#my very little cousins have been asking me a lot of good questions about it

[mag200]

when i say i chose to be trans i dont mean that im following a fun trend for cool points or that i haven’t experienced genuine dysphoria. i didnt choose to feel a certain way but i chose to name the feeling, and to name it in this particular language. i chose to live this way, to be open about my feelings and unapologetically transgender, and i chose to share my feelings with you. i would probably be just as trans if i never said anything about it, because the feeling i had from the beginning would still be there, but i wouldnt be choosing it. this is valid as well, i just decided its not for me. in this life, i am living this way. “i chose to be trans” because we are our actions as much as we are our feelings.

[caffeinewitchcraft]

AITA for being proud of my job as a regional Nightmare?

My sister told me she’s making her own post and that if I was so sure I wasn’t TA then I should make my own so here I am.

I’m a regional Nightmare. I’m very proud of how hard I worked to get here. Not many terrors in their 20s get this high up and it’s because I do the work. I get up at 8pm and I’m out in the woods grinding out those quotas until dawn. Sometimes I sleep out there in my uniform just so I can be the first on scene for the multi-part jobs. I’m efficient, I’m punctual, and I’m committed. My goal is to be a Cyptid by the time I’m 30 and, to do that, I have to stay on at all times.

As a result, I work a lot. I’m often not home for days at a time. I have a very strict training regimen and my time for friends and family is virtually nonexistent. That’s why when I do get the time to hang out, I prefer to spend my time intentionally. What I mean by that is that I don’t want to sit on a couch when I could be lifting weights. I don’t want to chill in the pool when I could be volunteering for new scares. I especially don’t want to gossip over tea when I could be getting overtime.

Last Saturday, my sister invited a bunch of family over to her house. My job in the Virginia woods fell through, so I decided to go. Silly (her childhood nickname) said she had something important to tell the family so I thought it wouldn’t be a waste of my time.

Key word: thought.

When I got to Silly’s house, I was surprised to see so many cars out front. Our parents were there and our older brother. The house was packed. There were cousins, aunts, uncles and a ton of people I didn’t know.

At first the event was fine. Silly’s always been a good cook (see, I know you’re reading this, Silly, and see? I do compliment you when do something actually good) and everyone was really enjoying the flank steak (though I did have to save it before she cooked it medium well). But as the day wore on, I could tell people were getting bored. Silly and Mom were focused on cleaning up and said that dessert would have to wait until her fiance got home. Which was kind of rude to be late and I felt really bad for Silly. It seems like my soon to be brother-in-law (BIL for short) is never around when she needs him.

In an effort to help, I engaged some of the people I didn’t know in conversation because the party was getting a little dead and I didn’t want one of my sister’s parties to fail. I was trying hard not to think about the time I was wasting waiting for my future BIL so it also served as a distraction.

It turns out one of the guys was a fellow terror. He worked a corporate job and we talked for a while about the pros of being freelance like me. He asked me a lot of questions and I was happy to mentor another terror.  Corporate can suck the art out of what we do. My clients only care if the quota for their mission is met and don’t enforce such strict timelines. They come to me for quality. Poor guy barely had time to mend his uniform between scares (his cloak was tattered and his hook hand was rusty) so I recommended my tailor and blacksmith.

The guy and I exchanged information. I gave him my business card and he looked for one of his. While he looked, I felt nature calling so I headed upstairs to use my sister’s bathroom (like hell I was going to use the same one as my Uncle Joe). From up there, I saw my future BIL pull into the driveway.

 Being a regional Nightmare is a tough job. Like I said, I have to train a lot to keep my certification. So I thought it’d be a good idea to get a scare on my BIL both to punish him for being late and to make up for all the time I’d already wasted at the party.

So I waited for him to come upstairs to change and, when he did, I pulled out the works. I darkened the room and fell back into the shadows. Then, while he groped for the light switch, I stretched out my leg (I have an extra joint in them) and tried to nudge him. I honestly didn’t expect for him to trip and I DEFINITELY didn’t expect for him to fall backwards. I’ve been practicing this skill on my family since I was sixteen and got the leg extension mod and none of them ever fell like that.

My future BIL fell down the stairs. I panicked and raced over to look over the banister. He was fine! He wasn’t bleeding or anything and, when I saw that, I started to laugh.

Everyone freaked out though. They all said I was being immature and bullying my BIL. I told them it wasn’t bullying, it was my actual job. I said that I was just joking and didn’t know my BIL, a former “Cryptid”, would take it so hard.

My mom jumped in and backed me up, but my sister has always been the Queen of the castle. Silly and Dad kicked me out ( I mean, I let them, I’ve got enhanced strength and I didn’t want to hurt them). Dad called me a disgrace and to not come back home.

I asked him if he was really kicking me out just because I wanted to show off my skills a little? And he said yes. And Silly said I had it coming to me for a long time.

I don’t even know what went wrong.

 So AITA for taking pride in my work?

---.

SillyCreeper says: Oh my god, you actually made this post? You’re an actual idiot. For anyone who believes this story, read mine before you vote. My brother left out a few details like how the party was my GENDER REVEAL PARTY and that he’s not a regional Nightmare, he’s a  Slasher for hire.

OP replies: I am TRAINED to operate as a regional Nightmare. That makes me an independent regional Nightmare.

SillyCreeper replies: Regional Nightmares don’t steal failed missions from corporate Slashers

OP replies: Get your own post, Silly

SillyCreeper: Oh, I already did. Have fun being torn apart on yours, dumbass.

-----

Thanks for reading! If you'd like to read Silly's AITA post a week early, please consider becoming a patron (X)!

Aita for going no contact with my brother after he pulled a Scare on my husband?

I'm working on this anthology during November and I'm having a blast with this story in particular! The family drama keeps going on and on

[tinydefector]

Marine Centre 9 - Merformers

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: none

Fic Masterlist

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Have the collection of the Oceanides I have art finished of

________________________________

After the incident with Big Blue and Angelfish they had distanced themself slightly, more out of embarrassment over anything,  the felt bad for Big blue they had been pestering the crap out of him and he had been avoiding them due to ‘that’.

They felt stupid more than anything, it was getting close to a lot of animal's breeding season so it was only expected the oceanides would be going into season as well. They couldn't blame him for avoiding them, if the roles were reversed they would have been mortified. 

They are snapped out of their thoughts as the small group of kids walk towards the entrance of the centre. a smile crosses their lips as they see their little cousin bouncing towards them. “Hey kiddo, woah look how tall you have gotten!” They laugh while ruffling their hair. 

“Mum and Dad said you asked if I wanted to visit!, woah are those the Mermaids you work with! They are so pretty!” They exclaim in excitement as they move to rest on the jetty. The three other kids move closer to watch as well. 

"Look, it's coming over! Can it understand us?" one boy called. 

A girl squealed as Angelfish swam near, clearly awestruck. "Mum, its staring! I think it wants to say hi!" As she waves slightly at him. 

"Hello fishy! My name's Jill. What's yours?"

Angelfish chirped softly, tilting his head at the odd, high-pitched sounds. Their enthusiasm, like playful otters, was infectious. He trilled in greeting, watching with amusement as Jill gasped.

"He talked to me! Did you hear?" 

Her brother laughed. "Silly, it doesn't have a name or talk. It just makes noise like a dolphin." 

Jill pouted stubbornly as Angelfish whistled quietly, hoping she'd understand he was friendly.

They shake their head softly at the kids. "Alright everyone. These beautiful beings are Oceanides. Or as I'm sure you all call them Mermaids, merfolk." They explain to the children. "All of them here have names. This sweet boy here is Angelfish. And if you're really good some of the others might come over to say hi" they hum while motioning to Angelfish. As they sit down ushering for the kids to move closer. 

The children gasped in awe, gathering around eagerly as Quin sat with them to tell more. "Angelfish is curious about you all too," she said with a smile at the sweet oceanide. "He knows 'hi' and can understand something. Can any of you say hello to him nicely?"

 Two brave kids leaned forward, waving. "Hi Angelfish!" 

He chirped happily in response, floating closer as he twirls and shoes off in delight. "He's so cool!" exclaimed a boy. "Can he really talk?"

"Well, not quite like us," Quin explained. "But Angelfish and his pod use special whistles and clicks to communicate. They can recognize each other, share danger signals and even tell stories that way. It's amazing!"

"They sing a lot, Angelfish here loves cuddles but you have to remember they are wild creatures and not all of the mers are the same. We have a big one here who doesn't really like people. His name is The Meg but i call him Big man, but then we have Angelfish, Cherry and Babybee who do very much like people" they explain as Bluestreak presses his head into their lap.

The children listened, enthralled, "Angelfish seems to really like you," noted a boy. They smiled, stroking Angelfish’s frilled head where it rested against their leg. "I've spent time getting to know them all. Angelfish was the first to become cuddly towards me” 

Jill raised her hand eagerly. "What's Babybee like?" "Oh, he's the sweetest little thing, so curious and playful! Not much bigger than you. Just don't squeeze too tight if you're lucky enough to meet him." 

Questions kept flowing as the youngsters soaked up every detail. "Quin would you mind taking them to meet the Turtles and show them the Ray's?" They ask with a smile as they watch the group of kids. Their little cousin looked excitedly to spend time with them away from the other group.

"Of course!" Quin replied warmly. Gaining the children's attention, she spoke with kind enthusiasm. "Who would like to learn more about our shelled friends and the stingrays we have here?" 

A chorus of raised hands answered, swarming Quin as they stood. 

Quin grinned at their eager faces, leading the way. "Now everyone listen closely please no loud noises or quick moves that might startle. The sea life once we head inside"

As the other kids and their parents walk away with Quin, their little cousin stays with them, moving to sit beside them on the jetty. "Would you like to meet someone very special to me kiddo?" They ask giving their little cousin a slight nudge with their elbow. 

The kid nods eagerly, bright eyes alight with curiosity. "Yeah! Who is it?" Their feet kick softly against the worn wooden slats, "Is it one of the Mermaids? Do you think they'll let me touch their tail?" They inquire while watching the oceanides.

"I'm sure you can if they let you, but just wait" they make a loud whistle which catches the oceanides attention but it's a quick little blur of yellow and black that comes darting towards the jetty, cooing and calling. "Yes, yes hello bubba!" They laugh as the pup nearly climbs up onto them. Their cousin gasps in delight as the sunny blur of scales comes clicking and chirping over the water. "A puppy! No, a Guppy!" 

Small hands reach out eagerly to greet the bouncing bundle of yellow and black with a careful pat and giggle. Up close, its skin gleams so smooth, like the jewels piled in tidepools but alive with vibrant colours. Their wide eyes drink in every shimmering detail. The flicking fins, bright little face, bubbly noises of joy. "Omg! He's so cute. What's his name?" 

" This is BabyBee, he's the only pup we have here, remember when I had to look after a really sick baby mer, well this was him. He's rather attached to me now" they chuckle. Hoisting him closer so that their little cousin could meet him. "Say hi Baby" they coo softly to the pup. 

The kid grins wide, gently waving hello. "Hi BabyBee! I'm so glad you're all better now. Thank you for coming to visit us." They gently pat his shimmering skin, marvelling at the silken texture. But even more amazing were the strange sounds he made.

"Bubba hi! You nice," Babybee chirps back, nuzzling their palm for scritches. His caretaker hugging him sends joy bubbling up his frame. They chuckle watching their little cousins face in shock hearing bumblebee talk. "Shhh, you're the first person outside of me to hear him talk. Don't want a lot of people knowing. " they whisper. As Babybee purrs and plays with their fingers.

Quickly pressing a finger to smiling lips, they nod eagerly. "It's our secret, I promise!" they whisper back. Gently wiggling fingers to play peek-a-boo. Bee wiggles his fins and frills giggling as he plays. His joyful chirps and trills make them smile in delight over being so taken with someone to play with. 

"He's the reason I asked your mum if you wanted to come stay with me for the weekend. Once the tours over with the other people I'll take you to the beach. You can come play with him and meet the others" they explain. Their cousin's eyes light up brighter than the midday sun. "Really?! I get to come here and play with Babybee all weekend?"  

"Thank you thank you! It's the best present ever!"

"Anytime kiddo" they give a partial hug to them. "All right bubba, you gonna go back in, I'll be back later" they coo to the pup as they settle him back into the water.

_______________________

From his perch on the rocks, Megatron watches the unusual exchange with contemplative interest. He hadn't ever seen the caretaker with spawn of their own, but to see how close this small one was with them he could only suspect.

Meanwhile, chatter rises high as ever among the gathering pods. "Didja see that?" Skywarp titters eagerly. "They are introducing their own kin to Bumblebee!" 

Ever-hopeful Bluestreak chirps with joy. "Just think of all the fun those bitlits will have playing! Don't that just warm your frills, Ratch'?.  Bumblebee has a playmate now"

Ratchet hums softly, as Bumblebee trills a farewell before darting back to play, Bumblebee chirps and whistles eagerly, spiralling around the gathering pods with buoyant glee. 

"Didja hear dat, didja hear? De bitlit coming to play wif me!" His words are quick and jumbled in his delight. “I saw pup, making new friends are you” Ratchet coos while checking the bitlet 

Rodimus rumbles a muted warning to his peers. As they swam closer, frills flared showing off the colours "Easy now, don't scare our soft-skins with your antics." 

But Sideswipe whistles an impish laugh, spiralling through the water with flared colours on proud display. "Aw, come on Roddy! Let'em see what they're missing!"

Bluestreak chirps from the jetty, a webbed hand resting on their leg as he coos up at them again. He whines softly before attempting to mimic one of their words again. “Bu..bubba?” He calls out his big black and blue eyes staring up at them pleadingly. 

Ever eager to one-up his peers, Sunstreaker slowly swims his way closer. He lets out a small growl at Bluestreak only for the soft skin to growl back at him. A smug look crosses his face as he lets out a pleased rumble.

Meanwhile, Jazz and Mirage watch in amusement. “You'd think if they were that desperate they'd go looking for another walker” Mirage states and Jazz just shakes his head in amusement. “five shells Sunstreaker is the one who woos them” Jazz hums to the other. 

Arcee watches before finally deciding she was going to give It a shot. “Move out of the way Guppies” she calls, pulling herself up onto the jetty partially as she flares her frills and calls out in a little melody at the softone even as they begin to walk away. It earns a look from them and it makes her feel rather smug. 

“Eat my tail you lot” she sparks at the boys.

__________

Later 

Laughter echoes across the sand as Their cousin runs across the sand towards the water. giggling wildly, as they move up onto the rockpools that line the coast. 

Bee zips towards shore with gleeful whistles. Breaking the waves as a bubbly blur of yellow and black scales. "Bubba! Bubba, here! Play now, yay!" He trills, wriggling onto the rocks and into the pools to follow. 

Small hands pat his slick hide with utmost care and delight. "Hi Babybee! I'm so happy to see you again. Did you have fun while I was gone?" Together they tumble into the foamy surf that washes into the shallow area of the rock pools, the pup chattering eagerly. "Don't leave the rock pools please, you two can play in the water but don't leave my sight" they state in a stern voice.

Babybee chirps obediently, while their little cousin nods eagerly at them. "We'll be good, we promise!" they call, small hands clasped around smooth yellow-black scales. Together pup and child splash and play among the glittering tidepools teeming with hidden worlds. Shrimp dart from probing fingers, anemones bloom neon against stones. 

Babybee chatters happily, chasing crabs and crunching down on them when he catches one, holding out some to his new friend who declines the crustacean. but trading shells and stones that they find as they giggle and play together. 

They move to sit with their feet handling into the water of the pool, eyes watching them cautiously as they settle into the shallows chasing little fish and crabs. It was peaceful even as the oceanides began pulling themselves out of the water to watch in delight to see the pup having a playmate. 

The Megs massive silhouette glides unseen amidst the dark swells, scarlet gaze fixed upon the two playing in the water. Within the pools, Bee chitters happily as he snaps at darting fish, kicking up frothy swirls for his small companion to squeal and giggle over. 

They feel the large presence of Oceanide behind them, tilting their head back slightly before smiling at the large Mer. " Hey Big man, you want a cuddle?" They coo softly as he makes himself comfortable on the rocks, chin resting against his arms as he watches the two younglings play. 

He regards them as they lean against his bulk with a considering hum. His rumble carries distant notes of laughter. Gently his serrated tail curls to grant shelter from the sea breeze. Bee's little trills echo the puppy's pure joy, swimming circles around their companion. 

They go quiet for a moment as they lean against him as they watch the two. "I'm sorry I couldn't save your pup, I keep thinking back to what I could have done." They mutter softly. "It should be your pup out there playing with Bee". 

 They nearly gasp as he moves, bright scarlet eyes locked on theirs as he brings his forehead to rest against theirs. With great care he nuzzles their brow, letting a soft whine leave his throat.

They hold onto him as they both continue to watch Bee and their little cousin. The Meg remains a watchful, silent guardian. 

______________________

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[miley1442111]

Reader x Rafe. They have only been on a few dates. They do not have a claim on each other. Rafe’s cousing is visting for the weekend, unknown to her, and is a really pretty girl. Rafe posts a photo of her on his story on instagram, having dinner. Reader assumes the worst, that he is keeping his options open and dating others, and it makes her really sad when she only had eyes for him. She is aware that that they have not had a talk about dating others, and she does not have the ’’right’’ to be so sad but still is, wanting him to just feel like her, liking her so much that he does not want to see anyone else. Rafe at some point later after his family/cousin dinner is done, he texts reader at night, asking if she wants to talk on the phone ’missing her voice’ but she just scoffs sadly to herself reading it, now thinking he is just a bit of a pig, thinking she truly meant nothing to him for him to be so casual about it. Unknown to her, Rafe feels exactly the same as her, not wanting anyone but her and is walking in circles at home in panic talking to himself, wondering what he has done. He does not want to be to pushy as they have just started dating so he does not harass her with texts. A few days go by and he sees her at the bonfire with her friends, kind of approaches her like he approached Kie, very gentle and soft. She tries to just keep it short, answering his questions being polite and goes to leave after getting her drink but he is like ’’wow wow wow, wait. You’re not answering my calls. I feel like I’ve done something to upset you and it’s killing me’ and she kind of brings up the girl, not in an accusing way, more so like ’’I get it. You wanna keep your options open. I’m just not comfortable with that because I like you a lot. We had a good run but I guess that is it. Take care of yourself’’ with a sad smile but then he stops her from walking away and clears up the misunderstanding and its a sweet ending

----------------

----------------

my promise- r.cameron

----------------

a/n: thank you so much for requesting! sorry to everyone, i've been struggling a lot with writer's block and with college starting up everything has been super busy but I should be back on a fairly regular basis now :)

pairing: rafe cameron x fem! pogue! reader

summary: i suggest you look at the request

warnings: rafe is a bit of a dick without realising, reader is upset, pogues hate rafe, i think that's it?

+ this rafe is not show-accurate, this is another universe where he can express emotions and recognise how his action affect others :)

not entirely proofread

----------------

Rafe Cameron was a pig. Three months of talking, and he finally asked you out. And now he was on a date with someone else. 

But what else were you expecting from the ‘Kook king’? Your friends were right. You shouldn’t have even bothered with Rafe. He would always be a fucking man-whore with too much money and too little empathy. Of course you were a game to him, what else would you be? You were a pogue. You were nothing in his eyes, just a fuck. You weren’t even his real girlfriend. He had no claim on you, and you had no claim on him. 

----------------

You would’ve genuinely stabbed yourself in the eye if it meant you got to stop watching them interact. Rafe and that blonde girl. You’d never seen her on the island, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t from here. Random people spent summers here every year, a lot of people rented out their houses, especially the rich ones, just so someone would be in their mansions while they were busy in Bali, or the Hamptons, or wherever rich assholes went on holidays. 

She laughed at something he said and you rolled your eyes. “He’s not even fucking funny,” you scoffed. 

JJ rolled his eyes. “I hate to say ‘I told you so’, but-”

“Yeah yeah, you told me, I know,” you sighed. “Thought I could make a kook act like a human, that’s on me,” you held your arms up in defence. You two stood side by side as you shone the cutlery. Serving at the Country Club wasn’t bad, and the tips were good. It’s just you didn’t expect to see him on a date with someone else. 

You got off of work at 8pm, Rafe and the blonde girl were still busy chatting when you left. Jj gave you a lift on his bike and you decided to grab all of Rafe’s things and leave them on his doorstep, not even bothering to explain. You knew what you saw. You knew what he was doing. You didn’t care anymore, you were worth more than that. 

At about 2am you woke up to your phone ringing. 

“Hello?” 

Your groggy voice made Rafe smile. It had been a long night of entertaining his annoying beauty-queen cousin, and he wanted to talk to you, to see you. ��Hey baby.”

You rolled your eyes. “Hi Rafe.”

“How was your day?” he asked. 

“Fine,” your answers were short and to the point. You had no interest in entertaining this anymore. “Yours?”

“Boring as fuck,” he chuckled. 

“What did you do today?” you asked, morbid curiosity getting the better of you. You wanted to see if he’d admit it. 

“Nothing much, worked out, golf, went to dinner with family, that’s it.” 

Of course he was lying. And using his family as a cover? Asshole. 

“Why did you call me?” you questioned, trying to act interested, but failing miserably. 

“I missed your voice,” he admitted shyly. 

“Ok, you heard it, night Rafe,” you sighed before hanging up. A part of you was angry. Another was just upset. How could he see other people? You two had a really good thing going, didn’t you? You thought he was going to ask you to be his girlfriend. How wrong you were. It just reminded you of why you were so apprehensive to date him in the first place, to date anyone in the first place. Maybe you weren’t enough for him. Maybe you weren’t enough at all. 

You let yourself try to sleep it off, but the next few days you were down, and everyone could tell. Jj had told the others what had happened, and you could see the pitying glances from Kie and the boys, and the annoyed looks from Sarah. She hated him, genuinely, but this was the last straw. She’d told him not to break your heart. She’d warned him. 

“What about the bonfire tonight?” John B offered to the group as the sunset. “That would cheer you up,” he nudged your arm and you grimaced. 

“I don’t feel like going out,” you sighed. “You guys go ahead.”

Sarah sighed. “You can’t let this ruin your week Y/n. He’s a dick, he’ll always be a dick, and it wasn’t your fault for liking him. Every single one of my friends as a kid liked him, then he showed his true colours and he’s a dick again. His behaviour is not a benchmark for your value. He’s in the wrong, not you. Come out with us tonight, even if it’s just for 30 minutes, yeah?”

You rolled your eyes, giving in. “Fine.”

----------------

You hadn’t texted him back in three days. He didn’t want to be the pushy ‘be with me all the time’  boyfriend, but he was used to texting you at least once a day. Now you’d left him without a response for 3 whole days. Thinking back, he knew you were being weird during the phone call the other night, and he couldn’t understand what he’d done. Were you losing interest? He hoped you weren’t. You were the only girl who he’d ever been really serious about.  You were the only girl he’d ever felt a real connection with. You were his girl, at least, you would be. 

He pulled up to the bonfire with one thought in mind, find you.

You pulled up to the bonfire with one thought in mind, hide from Rafe. 

----------------

Hiding didn’t exactly last long, especially when he was directly following you around the entire beach. If you went towards the water, he’d come near you, if you went towards the house, he’d come near you, if you went up to the fire, there he just so happened to be, roasting a marshmallow with a big smile on his face. You did notice how he wasn’t carrying around his signature corona, nor was his nose full of white powder. Huh. He’d listened when you said you didn’t like him being ‘uncontrolled’ as you called it, yet he went on a date with another girl. Strange.

You sat away from your friends, by the water, nursing a can of beer. You weren’t a heavy drinker and you’d probably go home after this, since you’d already been at the party for a little while. You watched the sea come in and out. Wave after wave, softly brushing against the shore. 

“Hey,” Rafe’s voice brought you out of your trance. He sat down beside you, dirtying whatever expensive shorts he had on. 

“Hey,” you answered.

“How are you?” He asked, his tone not missing the awkwardness of this moment. He was nervous before coming up to you, but now? Having to come face to face with your cold tone was becoming unbearable pretty quickly. 

“Fine thanks, how are you?” You asked, continuing your staring at the sea. 

“Good. Better, now,” he smiled, placing a hand over yours. “You forgot to text me back.”

“Did I?” you didn’t even try to make yourself sound sincere. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright. You been busy? How’s work?” 

“It’s fine,” you answered. After a moment of silence, you got up. “I’m going to get another beer-”

“Wait,” he jumped up beside you. “You’re not answering my calls. You’re not talking to me normally. You’re not answering my questions. Have I done something to upset you?”

You scoffed. “I wonder.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean Y/n? You’re killing me here.”

“Look, I get it you want to keep your options open and we were just casual, it’s fine. I’m just not the kind of girl to just be casual with, alright? That stuff makes me uncomfortable, and I really liked you. But if you want to go and do that, that’s fine, just don’t bring me into it,” you explained calmly. “Goodbye Rafe.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait!” he called after you, making you turn back. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw you at the Country Club with the blonde girl, Rafe, seriously, your dating life is your own- what?” You stopped talking because Rafe had started pulling a disgusted face. “What’s wrong?”

“That’s my cousin,” he explained. “My super annoying cousin.”

And everything made a bit more sense. The family comment wasn’t a lie. Now that you think about it, they did look pretty similar.

“Oh.”

“You thought we were on a date?” 

“Well it was candle-lit,” you chuckled.

“All the tables at the club are candle-lit past 8pm!” He laughed. “That’s why you’ve been ignoring me? You thought I was cheating on you?”

“Well, we haven’t technically said we were dating so… I just assumed you were keeping your options open,” you shrugged. 

Rafe cracked a smile. “You think I’d pick anyone over you?”

You shrugged. “People do.”

“People are fucking stupid,” he wrapped an arm around your shoulder as you two walked further down the beach. “So, Y/n Y/l/n, will you do me the honours of officially being your boyfriend?” 

“Only if you do me the honours of being your girlfriend,” you smiled.  He turned to you and cupped your cheek, pressing his lips to yours. “I’m all yours, promise.”

----------------

obx masterlist :)

navigation for my blog :) (criminal minds, obx, the bear, marvel, top gun, the hunger games, challengers :)

[seravphs]

ੈ♡˳·˖✶ — TEEN DAD! GOJO SATORU x FEM READER

The Zenins want Megumi. Gojo isn’t having it.

wc — 1.7k

tags — one suggestive line after “those girls are better off without you” if you want to avoid it, set after 棠, part of teen dad gojoverse, in which you and Gojo raise Megumi together

Gojo’s been in the doghouse since last night. Not literally, obviously - though he might have preferred it if you were there with him, at least. He’d take anything over being kicked out of your shared bedroom and being forced to sleep on the couch. 

If you had it your way, you’d prolong his punishment, but you can’t. Not when, as he told you last night, the Zenins are coming today to wrest Megumi from your custody. 

Fat chance. 

You’d die before you let that happen. 

Gojo’s not too keen on either of those outcomes. For the first time in his life, he’s taking the pacifist’s route and talking it out, though you’re sure his version of talking involves more insults than most people’s. 

He thought about simply having it out with the elders, but it’s not worth it. Not when he has a plan for the future of Jujutsu Society. Not when he has you, Megumi, and Tsumiki. He’s playing the long game. He can’t afford to screw it up now. 

Being a family man really has ruined him. 

Zenin Keiko is a tall woman with a severe black bob and the characteristic Zenin look of perpetual contempt. She’s Naoya’s cousin, alright. 

“Twice-removed,” Gojo whispers to you. “Or illegitimate. Something like that, I can’t remember.” 

“Shut up,” you whisper back out of the corner of your mouth. “She’s going to hear you.” 

Welcoming a Zenin into your home feels like blasphemy, though you suppose Gojo is the closest thing Jujutsu society has to a god. 

Gojo’s unimpressed by her, mostly because he feels like the Zenins are mocking him. It’s not like anyone can take him on, but to send someone who has no battle capabilities feels like an insult.  

Keiko is an auxiliary manager with no cursed technique to speak of besides a weak barrier. It’s a wonder she has the nerve to speak to Gojo. The Zenins truly did not care about her if they sent her as the proxy to undermine your roles as the Fushiguro children’s guardians. In fact, you suspect that’s the precise reason she was chosen - because she’s expendable. 

Keiko, to her credit, shows no sign of fear. 

“I’d like to meet the children, Mr. Gojo. It’ll give me a good grasp of what the situation is.” 

“Hell no,” Gojo outright laughs in her face. “I’m not letting a Zenin near my brats. Your-“

“Gojo.” You squeeze his knee. Cooperate. 

“I’ll go get them,” he says begrudgingly.

The two of you sandwich the children between you on the couch. Tsumiki sits on Gojo’s left. Megumi sits on your right. That way, the two that are most likely to fight are separated. It’s a strategized united front. 

“Megumi, do you like your guardians? Do you like staying here?” 

Megumi looks at you. You smile at him encouragingly - and there Keiko goes, scribbling away in her notebook. She’s probably saying something about how Megumi is so scared of you he won’t answer the question unless you give him permission. 

“Are you sure? Forgive me, but Gojo seems a little…immature for a parent.” 

A direct attack right out of the gates. Gojo objects to this very accurate assessment of his character. 

“He’s fine, I guess,” Megumi says. There’s more scribbling. You’re starting to hate the sound of pen on paper. “I like-“ 

He looks at you. There’s a tiny blush on his cheeks, just the faintest hint of red. More quietly, he says, “It’s fine, cause she takes care of us.” 

Gojo stares at him, slack-jawed. “Are you kidding me? You are one ungrateful brat. Who found you? Who took you in?” 

Tsumiki chimes in, “We like Gojo a lot too! He’s fun.” 

Keiko ignores her completely, focusing on Megumi instead. Your distaste for her grows. 

“Would you say that Gojo has an active role in taking care of you?” 

“Why aren’t you asking Tsumiki anything?” Megumi interrupts. “Her opinion’s important too.” 

Keiko gives him a strained smile. Gojo reaches behind Tsumiki on the couch to ruffle Megumi’s hair. He only tolerates this for five seconds before he shakes his head to get him off. 

“He loves me,” Gojo says. 

“I have Stockholm syndrome,” Megumi says. ‘Help,’ he mouthes. 

“He’s joking,” Tsumiki says nervously.

You’ve given up on making them behave. It’s just not happening. 

Keiko seems to have given up too. Rather than continue prodding Megumi, she turns to Gojo. 

“How often are you home?”

“Basically every day,” Gojo lies. He does try his best, but it’s more like every other day. Such is the fate of the strongest sorcerer. 

“Don’t want my baby all alone, poor little thing.” 

He catches your look and cackles. “No, the other one. My other baby,” and the kiss he presses to your knuckles is so tender it melts your heart. 

Keiko makes an uncomfortable expression. “Please try to stay focused, Mr. Gojo.” 

Megumi gags loudly. Tsumiki pinches his arm to get him to shut up and he yelps. Keiko narrows her eyes and makes another note. 

“I understand how Gojo might take responsibility for the children,” Keiko says, directing her attention to you, “but how did you come into the picture. Are you a girlfriend-“

“Wife,” Gojo interjects. 

Keiko’s entire body does an approximation of what it would look if a human had a screenshot function. 

“Aren’t you children?”

You don’t like Keiko at all, but you respect the balls it takes to talk to Gojo like that. All the Zenins seem to have that death wish of wanting to mouth off to the strongest. Maybe it’s a genetic thing. 

Gojo shrugs. “If I’m old enough for the missions you send me on, I’m old enough to take care of kids, right? How hard can it be?”

You pinch his thigh. “Gojo.” 

“What? It is easy. You just give them a bunch of lollipops and call it a day.” 

Keiko’s writing is now background noise to you. “Are you still doing that? I told you-“

“It’s fine! All kids need sugar to grow. I had a sweet tooth when I was their age.”

“And that’s probably the reason why you still have one now! Except it’s rotting your teeth-“

“It’s not-“

“It is!”

“Don’t be so uptight!”

“How does it look if I’m always saying no to him and you’re always saying yes? It isn’t fair, Satoru. Parenting has to be a team effort.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“I’m talking about you playing good cop, bad cop with him!” 

“Have you gone insane? We went over this! He likes you more than me! There is no good cop, bad cop when he just takes your side every single time.” 

“Excuse me,” Keiko says. She’s somehow managed to look a complex combination of perplexed, annoyed, and satisfied. “Please take care of your lovers’ tiffs outside of this interview. I will say that this doesn’t seem like an environment particularly conducive to raising children, however.” 

“What do you know?” Gojo says rudely. “The only reason you’re even doing this interview is because I’m letting you.” 

Normally, you would tell him off, but in front of the Zenins? You’re a united front. You place a hand on his forearm and look down your nose at the woman in front of you as best as you can when she’s taller than most people you meet. 

“I think you’ve overstayed your welcome,” you say. 

“You agreed to an interview,” she says. 

“An interview, not an inquisition.”

“You can’t refuse a request from the elders without consequences,” she says, as patiently as she would speak to a child. It’s condescending. 

“Are you threatening my wife?” 

When you look to your side, Gojo’s face is shadowed. His eyes are storm dark and frightening. Keiko can’t hide her visceral reaction. 

She forgets her coat on her way out, she’s in such a hurry to leave. Gojo takes it and disappears. 

While he’s away, you let Megumi and Tsumiki return to their rooms. They’re muttering amongst themselves, but you don’t pry. Children need their space, too. You’ll talk to them about it later. 

He’s back within a minute. 

“What did you do with it?” You’re bracing yourself for the answer. 

“I just sent a message,” he says, as cheerily as if nothing had happened. “Think we passed that?” 

“Gojo, I think that’s the first test you’ve ever failed. Did you see the way she was writing during the last twenty minutes? And Megumi and Tsumiki! Every time they said something, she made a face!” 

Gojo shrugs, still so certain of his place in the hierarchy. One day, the elders will get tired of him throwing his weight around like Jujutsu’s one and only tyrant, but not someday soon if they want to keep their heads. 

“It’s fine,” he says. “I’m not going to make Megumi and Tsumiki act like repressed little puppet children just so that they can find some way to snipe them out from under us anyways. Who knows, maybe we’ll teach the Zenins a thing or two about healthy child raising. I hear they have two girls now. One of them has no cursed energy. Should we kidnap some more children?” 

“Like you know anything about healthy parenting,” you snark. “Those girls are better off without you.” 

“Does being mean to me get you off or something?” 

“Do you want to find out?” 

“I would love to,” he purrs, sliding a hand under your shirt just so slightly so his nails prick at your lower stomach. You grab his wrist. 

“Sorry,” you say, your stomach churning at the joke gone wrong. “I can’t.”

He stops immediately. “What’s wrong?” 

“I just- They want Megumi badly enough to go to the higher ups. I know what they do to their children. I can’t let him go there, Satoru. I can’t.” 

“I won’t let that happen.”

“I can’t stop thinking about those girls.”

“Come here,” he says. 

You lean closer to him. He lifts his arm so easily, without thinking. When you slide under it, you fit into him perfectly. 

Now that you’re safely tucked under his arm, you feel sheltered from anything that could happen.  “I don’t want to give the kids to the Zenins. They’re monsters. And they would make monsters out of them.” 

“That’s only if they take them away,” Gojo says, his smile fanged and vicious. 

“And if they do?”

“I hope they try.”

You trust him. 

You know he’ll keep his word. If Gojo says Megumi and Tsumiki won’t be going to the Zenins as long as he’s alive, then they won’t be going at all. 

[dyns33]

Firefly

I can't explain why but I like The Collector movies a lot, Asa Emory was a weird character, and so I needed to write something about him at least once

Y/N had met Asa Emory in college.

He already had this strange look and this fascination for insects, which explained his choice of studies. She had never met anyone who wanted to become an entomologist.

The other students were a little afraid of him, when they noticed him, because Asa was very discreet.

Y/N had noticed him, and she hadn’t been afraid of him. She had sat next to him in the library while he read a book about spiders. Her questions had initially seemed to irritate him, he was obviously not used to being spoken to, then he had been intrigued.

For a time, Asa had looked at her as if she were one of the insects he collected, but also as if she were trying to make fun of him. Yet he answered all her questions, adding more and more details and information.

He had no one in his life. No one to share your passion with. He didn't tell her all the details, but he had lost his parents and siblings when he was young.

This loneliness didn't seem to be a problem for him, but over time he got used to Y/N's presence, he looked forward to her questions, and he eventually grew attached.

“My firefly.” He greeted her as soon as he saw her, with a shy smile.

“Why a firefly ?” she asked, laughing softly.

“Because you are a light in my life.”

Y/N might have taken offense saying that a firefly was a tiny, fragile light that would die quickly, but knowing Asa's love of insects, she knew he wasn't going to compare her to a sun or stars. It was even a nice compliment on his part that he deigned to compare her to a Lampyris noctiluca.

Even when insulting people, he never used insect names. That would be an insult to the insects and he couldn't do that.

As with everything else in their relationship, it was Y/N who invited him on their first date. He accepted without seeming to understand what that meant.

The poor man seemed lost when she kissed him. But not necessarily disgusted.

“My firefly, you are the only human being who matters.” he admitted when she asked him if he ever thought about marriage, after more than two years together. "There are only a few insects that practice monogamy, but most die quickly, sometimes during the act of reproduction. But you know how much I hate anthropomorphism. I will be happy to spend my life with you."

Life with Asa was calm. Perfectly organized, structured, like its classification of all arthropod species.

After obtaining his diploma, he had no difficulty in being hired in the largest natural science museum in the city. His name quickly became known in his field.

His frequent nighttime outings and other prolonged outings could have been frightening for Y/N, but he always warned her in advance, preparing his schedule according to the pace of life of the insects he was looking for.

"Rumors are circulating about an unknown species of grasshoppers in a forest. I will probably be gone all weekend."

"Oh. You won't be here for my cousin's birthday ?"

"I forgot. Forgive me, my firefly."

“It doesn’t matter… It’s for your work, it’s important.”

He promised to better note the dates that were important to her, because even though he was very diligent in his work, Asa was a good husband. He didn't care at all about other humans, and therefore her family, but he always tried to please her when he could.

Even though he had a true admiration for spiders, Y/N saw him more as an ant. He worked hard, he never seemed tired, and he often brought home gifts to make up for when he missed an appointment, or simply because he wanted to see her smile.

"Ants don't bring back gifts for the queen, they do this to feed the colony. Plus they work in groups, I work alone."

“I didn’t compare myself to a queen.”

"You could, it was you who worked to create our home. There is no colony without a queen, and there would not be our home without you."

Their house was perfect, but empty. They didn't talk about having children. The subject didn't seem to appeal to Asa. After all this time, he did not talk about his family, visibly traumatized by their disappearance, and his aversion to others, in addition to his complicated schedule, were not compatible with the role of father.

There were his dogs. Perfectly trained hunting dogs, who were only adorable with their master and his wife. But especially with Y/N, who loved to cuddle them.

“My firefly, they have already eaten and they are not allowed to be inside.”

"Oh, Asa, please ! It's cold outside, and they were very good !"

“You mustn’t get them used to it or they will become fat and lazy.”

“Only for tonight, please !”

His colleagues said he was tough. A cold, distant, almost mean man. It was quickly decided that he would no longer participate in school visits, because he did not know how to talk to children or teachers.

But with Y/N, he was gentle. He refused her nothing. The dogs stayed inside, and not just that evening.

The times Asa told her no, it wasn't his fault. The excuses he found always contained the words 'I would like to, but the museum, my colleagues, the insects…'.

No, she couldn't accompany him on his hunts. She wouldn't like it anyway. It was cold, there was almost no time to sleep, and she might be bored.

“I’ll be with you, that’s the most important thing.”

".. .It's always a joy to be with you. That's also why it's better if you don't come. Then I have a reason to come home."

And he always came home, tired, but satisfied with his work, placing a kiss on Y/N's forehead like a ritual, before caressing her cheek while looking at her as if seeing her for the first time, his eyes wide blacks seeming to devour her entirely.

Then came the night when he came home late, very late, with strange injuries and terribly angry. Growling like an animal, he slammed the door so hard that it woke his wife. She found him trying to stitch himself up, mumbling and shaking.

She had never seen him like this. Asa was always calm.

Hesitantly, Y/N asked him if he was okay, and when he looked at her, she was scared for the first time since they met. For a moment, he looked like he didn't recognize her, and was ready to jump on her. Then he took on the features of her husband.

"… My firefly." he sighed, getting up with difficulty to kiss her. "I woke you up. I scared you. Forgive me. There was an incident. I lost several very precious, unique species. But it's my fault, you don't have to suffer my bad mood."

“Shouldn’t you go to the hospital ?”

"It's okay, I promise. Scratches, nothing I can't fix myself. Go back to bed, I'll be with you right away."

Nothing forced her to obey. Y/N could have insisted, asked questions, called an ambulance, but she returned to the room, staring at the wall unable to sleep. She didn't move when Asa came to her, holding her close, his face against her neck, whispering that he loved her.

They talked about the incident in the neighboring town the next day on television. An abandoned factory was ravaged by flames. But that wasn't the worst. It was the lair of a serial killer, whom they called the Collector.

The survivors spoke of horrible things. Of torture, of strange experiences. According to police, the man had died in the fire along with his guard dogs and most of the evidence there was nothing left to fear.

Y/N didn’t ask Asa where the dogs were. She tried not to think about it.

If he was waiting for her to ask him about it, he didn't show it. He didn't talk about what happened during the night, behaving as if everything was perfectly fine, and going to work like every day. He would come home, he would kiss her, and he would do it again. The difference was only that he went out less often.

According to him, the season was not good for hunting. And with the problem at his office, he needed a little time, to rest, to repair the place.

This excuse could have worked forever. Of course, Y/N could have called the museum and they would have confirmed that there had never been any serious incidents, but she didn't want to. She continued to lie next to her husband, letting him embrace her tenderly.

Then there was the man's visit. He seemed surprised to see Y/N, as he placed a large red trunk in the kitchen. Almost sad too. He was holding a gun.

"I imagine you don't know anything about it. I can let you go, if you promise not to warn him, and to let me do what I have to do."

"… I don't understand what to talk to you about."

"Your dear husband. The man who kidnapped and tortured me for weeks. You're lucky you didn't see his little collection. He's a monster. He needs to die."

No doubt the man was right. There had always been something strange about Asa, everyone had always known it and Y/N had been the only one to refuse to see it. She had built her life with him, her home. They had to share everything.

So even if he was right, she without thinking grabbed a knife when he turned, convinced that she had understood and she stuck it in his back, at the level of his heart.

When she realized what she had just done, it was too late. The man was lying in his blood in the middle of the room, his gun fallen next to him. Y/N touched nothing, unable to do anything but cry while trying to remember how to breathe.

Asa found her like this, sitting against a wall, when he returned from the office. He looked at his wife, then at the scene in the kitchen, before putting his things down to crouch down next to her.

Like every times, he held her face so that she could look at him and he could kiss her on the forehead. Then with one hand he wiped the blood from her cheek, massaging her neck with the other to calm her down.

"Tell me what happened. Are you hurt, my firefly ?"

"No… He… He wanted to kill you. He said… Oh, my god. He had a gun, I… I was scared… He said you… Asa …"

"Shh. I'll take care of everything. Come on."

Holding her close, he took her to the bathroom where he helped her undress and get into the shower, which he adjusted so that the water was perfect. Taking a bath would have done her good, but he had to leave her alone to clean up, and he didn't want her to fall asleep.

"I'll be back, my firefly. Just sit here, it's okay."

Y/N didn't know how long she stayed under the water, shaking and crying. Not as long as she thought. Her husband quickly returned to help her get up, dry off and put on pajamas.

Although she was not hungry, he insisted that she have tea and biscuits, as it was not good to keep an empty stomach after such a shock, before putting her to bed. He certainly put something in the tea for her to sleep.

The kitchen was immaculate the next morning, as if nothing had happened. The man, the weapon, the red trunk, everything had disappeared.

Unusually, Asa had prepared breakfast. He was always up before her, but he only had coffee, and he often left for work while she was still asleep, coming to place a kiss on her forehead to warn her.

His dark eyes didn't leave her for a second as Y/N chewed her pancakes with difficulty, one hand on the glass of orange juice that she couldn't drink. She looked everywhere except her husband.

Before the intruder spoke, she had already started to have doubts. Questions. Now everything was quite clear, and all that remained was to decide what she was going to do. Asa was also obviously waiting, sitting near her.

The options were vast. Run away, call the police, risk getting killed… Y/N finally managed to lift the glass of orange juice, while thinking of their meeting.

"… Aren't you going to be late for work ?"

"No. I took some time off to stay with you."

“But your collection… I understood that it would take a long time to rebuild everything.”

"It's not as important as you, my firefly. My mantis religiosa. My black widow." he purred, running a hand through her hair, his lips on her neck.

Asa loved spiders. It was a nice compliment, even if she received it because she had killed a man and agreed not to report him to the authorities. He didn't seem to notice her fear, one of the reasons she remained silent.

Only the other reason mattered. And by giving her all these names, like a transformation, he was telling her that he would not harm her, that he did not see her as prey, and that even if she decided to do so, she could devour him.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

resignation letter. l Javi Gutierrez

💔 a few ways to break your heart 💔

Summary:  when he came home and he wasn't alone

Warnings:  angst, sad, ending a relationship, a glass of champagne

A/N: sorry for these scribbles. I hope that despite everything you will stay with me.

your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

a few ways to break a heart [masterlist]

redemption : resignation letter. l Javi Gutierrez

The heavy mahogany door opened and you saw Lucas' slim figure coming out of the office. He walked confidently and stopped in front of the desk you were working at. His long fingers tapped gently on the counter.

"Everything okay?" he asked, smiling at you in a friendly way.

You nodded, "Yeah. Successful meeting?"

"Definitely." Lucas threw a quick glance at the ajar door, his eyes after a moment returned to you, "You're a real decoration of this office, darling. My cousin has very good taste."

"I think Mr. Gutiérrez didn't hire me because of my looks." You replied, smiling, "But thank you for the compliment."

Lucas smiled again, nodded goodbye and quickly headed towards the exit. You waited a few more minutes before getting up from the chair and heading towards Javi's office. 

He was sitting behind the desk, clearly lost in thought. Dark, curly hair fell over his forehead, and his linen shirt rose with every breath he took. 

Watching him was one of your favorite things to do. A soft knock tore him from his thoughts.

"A penny for your thoughts?" you asked as you entered.

"I don't know if they're worth that much." Javi replied, forcing a smile.

"Is something worrying you?" you asked, approaching the desk and looking at it with concern.

Javi scratched his nose as if he was thinking about something. "I'll have to leave tomorrow." he announced, getting up from his chair. "I have something to do in Madrid."

"Oh, I didn't know. Something urgent?"

"Very much."

You nodded. "Should I fly with you or..."

"Stay here." He finished for you and reached for his phone. "I'll be back in a few days."

"Sure."

Javi smiled a little nervously and left the office, leaving you with many questions in your head. You were his assistant and friend, you talked about a thousand different things and he didn't really have any secrets from you.

But now...

It had been a pretty boring three days without Javi, although you managed to sort out your documents, reply to a few overdue emails and do things you had been putting off until "someday." 

This place was empty without Javi, you felt empty too. You loved his charming and sweet personality, the way he treated you and how close you were. Because even though he was your boss, you felt that he treated you completely differently. And you also had a strange weakness for him.

You didn't see him when he came back because you were busy organizing his birthday party that was to take place at his residence. It was already late when you were heading towards his apartment carrying a bottle of good wine and popcorn. 

It was Thursday, or a little weekend as Javi called this day. You always watched a movie on Thursday evening, it was your tradition and you hoped that despite his departure Javi didn't forget about it.

However, when you knocked and the door was opened by a slim blonde with beautiful blue eyes, you lost your breath for a moment.

Your name slipped out of her mouth along with a charming smile "You have to be Javi's assistant, right?" she asked looking at you "Javi talked a lot about you. Is this for us?"

"I... Yes." you finally managed, "Today's Thursday so I thought..."

"Sweetie! Your lovely assistant brought us some snacks and wine." the woman called into the room.

"Thursday Movie Night!" Javi called back, and from the echo you guessed he was in the bathroom, "I'm almost ready."

"I don't think he'll need you anymore today. Thank you, have a nice night." she smiled at you once more, and you didn't even say a word as the door closed in your face.

Her name was Veronica and she was as beautiful as the models on the covers of glossy magazines. 

You have seen her almost everywhere since then and always with Javi. By the pool, in the garden, even in his office. You felt terrible when you had to go in there and she was giggling at some joke he told her.

It was easy to dislike her, but you didn't want to. Javi was a grown man, he could make decisions. And you were just his assistant. 

Maybe it was your own fault? Maybe your imagination gave more meaning to all those nice gestures, shared meals and hours of conversations that you shared with him? 

You wanted to learn to enjoy their happiness, but you felt more and more isolated.

It didn't surprise you when during Javi's birthday party, Veronica was by his side. Everything was perfect, and so was she. And Javi... Shit! You shouldn't think of him that way, he was your boss!

"You're hiding here." a sweet voice reached your ears as you moved away from the crowd of guests for a moment.

She was wearing a beautiful crimson dress that wonderfully emphasized her shapes. The champagne you had just drunk seemed like a weak choice for that moment.

"I wanted to take a breath." you replied. "Do you need anything?"

Veronica pouted and shook her head. "This is a wonderful party. You spent a lot of time organizing it for Javi."

"Everything was his idea, I was just following orders." you replied nervously, swirling the glass in your hands. "Can I help you in any other way?"

The girl looked at you almost with pity. Women like her dazzled everyone around them, and you were no exception.

"I wish you wouldn't delude yourself with the hope that Javi would ever see you as more than an employee." she said, and you felt a cold shiver run down your spine "Yes, he had a soft spot for you, he told me himself. But that was a long time ago... I'm not blind though, sweetie. I see how you look at him." a wave of heat flooded your neck, you tightened your fingers around the glass "Oh, don't hide it! Javi is a handsome man with a wonderful heart. And being infatuated with your boss is a normal thing."

"I don't..." you started, but the rest of the words couldn't get out of your throat.

You were so surprised that it was a miracle that you were even standing on your feet. Veronica smiled indulgently at you and tenderly stroked your arm.

"I have one piece of advice, sweetie." she said almost with concern "Leave him alone. Don't break your heart any more."

She left you on the terrace completely speechless. Emotions were coursing through your body along with the alcohol you had consumed, and you could hardly draw a breath. How on earth had Veronica guessed everything? Were you really that pathetic?

Javi was your boss, you shouldn't have...

"Fuck!" you hissed as the crystal glass slipped from your shaking hands and shattered on the stone floor.

Tears welled up in your eyes. You couldn't stay there any longer.

Your absence had been very obvious since morning, but Javi hadn't noticed it until he had entered his office for a moment and seen the white envelope lying on his desk. He recognized your handwriting immediately. 

That day, you had left your resignation letter on his desk. Very formal. Very dry. So not yours.

You didn't want to humiliate yourself even more. You did what you had to do, even if it hurt.

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[batboyblog]

hey thanks for not being super doomer over these anti-trans bills. i kept on seeing so many people being defeated over them and it messed up my mental health for a while, like nothing could be done. but you did bring up some good points and shed some light onto people who are actively fighting for us so i thank you again

The queer movement, in the US any ways, has always been cyclical, we make big gains and push forward, then there's a super scary backlash. We're right now at the hight of a really scary backlash thats focused on trans people in particular but is anti-queer more generally. It's intense but its important to remember these backlashes don't generally last very long, they are scary, but each time they've happened, the mid to late 1970s, the 1980s, the early 2000s, the tide has gone out and gay rights, LGBT rights, and society's acceptance of LGBT people has been farther along than before they have never ever managed to turn us back in the years since Stonewall.

And as intense and scary as this is in some ways it's better than last time, when I was a gay teenager. in those days... in 2004 and 2008 the Democrats running for President were uniformly against gay marriage (the big issue of that time) they were trying to get us to settle for the not marriage alternative of civil unions. Only a handful of Congresspeople (some of them gay themselves) in DEEP! blue districts dared to support gay marriage outright. Today the Democratic Party is the most pro-LGBT major political party in the world, you had the President and every Democrat of any note making statements for TDOV a few days ago and you're not seeing even red state Democrats back down and agree to be "a little transphobic" for votes. It felt a lot more lonely last time when it was us and a handful of allies fighting the backlash with most of the Democratic Party on the side lines handwringing and saying "well can't you wait?"

any ways this movement is and will always be a struggle, the rights we've won, the acceptance we've received has never just been given, it's been won, through hard work. Everyone has to dedicate themselves to work in their corner of the earth to the best of their abilities and to push themselves past what they think they can do. That means hooking up with LGBT rights groups on the ground to protest, to rally, to try to support and comfort those queer people who are down and out in whatever way right now, it means digging deep and having hard and awkward conversations with the people in your life, if you're gay or trans or whatever and you got that one aunt/uncle/cousin/whoever in your life that loves you to bits but you know still votes Republican and you just don't bring it up because you don't want to hurt the relationship... have the talk keep having the talk as many times as you need to. Tell your grandparents if they don't know, tell your parents (if its safe or if you don't need their money any more) tell co-workers who don't know etc, they vote for us 2 to 1 if they know they know one of us. Finally register to vote, make sure all your friends particularly if you're young are registered and vote, vote in every election. Trust me it's AMAZINGLY easy to find the email of candidates for school board or city council and it's amazingly easy to ask questions. Last election I emailed every school board candidate about Holocaust education, and the state rep candidate about trans rights, she wrote me back a lovely note and mailed be a sticker she'd picked up from a trans rights group. It's amazingly easy to get involved, I volunteered with my local democrats for one election and they offered me the #3 spot in their local party, I have the phone numbers of my state rep and state senator without trying really, you can get in the room with these people, with candidates for governor, congress, I have my picture with 3 US Presidents? its not hard to do, and you can use chances like that to talk to them and show them your humanity and leave an impression that really matters in the long run.

sorry to RAMBLE but it's important that everyone do their part, pick a little something, a project to push this thing forward, people doom scrolling, particularly posting about how its hopeless does not help, posting in general doesn't help much even if its not doomerism, I think in the years after the anti-gay marriage Bush backlash we got very online and we got very "progress just happens" and a lot of people fell out of the habit or came of age without the habit of protest and without a local queer community or local progressive community and its very important in the face of this to find or build those and also understand in some places its gonna be years of work to get where we want to go, but we will and it'll be worth all the work.

[xetlynn]

Twilight- Book Four-Mortality: Chapter One- Day Before

(Alice X reader X Jasper)

[One] [Two]

Bella and Edward are getting married, the invitation lying in my hand as I talk to Jasper and Alice.

Something Alice made herself. "Why are you giving this to me?" I tilt my head to the side in confusion. I only ask due to the fact that I have been shopping with my girlfriend for this wedding since we were told about it.

"It's just to say that you have it. Keepsake." She smiles, kissing my cheek before walking away. Leaving Jasper and I in the living room alone.

"You excited for the wedding?" He suddenly speaks up, lifting my thoughts away from the paper. "Mm, I don't like what comes after but what can I do about that?" I shrug my shoulders, the room goes back to being quiet and he lifts his arms. Inviting me into them.

Without a second thought I let him embrace me. He knows how I feel about Bella becoming a vampire. I'm not the biggest fan of it. I wish we could've grown old together, have our little families. Our kids be cousins.

But both of us succumbed to a fate we should've never experienced or had to endure. Even if she technically has the choice, she truly doesn't. The Volturi would stop at nothing to kill her if they had it their way.

"You have to break them in." Alice tells Bella who just stumbled a little in her heels."I've been breaking them in. For three days. Can I just go barefoot?" My sister questions, I smirk knowing what the response will be. "No, absolutely not."

"Just thinking it's a little much, you know? the dress and the shoes and all of this." She gestures ahead of us. Jasper and Carlisle carrying benches for the bride and grooms sides.

"No, it's exactly enough. Tomorrow will be perfect." Alice grins cheerfully. Emmett then comes into view. "Where do you want them, boss?" He asks, carrying a long tree trunk. "On either side of the aisle."

Rosalie then walks past with another tree stump. "What aisle?" She seems a little annoyed. "Does no one have vision?" My girlfriend exasperates loudly, throwing her arms in the air, heading over to them to explain where she wants everything.

I watch Bella take her heels off then put her converse on.

"Sorry you have to deal with her." I rub my sister's shoulder but I can't hide the very clear smirk on my face. For once I'm not getting dressed in ridiculous clothing. Due to this wedding it's only things about the decorations or stuff for other people. Not me.

I love Alice, I love every quirk she has. I love them more when they have nothing to do with me and they're focused on others. "It's only for a few more days then it's all back to you." She gives me a knowing look and I let out a short laugh.

"True."

Alice comes back over to us, putting my arm around her waist. "You, go home and get lots of beauty sleep. Your sister will take you home. That's an order." She points to both of us. "Okay."

The two hug and Bella walks away. Alice picks her heels up.

"Please make sure she gets good sleep tonight." She suddenly turns to me with the heels in her hands. "Yes ma'am." I nod my head, giving a tiny salute.

"I love you." She kisses my lips. "I love you too. I pull her in my arms, pressing her into another kiss. "You gotta go." She pushes me back with a smile.

"Ugh but I'll miss you so much." I whine, trying to kiss her again but she laughs, keeping a hand out, the other still holding the shoes. "I'll miss you too but you have to go." She tells me, I pout but listen to her.

"I'm gonna go say goodbye to the other love of my life." I walk off, hurrying over to Jasper.

Jasper's setting some of the flowers up, unaware I'm there. I quietly get ready to pounce on him. Squinting my eyes on how I'm going to do it. I glance around. The only person around is Rosalie. We make eye contact and I put a finger to my lips, motioning for her to stay quiet. At first she nods but then I see a glint in her eyes but it's too late I was already going forward.

"Jasper!" She shouts, earning his attention, he finally realizes I'm there. Ruining the element of surprise. I jump right into his arms and he catches me.

"Rosalie! I can't believe you." I act shocked. Once I saw her I knew she was going to do that. She's done it before.

"Anyway, I have to go before our girl yells at me once again. Just wanted to say I love you before I left." He was still holding onto me. My legs wrapped around his torso. "Well I love you too." He gives me a kiss.

"Yeah, yeah." I drop down, kissing him one last time then heading to Bella's truck.

I don't know why Alice said I was taking her home when Bella was going to be the one who drove us.

"Sleepover tonight?" Bella asks as we entered the house. "Um, hell yeah." I grin, "Let me get dressed and I'll bring snacks up." I tell her, both of us going separate ways to our rooms.

After getting dressed I go to leave my room but I hear noise outside and I immediately know who it is. Edward is seeing Bella before the wedding. Against Alice's repeated threats for him not to do that.

I look out of my window to see Emmett and Jasper. Emmett points to me, then points to Jasper and makes kissy faces. I roll my eyes with a smile.

I head out of my room and upstairs but I stop myself when I hear their conversation. I attempt to block it out of my head. Trying to focus on a different sound in the house. I lean against the wall and then I remember I have to get the snacks so I walk downstairs. Charlie seemed to already have gone to bed.

I get a bunch of snacks together, most of Bella's favorites then a few of my weird ones that I enjoy after turning into a Hybrid.

After putting them into a grocery bag I hear a whistle from outside. "What is that?" I hear Bella ask. "Come on! Let's go!" Emmett shouts from outside. "I'm late for my bachelor party." Edward responds. I hear a thud. "Send him out, Bella, or we're coming in after him." Emmett tells my sister.

I smile to myself, lifting the bag and walking back upstairs. Loudly crinkling the bag, entering her bedroom. "So, this party. Will there be strippers?" My sister asks, both of them acknowledging me but in the same not.

"No, just a couple of mountain lions. Maybe a few bears." Edward chuckles. A thump comes from the window and Jasper is there. "Don't worry, Bella, we'll give him back in plenty of time." He then winks over to me, jumping back down. Emmett and him playfully shoving one another.

"Okay, go before they break my house."

"Let's go! Let's go!" Emmett shouts. "I'll meet you at the altar." Edward says, heading to the window. "I'll be the one in white." My sister awkwardly tells him. "That was very convincing."

She laughs as he jumps out of the window. The both of us go over and watch the three guys mess with each other.

Once they're gone, I shake the bag. Getting her attention. "What movie we watching tonight?" I ask, both of us heading over to her bed and she gets her laptop out. I let her choose the movie and I try to focus on it.

Only hearing her heartbeat instead. Listening to the calmness. I glance over to her practically already asleep. Her breathing was slowed, heavy. I think about how this is one of her last moments as a human.

My chest tightens at the thought of her having to go through the pain I did when I turned into a Vampire.

I then feel her hand find its way to my arm. Mumbles exiting her mouth, obviously distressed. I look over to her clock and it's already been three hours.

I look at the laptop and the credits of the movie had already passed, its back to the loading screen. I didn't even notice the time go by.

She makes another noise and I play with her hair, trying to do what our mother used to do for us when we were little.

"What did I say about beauty sleep?" Alice questions Bella who grimaces. "Sorry, bad dream. It was wedding jitters." She apologizes, I think about last night and how many times she woke up.

Rosalie walks into the room, looking gorgeous. "Do you need some help? I could do her hair." She turns to my girlfriend who goes to speak but Bella interjects. "Really?"

"Please. I'm not offended by your choice of groom." She plays with Bella's hair. "Just my blatant lack of respect for mortality." Bella says.

"Essentially." Rosalie gently smiles. "Weddings. They bring everyone together." Alice dreamily sighs, leaning into my body. The three of us were dressed in purple dresses. Well I was in a dress suit. It was a similar color to Alice's.

We then hear Renee and Charlie speaking outside of the room. "[Name]? Bella?" Our mom calls out. "In here, mom." We yell together.

Renee enters first. "Oh, my gosh! You're so beautiful. Oh, honey." She begins to tear up. "Crap! My mascara." I let out a little laugh, going over to her and giving her a handkerchief. She leans into my side hug. "Thanks, sweetie. Charlie, get in here." She shouts over to the door.

"You sure? I don't wanna..." He walks into the room wearing a tux. All of us shocked by his clean get up. "I know. I look hot." We all laugh.

"We thought you needed something blue." Charlie then opens a gift box containing a hair comb that has blue jewels on it. "And something old. Besides your mother." He jokes, my mom shaking her head. "Nice."

"It was Grandma Swan's." Charlie informs her. Bella picks it up. "But we added the sapphires." Renee points to it. "It's beautiful, you guys. Wow. Thank you so much." Bella hands it over to Alice.

"It's your first family heirloom. Well it could be yours and [Name]s. Pass on to her then to your guy's daughters then onto their daughters." Renee begins to cry again. My body tenses up and I glance over to Alice who gives me a sympathetic smile.

"Mom, I love it." Bella goes to hug our parents but my girlfriend stops her.

"Nope, no smudging my masterpiece." She orders. I snort, Renee gently slapping me. "She's right."

"Okay. Time for the dress! Do you want to see it?" She asks Renee. "I want to see it!"

Masterlist

A&J M.L.

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If you did not get tagged that is because for some reason it won’t let me and I apologize! Or I might’ve didn’t see your comment!

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

What do they really want tho? At the grand scheme of things, William and Catherine are still going to be King and Queen and it's their bloodline that will continue the monarchy.

They want the deal Harry was promised in 2012, the deal that he bragged to Meghan about when they were dating, the deal she married him for, this deal right here:

A monarchy that was just King Charles, his two sons, and their two wives. No Cambridge grandchildren. No aunts and uncles. No cousins.

And the deal was that William and Kate would be King and Queen, remaining in and focusing largely on the UK, while Harry and his future wife would be Heads of the Commonwealth, traveling and raising awareness for local communities and issues in the Commonwealth.

The "splitting" of duties like this was largely speculation based on how much Harry preferred being in Africa. It went into a little bit of a fever pitch when Meghan came along. There were a couple of...yellow flags there, let's say. (Meghan wearing Harry's bracelets from Africa, Meghan suddenly talking about how much she loved Africa, everyone realizing that Meghan's humanitarian work and Tig travels were to Commonwealth countries - India, Rwanda, Malta.)

Then they made comments in the engagement interview that made everyone realize there really might be something here about Harry taking over the Commonwealth:

(Interviewer asks about Meghan having a big internaitonal profile already, is she ready for a bigger platform?)

Meghan: I think what's been really exciting as we talk about the transition of this out of my career but into the role is that as you said the causes that have been very important to me, I can focus even more energy on. Because very early out of the gate I think you realize once you have access or a voice that people are willing to listen to with that comes a lot of responsibility, which I take seriously. And at the same time I think in these beginning few months and now being boots on the ground in the U.K. I'm excited to just really get to know more about the different communities here, smaller organizations we're working on the same causes that I've always been passionate about under this umbrella. And and also being able to go around the commonwealth I think is just just the beginning of that.

Prince Harry: There's a lot to do, there’s a lot to do.

(Interviewer asks a question about Meghan giving up her acting career. She talks about working on Suits and spins leaving as her own choice.)

(Interviewer asks Harry of the responsibility Meghan was taking up by marrying him. Harry gives a blabbering word salad about "I hope she's in love with me" and defines teamwork.)

Meghan Markle: So nicely said, isn't it? (🤢)

Prince Harry: She's capable of she's capable of anything. And together as I said there’s a hell of a lot of stuff, work that needs doing. At the moment for us, it's going to be making sure that our relationship is always put first, but both of us have passions for wanting to make change, change for good. And you know with lots of young people running around the commonwealth, that's where we’ll spend most of our time hopefully.

Compared to William and Kate, who didn't talk at all about future or prospective roles in the monarchy during their engagement interview...flags were waving, bells were ringing, trolleys were clang-clang-clanging.

And then, the first signal from the BRF that Charles's future monarchy had a plan for Harry involving more of the Commonwealth: Her Late Majesty appointed Harry President of the newly-created The Queen's Commonwealth Trust in April 2018.

And finally-finally, there was confirmation of the deal itself. By none other than the BRF's new leaky faucet, Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018 when she re-colonized the Commonwealth for her veil and again four months later when she co-opted the "Queen of the World" documentary to be about her, instead of The Queen's work in the Commonwealth.

So TL;DR, what do Harry and Meghan really want? They want the global prestige Harry was promised all the way back in 2012 and that Meghan was promised in 2018: equal status to William and Kate, permanently #3 on the call sheet, and the Commonwealth of Nations to rule over.

(Here's the original image from the RAF 100th anniversary that I edited to get a "Wales-only" balcony. You don't even miss him!)

(Also it's interesting that Meghan is visually centered in the RAF 100th photo but her dark outfit compared to the brighter, lighter colors of everyone else makes her disappear into the background and draws attention to The Queen instead. She pwned her own self. But also the RAF 100 balcony is exactly what Meghan wants from the BRF: to be front and center while Kate and William are shoved off on the sidelines.)

[justfangirlstuffs]

So Much More

Adjustment periods can be difficult, job hunting even more so. But an unexpected visitor comes to provide a pleasant distraction. (Takes place after A Saltwater Room.) You x Sea Slug Moon

Wordcount: 2900

cw: slightly suggestive

Sea Slug AU belongs to @scarredlove

“Hello, sea star,” a voice spoke from your open bedroom window, causing you to nearly jump out of your skin.

You whipped around to see Moon climbing in through your window, his red eyes gleaming bright with delight and mischief. "Moon, you shouldn't be here," you muttered, hurriedly going to your bedroom door and closing it, locking it for good measure so no one came in unannounced. Your aunt said she'd be working late, and your cousin was staying the night elsewhere but... couldn't be too careful.

It had been several days since you'd been reunited with Moon and his siblings, Sun and Eclipse. Once you had believe them to be simple if not strange sea slugs that you had loved and lost years ago. Only to discover that in truth, they were some manner of mythical sea creature. Sea slugs, yet so much more than that. More than you could have ever guessed.

Honestly, you were still getting used to having them back in your life. It had been so long since you've seen them. They were so different, and you were different too. Time had chafed you, made you rough and tender around the edges. It didn't help that you were already going through an immense transition in your life. So suddenly having them back in your life... it was a lot.

"And yet, here I am," Moon giggled mischievously, leaning on the wall near the window.

The moonlight cast his shadow on the wall and reflected on his dazzling robes, the patterns of bio luminescence drawing your gaze with their mesmerizing beauty. His eyes were shining with amusement but he didn't look like he had any bad or malicious intentions.

His voice softened a margin. "Don't be mad... I just wanted to see you.”

The words cause an undeniable, split-second lift to your mood. When was the last time someone said those words to you? It felt like forever... "I'm not mad," you said quickly, wanting to reassure him in some form or fashion. You sat back down at your desk, with the newspaper classified ads spread out before you. "You guys just have a habit of showing up without warning. It can be..." What was a tactful way to put it? "...stressful."

The antennae on his hood twitched and drooped a bit. You didn't know it, but your words did make him feel a bit guilty. After all, he was known for sometimes being very intrusive and showing up unexpectedly, even when he's uninvited or at undesirable times. He took a step forward, leaning forward over your desk but not yet invading your personal space. Though by the look in his eyes it was on his mind.

"Well...we're family, right?" he said, as if that was enough of a justification for his actions. His head tilted to the side, his expression softening as his shoulders drooped a little. "Besides... aren't you happy to see me?"

You thought about that question. Which, yeah, wild that you even had to think about it. Most people would probably find it weird; shouldn't you be able to just.... know how you feel? Yet you had to pause, and reflect, and try and identify your mental state. And then you had to find the words to express it. It was like wading through static.

"I'm not unhappy," you said finally, looking at him sincerely. "And I'm not asking you to leave."

Moon was slightly taken back by your answer, but his eyes glimmered with amusement. "Well, that's a good start." He leaned a bit further on your desk, slowly closing the gap that was between you and him. "But you're not totally pleased by my presence either, are you? You're just tolerating it, is that right?" The corners of his lips curved upwards, as if he was daring you to try to lie.

"It's not that, it's just..." You bit your lip and glanced away from him, looking down at the multitude of jobs you'd either circled or crossed out. Such a simple task, yet for you it had been a monolith chore. "I just don't feel like I'm the greatest company right now."

He let his lips thin out, the smirk was replaced by concern. This wasn't the response he was hoping for. It might not be the worst that he could have heard, but it was not the best answer he could've gotten. His expression softened, his body became less imposing and he sat down on the bed beside your desk, gazing at you whilst taking care not to cross your personal space.

"Are you not feeling alright?" He asked earnestly, you could tell he was genuinely concerned for you and not just asking out of politeness.

Wasn't that a loaded question? But thankfully at least you had an immediate source of stress you could identify and voice.

"I need to find a job." You sighed, pinching bridge of your nose and squeezing your eyes shut for a moment. "I've been applying to various places but... I keep getting rejected."

It was tiring, and it was stressful, and it was such a soul sucking ordeal. Putting in the effort, waiting to hear back, only to be overlooked or declined. Not exactly a boon towards your self-esteem.

"Why do you need a job?" he asked curiously, head tilted to the side. He was still sitting near you, his legs crossed and hands resting in his lap. It was such an ordinary position but something about it made him seem even more approachable and calm. It was a stark contrast to his usual self that often seemed impish and playful.

"Because... I need to make money. I need to help out. I can't.... I can't be a waste of space." You voice broke over those last three words, like glass shattering against rocks. Tears burned your eyes as your anxiety swelled.

Moon's eyes widened in shock at your sudden breakdown, you looked... fragile and vulnerable, yet your words had an underlying tone of determination to them. You spoke as if you were ashamed and have to pay for simply existing in this world. His expression softened, he immediately reached out and grasped your hand. His skin was soft and cool, the texture far too smooth and alien to be human, yet it felt comforting.

"You're not a waste of space," he said in a quiet voice, his long fingers carefully lacing with yours. "Not to me. To me, you're... so much more than that."

Tears dripped down your face, and even though his words didn't completely calm your fears, they were until to keep you from getting pulled under by the riptide of anxiety. Moon's touch and genuine affection was like a life preserver keeping you afloat on rough waters. You were still getting tossed, but you weren't drowning.

"Thank you," you murmured, giving his hand a firm squeeze.

"Anytime," he answered, continuing to speak in that soft and gentle way. "And also..." He hesitated for a moment, but he looked at you. His gaze was sincere and genuine, like he wanted to say something but afraid of ruining the mood. "You can always come to me when you're feeling like this. I just... don't want you to be alone during these difficult times. Not again."

That managed to bring a small smile to your face, and you sniffled, wiping your tears with the sleeve of your jacket. "I'll keep that in mind, if I ever want to pal around with a troublemaker like you."

"Aww, troublemaker, huh?" He chuckled, a mischievous grin slowly spreading across his face as he squeezed your hand a bit. "A compliment from you? What a surprise. I feel honored."

A snort of mirth erupted from you and you had to grab some tissues to clear out your sinuses before you felt a little better. Moon shifted slightly in his seat, trying to get comfortable, though it's evident that all he wants to do is to get closer to you. He gave your hand a small tug, silently urging you to sit on the bed with him. You gave a heavy sigh but decided to let him pull you away from work to plop onto your mattress beside him.

"Wanna know a secret?" he asked, his antennae twitching restlessly.

"Oh, a secret?" you murmured, giving your voice an edge of conspiratorial playfulness. "Now I feel honored."

"It's about you." The glint in his eyes was impish and his smirk indicated that he was up to something. "But don't tell anyone, alright? Keep it between yourself and your old pal Moon."

"My lips are sealed." You drew your hand across your mouth like you were closing a zipper. "So, what's the secret?"

"The secret is..." He shifted his body closer to you - close but not too close- and you caught the scent of sea breeze and something sweet... like watermelons. His gaze sharpened on you, as if he was studying every small detail about your face.

His smile was still etched right across his features and you could practically feel his excitement building up. He took a deep breath as if he was about to tell you something that was forbidden. He whispered the words into your ear.

"You're beautiful." He had finally found a word that fit perfectly for what he wanted to say, and he just had to say it. His grin brightened up into a big smile, his gaze shifting from your eyes to your lips.

Your heart stuttered in your chest and suddenly heat was overwhelming your face like you'd just stepped out into the mid-afternoon sun. "O-Oh..."

Moon observed the effect his words had on you. Your blush, your fluttering heart beat, the way your breath seemed to come out all too lightly and quickly. He took note of all of them. His smile didn't falter, neither did his gaze. He took a risk, he was now closer to you, you could feel his robes brushing against your skin, gently caging you like the most lovely and velvety cage imaginable. His hand was still gripping yours as he stayed silent, letting the moment linger. He wanted you to experience it, to savor it and to feel it's warmth.

Your heart thumped loudly at the sudden proximity and you eased back just a little bit. Even after all these years, it seemed Moon was still a cuddly little guy... except he wasn't little anymore. And your perceptions of him were vastly different from how they were when you were younger.

"H-How have you been?" you asked. It was an attempt at regaining some control of the situation, yet it was also a question that had been on your mind every since you re-discovered them.

Despite the sudden change of subject Moon didn't seem to mind. He chuckled, his fingers still holding yours, his thumb tenderly brushing over your heated skin.

"I've been alright. Though..." His voice became quieter, and you had to concentrate a bit to hear it. "I've really missed you."

"I missed you too..."

A thousand apologies got stuck in your throat, choking off your next words. You'd had no idea that Moon and his brothers had been lingering so close to home. If you had, you would have come back sooner. Instead, you had stayed away, the bittersweet memories too painful to revisit. Yet another thing to pile onto your list of regrets.

He nodded and a brief flash of concern crossed his expression, as if he could sense the guilt in you. "You don't have to say it, I know." He smiled, a slight pity in it. This moment was no longer filled with light or laughter, it was heavy and full of regret.

"The past years... have definitely been hard on all of us," He finally said, breaking the silence that had settled between the two of you. "Especially to you."

You shook your head, already guilty that you'd managed to bring down a pleasant mood. "I'm fine. I've been... managing." That felt like such a lie. You didn't feel like you've been managing at all. "Really, I'm... I'm dealing with it. I'd much rather hear about you."

The fact that you tried to dismiss the conversation with a quick 'I'm fine...' made him feel even more pity for you. He noticed your reluctance to talk about it. You were still dealing with something and you weren't ready yet. You needed more time, and that was something he was aware of.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked, his voice softer, gentler than before. He looked at you, and you could see that he took your feelings more seriously.

"Of course," you said quickly, eager for a change of topic. Eager for something to distract you from the heavy weight that seemed to constantly be anchoring you.

He shifted his body again, his long legs now crossed over each other, his robes fanning out across the bed like a gleaming river or waterfall. His eyes scanned every part of your face as if searching for something. Finally, he took a deep breath, then spoke again.

"You know, I thought I'd find you so different. You had been gone for so long, I thought you were going to be..." He broke the silence again. "Different."

A burble of laughter erupted up. Though it was more of an expression of surprise than actual mirth. "You mean I'm not?"

"No... not really." He shifted once again, now leaning slightly closer, his eyebrows curling upwards with curiosity. "I think you're still you. I was expecting to see a complete stranger here. But you're still you. Everything that I remembered is still there. You're still adorable, you're still kind, and you're still so very warm." He smirked, his gaze was now intense as he stared at you closely. "Are you still ticklish, though?"

Your eyes widened and before you could react Moon pounced. You feel back on the bed, squirming as Moon began tickling you. "Moon! Moon! Stop! I can't... Noooooooo!" You screeched between fits of laughter as you kicked and squirmed.

Moon laughed, amused by the sight. He began to tickle you ruthlessly, his fingers quickly exploring every inch of your stomach, sides, and even underneath your arms. His laughter became so intense that he almost couldn't breathe. "I've missed doing this to you so much, little crab," he confessed between giggles. "And I missed the noises you make."

He eased up a bit and you had a moment to catch your breath, wheezing and giggling as you stare up at him. You were entirely sure what he meant. Was he referring to the times when you would take him out of his tank and let him crawl along your arms and neck? That had to be it.

"You are such a gremlin," you muttered, but the comment was said with affection. A lot had changed but... it seemed Moon wasn't all that different either.

"The cutest gremlin you'll ever meet," he replied, his voice dripping with mischief.

Moon leaned down towards your face, his hands still on your stomach as he gave you a big smile. He giggled with you, both of you were red in the face from laughing and from being tickled, and yet the two of you seemed so happy at that moment. He shifted slightly, trying to get a bit closer to you, his hands gently moving to your legs.

He leaned down, his face close to yours. "You know what I miss the most?"

The mood seemed to suddenly shift, and like the lurch of a car turning too quickly, you found yourself a little unsteady as you stared up at him. "Wh-what?" you spluttered out.

"Your scent," he said, his voice was very quiet and calm. He had moved even closer, he was breathing out in hot puffs on your face, and you could see his chest rising and falling. His gaze went down as he looked at you, his hands were still firmly on your legs, but he had made no sudden movements.

“Your taste.” Once again, one of his hands found yours, effortlessly threading them together as though that were their natural state. There was a calmness in the still, the air was heavier, a bit more intense, but not in a bad way. His voice was very soft and sincere, almost as if he was trying to tell you something.

"And your kisses," he finally said. This moment was finally ripe, it gave him the chance to see if you were still open to the idea. He was now even closer to you. His gaze pierced through yours, as if looking for an answer in them.

Staring up at him, you found yourself at a loss for words. He couldn't possibly mean what you were thinking, right? Sure, you used to kiss him. But he'd been just a little slug you could hold in the palm of your hand. But now he was... he was... what?

Before you could say or do anything, a stream of water shot across the room and hit Moon in the face, splashing against his cheek. You jumped as Moon hissed in surprise. The both of you looked around to see his brother, Sun, standing in your room with a squirt bottle in his hand and a far too wide smile on his face. To be continued...

[spooo00oky]

Siren's Spell

Chapter Five.

Pairing: siren!Wooyoung x reader

Genre: fantasy, eventual smut, romance, fluff

Word Count: 8k+

Warnings: swearing, blood, suggestive themes, Thalassophobia.

Author’s Note: N/A Editors note: SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO POST THIS!!!!

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To say the rest of the fashion show was awkward was an understatement. I made the decision to act like everything was fine at least for Hongjoong’s sake. Seonghwa and Wooyoung were agreeable enough to my wishes but it didn’t mean they were any less wary of Maggiore. They shot her sharp looks every time she moved, and she seemed to revel in their reactions. Worry pooled in my belly at what this meant for Hongjoong. 

He was oblivious to the entire situation, greeting Wooyoung and Seonghwa with a bright smile and a handshake. Hongjoong and Seonghwa talked about fashion for a little bit before he stepped away from him to pull me to the side. “You didn’t tell me that that man you hugged was your mate! When did that happen? And would Seonghwa by any chance be upset if I wanted him as a model for my label?” 

I laughed at his hurt expression and rubbed a soothing hand on his shoulder. “It’s a long story, I’ll explain it to you over dinner at a different time,” I told him. “But yes, Wooyoung is my mate, and you’d have to ask Seonghwa about that. He’s still pretty new to most things on the surface.” 

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Wooyoung perk up a bit, having no doubt heard me despite the distance between us and the noise of everyone in the room. I smiled despite myself, the word “mate” was easier to say this time and I didn’t feel any anxiety after doing so. It was almost natural to say I was his mate. It was enough to make the butterflies in my belly flutter. 

Hongjoong pouted but nodded. “I’ll hold you to it then. He seems like a good male, he and Seonghwa both do.” He looked around to make sure said males weren’t within earshot before leaning in closer. “I didn’t want to be rude by asking them but what kind of creature are they?” 

I giggled when I saw both males stifle their laughter from across the room. “They’re sirens, you don’t have to be so nervous around them, you know. They’re very sweet when you get to know them. They’ve answered all of the questions I had and then some.” 

Hongjoong’s eyes widened in shock and he turned to look at the males again who were doing a good job at making it look like they were too deep in conversation to notice us. His eyes scanned over them before turning back to me with a nod. “That makes a lot of sense then. They’re too pretty to be any other kind of creature that I know of. Seonghwa’s voice is almost musical too, is that because of their magic?” 

I shrugged. “Maybe? It is certainly more prominent with him compared to the other members of their current. Most of the others sound more normal I guess you could say.” My eyes wandered once more to the woman Hongjoong came with, finding her towards the back of the room and her eyes already on me. If looks could kill I would be six feet under already with the way her dark gaze bore into me. I quickly turned back to him with a smile. He was right, Seonghwa and Wooyoung’s beauty was almost dizzying, as was the rest of the current. I haven’t met any female sirens, but compared to the males I’ve met she almost looked bland. Was this normal for the females or was she an outlier? 

“Seonghwa has been wanting to talk to you about fashion though, it’s a passion of his. You two should talk more about it after the show, that way you can ask him about that modeling gig too,” I told my cousin with a smile. 

He nodded. “I will, I’ll manage to work up the nerve to do it,” he said with a grin right as the lights dimmed in the room. The lights on stage brightened and I turned to guide my friends to our seats but met Wooyoung’s chest instead. I stumbled back but his hands held me steady, a charming smile on his face. 

“Can’t have you falling for me again,” he teased. 

I rolled my eyes despite the smile that grew on my face. “Let’s not inflate your ego, alright?” I took his hand and guided him and Seonghwa to our seats in the front row. I went to take my seat but was suddenly swapped by Seonghwa, who scooted me over just as Maggiore took her seat right next to where I was about to sit. I watched her eyes narrow for a moment before they widened again and she looked up and Hongjoong. 

“Oh I forgot my purse! Here, sit down Joongie, I’ll be back in a second,” she said with a sweet smile before walking away to go find her purse. 

I watched the whole conversation with narrowed eyes. She was good at acting, that much was for sure. It was unnerving to see how fast she was able to switch expressions. 

“Which number are you in the lineup, y/n?” Hongjoong asked me. 

“I’m third,” I told him just as Maggiore took her seat on the opposite side of Hongjoong. He smiled when she sat down and took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. 

I watched as she smiled back at him and leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. Her eyes bored into mine as her lips met his cheek and I turned my attention to the stage just as music began to play. How she managed to make giving someone a kiss on the cheek seem like a threat was a little intimidating. 

Someone squeezed my hand and I turned to look at Wooyoung just as the first modelers walked across the stage. He leaned in a little closer towards my ear. “Are you alright?” 

I nodded. “I’m fine, just nervous of how everyone will like my designs.” It was a lie and we both knew it. My nervousness stemmed from the other siren that was making it very apparent that she had my cousin wrapped around her finger. I had a million questions and plans on how to get Hongjoong away from her and safe again. Had she known he was my cousin or was it a lucky guess that he would be the way to get closer to me and through me to Wooyoung? 

He gave me a reassuring smile before pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. “It’ll be alright, they’ll love your designs.” 

I thanked him before turning my attention back to the stage as Seonghwa nudged me. There were sparkles in his eyes as he smiled down at me in excitement. “I’m excited to see what you’ve done,” he told me and I gave him a grateful smile just as the first of the models began to walk down the aisle. 

I held my breath as she moved, watching the way the fabric held itself up into the intricate positions I put it in. It flowed effortlessly around her legs and didn’t hinder her at all. I couldn’t stop the smile that curled my lips as the next models followed after her, the bold colors of the clothes they wore creating a color story on the runway. They looked good, and Seonghwa stared in awe of them. His hand tightened around mine and my giggle was swallowed up by the music playing through the speakers. If no one liked my designs I was happy knowing at least Seonghwa loved them. 

The last model was making her way down the runway and I watched Wooyoung’s expression out of the corner of my eye. His eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed in confusion and I couldn’t help my smile from becoming bigger at his reaction. 

The dress was form fitting and black, rippling under the lights like black water. The black trailed off at about waist level before tapering into a skin colored fabric; splotches of black staining the bodice of the dress in random places like a koi fish. Small crystal beads caught the lighting from above and showed like water droplets after just getting out of the water. Once she came closer to us we could see the subtle swirled pattern hidden in the black of the dress, making Seonghwa ooo and ahh as he took it all in. 

Once she walked past us completely and the next round of models began to walk out I felt Wooyoung tug on my hand. I looked up at him and giggled at the expression he had on his face. “Did I inspire you so much that you made a dress that looks like me?” 

I shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I won’t be telling you though.” 

He lightly pinched my leg and I squirmed away from him, laughing as the final model of the show rounded the corner and Annabelle came out onto the runway. She beamed as the crowd applauded and she did a few low bows before she was handed a microphone. 

“Thank you all for coming tonight, and I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves! Please help yourselves to the drinks that are provided and feel free to speak with some of my designers and myself about the things we’ve shown you today,” she said with a bright smile before handing off the microphone and walking off of the stage. I stood up with the crowd, holding onto Wooyoung’s hand as I accepted the congratulations that were given to me by the nearest guests. My cheeks were beginning to hurt from the smile that never left my face, ecstatic that my designs were so well received. 

“See? You had nothing to worry about,” Wooyoung said in my ear just as San and Mingi came up to pull me into hugs and congratulate me. 

I smiled up at him and gave his hand a squeeze. “Thank you Wooyoung. I’m happy to have you here for this.” 

He grinned and leaned down to press a kiss to the top of my head, making my heart flutter in my chest. I didn’t fight the feeling that bubbled up inside of me, it felt more natural now and less intimidating. Maybe it was the rush of a show well done or maybe I was finally starting to accept the bond between us. Either way, I didn’t let those thoughts linger long as Hongjoong and Maggiore walked up to us at that moment. 

“You did an amazing job as always, y/n,” Hongjoong said with a smile as he pulled me into a hug. I smiled and hugged him tightly, happy that my cousin was able to enjoy this moment with me as well. 

“Thank you, Hongjoong. I was really inspired with these new designs so I’m glad everyone liked it,” I told him as I pulled away enough to look at him. 

He nodded in understanding and held out a hand behind him and I watched Maggiore take it and step closer. I hated how my heart dropped a little towards my feet at the sweet smile she gave me. I felt more than I saw Wooyoung move closer to my side. 

“Maggiore also loved the designs, isn’t that right darling?” Hongjoong asked her, adoration shining in his eyes as he looked at her. 

She nodded, the smile she gave him not quite reaching her eyes. “They were lovely, but I have to be honest. Compared to previous designs you’ve done in the past, these just didn’t capture my attention as much. They almost seemed a little too gaudy.” 

My heart sank even lower in my chest at her words and my smile wobbled. I could feel her magic brush against me this time, knowing she was attempting to charm me again. I had a feeling she’d pull something like this so it didn’t bother me as much but when Hongjoong turned to me I felt a lump form in my throat. 

“I have to agree with her on this one. You did do an amazing job, but the designs didn’t seem to hit their mark, you know? Perhaps you could’ve reeled it in a little bit. They were eyesores compared to the rest of the designs we saw today,” Hongjoong said and I felt tears prick my eyes. His voice was almost robotic and his eyes had glazed over now that he was under Maggiore’s influence. 

“See? Even Hongjoong agrees with me that your designs were horrendous this time. You should really do better,” Maggiore said with a triumphant smirk when she saw the way my expression fell. This was a petty play on her part and sadly it was working. 

I watched as another guest turned around to face me, his eyes glazed over as well. He had fallen victim to her power and my eyes widened when I watched a few other people who were in range of her magic turn to me. 

“Why’d you even think that those designs were any good?” 

“You should’ve sat this one out, we liked San’s designs better anyway.” 

“Why even try to prove yourself? You should’ve given up on this dream of yours a long time ago.” 

I didn’t realize how tightly I had begun to grip Wooyoung’s hand. The tears were threatening to spill over at their words. They weren’t even that harsh of insults and I knew that they were all under the influence of Maggiore’s influence but my insecurities were getting the best of me right now. The most painful being Hongjoong, who has done nothing but praise me since I started in this industry. I accepted his constructive criticism when I needed it but his words stung. I looked up to him greatly. It was natural his cold words would sting the most. 

“This is low even for you.” 

I looked up at the sound of Seonghwa’ voice and saw the enraged expression on his face. I’ve never seen him like this, the usually soft spoken siren looked like the monsters that people said they were. 

“What do you gain from doing this? Petty manipulation so that these guests would spew insults at y/n? I think you’ve hit rock bottom now, Maggiore.” He turned to the gathered guests. “You all loved those designs, you said as much beforehand. Don’t allow yourselves to be swayed by a lowlife who has nothing better to do than ruin the party.” 

I watched as the glazed over look in their eyes faded away as they blinked, almost like they were waking up from a daydream. A few walked away dazedly while a few others nodded with smiles before doing the same. 

Maggiore looked furious that her fun had come to a close and she opened her mouth like she was about to entrance more people when a warm, comforting sensation washed over us. The feeling was enough to make my tears stop momentarily and Wooyoung wiped away one that escaped with a gentle swipe of his finger. 

“Thank you for de-escalating the situation before I could get here. I wasn’t expecting so many sirens to be at the show tonight,” Annabelle spoke as she walked up, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look this serious before. Her usual joyful expression was devoid of all emotion now. It was like I was seeing an entirely different being before me. 

“While I am accepting and accommodating of all manner of beings that attend my shows, I do not tolerate the use of magic that is against the will of my guests. With that being said I will politely ask that you leave the building immediately or else there will be consequences. Don’t try to use your magic again either, I’ve already placed a spell that nullifies the effects of it throughout the entire room. You are powerless now.” 

Maggiore’s open mouth closed, curling into an enraged snarl as she shot me a murderous look. Wooyoung tugged me behind him to block me from her sight, but I watched her around his arm. There was no way I wasn’t going to watch her, not with her being so close to Hongjoong. 

”I’ll be seeing you again,” was all she said before grabbing Hongjoong’s hand and dragging him towards the exit. He followed after her like a zombie, still very much under her spell. 

“Hongjoong no!” I cried, fearing for his well being now more than ever. I ducked under Wooyoung’s arm and bolted after them, hearing both siren’s cry out in alarm at my retreating figure.

I had just reached out to grab Hongjoong’s hand before the world became a blur. It all happened so fast that my brain struggled to comprehend what had happened for a minute when I heard Wooyoung snarl loudly. I was not where I was standing a second ago, instead my arm was in Wooyong’s grip and my body was partially hidden behind his own. Wooyoung looked like he wanted to rip Maggiore apart while she looked bloodthirsty. She held her clawed hand close to her side and that’s when I noticed the blood that dripped from it. 

I gasped as I noticed the puddle of blood forming beneath mine and Wooyoung’s hands. I followed the trail upwards and saw the gashes that marred the pretty bronze skin on his arm, some of it flowing onto my hand as well. 

“Don’t ever fucking touch her or I will rip you limb from limb,” Wooyoung growled, his threat ringing throughout the air. 

Maggiore let out a snarl of her own before rushing to the exit with Hongjoong in tow. 

“Wait, give him back!” I cried out, struggling in San’s hold. He wasn’t relenting though, and I watched with tears in my eyes as Hongjoong left with Maggiore for possibly the last time. 

༄

The rest of the guests left soon after that. Annabelle assured them that everything was fine but most of them seemed uneasy at the outburst of the sirens in attendance. A few left immediately afterwards while others enjoyed the party for a little longer, trying to lighten the mood after the disturbance. Once San had let me go I had turned to Wooyoung to tend to his wound. The claw marks had already begun to close up in such a short time, but I used my shirt to stop the blood flow until Mingi returned with a first aid kit. 

“You didn’t have to do this, it was my stupid decision to chase after them,” I said softly, my voice thick with emotion and my eyes trying to rapidly blink away tears. 

“As your mate, yes I did. She would’ve clawed your hand off if I hadn’t,” he explained, giving me a smile to try and ease my worries. 

Seonghwa came up to me then, rubbing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry too much, siren’s heal fast.” 

“It doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less,” I said glumly just as Mingi arrived with a first aid kit. I gratefully took it away from him with thanks, opening it and starting to clean his wound. They were nothing more than thin scratches by now, so I began to clean the blood that had dried around it and make sure it wouldn’t become infected. My shirt was no doubt ruined and I would have to throw it out once I was able to. 

Wooyoung gently stopped my hand and made me look up at him with a hum. He gave me a smile and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I assure you I’m fine. I’ve had worse things happen to me. Sirens get a little agitated in Socix when it’s mating season, so a scratch like this is nothing in comparison.” 

I nodded and followed along with him as he instructed me to take a deep breath with him. It helped a lot more than I thought it would; clearing my head and steadying my heart. 

There was a sigh and I looked up at Annabelle, noticing the last of the guests had left the building. She looked weary and guilt pooled up inside of my belly again. Wooyoung sniffed and gave my hand a comforting squeeze. ”Well, that was a lot more dramatic of an ending to the show than I was expecting. Thank you again for diffusing the situation before I could get over here.” She gave Seonghwa a warm smile. She turned to Wooyoung and I with concern in her gaze. “How are you doing? Do I need to do some healing magic?” 

Wooyoung shook his head. “No need, I’m completely fine.” He moved his arm out of my grip to show that the claw marks had closed completely and were faint pink scars. I was a little envious of how fast they were able to heal. “I’m sorry for the disturbance in your show, we had no idea such an unexpected guest would show up.” 

Annabelle held up a hand with a shake of her head. “There’s no need to apologize, it isn’t your fault. If it wasn’t a rowdy guest it would’ve been Ming getting too drunk and causing a scene. I’m used to it.” 

Mingi sputtered. “I broke the stage one time!” 

“Yes and the time before that it was a light.” 

He grumbled but didn’t try to fight her words anymore; knowing she had more blackmail. Annabelle smiled before turning to me. “Now how are you?”

I sighed. “Shaken up mostly. That was a lot in a short amount of time.”

She nodded in understanding. “I can imagine so. I know your mate will be ready to answer all of your questions when you get home though.” She gave Wooyoung a pointed look and he chuckled and nodded his agreement. She smiled before turning back to me. “Good. Now after this whole fiasco and as tradition usually goes, the next week is yours to do as you please. I better not see any of you near the office until next week, got it?” Annabelle waited until we all nodded our agreement before bidding all of us a goodnight and safe travels home before she left to go talk with the cleaning crew. 

Wooyoung nudged me with a cheeky grin as he took my hand and began to clean the blood off of me. “Look at that, you have an entire week off now. I can think of a few ways we could occupy that time.” 

I scrunch my nose up at his words at the same moment Seonghwa made a gagging noise. “I’ll make sure to tell the rest of the current not to come within a mile radius of your den then if you two will be busy.” 

“See? Now we’re guaranteed some privacy as well.” 

I weakly smacked his chest with my unoccupied hand, making him laugh. “In your dreams.” 

“How’d you know?” 

I rolled my eyes but there was still a smile present on my face, my mood improving with Wooyoung’s teasing. It wasn’t enough to completely erase my worries for Hongjoong but it was a start. Seonghwa couldn’t hide the chuckle that slipped from him as he messed up Wooyoung’s hair. 

Wooyoung quickly finished cleaning his blood off of my arm and throwing the gauze wipe out before returning to my side. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze as he took it before looking between the two of us. “Should we head out then? I don’t know about you two but I could use something to eat right about now.” 

I snorted and shook my head. “We can head out and get some food on the way home. I don’t think I’ll eat much of anything.” 

“Yes you will,” Wooyoung told me with a teasing grin before turning to Seonghwa before I could even dispute what he said. “I feel like something with meat, what about you?” 

“I could go for a meat dish,” he agreed before turning to San and Mingi. “Are you guys joining us as well? My treat.” 

My friends looked towards each other before they both nodded in agreement.

”We’ll join you guys, we also have some questions of our own if you don’t mind answering them,” Mingi said. Wooyoung seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding his agreement. It was enough for a small smile to spread across my lips seeing my mate and my friends getting along. 

“Also, and I don’t mean this in a rude way, but you still aren’t used to some things on the surface, right? How are you going to pay for dinner?” San asked, his tail swishing nervously behind him. It was cute to see my friend timid around the sirens when he was usually so confident in conversation. 

“Oh!” Seonghwa gasped before he began rummaging through his pockets. After a moment he pulled out something that glittered in his hand and my eyes widened in shock when I realized it was a handful of gold coins. Had he gotten all of this from the shipwrecks beneath the water? ”Will this be enough to cover the meal? This is all I have.” 

San and Mingi’s expressions were almost as comical as my own. “Is that the currency of Socix? Where did you even get all of that?” 

Seonghwa looked perplexed. “No? Socix doesn’t have a currency, we trade goods.  This is what you used many years ago, right? Do you not use gold anymore?” 

San laughed and shook his head. “We haven’t used gold up here for hundreds of years, unfortunately.” Seonghwa’s expression fell and my heart hurt at the sight of it. Now more than ever I was curious to know just how old Seonghwa was. “But lucky for us I just happen to know a river nymph who’s even older than the switch over from gold coins to drazal and she accepts both forms of payment. She owns a restaurant towards the center of town and her food is pretty good. We can go there if that’s alright with you?” 

I agreed to go there at the same moment Wooyoung huffed in irritation. I gave him a questioning look and he grumbled. “Nymphs.” 

A face came to mind when said that and I realized where his irritation stemmed from. I rolled my eyes and turned to the rest of the group. “He’s fine, we'll eat there tonight.” 

Mingi raised a brow. “Are you sure? We could probably find a different-“

”No it’s fine, he’s just being grumpy because the last nymph he was in contact with was Logan.” 

Understanding dawned on the two males’ faces before they nodded in agreement. 

As we headed towards the exit of the building I nudged Wooyoung’s arm with my shoulder. “When do I start getting gold coins?” I asked him jokingly. 

Wooyoung smirked before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “If it's treasures you want you should’ve told me.” 

I giggled and shook my head. “I’m kidding I don’t need any of that. The courting gifts were more than enough.” 

He hummed and went quiet after that, and I didn’t press him on the sudden thoughtful look he got. 

Together we began to head towards the restaurant, letting San lead the way. The city was alive at this hour, all manner of beings walking the sidewalks. We passed by many different kinds of food stalls and vendors. A naga selling antiques and shiny trinkets caught my eye for a moment but I didn’t stop walking, quickening my pace to keep up with the rest of the group. There was a sudden cry and I looked in time to see a gryffin take off on the other side of the street, soaring in between the buildings around us. 

I watched Seonghwa nudge Mingi to get the male’s attention. 

“Is it always like this in the city?” 

Mingi smiled and nodded. “Pretty much. It gets more lively the closer to the center of the city you get. You could visit us more often and we’ll show you around.” 

It warmed my heart seeing the interaction, and I was so focused on it that I almost didn’t realize we had stopped until Wooyoung was tugging on my hand. 

“We’re here,” San said and I looked around in confusion. We had stopped in front of a barren alleyway. I was beginning to question his sense of direction before he looked over his shoulder at us. “Look at the alley and blink six times, no more and no less.” 

I looked back at the alley and did as instructed. On the sixth blink I gasped in wonder as a homey styled restaurant suddenly appeared before my eyes. It looked warm and inviting and the mouth watering smell of food now wafted through the air. Wooyoung looked just as mesmerized as I did by the magic that concealed this place. 

“This place is a very ‘if you know, you know’ kind of place,” San explained as he opened the door for us to enter. He had a smug look on his face and I rolled my eyes at him. 

We entered the building and it was hard not to start drooling at the aromas that wafted over us. It was very warm and inviting inside, and I didn’t see a single patron that didn’t have a smile on their face. A large fire in the hearth warmed the building up and gave the room a warm glow. 

“Welcome welcome! Come in, take a seat, I’ll be over with some drinks!” A raspy voice called out and I spotted the owner of it; a tall, willowy nymph with midnight blue hair. She had the beginnings of wrinkles forming and her warm smile showed with pure joy. She was flitting around the room like she wasn’t a day over twenty. She may have been old but she sure didn’t act like it, as was expected of a nymph. 

San led us to a large table towards the back, motioning for us to take a seat. I was about to turn back to the nymph on the other side of the room only to nearly jump when she suddenly appeared behind us with a tray and cups. She set a glass in front of each of us, pouring a sparkling liquid into each one in the next second. 

“I haven’t seen you in a long while, Sannie! You even brought your friends in tonight as well, the more the merrier! How’d you end up becoming friends with a pair of sirens too? Not that I’m judging, all are welcomed here. It’s been a while is all,” she spoke quickly, but I didn’t mind it. Her voice was interesting to listen to. 

San smiled up at her. “Hello Reyna, it’s nice to see you again too. You’ll have to thank y/n here for bringing in new guests, one of the sirens is her mate.” He gestured to Wooyoung and I. I gave the nymph, Reyna, a shy smile as Wooyoung waved to her. “This is Mingi and this is Seonghwa, all very close friends of mine.” 

“Well I sure hope they’re close friends of yours or else you wouldn’t have brought them here,” she teased him before me. “Now I have to know what creature you are because I’ve been trying to figure it out since you walked in.” 

“I’m human,” I told her. 

Her eyes widened before she nearly lunged to grab my cup. “Then this is not for you! The last thing we need is for you needing to be carried out of here or running out of here naked. Sorry about that, I haven’t been able to smell for at least two hundred and forty-six years so I couldn’t tell what you were. Let me go and get you something else to drink, anything you want in particular?” 

“I’ll just take some water please,” I told her, still shocked by how quick she was to take my glass away. 

She nodded before walking away and I turned to San in confusion. “What even was that stuff?” 

“Fairy Dew. It’s a very sweet wine but humans have to be careful if they drink it. I’ve watched a human start dancing in the middle of the room here before stripping naked and bolting out the front door,” he explained. “Poor Wooyoung and Seonghwa would’ve had to carry you out of here.” 

Reyna came back with water for me right as San was telling that story. She laughed as she set my drink down, a fond look in her eyes. “I was just telling that story to another guest! Poor Gary had to come back the next day to get his clothes after  explaining to his wife how he lost them in the first place. He was as red as a tomato.” 

“Does that happen a lot?” Mingi asked. 

“Nope! I try to steer humans away from drinking the stuff as much as possible. They’re usually too wary of it to even try it in the first place but there’s always one brave soul who’s willing to take the risk.” 

Seonghwa hummed as he sipped his drink. “It’s delicious,” he complimented. 

“Why thank you! It’s homemade so I’m glad you enjoy it,” she said with a bright smile. She looked at San again. “Are we getting the usual over here but make it enough for everyone?” 

“That’ll work perfectly for all of us.” 

Reyna nodded before heading back towards a door on the far wall, no doubt the kitchen. I turned back to the table just as conversations resumed. 

“So that woman was your ex, Maggie?” San started, raising a brow at Wooyoung. 

“Maggiore,” Wooyoung corrected. “Yes she is. I had given her one courting gift before her favored male died. With no other suitors she came back to me but I had given up at that point after she made it very clear she had no real interest in me.” 

San nodded in understanding. “And now she’s mad that y/n’s in the picture?” 

He nodded. 

“Then why did she have Hongjoong with her? He seemed like he was madly in love with her. Wouldn’t that mean she had moved on too?” 

“Not necessarily. Maggiore is a very prideful and selfish creature so tonight was more than likely a step in whatever plan she has and nothing more. Hongjoong was very much under her spell, and has been for a small amount of time. Not too long, his eyes are still fairly clear, but there’s a tiny sheen to them. She’s been using her magic a lot on him,” Seonghwa explained. “Other creatures are more resilient to the after effects of a siren’s magic, but long term exposure for an unmated human could have adverse effects.” 

Wooyoung squeezed my hand beneath the table and I squeezed it back. I knew the unspoken question behind the action and I answered. “I’m alright.” I was too, I was doing better than I thought I would with the way this conversation was going. My stomach was in knots over Hongjoong and his safety, but that has been since that whole incident from earlier. A small part of me was glad to have a better understanding of what exactly the situation was. 

“So he’s definitely in danger,” Mingi concluded and Seonghwa nodded. He sighed. “Is there anything we can do to get him away from her?”

”We don’t really know what she has planned or where she even is, so as of right now, no.” Wooyoung’s shoulders slumped a bit.”We’ll talk with the rest of the current and see what they know.” 

I gave his hand another squeeze, which he returned. 

San and Mingi both nodded in understanding. Their eyes glanced at me and I knew what their next question would be before they even said it. 

“Is y/n safe with you?” Mingi asked and his words were almost cut off before they even left his mouth by a low growl. 

I looked at Wooyoung with wide eyes and he was no longer growling, instead he shook his head in embarrassment. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to growl at you like that. I can assure you both that y/n is safe with me and the current. Maggiore probably thinks our den is above water for her comfort over mine, I doubt she’s realized yet that it’s beneath the Brighbalt.” 

“Wouldn’t she follow your scent though? We travel to and from it every day,” I asked, looking up at him with concern. 

Wooyoung smirked down at me. “What do you think the monster that lives above our den is for? She covers our scent perfectly.” 

San looked impressed. “You’ve put a lot of thought into this.” 

“I knew she might stir up some trouble for me at some point, I just wasn’t sure when and how she’d do it.” 

Just then Reyna came back with two large platters of food with another employee following behind her with another platter. “Alright! Watch out these plates are very hot so be careful everyone,” she warned as she began to set the platters down on our table. The food looked delicious and my mouth began to water at the smell of it. “I hope you all enjoy it, feel free to shout for me if you guys need anything else.” She smiled one last time before walking away to greet another couple that had just walked in. 

“All of this is for us?” Seonghwa asked in bewilderment. The platters were filled with beef and vegetables and even some grilled fish. It truly was a lot of food that catered to all of our tastes. 

San nodded. “Reyna doesn’t skip out on food, and it’s so delicious that we won’t want to stop eating.” 

Wooyoung was already scooping some food out onto my plate, not giving me a choice on if I wanted any or not. Once everyone had dished their own food he reached for a fork and was about to scoop some food to feed me before I stopped him. He raised a brow at me and instead of using words I grabbed my own utensils and began to eat. He seemed pleased when I took a bite and began to eat his own food, not worried that I wouldn’t be eating much this time. 

With my thoughts centered around Hongjoong and Maggiore, I wasn’t expecting to eat as much as I did. The food was some of the best I had ever eaten and I would’ve thought it was enchanted as I was unable to put my utensils down. Before I even realized it my plate was clean and I was reaching for more food. 

We all seemed to unanimously agree that the conversation of Maggiore and Hongjoong was put on hold for the time being, turning into a brighter one. I let myself get swept up into it, focusing on the present and not on the future for now. For now, I was letting myself enjoy a nice dinner with my friends and my mate. 

Before long the platters were cleared of food and Seonghwa had paid for our meal, which greatly pleased Reyna when he pulled out gold coins. 

“You can come back anytime if you continue to pay in gold. Makes my heart happy to see the old way of payment,” her raspy voice told him, making him smile wide and nod enthusiastically. 

Before long we were on our way home, San and Mingi had split from our group to start heading to their own. It quieted down a little bit once they left, but I didn’t mind it. It was nice to just enjoy the atmosphere of the city at night. 

Seonghwa gently grabbed my arm once we had reached our dock, a sad look on his face. “I wanted to apologize for the conversation earlier, y/n,” he said. “I just started talking about the things that are being done to Hongjoong and the danger he’s in and I didn’t even think about how you might feel about it.” 

I smiled up at him and gave the hand on my arm a gentle squeeze. “There’s no need to apologize, you were just explaining the situation. San and Mingi have a right to know what’s happening anyway, they’re friends with Hongjoong as well. I feel a little better not being completely kept in the dark anyway.” 

His shoulders slumped in relief and I gave him a quick pat on his shoulder before heading over to Wooyoung who had already shifted and was waiting for me in the water. He smiled up at me as I picked up his clothes and lowered myself in the water. He quickly wrapped his arms around me just as I saw a flash of silver scales out of the corner of my eye and then a splash and I knew Seonghwa had hopped in as well. 

“I’ll see you two later. Y/n, thank you again for everything today. I’ll remember this forever,” Seonghwa told me. His eyes sparkling with joy as the events of today replayed in his mind. 

I smiled at him, my heart warm with knowing he had a fun time despite everything else that also happened today. “It was a pleasure Seonghwa. I’ll bring you to the next show as well.” 

“I better be coming too,” Wooyoung pouted. 

“You’re coming whether you want to or not,” I told him with a playful grin. 

We finished saying our goodbyes before diving beneath the waves. I tucked my head into Wooyoung’s chest just like always, but after a few moments I was feeling a little adventurous. I hesitantly lifted my head from his chest and looked around. I wanted to test how far along I was with the side effects of the bond. 

I could see more than I thought I would. It wasn’t like seeing things above land, but I could make out the shapes of fish swimming around us even in the pitch black water. It was a little disorienting at first, like trying to make out shadows in a dark room after just waking up. 

There was a loud rumble and I turned my head in time to see an absolutely massive shape swimming in the distance. The distance between us did nothing to hinder the sheer size of the being and I tucked my head in Wooyoung’s chest again, belatedly realizing that this was the monster living above our den. 

Wooyoung chuckled when he felt me move. “Want to go say hi?” 

I quickly shook my head no and he laughed again but didn’t push the matter. Soon enough our heads were surfacing in the den and I cleared my eyes of water. “Wooyoung?” 

“Yes my mate?” 

Ignoring the way my heart fluttered at the title I voiced a question that has been eating away at me. “Please don’t be upset with this question, I don’t mean any harm with it, but why does Maggiore just seem so bland compared to you and the rest of the current? And I’ve seen some of the current’s scales but why are their scales so vibrant and pretty and yours is black?” 

Wooyoung burst into laughter at my questions, hugging me closer to his chest as his head tipped back. I blushed in embarrassment, suddenly feeling dumb for asking my questions. 

“Well Maggiore is less pretty than me because I’m Wooyoung, your amazing mate, and she’s a selfish bitch,” Wooyoung said with a smug smirk. When he saw my less than amused expression he continued to explain. “Maggiore looks less pretty than us because she is a female. Female sirens aren’t as flashy or appealing as male sirens. It’s like beta fish or birds, it’s just our nature. She’s beautiful enough to lure humans and creatures in but compared to a male siren she comes off as boring. As for why my scales are black and less flashy than the rest of the current’s,” he explained, getting a mischievous look on his face, “ would you like a demonstration?” 

I looked at him with confusion. “Demonstration? What do you mean?” 

“I want to show you why my scales are black and why I might seem a little more dull to the rest of my brothers. We need to go underwater for me to show you,” he told me. “I’ll be holding onto you the whole time, I swear.” 

I looked down at the dark water still around us, feeling my stomach drop a little. It wasn’t as bad as it usually is, but the fear was still there. I haven’t been in the water this deep for an extended period of time, and I almost backed out. I would’ve if it weren’t for the warm arms wrapped around my waist, promising me safety during this. Wooyoung had a comforting look in his eye as I looked back up at him, reassuring me without words. I took a calming breath and nodded, tightening my hold on his shoulders. 

His answering smile was radiant before he readjusted his hold on me, holding my hands now as we lowered into the water. It was unnerving to be almost swimming freely. I focused on his warm hands holding my own and he smiled at me once we were submerged. He kept us close to the surface and it was enough to ease some of my nerves. 

Wooyoung didn’t keep me waiting long for his demonstration, giving my hands a squeeze. He didn’t say anything, only giving me a knowing look and I scanned over his scales for any changes in them. It was such a subtle change that I would’ve missed it at first, but not for long. Small spots on his tail had begun to glow a myriad of blues and purples, lighting up the water around us. They traveled up the small patches of scales on his torso and my breath was taken away by his ethereal beauty. The colors shown like stars in the night sky against his scales and it now made perfect sense why his scales seemed duller than his brothers. His true beauty shone through like this. 

I looked back up at him in wonder and my heart squeezed when I saw that the beauty mark beneath his eye and the one on his lip were also glowing. He was beaming proudly at my reaction, twisting a bit so his long tail could wrap around me. “You can touch it you know,” he told me with a playful wink and I rolled my eyes at him. 

I didn’t deny myself the satisfaction and I gently brushed my hands over his scales, marveling at how smooth they were beneath my fingers. The lights disappeared as my hand passed over them before illuminating the water again. He truly was beautiful, breathtaking really. 

“You can start taking notes for the future when you decide to make a dress inspired by me again. I’m sure it’ll be a huge hit,” he said with a smirk and I smiled despite myself. I lightly hit his shoulder before pulling him for a kiss, wrapping my arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. His arms and tail wrapped around me tighter in answer, and I could feel the way he purred under my palms. I smiled into the kiss, my heart light and warm despite the events of the day we’ve had. 

༄

Half of the bed was cold when I awoke the next morning. It was enough to make me sit up and look around for Wooyoung, not hearing any noises of cooking coming from the kitchen. I had fallen asleep curled up in his arms again last night, needing his magic to get me to fall asleep. Has something happened concerning Maggiore? 

Fear spiked inside of me at the thought and I was about to get out of bed when a loud thump nearly shook the entire den. It had me scurrying back into bed like a child scared of thunder. My first thought was that the monster living above us finally decided she was hungry for a snack and was trying to break in through the ceiling, but the following splash of water came from inside of the house. Panicked now, I glanced around for anything I could use as a weapon but came up empty handed. I was about to bolt for the bathroom as a last minute hiding spot when a large figure came through the doorway of the room. 

I screamed in fright before the lights lit up and I saw it was none other than Wooyoung carrying a large trunk in his arms. He gave me a confused look. “Good morning to you as well. Did you forget that I’ve enchanted the den so only us two and the current can enter?” He reminded me with a cocky smirk before dropping the trunk on the floor with a loud crash. This is when I realized he was naked still and I gasped as I covered my eyes. 

“Wooyoung! Why are you naked!?” 

“I forgot to set clothes aside for when I came back, it’s no big deal.” 

“Please put on clothes,” I groaned. I didn’t need to see him to picture the smug grin on his face. 

“Fine fine,” he sighed and I heard a drawer open and then shut. I picked up the rustling of his clothes before he told me I could look. I peeked and only registered a flash of tanned skin before I was covering my eyes again. I felt my face begin to burn up. 

“Wooyoung!” 

His answering cackle resounded off of the stone walls. After a few moments I felt his presence move closer to me, and he gently pulled my hands away from my face. I glared up at his teasing face but was glad to see that he was fully clothed now. My eyes trailed over to the thing he carried in with him. “What is that?” 

He nodded over to it, taking a seat on the bed. “Why don’t you go and see?”  

I pouted at him but stood from the bed. “I swear if this is filled with something scary I will turn you into sushi.” 

“Why do you think so low of me? I would never!” The mischievous look he gave me said otherwise. 

I approached the trunk with caution now, my stomach twisting with nerves at what could potentially be hidden in here. I took a calming breath before lifting the lid. I flinched as it fully opened, prepared for something to jump out of me before my jaw hit the floor with what was actually inside. 

“Wooyoung! I said I was only kidding about the gold!” It was obviously something he had found in a sunken ship but to know he had dragged this all the way back here was something I couldn’t comprehend. Even for him it must’ve been heavy. 

When I turned back to look at him I had been expecting smugness but instead all I saw was genuine adoration staring back at me. My heart squeezed in my chest at the sight and I was quick to crawl into his lap and pull him into a tight hug. “Thank you so much, but I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with all of this gold?” 

He chuckled before pulling away enough to look at me. His thumbs began to trace circles against my hips and it distracted me for a moment. “There isn’t much use for it up on the surface, but gold happens to be something sirens love to use for ornaments and clothing and other things, making it tradeable. There are different kinds of trinkets and clothing embellishments in the Socix market you’d be able to trade it for and you could use them in your designs. They’d certainly be eye-catching and something no one has seen before.” 

Tears welled up in my eyes and I pulled him into a quick kiss, wrapping him in my arms once again. “Thank you so much Wooyoung.” My voice was thick with emotion and I was pleased that he didn’t comment on it. Instead he rubbed a hand up and down my back, a soft purr rumbling beneath my chest. 

“I’m glad you like it. Once all of this stuff with Maggiore is over, I’ll take you to Socix. I don’t feel comfortable bringing you there right now. I hope you understand, my mate. By then you should be better suited for underwater life as well so we won’t have to worry about you drowning.” 

I choked out a laugh at the morbid sense of humor, beaming at him. “I would love to see your home.” And I meant it.  ༄

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[tothebestofmyabilities]

@seemoreseymoursbay day 3! OC day

So in the episode 'Bad Tina' Zeke mentions that his dads girlfriend just had a baby, assuming that the dads gf he talks about in early seasons is Cheryl his step mom and that the father of that baby is Zekes dad we can also assume that Zeke has a very young half sibling. And I did go ahead and assume all those things so this is Zekes baby sister Cherish (Cherry for short).

Used the prompt wonder wharf

Im gonna talk some more about her under the cut bc im sure that will devolve into infodumping zeke lore/headcanons and i dont want anyone to get stuck scrolling past a wall of text

Interestingly she's the only oc i have that's part of a different piece of media rather than one of my own projects.

She's a spunky little toddler for sure she's always got tons of energy, she's extremely confident and fearless constantly running off when she sees something that excites her or to ask strangers questions. She has a big sweet tooth but also loves spicy foods, off the top of my head I don't think its been discussed in canon where Zeke is from originally but recently I've been thinking of him and his bio mom as being from louisiana (projection on my part my mom is from louisiana and bc I like Zeke as a chef and the food there is soo good) I love the idea that his mom taught him to cook the local dishes and that he makes them for Cherry. She dresses in a chaotic mix of her own love of bright, clashing rainbow colors and dingey hand-me-downs from Zekes childhood and from their other cousins. I definitely think Zeke has adhd and Cherry does as well.

I tend to draw her/think of her around age 2 1/2- 3 (so when zeke is 16ish) but in canon time she'd still be a newborn. I love the idea of Zeke with a young sibling he's portrayed in the show as being super caring, protective of and loyal to the people be cares about, and good with younger kids all of which read as big brother qualities to me and he's also mentioned wanting siblings hes closer too. (He mentioned having a 44 year old brother in Presto Tina-o but also has said his bio mom was pregnant with him at her prom which is probably just a continuity error with his throway lines but taken at face value makes his dad out to be a gross old creep which is my personal headcanon idk if there's anyone out there who are big fans of Zeke's dad and step mom but my headcanons do not paint them in a nice light so beware of that)

Based on pretty much everything Zeke has ever said about his family I get the impression that the adults in his life are pretty neglectful and irresponsible and definitely not super present (he rarely ever speaks about his dad I hc him having a job that keeps him away from the family most of the time probably something like trucking and Zeke has mentioned Cheryl being an alcoholic I also hc her as much younger than the dad maybe she's a bartender? I definitely see her having a nightlife kind of job also for reference picture her as a redhead with blue eyes and a lot of tattoos that's where cherry gets her eyes and freckles)

I believe with Cherry a lot of parenting responsibilities would be placed on Zeke and while i think he has qualities that are really well suited to that the parentification of an older sibling is not ok and would negatively impact him, I like the idea of him applying for a job at Bob's Burgers bc he needs a more stable way to provide financially than doing odd jobs around town and not only getting a job but also getting a support system and adults who care about him and his sister and their wellbeing. I think Bob would take Zeke under his wing and help him make himself and his education a priority (the belchers helping out with Cherry when they can so he can focus more on school and extra curriculars) and help him get into a culinary school after graduation. Linda would fall completely in love with her (we know how much she loves babies) and basically treat Cherry like she's her own grandbaby. They all babysit her when needed but Louise is her favorite babysitter and maybe person also she really looks up to Louise and likes to imitate her fashion style and the way she speaks, Louise would pretend that this annoys her but not so secretly finds it adorable.

Anyways clearly i could go on and on but ill just cut myself off there hope y'all like her!

[babyboiboyega]

Gekko Headcanons #1 : The Cookout

Pairing: Mateo De la Fuente/Gekko x Black!Gn!reader Headcanon: Taking Mateo to a family cookout would include... Content: fluff, profanity Word Count: 2.6k Author's Note: its been toooo long since I've written something, and of course my newest hyperfixation is the thing that gets me to write again LMAO gotta love it y'know? I am very new to the world of Valorant and this character, so please...if any of this seems ooc, kindly let me know. I'm still learning about him, I'm still feeling him out, but I just enjoy the character so much already. I also enjoyed writing this, so I hope y'all enjoy! <3 Tag list: @liyaawrites (aka, the person responsible for this obsession!!)

I wanna start off by saying that the second you mention taking Mateo to meet your family, the boy is geeked out of his mind. Maybe it's in passing during a conversation, or maybe you consciously bring up the topic once you feel it's the right time; either way, it’s met with wide, brown eyes that sparkle in excitement, and thick lips that part on an immediate agreement. Not only does an agreement follow, but he also immediately starts to ask what he should bring. What kind of get-together is it? Does he need to know anything beforehand? How does he need to dress, because he’ll be damned if he shows up underdressed when meeting the family of the person he loves. He only stops worrying when you tell him exactly what the function is – a cookout – and what he’s expected to bring – some dish that your mom/grandmother/auntie or other family member is requesting. And once those questions are answered, he goes straight to worrying about making sure it’s up to their standards. You have no idea why, but your family gives you and him the job of bringing the macaroni (and not any store-bought macaroni- they’ll know the difference). When he learns that it has to be homemade and that its a staple in the entire cookout, he instantly looks up recipes while thinking back to the ones his ma or abuela would use, wanting to put his own spin on it while also wanting to make a good first impression. It gets to the point where you find him up late one night, his phone’s screen illuminating his features from where he lays beside you. He’d turn his phone to you sheepishly, apologizing for the bright light and displaying a page called “how not to make macaroni and cheese” or something along those lines with a sheepish smile.

“Think they’ll like this one?” “Teo…baby…it’s 3 am.” “...you’re right, I should look for another one-”

The days leading up to the cookout are spent with him constantly going on about how excited he is to meet your family – specifically the cousins you’re the closest to and have mentioned before. In response, you warn him that your family can be…a bit much, specifically when someone brings their partner around. They have a tendency to ask too many questions, get a little too comfortable joking around, and are just all around loud and obnoxious sometimes…and he’d only reassure you with a knowing smirk and a raised eyebrow that not only is his family the same, but he’s so used to being around large families as his used to have get togethers all the time. He’s dealt with it before, and it'd be worth it to deal with it again if it meant he got to meet your folks. Despite the sentiments, you still warn him – especially of that aunt who always likes to make smart-ass comments and loves calling others out despite having her own problems in her life, to which he lets you know that he’s dealt with one of those and he’ll make sure that y’all are far away from that aunt at all times. He would offer to keep you dancing all night just so you had an excuse to not talk to that person, which would only lead to a conversation involving line dances. 

Despite Mateo's affinity for the punk/skater aesthetic, I’d like to think that his Hispanic roots have resulted in him having a good sense of rhythm. I also like to think that he listens to a lot of music in his spare time, fostering an appreciation for different genres. With that being said, I think our boy could keep up with the line dances. When you offer to teach him a few just for fun, he’d be excited as hell, his lips curling into a full-blown smile as he’d watch you turn the music on and scroll through the first ‘cookout line dance’ playlist you find. When you find a suitable one and try to teach him, he’d be playful about the entire thing, claiming that he needs you to do it a few times although you know its just so he can see you dance, his eyes lingering heavily on your hips as you do so. And when you finally get him to join you, you realize that he may not have the steps down, but he’s got enough swag and rhythm to keep up and look like he knows what he’s doing, which is enough. 

“One more time, princesa- I promise. I’ll get it this time.” “You’re just looking at my ass, Mateo-” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” (with a shit eating grin on his face)

Now…when it gets to the day of the cookout, you two would be up pretty early, going to get the supplies to make the macaroni before starting on it at home. He’d want to help so badly, but he’d also have no problem getting your input on it – after all, it is your family and you know how they usually like their macaroni. But he’d also insist on doing most of it himself which would result in about a few hours of him moving around the kitchen with a focused look on his face. His focus is only broken by you checking in on him, it instantly changing to a cocky, yet playful, smirk as he would nod to the pan that’s in the oven. 

“How’s it goin, baby?” “Look at that masterpiece and tell me how it’s goin, mi carino. You see that golden brown on the top, you smell that delicious, scrumptious, decadent-” “Aaaalright, that’s enough-”

You know I have to mention the process of picking out outfits. I absolutely believe that Mateo would not only be down for, but would love being one of those couples that wears complimenting outfits. Not matching completely, but maybe having one article of clothing that’s the same color or maybe even wearing the same accessories. You two have too much personality and style to limit yourselves to wearing the exact same thing when going out, so he would love to wear complimenting outfits. He’d always make sure to pick colors that you enjoy wearing despite thinking that you look beautiful in every color. 

“What about green?” “Oh…well…you know I don’t exactly look the best in green, baby.” “I wholeheartedly disagree, but we can look for something else, mi amor. No problem-”

I think that he’d be so invested in making sure y’all look good that he’d kind of forget about the macaroni that's in the oven. You can’t even blame him, because you’d be able to see the excitement radiating off of him as he gets ready, so you’d just gently, but amusedly, remind him. 

“Teo.” “Yeah?” “Your macaroni-” “Mierda- my macaroni-!”

His attention would instantly switch to the macaroni, so much so that he’d still be standing in the kitchen, his eyes on the oven when you walk in fully dressed with Wingman trailing behind you, Mateo’s shirt in his beak as he chirps and trills. You wouldn’t be able to understand him, but you don’t really have to to understand the comedic radivore’s noises. You’d only be able to nod and agree with the little guy as you both watch Mateo hurriedly throw on his shirt before taking out the macaroni. 

Now…lets get to the cookout itself. He’d hear the music and chatter immediately after stepping out of the car and would just look at you with a smile and excited eyes, offering to take the dish with one hand and your hand with the other. You’d be able to see that recognition in his eyes, the myriad of sounds that signify a family fellowship being ever so familiar to him. Homeboy would walk in the door with a wide and inviting smile, greeting people politely while also showing that he can be rather extroverted when he wants to be. Of course, he gets the typical ‘this must be yo lil friend’ from your family members, but he takes it in stride. But while taking it all in stride, he’d also make sure to kiss your cheek, your forehead, hold your hand, wrap an arm around your waist– anything to show that the words ‘lil friend’ are just a title your family members have given him, and that the truth is he’s yours. 

He’d show the macaroni to the family member(s) in charge of the food, watching with baited breath as they take the foil off of the top, their eyes looking at the golden-brown cheese on top before looking up at you two with a smile. 

“Oooh, this looks good, Y/N.” “Actually, Mateo made it. I just helped him when he needed it; it was all him.”

He’d absolutely be geeked when they turn to him with an impressed look, their smile widening as they set it on the table with the rest of the food. And if you thought he had a big head when being told that it looked good, it’s nothing compared to when the first family member comes up and tells him that it tasted good. Chile, you’d never hear the end of it…though you don’t want to. It’d be endearing and sweet that he takes so much pride in making something your family enjoys. And when it comes to him actually eating the food prepared, he would not hold his appreciation back. There’d be a lot of ‘who made this’, followed by just as many ‘dios mio’s as he can dish out. The same goes for the dessert portion, especially the homemade pound cakes from your family members. Yeah, he’d have no problem asking for a to-go box; one for food, and one for dessert. 

Throughout the duration of the cookout, he’d find himself constantly in conversation with someone from your family, whether it be because he had been pulled into a conversation, or whether it was because someone approached him with the intent of asking questions. Either way, Mateo would be game for any question asked, usually answering with an air of confidence, friendliness, and humor that made others love him instantly. When asked questions about you two’s relationship, he’d be quick and incredibly willing to answer, his eyes glancing at you adoringly as he does so with a smile on his face. It’d get to a point where you would have to ‘rescue’ him from more questions, citing that you wanted to dance just to get him away from your family member(s). And he’d happily let you pull him away, however, not before promising the uncles gathered around a table that he’d play spades with them the next round. 

At some point in the night, you’d lose him for a few minutes, coming back to his empty seat after fixing a plate of dessert for both of you, and after scouring the yard, hoping that he hasn’t gotten himself into a less than pleasant conversation, you finally find him. Except he isn’t in a conversation- not with an adult, anyway. No, he’s seated in the yard, not too far at all from the kids table, smiling widely as the kids from your family gather around him. Their hands reach for and gently run over his hair, the dyed shapes and colors instantly catching their attention as they speak over each other, asking him questions.

“Why’d you do that to your hair?” “Did it hurt? Why’d you pick spots?” “My mama says people who dye their hair like that don’t want a job.” “Can I do that to my hair?”

You’d only be able to watch in fondness for a few minutes as he struggles to answer their questions, his facial expression showing exactly how much he enjoyed being the center of attention for the kids. It would get to a point where he’d look up at you with an expression that screamed for help despite the smile still on his face, and you wouldn’t hesitate in rescuing him. You’d never seen Mateo around kids before now, but going off of the vibes and interactions you’d see, it’d be easy to come to the conclusion that he’s pretty okay with kids. Because of his chill demeanor, not only is he seen as ‘cool’ to the youngins, but he’s also easy to interact with. It would certainly help that he’s got a little crew of adorable creatures who are intelligent enough to interact carefully with the kids. There’d be peels of laughter and excited chatter as Wingman does a trick when prompted by Mateo. There’d also be a time where Wingman turns to Mateo, chirping quickly and constantly looking back at the kids…and after a short conversation between the two, he’d probably smile, nodding his head towards the kids with a ‘have fun, be careful’. That’d be the only thing Wingman needs to hear before turning and joining the group of kids in their activities, the laughter being a constant noise as long as the creature is interacting with them. 

When it gets to the end of the night and people start filtering out of the yard, he’d check in with you, asking you if you’re tired or if you still want to hang around with a look of understanding for whatever answer you give. It's only when you smile tiredly and sheepishly at him that he’d nod with a smile, telling you that maybe it's time to go. It wouldn’t be long before you two have a bag with your to-go boxes in them, making your rounds with your family members and saying goodnight. He’d leave Wingman to play with the remaining kids until it’d be time to go, waving him over once you two are ready to leave. (You can’t help but feel like you two have your own little family, and the earlier sight of him interacting with the kids certainly adds fuel to that thought). 

The ride home would be spent going over certain conversations and interactions that had happened during the night, showing just how attentive Mateo had been the entire night. You’d also learn of some of the conversations he’d had when you weren’t around…and he’d instantly wave away your apologies for the nature of those conversations, an easygoing and amused smile on his face as he does so.

“Please tell me she did not say that to you- I’m so sorry, love-” “No need to say sorry. It was pretty funny, so its okay, mi cielito. So…you tried to turn the speed all the way up on the treadmill, yeah?” “Yeah, that’s enough of that-”

To put it simply: Mateo would be ecstatic that he not only got to spend an entire day with you and your family, but that he got to see how you interact with your family. It’s truly nothing like seeing the love of your life in their safe space with people they trust. He could’ve sat and watched you speak to cousins, aunties, uncles, whoever else and would’ve been completely satisfied. He’d go to bed thinking about the glow you had on your face as you spoke to family members you’d missed, and how he’d heard and seen you genuinely laugh with cousins when recounting old stories, and how you and your family connected over food, music, and fellowship...and yeah, he’d have to admit to himself in the middle of the night, while holding you close, that he couldn’t wait to have that with you in the future.

A/N: I hope that was fun to read, it was certainly fun to write! Once again, this is my first time writing for this character that I just found out about like...two weeks ago, y'all...be patient with me while I'm learning. BUT I'm gonna really try to write more this summer because I definitely won't have time to in the fall, so keep an eye out!

[alsoamalthia]

You ask for fandom questions, Questions like THESE??? :DDD :

How in the world did you end up in this little football fandom of ours? 

The youngest memory you have of Supa Strikas?

What character do you wish we could have more of?

Out of any background character from Supa Strikas, which one do you wish would come back as a recurring character more?

Any ships you ship??? (Platonic can also apply)

Most important question (sorta) for any Supa fan, which team from the Supa Strikas Universe you would play for? And why?

TYSM!

1) How in the world did you end up in this little football fandom of ours?

I knew Supa Strikas as early as 2011; I started watching it around Season 2. I just didn't expect that it'd have a fandom here on Tumblr bec I admit that it's not as mainstream as Star Wars, LOTR, or Harry Potter, so seeing everyone here was truly a surprise.

And to answer the question what brought me here only now? Early in July 2024, I decided I want to franchise a Caltex.

Because I remember they sponsored the Southeast Asian release of Supa Strikas (I'm not sure if I got the details correctly) and I love the show so much that whenever I see a Caltex, I remember the show. And I got the idea of franchising it because there's this one Caltex in my home town that is very beautiful and everytime I go past it, I always whisper "I'll build one that's prettier."

2) The youngest memory you have of Supa Strikas.

Okay, this is somewhere around 2009-2010, I was ten years old. It was the very first time I saw the commercial of Supa Strikas on Disney Channel. Me, my sister, and my uncle all commented on the Caltex logo on their jerseys.

The first time, I saw the actual show, I wasn't interested. Then, my uncle's son (my cousin) love football so much that he started to watch the show. At some point, my sister and I joined watched one episode with him (I think this was Led Steppin) and found out that the show was so good.

Then I have another early memory, I go back to it a lot because of the choice I had to make. Back then, we didn't have the convenience a streaming site offers so when two shows or movies air at the same time, we had to choose one. My sister and I watch Supa Strikas on its late night encore because we can't find the time to watch it during daytime, and while waiting for it, we switched the TV to HBO and it was The Lovely Bones. We decided to watch it while waiting for SS, then it got so interesting we almost forgot to switch back to Disney. But before switching, we both stopped to decide. My sister asked, "Do we continue the movie and skip Supa Strikas tonight?" And I really did spent a moment to think, but my answer was, "Nah, I won't ever sacrifice Supa Strikas for this." The episode was Dancing Rasta on Ice.

3) What character do you wish we could have more of?

This is a fun question because I've been thinking about this lately: since we already had Rookie Season why not try to make another prequel series where it was the era of Coach and everyone else? Remember that one episode they entered a game where they played against the greats? I'd love to have a spin-off about their era.

4) Out of any background character from Supa Strikas, which one do you think should come back as a recurring character more?

Kat. Because I'm gay for Kat.

5) Any ships you ship?

Shakes x Riano. Platonic or no, I love them sm.

6) For any Supa fan, which team from the Supa Strikas Universe would you play for? And why?

Barka. Because there is nothing more I want than to be meters away from Riano.

Or I could also play for Nakama. So I can be close to Miko.

*squints eyes* Hmmm I'm seeing a pattern here.

And this is the only Ask I'm going to answer for now because I honestly haven't seen Rookie Season yet. It's like since I knew Shakes and Skarra used to be friends and parted ways as early as 2011 (meaning for more that half my lifetime), I kinda think Rookie Season is something I'm not yet ready to unpack.

So, thank you @mimpinightmare for granting this little request of mine, and would it be okay to borrow this question and ask this around?

[themotherofblood]

Dear author, you don't know how happy I am to see that your ad requests are open. That said can I get an extremely romantic, overwhelming, passionate and rough smut with Daemon x Martell fem reader inspired by the song "Ang laga de", please?

you have no fucking idea how happy this ask made me, like kicking my legs and smiling like a lunatic happy. I have envisioned this very smut scene at least a hundred times. It is a little dark, both Daemon and Y/N are kinda crazy in this. Madly in love, literally

masterlist

smut, talks of murder, blood, loss of virginity, oral (f), more blood, fingering and evil daemon being a softie.

Daemon Targaryen x fem!Martell Reader

“I refuse to be your mistress!”

That is the last thing you had said to your beloved dragon prince.

The Dornish were said to be a shameless lot regardless, and here you fell for a married man.

The Rhoynish gods were laughing at your stupidity, there wasn’t even a lure placed for you to catch. You simply fell for him, hard.

What had been a month long endeavour to see your younger sister wed a distant Targaryen cousin. Turned to your own nightmare. You had never craved for something as much as you had Daemon Targaryen. His flirtatious deeds, bringing your flowers and trinkets had bouncing like a little girl. It was frustrating, you had tried courting before and yet it felt flat, you truly believed that men simply were not capable of pleasing you. Until he came along, him and that stupid red dragon that made you want Daemon even more

He became the thing you wanted to cry to the gods about, the sweets yours parents wouldn’t let you have or that fine silk dress that was far too big for you to wear. His niece Rhaenyra, also egged this fire further and not once had either of them mentioned that he was married! It was painful, really fucking painful, learning that his loyalty was sworn to another.

You’d spent nights unable to sleep on foreign beds, awake in the royal gardens of the Red Keep, where the prince kept you company till the sun graced the horizon and you had succumbed to slumber with your head in his lap. There was serenity, shared comfort that dwelled between the two of you. You had heard stories, counted first hand of the nights he’d spend in brothels with his whores. You didn’t care, you wanted him.

“I refuse to be your mistress.”

It was a lie, you would happily become his salacious secret should he have asked a second time. There was no dignity, no obligations or customs, to you there was just him and the one truth that boiled your blood hot. You had already given him a piece of you heart as you boarded the ship to return home. You wanted him to ask again, to whisk you away on his dragon and yet he allowed you the curtesy to return home with your honour intact.

“If there is anything the crown can provide for Dorne, do not hesitate.” Viserys coughed his words out as he presented his farewells to you in a crowded court

“Should I ask, you wouldn’t be able to provide it your grace.” You wandered, keeping your head low in respect for the man and your wants

“What is it that a king cannot provide,” Otto Hightower questioned, taking offence to your wording.

“Daemon Targaryen.” You stated, gasps echoed across the throne room. You had committed a crime, stained your honour for good. You didn’t care nor did you give Daemon a last look before boarding your ship.

Honour- what was it compared to feel of being in his arms? What was devotion if not sound of his voice relaying Valyrian poetry? What was love, if not your heart that drowned in his blood?

What was love- if not the letter of his wife’s untimely injury?

Rhea Royce, bedridden of her paralysis, remained frozen and useless to her husband.

There was much that Daemon Targaryen was capable of, much that you were capable of. The sheer fire that burned your passions would have soaked your own hands in Rhae Royce’s blood.

She didn’t love him.

You did.

Then came your brother, his stupid alliance and vengeance against the Targaryen’s was costing you your sanity, you had pleaded with him for weeks and then you succumbed to the insanity that perhaps there was venom in your heart for whoever kept you from your dragon prince.

It festered for days, the mirrors in your room painted with clay. Refusing to look at yourself until he laid eyes upon you as his wife.

You had sat at supper with your brother, his disappointment was clear. You wanted to lay with the enemy, if loving Daemon was treachery then you would happily lay your hands forwards retribution. There should have been sorrow, a searing burn of guilt- he was your family, your blood. You shared a cradle and a mother; nothing more. Your sweet brother, for now was thorn digging into your palm as you admired the flourishing bud of devotion. He had to be plucked out.

The forbidden subject was brought up once more, there wasn’t a request in sight but a demand from his brazen sister.

“Let me be his, let him have me.” A prayer, Qoren grew irate over your insolent behaviour.

He loved you dearly, his sweet sister who was blinded by the rage of love. He wouldn't allow it, claiming to chain you to your chamber if you made an attempt to contact him. You said nothing as you nibbled on your food, spatters of blood dripped onto your pie. You could feel your throat constricting and yet it was nothing compared to the agony you had been in without Daemon.

Qoren coughed profusely, blood dripping from his nose as his eyes widened at your betrayal. In truth he had betrayed you first, choosing to keep you away from the one thing you had ever truly wanted. You could taste the copper on your lips, corners of your eyes welling with tears as you ripped the small pendant from your neck; even with the antidote to the poison in your system. The despair never stopped.

An unpleasant event truly, yet what was anyone to do, Qoren had no heirs and your blood-bled mustard. In the true picture of your house’s words, you remained unbent; raging on in sheer will for one man.

Even tainted in blood, you wore white for him; to remain pure, awaiting him to paint you in the colours of his house

He will return for me, for my love

There was no assurance that he would fly to you, no evidence that Rhae Royce’s accident wasn’t a mere coincidence; yet your arrogance had you rubbing rose oil onto your skin.

My dragon would return to me, you were sure of it.

For days the men sworn to the Martells had sighted the skies day and night, all in hopes of seeing a red dragon looming over the palace. The very ladies that had dressed you since you were a child urged for you to see reason, men often toyed with naive noble ladies for their amusement. He hadn't toyed with you, you were his cherished doll, one he stole because he simply could.

“Princess,” A young squire heaved, a folded parchment in between his fingers. Sealed with a three-headed dragon.

Your wish was my command princess.

Even without a name, the curls on his lettering were indicative enough an answer for you.

He had indeed harmed Rhea Royce for you, just as you had killed your brother Qoren for him. In your heart, you knew he would find you soon; just as your orders for exotic flowers and wines were distributed to merchants, people in your household began to whisper of your delusions.

Then the black skies graced your hopes, almost taunting all those who questioned your faith in him. The moon, full as is lit the ocean in its milky glow, from those very black skies came your faith. Loud whistles of a dragon echoed through Old Palace. Yet another young squire mumbled out in laboured breaths.

You smiled to yourself as your ladies sat in silent shock, their efforts in dressing you in white and gold would bear fruit tonight. Their feet sprung to action, the jangles from their anklets were muffled in your ears, and you just smiled to yourself. You hiked you skirts up as you skipped down the corridor, the jangles on your gold anklets seemed to have been cursing everybody who questioned you.

The doors to the Old Palace opened as Daemon Targaryen rode in on horseback, and along with him came a small entourage. He sat tall atop his horse, finally a Targaryen worthy of conquering Dorne. You were sure your ancestors were screaming bloody murder, shunning you and wishing you ill will, and yet as you stood at the enterance of the Old Palace, your father’s name meant nothing infront of the man you loved.

“In a bustling court you asked for me, may all see; I have arrived.” Daemon proclaimed as he stood with his arms out. You feet hurried down the steps, hoping to grace him with an eternal embrace and yet he raised his hand to stop you dead in your tracks

“I applaud you, for a devotion even I was unknown to. You stripped yourself bare of your honour and dignity for a relationship you had no right over.” He retorted, you couldn’t understand was her perturbed? Is that what he was here for, to lecture you?

“What reasoning do you have for this madness?”

“Love.” You stated, even the word in itself felt lacking for the true tempest that swirled in your environs. It had to be bigger, all consuming.

“The one revolts against the mightiest of dragons, that love,” You walked towards him “The one that fearlessly professes her devotion at court, that love.”

“When she sees her beloved and forgets her family, that love.” You eyes glossed over, consuming your skin in wild fire, begging him to claim you already

His hands harshly grasped your forearms, shaking sense into your as he spoke.

“The Faith and my brother’s court will never see you as one of theirs,” He warned.

“I accept.” You smiled.

“Marrying me would have you walking on fire!” He reasoned, hoping you would back away; a flower far to delicate for him to touch. He would give his life for you to not wither.

“I accept.” You nodded.

“I have a wife, Rhea.” He grimaced at the thought of his bronze bitch “I shall never be able to provide you the title of my first wife.” His hand trailed up to hold your cheek, stroking away the moisture that had looked below your eyes.

“Taking my name as yours will bring nothing but notoriety.” He kissed you cheek.

“I accept.”

“Then let it be known, the world would remember us as one,” He moved backwards gesturing towards the priest in his entourage.

“The Watergardens,” You stated, gesturing your servants to lead the priest to the location.

Daemon had allowed you moments alone, your household torn over what was happening. While many sighed in relief, perhaps you would finally eat; let life make your skin glow yet again. The storm gave away and your lamp was still burning bright. He presented you with a head piece made of khaki cloth, amber and rubies with stray pieces of shells. You handmaidens were quick with it, pinning it onto your hair as Daemon made his arrangements. Caraxes looked over the Watergardens, whistling just as ecstatically as his rider as he perched himself on the beach mount.

The universe seemed to have been in agreement of your emotions, the wind on the beach picked up; cooling your overwhelmed and hot skin. The skies were clear, twinkling in stars and the full moon as the complimented the low tided waves crashing ashore. Your own servants had been quick, decorating the gardens with yellow and red candles and exotic Bravosi flower arrangements placed on vases. Daemon awaited you by the shore line.

Your hands held a dhanuchi, clay burners that held sizzling coal pieces accompanied with sandalwood. You hiked your skirts up, walking towards Daemon, counting your steps as your bare feet hit the sand, you were trying your hardest to breathe; he stood their awaiting you looking as galant as the day he received you at the Blackwater ports, it was from that day you knew your fate would be painted black in his name.

Daemon turned, toying with a black obsidian dagger as his eyes softened the second he saw you. He held his hand out for you take as you stopped next to him, placing the dhanuchi at the alter.

“This will hurt,” He whispered, gesturing to the dragon glass daggers. You shook your head, no pain would compare to the three moons you had spent without him. He lifted the edge against your bottom lip, drawing blood as he gently slashed a cut, he guided your hands to do the same. The taste of copper filled your mouth, a stinging sensation ran through your lips; one you knew would only soothe once you felt his lips on yours.

Blood of two, joined as one

You cut a gash on your palm, wincing as blood trickled to the surface; Daemon did the same with his before grasping your bloodied palm within his. The priest wrapped a silk across your palms, your lover’s lilac eyes held concern for your pains and yet wild adoration. You were to be his. Blood began to trickle into the cup of wine placed under you as the priest continued.

Ghostly flame and a song of shadows

Daemon marked your forehead with his blood, you followed his lead as the priest instructed the symbol you drew, he then offered you the cup of wine laced with your blood. You eyes never once left Daemon’s as you sipped on the strong wine before giving him the cup to do the same.

Two hearts as embers, forged in the fourteen fires

His hands came to rest at your cheek, both growing restless of the vows as he wiped the dripping blood from your lips.

A future promised in glass, the stars stand witness.

You pulled yourself closer to him, one might say you were dazed from the blood loss, in truth it was Daemon’s lilac eyes, how his hands caressed your skin. The wanting fires that engulfed the alter seeming leave everything in ashes but the two of you.

The vows spoken through time, of light and darkness.

He whispered along with the priest.

There was no shame in the way your lips crashed against one another, you tasted his blood on your tongue and yet his hands scorched your skin, almost consuming your body whole as his hands wandered everywhere as his lips claimed you. A stray tear fell from your eyes as your held onto his face, letting his tongue explore yours. You couldn’t breathe from the passion of it all, not that you cared; you life was now his to do with as he pleased.

You rested on Daemon’s lap as he lounged on your window bed, working a healers poultice on the cut of his palm, still lingering in the after effects of wedding. His hands gently returned the favour as he wrapped yours in gauze, you prayed that it would scar; it was a testament for your devotion.

“There- all fixed sweet wife.” Daemon whispered, nudging his nose against your cheek. Heat immediately rose to you cheek as you looked away, you were his wife.

You shuffled off of him, you walked to the steaming dhanuchi that you had carried back to your bed chambers, you bed chambers smelled sweet from it aroma. You had lit in hopes of being blessed by the fertitly goddess, that your marriage remaind pure and secure for eternity. You pushed you skirts always as you climbed onto your bed, letting the steam grace and bless your bed with your unconditional wish.

You dropped the burner on the floor after, letting it submerge the room in its sweet smoke. You awaited your husband as he rid himself of his tunic, you shuffled closer as you sat on your knees. Admiring his toned body and taking account for every battle scar on his skin that you would spend the rest of your life healing with your love.

“Will- will you bed me now, husband?” You whispered, your lips dangerously closer to his, begging for another kiss.

“Oh, I plan to do more than just bedding you.” His lips moulded against yours once more as his hands tugged on the ties of your blouse.

“I conquer Dorne tonight,” He teased, peppering kisses to your temple down to you cheek. He pushed you back on the bed, almost immediately pouncing on top.

He grasped your wrists with one hand, pushing them above your head as he laid siege upon your neck. Laying warm- wet kisses and bruising nips at your neck; his hair tickling at your bare skin as your squirmed underneath him. There was no reasoning to the gentle throb that began pulsing at your core- you rubbed your thigh closer to make it halt. He pushed aside your unlaced blouse, your chest heaved as he suckled on your breast, pulling and licking the hardening pebble in his mouth.

You back arched if the bed, pushing your chest into his mouth, small open mouthed gasps left your mouth as his fingers danced past your navel; yanking on the fastening strings of skirts. His hands pushing your skirts and small clothes down at once, unwrapping you like present as your laid in his ordered positioning.

You succumbed to your exposure, you moved your head in shame, opting to look out at the glaring moon as it witnessed your de-flowerinng. Daemon took offence to your actions, using his fingers to guide your chin towards him as he groaned in disapproval.

“Three moons apart and you dare look away from me?” Daemon cocked his brow at you, freeing your hands as he ventured lower on your body.

“I- forgive me, my prince.” You whispered, your lungs refraining you from speaking any louder

“Husband,” He corrected as he pushed you legs apart.

“Husband.” You mewled in shame as his fingers stroked your folds that looked by the minute. His lips latched onto your inner left thigh, sucking and nipping at the skin.

All the while his eyes remained devious yet absurdly comforting, the two fingers that drew circles on your thighs or a small groans he left against your skin, indicative of how much he was truly enjoying himself. Just for his own satisfaction he marked your thighs at several spots, leaving darkening marks for you to reminisce over in the coming fortnight.

You felt intoxicated, revelling in the way his tongue wet your outer folds before indulging in the saccharine delight that was your cunt, a shameless moan echoed through your bed chambers as you felt his tongue flicking at a much sensitive spot. He moaned against your mound the second your taste hit his tongue.

His palm, large enough to lay flat over your soft belly to hold you flush a against the bed as he took his liberties, lapping at your like his last meal had been consumed days before. His eyes bore into yours, his own demeanour turning to command, strumming the pleasures of your body to his own rhythm.

“Such a sweet delight,” He complimented, mostly to distract you from his finger easing into your tightness. You immediately clenched down on the intrusion. “This shall ease the discomfort.” He elaborated before spitting onto your folds

Your head fell backwards in shame, focusing on the comforting caresses in your torso as Daemon plunged his finger in knuckle deep. You couldn't take the prolonging tasks no longer. You whined, pawing at Daemon’s trousers.

“Please, please have me already.” You begged, you wanted to feel him within you. You could careless of the pain or discomfort, you just wanted to be one

“Take them off,” He instructed, your hands immediately worked on unbuttoning his pants, before digging your fingers into her rear to pull them down. His cock- that thing hung pliant between his legs. Part of you looked up at him curiously, and the other half wondered how your envious would engulf such a monstrosity. Your eyes silently asked for permission, to which Daemon simply stroked your hair as your wrapped your hand around the warm appendage. You were unsure of what to do.

“Stroke it, gently.” He guided you as you followed, feeling his cock twitch in your hands as you moved your hands back and forth. His tip soon glistened in moisture leaking from within. All Daemon could think of were your sweet lips wrapped around his cock and yet there was an eternity to teach you of the pleasures of the flesh. “Good girl,” He cooed.

He urged you to lay back against the pillows, working his length to harden to its full potential. He hesitated, having taken many maiden heads before, he needed this to be delicate as he tore through yours. He circled his tip at your sensitive rose bud before pushing at your entrance. You gasped out loud, letting you arms wrap around his shoulders as he inched forwards.

The stretch of his efforts shot a stinging sche through your pelvis, and he halted. Kissing your cheek and cooing at you in an attempt to alleviate even a fraction of the discomfort you were in. He advanced all the way in, hoping to let your ride out the waves of pain; you cried out louder and yet there was a little more left to go

“Look at me, just me. I shall make it better.” He groaned, hoping to suppress his own pleasures that coursed through his body, your tightness strangling his cock with threats of nearly milking him dry before anything had even begun. He felt selfish for feeling bliss as you silently wept underneath him, he caressed your cheek, the thing he held onto as his lips kissed your face. Peppering kisses to your forehead and your lips, over and over again as he inched forward

“Dae-” You shrieked as he finally bottomed out within you, the pressure of the stretch making your eyes well in more tears. You pulled yourself closer to him, trying to muffle your weeps on the crook of his neck. His arm reaches under you to support your neck. His deeper voice whispered encouragements as he awaited you to adjust to the pain.

“Look at how well you take me,” He whispered in between kisses that he pressed in your temples “Made just for me, aren't you? My sweet little wife.”

“Just for you,” You sniffled, letting yourself rest back against the pillows.

There was a humiliating familiarity in the way your aches encouraged your actions, you shuffled underneath him. Hoping to get him to move and yet he solely focused on doting on your body.

“Husband-” You whimpered, making his eyes shoot to you as they were focused on where the two of you were connected just moments before. He hummed in acknowledgement

“Can you- um please.” You stuttered, almost frustrated at yourself for losing your wording this easy.

“You have to tell me sweet wife, show me what you need.” He asked, urging his will into your answer.

“Please move- I need you to move.” You requested, he smiled before angling his hips backwards; hissing wantonly in the process and you mewled under him. There was pain within the first few thrusts and yet the deranged tendencies of your blood milked pleasure from the pain that subsided to a subtle pressure in your belly.

Daemon lost his composure, uttering vulgarities in your ear; the most obscene of sentences paired with the sweets of names he had picked for you.

“Perfect little hole, taking me so well,” He’d compliment one minute.

“Should have fucked this cunt the first day I laid eyes on you sweet girl,” The next he’d complain of the things he’d regretted.

He held your jaw, a feral smirk adoring his lips as he took your apart, your bangles clicking as your body bounced with his determined thrusts.

“Daemon!” You shrieked, such hurtful pleasure causing you to bed for such sinful things

“Just like that, scream your husband’s name.” He grunted, “Let all of Dorne know who owns this pretty body. Go on tell me.”

“You do, you do.” Cries poured from your lips as you held onto his forearms. “My Daemon,” You moaned as pulled yourself up to kiss his lips.

“Yes, yes sweet girl. All yours.” His deviant smile widened. Your cunt began to flutter around him, such flattery could mean just one thing as Daemon pushed his pelvis against yours, his thrusts grinding at your nub.

“That’s it, just lay there and take my seed,” He growled, his playing again harshly grasping your jaw to make you look at him.

“Dae- Daemon!” The ever impending storm began to paw at your insides,

Not long now- “I want it, I want babes and so much more. Please, please.” You begged to hope that itch would finally give way, and so it did. With no warning and only a scream of your husband’s name, your body erupted in ecstasy.

Daemon groaned out loud, muttering praises of your name, good girl, his sweet girl. Yes, you were. All for him as you loomed on a cloud perched high above the ground, you only registered Daemon’s thrusts faltering and warm filling your core, and then you felt Daemon’s caresses on your skin as you coaxed your heaving body to stability.

“Still with me?” He whispered against your hair and all you could muster was a lazy nod against his chest. You hissed feeling his cock leave your opening, he pushed you through it all. Letting his body weight do the work for you as he pulled himself to sit up along with you.

You finally opened your eyes, blinking away stray tears as he wiped at the trails of moisture on your cheeks. He bundled your exhausted body against his as he lifted you off your bed, walking you along to your chaise before wrapping a spare blanket against both your bodies, almost rocking your vulnerable body to a humming under his breath.

Maids poured into the clear martial bed, they all frowned at the image of their beloved Lady Martell curled against a dragon without a care as you nuzzled against him. Daemon snapped his fingers at them as they began to carry the bloodied sheets away, gesturing to the corner of the room for them to leave it behind. He planned to gift it to his brother’s council, as a warning.

There was nothing anybody could refuse Daemon Targaryen from- that and that he had a new wife. A wife of his choice, a wife he intended on loving until his death bed.