#remember my hand reveal... i should do a new hand reveal my hands are bigger. and im taller

[t-s-n]

feeling nostalgic for the november last year era ... that was so fun guys who remembers when we had fun .......... 😢

[erwinsmithsmissingleftarm]

The first time you laid your eyes on him, your heart skipped a beat. It felt like the crowded training ground was now totally empty excepting you and him. He was tall, strong and handsome, the bad boy type. You were attracted to him like a magnet but he looked too cool to be with you.

The first time you talked to him, you were more than anxious. You two were paired up to practice sparing. His bigger frame looked even more imposing as he was standing right in front of you. Your heart was beating fast in your ribcage, menacing to get out of it. He spoke to you first, greeting you in a weirdly friendly way. His voice sounded deep but actually quite comforting, it felt like if he sensed your nervousness and tried to sooth it down. He actually did not look so mean to you after that.

The first time you two kissed, it felt just right. His hands were a bit sweaty and you realized that he was quite shy. His fingers held your waist with a surprising gentleness, almost like he was scared to hurt you. His nonchalant attitude crumbled to reveal a softer one. Your lips moved slowly against his, your body burning with passion. 

The first time he cried in front of you, you understood how many feelings he bottled up over the years. The raw pain and fear in his eyes had you speechless for a moment. When your thumb gently ran on his cheek to wipe his tears, he cried harder. He stayed in your arms for hours, vulnerable like he never been before. Vulnerable because he was worried that this side of him would repulse you. In respond, you took his hand in his, a silent promise to be there no matter what. 

The first time he almost lost you, you saw his anger. Not toward you but toward himself for failing to protect you. He kept you close for the next missions, not able to sleep correctly at nights and waking up every hour just to make sure you are still breathing next to him. His eyes studied your features, remembering every imperfections that made you perfect. During those moments, he promised himself to protect you no matter what it cost.  

The first time you made love with him, you witnessed how much passion he held for you. His lips kissed every inch of your body, savoring the feeling and the taste of your warm skin. He took his time to please you, doing everything he could to make this night unforgettable. His fingers left a warm trail of pleasure wherever they went, taking your breath away. You should have felt nervous and scared when he spread your legs but you did not. You felt safe and loved with him, so did he. He kept whispering in your ear praises while moving, his fingers intertwining with yours when your bubble of pleasure finally popped. Your bodies remained close as you drifted toward sleep, your breathes calming down gradually. 

The first time he held the little bundle in his big arms, you noticed how much of a softie he is with tears coming up to his eyes. Looking at him standing there with your child made your heart clench at a new feeling. The feeling of accomplishment. You made it all the way with him, through the good and the bad days. The only regret you had was that you judged him way too fast the first day you saw him. Because if it was not the coach who paired you two up, maybe you would have never kissed, dated, married but mostly saw who he truly is.

You open your eyes after letting the memories flow back in your head, your eyes falling on him who's resting beside you. He gives you a curious look, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just how lucky I am to have Reiner Braun in my life."

[baronessvonglitter]

Cherry, Cherry 🍒 Chapter 2 🍒

“Coffee & Garth Brooks”

pre-outbreak! AU!Joel Miller x f!Reader

Word count: 1,247

Summary: Joel visits you at work and during some innocent flirting, you reveal something that you probably should have just kept quiet about.

WARNINGS: 18+ Only! Mature and Explicit, however this chapter is pretty tame, age gap (reader is 18, Joel is 35), reader is tomboyish but otherwise no race mentioned and will not be throughout the series, until specified this story takes place in the summer of 2003 and is AU with no outbreak, flirting, reader has mild fantasies about Joel, no use of y/n

Series Masterlist

Mondays at the cafe are hectic. So as eager as you are to see if Joel will show up, you're also swamped with orders. It's not until the crowd begins to clear that you see him. He's smiling at you and you can't ignore the way your heart does a little backflip.

"Hey!" You greet him with a smile.

He approaches the counter. Today he's wearing a heather-gray t shirt and jeans. His hair is tousled, beard neatly trimmed, and you catch a whiff of clean-scented shower gel coming off him. "I remember you," he says, a playful glint in his dark eyes.

"I remember you too. . and I remember I owe you a coffee for helping me yesterday."

"Hang on there. Where's that ring I labored so arduously to free from your kitchen drain?"

You smile at his wordiness. "Why, it's right here." You extend your left hand to show off the ring, a lot cleaner and shinier than the last time he saw it.

He surprises you by taking your hand with a delicate touch. "It would've been a shame to lose somethin' so pretty." His eyes move up to yours, as if to gauge your reaction. "That offer still on the table?"

This small yet meaningful gesture mesmerizes you. "The… offer?" you mumble. "Oh! The coffee." Crimson, you fix his coffee, giving him a bigger size than you're supposed to. "Are you on your way to a site?" You ask as you hand him his drink.

"Thank you. Yeah, I've gotta check in on a site before noon." He sips his coffee, leaning against the counter. You try not to stare but you give a quick glance - his body, even when at rest, seems powerful.

"What's it like, being a contractor? Do you like it?" Before the words come out of your mouth you realize how immature you sound. Of course he likes it. He wouldn't be in that business if he didn't.

You feel a little relief when he smiles. "It depends on the day. You get plenty of sun, and you have to deal with a lot of bullshit, deadlines.. but it pays. So I don't mind it all that much. What about you? You enjoy bein' a barista?" Joel smirks and you wonder if he's enjoying your exchange as much as you are.

"It's thrilling," you say in a deadpan voice. "Wanna trade places for a day?"

"I'll pass," he laughs. "Sounds like you're tryin' to get out of work right now," he teases you, leaning over the counter. He places his elbows down and rests his chin on his clasped palms.

"Can you blame me? At least you get your choice of music in your truck, not whatever this is," you roll your eyes at the indie jazz playing over the speakers.

"I'm in charge of the radio in my truck. Just the way I like it."

"What do you listen to?" You also lean against the counter, subconsciously angling yourself towards him. You're only vaguely aware of the cafe, of your surroundings. As you talk with him it just feels good.

"I'll listen to almost anything: rock, oldies, anything really. I guess I don't like anything too artsy and pretentious-soundin'," he answers.

"You strike me as a country music lover," you give him a little bit of teasing.

He tilts his head to the side. "You got a read on me already, huh? Well I won't lie, I listen to some country, but only the old stuff. Not this new, pop-py, overproduced stuff."

"Do you like Garth Brooks? George Strait? They're the greats. You have to like them."

"Girl, you're too young to tell me who the greats are," he grins. "George is the king of country music. Garth's a given. He's kinda cheesy sometimes, but his songwriting is great, no denyin' that."

"When I was a kid I used to go around singing his songs to anyone who would listen. I would put on a show, sing at the top of my lungs.. I was a pretty rambunctious kid," you laugh at the memory.

"Bet you're just as rambunctious as an adult too," he says playfully.

You smirk. Joel's flirting with you, there's nothing more obvious. "I'm a college girl. I'm supposed to be rambunctious."

He gives a low chuckle and an intrusive thought slides into your brain: you want to know what that low rumble in his chest sounds like, with your ear pressed against him… When you come back to your senses you catch his eyes scanning your face. "Fair enough. I'm sure you've got all the boys chasin' ya, huh?"

There it is: the question you thought was only ever asked in books, in movies, and Joel is the one to ask it about you. "Oh.. not really.."

"I find that hard to believe."

You look away a moment, wiping an invisible spot on the counter with a cloth. "Truth is, I kind of have someone.. back home in Houston." You dare a peek at him only to see something like relief cross his face.

"That's great," he says, maintaining a smile.

You regret saying something like that. Trevor isn't someone worth bringing up to Joel, yet you have used him almost as a shield, and you don't know why. "It's, uh.. kind of uh.. ambiguous," you add. "He's going to university there. I guess we're still figuring things out."

Joel nodded slowly. "So.. it's complicated, is what you're sayin'?"

"A little.. I don't really, you know, want to talk about it." You smile and shrug as if it's a minor thing.

"Of course." He puts his hands up, then he looks like he wants to say something but he stays quiet. Looking at his watch he says, "I gotta get to the site."

"Yeah.. I should also get back to work." You turn your back for a moment then turn again to say something else to him but he's already outside going to his truck.

The rest of your shift goes by smoothly and you pocket your tips and start home. Once you're comfortable in the house you allow yourself to think about your interaction with Joel. Of course the first friend you make in Austin would be the ruggedly handsome, middle-aged man next door. A man with a daughter only a few years younger than yourself.

You've never really been in this position before. You don't really recognize your own feelings. You've had crushes on older guys before: teachers, coaches.. so why is this time different? And why are you struggling with it?

Joel, meanwhile, feels himself in almost the same predicament. He doesn't want to admit it to himself but he really likes you. The age difference is too much for him to even consider, but your presence.. it's getting to him. He likes talking to you, wants to be close to you.. but he can't. He doesn't want to mess up his life, and it will only cause problems if he doesn't keep his distance. He worries he won't be able to fully shake you off his mind.

A few days later he spots a paper on his truck windshield. It's a handwritten note from you:

pool party at our place this Saturday @ 2 pm

and your name signed underneath. Joel smiles and gets a pen from inside his truck to write a reply.

We'll be there, he writes beneath your message and he leaves the paper on your car windshield.

<- prev chapter

next chapter ->

divider by @saradika-graphics 👑

[qqueenofhades]

-Quickly skitters into the inbox, with a boom box and an increasingly bass boosted version-

🎶I PUT MY HANDS UP THEY’RE PLAYING MY SONG THE BUTTERFLIES FLY AWAY-🎶

- Party In The USA anon, on the recent glorious news

Look. LOOK. I know we've had technically bigger fish, but the Georgia case is a Big Fucking Deal. Because:

It is a MAJOR indictment both in terms of scope and seriousness of charges. Not just Trump, but *eighteen* of his allies and cronies got charged with RICO (anti-racketeering, often used against mob bosses) felonies, including Rudy Giuliani (I repeat, HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA), Jeff Clark, Mark Meadows, and other high-profile Trumpworld enablers

No Lindsey Graham (at least yet) but I guess we can't have everything

It encompasses both in Georgia and other states where Trump illegally tried to alter election results (Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania), as those activities related to a conspiracy centered on Georgia/Fulton County

This is the big whopper: TRUMP CANNOT CANCEL THIS INVESTIGATION EVEN IF HE GETS RE-ELECTED. He can shut down the federal Special Counsel investigations run through the DoJ, but this? Bupkis. And Georgia governor Brian Kemp, another of the Republicans who dutifully continues to defend Trump even as Trump slanders him up and down, CAN'T PARDON HIM.

That drives the Republicans NUTS. So nuts that they were, you guessed it, already on Faux News whining about how they should make Georgia change that law.

Boo-fucking-hoo, you absolute fucking wankers.

Also: we need to remember that Trump rose to political prominence by being wildly racist and xenophobic about America's first Black president. He has coddled and exalted white supremacists and white supremacist rhetoric at every turn, it has been the central defining feature of his campaign, and his election subversion efforts were chiefly aimed at canceling the votes of heavily Black cities (Atlanta, Philly, Detroit, etc.)

Trump also won in 2016 thanks to the Electoral College, itself designed as an element of structural racism, by defeating probably the most qualified and beyond any doubt most historic candidate there has ever been, after it was revealed that he was a serial sexual assaulter and after he screamed for months about LOCK HER UP (every Republican accusation is a confession, etc)

All that said, with Trump's vile, derogatory bile spewed at everyone, but especially a) Black people, b) women, and c) powerful Black women, it is a Big Fucking Deal that a powerful Black woman, aka his worst nightmare, pulled this trigger on him.

Don't get me wrong. I deeply appreciate me some Jack Smith. But he is also a white male special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice, and who used to work for the Hague prosecuting war crimes (true story). It's in his brief to do this.

Fani Willis is a county district attorney AND a Black woman, as Trump's nonstop shitgibbering on Truth Social just can't help himself from pointing out. This kind of sprawling, country-wide investigation against a wildly corrupt ex-president and his cohort of equally corrupt cronies is not something she is, in the normal course of things, ever expected to do, but she did it.

NINETEEN DEFENDANTS, Y'ALL. Including Trump. On 41 different charges. That's a hell of an indictment, and she knows it puts a target on her back, while (as noted) she doesn't have the resources and protections of the federal government/DOJ to do it.

Let's hear it for Fani Willis (and Judge Chutkan, who informed Trump the other day the more he runs his mouth, the faster she will proceed to trial) y'all.

Black Women Get Shit Done.

[lala3244]

osoxkwlalska your writing is AWSOMEEE

Can I request smth? Barbatos with mc, who has the same powers as him but is more unhinged and careless about it?

Hello anon! And thank you for your request!

I am sorry, it took so long for writing it! I hope you like it! I tried to do as you asked I hope I did okay…

—————————————————————————

Warnings: mention of death not proofread

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CHANGING THE PAST

When you were in the human world and even after your arrival in the Devildom, you knew you didn’t have any powers and you didn’t understand, for the life of you, how you got them but when the first time they appeared, you got scared.

You were in the past, watching yourself getting into shenanigans with the Anti-Lucifer league but a few seconds ago, you were being scolded by Lucifer for a prank that had gone wrong and he was actually getting really angry. He was scaring you, being all menacing a dark aura surrounding him, his demon form was out and it was the first time you saw him that furious. You had closed your eyes, wishing you could change the outcome of that prank and you knew what was your mistake. You were conflicted. Should you stop the prank or improve it so it would work better but you thought about the angry demon and decided to abort the prank once your past self and the Anti- Lucifer league finished installing it. You ran quickly to the device and broke it. You sighed in relief and willed yourself to the present. You were still standing in front of Lucifer but this time, he was just casually talking to you about his new purchase. You remembered that was what you wanted to do. While he was talking, you felt something in the back of your brain and your memories started to meld together. Once he dismissed you, Satan and Belphegor came to see you. “What happened? What did go wrong?” You shrugged. “I guess it was not meant to work.” You left them, speechless.

After your new discovery, you tested your abilities, what you could and couldn’t do. You did it discreetly, changing tiny details during the day for the next few days until you felt confident enough to do something a bit bigger. A couple of weeks ago, you had a test that you knew you failed so you waited for the results and you were right! You had failed miserably. So you went home quickly after class and redid your test with the correct answers and went back in time to swipe your test with the new one. You were back to the new present and you shuddered at the idea of Lucifer giving you an hour-long lecture about how you couldn’t fail as an exchange student. You were glad you avoided it! Your memories melded together again. New memories colliding with your old ones making your head hurt. You cried out in pain and everyone watched you then you passed away.

You woke up in your bed. Lucifer and Barbatos were standing next to you, talking. Your head was still hurting and you were still in a daze. You couldn’t understand what they were saying. Lucifer finally looked at you and bent down a bit so he was at eyes level. “How are you feeling?” You nodded slightly your head. “My head still hurts a bit.” He stood up. “What happened?” You looked at the two demons who looked a bit intimidating from your point of view. “I don’t know! I just had a piercing headache and I blacked out.” Barbatos looked at you suspiciously. You haven’t told them about your powers, the same ones as Barbatos, as you now realised. You winced at the realisation. Maybe he knew? He approached your bed and put a gloved hand on your forehead. “We felt some sort of magic when you were asleep. I didn’t think you had any?” You shrugged and looked away as to not to reveal any information. “No, I’m a simple human. No magic, nothing noticeable about me.” Barbatos hummed but what you didn’t know was that the Butler felt that some changes had been mad in the Time and had been investigating the source. He hadn’t said anything to Lord Diavolo or Lucifer yet but he had his suspicions which you just revealed unknowingly. You hadn’t managed to damage the timeline yet so he decided that you were a responsible human usually and would use your powers accordingly. You fell asleep even though they were talking to you and left you alone.

You carried on testing your powers. You went back in time to eavesdrop on other people, to play some tricks on Lucifer or his brothers and one time even on Lord Diavolo. It was all very harmless but you did everything to steer clear of Barbatos. The stoic Butler had a way to make you feel embarrassed and scared. You knew he knew and you waited for him everyday, after a trip to the past, to come and kidnap you to his secret dungeon that everyone knew he had but he never did such a thing, which was nerve wrecking at the same time.

Creating new memories while you still had your old ones started to change something in your brain. You were slowly getting reckless during your travels in the past. You would confuse the new and old memories while talking to your friends and sometimes act like you never changed anything. You didn’t notice but Barbatos who was watching you did. He sometimes dropped by the House of Lamentations and would ask the brothers how you had been but he was always disappointed that they didn’t see any changes. You were still normal most of the time but your time travel would always take something from you and Barbatos knew that. That’s why he never did it himself unless he was asked to. He decided to talk to you before you would make a horrible mistake.

You were asleep when you heard an unusual ringtone. You followed the sound half-asleep and realised it was your phone from the human world. You answered as it was someone from your family. They said that your parents were in an accident and they both died. You dropped onto your knees. Maybe if you didn’t spent your energy going back, you could have tried to see if you could see the future. You thanked your family member and hung up. You stayed on your knees, the news hadn’t really kicked in yet. Maybe, maybe you could go back and prevent that accident. You stood up and left the HoL. It was still the middle of the night but you didn’t care, you were still in your pjs but you didn’t care, you were an easy prey for the demons roaming about but your mind was numb and you ran to the Castle of Lord Diavolo. You were about to knock when the door opened. Barbatos greeted you. “Please come in.” You frowned but entered inside once he stood on the side to let you in. “Lord Diavolo is waiting for you in his office.” You nodded and followed the Butler.

You were sitting in front of the Young Prince, a cup of tea in your hands. Lord Diavolo looked at you with a small smile. “What brings you here in the middle of the night?” You looked up at him, suddenly realising why you were there. “I need to go to the human realm. I just learned my parents are dead.” He nodded and looked at Barbatos. “Sure, take the time you need. Do you need to go back to the House before going?” You shook your head. “No, I’m fine.” He shrugged and Barbatos left and came back with a few clothes. “You can’t go back home with your pyjamas.” You chuckled at the silliness of the situation. “No, I can’t, can I?” You put some clothes on top of your pyjamas and Barbatos opened a portal but before you passed it through, he grabbed your wrist. “We need to talk when you come back.” You nodded and jumped through the portal. You were in an empty alleyway near your parent’s building. You looked around to make sure no one was watching and went back to the past. You arrived at your parent’s the day before their accident and knocked on their door. You spent the day with them and as you didn’t know what happened exactly, you just did everything in your power to prevent for them to take the car.

With the death of your parents averted, you went back to the Devildom and went back to your life. The death of your parents from the old timeline had made a mark on your mind. You didn’t have time to grieve them that you saved them and your brain couldn’t process all these informations at once. It messed up your thought’s process and now you were changing the past more and more. You trained yourself to see the future but with so many futures to look into, your brain would freeze up and you would end up with a massive nosebleed so you eventually stopped doing it. You were obsessed with improving your past. You had an argument with someone, either you went back to the why or you went back to the argument itself and answered differently. It was like a drug and you were addicted.

Barbatos had had that talk with you but you didn’t change or stop, you were more and more reckless and now you didn’t care about the consequences as long as your immediate present was better. No guilt as you changed your mistakes, no grieving as you would prevent the deaths of your loved ones, no anger as you would resolve whatever problem would make you angry. It was liberating to change the past as you pleased and nothing bad had happened and the more you did it, the less you felt it actually changed anything in the long run. The thing was even if it was only the people surrounding you that was affected by your time travels it had affected all the Devildom. Your powers were almost as strong as Barbatos and the demon knew he had to do something before some catastrophic events happened. Barbatos, as a demon, could look into the future without being affected and the more futures he looked into the more he got worried. In all of them, something bad happened unless he did something to you. A thing he never would want to do but he had to if he couldn’t find an alternative. He finally talked to Lord Diavolo about his worries and the Lord gave him permission to go about and find a solution without physically hurting you. Barbatos went from libraries to libraries, met with witches and sorcerers alike, went back in time a couple of times, and finally he found the solution. He was going to build a cell and a helmet with a metal that suppressed any magic. It pained him but it was a necessary step to avoid an inevitable end of the world.

The next time you travelled back, he would be ready. He used some of his powers to track you wherever and whenever you were. Nobody but he knew where you went so he grabbed you and put a hand on your mouth. He opened a portal and jumped through it while his grip around you tightened so you wouldn’t fight. He didn’t need magic to subdue you, you were just a human after all. The portal brought you right in front of the cell. He threw you inside and jumped on you to put the helmet on.

You tried to use your powers and the more you tried the more your head ached. Finally you passed out. Barbatos took you in his arms and gently lied you down on the bed he installed there for you. His chest tightened. He didn’t want to do that but you were leading them to grave danger. He put a hand on your cheek and rubbed some circle with his thumb. You looked normal, sweet and lovely while asleep. He had noticed that your eyes had become deranged since you came back from the human world. He knew he shouldn’t have let you go there but your parents had just died and now they were alive again. He knew going back to the past and changing things could affect the mind of a lower demon, so for a human it must have been even more dangerous. He scolded himself for not thinking about this and stopping that sooner, but you were, well used to be, so sensible and rational. He thought you might have been able to stop when everything went out of control.

You opened your eyes. You didn’t recognise your surroundings. It was dark, a small source of light coming from a small lamp on a desk. You rubbed your eyes and felt something on your forehead. You touched it and realised it was some sort of helmet. You wondered what happened, then memories came rushing back. It finally happened. Barbatos kidnapped you and imprisoned you in his dungeon.

—————————————————————————

THE END

Thank you for reading!

MASTERLIST

[damiansgoodgirll]

Damian Priest x reader where he takes her on dates and shows her how much he loves her thank you 🙏

damian priest x reader

tw : mention of past abusive relationship but not that much, i promise

teach me how to love

you weren’t a huge fan of dating. maybe your exes all made you think that you were the problem, always asking for too much when in the end all you wanted was to feel loved.

so after your last break up, you decided to stop dating for a while. that was until you met damian at your local gym.

you’ve never saw him there before and the receptionist lady told you he recently moved from his old house to this new neighbourhood and that he was looking a place closer to his home.

at first he was being nice with you as he was with anyone else. always greeting you when you came from the door and always saying goodbye everytime you were leaving. he then started to initiate small conversations with you, trying to get to know you better. you thought he was just being nice but in the back of your mind you knew he was flirting with you.

you couldn’t deny the attraction you felt for him but you knew that a man like him, handsome and famous, could have anyone he wanted - his instagram following proved you that - not that you stalked him but before trying anything with him you needed to be sure he wasn’t going to take you for granted.

you wanted, you really wanted but the fear inside of you stopped you from moving past the simple conversations you had at the gym.

one day he invited you over to see him wrestle as the raw episode was taking place in the city you both lived in and you said yes without even thinking twice. it’s not that he was going to spend time with you anyway. but once the show was over he looked for you in the crowd and when he found you, he brought you backstage so you could get to know each other better.

from that day on, everytime you were both at the gym together, he would work out with you, sometimes even offering to take you home or to pick you up the following day.

it was the simple gesture that made your heart beat ten thousand times harder only for him.

one day he asked you on a date. you thought about it, you thought about the pros and cons but you ended up saying yes anyway. so the day after he was at your place, with a bouquet of roses in hand, ringing your door bell.

you were wearing a black dress, sexy and elegant but nothing to excessive or revealing. it showed some of your cleavage down to your breast, you loved that dress, it made you feel sexy and powerful but you thought it was too much, especially for a first date. damian’s eyes couldn’t leave your body when you opened the door.

you thanked him for the roses and placed them in a vase full of water. his eyes still on your body, watching every movement you made.

“you like it? if you don’t i can change it…maybe it’s too much, i’ll go change” you said, suddenly feeling self conscious, remembering how your ex would get mad at you if you wore something too revealing.

“no, why would you change it? it’s absolutely amazing, you look amazing” he smiled, taking your hands in his bigger ones.

“are you sure? doesn’t the v-neck make you uncomfortable? you can tell me…” you asked him a little anxious.

“absolutely, you’re breathtaking mariposa” he reassured you “you can go change if you want to, but i want you to know how amazing you look in this dress”

“maybe i should wear a jacket on top of it…��� you said, still feeling a little insecure.

“you’re gonna melt…hermosa, why do you think you should cover up?” he asked a little concerned.

“my - my ex never liked this dress, or anything in my closet, he said i wore too many revealing clothes and that i was just seeking for attention, he didn’t like the idea of other men watching me…” you confessed.

damian wasn’t expecting that answer. he couldn’t understand how someone as beautiful as you were could have dated someone as that asshole “hermosa, let me tell you how beautiful you look in that dress…you’re breathtaking and if it wasn’t for the fact that we have to be at the restaurant in twenty minutes i would fucking place you in front of a mirror, lift your dress up and make love to you as you’re watching your reflection” he said while his hands went on your hips. you were shocked by his confession, especially knowing this was your first date. before you could say anything, his lips met yours in a delicate and romantic kiss “trust me when i say you’re beautiful” he whispered against your lips.

and you trusted him.

and after that date, a second date came. a third too, then a fourth and a fifth and then you officially began to dating.

he was helping you to rebuild the confidence you once had and that your ex boyfriend broke down. he would help you with the easiest tasks, if you had groceries to do he would come with you, he would help you to put the groceries away and then he would cook dinner for you. if you had a stressful day at work he would give you a back massage. he would take you on dates everytime he wasn’t busy with work schedule. he would clean your house if you were too busy or too tired from work.

and you quickly realised that it wasn’t you who was asking too much, it was the bare minimum that none of your exes was going to do. but damian taught you how to love again and how to feel loved again.

[kaycode1999]

LMK Sun Wukong x Reader pt.2

~Season 5 episode 2~

“ The world has fallen into chaos, and at every step of its descent you have been there.” A deep voice echos through the portal as Y/N and Wukong fall through careening toward the ground. Wukong wraps Y/N in his arms protectively before landing on the ground, and MK and Macaque suddenly appear behind them. Y/N can only tell they are in some huge cave type area that is filled with fog as Wukong gently sets her/him/them down and pushes her/him/them behind him, he then quickly slashes his hand through the fog dissipating it revealing several figures in hooded robes.

“ What?! A second ago I was in bed, what's going on?” MK says is surprise and Y/N rushes over to him hugging him protectively, “ Yeah, the guys in the cool robes only strike when you're asleep- kind of their thing.” Wukong says in an agitation.“ What do you want?” Macaque asks glaring at the robed figures.

“ Sun Wukong, the Six-Eared Macaque, and MK the Monkey Kid. You have been summoned before the court of the underworld to answer for your crimes.” The same voice from before speaks up, “ You stand before the 10 Kings Guardians of the great cycle.” A Different robed figure with a deeper voice says. “ A cycle which has been disrupted.” A higher pitched female sounding figure in the same black robe speaks says.

“ Help me remember, what was it that happened the last time you all brought me here?” Wukong says sarcastically “ Oh right, things didn't super work out for you.”, “ And as I recall, you removed your name from The Book of the Dead.” The first robbed figure says and Wukong gives the robbed figures an indignant smirk. “ A similar crime has led to this moment. The scroll of memory was stolen, your guilt is obvious.” The robed figure with a more female voice says.

“ Wait are we on trial? Do we need a lawyer?” MK asks worriedly “ Don't worry, we watched almost every episode of Monkey Cop Courtroom Edition.” MK chuckles to himself before turning back to the court “ Uh, your honors- What exactly are the charges? Also, why is my sister/brother/sibling here?”

“ An unfortunate consequence of she/he/they and Sun Wukong having been in the same space at the time we brought him here. As for the other matter-” the first voice explains when the deeper one cuts in, “ because of your actions, the Jade Emperor fell, and now the pillar of Heaven has been irreparably damaged.” A Different robed guy says angrily, “ The pillar of Heaven.” Wukong whispers in disbelief. “ You stand accused of the destruction of this world.” The female robed figure says

“ I'm gonna… I’m gonna need a minute with my clients.” MK stutters nervously before pulling Wukong, Y/N, and Macaque into a huddle “ Okay, my professional legal advice is- we should leave.”, Wukong hums in thought for a moment picking his head up to look around. “ Not seeing a door, So l'm just going to make one.” He says taking a step back and raising his arm

“ We thought you might try some foolishness to escape justice, and so we have brought a power even greater than yours.” The first robed figure says, a portal suddenly opens and the lotus prince emerges. “ Nezha?” MK says is surprise “ Hey Nezha!”, he excitedly waves at him just before Monkey King bursts out in laugher so hard it makes him tear up slightly

“ This is your big scary?” Wukong laughs before a bigger more intimidating figure appears in front of Nezha and Wukong freezes “ Okay yeah, a little bit more powerful than Nezie”, “Pagoda-wielding General, Li Jing, new leader of the celestial realm.” The first robed figure explains.“ Nezha’s dad?” MK asks enthusiastically “ Nezha, your dad is the new Jade Emperor?”, “ The Jade Emperor cannot be replaced” Nezha states. “ In his absence, I have been charged with resolving this.” Li Jing interrupts.

“ Big ups on the promotion Li, I always knew you'd weasle your way to the top.” Wukong says,“ The world is on a knife’s edge, you add nothing but chaos.” Li Jing says with a judgmental glare.

“ Objection!” MK retorts “ Ergo, Visa V, We're guilty until proven innocent-”, Y/N gently elbows him to bring his attention to what he just said. “ No wait, forget I said that.” MK says,“ You know that Pagoda of yours isn't gonna be enough to stop us.” Wukong warns stepping in front of MK, Y/N, and Macaque almost protectively. “ Perhaps.” Li Jing says “ There was only one thing that could ever bring the Great Sage to heal, and as I have been empowered by the Heavenly Host.”

A green glowing light with a bunch of symbols appears in front of his hand, “ Stop!” Macaque yells running forward as a golden crown forms around Wukong’s head. “ I collar the beast!” Li Jing asserts, Wukong starts screaming in pain holding the area where the crown is placed. The pain causes him to stumble backwards until he’s caught by Y/N and Macaque as he falls to his knees, “ Monkey King, No!” MK yells worriedly. MK suddenly starts phasing back and forth between his normal and monkey form, “ No, no no no” MK says in a panick, and just before Y/N can Wukong reaches over and takes MK’s hand.

" It's ok kid, We're ok" Wukong says reassuring him after taking a few recovery breathes, thankfully MK form seems to stabilize. After seeing that MK is alright Y/N moves in front of Wukong putting a hand on his cheek looking at him in concern. " Wukong's fangs have been pulled." Li Jing says turning his back to them, " Father, these four they're not-" Nezha starts. " Control yourself." Li Jing asserts " This side show is over.". The two start toward the portal they came through.

Y/N suddenly sees red and turns toward Li Jing and the court. “ Where do you think you're going?!” she/he/they yell taking a few steps toward them “ How dare you! Get that pain crown off of him right now!”, “ You would do well to hold your tongue mortal. Though you are insignificant, do not think you can not incur our wrath.” the first-robed figure warns. “ You intentionally caused pain to someone I care about, I think you should be more worried about incurring mine.” Y/N says darkly with a murderous glare before the four suddenly fall through another portal into some type of jail cell in the celestial realm.

Macaque leans against the wall with his arms crossed and Monkey King sits on the groaned cross-legged while MK tries pull the crown off of Wukongs head, “ Didn't Mr. Tang's past life guy put one of these dealies on you originally?” MK asks. “ This one's somehow tighter.” Wukong says gingerly running a hand across it “ I really really didn't want to wear one of these again.”, Y/N gives him a sympathetic look as Wukong just glares at Macaque. “ Classic, I get all the punishment and you get to mope." He snarks.

“ Maybe going to jail wasn’t on my agenda for tonight.” Macaque retorts annoyed, “ Oh, so you think this is my idea of a good time? Trapped in here with you?” Wukong asks angrily. “ Ok, ok enough.” Y/N says trying to calm them down, the two continue to glare at each other as a tense silence passes over the group.

MK slightly breaks the tension by going back to pulling at the crown until his fingers slip and he nearly falls, he then jumps up on Monkey Kings shoulders trying to pull it up that way. “ Wow that is…that is really on there.” He huffs before trying several different ways. “ Nearly got it.” He says before getting launched into the wall “ I don't have it.”, MK slides down onto the floor as a yellow see through portal appears behind him. The lotus prince himself stands on the other side much to MK’s excitement. “ Nezha! you bustin’ us out? ah, amazing!” He says happily before it turns into nervousness “ It's uh - it's tense in here.”

“ This is.. not what I wanted.” Nezha says sadly,“ Weren't you meant to be busy guarding the Jade Emperor's power?” Wukong asks in an accusatory tone “ Don't tell me daddy Jing took over that job too.” He chuckles to himself “ You got demoted?!”. “ Just stop.” Nezha asserts in frustration, the portal opens up and Nezha steps through closing it behind him. Wukong fans four strands of his hair out into the hallway with his tail while Nezha isn’t looking. “ Someone's trying to destroy the pillar of heaven, and my father-“ Nezha starts.

“ Quickly jumping in here, what's the Pillar of Heaven exactly?” MK interrupts appearing behind him, “ If the old legends can be believed, the pillar is a mystic energy that holds back the primordial chaos.” Nezha explains.“ It’s what lets the world be- the world.” Wukong adds, MK hums sliding to sit down next to him. “ Yes, good.” MK says “ Now do it like Tang.”, “For real?” Wukong questions. “ Helps me learn.” MK says with a shrug, Wukong can’t help but look over at Y/N to almost gauge if MK is joking and she/he/they just shrug and do an I-don’t-know noise. He groans before begrudgingly going into a Tang impression.

“ Legend tells that the Universe was born into chaos. Long ago, a sanctuary was constructed. This world, protected from the chaos by the pillar of heaven.” Wukong explains, “ and someone’s trying to break it.” MK states. “ Not for the first time.” Wukong says in his normal voice, MK wags his finger at him making a Nuh-uh-uh sound. Wukong groans in frustration before going back into the Tang impression, “ it was broken once before. Chaos poured into the realms until the goddess Nüwa mended the pillar with the mystical five-colored Stones.” he explains.

“ Sounds like someone needs to get those stones and get to mending.” MK asserts, “ The kids right.” Macaque agrees “ Which begs the question why you're here instead of out there working on a rock collection.”. “ Exactly.” Y/N agrees, Nezha sighs and looks down “ My father-“ he starts. “ Doesn't want anyone looking for ‘em.” MK guesses popping up right next to Nezha “ Interesting. Suspicious”, MK starts walking back toward the other three. “ Yes, what- what's he doing?” Nezha asks confused.

“ Ignore it, it’s his lawyer bit.” Macaque explains, and Y/N nods in agreement while Wukong chuckles at MK’s antics. “ Best attorney monkeys can buy.” MK says flattening his hair back “ Hmm, if I was a secret enemy trying to break a magic pillar… I- objection!- to people looking for the magic rocks that can fix it as well.”, “ My father is not the enemy.” Nezha states.

“ I mean…” MK chuckles “ He put us in a cell, and a pain crown on Monkey King's head.” he rushes over sort of hugging Monkey King before leaning on his head for support “ You know, it's not… it's not best friend behavior.”, “ This was a mistake.” Nezha says turning away from them. “ Nezha, wait.” Y/N says and just as he turns to look back at her/him a voice from outside the cell grabs his attention.

“ Yeah, super was.” Wukong calls, “ What? No!” Nezha says in concern seeing all four of them outside the cell. “ You always fall for the clone bit!” Wukong laughs, “ Now you're stuck inside, and the real uses are out here.” MK says. “ I'm a clone” the Wukong, MK, Y/N, and Macaque that are in the cell say. “ No!” Nezha yells desperately before using his staff to burst through the portal into the hallway trapping all four of them against the wall.

“ Told you you always fall for it.” Wukong laughs just before they all burst into an orange-ish yellow smoke, Nezha quickly turns around to see the four of them already out of the cell and trying to sneak away. “ Someone's trying to destroy the world, and I'm not going to let anyone stop us from saving it.” Wukong asserts, “ Here comes jailbreak kid!” Wukong and MK both call talking strands of hair and creating several clones that waste no time in tackling Nezha and trapping him under them.“ Wukong!” Nezha yells angrily as the four take off running away from him, “ Sorry Nezha. We love ya, but we gotta run.” Y/N calls over her/his/their shoulder and Wukong chuckles at the situation.

The four burst through the wall and out onto the path through the celestial garden running at full speed, MK nearly rushes off the side of the path which leads to a deadly fall before he just barely stops himself in the edge with a scared yelp. “ Come on kid.” Wukong chuckles pulling him back onto the path as they all continue to run for their lives getting chased by several celestial soldiers throwing a variety of weapons at them which they have to dodge, “ Why is it always like this when you come here?!” Macaque asks in an accusatory tone and Wukong laughs.

What must be a celestial army leader steps in front of them with a whole squad behind him causing them to stop, “ That's far enough prisoners.” the leader says unsheathing his sword. “ This guy thinks he's the main character.” Wukong chuckles, he and Macaque quickly work together to knock him out and take his sword. “ Oh my Great Sage.” MK says fearfully upon seeing the large group of soldiers in front of them. Wukong and Macaque look like they are about to strike when Y/N puts a hand out to stop them. “ Please, allow me.” Y/N says sweetly before rolling up her/his/their sleeves

In a flash Y/N has the whole group of soldiers taken down and out of the way, MK, Wukong and Macaque look at her/him/them in sheer disbelief. “ Wow.” Macaque says impressed, “ I know right?” Wukong says his tone laced with adoration and all but literal heart eyes. The four continue running leaving the incapacitated soldiers behind, “ We have to get outta here.” MK says. “ Yeah.” Wukong agrees “ but you're really not going to like how we do it.”, “ What?” MK questions. Suddenly, Wukong pushes all three of them off the side of the path with an “ Alliup” jumping after them sending them all falling towards the mortal realm. “ Wukong!” Macaque shrieks angrily while Y/N and MK yell in terror.

Wukong chuckles taking out the sword he took from the guard throwing it below them, the sword suddenly stops in mid-air as a yellowish portal appears around it and once the four reach it the scenery below them changes a familiar street where Tang, Mei, Pigsy, and Sandy are hanging out in front of Pigsy’s noodles. Wukong and MK fall directly onto Sandy’s truck while Macaque grabs onto Y/N creating a portal below them that slowly pushes them back up to the surface once they fall through it. One of the tires bounces off the newly demolished truck landing right in front of Sandy and Mei before the same sword falls off somehow hitting the tire to which Sandy makes a disheartened noise

“ MK! Good-a you to show up for work-” Pigsy says “ 8 HOURS LATE!”, MK laughs nervously as he rushes down from the truck. “ Yeah, we have to go.” MK warns, “ Does that have anything to do with the ominous cracks being back?” Tang questions pointing to the sky where a large crack appears. “ It's okay, we've got a plan.” Wukong assures putting an arm around MK, “ Oh, do we?” Macaque scoffs “ We don't even know if these magical pillars healing stones exist!”. He and Wukong growl angrily starting to get in each other's faces but Y/N steps in between them forcing them apart and MK walks a few steps away. “ What if going after the stones is just another tricky plan by some tricky plan demon?” MK questions worriedly and his voice finally gets Macaque and Wukong to stop trying to kill each other “ Like if this is exactly what they want.”. He lets out a defeated sigh hanging his head, “ What if we really are chaos?” He asks quietly.

“ MK. You are not chaos” Y/N says feeling sad for him before walking over to him putting an arm around him, “ Listen bud, the only thing I know for sure is I don't trust anyone who isn't standing here right now.” Wukong says trying to comfort him “ If those stones are important the safest place for them is with us.”. “ Uh, what stones?” Pigsy asks confused, just then many of the celestial portals appear in the sky above them. “ Feels like we’re still missing some pretty important information.” Tang says nervously

“ We’re sort of on the run from the celestial realm.” MK says nervously rubbing the back of his head, “ What?!” Pigsy yells. “ We can explain everything.” MK says, at that moment beams of light come down from the portals and the group is surrounded by celestial guards. “ Later! We can explain later!” MK says anxiously.

“ Probably wish you hadn't smashed up Sandy's new truck right MK?” Mei asks appearing next to him, Mk makes a questioning noise looking over to the demolished truck. “ Oh!” he says taking out the staff “ here comes Monkey Kid!”, he brings the staff down onto the truck and uses its power to rebuild the truck which sends out a wave of energy that blasts the guards several feet away. “ Everybody in!” Mei yells pointing to the newly rebuilt truck, Y/N and MK take off following after her. The sound of Wukong yelling in pain stops Y/N, MK, and Macaque in their tracks only for them to turn and see him on the ground with his face contorted in pain and Li Jing behind him using the power to activate the pain crown.“ Wukong!” Macaque yells worriedly, “ No!” MK and Y/N yell rushing to his side. Y/N steps in front of him protectively while MK checks to make sure he's alright, and after a few seconds MK starts phasing in and out of his monkey form again. “ I suggest you back away from us now.” Y/N warns glaring at him angrily, “ This foolishness is over” Li Jing says

Before he can open the portal to Pagoda Macaque appears in front of him pushing his hand out of the way to separate the connection to the pain crown on Wukong, “ Kid. Go save the world.” Macaque says as a portal opens up below them and they start to sink through. “ What? MK says in surprise, “ No” Wukong and MK yell trying to move through the portal to get to him. “Macaque!” Wukong yells just before they fall through right into Sandy’s newly rebuilt truck that is speeding away from the city.

MK looks out of the window just in time to see the purple-ish shadow figure disappear. “ He’ll get away right?” MK asks looking to Wukong expectantly “ He always gets away.” he says “ Right?”. Wukong looks down sadly and doesn't say a word, Y/N puts an arm around him allowing him to rest his head against her/him/them to recover from the pain. “ Even if he's trapped in the Pagoda for now, we’ll find a way to get him out.” Y/N assures. Wukong slowly ends up nuzzling his head into Y/N’s neck before falling asleep exhausted for the pain inflicted by the crown.

[darlingsnow0]

hehe Katniss avox one shot that sucks ass

Katniss felt her body jolt back as sparks from the arena flew. Was peeta ok? Was he thrown back by the wave that had just went over the arena? Peeta, the name repeated in her name while she slowly faded into sleep, or unconscious? Could she say death? As her head and eyes got foggy so did the name but it stayed with her, stayed with her till she couldn’t remember.

As Katniss woke up the first thing she noticed was the faint smell of roses and blood and the doctors surrounding her. Was she excepting Haymitch? Or maybe peeta? Was her mother here or prim? They were both doctors, they should be here. No, a voice in her head says, no they shouldn’t be in the capitol. Was she in the capitol? She had to be, the smell of roses and blood, president snow, wouldn’t be in district twelve and neither would the capitol doctors crowding around her be either.

The dull pain in her mouth..what is it? Has she bitten her tongue? Why can she not feel her tongue? Was she put on so much morphling that she cannot feel it anymore? Or is it even still there..is it there? Filled with a new found, but dull panic she reached for her mouth only to be blocked by bandages and a doctors hand, slowly guiding her own back to her lap. She tried to talk, even if it would be muffled by the bandages but she couldn’t only weird guttural sounds and sharp pains. Was she an avox? Had they taken her tongue? Why did she feel so calm? Her tongue had been taken, she should be panicked!

The doctor which had grabbed her hand before slowly grabbed her hand like she was some skittish stray animal. He slowly pressed the needle into her skin and Katniss let him, if she fought would she loose something else? What happened to prim? Where was prim? Or Peeta? Were they dead? Were they dead because of her?

When she wakes up again she is still in the same room and the smell of blood and roses had grown. “Ah, My dear Miss Everdeen” a voice from besides her said, she moved her head slowly and she felt herself start to shake. Next to her was President snow, clean shaven and in a velvet red suit with a prim white rose in his lapel. And she had been promoted to dear Miss Everdeen now? Wow she was really in trouble huh.

He brushed a piece of hair away from her face faster then she could flinch away. She tried to ask what happened, where peeta was or finnick or even Johanna and beetee, or if prim was still alive but all that came out was guttural sounds and slurred parts of words. Snow looked at her delighted, like this was absolutely hilarious how she couldn’t speak. “You must be wondering why you can’t speak, am I right Miss Everdeen?”

She nodded, of course she wanted to know. “Well Miss Everdeen” he started, a smile still on his face, did he get another surgery? His lips look bigger then before “you do know what an avox is, am I right?” He asked and she nodded, who didn’t know what an avox was? “then I assume you can piece together what happened to you” he said. So she had become an avox, was it because she blew out the arena? He did say some districts rebelled because of her, was that another reason? Why was she questioning that, of course it was the reason!

“Not many are supposed to know this but, you set off a full on rebellion after blowing out the arena, revealed lots of undercover rebels as well Miss Everdeen” he said, his voice calm but Katniss knew he had to be seething. She just nodded, what else could she do? He smiled at her “You’ll have to learn to adjust to your lack of tongue now Miss Everdeen” He said before standing up and tucking a white rose behind her hair, where had it come from? But his thumb was near her mouth, she could bite him, should she bite him? She didn’t answer her own question before biting down on snows hand and he pulled away his thumb quickly looking at her with a slightly surprised face, she’d never seen that before. 

“That’s quite rude Miss Everdeen, I’d expect that from a young child, someone way below your age” he said before walking out the room. She felt bad, like a child scolded by their father but snow wasn’t her father and she’s surprised she felt like this, whatever drug they gave her must be messing with her head. Once he left and the clicks of his shoes disappeared she was alone, how does she live like this now? With out a tongue? Would doctors help her? Where would she work? For some wealthy capitol family, if the hunger games continued would she work at the tribute center? Helping others she might’ve known from district twelve, she would’ve done that anyways as a mentor but maybe seeing Haymitch or Effie or peeta worst of all.

Something moved, a sound by the door and tray of food was there. She slowly climbed off bed and walked over to the tray, a bowl of liquid was there. She slowly kneeled down and scooped some up with the plastic spoon on the tray, putting the spoon to her mouth and holding it there too scared to try it. She slowly put her mouth around the spoon, the feeling of no tongue, or the lack of tongue she had gave her a weird feeling and swallowing it seem harder then normal. She didn’t know how useful a tongue could be till now. No more singing for her, a voiceless mockingjay was no good.

[queenshelby]

Yes! Mr Murphy (Rewritten)

PART 47: MAX

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Lots of Angst, Age Gap, Teacher x Student, Extreme Smut

PLEASE COMMENT AND ENGAGE!

The following day, you woke up to the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air and, as soon as you walked out of the bedroom, you saw Cillian standing by the kitchen counter, meticulously preparing breakfast. His attention to detail never ceases to amaze you; it's one of many things that attracted you to him initially.

"Good morning sleeping beauty!" he greeted you cheerfully, flashing a radiant smile your direction. 

"Morning, gorgeous!" you smiled in response as Cillian's eyes gleamed brightly, reflecting the genuine fondness he harbored for you.

You reciprocated his greeting with equal enthusiasm, basking in the warm glow of his affectionate disposition.

"Sleep well?" he queried, placing a soft boiled egg on your plate before setting down a set of cutlery adjacent to it.

"Like a log," you chimed, gratefully accepting the sumptuous meal awaiting consumption.

"Good, because we have a big day ahead of us," Cillian remarked, pouring a tall glass of orange juice to accompany your breakfast.

"Oh yeah? Care to elaborate?" you prodded and, much to your surprise, Cillian had already arranged to view at least three properties that afternoon.

"I called my buyer's agent this morning and he found a few suitable properties for us to look at today," Cillian revealed, demonstrating his commitment to ensuring you both have a comfortable home for your new family.

"That sounds great, but I didn't expect this to happen so fast. Shouldn't we wait a little longer?" you pondered aloud, furrowing your eyebrows. 

"You are pregnant, so there is no reason to delay us moving to a bigger place, right? We should make preparations sooner rather than later," Cillian argued logically, seeing that you had already agreed to move in with him two weeks ago, as part of the visa process. 

"Alright, alright," you acquiesced reluctantly, conceding to his persuasive reasoning before indulging on your breakfast. 

With each bite, the realization of impending parenthood sunk deeper into your consciousness and, slowly, but surely, you became anxious again. 

Pregnancy wasn't merely about the physical transformation occurring within your body; it was a mental, emotional, and psychological journey as well. What sort of mom would you be? Would you be able to provide a stable environment for your child? How would you manage your career aspirations simultaneously? So many questions, so few answers.

Seeing your distress, Cillian attempted to comfort you, squeezing your hand lightly under the table. "Hey, everything's gonna be fine, remember? We're doing this together," he reminded you, a concerned expression marring his otherwise jovial demeanor.

"I know, but I never expected to be in this situation. My mother gave me up when we came to America and I wonder what it will be like for me to have my own child. I might not know what to do or maybe I won't cope," you admitted honestly, staring blankly at the empty plate in front of you.

The thought of becoming a mother, particularly when you hadn't experienced it firsthand, frightened you somewhat. But, at the same time, you couldn't deny the overwhelming longing inside you, eager to nurture and care for your offspring.

Gently, Cillian brushed your hair aside, exposing your neck. Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss on your pulse point, whispering sweet words of encouragement into your ear.

"You'll be perfect, Y/N. You will be a wonderful mother," he assured you, his tone soothing and comforting.

The warmth of his breath against your skin relaxed you somewhat, alleviating some of the pressure mounting within. You exhaled deeply, surrendering to the safety offered by his unwavering support.

"Thank you," you whispered sincerely, your grip tightened around his hand.

"For what?" Cillian questioned, genuinely curious about the source of gratitude emanating from you.

"For believing in me," you clarified, smiling weakly just as Nina barged through the front door along with Danielle, startling you both. 

"They got Kit! They arrested her!" Nina exclaimed excitedly, rushing towards Cillian with her phone clutched tightly in her hand.

"Where?" Cillian asked eagerly, jumping up from his seat and snatching the phone away from Nina. He scanned the screen quickly and saw a message from the Gardai officer who was in charge of the investigation against her.

The message itself was vague but stated that she was arrested in Galway and will now be charged with assault against Nina. 

Cillian read the message over and over again, disbelief evident on his face while you ran your hand over Nina's shoulder to comfort her. 

"Are you okay?" you asked her quietly, your tone laced with concern. Nina nodded, unable to form coherent words for several seconds.

"I'm glad that she's behind bars," Nina managed after regaining composure. "She deserves everything coming for her."

Danielle stepped forward, her gaze fixated on Cillian. "What happens now?" she enquired, her voice trembling slightly. "With the press I mean," she continued, and Cillian hesitated before replying cautiously.

"I don't know yet," he said. He looked thoughtful for a moment, his forehead creasing slightly. Finally, he turned to Nina. "Have you told anyone about the incident?" he then went on to ask and Nina shook her head, avoiding eye contact, embarrassed by the memories resurfacing.

"We'll deal with it when the time comes," Cillian interjected, taking notice of Nina's discomfort. He closed his eyes briefly, collecting his thoughts.

"With your upcoming press engagements in the US, this could turn into a shitshow," Danielle pointed out, voicing fears that lingered in Cillian's mind. However, the question remained whether any information about Kit assaulting Nina had leaked to the media.

"Maybe we shouldn't press charges," Danielle suggested tentatively, meeting disapproving looks from everyone present.

"No. If I don't stand up for myself and others involved, people like Kit will continue victimizing others," Nina spoke up bravely, addressing her mother directly. "Despite, the public needs to know the kind of person she really is after what she did to dad," Nina went on to say, causing Cillian to shake his head.

"Don't worry about me, sweetheart. I can handle the press, but I want to keep you out of it. You should press charges against Kit, but you should not talk to the press about it, alright?" Cillian insisted, placing a protective hand on Nina's shoulder.

"But then people won't know the whole truth," Nina protested, fidgeting uncomfortably under his touch.

"Unfortunately, sometimes that's exactly how it works, but it doesn't matter. I don't care about what people have to say about me and neither should you," Cillian sighed heavily, attempting to alleviate the burden weighing down on Nina's shoulders.

Nina gazed at her father intently, absorbing every word he spoke. She paused momentarily before mustering resolve. "Okay, I understand," she said, managing a weak smile while Danielle pursed her lips carefully, mulling over the implications of such a decision.

"I will take Nina to the station then," Danielle announced resolutely, gathering her belongings before telling you both that it would probably be better for Nina to stay with her for the next two weeks in case the press gets wind of this, which was something Cillian agreed with.

Cillian himself had to travel for work in the coming days, promoting his movie Oppenheimer which was scheduled for release in less than two weeks and, whilst you had hoped for Nina to keep you company at Cillian's apartment for an entire week during which he was gone, you understood why it would be better for Nina to be with her mother during this time. 

Unfortunately for you, you could not come with Cillian to his premieres as your immigration status made it impossible for you to leave Ireland while a new visa was being processed.

As much as you wanted to be by your partner's side, supporting him during these crucial events, you had to settle for staying put in Dublin and watching the live streamings online instead.

Luckily, you had plenty on your plate to occupy your mind and spirit, especially after receiving some unexpected news from the doctor earlier that week and, with that in mind, after you went shopping for real estate later that day, you also went shopping for a qualified and experienced obstetrician.  After all, you wanted nothing less than the best for your baby and, considering Cillian's status, getting an appointment was not exactly difficult. 

Thus, the following day, you made your way to meet Dr. O'Reilly, the highly recommended obstetrician known for providing exceptional prenatal care.

***

Your heartbeat quickened as you neared the imposing building housing the clinic, apprehension knotting your gut.

"You're going to be fine!" you murmured inwardly, willing yourself to believe those reassuring words.

Finally, you summoned strength, pushed open the heavy doors leading into the reception area with Cillian in tow. 

The space brimmed with women at different stages of pregnancy, accompanied by partners or friends offering moral support.

Despite the crowd, a sense of camaraderie permeated the atmosphere, fostering feelings of unity among mothers-to-be.

"My nerves are shot," you confided nervously into Cillian's ear as you both sat down in the waiting room. 

He grasped your hand reassuringly, his thumb rubbing circles on your knuckles.

"Take a deep breath," Cillian replied calmly, peering downwards at your belly which had not grown yet, although he begged to differ. "You're doing brilliantly," he then reassured you and you swallowed thickly, forcing yourself to focus on anything but the agonizing minutes passing by.

Eventually, you were both called into the consultation room where you met Dr. O'Reilly, a distinguished woman with graying hair and an empathetic gaze.

Her presence immediately instilled confidence in you, prompting you to relax marginally.

You exchanged pleasantries before settling down for the examination portion of the visit.

Dr. O'Reilly handled the encounter professionally and attentively, discussing your medical history and asking relevant questions concerning your pregnancy which, unsurprisingly, she categorized as high risk. 

"Now, I can see that you work as a dancer for play at the Abbey Theatre, correct?" she enquired politely, referring to the information you provided beforehand.

"Yeah, I perform four nights per week," you confirmed, shifting uncomfortably in your seat, feeling self-conscious.

"Well, you need to cease your employment immediately then, I am afraid," Dr. O'Reilly informed you bluntly, observing your reaction closely.

She noticed your sudden intake of breath and added sympathetically, "I understand it may seem drastic, but the demands of dancing coupled with the stress of advanced training will jeopardize your health and the wellbeing of your unborn child. Your pregnancy is high risk due to the surgeries you have had earlier this year and, quite frankly, I am surprised that you fell pregnant in the first place," the doctor informed you. 

"Wait," you objected, raising his hands defensively. "Couldn't we get more tests done, or consult with a second physician? Surely there has to be a solution that allows me to continue working?" you asked, but Dr. O'Reilly shook her head decisively, unmoved by your pleading while Cillian stiffened visibly beside you, clearly perturbed by the unexpected development.

"There isn't. In fact, continuing with your dance routine increases the chances of miscarriage dramatically," Dr. O'Reilly explained patiently, scrutinizing your face for signs of comprehension.

"But what about modifications? Can't I adapt my routines somehow?" you persisted stubbornly, reluctant to relinquish your performing ambitions without a fight. You knew that the consequences of disobeying the doctor's orders would likely result in serious repercussions for both you and your growing fetus. Yet, the prospect of abandoning the stage filled you with dread.

"Y/N, listen," Cillian interrupted gently, reading your restlessness. "It's only for nine months and you can take it back up afterwards. I will stay home with the baby if you want me to so that you can go back to work," Cillian offered generously, trying to ease your worries.

However, the idea of putting your entire career on hold was unthinkable, especially since you were gaining traction in the entertainment industry.

"Cillian, I appreciate your offer, but I don't want to abandon my dreams so easily. There must be another way," you implored earnestly, gripping his arm tightly.

"Y/N, you know there isn't," Cillian responded firmly but compassionately and, immediately, you stared down at your stomach, caressing it tenderly. Inside, your tiny bundle of cells grew stronger, unaware of the challenges lying ahead. As painful as it was, you knew that giving up dancing meant embracing a future beyond the lights and applause. 

"Now, do you want to see your baby?" Dr. O'Reilly prompted kindly, sensing your inner turmoil.

Cillian reached out and squeezed your hand encouragingly, spurring you to nod affirmatively.

With a gentle push, Dr. O'Reilly guided you onto the exam table, positioning the ultrasound machine above your abdomen.

"Here we go," she hummed happily, applying gel onto the transducer probe before sliding it across your tummy.

The grainy image appeared on the monitor, showcasing the dark void of the abdominal cavity and the vivid outline of your uterine wall.

You watched curiously as Dr. O'Reilly maneuvered the wand effortlessly, adjusting the angle until a black orb emerged from the shadows.

"This is your yolk sac," she introduced, pointing to the circular structure nestled amid swirling patterns resembling a cosmic landscape. It seemed almost unreal to contemplate the existence of another human thriving beneath your skin.

"And here," Dr. O'Reilly indicated proudly, directing your attention toward a tiny blob illuminated by a brilliant light.

"Your embryo!" she exclaimed excitedly, tracing the silhouette with her index finger before turning on the sound of the machine. 

A steady thump echoed throughout the room, mimicking the rhythmic cadence of life itself.

"That's your baby's heartbeat!" Dr. O'Reilly declared joyously, sharing a knowing glance with Cillian as you pressed your palm against the monitor, marveling at the miracle unfolding before your very eyes.

"Is it too early to determine the sex?" Cillian ventured delicately, a hint of curiosity sparking in his eyes.

"Yes, it is still too early to tell. We shall try our luck at the twenty-week scan though," Dr. O'Reilly affirmed with a warm smile, adjusting the dials once more.

You listened keenly to the amplified heartbeat reverberating through the speakers, savoring the precious moments spent admiring the magic hidden within your womb.

You glanced sideways at Cillian, whose eyes mirrored a profound blend of awe and tenderness. His fingers intertwined with yours, strengthening the invisible bonds forming between you and your child.

"I can't believe that we are actually going to be parents" Cillian whispered, his voice hushed reverentially.

"Me neither," you nodded, swallowing hard as tears welled up in your eyes. This was real—a living, breathing entity connected to you in ways you could never have imagined.

"I love you," you breathed out to Cillian softly, patting your abdomen lovingly.

"I love you too," Cillian murmured back, running his fingers across your lower back. The pair of you were lost in a world of happiness mixed with fear and uncertainty about the future. It was a delicate balance that required constant nurturing.

***

In the days that followed, Cillian encouraged you to step away from dancing and focus on yourself and the baby before heading to London to promote his new movie. 

By that time, you had found a house, one you both liked and, instead of working, you made plans to design and decorate the classical home which you both fell in love with.

After all, the property needed some renovation before you could even think about moving in but that suited you just fine. Not only could you use your creative skills to make the house feel like your own, but you could also fill the time until the baby arrived with meaningful activities.

To begin the project, you searched Pinterest for inspiration and then spammed Cillian with photos while he was away. You had ideas for the living space and a nursery already and, whilst Cillian wanted to replace the dated kitchen, you did not consider this to be necessary.  

Instead, you planned to bring in rustic wood countertops, reclaimed barnwood accents, and farmhouse sink, blending old-world charm with modern functionality.

Every morning, you woke up early enough to grab your laptop and sit on the floor, sketching ideas and brainstorming potential designs while Cillian was busy doing interviews. 

Sometimes, you would send him a photo of your sketches and, surprisingly, he would reply promptly with his opinions and suggestions before, one day, at around 4 o'clock, just as you were chatting with Cillian over the phone about plans for a nursery, his son Max arrived unexpectedly, barging through the door.

Having just turned 17, Max usually did his own thing and, since he moved in with his grandmother in Cork a few months ago to attend a special music school there, you had not seen him. 

"Max," you gasped in surprise, jumping up from the cushions you had spread out on the carpet, wondering how much he had heard about your conversation.

"You are fucking pregnant?" Max blurted out as you hung up on his father. He stood motionless in the doorway, eyes glued to the spot where you had been sitting only moments before. "Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. 

"Uhm...listen...it's still early and we wanted to wait to..." you stammered, flustered by his abrupt arrival and wondered what he thought of this unexpected news?

"You really played that well, didn't you," Max interrupted your sentence harshly, taking a few steps further into the room, and narrowing his eyes suspiciously. 

"Played what well, Max?" you asked, confused by his outburst. "None of this was planned," you went on to say before being cut off again. 

"Yeah, right," Max scoffed, shaking his head skeptically. "And now you are all set up, aren't you? A nice house, not having to work and, maybe, when he can finally divorce mum, he might even marry you. Well played," he said sarcastically, casting doubt on your sincerity.

"I swear to God, Max, I..." you began to hastily defend yourself, startled by his allegations and wondering whether he thought that you were simply after his father's status and wealth.

"I can promise you that things aren't like that," you then told him but were interrupted once more. 

"Oh, sure," Max retorted dismissively, rolling his eyes skeptically. 

"Where is dad anyway? I need to see him because I cannot live with grandma anymore. She is too fucking strict," 

Max whined, shuffling closer to you with his guitar case hanging low from his shoulder.

"So, you came to Dublin alone? What about your classes?" you asked, wondering if he missed them or skipped out entirely. "Does your nan know that you are here?" you also wanted to know, hoping that she would not be worried about him. 

"Fuck classes and fuck her," Max snapped impatiently, striding past you towards the fridge, opening it and grabbing a cold drink. He gulped loudly, leaving half of it in the bottle before slamming it on the counter.

"What's wrong with your classes?" you pressed, concerned that he might lose valuable opportunities.

"What do you care? You aren't my mother," Max retorted sharply, scrunching up his nose in disgust. "Despite, I am not going to take advise from someone who is barely older than me," he challenged, shooting you a bitter look.

"Max, I'm sorry, but you need to be reasonable here...." you started, searching for the right words in response to his accusations. 

"I need to reasonable? Me? Fucking reasonable?" Max chuckled. "You are 23. You are pregnant with my dad's kid after a couple of months? He is 47 for Christ's sake," Max spat out venomously, slinging words full of anger at you like stones hurled from a catapult.

"Max, please, calm down..." you pleaded, desperate to break through his defensive shell, but he wouldn't have a bar of it. 

"Just shut up, alright?" Max grumbled gruffly, turning his back in defiance, by which point you had enough. 

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but you've got it all wrong," you seethed, jabbing a finger in his direction. "This was not part of some master plan, okay? I fell in love with your dad, plain and simple, and suddenly we ended up pregnant. That's it!" you shouted, waving your arms wildly for emphasis. Your heart pounded furiously in your chest, threatening to burst free as anxiety consumed you. You feared that he wouldn't buy your explanation and would label you a gold digger or opportunist.

"I swear, Max, I genuinely love your dad," you tried to convince him, holding your breath, praying that he would trust you before suggesting driving him to his mother's house.

"I am not going to her house. If you don't want to be in the same room with me, then you leave. This is my apartment," Max huffed, swinging around to face you, jaw clenched tight and it was at this point that you couldn't take it anymore.

"You know what Max? I can't do this right now," you spat out, turning abruptly and storming towards the front door.

"Where are you going?" Max demanded, snapping at your heels like a pack of wolves cornering their prey.

"I'm leaving, just like you asked" you growled defiantly, struggling to maintain composure before grabbing your belonging and barging out through the front door.

Tags:

@sunbeamseas @saint-ackerman @oatmealisweird @naxxsstuff @amanda08319 @r-m-cidnah @elysiannook @cillshot @infireddabdab @tastycakee @harrysbestiee @lilybabe22 @adalynlowell @henrywintersdearestgirl @ietss @thatgirlthatreadswattpad @ryiamarie @axionn

@heidimoreton @nela-cutie @futurecorps3 @delishen @nosebleeds-247 @thirteenis-myluckynumber @gills-lounge @hjmalmed @lost-fantasy @tiredkitten @sidechrisporn @smallsoulunknown @charqing-qing @hopefulinlove @aporiasposts @shycrybaby @me-and-your-husband @hjmalmed @lacontroller1991 @galxydefender @aporiasposts

@galxydefender @hunnibearrr @saint-ackerman @lunyyx @gentlemonsterjennie1 @ihavealotoffandomssorry @nadloves @lost-fantasy @nolucesn@mcavoy-girl @hjmalmed @bloodybagels @obeyme4life @richiesgroupie @blushykiss @tatumrileyslover @teawithsatanx @orijanko @rhaenyra4ever @xcinnamonmalfoyx @budugu @nadloves @kmc1989 @bloodybagels @obeyme4life @richiesgroupie @forgottenpeakywriter

[the-hole-in-terzos-shoe]

The Papa You Belong To

Papa Emeritus III (Terzo) x Assistant Reader (mostly GN but with feminine Italian pet names)

Warnings: a little cussing, a little spiciness at the end, but I think that's it 🥰

Word Count: 2.0k

This was inspired by the monthly challenge prompt we have going in the discord, and since I have Terzo brainrot lately, here ya go, ghesties!!!! The prompt:

"It definitely wasn't love at first sight, but you were starting to see them in a new light..."

(Sorry I don't remember where I got the photo EEEEE!!!! Please feel free to credit the original poster if you know where it comes from!)

"That 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥!!!" you shout, shoving your face in your hands in frustration.

"Hey! How could you talk about Papa like that?!" your friend scolds you.

"Because it's what he is, damnit! He's infuriating! Selfish, conceited, cocky! You try being around him all day and see how you feel at the end of it," you huff.

"You're being ridiculous. You should be grateful to have such a position! Being Papa's assistant? Do you know how many people at this Abbey would kill to be in your shoes?"

"Just because it's a good position doesn't mean I can't be frustrated over it," you remind your friend. And you really can't believe the way they're acting over this right now. Why can't they just take your side on this? It's not like they'll get brownie points for standing up for that idiot; he's not even here right now! Plus, don't they realize there's a reason the last assistant left?!

𝘚𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥.... 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘰𝘣? 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐'𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭?

You sit at your desk, still stewing over what had turned into an argument between you and your best friend the night before.

• • •

"I'm out for lunch," Terzo calls out, walking past you but stopping before closing the door behind him. He pops his head back in and asks, "Shall I bring something back for you, cara?"

"No, I'm okay. Thank you," you respond, voice sounding about as small as you feel.

The moment the door clicks closed, your resolve breaks, sobbing out all your feelings from the night before. The frustration over this job, over 𝘩𝘪𝘮, and now feeling like no one is on your side.

𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘮𝘱��𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳'𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶-

Hearing the door handle jiggle, you sit up, sniffling and attempting to wipe the tears from your cheeks... but to no avail.

"Mi scusi, I forgot my-" Terzo pauses upon seeing your red and puffy face. Quietly whispering your name, he asks, "Why do you cry, tesoro? Are you hurt?" He comes right over, taking your hand and kneeling next to you.

"Just my feelings," you scoff, rolling your eyes. "Don't worry about me, Papa, it's nothing," you try to dismiss his concern.

"Nonsense, Sorella, you can tell me anything. I can't have my assistant in a bad mood, sì? Nothing will get done; it will be a total mess," he offers you a small smile.

You give in, chuckling a bit at his flattery. "It- it's just my friend, Papa. I went to them about something that was bothering me, and they didn't take my side. They played the devil's advocate, if you will, and they told me I was being ungrateful... It just bothered me. We've never butted heads like that before."

"Hmm, I see," he says softly, squeezing your hand. "I face this with i miei fratelli all the time..."

𝘖𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮.

"They always think their problems are bigger than mine, so they act the way your friend has. Perhaps your friend has something hidden beneath the surface they haven't revealed, hm, bella mia?"

You couldn't believe your ears. Terzo and your friend take each other's side really well for only having met in the confessional. Squeezing your eyes shut, you fight back more tears, feeling defeated.

"Oh, no, no, no, I've said the wrong thing... Please don't cry, dolce ragazza. What can Papa do to help?" He scrambles to get you a tissue, moving to sit on the edge of your desk in the process.

"It's okay, Papa," you take the tissue from him, wiping your cheeks, "Maybe I'm being unreasonable..."

"Not at all, my child. Let us try again, okie dokie?" He gently lifts your chin with his fingers, "Tell me what is bothering you, what you went to your friend about."

You avert your eyes, pursing your lips, "I'm not sure you want to hear about that..."

"I'm sure I've heard much worse," he chucks.

You toss the idea around in your mind... Perhaps you could just talk to him directly about his behavior. He's a grown man and maybe it would do him some good to hear your criticism. Or worst case scenario, you'll get fired, which is fine because you were already going to quit.

Drawing in a deep breath, you look up at him as calmly as possible, "It was, well... It was about you."

A rare occurrence, Terzo falls silent, his eyebrows quirking up awkwardly as if that was the last thing he expected you to say.

"I know it's my job to be your assistant, and I know that you're Papa, the most important person in our church... But you act so arrogant; you can be condescending sometimes. It's very hard for me to support someone who isn't being a great leader to others," you pause, searching his eyes, when you decide to continue, whether to save face or because you need to say it, you aren't sure, "I've seen how kind you can be, in the way you check on me or ask me if I want anything for lunch, but that should be extended to everyone in your flock, Papa, not just those close to you."

There's a long pause while Terzo mulls over your words. It's difficult not to fill the silence with more explanations, but you remain quiet, having taken his gloved hand at some point and gently rubbing his knuckles.

"You are right to be upset, cara mia... I have been an insufferable asshole since becoming Papa. You deserve better from me, as well as the congregation. You've seen right through my act, making myself out to be harsh like il mio fratello... or at least in an attempt to follow in his footsteps," the last part comes out quietly as he hangs his head, clearly feeling shame over the way he's acted. "Ovviamente, I have a very valuable asset in you, tesoro; not many people can find it within themselves to be so forthright with their Papa."

You stand up in front of him, tears threatening you again over seeing him so vulnerable. Mere inches from his face, you assert in a hushed tone, "You don't have to be like your brother to be a good Papa." Surprising even yourself, you lean forward, tucking your arms under his in a hug.

Gently, he wraps his arms around you, pressing your bodies firmly against one another. When his soft lips leave a quick peck on your cheek, your whole face flushes, and you feel an urgent need to change the subject. "I'm really sorry I made you late to your lunch, Papa," you offer, straightening up and smoothing down your blouse.

He laughs, having forgotten about it entirely, "Is okay, amore, we order takeout, sì?" Heading over to his desk in the next room, he picks up the desk phone, hooking it on his shoulder.

"You mean I'm not fired?" you ask, leaning against the doorframe to his office.

"Of course not, cara mia," he mutters with a smirk before firing off several entrees to the person on the other end of the line.

• • •

In the following weeks, Terzo became insufferable for an entirely new set of reasons, such as the way a stray lock of hair falls on his forehead when he's working, the tone of his arms when he rolls up the sleeves on his expensive button down shirt, the dusting of chest hair when he leaves the top few buttons undone...

He'd had a complete attitude shift, and it had really lifted everyone's morale around the Abbey. Work was getting done earlier in the day, which meant more free time for all the Siblings; everything was sparkling clean and people were kinder to one another. It was as if springtime had come to the ministry, even without a shifting of seasons.

"You know, cara, I never properly said grazie for setting me on the straight and narrow," Terzo says, not looking up from the work on his desk.

Today, you're on the leather loveseat by the window in his office, sorting through things that need to pass over his desk. Perking up at the sound of his voice, you smile at him as he tosses a glance at you over his shoulder, that natural scowl making his eyes really pop.

Reaching into a desk drawer and shuffling around some papers, he pulls out a small velvet bag, before shutting the drawer and pushing the chair from under his desk. Slowly, he stands, waltzing over to sit next to you.

He looks so handsome like this with his shirt untucked, hair lazily swept back, a softer demeanor than he carried before; this more at-ease look suits him well.

"Amore?" he gets your attention, the nickname bringing a bit of a blush to your cheeks. Smiling softly, he offers you the purple drawstring bag.

"Papa... I can't take this. I was just angry and being a bitch..." you mumble. Although Terzo had done a complete 180 these last few weeks, you still felt bad for what you'd said to him, the way you had complained about him.

"Little bird, it was not easy for you to say what you said to me. It was not easy for me to hear it. But you were right, and you've made me a better Papa for my congregation." He pauses, fiddling with the small pouch, "And I hope... I hope to be seen as a better man in your eyes. So take this, please."

Upon his second try, you take the velvet pouch, face softening at his words. Pulling the drawstring open, you're met with a medium sized leather jewelry box, and inside a necklace he had made just for you. The charm was made to match the embroidered Grucifix that adorns the suit coat he wears on stage, with a beautiful little faceted amethyst in the center. "Terzo..." you breath out.

The use of his name makes a smile tug at his lips, and he leans forward to cup your cheek with one hand as the other tucks some hair behind your ear, "So everyone will know which Papa you belong to."

You look up meeting his eyes, "Thank you, Papa," you whisper. In another beat, you've placed the necklace in his hands, turning your back to him and scooping your hair up so he can clasp the necklace on you.

"There," he mumbles, kicking his foot up onto the couch and sliding you back between his legs.

The feeling of his chest against your back and his hands on your waist has your heart speeding up; you'd never been close to him like this before. When you feel his warm breath next to your ear, whispering words of how beautiful you look in the necklace, your head is spinning.

Carefully, as if you'd scare him away, you place your hands on his thighs that encircle you, squeezing lightly.

Wrapping his arms fully around you, he places a delicate kiss to your neck, just below your ear. When you let out a sigh, that's his sign to continue.

Your eyes flutter closed as his lips explore your sensitive skin, until you can't take it anymore. Suddenly, you turn your head, catching his lips against yours.

His hands roam your body, heat quickly rising between the two of you. As his fingers lace with yours atop his thigh, he slides your hand back, creeping slowly up his thigh to land on the stiff bulge in his trousers. "Look what you do to me, amore," he nips at your ear, earning a wanton moan from you.

"Papa..." your voice quivers, "Show me who I belong to."

[ink-and-dagger]

what do you think astrid’s thoughts on the young silco/felicia (jinx and vi’s mom) dynamic would be? what are YOUR thoughts.

i lowkey thought the scene was gonna reveal that silco or vander was the girls biological father 😭😭

My thoughts are that looking fondly at someone doesn’t automatically equate to romantic feelings - and to me that scene didn’t read as there being anything beyond friendship going on between Silco and Felicia. (Could be wrong there of course, only act 3 can tell us for sure). There were moments during which it felt as though there might have been something going on between her and Vander though. A few meaningful glances between the two that could suggest that he’s Vi’s biological father. Although that being said, if that were the case I think we would have seen a much bigger reaction from him when she dropped the news - even if he was trying to hide it from his face, it should have been more obvious to us, the viewers.

To be honest, my feelings about that whole scene are very conflicted. On the one hand I loooooved seeing young Silco and getting to witness him in a moment of relative domesticity and peace. And his smile? Absolutely melted my heart. But outside of that the whole scene felt tropey and contradictory. I don’t know if even the writers knew what they were attempting to achieve with it. For me, it didn’t actually answer any questions about what went wrong between Silco adn Vander, and if anything raised more questions that I’m concerned will never be fully addressed or resolved.

It’s hard to tell what Astrid’s thoughts would be because I don’t know enough about Felicia to know how deep a friendship between her and Astrid would go. But at her heart Astrid is a girls girl - she’d have a sisters back first and foremost and wouldn’t get in the middle of anything going on.

So yeah, those are my thoughts. I think people in fandom have a tendency to read too much into it when a character is looking at another character, but it’s important to remember that we are all neurodivergent and not everyone/character has issues with eye contact lmfao

[glitter-gummy-bears]

Danny Phantom & Naruto crossover idea

As Minato collapsed into the dirt alongside his wife, gaping holes in both their middles, all he could feel was a strange relief. They saved their home. They saved Naruto. Their son was safe.

His relief soon turned to confusion though. He wasn't entirely sure how long it took for someone's soul to be eaten but he's pretty sure it should have happened by now. Was the Reaper just taking it's time? Perhaps it wanted to draw out the pain for as long as possible before tearing his soul out.

Glancing back at the hulking figure Minato felt what was left of his stomach drop. The beast, once a huge menacing shadow with glowing green eyes, (eyes that were brighter then even the purest healing chakra) was shrinking. Soon it was no bigger then a genin, the shadows fell away to reveal a disturbingly human form.

It hovered in the air in an almost groggy way before snapping to attention! It looked at Minato 'This is it...' the young Hokage thought as the creature flew straight at him.

Much to Minato's surprise the creature didn't immediately snatch his soul, instead opting to frantically fly around him and Kushina making destressed noises in what had to be an unknown language.

The creature, much to Minato's horror, reached for Kushina.

"NO!" He yelled with all his remaining strength, "Don't touch her! I'm the one you want!"

The creature jolted at Minato's yelling then turned to him. Finally it spoke for the first time.

"D-don't... be scared," It said slowly almost like it was trying to remember what the words meant. "I'm going to help you."

The last of the shadows fell away and Minato was met with the face of a child. A child who's tears were falling freely from his face.

He reached out to both fallen shinobi engulfing them in a green energy Minato recognized as healing chakra. Although he'd never felt it this cold before.

"I don't understand," he gasped out feeling his lungs and heart stitch themselves back together. "Aren't you here to eat my soul?"

The boy's tearful face twisted into disgust, "Why would I want to do that? Look, just stop talking this is harder then it looks."

When Kushina felt her eyes fluttered open she wasn't expecting to see her husbands relived smiling face next to her own, she definitely wasn't expecting to see a flying teenager with glowing eyes healing her wounds.

"W...what's happening?" She slurred, "Wh... Naruto!" Her arms thrashed around trying to force the rest of her body up.

"Hey! Calm down! Your wounds will reopen!" The glowing boy yelped.

"I don't care! I need my baby!"

The boy quickly flew out of sight only to return with a familiar bundle. "Look he's fine! You can relax he's safe."

Kushina felt a new wave of tears, her baby was okay. And so was she apparently?

"You saved us." She concluded, looking at the strange boy.

"Yes, you'll both be fine now. But you might not wanna move around too much for a few weeks." The boy said with a tired chuckle. He leaned down and placed Naruto between the two of them.

Instinctively, Kushina reached over to place a hand on her baby and felt the tips of Minato's fingers against the blanket. He smiled at her. It was a messy, watery, bloody smile and she never wanted it to end. They were alive. Their son wasn't alone.

"Thank you."

The boy blushed green and shifted awkwardly. "Uh, you're welcome."

"I still don't understand why you helped us," Minato said looking at the boy, "You didn't have too."

The boy looked confused now, "If you can help someone then of course you have to, that's what I think anyway."

Before either of the two could respond a wall of green cut through the air. The boy made his way towards it, "Hopefully the next time we meet will be under better circumstances. Oh, and congrats on your baby!"

And with that the teen disappeared.

What did he mean by next time?

[rings-of-power-realm]

RopWeek2023

Favourite Dialogue

ALL OF IT but I'm gonna put some of my favourites here ♡

(not in any order, features all episodes LONG POST)

"Even stone cannot hide the mark of one whose very hand is flame unquenched." Galadriel

"There is a Tempest in me!" Galadriel

"Put up your sword. Without it, what am I to be? What you have always been. My friend." Galadriel and Elrond

"I have said it already. A hundred times over, in every way but words." Arondir to Bronwyn

"We do have our secret names, for use only amongst ourselves. And we reveal them only to family. Wives, parents, sisters, brothers. Elrond...Save it, Durin. For the far side." Elrond and Durin

"Look, we don't slay dragons. Not much for diggin' jewels.But there's one thing we can do, I warrant, better than any creature in all Middle-earth. We stay true to each other. No matter how the pathwinds, or how steep it gets, we face it, with our hearts even bigger than our feet. And we just keep walkin'." Nori Brandyfoot

"You're staying for dinner. He's leaving. He's staying. He's leaving!" Disa and Durin

"So great were his deeds that the Valar lifted him beyond the bounds of this world...To forever carry the Evening Star across the sky." Elrond

"You remember what you used to say? When you would hold me in the dark? Would you say it to me now? In the end, this shadow is but a small and passing thing. There is light and high beautyforever beyond its reach. Find the light... And the shadow will not find you." Bronwyn and Theo

"It is a tradition among Elves. Before the battle begins, plant one. New life, in defiance of death? It is believed that one of the Valar watches over growing things... And those who tend them.The rest...we shall plant after the battle is over. In a new garden. You and I." Arondir

"Perhaps your search for Morgoth's successor should have ended in your own mirror." Adar

"We do not say goodbye. We say namá...Namárië." Elrond and Durin

"The missus will be waitin'. Now, if you don't mind, I'd just like to sit a while, watch the Sun come up." Sadoc Burrows

"Where there is love, it is never truly dark. How could it not grow in a home like yours?" Elrond

"I'm good." The Stranger

"I alone can see your light. You would make me a tyrant. I would make you a queen. Fair as the sea and the Sun. Stronger than the foundations of the earth. And you. My king. The Dark Lord. No. Not dark. Not with you at my side." Halbrand/Sauron and Galadriel

"There's a sweet smell on the air this way. When in doubt, Elanor Brandyfoot...always follow your nose." The Stranger (Gandalf)

"Why does everyone I love the most always have to go away? You're my best friend in this whole wide, wild world. I'd do anything for ya." Poppy Proudfellow

"Hope is never mere, Elrond... even when it is meager. When all other senses sleep, the eye of hope is first to awaken, last to shut." Gil-Galad

[the-fiction-witch]

It's Nothin'

Media Godless

Character Whitey Winn

Couple Whitey X Reader

Rating Smut

Kinktober day 20

Kinktober concept Pregnancy Kink

Smut Pregnancy kink / full sex/ raw sex/ eating out/ breast sucking/

I hummed myself a gentle tune for me and my little bundle of sweetness as I headed across the dusty streets of Labelle in the dry New Mexico heat. My wicker basket in hand as I hopped up the little splintering steps up onto the porch of the sheriff's office quickly opening the door and heading inside. I saw the inside was much as usual with the deputy whitey Winn laid in the sheriff's chair half asleep his hat on the table but the sound of the door had woke him making him sit up straight glancing around a moment before he saw me and immediately his smile widened

"Y/n!" He gleamed getting up from his seat and scampering around the desk to come see me "what are you doin' here little darlin'?" He smiled resting his hands on my hips and giving my lips a soft kiss

"I wanted to come visit"

"Naww that's awful nice of ya darlin' but ya should be back home restin'"

"Whitey I can walk into town every so often it's alright" I remind him "you can't expect me to be shut up in that house forever"

"I suppose, just be careful. We don't want nothin' bad happenin' now do we?"

"I'll be careful I promise" I smiled giving him a kiss

"Alright then, how's things been then?' He asks returning to the desk and his chair

"Fine, I brought you some pie" I smiled taking my basket over for him

"Naww aren't you sweet, I knew it was a good idea marryin' ya" he winked egarly taking the pie tin "oohh cookies too!"

"Well I haven't seen much of you lately what with bill away and all'

"I know, I'm sorry darlin' ya know if be home if I could. Besides I work all the hours now I'll have plenty of time off for when baby comes" he smiled having himself a cookie

"Speaking of which?" I giggled taking my basket now empty setting it on the deputy desk to give him more space "look at little bug" I giggled stroking my dress and holding under my stomach to reveal just how much my bump had grown

"Getting big now"

"It's a lovely little bump" I giggled happily showing it off but then I noticed him, sat at the desk his elbow on the desk his cheek in his hand in his other hand a cookie that has was happily eating with a dark sly smirk across his lips "what?"

"It's nothin'" he says looking away a moment

"Whitey, come on tell me. What are you looking at me like that for?"

"You wanna know?" He sighed leaning back in the chair

"Yes"

He rubbed his face a moment before leaning in the desk again "it ain't easy to explain darlin', but... ya look really sexy pregnant"

"What?"

"I think somethin' about seein' ya pregnant is kinda hot" he shrugs

"Really?"

"Yeah"

"Whitey I look like I'm stealing a watermelon, my feet are so swollen I'm wearing your boots, I don't even remember the last time I saw my pussy"

"I don't know why, I just think ya look sexy like this"

"Is it because I'm carrying your child? Is it a breeding thing?"

"I don't think it's a breedin' thing that's more just being into jizzin in ya, which I admit is also really fun. But I don't know something about seeing ya like this kinda makes me hard" he smirked "Come here my little darlin'" he smirked

I giggled and went over letting him pull me onto his lap

"Hum look at ya," he smirked "umm I think I know one reason ya look so good, ummmm fuck these" he smirked grabbing my breasts fondling them rather hard where they had been growing so much "there gettin so much bigger, and firmer." He smirked kissing down my neck "umm will ya let me little darlin'?"

"Let you what whitey?"

He bit his lip a little pulling on the neckline of my dress with his index finger "I wanna suck on ya big swollen tits" he growled

"Whitey!"

"Come on baby ain't brin yet I want a go on them"

"No! What if I start leaking again"

"Wouldn't that be a shame"

"Whitey that's gross!"

"Fine, but as you and your cute little bump have made me so hard, least you can do is get me off darlin'"

"Alright whitey," I smiled going to move to my knees but he stopped me

"Ah ah ah. As much as I do love your mouth darlin' Its all I've had since ya got pregnant, it's not like I can get ya pregnant again" he chuckled "come on let me raw dog that pretty pregnant pussy"

"Whitey!"

"What?"

"I've never heard you talk like this"

"Ya ain't ever been pregnant before" 

"Well... alright just be gentle" I told him stroking my bump

He smirked and pushed me down on the desk, he kissed my lips rather aggressively then my chin, then down my jaw, he kissed down my neck, down my chest before stopping to pepper kisses on my swollen stomach, before he simply pushed open my thighs tossing the skirt of my dress to the side and beginning to merciless kiss and suck on my clit I did my best to hide my pleasure but he never let up even for a moment giving me little escape from his torment and the slight tickling of his hair against my skin he clearly loved it often looking up to watch me he became faster and more intense using his tongue to toy with me even further. he slipped his fingers inside me finger fucking me in time with his sucks and kisses leaving me to whine from the overwhelming pleasure that washed over me hitting my orgasm but merely continued as of nothing had happened but he held my ankle in a tight grip preventing me closing my legs and as I had already came I was oversensitive meaning my second came through quickly too this was enough for him to pull back with an evil grin as he looked down at me as I gasped he smirked playing with my hair a little before he undid his belt shoving down his pants and slipping himself inside me which made us both moan loudly he held my thigh keeping my leg around him as he began his merciless pace I wrapped my legs around him tighter and clawed my nails into his arms as my body desperate for one last release, I hit my wall of pleasure doing my best to cover my scream with my hand he kept going becoming harder and faster then ever before until atlast he reached his high burying himself deep inside me resting his hands on the desk to take a breath

"Fuck-" I gasped

"You really are sexy pregnant" he smirked giving me a small kiss. 

[skullsnbruises]

hello i have decided to become fully cringe so here is uh uh uh my bugbo vore fic, i am, just a litol guy. sob sob ue ue ue soung of crying i purpsefully didnt wanna put much effort into this cause idk i feel silly /neg

i apolgize in advance </3

[Ao3 Link]

Taglist: @poprockpanda @brick-a-doodle-do @local-squishmallow @dingbatnix @da3dm

(i am cringe but free)

(967 words) [attempted murder]

Gradient Joe carries Gerbo and Bugbo on opposite shoulders, walking casually as they enjoy bugsummer. Gerbo sways his many limbs joyfully as he enjoys the scenery, and Bugbo smiles, social battery recharging from the day’s events. They all remain silent, simply taking in their environment spending time together. It’s a pleasant moment, but nothing good lasts forever.

Suddenly, the world is shaken as another being drops down, thud as his legs met the ground. The flyswatter person raised his arms to the sky, loudly announcing, “IT IS I, ONCE AGAIN!”

Bugbo’s antenna twitched impatiently, “Who are you again?”

He stuttered, taken aback, “YOU- Thomas Flyswatter, your enemy! How many times will you forget me?!”

Gerbo frowned, “We were enjoying our time alone…” “NOT ANYMORE!” Thomas screeched, pulling out a weapon of some sorts, “I’VE FOUND THE PERFECT WAY TO EXTERMINATE YOU PESTS! And this time, I won’t let you get away!”

Bugbo grimaced, “Leave. We don’t want you here.”

The flyswatter laughed maniacally, “MWAHAHA, yes! Be annoyed, and now-” he readied the gun, “Be destroyed!!”

“Joe,” Bugbo didn’t need to give any instruction, as Joe swat the gun out of Flyswatter’s hands. 

Thomas stared down defeated, “HOW?? No need- you can’t best me that easily, I have ANOTHER!” Then he proceeded to pull out a bigger gun. He struggled to hold it, and his body quivered under it’s weight, but it was aimed directly at Bugbo’s head.

Again, Joe simply swiped the gun from Thomas’ grasp, and crushed his hopes again.

“Excellent job, Joe. Now, let’s leave.”

Gerbo cheered, and Joe turned around and started to walk away.

“WAIT!” Thomas interrupted them once more. They dejectedly looked back at the ‘fiend’. 

“THIS ONE WILL SURELY WORK! NOW, prepare to die, you bug… bo!” He brandished a much smaller handgun, and pointed it at his nemesis. 

Joe’s gray flickered, and he scooped the ant and spider into his palm now, lifting the bugs to his face.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING??” 

Suddenly, Joe’s sphere head opened up, and a hidden mouth was revealed, lined with pointed fangs.

“Oh my,” Bugbo glanced over the teeth, observing with a studious expression, “how unpredictable.”

Gerbo oohed, “Joe does have a mouth?”

Then, like nothing, Joe popped the two into the newfound mouth, and then the sphere shifted back to normal.

Bugbo and Gerbo peered around the new space. The inside of Joe’s mouth… head?, was gradient just like the outside. The roof being the lightest, slowly fading to the throat being black. The opening laid in front of them, and they were pushed closer and closer to it as Joe’s tongue prodded the bugs back.

Bugbo raised an eyebrow, “I’ll really have to communicate boundaries with Joe after this.”

“I’m scared, Bugbo!” Gerbo frowned, wrapping limbs around a flushed Bugbo.

“Gerbo. Touching,” he scolded, making the spider keep his legs to himself, “And there’s no need for that. Remember that Joe is our friend, and we should keep trust in him, even in odd scenarios like this. All will be explained in time.”

Gerbo thought, “Oh, you’re right, Bugbo. I’m sorry for doubting Joe!”

The ant nodded, “Excellent. Now, time to figure out a way out of this uncomfortable position.”

They were jostled around as, presumably, Joe was walking. Distantly, and muffled, the bugs could hear Thomas Flyswatter shouting, something about begging Joe to come back and let him kill Bugbo. At least they didn’t have to deal with that mild annoyance now. As the screaming grew further away, and eventually to a halt, Bugbo assumed it was now safe to be outside, and knocked on the inside of Joe’s mouth as if it were a door.

“Joe? Let us out now.”

Obviously, no response was given, but the exit did not reappear either.

“Did you hear me, I want out.”

Now, the dark tongue was pushing once more, shoving the bugs around the space and drenching them in saliva. Gerbo whined as he was swished around, bumping into a grumpy Bugbo occasionally. Bugbo was pinned underneath the wet appendage and he felt unpleasant inside, an odd hard-to-identify feeling in his chest. Then, the bug could hear a swallow, followed by Gerbo’s cries. 

Bugbo groaned, “Joe. You’re meant to let us out, not swallow Gerbo.”

The spider was already gone, supposedly now in Joe’s stomach. Bugbo was surely next, and the ant felt at the very least annoyed with how the day was turning out. He tried to picture what Joe was thinking, what his reason for this was. Very little came to mind, but a few explanations were dug out of the baffling situation. 

Joe was protecting him from that forgettable fiend. But he was supposedly gone now, so what was the point of this?

Joe had betrayed their friendship and was going to kill him and Gerbo. Incredibly unlikely.

Now that they were away from whatshisname, Joe wanted to return to their parallel play, and this was simply the safer option now, with whoeverswatter stalking them.

That last one made the most sense.

Bugbo gave up fighting, and let the muscle play around with his body, rolling over him and pressing Bugbo to the back of the gradient throat. He sighed, letting Joe swallow him down past the esophagus and into his stomach.

He met Gerbo inside the organ, and the spider was curled up between his eight legs, looking quite sad. Bugbo attempted to get his comfort words around for him, “Stop frowning, Gerbo. It’s fine.”

“But, we got eaten!”

“Yes,” Bugbo adjusted himself in their new room, “but it’s fine. We can go back to our quiet time.”

Gerbo stared down in deep thought, “Okay, Bugbo.”

“Well, this was annoyingly eventful. I’m glad we can rest once more. I’m taking a nap, goodnight Gerbo.”

The spider smiled, “Goodnight!”

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Dragon Reborn! Chapter 21: A World of Dreams

I really need to stop using Duck Duck Go for looking up images for this franchise because it is terrible at it and not only that but when I gave up and thought "Why not just get a picture of a mobius strip" and typed that in, I got a lot of porn, which is exactly the sort of thing you don't want to be looking up at work. Spoiler alert: I could get fired. Oh and also spoilers for the whole book series or whatever.

A new chapter icon! The twisted ring refers to T'A'R in general, but especially when being accessed by ter'angreal. It's in this chapter because, you know, we're getting it.

Verin had her quarters above the library, in corridors used only by a few other Brown sisters.

This is an accurate description of "on the floor exclusive to the Brown Ajah", but it feels a bit of a weird way to say it so I'll suggest Jordan's not quite there yet.

She rapped on the door, and entered hurriedly on the heels of an absentminded “Who is it? Come in.”

Ten bucks says Verin knew exactly who it was and not just because she'd summoned Egwene.

She recognized the names of some constellations—the Plowman and the Haywain, the Archer and the Five Sisters—but others were unfamiliar.

Being as the stars move around over thousands of years and the Earth has an axial procession of 26,000 years or so, I'm making absolutely no guesses as to any of these. The Archer and the Five Sisters may well be Orion and Cassiopeia after all, or they could be a mix of Scorpius, Libra, and Lupus. Heck, maybe two of the Pleiades exploded for some crazy reason.

What appeared to be a stuffed brown owl, not much bigger than Egwene’s hand, stood on what seemed to be a bleached white lizard’s skull, but could not be, for the skull was longer than her arm and had crooked teeth as big as her fingers.

I don't remember offhand if crocs are totally extinct in the west or if they're actually doing just fine on the southern coast and Egwene is oblivious because she's a country bumpkin. Does anyone?

What does it say? It is a direct translation, mind, and reads almost like a bard reciting in High Chant.

Verin my perfect angel I am calling bullshit. It is not a fucking direct translation because the sentences "Betrayer of Hope. Ishamael betrays all hope," would be fucking redundant to the point of incoherence in the Old Tongue unless there's some kind of proper name marker we don't know about.

Everything that is known about Liandrin and the women who went with her. Names, ages, Ajahs, where they were born. Everything I could find in the records. Even how they performed in their studies. What we know of the ter’angreal they took, too, which isn’t much. Only descriptions, for the most part. I do not know whether any of this will help. I saw nothing of any use in this.”

Verin had to be extra careful here because she can't give away any Black Ajah secrets, so only stuff that was public could be shared safely. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if she, like Elayne, knows that the information that is useless individually is still useful in aggregate.

What if Verin was Black Ajah herself? She gave herself a shake. She had traveled all the way from Toman Head to Tar Valon with Verin, and she refused to believe this plump scholar could be a Darkfriend. “I trust you, Verin Sedai.”

Dammit Egwene, your instincts are so good you should go with them. Both of them! (I think Verin is flattered by the trust and it's probably one of the reasons she's so casual in her Black Ajah reveal later, knowing Egwene won't blast her to pieces and will in fact listen.)

“Very good. But the Pattern may be even more complex than that, child. The Wheel weaves our lives to make the Pattern of an Age, but the Ages themselves are woven into the Age Lace, the Great Pattern. Who can know if this is even the tenth part of the weaving, though? Some in the Age of Legends apparently believe that there were still other worlds—even harder to reach than the worlds of the Portal Stones, if that can be believed—lying like this.” She drew more lines, cross-hatching the first set. For a moment she stared at them. “The warp and the woof of the weave. Perhaps the Wheel of Time weaves a still greater Pattern from worlds.”

I can't help but feel that Jordan initially planned to do more with this cosmology and then ultimately set it aside for being too much on top of everything else.

“Paradox, child. The Dark One is the embodiment of paradox and chaos, the destroyer of reason and logic, the breaker of balance, the unmaker of order.”

At the least though, this is setting up Egwene's eventual conclusion that belief and order bring strength.

Nothing? Of course it has something to do with it, child. The point is that there is a third constant besides the Creator and the Dark One.

This seems to elevate T'A'R a little much. It's not its own entity like the other two are, but exists only because of the Wheel and would vanish alongside everything else if time ever were destroyed. Good for Verin for not being one of those annoying perfect infodumpers.

“You have no time to wait, child. The Amyrlin has entrusted a great task to you and Nynaeve. You must reach out for any tool you might be able to use.”

A valuable life lesson and way of thinking a person should adapt for any task in front of them, great or small. Just saying.

The ring certainly looked like stone, but it felt harder than steel and heavier than lead. And the circle of it was twisted. If she ran a finger along one edge, it would go around twice, inside as well as out; it only had one edge. She moved her finger along that edge twice, just to convince herself.

"Heavier than lead" is a bit alarming, considering the sorts of things that are heavier than lead. Hopefully the Aes Sedai have just twisted it up in an unseen way so that it occupies an extra dimension or something and thus has more volume than it appears.

She pushed back the sleeve of her dress, revealing a faded scar the length of her forearm. “I tried it myself, once, some years ago. Anaiya’s Healing did not work as well as it should have. Remember that.”

The sucky thing about living in a world where the dream world is realer than the reality you inhabit is that it's much tricker to undo the stuff that's so real.

Once again she considered burning the manuscript, just as she had considered giving it to Egwene. But destroying knowledge, any knowledge, was anathema to her. And for the other. . . .

Verin can't share the manuscript because it contains some degree of Black Ajah secrets, IIRC. Thus, Egwene must soldier on in ignorance.

Next time: Egwene goes to the holodeck and... uh oh! It malfunctions!