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paddymoonstruck · 8 months

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DEAR READER | C.L 16 (ONE)

Notes: (This involves an Original Character btw)

* English isn’t my first language and I’m still trying to get back my writing mojo ehehe

* No trigger warnings besides mentions of catcalling ??

*This was written to be intentionally a bit vague since it’s just the first chapter

next parts: TWO | THREE

THE AROMA OF FRESHLY watered plants hit her senses. She exhaled the nature-given scent, producing a wave of serotonin in her body. A hand came up to brush away the brunette locks flying across her face from the strength of the wind. Her eyes gazed upon the calm rhythmic waves of the sea, smiling as the floral fragrance mingled with the salty taste of the air.

She was aware of the consequences. The blissful silence she was feeling had a price and the piper would eventually come for the gold. Nonetheless, she chose to bask at the few moments that she had left. Later, she’d be back to scrubbing at a her boss’ expensive yacht. Getting a nice manicure had been long rendered useless at how easily they’d get chipped.

Glancing down at her hands, a grimaced presented itself on her mouth as she spotted the dirt clinging on the inside of her nails.

As she got lost in her thoughts, she raked at her fingernails to clean through the icky substances. She truly had no qualms working for the rich. Not only do they pay handsomely, they also handed her occasional gift apart from her daily salary.

The amount of times she’d been mistaken for a hooker were extremely unhealthy. She often recalls the eye rolls she’d give the old men who’d whistle at her across the port as if she’s some sort of animal.

Lucky for her, her present employer was far from the elderly rich men, sporting beer belly that prey on girls younger than their own daughters.

Her boss was not passed sixty years of age. Instead of bothering young girls, he has this lovely wife and son whom he never fails to show his unwavering devotion to.

One could only dream of a life like his.

“Natalia!”

And here we go.

“Yes?” She yelled back, turning her body to look at the direction of her boss. She watched his towering stature make its way to the harbor, steps creaking beneath the wooden surface.

He squinted at the glare of the sun behind her head. “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

Her eyes widened at the invitation, hands waving from left to right. “Oh! I couldn’t possibly intrude—”

“Nonsense. You’re not.” He silenced her worries. “Come on.” Lending an arm to assist her down the step she was standing on.

Natalia stared at him, her features conveying incredulity. “Right now?”

He peaked at her curiously, slowly tugging her away from the port, taking care not to step on her dress. “It’s passed 6 PM . . .” At his remark, she raised her arm to take a look at her watch.

The hands did indicate a 18:37. Her mouth formed into an “o” at the confirmation. She hadn’t realize she had been dilly-dallying for that long. Her break started nearly two hours prior. The thought to recharge her energy were originally to last only an hour at best.

“I’m sorry— I completely lost track of time,” She apologized, tilting her head up to her boss who simply chuckled at her hushed tone.

“It’s quite alright.” He hummed, returning her gaze. “You’ve finished everything, haven’t you?”

She nodded her head, eyes glistening with pride. “I did! The magazines are back inside the father right cabinet, scrubbed the deck and the body. And I swear— It’s so clean, I could see my reflection ever surface,”

Her enthusiasm brought joy to him, optimg to approve her hard work. “Very good, then.” Natalia spotted his wife by one of the many luxurious cars they own.

A kind smile graced her lips as the pair approached her. “Oh, look at you! What have you been doing?” The motherly scolding tone was anything but scary to Natalia as the blonde woman began to fuss over the her.

“You should really tell her to come inside when she’s done, Toto . . .” Your boss winced at his wife’s glare.

Her graceful hands worked through Natalia damp locks, untangling the knots the had formed on her head. “I must’ve gone for a short swim. . .” She released a laugh to cover up her growing anxiety at the glare she threw her way. “I’m fine, Susie! Just need a shower— if we still have time?”

She glanced up at Toto, who suppressed a playful eye roll, nodding at the smiley girl nonetheless.

“Great! I’ll be back as soon as a can!” Natalia landed a peck on Susie’s cheeks before waving a hand to Toto, running back to their estate.

“That girl. . .” Toto clicked his tongue, but the grin on his face betrayed his true feelings.

“Absolutely adorable,” Susie chipped in, eyes crinkling at her husband’s own glee. But as she stared at Natalia’s retreating form, her expression fell serious. “I thought I told you to tell her that she doesn’t have to work for us anymore,”

Toto strides along with Susie as he answered the question. “I will, later over dinner.”

Susie raised an eyebrow at her husband, arms crossing to her chest. “Dinner? The one you’re having with Fred?”

“Yes— but,” He got ahead of her disapproving look, lifting a finger up to soothe away her frustration. “I’m taking her with me to broaden her connections.”

The enlightenment brought recollection to Susie’s features, heart warming the generous gesture Toto was giving to Natalia. “It’s nice that she knows what she wants, no?”

The tall man agreed, tucking his hands inside his pockets. It had been a nearly a year since Natalia started doing minor tasks for them. In her own faith, when she arrived at their residence, a natural rhythm fell place in her actions. The chores that were usually done by the usual cleaning lady was finished by her.

In her persuading self, she tried to Toto that she could do some of the boat cleaning as well. Of course, he was quick to deny her insistence, stating that her studies are the only thing she needs to focus on.

Natalia Valle was an exchange student from the Philippines. She had passed the examination for the University of Monaco and had been staying in the dorms for the last 3 years. That was until a financial crisis arose between her parents and before she knew it, a wet sponge and a bucket of water was her saving grace to get by everyday.

Thankfully, Susie had found her by the harbor. She sat there, eyes falling close a few times. The bags under her eyes were impossible to miss, conveying her lack of rest. Her hands gripped lightly at a fishing rod. The wooden handle constricted at her hand instinctively as the pull of an object from under the water awakened her spirit.

She flinched, eyes flying open at the force. Susie remembers hearing her devastated groans as the string snapped from its hook, light splashes appeared at the large body of water, indicating the fish’s escape.

One would turn away and go on with their life, Susie would have if she hadn’t seen the distinguish cut on her palm. The one she later turned over to use her fingers as a grapple to dig for another hook and string in her bag.

Getting Natalia’s wounds treated by Susie Wolff was definitely not in her bucket list. But she sat there, trying her best not to look too nervous as Susie herself dressed the long cut on her hand.

Susie didn’t need to make small talk, Natalia thought. Unknown to her, the genuine intentions that harbored Susie’s questions.

From there, Susie struck a deal with her after hearing how she ended up on that port. Susie offered to pay off her last year as a journalism student and her dorm rent. All she wanted in return was for her to graduate.

Of course, disbelief was a natural reaction. To Natalia, she hasn’t done anything special to earn a free pass for her burdens to be lifted off her shoulders.

As she expressed her hesitance, stating that she should not leech off someone else so easily with anything in exchange. Irises expanded at her sheer assertions to at least do something for them in return. To wrap her in solace, Susie agreed to the simple tasks.

Here they were, in the present. Natalia continued to work for her allowance despite Toto’s futile attempts to take the chores off the girl’s hands.

But tonight, he’ll finally be telling him a news that would make her, hopefully, drop all those cleaning supplies.

————————————————————————

Natalia clenched her hands in her lap, settling on admiring the silver bracelet adorned with the crystalline diamonds given to her by Susie last Christmas. Her fingernails chipped at her cuticles, watching the car pass through a series of establishments, deliberately crating a closer approximate to their destination.

The silk of her dress wrinkled at the spot which had had enclosed on her hand, leaving the mark of her worries.

“What’s the matter?”

Toto’s voice made spring her though back, choosing to return Toto’s waiting gaze.

“You didn’t tell me Charles was coming,” She sulked, her whiny tone caught a tug at the corners of Toto’s mouth.

“I knew you wouldn’t go if I told you,” The nonchalance of his shrug expelled a sigh from Natalia.

She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, twiddling with her phone. At the silence, her thoughts scrambled into one idea. One she couldn’t let go, electing to ask it.

“Are you switching teams?”

Toto didn’t seem astonished at her rash query, solely negating her with a soft “No, I’m not.”

The furrow of Natalia’s brows relaxed at his answer, shoulders sagging in defeat. She swore she had it.

The car came to a holt in front of a popular restaurant she was all familiar with. The bright lights twinkled in her vision as the valet opened her door. She tipped her head as a polite greeting, plucking herself from the seat. Her hand drew the rest of her dress out of the vehicle, proceeding to stand her full height.

Toto came to her side, patiently waiting to get herself ready. When she did, she strode with him to the cemented steps where he lent his hand as assistance.

Just one last step to spare before they’re at the door, but heavens had other plans.

“Toto!” An accented voice came calling from below. His joyful exclamation was accompanied by a chuckle similar to his expression.

Natalia found herself turning back as well. True enough, At the bottom of the stairs stood two figures. The jolly French team principal of Scuderia Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur and the team’s golden boy, Charles Leclerc were both wearing matching smiles.

Toto mirrored their smiles, extending a hand to Fred when the pair reached them. Natalia greeted the team principal as well, shaking his hand lightly. When she let go, her eyes wondered to the green eyed individual in front of her.

“Hi,” She chipped, giving him a soft grin to which he responded with a chuckle.

“Good evening, Natalia.” He roamed his eyes through her well-dressed figure. The silk on her body hugged her curves in all the right places. Charles realized he had been staring for quite some time. Fortunately, Toto invited everyone to come inside and start dinner.

————————————————————————

Dinner was going fairly well. The dimly lit hall invoked an air of ease, along with the delectable dishes that have been served. The candles illuminated her face, giving off a warmth through her skin.

She would go as far as to say it was perfect if it wasn’t Charles’ eyes burning into her face. Granted, when she would attempt to reciprocate his stare, he’d look away. Her consciousness made her click unto her phone’s camera, thinking there might be a peculiar substance on her appearance. However, after a few checks every little while, she found no disarray to her make up.

Why was he looking at her like that?

“Natalia,” At the sound of her name, she snapped her head towards Fred, who sat across Toto. “Toto tells me that you need an internship . . .”

The tone of his voice dripped of knowing. Natalia blinked back at him. “Yes, I am.” Was the only thing she could manage as she studied the expression on his face.

Is he? No, surely not.

Fred inclined his body, hands clasped together on the table as a smirk ghosted on his lips. “Well you’re in luck,” No way. “Ferrari’s currently accepting interns. Would you be—”

“Yes!” A hand slapped on her mouth as her voice resounded through the space.

Charles halted the chortle that crawled up his throat, concealing it with a bow of his head.

“Then it’s settled,” Toto clapped Natalia shoulder in a congratulatory amenity, a sense of pride flourishing in his chest. “Whenever you’re ready. I’ll drive you to the Ferrari headquarters.”

Natalia could barely contain her excitement at Toto’s claim. She stood up, reaching her hand toward Fred who gladly received it with the same enthusiasm.

“Thank you so much,” The heat of her eyes were beginning to burn, signaling her near waterworks. “This is such an honor, honestly. . .”

“Actually, we’re heading back to Maranello tomorrow.” Charles joined the conversation, peering up at her standing stature. “You can go with me, if you want,”

Natalia didn’t miss the emphasis on the last words, lips curling behind her teeth at the suggestion.

“That would be great,” She nodded, shooting him a grateful look. “Is 9 AM fine?”

Trying to catch Natalia’s gaze, he kept his on her. “Perfect.”

An indecipherable expression crossed Charles’ features, leaving as quickly as it came when Natalia blinked.

This is wasn’t a well thought idea. Natalia was aware of this fact. The thought of spending four hours in a car with Charles sent rippling shudders down her back. Perhaps the yearning to commit to her life long dreams were stronger than the impending discomfort she had to endure for a few moments.

After all, they both agreed never to speak about it ever again. A long car ride shouldn’t be so hard.

————————————————————————

NEXT PART: H E R E

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purple-writer8 · 5 months

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The Lakes - ACOTAR

Rhysand x Ilyrian Reader (set in Windhaven Camp when Rhysand still trained there)

“Those Windermere peaks look like the perfect place to cry. I’m setting off, but not without my muse.”

warnings: woman in ilyria, sexism, wing clipping, angst, mentions of violence

1k words

Masterlist :)

“Those peaks right there, that is where I want to go.” You told Rhysand, pointing to the tallest peak of all the snowy mountains that surrounded Windhaven. He laughed, a sweet, low rumble as he moved his fingers through your dark-as-night locks of hair.

“Those?” Rhysand cooed, looking down at you as your head rested comfortably on his lap. You nodded, “yes, Rhys. Those.”

He gazed down at you with all the love he held for you in his heart, violet eyes twinkling for you— only ever for you. “When I am High Lord, I will build you a house in those peaks… and right here too.”

You blushed at Rhysand’s words, “a house there and here? Um… what if I want to stay here in Windhaven with my brother?”

“You don’t belong here, my love, and neither do I.” His words were soft and his fingers trailed your jaw in the gentlest of manners. You agreed with him, obviously. “You’ll take me with you?” You asked him eagerly, though you knew the answer.

“I will always take you everywhere with me. Never to be left alone again, my sweet.” He answered gently, causing you to blush hard at your friend’s words.

You were Devlon’s little sister, and had known Rhysand since his arrival at Windhaven camp with his mother. You two were fast friends, always together, always around each other because neither of you ever tired of the other.

The two of you grew up together, and while Rhysand became handsome and strong, you became fair and gentle. You were now young adults, and still as close as ever.

You were a great beauty, so it was to no one’s surprise when the High Lord’s son lost his youthful appetite for fucking and only ever focused his energies on you. He was in love with you, and you were in love with him.

The two of you weren’t together yet, not officially, but you might as well be because you were inseparable. Nothing or no one could come in between the two of you. Your bond— not the mating one yet— was strong.

No, you weren’t mates, though Rhysand was sure the bond would snap any day now.

“Devlon would rather kill you then let me leave the camp,” you mused, turning your head so you could stare at the lake that glowed in front of the two of you. You had always loved the lakes that surrounded Windhaven, it was your escape from the brutality of your home.

Rhysand snarled, “he can try. I’ll melt his mind if he ever dares come in between us.” You knew he meant it.

You pressed your lips together and sat up, “not kind.”

Rhys took a deep breath and stared straight ahead, at the water, “your brother does not deserve my kindness. When I am High Lord, he will pay for this.” His fingers glided across the healed wound, where your wings had been clipped.

Your wings twitched at the gentle touch, “I forgave him, Rhysand. You need to forgive him too.”

He rolled his violet eyes. “I will never forgive Devlon for clipping your wings, nor myself for not being here… I should have known better than to leave you alone.”

You knew he blamed himself for your clipping. You were a lucky Ilyrian female, your friendship with the High Lord’s son gave you a certain type of immunity to the wing clipping. Well, you used to be lucky.

One night, a year ago, Rhysand had to leave to attend a ball in another court. He had wanted to bring you, but his father did not approve. You thought, and assured him, that nothing would happen to you. But your brother, your cruel brother, came into your hut as soon as Rhysand stepped foot outside of camp.

He didn’t come alone, no. Devlon came with four other males, they pinned you to the floor and clipped your wings— leaving them crippled for life. You were heartbroken, but you never held a grudge to Devlon— as you knew that the clipping was a centuries old tradition that would never be changed.

You just had the bad luck of being a female in Ilyria.

When Rhysand found you the next day, bleeding and crippled, he turned the camp upside down. Though at the end of the day, he couldn’t punish Devlon. His father didn’t care about Ilyrian females, and when Rhysand tried to get justice for you, the High Lord simply waved his son off.

So he promised you, and himself, that when he was High Lord— he would avenge you and your wings.

“Harboring hate in your heart is not right, Rhys.” You muttered, reaching your hand to caress his cheek in a gentle manner. He leaned into the touch, always seeking comfort in you.

Rhysand loved you so much. He could not understand how you were still so pure hearted, even after everything you had gone through in Windhaven. You were a rose, a flower, that had somehow grown in ice frozen ground.

“I may hate, but I also love.” He said softly, nuzzling his head in your neck, planting a soft kiss upon it. You knew he loves you, you knew it well, and he knew you loved him. Your love was no secret.

“Please, go live with my mother.” Rhys begged, leaving soft tender kisses all over your neck. You sighed, knowing he would bring that request up again. It was his new fixation, having you move to live with his mother and sister until he finished training.

He didn’t want you in Windhaven, you were not made to be there. His mother adored you, had watched you grow up— she would gladly foster you away from the camp, but you didn’t want to leave. You don’t want to leave Rhys behind, because you knew that it would be a while before he joined you.

“I don’t want to leave you…” He groaned at this statement. “Please… you need to be safe. This war camp is not made for you….” Rhysand pleaded, trying his hardest not to pressure you but failing, because he needed you to be safe.

You sighed. “I will go.”

Rhysand perked up. “You will?”

“Yes. But not without you.”

Author’s note:

A small blurb because i love this song and it somehow reminds me of rhysand

Taglist: @mybestfriendmademe @lilah-asteria

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livwritesstuff · 28 days

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Any recommendations from your Steve and Hopper deep dive? I love them and just thank you for your Steddie Dads posts they always brighten my day <3

<333333

okay i heard y'all loud and clear. i'm working on expanding my steve & hopper drabble into a full fic. in the meantime - here are some recs from my deep dive the other day :)

The Nightly Stroll - RurouniHime

truly a top tier fic to me in general. it's the hop-POV that makes me want to write a hop-POV. peak dad-hopper energy even if there's less of that Steve-Hopper parent relationship there. definitely the one that made me say *ok but what if Steve got to be a brat about it??*

the road not taken looks real good now (it always leads to you in my hometown) - elsie (the_technorats)

hop and steve talking at eddie’s makeshift funeral. some solid (and sometimes sad) banter b/w them and definitely the sense that steve gets to just be a kid here more than he’s used to

My Heart Has Changed And My Soul Has Changed - Atalia_Gold

Hopper and Steve chopping wood together. feat. both of them fighting against minuscule emotional ranges, and also eddie thirsting after steve in the background

you play the dirt and i'll play the water - birthdaycandles

SO fun. eddie-pov in which cops get called after a bar fight and a perplexed eddie watches as hop and steve (who clearly have a whole history) interact. super similar vibe to mine if that's what you're looking for!!

also, a good handful of greatunironic's fics include a parent-son type of relationship between Steve and Hopper. All of them are totally devastating and amazing and beautiful but I particularly recommend their series eating in the underworld (a what-if situation where steve ends up in russia with hop post-season 3). The first work in the series is from Joyce's POV which, believe me, is even more devastating.

also also, I don't typically self-plug but my series the satellite and the sky has a handful of Steve & Hop father/son-esque moments with the same kind of dynamic as the drabble i posted yesterday - particularly Steve's chapters of honeydew (you love me well) and the first chapter of plant a seed (we'll watch it grow) - definitely not the main story but maybe it's worth mentioning :)

#probably will reblog this and add some more later #liv's fic recs #steve jim father son relationship my beloved #jim hopper #steve harrington #steddie #<- kind of

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eternalmarvel · 10 months

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MK1 - BI HAN X READER ~ REUNION ~

an: ok hi guys lowkey i havent written fanfiction in years so this is my brief return. so feral for bi-han bro got me writing again

anyways please enjoy this story that i cooked up at work instead of doing what i get paid to do 🔥i got really sloppy at the end because this fic ended up being MUCHH longer than what i intended and i lowkey lose the plot bc it was supposed to be much more different

also if you guys have requests send them in i might do them i might not so dont expect too much

ps+ i'm not chinese so if i mischaracterized something pls let me know!! i'm the wrong type of asian to be writing this lmfao

you returned to the lin kuei outpost hoisted on the shoulders of the neighboring rocky mountains. it was a heavy winter yet, but a meager layer of snow had curtained everything all the same. your breath was heavy as you sighed and looked at the exterior of the stronghold, smoke spilling from your mouth. it had been years since you had been back here, practicing with the lin kuei as only a young woman. you were never an initiate, but your father was a powerful man who had been good friends with the former grandmaster of the lin kuei and wanted to assist them by having you help them out. after a couple of months of training and bonding with all the other lin kuei initiates (as well as the grandmaster's sons), you had left to pursue your responsibilities. you had been burdened with far too many tasks to just remain in one place -- it pained you but you knew you had to leave to do what was required of you. not one for goodbyes (and the fact that if you had to confront the brothers about your departure, you probably would've ended up staying...), you disappeared into the midst of the dark night.

after all with great power comes......

the gates to the stronghold opened and you entered inside. it was difficult being back. how would you approach the brothers? would they still be upset at you for leaving? surely not, considering they let you back in. but what if this is a trap, a ploy to set up a mediation to get you to explain where you were all these years? thousands of thoughts swirled inside your mind but it didn't matter now. you were inside the courtyard now, watching as initiates sparred and practiced with one another. you could begin to feel the influx of raw magical energy as you walked by, prompting you to take a deep breath in and walk with your head held higher. you opened the gates to the interior to see tomas and kuai liang speaking with some of the younger initiates. kuai had his hands crossed behind his back, his eyes stern as ever as he commanded some of the younger warriors to try out a new training exercise. tomas had a small smile on his face, his arms crossed in front of his chest. they didn't notice your arrival and so you quietly walked up to them, with hands behind your back and a shy smile across your face.

tomas was the first to notice you, and his face immediately burst into a smile. "(name)!" he yelled out, excited like a puppy being adopted by an owner for the first time ever. you were originally going to keep this visit somber, but you couldn't help to keep the smile off your face. suddenly a huge urge to hug him overcomes you, and you spread your arms around the nape of his neck, pulling him in. he pats your back, exclaiming:

"i didn't realize you were going to be here so soon!"

you pull away from him, giving him a big smile. "sorry it took me so long. had a lot of stuff to get to." that smile on your face does not betray your intentions. it's the truth--you really did have a lot to get to. procrastinating and putting off the visit for as long as you did, however, was honestly not your intention.

you see kuai glance at you gently, a fond look washing over him as you peak from over tomas' shoulders.

"c'mon, i know you want in on this too," you say playfully as you beckon kuai over. he smiles kindly as he takes you into his arms.

"it's good to see you again, (name). seems that time's been treating you right," he says with his hands on his hips, admiring your character as he gazes at you from up to down. you can't help but blush, and wave away his comment.

"you guys have grown up a lot too! what have they been feeding you guys?!" you playfully ask. the two of them playfully chuckle, as tomas responds with, "been drinking my 7 glasses of milk everyday!" you give him a confused look as kuai gives him a side-eye. "pretty sure it's meant to be water, tomas. but i'm glad you're so lactose-affluent," you say playfully with a grin.

kuai takes you softly by the arm and introduces you to the other members. "everyone, this is (name). she used to train with us and it's lucky for us she wasn't officially trained as an initiate or she'd be better than all of us." his compliments cause you to blush and roll your eyes, as you give a humble bow.

"where is bi-han?" you ask, reluctantly. kuai's gaze becomes sterner and yet more cautious. "he's with some students right now. though i uhh....am not sure how receptive he will be to your....visit." you smile. "don't worry for me, kuai. i can handle the boy i used to beat in our spars." "except he's not a boy now. he's grandmaster of the lin kuei." your eyes fall to the ground. of course he was. their father died just a few years ago and now bi-han had inherited one of arcticka's greatest creations. you look back up and tomas and kuai solemnly.

"sorry i could not attend your father's funeral. i only heard about it just recently and even if i knew about it earlier, i didn't know how you guys would feel about me popping up at his service unannounced."

"you're family, (name). you were then, you still are now. nothing's changed but the time passing," he says tenderly as he rests his hand on your shoulder. you give him a smile in return and nod your head.

"thanks for the sentiment, kuai. but....let's see if your big bro shares the same sentiment." kuai and tomas share an unsettling look as they take a deep breath in. "you're welcome to try and get through to him. don't blame me if he throws an ice pick at your head."

you roll your eyes playfully. "i'm sure i'll be fine, just tell me where he is."

tomas points to the other side of the stronghold, pointing to the large training room decorated with gold and red lanterns. come to think of it, most of the stronghold was painted with evidence of the Chinese New Year's festivities. you hadn't realized that the new year had encircled so quickly. as you made your way to bi-han, you felt your heart flutter. there was no telling how he would react. what if he actually DID throw an ice pick at your head? the nerves bubbled up in your gut as the cold air outside did nothing further to ease your unrest. as you walked to the large room where bi-han was at, your eyes briskly caught a glance at the remnants of more festivities at the stronghold. you smiled softly to yourself.

at least bi-han cared enough about his initiates to host what looked like some vendors/merchants and games at the stronghold for all of them. this gesture was sweet, almost like a father providing for the children he's adopted. just like his own father, though you didn't dare to say this out loud. this thought process however, had managed to calm you down until you got to the very wide doors to the training room. you took a deep breath in before you quietly opened the doors, peering in to a room with many masked initiates sitting on the floor inside gazing up at bi-han as he fervently explained something.

you moved to the back of the room, carefully moving past the other member to get a good look at bi-han, leaning your shoulder against the wall. a few minutes passed as he wrapped up his lesson, finally catching your eye. for a ninja he wasn't much aware of your presence. but he also hadn't felt your presence in years, and you were aware of that. when his eyes met yours, he didn't look surprised like a person gazing upon a long-dead wraith but rather he looked stunned as to how you even got here. there was anger hidden behind his eyes, but at the same time....

"(name)?" it had been years but you still felt the same way when he called out your name. his voice had gotten deeper and he had changed into a grown man. your eyes explored his stature -- he was taller, his muscles were defined, and a different aura now defined him. he was no longer the softer boy you knew him to be, now he was grandmaster of earth's last defence; of course he was going to be a changed man now.

you smiled cheekily, not knowing how to react. truthfully, you didn't know how you got this far.

"hi, bi-han. i hope i didn't distract you when you were busy teaching," you speak coyly, not wanting the other initiates to overhear your WHOLE conversation. he looks down at you, almost like he's debating what to say next. you take a deep gulp and you scrape away at the skin underneath your nails, causing them to bleed. after what seems like a milennia of consideration, he furrows his brows and briskly walks past you.

you nod your head with a soft smile. you understand why he feels this way but to be honest, you're not sure whether you would've preferred this treatment or having an ice pick gone straight to your dome. the other initiates look on carefully, trying not to invoke their grandmaster's anger. before they can do anything else, they follow their grandmaster out the room.

"don't take it to heart. if you were anyone else, he probably would've frozen you solid. i'm surprised he actually went the mature route."

you turn around to see whose voice those sentences belonged to. your eyes fell upon a man wearing a yellow uniform, similar to kuai's uniform but the colours inversed. his hair is tied up almost in a ponytail and restrained by a yellow bandana across his forehead. he's a good-looking man, but an unfamiliar face.

"i'm sorry, i don't recognize you," you say as you furrow your eyebrows piecing together who this man could be.

"cyrax. i haven't seen you before here either. though kuai said that there may be a guest visiting today." he gives you a small smile and stretches out his hand so you can shake it. you give him a warm yet stern handshake. you take his hand and give him a small shake.

"i was hoping for a warmer reception from him honestly. though it was my fault for thinking he might've reacted the same way i might've towards him."

"eh, he's been cranky for the last few days. still, that makes him not snapping on you all the more interesting. are you familiar to him? personally?"

"oh, ha, no," you wave him away embarrassingly, "i used to train here with the brothers. i'm acquainted with them pretty well. just haven't seen them in years, so...."

"ahh. well, good luck with trying to get sub-zero to warm up to you. you're attempting to do the impossible." he replies with a cheeky grin, before bowing to you and leaving the room. you take a deep breath in, unsure of how you were going to get the grandmaster to liven up a little and talk to you. as the day continued, you found yourself wandering the old halls of the stronghold you used to train in. it was night-time now, and you admired the dark glow on all the new year festival decorations. they shone bright as the gold off of them reflected the moon's light. a little upset at not being able to have the reunion you wanted, you walked out to the terrace surrounding the courtyard, looking down at the dimly lit enclosure. no one was out practicing right now, causing you tp scoff to yourself. when you practiced here you went well into the late night and yet none of these new initiates hold the same respect and regard for hardwork as you did. your mind flashes back to your sparring practices with bi-han. when you both were younger, he could hardly touch you you were so fast. your hits were hard and fast, mirroring bi-han's form but you were just that much quicker. he hated admitting it, but you were just a better fighter -- though your elemental magic couldn't hold a light to his cryomancy.

before your mind wandered off to the unknown, you heard footsteps behind you making their way down the corridor. you turned to see bi-han in a dark blue/black hanfu with a few books in his arms. your breath caught in your throat as you gazed upon him. if he saw you, he was doing a great job at pretending he never did. this didn't matter to you, as you quickly hid behind one of the pillars in the terrace. he had his head down, bad idea. as he came closer to you, you waited for the perfect moment to strike before finally revealing yourself. bi-han didn't react at all and if he did, it was out of pure annoyance.

"no. you're not leaving until we speak."

"are we finished?" he says stoically, before attempting to go around you. "that was enough of us speaking."

flabbergasted, you back up quickly and block his path again.

"bi-han." you say, defeated and exhausted. you didn't come all this way to get dejected and leave without getting proper closure. if you had to move on from him, you wanted to at least clear things up with him before getting on with your life.

"did you not leave the last time? i am simply doing to you what you have done to m-us." he replies matter-of-factly.

"i'm here now aren't i? c'mon now, i know you've been dying to talk to me. i wanted to talk to you all this time!" you say coyly, throwing a playful punch at his meaty arm.

he looks a little upset, or at least his eyes and frown betray him if he was going for a stoic look.

"why now? why after all these years. you might as well return to wherever you came from," he replies lowly and yet it shows that he's hurt. your heart warms a little at the fact that you could've had this much of an impact on him. you nod your head slowly and look into the enclosure beneath you.

"i'm sorry bi-han. you know i had to leave soon. it wasn't going to be forever, even if i wanted for it to be so. and i knew......" you look down, a long distance into the ground, "if i told any of you guys i was leaving i probably wouldn't have ended up leaving." the look on bi-han's face relaxes a bit, but you can still see him holding the stress on his face. there's not much more that you can say. he was right in being upset -- if anyone else abandoned you the way that you did to him or his brothers you'd be livid. the two of you spent months with one another and yet neither of you had confessed your feelings. the tension was palpable and everyone else noticed it too, it was just confusing as to why neither of you acted on your desires. for you, it was the fear of rejection. perhaps it was the same for him as well?

you lean on the terrace on your side, gazing at bi-han. just being near him after all these years was enough of a blessing but something in you wanted more, though you would never publicly admit to this. you stop yourself at first, but then reach for his arm, carefully, almost to not startle him like he's a wild animal at bay for now but at risk of leaving at the first sign of danger. he doesn't retreat, moving his gaze from your face to your arm. you gently get a hold of his forearm, grazing your thumbs against them. he's cold, but retracts the cold from his skin so that it's back to normal temperature. you hold your gaze at his arm, almost too shy to look at his face.

"i think you've missed me all this time."

bi-han scoffs. "not in the slightest."

"then why are you so close to me?"

it's like the act is intuition. he notices how close the two of you are now and apparently his closeness has gone unnoticed because only a mere half foot now separates the two of you. he lets out a small chuckle out of annoyance and shakes his head.

"you still remain as aggravating as ever."

you put your hand on your hip.

"i apologize for upsetting the mighty grandmaster of the lin kuei." you say, coming a little closer and almost closing the already-tiny gap between the two of you.

"that can be rectified." he says, almost flirtatiously. you're a bit taken aback by his frisky comment. you thought he might've actually been offended by your comment but it seems that his playful nature has become unfamiliar to you after all these years. you place your hand gently on his cheek, caressing his cheekbones and acne scars.

"i've missed you, you know," you finally express your true feelings.

bi-han's eyes soften a little.

"i should've been here-with you....i know that i didn't exactly give you much closure bu-," before you can continue on with your tedious apology he fills the space between the two of you and kisses you with a voracious hunger you've never seen before. his nose pushes against yours and you lean into the kiss, slightly moaning. he tries to slide his tongue against you and it's almost as though the two of you are young kids again, sparring. you defend your mouth, refusing to let his tongue inside but he grabs ahold of your other arm, surprising you. taking advantage of your shock, he slips his tongue inside triggering another gentle moan from you. the two of you wrestle with your tongues, exploring the smallest crevices of one another's mouths. years of tension and pressure are finally alleviated with this kiss. you lean in for more, like a child fiending for sugar, but he pulls away to gaze in your eyes.

you take a deep breath -- that workout took a lot of your wind away from you. however, your lips still draw near his, lowkey aching for more.

"i've wanted to do that for so long..." he says, pushing his forehead against yours. "are you planning on leaving again?"

you smile brightly. so the cold-hearted grandmaster did hold a soft spot for you.

"that depends. do you want me to stay?"

he removes his hands from your wrist and brings them up to your face, reciprocating your earlier caresses.

"as long as you don't leave again."

#mk1 #mk1 2023 #mk1 x reader #mortal kombat 1 #bi han #sub zero #mk sub zero #bi han x reader #bi han x y/n #sub zero x reader #mk1 bi han #mk1 bihan

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lv-iceprince · 10 months

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DAD SEUNGMIN PLS🥺💕 loved the hyunlix one!!!!

ahhhh thank you thank you for requesting! it's people like you who make it a joy to write! ye ye ye

~~~~~

🤎🐾 puppy love~ seungmin as a dad

~~~~~

*~alexa play higher by albert posis~*

🐻you know the feeling when you’re just so in love that your braincells cease up. yeah that's seungmin the pussy drunk guy who was still shocked at the news of the pregnancy like he wasn't the one who knocked you up even though you just had sex two weeks ago

🐻it's the seungmin way to flash the brightest smile even though he is just confused, and that is literally the mood the entire time he is a dad, he mightn't get it sometimes but he'll just go along with it

🐻is somehow the most prepared person in the entire universe even though he pretty much just sits there being himself, don't question it

🐻everything was unexpected, yet he was still so unbelievably stoked to even have a baby with you. he was and still is such a sentimental guy when it comes to his relationship with you and his love and admiration for you and your relationship keeps growing regardless of whether you were pregnant or not

🐻but on that note he thinks you're absolutely glowing these days and seeing you like that makes him the proudest husband or husband to be and he would definitely be the type to make you feel more at home around his family and creating a happy life and vibes for you and your baby

🐻he definitely doesn't see your baby as a pet, that would be terrible but he 100% was the one to keep insisting that he gets to choose their name. it's.... different but in the sweetest way possible so imagine this, meeting seungmin you were absolutely whipped by his wit and intelligence and you knew that dates with him would be memorable and in this case the first 12 dates were so unique and creative in the way that you did the same thing each time

🐻you would receive a text to say the was having a day off and that he wanted to go out, you'd wait for him to meet you on the corner of the dorm rooms and once he was in sight he'd give a cheerful wave and you'd proceed to walk to his favourite park and once you were there you would talk about anything on your mind as he nudged the rocks with his feet until he found a pretty one to give it to you just so you could go and skip it across the water

🐻 which makes sense that he pushed the name beomseok which simply means "pattern of a rock"

🐻repeat after me, seungmin definitely doesn't think your baby is the same species as kkami or berry but seungmin happily passed down his puppy boy role to beomseok and dress him up in cute costumes just to spam his entire list of contacts with photos

🐻everyone will know what beomseok looks like, they could pick him out of a crowd thanks to seungmin's monthly updates

🐻every day is a dream because 9 times out of 10 you are waking up to both of your boys smiling brightly. the boys actually get the harsh version of seungmin if they knew seungmin would become this soft during fatherhood they would have adopted many many kids

🐻his kid pops up everywhere and i mean everywhere : on an ad for diapers, skz-talker, music videos, on stage. home boy has a cute ass kid and he lets the whole world know, home boy also has the contacts to make that happen plus your child is a natural entertainer

🐻father-son baseball games whether that means attending games in matching jerseys or actually playing in the backyard

🐻side note- since he was so excited to actually play baseball with his son he definitely set his expectations too high thinking they immediately knew what to do when the ball was flying towards him aka he has totally thrown the ball at his kids head

🐻everyday you hear a lil wahhhhhhhhh from the kitchen, peak seungmin noises as he does a cute little jog around the house trying to escape your sons needy cuddles

🐻seungmin's energy is 1000% contagious so now you are gifted with not one but two seungmin's

🐻oh my god, this kid has everything that they could ever dream of and though you play a part in getting that to happen seungmin is a huge part of why their room is so cozy and comfortable, the brown and orange fairy-tale autumn tones all year around, the plush bears-he gets all cliché too with having mama, papa and baby teddy bears

🐻he definitely gives off the energy of the dad who walks his kid to school and even though he's rushing to get them there on time he's the one getting distracted by a random squirrel or the bug beomseok found

🐻different idol but this is literally dad seungmin and i'm screaming

🐻lastly, dad seungmin is like a calm family vacation at the beach where you huddle under the jetty building sandcastles, collecting sea shells and swimming until it gets dark, he is gentle, fun, meaningful, entertaining, a sense of strong support but most importantly he is yours

#skz soft hours #skz soft thoughts #dad! stray kids #seungmin x reader #stray kids headcanons #skz headcanons #seungmin headcanons #skz scenarios #stray kids scenarios #skz fluff #seungmin fluff #dad! seungmin

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talonabraxas · 2 months

Text

Orion's belt aligned with the Giza pyramids. Al Nitak points to the Great Pyramid. The gods left many signs using mathematics and astronomy, especially those signs built into the Great Pyramid.

Lions Gate Portal 8/8

August 8th, known as the Lions Gate, has been revered for several thousand years as the date that marks the peak of an influx of high-frequency energy onto planet Earth from the star Sirius, which is in its closest proximity to earth from July 26th through August 12th – the full period of the Lions Gate opening or Galactic New Year. Second in brightness only to the sun, to Ancient Egyptians this star was revered as their “Spiritual Sun” and referred to as Auset’s star Sopdet – Spdt, meaning “she who is sharp.”

The Lions Gate is the annual season when Spdt comes into her most pristine alignment with Re [the Sun], Geb [the Earth], and Sah – the Hunter constellation identified with ancient Egypt’s King Ausar – called Orion in Greek. During this cosmic portal, Sopdet – the spiritual Sun – emits an ancient activating energy so powerful as to cause the annual inundation which has sustained Nile River Valley communities over several millennia, whilst spurring the collective ascension of human consciousness throughout earth – the land or house of Geb/Keb. As God Djehuti proclaimed, “If the truth must be told, this land is indeed THE TEMPLE OF THE WORLD…” The August 8th peak of the Lions Gate is when Sopdet is said to perfectly align with the shaft from Queen Auset’s Chamber within the Great Pyramid of Giza, in concert with that from King Ausar’s Chamber aligning with Alnitak, one of the three stars of the Hunter constellation’s belt. Known as the “3 Wise Men” or the “3 Sisters,” these three stars form the cosmic blueprint from which the complex known as the Pyramids of Giza was built.

“As above, so below… As within, so without” are codes which remain key to Kemet’s ancient Mystery System. Thus, the Nile River represents the Milky Way (called Maziwa Mkuu in Kiswahili, meaning ‘great milk’) on earth ‘below’ as in heaven ‘above’. Two lions are said to hold open this magnificent time-space portal, one of which is represented by the Great Sphinx whose figure is an earthly representation of the constellation of Leo and a key piece of the puzzle of relationships within the Milky Way galaxy ‘above & below’. Lying on the west bank of the Nile river, the Great Sphinx is poised with its tail to the west [where the sun exits] as it faces directly east towards the sun’s reentry. The Lions Gate [7/26 – 8/12] opens within the astrological season of Leo, adding to the influx of regal energy from the alignment between Earth and the Universe’s Galactic Center, which reaches its peak on 8/8 over African soil. It is a powerful reminder of Heaven-on-Earth’s potency, symbolized ‘within & without’ through the quintessential Divine Love that exists between cosmic Hunter Ausar and his earthly Gatherer, Throne Queen, and Spiritual Sun – Auset.

According to the mythology of Ausar-Auset, in a jealous bid to usurp their Heaven-on-Earth throne, Set murders King Ausar, dismembering his body into 14 parts and scattering them in the wilderness [African Diaspora] so as to prevent his resurrection and return. Set the antagonist is god of chaos, foreign oppressors, violence, perversion, illness, and the desert who caused Egypt to be widowed of the gods and humanity to be trapped in his false predatory & parasitic matrix. After widow Auset searches the wilderness and manages to retrieve and mummify only 13 of her husband’s mutilated body parts, it is up to Heru, her posthumously/immaculately-conceived son with King Ausar, to become the Warrior who avenges his father’s fate and restores divine order to the kingdom by defeating Set…

Pyramid texts speak of Heru as the Great Lion: “Horus who comes forth from the acacia to whom it was commanded: ‘Beware of the lion’. May he come forth to whom it was commanded: ‘Beware of the lion’.” [Pyramid Text 436a-b]

Africa’s Acacia tree, which is sacred to goddess Auset, has long been associated with ancient mysteries including the secrets to life, death, healing, sustenance, and resurrection – hence their organic ties to matriarchal goddesses. Linked to the Akashic Records, the astral ancestral library where everything that has or will ever occur is recorded, the Acacia trees in Heliopolis were thought to have been the birthplace of the very first deities. Heliopolis (called On in Lower Egypt), was the ancient worship center of sun-god Re whose celestial boat was made of Acacia wood in its hind parts (palm wood in its fore-parts). The mythologies of Ausar-Auset are Heliopolitan in their derivation and orientation, e.g. the reference to Ausar as ‘the one in the tree… the solitary one in the acacia.’ This saying was based on the version of their story in which Auset releases her husband’s body from a pillar in Byblos [a prophecy relating to the scripted bible?] that had been fashioned out of the tree which enclosed the coffin King Ausar had been tricked into entering as Set’s ploy to usurp/colonize Egypt’s throne. Symbolizing the immortality of the soul in Freemasonry, the thorny acacia tree otherwise represents Ausar’s backbone, depicted as the Djed Pillar in this particular mythological account.

Trees act as resurrection portals and/or gateways between worlds in ancient Egyptian Mysteries, such as the Sycamores (associated with goddesses Nut & Hathor) through which Re rises as the Sun each day from the east: “I know the two sycamores of turquoise between which Re comes forth, when he passes over the supports of Shu to the gate of the lord of the east from which Re comes forth” [Book of the Dead: Ch. 109]. Auset & Nepthys were regarded similarly as “the two Acacias.” Thus, these Mother Trees act as do the two lions which hold open the portal for the “Spiritual Sun” Sopdet to rise as the consort of Sah during the Lions Gate season, in order to usher forth the blessings of the Galactic New Year with the annual inundation of the Nile River. Their child, hawk god Heru-Sopdu is referred to as “Lord of the East,” thus presaging mythologies surrounding the Ausar-Auset-Heru trinity as archetypal personifications of key spiritual motifs that connect us organically to our higher selves… “As above, so below.”

“As within, so without” is a principle that plays out in the eternal relationship that exists between Ausar-Auset, their love representing a Heaven-on-Earth divine order, which is interrupted by the chaos that Set’s predatory & parasitic rule brings, i.e. until Heru is able to successfully accomplish his Hero’s Journey and restore Ma’at/UbuNtu… unity-consciousness. For Africa, the earthly source and staging of these love-as-salvation narratives, Set is representative of a false matrix built on slavery, (neo)colonialism, apartheid, misogyny, misogynoir, etc. – controlling foreign narratives which have in-formed external elite-run global systems & misled most of humanity into profound states of isolation, alienation, disconnection, and disorientation from organic & natal bonds. Heru – “[the Lion] who comes forth from the acacia…” [Pyramid Text 436a-b] – thus has his work cut out for him.

Again, in this case the acacia reference represents a fascinating organic matriarchal portal between worlds for Heru as a human prototype resident in each of those who do not entertain predatory or parasitic relationships of dysfunctional dependency [read “slavery… apartheid… (neo)colonialism… misogyny… misogynoir…”], but strategically translated into self-referential Europatriarchal scripture as mankind’s singular “savior” [Jesus]. Deep inside Africa – the regal lion‘s natal home – the acacia tree itself has a characteristic dome-shaped canopy due to the way indigenous giraffes graze, which they have to do carefully because the acacia senses this feeding activity and releases tannin, a defensive poison that can kill from the overgrazing of its leaves. The acacia then emits ethylene on the wind, a chemical that alerts other acacia trees to preemptively defend themselves against “predators” by producing tannin also. DMT, a hallucinogen associated with spiritual experiences, is present in various species of the tree such as the Acacia Nilotica.

The Lions Gate represents so much to so many, especially during this dramatic period of humanity’s ascension in 2020 (Gregorian timeline). Feline power, highly revered in Kemet, is front and center as the astrological symbol for Leo and also as the identity of the African goddess annointed as “Opener of Heaven’s Door.” Among her other titles, Goddess Seshat – “Foremost of the per-Ankh” – is also known as the “Panther Goddess” and “She of Seven Points” in reference to her highly emblematic dress and crown, respectively. Appropriated by Europatriarchs in their design of Lady Liberty following America’s post-Civil War end of slavery, Seshat‘s 7-pointed crown has symbolically countered the racist & misogynistic tendencies of false 3D matrix systems. Seshat‘s traditional panther-skin dress returns our consciousness to humanity’s African source and the need to descramble & purge predatory Victorian-era matrix codes which, during the receding Piscean era, morphed into parasitic neo-colonial arrangements, hijacking the human spirit and its potential. These & other ancient unity-conscious codes [UbuNtu] are key to human ascension and Heaven-on-Earth reparations in the dawning age of Ma’at... “Return, return, O Shulamite; return that we may look upon thee…” [SoS 6:13] “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” [Rev. 3:11] Blessed Be…

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arzuera · 1 year

Text

Damian walked into the dining room where a few of his siblings and his father had already gathered for breakfast. In a slightly robotic movement, he headed over to his designated spot at the table and sat down. Bruce took a sip of his coffee while Dick yawned in his normal over exaggerated way. It was kind of surprising that he wasn’t face first in his cereal yet. Duke sat next to him, not fully awake himself though he was at least able to get a forkful of eggs to his mouth. Small victories. Damian sat in his chair, and Alfred brought him his breakfast of pancakes made of oat flour and almond milk. Setting a small dish of bananas and peanut butter next to it, along with a small syrup dispenser.

“Good morning, Damian,” Bruce said as he took a bite of his own breakfast.

“Morning, Father. Pennyworth.” The boy replied, and he also received a wave in greeting from Duke and a cut-off greeting from Dick as he yawned again.

“Good morning, Master Damian. I do hope you enjoy your breakfast. I made sure to make them with your favorite almond milk.” Alfred said kindly before heading back into the kitchen to finish preparing food for those who weren’t up yet.

Damian idly played with his food for a few minutes. Using a knife to put peanut butter on the pancakes or taking a bite of banana. Nervousness bubbled under the surface of his stoic demeanor. He could do this. It wouldn’t go wrong. He looked up to his two adopted brothers and his father, who wasn’t really paying him any mind. “I am… courting someone,” Damian said, watching as Dick and Duke’s heads whipped up, and Bruce looked at him with a soft smile on his face.

“Congratulations. That’s wonderful, Damian.” His father said with a warmth that didn’t always manage to reach his voice but this time it had. Duke let out a cheer and Dick was wiping a fake tear from his eye.

Seeing the positive response from his family, Damian continued. “I don’t know if we’re compatible yet. I just like him a lot and, physically, he’s very nice to touch.” Duke snorted a bit and Dick managed to keep a smile on his face without laughing as Damian kept talking. “I bought him a keychain. And a bracelet. Also, I’m going to drag him to a fair with local small business owners. The small one that is being held right outside of town.”

“As long as you are safe, having fun, and enjoying being with him, then you have my approval,” Bruce stated taking another sip of his coffee. Giving his son a proud look. “Small fairs are the best.”

Damian’s lips quirked up a small it in a rare smile. “He’s so cute. And works with small animals so we can bond about that too.”

Dick leaned forward onto the table with his elbows. “I’m glad you are having fun.”

“A fair!” Duke exclaimed with a big smile on his face. “With local small business owners. That’s the peak of romance oh my lord…” he fell back in his chair, fanning his face playfully, and Dick lightly knocked the younger boy’s shoulder.

“It’s so cute and romantic.” Dick agreed with Duke, taking a bite of his cereal and not missing this time since he was now fully awake.

Damian felt himself buzzing in excitement. His family doesn’t even know the boy’s name and they already approved. He looked up at them fully, his breakfast completely forgotten. “He promised to show me a woman who makes tea blends based on superheroes.” Damian’s normally monotone voice had an excited lilt to it that brought everyone in the current room into soft smiles.

“My best wishes on this romantic endeavor, baby bat,” Duke said with a twirl of his fork in the air.

“We both have a slight obsession with tea.” Damian continued on almost bouncing in his seat from all of the positive energy he was feeling.

“Oh my god.” Dick said at the same time that Duke replied “Oh my lord…”

“Keep him!” Dick exclaimed, standing up abruptly while brandishing his spoon at his little brother. “Even if only as a friend.”

Damian hummed in thought for a moment. “It’s more of a platonic one. I am aromantic after all.”

“Courting endeavor then,” Dick replied with a shrug not worried about the semantics and just happy his brother was happy. A smirk formed on his face as he said, “Damian, the aromantic, going on the most romantic date ever.”

Now that Damian thought about it, it really was kind of romantic, wasn’t it? “Should I tell him it’s a date? Should I?” he asked looking to his brothers and father for guidance before looking down at his pancakes. “Maybe not… I’m still feeling our relationship out…”

“DOES HE NOT KNOW IT’S A DATE? HE’S TAKING YOU TO SEE THE SUPERHERO TEA LADY?!” Dick exclaimed in slight disbelief and Bruce chuckled behind his mug. He leaned toward his little brother as close as the table would allow him to do. “Damian, is it a date? Because it sounds like a date.”

“Listen, the first time we went out, Danny bought me an iced tea on his insistence.” Damian rolled his eyes as he replied to his enthusiastic older brother. “Then brought me into a secret basement vinyl shop and let me place my chin on his shoulder. As in, I was fully pressed up against his back and watched him browse said vinyl.”

Dick stared at his little brother. “I think you have a boyfriend, baby bat.”

“Tt.” Damian tsked a bit and looked away from Dick. “I do not. I have only seen him once face to face. He has stated that he has never had a relationship, and I do not wish to make him uncomfortable by springing this upon him.”

“Do you talk on the phone or online? Because that definitely counts.” Dick asked, putting his head in his hands as he continued to look starry-eyed at his little brother.

“Yes but only after we met in person.”

“How did you two meet?” Bruce asked, taking the opportunity to chime in and learn more about the boy that Damian was interested in.

Damian pulled out his phone and scrolled until he found out what he was looking for. “There is a chat for trans people in Gotham, and occasionally, I will join in asking if anyone wishes to do activities together. Several people will then reply at once. That is how we met.”

Dick moved to sit properly in his chair after getting a stern look from Alfred. His pout turned into a thoughtful look as he rolled over Damian’s words in his head. “And on your first meeting, he bought you tea, and y’all cuddled up in a basement vinyl shop while looking at records together?”

“Mmm yes.” Damian nodded his head as he recounted the encounter in his head. “And he walked me to my designated safe drop-off and hugged me goodbye. He also hugged me hello, as well.”

“Was anyone else there?”

“For a brief period of time, yes. Others popped in after tea and hung around for about 40 minutes and then went their own way.”

Dick was vibrating in his seat, and it was obvious he was trying to contain it. “I’m trying not to get too excited about all the hugging because hugs entirely depend on the culture people grew up with, and one might see it one way but not another.”

“I am trying to be better with physical affection, but a lot of people aren’t so comfortable with me on the first try.” Damian had come a long way from the angry assassin child his mother had dropped off. “He was, though. That’s why I’m happy too.”

Duke chuckled. “Okay. Do you like him?”

“I do enjoy his company so yes. I do like him.”

Bruce cleared his throat when he saw the slight moment where there was hesitation on Damian’s face. Getting his children’s attention effortlessly. He turned his full attention to Damian as he set his mug down. “You don’t have to date Danny or label anything if you don’t want to. Just hang out and have a good time.”

Damian nodded his head briskly and quickly looked back to his breakfast with a secretive smile. “Yes. Thank you, Father. I will.”

----

The dialog was done by 4 peeps in the batpham server with the one as damian being gay motherfucker.

These peeps are cute ya'll

#dpxdc #dcxdp #damian wayne #dick grayson #trans damian #trans danny #trans for all!!#bruce wayne #duke thomas

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lookismaddict · 2 years

Text

Lookism Chapter 426 Memes/Thoughts I Have:

(I don’t own any of the Lookism panels and the translations. Only the memes that I made.)

This little interaction between Gun and Daniel gave me father and son vibes.

I’m so proud of these two. They’ve really come a long way, and I’m glad that they got stronger through hard work and determination, showing that talent isn’t everything unlike Daniel. Even Gun acknowledged them for their growth.

When Daniel asked Gun if he was helping, he said no. But Gun literally pulled up to the after-party just to beat up his own children. I thought that was Daniel’s job? 😭

Also…

Anything for you sexy demon man. 🛐🛐🛐

Let the fight begin…

HE AIN’T HOT HERE NO MORE, BUT GUN ON DEMON MODE. DEMON GUN. Omg I love his terrifying facial expressions though. They’re so disturbing. 😩 (As a big horror fan, I acknowledge PTJ’s artwork of Gun’s terrifying face. Thank you PTJ. 🙏🏽)

This is what Workers and Hostel had to go through.

FINAL BOSS LEVEL. 💯

When Workers and Hostel were getting bodied by Gun:

Literally, if this became such a huge commotion, Gun would’ve ended up in the news by now:

And after all of that, he still giving me…

💅🏽✨ 𝓫𝓪𝓭 𝓫𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓻𝓰𝔂 ✨ 💅🏽

Same energy:

Bruh, I found this scene cold af when Kenta was fighting with Gun. 🥶

But Kenta really spent all his life just to get back at Gun for killing his father, only to get beaten up.

BROOOO RYUHEI!!! ASGDFHDSKFHFGKDS HE'S GOING TO FIGHT GUN.

IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! AHHHHH I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW RYUHEI VS. GUN GOES.

Ryuhei looking hella fine here. 👁👄👁

And omg. After reading this chapter, I wondered... what happened to Samuel Seo? Is he good? 😭

This is what I think of how Samuel is doing rn:

But overall, Gun was the main character in this chapter and he slayed (literally). 😗 I can't wait to see the fight between Ryuhei and Gun though, that's going to be really interesting.

Also, ik this is unrelated to Lookism Chapter 426 but, I'm glad to see Lookism at its peak again. Now that the anime is being shown on Netflix, and the current Lookism chapters are starting to get really interesting, the Lookism community will be even more active. 😁

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love-that-we-were-in · 9 months

Text

the harder the pain, the sweeter the sun

the aftermath of Luke's quest. or the consequences of not being a hero.

a/n: hello i didn't mean to be so sad on my entrance but we move! have fun (i'm so sorry)

It shouldn’t be like this, he thinks as he steps back across Camp Half-Bloods borders. There’s still the same mill of activity, archery and pegasi and swords grating against one another. Everything is exactly as it was when he left. Some people notice him as he makes his way towards his cabin - they don’t make small talk, what’s the point of that when he’s not the hero returned. His scar, still fresh, still raised and red across his face, feels heavy. It’s almost a beacon; a guiding light towards his failure. No one comments but he can feel it, the shift in energy as he walks past each cabin. Pity for the son of Hermes.

His bunk is untouched.

Collapsing onto the sheets, he glances around the space. It’s only him here, faced with his own reckoning and renown. His bunk is untouched but there’s two abandoned opposite, a careful stack of belongings at the end of each. Before dinner, he’ll change those sheets. He’ll pack Cora and Eric’s belongings into a box to stow away in the big house, amongst a dozen others he’s left there over the years, and he’ll burn shrouds to them with his campmates in the evening.

Luke wonders, as he takes in the makeshift beds on the floor, if it was even worth coming back at all.

Everyone moves on. Within days, there’s barely a mention of either of his quest companions. Both of them were unclaimed, watching their lives tick by in the two years he’d known them with little idea of who they were. The Stoll twins were given their beds upon their arrival at camp two days after he returned. They had been claimed, sent in the right direction by Hermes himself, and Luke despises the way he has to sit down with people he’s known for years and tell them they’re back to sleeping on the floor. Seniority is one thing - being claimed is more important.

He trains. It’s the only thing he can do. There’s no pride that comes with failure. Some of the Ares kids jeer at him but none of them try to fight him, just watch as he fights with Annabeth like old times. Knife against sword. He trains and he studies and he watches as the floor of Hermes cabin becomes a minefield of belongings as summer peaks.

Little will change between now and fall, he knows that with certainty. He’ll still be stuck burning food for his father, willing something to happen that will earn him a deserved quest. Maybe it’s foolish, this desire to try again, to keep going on quests until he returns from one he can say was his. Not a feat of Hercules, but a tale of Luke. He has camp glory, he needs more than that.

Summer ends, as it always did. He says goodbye to more cabinmates than anyone, standing at the edge of the borders until the sun is nearly setting in the sky. Thalia’s tree is behind him as the last kid leaves, an eleven year old girl that had done nothing more than stare with wide eyes every time he lifted a sword. He wonders if he’ll see her next June at all.

“Back to basics again,” Annabeth says from behind him and he rolls his eyes as she shimmers into existence, baseball cap in hand. “Do you think it’ll get easier?”

He forgets sometimes that she’s still a kid. Wise beyond her years, a strategist to be admired, but just a kid. And a first time cabin counselor. She hasn’t said goodbyes like this before, to everyone she’s housed over three months. Teenagers that had looked to her as their leader, even if they didn’t understand her being given such power. Children who revered her position and her history as if she were a Greek tale herself.

Luke had understood it, had fought for it in April when Kieran Ho had sent word to Chiron that he wouldn’t be returning that summer. She had seemed so prepared to take on the role. He hadn’t realized that it might take more of an emotional toll than she was ready for.

“Honestly,” he leans back against Thalia’s tree, surveying the camp below them as if he’s never seen it before. Annabeth glares at him for it. “It gets harder every year. It doesn’t end.”

“Some of those kids aren’t coming back.” Annabeth says it as a statement, a fact of life that they’ve both come to terms with. But there’s a shake to her voice, the kind saved only for when she’s terrified of being wrong, so he lets it linger in the air and get carried away. He thinks that’s answer enough.

Winter Solstice comes and he feels ready. Months of only fighting Clarisse and Annabeth. Meals spent with the busiest table still, but with nothing to talk about. So long dedicated to being angry, to dreaming, to waking up in a cold sweat from everything he’s been given permission to see.

He steals the bolt. It’s a simple plan, one he doubted originally, but it works a charm. There’s no questioning how important the Gods think of themselves anymore, how above everybody else they view themselves (literally and figuratively) to be. He escapes from floor 600 of the Empire State Building with the source of Zeus’ power in his possession and no one bats an eye.

Annabeth will never have to come to terms with losing campers. Thalia’s sacrifice won’t be in vain the way it has been since his return. Hermes won’t be able to ignore him any longer, pretending as if being a glorified mailman means more than his son. By next summer, the world will already have begun to change.

Trekking through Manhattan, he understands now why he was destined to fail against Ladon. What his scar will come to represent in years to come. Luke Castellan was never meant to steal an apple - he was destined, instead, to change history and with that, the world.

#luke castellan #percy jackson #pjo #🖋️abi writes…

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astars-things · 1 year

Text

request: Jack Hughes and us are married and we have two kids a son who is 18 and a 5-year-old daughter and we're all at our sons NHL draft

As I sat in the arena, my heart swelled with a mix of pride and anxiety. It was the day of the NHL draft, and my husband, Jack Hughes, and I were here to witness our son Blake's journey into professional hockey. The echoes of the crowd's anticipation surrounded us, creating an atmosphere filled with excitement and nervous energy.

Jack, a former first-overall-round pick in the NHL draft many years ago, had experienced this exact moment. He knew the weight of expectations that could burden a young athlete's shoulders. As we anxiously awaited Blake's turn, He wanted nothing more than for Blake to succeed, but he also understood the pressures that came with being a highly anticipated prospect.

Sitting beside me was our youngest, Olivia, a five-year-old bundle of energy. She clutched her stuffed bunny tightly, her big eyes scanning the crowd. Olivia adored her big brother, and the separation from him during his training and upcoming professional career had been tough on her. She missed the days when they would play together and share laughter. The thought of Blake leaving for the NHL only heightened her emotions, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mommy, when is Blake's turn?" Olivia's voice trembled with a mix of excitement and longing.

I smiled and brushed a gentle hand through her light curls that she got from Jack. "Not long now, sweetheart. He's going to make us all so proud."

Olivia's tears cascaded down her rosy cheeks, and her tiny hands reached for her brother. "I miss him, Mommy. I want him to come back home."

My heart ached at her innocent longing. I pulled her closer, enveloping her in a warm embrace. "I know, my love. But Blake is pursuing his dreams, just like Daddy did. We'll always be here for him."

As we comforted Olivia, the tension in the arena reached its peak. The commissioner stepped up to the podium, announcing the beginning of the draft. Every eye in the arena focused on the stage, waiting for the next name to be called.

With bated breath, I glanced at Jack, whose eyes were locked on Blake. The anticipation was etched on his face, a mixture of nerves and pride. Blake's name had been whispered among scouts, and he carried the weight of his father's legacy on his shoulders.

As the moments stretched on, I watched Blake take deep breaths, attempting to steady his nerves. The commissioner's voice boomed through the arena, announcing the next pick. And then, the magic happened. "Canucks Proudly select 1st overall Blake Hughes"

and soon the arena lit up with applause

Taglist~ @cole-mcward48 @stopsign94 @swissboyhisch

let me know if you do want to be added to the taglist

#jack hughes x reader #dad!jack #Jack Hughes #thanks anon!#send in requests

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jammed-out · 10 months

Text

Hypovember Day 23 - ...And Back Down

(CW: Titnosis)

Mrs Buliva opened her front door in nothing but a silky loose fitting robe pulled tightly. Even so, her large breasts displayed ample skin in the small opening she left uncovered. She was proud of her assets, and justifiably so. People often stared at her breasts, covered in clothing or not. Except that when they weren’t covered, they had a hypnotic nature about them. Something her family handed down through the generations.

There at her doorstep was her neighbor’s son, back home from college for the summer, Jack Johnson. He was good looking for a twenty year old, just the beginnings of a beard on his face. His tee shirt was drenched in sweat and clung to his body. Mrs Buliva bit her lower lip. He was shorter than her, only coming up to her chin.

“Hey Mrs Buliva. I was just wondering since I was already mowing my parent’s lawn, if you wanted me to do yours too. No charge or anything.”

His eyes wandered to the skin between her breasts, his eyes lingering, distracted. “Jack Johnson. I heard you were back home for the summer. I’m so excited to hear all about your school year so far. Come in. You must be parched working out in the hot sun. I’ve got some lemonade for you if you’d like. Fresh squeezed.”

“Oh I don’t want to be an intrusion.” She could see him lick his lips. He was parched of course, but not for the lemonade.

“Think nothing of it. You can do my lawn after we catch up. There’s no rush.” She leaned back pushing open the door for him. She stepped aside, pulling aside the lining of her robe, revealing a bit more of her pale skin. Jack slowly walked into her house. She turned smiling. “Close the door behind you dear. I’ll go get a glass for you.”

Mrs Buliva turned and made her way to the kitchen on the far side of the house. She hadn’t been one for modesty in a long time. When she wanted something, she took it. Of course she had taken Jack many times over the years, but much unlike his father, he was still very young and full of energy. And even though she had just turned fifty this year, she still looked as good as she did when she was thirty.

Mrs Buliva poured a glass from the pitcher in the fridge and turned closing it. Jack lingered in the doorway. She gestured with her head for him to join her in the kitchen. He trudged forward and took the glass from her outstretched hand. “Thank you.”

“Tell me all about school.” She leaned against the counter, bending forward enough to press her breasts out through the opening. “How are your studies going?”

He took a sip from the glass. “It’s good. I’m doing good in class. There’s this one professor that thinks I’ve really got a future in this industry.”

“Glad to hear that you’re really applying yourself.” Her hand toyed with the tie around her waist, loosening it up. Her right breast spilled over the top, her nipple barely peaking out around the edge. “Your mother mentioned you’re dating someone and it’s getting serious. Tell me about her.”

Jack’s eyes turned downward as his eyes slowly glazed over. The cup in his hand tilted forward, a bit of the lemonade pouring out onto the floor. “Sorry…” He muttered, whispering the word. “She’s really great. I think if things go well with my family we’re going to move in together next year. I think she’s the one.” He slowly leaned forward over the counter.

“Then I look forward to meeting her. And do you satisfy her in bed the way that I taught you to?”

“Yes Mistress Buliva…” Jack whispered his face sinking down towards her breasts.

Mrs Buliva stood up and leaned back against the sink. She began to slowly undo her robe letting it fall across her shoulders. Her breasts that were once constrained sprang free bouncing on her chest. Her nipples immediately began to harden from excitement.

Jack’s eyes immediately trained onto her breasts, his body slumping forward. Mrs Buliva slowly raised her hands, squeezing her breasts. “And tell me Jack. Who do you belong to?”

“You Mistress Buliva.” He muttered, the words slurring together.

“And to whom will your girlfriend belong to?” Her fingers squeezed into the flesh, massaging out the magic buried within.

“To you Mistress Buliva.”

She smirked. It was always good to see the training held after a few months away. Then again, Jack was her most passionate lover. “I’ve seen a picture of you two as a couple. I think she’ll make you very happy with her breasts. You always have had a type.” Her fingers trailed down towards her nipples. She pinched them sliding her fingers of the sensitive buds. She let out a soft moan and watched Jack begin to drool. The cup fell from his hand, landing on the floor with a crash. He didn’t react.

“Jack be a dear and come home.” Jack slowly rounded the counter, his eyes never leaving her breasts. As he neared, he leaned forward, placing his head right between her breasts. He sank into the flesh, his head dropping down lost between them like pillows. She could feel his tongue slowly licking at her skin, a low moan escaping from his chest.

“Jack, tomorrow your mother has planned a lovely dinner for the four of us. We will have a normal dinner and discussion, both you and your mother will be completely normal during it. All the while, I shall begin to work on your lovely girlfriend.”

Jack lifted his head slowly. “My mother is yours Mistress Buliva?”

She lifted her right hand placing it on his head. “Your mother has been mine for a very long time my dear. Now back down you go.” She nudged his head and it sank back into her breasts. His head willingly sank back in as his eyes drifted closed once more. “Now after dinner. You will help your mother put the dishes away, leaving me with your girlfriend-”

“Janine…” Jack said raising his head once more.

Mrs Buliva grimaced and growled. It seemed some of his training on behaving was losing its grip. One thing at a time. By tomorrow both Jack and Janine would be hers. “Yes Janine. Back down you go.” She pushed his head between her breasts, squeezing them tightly around his head once more. She cleared her throat.

“Janine and I will be alone. At which point, I will begin to claim her as mine. You’d like for her to be mine. Wouldn’t you?” Jack nodded, trapped between her breasts.

“After that, I’ll spend the night training her dutifully while you watch. When I’m finished, you and her will have a lovely night together while your mother services me.”

“Yes Mistress Buliva.” Jack moaned.

“Good boy. Now I think it's time to show me exactly what you do with your girlfriend.” Mrs Buliva turned around and bent over the counter. She could hear Jack begin to undo his pants and smiled.

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

Hope you enjoyed that. I’ll be following @h_sleepingirl prompt list for the entire month because I really like a couple of the prompts on the list. You should also definitely check out and support them.

You’ll also be able to find all of my writings under the tags on my page. Hope you enjoy and see you tomorrow!

#brainwashing #hypnosis #hypnotism #mind conditioning #mind control #my writings #titnosis #jam out hypnovember #hypnovember

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formulapookie · 4 months

Note

Pllsss I want Vale to see Arcmarc pet play, he would have an aneurysm

sorry if it took long, had been submerged with uni work

How would he find out? I'd say during a race weekend, after the race, Bezz is extremely sad by how his race went, he's ended up barely inside the points, his teammate once again doing better than him, Vale not helping at all, listing all the magnificent things Pecco did and how he won like that, and in general not feeling appreciated/good enough for the team.

He goes to Marc's motorhome to find some peace of mind, but almost regrets it because when he sneaks in he can smell the champagne, he can see the trophy shining on the table and just doesn't wanna ruin Marc's mood, who is smiling bright and buzzing with energy.

Bezz tries to fake being happy but Marc reads him like an open book and sits him down on the bed, stroking his hair and telling him he's been really good, the bike just isn't the one he needs or knows right now, but that he'll get it figured out soon enough for sure, because he really is good at it.

then Bezz just looks at Marc and asks him "Please can you make my brain quiet? I just need you" and he nods, slowly undressing himself and then Bezz, who doesn't oppose in any way.

He gets on his lap, plays with his hair, then with his piercing, "Want me to take care of you my good boy yes?" and Bezz is already moaning, his brain getting foggy as the seconds pass, the only clear thing present in his mind being Marc.

IN THAT MOMENT

Vale goes to look for Bezz in his own motorhome but doesn't find him, asks around a bit and then stumbles upon Dani, he asks if he's seen Bezz and the only thing Dani says it's "Like father, like son" before pulling away.

Vale pales because he knows where Bezz is now, he sprints to Marc's motorhome and tries to peak from one of the high windows he so stupidly has on his walls, and when he does oh well

he's met with a sight he doesn't think will be able to remove, Marc is bouncing up and down Bezz's cock eyes hungry and lust-filled, Bezz has both his hands on the bed, gripping the sheets and obviously moaning. But the one thing that strucks him the most is the fucking collar with a leash Bezz is wearing, its of a dark black, very thight on the boy's neck, and it's got the name Marco written in front in big bold silver letters.

The chain is silver as well, shining and reflecting the light coming from the lamp on top of the room, and oh my god is he shocked

MEANWHILE

inside the motorhome Bezz is at fucking cloud nine, he can't think straight, the only things he can say, actually moan, out loud are Marc, more and please He's completely gone, he'd been like that the second Marc got off of him to go grab lube and the collar, hearing the soft tingling of metal against metal, and he was about to die when Marc takes off both their underwear and starts to touch Bezz's dick with a lube-covered hand, coating him completely and sinking down on him immediately after. As he reached the base he'd clasped the collar around the boy's neck and began tugging on it, forcing their faces to be closer

He began moving, his thighs not giving any sign of giving up, and looked deep into Bezz's eyes.

"You fill me up so nicely Marco, I can feel you here" and Marc honest to god takes the boy's hand and presses it against his stomach were his cock is, making his feel the bulge inside of him, and Bezz tries to get a bit of control on the situation by gripping Marc's hips to move them as he wants, but he's interrupted by him "Only good boys are getting the reward bonito, but you're lucky and you've been the best boy out there, you deserve to cum in me today, you like that?"

Bezz practically mewls, throwing his head back with his eyes closed, but Marc pulls him back against his chest using the leash, telling him he has to keep being good or he's going to take away his prize.

Bezz nods, trying to keep as still as possible while Marc keeps on riding him so good he's sure he could cum on the spot.

"Such a good boy Marco, following all the orders I give you like a good puppy, all collared for me, so good" Bezz dies. He ascends to heaven and then falls to hell all in three spilt seconds, he's coming inside Marc, filling him up completely and collapsing on his back, getting his hand on Marc's dick and making him cum all over his chest and stomach.

"You were so good for me Marco, really really good boy" Bezz can't even answer anymore, he smiles weakly and blissed out, he can only feel his collar being unclasped and restored wherever Marc keeps it.

He can feel a soft kiss pressed on his temples and Marc laying beside him, still chanting praises to him like a prayer, falling asleep at the sound of it.

OUTSIDE THE MOTORHOME

Vale is having a heart attack, a stroke, every fucking fulminating disease who can end his life right that second.

He had just seen, and worst of all heard cause those two were everything but quiet, Marc and Bezz fucking each other, petplay involved and he could feel the life abandoning him quickly, he had to get away otherwise he would've thrown up, then killed both of them and then thrown up again.

He runs away before getting spotted, he could handle anything BUT getting spotted near that turquoise monstrosity of a garage. Well, that was now second to seeing his disciple fuck his ex.

#alice journal of asks #anon🩷#anon whoever you are know you are loved and you convinced my lazy brain to birth this at midnight when I gotta be up at 7 tomorrow #I honestly feel this could be a oneshot to post on Ao3 #my brain just activated and went on to produce this #motogp rpf #motogpblr #bezz #marc marquez #valentino rossi #marcmarc #bezquez

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theboywithburninghands · 4 months

Text

Here goes nothing. Arranged Marriage Funnybunny. Mostly worldbuilding and setup in this one. It was... something to make, that's for sure. Uh don't expect like... Jane Austen, but I went for a more... uh I guess... feel that was more old school? Just imagine a British narrator. Anyway here take it- T/W: Mentions of miscarriages, sexism, fantasy casual racism Primum Peccatum Chapter 1: You Don't Own Me

Primum Peccatum was an island a half-mile off the southeastern coast of Blackshell Bay, New Hirnantia. Inaccessible by any method other than ferry or private boat, Primum Peccatum was known throughout the county as a haven for the wealthy. Though Blackshell Bay was hardly a shantytown, those living in the coastal city often found themselves gazing wistfully or covetously at the island whenever they were on the southeastern beach in summertime or in the fish market near the harbor. Close enough to see, but far enough to never quite touch. Unless they were lucky enough to strike oil, inherit a good amount of money from a wealthy relative, or marry into one of the families already living on the island.

The Shutnyk family had lived on Primum Peccatum for two generations now. Originally a family of woodsmen, Nikolai Shutnyk broke the previously thought impermeable class barrier through, as said before, dumb luck. Nikolai, while living at a lumber mill in Telychia, would often go for long walks in the thick Telychian woods to try and curb his insomnia. While out there, he stumbled upon an as of then undiscovered natural gas reserve, and, under the nose of the logging company, managed to keep it a secret. Nikolai was talented with numbers and knew how to read and write despite his lower-class background, and drafted up a series of documents that he sent to several different gas companies along with some samples. In the documents, he offered to reveal the location of this reserve if he was given 100,000 crowns up front, and 5% of the profits from the reserves.

Although he was initially ignored, one struggling company by the name of East-West Renewable Energy sent an inspector to Nikolai, and they met in secret in the nearby town of Perrault’s End. Nikolai took the inspector out to the woods, and, when it was found to be very much real, the company gave Nikolai his up front payment, and began drilling. Nikolai quit his job at the end of his shift the next day, and moved to Perrault’s End. East-West’s earnings exploded overnight, and even though he had only asked for 5% of the earnings, it was enough to keep him sustained without the need of a job for a good two decades.

Newly wealthy and with a steady income, Nikolai Shutnyk caught the attention of several prominent families in Perrault’s End. He was soon married to the daughter of one Cartofolio Marconi, a magistrate for several industrialists in the much larger neighboring city of Angel’s Peak. Nikolai’s skill with numbers made him a valuable asset to his father-in-law’s corporate clients, and he was given a share of the company’s earnings for his hard work.

Nikolai and his wife, Clara Shutnyk, took the opportunity to purchase some land on Primum Piccatum, and had their manor built there. Nikolai continued his work for his father-in-law, and had a son with Clara, who they named Vladimir. Nikolai continued working until his death from a ruptured spleen when he was 61. Vladimir continued in his father’s stead, looking after his mother at his island manor and eventually finding a wife, the daughter of a surgeon named Amadeo. Her name was Mirella, and together they had a child of their own, a daughter, named Pomni. Her name was unique, taken from the Telychian word for “forget,” after Mirella’s favorite flower, the forget-me-not.

Pomni was the only child of Vladimir and Mirella, not for lack of trying. Mirella had miscarried three times before managing to have an underweight baby girl 4 weeks early. Luckily, her parents had access to high quality care thanks to their standing, and their newly born daughter lived. Pomni grew only somewhat larger in the following 25 years, never reaching any taller than 5 feet.

Had she lived in more modern times, there would be better and more scientific terms to describe the way her mind worked, but her parents and teachers only referred to her as “a bit odd” or “not quite there.” She was intelligent, that couldn’t be denied: she was writing full sentences at six years of age and read ravenously, but her social skills left much to be desired. She had few school friends, rarely speaking at all unless spoken to, and didn’t smile unless she was actually happy.. However, her taciturn nature was never to be mistaken for weakness, and she had an intensely stubborn streak.

When she was nine years old, a young lady in her class named Fredericka and her sycophants, seeing Pomni’s diminutive stature and hearing her unusual name, surrounded her desk one Monday before their lessons. Pomni looked up from her collection of Telychian short stories when the girls called her all manner of things, most of them pejoratives they’d overheard from their nationalist relatives.

Pomni looked back down at her book, her face placid. Fredericka, confused and angry that her usual routine appeared ineffective on the quiet young lady, turned back to her friends.

“She’s not just ugly, she’s deaf!” she declared.

Her laugh became a shriek as Pomni lunged for Fredericka’s arm, burying her sharp little teeth into the taller girl’s hand. Blood oozed from the punctured skin between her thumb and index finger and onto the polished hardwood floor.

Despite the headmistress’s best efforts, Pomni couldn’t be made to apologize. Vladimir had to be summoned to her school, but even her father couldn’t persuade Pomni to apologize to her classmate. She said this to Vladimir.

“She isn’t sorry, Papa. So neither am I.”

Pomni was forbidden from the manor’s library for a month for her churlish behavior, but privately, Vladimir was impressed. His own father would never have obtained his fortune without steely resolve. Had he followed the herd, the lumber company would have sold that natural gas reserve to line the pockets of the already wealthy board of directors, and Nikolai wouldn’t have seen a single crown.

Pomni’s classmates wisely decided to leave her alone after this incident, keeping their insults well out of earshot. Pomni graduated near the top of her class with excellent marks, a sure sign she would make a fine schoolteacher or court stenographer. Indeed, she inherited her father’s skill with numbers and attention to detail, and even began assisting her father with the heaps of paperwork from some of his weightier cases.

Mirella loved her daughter as any mother should, and just like most mothers, she worried about her quite often. Oddness aside, Pomni had almost no interest in finding a husband. A little independence was important for any young lady, it was the sign of a healthy brain, which Pomni certainly possessed. But whenever Mirella asked her daughter if she saw any young gentlemen that caught her eye when she was across the reach running errands for the family, or in the library or the city park, her answers were unsatisfactory.

“Oh yes, I did see a man with two different colored eyes. One blue, one brown. I believe the term is ‘heterochromia,’ did you know that, mother?”

“I saw a man who had lost an arm. I suppose he must have been a soldier, or perhaps a mill worker. It’s just terrible that someone’s livelihood can cost someone a limb, don’t you, mother?”

Mirella worried. Pomni was a pretty little thing. She had her father’s snowy fair skin and her own raven black hair, cut into a short little bob. When she smiled, which wasn’t often, it was illuminating. But she was 25, and that beauty wouldn’t last. In New Hirnantia, it was agreed that if a woman wasn’t married by age 30, she was destined for spinsterhood. Just five years… If Pomni wanted to carry on her family’s legacy, she needed to find a husband. She was their sole heir. Mirella couldn’t put herself through another miscarriage… and with her own advancing age, a failed pregnancy was all the more likely.

There were many young men around Blackshell Bay that would have suited Pomni perfectly well had she just given them the time of day. University professors, magistrates, authors and poets… men who held the same appreciation for learning and the arts that Mirella’s daughter did. And they were steadily decreasing in number as other women Pomni’s age, some younger, took them to be their husbands.

She confided in her husband one Spring evening before bed, collapsing into tears as her worries burst out like water from a crumbling dam. Vladimir held his wife and listened to her woes, stroking her hair and letting the torrent run its course. By the time Mirella’s sobs had waned into hiccups, Vladimir smiled at her.

“Darling, I’m so terribly sorry you’ve kept all of this inside. The pain must have been monumental. And yes, I too have worried that our daughter may carry the family name to her grave. But, you needn’t worry any longer, lisichka. I believe a solution is within reach. I simply have to write a few letters. Our daughter will be happily wed by her 26th birthday.”

—

Pomni stepped off the ferry onto the dock, sturdy oak wood imported from the monolithic forests of Ediacara out west.

“Be careful on your way home, Ms. Shutnyk.” the ferryman said.

“You say this whenever I exit the boat, sir. I assure you, no sheer cliffs or bottomless canyons have suddenly appeared on my commute home.” Pomni replied.

The sun set from within the treeline, coloring the horizon a bright tangerine. Pomni walked up the path to the Shutnyk estate, a weighty book under her arm. It was a collection of fairy tales, complete with color plates. Pomni typically preferred her fiction with a touch more verisimilitude, but she had already gone through her father’s library and most of the library in town, so she needed to wait for her favorite authors to actually produce new material. This would satiate her for a time.

Pomni wore a plain white dress and matching white shoes. She also wore her favorite straw sunhat with the black hatband, although it had been rather overcast today. Not that she minded. She did burn rather easily due to her Telychian blood.

She continued up the hill past the Rooker estate. She would have stopped to say hello to Mr. Kinger on any other day, but it was getting late, and summer was on the horizon. Mosquitos and other biting insects would surely be emboldened by the evening dark and emerge from the trees soon.

She saw the manor up the dirt path, second on the right, just after the Rooker house. In the dim light, she could see her mother’s immaculately maintained flower gardens in front of the delicate pink walls of the manor. It was just becoming summer, so the gardens were lush with hot pink roses and silky white gardenias. Pomni had thought about taking up gardening as a hobby, but she found the entire affair tedious. At least with books, you wouldn’t have to wait six months to read them.

She took her key from her pocketbook and unlocked the manor door, skirting inside and closing it behind her to keep the bugs away.

“Pomni, is that you?” her father called from the dining room.

“Yes it is, good evening, Father.” she called back, locking the door behind her and hanging her handbag and sunhat on the foyer hooks.

“Come and join us, supper is ready,” said Vladimir.

“Just a moment, I haven’t gotten out of my shoes…” Pomni sat on the floor and slid off her shoes, placing them neatly on the shoe rack and peeling off her socks, dropping them down the laundry chute. She set her book down at the foot of the stairs and she briskly walked into the dining room.

“Good evening, darling, so good to see you!” Mirella said from her spot at the table. Pomni returned her salutation, looking at the plate set out for her. Honey-glazed garlic salmon, her favorite. Usually she only had this for her birthday or to celebrate the start of fishing season.

“Oh, goodness. Thank you, what’s the occasion?”

“No occasion, dear, we just had Zooble cook your favorite tonight. Come, sit, enjoy it!” Vladimir said, motioning her to come and sit at the dining room table.

Zooble stood in the corner of the room in their usual tuxedo, nodding wordlessly at Pomni. Zooble was a shape-person, their head a magenta sideways triangle with no visible mouth and mismatched limbs. Shapefolk originated from a harsh desert kingdom known as Dovicia, found across the southern sea. While they had a much different diet and anatomy from humans, no one shape-person was built the same way, humans and shapefolk had been close allies for centuries. Humans offered them much needed resources that couldn’t be found in the beastly Dovician desert, and the shapefolk in turn offered manpower, often moving into more temperate areas to escape the extreme temperatures. Zooble had been the caretaker of the manor for 3 years, ever since the previous caretaker, Lidio, retired to Blackshell Bay at the age of 70. So far, Pomni liked them a lot, even if she never enjoyed change that much. Zooble didn’t allow her mother and father to walk all over them like Lidio did. Sometimes her parents needed someone to tell them “no” that wasn’t her.

Pomni cut into her salmon filet and sampled it, giving a contented hum. “It’s delicious, Zooble. My compliments.”

Zooble nodded. “Only doing what I’m paid for, Miss.” Their tone struck Pomni as oddly somber, but she ignored it.

“So how are you feeling, darling? Did you have a pleasant day?” Marella asked.

Pomni took a moment to chew and swallow, looking down at her food. “Yes, mother. I went for my usual constitutional in the park, and-”

“Eyes up, Pomni,” her father said. “Talk to your mother, not your dinner.””

Pomni bit her lip. She was a grown woman, and her parents still reprimanding her for her struggles with eye contact always touched a nerve. Maybe in grade school, but…

She looked up at her mother. Even looking into Marella’s brown eyes made her feel itchy, prickles of heat running up her arms and down to her toes.

“-and I got a book from the library. I finished the last one.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she put her eyes back onto her food, scratching her left foot with her right.

“Molto bene, darling. Well, your father has some exciting news.”

Marella looked over at her husband, who idly swirled the red wine in his glass. Vladimir glanced at his wife before clearing his throat and setting the glass down.

“Er- yes. A former client of mine has fallen into dire straits. You remember the Krolik family?”

Pomni thought for a moment as she chewed her food. She swallowed, had a sip of water and then spoke.

“Yes. Yes, they had the embezzlement case. Their business partner, their name was… Dombrowski Worldwide, was charging a non-existent handling fee for their grain shipments and then pocketing it. They took around 60,000 crowns, and the Krolik-”

“Yes dear, exactly right! Your memory is astounding as always.” Vladimir said, the pride palpable in his voice.

“What about them, father?” Pomni asked, working on cutting herself another piece of fish.

“Well, as you know, we won the case. But unfortunately, the judicial expenses left the Krolik family in something of a financial rut. Even with all the Krolik siblings working on the family business, they haven’t quite been able to scrape themselves out of debt.”

“I see. How is that good news?” Pomni replied.

Zooble let out a louder than normal cough.

“Well…” Vladimir took in a lengthy breath. “Their fourth son, er, Jax, is 22 and unmarried.”

“Oh, I see. So he’s marrying into a wealthy family. That is good news!” Pomni replied.

“Y-Yes, he does intend on marrying into a wealthy family. A-As a matter of fact-“

“Master Shutnyk,” Zooble suddenly spoke up. “Please. The longer you prolong the issue-”

“I don’t believe I requested your input, Zooble.” Vladimir said. The authority in his voice bordered on draconian. He never spoke to their caretaker like that, even during his foulest moods.

“Apologies, sir.” Zooble said, bowing shortly.

Pomni looked from Zooble to Vladimir. Her food sat momentarily forgotten in her cheek, before she chewed hastily and swallowed.

“Papa, is something the matter?” Pomni asked. She rarely referred to Vladimir as anything but “father” since she was twelve years old, only using “papa” when she was deeply anxious or in the midst of tears, be they of joy or sadness.

“No, piccola, nothing is wrong at all.” Marella interjected. “This is all good news. Your father and I think you should marry that Krolik boy!”

Pomni put down her fork. She picked up her glass of water and quaffed the entire thing.

“We have everything in order, you won’t have to worry about a thing! Your father spoke with the patriarch of the Krolik family- and what a fine man he is, larger than life, truly!- he’d be more than happy to have you wed his son. Oh, and you should meet his son! I’ve never met a more charismatic beastman! And-”

“Mirella!” Vladimir barked.

“I’m sorry but it’s true! He’s a gentleman, a real ambassador for his kind! And he’s only 22! You’ll love him, Pomni!”

Pomni prodded her filet with her fork. “I’ll… love him.” she echoed. Her eyes stared ahead, at nothing in particular.

“I’m sure of it! He’s smart as a whip, just like you! He and all of his siblings. And goodness, he’s tall and handsome…”

Pomni picked up her plate and whipped it at the wall behind her. It soared through the air like a clay pigeon before shattering helplessly against the wall, Mirella yelping and Vladimir rising to his feet instinctively. Her half-eaten salmon adhered to the wall for a moment before peeling off and plopping onto the imported carpet, brown glaze stuck to both the wall and the carpet.

Pomni turned to her parents, her blue eyes crystals of icelike fury.

“What have I done wrong..?” she whispered. “What sin could I have committed that would motivate you to sell me off? Am I no better than a mare or a sow? Answer me! What was my transgression?!”

“Pomni, you’ve done nothing wrong…” Mirella began delicately.

“Then I’ve always been nothing more than a commodity?!” Pomni cried. She looked to her father for aid. “Papa, what about your firm? Wasn’t I supposed to take over for you..? You always said I was so talented…”

“And you are, dear! You’re brilliant! But… clients would turn their nose up at a firm run by a woman. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth of our society. It’s why I want you to marry this man so you can-”

Pomni’s eyes lost the spark of fury in them, darkening with grief and betrayal. “…Papa.”

“So you can run the firm in my stead. You just need a man to serve as a figurehead. And believe me, Jax Krolik is charismatic enough to serve as a figurehead, I met with him only yesterday, and-”

“I haven’t! I don’t even know what this man- no, beastman looks like! How could you possibly think I’d be okay with you making such a rash decision behind my back? Are you really that heartless?!”

Pomni turned away from her parents once again. Zooble shook their head.

“Fiends… heartless, deceitful fiends…” Pomni whispered.

“Pomni, this was for your benefit.” Marella said stoically. “You’re 25. Time is running out for you. All the men who might have caught your attention are moving on to other women. Or even other men! We acted in your stead to make sure you had a fair shot at finding love, starting a family, being happy-”

“I am happy! Rather, I was happy until you thrust a knife into my back! Who are you to say what brings me joy and what doesn’t?!”

“I’m your mother, Pomni! And I was in your situation once! I was lucky enough that your father came along when he did-!”

“That’s enough from both of you!” Vladimir boomed. “Mirella, Pomni, sit back down.”

Mirella took her seat, but Pomni remained standing.

“Pomni. Sit down.”

“I won’t,” she said.

“We’ve already arranged a meeting with the Krolik family tomorrow afternoon.” Vladimir continued. “I assure you that once you meet Jax, your concerns will be assuaged. This wasn’t a decision made impetuously. Now, sit down, please.”

Pomni’s lips quavered. She gradually slid back onto her chair.

“Good girl. Zooble, please clean that up before it stains the carpet. And the wall.” Vladimir motioned to the detritus on the carpet.

“Right away, Master Shutnyk.” Zooble said with another short bow. They hurriedly stepped out of the room, glancing at Pomni before going to get the dustpan.

“We know how you feel, Pomni. It’s daunting to get married, but it’s part of a young woman’s life.” Mirella said. “And think about how much more you’ll have to do with a husband! An entire house all to yourself, new family to get to know… it’s an adventure! Besides, it trounces just going to town and back every day, wouldn’t you say?”

“No, mother. I don’t.” Pomni spat out the word “mother” like a poison. “I quite enjoy my time in town, thank you.”

“Well, now you can live in town! We’ve been to see their manor, and-”

“Well if you enjoy it so much, why don’t you live there in my stead? Clearly you’re infatuated with the man.” Pomni snapped.

“Pomni Shutnyk! You do NOT speak to your mother like that!” barked Vladimir.

“I did not suffer the loss of three children to be disrespected by my only daughter!” Mirella exclaimed.

“If you’re going to treat me like this, then I wish I had died right along with them-”

Pomni put a hand to her mouth, immediately wishing she could reel the words back into her throat. Her mother’s face blanched, and Pomni felt tears well up in her eyes.

“Pomni..!” her father gasped.

“I-I’m sorry…” Pomni managed to say. “I’m sorry, mother…”

“You’ve said quite enough.” Vladimir asserted. “To your room, now. And you aren’t to come down until we tell you.”

Pomni, her pretty pale face damp with tears, rose from her chair and went into the foyer. Sniffling, she ascended the first step. She stopped, and turned, and hurriedly put her shoes on, sans her socks. She grabbed her pocketbook from the foyer hook.

“Pomni?” her father’s voice came from the dining room. “Pomni, I instructed you to go to your room.”

She found her house key despite her blurred vision and unlocked the front door, easing it open. The sky was a dim orange and the trees mere black silhouettes, evening insects chirring.

“Pomni!” her father called. There was the sound of a scraping chair.

Pomni slipped through the door and shut it behind her, locking it behind her and pattering down the steps onto the dirt trail. She ran through the garden of the Shutnyk manor, wiping her eyes and nose and not looking back, even as she heard both of her parents shouting for her return. As far as she was concerned, it was no longer her home.

Soon, she reached the main road, and turned left, hurrying further up the island and towards the church.

#the amazing digital circus #arranged marriage au #funnybunny #jax x pomni #tadc pomni #tadc jax #oh no cringe #tadc zooble #pomni's family #rich people suck but it makes for good fiction #autistic pomni

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