#those two things I mentioned are all good to go

[ecrivainsolitaire]

I never said it was better. I said it was another option. And the water thing is misinformation. As for the generators, that is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed as a whole by all of society, not just AI companies. And they are being addressed. New forms of electricity generation and storage are being worked on by thousands of labs around the world, nuclear power plants are being refurbished, solar panels are being mass produced in huge scales and new technology based on carbon, sodium and silicon (i.e. three of the most abundant and easily accessible elements on earth) is being developed with successful results to eventually phase out rare earth metals. All those things are happening because we keep needing more and more electricity and burning fossil fuels is becoming increasingly unprofitable. Not to mention new developments in computing; recently an AI discovered a new multiplication method that can eventually make GPUs faster and less energy consuming. We are on the verge of a solarpunk revolution and all we need is an extra push. And AI itself is more and more efficient; current open source LLMs that are miles better than what we had two years ago consume a relatively tiny fraction of the computing power to the extent that in 2022 AI companies charged per token, and now they charge per million tokens. Everyone, across the entire software and hardware world, is making their best effort to make it work. Some for selfish reasons, some for good reasons, but it's in everyone's best interest to make AI faster, more accurate, and cheaper to run. It took us about a hundred years to go from 5% efficiency with the Ford T to close to 100% efficiency with modern electric cars. These things take time and many interactions, but each becomes progressively easier and better, and the emergent technologies alone are worth it. Things will get better. What we need to focus on is in making them better for everyone, not just the rich. And for that to happen there needs to be push for a free open source model of development, which requires people, in huge numbers.

It's not about convenience. It's about human technological progress as a driving force for the development of society. If we play our cards right, the arrival of general AI at the same time of the collapse of capitalism can make it so we abolish labour. But choosing ignorance and leaving all the power in the claws of billionaires is not going to get us there. We need to seize the means of production, not burn them down.

"what did students do before chatgpt?" well one time i forgot i had a history essay due at my 10am class the morning of so over the course of my 30 minute bus ride to school i awkwardly used by backpack as a desk, sped wrote the essay, and got an A on it.

six months later i re-read the essay prior to the final exam, went 'ohhhh yeah i remember this', got a question on that topic, and aced it.

point being that actually doing the work is how you learn the material and internalize it. ChatGPT can give you a short cut but it won't build you the the muscles.

[y2kstarr]

— ᥫ᭡ rules . . . matt sturniolo

where . . . matt wants to treat you to one of your favorite pastimes; shopping. but when you show him the cutest lingerie set, he can't wait a moment before getting you into a changing room and showing you just how much he likes it

contains . . . smut, public sex, unprotected p in v, praising, slight mirror sex, sugar daddy!matt, sugar baby!reader, non-mentioned age gap, fluff at the end

credits to @delilahsturniolo for the marathon concept

HOT PINK WRITING MARATHON . . . fic #3

Three hours. Three whole hours the two of you had spent shopping. That's it.

Well, to be fair, it was the beginning of summer, a need for new outfits and bathing suits, and as much as you loved shopping, Matt loved spending his money on you, showering you in anything you wanted. A shopping spree was the perfect date for today.

You'd already browsed swimwear along with dresses, getting yourself a few bikinis that already had Matt adjusting himself in his pants just thinking about you flaunting your tanned little body in them near his pool and fucking you before even letting you touch the water.

And even after saying you were good for the day, you just couldn't help yourself the moment you saw a lingerie story, dragging Matt into it with you like you had with all the others, making him hold your bags and any clothes you'd spotted on the way to go try them on.

"Oh my gosh! Matt! Look at how cute this one is!" You practically squealed, holding up a gorgeous baby blue lingerie set against your chest, the lace designs so beautifully intricate, you couldn't help but feel bad knowing Matt would tear it off of you within seconds if you actually got it.

His eyes looked up from his phone with a raised eyebrow, before they widened, a soft whistle leaving his lips as he stepped closer and brought a hand out to gently touch the set, the fabric so soft between his fingertips. "Shit, angel... That's fuckin' gorgeous," He breathed out, biting his bottom lip at the already forming thoughts of you wearing it.

"I think it'd look amazing with the sundress, don'tcha think?" You asked him with a giddy smile on your lips, and just those words had him nearly busting in his goddamn jeans like a hormonal teenager.

Changing room. He needed to find you a changing room now.

It didn't take long for that to happen, and it didn't take any longer for Matt to make sure the coast was clear before sneaking into the changing room with you, closing and locking the door the moment he stepped in.

You giggled as he snuck in, watching as he sat down as if an audience here to watch you, and as he encouraged you to start trying on your outfits, you didn't waste a second more before stripping out of your clothes.

You picked up the lingerie set, smiling at yourself through the mirror, before putting it on, the baby blue fabric looking absolutely delicious on your delicate skin, as if a meal prepared just for Matt to sink his teeth into. Then, you'd grabbed the sundress you'd had in one of the bags from one of the previous stores you'd been through earlier, slipping into the white, flowery fabric, the spaghetti straps showing off your shoulders and collarbone flawlessly.

"God I love this dress, I'm so happy we got it," You smiled as you twirled in it, watching the flowy skirt spin in front of the mirror, but as Matt's eyes stayed on you, he couldn't help the way pure and utter desire coursed through his body, fueling the tent in his pants that twitched and throbbed.

“There's a little thing I wanted to check out, angel,” He cooed before stepping up from his seat, a surprised squeak leaving your lips as his hands gripped at your hips through the sundress, his touch sending shivers up your spine as you leaned forward into the wall, your hands coming up to hold yourself against it.

“Matt…” You whimpered out, biting your soft, glossy lip as his hands slid to then grip your ass, before they slid down the backs of your thighs and tugged up the skirt of your sundress, lifting it up and over the panties of that lingerie set he’d gotten you to try on, which, thank fuckin’ god.

"Look so fuckin' pretty, making me get all worked up just watching you dress up for me," He purred in your ear, his hips slowly grinding against your plush ass. You whined softly at the action, looking back at him with pretty doe eyes and the cutest pout that had him nearly buckling at the knees.

"Gotta fuck this sweet pussy, angel, I can't help it," Matt groaned softly, a whimper leaving your lips at the loss of his hands on you, but the sound of his belt and zipper coming undone made up for that, making your panties soaked from excitement and slight anxiousness due to where you two were.

"Matt, we can't, we're in public. What if we get caught?" You protested, your tone holding hardly any true worry about if the two of you got caught or not.

"Then I guess you just have to be quiet, baby," Matt whispered into your ear from behind, nipping at your earlobe to make you shiver, and as you felt his fingers hook into the band of your panties before pulling them down, all of your words fell flat as if you'd never said them.

You shuddered at the air against your sopping entrance, before you felt Matt's fingers slowly run through your folds, gathering your juices on his fingertips before bringing them up to his lips, licking them clean with a soft, needy moan.

"Y' always taste so fuckin' good, angel. Making me addicted to this pussy," He chuckled, gripping at his thick, leaking cock whilst his other hand gripped your hip. He held you steady as he dragged his tip through your folds in a similar motion, mixing your leaking juices together before the head of his cock notched at your entrance, gently pushing in and earning a breathy moan from both of you.

"Fuuck, baby–" Matt groaned out as he slowly sheathed himself inside of you, holding himself back from cumming right on the spot at how warm and wet your sweet cunt felt around his thick cock, the way your walls clenched around him as a needy little whine left your lips.

He slowly started rocking his hips, eyes screwed shut with his forehead pressed against your shoulder, his hands gripping your waist so tightly, he was sure there’d be bruising in the same place by tomorrow. Just the thought of it made his possessiveness over you flare up.

You felt as he slid one of his hands up underneath your dress whilst his other held onto your hip, his fingers teasing over your skin before he cupped one of your breasts, palming it through the thin fabric of the lingerie bra you had on. His breathing was becoming harder against your skin, feeling as his teeth grazed your neck before biting at a sensitive spot that had you moaning out.

"M-Matt-" But your cry was muffled as quickly as it came out, his other hand now cupped over your mouth to keep you quiet, your head turning back to look at him with furrowed brows at the pleasure.

"What did I say, baby? You gotta follow the rules," He teased in your ear, his hips picking up speed as his hand slid back down from your breast to your hip, keeping you steady as your own hands clawed at the wall. "Be quiet."

Sloppy sounds emitted from your coupling, a noise you knew was probably almost as loud as your noises, but you willed yourself to believe it was hardly noticeable. You felt the way the tip of his cock reached deep inside you, making your thighs start to shake.

You turned your head to the side a bit, your eyes catching the mirror on the wall next to the two of you that you'd practically forgotten about. You watched the way Matt fucked you, nice and deep, his pace quickening and getting a little harder — a clear sign of his impending orgasm. The way your pretty sundress was raked up around your waist and your panties were down at your ankles.

You couldn't help the way you moaned loudly, albeit muffled by his palm, your eyes fluttering in ecstasy at the sight.

"Mmm– Mmff–" You whined behind Matt's hand, one of your hands moving from the wall to grip onto his arm, your legs starting to tremble as you felt that familiar burning sensation in your tummy, that pleasure building up more and more within you.

"Fuckin' shit– M' gonna cum, baby. You gonna cum with me?" He panted in your ear, grinning breathlessly at the way you frantically nodded you head, noticing your glossed over eyes and the way you were gripping onto him for dear life. "C'mon baby, give it to me. Give it to me, please, angel— Oh my god—"

Suddenly, you felt your orgasm hit you like a truck, your back arching beautifully, your nails digging into his skin and the wall, and your pussy gushing all over his cock. Your mind went fuzzy as you heard him groan before spilling his warm load into you, painting your walls with his seed as his hips rutted against you.

After a few more moments of riding out your highs and collecting as much as you could of yourselves, you felt as Matt released you mouth, before tugging your head towards him and capturing your lips in a passionate, deep kiss. The moment you parted, saliva connecting your lips before breaking, panting fell from both of you, chests rising and falling in near unison.

"So fuckin' pretty... prettiest little thing, even when your fucked out.." Matt murmured sweet nothings to you, making you weakly giggle as he peppered your cheeks and neck with kisses, anywhere he could press a kiss, he did.

"M' gonna buy you this, no ands, ifs, or buts," He explained, chuckling softly at your adorable giggles, his kisses brushing over your shoulders and the back of your neck. "Then we'll go get anything else you want. Anything, angel."

"M' done with shopping... wanna go home now..." You murmured back with a tired smile, clearly worn out not only from that amazing fuck, but also from the full day of shopping.

"Whatever you want, baby. We'll go home, get all cozy, and put on a movie. How's that sound?" He whispered softly into your ear, his voice so full of love and adoration for you.

"Do I get to pick the movie?" You asked with a little smile on your lips, earning a chuckle from Matt as he pecked your lips with a sweet kiss.

"Yeah, you can pick the movie, angel."

☆ : (they're actually so cute, wtf-) he totally had to pay the workers there for compensation. they were NOT quiet at all 😋 sorry if this one seemed a little rushed, I'm really exhausted from a 4 hour long grad party 😭 but I hope you guys enjoy!! <33

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[elllisaaa]

hi!! I looove your BF!VERNON post! have you ever read those ABC-type of posts where they describe how the person would be in their sex life using each word of the alphabet to tell a part of it? If not, do you think you can do a broad post on how you think Vernon would be in his sex life pls?

NSFW ALPHABET - C. HANSOL

-> pairing : vernon x fem!reader

-> words count : 2k words

-> genre : pure smut

-> warnings : dom!vernon & simp!vernon, unprotected sex, hair pulling, body description, masturbation (f. & m.), voyeurism, doggystyle, reverse cowgirl, phone sex, sexting, dirty talk, orgasm control (edging & overstimulation), mention of choking, oral (m. & f.), toys

+ the way i'm depicting vernon does not represents him, it's only a work of fiction

-> 18+ content below, minors DNI

-> author's note : thank you so much for reading my work and for you request, i really enjoyed doing it <3 !

-> sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language.

-> reblogs and feedbacks are appreciated !

-> masterlist | svt masterlist

A - AFTERCARE

He’ll definitely ask if you’re good, and whisper praises and sweet nothings to you. Silently goes to the bathroom to grab something to clean you up with and gently helps you put on some clothes before going to sleep. After sex, he loves to cuddle with you and to have some skin to skin contact, so he will slip his hands underneath your shirt just to rest them against your back or your tummy and feel your body heat. It’s mostly calm but so comforting. 

B - BODY PARTS (favourite body parts of theirs and their partners) 

Vernon is lowkey a simp, he’s even actually surprised that he pulled a girl like you, so out of his league it looks like you’re doing charity. But he’s even more of a simp for your back. There’s a reason why he loves to bend you over and rest his hand on your back, and there’s a reason why he goes feral anytime you wear something backless. He will definitely rest his hand on the small of your back to casually guide you and kiss your back over and over again because he can’t get enough of it. And if you get a back tattoo, it’s the end for him. 

He doesn’t really have a favourite body part of himself, but because of you and of how much you like his arms, he does. It boosts his ego so much when you gush over how muscular he has become, and it motivates him to keep going to the gym. Plus, being able to just manhandle you to his liking and hear you moaning his name because of it definitely makes him like his arms too. 

C - CUM

He’s not really big on making a mess, so he definitely won’t cum inside most of the times, because it’s easier to clean when he just cums on your back, and for obvious reasons, it’s his favourite place too. But if you want him to cum inside, he’ll gladly do it - he’s just a guy after all. 

D - DIRTY SECRET

One time he came home a bit earlier from work to surprise you, but you were busy doing self-care. You had left the door to your bedroom open since you were home alone, and Vernon could see you touching yourself and hear you moaning freely. He knew he should have stopped watching and told you he was there, but he couldn’t help but watch until you made yourself come. He slammed the door really loud after that, pretending he just got home and he tried to hide the tent in his pants. He still hasn't talked to you about it. 

E - EXPERIENCE

He’s the type to have been in one or two serious relationships before you. He stayed with his exes for long periods of time, and between these relationships, he didn’t really try to meet someone else until you came into his life. Though, he knows what he does, and he’s especially good at learning to read your body and what you like. He’s dedicated to you and he loves to learn new things about you or when you teach him what to do too. 

F - FAVOURITE POSITION

Considering his adoration for your back, doggystyle definitely is his favourite. Being able to see the beautiful curve of your back as he’s pounding into you makes his brain short circuit. Also reverse cowgirl drives him insane for the exact same reason : you on top of him, your back in all its glory and your ass ? Perfect. Heaven.

G - GOOFY (are they more serious or not in the moment ?)

He’s mainly serious and focused solely on you and your pleasure but it doesn’t mean he never cracks a joke, of course. One time, you even stopped everything because you couldn’t stop laughing at how his hair was going in all directions from how much you had ruffled them. 

H - HAIR

He’s lazy, and most of the time, he doesn’t really think about doing it. He trims it when it becomes annoying, but if you don’t make any remarks about it bothering you, it will stay this way. If you ask him though, he’ll definitely put more care into this because he only wants you to be comfortable.

I - INTIMACY (are they romantic ?)

Romantic feelings and mostly saying things are not really Vernon’s strength. Most of the time, he doesn’t even need to say it because the physical and emotional closeness is enough for the both of you. But on some special occasions, he gets all sweet and romantic - saying I love you between each kiss, soft touches and adoration written all over his face. 

J - JACK OFF

He doesn’t do it often, because most of the time he has you to take care of his needs. When he’s away on tour or for work are the only times it really happens, but it’s always on a call with you. It’s like his body can’t let him cum without at least hearing your voice. 

K - KINKS

Vernon is mainly a dom, he loves to have his bit of control over you. He’s not really talkative usually, but he does talk when you’re having sex. Dirty words are spilling past his lips non-stop, mumbling about how naughty and wet you are, how good you feel and how much he needs you. He’s big on hair pulling too, especially in doggy because it gives a beautiful curve to your back. I can see him liking orgasm control and a bit of choking as well. 

L - LOCATION (favorite places to do it)

He’s a classic, casual guy so his favourite is the bedroom. It’s practical and comfortable, and he can cuddle with you for as long as he wants to when you two are done. Plus, he’s more of a staying-at-home guy rather than going out so it is perfect. The car is also a pretty regular place, because sometimes, he just cannot resist how beautiful and tempting you look. 

M - MOTIVATION (what turns them on)

Frankly, he doesn’t need a lot to get turned on, just your existence is enough to make him hard. But as stated before, whenever you’re wearing backless dresses or shirts he’s going feral. Consequently, he also really likes to see you with a bun or a high ponytail, and seeing you put your hair up turns him on as well. Seeing you do your makeup and especially apply lip products. When you’re wearing his clothes. 

N - NO

He will never want you to call him daddy, that is so awkward to him and makes him feel really weird. 

O - ORAL

Vernon will rarely ask you to do it, because even if he likes it a lot, he wants you to want it first. But when you do take him in your mouth, he gets a taste of heaven. It’s definitely when he is the most vocal. Most of the time, he’s got a hand holding your head but not guiding you to move, letting you do your thing and work your magic on him. If you wake him up with head, he’s basically proposing to you. 

He’s a giver, so spending hours in between your thighs feels like a dream to him. He loves to taste you and hear you moan his name, feel your hands tugging at his hair when it’s too much. Because Vernon doesn’t want you to cum just once on his face, he needs at least two to be satisfied. 

P - PACE

Rather slow and deep most of the time, he loves to make you feel all of him and hitting all the right spots he knows will make you scream. If it has been a while or that he’s particularly pent up, he’s way faster and less focused on his rhythm. 

Q - QUICKIE

Even if he’s not that much of a loverboy, he really prefers to take his time, and to be in the comfort of your bedroom, or at least somewhere where no one can interrupt you. He’s not above having a quickie here and there, when you really teased him, or if neither of you cannot wait, because anyway, fucking with you is a blessing. But he’d rather have you laid out on his bed, and all the time in the world to take you apart. 

R - RISK (do they like to experiment ?)

Vernon is a chill guy, so if you want to try something new, you just have to ask him. He’s always saying that you must try everything at least once to know if you will like it or not. He makes sure that you’re comfortable too, and that you know you can trust him to talk about anything you’d want to try (he’s a sweetheart).

S - STAMINA

He has that dancer stamina of course, so he can last multiple rounds while giving you his whole - and you won’t be the one complaining about it. Vernon purposely edges himself to last longer. And if he happens to cum even though you want more, he’ll gladly go down on you or finger you while he recovers. It’s a win-win for you. But when he does allow himself to cum, he won’t get up after that. 

T - TOYS

He’s not a big fan of them when it comes to playing together, he prefers to get you off with his mouth, hands or cock. But when he’s away for work and you send him video or photos of you playing with that dildo almost the same size as his dick, oh, he definitely loves it. He would also love to watch you fuck yourself on your toy while he’s just sitting there, and hearing you whine about how much you need him would definitely stroke his ego. 

U - UNFAIR (how much they like to tease)

Vernon is more of a dirty talker than a teaser actually, his words are more teasing than his actions. But sometimes, he does like to edge you a bit, or to push you past your limits even if he already made you cum three times. The main thing he searches in sex is your satisfaction, your pleasure. So truly, he just wants to give you what you need, even if he can be a little shit from time to time if you pissed him off. 

V - VOLUME (how loud they are)

He’s mostly quiet, except for deep grunts and some panting. He’s the most vocal when you’re giving him head - then he moans and whispers your name in devotion. When he gets close to cumming, he gets almost silent, except for some choked moans. 

W - WILD CARD

When Vernon gets drunk, he gets so touchy and so possessive. He doesn’t drink often to the point that he’s really drunk, but when he does, you love it. He cannot take his hands off of you even in public, will get on your knees if you ask him to, and definitely lets you willingly take advantage of him because how did he bag such a goddess ?

X - X-RAY

He’s a bit below average in terms of length - around 10cm - but he compensates in girth. He’s pretty thick and he needs to prep you well for you to not feel the sting of the stretch. 

Y - YEARNING (how high is their sex drive)

He’s not necessarily always in the mood, but he needs very, very little to get horny. You could be doing the most mundane task and he’ll be half hard in his pants because you’re just existing in the same world as him. That being said, it really depends on you. If you want to fuck every day, he’s down. If you have a lower libido, he’s okay with that too. It’s not that he never initiates anything, on the contrary, but he’s content with whatever he gets. 

Z - ZZZ (how fast they fall asleep)

Vernon can last multiple rounds without any problems, but once you’re done, he’s crashing out. Once you’re both comfortably settled and cuddled up to each other, he’s the first to fall asleep.

-> i don't allow any copies, reposts or translations of my work.

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@lil-kpopstan @hann1bee @bewoyewo @foxinnie8 @jaderabbit-98 @lala-----------lala @codeinebelle @miyx-amour @seomisaho @sashaaahh @straytiny127 @ltfirecracker @jaja-salute

[headdinthewall]

DOMESTICITY ──  g.clarke  ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚

summary : what it’s like living with george (not with arthur & chris) a/n : high chance i’ll do this for all the boys // i realise some of these don’t take place in the clarkey x reader home, but i wanted to include them anyway so yeah content : established relationship ,, mentions of sex ,, drinking

─────── AT THE BEGINNING, it’s slightly weird and awkward as you both take time to adjust to spending practically every waking moment together. You find it strange that you could turn one corner in your house and he’d just be right there, but after a couple of weeks, it becomes a regular, comforting thing that you both grow to love.

𐙚 At first, when it came to sleeping in the same bed, you were all cuddled up, his chest to your back or your head on his chest, either if the two were your go-to sleeping positions, but now? You fall asleep barely touching each other. It’s not that you despise touching him when you sleep, it’s more so that you both understand each others sleeping patterns and habits, for example, George found out that you kicked in your sleep the very, very hard way, so now he knows to give you space while you drift off. It doesn’t bother you both that much, you both end up in each other’s arms by the time you wake up anyway. However, when he does his late night streams and you fall asleep in the back, he will crawl in and spoon you once he’s done, but if you’re both in bed at the same time? Nah, opposite ends.

“Ow!” He hissed as your foot came into sharp contact with your shin. He turned his head, only to see you fast asleep. You whined in your sleep, rolling over and completely invading his personal space. Your arm and leg sprawled across his body and your head on his collarbone. He sighed and patted your thigh, hooking it over his waist so it was more comfortable for him.

𐙚 Couch cuddles are always the best, and it helps that George is constantly warm. If one of you is working, you’ll use his side as a back rest and his arm will drape across the back of the sofa so that both of your laps are accessible to do whatever work you need to. However, if you’re both indulging in your free time together, your legs are across his lap and your head is on his chest while one of his arms falls across your waist and the other on your thighs. Sometimes, if he’s just finished filming and you’re chilling on the sofa, he’ll just come and lie on top of you without warning, hands up your shirt and on your back, head on your boobs and making sure your legs are wrapped tightly around his chest.

“Missed you today.” He mumbled against your chest, fingers stroking your skin delicately. You chuckled slightly, “You were filming with Chris for four hours. He’s literally one of your best friends.” “Yeah? And? You’re my girlfriend. I’d rather film videos with you.”

𐙚 Speaking of filming videos together, you like to film ‘day in the life’ videos and mini blogs for your youtube channel. You also occasionally post the odd ‘advice for teenagers’ video for girls about maintaining physical health, aimed to help those who may not have had good mothers. So sometimes George appears in the back of those, waving or coming up to you just to show you something he found funny or an edit of either of you. But he does feature in every one of your vlogs at some point.

“So … yeah, honestly your skincare routine doesn’t need fifty million steps and you don’t need— What are you doing?” You laughed as George just stood in the doorway of the kitchen. You grabbed the camera and flipped it so that you were filming him. “What are you filming?” He asked, rubbing his chin and walking over. “Advice for teenage girls on hygiene and stuff.” “Oh, I’d know all about that.” He joked, holding a finger up. “Yeah, because you have a vagina, George.” You rolled your eyes, setting your camera back down. “Ohhhh, it’s one of those videos.”

𐙚 You’re in the back of his videos a lot and he purposefully leaves in the parts of the video where you call for him in the back. He likes to do this because he enjoys seeing all the comments getting excited about your feature, even if it’s just your voice (it’s also a subtle brag that he’s still in a relationship with you).

“Would I do Inside again? Yeah, absol—“ “George!” Your voice shouted out from the living room. “Yeah?!” “The TV stopped working!” He gives a deadpan look to the camera and then the video cuts to when he continues talking.

𐙚 You wake up before him for your morning pilates workout, and he has the same reaction every morning when he wakes up and walks out the room and sees you:

“Nice!” George said in his ‘funny’ high-pitched voice before smacking your bottom while you were on your hands and knees. “George!” You exclaimed, disguising your attempt to kick him as just doing your workout.

𐙚 He tries to get you to go to the gym or on a run with him, but you’re fully against the idea of going anywhere male-dominated, even though you’re with him. He doesn’t push you to do anything you don’t want to, but every now and then he’ll bring it back up again.

“Do you not even want to try? I’ll be with you and I’ll help if you get embarrassed or whatever.” He offered again. “I mean … I just don’t really want to go, I’ve seen too many videos of weird guys and the idea of that happening makes me feel uncomfortable.” He frowned at your response, not because he’s mad but because he doesn’t like the idea of you being uncomfortable, “I promise you, if any guy even tried it with you, we’d either leave immediately, or he’d end up with a dumbbell in his head.”

𐙚 Eventually he does get you to go to the gym with him, and he’s constantly keeping an eye on you and spotting you. He makes sure that you’re 100% okay with your next rep and sets before starting on his own thing, but he makes sure he’s always no less than five metres away from you.

𐙚 The house is never messy messy. It can get a bit hectic and disorderly at times, but because you both don’t work nine to fives and tend to have quite a bit of spare time on your hands, you make sure the house is in good condition.

𐙚 Max and Chris have said on a podcast before that they don’t think George’s sex drive is that high, which used to be true, and then you two moved in together. You have sex at least once a week, sometimes more if your calendars aren’t too full. If it’s a really busy week, you’ll just exchange oral and handjobs, which neither of you complain about.

𐙚 Sex mainly happens in the bedroom, of course, but he’ll occasionally switch it up and start initiating things elsewhere, for example the kitchen or the living room, in which instance it’s a then and there type of situation. If it’s on the couch, you’re most likely to be on top, with him looking up at you like you’re an absolute goddess. If it’s in the kitchen, the chances are your chest will be pressed against the counter and his hand in your hair or on your hips. He likes to tease a lot, which leads to foreplay taking longer than actual sex.

“George,” You whispered against his lips as you straddled his lap and his hand squeezed the fat of your waist and his other groped at your chest. Your own hands moved to pop the button of your shorts and unzip them, and as enticing as it was for him, he only let his hands dip to your inner thighs, dancing along the sensitive skin there. “You’re so pretty,” He hummed, helping drag your crotch against his.

𐙚 He 100% brings you along to the pub golf videos, he can even sense that Chris is going to ask before he does.

“Mate, do you think—“ Chris was cut off by George, “Yeah, reader can come on the next pub golf.”

𐙚 Because of his miraculous ability to remain sober for longer than the average person, he’s always the one looking after you on the way home. If you’re not passed out, knackered by the constant walking and drinking, you’re rowdy and restless, meaning he may have to physically hold you down against him so that you don’t bother anybody on the train.

“Oh my God! Arthur—“ “Reader, my darling, you’re being very loud.” George says calmly, holding your face in his hands, “Let’s be quiet, yeah?” You pout and huff, slumping against him, but just a minute later, you shoot up, ready to start loudly proclaiming a drunken statement, but he’s quick to hold you this time, despite not being a man of PDA himself, if it’s the only way to keep you calm, he’ll do it.

𐙚 Hangovers always hit you like a truck, so after nights out, he always makes sure to wake up before you so he can get you some water and paracetamol.

𐙚 He’s not overprotective or easily jealous, because he’s secure in his relationship, but if you’re out and he spots a guy constantly giving you bedroom eyes and looking like he’s about to make moves, George’s arm is around your waist in a split second, fiddling with the belt loop on the front of your jeans.

𐙚 If you’re in uni and need help studying/ revising, he’s there at the drop of the hat. It doesn’t matter if he’s streaming of editing or filming his next video, the moment you ask for help he’s at the couch, reading out your notes and leaving gaps for you to fill in or reciting flash cards to you. If it’s anything practical, like debating and law, he’s happy to play any role you need him to, whether that’s the one being prosecuted or the opposing lawyer.

“Your honour, she’s just blatantly lying now.” George says in his ‘client’ voice, obviously trying to throw some fun into it so you don’t get burnt out. “George!” You laugh, “Well, actually, you could say that, but you need to explain why I’m lying.” “Uhh … your honour, I said she’s lying because I want this to be over so I can take her clothes off.” “That’d get you kicked out immediately.” You snorted. “Good thing it’s not my course then.”

𐙚 Arguments aren’t frequent at all, and when they do happen it’s usually because one of you has had a bad day and is just lashing out, or because one of you has been doing something that’s been annoying the other. They’re resolved fairly quickly, if he’s in the wrong he’ll apologise and buy you some flowers and a shirt you’ve had in your wish list for a long time and provide lots of long, randomly placed kisses. If you’re in the wrong, you’ll make his favourite dinner and lay out the kitchen island nice and romantically with candles and wine, even sometimes going as far to leave a little note on his napkin saying ‘I’m sorry! I love you, Clarkey’.

𐙚 Home-cooked meals are a constant thing you do. Usually it’s you cooking, and he’ll sit at the kitchen counter, doing bills or editing videos, which you don’t mind at all. You still get his company and he’ll occasionally turn his laptop to you and ask you which font you like more, or which colour to use etc. On a Friday or Saturday (sometimes both if you’re feeling lazy) you’ll order a takeout or physically go out on a date.

𐙚 Dates don’t happen too frequently because you both admitted that you enjoy spending every minute with each other in the house anyway, and as long as you are spending time together, the way in which it happens doesn’t bother you that much. When you do go on dates, it’s usually to a fancy restaurant or he’ll take you to a place you’ve been talking about for a while (museum, sealife centre etc.)

𐙚 If you’re not together, he’ll still find a way to reference you in whatever he’s doing, whether it’s filming a podcast ep or a football challenge video, if he’s featured in it, your name is mentioned at least three times in it.

George is cackling as Arthur fell while trying to kick the ball, “This reminds me of that time reader tried—“ “Oh, George, shut up about your girlfriend! We get it! You’re finally getting some action!” Chris exclaimed, though it was obviously jokingly — he’d never intentionally make fun of you.

𐙚 If you’re getting hate online and he sees it, he’s immediately replying to the comment and standing up for you and if it becomes a frequent thing (like this) he’ll make a short tiktok about it.

“If you’re hating on my girlfriend but still claiming to be a fan, then don’t. It’s sort of fake, and I don’t appreciate any nastiness towards her, especially when she’s just being herself.”

[x-prettyboy-x]

Hiii! Can you do an Erik Campbell x Pregnant!Reader, you can do it during the events of the film or not, as long as it has some angst with a happy ending :) If you do it during the events of the film: Erik, who cheated death from the tattoo parlor: As long as my girlfriend is okay and not on death's list, I would gladly die happy.

Reader who's pregnant with his child and hasn't told him yet: Uh...about that...

Unseen Events

Hello anon, i will try my absolute best. But I fear i may dissapoint, your request is my 4th time total posting fanfic on this platform😭🫶🏻

Pairing: Erik Campbell x Pregnant!FemReader

Warnings: spoilers for final destination bloodlines I guess, mentions of self unaliving and self harm but not.. in a depressing way? In a trying to save everyone way.. yk?

Contents: angst, me not really knowing how to write pregnancy, erik being a panicked bitch(affectionate), alternate universe where Erik is actually in the blood line, me being an Erik girl dad truther.

Wc; 1.4k

It felt like you'd been sitting in this bathroom for hours, when really it'd been maybe 30 seconds. Just standing and staring at the piece of white and blue plastic you'd just peed on and turned upside down on the bathroom sink. Thank god Erik was at work, he'd be outside the door losing his mind with how long you'd been in there. You got sick one time and he acted like you were dying.

After the longest 5 minutes of your life, you turned the test over. And came face to face with those clear as day pink lines. Those stupid fucking pink lines. You and Erik were careful, always. Except when you decided going to the tattoo shop with him was a good idea, and a client wanted her nipples pierced, one thing led to jealousy, and before you knew it he was closing the shop early and proving he only had eyes for you. Never anyone else. But you hadn't been safe. Of course not. Only your luck, the one time you dont use protection, you end up in this situation.

You wanted kids. You did, really. But you didnt know if Erik did, you two hadn't had that conversation yet. You had no idea how he'd react, and that's what scared you.

That was a month ago. You had this big plan to tell him, and then Iris died. Erik didn't seem to care much, but then his dad died too. How do you tell your boyfriend after two back to back funerals, "Hey, by the way. You're gonna be a dad. Oops"? No.

Things only got worse when the real situation set in. Everyone in Iris's bloodline was on deaths list. She cheated it, she was never meant to have kids, and now her entire bloodline was cursed because of it. Thanks Iris. Now not only am I pregnant and my boyfriend doesn't know, but my baby is stuck with some fucking death curse before its even born. Just perfect.

When Erik came home late rambling about how he'd cheated death, how he survived a fire in the tattoo shop, he was acting like it was nothing. Like your heart wasn't beating out of your fucking chest every minute that ticked by that he wasn't answering your texts.

"Look, its morbid but you're not in the bloodline, you're safe from all this, knowing that? I could die a happy fuckin man. Sucks I lost my favorite jacket though." He'd let out an over exaggerated sigh that made your annoyance only spike more.

Better time than any, I guess. You'd sighed to yourself, clearing your throat and sitting up on his bed, just trying to calm your breathing and willing your heart to stop beating so fast.

"Yeah, about that. I'm not in the bloodline, but I dont think I'm exactly.. safe." You'd started, and you could see the moment his cocky, joking look turned serious and confused, almost pissed off.

"The fuck are you talking about? Why wouldn't you be safe?"

"Kiki, I promise I planned on telling you, okay? But then Iris died, and then your dad and I just- I couldn't find a good time so I kept putting it off. I'm pregnant. I took the stupid test a month ago." You couldn't look at him, but you could see his feet as he started to pace back and forth from where you were staring down at your lap, picking at your nails.

"You didnt think maybe it was a good idea to tell me that the SECOND we found out about this fucking list? What if I had died today? We have no idea how this is gonna work out! You should've told me days ago!"

You could tell when Erik was pissed off, you'd seen it plenty of times when he came home from work complaining about a bitchy client or his boss he hated so much. This wasn't anger, this was panic.

"I know, I'm sorry-" you knew he wasnt angry at you, but your words came out shaky, your voice breaking as you felt tears threatening to fall. Stupid pregnancy hormones.

Erik let out a sigh and moved to kneel down in front of you, using two fingers to tilt your head up to meet his gaze. "Baby, I'm sorry. I didnt mean to yell I'm just.. scared. I didnt care if I died because I knew you'd be safe but now.." he shook his head before continuing, "We're gonna figure this out. Me and the others, we'll figure this out. Find a way to save everyone else on the list. I won't let anything happen to you or this baby, not while I'm living and breathing."

That was a few days ago. And time was running out. You wouldn't let Erik leave the house, ever. Never let him go anywhere alone, always watching over your shoulder for a cup about to fall or some water spilled on the floor somewhere. To say you were paranoid didnt even begin to cover it.

When Stefani, Bobby, Erik and Charlie had loaded into the rv with Darlene, going after some friend of Iris's, you'd begged to go. You didnt wanna let him out of your sight, but everyone involved refused to let you go. Acted like you were some damsel in distress just because you were growing a person. It pissed you off beyond belief. But that anger and frustration quickly became fear and unease as you watched them all drive off.

They made Julia stay with you, making sure you weren't freaking out too much or worse, got in your car and followed after them.

You thought the 5 minutes you waited for that pregnancy test was the longest wait of your life. Oh how wrong you were. Every second that ticked by while you waited to hear something, anything from Erik felt like it was taking years off your life. But nothing ever came. Not a call, not a text. Nothing.

After the longest hours of your life, you finally heard the rv pull back into the driveway, and you ran outside before Julia could stop you. You watched as Stefani, Charlie and Darlene stepped out of the rv, but no Bobby or Erik. The tears started to fall before you even had to time to fight them back, "what happened? Where are they?"

Darlene quickly walked over and gently took your hands into hers, "Hes okay. They both are. We found Iris's friend, he told us how to beat this. Erik had to.. die and come back. Truly cheat death, and everyone else on the list would be safe. He.. came up with this plan to kill himself in the hospital so they could bring him back. It was.. stupid but it worked. He flat lined, and they got him back. They're keeping him on a mental health hold because of course they dont believe the deaths list story, but he's okay. Bobbys with him now."

To say you wanted to scream at him for how stupid he was, how he could've died, how you could've never seen him again, how he could've never met his child was an understatement.

You demanded Darlene take you to the hospital to see him, and how could she argue after telling you something like that? Erik was sedated, apparently he'd tried fighting the doctors when they wouldn't let him leave, no shock there. His wrists were tightly wrapped and the sight made you sick to your stomach. Bobby looked just as sick.

They only kept Erik in the hospital for a few days, letting him out after some therapy sessions and deciding he was "no longer a threat to himself or others." You'd forgotten all about wanting to scream about how stupid he was when he wrapped his arms around you, whispered how much he loved you and how excited he was to be a dad. How could you yell at him after that?

You had a healthy baby girl in the winter, and Erik had never felt happier. Neither had you. Seeing him dress her every morning, refusing to let anyone hold her because he didn't want her to leave his arms, buying dumb baby band t-shirts for her.

He'd die over and over again if that's what it took to keep you and his little girl safe. He'd kill someone if he had to. He'd make sure this little angel in his arms would never know the fear of death, not while he was here to protect her from it.

[sturnsxbbyeilish]

Daddy’s girl, and mine…

warnings! : mentions of sex (not actual sex though) age gap, i dont really know??

This is heavily inspired by @luvs4matt’s dilf au

Chris was six years older than you, and every second of it showed — in all the best ways. You never had time for boys your age anyway. They talked too much, tried too hard. Chris didn’t have to. He was the room when he walked into it.

He had that kind of rough perfection you only see in daydreams — tall, broad chest, thick forearms inked from wrist to bicep in black and grey tattoos that told a life before this one. Not the kind of guy who used filters or wore skinny jeans. He had that slow, masculine energy — calm, unreadable, dangerous if you didn’t know better. Dark, slightly wavy hair he always kept messy, like he never tried. A jawline sharp enough to bruise and eyes so intense, you swore they pinned you in place. He smelled like cedarwood and leather — addictive and clean.

He was a single dad, full custody. His ex was long gone — her idea, not his. She “wasn’t cut out for motherhood,” he said once, voice low like it was a secret. He didn’t sound bitter. Just tired. He’d been raising his daughter, Sienna, on his own since she was two. She was four now — sharp as a whip and bright as sunshine, a little thing with her dad’s blue eyes and her own wild heart.

You met her at the kindergarten where you worked, and from the moment she saw you, it was like gravity. She followed you around like a shadow, drew you pictures, called you “my best one.” You adored her. You adored him. Chris would pick her up every day in that black matte Jeep, tattoos out, sunglasses on, all slow steps and low voice. Every mom there watched him like prey. But it was you he waited for with his eyes.

You started sleeping together after the third parent-teacher meeting. He invited you for dinner. She was asleep. And after one look across his dimly lit kitchen, you were done for. He kissed like he meant it, like he owned it — hands rough on your hips, mouth unforgiving, voice low and filthy when he got you under him. That night, he didn’t let you go until you were shaking in his sheets. He never did.

Every other weekend, Sienna stayed at her grandparents — his parents, good people who adored her. And those weekends? You belonged to Chris. Bent over his kitchen counter, clawing at his back in the shower, moaning into pillows as he whispered things in your ear you couldn’t believe you liked. He wasn’t just good in bed — he was addictive. Slow. Deep. Possessive. He loved wrecking you, loved spoiling you after — silk robes, gold around your neck, first-class tickets to “run away for a bit.”

And even though she was too young to know what happened when she was gone, Sienna saw the way he looked at you. Saw how your face softened when you looked back.

One Wednesday afternoon, she took his hand at pickup, tilted her little face up, and said sweetly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world,

“Daddy, can Miss [name] be my new mommy?”

Your heart stopped. Chris looked at you over her head, his mouth twitching like he was fighting a smirk.

“She already kind of is,” he said, voice low just for you.

And from the way he held your stare — from the memory of the night before still burning between your legs — you knew he wasn’t just talking about coloring books and lunchboxes.

____________________________________________

@bernardsbendystraws @slvt4subchratt @sturniolosluttt @starsforu

my taglist isnt working properly so comment if your user is missing or if you wanna be added!

[strangesuki]

agree to disagree?

❝i love you; by extension, i hate all other things❞

❝i forgive the world because it has you❞

pairing : euijoo x reader, est. relationship

genre : fluff, comfort, grumpy!reader x sunshine!euijoo but you don't exactly get to see much of his sunshiney side in this so more like subdued sunshine? sunshine but it's a cloudy day kinda vibe? idk what im on about but you get what i mean 😭

prompt (?) : i saw a post the other day about something hozier said in an interview (1st quote from above) and was reminded of another quote (2nd one) that felt like its perfect companion quote and i was like omg someone should write a fic using these two! then i was like wait i can also do that. so here we are. i kinda wanna write an angsty version but maybe some other day

warnings : one instance of bullying mentioned, one cuss word, not proofread

word count : around 800

you had an okay childhood – nice parents, good friends, financially secure environment, fun memories. and so to an outsider, it doesn't make sense why you grow up angry at the world. but those close to you know that it's because you also grew up watching the hypocritical ways of the world that preached kindness on one hand while making the lives of those who chose to walk down that path perpetually miserable. well actually no, scratch that, that makes it sound like you're some sort of good samaritan who is deeply concerned about the well-being of the general public – you're not that philanthropic.

you're really only concerned about one person in particular – byun euijoo. your childhood best friend/love and light of your life. beautiful, soft, kind, and altruistic to a fault. you honestly still can't comprehend how he can wake up everyday and choose to be good despite how brutal the world is to him. all your life, you've grown up seeing him be kind and compassionate to everyone, but most infuriatingly even to people who don't deserve it. and so, because of him, you have a bone to pick with the world and its unfair ways. euijoo does not usually complain and bears it all silently, because he wants to keep the peace, and you hate it. doesn't he have you? all he has to do is tell you, because you would go to war for his peace if that's what it takes.

but that's precisely why he doesn't tell you – because he's afraid you'll get yourself into trouble trying to get even for him. like when you were 5-years-old and you bit a boy's arm because he stole euijoo’s favourite toy and claimed it as his own. or the time in middle school when the class bully tore up his notebooks before the final exams just because he had helped a girl the guy had happened to have a crush on – the next day, you tripped him. he fell and ended up with a bloody mouth and a chipped tooth. or the time in high school when euijoo worked part-time at the local supermarket and the owner fired him without pay after making him work overtime for months and then claiming he had stolen money out of the cash register. there were no cctv cameras so everyone just took his word for it. you threw a rock through the glass front doors.

granted, you are not as…violent as an adult, since that tends to have serious consequences. but by no means are you any less scary.

he doesn't like to complain, but that doesn't mean he's never affected by it – he's only human, after all. there are days when his smile doesn't shine as bright, like today. days when everything feels a little heavier. when you open the door to him tonight, his eyes lack their usual glint, and his smile feels subdued. it's not everyday he lets his weariness show. it's not everyday that he walks over to you like this and wordlessly slumps onto your shoulder, seeking comfort in your arms. he rarely lets you see how draining it is, so when he does, you know it's worse than usual.

blood rushes to your head as you feel a surge of rage, and your hold around him tightens. “what happened? i'm gonna kill the bastards i swear,” you fume.

euijoo lets out a tired chuckle and rubs your back in an attempt to calm you. “i didn't even say anything and you're already plotting murders?”

“fine. i'll do it after you tell me. spill.”

“hmm, let's just stay like this for a while?” he murmurs with a kiss, breathing in your scent and trying to forget about everything else.

you sigh. you suppose vengeance can wait. for now you will be his solace. you comb your fingers through his hair, and he smiles knowing that for tonight you have given in. the weight feels lighter in your embrace.

“do you think i'm a pushover too?” he asks after a while, his voice quiet and muffled.

your fingers in his hair freeze for just a second before continuing. “no. i think you're too nice for this wretched world. it doesn't know a thing about kindness and certainly doesn't deserve yours.”

“you have got to stop making me sound like i'm a saint or something,” he mumbles with a laugh, before settling into silence again. and then, “’s not so bad, you know,”

“what?”

“the world. i like it because it has you. i try to be kind because it has you.”

your eyes sting. “well i hate it for not being nicer to you,”

“debatable. it gave me you.”

“agree to disagree?”

“deal.”

divider credits: @/strangergraphics

[lieutenantmilishepard]

Behold, the two versions of Megatron that I know of who I consider good and competent leaders.

Shattered Glass Megatron speaks for himself, he’s the opposite of main universe Megatron and is a better leader who cares about his fellow soldiers and doesn’t want more things to go to shit than they already have. His reaction to what happened to Starscream says it all. Although I do need to look more into Shattered Glass myself to fully confirm this but I’m going off what I have already seen.

Animated Megatron is a good leader in the sense that he gets shit done and respects his fellow soldiers enough to where they actually enjoy his presence. Lugnut and Blitzwing go through hell and back to not only find him but also repair him so he can get back to business. Blackarachnia and Starscream being the exception to that since Blackarachnia has her own plan in motion, while Starscream literally blew up Megatron because his ass kissing didn’t work.

Btw Animated is the only version of Starscream I’ve seen who attacks Megatron without Megatron horribly mistreating him for seemingly no reason beforehand. The only reason he got slightly aggressive with Starscream in episode 1 was because he knew Starscream was spouting nonsense and just trying to get on his good side so he can get away with more bullshit.

Meanwhile Gen 1 Megatron randomly throws a whole ass Energon cube at Starscream’s head for no reason while he was just standing there. And we see that Starscream knows that Megatron’s dementia ridden ass can’t even come up with a fleshed out plan to save his own spark, and that’s one of the reasons he often plots against him. Not to mention getting smacked around all the time just for breathing the wrong way.

I haven’t looked deep enough into any of the comics outside Shattered Glass, or watched any of the 5 bayverse films, so I can’t comment on those Megatrons.

~

As for Beast Wars Megatron…

…What about him?

He’s a completely different character who in Beast Wars is also an infinitely better leader than his predecessor. Yes he has his flaws and dumbass moments, but let’s not forget the amount of times he almost won the Beast Wars entirely. He only lost because of one his soldiers fucking it up or the Maximals managed to big brain their way out.

Remember, BW Megatron pretty much killed Primal and Primal only came back because Rhinox was willing to risk his own spark and basically astral project into the void to get Primal’s spark back. In other words he’s the Maximal MVP (So you go fuck yourself Beast Machines).

Not to mention this purple maniac nearly ended time itself because of an everlasting generational vendetta I honestly wish was explored more.

But a rambling session about why BW Megatron is a better leader than Buckethead is a post for another day..

Anyways, point is that Beast Wars and RID (2000) Megatron are their own characters separate from Decepticon Megatron.

~

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk 👍🏽

[izumiphoenix]

Vampire Bite

I’ve still been thinking about those two posts (this and this) I saw a while ago, from @litsenn and @michanvalentine – sorry it’s not a reblog, but I wanted to include both somehow. These were discussions around how Astarion’s feeding is more than just about blood – it can be interpreted as intimate, even sensual.

Looking back, I absolutely agree that the best, healthiest option for Astarion is to let him feed on enemies. I replayed that conversation and paid closer attention to his reactions, and now it’s clear to me why the only option he truly approves of is that one. It’s not just about practicality – it’s about consent, boundaries, and reclaiming his autonomy after two centuries of having none.

Honestly, it bothered me a little that I didn’t realize this sooner. The dialogue line makes it sound like you’re offering him your blood in addition to enemy blood, which feels kind and supportive, but that’s not how it lands for Astarion. And I understand that better now.

Another thing I hadn’t realized until reading others’ interpretations is how a vampire’s bite can be perceived as sensual or intimate. In my mind, offering my blood felt more like a "sacrifice" – something I’d endure because I cared, not something I’d want or enjoy.

For me, the idea of someone biting into my neck, drawing blood while holding me close, is honestly a little scary – physically, because it seems rather painful, but also emotionally, too. I’m not someone who naturally seeks physical closeness, to be honest. Even with people I like or trust, touch can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when I’m tired, overstimulated, or just need space. There’s a part of me that wants connection, but another part that somehow resists it. It’s a strange balance that’s hard to explain. (And yes, even if my Tav had already spent the night with him, it’s not difficult to imagine sex as something enjoyable between them, but the idea of a bite to the neck was something my imagination definitely approached with caution 😅)

And then there’s the aftermath: waking up the next day feeling drained, dizzy, distracted. That -1 on all dice rolls isn’t just a game mechanic – it also helps us imagine how it feels (It honestly reminds me of when I forget to take iron supplements for a while haha)

When Araj said she’d dreamed of being bitten by a vampire, I was honestly surprised. That fantasy felt so far from how I would react. And at the time, I thought Astarion was caught off guard too, judging from his reaction. Now I realize he does mention that a vampire bite is considered highly desirable, but I must have missed that line in my first playthrough or maybe didn't pay enough attention.

So yes, while I do feel a little guilty for missing that subtext at first, I also understand now why I did. On a first playthrough, the player can’t know his story yet, and I am sure most people act from good intentions. They’re both still figuring things out at that point.

I do wish there were an option to say something like “I’m here if there’s no other choice” without making him feel like it’s a transaction or crossing a line he’s not ready for. But going along with his suggestion and letting him choose how, when and from whom he feeds is – now – clearly the best option. Because Astarion wants to be free and independent, and he doesn’t want to be seen as someone’s fantasy, or reduced to the trope of a seductive vampire from romance stories – he wants to be seen for who he really is.

I mostly wrote this to clear my own head, but also to maybe offer another perspective – one where some parts of this story can feel surprising, depending on your personal experiences and comfort with certain things.

[hehe-69]

Jordan Weaver X Reader

(I couldn’t find a pic of Jordan anywhere so Calvin Evens it is)

Summary: Jordan has always wanted to be the good guy, the hero, he wanted to get out of his shitty apartment in LA and live a good life. He wanted to help people.

He’s not exactly sure when he lost sight of all of that, not sure when he lost himself in drugs and alcohol and bad habits. It became this hole that he just kept falling deeper and deeper into, but he told himself he was fine. He was in control, life coaching himself as much as he did others. But now he’s found you, now he’s got an honest job and a new life.

You have seen every side of Jordan, and you’ve loved him through it all. Now that Jordan trusts himself enough to be inmate with you, it’s time to take the next step in your relationship.(idk why but I love a good redemption arch)

Warnings: Smut, first time in a relationship, lil angst, sad boi Jordan, mentions of drug abuse, recovering Jordan, non descriptive smut so it’s gender neutral but still very very spicy, established relationship, FLUFF (may or may not have a reference to ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ in this fic)

Not proof read…sorry, also there is no use of Y/N in this story

——————

To say Jordan was nervous would be an understatement, the man was horrified of doing something wrong. He’s done a so many bad things in his life, some of them could be blamed on his past addictions but a lot of them couldn’t be. Jordan never claimed to be a good man, sometimes he wouldn’t even try to pretend to be one. But now, now he can at least say he’s trying, and now that is exactly what he’s doing. He’s gone to rehab, he’s worked on himself for years and it shows. He still flawed, as all humans are…but now, now he can be something more, something he can take pride in being.

Jordan has a lot of guilt for the things he’s done. You and him have worked so hard to get to this point in your relationship. From a small friendship to a deep bond and a romantic relationship. He really doesn’t want to fuck this up.

———

“Jordan, honey relax.” You can’t stop the small giggle that escapes from you as you speak. The poor man has been stiff as a board for the last 2 minutes. He glares at you in a playful manner as you laugh softly at him from your place straddling his hips. Jordan is usually so carefree, it’s not like he hasn’t had sex before it’s just never really meant anything, and the two of you haven’t exactly been family friendly in the past.

The experience Jordan has had before you was only ever casual and this is serious, he wants to be good for you. Jordan has expressed in the past that he has this fear that at any given moment this spell he’s somehow managed to cast upon you will break, and you’ll finally realize that he’s actually not good enough for you. “Jordan…look at me.” Your voice is soft and tender as you speak, as you hold his face in both of your hands. Hesitantly, he looks you in the eyes, and for a man who is so tall and 80% muscle…he looks so small in this moment. “I’m not going anywhere.” Your voice is whisper out softly and tuck a stray curl behind his ear, he usual smoothed back look now all messed up from you running your fingers through it.

“At this point, you’re going to have to chase me away with a stick.” You smile as a small chuckle escapes his lips. “And even then…I’d keep coming back. I love you, and that’s not something you have to earn.” Shakes his head before pecking your lips and looking up at you in awe.

“I love you…more than anything.” You smile at his whispered out confession, Jordan has always been theatrical in his life. In the time you have known him his dramatic ways have seeped into how he shows affection. You wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped you and gave you this long winded but beautiful speech about his undying love and affection for you.

You can see him gearing up for one of those speeches right now, you can’t help the grin that comes across your face as you lean down to kiss Jordan. Pouring in every ounce of anticipation, excitement, and the deep rooted, white hot desire that’s been flowing through you these past couple of weeks. Finally, he melts into you. His shoulders relax and he kisses you back as he breaths a wistful sigh through his nose.

His hands move up the small of your back to hold you closer, slipping underneath your shirt to rub against your bare skin. He chases you as you attempt to break the kiss for a breath of air, causing you to become breathless with burning lungs as Jordan begins to kiss along your jaw. Warm hands rub up and down your skin, blunt nails scraping against it just enough to make you gasp out, before moving to tug your shirt up and off of your body. A heavy breathing Jordan inches away from your body within a split second, barely enough time for him to remove the garment passes before he’s back upon you in a frenzy.

Moving with renewed vigor and purpose, Jordan takes his time with you. And it’s intense, breath taking, how bright this man can burn when he’s passionate about something. When he really, and I mean really wants something…needs something…when he craves it like a starved man. You’re on your back breathing heavily before you even fully processed the shift in gravity as Jordan moves with practiced precision, it’s memorizing. Your heart pounds against your ribs and you can feel it pulsing in your neck as your stomach flips with excitement for the night to come.

He knows how to get you going, knows what makes your pulse jump and your heart race. He drags it out, makes you so wound up you feel like you’re about to burst at the slightest touch of his skin against yours. Eventually, you get to the point where you cannot stand much more of his teasing, so you put him on his back. Licking and kissing down his body at a snails pace, and Jordan seems to be so into it. Never one for keeping his mouth shut, he lets moans and whine slip from his lips, he says the dirties things sometimes but it’s mostly terms of endearment and admiration that he voices…when he’s not crying out.

On your trail down to the bulge in hus boxers, you stop to tease his nipples. There was a time where he had a piercing through one of them, but he’s long since had it removed. When he had gotten it done, it was very poorly pierced and over time the pain and discomfort over ruled the aesthetic of having one. You both mourned the loss of it day it was removed. But, thanks to its removal and a split second of curiosity from you, you and Jordan had the pleasure of discovering just how sensitive his nipples really were.

The two of you have discovered much about each other in your time together. Things about each other both inside the bedroom and outside of it. Each discovery making you fall in love with each other even more. It’s taken awhile for the two of you to reach this point in your relationship, to trust one another completely, neither of you have known such a deep and profound connection as the one you share.

Maybe that’s why you’re heart is pounding and every bush of his skin against yours sends an electric shock of adrenaline through your veins. You and him have done this dance many times, but going all the way was something you expect to go awkward when the time arrived.

But it comes to you like second nature, the way you anticipate each others moves, the way you fall into a rhythm. In the end, you end up on your back with him on top of you, moving at a snails pace. But the way his hips snap steals the breath for your lungs as he keeps brushing against that spot within you that makes you sees stars.

It’s intentional, how his movements have your brain short-circuiting and every single one of your nerves are light up like a live wire. And from the sounds leaving his mouth…Jordan is feeling the intensity of the moment just as much, and if not, more then you are. All you know is that you’re climbing higher and higher more then you ever thought possible, you’re wound up tight, and all the sudden, like a rubber band, the tension snaps. And it’s a swan dive off the edge, you can faintly make out the sounds Jordan makes as he falls seconds behind you.

You both lay there in the aftermath, soaking up the feeling of your sweat silken skin against one another as you catch your breath. Jordan lays on top of you, boneless and sedated. The second you catch the sound of him softly crying, and feel his tears dampen your shoulder. You move to your side, facing Jordan and cradling his head in youre hands. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I can’t stop crying.” His voice is soft as he chuckles breathlessly, attempting to calm himself and wipe his tears.

“Never thought I’d be one to cry after sex…fuck-” He puts his hands over his eyes and rolls onto his back as a broken sob rips through him. You’re so quick to comfort him.

“Hey hey, it’s okay.” You tone is light and sweet as you attempt to pry his hands away from his face. “Common Pretty Boy let me look at you.” You whisper out softly and Jordan finally lets you move hus hands away. His deep blue eyes are full of so many emotions, it’s both beautiful and heartbreaking.

“What’s wrong?” You say as softly as you can, running your fingers through his damp curls. “I just…I was just thinking.” You wait patiently as Jordan pauses to compose himself. “I wouldn’t have ever imagined a life like this for myself. I never thought life could be this good.” You watch as Jordan presses his lips together after his voice begins to crack. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You see me, all of me and somehow you still manage to love my mess.” Jordan starts to tear up again as he leans up to put his forehead against yours, his hand braces the back of your neck as he breath shaky breaths.

“You make me want to be a better person, constantly I try to keep bettering myself…because not matter what I do I will never deserve you-“That’s not true.” You rush out as Jordan’s voice buckles under the pressure of all the emotions he held back just to get those words out. You pull him close into your embrace and kiss his head. “I wish you could see yourself the way I see you Jordan. Sure you have made mistakes in the past.” You run your hand through his hair once more as he burrows himself into your chest. “But so has every single human being on this planet. I know I’ve made plenty mistakes in my life. Jordan, we are not the sum of our worst moments. We are the sum of all that we do to grow, to change and you have done so much good.”

You move his head so you can look him in the eyes. “I’m so proud of who you are Jordan. You’re my favorite person, you’re goofy, and loud, and so so very compassionate and loving…I love you, and you will never have to worry about messing that up.” It’s now that Jordan smiles at you. “And here I thought I was the one with the fancy speeches.” You grin at him, shoving him playfully as you shake your head. He always has a way of de-escalating an intense moment with his relentless teasing, but it’s just one of the many things you’ve grown to love about him.

“Don’t make me eat my words pretty boy.” You glare as seriously as you can mange, and you almost sell it. Till your face softens at the look in his eyes. The one that makes you feel like you’re the only thing that matters to him in this moment. “Now…if we can move past all the…emotional and vulnerable bits and get right back to the hot steamy stuff I would really appreciate it.” Jordan whispers out as he gets all shy, you just laugh at him and kiss him as deeply as you can.

It’s gonna be a long night, but your more then ready for it. More than ready to have him like this for the rest of your life. Jordan could ask you to steal the moon from the night sky for him and you’d spend the rest of your life trying to do just that. But you best believe that if you ever asked him the same, he’d devote himself to the task just as deeply as he is devoted to you.

————

I’m so sorry this took me so long, night shift has been kicking my ass. Sometimes I don’t even know what day it is anymore because my sleep schedule is all sorts of jacked up.

But I sincerely hope you enjoyed this story.

Thanks for reading.

Love ya🫶���

[fandomsmadness]

TBHX episode 9 rant

Oh it's going to be a proper rant this time. The conspiracy theorist in me is working so much OT that X is going to snap me into oblivion any time now.

This child is so precious LHO how dare you play around with her like this

Hey but because I'm totally normal about this, speaking of X...

...BROSKI WTF ARE YOU DOING HERE??

My previous theory (I don't even remember where I mentioned it earlier) that X is making and breaking the current hero roster is so validated right now. He definitely curated the current (well, what's in the website) top 10 with a purpose. At this point, wouldn't be surprised if he went and seduced Ms. Blazing Fire to create a cheating scandal too. My man complaining about working till midnight while he's busy taking the time to toss a coin to the witch, er, sacred maiden on his way home.

This is also now right before the Yang Cheng arc which means it's confirmed that X was operational by that time (not that most of us had any doubts). My ep 5 hypothesis that Lucky Cyan was just becoming popular before the Lin Ling arc is also now validated. It's also kind of sweet in hindsight that both Shang Chao and Yang Cheng went and got tickets for Cyan's first big performance (must've cost a pretty penny) for Xia Qing's sake.

I need to start one of those red-string-connected-mystery-boards.

The next big thing (for me): Trust Value, as always. It was confusing to see Cyan's go down to zero after she mentioned last ep that it's been high since she was small. Running theory (still) is that she's the child of a hero couple, she had trust value because of that which disappeared since it was never publicized that she survived the plane crash and thus people believed her dead. She didn't notice, because by that time it had already been replaced with the Sacred Maiden trust value instead.

I was wondering how she would get it back up after losing her lucky powers as a performer. Coins for good singing don't equate to trust value, after all.

On a somewhat related sidenote, hero agencies are really just PR firms for heroes. I'm not sure if I should be thanking Liu Zhen for bringing her to DOS's attention (but you seemed surprised they wanted to sign her on, why bring her up in the first place?).

But on the note of thanking people, I suppose I should thank these morons for bringing up her past and cultivating trust value, but really I was far too busy being thoroughly annoyed instead. Like fuck off and leave the poor girl alone! Ugh.

This shot is my favourite from the whole episode (which is saying a lot, I loved the animation and art style this entire ep) because you can see how people are just squinting at and recording the worshippers lmao.

But seriously, stop forcing your beliefs onto innocent children.

Oh but speaking of forcing your ideals on children...

Alright bro, spill the tea. Who were you, what did you do, why do your powers look so similar to the X hero couple's fire powers? HOW did it go from this to The Little MermaidTM? WHERE did the zombie powers come from?

WHAT is up with you and Bad Luck Calamity?

You give Luo a guitar that has weird effects. Why? You also abandon your own Sacred Maiden in favour of tussling with Luo in the escape scene. I'd almost be convinced that you wanted to separate the two more than you wanted to stop Cyan from getting away. Did you want to keep him around as leverage to force Cyan back when you wanted to? Is the guitar bugged? Are you torturing Luo for him to be bandaged in a locked up room two years after the escape? Too many questions gah. AND WHAT THE HELL DID YOU TELL THE GUY AT THE END?

Running theory: Luo's family was in the same plane that crashed, and you just blamed Cyan for his entire family being wiped out, becoming an orphan, and being branded bad luck.

Are there any other explanations because I would kill to know. Like there's no way this is a coincidence.

But going back to the escape scene, the whole thing is weird. Firstly (and this is just funny) how does wind blowing close the gate against the wind?? What was the animation physics department (is that a thing?) thinking?

Secondly why is the guitar this important, to the scene and to the ep? This is, mind you, the Guitar with Effects. I am suspicious. Very suspicious.

Thirdly what was up with that truck driver? Who's compelling him? His eyes were purple, but it's unlikely the Dean would disrupt his own intervention (unless he wants to act like the bad guy to drive Cyan away with the guitar, for whatever reason?) Do we know a hero/villain with hypnotic powers? I'm drawing blanks.

The only other possibility is that this was Luo, which would make sense, although we have to admit that was a surprising amount of good luck for a supposed bad luck person. This would also bolster the popular theory that Zombie Mode is Luo's powers going out of control because hey, that's also purple.

Just hoping the shared purple doesn't mean anything-

My conspiracy theorist brain hurts now.

Lastly, the art sequences in this episode and the colours were so beautiful (fitting for Lucky Cyan's moniker I suppose) I simply must ogle them.

Just stunning. Also is that song out yet, because I haven't been able to hunt it down.

Now that we've caught up to the YC arc in terms of timeline, I wonder what next week's ep will bring. Fresh trauma, no doubt.

[artstennisracket]

hi mel!!!!! congrats on 500, so deserved❣️❣️

for your ask game, i wanted to request x for exes with art x reader!! i feel like we didn't get enough of a perspective of how art felt about patrick and tashi in the later years so i'd love your take on something like that :))

loveeee my love, ur just so lovely tysm!!!💗 i’d be more than happy to fill in some blanks, a little art as an ex-boyfriend action :D

sfw alphabet: x for eXes

pairing: art x ex fem!reader

cw: none! i think like one curse word maybe

Stanford!Art is a bitter ex only for ex-partners he actually really liked. Casual dating and hooking up at MRTA didn’t mean much of anything of to him. When you broke up with him, he begged and pleaded, did everything he could to keep you guys together and you still said no. Bitter because he will wish you well to your face but secretly hope that you never find anyone else better than him.

He rambles on and on about you to anyone who will listen, mainly Patrick and Tashi, who repeatedly tell him, “Get over it god. It’s been a year already” and “She couldn’t have been that good of a fuck for you to still be moping around” respectively.

When it came to knowledge of his partners exes Art didn’t want to know. Well he did want to know what your past relationships were like and why things ended. But he did not care to know your sexual past. As much as he was curious and wanted to know every single detail of your sex life before him, he knew it would only crush him so it’s better to be unaware.

When Art ‘lost’ Tashi to Patrick the first time after the Junior US Open Boys Singles, it set a fire under his ass to get her back. That was first time he ever ‘lost’ someone he actually really wanted. He really had to play up his manipulation skills to get her back, planting various seeds. Play percentage tennis because he knew it was only a matter of time before Patrick fucked up.

All those years later, Art didn’t know what he was looking for at 3 am. Or maybe he did know. Subconsciously. He figured Tashi went down to the lobby sometime after he fell asleep. Why? He can’t be sure but they were engaged so he shouldn’t have to worry anymore right?

When he saw the two of them sitting there, he stomach twisted and his throat clogged up. He felt like he wanted to throw up and pull his hair out at the same time. They weren’t even doing anything but just the thought of them sitting there, talking without him. Maybe even talking about him. About what happened 7 years ago and how Art is responsible for Tashi’s injury. How he should’ve kept his nose out of it instead of trying to weasel his way in. How Art ruined Patrick and Tashi’s relationship.

A fan pulled him out of his train of thought but when he looked back they were gone. This was it. Tashi realized her mistake and was going to leave Art for Patrick. And Art would lose to him. Again. Just like old times.

But she came back. A few hours later, just in time for their 6am practice. She didn’t mention last night or anything about breaking off the engagement. So Art knew what he had to do, he had to win.

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[fishyaudio]

Why is godmode your favourite rw ship? Curious :>

Also do you know/play Hollow Knight

Thanks for the ask right away!!

First off, I know Hollow Knight but have yet to play it when I'll have more free time. I know I'll like it and my body cannot handle more fixations than the massive one I have on Rain World at once /hj

Godmode storytime;

The funniest thing about getting obsessed with this ship for me is that I started out as someone who didn't really engage in fandoms and had the mindset of "why would I ship something that's not canon? Those characters didn't even meet, that makes zero sense!" before Rain World. And look at me now, neck deep into a ship of two slugcats that ony had a non-canon interaction in a joke dating sim.

At first I got more into barbecue (Arti x Gourmand), because how I saw them personalitywise really made them click for me and I wouldn't have even considered godmode if not for this one animatic:

It changed my brain chemistry a bit. While personally I don't see Inv and Saint as both gods of the world they reside in, I love the idea of them having opposite midsets and goals and kinda balancing each other out.

I've always seen Saint's goals and doings as really ambiguous. To me, they aren't a god, aren't an evil creature, but a being with a mission that could be debated upon in terms of its necessity. Is their time loop really a destined routine for them to ensure others will get their ending? Or does Saint just feel that way about their futile goal and despite their struggles and determination, the Cycle never truthly ends?

We get a lot of hints that the world isn't really fully dying, it's transforming. The way the Undergrowth blooms, how Moon mentions a new Cycle unfolding, one that the Iterators needn't be a part of. I feel like the overall idea to just shut the lights off for everyone and everything, while in line with the Ancients' worldview and with a lot of good intentions, isn't really a 100% right one to execute. From Saint's pov especially with how it affects them, making her go through literal hell (rubicon) and back to continue her mission. Almost as if the world itself was pushing them back from gifting this finality upon everyone with its circular nature. And despite all of that, they push on. Always so stubborn in their narrow worldview, with one goal only. An Echo tied to the Cycle they want to end so bad.

And then there's Enot. A flirty, unserious joke character. A character that also went through absolute hell in her campagin. Constantly gets all of the most terrible things thrown at her. A total mystery of a being that's more of a cryptid and a glitch in the system than an actual, playable character with her own story and goals like the other campagins. And with all of that, I like to imagine that he still manages to have a good laugh at it. Is always able to find something funny in the situation he's in. Learn to enjoy the chaos around him and take advantage of it. Love the world as is because that's the only one he has. And I personally find this reading of Enot really damn comforting + a tad more complex one rather than just a hopeless romantic and/or violent sinner and/or a gamer freak. A sinning hopeless romantic gamer with depth! And emotional baggage!

When I think of these two together, I always see it in the context of Inv being somehow thrown into Saint's campagin and not leaving their new friend's side. I feel like both of them wouldn't pass an opportunity for a companion after they both were alone for so long. I love how their worldviews would clash and force them to think more about the lives they had led before. Imagine the shock that Saint would feel when hearing Enot say that Saint's world, the one they have considered cruel and dying, is all sunshine and rainbows in comparison to what insane and absurd things she experienced in her home. Moreover, the home she managed to call her own and appreciate a bit in the end. And not because she lost her mind or something, no. Enot is still very clever and empathetic.

I even made a whole comic about this particular interaction idea when it comes to their different ideas about the supposed finality of the Cycle.

Also: I just think they're neat and should hold hands and kiss

freaks of nature

[mymoodwriting]

Royal Blood

Female!Reader x Alpha!Seonghwa

Genre: A/B/O, Royalty

Warning: Mentions of Poison, Sneaking Around, Claws, Fangs, Manipulation, Talks of Violence, Mentions of Blood, Pack Dynamics, Scents, Suspicions

Words: 3.7K

Chapter Six

(Prev//Next) (@starillusion13 @yizhou-time @hannahdinse8)

Prompt: You were a princess in name alone. Unable to perform any of the duties that come with the title. It seemed to be your destiny to live a quiet life. That is until you met someone who refused to see you silenced. Perhaps your fate was wrong all along.

“You’re insane, Seonghwa!”

A small chuckle escaped Seonghwa’s lips as he expected such a reaction from his friend. He had thought things over before finally telling Hongjoong what he wanted to do. How his latest desire was to reveal his scent to you and vice versa. Of course he understood that what he said was incredibly complicated and dangerous to pull off. Yet two heads are better than one to solve a problem.

“You sneak into the princess’ quarters at night, you even manage day visits sometimes, but this, this will be the thing that gets you caught.” Hongjoong remarked. “Everyone in the palace has their scents suppressed, which means the slightest hint of anyone’s true scent will be noticed almost immediately. There’s no way you can do this. You shouldn’t even attempt it.”

“I know, but there’s something I need to check for myself. I also want to do this.”

“As much as I try, I fear I just don’t understand you at times. I still don’t understand why you’ve involved the princess in your schemes.”

“We’ve been over this, Hongjoong.”

“Yes, somewhat. I just genuinely want to know why you’re going this route when there are other ways, arguably quicker ways, for you to get what you want.”

“Are you referring to the tradition of an alpha challenging the pack leader for their position?”

“I am.”

Seonghwa chuckled. “We are more civilized than our ancestors today, don’t you think? Yet that tradition remains. If someone were to challenge the king for their throne, he would have no choice but to accept. So then, tell me, how many people have challenged the king? Or the ones that came before?”

“None that I recall…”

“No one has ever challenged the king, or any king for that matter, since we established this system. Do you know why?”

“I’m not sure I do.”

“Good answer. You see, even back then, challenging the pack leader wasn’t common. It was only done by greedy fools and those who truly felt the leader was incompetent. With the establishment of a king and a royal court, such a tradition wasn’t needed anymore, but to honor our old ways, it was kept.” Seonghwa explained. “Then over time as we continued to advance, such a tradition was forgotten by the common people. Only educated individuals such as ourselves know it exists. Yet no one has ever challenged the king. You fail to see that doing such a thing isn’t as easy as you think. It never was and now it’s truly a foolish endeavor.” 

“Apologies for not-”

“There’s no need for that. I appreciate you believing I’d be able to beat the king, but such a victory would only cause chaos.”

“What do you mean? The throne would be rightfully yours if you won.”

“Perhaps, but merely sitting on the throne does not mean one has power. That comes from the people, from your allies. I have none of those at the moment.”

“What about your family?”

“I’m not really speaking with my father, and he believes my ambition for the throne is foolish. He’d never support such actions. Besides, even if I attempt such a thing, my whole family would be condemned as traitors if I fail. Now if I were to succeed, the former king’s allies would become my enemies, and I don’t doubt most of my family would despise me too. Such a path is too dangerous, and lonely. Not to mention the chain reaction that would come of it.”

“Chain reaction?”

“Regardless of the outcome of such an attempt, rumors would spread. It wouldn’t be long before everyone knew that you could challenge the king for the throne, regardless of status. Groups would begin to form, and such knowledge would open the door to one blood bath after another. Our modern society would fall apart because of foolish greed and ambition. So I will not be the one to set such things in motion.”

“I see… the direct approach has major consequences, and you would likely struggle to keep the throne.”

“Indeed. If I truly want to achieve my goals, I need to use my intelligence, not physical strength.”

“So then with the princess… courting her and marriage only leads to you becoming an in-law of the royal family. It does not get you the throne.”

“Correct, but this path requires patience and strategy. By becoming an in-law to the royal family I gain some power, and from there I can build allies. It’s not expected of the princess, but if she could bear a child, everything else would fall into place eventually. I was concerned that because of her health such a task would be of great risk to her, but having discovered the truth, there should be no issue in obtaining a prince.”

“But a young prince from your marriage would not be the direct heir to the throne.”

“Unless there is no one else.”

“… you’re not… implying…”

“There are multiple ways to make my heir the Crown Prince, but that is not something to speculate about until we get there, so don’t worry.”

“Although I thought you wanted the throne.”

“Whether I sit on the throne or my child does, it’s the same to me.”

“Just as long as the Park family becomes the royal family.”

“Correct.”

“You really have thought this over properly.”

“I have.”

“Yet the first obstacle is your relationship. You have to go public at some point and ask for the princess’ hand in marriage.”

“Indeed, and that certainly won’t be easy. Although our love for each other should be strong enough. I just need to make my move at the right time.”

“So then you’re very serious about this scent reveal thing, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely. It’s very important to both of us.”

“Then your safety is the highest priority.” Hongjoong mentioned. “Both of you. Therefore it would be best for you to do this outside the palace.”

“What did you just say?” Seonghwa questioned. “Are you serious? It wasn’t that long ago that you told me sneaking the princess out of the palace was incredibly risky.”

“I’m merely offering the best option here since I know I can’t convince you to let this go.”

“You’re right there. This would work for the best, a two for one special for the princess. She’d love it, so let’s figure out how to make it possible.”

♦♦♥♦♦

“Seonghwa, I want to show you something!”

Over time you had gotten used to being up late, and now that you were truly healing, you had more energy. This night was super important though. There was something you had been working on, and you wanted Seonghwa to be the first to see. He seemed very curious about what you wanted to show him.

“What is it? You seem so excited.”

“I am. Look!”

In a swift motion you summoned your claws, showing them to Seonghwa with a proud smile on your face. His eyes quickly lit up as he gently grabbed your hands, examining them with amazement.

“Your claws came in!”

“I’ve been practicing all day! I finally got them under control.”

“Look at you, this is incredible. You’re incredible.”

“These will be great for gardening.”

Seonghwa chuckled. “I’m glad they can be of use to you. How about your fangs?”

“Not yet, but I’m happy with this right now.”

“Me too. You’re growing beautifully.”

“Thank you.”

“This should be celebrated. I’ll bring you some pastries tomorrow morning.”

“What? Seonghwa, you don’t-”

“I want to. This is a big thing for you, and you deserve something sweet. I haven’t treated you to such delights in a while.”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I’ll be quick, just a delivery and a kiss, is that alright?”

“Hm… fine, I like seeing you under the sunlight too.”

“Good.”

Since Seonghwa wanted to get something for you, the night visit had to be cut short, and you needed to get some sleep too. It was bittersweet to part, but you were excited that you’d get to see him later, even if just for a moment. You were tucked into bed and managed to sleep for a bit before being woken up by Seonghwa. For a moment you could just pretend this was your life, that every morning you could wake up and see him. Seonghwa noticed you were a bit dazed and placed a kiss on your head, helping you sit up. Soon enough the smell hit your nose, and this time it was so much more delightful.

“Oh, that smells good.”

“Freshly baked.” Seonghwa held up the bag. “You can have one, but you have to promise me you won’t eat the rest until you’ve had breakfast.”

“But they’re for me.”

“Yes, but I don’t want you to ruin your appetite.”

“Fine.”

“If I find out you broke your promise, I’m gonna get ya.”

“I’m so scared.”

You both laughed and Seonghwa got out one of the pastries, blowing on it lightly before taking a bite. You yelled and hit him playfully but then he fed you the rest, wanting to share the treat. It was good, and so warm. You really wanted another, but you’d keep your word and have breakfast before eating the rest. Of course Seonghwa couldn’t stay long, so he placed a kiss on your cheek before parting, promising to see you later at night. You’d happily wait until then.

♦♦♥♦♦

Since Yunho had taken over looking after you, he had new things in his routine. Every morning he’d look over your meal, same as his own, making sure it was good. At times he’d even switch it with his own just to be on the safe side. He’d even take a sip of your medicine every morning to make sure it was correct. Of course he couldn’t always visit, but when he needed a break he’d see you in the morning. He tended to show up unannounced, but you were always happy to see him.

“Did you already eat?”

“Yes. I finished my meal before coming over.” Yunho explained. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind having you over. It’s always good to see you.”

“Likewise.”

It was good to watch you eat. For Yunho it gave him peace of mind to know that you had eaten. Although now that you both shared the same meals, he was quick to notice something different. You had a few pastries on a plate that he hadn’t seen before.

“Where did you get those?”

“Huh?”

“The pastries.”

“Uh…”

You glanced over to where Yunho was pointing, realizing what he meant. You promised not to eat the rest of the pastries until you finished breakfast, but you had no idea Yunho would notice. You needed to think fast to come up with a good excuse.

“I… uh…”

“Come on, spit it out already.”

“… I asked the court ladies… I wanted to try something new…”

Yunho laughed. “Why didn’t you ask me?”

“Well… there was a chance you’d say… but the court ladies wouldn’t deny me.”

“That’s true. Just ask me in the future, alright? I’ll be going out into town more often.”

“You will?”

“Yes. My last journey took me to the outer regions, but I want to get familiar with the world right outside our front door.”

“I wish I could go out too.”

“Someday, I promise.”

Once Yunho was gone you made a note to be more careful with such gifts in the future. In the past Yunho noticed the flowers too. He came by randomly, but it was best to be cautious at all times. Still, you happily enjoyed your treats, looking forward to the rest of the day too. Yeosang would be stopping by later, and you were excited to show him the progress you had made.

“How are you feeling today, princess?”

“I’m alright, and yourself?”

“Good. Your health has certainly improved, as has your mood.”

“Really?”

“You’re a lot brighter these days.”

“I have been feeling good.”

“As you should. You are taking your medicine, right?”

“Yes. Yunho was here this morning, so he is my witness.”

“I’ll check in with him later then.”

“While you’re at it you can deliver some good news.”

“Which is?”

“This.”

You showed Yeosang your claws, and his eyes went wide, followed by a smile. He carefully examined them, processing.

“Your claws have come in? This is wonderful.”

“I’m truly getting better, aren’t I?”

“Yes, you are. Yunho will be happy to hear about this.”

♦♦♥♦♦

Even though Yunho had returned to the library to continue his studies, his mind kept thinking back to the morning. He was supposed to be looking after you, yet you managed to sneak something past him. It wasn’t harmful, but he was trying to think when such a thing could have happened. He saw your court ladies every morning, and he didn’t see them with anything. Not to mention it wasn’t common for court ladies to step outside the palace, but if you had asked, they’d surely find a way. At least he was glad you could rely on your court ladies for such things.

“Your highness!” Jongho came rushing into the library. “Your highness, I have good news!”

“What is it?”

“The princess! Physician Kang has just informed me the princess has gained her claws.”

“What! Are you serious!?”

“Yes.”

Yunho didn’t need to hear more, making his way back to your quarters. He had to see this for himself. It was later in the evening when he returned, and you were in your garden tending to your flowers.

“Is it true?”

“Oh, you got here fast.”

“Show me.”

You were rather surprised to see Yunho, given that he seemed so happy. You put on a smile and got up, showing your claws. He grabbed your hands, looking them over with a look of amazement on his face.

“Wow, incredible. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks. They’re really cool.”

“Yes they are. You’re truly growing up. Your fangs are next.”

“I’m excited for that too.”

‘Then your eyes…”

“Yup.”

Yunho’s excitement faltered a bit as he realized something, but he quickly covered it up, not wanting to spoil your mood. He stuck around for a bit before returning to the library. As much as this truly was good news, it meant something else too. With your power coming in, the truth would soon be revealed. It was worrying him, and to help ease his concerns he went to see Yeosang, wanting his opinion.

“Your highness, welcome, have you had a chance to see the princess?”

“Yes. I’m glad to see her health improving.”

“Indeed, it’s wonderful news.”

“Speaking of, the necklace that suppresses her scent, it will continue to work just fine, correct?”

“Yes. It works on everyone else in the palace. Simply because the princess is coming into her power doesn’t mean it will be less effective.”

“What about her eyes?”

“As you know, that’s something we all must learn to control ourselves. Although the loss of 

emotions can always show our true nature. It would be best to have someone train with her now.”

“I’ll take care of that.” Yunho assured. “Thank you.”

Yunho excused himself, lost in thought. The joy he had felt was being pushed aside by these new problems that were arising. He couldn’t help but think back to the wolfsbane. It had never been enough to kill you, yet it kept you weak, and your true nature remained hidden. As if all along it was just a precaution. Perhaps it hadn’t been the Queen poisoning you out of dislike, but the King in order to keep the secret. He hated to have such thoughts. No longer sure if he could really trust anyone with your health and safety.

♦♦♥♦♦

“Y/n, do you recall the promise I’ve made you?”

“Hm… you’d have to be more specific. You’ve made a lot of promises to me, and you haven’t broken any of them.”

“I’m a man of my word, but the promise I’m talking about is sharing my true scent with you.”

“Wait, are you serious.” You looked at Seonghwa with an excited gaze. “Do you have a plan?”

“Yes, I do, and you’re going to love it.”

“Tell me! How are we going to do this?”

“For starters we need to take a little trip.”

“Huh?”

“We need to step out of the palace.”

“You… you can’t be serious… do you mean that?”

“Yes. In order to do this, it’s best we do it outside the palace. So, are you alright with that? I could maybe figure out another way but-”

“No! No, that’s amazing! You mean it? You can get me out of the palace?”

“Only at night, and for a few hours, but yes.”

“I can’t believe it…”

“Everything is all set. We can do it tonight or we can try-”

“No, I’m ready now. Let’s go!”

“Hold on, we still need to get you ready.”

“Oh? What do you mean?”

“Well, we can’t sneak you out like that. Come on, I brought a change of clothes for you.”

Seonghwa took your hand and led you back to your room, giving you clothes to dress in. They were mens clothes as it would be easy to hide your identity that way. You happily bounced around, enjoying your look as a lord, and holding your hat in place. Now you and Seonghwa matched like a couple.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

Now here was were things got truly thrilling for you. Since you were sneaking out, it wasn’t smart to just walk out the front door, so you’d have to climb your way out. The same way Seonghwa got in and out when he came to see you. Of course he helped you out, and on the other side Hongjoong was there to help you get down safely. You were doing your best to contain your excitement, looking out at the palace, finally outside your quarters in what felt like forever.

“Come on, we’re going this way, and keep your head down.”

Seonghwa took your hands in his, leading the way as Hongjoong followed right behind you. They had found a secluded place where they could sneak out of the palace, which involved climbing a wall once more. Hongjoong was the first, and then you, and lastly Seonghwa. Now you were certainly staring down at the ground and the trees around you. All your life, you had never set foot outside the palace, and now here you were.

“I’m really outside… like outside outside…”

“You are. How does it feel?” Seonghwa asked.

“Amazing!”

“Good. Now there’s somewhere I want to take you.”

“Okay.”

Seonghwa took your hand once more, and you began walking. You looked back at the palace, feeling like it was a dream to be out here. Eventually your gaze turned to the sky, realizing you were seeing the stars somewhere else now, and they felt more beautiful. You weren’t sure where you were going, but you soon began to hear the sounds of running water. It wasn’t long before you came to a river, seeing a waterfall nearby.

��Wow… this is so pretty…”

“This is the place. We can reveal our true scents without worrying about being found. The water will help hide it, and I’ve also packed a change of clothes for both of us. That is if you want to. We can just enjoy the outside tonight if you’d like.”

“We’re already here, and knowing your scent… it would make this night more incredible… I want to do this.”

“Me too.”

Seonghwa gave you a soft kiss before getting things in order. He set down a blanket for the both of you by the riverside. Spreading some white powder around in a circle as well.

“What’s that?”

“It helps to hide one’s scent. The powder is technically similar to what’s in our necklace. So it should make it so our scent doesn’t spread beyond this circle.”

“Oh… that’s cool.”

“It is. Now, come here.”

Seonghwa cleaned his hands in the river and then stepped into the circle and onto the blanket. He held his hand out to you, and you stepped into the circle with him. 

“May I?”

Seonghwa reached over to take your necklace off, taking a moment to admire the one he had given you. That would stay on, always. You smiled, feeling a bit weird not having the suppressant necklace. It was a part of everyday life for you since you lived in the palace, so to take it off, it really set in that you weren’t in the palace anymore. Out here you didn’t need to wear such a thing. Seonghwa took off his own necklace, and Hongjoong took them both. He’d be around, but he would be giving you both privacy. You laid down on the blanket with Seonghwa, being pulled into his embrace for cuddles.

“It’ll take a bit, but I figured we could also enjoy our usual night under the stars.”

“This is lovely, Seonghwa. I still can’t believe I’m outside the palace. This is real, right? I’m not dreaming?”

“You’re not dreaming.”

Seonghwa kissed your head, enjoying the stars and the sounds of the water with you. The two of you had spent nights stargazing before, but this was a whole new experience. There was something extra special about it all, and it brought tears to your eyes. Seonghwa soon noticed, chuckling and wiping away your tears.

“You’re that happy, huh?”

“This is incredible.” You mumbled. “I am sorry for always asking such dangerous things of you.”

“I’m glad to do them if it makes you smile. This, being here with you right now, it’s worth every risk.”

Seonghwa pulled you in closer, wrapping his arms around you and burying his nose in the crook of your neck. He was already picking up on your scent, and he wanted to get in deep. He inhaled sharply and in the moment his grip on you became tighter. He could feel his own power coming to the surface, and his eyes glowed a crimson red. He had just discovered something new about you, and it was incredibly dangerous.

[northlight14]

Since it’s the first day of Pride, thought I’d share something that I’m very passionate and opinionated about, that being

What Makes for “Good” Aromantic and/or Asexual Representation

Essentially I’m just sharing my own personal standards for when it comes to aro and/or ace rep. And you’ll notice a lot of this is the bare minimum. You’ll also notice how very few pieces of media actually do any of these. This isn’t to attack any particular creators (though some will be mentioned as being bad at this sort of rep not as an attack but as an example). Think of this as more for any aspiring writers or creators who want to include aro or ace rep in their work. Because idk about y’all but I’m kinda tired of just settling for the sort of rep we do get

And of course I don’t speak for all aro/ace people and some may disagree with me and that’s ok! These are just my personal opinions based on experience

1. Say it, don’t code it

A lot of asexual and especially aromantic “representation” is just coded but never explicitly stated. Characters will show disinterest in dating or even repulsion in some cases (see Saiki from Saiki K or Senkuu from Dr Stone). And while that’s all well and good, I barely even count that as representation

Showing a character is aromantic and/or asexual is fundamentally different from showing a character is gay or bisexual. And that’s because it’s a LACK of attraction, not the presence of it. You can have a character show interest in the same sex and nothing more really needs to be said because that’s you telling your audience what that characters preferences are. But you can’t have a character just reject another character and expect that to have the same effect because it’s not as if allosexuals/alloromantics are attracted to every person they meet

Now in the cases of Saiki or Senkuu where they say repeatedly that they’re not interested in sex or romance without actually using the words, I’ll concede that that’s slightly better than Viktor from Arcane just rejecting Skye and then the creator trying to claim he’s asexual after the fact. However, I still don’t think this is necessarily good representation even if it is better. That being because there is a long history of characters who start off saying they’re “not interested in dating” and then changing their mind. Or fans interpreting them as being gay instead or their close friendships actually being romantic. The easiest way to avoid this is just to use the words “aromantic” and/or “asexual”

This doesn’t mean you have to write a whole coming out scene either. It can be as simple as a casual mention or a pride flag hung up somewhere. But it should be said

2. State it in the piece of media

One of my biggest pet peeves about aro/ace rep is that it will be confirmed but only outside of the media itself and rarely in canon. Frankly I think more characters are confirmed outside than they are inside. Let’s go over two of main ways this just doesn’t work

It’s easy to miss. I didn’t find out about Viktor apparently being asexual several months after confirmation. And I’m pretty sure a lot of fans still don’t know

It creates discourse. A lot of fans simply won’t accept it because it was confirmed post canon or outside of canon. Or there will be accusations of it being fake or people trying to make excuses as to why they should be allowed to ignore it and so on

The only exception to this rule I have is that if your setting is maybe a fantasy world or historical setting where those words don’t exist then yes, it makes sense for it to not be stated in canon and instead confirmed elsewhere. But please for the love of god don’t just confirm it after the fact or else it just looks like a JK Rowling “Dumbledore is actually gay!” thing

3. Learn what it means to be asexual or aromantic

This might be one of the biggest “the bar is on the floor” things said in this post and it’s honestly depressing how many creators I’ve seen that have made me feel the need to say this. If you’re going to have a character be asexual or aromantic, you should know what those words mean. Like I’m literally asking for the bare minimum of research here

Do you know that asexual and aromantic are different things?

Do you know what either of those words even mean?

If your answer is no, for the love of God Google that shit before writing it. I’m so tired of creators saying shit like “this character doesn’t want to date because they’re asexual”

4. Let our representation be diverse

Some aces/aro’s are POC. Some are disabled. Some are trans. Some are asexual but not aromantic. Some are aromantic but not asexual. Some are not fully aro/ace but on the spectrum somewhere like demisexual, greyasexual, librasexual, aceflux, and so on. Some are sex/romance repulsed and some are sex/romance favourable or indifferent

We’re as diverse as any other community with a wide range of experiences. And yet a lot of the rep we get is very white, usually just sex repulsed asexual or aro/ace, and able bodied. Now as a white aro/ace able bodied person myself I can’t exactly speak a lot on this but I do encourage any writers to seek out and learn about the experiences of others in my community that don’t look like me

While on this subject, remember it’s not unrealistic to have multiple aspec characters in your media. I’m only 20 years old and so far in my life I’ve met a total of 10 others who also identify as somewhere on the ace or aro spectrum. I promise we’re more common than you think and having multiple characters be somewhere on the spectrum would absolutely help in not just depicting the community as a monolith. Great example of this is Bojack Horseman who didn’t want to make Todd’s childishness seem like a byproduct of his asexuality and so added Yolanda who is also asexual but the opposite of Todd personality wise

5. Let your aromantic characters not be asexual

You wanna know how many non-ace aromantic characters I can name?

None.

Literally non. Zilch. Zero.

And I can make a pretty good guess as to why that is as well. Because sexual attraction without romantic attraction is so heavily demonised or made to be “promiscuous”. And this is something that needs to change. Aromantic people, for starters, didn’t choose to be aromantic. They aren’t “players” trying to get with as many people as possible, or lead people on, or break peoples hearts or whatever the fuck. They’re straight up just living their lives. Some might have a QPR and some might not. Some might engage in casual sex and some might not. Some might still date and some might not. And non of these things are bad

Aromantic people deserve representation just as much as asexual people, I cannot understate this enough

6. Let your aromantic characters be loveless

I’m not a loveless/aplatonic aromantic so again I can’t speak too much on this. However, I do see a lot of the time people trying to make being aromantic more palatable by saying “they can still feel love!” And “they can still have close bonds with their friends”. And look, that’s true for a lot of us. But it also alienates a lot of peoples experiences. Being an aplatonic aromantic shouldn’t be villainised. They aren’t cold or heartless. They just experience things differently and that’s ok. They deserve positive representation just as much as the rest of the community

7. Try to avoid stereotypes

This one is pretty simple. Don’t make your only ace or aro character the robot or the villain or the super childish side character. Some aces are super outgoing. Some aromantics are really emotional

Another part of this is let your aromantic characters be romantic and let your asexual characters be sexy. As I’ve stated before, these identities are on a spectrum and some ace people might still wear revealing clothing or even have sex. Some aromantics might love romantic media or even still choose to date. Non of this takes away from their identity and if you go this route just make sure you’re doing your research

Like, I’m speaking from experience here. I’m fully aro/ace but I still love shipping and romance in media. I’ve also listened to my friends about their sex lives. Like guys, sex is weird to me regardless of its missionary or hardcore BDSM. Not every ace is gonna be comfortable hearing about that but again, we’re not a monolith

—

I do have more I could say on this but I’m gonna end it here. If there’s anything I missed lemme know and also I’m willing to answer questions as long as they’re genuine, polite and respectful. Aphobia will be deleted

And of course, Happy Pride y’all🏳️‍🌈💚💜🤍🩶🖤

[kcandyliciouss]

"𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬"

Part 1/?

Synopsis:

Knight!Shinsou x Princess!Reader

A princess, known for her reckless and cheerful nature, and her knight, Shinsou, who is her polar opposite and is stuck always looking out for her safety. There's no way the two could ever get along. Right? However after countless mysterious murders, secrets, and riddles, the princess finds herself being drawn to her knight, and it seems like he's starting to tolerate her too.

Cw: fem!reader, slowburn (they hate each other lol), no quirks, mentions of death

Wc: 4.0k

Not beta read!

It was a sunday afternoon when you had just met Archie Wellington, the prince of Solandria. The Wellington family had been visiting your kingdom; your families had decided to have the two of you wed to ensure peace between Solandria and Hortensia after many years of war.

As much as you hated the idea of being wed to a stranger, you had to admit- Archie wasn't all that bad, especially compared to some of your other suitors. He was sweet and most important of all respectful, quite handsome as well; With his sleek blonde hair and dazzling brown eyes that crinkled when he smiled, he had a certain charm. And although it seemed that neither of you wanted a romantic relationship, Archie was most likely your best option for a somewhat happy marriage, you thought.

That was, of course, before the maids had found him dead in the guest room the next morning.

It was a surprise for everyone. Just the evening before the prince was alive and well.

The two royal families were dining together and discussing the upcoming wedding, After multiple generations of war between the kingdoms, the two rulers had agreed to make peace. And since both royal offsprings were approximately the same age, the decision to wed them was made.

Now, you weren’t the royal heir so you knew that you would be “given away” in marriage at some point. Non-heir princesses were often married off to princes, dukes, or other nobles. Since they were not first in line for the throne, their primary role was often seen as forging alliances through marriage.

Of course your brother, the heir, was also expected to marry, but the pressure on him wasn’t as heavy; while marriage was important to produce heirs and secure succession, the crown prince had more freedom, he had more leeway in choosing a spouse who aligns with his personal preferences. In your case, however, you’d be married off to whoever your father saw more fit for the kingdom's political situation.

You hated that fact. It truly wasn’t fair. You didn’t want to marry some stranger, you wanted to fall in love just like in those romance books you loved to read! But clearly that wasn’t going to happen.

Archie was far more pleasant than your other candidates for husband; you liked him, sure, but still, you didn’t love him. In fact, you didn’t even see yourself loving him in the future. He was a decent man, yet he came across as overly proper. His posture was so rigid it seemed as if he had a stick lodged in his back, and his table manners made you feel a bit self-conscious about your own; dear god, what if he was judging your table manners??

He spoke only when addressed and did so with extreme formality. He embodied the very definition of a gentleman. And that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, however he seemed to lack authenticity. It felt as though he had been conditioned by chivalry and etiquette to the point where he no longer could express any thoughts of his own.

Nonetheless, you made every effort to appear polite and gracious throughout the dinner. You were acutely aware of the importance of making a good impression, especially with your mother casting you stern glances that seemed to say, “Don’t mess this up.”

“Your Majesty, please do indulge in some of our finest fish! I know seafood is a rarity in Solandria, so please, help yourself to as much as you like. Our seas yield the world’s best salmon,” your father said cheerfully as the maids set several plates of smoked salmon before the guests. It was evident that he was eager to impress the Solandrian king and queen, who responded with a courteous nod and a smile.

After a few long hours of various dinner courses and the after-dinner music performances- an endeavor your mother insisted upon to impress the guests and showcase your kingdom’s cultural richness- you finally made your way to your chambers.

As much as you loved to indulge in music performances, the constant need to be at your best behaviour had really left you drained.

Thinking back to the performance, it seemed that Prince Archie was quite exhausted as well. His usual rigid posture had softened; he leaned back in his armchair, gripping its edges tightly as the loud music played on. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his complexion appeared paler than usual.

Still, he was hiding his discomfort quite well, better than you at least. The only reason you had noticed his unease was because you had been staring at him for the past ten minutes, trying to decide if you were willing to have children with him or not; honestly, with his looks it’d be a shame not to.

It was quite strange that you hadn’t made eye contact yet, given your intense staring.

You let out a sigh, pushing thoughts about your soon-to-be husband from your mind as you prepare for bed. Once nestled beneath the soft covers, you wish your ladymaid goodnight and gradually drift off to sleep.

It was at breakfast when you learned of the unfortunate news: the prince of Solandria had died some time at night. The physician had stated that the cause of death was illness. Of course, the Wellington’s were devastated- their son showed no signs of illness and now he’s suddenly dropped dead. In response to their grievance the physycian only explained that the illness was one of which he’d never seen, and recommended the king impose a quarantine to prevent further deaths until apothecaries and herbalists could discover a remedy.

You feel a chill run down your spine at the thought of an unknown illness sweeping through the kingdom. Not to mention the quarantine. That could mean isolation for everyone, including you and your family. The mere idea filled you with dread; your freedom to step outside the palace was already incredibly limited, and now you might be confined to your room for weeks.

Your father nodded gravely at the physician’s suggestion, his expression serious and contemplative. By that afternoon, a quarantine was officially ordered. Guards would be stationed at every door to ensure no one could leave, and meals would be delivered directly to each family member's quarters.

The Wellingtons announced their intention to depart the following day, instructing that their carriage be prepared by then. It was understandable; their sole purpose for visiting had been to arrange their son’s wedding, and now he was no more. It was no surprise they wished to return home as swiftly as possible.

The whole situation was surreal to you. You were unsure of how to feel. You felt horrible for the prince and his family, of course, but you hadn’t known him that well. Grieving for someone you hardly knew felt strange.

You couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt over your lack of intense sadness and care for the prince. He had been kind to you, he'd never done anything wrong to you, and yet here you were, struggling to feel a deep sense of sorrow for his passing. It wasn't that you didn't care at all, no, you did. But you felt that your reaction should be stronger, given that he was supposed to be your husband.

With a deep sigh, you lie down on your bed, feeling a sense of resignation. No one need know the true extent of your feelings, or lack thereof. You could just act devastated and everything would be fine. It wouldn't matter what you truly felt. Besides, given the quarantine, no would even see you for the next few weeks exept your lady-in-waiting.

The thought of being completely alone for the upcoming weeks was less than appealing. You stood up from the bed, and, hoping to find some distraction, moved briskly to the bookshelf, scanning the spines of books in search of something to cure your boredom.

You selected a book at random, hoping that the pages would provide some much-needed respite.

After what seemed like hours of reading, you just couldn't take it anymore. You needed to get out of here somehow. The maid had just brought you dinner, which you didn’t really feel like eating. In a few hours the maid would return to clear your meal and prepare you for bed. That’s when it struck you: now’s a window of time when no one would check on you, roughly four hours. The guards stationed outside your door offered no means of escape, the window however…

You gently untied the long silk bed sheets from her bedpost, carefully knotting them together into a sturdy rope. Your fingers trembled slightly. Once secure, you looped the makeshift ladder over the windowsill.

Taking a deep breath, you slipped out of her chamber onto the windowsill. The cool night air brushed against your skin as you carefully lowered yourself down, gripping the rope tightly. Below, just within reach, was a large oak tree- its branches sprawling close to the palace wall.

With a final glance back at your room, you began to descend. Once your feet found the first sturdy branch,you slowly eased yourself onto it and untied the knot around your waist.

Halfway down, you paused briefly to listen—no sounds of alarm or footsteps. Heart pounding in your chest, you continued until your feet touched the soft grass outside the palace walls.

You ran towards the hamlet village located just besides the royal palace. You wore one of your simpler dresses, making sure to blend in and not draw too much attention to yourself. This wasn’t your first time here, you had visited the village a number of times before and even sneaked some coins to the struggling families.

The village was a great place, probably your favourite place even. It really held a special place in your heart. Everyone there was so warm and friendly, it was as if the whole village was one big happy family.

Everything was simple there, no need for exquisite table manners or polite facades.

Your favourite part though was when the village would gather and dance around the fire and eat all kinds of goods every evening. It was comforting.

After spending some time participating in the dances and having friendly chit-chats with the villagers, you knew it was time to head back to the palace before your maid discovered your absence. Reluctantly saying farewell, you bid the villagers goodnight and made your way back to the royal residence, hoping to return unnoticed.

All was going well- you were practically in your room as you climbed up the bedsheet-rope. That is until a low "ahem" echoed through the silence, breaking your focus. Startled, you glanced down to find a palace guard standing below, the visor of his helmet hiding his visage, but his head unmistakably tilted in your direction.

“Oh..haha..good evening sir! I was just..taking a breath of fresh air is all..”

The knight seemed unamused with your cheap excuse. His stoic demeanor signaled that your attempt at nonchalance was far from successful.

"Taking a breath of air, were you, your highness?" The guard's voice was flat, laced with a hint of disbelief. "By scaling down the side of the palace wall?"

There was a moment of silence.

“Could you..maybe..perhaps..keep this a secret?” you said weakly, there wasn’t much you could do except beg him.

"And why should I keep this little escapade of yours a secret, my lady? If his royal majesty finds out about this both you and I will get in big trouble. Except for you it would mean a lecture and maybe heightened security, while for me it would mean beheading."

You grimaced at his words, he had every right to rat you out. But maybe you could convince him otherwise..?

“I understand it’s only right for you to report my escape to my father,” you said hurriedly, desperation creeping into your voice. “But I swear, sir- no one saw me. No one will even suspect I was gone for a few hours. If you keep this secret, I could speak well of you to my father. Convince him to elevate you in rank!”

The knight, however, still seemed unconvinced. He crossed his arms and stared up at you silently.

You sighed deeply before looking at him with pleading eyes,

“Just…please..?This is my chance at freedom. I’ll do anything for you to keep silent.”

The guard's stern expression remained hidden behind the visor, betraying no hint of his thoughts.

The weight of his decision seemed heavy on his shoulders, and he continued to stare in silence.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, his stance subtly shifted and his arms uncrossed. Something about your pleas seemed to strike a chord with him.

Then, without a single word, he suddenly turned and walked away briskly.

What?

Your eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

He just… left?

Was that a ‘no’ or a ‘yes’? Did he want something from you? He hadn’t even given his name, so you couldn’t tell your father about him. You were left more puzzled than ever. Still, you quickly climbed through the window and hid away your handmade rope just before the maid knocked on your door.

She entered your room, taking note of your untouched dinner. You were lying on your bed, pretending to read a book.

“No appetite, my lady? I could ask the cook to make you something else, if you wish?”

You simply shook your head. You had stuffed your mouth with all sorts of delicious food at the village. You didn’t think you could handle any more.

“No thank you, Agatha. I’m not really hungry.” you replied, earning a nod from the woman.

That’s how the next few nights unfolded- every evening, the moment your maid dropped off you dinner you would quietly slip out of your window to visit the village. And almost every time, the same guard- Shinsou Hitoshi, as you later learned his name- would catch you again. Each encounter was silent; you would simply nod at each other and then continue on your way.

You were sprawled on the floor when Agatha brought you dinner. In one hand, you held a piece of fabric; in the other, a needle.

“Embroidery? Have you picked up a new hobby, my lady?” she asked curiously, placing the food on your bedside table.

You let out a bitter laugh. “‘Picked up’ is quite an overstatement. The only thing I’ve managed to pick up is this stupid needle, which I cannot for the life of me thread,” you groaned.

“Well, you have plenty of time to learn, princess,” Agatha chuckled softly at your frustration before her expression grew more somber. “It doesn’t seem like the herbalists are close to discovering more about the illness, so you’ll have to stay here a while longer.”

You huffed unhappily at her words.

“Are there no updates whatsoever? Absolutely nothing new?” you asked, sitting up from the floor.

“Many of the pigs have started dying,” she replied grimly. “We’re not quite sure why. I doubt it’s related to the illness, though.”

You sighed quietly before dismissing her.

Your night out went as usual- you had even made some friends at the village through your frequent visits. Dancing, eating, chatting- everything was perfect.

As you were returning home, climbing the rope to your room, your hand suddenly slipped, causing you to lose your grip. You gasped and closed your eyes, bracing for the fall. But it never came. Instead, you felt the cold touch of metal and heard a small grunt.

Your eyes fluttered open to find yourself face-to-face with piercing purple eyes peering at you through the slit of a visor. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, Shinsou carefully placed you back on your feet.

He placed you back on your feet, his grip steady but cautious.

“You do realize that if I hadn’t caught you just then, you would have fallen to your death, right, princess?” he said, his voice tinged with a hint of annoyance.

“Oh… yes, of course! Thank you for saving me, Sir Hitoshi,” you replied hurriedly, trying to mask your embarrassment.

“You should stop sneaking out,” he added firmly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Your eyebrows furrowed in frustration. “What?” you exclaimed a bit louder than you intended.

“This is too risky. Too dangerous. I shouldn’t have agreed to keep this secret in the first place,” he said with conviction.

“No, you can’t out me! I’ll go crazy if I’m stuck in my room all day!” you protested. “The herbalists are nowhere near finding a cure, and even the pigs are dying off now,” your hands gesticulating your frustration. “If father finds out about this, I’ll never be allowed out again! No more dancing, singing, or delicious village food cooked with love. Instead, I’ll be stuck with the soulless dinners our so-called cook makes,” you complained bitterly.

You knew that Shisou most likely thought of you as a spoiled noble, who takes things for granted, but at this moment you couldn’t care less about what he thought of you.

The moment you finished your sentence, his head snapped sharply toward you.

“Wait, you don’t eat your dinners?” he inquired, his tone cautious.

“Uh... no? I usually eat dinner at the village,” you shrugged, confused as to why this was relevant to your conversation.

“And all leftovers go to the pigs, correct?”

“I think so, yes,” you replied, still puzzled by where he was going with this line of questioning.

He nodded to himself and mumbled almost inaudibly, “I had my theories, but this makes sense…”

“Huh? What are you even talking about?” you said, feeling a bit annoyed at his crypticness.

“Say, princess,” he continued, “if the quarantine was to be lifted, you wouldn’t have to sneak out anymore, right? I wouldn’t have to deal with you anymore?”

“I..yes? I suppose so?” you responded, a little offended but more surprised by the question itself.

He nodded again and then walked away quietly, murmuring something under his breath. You stood there flabbergasted, watching him go, your mind trying to make sense of the conversation you just had.

The next morning, you were surprised when Agatha told you to go to the main hall. Seeing your confused face, she shrugged. “A knight has asked for the royal family’s immediate attention.”

Huh?

You immediately thought of Shinsou’s words from last night. Was he going to tell the king about your escapes? Or was this about something else?

Trying not to overthink it, you quickly got dressed and headed to the main hall.

Your parents were already sitting on their thrones, regal and composed, while your brother entered right after you did. Once everyone was ready, your father nodded to a purple-haired knight to come forward.

“I sincerely hope that the matter is indeed important, seeing as we are risking our health at this moment,” he said with a hint of impatience.

“Of course, Your Majesty. I believe I have discovered something you will find useful.” When you heard the knight’s voice, you realized it was indeed Shinsou Hitoshi. You had never seen him without his helmet, and you had to admit: he was quite good-looking. Unruly indigo locks fell over his forehead, partially obscuring his eyes. The dark shadows beneath his eyes accentuated the sharp, angular features of his face-likely a result of his night duties. High, angular cheekbones framed by a few stray strands of hair added to the intensity of his gaze.

You felt your cheeks heat up when his eyes met yours; his expression was still mostly inscrutable.

Why was he so hot???

Shinsou cleared his throat again, his gaze steady and unwavering.

“There are two things I wanted to tell you. First—I believe there is no illness. Second—there is a chance that someone has been trying to harm the princess.”

A collective gasp echoed through the hall, low murmurs spreading among the gathered knights and servants. Your eyes widened at his words.

What was he on about?

“Elaborate,” commanded the King, his voice edged with skepticism.

Shinsou nodded solemnly.

“I have a suspicion that the cause of the Solandrian prince’s death was a severe allergic reaction, not an illness. Most likely, he was allergic to fish but was unaware of his intolerance, as he had never experienced such symptoms before. I am confident that if we ask the maids and butlers, they will confirm that the prince showed signs of an allergic reaction shortly before his death. Conversely, there are no signs of a contagious disease spreading among others. If it had been an illness, I believe we would see at least some additional cases or fatalities—yet none have arisen.”

The King turned toward the royal physician, seeking confirmation.

“I... I suppose that could be a possible reason for his death,” the physician admitted hesitantly. “Quite... likely, actually.”

Your father’s expression darkened. “So, what you are telling me is that you suggested a quarantine to be ordered simply because you didn’t think of checking other possible causes?” he said, gritting his teeth. His tone was sharp, clearly displeased.

The physician nervously fiddled with his hands and lowered his gaze, clearly uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

Your father’s gaze shifted back to Shinsou and he signaled for him to continue.

“As for the princess,” Shinsou began carefully, “I believe someone has attempted to poison her. The sudden series of deaths among the pigs has nothing to do with any ‘illness’. The princess has not been eating dinner for the past few days, and if I’m not mistaken, all the leftovers are fed to the pigs. If there was poison in the food, it would explain why most of the pigs are unwell. To confirm this theory, I suggest the physicians perform a necropsy on the deceased animals or test their blood samples for toxins.”

He paused briefly, meeting the king’s eyes with calm confidence. “This way, we can determine whether foul play is involved and take appropriate action.”

The hall fell into a tense silence as everyone considered his words. Your father looked thoughtful.

“And how do you know that the Princess has not been eating dinner, Sir?” the Queen suddenly inquired, her voice sharp with suspicion.

Your eyes immediately met Shinsou’s, a look of desperation flashing across your face. He was going to tell on you. He was going to tell them about your sneak-outs. There was no way he wouldn’t—especially when your mother was questioning him so directly.

Shinsou’s gaze shifted back to the Queen, calm and composed.

You bit your lip, heart pounding as you anxiously waited for his next words.

“I overheard two of the maids worrying about it, Your Majesty,” he said smoothly, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

You blinked in surprise—he had lied to the Queen to protect you. You hadn’t expected him to do that, you felt a flicker of gratitude.

Shinsou’s eyes flickered to yours again, offering a barely perceptible ghost of a smile. You responded with a quick, grateful look.

After a moment of silence, the King finally spoke.

“Thank you for your input, Sir Hitoshi. The information you’ve provided will help us determine our next course of action. I believe it’s fitting to reward your loyalty.” He paused briefly before continuing. “Therefore, I promote you to Guard Knight of the Princess. If someone truly is trying to harm her, I trust that you will be able to protect her.”

What..?

You sharply turned your head towards your father with an unhappy look.

You didn’t need a personal guard! You were certainly fine as you were, you didn’t need Shinsou following your every step.

Shinsou bowed his head respectfully, a modest smile touching his lips, but you could see his eye twitch with annoyance.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to fulfill my duties and ensure the princess’s safety.”

Ugh. What a disaster.

Please do not repost or translate my work. Reblogs and comments are appreciated though!

Deviders are by @thecutestgrotto !!