#the more i draw these dresses the easier it becomes

[doctorpotatomd]

this is gonna sound like redpill/PUA nonsense, but, I think there's some truth to the idea that straight women are attracted to jerks because being a jerk demonstrates that you're "high value" enough that you can get away with being a jerk. Like, pretty much everyone agrees that confidence is almost universally attractive, right? And stinky steve's jerkiness looks close enough to confidence that it hits the same buttons

I also think that a lot of straight women aren't really dating their boyfriends, they're more dating a constructed ideal of a Boyfriend that they project onto their partner. And I think this hits it on two fronts, like first they've got ideas about what Boyfriends are like, and that cultural idea they pick up from their friends and family members and the media is very stinky steve. Like, when you made this post you were drawing the archetype from the same place that they are. And so when stinky steve does stinky steve things, it's sorta Right, because that's what Boyfriends are like. Your other post about not doing the dishes, that almost becomes an attractive trait because everyone knows that Boyfriends don't do the dishes, so if he doesn't do the dishes he's more like a Boyfriend, y'know? And to fill the role of a Girlfriend she has to try and train him out of it because that's what she's supposed to do. Something like that. Humans are kinda hardwired to help other humans, and I think "I can fix him", like, combines that helping/caregiving drive with the attraction to confidence/jerkiness.

And the other way I think the projected Boyfriend works in stinky steve's favour is that stinky steve has no real personality, so it's easier to project the Boyfriend onto him. And negative jerky aspects of his personality get kind of compartmentalised as more things she's supposed to train him out of, as do some neutral and positive things that don't fit the ideal (how many times have you seen a, like, reddit AITA or whatever where the guy's been clear and consistent about something like not wanting kids for the entirety of a long-term relationship, and the girl's gone off the rails because she thought he'd "grow out of it" or something like that?)

And the attractiveness of the billionaire or the vampire isn't that different imo. Christian Grey and Edward Cullen are both stinky steve in many ways, the billionaire/vampire stuff is mostly just dressing.

Last thought: another PUA/redpill thing so take with a grain of salt, but I always thought the idea of the "emotional rollercoaster" had some truth to it. Just feeling happy and secure all the time is kinda boring, so the PUA idea is that to make yourself interesting and attractive to a woman you should make her feel a whole spectrum of emotions. Like how you might wanna watch a horror film one day, a romantic comedy the next, and a tragic coming-of-age movie where the kid's friend fucking drowns 30 minutes in on the third. Stinky steve's jerkiness sometimes makes the girl feel bad sometimes, but that almost makes him more attractive because it creates light and shade in the relationship. That's why 50 shades did so well tbh (apart from being a mainstream novel that overtly features bondage), it's a poorly written book but Grey's characterisation is very strong, and he rockets between "obsessive predator", "poor tortured soul", "emotionally unavailable", and "abusive slaveowner" so fast it makes your head spin. The book is actually quite engaging if you can get past the clunky prose and suspend your disbelief a bit.

So I don't exactly have experience dating like Normal Straight Girls but like, ok. There's the stereotype that they often go for douchebags, right? And I get that this is a stereotype but also I think both gay men and lesbians are often horny for douchebags and straight men seem to have their own sorts of ill-advised attractions so. A priori I doubt there's nothing to this, it just seems like a human tendency.

But what I want to understand, what I actually don't get, is the specific appeal of the douchy straight guy. Like. Pill me. Make me, uh, make me understand what is hot about, you know, you know the type, that type of douchy straight guy. Not like the billionaire or the brooding vampire or whatever. Like. Scraggly beard possibly unemployed steve who uh thinks he's really cool and refuses to text you more than once a day on the grounds that that would be gay. You know this type of guy.

[sleepy-aletheas]

*puts my favorite men into dresses* my sleep deprivation is suddenly bearable ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

[christopher-bangnaldoskzz]

PDA

Pairing: Chan x female Reader

Word Count: 3k

Warning; 18 + MDNI, Fingering, Swearing there is a tone of adult content in this fic please be cautious

READ WITH CAUTION !!!

Summary: Loving Chan was supposed to be the easier thing, but living with him has proven to be anything but easy. When losing you becomes too much, he takes drastic action to keep you as close as possible.

The sound of the front door creaking open jolts you from your swirling thoughts. You glance at the clock on the wall, and a frown forms on your lips; he’s an hour late, and the little hands of fate seem to conspire against you. As you meticulously fasten your shimmering earrings, you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the mirror, the frustration evident in your eyes. With an exasperated roll of your eyes, you instinctively tug at the hem of your dress, wishing you’d chosen something more comfortable after such a long wait. 

“Baby are you ready?” he calls out from the living room, his voice cheerful and carefree, as if he has been lounging there all along. His casual tone ignites a spark of annoyance within you. How dare he ask such a simple question after leaving you to wait? You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for the exchange that is bound to follow. The nerve of him to act as if nothing is amiss while you’ve been left in a whirlwind of anticipation and irritation.

“I’ve been ready for an hour,” you call back, your voice echoing softly in the spacious room, filled with the rich scent of lavender from a nearby candle. You can feel his gaze lingering on you, an intense warmth that sends a delightful shiver down your spine. As he strides into the bedroom, his confident presence dominates the space, making the air feel charged with excitement. He leans casually against the doorframe, the muscles in his arms subtly flexing, and a playful smirk curls at the corners of his lips, hinting at something unspoken. The late evening moon filters through the sheer curtains, bathing the room in a soft glow that highlights the details of your outfit—a delicate fabric that drapes elegantly across your figure. You catch his eyes as they roam over you, lingering on every detail with a mix of admiration and intrigue, and a rush of anticipation floods through you, leaving you breathless. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” you say, your voice sharp as you pivot away from him. Feeling the fabric of your dress cling to your skin, you slip into your heels. Hearing the satisfying click of the shoes against the polished floor, reverberating in the stillness of the room like a warning bell, you slip into your heels.

“Like what?” he counters, amusement flickering in his eyes as a chuckle escapes his lips. Yet, beneath that light-hearted tone, there’s an unmistakable note of confusion, as if he’s struggling to understand the unspoken tension building between you.

“Don’t even try to deflect,” you say, your frustration bubbling. The intensity of your tone cuts through the light atmosphere, and you feel your heart race with anger. “I’m really mad at you. It’s been a whole month, Chris.” 

As your words linger in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions, you watch his expression shift. The playful glimmer that usually dances in his eyes begins to fade, replaced by a look of realisation that deepens the tension between you. It’s as if the jovial mask he wore so quickly has slipped away, revealing the seriousness of the moment. He seems to understand the weight of your disappointment, and the change in his demeanour only fuels your frustration further.

You watch as he draws in a deep, shuddering breath, his throat constricting slightly as he swallows hard, the action clearly challenging him as he fights to keep his emotions in check. His eyes now shimmer with a poignant blend of regret and steadfast resolve. When he finally finds his voice, it is tinged with vulnerability. “I’m so sorry,” he begins, the sincerity in his tone slicing through the tension in the air. “I realise I’ve been working so many hours lately… it’s completely consumed me.” He pauses, his brow furrowing slightly as he searches for the right words. “But I want you to know that I’m here with you now.” There’s a moment of silence as he steadies his voice, which wavers just enough to hint at the emotional burden he’s carrying. It’s clear that, beneath his earnest words, he is battling to regain the focus and presence required to truly connect in this moment, putting aside everything else that has been weighing on him.

“Let’s just go and get this over with,” you assert with a firm resolve, your voice steady despite the swirling emotions inside you. As you gently brush past him, you stride confidently into the living room, where the heavy air feels almost suffocating with unspoken tension. Your mind races, but you strive to maintain your focus on what needs to be addressed.

His hand finds its way to the small of your back, a subtle yet intimate gesture that sends an unexpected shiver down your spine. It’s a touch that speaks volumes, stirring a mix of feelings within you that you can hardly articulate.

“My love, please,” he murmurs softly, his breath warm and intimate against your ear as he leans in closer, creating a bubble of warmth around the two of you. The familiar scent of his cologne wraps around you like a comforting embrace, mingling with the coolness of the evening air. The gentle lilt of his voice adds an almost soothing quality, contrasting sharply with the charged atmosphere that crackles between you.

“Can we just have a date night? I don’t want to fight with you tonight,” he pleads, his eyes holding a depth of sincerity that draws you in. His earnest gaze captures your attention fully, and for a fleeting moment, you notice the fatigue etched in his features—a tiredness that hints at deeper struggles. A longing flickers in his eyes like a fragile candle flame, illuminating his silent plea for connection and intimacy amid the storm of emotions swirling around you, as if he’s reaching out, hoping to bridge the gap that has formed between you.

“Let’s just go,” you reply, your voice steady yet soft, a sense of determination underlying your words. As you pick up your bag from the polished kitchen bench, the cool, smooth surface feels refreshing against your fingertips, a stark contrast to the warmth of the moment.

His gaze lingers on you, and he smiles slightly. “I must say, your dress is absolutely stunning tonight,” he remarks, his voice low and appreciative. As his hand glides along your back, the gentle brush of his fingers ignites a rush of warmth that travels like electricity down your spine. The fabric of your dress shimmers softly under the kitchen lights, reflecting a myriad of colours that harmonise with the energy of the evening.

It was no mere coincidence that you selected the enchanting black Chanel dress for the evening. The deep V neckline elegantly drew the eye along the delicate curve of your back, gracefully highlighting the gentle arch that culminated at the small of your waist. The carefully crafted silhouette balanced a sense of audacity with refined sophistication, embodying a captivating allure that you wore with confidence.

As you stepped out of your shared apartment building, the cool night air enveloped you like a whispered promise, brushing softly against your skin. Chan rested his warm hand gently on the small of your back, a gesture both reassuring and grounding amid the vibrant hustle of the city nightlife. His presence radiated calmness, a striking contrast to the excitement bustling around you.

With a charming smile that lit up his face, he made his way around to the passenger side of his car, his movements deliberate and graceful. He paused, taking a moment to appreciate the way the fabric of your dress caught the fading light. As he opened the door for you, his eyes flickered with admiration. He leaned in slightly, expertly tucking in the hem of your Chanel dress with a tender touch, ensuring that it cascaded down perfectly and that every detail was immaculate. 

With a soft click, he closed the door, sealing you inside the comfort of the leather interior, where the inviting aroma of aged, tanned leather mingled with a hint of his cologne, creating an intimate cocoon against the lively backdrop of the city. The world outside buzzed with energy, but inside this moment, there was a serene connection between you and Chan, an unspoken understanding that tonight was special.

As you navigate the vibrant streets of Seoul, the neon lights flicker and dance off the sleek glass buildings that tower above, casting a warm glow on the bustling city below. A sense of belonging washes over you as if the city’s essence resonates with your soul. Beside you, Chan occasionally sneaks a glance your way, a soft smile on his lips. His hand rests gently on your thigh, reassuring as he expertly steers through the lively traffic, the city’s rhythm pulsing in sync with your heart.

As you finally arrive at the restaurant, the valet swings open your car door, offering a courteous gesture. Taking a deep breath, you step out and see Chan waiting just a few paces away. He extends his hand toward you, a hopeful look on his face. Still, the anger inside you overrides any desire for civility. With a determined stride, you bypass him completely, ignoring the outstretched hand, and push open the heavy wooden door of the restaurant, your heart racing with frustration.

As you enter the dimly lit restaurant, the waiter approaches with a warm smile, ready to escort you to your table. Just then, you feel the familiar warmth of Chan’s hand resting gently on your back, a subtle yet electric gesture that sends a thrill through you. He leans in closer, his breath brushing against your ear as he murmurs, “Two can play this game, y/n,” his voice laced with playful challenge. The waiter turns to lead you toward your private room. 

The waiter gracefully approached your table, gently pulling out your chair and tucking you in courteously as you settled into the cushioned seat. A moment later, Chan slid into the chair beside you, offering a nod of acknowledgment to the waiter. “Please take your time to get comfortable, sir,” he said invitingly, gesturing toward an elegant ashtray resting on the polished surface. “It’s available should you or your wife decide to indulge.” He exited the room quietly, leaving you in a cosy, relaxed ambience.

“Wife?” you ask, glancing at Chan, who has leaned in closer, his gaze sweeping over your body. There’s a hunger in his eyes, a primal desire that makes you feel like the main course laid out before him, tantalising and irresistible.

With a playful grin, he replies, “Hopefully… one day,” before casually retrieving a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. The smooth motion of his hand draws your attention, and you can’t help but notice the confidence in his demeanour.

“Did you want one, baby?” he offers, extending the packet toward you as if presenting a gift. It’s a gesture that annoys and charms you; he always seems to know just the right thing to say, even when you’re wrapped in a whirlwind of anger towards him. The sweetness of his tone feels like a double-edged sword, cutting through your frustration while simultaneously intensifying it. You wonder how he can remain unruffled when you’re fuming inside, and it gets under your skin.

“We need to talk,” you say, taking a deep breath as you turn to face him. Chan takes a moment to light his cigarette, the soft flicker of the flame illuminating his face for just a second before he finally meets your gaze.

“I know I’ve messed up, Y/n…” His voice is laced with regret as he runs a hand through his hair, his eyes searching yours. “I’ve been so absorbed in my work that we haven’t even seen each other in a month.” He places his hand on your thigh, his touch warm yet failing to offer the comfort you desperately crave.

“Chris, we live in the same house and sleep in the same bed,” you respond, your voice trembling with frustration and hurt. “If I had known that moving in with you would feel like this, I would have never sold my apartment. I was happier living alone; I felt less lonely, at least then.” The words spill from your lips, each a heavy reminder of the isolation wrapped around you like a suffocating blanket. “Do you understand just how lonely this has become for me?” You finally exhale, the weight of your confession hanging between you.

“I’m truly sorry; I should have been right here with you,” he murmured, his tone filled with sincerity. “Nothing else should have come between us.” His hand brushed against your thigh, a warm and tantalising touch that sent a shiver racing through your body, stirring something deep within.

You reached out, taking the cigarette from his fingers, the tension crackling between you. Drawing in the smoke, you leaned in closer, your lips almost brushing against his. As you exhaled the smoke into his mouth, it felt like a moment suspended in time, the closest you’d been to him in what felt like an eternity.

With a gentle urgency, your lips meet his in a tantalising kiss that ignites a spark of desire, leaving you yearning for even more. Suddenly, the waiter steps into the room, breaking the moment and prompting Chan to pull away. “Could you give us about ten minutes, please?” he asks, glancing meaningfully at the waiter. The waiter nods in understanding and quietly closes the door behind him, enveloping the two of you in a sweet, charged silence.

Chan gently slides his chair back, his warm smile inviting you closer. He reaches out, intertwining his fingers with yours, his touch soft yet reassuring. “Come sit,” he encourages, his eyes sparkling with a playful light as he gestures for you to settle onto his lap, creating an intimate space for you.

You rise from your seat, your heart racing wildly, each thump echoing the intense craving deep within you that can only be quenched by his presence. As you move closer, he grips the soft fabric of your thighs, his fingers trailing leisurely up your back, guiding you to settle onto his lap. The warmth of his body radiates against yours, igniting every nerve in your being. You wrap your arms around the back of his neck, feeling his strength and warmth as you tilt your chin upwards, allowing your eyes to lock onto his. The world around you fades, leaving only the electric connection that pulses in the air between you.

“We have 10 minutes before he comes back”, Chan smirks as your rest your core against his hard member; you place another kiss on his lips as his hands slide down your body, resting on your ass and pulling you closer to him. 

“You really want to do this here?” you ask, your breath coming in quick, uneven gasps. Your forehead rests against his, the warmth of his skin mingling with yours as the air around you feels charged with tension. Your eyes lock, searching for a hint of hesitation, your heart racing in the silence that surrounds you.

He brushes your lips once more before pulling away. “I will always take care of you,” his thumb brushing against your ass before squeezing. “Anywhere”, his lip brushed against your neck. “Anytime”, he licks up your neck, kissing along your jawline. 

A small moan escapes your lips as you open your neck up to him; he begins to kiss down your collarbone, moving down to between your breasts. Slowly licking upwards before placing a kiss on each breast.

With an earnest expression, he gazes up at you, his eyes searching for affirmation. “We can go ahead and sort this out here… or I can drive you home,” he pleads, the weight of his words hanging in the air as he waits for your decision.

Leaning down, you capture his mouth with yours, opening your mouth just enough, allowing Chan’s tongue to slip inside; another moan escapes your lips as Chan’s hand wanders down, slowly sliding up your dress. His fingertips brush against your smooth, soft skin as he attempts to keep himself from exploring more. Slowly, he uses his middle finger to draw circles along your inner thigh, causing your body to heat up with the anticipation of his touch. 

“Here it is,” he breathes softly, his words barely more than a whisper. You can feel the rapid thump of his heart against his ribcage as if it’s trying to break free from the confines of his chest.

His hand glides further up your leg, his fingers teasing the line of your panties. You gasp as his middle finger begins to trace and tease your entrance. 

“Fuck”, your breathing begins to pick up as the pleasure rises inside your body. 

You moan as Chan’s finger pushes into your core “God” you begin to grind as his thumb begins to work your clit. 

“Shhhh, baby. We only have 5 minutes. How about I finish you off here, and then we can continue once we get home?” His grin takes over, and you nod your head in agreement. 

“I have a month’s worth of orgasms to give you” he silences your moans with his lips as his thumb works on circling your clit. 

“Oh please”, you call, trying your hardest to muffle your moans. The orgasm ripples through your body, causing your body to jolt from pure pent-up pleasure. 

“Good girl”, Chan praises as his watch alarm begins to sing. 

“Times up”, he growls as his finger slides out from your core, causing an overwhelming sense of emptiness. 

A moment later, there was a polite knock at the door that hinted at anticipation. “Just a second!” Chan called out, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet room as he rushed you to get off his lap.

As you settle back into your chair, Chan delicately adjusts the fabric of your dress, smoothing out any wrinkles with careful precision. Just at that moment, the waiter glides into the room, carrying a tray with an air of professionalism, catching you off guard as you take your seat.

“Are you ready to place your order?” the waiter asks with a warm smile, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as he stands at the edge of the table, ready to capture your choices for the evening. The soft glow of the restaurant’s ambient lighting reflects off his neatly pressed shirt, adding to the inviting atmosphere.

Taglist: @daceydeath @krishastumblernow @armystay89 @bakedlilgoonie @cakeracha

[novaursa]

Good evening love

I was thinking about that last night!

When Daemon and Rhaenyra goes to brothel they sleep together and obviously she’s pregnant and coz it’s just before her wedding (we will says it just before) everyone thing it’s Leanor.

She gave birth to a little girl all Targaryen looks. They’re was always some rumors but since she looks like every targ it’s easier for her. Harwin played dad role for her and she’s really protective of her brother.

more time passed and everyone can clearly see that she looked exactly like daemon physically and mentally.

And it’s finally during the funeral of her aunt, Daemon see her and he understand that she is his. She’s everything he want and have a special bound with her (first child, heir of the throne, powerful dragon)

Fire in Her Veins

- Summary: During Laena’s funeral, Daemon recognizes you as his own blood. 

- Pairing: (daughter) targ!reader/(father) Daemon Targaryen (platonic)

- Note: The reader is the firstborn child and only daughter of Rhaenyra Targaryen. The reader is also bonded to Vermithor.

- Rating: Mild 13+

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff

The sea air on Driftmark is filled with salt and sorrow, the crashing waves of the Narrow Sea providing a mournful backdrop to the solemn gathering. You stand with your brothers on the stone cliffs of the island, your hands clasped tightly together in front of you as the funeral procession moves solemnly forward. Lady Laena’s casket is adorned with pearls and driftwood, her body wrapped in the traditional Velaryon colors, and you can feel the weight of your family’s grief pressing heavily upon your shoulders.

The mood is somber, the sky above gray and heavy, as if even the gods mourn the loss of Laena Velaryon. The Velaryon banners flap in the wind, and from where you stand, you see the faces of the royal family—Alicent and her children, all clustered together, keeping their distance from you and your brothers. Their green dresses stand out like bright flames against the dark ocean and black mourning attire. 

You feel a familiar pang of protectiveness as you glance toward your brothers, who are standing just to your right, their small faces grim and pale. You notice how Jacaerys keeps his head down, avoiding the stern gazes from across the gathering. You recognize the unspoken tension between the two halves of the family, an invisible line that divides you all.

Behind you, you hear the murmurs of the court, soft whispers that seem to follow you wherever you go. They speak of many things—the death of Lady Laena, the grief of her husband Daemon, and the unspoken truth that seems to hang in the air around you. The truth of who you are. 

"She looks more like him every day," you overhear a noblewoman whisper, though she thinks she is being quiet enough to go unnoticed.

And you know who they mean. Not Laenor Velaryon, who raised you as his own. Not Harwin Strong, who shielded you when you were small, his fierce protectiveness marking him as a father figure in your life. But Daemon.

Your eyes, so like his—stormy, burning with fire—scan the crowd until they land on him.

Daemon Targaryen stands just beyond the gathering of mourners, his face half-hidden beneath his hood, his silver hair blowing in the wind. There is something wild about him, something untamed, as though he belongs to the sea and the sky more than he belongs to the earth. He looks broken today, mourning his wife, but in his eyes there is a flicker of something as he catches your gaze—recognition, perhaps.

Your heart beats harder, and you lift your chin, a Targaryen through and through. You are not afraid to meet his gaze. In fact, there’s something in you that draws you closer to him, though your feet remain rooted to the ground.

Daemon's eyes narrow, the brief glint of recognition becoming a full realization. His mouth parts slightly as if he is going to speak, but no words come out. You see the flicker of memory in his gaze, a moment that stretches back to the night you were conceived—the night Rhaenyra escaped into the shadows of King's Landing, into his arms, if only for a single stolen moment.

The likeness between the two of you is undeniable, your shared features as plain as day to anyone who cared to look closely. Your high cheekbones, the curve of your lips, the storm in your gaze. And there is something more than just the physical—an energy, a fierceness that burns in you as much as it does in him.

"Y/N," Daemon murmurs your name under his breath as he steps forward, moving as though drawn to you by some unseen force.

You do not step back. You hold your ground, standing taller, your spine straight. You are not the little girl who needed protection anymore. You are Rhaenyra’s daughter, the rider of Vermithor, a dragon like no other. 

Your brothers shift uncomfortably beside you as Daemon approaches, and you gently place a hand on Jacaerys’ shoulder, a silent reassurance that you will protect them. They are yours, just as much as you are theirs, and no one, not even Daemon, can change that.

“Do you remember me?” Daemon’s voice is low, so low that only you can hear it. His eyes never leave yours.

Your lips part, but words fail you for a moment. You do remember him through your memory as he was a ghost—and the stories your mother told you, the truths she revealed as you grew older. You remember the fire that courses through your veins, the unyielding bond with your dragon, the instincts that set you apart. It all comes from him.

"How could I not?" you reply, your voice steady, even though inside you feel like a storm is brewing.

Daemon’s lips twitch, but it’s not a smile—it’s something darker, something more conflicted. He glances toward your mother, Rhaenyra, who stands a little ways off, her eyes firmly fixed on Laena’s casket. There is a tension between them as well, a history that lingers in the air, unspoken but understood.

“You look like her,” Daemon says quietly, but his eyes say otherwise. He knows you look like him. 

You tilt your head slightly, studying him. You have always heard the whispers, the stories, but standing before him now, there is something more intimate in the way he observes you. He is seeing himself in you, recognizing the dragon fire in your blood, the legacy of your shared heritage.

“I look like myself,” you correct, your tone sharper now. “I am my mother’s daughter.”

“And mine,” Daemon replies, his voice a murmur carried by the wind.

You hold his gaze, your heart thudding in your chest, but you do not back down. For years, you had wondered what it would be like to stand face to face with the man whose blood flows in your veins. Now that you are here, you find that you do not need his acknowledgment. You do not need his approval.

You are who you are, no matter who claims you.

"I didn’t need you before," you say, your voice low but firm. "I don’t need you now."

The wind blows harder, carrying your words with it, and Daemon stares at you for a long moment before he nods, almost imperceptibly. There is something in his eyes now—perhaps regret, perhaps something else entirely.

"You are strong," he finally says, his voice barely above a whisper. "That much is clear."

You nod, not offering him anything more, and you turn away, your brothers following you as you lead them away from the cliff’s edge and back toward the safety of your family. The tension in your shoulders slowly fades as you walk away from Daemon, though you can still feel his eyes on your back, watching you as you go.

As the sea crashes against the rocks below, you feel a sense of finality, but also a strange kind of peace. You are your mother’s daughter. You are bonded to a dragon as mighty as Vermithor. You do not need anyone to tell you who you are.

And yet, you cannot help but wonder what it might mean to carry the fire of both Rhaenyra and Daemon, to have the blood of two dragons raging inside of you.

[houseofceline]

My Pretty Girl - T.N.

Starry Eyes

Pairing: Ravenclaw and sort of ditzy but talented Reader x Slytherin notorious playboy Theodore Nott

Warnings: None (yet ;))

“Starry eyes

What can I do for your attention.”

Summary: Theodore’s late to class but Snape blessed him with the opportunity of sitting next to a cute Ravenclaw who’s no help at all.

1 >

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

Clockwise or counterclockwise? 

You honestly didn’t even know anymore. No matter how many hours you spent on reading the thick potions textbook or wasting bottles after bottles of ink on notes you still barely passed the class. 

You were starting to get a headache from trying to picture the text in your head. Everything was starting to become foggy. You sat down, defeated, and began doodling on the parchment instead of writing detailed instructions on how to make the stupid potion. So much for a Ravenclaw. 

Hmm off shoulder or puffed sleeves?

 You bit your lip trying to decide which option would look better on the dress you sketched out. The classroom was calming with little chattering among your classmates in the back allowing you to work easier. You could never work or do anything in silence, it drove you crazy. 

Suddenly the door slammed open causing you to jump a bit in your seat. 

“Nice of you to join us Mr. Nott, although your presence was expected half an hour ago,” Snape drawled out in his infamous monotone voice. 

“Sorry I overslept,” he shrugged while adjusting his tie. Some students who were listening in laughed. With his messed up tie and ‘burn marks’ on his neck, it was clear that he was definitely doing more than just sleeping. 

Snape nodded and pointed at the empty seat next to you, not surprising anyone that he didn’t take away any house points from his house. 

Theodore eyed you as he walked towards your table. He would’ve preferred sitting with his house, but he could never pass up the chance to sit next to a pretty girl. White blouse with a lace neckline and sleeves, black plaid skirt, Ravenclaw tie, black sleek hair, and a white headband. You didn’t fit into the usual type of girls he went for, but you were cute. 

Theodore took the seat next to you before tapping on your shoulder. 

You turned to him and almost jumped when you found his eyes on you. Gorgeous blueish grayish eyes. 

So pretty, this might be my new favorite color. 

“So uh,” Theo cleared his throat ignoring the fact that he swore he just saw your eyes sparkle, “what are we doing?” 

You blinked. Under the pressure of a somewhat attractive boy it made your memory much worse. 

“Umm, we’re brewing a potion and writing?” 

You had hoped that didn’t come out as a question and hoped that he’d just nod and ask someone else. 

Theodore raised an eyebrow and glanced at your blue tie again. 

“Which potion exactly?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at you as if you were lying to him. 

“Antidote to potions. Wait, no poisons. The common one. Wait, maybe the uncommon ones. Well I don’t think there’s a big difference. I mean, shouldn’t the uncommon ones be stronger and still fix the common ones?” You rambled on, looking off to the side lost in your own thoughts. 

Theodore blinked. The sorting hat rarely makes errors, maybe you were high but then again Lovegood’s also a Ravenclaw. The looney population in Ravenclaw must be high. 

“Why can’t they just make a super strong potion that fixes every poison? That’d make our jobs easier and we wouldn’t have to memorize so many potions,” you giggled as you turned back to your sketches. 

Theodore looked over your shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of your paper but instead your sketches caught his eye. You may be no help in potions, but you sure can draw. 

“Are you going to make that?” He asked while you squirmed at the close proximity of his face to yours. 

“Yes,” you mumbled shyly, scared of the criticism that might follow. You loved designing and fashion. It was one of the only things that came naturally to you, but coming from a family of doctors you were vulnerable to criticism for not following in their path. 

“Cute,” he said before his eyes found your potions paper. 

Common poisons. Theodore noticed that you only had half the page completed and chuckled. 

He got up towards the ingredients cabinet and grabbed his ingredients and the ones you were missing. 

Potions came easy to him. Not only did the teacher bias his house, but his mother was a skilled potions maker as well. Matter of fact her entire side of the family were. He had spent most of his summers in his manor reading journals of potion experiments and advanced information that weren’t even in his school textbooks. 

He quickly prepared his ingredients and started on his potion while continuing yours on the side. Luckily you were both in the back and Snape couldn’t catch him. He wrote down his notes and instructions making a mental note to tell you to copy them down later. You’d need it. 

Maybe he was also placed in the wrong house. Today, Hufflepuff seemed more fitting. You were lucky that you’re cute. 

[bitchface24-7]

Oops my hand slipped and I’m back again (for the 3rd day in a row (I think I have a problem))

So following the trend of me seeing too many fanfics of smthn I don’t vibe with, I’ve noticed that a lot of Jayce and/or Viktor x reader fics have the reader as a scientist (makes sense writing-wise, provides a lot of opportunity for characters to interact and bond)

Problem is, I am dogshit at science. I was good at most subjects in high school, but science? Nearly failed. I was good at math and word problems too which made it even more confusing to me but it is what it is ig. So I was hoping for another JayVik x reader where this time, the reader is an artist

Now I primarily draw OCs and people (usually digital or w/ marker) so I’d like smthn leaning towards that but frankly you can do whatever

I just think it’s be funny if, while Jayce n Viktor do their cool nerd shit, the reader is fully unhelpful and doodling in their sketchbook. Quality time except I’m drawing sexualized men (gender equality) and my hot boyfriends are solving global trade or whatever

(Mayhaps also drawing them for studies and anatomy practice and showing them because I like forcing ppl to look at my art >:)) )

Again, take as long as you need to write this, hope you’re doing good :))

MY MUSES - JAYVIK X READER

synopsis: after escaping Noxus with your best friend Mel, you've cherished the peace of Piltover compared to the wartime of Noxus. You were able to flourish in the city of progress with your artistry. It was the way you and Mel found solace in your old home. Now, you've been commissioned by the council to paint a portrait of the Hextech duo.

warnings: talks of wartime, insecurities, awkward talk, becoming friends with J + V, anatomy practice, complimenting your two boys, fluff, Grammarly is my beta

genre: m/m/f or m/m/m

p.s. I understand your frustration, even I've fallen into “make reader a scientist to make life a little easier.” I hope y'all enjoy artist reader!

You're painting in your studio at the Academy when the door is opened, and you smell the delicious fragrance of vanilla, cardamom, and sandalwood, it’s Mel.

You put your paintbrush down and turn to look at your best friend, a smile beaming on your face. You get up and go for a hug before stopping yourself, your clothes are stained with paint and you don’t want to ruin Mel’s pretty white dress.

She fondly rolls her eyes and pulls you into a hug anyway. Mel’s not a very touchy person. It was seen as a weakness is Noxus. She’s only really touchy with you, you’ve been her friend for as long as you can remember. She wholeheartedly trusts you.

And you know how rare that is.

“Hello dove. How’re you today?”

You scrunch your nose at the nickname, it was a nickname given to you when you were much younger. “It’s because you don’t see the glory of war. You’re gentle. Something I desperately need in my life.” Mel had explained, her Medarda Mask no where in sight.

“I’m good. I’m almost done the landscape you commissioned for the council room.”

Mel’s smile widens the tiniest bit, but her gaze is downcast. This isn’t a social call. She’s been tasked to ask you something.

“Mel, I understand. Just, tell me what you need from me.”

A sigh escapes the gorgeous woman, “The council has requested a portrait to be made of the two Hextech innovators, Viktor and Jayce Talis.”

You raise your brows in confusion, “Okay… why is that a bad thing?”

Mel leans on a clean section of your work station, a hand coming up to rub her forehead, “They’re constantly working. They don’t see the prospect of taking a break. If you were to paint them, you’d have to paint them in the lab; as they do dangerous experiments. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

You place your hand over top Mel’s hand that’s braced against the desk, “I’ll be okay. I can’t imagine they’d let anyone get hurt.”

Mel nods sagely, the hand that was rubbing her forehead is now placed over your hand. She’s now cupping your one hand and rubbing her thumb over your knuckles.

“I’ll tell them what the council has demanded. When will you be free to paint them?”

You look over to the almost finished landscape painting sitting on your easel, “Give me a week.”

Mel nods, gives you one last hug, and leaves your studio to break the news to Viktor and Jayce.

You just hope they’re nice to you.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The week passed by in a flash, and here you are. Standing in front of two very large doors that make you feel like your heart is going to beat out of your chest.

You don’t understand why you’re so nervous. You’ve painted portraits of the top-class in Piltover. The cream of the crop. The top one percent, and you were fine. You were mentally rolling your eyes every few minutes, but you were fine.

You’re now asked to paint two scientists and you feel like you’re going to have a stroke.

At least Mel gave you some advice in regards to both men, “Jayce is quite kind, easy-going, and easy to talk to. You’ll make quick friends with him as you are. His partner Viktor on the other hand… is a different story. He’s cordial, but stubborn. He’s quite witty with a sass that almost matches mine. He’d prefer it if you skipped the flowery talk and just got straight to the point. He’s not a fan of the mind numbing politics of Piltover. Say what you mean or don’t say anything at all.”

With that mantra repeating in your head, you knock on the doors to their lab.

“Come in!” A voice exclaims, “We cannot leave our stations, the gems may become volatile if we do.” Another voice adds, this time with an unfamiliar accent.

You lightly push open the doors and are stunned by the state of the lab. Papers everywhere, equations on a blackboard you don’t even want to attempt to understand, ink stains, scraps of metal.

You suppose this is their version of an art studio.

“Oh!” The first voice you heard exclaims, “You must be Mel’s friend, the one who’s been commissioned to paint us. I’m Jayce. The one brooding over there with goggles on his face is Viktor.”

A scoff, “I am not brooding. I simply do not see the purpose of a portrait being made of us. It takes time away from our research!”

You cut in, reminding yourself of Mel’s advice, “The council has ordered it. Besides, I need to study you two for a little bit. Understand your anatomy and proportions. Then when I have a clear understanding, we’ll take one day out of your schedule to get the painting done.”

Viktor raises his goggles, putting them into is hair and the most beautiful pair of eyes you’ve ever seen narrows onto you, “You’ll only need one day to paint us?”

“The weather is constantly changing. That means so is my light source, my shadows, my colours.” You explain easily, “If we spend the whole day together, I’ll be able to easily get the portrait done and you two can go back to work. Sound good?”

Viktor purses his lips before nodding, Jayce just looks between the two of you with a small smile. He thought that would’ve taken a lot longer.

Guess you’re pretty special.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

One Week Later.

Their work is fascinating. You don’t understand quite a bit of it, but their enthusiasm and passion make up for your lack of knowledge.

Here they are trying to solve most of the worlds problems and you’re sketching them in your sketchbook with hearts in your eyes.

You focus on their bodies, how they bend, contort, their planes and shadows. How light glows onto them.

You focus on their unique features. Jayce’s sharp canines, Viktor’s cheekbones and moles. Jayce’s broad chest and Viktor’s cane and brace.

Those two points are especially important. They’re so detailed. And they’re a part of Viktor, you’re not going to erase something so vital to him as a human being to make the portrait “nicer to look at” according to the upper echelon of Piltover.

You’re so lost in your thoughts you don’t feel a presence come up behind you, “Whatcha doing?”

You jolt, putting a hand to your heart as your pencil drops to the ground, “By Janna Jayce! You scared me!”

A boisterous laugh permeates the lab, “You we’re so focused, I couldn’t help but wonder what you were doing.”

“We’ll… I was drawing my two very beautiful muses.”

There’s a small silence in the lab.

“Your—“ Viktor starts, then clears his throat as Jayce stands there, stunned, “Your beautiful muses?”

You nod, not realizing their disbelief, “Of course. The two of you have such beautiful features. Jayce is quite tall, with broad shoulders, a tiny waist, and strong legs. A nice hair cut, strong brows, big eyes, and pink lips. You, Viktor on the other hand—“

You’re cut off by said man, “Are not as conventional—“

You cut him off this time, “Are also tall, lean, lithe, with long beautiful legs. You have a face carved out of marble, messy hair, eyes that look like liquid gold, beauty marks, and a nice pale complexion that compliments Jayce’s tan. You’re both quite handsome, just is different ways.”

The two men are stunned into silence, and it takes a few minutes before you realize what you said. You feel your face heat up as you try to hide behind your sketch book. Viktor lightly smiles at that as Jayce laughs and forces your sketch book back down onto your lap.

“You know, I’ve never heard such an honest compliment before.”

“Neither have I.”

You feel like killing yourself. Maybe jumping out of one of the lab windows will do the trick.

“So,” Viktor’s interrupts your dark humorous thoughts, “Do you feel prepared to paint the portrait?”

You look the two men dead in the eye, even as embarrassment consumes you.

“Yes.”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

A day is set and you bring all your art supplies that you need into the lab. You even set up a place for the portrait to be.

The setting will be in front of their main work station, the hexcore and hexgems glittering in the background. You brought a comfortable armchair for Viktor to sit on, you know these paintings can take some time and you don’t want to over-exert his leg. You assume Jayce can stand for a few hours, placed right next to Viktor.

As you explain your thought process to them, the more excited they seem. And to think, they didn’t want to do this originally.

“Ok, get comfortable. Viktor you can put your cane to rest against one of the arms of the chair. Jayce, can you place your hand on the top of the headrest? Perfect. You two comfortable?”

You get nods and yes’ as your answer.

With that, you start to paints them.

You ensure to be as diligent as possible. You start with the boys, adding bits and pieces to the background as you go. You make sure to her the green in Jayce’s eyes, the beauty marks on Viktor’s face. The house Talis emblem on Jayce’s jacket; the intricacies of Viktor’s cane and leg brace. The purple and blue glows of the Hextech give the painting an almost magical feeling.

You have to say, this may be your best portrait yet.

A couple hours pass and you deem the painting complete. The two boys sigh, Jayce cracks his back as Viktor cracks his neck. Most of the painting was done is silence, a few tiny conversations sprinkled throughout the process.

You didn’t want them to move.

The two come to where you’re sitting and gaze at the portrait in awe. It’s… them. It looks so life like, as good as a picture. But it’s softer, it looks beautiful.

And they look phenomenal.

“Are you sure that’s us?” Viktor jokes, pointing at the painting, “Those men are incredibly handsome.”

You cock an eyebrow at him, “Now you know what to say when you look in a mirror. That’s how you look, and it’s how you’ll be remembered.”

Jayce smiles and puts a hand on both your and Viktor’s shoulders. Viktor looks touched at the sentiment.

“You should move your art stuff to be here. Permanently.” Jayce states easily.

You almost choke on your own spit, “Pardon? Why would I do that?”

���Because we'd miss you,” Viktor replies a cocky look on his face.

You huff out a laugh, “Ill be of no help to you. I'm not a science brain. I'd just be in the lab drawing you two constantly.”

“We’d pose for you.” Jayce jokes

“Even if I wanted to practice nude anatomy?”

Viktor hums, “Not in the lab obviously, but yes even then.”

You smile at them, “It’s a deal then.”

And to think you were scared they wouldn't be nice to you. You just obtained two pretty muses (hopefully for the rest of your life.)

TADA!!! This was such a cute request. I hope y'all enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it. Pebble, you keep those requests coming (and everyone else who requests too 🫵😏)

I have like four requests now in my inbox and I squealed when I saw it. I've never had so many requests before. Usually my inbox has like… spam and fishing schemes. So this is amazing to me!!

[merakiui]

thinking about android sunday. :)

android sunday who is programmed to have your best interests in mind at all times. every aspect of you is his priority. your health, your well-being, your happiness, your safety, etc. he serves his purpose well (sometimes a little too well). you've told him before he doesn't need to go so overboard. like when you've been sitting at your desk for too long, so focused on your work, and he gently coaxes you out of the chair, helping you up and nudging you around the house to get some exercise. you'll do that eventually. he doesn't have to babysit you.

or when he makes note of specific changes in your hormones, much to your embarrassment at times. announcing to your guests or even a date you're having over how your endorphin levels have increased significantly and your heart rate has increased ever so slightly, indicating happiness and anxiety. and you have to hurriedly push him into the next room or demand he return to his charging station, babbling about how you don't need him to announce your vitals to everyone! >_< these things should be kept private.

sunday is here to make your life easier, so he cleans the house when you're out. he cooks when you're too exhausted to do so, and now he insists on it. after all, you need to prioritize your health more. please relax while he cooks your favorite, every recipe downloaded and saved in a vast database. you're glad to have an extra set of hands around the house because sometimes life gets busy and you just don't have the time for cooking or cleaning. sunday will look after you as he always does.

sunday assesses everything based on the risk it may have towards you and your well-being. perhaps he is willing to allow you to have one extra sweet after dinner because it will make you happy, and he finds he quite enjoys the sight of your smile. friends or loved ones who hurt you and cause you any sort of suffering are risks he refuses to let into your life. sunday does well to clean up the messes they leave. an ex's belongings serve no purpose in your precious home, so he will dispose of them posthaste.

and you were grateful for him and his help. you really were, but now it's starting to become...excessive. he fusses over you too much. it's too...controlling. obsessive. care taken to extremes.

sunday refuses to remind you of important dates and events scheduled on your calendar solely because he's so certain he knows what is best for you. sometimes he doesn't even schedule the events when you tell him to. a date with a stranger is no good; you don't need that kind of connection when he is more than willing to provide it. that friend who has been trying to make amends with you, inviting you to lunch? also a risk. why are you asking him to order such...revealing clothes? surely you do not intend to open yourself up to potential harm? these clothes will only invite the worst of scum. as such, he takes it upon himself to place orders for modest fashion only. taking measures to dress appropriately not only increases your chances of leaving a positive impression, but they also draw the right people your way. sensible people.

you keep telling sunday to just do as you say. he should not make these decisions based on all of that stuffy logic. "there are some things—human things—that you'll never understand, so please have more faith in me. i know what i'm doing. i can take care of myself," you tell him, but sunday does not like that.

it is his duty to look after you. if he thinks you're making poor choices, the job falls to him to correct your mistakes. he is here to make sure you're happy and safe, and under his care and supervision you will be. no one else can provide that for you. not even you!

it is sunday who can hum and sing you to sleep. it is sunday who plays piano for your guests when you wish to be classy and impress them. it is sunday who tracks your health and reminds you to take your medicine or vitamins. it is sunday who tailors his methods based on your needs. it is sunday who saves recipes that will be beneficial for your health. it is sunday who downloads new resources to better improve your life. you, you, you. always you. forever you. he is for you, and you are for him.

it is sunday who is slowly shaping himself into what he feels is the ideal partner for you. you have taught him lots about humans and he puts all of it into practice, even if the approach may come off as awkward or unnatural. he will make efforts to learn more, to store more data on humans and their bonds, just so he can please you.

no matter what happens, you must never forget that he is here to help you, not harm you—never harm you.

[undressrehearsal]

a bite of luxury

part 1

summary: you decide to look for a sugar mommy and stumble across this strange girl that seems to have more to hide

tags: sugarmommy!ellie, rich!ellie, vampire!ellie (yep, we got it all) alcohol, reader is poor lmao, reader uses she/her and is referred to as a girl once or twice, no smut in this one sorry gotta establish the world first

word count: ~8k

a/n: it's been so long since i posted a fic lol working full time and trying to finish my book is killing my schedule BUT i hope y'all like this this was my fiancee's idea and i'm running with it i got a LOT of plans for this one - plans i think y'all are gonna love

also the drawing in the cover is made by @nramv seriously go check out their work they're so talented!!

if you wanna be added to my tag list just lmk!

part 2

You hadn’t been searching for a sugar mommy. 

Truthfully, when your best friend had sent you the link, you had dismissed it immediately. She had been joking about it for months, talking about how much easier it would be if you just found a nice older woman to take care of you. You hadn’t even opened the link - you only rolled your eyes, replied with a middle finger emoji, and left it at that. 

And yet things kept piling up. The stack of bills on your kitchen counter was growing to a concerning height, a mountain of unanswered responsibilities that was getting harder to ignore. Your landlord kept calling you - you no longer answered, just watched the phone ring until it finally stopped and ignored the increasingly angrier voicemails. Your apartment was an absolute disaster; you could never be bothered to clean it, because by the time you got home from working both of your jobs, you only had enough energy to eat a bowl of leftovers and promptly pass out in bed. 

The link kept popping up in your mind, each bill in your mailbox a gentle reminder. You found yourself scrolling all the way up the text chain to find it again during sleepless nights. So many times you would only stare at it, your thumb hovering over the blue letters, before you closed the chat and threw your phone down. 

It was stupid, of course. But as time went on, the idea of letting yourself get buried alive under a mountain of debt - of getting evicted from your apartment and having to crash on your friend’s couch - seemed all the more stupid. 

So, late on a Thursday night, after you had had another anxiety attack staring down at your bank account, you went back up the text chain, and you clicked the link. 

www.seeking.com

It didn't take long for the messages to start coming in. You should have been flattered, honestly - you had at least a handful of people in your messages practically begging you for the honor of paying your fucking rent - but you really just felt like you were playing a part that you hadn't even read the script for. You had curated your profile with all the things that made you appear more cultured than you actually were: going to museums and pondering over Baroque art and reading poetry over a pretentious cup of coffee. Sure, these were all things you had done - you had photo proof, after all - but somehow you didn't recognize yourself. It felt like you were looking at pictures of a stranger living a life you wanted but couldn't reach. 

Most people were fine - charming, even. You got maybe one or two that felt like they would lure you into their sex dungeon to murder you, but that was expected with any dating site. You even went on a few dates, scrounging up the nicest dress you owned and getting pampered at a five-star restaurant or going for a ride on an older woman’s personal yacht. One person even took you for a helicopter ride, which was fun but she was a little too handsy on the first date to warrant a second. 

One name kept popping up though, a name that was becoming far too familiar in your notifications. 

ellie: meet me at 8 <3 

When she first messaged you, you had thought she was like you: somebody searching for a partner to pay their bills. Her pictures didn't exactly scream sugar mommy material. Her first picture was just a normal selfie taken outside; she wore a worn out leather jacket, her short hair tangled from the wind and green eyes squinting in the sunlight. She had stupid pictures of mushrooms and candid shots of her browsing a science museum, looking far too excited in front of a t-rex skeleton. Hell, in most of her pictures she looked like she was wearing clothes she had found at a thrift store.

You had thought she was like you, until she sent you a picture inside her fucking Rolls-Royce. 

“Fuck,” you audibly cursed into the quiet of your room. You had been talking for a few days, and she had begun to do that - sending you small selfies throughout the day. In the last one, she had taken a picture in front of the mirror at the gym, flicking off the camera, her lean muscles glistening with sweat. Before that, it had been a blurry picture of her dog, Riley - a huge German Shephard - splayed on her back at a park, leaves stuck in her fur. 

So, yeah, when you found out Ellie was not only rich, but rich enough to casually have a Royce, you were more than a little surprised. 

The selfie was cute, you couldn’t deny that. Her hair was wind-swept, catching in those long ass eyelashes. Ellie’s nose was scrunched up, freckles popping against her cheeks, holding up a peace sign. 

She was fucking adorable and you already knew it. But seeing her worn out leather jacket and messy hair against black and white leather seats that looked like they, alone, cost more than your entire apartment complex combined - it was a little jarring. 

And when she asked you out on a date soon after - after finding out she wasn’t Iike you but rather searching for someone like you - how could you say no? 

Ellie offered to pick you up - like a gentleman, she had said - but frankly, you weren’t quite convinced yet that she wasn’t some blood-thirsty pervert trying to lure you into her dungeon, so you politely declined. Instead, in your nicest dress and heels you hardly wore because they pinched your toes, you called an Uber. 

You had never been to this side of town. You had plugged in the address Ellie gave you - had double and triple checked it while your awkwardly chatty Uber driver tried asking you about what you do for a living - but the streets here were so unfamiliar you may as well have been in another city. You looked at the foreign buildings rising up around you, large windows giving you a glimpse of the life inside them. People were sitting outside in the chilly air, laughing over wine and dinner. Looking at them - with perfectly sculpted hair and clothes you would have to spend several entire paychecks on - you felt like a cheap impersonator dressed up in a costume. 

The Uber pulled up in front of a hotel, and your heart stopped. Surely, this wasn’t where Ellie had sent you - leading you to some fucking hotel room when you hadn’t even met yet? 

You turned to the driver, your home address at the edge of your tongue, when the car door opened. 

You had practically been leaning against the door to peer out the window, and nearly lost your balance when it was suddenly gone without warning. You looked up, ready to yell at whatever pretentious prick in Prada was trying to fuck with you - but your voice died in your throat. 

Ellie was shorter than you thought she'd be, honestly. In all her pictures, she had this commanding energy, like she would tower over you in person. 

Which, to be fair, she was. She had her arm propped on the doorframe above your head, leaning over so she could meet your eyes. Her hair was pushed back from her face, a few stray strands falling over her forehead, and she was looking at you with an intensity that hadn't quite translated through her pictures.

Ellie smiled - that adorably crooked smile you had seen in all her selfies - and said, “Hi.” 

And the only word you were able to get your mouth to form was, “Fuck.” 

Ellie blinked at you for a moment - long enough that you could feel the flush creeping up your neck and were ready to walk home if you had to - before she finally laughed. That wasn’t like what you had expected either; she had this deep, rough laugh, almost like she was trying to hold it in. 

She looked up at you through her lashes - you tried to ignore the way your heart inexplicably skipped - and said, “I’ll take that as a compliment?” Her voice tilted up at the end like it was a question. Ellie ducked her head down further, looking past you to meet the driver’s eyes, and pulled cash from her back pocket. With her most charming smile, she handed it to the driver and said, “Thanks for getting her here safe.” 

You didn’t see how much money she gave him, but after she took your hand and guided you out of the car, you turned back just in time to see his grin before he sped off. 

“Thanks for coming out.” You looked back at Ellie and found yourself speechless once again. (You, thankfully, were able to hold in the expletive this time.) The worn out jacket that had featured in just about all of her pictures was missing, replaced instead by a pristine, white satin shirt, the top few buttons undone to expose a sliver of collarbone and a gold chain beneath. Despite the chill in the air, she had a classy black jacket hanging from her arm as though it were an accessory. Ellie smiled and looked down, licking her lips before saying, “You’re quite the sight for sore eyes.”

You tried to smile at her but found that your eyes kept flitting behind her, looking at the looming monstrosity of the hotel. It was a nice hotel - the kind that had a huge fountain right in front of it and a chandelier in the lobby that sparkled through the window - but it was a hotel nonetheless. Despite the set in your jaw, traitorous tears stung the corners of your eyes; you wanted to kick yourself for actually thinking that Ellie might be different. 

Ellie followed your gaze over her shoulder, her smile dropping, before she quickly turned back to you with panic in her eyes. She stumbled over her words as though her tongue weren’t cooperating: “Shit, I’m sorry, this looks really bad doesn't it?” She grimaced and squeezed your hand she was still holding, scratching awkwardly at the back of her head with the other. “Fuck, this isn’t the first impression I wanted. I could promise it's not what it looks like, but maybe it'd be better if I just showed you?”

You honestly did think about telling her to fuck off. She was a complete fucking stranger that you only really knew from a dating app, and she was trying to lure you into a hotel in a part of town you were unfamiliar with - really, only an idiot would follow her. 

But she was looking at you with wide green eyes, the lights around you shining back like stars. While searching for the constellations, you found yourself saying, “Okay.” You blinked, pulled from a trance, and added, “But you should know, I do have a taser in my bag.” 

That pulled a shocked laugh from Ellie’s lips. She gently tugged on your hand, pulling you towards the door, and said, “Smart girl.” 

You knew that the hotel was outside of your price range because a perfectly groomed doorman opened the door for you, waving you inside with a gloved hand. You didn’t take much time to process the interior - the chandelier was just as grand as it had seemed from outside and elaborate columns rose to the ceiling - because Elllie was pulling you towards the elevators. It was like she wanted to ignore the fact that she had brought you to a hotel at all. You couldn’t decide if that was reassuring. 

In the empty elevator, you gently drew your hand back and leaned against the wall opposite her. You tried to ignore looking at the way her pinstripe slacks hugged the curves of her thighs, the fabric straining when she propped one booted foot on the wall behind her. 

“So,” you started in a desperate attempt to fill the awkward silence, “if you’re not leading me into a seedy hotel room on the first date, then what are we doing?” 

“Okay, one,” Ellie said, chuckling, “this is anything but a seedy hotel. And two, what kind of a date would it be if I ruined the surprise?” 

“And what if I don’t like surprises?” you countered. 

Ellie grinned. “I think you’ll like this one.” 

When the elevator doors opened, Ellie held her hand out to you as though it were a question. You hesitated for only a moment before placing your hand back in hers and letting her lead you out into open air. 

You nearly choked on a gasp. 

The bar itself was beautiful - fairy lights stretched above your head, twinkling like stars and casting the rooftop in a warm glow. Wooden tables and plush couches were spread artfully around the space, far enough apart to provide the patrons scattered about with some privacy. 

The bar was beautiful - but the view was fucking breathtaking. 

The city stretched out beyond the railings, open in a way you had never seen before. The skyline rose around you, each building shining like its own little galaxy amidst a sea of stars. The city lights blocked out the actual stars - a fact that never failed to piss you off - but you could see the crescent of the moon rising over the city, casting a quiet glow like a veil. 

You looked back at Ellie, and whatever your face held made her grin. She leaned in just enough so that her murmur was for your ears only: “So, was I right?” 

You blinked, momentarily distracted by her proximity - she smelled intoxicating, spicy and warm with a hint of tobacco beneath - before you finally said, “What?” 

Ellie snorted, breaking whatever spell she had put you under. “The surprise,” she said, leaning away enough for your head to clear. “Was I right?” 

You bit the inside of your cheek, pursing your lips as though you had to think about it. You couldn’t take your eyes away from the skyline stretched before you. 

You finally said, “That depends on how good the drinks are.” 

When Ellie laughed, her eyes crinkled in the corners, her nose scrunching. It was a full, rich sound, hanging in the air above your head like helium. It made something in your chest tighten, and you wanted nothing more than to hear it again. 

She squeezed your hand, a twinkle in her eye, and said, “The old-fashioned's to die for.” 

You pursed your lips again to hide your smile.

Ellie didn’t bother checking in with the host, simply shot her a smile and a wave as you walked by - you tried to bite back a giggle when you saw the host’s face turn red, her eyes tracking Ellie as she led you to a table right along the edge of the railing. She pulled the chair out for you - “Such a gentleman,” you laughed - before taking the seat opposite you.

As she waved over a waiter, you took a moment to lean your head over the railing. It was made entirely of glass, giving you a clear view of the city below. You could hear the distant sound of traffic, cars racing below you like shiny beetles, but it was like it was coming from a different world altogether. Everything seemed impossibly, wonderfully small from up here. 

You looked up at the sound of your name to find a groomed waiter wearing a fucking waistcoat standing before you. Ellie was looking at you with laughter in her eyes, her lips twitching. 

“Shit, sorry,” you said, immediately flinching at your own curse. You suddenly couldn’t remember the proper etiquette in a fancy bar, feeling out of place and underdressed even in your nicest outfit. You looked between Ellie and the waiter, wracking your brain for any kind of drink that wasn’t a trashy cocktail you’d find at a dive bar. 

Seeing you floundering, Ellie gave you a reassuring smile and said, “Do you like wine?” 

Relief washed over you as you nodded. Turning back to the waiter, Ellie ordered something that you couldn’t even hope to pronounce, charm lifting the corner of her mouth. She spoke to the waiter with the steady ease of familiarity, laughing at some inside joke; you briefly wondered just how often Ellie came to this bar. Surely, a nice place like this - at the very precipice of the world, looking down at the stars - wouldn’t be a regular stop on anyone’s schedule, but Ellie and the staff spoke like old friends. 

When the waiter left, tussling Ellie’s hair playfully, she turned back to you and the awkwardness of a first date finally set in. Sure, you had been texting Ellie every day for a week now, but you still hardly knew the girl. You knew she liked mushrooms and hiking. You knew that most of her clothes were from the thrift store even though she could afford any designer brand she wanted. You knew her favorite video game was Dishonored. But nothing you knew was enough for a relationship. 

But you weren't exactly looking for love, were you? 

After a moment of silence, Ellie cleared her throat, looking out over the city. “It's nice out here.” 

You snorted before you could stop yourself, covering your mouth; it didn't cover the laughter in your eyes. You said, “You're really talking to me about the weather?”

Ellie opened her mouth, an indignant sparkle to her eye, before shutting it again. It was like she was malfunctioning, opening and closing her mouth yet no sound came out. She furrowed her brows, looking at you as though you were something new and interesting, before finally chuckling, looking away. “Yeah, I-I guess I am.” When she looked back up at you, her eyes were surprisingly sheepish. “Not making a great first impression, am I?”

You couldn't stop the smile that crept up to your eyes. You leaned closer, propping your chin in your hand, and said, “I think you're doing okay so far.” 

Ellie laughed that wondrous laugh again, her nose scrunching up, and the cord in your shoulders loosened. 

“Okay,” she sighed, her eyes still alight with residual laughter. “Okay, damn. Tell me about yourself.” 

“Well now this just sounds like a job interview.” 

Ellie threw her hands up in mock frustration, trying to stifle her own grin. “Okay, fuck, knock me down again! You're obviously an expert, so show me how it's done.” 

She leaned back and crossed her arms, looking at you expectantly, and it was the perfect moment for your drinks to arrive. Ellie did, in fact, order an old-fashioned. The waiter set two wine glasses on the table, producing a bottle seemingly from thin air. He held it out, explaining to you in rehearsed prose the year, acidity, and complexity in words that passed straight through you. You nodded along even as you didn't process a single word he said. 

When he left, you turned back to Ellie and said, “How did you find this place?” 

Ellie took a sip of her drink. The lights of the city danced in the amber glass. “Just an old haunt of mine, I guess.” 

You took a sip of the wine, taking the distraction. It was warm on your tongue, tasting of wood and fruit and something spicy just underneath. The wine you usually drank was the stuff you could find in your nearest grocery store, often tasting concerningly like bug spray and bought with whatever tips you had managed to scrape together from work. It was usually shared with a friend on your kitchen floor, the walls and thoughts spinning over your head. 

You much preferred wine like this: The taste of warmth and fire on your tongue, the cool air brushing your shoulders at the edge of the sky, and a beautiful person sitting across from you.

When Ellie lowered her glass, you could see amber droplets of whiskey clinging to her lips before her tongue darted out to catch them. You tore your eyes away, but her smile said that she had caught you staring. A chill ran up your spine that you were sure was just from the cold. 

Seeing you shiver, Ellie wordless reached behind her where she had tossed her jacket over the back of her chair. Standing, she rounded the table only for a moment, only long enough to place the coat over your shoulders. Her hands lingered there for a second too long before she retreated, sliding back into her seat as though she had never moved. 

“So, why are you here?” she finally said. 

You pulled the jacket around your shoulders, distracted by the smell of it. The same smell that must be her perfume clung to it, spiced and warm like an open fire, but something else clung to the fabric too. It was strangely metallic, sharp and intoxicating, and you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. It was shockingly warm against your skin. 

“I’m here,” you said, raising a brow and ignoring her real question, “because you sent me this address and told me to meet you here at eight wearing my nicest dress.” 

The corner of Ellie’s lips quirked, a grin she was trying to hide. She clasped her hands, leaning across the table so you could smell the whiskey on her breath. “And you agreed to meet a stranger at a seedy hotel,” she murmured, mocking your remark from earlier. Her grin revealed itself when your cheeks flushed. “But why are you here - what are you seeking?” 

You huffed out a laugh, shaking your head. “That’s kind of a dumb question, don’t you think? It’s pretty obvious why I’m on the app.” You cocked your head, leaning across the table, feeling a strange thrill when her eyes flashed. Your heart fluttered at the proximity, and you couldn’t remember when you had become so easily starstruck. “The real question, Ellie, is why are you?“ 

Ellie’s eyes darkened, and you weren’t sure if you just imagined her eyes flicking down to your lips. She looked back up at you through her lashes, her voice rough when she said, “That’s a third date kind of question.” 

Your eyebrows shot up. “What makes you so sure you’ll get a third date?” 

Ellie tilted her head, a slow smile pulling at her lips, and said, “Call it a hunch.” 

The waiter came to check on you, appearing at your shoulder like a ghost. You hastily retreated, leaning back in your chair as though the electricity in the air had shocked you, and took a sip of wine that was more than a little overzealous. You tried to choke it down as Ellie waved the waiter away with that heartstopping crooked smile. What happened to you? Since when were you so easily charmed by freckles, green eyes, and smart-ass comments? You couldn't remember the last time you had been so infatuated during a normal date, let alone one with these kinds of strings attached. 

“So you don't want to be in an interview,” Ellie said once the waiter was out of earshot. “I guess all my typical getting to know you conversations are out of the question.” 

“I didn't say that,” you countered, your throat still burning from your accidental wine waterboarding. “But come on - what girl are you going to impress by asking her questions like ‘Tell me about yourself,’ or ‘Why are you here?’ or ‘Why are you more qualified for this position?’”

“Okay, okay, goddamn,” she said, laughing. Grabbing the wine bottle, she looked at you for permission before pouring you another glass.

You brought the glass up to your lips, taking a sip to hide your smile. The flush in your cheeks was surely from the wine and nothing else. “What about you?” 

“What about me?” 

“I hardly know you.” On one hand, that felt entirely untrue - but especially after this recent discovery, you really knew nothing about this girl. “Tell me about you.” 

Ellie laughed that same rough laugh and your heart jumped. “Oh, so you're allowed to be the interviewer.” 

You nodded, twirling the glass between your fingers and looking at her expectantly. 

After a moment, Ellie rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her hair, but you could see the humor in her eyes. She downed the last of her old-fashioned and, like a good sport, said, “What do you want to know?”

Turns out, there was a lot to know - more than a simple dating app would tell you. Ellie had an older sister, Sarah, who lived in Dallas. Her dog was named after her childhood best friend. Her jacket wasn't thrifted after all, but had been her dad's. Speaking of which, she used to go hunting with him every season (“I haven't been in years, though,” she said, her eyes distant). On the weekends, she'd go to antique stores to look for art and trinkets to fill her house - her favorite antiques were from the 17th century. She hated horror movies and was a sucker for a good romance. 

In return, you caved and answered her pressing questions. You told her about your best friend - Ellie laughed when you told her that your friend had sent you the link to the app in the first place. You told her about your favorite show that you binge-watched whenever you felt like you were spiraling. You did not tell her about your apartment that was probably the size of her closet or the fact that you'd have to watch your budget after taking the Uber tonight, not to mention the extra $30 Uber to get home later. You did tell her about your family, and a strange, unexplained sadness crept into the creases around her mouth. You did tell her about your job, but didn't mention the second one you worked to afford groceries. You told her you were hoping for a real, human connection, yet didn't mention that you couldn’t imagine finding it in a fucking sugar mommy. 

All too soon, the wine bottle was empty and your chest was comfortingly warm. The lights strung across the bar danced above your head like fuzzy stars, and Ellie's smile was the brightest amongst them. Her glass was still empty, her wine glass dry, and yet her eyes told you she was intoxicated by something far stronger. 

“Sorry,” you said, giggling despite yourself. “I didn't mean to drink it all.” 

“Don't worry about it, darling,” she said, her voice silky smooth, reminding you of melted chocolate sliding down your throat. She tilted her glass, letting the remnants of melting ice clink against the side. “I wanted to make sure I could drive home okay.” 

The waiter arrived then, pulling the bill from his pocket and handing it to Ellie. You couldn't read the number upside down, not through the haze of the wine, but the number of digits made your stomach clench. Ellie dropped a black card into the folder and handed it back to the waiter. 

“How much do you want me to Venmo you?” you asked when she turned back to you. You clenched your hands in the hem of your dress, already calculating the extra shift you'd have to pick up to afford it. 

Ellie tilted her head, her brows furrowed. “Nothing,” she said, as though it were obvious. 

“That wasn't exactly a cheap bottle, Ellie,” you laughed. “Let me give you something.” 

Ellie hummed, propping her chin in her hand and looking at you with those same intense eyes; it sent a dangerous shiver down your spine. “I like when you say my name.”

You blinked at her. “Excuse me.” 

“I want to hear it again. That's how you can repay me.”

You rolled your eyes. “Ellie, I-” 

“Okay, now we're even,” she interrupted, smiling that crooked grin that you had started to crave. The waiter returned with her card and Ellie produced cash from her pocket, handing it to the waiter directly. He thanked her profusely before making his exit, grinning. When Ellie looked at you again, you were still watching her expectantly, dumbfounded. She finally rolled her eyes. “Seriously, what kind of date would I be if I made you pay?”

“You're not making me, I'm offering.” 

“And I'm saying no.” Ellie stood, straightening her shirt; when she tugged at it, the collar fell a bit, exposing sharp collarbones beneath. 

Rounding the table, she offered a hand to you, pulling you gently to your feet. You pulled her jacket tighter around yourself, knowing you needed to give it back yet unwilling to part with it just yet. 

Taking your arm, Ellie leaned in close enough that your breath caught in your throat and said, “I know why I found you on Seeking, okay? So, if it's alright with you, let me spoil you. Even if that just means one bottle of wine.” 

You laughed, but it sounded breathy even to your own ringing ears. “One very expensive bottle of wine.”

Ellie shrugged, a sparkle in her eye. “It's a small price to pay for your company.”

You were silent in the elevator, but you held on to her arm as though afraid to let go. You couldn't figure out why, but something in you urgently wanted nothing more than to be close to her. You couldn't remember the last time you had felt such a pull from somebody. 

Back on the street, the lights of the city seemed so much brighter than they had before. Ellie released your arm, turning to face you, and there was a strange pinch between her brows that you couldn't translate. 

“Do you want me to call you an Uber, or do you want me to take you home?” she asked, and your brain short-circuited. When you could do nothing but stammer, tripping over your own tongue, Ellie laughed. There was no mockery behind it, only quiet, bright amusement. “I meant I can drive you to your apartment so you don't have to drunkenly sit in an awkward Uber that smells sickeningly sweet and the driver tries to make mind-numbing small talk.” 

Your sigh of relief came out more like a laugh. 

Ellie tilted her head and stepped closer to you, her hand reaching out to graze your fingers, and that sigh was sucked right back into your lungs. Being so close to her made your head spin. Her breath fanned against your cheeks, smelling of warm whiskey, when she said, “Unless you want to come to my place?”

It had the uncertain tilt of a question, and Ellie wouldn't quite meet your eyes. 

“We don't have to do anything,” she continued in a rush. She scratched anxiously at the back of her head, a nervous laugh slipping between her lips. “We can just sit and talk more. Or watch a movie - my dad had this huge collection. I'm not gonna - You know, I'm not going to do anything you don't want.” She finally interrupted herself with a groan, rubbing a hand over her eyes. “Fuck, sorry, I wanted it to sound more suave than this.” 

And you would be a fucking idiot to go home with this impossible stranger. You had been taught better - never get into a stranger's car, and for the love of God, never let them take you to a second location. You could let her take you back to your apartment at least - you were admittedly incredibly tipsy and didn't particularly want to endure another ride with an annoyingly talkative Uber driver. You could go home, back to your claustrophobic, quiet apartment, and maybe - maybe - text  Ellie about setting up a second date. 

You were not stupid enough to go home with somebody on the first date. 

Except clearly you were, because you took the hand that was still grazing your fingers and looked up at Ellie - the contours of her face were shockingly etched with insecurity. And your dumb mouth said, of its own volition, “Okay.”

You had expected something flashy, like what a wealthy person would own in a movie - like a penthouse overlooking the city with too-white walls and electric guitars hanging, unused, on the walls. Maybe she had walls completely made of windows so it felt like you were on a pedestal overlooking the world. 

You hadn't expected a house that was older than your great-grandparents. 

When Ellie pulled into the driveway, you were sure she was just pulling in someplace to turn around, that she had missed her turn somewhere. But she put her stupidly-expensive car into park and killed the engine, shooting you an awkward glance. 

“Sorry,” she said, chuckling. “I know it’s not much.” 

You could only look at her incredulously, speechless, before looking back up at the house before you. You couldn’t even call it a house really - estate would be more fitting. Maybe mansion. Fuck, her house was the size of your apartment complex. It towered over you, three stories of intricate woodwork, warm brown beams wrapping around the structure like an elaborate skeleton. With beautiful eaves winding around the roof and an entire turret reaching for the moon, it looked like something that had stepped right out of some 1800s southern gothic novel. 

Ellie cleared her throat, startling you from a trance. You looked back at her and, for some reason, couldn’t stop yourself from laughing.

”Shit, sorry,” you said, covering your mouth with your hand. “I just - I’ve just never seen anything like it.” When Ellie’s eyes clouded over with uncertainty, you added softly, “It’s beautiful. Besides, Ellie,” you added, laughing again, “‘not much’ doesn’t really suit you.” 

Ellie opened and closed her mouth and yet no words came out. She was looking at you again as though you were something interesting - something new and exciting. Nobody had ever looked at you that way before, and the way your heart clenched at the sight was more than a little dangerous. 

Ellie finally smiled, huffing out a laugh - your heart was pretty satisfied with how often you were able to make her laugh - and said, “Do you still want to come inside?” 

And, surprisingly, you said, “Yeah, I do.” 

As Ellie got out, rounding the car to open your door for you, you discreetly checked that the taser was still in your bag. Sure, you had agreed to go home with a practical stranger, but you couldn't be too careful. 

The porch steps creaked as she led you to the door - double doors (of course), with stained glass and twisting vines carved into the wood. When Ellie opened them, it felt like you were transported to a different time on an entirely different world. 

The grand staircase caught your eye first - how could it not? Warm wooden steps covered in a blood red runner, a white banister winding up, those same vines that seemed to be the house’s signature carved into it. You could see a large, stained-glass window at the landing before it curved to disappear to the second floor. Moonlight splintered through the window in broken relief. 

As though in a trance, you wandered further into the house, walking to the fireplace situated right beneath the stairs. The wood stacked neatly inside was cold, untouched by a flame. There was a large mirror set atop the mantle, its gold frame a work of art alone. In the reflection, you could see the flush to your cheeks, and tried to convince yourself it was only from the cold. You still wore Ellie’s jacket, and you pulled it tight around your shoulders, as though it were a shield. 

You watched Ellie’s reflection as she walked slowly towards you, a small smile gracing her lips. She came close enough to touch - close enough that you could feel her cool breath against the back of your neck - and yet she didn’t put a hand on you. 

“There’s a lot more to see than the foyer,” she murmured, the words brushing your skin. “If you still want.” 

And you couldn’t stop your own smile as you turned back to her, your heart skipping at her proximity. “Show me.” 

She took your hand, her fingers shockingly cold, and led you into what must have been her living room - sitting room? Despite the fact that the house felt more like a museum - like you would get scolded for touching anything - the room was surprisingly cozy. A large, plush sectional was situated in front of another fireplace- this one also unblemished. Blankets and quilts were thrown over the couch and the accompanying chairs, leaving this time capsule looking strangely welcoming. 

“Okay, I have to ask,” you said, turning back to Ellie. She was watching you carefully, gauging your reaction with soft eyes, and you lost your train of thought. You opened your mouth but no sound came out; you weren’t sure if that was more or less embarrassing than the several curses you had said earlier in the night. 

Ellie hummed, raising her hand as though she wanted to touch you. She stopped only inches away from your cheek and dropped her hand, saying, “I’m an open book.” 

You had to turn away to collect your thoughts, wandering across the room if just to catch your breath. The opposite wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. You ran your fingers along the spines of vintage classics, an array of science books, and comics, enjoying the irony of seeing Savage Starlight in the middle of all this history. You picked up a copy to keep your hands busy. 

“How, um,” you started, stumbling over your words, “how did you end up here?” 

Ellie hummed again, and you heard her footsteps following you. “Here as in this town, this country, this world? You gotta be a little more specific.” 

You sighed, giving in and turning to look at her. She kept a careful distance, standing a few feet away from you with her hands in her pockets. “You know what I mean, smartass.”

Ellie chuckled, but her eyes had grown distant, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. She took a few more steps closer to you, looking at the comic book in your hands. On the app, she hadn’t struck you as the type to get easily bashful, and yet she had proven you wrong a few times already. 

“My family lived here,” she finally said, quiet as a secret. You watched her carefully, jumping at the opportunity to stare at her without those intense eyes looking back at you. Her brow furrowed and she pressed her lips together as though she was in pain, her green eyes shining. “It was just… passed down, I guess? It’s kind of always been here ever since I can remember. I’m not entirely sure when it became mine.” 

You tucked the comic book back into its spot between The Iliad and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. You said absently, “How old is this place anyway?”

”It was built in 1816,” she said automatically, as though it were memorized. 

“It’s an awfully big house for just one person.” You looked up at her through your lashes as she stepped closer - close enough that you could smell that same metallic warmth that seemed to cling to her. 

“It is,” Ellie murmured, smiling. She reached out again, and this time she allowed herself to touch you. Her cold fingers brushed against your cheek before she gently cupped your jaw, tilting your head so you’d look at her properly. Her green eyes were downright intimidating. “But I keep good company.” 

You rolled your eyes, yet you couldn’t convince yourself to look away. “Is that what you say to all the girls?” 

Ellie hummed, bracing her other hand on the bookshelf behind your head, and murmured, “No, I don’t.” She pressed in closer, her gaze dropping to your mouth, and you felt like your heart was going to leap from your throat. Ellie huffed out a laugh as though she could hear it pounding against your chest. When her thumb brushed your bottom lip, your lips parted on instinct. She didn’t look away, transfixed on the point where her skin touched your mouth, and you almost didn’t hear her when she said, “Can I?” 

And you had never been the kind of person to kiss on the first date, but she was looking at you with eyes hooded with want, her breath fanning against your cheeks. When she licked her lips, you couldn’t stop your eyes from following the motion. Her lips glistened, parted and plump, looking so impossibly soft. Somehow, past your haze, you heard yourself say, “Yes.” 

Ellie took her time in kissing you. She pressed you back gently, your shoulders pressing into the bookshelf behind you, and touched her nose to yours. She took a deep breath, breathing you in. Her hand was soft against your cheek, tilting your jaw up, and you hardly had to move to finally kiss her. 

Ellie tasted just like she smelled - spicy and metallic, the old-fashioned still hanging on her tongue. Despite the cold of her hand on your cheek, her mouth was impossibly warm, her breath slipping between your lips; it was intoxicating in a way that the wine couldn’t compare to. Her mouth moved against yours, soft and slow as a dance. 

Your hands reached out as though of their own accord, circling her waist and gripping at the slippery silk of her shirt. She pressed in close, crowding you against the bookshelf; you could feel her chest pressing against you, her hips on yours, the line of her body against yours making your head spin. And when Ellie’s tongue pressed against your lips, a gentle request for access, you felt like you’d faint altogether. 

Her tongue slipped between your teeth and you couldn’t stop the breathy sound it pulled from your throat. You could feel that infuriating smile against your lips and suddenly wanted nothing more than to wipe it away. You balled her ridiculously expensive shirt in your hands and pulled her impossibly closer, nipping at her bottom lip, and you wanted to swallow her gasp. 

Ellie pulled away, chuckling, but she didn’t go far. She pressed a kiss to your cheek, her lips trailing down to your jaw, and she could probably feel your pulse jump beneath her tongue. You could hear the smile in her voice when she said, “Do you do this often?” 

Her teeth grazed the sensitive spot below your ear, and it took you a few moments before you could respond. “Do what?” Despite yourself - despite the way your fingers gripped her shirt, your head swimming and an unexplainable want burning in your veins - you couldn’t help but laugh. “Go on a date with somebody I met on an app for sugar babies and go back to their ridiculously old mansion on the first date and-“ 

You cut yourself off. You weren’t sure exactly what was happening, and you were afraid that voicing it would break whatever spell you were under - whatever spell made this impossible woman’s touch feel like lightning. 

But Ellie only laughed, biting at the spot where your neck met your shoulder. “Yeah, that.” 

You shivered against her touch. “No, I’ve never really done this.” 

“Guess I’m just lucky.” 

Ellie kissed you again, only briefly, before she finally pulled away. She was grinning, her eyes sparkling with those same constellations; her face wasn’t even flushed, making you feel embarrassed about your burning cheeks. You were panting, intoxicated from the night and wine and Ellie. Her absence felt like an ache, your body craving the feeling of her lips, her teeth, her hands. You were close to tugging her back in, your hands still gripping her shirt, but she gently untangled herself from you with a laugh. 

“I want to keep going.” She paused, and then emphasized, “I really want to keep going. But you drank an entire bottle of wine, and I’d be kind of a shitty host if I didn’t offer you something to drink at least. Or are you hungry?” 

You were hungry, but it was the kind of hunger that food wouldn’t satiate. Still, you let your hands drop back to your sides, feeling your senses return to you now that they weren’t so tuned into Ellie - how she smelled, tasted, felt. When you laughed, it sounded breathy even to your own ears. “Some water would be nice.” 

“I can do that,” she said with a smile. “Stay here.” She kissed you again, lingering for a few moments longer than needed, before she turned and disappeared down the hall, leaving you alone in this ridiculously old mansion. 

With nothing else to keep yourself entertained, you did a slow lap around the room, eyeing the ironic blend of elegant antiques and silly trinkets that were so obviously Ellie. A cracked ivory trinket box sat on a shelf, intricate flowers engraved into the lid, set right next to a small figurine of an astronaut. Beautiful paintings lined the walls, signatures dating back to 1830 in elaborate script at the bottom, but there were also a few posters littered here and there - bands and video games. 

You walked over to the mantle, your fingers grazing over the marble top. The logs inside were untouched, and you briefly wondered if she’d light a fire soon to chase out the chill of autumn. A small jar filled with guitar picks sat at the corner, and you wondered if she really did have an electric guitar collection hidden around here somewhere. Your foot kicked an empty dog bowl, and yet Riley was nowhere to be found. Maybe Ellie took her to daycare when she knew she’d bring a girl home. You nearly laughed at the idea. 

Atop the mantle, hidden behind pictures of what must have been friends or family - hiking or traveling or laughing in somebody’s backyard - there was another picture frame. It must have fallen, face down so that the picture inside was covered. You reached out, careful to not disturb any of the other frames, and picked it up. You were just going to fix it, set it up next to the others, but something in the image caught your eye. You plucked it from its home, bringing it closer, holding it up to the light to get a better look. For a long time, you couldn’t figure out what you were looking at. Your heart hammered against your chest, your ears ringing, as though your body had figured it out before your brain did. 

It was an old photograph, grainy and sepia, faded and frayed around the edges with age. It was the house, looking just like it did today - the huge windows shining in the sunlight, the intricate eaves and wrap-around porch perfectly polished and new. A family stood on the lawn in front of the house, looking awkward and stiff. Back then, cameras took several minutes to actually capture a photo, so people tended to look a little awkward from trying to hold the same expression for so long. But that’s not what had caught your eye. 

It was a small family - a weary looking dad and his two daughters, looking just a few years younger than you. 

She looked a little different. Her hair was longer, falling in waves around her shoulders. She was definitely a few years younger, and she wore a sweet, full-length gown instead of a worn leather jacket. 

You checked the date in the bottom corner at least five times, but there was no mistaking it. The person in the photo was undeniably Ellie, standing in front of this house in 1816. 

tag list: @macaroni676 @ellstronaut @elliewilliamsmiller0 @elliescoolerwife @letsreadsomesins-shallwe @peejayurple @liliflowers-blog @filtered-sunlight @hobbybound

[fel-09]

what is this socessry 🪄✨ I want more context, more updates more chapters a whole godam series!! What happened before? who is she? Who are they ? What happenes next!!!????

A woman who can't drink is a disater!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

A Woman who can't drink is a disaster 18+ Part 2

Pairing: tommy Shelby x reader

Warning: Alcohol consumption,War references

Author's note: I don't know, I wrote it a little well, I didn't plan part 2, I hope everyone will like it

Part 1

You never planned to become part of their family.

You were just the girl next door, who sometimes helped Polly with the children and the chores when she couldn't physically manage on her own.

But the further she went, the deeper she got into this house, among these boys who were growing up too fast.

Arthur was the first to reach out to you, clinging to the hem of your dress when he was very young, seeking the protection he didn't find in his father.

John - always laughing, always looking for a reason to prank, but in the end he knew he had you behind him, and that gave him confidence.

Tommy...

Tommy never looked for protection.

He looked at the world differently, with a kind of frightening adulthood.

While you were comforting Arthur after another punishment, while you were pulling John out of a fight, Thomas was watching, memorizing, drawing conclusions.

Even when his own bruises were hidden under his shirt collar, he didn't complain, didn't seek comfort.

He could not be taught to trust.

He always believed only in himself.

The years went by, you grew up sooner than you wanted to.

And when the time came, you left this house, not because you wanted to leave, but because life demanded more.

School, work.

You chose what the women around you didn't.

Sociology. University. Lectures full of meaning, research that no one took seriously, but that meant more to you than anything.

You were building a future.

Sometimes you stopped by - not as often as you used to, because you had your own house, your own life. But often enough that when Finn saw you, he'd run as fast as he could until you picked him up, until his nose was against your neck, sobbing and clinging to the fabric of your dress.

No one talked about it out loud. No one called things by their proper names.

But everyone felt it: you were like a mother to Finn.

Polly never tried to fix that.

John, even as a boy, pulled him to you when Polly wasn't around.

Arthur just didn't say anything, but you knew he understood that Finn felt better around you.

And Tommy...

Tommy looked.

And there was always something incomprehensible in his gaze, whether it was annoyance or silent approval.

He didn't interfere, he didn't comment, but he didn't hide the fact that he didn't like it.

It was as if you were taking something from them that should have been theirs alone.

Then, when you had enough money, you helped as much as you could.

First with money - money for food, money for clothes, money just to make their lives a little easier. You knew Polly could handle it, but if you had the chance, you couldn't help but step in.

John went from boy to man too quickly, Arthur tried to carry more than he should, and Tommy ...

Tommy always kept his distance.

But that didn't stop you from supporting them, even when they didn't ask for it.

Then when Arthur and Thomas started working, the money came in, and you didn't have to worry about such things anymore. They were getting by. Polly got firmer, John learned from his mistakes, Finn grew up, Tommy ...

He always went his own way.

You didn't have to buy them things, but you did anyway.

Out of habit.

Because you wanted to.

Because you couldn't pass up another toy for Finn, even if he didn't ask for it. Because you saw Polly's hands shaking after a long day, and you just took on some of her work, even when she refused from your help .

You didn't do it for gratitude.

Not because they asked you to.

You were just as much a part of their lives as they were of yours.

And Polly.

Polly became like a mother to you.

At least.

But unfortunately, you started drinking.

First with Polly - rare evenings with a glass of something strong, talking, reminiscing, laughing.

Then without it.

Not because you wanted to, but because it became a habit.

Because you were too malleable for that kind of thing.

You told yourself it was just a way to relax, a way to get away from your heavy thoughts.

But soon Arthur joined you. And that's when things got even more complicated.

You immediately began to philosophize next to him, because during your time at the university you got used to talking, to arguing, to sharing your thoughts.

You're used to being erudite.

You're used to words.

And that's why silence pressed on you harder than alcohol.

Arthur tolerated it at first.

Nodding, frowning, pretending to listen.

But every night, with every new glass, his face grew tenser and tenser.

He was accustomed to verbose people, of course, but what was going on in your head was unbearable.

You could talk for hours about the nature of the human mind, about why we get attached to others when we're losing them anyway, about why people are afraid of the dark even though they know there's nothing there. there's nothing there.

You were talking nonstop, not noticing how Artur was slowly sliding lower and lower, resting his elbows on the table, as if he were trying to blend in with the wood so he wouldn't have to hear this stream of thoughts anymore.

Sometimes he even clutched his temples with his hands, as if trying to hold on to the remnants of sanity.

Once, after a particularly long monologue of yours, he even moaned softly, covering his face with his hands:

- Oh God, make her shut up ...

But no.

You kept going.

And he almost-- almost stopped drinking.

Because there was a clear realization in his head:

If I drink more, she'll philosophize twice as much.

But he didn't stop drinking.

He just started doing it in secret from you.

Time passed, the boys grew up, changed.

Fin was no longer clinging to your skirt, no longer hiding behind your back at every opportunity, no longer bumping into your shoulder, complaining about life. He was growing up, for what it's worth. He was trying to be independent, trying to prove that he was no longer a little boy, that he could make his own decisions, cope with his own problems, bear his own responsibility.

But you could see that in the moments when he was truly afraid, when he lacked confidence or when everything around him was falling apart, he still sought your gaze. Even if furtively, even if quickly, you caught that almost childlike fear in his eyes. And, of course, you were there for him. Even if he didn't even ask for it, you were there.

John had changed, too.

He'd always been more irascible than the others, more abrupt, less patient. It didn't disappear with age, on the contrary, it intensified. He became rougher, sharper in his tongue, bolder in his words and actions. It seemed that now he could stand up for himself, could fight back, could show that he did not need anyone's care.

But you weren't fooled.

You saw how his character still had the same traits it had when he was a child. You saw how he could argue with you until he was hoarse, roll his eyes, get annoyed when you tried to reason with him, and yet...

He never, not once, even thought about stopping calling you big sister.

Even if you stood in front of him with a gun to his head, he wouldn't give up.

Even if the whole world demanded otherwise, he wouldn't stop.

It was the first time you caught Tommy smoking.

It was like a shot in the air-suddenly, loudly, with a piercing sense of something irreversible.

He was standing in the backyard of the house, a little away from the world, with a cigarette in his hand.

As soon as he saw you, he hid it behind his back. Reflexively. He didn't know why.

You weren't his mother.

You couldn't tell him not to do anything. You couldn't and you didn't want to.

But your look made him feel a strange awkwardness-as if he were doing something wrong. Like it wasn't a cigarette, but a stolen bill or something more serious.

Thomas remained silent.

He suddenly realized he was a little embarrassed. Unexpectedly, even to himself.

You didn't say anything harsh. You didn't lecture.

You just sighed heavily, took a step closer, and before he could pull away, ran your hand through his hair.

Easy. Lightly.

The way Polly once did.

He froze.

Still averting his gaze, still pretending he didn't care.

- How long? - You asked, breaking the silence.

He only raised an eyebrow.

A sixteen-year-old boy. Already a little taller than you. Already with the posture of a grown man.

But still a child to you.

Thomas lingers on you, watching you with your head tilted toward the sky, eyes closed, as if listening to the wind.

Your hands are tucked deep in your jacket pockets, your posture straight, your voice calm, but there's something weightless in it, something he can't quite catch.

- I first caught Arthur smoking in the kitchen," you began slowly, as if returning to a time that now seemed almost distant. - The only condition I gave him was... that he would do it in front of me. So I could be in control.

You sighed briefly, feeling the breeze through your hair, making it flutter softly.

- And after adulthood... he could do what he wanted.

Thomas tilted his head slightly to the side, squinting at you.

- Is that what you want me to do? - He asked, almost studying you.

You shook your head slowly.

- No.

He didn't ask why.

He just nodded and put out his cigarette with the toe of his boot, tucking his hands into the pockets of his coat.

You, on the other hand, turned around softly and tossed Words over your shoulder:

- I'm going inside. I bought Ada the dress she'd asked for .

...went inside, where the little girl was already waiting for you.

As soon as you crossed the threshold, a pair of slender arms wrapped around your waist, and you barely had time to catch her before she fell over.

Ada laughed softly, nuzzling her cheek against you.

Warm.

You could feel Thomas standing there, outside, watching you.

Thomas himself didn't realize when he fell in love.

A woman who was like a second Polly to their family.

He first saw her when he was seven. She was kind, sweet, always helping, playing with them, especially spending a lot of time with Ada and little Fin. She was strict, though.

She could soothe him gently, she could say a warm word - but she could also pull a stubborn John by the ear when he was once again throwing cobblestones at the neighborhood kids.

She was more than that to them.

But not to him.

He wouldn't let her be his sister.

No, ever since he was a kid, he'd felt something different. Something he couldn't explain, something he hid inside and didn't recognize.

As the years passed.

He was becoming a man.

He tried to let her feel it.

But he failed every time.

Sometimes Arthur clapped him on the shoulder and said with a wry grin:

- Take over the baton, brother. If you drink with her, maybe she'll talk to you more often.

Thomas just clucked his tongue, but one day he listened.

And so he sat next to her, warming a glass in his hand, listening to her, drunk, talk another nonsense about Marxism.

God give him patience.

In the first few minutes it was unbearable.

So much so that he'd rather grab a gun than keep listening to it.

And then.

Then, when he became a real man, he liked it.

He liked hearing her babble.

He liked feeling her head on his shoulder when she fell asleep.

He liked the way she looked at him hopefully, as if trying to see into the depths of his eyes - was he listening?

And then...

He felt needed.

She needed him.

Needed him to listen.

To be quiet when she needed him to be quiet. To let her talk without judging.

Needed his shoulder when alcohol clouded her mind and her tongue slurred in drunken monologues

Needed him to help her to the bed, pull off her shoes, remove the heavy bobby pin from her hair, and put out the candle.

Needed him to kiss her forehead.

To cover her with a blanket.

To stay close to her - silent, calm, strong.

It went on for days, weeks.

Until the war started.

That's when he really understood what separation was.

Not when she went home after a long evening.

Not when she fell asleep in the armchair and he quietly picked her up in his arms and carried her to bed.

Not when her voice lingered through the cigarette smoke and alcoholic fog, reciting yet another philosophical theory.

No.

He only realized it when she was gone.

When the city was filled with other people's voices. When the smell of burning smoke overpowered the scent of her perfume. When, instead of her soft gaze, he saw only cold letters arriving at the house.

It was then that he realized

a breakup isn't a goodbye for an evening.

It's an eternity in which you're not around.

When he was in the trenches, dirt, blood, and fear were his only realities. The sky, torn by shells, pressed down on his chest, and each shot echoed in his temples with red-hot metal. It was hard enough that he could feel the cracks beginning to separate in his mind.

But in those moments when he was on edge, her voice suddenly sounded in his head.

Drunk, lingering, painfully familiar.

- Did you know that when an ostrich..." she began, but then there was silence.

A silence that made him want to rip out the throat of the first person he met, just to hear the continuation.

She was the only thing he could hold on to in this hell.

Returning home proved to be no less of an ordeal than the war itself.

The train ride among others like him - empty, burned out, lost track of time and meaning - was excruciating. Faces flashed, words drowned in the general silence, and only one thought drove him forward: he must see her.

As soon as he stepped onto the familiar sidewalk, his feet carried him to the house where Polly, Ada, and Finn were waiting. He hugged them tightly but quickly, counted them each, made sure that they were alive, that the world was still standing.

- Where is she? - He exhaled, still not believing he was saying it out loud.

Ada looked over at Polly and nodded:

- 'The car broke down, she couldn't make it.

And then he just ran.

Headlong, without stopping.

Down old streets, past familiar houses, through yards where he had once played with his brothers. It all flashed, blurred, didn't matter - he had to see her.

When he burst into the house, his breath caught.

She was standing at the window, mumbling thoughtfully to herself, poring over papers, clearly unaware that he was already here.

And then, as if sensing something, she turned around slowly.

And he couldn't help himself.

Two steps - and he just threw himself into her arms.

The smell familiar to the point of pain, to the point of hysteria, to the point of impossibility.

Warm.

Warm, real, alive.

- ...Thomas? - Her voice trembled.

He didn't answer. Just pressed tighter, breathing in that native scent, digging his fingers into her back, holding her as if the world might collapse at any moment.

She hugged him back.

And then the weight that had been weighing on him all this time finally slid off his shoulders.

She was here.

She was home.

Which meant he was, too.

- You're home..." Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, shaking with emotion.

Thomas squeezed his eyes shut, clinging tighter to her, as if he were afraid that if he let go for even a second, she would dissolve, disappear, be a mirage, the play of a tired mind.

- I'm home," he whispered, barely audible, more to himself than to her.

She ran her fingers through his hair, carefully, gently, as if making sure he was real.

- I thought you weren't coming back," her voice trailed off, and Thomas felt her fingers trembling against his back.

He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.

- I did, too.

She sighed, almost laughing through her tears, but she didn't let go of him, instead squeezing him tighter.

Thomas could feel her body trembling, but he didn't rush to say anything. He just stood there, absorbing the warmth of her skin, memorizing every moment.

- Are you drunk? - he finally said, a little hoarsely, with the same reproach she'd heard a thousand times.

She snorted, but didn't pull away.

- Not this time.

- Then I'm awake," Thomas murmured, tilting his head and touching her forehead with his lips.

She held her breath.

- You're definitely home, Tommy.

______

He woke up before she did, holding her tightly in his arms. The warm skin beneath his fingers, the steady breath touching his chest-it was all too real to be a dream. He buried his nose in her neck, inhaling deeply the scent of her skin-the light scent of tobacco, perfume, and something familiar, unchanging.

She doesn't move, her body relaxed, her breathing even. Thomas squeezes her a little tighter, as if trying to absorb this moment into himself, to memorize every detail.

His fingers slide slowly down her back, touching barely perceptibly, studying her. He's never been with her like this-no words, no weapons, no bravado, no fear.

Thomas lowered his gaze - her hair disheveled, her cheeks slightly flushed, her lips ajar.

He could have woken her - a kiss, a touch, a movement.

But no.

He just lay there, enjoying the rare silence, feeling her close by and allowing himself, if only for one morning, to just be a man holding the woman he loved.

She blinked, still not fully awake, but there was no joke or ambiguity in his voice.

Thomas was looking directly at her-a look that made her feel hot even without touching her.

She bit her lip, as if weighing his words, but didn't answer.

He didn't need to hear a response.

He knew she understood.

That she wouldn't run away.

That she would stay.

Thomas straightened slowly, brushing a strand of tangled hair out of her face, and then, almost lazily, ran his fingers over her cheek, making her feel every touch.

- I told you to get used to it,You are mine

He turned and left the room, leaving her alone with that confession.

[applejusue]

would you ever do a pt2 of the imposter syndrome!ellie fic you did :3 or maybe like some little blurbs just to add onto it! the fic is sooo good and I can’t get it out of my mind.

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁˙🧷 ̟ ! .ᐟellie williams ── imposter syndrome hcs

`# I'm so glad you liked the fic anon! I don't think my heart could handle a part two and the implications of what would become of Ellie, but don't worry I have not come empty handed because this also lives in my head rent free ♡

࣪𖤐.ᐟ ── imposter syndrome

Infected!Ellie that's started to go partially blind in one eye from the bacteria, and is now more dependent on her other sensory functions than ever. She'll still manage to find you wherever you are in the apartment, and if she can't then she'll claw doors like an abandoned cat.

Infected!Ellie that still thinks you're the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. If you're dressed all nice for a parent's evening or a meeting, she'll sit by the end of the bed and just stare at you with dark eyes and rosy cheeks.

Infected!Ellie that likes to draw, even though her hand-eye coordination is practically non existent. She'll proudly hand you a mess of red crayon that you can't identify so you just smile along and pat her on the head.

Infected!Ellie who likes when you brush her hair, who tilts her head unnaturally far back so that you can reach easier because the repetitive sensation of detangling is relaxing for her.

Infected!Ellie that's learned to be more gentle with you, and that you have personal space needs that didn't account for any smothering. She'll still pout the entire time, but she'll begrudgingly sit on the other end of the sofa.

Infected!Ellie who still looks for Joel. Sometimes, in the heights of her confusion she forgets that he's dead, she'll cry for him and you have to explain to her that he can't come back to her.

Infected!Ellie that still knows you're afraid of thunder. She'll wake if there's a storm, holding you against her bony chest and mouthing at your hair. It doesn't do much, but you appreciate the effort.

Infected!Ellie who can't go five minutes without inhaling something of yours. It seems to send some sort of signaling to her brain that there's no danger. You have to keep your perfume locked in the cupboard so that she doesn't spray it all in one day.

Infected!Ellie that is devastated that she can't kiss you anymore, despite knowing she would definitely not be able to keep herself controlled. She'll still try to push her luck and clumsily kiss her way from your cheek down to your chin, and would get grumpy when you seen right through her.

Infected!Ellie that you've now given a list of tasks to do everyday, it helps to keep her orientated and less likely to desecrate the house out of boredom. She'll squint at your handwriting, bringing the little notes around with her and trying her best to do the chores.

Infected!Ellie who it's now occurred to that she can call you when she misses you, and you almost wish she hadn't. Every few minutes she'll hit the call button just to hear you say hello to her, and that you loved her. Exasperated, you changed your voicemail to say those words.

[alikuarso]

To answer your question about Fresh: Fresh is actually a parasite! He dresses in his 90's-themed clothes and speaks in a silly way so that others underestimate him. His main and utmost goal is to Survive, and the way he does that is by infecting other people with his parasites and draining the life from their souls. Being seen as harmless lets him get closer to them and gives him easier access for possession. He hopes to eventually take over the multiverse, spreading his parasites in every corner of it and having absolute control.

He also has no emotions. He is capable of them, but for whatever reason he is unable to feel much, besides the rare instance of anger. He does frequently feel fear, though.

He is a bit sadistic, and he likes seeing others suffer. This is because when he takes over someone he drains their soul of life, which causes them pain. And to him, taking someone's body means safety, it means he can survive a bit longer as long as he's snatched their body. So he's come to associate the pain of others as something good.

And he's also aware of the creators/viewers, thanks to an event called the Loveball, which is canon to his character.

Going to copy and paste my own words for this [I was talking to a friend about Loveball]:

"So, like seven years ago there was a fandom-wide event called the Loveball, where people gathered their OCs and had them all attend an UTMV dancing ball. Fresh went, of course. There, he met a Frisk called Pacifrisk. Even knowing who he really was [90's parasite], they still believed he could be good. Before this, he hadn't ever really felt a connection to anyone, or even positive emotions in general. But Pacifrisk's faith in him made him feel positively towards them. This freaked him out. [No Fr@ns though, don't worry. That wasn't the intention for this plot.]

As a result, not only did he try to kill them, but he also went through with his plans: the Fresh Takeover [I forget what it's actually called]. His true reason for attending the ball. OCs were either possessed by the parasites or tried to fight against them. Apparently, some people used alcohol to ward the virus off, as Fresh hates substances such as that.

Fresh wanted to take over the multiverse, with this Loveball being the first step for his total domination.

But then right in the middle of things, a Sans AU [which I totally forget the name of X,D] grabbed Fresh and basically yeeted him into an alternate state of being. One where he could see the creators, all staring at him. An audience.

The Sans revealed the nature of Fresh's existence: That he was simply a character in a story. And if the creators got bored of him, he could easily be written aside and forgotten. Erased. His conquest didn't matter, in the end.

Predictably, this gave him an existential crisis. I'm not sure what happened after, but he stopped invading and went somewhere to contemplate his existence in a depressed state.

Afterwards, he had a new goal: To entertain. To convince the creators that he was worth keeping around. Similar to his previous goal of survival, but now with more dire stakes."

His creator @loverofpiggies has some posts about the Loveball, tagged under either the 'fresh sans' tag or the 'loveball' tag, which I recommend you check out! ^^

But yeah, to answer your question: The reason Fresh fought Ink was probably 1: because he saw it as a good way to keep himself alive and 2: So that he could be relevant and interesting to the viewers.

Hope this answered any questions you might have about him! ^w^

THANK YOU BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY I WOULD HAVE FOUND ABOUT ANY OF THIS OTHERWISE😭😭😭 THAT'S A LOT

Now I want to draw fresh existential crisis mood, That's something I never would have imagined existed

Im still a bit confused about fresh not having emotions¿ but I think I got the idea, but still, why does he feel fear?

I think fresh is becoming my favorite now, help, error do something

(Thank you again for your time✨️)

[muffinsin]

Hey Muffin, I was wondering if you would write gn reader x the sisters, the concept is one of the other maids or servants in the castle ended up breaking a window near them in the middle of winter, so they got hit with the cold and feel like absolute shit now, and so while the other sisters deal with the servant, the reader draws they’re girl a hot bath and shares the bath with the them to keep them warm, and even tho they be naked and stuff it’s more tooth rotting fluff then lewdness or anything

Awhhh, this one’s hella adorable, hon :)! Absolutely XP🙌

Let’s get into it :)!

Masterlists

Bela

Normally, she isn’t one to get hurt, she insists

Normally, she is one to always take every little thing into consideration

Today, her ego was bruised

She’s shivering against you, trying not to think about how she ended up like this, though she does curl a little closer to you

She feels your skin and the water, warm against her cold body, your fingers gently trailing soft her pristine skin, past her shoulder blades, down her spine, until you rest your hand on her lower back, your touch gentle as you caress the ugly, hard bruises sitting there from where the cold penetrated her torn dress

She whines a little, clearly unhappy at the physical reminder of her failure, though you merely shush her

The intruder is gone, you whisper to her. Taken care of, disposed of by her sisters. No one else got hurt

She did good

Bela relaxes against you again, her golden eyes slipping shut as she presses a lingering kiss to your throat

She never really understood the appeal of skin-to-skin contact in theory, but you, especially now, prove just how comfortable it is

She enjoys it, enjoys feeling your hands slowly caress her bare body, helping the water heat her up. She’s cold still, but growing warmer and warmer again with every moment in the tub

Swiping at the warm, soft foam building from the soap at the sides of the tub, you can’t help but giggle as you lift it to her, until you allow it to fall to the top of her head, dragging an adorable snarl from her

Still, she only cuddles closer to you, utterly at peace in this moment, and you can’t help but smile fondly at her

All bark and no bite, with you. You find her snarls adorable, still

"This is unnecessary", she grumbles against you, though she so eagerly submits to the comfortable feeling of your hand stroking up and down her back and occasionally lifting up to scratch lightly at her scalp. If her flies were not rendered numb due to the water, you're sure you would hear the purr-like sounds they let out again

You only hum at her statement, pulling her a little closer. She's taller than you, a little heavier than usual due to the numbness of the flies, but she makes for a comfortable weight on top of you, still

She shifts a little, humming something against your throat you can't make out, though when you feel her tongue and teeth lightly brush against where your neck meets your shoulders, you know her almost shy request instantly

And who are you to deny her?

You lift your hand, allowing your fingers to brush through wet, soft strands of blonde hair and cup the back of her head as you hum a confirmation, hissing only slightly when you feel her sharp teeth sink in

Likely, you will never be used to the feeling of being fed on, though at the very least it becomes easier each time, and she never rushes you or is too rough with you

You stroke her hair gently, sighing softly as you feel her kiss at your throat in-between drinking

She is your everything

Cassandra

She's a fierce huntress! A predator! Powerful, yes

Now, the gashes and hardened, almost stone-like skin at her sides almost feel like an insult

She knows, she shouldn't have pushed on, should have left things be when the intruder headed towards where she knew a window was broken

Instead, she opted to pursue them

Now, she finds herself grumbling in your arms, her back resting against your bare front, her arms crossed, a scowl on her face as you gently drag a warm sponge over her cool sides in an attempt of warming her up a little more

She snarls quietly with every kiss to the side of her face, but never pulls away from you, and you smile softly when you catch the small, pink warmth eventually coming to her cheeks

"I don't need this", she grumbles quietly at one point, her golden eyes sharp as they glance at the stone-like skin of her hip, the marks stretching all the way down to her leg

You don't bother listening. You know when she's like this, there is no use trying to coax her into something. Her stubbornness can only be met with stubbornness, too, after all

As such, you wrap your arms around her fully, pressing her to you as you stroke along her cool skin and feel her slowly, slowly heat up in the warm water and under your warm hands

She turns a little, about to complain again when you press your lips to her. Immediately, her words die on her lips and she sighs quietly instead

"I love you", you whisper to her. You don't dare say how worried you were when you saw her scarred like that, hurt, screaming in pain. You don't need to, either

She presses another kiss to your lips, humming quietly as though to drink in your warmth. Briefly, you feel her sharp teeth dig into your lip and feel the sting of it, then taste the coppery blood forming at the cut

You smile a little, but giggle loudly when she begins to lap at it like a hungry cat, her whole body clumsily turning into the tub, her sharp, claw-like nails dragging against the sides and creating a loud sound that makes you cringe and grab her wrists

She huffs against you, but allows it ultimately, her eyes slipping shut as she licks at the cut on your lip again even as no blood oozes from it any longer

And for a moment, you think the sadist might just relax

Then, she squirms, her limbs aching, but warming up slowly, her cool lips pressing another lingering kiss to yours

"A little longer?", you ask softly when you notice her start to pull away

And when she whines you almost burst into laughter. Certainly, this is not a sound dragged from your fierce girlfriend often

She eyes the water in the tub, lifts her head to almost yearningly stare out towards the bedroom again, then back at you

Perhaps, it's the look in your eyes that makes her reconsider

Perhaps, it's your hand slowly sliding up her bare back until you're gently scratching at her scalp and by her ear, enough for her to slump back down and nibble lazily at your throat

An oversized cat, indeed

Daniela

The moment the window broke, her sisters, snarling and with a raised sickle, were on the intruder

The moment the window broke and the cold hit her, Daniela wailed, and the moment she saw you she flung herself against you, whimpering pitifully

You brought her to her room, though the moment you caught a glimpse of her wounds you decided; a bath will do nicely

And while she normally complains about some, stating they’re boring after a few minutes or she just misses you so much, she now is surprisingly content

She’s curled against you in the oversized tub, her fingers trailing little shapes against your throat, her lips grazing your shoulders slightly

“Mmmmm…I love you…”, she hums tiredly, her golden eyes just barely open, her gaze dreamy, loving

You can’t help but smile widely at her, your arms wrapped around her tightly and body beneath hers

She isn't quite asleep, not yet at least, but is far calmer and more still than you have ever seen her

Even during cuddles, she usually reads or asks you to read, drinks from you or bites playfully at you

Now, she's almost completely still, save for the few shapes she lazily draws onto your neck with her finger

You notice soon: she's warming up, and more than just that, she is absolutely basking in the comfortable warmth your body and the water provides

She is no fan of water, of baths, but she trusts you not to let her drown, to catch her, to hold her, to only warm her up like you promised. And you would never abuse this trust

You hold her tight, drawing little, happy squeals from her whenever you turn your head and catch her by surprise by kissing the side or top of her head

Soon, you begin to drag your hands over her body, drawing more little hums and happy, comfortable sighs from her as she feels you first only apply soap and clean the blood from her, then indulge her in her game and also trace little shapes onto her back

"Mmhmmmm....sun...", she guesses tiredly, her words slurry and voice quiet from exhaustion. When you agree, whether it really was the shape you drew or not, your heart aches with love at the feeling of her lips spreading into a happy smile against your shoulder

And eventually, you feel your girlfriend doze off on top of you, her body pliant and limp, a comfortable weight on top of you

She only stirs a little when you raise your hand and wash her hair for her, though you soon hear her hum in her sleep at this, little, quiet sounds you think might make up for the fact her flies can't "purr" as they normally would whenever you touch her

You can't help but smile at this

You aren't sure how long you stay in the bath for, long after your fingers started to prune, certainly, and long after you washed her hair for her

But in the end, you only nudge her awake when the water begins to turn cooler, giggling at her sleepy groans and whines and especially loud whines and whimpers when she can't just swarm out of the tub and in bed as she would like to

You think, you do a good job of making up for this by wrapping her in her favorite towel and guiding her to the bed, where the two of you spend the rest of the evening cuddling up

[kaliforniahigh]

Can you write about Noah and super short reader? I'm 4'11 🥺. Maybe he walks in on reader either climbing on the counter to reach something or standing on the counter looking for a snack. He starts keeping step stools in every room.

She wears his shirts like a dress with fishnets and doc martens on the regular.

Maybe they do the tiktok trend of 'showing my dog places they've never seen' but it's you being lifted by him to see above the fridge and other high places 😂

Ok, so a good while back I wrote about this exact same thought and someone made a drawing of Noah picking reader up so she can look over the fridge, but I can't find it for the life of me :((((( Anyways, I love this concept soo much!!!

Warnings: this is just fluff!

WC: 1.4k (a shortie, like the reader)

My requests are closed for now!

Noah has walked in on you climbing on things to reach somewhere or something way too many times. He's always made a mental note to keep a little step stool for you, to avoid the risks of you falling, but he actually never got around to it.

Deep down, he knows it's because he loves helping you. Loves thinking that you can rely on him to always do this one thing for you.

But, one day, he had to draw the line. You were cleaning his room, dusting the shelves and the frames he kept on the wall. The thing is, he hung them too high for you to reach, so, without thinking twice, you rolled his computer chair to where you needed it, and stepped on top of it.

You were humming some random tune under your breath, when you heard an alarmed voice behind you.

"Are you out of your mind?"

You got startled and felt the chair start to swivel and roll to the side, making you lose balance. Before you could fall to the floor, Noah was beside you, grabbing you by the hips and landing you on the ground safely.

"Oh my God! Why did you have to scare me?", you scolded him, giving him a little slap on the shoulder, trying to regain your composure after almost faceplanting on the floor.

"Why on earth would you stand on top of a rolling computer chair?", he questioned you, voice exasperated and eyes still wide from your almost accident.

"I was trying to clean the frames", you pointed to the various frames on the wall to get your point across.

"I saw that! But you need to be more careful. God knows what would've happened of I didn't catch you", he was still agitated, and that was agitating you.

"I would've been fine! I almost fell because YOU scared me!", you gestured with your hands, voice becoming a little louder.

Noah sighed out loud, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

"Ok, maybe I shouldn't have startled you, but your idea was not the brightest", he tried to reason.

"I'm used to doing this. I've had to climb stuff my whole life to reach certain things", you turned around to resume your cleaning when Noah grabbed you by the hips.

"I'm sorry, ok? I don't mean to be a dick", he put both hands on your shoulder and started to massage them. "It's just that I worry about your well-being"

You relaxed into his touch, the tenseness leaving your body instantly.

"I know that. But the word is a very different place for someone who's 4'11''. You're 6'4'', things are way easier for you", you didn't mean to complain, but you did huff a little when you said this out of frustration.

"I know, I know", he pecked you on the lips. "I'm sorry, ok?", he looked you in the eyes, wanting you to know that he was being sincere.

"It's ok, I forgive you", you circled your arms around his middle and rested your cheek on his clothed chest. "I'm never standing on top of a rolling chair ever again".

"Not, you're not. Because I'm getting you a step stool instead", said and you whined.

"Noah, no. That's embarassing", you frowned at the ideia. You weren't a 12 year old anymore.

"What's more embarassing, a step stool, or going to the hospital, looking like a fool, because you fell from a chair?", he raised both of his eyebrows at you, as if to challenge you. You thought for a minute, but you knew he was right.

"Ok, you can get me a step stool. But it has to be foldable so I can hide it, and I won't step on it if people are watching", he smiled at your remarks, but actually impressed that you gave in so easily.

"I'll still grab things for you when I'm around", he put both hands on your back, rubbing them up and down.

"You better", you rested your head against him once again. "I'm tired of cleaning, you stressed me out. Let's go lay on the couch".

He laughed at your jab at him, but grabbed you by the hand, leading you out of the room, switching the light off and closing the door behind you.

"Let's go. I can grab you some snacks from the top shelf", you slapped him lightly on the back, as he expected, and his laugh only intensified. He couldn't see you you, but you were also sporting a big smile on your face.

"I want the Doritos"

Everything has been going well since you made your deal with Noah. The day after the almost accident, he went out and bought you the step stool, and you've been biting your tongue to admit that it was actually a great decision.

One day, when you were laying on the couch, casually strolling on your phone, you heard Noah coming down the stairs. He was working on some songs on his computer - or that's what you thought he was doing - and you usually left him alone for that.

He stood in front of you, and you looked at him over the top of your phone. He didn't say anything, but he had a smile on his face that you weren't sure if you liked. Locking you phone and dropping it on your lap, you asked:

"What?"

"I saw this trend on TikTok and I wanted to do it with you", he had an expression on his face that told you you might not like this.

"Noah, you don't even have TikTok"

"I have a TikTok", he said this a little lower, hoping you wouldn't hear it.

"You have a TikTok?"

"I do", he averted his gaze from you.

"Since when do you have a TikTok?", you asked. He was unbelivable.

"That's not important right now. Have you seen this trend where owners pick their dogs up to show them places they haven't seen before?"

"Yes, I have. It's adorable", you answered and side-eyed him at the same time.

"I wanted to do it with you", he said and waited for your answer. You just looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"Are you comparing me to a dog?", you deadpanned, and saw his expression change immediately.

"No, baby, of course not. I just thought it would be cute"

"Yeah", you hummed, as if in thought". "It would actually be cute", you agreed.

"So you'll let me do it?", he asked, but was already opening his camera app on his phone.

"Yeah, I will, but we won't post it", you said, getting uo from the couch.

"What do you want to see first?", he asked.

"The top of the fridge", you walked to the kitchen and he followed after you. You positioned yourself and Noah propped the phone on the wall behind the fridge, the phone sitting on top of it.

"Ok, so I'll grab you by the hips and lift you up", he instructed and you nodded.

He tried picking you up the first time, but you started giggling, remembering the dog videos you watched. The movement threw him off and you landed back on your feet.

"What's so funny?", he asked, looking at you.

"I'm just remembering the dog videos. They look so confused, it's so funny", you giggled once more.

"Ok, I'll try it again", he picked you up once more and you were finally able to see on top of the fridge. When you saw it though, you let out a big gasp.

"What is it?", Noah asked you.

"Oh my God, Noah. It's so dusty up in here. I need to clean this right now", you exclaimed, running your finger over the top and seeing the trail of dust it left behind.

"You gotta show me other places right now, because our house is dirty and I didn't even know it", you said and made your way to the bathroom. "C'mon, you gotta show me the top of the bathroom's upper cabinet"

Noah didn't even know what to say, he just followed after you, with a smile on his face at how absolutely adorable you were.

So the day went by like this, him showing you the top part of places and you insisting you clean them. But he didn't let you use the step stool this time, adamant on holding you, using the excuse that he didn't go to the gym, so this was him working on his biceps.

You were more than happy to feel the tight grip of his big hands around your waist.

[vacz]

HUNTER IN A DRESS! Inspired by @myobsessions247 drawing!

I really loved your drawing. The way you drew him ✨~s l a yi n g~✨ made me question how it would be if Woodsman Wirt wore it too, would he be as glamorous?

The answer is no, but he is indeed killing it in that dress

I feel Woodsman Wirt wouldn't be very comfortable wearing any other clothes that are not his own, if he is not wearing his usual clothes he would feel like he just lost the only physical thing that keeps him to view himself as Wirt, and if he is not Wirt, he is just a crazy maniac of the woods

So Wirt wearing a dress would mess him up badly to the point that he would force himself to view his self as a different person, because he will do anything that is imposed on him even if he hates it, that's how he started to kill in the first place.

I liked the idea so much that I couldn't resist and made some more drawings

Remember the Beast mentioned in the ask that Wirt got some muscles? Well there they are! Wirt has been training so he could do his tasks more easily, like carrying more ellewoods, cutting the ellewood quickly and easier, and becoming faster in general. He does that all for Greg's safety.

There were times that some freak came to the unknown and they thought Wirt was a girl for his long hair and even tried to flirt with him. At first Wirt would be disgusted, but at one point he was so lonely that he tried to disguise himself as a girl so more people would try to have a chance with him, and at least he could feel wanted by a human being, even if he chomps them after (yeah, hella mess up)

Of course, he didn't know how to flirt before the unknown, less he knows now, and is worse when he is actually in a very unstable state of mind.

Anyways! I hope you guys liked it!

For those who don't know, the dress is the same that Wirt is wearing in the comic "Circus friends"!

Now, where did he get it in the AU? No idea but it was fun!

[fiction-is-life]

Calling Out to You

Summary: You reconnect with an old friend during the Season, but the young Viscount is not the same as the boy you grew up with.  Requested by @junevoidzombie​

Warnings: Description of injuries, minor character death, period misogyny, Anthony being difficult

~

“Help!” you called, starting to panic as the evening air grew cooler and the forest grew dimmer.  You sniffled and wiped your nose on the sleeve of your dress; your mama was going to be so angry, but the dress was ruined now anyways.  “Is anybody out here?” you cried.

You heard a twig snapping in the distance, and your head snapped up.  You let out a pitiful hiccup, but you finally stopped your incessant blubbering.  You waited a few more moments, hoping the sound would come closer, but it didn’t.  It must have been an animal, you thought.  

“Who’s there?” a voice called.  It didn’t sound particularly friendly, but any help was better than staying out here.  

“My name is (Y/N)!” you called back.  “I tripped and now I fear I have sprained my ankle.”

“Hold on.  I shall be there in a moment, miss,” the voice called back, this time slightly closer.  

In less than a minute, a figure started to take form in the growing darkness.  As he grew closer, you realized that he was younger than you were expecting - perhaps only three years older than yourself.  He had the most beautiful dark hair and eyes, though, and you became conscious of the horrible disarray you were currently in. 

He knelt beside you.  “I know you said your ankle is injured; is there any way you think you can stand on it, with my assistance?”

You shook your head.  “I have already tried, sir.”

“Anthony,” he interrupted.  He cleared his throat.  “You must call me Anthony, miss.”

Your face lit up with a smile.  “Then you must call me (Y/N), Anthony.  My family just moved here from Hertfordshire.  We now live at Turring Manor, and I was exploring the country when I fell.”

He smiled back shyly.  “Well, it would most likely be easier to carry you to my family’s home.  It is much closer than Turring Manor, and the sun is already setting.”

“That would be most appreciated, Anthony.  Thank you!” you replied eagerly.  

The next thing you knew, Anthony was lifting you off of the ground, being extra careful to not jostle your hurt leg too much.  Once you were off of the ground, however, Anthony looked at you while a blush crept across his cheeks.  “Um, it might be easier to walk if you put your arms around me as well.  I wouldn’t want your leg to pain you more than necessary,” he mumbled, clearly embarrassed.  

“Very well,” you whispered.  You couldn’t help your own blush as you did as he asked you.  Once that was done, he set off in the direction he had come from.

~

“Anthony, there you are darling!  Wherever have you been?”  A very beautiful woman came down the steps as you approached the very impressive home.  It must be Anthony’s mother; the resemblance was uncanny.  

“I am sorry I am late, mother, but our new neighbor fell in our woods and could not walk home,” Anthony explained. 

The lady’s eyes finally fell on you and concern filled them.  “Oh, you poor thing,” she cried.  “Anthony, bring her up to the yellow bedchamber.  I shall have the maids draw a bath and bring her something to eat.”  

Anthony’s mother sprung into action, and before you knew it, you were being laid upon a soft bed and Anthony was being shooed out of the room.  After a luxurious bath, you were given a silk nightgown borrowed from one of Anthony’s sisters.  

Said sisters (at least two of them - you had heard there was at least one more) came to keep you company before it was time to go to bed.  You could tell you all would become fast friends although the two girls were as different as could be.  Daphne was content to stay and practice piano while Eloise was always ready for an adventure.  Life would certainly not be dull living so close to Aubrey Hall.

“So Anthony really carried you all the way from the woods because you fell?” Daphne questioned as you explained what had happened that day.

“Yes, he did.  I couldn’t be more grateful; my parents would have been worried sick if they had not heard from me,” you said.

Daphne sighed, a dreamy look taking over her features.  “That is so romantic.  Like a knight rescuing the princess in the stories papa tells us.  Right, Eloise?” Daphne gushed.

Eloise rolled her eyes at her older sister’s antics.  “Anthony is hardly a knight in shining armor, Daphne.  You are being silly,” Eloise retorted.

Seeing how a fight was about to break out, you said, “He may not be a knight of olde but he certainly rescued me today.”

Eloise and Daphne looked at each other, slow smiles growing on each of their faces, making you nervous.  “Do you love our brother, (Y/N)?” they squealed in unison.

“What?  Of course not!  We just met!” you protested, but the butterflies flying in your stomach told a different story.

~

“Anthony!  You and Benedict - and Colin if he can behave himself and not eat all the biscuits - must come to my tea party this afternoon,” Daphne decreed at the breakfast table.  Her proclamation was met with several groans and one small protest of “Hey!”

Anthony scowled at his younger sister.  “Tea parties are for girls, Daphne.  Besides, I have a shooting lesson this afternoon,” he said.

Daphne beamed despite the implied insult.  “No you don’t!  I already asked papa, and he has rescheduled your lesson.  He hopes to join us for a bit after his meeting with Lord Aberly,” she said primly.  Her eyes glimmered with a spark of mischief.  “(Y/N) shall also be there,” she added in a sing-song voice.

“Fine, we shall attend your tea party.”

“Oh, come on, Anthony!  Why did you have to accept for the both of us?”

~

“Are you excited for the new baby, Ant?” you asked as you strolled in Aubrey Hall’s garden.  

He shrugged, making his broadening shoulders fill his jacket even more.  He had changed so much in the year he had been away at university, but he was still the same Anthony, thank goodness.  “I suppose.  It is always nice to welcome a new sibling, but the novelty has worn off.  Each baby is just like the last,” he chuckled.

You slapped his arm playfully, giggling as well.  “How could you say that, Anthony?” you scolded.  “Are you going to think that of your own children as well?”

You thought you saw his eyes flicker over your form with a strange expression in them, but it must have been a trick of the light for when his eyes returned to yours they were his normal welcoming brown.  

“No, I shall probably become as tender-hearted as my father when each babe is welcomed.  And dote on my wife for bringing such a miracle into the world,” he replied, that funny trick of the light occurring again and making your stomach inexplicably flip.

~

His father knelt to gather flowers for his mother, prompting Anthony to do the same.  “I shall gather some for (Y/N).  She was just admiring these daffodils the other day,” he spoke as he used his pocket knife to cut the loveliest blooms.  “I believe I will do as you suggested and ask her -”  

A thump behind him interrupted him.  

“Father?  Father!”

~

“Papa has inherited a piece of land in Scotland.  We are leaving within the week to go there.”  You stood in the door of what was now Anthony’s study.  He looked so small and lost sitting there, his late father’s portrait above him.

He nodded his head briefly before looking back down at the papers before him that required his attention.  “I shall see you when you return then.  Safe travels,” he spoke in a clipped tone.

“You don’t understand.  We are renting out Turring Manor and moving to Scotland.”

His head snapped up at this, but his eyes were distant and cold, his jaw set.  There was a pregnant pause before he spoke, “Then I wish you all the best, Miss (Y/L/N).  May God be with you.”

His terse farewell cut you like a knife.  You swallowed the lump in your throat.  “And with you, Lord Bridgerton.”

  You fled the house before anyone could see your tears fall.

~

Anthony was in the middle of his set with Miss Sherwood when there was a commotion at the entrance to the ballroom.  He looked to see a family enter, but they were blocked from his seeing their faces.  Accepting defeat, he tipped the corners of his lips up in what Miss Sherwood would know as a fond smile as he resumed their dance, forgetting the interruption entirely as the dance came to an end. 

“Brother!  How was your dance with the lovely Miss Sherwood?” Benedict clapped him on the back and handed him a glass of punch as he joined him near the terrace doors.  

He sighed, letting his austere Viscount visage fade just enough for Benedict to see how tired his brother was.  “She is well-spoken and graceful.”  He looked away from his brother and out towards the crowd.  “She shall make a wonderful Viscountess.”

Benedict’s eyes softened but Anthony refused to look at him.  “Will that be enough for you, Brother?  A wife and a mother to your children?”

Anthony fixed a glare on Benedict that would have made a lesser man shrink back and admit defeat.  “Isn’t that the point of the institution?  I shall gain an heir and somebody to take care of my households while I provide her with a name and protection from material poverty.”

“Some might add love into that mission statement,” Benedict said with a hint of sarcasm.

Anthony paused, but his mind was more made up than ever.  “I gave that notion up a long time ago, Brother.  Love brings nothing but heartache,” he spoke, his voice devoid of any emotion.

The brother’s staring contest was broken by a familiar voice.  “Lord Bridgerton, Mr. Bridgerton.”

The tall, dark haired men bowed.  “Lady Danbury, how do you do?”  Benedict took on the lion’s share of the social niceties as Anthony still had that far off look in his eyes.  He was not attending to the conversation at all, but Lady Danbury did not grow offended at his slight.

“Very well, Mr. Bridgerton.  I wanted to introduce you both to someone.  Her family has just moved back from Scotland - just in time for the season,” Lady Danbury continued, bringing you forward.

“(Y/N)!” Benedict cried, grabbing your hand to place a kiss onto your glove.

Lady Danbury raised an eyebrow in surprise, but her eyes were calculating.  “So you two know each other?”

“Miss (Y/L/N)’s family used to be our neighbors.  We spent many a day together before they moved away,” Benedict explained.  You were glad for it as your tongue was tied.  

“That is wonderful.  Then you two can help me introduce Miss (Y/L/N) to some other members of the Ton,” Lady Danbury smiled but fixed her eagle gaze on Anthony who had broken out of his stupor enough to gaze open-mouthed at you.  “Her family would like to see her settled.”

Benedict’s easy smile flashed.  “That will not be so hard a task for one as lovely as you, Miss (Y/L/N).”

You smiled wryly.  “It may become a little more challenging when people hear this is by no means my first season out,” you spoke, with that familiar teasing lilt to your voice.

“Nonsense.”  Your head snapped up at the almost angry outburst from the Viscount.  He cleared his throat.  “Many men will find you to be all the more acceptable for your age,” he said.

You smiled and Anthony made the mistake of looking at you - really looking at you - this time.  “You are right, my lord.  Many bachelors will be looking to find a wife before they themselves enter their dotage,” you teased, making Benedict laugh.

Anthony could not recover himself fast enough  - perhaps tell you that were more beautiful than the day you left - before Benedict was offering you his hand and leading you towards the dance floor.

~

“Miss (Y/L/N), may I have your next set?” Anthony intercepted you the moment Benedict led you off the dance floor.  He was spinning his signet ring on his pinkie finger.

“Of course, my lord,” you spoke even as he was already grasping your hand and leading you back onto the floor.

You spent half of the set in silence.  You could tell even after all these years when Anthony needed time to think.  You focused on the steps of the waltz and actively tried to ignore how it felt to be in his arms.

“How was Scotland?” Anthony finally broke the silence.

You blinked, startled.  “It is a most beautiful country, my lord,” you replied.

He nodded.  “Were there no eligible gentlemen there?”

Your brow furrowed.  “Of course there were many,” you sputtered.

“Why did you not wed then?”  The interrogation continued.

Your nostrils flared with your temper.  “I do not believe that is any of your business, my lord,” you stated, a hint of anger behind your words.  “I could say the same for you.”

“Yes, but I am a man; it is different.”

You scoffed, drawing the attention of some onlookers.  “Yes, I suppose it is.  I am but a woman.  Therefore my only purpose is to wed and have babies.”  You stopped dancing and broke out of his grasp.  You stood with your fists clenched at your sides.  “I heard you when you were near the terrace, my lord.  I cannot countenance how much you have changed.”

He watched in equal parts anger and despair as you walked away from him and out the doors.

~

“Mama, what are these?”  You fingered the petals of the daffodils that had been arranged in a beautiful bouquet.

“They must be from a potential suitor who saw how gracefully you danced with Benedict last night,” she replied, still not daring to mention the scene you had caused when you had stormed away from Anthony.  “There is most likely a card in them, peach.”

There was indeed.  You opened it to find a familiar neat hand.

I remembered these were your favourites, is all it read.

You closed the card and slipped it into your pocket.  “They are just from Lord Bridgerton.  An apology for our row.”

You purposely did not meet your mother’s eye so as not to see the look of disappointment that overtook her features.

~

“Who is that walking with Lady Danbury?”

“That is Miss (Y/L/N),” Benedict quickly informed the fair-haired earl he and Anthony had been walking with along with Miss Sherwood.  “Would you like me to introduce you both?  She is an old friend of our family.”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Bridgerton, that would be delightful!” Miss Sherwood cried.  “Wouldn’t it be, Lord Bridgerton?”

Anthony nodded, his lips pressed in a thin line.  “Most delightful.”

You and Lady Danbury had already come upon the group, and you paused.  “Miss (Y/L/N), you must allow me to introduce my good friend Lord James Thatcher, the Earl of Wembey and Miss Sherwood of Bath.”

You curtsied politely to the both of them.  “It is a pleasure to meet you both,” you said smoothly, years of good breeding taking over as your mind reeled.  So this was the Miss Sherwood that he had spoken of.  

“Miss (Y/L/N), would you care to join me on a small boat ride on the lake?  It is the perfect weather for it,” Lord Wembey addressed you directly, startling you.  You could feel Lady Danbury’s gaze on you.

“That would be most lovely, my lord,” you spoke as you took his proffered arm.

~

“Lord Wembey has invited us to attend the theater tonight with him in his box.  Is that not lovely, my dear?” your mama crowed.  This would not be the first time the handsome earl had singled you out in his attentions.  They had become quite marked indeed.

“That is wonderful, mama,” you replied, not looking up from your needlework.  “Shall I wear the yellow silk, do you think?”  And the conversation turned back to fashion plates and fripperies.

~

The pall mall ball soared into the air - straight into the woods and definitely nowhere near the intended target.  You were never good at pall mall, but what you lacked in talent you made up for in enthusiasm.  And the annual tournament was no exception - especially since it was your first after returning.

“I suppose (Y/N) must return to the woods,” Eloise teased.  “Hopefully you do not need to rescue her this time, Anthony.”

“Rescue her?  Whatever do you mean, Miss Bridgerton?” Miss Sherwood asked.  

You and Anthony both opened your mouths to explain, but Benedict beat you to it.  “Many years ago, Miss (Y/L/N) was walking in our woods when she injured herself.  Luckily for her, though, Anthony was there to help her home.”

“Oh, how wonderful!  It was like fate brought you together,” Miss Sherwood gushed, just as Daphne had all those years ago.

Anthony cleared his throat and brushed his free hand down his pant leg, trying to dislodge an imaginary piece of lint.  “Yes, well, it was a very long time ago, and I am sure the memory has been distorted until it seems much loftier than it is,” he spoke, more harshly than he meant in his flustered state.  “Shall we play on?  I believe it was your turn, Miss Sherwood.”

~

“I have noticed Lord Wembey and (Y/N) are spending a great deal of time together, Brother,” Daphne spoke as she entered Anthony’s study.  

“Have they?  I have not really noticed,” Anthony spoke with a clenched jaw, his pen arrested in mid air where it dropped a rogue dot of ink on the otherwise pristine page.

Daphne tilted her head and pursed her lips - a look she had perfected from childhood.  “I find that hard to believe, Brother.  Everyone expects him to propose - perhaps even tonight at mama’s ball,” she said.  She huffed lightly as Anthony still did not look up from his work.  “And people are also wondering why you have not proposed to Miss Sherwood yet.”

Anthony finally set down his pen and looked at her.  “How are those two connected, Sister?” he ground out.

Daphne did not break eye contact.  “Some people are saying that you have not proposed to Miss Sherwood because you hold a tendre for (Y/N),” she explained.

“Why would I care about the words of gossips?”  Anthony growled.

Daphne leaned forward, her face set just as hard as his.  “You may not care, but if you do not fix this, you could inadvertently tarnish (Y/N)’s reputation and ruin her chances at an excellent match.”  

Daphne made her way back towards the corridor.  “Maybe think about that, Brother,” she said before she shut the door behind her.

~

You rode fast and hard, uncaring of anything but getting away.  You did not even care that the skies looked as if they would open up at any second and flood the ground beneath you.  It would only be too fitting for your mood.

Another one.

You had rejected another perfectly suitable gentleman.  

What was wrong with you?  Lord Wembey was everything you were looking for in a husband.  He was young, titled, wealthy beyond measure, kind hearted, well-read.  He could do with some darker hair, but that was beyond his control.

You drew your horse up short at that thought.  Were you seriously comparing Lord Wembey to Anthony - yes, for he was still Anthony in your thoughts - and finding Lord Wembey wanting?

You breathed heavily as that thought washed over you, and you wanted to scream.

As if your thoughts had summoned him, Anthony appeared on horseback.  He cut an even more impressive figure than he used to, but that was no wonder.  His eyes locked on you, and he turned his horse to meet yours.

And you fled.

You could feel him following you, his better knowledge of the ground and larger steed allowing him to gain ground rapidly.  You could feel the promised rain start to pummel your back, but you pushed your horse faster.  Eating up ground faster than you could see it as your vision was blurred with rain and tears.  

“(Y/N), watch out!” were the last words you heard before your body slammed into the ground.

~

You opened your eyes to see it was already light in your bedroom.  Your mother sat beside you.  “Mama?” you rasped, wincing at how it made your head ache.

The lines on your mother’s face smoothed as she looked at you, before promptly starting to sob.  “Oh, you are awake!  We thought we had lost you forever!”

You scrunched your forehead as you tried to sit up.  You were immediately assisted by two maids.  “What happened, mama?”

“Oh, you would have been lost without him!  Going out for a ride in horrific weather, what were you thinking?” your mother was working up into one of her fits of hysteria.

“Mama!” you broke her off.  “Lost without whom?”

“Oh, Anthony, of course!  He saw you get thrown from your horse, and he carried you all the way back on his.  He personally saw that the doctor was fetched, too, wonderful boy,” she gushed.

You fiddled with the comforter, unsure of what to say.  

There was a knock on the door. You turned your head to see Anthony standing there, fidgeting with his signet ring just as he did in the days immediately following his father’s death.

“I shall leave you two to have a moment of privacy,” your mother whispered as she stood.

You attempted to reach out to her, stop her, but she was too quick.  She beckoned the two maids to follow her but left the door open for propriety’s sake.  

Anthony did not move from his position near the door even after your mother vacated the room.  The air felt heavy, and you were finding it hard to breathe.  You smoothed the bedcovers although they were practically perfect.

“I am so relieved you are awake,” Anthony croaked, his voice raspy with disuse.

You steadfastly continued your study of the linens.  “I am told I have you to thank for that, my lord.”  You congratulated yourself on keeping your tone even.

“Will you stop that?” Anthony’s tone was sharp, and you finally looked at him fully.  His face was drawn, and it was clear he had not shaved in a few days.

“Stop what, my lord?” you asked, genuinely confused.

He walked towards your bed, his face red.  “Calling me that,” he practically spat.  

You scoffed, not believing he was truly acting so childish.  “Well, it is your title.  It would be improper for me not to -”

“Marry me, then.”

You must have hit your head harder than you thought for you were certainly hearing things.  “What?” you breathed.

Anthony knelt at your side and took your hand tenderly in his.  “Marry me, (Y/N), please,” he implored.  He shook his head.  “I should have asked you ten years ago, but I thought I could prevent my heart from breaking by not letting it be touched.”  His gaze fell on your joined hands.  He cleared his throat.  “I was a fool.  I disregarded the fact that it had already been stolen from me.”

His warm brown orbs found yours, and you felt your heart climb into your throat.  You took a rattling breath as your eyes stung with tears.

“Anthony…” you breathed.

No further words were needed as your lips joined in the kiss you had always been waiting for.

~

My Masterlist

[gilmore-angel]

everything has changed | aaron hotchner x reader

swiftmas ♱ heyyy.... so this is super late😬. I am now on break so hopefully the future ones will be on time💋

summary ♱ working at a daycare has its perks, a big one being a certain single dad.

warnings ♱ awkward flirting, my lack of understanding how daycares are run, ooc aaron probably cause I haven't watched this show in forever

swiftmas ♱ navigation ♱ follow my library account @baysfics to see when I post!

loud. if you had to use one word to describe your job it would be loud. you of course loved your work, but being completely overwhelmed has become a normal thing.

the end of the day was always the hardest. trying to gather all of the kids items, putting shoes on, getting through checkout, and cleaning up afterwards.

one little boy in particular however made your job a bit easier. Jack Hotchner, an adorable three year old, was polite, well behaved, and sweet. his father, aaron hotchner, was serious but seemed nice.

all you new about him was he worked a lot, and rarely was the one to pick jack up. 90% of the time it was his aunt to come pick him up.

but today was different. when your coworker said jacks parent was here for pickup you help his little winter coat on and backpack and walked with him to the front desk for checkout.

there stood arron, dressed in his usual black suit. his jet black hair was shiny and put together like always. his blank almost cold expression shifted to a much happier one when he saw jack running towards him.

the little boy hugged his father's legs in greeting, receiving a hug in return. you smile as you walk up to aaron and pass him the drawing jack made in class today.

"jack wanted to make sure u gave this to you," aaron smiles softly and takes it, looking over the two little stick figures playing in the snow, representing them.

he glances back up at you, nodding once at you, "thank you. youre jacks main teacher, correct?"

his voice sounding so clear is surprising to you. the most you heard from him was a quiet goodmorning or bye. you would see him mutter words to jack, but they were only for jack to here. the fact he talked to you at all was completely out of the norm.

you feel your cheeks heat up, suddenly realizing now that you have to speak directly to him how handsome he really is.

you smile softly and nod, "yes, I am." you realize too late how awkward you sound.

he nods, reaching out his hand to shake yours, "jack talks about you a lot. you seem to be his favorite here."

your heart swells at that, knowing jack was your favorite too. your heart also skips a beat at the feeling of shaking his hand. his skin is rough, yet his touch is gentle.

"thats so sweet. he brings you up a ton too." your hand drops back to your side and you fiddle with your jeans, suddenly feeling very flustered, a butterfly party happening in your tummy.

he smiles, a bit brighter now. he picks up his son, who is growing more and more tired by the second. he glances away before meeting your eyes again. "I uh, I appreciate all you do for my son. I work a lot out of state so, knowing my son has a good place to go is uh, comforting."

your smile widens, and you chuckle softly, "it my pleasure. he's a great kid."

you both continue to hold eye contact, your breathing calming a bit. he has kind eyes. tired ones, yes, but kind. he finally breaks the little bit of silence by clearing his throat, glancing down.

"well uh, we should be heading out. thank you again." before you can speak again he walks out, son in his arms.

even after he has disappeared from your eye site, you continue to stand and tare at where he was. you almost feel giddy, like a teenager who just met their new crush. you snap out of your daze when you realize you still need to help with checkout. you quickly get back to it, but can't help but thinking that everything has changed.