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lifeofkaze · 4 years ago

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An Art of Balance #35

Orion Amari x MC

A/N: This is it, folks. The last one, the last chapter of this story. I am really emotional right now (and also this mf gave me a really hard time). Keep an eye out for the epilogue that will be uploaded directly after this! ENJOY THE FINALE 💛💛💛

Word Count: ~ 5.000

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Chapter 35: Wishing on a Silver Night

When Lizzie and Orion turned their backs on the hustle and bustle of the party, the air around them immediately grew colder. Now, away from the noise and the light, it took Lizzie’s eyes a moment to adjust to the light of the stars and the moon.

They were heading down the path leading around the Black Lake, walking further away from the castle. The air was rich with the sounds of the summer night; she could hear the crickets chirping and the water of the lake murmuring as it was slapping against the shore. Every so often, a dark, winged shadow would pass over their heads; probably owls from the nearby forest on their nightly hunt.

The air was mellow and smelled of grass and the still warm pebbles littered around the waterfront. Lizzie was loving everything about the peaceful atmosphere, feeling herself relax more and more with every passing moment.

She hadn’t realised just how much she had missed being in Orion’s presence. They were talking about everything and nothing; the match, the party, their friends, Skye’s father and why exactly that bloody House Cup had to be so heavy, it had taken Skye’s and Lizzie’s combined strength to lift it up properly.

Anyone other than Lizzie might have been surprised at Orion’s casual tone and how easy it was to make him laugh; but she knew that this was a side of him not many people were allowed to see. She remembered him telling her how he was using his detached demeanour to determine who was truly willing to listen to him on that night on the Astronomy Tower. He had trusted her enough to share this intimate piece of information about himself. Back then, her conscience had been weighing heavily on her with all of her lies still on her mind.

But there were no more lies left now, she had scraped up every single piece of dishonesty and gotten rid of it. All that was left were these moments right here and now.

Orion had let go of her hand some time ago; his arm was now resting draped across her shoulders and Lizzie was leaning ever so slightly against him. Being so close to him and actually being allowed to enjoy it still felt surreal; she had to constantly remind herself that there was no reason to have a bad conscience anymore.

She couldn’t help but smile broadly as Orion dipped his head back and laughed at something she had said, making her giggle herself all over again. Her cheeks already hurt from laughing but she had no intent of stopping anytime soon.

“You are absolutely right,” Orion chuckled. “If Murphy is not going to lose his mind about the impossible improbability of your last pass, I don’t think I ever knew him at all.” He glanced at her from out of the corners of his eyes. “But by now he should know, nothing is impossible when it comes to you.”

Lizzie laughed lightly. “You flatter me, Captain.”

“Honour where honour is due.”

They fell silent as they continued walking along the moonlit path. It didn’t feel like much talking was needed between them; they were just enjoying each other’s company..

As they moved further away from the castle and the people celebrating, Lizzie became increasingly aware of Orion’s hand on her shoulder. A touch of something else was starting to surface beneath the familiarity of Orion's presence. Lizzie’s heart was beating faster in her chest and the fluttery feeling that had arisen inside her stomach was spreading into every last corner of her body. She thought about adjusting her hand’s position on his back for a moment, but she didn't dare to move it, afraid of making him withdraw his arm.

Lizzie was more than surprised by her own shyness. It wasn’t a feeling she was particularly used to and through the tension that had started building between them during their continued silence, she was unsure on what to do next or whether she should be doing anything at all. The sheer thought of ruining the mood by doing something wrong was scaring her and made her go even quieter.

This wasn’t what she had expected to feel like when she had agreed to leave the party with Orion. With the conflict between her and Rowan being settled for good, Lizzie was free to do whatever she wanted and she was sure about one thing at least - this was exactly what she wanted, what she had wanted all along.

But the fact that there was nothing and no one keeping them apart anymore didn’t make her feel happy at all; instead, she suddenly felt very vulnerable. Her heart was lying out in the open and there was no Rowan serving as an excuse to hide behind anymore.

Noticing her shift in mood, Orion tilted his head to look at her.

“What are you thinking?”

Caught up in her musings, his question took her by surprise. “Sorry, what?”

“You have gone very quiet. Is something wrong?”

Embarrassed her thoughts had been showing that much, Lizzie felt herself blush.

“It’s nothing really, don’t worry,” she mumbled.

Orion stopped and let go of her, placing both of his hands on her shoulders instead; Lizzie was missing his warmth instantly.

“I have always known you to carry your heart on your sleeve, Chaser; until this year, that is. Now that you and Rowan have made your peace, I had hoped you would go back to not being afraid of your own thoughts anymore; you don’t have to hide when you’re with me.”

Although her heart was beating faster, Lizzie felt herself calm down. There was nothing but sincerity and affection in Orion’s eyes, coaxing an apologetic smile from her lips.

“It’s just that I’m not used to feeling so awkward around you.”

Slowly, to give her the time to move away should she choose to, Orion raised his hand to her face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Lizzie’s breath hitched as his fingers brushed her cheek.

“We can always go back if you don't want this,” he told her quietly, his expression not giving his thoughts away.

Lizzie quickly shook her head. There was no place she’d rather be than right here with him. She felt a shiver running down her spine as his thumb caressed her cheek and she covered his hand with hers, his eyes growing soft as he took in her face.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

For a moment, a memory resurfaced in the back of her mind: her and him on the dancefloor at the Three Broomsticks, Orion brushing her hair out of her face and telling her she was looking beautiful with her hair down.

Back then, she had felt confused and terrified, like a deer caught in the headlights. This time, however, she didn’t feel scared; it felt like the moment before jumping off a cliff without knowing how deep the water below might be. She held her breath as Orion’s eyes dropped to her lips and realised for just how long she had been ready to make this jump together with him.

Just as she was about to let go of her thoughts and lose herself in the moment, the approaching sound of hushed voices and subdued giggling cut through the air and had them look up in surprise.

Lizzie strained her eyes trying to make out who was coming up the path behind them. She heard Skye’s familiar laugh and raised her eyebrows in disbelief at the tall blonde figure accompanying her. What business had Rath and Skye going for a walk around the Black Lake together?

So far, the two girls hadn’t seen them and before she could react, Orion took her hand and pulled her off the pathway to where they were concealed by the shadow of a tree. He put a finger to his lips to indicate for her to be silent and Lizzie nodded. She was trying hard not to think about what Skye and Rath had just interrupted.

To calm herself down, she took a shaky breath and leaned a bit forward to better see. Skye and Rath had stopped next to a huge willow tree, apparently engaged in conversation. Lizzie could see Skye squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, but to her surprise, Rath didn’t snap back at whatever she might have said; on the contrary, the deep, warm timbre of her laugh was floating over to them.

A moment later, she had pushed Skye against the trunk of the tree; Skye’s hands vanished in her blonde mane of hair as the two girls Lizzie had always thought detested each other started making out right in front of their eyes.

Not believing what she was seeing, Lizzie’s jaw dropped to the ground. She was speechless for a moment before a giggle escaped her mouth. Trying not to laugh out loud, she clapped a hand over her mouth, her whole frame shaking from the effort to remain silent.

Grinning broadly himself, Orion nudged her and shook his head. He leaned over to her and even through her laughing Lizzie felt the fine hairs on her neck rising as he whispered into her ear.

“Even the most steadfast rivalry can turn into fondness, it seems.” Lizzie could hear the laughter in his voice and turned to look at him; his eyes were sparkling with laughter as he continued, “Maybe we should leave them to it.”

They silently left their hiding place behind; as soon as they were out of earshot, Lizzie couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into laughter. There were a lot of things she would have expected from Skye but snogging her arch nemesis? The thought made Lizzie laugh even harder; she had to double over making Orion shake his head when she couldn’t stop. He couldn’t hide the grin on his own face, however.

Lizzie’s laughter being contagious, it quickly turned into a chuckle and then into a laugh of his own. The charged atmosphere between them had evaporated completely and made way for the same relaxed mood Lizzie was used to from Orion’s company. She half regretted losing the moment they’d had earlier, but was also half glad to tread on familiar ground again.

When she still couldn’t stop snickering, though, Orion put his hand on her back. He had regained his composure, but Lizzie could see how he was fighting to not start laughing again.

“You need to calm down,” he told her with laughter still ringing in his voice. Lizzie really tried, taking a deep and deliberate breath, but she was so far gone now that the mere thought of having to stop send her into a fit of giggles yet again; it was all too much for her, their almost-kiss, Skye and Rath of all people and the whole situation in itself were making Lizzie hysterically giddy.

Sensing words alone wouldn’t help, Orion lightly laid a finger on her lips.

“Hush now,” he said softly, “calm down.”

His gentle touch broke her out of her state immediately. The fluttery feeling spreading through her body was so intense it was close to overwhelming and she could feel her heart skip a beat.

It didn’t help much in the way of calming her down, but Lizzie had stopped laughing in any case. Her lips curved into a smile again - this time directed at Orion - and she rested her cheek against his chest as he pulled her closer.

Lizzie could feel the smooth pendant of his necklace against her skin and took another deep breath to calm her tingling nerves, the by now so familiar scent of ginger, patchouli and cilantro enveloping her. It transported her straight back to another night, up on the highest point of the castle, overlooking the Black Lake gleaming in the silver light of the moon. The same cool night air touching her skin had made her shudder back then the same as it did now, a stark contrast to the warmth of Orion’s arms around her.

At the memory of what had happened that night, all the tension between them was back. Lizzie lifted her head away from Orion’s chest and raised her eyes. She was surprised to see the flicker of uncertainty crossing Orion’s face; she wondered for a second if her otherwise so confident captain was just as uncertain about what to do as she was.

Lizzie knew he wouldn’t draw back if she simply stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She contemplated doing it; no use pretending this wasn’t what she had forbidden herself to dream of ever since she had let him go. But yet, a shred of doubt remained, the tiniest hint of fear that something could go wrong and she might mess things up again.

Lizzie didn’t even know what she was so nervous about; after all, it wasn’t liked they hadn’t kissed before. But deep down, she could feel there was more to this moment. It wasn’t merely about a kiss, it was about something greater than that, the way things should have been from the beginning.

Before her emotions had the chance to overwhelm her, her eyes dropped from his face and she bit her lip. Her eyes wandering over their surroundings, she spotted a huge, old tree trunk lying on its side close to the shoreline; it was a popular place to lounge by the water during the day. To mask her blushing face, Lizzie broke free from Orion with a nervous laugh and walked over to it.

“What are you doing?” Orion wanted to know as he followed her; Lizzie could have sworn to hear the same mixture of frustration and relief in his voice that she was experiencing herself.

Feeling more secure in herself again, she flashed him a cheeky smile across her shoulder before hopping onto the fallen tree.

“Balancing,” she grinned down at him; standing on top of the tree, she was now almost a head taller than him.

He shook his head. “You really are one of a kind, Chaser.”

Lizzie extended her arms and balanced along the length of the tree, trying not to look back at him. She couldn’t help but curse herself inwardly for her cowardice; she had positively fled from Orion’s touch, but now she was thoroughly regretting giving in to her momentary panic. She was acting like a child; what was wrong with her?

Caught in her silent argument with herself, Lizzie didn’t watch where she was stepping. Her breath hitched as her foot slipped on the damp wood.

Out of reflex, Orion had extended his hand. “Be careful!”

Lizzie had already regained her balance, however. She stopped walking and looked at him with her eyebrows raised, a teasing smile playing about her lips.

“Do you worry about me falling?”

“One time per day is enough, don’t you think,” he answered with a soft smirk. He placed his hands on her hips to steady her. Lizzie put her hands on his shoulders to support her weight as she leaned slightly forward; standing on the log, she had to look down on him for a change.

“It is,” she agreed, her smile growing wider as her eyes found his. “But once again, you’re here to catch me.” She brushed Orion’s hair out of his face, raking her fingers through his dark curls.

He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. Lizzie’s hand came to rest at the base of his neck, playing with the ends of his hair as he opened his eyes again.

“I’ll always be there to catch you.”

All of their surroundings, the sound of the water, the chirping of the crickets, even the cool air of the night seemed to fade into the background; Lizzie tried in vain not to drown in Orion’s deep, dark eyes as he pulled her closer.

Brushing all of her flaring nerves aside, Lizzie’s eyes fluttered close as she bent down and carefully, ever so gently, placed a kiss upon his lips. She felt him smile against her mouth as he kissed her back; her heart was close to bursting from the rush of adrenaline washing over her. She could feel the slight pressure of his hands on her hips as he supported her weight. His scent that she loved so much enveloped her, making her head spin and her knees weak. Finally being able to kiss him again felt like reaching the end of an endless journey, the finish line always in sight, yet just out of reach.

His grip on her hips tightened and Lizzie laughed against his lips as Orion lifted her off the tree trunk as if she weighed nothing, spun her around once and set her down onto the grass, all without breaking their kiss. She felt drunk on him and his touch, as if she was flying again, just like she had felt in his arms back on the Quidditch pitch.

When they eventually had to break apart for air and their eyes met again, Lizzie’s mouth curved into the softest smile; her hand went to his face and cupped his cheek, the rough stubble of his beard scratching her palm ever so slightly. He leaned into her touch for a moment; his eyes were closed and Lizzie could tell by the smile on his lips how much he was savouring her touch. After a moment, he opened them again and leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes not leaving hers even for a second.

“I missed you.”

His barely audible confession sent a new set of shivers running up and down her spine.

“I missed you, too,” she whispered back, just in time before he kissed her again, his hands now leaving her hips and pulling her into his arms completely.

Lizzie let herself fall into his touch, forgetting everything around her. She couldn’t believe this was real, this was really happening; and what was more, she didn’t have to feel guilty anymore. The immense relief that was mixing with her happiness was so strong, it brought tears into her eyes.

Sensing her shift in mood, Orion broke away from her, his eyes flickering over her face with worry.

“What’s the matter?”

Lizzie shook her head silently, not wanting to ruin the moment by crying. “Do you know how good it feels to not have to hide anymore?” she whispered and buried her face against his chest out of fear of getting overwhelmed by her emotions.

Orion gave her that moment to herself, cradling her head and stroking her hair until she felt her emotions calm down again. Where she would have felt embarrassed before, now she was thankful Orion understood; come to think of it, he always had.

“Come on,” he took her by the hand and led her past the old tree to another big willow up ahead. Lizzie recognised it immediately; it was the same place she and Skye had watched Orion doing yoga a week ago; it felt like an entire lifetime had passed since then. She knew it was one of his favourite places to spend his time and smiled to herself that he was willing to share yet another spot so close to his heart with her.

They walked to the shore and sat down into the grass. Lizzie winced when she felt the cold seep into her as she put her palms onto the dewy ground. Orion didn’t seem to mind in the slightest; he had already laid down onto his back, one of his arms behind his head and was watching the starry sky above them. Hesitating for a moment, Lizzie sighed inwardly and joined him, trying to ignore the reluctance she felt at the cold grass under her back. Orion pulled her over to him so she could rest her head against his shoulder, the ends of his hair tickling her face.

Even despite the cold entering her body from where it connected with the ground, Lizzie relaxed and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. The stars above them were crystal clear; maybe not looking as close as on top of the Astronomy Tower, but the sky seemed to be wider out here, like an ocean of inky darkness and sparkling stars. She could see all the different constellations, her eyes tracing the familiar patterns as they wandered over the canopy above them.

Orion was twisting the ends of her ponytail around his fingers and watching her smile to herself. “Care to enlighten me as to what is making you smile?”

Lizzie chuckled. “I just thought that now I don’t have to pretend to not know my stars anymore.”

Orion hummed in response. “You never had to in the first place.”

They fell silent again, just taking in the night sky and enjoying each other’s company. Lizzie could feel Orion’s heart beat inside his chest and placed her hand on the corresponding spot, prompting him to press a kiss against her hair.

However, as she let her mind wander, there was one thought that kept coming back to her over and over again. The picture of her best friend being pinned between a tree and what Lizzie had always assumed was the person she liked least in the whole school kept popping up in front of her inner eye. She couldn’t help but start laughing again.

“I still refuse to believe it,” she chuckled, the sound of her voice seeming unnaturally loud in between the soft noises of the night around them. “Skye and Rath, of all people! I never even saw that coming.”

Lizzie could hear the smile in Orion’s voice even without looking at him. “It’s the most natural thing for any force in this world to strive for balance.” Lizzie could feel the tips of his fingers lightly stroking her hair as he continued. “If I have learned one thing this year, it’s that opposites do attract each other.”

When he saw that Lizzie was still grinning at the thought, he chuckled silently. “You’ll never let Skye hear the end of it, right?”

She had to laugh at his words. “You know me.”

Orion hummed in response. “Despite everything, I like to believe that I do.” Lizzie felt him shift his position as he propped himself up on his elbows. “But still, there is grace in not pursuing someone’s weakness when it is exposed to us; try to have mercy on her.”

Lizzie’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked up at him. “Is that an order, Captain?”

His serene expression changed, a playful grin forming on his face. “Asking your team captain? Yes. Asking just me? Absolutely not.”

Lizzie sat up into a sitting position. “I’m very glad to hear that,” she chuckled. “I mean, we’re talking about Rath! Erika Skye-cannot-get-a-grip-when-she’s-around Rath. In a thousand years I wouldn’t have seen that coming; I am shaken!”

“So much is apparent.”

“Aren’t you surprised at all?”

Orion shrugged. “If you try to master the art of accepting anything the universe bestows on you, you are seldomly surprised.” Upon seeing Lizzie’s sceptical look he added, “But maybe a little bit.”

Lizzie tilted her head to the side. “Nothing ever seems to really shake you, does it?”

Orion’s eyes dropped from her face and wandered over the lake lying peacefully in front of them. His brow furrowed as he contemplated her question.

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” he answered quietly after a moment. “You getting hit by that Bludger today did shake me to the core.” He ran his hand through his hair, distress flickering over his face at the memory. “Seeing you hanging on the side of that tower completely threw me off course for a moment.”

He had sat up as well, pulling Lizzie against him so she could rest her head against his chest once more. He still didn’t look her in the eyes when he continued, but he reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. “That’s what you’ve been doing for the whole year, to be honest; throwing me off balance. No one makes it harder for me to focus than you.”

His words were spoken so softly and with such open vulnerability ringing behind them, it took Lizzie’s breath away. Feeling her own emotions well up inside her, she snuggled closer to him, the beat of his heart grounding her again.

She smiled to herself as she looked at their joined hands. “It’s been a strange year for sure.”

Orion laughed. “I told you the fifth year is a singular experience, remember?”

“And right you were.” Her smile was fading as she continued. “I’m sorry for all the bad decisions I’ve made this year. All the pain I caused…” She sighed. “ I made a lot of mistakes.”

“Don’t be,” he told her with a slight shaking of his head. He let go of her hand again, placing his hand on her cheek once more, his thumb gently brushing over the corner of her mouth. “Every step that we’re taking and every decision we’re making lead us to where we need to be. Everything you did this year has brought you to this moment right here, hasn’t it?” His eyes were swimming with emotions as he took in every inch of her face. “I wouldn’t want to change that for anything.”

He tilted his head and pulled her closer as he kissed her again, making the butterflies in Lizzie’s stomach swarm all over again. She reached up to place her hand on his neck, but when her fingers touched his warm skin, she felt his shoulders tense.

“Your hands are icy,” he murmured against her lips.

Lizzie instantly drew back and felt herself blushing; even though she had been leaning against Orion for most of the time, she had started to grow colder by the minute.

Orion took one of her hands between his, the contrast between his warm skin and her cold one making her shiver. “You should have said something,” he muttered.

“I’m fine,” Lizzie reassured him, a smile stealing onto her face as Orion placed a kiss on the back of her hand. “I just don’t want this moment to end; I wish it was forever.”

“In some ways, every moment is forever,” Orion smiled back at her before kissing her forehead. “You just need to hold on to what is dear to you.”

Leaning into his touch, Lizzie closed her eyes, trying to memorise the sounds of the lake and the woods surrounding them, the scent of Orion’s hair and the feeling of his fingers absentmindedly brushing over her spine. It was true; she wished she could hold onto this moment and never let it go again.

Lost in her thoughts, she traced her fingers over one of the small woven bracelets Orion was wearing around his wrist, her eyes following the intricate pattern of the soft leather strands.

“What’s going to happen now?” she asked quietly, deliberately leaving her question open to his interpretation.

“Whatever you want to happen,” Orion answered with a sincere smile. He caught her icy fingers that were still playing with his bracelet and pulled her up from the damp grass as he stood up.

“But for now, I suggest we go back and get you near the fire.”

Lizzie felt a touch of sadness at the thought of leaving their place underneath the stars; it was like waking up from a dream to return to the real world. But by now, despite her best efforts, her teeth had started chattering from the cold, the exhaustion of the day and slowly coming down from the continuous adrenaline high she had been on since she had set foot onto the Quidditch pitch. She was glad for Orion’s arm around her shoulders as they were walking back to where they had come from.

When the light of the bonfire and the unmistakable voice of their victory party came in sight again, Lizzie slowed her steps until she came to a halt. Orion turned his head and looked at her questioningly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Lizzie mumbled, trying to put her feelings into words. “Everything just feels so surreal all of a sudden.”

Orion hummed in response. “Do you want me to let go?”

“No,” Lizzie reassured him hurriedly, “please don’t.”

She reached for his hand still lying on her shoulder to make sure it stayed right where it was. “This is what I want.”

He turned to her and raised her chin with his hand as his eyes found hers. “That’s fortunate, because no matter what the universe has planned for us, I don’t intend to let you go anytime soon.”

Lizzie smiled as she felt his lips brushing against the corners of her mouth before he pulled her into his arms and held her close. A sense of overwhelming happiness took hold of her as she buried her face against his chest.

They smiled at each other one last time before Lizzie reached for Orion’s hand and pulled him back to where she could already see their friends celebrating up ahead.

This was how it should have been all along.

She knew this was exactly what she wanted, what she had wanted for so long she still couldn’t quite believe that Orion was now here by her side.

He was right; regretting what was in the past was futile when every step along the way had led them to this point, this moment, her hand resting in his as they stepped out of the darkness into the light.

Everything about this felt right.

It was perfect.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #quidditch #orion amari #lizzie jameson #aob #art of balance #the quidditch squad #thank god finally #we're there #what a fluff monster #now on to the epilogue before I start crying

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creampuffqueen · 5 years ago

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Deep in the Heart of Texas - Four

a/n: Hey y’all! I am so sorry this took so long to get out! This chapter really fought me for some reason, but I think I finally got it to where I like it, so here it is! Currently I’m on vacation, and sadly, our WiFi went down yesterday and hasn’t come back. So I’m posting this by jumping on my personal hotspot for a second, then getting off. Anyway, I hope y’all enjoy! Likes, reblogs, and comments are most appreciated <3

Summary: Aelin Galathynius is ready for the best summer of her life. She’s home from college for the summer, and so are all of her friends. Even her cousin is on a break from the military. Everything is set up to be perfect. Until… her mother decides to let the son of an old family friend stay with them while he grieves the loss of a loved one. And Aelin is not going to let a party pooper ruin her summer.

Rowan Whitethorn has just suffered the biggest loss of his life: the death of his long-time girlfriend, Lyria. His family is sick of him moping around his tiny New York apartment, so they ship him down south for the summer. The last thing Rowan wants is to spend his vacation in Nowhereville, Texas, but he has little choice. Not to mention, the only people his age seem to hate him. How on earth is he going to survive 3 months of this?

“Hey, you!” Lys greets her as Aelin pulls into the driveway of her best friend’s house. Aelin lives on some land, but Lysandra is the one who owns land. She has several horses, cows, chickens, and some goats hanging around. Not enough to make money, just to have some fresh milk and eggs at home.

“I meant to be here earlier, but my mom made me drop off Rowan at the Terrasen Motel.” Aelin sighs.

“Why, are y’all getting rid of him?”

Aelin groans, opening up the passenger side door to let Fleetfoot out. “If only. No, the bastard has some friends in town, and asked me to take him over.”

“Well, are they at least hot? That’s the most important part.” Lysandra laughs as she and Aelin walk through the yard and towards the pasture, where the horses are.

“I dunno. I high tailed it out of there before he even stepped out of the truck.”

Lysandra is easy to be around, the kind of person you can just tell anything to. As much as Aelin loves her other friends, right now is about the time Elide, Yrene, and Nehemia would be chastising her, telling her to be kind and remember her manners.

But not Lysandra.

The two of them, Fleetfoot on their heels, walk arm-in-arm out to the pasture, smiling even as the oppressive heat grows worse. With the Ennars’ land being near a forest, the horses have access to both trees and a pond, though Lys has water buckets still hanging on the fence near the gate anyway.

Fleetfoot, clearly scenting the horses, is bouncing around excitedly, pink tongue lolling out as she dances from paw to paw. When Lys opens the gate, the golden dog sprints away in a flash, running to greet the large beasts roaming around the pasture.

“ I haven’t ridden Quince in a while, so I’ll take her out today. You can choose whoever you want.”

They find Quince standing in the shade of an oak tree, her dark tail lazily swatting at flies and mosquitoes. Standing with her is Poppy, the pale brown mare drinking from the pond.

“Hey, girlies.” Aelin coos, stroking Poppy’s nose. “Wanna go for a ride?”

“C’mon, you two.” Lys coaxes the two horses forward, Fleetfoot darting between them when she clicks her tongue. “We’re gonna go for a ride. And after we’ll brush you and give you some nice apples and oats. Does that sound good?”

They slowly lead the horses towards the barn to get them tacked up, both of them moving nearly on muscle memory as they talk the entire time.

“My mother is trying to include Rowan in everything we do.” Aelin complains. “What are we going to do with him if we go to the beach or something?”

“I mean,” Lysandra shrugs, “while I’m sure he’s a prick, he is very attractive. I wouldn’t mind having him on the beach. Maybe he’d take his shirt off.”

Aelin just groans loudly, a halfhearted attempt to get the image out of her brain, where he was just woken up, silver hair messy-

The horse snorts beside her face, dragging her away from the thought.

“Whatever, Lys. Let’s go riding.”

Both girls mount the horses and ride them out of the barn. The Texas sun is burning high, and while she’s only been outside for a bit, Aelin is already sweating like a pig. She can’t wait to be in the cover of the trees.

Fleetfoot trots alongside the horses happily, keeping pace while they head towards the riding trail around Lys’s house.

At least beneath the trees it’s a bit cooler, though no less humid. But the trail is wide enough for both horses to walk side by side, and it’s just the kind of calm Aelin needs after pissing off her mother.

Poppy is sturdy beneath her, and the horse doesn’t lean off the path to nibble at the overgrown vegetation. She just keeps moving forward.

“You know,” Lysandra starts, and from her tone of voice Aelin already knows what’s coming. “I still don’t really understand what you have against this Rowan guy. I mean-”

Aelin cuts off her friend with a loud groan. “Don’t start. He’s an asshole, that’s what I have against him.”

“How do you really know he’s an asshole, though? He’s only been here a few days.”

The blonde woman rolls her eyes. “First off, he insulted the town-”

“Well in that case, screw him.” Lys giggles. Aelin reaches over, leaning off the side of her horse, just to punch her in the arm.

“He just is, Lys. If you met him you’d know.”

Her friend doesn’t comment on the Rowan situation any more, instead pulling her horse slightly ahead to forge onward.

“You know,” Aelin mimics, a mischievous grin appearing on her features. “I noticed that you looked pretty cozy with Aedion at the barbecue last week.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lysandra says primly, though there’s no hiding the blush that rises to her face. Already flushed from the heat, her entire face turns tomato-red.

Aelin just smirks. “Okay, if that’s what you say. I just thought you might be interested in the fact that he got a new girlfriend-”

“Oh, shut up.” Now it’s Lys’s turn to punch her. Below them, Fleetfoot woofs loudly, paws crunching on the dry grass as she pads along behind the horses. “You can’t fool me, Aelin Ashryver. That man is about as hopeless with women as you are at hiding your underage drinking.”

“Like you weren’t drinking right along with me!” Aelin protests.

“Yes, but at least I was hiding it.”

The two women dissolve into friendly squabbling as they continue on, the path eventually emerging from the trees and right back into the pasture.

Poppy is getting slightly restless, and Aelin can feel the mare’s desperation to run. It is only fair, she supposes.

When Aelin locks eyes with Lysandra, they both instantly get the same idea.

Race you.

With a quick kick to Poppy’s sides, the brown horse instantly breaks into a gallop, tearing across the pasture with joy. Quince is right on their heels, and poor Fleetfoot is left in the dust.

There isn’t any wind, but Aelin’s hair is still blowing behind her, whipping free from its braids. Poppy tosses her head and her mane, and Aelin can’t help the wild cry of joy that escapes her throat, the sound carrying over the whole pasture. Lysandra whoops as well, both of them lost in the enchantment of running on horseback.

The horses can’t keep up the fast pace forever, and eventually Quince and Poppy slow down, and Aelin gifts her mare with plenty of praise and kisses as she dismounts.

“Good girl, Poppy.” She coos. “Let’s go get you some water, you good, good girl.”

They find Fleetfoot wading in the water, drinking alongside a few other horses. Poppy and Quince drink their fill while Aelin and Lys had back to the barn to get a few treats before untacking them.

Leading the horses away from the water is easier said than done, as both of them are reluctant to leave the pond. Eventually, with the help of many horse treats, they manage to get both of them to the barn to untack them.

It’s about 3 o’clock, and the sun is dipping ever so slightly. Of course, it won’t get dark until about 8, but at least the sun is mildly less intense.

“I still have a while until I have to be home.” Aelin tells her friend. “I don’t know what Mom’s cooking for dinner, but it’s important enough she wants me home for it.”

“If she’s making fried chicken tell her to prepare enough for me, too.” Lys grins. “God, I wish I could live off of just your mom’s fried chicken.”

Aelin rolls her eyes. “Don’t we all.”

“Well, if you don’t have to be home yet…” Lysandra’s grin turns devious. “I do have a few projects I could use some help on.”

When Lysandra hands her the rake and points her towards the horse stalls, Aelin just sighs.

Forget Rowan Whitethorn ruining her summer, her best friend has decided to aid in her misery by making her muck out the stable.

~~~~

After pretty much getting kicked to the curb from Aelin’s truck, Rowan is in a pretty foul mood. And it’s only worsened when the attendant at the front desk attempts to make small talk.

“You’re not from around here, are ya?” The man says, though it is friendly. Despite that, Rowan is pissed off at the world, and he barely gives more than one-word answers until he spots a familiar golden head down the hallway.

“Rowan!” Fenrys shouts, nearly crashing into him in his excitement. Lorcan rounds the corner, a lot more calmly than their friend.

“Hey.” Rowan sighs. “Glad you two could actually make it down.”

“Okay, I don’t care what either of you two grumps say, this place is awesome.” Fenrys laughs. “Everyone is so friendly, and the food is great, and-”

“And it’s fucking hot.” Lorcan groans.

“Okay, maybe it’s kind of hot-” Fenrys continues, but Rowan interrupts him.

“Goddamn, it is hot. And humid. How is any place allowed to be both this hot and this wet at the same time?”

“We’re actually just emerging from a drought.” The attendant pipes in helpfully.

“Let’s go eat.” Lorcan says, ignoring the man. “I’m starving.”

If the attendant is put out by the dismissal, he clearly doesn’t show it, because he keeps talking. “Y’all should head on down to Banjali. Ytger Hospitality has some of the best food in the county.”

“Yeah, let’s do that!” Fenrys is far too excited and has far too much energy for Rowan to handle, but then again, when is anybody energetic enough to deal with him?

“Whatever.” Lorcan shrugs.

They all pile into the small rental car that Fenrys got at the airport, Rowan being forced to sit in the backseat yet again. Fenrys, sitting shotgun, is scrolling through his phone as he attempts to locate the restaurant the attendant told them about.

In all honesty, Rowan would rather pick up fast food and be done with it. He doesn’t know if he has the mental strength to be out in public for an extended period of time.

But Fenrys is unstoppable. “Every review for the restaurant is at least four stars! It has a 4.5 average! I bet it’s going to be so good!”

Neither Lorcan nor Rowan comment much until Lorcan pulls into the parking lot. The restaurant is large, with a massive banner saying “Ytger Hospitality” hung over the entrance.

Fenrys all but sprints inside, only held back by Rowan grabbing his arm.

Inside almost feels… homey. The way it’s decorated, the design, the music playing in the background. It feels like Rowan just walked into his aunt’s house for Thanksgiving. Smells like it, too.

“Hello! How many in your party?” Rowan almost does a double take, looking over at the host.

It’s a boy, no more than thirteen years old.

“Uh- is that legal?” Lorcan snorts, taking in the form of the kid.

“My family owns this restaurant, mister. It’s family owned, family run. We all work here. My older sister waits tables, and my younger brother helps wash dishes. How many in your party?”

“Er… three.” Rowan manages. He’s never been to a restaurant where the kids are working. Is it considered child labor if it’s your own children doing it?

All three of them are ever so slightly disgruntled as the kid leads them to their table in the corner. He leaves them with menus and silverware, and hardly spares them another passing glance.

It isn’t long before a waitress comes over, a young woman with long black hair and dark skin.

“Can I get y’all something to drink? I’m Nehemia, I’ll be your waitress today.”

One glance at Fenrys and Rowan has to hold back a groan. The golden-haired man is one step away from looking like the heart-eyes emoji. The woman either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, instead observing them with a quiet grace.

“Just a water.” Rowan tells her. Lorcan agrees and orders his own, while Fenrys just… stares.

“Um… I’ll have the, uh, iced tea?” Fenrys manages to make it sound more like a question.

“Sweet or unsweet?” Nehemia asks.

“Er… sweet. Please.”

The waitress nods, tucking the pen behind her ear after writing down their drink orders. When she turns around, Rowan nearly has to snap Fenrys’s jaw shut.

“What the hell, man.” Lorcan hisses. “You see one pretty girl and forget how to speak?”

“She’s not just pretty, she’s gorgeous.” Fenrys sighs. “Holy shit. I have never seen a more beautiful person in my life.”

“Except for you, I’m assuming?” Rowan snorts.

Fenrys shakes his head. “No. Even my ethereal beauty can’t compete with her.”

“Damn. You’ve literally just met her.” Rowan continues. “Anyway, what does it matter? You two aren’t going to be here for long anyway, so there’s no point in starting a relationship.”

Now Fenrys is looking at him like he wants to commit murder.

“Anyway,” Lorcan says pointedly, “we should look at the menus. I’m starving.”

Rowan browses, but he isn’t incredibly hungry anyway. Fenrys and Lorcan chatter among each other, pointing out what sounds good, but all Rowan can do is look out the window.

“Are y’all ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?” The drawling accent of the waitress pulls him from his slight stupor, and he looks away from the sight outside.

“I’m ready.” Lorcan offers. “I’ll take the fried catfish.”

“You get two sides with that.” Nehemia tells him.

“Alright, then I’ll have… green beans and mashed potatoes.”

She turns to him next, and Rowan orders a simple cheeseburger with french fries. Then she goes to Fenrys.

“In your opinion, what’s the best thing here?” He croons. It’s clear flirtation, and both Rowan and Lorcan visibly cringe. The waitress, however, doesn’t seem too affected.

“Chicken fried steak.” She says without hesitation. “With mashed potatoes and fried okra on the side.”

Jesus Christ, Rowan thinks, why is everything fried here?

“I’ll have that.” Fenrys says with a grin. The waitress finishes writing everything down, then heads over to the next table.

All Lorcan and Rowan can do is shake their heads.

~~~~

The food was good. Delicious, actually, and Rowan is more stuffed than he’s ever been in his life as they make their way back to the car. All three of them collapse into their seats, groaning.

“I’m never going to need to eat again.” Lorcan mumbles.

“I should have stopped eating.” Fenrys laments. “But I just couldn’t.”

Rowan can’t even muster up enough energy to reply. The heat, the food, all of it combined made him want to go to sleep and never wake up.

“Just take me back, please.” He finally manages to say.

“Sure thing.” Lorcan buckles his seatbelt and puts the car in drive, pulling smoothly out of the parking lot.

None of the men speak on the way back to the Galathynius house, save for Rowan giving mediocre directions. Eventually, they pull up in the driveway, and Fenrys lets out a low whistle.

“Damn, Rowan. Living the high life, aren’t you?”

“Shut up.” Rowan sighs.

“See you around, man.” Lorcan says, ignoring Fenrys.

Rowan pulls his bloated self out of the car, walking up to the front door. Evalin gave him a copy of the keys the other night, but right before he lets himself in, the lady of the house herself beats him to it.

“Rowan, you’re back!” She says in that cheerful voice. She glances over to the car parked in the driveway, where, through the windshield, Rowan can see Lorcan on his phone.

“Are those your friends? Where are they staying?”

“Terrasen Motel.” Rowan tells her. “They’re only staying for-”

“Oh, they can’t stay there!” Evalin laments. “We have lots of room, they can stay with us! That motel should have closed years ago, honestly.”

“Er-”

Evalin doesn’t stop. “It’s not a problem, Rowan. We love having company, they can stay as long as they need.”

At the risk of seeming rude or ungrateful or anything else in the eyes of his host, Rowan pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to Fenrys and Lorcan.

Rowan: Hey, Evalin is offering you guys a place to stay while you’re here. You don’t have to accept, really.

Before he can send another text, telling them not to respond, Fenrys’s reply nearly buzzes his phone out of his hand.

Fenrys: WOULD WE EVER?! HELL YES

Sweet Jesus.

All Rowan can think about, as Lorcan and Fenrys speed off to get their things, is that if Aelin hates him now, she’s certainly going to despise him after this.

And he doesn’t know why, but he just can’t stand the thought of her being more upset with him than she already is.

~~~~

Nehemia: Aelin, your mans just came to the restaurant

Aelin: You asshole, how do you even know what he looks like?

Nehemia: Well, first of all, he was clearly a yankee, and second of all, with a last name like Whitethorn, of course he’d have white hair.

Aelin: Your logic is lacking but I’ll give it to you anyway. He’s an asshole, isn’t he?

Nehemia: Yeah, he didn’t say please and thank you when ordering, so I’ve decided he’s actually the devil.

The sarcasm is clear, even through the phone, and Aelin can’t hold back her laugh. She really should be heading home, but right now she’s parked in front of Lysandra’s house, with Fleetfoot nearly on her lap, still panting from the heat.

Aelin: Hey, do you want to come over? We can eat ice cream in my bed and gossip loud enough that Mr. Asshole Yankee can hear us down the hall

Nehemia: Well, I was gonna say no, but after you said the word gossip it changed my answer.

Aelin: Alright, just come over whenever. I’m heading back from Lys’s right now.

The drive home is short, and since she hasn’t heard a word from Rowan or anyone else telling her to pick him up, she passes right by the Terrasen Motel without a second glance.

Something is different when Aelin pulls up to her house. There’s another car parked in the driveway. However, her mother always has someone over to drink sweet tea with, so it’s no matter.

That is, of course, until someone opens up the front door. Aelin isn’t even out of the truck yet, but she can clearly see that the two people in the entryway aren’t the usual demographic for her mother’s gossip sessions.

Two young men, one with dark hair and one with gold, hurry down the stairs to the car. And following them?

Rowan. It’s Rowan Whitethorn who is following them as they open up the trunk of the car and take out their suitcases.

Aelin is seeing red. It’s one thing for Rowan to stay with them. After all, he was invited. But for him to invite his own friends?

But before Aelin can pop a blood vessel, the golden haired man comes over to the truck and raps on the window, a bright grin on his features. Skeptically, Aelin rolls the window down.

“Hi!” He says, far too enthusiastically for her liking. “Fenrys Moonbeam.” He gives her his hand to shake, which Aelin does reluctantly.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” He smiles.

“And I’ve heard absolutely nothing about you.” She responds.

He laughs at that. “Well, you’ll have to get to know me, then. Your mother was really kind to offer us a place to stay.”

Well, Aelin supposes, if her mother offered, she really can’t be mad. And this Fenrys character seems decent enough.

She finally gets out of the car, letting Fleetfoot out as well so the dog can sniff the new arrivals. Rowan doesn’t say anything, though Fenrys leans down to coo over the dog.

Nehemia’s car comes rumbling down the street, the other woman parking on the already crowded driveway. Fleetfoot runs over to her just as the other woman hops out.

“Hey Aelin! Who’s all this?” Nehemia strides up to embrace her friend, and Aelin gladly accepts the hug.

“My mother is creating a hotel, apparently.” She chuckles.

But her friend isn’t listening. Nehemia’s interest is entirely taken by the golden man in front of her.

“Um… hello, again.” Fenrys says sheepishly.

Aelin looks between them frantically, at Fenrys, at Nehemia.

“Do y’all know each other?”

----

a/n: Well, well, well... drama. Some other random southern america facts- yes, people do usually let their kids work in family owned restaurants! I know a girl who’s family owns an awesome Mexican restaurant, and when you go there both she and her younger brother are working. So yeah, having Nehemia’s little brothers work, since the restaurant is family owned, isn’t that unusual down here! And also, yes, everything is fried. Everything.

Tag List: Comment to be added or removed!

@http-itsrebecca

@rowaelinforeverworld

@whyyoumakemesadstahp

@queen-of-glass

@the-dark-swan

@faerie-queen-fireheart

#throne of glass #tog #sarah j maas #tog au #deep in the heart of texas #dithot #aelin galathynius #rowan whitethorn #rowaelin #nehemia ytger #fenrys moonbeam #lorcan salvaterre #galathynius family #southern au

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monsterfluffandstuff · 6 years ago

Text

Philippa(reader) and Rowan (humanoid unicorns)

~This is a lovely, fluffy commission for @tinseltina for two unicorn OCs. Originally their names were Greta and Alphonse but i was really given free reign with most of this one. It is SFW and a teeny bit angsty, but don’t worry, there are always happy endings when I get my way.~

You were ushered into a room and pushed behind a modesty screen, as your dressers helped you into a lovely silk gown. The gown was generously sized to fit your curves, and you remembered the seamstress remarking about it, jealousy made people say the most interesting things. Such nasty words were forgotten, however, the moment you saw yourself in the looking glass. The light blue complimented your mane very well. It was such an inky black that it looked blue in the light. It was the signature of your lineage, your mother had been elated when you had inherited it, you however longed for something different, something brighter.

You watched the hairdresser style it up with a few curls hanging down, as was the fashion. Some lovely pearl clips were the final touches. Your horn was noticeably devoid of decoration, as every adornment carried a meaning. This ball was your introduction to society, having come of age only weeks before; you were not expected to have any rings.

As you entered the grand hall of Emerson house, the home of a generous local Lord, few people even seemed to notice you. This was not surprising as your family, though strong and industrious, were seen as lesser. Your parents had made their fortune and earned their titles, and while you saw only their hard work, others couldn’t shake the stigma.

When you arrived at the head of the hall, your father pulled you toward the band and called for the music to stop.

“My friends, it is time. Tonight, I am honored to introduce to you all, my daughter. Lady Philippa Cimarron!”

There was a smattering of applause and some bowing heads, you could see horns bobbing all over the room. The rings of status did not go unnoticed. There were captains of industry, war heroes, even a few artists. Every so often you would see a ring denoting a higher status, but you had not expected many. The rich loved to rub elbows with the titled but those of higher ranks didn’t often attend such affairs. You stood still as your first ring was affixed to your horn, a lovely silver one with small seed pearls and one large black pearl. This one symbolized your new title and your lineage. Your parents, had made their money and earned their titles thanks to the oceans. They had designed this ring of status to reflect that

The music resumed as did the gossiping, you were brought to acquaintance after acquaintance, for more personal introductions. You knew that most young ladies would be bubbling with joy on the eve of their coming out, but you just wanted to have a drink, stuff yourself with hors d'oeuvres and settle in to a nice book.

The time grew late, and you could see the delicate apple fritters calling your name, when someone literally called your name.

“Lady Cimarron, a pleasure, I’ve been trying to get a moment with you all evening”

You turned to find yourself face to horn with a lord.

“Oh, My lord, my apologies, I’ve been engaged all night. I believe we have not been properly introduced”

Just then your mother swooped in from who knows where, to make introductions, and silently correct your posture.

“Oh my dear, I’ve been looking everywhere for you-“

A fib, you had been standing off to the side, eyeing those fritters for a good fifteen minutes, and she had passed you. Twice.

“My lord, this is my daughter, Lady Philippa Cimarron, Pip, this is Lord Rowan Cavallo.”

And like a gust of wind she was gone.

“My lady, could I trouble you for a dance?”

This was the first time you had really looked at his Lordship and he was handsome. A strong nose and chin, lovely long eyelashes, and his mane and hide were both red as ripe cherries. He was a bit shorter than you, but his family were well known to be of small hearty stock.

You could feel a blush starting to creep up your face, as you realized you had been staring without saying anything at all. You finally opened your mouth and prayed nothing embarrassing would come out.

“It would be no trouble at all, Sir”

Nailed it.

The dancefloor was sparsely populated, and you two became the buzz of the party. A Cimarron with a Cavallo? You could hear eyes widening, mouths gaping, and it made you smile.

His height, which you hadn’t factored in, was not much of an issue. Certain moves were more difficult, but he was light on his feet, and graceful as any dancer you’d seen. It was the highlight of the evening. You did leave the dancefloor, eventually, and Rowan escorted you to the table you had been eyeing so fervently.

“Some refreshment, Lady Philippa?”

“Oh please don’t call me that, I’m not at all used to it, just call me-“

“Pip?” He smiled and handed you a glass full of rum punch, he carried one as well, and a plate of apple fritters, stacked high. You nodded, looking away, the nickname was maybe a bit childish, but you preferred it to the alternative.

“Shall we go to the balcony, I believe tonight is a full moon?”

You were looking longingly at the platter of fritters, but nodded and allowed him to escort you, arm in arm, to the open double doors that led outside.

Once away from the party, mostly out of the scope of prying eyes, he offered you an apple fritter. You could have kissed him for that alone but settled for a smile and whispered thanks.

“So do you have any childhood nicknames I can leverage against you, or did you grow up free of such shackles?”

He laughed, it was a warm and lovely sound, that felt like home. That made you smile wider.

“Oh, more than I can remember. I am the tallest of the runts, at one point my older brother called me “Fetch” because I was the one to fetch things off high shelves for him.”

You tried to suppress a giggle but failed miserably.

“Well I wouldn’t want to call you that, as ironic as it would be”

He feigned shock and tossed you another fritter, which you caught, without dropping even a crumb on your dress.

“Well how about Red. Unimaginative, I know, but it suits me”

Anything unimaginative did not suit him at all. He was so…colorful, both literally and figuratively. His brassy hide made your grey freckled one look so drab. But if he noticed, he didn’t show it, he looked at you like you held the moon betwixt your fingertips and you could not figure out why.

“How about I just stick to Rowan, it suits you too, and I like how it sounds”

You agreed. Rowan and Pip, though he would call you Pippy to get on your nerves, never mind that you actually loved it when he did.

~~~~~

After fritters on the balcony there were many more occasions for you to see His Lordship. Every time you did it was like your birthday came early. Rowan often brought you gifts, small trinkets, odd baubles. Usually it was something useful, like hair pins, or new sewing needles. Sometimes they were more unusual.

There was the time he brought you a pendant, fashioned out of a fossilized invertebrate. Or the time you arrived home from a few weeks away, to find him, far into your garden, bedecked in a beekeeping outfit with a half a dozen hives. He had a kit for you, unbelievably it fit, a bit too well in fact. Your assets were emphasized in a way most scandalous, and you swore you caught him looking at your rear, more than once. But the honey you harvested was the sweetest you had ever tasted, and you thanked him profusely.

For the anniversary of your meeting, you were gifted a looking glass. The handle was inlaid with mother of pearl, the glass itself was an odd tint. Rowan had warned you that it held more secrets than you could know. You had smiled, thinking it must have been him waxing poetic.

A fortnight later, you were as ill as you could remember. All you wanted was to hear him laugh, talk to him a bit. You missed his fiery spirit and infectious happiness. But he was out on business, some five hundred miles away, as opposed to the five miles down the road, where Emerson place sat.

As you held up the glass he had given you, to admire it, as much as to see how you had begun to flush, your face changed. As real as the horn on your head, Rowan was there, in the looking glass.

You shrieked but no noise came out. His face was in his hands, and he seemed to be whispering to himself. After a few minute you called out his name, needing to know just how far this fever dream would take you.

“Rowan are you there?”

He looked up with a start and picked up whatever must have been broadcasting his image into your bedroom.

“Pippy, dear, you’ve finally figured out the glass, I see. And not a moment too soon, you look-“

“Awful?”

You supplied, in the most pitiful tone. To your ears, you almost sounded like a braying basset hound.

“No, never that, but certainly pale. What is it, some summer gripe? I hate that I’m so far from you, If I were there-“

You smiled at his anxious face.

“You would what? Damn all social norms and expectations and burst into my room in the dead of night, ready to be my nursemaid? Or would you cart me off to a far away oasis to convalesce in finery? Rowan there isn’t much of anything you could do, don’t feel bad.”

He seemed wistful, then spoke.

“No, dear Pip. As much as I might like to, I would restrain myself, and wait to call upon you at a decent hour. Then I would make you tea with that lovely honey from your hives, and some honey tarts too. And while you ate and drank your fill I would read you all your favorite books until you fell asleep by the fire. Like in winter when your bed was just too cold, and the chair by the hearth was just right. I called upon you to find you asleep with a volume of Chaucer splayed on your chest”

The blush on your face overtook the pallor, and you almost covered the looking glass.

~~~~~

It was then that you realized you were in love with Rowan. You swore it could never be, what would people say, his family most of all. There was no happy ending with him. At least none that you could see. His family had already sniffed at his decision to see you, in lieu of looking for a bride.

You decided, however, that you didn’t give a good god damn. Even if you couldn’t marry, you’d love him like no one else.

When he arrived back, he called on you. You locked your doors and pulled him onto your balcony. You talked briefly, and when he left you kissed him. He said nothing but kissed your cheek before departing.

He called on you more often after that. Your time together was spent in increasingly intimate ways, moonlight walks in the garden. Sitting nestled in private, reading poetry to one another. There was a spark to each touch, every uttered word, that told of a love so deep and overwhelming. Some of the touches themselves were overwhelming, as he seemed to show a never-ending fondness for caressing your curves and whispering sweet things about his favorite parts of you.

Each time the goodbyes became longer, the kisses more intimate. He always seemed to taste of apples and honey and you craved those kisses. You felt warm and lightheaded, and all you knew was that you wanted more. You never wanted to let go, but oh, how lovely it was when you were reunited. It could have been a week, or an hour and you would still feel as if an eternity had passed, and on seeing you again he would wrap you up in another hug or pull you into his lap to be doted on and cherished.

When he was away for business or just couldn’t find the time to call, he would call to you from your glass. You spent many nights, cuddled up with that looking glass, listening to him read, wishing to hold him in your arms. Perhaps even thinking some terribly untoward things.

~~~~~~

After this had gone on for many weeks you realized that you had never defined what this was, this entanglement you found yourself in. It was not an engagement, as such, but there were whispers of the young lord and his lady friend. There were people speculating on how long it would take for you to “start showing” which you found in poor taste. And as much as you loved him, the rumors irked you, and worried your father. Your mother was at least oblivious, focusing on finding matches for your elder sisters.

The final straw came when his Dowager grandmother came calling. He was abroad again, and she accused you of entrapping him, with magic, and forbade you to see hm again.

You were hurt, offended, and down-right pissed. It was then that you decided to attempt the impossible. You would invite him to tea and give him an ultimatum. Engagement or a return to platonic normalcy.

The following morning you awoke, resolved in your decision. At breakfast, however, before you could ask your mother to pass the jam, she was bursting with “good news”.

“Oh Pip, did you hear? One of the Cavallos, the young one with the red hair. The family announced an engagement. Some lovely young thing, met her while they were all abroad, set up by a cousin apparently. Isn’t it so nice? They plan to wed this month, at Emmerson place, and we’ve all been invited”

You didn’t want jam anymore, or tea, or even apple fritters. You hoped you never ate another apple, or drop of honey, in your life. You hadn’t expected him to choose before you even offered up the options. Later that evening you fell ill, and this strange mystery ailment kept you confined to the chair by your hearth, reading until your eyes burned. Sleep did not come easily that night.

The last week of Rowans trip, you refused to use the looking glass, keeping it under a piece of black cloth. You were in a kind of mourning, as this would be the most painful loss of your young life.

~~~~~~~

The month leading up to the wedding dragged on, days bled into one another and you could hardly find a reason to get up. You seemed to take ill for days at a time and no one could find the cause. Doctors were called, nurses hired, but you turned them all away. Rowan came calling but you refused to see him. If the passage of time had been known to you, you would have realized that he had called on you every day since he returned. Sometimes twice. But you saw no one. You would keep your bees and read your books and you would do it alone.

The day before the wedding you awoke before the sun, with burning questions. Why? Why now, why so sudden, why didn’t he tell you? You looked to the mirror, begging it for answers and in it you saw Rowan, awake, writing out a letter to you. You vowed to get your answers.

You bathed, dressed, and did your hair. As you placed the final pearl clip there was a knock. You answered knowing already who it would be.

Rowan had delivered a letter, inviting you to tea that afternoon.

“For whatever I did, I am sorry. Please come.”

You sent a reply, that you would indeed be there.

“You did nothing, I was just unwell”

When you arrived, you heard laughter. Rowans lovely laugh, warm as a fire and familiar as your favorite chair. Another, sweet as your honey, light as fresh whipped cream. That would be her, you supposed.

As you entered the grand hall, you were led to the balcony where you were awaited. Rowan jumped up. This was where your friendship, your love for him, began. You felt like a kicked pup until you looked at him. Rowan looked at you and nothing else. He seemed awed, as a man seeing a sunset for the first time.

You held out your arms, he almost tripped over his feet wrapping you in a hug so lovely and tight you knew you would miss it the moment he let go, but he didn’t. From then on, he seemed to be constantly touching you.

“Pippy, it’s so good to see you” he said as he continued holding your hand, it seemed inappropriate in front of his fiancé, but you wouldn’t complain.

“I’ve missed you, Rowan, I’m sorry it’s been so long. The illness, I just couldn’t seem to shake. Finally it is resolved”

He took your hand in both of his and looked into your eyes.

“Oh, Pip, you know I would have seen you no matter what, I’d brave anything for you”

He smiled warmly at you and your heart fluttered. Stupid heart. You looked away from him and remarked on the odd choice of location.

“Oh, I picked this balcony, so we could have fresh air and a view. I didn’t want you feeling cooped up”

You blushed and tried to look away again, but you only saw Her.

Lovely red mane, and cream-colored coat, she was a sight. Surely a fine lady, befitting his name.

“Rowan, we’ve been so rude, please introduce me to-‘

“Yes, of course, I’m terribly sorry”

He had seemed to have forgotten that anyone else was there.

“Pip, this is Elaine. Elaine, this is Lady Philippa Cimarron”

“A pleasure to meet you, Philippa.”

“The pleasure is mine, call me Pip”

Any friend, or lover, of Rowans was a friend of yours.

“Oh, please call me Lainie”

“Of course. Now if I’m not being too forward, could you pass me the marmalade, Lainie, I am famished.”

She gave you a smile, fresh and bright as a spring morning. Hell, you’d marry her if you were so inclined, and not in love with her betrothed.

“Only if you’ve brought some honey to share, Ro tells me that it’s the best he’s ever had”

You did bring a fresh pot of honey to share, a peace offering. But you refused the apple fritters that Rowan offered, you didn’t know if you could stomach the taste of apple. The three of you spent tea time talking up a storm, you learned all about where Rowan had been traveling, and he hinted that he had a surprise for you. Lainie seemed unbothered by this, insisting that you would love it.

But all you wanted was a moment alone, you could ask him why and this would all be over with.

“Like stars on a perfect night sky”

You heard Rowan remark, and he was once again not paying a bit of attention to anything else in the world but you.

“You are sickeningly sweet, you know?”

“Well some of us know how to flatter. But I know you prefer stoicism; your betrothed is evidence of that”

You were confused, when another fine lady entered the salon. She seemed to float, or glide, and you saw why. She was a Naga, with a long jeweled tail, not bedecked in the more modest fashion of the country. Was Lainie not Rowans wife-to-be?

“Oh hush, cousin. How was your meeting, my love?”

Cousin? Lainie was Rowan’s cousin? Not fiancé? You needed a strong drink and an explanation. The Naga hovered behind Lainie, hands on her shoulders, and placed a kiss on her horn.

“Oh it was lovely, dear, but I am afraid we must go finish our last errand. Flowers wait for no mortal”

“Flowers for the wedding tomorrow…your wedding?”

Lainie nodded excitedly.

“Yes, my dearest Opal is very particular when it comes to flowers and our florist backed out at the last moment, so we are forced to find something the day before our wedding.”

You found yourself overjoyed and feeling generous.

“Go to my estate, I have extensive gardens, all tended with love and greatest care. Tell them I sent you and you can have as many blossoms as you need”

Lainie looked elated and Opal seemed impressed. They thanked you and hurried off.

“That was a lovely thing you did, Pippy. I’ve missed your goodness, I’ve missed you.”

You wanted to reply in kind, but you stayed silent, still focused on the empty spot Lainie had previously occupied. You were still a bit in shock.

The young, redheaded Cavallo. Rowans cousin was the one being married, not him. You had almost thrown away the love of your life over some vague wording. You still didn’t deserve him. But damned if you would throw away even one more chance.

“Rowan are you in love with me?”

You looked to him to find him, mouth agape.

“I’ve loved you for so long, since you called me “Pip”, or maybe even since you asked me to dance”

He still did not speak, only he came to you, on his knees, and hugged your middle, carefully laying his head in your lap.

‘I have been yours since the moment you took my hand and let me lead you around the dancefloor”

“Pippy, Philippa, marry me, please?”

You shook your head and his face fell.

“I want to, Rowan, I do, but you need to know.”

So, you told him of your month of self-imposed exile, your massive misunderstanding. You told him of the ultimatum and his grandmother, her accusations.

He listened to every moment, every morsel of information. When you came to his family, he rose and took your hands in his. He pulled you to your feet and he kissed you like he’d been searching for you all his life. You didn’t ignore the roaming hands, one on your ass, fondling, one in your hair, tangled and tugging ever so slightly. You let out a whimper as he nipped your lip, you were undone. When he pulled away he asked you again.

“Pippy, just marry me, they can be damned for all I care. All I want is you”

You couldn’t speak for fear of the noise you’d make, so you nodded, smiling so wide your cheeks began to burn.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that”

“The groping, or the proposing?”

You hung your arms about his neck and kissed his cheek.

“Would it be naughty to say both of them, in that order?”

“Rowan!”

He smirked, looking nothing short of devious.

“You asked, and if I’m honest, when I got to know you for who you are, that’s the moment I knew you were the only one I wanted, that I was in love. However, I was in lust the moment I saw your figure. The shape of you in that gown made me wish for you in my bed and little else. You can’t imagine what I have planned for our wedding night. I know a priest, it could be tonight if you are-“

You kissed him before he could say anything else. He still tasted of honey and apples.

#monster boyfriend #monster reader #humanoid #unicorn #exophilia #commission #monsterfluffandstuff #fluff #sfw #cute #tinseltina #monster girlfriend #hints of other pairings to come #naga #commissions are open

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librarian-of-orynth · 6 years ago

Note

could you do an elorcan fic on insecurities please !!!

Yes I can! Here you go!

For two-hundred years, Lorcan refused to cut his hair.

Sure, he’d maintain it–trimming when necessary, keeping it from getting too long–but he preferred it a little below his shoulders. Elide seemed to love it, too. She’d braid it when she was bored, or somehow convince him to try the man-bun look (much to his dismay, even he had to admit it was better for fighting), so he’d never had a reason to cut it.

Until today.

Somehow, his eldest child of six years got a hold of a pair of scissors in the house. However he got them, Lorcan didn’t know. They’d taken care to either childproof or hide anything potentially dangerous. Granted, Lorcan did have an abundance of weapons, but those were locked away in a separate room of the house, behind two locked doors and one magically enchanted one. So their kids could never get the weapons–unless they were made out of wood and used for practice.

But somehow, despite having every corner of the house childproofed, their eldest managed to get into the drawer holding the scissors. Clever bugger, he is. And this child, oh, he was a devious one. Prone to mischief. Lorcan still believes he got it from his mother, though Elide claims it comes from them both.

It was the early hours of the morning when Elide and Lorcan woke up to loud giggles coming from Lorcan’s side of the bed.

“Lorcan, do you hear that?” Elide groaned, eyes still closed. Dawn hadn’t even arrived yet, and they should still be asleep.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to erase the tiredness. One good night of sleep. That’s all he wanted. “I thought I was the only one.”

“It’s coming from your side.”

Grumbling, Lorcan lit a candle, only to find his son, doubled over in laughter on the floor.

“What’re you laughing at?” Lorcan’s voice was rough, partly from the lack of sleep, partly from…well, being woken up.

His son immediately stopped laughing as he stared up at his father. “I–nothing!”

“You’re sure about that?” Elide sat up and turned to face the culprit, too. But then started giggling herself, as she looked between her son and her husband.

“Elide? Really?” Lorcan whispered, straining his voice so their son wouldn’t hear.

“I can’t help it,” she said between giggles.

It didn’t take long before Lorcan saw it. There, in his son’s right hand, was a pair of scissors.

In his left, a chunk of dark hair.

Unlike his wife and his son, he didn’t find the matter very funny at all. He shot out of bed, running to the nearest mirror to inspect the damage his son had caused. If I need to cut my hair…

He lit a few candles in the bathroom, just enough so he could see his reflection in the mirror. The damage wasn’t visible right away. Lorcan’s head was turned, so his son couldn’t snip the front. The back, however, was another story entirely, for as Lorcan ran his hands through the back, inspecting it, he noticed there was a gap in the back of his head, where no hair could be found. Instead of his fingers brushing through strands, they passed through air.

“Shit…” he muttered, and angled his head so he could see the back.

It was as bad as it felt. A huge chunk of his hair was missing, straight from the back. Just snipped right off while he was asleep. Oh, gods…he would have to cut it. He wanted to blame his son, but really, he couldn’t. It was a good prank. One he would’ve pulled as a child, too, if he’d had the ability. He knew he shouldn’t be proud of his son for this, but he still felt a bit of pride. After all, his son was a clever one.

Still, something needed to be done. He and Elide couldn’t let him get away with this, or let him think this was okay. So he walked back to the bed, where his son sat with Elide. They were both still laughing.

“Hey, kid,” he said, sitting down next to him, “we need to talk.”

His son immediately stopped laughing.

“I’ll be the first to admit this was a good prank,” Lorcan started, “but if you got caught doing this to someone who isn’t your dad–”

“I’d get in trouble,” his son finished for him.

“Big trouble. You can’t do this again. Not to me, not to mom, not to anyone. Got it?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, kiddo. One question though: where’d you get the scissors?”

Lorcan’s son grinned. “I climbed onto the counter and opened the drawer!”

“We need to fix that,” Elide muttered. Lorcan nodded to his wife.

“Okay, off to bed, you.”

With that, Lorcan took his son back to his room, being sure to take the scissors away.

“What am I going to do with…this,” he said to Elide, coming back into the room and pointing at his hair.

“There’s only one solution, Lorcan.”

He knew what it was, knew what it entailed, and he nodded gravely. “We need to chop it off.”

That was how Lorcan’s hair went from a beautiful mane, to a short, cropped cut.

It didn’t fit him whatsoever. He looked too…clean cut. Not rugged enough. He wasn’t a fan. Not one bit.

“C’mon, Lorcan, it doesn’t look that bad!”

Lorcan groaned. “It does. You know it, I know it.”

“You look good. It’s just shorter. Like Rowan’s, after he cut it before the war. It looks fine.”

Lorcan wasn’t convinced, though. He’d never had his hair this short. It felt odd to feel a breeze on his neck, instead of hair. It felt wrong to look in the mirror.

He didn’t feel like himself.

“Elide–”

“Don’t Elide me,” she started, “you look good. You might not like it now, but guess what? It’ll grow back. And who knows, you might come to like this new hair. It will certainly make fighting easier, what with no hair getting in your face and blocking your sight.”

She did have a point. He might not like it now, but eventually, it would grow back. He would be himself again. And until then–though it might take an adjustment period–he’d get used to the new look. Maybe even take a look in the mirror every now and again.

It might not be his favorite haircut, but he’d get through it. He wouldn’t let it get in the way of himself, despite how much he missed his old locks. And eventually, with time, he’d be back to normal, to the long-haired, rugged soldier. He just had to be patient.

“You’re right, Elide. It’ll grow back.”

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tarithenurse · 6 years ago

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All is fair in Love & War - 7

Pairing: Loki x reader Content: Less angst, some lewd undertones....actually it might be more than undertones. What I’m trying to say is that the “do will be done” at some point in this chapter and you might get to read some of that. K? Also...I’ve not done any corrective readings on this, sorry (I know, bad me).

7. Getting into shape

Daily walks with Loki helps rebuild some of your constitution, and each time the god notices improvement, he finds some task or exercise for you to undertake. Although some chores are less tempting, you don’t mind because it gives you something to do, not to mention a chance to understand the way of life in Utgard.

The new task of the day is even one you have been hoping to be given. Standing in the stables with a pitchfork and a wheelbarrow, the joy of working with or near animals is bubbling within you, making you giddy as you look up at the giant black horse. Already, you have zoned out Loki and the conversation he is having with the stable boys in the guttural, rumbling language of the Jötuns – none of what they say makes any sense.

You had managed to sneak an apple from your breakfast tray, hiding it in the pocket of the dress you have been given to wear for menial tasks. It’s a bit big for you, clearly made for a Jötun who generally are of bigger stature. Maybe it is made for a child? Either way, the rough material is comforting to you because it is what you have been used to, and it is much warmer than the flimsy silk gowns which are not made for the winter that is settling over the kingdom.

A soft muzzle nudges your shoulder, making you realize that you have lost yourself in thoughts. Mumbling an apology, you give the horse the fruit and enjoy the loud munching, adding to the companionship by stroking the smooth neck of the beast. Even the strands of its mane are silky to the touch, threatening to sidetrack your thoughts again. The silent exasperation rolls through your lungs, then you begin the work.

Once upon a time when life was normal, you had become the one to tend to the larger animals of the little village although they were not shared property. But the three cows, one donkey, two mules, and a score sheep and goats mixed were easier tended to in a single herd, allowing more villagers to work at the quarry or tend to other tasks benefitting everyone in the tight-knit community. All hands were needed. From a young age, you spend full days in the pastures before the new enclosure stood finished, and after that your time was divided between the animals and seasonally dependant chores. You grew confident in the much larger beasts presence, learned to understand their behaviour as easily as if they spoke to you.

“Come on now,” you mumble to your new companion while nodding at the wet hay below the enormous hooves, “you don’t wanna step in that, do you?”

A huff and shameful shake of the mane provides the answer, and a nod to another corner of the stall is enough to get the stallion moving. He’s so gentle. Patting the creature as a way of showing your appreciation, you resume the work of cleaning out the dirty bedding.

Side-eyeing the black horse, you keep talking gently to him. “What do I even call you, huh? Can’t just call you any silly ol’ name…”

“His name is Magni.”

Maybe you manage to hide how the voice startles you. You hope so. There is no reason to look for who is answering you because even if you had not recognized Loki’s soft tone, there is still only one other who speaks your language. How long has he been standing so close, watching?

“Magni.” You stroke the horse’s flank before dumping the last pitchforkful into the wheelbarrow.

“One of the boys will take it from here.” Loki announces.

The secretive curl in his voice is slightly unsettling, creating a cool seed of worry in your guts that grows and begins to bloom as you follow the king of Jotunheim through the courtyard and out the heavy gates.

It is the first time you set foot outside the castle grounds during the day, and even the view from your chambers have not prepared you for the endlessness of the landscape on this side of the old fortress. Standing on top of a giant hill, the landscapes fall away in rolling waves of faded green dotted with shrubs and ragged cliffs on which lichen grow. Here and there is a birch tree, naked against the cold winds that flattens grass and whirls leaves towards the grey clouds that are hanging heavily above. Further off are the rivers and dark woods of evergreens. Whoah.

“Yes, it may appear a harsh or even unforgiving land to most, but I find Jotunheim holds a beauty best appreciated in the changing of the seasons.”

The comment could have been meant as bragging. It’s not. There might be a lot to learn about him because, truth be told, nothing you had been told had turned out to be right. Months around him had not proven quite as fruitful in terms of getting to know him as you had hoped, and yet…Oh! No! Not going there again! A warm knot is already forming in the pit of your belly, matched only by another heat in your cheeks. You don’t want to look over at him, nervous he might be watching you for any reactions. He may be an enigma to you, however, a suspicion that the god is able to read your mind is increasingly prevalent. He is in your mind, under your skin, appearing in dreams that have no business appearing let alone starting an aching need between you legs. So now you stand beside him, looking over the rolling hills of this wild, rugged kingdom and knowing that you cannot escape even if you tried because this world is an unforgiving one.

Outside the shielding walls of the keep, nothing keeps the wind away. Tearing at you clothes and hair, it sends a chill into your bones and a shiver is setting in.

“Here.” Loki wraps a cloak around your shoulders and fastens the clasp under your chin. “It is time you learn about the area.”

It is wonderful to be out and about despite the slight worry that creeps in as the two of you move away from the solid structure that has been your prison for soon two seasons. Thoughts are racing through your head, analyzing everything about the situation and any potential reasons might have for taking you out here. Kill me? No, he would not have a problem doing that at the keep, he has proven that before. Imprison me elsewhere? That would be impractical, considering how much time the tall man spends in your company. Have his way with me? The idea does not scare you as much as you do (that does frighten you, though), but either way it is still just as unlikely as murdering you. Each idea becomes more and more farfetched, granting you no peace. This is how it has been since Loki came back and practically saved you. Was that planned? Nothing in your world is right anymore, fueling a desperate determination to find out what is going on then. Maybe, as things begin to make sense, the strained tension will dissipate.

Rounding the top of the hill brings the forest visible from you windows into view. An arm is stretching for the keep and it is towards that that Loki now strides, his long legs carrying him so fast that you sometimes have to run a little bit to keep up – not that you are sure you really want to, but being left alone in a distinctively different land than your own is not anything you want either.

By the time you reach the trees, the first snowflakes of the winter are floating down from the leaden clouds to settle in your hair, on the cape. On the mosses that carpet the forest floor in shades not unlike Loki’s eyes when they flicker darkly each time they travel over your form. No, wait, I wasn’t going to think like that! Leafless birch and rowan are replaced by the spruce and fir that shield better from the cold but strengthens the shadows until the two of you are walking in perpetual dusk. It is all too easy to imagine the dangerous creatures roaming the woods, and it urges you to stay closer to the god leading the way. Thankfully, he has slowed down.

It feels like hours before he finally stops, making you bump into him because you no longer have been paying attention. For a second, you freeze with fear of what Loki will do as he reaches out to you, but he only wraps an arm around your waist to pull you into his lap as he sits. There is no part of your body that does not ache. Knees are weak. Finally. Looking around, you see the seat is simply a large, flat stone placed almost perfectly in a circle of taller granites shaped by rough carvings. Old figures are staring down with empty eyes below horns that turn into ridges creating swirling patterns adorning their naked bodies. Naked bodies with surprisingly detailed…parts. Though you are no virgin, it still makes you blush.

“Makes one think, does it not?” Loki asks playfully, his hand drifting to your thigh, and you watch it with apprehension. “These are ancient carvings made by the ancestors of the Jötun. My people.”

Before your very eyes, the hand of the god changes. Transforms. The fingers grow a bit longer…or maybe it is the entire hand that grows? It does not matter, though, because there are other alterations: skin grows blue like cobalt and dark lines appear before rising into ridges. For a moment, your eyes flash to the crude statues then back to find that the nails now are black and claw-like.

“Look at me, [Y/N].” Loki begs softly.

A deep breath steels you, making it possible to turn to face the Jötun. There are no horns adorning his brows though the ridges are a bit more prominent. His eyes. Black pupils in an endless see of dark red. Orbs of blood. I’ve seen this before. Vague memories attempt to claw back to the surface, but they do not bring the same terror that you once associated with Loki’s strange nature. Instead, you find him strikingly handsome. Every trait that have haunted your dreams as forbidden desires are enhanced, mixing with a raw tenderness as he exposes what must be his true form to you.

A small frown fails to wrinkle the ridges on his forehead. “You do not fear me?”

“I’m sure you can be…ermm…scary like a monster if angered, but…” You hesitate in order to make sure. “No…I don’t fear you because of…this…” With a vague wave of a hand, you gesture his appearance.

Watching his lips curl in a smile adds to the confusion in your body. He looks truly happy, reminding you of how rarely you have seen joy in his eyes. Your hand cups his face before you know it, the thumb stroking a chiseled cheekbone. This is his real form. It should be frightening, as he suspected. The reaction is far from that, instead showing itself as a warm knot in the pit of your belly and an insistent tugging at your heartstrings.

I should know better. The words are meaningless. Stretching, you brush your lips against his. Heat meeting cold and your breaths mingling as the kiss deepens. Loki inhales sharply when you run your fingers through the dark strands to pull him closer, and you grab the opportunity to slip your tongue in.

He has you straddling him soon enough. Blue and, to you, normal coloured hands are tugging at clothes, searching for skin to mark and explore in any way possible. More. The aching need between you legs is back, followed by a dampness that begs for contact and has you fumbling with belts and buckles to free his manhood until he stops you by reaching his goal first. Shivers race through your limbs as long, cold digits delve between the folds, spreading the slick and making you moan breathlessly by the time he reaches the sensitive nub. More. Suddenly, you can only hold on, hands fisting his black hair and teeth digging into his shoulder to maintain a semblance of decency.

You are gasping shamelessly when he finally retracts is fingers from inside you to undo his belt. More.An insatiable craving is eating away at you as you watch him free his cock (also blue and with smaller ridges tracing spiral patterns along the shaft), and you have your hands wrapped around it as soon as you can. Exploring. Pumping gently until his head falls back and he groans softly. More. Nimble and determined, you reposition yourself to slide him in. Slowly. The cold of his erection soothing the stretch.

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alwaysahiccupandastrid · 6 years ago

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“The Lion King” (2019) - Thoughts/Review

So my sister, Ciara, and I went and saw the remake of The Lion King at the cinema where I work since I get free tickets and I didn’t really want to have to pay £20 just to watch a film I could easily watch at home. To add, my sister has been super sick recently and I felt it might be nice to treat her - even though she has been saying for weeks “they’ve ruined it, I can tell”. The original Lion King is Ciara’s favourite movie and we actually rewatched the original on Friday because it’s one we both love. Ciara and I went in with absolutely zero expectations, thinking “it’ll be absolutely shit” based on what we’ve seen trailer/advert/clip wise.

I’m going to put my thoughts/feelings under a “read more”, just to be safe. Also, reminder that it’s just my opinion and that I can’t tell other people how to feel about the film.

So...it wasn’t as terrible as we expected it to be but it wasn’t a masterpiece like the original either.

They could have just reused the original “Circle of Life” as it was, really, but whatever.

Having said that, they could have frankly just lifted the entire audio of the animated film and animated the film to it instead of bringing in other cast members.

One of the first things my sister said was “where the fuck is Rafiki’s staff?”, and she kept saying it throughout the film, like it REALLY annoyed her that he didn’t have his stick with him the entire time.

Ciara said that the opening was the best part for her personally, I don’t know if that’s because nostalgia or because there was no talking, but that’s her thought on it.

BABY SIMBA IS SO SWEET OH MY GOODNESS

I love James Earl Jones but for some reason he just sounded...rather unbothered here. Like he was bored. Maybe it’s because hes old(er) now and he just doesn’t have the energy for it, maybe I was comparing his vocal performance here too much to his original one in 1994, but for some reason he just didn’t sound at all bothered or like the wise powerful King you can respect and fear.

I didn’t hate Scar’s new voice but I did feel like Jeremy Irons’ performance had more character to it, more sass/sarcasm. Here he just seemed a little..I don’t know. It was a little less sassy, if that makes sense.

It honest to God does feel like watching a nature documentary, like I was half expecting fucking David Attenborough to suddenly start talking over it to be honest.

Baby Simba reminded me of our cat, Dave, and he was admittedly very cute. I also really loved the things that the lions did that reflected actual cat behaviour, like pouncing and stuff like that.

Is it just me or did the filmmakers have the same issue as the original did in that they couldn’t decide what colour Nala’s eyes were? Like at one point I was like “oh, they’re actually green, cool”, but then in the next scene I was like “they’re brown?!” etc.

I liked the hyenas in this, I like that they were allowed to make actual hyena cackles because real hyena cackles are creepy as fuck. I also really loved Shenzi, even if I do wish they’d brought Whoopi Goldberg back.

During “I just can’t wait to be King”, I couldn’t help but feel like it paled in comparison to the original. I know I’m talking about the original a lot, but that’s the issue with these remakes - they will always be compared to their original films. In the original, the cubs were jumping on top of animals, making big gestures, the colours were bright etc. Here it was just two cubs running around a watering hole, the colours just...normal. Muted even. The vocals were fine, but compared to the original it just wasn’t the same.

My sister wanted to know why they didn’t bring back Rowan Atkinson as Zazu and I kind of have to agree. I found his woodpecker joke funny though.

I stand by what I said about Simba and Nala as cubs looking too similar. In the wild, yeah, that might be the case but this is a movie - the audience should be able to tell who is who. Eventually I think I understood which cub was which but that was only because they were talking and Simba is nearly-always in front.

Nala’s “Simba, do you speak bird” had my sister giggling though, so there’s that.

There were moments where I could see the animals expressing some emotion but for the most part it was very uncanny. It was like those voices shouldn’t have been coming out of lions - which is kind of the point. That’s why the Lion King on screen works better as an animation instead of realistic CGI.

I’m assuming that they changed Ed a bit to be more politically correct since in the original he was a bit...not quite there.

Unless they were talking, I could not tell which hyena was supposed to be which. The original three hyenas had very clear differences in their designs, whereas here they all look the same.

I did like the “Kings of the Past” scene under the stars - I think my sister and I both agree that it was very sweet.

Having said that, it went from broad daylight to dark as night in about two seconds and I can’t stand it because it should have been FAR more gradual.

Let’s have a moment of silence for “Be Prepared”. Somehow the best song from the original is the worst one in the remake because they cut 90% of it and turned it into a weird chant. It just makes it even more glaringly obvious that Jeremy Irons was a better Scar, to be honest. The beat is good but goddamit, the song deserved better.

I know Disney changed it because the original “Be Prepared” had sort of Nazi undertones but like...isn’t that the point? Scar is an evil dictator, it’s not like he’s a good guy. It’s like changing Chicken Run so that the farm isn’t operated like a concentration camp - it ruins the whole point.

I could be wrong but did they not use the “Mufasa has something he didn’t have before...a weakness” line? Because that was the line I heard in the adverts and thought was a good addition.

THE GORGE SCENE JFC

Not gonna lie, I kinda miss Scar knocking Zazu out - though I suppose it makes sense for Zazu to get the lionesses (and where the frick were they then?!)

I audibly gasped when Mufasa was knocked over trying to help Simba off the tree branch like I KNEW what was coming but it genuinely still gets to me.

Mufasa REALLY had to jump carefully down the gorge, huh

Mufasa’s death gave me mixed feelings to be honest; the delivery of “Long Live the King” was disappointing. Like in the original it’s slowly said, so evil it gives you chills, whereas here it’s so...meh. And I had to try not to laugh still because I turned to my sister and just said, “...Did Scar just bitch-slap Mufasa off a cliff?!”

Okay, Simba in the gorge and finding his dad’s body, him calling for help... god fucking damn it. My sister was openly crying and saying “for fuck sake, I’ve seen the original a hundred times and it still gets to me!”. I was crying too...it’s just something about that baby lion calling for help as his dad lies dead on the floor...shit, it gets to you.

It also helps that Hans Zimmer composed the soundtrack again - it’s beautiful, but I think that because we’ve heard it before and associate it with the original, it adds to the feelings. Like I hear the “Stampede” soundtrack and immediately I think of Simba crying for help.

I wish they had showed more fear on Simba’s face when Scar told him to run away - in the original, his ears are down, his eyes are wide, his posture/stance is clearly showing he’s terrified. Here he just looks a little...surprised.

OKAY BUT HOW DID SIMBA END UP ON THE LOWER PART OF THE CLIFF?! I DON’T...HOW?!

The imagery of Scar walking onto the ledge of Pride Rock as the hyenas surround the other lions is still super powerful, to be honest.

I wish Zazu had been trapped like in the original, like that was comedy gold and they missed it.

Disney really couldn’t have brought back Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella huh -_-

Look, I’m not a huge fan of Seth Rogen anyway - Sausage Party HAUNTS me to this day - but usually in voice over I find him more bearable. Not that I hate him that much but still... I would have felt ten times more generous about his Pumbaa voiceover if he hadn’t done his laugh. We ALL know the Seth Rogen laugh.

I still liked the dynamic between Timon and Pumbaa, even if my sister felt it wasn’t the same.

Some absolutely GOLDEN lines were cut, and it should be a crime: “he looks blue” “I’d say goldish-brown”.

THANK GOD they kept in “what’s a-motto with you?” though

“I got downhearted every time that I...farted, are you gonna stop me?!” “NO I AM NOT, YOU DISGUST ME” - wHAT. I mean...what?!

I’m glad there were a few other animals living in the jungle other than Timon and Pumbaa, like it makes more sense that there’s others living there. Having said that, I also liked the idea of them having this utopia to themselves in the original so...yeah.

My sister pointed out that the Timon-Pumbaa-Simba relationship was severely lacking in this film. In the original, you could tell that Timon and Pumbaa loved Simba dearly and that he was seen as a total equal. Here they seemed so much stand-offish even after living with him for so long.

“Yeah, you’ve grown 400 pounds since we started” - LMFAO THIS WAS A GOOD LINE OKAY

“Oh now he’s riffing” - honestly same, was it necessary XD

Ciara felt that the added scene showing Nala/the lionesses in the Pridelands/Nala leaving was unnecessary. In the original, you feel the shock with Simba when he returns because it’s the first time you see what a wasteland it has become. Here you don’t have that. It was clearly just to fill some extra time and get their money’s worth out of Beyonce, milking it for all they have.

The tension in that scene was nice though, and I sort of liked how a) Sarabi rejected Scar and b) how this was then a catalyst for Scar saying “the hyenas eat before the lions...but they don’t leave much behind”. Good addition that was.

Was the additional exposition showing a tuft of Simba’s mane journeying really necessary? Like we didn’t need to see a giraffe fucking eat it or a dung beetle rolling a ball of shit with the mane inside of it. Like come on, Disney, really? They clearly just wanted to show off that they could pull it off.

What’s that quote Jeff Goldblum says in Jurassic Park (I think?)? “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should”. THE SAME GOES FOR THE PEOPLE AT DISNEY, JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN, DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD

How did Rafiki see a random tuft of hair and immediately go “FUCK YEAH IT’S SIMBA HE’S ALIVE”, like he didn’t smell it (it would have smelt of shit though) or anything, he just looked at it and was like “SIMBA IS ALIVE”. HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW THAT.

“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was a fucking delight, and my sister and I both sung/danced along to it, no regrets.

I jumped so hard when Nala just came out of nowhere and interrupted the song to be honest

The close-ups of Timon’s face in this film are hilarious to be honest - creepy but hilarious.

HOW DID NALA REALIZE IT WAS SIMBA RIGHT AWAY?! In the original she was like “who are you?” but now she just knew?! SHE THOUGHT SIMBA WAS DEAD BUT SHE SEES A RANDOM MALE LION AND IMMEDIATELY KNOWS THAT’S HER OLD BEST FRIEND WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD?! FUCK OFF

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight”...hmmm. Sorry, I gotta have a whole separate section for this.

Firstly...TONIGHT. CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT, DISNEY. IT’S AT NIGHT TIME. IN THE EVENING. AT LEAST PUT A FUCKING SUNSET OR SOMETHING TO SHOW IT’S EVENING.

Don’t get me wrong, the animation was beautiful, but jesus christ, it’s set at NIGHT TIME. How do you fuck that up?! It’s literally IN the damn song.

My sister and I are really not Beyonce fans, I’m sorry. Ciara literally leaned over and whispered “I’m going to sing the song myself to block out Beyonce”, that’s how much she despised it.

Look, Beyonce is a singer and yeah, she’s a strong singer. No one is disputing that. Do I think she’s overrated? Absolutely, but I can admit she can sing. She is NOT a voice actress and she should NOT be voicing a character like Nala. Every time she spoke, I just missed Moira Kelly’s performance from the original even more.

Beyonce’s voice just doesn’t fit the song. She was overpowering Donald Glover far too much - it was like he was a backup singer in a song meant to be a duet. A duet is supposed to have the two voices melding together and harmonizing to create a beautiful sound - not one person taking over and making it all about them

Okay but why the fuck does Seth Rogen sound like Kermit right at the end of the song?

Anyway, moving on back to the rest of the film:

Another moment of my sister saying “BUT WHERE IS HIS STICK, HE HAS TO WACK PEOPLE WITH IT”

Disney really cut out the stick metaphor where Rafiki hits Simba and says “it hurts, yes, but it’s in the past”. Like COME ON DISNEY. That’s one of the key moments for god’s sake!

So they could animate Simba’s mane-hair being rolled along the ground in giraffe shit but NOT Mufasa in the clouds? LMFAO OKAY WHATEVER

Jesus Christ Disney, did you HAVE to put that “Spirit” song over Simba going back to the Pridelands?! It just a) doesn’t fit the scene and b) comes out of nowhere. Like nowhere else in the film is there a moment like that, so why now?

Unpopular Opinion: “Spirit” is a bad song and my sister agrees. Everyone’s kissing Beyonce’s ass about it but me, my mum and my sister have all on separate occasions heard it and said “wow that’s fucking shit”.

I miss the slo-mo of Simba running through the desert more than ever. Couldn’t we have just had a recreation of that scene with the same music and NOT Beyonce’s random song ruining it?

I had a feeling they would cut out the Hula dance thing but it still annoys me because that is ICONIC

My sister and I were both far too happy when Rafiki took his stick out of the tree, like we were like “FINALLY”

Instead Timon and Pumbaa start singing “Be Our Guest” and like...Why?! Is this a joke just for Disney fans? BATB and TLK aren’t even set in the same continent, for a start, let alone being a part of the same story, so how the hell does Timon know it? I mean, it’s hilarious if you’re a Disney fan but just...why? It makes absolutely zero sense.

Sarabi still manages to be a badass Queen and I love it

The vocals during the big reveal scene really weren’t anywhere NEAR the standard of the original, especially on Scar’s part. It just felt so weak compared to Matthew Broderick and Jeremy Irons, to be honest.

Why...Why does Nala suddenly have beef with Shenzi? Just...yeah, Shenzi and like 50 other hyenas tried to eat Nala (and Simba) as a cub but like...why does Nala suddenly have personal beef with her based on that one interaction? They don’t even LOOK at each other again until this moment in the film.

The battle was cool, I guess, but maybe I’m just super blood-thirsty and gory so...who knows. The Simba/Scar fight was especially good.

I wish Rafiki using his stick was more karate/martial arts like the original, here it’s just like he’s flailing it about randomly

I did like that they reused the part where Scar basically flings smoldering soot/ash/rock into Simba’s face. Like that’s the kinda dirty tactic I live for.

“You were right about one thing, Scar...a hyena’s belly is never full” - OH SHIT, MY WIG WAS SNATCHED OH MY LORD WHAT A LINE

The hyenas eating Scar is so dark in the original and it’s even darker here because it looks so real, like I genuinely felt horrified watching it even though you don’t see anything.

Towards the end when Simba nuzzled two of the lionesses, I couldn’t tell which one was supposed to be Sarabi and which was supposed to be Nala.

THAT MUSIC AS SIMBA BECOMES KING, THANK YOU HANS ZIMMER FOR NOT LETTING US DOWN

Okay but I genuinely want to know if the baby cub at the end is Kopa, Kiara or Kion. Disney can’t seem to make up their minds about Simba and Nala’s cub so...yeah. It could literally be any of them at this rate.

I had no idea that the first credits song was Elton John, and I miss his renditions of Circle of Life/Can You Feel the Love Tonight even more, like those are arguably two of the best Elton John songs.

THEY USED “He Lives in You” AS AN END CREDIT SONG AND I WANT TO WATCH THE LION KING 2 AGAIN

So here’s the thing...it wasn’t as horrendous as I thought it would be, and Ciara agrees. Ciara is arguably the one to ask about Lion King matters since it’s literally her favourite film (having said that, for the longest time I thought her favourite was Tangled so...). It was nowhere near the standard of the original, and you could definitely just stay at home and watch the original and get more out of it then paying £30 at the cinema (far more if you’re a family). Some of the jokes fell sort of flat, some of them worked, it was a bit of a mix.

For the most part, the new voices weren’t too bad but none of them were better than the original voice actors. I honestly don’t understand why they didn’t bring back Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons, Rowan Atkinson, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg etc. Obviously I know at least two of the original voice actors died (the ones for Sarabi and Rafiki) but why replace the ones who are still alive? I just...I don’t understand to be honest. Having more members of the original cast would have definitely triggered nostalgia for the adults watching the trailer/adverts and made them want to watch it more.

I didn’t hate it as much as I expected to. I don’t think I would want to pay to see it again (so if I do end up seeing it again, it’ll probably be at my place and for free) but it was cute and I can understand why parents would want to bring their kids to watch it. I did feel super nostalgic but afterwards, I kind of just wanted to go home and watch the original again. And I literally rewatched it three days ago.

It’s definitely not a masterpiece like the original was - none of the remakes are up to the standard of their original movies, but The Lion King is definitely nearer the bottom of my list in terms of how good a movie it is. Like I said, it wasn’t anywhere near as terrible as I thought it would end up being - I fully expected to want to leave halfway through and to have a raging headache, but that was not the case. It was a fine way to pass the afternoon, no doubt, and I think I ate too much food whilst I was there, but other than that...yeah, you get the idea.

If nothing else, it has adorable lion cubs in it so that’s a big plus I guess.

#the lion king #the lion king 2019 #disney #review #thoughts #cinema

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rowan-yourboat · 5 years ago

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Pieces of Me

Who: Rowan & Charlie When: Saturday, August 21st Where: Pawsome Animal Shelter What: Rowan shares a primordial part of her life with Charlie. All fluff and mishaps. Warnings: None

Rowan was all smiles as she made her way down the hallways of Erickson. It was still early, perhaps unfairly so, as the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, but she was a woman on a mission. At least once a month, she would make the short drive to the outskirts of Brighton, all so she could get to spend the whole day doing volunteer work at a local animal shelter. This time, though, she didn't fancy going alone, and an idea immediately popped into her head. She knew just the person to take along. Knocking twice on Charlie's door, she waited, a small smile still on her face.

Charlizard was having an intensely pleasant dream that involved Hollywood celebrities and deep pits filled with sharks when a persistent knocking noise pulled her from her slumber. Untangling herself from Morgan, she padded to the door in what could generously be called a tank top and opened it just wide enough to peek through the crack. "Row?" she rubbed her bleary eyes with one hand. "What's wrong? Building on fire? Please tell me the building is on fire."

Rowan chuckled at the, dare she call it, adorable sight. "No fires to report; thankfully. I'm here to ask you to go somewhere with me. If you don't have plans, of course." She was quick to amend, not wanting to come off as too pushy. They could barely be called friends, but Rowan had to come to accept that she truly enjoyed the blonde's company, even when said blonde did her best to push all of her buttons. "I know it's early and all, but I promise to make it worth your while."

Charlizard had to blink a few more times to make sure that she was awake and understanding Row properly, but once she'd digested the idea a sleepy smile tugged at her lips. "I'd like that." She didn't even ask what their destination was, something she would have done with just about anyone else. "Just give me five minutes to throw some clothes on and maybe run a brush through my hair. Want to give me any hints to help me decide what to wear for this trip?"

Rowan couldn't help but grin, going as far as to clap once in excitement. "Definitely comfy jeans and boots, stuff you don't mind getting dirty." It wasn't easy to keep herself from focusing too hard on the girl's sleepy smile, and the way the sight tugged at something within her. It was just the excitement, that was all.

Charlizard was struck, even in her sleepy state, by how much Row's excitement made her happy in turn. She was, however, far too tired to figure out just what that meant. "I'm not even going to make the super obvious joke. I'd invite you to wait in here, but Morgan's still asleep and she takes getting woken up even worse than I do." Grinning, she quietly closed the door and found some old clothes in her bottom drawer that weren't long for the world: blue jeans, a little too tight, paired with a button-up shirt that was a little too big. The boots were a sacrifice; not her favorite pair, but ones that made her look good that wouldn't break her heart if she had to throw them out later. Hair and teeth were done quickly, her blonde mane pulled back into a ponytail, and a few minutes later she opened the door with a much more awake look in her eyes. "Acceptable?"

Rowan raked her eyes up and down Charlie's body, taking in the simple, but somehow very flattering outfit. It was really not fair for someone to be that effortlessly attractive. "Not acceptable; gorgeous." She said, and meant it. "Let's get this show on the road, then. I'll stop by McD's to get something to eat. Least I can do after waking you up so early." Twenty minutes later and armed with coffee and breakfast sandwiches, they were well on their way to Brighton. "Question, do you have any animal allergies?"

Charlizard grinned deviously, even if the compliment had also brought a flush to her cheeks. "Look who's talking. At least you've had a chance to actually wake up - then again, I've seen you rumpled in the morning and that's actually better anyway." She perked up immediately at the thought of a breakfast sandwich and a coffee. "You've got yourself a deal." Row's truck was somehow both perfect and ridiculous, much like the girl herself, and a shockingly comfortable ride ensued. Her question took Charlie slightly by surprise, but she swallowed the bite of hashbrown she was working on and shook her head. "Not that I know of. I mean I haven't been around every animal, but I know cats and dogs are fine at least."

Rowan thanked her lucky stars silently. She should've had the good mind to ask first, but since deciding to invite Charlie along had been a spur of the moment kind of thing, there really had been no time. "Well, guess there's no time like the present to find out if you're allergic to chickens. And cows, goats, raccoons, horses; you catch my drift." Winking at the blonde, she took a bite of her sandwich and focused back on the road. It didn't take that long, twenty more minutes on the road and a colorful sign welcomed them to Brighton. Five more minutes of navigating rough terrain and the green truck pulled up into a ranch. "Welcome to Pawsome animal sanctuary.!"

Charlizard still hadn't stopped being undone by that wink, although now her curiosity was raging. There weren't a whole lot of places that one would meet chickens, and unless Row was secretly an urban farmer then it seemed unlikely that it was somewhere she owned. "I guess I will," she agreed with a melodic laugh, washing down the last of her breakfast with a swig of hot, black coffee. McD's actually made some decent brew these days, and her eyes were far wider than they had been when they left the school. She watched for signs, turning to shoot Row an impressed grin when they reached their destination. "An animal sanctuary? That's awesome!" She loved animals, much more than she did most people.

Rowan felt relief wash over her as Charlie's excitement. She had been a little worried that the blonde might not exactly be the type to get down and dirty; literally. "I come here at least once a month. Sometimes it's much easier to deal with animals than people." Reaching behind the seats, she pulled two beat-up trucker hats; shoved one on and passed one to the blonde. "It's feeding time, let's see who's more of an ass; you or the actual donkeys."

Charlizard nodded, knowing exactly what Row meant by that. The trucker hat was almost post-ironic, or meta, or something, but she rolled with it all the same and snorted at the pithy comment from the driver's seat. "I'm sure it'll be a close contest, but we do know that I'm much more fun to pet." It was her turn to wink playfully as she slid down out of the truck and felt the ground give under her feet, just a little. Witty repartee aside, she was more than ready to see some cute animals.

Rowan was even impressed herself when she managed to scramble up a tree in an attempt to escape sure death. Everything had been going well, Charlie took to what was pretty much the role of a farmhand rather well. They fed the donkeys and horses, made friends with the chickens, and even got a heavy dose of love from the herd of dogs as they ran around with them. So, yeah, everything was fine, until they had walked by the chicken coop and she was face to face with her one true enemy. "Charlie, stop laughing and shoo it away!" She screamed, squealing in fear a moment later as the untameable beast made to reach for her. Toto the turkey was out for blood, and Rowan had been wholly unprepared. "I swear I'm going to kill you if you don't help me, Fabray!"

Charlizard had never spent so much time around any animals that weren't plainly domestic, but everything from the donkeys to the dogs were fun to interact with and take care of. For a long while she wasn't thinking of anything but the animals and how cute Row looked in her trucker hat and jeans. It was even better than the bar, because she was casual and relaxed. Nothing, though, topped watching her run from a turkey and climb a tree. It was so hard to stop laughing that she didn't bother, doing her best instead to corral the animal even though she could barely breathe. "Don't worry, Row! I'll save you from the vicious beast!"

Rowan screeched once more, and the ruckus was enough to attract the attention of some of the other volunteers. Everyone knew of the hatred the animal displayed towards Rowan, even when all the other animals had taken to her immediately, and such a show wasn't too out of the ordinary. "I'm going to murder you, Fabray." She said, finally climbing down the tree once Toto was led away from the commotion. She was all pouts and quiet grumbling as she dusted herself off, giving the still cackling blonde a dirty look. "No one will find your body, I promise you."

Charlizard looked innocently at Rowan, gesturing back toward the pen. "I'm sorry," she wheezed through her laughter. "I really was trying to get him back where he belonged, but this is the first time I've ever seen a turkey that wasn't in a roasting pan!" She gathered herself and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't help. But you can murder me if it makes you feel better." Gesturing toward the turkey, Charlie raised an eyebrow. "What'd you ever do to him?"

Rowan rolled her eyes, though it was hard to keep playing the angry card when Charlie's smile was that stupidly cute. "Nothing. I never did a single thing to him, save for existing. That's enough reason for him to hate my guts." The sun was already beginning its descent west when Rowan looked up at the sky and making a split decision, she took Charlie's hand and pulled her towards the stables. There, a lone man brushed a horse diligently, humming to himself. "Hey, Gramps! Can we take Judge for a ride?" The older man scoffed, but there was affection crinkling the corners of his eyes. "Not without introducing me to this lovely, young lady here." Smiling sheepishly at her slip up, she pulled Charlie forward. "Charlie, this is Gramps, he takes care of the horses and is all around a badass. Gramps, this is Charlie, my friend."

Charlizard looked dubious, but since she had no reason to disbelieve Row's version of events there was no choice but to blame it on the turkey. "In that case, that turkey is a dick. And I'm not going to wish that he becomes thanksgiving dinner or anything, but I do hope he falls over when he's chasing you next time and knocks himself out for a while." She gave the turkey a dirty look, and she was sure she got one back. It wasn't until Rowan tugged her hand that she realized how sore she was after a day's work with the animals...and how little she minded that. "A ride?" she asked softly, looking at the horse and the man taking care of it. "It's nice meeting you," she smiled at him, wondering how long Row had known him.

Rowan smiling placidly at the interaction, Rowan squeezed Charlie's hand before going to press a kiss to the man's temple. "Alright, old man, we're gonna go before you charm my date away from me." Gesturing for Charlie to follow, they made their way to the very end of the barn where a huge, silverish horse with a black mane immediately stuck its head over the gate with a soft neigh in greeting. "Hey there, boy. I missed you." Rowan allowed the horse to nuzzle her hair, then fished a carrot from her pocket and fed it to the horse. She produced another snack, a small apple this time, and passed it to Charlie to give it to the horse. "This beautiful beast is Judge. He's a bit temperamental but his love is easily bought with food."

Charlizard gave Rowan's hand a squeeze in return, wishing the older man well as she was quickly led into the barn. And while she never would have admitted it aloud, the appearance of a giant horse's head over the stall made her jump just a little. It was impressive watching just how easily Row interacted with him, like she'd been born to take care of huge animals that towered over her, and Charlie was more than a little in awe. "It's been a while since I was around a horse," she confessed. "Do I just give him the whole thing, or...?" it was probably a silly concern wondering whether the horse would have trouble with the apple's core, but she still had to ask.

Rowan nodded. "Yup, just hold it out with your hand open and he'll take it." And so the horse did, taking the treat and munching happily, before sniffing and insistently nuzzling Charlie's head. "Told you, he might already be in love with you. Come on, let's go for a ride before going back." Saddling the horse was second nature for her, and once they were ready and out on the field, a thought popped into her head and she looked at the blonde curiously. "Wait, do you know how to ride?"

Charlizard looked from the horse to the apple and nodded. "Gotcha." She lifted her hand high enough for the horse to take the apple and giggled softly as the fruit disappeared from her hand quicker than she could blink. "Hungry boy, aren't you?" she smiled, laughing more loudly as the horse nuzzled her. "I'm sorry, buddy, that's all I've got right now. Next time I'll bring you a whole bag of apples or however many you're allowed to eat in a day." Row's country girl ways were increasingly impressive, and Charlie could only watch as the horse was quickly saddled and led outside. "It's...been a long time," she admitted. "Not since I was a kid. I think I remember the basics, but that's about it."

Rowan shrugged. "The basics are more than enough since we'll be riding together and all. Here, you get up first." Getting Charlie situated was quite the amusing travesty, Judge was simply an imposing animal, but after much laughter and teasing, the blonde was safely on the saddle. "Okay, scoot forward so I can get on." Once Charlie did, Rowan easily jumped on, settling comfortably against the blonde's back and taking the reigns. "Alright, let's go, boy." A little nudge of encouragement and the horse took off at a leisurely pace.

Charlizard knew that whatever riding experience was in her past, it wasn't on anything the size of Judge. Fortunately, the horse was large but not unpleasant, and was more than willing to stand there stoically while she was hoisted from behind by Row and finally got herself in the saddle without immediately falling off the other side; a miracle in itself. She scooted forward as requested, making sure not to fall off in the process, and leaned back a little against her companion's slim form. As the horse began to move she reached for the saddle, holding on with knuckles that were only a little bit white. "Good boy, Judge," she praised, looking around the property as they moved.

Rowan led them towards a stream, far away from the property and into the place where the trees became thicker. It was a beautiful place and exactly what she needed to destress from the constant push and pull of school. Keeping the reigns in one hand, she wrapped he other around Charlie's waist. Nuzzling her neck, she hummed. "Yes, I know you're sweaty; no, I don't care."

Charlizard was impressed by the scenery; unlike anything back home, or around the campus, it was quiet and serene in a way that normally left her with too many thoughts. With Row behind her, though, there was a sense of peace that actually let her mind rest a little. As a soft hand pulled her close, she found her natural objection cut off by Rowan's soft voice. "Hey, if you don't care then I don't care. I'm happy to get you all sweaty too."

Rowan smiled against Charlie's skin. "You really are perpetually horny, aren't you? Is it something in the water fountains at Erickson?" She teased, though her ministrations proved it was her -- yet again -- that was trying to start something they simply couldn't finish at the time. She wasn't that shameless. "In which case, it would explain why I hardly can keep my hands to myself around you."

Charlizard nodded, admitting that without any further argument. "I'm pretty sure it's just me, not the school itself...although you know, come to think of it there does seem to be a lot of sex going on in that place." Rowan's proximity definitely had an effect on her, and the admission that it was mutual made her smile as well. "If you want to use that as an excuse, I'm okay with it. Whatever keeps your hands on me is just fine."

Rowan 's eyes narrowed at the reply. There was something about it that just didn't sit well with her. Maybe she was to different from Charlie, but she couldn't help her next words. "In all seriousness, you shouldn't accept anyone wanting to be with you under dumb excuses. If someone wants to be with you it should be solely because of you, because they want you and aren't afraid of it."

Charlizard turned a little in the saddle, wanting to look at Row in answer to her being surprisingly sweet and protective. She laid a hand against her cheek, smiling. "I promise I'm good with the consent thing. And as much as it may seem like it sometimes, I don't take anyone into my bed just because they want to be there. They need to do better than that. Like you did." There weren't many people who'd worked their way into her life the way Row had.

Rowan resisted the urge to lean into the touch. It was too intimate, in a way their sexual encounters weren't. Still, she didn't pull away or flinched at the contact. The answer made the furrow of her brow smooth out, placated for the time being. "Like I did, uh?" She asked, back to their usual banter and teasing smirks. "And what exactly did I do to earn it, miss Fabray?"

Charlizard laughed softly at being called Miss - the only people who did that were usually school administrators giving her shit for one thing or another. "You dealt with me like a person," she explained plainly. "You deal with my bullshit and call me on it. Plus you have a really good slap," she finished with a grin. "I still have dreams about that slap, and they're exceptionally good dreams."

Rowan snorted. She should've expected Charlie to bring that up at some point. "You're such a masochist, but I have to admit, it was the first time I got a date out of slapping someone." She lead them across the stream and around the edges of the property, the time spent among their usual banter and endless teasing. It was only fair to admit, even if only to herself, that having Charlie like that, being able to be that close without it leading to sex, was nice. She felt good, without worries or ghosts of the past haunting her. Maybe, just maybe... "I think it's better we head back, they're gonna close soon."

Charlizard shrugged. "I mean, I'm not going to deny it. And as far as ways to get me on a date, that's always going to win the prize for the most unique one." The ride was fascinating for her. Charlie didn't do quiet. She was loud, and she kept her surroundings loud to match. Even if she was doing homework or doing something on the computer, then the tv was on or there was music, something that would keep her from getting too far into her own head. She didn't always like that. But this was nice, to just be there leaning into Row's arms and enjoying the moment. "I guess if we have to. We'll have to do this again sometime."

Rowan was all smiles as they walked out of the office and towards her truck, Charlie's hand firmly clasped in hers. Going to the shelter was always a guaranteed good time, made even better by the presence of Charlie. Unlocking the doors, she pushed the blonde against the passenger side, pressing her there with her body and looking a little insecure for the first time that day. "Did you really have a good time?"

Charlizard felt right, hand surrounded by Rowan's as they headed back toward the truck they'd arrived in. She was tired, certainly, as the day had been filled with hard work, but it was the rewarding kind and had meant both spending time with both cute animals and Row. Once she'd been backed up against the passenger side, Charlie met the question with a soft smile. "If there's one thing I'm not going to do, is lie to you. I had a great time, and I'm glad you brought me with you."

Rowan felt relief wash over her when she found no deceit in Charlie's eyes. Much to her dismay, she liked the blonde, she was starting to care about her, and though it was never part of the plan, she couldn't bring herself to regret it. Not when she had finally managed not to think about Jo the whole time they were together. "I am too.

#pchar #p: pom

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viciousheart · 6 years ago

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after viviana gets her memories back, she decides to start up a new venture.

because the horses gabriel got for her helped her so much during that time, she, first of all, made sure everyone in house deluca was matched with their perfect horse.

and then she started buying more: the absolute best of the best of race horses, jumping horses, and breeding horses, deciding to dip her toes into all three ventures. before long, her stables were full, and the over seven hundred acres of her estate were made into an indoor jumping ring, an outdoor jumping ring, an actual race track, grazing fields and training fields.

her pet project is called VANITY ROYAL STABLES.

so, let’s meet some of the horses!

we’ll start with the family’s own horses:

viviana, herself, has three horses she calls her own.

JUPITER the first horse gabriel bought for viviana. gabriel saw him, and knew right away that this was a horse viviana had to have. i mean, come on, he’s literally golden! JUPITER is stubborn and has a mind of his own, and he really only recognizes viviana as someone worthy to ride him. she has no problem handling him, but no one else can seem to. he takes after his mistress in so many ways, it’s almost like he’s the equine version of viviana deluca.

SKY ( named for the colour of his eyes ) may be viviana’s favourite horse right now ( but don’t tell the others! ) he caught her attention with his striking blue eye, and he kept it with his wonderful personality. he’s not as stubborn as jupiter, or as strong willed as fioire. he’s calm, and he’s sweet, which was exactly what viviana needed while she had none of her memories. she just needed someone to be there, and she found that in SKY. he never pressured her or judged her. he didn’t care that she couldn’t remember a thousand years of her life. he was never pushy like jupiter could be. and when she talked, it felt like he actually listened. and he reminds her so of her gallant.

and as a present for her nine hundred and thirtieth birthday, gabriel gave viviana a white horse. ( with a spot of black on her nose ) a horse, she would late come to find out, that is the same breed as her first ever horse, gallant. and viviana said that the horse, who she named FIOIRE, which means blossom in italian, immediately reminded her of gallant because of her curly mane and tail.

alyssandra’s horse, who viviana ironically named ROSA while her memories were gone also turned out to be jupiter’s mate. together, they’ve already had two foals, one of which went on to earn VANITY ROYAL STABLES quite a bit of money thanks to its father’s success as a jumper. the other foal, the first one, they’ve kept as one of their own, and he shows a knack for jumping, as well. every chance that they get to grab jupiter and ROSA and head out for a ride, they take it. the two of them love it, and the horses love it, as well. it’s kind of like a double - date.

when rowan returned home after viviana’s recovery, none of the horses gabriel bought seemed to connect with her. all of them seemed to like her, and she rode rosa most, but none of them felt like hers, and so viviana made it her mission to find her eldest daughter the perfect companion. for the longest time, they had no luck, and rowan was beginning to lose hope. but then she and viviana met the charming ( and inseparable ) team of DAKOTA the dalmatian, and LOLA the appaloosa. and while viviana is not a big fan of dogs, she could see the instant connection rowan had with both animals, and so they both came home with them. and the three of them do everything together.

there's two reasons stella has two horses. the first is that she’s kind of a horse fanatic like her momma, and the second is, because of that, she’s very in to equestrian sports.

her first horse is one that gabriel brought home, and stella just thinks she’s the best horse in the world. her name is VIOLA and she is gentle and sweet, but she’s also quite old. she’s still playful and strong for her age, but she can’t do the jumps or trickriding, so stella uses her for trail rides. lots of trail rides. she’s always worried she’s ignoring VIOLA so she actually gives her more attention.

her second, athletic horse is a unique beauty ( and personality ) stella named TWISTER. he is quite the character. if he doesn’t get enough time doing what he loves, which is jumping, he starts to act out. first of all, he’s learned how to open his stall door. so, when he antsy, he’ll just let himself out of his stall. . . and then he’ll let the rest of the horses out of theirs, too. luckily, he hasn’t figured out how to open the stable doors, but he does know how to get into the food. stella has to keep him constantly busy, jump him every single day, or else he acts out and her moms warn her that, if she can’t handle such a high - maintenance horse, then they might have to find her another horse. but stella loves TWISTER in all his crazy, whacky, trouble - making ways. so she keeps him busy!

the next horse was bought by VANITY ROYAL STABLES because of his striking looks, to be used for breeding purposes. but, as soon as he got there, he proved to be a little too much for anyone to handle. he would attack the other horses, and snap at any person that tried to go near him. he was stubborn and hot - headed, temperamental and unpredictable and viviana deemed him too dangerous to keep. but, during his week at the deluca estate, briar had been keeping a close eye on him. something about him called out to her, like a soul that needed healing. and so, when viviana announced that she was selling him, briar went out to the stables that night and pulled a chair up in front of his stall. and she just sat that with him. all night. and he wasn’t reactive or temperamental. when the sun came up, she even dared feed him an apple. and he ate it out of her hand as gently as any other horse. so, briar marched right up to viviana’s office and demanded ( or, rather, she asked nicely ) to be given a trial - period with the horse because she knew there was a wonderful animal beneath the surface, and she was going to prove it. it took a bit of convincing, but viviana agreed, and she asked her what she was going to name him, and briar said, FAITH.

gabriel fought tooth and nail, paid an arm and a leg to bring home a horse he thought viviana would love, with it’s white mane and black coat. he thought she’d be as entranced by his beauty as he was, and while she agreed that the horse was, indeed, quite beautiful, she felt no connection with him. and she said that she felt no connection with him, but she thought gabriel might. and she was right. so, even though he’d never had a horse before, and though he knew little of them, he decided to keep this one for himself, and he still says it’s one of the best decisions he’s made. he named the horse ATLAS, and, before they got their own companions, his children were quite taken with ATLAS, and as for ATLAS? he still loves the entire sharp clan. gabriel, jenna, and the kids.

then there’s zachariah’s horse that he names ROMAN to honour his roman heritage. zach decided to join gabriel on some of his outings to buy horses, and that’s when he saw the unique beauty that is ROMAN. and, it turns out he’s a lot like his mom in the way that he felt a special connection with this horse the moment he met him. so, even though he had to pay a hand and foot for him, he brought roman home the very same day. and ROMAN immediately became best friends with viviana’s favourite horse, sky. they’re practically attached at the hip, which makes viviana very happy. zach and viviana now have a bi - weekly date: every other sunday they take ROMAN and sky and ride out to watch the sun rise over the hills. viviana teases that he’s getting a little too old to hang out with his mom, but he never disagrees with her. she looks forward to their ride every day leading up to it.

aurelia met the horse she’d come to name WISTERIA, and that was it. she was in love.

you only need take one glance at CALLIOPE to know she’s a stunning horse. and she has a rather tender personality, too. when cass first met her, she ate an apple out of her hand and then nuzzled her nose against her face and cassie knew she had to have this horse. she was perfect! and, besides, her name was cassie, while the horse’s name was CALLIE. as far as the little angel was concerned, it was a match made in heaven. but then they got her home and there was some turbulence. while she was great with her on the ground, when cassie tried to ride her, CALLIOPE just wouldn’t cooperate. viviana said that the horse was too high - strung for a beginner like cassie, and they should start looking for another horse, but cassie already adored the horse. so, stella, who knew a thing or two about dealing with high - strung horses from dealing with twister, volunteered to help cassie out until she an CALLIOPE got into a rhythm and learned to become a team.

jase loved his dad’s horse, atlas, so much that, for his birthday, viviana gets him a pony with the same colouring at atlas. and the little boy is overjoyed. he wants to ride the pony, that he calls ROCKSTAR, or ROCKY for short, all of the time. he gets his parents out of bed so he can go ride ROCKY. and, not that he’d ever say it to anyone but jenna, but sometimes gabriel curses viviana for this “present.” viviana knows, though. she thinks it’s all hilarious.

OTHER HORSES / @univurs has gotta pick out horses for jenna and vienna hfdjsk

the next two horses are sisters, and twins, in fact, they were born to some horses from the stables, and their purchase fell through so viviana decided to keep them. and everyone refers to them as the twins.

#I HAD TO REDO THE POST #univurs #viciousmente #𝒱 she has royalty in her blood. ❪ about. ❫

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krokodile · 6 years ago

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Because I’m bored and revisiting this series. IDK.

Max Caulfield -

House: Ravenclaw

Wand: Hawthorn, phoenix core, 10 in, quite bendy

The wandmaker Gregorovitch wrote that hawthorn ‘makes a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.’ While I disagree with many of Gregorovitch’s conclusions, we concur about hawthorn wands, which are complex and intriguing in their natures, just like the owners who best suit them. Hawthorn wands may be particularly suited to healing magic, but they are also adept at curses, and I have generally observed that the hawthorn wand seems most at home with a conflicted nature, or with a witch or wizard passing through a period of turmoil. Hawthorn is not easy to master, however, and I would only ever consider placing a hawthorn wand in the hands of a witch or wizard of proven talent, or the consequences might be dangerous. Hawthorn wands have a notable peculiarity: their spells can, when badly handled, backfire.

This is the rarest core type. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike.Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won. - Garrick Ollivander

Patronus: Bay mare (didn’t Max turn out to like horses in the prequel? obviously i was hoping for a doe, though!)

“Bay” refers to the color of the horse’s coat (a reddish brown accentuated by a black mane) and is associated with some of the oldest, most respectable breeds, like the Cleveland Bay. These horses are known for their strength and agility. Mares, in particular, are known to be intelligent, courageous, and extremely loyal to their owner. The Bay mare Patronus will not back down when protecting you from a Dementor. - mugglenet

Chloe Price -

House: Slytherin

Wand: Sycamore, dragon core, 13 in, brittle

The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become ‘bored’, and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the sycamore’s ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world’s most highly-prized wand woods.

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner.

The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental. - Garrick Ollivander

Patronus: Dragon (very rare) (yeah this works, god knows girl loves to light up)

One of the most powerful and formidable creatures of the magical world, dragons are ambitious and dominant. With the ability to breathe fire, they quickly assert themselves, garnering both fear and respect from those around them. They are unafraid to take risks and prefer to live by their own set of rules. They are quick to lead and do not back down from a challenge. Dragons are strong in their convictions and will stand for what they believe is right. Those with a dragon for a Patronus are sure to be fierce fighters, and the Dementors better be ready for a challenge! - mugglenet

Rachel Amber -

House: Gryffindor (she’s a Slytherin, but whatever)

Wand: Ash, dragon core, 11 1/2 in, quite bendy

The ash wand cleaves to its one true master and ought not to be passed on or gifted from the original owner, because it will lose power and skill. This tendency is extreme if the core is of unicorn. Old superstitions regarding wands rarely bear close examination, but I find that the old rhyme regarding rowan, chestnut, ash and hazel wands (rowan gossips, chestnut drones, ash is stubborn, hazel moans) contains a small nugget of truth. Those witches and wizards best suited to ash wands are not, in my experience, lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes. However, the brash or over-confident witch or wizard, who often insists on trying wands of this prestigious wood, will be disappointed by its effects. The ideal owner may be stubborn, and will certainly be courageous, but never crass or arrogant.

Patronus: vulture (unusual) (awks considering how we find her.)

Looming and dominant, the vulture, at its core, is a resource machine. It may seem intimidating and heartless, but in reality, it is a hyper-efficient beast that knows how to utilize even the barest of essentials. As a Patronus, it likely speaks to the caster’s willingness to get their hands dirty and do what few others are willing to perform. - mugglenet

Aside from the fact that I would have put Rachel in Slytherin, and obviously given Max a doe patronus (and I guess a butterfly or wolf for Rachel)...gotta say, Pottermore nailed them. Especially Chloe.

#life is strange #before the storm #krokodile's weird pottermore shit #Harry Potter #slytherin #ravenclaw #gryffindor #fandom #video games #video games: life is strange

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euphemeria · 7 years ago

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Wands? WANDS!

Eren Jaeger • 15” • Ash • Phoenix feather • Clings to its one true master and ought not to be passed on or gifted from the original owner because it will lose power and skill; not lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes; may be stubborn and will certainly be courageous, but never crass or arrogant • Cause we all know Eren’s a little shit

Levi Ackerman • 12” • Aspen • Thestral tail hair • An accomplished duelist or destined to be so; particularly suited to martial magic; for the strong-minded and determined; attracted by quests and new orders; revolutionarist • Auror

Mikasa Ackerman • 12 3/4” • English Oak • Dragon heartstring • Demands partners of strength, courage and fidelity; owners have powerful intuition and an affinity with the natural magical world • Mikasa’s one of those naturally gifted individuals

Armin Arlert • 10” • Willow • Dragon heartstring • Owner has some (usually unwarranted) insecurity, however well they may try and hide it; selects those of greatest potential, rather than those who feel they have little to learn; well-founded reputation for enabling advanced, non-verbal magic • This wand wood described Armin right on point, self-explanatory

Jean Kirstein • 13 1/2” • Poplar • Unicorn tail hair • Integrity; seeks consistency, strength and uniform power in owner; always happiest when working with an owner of clear moral vision • Jean’s one of those characters that’s well-rounded. I picked this wood with the Jean in episode 8 in mind.

Annie Leonhart • 11 2/3” • Pine • Veela hair • Typically chooses an independent, individual master who may be perceived as a loner, intriguing and perhaps mysterious; owners usually live very long lives; enjoys being used creatively; will adapt unprotestingly to new methods and spells; most sensitive to non-verbal magic • I imagine that’s how everyone sees Annie mostly, someone who’s an enigma.

Bertolt Hoover • 12” • Cedar • Kelpie mane • Has a strength of character and an unusual loyalty; carries the potential to be a frightening adversary which often comes as a shock to those who have thoughtlessly challenged them • Because he seems like a gentle giant, many don’t try to challenge him. Surprise, surprise when he turns out to be the mighty colossal titan, huh?

Reiner Braun • 12 3/4” • Fir • Dragon heartstring • Suited to transfiguration; favours owners of focused, strong-minded, and intimidating demeanour; demands staying power and strength of purpose; has subsequently helped passed owner through mortal peril unscathed • Reiner’s survived rather long, considering his losses and mental issues. He must have a strength that can’t be seen that keeps him going. I imagine that’s what keeps him alive and moving forward.

Connie Springer • 10 3/4” • Spruce • Dragon heartstring • Typically matched with bold spell-casters with a good sense of humour; intensely loyal; capable of producing particularly flamboyant and dramatic effects; requires a firm hand (often appears to have its own ideas about what magic it ought to be called upon to produce) • Connie’s like a Ron or any Weasley really.

Sasha Blouse • 13 • Redwood • Kelpie mane • Owner possess an admirable ability to fall on their feet, to make the right choice, and to snatch advantage from catastrophe. • If anyone has luck on their side, it would be Sasha. She’s one of those characters that surprises you.

Krista Historia Reiss • 12 • Pear • Thestral tail hair • Prefers a small owner with a temper several times their size; popular and well-respected; lovely personality; warm and friendly, until you cross them, then they'll give you such a telling off you'll swear you're being actually whipped • Does this need an explanation? Haha.

Ymir • 15 1/2” • Ivy • Veela hair •

Marco Bott • 13 3/4” • Alder • Dragon heartstring • Owner is not stubborn or obstinate, but often helpful, considerate and most likeable; best suited to non-verbal spell work • Marco seemed like a very likeable companion amongst his comrades, even though his existence was short-lived.

Hange Zoe • 12” • Hornbeam • Phoenix feather • Selects owner with a single, pure passion, which some might call obsession–or more kindly, vision–which will almost always be realised; adapts very quickly to their owner’s style of magic; if personalized, others will find wand extremely difficult to use even for the most simple of spells; absorbs their owner’s code of honour; will refuse to perform acts–whether for good or ill–that do not tally with their master’s principles • Hange’s very much a my way, or I-leave-you-in-the-dust kind of person. Her ideals or interests stand above her morality and logic sometimes, almost like an obsession. Many can’t understand her eccentricness, so I thought that Hornbeam’s nature to inhibit others from using it followed closely to that logic.

Erwin Smith • 10 1/2” • Vine • Unicorn tail hair • Owners seek a greater purpose, who have a vision beyond the ordinary and who frequently astound those who think they know them best; strongly attracted to personalities with hidden depths • If I was to describe Erwin Smith, this would be it.

Mike Zacharias • 11 3/4” • Black Walnut • Dragon heartstring • Owner is a master of good instincts and powerful insight; abnormally attuned to inner conflict; loses power dramatically if owner practices any form of self-deception • Mike has good intuition, particularly because of his sense of smell apparently. So I sought a wand wood that would focus on this intuition of his.

Nanaba • 13” • Mahogany • Kelpie mane • Symbolises strength, safety, protectiveness, and practicality. • Although her appearance was brief, she made a lasting impact on me with her fierceness in protecting her squad and duty to the Survey Corps.

Dot Pixis • 11” • Beech • Unicorn tail hair • Owner is typically wise beyond their years or rich in understanding and experience; capable of a subtlety and artistry; performs very weakly for the narrow-minded and intolerant • Pixis is far from narrow-minded and intolerant. He considers options that can’t even be fathomed by most. And even though the speech he made made him seem intolerant of those who wished not to battle, to me it seemed like a courtesy that he was extending to those individuals. Quite tolerant if you ask me now.

Hannes • 11 1/4” • Larch • Dragon heartstring • Instills courage and confidence; looking for owner who has hidden talents and unexpected effects; owner may never realize the full extent of their considerable talents until paired • The last part made me think of how Hannes “redeemed” himself at the end of Season 2. Although he failed in avenging Eren’s mother, he didn’t fail strength and integrity that day, which takes courage and confidence.

Petra Ral • 12” • Rowan • Veela hair • Protection; generally produces powerful, hard to break Defensive Charms; associated with pure-hearted individuals; can match or even outperform others in duels • Petra is like our pure-hearted senpai that we didn’t know could wield a bloody katana.

Oluo Bozado • 12” • Red Oak • Dragon heartstring • Hot-tempered; quick-witted and adaptable; owner has unusually fast reactions • Oluo is always ready to pick a fight with anyone. When we saw him fight briefly, you could tell he really was quick-witted and adaptable (when they lost a comrade and their formation). He truly proved his capabilities and bragging true then.

Gunther Schultz • 13” • Reed • Kelpie mane • Best suited to those who are bold and eloquent speakers, and prove to be very protective of their friends • I had difficulty with Gunther, but based on what wiki said about Gunther “being the only one to ask Eren for proof that he was not hostile” made me choose Reed as his wood wand.

Eld Jinn • 11” • Cherry • Dragon heartstring • Owner has exceptional self-control and strength of mind • Eld was basically like the second-in-command, this seemed like characteristics of a leader.

Moblit • 13 1/3” • Rowan • Dragon heartstring • Protection; generally produces powerful, hard to break Defensive Charms; associated with pure-hearted individuals; can match or even outperform others in duels • I tried real hard not to duplicate any wand wood, but I had to do this one for Moblit cause he’s always looking out for his crazy squad leader.

Ian Dietrich • 10 3/4” • Ebony • Dragon heartstring • Will hold fast to his or her beliefs no matter what the external pressure; will not be swayed lightly from their purpose • Picked this with episode 12 in mind. Ian ordered everyone to continue protecting Eren because he believed that Eren would be able to do what he was tasked to do, or he believed in Dot Pixis’ decision. Regardless, he did not falter in that particularly chaotic instant.

Rico Brzenska • 14” • Hazel • Dragon heartstring • Reflects its owner’s emotional state; works best with a user who understands and can manage their own feelings; wand will absorb energy and discharge it unpredictably if its owner has recently lost their temper or suffered a serious disappointment; detects water underground • I didn’t really like Rico and don’t really understand her still, but she is a squad leader clearly attached to her comrades. She shows greater wavering emotions than most of the squad leaders; someone who may let their emotions get the better of them. And I think she knows this may not be a good thing for someone of her caliber and position, but nonetheless, she can’t help it.

#snk #drabbles #i love hp aus #sorry

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bushleaguefpl-blog · 6 years ago

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DO YOU BELIEVE IN JINXES? GEORGE AND THE INVINCIBLES

We’re 4 weeks down and the dreaded international break is upon us. We have a clear leader sitting atop The Bush with a zero loss record and a tonne of managers sitting only one point behind him. With the incoming break though The Bush is surely in line for a shakeup with incoming injuries, a wildcard shower more golden than those Rowan collects from 14 year olds, and apparently a little light racism? Brody’s learnt photoshop and It’s GW4 IN THE BUSH!

It’s toight as a tiger at the top of The Bush at the moment with the top 9 managers with only a 1 point spread between them. A start to The Bush this even has never been seen as the opening weeks are usually extremely troublesome for managers as the season takes ahold. Usually down to a huge variety in teams with random sporadic performances from players, this year however the ownership of players throughout the league is much less wide spread. Call it down to an all in method regarding proven 2017/18 scorers, but The Bush is stagnant with Salah, Aguero and Mane ownership, with the deciding factor being less than a few points in 95% of the matches so far this season. As you can see from the table, the tippy top is looking to be a dogfight after the international break concludes.

George “Specialist in...” Chittleborough has had a great run over the first few games and as it stands, is undefeated through his first four. We at The Bush are selectively superstitious, and we’re leaving it down to you whether we Jinx the Wenger boys by asking... “How long can he stay invincible”. Looking back to Bush3, the manager of the month curse loomed heavily throughout the year, being the undoing of a number of strong managers. Should GC get the popular vote for MOTM... it’ll surely have him quaking in his boots. Looking ahead though, George’s fixtures look strong, having a fixture against embattled and lowest scoring manager Blake “Choker Chopper” Hands up next and a visit to the Morgan “Out Witts[ed]” Witts’ Hurrikanes camp the week after that. Judging on the stats and the form of a manager looking to emulate the early Wenger years rather than the latter, he should be sitting pretty sweet through the end of game week 6 (Shade thrown Blake and Morgan). George however, is keeping his eye on the prize and always looking to improve focusing on why he drew rather than the wins stacking up: “I was one Sanchez no-show away from 4″. He’s the man to beat, let’s see how The Bush responds.

But hey, I know we at The Bush times like rewarding failure but we’re in a good mood, so let’s keep the good vibes going and discuss a manager who’s been in The Bush since season 2 and has been slowly growing in momentum each year. Of course, it’s your favourite Mullet-growing, Diego Costa-esque, bustling utility man Alex “Mine’s better than Dustin Martin’s” Horne. Alex had a shit first year, coming in a fair way down the table and I’m sure increased commitment to work at McDonald’s or a forgotten password will probably be an excuse for why his attention was elsewhere during his debut season. Last year, improvements were shown before crumbling down the table in a run of losses that he couldn’t quite recover from. However, so far he sits in that top portion of managers on 9 points, with a decent and league best 267 points from his first 4. We’re proud to see flourishing Bush Careers and we hope one day certain OG managers could show this sort of improvement (*Cough* Madde “38-0″ Bowshire *Cough*). Alex set his team up well and has also been lucky, dropping a free hit chip early on in the season to grab a fantastic win over fellow frontrunner Harrison “I shoulder the write up every week :’((((((” Kennedy. Alex copped some flack from illustrious manager Logan “Have you seen my haircuts?” McIndoe who claimed it was a fuck up to use the Free Hit instead of the wildcard but hey, a win is a win right?

Just jumping back to Madde for a second though. Do y’all remember when he claimed he was going to be a top 4 team? We do... Well things started out well for the long time bottom dweller with a great win in week 1 over former-former-former champion Rowan “This is what hitting the bottom feels like” Flanagan (a loss to Madde set the tone for Rowan huh?) before an unlucky loss to Horney’s Heroes set Madde on a path to what could be a new season of destruction. For those of you who don’t know Madde, he’s a genius, a soon-to-be doctor and a science nut. So for him, we’ve set out his season graphically, in a way he’ll understand, using a new algorithm we’ve produced at The Bush Times to map out his ego paired with his projections against the reality of things and this is what we’ve come up with and we must say...something has to change in the Sneed’s camp whether that be ego or personnel...

Yikes...God speed Bowshire....banter aside we really really really want that top 4 finish from you this year. You’re on holidays now...research and get back on the Horse!

We have to shout out the worst fixture of the year so far this week with Guy “Spoon 2″ Ethell and Reid “Happy as Judas on crucifixion day” Kennedy giving us one of the worst performances and worst scoring games so far. Both managers struggled, with Reid finally getting his lowest scorers on the bench...but also keeping the lowest on the pitch. Guy was lucky to escape this one with an equally mediocre performance, only grabbing 30 from the game week. Both managers need to get cracking if they hope to keep in touch as the leadership group look to pull away through game weeks 5 and 6.

Congratulations are in order for Riley “Water is Jesus’ favourite drink” Guest who will surely be hitting the early bird specials this weekend for a first win bender. Congratulations lad, it’s always tough busting that first nut but we, and the almighty, are proud of your tenacity and wish you all the best for the coming weeks. let’s go newbies! Hilarious that Rowan is the only person yet to win this year....

Now...The Bush Times doesn’t usually like to get political, we’re one of the only media outlets not owned by Rupert Murdoch and his gang of corruptible conservatives and we like to keep our speech free and without political influence. However, there’s always exceptions. We live in the times of Trump, Brexit and Mourinho’s final meltdown, but The Bush always seems to escape troubling times unscathed. This week however, a darker turn was shown as one manager turned a little bit too “North Queensland” on us. Ben “Institutionalised” Petersen was understandably upset this week as his unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of Kirby “Quick boys the Misso is out” Lloyd. However, Ben seemed to hold the blame firmly upon Mo Salah’s FIRST LESS THAN 3 POINT GAME so far of the season and decided to throw out a slur that we’ve asked our Lawyers if we’re allowed to print...

Well....there you have it....Fair Play has been corrupted and #SayNoToRacism has come crashing down lads. All aboard, let’s build a wall and keep our players white only...Benny boy, if Salah is in your team after the international game week we’ll know your political beliefs are as flimsy as your team was this week. WE LOVED YOU BEN. YOU WERE THE MOST HUMBLE OF THEM ALL. WHERE TO FROM HERE? FUCK. THIS HURTS. I WANTED TO RIDE THAT MOUSTACHE.

On that note I’m going to rap it up...I’m tired man...tired of believing in things...like myself and my fantasy team. Good luck no doubt with all of you dropping your wildcards this international break you bloody sheep. As always, Get commenting on our posts and contribute to the banter. No excuse considering the amount of people we’ve got (28 people fuck me, I can only type so much you fucks). But! We’ll see you in just over a week for GW5...big things ahead lads. let’s get transferring

#TheBushTimes #BushTimesArticles

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