#she's the princess of the key five for a reason

[fromtheseventhhell]

I’ll never forget how insecure Stansa’s got when the Key Five was revealed, complained about it and then to cope they created the ‘Core Six’ and actually ties into their continuous stream of passing of fanon as canon and at the same time being the usual delusional bunch they’ve always been

What's really funny is that they still confidently claim that the Key Five doesn't mean anything, solely because she isn't a part of it. The Core Six is a completely fanon invention but people talk about it like it's fact. They want her to be more important than she is so badly that they're straight up ignoring the author. And yes, until otherwise stated by George, the Key Five are still a thing. Tbh I'm not sure if there was ever a time that they engaged with the source material though? A lot of them came from the show (*cough*fanfiction) so that's where a majority of their takes are coming from. That's why we get people saying things like "Sansa charmed George off the page" or "Sansa took Arya's place as George's favorite Stark sister". They just desperately want the show to match up with the books. What's annoying is that her not being a part of the Key Five doesn't mean she isn't important, but people take it as hate towards her. It's sad that the only version of her they like is her fanon one.

[wileys-russo]

spoiled rotten II a.putellas x reader

spoiled rotten II a.putellas x reader

"only me!" you called out as you stepped through the front door, immediately nearly crashing to the floor over a pair of your girlfriends sneakers she'd left laying in the way.

"alexia!" you grumbled in annoyance with a scowl, kicking them to the side and closing the door after you, hanging your keys on the hook by the door next to the blonde's.

"ale? amor?" you called out again with a slight frown, as far as you knew she should still be home. "alexia?" you yelled a little louder now, finally getting a faint response from the spare room.

leaving your bag on the counter you followed her voice, the music which was playing the reason your girlfriend mustn't have heard you in the first place.

pushing the door open all the way your eyes widened seeing the sight in front of you as your hand covered your mouth in surprise. you stifled a laugh at the serious expression which looked up at you from the floor.

"what?" your girlfriend frowned in confusion, screwdriver in hand as she tried to put together a large princess castle of sorts, clearly not winning the battle given the pieces scattered around her.

"what are you doing?" you laughed crossing your arms over your chest and smiling in amusement. "getting ready! layla comes tomorrow, did you forget?" alexia's frown deepened as your smile widened and you took a seat on the corner of the bed.

"no i didn't forget! but what is all of this stuff alexia? and when and where did you even get it?" you laughed gesturing to the abundance of new toys and clothes scattered around the spare room.

"it is things for the nena!" alexia defended as you shook your head looking through what looked to be an expensive shopping spree. "seriously? alexia she is five!" you laughed in disbelief pulling out three different pairs of kid sized dunks among a mountain of tiny clothes.

"i went shopping with mapi while you were out, not for me but for layla." alexia expressed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world as your eyes rolled at the mention of your girlfriends best friend.

"of course mapi was involved." you shook your head with a small smile. "ale. she is staying with us for a couple of weeks! she does not need all of this baby she has her own clothes and her own toys." you laughed, running a hand through your girlfriends hair who huffed.

"so that means she cannot have more?" alexia scoffed in disbelief as you rolled your eyes again affectionately. "mi amor she already loves you, you don't need to spoil her to gain that." you grinned knowingly, the blonde pulling herself up to sit on the bed next to you.

"i know!" alexia huffed with a scowl as you raised an eyebrow. "do you?" you gestured to all the bags and boxes laying around the room as your girlfriend sighed. "sí!" she laid down on the bed with a frown and arms crossed.

"mm i don't think you do cariño." you teased, poking at her sides and moving to sit on top of her, her hands instinctively falling to your thighs. "alexia she is my niece and she adored you from the moment she met you, you do not need to spoil her!" you promised softly, hands softly grasping her face.

"she doesn't speak much spanish and what if she gets sick of me? or if she can't understand me? or if something happens and you're not home and-" your girlfriend started to stress as your eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"hey! ale." you called out to gain her attention as her words fell short and your thumbs traced the curvature of her jaw.

"your english is good amor and she's a very smart kid. she's visited us before she will be fine, you will be fine, we will all be fine. better than fine! i think the person i feel most sorry for is my sister when she comes to collect her daughter and you refuse to let her leave!" you teased on a lighter note, relaxing a little as a smile returned to your girlfriends face.

"but all of this...she doesn't need it. she's been so excited to come and stay with us my sister said its nearly impossible to get her to go to sleep because its all she talks about!" you assured, nodding again to all of the presents littered around the room.

"maybe i got a little too much." the blondes cheeks flushed pink with harassment as you grinned. "oh maybe?" you mocked, alexia pinching your thigh playfully. "mapi is very convincing!" alexia groaned with a pout which you quickly kissed away.

"we are keeping mapi far away from layla, she is a terrible influence." you sighed laying down on the bed beside your girlfriend, moving your head to rest on her shoulder.

"but also maybe i might have to call her to come and build that tomorrow." you chuckled, foot pointing at the half assembled castle on the floor hearing your girlfriend scoff.

"i can do it!" she sat up suddenly and glared down at you, hair pulled up into a messy bun as you smiled. "no you can't. we had to pay alba and her friends to build all our furniture when we moved in because you couldn't do it and threw a tantrum." you reminded with a raised eyebrow.

"i did not!" alexia huffed with narrowed eyes, puffing air from her nose making you grin. "you did too, even locked yourself in the bathroom mi vida. i remember because i had to bribe you out with food, like a child." you cooed reached up to pinch at her cheeks.

your girlfriend scoffing again her hands grabbed yours, fingers interlacing and pinning them down to the mattress either side of your head.

your breath hitched as within seconds she'd climbed on top of you with an all too familiar smile, leaning down and hovering over you as her lips ghosted yours, teasingly kissing at the corners of your mouth.

"i'll have you know princesa, i am very good with my hands. but if you have forgotten bebita, then maybe you need a reminder?"

~

"baby, stop." you chuckled, your hand resting on your girlfriends knee which was bouncing up and down nervously, eyes darting around the airport. mumbling an apology you grabbed her hand in yours, squeezing reassuringly and softly kissing her cheek.

"look!" you stood and pulled your girlfriend up with you, nodding with a smile to your niece being lead toward you by two air hostesses who'd flown over with her from manchester.

your sister had been selected to attend a business seminar in new york, which as a single mother she was ready to turn down when your mother had offhandedly mentioned it to you over the phone one day.

knowing how much your sister had already given up and sacrificed, with love of course, for her daughter and knowing what could come of this for her you'd immediately hung up and called her right after.

it took a few days of convincing but finally everything was booked and arranged, layla set to stay with you and alexia for a couple weeks so your sister could attend the seminar.

layla having visited you on several occasions with your sister and family to watch games she was familiar both with barcelona and with some of your teammates having met them before despite her young age.

spotting you your neices face lit up and the air hostesses let her go, the five year old sprinting toward you with a yell of your name. "hi lala." you scooped her up into a tight hug and attacking her face with kisses, alexia thanking the air hostesses who said their goodbyes and headed off.

"tia alexia!" layla beamed as alexia's face lit up and your niece launched at her, your girlfriend tossing her up into the air and spinning her around as your niece giggled adorably and your heart melted at the sight.

"you remembered?" alexia grinned happily as layla nodded. "yeah! tia means aunty right?" the girl questioned. "it does, very good spanish pequeña ." alexia smiled so widely you wouldn't be shocked if her face split in half.

"can you teach me more?" layla asked excitedly as you followed after the two of them with a soft smile, your heart squeezing at their interactions.

"of course nena. if i can teach your aunty then i can teach anyone!" alexia whispered with a wink. "hey!" you huffed in offence as your niece giggled and alexia grinned.

"can we get ice cream?" layla asked with a small gasp as you buckled her into the car seat. "its eight in the morning lay, no ice cream!" you laughed as the five year old groaned unhappily and you kissed her cheek.

"but when we get home i can make pancakes and we can have those with ice cream?" alexia turned around from the drivers seat with a grin as your niece cheered and you shot her a look.

this was going to be a long two weeks.

~

"okay, bedtime lala!" you announced as the movie finished, both alexia and your niece groaning their discontent as you fought back the urge to smile.

"one more hour." the girl bargained, laid in your usual position against alexia's chest, your girlfriend hugging her tightly. "no, bed now." you shook your head at the request. "half hour." layla countered, crossing her arms and frowning.

"no, bed now." you repeated, smiling at her attempts.

"twenty minutes." "nope." "ten!" "no, bed now."

"nena if you go and clean your teeth now then you can lay in our bed with us and we can watch something until you fall asleep." alexia negotiated, layla nodding and practically jumping off of her, footsteps thumping against the floor as she sprinted to the bathroom.

"alexia!" you glared at her as she smiled innocently and stood. "yes?" she smiled charmingly, arriving in front of you as her hands grabbed your hips and pulled your body into hers.

"she doesn't co-sleep she's too old for that now. she sleeps in her bed and she goes to bed at nine, if i break all of em's rules and layla refuses to go back to her normal routine once she's home she won't be allowed to stay with us again!" you warned, shaking your head.

"you're overthinking it bebita, it is just one night! we're her tia's we are supposed to bend the rules a little, we're the fun ones." alexia grinned wolfishly, squeezing your hips.

"fine. she can stay in our bed until she falls asleep, then you're putting her in her own bed alexia!" you warned firmly, giving the older girl a hard look who simply smiled.

"anything for you bebé." the catalan promised with a nod, her large hands moving from your hips to gently clasp your face, lips pressing against yours feverishly as any and all annoyance at her melted away.

"i am ready!" a voice sung out from the bedroom as you pulled away, chest heaving a little and cheeks flushed red making your girlfriend smirk and you hit her shoulder, her thumb gently brushing away a small string of spit hanging from your lip.

"hurry up please!"

"you are not coming?" your girlfriend frowned as you didn't follow after her, holding out her hand for you to take. "no, someone has to clean up all of this." you laughed gesturing to the abundance of toys and books littering your living room as alexia smiled guiltily.

"so amor is it a bad time to say i told her we would take her shopping tomorrow for a new football and maybe a set of goals? a special one! one that would live here with us for when she visits." alexia backed away from you as your eyes widened, the blonde shooting off into the bedroom before you could lecture her.

around a half an hour later you'd returned your living room to its previously organised state, sighing tiredly and moving to flick the lights around your apartment off and check everything was locked up.

poking your head into the spare room you sighed seeing an empty bed, closing the door and retreating down the hall to your own bedroom.

sure enough, there they were. but unable to be mad at the peaceful sight in front of you a smile curled into your features.

alexia was sprawled out dead asleep on her side of the bed, blonde hair splayed across the pillows and lips pressed into a thin tight line, you often teasing your girlfriend that she looked angry even in her sleep.

layla was tucked into her side, one of alexia's arms draped protectively across her as the other cradled her head, her top clenched tightly in layla's fists as her chest rose and fell, mouth slightly ajar.

grabbing your phone out you snapped a couple of pictures with a shake of your head, ducking into the bathroom to brush your teeth. turning off the tv which was playing an episode of in the night garden you smiled, the tv show you and your sister grew up watching that love of it had been passed onto layla.

given alexia's protective hold on your niece and the time of night you figured there wasn't too much harm in letting her sleep with both of you for the night.

plugging your phone in to charge you slipped into your side of the bed, flicking off the lamp beside you and shuffling around a little to get comfortable.

always quite a light sleeper it didn't surprise you when alexia groggily lifted her head up, blinking a few times and checking you were okay.

"what happened to one episode and carrying her to her own bed?" you whispered softly, watching your girlfriends head thump back to the pillow with a guilty smile.

"i fell asleep amor." alexia rasped out innocently as you hummed, pushing layla's hair out of her face as she stirred, rolling over and gripping onto your shirt instead now as alexia shuffled a little closer.

moving so her hand rested against your hip and was draped protectively across both of you now, her head lifted again and leaned over layla to press a soft kiss to your forehead and then your neice.

"she can sleep in here for just tonight ale, tomorrow she is back in her own bed."

~

when you woke the next morning it was to an empty bed, the bedroom door closed and curtains still drawn clearly intending for you to not wake up whenever alexia and layla had.

with a tired sigh and a stretch you swung yourself out of bed, rolling your neck and tapping your phone showing the time was nearly ten in the morning.

it wasn't unusual for your girlfriend to be up early, somehow alexia managed to be both a night owl and an early bird, often staying up late when she couldn't sleep and still getting up for her morning workout.

which seemed to be what you were interrupting as you walked into the living room, a grin immediately on your face as the music playing drowned out either girl from hearing you.

alexia was stood with your back to her, layla hanging off of her arm as she giggled uncontrollably, alexia counting in spanish as she curled her bicep over and over effectively using your niece as a weight.

"good morning!" layla chirped out with a grin, alexia glancing at you over her shoulder and lowering her arm so the girl clinging onto it could drop down safely to the floor.

"good morning lala, are you helping ale with her workout now?" you laughed, dropping down ready for the hug which was launched your way, squeezing her tightly as alexia watched on with a smile.

"yeah! she said i'm the best workout partner she's ever had, even better than you." layla sung out happily before racing through your legs as you stood, heading back for the spare bedroom where most of her toys were.

"did you have a nice sleep in cariño?" your girlfriend smiled after the two of you had exchanged morning greetings of your own, sharing a soft kiss as alexia's hands wandered with layla temporarily distracted.

"you wish putellas." you grabbed them as they gently squeezed at your ass, your girlfriend only sending you a charming smile and pecking your lips again as you let her go, an insincere apology mumbled against them.

"have you had breakfast lay?" you questioned the five year old who darted back into the room, a colouring book and pens in hand which were dumped on the coffee table as she nodded.

"chocolate chip pancakes with ice cream! i was gonna save you one but tia ale said not to cause you're weird and you don't like ice cream so you wouldn't have let me have ice cream." layla shrugged, eyes focused down on the colouring book, tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she concentrated with a marker in her hand.

"layla we said that was a secret!" alexia whispered, eyes hovering toward yours with a guilty wince. "you are such a pushover! you can't fuel her up with sugar and ice cream every morning she's gonna crash hard." you warned poking at your girlfriends chest.

"but she is so cute princesa, how do you say no to that face?" alexia pointed to layla as you rolled your eyes.

"like this, no!" you warned, darting over and grabbing layla's hand which had wandered from the colouring book, about to put her marker to use down onto your coffee table instead.

~

"princessa! are you nearly ready to go?" alexia called out from the spare bedroom where she was helping layla get ready as you were doing the same, barça having a game today.

with alexia still having a question mark over her knee she would be sitting out of the squad again so she would look after layla while you were set to be in the starting 11.

"yes! five minutes." you called back trying to braid your hair as quickly as possible. "mummy says whenever she says five it means ten because she has no time management." layla parroted, sat on a chair swinging her legs back and forth making alexia grin.

"wanna know a secret nena?" alexia looked around and whispered as layla nodded eagerly. "it actually means she takes twenty minutes." alexia mumbled making layla burst out into giggles as your girlfriend tickled her sides.

"i have a present for you. close your eyes please!" alexia clapped as layla smacked her hands over her face right away and she ducked off into the cupboard, grabbing out a bag she'd hidden out of your reach and view.

"open." alexia held up the top, layla's eyes lighting up as she did. "for me?" the five year old hopped down as alexia nodded.

the top in question was a barcelona home kit with layla's name and your number on the back, something alexia had custom made the moment you'd informed her of the potentiality of layla coming to stay.

"thank you!" the girl almost tackled alexia as the catalan stumbled but ran a hand affectionately through your nieces hair with a soft smile. "gracias tia." layla corrected, alexia melting even more that the spanish lessons were paying off.

"you are very welcome pequeña."

~

"look! there she is." alexia pointed you out on the field as the game commenced and you were stood talking tactics with ingrid and ona for a moment before the whistle blew and you all darted back to position.

"can i please sit with mapi?" layla asked hopefully, looking to at alexia whose lap she was currently stood up on, your girlfriends hands carefully holding her steady.

"are you bored of me already lala?" alexia pouted playfully as the five year old shook her head and quickly turned, throwing her arms around the captains neck.

"i'm not i promise! but aunty n/n said mapi is a chatterbox. and because i like to talk i should sit with her so we can talk together because you like to watch football and not talk." layla explained adorably as alexia's lips curled into a smile.

"i like to watch but i also like to talk to you nena." alexia poked the girls stomach causing her to giggle and push her hand away. "but mapi really likes to talk, sometimes too much." alexia whispered the last few words, pulling a face as the girls giggles doubled and your girlfriend carefully placed her down on the ground.

"hola mapi!" the tattooed defender looked down surprised as layla appeared in front of her, tugging on her pants as mapi picked her up and settled her on her good knee. "hola pequeña. look at you speaking your spanish, getting very good!" mapi complimented with a smile, having met your niece on nearly every visit she'd had to see you.

alexia glanced over a few minutes into the game, still careful to keep an eye on the young girl but she smiled seeing her and mapi chattering away, jana having swapped seats with frido so she could join in.

"mm is someone getting broody capi?" irene smiled knowingly from on her other side, alexia's head whipping around to the side as her ears flushed red.

"no." she frowned, face hardening as her arms crossed and her eyes moved to watch the game again. "oh sure ale, sure."

~

"lay be careful!" you yelled with a wince as mapi and layla took off on a running race towards the car, ingrid yelling the same warning to her girlfriend who was not long back to walking after her surgery let alone if she should be running right now.

"she is fine princesa, no wrinkes." alexia teased from beside you, smoothing out your eyebrows with her thumbs and stealing a kiss before you could retort anything back. "i think she is right to be worried, mapi is a big kid looking after a little kid." ingrid shrugged in agreement with a grin.

"the sleepover they're planning is not happening." you shook your head firmly as alexia chuckled and draped an arm over your shoulders, pulling you into her side.

sure enough despite the pouts and whines from both girls you and ingrid were in agreement their little sleepover was not happening, at least not tonight.

so with a secret handshake they'd apparently made up during the game exchanged between them mapi whispered something in her ear and took off, blowing you a kiss at the glare you shot her way for whatever it was she'd said which seemed to have given the five year old uncontrollable giggles.

buckling her into her seat you closed the door, your girlfriend waiting by your door to open it for you as you cracked a smile and pecked her lips in thanks.

"i told you mapi was a bad influence." you poked at her chest with a raised eyebrow. "you are lucky alba is away for the month, she would be a worse influence mi amor." alexia warned, closing the door after you and darting around to her own side.

"can we have pizza for dinner please?" layla asked eagerly as the blonde slid into the car beside you, both of you turning around in sync.

"yes." "no."

you and alexia answered in unison, turning to meet one anothers gaze as you raised an eyebrow at the opposing words.

"yes." "no."

again you disagreed, your eyebrow shooting higher as if daring your girlfriend to challenge it again. though for once it didn't have the usual affect as alexia repeated herself before you could speak and layla cheered.

when you didn't argue alexia smiled thinking all was well as she started up the car and layla began to chatter away about the game and how much fun she had, again petitioning she be allowed to have a sleepover soon with mapi.

though when the taller girl tried to settle her hand on your thigh as she normally would when driving and you immediately brushed it off and refused to meet her eye, she realized that maybe things weren't all that fine after all.

her suspicions were confirmed when you all returned home and the frosty behavior continued, any attempt at affection or a conversation brushed off as your attention was focused solely on your niece.

but once she was settled on the lounge distracted by tv was when you seemed to soften a little, tapping your girlfriends shoulder and nodding for her to follow you out of the room.

"mi amor i-" alexia immediately spoke as you stepped into the hallway out of earshot but still with layla able to be in your sights, but you held up a hand silencing her.

"this isn't fair." you started, crossing your arms across your chest with a frown as alexia's face flashed with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "what is not fair?"

"the good guy bad guy routine." you huffed, eyebrows furrowing deeper in displeasure. "i do not understand." alexia frowned herself as you sighed.

"alexia you keep making me have to be the bad guy. you spoil layla and say yes to anything she wants, then when thats not in her best interest i have to step in and say no and you get to be the fun one and im the stick in the mud." you scowled unhappily as alexia's face softened.

"bebita i did not mean to." alexia promised, hesitantly reaching for your hand and relaxing a little when you allowed her to take it, bringing it up to her mouth and placing a gentle kiss against your knuckles.

"but you did! you have to say no sometimes too. when we have kids i can't always be-" you cut yourself off, cheeks instantly flushing red at your words as you tried to pull your hand away but your girlfriend clung on tighter.

"finish what you were going to say amor." the blonde requested softly as you tried to read her face, and finding no real clear answer you sighed, alexia having an incredibly effective poker face when she wanted to.

"i don't want to always have to be the bad guy and be resented for it while you get to be the good guy that always says yes that they go to for everything, that's not fair." you finished quietly, eyes avoiding alexia's.

"hey, precioso look at me please." her spare hand gently nudged your chin up. "no! its embarrassing." you buried your face in her shoulder instead as she dropped your hand and wrapped you in a hug.

"no its not amor. i have been thinking about it too." alexia admitted as you pulled your head away and looked up at her. "really?"

"sí. about if we had a baby, what everything would be like with one of our own around all the time." alexia admitted softly as you reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"maybe its something that we can have a real conversation about? if you want to." alexia hurried to add on as now you smiled with a nod.

"yeah, i think i really want to amor." you promised, alexia's face lighting up as she pulled you into a feverish kids, all the words unspoken flowing through the intimate action.

but you both suddenly pulled apart at the sound of a loud crash. "maybe we get through these two weeks and then we talk?" alexia corrected as you nodded with a small laugh.

"no princesa, i have this one. you be the good guy!" your girlfriend assured as you tried to move past her, letting go of you and hurrying back to the living room.

"layla no! you get down from there right now. vamos!"

[fraugwinska]

Whoop - There it is! :> Glad to be back, folks! It's been too long, but I finished this behemoth of a Oneshot (7.1 k words FTW!) and I can't wait to see what you're thinking! Riding Alastor? ✅ Rut/Heat? ✅ NSFW? ✅ (Sorry minors!)

Thank you to @macabr3-barbi3 and also @ritualofcirice for encouraging me throughout the writing process - I'd still be rewriting and overthinking if it wasn't for you! <3 ILY

“Alastor, again?! Seriously, this has to stop. Look at the poor girl.”

“Oh Charlotte, don’t make an elephant out of a house fly – she knows it’s all in good fun, don’t you darling? No hard feelings, hm?”

You forced yourself to smile, although it must’ve looked strained, as you were still trying to get your tail to depuff.

“He’s right – no harm done, Charlie. It’s fine.”

Of course, it was anything but fine. Your whole system was still dialed in on the danger you had felt yourself in not two minutes ago. You should’ve been used to it by now. But you weren’t, and your feverish, nervous state you had been in lately didn’t help either.

Alastor had found sick pleasure in tormenting you since the moment you stepped foot in this cursed hotel.

You came after speaking to Cherri one night in the shady bar you worked at the time, not really believing that you could actually be redeemed but what she promised you’d find there: That the people there were weird but actually bearable to be around and lodging was free. The prospect of quitting your job, freeing yourself from that lewd, ambiguous boss of yours that also happened to be your landlord with a tendency to let his eyes linger too long on all the wrong places was too tempting to pass. Cherri’s latter statement was right, the room you were provided was almost as big as your flat, and the princess refused any compensation… even the meals were free. And for the first five minutes you thought her first one was, too. Charlotte Morningstar, daughter of Lucifer himself, welcomed you with open arms, and the other residents were a quirky, eccentric but still mostly friendly and fun bunch. But then it had begun – small at first, bolder by every passing day.

Alastor’s insistent, relentless, illogical bullying.

You knew about the radio demon, of course. You were neither naïve nor stupid - despite some acquaintances of yours would beg to differ - having heard and read too much about him not to be respectful yet distanced. Wary, but polite.

You were both woodland creatures, although he, despite being a deer demon, normally a prey animal, in a hilarious twist turned out far more powerful, dangerous and predatory than you. A fox demon, slender, clever and with an air of elegance and mystery around you – well, at least on the outside. The only thing you shared with your animalistic form was that you had a quick-witted, although very scattered, mind. You were a klutz, often speaking before thinking, getting yourself into trouble more often than being able to think or talk your way out of it. But you had been careful to tame that loose tongue of yours around him, not wanting to get on his bad side. And you weren’t, not in that literal sense.

You had barely introduced yourself, your new room key in hand and following the deer that enthusiastically offered to guide you to the right floor “as a good host would”, when you felt your foot being grabbed and twisted mid-step, making you tumble down a full flight of stairs. The grinning demon remained standing on the top, looking down on you with glowing eyes and a smug smile while you struggled to stand back up, your ankle sharply throbbing with pain. “Oh my, seems you are a flight risk, my dear.” He had said with a low chuckle, and if you’d usually reason that this incident had just been due to your general clumsiness, the deep satisfaction you could see in his eyes as you limped back up the stairs made it apparent that this wasn’t the case here.

From then on, stranger things just appeared to happen to you. They were slight nuisances at first, like getting locked in rooms that didn't even have keyholes or following stairs leading into nowhere, ending up in you getting exceedingly lost or terribly late to Charlies exercises, or furniture simply collapsing underneath you during dinners or get-togethers. Those incidents always were inconspicuously accompanied by the presence of Alastor, who appeared seemingly out of nowhere and with some kind of casual joke he cracked at your misfortunes, but there always was something about him that told you these so-called jokes were in a way maliciously aimed at you, more thinly-veiled accusations more than lighthearted antics.

As time went by his efforts became less discreet - he tried less and less to hide the fact that he was the cause of your various misfortunes. Things you carried with you disappeared, just to land into his hands... always personal, embarrassing stuff that he theatrically and loudly announced to anyone near before giving it back to you. "You surely didn't mean to drop this, darling, though I must say that sage green doesn't suit you at all." he had purred one time, twirling some lacy piece of underwear of yours in his hands when you had retrieved your laundry to carry it back to your room, holding it just long enough out of the reach of your panicked attempts to snatch it from him so that the whole lobby could stare in interest, pity or amusement before he finally let it fall into your hands. You were tripped even more, his shadow blatantly laughing at you from under the feet it was holding to make sure you'd fall, and his obviously faked tutting at it with that devious smile of his stung even more than the words that came with it.

"Now, now, don't look so affronted, my dear - what's a harmless prank between friends? No hard feelings, hm?"

That became a catchphrase of his - a question not so much directed towards the victim but an exclamation directed at everyone present to assure them that everything happening was harmless and perfectly okay. And you always played along.

Truth was - despite rhyme or reason – that you were infatuated with him. His witty sense of humor, that mischievous grin that set off so many alarm bells yet was oddly charming, the power and knowledge he was carrying inside him that showed on how effortlessly he handled any situation... maybe it was because he was almost everything you were lacking that you endured his relentless teasing. In addition to the respect you had for the older demon's dangerous side, the little flicker of hope in the corner of your mind that he might someday turn from 'funny but cruel' to just 'fun' if you'd prevail long enough was too strong and it became easier every day for you to try not to be bothered with each new stunt Alastor would pull, hoping that today would be the day where something in the impenetrable brick wall that seemed to be him would crack, allowing your real self to show through and find some acknowledgement in his eyes.

What had just occurred, however, had you question that hope tremendously. You had felt hot and feverish since yesterday, suspecting you'd maybe coming down with something. But as much as you tried to avoid the others as to not spread whatever disease you were cooking up, you seemed to keep running into them.

Not all of them, just the men, though.

New residents, delivery men, even Husk and Angel seemed to smell you from afar. They popped up everywhere, and you thought yourself delusional when they stood unusually close to you, were uncomfortably touchier and their eyes more intense and even hungry when they stared at you as you practically fled from them with the excuse of getting sick. The only one who kept his distance for once was Alastor, who you only saw once, with a twitching grin on his face and a dangerous aura of his shadows around him that seemed to flicker with dark energy when Julius, one of the newest hotel guests, had cornered you and put one of his bear paws much too low on your hips, suggesting to get a drink with him to cool you off. Though you had a feeling that the radio demons glowing eyes continued to stalk you, even without seeing him again. You had decided to skip dinner and just go to bed, hoping that whatever was happening to you, it'd be over by the morning.

But the night didn't bring any relief, you just woke up in more sweat and short-breathed exhaustion, filled with a dreading sense of anticipation for something unknown to you, as if your body was in constant alert mode. After checking the time, finding it close to breakfast and your stomach twisting with hunger, you made your way downstairs, hoping it was early enough for the others to still sleep and to catch Charlie alone and talk to her, not knowing how to describe the feelings you had felt but sure that somehow the hellborn princess could tell you what the hell was wrong with you. But as soon as you turned corner on the first landing base, you had felt it - electricity in the air.

In the blink of a moment, the floor became dark and gloomy, shadows creeping out from the growing void’s fraying edges, and instinctively you turned on your heels to practically fly down the hundreds of steps just in time before the deafening screech hit your ears. Every strand of your copper fur stood on its root as you panted, flaying yourself around another corner and watching a beast with familiar, yet obscurely twisted and long antlers crash into the wall behind you in frenzied pursuit. For one second too long you were frozen in place, realizing two things.

One: That it was Alastor that was chasing you.

And Two: That as soon as you knew it was him, your body reacted with a sudden wave of heat and ache, the thought of fleeing completely wiped from your mind but instead turning as if to throw itself into his waiting claws.

The momentum of the crash made him swipe at you, and without that one second too long that you would’ve needed to react, you didn't have time to dodge it. Instead, you had lost balance and fell backwards down the stairs, the impact on the tiled marble floor of the hotel lobby so loud it had Charlie and Vaggie rushing out of the kitchen and hurry towards your shocked and sprawled out, but miraculously unharmed form.

"Are you sure you're okay? You’re burning up…" Charlie asked, her hands gently rubbing the back of your neck as both women helped you back up.

"You look pretty rough..." Vaggie added, her brows furrowed. You were sure you looked like a complete mess - your hair sticking out in all directions, your tail bristled, your shirt damp and the fabric clinging to your flushed body, your pupils blown and your breath shallow.

"I-I'm fine, it's just a little fever. But, listen-"

A hand on your shoulder made you instantly mute, long, red tipped claws digging slightly into the thin fabric of your shirt, not breaking through but still stinging the flesh underneath. Its heat soaked like hot oil through the cloth down into your skin, burning its way deep into your core.

"How about I escort you back to your room, darling, as my way of apologizing for my little... shenanigans. We wouldn't want your current state to... affect the others. Does that sound reasonable?"

His voice was sickeningly sweet, almost too innocent, the smile on his face wide and his eyes twinkling in almost a warning that only you caught. From the corners of your eyes you saw Vaggie turning red with anger and ready to blow up at him, and Charlie, worriedly fidgeting with a conflicted face. If you'd stay silent, the girls surely would take you out of his grasp safely. You could escape him. Any logical mind would take that chance without second guessing, especially after what happened just mere minutes ago.

"That'd be nice, Alastor."

The walk back to your room was tense and quiet. His hand had left your shoulder, and the coldness it left behind made you want to wince. Your mind was still fuzzy and your body aflame, but as you climbed up the stairs, his tall figure close behind you, the space between the two of you suddenly felt much too large after the novelty of actual, physical contact. It just occurred to you that indeed, he had never touched you before - the pushing, shoving and teasing all done by the sentient extension of his shadow companion that followed him everywhere he went. But he had never directly touched you - until now. Innocently enough, and yet you couldn't seem to shake the weight of the ghostly hand still present on the dip of your neck. The thought alone made your tail shiver, and the sudden realization made your legs move faster, the tension in the air almost suffocating.

Reaching your door, you take a deep breath. The air around you smelled musky and thick, a scent that you could've sworn wasn't there before, and the feeling of his looming presence behind you almost makes you dizzy. You turn the key with slightly shaking hands and turn as you open it, expecting him to make a snide remark and say his goodbyes for now. Instead, you don't even get to move your head before his hand returns, this time on your lower back, to all but shove you into the room, followed by him, and the loud thud and click told you he'd closed it shut and locked it, the chiming of your key on the keychain shrill in your ears.

"You seem to be in quite the predicament, my dear."

He hummed, taking slow, deliberate steps towards you, and as much as your instincts told you to back away, the fire inside you had flared up and you stood still, waiting, anticipating.

"Your little display yesterday was a nice touch. A little too theatrical, perhaps, but not everyone has the natural talent for drama like I do, hah!"

He chuckled, coming to a halt barely a foot in front of you, his eyes gleaming with something you had seen before, but couldn't name. You swallowed hard, trying to keep your voice level.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Oh, don't play coy now, little vixen. You weren't really discreet in your search for a willing mate, but I thought you'd at least show some decorum not to flaunt your pheromones like this." You stared at him, a bit dumbfounded and the gears in your brain turning much too slow.

"...Mate? Wh-what pheromones? What are you talking about, Alastor?"

He blinked, tilting his head. His gaze was piercing, and yet you could've sworn he had a hard time keeping it on you, as if he wanted to look anywhere but at you. "Don't tell me you don't know?" he purred, a dark smirk pulling at his lips, a slight glimmer of the yellowish hue of his sharp teeth showing from behind them.

"How quaint. I'm afraid I didn't take into consideration that you are not the type to make yourself acquainted with the hellish form you took on. Why, you're in heat, darling. A very... desperate and needy one, at that."

You were unable to speak. You had known that something was off yesterday, when the men started crowding around you like vultures, their eyes hungry and their approaches over-eager, but not once had the word 'heat' come up in your mind. You had been in Hell for not even nine months, not exactly long enough to really explore all its nuances and differences. You had only heard the term 'heat' being used before in relation to animals – which, in hindsight, you technically were, in a way. Your ears and cheeks burned and your head was swimming, your tongue like a dry piece of sandpaper in your mouth.

"H-how did you... why did you..."

Alastor sighed, taking a few steps towards the windows. "As I said, darling, you weren't very subtle. And neither were the buffoons that stumbled over their own feet trying to make you choose them. The smell of a vixen in heat is hard to resist, after all." His head fell back, and the expression he wore when he looked at you was both frightening and intoxicating. "And the scent that clings to you is absolutely divine."

His words made you blush and shudder, the ache between your thighs growing so embarrassingly strong you quickly tore your eyes from him and looked at your hands that were fumbling with your damp shirt. He hadn't even touched you, but your body was already begging for him, as if it knew his presence would be the solution to all your suffering. Why were you reacting like this to him, and not the others that had swarmed you yesterday? It made no sense, none of it did.

"Why were you chasing me, then?"

The question escaped you before you could bite your tongue, and he turned around, a brow raised but his smile wider now and the smug amusement that was so habitual of him returning to his eyes .

"Well, my dear, you were running."

He laughed at your expression of shock and dismay, obviously proud of himself as you opened your mouth and closed it again and again, no words leaving it. You watched him raise his hand up as a means to silence your inevitable ramble, to stop you before you were even able to find something to say. "Although I have to admit that I quite lost myself a bit in the heat of the moment - pun intended. Which brings us back to topic."

He was closer now. Not fully in your personal space but in the almost invisible borders between friendly distance and invading closeness, arms behind his back and a mocking grin on his face.

"Now what will you do, little vixen in heat? Unlike our earthly counterparts, demons in heat stay in it unless they've bred sufficiently - Oh no, it'll only become worse the longer it’s avoided. Do you have one of the many low-rank rutting sacks that are roaming about the hotel just for a chance to fill you up in mind to sate your needs? Most of those unworthy imbeciles would happily spread their seed into you, but - Oh dear, where's the fun in settling?"

You couldn't think straight. You knew what he was insinuating but couldn't bring yourself to truly understand and accept the gravity of the situation. It felt too much like a dream, your mind foggy with fever and every nerve and muscle in your body aching. You knew by now that your mind had chosen the one you wanted long before your body forced a decision. But despite the painful want you were scared of saying it out loud, just to be rejected. Left wanting. The perfect and most cruel tease he could use against you yet, delivered by your own damned nature.

Alastor clicked his tongue, pacing from your one side to the other like a shark in the span of your thoughts that slowly began to settle, rubbing his chin in false contemplation. Your eyes followed him absent-mindedly, and when the whirlwind of your thoughts quieted for a moment, you saw with shock that pearly beads of sweat began to form under that fiery fringe of his hair and the fingers tapping on his chin twitched ever so slightly.

“Well, your scent certainly tells me what you seem to be unable to. But good things only come for the ones that ask for it, darling.”

Again, the tingling that started to become oh so familiar shot down to your belly with the heavy pull that the glint in his eyes had on you. Maybe it was the primal need you felt playing a trick on you but something in his composure, normally so perfectly put and stoic, struck you as hastier and more unrefined. The barely hidden jerk of his ears, the slightly glossy sheen in his eyes, and that intensifying smell of musk and moss and spices oozing from him all were subtle but noticeable telltale signs, just small imperfections in his person, tiny cracks of his façade that grew larger and louder the longer he was alone with you. And finally, they began to speak a language you knew.

Without knowing the details, you became aware, sensing that he, too, wasn't nearly as collected as he liked to present himself. As if the fact that he was here, alone in the room with you was enough to allow him to slip up, ever so subtly and most certainly not intentional. You had noticed from day one that it was nearly impossible to truly get a read of his emotions, an impressive trait you envied to some degree. Yet, the most rational part of his brain appeared to have shut off when his pupils widened ever so slightly as you closed the distance between your bodies, finally throwing caution and fear and hesitancy to the wind. It was a leap of faith.

"I… want you. If..." Your voice was shaky and breathy, and everything in you wanted to pounce him, touch him, bite and scratch and bind him to you, but you resisted, both scared and excited for his reply, the space between your trembling bodies paper thin. "... if you'll have me."

Before your brain could really register what's happening, his smile became predatory, his red irises swallowed almost completely by his dilated pupils, making the blackness appear brighter than his naturally glowing eyes, the shadows around him writhe and grow.

"Oh, I indeed intend to have you, little fox." he cooed, an echo-like echo mixing in with the static of his usual voice. It sounded wrong, demonic, but it lit a flame of pure want within you. It made you frantic in the need to touch him, and the first and only thing your trembling fingers could grasp was his red coat, the instinct you acted on so intense you ripped the fabric from his shoulders and sent buttons flying as your hands sprouted black claws.

For a second, you were blind with panic but his dark, rumbling laugh eased the fear, your head tilting up as he lifted his taloned hands, moving over your head and dragging the tie and the suit jacket along. He held your stare as the two items landed next to you on the floor and his head tilted, a silent, cocky, knowing approval of the first piece of your real, raw self he had gotten to see, and the gesture made you almost break from under his hands as they went back into motion, hungrily peeling the sweat-damp shirt off your back. He was quick yet careful, but when you felt those sharp claws of his scraping over the curve of your back you couldn’t stifle the wanton whimper they drew from you.

He shrugged the remaining pieces of shredded, crimson fabric off his shoulders and pulled on the sleeves of his ripped dress shirt, seemingly not as affected or distraught as you by having lost almost all of its buttons in your careless undressing of him, and it had you lick over your fangs that poked through when your senses became clouded with desire.

His skin faded seamlessly into soft, thin fur right under his clavicles, spreading over his lean chest and arms and towards his flat, toned belly and his hips, where it began to look like it continued on his legs but was covered by the high waisted pants of his immaculate dress outfit. Hypnotized by his alluring form, you barely noticed how quickly he took piece after piece of your clothing off of your sweaty body, the fire in you fanned by the mere feeling of his sharp fingertips dancing over your hot skin, until there was no fabric left to take off. You only realized you were completely nude once he pulled your head up to face him by your chin, his grin glistening as if he was salivating at the view of you - and it drove you mad. His other hand reached around you, finding the base of your bristled tail, long fingers raking through the fur and pulling teasingly on it.

"What a fine specimen of a vixen you are, darling..."

You don't give him time to crack any more jokes as you wrapped yourself around him, rubbing your head against his neck with a growl in a primal need to rub your own scent into him, marking him, wanting him - no - needing him and him only to ease the infernal heat bubbling inside you. The only one worthy, your instincts were telling you, and the thought was taking a hold of you, dragging you down whether you wanted or not. The sheer feeling of his exposed chest brushing against yours was almost overwhelming and your hips instinctively rutted against his, begging and silently pleading for him to fulfill his duty as your chosen mate. A chuckle, resonating deep in his chest, roused from him as he gripped your shoulder with eager force, throwing his weight into you and pushing the two of you the last couple of steps you've still had left onto your bed. Your hands found their way into the soft, maroon fur of his ears, his silky scarlet locks and down his lean, muscular back, clawing and pulling and kneading as the urge to ruin him just as he was ruining you became overwhelmingly powerful and undeniable.

"Aren't we eager now? So desperate to be bred."

A tight tug on your copper fur, which drew an unexpectedly lewd and desperate sound from you, tore your eyes away from the straining, bulging fabric of his pants, where they had previously been staring for a moment too long, your wide blown pupils reflecting his. With your cheeks, chest and shoulders flushed, you saw that a faint pink colored his features, which darkened more the longer he was looking you up and down, the large hand on your side flexing, scratching and kneading every inch it could reach, as if he was still trying to collect himself.

"Y-You don't look too u-uninterested as well." you stutter as his warm lips trailed over your collarbone and down to your nipples, softly sucking one while his other hand twirled the other between his talented fingers, the pinch deliciously painful. When he flicked his tongue out and you yelped at the intense, electrifying and unbelievable feeling he shot into you with that single, simple move, his laughter vibrated against the sensitive flesh between his lips and you swear it's the first time you ever heard him really, genuinely laughing - a deep and powerful and sincere sound. You can feel it throughout your whole body and soul and something within your mind flickers to life - as if his laugh had recharged a part that had been turned off and numb during all of your times in Hell so far, only now to feel truly alive, you and Alastor’s souls intertwining and connecting in a way you had never believed possible before.

"Finally growing into your fangs, I see. Well, if that's the case then..."

He moved swiftly, shifting his weight and pulling you with him, until your places were reversed and you sat on top of him with his hands on your waist pressing you down, down, down - the clothed bulge pressed against the junction of your thighs. A heady moan was ripped from the depth of your throat as your sex ground down against the coarse cloth of his pants, the delicious friction all the more tantalizing for the simple fact that it wasn't nearly enough.

His pupils were huge, black circles with ticking dials in them, nearly completely swallowing the rich crimson, and his normally discreetly hidden antlers sprouted with loud cracks, growing exponentially with each new sound that broke the seal of your lips, each buck of your hips or twitch of your thighs.

"... prove to me how you deserve to receive my seed."

As the words fully hit you, all blood rushes downwards and your body responds on its own. Your mouth latches on his, not sweetly, not gently - wetly, harshly, the clash of tongues and fangs drawing blood, iron and spice spilling in both of your mouths as a new wave of hot arousal wets your center, seeping into his pants.

With both clawed hands planted on his chest you could feel every single tremor, twitch and move of his - the furious pulse of his blood running under your fingertips, the shudder as you breathed his name against the heat of his jugular - you wanted to memorize, tattoo each second into your mind because despite the hazy frenzy you found yourself in it didn't elude you that this might be a once in an afterlife time thing. The thought pained you, and you felt tears prick in the corners of your eyes, which went completely disregarded by both you and the one so voluntarily trapped beneath you.

His claws raked up and down the smooth, soft skin of your sides, tracing every inch and curve and divet and painting them with red streaks, before he finally - FINALLY - moved them to his belt, the clinking sound of his buckle opened music to your ears. The buck of his hips in an attempt to get his slacks to slide lower, his soft grunt as his cock sprang up when he freed it from its clothed confines, it all drove you even madder, his powerful aura and the heaviness of his swirling shadows tipping and bending your senses as you desperately sought to draw out more of these delicious sounds, more of that want that was so obvious now in his eyes and staggered breath.

You lean forward as your tail whipped and shivered as it stood up bristled in arousal, almost losing your balance for a second, bracing yourself on his bared chest as your tongues, teeth and lips crashed together again. Jolts of white-hot electricity shot straight down to your core at the feeling of the damp tip of his cock catching on the wet and slick opening of your folds. A slow drag upwards and your nails clawed over his pectorals and ribs, his throat answering to your touch with a deep, feral growl, almost beast-like as he slid effortlessly up between your lower lips, the combined juices that leaked from his and your loins slicking the hard length. He didn't let you sheath himself into your throbbing heat though, as if to test you, and you whined as you lowered yourself onto the length of his shaft, rutting slowly on it to satiate the hunger that seemed to only grow.

It was merciful torture, a tease you didn't mind for once as the tip of his cock hit your clit every other slide and the vibration of his taunting purrs traveled throughout your spine, leaving behind a tingling burn. It had you toss back your head, the drool hanging from your lips, completely involuntary but curiously not ashamed of it.

"Al-Alastor, please...I need..." You whined, half out of breath and delirious as the sensation of his tip pushing up against your entrance just didn't seem to be enough, the emptiness inside you demanding to be filled. The very corners of his mouth twitched as he stared up at you, your hips rolling helplessly against his, panting and moaning and begging.

"Need what, darling?"

Your brain was foggy with lust, your fingers twitching as you leaned backwards, your claws digging so deep into the soft fur of his chest that they drew blood, and the fire raging inside you wild and untamable. You wanted to speak and plead, to make your tongue cooperate and to say all the right things, to seduce and coax his shaft to fill you the way you knew only his would, but his sultry yet rough voice seemed to have put a stop to whatever reasonable and rational thought that had somehow still remained. Eloquence eluded you in this desperate state, and the only words leaving your gaped mouth were broken and hoarse.

"Mate me. Fill me. Breed me."

"There's a good girl..." he rasped, one clawed hand firmly squeezing the side of your waist, while the other brushed the thin line of tears, sweat and drool hanging from the corner of your agape lips before holding his swollen cock straight for you to impale yourself on it with a moan.

"Take all of me in, little vixen, show me you are worth it. There you go..."

The stretch was blissful, but not as much as the euphoric waves crashing down on you once your greedy core had swallowed up the entirety of his length, your velvety insides clamping down on the girth the way a vise would. His sly coaxing sent another surge of raw, primal and animalistic passion rippling throughout your body, and with strange triumph you felt him experiencing the same kind of exhilaration, making you mindlessly jump forward and down to fully grind yourself down on his member with all the leverage your thighs provided, while simultaneously his strong grip on your waist and him bucking up into you in that sinfully precise way allowed for him to immediately slam right into your most intimate spot, burying his entire shaft into your dripping, welcoming heat.

Falling in sync was shockingly easy, his muscles as responsive as yours and your bodies molding together like two pieces of a perfect puzzle. He thrusted upwards with a force that took your breath away, forcing the air of your lungs to flow out with the repeated bounce and pressure, your ears ringing with the rhythmical slap of skin against skin. Relentlessly, minute after minute passed, and he cruelly ripped you away from tipping over the edge multiple times, your sanity tearing at the seams whenever he slowed you down on his throbbing cock.

In and out, up and down, faster and faster your two bodies worked together and his thick tip and tantalizing ridges brushed all too perfectly against every right spot as his pace quickened once again, making your eyes roll back and the need to cry out his name through desperate sobs over and over and over again became unstoppable, each time a little less distinct and a little more wild than the last.

"You are quite the noisy little one, aren't you? ǤØØĐ. I do love the way you scream my name." he so much as growled as you did exactly that when his fingers gripped on your hips even tighter, his hold more firm as he forced your trembling, exhausted frame up and down, each new hit a bit harder and deeper than the previous one, his entire body tensing as he picked up the speed to a feverish and merciless intensity that had you cry out with pain and pleasure alike.

"β€Ǥ for your release darling, tell me who you want to be filled by once again."

"A-Alas...tor! I'm- fuck... please, let- I w-want only y-ou..."

It was all too much - too hot and too big and too deep, too close and too far away - thick, hot tears joined the sweat and drool that ran down your face. You wished it was over and yet that it would never end, that you could stay frozen like this for the rest of eternity - filled and aching, burning and melting on him, giving and taken from. You were broken, yet pieced together at his hands, and all of a sudden, just like that, he moved you up and his cock felt so much thicker than before this time. With one last violent push he pressed you deep into his lap - You screamed as you felt something swelling inside you, interlocking the both of you as he came right when your own vision turned first white, then black while you mercifully collapsed on top of him, finally being allowed your long-craved release. Hot seed painted your insides and made your toes curl, his cock twitching deep inside you as he gasped through the last ropes of thick and warm release. It lasted and lasted, his hand frantically stroking over your spine and down your whipping tail while he shushed you and purred praise after praise into your folded ears.

It took a few long moments for the fog to clear from your mind before you realized you had buried your nose and mouth into the crook of his neck, teeth sunken in his taupe flesh and fur unconsciously. You dared to turn your head enough to watch his face - his eyes had returned to their usual shades of red, and the engorged branches of his antlers were slowly retracting back to the small, hook shaped ones nestling at the crown of his head. He was still smiling, wide and satisfied and superior almost. You gingerly retracted your fangs from his neck, but when you attempted to unmount him – rationality, and with it shame, creeping back into your consciousness - Alastor's arms locked firmly around your bare frame, rendering you unable to move.

"So eager to get rid of me, already?" he cooed, a chuckle rising from his chest. "I wouldn't advise to move yet, my little vixen - Not while we're knotted."

"We're... knotted...?!"

He nods, and you follow his intense stare down to where you and him were still connected. Sure enough, you couldn't make out his shaft itself but a noticeable bump stretching the flushed lips of your sex impossibly wide, the sight causing you to gasp and tear your eyes away in shameful realization. A tidal wave of blood flushed your cheeks - partly due to arousal, but mostly because of embarrassment and confusion, and you willed yourself to stay calm and not to freak out. When you looked back to him you found him grinning, his expression the picture of amusement but there was something tender in the glimmering ruby eyes that looked up to you. It felt strange that even though you were sitting on top of Alastor, you still felt small and submissive to him, how much dominance and assertiveness he could hold even in a position like this.

"How long...?" you managed to ask, avoiding to look at him by turning your head aside, staring at the mess of ripped and torn cloths on the carpet.

"How long?" he echoes, but there's a pause until he hums a dark and pleased sound, "Well, darling, your guess is as good as mine. Despite what you may think, I've never knotted with anyone before."

You thought your heart would jump from your chest and flutter through the room when his hand softly petted the base of your fluffy tail before his knuckles ever so lightly traced the line of your back. His other arm still held you tightly, and his fingertips danced over the heated skin of your side, the soft caresses a sharp contrast to the way he'd handled you only a few minutes prior. You were overwhelmed by the sheer gentleness and intimacy, the vulnerability it made you feel, and you felt a lump forming in your throat.

"Relax, my little vixen. You've been so good for me, so now let me service you while we wait."

Too stunned and overstimulated to respond you feel his mouth licking and kissing along the various bruises and cuts scattered over your chest and torso, his hands soothingly stroked every inch of your sweat-damp body, tracing the lines of the scratches and welts he had left on your hips and waist while he still managed to somehow hold you still. Every touch and kiss had your tail bristle and quiver, a whimper leaving your throat, but he didn't stop until his lips were pressed to the pulse on your neck, the steady and heavy heartbeat drumming against his nose and chin.

"You know, I knew you'd come to your senses and give in to my advances eventually, darling. Although I didn't think it'd take you to get into a heat to finally admit it."

"Your wh-..."

He latched onto your breast, sucking a little too harshly on the sensitive nipple as if that’d answer your unfinished question, and the yelp that tore from your throat turned into a moan when his teeth raked over the nub before his tongue flicked out, soothing the pain he had caused while your head swirled in confusion.

Advances?

What did he mean, advances?

All he had done since you two met had been taunting and teasing and chasing and ridiculing you... right? Another sharp bite on your sore bud had you gasp, partly by pain but also by epiphany.

Like a boy on the playground, pulling the pigtails of the girl he likes, Alastor had tormented you, chased you, tripped and caught you, waiting for you to get the hint - No hard feelings, hm?

All this time, every day and any second, in his own weird, twisted way, he had been showing a perverted version of affection and pursued you.

You weren't sure how to react, what to feel - there was too much to wrap your head around and no way in hell you'd be able to sort through it all right now, with his cock still locked inside you and his lips wrapped around your breast, still teasing, still taunting. Although now, with the context you were given, you welcomed it, wanted it even. The more you thought about it the more it all fell into place, and his actions towards you suddenly felt less and less like harassment and more like a tremendously badly executed attempt at wooing. But it was oh-so in character for him, the enigma that was the Radio Demon, and you would've laughed if his ministrations on your chest and his gently swaying hips wouldn't have coaxed your body slowly but surely steer into yet another, but softer - almost lazy - orgasm.

"You are... o-oh god... the biggest p-pain in the ass, Alastor…"

He laughed, another genuine and carefree one, the vibration of his voice tickling your flesh as you came again with a pitiful moan and he let go of the rosy, pert nipple to lift his head, the soft and tender smile and the glint of his sharp teeth a sight you knew you'd never be able to forget.

"That's what they all say, dear."

Tag, you're it! - @diffidentphantom @sirens-and-moonflowers @tayraedoll @catticora @valerie-is-in-the-cupboard as well as my fab four (whose fics carried me through my unavioidable vertigo pause)

LOVE YOU @hazelfoureyes @minkdelovely @sugoi-writes and @synamartia <3

[hallowpen]

This post is going to be a combination of The Loyal Pin Episodes 5 and 6, as I was unable to post for episode five due to my travel schedule.

Let's start off with the two key highlights from Episode 5...

หมูสร่ง (pronounced 'muu sarong') is a Thai dish made of pork meatballs wrapped in egg noodles that are fried until golden and crispy. For this reason, the dish is literally translated as "Pork wrapped in Golden Threads". It is usually served with a plum dipping sauce.

The Thai name for the series is ปิ่นภักดิ์ ('Pin Phak'). ปิ่น serves as Khun Pin's nickname... but is also Thai for "hairpin". A tradition born from the Lanna Kingdom (อาณาจักรล้านนา), nobles and high-ranking officials would purchase hairpins of gold, silver, or brass to wear as a social status symbol of their wealth. The gift of a hairpin (usually a gift given from a suitor to their potential bride) would symbolize one's promise to care for its intended wearer. Hairpins are associated with the belief that they will help to preserve a couple's love and prevent it from fading over time. They are, therefore, representative of the true and lasting connection between Anil and Pin.

If you managed to survive Episode 6, let's discuss....

การซักผ้าด้วยเครื่องหอม - The process of washing clothes in fragrant water is pretty straightforward. A combination of herbs, spices, and florals are added to boiling water to create a natural detergent. The chosen additives can aid in stain and odor removal, reducing wrinkles, and preserving the color of the garments. The particular ingredients chosen in the series were 1) ลูกซัดคั่ว (roasted fenugreek seeds) - Also known as methi seeds, they smell and taste like maple syrup 2) ชะลูด (dried alyxia) - A climbing flowering plant that has a sweet and light fragrance, described to smell like honey 3) ใบเตย (pandan leaves) - A tropical plant whose soft aroma is described as having hints of rose, almond, and vanilla.

Thai rubies (พลอยสีทับทิม) are extremely rare and highly coveted, as they are far scarcer than diamonds. The rubies are not only admired for their beauty, but are known in Thai culture as one of the nine sacred gemstones. They are believed to hold auspicious meanings, and to bring long-lasting love to their wearer. Owning and wearing jewelry that features this incredibly valued gemstone is seen as a status symbol for royalty. Princess Alisa gifting these jewels to Pin for her birthday means she holds Pin in very high regard (it was hinted in the first episode that Alisa views Pin as a second daughter).

There are a few conversations and quotes from this episode that I would like to highlight.

The first is the conversation between Pin and Princess Patt:

"Can Princess Anil follow in Princess Patt's footsteps and stay unmarried?" "That would be quite unlikely, Lady Pin. [...] Savettavarit is a very famous, wealthy, and well-respectable family. Princess Anil will eventually have to get married. You will also have to get married as well, Lady Pin. I already have some prospects in mind."

There are certain expectations that women of royalty and nobility cannot escape from. The most prominent of which is to be married and have natural born children to preserve the line of succession. It is also important to note that these potential marriage prospects are always chosen by a daughter's parents...with the daughter having little to no say over the decision. Which leads me right into the next scene... when Anil is talking to Prik about having to leave for England sooner than she expected:

"I did not choose to do this, Prik."

Such a short and quick line... that holds so much meaning. Anil is a highly ranked princess yet, even she, must submit to the whims of her elder brother. Women hardly hold a say over their own lives within this society... and that's going to come into play, very obviously, later on in the series...

The last scene I wanted to mention was during Anil's planned dinner, when she and Pin were discussing Pin's birthday:

"What gift do you want from me for your birthday?" "Just wake up early to make merits and give alms to the monks with me, Your Highness."

I'm mentioning this scene for cultural reasons. In Thai culture, the tradition of making merit and giving alms together is tied to the beliefs of shared karma. The practice is said to bring prosperity to couples in their current life, and to ensure they will meet again in future lives. Pin's request is representative of her intentions to walk hand-in-hand with Anil in their present life, and in their future lives to come. I'm not crying... you are!!! 😭😭😭

[woso-dreamzzz]

Magda's Princesse

Hardersson x Child!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: A look back at your birth from Magda's perspective

Magda is already at the airport when she gets the call. She recognises the caller ID instantly and a smile appears on her face as she answers it.

"I'll be there soon," She says," I'm just about to get on the plane."

"You need to call Emma," Is what Pernille answers.

Magda's just about to get her ticket checked. She stops. "What?"

"You need to call Emma," Pernille repeats," And tell her that you'll be sitting the next few games out. You're busy."

Magda, for some reason, is feeling especially stupid because she just can't quite grasp what's being told to her. "But I'm not?"

"You are!" Pernille snaps before she lets out a groan of pain," Because I will be damned if I push your baby out and you run back to England a few days later."

Magda slumps into her seat in shock. "But...You can't be having her now! She's early!"

"By two days." Pernille sounds like she's gritting her teeth. "I'll send you the hospital address. I don't care how you do it but if you miss this, Magda, I will not be happy."

The line is dropped.

Magda is a tight ball of worry the entire flight. She's drunk two glasses of wine to ease her worries before cutting herself off in case she accidentally drinks herself into a coma before getting to the hospital.

She's one of the first off the plane and through border control. It takes half an hour to get her luggage and then another to find a taxi that will get her to the hospital.

Fischer is waiting outside for her, guiding Magda inside without little fanfare.

"She came to visit us at training," Magda's national teammate tells her," And then she went into labour."

"And the baby?"

"Fine so far," Fischer replies," Nothing to report."

Magda bursts into the room and attaches herself to Pernille. "Am I late?"

Pernille gives her a look. "Does it look like you're late?"

No, it certainly doesn't and Magda breathes a sigh of relief. "I think I scared Nilla. I left all my luggage with her."

"She's got spare keys," Pernille replies through deep, calming breaths as she works through another contraction," She can take your stuff to my place."

"Is it bad?" Magda asks sympathetically, letting Pernille squeeze her hand," The pain?"

"I've been told it will get worse," Pernille says," The nurse said I'm only five centimetres dilated. We could be here for a few more hours. Have you called Emma yet?"

Magda shakes her head. No, she hasn't. She was a bit preoccupied with making sure that she didn't miss the birth.

"We have time," Pernille says," Call her now and tell her."

●～●～●～●～

It's early in the morning when you make your appearance.

In solidarity, Magda does not go to sleep even though Pernille tells her to multiple times. She doesn't because if Pernille is suffering then it doesn't stand to reason that Magda gets to relax.

She's glad about it too because you come very early in the morning and if she was sleeping, Magda is ninety percent sure that Pernille wouldn't have been able to wake her up.

But you arrive with a lot of fanfare and even more screaming.

The doctor looks at you before turning around to get your weight from the nurses while Magda mops up Pernille's sweaty forehead and pulls her in for a gentle, loving kiss.

"You did it," She whispers," She's here."

Pernille, still exhausted, manages a smile. "She's here."

"For the mamas," The doctor says in stilted English.

He passes the bundle into Magda's arms.

You're finally quiet, swaddled securely in the baby blanket your parents had picked out for you weeks ago. You're staring up at her, with wide unblinking eyes. Your mouth is open and sucking on the air, rooting for milk already.

There are wisps of hair on your head and Magda gently unwraps you. You whine a little at the loss of warmth but quieten instantly when you are laid on Pernille's bare chest.

She looks down at you with a soft look. Her finger came up to stroke your cheek. You turn your head, lips searching for milk but catching her finger instead.

She coos at you as you suckle on her finger, eyes drooping shut.

Pernille looks up at Magda, who has her camera out and has already taken pictures she knows are going to be framed on the wall of her London home.

"She's here," Pernille says again with a watery smile.

"She is," Magda replies. She joins Pernille on the bed and gently strokes your little wisps of hair. "Look at her. We've done so well. She's so sweet."

"You make beautiful babies," Pernille says with a smile.

Magda laughs. "You can't say that to anyone. I've already gotten annoyed with the teasing about me knocking you up."

"Mm," Pernille laughs too," But you did knock me up. I've got the outcome right here."

Your eyes are open again, blinking to adjust to the light and your new outside surroundings. You suck more heavily on Pernille's finger.

"I think she needs a feed," Magda says.

●～●～●～●～

They're discharged from hospital the next day and Magda hovers incessantly when they take you back to Pernille's apartment.

Your nursery has been set up for weeks now, in anticipation when Magda had last visited and raided the local IKEA, building everything herself.

You're dressed up snugly in a bunny onesie, your feet kicking as your finally placed in your crib - which had been immediately moved into Pernille's room when it became clear that neither she nor Magda wanted to be separated from you.

"Hi, princesse," Magda coos.

You kick your legs again.

"You're so pretty, yes you are."

You're kicking becomes more repetitive as you stick your fist in your mouth.

"Look at those legs go. You're going to be such a good addition to Sweden when you're older."

"You mean Denmark," Pernille rasps. She rubs her eyes, having just taken a quick power nap. "I'm not raising my daughter to wear a Sweden jersey."

Magda rolls her eyes playfully. This conversation had been happening ever since they found out Pernille was pregnant. "We'll see."

Pernille picks you up gently, supporting your head before guiding Magda to the rocking chair, slowly placing you in her arms.

Magda leans down to kiss your head and breathe in your unique newborn smell. She smiles. You stare up at her.

A camera sounds and Magda doesn't even have to look up to know Pernille is grinning.

"That's getting framed," Pernille says," I think I'll put it on my bedside table. So I can remember this moment with you and the princesse."

"We need to give her a name soon," Magda says as Pernille crouches by the rocking chair and pulls the onesie's hood up onto your head, making it look like you have floppy bunny ears. "We can't keep calling her the princesse."

"Mmm." Pernille's finger strokes over your cheek. "I know it wasn't on the list but I like y/n."

"y/n," Magda repeats," Is that your name? Are you a y/n?"

You kick your legs out, catching Magda in the ribs.

"That's a pretty powerful strike, princesse. I think she's giving us her approval."

Pernille's eyes are so full of love that Magda almost bursts into tears. "I think so too. y/n Harder-Eriksson."

"y/n Eriksson-Harder."

"We've got another day before the trip to the embassies. We'll argue about her last name later," Pernille says," What matters right now is princesse has a name now."

"It's a very pretty name."

[vanilleandclove]

the meadow in which you lay | 5

ser erryk cargyll x arryn!reader | chapter five: a knight's sworn virtue

As you and Erryk flee King's Landing to Dragonstone, it is only for certain that without the eyes and ears of others, your chance for love and pleasure are limited but boundless.

word count: 1.6k | warnings: unprotected sex (are condoms even canon in this universe?), seasickness and nausea, the reader literally hard launches. | a/n: finally, the sexual tension is released! also two-three more parts left... but which writing would you like to see after this?

previous - next

taglist: @wolvestitches @holb32 @callsignwidow @fwaeriys @hummusxx @erysione

"Where is Princess Rhaenys held?" you asked Erryk as his hand gripped the upper part of your bicep, guiding you throughout the halls of the castle.

"Keep your head down" he spoke sternly, his voice laced with such perturb for your anonymity; if Criston or any of the Hightowers caught the two of you, they'd surely make a demonstration out of you.

Your head hung low as Erryk took sharp turns, being greeting with numerous guards and handmaidens, until you both made it to Rhaenys's room only to be met with a separate knight, "Cole asked me to guard the Princess's door for the next shift; you're excused" Erryk told the knight, only earning a puzzled look.

"Need me to escort the whore in your hands Cargyll?" the knight smugly asked, only gaining a tick that left the mouth of Erryk.

"I will handle it" Erryk scoffed, looking at you as you anchored yourself further into his armored-clad body.

As the knight left you wondered how tone deaf and beyond disgraceful the other knights and Kingsguard were, how their training and vow of chastity must thoroughly impair their judgment and decency for women and how they describe and treat them. You were lucky that Erryk still had the honor to treat you as a woman with feelings, like a human. He treated your honor with such delicacy when he could have simply sworn off restraint and ravaged your body like a man whom held zero respect for love and all the respect for lust. Rhaenyra faced the same fealty when she had Harwin, you pitied the fact that she were not able to love the man of her hearts desires, though she did gain the affections and hand of Daemon; the father of her three firstborns as they grew into spitting images of their father must leave a sorrow taste.

"My apologies Y/n, had I be King or an upper lord, I would have had his tongue" Erryk whispered to you before tampering with the lock on Rhaenys's door. Though failing at first you quickly took a pin from your hair to mimic a key, what would the kind knight do without you. "You never fail to surprise me".

"It was a simple trick my mother once taught me" you told him before twisting the doorknob to open it, being met with the Princess. "Your savior is here my dear Princess" you joked lightly before Erryk went into the door to hand Rhaenys a change of clothes as disguise.

"I can only imagine Alicent attempted get into your head with promises her father and her cannot keep" you told Rhaenys, helping her dress into less proper dressings, "Whatever side you choose to be on will either make or break the relationship you have with your own kin. The support of you and your lord husband is dire, with Corlys being on the brink of health, you act as his ward and voice of reason".

Rhaenys only gave you a fond look, admiring you've now become, "You have always been a spitfire Lady Arryn, just as your father. Though I do not understand the unwavering support to your cousin with all that has occurred".

"I will defend my kin until death" you answered, "Only then the one's against my own will know peace".

"Just as Ser Erryk swore an oath of his own" Rhaenys poked at you, "Let us proceed, I must get to Meleys".

You half agreed, now that the coronation was to take place on the hour, the Dragonpit may not be as secured, "We must direct the Princess to the Dragonpit Erryk, Meleys will be of-".

"They will be expecting her there-".

"They expect Aegon to be crowned in front of the small and higher folk, the Dragonpit is of no concern of theirs. Meleys is needed, my love" you fought back, acquiring a smirk from both Rhaenys and Erryk, "I will follow you, Rhaenys will go off on Meleys after reaching the pit, she will reach my cousin quicker than the two of us".

As both you and Erryk reached the fleet of ships, he held your hand like a vice as you stepped into the designated ship to Dragonstone, the floors wet from rain and the ocean, preventing you from slipping. You looked up from the floor, still being held by Erryk to see Meleys and Rhaenys flying above you, hearing the screams of the people behind you. Now Rhaenys knows how to make a demonstration, you thought, a small smirk reaching your face before Erryk directed you to the quarters of the ship.

"We should arrive upon sunset tomorrow" Erryk told you upon removing his cloak and armor in order to relax his tensed muscles. You nodded before unraveling the strings of your cloak and corset beneath the draped fabrics, the knight not noticing before looking up at you. Your boots knocked off quickly, trousers removed with haste, the sight of your supple breasts set his mind on a whirlwind.

"You are not sworn to a King" you spoke, "Nor have you verbally made a sworn oath to the Queen". You stared into your lover's soul, wondering if he caught where you were coming from, you hoped he did, or else you'd be rather embarrassed to be completely bare to a man under zero pretenses. Fortunately, he caught on your words, his body making way to your own, his hand finding purchase along your curves.

You gracefully untied the knight's breeches, before yanking them downwards, he removed his own blouse. Standing before each other, naked and bare, staring intently at the man who captured your heart when you were in your youth, now a woman, the loyalty never wavered or bent. You had zero idea who laid the first kiss, but you did not complain as the passion ignited between the two of you like dragon's breath. His hand reached down to the aching pulse between your legs, his fingers lightly toying with your clit, your moans filling his mouth, nipples perked on his own chest, your body attempting to maintain its composure before your knees buckled onto a spring bed.

Your legs immediately wrapped around Erryk's waist, your hands finding themselves to hold his face dearly before kissing him once more, as if it was your last. Your left hand leaving to rake down the knight's chiseled body and the scars that painted it, as you reached his pelvis, you stared directly into his pupils before directing his cock to be in you. Your moans bounced off the walls as his leaky tip entered your sopping cunt, your hand gripping onto him for dear life before he positioned himself to enter you more.

"You may move love" you whimpered, your voice soft yet filled with wild lust that turned into groans of pleasure as Erryk pumped into you, his grunts intertwined with your moans, his hands finding themselves raked into your hair whilst the other was holding your waist secured. You let him milk your pleasure, allowing to be taken and sensually being cared for as the knight littered kisses along your breasts and nape of your neck.

"I love you Y/n" he shuddered, his pace and strokes being painfully slow yet left you ravenous for more, you felt yourself reach the edge of bliss as strings of curses left your mouth, your nails scraping his back. Your moans filling the room once more.

"I love you Erryk" you replied, holding onto him as neared your climax, your cunt fluttering. Your life flashing before your eyes, but all were memories of Erryk. "My moon and stars".

He smiled before feeling your cunt reach its peak, as you gripped on him with vigor, he felt his own climax reaching its peak soon after, his seed coating your walls. You both lay next to each other, chasing your own breaths. Until you spoke, "Had I known how much pleasure is gained from this, I would let go of restraint ages ago"

"Thought you were not so keen on being an oathbreaker my love" Erryk teased, holding you in his arms, close to his chest, "Do not fret, I would have easily as well".

You chuckled before feeling a pit in your stomach, a faint burning ravaging your throat. Immediately you rose to the light bile arising in your throat, quickly you covered yourself with Erryk's cloak before exiting the quarter to release the bile oversea. Your coughs burning your throat further. Erryk left the quarter near after with his breeches messily put on.

"Are you alright?" Erryk asked, massaging circles into your back, holding your hair up and out of your face before kissing the top of your head.

"Seasickness it is all" you told Erryk, "It should go away once we reach Dragonstone".

Your life was held in his hands, as his was to yours, the waves that rocked the ship greatly only led you grip onto Erryk for support. Oh, how you loved him greatly, how he loved you with even more sheer intensity.

[where-the-water-flows]

ok so like, maybe I am missing something, but. is almost every action/plan carried out by nanyin associated folks to revive nanyin just... absolute clownshoes nonsense? every single attempt is just nine fuck ups in a trench coat before the plan falls off a cliff, and/or gets fully coathangered by someone else's completely unrelated plan at the last second?? Like...

Princess Longxuan, Li Xiangyi's + Jiao Liqiao's mumble great grandmother (?), first cab off the rank re:attempting to revive nanyin. Her husband - who is the fucking crown prince of Xi, and thus should have been a basically guaranteed way to get the nanyin bloodline on the throne, no more plotting required!! job jobbed, everyone take a real long lunch!! - seems to have either decided on his own or been convinced (by her? I guess??) to be like 'fuck waiting to inherit the throne when my dad the emperor dies, life is short and coups never ever go wrong', and then fucked that up so bad they got executed and also consigned to the shame tomb for eternity about it. on the one hand, wild that she did not get executed prior to the failed coup, given everyone seems to have known? she was from nanyin?? which literally falls the day after her wedding???? I don't know enough about historical Chinese customs here w/r/t if she would have been considered to have fully 'married out' and thus be....not of nanyin and presumably thus an enemy of the state...even though she clearly still thought of herself as being of nanyin???? also, this is assuming that nanyin is an enemy of Xi! maybe they were allies, and when nanyin fell Xi was like ':( oh noooo.... anyway.' , but I....do not get that impression. on the other hand. girlie your husband is the crown prince. you have a son with him, thus securing the bloodline already. you are, presumably, a fucking shoe in for inheriting the throne? how did you fuck this up. I know it might have just been your husband being impatient but also good lord, talk about an own goal.

Feng A-Lu, nanyin sorcerer, secret great grandfather(ish) of the current emperor of Xi. second attempt to do anything about getting nanyin bloodline on the throne. fucks up and does not find the heir even a little bit. On the one hand, finding some kid/teen in a forest is probably reasonably difficult, given the circumstances, on the other hand, c'mon man. you had one job.

Jin Yu Huang Quan, the og guys holding the ice keys. fully just decided to simply say no thank you!! to bringing back nanyin, the thing they were explicitly entrusted with doing. not really a fuck up on their part, because they got sweet cash money out of it, but also, very funny they were collectively just 'friendship ended with reviving nanyin, being rich in Xi is our new friend.'

Feng A-Lu, again. also fucks up what is presumably the back up plan to take over Xi with the power of the karmic bug (and murder), because he gets distracted by a pretty girl, and then practically attic wifes himself. on the one hand, not really his fault consort Ying was planning her own 'and then I will be emperor empress, mwuah-ha-ha' thing, on the other hand, c'mon man, stop thinking with your dick for five seconds.

Feng bloodline / Wansheng clan. misidentifies the orphan heir they've been looking for. literally would have been better off not checking the signs (necklace, birthmark) and just picking one of the two possible options at random, because that would have given them a 50/50 chance of picking the right kid. not really their fault for assuming the kid with the identifying necklace is actually the kid with the identifying necklace they're looking for, but still. fucked that one up right good. the fact that even if shan gudao had won nanyin still wouldn't have managed to get their royal bloodline on the throne is incredibly funny.

Shan Gudao, sigu sect era. leaving as read he's not actually nanyin royalty anyway and thus literally everything he does is by definition clownshoes fuck up from the start; sigu sect era he is presumably planning to get close to the emperor via...sigu sect becoming allied with/part of the imperial court?? and then launching a coup from there. maybe also picking up the karmic bug, only he screws that up too, RIP to the 14 thieves. manages to ally with the court! plan derailed because surprise, li xiangyi has learnt a new trick, and it is: basic diplomacy. has to fully fake his death about this for a literal decade. hilariously bad outcome, nice job mate.

Shan Gudao, again. retrieves (via jiao liqiao via di feisheng+fang doubing+li lianhua) the karmic bug box he failed to get his hands on a decade ago. manages to finally collect all four ice keys. unlocks the karmic bug box. immediately loses the karmic bug, box, and keys. technically this probably doesn't count as fucking up a whole plan unto itself and is just a set back because he does get the bug back but also, lol. lmao.

Jiao Liqiao. she has clearly been working with the wansheng clan (including, secretly, shan gudao) for about/over a decade? thundering fire bombs, basically took over the jinyuan alliance, etc, but also, she does seem to have just been using them (to get her man) as much as they were using her (to clear remove any possible threats to their power/throne), so... good for her I guess. she decides to go all in on being the emperor at basically the last second, and honestly, she doesn't do too bad! she could fully nuke the karmic bug advantage, and after that it's a power struggle between her and shan gudao, which, I'd back her and her legion of jianghu boytoys over him. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ she does die because her malewife ambitions were set too high, though. notable for how her plan coathangers herself with the absolute clownshoes behavior.

Shan gudao, again (again). actually gets sort of on the throne! for like. a second. before getting his ass kicked, his henchmen killed/defeated, and also finding out that whoops wrong orphan. hilarious to me that he is the nanyin aligned person who actually succeeds at getting a nanyin person on the throne for a hot second, except for how he's not....actually of a nanyin bloodline at all. net zero success.

like, once is happenstance, twice is bad luck, nine+ times over a century is very much hitting maybe you should just pick a new, more realistic goal territory.

[darkspellmaster]

Wish is just a normal Disney film just like all the rest.

Wish is actually a damn good movie, there I said it!

I'm going to start by saying this much, it's very odd to me that so many people are now screaming for a love story from Disney, when not even five or ten years ago there was shouting from the roof tops about Disney doing TOO MUCH romance. For the longest time it was "I wish Disney wouldn't do pairings" "Ugh another romance, can't the princess not." Etc. Now everyone wants one, even though Romance isn't really as big a Disney trope as people think.

Actually let's go through the animated catalogue and see how frequently the love story is centered as the main conflict and asperation to the character. In this case it's the key thing, not a 'Oh they happen to like each other in the end' situation, it's THE thing, the point of the movie is their romance. Then let's see how many have it as the secondary aspect, and let's see how many have it as not important at all. (And we're talking romantic love, not family love)

Romance (Total number: 15)

Snow White, Lady and the Tramp, The Aristocats, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Secondary Characters hook up so this is a weird one), Doug's First Movie, Tarzan, Lizzie McGuire the Movie, Enchanted, The Princess and the Frog (Only from Naveen's POV), Tangled (could be seen as secondary too)

Secondary (Total Number: 25)

Fantasia, Bambi, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free , Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella Sleeping Beauty

One Hundred and One Dalmatians , Robin Hood, The Rescuers , The Fox and the Hound , Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Rescuers Down under

The Nightmare before Christmas, The Lion King ,Hercules ,Mulan ,Fantasia 2000 , Dinosaur, Atlantis the Lost Empire , Meet the Robinsons , Frankenweenie ,Frozen, , Strange World

Not in it at all (Total Number: 42 -including Wish)

Pinocchio, The Reluctant Dragon, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, Victory through Air power, Three Caballeros, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan

Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective

Oliver and Company, Ducktales the Treasure of the lost lamp, A Goofy Movie, James and the Giant Peach, The Tigger Movie

The Emperor's new Groove, Recess School's out, Return to Neverland, Lilo and Stich, Treasure Planet, The Jungle Book 2

Piglet's big Movie, Brother Bear, Teacher's Pet, Home on the Range, Pooh's Heffalump Movie, Chicken Little, The Wild

Bolt, Winnie the Pooh, Wreck it Ralph, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Wreck it Ralph 2, Frozen 2, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, Wish

These are just the animated not live action, and not live action with animation movies. All in all it's more common to see a Disney film with NO romance in it at all then a romantic one.

So why is it that people keep saying, but we're missing the romance, it's because of the fact that most of the time the Parks and other media pair the characters together. Take Peter pan, in the movie, the boy is utterly oblivious to Wendy's affections, to the point of pissing her off enough that she leaves the party that the tribe is hosting. In the parks, and other media (the plays, other movies) the romance is in your face, because people want them to be a couple, but in the movie itself you never see it.

Star, based on the making of book, was supposed to be a younger version of Asha's grandfather, which fits the theming of the movie. However, from what I understand, one of the reasons why they went against is was because it was hitting to close to Genie in the shape shifting. On top of that, the character of Star, seems heavily inspired by the art work of William Joyce, who created Night Light.

This is him and Katherine (Future Mother Goose) who is basically Star in a lot of ways. He lights the night to keep the nightmares away. These two eventually grow up (He remembers He's jack frost) and they end up as a couple.

It would be apping off of that story, and sadly people didn't give the William Joyce movie Meet the Robinsons a chance (don't sleep on that folks please! It is a good story.)

Also straight up give more love to the Guardian's of Childhood, you'll be happy while you read it.

I'm not saying don't ship it, what I am saying is that please don't go saying this was planned when it really wasn't. That was supposed to be her grandfather there.

And I'm not against the art work, I find it very cute and sweet and lover the designs. But I do think that the whole, "WE WERE ROBBED!" thing isn't being at all fair to the creative team behind this story, as again, *points up* they were following the tradition of a story that doesn't have a love interest, which is the vast majority of the stories that they tell.

Wish perfectly falls in line also with Disney's normal length of animated movies.

Wish was 1 hours and 35 minutes

The movie that came out before it clocked in at

Strange World = 1 hours and 42 minutes

Moana = 1 hours and 47 minutes

Frozen = 1 hours and 42 minutes

This Hour long movie thing started really with Atlantis the Lost Empire = 1 hours and 36 minutes

While Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch all clock in around =1 hour and 30 at most, some are even less than that. Wish's run time is equal to that of Atlantis, or Aladdin, or Treasure planet. So I'm a bit perplexed on the "It's too short" thing. Maybe growing up just before and during the days of Little Mermaid and Aladdin made me like the shorter tales.

Which is another point. With a shorter movie, you never get complete backstory. It's a fairy tale! I mean, look at Little Mermaid. Seriously can you Name any of her sisters from the opening song.

Like seriously, I don't really know a lot of people who can tell me anything about Aquatica, for example. Unless you actually read the books or watched the TV show. And before then we had nothing. Nothing on her mom, nothing on her sisters.

Then there's the town Belle comes from, what do we know about it? Not much, not even who governs the damn thing. Howe about Aladdin before the TV series and King of thieves cleared up everything. We didn't know who his parents were, nor Jasmine's mom. Hell we still don't know anything about Cinderella's father from the animated movie.

Point being, a lot of information, much like Wish, got cut for time. In Snow white we were supposed to be given a longer back story for her father and mother, that was cut due to it being to long, it's in the golden book though. Prince Florian (Yes that is his name) was supposed to have Prince Phillips escape, but it was deemed to hard to animate at the time.

Also there was one that was dancing on the clouds, with STARS, around them that looks very much like you know, our Star.

So basically, he's a nod to what could have been for Snow White all those years ago. Cut for time.

Aladdin had a whole cut song because they chopped his mother out as she was supposed to play a part in the movie and help her son with the Genie.

Zena is her name and she was cut to streamline the film.

Maid Marian in the original Robin Hood was supposed to protect him after his plunge into the water, and protect him from King John while he's threatening her. King Richard appears in the end and scares him into stopping but she's willing to take a dagger to the chest to protect Robin.

This is when Richard meets Robin with Marian telling him all about what happened.

All Disney movies change. Isabel in Encanto was supposed to have a nerdy boyfriend that the family disapproved of.

Hell, Frozen was at one point going to be the Bad guy wins the guy, the hero (Gerta) that we followed all the way to the end rooting for her, was supposed to be a gold digger, and Kai was supposed to say "Nah, I'm gonna stick with the Snow Queen" because she's sad and your a bitch. (Thanks Eisner, I hate it!)

So yeah, there's probably A whole lot of cut content that was supposed to go in, but to streamline it to 95 minutes, you have to cut! At least it's not what happened to the Black Cauldron. No I will never forgive Katzenburg for that travesty!

Disney always used Popular Music over Broadway

Honestly this is the one complaint that I hear that kills me the most about this movie, that the studio went with a pop music team. As if this is not a common thing for Disney movies!

Fun fact, the team behind most of the musical scores up until the 1960s were all composers and musicians that wrote songs for the radio. Or song writers that did radio music. If I listed every single one we'd be here for ages.

The Sherman brothers actually wrote pop tunes for the Teen sweetheart Annette Funicello and several other well known singers and actors of movies.

The first major Broadway group was Ashman and Menken, Followed by Miranda, and the Lopez's. Most, if not all of the biggest Disney songs were written by pop songwriters, whos goal it was to get that song played on the radio.

Hell The Lion King, Tarzan, The Emperors New Groove, and Treasure planet to name a few were all done by Pop musicians. I didn't hear complaining about it back then! What's the difference now? Because the team is not Elton freaking John, or Sting?

All of Oliver and Company was pop songs. Several movies didn't have songs, or only had one.

If we're going to celebrate a studio that helped bring an artform out of it's infancy and show that you could do a full movie of animated pictures where you get emotions out of it, we need to celebrate all aspects, and that includes things we may not realize are kind of unique.

When Hercules and Hunchback came out, people complained about them not being "Traditional" Disney. It was Gospel, it was too dark, or in the case of Tarzan, why are we following a boy, or Treasure planet, "Yuck a space story". Now people adore these movies. People who grew up with them want to celebrate them, and sometimes they don't realize that they were once derided as hard or harder than Wish is being right now.

I just wish that people would give these movies a chance rather than not let the creatives tell their story. We had a whole damn section of 2D animation in Strange World! No one talked about it! No one went "More of this please". Give me these stories, let me enjoy a original fairy tale, because if we keep rehashing things, there's going to be little to celebrate when the next 10 or 20 years rolls around.

Sorry for the kinda rant. This has just been on my nerves for a while.

[bluewings55]

Lolirock

So I recently watched the entirety of Lolirock

And it was... Okayish

The story itself wasn't bad, but a lot of it feels very incomplete.

So let's break down a few points:

Story:

The story itself wasn't too bad. I liked a lot of the ideas. But since this is directed to a younger audience, a lot of story plot was very predictable sadly enough.

And it didn't bother me that much that Iris was in the centerstage most of the time. Unlike later season Bloom, the creators didn't make things that aren't related to Iris about Iris. There were a few moments yes, but I never thought "wait, why is it about Iris, it's not about her!" Unlike (sadly) with Bloom in Winx where she gets the Spotlight for no reason

Princesses:

I do really like the transformation and animations for the princesses. Although I do feel odd about Lyna and Carrisa having different animations and songs. They look good, but since they don't have a similar transformation like Iris, Thalia and Auriana, I feel like it just says that they aren't part of the group. Which is kinda true since they are absent for 75% of the time in season 2. (Fr, where are these two the entire time?)

And I get Iris is the main character and all, but the creators make Talia and Auriana look so useless and weak for most of the time. And then Talia is able to beat their asses on her own, yet struggled to do so five minutes before.

Also Talia is the best, defo my fave from all of them.

Like her transformation? Goregous

Also:

dark princess's

Omg, I love their design, I need more of them

Magic and Ephidia:

Similar to the story: it felt incomplete. Like things aren't being explained:

What's Ephidia? Is it a continent, is it the capital city? Who created it, what's so special about it?

What are the oracle gems exactly? Are they amplifiers or a key, WHAT ARE THEY? and why do they only show up in front of Iris? Is it cus she's the crown princess or why? Who knows: things aren't getting explained.

And how does the magic work? Is it just crystals? Can they use elemental powers as well? We see them use levitation and time spells as well soooooooooo?

And what about Dark magic? Do you have to be born from it, is it an emotion you redirect, how does if work?

And can we talk about Iris's different transformations? They look epic af but.... How? Can only she do it? What exactly is it? Like a different stage or is it a temporary a power up? Can other princesses do them as well or not?

And what exactly is Amaru? A dog, a pegasus? A shapeshifter animal? How does his magic work? Why can he summon a giant battlefield out of nowhere?

And what about the other magic kingdoms? We only saw a tiny bit of Xeris, but what about the others?

I wish they not only explained a little more about the magic, but also showed us more about the magical world. By doing that, it feels more alive, more

Villains:

Alright imma say it:

Gramorr is the most useless fucker there is

He's being portraited as this all mighty powerful wizard but then he just sits in the throne room doing God knows what, maybe looking at tarot cards with Banes who knows....

He doesn't do anything, just screams when an oracle gem gets to the crown, and yells at Praxina and Mephisto bc they are so 'useless'

Like dude.

If they are so terrible at their job and you are "oh so powerful":

DO IT YOURSELF?!?!

Also, stop blaming everything on the twins cus of your laziness!

Speaking of blaming

Praxina is the worst.

Her newest design is amazing tho.

She looks more threatening then Gramorr ever could

And the butterflies? Amazing, I'm really excited about how she's gonna act in season 3

But if there's a problem she immediately blames it on her brother, but as soon as there's something she can be proud of, she steals the credit, like, bitch stop being so toxic.

And stop blaming Mephisto for everything???

He's the one literally working with the enemy to save your ass TWICE and even almost died a few times (or just.. died after what happened) and what does he get? Not even a thank you. Girl, your bro almost died, wdym? You're siblings, he supports and helps you multiple times yet here you are scoffing, rolling your eyes and blaming him for every inconvenience happening in your life.

Don't give me the "that's how twins act" or "that's cus she's evil" bullcrap cus I got siblings myself, I know what it's like.

So yeah, I'm here in the Mephisto support group.

I also decided to adopt him.

He doesn't know that yet tho.

I'm personally not a fan of the comedian character, but I just feel really bad for him with all the crap he's going through: A shit boss and a shit sister.

Respect to him that Gramorr stab them in their backs AND THE TWINS WENT BACK TO THEIR BOSS TO SERVE HIM EVEN THO GRAMORR REPLACED THEM.

Also he's so sweet? If u can look past all the evil things he did, you realize that he's really sweet and not that evil and he really cares for his sister (even tho she's a bitch).

And the time he and Iris worked together and said that he would be honored to serve her if he was on her side?

Listen, if he's not on Team Lolirock and just dead in season 3 imma be so pissed.

[rnakamura22]

First Years X Reader (MC, Yuu, Prefect) in a  Polyamorous  Relationship When you try to go back to your own world

Prefect is female! Yandere!!

Even though you happily enjoyed the relationship with the first years as boyfriend and girlfriend, you still missed your own world. Who wouldn’t be, with the state you were in as having no money or a decent guardian who would protect you. (I’m looking at you headmaster) So, in secret to your boyfriends, you started to look for a way back home by yourself.  Little did you know, your five boyfriends already found it out.

And boy, you better be good at running away and hiding your true intentions, because they are all PISSED in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, no exceptions.

At the same time, they felt betrayed. You accepted all of their feelings. They treated you like a princess. You are their princess, their treasure, their Alice, their Snow White, their Sleeping Beauty.  But you’re planning to throw it all away? NUH-UH. NOT HAPPENING.  It’s time you saw a little bit of the truth because even though you don’t think about it often, you went to a school of VILLANS. Not to mention you’re dating five of them.　If you wanted a VILLAN side of themselves, well get ready because they are showing you a TRUE happy ending made by five VILLANS.　

It was after class, where you went to the library once more to look for the book you found a few days ago keeping it a secret from Grim because you might never know when he would spill the beans.  The book was old, and dusty, yet it wrote about your country, your home country. In an instant, you flipped the pages, wanting to know more. And to your delight, there it was. The way back home. 　At the stroke of midnight on a full moon day, if you truly wished for a way, the biggest mirror in the far corner of the academy, it would take you where you want to go.

The far corner must mean the Ramshackle Dorm, since it was at the very edge of NRC. Come to think of it, there was a big mirror in the east room of the second floor, which you avoided because it seemed so eerie. The full moon was to come in 13 days, but you anticipated the day, preparing for the day when you could get home, meet your friends and family.　But this marked the start of your boyfriends acting well... peculiar. 

On the first and second day, all of them, especially Ace and Deuce followed you everywhere. Literally everywhere, and there was not a moment when their hands (pr tail) would be wrapped somewhere around your body, so “you wouldn’t get lost”. (Yeah, right) Third and fourth day?  Sleepovers and intimate sessions were squeezed into your schedule, and you caught them almost sneaking into the second floor. (Please ignore the magical pens and the brass knuckles) (Epel and Deuce averting your gaze) But from your overly freaked out attitude, it seems like they hit a jackpot. That mirror is the key to go back to your world. Well, after the little fiasco, please expect lots and lots of biting, hickeys, and marks on your nape. 

As the days went on, all of your boyfriends said things that stated that you have a future with them in Twisted Wonderland. “You’ll watch me become a police officer, you said so in the star gaze event, right Yu?” 

“Let’s go to my family’s farm again next holiday, OK? Granny loves you and I’m sure she will understand our relationship.” 

“Human!! Which color do you like? Emerald Green or Gold? No reason, but we need to consult which color looks best on you for our plans together!!!” 

“I’ll always look after you perfect, since we met together on our first day, I love you and you’re ours. Mine. Forever.”

“...If it’s not much, do you want to go to the land of pyroxene this summer? My little brother and sister will definitely like you; I know it. Especially mom.” 

Plus, they all had an unnerving look in their eyes. It scared you even more. 

“Why do you want to go back? Aren’t we enough for you?”

“One little Human won’t be a bother for us to help you through and through.”

“We love you, we’ll always support you. You won’t let us go, right?”

“Didn’t you promise me to look at me becoming a policeman? Was that a lie?”

“We don’t want to let you go...please make the right decision.”

It was driving you insane.  But your decision was made up. On the thirteenth night, Grim was sound asleep since you fed him a lot.  

You stood in the front of mirror, the big clock ticking and ticking as the time went on. It was 5 seconds until the midnight. The second the clock hit midnight, the mirror started to glow. You wished out aloud. “ I wish... that I could go back home!” The mirror started to glow brighter and brighter. Just then. “AS IF.” five voices echoed through the room as with the sound of a huge explosion, the mirror shattered into bits. 

There stood your five boyfriends, all carrying their magical pens in their hands. And the look on their faces? Talk about TERRIFYING in all capital letters.  they truly had face of villains. 

“No...no...why....why...” you wailed as you lost your will to stand up and slumped to the ground. 

“Why? What do you think? We only wanted you to not let us go, and what did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO!” Deuce with tears in his eyes, yelled.

“OI, Deuce! Stop yelling! Your attitude will make Yu terrified more than she already is!” Ace tried to calm him down as he knelt down and hugged you and patted you on your back, a dangerous grin on his face.  Deuce followed him, with an identical grin. “You’re so innocent and cute, prefect. Did you really think we would let you go?” Ace said in a nonchalant voice.  

“There, there, Yu. Everything will be alright. You can forget about everything, ... no, you WILL forget everything that happened here and about your world. We’ll all have our happily ever after.” Epel in a sickeningly sweet voice whispered in your ear and kissed you, tongue entering your mouth lightly.

“I know it seems a little shocking and we had to go rough...but please. We all love you and want you to stay.” Jack in a sincere voice said as he also hugged you and wrapped his tail around you, whether or not to comfort you or stop you from going anywhere else.

“This is for your own good, human. You betrayed all five of us. We will forgive, but we do NOT forget. EVER.”

Sebek in his most stern voice scolded you while hugging you too. 

You were mortified and terrified. Was this all your fault? These five men who loved you so much that it drove them insane. Maybe you WERE the reason that drove them mad. Maybe living with them isn’t such a bad idea. After all, they loved you so much.  Unknown to you, Epel had a special sleeping potion mixed, a potion that erases the memory of the past week. As you began to feel drowsiness, you faintly looked at your boyfriends, who were all GRINNING, an evil sadistic grin, fit for a villain. 

“We love you... don’t let us go,... if you do, we will take you back, natural right?”

[universitypenguin]

Summary: Princess conducts interviews with witnesses in Fredericksburg to learn more about the disappearance of Li Wei and Zoe Chapman. Meanwhile, Lloyd confronts Tate Corbin about what he saw the night Julia went missing, but the answers only lead to more questions.

Word Count: 5,064

Masterlist

Author’s Note: I’d like to dedicate this chapter to @nomadstucky. Without her, I never would’ve been able to dig my way out of this latest writing slump. Her feedback was critical to getting this chapter moving in the right direction when I was going off the rails creatively. Thank you so much!

Warnings: Allusions to domestic violence, discussion of murder and other criminal behavior. Minor use of foul language. Only appropriate for 18+ readers. No minors.

Chapter XXIII

The cabins were in good repair. Seeing them in person disrupted the mental image you’d formed of the Chapman Bible Camp. It wasn’t the neglected place of crumbling disrepair you’d imagined it to be. Words like charming and neat came to mind, rather than decrepit and gloomy. The cottages were arranged around an ellipse shaped quad in uniform fashion, like spokes on a wheel. Their vibrant colors were reminiscent of the famous bathing boxes at Brighton Beach. Each one was painted a different shade of the rainbow and trimmed in a contrasting hue. The yellow cabin had purple trim, the green cabin fuchsia pink, and so on.

Instead of the Adirondack style commonly found in rural Virginia, the cabins boasted steep, angled roofs and front-facing gables adorned with whimsical gingerbread bargeboards. The whole aesthetic was so unabashedly Queen Anne that the cabins could’ve blended in with the homes on San Francisco’s famous Postcard Row. They seemed both too sophisticated and too cute for these primitive woods.

After her husband passed away, Mrs. Chapman had sold the bible camp. It was now in the hands of a musician who’d turned the tabernacle into a concert hall and rented out the cabins on Airbnb. Zach was fetching the keys from the owner while you waited on the porch of the converted tabernacle.

Standing here, you wondered if this visit was a fool’s errand. This morning Lloyd had called to tell you he’d be leaving the search party this afternoon to cover Roth’s interview with Tate Corbin. After hanging up, you’d itched for something productive to do. The abduction had injected a fresh sense of urgency into the investigation, but you’d agreed to keep your distance from Harmony because Lloyd was worried that Shun Nguyen would return to familiar surroundings. It was a reasonable assumption, one you didn’t have a counter argument for.

Still, you’d itched with a need to do something, so you’d turned to the mystery surrounding Li Wei and Zoe Chapman. Now that you were actually here you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d drifted off course. The place to look for fresh leads was forty miles north of here, yet this was where you’d come.

What breakthroughs did you expect to generate digging into a case that was almost twenty-five years old? You were about as far from a lead as Pluto was from the sun.

Gravel crunched as Zach came up the walk behind you.

“I got the keys,” he said.

“The place looks better than I expected. More charm, less gloom.”

“Like a fucking rainbow in the woods,” Zach said, inserting the key in the lock.

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s creepy, though.”

“Creepy?” you asked.

“The place feels off. Too pretty for its history, like Gettysburg without a war memorial.”

- - - - -

Zach went to explore the camp and forest while you waited in the concert hall for your witnesses. Twenty minutes later, the first of two former employees arrived.

Mrs. Koep was a petite fair-skinned woman with thin lips and a broad face. She wore a white button down with a silk scarf draped around her neck and carried a pink Michael Kors purse. Her handshake was firm when she introduced herself as the camp’s former groundskeeper. Right behind her, the other ex-employee Mrs. Brittenridge entered the hall. Mrs. Brittenridge was the opposite of Mrs. Koep. The former administrative assistant and camp nurse was tall and thin. In contrast to Mrs. Koep’s carefully coiffed appearance, Mrs. Brittenridge wore a plaid button down with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, straight leg jeans, and scuffed suede boots. Her dark brown hair, worn in a shaggy bob, gleamed with red highlights that complimented her olive complexion.

If they hadn’t introduced themselves, you’d have figured Mrs. Brittenridge for the groundskeeper and Mrs. Koep for the nurse. You sat down together in the pews. The two women took the second row while you sat in the first, angling yourself to face them.

“Thank you for coming,” you said.

“Of course,” Mrs. Brittenridge replied.

“Why did you want to meet us here?” Mrs. Koep asked.

“My colleague, Zach, is exploring the grounds, and I thought the familiar setting might help jog your memories.”

Mrs. Koep’s chin lifted. “My memory is just fine.”

Mrs. Brittenridge shot the blonde woman a tired side-eye, but didn’t comment.

“Rolling Stone magazine said your law firm is investigating the murders in Harmony,” Mrs. Koep said. “Is that true?”

“I’m afraid I can’t comment about ongoing cases.”

She scowled.

“We’re glad someone’s looking into Li Wei and Zoe’s disappearance again, and we’re happy to help anyway we can,” Mrs. Brittenridge said.

“I was hoping you could fill in some blanks surrounding Li Wei’s disappearance. What was she doing just before she disappeared?”

Mrs. Koep answered first. “She was supposed to take the campers on a nature hike before lunch, but never showed up. I learned she was missing when Mr. Chapman came to the potting shed and asked if I’d seen her.”

“The last time I saw her was that morning,” Mrs. Brittenridge said. “She came into the office to fill up her water bottle.”

“What time was that?” you asked.

“Eight-thirty,” Mrs. Brittenridge said.

You turned to the other woman. “And you, Mrs. Koep?”

“I caught a glimpse of her around nine. She was heading into the woods.”

“And Zoe?”

They debated whether Zoe had been with Li Wei that morning or not, but neither one could say for sure. With some more questioning the women decided their last official sighting of the little girl had been on Friday afternoon.

“What about Li Wei’s personal life?” you asked.

Mrs. Koep scoffed. “Non-existent. Her social life fell off a cliff after Zoe was born - some people even compared her to Boo Radley.”

By the icy glare she shot at Mrs. Brittenridge, you could guess who ‘some people’ had been.

“Betty, I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“You were right, though! She was a recluse! She was bored and lonely. All of her friends had gone off to college and left her behind.”

“She had Zoe, and her parents. You were there for her, too,” Mrs. Brittenridge said.

“It wasn’t enough,” Mrs. Koep said, wringing her hands. “Her mother should’ve pushed her to date, to get out and socialize. She practically was Boo Radley in the end.”

Mrs. Brittenridge sighed. An uncomfortable silence settled, and you waited to see if they’d continue. When they didn’t you pivoted to the main line of questioning you hoped this visit would shed light on.

“Who was Zoe’s father?”

Mrs. Brittenridge stiffened. Beside her, Mrs. Koep’s expression transformed from distraught to frosty. Neither of them answered. You retreated to a less aggressive position, realizing the delicacy of the subject called for coaxing, not pushing.

“Mrs. Koep, you worked here the longest. Since 1982, if the records are correct. Were you close with Li Wei?”

“Yes. She used to follow me around everywhere, always wanting to play in the dirt when I was planting flowers. I had kids who were a few years older than her, so I didn’t mind.”

“Did she ever confide in you about Zoe’s father?”

“Li Wei was a quiet girl,” Mrs. Koep said.

“She was quieter after she had Zoe,” Mrs. Brittenridge interjected.

You weren’t getting any useful information from the direct approach. Despite their obvious dislike of one another, the women were working in concert to dodge your questions.

A strategic retreat was in order.

“Do you have any theories about what happened to Li Wei and Zoe?”

Mrs. Brittenridge lowered her gaze, but Mrs. Koep offered a theory immediately. “I always assumed it was an accident of some kind. There’s a lot of abandoned mining shafts in the area.”

Mrs. Brittenridge’s lips compressed into a flat line.

You smiled at the former groundskeeper. “Mrs. Koep, would you mind taking my colleague, Zack, around? It would be nice to get the perspective of someone who knows the area.”

“Of course.”

“Mrs. Brittenridge, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d love to see where the administrative building was.”

“There’s not much to see. The new owners tore it down.”

“Any familiar spots would be great,” you said.

You led them out of the tabernacle and Mrs. Koep headed east to where Zach was inspecting the tree line, while Mrs. Brittenridge turned west. She walked to a picnic table hidden behind a grove of trees and sat down on one side. You took the place opposite her.

“This is where I used to take my breaks.”

“It’s a pleasant spot.”

“It’s private. You wanted to get me alone, so go ahead. Ask,” Mrs. Brittenridge invited.

“Do you know who Zoe’s father was?”

“No. Li Wei and I were friendly, but we didn’t have a relationship where she’d be comfortable sharing such personal information.”

“Would Mrs. Koep know?”

“Maybe. Betty was like an aunt to her. I always assumed she’d confided in her, but I’m not sure.”

“How long did you and Betty work together?”

“Seven years.”

“Were you full or part time at the camp?”

“Full time, May through August. I was a school nurse at Monroe High.”

“Li Wei graduated from Monroe, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“What was she like as a student?”

Mrs. Brittenridge considered the question before answering. “She was very smart, especially in English and exceptional in art. She wasn’t the most outgoing person, but always had friends.”

“You’d say she was well liked?”

“Absolutely,” Mrs. Brittenridge said. “She wasn't exactly shy, just reserved. The kind who thought before speaking.”

“Was she much of a partier?”

“Not in high school.”

You raised an eyebrow. “And after?”

“Sometimes when you’ve led a sheltered life, a little freedom goes to your head.”

“Got it. One more question. Why don’t you and Betty get along?”

“I had a cell phone in 1992.”

“Mmmhhh.”

“You’re too young to understand, aren’t you?”

“Probably.”

“Back in the early nineties, only drug dealers had cell phones, or at least that’s what people thought. I had one, which immediately roused her suspicions. To add insult to injury, I set up a website for the camp in 1996, then persuaded the Chapmans to put in a computer station so the kids could email their parents instead of writing letters. You’d have thought I suggested we convert to Satanism.”

You ran through your follow up questions and then walked Mrs. Brittenridge to her car, thanking her again for coming.

Then you headed down the curving path, around the oval lawn, past the cabins, to the garden shed. Zach was waiting outside.

“How’d the tour go?” you asked.

“I don’t think she likes me,” he said.

“Welcome to the club.”

Zach smirked. “Oh? Your charm met its kryptonite?”

You sneered at him, ignored his silent laughter, and stepped over the threshold into the plywood floored shed. The only source of light was a rectangular skylight on the roof.

Mrs. Koep was standing on the far side of the shed with her back to you. Her hands rested on a high table constructed from two-by-fours and MDF board. She stared at the garden tools that hung from the pegboard behind the table. Despite her chic clothing, she looked far more at home in this spartan surrounding with its crude furnishings than she had in the concert hall.

“I missed this place,” Mrs. Koep said, breaking the silence. “It’s weird to miss somewhere that smells like manure and gasoline, but I did.”

Mrs. Koep turned around and leaned against the table, crossing her arms over her chest. It was time for the confrontation.

“You knew Li Wei better than anyone,” you said.

“I like to think so.”

“Do you really believe she and Zoe fell into an abandoned mining shaft?”

“No, I don’t. But that’s what I want to believe, so I do.”

“Is it easier that way?” you asked.

“Being in denial for twenty years isn’t easy, it’s a survival mechanism.”

“What exactly were you in denial about, Mrs. Koep?”

It was stuffy and warm in the shed, but she rubbed her arms as if trying to generate heat.

“At first, you let yourself believe something irrational. Then… when reality breaks through the facade… you make yourself believe it because you can’t accept the truth.”

“You know something about Li Wei’s disappearance that you’re not telling me.”

“You’re very blunt for someone so young.”

“Thank you.”

“I wish I’d been that way when I was twenty-five. It would’ve spared me a divorce.”

This time you didn’t respond, just nodded.

“Li Wei didn’t give me the name of Zoe’s father. She said he was from up North - I think she meant D.C. - and that he’d been in a fraternity. They weren’t in a relationship or anything like that. Zoe was the product of a one night stand.”

“Did he know about Zoe?”

“I’m not sure but I think she would’ve told him. Whatever the case was, he wasn't in the picture. Li Wei was dating someone else.”

Excitement surged in your blood. That hadn’t been in the file. “Really? When did she start seeing him?”

Mrs. Koep squeezed her arms, gripping them until her knuckles turned white.

“Some time in March.”

“Why didn’t you tell the police?”

“Because I was afraid her parents wouldn’t approve. I didn’t want to start any trouble for her.”

You nodded. “And you’re sure the relationship began in March?”

“Pretty sure. I always came up early to start on the flower beds. He drove a motorcycle - not a Harley, it was a sporty thing, like the one Tom Cruise rode in Top Gun. I saw it parked in front of her cottage a few times.”

“Did you ever see her boyfriend?”

“A couple times, from a distance,” Mrs. Koep said.

“Can you describe him?”

“Caucasian, early twenties, with dark blond hair. I guess he was about six feet tall, give or take. He looked a bit like David Beckham.”

“You spoke to her about him?”

Mrs. Koep nodded. “I warned her that if I’d seen her sneaking around with him it was only a matter of time before one of her parents caught on.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me it hadn’t been serious and that they’d broken up.”

You swiped open your phone and pulled up an image of Julia Xiarong.

“Have you seen this woman before?”

She studied the photo carefully. “I don’t think so. Who is she?”

“She was related to Li Wei. A friend of hers said she’d been looking into her family history in 2002 and uncovered records of an adopted cousin.”

“How did she know they were cousins?”

“There was a family mystery about her uncle. He fought in the Chinese Civil War and fled to Taiwan in the 1940s. No one ever heard from him again. She found his death certificate and learned that he’d had a daughter who died in childbirth, which led her to Li Wei’s adoption records.”

“Was there proof Li Wei was related to her?” Mrs. Koep asked.

“If you mean a DNA test, I don’t believe so. Her friend said she came to Fredericksburg in March 2002 and tried to get in touch with Mrs. Chapman. I don’t know if they connected or not.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered if they did,” Mrs. Koep said. “Mrs. Chapman had Alzheimers. She’d lost everything but her long-term memories by the end of 2001. Her sister came up from Arizona to take care of her. She stayed on for a year until it was time to move Mrs. Chapman into a memory care unit, then sold the camp.”

“Is it possible she met with Mrs. Chapman’s sister?”

“Maybe.”

“Do you have a number for the sister?” you asked.

“In my address book. I’ll send it to you.”

“Thank you.”

Mrs. Koep squinted at Julia’s picture. “She’s dead isn’t she?”

You cringed internally, realizing your mistake. Detective Roth was going to have your head.

“I do recognize her. She was in the Rolling Stone article.” Mrs. Koep’s eyes narrowed. “You found Li Wei and Zoe’s bodies, didn’t you?”

“I can’t share any information about the investigation.”

You braced yourself for her to unsheathe her claws, but instead of lashing out, she opened her tiny pink purse and handed you a card. It was an old-fashioned calling card with her name, phone numbers and email address.

“When you can release their bodies, please call me. They deserve a proper funeral.”

“That’s very thoughtful. Especially after all this time.”

“It’s the only thing left. I can’t do anything else for them now.”

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I’m sure talking about this wasn’t easy.”

“I wish I could’ve been more helpful,” she said.

“On the contrary. You were very helpful.”

Mrs. Koep looked confused. When you didn’t elaborate, she sighed. “Alright then. Is that everything?”

“Yes. Zach can walk you to your car.”

You watched from the doorway of the shed as the pair walked down the ellipse shaped path towards the tabernacle and the parking lot beyond it. When they were far enough away, you took out your phone and dialed Annabeth Greene.

She answered on the fourth ring.

“Hey, how’s it going? Have you made any progress on your case? The one with the cousins?”

“That’s why I’m calling. Do you remember running Li Wei and Julia’s DNA samples?”

“Of course I do. It’s the most interesting thing I’ve cracked in months.”

“What about Zoe’s?”

“The little girl?” Annabeth asked.

“Yeah.”

“I thought I already sent you an analysis of her DNA.”

“You did, but I was wondering if there would be any way to identify her father?”

Annabeth sucked in a long breath. “Ugh. Look, I can try, but I’m not optimistic. A lot of genetic libraries have closed the loop holes that allowed us to use ancestry DNA to identify suspects for law enforcement.”

“I’m not law enforcement.”

“You’re as bad as Lloyd.”

“Can you do it?”

“If I loosen my definition of ethics,” Annabeth said.

“You’re the best. I owe you.”

“Uh-uh. Lloyd owes me. It’s going to be something good, too. Expensive. You tell him that.”

“Will do.”

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

In a semi-private alcove within the vast common room of Fairfax Fields Assisted Living facility, Lloyd faced down his prime suspect. Tate Corbin didn’t look eighty-three. His face was wrinkled but his posture was impeccable. Also, he seemed to be made of Teflon, because nothing stuck to him. It wasn’t charm that formed the protective coating that resisted Lloyd’s best interrogation tactics. Just the opposite - the Teflon shield surrounding Corbin was constructed of impertinence.

None of his usual tricks were working, and that pissed Lloyd off. He was good at two things in the interrogation room: getting a rise out of someone and building a sense of despair that made them unravel. Corbin was immune to both tactics.

First, there was no getting a rise out of Corbin. The man existed in a perpetual state of annoyance; the only dependent variable was the subject of his ire. Second, Lloyd didn’t have any actual evidence and therefore wasn’t equipped to build a sense of despair.

He wished he’d brought you along. If he had, he probably wouldn’t be sitting here listening to Corbin monologue about his various hatreds. Mr. Corbin hated scarlet macaws, because his neighbor had one and it wouldn’t shut up. He hated New Jersey and their subpar roads that were always under construction.

Trying to forge a connection, Lloyd empathized with that sentiment and inadvertently triggered a cascade of grievances.

The architecture of FedEx Field was hideous and the Washington Commanders had been on the downhill slide ever since they’d let Kirk Cousins sign with the Vikings. Tate claimed to despise Roger Goodell, Jerry Jones, and the entire NFL organization. And he loathed the football commentators on TV, too. They didn’t know shit about football. He preferred to watch the games on mute these days. Lloyd really, really didn’t want to agree with Tate Corbin… but he was right about a lot of things, especially the Commanders letting Kirk Cousins go. However, he wisely kept his agreement to himself and sat back, waiting for Corbin to run out of steam.

There was a rant against the commissioner of baseball, which didn’t have enough context for Lloyd to figure out whether Corbin hated the office or the individual who currently occupied it. Without a segue, the topic shifted to how social media addictions were the younger generation’s smoking. As much as he hated social media, Tate also had plenty to say about the mass media, and he didn’t hesitate to bend Lloyd’s ear about it.

Tate had been talking for almost ten minutes straight before Lloyd found an opening to put the conversation back on track.

“I hate dogwood trees,” Corbin said.

“You had a disagreement with Shun Nguyen about a dogwood tree, didn’t you?”

“Eh?”

“Dogwood trees,” Lloyd repeated, louder.

Corbin turned up the volume on his hearing aides. “Yeah, I did. That damn tree was growing over the fence and he wouldn’t trim it! Claimed he didn’t have the time!”

“We need to talk about his girlfriend’s death.”

Tate turned his head. His eyes shifted to the window. Uncharacteristically, he didn’t offer a comment.

“I’m here to talk about Julia’s death and the missing women,” Lloyd said.

“Always back to that, huh?”

“The investigation has been re-opened.”

“It’s old news. What’s there to talk about?” Corbin asked.

“You were convinced that Shun Nguyen killed Julia, is that right?”

“Damn right. They were always scrapping. I told her straight out that he’d kill her someday, but she didn’t listen.”

“Were you familiar with any of Dr. Nguyen’s other victims?”

Tate’s initial chattiness had waned. He shrugged. “The whole town heard about them. Heck, most of the country did.”

“Tell me about it.”

Mr. Corbin ran his tongue around his teeth. An expression of disgust, like he’d just bitten into something rotten, flashed across his features. The silence lengthened between them and Lloyd decided to prod.

“Did you know Stacey Moore?”

“Her grandfather and I golfed at the same course. We never played together or anything, but we’d see each other at the bar sometimes. I suppose you already know Maya Sutton interned for my accountant.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’ve done your homework. Everything I’ve told you was in the files, so you tell me - what’s the point of this? What are you getting at?”

Lloyd uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees.

“In 2002 you claimed you saw a man walking across Nguyen's lawn on the night Julia went missing. I think you were lying.”

Tate straightened, his scowl darkening. “Lying about what?”

“You didn’t see a man. You made it up.”

“Why would I do that?”

“To throw the police off your scent.”

Realization dawned, and then Tate chuckled. “You think I’m the killer?”

“You hated Shun and Julia.”

“And the others?”

“You’re not much of a people person, Mr. Corbin. That can be very frustrating. You couldn’t join them, you couldn’t beat them, so what does that leave? You kill them.”

“That’s pretty twisted logic,” Tate said.

“Six women are still missing and we have the bodies of three others, so yeah. The whole thing is pretty twisted.”

“I’m not much of a people person, Mr. Hansen, but I’m not a killer.”

“Can you prove that?”

Tate snorted. “Actually, I can. You see, you’re not the first person to accuse me.”

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Peter Shaw, a reporter out of D.C. - obnoxious bastard.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“He tried to accuse me of being the killer in a story for some hipster magazine ten years ago. The editor called before they ran the story, trying to verify the facts.”

“What facts?”

“About my whereabouts during the times those other women went missing. Stacey Moore was the first, in June of ‘99. A few months later Maya Sutton disappeared. The next summer it happened again. Two more victims.”

“Do you remember their names?” Lloyd asked.

“Peyton Quirk and Kayla Ballesta.”

“They disappeared in the summer, too?”

Lloyd knew the answers to the questions he was asking, but he wanted to see if Tate did.

“Peyton disappeared in July and Kayla went missing during the first week of September.”

Lloyd pretended to make a note on his pad.

Tate continued down the list. “He took Lucy Lund in May 2001. Stephanie Young went missing in September.”

“You’re very familiar with the case, Mr. Corbin.”

“Of course I am. I was at Nguyen’s trial every single day, both times. Which is why I was able to track down the tickets and photos from my summer vacations in 1999 and 2001. There are three ex-merchant marines, guys I served with in the sixties, who can vouch for me. We’ve done a biennial fishing trip in Maine for the last thirty years.”

“Their names?” Lloyd asked.

He took them down, along with the phone numbers the old man rattled off from memory.

“You’re grasping at straws if you think I’m your guy,” Corbin said.

Lloyd had a sinking feeling he’d just grasped at said straws and they’d slid through his fingers. He clicked his pen and sat back, studying Tate carefully.

His body language was open and relaxed. He didn’t seem rattled by Lloyd’s prodding, which made him think the man was being honest. Of course he would check with the merchant marines to be certain but Lloyd suspected his alibi would check out. It was a shame Peter Shaw didn’t share information from his unpublished articles, because it would’ve saved Lloyd a trip.

“I didn’t lie, you know. I saw someone walking across Nguyen’s yard that night,” Tate said.

Lloyd noticed the way Tate’s left hand shifted to cover his right wrist when he said ‘someone.’

It was a subtle gesture of self-protection, the kind of thing you or Zach would be able to discern the meaning of. He couldn’t read the emotions on Tate’s face. Discomfort? Fear? Or was he gloating over some withheld piece of information? Being caught out of his depth was irritating. Lloyd switched tactics, dropping the confrontational strategy.

Corbin had a propensity to interject whenever he felt something was being misconstrued, so Lloyd phrased his next words as a statement instead of a question.

“You saw someone that night and recognized them.”

“No, I didn’t. I mean, I didn’t recognize them for sure. Not at the time.”

“But later, you figured out who it was,” Lloyd said.

“It was just a guess.”

“A name?”

Mr. Corbin adjusted the leg of his trousers, smoothing out a crease. “Guess isn’t really the appropriate word. Maybe you’d call it a… hypothesis?”

Lloyd wanted to grab Tate by the collar of his polo shirt and shake the answer out of him. Instead, he smiled, trying to school his features into a neutral expression.

“About a month afterwards, I had an epiphany, of sorts and the puzzle pieces just snapped together. There was a neighbor boy. He was college age but still lived with his parents. A big, strapping kid, just like the figure I saw.”

“Why do you think it was him?” Lloyd asked.

“I woke up that night because their dog was barking. I got up to see what was going on, but by the time I reached the window the dog had shut up.”

“Which house did these neighbors live in?”

“The one adjacent to Nguyen’s property.”

“Left or right?”

“Right,” Tate said.

Lloyd jotted down a note. “Anything else?”

“Like I said, I wasn’t sure if it was the kid or not. But he fit the general description of the person I’d seen, and that dog didn’t bark much. I figure that’s why the dog started barking - he’d smelled his owner.”

“Was he coming or going from the house?”

“Assuming it was him, he would’ve been returning to his house.”

“By cutting through Nguyen’s yard?”

“His parents had a security camera pointed at the front door,” Tate said. “I asked his father about their setup after things went down. I was thinking of getting myself a security system and he told me they only had the one camera for the front door.”

“And?” Lloyd prompted.

“Given the camera at the front door, he would’ve had to sneak in through the back. Nguyen’s yard wasn’t fenced. The easiest path would have been to cut through Nguyen’s front yard, go around the back of their house, and jump the fence into the next yard.”

“You never mentioned this to the police,” Lloyd said.

“Dealing with ‘em left a bad taste in my mouth. They’re idiots, the whole lot. Look at who they’ve got locked up now! One of their own evidence clerks! While I happen to think they’ve got the wrong man, I'm sure glad that fellow is off the streets.”

“Yeah?”

Corbin’s face scrunched. “With Leo McKenzie in the slammer Harmony’s DUI rate is about to go into free fall, if you catch my drift.”

“You didn’t think it mattered if you said anything or not.”

Tate grunted in acknowledgement.

“You seem to have this whole case figured out,” Lloyd said.

That earned him a smile. The old man leaned in, lowering his voice. “Want to know what else I think?”

Lloyd mimicked the posture, inclining his head.

“I’ve got a theory about why they never found any remains.”

“Really?”

“Copper Ridge Quarry.”

“I’m not familiar,” Lloyd said.

“It’s an abandoned mine, closed down in the 60s. Toxic waste. Acidic runoff. That’s where the bodies went.”

This interview was burning up more leads than it was generating. Perhaps he didn’t need to check out Corbin’s alibi after all, Lloyd realized. Tate definitely wasn’t their guy. The coroner’s findings on Julia and Li Wei pointed towards the other end of the pH spectrum, away from acid.

Even so, he played along, raising an eyebrow. “Acid.”

“It’s so strong it’s off the pH scale, into the negative numbers.”

“Interesting.”

“It’s more than interesting. Acid dissolves everything. No bodies, no evidence. Take my word for it - look into Copper Ridge Quarry and you’ll find your killer.”

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

Next - Chapter XXIV

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

Masterlist

- - - - - - - - - -

Tag List:

@denisemarieangelina @before-we-get-started @buckysteveloki-me @patzammit @badassbaker @meetmeatyourworst @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @thiskindahotkindamusic @jesgisborne @charmingprincess @amiets2 @seitmai @elle14-blog1 @chaoticsteverogers @kaleidoscopepov @fangirl-and-doctor-help @jesevans @openup-yourmind @kandierteveilchen @adoreyouusugar @awkwardgiraffe726 @pono-pura-vida @mysweetlittledesire @liecastillo @marantha @babyevansblog @lizzzaaaaaaaaaaa @thegirlnextdoorssister @ladygrey03 @cynic-spirit @rosedpetal @jeremyrennermakesmesmile @bambamwolf87 @yiiiikesmish @calwitch @peachiestevie @texmexdarling @here4thefanfics @rogersbarber @spikeluv84 @dear-fifi @crayongirl-linz @bigcreatorwombatdreamer @andydrysdalerogers @mrsbarnes32557038

[kifkay]

Jobs the Winx pick after they’re done adventuring [NewGen au]

the Winx, although still friends and partners, had officially disbanded! now they’re off to their solo adventures. this is an AU, where not all of the Winx-Specialists pairs ended up settling down together - because, let’s be honest, high school sweethearts rarely do.

Stella:

In her mid-to-late thirties, Rhodos abdicates and officially passes down the crown of Solaria to Stella.

Stella and Brandon are still dating and very much in love.

Before becoming Queen, Stella tries out a lot of occupations — she owns a fashion boutique, starts in a couple of (failed) movies, runs a couple of charities which help repatriate Domino survivors.

Once, she even directs a documentary about the Winx and the Specialists. It ends up having very… controversial reviews, but the Team thinks it’s fun.

As queen, Stella advocates for friendly relationships between Solaria and many of the other planets - including Domino, Andros, Zenith. Even Eraklyon, although her and Sky don’t get along much these years.

Her and Brandon foster a girl, Mara, whom Brandon had rescued from a branch of a weird cult that settled in Solaria. Despite previously agreeing to at least hold off on having children, they love Mara to bits and are very protective over her.

Bloom:

Previously: Travelling Architect. Her one true calling. Bloom vastly enjoys being able to travel planet to planet, and come up with breathtaking architectural designs. This also gives her an opportunity to visit her girls more often.

As of now: Domino Palace Archivist. Queen Daphne’s mysterious illness has re-surfaced. Furthermore — it is progressing alarmingly fast. The royal family must be prepared for the worst, and so the second-born princess is called back to the castle urgently. For the next five years, Bloom serves as the Archivist of Domino’s records and history, as well as being low-key groomed to take over the realm - at Daphne’s own insistence.

In that period, Bloom finally moves on from her decade long on-and-off again situationship with Sky. She marries a warlock curse-breaker Saffi, with whom she has a daughter — Vanessa Mari.

Bloom also inherits her mother’s seat in the Company of Light and holds quite an important position there. Helia, who inherited Saladin’s seat, becomes her close ally and friend. Their family spend many weekends together, vacationing on beaches and having picnics.

Flora:

Currently: Guardian Fairy of Linphea, focusing on protecting various eco-systems of her home-world.

She is more of an alchemist and a researcher these days, rather than an active combatant. Flora arrives in places that have been de-stabilised by either extreme bouts of magic or human intervention, and seeks to heal them.

On a mission to a particularly messed up place which reeks of dark magic corruption, Flora meets an old friend — Mirta, who has been commissioned as a dark magic consultant! They get dinner afterwards, and well… it just goes great after that.

Flora is loving being a step-mom to Mirta’s daughter <3

Musa:

She becomes a musician and a singer, like she always wanted. Musa doesn’t reach amassing success, but she has a loyal fan base who love her for her amazing lyricism and vocals.

Tecna serves as her manager for quite some time, until she resigns for… reasons.

Musa was so sure she would marry Riven one of those days - but then he starts acting weird. Distancing himself. Holding secrets. Eventually, the specialist makes a huge spectacle of publicly severing all contact with the Team - and her. They break up, because of course they do.

Then, Riven goes off the grid. Completely disappears.

Time goes by, Musa stops touring and becomes a music composer. Her clientage is huge and spans many planets.

She has two daughters, one son, one husband and one ex (not Riven), who succumbs to a horrible, magically corrupting illness which, seemingly, comes out of nowhere.

Aisha:

Her and Nabu are going strong. She is the crown princess to the throne of Andros and he is her consort.

Being back in the palace of Andros — constantly reminded of horrible treatment and stifling loneliness she has been subjected to as a child — is hard on Aisha.

She starts regressing, becoming more withdrawn from her friends and acquaintances. Aisha is still a rebel at her core, willing to stand up and fight for what she thinks is best — but. she is just. so tired.

Nabu is always at her side. They have happy times; times, when the darkness and the apathy retreat to let Aisha breathe.

Aisha acts as Andros’s ambassador. Her, Stella, Sky and Bloom & Helia (who had both inherited seats in the Company of Light from their parents/grandparent) often work together.

They have two children, Manar and Sagar.

In recent years, Nabu had gotten ill. loosing his energy, his strength, his magic. none of the healers can explain the sudden shift in a seemingly healthy man; they only theorise that he might be suffering previously-latent repercussions of his comma and entanglement with the Dark Circle.

Aisha spirals again and distances herself from everybody but her closest family.

Tecna:

like Stella, Tecna alternated many professions.

throughout their years at Alfea, Tecna - thanks to her well-rounded and all encompassing education in Zenith, which included music theory, - has helped Musa in her artistry. Giving feedback, searching for gigs, sharing artists she might learn from online.

when Musa officially starts her music careers, she asks Tecna to be her manager - to which the girl readily agrees.

Tecna also freelances on the side: developing flying software for the Red Fountaine, writing codes and whatever else she finds interesting. Zenith tries desperately to get her to work for them, but she is not really interested.

Tecna is not interested in any romantic relationships, but stays close with almost all of her friends. Even Riven!

After years of working together, Tecna resigns as Musa’s manager. It’s a clean break and neither is terribly upset: Tecna is Musa’s kids’ godmom, for Dragon’s sakes! They stay close, although Tecna is awfully tight-lipped about her “new project with Timmy”.

The project Timmy and her are working on is — well, neither Internet nor any planet has records on it.

Currently: Tecna is working her way up as a Zenithian lab researcher. She doesn’t seem to be making much headway, but Tecna doesn’t lose hope. Eventually, she’ll get where she needs to be…

The Specialists will be up next! hopefully, the text is coherent enough <3 trying out something new

[hausofanya]

000. personal facts & trivia.

⭑ mbti. intj

⭑ positive traits. observant, slow to genuine anger, fiercely loyal, creative, hard - working, diligent, honest, has a comforting presence, trustworthy, adaptable

⭑ negative traits. a bit judgmental, easily irritated, blunt, incredibly particular about certain things, often fails to hide her expressions, stubborn, a bit of a perfectionist

⭑ hobbies. songwriting, dance, crocheting, knitting, reading, music production, fashion, collecting plushies, decor, comics, reviewing films, art, anime & manga

⭑ habits. staring ( depending on the situation, mostly in disbelief ), furrowing her brows, tapping her finger against any surface, looking at cameras like she’s on a sitcom, humming, leaving small braids in her hair and forgetting about them

⭑ phobias. atelophobia ( fear of imperfection, thus setting unrealistic goals for oneself )

⭑ known for. viral vocal runs, being compared to a cat, funny interactions with other idols, her expressions turned into reactions, blunt responses, wholesome lives, being averse to pda unless initiated

⭑ her twin brother alexei is a member of txt.

⭑ she has two pets — a black cat named oreo and a golden doodle named princess.

⭑ she’s been voted most responsible yet most likely to stay up late in the group.

⭑ she’s had her own room since debut. currently she lives in an apartment with moniqa and xavier.

⭑ she’s known for having a massive sweet tooth. the one time she was put on a sweets ban, she was keyed up for around 28 hours before she crashed.

⭑ she’s been crocheting and knitting since middle school, even when she gets teased about it being an ‘old lady hobby’. she really enjoys the mindless repetition and the end result is something you can wear. she loves gifting her crafts to friends and family.

⭑ she’s a fan of nct, ateez, the boyz, aespa, and girls’ generation. she displays her gifted and bought albums in her room very proudly.

⭑ she has a lot of idol friends, most notably wooyoung and yunho from ateez, kisung from txt, kevin from the boyz, malani from honi, and venus’ baebi.

⭑ she has a somewhat childish fear of bugs and cannot stand needles. she’s admitted to still crying during flu shots.

⭑ she plays multiple instruments but her favorite is the piano because her grandmother taught her how to play her very first song.

⭑ she considers stray kids as a very tight knit group, but the members she’s the closest to are chan and hyunjin.

⭑ her comfort movie is peter pan (2003).

⭑ she’s incredibly flexible due to doing ballet since she was five.

⭑ she was captain of her debate team in middle school.

⭑ she has a self described ‘strange’ habit of hoarding unfinished songs.

⭑ if she hadn’t pursued music, she probably would have become a lawyer.

⭑ she doesn’t have an ideal type, but she does warn against dreadheads for reasons she has yet to tell. she does find having an avid interest and being knowledgeable in one particular thing ( i.e., computers ) incredibly attractive.

mentioned ! @wondrelove & @venusvity 🤍

[undertale-fic-librarby]

Fell papyrus fics pls anything could be x reader/fluff/angst..

i dont care just anything fell papyrus pls good libarian

Howdy, thanks for asking! Here are some fics that might fit what you're looking for!

Filling the Void by SheeWolf85 (Explicit, Complete)

Attempting to get over his ex, Stretch finds himself in a bar on the wrong side of town. There, he meets another skeleton monster and winds up going home with him. It was supposed to have just been a one night stand, nothing more than casual sex to remind him that there were other monsters out there worth his time. Being with Edge fills a void in Stretch's soul he never even knew he had. As it turns out, Edge feels the same. A story of overcoming the effects of long-term emotional abuse, both from an ex-partner and from a society, with the help of others.

To Be A Princess by Mix_It_Up (Teen And Up, Incomplete)

Coming from the small European kingdom known as Aldham, you, Princess Y/n Adlson, have been attending college and studying in the world renowned city known as Ebott, city of monsters. You originally were there to learn about the rather rude and frightening looking monsters that had emerged from the mountain next to the city five years ago and learn about their history and about their magic and how souls worked, but you learned that class, also known as Monster Studies, wasn't available to you for your first year of college. So now as you wait for your second year of college to come around, you meet some very interesting people... and monsters.

It's Okay To Not Be Okay by Funnygaaragirl (Explicit, Incomplete)

After a near miss and a lucky save from Papyrus, Atlus finds her world slowly going a little nuts. Everything happens for a reason. But she was having trouble finding the reason for so many things, even as she stayed strong and kept that smile on her face. But Papyrus is there. To reminded her that sometimes it's okay to be sad, it's okay to be angry, it's okay to be absurdly happy. Just as she reminds him it's okay to be afraid, okay to regret, and okay to fall in love.

Happy Pills (edgepuff undertale ship) by Maddyfairyqueen (Mature, Incomplete)

In a world where it is the law to take joy pills, puff (undertale papyrus) is a reporter, who writes up the news and publishes said writing to the public. Edge (underfell papyrus) is a cop, who takes care of trouble makers or those that get off their pills. Puff stopped taking his medicine, he saw something disturbing in the paper that he shouldn't have seen. Now Edge has Puff under close watch after capturing the reporter. Inspired by we happy few

Not So Empty in the Warehouse by orphan_account (Explicit, Incomplete)

Y/n loves helping people, so they started a homeless shelter/food pantry/job search center for minority/marginalized groups. Their business starts up quicker than expected, thanks to the monsters emerging - but things get a little more difficult to manage when twelve skeletons make their way into y/n’s heart… and continuously sneak an adult toy into/steal it from his room. Who keeps taking it? And, who keeps putting it back…? (I’m low-key tired of Xreaders where the reader uses feminine pronouns… not that there’s anything wrong with them! Anyway, here’s a story where the reader is gender neutral/masc leaning. Reader uses he/him and they/them. I’m leaving this unfinished at the moment, sorry to disappoint! I hit a block, sadly. I have more chapters planned, but at the moment, I can’t figure out how to write them. I’m not going to orphan this work but it’s going to be a while before I publish the next chapter (~a few months maybe?)

[imsparky2002]

Barbie as the Island Princess: First Thoughts

The intro gives me Little Mermaid vibes for some reason.

Man I know this is only five years from Rapunzel, but they really improved in the cgi! The designs look really pleasant!

Ok, the dolphins look a bit plasticy but still!

I’m glad they also have enough confidence to let the tale stand on it’s own without having to establish this is Barbie telling a story to her little sister.

Is it wrong that I’m shipping the peacock and panda? They feel like a middle aged/eldery gay couple and I love it.

Aww! Weeby was right! They totally are Barbie’s gay dads!

Yeesh… I do NOT like the elephant’s design. Why can I see her realistic human teeth? And those eyes!

Overall a very pleasant opening musical number that shows off the island.

Pleasant scene of Ro comforting Tikka during a nightmare.

This goodnight song is making my brain feel weepy.

I love how this is a male love interest who is full of life and isn’t afraid to be in touch with his feminine side. Love the bow on his ponytail.

I love how Antonio’s first instinct when approached by a crocodile is to risk reaching for a branch to put in its mouth.

OMIGOD SHE KNOWS THE ALLIGATORS NAMES!

I love how they go "aww" because they're sad they can't munch on him.

Wait a minute... one of the crocodiles is called Fang. Holy crap, this is the origin story of Jagged Stone’s pet!

I love how Azul found out he’s a prince and is immediately like “fuck this island, come on Sagi, let’s take Tikka and live it up!”

I'm loving the lyrics in this song about Ro being befuddled by Antonio's tech and clothes.

Gerard is a zaddy, not gonna lie.

I’m giggling like a fool at hearing Azul ranting and raving in peacockese.

I wonder if Barbie will try speaking to any of the land’s animals.

WTF is that thing the queen is holding? Is that a monkey or a very unfortunate looking baby?

The king looks pretty young, more like his late 20s instead of 40s. Honestly though, he’s really hot.

Aww, the royal monkey has a posh accent!

Queen Ariana is honestly not that bad looking at all. If I wasn’t gay, I’d find her kinda cute.

It’s nice that the rival love interest is actually a sweet girl. A good subversion of expectations.

The vocals of the villain song reminds me of ABBA. Which is always a good sign.

Great contrast between Ariana’s powerful belting and Luciana’s quiet tone.

Omigod I am loving Ariana’s lyrics in this song, diabolical and hilarious.

LOL AND HER RATS ARE DOING BACKUP CHOREOGRAPHY

Aww, the girls dressed Tikka up!

They really captured the awkward yet respectful dialogue between enforced couples with Antonio and Luciana.

The backing score for the ballroom dance is divine.

Get yourself a man who would abdicate from the throne just to be with you.

Ah, I see Tikka hid the letter, I assume due to attachment issues.

I feel like the Cheese song is kinda unneccessary. A few lines of dialogue would have got the message across.

I do find it kinda ridiculous that nobody can pick up on Ariana’s evil vibe.

Seems that traumatic events are the key to regaining Ro’s memories.

Dolphin ex Machina has arrived.

So this new queen is obviously Ro’s mom, right?

I feel like Ariana would’ve been smarter to not attempt poisoning Antonio and his family so that she can remain in her daughter’s good graces.

Luiciana saving Ro and proving her mother’s the criminal warms my heart.

Ok, I’m happy Ro and Antonio are together, but isn’t marriage rather quick?

Huh… the sudden reveal of Rosella being a princess all along kinda ruins the message of “Love doesn’t care about status”.

Overall, a massive step up from the previous films. The first two were decent flicks, but this one takes time to flesh out each and every character. Also the score was wonderful and I found the animation to be a pleasant upgrade. The ending was a bit of an ass-pull but a enjoyable film nonetheless. @artzychic27 @msweebyness @nerd-chocolate

[princess-of-the-corner]

For someone who hasn't been on Tumblr for the last 3 days, can you resume Princess Bee for me?

OH BOY

Okay keep canon-ish up to Season five with Chloé's whole drama of her parents divorce and her dad being like 'I'll keep Zoé because she doesn't deserve Audrey's abuse, but Chloé can go live with her mom because she does deserve it'.

Meanwhile LB and CN fight Monarch, but shit goes sideways and it results in the whole team being magically banned from using the Miraculous at all (still debating on whether it's a 'mari uses the Wish to stop Gabriel and that's the Price', or if Gabriel made the Wish and added that ban so they can't un-Wish his Wish). Lila still yoinked the Butterfly, but since LB and CN just kinda ghost she fucks off to do other things for a bit.

Kinda similar to Miraculous Justice we have Chloé work to fix her shit and leaves Audrey and goes to like law school or whatever. She heals from her trauma and decides she wants a kid. Instead of finding a partner or bonking strangers until she gets lucky or jumping through hoops for IVF, she asks a friend from college(total OC named John Doe) to be the surrogate father.

Timeline is now at a point where the daughter(currently unnamed) is about 13-14 like the Canon Miracuclass. Andre died and never updated his will in the past 20 years, so Chloé inherits the hotel. Though she initially just showed up in Paris for a short trip of forfeiting her inheritance to Andre's 2nd wife(who had no idea he had a daughter until the will reading lmao), she gets dragged into fixing up the Hotel and like low-key continuing to heal from what happened in more of a confrontational/reclaiming way.

Chloé's daughter ends up going to school with other Miracuclass Nextgens. Because ofc she does. And ofc she also befriends the fuck out of this. Original Miracuclass is confused and wary regarding Chloé because they haven't seen how much she got better yet. Especially because......

One of the Adrienette kids ends up taking the Miraculous for a joyride and that gets Lila's attention of knowing the Miraculous are still in Paris and that she can now lure the Heroes out to get her hands on them. So Chloé having shown up riiiight when a new Butterfly Villain shows up is sus as hell.

(Though things will work out and everyone reconciles, but there's varying levels of hesitation from the class for understandable reasons)

Bonus points for Chloé's kid getting the Bee lmao