#successful event planning tips

[themaynard]

Why location matters when choosing an event venue

Discover why location is crucial for a successful event. From accessibility to first impressions, learn how to choose the ideal venue that ensures smooth logistics, impresses guests, and enhances attendance. Make your next event unforgettable by starting with the right location.

[beingjellybeans]

3 Tips for Business Success from Chef Tatung

On a breezy November afternoon in BGC, the aroma of spices mingled with the hum of conversation at The Kitchen by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Renowned chef, restaurateur, and content creator, Chef Tatung Sarthou, wasn’t just there to cook—he was there to inspire. As part of Sun Life’s Coffee & Play event, Chef Tatung served up more than just his signature peri-peri chicken and chicken macaroni. He…

[doromoni]

Not Over the Papaya | OP81

⊹ ｡•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Ships : Oscar Piastri x Popstar! Reader , Ex!Lando Norris x Popstar! Reader

Genre : Smau

A/N : I missed u all 🫶

Face claim : Jennie Kim

Warning : Just a reminder that this is all fiction!! nothing in this ever happened in real life, so don’t hate on the people referenced ok??

Summary : Y/N and Oscar cope with their own breakups by making the Heartbreak Club.

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

< Previous | Part 16 | Next >

*Incoming call from Zak Brown

Pick up or Decline

Pick up

- Oscar what do you think you’re doing?-

- I’m celebrating my success with my friends… because apparently my team planned to have one without me -

- You were informed by your team, Oscar. Don’t act as if everything is our fault.-

- Informed? your team emailed Mark, not me. Mark, my manager who’s also in Australia a day before the event are you fucking kidding?-

- Don’t talk to me like that kid I’m your boss.-

- Yeah. not for long-

- what did you just say to me!?-

- I said not for long -

- I gave you the chance to drive for my team. Be grateful brat! -

- Yeah, thanks for the British bias bullshit you run in your team -

- I-

Call ended

Notification : a voice message from Zak Brown*

-Get your ass back to England. NOW!-

Notification: a massage from Norris*

f1news

liked by user1 and user2

f1news Problem in the Papaya garage? Oscar Piastri was spotted in the MTC today! Rumors are spreading about internal issues inside Mclaren as insider tips are saying that Oscar Piastri will be facing disciplinary actions, while the reason wasn’t said — fans speculate that it was because of the party Oscar threw with other drivers and his girlfriend during his stay in Australia.

user1 Dude this is wild! I’m sat for the drama.

user2 Oscar making another issue for his team… Lando can’t relate

user3 dude @user2 are you for real? Lando is far from innocent.

user4 Bro I’m starting to hate Oscar lowkey. He’s talented for sure but he doesn’t know the first thing about team integrity

user5 First Alpine then Mclaren 🤦‍♀️

user6 Mclaren to drop Oscar please

user7 Lando gave him his 1st win and he acts like this

user8 Dude deserved!

user9 These fans are wild… if it were Max or Charles doing what Oscar did they’d support it or turn a blind eye.

user10 Well Max and Charles are both 1st drivers of their teams. Oscar is just 2nd to Lando

user11 Oscar is hardly a second driver and that’s with Mclaren’s bias towards Lando

user12 What bias?? They have the same car

user13 Fake fan spotted! Lando always gets the upgrades first.

user14 That’s because he’s the first driver!

user15 Lando >>> Oscar

mclaren

liked by user1 and user2

mclaren PATO O’ WARD will be driving in Brazil! Pato will be driving for the practice session in Sau Paulo Don’t miss him drive!

landonorris Good luck Mate!!

patoo’ward thank dude

user1 let me guess, he’s using Oscar’s car.

user2 are they using this to punish Oscar?

user3 let’s go Pato!!!

user4 McLaren what are you trying to do??

user5 this shit is not gonna end well

f1news

liked by user1 and user2

f1news Mclaren had Pato O’ward fill in for Oscar Piastri all throughout 3 practice sessions. Oscar is reportedly cleared for driving and is healthy as told by the FIA.

Even without putting in time and practicing Oscar will be driving for qualifying and the main race.

Everyone is now questioning what exactly is going on inside Mclaren and is what they’re doing ethical and safe not only for their driver but also for the whole grid.

user1 YO WHAT?!! THEY DID WHAT??!

user2 I get that Oscar is under disciplinary action but this is so not it!! bro FIA DO SMTH

user3 Not only is this unfair to Oscar but this is so fucking unsafe for everyone on that grid

user4 What is McLaren thinking?!!!

user5 Please tell me this is a joke.

user6 Oscar looks livid and I cant blame the dude, his own team is fucking him over.

f1news

liked by user1 and user2

f1news BREAKING 🚨: Lando Norris wins pole while teammate Oscar Piastri crashes out in Q1 and qualifies P17.

user1 i’m not even McLaren fan and even I know what they did to Oscar was disgusting

user2 Mclaren should be fined and face the consequences of their actions… they did that to their own driver

user3 Just what the fuck

user4 I’m speechless. They made Pato drive all practice and they made Oscar qualify without a single practice lap?!! who tf let Mclaren do that

user5 the FIA failed Oscar

user6 this is sickening, what has become of this sport.

user7 Oscar needs to get out of that team!! are they trying to kill him?!

user8 Oscar risked his life and crashed out … where tf is McLaren’s med team?!! not even a proper radio call to ask if Oscar was ok?!!

user9 this is so not right.

Y/N. 10 mins

*story replies are disabled

charles_leclerc 9 mins

*story replies are disabled

maxverstappen1 8mins

*story replies are disabled

danielricciardo

*story replies are disabled

logansargeant

*story replies are disabled

f1news

liked by user1 and user2

f1news Mark Webber found approaching the RedBull motorhome! Is this for old time’s sake or is his visit something more?

Series Taglist : @champagneproblems17 @itsjustfranzi @cheriwritesig @forza-charles @awritingtree @sltwins @gr1mes-cc @hwalllllllelujah @btsfluffsworld @tillyt04 @landotd @booksandflowrs @czennieszn @thatsouthernblondewiththeass @tellybearryyyy @wobblymug @alittlechaotics-blog @bingussthirdtoe @mirrorball-6 @demandealalune @heartsforleclerc @yoongi-holland @maneskin-slave @alenix @forensicheart @bloodyymaryyy @stereading @hahahjej @youre-on-your-ownkid : closed

Maintaglist : @myescapefromthislife @peterholland04 @charlottef1 @fangirl125reader @mel164 @gnarlycore @chloelovesln4 @vickykazuya @merchelsea @ln4author @qzmef @nxk1309 @styl1shl1v @lottalove4evelyn @gr3yhues : closed for now

special thanks to @sam123456789987654321 ; thanks for always checking up on me luv!

[beegalactica]

hot girl tips to be more productive

With a million things to do, where do we find the time? Sometimes it can be so easy to just procrastinate, not do your work and keep pushing it back till it's too late. Let's not do that anymore.

5-minute rule - start small. If you've been putting something off for a long time, trying to commit 1 hour to it can be challenging. You can't do a marathon without a warm-up first! Could you set a timer for 5 minutes to do that task? After 5 minutes if you want to continue, go for it; if you don't, that's okay, because at least you've done 5 minutes today, which is better than 0. Tomorrow or later in the day, try to challenge yourself to do 7 minutes this time, then 10, then 15, and you will get into that rhythm.

Eliminate distractions - it's all because of that damn phone 🙄 but seriously, tech and social media can have such a tight grip over our productivity and our attention. If you cannot control your usage, set app timers that lock the app after you use it for a certain amount of time or delete the app. I've been using a minimalist phone launcher called 'OLauncher' that removes all my icons and makes me manually have to type and search for the app. In the time it takes me to search for the app, I get to ask myself, "What am I looking for? Do I need to use it for something specific or do I just want to scroll?"

Schedule properly - note down all your commitments and non-negotiables in an app like Google Calendar and make sure all your big events are displayed there. Some people can fall into the habit of planning every second of their day, but I instead delegate a few tasks to each day and give myself any time within the day to complete them, the important thing being not when I do them, but that I do them in the end.

Write to-do lists - now this doesn't just mean in-app lists, which are very useful. Physically write them out. I use a scrap piece of paper and I write: "Today I WILL..." and then list all the things I want to get done. Having it written down helps me commit to it more and the feeling of ticking it is so satisfying.

Know your WHY - Why are you doing this? Why do you want to be more productive? Why do you want to study more? Always look at the bigger picture. Where do you want to be and how will your productivity help you get there?

Celebrate your wins - whether you completed all the things on your to-do list or just one, be proud of it. Some days, you will feel super motivated and fly through all your tasks, and other days you just want to stay in bed and do nothing. Making an effort is the first step to your success.

No matter whether your goal is to complete a project, get good grades, get into the school of your dreams, or just get your work out of the way so you can focus on other things, tackle it little by little. Just 20 minutes every day for a week is better than trying to do 140 minutes worth of work on the last day.

[misseuda]

⌕ : becoming that girl this new school year .ᐟ

a new school year is approaching . . . so here are some tips to help you become "that girl" who has it all together and radiates confidence and positivity throughout your journey.

organization and planning

use a planner: keep track of assignments, deadlines, and events. it's s a game-changer!

set goals: define your short-term and long-term goals. knowing what you want to achieve keeps you focused.

create a routine: establish a daily routine that includes time for studying, extracurricular activities, and self-care.

academic success

stay ahead: review class materials before they are covered in class. it makes a huge difference, trust me.

ask for help: if you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to ask teachers or peers for help. don't be shy or else you'll struggle more!

join study groups: collaborating with classmates can enhance your understanding and make studying more fun. make sure you're in the right circle :)

personal development

healthy habits: prioritize sleep, eat balanced meals, and stay hydrated. your body and mind will thank you!

pilates & workout: incorporate physical activity into your routine to boost energy and focus. i recommend searching wonyoung, song jia, and lidia mera pilates on yt <3

mindfulness: practice mindfulness or meditation to manage stress and stay focused.

social life

interact more: make an effort to introduce yourself and be approachable. friendships can start with a simple “hello.”

get involved: join clubs, sports teams, or other extracurricular activities you want. it's a great way to meet new people and discover new interests.

be supportive: offer help and support to classmates and friends. being kind never goes out of style.

style and presentation

dress confidently: wear outfits that make you feel comfortable and confident. your style is a form of self-expression, take note of that.

stay organized: keep your study area and personal space tidy. a clear space leads to a clear mind.

personal hygiene: maintain good personal hygiene and grooming habits. feeling fresh boosts confidence.

remember, becoming "that girl" is about being the best version of yourself and living a balanced, fulfilling life.

[honeytonedhottie]

the monthly necessities⋆.ೃ࿔*:･📔🎀

just some things like appointments, trips, dates that i like to plan before the beginning of each month so that i can set off on the right foot for a successful month.

MANICURE AND PEDICURE ; 

i like to schedule an appointment before the month starts to either get myself a new set or start fresh and let my nails breathe. i like to keep my toes done regularly because it just makes me feel so feminine and clean. 

FACIALS AND OTHER TREATMENTS ; 

things like a hair trim (you can designate a day to do it yourself or get it done professionally) and facials can keep you looking and feeling your best. 

waxing appointments 

getting ur brows or lashes done 

facials 

hair trimming 

it’s important to set aside those dates because booking appointments and making time to groom and pamper yourself is something that u can easily sweep under the rug, especially if ur not in the habit of pampering urself. 

IMPORTANT DATES ; 

make sure to set out dates that you don’t wanna forget! like birthdays, lessons, tournaments and competitions. make sure to put the important things in ur monthly calendar. 

applications and deadlines also go in this category so make sure to include those in ur calendar because you don’t wanna forget those. 

SOCIAL LIFE ; 

set aside times to have dinner dates with ur friends, include the dates of parties and get togethers.

lunch date 

dinner date 

brunch 

sleepovers etc 

i try and keep at least one or two days where i can be fully available with my friends so we can keep friendship strong. this includes other social events so that then you can keep your social life alive and thriving! 

ONE DAYS ; 

one whole pamper/spa day (my tip is to do this on a saturday or a sunday) 

one whole day without using social media 

one day in which u spend time outdoors 

one day to go somewhere that you never went before 

one day to help someone else and be there for them 

TIPS AND TRICKS ; 

if ur putting everything into ur agenda or calendar and you somehow still manage to forget things, log things in ur alarm clock. for example if u have a daily alarm clock that rings at a certain time, write something along the lines of what you need to remember. 

like if my alarm goes off at 6:00 am and it says “good morning beautiful” on important dates i’d write “good morning beautiful, you have an appointment at 9:00”. that way it’s like an active reminder. 

do your best to make ur calendar and agenda aesthetically pleasing, i swear it makes you more productive and happy to get things done and be prepared. 

[thesassypadawan]

Birthday Boy (Hayden x FemReader)

Summary: It’s your man’s birthday! A day filled with all the love, presents, and…special ‘treats’.

Warnings: 18+ (mdni), because there sooo much of the smut. Birthday head and, as always… Hayden’s big, fat dick.

Notes: Happy Birthday, Hay! 💙🤍

And also Happy Hayden's (And Mine) Birthday Event! In honor of the man, the myth, the legend; I will be posting nothing but Anakin, Vader, and Hay stories all April long!

- It’s Hayden’s birthday! One of the few days during the year when you can spoil him totally rotten…and he can’t object or complain.

- You always make it into a big deal. Showering him with love and affection. Making his fav foods. Getting him so many thoughtful presents. Planning all sorts of little surprises and special ‘treats’…that you just so happen to enjoy too.

- The sound of your alarm fills the air, and your arm flies out from underneath the covers. Hand fumbling for your phone, trying to silence it before a moose starts to stir.

- Luckily, you’re successful and no harm was done. Because you can hear the soft snores echoing out from behind you.

- Yawning, you try to blink yourself awake. You had set it with the intention of getting up early enough to prepare him breakfast in bed. But having that deliciously warm body pressed up against and those strong arms wrapped around you…

- A sleepy smile spreads across your face and your eyes begin to close. Until you feel a very hard, very familiar something poke your backside. And suddenly you’re no longer going with the original plan. Instead you’re opting for the new, amazing one you just thought up.

- Somehow you not only manage to untangle yourself from Hay, but you’re also able to get him to lay on his back. From there you make quick work of removing the sheets and pulling down his sleep pants. Cock springing free and standing proud.

- Positioning yourself between his toned legs, lips hovering barely a few inches above his dick. You pause a moment, making sure he’s still asleep by whispering… “Oi, Big Dork; Leafs suck.”

- Nothing. Not an angry grumble or eyes cracking open to glare at you. Nothing.

- Boldly you kitten lick his fat tip, happily lapping up that first salty bead of pre. Before popping it into your mouth, rolling your tongue around and sucking gently. Teasing at and playing with his slit until more of that bittersweet goodness explodes across your taste buds.

- Moaning softly, the vibrations cause Hayden to shift a bit. But you chose to ignore this, taking more of him in. That slight, pleasant ache in your jaw making you pant through your nose, your own arousal spiking. Cunt clenching around nothing, dripping…soaking through your panties.

- Bobbing your head up and down, you set a steady pace. Lips and hand wrapped tightly around his impressive length, adding more friction as you pump. Teeth nipping and grazing at him lightly.

- You’re so caught up that you don’t hear the low groan, but you certainly feel the big hand coming to rest on the back of your head. Those long fingers lacing through your hair, tugging.

- With his cock still nice and warm in your mouth, you not so innocently gaze up at him. Hay’s blue eyes are blown so wide, a lazy smile on his face. “Happy Birthday to me,” he chuckles, voice raspy from sleep.

- Humming, you swallow him greedily. Head brushing and hitting the back of your throat. Trying your best to not choke, fighting the urge not to gag.

- “That’s it,” he grunts. Pulling harder, hips starting to slowly buck. “Keep Going.”

- Driven by his words and that wonderful burn on your scalp, you double your efforts. Picking up speed, you match his rhythm. Baring down, letting him slide deeper with each thrust. Squeezing and playing with his heavy balls.

- First you feel his dick twitch, then his thighs begin to tremble, and…

- Growling, Hayden shot his hot cum down your throat. Curses falling from his lips while you hungrily drink every last drop.

- Releasing him with a wet sounding pop, you eagerly crawl on top of and straddle him. “Happy Birthday, Hay!” You giggle, grinning and wiggling like crazy…some of his ‘frosting’ trickling down your chin. “Today it’s all about you and-”

- A squeak escapes you as your suddenly flipped over. Back pressed against the mattress, caged in by his arms. Tip pushing at your drenched core.

- “Thanks for the gift, angel,” the birthday boy smirks, hand slowly trailing down your hip. “I’ll open it right now.” And with one quick movement, tares off your panties.

Tag List: @espinathena-17, @myheartwillgoon2022, @wifeofasith, @princessswifie, @kenobiskywalker16, @loverforoldermen

[ivesambrose]

PAC : September 2024 Mini Messages

1. 2. 3.

And we're almost in fall 🍁

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at ivesambrose@gmail.com

Services Offered

Reviews

Thanks for the tip ✨

Picture 1

You'll be feeling the urge to socialize or reconnect with friends and loved ones this month. Likely even connect with new people that inspire you and reignite a spark within you. It seems like as you're headed for autumn you begin to experience your personal spring. There's a lot in your mind and heart and it's been repressed there for quite some time now because you haven't found the right means to express them or the people to express them to but this: shall change. I see you wanting to maintain more balance and diplomacy in your life this month instead of extremes. In a way you've told yourself, "Hey I've done enough push and pull, let me allow things to fall in place." A lot of you might focus on regulating your nervous system, some of you might be starting therapy or just being more attentive about your mental health. Some of you might collaborate or work with others especially if you're an artist or creator of any kind. I also see a select few coming out of hiding and gaining the confidence to put themselves out there. This month will also end on a joyful note for you. You'll also be pursuing something your heart feels really called to. You'll also feel cherished and cared for, this could be from a special someone or your friends and family or the community you're proud of. You'll feel a lot less alone, you never really were.

Picture 2

Leaving all that heartache behind. Bit by bit. Holding your life by the reigns by finding the courage within. There's no need to wait for anyone to help you through this, just begin. I know certain anguishes weigh rather heavily but it doesn't have to be a permanent resident there. A lot of you are planning on moving away from a present location that hasn't been bringing you peace you'l likely end up executing it before this year ends. Sometime around this month itself you'll find yourself feeling emotionally renewed. Opportunities coming up that you had been praying for since long but you feel nervous taking up because emotional fulfillment somehow feels scary to you. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Take the plunge because it'll lead to you feeling proud and successful of yourself. I also see a peak in finances or you saving up enough to afford something that makes you really happy. If you have pets you'll be spending more time with them or even consider adopting one. You'll start finding joy in the things you used to years back. Hold onto this feeling. For some reason the song, 'Innocence' by Avril Lavigne came through for this pile as well. If you resonate deeply with music, then this song definitely has a message for you.

Picture 3

A mental breakthrough. I see you being assertive and maybe even cut throat with your goals. I also see a lot of you disciplining your mind to the maximum. Correcting any negative thought and assumption. You'll also find yourself emerging victorious no matter what situation you're facing. There's a specific turn of events and fate for you. Fall overall is a significant time for this pile. I see you embracing joy diligently, making new friends and connections and making plans with your loved ones. You have chosen to let your inner child experience everything they have been forced to let go of. Do not dim your own light this month. You were meant to shine. You were meant to stand out. Some of you might also have a significant secret admirer as well. They see you as the break of dawn after a dark and solemn night and want to pretty much make you feel the same it seems. You'll find yourself wanting to relax more and allow things to come to you. Stressing and forcing on the other hand might lead to discord and feeling burnt out. It seems as though you had been fearing the worst but there has been a pleasant change of plans for you. You will be starting a new chapter in your life, you'll be rather stubborn about it too, brainstorming quite a bit, might encounter a few conflicts here and there but nothing good team work can't solve. This will eventually lead you to the version of you that you have in mind.

[asirensrage]

Title: Leader of the Pack Fandom: Tokyo Revengers Rating: Teen Pairing: Shinichiro x reader (use of "nee-chan" by others and "baby" by him. ) Word count: 890 Warnings: Canon events. Angst. Undescribed reader but mention of being called "sister" to his siblings. Unbeta’d. Summary: Breaking up is hard to do, but Shinichiro isn't about to let you go without a fight.

Notes: based off of the song "Leader of the Pack" by The Shangri-Las. My friend pointed out how well he fit with the song...so I had to make things worse. Enjoy!

“Why?”

You swallow tightly and try to stop yourself from crying but you can’t. The heartbreak and confusion on Shinichiro’s face is killing you. You are certain. 

“My dad,” you admit softly, wiping the tears sliding down your cheeks. You can see him shift forward before he stops, as if he is going to reach out to do it himself. “He…he doesn’t think you’re–” you pause, unable to say it. 

Shinichiro scoffs. “What? Good enough?” he looks away and you can see his jaw clench before he turns back to you and steps forward. “Who gives a shit what he thinks. I love you,” he says, hand catching yours. He laces your fingers together. “I know it’s fucking hard, but we’re worth it, aren’t we? Don’t you love me too?”

“Of course I do!” you say quickly. You cup his cheek and your throat tightens at how he leans into it. “But I can’t…he threatened to disown me.”

“Then let him,” Shinichiro’s eyes meet yours. “I’ll take care of you. You know I will. I already promised you, didn’t I?” He leans in until your foreheads touch. “You and I…we’re gonna get married, have a bunch of kids, and be happy. There’s no one else I wanna be with, baby.” He lifts your hands to kiss the tips of your fingers. There’s grease smeared from his touch but you barely notice. 

“Shin…”

“Isn’t that what we said?” he stresses again. “Aren’t those our plans?”

You cry harder, even as you nod because you’re not sure you can do this. You love Shinichiro. He’s handsome, optimistic, funny even if he’s a little self-deprecating and he loves his family so much. He loves you. It was a miracle the two of you met at the convenience store as he was buying dorayaki for his little brother while you went looking for something to snack on. He likes to say he fell first, but you knew the moment you looked at him that he was something special, something you wanted to cherish and claim before anyone else could. It was pure luck he was single, even if his friends joke that you’re the crazy one for accepting his confession. 

And now you have to leave. 

“I’m s-sorry,” you choke out. 

“Shh,” he hushes you as he pulls you into his chest. You cry harder, clutching his jumpsuit as he wraps his arms around you. He presses a kiss to your hair. “It’s okay, baby,” he says softly. “We’ll work it out. When he sees we’re serious, he’ll accept. I’m going look after you.”

“He won’t!” You cry into him. “He hates you!”

“Doesn’t matter. I love y-” he pauses, pulling back as he looks away. “Wait here.” He lets go but when you don’t release your grip on his overalls, he smiles. “I just gotta check that out. Don’t move, okay? We’re not done, baby. I promise.” 

 He pries your hands off of him, pressing a kiss against your lips before he grabs a wrench off a workbench. You watch as he slips easily into the Shinichiro who ran one of the most successful gangs across Tokyo. 

“Shin?”

“Shh,” he hushes you again. “Wait.” He leaves you in his back workroom, closing the door after him. 

You wipe the tears as you listen. The sudden fear of someone else being in his shop after closing overwhelming the pain of your break up. Or attempt, you have yet to succeed even though you know you should. 

You hear Shin’s voice, tone hardening as he demands an explanation before someone is suddenly screaming. They sound young and scared and there’s a crack before a loud thump on the ground that sends you running. 

“SHIN!” 

✨

The lights flash around you, the police question you, but you can’t seem to focus. Your hands are covered in blood overlapping the grease stains Shinichiro left on you as he held you. He was gone. You knelt at his side, screaming, crying his name as the two kids broke down. Someone called the cops. You don’t even know who. All you could focus on was the way Shin wasn’t answering. He wasn’t comforting you like he was supposed to. He wasn’t promising you forever. He was just lying there, eyes open and blank as you knelt in the blood that wasn’t stopping. Why wasn’t it stopping?

“Nee-chan?” 

You look up at the voice. Manjiro, Shinichiro’s little brother, stands there, staring at you in confusion. Both he and Emma had taken to call you sister after it got out that Shinichiro had given you a promise ring. “Just until I save up enough to get you something to be proud of,” he had said with that stupid grin of his. It didn’t matter that you were always proud to be with him. 

“Mikey.”

“What’s…what’s happening? Where’s Shin?”

You burst into tears again, unable to stop yourself. “I don’t know,” your voice cracks. “I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!” Maybe if you hadn’t come here to break up, if you had just demanded he take you on that date like he was supposed to instead of you deciding to cancel so that you could break up with him here in private. You sob harder, unable to console the young teen. 

This is all your fault. 

✨

everything tag: @raith-way @zeleniafic @veetlegeuse  @chickensarentcheap @residentdormouse

@themaradwrites @kingsmakers @thatmagickjuju @awkwardchick87 @hayatoseyepatch

tr tag: @mitsuwuyaa @blackfire2013 @bleach-your-panties @scythegal @reiners-milkbiddies

network: @pixelcafe-network

[qatarsprint2023]

𝖻𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗆𝖺𝗇!𝗋𝖺𝖿𝖾 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

trying for a baby with businessman!rafe — soft!rafe, allusions to sex and infertility word count: 1k

Rafe and you had been engaged for about half a year when the subject of kids first came up. It wasn’t really a question of if but more of when. You both knew you wanted a family, and there was no doubt in either of your minds that one day you’d be parents.

Your life seemed almost perfect—successful careers, a beautiful home by the water and a love that ran deep. The only thing left, besides finally becoming husband and wife, was to start a family and the thought of that brought a new kind of excitement into your life.

At first, trying for a baby was thrilling. It meant sex— lots of it. Rafe would come home from work, and you’d be waiting for him in the kitchen while making dinner, wearing nothing but one of his shirts and a pair of panties.

You were so sure it wouldn’t take long before the two of you would have that joyful announcement to share. Every few weeks, you’d take a pregnancy test, and even though each one came back negative, you shrugged it off. It was still early, after all. These things take time, right?

As your wedding day approached, you couldn’t help but imagine yourself walking down the aisle with a small, adorable baby bump, visible under the gorgeous, gorgeous dress you and Rafe had spent a pretty penny on. In a way, you'd secretly hoped the timing would be perfect and all of your guests would be congratulating you on the happy news.

But even after your two weeks of honeymoon, which, if we're being honest here, pretty much consisted of finishing every day off on a sweet, sweet high in the bedroom, ended with yet another negative test, the first flickers of worry set in.

The two of you read countless books on fertility, tracked your ovulation cycle meticulously and tried every tip, trick, and old wives' tale you could get your hands on. But as the months of trying turned into a year, your optimism began to wane.

The casual "When are you two finally going to have a baby?" questions from well-meaning friends and relatives became increasingly painful and you found yourself withdrawing from social events, dreading the inevitable baby talk.

Rafe, meanwhile, threw himself into his work, trying to distract himself from his growing anxiety by working until almost midnight and leaving early in the morning on some days.

The, what had once been joyful, anticipation of parenthood had turned into a constant source of stress for him and sex started to feel like a chore— scheduled and not with the intention of pleasure but the goal of finally getting pregnant after so many months.

Every negative pregnancy test ended in tears, with Rafe holding you close, whispering reassurances you weren’t sure either of you fully believed anymore. You knew hope was fragile and yours was crumbling.

You began to dread the sight of that single pink line, and eventually, the thought of taking another test became unbearable. You were tired of the heartache, tired of the constant hope only to be met with disappointment. Maybe, you started to think, the universe had other plans. Maybe, no matter how much you wanted it, parenthood just wasn’t in the cards for you and Rafe.

It was a warm evening in July, and Rafe had come home from work about half an hour ago. The weight in your chest and that familiar lump in your throat refused to disappear even as Rafe gently encouraged you to take one last pregnancy test over dinner. You had lost count of how many you’d taken by now, and the idea of seeing another negative result filled you with dread. You didn't want to try anymore... it wasn't fair.

And now, as you were standing in the bathroom, you didn’t expect anything different than the last dozen times. Your hands shook like crazy when you picked up the test, trying not to feel hopeful and get your heart shattered like every time before.

It took a moment for your brain to process what your eyes were seeing.

Two lines. Two.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you stumbled out of the bathroom, the test trembling in your hand.

Rafe looked up as he sat on the living room sofa, his face full of uncertainty, and when he saw the look on your face, the world seemed to stop.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice low and cautious, eyes searching yours for some kind of answer.

But you couldn’t speak. The words were stuck somewhere between disbelief and joy, your throat tightening with emotion. All you could do was nod, a shaky smile beginning to form as your hand trembled, holding the test out toward him.

Rafe stood up slowly from where he had been sitting, a nervous, hopeful laugh escaping his lips. "No... no, you’re kidding. You’re kidding, right?"

His hands reached out, cupping your face gently, thumbs brushing over your cheeks. His eyes were wide, scanning your face as if he was waiting for you to say it was all a joke, something too good to be true.

You shook your head again, unable to find your voice, feeling tears prick at the corners of your eyes. Your heart was pounding so hard you could hear it in your ears.

"Lemme see..." Rafe whispered, his hands moving from your face to the pregnancy test still clutched in your fingers. He took it from you, his own hands trembling now as he looked down at the small plastic stick.

It took a moment, then, in a rush, the realization hit him. "Oh my god..." His voice was barely more than a whisper at first, then louder, more excited, as the truth sank in. "Oh my god, baby... oh my god!"

He pulled you into his arms, his embrace tight and warm, lifting you slightly off the ground as he buried his face in your hair. His laughter was mixed with tears, and you felt the hot, wet drops on your shoulder as he held you close and whispered sweet words over and over again.

You wrapped your arms around him, holding him just as tightly, your heart soaring with a mix of happiness and disbelief.

The two of you stood there for what felt like hours, wrapped in each other’s arms, soaking in the moment and for the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hi there, I’m planning on writing gothic/gothic romance fiction. Do you have any tips?

Do you also have any tips to not make your writing too repetitive? I have a habit of repeating words a lot.

Writing Notes: Gothic Fiction

Gothic Novel

European Romantic pseudomedieval fiction having a prevailing atmosphere of mystery and terror.

Its heyday was the 1790s, but it underwent frequent revivals in subsequent centuries.

Called Gothic because its imaginative impulse was drawn from medieval buildings and ruins, such novels commonly used settings such as castles or monasteries equipped with subterranean passages, dark battlements, hidden panels, and trapdoors.

The Gothic is characterized by its darkly picturesque scenery and its eerie stories of the macabre.

It draws its name and aesthetic inspiration from the Gothic architectural style of the Middle Ages ⁠— crumbling castles, isolated aristocratic estates, and spaces of decrepitude are familiar settings within the genre.

Gothic fiction is rooted in blending the old with the new.

As such, it often takes place during moments of historical transition, from the end of the medieval era to the beginnings of industrialization.

Contemporary technology and science are set alongside ancient backdrops, and this strange pairing helps create the pervasive sense of uncanniness and estrangement that the Gothic is known for.

Past & present fold in on each other; even as man’s technological advancements seem to make him increasingly powerful, history continues to haunt.

Elements of Gothic Literature

The Gothic is a genre of spiritual uncertainty: it creates encounters with the sublime and constantly explores events beyond explanation. Whether they feature supernatural phenomena or focus on the psychological torment of the protagonists, Gothic works terrify by showing readers the evils that inhabit our world.

CHARACTERS

Characters in Gothic fiction often find themselves in unfamiliar places, as they — and the readers — leave the safe world they knew behind.

Ghosts are right at home in the genre, where they’re used to explore themes of entrapment and isolation, while omens, curses, and superstitions add a further air of mystery.

ATMOSPHERE

Eeriness is as important as the scariness of the events themselves.

In a Gothic novel, the sky seems perpetually dark and stormy, the air filled with an unshakable chill.

THEMES

In addition to exploring spooky spaces, Gothic literature ventures into the dark recesses of the mind: the genre frequently confronts existential themes of madness, morality, and man pitted against God or nature.

Physical and mental ruin go hand in hand — as the ancient settings decay so do the characters’ grips on reality.

History of Gothic Literature

The vogue was initiated in England by Horace Walpole’s immensely successful The Castle of Otranto (1765).

His most respectable follower was Ann Radcliffe, whose The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) and The Italian (1797) are among the best examples of the genre.

A more sensational type of Gothic romance exploiting horror and violence flourished in Germany and was introduced to England by Matthew Gregory Lewis with The Monk (1796).

The classic horror stories Frankenstein (1818), by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, and Dracula (1897), by Bram Stoker, are in the Gothic tradition but introduce the existential nature of humankind as its definitive mystery and terror.

Easy targets for satire, the early Gothic romances died of their own extravagances of plot.

But Gothic atmospheric machinery continued to haunt the fiction of such major writers as:

Charlotte, Anne, and Emily Brontë, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and even Charles Dickens in Bleak House and Great Expectations.

In the second half of the 20th century, the term was applied to paperback romances having the same kind of themes and trappings similar to the originals.

Tips on Writing Gothic Fiction

SETTING

Gothic fiction can, of course, be set anywhere – but 2 key components of Gothic settings are as follows:

Gothic settings are isolated – a small community, a rural town, a single-family home on the open moors… wherever your Gothic story takes place, make sure that the setting is in isolation from the rest of the world. Places that are difficult to get to, with small populations, or are only home to one family or small group of people are ideal for weaving a Gothic tale. Even if your characters are not physically isolated – maybe they live in a city, for example – their isolation should be present in some way; maybe emotionally, maybe socially. There are plenty of options therein.

Gothic settings revolve around a home base – not necessarily a home or house, though that is quite common; but, with almost every Gothic tale, a central setting is introduced very quickly and almost all the action takes place inside or around it. This furthers that feeling of isolation, and also helps the house or laboratory or island or whatever else feel alive, as if it is a character itself.

These settings are often fun to develop and aid the story so, so much by being atmospheric and anthropomorphic.

By creating a strong setting and central location, you are setting up your Gothic fiction for success.

VOICE & CHARACTER

A strong voice, usually in first person, is a staple of Gothic fiction.

Gothic main characters are usually curious, determined, and unable to rest until whatever is going on around them is uncovered.

They are not faint of heart and often have experience dealing with hardship in the past; they are uniquely qualified for whatever disturbing events are going on.

Your character’s voice should be curious, but not paranoid; apprehensive, but not frightened or cowardly; and, above all, interesting.

As many Gothic are written in first person, you want your main character to take action and investigating the goings-on.

ATMOSPHERE

Similar to setting, it’s important to focus on atmosphere. Make sure you appeal to the five senses – let your reader know how it sounds, smells, feels!

The more details, the better; immerse your reader by making them feel as if they are actually in the space.

Often, as mentioned, Gothic novels take place in areas that are remote, experience frequent storms or bad weather, or otherwise have a very ominous environment.

Of course, Gothic novels can take place anywhere, but the takeaway here is to remember to highlight aspects that go beyond the visual.

SUBGENRE

Know what the genre within your Gothic work is or is going to be.

Are you writing a Gothic romance? A Gothic thriller? A Gothic horror? There are even types of books one might categorize as a “cozy Gothic” – taking the elements of a cozy mystery, but with a Gothic setting and characters.

There are some very specific geographical locations and time periods for Gothics, Victorian or Regency-era Northern England being a couple of them; but they are not all set in Europe in the 19th century, nor should they be.

Consider such settings as seen in Southern Gothic in the 2020s, for example, or Canadian Gothic (set anywhere in Canada, but usually southern and rural Ontario) in the late 90s, among many others. These are only a few examples of hundreds!

Dark academia titles can often fall into the Gothic genre as well, and, of course there are Gothic fantasy and sci-fi titles as well.

Carefully consider what sub-genre your Gothic fiction falls under before writing it, or during the early stages of writing as your work gets fleshed out. It may fall under just one category, or multiple! Either way, knowing this will help you write and later market your title.

MARKETING

Think about marketing at an early stage. Make it clear that it is a Gothic novel!

And consider publishing your title at a time when the Gothic genre might be in higher demand, such as during the month of October or the winter in general.

Appeal to fans of grim stories, horror romance, and what have you by theming your marketing.

If writing a Gothic novel is new for you, be sure to highlight that!

It can be exciting when an author tries out a new genre and moves into a new literary space. Be sure to let your readers know of this new venture.

Gothic Romance

As a genre, gothic fiction was first established with the publication of Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto in 1764. Characterized by a dark, foreboding atmosphere and outlandish, sometimes grotesque, characters and events, gothic fiction has flourished and branched off into many different subgenres in the centuries since its creation.

While Walpole introduced what would later become the definitive tropes of the genre (creepy castles, cursed families, gloomy atmosphere), it was not until Ann Radcliffe’s A Sicilian Romance in 1790 that gothic romance began to develop as its own legitimate subgenre.

Radcliffe kept many of the same tropes established by Walpole’s work, such as isolated settings with semi-supernatural phenomena; however, her novels featured female protagonists battling through terrifying ordeals while struggling to be with their true loves.

This concept is what separates gothic romance from its cousin, gothic horror.

Female leads would come to dominate gothic romance, especially after the publication of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre in 1847.

A young woman struggling to maintain her independence as she falls for a dark, brooding, handsome man became a genre-defining plot of gothic romances published in the decades that followed.

A renewed public interest in gothic romance came on the heels of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca upon its publication in 1938.

Authors such as Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, and Phyllis A. Whitney dominated the gothic romance trade paperback market from the 1960s to the 1990s.

The image of a young woman running away from a darkened castle became a staple of gothic romance novel covers.

In 1983, Gaywyck, by Vincent Virga, became the first published gay gothic romance.

Modern additions to the genre continue to reflect its interest in both terror and romance, while also delivering updated or reimagined versions of familiar tropes.

Tips for Avoiding Word Repetition

While repeating a word or phrase can add emphasis and rhythm to your writing, it can also make your writing awkward and difficult to read. When you’re not using repetition as a rhetorical device, repeating words can get in the way of good writing. Here are some tricks for avoiding unnecessary repetition of words:

Read your work aloud. Reading aloud will help you avoid unintentional word repetition. Reading your work aloud is an excellent way to both hear the sonic effects of your prose and catch awkward repeated sounds or other unintended effects.

Read your work backward. Reading your work backward is an editing trick that forces your brain to slow down and pay close attention to the individual sentences. Start at the end of a chapter, paragraph, or page and read the last sentence of that section. (Don’t read the sentence itself backward—it won’t make any sense.) Next, read the second-to-last sentence, and so on. This will allow you to work at the sentence level, catching any unintended repetition or other small mistakes that your brain naturally skims over.

Consult a thesaurus. So you’ve found a repeated word. Now what? You can try rearranging your sentence to get rid of the repeated word, or you can keep the sentence the same and plug in a different word in its place. If you’re at a loss, consult a thesaurus for a list of synonyms. You want your writing to sound like you, and to be accessible to your audience, so it’s best to avoid using words you aren’t familiar with. But if you find yourself unintentionally repeating the same word over and over, a thesaurus can help you identify another word that more precisely captures your meaning.

Some Writing Strategies to Avoid Repetition

Excerpts from writing tips on repetition by Dr. Ryan Shirey:

While repetition is not an inherently bad thing (and can quite often be used to great effect as in the classical rhetorical technique of anaphora), most of us want to make sure that we’re not boring our readers by saying the same things over and over again without any variation or development.

If you’re worried about repeating ideas, then one of the easiest and most illuminating things that you can do is to reverse outline your draft. When you reverse outline, you take your draft and distill each idea and piece of evidence back into an outline. Some writers like to do this in the margins and others prefer a separate sheet of paper. Whatever your preference, a reverse outline will let you see rather clearly whether or not you’ve returned to the same idea or piece of evidence multiple times in the same essay. If you find that you have, you can think about rearranging or cutting paragraphs as necessary.

Another strategy if you’re worried about repeating ideas is to use different colored highlighters, colored pencils, or coloring tools in a word processing program to mark areas of your text where you’re working on specific ideas. If I’m writing a paper on the history of the run up to World War I, for example, I might decide to mark all the areas where I discuss treaty arrangements in green, all the areas where I discuss colonial expansion in blue, the parts that discuss arms manufacturing and trade in red, and so on. Once I’ve visualized these ideas with color, I can see more easily whether or not I keep returning to the same topics or whether I need to restructure any portions of my essay. Be careful, though–you don’t want to create artificial distinctions that might negatively impact your overall point. For instance, if a conflict over colonial expansion leads to a treaty arrangement, I would need to be very careful about using the context in which I’m discussing that treaty dictate how I code that sentence or paragraph.

If you’re worried about repeating words or phrases, you can use the “find” feature in your word processing program to highlight all of the instances where you’ve used it. Once you’ve identified the problem areas, you can look for ways to combine sentences using coordination or subordination, replace nouns with pronouns, or (very carefully) use a thesaurus to diversify your vocabulary.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

Hope this helps with your writing!

[themaynard]

Corporate events play an essential role in fostering relationships, sealing deals, and making long-lasting impressions. Selecting the ideal venue is paramount, as it can determine the success or failure of the event. Here's a guide to ensure you choose the right spot for your next corporate gathering.

[deception-united]

My biggest difficulties are some of these things in my medieval fantasy story: how to start a war? When to introduce the war? Any tips on the ideal length?

Starting a war in a medieval fantasy story can be a difficult process. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Starting a war:

Establish tensions. Build up political, economic, or ideological tensions between nations or factions before the war.

Create a casus belli. There should be a clear reason (or a combination of factors) for the war, such as a territorial dispute, a betrayal, or a religious difference.

Show the buildup. Depict the mobilisation of armies, diplomatic efforts, everything that goes on leading up to the war.

Here are some ideas you may want to consider:

Wars often begin due to escalating political tensions. Create a backstory involving conflicting interests between kingdoms or factions, such as disputes over territory, resources, or succession rights.

Economic struggles, such as famine or trade embargoes, can drive nations to war (control over vital resources, such as fertile land, water, or trade routes, amongst others).

A high-profile assassination or kidnapping will often become a catalyst for war, since it forces one side to retaliate.

Deep-seated religious or cultural differences can also lead to war. One group might feel oppressed or threatened by another, leading to an uprising or a holy war.

A personal vendetta between powerful leaders or nobles can escalate into a full-scale war, especially if they rally their followers to support their cause.

When to introduce the war:

Early introduction: Have the war present from the onset of your story it's central to your plot, so the rest of the narrative can focus on the consequences, battles, and the impact on your characters.

Rising action: Having a gradual build-up to the war by developing the political social tensions over the first part of your story allows for deeper character development and more detailed worldbuilding.

Midpoint: Consider starting the war at the midpoint of your story, marking a turning point in the narrative to drastically alter the direction of your characters' journeys.

Climax: Introducing the war as a climatic event is effective if you're focusing your narrative on the events leading up to the war. It can also leave room for sequels.

Ideal length:

Pacing: Balance action, dialogue, and description to maintain a steady pace. Alternate between intense battle scenes and quieter moments to develop characters and explore the impact of the war on their lives.

Relevance: The length of the war should be proportional to its importance in the overall plot. If it's the main focus, it should take up a significant portion of the narrative.

Scope: Consider the scope of the war: a small skirmish or a epic, continent-spanning conflict?

Character arcs: Ensure the war serves the character arcs and story goals—don't include it just for the sake of a plot element. The length of the war should also allow sufficient time for character development. Show how it personally affects your characters and how they grow or change as a result.

Subplots: Use subplots to add depth to the war narrative. Political intrigue, espionage, romantic entanglements, and personal vendettas can enrich the main plot.

Additional tips:

Make it personal. Connect the war to your characters' motivations and emotions. They may have a friend, family member, or significant other participating in the war, or you can make it impact them directly in some way.

Show the consequences. Depict the impact of war on civilians, soldiers, and the environment.

Do research. Draw inspiration from historical wars and medieval history for inspiration, and to add depth and authenticity.

Plan the resolution. Consider the aftermath and how the world and your characters are changed by the conflict. This will provide a sense of closure to your readers.

Remember, the key is to make the war serve the story and characters, not the other way around. Thanks for asking! Hope this helped ❤

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[faebaex]

Tangled in Wonderland - Pick Your Poison

author note: next part finally! i enjoyed writing Vil, I've never written for him before and really wanted to do a good job. i thought alot about his values and how to put across his character, so i hope it doesn't seem too ooc, as i have never written him before now! next up is Ignihyde, and i'm planning to get that out before the end of the month! I've had an idea for that chapter for months, and i'm really excited to write it and add a little twist ≧✯◡✯≦ hope you enjoy!!

characters: Vil Schoenheit x GN!Reader

Something was definitely up.

Really, you should be relieved. This is what you had wanted all along, the whole reason that you had kept a low profile in the first place. But for some reason, now you just felt disconcerted. Uneasy, like there was an axe hanging above your head, ready to drop any moment.

Azul had still overblot. It wasn’t unexpected, especially considering you were the one who gave the Heartslabyul braincell duo the hot tip on where exactly they should look to get some leverage on Azul. You had no idea of what Leona’s involvement was in the whole situation, if he was at all, and you weren’t present to witness Azul’s overblot. But that wasn’t the part that had you all shaken up.

No.

The part that disturbed you was that Jamil’s overblot still happened, and you had absolutely no involvement in the events. You made sure you stayed well away from Scarabia, from Kalim, from Jamil. Even when you inevitably ran into him in the cafeteria kitchen when you were feeding the fire fairies, you made sure not to stare into his eyes, staring at his lips or anywhere else instead. You excused yourself as soon as possible, even though you were sure you’d aroused Jamil’s suspicions at least a little bit with your flighty behaviour.

You had wondered what the consequences of this would be. Would Jamil’s initial plan be a success and Kalim would end up ousted from his role as housewarden? Would Jamil take his place and finally be satisfied? Would his overblot be avoided altogether?

Clearly not.

You first noticed that something was up when Grim didn’t return back to Ramshackle one afternoon after the two of you had split up the work of feeding the fire fairies. You had hoped that he was just taking his sweet time, but he didn’t return that evening, or the evening after that. You debated with the idea of going and helping him out, but eventually decided not to. You felt a little bad, sure, but you trusted Grim’s tenacity to get him out of trouble.

When Grim finally returned home, he was practically bursting at the seams to tell you everything that had happened during his absence. Such willingness earned him a can of premium tuna, which you kept on hand for bribery. As you had expected, he had spent the last couple of days playing through the story route for book four. After becoming embroiled in the study hell that brainwashed Kalim was forcing on the Scarabia students, Grim escaped only to fall straight into the arms of Octavinelle. From what Grim had told you, book four played out exactly the same as the game, even without your presence, with Octavinelle’s meddling resulting in Jamil’s plan being foiled and him subsequently overblotting. Grim was particularly proud to tell you that even when Azul and the Leech twins had asked about you, he had not said a single peep about you. You gave him another can of premium tuna for that, hoping that one it was true, and two that he would be more inclined to continue being as discrete in the future.

You wondered if book four had continued as planned without your presence because the main character was more passive during that book then they were in all previous books. It was getting harder to wrack your brain and remember all the finer details of each book, especially considering that actually being in Twisted Wonderland when these events were unfolding was giving you seriously nauseating amounts of déjà vu.

All of these feelings led you to your next plan of action. With the culture fair fast approaching, that meant that book five was also on the horizon. And that meant you would have to deal with Vil Schoenheit. You’d been lucky enough to avoid any interactions with him at all since arriving in Twisted Wonderland, and you wanted to keep that streak going, preferably. You needed to not participate in the SDC at all, and you definitely couldn’t have the NRC Tribe staying at Ramshackle.

So yet again, you kept your head down. You didn’t go to the audition with Ace and Deuce, although you did feel bad enough about ditching them to watch their practices once or twice. When Rook’s message on an arrow summoned you to the Pomefiore ballroom after school with Ace and Deuce, you refused to attend. The Heartslabyul duo were confused at your outright refusal, but you managed to convince them that you had no interest in the SDC and simply wanted to focus all your energy on finding a way home. They both seemed to accept that, even if they found your behaviour a little odd.

That resulted in the Headmage paying you a rare visit in the library a few days later. He had implored you to find ‘enough kindness in your heart’ to share Ramshackle dorm with the SDC members. You had refused, of course, even after he tried to sweeten the deal by promising to pay for renovations to Ramshackle, which you knew were never going to happen. Crowley even had the audacity to promise to increase his exploration in a way home for you, which very almost had you throwing one of the books you had in front of you at him. You didn’t particularly want to upset the library ghosts. You managed to chase off Crowley by using the opening he had given you when he had brought up your home situation, with you pressing the Headmage on what exactly he had been doing this whole time. You were hoping that was the end of it, and if you just kept your head down and refused to cooperate, you could stay safely in the background.

But of course that wasn’t the end of it, because for some reason everyone at Night Raven College wanted to test your patience, even if you hadn’t officially met them yet.

You had left the library late that night, having gotten carried away reading one of the books you had sourced. Whilst the books that you read in an attempt to figure out a way home were often dense and confusing, you often came across interesting sections. You’d never dreamed that you’d be reading textbooks about magic, real magic, so it was so easy to get lost when interesting tidbits about forgotten magical practices or magical artifacts came up. You were startled when one of the library ghosts gave you a not so gentle fright to let you know it was late and you should probably go home, and you didn’t need any more persuading.

You were sure that Grim had probably fended for himself for dinner and you wondered if he would be that upset if you snagged one of his tins of tuna for himself as you crossed over the threshold into Ramshackle. You yawned, not bothering to cover your mouth, and attempting to stretch your stiff shoulders and back as you slowly ambled through the walkway towards the kitchen.

“If you paid more attention to your posture, you wouldn’t be feeling stiff at all.”

You froze in the walkway when you heard that familiar voice that shouldn’t feel familiar.

You doubled back several steps until you were looking in through the doorway towards the lounge, where none other than Vil Schoenheit sat on your couch, demurely sipping from one of your mugs. Your expression must have said it all, because he brought the mug away from his lips and raised an elegant eyebrow at you.

“Must you gawk? It does nothing for your features.”

You hadn’t even realised your mouth was hanging open, and you promptly snapped it shut. “What are you doing here?” You stuttered out before you managed to regain some of your composure, “I told the Headmage I wasn’t interested in hosting the NRC Tribe, so if he told you that—”

“I know what you said. I’m here because I think you should reconsider.” Vil remarked, a certain haughtiness in his tone that told you he thought you were being unnecessarily difficult. He gestured toward a free seat on the sofa, as if it was his lounge, not yours.

You blinked, slightly taken back by the audacity before you leaned heavily on the doorframe, pinching the bridge of your nose as that familiar feeling of frustration that you got when you had to deal with any of characters pestering you began to build in your bones. “Look—” You began.

“No, sit. We will be having a proper discussion about this.” Vil cut you off with an air of authority, one wielded by someone who often got their way, one way or another. Your eyes narrowed, your hand dropping from your face so Vil could feel the full impact of your disdain. “This is my dorm, Schoenheit, you should be treating me with more respect. You can’t order me around here.”

Vil gave you a smile that was as demeaning as it was beautiful. “Of course. But we are both housewardens, and housewardens should treat each other with mutual respect, no? The least you could do is give me the courtesy of a discussion.”

If you never had to deal with another housewarden again, it would be too soon.

You huffed but relented, moving over towards one of the sofas and all but threw yourself down, with elicited another eyebrow raise from Vil. Your phone tumbled out of your pocket on impact, lighting up in all its cracked glory and drawing Vil’s eye. “You should really get that fixed.” Vil commented dryly, and you scoffed whilst flipping it over, hiding it from his critical gaze.

“There is nothing you can say that will convince me to host the NRC Tribe here, so you’re just wasting your breath.” You said bluntly, hoping to end this pointless conversation quickly, but Vil didn’t look phased.

“I thought you might say that, so lets just cut to the negotiations. If you allow the NRC Tribe to stay here until the SDC concludes, Rook and I shall donate our share of the prize to Ramshackle dorm. Should we win, of course.” Vil looked at you expectantly, and you rolled your eyes.

“Crowley already tried to bribe me, and I’m not buying it.” You responded cooly, “I don’t intend to stay at Ramshackle, or even Twisted Wonderland, long enough to enjoy any benefit from allowing the NRC Tribe to stay here.” A bluff, considering you had no new leads on how to get home, but Vil didn’t seem to catch on, “also, all that hinges on the NRC Tribe actually winning the SDC. Not saying I don’t have any faith…” Which of course you don’t, you know the outcome. “… But as I’ve already made clear, I really don’t want to host, especially not out the goodness of my heart.”

To his credit, Vil seemed to be mulling over your words, placing his mug of tea down so he could fold his arms gracefully in front of him. “Ah yes, I see… The Headmage did mention you had been researching quite steadfastly. You know, tenacity is the pillar of Pomefiore…” You swear you could see a hint of respect in his eyes as he looked on at you approvingly, before he continued on with his train of thought, “then how about something more short term to sweeten the deal? Such as…” His eyes darted down to your poor phone. “Perhaps I could arrange for your phone to be fixed?”

You scoffed. “Who are you, Azul?” Vil frowned at that comparison, looking a little affronted. Good.

“How about this, then. The NRC Tribe stays here for the time that we need, and that’ll be it. You won’t be expected to carry out any support duties, nor give us any of your time. Furthermore, I’ll provide groceries for the full duration that we are at Ramshackle, and I won’t tell Crowley about it. Perhaps then you can put your living allowance for that month towards something to help with your research? All you need to do is allow us use of your free rooms and living space for a limited period. And of course, if NRC tribe are victorious at the SDC, I still intend to donate my share of the prize to Ramshackle.”

It was a tempting offer.

What you wanted was to not be involved with the SDC at all, and this allowed you to do that. You wouldn’t be the manager, or support in any form. You wouldn’t even have to see the NRC Tribe if you didn’t want to, you’re pretty sure you could negotiate further with Vil that the members weren’t to disturb you at all during their stay. You had already seen how Vil had ruled with an iron fist during the story, if it got him what he wanted, he would see it done.

But… With the NRC Tribe staying at Ramshackle, there was a risk that Ace and Deuce would gravitate towards you, and then Grim would get dragged in, which would likely end with you getting caught up and… You shook your head, looking towards Vil resolutely. “No, that’s not going to work for me. Sorry, but the NRC Tribe are going to have to find somewhere else for their training camp.”

Vil stared at you for a long moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he was studying you before he sighed, twisting his wrist around elegantly to check the time. “I’ll allow you to sleep on it. We can continue this topic again in the morning. Its time for me to retire for the evening, I don’t want to waste the effects of that herbal tea.”

You crooked an eyebrow as Vil stood, following suit shortly after. He drank a sleep tea in your dorm, even though he had to walk back to his own dorm? Odd, but each to their own. Maybe it was a Pomefiore thing? You did vaguely remember from the game that Vil set strict standards for himself…

You followed him out of the lounge, planning on giving him the courtesy of walking him to the door. Whilst he had invaded your home, he had been civil, which was more than you could say about half the other people on campus who pestered you on campus.

Of course, you had no idea just how deeply Vil had taken root in your home during your absence.

As you left the lounge, Vil turned towards the staircase instead of continuing down the walkway to where the main doors lie. “Uh, Vil. Wrong way. The entrance is this way.” You directed politely, only for Vil to continue walking. As he reached the first stair, he looked over his shoulder at you, with a look you could only describe as coy.

“Didn’t I mention, my dear? I’ve already moved in.”

For the second time that evening, your jaw dropped. Was he serious?!

“Vil—” You began, but he was already continuing up the stairs, clearly unbothered by your surprise and discontent. “I’ll see you in the morning, bright and early to continue our discussion. Sleep well, Prefect.”

You could only watch as Vil climbed the stairs and disappeared deeper into Ramshackle, hearing the creaky sound of the door of the room he had chosen opening and closing as he retired for the night. You were rendered absolutely speechless. You had never anticipated something like this happening. Even without agreeing to having the NRC Tribe stay at Ramshackle for their training camp, you still had Vil Schoenheit staying here anyway?! You scrubbed your hands over your tired face in frustration.

Just what else were you in for?

[starillusion13]

The light in darkness

Pairing: mafia leader !Taeyong x f!reader

Genre: Mafia, slight angst, fluff

Warnings: None...just mention of guns and try to kill. Threats, misunderstandings, unforgiving and forgiveness, false death news and rival gang. A lot of mafia shits and mutual understanding and love.

W.C: 4.1k network: @k-vanity

It’s supposed to be a birthday gift for my bestie @nctstar but ik it’s too late😭 please accept my token of love for you🎀

🔥🔥🔥 Fire in the eyes.

That's how his eyes were reflecting the massacre in front of him.

Building engulfed in the high-rise fire and dense white and gray smoke. A smirk appeared on the face of the leader, brushing back his hairs and kicking the small piece of rock with the tip of his shoe, he turned around to face his best friend.

"It's done, boss."

The leader just nodded and walked towards the car waiting for him in the distance and he knew that the mission was successful and his revenge was over.

As usual he succeeded in this mission too.

He killed you.

>>>><<<< 

Years had passed after the death of the CEO, Taeyong took over the organization, a well-known figure as the mafia leader of the leading group, NCT.

Despite his busy schedule, he always made time for his brother Mark, attending his university events and supporting his endeavors. Basically, you are Mark’s batchmate so it’s a gift for him to meet you whenever he goes to meet his set up spy --- his brother.

One night, as Taeyong was winding down after a long day after a mission, his phone rang. Seeing Mark's name on the screen, he answered immediately.

"Mark? What's wrong?" Taeyong asked, sensing the distress in his brother's voice.

"Hyung," Mark sobbed, barely able to get the words out. "She ruined everything. y/n... she destroyed our mission and tried to kill me."

Taeyong's heart sank.

y/n , someone Taeyong had come to know and trust. you seemed kind-hearted and genuinely in love with him. What could have happened to cause such a rift?

"Calm down, Mark. Tell me everything," Taeyong urged, trying to keep his own emotions in check.

Through broken words and stifled sobs, Mark recounted the story. He claimed that you had betrayed them, leaking confidential information that led to the destruction of the company. you had allegedly colluded with a rival to humiliate him and tarnish their reputation.

Taeyong was devastated, feeling betrayed by the person he loved most.

How could you do this to him?

He felt a surge of anger unlike anything he had ever experienced. you had seemed like the perfect girl, but now it appeared that you had a dark side. Taeyong vowed to make you pay for what you had done to them.

However, unknown to him, the truth was far more complicated than it seemed.

Taeyong began his plan for revenge with meticulous precision. He knew your routines and habits from the times you both have spent with each other and your social media posts.

Heck! He knows everything about you. He knows you. Not only your information and location but your feelings, your touch, your emotions, your voice and even your unspoken words.

So, your unspoken truth was also to betray him but why?

He let out a frustrated groan and aggressively brushed back his red hairs. The look on his face was absolute danger and the slit eyebrow with his finger rings brushing against them.

He can kill anyone.

You worked as a kindergarten teacher at a small school and often spent your evenings at a quaint café near your apartment. Taeyong decided to confront you there, where you would least expect it.

Or maybe you expect him?

One evening, he found you sitting alone at the café, engrossed in a book. Taking a deep breath, he approached your table, his mind set on exposing your deceit.

"Y/n," he said, his voice steady but cold.

You looked up, your eyes widening in surprise. "Taeyong? What are you doing here?"

It's been a month he had last contacted you and you didn’t question him further because Mark told you that he was busy with something and you better know that the mafia life is not something to play.

"I need to talk to you," Taeyong replied, sitting down across from you without waiting for an invitation. "About us."

Your expression softened, a hint of sadness in your eyes. "Us? What happened? Are you okay?"

Taeyong's anger flared. "Don't pretend you care. You know exactly what you did."

The anger on his face with the burning eyes staring at the soft and calm eyes of yours.

Confusion clouded your features. "What are you talking about?"

"You ruined everything ," Taeyong said, his voice rising. "You betrayed me,...even tried to kill my brother."

You ruined…betrayed…tried to kill?

He grabbed your forearm and dragged you outside the café. You didn’t even protest or fight back, maybe because your mind was already clouded with the accusation and his hatred towards you.

Doesn’t he trust you?

You kept staring at him until he took you to the nearby alley and harshly pushed you against the wall. You hissed when your back hit the concrete wall and bit down your lips to prevent any sob to escape.

Taeyong can’t hurt you, right?

He trusts you…yes yes he does.

Tears welled up in your eyes, and you shook her head. "No, Taeyong, that's not true. I would never do anything to hurt Mark and you."

"Save your lies," Taeyong spat, his heart pounding with rage. "I won't let you get away with this."

He slammed his hand beside your head. His eyes flaring in rage and you flinch at the sudden move but his emotions didn’t falter. He was fuming and could kill you anytime.

And he will.

Trying to touch his face, you slid a hand to his cheeks but he swatted it away and glared. “don’t try to make me trust you… I thought I had you. You are someone to me whom I can love forever. I wanted to leave all this shit just to be with you but you are the one who is trying to end everything…along with me.”

He scoffed, “what will you get from all these? Money? Power? Or are you just with me for someone else?” he grabbed your cheeks, your skin burning under his grip, he didn’t care the tears flowing down your eyes, “Tell me, y/n!”

He doesn’t want love.

He wanted revenge.

He wanted to kill you so that he won't regret loving someone who broke his trust. Someone he loved with everything.

He pulled his gun from the strap and held it to your head. Your wide eyes earned a sickening smirk from him, “I hate that I love you, y/n. I hate everything. I hate myself for trusting you.” He pressed the gun hard, you were not crying, not even flinching, not even fighting against it, “but I hate that I can’t hate you. Why? Y/n, get the fuck out of m, get the fuck out of my sight.”

You were staring blankly at him. it was like a void surrounded you where nothing else you can see or hear, it's only you and him and his hatred. And your emotions? You want to run away from him but still you want to stay close to him.

You accepted the situation, grabbing his leather jacket and clutching it tightly, you closed your eyes and whispered, “I can’t unlove you, Taeyong. Shoot.” You tried to smile but couldn’t so you breathed heavily, you didn’t want to meet his gaze, “I can’t see you hate me. I don’t want you to hate us. I love you, Taeyong.”

You waited for his action, his voice or the pull of the trigger but you heard nothing until he uttered under his breath, “I wish I hated you.”

Before you could respond, Taeyong stormed out of the alley, his mind set on finding more concrete evidence of your betrayal. Despite the nagging feeling that your reaction had been genuine, the anger inside him was doubting his every thought.

Did he just try to kill you?

Your eyes fluttered open and your eyes followed how he crossed the street and got on his bike. Before he could start the engine, he turned towards you, his face was hidden under the helmet except his eyes but you didn’t know what to feel at this exact moment.

There was relief in his eyes.

You are alive and he didn’t kill you.

But you clenched your teeth. Taeyong tried to kill you and still you chose to trust him and accept your fate in his hands. You are pathetic, y/n.

The bike went off to the dark endless highway, leaving behind you standing there in the lonely alley.

He loved you and trusted you.

After Mark, you are the most precious person to him and he couldn't believe that in the end, you were going to be the one to break him.

.

.

.

Days turned into weeks, and Taeyong's investigation grew more intense. He hacked into your email and social media accounts, searching for anything that could prove your guilt. He followed you discreetly, hoping to catch you in a compromising situation.

If you were someone else then he would have killed you on the spot. He wouldn't have thought twice about it, but you are someone he can't even hate for a moment and…how could he end it?

He loves you.

But you betrayed him and he believes in revenge.

To destroy you.

And his men followed his order to end you.

They ended the chapter of yours.

.

.

>>>><<<< 

.

.

However, what he found in his search after that only deepened the mystery.

your messages were filled with concern for him. you had been trying to reach him, desperate to explain something. your social media posts depicted a girl heartbroken and confused, not the scheming villain Taeyong had imagined. As he delved deeper, he began to uncover pieces of a different story.

One evening, Taeyong found himself sitting in his apartment, surrounded by printouts of your whereabouts, emails and social media messages. He had spent countless hours piecing together the puzzle, and now he was starting to see a different picture. you had always been a protective sister and friend to Mark, but your efforts had been misconstrued, leading to a series of misunderstandings.

The real villain was someone Taeyong had a hunch of, a man named Hongjoong, who is the leader of Ateez and had been envious of Taeyong's success and had framed you to get him out of the scenario. you had no idea of Hongjoong's scheme and never tried to doubt him when they met at a cafe, but your meetings and messages had been intercepted and twisted to make you look guilty.

Realization hit Taeyong like a ton of bricks. He had been wrong about you. you weren't the villain—you were the victim, just like him. His heart sank as he realized the pain he had caused you with his unjust accusations.

And…he can’t apologize because that day, he burned that building, where apparently you were there. He didn’t know earlier but the next day he got the message from his members. You are no more and he hates himself more because the last words he heard from you was your love for him but he showed his hatred to you.

Will you forgive him after death?

"y/n, I'm so sorry," Taeyong whispered, his voice trembling. "I should have trusted you."

.

.

.

The moon hung low in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the bustling city. As the leader of the most powerful mafia gang in the city, he commanded respect and loyalty from his men. But despite his cold and calculated demeanor, his heart had always been haunted by a single, lost love.

Years ago, a rival gang had taken everything from him.

 His empire had been on the verge of collapse, and in the midst of the chaos, he lost the only girl he had ever loved. Taeyong believed you had been killed in the crossfire, --- killed by him.

your death had fueled his ruthless rise to power. Your memory was the ghost that guided his hand as he crushed his enemies and expanded his dominion.

Tonight, however, was different.

Taeyong's trusted lieutenant, Jaehyun, approached him as he stood in his luxurious penthouse, looking out over the city. "Taeyong, we've got intel on The New Rival. They're targeting our shipments. If we don't act soon, we'll lose millions."

Taeyong turned, his sharp eyes glinting with determination. "Arrange a meeting. I want to confront this one face to face."

Jaehyun nodded and hurried off to make the arrangements. Taeyong's mind raced as he considered the possibility of a new threat. He had faced many enemies over the years, but there was something different about this one.

The meeting was set for midnight in a deserted warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

His men went before but he delayed the time. People should have patience to meet him and he loves to see them getting anxious waiting for him. He smirked at the thought and started the engine of his bike.

Taeyong arrived with his most trusted men, each one armed and ready for a confrontation. He stood in the center of the garden of the warehouse, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of movement.

“kill them at once.” He ordered his men and they all went into their directions, leaving him alone in the front gate from where only the leader would greet him.

The door creaked open, and a figure clad in black stepped in front. The figure moved with a fluid grace, their face obscured by the darkness. Taeyong's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the figure approach.

It’s familiar somehow and the only name is flashing inside his head. He shook off the feeling and tilted his head.

In the shadows, the name "Taeyong" was whispered with both reverence and fear.

"I've been waiting for this moment," Taeyong said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. "You've caused quite a stir. It's time we end this."

The figure chuckled softly, a sound that sent a shiver down Taeyong's spine. "You don't recognize me, do you, Taeyong?"

The voice was familiar, achingly so. Taeyong's mind raced as he tried to place it. The figure reached up and slowly stood in front, revealing a face he had never expected to see again.

"y/n..." he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.

you, his lost lover, stood before him, alive and very much real. your eyes, once filled with love and warmth, now burned with a fierce determination. Those glistening eyes he last saw in that alley.

"Surprised to see me?" you asked, a smirk playing on your lips.

Taeyong's world tilted on its axis. "But... I thought you were dead. They told me you were killed."

"They lied," you replied, your expression hardening. "I was taken by that rival gang, yes, but I escaped from the building. And now, I've been fighting from the shadows, trying to bring down the very empire you built. You know your most trusted men helped me in this."

Taeyong took a step back, the weight of your words crashing down on him. "Why, y/n? Why would you want to destroy everything I've worked for?"

your eyes flashed with anger. "Because you changed, Taeyong. The man I loved would never have become this... monster. You've become everything you once fought against. You even tried to do the very same thing which you accused me of." you repeatedly hit his chest with your index finger.

Taeyong felt a surge of conflicting emotions. He had been driven by revenge, by the need to avenge your deed ---- the stupid information he trusted. Then your death shifted something inside him --- the thing he even hated about himself but also loved the change. He blamed it on you.

You have turned him like this.

But now, seeing you alive, he realized how far he had strayed from the person he once was.

"I did it for you," he said, his voice trembling. "Everything I did, it was because I thought I had lost you."

you stepped closer, your gaze softening for the first time. "You didn't lose me, Taeyong. You lost yourself. Also, didn’t you want to kill me." you looked up at the sky, “I believed for a moment that you will shoot and that’s the end.”

Again, you met his lost and shocked gaze, “but still I trusted you, Taeyong. And I should say the same thing today… I wish I hated you the same way you did.”

A tense silence filled the place as the two stood face to face, years of pain and longing reflected in their eyes.

The men outside the warehouse and around were oblivious to the emotional battle unfolding within you two. You both heard gunshots and noticed Jaehyun running towards the two of you. For a second, he halted when he saw you. He definitely knew you were alive, of course he was one of the men who helped you to hide from the world because after that mission, if anyhow the rivals knew that you were alive they would definitely try to kill you.

And they knew that would not be good for Taeyong.

But seeing you in the area of their rival was not sitting right. He didn’t say anything to you but turned towards Taeyong, “we have captured the leader. The others will take him to the base and we are cleaning the mess here quickly.”

They both exchanged nods and he ran off.

You flinched at the gunshots and then some shouts. Taeyong noticed, he noticed your every detail today and he won't let you slip like the last time, he grabbed your hand and started running towards a direction away from the warehouse, nearly the edge of the cliff. His bike was parked there and stopped beside it.

“Are you going to push me off here?”

You didn’t know what reply you could expect but suddenly he pulled you in his embrace, “never. y/n, you are everything to me. even if I did hurt you and hate you. Just know I hate myself more. y/n…I can’t hate you. I love you so much. I love you.” He planted a kiss on the crown of your head.

You hesitated to hug him at first but soon you let yourself melt in his arms, those warming and restless nights and whispered promises flashing in front of your nights when you both shared life and promised to stay for eternity. That can’t be over in years. He took two years to meet you again.

He hugged you tighter when he felt your arms wrapping around him, your ear pressed against his chest could pick up his heartbeat increasing its pace. He placed his chin on top of your head, “I don’t know what you are doing here today but please y/n let me prove every mistake I have made. I won’t hurt you again. I want to love you, y/n. I know probably it’s too late, might be…you have already given up on me.”

He doesn’t want to kill you.

He wants to love you.

Finally, you spoke. "It's not too late, Taeyong. We can fix this. But you have to choose—continue down this path of darkness, or find a way to make things right. Also, I knew this rival was friends with Hongjoong and I came here in the hope to meet you in person. I have watched you from shadows and always Jaehyun told me that to trust you that you love me."

Taeyong looked into your eyes, the love he had buried deep within him rekindling. He knew the choice he had to make. With a deep breath, he reached out and took your hand.

"I will choose you," he said, his voice filled with resolve. "Together, we'll tear down this empire and build something better. Please, have trust in me."

You looked up at his face, “it’s not about ending this empire. It’s about us --- you and me individually and together. This is your life, Taeyong and I won’t snatch away the things from you for which you have worked hard for years. But I want you to believe in me and yourself. It hurt me when you looked at me the way you looked at your rivals. I am not your enemy, Taeyong.”

You cupped his cheek, “I would end myself before hurting you. I would do anything to protect you.”

His fingers circled around your wrist and whispered, “I know.”

You shook your head, “you don’t know that you are different to me than anyone else.”

“how?”

“You are my only fire and light in this dark world.”

He kissed the side of your palm and smiled, brushing your hairs away from the face with his slender fingers, he placed  a soft kiss on your forehead, “I can burn like a sun in this darkness for others--- to end them with my rage and power but for you I will light like a moon—calm and contended for you to love me ad trust me. I’m sorry, y/n.”

“Taeyong… you didn’t kill me. even though you tried…”

“don’t defend my actions, y/n. I definitely did wrong.” He turned serious and his voice was heavy and low.

This time you smiled, “but you didn’t. you hesitated because I know you love me. you are not the person I know to hesitate in this situation. You are a perfect leader. I am proud of you.”

“You are too innocent, y/n. I love you.” He pecked your lips. His lips on you felt so surreal after years and you wanted to taste it more. Not now but maybe later. You can wait for it and him. you have waited for so long and now you can wait with him.

His lips ghosted over yours when you whispered, “I know you will guide my innocence. I love you too, Taeyong.”

As they drove off the place hand in hand, the future was uncertain. But for the first time in years, Taeyong felt a glimmer of hope. He had been given a second chance with his lost love, and he intended to make the most of it, even if it meant facing the shadows of his past.

The days that followed were fraught with danger.

Taeyong's decision to dismantle his rivals was met with fierce resistance from his own men and rival gangs alike. Many saw his actions as a sign of weakness for his lover, and attempts were made on his life. But Taeyong and you stood united, your bond stronger than ever.

You are not his weakness but his strongest ability.

you used your knowledge of the underworld to aid Taeyong in his mission. you had spent years gathering information, and now, they used it to systematically help Taeyong in his missions. He included you as his partner in this world. It was of course against his choice --- mostly yours. He didn’t want to risk your life but your determination to help him made him proud of his lover. You both exposed corrupt officials, freed those who had been wronged by the rivals, and reclaimed the city from the clutches of their darkness.

One night, as you both sat together in a small, hidden safehouse, Taeyong looked at you with gratitude. "I wouldn't have been able to do this without you," he admitted.

you smiled, your eyes filled with warmth. "We've both changed, Taeyong. But together, we can create something good out of all this chaos."

your journey was far from over.

The city was still rife with corruption, and there were many who would stop at nothing to see you both fail. But for Taeyong and you, the fight was worth it. you have found each other again, and in doing so, you have found a new purpose.

The purpose of living for each other.

As you faced the challenges ahead, Taeyong knew one thing for certain: he would protect you with his life, just as you had protected him. Together, you would forge a new path, one where love and redemption could flourish amidst the shadows of your past.

To the city he is the fiercely burning sun but he would hide to be your moon in the darkness.

Note here💌:

So, you have two good news. One: I'm going to post another fic today...clap your hands💋

Another, I'm going to start writing Smuts again coz say thanks to my bestie because she made my mood lift up in past weeks and I'm out of that zone and yes spicy fics incoming soon👹

Thanks for reading and reblogging. Your reviews and comments are always appreciated. Spread love not hate.

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[misc-obeyme]

Hello! I was hoping I could request the prompt: tome for Solomon, if it hasn’t been taken by the time I send this in. If so, no worries! Take care of yourself and have a great rest of your day, morning, or evening (depending on when you get this)! 😊

Hello!

Oof, I'm sorry for the delay on this, but I am getting caught back up on event requests now! Hopefully this didn't turn out too bad, I am still kinda fighting through the writer's block asdlkfjdkljf. BUT I love Solomon so he's easy to write for. Also I rewrote it because it was too long the first time, but it ended up getting even longer the second time. 😩 So I was like okay fine it's just gonna be what it's gonna be lol!

Thank you for participating!

COZY COMFORTS EVENT

GN!MC x Solomon with prompt tome

Warnings: none!

Solomon's bookshelves had a unique organization system that only the sorcerer himself could navigate. Any time you had a question about magic that he didn't know the answer to off the top of his head, he went straight to the exact book he needed. He would flip it open to the right page almost effortlessly, as though he had read each book multiple times.

The more time you spent learning from him, though, the more you began to understand how the shelves worked. Parts of it were still a mystery to you, but you could always tell when he had bought several new things. You would check the titles out of curiosity only to find that most of them were in a language you didn't speak.

One day Solomon left you alone with the books as he went to find some potion ingredients. You did a cursory perusal of the shelves, eyes automatically drawn to the new additions.

You were surprised to find one you could read. It was about hexes and seemed to be at your level.

You put your finger on the top of it and tipped it back, pulling it off the shelf to land neatly in your hand. As you did this, though, another book that had fallen behind that one tumbled out.

You just managed to catch the second book before it hit the floor.

Which was a good thing because it was so thick you thought it might've cracked the section of floor it landed on.

You put back the first book and tried to hold this one, but you couldn't quite get your hands around it. You carried it to the table and put it down with a heavy thud.

It had no title. It was big and leather bound - black with a shimmer to it, like an opal. The page edges were shiny gold and sparkled slightly. There was a singe purple ribbon sticking out of the bottom, about halfway through the pages.

You pulled on the ribbon and opened the book to the page it had marked.

The pages were blank. You stared at the pristine white of them for a moment in confusion. Then you noticed some kind of writing on the other side of the left page. You flipped it and sucked in a breath.

It was Solomon's handwriting.

You frowned. Was this magical looking epic tome his diary or something? That didn't seem likely.

You felt a little guilty, but you had to know, so you flipped to the first page to see if you could figure it out.

There you found a small and messy sketch of yourself. Beside it were the words MC's Path to Sorcery. You smiled at the sketch. It was adorable and captured your likeness well.

You flipped through some more pages. There were diagrams of magic circles, lists of potion ingredients, descriptions of spells, and clear steps for earning your seven sorcerer stars. There were little notes beside these about you and how well you had learned each thing. They sometimes mentioned areas you needed to work on or had little suggestions for things to try next.

It finally dawned on you as you recognized everything outlined before you. These were lesson plans. This was Solomon planning out what to teach you and then documenting your success.

You found a few other things, too. A flower you had given him was pressed between the pages. A note you had left for him was taped in. A few more sketches and even a handful of pictures. Little mementos from moments you spent together. As if this book had begun as a way to record what he was teaching you, but had evolved to include memories of you as well.

You bit your lip. This was so cute and you found yourself struggling to fight back tears. But you didn't mean to find it and it didn't feel right to continue looking through something so private. You closed the book and put it back on the shelf before Solomon returned. Maybe one day he would tell you about it himself. Maybe you would eventually tell him that you knew about it. But for now, it was enough to know that he kept it here, snug on his shelves with the rest of his precious collection.

cozy comforts | masterlist | Thank you for reading!