#mila hightower

[mypearlsareclutched]

It's So Surreal

High By The Beach | Chapter Five

Modern!Aegon II x Original Female Character, Modern!Aemond x Original Female Character

Running away together, Aegon and Mila traverse their newfound friendship. Two ex-addicts with unresolved tension, in a beach front summer house, all alone... oh, the possibilities....

Yuh let's get into it!! Finally we're at the beach, I've been edging y'all with the title but nOW IT MAKES SENSE! x

Song inspiration | High By The Beach, Lana Del Rey

CW//TW: Sexual Content (MDNI, 18+), oral (f receiving), drinking, smoking fags and also the devil's lettuce, Aegon being the best sponsor, Aemond returns to the fic, beach vibes, song references

Word count | 4.1k

previous chapter // next chapter

When Aegon said he knew a place they could go, he was of course referring to the Hightower's disused beach house on the coast of Old Town.

As they drove towards the edge of Kings Landing, Aegon talked softly about the beach house. While a lot of Alicent and Otto's side of the family lived in the main city of Old Town, Aegon's uncle Gwayne had been a bit of a player in his youth, using the family's beach house as his bachelor pad. He continued to live there into adulthood, and raised Daeron there when Alicent begged him to care for her youngest.

Gwayne had since gotten into a serious relationship with a woman from the Iron Islands, and had moved to live with her once Daeron moved out and went to university. The beach house had been empty ever since.

The perfect escape, Aegon said.

Mila fell asleep listening to him talk, her head leaning against the window, Aegon's soft voice her lullaby, accompanied by the ancient radio playing 'Cherry-Coloured Funk' by the Cocteau Twins.

Jace sits on one of Dragonstone's many balconies, legs swinging childishly as he takes a hit from a spliff. The early morning wind ruffles his hair, seagulls chattering excitedly.

Laenor had left for a business trip, and after seeing him off, the Velaryon family had went off to their own corners of the estate to go about their own tasks. Since he didn't need to be in Kings Landing till next monday, Jace was happy to self-medicate and stare longingly off into the distance, imagining he's Tom Cruise in Top Gunn.

A smooth engine hums nearby, and Jace squints down at the road leading to Dragonstone. An expensive car drives through the porte-cochère, parking haphazardly. Jace's eyes widen as a tall, blonde man exits it, his eye patch sharply contrasting his otherwise pale and vampiric appearece.

"Ah fuck..." Jace sighs, swinging his legs over the railing to rush back inside.

He runs through the long and winding corridors of his family home, making a beeline for his mother's office. Rhaenyra barely looks up when her eldest son crashes through the double doors, her reading glasses perched on her nose as she looks over piles of documents

"Mum-!" Jace exclaims, rushing to his mother's desk.

"That better not be a joint in your hand." Rhaenyra says as she looks up at him from over the rim of her reading glasses.

"What? Oh." Jace tentatively places the smoking spliff on top of Rhaenyra's desk, "Aemond's here."

"What-?"

The office doors burst open, and Aemond Targaryen charges forward with the rage of an oncoming storm. Rhaenyra narrows her eyes, already unnerved.

"Where is she?" Aemond demands as he reaches Rhaenyra's desk, his voice cold and his stare even colder.

"I don't know what you are talking about, dear brother." Rhaenyra sighs, taking off her glasses and glaring at Aemond.

"My mother said you walked her out of the hospital. She hasn't returned home, she's not answering my calls, no-one has seen her. Where. Is. She?" Aemond's voice grows icier as he goes on, his chest rising and falling with barely contained anger as his lone eye pierces into Rhaenyra's, as if he could see her thoughts if he looked hard enough.

"She's somewhere safe." Rhaenyra states, "That is all you need to know-"

Aemond slams his hand atop the table, sending various pens clattering onto the floor. Jace flinches before regaining his composure, trying to seem as relaxed as his mother.

"You better check yourself, one-eye-" He starts, as Aemond whirls around and points a finger at him.

"Bite your fucking tongue, runt!" The blonde bites.

"Now how about we all just calm down..." Rhaenyra states, walking around her desk to stand in between the two.

"I deserve to know where she is. She's my fucking girlfriend!" Aemond yells, voice echoing around the office.

"Not anymore, she's not." Rhaenyra spits.

Aemond's face drops, and he stiffens. He stares down at his half-sister, who holds his glare with a steely one of her own. Jace stands awkwardly, looking between them with furrowed brows.

With a roll of his eyes and a twitch of his nose, Aemond breaks the staring contest first.

"This isn't over." He sneers, turning on his heel and storming back out of the office, like a tornado heading towards the next city to demolish.

Rhaenyra exhales, walking back around her desk and falling into her chair.

"It's nine in the morning, can our family at least wait until midday to create a civil war."

"Clearly not." Jace sighs and sits atop the desk, watching the door in case Aemond decides on a round two. His phone rings loudly, causing both Jace and Rhaenyra to jump. Pulling out the offending device, Jace frowns at the name on screen.

"Cregan? What's wrong?" Jace listens to his friends frantic voice, lips pressing into a thin line before pulling the phone from his ear, "Mila's gone missing."

"Seven hells." Rhaenyra picks up Jace's abandoned joint, taking a hit.

Mila startles awake as the car swerves violently, a car honks and Aegon tells them to stick their car horn where the sun doesn't shine. Seeing Mila wake up, Aegon winces.

"Sorry, sorry!" Aegon laughs, "Haven't driven in a while."

Humming, Mila stretches, looking around at the world outside their care. Their crossing over a bridge, a wide lake beneath them.

"Where are we?" She asks, looking at the water with a small smile.

"We just passed Highgarden, heading over to Brightwater."

"I've never been here before." Mila sighs, opening the window to let the air into the car, "Furthest I've been west is Silverhill."

"What the hells were you doing in Silverhill?" Aegon laughs.

"Same thing I've always been doing." Mila smiles bitterly, "Partying, drinking, snorting stuff."

"A girl after my own heart." The Targaryen smirks, but his face falls as he sees Mila's saddened eyes, "I'm guessing these aren't fond memories?"

"None of them really are." She comments, fiddling with a loose piece of thread from Aegon's coat.

The car is silent for a moment, the wind whistles from the open window, a seagull caws from the distance. Mila keeps her lips pressed together, but Aegon clears his throat.

"Keep talking." Aegon says softly, and Mila looks over at him with a raised eyebrow, "I mean it. I like listening to you speak. And you've got a lot to get off your chest."

"You don't want to hear me complain about my sorry life, Aegon."

"Well it's a hell of a lot better than listening to this one Cocteau Twins CV this car has got." Aegon groans, "Seriously, this car is so old all we can listen to is CD's... I've listened to Heaven or Last Vegas about fifty times today."

"Okay, okay..." Mila laughs, sticking her hand out the car window to feel the breeze, "Where should I start?"

"The beginning is always a good place."

"Yeah, I'm sure it is..." She chuckles, "Okay. So..."

Aegon was a good listener.

Mila told him all about her past. From the months after her parents passed, to her friendships with his cousins, to her crazy years of partying and drinking and sniffing and snorting. She even told him all about how she met Aemond, leaving out their rendezvous in the bathroom. Aegon barely said a word, and Mila had to check him occasionally to make sure he had not fallen asleep at the wheel. He had never been so quiet before.

The bridge and river turned into forests into fields into the city of Old Town, and Mila realised she hadn't felt so calm in years. Well, calm while being sober, at least.

On multiple occasions, mostly when they had to stop at a red light, Mila noticed Aegon watching her. He rested his head against the headrest, looking at her through his long lashes, a small smile on his lips.

"And then I found out that Cregan and Rhaena were seeing each other. I got so upset, because what nineteen year old wants their brother dating their best friend? Like, oh great, when we go out, my brother's going to be coming too? We had this massive argument... What are you staring at?" Mila laughs, giving Aegon a look as he stares at her. He gives her a dopey grin, shrugging before looking back at the road ahead, "Weirdo."

"Shush, I'm driving."

"Fine, I'll shush."

"No, keep talking." Aegon insists, "So did you and Rhaena fight? Like, fistacuffs? Did you invite her for a duel?"

"Yeah, we fenced." Mila nudges him, and he laughs.

"Hey, we need to stop and fill the car up. And you should probably get some clothes that don't make you look like a hooker who charges five quid for a blowjob."

"You're such a charmer."

The service station they stopped at was surprisingly huge, and Aegon was surprisingly excited to stop and look around. The man was practically giddy when he pulled up, because 'they have a gift shop'.

Capitalism wins again.

A man pumping petrol into his car gives them a strange look. Mila realised they probably looked a right pair, with her skimpy dress and big coat and his pyjamas and neon crocs.

"Should we get this?" Aegon says as he looks around a techno section. He points to a pay-as-you-go, retro looking flip phone. Drug dealer chic. Mila gives him a look.

"A pay as you go?" She chuckles, "Are we on the run from the government?"

"Hells, I might be on some kind of watchlist." Aegon muses, looking down at the phone with furrowed brows, "I'm definitely not allowed in any universities, or any pubs on the Iron Islands. Or the Vale."

"Where in the Vale?"

"The Vale. All of it." Aegon grimaces.

Mila shakes her head, looking to the tiny clothes shop next to a Waterstones, "I'm going to go grab some simple clothes and change."

"Alright. I'll be in the at the claw machine."

"Are you twelve?"

"Inches, yeah." Aegon winks and saunters off.

Inside the clothes shop, Mila found a soft, mens hoodie which was too big for her, a white tank top and a black maxi skirt. Flinging them on, she went off in search of Aegon. She saw him in the gift shop, trying on a pair of novelty sunglasses. The shape of a bikini clad rack, classy.

Mila rolled her eyes affectionately, looking around the various keychains and knick knacks that ranged from silhouettes of tall towers to sea views, all having puns in regards to the Reach. 'Highgarden says 'Hi'' 'You're older than Oldtown'. 'I went to Tumbleton and all I got was this lousy keychain'. Mila ran her fingers through them, the metal jingles as they crash together.

"Hey." Aegon greets, walking over with two pairs of sunglasses, "Do you prefer the tits or the alien eyes? You look nice by the way."

"Alien eyes. If you wear the tits to the beach you'll be put on another register." Mila jokes, "And thanks, this is part two of my 'walk of shame' collection."

"Would it be crazy if I said I prefer this one?"

"You really are reformed." Mila smiles, and he offers her his elbow as they head over to purchase Aegon's alien sunglasses.

They get back into the car as it begins to rain again. Mila sighs, wrapping Aegon's coat around herself before she looks over at the man and gasps, "Aegon I still have your coat!"

"...Yeah?" He laughs, unlocking the car.

"Well, it's raining. You're in a sleeping gown! You should have this back."

"Absolutely not." Aegon rolls his eyes, a smile on his lips, "It looks better on you anyway." As he gets in the car without another word, Mila wraps the coat around herself happily.

Wrapped up in the warm coat, with the Cocteau Twins playing softly, Mila falls asleep immediately.

Aemond was lucky Rhaena had a terrible poker face. When he stormed into their recording studio, he internally breathed a sigh of relief at only finding Rhaena and not her sister.

The younger woman stared at him with wide eyes from her perch atop a leather seat, eyebrows raised as her fingers pause playing her guitar.

"Mila." Aemond asks simply, an eyebrow raised, "Where is she? Now."

"I have no idea." Rhaena lies, staring at him like a deer caught in headlights.

"Yes you do."

"Yes I do." She sighs, putting her guitar down and standing from her seat.

"Where is she?" Demands Aemond, taking a dangerous step towards her. Rhaena's eyes widen, and she takes a step back.

"Look, you really can't go and see her. She's not doing well and the place she's in won't allow people who aren't family to go and visit, and you'll really mess up her treatment if you go-"

"So she's at rehab?"

"...Shit!" Rhaena bites her lip, pressing a finger to it, shaking her head, "No, no she's not. Why would you think that? She's somewhere else."

"Which facility is she at?" Aemond asks with another menacing footstep.

"None! I swear she's nowhere." Rhaena insists with another step back.

"Nowhere?"

"Nowhere! Like, nowhere at all. Like, honestly." Rhaena gnaws her lip, face contorting as she tries to think of a lie. "You haven't gone to see your brother lately, have you?"

Aemond's eyebrows furrow, "Why?"

"Wait, no reason! Actually you should never visit your brother, like ever again. Please don't."

Aemond growls, turning on his heel and rushing back out, ignoring Rhaena's calls to stop. He was a man on a mission, and that mission was getting his girlfriend from that damned facility that has done nothing for his delinquent brother.

Weirwood was a strange looking building. Surrounded by strange trees, housing strange people.

Aemond grimaced as he looked up at it briefly, fragments of memories appearing before his eye. Dragging Aegon by the scruff of his neck like a kitten up the stairs, practically tossing him at the woman at the front desk, storming back out with Aegon's deranged giggles following him.

And now, his Mila is here.

And all because of you, a voice whispers to him inside his head. It sounds like Otto, his own guilt manifested like Jiminy fucking Cricket. Gods you really are a screw up. You should be in here, instead of her. For your addiction to messing things up.

The doors burst open as Aemond storms through them, earning a few confused look from various staff and patients. He's too focused to care.

The woman at the front desk glares as he approaches, practically snarling, but his eyes are focused on a blonde woman standing next to her.

"Halaena?" Aemond asks.

His sister looks up, giving her brother a microscopic smile, "Hey Aem."

The woman at the front desk, Nettles, gives him a glare, rolling her dark eyes before turning her attention back to his sister.

"...so like I said, I went in to check on her last night. The bedroom window was broken, and when I looked around the building, they were both gone." Nettles continues to Halaena.

"Oh no..." She murmurs, playing with one of her curls anxiously.

"What's going on?" Aemond demands, hands twitching as his sides, "Halaena why are you here?"

Halaena's eyes widen, "I came to visit..."

"Aegon? Why are you visiting Aegon, I thought Otto said not to visit him anymore. What's wrong with him?"

"He's vanished again." Nettles interrupts, clicking her tongue, "Shame. He was doing so well."

"Good riddance." Aemond growls, "As far away as he can be from Mila, the better."

Silence follows. Halaena and Nettles stare at him awkwardly, sharing a look before cringing. Aemond's body deflates.

"...Tell me she's here." He practically pleads, the fight slowly leaving his body.

"...She's here?" Halaena says weakly.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Mila wakes up with a shudder.

Her body is surrounded by soft fabric, wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets and comforters. Lay on a sofa in a cozy living room with large open windows, she blinks at the sunsetting in the horizon.

Music blasts from another room, unmistakably Back To Life by Soul II Soul, and someone was singing along. Nowhere close to on-key.

Mila yawns, climbing from her nest, walking on weak, Bambi legs across the birchwood floors, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

Walking into the kitchen, Mila halts as she sees Aegon at the stove, dancing in place as he cooks something. He sings along to Back To Life, messing up the words occasionally, and Mila holds back a laugh as she watches him in the doorway.

As Aegon spins in place, he helps when he sees her

"The seventies called, it wants its shirt back." Mila laughs, nodding to his bright blue, Hawaiian shirt.

"Yeah, and the nineties emailed and requested their insults back." Aegon rolls his eyes.

Grabbing a spatula and scraping off slightly overdone eggs, he places them and lays down the meal with a flourish.

"Omelette!" Aegon says proudly. Mila laughs, clapping his efforts. He bows dramatically, humbly accepting the praise for his hunter gatherer skills.

"No plates?"

"Are you kidding? My uncle Gwayne and Daeron lived here, left to their own devices no less. We're lucky I found forks."

The two of them sit on the porch of the house, watching the waves crashing as they eat their omelettes. They don't speak, choosing instead to listen to the ambience of the beach instead. Peaceful sleep envelops them, only occasionally interrupted by the sound of Aegon yelling at a seagull to keep away.

Mila takes the plates inside, before returning and finding Aegon patting the pockets of his joggers, making an 'ah!' noise before pulling out a rather crumpled joint.

"No fucking way." Mila beams, picking it out of the Targaryens hands with a massive grin.

"Should you be partaking?" Aegon says with narrowed eyes, though he holds out the lighter for him to take.

"Try to stop me!" Mila says as she runs off, heading towards the beach waves as she cradles the spliff.

"I'm the worst sponsor ever." Aegon sighs, jogging to catch up with her.

Mila collapses onto the sand, putting the spliff to her lips. The crackling of the lighter makes her happy as she lights it, and she takes a deep breath. The taste is bitter, it burns her throat and lungs, and it makes her head loll back. Perfection.

"Alright, Snoop Dogg, hand it over." Aegon chuckles as he leans over her to pinch the joint.

"Gods this is amazing." Mila sighs happily as she looks over at the tide, feeling the breeze in her hair and

"So did you sleep well?" He asks, leaning back on his elbows.

"Best sleep I've had in years." Mila laughs, "Did you carry me from the car?"

Aegon shrugs, "Well it was either that or I leave you there, you were not waking up." They share a chuckle, the distant seagulls harmonising with them.

"Didn't think I was dead?" Mila asks as she takes off her trainers and socks, burying her toes in the sand.

"Hoped not. Can't find a pulse for shit so don't ask me to do that in the future."

"How are you still alive?"

"Spite." Aegon comments as he golds out the spliff for Mila to take.

Mila laughs, taking another hit from the offered spliff from Aegon's hands. Just like she did from Aemond a year ago. She tries not to dwell on it as she holds the weed in her lungs, avoiding Aegon's eyes.

The spliff has been smoked. The sun is now merely peeking over the horizon, bleeding the sky orange and pink.

Aegon lies back, practically collapsing onto the sand with a contented sigh. Mila giggles as she joins him, their shoulders bumping slightly. They burst out into childish giggles, the sand below them getting into their hair.

"I'm glad we came here." Mila whispers.

"Me too."

Aegon leans on his elbows, watching Mila's profile. She turns and gives him a dopey smile, looking over his face.

"You're tense." She states.

"So are you." Aegon counters.

Mila lifts her hand up, carting her fingers through his choppy waves, his hair surprisingly soft to the touch. Aegon's eyes flutter closed, his head tilting to let her continue.

"Mila..." He whispers, breathlessly.

She doesn't know what to say. Finally, her mind is quiet. All she knows is that she's here, in this moment, with Aegon Targaryen. And she's happy.

Aegon watches her face, his hand reaching up to cup her cheek lightly, before is caresses down her jaw, her neck, her bare shoulder. Mila's breath hitches slightly, his touch electrifying. Taking notice of this, Aegon continues, his warm palm travelling down her arm, then over the soft fabric covering her waist.

Mila lays back down, licking her lip as she focuses on the feel of Aegon's hand as it traverses her form.

He lifts her legs over her shoulders, his eyes moving up to hers to look for discomfort. She lets out a shuddered breath, body craving and her mind too foggy to think rationally.

Aegon's talented fingers push her skirts up, bunching them at her hips as he sucks in a harsh breath at the sight of her panties.

Mila is sure she's soaked through them, her arousal impossible to dispute.

"Fuck..." Aegon groans, surging forward and living her through the material.

Letting out a throaty moan, Mila arches. His tongue is thick and skilled as it explores her through her panties, finding her clit easily and pressing his lips to it to suck on it. Her legs open further, allowing further access.

Aegon pulls her panties down, leaving them hanging from her ankle as he dives back in, devouring her immediately.

Mila can merely grip onto his blonde hair, tugging on it gently as he feasts on her, licking her swollen folds and sucking on her clit gently. He uses his hands to hold her trembling thighs open, not hard enough to stop her if she wanted to prevent him, but enough so his head does not get crushed. His tongue invades her opening, making Mila arch up.

"Taste's so fucking good." Aegon praises, talking directly into her cunt due to his inability to separate from her sweet wetness.

"Don't stop, don't stop, please..." Mila begs, pushing Aegon even closer as he feasts deliriously. He moans into her, the vibrations making her even wetter and her pleasure build.

Aegon wraps his arms around her thigh, keeping her close to him as he fucks his tongue into her, his nose rubbing against her clit. Mila squirms beneath him, pushing herself against his mouth eagerly as her orgasm gets closer and closer.

"Feels so good..." She moans, tugging on Aegon's hair tighter which makes a pleased grunt leave his mouth, his blue eyes looking up at her with desire.

"Are you gonna cum, pretty girl?" Aegon groans, sensing her growing pleasure by her movements and her moans, "Come on, cum on my tongue, wanna taste you..."

"Oh gods!" Mila squeals, feeling herself gush harder onto Aegon's face as her orgasm soars through her. Aegon laps it up like a drunk man downing their last of the night, his tongue unrelenting in its need to drink her up.

She collapses against the sand, completely boneless. Aegon gently lays her legs back down, before laying down next to her. Mila looks over at him, noting his closed eyes and deep breaths. His face is contented, his mouth and chin covered in her slick. Mila lets out a deep exhale, looking back at the orange sky.

She's too high to care about what this will mean...

AN//Living for the headcanon that Modern!Aegon eats meow meow like a man STARVED. Finally had a bit of Aegon and Mila action, after like four chapters of slow burn (i couldn't wait any longer), and Aemond's trying to find her... let's see how this plays out ;)

[msommers]

ocs + character study ↳ Mila Hightower

[tabloidtoc]

Life & Style, December 17

Cover: Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton -- Princesses at War 

Page 1: Photo Flash -- Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas in India 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: The Top 10 Emily Blunt Looks 

Page 6: Twinning -- Blake Lively vs. Michelle Monaghan, Kourtney Kardashian vs. Kylie Jenner, Kate Middleton vs. Mandy Moore 

Page 8: One year later, nobody misses Matt Lauer 

Page 9: Nicole Kidman doesn’t want to be in the third season of Big Little Lies, Throwback -- Joanna Gaines, Biggest Spenders of the Week -- Floyd Mayweather, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Denise Richards, Heidi Montag, Tracee Ellis Ross 

Page 10: Wedding bells for Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin moving to Canada, Whose Baby Is It? -- Meghan King Edmonds, Kim Kardashian, Anna Kournikova, Chelsea Houska, Erika Christensen, Chanel Iman 

Page 12: Amanda Bynes -- Drugs nearly destroyed me 

Page 13: Demi Lovato unfollowed Selena Gomez and Nick Jonas and Iggy Azalea because they spoke publicly about her OD, producers are concerned about Cardi B’s swearing on her new Netflix show, VIP Style -- Rachel Weisz and Michael Sheen, Guy Ritchie, Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon, Drew and Nick Lachey, Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa, Chadwick Boseman, Travis Scott, Olivia Culpo 

Page 14: The Week in Photos -- Aquaman stars Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Amber Heard and Jason Momoa 

Page 15: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and daughter Jasmine, Martha Stewart and the Harlem Globetrotters 

Page 16: Charlotte McKinney, Anne Hathaway and Gary Carr, Karlie Kloss and Ashley Graham 

Page 18: Sophia Bush, Angelina Jolie, Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn and twins and rescue dogs 

Page 19: Meghan Markle at Hubb Community Kitchen 

Page 20: Whitney Port, Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore, Jimmy Fallon and Robert Irwin

Page 22: Kaley Cuoco and Karl Cook 

Page 23: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk and daughter, Gal Gadot and Sarah Silverman 

Page 24: Lance Bass, John Krasinski and Ellen DeGeneres, Jodie Sweetin 

Page 26: Stars Behaving Badly -- Chrissy Teigen, Snoop Dogg and wife Shante Broadus, Krysten Ritter 

Page 28: Say What?! Tracee Ellis Ross, Beth Behrs on swans, Kim Kardashian on ecstasy, Shawn Mendes on not being gay, Ashley Graham

Page 30: Hollywood Heartbeat -- Beyonce and Jay-Z baby no. 4 

Page 31: Christina El Moussa and Ant Anstead shacking up, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Deena Cortese planning playdates already for their unborn children, Romance Report Card -- Aaron Carter, Julianne Hough, Kit Harington 

Page 32: Robert De Niro’s ex Grace Hightower spending his money like crazy, Alexa and Carlos PenaVega negotiating baby no. 2, inside Jessica Simpson’s rough pregnancy 

Page 33: Lea Michele has found the right Monique Lhuillier dress, Can You Believe They Dated? Justin Timberlake and Fergie in 1997 

Page 34: Cover Story -- Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle’s feud is turning the royal family upside down 

Page 38: New Scientology Shocker -- Leah Remini says Tom Cruise is aware of the abuses that go on 

Page 40: Angelina Jolie gives in, Brad Pitt wins 

Page 42: Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston barely even speak anymore 

Page 44: Stars Who Married Their Celeb Crush -- Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello, Kate Middleton and Prince William, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian 

Page 46: Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet, David and Victoria Beckham, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Kelly Preston and John Travolta, Carmelo and La La Anthony 

Page 48: Who Lives Here? Harry Styles 

Page 50: Entertainment 

Page 51: Star Review -- Lisa Vanderpump

Page 52: Last Minute Gift Guide -- Gigi Hadid 

Page 56: Beauty -- frosted eye makeup -- Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, Priyanka Chopra 

Page 58: Style Crush -- Priyanka Chopra 

Page 60: How She Got That Body -- Adriana Lima 

Page 62: The Fabulous Life of Kylie Jenner 

Page 64: Diva or Down-to-Earth? Gwen Stefani, Eddie Redmayne, Bella Hadid 

Page 66: Social Stars Post of the Week -- Kylie Jenner and daughter, Steve Carell and Jenna Fischer and Ed Helms and Ellie Kemper of The Office, David Arquette, Dwayne Wade and daughter, Jessica Chastain and Karina “Vee” Vottchal, Kate Hudson, Ariana Grande, Bethenny Frankel 

Page 68: Horoscope -- Sagittarius Taylor Swift, They’re Not Together But They Should Be -- Libra Zac Efron and Leo Abbie Cornish 

Page 70: Made Ya Look -- Meghan Trainor 

Page 72: What I’m Into -- Bindi Irwin 

[mcousland]

funny to think about mila's first kisses with the other wardens being like

sylarre: touch & affection starvation finally being seen to, gratifying and sensual

rhian: gesture of communicating that trust & care are finally well established, romantic and sweet

gwyn: in the midst of a makeout with both of them and sylarre, heated and exciting

[mypearlsareclutched]

Loving You Is Hard

High By The Beach | Chapter One

Modern!Aemond x Original Female Character

To be loved, is to be known. Time passes so quickly when you are happy, and for the first time, Mila Stark seems to know true happiness. But when you fall in love with someone, and your walls come crashing down, your weak points are bared for all to see. Be careful who you trust your heart to...

Chapter one, babygirls. What seems like a blissful relationship in front of the cameras, is actually a leaning tower readying to fall. The heart is a fickle thing, once broken, can it be mended? This chapter is VERY Back to Black (Amy Winehouse) coded, I am warning you.

Song inspiration | High By The Beach, Lana Del Rey

CW//TW: Sexual Content (MDNI, 18+), SERIOUS drug use, alcohol consumption, Targaryen daddy issues, smoking, romantical shagging, brief allusions to grooming, mentions of parent death, ANGST, infidelity, overdosing and almost dying.

Word Count | 5.3k

previous chapter // next chapter

Isn't it crazy how a year can pass in the blink of an eye?

For Mila, It feels like only yesterday she met Aemond Targaryen, the straight-backed second son of a business mogul. Only yesterday when he gave her his lighter, then she fucked him in the bathroom, subsequently offering him her number with a smirk.

But a year has passed since that night. He called her the next morning, talking to her in his deep, soft-spoken way, inviting her somewhere nice. Their first date was perfect, they sat together and spoke easily, his attention never wavering from her. They walked hand in hand back to her flat. Then he broke her bed.

Many months had passed with this being a regular occurance. Once Otto Hightower found out that Aemond and Mila were seeing one another, he was eager for their relationship to be public. All of sudden, Mila traded her candid shots of her walking out of a club shitfaced and bleary eyed, for staged shots of her walking hand in hand with the second heir to the Targaryen fortune.

Cregan had been shocked. He was uncomfortable with such an imposing and threatening looking man dating his sister, coming from such a formidable family no less. Aemond listened to Cregan's thinly veiled complaints, merely shrugging off his concerns. Even a year after their first meeting, Cregan remained uncertain about Aemond and his intentions.

Their surrogate family was even less happy. Rhaenyra and Aemond are half-siblings, sharing a father in Viserys Targaryen. Eighteen years difference between them, sure, but the fact that Mina is dating one of the sons from the family that replaced Rhaenyra stung. But Rhaenyra's hostility was not aimed at Mila. She, Jace, Luke, Laenor, even Qarl were against the relationship. An intervention was held at one point, but the eery familiarity to that night in her past made Mila run, falling into the arms of Aemond as she panicked.

Aemond's family had welcomed her. The first time Mila walked into the Targaryen mansion as Aemond's girlfriend, she had been celebrated as if she were royalty. Alicent had hugged her upon arrival, and she seemed genuinely ecstatic to get to know her. Halaena introduced her to Dreamfyre, and all of her critters. Daeron, Aemond's younger brother, talked her head off and showed her his footy skills. He went feral when she did a rainbow flick in heels, courtesy of having Cregan Stark as her brother. She did not meet Viserys that day, he was too sick to welcome visitors. As Mila was welcomed into the family, Otto watched with a small smile, his eyes sharp like a snakes.

The night she met his family, he showed her his hidden eye. An accident in his youth left him scarred, his one eye lost and replaced by a sapphire. He leans into her touch as she kisses his scar, telling him he is beautiful.

A year of public appearances, a year of hostility between family members, a year of sharing meals and moments with the illustrious Targaryens. A year of falling in love with Aemond Targaryen.

How was she to know this was the calm before the storm?

She and Aemond lay in her bed, his head resting on her chest. A vicious family argument had sent him into her arms, wound tight and on the verge of breaking something. He had fucked her hard and rough, making her scream loud enough to wake her neighbors, her headboard creating an intent in her wall. After making her cum four times, he laid down beside her, his own pleasure forgotten as he accepted her loving embrace.

"What happened, baby?" Mila finally asks, running her fingers through his soft hair. He hesitates, before releasing a sigh.

"My father brought our family together to talk about his will." Aemond murmurs, staring at the wall, "He still wants Rhaenyra as his heir, despite her insistence that she has to focus on her own career. Father wants Rhaenyra. He won't allow her to give up her inheritance... because of Aegon."

Aegon. Aemond's older brother was a difficult topic of conversation for them. The first born son of Viserys Targaryen was currently in rehab, some fancy facility. Aemond never spoke about his brother in a good light, though Mila heard plenty of kinder words from Halaena and Daeron, sometimes Alicent if she had had a few glasses of wine.

Halaena had said he had a kind heart, Daeron had said that he was funny, Alicent had said that he was trying to be better. Otto refused to speak about him, Rhaenyra said he was troubled, Jace said he was a bully. Viserys' forgot his name once.

The closest Mila had gotten to interacting with him was when he escaped from rehab. Aemond had received a call in the middle of the night. He spoke in a hushed voice to Criston Cole, the Targaryen head of security, and then rushed off into the night. When he did not return, Mila went to the mansion, and found a clusterfuck of chaos. The entire security team was trying to get Aeon out from the pool, but he was as high as a kite and refusing. Mila had watched as Aemond dragged him out by his collar, throwing him in Cole's car to be sent back to the facility. As it drove past, a pair of big blue eyes looked out at her, and Mila felt the urge to wave at him. When she did, he waved back.

"He won't even consider you?" Mila asks Aemond, feeling him tense against her.

"No." He bites, voice hard, "Otto has tried to make him see reason; Rhaenyra has had no involvement in the company since she married and left to start her own business. All my life I have worked for this. And yet the old man is still blinded."

"I'm so sorry, my love." Mila murmurs, unsure of what to say, "I'm sure your father will see sense soon-"

"Enough. I don't want to talk about it." Aemond sits up, shoulders hunched. His hair surrounds him like a curtain, shielding his face from her, "You don't know what it's like to feel like you're not enough."

Mila shudders, closing her eyes. Memories fill her mind, taking her to a dark place.

While the media only knew about her recreational drug use and partying ways, they never knew about her vicious affair with the needle. Heroin had been her escape when her parents passed away, and it was all on her brothers shoulders to get her help. When he was at his breaking point, Rhaenyra and Laenor took her back in, letting her detox and keeping her warm, fed, safe and loved. Even when she screamed, thrashed, and spat cruel words, they never lost hope in her.

Her brother and her surrogate family never thought less of her, but she thought less of herself. When she remembers who she was, how deep she was in her addiction, she hates herself. More than she has ever hated anything.

"Mila?" A warm hand presses to her shoulder, and Mila snaps back to reality, Aemond watches her with a worried eye, his sapphire gleaming in the low light, "What happened? You look pale."

Aemond cups her face, stroking a thumb over her cheekbone. Smiling weakly, she rests her hand over his own, leaning in to his touch.

"I... I know what it feels like to feel like a disappointment, to feel like you aren't capable." She whispers, "You're amazing, Aemond. But it's never enough for your family. My family believes in me, but I don't know if I deserve it."

He listens as she breaks down, confessing her sins through tears, recounting her addiction, her grief, her self hatred. By the end of her rant, Aemond holds her close, lay side by side as he soothes her.

"None of that is your fault." He murmurs, kissing her knuckles, "Your family know you are worth more than you think, and I know that to."

"Aemond..." I love you, is what she wants to say, "Thank you."

"No. sweet girl, thank you." Aemond leans forwards, kissing along her cheeks, soothing the skin that was stained with tears. His hands covered her body, warmth spreading through her, soothing her tremors. Familiar need coursed through her, and she leaned into him, kissing him deeply.

"Need you." Mila murmurs against his lips, and he smiles softly.

"I've got you." Aemond promises.

He pushes her back, climbing on top of her. Mila spreads her legs willingly, and Aemond fits snugly against her. He presses hungry kissing along her neck as his cock presses into her, hot and hard. She gasps as she spreads her legs further apart, accommodating his lean body.

As Aemond fills her, Mila whines, pleading for more as he sets a slow, passionate pace. Their hips clap together, their staggered breaths mingling as they kiss messily. The room is hot, sweaty. Aemond's pace increases, desire for release coursing through him, his intensity leaving Mila a whimpering mess beneath him, looking up at him with adoring eyes until he could bare it no more, pressing his face into the crook of her neck.

"I've got you, I've got you..." Aemond breathes against her, lost in his own pleasure as he thrusts inside her, fucking her harder and deeper as they both tried to wash away their pain...

Today is Viserys Targaryen's sixtieth birthday. Probably the last one he will ever have, and thus, the celebrations are spectacular.

The once feared and revered CEO of Targaryen LTD walks out into the foyer of his pristine mansion with a cane, face half hidden with a masquerade mask as to not showcase his deformities. Otto was the one to suggest the theme, a masquerade party to add a touch of class. Definitely not to have an excuse to hide the rotting side of Viserys' face, taken by the inoperable tumour in his head.

As Viserys was cheered and greeted by his friends and colleagues, Mila stood by Aemond's side, a red mask across her eyes, matching the read, satin dress she wore. Aemond wore a green mask, covering his patched eye, and a deep green suit. His hand held her waist softly, keeping her close by as he watched his father with distaste.

"Do you want a drink, Aem?" Mila asks, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. He does not answer, his eye trained on his father's hunched form, weaving his way through the crowd, "Aemond?"

"Yes?" He responds, looking down at her, his eye softening, "What did you say, love?"

"Do you want a drink?"

"No, thank you." Aemond presses a kiss to her forehead, and she beams up at him. The crowd around them mill about, the attention focused on Viserys and therefore letting the two of them idly talk and enjoy each other's company.

Mila raves on about a new song Rhaena was composing, eagerly spouting out facts and answering questions Aemond would occasionally ask. For the most part, he remained silent, content to listen to her and observe her with a soft look in his eyes.

A whirl of black hair catches the Targaryen's attention, and his eye flickers to look over Mila's shoulder. His face drops, eye widening as his grip on the Stark girl loosens, body going slack.

Mila stops talking, eyebrows furrowing as she takes in Aemond's harrowed look, "Baby, what's wrong?"

Aemond is unmoving, eye wide as he stares. Mila follows his line of sight, spotting a tall, slender woman watching the pair across the room. She is dressed in black, a veil over her mask. Her dark hair surrounds her like a blanket. Under the veil, Mila can clearly see a smirk. Ice grips her, as she huddles closer to her boyfriend.

A broad, bearded man walks over to Aemond, and he shakes out of his trance, offering the man his hand to shake, "Borros, thank you for coming."

"A wonderful event, Aemond." Borros nods, his eyes moving over to Mila, his eyebrow raising in judgment. Mila stiffens, feeling scrutinised and unsure.

Aemond clears his throat, extracting his arm from around her, "Mila, could you get me a drink, please?"

"...Sure." Mila says, clenching her jaw as she walks off. Behind her, she can hear Borros Baratheon mutter something about Aemond 'taming the She-Wolf', causing Aemond to chuckle softly and respond with quieter words. Suddenly, Mila feels sick.

Walking across the crowded hall, Mila finds herself at the bar, gripping onto the edge as she bites back tears threatening to spill.

"Woah, woah, that's expensive dark oak, kid." Daeron jokes as he joins her side, smile faltering as he sees her saddened eyes, "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing, Dare. I'm fine, just, uh, I need a drink."

"Okay... do you want me to get Hel?" He asks, clearly deeply concerned.

Mila manages a weak smile, "I'll go and talk to her if things get worse, thanks, kid."

"No worries, kid." Daeron elbows her gently, giving her another worried look before he joins his father's side. Mila shakes her head, catching her bearings as she orders Aemond two fingers of whiskey.

Grasping the drink in shaky hands, she weaves her way back around the crowd, saying the occasional greeting to people she knew. Walking past an alcove, she spots Otto Hightower's fuming form.

"What the hell is she doing here?!" Otto demands, as poor Criston Cole stands in front of him. Criston defends himself, saying that he had no idea how she managed to get in, it must have been the mask. When they notice her watching, they stop talking, Cold offering her a courteous nod. She reciprocates, but feels unwelcome at this event, suddenly.

Borros Baratheon bellows out a laugh, talking to three women instead of Aemond. With a furrowed brow, Mila searches around, palm warming the glass of whiskey she held.

She stops in her tracks, going cold as she lays eyes on Aemond and the person he is speaking to. The veiled woman from before rests a slender hand on his arm. Aemond stares down at her, making no move to remove her hand. The woman takes a step further, close enough to kiss him if she leant a breath closer.

Swallowing thickly, Mila abandons the drink, turning on her heel in search of Halaena.

It is often easy to find Halaena Targaryen. Just go wherever there will be bugs.

In the Targaryen gardens, a silvery head looks down in the bushes, the sleeves of her blue gown bunched up as she searches amongst the flowers.

"What have you found, lovely?" Mila calls, her rage dissipating as she joins the side of her friend. Halaena beams, her curls surrounding her face as she victoriously gasps, pulling out her closed fist.

Opening her hand, Mila smiles at the sight of a bright green caterpillar. It slinks across Halaena's pale palm, sniffing her out.

"Look at him." Mila murmurs.

"Her." Halaena corrects, "She's a girl."

"And a very gorgeous one at that." Mila follows Halaena as she brings the caterpillar over to one of her glass enclosures, putting him in it gently.

"Tessarion will eat him, I know he likes to play in these bushes." Halaena was right, Daeron's tabby cat Tessarion would definitely have the caterpillar as a snack.

"You're very kind, Hel."

Halaena smiles again, closing the enclosure and walking over to the open doors of the hall. The pair observe the celebrations, standing in calm silence before Mila realises Helaena is staring at her instead.

"Everything okay?" She asks, taking in the Targaryens suddenly grim face.

Without a word, Halaena takes her hands in her own, blinking rapidly as she tries to make sense of her own thoughts. "Love will make you sick." Halaena murmurs, looking somberly into Mila's eyes, "And love will heal you again."

"What do you mean, bug?" Mila asks softly, the blonde's strange way of speaking no longer startled her, only made her grow even fonder.

"The Stranger will try to take you too soon. But you can't go yet, you haven't met him."

With that, Halaena sighs, bringing Mila's hands up to lay a small peck on her knuckles, then wandering back out into the crowd. Mila took great pride in the fact that Halaena would only touch people she truly trusted, but something about that interaction made Mila worried.

The crowd was alive as people grew drunker. Mila watched as Viserys was lead back upstairs, presumably tired out by the evening. Waltzing in and out of conversation, the She-Wolf tried to find Aemond, wanting nothing more than to curl up into his side.

However, it seemed like that would not be in the cards.

Aemond stands beside Alys, the pair talking with a small group of partygoers. A laugh erupts at something Alys says, and she leans against Aemond with a smile.

Seeing red, Mila makes her way over. Aemond stiffens as she approaches, and the group quietens down. Alys remains smirking, looking the younger woman up and down. The Targaryen at her side makes no effort to move.

"Where've you been?" Mila asks, uncaring of those watching.

"What do you mean?" Aemond raises an eyebrow.

"I've been looking for you."

Aemond shrugs, looking around the surrounding area like it was obvious. A few guests chuckle, causing Mila's cheeks to heat up.

"With her?" Mila bites, nodding to Alys.

"My name's Alys." The woman says, unhelpful in her lulling voice.

"I don't remember asking."

"I thought you would want a name."

"Perhaps he would." Mila glares at Aemond, who looks to the floor, jaw tense.

"We've known each other a while." Alys purses her lips, a mischievous glint in her eye, "We're well introduced."

The mocking nature of her tone and words makes Mila feel small, her humiliation increasing with the beady eyes of the surrounding guests.

"What is going on here?"

Like meerkats, the groups heads turn collectively as Alicent appears. With Criston Cole at her side, the Targaryen matriarch's face contorts into a confused frown as she looks at Mila's downturned eyes.

With a look to Aemond and Alys, she turns to Cole.

"Remove her."

Mila looks up, eyes wide as she looks at Alicent. But when she does, she finds the red-haired woman looking at Alys, a sneer on her lips. Criston offers Mila a nod, stepping towards Alys, who holds up a dismissive hand.

"No need. I was just leaving." She purrs, turning her head to Aemond. Leaning towards him, she whispers something, before turning and leaving.

Aemond watches her go, until she is swallowed up by the crowd. Mila cannot break her gaze from him, her heart ripping itself apart by the longing look in her eyes.

"See she is truly off the premises, Criston." Alicent says, and Cole follows Alys. As he disappears, Aemond looks at his mother, who gives him a stern, icy glare. A silent conversation is had, which no one dares interrupt. As Aemond finally breaks eye contact, Alicent nods.

Taking Mila's hand, the Targaryen matriarch walks away.

Mila storms into Aemond's apartment, shucking off her coat as she seethes. Aemond follows wordlessly, face stony as he watches her outburst. Pacing, Mila gnaws on her lip, breath coming out in quick pants as she tries to reign in her rage.

The car trip back had been awkward. Mila had been silent, her knuckles white as she gripped her steering wheel, and Aemond was motionless beside her. After Alicent had taken Mila away, the two women had sat together outside, not speaking, merely sitting alone, together. It was peaceful, and Mila so grateful for Alicent, but the second she saw her son again, she grew enraged.

The only thing Alicent said to her was: "I know what it feels like, to live in another woman's shadow."

"Why are you so upset?" Aemond breaks the silence.

Halting, Mila slowly turns to her boyfriend, the air in his apartment alight with tension, "Why am I so upset?"

"Yes, that is what I asked."

"I am upset because you spent half the evening playing cat and mouse with your senior citizen ex-girlfriend, and then you humiliated me in front of your family and friends! Your mother had to come and defend me, Aemond. She had to save me from your embarrassment!"

"Please." Aemond scoffs, tutting as he walks over to his bar, grabbing a bottle of scotch from the counter to pour himself a drink, "You embarrassed yourself."

"By doing what?" Mila questioned, voice rising with her growing rage, "By trying to remind you that I am your girlfriend, not her? By trying to divert your fucking attention for five minutes?"

"You have nothing to worry about." Aemond says, his back still turned, "I didn't realise your insecurity would breed jealousy."

"Excuse me?" Mila demands, her voice taking an icy tone. Sensing her growing anger, Aemond turns to look at her.

"You're behaving irrationally." The silver-hair man insists, eyeing her with his singular eye.

"Oh, am I?" She laughs bitterly, astounded by the audacity.

"This is no way for you to be acting." Aemond sighs, looking disappointed, "Have you drank too much?"

Tensions were rising. They didn't often fight like this, but Mila was embarrassed now, as well as angry, "What? You think you're better than me? Huh?"

"I have a reputation to uphold, Mila." Aemond bit, shaking his head dismissively.

"Right. My apologies, oh great Aemond, for being a dumb, ditsy, drunken slag who you are forced to stand around with at events!"

"I don't think that-"

"Don't you?" Mila snaps, fists clenching, "I see how you look at me sometimes, when you think I'm not looking. When we're alone, you act like I hung the stars, but whenever you have to be in public with me, you sneer like I'm an embarrassment!"

"You behave like an embarrassment! Drinking, talking too loud, biting at the bit for the opportunity to get high again. Gods, my family don't need to be around that after everything with Aegon!"

"Why are you bringing him up again?" Mila groans, rubbing her hands over her face, "He's in rehab. He's been gone for months. He's trying, but you still see him as this big ,grey cloud over the family!"

"It's my responsibility to take care of the family." He insists.

"Because you're the second eldest son?" Mila scoffs, and Aemond's face turns stormy, his eyes dangerous.

"Because I will be taking this company over when my father passes."

"You think?" Mila laughs cruelly, the buzz of alcohol making her next words fall out of her lips before she thinks, "Even with your brother gone, they're never going to let you take over the company! You're always going to be the second son-"

Aemond slams his glass on the counter, storming over to her to point in her face. "And you will always be stupid junkie whore!" He yells, "Immune to responsibility, unwilling to grow up and move on from her pathetic vices! At least I have something I am working towards, something I want. You spend your days aching for the needle to make you feel something other than the emptiness inside of you!"

His words send a wave of ice through her, her mouth snapping shut and her anger dissipating and turning into a sharp stab in her chest, grief and anguish and betrayal flowing through her. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision. She turned her back on him, shaking.

Aemond regretted the words the second they came out.

He didn't mean them, not at all. Mila had told him about her past in confidence. The guilt at putting her through her addiction, the shame at feeling weak, the urge that still lingered in her soul... it was something she only told the people she trusted.

And Aemond knew it would hurt her.

His own shame filled him, and his stomach churned as he took a shuddering breath, running his hand through his hair.

"Baby... I'm so sorry. I- I didn't mean that." He whispers, swallowing as his mouth goes dry.

"Shut up." Mila sobbed, her hands shaking as she held them up to her mouth in an effort to stop herself screaming.

"Mila, please, I'm so sorry." Aemond pleaded, placing a hand on her arm, leaning into her to press his forehead to the crown of her head, "I swear, I don't think that. I have never thought that. My sweet girl, I am so sorry..."

Aemond clutched onto her, holding her close as she continued to cry, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. She turned and pushed him away, shuddering as if she were cold. Aemond felt sick, watching with his heart broken and tears filling his eye as she grabbed her coat and left, slamming the door in her wake.

In her haste to leave, all Mila had on her was her phone. Her purse was left at Aemond's, along with her house keys and her car key. Looking at her black Range Rover, she releases a sob, turning on her heel and stomping down the path, too eager to be away from Aemond to think things through.

She needs space, she needs air, she needs to think.

Aemond, the one man she allowed herself to trust, to fall in love with, hurt her worse than anyone ever has. The policewoman who told her that her parents were involved in a car wreck, the doctor who broke the news that they had both passed... they had destroyed her with their words. But they hadn't meant to.

Aemond Targaryen tried to hurt her.

Clearly, he succeeded. Now she wandered in the streets, too angry to go back and get her keys, too proud to call someone to come and get her, too lost to know what to do next.

Little did she know, Aemond was hurting as well.

He sat in his chair, head held in his hands as he cursed himself over and over again. Cursed himself for his cruel words, cursed himself for betraying Mila's trust, cursed himself for falling into Alys' clutches, cursed himself for being deformed, cursed himself for being a second son.

A tear fell down from his singular eye, another cruel reminder that everything he does will only be worth half. He couldn't even cry like a normal person.

A brisk knock on the door startles him, and he whipped his head up in a flurry of silver before rising and rushing to the door. Flinging it open, he expected to see Mila... but his shoulders slumped and his heart dropped when he met the ice toned eyes of his all too familiar visitor.

"Hello, my darling." Alys greets, smirking.

The Targaryen stands still, staring down at her with what he hopes is a venomous look. It does not deter her, however.

"Well? Are you going to let me in?" Alys asks, though she knows the answer.

Despite it all. He will let her in. He will kiss her, he will fuck her, he will hold her through the night, as he always has. As he probably always will. Not so long ago, he would have done this and felt nothing, as he always has.

But now, as he lies on rumpled sheets, bare skin covered in goosebumps and a layer of sweat, he feels guilt, and he feels shame, and he feels so, achingly alone. His heart is bleeding out inside him, the woman lying next to him, sated and asleep, is not the woman he loves.

He wants her. He wants Mila. And he's the reason why she's not here.

The devil works hard, but the paparazzi works harder.

Just an hour after Mila left, mindlessly walking around Flea Bottom as she caught her bearings, her phone buzzed. An unknown number sent her a message, and she foolishly opened it.

Trouble in paradise? -LS

Larys Strong. The Perez Hilton of Kings Landing. Mila rolled her eyes, about to turn her phone off and ignore his bait. But then she got another notification, a picture...

It was of Aemond's flat. The photo was pointed up, focusing on the living room window, the lights dimmed but two figures could be seen. Aemond was leant over a woman, her hair the colour of a midnight sky, and a tattoo of an owl was wrapped around her bare shoulder.

Alys. He was kissing down her neck, her hand had disappeared down his trousers.

No fucking way... Mila clutched her phone, her stomach turning and her heart racing. It's got to be an old photo- But in the photo, she could clearly see her own car parked right outside the complex, where she had left it this evening.

Gods, it hurt. It hurt so fucking much, clawing at her throat and pressing down on her lungs. It felt so similar to how she did when she was told her parents were never coming back. They were gone, so far out of reach. Like how Aemond was. How he probably had always been. A sickening feeling was in her heart. A need, a deep desire to feel something else.

Mila had no desire to be sober anymore.

The night air nipped at her skin through her coat, biting and clawing at her as tears fell down her cheeks. A man wolf-whistled at her, but a sharp look his way shut him up.

That's right, bitch. I'm the motherfucking She-Wolf.

But she never felt weaker as she found herself in front of a familiar alleyway. Walking down it, deeper and deeper into the belly of the beast, her body hummed with the anticipation of what was to come. She makes her way to a rusty, metal door practically hanging off its hinges, and kicks it hard enough it shakes and groans like thunder.

A burly man opens the door, sneering down at her with blackened teeth, "What do you want, little thing?"

"Tell the Lion the She-Wolf needs a hit."

With a sigh, he turns and shuffles away, leaving Mila to shiver in the doorway. He does not reappear. Instead, a lanky, blonde-haired man saunters forwards.

"Mila?" Jason Lannister narrows his eyes, looking at her through thin blonde lashes surrounded by red. A smile erupts on his face as she steps closer, "Mila fucking Stark. Can't believe you're here."

"Enough of that, Jason." Mila sighs, wrapping her arms around herself, "Do you still sell dope?"

Jason's smile widens, patting his pockets before he finds what he's looking for, pulling out a small plastic bag, the white powder shimmering in the moonlight, "Free, for my favourite girl."

Mila eyes the baggie, chewing on her lower lip as she hesitates. But after Jason shakes it slightly, throwing her a wink. She takes it, stuffing it into her jacket before nodding.

"Thanks."

"Anytime, sweetness." Jason leers, looking her up and down, "Am I going to get an unpleasant call from an angry Targaryen?"

"Unlikely."

With a look over her shoulder, Mila disappears down the alley, heading to her flat. When she gets there, her vision is tunnelled, her mind only focused on getting high. Working on automatic, she uses her spare key to get in, finding it hidden under a flower pot. She doesn't even remove her coat as she storms to the bathroom. Underneath a bathroom tile, she finds her old stash of medical needles, her spoon, her cotton and her dad's belt.

Everything happened in a blur. Bag opening, lighter flickering, the tight belt around her arm, the needle... then she was lay back across the ceramic, euphoria taking over as she stared blearily at the ceiling-

But something was wrong.

Her vision flew in and out, her body unfeeling and her mind elsewhere. A voice could be heard shouting, doors were slamming, a distant siren... someone was lifting her up, someone else was holding her hand, telling her that everything would be alright.

Why wouldn't everything be alright? Was her last thought, as she succumbed to the fog within her mind.

AN// Well that was hella morbid, my apologies. I decided to write angst and so I wrote ANGST. Trust, things will get better, babygirl Mila is just going through it. See you soon!

Lula x

[mypearlsareclutched]

Look at You, Looking at Me

High By The Beach | Prologue

Modern!Aemond x Original Female Character

Otto Hightower hatches a plan to fix his second grandson's reputation by dating the it-girl of Westeros. Aemond is not up for it, but maybe Otto is on to something.

This is a prologue to the story, giving a bit of context to Aemond and Mila's relationship.

Song inspiration | High By The Beach, Lana Del Rey

CW//TW: Sexual Content (MDNI, 18+), drug use, alcohol consumption, Targaryen daddy issues, smoking, fuckin in a bathroom, brief allusions to grooming, Westeros except it's England, football European style. Referring to a cigarette as a 'fag', because British. Oral sex (m receiving), hair pulling, tit sucking. Writing this from horny jail.

Word count | 4.8k

next chapter

The heavy bass shakes the floor beneath Mila’s feet. Her blocky platforms vibrate, though the movement of her own dancing distracts her hazy mind. Music seeps into her veins, the Molly she had taken earlier making her entire body feel like a gentle tidal wave, her arms light above her as she dances. Her eyes are closed, letting the evening wash over her, oblivious to the world around her-

“Mila! Mila, come on, we gotta go!”

She opens her eyes, blinking in the low, fluorescent lights to see the panicked face of Baela Targaryen.

“Baela! Dance with me, sexy.” Mila giggles rolling her shoulders and hips to her own rhythm.

“No, Mila. Sweetie, come on! Jace texted me, there are press outside, we need to go! Now!” Without another word, Baela grabs Mila’s arm, pulling her gently through the gyrating crowd on the dance floor. The world around her is a blur of colours, the gleaming moonlight shine of Baela's hair brightening when the pair escape out into the night.

Immediately, people yell out, and cameras flash around them. Baela covers her own face, wrapping a protective arm around Mila. Rhaena, Baela's twin, appears on Mila's other side, tugging her towards their parked limo.

Inside is much quieter, and Mila slumps against a chair, smiling at Jacaerys Velaryon, who sits at her side.

"You look rough." Jace chuckles, flicking her nose.

"For fucks sake!" Baela yells as she slams the car door, running a hand over her mussed curls.

Jace hands Mila a blunt, and she takes it eagerly, blinking at the camera flashes outside the car.

“Oh, seven hells, we’re fucked!” Rhaena groans, “Dad’s going to kill us.”

“Forget him, Rhaenys’ is going to kill us twice.” Baela sighs, rubbing her eyes, "I thought this place was supposed to be underground, how did they find us?"

"Must have followed us from Storm's End." Jace shrugs, taking a hit from the joint before passing it to Rhaena, "I think Larys Strong sent out a memo."

"Fucking reptile." Baela spits.

The rest of the conversation goes over Mila's head, as she stares out the window at the stars in the sky.

Aemond taps his fingers on the glass table, staring at his grandfather with a sneer. Otto casts a scrutinizing look over the newspaper in front of him, humming occasionally as he reads the front page. A silence had descended upon the dining room after Otto's opening statement to his grandson, plunging the one-eyed man into a deep and contemplative silence.

“Morning, dear.” Alicent greets her son absentmindedly as she hurries through the kitchen, “Did you sleep well?”

“Fine.” Aemond grumbles, poking his tongue into his cheek. Otto sighs as he finally looks up, rubbing over his forehead as he regards his grandson.

“Well?” Otto sighs.

“Well?” Aemond counters, narrowing his eyes at the older man.

“Well.” With a swift move, the newspaper slides in front of Aemond, who looks down at irt disdainfully.

The front page displays a slightly blurred photo, depicting a group of women being ambushed by paparazzi. Aemond recognises his cousins, Baela and Rhaena. But the girl in between them he does not recognise. The headline reads ‘Dragon Sisters join the She-Wolf in a night of partying and drugs in the Silk Streets!”

“The She-Wolf?” Aemond chuckles mirthlessly, gazing over the rest of the article without any interest.

“Emiliana Stark, known to most simply as Mila. She is Cregan Stark’s younger sister.”

“The footballer?” Aemond had heard of him. He was a pretty big deal, having been scouted for his centre-back skills a few years back, and quickly becoming one of the most high paid footballers in the North, soon to be all of Westeros. Mila, however, had a completely different reputation.

“The party-girl?" Aemond sneers.

"Aemond, be nice." Alicent scolds, barely looking up as she rushes around, grabbing her coffee before walking out.

Aemond rolls his eyes before looking back to his grandfather, "The girl who spends most of her days drunk and high with other famous people, people with real talent?”

“Yes, that one.” Otto says with a roll of his eyes.

“You want me to pursue her? Have you gone mad?”

“Pursue who?” Halaena asks as she enters the kitchen, her hair a wild mess as she has just stumbled out of bed, the faint smell of weed following her.

“Mila Stark.”

“Aemond’s pursuing Mila?” Halaena asks, blinking in confusion.

“You know her?” Otto raises his eyebrows.

“She’s close with Baela and Rhaena, I’ve met her at a couple of their gigs.” Halaena shrugs, “She’s nice. She held my hair back when I had too much to drink, and sat outside with me when I got overwhelmed by the music.”

“Was she high when this was happening?” Aemond grumbles.

“Aemond.” Says Otto warningly.

“She might have been, but she was still lovely.” Halaena smiles, taking an apple and biting into it, “Why should Aemond pursue her?”

“Because he needs someone new on his arm.” Otto says simply. Aemond bristles, and Halaena’s eyes widen slightly.

Aemond’s relationship with Alys Rivers was a difficult one. She was a therapist, a highly paid one. And she was Aemond’s therapist since he was sixteen. A few months back, they were spotted together, and it made headlines. Both their reputations took a hit. She was twenty years his senior, in a position of power over him. The arrangement ended not long after that, under Otto’s instruction. Aemond knew it was not healthy, but he couldn’t help falling in love with her. And it was too fresh to want to start a new relationship.

“Otto-”

“Aemond, I know.” Otto sighs, “It is not ideal. However, your… relations, with that woman, has hurt your reputation, and the reputation of the company.”

“How is me dating a druggie party girl going to help it?”

“It’s not like she’s shooting heroin in the Big Brother confessional booth, Aemond. She goes out, has a good time, and only occasionally is photographed by press looking worse for wear.”

“Like Lindsay Lohan.” Halaena smiles.

“But without the arrests.” Otto says firmly, “Despite what the press tries to paint her as, the public love her. She has made the right connections in the entertainment industry, she has modelled and appeared in music videos with well known artists, she is known as a kind hearted girl who loves her family. Mila Stark is well known, well respected, and simply… needs guidance.”

“Please.” Aemond scoffs.

“You and her could form a powerful couple.” Otto says, sitting down beside Aemond, “Two young individuals with difficult pasts, coming together to form new reputations for both of you.”

"Gods." The young man sighs, rising from his chair.

"If you ever want to inherit your father's company then you will rebuild your reputation, Aemond." Says Otto finally, before he rises as well, and leaves the room in a blur of green and grey.

Halaena looks to her brother, his rigid posture and stormy eye as he glares down at the paper in front of him.

"She's not so bad, Aem." She says softly, "Give her a chance, maybe you'll like her."

"She's a useless party animal who loves booze and getting high, taking no responsibility and refusing to abandon her wild youth. Remind you of anyone?" Aemond snaps.

Halaena presses her lips together, shaking her head before going to leave. With a final look to her brother, she says, "Aegon's trying. I'm sure Mila is too."

Aemond watches her leave, before looking back down at the newspaper.

“Why are we even going to this?” Mila sighs, adjusting her lip-gloss as she glares at her brother. Cregan rolls his eyes, flicking her nose playfully.

“We were invited by the Targaryen’s themselves to attend this gala. What were we going to say, no?” Cregan scoffs, rolling his neck. He himself did not feel comfortable dressing up in a suit and readying to spend the evening with a bunch of rich people, but he knew it was good for making connections.

The pair stand beside Cregan's chevy corvette, staring up at the grand hall which was hosting the Targaryen's gala. It was an illustrious event, the family ran investment bank was booming despite the CEO's declining health.

“It’s so… uppity.” Mila chuckles, looking at the stone building surrounded by classy people milling about.

“That’s Kingslanding for you.”

“Why did they even invite us?”

“We’re going up in the world, Emmie.” Cregan smiles, bumping his sisters shoulder, “We’re influential figures. I’m Christiano Ronaldo and you’re Paris Hilton, without the sex-tape.”

“First of all, don’t call me that, Creggie.” Mila rolls her eyes,. “And second, give it time. I know Larys Strong has been sniffing around Jason Lannister trying to get some nasty stuff on me.”

“Gross. You didn’t shag Jason Lannister did you?”

“No… but his cousin Cerelle has a few stories to tell.”

“Whore.”

The two laugh as they approach the large glass doors, eyes widening as staff open it and immediately swarm them to take their coats and offering them champagne.

“Velaryon is over there.” Cregan states, pointing out Jace in the crowd, standing proud beside his mother Rhaenyra. Jace is one of Cregan's teammates, and also Viserys Targaryen's grandson, “I’m going to go say hi.”

“Give him a big old kiss from me.” Mila winks.

“Freak.” Cregan laughs, ruffling her hair before wandering off to greet Jace.

“On the lips!” Mila calls after him, giggling as he glares at her before he disappears into the crowd. Nerves suddenly hit her, and she looks around for anyone she knows.

Most of the Targaryens were in attendance. Viserys Targaryen stands rigid with his wife, looking sickly. Cancer sucks. Alicent Targaryen looks radiant on his arm, much younger and glowing. While Mila watches her, she notices Alicent's eyes keep flickering to another man nearby. Tall, dressed in a suit, Dornish. He is a member of security, and his eyes are on Alicent as well. Juicy, Mila thinks, smiling to herself.

Viserys is talking to his brother, Daemon, Baela and Rhaena’s father. They’re not close, and the Dragon Sister’s avoided coming here in favour of spending time with their grandparents. Ever since Rhaenys, their grandmother, had taken over management of their band, they had been happier, avoiding the money hungry clutches of their family.

And quite a big fucking family, Mila realises, as she spots more blonde heads dotted around. Another silver-haired man stands with the CEO. Young, mid teens, eager eyes which display none of Alicent's sadness and Daemon's ruthlessness. One of Viserys’ and Alicents many offspring, possibly.

“Hi!” A chipper voice calls. Mila turns, as a smiling blonde woman approaches her.

“Halaena!” Mila greets, eagerly accepting her hug.

“You remembered me!” Halaena beams, the arms of her purple dress smothering the pair as she holds onto her.

“How could I forget?” Mila smiles, holding her at arm's length to inspect her, "You look so beautiful."

Halaena gives her a toothy grin as she spins, her dress floating around her. It is decorated with embroidered dragonflies, and sparkles under the light.

"I'm glad you are here, I don't know anyone." The Targaryen confesses, her face dropping slightly as she looks around the large hall.

"Oh, sweetie, do you want to go outside?" Mila remembers once holding Halaena's hand as they escaped the loud music of a club, the blonde being overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd.

"I'm okay..." Halaena gives her a weak smile, "Why are you here, She-Wolf?"

"Otto Hightower invited Cregan." Mila shrugs, "Apparently the invite said to bring a plus one, with a little note implying he should bring his sister."

The Targaryen looked contemplative, humming slightly as her eyes drift to her family, "Yes. That makes sense."

"Hm?" Mila asks, tapping her crimson-painted nails against her glass of champagne, not paying much mind to the blonde's expression.

The two speak for a while, catching up and sharing stories. Halaena eagerly tells Mila all about her collection of creepy crawlies and various pets, especially her pet snake, Dreamfyre. Apparently she wanted to bring the albino reptile to the gala, but Alicent stopped her. Mila expresses how she would love to meet Dreamfyre, and Halaena's face glows like a star, glee evident in her doe eyes.

"Dreamfyre will love you." Halaena sighs happily, "I'll be so glad when we're family."

"What-?"

"Halaena!" Alicent calls, beckoning her daughter over to speak with Jeyne Arryn. Halaena pouts, before giving Mila a soft smile, poking her cheek and drifting off like a purple and silver cloud. Mila watches her walk away, blinking.

"I see you've met my aunt." Jace says as he sidles up to her, finishing his champagne with a final gulp as he looks around the room.

"She's an enigma." Mila smiles, fondness for Halaena and Jace in her eyes, "Having fun, Velaryon?"

"Bucket loads." He sighs, shaking his head to get a brown curl out of his eyes, "You?"

"I've just been standing here in my corner, talking with the best Targaryen."

"Good game plan."

"Where's Cregan gone?"

"Vanished into thin air." Jace rolls his eyes, "Mum was showing both of us off to everyone, I turned around for two seconds and, poof, gone."

"I'll come and catch up with her soon." Rhaenyra had been something of a surrogate mother to the two Stark children. Ever since their parents had passed away in a car collision eight years ago, Rhaenyra and her husband Laenor had opened their arms to them. But it was not easy for Cregan and Mila, having lost their parents at seventeen and fifteen, both had ways of coping. Mila's had not been so healthy... Guilt lingered in her mind for the things she had done in her late teens, causing everyone around her grief. But alas, the Velaryons never held it against her.

"Why's Otto Hightower looking at you?" Jace asks, furrowing his brow. Mila follows his line of sight, raising an eyebrow when she makes eye contact with the man himself. Steely eyes hold hers, and he says something to the man standing next to him. Whoever it is, is Targaryen blonde, but the rest of him is hidden by the crowd.

"I don't know." Mila shrugs, "Perhaps he's going to ask me to do a line in the bathroom."

"How dare he steal my idea." The brown haired man wiggles his eyebrows, and Mina tuts.

"I thought the Direwolves have a big game this week?" Mina tilts her head, feigning disappointment, "If I get the star midfielder high, everyone will think I'm some kind of delinquent."

"Pretty please." Jace pouts, "How about we just smoke a spliff?"

"Tempting, but I'm not getting high with you again when your mother is around. Remember when you fell from the window last Summer?"

"I was fine!" He defends.

"No way in the seven hells am I facing the wrath of the dragon again, Velaryon."

"Goody two-shoes." Jace rolls his eyes, elbowing her. They remain silent for a second, the chatter and gentle violin music sounding like white noise, "Gods, this is so boring, I would rather be watching paint dry."

"Go and mingle, you child."

"Is that what you're doing?" Jace raises an eyebrow, "Mingling?"

"I'm mingling with the voices in my head."

"Okay, Professor X, why don't you try mingling with Otto Hightower." Jace nods to where Otto begins walking towards them, storming in long confident strides, "That is a man on a mission."

"Maybe he's trying to hit?" Mila chuckles, though she starts to feel nervous, "Or call me a slur?"

"Want me to distract him?" He says with a cheeky grin, a plan forming in his eyes. Any excuse to liven this party up.

"Please. As distracting as possible."

"You owe me a spliff and a blow job." The Velaryon goads with a wink as he runs his hands through his hair and puts his champagne flute down.

"You're fucking gross." Mila laughs, readying to run away from Otto Hightower and Jace's distraction skills.

"Love you too." Jace smirks.

As stoically as possible, Jace walks over to a clearing in the room, before gasping dramatically and falling down, clutching his calf like he was shot by a sniper.

"Gods! I'm down, I'm down! Oh, the horror! A young, devilishly handsome man struck down in his prime!" He bellows.

The dramatic howling catches the attention of many, the crowd moving like a tidal wave over to aid the fallen man. Otto gets entangled in the mess, and Mila slips away with a badly hidden smile.

Gods, which one of the hells am I in? Mila sighs, stepping out into the cool night air.

The gardens are huge, but the patio is filled with well-dressed individuals. Walking away from them, Mila wanders further into the dark, entering a darkened hedge maze.

Surrounded by shadows and leaves, she can finally release a breath as the sound grows further and further away. Pulling out her pack of cigarettes, she picks one out and puts it between her lips, searching in her purse for her lighter.

"Bollocks." Mila sighs, throwing her head back in frustration, "Why, gods, why?"

"Need a light?" A voice asks, and Mila turns her head.

He stands across from her in the maze, shadowed in darkness. The cherry of a cigarette shines like a tiny sun pinched between his fingers, and when he brings it up to take a drag, his face is illuminated.

He’s beautiful. Sharp, angular features. Full lips, a jaw that could cut glass. His eyes is covered in a leather patch. Aemond Targaryen. Second son of Viserys. Private, intelligent, infamously handsome but wildly unapproachable.

"If you wouldn't mind." Mila smiles.

With a flick of his wrist, a metal lighter flies through the air. Mila catches it with both of hers, flicking it open and lighting her cigarette.

"Appreciated." She thanks, sighing out smoke as the nicotine floods her mind.

They remain in silence for a moment, the wind whistling around them. Mila looks up at the sky, feeling her skin tingle as the strange Targaryen watches her.

“And who are you?” Mila asks, though she knows who he is.

“Aemond.” He answers, “Targaryen.”

“I guessed that.” She smirks, holding up the lighter. She tosses it back, and he catches it. With a step, he comes out of the shadows.

There's something intense about him, his face statuesque in both beauty and stillness. His one eye looks her up and down, his hand twitching at his side before he lifts it to take another drag. He seems almost nervous, but keeping his thoughts to himself as he regards her.

"Like what you see?" Mila asks, raising an eyebrow as she puts out her fag. Aemond blinks at her, remaining silent as he flicks ash off his own cigarette. But his body language is taunt, his jaw flexing as he looks over her figure hugging dress.

She saunters over to him, pinching the cigarette and bringing it to her own lips, maintaining eye contact the entire time. He watches her, his one eyes flitting between her lips and her eyes, his adam's apple bobbing.

"You're dangerous." Aemond murmurs, the words escaping before he can stop them.

"Oh, you have no idea." Mila says, licking her lower lip as she offers the cigarette back. “Sorry, got lipgloss on your fag. It’s strawberry flavoured.”

Aemond looks down at her hand, before leaning down and taking the cigarette between his lips, smoking it from her hand. Mila's heart races as he remains staring at her, his larger hand coming up to ghost over hers.

The air is alight with tension, sharing each other's space as they smoke from the same cigarette, Aemond allowing Mila to hold it as she presses it to his mouth, the act sensual and sending sparks through them. Before the cigarette ends, Aemond brushes his lips over her fingers, and she shudders.

With the cigarette crushed beneath her heels, Mila looks up at Aemond, holding his intense eye contact.

"Thanks for the light, handsome."

With that, she walks away, hips swaying. She knows he’s watching. And it feels exhilarating. Aemond stares at her, his blood pumping as he takes a shuddering breath.

Returning Mila returns to the gala, all excitement leaves her body when she looks around at the bland and pompous party.

Jace has risen from his injured stance, listening abtly as an attratcive woman talks to him, brushing his curls from his face as she looks up at him worredly. As Mila walks by, he throws her a wink, and she pokes her tongue out.

"There she is!" Rhaenyra calls out, opening her arms to pull Mila into a firm hug. Mila holds her close, her body releasing all tension at the familiar feeling. Rhaenyra's expensive perfume fills her senses, the soft fabric of her dress brushing against her bare arms.

"You look lovely, Nyra." Mila smiles, and Rhaenyra takes her hands, beaming.

"What about you?" Rhaenyra squeezes her hands, "What a beautiful woman you've grown into, sweet girl."

"Don't say that, her ego will get even bigger!" Jace's younger brother, Luke, says. Mila ruffles his curls, hugging him too.

"Saw you in the news." Rhaenyra says, raising an eyebrow, "Been having fun, dearest?"

"Taking a page out of your back, Realm's Delight." Mila teases, earning a playful swat.

"Watch your tongue, missy." The three laugh.

"Laenor not here?" Mila asks, looking around for the man.

"Joffrey is having a sleepover at his friends, Laenor decided to stay back and be on call if something goes wrong." Rhaenyra eyes her younger son, who is distracted by a platter of food, "He and Qarl are having a guys night."

"Ah." Mila smiles. She was well aware of Laenor and Qarl's relationship. Rhaenyra and Laenor got married when Rhaenyra got pregnant at seventeen. The two were best friends, and only did it to make sure there was no backlash on the Targaryen heir. Laenor and Qarl had been together for years, and Rhaenyra had her fair share of partners through the year. Currently she was seeing her yoga instructor, Mysaria. Mila didn't care, all of them were happy, or unaware.

"How are you, darling?" Rhaenyra asks, taking Mila's hand, "Really?"

"I'm fine." Mila smiles, "Nothing... bad, has happened."

"Good." Rhaenyra smiles, relief on her face, "Remember you can talk to me if anything happens."

"I will. I promise." It's been three years since Mila had touched a needle. It had almost ruined her life. She was alright, at the moment, and had no need for that escape.

Leaving Rhaenyra and Luke to go and search for Cregan, Mina walked out into an adjacent hallway, her heels clicking against the marble flooring. Hushed, angry voices echoed from down the corridor, and Mina followed them cautiously, curiosity getting the best of her.

Around a corner, she watches as Otto Hightower and Aemond Targaryen heatedly talk, vicious words slicing through the air. Otto says something firmly and finally, turning on his heel and storming away. Aemond watches him leave, his face tight in a scowl and his eyes conflicted.

An idea strikes the Stark, biting her lip as she runs a hand through her hair.

Making her way over to Aemond, he gives her a questioning look as she approaches, clearly not expecting her. When she comes to stand in front of him, she offers her hand with a raised eyebrow.

"Come with me." She whispers.

After a moment's hesitation, he takes it. She leads him away, pushing into the bathroom adjacent to the hallway. Closing the door behind them and locking it, she presses her lips to his.

Aemond freezes in confusion, before kissing her back. It's fast, rough. Teeth scraping and tongues meeting, Mila twists her hands into Aemond's hair, tugging it slightly at the root. The Targaryen groans low in his throat, pushing her backwards to press her against the sink.

Mila pulls back, and Aemond's lips chase hers. She laughs breathlessly, as he stares down at her with a lust filled eye. Leaning forwards to nip his lower lip, she descends down him, hands swiftly undoing his belt and pulling out his half-hard cock.

She takes him in her mouth, wrapping her lips around him before pushing her head down, taking him as far as he will go. Aemond gasps from above her, his large hand wrapping itself around her hair to ground himself. Mila bobs her head, her tongue flicking over his sensitive tip, causing Aemond to groan, throwing his head back.

"Fuck..." He breathes, closing his one eye as his body thrums.

Mila moans around him, sucking him hard as he throbs inside her, his precum leaving a salty taste in her mouth. He tugs on her hair, pulling her off of him and upwards, kissing her harshly.

Pushing her back against the sink, Aemond's fingers lift up her skirt, thin digits pulling Mila's panties to the side. He plunges two fingers into her, scissoring her wet cunt open. She rewards him with a choked mewl, spreading her legs for him.

Worked up and throbbing, the Targaryen wastes no time in shucking her skirt up around her waist, stepping in between her legs and hooking her knees around his hips.

"Condom?" Aemond asks, the thought suddenly hitting him.

"I've got an IUD." Mila says breathlessly, "And I'm clean. You?"

"Spotless." Aemond growls, before pushing her backwards against the sink and slamming inside of her.

Mila gasps, eyes rolling back as Aemond bottoms out, his svelte hips pressing against her thighs. He's huge and thick, splitting her open on his cock. Aemond groans, head hanging as his eyes clenches shut, body shuddering at the euphoric feeling of her surrounding him so tight.

"Move, please..." Mila pleads, and Aemond immediately retreats, leaving the tip in before thrusting back into her harshly, repeating the action in hurried movements. The pace is breakneck, Mila has to grip onto the edges of the sink as she is thoroughly fucked by the Targaryen man in front of her.

Aemond is a mess of groans and gasps, sweat shining on his forehead as he pummels into the She-Wolf. The breathless moans she releases motivates him further, his mouth hanging open and his eye rolling back as she clenches on him. It's never felt like this before...

Gripping onto the front of her dress, Aemond pushes it down, revealing her lace bra. Mila unclips it from the front, giving Aemond the access he badly needs. Leaning over her, he captures her nipple in his mouth, sucking and biting it as he fucks her with abandon. Releasing incoherent babbles, she grips onto his hair, holding him in place as she moves her hips to his rhythm.

Neither of them last long, the pleasure of their brutal coupling and the thrill of fucking a stranger in the bathroom sending them both careening towards the egde.

"I'm so... c-close." Aemond grits out, his nails digging into Mila's soft thighs as his balls tighten.

"Fuck, I'm right there with you baby." Mila moans, pulling his hair tighter as her peak creeps up her.

Releasing a long breathless curse, her orgasm crashes over her, her body seizing and her cunt gripping on Aemond harshly. Aemond splutters, thrusting harshly thrice before he releases, his hips flexing and his one eye screwing shut. Devoid of strength, he slumps against her, his sweaty forehead pressed against her bare chest.

The bathroom is filled with pants as the two regain their breath, Mila wordlessly carding her hands through the moonlight coloured tresses of Aemond Targaryen, and he sighed against her, content.

Blinking around the room, she catches sight of her fucked out face in the mirror, her makeup streaming down her face.

"Fuck. I gotta fix my eyeliner." Mila laughs, and she was sure she could hear Aemond breathlessly chuckle against her.

Mila left the bathroom first, fixing her hair subtly as she looked around. The corridor was empty, the sounds of the gala were muffled against the thick walls. Checking her phone, the time was eleven. Cregan was probably looking for her to make some excuse for them to leave.

The bathroom door opens, and Aemond pokes his head out, looking around with a wide, singular eye.

"The coast is clear, casanova." Mila whispers, laughing as Aemond flushes slightly. He steps out, straightening his tie and avoiding her eyes, appearing almost sheepish. Like he didn't just fuck the shit out of her.

Mila tries to bite back a smile, looking away from him to take a breath. Her hand is still wrapped around her liquid liner, flicking it around her fingers. Making up her mind, she turns to him, taking his wrist in her hand. He gives her a questioning look, but allows it. Using her eyeliner, she writes her phone number.

"Call me." She smirks, "If you find yourself bored and freshly scolded, I'll come fuck you in the closest bathroom."

With that, she turns on her heel and walks back down the hallway. Aemond watches her go, his heart thudding in his chest.

Maybe she’s not so bad after all.

AN// Maybe she's not, Aemond. Maybe she's not. Tune in for chapter two when both Aemond and Mina get some post-nut clarity and the angst begins. Sending love.

Lula x

[msommers]

NEGATIVE QUALITIES — ZODIAC EDITION.

low effort silly stuff just because i need the distractions 🥰

PISCES — empathetic often to a point of no return, plays the victim, doesn’t know when to say no, cynical, hermit, is very impatient, trusts everyone too much, can be secretly very critical and judgmental, can only tolerate maybe ten minutes of social interaction, needs a lot of validation.

CANCER — the literal meaning of I’ll give you the shirt off my back, isolates themselves in fear of someone hurting them, wants to change but is scared of change, complains a lot but never takes advice people give them.

VIRGO — can dish it but can’t take it, rushes everything, anxious, plans their future but forgets to live in the moment, sometimes ignores their friends because they have so much on their mind, talks about themselves a lot and sometimes forgets to ask the other person how they are.

CANCER — the literal meaning of I’ll give you the shirt off my back, isolates themselves in fear of someone hurting them, wants to change but is scared of change, complains a lot but never takes advice people give them.

VIRGO — can dish it but can’t take it, rushes everything, anxious, plans their future but forgets to live in the moment, sometimes ignores their friends because they have so much on their mind, talks about themselves a lot and sometimes forgets to ask the other person how they are.

ARIES — tries to do everything at once, doesn’t know when to stop and take care of themselves, bends over backwards for everyone even if someone did them dirty, has entirely too much on their plate.

CAPRICORN — scared people won’t like them unless they’re at the top of their game 24/7, takes a LOT for them to talk about their feelings, secretly struggling, fake happy, needs a plan but doesn’t know what that plan is, confident but insecure at the same time, wants to be stable but sometimes wishes they could drop everyone’s expectations of them and live normally.

LEO — no one takes them seriously because they feel they always have to portray themselves as the fun one, is actually really sad inside, honestly needs a hug, exhausted always.

[msommers]

🍁 for the dragon age kiddos, which kind of demon would they least like to come face to face with?

it took me forever to get to these because of limited braincells but here we are! thank you!!! xoxo // send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse!

MEREDITH — i think she would be Quite unsettled by an envy demon. meredith is excellent at reading people and using what she discovers to predict or influence them and she takes great pride in those skills, and i think she would find it disturbing to have that lens turned on her by a demon that wants to study her not for deductive reasons but for the goal of emulating and eventually becoming her. the thought of a demon presenting her with both memories and entirely fabricated scenarios just to learn how she reacts to and feels about them?? HARD pass on that one, chief. 

MILA — funnily enough i think a desire demon would be mila’s most feared demon. she’s gotten a handle on many of her emotions and had time to work through a lot of the issues/memories that would eat at her, but i don’t think she’d ever be able to prepare herself for the scenarios a desire demon could throw at her when it comes to family. being separated from her child and losing his father, being trapped in the tower for so very many long years, finding a family and home with the warden gang but knowing it will never last because of the taint slowly poisoning them—they’re things that often cause her sorrow, and though she’s able to keep that relatively hidden from others a desire demon would fuckin’ destroy her by conjuring up picture perfect scenes of a happier and softer life that she occasionally longs for.

JAIME — fear demon! big time!! beyond the anger he feels for the life he and other mages were stuck in for so long, he was also deathly scared of the punishments that could come from acting out too much and a fear demon could easily go running with that. the beatings, the dungeons, the threats (and occasional follow-ups he had to see) of the rite of tranquility, the horror stories that they tried to drill into his head about how mages were [somehow] treated worse outside of the circle, etc etc. he’s more soft than he is tough and the poor boy was spooked any time he read about such demons.

GREER — rage :’) not because she’d be scared of what it’d show her, but because she’d be worried that it could actually Get to her. she has been filled with an anger that has grown and grown since the day the templars came for her, by the time she was given the role of leaders of the libertarian's in the keep that anger was fury. a constant simmering rage just waiting to be let loose when given opportunity and it’s something she continues to struggle with even after the “end” of the mage-templar war tbh.

JORINA — oh boy, i think a fear demon would throw jorina off her game for numerous days after an encounter. knowing that it can take the form of things that terrify people, it’d have a hayday with throwing illusions of darkspawn and howe’s men at her from the memories she has of the alienage during the blight. add on top that the way that it can play on her anxieties over chaos and disarray with all kinds of scenarios, oof. she’s gonna file this demon information under “things i’d rather die than encounter” fam

BONUS AU MAEVE FOR FUN :) — the joking answer is desire (the longing to be free, to have love and family and security and maybe a little bit of power), but honestly keep despair demons the Fuck away from her. maeve is love and hope manifested into a 5ft lady with curves made to store the weight of it all, she’d be terrified of a demon that’s the embodiment of complete loss of hope and feeds off of “nightmares tearing away the foundations of self and purpose” no fuckn thanks get OUTTA here

[msommers]

hmmm.

mila crying as she holds onto newborn jaime, their last few moments together before the templars take him from her // mila hugging jaime in the skyhold garden, tears of joy on her cheeks as they're reunited after 16 years

mila taking her supper at a desk, dining alone as she flips through some tome that she isn't truly processing // mila sitting by a fire with sylarre, sharing a meal and listening to his stories with great fascination and joy

mila lying in bed alone, staring at her room's door through the darkness and fighting anxiety each time a templar glances in as they walk by // mila in bed with sylarre and gwyn, entirely at ease and full of affection in the tangle of limbs and sheets

[msommers]

just sitting here thinking about how i’ve managed to connect so many of my da ocs no matter how quick the interaction just because it’s fun. like this is so silly

meredith:

met mila when she visited kinloch hold during the events of dao, they had a handful of conversations during her time there before the warden’s party departed. she likes mila’s vibes bro, they’re kind and entirely without bullshit. she’s firm in her defense of the mages without being overly aggressive about it and that’s smth she’d respect. also the potential there for mila to be a mage that meredith specifies if she has to contact kinloch hold sometime in the next 5 years (before mila escapes) for any reason.

met jorina during the denerim alienage quests in dao, though their interactions then were somewhat brief between all the work meredith was doing and how shy jorina was. meredith and alistair helped jorina in convincing her siblings to be brave enough to run to safety before the darkspawn attack on the alienage as they had been frozen in place beforehand. jorina took up the crown’s offer for an education sent to anyone in the alienage who would like it and they had many encounters after that during jorina’s teachings and then further when she became a cartographer, and meredith was also the one to suggest jorina join the inquisition as a scout. not Quite an older sister energy, but hovering close to it. 

mila:

is the mother of jaime, though the templars took him away from her before the night she gave birth to him was over. finds him 16 years later sometime during the events of dai :’)

met jorina when the warden gang travels to skyhold in search of jaime and other warden objectives probably. i’d say they were acquaintances at most but if aleksi and gwyn discover their shared family ties then there might be more time spent together between these groups and they could get to know each other a little more

met greer the same way as jorina while at skyhold. some details could change depending on if greer’s the inquisitor or just a companion, but they’d still end up building a connection because of greer and jaime’s relationship. add on top that i think mila would find greer’s Passion for the mages cause very admirable and it would help to inspire the old feelings she used to have before they were slowly dulled by the years of circle life, they would bond over having lived in those spaces.

jaime:

greer was one of the first mages, or The first mage he met after being brought into the circle and she took him under her wing to protect and teach him. they’re very close after spending many years together in the keep and then sticking together afterwards during the mage-templar war. he was brought with her to join the inquisition, though he took more of a passive and supporting role by hanging back at the bases to make potions and help the wounded. 

met jorina after joining the inquisition. i don’t think they’d be particularly close but they certainly would have interacted plenty of times because of working for the inquisition, between him giving potions to groups for their travels, the times he’s healed her or her friends’ injuries, and some occasions of ending up spending downtime in the same places. (nobody tell him that i told you but he also prolly thinks she’s kinda cute. don’t TELL him i said that tho he’s babey and would be embarrassed) 

greer: 

would meet jorina at haven during dai events. they’d probably be closer in verses where greer’s a companion, though they’d still know each other decently well when she’s the inquisitor as well. a lot of their interactions happen during war room meetings our out in the field when jorina’s giving her reports on the lands and whatnot, though i could see them on other occasions holding conversation during downtime and the like. greer really likes her scout reports because they have a fantasy tldr at the top so she doesn’t need to spend forever reading through the pages if she doesn’t have the patience or time

[msommers]

obligatory spoopy day post about halloween costumes for the babes

maeve: has so many ideas and options that she panics for a minute each year; catwoman, katherine from tvd, margaery from got, daphne blake, pink lady from grease, also probably any other one that you can think of bc she has fun but especially loves group/couple’s ones

emma: red riding hood with a tail hidden under the cloak, decked out nature-themed fairy, too many group/couple’s costumes to count bc she loves planning with friends

jorina: says she won’t dress up but can be talked into any couple’s costume by aleksi in about 3 minutes tbh; overspent on assembling a lara croft look one time and reuses it from then on when needed

mila: puts on a little headband with bear ears and calls herself “mama bear” then proceeds to focus on handing out candy and cooking for friends/family

lysandra: elsa, the wicked witch, a sanderson sister, legit any witch costume she’s so easy and predictable, could probably get talked into a couple’s costume by thaddeus or even a group one by maeve if they tried enough

lucinda: ‘20s flapper, velma dinkley, scarlet witch, that one time someone said she didn’t dress up and she said “yes i did, i’m a vintage detective” and pulled back a side of her coat to show off a plastic badge underneath what everyone just assumed were her usual clothes

[msommers]

🍁 how would you rank your OCs from thottiest to least thotty?

first of all, i love this question it’s hilarious and fun. second, thank you v much for the fun kndasknh // send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse!

maeve is and always will be the queen thot, as is her right. she’s slutted it up for years to earn this title and isn’t about to stop anytime soon because she’s having a blast. how can you top (ha) a woman that beds multiple witchers, multiple times, and still actively has them wrapped around her finger. you simply cannot

elide is second because she has an easier time beating away her horny thoughts but she’s still pretty nasty. could use jesus, as the kids say, but she clearly doesn’t get that contact when we know there’s a world where she ends up with 9 damn kids

greer had numerous flings back while stuck in the circle and then got it on multiple times with thom in skyhold’s open barn. don’t think i need to say much more than that

jorina is a funny case because she presents herself as one of The least thotty people you’d ever meet but she’s actually a freak if you look into some of the things she does with aleksi lmfao

meredith didn’t mind getting it on in a tent knowing full well that anyone awake could hear. freak :// not above dressing up to catch her lover’s eye even tho she has a certain amount of decorum to maintain 

emma isn’t over the top about anything but the merigolds are freaks, that’s canon fact. used to have makeout sessions in the estate gardens & like. her first time with laurie was at another team’s house while they were all away, that’s nasty get help

mila is a big step down in thot levels, there isn’t really a bridge between her and emma. this lady thinks it’s spicy just to wear a partner’s clothes after a hook-up, nothing wild here lmao

spencer goes here just because she does have hook-ups but also she’s more focused on detective work and occult research, she doesn’t have time to focus on being thotty

lysandra’s only thot energy comes from the fact that she’s slept with ilya and that man is maeve’s soulmate for a reason. it’s the residual energy, it lingers a while even after they’ve called any sexual intimacy off

elena is going here just because i don’t know where else she’d go, her thot levels are extremely low but she’s still hot, very popular and has sexy divine powers which puts her above the medium in a spooky town lmfao (tho the thotty energy could bump up depending on a partner, who knows)

lucinda can do the deed but she has The lowest thot energy of them all. kind of a major turnoff hearing her talk about the ghosts she’s seen over the weekend tbh. i don’t think she’s ever had an outfit showing cleavage and that’s saying something for being one of My characters

jaime’s off the list because he’s babey <3 (but he wouldn’t grow into thot energy anyway)

[msommers]

thinking about how genuinely funny it is for cullen to recognize that jaime is mila’s son because one day jaime says “you’re a blighted Fool” to an injured soldier in the exact same way that he’d had mila calling him for like six years back at kinloch hold

[msommers]

it was a goof before but i think mila could get. genuinely upset/angry if things line up a certain way during a skyhold visit

[msommers]

mila thots i've been having over the last few days

the idea that mila could have had jaime with her for a whole day instead of just those few hours after giving birth. because i think she deserves to have held him for a little longer and gotten to feel that connection with her son, even if it means that it makes it hurt just that much more when the templars take him from her.

mila's friendship with anders and how it changed over their years at the circle. specifically the concept tho of mila sneaking in to wherever they kept anders during his solitary confinement to bring him whatever food and drink that she could steal away from meals, because there's no goddamn way that man kept his sanity after a full year of confinement without some visits. smth smth when considering that during that time mila’s in her “i’m too depressed to fight anymore, i’m just going to keep my head down” phase, it’s suiting that her biggest act of defiance is aiding the mage that’s actively incurring the templar’s wrath for all his “crimes”.

mila finally snapped and went fucking berserk on cullen during the broken circle quest because she got sick of hearing the demand for all of her friends’ slaughter and the blatant ignoring of the fact that they’d all went through this chaos as well. already disliked the guy for being weird about one of the apprentices, events cemented her opinions. 

never considered where she’d gone before but i imagine after her escape from the circle with the apprentice, mila likely got them onto the first ship possible and it took them to orlais. no idea what she was up to for two months but [insert activities here, most important being finding a safe place for that young girl]. basically just a simple way of explaining how she wasn’t caught right away and how she was somewhere appropriate for warden sylarre to conscript her before the templars got her.

mila wasn’t allowed to make the meals for the first year of travel because she had absolutely no fucking idea what she was doing and kept ruining things <3

i believe mila genuinely found a purpose within the wardens that she took to happily, she enjoyed what they did with recruitment and eliminating any darkspawn that they came across and blah blah blah their assignments. HOWEVER,,,,i think the mage-templar war fucked up her priorities. she’s spent the last 5~ years learning and growing into a good warden, but the news from kirkwall and the snowball of everything that came after left her scattering in terms of focus. she’s a responsible woman who had picked up and dedicated herself to duties, but i think there were multiple occasions where she was near to abandoning them just to go join the fight or desperately double down on her efforts in locating jaime. she was torn the fuck up inside for a good while but tried to hide it (mostly from sylarre because she knows how important being a warden is to him).

[msommers]

tonight i’m thinking about how the last time mila saw jaime before discovering him at skyhold, he was just a two-hours old newborn baby boy who was taken right from her arms even as she protested, then smashcut to the present and he’s a whole sixteen year-old boy and she doesn’t even know how to approach him