#stream alice glass

[romanticwrld]

[m0urnlnglamb]

Blue ༄

[mag1cspells]

[fountainofthetruth2006]

[gasolinepure]

Alice Glass by Kristen Jan Wong

[witchrealms]

(x)

[petrolstationprincess]

all my girls HATE ethan kath

[delulujuls]

snow scales | cregan stark

hi, here comes the big boy aka the wolf of the north. i know that cregan got like three minutes total on a screen but man, the amount of babies that i would give him

anyway, for sure i want to write probably two more parts of this so watch out!

summary: westeros is at the gates of war and to gain allies, king's landing sends one of its dragons to winterfell to marry the northern wolf and increase the chances of winning the war.

warnings: none (?) i believe

pairing: fem!targtower reader x cregan stark

Westeros stood on the brink of war and no one could prevent it.

Rhaenyra, occupying Dragonstone, was gathering armies and allies around her. Aegon was doing the same, though he was merely a pawn in the hands of those wiser than himself. Nevertheless, the Targaryen family was split in two: one side wore black, the other green. However, it seemed that the Dragon Family had not just split in two but shattered like a broken glass.

One of the dining halls in the Red Keep hosted a silent dinner. Since the king's death, meals had passed in silence. At the head of the table, where Viserys once sat, now sat Aegon. Next to him was his mother, then the Hand of the King. On the new king’s left sat Aemond, followed by their two younger sisters. No one exchanged even a glance.

After dinner, everyone left the table and went their separate ways, but Alicent stopped her older daughter, asking her to have a word. The girl nodded and they went to the mother's chambers.

"Has something happened?" the young princess asked once they were alone. The woman quickly reached for a jug of wine and filled her goblet, taking several large sips. The alcohol, however, did not ease the knot in her throat. Alicent clutched the goblet in her hand and sat down, looking at her daughter. She stared at her for a few moments in silence, as if trying to memorize as many details of her as possible. If she could, she would have imprinted her image on her mind.

"Mother—" "You will go north," Alicent interrupted her, declaring it like a crossbow bolt. She knew this revelation would not be easy for her. Accepting the news would be equally difficult for her daughter.

"What?" the girl frowned. "Me? To the North?"

The woman nodded and sighed, wanting to gather some courage and convince herself that what she was doing was right.

"You know well that war is coming, and even if we wanted to, it is inevitable," she returned her gaze to her daughter’s face, who was looking at her with a slight frown between her brows. "We need allies, and the most are in the North. We must forge an alliance with them."

"Why are you entrusting me with such task?" she asked, shaking her head. "I understand you won't send Aegon, but Aemond? Ser Criston?"

Alicent tightened her grip on the goblet, and if it had been made of a weaker material, it would have shattered in her hand by now.

"Only you can bring the North closer to us."

The young princess frowned even more and shook her head. She didn’t understand any of this.

"Am I to go there alone?" she looked back at her mother, who only nodded. "How long am I to be there?"

"You will marry Cregan Stark," she announced, placing the goblet on her lap. "There is no stronger alliance than marriage. Rhaenyra can do nothing about it."

The girl scoffed in disbelief and took a few steps back.

"This is absurd, utter madness," she believed her mother was joking, but the woman's face still had the same expression. "But you promised me to Aegon!"

"Aegon broke off the engagement," she said, looking at her daughter's face. "He knows it is necessary."

The young princess laughed bitterly, and tears, hot as molten steel, streamed down her cheeks.

"The North will not stand with a usurper, you know that very well!"

"Lord Stark is extremely pleased with the prospect of marrying a Targaryen and eagerly awaits you," she said almost mechanically. She had been repeating this sentence nonstop for days, as if trying to convince herself that what is she doing was right. However, she couldn’t bear to look at her daughter's tear-streaked, bitter face.

"You're a monster," she sobbed, turning and grabbing the door handle.

"We all must sacrifice for the greater good," she said, but her daughter no longer heard her.

The shaken princess hurriedly left the castle, heading to the Dragonpit. She sobbed bitterly, tears streaming down her cheeks. When she heard Vermithor, she quickened her pace, running. When she saw the dragon, her heart momentarily lifted. It broke, however, when she saw the massive collar around the beast’s neck and the heavy chain that bound it. She cried out, reaching out and touching the dragon’s snout.

"What have they done to you?"

The bronze giant looked weakened, likely given a massive dose of something to sedate him during the collaring. The young princess couldn’t believe what her own family was capable of.

"There, it's alright," she ran her hands over his snout, though she herself was shattered into pieces. Sadness, grief, and despair mixed with fury. She walked around the dragon and stood before the collar clasp, grabbing the chain and pulling with all her strength. But even with that, it didn’t budge.

The girl screamed in anger, her scream not sounding like that of a teenager. It sounded like the roar of an enraged dragon, yet even the beast’s roar couldn’t break the brass chains.

"I’m so sorry," the girl sobbed, helplessly kneeling by the beast’s snout and hugging it with all her might. "I’m sorry."

The young princess did not return to the castle. She spent the night in the Dragonpit, nestled against the side of her dragon. She cried until sleep overcame her. Vermithor covered her with his wing.

The next morning, when the Dragonkeepers were ordered to bring the princess, the dragon roared fiercely, not allowing them to approach. The girl woke immediately.

"Princess," one of the men spoke, standing at a distance the dragon permitted. "The queen summons you to the castle."

"She is not the queen," the princess muttered, sniffing. She stood and wiped her face with her hands. She felt tears welling up under her eyelids again. Vermithor sensed her emotions and abandoned his aggressive stance, laying his snout flat on the ground. The girl smiled sadly and hugged the dragon one last time.

"Geros ilas, uēpa raqiros," she said, raising her head and looking at the bronze giant. She tenderly stroked his scales. Bitter tears once again wetted her cheeks, but she wiped them away with a clenched fist. "Nyke jāhor māzigon arlī skori issa jēda māzigon, se hēnkirī īlon jāhor zālagon ry lī qilōni gōntan bisa naejot īlva." (Farewell, old friend. I will return when my time comes, and together we will burn all those who did this to us.)

She walked away, not looking back. She heard the dragon's roar and cry, the clanking of chains, and the flapping of wings. But she left the Dragonpit alone.

At the castle gates, two carriages and about four dozen knights waited, all on horses and in shining armor. Alicent waited by one carriage, accompanied by the Hand of the King. Ser Criston also looked like he was being sent on a journey, probably to make sure than the princess will not run away. However, neither Aegon, Aemond, nor Helaena were among the crowd. The girl felt like spitting in her mother’s and the Hand’s faces. She could only guess that her siblings knew nothing about this. No one could convince her that Aegon had agreed to break the engagement. He might be foolish and reckless, but he loved his sister sincerely. And Helaena? She would never have let her go.

Alicent wanted to say something, reached out to her daughter, but the girl didn’t even look at her. She got into the carriage and slammed the door. She would return and burn them all.

For several days, until the first stop, the young princess didn’t say a word to anyone. She didn’t eat or drink much, which did not go unnoticed by several of her maids who had been sent with her. Fearing the princess planned to starve herself to death, they tried to persuade her to eat at least small amounts. Sometimes they succeeded, sometimes not.

As a result, the girl lost a lot of weight during the journey. Her dresses became too large, her eyes sunken, and her hair, once like glowing gold, now resembled spider silk. The princess stopped spending the journey in tears only when the entourage passed Harrenhal. She remained silent, and the feasts thrown by the lords to host her were always the first she left, apologizing and explaining a headache. No one blamed her.

As the entourage moved further, the days grew shorter and the nights colder. Winterfell was near, but the approaching winter was even nearer.

The Targaryen princess reached the northern capital after over two moons.

At the maid's suggestion, the girl donned a thick fur coat, and as soon as she stepped outside her carriage, she was greeted by piercing cold. She had seen snow on the journey, but there was much more of it here, and it still fell from the sky. Lead-colored clouds hung low, and snowflakes swirled in the wind, falling onto the icy ground. They also fell on her snow-like hair, which the frosty wind blew, kissing her cheeks in greeting.

Cregan Stark, the young lord of Winterfell and her future husband, also came to greet her.

The young man was the textbook definition of a Northerner. He was only a little older than her, but his sharp features made him appear more mature than he actually was. The Wolf of the North was over a head taller than her, with broad shoulders and a well-built physique, now covered under a thick fur. The wind tousled his shoulder-length brown hair, and his toughened skin was impervious to the cold. Not like the girl’s cheeks, now rosy as petals of a fresh bloomed flower.

"Princess," he spoke, his voice deep and marked by an accent. "I welcome you to Winterfell."

"My Lord," she forced a smile, though she knew it must have looked more like a grimace. The Dragon Princess was aware that she would have to endure many more forced smiles and artificial courtesies.

The Wolf of the North, however, did not require any courtesy from her. He knew why the girl had been sent to him and what was expected of her; he had even heard rumors of a broken engagement. He decided not to pressure her and let her get used to the new place, to the North. After all, a Dragon had ended up among a pack of Wolves.

The wedding did not wait for the girl to get accustomed to Winterfell; it took place just a few days after her arrival at the Stark stronghold. The Dragon Princess had exchanged only a few formal sentences with the Lord of the North before she had to call him husband. The Godswood, where the wedding was held, had seen many a forced marriage. The girl had even come to terms with the bedding, but the Young Wolf announced that it would not take place.

"Perhaps one day a spark of affection will ignite within you, and you will come to my arms of your own accord," he said when he saw the questioning look on her face.

The night after the wedding, the marriage was spent apart. Every subsequent night was as well.

Days passed, and the young princess gradually came to terms with her new reality. She knew this was her life now, that she was the wife of the Wolf of the North and the Lady of Winterfell. The choice she had been forced into might not have pleased her, but it did not mean it was a bad one.

After some time, the girl began to spend more time outside her chambers. She abandoned reading and took up sewing, helping the servants mend linens and clothes. She insisted on mending her husband's clothes herself, asking that no one else do it for her. Although it was not her duty, every morning and evening she fed the animals. The young princess missed her dragon dearly, but she found joy in spending time with horses, feeding chickens, or petting rabbits.

One of the servants once ran terrified to inform Cregan that the princess was endangering herself with the direwolves. The Lord, worried, quickly went with her to the scene, only to find there was no reason for concern. The girl sat motionless on the ground, allowing the animals to sniff her. Two wolves wagged their tails, and one even lay down beside her. Cregan's heart swelled at the sight, not because of her interaction with the animals but because, for the first time, he saw a smile on her face. He could have sworn it was genuine.

The marriage, however, still did not see them spending much time together, nor talking much. This did not mean the Young Wolf was not interested in his wife; quite the opposite. Both morning and evening, he would ask the servants how the girl was doing. After some time, the young princess began to do the same.

"What is he like?" she asked one day, while she and two Winterfell servants were mending clothes. Though she did not ask directly, the women knew she meant Lord Stark. They exchanged glances and only smiled. Did her question mean that the Dragon Princess was beginning to warm to the Wolf Lord?

"He has a very big heart, my lady," one admitted. "At first glance, he may seem intimidating, but he is a gentle giant. Lord Stark is very kind."

The girl lowered her gaze, focusing on her work. She smiled slightly.

"I think he is a good man too," she admitted.

"That does not mean he can be trifled with," added the other. "He is kind when someone gives him the same. But he is a wolf, my lady. He can bite if provoked."

Indeed, Cregan appeared to be a man of steel nerves who could turn that steel into a sword, with which he could take a life without a second thought.

When the princess had finished her duties, she dressed and went outside to spend some time in the stables. In the courtyard, a few men were preparing for a journey, saddling horses. Among them was her husband.

"My lady," he smiled at the sight of her. Each of the men bowed slightly.

"Are you going somewhere, my lord?" she asked, stroking his horse’s muzzle.

"Hunting," he announced, fastening a crossbow to the saddle. "I will return before nightfall."

"Could I accompany you?" she asked without much thought. The young man's lips twitched upward. The unexpected proposal pleased him.

"You would do me a great honor, my lady."

And so the Wolf and the Dragon set off together, side by side. They rode at the front, accompanied by four men. No one questioned the princess's participation.

When they reached the depths of the forest, they tied the horses to a tree and continued on foot. At a certain point, they all split up, but the Wolf and the Dragon stayed together. They were silent, but it was not an awkward silence. Their mutual company was enough.

"Look," he leaned toward her, whispering. "There, between the trees. Beyond the fallen trunk."

The girl quickly found the point he indicated and smiled at the sight of a deer. The stag was large, and its antlers were even larger. It calmly stripped moss from the fallen tree.

Cregan silently removed the crossbow from his shoulder. The girl felt a pang in her heart. Of course, she thought. They hadn’t come for a stroll.

The Young Wolf noticed her troubled expression. He knew what saddened her.

"I never let them suffer longer than necessary," he assured. The girl quickly nodded, causing a tear to roll down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away with her hand.

Cregan drew the arrow and raised the crossbow, aiming at the deer. A moment of silence, a whoosh of air, and a dull thud. The stag fell to the ground. The young man glanced at his wife's face one last time and moved ahead. When they reached the deer, it was already dead. Blood flowed from its mouth, and the once-living body was now motionless. Cregan approached to retrieve the arrow, but the girl beat him to it. She knelt by the dead animal and gently ran her hand along its neck, stroking it soft, golden fur. For a moment, she gazed at the deer, absorbing its beauty. Tears welled up in her eyes again, so she quickly grabbed the arrow, pulled it out, and stood up, handing it to her husband. Cregan took it in silence.

Although neither of them spoke for the rest of the hunt, an understanding formed between them, a sort of alliance. The culture and customs of the North were so wild and distant for someone from the South. The young princess, however, knew that Winterfell was her home now. And if it was her home, she had to learn its customs. Even if they were far from her own beliefs.

That evening, despite the darkness, the Wolf Lord could have sworn that the scales of the Southern Dragon glistened with a snowy sheen.

A few days after the first closer interaction between the young marriage, Cregan decided he would like to spend some time with the girl again. He knocked on her chamber door, and when she let him in, he entered. The girl was sitting by the fireplace, stuffing pillows with feathers, but she smiled at the sight of her husband.

"My lady," he nodded to her, lightly returning her smile.

"My lord," she replied, reaching for a needle and beginning to sew the pillow. "Something brings you here?" she asked after a moment when he silently observed her deftly working fingers.

"I would like to introduce someone to you," he replied, causing the girl to frown slightly in surprise.

"Do we have guests?"

The young man nodded and reached for her fur. Seeing his gesture encouraging her to stop working, she set her task aside and stood up. She walked over to him and turned, allowing him to help her dress. Shortly afterward, they went outside.

"Who are these guests? Did we know they were coming?" she asked, glancing at her husband.

"We expected them, but we didn't know when they would arrive," he explained.

They passed the courtyard, which was empty. There was no sign that Winterfell had visitors. The girl remained silent until they entered one of the sheds. This particular one housed the direwolves. She was about to ask what this was all about when she heard squeaks and whimpers. As she connected the dots, the frown disappeared from her brow, and her violet eyes lit up.

"No way, it can't be."

Cregan smiled and gestured for her to come closer. Around the corner, on a bed of straw, lay a she-wolf. Four pups were latched onto her teats, and one of them, with nearly golden fur, was sleeping a bit further away.

The young princess was genuinely moved by the sight. Cregan smiled as well, not just because of the litter but because of his wife's joy.

"They were born this morning," he announced. "Four females and a male."

The male turned out to be the pup lying away from the pack. He was bigger than the rest and had a bronze coat, a color familiar to the girl. When the little wolf woke up and stretched, Cregan approached and petted the she-wolf's head, silently praising her for a job well done. He picked up the pup that was away from the mother and held him in his arms, then handed him to the girl. The young princess cradled him, stroking him gently.

"So you've returned to me as a direwolf," she said softly, more to herself than to her husband.

Cregan looked at his wife questioningly. The young princess felt his gaze on her.

"My dragon has a very similar color," she explained, scratching the wolf pup behind the ear. "They call him the Bronze Fury, all because of the color of his scales."

"In the skies, is he truly a fury?" he asked, watching her interaction with the pup.

The girl laughed softly and shook her head. "Maybe once, when my great-grandfather rode him. Now he's an old beast. Sometimes I felt he preferred a nap over a ride with me."

Cregan smiled at her words. He noticed that she found joy in animals, especially direwolves and dragons. While he couldn't provide the latter, he was glad he could bring her happiness with the pups.

"He's yours now," he declared when she kissed the pup between the ears. "The Targaryens have dragons, the Starks have direwolves. It's time for you to have your own."

The girl looked again at the pup she was holding and smiled even more. Her heart swelled with emotion.

"Thank you," she said, looking at her husband. Cregan returned her smile.

"What will you name him?"

"Vermithor," she said without hesitation. "I feel he's a dragon in a direwolf's body."

To the servants' concern, they spent several hours in the shed, out of sight of everyone. They sat on the straw among the pups, talking about dragons, direwolves, flights in the clouds, and hunts in the forests. For the first time since they met and got married, they had the chance to learn something about each other.

"I've never seen a dragon," Cregan admitted. His sword lay by his straightened legs, and he leaned his back against the rough wall.

"I wish you to never have to," the girl replied. Her legs were crossed, and in them, like in a nest, slept little Vermithor. "Dragons never bode well."

"But still, they obey you," he looked at her. "How do you manage that?"

"You can't control them completely; they are still wild beasts," she noted. "But the Targaryens have managed to do so to some extent for thousands of years, back when the home of dragons was Valyria."

"Dragons respond only to the old language, right?" The young princess nodded in confirmation. "Just as I've never seen a dragon, I've never encountered that language."

"Zyr sindighy iderēbion, kes as qogralbar," she said, and the Young Wolf smiled. "Se valzi rijinyso sizi vys̄oron" (It is a very rough language, in my opinion. And also not the easiest to learn)

"If I were a dragon and heard something like that, I wouldn't hesitate to follow orders," he replied, making her laugh. Cregan also smiled sincerely. He never thought he'd hear the language of Old Valyria, but even more, he didn't expect to hear such sincere laughter of the Dragon Princess.

Winter began to settle more and more into Winterfell, but the biting cold was defied by the spark of affection that blossomed between the Wolf and the Dragon.

[freakassfemme]

streamer!gf! abby head cannons ✩°｡⋆⸜ 🎧

this came to me so violently. i couldn't get it out fast enough

✮⋆˙ initially she gets popular with a male audience through first person shooter games and her custom builds of old ass computers from like, random 90s scrap lots she finds on ebay

✮⋆˙ is playing black ops or something for a throwback Thursday and bumps into some random kid on voice chat who tells her to play Roblox (she's never heard of it)

✮⋆˙ lev explains it to her and she finds the concept really weird and kind of funny so she agrees and streams it one day, which SHOVES her through a portal to popularity

✮⋆˙ hot buff nerdy girl w glasses on my computer? yeah her demographics change REAL fast

✮⋆˙ surprisingly she has a lot of fun with it. she thinks the games people recommend her are really hilarious and her chat eats it up

✮⋆˙ never mentions being gay until someone makes a Chappell roan reference in chat one day and just casually she's like "omg my girlfriend loves her"

CROWD GOES WILDDDDDDDDD

✮⋆˙ very quickly they want to meet you. abby refuses at first, but slowly allows you to weasel your way in, whether it's through playing on your switch in the background, blurred out, or you running after bear and alice to try to rush them out of abby's office

✮⋆˙ soon enough you're sitting down live because abby can't place on dress to impress and she's pissed

✮⋆˙ it becomes a joke, but she loves it. she really enjoys making more light-hearted content and connecting with different types of people rather than vaguely-threatening tech bros

✮⋆˙ has a thing where if anything gay happens on screen she salutes the camera or gives the craziest side eye

✮⋆˙ still goes back to her roots and plays the most random old games she's had to pirate off some sketchy websites and download suspicious files to obtain, just laughs nervously when everyone's freaking out about it

"whaaaat? no, the internet is really nice to me. it would never do that -- oh FUCK" (mods are rushing to blurr out her IP address)

✮⋆˙ has the driest, most sarcastic humor that everyone adores.

"I want to rip your bicep off with my teeth... that's really normal of you."

"you think you could do it better? yeah? is that going to be before or after your homework?"

✮⋆˙ very minimalist, black setup with some black ambient lighting that's low-key like hot as fuck

but she's really clumsy and trips a lot, especially because it's dark. her monitor is falling like every other night and she's lucky it hasn't cracked

✮⋆˙ constantly bombarded with edits of her to muse that you'll be running in to show her midstream. she gets the biggest, most shit-eating grin

also didn't really understand what an edit was until you showed and explained it to her lol

✮⋆˙ eventually, as she opens up more and becomes more of a charming personality than a stoic bro-type, she starts making other friends.

yeah she becomes friends with streamer!ellie <3

as the time goes by, she and ellie get really close. there's definitely multiple streams of you, abby, dina and ellie playing mario kart or luigi's mansion on some first generation wii

✮⋆˙ abby teaches you how to jailbreak anything and everything from a 3DS to a switch, even when you're freaking out that she's going to lock it and you'll have to get a new one

✮⋆˙ eventually she sets you up a little corner in her office for when you join her on her streams. it goes from being one camera to you both having separate monitors, and yours is obviously much more colorful than hers

✮⋆˙ on very, VERRRRRY rare occasions she'll say something like "gotta lock in" or "ate", and its usually after like the most gruesome scene in a horror game and like 20 seconds delayed

like imagine her saying "gotta lock in" trying to be funny and finally getting into the bathroom in silent hill and then just sitting over the sink with her jaw on the floor for fifteen seconds

"Jesus Christ, am I going to get banned for showing that?"

✮⋆˙ really gets into analog horror and eventually starts drafting her own concepts, which pushes her into the rabbithole of ARGs

✮⋆˙ loves when people make virtual stickers of her, she thinks its really funny and though she never gets into "merch", she doesn't mind people turning stuff into actual stickers. she thinks its even funnier when she's never seen a screenshot until someone sends her it as a sticker

lets you keep them all and put them on the fridge or your water bottle

✮⋆˙ never does anything risky on stream but is no stranger to leaning back in her chair for a good time if you tiptoe in one night after she's logged off

[aemondapologistfrfr]

The Only Place I Want to Die

aegon x sister!wife!reader 

Summary: Aegon turns to you for comfort in the following weeks of his coronation. Pleasure and tears seem to be the only way you both can find solace during these troubling times. 

Warnings: 18+ swearing, alicent hitting her child, wine, depression, thoughts of wanting to die, crying, face riding, p in v, fingering, overstimulation

Authors Note: i fear i have too many feelings so this tragically pretty and broken man 🙂, the targtower children have actually been ripping my heart apart!!, u can’t convince me this man doesn’t whimper

Word Count: 3.5k 

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆

I woke during the hour of the wolf to a cold bed and the fire flickering out. I sigh and push the blankets off of me and go to try and revive the embers. The fire slowly comes back to life with a crackle and I kneel on the stone to hover my hands near the flame. After countless minutes I rise and take in the state of our chambers. 

Empty wine glasses litter almost every surface and what’s left is covered by our clothes. I reach for the robe closest to me and wrap it around my body. I settle for mismatched slippers at this hour and pad over to the doors. I slowly crack it open and see our guard ever faithfully standing at attention. 

“Where is Aegon?” I ask softly and the guard turns to me. 

“I’m sorry, Your Grace. The King didn’t say.” the guards eyes look at me nervously and try to focus his attention anywhere else. 

“Then I’ll find him myself.” I push the door the rest of the way open and click it shut behind me. 

“My Queen-“ I raise my hand and wave him off as I start down the dark hallway. 

I can’t stand when they use our new titles. I don’t feel like the Queen and I know Aegon shares my sentiments. The past fortnight after his coronation has been chaos and our mother offers us no comfort or guidance. They simply placed crowns on our head and continue to move us about as they please. 

I walk down the stairs and head to the cellar to see if he’s drowning himself in his cups again. I enter the cold and damp room and there’s no candles or torches lit as I slink between the aisles of bottles. I hear and see no sign of Aegon, but I do spot our favorite wine. I grab the bottle by its neck and start up the stairs once more. 

I walk to the main hall and take in the guards standing sentry at the doors. No one looks twice at me as I ghost through the hall with my robe swishing behind me. I stop when I see the throne room doors cracked open. I peak inside and sigh in relief that I’ve finally found him. 

I push the doors open to let me in and then seal us inside. As I walk up to him he is standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the throne gripping the crown in his hand. As I make it to his side I see the tears streaming down his face. I place the bottle of wine on the ground and stand in front of him. His puffy eyes look down to me as he sniffles. 

“Why do you cry, my love?” I whisper wiping his tears away. 

“I never wanted this.” his voice breaks along with my heart as the conquerors crown falls to the stone beside us. 

“I know,” my voice a whisper as I pull him down into a tight embrace. 

His arms wrap around me tightly as he lets out soft sobs into my neck. I rub his back soothingly hoping I can calm his breathing. His tears seep onto my neck as they continue to fall from his eyes. He pulls back and his normally bright violet eyes seem sunken and dull. 

“I wish Rhaenyra would come and kill me already.” he hiccups as his sobs start anew. 

Tears fall from my own eyes at his words. I knew his hurt was deep, but I didn’t know it went this far. We stand there for what feels like hours in each other’s embrace while taking turns wiping each other’s tears away. Through the windows I can see the dawn on the horizon and slowly pull back. 

“Come, I’ve found us our favorite wine.” I dip down to pick up the bottle. 

His hand slips into mine leading me out of the throne room, leaving the crown on the stone floor. The main hall of the castle seems to be slowly waking up as we walk out the main doors ignoring the guards calling after us. We make our way to the back of the castle to sit in the grass as we watch the sunrise over the bay with our wine. 

“Do you think she hates me?” Aegon murmurs while opening the bottle. 

“Who?” I tilt my head. 

“Rhaenrya. Mother. All of them. Everyone.” he sighs before taking a long drink of wine. 

“Rhaenyra probably hates mother more than we do.” I take the bottle and bring it to my lips. 

“Why would mother force this upon us? Father only ever talked about Rhaenyra. He never cared for us. He never wanted me to succeed him.” he buries his head in his hands. 

“I don’t know why we were placed on this path.” I rest my head on his shoulder as I pass the bottle back to him. 

The sun slowly rises into the sky and our empty bottle is discarded on the grass next to us. We lay back and look at the clouds simply enjoying the silence and company of each other. Our eyes slowly close as we curl into each other and allow sleep to take over as we soak in the morning sun. 

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆

“Get up. Both of you.” I crack my eyes open and see Alicent and Cole standing above us. I pull Aegon to his feet beside me and we try to avoid our mother’s harsh gaze. 

“It seems as if we found the wine thief.” Cole says grabbing the empty bottle discarded on the grass. 

“Why must you both cause me so much trouble. Leaving your crown on the ground like it’s some toy. Sneaking into the cellars to steal wine. Gods I can’t take it anymore.” she seethes, throwing her hands into the air as she turns to Cole. 

“I didn’t ask for any of this.” Aegons words wobbly as his hand holds mine. 

“I assumed you both would rise to your new titles. Hoping you would sober up and become respectable. You both never cease to prove me wrong and embarrass me at every turn.” she looks us over with disgust as her words continue to slice into us. 

“You should’ve seized the crown for yourself if you wanted it so badly.” the words make it out of my mouth before I can even process them and she slaps me across the face. 

“Strike her again and I will have your hand. I may not want the crown but it will allow me to protect her.” Aegon looks to me before looking back to our mother who stands there shocked at his words. 

“You wouldn’t dare.” she scoffs shaking her head at us. 

“Ser Criston, escort the Queen Dowager back to her chambers. I fear she’s having a fit of hysteria.” Aegon stands taller and his words baffle me. 

“Aegon,” Alicent looks to him unamused.

“At once, Your Grace.” Cole nods to Aegon and starts to pull our mother back to the main doors of the castle. 

At their absence he turns to me and softly ghosts his fingertips across my red cheek. I look up to him and see the anger in his eyes as he continues to stroke my cheek. I feel the rest of my body heat at his soft touch. He’s not always so soft and delicate but I’ve never really minded. 

“Thank you,” I lean into his touch as his eyes slowly slide to mine. 

“I won’t allow anyone to hurt you anymore. We must come up with a plan.” he places a kiss on my forehead before leading me back into the Keep. 

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆

The past couple of days have consisted of us trying to conjure up a plan to run away or somehow receive an audience with Rhaenyra. We’ve wrote countless letters but none of them seem good enough. Entertaining the idea of running away was all we did the entirety of the first day, but we don’t want to run anymore. We don’t want to be alone, we just want to be loved or die loving each other.

“Let us just send this one and be done with it.” Aegon sighs pushing his chair back from the table in our chambers. 

Sister

I never wanted this and I know father never wanted this. Please, can we meet on the shores and find common ground. I have no wish for the crown, you can have it. Please.

Aegon and Y/n

“I think this one will do what we need it to. She’ll either meet us on the beach or The Stranger will.” I sigh folding the parchment and sealing it with wax. 

“As long as we’re together.” he says softly looking up to me. 

“As long as we’re together.” I hum nodding my head. 

We leave our chambers as we walk to the tower where the ravens are kept. We send off the raven and watch as its wings carry our plea into the horizon. We walk down to the dining hall where we see the table empty and dusty. The Red Keep has been a shell since our father passed and our mother usurped the throne. 

“It seems as if we’ll be dining in our chambers again.” I sigh going to turn out of the hall. 

“No, have a seat and I’ll call the servants. We can dine here.” Aegon shakes his head and goes to pull out a chair for me. 

He pushes my chair in for me before leaving the hall and returns with a herd of servants trailing behind him. They quickly place and light candles around the hall helping bring some of the life back. Aegon slips into the chair next to mine as a servant comes and fills up our cups with wine. A smile spreads across my face as I recognize our favorite summer wine.

“Did you really take another bottle?” I turn to him and see him offering me a genuine smile. 

“We deserve our favorite wine with dinner,” he hums licking his lips. 

“Indeed,” I raise my glass to him and sigh as the sweet wine trickles down my throat.

The servants fill our plates and continue to bring out different dishes. Once we’re fully sated we retire back to our chambers. The heaviness of our disastrous apartments weighs us down as we seal the doors behind us. He pushes clothes and other miscellaneous items out of our path before he lets out a deep sigh and falls back on the bed. 

“Do you think Rhaenyra will listen to us?” he mumbles wiping his eyes. 

“We can only hope.” I hum as I crawl on the bed next to him. 

“If she doesn’t then this is our last night.” he turns to me with sad eyes but I can see the underlying relief that I know is mirrored in my own.

I press my lips to his softly. It starts off slow and innocent but soon he’s pulling me on top of him. He pulls my dress up around my waist and digs his fingers into my hips. His fingers find my wetness quickly and I’m gasping into his mouth. 

“Only place I want to die is between your thighs.” he breaks our kiss breathing heavily. 

He pulls me up his body and I know his desire. I slide off of him and lift my skirts to straddle his face. His hands grab my hips and places me on his lips. He places wet kisses along my thighs before licking my slit. I sigh in pleasure as he begins to swirl around my bud. My hips start to move against him and his responding groan sends vibrations straight to my core. 

“Aegon,” I breathlessly whine as his hands begin to slide me across his mouth. 

His tongue flicks against me relentlessly as my hips start moving on their own. His fingers dig into my thighs roughly as he feasts upon me. My body goes taught as I pulse around his tongue with his name falling from my lips. 

“Fuck, my King,” his tittle slips out before I can stop it. 

He seals his lips around my sensitive bud and my hips shutter from the pleasure he keeps offering me. I’m moaning loudly as he continues to rock me against his mouth. His tongue slips down to my core as his nose brushes against my bud. Pleasure starts to ripple through me as I toss my head back grinding down on to him. 

“Aegon, I-“ my voice breaks into a cry as he continues with his tongue. 

He chuckles into my wetness causing shockwaves to travel throughout my body. I’m babbling above him as he coaxes me through a third climax. My hands grab his to try and pry them from my hips. I finally collapse next to him on the bed and try to catch my breath. He starts to pull my dress off of me and once I’m bare his hands grab for my breasts. 

I start to lift his shirt off and he finishes removing it quickly following with his trousers. His hard length bounces against his stomach before he dips down to take one of my nipples into his mouth. I whimper as he bites down, pulling it between his teeth while he looks up to me through his thick lashes. He makes his way to my other peak to tease it with his teeth. 

My fingers thread through his hair before they go to the expanse of his back. I bring one of my hands between us to slowly start pumping him. He grunts as he continues to pull and tease my nipples. I swipe against his leaking tip and he whines against my chest. He removes himself from my breasts and watches my hand stroke him. 

“Fuck,” he pants as I start to pump him faster. 

He starts to jerk his hips into my hand as his head falls to my shoulder. He whimpers as he gets lost in his pleasure while sucking on my neck. His hand grabs mine and stops my movements. He trails his tip through my wetness causing a shiver to trail through me. 

He pushes into me and watches as my face relaxes in pleasure at his stretch. Once he’s fully bottomed out he grinds his hips into me slowly. I moan as my fingers dig into his shoulders as he keeps up his slow, deep movements as his hair falls into my face. I clench around him and his forehead falls to mine as his breaths come out heavier. 

He starts to rock his hips and I whine as he finally begins to move faster. His breath starts to come out in pants again as his hips start to snap into mine. I cling on to him as his pace quickens while moans pour from my mouth. He wraps one of my legs around his waist and I sob at the new angle. 

“Yes, Aegon,” I pant as I throw my head back into the pillow. 

He continues to rut into me and I bring my other leg to wrap around him and his hips falter at the deeper angle. My hips meet his as we chase our pleasure together. Our breath mingles while we whimper out each other’s names. 

“Love you so fucking much,” his words slurred from pleasure as he slams his hips into mine. 

Pleasure courses through me at his words as my walls contract around him. I feel him start to fill me as he continues to rock into me. His hips still and he leans down to capture my lips in a bruising kiss. I moan into his mouth as he grinds his hips into mine once more before slowly pulling out. 

“Just gimme a couple minutes,” he pants laying next to me. 

His hands trail all over my body as I try to catch my breath. His hands travel down to my soaked core as he slips his fingers in and begins to pump his seed back into me. My legs close around his hand as he curls his fingers wringing more pleasure from my body. I cry out his name as I flutter around his fingers and he pulls them out and brings them to his mouth. 

He groans and rolls on top of me to kiss me. I moan into his mouth at the taste of myself on him. He licks my lips and travels down my neck and stops at my breasts again. He attaches to one of my hardened nipples and roughly grabs my other breast. I arch my chest up into his mouth as his roughness causes more wetness to pool between my thighs. 

“Aegon, I need you,” I mewl trying to buck my hips into him but I end up just sliding myself on his thigh. 

He grunts from my chest and bends his knee so I can grind against his thigh. I have one hand buried in his silver locks while the other grips his shoulder as he peppers my chest with attention. My hips are feverishly grinding against his thigh looking for any friction they can find. I pull his hair to get his attention that I want him to move lower and he releases the nipple he’s been holding hostage. 

“Always so fucking needy.” he chuckles but kisses down my torso nonetheless. 

The second his tongue laps against my bud my hand is flying to his hair pulling him closer to me. I’m grinding against his face as sobs rack through me. He slams two fingers into me pulling pleasure from me. He pushes a third finger in and my eyes are rolling to the back of my head and moans fall from my mouth. My orgasm slams through me stealing my breath as I try to pull his face away from me. I get him about an inch away before his hand grabs my wrist. 

“Oh no no, my sweet girl this is what you wanted.” he chuckles lowly as his grip on my wrist tightens before he dips back down to continue licking at me. 

My whole body is shaking as his tongue zeros in on my clit. My thighs squeeze around his head as my chest heaves. My back arches off the bed as my fingers continue to pull at his hair. 

“Aegon, fuck Aegon, please,” I whine bucking my hips as pleasure bursts through me all over his face. He pulls away from my core with a wet face and a wide smile.

“Love when you do that,” he licks his lips before he shoves his tongue into my mouth. 

I moan into our kiss as I feel his length press against me. He humps against me and my legs quake in anticipation. He slips into my core and my eyes shut. His hands grab mine to hold them above my head as he pounds into me. 

“Gunna come again for me? Taking me so fucking good,” his pelvis grinds into my clit and I sob as pleasure ripples through me and I feel as if it’s never ending. 

He rolls his hips as pleasure begins to wash through him. I come clenching around him once more as my vision blurs. When my eyes open again he’s peppering kisses all around my face. As he moves I can still feel him buried deep in me and I whine squirming.

“I always think you’re the most perfect when you’re thoroughly fucked, flushed cheeks, still squeezing my cock.” he groans grinding into me. 

“Aegon,” tears prick at the edges of my eyes as he still pushes into me. 

He slowly pumps in and out chuckling at my whimpers. He pulls out which leaves me feeling empty. He slides down and lays between my thighs resting his head on my stomach. I run my fingers through his hair as we both come down from our highs. I shut my eyes as I keep my fingers tangled in his hair as his arms wrap around me tightly. 

“Do you love me?” he mumbles against my skin.

“You know I do, very much.” I hum still petting his hair. He snuggles into me as we drift off not caring what tomorrow holds as long as we’re together. 

⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆☁︎⋆₊ ⊹ ⊹₊⋆☁︎⋆⁺₊⋆

masterlist 🔌 

this was super self indulgent 🫣😅 

taglist ✍️

@clarityisnofun @gabriella-aesthetic @callsignwidow @llynx7 @anaviieiraaa @violetiss3lfish @ka1afbr @akiko-oo @papichulo120627 @lizzylovebooks280501 @zanygot7straykidsbonk

[estellan0vella]

Goth Vampire Mafia Older Brother Sukuna AU HFBU

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon and you’ve got the living room to yourself. The tattoo parlour is closed for the day, and you’re cosied up on the living room couch with a blanket draped over your legs, the first Twilight movie queued up and ready to go. The TV’s soft glow is the only light in the room as you settle in, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

Just as the movie starts, you hear little footsteps padding down the hallway. Yuji, your boyfriend Sukuna's younger brother, peeks into the living room with curious eyes.

“Whatcha watching, Y/N/N?” he asks, climbing up beside you on the couch.

“Twilight,” you reply with a smile, ruffling his hair. “Want to join?”

“Sure!” Yuji grins, snuggling up beside you.

When the scene comes where Edward stops the car with his hand to save Bella, Sukuna can't contain his disbelief as he walks into the room and sits down next to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “Did he just stop a moving car with his hand? And no one questions this? Are all the humans in this town idiots?”

The iconic forest scene soon appears. Edward Cullen, looking as brooding as ever, says to Bella, “You’re my own personal brand of heroin.”

“What the hell does that even mean?” Sukuna scoffs. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Just wait, Kuna,” you tease, “it gets better.”

The movie continues, and soon it’s the infamous spider monkey scene. Edward lifts Bella onto his back and takes off into the trees. Sukuna lets out a bark of laughter. “Spider monkey? Who the hell wrote this script?”

By the time Yuji’s eyes light up at Alice’s entrance, you can tell he’s hooked. “She’s so cool,” he whispers, watching her with rapt attention. You smile, noting his budding crush.

As the movie progresses, Sukuna's running commentary continues, providing a constant stream of humorous and critical remarks. When the scene comes where Edward reveals he’s been watching Bella sleep for months, Sukuna’s incredulity peaks.

“Why the hell is he watching her sleep? That’s creepy as fuck,” he says, shaking his head.

Yuji looks up at him, curious. “Why does he do that, Suku?”

“Because he’s a fucking weirdo,” Sukuna answers bluntly. “Only a complete creep would think that’s romantic.”

You chuckle, trying to keep your laughter quiet, and ruffle Yuji’s hair. “Just remember, Yuji, if you like a girl, don’t ever do that.”

Sukuna nods, smirking. “Exactly. Normal people don’t stalk their crushes while they sleep.”

As the movie continues, Sukuna finds more to criticize about Edward’s behaviour. During the infamous scene where Edward takes Bella to meet his family and they play baseball, Sukuna can't help but comment on Edward’s overprotectiveness.

“Look at this guy, acting all possessive. Bella can’t even hang out with his family without him hovering over her,” Sukuna says, rolling his eyes.

Yuji, still entranced by the movie, asks, “Isn’t he just trying to keep her safe?”

Sukuna snorts. “There’s a difference between keeping someone safe and treating them like they’re made of glass. Edward’s got control issues.”

When James, the villain, makes his entrance, Sukuna’s disdain is palpable. “This guy’s supposed to be a threat? What a loser.”

When the movie reaches the climax with the showdown in the ballet studio, Sukuna’s frustration with James grows. “So, this is the big plan? Lure her to a ballet studio? Real original, James.”

As James taunts Bella and the tension builds, Sukuna’s disdain is clear. “This guy talks too much. If he spent less time monologuing and more time actually doing something, maybe he’d be a real threat.”

When Edward finally arrives and the fight ensues, Sukuna critiques every move. “Look at Edward, trying to be all heroic. This fight looks like two high school kids who took one too many drama classes.”

As Edward defeats James and the scene calms, Sukuna leans back with a sigh. “That’s it? All that buildup for such a weak villain. They could have at least made the fight interesting.”

The first movie ends and you pop in New Moon. As Edward breaks up with Bella and she collapses in the forest, Sukuna throws his hands up in exasperation. “You’ve got to be kidding me. All this drama over a breakup? Get a grip, Bella.”

Yuji looks confused. “Why is she so sad, Suku?”

Sukuna sighs. “Because she thinks her world is ending because her sparkly vampire boyfriend left her. It’s ridiculous.”

You can’t help but fangirl a bit when Paul Lahote appears on screen, and Sukuna rolls his eyes every time you sigh over him. “Really, babe? This guy?”

The movie's dramatic elements give Sukuna plenty of material. During one of the many shirtless scenes, he mutters, “Why do they keep stripping every time they turn into wolves? Do they not own shirts?”

Yuji giggles. “Maybe it’s because they get too hot?”

Sukuna shakes his head. “Or maybe it’s just an excuse to show off their abs. Either way, it’s absurd.”

As Bella continues her self-destructive behaviour, Sukuna can’t help but comment. “So she’s jumping off cliffs now? What’s next, bungee jumping without a cord?”

When Bella cliff dives and Edward goes straight to the Volturi, Sukuna groans. “Oh, come on. This is so over-the-top. Just because she jumped off a cliff?”

You laugh, patting Sukuna’s arm. “He thinks she’s dead, Kuna. It’s dramatic, but it’s love.”

Sukuna raises an eyebrow. “Love? This is obsession. There’s a difference.”

The Volturi make their appearance, and Sukuna looks genuinely baffled. “Why is there a vampire goth mafia with creepy twins? This makes no sense.”

As Jane demonstrates her power, Sukuna snickers. “Look at her, trying so hard to be scary with her little pain trick. Adorable.”

Yuji watches intently. “She’s kinda scary, though.”

Sukuna shakes his head. “Scary? Maybe if you’re a toddler. She’s just another overhyped character in this mess.”

When Bella and Alice race to save Edward, Sukuna rolls his eyes. “Of course, now we have a race against time. How cliché can you get?”

The scene where Bella runs through the crowd to stop Edward from revealing himself makes Sukuna groan. “This is straight out of a bad romance novel. Just stop already.”

When Bella saves Edward and they confront the Volturi, Sukuna is unimpressed. “So, he was willing to die because he thought she was dead? This guy needs therapy.”

As the Volturi threaten Bella, Sukuna scoffs. “Now they’re all protective over her again. Make up your mind, Edward. Do you want her in your dangerous world or not?”

The movie drags on with more angst and drama, and Sukuna’s patience wears thin. “This whole movie is just one big pity party. Can we get to something interesting?”

When Jacob confesses his feelings to Bella, Sukuna can’t help but laugh. “Oh great, now the werewolf is in love with her too. This love triangle is a disaster.”

You chuckle, leaning into Sukuna. “It’s supposed to be romantic tension.”

He smirks. “More like romantic nonsense.”

Eclipse begins, and the love triangle heats up. Sukuna can’t stop commenting on it. “This is just ridiculous. Pick one and move on, for god’s sake.”

As Bella flits between Edward and Jacob, Sukuna mutters under his breath. “This girl has no clue what she wants. It’s exhausting just watching her.”

When Victoria makes her appearance, Sukuna smirks. “Finally, someone interesting. Please, someone tear Bella to pieces and end this nonsense.”

During the training scenes with the Cullens and the wolves preparing to fight Victoria's newborn army, Sukuna shakes his head. “So, we’re supposed to believe these inexperienced newborns are a real threat? And the solution is a bunch of reluctant werewolves and a dysfunctional vampire family?”

As the heated argument between Edward and Jacob unfolds, Sukuna bursts out laughing. “Look at these two, fighting over a girl who can’t make up her mind. Pathetic. They should just leave her and become best friends. They’d probably be happier.”

When the proposal scene unfolds, Sukuna’s frustration peaks. “Now they’re getting married? This is the most dysfunctional relationship ever. They’re doomed.”

When Bella and Edward are camping in the mountains, Sukuna snorts. “So let me get this straight, they need Jacob, the human heater, to keep Bella warm? That’s some love triangle they got going on.”

Edward and Jacob’s conversation outside the tent catches Sukuna’s attention. “Look at this, they’re actually bonding over their mutual obsession with Bella. This is the weirdest bromance ever.”

When Bella attempts to kiss Jacob to stop him from leaving, Sukuna’s disdain is evident. “Seriously? She kisses him now? She’s playing them both like a fiddle. This girl is a mess.”

As the final battle approaches and tensions rise, Sukuna comments on every dramatic scene. “Oh, now they’re suddenly a well-coordinated team. Convenient.”

During the battle, Sukuna is actively rooting for Victoria and the newborns. “Come on, make this interesting. At least take out one of the main characters.”

When Victoria and Riley corner Edward and Bella, Sukuna leans forward. “Finally, some action. Let’s see if they can actually pull this off.”

As the battle intensifies, Sukuna can’t help but critique every move. “Edward’s fighting style is so pretentious. And Bella just stands there. Great strategy.”

When Seth and Edward finally defeat Riley and Victoria, Sukuna sighs dramatically. “Well, that was anticlimactic. I was expecting more from the big bad villain.”

The movie moves to the aftermath, with Jacob recovering from his injuries. Sukuna rolls his eyes. “Of course, he gets hurt protecting Bella. Typical.”

As Edward and Bella discuss their future together, Sukuna can’t hold back his sarcasm. “So, after all that, she still chooses the sparkly vampire? Shocking.”

Breaking Dawn Part One is next and the wedding scene unfolds, and Sukuna rolls his eyes. “Of course, it’s a big fancy wedding. Because nothing says ‘forever’ like an over-the-top ceremony.”

When Bella and Edward’s romantic escapades start, Sukuna scoffs. “Oh great, now they’re making the bed look like it’s been through a tornado. Who knew vampires had such a destructive streak?”

Yuji giggles from behind your and Sukuna's hands. “Why are they breaking everything?”

Sukuna rolls his eyes. “They’re just... having a very intense hug, kid. Don’t worry about it.”

As the honeymoon continues, Sukuna’s smirk widens. “So, they destroy an entire bed and then play chess for the rest of their honeymoon? Sounds like a blast. Who needs a beach when you can have a game of chess in a room full of broken furniture?”

When Bella starts experiencing strange symptoms and realizes she’s pregnant, Sukuna leans back, incredulous. “Oh, come on. She gets pregnant from one night with a vampire? That’s some fast-acting biology. It’s like the moment they decided to ‘get busy,’ her uterus went into overdrive.”

Yuji looks confused. “How can she be having a baby so soon?”

You ruffle his hair, trying to keep it light. “It’s just a movie, Yuji. Things happen fast.”

Sukuna raises an eyebrow. “Fast? More like implausibly fast. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gave birth the next day”

As Bella’s pregnancy progresses and her condition worsens, Sukuna’s disbelief turns into frustration. “This is just irresponsible. Who in their right mind thinks having a vampire baby is a good idea? It’s like playing Russian roulette with your own body.”

When Bella’s back breaks during childbirth, Sukuna laughs out loud. “Well, that’s what you get for wanting a vampire baby. A back snapped like a breadstick”

Yuji winces at the scene. “Is she okay?”

You try to soothe him. “She will be, Yuji. It’s just really dramatic.”

As Jacob’s imprinting on Renesmee unfolds, Sukuna’s face contorts with disbelief. “This is so messed up. Seriously?”

He continues, incredulous. “So, let me get this straight: he’s been in love with Bella this whole time, but now he’s suddenly in love with her newborn daughter? That’s just creepy. It’s like a bad Twilight Zone episode. One minute he’s hot for Bella, and the next he’s googly-eyed over a baby. What kind of messed-up interfamily love triangle is this?”

Yuji looks puzzled. “What’s imprinting?”

Sukuna sighs, trying to find a way to explain it. “It’s like... finding your soulmate. But in this case, it’s really weird because he’s a grown man and she’s a baby. It’s like telling a toddler, ‘Hey, you’re my soulmate,’ and then waiting for her to grow up. It’s just... wrong on so many levels.”

You nod, adding, “It means he’ll always protect her and be there for her, but yeah, it’s a bit strange.”

Sukuna shakes his head. “Strange? It’s beyond strange. It’s downright disturbing. This whole imprinting thing is like a loophole in the storyline, a convenient way to make Jacob’s character relevant without actually giving him any real development.”

As the scenes shift to Bella’s transformation into a vampire, Sukuna’s tone softens slightly, though his sarcasm remains. “Well, at least she looks hot now. Can’t deny that. But the whole process? It’s still a freak show. Who knew becoming a vampire involved so much screaming and blood?”

But when Renesmee appears, he’s back to his critical self. “Why does the baby look so wrong? That’s just creepy.”

He leans closer to the screen, scrutinizing the CGI baby. “Seriously, they couldn’t find a real baby for this? It looks like a haunted doll."

You laugh, nudging him playfully. “Come on, Kuna, it’s not that bad.”

“Oh, it’s bad,” he insists. “Look at her! She’s like something out of a horror movie. I half expect her head to spin around.”

Yuji, engrossed in the movie, glances up at Sukuna. “I think she’s kinda cute.”

Sukuna smirks, shaking his head. “Kid, you need to get your eyes checked. That baby’s giving me the creeps.”

The movie continues, and every time Renesmee is on screen, Sukuna has something to say. “Why does she keep staring like that? It’s unsettling. And those eyes! They’re way too big for her head.”

He mimics the baby’s expression, wide-eyed and stiff, making you and Yuji burst into laughter.

When Jacob explains the imprinting to Bella and Edward, Sukuna is incredulous. “So let me get this straight: he’s in love with the creepy baby now? This just keeps getting weirder.”

As Renesmee ages rapidly, Sukuna keeps up his commentary. “Great, now she’s a creepy toddler. And why does she look like she’s staring into your soul? Every time she looks at the camera, I half expect her to say, ‘I see dead people.’”

You can’t help but laugh at his relentless criticism. “You’re really not letting this go, are you?”

“Nope,” he replies with a grin. “They had a chance to make a normal-looking baby, and they blew it. I’m gonna keep pointing it out.”

As the movie progresses, Renesmee continues to grow at an accelerated rate. Sukuna's eyes are glued to the screen, his critical gaze unwavering.

“Is it just me, or is she ageing faster than a vampire should be allowed to? This kid is like a living, creepy time-lapse,” Sukuna remarks, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Yuji, still captivated by the movie, looks up at Sukuna. “But she’s supposed to be special, right?”

Sukuna snorts. “Special? More like a special effects nightmare. Look at her—she’s gone from baby to child in what, a week? I’ve seen horror movies with more believable ageing.”

The scene shifts to Renesmee as a child, interacting with the rest of the Cullen family. Sukuna shakes his head in disbelief. “And now she’s a kid who looks like she’s seen some things. Those eyes are still too big for her head. It’s like they didn’t even try to make her look normal.”

When Renesmee starts using her powers to show people her thoughts, Sukuna’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh great, now she’s a mind-reading horror child. Because that’s exactly what this movie needed—more creepy abilities.”

You chuckle, trying to keep your laughter under control. “You’re really on a roll tonight, Kuna.”

He smirks, leaning back on the couch. “I can’t help it, babe. This whole thing is a mess. They should have just let her be a normal baby. But no, they had to go for the uncanny valley effect.”

As the movie progresses, the scene shifts to a wintery landscape where Renesmee is shown jumping into the air to catch snowflakes. Sukuna's critical gaze narrows even further.

“Oh, great. Now she’s a creepy ballerina vampire,” he mutters. “Seriously, what’s with this kid? She’s like a supernatural circus act.”

Yuji, still captivated, looks up at Sukuna with wide eyes. “But she’s having fun, Suku! Look at her go!”

Sukuna snorts. “Having fun? She’s floating in the air like she’s part ghost. If I saw that in real life, I’d call an exorcist.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Come on, Kuna, she’s just catching snowflakes.”

Sukuna raises an eyebrow. “Catching snowflakes? She’s defying gravity! Look at her. No one else seems to find this odd?”

As Renesmee gracefully lands back on the ground and smiles at Bella, Sukuna sighs dramatically. “Of course, she just smiles and acts like it’s the most normal thing in the world. No big deal, just our super creepy child playing in the snow.”

Yuji giggles. “I think it’s cool! I wish I could do that.”

Sukuna ruffles Yuji’s hair. “Trust me, kid, you’re better off being normal. Less chance of creeping people out. I'd have to disown you if you started doing freaky shit like that around me and Y/N/N”

When Renesmee looks at Jacob and they share a moment, Sukuna can’t help but roll his eyes. “Oh great, more of this weird bond thing. It’s like they’re trying to make everything as uncomfortable as possible.”

You chuckle, leaning into Sukuna. “You’re really having a hard time with this, huh?”

He smirks, wrapping an arm around you. “Just calling it like I see it, babe. This whole movie is like a bad dream you can’t wake up from.”

The scene shifts to Charlie Swan, Bella’s father, visiting the Cullens. Renesmee is playing nearby, looking much older than the last time he saw her. Sukuna’s jaw drops.

“Wait, hold on,” he says, incredulous. “Does Charlie not realize his granddaughter was a baby like two months ago? How is he not questioning this?”

Yuji looks puzzled. “Maybe they told him she grows fast?”

Sukuna shakes his head. “Growing fast is one thing, but this kid’s ageing like she’s on steroids on crack. The girl's on crack steroids. How can he just accept this without freaking out?”

Charlie awkwardly interacts with Renesmee, clearly confused but not pressing the issue. Sukuna throws his hands up in exasperation. “Unbelievable. This guy is the worst cop ever. He can’t see what’s right in front of him!”

You laugh, nudging Sukuna playfully. “Maybe he’s just trying to be supportive.”

“Supportive? He’s in denial!” Sukuna retorts. “If my kid came home with a baby that turned into a pre-teen in two months, I’d be asking all kinds of questions.”

Charlie’s scene ends, and Sukuna leans back, shaking his head. “They must have him under some kind of mind control. That’s the only explanation. Or he is unbelievably stupid and definitely should lose his job"

The scene shifts to the Cullens gathering allies from various vampire clans around the world, preparing for the inevitable confrontation with the Volturi. Sukuna's expression is a mix of amusement and disbelief.

“Look at this. It’s like a vampire United Nations,” Sukuna quips, his eyes glued to the screen as the different vampire clans make their dramatic entrances.

Yuji looks up, eyes wide. “They’re all here to help?”

Sukuna snorts. “Yeah, because nothing says ‘epic battle’ like a bunch of random vampires with barely any backstory. Who are these people? They just show up and we’re supposed to care about them?”

As the Denali coven arrives, Sukuna raises an eyebrow. “So these guys are supposed to be their long-lost cousins or something? And why do they all look like they stepped out of a fashion magazine?”

The Irish coven’s introduction makes Sukuna chuckle. “Oh great, now we’ve got stereotypical Irish vampires. What’s next, a leprechaun with fangs?”

You laugh, nudging Sukuna. “Come on, Kuna, they’re just trying to show the diversity of the vampire world.”

He rolls his eyes. “Diversity? This is more like a bad casting call. And what’s with the vampire who can control the elements? Are we watching Twilight or Avatar: The Last Airbender?”

When the Amazonian vampires make their appearance, Sukuna shakes his head. “Seriously? They brought in jungle vampires? This is getting out of hand.”

As the Cullens explain their strategy to their new allies, Sukuna can’t help but comment on the absurdity. “So their grand plan is to stand around and look intimidating? Brilliant strategy. I’m sure the Volturi are shaking in their boots.”

When the Romanians arrive, Sukuna’s eyebrows shoot up again. “Oh, fantastic. Now we’ve got Transylvanian clichés. Where’s Dracula when you need him?”

Yuji giggles at Sukuna’s relentless commentary. “They’re all here to help, Suku. It’s a good thing, right?”

Sukuna ruffles Yuji’s hair, smirking. “Sure, kid. If you consider a bunch of random, underdeveloped characters showing up at the last minute a good thing.”

The scene continues with the Cullens strategizing with their allies, and Sukuna can’t help but shake his head. “This looks like a bad game of Vampire Risk. They’re all standing around like they’re about to take over the world, but half of them can barely keep a straight face.”

As the preparations for the battle continue, Sukuna’s criticism remains sharp. “They’ve got all these powerful allies, but their plan hinges on Bella’s mind-shield? That’s like putting all your money on a horse that’s never raced before.”

You chuckle, leaning into Sukuna. “It’s just a movie, Kuna. Suspend your disbelief a little.”

He grins, wrapping an arm around you. “For you, babe, maybe. But I’m still going to call out the ridiculous parts.”

As the final battle approaches and the tension builds, Sukuna’s commentary becomes more pointed. “This whole series has been building up to this moment, and I still don’t understand half of these characters. They’re like extras in a high school play.”

Yuji is heartbroken when Carlisle, Jasper and the wolves die. You hold him close, trying to comfort him. Sukuna, on the other hand, is visibly shocked by the plot twist with Alice’s vision. “Well, didn’t see that coming,” he mutters, somewhat impressed.

After the revelation that the battle was a vision, Sukuna can't help but voice his thoughts. “So, none of this is real? This whole battle is just one big ‘what if’ scenario? What a cop-out.” As the movie continues and Nahuel, the half-vampire, half-human child, makes his entrance, Sukuna’s disbelief is evident.

“Oh, look, another surprise twist,” Sukuna mutters, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Just what we needed—another hybrid kid to magically solve all their problems.”

Yuji, still recovering from the emotional rollercoaster, looks up at Sukuna. “Is he like Renesmee?”

Sukuna snorts. “Apparently. But instead of clarifying things, it just makes it more ridiculous. Now we have hybrid kids running around too. It’s like they’re trying to cover every possible supernatural angle.”

When Nahuel starts explaining his origins and how he’s been living for over a century, Sukuna rolls his eyes. “Great, now we have a 150-year-old man trapped in a teenager’s body. This just keeps getting better.”

You chuckle, nudging Sukuna playfully. “Come on, Kuna, give the guy a break.”

Sukuna smirks. “A break? This whole thing is a mess. They’re just throwing in plot twists to keep it interesting. It’s like they couldn’t figure out how to end it, so they just kept adding more characters.”

Nahuel’s story about his mother dying in childbirth catches Sukuna’s attention, but not in a positive way. “So, his mother dies giving birth to him, and he’s been wandering the world ever since? What a conveniently tragic backstory. This guy’s existence is just one big plot device.”

Yuji looks puzzled. “But doesn’t he prove that Renesmee will be okay?”

Sukuna sighs. “Sure, kid. He’s here to make everyone feel better about the creepy baby growing up too fast. It’s like they needed someone to vouch for her so the Volturi wouldn’t freak out.”

As the Cullens and their allies celebrate their victory and the end of the conflict, Sukuna’s frustration remains palpable. “So, they gather all these vampires, have this huge build-up, and then it’s all resolved because of one guy showing up and saying, ‘Hey, everything’s cool’? What a letdown.”

You laugh, resting your head on Sukuna’s shoulder. “At least it’s over, right?”

He chuckles, pulling you closer. “Yeah, thank god for that. But I’m still mad about how easily they wrapped everything up. It’s like the writers just wanted to finish and move on.”

The final scenes show the Cullens returning to their peaceful lives, and Sukuna can’t help but comment. “So, everything goes back to normal? No consequences, no follow-up on the Volturi? They just walk away, and everyone lives happily ever after?”

You nod, smiling. “That’s how it goes in these stories, Kuna. Just accept it.”

Sukuna smirks. “Accept it? Sure. But I’m not letting them off the hook for this weak ending. They had a chance to do something interesting, and they blew it.”

As the credits roll, Yuji’s excitement returns. “That was awesome! Can we watch it again tomorrow?”

“Maybe another day,” you laugh, ruffling his hair again. “It’s late, and you need to get to bed.”

As you all head off to bed, Sukuna wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close. “You know, babe, those movies were terrible,” he says with a smirk, “but I had fun watching them with you.”

You smile up at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I had fun too, Kuna. Thanks for sticking it out with us.”

He chuckles, leading you to your room. “Anything for you, baby. Even if it means enduring five movies of sparkly vampires and dramatic wolves.”

As you lie in bed, you hear Sukuna’s voice one last time before sleep takes you. “I still can’t believe that goth vampire mafia. And that baby...”

You fall asleep with a smile on your face, knowing that even through all his complaints, Sukuna stayed by your side, sharing every laugh and every groan.

taglist: @sad-darksoul @thejujvtsupost @kyo-kyo1 @kalulakunundrum @ryomku

[romanticwrld]

[m0urnlnglamb]

12.28.24 moodboard

[mag1cspells]

[kandadze]

There's a particular quality to Fangs of Fortune that I've seen pointed out as one of the show's weaknesses, and that is the seemingly illogical at times, nonlinear way in which the story is presented to us. And as much as I can see how that could be an issue for some folks, for me personally it's a big part of why the show as a whole works so well.

For one, it's my favorite storytelling technique. Puzzle-like structures, flashbacks, dreams vs reality, story-within-a-story, memory games... I used to incorporate them in my own writing and I look for them in the media I'm consuming, especially visual. Before I even knew what Fangs was really about, based on the trailer (and then the MV) alone, I clocked it as a sort of a fever dream, and I was seated.

Then there is the overarching theme of dreams that the show reiterates often and in many ways. We're being told repeatedly that the lives of these characters are a dream; that there's a moment of falling asleep and there's a moment everyone will need to wake up. The amount of dream-like flashbacks and memories, not to mention the illusions the characters are forced into again and again is staggering; in fact, until the very end I wasn't sure if the whole story won't turn out to be either a memory or a dream told by a descendant of one of the characters.

When we tell a story from memory, due to how fleeting and subjective it is, we will inevitably stumble upon inconsistencies; there'll be time lapses, sudden changes of scenery, continuity issues. When we dream, there's no logic in anything we encounter, time and space have no meaning, and we can't even be sure that we're still ourselves. Like Through the Looking Glass Alice jumping over little streams

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

we continue finding ourselves in different places, very often in a different time, and encountering different people than just a moment earlier.

And so in the show that consistently keeps us guessing what's real and what's not, who's dreaming and who's not, and when the illusion started and for whom... it only makes sense that the way the scenes are cut and edited appears to be - almost random, fragmented, not entirely clear. I for one, am very okay with it.

(I'm also not in any way deluding myself that all of it was a conscious and deliberate choice of the show's creators; other than a simple fact that perfection is not possible, censorship, the limit put on the amount of episodes, as well as time and money constraints all undoubtedly played part in what the final product looks like. I'm just making a conscious and deliberate choice to focus on what works for me. YMMV.)

[tinyundercover]

pepper & felix

part twelve

MASTERPOST

word count: 3.6k

The kitchen was quiet aside from the soft tapping of Basil’s footsteps across the counter. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath, immensely grateful to have some time alone.

After sleeping for almost over a day straight, Basil had woken up feeling rejuvenated. It wasn’t often that she found the energy to get up early and go borrowing, but after waking up this morning to Pepper elbowing her in his sleep and snatching their blanket away, she had decided to grab her borrowing gear and go out. 

She usually enjoyed Pepper’s company— but she was just an independent person by nature. She needed her time alone.

Her gaze drifted around the room, landing on the stove’s digital clock. It was just past six in the morning, so she doubted that Felix would be awake any time soon. Suddenly excited at the prospect of exploring the entire apartment, Basil skipped her way over to the counter’s edge and latched her hook onto it.

The next hour passed by in a blur. Basil crept through every nook and cranny of the kitchen, which admittedly, was pretty small. She had been pleasantly surprised to find a strange metal object that she believed had been part of an earring, as well as some threads on the floor which had fallen off of Felix’s coat and messenger bag, both of which were hanging on the wall by hooks. She didn’t bother exploring the upper cabinets, having seen them more than enough times already.

Her exploration led her over to the living room, which was roughly twice the size of the kitchen. The carpeting here was soft under her boots as she crossed the room, basking in the pink sunrise streaming in from the window.

An uncomfortable feeling settled into her chest as she paused in front of the bookshelf. A thin silver needle lay discarded on the carpet, close to the wall, where Basil had dropped it upon being grabbed by Alice. The moment it had fallen from her hand, the borrower had assumed that her needle would be lost forever. 

A brief feeling of relief flickered through her chest as she picked it up. She hadn’t realized how much she missed the comforting feeling of her needle in her hand, and she stuck it into her belt loop.

Heavy footfalls filled the room, undeniably human. Basil immediately tensed, spinning towards the doorway to Felix’s bedroom where the human appeared, tall and lanky and seemingly exhausted. 

He appeared foreboding even from all the way across the room. Basil backed against the bookshelf, unease tugging at her chest, hating how small she felt on the floor. Fortunately, Felix didn’t notice her as he walked by, entering the kitchen with a yawn stifled by his hand.

Basil released a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, and guilt tickled her spine. Felix had literally saved her life, and she still had the audacity to be scared of him?

She shook her head as if to dispel the uncomfortable thoughts, turning towards the couch with the intent of exploring the depths underneath. The rest of her exploration, however, was disrupted by confused, irrational thoughts– most predominantly: how would Felix treat her if Pepper wasn’t there?

She sent a nervous glance at the doorway, as if Felix was going to appear there with a glass jar in his hand. Frustration tugged at her heart, and feeling thoroughly discouraged with the knowledge that a human was nearby, she turned around and began her trek across the carpet towards the kitchen to observe Felix.

Her hands rested on the doorframe as she peered inside, stiffening at the sight of Felix’s long legs. She tried to avoid being on the floor around humans if she could help it, not only because it was dangerous, but because having to look up and up and up made her stomach hurt. She couldn’t see what Felix was doing on the kitchen counter, but she could hear the quiet clicking of a ceramic mug. She vaguely remembered Pepper mentioning that Felix drank multiple cups of tea a day.

“Can’t believe you’re Pepper’s soulmate,” Basil muttered, low enough that Felix wouldn’t hear her. Her stomach was cold, unsettled by the human’s ability to intimidate her just by standing.

However, the terror in her heart flickered with uncertainty when she remembered just how kindly Felix had treated her and Pepper two days ago. He had been visibly angry with Alice, terrifying Basil even more, but he had been so gentle when he had picked the borrowers up. Unlike Alice, he had kept his volume at a comfortable level when he spoke to them.

As hard as it was to believe, Felix genuinely seemed to treat them like people.

Her neck was beginning to hurt, so Basil stepped back, rubbing at her collarbone. Her heart still pattered uneasily with a human so close by, but she was willing to give Felix the benefit of the doubt and relax a little around him.

In the few seconds that she let her guard down, Felix turned away from the counter and moved towards the living room. Basil yelped as the shoes approached her and scrambled back on instinct.

“Holy shit–” 

Felix flinched back, dropping his gaze down to Basil, who was clutching her chest in surprise. They both froze, barely a foot away from each other. 

The human paled and stepped back, clearly just as uncomfortable with seeing her on the floor as Basil felt, and in one swift motion he knelt down. The speed alone sent Basil’s panic skyrocketing, and she swallowed thickly, alarm bells shrieking in her mind.

It’s just Felix, she reminded herself as the terror attempted to seize her throat. It’s Pepper’s soulmate, for crying out loud. He had you in his hand two days ago and you were fine.

“What are you doing down there?” Felix asked in disbelief, drawing Basil’s attention back to him. A yellow ceramic mug was gripped tight in his hand. “I almost didn’t see you!”

The sudden close proximity was overwhelming. For a split second Basil was worried that he was going to be mad at her, and she blanched, wobbling on her feet. “Sorry. I just– I was just looking around. I didn’t think you’d be up yet.” At that moment, the bruise on her cheek decided to remind her how much it ached, and she winced.

He blinked, peering down at her. Even while he was kneeling, he still seemed to tower over Basil, and she was uncomfortably aware that she was well within arm’s reach if he wanted to grab her. “Are you feeling okay?” Felix pressed, gaze dancing to her cheek. “Oh– and did you get the pasta yesterday?”

Basil stared up at him. She had, in fact, received a bit of pasta and marinara sauce from Pepper last night. It had been delightful and unexpected to wake up to, even if it had lost its warmth. 

Until now, she had assumed that Pepper had secretly grabbed the piece of pasta while Felix wasn’t looking, as every other borrower would have done. It hadn’t occurred to her that Felix might’ve given it to the borrowers on purpose.

Her chest was a whirlwind of emotions; shock, appreciation, guilt. Redness crept into her cheeks as she nodded, crossing her arms. “I– I’m doing better, yeah. Thanks for the pasta, it was really good.” It was hard to imagine that a human could care about two borrowers so much. She desperately wished that she could pay him back somehow.

She was suddenly struck with the determination to move forward and pat his knee, or his hand, maybe– emboldened by the memories of Pepper trustingly stepping into Felix’s waiting palm– but before she could take a step Felix leaned back, fiddling with his mug, seeming distracted. “I’m glad. Listen, I need to head to school, and then I’ve got rehearsal… but I’ll be back later today. I hope this isn’t weird to ask, but… are you sticking around? Do you live with Pepper?”

Basil’s eyebrows shot up, and she hesitated, her brown gaze searching his innocent, concerned face. “Um…”

Come on, he’s your brother’s soulmate. He’s gonna learn about you sooner or later.

With a sigh, she sent him up an anxious smile. “No, I don’t live here, not usually. I’m just visiting. I wasn’t really planning on staying more than a few days, but with everything going on…” she gestured vaguely to Felix, flushing. “...I feel like I should stick around, just to make sure everything’s okay.”

Felix nodded, clinging to her every word. Basil wondered vaguely how much Pepper had already told him about her, and she wasn’t sure if she should feel honored or uneasy.

“I’m glad you’re staying,” Felix insisted, eyes wide. Basil suddenly felt the urge to laugh at how comically polite he was acting, but she only nodded, heart melting. “I know you don’t know me that well, but I do care about you and your brother.”

Basil stared up at him, heart fluttering pleasantly. Holding a conversation with a giant suddenly seemed a lot easier when the giant actually treated her like a person.

____ 

“Alice sounds so pretty,” Breanna murmured. Felix made a noncommittal noise of agreement, focused on the script in his lap.

The rehearsal room was filled with nearly thirty chairs in rows, crowded with students. Breanna and Felix were seated near the front, close to the piano, where Alice was standing and singing along to “Part of Your World.”

Everyone else in the room was focused on Alice, but Felix was struggling to look at her, choosing instead to take the extra time to highlight his lines in his script. He twirled the blue highlighter between his thumb and forefinger as he flipped the page, feeling dizzy at the sheer amount of lines he had.

Alice finished the song, and the director— a severe but sweet gray-haired woman that Felix felt slightly intimidated by— approached her, providing a few comments. Felix glanced up, catching Alice’s eye for just a moment, and they both turned away.

“Is there something going on with you two?” Breanna asked curiously. Felix hesitated.

“Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

Before he could think of a response, the director brought everyone’s attention back to her, announcing that it was time to continue reading through the script. Alice silently moved back to her seat on Breanna’s other side.

When the time came for Felix to sing his solo song, his stomach had sunken into the floor below. Dozens of eyes watched him as he stood and approached the piano, an uncomfortable, alienating feeling. The director provided him with a few instructions and a paper filled with lyrics, then the room filled with smooth piano keys.

His voice wobbled slightly as he began. He hadn’t had much time to practice since the cast list came out two days ago, and it showed as he peered down at the trembling paper in his hands. He fumbled on the lyrics several times.

Alice’s blue gaze stayed on Felix the entire time, intense and unwavering. He could see her whispering to Breanna in the corner of his eye, and his throat tightened, causing his voice to catch on a note.

It hadn’t been an awful performance, he decided numbly as he returned to his seat a few minutes later. The director had given him some positive feedback after he finished, but she had told him that “his nerves will get better with time,” causing him to flush in embarrassment. Breanna gave him a warm smile, and Alice stared down at her script.

“That was really good,” Ricky commented brightly on Felix’s right. He had a smaller build and messy, sand-colored hair, and Felix wondered vaguely what his Sebastian costume was going to look like.

“Thank you,” Felix mumbled, sinking a bit lower in his seat. 

The rest of rehearsal went by smoothly. It took a few hours to read through the entire script, and by the time they finished up the last song Felix was mentally exhausted. He barely paid attention as Ricky rambled to him, both of them cramming their scripts into their respective bags.

“I wanna throw a cast party soon,” Ricky chirped, catching Breanna’s attention. “You know, to get everyone excited for the show.”

Felix nodded absentmindedly, stepping back as Breanna began to chat with Ricky about the party. With the bustling of the cast around the rehearsal room, it took Felix a moment to realize that Alice was still seated, watching him. He held her gaze for a moment, stomach twisting uncomfortably, until he finally forced himself to sit down next to her. 

“…You sounded really good on your songs,” he said honestly.

She actually smiled, just a little. “Thanks. You did too.” 

Her gaze lingered, her expression unreadable. Silence stretched between them, and Felix’s insides continued to squirm. Alice’s eyes drifted to his shoulder, down the front of his gray hoodie, to his hands that rested in his lap. Cold anxiety prickled underneath his skin, and he shifted uneasily. “What?”

He felt as if he already knew what— or who— she was searching for. Her icy eyes lifted back to his face, and she shrugged noncommittally. “Bre, are you ready to go?”

As the three of them said goodbye to Ricky and left the room together, Felix fought the cold panic fluttering around his chest. He wanted to snap at Alice, to beg her not to spill the secret, to threaten her if she dared put the borrowers in danger.

But he couldn’t do any of that, not while Breanna was there, sending strange looks at the two of them as she undeniably caught onto the tension that filled the air every time Alice or Felix were in close proximity. Alice began to chat idly about rehearsal, about how excited she was that the three of them were lucky enough to be leads together, and Felix’s panic subsided slightly. He laughed along with them, breathy and nervous, but he couldn’t ignore the flash of Alice’s frosty eyes whenever she looked at him.

This is going to be a long season.

——

The sight that greeted Felix upon arriving home was absurd, to say the least. 

He froze, spotting the wide open door of the microwave on the counter. A yellow ceramic mug was sitting at an uneven angle, its flat base propped up on the edge of the microwave opening, in the process of being dragged inside. A three-inch-tall man stood on the turntable of the microwave, his tiny hands clasped firmly around the ceramic handle of the mug, entire body braced with the effort of keeping the mug stable.

On the other side of the mug, heels planted firmly on the countertop, was his female counterpart. Her palms pressed flat against the side of the mug, clearly struggling to shove the mug up inside the microwave. Water was splattered over the counter. Both borrowers were frozen, staring at Felix like deer in the headlights.

Silence crept around them, until finally Felix forced himself to speak, unable to tear his gaze away from ridiculousness. “What are you doing.”

His aghast words broke the trance they were in. With a jolt, the two borrowers shared a glance— then suddenly Basil was snickering and Pepper was burying his face in his sleeve and the tension in the air was fading into nothing, leaving only amusement. Felix blinked rapidly, mind spinning with confusion.

“Hi. We, um, we were trying to make you tea.” Basil’s face was flush with scarlet, her words wobbling with laughter. She stepped away from the mug, which remained propped up on the opening of the microwave, and grinned sheepishly up at Felix. 

Her bushy hair had been pulled back into a little ponytail, revealing her face more clearly than Felix had been able to see this morning. Unfortunately, it drew his attention directly to the bruise on her cheek, splotchy and colorful. 

Felix lost sight of her face as Basil jumped up inside the microwave, and suddenly he processed her words. His eyebrows shot up, watching as she attempted to drag Pepper out by the sleeve of his blue jacket. 

“…What?” Felix asked incredulously, slowly setting his messenger bag onto the floor, turning Basil’s words over in his mind. “Why?”

Water barely filled the mug halfway. A trail of droplets led to the sink, where Felix realized the faucet had been twisted backwards, pointed directly over the countertop, where a puddle of water rested. He vaguely felt like he was observing a crime scene.

Basil successfully tugged Pepper outside, where he peered up at Felix, cheeks red. “We wanted to thank you for everything,” he mumbled. “We were gonna cook something, but Basil’s scared to use the stove.”

Basil punched him surprisingly hard. Pepper made a noise of objection, grabbing his arm, then huffed. “I’m scared to use the stove,” he corrected. Basil grinned.

The warmth in Felix’s heart threatened to spill out, and he let out a breathy laugh, bringing a hand to his chest. They seemed incredibly embarrassed, but Felix had never felt more touched (and immensely relieved that they hadn’t attempted to use the stove).

“Thank you!” Felix glanced between them as they continued to shove each other, admiring the comfortable way Pepper and Basil interacted now that they weren’t tear-stricken and terrified from being trapped in a jar. The bickering and familiarity between them reminded Felix of his relationship with his own sister. “You– you didn’t have to do that.” 

“We wanted to,” Pepper objected, eyes wide. Basil nodded. 

Felix struggled to find a response. He wanted to reach over and move the mug, which was still propped up awkwardly, but he didn’t want to risk hurting their feelings or intimidating them by quickly performing a task that had clearly taken all of their energy. His heart melted even more, hoping that they hadn’t spent an absurd amount of time on this silly task. “I…”

Felix trailed off, watching with mild alarm as the two borrowers turned back to the mug. Pepper grabbed onto the handle, Basil pressed her hands against the ceramic, and they continued their attempt to heave the mug up into the microwave. Felix blinked.

After a few seconds they both slumped their shoulders, breathing heavily, having made no progress. Felix bit back a laugh. “Guys, I can finish this up, you don’t have to—”

They ignored him, and after a loud countdown from Basil they resumed with a new vigor.

Between the two of them, they seemed to share a surprising amount of strength. Basil eventually forced the mug off of the counter while Pepper yanked back with just enough momentum for the mug to slide stiffly inside the microwave, landing neatly on the turntable. The two borrowers erupted into cheers, immediately tackling each other.

“Oh!” Felix’s eyebrows shot up, genuinely startled to see that they had successfully lifted up the ceramic mug by themselves. His gaze flickered over to the sink, realizing how difficult it must have been for them to even get it across the counter. 

“Fuck yeah!” Pepper hopped down onto the counter, Basil close behind, and the two of them scrambled to close the microwave door. It swung easily under their shared weight, shutting bluntly.

Seconds later, beeping filled the room. Basil pressed buttons at random, a frown stitched over her face, Pepper peering over her shoulder. “Where’s the button that makes it spin?”

“It’s, um…” Felix’s hand inched closer, but hesitated, not wanting to invade Basil’s space. He spent the next few minutes explaining to the borrowers how microwaves worked, and they listened with rapt attention, bright and curious. His heart continued to melt.

Once the mug had been successfully microwaved and the water inside was brimming with heat, Felix dropped a tea packet inside, then offered a palm to the two borrowers. “Thank you,” he said, and he meant it. “This was really sweet of you guys. Would you, um– would you want to go watch a movie with me, maybe?”

Pepper immediately expressed his approval by stepping closer, but Basil hesitated, brown eyes dancing away.

“Both of you,” Felix added gently. Basil brightened.

The rest of Felix’s evening was spent on the couch, sharing his tea with the two borrowers. He felt the inexplicable need to hold them, or cradle them, somehow– but he kept this to himself. Pepper sat on the back of the couch, closer to Felix, while Basil sat cross-legged on her brother’s other side. She seemed a little uncertain about sitting out in the open, but her posture became more relaxed throughout the duration of the movie.

Felix stole a glance at his phone during the climax of the movie, while the borrowers were both enraptured. A text from Ricky greeted him.

hi!! the partys gonna be this friday 8pm at my apartment. whole cast is invited!! lmk if you can come

Felix blinked, momentarily confused, until he remembered what Ricky had been talking about during rehearsal. With a warm feeling in his chest, he responded to Ricky’s text with approval. It had been a while since he had gone out to a party, and it might be nice to spend time with Alice, maybe try and repair their friendship.

His gaze flickered to the borrowers as he put his phone away. The two of them were earnestly discussing the movie, pointing and gesturing widely, and Felix bit back a laugh. Appreciation flooded his heart for them, and he took a sip of his tea, turning his attention back towards the screen.

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likes/comments/reblogs are always appreciated!! ty for reading!

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