#this is inspired by an edit i saw ages and ages ago for some other song

[astrangerlately]

[httpsserene]

𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰/𝐥𝐧𝟒

📖𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: you’re upset with the switch up the internet has pulled on you. a few years ago, everybody was saying you were too pretty for lando, but now they’re drooling over him? you will not be letting this slide.  📖𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: fluff. mild angst. humor. twt users being twt users. reader is a fashion designer (not important but mentioned). reader is also wild af. brain-rot. not beta-read. 📖𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: lando norris x fem!black!reader 📖𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: smau. 📖𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸: spice girl • aminé

𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲: in honor of lando's birthday :) look y’all—i saw one tik tok edit that was like “why is lando kinda…” and i audibly said KINDA???? and then i got mad like, how are people just noticing how fine he is. and then i saw another one that was like, “oh everybody thinks charles is the prettiest on the grid…but now introducing: lando” and i almost threw my phone across the room :) so this is inspired by me flexing that i have always thought lando was fine, and that i’m also mad that i have to share him. loves, this is complete brain rot and it took me years to recreate these ig posts for some reason; have fun reading !!!

all pics are from pinterest/op's

want to be added to my taglist or submit a request? send me an ask!

all of my posts can be found from my table of contents

anything on your mind? talk to me!

twitter • three years ago, 2020

instagram

yninstagram • three years ago, 2020

liked by landonorris, mclaren, maxfewtrell, lewishamilton, and 16,175,978 others

yninstagram lando norris is the man i want to spend the rest of my life with. he’s perfection personified. the most soft, kindest, sweetest, considerate, and funniest man has allowed me the privilege of being his girlfriend. i’m forever thankful that we get to grow together. he’s the cutest, hottest, and prettiest boy to ME–and that’s all i care about, and that’s all you need to accept. i don’t give a FUCK about your opinions on who *i* should date. i’m the only person who’s decisions matter concerning my romantic relationships. why the hell should y’all bitches who don’t even use their own photos for their pfp’s and use a k-idol’s face instead, dictate who is hot or not. it’s incredibly vein, disgusting, and immature behavior from people who think they’re my fans. acting like jealous school children isn't cute; i was never your property. it’s hilarious too, considering some of y’all are grown women DOUBLE my age talking shit about my business–go worry about why your kids don’t want anything to do with you anymore.

tagged landonorris

view comments

yninstagram matter of fact, go ahead and change your little profile pictures to real pictures of you, i don’t want to see any filters. then we can all see that all y’all want to do is spread insecurity stemming from your own self-hatred 🙂

yninstagram and while i have you all here, my winter season clothes will be restocked on the 15th.

comments have been disabled.

twitter • imessage • 2023

instagram

landonorris • august 24th • zandvoort ⚑

liked by yninstagram, mclaren, carlossainzjr, and 547,930 others

landonorris back in my favorite place

view comments

yninstagram first!! stay back hoes 🤺🤺

➥ user being called a hoe by y/n is not what i expected this year

➥ user she has notif’s 😭on 😭 for 😭 lando 😭

yninstagram how r u so HOT ���

yninstagram that sweater is mine now 👺

➥ landonorris i can just get another for you love

➥ yninstagram …i want this one lan🫤

➥ landonorris okay it’s yours 🫠

user neither of them have any backbone when it comes to each other

➥ yninstagram as it should be 😤

user might have to trip and fall into lando’s arms this weekend

➥ yninstagram i’m flying in tomorrow rethink your plan 🙂

➥ user i think i’ll avoid lando like the plague this weekend 😅

➥ user smart decision babes

landonorris • september 12th

liked by yninstagram, lnfour, tumitravel, and 425,395 others

landonorris coming in hot @ tumitravel

view comments

yninstagram come in me—i mean come home to me haha 😳😊

➥ landonorris babe please not in front of the sponsors 😧

➥ tumitravel oh no pls don’t stop for us 🫣 we stan y/n

user i saw this photo shoot LIVE!!! lando was so sweet, he signed my hat for me, and he smells so good 😩😩

➥ yninstagram i’ll chop off your nose and then you can be voldemort for halloween 👺

user i don’t know if i want to choke him or have him choke ME

➥ yninstagram how about me choking you

➥ user omg i’m down for a threesome 😳

➥ yninstagram choking you to death :)

➥ user i don’t wanna play this game anymore

landonorris • september 18th • singapore ⚑

liked by yninstagram, mclaren, oscarpiastri, and 950,706 others

landonorris whatttaaaaa weekend ❤

view comments

yninstagram GODDAMN

carlossainzjr vamossss landito ❤️💪🏼🏆

➥ landonorris ayyyy 🧡🥳🥳

➥ yninstagram my boysssss 🥰

yninstagram that’s my boyfriend 🤤

➥ landonorris last photo is just for you 😋

yninstagram so proud of you baby, i’m running out of room to put all these trophies <3

➥ landonorris v happy to be your trophy husband

user i’m in love with this singapore haircut 🤤 thank you for not fucking it up lando 😅

➥ yninstagram mmm yes, i’m thrilled it’s still long on the top 😍 it gives me something to tug on

user surprised y/n allowed him to post that last one

➥ yninstagram he doesn’t need my permission, but i get to see him naked so i rdc

user quadrant helmet it so beautiful! i want it to stay 😭

➥ user i want him to fuck me with it on

➥ yninstagram out of pocket…but completely valid honestly—delete your account 😊

liked by landonorris

yninstagram carlando 1-2 makes up for the war i’m fighting in these comments

mclaren • novemeber 8th

liked by landonorris, f1, yninstagram, and 97,293 others

mclaren pulling up fresh with @ landonorris

view comments

yninstagram not pictured: @ landonorris pulling up to OUR flat

➥ user y/n said “he’s coming home with meeeee”

f1 does he come with the jacket👀

➥ yninstagram no, but the price of me folding you like a lawn chair is included in shipping & handling

➥ f1 i’ll go sit down 😅

➥ user she’s fighting the f1 main??? this is mentally-ill behavior y/n!!!

yninstagram mclaren admin go stand in a corner and stare at the wall

➥ mclaren they made me post this!!! i would NEVER risk upsetting you ma’am 🙇🏼‍♀️

➥ yninstagram no talking from the timeout corner 🫵🏽

user we don’t care about the jacket. which organ do i have to sell to buy an hour with him?

➥ yninstagram both kidneys

➥ user but you need at least one kidney to live?

➥ yninstagram how,,,unfortunate

user model!lando always glowssssss

➥ yninstagram it’s the 9 step skincare routine i have him on, you can follow steps 1-8 on his ig

➥ user what’s step 9?

➥ yninstagram kissing me 🤭

lando.jpg • novemeber 13th • with my wife ⚑

liked by yninstagram, carlossainzjr, mclaren, team_quadrant, and 976,234 others

lando.jpg lucky to have found you so early in my life. you're my best birthday gift.

tagged yninstagram

view comments

yninstagram posting my side boob on the jpg account? forgiven since you called me your wife 🥺

➥ lando.jpg thought i’d start practicing your future title, mrs. norris

➥ yninstagram come back to bed. you can start practicing giving me your kids too.

user i want y/n to bury my head in between her boobs

➥ lando.jpg no. i sleep there also—you’re blocked 🤗

danielricciardo as long as i’m the godfather, i can forget i’ve ever read this 🤮

➥carlossainzjr get in line mate, i’ve called being baby norris’ godfather ages ago

➥maxverstappen wait your turn mates, clearly i am the correct choice for godfather

➥maxfewtrell ah, i believe you lads have forgotten my existence

➥yninstagram baby norris doesn’t exist yet, no need to fight to the death rn 🙄

➥lando.jpg i’ll convince the mrs to have four, for my racing number and so you each have a godchild 😅

user y/n may have won the war, but i’ve won the battle—bisexuals have been fed today!!!

➥user girl, i’m straight and i’ve zoomed in on the last photo an unhealthy amount of times

➥user i diagnose you with y/n-sexuality it’s incredibly common in humans

liked by lando.jpg

oscarpiastri you two are made for each other 😀

➥lando.jpg this sounds like an insult 🙂

➥yninstagram i thought kids under 13 weren’t allowed on ig

➥oscarpiastri you’re not even a year older than me @ yninstagram

mclaren mama y papa

➥ yninstagram still on timeout.

➥ mclaren :(

taglist: @saintslewis @cherry2stems @lorarri @inloveallthetime @mindless-rock @biancathecool @barnestatic @my-ylenia @katekipshidze @darleneslane @lovingaphroditesworld @smoothopz

© httpsserene2023

[piratefalls]

welcome back to the latest edition of biweekly fic recs! as always, mind the tags, if you can't leave a nice comment don't leave one at all, and happy reading!

masterlist.

There's No Problem That San Diego Can't Solve by @historicallysam

Alex doesn’t even bother knocking; he simply twists the knob on the door and shoves it open. His eyes narrow as the door bangs against the wall and he sees Henry on the phone. Maybe (definitely) it’s rude but his blood is fucking boiling so he doesn’t really care.

All the Ocean was Sleeping by @sparklepocalypse

The worst part about being a siren in the modern era, Henry ponders as yet another ship flies past his cove at a speed that he knows will disturb the anemone gardens below, is the yacht bros. Between the sound of their vessels’ motors and the dissonant noise the humans call music, Henry’s singing has no chance of attracting anyone’s attention.

cause you're a classic, and i'm reckless by @firenati0n

“I've, actually, uh. I've never done this before.” At this, Henry stops short, takes a second as his gaze moves up and to the left, trying to recall something. “I've seen your films. You most certainly have done intimate scenes.” Alex clears his throat. He hopes his nerves aren't completely obvious, the slight waver in his voice about to give him away. “Yeah, well. Never with a man, so. Not at this scale, anyway.” “Would it help to, er, practice?" Henry winces a little as he says it, which does not inspire confidence. But Alex is shocked nonetheless. What the fuck?

Over Land and Sea by SatinBirds

Alex and Henry come from very different worlds, and still, they manage to find each other.

Clean Slate by smc_27

“Henry.” Pez comes over, puts both hands on Henry’s cheeks and looks him dead in the eye. “You are not a sad man who’s gotten dumped. You’re in the prime of your life, and I quite desperately need you to act like it.” “The prime of my life,” Henry scoffs, more incredulous than questioning. “I’ve just gotten out of a 15 year relationship, endured a divorce, am suffering an almost impressive case of writer’s block, and your hands are like bloody icicles.” Pez grins, doesn’t take his hands away. “Explain to me how this is my prime. Please.” Pez tilts his head, and sounds entirely serious when he says, “Literally anything can happen from here.”

in bloom by stutteringpeach

Yoo, can u hook me up with some flowers?? It's the busiest day of the year for florists. Alex texts Henry with a last minute request.

here is a map (with your name for a capital) by @alasse9

That day at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Alex comes across the very same Prince Henry who just dismissed him having a panic attack in a bathroom. The choice Alex makes then has ripple effects neither of them could have ever expected. What's the story like, when they actually are friends all along? “So, you’re going back to England tonight, and you’ll spend the next three days pretending you two are the closest and best of friends until we can put this mess behind us.” And there are reasons he hasn’t told anybody this, good reasons, even though he’s sure June and Nora saw through him ages ago. Faced with his mom’s disappointment, though, and with the realization that the entire world apparently thinks he hates Henry and would willingly shove him into a fucking cake, he can’t stay quiet. “But we are friends,” he says, vehement and serious. “We have been for years. He’s—he’s probably my best friend, actually, along with Nora.”

thoughts of you consume by yrsonpurpose

Henry sees Alex appear on the red carpet in a blue suit that screams sex on legs and is ready to throw away all attempts at concealing their secret relationship in the name of dropping to his knees at the first available opportunity.

eyes on me by matherine

Alex’s hips buck back against Henry’s mouth the moment his tongue does more than tease, and Henry squeezes his hip in gentle consternation. But before he can say anything, Alex is already rambling. “Sorry, I’m — I’m sorry, I know you said not to move, and I’m trying, I — I’m trying to be good, I promise,” he blurts, voice shaking ever so slightly from something that certainly doesn’t sound like pleasure, resolutely refusing to turn his head so that he can meet Henry’s gaze from where he’s positioned behind him. Henry’s heart aches. “Alex — love, it’s alright. Where’s your mind?” Or: Sometimes, Alex needs a distraction. Something to take the edge off, to scrub away at the stress of the day. Some days, it works better than others. 

the evolution of intimacy by Poutini

There’s no spontaneity anymore. One might think this boring. That the novelty had worn off. The spark snuffed. Absolutely not

Want Me by OrchidScript

Henry had always been weak for a nice smile, but his was impossible to ignore. Blame it on summer heat and a fresh flush in his cheeks. Blame it on sunset painting the outdoor bar sweltering, romantic colors. Blame it on two healthy glasses of albariño thrumming in his bloodstream, or the good music floating on the air. Henry could blame it on anything liked if he thought long and hard about it, but that didn’t change much at the end. The core remained the same: he had been gone from the jump. -- Henry and Alex hook up on a vacation in Spain. Henry falls a bit deeper.

fill my lungs with sweetness by @priincebutt

Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor wakes up at 3 AM on his birthday to an empty bed. What could Alex possibly be getting up to at 3 AM the night before his birthday? The possibilities are endless.

got myself in quite a tangle by coffeecatsme

"It seems I've gotten myself in quite a tangle." "Tangle?" Henry's voice is hoarse, eyes darkened as they travel over Alex's body. They stop at his crotch, and Alex can see it even under the dim lights—Henry's growing hard too, a visible bulge pushing at his sweatpants. Alex's cock gives a desperate twitch. "Y'know, I was trying to put them around the tree," he starts, gesturing at the plain tree at the corner. It's clear he didn't even attempt to touch it. "And somehow I've managed to completely trap myself. Can't even move my hands." Henry makes a desperate noise at the back of his throat as his eyes snap up to Alex's face. Alex flashes him a suggestive grin, teeth biting down on his lip. "Seems I'm completely at your mercy."

The Forces of Chance and Coincidences by @stellarm

Bad weather leads to a late flight that leads to no one being where they wanted to be, but maybe everyone was where they needed to be.

I've never felt safer (than when I'm with you) by viciouslyqueer

Alex takes the bag and opens it slowly, careful not to rip it, and gasps quietly as he sees what’s inside. “H, you didn’t…” Strong arms wrap around his waist from behind, Henry’s chest warm against his back. “Do you like it?” Henry asks in a whisper, resting his chin on Alex’s shoulder. Alex doesn’t know what to say. Gingerly, like he might ruin it with even the smallest touch, he takes out the silky fabric and holds it up in front of them. It’s a gorgeous dress, fancy too, in a deep red color with thin straps and an open back. It’s long, almost touching the floor even as Alex holds it up and has a slit on the left side that would probably end a little above Alex’s knee.

An Amateur's Guide to Professional Gift-Giving by anincompletelist

Alex, a former-law-student-taking-some-time-off turned professional part-time gift giver, is tasked with finding a gift for the most high profile client he's ever worked with, both in and out of the world of law. It turns out finding the perfect gift for the Prince of Wales might be easier than he'd anticipated.

Love At First Bark by everwitch

“I still don’t know your name, do I?” Henry watches Alex where he’s crouched down in front of David and gently scratching David below his chin. David absolutely loves Alex. Henry can relate. “It’s David,” Henry supplies. “Cool,” Alex says. “And what’s the dog’s name?” Henry blinks at him. “... David?” “What?” Alex exclaims. He looks from David to Henry and then back at David again. “Wow, okay, that is a choice.” Henry wants to sink through the earth and never come back up again.

don't let me get drunk again by headabovethewater

Alex had never wanted to cancel plans as much as he had while watching Henry pull a pair of light wash, tight jeans over his stockinged legs and bare ass. Christ, he’s getting hard thinking about it now.

The Beginner's Guide to Floristry by clottedcreamfudge

As if there's anything romantic about it; as if it's not the most humiliating death Alex can imagine. This is why he doesn't do relationships. This is why he never will. The risk, as far as he fucking sees it, is too great. -- Hanahaki Disease is a fictional disease where the victim of unrequited or one-sided love begins to vomit or cough up the petals and flowers of a flowering plant growing in their lungs, which will eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible.

Everything you take, you make it better. So go on, take forever by @hgejfmw-hgejhsf

It's 2024, and nobody knows they're engaged. But they will, just as soon as Alex can decide what to wear to his birthday dinner. Henry has an idea and a special gift to match.

false pretenses by rizcriz

Henry spins around, glaring at Alex. “For christs sake,” He hisses, holding a hand out between them. “Can we just not? I do not have the capacity to pretend to hate you today.” Alex splutters as Henry turns on his heel and starts to walk away. He stares after him helplessly. “Pretend?” After a beat, he starts to follow after him, “What the fuck do you mean pretend?” Three years of breathing down each others necks, fighting every time they come in contact with each other. And if Henry is saying every single thing on his end has been pretend, Alex Claremont-Diaz is going to have a fucking breakdown. Because he has been harboring this stupid fucking crush and burying it beneath false antagonism, meeting Henry where he’s at, for three years, and if Henry is implying that they’re both faking it— -- or, Alex learns better.

turn the desert to glass (you would be the one) by @taste-thewaste

Henry and Alex's domestic bliss has lead to some changes in Henry's body. Henry doesn't really mind being a little chubby, but he wonders if Alex does. Alex, it turns out, does not. Not one bit. He does not mind one bit, and he is more than eager to prove it.

coming on fast like good dreams do by cricketnationrise

When Henry recovers from his unexpected factory reset, he still can’t really breathe properly and somehow Alex is still standing in front of him with a hopeful and excited expression on his face. “Run that by me again?” he asks faintly. “I need your help.” “Right…” “I need you to edge me. Like a lot,” Alex says with a shrug. Nope, it’s not any clearer a second time around.

as always, let me know if you want to be tagged in future lists, whether you're a reader or writer!

tagging @starkfridays @stilesgivesmefeels @midnightsfp @sarahjswift @enablelove

[javispunk]

Hii, so I saw an edit on tiktok of joel to i can see you by Taylor Swift on the background and i was wondering if you could do something based on that? Maybe like inspired by the lyrics and the moments between them that relate to those lyrics? But feel free to so it as you imagine it!!! Thx S2

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM2C5KGbd/

Yes! I saw this edit and was thinking of doing something inspired on it and Taylor’s song, at least now I have an excuse to actually do it! This screams dbf!joel, so I had to do it. Thank you so much for the request :) I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you’d like any other kind of version on it, or some kind of series on this?? Thank you for the support.

I can see you

Summary: You’ve been in Jackson for about a couple years now and you’ve always seen Joel go on about his days, filled with patrol duty or just casually at the cafeteria. Either way, and oblivious at first, you see each other. One night at the bar, you confirm your doubts.

Pairing: dbf!joel miller x fem!reader

Content/Warnings: +18 smut (minors don’t interact!), age gap (Joel is in his early 50s, reader is in her mid twenties), fingering, oral sex (female receiving), unprotected sex (p in v).

Notes: This is a bit long, I got carried away. It’s also a bit of a slow burn but bare with me! Please excuse any mistake, as english is not my first language. Comments and reblogs are always appreciated! Leave any requests you’d like me to write :)

You kept to yourself at Jackson since you joined in a couple years ago. You had a few people you could call friends and rely on. Besides them, your dad was also a good call. He always made sure to provide anything for you. You weren’t a child anymore, not even close to it. But you were his only daughter and that would be enough.

There would also be no effort made on your part to make more acquaintances, and that’s fine, that’s just the way you were. The people you usually had gatherings with would be your dad’s friends. And being a social butterfly, he had a few of them. But Joel Miller was his most relying one. He was a little bit younger than your dad, but they still found ways to share common interests. They’d do patrol duty together, always make way to eventually do a Saturday night dinner at yours or his - either the three of you or with more guests. You also learned about Joel’s loss and grief very quickly, something you could relate with.

For more than a year now you’ve felt safe with these people. Never once you got to complain about them, nor they did regarding you. Tonight it was just you, your dad and Joel at the dinner table. The usual setting of the table, familiar by now - your dad at your right, Joel at the other end, opposite from you.

“It should be alright if we get there by 5.” Joel spoke as he continued putting food on his fork. His signature plaid flannel shirt falling on top of his shoulders on a way that was now familiar to you.

"I'll be there sooner if I can get an early night." Your dad held the plate in his hand as he tried to collect more food from the table center. "I'm sure Adam will be there if I let him know." You received a gaze from your father as he spoke once again. "By the way, he told me he left you a message at the bar. Have you talked to him?"

"Dad... c'mon." You kept looking at your plate before turning your eyes to both man at the table.

"What? He's a great guy, he's your age. Great sense of responsability, I've seen how he handles work."

"Well, that's great for him. I don't see what that has to do with me."

Joel chuckled at your statement, still looking down at his plate. Your dad looked at him. "Honestly, I don’t understand this kid.”

Even though you were in your mid twenties your dad insisted on calling you kid, kiddo, any type of derivative.

“Well” you began as you collected your plate. “This kid has work in half an hour. I’ll just do the dishes and then go.” You headed to the kitchen with a sarcastic smile.

Once you put down your plate in the kitchen counter, you supported the weight of your body on it with both your hands. You sighed with frustration. Eyes closed, head down. The amount of hours you did the previous week at the bar left you restless and honestly wishing for a week worth of sleep. A few minutes passed, and you stayed like this. Silence prevailed until you heard Joel’s voice behind you.

“Got two more.”

“Fuck.” You jumped at the sudden voice, looking briefly at him, going back to the kitchen counter the next second.

“Sorry.” He quickly spoke. His body relatively close to yours, placing both plates on the sink. “Here, I’ll do that.” He took the sponge from your hand, slightly touching it.

There were several moments of tension between you and Joel over the last year or so. Usually cordial and kind moments like these, but they were filled with tension, you were not sure if it was sexual, but it felt so for you. Joel was at least 20 years older than you, you were not sure about his age. In a matter of seconds you recalled all of these encounters. The way he’d wait down the hall for you, or the way he’d always try to brush past you whenever you were in the same room. You would notice how he would make conversation with you whenever he could, how he would shower you with gifs - actual cool and useful gifs - how he payed attention to your interests, or how he'd get protective whenever he felt you were in some kind of danger.

"So you don't like Adam." he asked, mid-chuckle, while grabbing some soap.

You put your hand on your head, slightly embarrased. "Well..." You also looked in the direction of the dining room, searching for your dad.

"Your dad went to the neighbours. He said something about a favour. He'll be back soon enough." He noted.

You looked at him with your mouth slightly opened in a form of response, before speaking again. "Adam's alright. A bit insistent. My dad always makes a stand on the matter of relationships, I'm not sure why."

"You're almost what? 26? He probably wants you to get married. I got married around your age. That's how we'd do it in Texas."

You looked at the man's back. You didn't know much about his past. He had no pictures of his ex wife in his house. You knew he had a daughter before the world went to shit. That was the extent of knowledge you had about his grief and sorrow. Ellie would have filled some of the void in his life. But besides that, Joel was a lonely man.

"I'd get married if it wasn't the end of the world. Or if there was someone interesting around here." You laughed.

Joel followed your action, closing the running water tap. "I'm sure you'll find him." He chuckled, looking at you as he dried his hands with a cloth handtowel.

"Besides, I'm great on my own." Your voice raising an octave.

“I’m sure you are." His eyes on you. "Do you need a ride? It's freezing outside."

You shook your head no, while grabbing the coat propped on the back of the chair. "It's just a few minutes walk, I'll be fine. It will be even colder when I close at 1am. But thank you." You smiled his way.

He nodded his head, hands on his hips.

***

The clock marked half past midnight when you first looked at it since you entered the bar. You didn't stop to breathe since you started serving drinks at 8pm, walking from one corner of the bar to the other in a fast pace. The bar was usually filled with middle aged men, a few younger people, about your age, casually sitting in groups over a few tables. You sipping a few drinks once in a while over the hours without anyone noticing.

You think about the small amount of time you still have to work while you go around the counter and collect the empty beer bottles on the nearest table. You grab the cloth hanging from your shoulder only to wide your hands on it, before you make your way behind the counter again, your back against it.

"A whisky if it's not too much trouble." You heard Joel's voice.

You quickly turned around, a smile appearing, plastered on your face without you noticing. "Hi!" You swifted the counter dry in front of him. "What are you doing here? I thought you started work at 5." You started preparing his drink.

Joel slightly shrugged both shoulders, before removing his jacket and propping it on the stool next to him. "Couldn't sleep. How's your shift going?"

"Alright. A few drunk men making a mess, but that's mandatory."

You grabbed his glass and started pouring the honey coloured liquid.

"But you can put them in their place."

"I don't have a choice." You supported your body on your elbows, leaning on top of the counter in front of Joel. The cleavage on your shirt open and exposed to his sight, as you felt his eyes directly on it. You held his drink in your hand, giving it to him in a nonchalant movement. The alcohol probably getting to your head at this point of the night, just the slightest - you were sure the rest was your attraction to the older man.

You watched Joel's eyes on you, before he moved them up to your own. He coughed before speaking, in a way of disguising his actions. "Thank you."

You smiled, noticing his stunned tone. "You're welcome."

You would never have this behaviour at dinner nights of course. Here, where everyone was a little drunk and honestly, wouldn't remember parts of the night, you felt this urge to mess with him. You knew he kind of like you by the way he would move next to you, by the way he'd speak directly to you, the words he would use when no one else was hearing.

You held your place in front of Joel. Him taking a sip of his drink as the ice clinked when the glass turned on his hand. Eyes locked on yours. You noticed the bar emptying slowly, but surely.

"Would you mind giving me a ride home? I have to close the bar and by then it should be pretty late."

"It's alright sweetheart." he spoke after ungluing his mouth from the glass which was now resting on the counter, him looking at your smug expression, which earned a half upward smile from him, before looking at your eyes again.

"Thank you." You touched his arm in a thanking gesture, leaving your hand over it much more time than it was needed to. You never touched him. It even felt like a challenge, something that was forbidden to do. His skin was soft even though his figure looked rough from working everyday out on the cold weather on patrol duty.

His eyes looking down at your efforts, while he held his drink in front of his mouth the whole time. You eventually moved away from him, continuing your work.

You took care of the wet glasses, cleaning them, your back leaning against the back counter of the bar, facing Joel. Every few seconds your eyes would be on top of him, while you wiped dry the cups, moving your fingers in a slight but surely suggestive manner. You were not doing anything wrong. You were far away from Joel, just doing your work. Behind him, still in the distance, you saw a man approach the counter. Adam.

"Hey." He looked at you with a wide smile, hands on the counter, not noticing the man sat beside him right away. "Oh, hello Mr. Miller. How are you?"

Joel slightly raised his glass at the kid, hoping that would be enough of an answer to his question. His broad shoulders square, looking foward, miding his own business.

You also noticed the last group of people leaving their booth, putting down the money on top of the table for you to collect it.

"Hey, we're almost closing but can I make you anything?" You asked him.

"Hum, not really. I gathered you didn't get the message I left you back there." He looked over at Joel for a second, before continuing. "I wanted to know if you'd like to go to the movie night next friday? They're going to show that movie you wanted to see at the theatre."

Your mouth opened before you grabbed another glass to clean. "I'd love to, but I think I'm doing a night shift on friday. Sorry."

"I heard that movie is great." Joel's voice muffled from the glass on his hand.

You looked at him, watching his smug smile covered by it. He was doing this on purpose.

"I'm sure it is. But have fun, I think the group from the cafeteria wanted to go."

"Next time then." Adam tucked at the sleeve on his jacket. "Tomorrow I get off work around midday, if you're free for lunch."

You were free, but had no intention on agreeing on his plan. But for the love of God, you could not find a single excuse to get yourself out of this situation. You noticed the younger man's face, hesitant. As soon as Joel noticed your silence, he spoke, still facing his glass, now almost empty.

"Actually, I'm gonna need your help until later. We'll have lunch outside Jackson." Joel saved your night with a simple phrase.

Adam looked at Joel with a disappointed expression. "Well, alright. I'll come by and let you know when-"

"You should go home, kid." Joel interrumpted him. "We got an early shift tomorrow." He looked in his direction for the first time since he appeared uninvited.

"Yes, sir. I'll be there." He agreed, before turning to you. "Do you need a ride? It's awfully cold outside."

Joel put his drink down and got up. "Let's go kid." He grabbed him not so gently but still not roughly by the jacket, putting an arm around his shoulders, turning him away from you and guiding him through the front door. Once he put the young man outside, he closed the door behind him and spoke from a distance. "You're already closing right?"

"Thank you for that." You continued to tidy everything behind the counter, as Joel made his way to you across the bar. "Am I supposed to marry him?"

"If you really want to." He entered the space only reserved for staff. "I'll help you with that."

"You don't have to."

"I know, but it'll be a lot quicker and we can get you home."

You smiled. "Thanks, I'll just finish some things out in the back."

You ran to the kitchen, hoping to get a moment for yourself. Did Joel help you just out of good heart? That didn't seem like something he'd do. Maybe because you were his best friend's daughter - he was just trying to be nice.

After a while you heard his voice behind you, for the second time that night. "You know, he would be a nice husband. He can almost kill a few clickers without screaming if he puts his mind to it."

"Shut up." You laughed, throwing him a napkin you had at hand, still trying to finish your work duties.

Joel grabbed it in the air, laughing along with you. He scrunched it up in his hand, approaching you and almost connecting your bodies together - your back touching his front, as he placed the napkin on the table in front of you. Arms next to each side of you, hands placed on the edge of the table, where he supported his body's weight.

Your heart started beating and you swore Joel could hear it, because his behaviour was too bold to be natural.

"But you don't wanna marry him, do you?" His voice was low and you could feel the vibration from his tone on your back.

"No, not really." It seemed like he was waiting for something from you. A sign to act his next move, without being criticised. It almost felt like he was afraid. Afraid of you not feeling the same. Not wanting the same.

Your body tensed under his. His presence hovering above you. He was significantly bigger than you. Fuck, you thought. He smells like sandalwood and the whiskey you gave him earlier. You were almost intimidated to turn around, so you decided not to.

"So you're all shy now." You watched his hands shift on the table top, before moving them to your lower stomach.

Your heart felt like it would break free from your ribcage. You looked down at his hands holding you in place. They looked huge on your body.

You turned around suddenly, trying to play his game. Your hands behind your body. "What do you mean?" You put on your best innocent smile.

You saw him do the same. You noticed his eyes were the most gorgeous you'd ever seen when he raised his eyebrows before speaking, hands now on your waist. "I mean how you made me hard under that counter top back there."

You rolled your eyes in response, while you shrugged your shoulders. "Couldn't really notice. But I do now." Your hand flew to the bulge in his pants.

A laugh came creeping in his tone. "Careful, sweetheart."

"Why?" Your head up, looking at his face from underneath.

You both stared into each other's eyes with doubt on your expression. You decided to break the hesitation, gluing your lips to his. The taste of whiskey still prominent on his mouth, as he slid his tongue inside your mouth.

Your hands immediately on the back of his head. One of his on the lower of your back and the other on your ass, putting you on top of the table. You opened your legs to wrap them around him, Joel immediately erasing the gap between you both.

His hands running from the top of your back to the back of your thigh, holding it in place around his waist.

"You have no idea how long I waited to touch you." He spoke once you both pulled back for air.

"You're gonna relive your little fantasies or do something about it?" You asked as you started to unbotting your pants while looking his way.

He immediately replaced your hands with his, taking your jeans off in a swift motion. Your shirt followed quickly. He left your paneis still on, just putting them to the side before sliding his middle finger in your slick folds. He laughed as he felt how wet you were, before inserting his finger in you. You whimpered as you felt his rough calloused skin inside your cunt, moving up and down inside you. You moaned his name quietly, trying to hold on your excitement. It seemed like his knees gave in on him as soon as he heard his name coming from your lips.

"Say my name again." You heard him ask.

"Joel..." You moaned louder when he added one more finger inside you.

"Sounds so good coming from your pretty little mouth." His thumb rubbing soft circles on your clit as he kept fucking you with his fingers.

Your eyes rolled back in protest. The amount of pleasure building on your stomach was like something you've never felt before. He began to curl his fingers and you made a gutural sound with your throat, head falling back.

Joel got on his knees and placed both hands on each side of your pelvic area, holding both your legs between his biceps and forearms. You felt a void, missing the friction his fingers stimulated inside you.

"Please." You begged him.

"Please what, sweet girl?" His head between your legs, looking you up, mouth dangerously close to your core.

"Please, make me cum." Your voice came out almost in a whisper. But it was more than enough for Joel.

His lips connecting to your core, kissing it gently first, focusing on your clit. You were a mess of whimpers under his touch as he gently made out with your cunt, visibily holding himself not to get out of his pants and fuck you right then and there. Sucking on your clit, he then moved on to your entrance, sliding his tongue inside you, licking your core from bottom to top.

He was good. Joel kept his hands on your lower stomach, trying to hold you still as you moved under his touch. It was unnerving the amount of pleasure he provided you with. You never once had your body react like this.

You looked down at him, entertained in his own little paradise. He was truly intoxicated by the scent of your skin, the feel of your core, the wetness you had started to drip a few minutes ago.

He kept his rhythm steady and intense at the same time.

"Fuck." You kept moaning as you looked down at his face between your legs. Every now and then he looked up at you and the tight knot on your stomach would grow. The look of lust in his eyes enough to make you cum. "Joel, I'm- I'm-"

"I know sweet girl, you're so close." You felt the vibrations from his voice on your pussy. "Best fucking thing I've ever tasted in my life."

That did it for you. Your orgasm loosen and spread through your entire body, your legs shaking as Joel held them tighter, keeping his tongue on you, making you enjoy your high. Your head was thrown back, your hands behind your back on top of the table, supporting the weight of your now numb body. You kept your eyes closed for a while, feeling your body tensen up and resting for a while.

You felt one of Joel's hand grabbing you by the lower of your back, helping you with supporting your body weight as he noticed you couldn't do it yourself.

"So fucking beautiful." He spoke while unbuttoning and dropping down his jeans with his spare hand. With his help now, you could use your hands. You took his flannel off, before ripping his underwear down his thighs, his lenght shot right up, hard as a rock, bouncing on its own weight.

You felt your cunt pulse once again, still sensitive from your previous orgasm. One of your hands held his cock, pulling him closer to you. You heard Joel moan as he felt your hand moving up and down him.

"You like that." You stated. Not even a question. You were letting him know you knew. With your legs slightly up, around his waist, you positioned his length on your entrance slowly, making him eager for your warmth.

Once you got his tip inside you, he couldn't control himself, pushing his cock inside you slowly and deeply. It was out of your control now.

"Fuck, Joel." You screamed as you felt him stretch you wide.

He panted above you. "Shit..." he mumbled to himself, as he looked down, seeing himself dissapear inside you with each thrust. "You feel so fucking good."

Once you got used to his girth, you felt Joel fasten his pace. He was hitting your g-spot every single time he slapped his hips on your ass. The clapping sounds making him go feral. Holding one of your legs up with his arm for better positioning, Joel kissed you again with urgency. You left your mouth hang open against his when he once again fasten his pace, letting him know you were enjoying it by letting a whimper come out every time he thrusted inside you.

"Prettiest fucking thing. Let me see your pretty face when you cum." He mumbled against your open mouth.

You felt your second orgasm creep on you. His words took you to the absolute edge. His low voice making them feel like velvet. It didn't take long for you to feel that explosion of pleasure inside you. Your whole body shaking for the second time. Your ecstasy face putting him on the edge.

He quickly pulled himself out of you, letting his warm release hit your chest, running down your tummy after a few seconds of kissing each other. You wouldn't let go. You physically couldn't get enough of each other. His hand still grabbing the back of your neck, to keep you close to him. Your hands tangled on his hair. Both of your breathings slowing down as a few minutes passed just making out in an endearing way.

Your foreheads glued to each other as you panted together.

"Please come pick me up more often after closing shifts."You laughed and he followed.

"I'll do anything you want me to."

[petermorwood]

YA or not YA, that is the question...

This started out as a response to Diane’s post here about YA literature and its long history prior to what some people think inspired it, but got longer (Oh! What a surprise!) and wandered far enough from the initial subject that I decided to post separately.

So here it is.

*****

Many years ago my town library (in Northern Ireland, so following UK library practice, I suppose) had just two sections, Adult and Children. There was no YA section, and the Children’s section covered everything from large-format picture books through to hardback novels and the usual amount of non-fiction.

(Library books were almost always bought in hardback for better wear, and even the softback picture books were rebound with heavy card inserts.)

There were classics like “Treasure Island”,  “Kidnapped”, “King Solomon’s Mines” “Under the Red Robe” and “The Jungle Books”.

There were standalone titles like “The Otterbury Incident”, “The Silver Sword”, “The Sword in the Stone” and “The Stone Cage”.

There were series about characters like William, Biggles, Jennings and his counterpart Molesworth, the Moomins, Narnia and Uncle.

There were authors like Alan Garner, Nicholas Stuart Grey, Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece, Ronald Welch… And of course there was J.R.R. Tolkien.

The first time I got "The Hobbit", "Farmer Giles of Ham" and "Smith of Wootton Major" they were shelved in the Children's section. This was about 1968-69.

In the early 1970s the library moved to larger premises, which allowed room for Very Young Children (where the picture books now lived) and Children (everything else), still with no YA section, though with more advanced picture books like “Tintin” and “Asterix” * in a sort of no-man’s-land between them.

( * These included editions in the original French, which turned out very useful for making language lessons at school a bit more fun and gaining extra marks in exams through judiciously enhanced vocabulary.)

“The Hobbit” et cetera were still on the Children shelves, but now that the library was larger and more open-plan, volumes of "The Lord of The Rings", normally in the Adult section, occasionally got shelved there as well by well-meaning non-staff people.

I never saw “The Hobbit” mis-shelved alongside “Lord of the Rings” among the Adults, but Farmer Giles” and “Smith” sometimes turned up there, courtesy of those same well-meaning hands.

It’s probably because the first, with its sometimes complex wordplay and mock-heroic plot, reads like a humorous parody of more serious works, while the second, if read in the right frame of mind, can seem quite adult in the style of Sylvia Townsend Warner’s “Kingdoms of Elfin” - which is in fact a good deal more adult than “Smith of Wootton Major”, even if you squint.

*****

This “Hobbit” / “Rings” confusion is a lightweight version of assuming a particular author writes every book for the same age-group. This is very much not the case.

Sometimes the thickness of the book is a giveaway. Compare, for instance, @neil-gaiman’s “American Gods” with “Coraline” or indeed “Fortunately, The Milk”.

Sometimes the cover is a hint, for example the difference between “Live and Let Die” by Ian Fleming...

...and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, also by Ian Fleming...

...although the original James Bond novels are – apart from some extremely dated attitudes – a lot more weaksauce than many YA books nowadays.

(More weaksauce still now that Fleming, like Roald Dahl and Agatha Christie, has been censored to conceal the extent to which - let's call them Certain Attitudes - were a standard feature in British popular fiction. Apparently (I haven't read any Newspeak Bond so can't confirm) the redaction was done in a curiously slapdash way, removing some things while leaving others.

These novels have become, IMO anyway, period pieces as much as Kipling, Doyle, Dickens and Austen, and erasure probably has less to do with sensitivity - maybe with some "brush it under the rug and they'll forget about it" involved - than with keeping them marketable, so Fleming doesn't go the way of other once-bestselling writers like "Sapper" and Sydney Horler.)

It would also be a mistake, despite advisory wizards Tom and Carl, to think that @dduane’s “Young Wizards” books are meant for the same age-group as her “Middle Kingdoms” series – although, once again, the later YW books and all of the MK slot into what a modern YA audience expects from its fiction.

But sometimes there’s absolutely no doubt that This Book by This Author is not meant for the readership of That Book by The Same Author. I’m thinking of one example which caused a certain amount of amusement.

“Bee Hunter” by Robert Nye is a retelling of the Beowulf story for children, though IIRC occasional bloody episodes as Grendel takes Hrothgar’s housecarls apart make it more suited to older children. 

I’d brought home a copy from the library when much younger, and borrowed it again years later in company with another Nye novel, “Falstaff”...

...which was poetic, historic, melancholic, often bawdy, frequently funny and at all times most emphatically NOT for children, as indicated by some of these chapter headings - I draw your attention to XX, XXII, XXXII and especially XL... ;->

Yes. Quite... :->

*****

I was familiar with card index systems from quite early in my life, because my grandfather’s grocer’s shop had a fairly simple one for keeping track of customers, suppliers, stock and so forth, and since the library’s index card system cross-referenced in the same way, I was already home and dry.

If I could remember a title, I'd find the author, and once found I could track down other titles by that author (which, as shown above, can be educational...) Even if I could only remember the subject - historical, adventure, comedy - I'd still have narrowed my search window more than somewhat.

(This from-here-to-there mindset later became virtual train travel by way of the electronic timetables which SBB – Swiss Railways – used to issue on CD, and which let me “travel” anywhere in Europe, complete with a map. Those CDs are long discontinued, but I can still do virtual travel courtesy of the SBB website. Complete with a map…)

This is the last one we got, kept for sentimental reasons and occasional outdated train-travel on an equally outdated XP netbook.

As you do.

Or as I do, anyway. :->

*****

I also knew about title request cards and interlibrary loans, and was a frequent user - never more so than when I started reading “The Lord of the Rings” for the first time.

The town library didn’t have all three volumes, just “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Two Towers”, so I checked them out on a Friday to read over the weekend.

You can already see where this is going… :->

I finished “Fellowship” late on Saturday afternoon, went straight into “Towers” and by Sunday evening was all of a twitter (no, not that one) or as my mum would have said, up to high Doh, as I fretted about Not Knowing What Happened Next.

Fortunately school was no more than a brisk bike ride from the library, so I devoted my Monday morning break to zooming down and filling in one of the most urgent title requests I’ve ever made, then spent the rest of the week on tenterhooks, looking in every lunchtime and each afternoon on my way home.

Just In Case.

Some kindly librarian must have pulled strings or stamped the request "Expedite Soonest", because when I went back to school after Thursday lunch, I had “The Return of the King” burning a hole in my saddlebag.

I wanted to start reading it at once, but good sense prevailed; imagine getting caught between chapters at the back of a boring Geography lesson and Having The Book Confiscated…

I didn’t pay much attention in class on Friday, due to being half-asleep after starting “Return” in the evening after prep and finishing it in the wee hours of the morning.

But being tired didn’t prevent me from starting with “Fellowship” again on Friday night, and this time being able to read right through to the end without needing to stop.

It Was Great…

[nativeofsumeru]

Jealousy (Pantalone x gn!reader x Dottore)

A/N to the A/N: I had this sitting in my drafts folder for the past TWO YEARS holy crap! Well here take it, I have disappeared for so long. (Edit: the title was originally “Jealously (Pantalone x gn!reader x Dottore)” because I planned to do more with it, but I forgot my original concept for it so it kinda doesn’t make sense anymore. Sorry about that!) A/N: loosely related to/inspired by these two other fics:

If either seems OOC, oh well! I went based off of the little info we know and my own assumptions. Let's see if it ages well!

~~~ (not proofread)

Life wasn't easy living in the streets of the Snezhnaya, land of the Cryo Archon. From a young age, I remember begging on the streets for money in the frigid winter morning, just enough so I could buy a singular piece of bread. I remember sitting around poor excuses of campfires, trying desperately to keep warm. I know it's futile with the heavy winds and continuous snowstorms, but what else was I to do? Rats littered these alleyways, at least the few that were able to survive the harsh cold. Some were a stable source of food, but chasing them was a tiring pain. My hair grew long and shaggy, making me almost unrecognizable. Dirt stayed frozen to my body even on the warmest days of the year. Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa, hasn't been very kind towards people like me. Years passed by, this life was all I knew. It's all I did...survive. Age does matter, people are less likely to pity a grown adult over a child. It's crazy how ostracized you become the more time goes on. I saw the clubs and brothels hidden in the deepest nooks and crannies of the city. I needed to do something for money. Late nights I spent dancing for others amusement. Mornings I spent begging on the streets. I was paid well, but there were hardly any benefits. From time to time I'd notice a stranger standing in the corner. Dark hair and piercing eyes. His attire screamed "expensive". I paid little mind to it then, but if only I knew then what I know now. There was a man dressed in the finest silks, fingers bedazzled with the finest jewels. His rings alone could cost more than most people's make in a year. It was surely more than I had ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes upon. He was well groomed, smelled quite divine. I remember him dropping some Mora in my jar and giving me a smile.

Whether out of pity or self-righteousness, I'm not sure.

"Sir! W-Wait!" I shouted at the man dressed in dark purples and shining silvers. He paused in his tracks, turning around to look down at me. Me, down on the floor beneath him, subconsciously crawling in his direction.

"Sir, please." I outstretched my cup, the one had just filled with a few Mora. "Please." My voice was shaky, my hand jittery and freezing from the cold, my eyes stinging from the cold and the fresh drops of tears. Slowly, he walked back in my direction, in little hurry, standing before my pitiful position down on the floor. "Are you alone?" He asked, eyes shining behind the frame of his glasses. I nodded in response. He seemed to scan the area a bit, smile drooping for a second, before his gaze focused back on me. "Quite a pity really. Such a young, beautiful person here, rotting away on the streets of Snezhnaya." My eyes only looks down at the snow covered sidewalk, glancing at his shoes, shined to perfection. There was a pause, I could feel his eyes staring at me beneath him, a rapid gust of wind being the only sound between us. "Why don't you come with me, dear?" "What?" I stood up, staring at him in disbelief. "My mansion isn't far, why don't you come and spend the night? Get yourself something to eat and warm up near the fire. A snowstorm is coming into the area soon, surely you'd rather be inside than out here in its wake." "Yes! Yes please!" Immediately I scampered to my corner, attempting to grab together my small amount of possessions and personal items. "That won't be necessary." He said. "You won't be needing that where we're going."

The mansion, grandiose in nature, stood out in the Snezhnayan community. Its presence demanded your attention regardless of social standing and wealth. It was this mansion that became my new home. Maids tended to my every need. Upon arrival, they would run me a hot bath. One would wash my body while another would wash my hair. Finally after years, I was able to have it cut and style to my wishes, a luxury I never once had before. My closet was the size of a master bedroom, filled with outfits of various styles just waiting to be worn. "Thank you." I told the man, Pantalone of the 11 Fatui Harbingers. ~~ (Extension of the unfinished ending) "Why don't you pick something nice for yourself, my dear?" He told me, handing me his personal credit card. "But sir-" "This meeting will take a while. Go ahead and entertain yourself in the meantime. I'll send maids to fetch you once I'm done."

[thedragonagebigbang]

Bang Creator Interview: Tumblr: @scatterhearts

The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!

Interview with Scatterheart

Scatter and Dema talk pokemon, dark fantasy, and advice for artists just starting out.

Dema: You are participating in this bang as an artist, and have just handed in your first progress check, which is a brainstorm or thumbnails or a rough sketch. How did that go? Is this more or less in line with how you usually plan your pieces?

Scatterheart: Yes, it is more or less how I plan "big" pieces, by which I mean the composition matters haha. I usually first look for references of all stuff that would be relevant, then edit pictures for a collage sort of sketch or also just regular sketch. Most of the time outside of "big" pieces I just go straight to drawing a thing and changing it as I go, not very efficient but fun mostly.

Dema: What media do you work in? And is that the medium you started with?

Scatterheart: I'm pretty much digital art only since I started it four years ago, and when I decided I wanted to "really learn" art stuff it was good old pencil and paper!

Dema: What made you decide you wanted to "really learn?" And what did that look like? Did you follow tutorials, specific teachers, books? Something else?

Scatterheart: I was really into anime at the time and wanted to be able to draw the characters I liked like the fanart I saw, or the source material. At first I simply copied stuff, and then also looked at a few youtube tutorials. I did have an art class in school at the time and because other classmates also liked anime and the teacher was cool we worked on that for some time, haha.

Dema: Oh that's lovely! Any anime in particular? We have a lot of DA artists who also love anime, for sure.

Scatterheart: The one I liked most to draw in/mimic the style of was pokemon in the unova seasons and also cutesy styles like K-on or nichijou. My favorite genre was comedy, clearly. I got more ambitious after I also got really into visual novels, which have really pretty art, and it coincided with trying other mediums in my aforementioned art class. But I was not good at painting or watercolor LOL, it was so hard and time consuming I went back to pencil only.

Dema: So your favorite anime genre was/is comedy, but I saw you mentioned in your artist interview that Dragon Age introduced you to dark fantasy.  I'm curious what hooked you?

Scatterheart: I guess dark fantasy has a different kind of seriousness, in comparison to like, non-dark fantasy even when it's also serious, and dragon age has such well presented/executed stories of that sort that it was like "Oh! This is what I'm looking for and now I have a word!". Like vampire stories! I think darker topics but in a fantasy way have so much potential to really get them across.

Dema: Are there other dark fantasy media that you're enjoying lately?

Scatterheart: Does Elden Ring count? If so then that one, the game is so beautiful I end up just running around looking which is great for wanting to draw.

Dema: Oh yes, Elden Ring for sure counts! Do you have other reliable sources for inspiration? What do you do if you're in an art rut?

Scatterheart: For inspiration in the sense of making me want to draw, like, at all, music videos probably. There's been other inspiration stuff for that purpose that has come and gone but that's the most consistent one I can think of. With art rut stuff, if it's in the way of "wah everything I draw looks off" or "wah i can’t think of what to draw," I do studies, outside of those cases I just completely stop doing art stuff and go enjoy doing other stuff – watch more movies/shows, play other games, do more music stuff. Last year I had my first full on art block and I just barely drew anything for a bit over six months, then organically felt again like drawing.

Dema: What do you most enjoy drawing from the DA universe?

Scatterheart: I really like drawing Sera! LOL I haven't drawn that much dragon age stuff yet. Similar to the anime fanart, when I was just starting digital art I wanted to draw Dragon Age characters but I felt like I was not doing them justice, fast forward I now mainly draw in a painting and realism-adjacent way and would like to think I'm better at conveying facial/body features so it's like, now I have the power! That aside, yeah Sera is really fun, next is my beloved Cassandra.

Dema: Any advice for other artists just starting to make fanwork who might be having those same fears?

Scatterheart: Hmm I think that if you draw in a style that isn't quite realism and want to translate the characters to it then studying simplification of features/shapes would be useful. Fortunately game renders make that easier than looking at real people and DA characters are real shapely! Another way, going to realism-ish: painting exercises like simplifying shapes of light/shadow (ie black and white only) work really well for starting and for facial features.

Dema: Those are great tips! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today, Scatter!

Scatterheart: I hope they can be helpful tips, thank you as well for doing the interviews!

[dumb-hat]

roots: Is your OC's look inspired by any specific style of clothing or fashion trend? What are the roots and/or inspiration for their look?

(I'm coming back to that Exalted one, trust me.)

So, I guess this is another good place to talk about the out-of-character origin of Evander.

Ages ago (like, 11-12 years!), he got his start as a Bard with the Archaeologist archetype in a Pathfinder game that @luck-and-larceny ran for me, @irascibleblackguard and @kalencook. As an archaeologist, he had to have an Indiana Jones-style hat. Other than that, he was a short, scruffy looking guy of... around 5'7-5'8, I think? I'm pretty sure he ended up gaining an inch when I made him in Final Fantasy XIV, but he was a contrast to a lot of the other characters I had played recently, which were mostly taller. The point is, a lot of his visual traits (general color palette, height and build) and habits (hedonism, a tendency to go to great lengths to make it look like he went to no lengths at all... The guy loves "artfully disheveled" in all his forms) got their start there, in a tabletop game that happened well over a decade ago. I dug around and even found some art from waaaay back when:

I honestly don't remember why he has a pimp cane, but I kinda love it. Also, no, that's not actually, technically a proto-Malika stealing his money pouch. It's a completely different troublesome, dark-haired girl.

(He may have a type. I may have a type.)

Anyway, when I first made him in FFXIV, I was mostly playing on Gilgamesh and just kinda made him because Mal pointed out that Balmung was open and this was the old nightmare days when you could, like, almost never make a character on Balmung. So I made him, did the seasonal event (I think it was the 2014 Moonfire Faire, but don't quote me on that) and logged out on him for like... years.

I didn't start actually playing on Balmung until like... right around Shadowbringers, and I figured I might as well play Evander since he was like... Right there. He didn't really sit right with me, though. I went through a few fantasias and hair changes and stuff, and he just didn't click until I went to the market board and started looking at the low-level glam stuff and saw the beloved dumb hat. It wasn't a jaunty feathered cap, and it wasn't an archaeologist's fedora, but... It was perfect. I looked at it. I tried it on. It was dirt cheap, so I bought it. I chortled and guffawed, and told Mal "Hey, look. Look at him. Look at this dumb hat. I'm gonna wear it with everything.

And so I did. The hair still didn't look right, and wouldn't until I'd eventually cave and buy Aymeric's whole damn look just for his hair, but god, the hat helped. Everyone just immediately assumes he's a cowboy, which is kinda funny, but other than that? Worth it.

Ask me stuff! oc asks: character design edition

[mumms-the-word]

would love directors cut re masquerade fic, discovered a few days ago through the new bg3 rec tumblr and I’m loving it!!

Oooo! Yes A Macabre Masquerade is kind of my “just for me” brainchild (and also I’m writing it for a friend whose Tav is heavily featured as well)

For anyone new to the fic, it’s about my Tav, Dani, and her husband Gale being invited to a mysterious masquerade party. There’s fancy dresses, masks, mysteries, and of course, danger afoot! My favorite thing about it (which I haven’t even gotten into much yet) is that Dani and Gale are soon to meet other Tavs/Durges, some of which are my own and some of which belong to friends. Dani has already met one in the latest chapter 👀

(My secret wish is that it will gain a bit of popularity and I can feature other popular creators’ OCs as cameos, but we’ll see!)

A lot of inspiration for the masquerade itself, the various rooms, and some of the events comes from three things I know way too much about:

Grand Siècle (Great Century/1600s) France, especially the mirror room in Versailles

the Masquerade rooms/events in the mobile game The Arcana (I used to be obsessed with it, I was real close to stealing ideas for one of the rooms before I stopped myself)

The Winter Palace from Dragon Age Inquisition (Lord Dormire’s trophy room looks pretty close to a trophy room in the Winter Palace in my head)

Obviously Dormire’s estate isn’t nearly as big as a whole palace like Versailles, the Winter Palace, or the Vesuvian palace, so we had to downsize. But that’s okay. There’s other mysterious happenings afoot 👀

Also, please enjoy my “mood board” for what Dani and Gale are wearing to the masquerade!

(Small disclosure, I did use Midjourney AI to generate Dani’s dress and mask and then edited them later in a photo editor. Not 100% proud of it but I also didn’t think I’d be sharing it anywhere. Gale’s fit is from a mod/pic from tumblr creator I sadly forgot to write down)

Obviously Dani’s feather wrap is inspired by Laetitia Casta’s outfit at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival (this wrap has lived rent free in my head ever since I saw it)

Always happy to yap about my inspirations and fics!

[paperanddice]

I've had a little fun with Atropus from the Elder Evil book, but I'm not going to go through that entire book for now. Partly because some of the Elder Evils in it really aren't that interesting to me, largely because my Patreon backers voted for me to do some Pathfinder monster stat blocks. While the celestial archons were a 3.5 creation, they haven't made their way to 5e the way they did Pathfinder, and when I saw them near the start of the Pathfinder Bestiary I figured they did deserve to make their appearance. While they're not likely to be an enemy for most parties, they could appear as allies for many others, or third parties that must be interacted with in complicated situations.

Or, for 5e, the lantern archon here could be a familiar to a good aligned wizard, or for a celestial pact of the chain warlock. Being limited to two minor fiends and a fey dragon makes pact of the chain horribly suited for celestial warlocks, so this is a good alternative.

Lantern archons are friendly and curious, the light of good souls given corporeal form as a small floating lantern with a glowing orb in the center of it. They mostly exist to guide new souls arriving in the celestial realms, but minor spellcasters can summon these archons up to help guide them in the material world as well. Particularly divine cities may summon dozens of archons and arrange for them to remain long term as sentinels and literal light sources, hidden guardians ready to defend the righteous against any evil.

I've had a little fun with Atropus from the Elder Evil book, but I'm not going to go through that entire book for now. Partly because some of the Elder Evils in it really aren't that interesting to me, largely because my Patreon backers voted for me to do some Pathfinder monster stat blocks. While the celestial archons were a 3.5 creation, they haven't made their way to 5e the way they did Pathfinder, and when I saw them near the start of the Pathfinder Bestiary I figured they did deserve to make their appearance. While they're not likely to be an enemy for most parties, they could appear as allies for many others, or third parties that must be interacted with in complicated situations.

Or, for 5e, the lantern archon here could be a familiar to a good aligned wizard, or for a celestial pact of the chain warlock. Being limited to two minor fiends and a fey dragon makes pact of the chain horribly suited for celestial warlocks, so this is a good alternative. A lantern archon can enter into a contract to serve another creature as a familiar, forming a telepathic bond with its willing pilgrim. While the two are bonded, the pilgrim can sense what the lantern archon senses as long as they are within 1 mile of each other. While the lantern archon is within 10 feet of its pilgrim, the pilgrim shares the lantern archon's Magic Resistance trait. If its pilgrim performs evil acts, the lantern archon can end its service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.

The Pathfinder version of the lantern archon has the ability to fuse with 8 other archons to become a higher level threat for a limited amount of time, which I decided to adapt to the 13th Age version of it. For 5e however, the balance of CR felt way too off, so I left that one be. The lantern archon gestalt is based off of the Pathfinder 2e legion archon.

Originally from the 3.5 Monster Manual, with Inspiration from the Pathfinder Bestiary and Pathfinder 2 Bestiary. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!

5th Edition

Lantern Archon Small celestial (archon), lawful good Armor Class 12 Hit Points 22 (5d6 + 5) Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) Str 1 (-5) Dex 15 (+2) Con 12 (+1) Int 6 (-2) Wis 11 (+0) Cha 10 (+0) Skills Insight +2, Persuasion +2 Damage Immunities lightning Damage Resistances poison, radiant Condition Immunities petrified Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 10 Languages all Challenge 1 (200 XP) Magic Resistance. The lantern archon has advantage on saves against spells and other magical effects. Variable Illumination. The lantern archon sheds bright light in a 5- to 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional number of feet equal to the chosen radius. The lantern archon can alter the radius as a bonus action. Actions Multiattack. The lantern archon makes two Light Ray attacks. Light Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) radiant damage. This damage ignores resistances and immunities. Aura Of Menace. Each creature of the lantern archon's choice within 20 feet of the archon must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, whenever the target makes an attack roll or saving throw the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. This effect lasts for 1 minute, or until the target hits the archon with an attack. If a creature's saving throw is successful, or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the archon's Aura of Menace for the next 24 hours. Spellcasting. The lantern archon casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability: At will: detect evil and good, light 1/day: augury

13th Age

Lantern Archon  6th level mook caster [celestial]  Initiative: +12 R: Light Ray +11 vs. PD (one nearby enemy) - 8 holy damage. Pure Damage: This attack ignores all damage resistances. Aura of Menace: An enemy nearby 4 or more lantern archons who is below 30 hp takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls and all defenses. If an enemy suffering this penalty hits a lantern archon with an attack, it ignores all lantern archon’s aura of menace for the rest of the battle. Flight. Gestalt: Nine lantern archons can use their standard actions on the same turn to fuse together into a single Large entity, gaining the stats of the Lantern Archon Gestalt (below). The gestalt acts on the same initiative as the lantern archons, starting on the next round. Resist Holy 14+. AC 22 PD 18 MD 20 HP 20

Lantern Archon Gestalt  Large 6th level wrecker [celestial]  Initiative: - Flaming Blade of Justice +13 vs. AC (two attacks) - 15 damage plus 5 fire damage and 5 holy damage. Natural 16+: The target also takes 10 ongoing fire damage. Thrown Blade: 1/turn the gestalt can make a flaming blade of justice attack as a ranged attack. R: Light Ray +13 vs. AC (two attacks, each against a nearby enemy) - 20 holy damage. Pure Damage: This attack ignores all damage resistances. Aura of Menace: Nearby enemies below 48 hp take a -2 penalty to attack rolls and all defenses. If an enemy suffering this penalty hits the gestalt with an attack, it ignores the gestalt’s aura of menace for the rest of the battle. Flight. Temporary Warrior: At the start of each round where the escalation die is even, the gestalt must make a normal save; on a failure, the gestalt splits back into 9 lantern archons. Divide the gestalt’s remaining hp among the lantern archons. If the gestalt had less than 9 hp remaining, some of the lantern archons die. Resist Fire and Holy 14+. AC 21 PD 20 MD 16 HP 180

[otakuanimewriter]

"From Animash to AMVs: A Journey of Video Editing and Passion"

At the age of 12 in 2014, I stumbled upon a fanmade video on YouTube titled "Animash You'll be in my heart" by Stitchfan08. The video was a beautiful compilation of scenes from Disney and Warner Bros cartoons set to the song by Phil Collins. I was mesmerized and watched it repeatedly, sometimes putting it on loop because I couldn't get enough of it. This sparked my interest in video making and editing.

In 2017, at the age of 15, I began my journey into video making by downloading an app called VivaVideo on my tablet. I started recording myself singing with the song "Something Special" from the Disney series "Elena of Avalor". However, I was too embarrassed to show it to anyone and uploaded it to my YouTube channel called "Taiga Aisaka", named after an anime character. Unfortunately, I didn't receive any likes or comments on my video.

Disappointed, I stopped editing for a year. But in 2020, at the age of 18, I remembered the Animash music video that had inspired me years ago. I started searching for Mickey and Minnie videos on YouTube and downloaded clips to create my own music video. I downloaded an app called Power director and began putting the clips together, adding the song "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. I was thrilled with the result and uploaded it to my new YouTube channel, ‘’Yakkywakkydoty Cartoon AMV’. it was a really weird channel name.  To my surprise, it received 23k views and my channel gained 100 subscribers.

Encouraged by my success, I continued making more cartoon music videos in 2020-2021. It was during this time that I started watching an anime series called "Owari no Seraph" and fell in love with the characters Mika and Yuu. I searched for an AMV of them on YouTube and came across an editor named xShadeLynn. Her video was breathtaking, with all kinds of effects and emotions set to the song "Faraway" by Nickelback. I watched it over and over, along with her other videos, and was inspired to start making my own AMVs.

I changed my channel name to ‘’YWDCA-CMV’’ and started making AMVs using the app CapCut. My first anime music video was a mix using the song "Angel with a Shotgun" by The Cab, featuring scenes from "Owari no Seraph", "Hunter x Hunter", and "Charlotte''. It wasn't perfect, but I kept practicing and improving my editing skills. I made more AMVs, including mixes and single anime AMVs.

One day, I discovered MEPs (Multiple Editor Projects) on YouTube and was fascinated by the concept. I watched the first MEP I saw, "Everybody Talks MEP" by Mad Desires Studio, over and over again. I started participating in MEPs and auditioning for studios, but it wasn't easy. Some editors and studio leaders were looking for a specific editing style, and I didn't always fit the bill. But I kept practicing and improving, receiving feedback from other editors to help me grow.

Eventually, I auditioned for a small studio that didn't judge my editing style and was accepted. I started participating in more MEPs and auditioning for other studios, like Yume Sekai, Our Season,  Yaoi Vision Studio ect. I received feedbacks on my MEP parts that needs improving so i kept improving. My YouTube channel was now called ‘’Mikai AMVs’’, and I gained more views, likes, and 929 subscribers. and i was really happy to edit alongside other inspiring amv editors.

In conclusion, it was the Animash music video by Stitchfan08 that sparked my interest in video making and editing. From there, I discovered AMVs, MEPs, and the anime editing community. It hasn't always been easy, but I've continued to practice and improve my editing skills, receiving feedback from other editors along the way. I'm grateful for the inspiration that led me on this journey and excited to see where it takes me next.

[book-bard]

TBR, To Be or not To Be Read

Another fun project idea is that I hope to make a detailed catalogue of my library. To start with that, we'll list any and all book hauls! I hope to justify my purchases by making a few sentences to explain to myself why I bought this book, and to hopefully make more informed purchases in the future!

Book Haul, fulfilling the Collection

I recently went to my local indie bookstore, and bought... a few... books. Take a look!

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers

I have read King in Yellow since I am a huge fan of Lovecraft/Cosmic Horror genre. One of these days, I want to go on a whole ass rant as to why I enjoy reading and researching my favorite artists' favorite artist. Chambers, and the King in Yellow is specifically cited as being Lovecraft's biggest inspiration, and so I read this a while ago. It's a collection of four short stories all centered on the fictional, yet mysterious novel that seems to curse everyone who comes across it. Two of the four stories are some of the most gripping short stories I've read, and they other two are okay. From the pretty cover, to the fantastic two short stories, it was worth adding to my growing collection!

A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon

A justification/research post was written for this book not too long ago, you can read more about it here!

Once and Future King (PRETTY VERSION) by T. H. White

Book of Merlyn by T. H. White

I'm combining these books together because they're in the same series-ish. I had just finished O&FK and was reading the Book of Merlyn when I went to the bookstore. Funny enough, I had been searching for a pretty, HC, copy of this book for ages. Basically my new favorite book, I didn't think that I would find a pretty copy since I hadn't seen any online. UNTIL I SAW THIS. Honestly, it doesn't look that great online, but in person it reeks regality.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

A fantasy classic, this has been on my list for a hot minute. My first introduction to the series was from the show (amazon prime?), I loved the idea but couldn't get into the show. Hopefully, the book is better!

Legends & Lattes (HC PRETTY VERSION) by Travis Baldree

I love Legends & Lattes! I've consumed the whole series, and although I love the OG artwork, I saw a HC UK special edition that I just HAD to grab.

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

When I used to work at the book store, we always kept this book and subsequent series in stock. I hadn't heard anything about it, but the cover was always striking. Not sure when, but I finally put two and two together that the movie Annihilation is based off of this book! Now that I know, I grabbed this book as quick as I could.

[weirdtinydragon]

Some nights ago I had a dream where a guy told me he was 20.7 years old. I bring that up as a detail that stood out to me (i think that would make it so he'd be on his eighth, going on ninth month towards being 21? I'm not sure, it was the middle on the night when i did the math and i didn't have a calculator).

In honor of that strange man that i met in my dream, i wanted to talk about the first guy i had a crush on.

I think i was about two, maybe three years old when my older brother showed me star wars for the first time. For years i remembered in vivid detail when Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Jar Jar looked at the underwater city, and when Anakin did a turn in Beggar's Canyon during the Boonta Eve. That's beside the point, for what i saw the most was the original trilogy.

My brother's favourite character was Luke Skywalker, and so he became mine as well. I wanted to be the jedi, i wanted to wield a lightsaber and do cool stuff with my mind like Luke did. I wanted to be the hero, the beloved son that could turn even the coldest, cruelest and most distant of fathers back into the light. I probably also wanted to be a man like he was, but i was completely distracted by just how pretty he is.

Luke was my first crush. Luke was the kind of man that i aspired (and sometimes still do) to be. I didn't care that he was whiny; i was a child, i had been told several times just how whiny i was myself. No, i cared that he was kind (and cute, but that's beside the point). I cared that he was smart and gentle and that he cared about the people around him. I cared that he loved his friends, his mentors, his family. I cared that he was so very powerful and chose to be kind.

I came out as bi when i was thirteen, as ace when i was fourteen, and as trans when i was sixteen. Through the years it became a silly kind of comfort to see edits and analysis and just funny memes about queer readings on Luke. It made it easier to keep comparing myself to my childhood hero, to find new ways to grow and learn about life and its details.

Finding something or someone to love so profoundly that it inspires love, trust and respect is probably one of the best ways of growth I've ever experienced. I think i'm lucky to have seen Luke as someone to look up to when i was so young. It got me through many things as i've aged, and i feel at home reading him as gay i am in ways that in other characters i just can't quite find myself relating to.

I hope this helps you, strange man of my dream. It's all true, every word, but it was written just for you.

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: Smiler Alton’s Day Off

And now, for another edition of “Me Vs. My Brain:”

Me: [asks my friend Nebby for some ideas about what she would like for her birthday fic this year]

Nebby: [gives me a few different options, including one where Marty McFly and Alice kidnap Victor and Victoria from their school in a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off-kinda way]

My Brain: [looking at that particular idea and its source inspiration] Yeah, no, that’s actually a Valicer AU.

Me:

My Brain: Hey, give me points for it being based on something you’re familiar with!

Me: ONE POINT. ONE POINT FOR AN AU BASED OFF A MOVIE I SAW ONCE AGES AGO.

So, yeah, now I have a Valicer Ferris Bueller’s Day Off AU kicking around in my head refusing to pay rent. -.- There’s not that much to it yet, but I do have a few basics:

-->As you might guess from the title, Smiler is Ferris in this AU -- Victor, of course, is Cameron, and Alice is Sloane (though she isn’t actually dating Smiler in this verse, they’re just friends). Rita is Jeannie Bueller, with Thirteen being Charlie Sheen’s druggie character (named Garth in the original script, I believe). Wickerman is of course Dean of Students Ed Rooney, and Nemesis would be the Bueller’s dog. I’m a little stuck as to where I could fit in Oblivion and Galactica though...I guess the best options would be either be the parents (Tom and Katie Bueller) or the two valets who take the Ferrari out for a joy ride? Though now that I’ve written that, I’m leaning toward the parents, as I’ve seen Galactica as the “Mom Friend” of the group for a while now...

-->The rough plot of the movie (Smiler faking sick, then getting their best friends Victor and Alice out of school to come with them on an adventure through the nearby city) is about the same, but part of the reason for the day out in this world is Smiler trying to get Victor and Alice officially together, having cottoned on that they have feelings for each other but are stuck in a “mutual pining” loop due to their various self-esteem problems. Smiler themselves has a crush on Victor, but just wants their beloved to be happy and figures that’s best accomplished by pushing them toward Alice. Victor and Alice DO end up confessing to each other (see below)...but after Smiler rescues Victor during the pool scene, Victor also kisses Smiler, because he too has a thing for them, and Alice laughingly tells the shocked Smiler that she noticed their crush and made it clear to Victor she didn’t mind sharing. Cue formation of V polycule and Smiler declaring this the “best day out ever.” :)

-->Really, a lot of this AU is based on the fact that I could totally see Smiler hopping on a parade float and singing “Danke Schoen” and “Twist and Shout” to the crowd. XD Though, having recently watched that scene on YouTube, I think in this AU’s version, Smiler would end up dragging Victor and Alice onto the float to dance with them, and this might be the prompt to get them to actually kiss, to Smiler’s delight. XD

-->Oh, and as for the restaurant scene -- Smiler HAS an elaborate plan to pretend to be whatever the AU’s equivalent of “The Sausage King of Chicago” is, and is ready to put it into action when they encounter the maitre’d...only for Victor to intervene and straight-up bribe the guy into giving them a table. XD Smiler is like “...I keep forgetting you can just do that.”

-->And for Rita’s subplot -- after encountering Wickerman in the Alton house, beating him up, and frightening him away, she does not call the police, as she’s very anti-authority -- instead, a neighbor calls the cops after seeing Wickerman running away from the house. The officer who comes by has the bad luck to encounter Rita right after she’s rejected the singing sexy nurse-o-gram, and Rita assumes they’re just another stripper and gets taken in for mouthing off to an officer (this does not make her feel any better about the police). This does lead to her meeting Thirteen, though, so not all bad! Result -- when she saves Smiler from Wickerman at the end, she lets Wickerman know that the only reason she’s not telling their parents about him being in their house is the date she’s got with the hot goth chick, but he’d better be real fuckin’ nice to her and her sibling from now on. (She also gets Smiler to agree to hack her grades, though rejects their offer of straight As, feeling it would be too suspicious -- “Just raise my two weakest subjects to Cs, that’ll be fine.”)

Further developments possibly to come -- we’ll see if my brain insists on keeping this one!

[apenapaperandadoofus]

Aight hi so I’m back with a random mini-fic of a new couple I’m obsessed with lol hope u enjoy (kinda inspired by @acidspies !)

Starlight (idk I’m not good with titles) aged up! Damian x Anya

(They’re 16 in this)

Summary: Anya and Damian’s get lost in the woods but thanks to Damian they end up in an unexpected place…

I wrote this pretty late and on a caffeine high so ignore any mistakes I’ll edit it later

A small yelp from behind made Damian stop in his tracks and sigh, turning around.

Behind him, in a pile on the floor was the one and only- Anya Forger. She sheepishly smiled at him, sticking her tongue out.

“Sorry! Didn’t see that root over there!” Anya said, making Damian roll his eyes.

“Seriously? This is the eight time already, you shrimp. Not only are we lost in the middle of nowhere- but you’re also hindering our process by tripping over every little thing. Do your eyes not work or something?!”

Anya scoffed, sitting up. “My eyes work fine sy-on boy. It’s not my fault there are roots everywhere. Besides, I wasn’t the one who got us lost!”

Damian groaned. “That’s because you were the one who was leading us around in circles, remember?”

“Well who was the one who suggested going deeper into the woods huh?”

“I wasn’t the one that chose the impossible to find bird! We weren’t going to find it near the school grounds!”

Anya glared at Damian.

It was times like these when she was close to using the techniques her mother had taught her in her training sessions, along with her father. But she decided that for the sake of plan B, she would try and keep calm.

A few days ago, in science class they had been assigned to do a small research paper on some species found around the Eden grounds- and to take a picture of it. To Damian’s dismay, he had been paired up with smile girl (thanks to Loid’s small interference) to do an assignment that was worth almost half his grade.

Damian had obviously felt conflicted- but he didn’t ask the professor for a change of partners -not because he liked her, but because he didn’t want to inconvenience the teacher-

After a while of trying to look for their assigned species (some sort of bird) and not finding anything, Damian suggested going deeper into the woods- which eventually lead to their current predicament.

Damian, apparently having forgotten he was almost an adult already, stomped his foot, gripping the camera hanging from his neck tight.

“Seriously! I should have asked Emile to trade places with me. I can’t believe I got stuck with such an idiot for this- I wish we’d never gotten paired up! You just can’t seem to be useful for anything!” He yelled.

Damian quickly regretted the words as they came out from his mouth. He looked at Anya, trying to see her reaction.

Was she mad? Of course she should be- he just insulted her for something that technically wasn’t her fault. God he was such an idiot. He just got too carried away- but the thoughts of what his father might say if he saw his science grade drop like that- even if it might be the most he’s said to him in his whole life he still didn’t want to disappoint him. He couldn’t.

Anya blinked rapidly up at Damian and bit her lip, fiddling with her thumbs.

“I’m sorry sy-on boy. I know I’m being a bother.”

Damian quickly looked at her, mouth agape.

She continued, “It was my fault for saying I knew the way and then leading us in circles like that. If we manage to get out of here, I’ll ask the professor if we can work separately. I don’t want your grade to be affected by me…”

Damian felt a small pang in his heart.

No, no this wasn’t what he wanted.

Sure- Anya wasn’t exactly…the ideal partner for this, but he suddenly just…didn’t care. He wanted to be with Anya, science grade be dammed.

Damian pressed his lips together in a straight line, and clenched one of his hands into a fist- while rubbing the other one on his shirt and offering it to Anya.

She looked up at him, a confused expression on her face.

Damian cleared his throat, with a small blush on his face. “Get up dummy. I didn’t- I wasn’t- I just…I don’t want to change partners. I’m…I’m good with you I guess…”

Anya’s eyes widened, and she smiled brightly at him. “R-really?!” She asked, excitedly. Damian felt his face heat up even more, and he looked to his side.

“Yes, really! Now get up before I change my mind and leave you here to find your way back all by yourself!”

Anya chuckled and took his hand, getting up from the floor and cleaning her dirty knees.

Damian let out a tch at the sight.

Once she was done Anya smiled brightly at him.

“You don’t have to look so happy you…dork.” He said.

She looks really cute though…

“Huh?” Anya cocked her head to the side.

“What?” Damian asked, but then shook his head. “Nevermind. We need to figure out a way to get back before it gets dark.” He looked around the forest.

The sun was setting, and it covered the place in an orange hue.

As Anya focused on trying to read someone’s mind (if they were near she could go to them and ask for help!) Damian suddenly let out a small cheer.

He smiled triumphantly and pointed to a small, white flower all alone, almost on top of a rock.

“I’ve seen that flower before- a while ago but it’s the same one, I’m sure of it! That’s the white lily we say while we were adventuring with Mr. Green! I remember because it was so strange to see it in such a weird place!”

Anya clapped her hands. “That means you know where we are! We can go back to school!”

“Er- well not- not exactly.” Damian rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t get us back to Eden like this…oh! But I know somewhere else we can go.”

Damian remembered a small station nearby where they had stopped by to catch their breath after falling to the river. Mr. Green told them that if they got lost in the forest to try and find one of them -for there were plenty spread across the place- and press the emergency button for them to find them and bring them back to Eden.

However…

Damian recalled that if he kept going forward he’d end up in Stella Lake.

He glanced at Anya, who looked at him with an expectant look in her eyes, and he bit his lip.

“Well I can…I think I can get us somewhere they can find us at least. There’s the emergency station but…”

“But?” Anya asked.

Damian felt a flush start to form on his cheeks. “Well I…I want to go somewhere else first. To take you…well….” He mumbled, trying to not stumble over his words.

He finally groaned and looked up to the sky, exasperated.

“I guess to sort of apologize for my outburst before I want to make up for it by taking you somewhere.”

Anya smiled brightly. “Oh! Like a date?”

Damian almost choked on air at this, and he looked at Anya, eyes wide and face red.

“A-a d-d-DATE?!” He screamed. “N-no! Of course not I- I would never- Why would I- this isn’t a date! This is just- I just- a-as a Demond I need to take responsibility for my actions! Yeah- that’s it! So that’s why- don’t go making up stupid shit all of a sudden.”

Anya giggled, leaning closer to Damian, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Aw and here I got my hopes up!”

Damian became even redder, and he turned around, shaking his head.

“S-shut up! Just come with me and stop saying weird things, or else I won’t take you there anymore!” He said, quickly walking away from her.

Anya laughed and ran up to his side. “All right, all right I’ll stop.”

However, Anya couldn’t stop smiling at the sight of a reddened Damian.

…..

Eventually the sky turned dark, and after minutes of walking Damian and Anya finally made it to their destination.

Damian led Anya towards the edge of the lake and smiled.

“Welcome to Stella Lake! Beautiful isn’t it?” He said, gesturing towards it.

Anya gasped and walked up to the edge, looking at it and then at Damian.

“Sy-on boy- this is amazing!” She said.

Damian felt a swell of pride and he smirked. “I know. I told you I would make up for it with something amazing on the way here didn’t I?”

Anya nodded. “Yes! But I didn’t think it’d be this…this gorgeous!” She said, looking up at the sky full of stars, the moon shining brightly.

Damian stared at the sight, and he felt a sudden pain in his chest.

It was something he felt often whenever he was near Anya. Like he couldn’t breathe- and like his heart was about to beat out of him.

You’re the gorgeous one….

He thought.

Anya squealed and turned to look at him, eyes widened. Her face suddenly turned red.

Damian, startled by her expression raised a brow.

“What?”

“N-nothing!” She said quickly, and turned to look at the sky once more.

Damian shrugged and glanced around the place.

The water reflected the sky, looking as if it was right there below them.

You know…this is a really romantic place, isn’t it? I can imagine someone coming over here to confess their feelings for someone…wait…

Damian glanced at Anya.

What if she thinks that’s what I’m doing? This is a strange place to bring a…a…whatever she is.

But…a confession of…love…

His eyes widened.

Love.

Anya stood straighter, but she kept looking at the lake, ears red.

Could it be that I…I.

Damian placed a hand on his mouth.

No it can’t be…with her of all people…I can’t…but…

Damian took a step towards Anya, who gulped and kept her eyes fixed on the water.

I’m…in…

“Anya.” He whispered.

His voice sent shivers up her spine, but Anya kept her gaze forward.

Damian lifted his hand, as if to reach out.

Could it be that I, Damian Desmond…am in lo…with her? Why out of all people- I mean- she punched me the first time we met…and she’s just- she’s so annoying! She’s always smiling and blurting out such random stuff…she’s also stubborn as a mule, and she’s always so clingy! I can’t like her!

But deep down, Damian knew, he knew he was lying. He didn’t know when it happened- probably when she punched him in the face, which was even worse- but from the very beginning he knew he had a different relationship with Anya compared to the rest of his peers.

Anya was the first person to ever challenge him. She didn’t suck up to him like the others- and while her attempts to get him to invite her over to his house were…strange to say the least, she didn’t seem to have any ulterior motives.

Anya was there for him during his worst times- and she put up with every insult and dig he threw at her.

She was amazing.

And Damian had known that from the very beginning, Anya Forger had made him fall for her, and fall hard.

He gulped, clenching his fist.

The realization had certainly baffled him…but now he knew how he felt he didn’t want to waste any time.

Without thinking of any of the consequences, or what he would do if Anya rejected him, he just blurted out the first words that came to his mouth.

“I love y-”

“OH DAMIAN LOOK!”

Damian flinched and turned to see what Anya was screaming at.

Behind them, perched on a branch was none other than…the bird from their assignment!

“Quickly- we need to take a picture!” Damian said, taking his camera and taking as many pictures as he could.

Anya also raised her camera- and after a few minutes the bird was done with its photo shoot and flew away.

Anya turned to Damian once they finished.

“So what were you saying?” She asked.

Damian flushed and cleared his throat.

“Oh- that- well…I…I lo-”

“Ah there you kids are!“ a voice called out from behind the trees.

Both kids looked back to see Mr. Green and Mr. Henderson coming towards them.

“I have to say kids, looking for you is getting pretty tiresome.” Mr. Henderson said.

Both Anya and Damian blushed, and mumbled their apologies.

Mr. Green laughed and gently hit Damian in the back. “Ha! It’s alright, just remember to stay in the emergency stations next time!”

Damian looked at him shocked. “Next time?! Who says there’ll be a next time?!”

Mr. Green chuckled and motioned behind hi. “Anyway, your parents have been worried sick Miss Forger. Let’s go back to Eden, shall we?”

Anya nodded and quickly followed behind Mr. Green, while Mr. Henderson looked at Damian, as if criticizing him.

“What?” Damian asked.

Mr. Henderson shook his head.

“Nothing Mr. Desmond, just thinking.” He spun around to leave and walk behind Mr. Green and Anya but then turned his head and looked at Damian.

“I have to say Mr. Desmond- bringing a lady alone to the Stella Lake where no one is around is not, in fact, elegant. Although I shall give you this- the view was certainly a good idea. Just make sure next time it isn’t at night, in the middle of nowhere. You know what happens to the students caught in…compromising situations…”

He said, and with that he left.

Damian raised a brow before coughing violently, finally understanding at the meaning behind the words.

“N-no it wasn’t like that Mr. Henderson! I promise it was just- we were just looking at the lake!”

Damian kept saying, following the group towards school.

However he turned around once more too look at the lake, and then at Anya.

I promise…

He thought.

I promise next time I’m here, I will be honest and say what I’m feeling. I’ll do it!

And with that, he ignored Anya’s questioning stare and followed them all to the school grounds.