#so please forgive formatting

[togo--mimori]

I have a LOT of feelings about kaisers backstory. Mostly positive? My opinions on his character have only really gotten better tbh. Like, he's not a good person. But he is definitely a product of his environment.

I think he does care about Ness in his own twisted way. But he doesn't know how to recognize positive emotions. He doesn't know how to form lasting relationships without manipulation and insults.

Kaiser never got therapy, or even really a trustworthy adult (that we know of yet) to sit him down and try to break through the shell he formed after all those years. It's all he knows, it's all he has to work with. He has no frame of reference for friendship and love. New emotions and feelings are scary, they feel wrong sometimes. So he sticks to what he knows and does it the best he can.

The only thing that's changed is we know WHY Kaiser is how he is. I don't have it in me to hate him now that it's confirmed he's incredibly mentally ill due to his fucking awful and unstable formative years. He's a bad person, but he hasn't always been. But he's not beyond hope or help, like anyone is.

Not supporting anything he's done, just appreciating a well written character. Seeing bits of my broken past mirrored on a fucking rat tail anime man has been an experience.

[tokkias]

we should just kiss like real people do ship: natsu dragneel x lucy heartfilia all the fear and the fire of the end of the world, happens each time a boy falls in love with a girl. happens great, happens sweet, happily, i'm unfazed here too. or: a series of interconnected one-shots following Natsu and Lucy's budding relationship through the letters of the alphabet. ao3

chapter 1. a - aquarium

The glass fogged up with the warmth of their breaths as their noses pressed up against the barrier separating them and the fish. There’s a sign not even five feet from them that states in bold letters PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS, but Lucy simply assumed they had either ignored it, or saw it and took it as a challenge to make as much skin-to-glass contact as they possibly could.

"You’re not supposed to touch the glass, you know," she scolded, as if her pointing it out would stop them.

The two of them were getting weird looks, and they were definitely going to get in trouble if they didn’t stop any time soon, but Lucy didn’t have it in her to reprimand them too much because it was honestly kind of endearing.

"If I didn’t know any better, I would say you two had never seen a fish in your lives up until now."

She wasn’t too far off in her observation; the aquarium they’re in is certainly larger than anything Natsu and Happy had seen in their lives. Every tank was filled to the brim with different exotic-looking fish, the likes of which the two had never seen before, and by the looks of things, it seemed as though they were trying to burn the image of every new creature into their brains.

Even though she had lived in Crocus for a year, Lucy had never been to the local aquarium herself. She’d known of its existence, of course; it was a big tourist draw for the city outside of Grand Magic Games season, but she had never felt compelled to visit herself until now. At the time, she thought it might have dredged up memories of her partner that she wasn’t in the right frame of mind to deal with. Going there would have only reminded her how much he and Happy would have adored a place like this.

It seemed that her assumption was correct based on the way the both of them ooh-ed and ahh-ed at each passing fish.

Deciding that her attempts to stop them from trying to become one with the glass were futile, Lucy instead joined their side in hopes of figuring out what all the fuss was about. Admittedly, she understood their fascination. Coral and creatures of every colour practically glowed under the blue lights, flowing through the water with ease. They needn’t worry about anything, perhaps unaware of their enthusiastic observers as they continued to glide along in their inclosure. It was calming, borderline mesmerising to watch.

"This is so cool," Natsu declared, drawing Lucy’s attention away from the water and over to him and his wide grin. "Thanks for bringin’ us here, Lucy."

What had begun as his typical, unrestrained Natsu grin had softened into a gentle, genuine smile, going all the way up to his eyes, where he looked at her with all the adoration in the world.

"Yeah, it’s no problem," she affirmed, trying to keep herself from melting into an ooey, gooey mess right in front of him.

He didn’t give her much time to recuperate before her hand was in his, and he was dragging her over to the next tank that caught his eye in a not-so-romantic reminder that this was technically a date. That reminder was affirmed when they finally made it to the exhibit Natsu had his eyes on, and he still kept her hand held safely in his own, his thumb dragging across the back of her hand in an act of silent affection.

While his gaze was fixed on the new species of fish that filled the overhead tank, Lucy’s eyes trailed down to see where their bodies met, fingers intertwined together.

It wasn’t anything new; they’d been together romantically for several months at this point, and they’d been best friends for even longer. It was a comfortable transition, easing into it so naturally as though fate itself had placed them together.

She liked it like this.

She liked being best friends who went on silly aquarium dates where they held hands in the shark tunnel.

She liked watching his fascination with all the sights and sounds.

She liked him.

A lot.

In a soft moment of adoration, she squeezed his hand.

He squeezed hers back.

Looking back up at him, his eyes were still fixed on the display, watching a stingray glide past overhead. He let out a soft breath of awe, and she, in turn, breathed out a gentle giggle that captured his attention.

"What?" He asked, his attention now on her as he gazed down at her.

"Nothing," Lucy hummed, her lips pursed together to hide her amusement at this softer, cuter side of Natsu.

He wasn’t given the chance to interrogate her further before Happy’s voice called out to them from further in the tunnel, beckoning the pair to his spot.

"Wo-oah! Guys! Come look at this!"

His little paws pressed against the glass, clearly having not learned his lesson from before, as he watched a shark pass him by.

"Look! A real-life shark!" He exclaimed, practically shaking with excitement. "Oooohhh, I’ve never tried shark before, but I bet it’s so yummy~"

Lucy rolled her eyes, unsurprised that this was what had been on his mind the whole time.

"Nah, the skins probably too tough to get through," Natsu dismissed.

"You probably shouldn’t be talking so loud about eating the animals," Lucy added. "Besides, I think a shark is more likely to eat you," she pointed out.

Her words caused Happy to shudder slightly in fear, and Natsu chortled at his reaction, his laughter causing her heart to skip a beat in her chest.

He and Happy continued to chat away about the display of fish, with Natsu’s hand never leaving hers. Lucy held little interest in what they were talking about; their words little more than background noise in her head as she watched on. The blue and green hues of the water surrounding them rippled against the floor, the colour distorted light, defining Natsu’s features as he spoke.

It wasn’t until Happy flew off to follow a particularly tasty-looking fish that Natsu noticed she was staring.

"Are you having fun?" She asked, trying to divert attention from the fact that she had just been caught.

"Are you kiddin’? This is the best date ever," he grinned.

Something akin to pride swelled up in her chest. Perhaps it wasn’t the most romantic of dates, but Natsu was happy, and that was enough for her.

He looked at her for a moment, and almost as if he had read her thoughts, he brought his hand up to cradle her cheek before dipping down to join his lips with her own. It was short and soft but didn’t fail to leave her breathless, just like he always did.

"There, that romantic enough for ya?" He asked, barely making it through the sentence before Lucy’s hands were on his cheeks, pulling him down for another.

[syrcus]

FFXIVwrite 2024 Prompt 5: Stamp

Non-WoL OC. Set during Shadowbringers, spoilers for 5.0 story. Either the beginning or middle of the Thancred/Denh ship depending on how hard you squint at it. 1562 words ao3 link

The arrival of the Warrior of Light is rarely a quiet affair.      The Rising Stones' main door slams, their voice bounces seemingly without end off the stone walls, amplifying itself. Denh ignores them. After all, she has a job to do, though it may drain and vex her. Whatever business brings Quoye Mhoros to Mor Dhona can remain their own, as far as she's concerned.

     She retains her focus with intent, channelling aether from the environment around her, into the pit of her heart, turning it over and allowing it to flow down through her arms and to the hand she holds. Her fingers tingle with the warmth of it, and perhaps a little with inactivity, but over the past weeks this particular aetheric manipulation has become a speciality of hers. How many days has she spent, lately, sitting in this chair immobile, doing naught but preserving the empty husks of the people she loves?

     Her gaze glides over her current charge, a knot gathering in her core.  Thancred was once one of her closest friends, almost more, and yet.  And yet, in recent years she has avoided him, treated him with pointed indifference whenever their paths were forced to cross.  She has been cold, she has been immovable, and now that he's gone it shames her.

     "Denh!" Even through the thick wooden door of Dawn's Respite, Quoye's distinctive holler is barely muffled. "Anyone seen Denh? Somebody point me at- Oh, is she? Should've known." And with that, the door bursts open, and the Warrior of Light through it. Denh's breath leaves her in a weary sigh. She doesn't look at them, or even otherwise acknowledge them; she keeps her eyes on Thancred, committing his face carefully to memory. Even the most minor change could bode ill for him, in this state.      Were his eyes always so sunken? she wonders. Is this a worrying sign, or did I simply fail to notice? Gods, when is the last time I truly looked at him? Nobody had expected this, of course. She could never have been expected to know, all those years she spent angry and hurt, how easily the people she loved could be taken from her. She'd thought she had more time.

     Quoye's footsteps echo against the walls, quick and excited, far too upbeat for a room like this. The candle on the dresser by Thancred's cot sputters, flickering in the disturbed air as the Warrior of Light draws to a stop beside her.

     "Hi Denh," they chirp, sounding altogether too pleased with themself. Quoye's energy is infuriating at the best of times, even moreso now. She sets Thancred's hand down atop his chest and turns to them.

     "What do you want, Quoye." What are her odds, she wonders, of successfully setting them on fire? She'd never let it show, of course, but she's considered the question more and more often of late: Hydaelyn's Blessing may protect them from primal influence, they may have bested some of the world's strongest in combat, but surely a fireball to the face would take down even this vaunted hero? Some hero, anyway. What good have they done for Thancred and Shtola and the twins?      Quoye grins impishly back at her and laughs, bright and clear, blissfully unaware of the resentment Denh holds for them. Too bright for a room filled with such stagnant misery.

     "I've got something for you," they reply, in quite possibly the most aggravating singsong tone Denh has ever heard, brandishing a sheet of carefully folded paper and wiggling it above her head. "I think you'll like it." She considers snatching it, but Quoye is considerably taller than she is and could easily pull it from arms reach - which, she realises, is likely exactly what they're hoping for. She squares her shoulders and fixes Quoye with a level gaze. She will not embarrass herself for their amusement.  They can give her the note or not, it makes little difference.

     "Then hand it over and be on your way." She keeps her tone brusque, matter-of-fact, and for added effect extends an open hand. The intent is clear; put it in my hand and get lost. Quoye blinks a couple of times, perhaps surprised she didn't rise to their bait. Her tail flicks with irritation. "Now, Quoye. As you can see, I am busy and I am tired."      Hearing herself speak, she sounds tired. More than she'd expected. When is the last time she held a conversation that wasn't just a brief exchange, updating Krile on the vital signs of her closest friends? Quoye visibly deflates, apparently realising, at last, that this is neither the time nor the place for such gleeful behaviour. What thoughts exist in that empty skull? Denh finds herself thinking.

     Quoye sighs, looking vaguely ashamed, and places the note on a nearby table. "Sorry. Wasn't thinking, see… Everyone's fine, Denh. I was just talking to 'em all and they're fine, so I didn't…" They speak quickly, rubbing awkwardly at the back of their neck as they do. They look around at the lifeless Scions, their ears a little more lowered than usual. "Anyway. You'll want to read that soonish, I've gotta get back and he didn't say as much but I reckon he was mayhaps hoping for a reply- Not to rush you!" They wince. "Slightly to rush you, 'cause like I say I can't loiter long. I'll be out front. Sorry."      And they leave as quickly as they came.

     Alone again, or as alone as one can be in a room filled with empty bodies, Denh regrounds herself. She tries to ignore the note on the table, retrains her focus on Thancred; poor Thancred, sickly and grey in the candlelight. She breathes in deep, closes her eyes, drawing the aether back around her ready for use as she has done so many times.  It's delicate work, sustaining someone's corporeal form without them inside it, with little margin for error, but in recent weeks it has become as natural to her as breathing.      Today, though, when she reopens her eyes, they float unbidden back to that note on the table, and the aether she's so carefully collected fizzles and dissipates.  She tries to draw it back, but the unknown hangs in her mind like a bad omen.  Quoye hadn't mentioned the sender by name; had she imagined it, or had their gaze lingered on Thancred when they'd said 'he' was hoping for a response?  She quickly shakes that thought free.  Hope helps nobody, she learned that one young.  Hope leads to disappointment, hope lets one down.      That settles it.  I have to read that hells-damned letter.

     "Sorry, Thancred," she says quietly, almost a whisper.  "I shan't be away long."      She leaves the room in a few determined paces, grabbing the note and stuffing it into her shirt for safekeeping on her way out.  She passes Krile in the main foyer, hurriedly asks her to take over aether-sustaining duty for a little while without giving any excuse for her own abandonment of it, and skitters off up the stairs.      The dormitory hallway has never felt so long, nor had she ever realised before just how far down it her own room lies.  Try as she might to keep it away, by the time she reaches her door a small, irritating hope has settled in her chest.      She locks the door behind herself, and only once that's done does she pull the paper from her shirt and really look at it.

It's folded neatly, carefully, though now slightly crumpled.  A small drop of wax seals it closed, pressed flat with what looks, from the imprint, to be a one gil coin.  She flips it over, and sees her own name handwritten across the front in spindly, vigorous cursive.  Her breath catches.  That is, without a doubt, Thancred's handwriting.      She sinks to the floor, picking free the wax seal absentmindedly.  What could possibly be so important for Thancred to write to her from across the void, and send the hero of the realm to deliver it?        Perhaps he can offer some insight on his, and the others', condition.

     She unfolds the letter.

          Denh, Truth be told, I am not wholly sure you will welcome this correspondence.  You were, if I recall, not entirely pleased with me when last we spoke.  Would you believe me if I were to tell you that it feels like a lifetime ago? In some ways, I suppose it has been.  I have had more time to think since my... "collapse" than one may imagine, and it is my - perhaps vain - hope that you might wish to become acquainted with the man I have found myself to be. I am deeply sorry.  For all I've had you endure. If you are not averse, I should very much like to hear back!  How are things at the Rising Stones?           Sincerely,           Thancred. p.s.  You may wish to employ a wax seal of your own, should you choose to reply.  Quoye showed an unnerving degree of interest in the contents of this letter when I asked them to deliver it.

     A lone droplet of water lands upon the page as she reads the last line, smudging the ink.  Another quickly follows it.  She blinks, brings a hand to her eyes, and is almost surprised to find that she's begun to cry.

[lavender-temult]

Don’t forget to rotate your ‘mogens!

[arkham-ayden]

I'm following a prompt list for October! You can read it above on ao3 or below the cut here!

• Pairing: Ben/Mal

• Prompt: Carving pumpkins

• Word count: 1906

• No additional warnings

“Mal! Over here!” Ben called from across the way.

The courtyard was adorned with bright decorations; spiderwebs, comically sized ghosts and bats, garland strung up from every available surface and then there were long tables with an array of giant oranges on them.

She’d never seen oranges that big, hells, they weren’t even mouldy! She walked over, meeting Ben halfway and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“What is all this? On the Isle, Hallows’ Eve was just everyone getting drunk at Facilier’s place.”

“We like to do a big school event, and I had a feeling you guys wouldn’t have had the more festive things, so I set you up with something that everyone does here.”

He gestured to the oranges, now close up, Mal could see knives and spoons set around them.

“Eating oranges like an insane person?”

“No,” he laughed. “These are pumpkins, you carve them, make fun patterns, and then you put a candle in them to make them glow at night.”

She cast a look down the table, Evie was pulling a mass out of the pumpkin, not looking all too thrilled. Carlos was using a tiny knife to carve circles above a triangle, where Jay was taking the biggest knife and making a large almost circle at the top.

"Ben, this is sweet but I don’t get it. What purpose does this serve?”

“It doesn’t have to serve any kind of purpose. Back in the day it had some special meaning to it, but now we just do it for fun.”

Seeing her raised eyebrows he continued.

“I know, it’s probably really weird, but it’s your first holiday here in Auradon. We, I wanted to do something nice for you. Come on, give it a try.”

Mal shot Ben an amused but reluctant smile, taking a small carving knife. She made a lazy circle on the top of her pumpkin, not piercing hard enough to pop it out like Jay had done moments earlier. She fought with the knife for a few moments before realising it was stuck. Her shoulders slumped inwards as she tried to pull it out, to no avail. She tugged and tugged, eventually dislodging the blade, catching herself on the upswing. She cried out, more from shock than pain. Ben whipped his head around from his own pumpkin. Mal had instinctively sucked on the wound to staunch the blood flow.

“Hey, let me show you, okay?”

It was more of a question than a statement, but Mal raised her hands and went to step away before Ben pulled her to his side. She stiffened but it seemed like Ben hadn’t noticed. He picked up the biggest knife on the table and handed it to her. She blinked in shock, this had to be some kind of test, right? No sane person would hand a villain a weapon willingly. He pressed it into her palm, taking the handle in his own just above where her hand clasped it.

Together, they plunged the knife in, it was a pillowy sound rather than the cracking sound she expected to hear. They pulled it as close to them as one swipe would take, before taking the knife out and repeating the process until the cuts met.

“That’s not a circle,” she almost giggled.

“Nope, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Here’s the gross part.”

He lifted the closed shape by a thick stem, pulling with some difficulty. When it came up, there were stringy memmbranes connected to the innards, seeds mingled in the mess.

Mal raised a hand to her nose, an unfamiliar scent permeating the air. It was earthy, with almost a hint of sweetness to it. Not an artificial sweet either, it was subtle and succinct.

“And then,” Ben rolled up his sleeve as he spoke. “The equally gross, yet fun part.”

He stuck his hand deep into the cavern, a squelching sound making Mal cringe. Up came thick clumps of the membrane seed mix plastered to his fingers. He smirked, nose wrinkling as he held it close to Mal’s face. Her hands darted up to protect herself from the foul smelling goop. He put the mixture into a bowl just off to the side. There was a small tendril left on his thumb, taking the chance to wipe it on his girlfriend’s nose.

“Ew! Gross, Ben, seriously gross.”

“Gods, the look on your face, if looks could kill.” He laughed heartily.

“Right now, I wish they could.”

He took a moment to breathe and compose himself.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. My mom always used to do it to me and I never saw the appeal. But that look made it all worth it.”

“Yeah, yeah. What next?”

He handed back the smaller knife she attempted to use.

“You can make a design on this side. You cut all the way through and pop the pieces out, or you can cut the skin off to make it glow less.”

“What kind of design?”

“Anything you want! I’m pretty sure Evie said she wanted to make some kind of crown, Carlos is doing some kind of face, and Jay,” he snickered. “Well, I’m pretty sure Jay’s just having fun with the knives. Don’t worry, we’ve got Lonnie watching him to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself or anyone else.”

“I can make anything on this?”

“Yeah of course, just nothing Fairy Godmother wouldn’t approve of. I’m gonna work on mine some more, there’s a contest for best dressed pumpkin and I’m trying to outdo Jane this year. You’d think she’d get some kind of restriction considering who her mom is.”

He shook his head and turned back to his own craftsmanship. Anything, huh? Mal considered some of the art she’d made on the Isle before deciding this was far too small of a canvas to recreate anything. But it seemed just big enough for something new she’d wanted to try. She started to work, making larger cuts here and smaller shavings of the skin there. After a good ten minutes, she was almost done, roughly estimating she was five or so minutes away from completion.

Ben had finished on his, he was holding it like someone would a baby, it was a near perfect recreation of his castle’s shield emblem, there were a few shaky lines here and there, but it looked almost identical to the shields adorning lampposts. He turned to show it to Mal, hastily covering her own work.

"What’d you think?”

“It looks great.”

“What about you? How’s it coming along?”

“It’s not done yet. No peeking.”

He raised a single hand, firmly holding his creation with the other.

“Okay, okay, I’m handing mine in. Judging starts in 10 so if you want to get it in, keep an eye on the time.”

“Gotcha.”

He started to walk off, Mal going back to her own work. She stepped back for a moment to look at it in its entirety, suddenly doubting her skills. What if it looked nothing alike? It looked good to her, but the standards in this place seemed to be so much higher than the Isle, where any effort was a cut above the rest. She bit her lip, did she even want to submit it? After not much time, she realised she had to submit her work. None of the rest of her family were planning to, Jay was still playing with the knives much to the dismay of Lonnie, and Carlos, who’s pumpkin he’d accidentally disfigured with his antics, and Evie had abandoned hers in favour of the punch bowl and trying to flirt with Chad, asking about his castle most likely.

She had to put it in for judging to at least prove to the rest of them that they could do good, they could be recognised as more than villains if only for a few seconds. She finished the final touches and handed her pumpkin to Fairy Godmother, offering it sheepishly.

When she arrived back at her table, Ben was already waiting for her, two glasses in hand.

“I got us a drink, did you hand yours in?”

“Yeah, I did. Thanks.”

She took the glass with a small smile, still not used to the kind gestures Ben offered, despite how consistent they were.

“Fairy Godmother’s going over them now, we should head up to the front to see who wins.”

She nodded, taking one of Ben’s hands in hers. He was always so warm where her hands felt more like ice than flesh, a downside of being part draconic due to her mother’s spells. She relied on outer sources for her heat, unable to make her own without the sun.

“Mal, you’re shivering, are you okay?”

“Mm? Oh, my body can’t make its own warmth. I’m okay, just a little chilly.”

Ben took his jacket off and placed it around Mal’s shoulders and pulled her closer to him. Nestling her head in the crook of Ben’s neck, she immediately felt warmer. Not just her skin, but it was like her insides were being warmed up. It was a weird feeling, chalking it up to the inadvertent curse. They stayed like that for a few minutes before the dark haired woman took the stage, three pumpkins with designs facing her.

“Welcome Auradon Prep students, to our annual best dressed pumpkin contest. As you may all know, I’m quite good with a gourd,” She laughed at her own joke, Ben quickly explaining it.

“Without further adieu, I’d like to present our winners of this year. In third place,” she spun around the leftmost pumpkin. “King Benjamin and the royal crest.”

There was scattered applause, most too busy indulging in sweets or conversations to pay much attention.

“In second place is Jane with her beautiful silhouette of a pumpkin carriage.”

Again, scattered applause, though a bit louder. Presumably, it was from Jane’s friends, finally focusing in.

“And finally, in first place we have,” she trilled, trailing off slightly.

Mal was crossing her fingers and felt a surge of warmth flow through her as Ben embraced her in a hug to try and warm her up some more.

“Mal from the Isle with her portrait of King Ben.”

As the pumpkin was spun around, there were audible gasps from the small crowd, some people pausing their conversations to take a look at the art. Her art. Ben pulled away from the hug briefly, mouth slightly agape as he looked in awe. Fairy Godmother beckoned Mal on stage, with a small push from Ben, she went up.

“As winner of this year’s contest, it is my honour to give you this token of $25 and an opening to our art programme here at Auradon Prep.”

It was Mal’s turn to be shocked, mouth agape.

Cheers from her friends erupted and cut the harsh silence.

“Go Mal!”

“How’d she do that with these things?”

“That’s my girl!”

Slowly, applause came from the small crowd, becoming louder and louder. Ben pulled her down from the stage and swept her into a kiss, dipping her down.

“Did you seriously make me a pumpkin? That’s the cutest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

She caressed his cheek, kissing back and smiling under it.

“You really made me look good for a gourd.” He parroted the cheesy joke. She tilted her head playfully, tipping Ben’s crown to one side.

“You always look good.”

[empressofthelibrary]

prompt meme: Bailey x Dick

when a character is taken hostage by the antagonist, and their lover goes absolutely ballistic, doing everything in their power to protect their lover, and the antagonist has to restrain them, but it doesn't stop this character from trying to get to their lover, doesn’t matter what happens to them, doesn’t matter if they get beaten as long as their lover's safe

asdfkf I had meant that reblog more as trope appreciation but that's just too good to pass up tbh

I could go so silly with this, but I won't. I'm gonna do this right

---

It’s been two months and this is so goddamn huge I’m thinking about posting it to ao3 and linking to save everyone’s dashboards good freakin’ mike

Tagging @weirdfishy @amodnamedmel and @hollyjollydjarins because this will already ping Lavie and that’s the taglist I remember

--

    A word of forewarning, Dear Reader.  If you have been following Bailey’s story up until this point, you’ll know this is far, far ahead of where she is now.  This is a glance into a potential future, something that might be.  And what you see herein, some of these events may come to pass, and some of them may not.  The ones that do, almost certainly, will not happen in quite this way.  The future is always in flux, after all.

    So go, and enjoy the trip, but consider this something of a spoiler warning, and something of a caution sign.  Parts of this may not make full sense without full context, but that will come in time.

Bailey grinned as she walked down the sidewalk, groceries in hand.  Autumn leaves tumbled down from the trees, and the air was alive with the promise of an approaching thunderstorm.  It was a mid-October Friday in Central City and she couldn’t feel more alive.

Her boyfriend was coming over for dinner.  Her boyfriend.

Bailey skipped a few steps and giggled, twirling.  It was still genuinely hard to believe she was dating anyone, let alone Richard Grayson, of all people.  Nightwing.  Vigilante, hero, leader, pillar of the caped community, friend and inspiration to so many people, in and out of the mask.  …And gorgeous as hell to boot.

And he’d picked her.  A nobody from a two-horse town in the hills, stumbling her way through one mistake after another.  Trying her damndest to live up to the world of legend she’d tripped and fallen into a couple of years ago.  A guy who should be astronomically far out of her league…  Saw her as someone worth seeing.

Bailey paused to lean against a wall, pressing a hand to her sternum as the thought set her heart racing, butterflies zipping yellow-gold through her veins.  She bit her lip to stifle another excited laugh, bouncing on the balls of her feet.  He was hers.  He was hers!  And she was gonna prove she was worth it.

Bailey bounded up the stairs to her apartment, determination and joy spurring her along.  Chicken and dumplings, baked potatoes, and a bottle of apple cider might not be anything wildly fancy, Bailey thought, but I did warn him I’m not much of a cook.  And, she added with a smile, setting the ingredients out and swapping the chicken for the cider in the fridge, the chocolate-cinnamon cookies are gonna add something special.

Bailey turned the music on, bopping around the kitchen as she cooked.  She had just enough time to get things ready by the time Dick was due at six.  She’d cut it close, but that meant the food would be good and hot when he got here.

Bailey broke into a grin again, nose scrunching as she smiled down at the celery on her cutting board.  “I don’t care if Monday’s blue,” the radio crooned, and Bailey jumped in, swaying and bouncing along.

“Tuesday’s gray and Wednesday too,” her voice rose to nearly cover the music.  She knew she sounded bad, but she didn’t much care.  “Thursday I don’t care ‘bout you, it’s Friday, I’m in love…”  She swept the celery into the pot with a flourish, watching it join the onions and chicken.  “Monday you can fall apart, Tuesday-Wednesday break-my-heart…”

Bailey closed her eyes and drummed her fingers on the counter, trying to quell the nervous joy that had her wanting to run around the apartment and scream.  I’m gonna tell him.  Tonight’s the night; I’m gonna say it out loud.  She bit her lip at the thought, stomach flipping.  I’m sure he knows – hell, he probably knew before I finally figured it out and that was, oh jeez, almost a year ago holy shit.  But I’m gonna say it.  Finally.  Lanos was staying with Kyle for the weekend, after all, out in Metropolis.  They’d have the apartment to themselves, nobody to intrude on the moment.  It was the perfect chance, and she was gonna take it.

That was when her phone rang – “I got chills!  They're multiplyin'~"

Bailey turned the radio off and snagged the phone, grinning.  “Hey, Birdie.  I was just thinkin’ about you.  You on your way?”

The voice that answered wasn’t Dick’s.  “Unfortunately, Lady Sikri, your betrothed is going to be delayed.”

Bailey felt her blood run cold.  That voice, with its hollow cheer, still haunted her nightmares.  “...Arvak Rul?”  Memories of fire and pain, of dying, swirled at the edges of her mind.

Arin laughed.  “Oh, you honor me, Lady, remembering me.”

“You’re dead.”  Bailey swallowed hard.  This wasn’t happening.  “You’re dead.  I killed you.”  This couldn’t happen.

“And so allowed my rebirth in your holy flames,” Arvak smiled.  “You have blessed me greatly, Lady Sikri, and I shall continue to serve with grateful devotion.”

"I don't want your devotion," Bailey hissed.  "I want you to die and stay dead."

Arvak clicked his tongue in disappointment.  "Still trapped by your mortal shell, I see.  But you will defeat her, my Lady.  I will keep the faith."

"I'm going to kill you again," Bailey replied, her voice cold and dangerous as it finally sank in why he’d been the one to answer.  "And if you've so much as touched him –"

Arvak's laugh splashed cold water down Bailey's spine.  "Lady Sikri, I would never trust your… pet to anyone else.  But if you wish to see his condition for yourself, you would honor us ."

"Where."  The question felt so sharp with fury that Bailey could almost taste blood in her throat.

"The temple.  I trust you have access to an ultrawarp drive."

Bailey was taking off from the balcony before she knew she'd reached it, wings beating behind her, bearing her aloft.  How dare they use him to get to her like this.  How dare it work.  Bailey knew she was playing right into the Everburning's hands, but what other option did she have?

They had her Bluebird.  He was in danger because of her.  Because she loved him.  And wasn't that just a kick in the teeth?

She'd spent so long afraid to love him, so sure she’d hurt him.  So sure he’d hurt her.  And now…

This was all her fault.  Dick had been caught in the crossfire.  He was hurt, maybe dying, maybe already –

No.  No, Arvak wouldn't do that.  He was too smart.  He knew that, if Dick was dead, there was nothing in heaven or earth that could stop Bailey from personally hunting down every single one of the Everburning and taking them out.  She'd leave Arvak for last.  Make him watch as the goddess he mistook her for tore down his church and burned it to ashes.

And then she’d scatter him in pieces across the known galaxy.  See him come back from that, if he dared.

It was a short trip over the river to the abandoned warehouse where the Theseus was stored.  Wally, Uncle Barry, and Mr. Hal had set it up for her when she and Kyle had come home last spring.  Bailey still wasn’t sure where they’d gotten all the parts for a DIY spaceship hangar, but the way Wally had grinned when she’d asked told her enough.

The hangar itself was fairly spartan, with most of the space being reserved for the Theseus.  The walls were plain, save for a mural she and Kyle had painted on one side: four shooting stars – two green, one yellow, one violet – over a swirling nebula rippling with color.  A way to commemorate their adventures together.  On the other side, a staircase led to a small deck with a couple of couches and a minifridge, with the lockers underneath that.

Bailey sighed through her nose, lips pressed into a thin line as she opened her locker and grabbed the mission-bag she kept here.  Flying a damn spaceship around in broad daylight is the exact opposite of keeping a low profile, she thought to herself.  But enough weird shit happens in this city already; maybe I can slip under the radar.  She turned toward the ship, shouldering the bag, and flipped through her mental checklist.

Jason has the spare key to the lockbox in case I don’t come home.  I updated the letters a few weeks ago, which is good, because if I hadn’t it’s too late now.  Lanos is safe with Kyle.  Nothing else I can wait on.

Bailey moved up the ramp to the ship, stepping nimbly over the welding-seams that glued the pieces of differently-textured metals together.  She set a hand on the patchwork hull, smiling softly.  Laney worked so hard to keep this ship together, the whole time he was crossing the galaxy.  He’s such a resourceful kid, but I’m glad he’s not on his own anymore.  She rapped the hatch twice, for luck, and walked inside.  The ramp slid closed behind her.

Bailey sat down at the control panel, the ship’s nacelles rumbling faintly as she started the engines.  The warehouse’s roof split and slid down, the warm glow of the sunset spilling in through the front viewport.

Bailey set her jaw, guiding the ship up and forward, pointing towards open air and launching herself into the sky.

I’m coming, Bluebird.  Just hold tight.

—

In Metropolis, half a continent away, Connor Hawke lifted his head from the book he was reading.  “...Kyle?  What’s that noise?”

Kyle Rayner turned away from the stove, puzzled.  “What noise?”

“It sounds like…  Something tapping on glass.”

“Probably something I’m doing in here.  Dinner’ll be ready soon, by the way.”

“You’re sure you don’t want any help with it?”  Connor turned to lean over the back of Kyle’s couch.

Kyle grinned.  “I’m almost done.  But could you go ask Lanos if he wants to at least sit with us?  I know he doesn’t eat, but…”  He let the sentence trail off, scratching at the back of his neck.

Connor nodded, getting up from the couch.  “Sure.”

—

Bailey broke atmo, letting the Theseus ease into orbit while she fiddled with the controls.  “Setting these coordinates is gonna be hard without Laney,” she mused.  “But I got this.  Bad enough Dick’s in the middle of my fight; no need to drag anyone else into the muck.”

The comm system buzzed – a hail from the Watchtower.

Bailey froze, fingers hovering over the buttons.  If she answered, she’d have to lie.  If she didn’t, she’d look suspicious as hell.

She tapped the comm.

“Hey, Eagle!”  Booster Gold’s grinning face appeared in holo over the console.  “What’s up?  Just out for a joyride, or…?”

Bailey couldn’t help but return the smile.  She didn’t know Booster too well, but it was hard not to find him endearingly annoying.  “Something like that.  Actually…”  She tilted her head, thinking, as an idea crossed her mind.  “Is Skeets there?  I need ultrawarp coordinates and don’t have much time.”

Booster frowned, eyebrows knitting.  “That doesn’t sound like a joyride.  You got backup?”

“Yes,” Bailey lied.  “And I need to get to Thanagar asap, so please don’t make me answer any more questions.”

 Booster’s eyes widened.  “Thanagar?  Shit, is this when—”  He turned.  “Skeets, you got her?  Awesome, thanks, little buddy.”  He turned back, nodding grimly.  “Sending you the coordinates now.  Tell Kyle I said hi, okay?”

“Uh, sure,” Bailey answered absentmindedly, plugging the numbers in.  “And thank you both.”

“Good luck out there.  Call if you need help.”

“Will do,” Bailey signed off, punching into ultrawarp.

—

Wally smiled, snapping a photo of Irey and Jai sprawled over the couch and Jay, all three fast asleep.  “Oh, Linda's gonna be so sorry she missed this."

The back door blew open as Barry rushed into the room.  Wally turned, halfway into a glare before he registered the look on his uncle's face.  "What's happened?"

"Iris just called.  The Theseus just took off with no warning and in plain sight.  There's a fire near 82nd and Perez."

Wally's face paled.  "That's where Bailey's apartment is."

Two bolts of crimson slammed through the front door and down the street.

—

Bailey paced the bridge of the Theseus, unable to sit still a moment longer.  It wasn’t far to the Polaris system, not by ultrawarp, but anything short of already being there was too long.  Her hammer hung heavy at her hip, and she glared out at the rippling rainbow of warpspace, willing it to part and let her through to Thanagar.  To Arvak.  To Dick.

At long last, the prismatic void split into a burst of light, and Bailey found herself staring at Thanagar – or more acurately, at its moon.  She flitted along the console, turning on the cloaking device before turning the ship towards Kalmoran.  In and out, quick as I can, she thought.  Get him free, get him safe, and get the hell outta Dodge before Her Imperial Majesty knows I’m here.  Simple as pie.

The Theseus came to rest on Kalmoran’s surface, nestling into the shadow of a stony ridge.  Bailey slipped quietly out of the ship and kept low to the ground as her eyes adjusted.  These assholes are expecting me.  As much as I want to storm in and start busting heads, that’ll just get us both killed.  I need to be careful about this.

Her fingers tightened on the hilt of her hammer.  Every muscle in her body screamed to lunge forward, to destroy everything in sight.  It was getting harder and harder for Bailey to contain herself.

The Temple of The Lady Everburning was a cluster of spires, twisting up from the sandy soil like a crown of flames.  Starlight turned the golden stone to silver, dancing across the points.  In another life, it would have been beautiful, but the sight of it left a cold knot of fear and nausea in the pit of Bailey’s stomach.

“Guess you guys rebuilt,” Bailey muttered, taking note of the new plume of towers in the center, where she’d left a gaping hole and pile of rubble the last time she was here.

The last time she was here…  The memory hung at the edge of her mind.  Cuffed and bound to the altar, the drugged wine scattering her thoughts like dandelion seeds.  Arvak looming over her, the torch in one hand and the Eye in the other.  Feeling her soul come unmoored from her body.

The battle with Sikri.  Watching Rashel, her great-grandmother, her mentor, bear the brunt of the cosmic phoenix’ attacks, protecting Bailey as well as she could.  Rashel using her own spirit to seal Sikri back inside the crystal in a way Bailey still couldn’t quite wrap her head around.

The blur of destruction and manic high of power, fuzzy memories that made Bailey’s stomach turn.  Watching her hands snap Arvak’s neck, his body slumping to the ground.  Rubble raining down around her.  The knowledge that Thanagar was broken, fundamentally.  That the whole world, from one end of the universe to the other, was broken.  The need to wipe the slate clean so something new could be built.

Bailey shook her head, teeth clenched.  This is no time to get wrapped up in my memories.  Focus.  Keep your head level.

That was when a pained scream cut through the air.

Bailey was moving before she could stop herself, caution thrown out the window in favor of pure fury.  Two guards on either side of the Temple’s entrance – Two tawny-feathered piles on the ground, dropped by her hammer.

Up the steps, through the door.  Three more acolytes, caught by surprise, but better prepared.  One ducked Bailey’s swing and caught her by the wrist, twisting until her hand opened and the hammer dropped.  He stepped to pin Bailey’s arm and her wings behind her back, twisting painfully.  Bailey threw her wings open, one catching him in the face and making him stumble.  Another drew his mace and took a swing.  It connected with Bailey’s sternum, driving the breath from her lungs.  She fell backwards a step, gasping as she fought for air.  The third took the opportunity to pounce from the shadows, something bright and sharp in her hand.  Bailey had just enough time to twist to the side, but the taloned gauntlet raked painfully over her shoulder.

But the pain brought focus.  The mace-wielder tried to take another swing, this time at Bailey’s ribs.  She let it connect, snarling with the impact, but slammed her elbow into her opponent’s head.  He stumbled, stunned, and Bailey snatched the mace from his hands as he fell.

She had just enough time to bring it up and block the first guy’s incoming blow with an axe.  The hooked blade caught on the mace’s head, and Bailey used the leverage to sweep the weapon out of the way.  Both axe and mace went clattering to the floor, and Bailey closed the distance before the acolyte could adjust.  Her fist connected with his jaw, and he was down too.

Bailey spun, trying to find the lady with the claws.  She was standing in the torchlight, eyes wide and confused as she stared down at her gauntlets.

She stood with her back to a pillar, narrow frame dwarfed by her wings.

She looked so small, so… lost.

She can’t be more than a teenager, Bailey realized.  Suddenly Bailey’s anger shifted, and she found herself enraged on behalf of this girl, taught to fight and die for someone else’s cause.

“I don’t understand,” the girl managed weakly.  “You…  You bleed.”

Bailey blinked, shaken from the adrenaline haze enough to feel the blood running down her arm, hot and wet.  She glanced down at her bicep, twisting a little to examine the wound.  “Reckon I do.”  She started to turn and move further into the temple, but stopped.  “...You got a name, kid?”

“...Azra, my Lady.  Azra Shar.”  She looked at Bailey with wide amber eyes, hands curled against her sternum.

Bailey took a deep breath, forcing her voice into something calm.  “Well, Miss Shar, I don’t know my way around this place.  Can you point me to wherever they’re keeping my friend?”

Shar nodded, slowly, coming out of her confused daze.  “Straight down the hall to the fork, then take the left path.  Through the dining hall, into the kitchens, then turn right into the garden.  They’ll be in the Grand Hall – the doors are hard to miss.”

Bailey nodded and picked her hammer up from the floor.  “Thanks, kid.  Now get the hell out of here and go somewhere safe.”

“Y–yes, my Lady.  As you command.”  Shar turned and rushed from the foyer.

“I’m not –” Bailey sighed, shaking her head as Shar’s wingtips disappeared around the corner.  “Whatever.”

Bailey stepped through the halls, vicious anger burning low in her stomach.  Arvak’s using child soldiers now.  She’s what, fifteen?  Relatively, at least.  Just a kid.  I can’t believe he’d stoop so low, the vile bastard, but I shouldn’t be surprised.

She leaned harder against the wall as pain spread through her ribs, hissing softly between clenched teeth.  Kidnapping innocents, dragging people into the crossfire, getting kids involved in his war…  All because he wants to see the world burn.  Bailey shoved away from the wall.  It was true that there was so much broken, on Thanagar, on Earth, everywhere.  But ripping it all down in some kind of divine apocalypse wasn’t the solution.

There’s hope, Bailey thought to herself, forcing another step.  Her lungs were starting to burn.  There was probably some internal damage from the mace.  Had one of the guards at the door managed to score a hit, too?  She didn’t remember.

There’s hope, she repeated.  No matter how broken and bleak and screwed up things get, I know there’s a light to keep fighting for.  And I know that because…  A series of images flashed through her mind:  Dick, as Nightwing, helping her out of the museum window.  Wally’s arm slung around her shoulders, both of them laughing about something stupid.  Standing with Nelle, Kyle, and Donna at the art gallery, talking and having fun.  Watching Wally and Roy argue over the grill at the annual Titans cookout.  Learning to fence with Jason and launching into Tybalt and Mercutio’s duel just because.

Laney’s gigawatt smile when he’d reclaimed his memories.  The way he’d been so proud to show her the physical body he’d built for himself, and so eager to learn about Earth firsthand.  How determined he had been to find Aya, how shy he’d been to reunite, and how excited they both were to build a siblinghood.

Dick building a blanket fort with Lian and the Tornado Twins when he’d been put on mandatory injury leave. His fingers sliding down her wrist and over her palm, twining with her own.  The way he leaned into her when he was tired, pulled her against him when she could hardly hold herself up.  Dancing through the air together, turning the city into an improvised trapeze act.  Soft words whispered into scalps and palms, gentle kisses and strong arms that let her feel like it was safe to fall apart.

Bailey grit her teeth, pushing herself forward.  I can have hope for the world because they’re in it.  As long as the people I love are here, there’s nothing we can’t fix.  Nothing we can’t do.  Nothing we can’t create.  Bailey exited the kitchens, glowering across the garden at the massive, shining doors of the Great Hall.  They were shaped like two upswept wings, the feathers shaped into stylized points like flames.

And that is why I will never let Arvak or Sikri take anyone else from me.

—

Connor set his fork down, looking over his shoulder in confusion.  “Okay, please tell me one of you is hearing that.”  A sharp tnk-tnk-tnk sounded from the wall, growing steadily louder as it continued.

Beside him at the small table, Lanos turned to peer in the direction of the noise.  “I can hear it, yes.”  He looked to Kyle.  “Lantern Rayner, is that not the wall-safe where you keep your power battery?”

Kyle’s brow knit in concern.  “Yeah, and a couple other – Wait, how do you know where I keep my battery?”

“I took note of its placement in case of emergency,” Lanos bluffed, looking for all the world like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  “I know the Captain’s orders – no vigilantism until I have acclimated to life on Earth.”

“Mm-hmm,” Kyle replied, one eyebrow raised, as he pushed away from the table and stepped to the wall, taking down the painting that hung there.  “Anyway, the battery isn’t the only thing in here, and – Gah!”

All at once, a violet light ripped out of the safe in a plume of drywall dust and blew past Kyle’s head, hanging a hard left and smashing through the window.

“Well there goes my deposit,” Kyle joked, turning to watch it go.

“Captain Adler is in trouble,” Lanos stated, his normally chipper tone fading into something serious.  The humanoid hologram he wore dispersed in a flash of emerald.  “We need to follow that ring.”

Connor looked between the two, already turning for the bow and quiver he’d left by the door.  “Fill me in later.  I’ll be suited up as fast as I can be.”

Kyle nodded, already in his green-and-black.

—

Bailey pushed herself towards those massive, shining doors, feeling bile rise in the back of her throat.  Time was running out.

Another shout cut through the air.  Bailey threw herself across the sand.

The double-doors slammed open, an Everburning acolyte landing in the dust and skidding.

Bailey snapped her head up to see Dick, shirt torn, bruised and bleeding, breathing hard as he caught himself on the doorframe.

“Hey, Angel,” he managed, that crooked grin spreading over his face as he made eye contact.  “I was starting to think you were gonna miss the party.”

Bailey jumped forward, grabbing Dick by the waist and spinning to pull him out of the way as another of the Everburning swung a hammer at him.  “And let you have all the fun?  Never.”

Dick laughed and leaned in for a quick kiss before pulling away and turning to face the fight.  “Feel like dancing?”

“Always, Birdie.”  Bailey shifted her grip on the hammer, lightning crackling across the head.

"What do you know about these guys," Dick asked, ducking a mace and swerving to trip the guy swinging it.

"Is 'evil space cult' not obvious?" Bailey slammed her elbow into an acolyte's exposed throat, then grabbed him by the breastplate and turned, using him to block an incoming blow.

Dick jerked to the side, managing to get his head out of the way of an Eveburning blow, but taking it on the shoulder instead.  He grunted in pain, and Bailey turned, driving her hammer into the opponent’s helmet with a snarl.

"Is that all?" Dick caught one of the Everburning in a hold and twisted, followed by a pop and a pained shout.  "You’re out for blood."

"They kidnapped you."  Bailey's hammer came down in the soft space under an acolyte's ribcage.  "They dragged you halfway across the galaxy."  A wing snapped under her hands.  "And they were going to kill you."  Bailey spun, wrenching an axe from a dropped opponent's belt and swinging it at another.

And suddenly Bailey's arm was frozen, Dick's hand wrapped around her wrist.  His other arm looped around her waist, pinning her against him.  The axe-blade hovered an inch from the acolyte's neck.

"I'm okay."  Dick's voice was strained, rough.  But his face pressed close against her temple, breath stirring the hair that slipped from under the helmet.  "I'm alive.  And we're gonna get out of this."  Gently, he pulled at her arm, guiding the axe away from the Thanagarian's neck.  "We're gonna go home."

Bailey closed her eyes, letting herself feel his presence, his body against hers.  Let herself breathe him in, vanilla and amber.

He was here.  He was alive.  She could still keep him safe.

Slowly, her grip loosened on the axe, and it fell into the dust below.  The acolyte scrambled away, taking off.  Bailey didn't give a damn – she turned, burying her face in Dick's neck, tangling her fingers in his hair and trying to muffle the sobs bubbling up around the lump in her throat.

His arms twined around her lower back, under the base of her wings, as he pulled her close.  "Hey.  It's gonna be okay."

"I don't want them to hurt you," Bailey whispered.  "I won't let them hurt you like they hurt me."

"Well this is a beautifully tender moment," a new voice drawled.  "But I'm afraid I have to interrupt."

Bailey whirled, pushing Dick behind her, wings flaring protectively.  Arvak stood on the steps to the Hall, a serpent’s smile spreading across his face.  His hair had warmed from brown to red, and two golden-feathered wings stretched from his back; all physical evidence that what he’d told Bailey was true – He had died.  And Sikri had brought him back.

I only legitimized him, Bailey realized.  I fucking tied him to me.  I gave him exactly what he wanted.  I’ll never be free now.  Oh, god, what have I done?

Dick’s hand tightened on Bailey’s arm.  “Give.  That.  Back.”

Bailey blinked, gaze refocusing.  Sitting over Arvak’s heart, holding his tabard over his breastplate, were three golden feathers fixed to an amber cabochon.

The feathers she’d given Dick.  The favor she’d placed in his hand, trying to tell him how she felt.  The pin he’d made from it, to tell her he finally understood what she meant.

And the wrong man was wearing it.

“That isn’t yours,” Bailey hissed.  “And you have no right to it.”

“Oh, but I have every right, My Lady.”  Arvak’s voice dripped with false sweetness.  “Far more than he does, anyway.  I was the first you chose.  The first you blessed.  He –” Arvak jabbed an accusing hand forward “-- is nothing.  Mortal.  Powerless.  He isn’t even Thanagarian – he’s worse than the Wingless.”

“Bailey, what the fuck is he talking about,” Dick asked in a whisper.  She didn’t answer, too focused on Arvak coming down the steps.  More of the Everburning fell in beside and behind him, silently surrounding the scene.

“I have no aspirations of courtship, Lady,” Arvak continued.  “I know my station as your humble servant and vassal.  But if you’ll allow me –”

THOK!

Bailey drew her arm back, knuckles stinging.  “How dare you,” she spat.  “This man is everything to me.  He is a source of comfort when I have none.  The light that brings me out of my darker days and guides me home.  The example that inspires me to be my best, the person who reminds me who I want to be.  I can keep fighting for each new dawn because I know he’s right there beside me, fighting for the same thing.  The same dream of a better tomorrow.  He is the reason I have a future to hope for.”  She drew back, glaring down at Arvak in disgust.  “I love him.  And you will never.  Touch him.  Again.”

Arvak pulled himself to his feet, one hand still holding his jaw.  A bruise was already forming, and blood colored the space between his fingers red.  Likely a split lip or a broken nose, Bailey thought.  Maybe she’d gotten lucky and managed both.

Arvak lifted his hand away from his face, wiping away the blood.  He stared at his hand, contemplating, as he assessed the cut in his lower lip, the missing tooth, and the crimson still running from one nostril.  “I… See,” he said, clicking his tongue.  “I know that’s simply the shell talking, Lady Sikri.  I know that isn’t you.”  He motioned to the Everburning around them, and the circle tightened.  “But we will hear your truth soon enough.  And then this world will meet the end it deserves.”  He turned, hands behind his back, and started to walk away.

“No,” Bailey snarled, lunging forward.  Her hand closed on his wing, but the acolytes grabbed her and pulled her back.  There was shouting behind her, and a too-familiar voice in pain.  “Dick?!”  Bailey swerved, trying to get to him.  But there were too many to fight, was too much pain under her ribs.  She screamed, half raging anguish, half futile warcry, as hands forced her to her knees in the dirt.

The cuffs came down around her wrists with a sharp click, arms now bound around her own wings, behind her back.  A rough hand jerked her up by the shoulder, forcing her forward.

This is all my fault, Bailey thought to herself.  We can’t beat them.  And now they’re gonna kill us both, summon Sikri into my corpse, and destroy the goddamn universe.  And it’s all because of me!  I’m literally gonna be responsible for the end of everything!

“So,” Dick whispered as the Everburning shoved him into step beside Bailey.  “Somethin’ you wanna tell me?”

Bailey blinked, dragging her thoughts out of the downward spiral to replay the last few minutes over again.  Her eyes went wide when she realized what she’d said.  “Aw shit.  That…  That wasn’t how I wanted to say it.  Fuck.”

“I was talking about you being worshipped by some kind of apocalypse cult, but sure, let’s focus on you using the L-word.”

“Right, bigger things to worry about.”  They climbed the steps and were marched into the temple proper.

“We are talking about that later, though.”

“If we live to later,” Bailey hissed back.

“Oh, don’t worry, Angel.”  Even beaten half to hell, Dick’s crooked little grin was infectious.  “We’ll live.  Trust me.”

“Always.”  Bailey could feel hope sparking in her chest again, dim though the light was.  “If there’s anybody that can come up with a plan to get us out of here, it’s you.”

“You’ve beaten them before, right?  How?”

Bailey’s stomach churned, seeing the stone dias under the skylight ahead of them.  Arvak standing at it, waiting.  “I lost, actually.”

“...Ah.”  Dick looked away, gaze fixed on some indistinct point in the distance.  Something bitter twisted into his grin.  “Y’know, Angel, when I said I’d meet you at the altar one of these days, I don’t think this is what I meant.”

Bailey blinked, stumbling over her own feet as she was shoved down the steps.  “I – gah – What?!”

Dick turned, something akin to a laugh in his voice, as they were both forced to their knees again, in front of the altar.  “Had I not said that out loud yet?”

Bailey’s mind was spinning, struggling to keep up under the emotional whiplash.  He wanted to marry her?!  They were about to die – everything was about to die – and he was talking about getting married?!

“You picked a helluva time to bring this up!”

Dick shrugged with one shoulder.  “We might not get a better one.”  He shifted to look at her, cornflower-blue eyes burning like stars.  “I love you, Bailey Adler.  And I wanna marry you one of these days.”

    Bailey’s heart leapt into her throat, tears stinging in her eyes.  “I…  I love you too, Bluebird,” she whispered.  “With all my heart.”  A moment’s pause, followed by a half-hysterical laugh.  “But please tell me this isn’t how you’re actually proposing.”

“If you two are quite done,” Arvak drawled, “we have our own ceremony to complete.”

Bailey snapped her head up to look at Arvak, already holding the Eye in his hands.  It pulsed and flickered with an orange glow, filled with Sikri’s fire.  But then something over Arvak’s shoulder caught Bailey’s attention.

“No, actually, I’m not,” Bailey quipped, dragging her gaze back down to Arvak.  “I’m not done talking and interrupting your ceremony.  You really think I’m Sikri?  Really think I’m your Everburning Lady of Holy Destruction or whatever the fuck?”  She shoved herself to her feet.  “If that’s true, why do you need to force me to be here?  Why do you need to kidnap my boyfriend and use him as bait to drag me across half a galaxy?  Why do you need to bind my wings?!”

Dick glanced up, watching with cautious concern.  Meeting her gaze, he nodded once, barely perceptible.

Bailey stomped up onto the altar, spinning to face the crowd.  “If I’m your damned goddess, why does your high priest have to fight me?  If he’s Sikri’s chosen mouthpiece, why doesn’t he listen to me?!”  The words left her chest in a roar, righteous anger filling her lungs.  “I know you are all so tired, so angry and jaded with the world.  I know what Thanagar is like!  I’ve walked the lower levels!  I’ve seen your pain, your misery!  But there is hope, and it isn’t in the form of some – some divine doomsday!”

“Don’t listen!”  Arvak snarled, gripping Bailey’s wrist and trying to yank her off the altar.  “This isn’t Sikri talking, it’s the shell she’s trapped inside!  There’s only one way to make things right, and you all know it!”

“I know what it’s like!”  Bailey ripped her arm free of Arvak’s grip.  “I know what it’s like to feel alone!  To feel like there’s nothing you can do to fight against the evil in this world!  To feel like there’s nothing worth fighting for!”

A faint violet light started to spill into the room as Bailey continued.  “Things are bad.  I won’t deny that!  You wouldn’t be here if they weren’t.  You look ahead and all you can see is more of the same, more pain, more sorrow, more lonliness and suffering.”

“Because that’s all there is anymore,” Arvak argued, trying to take control of the crowd.

“No,” Bailey cut him off.  “No, that isn’t true.  You all came here because you were hungry for something, for some shred of hope, connection, community!”  The violet light was brighter now, radiating from behind her.  “Alone, we can’t find our way out of the dark.  We need friends, family – we need love to guide us out.  To give us hope, a reason to fight, to make things better.”  Bailey glanced down, meeting Dick’s wide eyes, and smiled.  “I found my star to follow.”

There was the faintest clink of metal, and the flicker of a grin across Dick’s face.  Bailey closed her hand around her prize.  Perfect timing.

Arvak snarled, grabbing Bailey with one hand on her wings, the other pulling her leg out from under her.  She hit the altar with a grunt, but kept her fists clenched at her back.

Dick sprang over the altar, slamming his knee into Arvak’s face with a wordless growl.

Bailey dragged herself up to one knee, spitting out blood from where she’d bitten her tongue.  How did Gigi start this again…?  Right, I remember.

Taking a deep breath, Bailey started the oath.  “For hearts long lost and full of fright.”  She shoved herself upward, climbing to her feet.  “For those alone, in blackest night!”  She could feel the power surging through her hands and up her arms, making a beeline for her heart.  Fitting.  “I accept the ring and join the fight!  Love conquers all, with violet light!”

And suddenly Bailey was suspended in a glowing crystal cocoon.  Power flowed around her, through her, melding the broken rib, burning away her exhaustion and fatigue.  She smiled, bright and joyful, as she pulled her hands free from behind her back, the shackles long gone, and drove her fist into the crystal wall.  The gauntlets she wore now were pink and sliver, knuckles studded with red-violet crystals.

Fractures spiraled out from that point of impact, and with a loud KR-KRACK, the cocoon shattered, fragments spiralling away and dissolving into light.  Bailey threw her arms out, pale pink wings stretching, as she leapt into the air.  Her breastplate and the skirt of armored plates were the same rosy red-violet, detailed in silver, and with the starburst of the Violet Lanterns encircling Sikri’s upraised wings on her chest.  The helmet was gone, replaced with a winged headdress, violet, pink, and silver.  She grinned, whirling.  A brilliant, giddy feeling poured through every vein, inescapable and enrapturing.  And there was someone Bailey needed to share it with.  Where is he?

Arvak had Dick pinned against the altar, a knife in his hand.  Suddenly all the joy in Bailey’s heart turned to something else, something violent and vicious and sharp.  With a wordless snarl, she dove, catching Arvak’s wrist and shoulder, wrenching the limb backwards.

Arvak screamed as something snapped, but Bailey didn’t relent, snatching him up by the back of his robes, driving the both of them into the air with a powerful beat of her wings.

“I told you,” Bailey hissed, “what would happen if you hurt him.”  She carried them higher and higher, through the skylight and up into the air.  The ring gave her speed, and soon they had left the ground far behind them.

“Let me go,” Arvak howled, arm hanging uselessly at his side while he thrashed.

“You sure about that,” Bailey asked, feeling the manic grin spread across her face.  She held out her arm, letting Arvak feel the distance to Kalmoran’s surface.  “I’ll do it.  Ask nice.”

“Bailey, no!”  A streak of emerald light shot up from below, and suddenly Kyle was hovering in midair beside her.

“Hey, Glowstick.”  Bailey didn’t take her eyes off Arvak.  His eyes were wide with terror, his one good arm wrapped around hers.  His wings flapped behind him, one bloody and pierced with a green-fletched arrow.  “Connor’s here too, I take it.”  If Bailey dropped Arvak, it would be to his death.  Something in Bailey enjoyed that thought, enjoyed this sight.

“Nobody needs to die.”  His hands were out, palms up, trying to reach her.  “C’mon, look at him, he’s not worth it.  Let’s just go home.”

“...He killed me, you know.”

“What?”  Kyle’s tone was one of disbelief.  “You, uh, look pretty good for a dead woman.”

“I came back.  It’s fine.  I’m fine.”  Liar.  “But he was gonna kill Dick.  And I can’t let that happen.”  Bailey relaxed her grip, just for an instant, and bit down on a laugh as Arvak screamed, his nails digging into her exposed arm.

“It’s not like I didn’t warn him,” Bailey continued.  “Told him at the start I was gonna kill him again.  And that I’d make him suffer, this time, if he hurt him.”

“So why haven’t you dropped him yet?”  There was something cold in Kyle’s voice now.  Almost like his objections were withdrawn.

Bailey shrugged with the shoulder that wasn’t holding Arvak.  “Dunno.  Figure Dick’d be pretty pissed about it, I guess.”  She drew her arm back in, leaning down into Arvak’s face.  “Speaking of?  You have something that doesn’t belong to you.”  Bailey reached forward and ripped the brooch from Arvak’s chest, the torn fabric sliding off and spinning away into the air.

“My – My Lady, please –”

“Not your anything, creep,” Bailey snarled.  “How many times do I have to tell you that?”  She drew back, holding him out again.  “Doesn’t matter.  You did ask politely.”

“What are you –  No!”  But Arvak’s protests were cut off as Bailey let go – catching Arvak in a crystalline bubble.

Kyle let out a breath.  “I’d have understood.  But I’m glad you didn’t.”

Silently, Bailey turned, diving back towards the temple.  Arvak, in his hamsterball, followed behind.

The sound of combat rose to meet the three of them as they neared the ground.  Diving through the skylight, Bailey realized the entire temple had been thrown into chaos.

The rest of their party was still trapped at the altar, slowly trying to carve their way through the crowd to the door.  Around them, the Everburning seemed to be fighting themselves, voices shouting and blows flying.  Dick was leaning on Connor’s shoulder, the two of them trying to dodge and defend, aided by the figure hovering above them.

“LANEY?”  Bailey’s tone was outraged.  “Kyle, what the fuck–!  Why is the kid here?!”  Turning, she smacked her friend upside the head.  “What is wrong with – Ooh, we are gonna talk about this when we get home.”  Without waiting for a reply, Bailey dove into the fray.

“Yes ma’am,” Kyle snarked, rubbing the back of his head and following.

“Greetings, Captain!”  Laney’s greeting was chipper as ever.  “Are you well?”

Bailey braked in midair, wings flaring, as she caught the little android by the shoulders and held him out at arms’ length.  “Forget about me, kiddo, are you okay?”

“I am operating at optimal capacity,” Lanos chirped.  “Minor surface damage, but nothing worth concern.”

Bailey wrapped a hand around the back of Lanos’ head and pressed his forehead to hers.  “Good.  I need you safe.”  Letting go, she turned and dropped to the ground.  “Dick!”

Dick turned, pushing off of Connor’s shoulder, a strained smile on his face.  “I’m here.”

Bailey wrapped one arm around his chest, pulling him into her, sinking her fingers into his hair again as she dragged him into a searing, hungry kiss.  Something surged up from her chest, flowing forward, through her and into him.  Pulling away, Bailey wrapped herself around Dick, folding her wings around his shoulders and burying her face in his neck.  “I love you.”

“I know,” Dick replied, pulling away and holding Bailey’s face gently, thumb tracing an arc over her cheekbone.  “I love you too.”

THWAK!

Connor winced, turning, as the Everburning member dropped to the ground.  “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt the moment.”

“No, we need to get out of here,” Dick acknowledged, and then paused as a puzzled look crossed his face.  “Bailey?  Did you…  Heal me?”

“Mmmaybe?”  Bailey blinked, letting her eyes skim over Dick’s chest.  The cut that had crossed from his left shoulder to his sternum was gone, as were the bruises that had formed.  “I, uh, don’t know everything this thing can do yet.”  She held up her left hand, indicating the ring with a wave.

“The Star Sapphire rings have the strongest healing capabilities of all the Lantern rings,” Lanos offered, pushing the battle back with a wall of green light.  “A Sapphire with a strong enough love can even bring their loved one back from death’s door.”

“The Princess Bride jokes write themselves,” Kyle chimed in.  “Can we skip to the part where we get the hell out of here?”  A winged horse leapt from his ring, galloping in a downward spiral and landing in front of Connor with a whinny and a toss of its head.

Connor laughed and swung onto the horse, grinning.  “So sentimental.”

“So dramatic,” Bailey corrected, words eased with a fond grin.  She closed her eyes, smiling, tapping into the warmth lodged in her chest, letting it expand until it felt like her ribcage would burst.  Violet light burst from the ring in a flare, coalescing into a sleek, angular motorcycle.

Dick raised an eyebrow, throwing one leg over the seat.  “Now who’s being sentimental?”

Bailey shrugged wordlessly, swinging on behind him.  “I have far less hesitation about holding on, this time.”  Her arms wrapped tight around his waist, pulling herself close against his back as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder.

A low chuckle rumbled through Dick’s chest as he pressed a hand against Bailey’s clasped ones.  He revved the bike’s engine, and Bailey could almost feel the grin on his face.  “Laney?  Can you clear us a path to the door?”

“My designation is Lanos,” Laney corrected, the note of cheer in his voice turning hollow.  “And yes, I can.  Lantern Rayner?  I am handing crowd control over to you.”

“On it, bud.”  Kyle raised his hands like a conductor, and a platoon of skeletal emerald warriors surrounded them, forming a shieldwall.

Laney turned, and bright green energy flowed from his hands, forming a plow.  Smart kid, Bailey thought, pride swelling in her chest.  Just push ‘em aside, minimize injury.

“GA, you got the door?”

“I think I can handle that,” Connor said, already nocking an arrow.

“Alright then.”  Dick’s voice was level, focused on the mission.  “We move on three.  One.  Tw–”

“Three,” Laney interrupted, shoving forward.

The rest of the party stumbled into action behind the android, Kyle’s shieldwall breaking and moving along to hold the gap as they moved.  Two shafts flew from above, landing in the joints of the door’s hinges.  A faint beeping rose into the air, and a moment later, twin explosions erupted from them.  With a creaking groan, the doors dropped from the wall, falling to the ground with an echoing boom.

The room fell quiet for a moment, as the riot stilled to look at the remains of the door.  And then, slowly, everyone turned to stare at Bailey and her companions, wreathed in emerald and amethyst light.

“Go faster,” Bailey urged.  “Go go go go go go now go –”

Shouting erupted around them again, louder this time.  Some were calling out to Bailey – “Lady Sikri!” – others calling for blood – “Liar!  Pretender!”  Bailey tucked her head against Dick’s shoulder and willed the bike to move faster.  The five of them tore through the doorway in a blur of green and violet, Arvak trailing behind.

“I left the ship over there,” Bailey yelled, pointing over Dick’s shoulder.  “Behind that ridge!”

The team hung a hard right, and they tore across the landscape, sand and gravel flying up behind them.  They shot over the open space, the bike roaring up and over the ridge.

“Hold on,” Bailey yelled, the bike dissipating as her concentration shattered.  Dick’s arms locked around her neck, her arms sliding underneath him.  Swooping down into a landing, she raised an irritated eyebrow.

“There were safer ways to get to the ship.”

“I thought a straight line would be faster,” Dick replied, head tilting as he grinned down at her.  “And you can’t tell me we’re not both enjoying this.”

Bailey’s grip on Dick’s thigh tightened.  “Y’know, if you wanted me to scoop you up like this – “

“Hey, lovebirds!”  Kyle was standing on the Theseus’ boarding ramp, hands thrown up in exasperation.  “Get your asses in the ship before we leave without you!”

“Right, escaping, sorry!”  Bailey kicked into the air, Dick still in a bridal carry.  “He’s just.  He’s very distracting,” she managed, setting him down as the hatch hissed closed behind her.

“Yeah, well, save the honeymoon for when we get home,” Kyle sighed, the fond smile taking the bite out of his words.  “And preferably when I’m not around.”

“They’re as bad as Ollie and Dinah,” Connor teased, leaning on the wall.  “Can’t blame ‘em though, being newlyweds and all.”

“What.”  The word came out of Bailey’s throat in a strangled cough.  She’d blame the way she half-fell into Dick on the Theseus’ rough takeoff.

“They’re joking,” Dick reassured, rolling his eyes at the commentary and easing Bailey back to her feet.

“I do remember an altar and vows,” Kyle pointed out.  “And a ring.”

“We even have a priest," Connor added, gesturing towards Arvak, slumped in the corner of the brig, unconscious.  "Almost lost him when you dropped him a minute ago, but he's here."

Bailey sighed hard through her nose, crossing her arms as she glared into the cell.  "He sure is.  Question is, what do we do with him now?"

"Well," Dick said in a half-drawl, "in my experience, crazy bad guys usually go to the authorities."

"No Earth court has jurisdiction over this dirtbag," Bailey replied.  "What authorities do we take him to?"

"The Lantern Corps can take authority," Kyle offered, face scrunching.  "There'll be, like, paperwork and stuff.  But he was, technically, arrested by a Green Lantern and a Star Sapphire."

Bailey felt her own face mirror Kyle's.  "Ew, paperwork."  She shook her head.  "I'm gonna go check in on Laney.  I know he said he's fine, but the way we jerked just there, I don't like it."

Dick nodded as she stepped away.  "We'll give you two a minute."

Bailey turned and caught Dick's hand, pressing her lips to his knuckles.  "Thank you, love."

"And I thought the pining was bad."

Bailey shoved Kyle's shoulder as she went by.  "Aw, shuddup, Glowstick.  You ain't got room to talk."

Kyle stammered, caught off-guard, as Bailey swept onto the bridge.  She grinned as she heard Connor behind her: "Kyle?  What did she mean by that?"

The doors hissed shut before she could catch Kyle's reply, and Bailey found herself striding towards the Captain's chair.

"Hey, Laney-bug.  You doing alright?"

Lanos turned his head to glance sidelong at his Captain.  "I believe I have answered this question already, Captain Adler."  All the false cheer was gone from his voice.  "I am in optimal condition."

Bailey sighed and turned to lean against the console, peering out the viewport at the stars.  "Physically, maybe."  She turned back and set a hand on his shoulder, thumb running back and forth over his pauldron.  "But something's bothering you.  You... don't have to talk to me about it now, not unless you want to.  But if and when you do, I want to listen."

After a long moment, Lanos looked up at Bailey, his eyebrows knitted.  "...Thank you, Bailey."

"Hey, what are starship captains for, if not that?"  Bailey wrapped a hand around the side of Laney's head and kissed the top of his helmet.  "I take care of my crew."

Laney's expression shifted into a smile as he laid his hand around Bailey's wrist.  "What's our course, Captain?"

"Oa.  We're dropping our guest into a sciencell and throwing away the key."  Bailey crossed her arms over her chest, jaw set in a grim line.

Laney drew back, shocked.  "Are you certain, Captain?"

Bailey shrugged.  "I know it sounds harsh, but believe me, Arvak's getting off light.  If it were up to me, he'd be in the airlock, not the brig."  Her tongue clicked as she sucked on her lower teeth.  "Which is why, I suppose, it isn't up to me."

"Oh!"  Laney heaved a sigh of relief.  "The prisoner.  I had thought you were referring to the young woman in the ventilation system."

"The who in the what."

Skreee-THOOMPH!

Bailey spun on her heel to find a pile of brown feathers and lanky limbs picking itself up from the floor.  A panel hung loose from the ceiling, dangling by one bent screw.

"Azra?!"  Bailey could feel the headache building behind her eyes.  "Kid, how the – what the hell are you doing here?!"

Azra bit her lip and pushed a lock of long blonde hair out of her face, shoulders high.  "You told me to go somewhere safe, My Lady."

"I just meant – I didn't mean – Argh!"  Bailey dragged her hands down her face and sighed, trying to calm down.  "Kid, you need to go back to Thanagar.  Your parents–"

"Are dead," Azra interrupted.  "I'm an orphan.  No family to speak of."

Bailey opened her mouth, then closed it.  "Friends, then.  School?  A life!"

Azra's eyes were downcast.  "...I was just a child when Arvak found me.  The Everburning was all I had."

There was a full marching band playing between Bailey's temples now.  "...Well.  I can't really send ya back there, now can I?"

Azra looked up at Bailey, expression uncertain.  "My Lady, I–"

Bailey held up a hand.  "We can sort this out after we deal with Arvak.  But hell if I'm gonna drop you off at some spaceport, so don't even ask.  You are too damn young to be out on your own."

"Captain?"  Laney had moved to the navigator's seat.  "Shall I set course for Oa now?"

Bailey nodded with a sigh, falling into the Captain's chair.  "Roll out.  And tell the boys they can come in whenever they're ready."

[borbealis]

Dear @bookfansworld happy belated holidays! I hope they were healthy (we had sickness and some family members found that bothersome- henceforth I will always wish good health) and happy!

The drabble below is your Byler Secret Santa gift! I hope you enjoy it! I had fun writing it and learned a lot in the process. ❤️

(#no beta we die like men #fantasy #byler #angst? #fluff? #idk how to tag things actually)

In which one Will Byers is trying to understand one Mike Wheeler.

Byler Fantasy AU Drabble

“What was that?” Will demanded coming to stand in front of Mike who was rooting around in his saddle bag for a rag.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Mike said.

“Don’t be like that. You know what I’m talking about.”

Mike was silent and refused to look Will in the eyes, choosing instead to busy himself using the rag he had found to clean the blood off of his sword.

Will stared him down. “Why did you push me aside?” He asked. Mike shifted on his feet but kept his eyes trained on his hands as he carefully slid his rag along the edge of the blade. “I had it under control, Mike! You almost got yourself killed jumping between us like that!” Will shouted.

“Will!” Mike said finally bringing his eyes up to meet Will’s. “Would you just leave it alone?”

For a moment neither of them spoke. Will’s hands were clenched at his side. His face resigned. “I thought you were different than the others.” He said, breaking the silence. “I thought you trusted me to protect myself and to ask when I need help.”

“I do.” Mike said defensively.

“Then why did you push me aside?” Will asked. An unreadable expression flashed across Mike’s face and his hand tightened around the hilt of his sword where he held it at his side.

“Mike, please. I don’t understand.” Will said quietly.

“You really want to know?” Mike asked.

“Yes.”

“Fine.” The sound of metal scraping against metal rang out in the silence as he slid his sword into its scabbard. “I did it out of duty. Duty to the crown—to your mother.” Mike folded his arms across his chest. “I did it because you’re the crown prince now, and ever since Jonathan died I-” Mike faltered then continued more slowly. “The Queen has spoken with me about the importance of your safety. She requested that I be willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure that you survive this quest.” Will’s face had gone pale at Mike’s words, but Mike continued. “If it had been her choice alone, she never would have allowed you to come.” Mike paused a moment then added, “If it had been my choice, I wouldn’t have either.”

“I see.” Will said stiffly. “So, you don’t trust me after all. That was just a lie.”

“What? No, it wasn’t!”

“It was! It was a lie because if it were true, you wouldn’t share my mother’s feelings. You wouldn’t say that you believed I could handle myself and then wish that you could have left me home!”

“That’s just- that’s just not true! You don’t understand.”

“I don’t? Then explain it to me.” Will countered.

“I- ” Mike stopped. He wore an uncharacteristically vulnerable expression on his face. “I can’t.” He whispered. Disappointment filled Will’s face.

“Why are you lying to me, Mike?” Will asked softly. “What happened to us?” He shook his head and turned away from Mike, walking towards his horse that was tethered to a tree a few steps beyond Mike’s.

Mike felt guilt set in immediately as he watched Will walk away. He noted the tense set of his shoulders and the way his hands moved in short, abrupt motions as he examined his horse’s tack—tightening straps and making sure each buckle was safely fastened. Mike groaned and kicked the ground in frustration.

“We should keep going,” Will said over his shoulder. He untied his horse’s reigns from the low branch they were fastened to and swung himself up into his saddle in one graceful motion. He gently nudged his horse forward until it was standing near Mike. “Are you coming?” Will asked. He sat on top of his horse looking down at Mike from above. His posture was immaculate even while riding and at the moment he looked every bit the royal that he was. Mike had never felt the distance between them so strongly.

Mike shook his head. He suddenly felt that if he didn’t explain everything to Will now, he would never get the opportunity again. “I’d like to try and explain myself again if you’ll give me a second chance.” Mike said. Will’s face was a picture of confusion, but he nodded.

“No lies this time?”

“No lies.”

“Alright.” Will agreed hesitantly.

Mike felt sick with apprehension, but he knew he couldn’t change his mind now. It would leave Will even more hurt. Mike didn’t want to be the cause of that again and he owed Will the truth. He begged the powers that be, if there was such a thing, that what he was about to say would be received well even though he knew it could never be reciprocated.  

“I shouldn’t have said what I did just now.” Mike said softly. “It may have started out that way, as a role that I performed out of duty alone, but now-” Mike took a deep breath. His heart felt as though it would beat right out of his chest. “For you I would risk everything—life and limb. Whether you were a prince or not. Even if I had never sworn an oath to the crown.” Will’s eyes widened and his mouth parted on a breath his horse began to shuffle its feet uneasily. Mike wasn’t sure if he had just created a chasm between them that he would never be able to bridge but now that he had started, he couldn’t stop and he rushed on to explain himself.

“When I was younger all I ever wanted was to be seen. To belong. I didn’t think I would ever have that… I came close to it with the party but even then, I always felt that there was something missing. When the Queen elected me to lead the party assigned to protect you things changed. I met you.” Mike stepped forward and took hold of Will’s horse by the bridle. He held it still and gently stroked its neck in an effort to calm it down. “I got to know you and knowing you changed me. You changed me. And just now when I said those things… I didn’t-” he faltered.

“I was afraid of the truth.” He said. “Because the truth is, I love you, Will. And I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you. I could never forgive myself. And if you were gone—I’m not sure I remember how to live without you.”

“Mike,” Will said softly.

“You don’t have to say anything, Will.” Mike said. He scrubbed his hand gently between the ears of Will’s horse and avoided Will’s eyes.

“I want to.” Will huffed. He dismounted and came to stand next to Mike. When Mike still refused to look at him, Will reached up and took hold of Mike’s hand where it had gone motionless against his horse’s neck. Mike’s eyes flew to his in surprise and Will smiled. “I feel the same way, Mike.” Mike’s mouth fell open in surprise and Will laughed.

“Did you think I was going to hate you?” Will asked.

“I was afraid you would.” Mike admitted.

“I couldn’t bring myself to hate you even if I wanted to, Mike. Even just now I couldn’t have hated you even though I was so upset. You’re the most important person to me in the whole world, I just didn’t know how to tell you. I love you.”

“I think you’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” Mike said softly.

“Really?”

“Definitely.” Mike said. He threaded their fingers together and smoothed his thumb over Will’s knuckles. “May I kiss you?” Mike asked shyly.

“I would like that.” Will replied with a smile.

[goosefeathers-kinhelp]

Hey Goosefeather! I'm a Ravenpaw fictionkin and I was wondering if I could get some headcanons? As far as I know my life was pretty close to canon but I'm having trouble getting some of my early clan-life memories! Thank you so much!

Hello, Ravenpaw!

I apologize this is late, I didn't notice it until now.

Tigerclaw, at first, wasn't an absolutely terrible mentor which caused Ravenpaw to look up to him a little. Keyword: little.

Greypaw and Ravenpaw were friends since they were kits. Greykit would defend Ravenkit from Sandkit being a bully.

Ravenpaw also looked up to Redtail, honestly a lot more than Tigerclaw since Redtail was a lot more willing to help Ravenpaw versus Tigerclaw's "answer your own questions" kind of training.

Ravenpaw's "quiet" spot is in the Medicine Den, Spottedleaf is fine with him showing up and vibing in the quiet. She will usually defend him if Tigerclaw tried to force him out, using her rank as leverage.

Ravenpaw's favorite apprentice task was looking after the elders, specifically because Oneeye would tell stories while he was there. He knows a shell of a shell about Mapleshade because of this, as Thunderclan history dictated that she drowned in the river with her kits.

Ravenkit was not very good at Mossball but enjoyed it anyways.

Ravenkit actually wanted to go down the Medicine Cat route, due to not really liking the idea of fighting in the first place, but no one took him seriously on that and kept claiming he was in some phase. He was not in some phase. Due to gaslighting, he went along with the Warrior route.

Ravenpaw noticed, after witnessing the murder of Redtail, that Tigerclaw would take Crows or Ravens when going to the Fresh Kill pile and make direct eye contact with Ravenpaw when he started to eat the bird. This is what gave Ravenpaw the idea that Tigerclaw was absolutely willing to kill him.

Ravenpaw highkey had insomnia and would sometimes sneak out to look at the stars. Redtail caught him a few times but joined him instead of scolding him. Sometimes you just need a peaceful moment.

Ravenpaw refuses to eat or hunt birds, he finds comfort in them and is fascinated by them. Think "Pirate Scourge" but birds instead of reptiles.

I hope any of these spark something, friend! I did my best to stick around "time in Thunderclan", specifically before Redtail's death, but there's some after Redtail/Before Barley too.

~ Goosefeather

[morphogenetic]

Mediaposting 2024, #1: Jujutsu Kaisen, Season 2

Completed: January 6th, 2024 Rating: 7/10

if you didn't see my post about either season 1 or the 0 movie, let me just say this: my feelings about jjk are...complicated. i genuinely think it does a bad job at making it obvious what the villain is trying to accomplish (not even in a 'what are their motivations' way, but in a 'what is even their goal'), and the main three are genuinely not very interesting characters to me. yuuji is so fucking boring and i GET that they need to do the 'oh boy this character is new to this world' thing bc: shonen. but megumi is a 500x more interesting character. hell YUUTA is a more interesting character. wish so bad they stuck with him.

coughs. anyway. it also does a very poor job at making you emotionally invested in any characters before killing them off (**UP TO THIS POINT SPECIFICALLY, I AM ASSUMING SHIT HAPPENS AFTER WHERE SEASON 2 STOPS), and generally is just...not great at giving its characters depth. blah blah that's typical for shonen whatever but i think hxh and csm's character depth has just ruined me forever and everything else looks bland in comparison LOL. also the pacing feels fucking bizarre in a way where i can't say its bad but its also not....particularly good either.

that said. i kind of understand why its popular after this season. i don't 100% agree with that popularity, hence this being a 7/10 for me, but it is much more understandable to me. honestly mostly shibuya arc and not the flashback arc bc the flashback arc is just put in the most bizarre place in the timeline, even though it is 100% necessary for anything at all to make sense

idk. im not reading the manga any time soon bc i more watch jjk for well-animated action more than anything else. and this is just that for me.

also fuck the dual-braid lady why is she like that

[citricacidprince]

Could you draw that "I trust you" scene with Mabel and Stan but with the relativity AU? (The stan twins and pine twins swap ages au)

OF COURSE, I WILL GLADLY DRAW THEM!!! 💥💥💥

I’m gonna post a long winded thesis about my thoughts on this AU, my take on the AU, and two additional arts under the cut because ooooh boy it’s a tad bit long lol. Also, please please forgive the formatting, I’m writing this all on the fly and it’s extremely disjointed, sorry- 💥

I know there’s the ‘canon’ Relativity AU designs and character dynamics, however I don’t really like them that much ngl. I feel like it mostly just ends up with ‘Mabel and Dipper get switched with Stan and Ford with no nuances once so ever’ and that BLOWS!!! There’s so much potential there and no one is playing with it!! YOU GUYS DON’T EVEN HAVE MABEL PRETENDING TO BE DIPPER, WHATS THE POINT????

Not only that but I feel like making Dipper and Mabel’s dynamic just Ford and Stan’s when they’re adults is a HUGE simplification of their characters. Like, Mabel and Dipper fight, but they don’t fight like Stan and Ford, they’re not as hard headed and stubborn. Mabel would commit some crimes yes, but I don’t believe she would get into some of the heavy shit Stan had in his past. I refuse to believe Mr. Dipper ‘Undiagnosed Anxiety Disorder’ Pines would fall for Bill’s flattery as easily as Ford did.

The Pines Twins are very different from the Mystery Twins. Mabel and Dipper didn’t grow up with a father constantly comparing the two and pinning them against each other, outright telling one kid they’ll always be a failure while the other is going to have the burden of making their family rich. They never had that tension. They wouldn’t be walking on eggshells around eachother as adults.

I know that makes the concept sound boring to some, ‘Where’s the fun in the AU if you take away the sibling fighting’. You cowards, you can still have it, young Stan and Ford are RIGHT THERE. During the second half of the show when Dipper comes back through the portal, instead of having the older set of twins, something that doesn’t male sense with their characters, have a building tension that’s going to explode soon and keep it between Stan and Ford, don’t take it away from them. If anything, I think taking away the resentment and anger growing between the two and giving it to Mabel and Dipped is a butchering of all the characters.

Sure that means some of the episodes would have to change or be completely erased, but that’s fine!!! Make up some new ones!!! Get silly with it!!!

Mabel and Dipper talk about feelings, Stan and Ford don’t. Mabel and Dipper can’t stay mad at each other, Stan and Ford will try and stay mad for decades because being angry is easier than being upset.

In my idea of this AU that fight at the end of Weirdmageddon HAS to be between Stan and Ford, and Stan HAS to still be the one getting his memories erased.

💥 Post Not-What-He-Seems Relativity AU Rambling Below 💥

Dipper is a paranoid man, fool him once you’re never going to fool him again. He would never in a million years ever work with Bill again. Ford however is an extremely lonely child, both he and his brother are desperate for any type of positive attention. I think Bill would see him as a potential protege, especially since Ford is a ‘freak’ like he is and the kid is extremely smart for his age. He’s malleable, Bill probably thinks he could shape him uo to be the perfect lackey.

Ford, being the lonely kid he is, probably does fall for the praise initially. He craves attention and Bill pushes all the right buttons and says all the right words, tries and gains his trust even if time has proven again and again that he shouldn’t be trusting the demon.

The tension between the Stan Twins would grow after Grunkle Dipper comes back because Ford is upset that Stan didn’t listen to him (even if it was for the best that he did) and that Grunkle Dipper forgave Graunty Mabel so easily because if Ford was in those shoes he wouldn’t have. It grows more and more as Ford becomes distant and Stan tries to connect with his brother to no avail. Which, of course, comes to a boiling point when Ford says he’s going to stay in Gravity Falls and learn under Grunkle Dipper. Stan is rightfully upset. He can’t go back to New Jersey by himself. It’s always just been the two of them, he needed Ford, he couldn’t handle school or their father by himself. He can’t be alone.

Unlike Mabel who just wanted one more day of summer, Stan wishes that he wouldn’t be alone, which indirectly causes Weirdmaggendon.

Stan’s prison bubble would probably be a fake New Jersey-esc town full of a bunch of little Stan running around. Town O’ Stan. A place where no Stan is left behind.

Ford says some nice words to Stan there to get him outta there but there is still this intense tension between the two.

During the Cipher Wheel Ford is the one who tackles Stan. The two fight, whining out hurtful words neither of them mean and only stop when Bill shows up and captures them. Graunty Mabel and Grunkle Dipper run off and distract Cipher in hopes that they can keep the attention on themselves long enough that their great nephews could come up with a plan to escape.

The younger twins don’t find a way out and instead, finally, have an actual talk about their feelings, one that definitely ends up in tears as the two talk about the pressure that’s put on them or how worthless they feel. After that the boys get a rush of determination to escape when Stanley has a plan. Ford immediately hates the plan but Stan insists that they do it, in his own words, ‘Let me prove I can do something right for once.’

When Bill comes back and threatens to kill either Mabel or Dipper just for the hell of it, Ford calls out that he’d like to make a deal.

He wants to work with Bill, let Bill into his mind willingly. Bill immediately jumps on that offer. Ford is a promising young kid, perfect henchmaniac potential, not to mention it would absolutely devastate Dipper is his great nephew willingly turned to Bill’s side.

He goes into Ford’s head, revealing Stanley just in time to reveal that he was trapped, panicking as he was erased with a swift left-hook along with a kid who was happy to prove he was good for something after all.

Everyone was devastated after Weirdmaggedon of course, a child had his mind completely wiped. Stanford took it the worst, he just managed to finally break down those words that others built in his head, that he was too good for Stanley or that he didn’t need a knucklehead like him dumbing down his brain, and now his brother was gone. Just like that.

We all know what happens after this, Stan gets his memory back, everyone celebrates and the Stan twins are sent home, promising each other that they’ll never let anyone try and tear them apart ever again. Dipper and Mabel stay at the shack, after all, all they could ever want is there, where else could they possibly go?

Sorry this was… extremely rambly and long, I am extremely tired and can’t think straight I have a bunch more ideas and concepts so if anyone’s desperately wants to hear them just ask I guess, sorry you read this dumb of ass essay haha 💥

[muzansfangs]

You tell them you got a brazilian wax by a guy.

Starring: Choso Kamo x f!reader; Kento Nanami x f!reader; Higuruma Hiromi x f!reader;

Format: short-imagines;

Warnings: nsfw, dirty innuendos, fluff, jealousy, established relationships, nipple play, spanking, playfully biting the partner arses, oral sex (reader!receiving), vaginal sex, breeding kink, creampie, face sitting, unprotected sex;

Plot: A trend on Tik Tok made you plot a devious plan to make your beloved boyfriend going mad. He knew you had an appointment for a brazilian wax. He obviously assumed you were going to be assisted by a woman. How will he react, when you tell him it was a man? Will his jealousy go too far? Will your prank get you in a bad situation?

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Choso Kamo.

Choso’s lips glided down your neck, nipping, sucking onto the flesh with the same care a potter would handle his fragile new creation. This man was genuinely head over heels for you. Ever since his little brother had introduced you two, Choso had found a new reason to live and, supposedly, be a better person. He had learned so much about human interactions, about feelings and even about intimacy. While he was not properly addicted to sex, this man loved being inside of you more than anything. He needed to touch your soft skin, he needed your warmth around him. That evening was not that different from an ordinary one.

His hands were cupping your breasts, fondling them, thumb and index rolling your handened nipples to elicit from your throat the soft moans he loved to hear from you so much. You did not fail his expectations. You cried out, head lolling back against his shoulder in ecstasy.

“Sing for me, babe” Choso mumbled, your insides clenching around his shaft deliciously as he slowly bucked his hips up to stimulate you.

The squelching sounds filling the room were making your head spin, eyes fluttering to enjoy the sensations to its fullest. You hated pissing him off, you really did, but above anything else you loathed causing his heart to ache. Still, that trend was too tempting not to try it on your sweet boyfriend.

You hummed, sinking down further onto his cock to meet his lazy thrusts “Louder? I don’t want the neighbours to complain again, Choso” you replied breathless, tilting your head to the side to kiss his cheek. Your hand reached towards his left hand, giving it a squeeze, before guiding it down towards your pubes.

Choso groaned, fingers grazing the smooth skin in delight, while he reached down to flick your throbbing clitoris dilegently “They can burn in Hell, baby. — he promptly said, smiling against your neck — All I care about it you and this sweet pussy of yours. Gosh, I can’t wait to taste your orgasm later” he praised you, causing you to shriek for a deeper thrust of his hips.

“Yeah? Is it that sweet, babe? I got to tell Akio then. I couldn’t describe its flavour to him today” you blurted out, only for Choso’s smile to disappear.

Choso.exe stopped working.

His movements halted, his eyes darkening as he grasped your chin to turn your head in his direction. Lying to his face was going to be hard, especially since he had put up such a puppy face that your heart ached in your chest.

“Akio? Who’s Akio?” Choso asked you, his voice low and a tad serious.

“The guy who waxed me today. Did I forget to mention him to you?”.

“Akio is a guy, isn’t he?”.

You giggled, booping his nose affectionately “Sure he is, silly. What’s with that?”.

Choso huffed, the tips of his ears turning pink as he embraced your tighter “A guy… Did you let another boy look at your pussy? Babe, why? Tell me that’s not true! You would never let anyone touch your—” he wept and you could swear tears brimmed in his eyes. Oh no, that was enough. You could not keep it up anymore.

You sighed, shaking your head vigorously “No! It’s a joke, Choso, please! I’ve been an idiot! Forgive me, baby! Look at me” you interrupted him, pressing your forehead against his one.

Choso relaxed, his breath still kind of irregular as he palmed his forehead in distress. You had really scared him. He could not still bear with jealousy. Apparently, he was not the type to go mad. Choso was too kind-hearted for that. Dealing with feelings was still hard for him. His lips captured yours, gently, holding you close as he relished the feeling of being in your arms.

“Don’t do it again” he whispered and you nodded your head in agreement. Poor Choso, struggling with jealousy.

Higuruma Hiromi.

This man was born to give you oral. Underneath you, head squeezed by the fat of your thighs, your dripping core bare for him to lavish with his tongue and your clitoris for his nose to stroke, Hiromi could happily die. The sweet sounds you made, the way you rolled your hips for facilitate the way he lapped at your folds with flat of his tongue were such a delicacy. If he was asked about a good way to die, the stressed out lawyer would have decidedly declared you his designated executioner and welcomed your pussy as his deathbed.

Now, sitting on his face, hands scrambling up to hold onto the metal bars of the bedhead, you whimpered out his name in bliss. The pleasure was so intense your obnubilated mind was neglecting the plan, your thirst for him not quenching in the slightest when you felt the tip of his tongue slip in between your smooth, slippery folds.

“H-Hiromi! Gosh, don’t stop” you drawled out, back arching as his hands, sprawled over your arses, squeezed onto the rounded globes in unbridled possessiviness.

He had no intention to stop, not even as his chin and nose were coated onto a glistening mixture of your juices and his own saliva. This was not a simple way to cherish your moments with him, this was downright his favorite addiction. Hiromi did not really care if you skipped your appointment with the beautician. He frankly appreciated how much care of your body you had, but he had never asked you to get a wax. Never. Still, when you did, he could not deny how much he loved the way his tongue smoothly skimmen over your silky folds.

“Ride my nose harder, baby” he rasped, his cock twitching in his pants as you shifted upwards, following his command eagerly.

You inhaled sharply, eyes downcast to peer down at your husband’s face barely visible from underneath your thighs. The timing was perfect. Eyes screwed shut, Hiromi was gradually guiding your hips back and forth to help you rub your swollen clitoris over his prominent nose. Waves of electricity ran through your veins, as you let out a pathetic whine. Now, or never, you had to drop the bomb before it was too late.

“I don’t think there’s a single hair left, right?” you breathed out, Hirmoni’s teeth nipping gently at your labia with a huff.

“Not even a single one… — your husband rumbled out — Not that I’d mind anyway” he whispered, mouth opening to leave wet kisses on the inside of your thigh. You two were making a mess.

You shivered, biting down onto your lower lip to concentrate better before shattering that poor man’s world with a single sentence “Yeah, I know, Hiroshi did such an amazing job”.

Hiromi’s assualt on your heat ended instantly. Hooded eyes opening, a knot creasing his forehead, he glanced up at you inquisitively “You meant Hiroko, not Hiroshi. I sincerely hope so”.

“No, I meant Hiroshi. — you countered back, breath still uneven as you wiped away the sweat beading your forehead with the back of your hand — Hiroko got down with a cold, he’s in charge of the beauty center now. I probably forgot to fill you up with the news” you replied, trying to sound convincing as Hiromi just stared blankly up at you.

Maybe it was just your impression, but the atmosphere around you, once charged with sexual tension, grew gloomy, almost chilling. His finger slipping into your core all of sudden made you choke out a screech of surprise, pleasure and discomfort engulfing your lower abdomen as you gawked down at him.

“Don’t talk. Not a single word unless I demand you to speak” Hiromi flatly said, curling his finger into you unforgivingly slowly.

You gaped in shock, legs almost giving up as he shoved another finger into your sappy hole, his eyes darkening as he assessed your reaction. He could not believe you had waited up until that very moment to tell him such a thing! You, his muse, his reason to wake up in the morning, you had let another man touch his nest.

“Did this man touch my home? Did you let him graze his fingers over your pubes, down to your labia, spreading them for him to enjoy the view?” he interrogated you, his tone sharp and cold, taking the same edge it did when he was in a courtroom. This was a problem. You knew you had to stop that circus.

You cried out, lips parted, as you shook your head “H-Hiro! It was a joke! It was a joke, I swear!” you fretted, watching with glee as his expression relaxed and he slided his fingers out of you.

You did not register how he slipped out from between your thighs, pushing your face down onto the pillow as he bit down onto your arse. All you knew was that, when he finally was deep inside of you, his mouth neared your ear and he got back at you from your silly staunt “Let me fill you up with something better than a fib, hm?”.

Nanami Kento.

Large and calloused hands gripping your hipbones, cock stretching you out deliciously, you did your best not to reach your climax right away. Kento Nanami, the best partner you could have ever asked for, was taking his sweet time with you. His hips smacked against yours in a firm, steady pace, as you almost drooled over the polished wooden surface of the desk.

Sex after he came back from his small work trips was the best. Passionate, intense, the lust blinding you two all of a sudden. This time, it had washed over you, when he had seen you saunter towards him all dolled up for a dinner out. A dinner he had promised you before leaving and a dinner you were probably going to be late for.

“I missed you. Wholeheartedly. Waking up alone sucks” Kento stated, burying himself into you to the hilt.

You moaned out, nails scraping the wood as you pushed back against him, squeezing him up perfectly to enjoy the way his girth made itself space within your walls. You were absolutely in a frenzy, your make-up ruined, as you rested your cheek against the desk.

“I missed you too, oh so much” you replied, breath uneven as he leaned down to plant a kiss onto your nape, thrusting slowly into you, making love instead of fucking. This felt just perfect, so perfect that, if it was not for him speaking up, you would have forgotten completely about the devious plan you had in mind.

“You even waxed for me, huh?” he whispered, causing you to tighten up around him again and for your husband to grunt in pleasure.

“You shall t-thank Noboru for the last minute appointment he agreed on” you blurted out, Kento’s eyes widening at your words. A shot through the heart would have felt less painful.

A man had seen his wife’s pussy? Oh, that was impossible. He was probably too tired and had misheard your words. The Hell with that, he was never tired when he was with you. Kento Nanami had heard you correctly. He cleared his throat, hips still, whilst he gazed down at you.

“Noboru?”.

You swallowed forcefully, glancing at him from above your shoulder “Yeah?”.

“Are you perhaps implying you lied down on a couch, legs wide open, to let Noboru touch your pussy?” he inquired, voice calm and collected, even if his grip on your hips was getting bruising.

You nodded your head “And what if I did?”.

“Then I will accompany you the next time you want to get waxed. — Kento replied, giving you a warning thrust that made your breath hitch in your thraot — You know, I would not want our dear Noboru to just imagine the filthy sounds your pussy makes, when I fuck it. Let’s give him a show, darling. What do you say? Would he like to watch me fuck you?” he asked you, resuming his relentless pace.

His hand landing harshly onto your rear caused you to whimper out, sweat beading your forehead, as you regretted your choice to tease your beloved husband. His silent, latent jealousy was turning out to he too hot to handle. He caught a glimpse of you trying to open up your mouth to admit it was all a lie, but he shushed you with another spank.

“Hush, sweetheart. — he cooed, your whines a melody he would have never get tired of — I know you were joking. But we both were serious about trying to have a kid, right? Let’s start tonight. Fuck the dinner, I’ll cook for you later” he rasped out, increasing the pace of his thrusts.

Oh, dear, your wobbly legs and the hot seed dribbling down the inside of your thighs were the signs the only two men allowed to see you naked were your husband and your gynecologist.

AUTHOR NOTE.

Hello there! I always feel so giddy when I write for JJK. Hopefully, you’re going to enjoy this piece. I don’t think you guys will get a part two soon, but I do not close the door to that possibility.

Anyway, likes, comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

until next,

X O X O

TAGS: @axesfordays @areyouflying

[flovey-dovey]

HEY SO UH ANYBODY ELSE NOTICE TUMBLR NOW? WHAT THE HECK

LIKE NO

NO NO NOOO-- WHY--

WHY DOES TUMBLR LOOK LIKE TWITTER(?) NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE ANYMORE AND HATE TWITTER'S FORMAT

IS THIS A PRANK???

Respectfully, but- PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE @staff this is not a good look I am both so very confused and annoyed

[writer-logbook]

How to improve your writing style : a 5-steps guide.

Intro : I love the 5-steps format, don’t mind me. Again, this essay is based on my personal experience.

Read in different genres. Ok, I know you’ve probably heard this advice more than you can count but did you ask yourself why it is so important ? You probably wonder ‘‘How reading some historical fiction will help me writing my sci-fi novel ?’’ For that simple reason my friend : they meet different purposes. You don’t know how to describe a castle ? It’s okay, historical fiction got your back. Because it aims at something more realistic and accurate, it would tend to be more specific and detailed when it comes to describing clothes, furniture, places and so on. Why ? Because, most of the time, THEY ACTUALLY EXISTED. Take a closer look at how it is done and draw your inspiration from it (but please avoid plagiarism it’s bad - and illegal)

Take notes and CLASSIFY them. To make reading somehow useful, you have to actually make it concious, which means you have to write things down to remember them. When I come across a description I like, I tend to takes notes of the figures of speech that are used and class them, so when I have to write a similar scene, I have an idea of what have been already used, and weither or not it achieved its goal. I am NOT talking about COPY another author’s style !!!! It’s about finding inspiration and new approaches. I also tend to take notes of the new words I wish to incoporate into my writing. The thesaurus is my new bestie.

Rewrite the same scene from different POVs. First of all, it’s fun. And it’s a really good way to spot quirky formulations. For instance, if you describe a ship, the captain’s POV should be different from that of a simple observer. The first one would be naming each part princisely whereas the other would only be admiring the surface without knowing anything. If the caption is the same for both POVs, maybe you should consider write your passage again (or have a good reason, like a strong amateurism for the mere observer). It’s go hand in hand with coherence - but it would be an essay for another time (maybe).

Read your text aloud. I put major emphasis on that one because it’s as underated as reading books for various genres. You have no idea how much we DON’T speak the way we write. Even dialogues are crafted in our stories - so make sure to give them proper attention. (i even read my email aloud but-). I KNOW how cringey it might be as I am doing it MYSELF but the benefits are worth the 35-minutes shame I endure from my own mess. Before you can shine, you have to polish (shout out to the one who said that first if it’s not me).

Take a step back. I strongly advice you to let some time pass before reading your text again and profreading it. It will cast a new light upon your work and with fresh eyes you’d be more likely able to spot what needs to be erased or rephrased.

That’s all for me today. Since I would be entering my proofreading phase for my writing contest, the next essay would probably about proofreading (with examples from my own novel ?). Unless someone wants me to write on a specific subject first.

Gentle reminder that I’m still French and not a native so please forgive my dubious grammar and outrageous mispellings.

[candysunoo]

ೋ◦ ❀❀ Lee Heeseung as a

Bridgerton story ❀❀ ◦ೋ•

♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹

♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹

ೋ◦dearest gentle-reader ◦ೋ•

❀my name is lady whistledown. you do not know me, and rest assured, you never shall. but be forewarned dear reader, I certainly know you.❀

───── · · ୨୧ · · ─────

ೋ◦ ❀❀ Lee Heeseung x F!reader - Queen Charlotte ❀❀◦ೋ• 18+ MDNI

♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹

♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹

ೋ◦ ❀❀ chapter content warning: unedited with run on sentences, strangers - to kind of friends- to lovers, traditional gender roles, 1700’s societal expectations, arranged/ forced marriage, bitchy mother-in-law, mentions of parental death, mentions of mental health ( mainly illusions to bipolar disorder and hallucinations ) and feeling like an outsider, medical malpractice, mention of feeling unloved and trapped in a marriage, SMUT, sex (like 2 scenes + illusions to more ), unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it, put that wiener in a blanket), loss of virginity, slight breeding kink , praise, body worship, fingering, mention of pregnancy and birth, angst and fluff, idiots in love, ❀❀◦ೋ• lmk if i forgot anything

ೋ◦ ❀❀ word count: 11.8k ❀❀◦ೋ•

❀ story starts under the cut! please enjoy! - Kei ❀

❀ also i deeply apologize for acidently setting the release date on auto post wring plz forgive me. Also i will be releasing a message to the rude anons i got because there is a certain way to conduct yourself and that was not it 💕 regardless please enjoy and ignore my awful formatting 😭- kei ❀

ೋ◦ ❀❀ link to enha bridgerton au masterlist ❀❀◦ೋ•

ೋ◦ ❀❀ link to total masterlist ❀❀◦ೋ•

♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹

Today felt different. The air around you felt stiff, and it seemed as if all the staff’s eyes had lingered on you for too long. Their eyes filled with pity.  Looks that you knew all too well. After your parents had passes away those looks were all you got for the longest time. Pity for the beloved daughter of the king and queen. A young princess of ten and two. A princess made to rely on her older brother, of only ten and five, a young man who now was taking over the throne as the head of the country. Your country was small, a speck of dust in the seemingly never-ending universe of other counties. Compared to the massive land-locked nations around you, your island was quaint and for the most part rather peaceful and not to mention almost two months’ boat journey away from any other country. You loved your country and took great pride in being its princess, going to charity events and doing all that you could with what little power was given to you. Nevertheless, things couldn’t stay peaceful for long. As you neared your twentieth birthday it seemed as if your quiet little country had gained attention that you never thought it would. People from neighboring nations had made their way over and found joy in the culture and life your country provides. Some a little too much. Your brother, however, had told you not to worry as it was beyond you, and you shouldn’t have concerned yourself with it. So, as much as you despised leaving it be you did, as your trust in your brother outweighed that of anything else.

As you walked down the cream and white hallways of the palace, decorated with paintings of people you hardly knew and busts of people long passed, you heard your brother speaking quietly with someone in his study. Approaching the wide door, you pushed your long-hooped skirt back, leaning forward at your waist and peaking your head into the doorframe being careful not to be seen or draw any attention to yourself. Your eyes settled on your brother and a tall, pale, dark-haired man standing at the corner of his desk peering down at several documents. The tall, pale, dark-haired man was dressed in a well pressed white and red suit. “… And once you sign here everything will be confirmed and finalized. A ship will be ready to set sale in the next few days.” The man’s deep voice whispered quietly as he traced the lines of script messily written down on the parchment paper placed in front of them. Your brother silently nodded, eyes darting across the paper, reading carefully, hesitating to sign. Finally, your brother looked up at the man, “and I have word that she will be taken care of? That she will not be harmed and forced to live a life unbecoming of her?” The man simply gave a curt nod, “by word of the queen of great Brittan and Ireland, yes, she will be taken care of and provided a life fit for the future queen and mother of a future heir.” In hearing his response your brother nodded, placing his quill into the jar of ink and signing the documents.

Your heartbeat quickened and your breaths became short. Your brother the only man, person really, you could rely on had just sold you off to some random stranger. Well not entirely random, he sold you off to the king. King Heeseung. You whipped up, stumbling back and slightly knocking into a bust behind you, rocking it off its collum and crashing loudly on the floor. The maid passing by jumped at the noise. Rapidly you regained your posture and ran away swiftly as your brother and the man made their way out of his study. Your brother sighed, putting his head in his hands and sweeping his hair back. The man accompanying him looked at him with disbelief as your brother assured him everything would be fine and the two of you would arrive at the port in the coming days to make the log journey to England. Silently the man once again nodded, collecting the signed documents and making his way out of the palace.

With quick haste your brother followed after you, desperately calling out your name. With deep breaths you turned to face him, your skirt flipping around as your body turned. “How could you? How could you sell me off? Sell me off to a man you’ve never met? For what brother, what did you sell me off for?” your eyes pleaded with him as your voice began to crack, tears brimming on the edge of your lashes. Your brother looked at you, hand gently coming up and wiping away the tears that had finally been released. “My dearest sister, you know that never in my years would I ever imagine hurting you or leaving you in a position to fend for yourself” he breathed in deeply “ I did this for us, you must understand that we are not in a good position, every day the larger countries around us send more soldiers and I fear that we are one step closer to becoming just another victim. In marrying you off not only have I secured your future. One where you will be treated with respect and dignity. One where you will live the finest life and be able to have beautiful children. But also, one where we have the support of one of the largest nations in the known world. Where our tiny island can become peaceful once again. And yes, perhaps we do not know much about the king, however, I have on good word that he will be nothing but kind towards you.”  Your brother pulled you into a hug, gently stroking the back of your hair, “You will be perfectly fine, dear sister I will be with you until I can no longer.” Nodding you hugged your brother back, deciding that it is something you must do for not only your brother but the country you love most dearly.

Various thoughts swam around in your head as the carriage made its way down the cobblestone path. It had been a long journey at sea, but you had finally made it to the mainland. You had to admit as much as you admired your country, this one was nothing like you had ever seen before. There were larger buildings and so many people surrounding the streets. You groaned quietly and sat the book you were reading down in your lap as the carriage bounced roughly once again. “What is it this time dear sister?” your brother asked not looking up from his own book. “If you must know, I am uncomfortable.” You complained. “We have been on the road for hours now, it is hot, and I am sat here in a dress made of the finest blue silks and a corset made of whale bone. The slightest jostle pushes it deeper into my skin. Do you know what happens if it penetrates too far? Humm, do you?” you questioned, voice growing irritated. Your brother let out a small huff, placing his book down on his lap and tilting his head towards you, ‘No dearest sister I do not, but I assume that you will so kindly inform me.” You gave him a tight-lipped sarcastic smile, “It can snap and stab me dearest brother, and you will have no one to deliver to the king. Only my dead body in the finest blue silk covered with my dark warm blood.” Your brother only rolled his eyes at your dramatics and picked up his book again, “You will be fine, you have made it thus far” he said as you began to look out the small carriage window.

After a few more long hours your carriage had finally stopped in front of the main church on the palace lands. Thousands of people had made their way inside as you were being escorted out of your carriage and through the doors to a small drawing room on the top level. Inside stood a beautiful woman, dressed in a fine and pristine cream-colored gown. She handed her tea off to a maid as she stood up from the small couch on which she was sitting upon. Several of her lady’s maids ushered you onto a small platform in the center of the room. “Let me get a good look at her.” The woman declared as the maids all fled to the edges of the room. She circled you as if you were prey, poking and prodding at you.” Now what is this getup you are wearing? It is simply too much!” she exclaimed. You looked down at her, “only the finest silk of what my country has to offer.”  She let out a exasperated hum lifting your arms, “Yes, she will do just fine. She has a nice complexion and hips well suited for childbearing. If only she was in something a little more traditional.” The woman looked to your brother who was standing in the entryway of the room, “Does she know how to read? Does she know how to mind her manners?” Your head snapped over to him, an irritated look growing on your face. Your brother simply smiled, eyes begging for you to calm down. “Of course, my Queen. She is well read, can speak several languages, is proficient at both the piano forte and homemaking skills such as needle point.” The queen nodded along as your brother listed off attributes. “Very well than...” she turned her head towards you, “and what do you have to say?” Casting another look to your brother you gently cleared your throat, “It is such a pleasure to be here today my Queen. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.” The queen once again simply nodded. “Ah yes humble too.  Get her into a traditional gown and prepare her for the wedding. We mustn’t keep the people waiting.” A series of ‘Yes Ma’ams’ went across the room as the queen left. As the lady’s maids dressed you, you tried to ask them questions about the king. Simple things like who was he really and if he was at all kinds. You got short answers all along the lines of “Well he is the king of course”. Nothing that truly satisfied your inquiries. Before you knew it you were stripped and placed into a boring white and cream ball gown.

Finally getting a break from all the hands on you and people around you, you wandered the halls. Silently you heard footsteps behind you. Turing abruptly, you found a man five paces away. Once again you began to walk, and the man followed. This occurred several times before you stopped and faced the man completely. He bowed to you, staying silent. ‘And whom might you be?” you questioned. He gave you a half-hearted smile and introduced himself as your valet and told you that wherever you went, he would be not but 10 paces behind you. You simply nodded, wanting to get away as soon as possible. Making your way back to the drawing room you looked behind at the man, ‘So you follow me wherever I go?” He simply nods. “Yes, Ma’am”. You purse your lips, “And if I were to need to use the chamber pot?” The man cleared his throated and looked at the lady’s maid that was left, ‘please go fetch one for the future queen”. The maid nodded leaving to go fetch a chamber pot and the man silently walked out of the room and waited. Quietly you tiptoed out of the room, carefully sneaking past your shadow and the lady’s maid that was waiting.

You made your way out of the large church, running into the maze-like garden. Taking several twists and turns you found yourself at a beautiful garden wall made with stone, covered in moss with vines growing up the sides, various breeds of roses covering them. Gripping into the strong vines you found a chip in the wall. Attempting to push yourself up and over it you ground as you failed. After several more attempts you stopped, taking a moment to breathe in deeply. On your next attempt you jumped as you heard a man clear his throat behind you. Fearing that you had been caught by your new footman you turned slowly, wincing as you did. Much to your surprise a young man stood behind you. Dressed impeccably in a white suit with decadent jewels decorating the edges of the jacket. The man was nothing less than breathtakingly gorgeous. His eyes captivated you, beautiful and lively. Like no others you’ve seen before. However, the smile he wore was even more heartwarming. Beautiful and kind. That was the only way you could describe him at that moment. “Might I inquire as to why you are trying to go over that garden wall” the man questioned, light hair that was perfectly styled now flowing gently in the breeze. “If it is any of your business it is because I fear he may be a beast, or perhaps a troll.” You stated looking down at your hands, gently wiping them against each other, “And who might you be referring to my lady?” the man continued. You rolled your eyes letting out anther huff and giving the man a side glance before trailing your eyes back to the garden wall, “As impertinent as that might be I am speaking of the King. No one will speak of him. Everything is so rehearsed no one has anything real to say. So clearly, he must be a beast or a troll.” You brought your hand up to the wall, finding a perfect spot; now if you’ll ever be so kind, I believe that if I grab it here, I might be able to get up. Yes! You can assist me by lifting me up here!” you exclaimed, looking back slightly at the man. The mans smile faded slightly, “So no beast and no trolls, his looks would matter to you?” “Well of course not, his looks don’t matter to me, but his heart does, and I cannot get any answer on that either” you answered curtly before speaking again, “Now come, make haste, grip me here…” you explained gesturing to your corseted waist, “... and just lift me, I believe I can make it over the garden wall.” Still looking up at the wall you don’t notice than man approaching you.

“I must be honest my lady,” you turned to look at him. “I have no intentions on helping you over the garden wall.” His smile came back, teeth white and glistening in the sun. The light of which highlighted his handsome feature. You threw him a questioning glance, “So you refuse to help a lady in distress?” you countered. The man just let out a low chuckle, “Only when said lady in distress is trying to go over a garden wall in order to not marry me.” Your face fell as you felt your heartbeat picking up again. Just like the day you found out you were to be married. You backed away from the man, taking in a couple deep breaths. The man followed, stepping closer to you. Smile reaching his eyes and his nose crinkling slightly, “Hello y/n. I’m Heeseung.” You began to apologize to him, getting ready to curtsy “Your majesty- “, however, he grabbed your arm, hand gently sliding down to hold your hand. “No not your majesty, Heeseung, just Heeseung.” Before you could speak again you heard a pair of footsteps. Your brother came rushing around the corner. “Y/n, where on heavens earth have you been? We have been looking everywhere for you” he hissed before quickly bowing to greet Heeseung. Heeseung gave a polite greeting back, “No need to be worried here, I was just chatting with Y/n. She was deciding whether she wishes to marry me.” Your brother looked between the two of you incredulously, “Well of- of course she wants to marry you” he stuttered. Heeseung simply shook his head, flipping is light hair back, “Is that truly what you wish Y/n?” He hummed at you. “Yes, your majest- “, his eyes flickered over your face making their way to your eyes. “Yes Heeseung, I do wish to marry you,” He nodded, giving you a charming smile, “Vey well then I shall see you in the wedding hall.”

After changing into a wedding dress more becoming of you, you made your way into the wedding hall. Your brother walking you down the long and narrow isle as the orchestra played in the background. Looking towards the end of the isle you saw Heeseung standing. He was in his pristine white suit; his white light hair was pushed back. Not a single strand was out of place, he looked absolutely perfect. Your brother handed you off to Heeseung before going to sit down. Heeseung smiled at you gently as he held your hands in his.

The wedding ceremony was quick. It seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. Before you even knew it you had said your vows of promise and celebrated rightfully with the people in attendance. After the sun had set you and Heeseung began to say goodbye to your guest before being ushered out of the large church and into a carriage. Heeseung held your hand the entire way back to the palace, his thumb gently stroking the back of your hand. “You will absolutely love it, before you came, I had the whole palace of Kew redesigned and made just perfect for you” he chimed. You looked at him quizzingly, “will you not be there as well?” He paused for a moment before ignoring your question. He continued about the newly designed palace. As the palace quickly approached, he finished up his explaining about everything he had done. He exited the carriage first turning around to assist you out, leading you to the doors he escorted you inside before letting you go. “Now that you shall find yourself settled, I shall return to my observatory” he nodded letting go of your hand and briskly walking away from you. You frowned deeply, “Is that how it is to be? You are there and me here alone?” You asked the question. Heeseung looked exasperated, “Yes, it is easier that way.” “For whom?” you questioned back at him “For you or for me?” He looked at you, cheeks reddening and his breaths becoming unsteady, “I will not debate this” he hissed, as you opened your moth to speak, he cut you off, “I have decided, I am your king!” His voice boomed throughout the room. Silently you clenched your teeth, wondering how it all could go wrong in a matter of minutes, “Very well, it was my mistake. I thought you to just be Heeseung. Good night your majesty.” You curtsied before turned, ignoring his small calls to you and making your way deeper into the palace walls.

Days had passed and you were beginning to grow bored in the empty palace. Your footman was of no help as you were not allowed to do anything or be seen in public since it was supposed to be your honeymoon. The longer you were alone the deeper in your thoughts you fell. When you first met Heeseung he was so charming. His award-winning smile swept you off your feet and you were so happy to marry him. The sweet way he helped you and the gentle way he had first spoke to you made your heart throb with hurt of his actions when you first came to the palace. Eventually You had grown tired of being alone, unable to do anything, only being with your footman. One day at dinner as you were struggling to cut up a piece of meat you threw your silverware down on the plate; startling your footman and the servants that were posted around the room, “Joong?” you questioned the footman, “Yes, your majesty?” “Ready the carriage.” You stated as you started smoothing out your dress. “Very well your majesty, might I ask to where we’re going?” You nodded, stepping away from the table as your chair scratched over the floor, “Were going to see my husband.”

The carriage ride was short, however it felt like a lifetime to you. Once you reached the observatory Heeseung’s footman came out. “The king does not wish to see you your majesty.” He stated firmly. You looked at him, eyes narrowing. “And if I WISH to see the king?” you questioned. The footman let out an exasperated sigh, having nothing more to say. You pushed past him and into the doors of the observatory. As you entered you were stunned at the sight of it. There were several dinner plates everywhere; along with stretched out rolls of parchment, all with various sketches of stars and planets on them. In the middle of the observatory sat your husband. His shoulders bare and exposed in the soft moonlight coming from the opening on top of the observatory. His skin glistening and smooth. Before you spoke you took a moment to look at him, wanting to commit his figure to your mind. He was tall and rather lean but at the same time, he was muscular. You had witnessed him do farm chores around the palace grounds but seeing him relaxed and in his own head was something else. Before you had a chance to alert him to your present, his footman busted in. “Your majesty, Queen Y/N has arrived to see you.”

Heeseung turned around and once again you found yourself falling into his gaze. Something was different about his eyes this time. It seemed as if he wasn’t all there. As if he was somehow here on earth in front of you and up somewhere in space. “Ahh my dearest Y/n, why have you come to me today?” he babbled, turning back to his telescope. You scoffed face contorting, “Is this where you have been the entire time?” You snapped. “Sitting in here all alone, while I writher away lonely in Kew?” The king scoffs and spares you but a glance, “Would you rather me be out visiting a whore house?”. You gasped at his harshness, “I would rather you be with someone else than to come second place to some stars.” You murmured, walking around so he could face you. He looked at you, eyes traveling over your form. “Go. I don’t wish to see you; I don’t wish to be near you. Go back to your home.” His voice is eerily quiet and calm. “Why must I go? Why must I have to spend my existence alone and with only Joong and my ladies in waiting to keep me company? Why can I not have time with you?” you questioned trying to get closer to him. He pushed you away gently, “I do not know why it is so hard for you to understand y/n. I do not wish to be near you, I do not wish to see you. I do not wish to speak to you. So go.” He seethed, voice becoming louder after every sentence. With a quiet sniffle you let out a sigh and walked out. Calling out for Joong and making your way back into the carriage.

After you had left Heeseung got up from the floor, cleaning up some of the parchment around the observatory. His footman came towards him and began to help. “Do you think I am wrong for what I am doing?” Heeseung questioned him. His footman cleared his throat, “It is not my place to say, however I do believe you could be kinder to her majesty. From what I hear it has been exceptionally hard on her…” His footman trailed off not wanting to overstep his boundaries. Heeseung sighs, shoulders bending inwards, “I know that, but you of all people know why I am not to become close with her. I could not live with myself if anything were to happen. If I were to lose control. But perhaps I may have been too harsh on her.” Heeseung confessed, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip. He looked over towards his footman, “Find out what she likes, I wish to get her an extravagant gift” Heeseung’s footman nodded, finishing his task and going to find what was requested of him.

The next day you woke up earlier than usual. Instead of altering your lady’s maid you allowed yourself to lay in bed. After finally deciding to get up and allow yourself to be dressed you made your way down to breakfast. Another day alone, could it possibly get any worse. Shortly after you began eating Heeseung’s footman came into the large dining room carrying a small basket wrapped in red ribbon. “A gift from the king to you, your majesty, he would like to gift you a dog of the finest breed our country can offer.” You look at the footman incredulously as he sets the small basket down and a small dog comes tumbling out. “What is that?” your question. “Well, a dog of course your majesty. “That is nothing more than a deformed bunny. Regardless, as it is from the king I will accept it graciously” You nodded to the footman and signaled for Joong to take the dog. “Clearly it will be my only company in this palace.” Quickly you finished your breakfast before leaving the dining room with Joong and the dog.

After meeting with your ladies in waiting and venting to your newly trusted confidant Jiyun, you had settled down. She explained to you what your present in the palace has done for the people and how it has affected the way others are seen. Confiding in her feeling good, you felt the relief wash over you as you talked to her about everything that had conspired behind the high walls of the palace. In return she told you the rumors circulating about the possibility of an heir and the things your new Mother-in-law had said about you. Things from you being a bad wife and queen to you being un-pure when you arrived on shore. When you shared the truth about your nonexistent escapades with the king she gave you a look of pity, asking you if you had known what was to happen when Heeseung would eventually bed you. You had told her just what your lady’s maid told you, there again the look of pity crossed her face as she got up and got the supplies to inform you what was to happen.

Over the next few weeks Heeseung sent more gifts, including more dogs. You had enough to have each of your ladies in waiting carry one around for you. One day you woke up, going through your morning routine of getting dressed and pampered by the maids and going to breakfast. Much to your surprise Heeseung was there waiting for you. He seemed perfectly chipper as he enjoyed his breakfast. You sat down in front of him, eyes gliding across the room. The servants who usually seemed much more relaxed were now on guard and stiff against the edges of the room. “And what are you doing here?” You asked, easing an eyebrow slightly. He chuckled deeply, putting his for and knife down, “isn’t it obvious, I want to join my wife in our home.” You drew in a quick and deep breath, “Our home? No this is my home. A home you left me too alone.” He’s eyes soften looking at you, “I apologize for how I have been acting, but please give me a chance.” Without a second glance you got up, telling Joong that you would that your breakfast in the drawing room before walking out of the dining room. How could he think after weeks of ignoring you for the stars and sending you useless gifts you have no need for, he could come back and pretend as if everything was fine.

Over the following weeks you and Heeseung fell into a routine. Eventually you agreed to at least share one meal together and converse a little. At dinner Heeseung says across from you, eyes following you closely. “I would like to show you my observatory...” he spoke softly. Your head snapped up to him, eyes widening slightly, “Really?” He nodded, “yes I feel it’s only right that I show you what has kept me away from you for so long.” You smiled at his stately finally feeling like you were getting somewhere with the distant king. When nightfall came the next night Heeseung, and his footman came to get you from your room. You smiled softly as Heeseung gently took your hand, placing a small kiss on the back of it. As he led you out of the palace you had begun to feel nervous. What was so important about this observatory that it kept him away from you. The road to the carriage had felt like it took years. Stepping out carefully with the help of Heeseung you both made your way up the wide cobblestone steps. Entering the observatory, he opened the top to the telescope, guiding you to look inside.

“I’ve always found the planets interesting. I think it’s amazing how we can be so small and insignificant compared to the world. I have never been one to want to look at the darker side of things. Though ever since my father died at war it has been hard for me. Taking over my father’s place was the only thing I was created for. It was my only life’s purpose. I am to bear the burden of every mother, father, and child in this country.” He glances down, “Life is never easy, and I would not have expected it to be. But this crown is pressure on my head, a constant weight and reminder that I am not allowed to crack, that I am not allowed to be anyone other than who the people need me to be. I cannot just be your husband; I cannot just be my mother’s son.” His jaw clenches, eyes still cast upon the floor. You look at him, sorrow and pity finding the way to your eyes, as he continues “No matter how much I want to be, I must always be king. A king first, a king of the people, one who must take into consideration everyone. I wish to just be your Heeseung. I wish to just love you every day, to just stand by your side every day, to just be with you every day for the rest of my life… “You approach him, hands finding their way to his arms, gently tracing down them, “but you don’t have to do it alone, I’m right here, I too simply wish to be with you. In every way, with joy and with sorrow. I just want to be with you.” He looks at you, eyes soft and a charming smile making his way to his face. Gently he takes your face in his hands, leaning down and brushing your lips together ever so slightly.

Your heart jumps into your throat, another nervous feeling washing over you. This time it makes you feel giddy and excited rather than anxious. Slowly you lean into the kiss. Finally pressing your lips together. His hands find his way from your face softly sliding down before settling on your waist, pulling you closer into him. The world itself seemed to pause as the kiss went on. Lips against lips, and breaths interchanging with each kiss. As you leaned into his embrace, he pulled back resting his forehead against your hands still gripping at your waist. “Let’s go home.” The simple statement from him made you flustered, you could feel your cheeks warming up. Nevertheless, you nodded, and he once again led you out and to the carriage, holding onto you the entire way back to the palace.       

Once you go to the palace Heeseung once again helps you out of the carriage, holding on to you ever so gently. Making your way inside through the large palace doors you both stop in the foyer, your maids coming up to assist you in getting ready for bed as it had become quite late. You look around, eyes finding Heeseung, he gives you a smile and allows them to take you away, “Go and get comfortable, I’ll find you later” he smiles at you once again giving you a small kiss. Simply nodding you allow yourself to be taken up the grand staircase and ushered into a bathroom, the ruby and gold encrusted tub sat in the middle with heaps of steam rolling off the top of the water inside. “We took the liberty of drawing you a bath Ma’am” your maid said, you nodded at her in thank you allowing her to undress you from your corset and large gown before getting in the bath. After being thoroughly scrubbed down by your maid you had finally gotten out of the bath. Your maid dressed you in a white button-down night dress. Making your way back to your room you let out a sigh, rolling your shoulders as the maids opened the door for you.

You stopped in your tracks as you walked into the large opulent room. Sitting on the large bed in the middle of your room was Heeseung. Leaning back on his hands, clad in just a pair of night pants and an unbuttoned night shirt showing off his chest. He glanced over at you as you entered the room, pushing himself up and walking towards you. He takes you hands in his, binging them up to his mouth and kissing them softly, “You look simply mesmerizing, y/n”, your cheeks heated up once again at his complement, looking down at your intertwined hands you smiled. “Thank you…” You unlaced your fingers bringing your hand up to cup his face, bringing your faces closer together. You leaned in close to him, softly pressing your lips together. Before you could go any further, he stopped you, “Are you sure this is something you truly want?” His question caught you off guard and you thought back to what you were told by one of your ladies in waiting. “Of course I want this, I want to be with you” you whispered to him. He smiled, kissing you gently, “Do you know what is to happen?” you nodded silently, “I have been told… however I did not enjoy the part where my head is to hit the wall repeatedly” he let out a low laugh and caressed the back of your head, “That okay my love, we can stop that.” You took note of how his eyes crinkled at the side as he leaned down and kissed you.

You pulled away, reaching to start to unbutton your night dress, “I fear I may have made a wrong choice of wardrobe” you said as you struggled with the various buttons. He shook his head, “no do not worry about it, I’m very good with buttons.” His hands followed yours as he pulled you closer to him, lips pressing against the sides of your neck. With little effort he popped the buttons down your night dress. A small moan escaped from your throat as Heeseung continued to trail kisses down your neck, biting and sucking gently. Slipping the dress off your shoulders and allowing it to fall on the floor leaving you completely exposed. He leaned back, admiring you, “you are beautiful, you are everything I imagined you to be and more…” your ears began to ring, and you felt the heat crawl up your neck. You thanked him with a kiss, running your hands up his sides sliding them under the top of his unbuttoned shirt, slipping it off his shoulders. “As are you” he shook his head, turning and softly pushing you down onto the plush bed, “I can simply never match your beauty, you are ethereal.” His statement made your heart race. Your breath quickened as Heeseung once again began kissing down your neck, hands gripping harshly at your sides, “you are ever so perfect my love.”

You let out a whiny moan hands coming up and gripping his hair as you reflexively arched into his touch. His lips found their way to your chest. Another soft moan escaped your lips as his hot mouth wrapped around your pert nipple, his other hand coming up and gingerly tweaking the other one. It was a new sensation to you, one that sent shockwaves of heat throughout your body. You bit your lip letting out small puffs of air but concealing your moans. Heeseung’s eyes trailed up to meet your as he switched from one nipple to the other, “Do not hide your beautiful sounds from me I wish to hear them. To know that I am making you feel the upmost pleasure.” You nodded silently a gasp leaving your mouth as you felt his hand train from your breast and down to your thighs. Heeseung had stopped his assault on your chest and nipples; allowing himself to slide further down into the bed. You felt the same surge of heat flood through you. Both of his hands fell onto your thighs, gently pushing them apart and exposing you to him. You shivered as his fingers gently spread your folds. Without holding back, he licked up from your entrance mouth circling around your clit and sucking on it harshly. Your hips jolted, hot pleasure brining through you at the new sensation. A whine left your throat as your hands ran through his hair pulling on it. Heeseung moaned against you, dipping his tongue into you and savoring your taste on his tongue.

Slowly he begins to trail his hands up and down the inside of your thighs before slipping two fingers inside of you focusing his efforts back on your clit. The stretch of his fingers is a bit uncomfortable but still pleasurable. He waits to let you adjust to the feeling before slowly starting to thrust them. A gasp leaves you at the feeling.  Clenching down on his fingers you start to follow his movements, pleasure seeping into every limb as you pull at his hair. With a breathy moan you cum, legs trying to close at the newfound feeling. Heeseung’s hand grips your thigh, forcing your legs to stay open as he licks up what he can of your arousal.

Heeseung moves back up in the bed, pulling his fingers from you and sticking them in his mouth. Your face burns at the sight, Slowly Heeseung pulls of his pants, your eyes trail downwards to his exposed cock. It was long and hard, leaking precum and red, slowly Heeseung starts grinding gently against you, “Are you doing okay my love?” he asked, his voice gentle and caring. You let out a nod slightly spent from the previous orgasm, Heeseung shook his head, “No, I need words dear.” Breathing heavily, you once again nodded, “Yes, yes, I am doing so good please continue.” Heeseung nodded, bending over to give you a deep kiss. Slowly he lined himself up, rubbing his tip against your clit before he pushed into you, although he had thoroughly stretched you out there was still a slight burn. Your hands moved up to grip his shoulders, nails digging into them as he stopped moving, allowing you time to adjust. After a brief pause, he looked down at you, waiting for you to allow him to continue, you pulled him down, giving him another kiss, “I think I am okay now...” you mumbled against his lips. He nodded, gripping your thigh and pulling your leg up onto his waist pulling out slightly before thrusting in again. After a few experimental thrusts he started to speed up. With a loud moan you through your head back, mouth open and hands gripping tightly at him. “You look so beautiful, so perfect for me” he huffed continuing to bury himself deep inside you. You whine, eyes clenched shut in pleasure. “You feel so good wrapped around me” he groaned, thrusting relentlessly into your velvety walls. You moaned loudly, small pleads of pleasure leaving your lips. “You’re going to look so good with my seed dripping out of you, humm would you like that my queen?”

His filthy words draw you closer to your impending orgasm. You nod, your brain fuzzy, the only thing on your mind was the way his thick cock dragged against your walls. A loud moan rips from your throat as you clench around him again, “That’s it my love, cum, cum for me beautiful” Heeseung whispers, moaning lowly. You orgasm rushes over you, and with one last thrust from Heeseung he comes as well, painting your walls white with his seed, dripping and causing a mess.  You trembled coming down from your high, cringing at the feeling of sweat and hair sticking to your body but stayed beneath Heeseung anyway. He gave you a final gentle kiss before pulling out and lying next to you, arms wrapping around you and pulling you tightly into his chest allowing you to lay your head down on his chest. “You were absolutely perfect y/n.” You smiled stretching your neck and giving him a short but sweet kiss as a thank you before you finally relaxed in his arms, the both of you falling asleep in a pile of intertwined limbs.

The next morning you woke up alone. You got up from bed feeling slight discomfort as your lady’s maid came in to help you bathe once again and get dressed for the day. As your maid scrubbed you down in the tub, she looked at you with a pained smile. “I was informed to let your majesty know that the Kings mother has arrived and will be staying for the day.” You clinched your teeth together simply nodding and allowing her to finish washing you off. As your maid tightened the corset and placed you in the large, elegant dress you couldn’t help but space out. You wondered by you mother-in-law would choose now of all days to visit you. It was no secret, the things she said of you, but even so you did not imagine that she would go as far as to hound you in your own home. Walking down the large hall you had a wide smile on your face. Looking in each room for your husband your footsteps softened as you heard his booming voice, followed by the screech of his mother.

You were brought back to the day you found out you were to be married, sneaking around and peaking from the corner of the doorframe you listened to them intently. “I have done everything you asked. You asked me to get married. I let you choose, and I got married. You asked me to stay away from her and keep hidden for as long as I could, and so I did. You asked that I bed her and try for an heir and so I did. What more could you want from me?” He yelled sharply, clearly trying to maintain his composure. “I want results, I want the next heir and I want news of her falling pregnant soon. You are to remain here and continue to try until we get the next king to this country.” You could hardly hear her reply as your heartbeat thumped in your ears. Utterly heartbroken and angry you stepped into the door frame, pushing it open wider. Heeseung looked at you, his face falling as he realized you had been standing there for far too long; hearing all the things he had to say about you and his thoughts on your relationship. “Y/n- “Before he continued you cut him off; breathing in deeply, you started to speak, turning towards him and bowing down, “I apologize your majesty, As I must have misunderstood our situation and the way you truly felt about me. Now that I know I will refrain from seeking companionship with you.” Yu looked towards your mother-in-law and bowed again, “I will of course continue to try for an heir, I will not fail. I will perform my duty as it has been laid out for me.” His mother looked satisfied with your answer, nodding her head and looking between the two of the, “Well at least she is not completely useless or incompetent.” Hearing the spiteful comment from your mother-in-law, you turned on your heel and walked out of the room.

By nightfall his mother had left, and you and Heeseung were alone. He had tried to talk to you several times throughout the day, but you had simply ignored him stating that you would see him the next time you were to try for an heir. As the weeks dragged on you had been trying. Eventually the day after next it was time for you to once again try for a heir. You found yourself walking into the bathroom as Heeseung was taking a bath. Stripping yourself of your bed coat you stood in front of him. Quickly he told his footman to get out. “Just get in…” he demanded, and you followed. Dropping down on top of him in the tub you pulled his face to yours, connecting your lips in a hot kiss. His hands found their way to your thighs rubbing up them and lifting your now soaking dress. You felt him harden as you ran your lips down his neck grinding down gently. Heeseung sucked in a breath allowing his head to fall back and for you to continue your ministrations. You had never been this confident before, Heeseung just had to wonder where it came from.  Before long he found himself wanting even more of you. Stopping you from going further down his chest he gripped your chin, bringing your lips back up to meet his as he untired your bed coat. His fingers went back to your thighs, ghosting across them and then into your dress, pulling it over your head and throwing it to the floor. Grabbing at his hard cock in the water you line him up to your entrance, sinking down onto him with a brief pause.

No matter how many times you have done this the slight stretch is always there. A moan rips from Heeseung’s throat as you begin to ride him, bouncing up and down quickly. Your own moans were just as loud, acting as music to Heeseung’s ears. His fingers dig into your hips allowing him to set the pace.  Your thighs started to burn as Heeseung slowed down your bouncing, kissing you deeply, his tongue slipping into your mouth, “You’re so perfect for me,” he praised moving one hand down in between your legs, fingers pressing harshly against your sensitive clit, rubbing it in small circled. A high-pitched moan left your lips, as your hips jolted slightly from the pleasurable friction, “Heeseung please” you begged quietly already feeling your orgasm impending as your legs had begun to shake. Heeseung didn’t stop, “You do not have to ask my dear go ahead, come for me” he moaned out into your ear, starting to thrust up into you faster. You whined, clenching tightly around him, as you came his fingers still rubbing on your clit. Heeseung followed shortly after you, his warm cum filling you up and leaking down his cock.

Panting heavily, you collapsed on top of him, sighing at the relief of your burning thighs, allowing yourself to relax into the now cold bath. He wrapped his arms around you and kissed the top of your head, “I’ve missed this you know; I’ve missed the intimacy between the two of us…” he mumbled. You nodded your head, “As have I but it is not my fault that it had disappeared” Heeseung let out a sigh nodding his head as he place it on top of yours, “I am aware and for that I am sorry. I am always so caught up in who I must be as a king I forget that somedays I can just be Heeseung and no one else.” You gave his neck a gentle kiss, “It is okay, let us just move on, what has happened has happened and there is nothing we can do about that. It is what happens from here that matters now.” You spoke softly into his neck. “Oh, how wise you are my dear queen.” He praised you as he pulled away to get out of the tub. ‘As much as I love laying here with you, we must get out, it is rather late, and I fear I do not like the feeling on my fingers and toes wrinkling.” You agreed with his statement allowing him to get out of the tub and dry off, dressing himself in clothes that were already laid out, before he came back to help you. Ever so gently he pulled you out of the tub, wrapping you in a bath towel and drying you off gently. His eyes fell to your soaking dress on the floor, “I fear that you may not be able to wear that one again tonight my queen.” You giggled at his response. “And who shall be at fault if not you my king,” he smiled widely at you, “Nevertheless I do agree, I shall call for a new one.” After a short wait a maid brought you a new dress, helping you change. Heeseung took you into his arms, walking you to his room and laying you down on the bed, joining you shortly after. “Stay with me tonight please?” He asked. You simply nodded, allowing yourself to lay in his arms as you finally dozed off.  

You were awoken by the sound of a crash coming from outside the palace, in the garden. You looked around the room noticing Heeseung was nowhere to be found. Hastily you jumped out of bed, putting on your bed coat and walking out to the palace garden. There you found Heeseung stripped naked in the rose garden, rocking back and forth quietly singing about the planets to himself, hands out in front of him as if playing an imaginary piano. You knew he had been going through something over the past few weeks, but you could have never imagined it to end with him like this. His footman was standing in front of him, trying to get ahold of his attention. As you approached them his footman turned to you, “You should be inside your majesty the king would not like you to see him like this.” You shook your head at him, “Absolutely not. I will not abandon my husband in his time of need.” You made your way closer, pushing the footman out of the way and crouching down in front of Heeseung grabbing his hands. “Venus has gone away, will she come out to play?” You heard his quiet singing. “Heeseung, Heeseung my love, are you okay?” His eyes finally found their way towards you. You smiled at him, moving a hand to caress his face.  He shakes your hand away from his, grabbing your face, “Venus you are not in the sky, have you come to play with me?” You bit your lip at his question shaking your head. “It’s me Heeseung. It’s Y/n. I’m your wife.” He smiles widely, laughing loudly, “Yes of course you’re my y/n. You are way too beautiful to just be Venus. She could never hold a candlelight to you, my dearest.” His ramblings brought you worry but you kept calm for his sake. “Of course, and you are my dear husband, Venus has gone away, so we must go inside now.” Heeseung nodded in agreement. You pulled him up and took off your bed coat, wrapping it around him and leading him to the bathroom. You instructed his footman to bring you water and a cloth. When his footman came back with the warm bucket of water you gently scrubbed the dirt off Heeseung, assisting in getting him dressed and back in bed. You turned to look at Heeseung’s footman once you got him settled, “You must make sure that none of this leaves the palace grounds. Make up what excuse you have too but no one must know.” His footman nodded bowing to you with a quick, “Yes Ma’am.” before he left. Laying down next to Heeseung you gently stroked his hair back, kissing the top of his head, begging whatever deity would listen that he would be okay in the morning.

When morning finally came you once again woke up alone. You got a dreadful feeling as you got flashbacks to the last time you had woken up alone after sleeping with Heeseung. You had hoped that today would be better for the both of you. You also had hoped that Heeseung might finally be open about what he was going through. Making your way to the dining room a shy smile came over your face as you noticed he was sitting down at the table. You sat down as you were served your breakfast. “Are you doing well this morning?” you asked him quietly. His head snapped up from looking down at his tea, “You must already know the answer to that.” He stated. You nodded your head, “I do but it never hurts to ask, you gave me quite a fright last night. I was worried about you.” He looked you up and down, trying to find any sign that you were lying and stayed silent. Finishing up your breakfast you gave him a nod, deciding not to say anything else and allow him to sit in silence. Before getting up to leave you cleared your throat, “I have an appointment with the doctor today, so we shall see if anything comes of it.” Heeseung remained silent as you left. In that moment he knew that if you were to have finally fallen pregnant, he would have to make himself start to visit his doctor again. He would have to get himself under control, no more episodes and no more mod swings. Shortly after your doctor’s appointment word reached Heeseung that you were indeed pregnant. When he read the letter, he felt his heart stop. His heart hurt for you and for your future child. However, it also swelled with joy, as hard as adapting to this marriage has been he was so proud to finally have something to share with just you. As for you, you were elated with the news. You had finally achieved what was thought to be your only role in life and you could not wait for your baby to come.

It has been several weeks since you got news back from the doctor regarding your pregnancy. You knew he hadn’t been back to his observatory, but he had seldom been seen in the halls of the palace. Now several months pregnant you couldn’t stand not knowing where he was. You had tried sending him letters and even getting Joong to harass Heeseung’s footman to try and find out where he could be hiding. Even through all of that you still had no idea. Though as time went on and a few months passed you began to grow suspicion about the chatter from the servants. You had heard some of them talking about hearing screams being concealed deeply in the underground chambers beneath the main palace for several days and nights. Others talked about how it must have been someone who betrayed the crown, and though you wouldn’t have doubted it, with your husband missing you just had to think otherwise. The rumor mill led you to none other than your mother-in-law. Walking into her large drawing room you ignored the woman that was sitting with her. “Where is he?” you demanded, slapping a hand down on the gold marble table. Your mother-in-law jumped as the sound, giving you a glare before turning to look at the woman sitting with her, “I suppose we will have to catch up some other time, I fear the queen’s pregnancy has gotten to her.” The other woman let out a giggle, muttering something about having been there before as she curtsied and walked out of the room, allowing the servants to close the heavy wooden door behind her. “You must’ve lost your manners, girl” she hissed at you, “You have no right to demand to see the king, let alone know where he is. It is none of your concern.” You clenched your jaw, teeth grinding down against each other as you huffed out, “No right? No right, you say. I have every right, even more so than you. I have every right to demand to know where my husband is and what he is doing. I have every right to see him!” Your mother-in-law simply shook her head, “He would not want you to know where he is.” She sucked in another breath but before she could begin to talk again you cut her off. “I know. I know that the king is mad, I know that he is sick.” Anger flared in your mothers-in-law eyes as he looked at you, “The king is not, and I repeat, is not mad. He is simply burdened.” You shook your head. Voice breaking as you spoke, “You do not understand, I know that he is, I have seen it firsthand. Yet I choose to love him anyway, I choose to stay by his side.” As much as this woman had hurt you, made you feel inferior and alone you couldn’t bear to see her do the same to your husband, her own son. “So please, I will do what I must but please let me see him.” However, it seemed as though your pleads had fallen on deaf ears as your mother-in-law walked away. You only had one other option, to go to Heeseung’s footman and convince him yourself.

Following a short ride to the main palace you met Heeseung’s footman. You glared at him as Joong helped you out of the carriage you had arrived in, being extra careful of your pregnant belly. “I am demanding to see the king.” You spoke out calmly. Heeseung’s foot man looked at you. Before he could begin speaking back you shook your head, “I am demanding to see the king. As your queen you are required to allow me to see him. As his right hand and aide, you are sworn to protect him. With that being said, you must take me to the king.” Heeseung’s footman sighed, not saying a word but casting a long glance to a lone cellar door on the side of the building. Without saying another word, you took off, Heeseung’s footman and Joong following closely behind you. “Your majesty you mustn’t enter there, he does not wish for you to see him in this state.” The footman pleaded with you. “He is my husband; I shall see him in whatever state I wish.” You responded as you threw open the cellar door. Immediately after its opening you heard terrifying screams, one that could only be riveled by women in labor. Quickly making your way down the three small steps and into the leaky dark cellar you followed the sounds of the screams. They become louder and more deafening as you near a door at the end of the long tunnel, light being cast through the cracks. The guards outside of the door moved to stop you, nearly grabbing you up before Joong or Heeseung’s footman came to stop them. Silently the guards turned to Heeseung’s footman with questioning glances. The footman sighed, “Let the queen in, she wishes to speak with the king.”  Without any further instructions the doors were pushed open by the two guards. The sight of the room made you sick. It was dirty and there were rats and roaches everywhere. Just barely standing in front of a throne-like chair in the middle was Heeseung, head down and nodding out. His feet were plunged into a vat of steaming water. He was clothed in simple white sleeping bottoms, a thick sheen of sweat covering him as his hair stuck down to his forehead. The palace doctor stood over him, two electrodes in hand and a sick smirk on his face, while two more guards held him up by his arms. The doctor pushed the electrodes into Heeseung’s skin, causing him to scream out in agony. You let out a curdled scream, causing all the men, apart from Heeseung to look over at you. “Release the king this instant!” You demanded, edging closer to the men. The doctor let out a hiss, demanding you to be removed. “No, I demand that you release the king. I am your Queen, and as such you will do as I say or face the consequences.” The guards holding Heeseung up let him go, allowing him to stumble out of the vat of water. You moved quickly, allowing him to fall into you. He looked up, eyes hazy, “y/n my love is that you” His voice was hours no doubt due to the torture he had endured. You nodded, whispering out a small yes as you stroked his head, “Just rest, it’s okay, you’re okay now” You spoke softly to him. Heeseung’s eyes closed as he finally allowed himself to completely nod out. You looked towards Joong and Heeseung’s footman signaling for them to take him. They did so quickly, carrying him out to the carriage with you not far behind. The doctor ran out following behind you, “Your majesty you must understand. All I was doing was trying to cure him.” You whipped around at the careless doctor’s comment, “Cure him? What exactly were you trying to cure? He is just fine as he is. He is a great king and husband. You should be lucky if you are allowed to practice medicine in this country ever again. I’ll have you tried for your crimes against the crown, and it will only be by the king’s hand whether you make it out alive. So, whatever it is you supposably tried to cure him of you best hope he is grateful for it.” You threatened him, before returning to the carriage and being taken home with Heeseung at your side.

 It had been several days since you had dragged Heeseung out of the dungeon that the deranged doctor kept him locked in. Your due date was coming up soon and you were stressed and worried about him. You knew that he blamed himself for the way you found him, no doubt from the manipulation of the doctor. Your mother-in-law had continued to tell you to leave him be and allow  him to stay by himself, but you simply could not bear the thought that he was alone and hurting. So, when night fell, and your mother-in-law retired for bed you and Joong set out for the observatory. The giant doors scratched the marble floor as they opened. Walking in you spotted Heeseung, much like he was the first time you found him here, shirtless with things scattered all around him, newly minted scars forming on his upper body. “Is there a reason you have yet to return home?” you questioned hands coming up around your obviously showing bump. Heeseung looked at you, eyes wide. He stayed silent for a moment and shook his head, “Nothing that is a concern of yours. You need to leave Y/n” he spoke coldly. You mimicked him shaking your head “No. Not until you tell me you do not love me” Heeseung opened his mouth, ‘What does that have to do with anything?” You stared at him incredulously, “It has everything to do with it. I have heard you say that you wish for me to go, that you wish for me to leave, even going as far to say that you wish we had never married. But you have never said that you do not love me. If you truly do not, then tell me. Because if you do love me then I will continue to come here, every day to bring you home.” Heeseung’s face fell, frown becoming deeper. Instead of letting him speak you continued, “Well what do you have to say? Tell me? Tell me you do not love me, and I will go. I will never return; I will have our baby on my own and only come around when my position calls for another one. We can spend the rest of our lives apart.” Heeseung’s eyes clouded, and he stood from his position, drawing closer to you. “My heart is only for you; it calls your name day and night. It yearns for you whenever you are away. I cannot breathe without you here. I have loved you, desperately, so from the moment I first seen you in the garden. You are the only one for me, but you don’t need my broken parts. You don’t need the me that cannot give you a perfect man to love.”  Your head snapped up as you responded “And do you believe that mine does not? Do you truly believe that I would not love every single part of you? Do you think so lowly of me?” Heeseung cuts you off, “Of course I do not think lowly of you, you are the most magnificent person I have ever had the pleasure to known. But- “you shook your head, grabbing him and pulling him to you, being careful of you protruding belly, “Then that is all we need to know, I love you and you love me.” Kissing him deeply you speak again, “I will forever be by your side, I will love you through your good days; and I will love you through your bad ones too. I will spend the rest of my life proving to you that I love you, all of you, if you let me.” Tears cloud your eyes as you stare up at him, blinking them away they trail down your face. Heeseung looks at you, face fallen and eyes sad. He snakes his hands up to your face, wiping your tears away, “Only if you let me do the same.” With a nod you kiss him deeply again, hugging him tightly to you as his arms wrap around you. Finally, you feel at ease with being in his arms.

The day had finally came. Sharp pains shot through you as you laid down in bed, your lady’s maid beside you gripping onto your hand tightly. Another lady’s maid sat at the end of the bed, instructing you to keep your legs up and opened as she carefully checked on the baby. You heard your husband screaming at someone for a doctor, telling them that is what you needed. With each second the searing pain became worse, crying, you called out to your husband. In a matter of seconds, he came barreling through the door a doctor in tow. The doctor took over for the lady’s maid down at the foot of your bed, proving his own check and giving your husband a nod. Heeseung kneeled at your side, allowing you to grip his hand as hard as you needed. Effectively taking place of the First Ladies maid. “You are doing splendid my darling, there is no need to be panicked. Just relax my dear girl, relax.” Heeseung hummed into your sweat drenched hairline, placing a gentle kiss when he finished, “Just give it time, our child will soon see the world all thanks to you.” You gave him a halfhearted smile before another scream of pain left you. The doctor took a deep breath, “your majesties, it is time. You need to start pushing. The baby is ready.” With a nod you started, the pain becoming worse than before. Heeseung sat by you the entire time and made sure you were taken care of after the birth. When you were finally done the doctors and ladies maids took the baby and cleaned him up. Several minutes later you were met with your newborn being laid out in your chest. You smiled at Heeseung, looking over and seeing his eyes filled with so much love and joy. It was at that moment you knew that you would do anything for the two of them. And you wouldn’t change a thing.

Only seven months after your first baby had you gotten pregnant with another one. You and Heeseung were very excited. You were happy to say the least that your little family kept growing with nothing but love and support. One day you were in the garden, watching as Heeseung threw around weeds and dead flowers, helping with the landscaping. Your now five children had sat below you at your feet begging for a story. You giggled and picked up your oldest, nuzzling into him causing him to giggle back. “Now have I ever told you about the princess and the king?” You asked knowing what the several children’s answers would be. Little hands raised up as they all nodded, “yes yes but we want to hear it again!” Their little voices boomed across the garden. Heeseung head peaks up, nodding to you as he came and took a seat down next you. “Well, you see there was this beautiful princess who was set to get married. She was deathly afraid that her new husband was going to be a troll or a beast,” you started, sniffing your laughter. Heeseung rolled his eyes gently before continuing with your story, “but before she could escape, the king had found her trying to go over the garden wall.” “Of course, the princess didn’t know it was him at first and even tried to get him to help her escape” you interrupted him.  The children nodded along with the story, their smiles becoming wider as they watched you and Heeseung stare at each other. Heeseung took ahold of your hand as he continued the story, “but it was too late, as it was from that moment that the king knew she would be very special to him and he to her. He knew that she would be the one thing to save him from all else” Heeseung eyes glanced around the children taking in their wide and beautiful smile as he kissed the back of your hand.

Sure, your story was not perfect. It was filled with ups and downs, tragedy and pain. But over everything else it was true and the love you held for one another would never die. It was an eternal flame flickering even in the strongest of winds. It was the light that peaked out of the door at the end of a dark and damp corridor. It was hiding together and living together. It was understanding and compassionate. But most importantly it was yours and that’s all that truly mattered.

♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹ ♡ ₊˚⊹

❀❀❀ taglist (for enha as a bridgerton story) - @lol6sposts @signed-manny @peonywon @rayofsunshineeee @renchai @lwavander @jaeyunzlovr @eneiyri @moonchild-moonfairy @positivelyinlovewithjungwon @strxwbloody @yeonjinnie @firstclassjaylee @laurradoesloveu @smouches @baekxo07 @channiesdarling @microwavedstrawberr1es @jjaeyuns @penny44224 @sseishiross @heesitation @jakedoxxenvasion @jaklvbub @sunus-sun @sunwoniie @hybeboyenthusisast @dollschan @randomanothercreature @nctislifue @nanaheex @addictedtohobi @wolfhardbby @papichulomacy @monstaxdirtywonk @koizekomi @august25 @yaksokhaley @sofesyoongi @pinkkami @peytonthedino @onlyseungkwans @hotchwheels @icedtealeaf (i think i got everyone lmk if i missed you!!)

‼️‼️ ©️ @candysunoo 2024 DO NOT copy, repost or translate without permission ‼️‼️

[bbokicidal]

Texts w/ BF!SKZ [OT8]

These are just some fun random texts I came up with last night. If you want more of these - lmk!

The post is .. long because it's weirdly formatted - because some are 1 pic and some are 2/3. So please forgive me for the quick cut off.

Mostly SFW - small nsfw mention in Hyunjin's.

Chan:

Minho:

Changbin:

Hyunjin:

Jisung:

Felix:

Seungmin:

Jeongin:

[bamfkeeper]

NSFW Headcannons: Nightcrawler // Sex

a/n: I'm almost out of ideas for headcannons, I wanted to pump out a few more just because they're easy for me to write and get used to writing specific characters. I promised more of our favorite blue teleporter so, here he is. These are fairly basic, for more descriptive or specific things they won't be in this format, more as actual fics instead of quick headcannons. Written as a gender-neutral reader. I hope you enjoy <3 Not edited please ignore grammar mistakes.

Minors DNI. 18+ under the cut.

Whether it's your first time in general or not, the first time sleeping with Kurt is something he takes very seriously. He wants to make sure you enjoy yourself, and he wants to make sure he doesn't hurt you.

He likes to make sure the set up is all done before you even come into the room. He goes all out for your first time, no hasty habits. He will keep in mind any preferences, but he will probably do something along the lines of candles or any scents you like in the room, soft mood lighting, and making sure everything is perfect.

"I did my best, liebling. Perhaps I have gone overboard..." he would mutter, a little embarrassed, but it was from the good of his heart.

Kurt likes to take his time with you, he begins with massaging you, wanting you to completely relaxed with him. His hands are soft yet firm and know just the right amount of pressure to do when he rubs you. "Relax, I will make sure you enjoy yourself tonight...just melt into me, ja?"

When he turns you on your back, he will lean down, softly kissing you. His lips are gentle and slow, feeling yours without the need to rush. Sensual kisses fill your senses as he continues to press into yours, his tongue shyly caressing your bottom lip before he pushes it inside.

His tongue explores your mouth, your tongue fights his with little force, you let him take the lead. He smiles against your lips as you try to playfully press against his tongue, finding it cute.

When he pulls back, those kisses increase and begin to travel down your body. He leaves hot kisses along your jaw and neck, suckling and biting lightly where he can, but being mindful of his sharp teeth.

The foreplay lasts a long time, he makes sure you have at least one orgasm before moving on to the main event of the night.

His cock is beading, gently rubbing himself up and down your entrance. "Are you ready for me?" he questions, placing a kiss to your temple, his cock head positioning and slowly pressing into you.

He inches slowly, hissing at the tightness, his cheek pressed against yours while his arms hold onto you. His tail cradles you as he sheaths himself to the hilt, he twitches and throbs inside you.

"Ah - mein Gott! You are squeezing so tight..." he rasps softly into you, his hips staying still for a few seconds so you can adjust to him before he pulls back and experimentally gives you one thrust. When he hears you moan, he takes that as encouragement and continues his thrusting at a steady speed.

His hands caress your hips and hold them as his own snap into yours. He lets out soft moans and pants, his thrusts are slow enough for you to feel every inch of him moving in and out of you. The feeling of him stretching you as he moves at such a perfect speed is intoxicating.

He leans over you, his legs press into the back of your thighs as his hips are driven a bit more, his cock pushing inside at a slightly rougher pace. He will go rougher and a little harder after a few minutes, or if you as him to.

"So needy, you have a gluttonous hole, you swallow me..." he looks down and watches himself disappear with each thrust. "You know, mein kleiner schatz, gluttony is a sin~"

He grins as he finds himself driving more and more into you, "Fret not, for I am a priest and I am more than capable of forgiving you of your sins..." he purrs, his fuzzy body gently grinding into yours as his thrusts increase.

He may flip you to a new position, he may not, depending on how intense the sex is becoming. For the most part, he does like to watch your face contort in pleasure, watching you blush and whine for him. He also likes getting the opportunity to kiss you whenever he can.

He makes sure you cum first. He will rub you or jerk you however he can. His hands gently massage your body and find those sweet spots that make you jerk beneath him. He goes until those pretty whines come from your lips and then he keeps it up until you are shaking through a powerful orgasm.

When he finally orgasms, he buries himself inside you and releases there, his jaw slack and his curly hair messy atop his head, his indigo cheeks blushed purple. Those pretty yellow eyes barely open as he stiffens with his orgasm, his back straining as he becomes rigid.

Two panting bodies, he looks down at you and smiles. His nose brushes yours as he shows you affection and love. "Ich liebe dich." he whispers, slowly pulling out and wrapping his arms around you, carrying you to the bathroom.

After some heavy clean up, he gives you a moment alone to do anything you might want privacy for, and he will make sure to ready the bedroom and clean up anything.

"This way, liebe...you were so wonderful...let me take care of you now." he whispers, guiding you to a clean bed and laying you down. He loves to hold you after everything is done, his hands rub up and down your body, any sore muscles taken care of by his gentle massages.

He can be quite fussy after sex, asking if you need a drink or something to eat, if you're comfortable, if you need anything at all. But you like how he is, it makes you feel all the more loved.

Eventually, the evening ends with you two sleeping with one another, you are tucked into his body as he holds you, his arms keeping you cradled against him, his nose buried in your hair or crook of your neck, and of course that tail is always wrapped around you somehow.

Thanks for reading.

*BAMF*

dividers by @/adornedwithlight