life because he ran away and hid as soon as he found them. This time however, he planned to savour every moment of their banishment.
Sera stood tall in front of the two lovers, hands clasped firmly in front of her as she addressed the two.
“For straying far from God's plan, we, Heaven, have decided that you may never set foot in paradise again.”
She looked at Lilith. “For refusing to be the mother of humanity, your gift to create life will be taken away from you.” Sera then turned to Lucifer, her expression turning more sour. The disdain in her eyes was evident as she looked down on Lucifer. “And you. While God has permitted you to keep your gifts, you are no longer welcome to return back home. Heaven has no place for you anymore.”
Finally, Sera turned to Michael, giving him a small nod. With a swing of his golden sword, Michael opened a portal to Earth outside the garden. A wild wasteland, not yet ready to accommodate human life. Lucifer moved to protest their punishment, but a look from Michael quickly killed those thoughts away.
“Yeah, go ahead and challenge Michael, see if you can win,” Adam smirked to himself behind Michael's wings, completely satisfied with himself.
With no other choice but to accept their punishment, both Lucifer and Lilith stepped through the portal out of the garden and into a new and dangerous world. Lucifer turned around, wanting to have a final look at what he was about to leave behind. The lush perfection of the garden, Sera, Michael, and Adam peeking behind Michael's wings. He expected a look of betrayal, tears, sadness, but what he saw were gleeful eyes devoid of any sorrow he had expected to see. Adam met his eyes, tilted his head slightly, and gave Lucifer a smug grin sticking out his tongue as the portal shut in front of him.
—-
Today's events were a cause for celebration. At least for Adam. No more Lucifer, and no more Lilith. Just him, his girl, Amora, and paradise. The birds were singing a soft melody, backed-up by the soft whispers of the breeze, the gentle hum of the leaves, and the peaceful bustles of the other animals. This was it. The life he was always meant to have.
Adam wrapped his arms around Amora as he laid on top of her, nuzzling his face onto her soft fur. He closed his eyes, fully enjoying the sensation that surrounded him. After a while, he rolled over, his back on the grass, as he faced Eden's perfect blue sky.
I guess Eve is going to be made soon.
Although their love did not last, Eve remained his steady and loyal companion. They were always together, through thick and thin, she never let him down and neither did he. And while he would try to warn her about Lucifer and his tricks, in the end, Eve was her own person. That woman couldn't be stopped if she already decided what she wanted. While that helped them survive life outside of Eden, it also set them back a few times.
Adam rolled over again, this time landing on his stomach. Grabbing a small stick, he started drawing a simplistic figure of Eve on a small patch of dirt amongst the grass. If Eve does end up falling for Lucifer’s tricks again, as much as he cared for her, Adam wouldn't leave the garden for her. But he also wouldn't want her to suffer as much as they did in his previous life. Adam paused, tapping the stick on his cheek a few times before setting it back down onto the dirt and drawing a spear on the hand of one of his scribbles of Eve. She was always a very capable woman, and he could always just teach her skills that she'd need to survive. Yeah. Then she should be fine on her own, in a new and dangerous world… Adam looked at his scribbles of Eve. He swallowed thickly. No! He wasn't going to change his mind! Though, he hoped that she wouldn't end up eating the forbidden fruit.
—-
Today was a horrible day. The worst thus far in his immortal life. The thought of ever banishing his brother, along with the first woman, would have never even crossed his mind, and yet today that was what he just did. Michael was just glad that Lucifer didn't fight back, otherwise… he stopped his train of thoughts, not wanting to venture there. Michael released a deep sigh, he didn't understand why they had done what they did. Angels were made to serve God and follow his plans, the humans were supposed to be his most perfect creation. So where did things go wrong? Lilith rejecting Adam, her equal and destined partner, and choosing Lucifer instead. How could she do that? When the first man was the way he was, kind and smart and helpful and just as beautiful as she was.
Michael paused in his tracks. Speaking of Adam, where was the first man? The poor thing must have been devastated with what transpired today and having witnessed all of it. While he still did not fully understand humans and their needs and emotions, the first man did mention to him before how lonely he was and how glad he was for Michael keeping him ‘company’, and learning from that, he was pretty certain that some ‘company’ should ease the first man's distress. He continued his flight, this time looking thoroughly into the garden for the first man. He was, once again, left to pick up after the mess Lucifer had left behind.
It didn't take Michael long at all to find Adam. While the first man loved all of Eden, he had his favourite spots, places that he often lingered in, for some reason the angel couldn't grasp. The meadow, the lake, and the riverbank. Today he was by the riverbank accompanied, of course, by the jaguar he had grown attached to and specially named Amora.
As he flew down towards Adam, he noticed that he was drawing something on the dirt. They weren't words that he had been teaching him to write, but instead looked like an image of someone. Someone that he didn't recognise. He landed a couple of feet in front of Adam, subtly leaning forward a little to take a glimpse of what he had sketched on the dirt.
“Adam,” he greeted. “How- how are you doing?”
“Michael!,” Adam looked up in surprise before frantically covering up his drawings with both of his hands and scratching some of them away.
“That was odd.” Michael walked closer to Adam, who was still covering the patch of dirt, and peered over. “What are you hiding there?”
Adam looked over to Amora, eyes begging her to cause a distraction. The jaguar looked back, before releasing a snort and putting her head back down on the grass, head looking the other way. The traitor. Reluctantly, Adam removed his hands away from the patch of dirt. He hoped he scrubbed off everything that might seem suspicious.
There was silence.
“Well, this is it. Just had to fuck it up.”
And more silence.
“Man, if you've caught me just–”
“It doesn't look much like Lilith,” Michael finally commented.
“Huh?” Adam gaped at Michael.
“Her features are off. First off, Lilith's hair is longer and flows straight down…” Michael pointed out the discrepancies between Lilith's appearance and Adam's crude drawings of Eve. Adam let him point out the differences, much too confused to say anything else to the angel.
“...and her demeanour in this one feels different,” Michael pointed at a certain drawing of Eve, before looking down at a silent Adam. He paused. Adam was a fast learner, he picked up skills quickly and easily got good at them. To make such blatant mistakes when creating Lilith's image… unless they're not mistakes?
“Adam, you didn't answer my question earlier. How are you doing?”
“Huh? What- oh.” Snapped out of his confusion, Adam quickly put on a forlorn expression. “W-well, since Lilith and Lucifer left I– the garden feels emptier.”
Adam looked up at Michael, giving him a small smile, “But that's alright, because you're here.” Ugh, that sounded so bleugh. Gross.
Michael didn't know what it was, but for a moment there he thought he felt something. A small tightness in his chest, a slight warmth on his cheeks, a smile creeping on his face. Huh? He looked back down on Adam's drawings. They were all figures of a woman he has never seen before. Were these figures of his ideal partner?
“Adam was made with a partner in mind. Perhaps he feels incomplete?” Michael wondered, oddly feeling sad, not because Adam lacked a partner right now, but because his ‘company’ wasn't enough.
Michael sat down beside Adam, crystal blue eyes intensely looking at Adam's own golden ones. “Adam, I promised that you would not be left alone again, and so, I will be here, with you, until you're no longer alone.”
Michael was left to pick up after Lucifer’s mess, and he would do better than his brother.
Part 4
Part 6
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doumadono · 1 year ago
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for the characters with letters!!
Katsuki Bakugo - D :)
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A/N: crafting this piece brought me immense joy, and I sincerely hope you derive the same pleasure from reading it ♥ The inspiration for this ficlet came from the following post
MY HERO ACADEMIA MASTERLIST
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The rain-soaked day seemed to magnify the colors of your surroundings as you stepped out of the university building, the thrill of acing your exam still coursing through your veins. Thoughts of celebration filled your mind, oblivious to the figure standing not far from you.
As you unfurled your own umbrella, a sharp voice cut through the steady rhythm of the rain. "You think that piece of junk can handle this rain?"
Startled, you turned to see Bakugo, dressed in his hero costume, eyeing your umbrella with disdain. He held a large black umbrella that shielded him from the rain, and in his other hand, he clutched a vibrant bouquet of your favorite flowers. The surprise on your face must have been evident, as he continued with a gruff, "Don't look so shocked. I know you never pay attention to the weather."
"Katsuki. What are you doing here?" you asked, genuinely curious about what could have brought him to your university campus.
He scowled, walking closer and shifting his umbrella over both of you. "Heard you had some super important exam. Thought I'd check on ya."
Your eyes widened in disbelief. "You knew about my exam?"
He grunted, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, well, Kirishima blabbed a thing or two. The Shitty Hair can't keep his mouth shut, you know."
Despite his dismissive tone, you could see through the facade. He had taken the time out of his busy hero schedule to show up for you. The realization hit you like a pleasant shock, and for a moment, you were left speechless. "You… you didn't have to do this, Katsuki," you stammered, genuinely touched by the unexpected gesture.
He rolled his eyes, as if annoyed by the sentiment. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Just take the damn flowers and let's get out of this rain."
You accepted the bouquet from him, expressing your gratitude in a hushed tone. "Thank you, Kacchan."
The two of you began to walk side by side, the rain creating a gentle melody on the umbrella. Bakugo's stoic expression softened as he glanced at you. "So, vet school, huh? How's that treating you?"
You shared your experiences, the challenges and triumphs of your chosen field.
Bakugo listened attentively, nodding occasionally. Despite his tough exterior, there was an undeniable interest in his eyes - they lingered on you as you spoke, and you couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through you.
As you reached the gates of the campus, Bakugo stopped and turned to face you.
The rain seemed to intensify, but neither of you minded. Under the shelter of the umbrella, Bakugo's gaze never left you. The world around you blurred as he spoke, his words carrying a vulnerability that contradicted his tough exterior. "I'm proud of you, you know. Choosing your own path and kicking ass at it," he admitted. "That's huge."
A warmth blossomed in your chest, and you leaned in, pressing a quick but tender kiss to his cheek. "Thanks, Katsuki. It means a lot coming from you."
He huffed, a half-smile playing on his lips, clearly not accustomed to such sentimental exchanges. "Stop it, nerd."
As you continued your walk, Bakugo's arm found its way around your shoulders, and you found comfort in the simple yet profound gesture. "Listen, Y/N. I've been thinking, perhaps you could spare a moment in your busy student schedule to have lunch with me this Friday?" Bakugo suggested, keeping his gaze forward, almost as if he feared you might reject his proposal; a faint blush adorned his cheeks.
A smile tugged at your lips as you listened to his invitation. "I'd love to," you responded, feeling a warmth spreading through you. His shyness only added to the charm of the moment, and the subtle pink on his cheeks was nothing compared to the flutter in your own heart. "Friday for lunch sounds perfect."
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nyxhaven · 1 year ago
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A Shared Dance, A Drunken Kiss (18+ smut minors dni!)
Description: in act 3 in baldurs gate, In the dimly lit tavern, Tav and Gale found themselves drawn to each other like moths to a flame. Their evening of laughter and shared drinks took an unexpected turn when a fiery, drunken kiss filled with unspoken tension ignited a passionate desire between them.
warnings ( 18+ minors dni, gale services tav, amab, quickly wrote, queer)
my master list of other writings
photo creds @flymm
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The bustling tavern was alive with merriment, its wooden beams adorned with strings of flickering lanterns that cast a warm, golden glow upon the lively crowd. The air was thick with laughter, the clinking of tankards, and the sound of a raucous minstrel's tune filling every corner of the room.
Gale, leaned against the polished oak bar, their fingers tracing idly along the worn surface. They observed the revelry with a hint of wistfulness in their eyes but remained a little apart from the festivities. The old tome with its cryptic spells lay forgotten beside them as they watched the dancers and laughter that filled the tavern.
Meanwhile, in the midst of the crowd, Tav was a whirlwind of movement, dancing to the lively tune with the other patrons, their every step filled with grace and wild abandon. They wove through the joyous crowd, their eyes catching the glint of candlelight and the sparkle of tankards raised in celebration.
The tension between Gale and Tav was palpable, like an invisible thread pulling them closer and yet holding them apart. Gale's gaze often drifted to Tav's swirling form on the makeshift dance floor, admiring their exuberance and vitality, while Tav found their eyes drawn back to Gale, the enigmatic wizard who seemed content to stay on the periphery of the revelry.
With each passing moment, the tension in the tavern grew, building like the crescendo of a spell waiting to be cast. It was a night filled with possibilities and unspoken desires, where the worlds of adventure and magic threatened to collide in a way that could change the course of their journey forever.
As the lively song finally began to die down, Tav, their heart pounding with anticipation, broke away from the dance floor. A wide, inviting grin spread across their face as they waved Gale towards them. The minstrel's tune had given way to a slower, more intimate melody, setting the perfect stage for the change that was about to occur.
Gale glanced at the almost empty tankard in their hand, considering the invitation, then downed the last of their drink, a newfound confidence rising within them. They pushed off the bar, leaving the forgotten tome behind, and made their way to Tav, who stood there with a mischievous glint in their eye.
As Gale approached, Tav extended a hand, a charming smile curving their lips. "Took you long enough," Tav teased, their tone playfully accusatory.
Gale chuckled, accepting Tav's hand and moving into their embrace, their bodies swaying to the rhythm of the new song. "I had to finish my drink, didn't I? I'm not as fearless as you."
Tav leaned in, their lips almost brushing against Gale's ear. "Maybe I can teach you a few things about being fearless," they whispered, their warm breath sending shivers down Gale's spine.
The playful banter between them was charged with an undeniable attraction. They continued to dance, their bodies moving in perfect harmony as the song wrapped around them like a secret promise. Tav's fingers traced light patterns along Gale's back, igniting a fiery longing that neither of them could deny any longer.
With the night growing late and desire burning brightly, Tav finally leaned in, capturing Gale's lips in a passionate kiss. The world seemed to disappear around them as they locked into the sweet embrace, their hearts and desires laid bare.
As they parted, Tav gazed into Gale's eyes with a raw intensity. "Gale," they began, their voice husky with emotion, "would you like to come to my tent tonight? Just you and me."
Gale met Tav's gaze with a mix of desire and anticipation, their answer a whispered, "Yes, Tav. I'd love that."
The tavern, with its lively celebrations, had transformed into a place of secret desires and untamed passion for the two adventurers, setting the stage for a night they would never forget.
Hand in hand, Tav and Gale walked through the cool night air, leaving the lively tavern behind. The lantern-lit path back to their camp was dappled with shadows, mirroring the magic of the night they had shared.
Their footsteps were soft and synchronized, and without the need for words, their connection was understood. Arriving at the camp, they entered a secluded tent, softly lit by a flickering candle.
Drunken sloopy kisses rain down Tav’s neck as gale pulled off their shirt. Tav sits on Gale’s desk, they cupped the back of gales head graspng a palm full of his dusted hair. Pulling him in to a deep kiss, your toungue licks Gales lip asking for entance. he opens his mouth enough for you to explore his mouth. His tounge slips into yours taking focus as his body grinds into yours.
His kisses begin to trail down your neck leaving a small patch of hickeys on your collar bone. he continues down your chest, your stomach, and your happy trail, a line of small kickeys from the wizard on hes knees now.
“is this okay?” gales says on his knees, his tone is almost begging, filled with lust looking up at you.
“yes gale, amongst all the choas of evrything its nice to have something like this…like us.”
Gale pulls down the trousers around your hips, and begins to kiss the skin between your member and your thigh, cupping your balls with his hand. Taking in a deep smell of your musk. You let out a deep groan of relaxation. Gale takes the the head of you into your mouth feeling your full erection in his mouth. Bobbing up and down setting a pace, gale massages tavs balls gently. Gale continues making sloppy movements, while Tavs mouth is a mess, full of moans and Gale’s name. Gale brings his head up for a deep breath, looking up at Tav with beatiful brown leather eyes.
Gale’s kisses under his balls are soft and delicate, as his rough scruff rubs the inside of your thighs. He takes the head of his cock into his mouth again, his tounge swils on the tip, the precum from Tav begins to wets his tip.
“your precum taste so sweet. i’ve wanted to please you for so long Tav.” Gale says in a low rugged voice, panting for breath. He rubs his thumb on the underside of Tavs dick, causing it to flex under the pleasure.
“you’re going so good Gale, this is amazing!”
Tav pulls him into a soft kiss, still tasting the wine mixed with the saltiness of his own precum on gales lips. Gale takes the head of your cock back into his mouth burying his nose into the dark bush of hair at Tavs base. Tav holds a chuck of gales greying hair loosely, as his head stays down sucking. Tavs hips buck chasing its own release feeling the back of Gales throat.
“im getting close Gale” Tav says inbetween scattered breaths.
Gales removes his head grasping the shaft of Tavs dick, he begins to pump as Tavs dick releases onto Gales face. shooting ropes of cum onto him, semen covers his face in a line from jaw to hairline. a moment of silence falls as Tavs moans settle, Gales stands chuckling. He removes his shirt doing a quick clean of his face.
“that was amazing Tav, Thank you.” Gale says smirking.
pulling Gale closer to them Tav replies “I feel like i should be thanking you.” Tav leans closer into his ear. “you did such a good job taking me tonight darling perhaps soon we can have more nights like this.”
“i really reaaly hope so” gale says soflt kissing Tav again before walking out the tent to go wash off tonights mess in the lake.
A/N : hope you enjoyed this is my first official smut writing! let me know if you want certain genders/pronouns. please leave constructive criticism or just nice comments and lmk who and what to write next!
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didhewinkback · 1 year ago
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good morning
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a something old blurb !
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He’s been walking for over an hour, meandering down cobblestone streets while sipping on the cafecito he got from the local bakery, relishing in the early morning quiet of the city. Feeling like one of a million as opposed to one in a million, blending in with the other early risers gently reacquainting themselves with the world. How nice to feel so human, to get to live in this paradox of a day that starts this gentle and ends with him on stage in front of a stadium full of people. 
There’s only three shows left, which is just mental when he thinks about it. When he thinks about the man he was at the start of this tour versus the man he is now - more like the man he was trying to be at the start of this tour versus the man he is now, feeling like he’s lived a thousand lifetimes since he first stepped foot on that stage in Las Vegas two years ago. 
It’ll never be this way again, which has a certain comfort to it despite how utterly devastating a thought it is. A certain comfort to how ever changing life can be, how you can’t hold on to anything before time pulls it from your tight grasp. How all you can do is just be present and be grateful and take it all in. 
And he is. And he does. 
He��s quite proud of himself, if he’s honest. The way he’s been able to manage this whirlwind by surrounding himself with the greatest people to travel the world with - talented, respectful, on top of their shit. How he’s let himself celebrate the wins - and some of them have been massive - while not letting his head get too far up his own arse. How he’s abandoned his former all-or- nothing lifestyle, the way he used to let all of his relationships fall to the side when he was focused on work and touring. Instead, he has seen those relationships flourish and thrive, making him feel more complete and whole and loved than he has in ages and full of pride that he’s once again someone people go to when they need a friend, someone his friends trust will answer the phone, will be there to listen, to care, to help, to love. 
He’s feeling quite sentimental as he heads back up to the rental, pausing at the gate to lean up into the sunshine one more time, taking a deep breath before slipping inside and shutting it tight behind him. He’s careful to be quiet as he slips inside the door, silently toeing his shoes off and taking off his hat, running his fingers through his hair before he hears a small clatter and a muffled curse coming from the kitchen. 
He smiles, softly chuckling to himself. You’re up, then. 
He follows the noise, pausing in his tracks when he finds you in the kitchen, standing there in nothing but an old t-shirt of his, sleepily frowning at the fancy tea kettle, the beams of the morning sun just beginning to peek through the windows. It’s the type of view men write songs about and he can already hear the opening notes of a fresh melody playing in his head as you tinker with the kettle, your distaste for mornings rendering the activity useless. 
He creeps up behind you, placing his cup down on the counter before gently pulling the kettle out of your hands. He slides a hand along your shoulders, squeezing and kneading at the muscles while he plays with the kettle, finding the two connectors on the lid to get it to seal shut properly. 
“Hmm, the magic touch.” you mumble, wrapping your arms around his waist and nuzzling your face into his chest. 
“Think you’d know about that more than anyone,” he says, giggling when you groan. He squeezes your shoulders once before hugging you close, using his other hand to put the kettle on the burner and turn it on.
He leans back against the counter, pulling you into him as he spreads his legs slightly to let you settle in between, rubbing your back up and down when you melt into the embrace. 
“Sleep okay?” he asks softly, smiling when you nod. 
“Yeah, just slooow to wake up this morning.” you say, blinking up at him, the soft look on your face making his heart clench. 
He loves you at all times of day, but there is something about the quiet intimacy of your mornings together that make them his favorite. The way you’re never a morning person but always try to be for him, where he can jump out of bed first thing, a habit formed from years of work based necessity, you take your time, sleepy pliancy making your more malleable to his touch, clinging onto him more than you usually do. Where he is more physically affectionate than not, always needing his hands on you in some capacity, you are usually more selective, except for the mornings. In the mornings, you’re all over him and he lives for it. 
“Still have some of this left, if you want.” he says, handing the cup over to you. “Couldn’t finish it.” 
You arch your brow knowingly at him as you take the cup from his hands.
“Oh? You just couldn’t finish it?” you gently mock. 
“Mhmm,” he says back, a light flush blooming on his cheeks, knowing he has been rightfully called out. You’ve had this conversation many times, you never want a full coffee but always end up wanting a little bit of his, never wanting to order a whole cup to just take a few sips but also not wanting to steal any of his much needed caffeine. So, he’s taken to ordering a slightly bigger size than usual and not finishing it, always sure to leave some for you. 
“Thank you,” you say softly, eyes aglow with affection as you smile up at him before taking a sip, humming when he tightens his arms around you and plants a kiss on your head. “How was your walk?”
“Was good, yeah.” he says, your rapt attention warming him to his toes. “Got quite emotional at parts of it. ‘S a big week.” 
“Big week.” you agree, corner of your lip twitching up. “Can’t believe after Saturday, I’m going to be the breadwinner of the family.”
That shocks a laugh out of him, a full belly, head tilting back kind of laugh, relishing in the way he can feel you giggle against him, clearly proud of your own joke. You’re saved from his squirming hands poised for retaliation by the whistle of the kettle, dodging out of his hold to turn off the burner, heading over to the large selection of teas you packed, thoroughly studying your options while you finish off his coffee.
He leans back against the counter and watches you in action, mulling over your last words in his head. He knows it was mostly for the joke but it’s not the first time you’ve referred to him as your family, a slip of the tongue slowly becoming routine for you, second nature. 
Words fail whenever he tries to articulate how it makes him feel. It surpasses any of the many accolades he’s been lauded with over the last decade or so of his life, the stadiums full of people chanting his name, the critics praising his work. It’s different than that, it’s somehow more than that, the feeling of someone knowing you entirely and still choosing you anyway. It’s like how it feels when he finally gets the lyrics right to a long elusive chorus, the pieces fitting right into place, impossible and inevitable all at once. 
All he knows is he will do everything he can to make sure he is worthy of the title, being your family, of building one with you. 
He’s closing the distance between you two before he can think about it, gently spinning you away from the counter as his hands come up to frame your face before bringing your mouth to meet his. It’s a hell of a kiss, your hands clutching at his biceps as he drags his lips against yours. It’s an “I love you,” a “thank you,” a “you’re my family too and I’m going to ask you to marry me in a few weeks” kind of kiss, doing his best to convey everything he’s feeling with each slide of his tongue against yours. 
He pulls away slowly, both of you catching your breath as he kisses along your cheekbone, resting his lips on your temple before pulling back to look at you, eyes grazing across your features, his favorite face he’s ever seen. 
“Bloody hell. What was that for?” you ask, laughing when he does. Being able to see the effect he has on you stoking the fire burning in his belly. The simmering look in your eyes, the way you’re biting at your swollen lips. 
“Thinking about what you said,” he says, sliding his thumb along your cheekbone before trailing his hands down your body, wrapping his arms around your waist and ducking down to drag his lips across the skin of your neck. “About y’ being the breadwinner of our family -” 
Your nails dig into his shoulders ever so slightly, breath hitching. So you had realized you said it, then. He pulls back from your neck to kiss you, your hand sliding up into his hair as you kiss him back, the phrase “our family” rattling around both of your heads. 
“And was just thinking…” he continues, pulling back slowly to kiss along your jawline. “y’ know, with me out of work next week, ‘m gonna have to start really pulling my weight in other areas.” 
He emphasizes his point by sliding a hand down to squeeze at your arse, living for the way you gasp in his ear. 
“Been told ‘m a good interview,” he says, “‘nd I’ve got a list of special skills I’d think you’d really enjoy -” 
“You are such an idiot,” you say, as he giggles into your neck, pulling back to stare at you, living for the way you’re softly laughing at him, his favorite sound. “But you do make some good points. Think you’re gonna have to take me to bed to be sure you’re a good fit for the job.”
“Hmm, ‘s that so?”
“Gonna be a tough one, innit?” you say, a soft smile growing on your face as you rake your hands through the hair on the nape of his neck. “My very own stay at home boyfriend.”
“”S my dream job. ‘S the dream -” he’s mumbling nonsense, praise and ramblings about his dreams against your lips,  something snapping in him as he crashes his mouth to yours. He slides his hands down your thighs, encouraging you to jump into his hold as he starts to carry you back towards the bedroom, biting down on the urge to correct you, to make you say fiancé or husband, the title boyfriend not feeling like enough for him anymore. 
The calm energy of the morning has given way to something electric, something that makes sparks shoot up his spine every time you moan into his mouth when he kisses you just the way you like it, a type of chemistry only the two of you create. 
He wants to spend the rest of his life just like this, just right here, he thinks, as he lays you down on the bed, hastily pulling off his clothes when he watches you do the same. The morning sun making you somehow more luminous than usual. You’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen and you’re all his and he’s all yours and in the early morning hours, you’re not beholden to anything but each other. No interruptions from the outside world, nothing but the two of you right here. He wants to live in this forever. 
A lifetime of mornings with his girl. What could be better than that?
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taglist:@tobesolovelysstuff, @louyoursins, @daydreamingofmatilda, @jojo-blog53, @marzhshaim, @devilsqueen722, @just-happiness-only,@lomlhstyles, @feestyles, @spock4presidnet, @sunshinemoonsposts, @indierockgirrl, @jerseygirlinca, @kissitnhekitchen, @goldnrry,
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sirianasims · 9 months ago
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“Mr. Romeo? Lee Thompson is at the gate.”
“Thanks, Jeff. Ask him if he brought any new tunes for the party.”
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“Mr. Thompson, any fresh melodies for tonight?”
“Only if Paul promises not to sing along this time!”
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“He’s brought harsh truths, Mr. Romeo.”
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“Ouch. We better let him in, Jeff. And tell him my singing’s improved!”
Paul turned from the intercom, still chuckling, and pulled me close.
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“Now, remember,” he urged softly, “You’re just meeting my friends. There’s no need to be nervous, they’re very nice and they’ll adore you.”
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“I’ll try. It’s just that all your friends are major celebrities.”
He smiled and tucked a few stray hairs behind my ear.
“They’re also just people. There’s nothing to worry about. We’re going to have fun.”
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I nodded and kissed him, trying to ignore the way my heart felt ready to leap out of my chest. I wasn’t even sure what I worried about the most, the fact that these people were famous, or that they were Paul’s closest friends. What would they think of him being with someone like me?
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Lee Thompson exuded the same intensity he brought to his music. He’d composed some of the most memorable scores of the last two decades, including the original Llama Man theme tune and the new version for the animated series. He moved gracefully, like a dancer, and his handshake was surprisingly gentle. I thanked him for more or less writing the soundtrack to my entire childhood, realising only too late what I was implying, but he was delighted and didn’t seem to notice.
I’d barely recovered from my embarrassment before Jeff announced the next arrivals, and Lee sauntered off to open the champagne.
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I clung to Paul’s arm as Sierra Moss and her husband, Dave Richardson, entered. Somehow, I even managed to mumble a polite greeting.
Dave’s smile was warm and welcoming. “It’s good to meet you. Paul has told us so much about you.”
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Sierra laughed. “In fact, he never shuts up about you.”
Meeting Sierra Moss felt surreal. I had seen all of her movies, I even had a poster of her in Cop & Llama on my walls at home. Well, Dave was technically on the poster as well, but the llama costume meant that he wasn’t as instantly recognisable as Sierra, especially since he’d stayed on the other side of the cameras since the series ended. Sierra, on the other hand, had starred in dozens of movies and was a household name.
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I straightened my back and desperately hoped that I looked like someone who was both a proper adult and perfectly chill about the fact that my childhood idol was standing in front of me and teasing my boyfriend about thinking he could keep me a secret for long.
beginning / previous / next
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amorgansgal · 5 months ago
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Midsummer Memories
Day 1: Halsin Enjoying Midsummer
Here's my first piece for the Halsummer SFW Week! I'm afraid I've failed a fair bit, as I haven't managed to write something for all the days. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless!
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The hazy blue sky stretched to the horizon. The heat of the day had lessened and now Halsin was content to lie on top of the cliffside, comfortably resting on a soft bed of grass and wild flowers, whilst the waves beneath broke upon the shore. The continuous rumble and then hushing noise that followed was soothing. It was midsummer and he had spent the entire day busy. Midsummer was truthfully, a rather exhausting time. There were a dizzying amounts of prayers and rituals to mark the dawn, midday, sunset and then midnight, and it did not help that the day was so hot. He’d finally managed to find a little time to sneak away and enjoy a swim in the ocean, the cold water had refreshed him, though he had still hidden away on a rocky outcropping so he could dry off and have some time to himself.
When he’d been a child, many years ago he’d love celebrating midsummer. They’d gathered scraps of ribbon, garlands of leaves and flowers and especially carved wooden medallions that would include little prayers and wishes for Silvanus and hung them over the branches of the largest and oldest oak tree there. There’d been a special stone gate, huge in its size and with sprawling carvings featuring Silvanus and when the sun set, the glorious, heedy warm beams of light would illuminate the gap between the two standing stones. He could still hear the sweet, melodious piping of flutes, the steady beat of drums echoing around the woods, the roar and crackle of fire as a great mountain of kindling, dried leaves and branches were set ablaze and then there would be dancing and sweet honey wine and venison served with the ruby red and deep purple summer berries, and spiced, peach cream cooled by ice. He had once eaten so much of it, he had been sick and his mother had chastised him. Though not too harshly. 
‘Even little bears need to be mindful of what their stomachs can manage,’ she had said affectionately.
He smiled to himself. Later when he was a youth, he learnt that midsummer was for merry making in many, many different ways. He’d had his first kiss there. They’d been as tremulous and nervous as young colts, fumbling their way through a sweet, quick press of lips. But he had to admit, there was something infinitely more pleasant and wonderful about the first little taste of love and innocent desire, than any hot tumble into a lover’s bed. 
He wished the Emerald Enclave’s midsummer celebrations could be like the ones from his childhood. He wished that it wasn’t so formal or, more accurately, unendingly dull. He had thought that he wasn’t much of a leader, but he could at least encourage some enjoyment and joy and fun for their midsummer and midwinter celebrations. But such a matter was swiftly discouraged by Jeorna and Kagha, even Rath had his reservations about changing things.
‘It is meant to be a celebration honouring Silvanus, we can’t be too frivolous about these matters.’ Rath had said.
‘But do you not hear yourself?’ he had asked. ‘It’s a celebration. Most people would not really say we’re fully celebrating. There’s no music or dance or song or-’
‘We do not need to gorge and drink ourselves into a stupor to celebrate midsummer,’ Kagha had muttered.
He shook his head, pushing aside all thought of the discussion where he’d been soundly outvoted to at least include some real form of celebration. There was little point dwelling upon it and feeling sorry for himself. Everyone was different, everyone had a different way of celebrating something and he already did enough to upset the apple cart at every turn!
‘Halsin? Halsin!’ Nettie’s voice called out from the shoreline below and he lifted his head, seeing her walking along the beach and evidently looking around for him. 
He quickly pulled on his breeches and tunic and then called out, ‘I am here, Nettie.’
She swung about and smiled on seeing him. ‘Good, thought you’d swam off for a minute! I’ve been asked to fetch you as we’re getting close to sunset.’
He jumped down from the sandy cliff and made his way over to her. He had tried to smile, but perhaps it had come off as more of a grimace, as she gave him a sympathetic look and pat on the arm.
‘Don’t worry, the day is nearly done,’ she said and began to walk back towards the grove.
Perhaps it should have comforted him, but it only left a painful, tight knot in his chest at the thought. The day was almost done. The longest, sweetest day of summer and it felt like it had meant little and nothing. On a day where birds sung long into the night and nocturnal animals slept for longer in the burrows and bears dug greedy paws into beehives searching for honey and long ago elves had danced and sung and celebrated, he was left feeling tired and worn out and utterly frustrated, and it hurt him to feel that way. 
But what was the good of insisting on a celebration if no one wished for it? To order people to laugh and dance and sing and feast and kiss would make him a tyrant, not a leader who simply wanted the best for the druids here. He began to follow Nettie back up the cliffside path and towards the grove once more.
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hrefna-the-raven · 1 year ago
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Simril
Masterlist - BG3 masterlist
Notes: a little something I had in mind thinking about the holidays approaching slowly but surely ☺️
Words: 1022
Warnings: fluff
Summary: Simril was not only an annual winter festival celebrated along the Sword Coast but also the perfect opportunity to gain new clients for a certain devil. That was until you entered his life...
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The sun had set and the festivities of Simril had engulfed the entire city of Baldur's Gate with a magical aura, bringing joy and cheer to the hearts of its inhabitants. It was an evening filled with laughter, merriment, and the promise of the blessing received upon finding the lucky star on the clouded sky. As the celebrations unfolded, the city became a playground of different coloured lanterns, merry tunes and enchantment. Raphael, adorned in his typical formal attire, was casually strolling through the streets during this festive day. He would wander through the bustling streets, keeping an eye out for potential clients and his so-called business opportunities. However, on this particular Simril, fate had something else in store for him.
Unbeknownst to Raphael, someone had been observing him, studying his every move. It was you, the mysterious figure lurking with in the shadows, a mischievous smile painted across your face. Since you got to know the devil, you always thought that he was way too focused on gaining souls, signing contracts, never truly embracing the tempting pleasures of his nature. So, of course, you had devised a plan, daring and audacious as you usually were according to your devil, to capture Raphael's attention and demanded a favour from one of his more noble debtors. As you caught sight of Raphael meandering along a bustling road, you couldn't resist any longer. With a swift and confident stride, you approached him, taking his arm and leading him away from the noisy crowd.
"What in the nine hells?", Raphael cursed, slightly bewildered, yet willingly complying with your guidance, captivated by your audacity.
You guided him through a myriad of hidden passages, until you arrived at a secluded courtyard adorned with exquisite decorations. The air was filled with the delightful fragrance of heated wine and the faint echoes of a minstrel's tune. In the center, a bonfire crackled, casting captivating shadows that danced around the surroundings. With a mischievous sparkle in your eyes, you presented Raphael with a cup of warm, spiced wine.
"Join me," you whispered, your voice carrying a note of invitation, "sit with me by the fire, let the music fill the night and let us enjoy ourselves."
Intrigued, Raphael complied, settling down next to you on a cushioned seat. The bard's melodies filled the air, wrapping the courtyard in a blanket of tender notes.
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"If I am not mistaken, and I rarely am, this particular courtyard belongs to one of my debtors," Raphael calmly remarked, "and that bard over there recently signed his contract with me."
You delicately sipped your wine, avoiding his piercing gaze. Uncertainty filled your mind as you pondered whether this could potentially mark your final day on this mortal plane, condemned to be dragged down to the depths of hell for your transgressions. Although, there remained a tiny glimmer of hope that you might escape punishment for borrowing two of his clients for your own purposes. As you drained the last remnants of your wine, the devil snapped his fingers, conjuring two handwritten notes that ominously hovered before you.
"I do believe that is your handwriting," he declared, his fingers gently finding your chin and tilting your head upward to examine the notes, "And my signature, which, if I may say so myself, appears rather convincingly authentic."
You hummed, eyes darting to Raphael's unreadable expression. Deep within you, a sense of fear began to rise as he stood up, reaching out to lift you from the bench. His strong fingers curled around your neck, his piercing gaze digging into the depths of your soul. Even in his human form, his aura exuded authority and danger, reminding you of who he truly was.
"My little mouse", Raphael sighed, unable to hide a little smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "I can't decide whether to be angry or proud of your audacious escapades."
"I'd prefer the latter", you offered, attempting to conceal your mounting anxiety, "after all it was all in favour of you relaxing for once."
"I bet you do, little mouse", the devil laughed, his mind lingering on the last part of your statement.
As the fire flickered, casting a warm glow on your face, he suddenly was all to aware of how effortlessly you succeeded at wiggling your way into his heart. He couldn't deny that he had grown rather fond of you, for reasons that would forever elude him, you had chosen to stick by his side and help him without any contract or asking anything in return. The memories of how he huffed in sheer disbelief as you claimed that you simply liked him were still as fresh as the day they were forged. No mortal had ever demonstrated such unwavering loyalty, not to him nor, he would stake his wretched soul on it, to any other devil in the infernal realms. And yet here you were, going through all the trouble and danger to ensure he would have one evening to enjoy himself. Raphael leaned in, pressing his lips on yours in a tender kiss, muffling your surprised gasp. To hell with all that meant being a devil, his mind urged him. Under the spell of the enchanting atmosphere, Raphael allowed himself to embrace his humanity, if only for this night. He resolved that there was more to existence than the relentless pursuit of souls—at least for this fleeting moment.
A wistful smile formed on your lips as you broke the kiss, your eyes sparkling with pure happiness and Raphael couldn't tear his gaze away from you. His little mouse, a potential client who became his unlikely ally and, if he'd had any say in the matter, would become even more in the days to come. You suddenly jumped away, looking up to the sky, gasping as your hands found his, fingers intertwining with his.
"I found my lucky star", you giggled, "do devils have a lucky star?"
"No", Raphael chuckled, "but I have a suspicion that this particular one just might", he whispered, a faint smile playing on his lips as he kept his eyes locked on your silhouette.
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melodygatesauthor · 1 year ago
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Hey guys!
I needed a little time to finish the stuff from my 2k celebration but now that THAT'S done I can roll into my 1 Year Ficversary Celebration!
Details below the cut!
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Since I'm so busy, I'm going to make this another simple celebration but it will still be fun!
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The rules are simple, pick a blorbo, pick a kink, and I'll write a 100-300 word blurb about it.
Please no more than 1 submission per person for now. If we get toward Sunday and I am all caught up I might open up for second submissions!
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I reserve the right to decline doing a prompt for any reason. Please refer to MY RULES! The things I am uncomfortable writing about still apply during these events.
Blorbos Invited to the Celebration
Poe Dameron - Regular/First Order (Dark Poe)
Nathan Bateman - Regular/Yandere
Miguel O'Hara - Regular/Yandere/Not Spider-Man
Blue Jones - Asylum/Club
Jake Lockley - Regular/Yandere/Mafia/DBF
Steven Grant - Regular/Yandere/Professor/DBF
Marc Spector - Regular/Yandere/Venom Host/DBF
Santiago Garcia - Regular/DBF/BFD
Jonathan Levy - Regular/Professor
Basil Stitt - Yandere/Neighbor (could be both)
Duke Leto Atreides - Regular/Dark
Kinks
Choose one from this randomizer! - (nothing that would include more than one blorbo or that goes against my rules please) - The generator does it in groups of three, PLEASE ONLY CHOOSE ONE.
I am willing to write the character with any bodytype/pronouns/gender, please be clear as to what you would like. If you do NOT specify, I'll do f!Reader with an average body type as that's what I write most often. - IF CHARACTER IS ENBY/GN PLEASE SPECIFY AFAB OR AMAB!
~~~~
Thank you all again so much! The event will run from:
12pm EST Thursday 09/28/2023 - 12am EST Sunday 10/01/2023
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Melody's 1 Year Ficversary Celebration Masterlist
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nerdalmighty · 6 months ago
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BG3 Tag Game!
I was tagged by @khywren!!! Thank you!!!!!!
I'm going to tag @vanilkaplays @okthisway @maladaptive-menace @riddlerosehearts @starkspi and anyone else who wants to play along!
Favorite romance: It will surprise no one to know that it's Astarion. I find his backstory so incredibly interesting and I love his dumbass personality. At the end of the day, he just wants to do whatever is the most hilarious and I adore that. I especially love how soft he gets when you get together in Act 2. I could go on and on but I'll never be able to fully articulate my love for him.
Favorite class to play: Bard! I love that they're really the jack of all trades and are pretty good at everything, including spells and sword fighting. Persuasion and deception are SO helpful in this game, plus playing music to distract crowds and cause shenanigans in Baldur's Gate is wonderful.
Favorite NPC: I think Raphael. While yeah he absolutely SUCKS, I'm obsessed with his obsession with his own voice. He's a thespian, he's a freak, he's an idiot. I love it. But yes, I did kill his ass.
Favorite song off the soundtrack: Probably the Harpy Song. I listen to it a lot in my spare time, especially when I'm working on a specific fic I'm attempting to write. I'm a big fan of haunting melodies and, unsurprisingly, the concept of hypnotizing music.
Tell us a little about your Tav: I wrote a pretty long post about her here, but my Tav is named Birdie and she's a bard who was born and raised at the Water Queen's House. Previous iterations of her had her as a siren (hence the deep love of the Harpy Song), but I'm still not 100% sure if this version of her is. Basically, she's a mermaid ass goof whose main gang of idiots include Astarion, Gale, and Shadowheart. Chaos often ensues.
Something you wish was in the game: I know this game is huge. I know there's probably stuff people haven't even discovered yet. But god would I love some more camp animations. More interactions between the companions AT camp. Cut scenes where there should probably be cut scenes (The second time Astarion drinks your blood, Wyll celebrating the defeat of Ansur, etc). I really really love this game, but I'd love to hang out with my friends EVEN MORE.
Do you create fanworks? Share something with us: Oh boy I'm TRYING. I've never really written fanfiction before but the stupid vampire has inspired me to do so. I'm in the process of writing two different fics (one multi-chapter, one one-shot on the longer side) and am having a blast but I'm not sure if/when I'll post them. I've noticed my writing style is very similar to the way I write scripts, which is what I went to college for, so they're full of dialogue and quick, dumb banter. It might not be for everyone, but I'm having The Most Fun! Let me know if you'd maybe want to see more? Here's a silly excerpt from the one-shot (she may or may not get smutty later on 👀):
There was no sign of the vampire, save for an open hatch beneath the stone of the tower leading into what you presumed was a cellar of sorts. Off to the side was a discarded set of Thieves’ Tools. Yup, that’ll be him.
Rolling your eyes affectionately, you began to descend into the basement below. 
Before you could even make it to the bottom, however, you heard Astarion’s voice tinged with annoyance. “Don’t bother, darling. I was just coming back up.”
You paused on the ladder and looked down at him. “That bad?”
“Eh, a few coins, some food. Nothing worth risking one’s life over. Foolish gnome.”
“Shame,” you pouted down at him, not an ounce of real sympathy behind the word.
He smirked as he met your eye. “Go,” he said, indicating you should climb back up the ladder. “There was a rather large amount of smoke powder though. That could be fun.”
When you emerged back into the early evening air, you turned to help Astarion out. “Maybe you can blow up a quaint little gnomish village.”
Astarion’s eyes glittered with delight. “Oh, do you think there’s one around here? That would be- Oh. You’re joking.”
You nodded.
“Gods, you’re no fun.” He sighed dramatically and then started back towards the Blighted Village proper. 
You scoffed in mock offense. “I’m a lot of fun!”
Astarion tsked. “If you have to say you’re a lot of fun, odds are, you’re lying to yourself.” He shot a challenging half smile at you from over his shoulder.
“How dare you,” you laughed.
“Such a pity, too,” he went on. “Aren’t bards supposed to be entertaining?”
You made a sound of agony, which had Astarion fully turning back to look at you. You threw a hand to your heart and staggered towards him. “You wound me, Astarion. Look upon me with pity and remember me fondly!” You set an arm on his shoulder and let your body weight go, as if collapsing from a killing blow. 
Astarion was quick to catch you under your arms. He made a show of groaning about how heavy you were now that your body had gone completely limp. After you’d hung loosely from his grip for a few seconds, he finally yielded. “Alright, enough.” 
You resumed control of your body and stood up straight, a smug look on your face. “I’m fun.”
“Dramatic.”
“Theatrical.”
“Annoying.”
“Endearing.”
“Loud.”
“Enthusiastic-”
Just then, a loud howl came from a barn a little ways off. 
You and Astarion eyed each other.
“Was that you?” Astarion asked.
“‘Was that me?!’ I’m not THAT loud.”
“Could have fooled me.”
You rolled your eyes. “Come on.” You started in a light jog towards the barn.
Astarion groaned. “You can’t be serious.” He caught up with you easily. “Haven’t we done enough heroing for today?”
You looked at him thoughtfully. “One more act of heroism probably won’t kill you.”
“It might!”
“Oh, now who’s being dramatic?” You came to a stop at the double doors.
“I-” Astarion floundered, then pursed his lips and crossed his arms.
“That’s what I thought.”
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https-harlow · 1 year ago
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Single Hearts - Part 1 Amusement Park
Summary- While taking her daughter to the amusement park for her birthday, Sage meets Jack for the first time.
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Jack had gotten engaged to his high school sweetheart, Penelope, right out of high school, getting married about a year later. They even had their daughter, Melody Jade Harlow, a year and a half later. Everything was perfect. Ultimately, throughout the stress of Jack’s career, raising their daughter, and just life in general, they decided they were better off as friends. Nothing specific happened they just slowly realized they didn’t love each other as much as they previously did. 
Penelope and Jack were terrific coparents. They both were committed to doing what was best for their daughter and they both wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. Of course, that wasn’t always possible for Jack due to traveling for work, and now that his daughter was seven years old and in school, Penelope and Melody couldn’t just fly out to visit him whenever they wanted. Penelope did it as much as possible so that Jack and Melody could see each other as much as their schedules allowed.
Sage, on the other hand, was parenting her five-year-old daughter, Charlotte Grace Taylor, completely alone. She had also thought she had met the love of her life, and for a short time, she did. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend didn’t feel the same way. Ethan cheated on Sage right after they found out she was pregnant. Before Charlotte was born, Ethan decided he wasn’t ready to be a father and left. He hadn’t even met his daughter when she was born, even though Sage told him when she was in labor and when Charlotte was officially born.
Sage had sole custody of Charlotte, Ethan didn’t show up to the hospital, and he never signed the birth certificate, withdrawing his legal rights. Sure, Sage would have preferred her daughter to have an involved father or at the bare minimum, child support, but she would rather Ethan be completely uninvolved than in and out of her daughter's life. 
It was difficult for Sage to raise her daughter on her own, but the support of her friends and family made it easier. 
Sage was taking Charlotte to the local amusement park for the day, a late birthday celebration for Charlotte's fifth birthday. Between the start of the school year and the weather, it had to be pushed a couple of weekends. As a compromise Sage let Charlotte eat a little more candy and sugar than usual, which meant she was practically bouncing off the walls. Charlotte saw the carousel and took off towards it.
Jack, who had also decided to take his daughter to the amusement park the same day, happened to be getting in line for the ride at the same time. Charlotte tried to get in line before Jack and Melody did.
“Charlotte.” Sage called out, quickly following after her daughter. “You have to wait for me.” She reminded her. By the time she approached, even though it had only been a couple of seconds, Jack and Sage were separated by a few groups of people so she couldn’t apologize to him for her daughter trying to run in front of them.
Sage and Charlotte got into line, Sage holding onto her hand before she could even think about trying to run to the front of the line. Luckily for Charlotte, the line was short so it wasn’t long before she was on the ride. 
Jack got Melody comfortable on the ride before stepping behind the gated area to watch. A few spots back, Sage was helping Charlotte fasten herself to the carousel horse. 
“I want to go by myself,” Charlotte said and Sage sighed softly.
“Okay, can you get down by yourself?” Sage asked and Charlotte nodded. “Just let me know if you need help and I’ll come to help you, okay?” Charlotte nodded eagerly, excited to ride on her first amusement park ride by herself. Even if it was just a carousel. 
Sage walked off the platform and out of the gate, she happened to see the same curly-haired man that her daughter had run in front of. Sage approached him.
“Hi, I’m so sorry about my daughter almost cutting in line. We’re still working on waiting our turn, and apparently, that doesn’t mix with having too much candy.” Sage joked, Jack properly looked at Sage for the first time, and something about her drew him to her. Jack was incredibly nervous, which was unlike him, he hadn’t felt that way since he was with Penelope.
“It’s completely okay. You don’t have to apologize, I’ve been there and I understand.” Jack brushed it off. “She’s yours?” Jack asked and Sage nodded. Since she had Charlotte fairly young, and Charlotte had almost looked like an exact copy of her Dad, minus their matching blonde hair, she was used to people assuming she was a babysitter or older sister.
“Yeah, I know it’s hard to believe because she looks so much like her Dad, but she does have 50 percent of my DNA,” Sage joked, Jack couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, though his eyes showed a small hint of disappointment. “But I’ve been in my single mom era since she was born, all this work, and all we share is the same hair color.” She laughed light-heartedly, hoping her humor was understood. Luckily Jack laughed at her joke.
“Are you from around here?” Jack asked Sage.
“Yeah, well, I grew up in Nashville, but I moved to Louisville after I had my daughter. My family had moved up here but I stayed behind until then.” Sage explained as they glanced towards their daughters on the ride. “Sorry, you didn’t ask for a life story, I don’t know why I’m giving you one,” Sage said, laughing and Jack shook his head. 
“I don’t mind,” Jack reassured her.
“So I take it you’re from here? Most people don’t ask that unless they are from the area themselves.” Sage teased.
“Yeah, I did grow up here, so you’re right.” Jack laughed. “Are you two celebrating something or just here for fun?” Jack asked.
“It was her fifth birthday a few weeks ago, she wanted to come here on her birthday, but we couldn’t, so hence the extra candy for celebration. What about you two? Assuming you aren’t here with someone else.” Sage asked.
“Just for fun. I’m out of town for work a lot so every time I’m in town I make sure to do something extra fun with her. This time her pick was the amusement park.” Jack explained.
“Oh, what do you do for work?” Sage asked. Jack didn’t want to tell Sage he was a rapper. He liked her, even just from their brief meeting, and he didn’t want her to make any assumptions about him before she got to know him.
“I’m in the music industry,” Jack said, not going into further detail and Sage didn’t push it.
Charlotte ran toward Sage and Melody ran towards Jack.
“Mommy! Let’s go on the next ride, that was so fun!!” Charlotte yelled excitedly, grabbing her mother’s hand and pulling her towards the next ride.
“Bye, it was nice to meet you!” Sage said to Jack.
“Nice to meet you too!” Jack called as Sage got pulled away. “Wait, I didn’t get your name,” Jack called out but Sage was too far away to hear him. 
Jack thought about trying to catch up to her. As soon as he took a step forward, holding Melody’s hand, someone approached him.
“Oh my god! You’re Jack Harlow right?” A girl asked.
All Jack could do was watch Sage walk away as he greeted the fan who approached him, hoping they would run into each other again. Even though Jack kept his eye out for Sage the rest of the day, he didn’t see her again.
Tag list @jackharloww @harlowcomehome @nattinatalia @hoodharlow @itsyagirljaz @heavyhitterheaux @harlowsbby @awhore4moree @harlowslefttoe @twerkforambrose @jackmans-poison @ilovenudy @taniapri @killatravtramp @easternparkway @macey234 @toocriticalharlow @lightsoutstyles @rachxc13 @iknowdatsrightbih @idktbh101 @blossomluvv @middlechild404
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7grandmel · 7 months ago
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Todays rip: 09/05/2024
edge of a balcony
Season 8 Featured on: The Joke​-​Explainer 7000​™​'s Highest Quality Rips: Sunrise
Ripped by Emm Bee Sea
youtube
Requested by Fezaki! (Request Form)
Tentative rip name: A Balcony atop the Labyrinth of Lights
Remember back on guess what​?​?​?​?​?​?​?​?, when I talked about a "secret" recurring gag on the SiIvaGunner channel that I'd been completely oblivious to for the longest time? We're talking about another one of those today - only now, its one that I actually have noticed and been decently familiar with. On almost every April 4th since 2021, a certain Mori Calliope's birthday has been celebrated with a small bevvy of rips made in her honor. Funny enough, I've known of this joke since it started despite having no real attachment to Calliope or her music - but the rips themselves have been consistently good enough for me to always remember to check in on the channel on April 4th every year. It would seem as if my efforts paid off in spades this year: edge of a balcony, more than celebrating Calliope, doubles as a surprise celebration of SiIvaGunner itself, making it an incredibly rewarding and heartwarming listen to long-time fans like myself.
Which is oddly fitting, when you think about it: I learned in reading up for this post that Mori has been an open fan of the SiIvaGunner channel since a long time ago, and has referenced it openly from time to time. 2022's event for her was notable enough to get a page on the Wiki, and through this she eventually learned of the event's existence in 2023 and was overjoyed seeing all the rips made for it. I've made it clear before that I don't really follow the VTuber scene at all in posts like Shiny Smily TALE, but that mutual love between channels is just so fun to see from a distance - especially given that Morio's original music just so happens to work really well within rips. Given that distance from her channel, end of a life wasn't a tune I'd really heard before tuning in to edge of a balcony in particular, but it struck a chord with me that I genuinely wasn't expecting it to. I hate to say it - but it was like a repeat of the exact same feelings I had upon discovering Logan Paul's Shop - only now even moreso, given that it was from an artist I already knew had some genuine merit.
Because yeah, end of a life is a fantastic tune. It's a rather melancholy, reflective piece, where Mori reflects on how many things she's been through in life, her friendships, her opportunities, what she's grateful for, all that which led her to where she is now. That's befitting enough to be used for Balcony - a theme I've already spilled far too much love over back on Balcon Fusion Collab, but one that to summarize also hits those very same thematic beats within Cave Story itself. So that's a slam dunk of a rip concept right out the gate! But if there's anyone who I know knows her SiIvaGunner lore, it would be Emm Bee Sea, someone I've been seeing in the comment sections to just about half of the channel's uploads since way back in Season 2 - and one who's not shy to express her affection for what she loves through rips like Staff Roll (SM64) Fusion. And indeed, through that knowledge, through that love for the channel's life, Emm Bee Sea was able to turn edge of a balcony into a celebration of Balcony not just as a theme, but of its eight years worth of rips throughout SiIvaGunner's life.
It might not shock you to learn that Balcony Cruise was not the first rip of the song to be featured on the channel. Cave Story as a game is immensely popular for its music, how much it resonates with the exact kind of person who would also grow attached to SiIvaGunner - hell, Quote as a character in the King for Another Day Tournament was added specifically due to winning the MAGFest 2019 character ballot in vote popularity. And as the chorus begins in edge of a balcony, as Mori's vocals continue leading the melody of end of a life forward, keen-eared viewers will identify the melodies being played by Balcony's original lead instrument in the background - The Flintstones theme from Balcony - Cave Story, music by clipping. from balcony., Subwoofer Lullaby from Moog Island...its all remarkably understated, never taking attention away from the central focus of the rip, never turning it into another Fusion Collab. Yet I find that it plays to the theming of end of a life, and to the theming of small-scale celebration of the day as a whole, so beautifully. Not everyone who follows SiIvaGunner cares all that much about this VTuber girl - I myself am far out of my depth there - yet, for those who care to listen in, there's an unmistakable beating heart to edge of a balcony that makes listening an absolutely magical experience.
On a personal note...It's easy for me to worry sometimes, having ran this blog for so long, with so many words spilled on the most minute details, that I'm more invested in this whole thing than I should be. I still regularly meet people confused over how this channel could even HAVE "seasons", befuddled as to what there is to be taken seriously in its storytelling let alone that it has theming, and most importantly, unable to see the channel's beating heart of creativity as anything more than a tired running joke. I'm not going to act all superior over other people not "getting it", I know full well that SiIvaGunner is not a channel for everyone. But that's part of what makes getting rips like edge of a balcony feel so unbelievably reassuring - to see such unfiltered and pure expressions of love toward not just the entire SiIvaGunner channel, but toward a creator with just as loyal and undying of a fanbase, toward yet another part of the internet many simply "don't get". That the kind of love that I needlessly worry about being too open about is not just allowed to exist, but allowed to flourish, blossom, into something this beautiful. It's the kind of reminder I keep getting from the SiIvaGunner channel at a regular basis, and the kind that'll keep me coming back to this blog through thick and thin.
♫ We were singing at the top of our lungs to the numbness ♫ ♫ This city never died... ♫
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mianaissante · 11 months ago
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Slut! — jujutsu kaisen, i. yuji🩰
tags: fluff, fuzzy, itadori yuji x plus sized fem reader!!, pining, lighthearted, pool scene, intimate, green flag itadori.
“𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑜𝑦𝑠 ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛.”
୨୧ it is recommended to listen to “slut!” by taylor swift whilst reading.
enjoy๑
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woosh and woosh, sounds of incoming waves pulling towards the shore were heard in the beach. it was night time and everyone had decided to rest for a while, everyone except you.
jujutsu high had planned this trip for so long, knowing their students work hard in order to keep peace in society, even as teenagers. as token of gratitude for your last year with you and your classmates, you all got to celebrate it in a private beach house in okinawa.
you sighed, swishing your legs inside the cold depths of the blue tinged pool beneath you. you didn't know what to do with your fluttering feelings for a certain someone, it was just that...it felt new.
you wore a shirt under your black bikini, some lingering thoughts clouding your mind.
all your life you've been ridiculed for being on the heavy side, treated as if you were nothing like a girl, treated like a boy.
you were big which meant you didn't need the treatment where you are cared for delicately like a flower softly hanging from climbing vines across ceilings. since you were big, it was an automatic ticket for you to be treated roughly, like how a boy would play with other boys.
with that, you've forced yourself to act tough.
all your life you were treated as someone who wasn't likeable by many, girls and boys alike. a girl like you at that age couldn't comprehend why, but it was surely because of your appearance.
there was a time where you'd walk down the halls, head lowered with bitten lips, hearing the chit chattering of boys cracking up at the mention of your name if they were interested on any girls.
“ hey do you like [name]?”
you gulped in surprise, someone had mentioned your name in a question you wouldn't get as many as the other girls.
you waited like a puppy for its bone, but then got greeted with nothing.
“ ew? are you crazy? she's too fat and too tall for me.”
you remembered how you slumped on the toilet bowl seat and cried softly behind those thin stalls. words, words like those hurt you like shards of glass seeping its way through your skin. people like them don't know how much words can penetrate your heart and remove all the love you never thought you'd have.
your eyes started brimming with tears, you hated remembering, but you couldn't help it, it's because of him.
you tried to shake your thoughts off your head, jumping in the pool as the tears followed. you were confused, you didn't know what to do.
atleast the tears had mixed with the water which meant no one will know that you cried.
all your life you've never been prioritized to remember or to be remembered. you were just there, in the background of your friends. because to them, you were just the funny fat friend. they didn't pay attention to the things you liked, the way you paid attention to their favorite foods, songs, clothes, and everything.
they barely knew who you were behind your laughing mask.
but someone did, and someone you least suspected to. he read you like an open book, as if he had memorized you so closely like his favorite song. he knew you..word for word, melody for melody.
meeting him was a little bit like, breathing in fresh air after being in the city for so long. he smelled like home, the way the province is to you.
you remember your first encounter with him and feel your heart thump in big heaps. your eyelids closing at bliss and your lips tugging with the simple memories.
it was a rainy day, a heavy one to be exact. you were walking alone soaked in its rage, a pile of books in your hands because your bag broke in the middle of running towards school.
split splat, the sounds your shoes made as you trudged through flooded streets. as you made your way to the gate, someone nudged you on your shoulder with his finger.
a pink haired boy with daring eyes and a worried smile. “[name], right?” he asks, he was also wet covered in rain.
you nodded, “ do i...know you?”
he hummed no, “ but i know you.” he then took your books from your hands, and gave you his jacket, placing it on top of your head.
your world stopped, everything went slow. you swore you could see how droplets of water stayed in place like mirrors which reflected one's soul.
“ w—what? no, you have it.. I don't need it.” you refused his kind offer, feeling queasy with him.
you ignored his figure and tried to run away. what was this new feeling you felt? what was that? your heart suddenly jumped a beat then throbbed painfully. you felt your breath hitch and your throat dry.
when you thought you had left him, he had caught up onto you.
“ i don't want you to get sick [name], take it.” he frowned and placed your books between his legs and took the jacket from his head and placed on yours.
his hands felt like a feather, as if he was trying not to touch you harshly. he covered your face with the sleeves of his jacket and made a bow on your chin.
you looked silly, you weren't going to lie.
but his eyes looked at you so gently, like he cared. like he did. after placing the jacket on you, he took the books again and walked with you quietly. side by side on the side walk. without leaving you behind.
that was the first time someone had cared for you.
and you hated how it made you feel. but at the same time, you didn't.
there was another encounter well into your second semester with everyone. there was an upcoming project and it was taking a toll on everyone. nobara decided that you guys needed food delivered to get motivated.
as you sat there just contemplating about what you wanted, yuji suddenly blurted out the exact order you had in mind which surprised you.
“ yeah order that, [name] really loves that.” he says with a smile, like he didn't kill you when he did.
god, where was he all your life?
when everyone forgot the things you liked or cared about, he was there to remind everyone.
“ hey [name], you like this right? i bought it for you.”
“ don't do that, [name] hates it when you guys do that.”
“ i'll give this to [name], she adores these.”
time after time, he just kept getting better knowing you. when you don't even pay attention to the littlest things about you, he knew it.
he knew you for who you were and you felt so good it just felt so right.
such simple things about you were so dearly remembered by him.
it was as if he was the sweet melody of an unknown song you've been humming for all your life and discovered.
but then he started noting on your habits, what you did when you felt upset, or how you coped with situations you weren't familiar with. you were scared, because this was the first time someone had known you behind the mask.
behind your toughness was a little girl yearning for, begging for, needing for affection that she was deprived from.
yuji knew how you picked at your fingers when you felt uneasy, he knew your habit of biting your inner cheeks when nervous. he also knew how you would smile with glee, memorizing the curves of your smile lines and the creases in your eyes.
he felt so different from the boys you once knew, like he shouldn't even be compared to them.
he knew how to tame you, calm you down, make you laugh, make you feel loved and matter.
you hated how you felt, you hated how he treated you right because it unveiled you. unraveled your weaknesses and vulnerability you were forced to shut out.
you had your arms crossed on the concrete, your body dipped inside the pool. your eyes admired the moon at its fullest, a smile lingering on your face.
deep in your thoughts, you stopped. when a figure sat beside you on the pool only in his trunks.
“ it's beautiful, [name].” he whispered, his stare directly towards the silver moon sparkling, reflecting its shine on each of the ripples of water.
you nodded, “ it is, yuji.” everyone wants him, definitely. who wouldn't? this boy is the sweetest person you have ever known, no one was ever going to deny it.
“ why are you still in your shirt, [name]?” he asks, fingers tugging on the drenched cloth with a slight pout. you shrugged, “ i'm still not comfortable with showing everyone my body.”
he frowns, “ but you're beautiful?”
beautiful. oh... beautiful. why must he say that at a time like this? at a time where you've been thinking about him?
“ but i'm not.” you shook your head, hiding your face from him, unable to function correctly. he called you beautiful, fucking.. beautiful.
how ever are you going to have the strength to look at him?
“ look [name], you have to stop perceiving yourself as someone ugly, someone who doesn't look attractive, because you aren't. a lot of people know you're beautiful, people like me and our friends. you just have to open your heart to accept yourself.”
it was funny how he, of all people, can say these things so easily..like he isn't always joking around. that's what you loved about him, him being well-versed when seriousness arrives, showing maturity in his part.
“ don't shy away from me, 'kay?” he mumbles, the pads of his fingers taking your chin, turning your face towards his.
you were all red and beat, ears and cheeks flushed and eyes plump from tears.
why? why is it him?
he furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips, “ have you been crying while we were gone?”
nothing felt more comforting than the sounds of thrashing waves, wind whirling against your hair, and leaves from trees rustling. your breathing felt heavy, and his as well. yuji and you were all that was left from the friend group. alone, outside.
at this point, there was no point in lying. he knew so well as your friend.
friend. a friend was what he treated you, but god did you feel so lovelorn over him. you felt so special it was shameful. he didn't know what effect he had on you, and it was killing you inside.
“ yeah, i was...” you trailed, your eyes remaining on his chest, no longer in his face. you couldn't bare to look at him, if you did, you'd fear you'd spill everything out.
“ i'm always here to listen, you know.” he says, a hand on your shoulder before he jumps into the pool himself. water gliding and handprints of his leaving on the wet cement.
he copied your position and traveled his eyes to you, “ why?” he asks, referring to why you were crying.
you didn't think, jumping into your words before you knew you could even fall. “ i hate you.”
his lips gaped.
“ i hate you...so so fucking much, yuji.”
you avoided his gaze, “ i hate that..i hate you..but i also love..that i..”
he waited for you, waited for you to speak. aquamarine clashes with the grey concrete. “ i love that i love you.”
you said it, you finally did. god fucking damnit. after all those years of pining and hiding, crying behind closed doors of your feelings, feeling undeserving of his love.
“ you do?” he pressed his lips together, his stare only for you.
you didn't deny and nod, “ yes.”
“ so you were crying because of me?”
“ yes.”
and you disliked every ounce of it.
“ why..?”
“ yuji..” you laughed, tears slipping from you again. “ i hate..how you act towards me.”
“ it just feels so wrong when it feels so right, i have never..ever been treated this way. when you did, it opened my heart things I didn't know i was capable of.”
“ liking you was like a crime i wanted to commit, just.. because you were nice. I couldn't help it.”
“ i hate how you didn't treat me like any of the boys i once knew did, i hated how you memorized me like your favorite line in the book you were reading.”
“ it's just that, i—i've been surrounded by assholes all my life then suddenly you came. and then finally i felt something for the first time. i was so familiar with them that i felt uncomfortable with you.”
“ but you...you felt like home, yuji. and i wasn't going to deny that either.”
“ you cared for me like i was a girl, not some dude that you'd play rough with..i've never experienced this not until you.”
yuji did nothing but stare at your lips, his hands slowly cupping the side of your cheeks. “ [name]—”
“ i hate wanting you, having you is something i don't deserve, knowing that you can never be mine—”
a gentle feeling was what you felt pressed on your lips, it felt warm and cozy. safe from any harm and careful, like he was trying to figure you out.
you loved to think he'll never forget this moment, the moment where his lips kissed yours.
in that fleeting memory, your lips met in a gentle dance of warmth and sweetness.
time seemed to pause as the world faded away, leaving only the sensation of his soft breath mingling with yours.
it was tender, the way the touch of his lips sent a cascade of butterflies through your chest, each flutter echoing the rhythm of your quickened heartbeat.
you pulled away from him, shocked. “ w-why?”
“ you cut me off, [name]..” yuji inwardly smiles, feeling a little flustered.
“ i like you too.”
“ i've liked you since the day i first saw you, how come you didn't know?” he chuckled, “ just the way you brought yourself into the room, just how elegant you were..everything.”
you flushed, the tears on your face had finally dried up. in this second alone did you not feel the need to suck in your stomach around him anymore. he was your comfort zone, your home.
your safe space.
“ i liked you too, since then.”
he grinned and kissed you again..
this time you wouldn't mind being called names, him being there is enough for you to know those empty words mean nothing.
he pulled you closer to him, “ i love you, [name].”
and you were greeted with his cute eye smile that you oh so loved.
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captastra · 7 months ago
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Dawn of a New Day
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My gift for @danyaselmar for the BG3 2024 Fandom Exchange hosted by @zevlor and @carlosoliveiraa! This fic features their tav Lavera and Halsin enjoying a sweet morning together! Art from official BG3 book. Warnings: None
The world trilled with a welcome melody mixed with the loud snores of her companions. Lavera opened their eyes. Above them, the stars twinkled against the dark backdrop, turning her head they saw the various tents and fire that had burned out hours ago, lit by the fading moonlight. 
It was early morning, judging by the cicadas still awake, and their companions still hidden away. All giving her a few moments of peace before they continued their journey.
Their journey. Lavera brought their arm up, placing it under her head to rest on while she stared up at the stars, yet not seeing them
How far had they come? 
From her time on the Nautiloid, meeting with the Druids, saving the tieflings. Then through the Shadow lands and Moonrise Towers. Lavera had faced every battle head on, maybe a bit too head on Wyll would say (Karlach was more than appreciative of their antics at least!)
How far they had come.
Lavera was proud of them all. Each one of them had started out terrified when they realized what had been done to them. Terrified and angry. Yet none of them had wavered in following her through each battle, through each new area. 
But what awaited them at Baldur's Gate filled her with a sense of dread. 
Lavera sighed and sat up. They moved slower than normal, trying to not make too much noise as they made their way out of the camp. With this being their last night in the woods, the last thing she needed was to let the weight of what came next ruin their peace now.
They didn’t walk far before finding an opening that gave them a clear view of the land. Mountains and trees to her right, buildings and cobble roads with smoke stacks from the city further in the distance to her left. Lavera turned back to their right and took a deep breath, soaking in the crisp, sharpness of the woods, the dark aroma of the soil mixed in with the faint scent of salt and sulfur.
Lavera wrinkled her nose and blew the air out. The city, important but not where they wanted to go. She tried to turn her thoughts to more calming moments, the rush of adrenaline in a fight, the warmth of a campfire and one of Gale’s meals. Those were the moments she wanted to remember.
So caught up in their thoughts, Lavera didn’t hear that someone was approaching.
“Peaceful morn’.”
Lavera’s head snapped up, turning ever so slightly to look over her shoulder. Adrenaline coursed through their body, ready to attack if necessary. Darkness cloaked the figure, concealing most of their features except for their large form. It took Lavera a moment later to recognize the voice of Halsin. Just knowing he was there sent her heart pounding and she hoped he couldn’t hear it as he got closer.
“Either come out from the shadows and join me, or leave.” Lavera called out, turning their attention back to the horizon. They winced at the harshness of her words, but compared to the pounding of her heart, it was all they could do to not betray their true emotions.
The sound of muffled footsteps, a soft chuckle, and then a large presence sitting down to her. Lavera didn’t turn her head, instead sinking her fingers into soil beneath her. It was cool to the touch, the gentle heat of the sunshine not yet warmed it up.
“I thank you for letting me join you,” Halsin said after a moment. “It is not often we get a chance alone. I wanted to thank you for your assistance with the Shadow Curse, all my years, and everything I tried after what happened there…”
He trailed off, but Lavera didn’t need him to finish. The pain of what had happened in the druid’s grove, in the Shadow Cursed lands, had been evident from the moment she had met him. Even when he smiled and had been carefree and relaxed at the tiefling celebration, Lavera had seen him looking off to the distance, his shoulders sagging slightly.
But she also remembered the way his eyes had stayed on them throughout the celebration as well.
“What else could I do, Halsin?” Lavera leaned over and nudged him with her shoulder. “I promised you I’d help and the land needed saving.”
But seeing you hurt broke my heart more, Lavera thought but didn’t dare say out loud. They were reminded of being back, back at Last Light Inn where Halsin had traveled through a portal to save part of the land.
The battle had been a rough one. So many shadows had come sulking in to stop him from his goal. Lavera fought with all their might until finally the last wave fell and with it came Halsin’s return. Lavera couldn’t forget the joy they felt in that moment, seeing him alive, and still carrying the young boy that was meant to be the life of the land.
The battle was over and the change of the land soon followed. Lavera was taken away by the beauty that was revealed when the Shadow Curse was lifted.
Beauty they was staring at now. With Halsin right there next to them.
He had been quiet as Lavera thought of their most recent events. Such a kind man, even with the spirit of the animal within. How much he seemed to understand of them, even when she remained so reticent about her life. Trust was hard to come by, especially with them still learning the events that led to them being tadpoled.
Now they were here, multiple accomplishments under their belt and yet so many more to come. Too many unknowns. What could she do, to not dwell on what might occur?
At that moment, the golden rays of the sun finally reached where they sat. The golds and reds were breathtaking to look at and on Halsin, even more so.
“It’s a beautiful morning, now that we can truly see its glory.” Halsin echoed their thoughts. He was looking to the horizon, a soft smile on his face.
To look at him caused both a raging storm and calming ease inside her, the twists too much to bear and yet Lavera didn’t want to leave. Halsin had been so kind and gentle with her, his laughter music to her ears and ferocity in battle, a force that spurred them on. Nothing compared though to the way he would look at them, after a battle, in the late evenings, and even now in the early morning light. 
How long had it been since someone looked at her like that? With such kindness and interest? And every conversation was so genuine. There was no denying the truth in his words, though she had wondered just what he would do now.
“Yes it is,” Lavera finally said, looking back to the sky and watching the final fading of violet as the world burst alive with the fiery orange to the softest pinks that connected the sky. All still contrasting with the dark edge of the horizon. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
Halsin turned to her, giving Lavera his full attention. He reached up with his hand, playing with the strands at the end of his braid before realizing what he was doing and pulling his hand back. His cheeks darkened as he smiled, not quite meeting their eyes.
 It made them almost not ask the question that was now on her mind.
Almost.
“Now…” Lavera licked her lips, then met his gaze, “Now that we’ve lifted the curse, what will you do?”
“What will I do?” The laugh that followed both elated and unnerved her.
“If you’re going to make fun of my question, then don’t bother!” Lavera made to move, but a strong hand stopped them.
“Lavera, I mean no offense. Please,” he looked up at them, brown eyes warm and gentle, as he pleaded with her. “Stay with me. I’ll answer your question.”
Lavera huffed and rolled their eyes, but their heart beat faster than ever before. Just what would he say? Lavera gulped and sat down, forcing themselves to not break eye contact with Halsin. His usually warm, brown eyes looked dark and mysterious now.
After a moment he turned away. The light from the rising sun was brighter now, casting a warm glow on his features that held her in such rapture they almost missed what he was saying.
“Meeting you was like something out of a dream. From the moment you rescued me, from the goblin’s prison, to helping me save the lands from the Shadow curse, and saving Thaniel. You have accomplished more than I would have ever imagined. Certainly, more than I have done,” Halsin chuckled, then turned and grabbed her hand.  “You have my eternal gratitude, Lavera.”
Any response Lavera had immediately left their mind when Halsin touched them. His words were so welcoming and kind, starting to beat back the gnawing thoughts of if he would stay or not. If he would stay… with her.
“Let me travel with you, please.” The shadow that had previously darkened his eyes was gone now. They were gleaming now, filled with longing and hope, and a little trepidation as he continued to speak. “You are beyond amazing. Being by your side has given me a new purpose and I wish never to lose you. I desire to remain with you, if you will have me.”
Lavera stared up at him, a smile spreading across their face.
“Yes, of course!” Lavera exclaimed, squeezing Halsin’s hand tightly. “There is nothing more I would want than you.”
Halsin beamed at them and Lavera felt the heat rise in their face. Had they just said that outloud?
“I…I mean, next to me.” Lavera stammered out. “By my side. How could I face the city and all those enemies without you?”
Halsin laughed, a deep genuine belly laugh that stirred deep inside her. When was the last time she had felt this way? Whatever it was, Lavera only knew that they didn't want it to go away.
“Let’s head back. The others are probably waking up and will wonder where we are.” Halsin started to stand, but Lavera held onto his hand tightly. “Or not?”
Lavera shook their head, giving him a cheeky grin and tugging him back down. He landed with a soft thud on the ground,  so close now they were touching shoulder to shoulder.
The two of them sat there, continuing to watch the sun rise. The dawn of a new day.
And neither was in any hurry to leave.
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