#ohhhhhhh you made me do this !!! you can't just send me these things and not expect this !!

[inchidentally]

It’s giving engineering student Oscar on the first day of his Motorsport internship!!!!!

(BFBFFBFBFB he's lucky he's so gd beautiful bc he rly said 'let me find the most boring backdrop I possibly ca--ooh is tha empty tarmac? perfect')

dj!escort!Lando is booked at MTC for a gig to unveil their new car and decides to scroll their socials while flying back from Vietnam w Martin. first he sees Oscar posing stiffly in the new odd shirtdress race suit and decides why not zoom in on it. who he at first thought was just some kid turns out to have a beautiful slim waist and mile long legs under the suit. pretty little hands too. oh and the face... is very good. defined jaw and cheekbones, cute nose, pretty brown eyes. the kind of soft hair you want to run your fingers through after sex. the mouth is more intriguing than he'd first thought. pretty pink lips and sort of pouty. would probably turn hot pink after being kissed for an hour. maybe even a blood red after blowing Lando in the-- damn. Lando has to adjust himself and close out the photos.

so maybe he spends the rest of the plane ride ignoring the rest of the guys by going to this Oscar Piastri's accounts. gets absolutely stuck on a picture he'd posted that day with a middle aged emoji and terrible photo composition. but god if the pretty face and mussed soft hair doesn't more than make up for it. he looks like he's had nothing but vanilla sex, safe amounts of alcohol and the only excitement in his life is driving F1 cars. which to be fair looks fucking amazing.

but Oscar deserves to get wild sometimes. deserves to get absolutely wrecked. because from what Lando can tell, the guy almost never takes time off unless its to visit his family Australia. if he's not racing then he's in the simulator or he's in meetings or training. and god, the body he has under those team issued clothes. lean and strong in the arms and legs and waist but surprisingly thick and curvy in the ass and pecs. Lando can picture all that pale skin stretched out on his hotel bed, turning pink wherever Lando's big tan hands grope him. how embarrassed he'd get when Lando squeezes an entire pec in his hands and draws a nipple into his mouth. the cute way he'd flush up and probably throw a hand over his eyes when Lando slung each of the boy's knees over his shoulders and gave him a perineum beard burn he'd feel for days.

Lando startles when one of the road crew knocks over an entire bottle of champagne. by the time he looks back at the awkwardly smiling photo of Oscar out in wherever the hell he was, doing testing or whatever, Lando feels almost ashamed about what he has planned for this nerdy kid who clearly has no idea how hot he is.

but when he finally meets Oscar in person and realizes the boy has at least three inches height on him - most of which seems to run in his legs - Lando gives him a sharktooth grin, a thorough once over that has the boy blushing pink, and ignores everything the weird American dude is saying to him.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

I think it's going to go the way all of their IG "tours" go.

why do you think they're trying to frame it differently to their other tours? it's not the first time they travelled abroad

and do you think it'll be a success in the way of half-in half-out?

In a way, it's more of a recruitment trip for them and I suspect it's a bit of do-or-die, make-or-break kind of a trip.

If you look at their prior travels, it's all been "done deal" trips, where all they really had to do was show up. The Hague, Dusseldorf, and Vancouver Invictus Games were set up before Megxit (Hague and Dusseldorf definitely, less confident on Vancouver but the timeline kinda lines up for some sort of ancillary support from the BRF) using BRF/Royal Foundation staffers and connections to make the arrangements.

(ohhhhhhh god I just actually read the IG press release (archived link) that came out this morning. Harry announced the shortlist finalists for the 2027 Invictus Games. It's Birmingham UK and Washington DC. I cannot, you guys. I cannot be waking up to the Sussexes on my local news, in my local papers, on my social media algorithms.)

Anyway, this is the first time that Harry has really had to work to recruit hosts for Invictus Games. He started last year with a mini-trip to Japan but my feeling is Japan gave a big fat NO because they didn't send anyone to compete in Dusseldorf and then almost right away Harry started love-bombing Nigeria. First by becoming their groupies at IG. Then sending period products and school supplies to Nigerian schools. Now having negotiated a trip. (And these trips don't just pop up at the last minute; this is something that's been in the works for quite some time, especially since the military seems to be involved.)

Now consider this article from The Express, which reports that at least 2,000 veterans have quit/left Invictus Games because they're unhappy it's turned into the Harry-and-Meghan-Fauxyal-Tour. 2,000 is a HUGE number...especially considering that just 513 veterans competed in Dusseldorf IG. (Each of the Games has about 500 athletes. That's not a sustainable business model. For comparison: the 2022 Warrior Games had 300 athletes participating from 3 countries - the US, Canada, and Ukraine.)

And remember the essay I wrote a couple weeks ago about how Invictus Games had to be thinking about cutting Harry loose because he doesn't really do anything for them? (I honestly can't find it tonight. If anyone has a link, can you please share it? I thought I tagged that post but it's not coming up.)

So both of those things coming together - having to recruit for IG hosts now and blood in the IG water over veterans complaining about the Sussexes - means that Harry really needs the Nigeria trip to go well if he wants to keep Invictus Games. So he's got to actually work on this trip, and so does Meghan, so they're defaulting back to royal protocols hoping that the protocols are enough to woo and lovebomb people. I think what they're trying to do is say "if we come, this is all the attention and all the media that we'll bring with us, now imagine how much more attention and coverage you'll get over the next 5 years when you're an Invictus Games host."

It is kinda half in/half out, especially since it looks like government officials and Defense officials are involved in the trip (and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Harry rolls up with his medals again). But it feels more like desperation to me. They made their bed four years ago abusing and using Invictus Games because they could, only now Invictus Games has come to collect and is demanding they make good on Harry's role as Patron.

From a lot of the recent news coverage - Harry's leaks to the Express about pulling out of the anniversary service, Invictus Games now clapping back about how the veterans don't want Harry involved anymore, all the hype about their groundbreaking royal/anti-royal trip to Nigeria, and the confirmation that the Nigeria trip is expressly because of Invictus Games - there's definitely something happening behind closed doors at Invictus Games that seems to be making the Sussexes very nervous if they're now pivoting back to royal cosplay.

And also let's not forget the rumor that Mike Tindall has been asked to be an ambassador for Invictus Games in a role that might supplant Harry.

And not only that, I also feel like Harry and Meghan think that if the Nigeria trip goes well and it's a success and they come away with a deal for 2029 Invictus Games or having reversed their popularity slide, they can use it to shoehorn half in/half out from Charles by being able to point to this and say "see? We can do this. Look at what you're missing. You need us."

I'm not sure if it will be a success. The Sussexes often get in the way of their own selves when they really need things to go well and this trip is rife with potential for that. From the security concerns to military cosplay to appearance of it being an official visit on Charles's behalf to Diana cosplays to the goverment/Nigerian military involvement to just their personalities and mannerisms, it won't take much for something to go wrong. It'll take everything for the trip to go well.

On the one hand, I hope it works. I know how much Invictus Games means to Harry and I think he really derives some kind of true joy from being able to provide these services and opportunities to his fellow veterans and soldiers. But on the other hand, I hope it goes wrong ten ways to Sunday so Charles has no choice but to step in and remind everyone - Sussexes and the Commonwealth alike - that there's no half in/half out without his approval and they do not have it, no matter what the Sussexes pretend otherwise.

[supervisormeero]

❤️💥✨💌

❤️ What is your favorite line that you’ve written in a fic? OHHHHHHH BOY. Uh. Um. (I can name some of my favorite lines my friends have written off the top of my head, but my brain short-circuits when I have to remember my own stuff.)

I'm still particularly proud of Frictious, and this line, specifically: "They’re the breath in each other’s lungs, and they’re the blood seeping from each other’s wounds." I don't think I've ever written a more concise and fitting description of what Syril and Dedra are to each other—at least in my view. I could launch into my Rant about how they're twin flames and how that term in and of itself sort of outlines the doomed trajectory of their relationship, but I wholeheartedly believe they're soulmates. They were destined for each other in every perfect, horrible way, and if they're ultimately each other's destruction, that'd be horribly perfect to me.

💥 What is one canon thing that you wish you could change? I keep pulling out weird answers for this, and this barely qualifies as an answer to the question, but—I wish we could see what Dedra wears on, like, weekends. She and that uniform are almost the same entity in my brain; it's like her shell, like an exoskeleton, almost, and I have to wonder who she even is when she's not wearing it. What is her style like? I know it's sort of a joke in this fandom that Syril's all about high fashion and Dedra couldn't care less, but is that true, or does she also care about the specifics of fine tailoring when she's not in uniform? I can't see her wearing a dress, but... what if she wears dresses? I have so many questions.

✨️ Out of the comments you’ve received on your fics, what are two or three of your favorites? Funny you should ask me this, because many of my favorite comments are yours! Basically every comment you'd left me on Frictious absolutely made my day (or my week). I cherish any and all comments, but the ones that really delve into what I've written to say what, specifically, they liked or explain their interpretations of certain passages are just... I cry tears of joy.

Also, shout-out to @air-mechanical, @lighttailoring, and @hegodamask for just, like, existing? For being the best? Whether on AO3 or in my original drafts or in the tags on my posts, I'm so grateful for the kind words and feedback you've given me. I really do believe I've grown as a writer because I'm reading your works and learning from you.

💌 Is there a favorite trope you like to write? I'm not sure if this counts as a trope, but. Couldn't be a fic I've written if these idiots weren't awkwardly holding hands at some point. I don't know why I need them to hold hands so badly, but I do. I'm currently writing a fic where Dedra marries Syril as a manipulative tactic, and of course they've held hands. More than once.

Tony Gilroy, if you're listening... Cereal and Debra holding hands would fix me, I think.

Send me fic writer emoji asks!

[mermaidsirennikita]

Any romance recs that give the whole “look back at me” North & South vibes?

I'm thinking that you're looking for the angst and longing of "Look back at me", right? Garbage man cannot express garbage feelings correctly? Feel free to correct me if you want different vibes.

I would recommend:

--Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath. Lorraine is just angst supreme, and this one is probably my favorite book by her. It's the "hey my guy, will you get my wife pregnant because I cannot and that's your fault" book. After much debate because the heroine loves her husband and hates the hero, the hero and heroine spend a month together at his cottage... Makin' a baby. And it starts out as super formal and weird but becomes this passionate thing and they're totally in love by the end of the month but he has to give her back to her husband and the parting...? The PARTING??? May be the most gloriously angsty thing I've ever read and it's beautiful. I remember this moment where she finally reaches her husband and just collapses in his arms sobbing and you switch to the husband's POV and he's like "fuck".

--Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley. A fabulous marriage in trouble book that kicks off with the hero resolving to get the heroine back after three years of separation. But you also get flashbacks to her leaving him, and a lot of that "we just can't make this work" energy from her while he wants so badly to make it work.

--Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath. Honestly a ZANY BOOK. But the fallout...? It's actually, and I am like 90% sure this was intentional, a retelling of the fully insane Kurt Russell/Goldie Hawn vehicle Overboard, which I've made like seven people in my life watch and every time they go "I think this is a... you thing" BUT! It works in a historical romance setting. Hero was born into poverty but adopted by a duke and duchess, which gives him a complex... Heroine is a spoiled little rich girl type. She always treats him like garbage, and then one night he finds her having fallen into a river, and she has FULL AMNESIA. NO IDEA WHO HE OR ANYONE IS. So he's like "Lmao, I'm gonna prank her by telling her she's my maid, and then I'll send her back to her brother". It gets out of hand. He does not send her back to her brother. And when she gets her memory back? At the WORST MOMENT??? Oh. OHHHHHHH. The way this man is DEVASTATED by his own IDIOCY. TW: discussions of childhood sexual abuse.

--The Truth About Cads and Dukes by Elisa Braden. Hero and heroine have a marriage of convenience after his ne'er-do-well brother ruins her reputation in a non-sexual manner. The hero is very cold and practiced, but gradually he and the heroine get close--yet he still can't let her in despite wanting her so badly because, you know, trauma. Towards the end he thinks she's gonna leave him and it gives this vibe, imo.

--How to Marry a Marquess by Stacy Reid. This is one of those "heehee teach me how to seduce a man who TOTALLY isn't you" books that turns so fucking angsty towards the end. The hero fucks up BIG TIME and the heroine like... refuses to see him, shit like that. Very good.

--The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe. Been recommending this a lot lately but it really is that good. Why I think it works for this is just. The very end. When she's DONE with him. And he's that TikTok effect where it's like "BABY PLEASE WHY BABY WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME" after being the mAN IN CHARGE the entire book. Just. Down ridiculous.

--Untamed by Elizabeth Lowell. Old-ish school medieval. The hero and heroine have an arranged marriage, but due to events that are totally out of her control, he doesn't trust her at all and spends a lot of the book like... Expressing this lack of trust. To the point that he basically fucks up the relationship, and she thinks he hates her, when he in fact, reader, THE OPPOSITE of hates her. His grovel is a hall of fame grovel, and it only happens after it's communicated to him that she believes he feels nothing for her.

--A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean. One of my favorite "There he goes, ruining his own life (again)" books. Hero is just! Such! A bastard!!! Horrible man. Love him. He fucks up from the very beginning and spends much of the book trying and failing to communicate the depth of his feeling to the heroine. The Day of the Duchess by MacLean also does this.

--After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long. Definitely has this vibe. Cold duke who ends up giving Italian lessons to the much younger, scandalous opera singer who's staying at the same boarding house he's in. He looks down at her, she thinks he's an asshole (he is), they become friends over time... then they become more than friends... But the age gap/societal differences make them think they can't be together.

--Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt. The lovers think they're going to part (by choice) right up until the very last minute when he gets his head out of his ass. TW: the heroine was sexually abused as as child, and this is a huge plot point. The hero is very gentle with her, and much of their early sexual relationship involves her watching him, them like, masturbating in a room together without touching each other, etc. It's a big trauma recovery book.

--Dearest Rogue by Elizabeth Hoyt. Pining with a side of "she's too good for the likes of me". Heroine is blind and the hero is her bodyguard. SOMEONE (hello, Duke of Sin, among others) wants to kidnap her and they end up on a roadtrip together. Shit gets out of hand, but he also firmly believes they can't be together because... class divides, his leg injury means that he ~ain't as good as he once was~ (trust and believe, this does not apply to the bedroom).

--Tbh, the entire Princes trilogy by Elizabeth Hoyt (which I really should reread) has moments like this because the heroes, especially those of book 1 and 2, have their heads entirely up their asses for like. 90% of the book. I love this. It's glorious to me. For me, Elizabeth Hoyt and Lorraine Heath just... know how to weaponize angst perfectly.

--Scoundrel of My Heart by Lorraine Heath. This starts out as a "best friend's brother" book, wherein the heroine is attempting to catch the attention of a duke and has her best friend's SUPER ANNOYING brother help her... and obviously they fall in love... and like, suddenly, it's a totally different book and we have a year-long time jump, and when they meet again she's engaged to the duke and he's a totally different man but... obviously... he still wants her. Angst supreme. Reader, this one did make me cry, which NEVER happens.

[whileyoureinschoolidothisallday]

For the writing wrapped: I'm curious about 5,8,11 &/or 20 if you haven't answered them!! Hope you had a nice new year :>

Hi nonnie thank you so much for asking these 🥺🥺🥺they're so great!!!!

5. Favorite line of dialogue you wrote this year?

5. Ohhhhhhh dialogue is literally my favorite thing. I can't choose between these two so you're getting both!

Since this is my main fic I talk most frequently about, the first one is from the Age 16 chapter of my dabixreader wip, Bury My Ashes At Sea (previously Dolls and Soldiers), aka Hex!fic:

[Alt text: White text on a black background that reads:

"“Come to think of it, we’re gonna be eighteen in two years. Should probably think about getting you a ring, huh? What d’you want?”

“I’m not listening.”

“You gonna wear a dress or a kimono? I couldn’t care less, you’ll look pretty in either. But if you want the ceremony in a church or somethin’ you better let me know now cause it’ll take at least the full two years to soften dad to it.”

You scoff. “There would be no ‘softening’ your dad to a marriage to me, for a variety of reasons.”"

/End text.]

and the second is from my fic for the game Obey Me--currently on the back burner while I finish the above- Love is A Liar's Game!

[Alt text: White text on a black background that reads:

"OC’s gaze briefly drifted to the demon friend before it fell to the usual target of her phone screen. She popped her bubblegum while she typed. “All hate mail received is subject to a penalty fee of 11000 Grimm. Will you be paying with gold or DP?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“Fuck you! I don’t have 11000 Grimm!”

“Bummer.” OC shrugged and popped another bubble before speaking to Beel. “Babe, try to keep some of his bigger bones intact. I bet Mammon can find me a buyer.”"

[/End text.]

The rest will be under the cut!!!

8. Did you have a word you used too often?

I always use 'just' too much. I don't even need to look, I know that's what it is.

11. What was the highlight of your writing/writing career this year?

I got my first full request on my original manuscript, Cynical Chaos!!!! That was really exciting! It also ended up being my first rejection on a full lol, but hey, progress is progress and fuck it we ball.

20. Did you make any Pinterest boards, aesthetics, art, etc., for your writing? Share your favorite.

I actually made a lot of moodboards this year, both for Cyn Chaos and my own selfship project I was doing for fun!!!

Again, I can't choose between two. We have my Dabisa one:

and then the one I did for the prologue of Cyn Chaos! I'm trying to make a moodboard for every chapter

(red and blue lol)

THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR ASKING ILY!!!!!!!

Send me a number for Writing Wrapped!!!!!

[goldenkenku]

hello I come with oc questions hello! what are some fun facts about whoever is most on your mind right now? and what are some not-so-fun facts? :3c

OUNGGHH. TY FOR THIS [EXPLODES]

LMAO SO FOR FUN FACTS:

Paroxysm is genuinely something I can say was created purely on accident because I got very attached to the new edgy oc (Shin) and decided that they Must have some depth even tho I originally wanted them to be flat and just for funsies. To explain: Shin originally was this mass of creatures who decided to kill and possess some rando's (rando being Daki) body while pretending to Be them etc etc then shenanigans ensure. But yeah I was like. "Ok but who is the guys he's possessing tho. Also does this dude have any friends who'd notice this change– oH ALSO W–[FALLS FACE FIRST INTO INTENSE HYPERFOCUS]

▪︎Also extra note: Dai had been created during this original concept phase as well! I wanted Daki (the guy Shin is possessing currently) to have like. Actual Friends who'd notice that Somethings Different in him and would help him if possible and moments later Dai was born

And speaking of Dai, this reminds me that in early development (saying this like Paroxysm isn't still a baby) he was originally meant to be... 21 years old? but after getting more into his life accomplishments and all that I came to the conclusion of: "If this guy were in fact 21 yrs old, I think the sheer amount of stress he's under would perhaps send him into an early grave"– and basically he's 23 yrs old now (but also I do not think that man has ever gotten more than 5-6hrs of sleep in one sitting. Good lird)

On the flip side tho, his friend Daki is currently in the middle of taking a break year between high school and college since he's graduated, and I think he gets enough sleep/relaxation time for the both of them (/hj because very soon Daki gets exposed to The Horrors and is put thru the metaphorical blender)

▪︎Dai's name came from when I was trying to say ShinDaki (<- the current duo name for Shin and Daki's dynamic) While. Extremely Tired and ended up saying "ShinDai" on accident LMAO, anyways it stuck with me as we can see

▪︎fun thing that I like to sprinkle into their dynamic occasionally is that Daki admires Dai SO much, but subconsciously has this bad habit of comparing themself to him Constantly (obviously not the healthiest of habits lol) and wants to be someone that Dai can be proud of

Also Daki has been procrastinating confessing His Feelings™ for Dai for at least years and at this point he's made peace with going to the grave with them as well (Hes gets nervous making larger life decisions, and will normally get someone else to support him during smth like this. And since this is something he must do alone (<- without Dai's support) he has decided to Not)

Dai has Feelings for Daki as well lol, but he's less self aware when it comes to these things and it took dating a random girl that he works with to Really register it LMAO (while they were dating he was like. Huh. Hey so why can't I stop thinking about my friend. [Realizes] OH. OHHHHHHH. FUCK.) Anyways he ended up telling her this (bc he felt guilty and thought she should know) and soon after they broke up unfortunately, on good terms btw!!! They're still really close friends still but it was... sooo fucking awkward during the week post breakup. But in true Dai fashion he has decoded to repress his feelings for Daki for Later™ him to address

Anyways I love my sillies, but for the not so fun facts!!!:

▪︎The reason why Dai is Like That (overachiever/overworker/doesn't know how to take care of himself etc etc) is because he's been trying to live up to the impossible standard his parents have set for him, and the standards he's set for himself mentally as a result of this. I feel that he envies Daki's ability to like... actually relax without the feeling of crawling out of his skin bc of restlessness (tfw you have strict parents who don't know how to convey positive emotions at children and give them insane mental illnesses instead)

Also Daiki be like. "Ohh I admire your ability to live a life that is seemingly the exact opposite of my own. I wish I were more like you" bc I dunno love wins

▪︎In the Egregore AU (<- Basically the reverse version of Paroxysm where Dai gets possessed instead of Daki) Dai is.. Alot more paranoid(?) compared to his original counterpart. And smth smth I think he has OCD  in Egregore now? So basically. The Curse thats possessing him can be summed up as "horrific intrusive thoughts that are also Very Sentient/Alive" and I dunno. I was looking at how someone like him might yknow. Cope with this sort of thing and kept realizing that it was very simular to how I've seen people deal/sooth themselves during bad bouts of OCD. Anyways in Paroxysm Daki's body is taken away from him and in Egregore its Dai's mind that's turned against him. They are 🤝🤝🤝🤝 while also crying LOL

▪︎There was a version of Paroxysm where Daki... perma died at The Start of the story, and it was abt Dai solving and avenging his murder and Shin being an ass about it. It's changed since then so instead of dying he gets rreeaallllll close to it lol

(And since this was The Original Concept of Paroxysm, the meaning of Daki's name reflects that still even tho things have changed Alot since then. Anyways Daki meant "abandon, throw away, discard" etc etc however I recently found a different (kanji) spelling of Daki that can mean princess which is SO funny to me)

▪︎ONE MORE SINCE I AM SLEEPY AND I THINK THIS IS GETTING A TAD LONG.

Shin has The Worst abandonment issues known to man and science. It's understandable since the One person he had really trusted and felt a really connection with basically sealed him into a box where his energy bounced and reflected off of itself for.. almost? 20 years basically, and for the most part he doesn't know Why this happened to him (the process of That fucked up/twisted his memories, so he genuinely cannot rely on whatever goes on his brain memory wise) so he's done alot of stewing in anger/grief/intense confusion during that time. I do not think he would begin to recognize what he was "before."

In short Shin has decided to take out all of his Very pent up Issues on Daki, which obvs doesn't end well for anyone involved unfortunately

[sparkagrace]

Hi lovely Tej 💛💛 I know you’re gonna have a busy day today and I hope none of your meetings are too frustrating or exhausting & your evening plans are fun! But that’s not why I’m dropping by.

Bc I’m dropping by to SCREAM at you because you made me read 100k of your fic yesterday so I went to bed way too late and I’m pretty sure my dreams were all about swimming 😭 Okay fine you told me GIRL GO TO BED (repeatedly), but I can’t be blamed for wanting to finish the masterpiece that is Lane Lines.

I can’t even imagine the work that must have gone into that, not just writing but also research, but god did it work out because it’s just brilliant. Even if I wanted to grab him by the shoulders &! shake some sense into Stevie like every other chapter because GOD you idiot baby (even if I completely love the arch you gave him). Your writing is just amazing. I don’t do so well with slow burns, but you write tension so well and I was so freaking invested in this, the story and all the characters, I couldn’t stop. I’m pretty sure I sobbed my way through some of the later chapters though. 😭

I got so anxious for the boys for each of their competitions, wanting to turn on a tv thinking I could watch them swim because it was all SO real. Everything about the story is, especially everything Steve feels and goes through how heartbreaking or painful or self-sabotaging it might be, just feels so real 🥺

I’m just completely in awe of you for writing this story. I knew you’re a great writer from your other fics, but god, this is just something else. I loved everything about it 💖So so freaking perfect, stand alone semi-sequels included. I can’t believe you’re writing a full sequel to this, that you’re blessing us with even more of this story.

I kinda want to hug you and smack you over the head at the same time, bc how can you be so brilliant and not always recognize it? I’m telling you. You are. So so so freaking genius. Anyway. I loved it. And I love you 💗💗

ohhhhhhh my dear Maya 💛 YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE TO BED. I can't believe you stayed up so late reading my little fic. I've stared at this ask for hours trying to think of something to say that can adequately express how much I appreciate you taking the time to read and send me your reactions and comments in real time. I am SO sorry for putting you through 130k worth of angst haha (but I guess you made me cry on a train this morning while reading this sweet and beautiful ask, so maybe we're even) 😭😭😭

It's always nice getting lovely feedback, but even nicer when it's from a friend and someone whose writing you love in return! 💖 You have no idea how much your comments continually delight me, and how much I get a little flip in my heart when I see you've posted a new fic (and everyone should go check out your fics because they're so sweet and fluffy and a breath of fresh air!).

Anyway, this is getting sappy and I am at work trying not to slam my head against the desk because we're having a tech nightmare and nothing is working like it should be *pokes work laptop* but this ask genuinely has made my day (possibly my entire year) and I absolutely love you to the moon and back! 🌕

I hope you are having a good working day and that you're not too exhausted! Sending you so much love and goodness coming your way because you deserve all the best things in life ✨✨✨

[athys-obelia]

summary: no one's evil au lmfaooo but make it pt. 2

character/s: anastacius de alger obelia, claude de alger obelia, athanasia de alger obelia, jennette de alger obelia

and here's part 1 <3

oh my god okay. okay. so.

ana, claude, athy and jennette - they go on a LOT of vacations

claude complains every single time but anastacius pulls his trump card and sends athy and jettie BOTH after him

u think he's strong enough to say no after that? lmao jokes

and their vacations always go this way:

jennette: isn't this scenery just gorgeous, uncle

claude: indeed it is. and...quiet

jennette: ...too quiet

[cut to anastacius in the distance, fighting a bear as athy cheers him on]

athy + anastacius, hands down the most chaotic pairing yes i will not be taking criticism

they have tea in ana's palace everyday, just the two of them, they're so poised and picture perfect through the entire thing everyone thinks it's just the emperor giving profound advice to his heir

it's actually them deadass scheming,,, ana has no qualms discussing everything from court gossip to military tactics, both of which she's so on top of all the time

if anyone shit talks jennette or claude, this tea party is where their slow and agonizing demise is planned out to the dot

[true story - count sivan once made the fatal mistake of expressing his favour for athy as the next empress, dissing jennette by comparing her to athy sm which inevitably sparked a debate that ranked the princesses. a week after athy's sources informed her of the kindling behind this new debate, the count's sudden divorce became the talk of the town, and the man's business faced bankruptcy all of a sudden. the sivans still haven't recovered.)

athy n jennette were actually allowed to visit kiel in arlanta a few times, except it was too dark at their first arrival, postponing the meeting to the next morning

buttt then jettie can't sleep and she decides on a midnight snack run (their hotel doesn't really have the maids the palace does, but oh well. she's left the palace w lucas n athy plenty of times)

felix tags along btw, he knows this trip is important to the girls since they're leaving the palace without their Overprotective Papas™ for the first time and want some sense of independence, but... she's just so smol n he couldn't bear it if anything happens so he just shadows her

she totally knows he's there

n e ways so there's a juice place right beside their hotel which she aims for, but when jennette reaches it, it's closed

and out of nowhere, a voice addresses her - "hey you, do you come here a lot?" she nearly jumps out of her skin at the brunette, relaxing when she sees he's literally a kid around her age and not a murderer lmfaoo "me neither," he continues without waiting for her, pouting at the closed sign, before he asks for her name and whether she's new in arlanta

she confirms that yes, she's only visiting, and refuses to tell the stranger her name, still feeling strange at being addressed as 'you' for the first time (well, minus lucas, but he was like her brother and had the emotional capacity of a teaspoon, so)

he eyes her. "you're so weird. i've never seen a girl out so late before, and alone too. are you stupid?"

(felix has his sword out at this point)

she's flushing now and has no idea why she's still out here, but then this stranger kid apparently senses her mood and tells her the best ice cream store in arlanta is not too far away

(he also explains he knows someone who's starts doing weird things when she's hungry as well, and tries to defend that ice cream is actually a healthy midnight snack, "you can just take a healthy flavour like strawberry or mango, mangos are healthy,,right"💀️💀)

so jettie has travelled all the way from obelia, she loves her papa but he would have a heart attack if he found out she was ever awake this late?? yeah bc she's never getting this chance again, jennette accepts the offer

the stranger boy seems to be taking the whole "i'm not telling you my name," thing like a joke, and asks what he should call her since 'you' was getting boring

she goes with "lady j" and like a knight, the boy becomes "sir c"

(felix is on the verge of committing a crime - the princesses can only have one knight, after all)

they walk as the the boy navigates the streets in the dark, and she asks whether he's from the academy, seeing his uniform

"of course i am! you could probably tell bc i look so smart, right?"

she snorts. "yeah, that."

she also comes to know that this guy,,,well he might as well be a tourist? she's out here asking stuff like "oh where's the statue of lady alphia?" or "aren't we really close to the museum where they keep the first emperor's sword?" and he goes "lady do i look like your brochure?? but if you turn right from here there's a cool arcade and across the street from there is the best street food vendor you'll ever eat from."

well at least mans had his priorities straight 😌

"so can you take this off?" he asks, pointing towards her dress once they've neared the store

um???????? sir tf????????????

anyways jettie has been living with lucas n her dad farr too long to not take this the wrong way?? "...no?"

the boy raises an eyebrow "look, it looks like an expensive cloak but i promise i'll return it, alright? i gotta hide my uniform."

ohhhhhhh. 😳.

so she unfastens the cloak and because he's kinda just staring at it cluelessly (he can't even tie his shoelaces fight me), jennette sighs and moves the clothing over his shoulder, fastening it in place at his neck

he's literally a tomato when she looks back up and realises that yes, we are way too close rn

bc she's ana's daughter, jennette by default cannot function when she's flustered. so she kinda stumbles backwards like a fish out of water (years of princess training n etiquette? where art thou??) and 'sir c' has to grab her forearm so she doesn't bump into the pillar behind her smfh

the shopkeep is definitely suspicious of this pair that's definitely too young to be out so late, but chalks it down to his sleeplessness

they escape the store with the ice cream before the shopkeep can ask any questions, and 'sir c' escorts jennette back to her hotel. he climbs onto the roof of the building, helping her up as well

(felix wishes he had a magic stone to capture this moment, this is the first time he's seen jennette become such fast friends with someone)

she stands on the roof (it hurts her butt so she doesn't wanna sit)

"my sister would be so jealous right now," jennette murmurs, "she told me her ideal first date would be either a picnic or something like a moonlit walk. we're having like a moonlit picnic."

it's silent for a few seconds the boy speaks up, "is this a date?"

oh-

oh.

"i mean- i didn't- i don't- uh."

give her some time lmfao she's loading

"i don't really mind that," he tells her, and she thinks she might just walk off the roof in her embarrassment - who just says something like that?? "you're probably feeling really lucky right now, right?"

jennette: ✊😔

he does look pretty in the moonlight, she admits to herself, listening as he excitedly tells her about his siblings at home and how she should send an offering to the gods since they gave her the good fortune to be on a date with the most good looking one of all four of them

in turn, she tells him about how she spent her childhood away from her amazing dad and had gotten closer to him recently, about her sharp-witted uncle, her sister and friends

(the 'friends' section includes felix and he's melting)

she smiles - it's almost as if, at finding out he treasures his family just as much as she does, they've gotten a bit closer

and he tries to listen. jennette had guessed that his temperament was somewhat like her dad's - her dad didn't know how to listen, always making his opinion known before anything else, though she supposes as emperor he could do that

'sir c', on the other hand, tried his best, his blue eyes focused on her as he almost burst from the unsaid words he was holding back, trying to let her finish. the sight was an odd mix of sad and insanely adorable that she couldn't help but let him tell her about everything he couldn't hold in

sensing she could pass out from her exhaustion nearly half an hour later, and 'sir c' escorts her to her window and helps her sneak in bc "what sort of knight would i be otherwise?!"

(felix can't stop shaking the entire night)

the next morning, jennette's heart is pounding as kiel shows her, athy and felix across campus - the chance is low, but still...

"ezekiel!" comes a voice, and the four watch as a turquoise haired boy waves down the alpheus heir "are these the guests you mentioned?"

kiel introduces the trio to johannes vastia before asking, "where's cabel?"

"at the training grounds, he asked if you could bring everyone there so he could show them around there."

"... they're my guests though?"

athy is quick to befriend johannes (i mean she and his sister are practically the same person, so) and at the grounds, jennette's blood runs cold

(so does felix's)

the brunette doesn't notice her at first, arguing with johannes about something as kiel introduces him as cabel ernst

jennette is hyperventilating?? actually back up is this girl even breathing??

cabel ernst from kiel's letters? the 'loud and obnoxious cabel ernst', who gradually turned into 'my acquaintance cabel ernst', then 'hardworking, passionate cabel ernst', and finally 'my friend cabel'?

she'd actually rather admired this slow build of respect between her friend and the ernst boy, and had even expressed her interest to meet him

"this is the first daughter of his highness prince claude de alger obelia, princess athanasia-" cabel mock salutes the princess before his mouth forms an 'o' and he remembers to bow, "-and here's the emperor's only daughter, her highness princess je-"

andddd his eyes widen comically "-hey, lady, it's you?"

yeah jettie is on the brink of literal death - her entire face reddens as this...cabel, grins at her

she watches as he glances behind her, "and you're the guy who was following us - sup?"

felix flinches "...you knew...?"

cabel shrugs. "i mean you do kinda suck ass at the whole subtle thing."

"don't say it like that," jennette retorts, "felix was trying his best."

"princess 😭😭 you knew as well?"

"uhhhh no?"

athy + kiel in a corner: 👁️👄👁️

they watch as cabel's eyes widen all of a sudden and he just,,,runs away

...🐦...🐦...🐦...

yeah well anyway he comes rushing back a few minutes later, a piece of cloth in his hand "...*huff* here *huff*...you go."

athy totally flips out "jennette is that your CLOAK???!??"

"uhhhhh no?"

"um do you realise uncle would literally wage war at this."

and as if it would make everything better,

"i washed it," cabel offers with a grin

"you didn't," the vastia heir deadpans

"i mean, johan helped a little bit."

kiel smiles murderously at the pair. "johan, did you know cabel took the princess out?"

"wait, you're a PRINCESS??"

your honour they aren't very smart

so the group orders some coffee (milk for cabel smfh) to find out what happened, cabel mentions "date" and everything goes to shit again lmfao

kiel and felix scheme against poor cabel while athy n johan get over that stage pretty quick ("listen. MY sister will be living with ME after the marriage and if your friend wants to be with her he'll have to come with us to obelia." and johan's just like "fine by me ✌️😊") and start planning the wedding

cabel + jennette dip n sneak out of the academy again to get the juice they couldn't the night before bc shit is getting awkward here

on another note, our uncle cius' musical intelligence is actually very high - he can probably play more instruments than i can name tbh, but he feels most comfortable singing and i shit you not, this man has straight up an angel's voice

(didn't like singing in front of others coz he was secretly a nerd and only knew old love songs with deep lyrics, athy found out and educated him)

jennette tends to have nightmares often, most often regarding their family - she's seen her father murder her uncle for the throne, and vice versa, athy admitting her affections towards jennette were a front to get the position of crown princess, her uncle killing her to solidify athy's claim, etc - her family is her everything, so despite however many times these horrible scenes play before her, she's left sobbing uncontrollably

and on these nights, she leaves for her father's room, who holds her close and sings her to sleep

also lucas n jennette are like sibling duo# 1,,, jettie is an active lucathy shipper even though he denies it sm - like their dynamic is just peaceful walks in the gardens as she watches the plants n lucas shi talks the nobility and kiel

claude and athy have a thing for each other's sleeping on each other? idk it's weird

athy once fell asleep on the couch while reading with him, and claude moved her head onto his lap so she wouldn't be uncomfy sitting - well, she woke up to his hand absentmindedly raking through her hair and it was just so soothing that whenever she's tired and he's working or reading, she just plops her head on his lap and zzzz

and claude wondered what was up with that, so she proposed they switch roles and he felt so awkward trying to lay down in front of her lmao

obviously athy noticed and she just started reading, thinking he might be more comfortable if her attention isn't on him completely - she ended up reading out loud while playing with his collar and he just,,,passed out

also anastacius has definitely pulled jennette aside regarding the issue of his heir at some point - she had been hesitant at first before admitting she wouldn't like to be the empress at all

i know we'd all love to see empress!jettie and her sister duchess!athy ruling the court, but i really really really can't see her wanting the title?

so thus start athy's empress lessons, but holy shit her teacher is mean

like this man makes me want to bash his face in?? so he doesn't like the idea of athy becoming empress over jennette at all, all bc of both hers and claude's mothers being commoners

he has one of those long ass sticks that you use in presentation to point at stuff?? idk but basically mans has athy name every region, its lords and their vassals during their first lesson

the first time she gets one wrong, she's too shocked as the stick meets the delicate skin of her forearm to react

now the thing is, wmmap!athy would probably stand up against this bc her dad is the emperor and she's his only heir, but i imagine with anastacius' social nature he holds many parties / balls where she's probably heard claude's mom + diana slander and it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to be self conscious abt it (now she's the emperor's heir while jennette, 100% royal + noble blood, is right there which probably makes her feel even less legitimate)

so she endures it, the light marks on her arms as well as the taunts of his she's too smart to not understand - perhaps this is the price to be accepted in jennette's place?

and honestly, no one really notices until at breakfast a few weeks in, where jennette mentions how her dresses are still so modest when sleeveless dresses were more in fashion - ana is suspicious because athy is always on top of these things, societal trends and such, and claude is sus from the way she hesitates slightly in her answer, "i haven't had the time lately, i suppose"

the lesson after focuses on ettiquete since everyone knows she's good at politics and such already, but now tears of frustration are pooling in her eyes because what the hell?? this guy had made an opinion of her long before he even met her, so anything she did would be wrong in his eyes

he gives her a sinister smile, "tired, princess?"

"no," she insists, keeping her voice level. he's about to spout some other nonsense, when anastacius enters the room, taking a seat across from her

anastacius watches quietly as athy answers the teacher's questions in her "public" voice. he watches as her usually cheery disposition is replaced by something far more...dead, despite the front she puts on for him. he's soundless as she hesitates in her answers where she normally would've been louder, more confident. he stops watching in silence when his niece flinches at the sight of the stick

oh.

he interrupts her lesson, not missing the way she winces almost imperceptibly when he grabs ahold of her arm, announcing, "we're going."

he just- it's just that that was the moment he knew for sure - the sight of his niece emotionally disheveled for the first time reminds him too much of how his own brother had once been, and he'd... he'd promised he wouldn't let anyone hurt his family anymore

he ends up taking her to the port with some of his advisors to welcome some royal guests, insisting that she would learn better from experience rather than books - but the guest delegation gets so boring that he sneaks her out of the meeting n they end up in the streets

now athy has no idea where they are, but apparently her uncle does?? ana has his hand on her head as he navigates the streets of the capitol as if he comes here everyday, using magic to casually disguise the two of them

in the meantime?

felix is at the port trying to cover for them smfh, he makes up this huge story about how the great wise emperor wanted to familiarize his heir with the locals, understand her subjects, yada yada

back at the palace prince claude is currently dragging a man by his collar and only upon jennette's insistence does he throw him in prison rather than literally kill him

(jettie visits him later in prison to give the guy a piece of her mind, after felix's visit he's sporting a few noticable bruises and the prisoner is practically unrecognizable once lucas visits)

back to athy + ana, they end up stuffing themselves with some super good street food as anastacius confesses that yes, he has definitely been sneaking out of the palace ever since he was a lil kid

athy almost mentions that she, lucas n jettie sneak out too but that might give him a heart attack, so

"it's so pretty, uncle cius," she says, gesturing towards the necklace he holds up. once he's paid for it, anastacius fists the necklace, opening it to reveal the jewel pendant - now imbued with his magic and replaced with gold lettering of the word athanasia

and she realises that yes, that's what both him and her dad have called her all her life, haven't they?

"you're my heir, athanasia," he uncle tells her with a small smile, "i am proud of that."

getting teary, she tells him, "i'm really proud of you too, uncle cius," triggering a very flustered + blushy anastacius

this mans craves validation - not from the sycophantic nobility, or the obsequious concubines he'd dismissed all those years ago, but from the family he thought he'd neither have nor deserve

and just the acknowledgement is so large for athy - he wants her as his heir, not because she's his niece, but bc he trusts her to look after his hard work after him??? - yeah she's totally bawling her eyes out

anastacius magics her a handkerchief but my mans magic isn't that strong?? lmao he's used up so much by now that the 'handkerchief' turns out to be some scratchy tissues

awkward amirite

nope! athy laughs at that, offering him a sip of her drink as she magics another straw and a proper handkerchief lmfaoo

n e ways so when they return, everyone's shocked to learn that the crown heir, princess athanasia will actually be joining the official circles as anastacius' temporary aid - he doesn't wanna entrust her to anyone but family, and decides that the best way to learn is by his side

(she's so confused bc lucas doesn't normally bat an eyelash when she wears the prettiest gowns, but he deadass can't look her in the eyes when she's in her aid uniform - it's more like a suit than it is a dress)

yes lucas women in suits >>>>>

everyone is STUNNED when at dinner, claude proposes they leave on vacation??

anastacius is just not having it?? like no, this is not my brother, and he throws a grape at claude to check if it's a clone or sum (¿¿how does that work??)

anyays so he ain't no felix, ana's aim is ass and it hits jettie instead

mans nearly gets on his knees to apologise

long story short everyone preps for vacation, but by some aCCiDeNt claude n athy end up at a different destination than jettie n ana, when she suggests returning to the palace to regroup, mans deadass sulks

"so you wouldn't like to spend this time with your father, despite barely visiting my office for weeks?"

o-oh

so at their return, the nobility starts pestering everyone that the princesses aren't independent enough, yada yada idc so to quell this annoyance, to the girls' joy, they get to move into emerald palace together, while claude and ana stay in the ruby and main palaces respectively

literally emerald palace becomes such a cool place to be in since it's the residence of the only decent people in this family, the brothers spend hours going through the requests of maids who want to be transferred

it's such a busy time because of athy joining the court and jettie starting her studies as well - naturally, since she isn't becoming empress, she'll be getting the duchy claude + athy were to be given in the beginning

speaking of futures, jettie's interest in plants and cooking has definitely branched out into herbs

claude notices her tending to a small garden during his visit to athy and even gives her a few tips (he had been studying medical since he was a kid, and picked it up again when athy was born and the empire stablised somewhat)

this soon becomes a routinely thing, and he actually starts reading up on some herbs and even orders a few for her prospering garden

after a month of her learning from books, claude proposes adding a medic as one of her teachers, and turns out his hunch was right?? she's excelling at medicine and they keep it between themselves for the time being

it doesn't last long though, bc they're on a hunting trip when ana injures his leg

and !! this girl istg, she gets to cleaning and wrapping the wound without blinking an eye, as if it's the most natural thing ever, and claude is just smirking while athy and anastacius and literally everyone else: 🌟💞✨jettie✨💞🌟

literal tears coming out of anastacius' eyes "how come my daughter is smarter than me😭💅"

claude: that's not a very high standard, brother

anastacius: ✨suddenly i'm an only child✨

behold, the people in charge of running an empire everyone 👏👏👏

even though jennette is claude's (unofficial) student and athy is her uncle's heir, they both ask their dads to the debutante

yes athy does dance with lucas, anastacius sent him an invitation even though he wasn't a noble (he's an active match maker 😌) and nobody dared question the emperor's special guest

at the end of the night, kiel gives jettie a letter from arlanta - it's an invitation to the academy during holidays, from a certain brunette

when she brings up the subject, felix lets out a squeak and literally everyone goes silent 😭😭

athy n kiel are just out here DARING him to spill them beans

but anastacius takes on look at his excited lil kid and decides that yups, she's going to get everything she wants

a/n: i literally don't know how many parts this should have lmaoo but y'all made it this far!! thanks for reading i hope you liked it<3