#please accept her cucumbers

[oneroyi]

obsessed with mutsumi being umiri's little guy.....we love you little beepo

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

David Tennant interview at the British LGBT Awards, June 2024 (x)

Int: You being an ally to the community isn't something new. You've been doing it, but recently you've obviously really stepped up for trans and non-binary people in a time that's so, so needed. What made you do that?

David: I don't know that I feel like I've done anything that I wouldn't just sort of be normally doing. I mean, it's for me it's just common sense that there's there should be any suggestion that people aren't allowed to live the life they want to live and and to be who they want to be with and to express themselves wholeheartedly. I mean, as long as you aren't hurting anybody else, everybody else just needs to fucking butt out. I don't really understand why...

Int: ...it's controversial.

David: Yeah, there is and the thing... the thing, if there's something that's particularly sobering and depressing, it's that certain debates are being weaponized by certain elements of the political class, often for no... it seems it's not ideological so much as opportunistic. And I just think that's pretty disgusting, really.

Int: I couldn't agree more. What message would you like to send out to trans youth?

David: Please don't feel like you're not loved and that you're not accepted and that you're not... you know, most people in the world are good and kind and just want you to be able to be who you are. Most people in the world don't really care. I mean... you know what I mean?

Int: We're all narcissistic.

David: Exactly. Everyone's so self obsessed that really, the sort of noise that comes from a certain area of the press and of the political class is... it's a minority. It really is. And please don't let that make you feel diminished or dissuaded or discouraged, because, you know, you just... you have to be allowed to be yourself, and you are, and you are yourself and you must thrive and flourish, and we're all here for it.

Int: Amazing. I think, yeah, it's so important .I think sometimes it feels like there's so many people, but it is a minority. It's such a minority.

David: It's a tiny bunch of little whinging fuckers that are on the wrong side of history and they'll all go away soon.

Int: Like what happened with gay people 20 years ago.

David: When I was a kid, when I was a kid, exactly. You know, I was at school when Clause 28 came in and it all felt like being gay was something to be terrified of. And gay men in particular were demonised as paedophiles and now that just feels historic and ludicrous and, I mean, I don't see all those... all those battles aren't won, but we're in a very, very different place. And I feel like.I feel like history is on a progressive trajectory and it might get knocked sideways now and again by people for all sorts of reasons, which are often quite selfish and quite, as I say, not coming from a place of any sort of genuine belief system, but other than a place of opportunism. And that's something that we... I hope that in 20 years time, we're talking about, you know, these culture wars as something of the past.

Int: I believe we will. I'm a huge Doctor Who fan, so.

David: Oh, good, me too!

Int: You are my Doctor.

David: Oh, thank you very much.

Int: But recently, obviously, you came back for the 60th anniversary and you got to work with Yasmin Finney.

David: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Int: What was it like working with her?

David: Oh, she's brilliant. She's fantastic. Yeah. And she's in the show again now, she's back in it, so that's fantastic to see. She's lovely, talented, cool as a cucumber, articulate, brilliant. I learned a lot from her as an actor and also as someone who, you know, who's become a sort of de facto activist just because of who she is and where she is, and she becomes a sort of symbol of hope, and she's wonderful.

[eatommo]

Kisses of Fire [j.m.]

Summary: You and Joel get caught up in a champagne-filled domestic dream, and your impulses are too strong to resist. Aka, you and Joel sing and dance in the kitchen until you can't deny your feelings any longer.

C.w: slight dub con because of alcohol consumption, mentions of parental loss, age gap (reader is in her 20s), unprotected pinv, lots of praise, pet names, Joel is a sweet talker, fluffy dancing and cooking with Joel, size kink?, creampie, squirting, oral sex (f receive), mentions of oral sex (m receive), breeding kink if you squint, mutual pining?, idk I probably missed some let me know!

A/n: Hello! I am alive! I started a new job and it's been pretty crazy but I am pleased to bring you my first Joel Miller fic and my first contribution to the Dbf!joel subgenre that has been one my favorites lately. enjoy!

~3.5k

“Joel, the sauce is going to burn.” you stumble through a laugh, trying to focus the little clarity of your mind on the chicken browning in your ceramic pan. He had insisted on opening a glass of champagne to congratulate you on your new job. It was sweet and dry, exactly what you liked, and it went down easy.

You were sitting around the coffee table gushing and hardly letting the man get a word out, and then he asked if you were hungry, and well you hadn't yet eaten and with your stomach growling at his words, he was very insistent.

In truth, you'd always looked out for each other, you'd help pick up Sarah from school, on occasion try new recipes in his much larger kitchen, and in turn, he'd fix your sink leak, install a new shower head, or even build you a new coffee table.

Here standing in his kitchen you felt so comfortable, stirring the pasta with one hand and rummaging through his cabinets for oregano with the other. It could've been the alcohol or the decade-long crush on the older man that was driving you wild.

With a rush of melody, you realized where he disappeared as the fun rhythmic beat of Be My Baby echoes through the living room and into the kitchen. Joel's words barely call above the song, “Oldies okay?”

You turn to answer him, only to catch him jamming out to the song behind you as he strides cool as a cucumber back into the kitchen. “More than okay.” You’re beaming, enjoying the music and the laid-back demeanor of his slight dance and groove.

You've cherished the few moments of joy since your father passed away a few years ago, singing with him and Sarah in the car, bullying Joel onto a rollercoaster, and summertime BBQs complete with movie marathons.

This felt different. Not only was Sarah noticeably absent, but there was an electric hum of something between you, it was almost palpable. Chalking it up to the alcohol, you settle back into your rhythm of taking care of the food in front of you with extra sway to your hips and occasionally singing into the wooden spoon like a microphone.

Joel returns to your side, stirring the thick sauce before grabbing a spoon from a drawer and tasting it. He moans around the cheap metal, throwing his head back in exaggerated ecstasy.

Hoping the heat from the stove disguises your blush, you carefully accept a spoonful he offers you after he cools with a few quick purses of his lips, humming in agreement.

“What did you say this recipe was called?” When he's been drinking, his Texan drawl lengthens, and you swallow around the lump in your throat, lord have mercy.

“Marry me chicken? It's said to get a man to marry you on its own…” you try and let your voice trail off as he grabs a colander and begins to strain the noodles for you, and before you can think you add, “I thought it would be good practice.”

You catch something in his face as he looks toward you, now mouthing the words to a song by Simon and Garfunkel, but your brain is a little too fuzzy to dissect it completely. Turning off the heat, you quickly add bacon and parmesan before tossing the chicken and sauce mixture on top of Joel's freshly strained pasta.

He hovers over you like he hasn't eaten for days, grumbling something about sweet torture as you garnish his bowl with freshly grated cheese. Turning your attention to the table you see a second bottle of champagne adorning a small dining set, and your flukes full and awaiting your attention, and your blush returns, what is happening to you?

Dismissing himself to turn the music lower, you set his plate down and settle into your chair beside his. Briefly, you consider refusing another glass, you were supposed to drive home, but his slightly tousled curls and the nonplussed smirk on his face as he walks into your field of vision wash over your body like a cool shower on a hot Austin evening, refreshing, revitalizing, and rewarding you with his simplistic beauty.

The way his eyes fell to yours with each silly verse, speaking to each moment you’ve swooned over him in private and cementing the swell of your heart. He sits and you both immediately dive into the food, moaning in unison at the salty and creamy flavor. “I get it.”

“For sure.” You confirm, shoveling more into your mouth as delicately as you can in your haste. “I’ll keep it in my back pocket for sure.” You both laugh and reach for your champagne for a toast.

“To the luckiest man in the world.” This time, he does a piss poor job of covering his shock, and you don’t dare let the moment slip from your grasp, setting your fork down, and reaching to settle your hand on his forearm, tenderly running your fingers over the rough-tanned skin.

The affection seems to coach a weight from his shoulders, as the tension in them drops and he meets your eyes with a deep and wicked sense of playfulness. Holding his gaze, and touching the lips of the flukes together you smile innocently, and hum as the cool bubbles coat your tongue and lift your confidence higher with every passing moment.

In a flash you feel the energy in the room shift, as silence flirtatious eye contact is shared between smaller sips of champagne and groans of delight, you find your eyes lingering longer on the base of his throat and the purse of his lips around the tip of the glass.

In your stupor you miss his devilish grin, he’s chasing the feeling of your gaze on his skin, drinking in the slip of your guard, and suddenly the incredible food you prepared for him is not nearly enough to sate him.

It’s his turn to stare, watching as your lips part in a soft pant as he takes a lingering swig from his glass, imagining how delicious this could pair with the taste of your pussy. Fuck, he’s so hopeless, you could talk him into anything, yet you sit and torture yourself undressing him with your eyes and practically projecting your dirty thoughts onto his chest.

When your eyes meet again your breath catches in your throat, some snarky comment you bury beneath the burning fire on your cheeks. “Joel…” it’s an invitation, a plea, and your heart stands still in its cage in the breath between your words and his mouth on yours.

His beard and moustache are rough against your lips, but the kiss is hungry, and not nearly as vulnerable as you feel. It's a clash of tongues and teeth, your bodies are drawn together like the world is stitching them together with desperate rough movements.

You can taste the rich sweet champagne on his tongue as it drags over yours, tilting your head back with a soft hand on your throat. Standing to his feet, he breaks the kiss with a reluctance you feel, but he’s ushering the plates off the table in a single trip, setting them on the counter to be dealt with later. The complaint dies in your throat, as you let your brain devour him in a primal sense. The broad expanse of his chest rising and falling in heavy needy breath, the veins in his neck as he tilts his head to return the same hungry stare, you don’t make it past his biceps before his hands are on your sides, directing you to stand but only for a mere second as your practically lifted onto the kitchen table.

His mouth is on yours again, hot and determined, your mind is made up, and he can feel it in each little whine he swallows. Confidence surges through him, bolstered by the hum of alcohol in his system, and he leans over you guiding you to your back, while he slots himself between your legs.

You part them quickly, wanting to feel him pressed against you more than you want to breathe, and rather than following you he kisses down the smooth skin of your calves and begins working on the button of your shorts, yanking them up and off with a dexterity that would surprise you had it been anyone else.

The thin cotton panties are not your first choice of sexy intimates, but it doesn’t seem to phase him as his gaze holds at the growing wet spot pooling in the fabric. His index fingers ghost over the seam of your pussy. “Are you sure?” He kisses the words across your skin, moving along the inside of your thighs as his stubble draws the nerves in your skin taught.

You blink your eyes a few times, almost not believing and basking in the warmth of his breath. Your mouth falls open in a pant as you throw your head back onto the table, in any other circumstance it would've hurt. “Yes…Joel…please.” Each word takes a lungful of air worth of effort.

There's a dark chuckle as if taunting you for being so pathetic, as he nibbles on the skin of your inner thigh, you feel goosebumps spread across all your skin, unaware if it's from shame or the heat of his mouth muttering sweet nothings into your skin.

“So pretty,” he coos letting two fingers trace over your slick panties, “Spread out on my table for me,” he presses harder but slows his movements to a beautifully slow taunt, “A fucking meal.”

The chair moves sharply back with his movement, as he pulls your underwear to the side and licks at your hole for his first taste. His mouth is feverish in appetite, licking and sucking and caressing each part of your sex, the assault is overwhelming at first, the movements so erratic you’re unable to focus on anything but trying to breathe. Cantering your hips against his mouth his rough palm stalls one of your thighs from closing, the hand is firm and warm commanding you to obey in just its presence. “More,” you beg, again the pleasure dulled as he slowed to listen.

His free hand goes to the waistband of your underwear running along its length and tickling the skin, before you feel a rough tug at the fabric and hear the tearing sound before you can even comprehend what’s happened. The fabric disappears and the soft table mat you are perched on protects you from the cool wood of the table. He mumbles more things into the flesh of your mound, and he kisses at the exposed skin of your hips, “Sweet little thing.”

You throw a hand over your eyes, losing yourself to the embraces and brushes of pleasure he showers you in. He settles back between your legs, pinning them to your chest with his arm and working two fingers slowly into your tight heat. The stretch is pleasant, and he lets his tongue lave over the top of your sex. “Joel.” You whimper feeling his knuckles curl inwards brushing against a bundle of nerves that has your vision lulling white. Each stroke feels like it's pulling your soul from your body, and an unfamiliar pressure builds as he coaxes the orgasm to the surface with his tongue swirling over your clit.

You explode, soaking the table and his hungry waiting mouth feeling the clear gush of liquid pool beneath you and coat your thighs. “Oh god, I’m sorry I-” you stammer, not having experienced this yourself before.

Joel’s attention snaps to your eyes, “Don’t.” It's a warning, his eyes dark and muddled with something animalistic you’ve only seen when he’s angry. “You’re going to do it again.” he sits straight, and you realize he’s still fully dressed as he stands on his feet, dwarfing you against the table, undoing the length of his belt.

Unsure if your breathing is coming fast or if he is moving slowly, undoing the buttons of his flannel, and exposing skin that you’ve seen countless times before, but as each button is freed and his shirt spills open, you struggle to keep your breath even. Thick tanned skin, soft to the touch but cords of practical muscle run through his pecks, and down his well-defined biceps hold your eyes still, as your heart clips away steadily. You mumble something about his muscles, fawning over him like you’ve done so many times before, but unafraid to get caught this time.

He peers down at you, maintaining eye contact through your spread thighs as you lay waiting gawking at him like you always have, the loose leather of his belt is tugging the jeans down his hips slightly exposing the soft flesh of his stomach and the feather-light trail of hair disappearing below his jeans. He longed to reduce you to a babbling drooling mess, he wanted to mark your skin his and fill you so full his traces would linger on your cunt for days. Days, he knew it wouldn’t be easy to stop, he felt like he was running downhill and his legs were jelly beneath him, hurtling towards some sort of self-destructive meltdown. But the sweet tang of you lingering in his mouth, splashed across his chest, on his dining room table.

You were perfect, even more so than he thought possible. He ached, the jeans strangling his thick cock, he longed to free himself and sink into you. “Come here.” he stepped closer, back between the welcome squeeze of your thighs, and he wondered if he would need a new table.

You sat up barely even with his chest and when you're close enough he brings you in for a deep and filthy kiss, giving you a chance to taste your slick from his tongue and to groan as your hand settles over the hard length of his cock in his pants. You allow a finger to trace over the outline surprised when your hand keeps finding more of him to play with, fighting the urge to squeak in delight as each kiss grows in fervor.

If Joel hadn't suggested otherwise, you would've happily been fucked to bliss on the table, but as one of his hands falls to cup the supple flesh of your ass you're lifted into his sturdy arms. Now even this isn't a first, but your cunt is pressed flat to the ripped muscles of his abdomen and you can't help but trail feather-like kisses and nips across the thin skin covering his Adam's apple, half tempted to suck a bruise into his skin as he whines lowly into hair.

He traverses the stairs with ease, fingers squeezing and playing with your ass as he does so. As you enter his room, he leans in for another searing desperate kiss, nipping and tugging on your bottom lip almost painfully slow.

The bed is plush, more so than you expect, the sheets feel cool and inviting as you settle into them, not daring to turn your attention away from Joel for a second. The moon is the only light in the room, but it's bright enough for you to drool over the large bulge he reveals as he shucks his jeans.

“Something you want darlin?” that all-knowing chuckle, call your attention to his face, always handsome but there's a depravity and a hunger in his eyes that is a little bit intimidating.

“I-” You struggle to decide what exactly it is you want to do, part of you wants to let him lay down and have you suck his cock dry, and the other part wants to see you bent in half stuffed full of his cum.

Your stumble only brings another dry chastising chuckle, “Don’t worry honey, I'll take care of you.” His dark boxers leave little to the imagination, the fabric pulled tight across him as the curve of his cock is pinned to the curve of his hip. He’s huge, bigger than you could’ve dreamed, and by the looks of it nice and thick, you would be happily limping around in the morning.

He plants his hands next to your legs, crawling up your body until he’s even with your mouth, his skin radiating heat and his mouth meets yours once more. The taste of you is still lingering in his mouth, spurring you on.

The clothed hardness of him presses against you, insistent and delightfully relieving the tortuous pressure building at your core. You run your hands against the muscles of his back, at first gently caressing but as his teeth skim your pulse you dig into the flesh with your nails. “Joel…” you whimper, knowing if he wanted to drag this any further you'd have no choice but to beg, there's something so addictive to his power and the way he looks at you. He knows what he's doing to you, he knows the way you shift your hips to grind against him is a silent plea, he wishes he could withhold longer, but each hitch in your breath coaxes more precome spilling into his boxers, he hasn't been this hard since he was a teenager.

He hushes you, soothing you with a hand running over your hair, and shoves his boxers down to free himself. He lets the weight of his cock slide over your sex, the thick head catching deliciously on your clit and allowing it to get coated in what's left of your cum. You both groan into another kiss, “Condom?” The question shocks you into reality briefly, but you quickly shake your head no, not bothering an attempt to form any words.

You swear you hear a whimper in his half-lidded chuckle, but you try to focus on the feeling of his body pressing against yours, the heat of him and the rich smell of his skin the taste of his mouth as he kisses you through a few more lazy strokes.

He runs a calloused hand over the soft skin of your throat before sliding it around and into the hair at the back of your neck, tilting your eyes to his As he lines up and slides in a single brutal thrust. Your body tenses at the stretch, but the pleasure is immense and Joel's mouth parts in a pant so beautifully you crack a wickedly seductive smile.

As he begins to canter his hips, his grip on your hair gets tighter, holding your eyes to his, his pelvis grinds delectably against your clit, as the ridges of his cock and the angle of his hips drag along your walls. You wonder if you'd been able to take it if it hadn't been Joel, you don't think you've ever been this fucked out in your life. He presses your legs slightly further apart nudging at your cervix, and grounding down.

The orgasm rips through you before you know it, the shake in your legs and your panted obscenities only encourage him further. “Fuck, good girl,” your hips love on their own grinding up fucking yourself through the climax as a second wave of white-hot pleasure soaks his abdomen and your thighs, “So good baby.”

Your head drops, body limp and wrecked he kisses along your cheeks and forehead, giving you a moment to catch your breath.

He moves quicker than you can register what's happening, his boxers are on the floor and suddenly you are straddled over his lap dropping down onto his cock as he buries his face in your tits. Tongue drags deliciously over your nipples as he lets you adjust to the new angle, you rest your head on top of his, kissing his sweat-damp hair and rocking your hips slowly. You didn't think he could feel any bigger, each slight rock nudges almost painfully against your cervix, words no longer forming in your brain and breath escaping in squeaks.

You let yourself get caught up in the moans and praise failing out of Joel nonsensically, the drag of his stubble on your skin overstimulating, you bear down on him and shiver as you hear the hitches in his breathing. “Where?” you almost miss it, his voice is hoarse, desperate, strained even.

“Cum inside me.” you can't suppress the smirk, “I want it.” It's your turn to pull his head back, looking deep into the rich dark brown eyes as they admire you, he chews on his lip. His shoulders hunch as you feel him twitch, his grip tightening on your hips as he uses the last bit of his strength to bounce you on his lap and fuck up into you as he cums deep and hard into your wrecked swollen pussy.

You suppress a shutter, you feel like you're made of gelatin and you slump against his body, going completely slack.

He waits a few moments to collect his wits and allows you both to catch your breath. “Should I start a shower?” You laugh, hoping to skirt over any sort of rebuff.

“Sure,” he massages the flesh of your ass, “I'll take care of the leftovers.” You're overwhelmed with a sense of relief, both letting out a massive sigh at the same time, and laughing once you make eye contact again. You feel his heartbeat against your chest and lean in for another kiss, the complicated stuff can come later, but the smile he gives you as he tilts his chin up slightly for the kiss, makes you feel like it's all going to be more than you could've dreamed of.

Part 2

[odusseus-xvi]

Doing a Summary of the French ccs' Lore (because we are forgotten)

(this last part is a joke don't take it too seriously)

Making a post with the lore we know about every French ccs for those who don't follow them religiously : (I might forget some things because I'm not an encyclopedia)

BAGHERA JONES :

Has said in the past she does see herself (her character) as human, like in the "Regret" animation but has also talked about "dying her feathers" instead of hair, and discussed with mike about not really having hair. Her species/lineage/anything you want to call it doesn't seem to be something set in stone.

When asked from where she comes from she answers Switzerland. It seems to have been accepted by Cucurucho. (also knows about The Shit Tower from the Team du Lundi server, though that might not be really lore accurate)

Doesn't seem to be interested in leaving the island itself, but is REALLY interested in freeing herself and the others from the Federation.

Considers BBH and Forever as her family alongside the rest of the french. Both Pomme and Dapper are her adopted kids.

Has both an underground Base and a Castle far north.

Dropped out of the election on her own accord, jumping from the top of her castle's highest tower.

(note : Please admins, cook something for her... She needs it... She tried for days to solve the book thingy, and Cellbit ended up having the last clues and doing it himself... Please I beg you...)

ETOILES :

Is a masked anthorpomorphic cucumber. No ambiguity about that.

When asked where he comes from, it alternates between France, and Far Away (if I remember well) (Was also part of the Team du Lundi server, but nothing confirms it is part of his canon lore).

What does seem to be conserved is his familiarity with all the french ccs : His close joke-flirting relationship with Antoine, his friendly banters with Baghera, his kind of disciple in redstone and create relationship with Aypierre, and his friendship with Kamet0.

Actually enjoying his time on the Island because of the challenges it offers him. Particularly enjoys showing the Federation and The Codes how they can do nothing against him. Considers himself a simple Warrior.

Has a cave a la BatCave but spends most of his time exploring and far away from it.

His favorite thing is bringing loot and stuff to the other residents.

Is freindly with everyone, and enjoys every egg, with particular admiration to Dapper.

(note : #EtoilesIsMyPresident)

AYPIERRE :

A simple human (note : a headcanon I like and that his community has kinda adopted is imagining him with Doc Ock style mechanical arms)

Comes from a random place in France he wrote kind of has a joke to Cucurucho. As for a potential server he could come from the guy is one of the oldest mc cc on the INTERNET. I could not tell you.

We don't really know his feelings on the island, but is portrayed as an opportunist and enjoyer of contracts. Absolutely willing to have deals with the Federation, though also interested in helping the others leave the island.

"n° 1 Gegg fan". Built a Gegg generator and is behind the Geggpocalypse of the election dinner.

Has a fun uncle/nephew relationship with Richarlyson, he revealed the Geggpocalypse to him before anyone else, and is building a winery to run with him.

Has a small house with multiple elevators and teleport pads leading to his huge Factory complex he will open to the public soon.

"I'm secretly building a machine.." before being cut off by Slime saying "WTF MAN THIS IS CRAZY".

(note : We don't know what that last part is about though most likely linked to the lore he's been brewing with the admins that is coming early August)

ANTOINE DANIEL :

We have no idea what he is, though might appears "human". "We all have multiple faces, Im just the only one showing them all". *about the face that was on his inside layer on his old skin* "I'd rather not talk about that, it's private."

Comes from France, though his reference to the Shit Tower into the new Shit Palace might mean he comes from the Team du Lundi server.

We don't know his feelings on the island, though distrustful of the Federation.

Lives in his Shit Palace that is currently unfinished, with the Moon and it's ring above. Has a secret room under called "La Fin du Monde (the end of the world)" with (old and not updated) thoughts about the residents of the island.

Is easily distrustful though trusts the french the most, and confides most of his secrets in Pomme.

Has a weird admiration/obession with Cucurucho.

(note : Come back antoine, I miss the kids...)

KAMET0 :

Ah ah ah ah... ah.

Etoiles did say he might come back at some point to do a cameo, tough not regularly.

(note : come back to the village Sasuke...)

[bun-lapin]

TWST Yuu OC Intro

Introducing Yuna and Yuuji! My twst Yuu OCs that will feature in an upcoming halloween fic and a slice-of-life, main story twst fic!

(A huge thank you to @kuhuhukun for accepting my commission for their full body sketches! They look absolutely perfect~!! Everyone, please go commission this amazing artist!)

Concept Summary: Going to another world all by yourself could be a little scary or lonely. But what if could start start that isekai adventure with your best friend? Well! That's what happened to these two! (Character bios, picrew sources, and more under the cut)

Name: Yuna Linh - 愉娜 Age: 18 Birthday: December 10 Ethnicity: Korean/Vietnamese Personality: Yuna is very energetic, cheerful, and likes to get into fights! She likes to have fun and goof around but is also kind of a realist. She is very loyal and protective of the people she cares about. Despite her combative nature, she sometimes gets nervous in new places. Preferences:

Hobbies: Martial arts

Pet peeve: Busy work

Likes: Onigiri

Dislikes: Eggplants

Talent: Origami

Name: Yuuji Han - 勇二 Age: 18 Birthday: February 2 Ethnicity: Chinese/Japanese/Korean Personality: Yuuji is usually cool, collected and polite. He could be considered bookish (he's always reading a new book) and he likes to daydream. Even though he's quiet, he's very charming and great at conversations. However, due to some past bad luck in romance, he can get very flustered if a guy he likes is nearby. Preferences:

Hobbies: Reading light novels

Pet peeve: Messy spaces

Likes: Bubble tea

Dislikes: Cucumbers

Talent: Cooking

Picrew Sources

Shared character card Yuna: 1st pic and 3rd pic 2nd pic Yuuji: 1st pic and 3rd pic

TWST character intro card by @unfinished-projects-galore

[thebibutterflyao3]

“Play Date”

@pandalilymicrofics - 868 words

It was past time for her to make new friends. As the only parent in her friend group, Pandora found herself spending more and more time alone since Luna was born. Regulus and her brother made an effort to include her, but she couldn’t bring herself to hire a babysitter. Sweet, gentle Luna was her whole world!

How can I possibly trust a stranger with my impressionable three year-old?

She eyed the flyer on the bulletin board reluctantly. The pretty redhead who posted it had caught her attention first. Pandora was fairly certain she lived on the second floor with her son, an active little boy with round glasses and dark curls. It was a good opportunity to introduce herself if nothing else.

Join us for a Preschool Play Date at Gryffindor Park!

Pandora tore off one of the half-dozen slips with the details and tucked it into her pocket. It couldn’t hurt to check it out.

——————-

After a full hour of preparing herself and Luna to meet new people, Pandora was decidedly unprepared to discover that the “play date” was rather poorly attended. She frowned as they approached the charming little picnic the redheaded woman set up beside the playground in Gryffindor Park. The woman was playing some sort of hand-clapping game with her son, but every time someone walked by, her hopeful gaze was ignored.

No one else showed up? I wonder why.

When Pandora was a few metres away, she heard the little boy sigh heavily. “No friends again, Mum. I don’t think they like me.”

“Oh no, Harry. It’s not you. People are too busy to play, I suppose,” she said, leaning in to kiss his forehead. “We can still enjoy our picnic.”

“Maybe Daddy can come next time? He’s fun!”

“I was hoping we could have fun on our own,” she said with a wistful smile.

The earnest little boy considered that for a moment, then shrugged. “Daddy’s better at fun.”

His mother’s shoulders sagged in defeat, a posture Pandora knew entirely too well. It was the universal response to failure, to feeling inadequate when measured up against the “fun” parent. Particularly when said “fun” parent dumped all of the responsibility on the other.

Pandora shifted Luna’s slight weight on her hip and marched forward with renewed determination. Single mums had to stand together. “Excuse me? Is this the preschool play date that was on the flyer?”

“Yes!” the little boy shouted, waving frantically. “Over here! My mum made sandwiches!”

The redhead turned and when her eyes met Pandora’s, her heart stuttered in her chest. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green and glistened with unshed tears. Pandora slowed her steps, unsure if she was intruding on a private moment.

“Welcome!” the woman said, quickly swiping at her eyes and lifting to her feet. “I’m Lily, and this is Harry.”

“Oh, yes. This is my daughter, Luna. I’m Pandora.”

Luna gave Lily a long, thoughtful look then held out her arms expectantly. “Up, please.”

Surprised, Pandora huffed a laugh. “Well, that’s new. She doesn’t usually ask for anyone but me.”

“Do you mind?” Lily asked. “I miss holding my Harry, but he insists he’s too big for it.”

“Not at all!” Pandora handed her daughter to Lily, delighted to see Luna immediately hug Lily’s neck. As they settled on the blanket, Pandora accepted a sandwich from Harry. “These look delicious! Did you help make them?”

Harry puffed up his chest and grinned. “Yup! Mum and I did. They’re vegan just in cases. Cucumbers instead of meat!”

Luna giggled and snuggled into Lily’s lap. “Mummy likes cumbers!”

“Mm-hmm, very good,” Pandora assured her, giving Luna a bite of hers.

The next two hours flew by. Pandora was pleased to find Harry was as kind and generous as his mother. He led Luna around the playground, helping her climb up the slide and showing her how to pump her legs on the swing. Luna squealed excitedly every time he suggested something new.

Meanwhile, Pandora and Lily enjoyed a lovely chat about their lives. Lily and Harry were new to the area, having moved out of her soon-to-be-ex’s posh neighbourhood two months prior. Pandora empathised with her struggles in single parenting and offered to host the next play date.

“Thank you for coming,” Lily said, reaching out to squeeze Pandora’s hand. “This was our third attempt to make friends and I’m afraid Harry was ready to give up.”

Pandora smiled and squeezed her hand back. “I’m glad he didn’t. We needed this too.”

“It must be fate!” Lily teased. “We were destined to find each other.”

Maybe we were. She’s still holding my hand and this feels so right.

“Feel free to decline, but if I were to invite you, and Harry of course, out for a coffee date…” Pandora let the invitation linger in the air between them and searched Lily’s face for any signs of discomfort.

“That would be lovely!” Lily said, a soft blush tinging her cheeks as she shimmied her shoulders happily. “We’d love to. Any time you’re available.”

Pandora laced their fingers together and clasped her free hand on top. “Tomorrow morning?”

“Tomorrow morning is a good start.”

A fresh start, for all of us.

[sunnyrealist]

Chapter 48: Be Vulnerable with Me

The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars

Summary and Details…

Previous Chapter Recap/Context: Sebastian and Kate have decided to move in and officially begin their life together. He checked out of the inn where he had been staying for the final time and packed his belongings into a trunk. In this chapter, the two of them unpack, and Sebastian tells Kate all about his family as they view old portraits.

Pairing: 25-year-old, post-Azkaban Sebastian Sallow x 24-year-old Kate Mayflower (my OC), the assistant librarian at Hogwarts

Content warnings: In general, this is rated 18+, so minors should not read or interact with this story. This chapter doesn't have any smut, but there is a discussion about using an excessive amount of potions to sleep/escape trauma and recounting memories of lost loved ones.

Art credits: @hogwartslegacypics provided the screenshot in the background, and @giselsann-opencommissions perfectly depicted these mischievous little munchkins. Giselle is an absolute pleasure to work with and has provided all of the drawings for the story. I cannot recommend her enough if you're looking to commission some art!

The full chapter is available below the cut; it can also be found on AO3 (link is posted below). Please leave some feedback if possible, especially if you like what you read! 🥰

Chapter 48: Be Vulnerable with Me

It’s well past lunch time, and Kate hurriedly puts together a lunch of roast turkey sandwiches with crunchy carrots and cucumbers on the side. At the table, Sebastian absolutely wolfs it all down, and she has to put together an additional serving for him.

“Tomorrow, we’ll go to Feldcroft, yes?” Kate asks. “We’ll visit the cemetery, and perhaps you can show me where you lived.”

A sensation of panic erupts inside of him. “I don’t think we should actually go into Feldcroft. I… I’m not sure that the villagers will be friendly to me. Surely, they all know what happened to my uncle.” He imagines apparating there, watching anxiously as Feldcroft’s inhabitants begin to whisper to each other warily, close their doors quickly, perhaps even summon a local Auror out of fear. His heart couldn’t take it. “We should just visit the cemetery. It’s far enough outside of town that we shouldn’t encounter others. I don’t want to… cause a commotion or involve you in a difficult situation.”

Kate studies him and accepts his suggestion. “I guess we’ll avoid the Floo network and apparate, then.” 

The next few minutes pass in comfortable silence as they finish their meals. 

“Let me take care of the clean-up,” Sebastian offers, standing and gathering the plates.

“Thanks, dear. In that case, I’ll just be outside with the laundry.”

When Kate eventually returns, she finds Sebastian on the loveseat, engrossed in one of the books she had nicked for him from the Hogwarts library. Flicking her wrist to magically turn on the gramophone, she and Sebastian both smile as soft music begins to play. She continues on her way to the bedroom to fold the clothes and put them all away. 

“I’ll help you in a little while. I just want to finish this chapter,” he calls out.

Several minutes later, Sebastian enters the room and finds Kate a bit flustered. It was simple to put her laundry away, but she doesn’t know where to put any of his garments. Together, they conduct a magical extension charm to construct a closet, and Kate transfigures two wooden bowls into doors. He comes to a happy realization - this spell isn’t one that can be taken back, and she hadn’t had any second thoughts about creating the space for him.

Sebastian levitates his trunk into the bedroom, and little by little, everything gets placed in his brand-new closet. Some of his clothing has seen significant wear and tear, and Kate makes a mental note to try to mend some of the items when he is at work next week. 

Though he had previously warned Kate that he didn’t have much, she is still surprised to see that it was not necessary for Sebastian to magically extend it. The bulk of its contents were clothing; the rest, now, are miscellaneous items like his broom, razor, toiletries, a case filled with various potions, several dragonhide-bound journals, a quill and ink pot, and some old photographs, which Kate requests to view later. 

In the bathroom, Kate organizes the potions, adding them to her own store, organized by type. Some are new additions to her potions cabinet: his contraceptive potion, an invigoration draught, and a few antidotes for poisons and ailments. Kate is familiar with but has never seen such a large quantity of Wiggenweld potions, sleeping draughts, and Dreamless Sleep potions. She eyes them curiously as Sebastian enters the room. 

He immediately stiffens upon noticing what is left in his potions case and tries to distract her. “What shall we do for dinner tonight?”

“I’ll decide later,” she answers quickly, then studies his face as she asks, “Sebastian… do you typically not sleep well?”

The chestnut-haired man hesitates, not wanting to admit the truth - that he uses the potions as a crutch to avoid being plagued by insomnia, nightmares, and the phantoms of his past. “Well…”

“We’ve been sleeping together for almost a full week now, and I’ve never noticed you having any difficulties, so why do you have all of these draughts?” His eyes dart around, avoiding her gaze. “Seb… I need to know these things. We’re going to live together now. Someday, we’ll be married.” She takes his hand. “Please tell me. It’s alright. You can be vulnerable with me.”

Sebastian sighs in resignation. “You’re right... I should be honest with you. It’s just… difficult to talk about.” He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “I struggle to sleep. I have frequent nightmares and night terrors. When I’m alone with my thoughts and can’t fall asleep, I can’t help but relive the past - all of my mistakes, what I experienced in Azkaban, what I’ve had to do for the Kelpies… It’s so hard to manage it all. The draughts are my way of… well, avoiding further misery. I… In truth, I- I rely on them heavily.”

Nodding solemnly, she considers her words carefully. “Anyone in your place might struggle, love. You and I… together, we are going to get you some help from a Mind Healer. Using sleeping potions so often isn’t…” She trails off, unsure of how to say what she means without offending him.

“I know it isn’t healthy,” he admits quietly. “But other than sleeping with you lately, nothing else works. At least my sleep is undisturbed when I take them. I have to be able to function during the day…” He runs a hand through his hair, clearly distressed and starting to panic. His voice becomes shaky, his words spilling out quickly. “Look, K- Kate… I- I understand if you think it’s t- too much to deal with. You don’t have to stay with me - you don’t-”

“Seb, sweetheart - no.” Kate brings his hand to her chest, slipping it under her blouse and placing it over her heart. “Do you feel that - my heartbeat?”

He nods shakily as his fingers tremble. He closes his eyes for a moment, focusing on the steady rhythm of her heartbeat and the warmth of her skin.

Kate gazes into his eyes, speaking calmly and seriously. “My heart beats… for you, Sebastian. I’m here to stay. It’s not too much for me, I promise. We will get help for you. I just need you to be open to the help.”

Sebastian’s shoulders slowly start to relax, but his hand remains over her heart. “I’ll try,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ll t- try to be open to help. For you. For us. I don’t want to keep living like this. I… really do want to get better.” 

She reaches up to caress his cheek. 

There is a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Being with you… already makes me feel safer, more at peace than I’ve felt in the past decade.” He inhales and exhales slowly as a calming mechanism. “I- I’ll do whatever it takes to get better.”

“I believe you. Just remember, I’m not going anywhere. You can tell me anything.”

The two of them return to the bedroom and finally move the trunk, still containing various miscellaneous items, inside the closet.

“Now, can you show me those pictures?” Kate asks eagerly, grinning. She settles herself on the bed, sitting up and clutching a pillow against her abdomen. 

“Sure,” he replies, opening the trunk once more to fish out the photographs. He holds them close to his chest, as though they are precious and fragile. Before revealing them to her, he explains, “When I got out of Azkaban, I accessed my parents’ old vault in Gringotts. There wasn’t much there - certainly no money or valuables. Just a few mementos that Solomon couldn’t sell. I found these portraits and some journals that had my parents’ research.” He lays the pictures on the bed upside down, and then goes back into the trunk to retrieve some of the books, also placing them on the bed.

“What exactly did they research?”

Sebastian smiles, exhaling through his nose as he sits down next to his girlfriend. “Just about everything. They were experts in their fields. My da taught Magical Theory at Hogwarts, and my mum taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. They both researched heavily - especially during summers. Before they died, my mum was studying…” He grabs one of the blue notebooks, opening it and flipping through the pages. “Well, her work is quite varied. Healing Muggle children from werewolf attacks, non-traditional teaching methods for nonverbal offensive and defensive spells, and… erm… the Unforgivable curses.” He pauses, clearing his throat. His Adam’s apple bobs.

“So… your mum was also interested in the Dark Arts,” Kate notes.

“It was her job,” Sebastian quickly responds. “She had to know all about them. She… She and my da… they didn’t look at Dark magic as completely bad… just as regular magic is not always completely good.”

Kate nods, feeling as though she’s put him on defense. She tries to make up for it. “I suppose that is true.”

“My da traveled often for his research. He actually… believe it or not, studied reincarnation at one point in India. In fact…” Sebastian’s eyes narrow. “I should read his journals again, now that we know about our past lives. Perhaps I could pick up his research where he left off…” He trails off, looking thoughtful and determined, before continuing on. “My mum and da teamed up at times, too. They focused a lot on defensive magical theory and trying to find an engaging way to teach it to students. They also spent a good deal of effort… researching love as a form of magic in its purest form.” He smiles. “You know… they were… honestly, madly in love.”

Sebastian reaches over to the photographs and flips the first one over. Kate grins, her eyes scanning over every little detail. It’s clearly a portrait of his parents on their wedding day. Sebastian is the spitting image of his mother, who appears to have lots of freckles and soft curls. Her wedding gown is fashionable for the era; she wears a veil and carries a simple bouquet of roses and baby’s breath. His father has dark hair with a mustache and beard, and he holds and gazes at his wife in complete adoration. They look so cheerful.

“I remember how they would read together at night, holding hands,” Sebastian murmurs. “They’d whisper sweet words to each other, and much to my dismay as a young lad, they would kiss often. They supported each other fervently, and they loved working together. Our house in Aranshire was filled with books, and the cellar was their official workspace. Anne and I were told that if they were in the cellar, they were not to be disturbed unless there was an emergency.”

Kate reaches out to touch Sebastian’s hand. “That’s so sweet. How did they meet?”

“At Hogwarts,” Sebastian answers with a grin. “They were academic rivals. My mum was in Ravenclaw, and my da was in Slytherin. They had classes together over the years, and they were always competing for top marks. Supposedly, it all changed when they were assigned to work on a yearlong project in Potions class their seventh year, and they realized how similar they actually were and became friends… and then, it turned into love. When they graduated, they got married straight away. Anne and I didn’t come along until quite some time later.”

“Do you think their Potions professor put them together as partners on purpose?” Kate giggles. “I feel like I would do something like that if I was a teacher… just to see what happens. The drama. But I can’t imagine Professor Sharp, for example, ever doing such a thing…”

Sebastian laughs at the thought. “No way would Sharp do that.”

“What was your mum’s name?” Kate asks.

“She was Selina Ware,” he replies. “She had a brother, but he died in his twenties in a work accident, so I never met him. The entire Ware family line - they all passed away before I was born. That’s why Anne and I were forced to live with Solomon, my da’s brother.” He looks into the distance, stony-faced.

“Hey. Let’s focus on the good.” Kate squeezes his hand. “Leave your uncle out of it. Don’t let the bastard weasel into your happy memories. I’ve heard enough about him to know I would have hated him.” 

Sebastian laughs out loud, surprised by her reaction, and he leans over to kiss her cheek. “You have no idea how much I love you.” 

The next picture is one of Anne and Sebastian as young children, likely around seven years old. Kate grins in delight as she sees their coordinated sailor-type outfits. Both of them look incredibly mischievous - Anne more so than her brother. She has a cheeky smile on her face and a slingshot in hand. Sebastian carries a book - no surprise there.

“Oh gods, you were adorable!” Kate coos. “Look - you were missing a tooth! And your hair was so curly…”

Sebastian huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, my mum could never get my hair to behave. It was always out of control. Honestly, my hair’s always been like that. Now, I just keep it shorter, and it seems to be more manageable that way.”

Kate looks even closer at the photograph, examining the setting. “Where was this taken?”

“In front of our house in Aranshire,” Sebastian answers. 

“Seb… If our children are even half as cute as you were, I’ll never be able to say no to them,” Kate murmurs. “And Anne - what a beauty! And how interesting - her hair doesn’t look curly at all…”

“She took after our da,” Sebastian explains. “My mum never had a problem putting her hair into braids or other styles. It was always my hair that was the issue.”

“Did they put you and Anne in matching outfits all the time?” 

“No. They wanted us to have our own identities outside of being twins,” he says fondly. “We only matched when we were really young, when there was an occasion for it, like posing for a photograph.”

When they view the final portrait, Sebastian puts his arm around Kate. This is a family portrait, and Mr. and Mrs. Sallow appear to be more than a decade older than in their wedding photo. His mum wears her hair pulled back with a hat, and her outfit consists of a jacket, white blouse, and a matching skirt. Sebastian’s father wears a formal suit with many pieces. They stand behind the twins with their hands on their shoulders. Sebastian is wearing a collared shirt with a bow tie, suspenders, and breeches with tall stockings. He is grinning from ear to ear, showing all of his teeth. Anne is wearing a floral dress that flows just past her knees with a bow in her hair.

“How old were you here?” Kate queries, her focus fixed on all of the little details.

“Around ten years old. I remember this was taken shortly before they passed,” Sebastian recounts. “I remember that our parents were so excited for us to get our Hogwarts letters. It was practically all Anne and I ever wanted to discuss. They knew we were going to do so well in school.” His eyes soften. “Since they were professors, they were aware of the curriculum and had us read some of our textbooks in advance so that we could get as much out of our education as possible. I devoured those books - so did Anne. In fact, we sometimes fought over the textbooks. We also knew our way around Hogwarts because our parents would bring us there once in a while during summer.” 

After some time, Kate murmurs, “What a tragedy that such brilliant minds could be snuffed out by a gas leak from a lamp.”

“Yes,” he replies softly. “A silent killer. I… I wish there was something I could have done, but it was too late when Anne and I found them. If… If I had been close by, I might have heard it go silent…” He stops talking for a while, attempting to put aside his typical, go-to negative and unproductive thoughts. Focus on the good. “I… I guess for me, it’s a reminder that nothing is promised. We have to treasure all of the time we are given with our loved ones. And, Merlin, we spent so many happy years together in Aranshire. I miss them so much. All of them.” 

Kate pulls Sebastian close, kissing his hair. 

A sense of warmth and contentment fills Sebastian’s soul as she continues to study the photographs in depth. It’s been a long time since he allowed himself to really reminisce about family - at least, the positive aspects of his childhood. Seeing Kate so engaged and wanting to learn as much as she can about his mum, da, and Anne, a newfound appreciation grows within him. He relishes the moment, nuzzling into her chest as they bask in the comfort of each other’s presence. There is a profound tranquility in their connection - a sense of being understood and accepted completely. He knows their road ahead may not be easy, but he is more sure than ever before that they can overcome anything as long as they stand together.

“Do you… think they would have liked me?” Kate wonders quietly. “Or might they have envisioned someone very different for you?”

Sebastian considers her question for a moment and shifts, sitting up. “They would have loved you, Kate. You embody so many of the qualities my family valued deeply - intelligence, loyalty, an open mind… And your ability to see the best in me is… well, something truly special. They would have recognized your kindness and the way you uplift me. So… yes, I genuinely believe they would have approved of you wholeheartedly.”

Kate doesn’t respond right away, feeling a bit emotional. “I wish I could have known them.”

“I know,” he replies. “I wish you could have known them, too. They would have adored your joyful spirit and your warmth. But maybe… Maybe, in a way, they know you now. Every time we share memories and make new ones, perhaps they are with us.”

A tear slips out of Kate’s eye, despite her attempt to blink it away. “That’s… the best way to think of them, Seb. I’m sure you are right.” She finally places the portraits on the bed beside her. “We should frame these. They should be displayed in our home.”

“You’re right,” he murmurs. “They should be cherished, not locked away in my trunk.”

Kate’s eyes light up with an idea. “Let me pick out frames next week.” She looks into the depths of his eyes. “I know I will never really meet them, but it’s important to me that your family has a place here, too.”

Sebastian’s eyes are locked on her, a mixture of awe and gratitude in his expression. “Thank you, Kate. I… can’t fully put it into words, but it means the world to me that you care so deeply about honoring my family’s memory.” He places a soft kiss on her forehead.

“And we can add our own portraits someday,” she adds. “Did you know that a photographer just opened a shop in Hogsmeade?”

“I wasn’t aware of that,” he replies, his interest piqued. “Did you… have something in mind?”

Kate blushes a little. “I mean… I guess I thought it might be nice for us to pose for a portrait together.” She looks a little pensive - dreamy, even. “I might like to keep a picture of you in a locket, if I may be so bold.” 

Sebastian reaches out to tuck some hair behind her ear, his touch gentle and his smile genuine. “The thought of you keeping a photo of me in a locket… is incredibly endearing, my sun. I dare say I may like to keep a picture of you on me as well.”

“I’d like you to be near my heart always, so that I can feel your presence… especially when you’re on these dangerous missions,” she explains, lifting her hand to his cheek. “You have no idea how much I am going to worry about you.” 

“Trust me, I know your worry is genuine,” he acknowledges plainly. “And I can’t promise you that I’ll be completely safe - not with the nature of my work. But I will always do my best to come back to you in one piece. Carrying  your image with me will be a constant, heartening reminder of what I’m fighting for.”

“I just wish your work was not so dangerous. I wish… you had a choice.” She looks down for a moment, her eyelashes fluttering, before glancing back up at him again. “Sweetheart… we need to get you out of there.”

“I know, but it just isn’t that simple,” he replies, threading his fingers in hers. “The DMLE isn’t exactly keen on letting me walk away. I have a contract to honor, and they have leverage over me… because of my past.”

Kate nods solemnly. “But then… What can we do? How can we end this contract? There must be a way out that doesn’t involve you going back to Azkaban.”

“There are some possibilities,” he says quietly. “But none of them are pleasant. I don’t want to worry you any more than you already are. Just know… I’m exploring every avenue to earn my freedom.”

Staring at nothing in particular, she is silent for several moments. “I trust you, Bash. I know you’ll figure out a solution. The Kelpies must be brought to justice, and I am confident you’ll be the one to do it. You’re… cunning, resourceful, and determined - and I love you for it. You’ll succeed - I just know it.”

“I won’t lie to you, darling. It’s going to be a tough fight. But knowing of your unwavering support and faith in me gives me strength. I won’t give up. Our future together is too important.” 

“Is there anything I could do?” she genuinely inquires.

Sebastian’s heart swells with gratitude at her offer, but his countenance turns serious as he considers her question. “It’s important to me that you stay safe, first and foremost. Really, the most helpful thing you could do, Kate, is simply be here for me, provide a safe haven where I can feel comfort and solace. That alone means more to me than you can fathom.”

“Right,” she responds, looking aside and biting her lip. “I can do that. I just wish I could do more. I would do anything to help you, Seb. Truly.”

Sebastian gently takes hold of her chin, turning her face towards him once more. He leans in to press a gentle kiss to her lips. “Darling, you do more for me than you realize. You give me strength and resolve and hope. And I know you would do anything for me… That’s why I have to protect you.”

Kate leans in and kisses him again, lingering. “I want to protect you, too. You’re everything to me, my moon. It just isn’t fair - I wish I could free-”

She suddenly sits up, hearing a loud tapping coming from the kitchen. “Oh - it must be an owl with a letter.”

Sebastian lets out a small sigh, carefully untangling himself from her embrace. “Stay here, love. I’ll go check it out.”

He makes his way to the kitchen, where, indeed, an owl is perched just outside the window, hooting. After opening the window, he unties the letter from its foot and watches it fly away. The envelope is addressed to Kate. When he flips it over, a flicker of recognition comes across his face as he notices the seal of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

[imogenleewriter]

You Can Hear It In The Silence - Imogenlee Complete - 235,000 words.

You read that correctly. Complete. It's complete.

When Harry Styles received acceptance into a post-grad degree, he knew he could no longer afford his flat, leaving him with three options:

1) Moving back into student halls. 2) Becoming homeless. 3) Moving in with his best (and only) friend, Niall, and three of Niall's other friends. He ended up choosing the third option. But it was a close race. Shame one of his new housemates reminded him why he only has one friend. If Louis Tomlinson had to choose one thing couldn't stand, it would be pretentious tossers, having grown up around enough of them. If he had to choose something he couldn't live without, it would be his friends. So he was proper thrilled to move in with his best mates and a couple of other lads. That was until he discovered one of them was the archetype for a pretentious tosser.

In the interest of seeing out the twelve-month lease without killing each other, they both try (debatable) to get along despite believing they were opposite in almost every conceivable way, each having the communication skills of a cucumber, and secrets that had no business be kept secret.

I have a fair few shout out's I want to give, because of course I do. Please excuse my Award Ceremony-esque speech. Obviously, without a doubt, I am so, so, SO thankful for everyone who has read it. The fact it was ever clicked on is incredible, so the fact that we're at 23k hits for a 10 week old WIP is mind-blowing. Thank you for everyone who has commented. If you sort every ao3 Larry fic ever written by comments, and go to page 3 out of 2100 you will find this little fic. As a 10 week old WIP, it was 42nd most commented on fic and nestled in between fics that are so (rightly) adored and I honestly don't understand it. Thank you for the kudos, and the bookmarks and subs.

Thank you for the stupid amount of people who went out of their way to rec it! I remember the first time I stumbled across a post where someone had sent in an anon to recommend it and I was in awe. And then it happened more and more often. I'd find them here, and on tiktok, and two days ago someone told me I'd been recc'd on twitter and I searched and found some. That's honestly mindblowing. And in the same vein, thank you @allwaswell16 and @twopoppies for sharing the anons they got (if other people did as well, thank you! I just never saw them). And honestly, a super massive thank you for @twopoppies because for a while there I was worried I was going to have to pay her for answering all the anons she got about it. Thank you to EVERYONE who ever reblogged or shared or liked anything here And thank you to the discord group who has put up with me having meltdowns every second night for the last month or sprinting with me every twenty minutes forever. It meant a lot. I'm worried I'm going to forget people (honestly DM and call me out if I do) but @enchantedlandcoffee @hellolovers13 @lunarheslwt @nooradeservedbetter @larry-hiatus @beardyboyzx @hereforh @faithinwalls369 @onlythebravest @zanniscaramouche @alwaysxlarrie @justanothershadeofblue @petitefleurlouis @larryatendoftheday @huggieshalo @paranormalbabydoll @loveislarryislove @paranormalbabydoll @larrysballetslippers @the-larry-way @goldenkinglouis @finelinelarents @thinlinez @thebreadvansstuff @justahappycloud @parmahamlarrie (Did you know I wrote my last chapter this week)

[ragingbookdragon]

It’s exactly a quarter past nine when his eyes snap open at the sound of soft music coming from Spades’ side of the wall. He tries to ignore the irritation and rolls over, hoping that if he buries his head deep enough into his pillow that it’ll drown it out. It doesn’t matter because he’s already awake and he’s not going back to sleep. His phone buzzes on the table and he picks it up.

Awake yet?

He rolls his eyes at Spades’ question.

I am now.

Wanna come over? I’m doing a spa night. Gaz and Soap are here. Price said maybe next time :(

Ghost is now curious and he rolls out of bed, crossing from his room to hers and tries the door. It’s already unlocked and waiting. Immediately, he’s taken aback by the two men reclined on the queen-sized bed, wrapped in giant fluffy blue robes, towels on their heads. Their eyes are covered with slices of cucumbers, gold crescents under both eyes, and a tea-green face mask painted on. They look awfully comfortable as Spades, who’s wearing the same thing save the cucumbers, is doing their nails.

She looks up with a smile and hooded eyes, beckoning him with a tip of her head. “Go shower. Bathrobe and towel for your hair are in the bathroom.”

“I’m…good,” he replies and goes to sit on the sofa, but her bare leg lands on his middle, foot pressed into his stomach; Ghost’s eyes take in the smooth skin and freshly painted toes—blood red, always Spades’ favorite choice.

“Shower,” is all she says, with a smile that’s a lot more threatening if he decides to disobey her.

He rolls his eyes and takes her foot gently in his grip, digging his thumb into her calf as he bends it back to where she had it. “Fine. But I’m not wearing the hair towel.”

He disappears into the bathroom, spends all of ten minutes in before he returns, smelling of lavender, vanilla, and stargazer lilies, an almost cozy look on his face as he rests on the end of the bed in the comfy robe.

Spades turns on him and crawls into his thighs, pushing his hair back so she can see what she’s working with. “I see you haven’t been using the face cream I sent you a year or so ago. That cream costs a fortune and you’re wasting it.”

“I’m not afraid to get old,” he mutters as she takes a brush and opens the tea green mask, starting to paint it on him. “Why worry about the wrinkles?”

“Because crow’s feet are gross and you have wrinkles,” she replies and sets the gold jellies under his eyes. “You need to take care of your skin.” Her fingers gently place the cucumbers at his eyes before she takes his hand and starts buffing and filing his nails.

“I can’t believe you managed to convince them to join you in this.”

“Well, you see, Soap and Gaz haven’t fought me for ten years. They like me.” She looks at Soap who is now asleep, Gaz not far behind. “My money too, it seems.”

“You can’t win everyone with money,” Ghost says.

“I don’t have to, Simon, most people like me for me.” She switched hands and gently massaged them with an oil. “The only reason you don’t like me is because we’re much too similar. Whereas I’m just the kinder version of you.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Oh please,” Spades says with a grin, starting to move. “It’s okay to be honest, Simon, it’s really not going to hurt my—”

“I like you,” Simon interrupts and puts a hand on her thigh; he doesn’t have to remove the cucumbers to let her know he’s staring right at her. “I just…have trouble accepting how free you are. Like you have nothing to lose and you’re still okay with life.”

Spades reaches up and plucks the cucumber from one eye and tosses it into her mouth. “Simon, I was two when my mother put a gun in my hands and taught me how to shoot dead center. I was eight when I realized I could kill a grown man with any weapon given to me.” She applies a clear lip calm to his lips; it smells like spearmints, Spades always smells like lilies and spearmint. Simon's always liked how she smells in those moments when he gets close enough to knife her that he can breathe in her scent. “I’ve spent my entire life being a killer because it’s what I was made to be. I am far from free. The money, the life, the luxuries I have? There’s always an expense to be paid for it. It’s a piece of my soul every time. Even if the lives I take are some of humanity’s worst, I still remember. I will still remember even when I am dead and gone.”

She stares at him. “You, Simon, are still worthy of something good. And your infantile belief that my life is so much greater than yours, or that I still have nothing to lose is idiotic at best.” Her eyes search his. “What do I have to lose? Everything. All of me.”

Simon falls silent and she gently reaches up, brushing dampened blonde hair aside. “I didn’t want you on this team, Spades.”

“I know.”

“Not because I hate you.”

“Oh?”

Simon shifts uncomfortably, like he’s about to reveal a big secret. “Those times when I’m fighting you…it’s one of the only times I feel like things are okay with life. Like there’s an equal to my own soul.”

Spades smiles at him, and for once it’s not the smile that means she’s hiding something. “Careful Simon, I’ll think you like me a little too much.”

“Would that be so bad?” he asks, he hopes.

“No,” she murmurs and rolls off his lap. “But you should aim higher than me, Simon.”

The reply dies on his tongue as she nudges Soap and Gaz to wake them up and gossip about the new recruits, particularly the newest sniper from Austria.

[zuffer-weird-girl]

Hii^^ I don't know if you still take requests, but I keep imagining a scenario where the angel convinces Kai to take care of his skin with her (I don't know how he does it, but it works)

So, Kai has a face full of clay when suddenly Pops or some subordinate finds him.

Ok, you guys know that a lot of bussines man actually do skin care and manicure right??? Just imagine this douchebag doing this, he would be so annoyed while sitting there-

"No."

"Come on your skin is begging for some"

"No."

"But-

"No." He said more firmly while writing something on paper, soon putting it aside in a pile with more force than he needed to.

Huffing while crossing your arms over your chest, you still had the guts to glare at him, soon receiving a more menacing glare from those golden eyes.

Honestly, you were the only one, probably, on the whole Japan that had the courage enough to glare at the soon successor of the mafia... and even sometimes to make him scared.

But right now? You both were standing your grounds. Neither of you were backing down so easily.

"Kai there is nothing wrong with-"

"Is disgusting, it stays literally glued to your skin, the smells of it is terrible and why the hell would we waste cucumbers to put on eyes? Is just ridiculous." He sighed "go bother someone else."

"So that's how is going to be?" You murmured on that tone of voice you knew affected him... and just by looking how his hand stilled it was starting to make effect.

"Exactly." He spoke back and when he went to look at you he froze.

Puppy eyes... teary puppy eyes..

"Alright... I just wanted us to spend time together... you're always so busy..." You faked a sniffle

"Don't do that." He growled.

"Ok, I will leave you in peace now, since I'm such a bother..." turning your back you could heard his chair screeching, meaning he had stood up abruptly.

"(Y/n) stop that right now-"

"Is fine... I will going now... maybe setsuno will accept this." You smiled at hearing his footsteps.

"(Y/n) don't you dare-!"

"Have a good day... Chisaki." You snickered at hearing the audible gulp coming from behind you.

.

.

"I think I brought everything..." You mumbled while checking the basket while in your bed stood a very pissed off Kai with a scowl on his usual neutral face.

"I am starting to think you're the devil in disguise." He muttered while you sat in his lap with a bright smile while he scowled, refusing to touching you... yet.

"Hah? But I thought I was a angel?" You blinked with a lil pout, only to have a fit of giggles when he scoffed.

"Never thought I would ever be emotionally manipulated by the person I am suppose to trust." He grumbled while you carefully slid... whatever that thing was to hold his bangs back as he glared at you even more "If you were on the yakuza I would have chopped three of your fingers off."

"You wouldn't." You hummed while kissing his forehead, snickering at his pale cheeks heating up "You love me too much for that."

"Love is a strong word to use, especially on this case." He growled as you stood up to grab the inumerous products of skin care as he mentally rolled his eyes at your stubbornness.

"It would be good if you actually admitted your true felling for a while honey." You showed him a packet and wiggled it front of his face "Come on, look at this one! It has the scent of lavender~"

his death glare intensified at you singing the last word... you knew he had a soft spot for lavender.

"Akuma." He groaned as you cheered in victory.

.

.

.

"So as I was saying, maybe if we put aside the part pf the drugs maybe Kai's plan would be-"

"Enough Kurono." Pops lifted his hand up "You do know well I don't agree with that. And please don't try to change my mind just because you want to be in good terms with Chisaki."

"Worth the shot..." The white haired man shrugged before stopping abruptly on his steps when he saw the man in front of him had simply... stopped "Boss? Is everything alright?"

He sneaked a peek over the old man shoulder and his grey eyes widened at the sign.

Chisaki Kai. A man feared by many on the undergrounds, merciless killer, heartless leader of the yakuza.... was sitting on the edge of the bed while reading a book with his face full of what he could be believe was clay mask before seeing you coming in after and murmuring something to him which resulted the man to sigh and put his book aside just to close his eyes and tilt his chin up for you to take it off slowly.

"After this is a peel off mask." They heard you say from afar.

"Just why do you enjoy seeing my suffering again?" He muttered monotonously as he accepted a towel for him to rub his face.

"Well, it does get rid of dead skin and black spots over the nose but if you don't-"

"Don't start the manipulation again alright?"He growled "But must I have this stupid headband of a bear on?"

"Yes! You look adorable!" You checked your phone on the drawer "I even took some pictures"

"You did what now woman?" They could see you gulping before yelping at Chisaki manhandled you to the bed while he stood on top. "Delete this atrocity right now!"

"I can't! Is my precioussss" You laughed hysterically while they saw Kai holding back a smirk before blushing a bit when you pecked his lips.

"Ah!" Pops clapped his hands loudly, scaring the shit out of both of you "Young love! What a delight!" Chrono snorted while Kai cursed under his breath the elder that was making fun of him.

"Get out both of you." He growled before glaring at kurono who just double over in laughter at seeing him being ordered around by the guy that was wearing a bear headband.

"No." Pops muttered simply with a smile before looking at you "My dear I couldn't help but to overheard about this mask, would you mind borrowing me one? I might get rid of some black spots on my face."

"Oh, there is actually a honey scented one that-"

"DONT ENCOURAGE HIM (Y/N)!"

[loosesodamarble]

Lemonade on a Hot Day

Summary: Solara is served a drink that's special to House Vermillion on a sunny afternoon. Genre: general Word count: ~1000 A/N: This is the first of a few oneshots I wrote as a gift for @thoughtfullyrainynightmare! Happy birthday, Laura!

..........

Summer was in full swing in Clover Kingdom. The Sun burned brighter in skies that were cleared of spring rainstorms.

One person who was enjoying the sunny days was Solara. She had gone out to the garden of House Vermillion and sat herself down at a table, shaded by a wide umbrella. Lush leaves of green and vibrantly colored blooms decorated her surroundings. Solara leaned back in her chair a bit and had an elbow rested on the table top as she propped up a book in her hands.

Solara turned the page and greedily took in the words that presented themselves. It was a peculiar genre of story where at certain points in the book, the characters would be divided between two choices and the reader could read the result of either choice by flipping to a specified page. There were branching paths and dozens of endings, making the book dense. And Solara was fascinated by it. She’d read four endings already and was impressed by the consistency of the character personalities despite the varied paths.

In her periphery, she noticed one of the palace staff approaching her with a serving trolley. Solara turned her head to get a better look. Laid out on the top shelf of the trolley was a glass pitcher filled with a pale yellow drink, a metal box that likely carried ice inside, some stacked cups, and coasters for those cups.

“Afternoon,” Solara greeted with a smile. “I don’t think I asked for anything to be brought to me.”

“No, you didn’t make any requests,” the maid replied with a grin of her own. “But the kitchen just finished preparing a large batch of lemonade and we thought that everyone should get a taste of it.” She plucked ice chunks from the icebox then poured the lemonade into the cup for Solara. “Have a taste, m’lady.”

“Why thank you.” Solara bookmarked her place in her book and accepted the lemonade.

The cup already had condensation on it from the cold drink inside and the warm summer air outside. The little droplets against Solara’s fingers felt nice, making Solara realize just how hot it was that day.

Solara sipped the lemonade and immediately let out a surprised hum. It tasted different from lemonade she’d had before. Something about it was more refreshing. The acidity from the main ingredient was there but it tasted like it’d been mellowed out, though not from sugar.

Are Cloverian lemons not as acidic as ones grown in Thea? Solara wondered while taking another gulp. She picked up a crispness that was familiar but not enough for her to place what the flavor was. Is it the sweetener? Is it not sugar?

“Is the drink to your liking?” the maid spoke up, tilting her head to the side as she inquired. “You look a little perplexed…”

“I do like it. It’s welcome after having spent a while out here. I’m merely curious about the flavor of the lemonade,” Solara readily admitted. She drank more of the lemonade to be sure that her taste buds weren’t lying to her. Focusing more, there was a faint melon-like flavor to it. Like the taste equivalent of a whisper. “It’s different from lemonade I’ve had before. Is there anything special about the preparation?”

“Why yes there is,” answered the maid. Her smile stretched across her face. She seemed quite pleased, even eager, to hear Solara’s question. “The head chef for House Vermillion uses cucumber water as the base of her lemonade. She uses lemon zest to flavor the water too, making the lemonade even lemon-y-er!”

“Ah, that explains the flavor.” Solara glanced at her cup which was already half empty.

“I should also mention that the cucumbers come from the chef’s own home garden, watered by her own magic,” the maid went on. Her eyes sparkled as she talked and Solara watched with endeared rapture. “The residents of House Vermillion have been enjoying the recipe for well over sixty years. And even if other people used cucumber water in their lemonade, it’ll never be as refreshing as what we serve here at House Vermillion!” The maid was gushing at that point.

“I didn’t think lemonade would be a point of pride for a royal house,” Solara giggled. She took another gulp of the lemonade and let the sweet-sour lemon and delicate cucumber flavors dance across her palate. “But I’m glad that it’s the case here.”

Pink flooded the maid’s face, now aware of her rambling. “A-ah… Sor— I didn’t mean to—”

“No need to apologize,” Solara assured. “I’m not a chef myself so what you told me was fascinating actually. It’s amazing how culinary experts can come up with such lovely flavors. Give my compliments to the chef for her recipe.”

“Of course!”

“Oh, and…” Solara downed the rest of her cup then held it out to the maid. “Could I get a refill, please?”

“How about I leave the rest of this pitcher for you?” offered the maid.

“That’s not necessary. Don’t you need to bring the lemonade to oth—”

“I can just get a new pitcher from the kitchen.” The maid set a cloth mat on the garden table, placed the lemonade pitcher on the mat, and finally handed one of the coasters to Solara for her cup. “Do enjoy yourself, Lady Solara.”

“Thank you. And I hope you can take some time for yourself as well,” replied Solara.

The maid left, humming a melody Solara didn’t recognize as she did. Once the other woman was out of sight, Solara refilled her cup then opened her book back up.

A cold drink on a warm day with an engaging read to while away the time. It was nothing special but Solara would certainly enjoy herself that way.

[wlw-webcomic-bracket]

Character Introduction: Rosemaster (she/her), from Cucumber Quest

"Rosemaster is the fourth of the Nightmare Knight's Disaster Masters and lives within the Flower Kingdom. She serves as one of the many antagonists in the story (though she has a soft / kind side and has multiple times stated that she wished that she wasn’t in a position where she’d need to fight the heroes), but accepts that fate in order to protect those she views as family (the other disaster masters). I really do love her design and I think she’s really cool."

Trans webcomic character tournament master post.

If this comic should come with any significant content warnings, please let me know.

[bengiyo]

The Warp Effect Ep 8 Stray Thoughts

The Week of Jojo Part 2 begins. Last week, Army agreed to be the sperm donor for Nim, Mollie and Nim had a good moment during the training for the film that totally left Bew jealous, See-ew stepped out on Liu and ended up arrested for making porn, Liu broke up with See-ew in a scene that was fantastic between Sing and Clize, and Captain beat the shit out of Kat for not wanting to be his partner.

I'm glad we're staring with Kat. What happened to her was upsetting, and I wanted to check on her first.

It's interesting how Kat displays a wide array of feelings here, but annoyance, irritation, and offense come through most strongly.

All of Kat's girls came to check on her, but she doesn't want to be a victim. She is totally right to be frustrated that she was attacked after making her boundaries clear.

So now she'll flirt with Jean (who is apparently bi!) as a tease? I need this to become more than teasing!

I like Jean. Just because something bad happened to Kat doesn't mean she's gonna let Alex back in.

Army is lovesick, and also frustrated that Joe won't switch. So glad we're having frank conversation about the relationship dynamics in gay relationships about sex. Army is right that bottoming is tiring, and doing it all the time is exhausting. I'm curious how they'll explore Joe's reticence about the act. Just don't turn this into Cucumber, because I'll never forgive Russel T. Davies for that.

Alex is the straight guy determined to get his gay friend laid. We've come such a long way.

Cutting between Kim and Nim about the pregnancy tests was a neat touch. Kim's is unexpected, and I don't think Nim is pregnant yet.

I kinda like this plot with Bew. Lesbians can have poorly planned pregnancies, too. Bew may be jealous about Mollie, but the callous attitude about the baby is concerning.

Joe needs to do things away from this school more often, and everyone else needs to stop trying to make Joe talk about gay shit in the locker room of the school he works at.

Ah, Joe is a side. I appreciate that he doesn't like anal sex; I don't think it's required. I also don't like the bar and club scene. I just worry about the self-fulfilling nature of Joe's sense that he doesn't belong anywhere. You have to find your people.

I want to see Silvy whip ass in this film they're working on.

So Bew really left. TRASH. How do you look like Dichen Lachman and let me down like this??

"I remember all of it." Mollie, please never say that to your ex if you're trying to maintain a platonic relationship.

Jean stressing repeatedly that Kim's health and safety is more important than the set is exactly how more places should be. I will accept less shows less often if it means the people making it aren't suffering.

I just don't think the doctor should have told Jean that Kim is pregnant though? Seems like that's private information.

Oh, this is an interesting way for this plot to develop. Jean, who I suspect has had an abortion, doesn't foist that choice upon him. Kim admits she's not ready to start a family, and doesn't believe Ice is either. Kim doesn't hide the pregnancy from Ice, and he immediately rallies to become a dad and parent with Kim, much to her chagrin.

Kat is tough in front of others, but I am not surprised she's nervous in parking garages now.

Gosh, almost every scene has a blue hue to it this week. It's like watching Eyewitness again.

Mmm, unsure how I feel about Kat opening herself up to more with Alex immediately after beginning recovery.

Tony stay shooting his shots with Jean.

Alright, I do think it's important for us to talk about men's health and making sure they actually get it from professionals. However! Army knows Alex is not actually trained as a doctor right now, so what are the ethics here??

This and Between Us acknowledging bathroom stalls as their position in gay sexual history. I wonder if I'll have to write about this at the end of this year.

I get why Army stayed friends with Alex. He's very affectionate for a straight man.

Jojo really loves to fuck with the audience. Kat snuggles in with Alex, considering what it might be like to be serious with him, only for Alex to call out for Jean in his sleep.

I really like the exploration of the sensual potential of outercourse with Army and Joe. With how much BL misrepresents the physical considerations of penetrative sex, this feels necessary.

Also, in terms of the narrative, I like that Army's problem is solved by reconciliation with the first boy he really hurt and reaching equilibrium with him.

This fictional scene of Rose and Liu enabling Kat to curb stomp Captain is making me think of I May Destroy You (2022). I'm feeling a deep surge of complex feelings. Of course, her girls are here to support her.

Love that Kat's problem wasn't solved by choosing a guy.

Oh good, we're returning to Rose and Jedi next week. Not showing him in the bar felt intentional.

[captaingrebelguf]

Bedtime

Well now that @copiousloverofcopia outted me, I figured I would share my rambles based on her depiction of Terzo and his Prime Mover (so my selfish ass can see them all in one place).

All credit goes to this one ➡ @copiousloverofcopia ⬅️ She's lovely and I think the world of her.

Sister Alessandra borrowed from Prime Mover Ren and her series, Tied as One Eternally. Please read. It's a delight.

Anyway.

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

Terzo paused in the hallway of the Ministry, gently letting his head loll back. He was fighting against his sleep-deprived mind, but his eyelids were starting to get heavier and heavier. He’d been searching for his firstborn and older brother for the past 10 minutes, walking aimlessly up and down the halls searching for them. When Primo had offered to watch Mena for a few hours and give the new parents a break from their daughter, he thought the older man would grow weary of her and return her at some point. Once it started to grow late, Alé had to remind Terzo they were missing a family member and ordered he go track her down while she fed their son.

It’d been three weeks since Dante joined their family, and while Terzo was absolutely smitten with him, he was beyond exhausted. He admired how easily his Prime Mover was adapting to these changes and remaining so graceful. Terzo on the other hand felt like he was losing his mind. The family of four had been trying to get back into some sort of routine: making sure Alé was getting the help she needed with their son, trying to keep Mena busy and involved as a new big sister, and Terzo failing miserably at his papal duties. He was thankful his brothers made no qualms about picking up his slack; including babysitting his daughter.

Terzo shook his head to wake himself up and continued on with his quest. After no success checking a few more rooms, he finally passed by the dimly-lit living room and halted his step. He spun on his heel and stuck his head through the door frame, sighing at his brother and daughter huddled over the coffee table with tiny packets scattered all about. 

“Come along, tesoro,” Terzo groaned, holding out his hand for Mena, “We need to get you into bed before Mama starts looking for the both of us.”

“No! Zio said I could help!” Mena insisted, crossing her arms and kicking the side of the couch with her bare feet, ready for a fight. Primo’s lips thinned into a tight line as he tossed an apologetic glance at his younger brother and placed a gentle hand on the toddler’s feet to cease the kicking. Terzo let out a sigh and gave his brother an exasperated, pleading look. Primo couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such dark circles under his brother’s eyes . 

“I believe we let time get away from us a little, wouldn’t you agree, donnina?” Primo asked his niece. Mena, obviously starting to learn from her father’s dramatics, crossed her arms tighter and turned away from the two men.

“No!” she argued, “I want to help Zio!”

Terzo closed his eyes before Primo could see the twitch in his eye develop, accepting defeat against his child. He entered the room and sat down in the high-backed armchair near the crackling fireplace. He rested his eyelids and sunk into the cushion, resigning himself to be found by his wife; even if it may come with some not-so-gentle scolding.

“Come stai, fratellino?” Primo questioned as he handed Mena a packet of heirloom cucumber seeds. Mena uncrossed her arms and hugged the seed packet to her heart, beaming up at her doting uncle as he returned the warm smile. 

“Sono morto dentro,” Terzo replied in a low tone, rotating his face towards the warmth. He sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest, trying to ignore his brother’s blatant efforts to absolutely spoil his child.

“Spero che tu non abbia rimpianti,” Primo warned, continuing to sort through his seed packets, making mental notes as he prepared for next spring’s growing season. Mena watched her uncle move around the tempting parcels, as she grasped out her small hand for an additional seed packet, babbling away to no one in particular.

“Mai,” Terzo scoffed, crossing his legs and giving into his exhaustion.

“Terzo Emeritus!” Alessandra chided from the doorway, holding a wiggling Dante in her arms. Her dark locks up in a messy bun, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, and her robe stained with a hint of dried spit-up; yet still exuding the same confidence (and irritation at her husband) she always had.

Terzo shot forward from his chair like a deer in some headlights. He clutched his chest as his lover stared daggers at him, “Alé, cara mia, I swear we were coming right up!”

Mena haphazardly launched herself off the couch towards her mother, Primo holding his hands up behind her to catch her from landing on the coffee table. Mena scurried towards her mother, raising her hands up to her brother, “Hi, Dante! Hi Mama!”

Alé moved their son into the crook of her left arm as she took her free hand to stroke her daughter’s hair, pulling into a hug, “Mena, help me get your Papa to bed. He clearly needs his sleep.”

Terzo defeatedly sighed and held his hands out towards his wife, motioning towards their son. Alé took Mena’s hand and shuffled her way to Terzo. Alessandra dipped down to allow Terzo to remove Dante from her arm. He placed Dante on his chest and kissed the crown of his head. Despite the new challenges, he couldn’t be happier. Motherhood suited his beautiful Prime Mover perfectly, he hoped he was doing enough to have her see the same in him.

“Don’t cook the baby,” Alé teased, pulling Mena up to her hip. A small smile tugged on his face as he soothingly rubbed Dante’s back. Ale took her free hand and ran her fingers through Terzo’s mane, “Seriously, bed time.”

Mena buried her tiny face into her mother’s chest and yawned, “Mama, I helped Zio.”

Primo began to rise, having reached a good ending point for the evening, “And what an incredible helper she was. Good conversation, too.”

“Thank you, Primo. I really am so grateful to have you here to help,” Alé gently swayed, trying to settle Mena. She gave Primo a genuine, soft smile. She felt so much more at ease knowing her children had him as a role model in their lives. 

Primo smiled and placed a hand on Mena’s back, “Always a pleasure. Anything for my nipoti. Fratellino, vai a letto.”

Primo gave Alessandra’s arm a gentle squeeze and wished sweet dreams to his niece and nephew. As he began to exit, he shot another stern glance at his brother. One Terzo remembered as a ‘get your ass in gear or else’ look from his childhood. With that, Primo silently glided out of the room and down the hall to his own quarters.

Terzo sighed and lifted himself off the armchair. He rolled his neck about, as a yawn escaped his lips. He shifted Dante from his chest into his arms, the infant stirred for a second before closing his eyes again and falling back to sleep. Terzo teasingly bumped his hip against Alé’s, gazing at the two beautiful children they created, “Pronta, sorella?”

“Sì, Papa,” Alessandra rolled her eyes. She turned to exit the room, cradling a sleeping Mena to her chest, with Terzo and Dante following closely behind. The family of four made their way down the dim halls of the Ministry, passing by a few ghouls seemingly being afflicted by night zoomies. The ghouls skittered about, greeting their Papa and his family before sprinting down the hall, poorly hiding a can of whipped cream they snagged from the fridge.

“We’re going to need more arms,” Terzo lamented as he opened the door to their wing. He motioned for Alessandra to enter first. 

“More arms for what?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Alé headed into Mena’s room with Terzo trailing behind her.

“When we have six of these things running around falling asleep all over the Abbey, we’re going to need more arms,” he replied nonchalantly. 

“HA!” Alé belted as she lowered Mena into her bed, causing Dante to start to fuss. Terzo began swaying side-to-side, trying to get the child to fall back asleep, giving Alé a cheeky smile. Alé tucked the blankets around their firstborn and kissed her forehead.

Terzo kneeled down beside his daughter’s bed and kissed her forehead, “Dormi bene, mio ​​tesoro.”

Alé rested her head against Terzo’s shoulder as they watched their daughter sleep, “I think we’re doing pretty OK.”

“Sì, sì,” Terzo nodded his head. He nuzzled his face into his Prime Mover’s neck, gently nipping her jawline, “Now, what do you say we get this one to his own bed and start working on number three?”

“I don’t know how many times I’m going to have to tell you this: you’re never touching me again,” she scoffed, standing up and walking out to go collapse in their king-sized bed.

Terzo sighed defeatedly as he looked down at Dante’s sleeping face, “Prometto, your Mama is actually crazy about me.”

Translations:

Tesoro -- Treasure

Zio -- Uncle

Donnina -- Little woman

Come stai, fratellino? -- How are you doing, little brother?

Sono morto dentro. -- I am dead inside.

Spero che tu non abbia rimpianti. -- I hope you have no regrets.

Mai. -- Never.

Nipoti -- niece/nephew

Vai a letto -- Go to bed

Pronta, sorella? -- Ready, sister?

Dormi bene, mio ​​tesoro -- Sleep well, my treasure

Prometto -- I promise

[ecemichi]

Ring.A.Bell chapter 5

Leo: Anzu's getting married?! Married married?! You sure she's not gettin' carried instead?!

Midori: Carried? Where would she even be carried…?

Midori: Haah… By the looks of it, Tsukinaga-senpai doesn’t know what’s up with Anzu-san either.

Mao: Well, we don't really know for sure if she's getting married... But it's been on our minds ever since we saw her earlier.

Leo: Wahaha! There's no way, right? If you keep saying stupid stuff like that, Anzu'll get pissed at you, y'know?

Midori: But she was so happy after buying that magazine… How else could you explain that?

Leo: Well... Anzu was probably just looking at it for some new outfit references. Or something like that, I dunno!

Mao: That's what we thought, too, but... Anzu’s mostly taking care of idols from Yumenosaki and Reimei now, right?

I don't think a bridal magazine'd be very useful when making outfits for any of them…

Leo: Oh, I got it...!

Mao: Wait, what've you got?

Leo: Somethin' right out of these genius brain cells out of mine! Thank you, Holmes! Colombo!

— Anzu's gonna make all of us wear dresses! Wedding dresses!

Midori & Mao: No way.

Leo: What the hell?! How're you so sure, huh?! You can't just dismiss the possibility, you know?!

Mao: Do you really think people would want to see us in wedding dresses...?

Midori: ...I don’t even want to wear one in the first place. I’m nearly 180 centimeters tall — I wouldn’t look the slightest bit cute if I crossdressed. It’d be a different story if someone asked me to wear a mascot costume instead, though.

Leo: Really? But Wataru makes a perfectly lovely lady, you know~?

Mao: Please don't lump us in with that guy. If we did it, we'd probably just cause a commotion.

Leo: Like I said, you can't just rule it out! Stop using your stupid common sense! Ahh, what a waste, what a waste! Anyone should be able to wear anything they want, that's what Naru'd say.

Midori: Eeh… Why’s he acting like we’re the ones who wanna wear it…? How depressing…

Mao: This convo’s going nowhere... Anyway, the circumstantial evidence we've got on hand doesn't really line up with your theory.

Leo: It doesn't, huh~?

Mao: Putting that aside, you're surprisingly calm even after hearing all that, huh? Anyone'd be shook if they heard this sorta news outta the blue, but you're as cool as a cucumber…

Leo: Wahaha! ☆ You can keep the compliments coming, y'know~? I don't mind at all!

Also, it's more like it hasn't really sunk in yet? This came outta the blue — you can’t just expect me to accept that she’s getting married!

Midori: That’s a normal reaction, I think. I probably wouldn’t have made a big deal out of it if I’d only heard the story, either.

Mao: That's true. I wouldn't have believed it at all if we hadn't seen it with our own two eyes.

Oh, I know. Tsukinaga-senpai, how about you try imagining your little sister getting married? That way you can imagine what it'd be like for Anzu to suddenly get married too.

Leo: ... Ruka-tan... getting married...?

Mao: Yeah, exactly. I bet it’d be easier to get what we mean if you thought of a family member.

Leo: Ruka-tan... suddenly getting up and leaving me...? And... with some guy I don't even know...?

Mao: U-Uh, Tsukinaga-senpai...? You seem a little…

Midori: Eeek...! Your eyes are scary!

Leo: Grrrrrah! Where's he at?! Where's the guy tryin' to steal my Ruka-tan away from meeeee?!

Midori: EEEEEPK!!!!

Mao: Uwaah?! Did I cross the line or something?!

Midori: You didn’t just cross it, you went two feet deep!

Mao: Geez, what happened to his composure?! I thought he’d be the last to snap, but he was the first! Who said he was cool as a cucumber?!

Midori: You’re the one who called him that!

Leo: IS IT YOOOOU?! YOU'RE THE ONE STEALIN' MY RUKA-TAN FROM ME, AIN'T YAAAA!

Mao: Uwah?! I-I'm not doing anything like that, Tsukinaga-senpai, calm down!

It's fine! Your little sister's not leaving your side, okay?! That's why you've gotta come back down to earth!

Leo: ...She's really not?

Mao: ...! (Nodding like his life depends on it.)

Leo: Of course she's not~! Yup yup, there's no way she would! My cute Ruka-tan'd never leave me! She loves me, after all~! I love her too! I loooove her to bits 'n pieces!

Midori: Haah… I'm so glad he calmed down…

Mao: Yeah, let's never touch that topic ever again…

Leo: Huh? Hold on a second. Ruka-tan's not getting married, but Anzu is?

Mao: What? Uh, well... Maybe not, but we've been thinking that maybe she is…

Leo: This is terrible, you know?! How the hell're you two actin' so carefree about this, huh?! Don’t just stand there, you should be panicking too!

Mao: Huh!? W-Wait, Tsukinaga-senpai, where’re you going?!

Midori: ...Haah. I feel like we went to the wrong person for help… How depressing...

Mao&Leo TL: Peace

Midori TL: me

JP Proof: 310mc

ENG proof:ryuseipuka

←previous →next

[aoyama-division]

In a restaurant located in Aoyama, a man and a woman, besides the chef and musicians, were the only people present, as the man was on one knee with a beautiful diamond ring in his hand as the woman was staring at him, shocked. Who were the people in question, you ask? They were none other than Tomi Chōten, and Miho Kobayashi.

"...Miho Kobayashi," Tomi stated, "Would you do me the honor of being my lawfully-wedded wife?"

Many hours ago...

— Shinagawa, Kobayashi Residence —

"Pardon me, ma'am," Goro spoke walking into the living room where his master and mistress, Miho Kobayashi, was located, reading a novel on her sofa. "My apologies for bothering you, but it appears that you have a guest at the front door. I stated you weren't accepting visitors at this time, but the visitor stated they were from Master Chōten."

Hearing the name of her friend and fellow business partner made the scowl on Miho's face disappear slightly. She knew Tomi wouldn't bother her unless it was for an important reason. Sighing, she placed a bookmark on her current page, got up from her seat, and walked to the front door. Opening it, her eyes grew slightly as a familiar-looking older gentleman wearing a black suit, along with many other similarly-dressed men, stood at the door. Spotting the matriarch of the house, they all bowed in respect.

"Good day, Lady Kobayashi," The older man spoke, raising his head. "I am Akiharu Hino, head butler for the Chōten family. Master Tomi Chōten has ordered that my servants and I make sure you have the best day you could possibly have. He has thus ordered us to escort you as he has a full day of enjoyment and relaxation planned for you."

Hino then held his hand out towards the black limousine that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. On the back, the vehicle was adorned with the Chōten family's logo, signifying who it belonged to.

"Shall we, ma'am?

As Miho looked at the limousine, a smile appeared on her face before she looked at the old butler.

"Give me five minutes." She ordered, before walking back into the house. After five minutes, she prepared to leave before looking at her butler, Goro.

"I'm heading out now, Goro." She informed her butler. "Please keep an eye on the house while I'm gone."

"Of course, milady." Goro bowed, respectfully. "I assume that also means Lady Sumire, as well?"

Giving the butler a meaningful look, she exited the house and looked as the army of butlers stood ready and waiting for her. Nodding, she followed Hino to the limousine, the other butlers following behind.

— Aoyama, Spa Resort —

To say that Miho Kobayashi was feeling bliss would be an understatement would be an understatement. She sighed as she was face down on a massage table while a massage therapist was firmly, yet gently massaging her back. She wasn't aware of how stressed she had been lately until the therapist started pressing down on her, releasing all the tension in her body.

Hino had stated that their first stop was a spa resort, which, safe to say, Miho was thoroughly enjoying. She had always meant to visit one of these places but never found the time to. What made it even better is that she was the only person there, meaning she had the entire spa to herself, which she was not complaining about. She didn't know how Tomi had arranged this, but she was grateful.

Soon afterward, she was seated in a lounge chair with face cream and cucumbers on her eyes. Beneath her, a massage therapist massaged both her feet, as they had done her back earlier. On the sides of her, a manicurist was working on her nails, either filing them or painting them, making them. Usually, she wouldn't bother having her nails done, but she was impressed with their work.

The last part of the resort allowed Miho to soak in a spa filled with mineral water. She sighed as the water heated up, providing a soothing, relaxing time. She had been told numerous times by Goto the benefits of mineral-rich baths but had never tried them before now. She wished she had; taking one of these every day would have helped in dealing with her wayward niece. Shaking her head, the CEO refused to think of that now, preferring to let her mind, body, and soul relax.

"I must definitely remember to thank Tomi for this." She thought as she continued relaxing.

— Aoyama, Shopping Center —

After several hours of relaxation, Hino and his butlers then drove Miho to their shopping center, which, she was loathed to admit, made Shinagawa's look bare in comparison. She was then instructed to buy whatever she pleased as Tomi would pay for it all; there was no limit, as he stated this day was for her.

The Matriarch did not need to be told twice, as she busied herself visiting store after store. Much of what she bought consisted mainly of clothes and jewelry, though she did buy some practical things as well; mainly, a thank you card for Goro for all that he had done for her. She truly valued her butler. She was one of the few people in her life that she could say she trusted, and the only one whom she would say she could call a family.

Although she had Ritsuko and Sumire, neither of them could hold a candle to Goro. As much as she valued her friendship with Ritsuko, even Miho had to admit that there were times she couldn't stand the immoral and unethical Chuohku scientist. And Sumire... the less said about how much she tolerated (and she used the word in the loosest sense) her anarchic niece, the better.

— Aoyama, Restaurant —

After she had finished shopping and had bought herself a beautiful dress, she was driven to her final destination: the Chōten mansion, where the man himself, Tomi Chōten, waited. Wearing an attractive emerald-colored tuxedo, he bowed graciously to the lady waiting.

"A pleasure as always, Lady Kobayashi," Tomi stated, as he gently kiss her outward hand. "I hope this day was filled with bliss for you."

He gently took her hand as he led her to his Rolls Royce, which was waiting for the two of them.

"And it is not over yet, milady."

From then on, Tomi took the CEO to a variety of places: a theater show, a casino, and finally a rooftop restaurant. Miho was not surprised in the least to say that the restaurant was empty, save for them and a couple of chefs and some musicians who were playing classical music.

As the two finished eating, Tomi called for two glasses of wine, both already filled. Clinking their glasses together, the two downed their drinks, but Miho stopped as felt something in her glass. Looking at it, her eyes couldn't believe that it was a ring. Looking up at Tomi, she noticed he wasn't there, but was now beneath her on one knee...

Now...

"Miho Kobayashi, you are truly a woman that I would love to spend this life and the next with. I am truly fortunate to know you. And it is for that reason I have to ask you this..."

Reaching into his coat pocket, Tomi pulled out a jewel box and opened it, which contained perhaps the largest and most expensive diamond ring in the world.

"...Miho Kobayashi, would you please do me the honor of being my lawfully-wedded wife?"