#summer wedding in sun valley

[coffeeshopguest]

Hi! Can I request Sebastian from stardew valley during your honeymoon smut? If not, that’s totally fine

-✨🖤✨

ofc you can, I wasn't quite sure where to take it or lead into it, but I honestly really like how it turned out :) hope it was what you wanted :)

Farmer's Honeymoon

Word Count: 1520 Pairing: Sebastian x F!Reader Warnings: 18+, smut, smoking, fingering, unprotected sex, swearing, vaginal sex (should be all, lmk if I missed any!) 

The wedding was beautiful, and you'd even convinced Sebastian not to smoke over the entirety of the service - the entire town had made it (which wasn't surprising, considering there was only about 30 people in the entire town). It was beautiful, perfect. Just what you had envisioned. Other than one, small, teeny problem.

It was summer. Sebastian thought that would be the perfect time to get married - and you'd tried to explain it wasn't. One - it would be too warm. But mostly for the second reason that you couldn't leave your farm. When you addressed this to Sebastian he shrugged it off. "We can always take a trip in the winter, I want to marry you in the summer. We can do a mini-honeymoon in town," and that was that. 

And so it was. Sebastian and you were eloped in the town center, and after the celebration, you two headed back off to the farm. Sebastian officially moving in with you. Upon reaching the farm, he slid down onto the porch, staring out at the field. "We - we don't have to stay," you voiced, moving to sit beside him. "We could leave - save up and run away somewhere new and exciting." 

Sebastian laughed, he fished out a cigarette from his jacket pocket, glancing at you, "mind?" he asked as he set it in his mouth.

"Go for it," you answered, he happily lit the cigarette, looking out at the sun dipping in the sky. He thought for a while about your words, perhaps tempted by the offer.

He took a long huff, blew it out, then spoke. "I wanna stay. I know all I used to talk about was leaving but...I don't know. It's home. Shitty, boring, dusty, small - but...home," he thought for a while. "Besides, your farm is here..." he added, he pondered what else to add. Taking along drag, flicking some of the ash down onto the dirt and stomping on it. "It looks pretty, I know I've seen it here or there but...it feels different at night. Calmer."

Your head fell against his shoulder, humming a little. You two sat while he finished his cigarette and then he stood, he gently offered you a hand. "C'mon," he said softly, "Wanna celebrate our marriage," he mumbled it, a small devious look overtaking his face. You raised an eyebrow but took his hand.

"What were you thinking?" 

He tugged your hand, opening the farmhouse door. "What do you think I'm thinking?" he answered, basically dragging you across the house towards the bedroom. Sure, you two had done it a few times before marriage. Okay, a lot. But Sebastian seemed set on this being special. Once he'd reached the bedroom, he lightly guided you to the bed, laying you down on your back. "You want me to?" he whispered, eyes wandering you. Despite still being fully clothed, his gaze made you feel naked. Your head bobbed, words not forming. Sebastian's face fell ever so slightly. "Use your words, c'mon baby," he encouraged, leaning to kiss your lips. "Don't nod, tell me." 

Over the course of your relationship with Sebastian you'd learned a few things. He needed words, confirmation, noise. He climbed onto the bed, slightly on top of you, eyes focused on you. Waiting.

"God...yes, please," you whispered out, his face formed a smirk, that was all he needed. After all this time he still needed a yes and it drove you up the wall with excitement. 

He slowly leaned down, connecting your lips, his hands immediately reaching for you, tugging off any piece of clothing in his way, gripping what skin he came in contact with. Soft moans escaped him, slight groans. He pressed his clothed self against you, causing a soft reaction from you - a small whine. "More, need more," you insisted. He pulled back, examining what clothes he'd left you in. Just panties, his eyes wandered your naked form before he quickly and easily tore those off. Literally tore. "Seb~"

"It's okay, I'll buy you more," he assured, not at all phased by the action. He captured you in another kiss, hands moving to find your breasts. Grazing your nipple with his thumb, you pathetically lifted your hips trying to gain some sort of friction. He pulled his body a little further, watching your needy state. "Mh, god...so pretty," he mumbled. His hands moved down your body, slowly, reaching your thighs he spread your legs for him, examining your wet pussy. "So pretty," he repeated, slowly running a finger between your folds. You shivered, watching him.

"Seb- more...need more," you insisted pathetically, he didn't react immediately, finger lightly tracing around you, before he quickly shoved it in. Your body reacted quickly, a long guttural moan escaped you as your back arched a little. 

"Fuck, I feel that," he grunted a little, "fuck he you're tight," he slowly pulled his out, glancing up at your face. Another thing he always did - watched. Watched for your reactions to know just what felt good and just what he needed to do. He slipped the finger back in, watching to see how you took it. You bit your lip to fight back the moan that erupted and in reply, he instantly shoved a second one in. "Oh come on, give me it, moan for me," he encouraged, his other hand rubbing softly against your clit - urging you to an orgasm. 

 "Oh, fuck - Seb," you whimpered out, his eyes locked on you, glancing down at your pussy, making sure he was pumping in and out well enough, watching your wetness soak his fingers. "Gon- gonna cum..." in reply, he pumped faster, rubbed harder. You gripped the sheets of the bed, moaning out Sebastian's name. And finally, you let go. Tightening around his fingers, he coaxed out the remainder of your orgasm before pulling his fingers out. 

He wasted no time ripping off his suit, undoing the dress shirt, and tossing it to the floor. (He never cared for suits). The dress pants came next, falling to the floor you could finally see the extent of his bulge. He quickly removed his boxers, throwing them aside. He climbed fully on top of you, a hand gripping yours and lacing the fingers together. "Ready, baby?" he purred softly, never wanting to do anything you wouldn't want. 

"Yes...yes," you answered, squeezing his hand. You whined when he moved his hand away, shivering as it traced its way down your body, to your hips. He lifted you slightly, positioning himself. "Condom?" you mumbled, looking at him. Eyes glazed, still coming down from your last high.

"Mind if I skip it tonight?" he asked, you shook your head.

"Fill me..." 

He smirked, always loving when you gave an order. He would do his best to fulfill every desire you had, he slowly and gently pushed his tip against you. Eyes glued to your face. He gave you the tip first, you groaned out and Sebastian had to remind himself to take things slow. The urge to slam in and thrust as hard as he could was tempting, but he wanted to draw out the session and make you feel as good as he possibly could. So, as you adjusted, he took his time shoving in. Watching. Waiting. Once he was sure you were adjusted, he slowly pulled back out, slowly shoved back in. Your hands wandered, looking for his shoulders, his back. You gripped him with your nails, digging into his skin. 

He groaned as your nails dug in, knowing you'd leave marks. "Mh, god...ready for more?" he whispered, you whimpered and nodded pathetically - and this time Sebastian didn't ask for words. His pace sped up, hands holding you firmly in place as his hips trusted. The room filled with sounds of your moans, his soft grunts, and skin against skin. He managed to last until your nails dug deeper into his back, clawing down it. "Can't-fuck can't hold it...cum for me baby..." 

You didn't need the words, with one hard thrust from Sebastian you bit his shoulder to stop yourself from screaming and waking up the whole town. Walls clenching tightly around his cock. He grunted, slowing his pace, letting you cum all over him before he shot his load into you, a soft moan - almost a whimper - escaped him. He waited for a moment, head thrown back and eyes shut tight. "God...keep squeezing like that and I'm not gonna...gonna stop cumming.." he grunted out, when you both came down from the high he pulled himself out.

His eyes flickered to your pussy, dripping with a mix of your two's cum. "Fuck, you're so gorgeous," he mumbled, kissing your lips gently. "I'll clean you up, baby," he added, standing and heading for the bathroom. 

Sure, it wasn't a trip away - but every day and night Sebastian made the honeymoon feel absolutely perfect.

tag list:

comment if you want to be tagged in future Sebastian fics!

[laurorne]

༊*·˚ CRAVING YOUR WARMTH | aegon ii targaryen x targaryen bastard sister!reader

summary: two dragons who seek to move closer for warmth during their grief must remain apart, as they can only hurt one another with their sharp teeth and barely contained flames. though they both share the intentions of a close relationship, they're unable, for reasons they cannot avoid.

content: targaryen incest, angst, allusion of self-mutilation/harm, bastardphobia in westeros, night after intimacy suggested, self-hatred, blood, wonky metaphors and personification, no beta we die like vizzy t, badly written angst, that damn necklace

word count: 1.5k

a/n: let me tell you that i struggle writing angst, but god do i love reading it. i'm like my own self entertaining paradoxical concept and it astounds me

A gentle hand smoothing over his back is what stirs him from the throes of sleep, nails skating along his marked skin softly enough to tickle. He shifts as the hand moves from the expanse of his back up to his hair, rubbing circles into the crown of his head. Twirling bits of hair between deft fingers as she presses a kiss to the slope of his shoulder.

He hums, limbs stretching out clumsily as he rolls onto his side, fingers weak as his hand dances along the goose-down duvet until it reaches her. Her, and her softness, and her warmth.

“Wife.” He’s barely awake, even with the exasperated sigh that comes from his older sister.

“We are not wed, Aegon.” A gentle reminder from soft lips, her eyes taking in his tired demeanour, the curve of his brow.

She brushes the strand of choppy hair from his face, thumb dragging along the apple of his cheek.

He doesn’t speak for a moment, lids finally fluttering open as he stares up at her with those watery eyes. The ones he knew made her weak to suggestion. He lets his hand creep up her calf –where he can still feel the divets of scars from their childhood running through the gardens– until it finds home on the hand she has in her lap, he threads his fingers with hers. The number of rings adorning her fingers was thanks to him: he and his obsession with keeping his older sister glamoured. 

Imported Dornish rings that gleamed with the heat of the sun, Essosi ornate cloth and dresses that were far from the modesty of Court, hair pins adorned with pearls from the Summer Isles, and an intricate necklace crafted from the smelted metal of a Valyrian sword, inlaid with gemstones he had pulled from the Red Keeps vaults.

She was wearing it now, the stones gleaming under the sun that spotted through the lace curtains of her room. The engraved details scatter the few beams of light they catch like dew drops upon spider silk. The stones dangle between the valley her breasts create, the smallest of them twirls some intricate dance as she shifts. Like molten silver, it fits her without any of the stiffness metal should have. 

“We should be.” He glances down at his hand intertwined with hers and watches her thumb rub over his —in the way she always has ever since childhood— it makes him all the more rueful.

He’s hopeful, far beyond it. His bones ache and his head throbs from a swelling hangover, and he feels his throat ache something terrible at its use. His eyes trail from their hands to her face, he wants anything aside from sorrow to be there.

It’s worse. 

Her brows are furrowed as she stares down at him with pity, oh how he wishes it wasn’t pity.

“Oh, sweet boy.” She pulls her hand from his grasp and holds his face in her gentle hands with all the care he needs. “Some things, they just can’t be.”

His lip curls, a pathetic smile covering his visage as he cups the backs of her hands in his own. “But they could. Helaena would not care, she loathes our marriage. As do I. We could take Valyrian vows on Dragonstone. Just as our sister and uncle have. We could leave.”

“Aegon.” A wistful breath of his name, pained and twisted with grief of things that never were and never will.

“We don’t need to stay. Just you and I, riding atop Sunfyre. Across the Narrow Sea.” He moves onto his knees, staring into her wet doe-like eyes as he speaks. He doesn’t leave her an opportunity to doubt him. Doesn’t allow her to pull away as he keeps her hands on his jaw.

Her lips twitch and so do her fingers against his. “Aegon, don’t be foolish.”

“You mustn’t know what you mean to m-”

“Aegon, please.” She tries to pull away now, but he winds his hand into the hair at the nape of her neck and presses forward. Wine-stained lips crushing against the curve of her nose, fluttering across her brow like the gentle wings of a cotton moth as it devours silks and linen allied— devourer of all things beautiful and plain. 

He drags his lips to hers finally, soaking her up in a way only someone as depraved as he could. It’s like stretching out upon a rock after not feeling the son for years, like stripping yourself of shackles you’ve worn since birth. Her lips are chapped, a split in her lips from all the worrying she does to the poor thing scratches along his upper. He surges forward, pulling her so fully against him that it fills some empty part of him, like a puzzle piece that’s never been slotted into place. But oh —how it has— and how it always disappears just as quickly as it comes to him. He licks at her bottom lip, sucks it into his mouth and shudders out a breath as she reciprocates. Her lashes fluttering against his cheeks as they finally shut, as she cups his neck and presses her butterfly kisses onto him, licks into his mouth as she breathes hotly across his face in a way only Aegon can enjoy.

He nips at her tongue accidentally, overexcited and eager as he is. And that seems to bring her back from whatever hole he had dragged her into. But he persists, hand drifting down to the smooth metal of her necklace as he thumbs at a jewel. He tries to savour her presence even as her face scrunches and her fingers fist the hairs behind his ears. It nearly pains Aegon, with the way his head tilts away from her just slightly, Adams apple jumping against pale skin as he stares oh-so adoringly, heady breaths stinking of wine fanning her bruised lips.

“We could start a family in Essos. As many children as you want.” He desperately reaches for her again.

“Aegon.” 

“A home in Braavos, on the beach. Where we could lo-”

A hiccuped sob that withers in her throat is what stops him, punches the wind from his lungs.

Her lips are pursed and her hands have loosed upon his hair and move to cup his ruddy cheeks. Nails pressing into the flesh of his face hazardously. His eyes are dark and his lips part as he stares up at her, he sees the tears edging along her waterline. That deep frown she has when she’s trying not to cry, whether it's about something he had done or when she’s ordered by their Grandsire to stop her hysterics.

“Aegon,” It’s a sullen whisper as she lets his face go entirely, fingers slipping down his chest before they land in her lap again. “I am not a trueborn daughter. I will never be. I am not right in the mind. I will birth lunatics and monsters and wailing death. You can’t love me.”

He doesn’t know what to say, for once he has no sharp-tongued quip or comment. He pushed her from a height, just when she had finally reached the top of her spire. He retracts, fingers loosening from the grip he had on her pale hair, and lets her fall back onto the plush of her bed as she stares up at him like he’s burnt her. Like he’s dragged a dagger across the soft of her flesh and told her he never loved her. She pushes herself away, curling in on herself as tears cut through the flush of her cheeks. A wobbly exhale, and another as he drags a hand through her hair.

Her fingers dance down her neck and across the skin of her arms where they find home on the pale scars marring the upper parts of her arms. He can see her fingertips quivering with the urge to dig. To pull at chords of muscle beneath her skin and scratch at her bones. She had told him about things she saw. Things that hunted at the edge of her vision and scattered when she went looking. Dreams that came to the waking world with her. A pale man with the stench of darkness seeping from his pores.

“I love yo-” He leans forward to comfort her. 

“You don’t.”

“I know that I love you.”

“You know nothing, Aegon.” She pulls herself to the edge of the bed and drags herself to stand, the silk bedsheets slip away and her goosebumps raise upon her bruise-marred skin, she’s as bare as the day she was born. Her throat is too tight and her necklace feels heavy as she stumbles to the secret passage, she slips from the room unbidden and leaves a smudge of blood on the wooden grain of the bookcase as Aegon sits in her bed. Salty tears of his own roll down his face as he clenches and unclenches his fists.

[goldsbitch]

My name

Busy schedules don't allow Y/N and her boyfriend Lando Norris much down time to chill with her friends. But missing a wedding is a no go.

fluffy fluff, wedding, one shot, for the vibes only

It was almost a stroke of luck that Y/N's friends managed to pick a date for their wedding on a day that Lando could attend. This was a rare opportunity, while she accompanied him often during his events or outings, more than often he was unable to be there as her partner on her personal affairs.

Missed family gatherings, friends birthdays and grill parties. She accepted that part of their relationship, with the hope that in the future, it might come to change. They'd been dating for two years now - if she had to pick the brightest days of her life so far, it would in this time frame.

There was lot of excitement in the late summer air. One of her best friends was marrying a guy she became good buddy with over the years. And Lando would finally be joining her, as her partner. No more half smiles following the question "Would Lando join us this time?". These two friends marrying each other were a nice inspiration for the kind of relationship Y/N strived for. And Lando was that for her - a partner, lover, friend and the one to always make her laugh. But some of the people in her life were not convinced that he was good for her, mainly for the lack of his presence. She did not want the opinions of other to spoil their relationship. However, it would be a lie to say that her heart wasn't jumping around with happiness at the prospect of having him join them.

Her friends organized their dream wedding in a lovely estate somewhere in South of France. Small village remote from any city, safe from any prying eyes. It was refreshing from the flashing lights of racing tracks. Eighty people, all mostly friends with each other.

Y/N came in earlier with the main couple, in order to help them put everything in place. Two days of hard work navigating typical struggled of wedding organizing, with tomorrow being the big day. Regular guest were coming in, but she was only waiting for him, counting every minute.

Those prep days were packed with dealing with logistics and all this wedding usually concern. Going back and forth and trying to make everything perfect for the main event. But, she manages to find a moment of solutide to take in the beauty, the smell of late harvest, sun kissed valleys and heavy summer air, that set everything in. Having the bottom of your dress shiver with light breeze is the epitome of bliss. Life was good. And for the main part, she would get to experience all this with her love around her arm.

//

The two getting married? They were something else.

"Babe, what the fuck are these glasses?" said the bride to be as she watched the caterers setting up table for an evening dinner buffet.

"Well, you said yes, to them, remember? Back in May," was how the groom replied hastily. Y/N watched, knowing well enough that the strange looking glasses that were too big for her friends small hands were definitely not what the bride would have picked. She smirked as she watched them bicker playfully.

"They look like some futuristic ashtrays," the bride continued, shooting arrows playfully at he soon to be husband.

"Hm. Isn't that cool?" he said, trying to talk himself out of it. They were both strong opinionated people, so this was not a rare debate.

"No? How do you think this suits our late summer garden vibe?" she said, pointing around to the fields.

"You said yes to them, I remember specifically..." he defended without a beat.

"My mom's going to think we smoke."

"Well...we could use them as ashtrays," he said, inspecting the items.

The bride threw her hands up, not believing the game her "soon to be" was playing. "Babe, we don't smoke!"

He mimicked her hand gesture ironically. "We could start!"

"Just admit you've made a fuck up, honey, and we're good."

"That will never happen. This is all part of the plan."

Y/N observed and chucked, knowing well enough that the best thing to do was to stay out of their way.

A small quiet whisper came from behind Y/N. "Is this how they always act?" Shiver down her spine. She smiled, because she could recognize that voice anywhere. Heard it thousand times in the morning, in the middle of a busy day and on too many late night phone call to count. She turned her head slightly only to find him standing right behind her, his head now resting on her shoulder.

"Hi, muppet," he continued as he wrapped his hands around her, hugging her from behind. "I'm sorry I am a little late. Turbulences held us up."

The two stood there, as young lovers would. Completely wrapped in their own world.

"Did they? I completely lost track, as you see, big problems over here," she said and pointed inconspicuously to the couple still bickering about glasses. It wasn't technically true, she managed to get her phone out every other minute as they were unpacking stuff. But that was too embarrassing to admit.

She finally turned around to give him a welcome kiss, a much needed physical contact after not seeing him for almost three weeks. "Do you think we could take a walk around the garden? I would to get my head clear before facing other people," he said sheepishly. The last few race weekends had been very tough on him.

"I would be more than happy," she replied with a smile.

The scenery was too good to be true. Never ending fields of trees, heavy air sitting on the top of everyone trying to breathe and smell of hot soil and dried leaves cut though it all. They walked hand in hand in silence for a while, the sound of cracking branches accompanying them with every step. These two had spoken a lot in the past few weeks, every day it was either a phone call of few videos shared mapping their separate days. Texting was not good enough for these two. Lando was pretty much touch starved. Even though he was touched by random people more than an average person would be, as some fans felt like it was ok to do so. It made him miss the consensual touch he shared with his girlfriend more than ever. Girlfriend was an interesting word, felt outdated for the feelings he had for her. A small box had been accompanying him whenever he saw her for a while now. But he figured that highjacking someone else's wedding with his own proposal was a bit rude and selfish. He was grateful that this time he did not bring the box with him, as he was not sure he'd be able to resist proposing when he saw how the light reflected from her hair made it all shine, like a fresh jar of honey. A white dress would definitely suit her and his last name as well. He knew she'd want to keep her maiden name too and was more than fine with that. But to add "Norris" behind it was his ultimate goal.

"You seem more quiet than usual," she asked after a moment, being more than capable of reading his face. He was slowly letting go of his stress from the races.

"I'm loosing myself in the thoughts about your dress," he replied cheekily, letting her think he is talking about the teal summer dress she was wearing at the moment.

"Are you, now?" she winked and pulled her dress up slightly, only stopping at her bikini line.

"Oh, you can't do that to me," he said, defeated.

"You sure?" She stopped walking, came closer to him and put her arm around his neck. "But it's been so long since you've touched me," she added, knowing this will set him off. Teasing and seducing him was like a second language to her. She god real close and rubbed her core against his crotch.

"You're asking for trouble, Ms....Y/L/N," he nearly had a Freudian slip there. He panicked slightly and decided to kiss her immediately. She didn't seem to notice. Once he calmed down a bit he slid his hand down to he legs and the went back up to cup her ass and pulling her dress up again. "I would have you right here and now," he mumbled into their kiss and she smiled. Absolutely in love.

"We'll have to wait until the evening, we have a very nice room..."

"I don't care about that, I want to cum into you right here and now," he continued and bit her upper lip lightly.

"Anyone could walk by," she kept resisting.

"As if I care."

She laughed and broke their kiss. "We have to go now. I still have to help the poor bride with the decorations."

He signed overly dramatically. "You are making my life a living hell, Y/N."

"You can punish me later," she ended and got out of his embrace and started heading back to the estate. "Come on," she instructed as Lando watched her ass as she walked away. Norris. It's going to suit her.

//

Evening marked shared laughter, catching up with many friends, local wine with cheese and hands held under the table. Only once it was really happening did Y/N started to notice how much she needed this. Being able to "show" Lando off to her friends for longer than a short appearance. They got to finally know him, not only listen to stories about him. Oh and he was marvelous that evening. Charming, funny, criminally handsome - and always by her side. He was happy to be there. One of the reason being finally able to listen to the people she spoke about, but also to let loose and not have to think about what he says. These were no sponsors, interviewers or teammates. He loved that they cared about her more than him. It was a nice change. And he was on board with that, enjoying the fact that she was the star and not him.

//

The wedding day had swung by in a blur and suddenly, Y/N and Lando were sitting in a small local chapel, watching her friends making a mark on their relationship.

But Lando was not watching them. He was watching his now girlfriend. With the sight he had in the corner of his eye, the thoughts hanging in the back of his mind were getting louder and louder.

The ceremony was a non serious and cheerful one, the priest making many jokes while still keeping the atmosphere together. As far as ceremonies go, this was an honest one. The only thing to bring people out the holy romantic vibe this gave off was an unapologetically explicit kiss the bride and groom shared as they got wed. It was more like watching drunk teenagers make out. Some people laughed, some people cheered and the rest were slightly mortified. Y/N was one of the people to turn their heads away from the sight, she had known this girl ever since they were kids, this was a little too much. Lando found her reaction amusing, as he had heard many stories of her and her friend to know that she'd witnessed way more extreme things. "Look at you, prude," he whispered to her ear as he watched the bride and groom fight with their tongues.

"I refuse to accept this," Y/N said, keeping it up with the grandmas in the room.

"Well, if this repulses you, then I'm afraid you're going to die of embarrassment at our wedding," he said as if it was no big deal. But to Y/N it was. They had joked about marriage few times, but Lando used a different tone of voice this time. But she had been secretly dreaming about it for a while now.

"You're going to have tie me down if you're planning on doing that," she said, pointing at the pair, not quite sure how to process that he was probably thinking about their marriage too.

"So far, you've never said no to my plans," he winked at her.

Y/N smiled and turned her eyes to the ground. If someone had asked why she smiled so much, she'd say it was because of her friend's wedding. Though it would only be one half of the truth. She held his hand, as they walked out of the church. For some reason, it almost felt like a rehearsal.

[redfoxwritesstuff]

Steamy Situations 18+ (Alastor x reader)

Alastor x reader Rated: Adults only Warnings: Smut. It's shower smut. Female bodied reader. Careful with your shower sex.

Summary: You're hot and bored and your husband is busy working. If only there was a way you could distract him, get some of his attention and cool off.

Interested in a Audio version of this fic? Part 1 Part 2 PS: https://discord.gg/q8kqx7ss is an Alastor server a friend of mine started and https://discord.gg/HeEbAHju is a vox server another friend of mine started. More friends are always nice to have <3

~~~~~<3 He had been slouched over his fucking desk for hours, working away at scripts for the next week’s broadcasts. They were perfect, probably had been for a while but when he was stressed, the perfectionist came out in full force. 

The summer heat and humidity had sweat sticking to your skin. Though the curtains were closed all day to keep the harsh sun from warming the house any more than possible, it was hot. 

The silk of your slip clung to your back as you crossed the room, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders. If you were hot and grimy feeling, he had to be too. 

He huffed at the interruption, making you roll your eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me,” he mumbled, not looking up from the pages in his hands. 

“I didn’t-” 

“Don’t lie to me,” he set the papers down with a huff. “Can I do something for you?”

“I need a shower,” you said, running your palm up the back of his neck, threading your fingers into the short curls that had grown wild with the humidity.

“Take one?” He leaned back into your touch as tension slipped from his shoulders. 

“You need one as well.” Your thumb rubbed at the drop of sweat rolling down the side of his neck.

“It would appear so,” He said with a laugh, shifting to face you. “Do you have something in mind, my dear?” 

“Well,” you slipped into the space between his torso and the desk that had been newly opened up, “If you need a shower and I need a shower, we should both take a shower.”

“Good thing we have two showers!” Alastor’s grin was wide as you struggled against the urge to roll your eyes again. 

“Or,” you drew out the word as you ran your hand up his chest, “We could take one together.” 

“How scandalous.” He sounded anything but scandalized as he patted your thigh, light reflecting off the simple gold wedding band. “Let’s get on with it then.” 

~~~~~<3

You had innocent intentions, stepping into the bathroom. Honest. 

It’s just, when you saw his warm tan skin under the running water, sending the shampoo down the valleys and dips between his strong muscles, you found yourself feeling rather jealous. 

You hadn’t even intended for this to happen. One moment his shampoo was running down his chest and the next it was your hands. Soft, water cooled skin over firm muscles that spoke of how hard her worked to maintain the property jumped and twitched under your touch. 

The water wasn’t hot but it wasn’t cold either, being somewhere comfortably between to soothe away the heat. It did nothing to cool the heat quickly building between you as his hands went to rest on your hips. His frame blocked the spray of the water, mist fanning out around him, catching the light in a way that made it look like he was glowing. 

“What?” 

“You’re so handsome,” you whisper, hands running up his water cooled skin to pull him to you. 

Standing on your tip toes, you trusted him to hold you steady as you slotted your lips over his. Strong hands wrapped around your hips, thumbs tracing circles over wet skin as your naked front pressed against his. Water running over his shoulder filled what little gaps there were between you. 

With a sigh, he pulled his lips from yours only to leave a trail of kisses along your jaw, “Thank you, my Dear. I am but nothing in the face of the beauty you possess.” 

“You flirt,” you tease, softly slapping his wet shoulder. 

“Hardly,” his chuckle seemed to bounce off the walls of the small room, wrapping you up in it as much as you were wrapped in his arms as Alastor croons, “Your beauty transcends even the brightest of flowers” Alastor croons. 

Your protest died on your lips as his warm tongue ran along your neck, dragging higher until his lips pulled your ear lobe between his teeth. You arch in his arms, trying to put space between you. His thighs were pressed against yours, member twitching to life against you as you half heartedly tried to wiggle out of your husbands arms.

“You’re not slippery enough to get away from me yet,” Alastor teased, arms tightening around you and holding you flush against him.

“Alastor,” you whined as one hand run lower, grabbing a palmful of your ass, “We’re in the shower, stop it’s-”

“Indecent?” Alastor teased, pushing her against the cold wet tile of the wall. “Scandalous, even?” 

“Yes,” your voice was weak as he looked down at you, cock pressing up against your thigh.

“Was it not you,” Alastor’s fingers slipped over wet skin, running up your ribs to cup a breast. Skilled fingers pinched and pulled at your nipple, “who disturbed me at my work with this indecent idea? Wishing to shower together?” 

“Yes?” 

Whimpering, you struggled to keep yourself from sliding down the wall. Alastor’s strong thigh pressed between your knees, pushing until they parted under the pressure. You had no choice but to yield until his thigh pressed tightly against your core, ensuring you would remain standing.

“And now? HA! Now you expect me to keep my mind on something other than having my wife’s wet,” He kissed your shoulder as he pressed his thigh against your slit with every word that followed, “naked, soft, inviting body on full display?” 

“Alastor, I didn’t-” 

“Don’t lie to me,” Alastor pulled your hips forward, grinding your cunt against his thigh. “You think I can’t feel your slick? I know that’s not water. I’m going to give you exactly what you wanted.” 

The dark promise in his voice had your core clinching against nothing. Delicate muscles twitched as a soft moan fell from your lips. Blunt nails ran down your sides as he smiled down at you. Fingers dug into the fat at your thighs as he simultaneously lifted you off your feet and pinned your hips against the wall. 

On reflex, you wrapped your legs around him. Shower spray pelted your legs as you struggled to grip his wet body. His hands seemed to have no issue holding onto you though. 

He ran his cock through your folds, gathering the slick and lubricating himself. Each pass over your clit had you arching, gasping and rocking into him as you sought more friction. There wasn’t much you could do though, pinned to the shower wall as you were. It was just how he wanted you, at his mercy. 

“Alastor,” you whined his name. 

“Just hold onto me,” he said as he lined the head of his cock up with your entrance. You tensed in his arms. “Just relax, this is what you wanted.” 

He breached your entrance slowly. You spread around the fat head of his cock little by little as the unrelenting pressure left your body no choice. Pleasurable pain spread through you as he sank deeper and deeper within you. He was large and your body struggled to accommodate him without preparations. 

A shuddering ran up his spine as he bottomed out, forcing you to take all of him in one long slow thrust. Unstretched and unprepared, your body gripped him, walls fluttering around his cock as they strained to accommodate his considerable size.

You clung to him, arching in his arms as he chuckled against your shoulder. His body was burning against yours in contrast with the cold wet tile. It felt good. 

Rocking his hips, he worked his cock through your walls, ensuing you were spread over ever bit of him, taking all he had inside your walls as if there had been any doubt before. You gasped and twitched with ever shift of him inside you. Once he felt you had relaxed enough, he upped slowly from your body, holding you in place with his hands. 

Though his entrance and withdraw had been slow, what followed was anything but. He plunged inside you with such speed and force that your lower back slammed against the tile. He held you in place as his hips slammed into you again and again. 

You could do nothing but hold onto him and hope the water didn’t cause his feet to slip or you to slide out of his grip. Again and again, the head of his cock kissed your cervix with each thrust. 

Gasps turned into moans as he shifted your hips and his, letting the head of his cock rub against the spongy nerves that caused your cunt to flood with slick anew. Your fingers slipped over his shoulders, nails struggling to find grip before winding into his hair. Numb fingers pulled at his wet hair, his broken name all you can say as the coil inside you begins to tighten under his expert touch. 

“So tight,” you can feel his lips move against your neck as he fucks into you savagely. 

“Alas… Alastor,” your head falls back against the tile with a thump that you don’t feel. You’re so close now, so very close. No longer can you feel the cooling spray of the water or the tile. The sound of the shower is lost to you.

All you can feel is your husband’s body pressed against you, the grip he has on your thighs and his cock slamming into you again and again. All you can hear is his breath washing over you, soft praises whispered between moans and the music of his wet body meeting yours. 

With each powerful thrust, you could feel the twitch of his cock against your cervix. He was as close as you were. Knowing that you had the power to reduce the great radio host to rutting into you in the shower sent a thrill through you that was enough to push you over.

Your body clamped down around him as you came undone in his arms. The pull of your cunt trying to suck his cock deeper inside drew a long deep moan from him as his pace grew sloppy. A handful of thrusts later and he slammed himself inside, teeth latching onto your shoulder painfully tight as he tried to stifle moan that always came with his release. 

Rutting his hips into your twitching cunt to continue to stimulate himself, he refused to separate as his cock twitched and spasmed inside, seed shooting to paint your cervix with his essence and claim. 

As both your breathing calmed and he slowly began to soften, you unhooked your ankles from behind his back. His grip went slack, letting you stand on weak legs as his cock slipped out of you, leaving you feeling empty and sore but satisfied. At least for now. 

Alastor hummed as you settled against his chest, arms holding him in a light embrace. There was comfort in the sound of the popular tune and the sound of the shower spray. His strong hands rubbed suds into your body, lulling you further into relaxation. He washed your hair with tender care before allowing you to assist him with his own cleaning. 

Sitting you on the edge of the tub, he dried you with the same tender care. No one would believe he was the same man that so roughly, so quickly took you in the shower. As he rubbed the water from your hair, he tilted your head up and placed a soft chase kiss upon your sleepy lips. 

“I love you,” he said, smile as soft as his words. 

“I love you, too.” 

“Let’s get you to bed my Dear, so I can get back to work.” 

~~~~~<3 TagList: @catticora, @alastor-simp

[jellyaris]

I put together this Inktober prompt list for the Harvey discord server! You're welcome to use it too! 🥰

There are both daily prompts and weekly themes. If you don't have time to create every day, you can just use the theme of the week!

Text:

Week 1: Seasons of the Valley

Spring Blossoms

Summer Sun

Autumn Chill

Cozy Winter

Favorite Festival

Week 2: Heart Events

First Meeting

Gift-Giving

Date Night

Rivalry

Proposal

Wedding Day

Happily Ever After

Week 3: The Wonders of Nature

Wild Animals

Mushroom/Bat Cave

Forest Spirits

Waterfalls

Mountain

Cindersap Forest

Secret Woods

Week 4: Finding Your Niche

Cheese

Gemstones

Foraging

Legendary Fish

Monsters

Adventuring

Mastery

Week 5: Stardew Legends

Ancient Fruit

Golden Chicken

Summit

Grandpa's Ghost

Farmer's Legacy

[okaerina]

𖥻 THINGS — enhypen ◌ ִ ۫ ּ

syn ; things enha reminds me of !

heeseung !

dangly earrings, pendent chains, skinny ripped jeans, rock guitar, clubbing, late studio night, concerts, rainy empty street, love songs, specs, ice cream, deers, rainforest, going over the speed limit, long drive, polaroids, balcony, tattoos, collage campus, basketball, getting into fist fights, breaking rules, warm breeze, kisses, sharing earphones, untied shoelaces, sleeveless tops, cross jewelries, chase atlantic songs

jay !

red wine, ball dance, guitar, empty kitchen, champagne bubbles, tuxedo suits, runaway, black cat, fashion magazines, gold jewelries, camping, eucalyptus, biking, biker jackets, street racing, late night walks, city lights, porsche, cologne, the weeknd songs, loose tie, fancy restaurant, chanel bags, iced americano, home, long hugs, words of affirmation, eye contact, autumn, posh music, v necks, opera, musical recital, marriage, ancient churches

jake !

pancakes, golden retrievers, empty parks, cardigans, picnic, wolf pups, landscapes, abstract art, lip piercings, makeout sessions, mornings, cream, sheets, swimming, sand castles, tree houses, venus, varsity player, rings, clashing waves, sun shinning through curtains, backyard, champagne, sparkly eyes, netflix and chill, forehead kisses, caramel fudge, winter, jb songs, garden, lilies, lipstick stains

sunghoon !

sculptures, greek mythology, snow, ice skating, pointe shoes, swan lake, ice rinks, rhinestones, vampires, sharp canines, royalty, huskies, novels, cruise, 90s songs, ear muffs, moon phase, poetry, dandelions, maple leaves, vanilla shake, pearls, penguins, blush, lucid dreams, confessions, lullaby, archangels, romance movies, boyfriend coats, monsoon, hair blowing because of the wind, moles, tears, old love, unrequited love, ribbons, weddings

sunoo !

sun, tulip field, solar system, marshmallows, tteobokki, street food, shopping, karaoke, smiles, cute stationeries, stickers, secret diary, cheek kisses, mufflers, red foxes, bratz doll, playdate, selfies, carnations, easter, boba tea, bestfriends to lovers, cherry blossoms, lip gloss, skincare, disney shows, late night face timing, gossiping, watching kdramas, sanrio stuffs, blowing bubbles, photo booths, texts, horizon

jungwon !

kittens, valleys, teenage dream, gold fish, aquariums, subways, cds, headphones, empty bus rides, babybreaths, holding hands, first love, taylor swift songs, messy hair, vacation, countryside, group study, constellations, piggyback ride, dimples, converse, empty classroom, sheep cubs, indoor plants, mini cactus, namsan tower, han river, late fall, vintage hand written letters , young love, romcom, kitties

ni-ki !

graffiti, sunsets, baggy pants, late night dance jam, empty beach, bicycling, sea shore, ear piercings, watermelon, summer, slow dancing, grass field, bungeoppangs, duck chicks, disneyland, ps5, arcade, puma cubs, eskimo kisses, bracelets, youth, climbing fences, skipping school, skateboarding, mangas, school festivals, footsies, cute band aids, oversized attires, j-rock, night sky, laughters, slice of life, teenage, playfulness, photo booths, anime, shoujo manga

© aenfilmz / 02072023

taglist ; @solarwoniii @shiningstar-byulxx @wtfhyuck @ichiibunztwt @enhawhoreist

[zoesblogsposts]

o 625 words to know in your target language o

There is a really interesting blog called "Fluent Forever" that aids foreign language learners in tricks, tips and techniques to guide them to achieving fluency "quickly" and efficiently. One of the tricks is to learn these 625 vocab words in your target language, that way you have a basis to start delving into grammar with ease as you can understand a lot of vocab right off the bat. Plus this list of words are common across the world and will aid you in whatever language you are learning. Here is the list in thematic order

• Animal: dog, cat, fish, bird, cow, pig, mouse, horse, wing, animal

• Transportation: train, plane, car, truck, bicycle, bus, boat, ship, tire, gasoline, engine, (train) ticket, transportation

• Location: city, house, apartment, street/road, airport, train station, bridge hotel, restaurant, farm, court, school, office, room, town, university, club, bar, park, camp, store/shop, theater, library, hospital, church, market, country (USA,

France, etc.), building, ground, space (outer space), bank, location

• Clothing: hat, dress, suit, skirt, shirt, T-shirt, pants, shoes, pocket, coat, stain, clothing

• Color: red, green, blue (light/dark), yellow, brown, pink, orange, black, white, gray, color

• People: son, daughter, mother, father, parent (= mother/father), baby, man, woman, brother, sister, family, grandfather, grandmother, husband, wife, king, queen, president, neighbor, boy, girl, child (= boy/girl), adult (= man/woman), human (# animal), friend (Add a friend's name), victim, player, fan, crowd, person

• Job: Teacher, student, lawyer, doctor, patient, waiter, secretary, priest, police, army, soldier, artist, author, manager, reporter, actor, job

• Society: religion, heaven, hell, death, medicine, money, dollar, bill, marriage, wedding, team, race (ethnicity), sex (the act), sex (gender), murder, prison, technology, energy, war, peace, attack, election, magazine, newspaper, poison, gun, sport, race (sport), exercise, ball, game, price, contract, drug, sign, science, God

• Art. band, song, instrument (musical), music, movie, art

• Beverages: coffee, tea, wine, beer, juice, water, milk, beverage

• Food: egg, cheese, bread, soup, cake, chicken, pork, beef, apple, banana orange, lemon, corn, rice, oil, seed, knife, spoon, fork, plate, cup, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sugar, salt, bottle, food

• Home: table, chair, bed, dream, window, door, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, pencil, pen, photograph, soap, book, page, key, paint, letter, note, wall, paper, floor, ceiling, roof, pool, lock, telephone, garden, yard, needle, bag, box, gift, card, ring, tool

• Electronics: clock, lamp, fan, cell phone, network, computer, program (computer), laptop, screen, camera, television, radio

• Body: head, neck, face, beard, hair, eye, mouth, lip, nose, tooth, ear, tear (drop), tongue, back, toe, finger, foot, hand, leg, arm, shoulder, heart, blood, brain, knee, sweat, disease, bone, voice, skin, body

• Nature: sea, ocean, river, mountain, rain, snow, tree, sun, moon, world, Earth, forest, sky, plant, wind, soil/earth, flower, valley, root, lake, star, grass, leaf, air, sand, beach, wave, fire, ice, island, hill, heat, nature

• Materials: glass, metal, plastic, wood, stone, diamond, clay, dust, gold, copper, silver, material

• Math/Measurements: meter, centimeter, kilogram, inch, foot, pound, half, circle, square, temperature, date, weight, edge, corner

• Misc Nouns: map, dot, consonant, vowel, light, sound, yes, no, piece, pain, injury, hole, image, pattern, noun, verb, adjective

• Directions: top, bottom, side, front, back, outside, inside, up, down, left, right, straight, north, south, east, west, direction

• Seasons: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall, season

• Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82, 90, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 10000, 100000, million, billion, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, number

• Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

• Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

• Time: year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second, morning, afternoon, evening, night, time

• Verbs: work, play, walk, run, drive, fly, swim, go, stop, follow, think, speak/say, eat, drink, kill, die, smile, laugh, cry, buy, pay, sell, shoot(a gun), learn, jump, smell, hear (a sound), listen (music), taste, touch, see (a bird), watch (TV), kiss, burn, melt, dig, explode, sit, stand, love, pass by, cut, fight, lie down, dance, sleep, wake up, sing, count, marry, pray, win, lose, mix/stir, bend, wash, cook, open, close, write, call, turn, build, teach, grow, draw, feed, catch, throw, clean, find, fall, push, pull, carry, break, wear, hang, shake, sign, beat, lift

• Adjectives: long, short (long), tall, short (vs tall), wide, narrow, big/large, small/little, slow, fast, hot, cold, warm, cool, new, old (new), young, old (young), weak, dead, alive, heavy, light (heavy), dark, light (dark), nuclear, famous

[sitpwgs]

books read in 2024!

books read so far: 81/100

— gr: http://goodreads.com/cossettereads — sg: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/cossettereads

as always, askbox + dms are open if have any questions or would like to chat about books! 🤍

⊹ indicates any (new) favorites of the month! previous months are under the cut!

july ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ

1) firekeeper's daughter by angeline boulley (audiobook) ⊹ 2) born to run by bruce springsteen (audiobook) 3) it had to be you by eliza jane brazier 4) the great gatsby by f. scott fitzgerald (reread; annotated) 5) death on the nile by agatha christie (audiobook) 6) blue sisters by coco mellors (arc) ⊹ 7) juniper and thorn by ava reid (audiobook) 8) the villain edit by laurie devore ⊹

january ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) beach read by emily henry (reread) 2) on palestine by noam chomsky & ilan pappé 3) valley verified by kyla zhao (gifted) 4) the wind at my back: resilience, grace, and other gifts from my mentor, raven wilkinson by misty copeland & susan fales-hill (gifted) 5) check please: year one by ngozi ukazu (reread) 6) check please: year two by ngozi ukazu (reread) 7) check please: year three by ngozi ukazu (reread) 8) check please: year four by ngozi ukazu (reread) 9) raiders of the lost heart by jo segura (gifted) 10) the frame-up by gwenda bond (arc) 11) everything i never told you by celeste ng ⊹ 12) forgive me not by jennifer baker (gifted) 13) ever after always by chloe liese (gifted) 14) the summer of bitter and sweet by jen ferguson (gifted) 15) the lily of ludgate hill by mimi matthews (gifted) 16) last call at the local by sarah grunder ruiz (gifted) ⊹ 17) the sun and the void by gabriela romero-lacruz (gifted) 18) a line in the dark by malinda lo (gifted) 19) biting the hand: growing up asian in black and white america by julia lee (gifted) 20) play it as it lays by joan didion

february ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) mister hockey by lia riley * 2) collide by bal khabra (arc) * 3) a curious beginning by deanna raybourn (gifted) 4) breaking the ice by k.r. collins * 5) if only you by chloe liese (gifted) * 6) anxious people by frederik backman ⊹ 7) the catch by amy lea (gifted) 8) weekends with you by alexandra paige (arc) 9) happily never after by lynn painter (arc) 10) klara and the sun by kazuo ishiguro 11) good material by dolly alderton 12) in the event this doesn't fall apart by shannon lee barry 13) the night ends with fire (arc) by k.x. song 14) the good, the bad, and the aunties (arc) by jesse q. sutanto 15) where sleeping girls lie (arc) by faridah àbíké-íyímídé 16) sophomore surge by k.r. collins * 17) lighting the lamp by k.r. collins * 18) glove save and a beauty by k.r. collins * 19) home ice advantage by k.r. collins * 20) power play by k.r. collins * 21) grounded by k.r. collins * 22) line chemistry by k.r. collins *

march ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) happy medium by sarah adler (arc) 2) a darker shade of magic by v.e. schwab (audiobook) 3) expiration dates by rebecca serle (arc) 4) divine rivals by rebecca ross (book club) 5) the siren by katherine st. john (gifted) 6) light in gaza edited by jehad abusalim 7) how to end a love story by yulin kuang (arc) // reviewed here 8) rising from the deep: the seattle kraken, a tenacious push for expansion, and the emerald city's sports revival by geoff baker 9) les misérables by victor hugo (reread)

april ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) the goodbye cat by hiro arikawa (reread) 2) the traveling cat chronicles by hiro arikawa (reread) 3) this is me trying by racquel marie (arc) 4) kill her twice by stacey lee (arc) 5) the pairing by casey mcquiston (arc) 6) swiped by l.m. chilton (arc) 7) lies and weddings by kevin kwan (arc) 8) the odyssey by homer (audiobook)

may ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) this summer will be different by carley fortune (arc) 2) the viscount who loved me by julia quinn (reread) 3) romancing mister bridgerton by julia quinn (reread) 4) the iliad by homer (narrated by audra mcdonald) (audiobook) 5) a novel love story by ashley poston (arc) 6) when he was wicked by julia quinn (reread) 7) a banh mi for two by trinity nguyen (arc) 8) the secret garden by frances hodgson burnett (audiobook)

june ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ

1) lessons in chemistry by bonnie garmus 2) the phantom of the opera by gaston leroux (audiobook) 3) you, with a view by jessica joyce 4) s. by j.j. abrams & doug dorst 5) the hunchback of the notre dame (audiobook) A

[forthegothicheroine]

Congratulations on your turn as Iris! I'm so happy to hear you're treading the boards again!

I might get the chance to visit San Francisco early in next year, and I was wondering if you might have any suggestions of fun things to do, off the beaten path a bit, in the colder months in that fair city?

I greatly apologize for taking so long to answer this! While many of my favorite things are gone (I still weep for steampunk stores and revival movie houses,) there are still cool, unique things to do on a trip. Here are some of them which were open as of a year ago.

Japantown Mall: The best place to be, hands down. The mall itself has amazing authentic Japanese food, a giant half-Japanese and half-English bookstore with a whole level devoted to manga and light novels, and lots of small stalls of crepes and boba tea. Across the street you'll find the Crown and Crumpet, a cute tea room with an upper floor that sells EGL brands. Even if you don't buy anything, just walking around is a great day!

Golden Gate Park: Take a walk and see the beauty of nature! Have a snack at the Japanese Tea Garden while admiring the koi pond! If the tickets aren't too expensive, go to the Academy of Sciences aquarium and say hi to the albino alligator for me! Admire the Shakespeare garden if it's in season! Another fun place to be for a whole afternoon.

Lupa Trattoria: The best Italian food I've ever had in the United States.

Haight-Ashbury: While not the goth and hippie paradise it used to be, this is still a cool couple streets. There's a science fiction bookstore called Borderlands, another cool indie bookstore called Booksmith, a huge vintage clothing store called Relic Vintage, and some pretty good thrift stores as well.

City Lights: Not done book shopping? Go to the place that published beat generation writings back in the day, which now sells an eclectic collection of intellectual, classic and offbeat titles. When I would get a book and go read it at the nearbye Cafe Zoetrope, I felt like the coolest person in the world.

Pier 39 Sea Lions: Sea lions!!! An earthquake sent them here, and they've stayed here ever since. They sit on a bunch of large rafts wrestling, showing off, or sleeping in the sun. They always cheered me up.

Exploratorium: A totally unique science museum that encourages you to touch and interact with the exhibits. They have special presentations as well, so check the website to see what's going on

Musée Mécanique: Do you want to take a headlong plunge into the uncanny valley? Of course you do! This free mini-museum has animations and carnival games from yesteryear, and the huge and terrifying Laughing Sally. It's in walking distance of Pier 39, too.

Lovejoy's Tea Room: They catered my wedding!!! Great tea and pastries, and a super cozy atmosphere, plus you sometimes get to see egl friends have meetups in gorgeous attire.

The Castro: As gentrified as it's gotten, there's still something wonderful about a neighborhood with rainbow crosswalks and pride flags waving everywhere. Sob outside of the late lamented Castro Theater (now a concert venue,) go to a souvenir store, walk down to Bi-Rite Creamery for ice cream if the line isn't too long.

Bourbon and Branch, Smuggler's Cove: If you like vintage cocktails, have a night out at Bourbon and Branch, a retro speakeasy, or Smuggler's Cove, an amazing tiki bar. Call ahead for B&B, since you need reservations and the password.

Folsom Street Fair: If you ever go again in summer and are not squicked by kink, check out this fetish festival! (And no, scaremongers, children can not actually get in and be traumatized by this, as they check your ID.) Buy a corset, have experts tie you up, get sex ed from guys who've been teaching it for fifty years, see everybody in their awesome outfits. (It is somehow always on the hottest day of the year, though, so stay hydrated, especially if you're in head to toe leather.)

The Alamo Drafthouse: While not unique to San Francisco, I'm always happy to be in a city that has one of these. This movie theater shows new films, classics and cult favorites, and you can order food while you watch (try the milkshakes!) One of my best moviegoing experiences was when they showed The Lost Boys, and all the goths in the lobby looked at each other and nodded, like yeah, we all know why we're here.

[ruinedbylanadelrey]

heard you are trying to write for other Pedro characters! I've got a request for one, though I don't know for which character exactly. it is a fic (possibly an au depending on which one you write for) where Reader and her younger siblings go visit their grandma's house for summer (at the beach or whatever place you find the sexiest). she meets a man who helps out her grandmother (Pedro character) who is much older than her, but that is exactly what attracts her to him. they then end up having the sexiest summer ever. (bonus if he's her first, cause you write loss of virginity so gosh darn well! and double bonus if one of the reader's younger siblings catches them kissing and has a cute reaction to it!!). again, it's up to you which character you write for. whichever you think would fit this description most. :)

I couldn't pick a character so I had you guys pick for me.

I'm writing for the prettiest DEA agent, Javier Peña:))

This is take place end of season 3 where Javi is back in Texas.

AN// the spanish is going very limited, I only know the basics, and shoutout to my beautiful mom for helping me with the spanish.

WC: 3.4K

playlist

masterlist

warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI, religious imagery, reader of mexican decent, sexual tension, age gap, soft!Javier, 23yr old reader, fingering, mention of death, loss of virginity, kissing, oral sex (f!receiving), unprotected sex(wrap it up), p-in-v, mention of male/female anatomy, innocent!reader

Summers in Laredo were always boring for you but you and your brother got to spend time with your abuelos. Your summer would be consumed with doing work around the family ranch, you hated doing the work but you kept it to yourself because it meant the world to your grandfather getting to spend time with you.

This summer is different after the passing of your abuelo. You wondered who took over the work when he passed, you knew it wasn't any of your cousins who were all boys because you were the oldest grandchild they have out of the family only 23 in college. 

When you park the truck, the sun was high in the sky at noon. You could feel your hair heating up from the blazing sun. The wind was blowing dry heat, your skin was already being kissed by the light in the sky. You look at the house that you were practically raised in decorated with our Lady of Guadalupe statue in the rose bush, the screen door slams closed and a tall dark-haired man walks out with your abuela. 

"Oh, Javi, come meet my little bebés," she motioned him over, your eyes trailing up and down his body. You took how the sun hit his hair, the ends turning red from the rays. The aviators he had on blocked the true color of his eyes. His clean-shaven face left only a mustache. 

You felt like you'd seen before at a wedding. You couldn't pin where you've seen the gentleman.

"This is my beautiful girl," she introduced you to the man, "she's our princesa, the only girl we have and this is Gideon our strongest boy in the family." she went on about how you were the favorites out of the family.

"And This is Javier, he lives down the road near his father, Señor Peña, you guys remember?" her words jog your memory of the wedding from a year or two ago.

He was the man who caught your eye, he was beautiful like an angel but you never went up to him because you were insecure about being so young.

You could feel his gaze burn into your skin, Javi took in your beauty, the wind was blowing through your wavy hair and the golden undertone of your skin. The way your gold chain with the Virgin Mary pendant paired with a small cross fell at the start of the valley of your breasts would be if you weren't dressed so modestly. The light makeup you had on with a soft red lip. Your doe eyes that would make a man fall to his knees and pray.

"Nice to meet y'all, I'm Javi." He shook your brother's hand before yours, and when his hand engulfed yours you swear that it felt like electricity traveling through him to you.

"I'll be back in the morning to get the boy to work." He winks before leaving you in the dirt driveway.

"Cariño, grab your and your sister's bags." Your grandmother linked your arm with hers. You smiled at her while you entered the house. 

The house never changed with the many picture frames that took over the walls. Every stage of your life was on display, your first birthday, first communion in a frilly baby pink dress, Christmas with your all cousins, and your senior portrait.

Many paintings and prints of the Virgin Mary and what people think Jesus would like look, mixed in with the family gallery. It was like you were in a church with all the prayer candles burning with a rose scent filling the air. 

Your brother carried your bags to your mother's childhood room which became your room every summer since you were a teenager. Dusty rose-colored walls with a crucifix over the bed, a rosary on the bedside table a worn-out bible next to the lamp. You fall on the bed and closed your eyes to see Javier again in your mind. He is a walking sin, just calling out your name, and you started to feel your skin become hot as you remember the man. 

You wished he stayed a little longer to at least have a conversation but who you are kidding? You wouldn't have said one word to him, it's not that you were scared of men but they rarely approached you. If they did they weren't what you wanted. Javier was what you wanted, mature, experienced, hard outer shell. You never went after guys your age, you always went after the older men. 

-

You clouded Javi's mind since the day you came to the ranch. He would show up early just to have a small conversation with you at sunrise. The first time he showed up early you were walking to the barn in a white sundress that stopped mid-thigh and the sleeves cuffed right at the start of your arms, you looked breathtaking in the morning glow. He followed you and watched you give the horses their breakfast, you would quietly talk to them like it was only you in your little world. 

You turned on your heel and saw Javi standing there with a soft smile on his face. Your cheek heat up when your eyes met his,

"Oh good morning Señor Peña." You shyly smiled at him, you got a chuckle out of him and he stepped closer to you. His cologne filled your senses and his hand pushed your hair out of your face.

"You can call me Javi, querida," he said while his finger brushed through the waves of your hair. He loved how shy you were, just flustered by everything he did or said.

"Would you like some coffee, Javi?" You breathed out as you gathered yourself. 

He agreed you took his hand in yours and he blindly followed you from the barn to the house. The glow of the sun was hitting your golden skin making you seem like an angel guiding him to heaven.

You would glance at him to make sure he didn't change his mind. You served him the promised coffee and you took it upon yourself to make him breakfast. You were always told the way to a man's heart was through his stomach, Javi felt a warmth inside him when you made him breakfast to go with his coffee. 

That became routine for the two of you. The touches between you and the older man seemed innocent to the naked eye but the look in his eyes told another story. The hand on the small of your back, an embrace, taking your hand in his, and moving the hair out of your face, it all seemed like he was just being a gentleman. 

The conversations between you and him brought you closer together. He learned how you grew up in the church but didn't believe in god, how you keep up the act for the sake of your family, what your favorite color was, how you prefer to wear dresses and skirts over jeans and shorts, how everybody treats you as a little princess even you were 23.

You felt embarrassed for being so young and so attracted to him. You thought you were another stupid girl falling for an older man. You found comfort in Javier, he also found that in you. You were just easy to talk to, he liked how you wanted to hear about his life and how it didn't seem forced. 

-

Soon the mornings weren't enough, you wanted to see him more. You took matters into your own hands and slipped a note in his back pocket when you hugged him goodbye before he left for the day. 

'Midnight, no headlights'

He watched you disappear into the house and gave him a wink before walking away from the window. He loved how forward you were for being an innocent young woman. You hoped that he would show up, and you made sure to wear your favorite skirt and red lip. As the time grew closer to midnight the knot in your stomach grew. 

All of this could be a mistake, maybe the flirting was all in your head, he pity you for being so innocent and ate the attention he gave. You made sure everyone in the house was asleep, you climbed out the window and started walking to the end of the dirt road. There was the truck with no headlights, Javi leaned against the front of the truck waiting for you. The moonlight guiding you to him. 

You smiled and ran to him like a little kid, Javier embraced you and picked you up off the ground, and spun you around in his arms. Your giggle was music to his ears. He set you back on your feet and cupped your face, the moonlight highlighting the whites of your eyes. 

"I thought you wouldn't show," You whispered as you took in what he wearing, a simple white tee and light-wash Levi jeans. He looked like James Dean, your very own heartthrob.

"Why would you think that?" Javier asked, he was a bit hurt that you had doubts.

"Because I thought you would think I'm that stupid young girl who had the wrong idea," Your eyes danced around his face, if you looked into his eyes you would start crying. 

"Don't call yourself stupid, because you had the right idea." Javier watched your lips curl into a smile,

"¿Puedo besarte, hermosa?" ( Can I kiss you, beautiful?) he asks, and your heart jumps in your chest.

"The question is why haven't you kissed me yet?" You smirked, he laugh and shook his head.

"Because I thought I had the wrong idea," He retorted, you leaned into his touch and loved how warm he was in the cool night.

He pressed your frame against his and dropped his head as his lips caught between yours. Your arms throw themselves around his neck, his hands moved to your neck as he deepens the kiss. 

Javier leans you against the hood of the truck, his lips tasted like whiskey and cigarettes. Your lips parted as his tongue slips into your mouth. A soft moan leaves your mouth and into his, your fingers pull on his hair while his right hand slides down your body and slips underneath the short skirt. 

Your body shivers as his hand draws shapes on your upper thigh. You gently pull his bottom lip between your teeth, causing him to moan into you.

"Get in the truck, we're going for a ride." Javi breathed heavily as his lips left yours. You looked at your lipstick staining his lips. His thumb swipes away the lipstick that is smeared along the bottom of your lip. 

Your necklace was shining in the moonlight, he looked at the pendant and laughed himself. A young woman who is so innocent making out with an older man in the dead of night was such a paradox. He opens the passenger door for you and helped in the truck, he quickly ran to the driver's side and started the truck. 

The radio came on as soft background noise, you scooted across the bench and sat as close as you possibly could without being on his lap. You leaned your head on his shoulder as he took you away from the ranch. 

He drove the truck to the property he had just bought, a small ranch home with many trees lining the driveway. The truck stopped at the end of the property line meeting the river. The moon was right over the bed of the truck where you made yourselves comfortable in each other's arms.

Your fingers trace the features of his, and he melts under your touch. You make him forget about everything he has done, all the bad things, you make him into a different person. A gentle person who doesn't have any anger in his heart, no sadness dwelling inside of him. 

-

You spent many nights with Javier under the stars, he would find himself opening up to you about his time in Colombia and how you shouldn't like a man with blood on his hands. Always reassured him that it did not change the way you felt about him. 

"You help me forget," Javier moans as you kiss down his neck, you straddle his waist in the bed of the truck.

Clothes littered the grass just leaving you both in your undergarments. His hands resting on your hips as you grind yourself against his hardened length. 

"You deserve more," his words stop you, your heart was being pulled by the strings. You panicked inside as you could hear the rejection in his voice. You sit up and look at him with tears forming in your eyes.

"You don't want me?" You sounded like a child,

"No, no I do want you, mi amor, you're my angel." He sits up and your chests meet and he holds your cheek in his hand. 

The moonlight reflecting in your tears made you look so pretty to him. You still felt a pain in your heart from his words. His eyes flickered to the gold necklace that decorated your neck beautifully.

"Do you want me?" He asks as he licks his lips, he wipes the tears running down your face.

"Yes, more than anything...I'm yours, Javi." You confessed as you looked into his eyes, your words made him want to run. How could you just give yourself so easily to him? 

He buries his face in your chest and breathed in your perfume, rose water and ivy.

"Te adoro," you whispered to him, he laid you down on your back and locks your lips together. His hands stripped your bra off your body, and your nipples hardened from the cool air of the night.

Javier takes one nipple into his mouth and kneads your other breast. Your back arches into his hold, the sensation of his mouth on your body, his mustache against your soft skin. Your hips buckled needing friction.

"I need you," You whimpered as Javier made his way down to your clothed heat, without missing a beat he pulls down your lace panties and threw them behind him.

Your dripping cunt glistened in the moonlight. Javier lowers his head and starts licking your wet fold and then sucking your clit.

"I knew you would be sweet," He hums against your pussy, and you threw your head back as he kisses your clit. His fingers parted your lips and collected your wetness with his tongue, he slips his thick digits into your entrance and curled them.

You were a whimpering mess underneath him. You sounded like a choir of angels with the moans that left your lips. You were like a stained glass cathedral that he was worshipping in.  

He replaced his fingers with his tongue, drinking from you like it was wine during communion, savoring the taste of the sweetness.

"Fuck, you're amazing," You let out a breathy moan, you could feel yourself getting closer to the edge. Javier sucks on your throbbing clit and his fingers start fucking you. Your walls clenched around his digits as they went in and out of your aching cunt. 

"Cum for me, querida," Javi moans, your fingers pulled on his hair harder at the moment your release came. Your thighs trembled as he worked through your high. The sweat glistening on you, looked like holy water baptizing your soft skin in sin.

"Such a good girl," he said like he was in prayer. You smiled at him and brought Javier to your lips, you could taste yourself on his tongue. His hands caress the curve of your hips to your breasts.

"I've never been touched before," You confessed to him, Javier felt himself become even more hard by how pure you were.

"Please fuck me, Javi," you whined to him, he looked again at the Virgin Mary on your necklace. 

"Are you sure, baby?" He asked, realizing that he would be your first and hopefully your one and only.

"Yes, please," your doe eyes were his weakness. Javier plants open-mouth kisses along your collarbone taking in the necklace in his mouth, his cock glides along your slit and pushes himself into your heat. 

You whimpered at the feeling of him inside of you, the stretch stung a bit but it was welcoming pain.

"You're doing so well taking my cock, mi amor." Javier drops the necklace from his mouth into yours. You suck the metal, the two pendants falling at the corners of your lips.  

He pushes the rest of himself in and his thick cock was in your tight pussy, your walls wrap around him tightly. You loved this feeling of being so full,

"So tight, bebita" Javier was in love with how you felt around him. The pace of his thrust were slow but hard, he loved how your breasts bounced at each thrust. 

Your hips roll to meet his.

"Faster," you mewled with a lustful look in your eye. Your red lipstick smeared across your lips made you look divine. Your cunt clenched around his cock when his finger rubs your clit,

"I-I'm gonna cum, Javi." You screamed out, the feeling of his hands on your body made you feel like you were in on a cloud. 

"Te sientes como el cielo," (You feel like heaven) Javier grunts while his thrust became uneven, his words made you drunk. A string of moans left your mouth as you came undone.

"I love how you cum around my cock," He confessed in your neck, you loved the feeling of how deep he was in you.

"I'm gonna cum, baby, where-"

"Inside of me, please" You wrapped your legs tighter around his waist. Javier's hand wraps around your neck pulling you into a hungry kiss as his cum spills into your tight cunt. He continues to fuck into you as he rides out his high. 

He leaves himself inside of you not wanting to leave your warmth. You both try to catch your breath, Javier holds you close to him like you would disappear if he let go of your body. You felt like heaven was a place on earth with him.

"Are you okay?" Javier asks as he pulled himself out of you, suddenly cold from the emptiness inside of you.

"More than okay," you giggled as you left a soft kiss on his nose.

"Do I need to worry about-"

"No, I'm on birth control." your words put him at ease.

"I should've asked before," he said while laying kisses around your face.

"It's all okay." you melted in his arms, and the cool air blew making you shiver. Javier pulls the blanket underneath you over your naked bodies. 

"I'm going to miss you when I leave at the end of summer." You said while feeling a tear drip from your eye, he stroke your hair.

Javier wanted to be selfish and ask you to stay and you wanted him to ask you to stay. You wanted him to read your mind and ask but the moment passed when he helped you get dressed. 

-

Maybe this doesn't mean a thing to him, maybe it's a summer fling. You were packing up your bags and getting ready to leave Laredo until next summer. You thought he would show up and stop you from leaving.

You dragged out every second, his truck comes speeding down the driveway and Javier jumps out of the truck and grabs you by the waist, and pulled you in for a kiss. Your brother and abuela looked at each other wondering when did this all happen. 

You dropped your bags and jumped into his arms, wrapping your legs around his waist.

"Tell me you're mine, tell me I'm all you want." You cried into the kiss, Javier put you down and looked deeply into your eyes.

"You are everything and more, please stay, please you're the one thing that makes me feel okay." He begs, and you could see him starting to tear up. 

"That's what all I needed to hear." You beamed at him and nodded your head. You kissed him again with even more passion.

"This whole summer I was working my ass off and you were having a fucking summer romance," Your brother gagged,

"Cudia tu idioma! Gideon," (watch your language) your grandmother smacked the back of his head.

"You let your sister be, she deserves it." you felt even better knowing that she was on your side.

"Javier, you better take care of my princesa." She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"I swear on my life," Javier smiles at you. It was like someone answered your prayers, you have your piece of heaven in front of you. 

[assortedseaglass]

An Ever Fixed Mark - A Come Back To Me Oneshot

Billy Washington x Ida (OFC)

[Come Back To Me Masterlist]

Warnings: Fluff, smutty thoughts

Word Count: 1.7K

Note: This is a long overdue thank you to @exitpursuedbyavulcan for their support of Come Back To Me. Just a sweet little drabble about my favourite idiots. It follows on from the events of Come Back To Me and contains OCs, so if you aren’t familiar, maybe give that a read first.

If it weren’t for the steady voice of the priest, Billy would have forgotten where he was. Across the altar, illuminated by stream of July light, stood Ida. From the moment Faisal had knocked on his door that morning with a panicked “Ready?”, all Billy wanted was to see her. In a rush of wedding-induced delirium, the morning faded into afternoon and guests were gathering in the little church. She’d glided up the aisle, the little flowergirl in front of her throwing petals on the ground like grenades. The congregation ahed and laughed, but Billy could see only her. From the bouquet of flowers she held, bright sweet peas, roses and lily-of-the-valley to the pink hue of her joy-freckled cheeks, Ida held him enraptured.

The entire service, he had grinned at her like a schoolboy, palms sweating as the exchange of the rings approached. By some miracle (his life had been so full of miracles these last eighteen months) he hadn’t dropped them, placing them tenderly on the Bible and resuming his sentinel behind Faisal, gazing at Ida. Her eyes were glazed with tears now, the breadth of her smile near forcing them to fall. The usually unruly hair had been wrestled into gentle curls that framed her face, a few whisps haloed by the red and blue of the stained-glass window. He knew it was sacrilegious to say it, but she truly was the most beautiful woman there. Billy watched with glee as she took a shuddering breath of anticipation.

“By the power vested in me,” the priest between them held up his hands. “I know pronounce you man and wife. Go in peace. Faisal, you may kiss-” Before the dear man could finish his sentence, Sofia leapt at Faisal, her arms encircling his neck as the crowd cheered with applause. Behind her, Ida’s tears brimmed over as she laughed, the flowergirl holding her hand jumping up and down with glee. Sofia led Faisal down the aisle, smiling proudly and showing off her wedding ring to the crowd. Faisal shook hasty hands with family and friends as he passed, not once losing step with his bride and laughing at her abounding happiness. Ida hurried the flowergirl after them, giggling she tottered behind the bride and groom, waving at the crowd and utterly oblivious to their focus on the newlyweds. Billy held out his arm for Ida and, with a bashful smile, she took it.

“You look amazing,” he whispered in her ear as they made their way to the front of the church. Ida’s eyes drifted downwards, attempting to hide the growing blush with her hair.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Wash.” She nudged his shoulder; it was his turn to blush. “Though I can’t wait to get these pins out of my hair,”

“And I can’t wait to get you out of that dress,” Billy said lowly in the shell of her ear.

If the church has been full to the rafters, then the hotel function suit was bound to burst. Sugar-high children, reminiscing elders and everyone in between spilled from the suit into the summer evening sun. Sofia and Faisal, a glass of champagne in each hand, moved around their loved ones as if gliding on air. Faisal’s parents were regal in their Shalwar kameeze and Anarkali against the sea of linen suits and summer dresses, and Sofia’s parents, with their white-blonde hair and golden skin as beautiful as their daughter’s, spoke to them with glowing pride. Gladness and well wishes filled the air.

“What a beautiful couple,”

“What a gorgeous day,”

Amongst it all, Billy and Ida were the model wedding party, welcoming friends, charming the families and ensuring the day went without a hitch. At least, without Sofia and Faisal knowing. Occasionally, they caught each other’s eye from across the room and beamed. Ida basking in the radiant joy of her best friend’s happiness, Billy at being finally and firmly accepted into this found family. The flowergirl dotted between them, begging Ida to play or Billy to dance. When, after the dinner, she had been beckoned to bed by her parents, she hugged Ida around the knees and gave Billy a wet kiss on the cheek. Ida’s stomach kneaded as she watched him with the little girl. She had just reached out her hand to him, caressing the sun-kissed skin there, when the clinking of spoon against glass rang out. The newlyweds and their parents were seated at the top table, the guests shuffling to their chairs. Ida tucked herself into the crook of Billy’s shoulder, leaning against his chest and inhaled his cologne. Nothing needed to be said; their minds already worked in tandem. Instead, he lazily brought his hand to graze at her waist and watched as Sofia’s father stood to address the crowd.

Ida smiled as he told stories of Sofia as a young girl, her nature vivacious from the moment she took her first breaths. The crowd laughed when tales turned to her time at university, and the arrival of the maid-of-honour in his daughter's life. Ida should have brought seriousness and study, instead their pair of girls partied and drank and somehow passed their exams. Billy pinched her side and Sofia winked at her best friend. The career, the travels, and eventually, Faisal.

“I was convinced the moment that my little girl first smiled up at me, that no-one could be a match for her. No one as brilliant, and bright, and adventurous and fun-loving. I was right.” The crowd chortled. “But then Faisal came along. Faisal with his kind eyes and his kind heart, and I watched as he and my Sofia fell in love. One day, I asked them to help me bring the weekly shop in from the car. An hour it took them. Pausing between each bag to talk. About the weather, the world, their hopes and dreams, what was on telly last night, and I knew as I watched them that he was the man for her.” He placed his hand on Faisal’s shoulder, and the groom patted it with affection. “Love isn’t a rollercoaster, or easy. Sometimes it isn’t even patient or kind. It’s soul-baring, visceral and long. I shan’t give advice to these two, so perfectly suited for a life together. But if I have anything to say it’s this; at the end of it all our hearing goes and we forget the glasses we’ve lost are on our heads. Our skin sags and our minds slow. Marry someone that sees the worst of you, all of you, and thinks the sun shines out your arse regardless.” The crowd laughed and clapped. Ida turned her head to Billy and found he was already watching her. With a wink, he kissed her forehead and raised his glass to toast his friends.

Before either of them new it, the night was drawing in. Sofia and Faisal were dancing at the centre of the room, Robbie Williams’ Angels playing on the decks.

“Wouldn’t be a wedding without it,” Billy whispered to Ida before pulling her close. Her eyes were hazy with champagne, and his own head felt as if it were full of cotton wool. She wrapped her arms around is neck and he was reminded delightfully of school discos, girls and boys stood stiffly apart as they held each other awkwardly in some strange imitation of what they had seen their parents doing. A prepubescent game of grown up. Ida kissed his neck, and Billy would have felt embarrassed about the sweat that fell there if it weren’t for the way he’d heard her inhale his scent.

“I’m done now,” she had said with her head lolling against his shoulder. “I want to get into bed.” Billy rubbed her back soothingly and watched as Faisal dipped Sofia into a kiss.

“Last song. Soon,”

Ida looked up at him. Red bloomed across his cheeks from the heat of the air, the dancing and the alcohol. Since the incident he kept his hair short, but it still managed to stick to his forehead. A long while ago the uncomfortable ties the groomsmen wore had been discarded and his floral buttonhole was lobsided. He looked how she had always known him; frayed at the edges, the young and turbulent life he had already lived playing out across the canvas of him. A hand tapped her shoulder and with difficulty she tore her eyes away from her Billy.

“We’re off,” Sofia pulled Ida into a hug. “Thank you for everything today.”

“Thanks mate,” Faisal clapped Billy on the back and lifted him off the ground in a tight embrace. They laughed together.

“Here,” Sofia pressed something into Ida’s hands and, looking down, she saw it was her bouquet. “I thought about throwing it, but I wanted you to have it.”

Ida raised her eyebrows. “What are you saying, Mrs?” Sofia waggled hers in response, then turned to pull her husband away through the dancers and towards the car waiting to whisk them to their honeymoon. Billy and Ida watched from a distance, his arms still clinging to her hips, as their friends drove away and into married life. No sooner had the car pulled out of the hotel’s dark drive was Ida wrenching Billy towards the door.

“Haven’t we got to help clear up?” He asked, looking at the family and hotel staff packing away chairs.

“We’ve done enough today. I need to get you upstairs, Wash.”

“What for?”

All breath left him. Ida looked over her shoulder, past their entwined hands and into his eyes with a determined and wolfish gaze. “Just you wait.”

Note: The title is from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, which I just adore!

Tagging the old Come Back To Me crew: @jessssica1234 @heimtathurs @bookwyrmsblog @phantomontheinternet @aemonds-wifey @slytherincursebreaker @valerie977 @greenowlfactif @yentroucnagol @schniiipsel @multiple-fandoms-girl @just-emmaaaa @tosiaf @kage-no-sonzai

[petri808]

Day 1 @flufftober “I’ve got you” Nalu Drabble

“Aww, it’s been sooo looonnggg,” Lucy whines as she stretches her lower back and twists from side to side. “I can’t wait to get up this trail and take in that sweet clean air!”

Natsu chuckles as he finishes clicking the buckle of his backpack and checks to make sure the strap is nice and snug around his chest. “I wonder if we’ll see deer this time, that’d be cool.”

They work a lot of hours, Lucy as a crime journalist and him as a firefighter, so it’s hard to find a time when they’re both off on the same day. Now, it’s finally autumn, technically at least, with the heat index no longer in the triple digits to make hiking uncomfortable. Summer was truly miserable this year too, super dry conditions with no summer storms. For his job, that meant more fires than normal, often accidental like someone deciding to barbecue with coals over dead grass or kids burning trash in a barrel out of boredom.

She takes a swig of her water bottle before putting it away in her satchel. “Do you think it’ll be this dry up there too?” Lucy asks as she taps the dry grass with her foot causing a crunching sound.

“It’ll be dry, but probably not this dry once we get to about the 8,200 foot elevation and the forest is thicker.”

“8,200 feet?”

“Maybe two-thirds to three-fourths the way up the trail.”

“Oh, okay. It’s just kinda sad to see it like this.”

They’ve been on high alert, but his boss approved this time-off months in advance because in another week they will be saying “I do.” It may seem odd to be going hiking instead of using the time to solidify wedding plans, but relaxing is just as important for their sanity. And besides, he’s sure Lucy will agree when he says, that the wedding is just a formality at this point. Altogether, they’ve been close for 20 years, a couple for 13 of those years, and the marriage certificate signed 8 years ago. The only reason the ceremony took so long to take place is their busy careers.

Natsu walks over and puts his arm around her waist before kissing her temple. “I couldn’t agree more.”

The trail they’ve chosen is considered a moderate one in length and difficulty, two miles one way with an incline of about 8-12 degrees give-or-take. It’s a well worn and a well marked trail popular with locals, so the couple will have no difficulties scaling it. The forest is made up of a lot of needled tree varieties like pines, firs, and spruces as well as maples or hardy mahogany’s or an occasional mountain apple. There are also a spattering of berry options in the area that the deer and other wildlife eat like blackberry, mulberry, snowberries, and elderberry.

So many things to look at! And the smell… just a myriad of earthly scents in a dry air filling their lungs to replace what the city’s pollution left behind. They take their time as they traverse the dirt-packed trail, worn into a shallow groove from years of service, up the shallow incline of the mountain pass in a zig-zag. Every so often, they can hear the sounds of small creatures scampering through the leaf litter, through brush, or maybe a squirrel in it’s hollowed tree den high above. The birds too, add to the natural symphony with differing tweets and twittering chirps, or perhaps a call of warning when they see the two-legged creatures passing by. They were happy to see that while dry, once they got deeper into the tree line the flora appear to have weathered the summer sun just fine.

Eventually they reach the 8,000 foot elevation which is almost to the turning point in the trail. Here there is an opening in the tree line that allows the couple to peer down into the valley below that separates this mountain range into two. Maybe if you listen hard enough on a day with very little noise, it’s possible to hear the whooshing, burbling sounds of the river at it’s heart. Here the trail is around three feet wide. On the mountain side, there’s approximately four more feet of brush before you hit the wall, but on the other there is a sheer drop off the cliff side. Because of the trails worn out groove, it creates a sort of lip or raised berm before the cliff begins. Now, the cliff itself is deceiving because the cliff side is covered in low brush and bramble, and tops of trees that have taken root at a lower level. It makes it difficult to see just how steep it really is and camouflages the dangers.

Natsu takes off the pack and puts it on the ground so he can grab something to snack on and a drink. He then sits down on a large rock on the mountain side of the trail. It’s as good a time as any to take a break and appreciate the beautiful scenery. Lucy too accepts a small bag of trail mix from him before stepping near the edge of the berm. As she munches on finger-fulls of the treats, she takes a wide survey of the area. This isn’t the first time they’ve been here or stopped at this very spot before, so it’s nothing really new.

“Look!” Lucy points to some trees to their right near the entrance of the valley. “They’re starting to turn color! I bet if we came back in a month this whole area will be a multi-color sea of leaves!”

“Oh yeah?” Natsu responds. “That’ll make for some nice photos, maybe we should come back to take pics to turn into holiday cards?”

Finding the suggestion appealing, Lucy turns on her heel quickly to face him. “Oh, I love that idea!”

And that’s when he sees it. As Lucy spins around in her excitement, the dirt beam which is normally solid and compact, completely crumbles and breaks off the cliff’s edge. “LUCY!” Natsu screams as he pops up and tries to reach…

“Huh?” Lucy instantly looks down, but it’s already too late as she feels the ground below her feet give way. “OH! AHHH!” She cries out and her eyes blow up like saucers as she drops below the edge.

All Natsu can see as his hand grabs air is the love of his life disappearing from view, with her wide-eyed expression burning into his mind. “Lucy!!” He stumbles to his knees and peers over the edge.

“Natsu!!” She screams back.

‘Oh thank the stars!’ Natsu instantly lets out the air he’d been holding in when he sees that Lucy is about four feet down and has managed to grab onto a root. It’s still a precarious situation, evident by the continuously crumbling dirt around them. The root could give way or more of the cliff edge which would send Natsu down too. The abnormally hot and dry summer conditions have left the bare soil so dry that there’s little to keep it together. “Lucy! Don’t panic! Okay? Babe don’t move around too much, stay as still as you can okay?!”

“O-Okay,” Lucy sniffles, “p-please hurry!”

Natsu locks eyes with her and steadies his breathing as his emergency training kicks in. He knows better than most the importance of staying calm and appearing confident in these situations. “I got you! Lucy, you believe me right? I’m gonna get you out of there!”

A sense of ease rolls over when Lucy feels the cocksureness flowing from her man. She knows she can count on him, but to feel it is surreal. “I do! Y-Yeah, I do!”

He takes a quick assessment of the edges stability and notes he can’t put a lot of pressure on the dirt or it will break off again. That means if he tries to just reach for her and it gives way, they will both fall. Okay, the cliff face is at give or take a 55-65 degree angle, and no way to know if it turns into a sheer drop further down. There are several bushes doting the area though there’s no way to know how deeply rooted they are. Natsu can also see a many random divots on the cliff face created when rocks are likely dislodged due to weathering. He reaches down and yanks on a close-by bush to see how deeply rooted it is and it’s more solid than it looks. The edge is weak, but if he lays flat, and uses the rest of his body to counter and distribute his weight, he should be able to reach down maybe two feet. But that still means he’s two feet shy of reaching her.

“Okay, Lucy?”

“Y-yeah?”

“I’m gonna need you to trust me and do exactly what I say. Can you do that?”

“O-Okay…”

“You trust me right?”

“Of course, I trust you.”

“Do you see that bush just above your head? I want you to grab onto it at the base. Keep holding onto the root, but grab the bush with your other hand.”

“Okay…”

“And— but don’t looks down! There is a divot in the ground just below your left knee. I need you to use the bushes to help you pull yourself up until your foot can catch hold of the divot. Let your body drag along the ground not lift up while you do that. Once your foot feels like it’s solid in the divot, reach for the next two bushes above. You should feel another divot maybe another foot up to match. Can you do this? I should be able to reach you if you can get closer.”

“I-I’ll try.”

“Not try,” Natsu pushes her to think positive, “baby, you will!” He moves into position to where from his rib cage down it’s laying on the ground over the trail with the weight of the backpack anchoring his feet. He leans over the edge and extends his hand as far as it will reach. “Come on Lucy! Grab my hand!”

Tentatively, Lucy starts to make her move, first grabbing the base of the bush, then pulling up as her foot skims for the divot. Once it hits an indentation, she presses into it with her toes for stability. Just as she’s about to move to the next bushes, a couple of small rocks break free from the edge where Natsu is laying, causing her to look down.

Seeing how far up they are spooks her, and reminds her of the precariousness of the position. “I’m scared, Natsu…” Lucy whimpers. Why is this happening to them? It’s such a beautiful day, going on a hike which is something they enjoy. And right before the wedding ceremony. “It’s so high…”

“Look at me,” Natsu commands and Lucy instantly obeys. With her eyes transfixed, he responds as soothingly as he can muster. “It’s okay to be scared, but look’it, you already did the first step, just one more.” He flexes his fingers and smiles. “Take a deep breath and come to me Lucy!”

No verbal response, she just gives a shaky nod as she looks at her target and reaches for it. One bush grabbed onto, then two, and finally, her foot finds the divot.

“Now let go of one bush, and reach for my hand.”

With a trembling gulp, Lucy slowly reaches up, crawling her fingers up the cliff face as she aims for Natsu’s hand.

“Almost there…” He assures as he extends as far as he can as well. When he feels the tips of her fingers, “almost there…” Lucy stretches on tiptoe giving her the last bit of distance needed for Natsu to grab her left wrist. “Gotcha! Okay, I’m gonna start pulling, keep grabbing onto things too.”

“O-Okay.”

Little by little with him pulling and her reaching, they scale the cliff face. One foot conquered, two feet, each shift and movement triggering little cascades of dirt or rock causing Lucy to pause and lower her head to avoid them. Two more feet to go. “Grab onto my neck as soon as you can with one hand.” He lifts the few inches allowing her to do just that. “Okay…” Natsu tenses up his core and thighs, and presses down with his knees tensed to provide additional drag. After getting one arm around her back and side, with hand under Lucy’s right armpit, he uses everything his torso can offer, pulling up while using his knees to scoot backwards a few inches. Once her shoulders have cleared the edge, she wraps her other around his neck. Natsu changes positions quickly, still holding her tightly with his left, he uses his free hand to push off the ground while his legs shift and curl to the side and pulling her up and over. This brings his knees under him and allows him to use them as a lever for this final hurrah. With a straining grunt, Lucy is yanked over the edge, the momentum causing Natsu to fall onto his back and her onto his chest, immediately wrapping his other arm around her and scooting all the way back to the mountain side of the trail. He sits up and keeps her in his lap.

One would expect an immediate celebration, but such a physical and mental expenditure takes it’s toll. For half a minute they remain, wrapped tightly to each other in silence save for the natural symphony oblivious around them and the rise and fall of their chests while their breathing returns to normal. But soon, all the adrenaline that helped Natsu through, runs away, and all the emotions he’s tamped down explode to the surface. He’s been through tons of emergency rescues and battled hundreds of blazes, but never once has he felt this level of fear. Natsu keeps his head on Lucy’s shoulder, but adds pressure against her neck as a he speaks. “I thought I lost you…” his shaky words in a somber tone are just barely audible as if he’s too afraid to give it any more power.

Lucy reciprocates, tilting her head into the nape of his neck. “Me too…” She tightens her hug when she feels the moisture from his tears starting to soak the fabric of her shirt. His trembling frame speaks volumes. For as long as she’s known this man, she can’t think of a time when he’s shown this level of vulnerability. Always the protector worrying more about others than himself. “Natsu, I re—ally don’t know how you can handle death defying stuff so calmly, ‘cause that was fucking scary!”

“I’d rather do my job a hundred times over than go through this again.” Natsu mumbles. And he means it. They’re lives, their spirits are so entwined already that if he lost her, it’s like being dead too.”

They stay tangled for a little longer before getting to their feet and start heading back down the trail, but both are exhausted, so it takes a little longer than usual, stopping every so often for breaks. The air around Natsu feels heavy and yet light too. How can one feel both at the same time, well, it’s the only way he can explain it. As a trained emergency responder, it’s his job to be aware of anything dangerous and yet today he failed to notice the dry dirt or how close Lucy was getting to the edge. Perhaps this guilt is where the heaviness comes from and yet lightness stems from the same source. It’s because he is trained that he was able to save her life today and that has to feel good.

Sensing something amiss, Lucy squeezes the hand she’s holding and leans her head against his bicep. “Something bothering you?”

“Mmm,” Natsu throws on a genuine smile. Death always makes us think what if, but it’s time to let go. Lucy’s still here, smiling, and holding his hand as they walk along the trail. She’s not letting this experience hold her down. Plus, she’s tougher than she looks, and if he continues to feel sorry, it’s an afront to her inner strength. Sometimes… it’s a wonder who’s really the savior between them. “Nope,” Natsu smiles and kisses her temple area. “Not anymore.”

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

Hey, sorry if I’ve just missed it but is there a list somewhere of all the games that have characters in this bracket?

There is now! I've done it for the first bracket but not for this one, so here it is:

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (x12)

Baldur’s Gate 3 (x9)

Mystic Messenger (x8)

Arcade Spirits (x7)

Obey Me (x7)

Stardew Valley (x6)

Dragon Age: Inquisition (x5)

Monster Prom (x5)

Persona 5 (x5)

Coral Island (x5)

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (x4)

Persona 3 (x4)

Boyfriend Dungeon (x4)

Romancelvania (x4)

Fire Emblem Fates (x4)

Blooming Panic (x4)

The Arcana (x4)

Potion Permit (x4)

Uta no Prince-sama (x3)

Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers (x3)

Mass Effect (x3)

Hooked On You: Dead by Daylight (x3)

Fallout 4 (x3)

Infinite Blue (x3)

Trouble Comes Twice (x3)

Fire Emblem Engage (x3)

TOUCHSTARVED (x3)

Tri City Monsters (x3)

Fire Emblem: Awakening (x2)

Code: Realize (x2)

Court of Darkness (x2)

XOXO Droplets (x2)

My Time at Sandrock (x2)

Cyberpunk 2077 (x2)

Our Life: Beginning and Always (x2)

My Time at Portia (x2)

Dragon Age 2 (x2)

Tears of Themis (x2)

Doki Doki Literature Club (x2)

Mass Effect: Andromeda (x2)

BUSTAFELLOWS (x2)

Titan Arum (x2)

Harvest Moon: A New Beginning (x2)

My Candy Love (x2)

The Witcher 3 (x2)

The Divine Speaker (x2)

Divinity: Original Sin 2 (x2)

Baldur's Gate 1&2 (x2)

Later Daters (x1)

Fallout: New Vegas (x1)

Monster Camp (x1)

Rune Factory 3 (x1)

Our Life: Now and Forever (x1)

It Lives in The Woods (x1)

Scarlet Hollow (x1)

Stray Gods (x1)

The Fernweh Saga (x1)

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (x1)

It Lives Beneath (x1)

The Soul Stone War series (x1)

Seduce Me The Otome (x1)

Fields of Asphodel (x1)

Blood Moon (x1)

The Royal Romance (x1)

The Golden Rose (x1)

Re: Alistair++ (x1)

Persona 2 (x1)

Long Live The Queen (x1)

Dragon Age: Origins (x1)

Magical Diary: Horse Hall (x1)

My Horse Prince (x1)

Gilded Shadows (x1)

Obscura (x1)

Café Enchanté (x1)

Inuyasha: The Secret of the Cursed Mask (x1)

DRAMAtical Murder (x1)

A Villain's Twisted Heart (x1)

The Sims (x1)

GreedFall (x1)

Cryptid Crush (x1)

Postknight 2 (x1)

Sun Haven (x1)

Loren the Amazon Princess (x1)

Hustle Cat (x1)

A Date With Death (x1)

The Ssum (x1)

1931: Scheherazade at the Library of Pergamum (x1)

Dandelion -Wishes Brought To You- (x1)

Persona 4 (x1)

Intertwine (x1)

How Not To Become a Queen (x1)

Thorn for the Villain (x1)

Villainess Idolized By Everyone (x1)

Assignment Due: Project Blue (x1)

Silhouette (x1)

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns (x1)

Mr Love (x1)

Heart no Kuni no Alice (x1)

Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town (x1)

Harvest Moon DS Cute (x1)

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town (x1)

Number Days Sim Date (x1)

Cupid Parasite (x1)

Amnesia (x1)

Lover Pretend (x1)

Untold Atlas (x1)

Witches x Warlocks (x1)

OZMAFIA!! (x1)

Pokemon Black and White 2 (x1)

Blades of Light and Shadow (x1)

Life is Strange: Before The Storm (x1)

Life is Strange (x1)

Cinderella Phenomenon (x1)

Endless Summer (x1)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (x1)

Planescape: Torment (x1)

Changeling (x1)

The Good People (Na Daoine Maithe) (x1)

Heaven's Secret (x1)

Andromeda Six (x1)

Dracula: A Love Story (x1)

Path of the Valkyrie (x1)

Arcanum (x1)

Nameless ~The One Thing You Must Recall~ (x1)

Dialtown (x1)

Infamous (x1)

Crimson Spires (x1)

Birushana (x1)

The Wedding (x1)

When Life Gives You Lemons (x1)

Pillars of Eternity series (x1)

//TODO: today (x1)

Heart Fragment (x1)

[elf-kid2]

So, alchemists and learned folks and people of the world sought different, better ways of doing things. And a lot of it has been really helpful!

Aqueducts, improved so much that you can have spigots of fresh, clean water, both hot and cold, inside your own home! Storage-boxes to keep food cold, frozen as winter ice even in summer, to preserve it longer! Horseless carriages, ships of greater size and power, even ships that fly!

But, there are problems.

Most of these wondrous, useful things require power to keep going, and the most common means of generating that power is by burning coals and certain ores and oils that are mined from the earth. But, no mine retains it's riches forever. Sooner or later, it runs out.

They tear mountains apart, for the coal. Ancient mountains, torn asunder, valleys filled with debris, waterways tainted by poisons from deep beneath the earth, home, farms, entire towns lost to floods that result from tearing apart the earth, clear-cutting the forest, so carelessly.

But every mine, every mountain, runs out of coal eventually. And all your left with is starving miners, and ruined lands.

People go to war for the oils that are mined from the deep wells of the earth. They drill beneath the sea, they tear up olive groves, kill children, kill wedding-parties, poison the very ocean itself, and for oil.

But every well runs dry eventually, and the gifts of the Earth are not unlimited. And all that's left is ashes, tainted waters, and ruined lives.

But, who can do without the transportation? Who can do without cold storage for their food, bright lights for their home that don't risk burning it down, heat in the harsh winter, and cool breezes as the summers grow hotter, dangerously hotter, ever hotter as time goes on?

All the burning and destruction comes at a cost, you see. A cost greater than what I've already described.

You, in your time, had learned people who looked at the signs, the clouds and leaves, the way birds flew and the way the bones cracked, to predict the future, yes? Wise Ones who warn of storms to come, and omens of the future?

We do to. Very wise, very learned people, who helped invent to power-generating methods, the means of purifying and distributing water, the ones who track the storms to warn the sailers. All of them-- all around the world-- have been delivering dire warnings for years.

Burn too much of the Earth's blessings, and the Earth itself will be drawn into the fire. Beware of storms that will grow harsher, floodwaters that will rise higher, shrinking islands and eating away the coasts. Beware of how much you take, how much you burn, they warn! There will be fires, huge, uncontrollable wildfires-- not just occasionally, but frequently, until you mark the seasons by the smoke that blots out the sun, chokes the lungs, and turns the sky red!

Beware of summers that grow hotter, ever hotter, as the waters rise, and the fires burn, and the storms grow bigger, fiercer more powerful and dangerous, from the coals and oils, mined with blood, ripped from the earth without care for the future!

For years, these prophecies were ignored. The things brought by the burning were very useful, and certain people who had become extremely Rich and Powerful from the Mining and Burning, cared more for wealth and power than for herding prophecies of doom and destruction that may not even come true in their own lifetimes!

So, the learned people shared their dire warnings and prophecies with more people. And they worked to find solutions! Burning the riches from the earth was the first method of generating this power that they discovered, but it was not the ONLY way!

They found ways by which to harvest the power of the sun's light, and use it in the same way that the power from the burning coals and oils was used. They found means of harnessing the wind, and the flowing of rivers, to this end!

Every step of the way, every new method, was fought against by those who'd gained Money, Power, and Prestige from mining what was needed from the earth.

"What good is harvesting sunlight, when clouds come overhead, or when the night falls?" What good is power from the wind, when the skies are calm?" "The methods are unreliable and dangerous!"

"The dire prophecies are false! These are madmen, who say the wells can run dry, and mines will run out! We will always be able to drill more wells! We shall always be able to dig new mines, and tear more mountains apart to plunder their riches!"

.

In recent years, you know, the summers have been getting hotter-- hotter than anything in living memory; hotter than anything I. The records! Lately, the storms have been harsher. Snow, where there has never been snow before. Shorter, meaner winters. Fire becomes a season, and floodwaters threaten to swallow islands.

Things have been getting bad lately. Still, rich and powerful people try to deny what's happening. But by now, we can all see it happening. We can all see the prophecies coming true.

.

But anyway, that's the general situation with the magic lights and the wagons that move without a beast to pull them! Would you like some food? It'll just take a moment to heat up!

Oh-- look on the roof over there, on the coffee shop across the way, you can see some solar panels, used to harvest the sunlight, like I mentioned earlier! I've been seeing more of those around, lately.

Before we fix the time-portal thing, would you like to look around the yard? I've been thinking of starting a garden, or maybe planting some berry-bushes along the fence...

[sapphyreopal5]

Funny, more coincidences or signs if you will. I've been talking about Gen Padalecki being into witchcraft recently, made this post about it 5 days ago. I've been doing some research trying to find out if Jared gets sick more now after the wedding versus before but can't seem to find that video where Milo says this about him. However, I did come across this from a story about 12 facts about their wedding. "Snow dance for the gods", hmmm... make that of this what you will (more evidence she's into witchcraft, funny how this worked out for her wedding day, she's trying to be hip in saying "snow dance for the gods", or whatever) but if this isn't another thing pointing to more witchy habits... The original source for that 12 facts article with this quote is this Sun Valley Magazine article.

I also came across a Tumblr post with this screenshot below. Looking at how similar the last name Witcraft is to Witchcraft the guy Jared quoted in this one, it's curious timing this post came up when it did (March 20, 2024). I don't know if I somehow missed this story on his page as I started following him last summer or if it's an old screenshot someone decided to share or what but funny timing I say. It's also quite curious given it says 11m to imply 11 minutes ago this was put on his Instagram story. I posted before about the meaning of 11s with some relevant info for the Padaleckis marriage here back in September in response to a Bathroom Chronicles Episode 11 podcast Gen was on. Hmm....

This only showed up on my feed last night March 31, 2024 (Easter). I think it maybe old given the photo is old but point is, why show up now (on a divine level)? Seems like one of those funny timing things, as if a message is meant to get out now that is starting to coming out...

[bad-at-names-and-faces]

Lady in Waiting

ao3

ffn

chapter index

The sky was awake, the green and blue lights flickering and flowing across the sky. The air was mild, as neither the heat of the midday summer sun nor the cold blast of the winter winds ever reached this valley.  A soft moss covered nearly every surface.

Inga led Henry along by the hand after they dismounted their horses at the edge of the clearing. She knew the spot well.

“Where are we?” he asked as they headed further away from the path.

“I don’t want to wait for the council, and I don’t care, we’re going to get married right now.”

“Here?” Henry asked. “Wait… is this-”

The ground began to rumble, and the moss-covered rocks so familiar to Inga approached.

“Inga!” dozens of voices cried in unison. Henry looked around in a daze.

“We’re here to get married,” Inga declared.

“Where are your parents?” one of them asked.

“They… they’re busy,” Inga insisted. “It’s fine.”

That answer seemed acceptable to everyone, even to Henry, and somehow she didn’t feel surprised by this. She couldn’t remember actually leaving home, but she felt unbothered. 

Soon there was general commotion, and the ceremony was performed without delay.  Inga had heard so many descriptions of her parents’ own wedding, that the cloaks, the stone pit, the crowns of leaves, all of this felt entirely familiar.

The main ceremony was over, and Henry stood next to her. 

“Now what?” he asked.

“I don’t remember,” she admitted. “Nobody ever told me about what happens after the ceremony.”

They looked around, and the trolls were silently blinking.

“You know what to do next,” one hinted. “You know.”

A breeze rattled the open window, startling her awake. It was light, but still early morning, so early that the courtyard was nearly silent, and even the town didn’t seem to have any noise. She thought about her dream, wishing she were willing to be that bold. She couldn’t simply pick any wedding she wanted.  The council wouldn’t recognize just any wedding between royals, after all.  Perhaps her mother should have changed the law back, but that wouldn’t look right.  She and Henry would have to get permission from the council, and she had seen the council, that could take months. Perhaps she could threaten to go back to Corona with Henry and get married there, where she wouldn’t need permission once she was eighteen.

Inga stopped herself from thinking about eloping or any such thing. She looked out the window at the light streaming in. It was her birthday, she had almost forgotten.  She took a deep breath.  Today she was eighteen, but she felt the same, really.  She wasn’t sure if there was supposed to be anything different about how she felt today, though perhaps she would feel a little more different when she turned twenty one and officially came of age in Arendelle. She couldn’t be sure, but it would be rather strange to feel different just because of the official age when she was considered to be of age in a particular place.

The clock in the room chimed seven, and Inga was beginning to hear the work beginning in the courtyard outside, setting up for the party later that afternoon.  The mood of her dream was still lingering in her mind, and she didn’t really want to speak to anyone just yet.  She would have to sneak out the side door if she didn’t want to be asked any questions, but that would be easy enough to do. Perhaps she could even get out of town for an hour or two and just enjoy herself, though she really wanted to see Henry before the party to spend a little more time alone. At the party, everyone would be there, and unless she wanted to turn it into an engagement party and have even more questions and attention on herself, she would not be able to spend the entire party with him. 

She glanced at her wardrobe. Oline had hung two dresses on the door of her wardrobe, though Inga knew that Gerda had been the one to pick them out. They were both perfectly nice, and later she would need to decide on one. 

There were still several hours until she needed to prepare, so for now, she would get herself breakfast, like any other day. After hurrying down to the kitchen to grab a piece of pastry, she stood in front of the pantry shelves deciding whether to have coffee or tea this morning, when she heard the door open. She looked over and couldn't help but smile.

"Henry?" she blurted out in spite of herself. 

He stood at the door, looking happy but a little bit stunned. 

"Good morning," Inga greeted cheerfully. 

"Good morning, Inga," he smiled as she walked over to him. “I kept meaning to find you alone the last two mornings, and I kept failing.”

Inga stood next to him, and set down her pastry. “I know Elsa was there yesterday, but what about the day before?”

“Oh, I ran into your mother the other morning while I was looking for your room. I have no idea what she thought of me…”  he trailed off as he stood looking at her some more.

"Well?" she teased.

He picked up her hint and began kissing her. She forgot everything else for a moment. They were leaning against the door frame, and his kisses began to move to her neck again. She was breathing heavily, pulling herself closer to him, remembering the dream from the morning.  She heard a noise from the hallway.  “Stop,” she whispered, pushing him away a little.

She looked out the door, feeling a moment of panic as she saw someone passing by in the hallway. This spot was too public, or perhaps not public enough.  If there were more people around, she would behave.  But why was she even thinking like this? The last words from her dream echoed in her mind. 

“Do you want to go outside?” she looked at him very intently, and his eyes darted back into the kitchen. 

“I… I should get something to eat, as long as I’m here.” His voice sounded somewhat strained. Inga wasn’t sure why he seemed suddenly uncomfortable.  

“Of course,” Inga mumbled, looking at the pantry mindlessly as Henry went and grabbed a roll for himself.

“Inga?” Henry began, taking her hand, “I… we talked about some things a few days ago, but we haven’t settled anything.” 

“We haven’t?” she asked innocently, then realizing what she was saying, “no, of course not, but that would be a good idea.  You know, my mother promised to have a meeting with the council tomorrow, if, you know, we want to talk to them...”

“Oh, really?” Henry laughed, clearing his throat before going quiet.  “I mean, that’s good, of course! It’s just not what I meant…”

“What? You don’t have to-”  she stammered. He had kneeled down and was holding a small box.  She realized what he was doing, and was thankful they were alone.

“Princess Anna Idunna Ingeborg of Arendelle… will you marry me?”

“You know I already said yes!” she laughed, pulling him up to kiss him again. 

“I didn’t even open the box,” he groaned, opening it up. “Here!”

Inga looked down at the ring shining from its box, with fascinating green crystals surrounding it. “Beautiful,” was all she managed to say.

“You like it?”  he asked nervously.

“Of course I do,” she insisted, kissing him again after putting the ring on and admiring it a little.  

“I got it in Portugal,” he explained, “the man at the shop said the crystals came from a nearby mine.”

“It’s wonderful.  Your drawing of Lisbon was probably my favorite of the ones in your letters, though I like all of them.” She leaned into him and rested her head back. “I love your drawings, every one of them.”

“I forgot to tell you happy birthday, you know.”

“Oh!” she laughed, “I almost forgot. This was far more interesting.  The rest of the day will have a hard time keeping up, I think.”

***

Frederick awoke to knocking on his door and Anton yelling his name on the other side. 

“I can hear you!” Frederick shouted back, feeling slightly hoarse. “What is it?”

“You wanted us to practice one more time, so Peder and I are here!”

“Fine!” Frederick groaned, rolling out of bed and walking to the door. 

He opened it up a crack and Peder poked his head into the room.  “There you are!”

“So,” Anton continued, “are you coming or not?”

“I need to get dressed, you know. There are people milling around all over. I can’t exactly go to the ballroom looking like this.” 

“Why not?” Peder laughed.

 “Just give me a minute!” Frederick called out as he closed the door again, leaving his brothers in the hall. 

Frederick looked at himself in the mirror.  He could get properly cleaned up later, closer to the start of the party. Kai had reminded him a few days before that he’d be expected to wear his naval uniform. It wasn’t too bad, really.  He supposed eventually he’d have one of those dress uniforms with a ridiculous amount of decorations on it, but certainly not now.   

There were a few others who had been on the training voyage at the party here this evening, though Jorgensen was the one he really considered a friend.  He’d had lunch with them a day or two before.  Jorgensen was also selected for the academy in Corona, and they were going to be taking the entrance exam in a few weeks.   

“Fred!” 

“Coming!” he shouted back, stomping out the door.

His brothers grabbed his arms,almost dragging him to the ballroom. 

As much as Frederick had doubted his brothers’ ability to follow through with anything organized, he was happy to see that they had already tuned their violins with the piano.  That, at least, was a good start.

He set down his copy of the music, and looked at them standing there. 

“Where’s your music?” 

The twins looked at each other, then back at him. 

“We memorized it,” they said together. 

“Fine,” Frederick sighed. “I’ll be the judge of that.”  

***

“Anna?” a voice called from the other side of the door.

“Yes?” Anna mumbled, mostly asleep.

“It’s Dagmar, may I come in?”

“Oh, of course,” Anna replied. The young lady-in-waiting let herself in and immediately began to tidy up the dresses in Anna’s wardrobe.

“Happy birthday, by the way,” Dagmar added a few moments later. 

“It is, isn’t it?” Anna murmured, still groggy. She was eighteen now, much good it would do her.

Dagmar smiled and nodded, picking out two dresses for Anna to choose from. Dagmar was the daughter of her mother’s lady-in-waiting, and the pair were both nobility. But despite knowing Dagmar since was a girl, Anna never quite felt like they were really friends. Dagmar always acted as if there was something she wasn’t saying, and changed the subject very quickly sometimes, but of course everyone did that. Anna knew by now what things she wasn’t supposed to ask about, though it made it hard to feel truly close to anyone.

“I don’t suppose there will be any kind of party,” Anna sighed.

Dagmar walked over and sat on the edge of Anna’s bed. “Once you’re dressed, let’s go to the kitchen and have them make a cake for you!”

“I suppose that will have to do,” Anna smiled. She only had a vague memory of a real birthday party when she was very young, and there had been nothing the last year or two, not that she had felt like celebrating, anyway.  At least her sister’s coronation was happening soon. Perhaps things would change for the better.

***

Anna looked around the courtyard where her daughter Inga’s eighteenth birthday party was being set up.  Elsa was helping with some decorations, along with Kristoff.  The youngest children were running around as usual, and Frederick and the twins, Anton and Peder, were helping, or at least making the appearance of helping, whether or not they were doing anything useful at any particular moment. 

Kristoff came over to her, looking around at the courtyard’s transformation.  “I think it looks pretty good,” he said.  “You’re sure this is what she wants, though?”

“Well, it’s too late now, but I think she will enjoy it, no matter what,” Anna laughed looking up at him. 

Anna knew this wasn't really Inga's idea to have a party this big. In fact, Anna hadn't really intended to make the party this large, but now that they had invited people, everyone seemed to like the excuse of a large gathering. It had taken on a purpose of its own. 

In a way, it seemed like the appropriate thing for Anna to do for Inga, she was her oldest daughter, and while she always felt nagging in the back of her mind when someone referred to her as her oldest child, she was the oldest child she was allowed to acknowledge. And she was the oldest child of hers and Kristoff's. Nothing changed that.

Anna’s reverie was broken by Kristoff’s familiar hand resting on her shoulder.

“Have you actually seen Inga today?” He sounded almost worried rather than amused. “I thought I saw her going down to the kitchen this morning, but I haven’t seen her since.”

“I’m sure she’s taking it easy,” Anna dismissed.  She had seen Inga work on her own birthday party earlier in the summer, helping out Nanny when the younger children were starting to get restless. Inga deserved some time to herself.

“I knew I’d find you here!” Anna heard the familiar voice and turned around.

“Oh, Dagmar! I wasn’t sure you’d make it!” Anna leaned in for a hug.

“I think everyone was ready for some time in town,” the baroness smiled, then lowered her voice, “besides, from the way you phrased your letter, I thought I had better try to make a council meeting for once.”

“Thank you, but, let’s keep it quiet, of course, there’s nothing official quite yet.  Inga doesn’t really like having a big fuss, I guess.”

Dagmar looked around and the preparations. “And what is this, then?” 

Anna laughed. “Well, this was my idea that got a little out of hand. I’ll tell you more when we’re someplace more private.  In the meantime, is your whole family here? I don’t think I’ve seen Johanne since she was a child.”

“She’s sixteen now, but she’s already upstairs changing. She was talking about this all the way here. She never has enough dancing for her taste where we live.”

“And your husband?”  Anna asked.

“He’s around somewhere, I’m sure. There are some guards that he’s kept in touch with by letter, so I’m sure he’s found them by now. The boys were following him when we got here.”

Anna smiled. “And what about you?”

“Same as always, I suppose.  Is there anything you need help with here? I still feel the urge to help out after all these years.”

***

Kristoff looked around at the bustling preparations for the party.  He had helped with a few things, but the hired hands were quick, and he needed to find the boys to get the piano moved. He was starting to regret agreeing to help with that.  

Their children’s birthday parties were usually much simpler affairs.  This was the first one of them turning eighteen, of course.  The harder he tried not to think about Inga’s age, the more he ended up thinking about it too much.  She was eighteen now, the age Anna was when he’d met her.   

As his daughter got closer and closer to that age, he thought about everything that had happened to Anna then.  He wished he could protect Inga from anything bad ever happening, but she had to be able to live her own life.  Still, he kept his ears open.  He had heard a few men with titles or fortunes talk to him as if he was interested in bargaining about her. He never told Inga about them, and only said anything to Anna about the ones who had also talked to her. He did his best to be polite, which was difficult.

Inga seemed happy enough overall, and Kristoff certainly understood her desire to limit herself to family and a few close friends when she was able.  She did the public appearances and royal duties because that’s what she was raised to do, but she didn’t naturally take to it, not the way her mother seemed to. 

She was a very different person from her mother, and he had always heard people say that Inga took after him. He wasn’t entirely sure about that, but he let people say it. They usually judged on appearances, anyway, but he was starting to appreciate just how different her personality was, though. 

Kristoff looked over and saw Henry standing tentatively at the edge of the courtyard. He was about to walk over to speak to him, but then Frederick was already on his way over.

“Hey, Henry!  Do you want to help out?” Frederick called to Henry.

Henry stood looking around, obviously not intending to come out quite this early. “I’d be happy to help, what do you need?”

Kristoff eyed the young man intently.  He hadn’t really gotten to speak with him as much as he would have liked the last few days, and Ambassador Meyer had managed to find excuses to keep Prince Henry to himself the other nights. At any rate, the little Kristoff had managed to talk to the young man, he seemed nice enough. At least if his daughter was going to settle on someone foreign, it was nice she found someone who didn’t insist on speaking French.  He could speak and understand a bit of the language now, but it was still difficult.  Proper dinner etiquette might have been tricky to learn, but the forks didn’t start talking about him like he wasn’t there the minute he slipped up. 

***

Inga sat in front of the mirror in her bedroom.  Henry had walked with her as far as the top of the stairs, where they had decided it would be most proper if they waited until the party to meet again, taking several minutes to finally say their goodbyes.  

She looked at the ring on her finger, with the green sparkling crystals.  She turned so that the sun from the window would shine through, and there were green flecks of light on the wall opposite from her.  On the same wall was her wardrobe with the two dresses, and she still hadn’t decided which she would wear for her party.  One of the dresses was adorned with embroidery in the same green of her ring, and it was entirely too tempting to coordinate the two.  

Outside, Henry was helping her brothers with setting up, and guests would be arriving soon. Halima had come early to assist with the preparations, along with Meibel.  Inga spotted Kate and Edith in a corner working on something insignificant. Inga realized if they saw the ring they would fawn all over her, and she wasn’t ready for that, especially not before she and Henry had a chance to speak privately with her parents.

Inga found a simple gold chain in her dresser, attaching the ring. It went very nicely with the dress she had picked.  Gerda had been wise enough to pick dresses that Inga could just possibly manage on her own, and she had no trouble getting the dress on.  The ring stayed just under the collar, which was exactly to her liking, and she could show it to Henry easily enough. Even though the idea of keeping this a secret, at least for the party, was more about Inga not wanting the extra attention, there was something exciting about having a secret between just the two of them.

She saw her mother first as she stepped outside.  

“Hello,” Inga called out as she stepped into the bright sunlight, squinting a little bit.

“Oh, good, Inga!” Her mother waved cheerfully.  “Your father was wondering where you were, but he’s off helping your brothers right now.”

“Well, here I am,” Inga replied, almost feeling like she was already the center of attention, rather than standing in a corner of the courtyard talking to her own mother.

“The band is warming up,” her mother informed her. “and Frederick was talking to them, so I hope they’ll be playing things you enjoy.”

“I think I can trust Frederick to select the music,” Inga laughed, then looked around. “Where is… I mean… When are the guests arriving?”

“They’ll be here soon enough. A few people we know are already here, of course.”

“Johanne?” a woman called from behind them. “Oh! Anna, I’m sorry! And this must be Inga?”

“Hello, again!” her mother said to the woman. “Inga, do you remember Baroness Dagmar?”

“I know I’ve heard about you,” Inga smiled. “I think I was very young when I last saw you.”

“It’s very nice to see you again, Inga,” the woman replied. “It’s funny, you looked exactly like my daughter from behind. That seems to be a very popular dress this summer!”

“Oh?” Inga asked. 

“It’s your day, I can send Johanne up to change if you’d like.”

“No, no, please don’t!” Inga insisted. “Besides, I’ll have an easier time recognizing her in the crowd this way.”

The Baroness let out a giggle. “Well, I should go find my daughter. We’ll be seeing you around.”

Inga waved, and her mother made some indistinct greeting.

Remembering that her mother had mentioned that her father was helping her brother with something, she glanced around but couldn’t find them. “Where is Father?” 

“He went off with your brothers somewhere,” her mother replied. After a beat, she looked at Inga knowingly. “And Henry is with them, too.”

“Oh, um, yes,” Inga mumbled, swallowing, suddenly feeling anxious again, though it must be a good sign if he was with her father and brothers.

“Don’t worry, Inga,” her mother reassured her, “there aren’t that many people here.  Most of the nobles from the provinces showed up, and a few foreign princes besides. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the guest list, most of the countries we sent invitations to just had their ambassadors send their best wishes to you, and most of the rest are looking for an opportunity to speak to me without having to formally arrange a meeting.”

Inga laughed. “You’d think they would want a chance to have their sons meet the accomplished and well read princess of Arendelle.”

“Well, yes, there are more than a few here for that, from what your father has gathered.” 

“I’m sure they’ll be disappointed,” Inga demurred. 

“Are you going to announce something tonight, then?” her mother asked, sounding some combination of hopeful and surprised.

“That’s not… not what I meant, I mean…”

“Look, Inga,” her mother said, pressing her hands, “I won’t pressure you, but the council members are nearly all here for the week, well beyond a quorum… if you do want any decisions, we will need to know.”

“Oh, right. Of course.”  Inga felt warm, and not from the summer sun.

“Well, you look very nice today,” her mother said after a moment, “did Gerda help you?”

“She picked the dress,” Inga told her, “or, well, she picked two dresses for me to pick from, and I chose this one.  I hope my hair is fine, I couldn’t see the back.”

“It looks very nice, you did a good job,” her mother smiled. 

"So, I look fine?" Inga asked.

“Of course you do!” Her mother gave her a hug.  “Look, the band just started!”