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fushitoru · 10 months ago

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chapter 2: the aftermath a bridgerton!au

pairing ⸺ duke!satoru gojo x fem!reader

summary ⸺ dearest gentle reader, a new season is upon us as the ton gets ready for a season filled with drama, heartbreak, and passion. after being crowned diamond of the season, heir to a dukedom mr. satoru gojo⸺only looking to marry just to secure his inheritance⸺has his sights set on you, the easiest (and most obvious) option. later, when you catch his saying unsavory things about you on a terrace when he least suspected it, you swear to never marry gojo. as london's fashionable set goes through yet another wedding season, will there be hope for scandalous gossip, hate, and thinly veiled insults, or will we witness blooming love and passion?

warnings ⸺ nsfw, enemies to lovers, bridgerton au, angst, fluff, eventual smut, jealousy, misogyny, regency era au, gojo being infuriating, reader also being infuriating, both of them are clueless honestly

chapter summary ⸺ after an eventful first ball after your debut, you continue the season with thinly veiled vexation towards gojo. but fate is not on your side; you and gojo keep encountering each other, matching fire with fire (7.8k)

a/n some parts of this chapter broke my brain to write but i kind of had fun! as always thank you to @/sinn-claire for beta reading :p i was going to say i'll try to have weekly updates but i don't want to jinx it lol

prev. the debutante | next. the manor

general masterlist | series masterlist

Dearest gentle reader,

It appears that Her Majesty has bestowed the coveted title of this season’s Diamond upon none other than Miss Itadori, who has indeed lived up to her newfound acclaim as the incomparable of the year. At the latest ball, our shining Diamond was quite occupied, with suitors lining up in such numbers that one might have thought them to be queuing for the royal throne itself. Furthermore, blooms were budding between many of the debutantes and gentlemen, including…..

...Yet, one particular couple captivated the attention of all: none other than Mister Satoru Gojo and our season’s Diamond. After having kept his words sparse and his attentions limited to none, Mister Gojo appeared utterly taken with Miss Itadori, conversing with her intimately on the dance floor. It seems your humble Author was indeed correct⸺Mister Gojo has entered the marriage market. However, the exclusivity he has adopted may not deter the determined maidens he seeks to avoid, for the Ambitious Mamas will no doubt perceive his selectiveness as a challenge to be overcome.

One cannot help but wonder if an announcement of particular interest will be made at the upcoming Gojo country house party. Although your Author has not yet laid eyes upon the guest list for the Duchess Gojo’s anticipated gathering, reliable sources suggest that nearly every eligible young lady of marriageable age will be journeying to Kent next week. The country house party is known to be a perilous affair. Married individuals often find themselves enjoying the company of someone other than their spouse, while the unwed frequently return to town betrothed with surprising haste.

Indeed, the most unexpected engagements often follow closely on the heels of such rustic diversions.

⸻ LADY WHISTLEDOWN’S SOCIETY PAPERS

Satoru had no intention of squandering his time this season⸺or at any time, for that matter.

The notion of love matches held little appeal to him, despite witnessing such a union firsthand in his own parents. Make no mistake, the Duke and Duchess Gojo enjoyed a happy marriage, and Satoru held both his father and mother in the highest regard. Yet, he was perfectly content on his own.

Being one of the strongest bachelors⸺both intellectually and physically⸺has been Satoru’s destiny. Ever since his ancestors had been blessed by the royal family with the dukedom, the Gojo family had made its goal to be the most powerful nobility and the closest to the royal family. (Which is still maintained in the status quo, because the Queen dotes on Satoru, inviting him for tea every fortnight. The Queen lavished him with overly sweet biscuits, and in return, Satoru provided her with the latest gossip from court).

But this responsibility doesn’t get fulfilled without independence; one had to accept the solitary truth that to be truly great was to remain unswayed by the fleeting pleasures of the world⸺love included.

Satoru had little time or interest for the other vices that tempted men of his station, such as lust. Contrary to the whispers circulating among the ton, Satoru had never indulged in the life of a rake or frequented brothels as many of his acquaintances did. Really, the allegations were, in truth, merely just a byproduct of his appearance and demeanor; with a young man with the stature, face, and eligibility of Satoru, the public would immediately like to slap on the label of “rake” due to his arrogant personality. Moreover, any encounters he had witnessed between men and women⸺whether dropping his friends off at brothels in his carriage after an evening at the gentleman’s club or overhearing flirtations at parties⸺struck him as shallow and an utter waste of time, especially when he was already a week behind on the ledgers and other official matters his father had entrusted to him. (He did have one indulgence, however: a weakness for gluttony, with an array of sweet confections as his loyal companions during long, sleepless nights.)

Marriage was an even greater burden. The thought of being accountable for a wife, and eventually children, seemed like a daunting task to Satoru. With sleepless nights spent on covering just a fraction of the business his father must do as a duke, Satoru was tired. He was exhausted⸺exhausted from the weight of responsibility, from striving to meet his father’s expectations, from seeking the Queen’s approval, from worrying over what Whistledown might print about him, and from the gossip of the businessmen with whom the Gojo family dealt.

And yet, despite this weariness, Satoru was gripped by an insatiable obsession with perfection, an obsession that only deepened his fatigue. He craved approval, power, and the flawless execution of his duties⸺desires that gnawed at him even as they threatened to consume him.

Which is exactly why he needed a perfect wife. A wife that was capable, could handle bothersome people⸺which he was steadily losing the patience to deal with⸺and a reliable companion. Someone that would reduce his stress, not add to it.

Satoru had spent all day lurking in the shadows as best as he could; being the most eligible bachelor did mean that brothers and sisters were coming up to him, singing praises of their debutante in an effort to capture his interest. But Satoru knew all too well that the loudest families often had the most to compensate for.

As ladies in white paraded before the crowd, many buckling under the weight of judgment and attention, Satoru prowled like a jungle cat, staying hidden in the throng, biding his time, and waiting for the right moment to strike.

What he noticed first about you was your way of carrying yourself. Even Auntie⸺the Queen⸺who, after seeing countless of girls today, had been incredibly bored, dragged her eyes over you in slightly more interest than she did for others. The moment you stepped through those grand doors into the court, it was evident to everyone that your stride was that of someone who understood her role and position in life⸺a confidence that set you apart from the other debutantes. Satoru’s eyes raked over you, observing you as your chest rose slightly as you took a breath in.

And then you smiled.

Satoru's eyes widened, just imperceptibly, as he watched your expression as you made your way to the Queen. He made sure to shake his expression off to a more nonchalant one as he watched your form walk. Lesser men than Satoru would die for your smile. Men, out of all traits a woman could possess, cherished a pretty visage the most. Yet, what your smile conveyed went beyond mere beauty; it embodied innocence and the qualities most esteemed in a demure bride (which Satoru knew was just all a show, but it was indeed indicative of your skill to put up appearances, hence deeming you a reliable companion).

The corner of the young man's mouth rose. When the Queen declared you the diamond of the season, Satoru knew he had found his quarry.

When the ball came, Satoru acted similarly: observing from behind, staying in conversation with his friends and other noble men that did business with the Gojo family as he prowled the ballroom, waiting for the right moment to ask you for your hand. And then Naoya came in when you were finally alone, away from all the incompetent men that dared to think they had a chance to court you, and Satoru almost laughed snarkily at how easy it all was.

Approaching you, saving you from Naoya��it was all a perfect construction of his. Dancing, he noticed your steps were carried out with a practiced perfection and grace, and your responses to his questions displayed a respectable level of intellect. He could tell your responses were practiced and simple, your constitution and demeanor a result of much effort into presenting yourself as best as you could. But what does it matter, when you do it so perfectly?

Maybe it was a bit naive of him, but you seemed to glow when conversing with him. It amused him, as he kept watching your pretty eyes as you kept smiling while he kept throwing difficult questions at you. It was all expected, however. Satoru knew he was blessed with the brilliant blue Gojo eyes and eccentric fair, white hair; he was the most eligible bachelor for not only wealth and power but reproductive capabilities and opportunities as well. Which lady wouldn’t want to be mother to his cute and beautiful blue-eyed babies?

After witnessing such mediocre men who paled in comparison to Satoru, surely you must be smitten. Gojo could see right through you: you, the diamond, have been looking for a man as meritorious as you, and you had found it in Satoru.

So why were you acting this way?

When you wake up in the morning and get ready for suitors, it is as you expected; there are multiple carriages outside your doorstep, and there is a line from the drawing room, extending all the way down the stairs. When Choso stumbles into the drawing room, where you and your mother are enjoying tea, he is clearly unhappy at the selection of men waiting to be let in to call upon you.

“This is absurd!” Choso’s hands raked over his hair in an effort to process the scene he had just witnessed. “Why do I see Naoya waiting outside?”

Your nose crinkled in distaste. “Well, dear brother, I certainly cannot control which suitors call upon me. He must’ve enjoyed our conversation yesterday. The enjoyment, however, is one sided.”

Choso’s eyes widened comically. “You had a conversation with him yesterday?” He then turned to your mother accusingly, who was reading a Whistledown while sipping on her tea innocuously. “This would not have happened if I was there, Mother. This is your fault.”

Your mother continued drinking her tea nonchalantly, waiting for a few beats to grace him with a response. “I prefer this, my son, to no visitors out there because our dear Lord Itadori scared all the bachelors away with his pickiness.” Then, her eyes flashed. “And don’t give me that tone.”

You snickered behind your palm as Choso visibly deflated.

“Kuna! Get back here!”

Pitter patters of small paws started to get closer and closer, as heavy footsteps followed it. Yuji and the family corgi, Sukuna Jr., burst into the room. Eyeing the biscuit in your hand, Kuna made his way directly to you, panting at your feet. A pet given affectionately by your-not-so-affectionate older brother, Sukuna, when he left for his year long trip around Europe, Kuna was the cutest little puppy. You and Yuji loved to spoil him, clearly shown as Yuji patted him while breathing heavily. You cooed as Kuna licked your fingers while inhaling the biscuit you had presented him.

“Well,” your mother stood up, having finished her tea, and began ushering in the maids to clear the table. “It seems our morning will be quite busy. You’d best be prepared for a long day, my dear.”

Choso was still grumbling as he took a seat across from you, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the long line of suitors outside. “I’m keeping an eye on that Naoya fellow. If he so much as looks at you the wrong way…”

You raised an eyebrow at your brother’s protectiveness, feeling both amused and touched. “Choso, I appreciate your concern, but I can handle myself. Besides, with Kuna here, I doubt any of these gentlemen will get too close without proper approval.”

As if understanding the conversation, Sukuna Jr. barked enthusiastically, his tail wagging as he looked up at you with bright, expectant eyes. You smiled and scratched behind his ears, watching as his tiny body wriggled with joy.

Yuji, still catching his breath from the chase, flopped onto the chair beside you, shooting a grin at Choso. “Come on, big brother, give her a break. It’s not every day our sister gets declared the diamond of the season. Let her enjoy it.”

Choso crossed his arms, still unconvinced. “I’m just saying, if any of these men don’t meet my standards⸺”

“Your standards?” you interrupted with a teasing lilt. “Choso, I’d never find a husband if I had to meet your impossible standards. Besides, you should be more concerned about finding someone yourself.”

Choso’s cheeks tinted with a slight blush, but make no mistake; he was hot with anger, ready to make a snarky retort. Your mother, who had been overseeing the maids, turned her attention back to the conversation with a soft smile.

“Your sister is right, Choso. It’s her time to shine, and as her family, we should support her, not make things more difficult.” She gave him a pointed look before turning to you with a gentler expression, and he backed down as he always does for your mother. “Now, my dear, are you ready to begin receiving your guests?”

You took a deep breath, nodding as you steeled yourself for the hours of polite conversation and careful navigation of the social battlefield ahead. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good,” your mother said, her voice laced with both pride and encouragement. “Remember, you are the diamond of the season. There isn’t a man out there who wouldn’t be lucky to have you.”

You offered a weak smile. “Let’s get this over with.”

As you walked toward the sofa where you would be talking with suitors, Kuna trotted alongside you, his presence a comforting reminder.With Yuji and Choso trailing behind, and your mother leading the way to open the door, you braced yourself for the onslaught of admirers waiting beyond the door.

But as you straighten your posture, in anticipation to greet the first suitor, you couldn't help but glance down at Kuna, who stared up at you with wide, curious eyes. You chuckled softly.

“Well, Kuna,” you whispered, “let’s see who passes your test today.”

Gojo’s gaze wandered down to Sukuna Jr. in your lap as you stroked his fur, and he gave you a saccharine⸺yet strained⸺smile. “Must this dog bear witness to our conversation?

As if sensing Gojo’s unfriendliness, Kuna started growling, and you could feel the rumble deep in his stomach. You met Gojo’s sweet smile with one of your own. “Yes.”

Gojo blinked, and the smile on his face faltered. You noticed that this was one of the first time Gojo’s ever expressed an emotion outside of smugness, and you count this as your personal win.

“Well,” he hesitated, and then a smile was on his face as if that stumble didn’t happen. “You look wonderful this morning, Miss Itadori.”

Your eyes flashed at his audacity to talk behind your back and try to fool you with flattery. “On the contrary, I think I look rather simple.”

Gojo, none the wiser as to what you were referring to, waved his hands. “Nonsense.”

Before you could respond, Kuna let out a low, rumbling growl, his sharp eyes fixed on Gojo. The sound was subtle, but in the quiet of the morning, it was unmistakable. Gojo’s gaze flickered down to the small dog, and his smile tightened ever so slightly.

You gently scratched behind Kuna’s ears, calming him, though his gaze never left Gojo. “I apologize on behalf of my dear Kuna,” you said, your voice light but nonetheless pointed. “He tends to be wary of many, particularly those he believes to be with ulterior motives.”

Gojo nodded, unfazed, and looked down at the dog in question. Upon eye contact, all your efforts to calm Kuna went to naught as the dog stood up, tense and teeth almost bared fully, to stare back at Gojo defiantly. Gojo, to his credit, was starting to be a little wary and was giving the pup an impassive stare.

“You know, I have an affinity for dogs. There are many pups that I have spent my entire childhood with.” He offered a chuckle and moved his hand to pet Kuna. “Dogs do have a way of sensing things, don’t they?” That was clearly the wrong decision because the dog’s growl grew louder, and suddenly, he snapped at Gojo’s hand. Before Kuna could sink his teeth into Gojo’s hand, however, Gojo smoothly withdrew it out of his reach.

“Protective, isn’t he?” Gojo laughed, but his stare towards Kuna was veering more and more into a glare. He tried to disguise his irritation by suavely adding, “Admirable. I’m glad he has protected my lady so well.” Gojo then grabbed your hand to give you a small kiss on the back of it while keeping eye contact. You had to divert your eyes elsewhere to avoid coloring your cheeks; while you knew this was just another one of Gojo’s pretenses to charm you, you were still fazed by it.

You cleared your throat and tried to uphold the conversation. After all, it would be outright rude to keep throwing thinly veiled insults his way when there were others in your company; he also had the potential to spread further malicious rumors about you if you showed attitude. You mustered up a fake smile, and offered, “He was a gift to me and Yuji offered by my older brother, Sukuna, when he went traveling,” you offered.

“Is that the brother you hoped to follow to Europe?”

You blinked and faltered. You didn’t expect him to remember that tidbit from your conversation at the ball last night. While most of the preferences you had asserted were artificial⸺supplemented to you by your tutor, who had drilled what fake preferences of yours would woo men⸺you truly did gain enthusiasm for the languages because you hoped to prove your helpfulness to Sukuna in an effort to run away from your inevitable debut. At the time, you were rebelling against anything your mama said, avoiding anything associated with being paraded around like an animal, put on display for men. “Yes,” you said slowly, “Yes, it is.”

Gojo smiled, this time a little more genuine at the fact it was his first time receiving an authentic response from you this morning, rather than something covered with a fake smile. Just as he leaned in slightly, probably preparing to make another smooth remark, Kuna, who had been shifting in your lap, suddenly stilled, his face buried in your lap and tail facing Gojo. For a moment, you thought he might be settling down.

And then it happened.

The largest fart ripped through the room out of Kuna’s arse, which was pointed directly in Gojo’s face. While you were not a scholar studying physics, you were aware that the air dynamics did not do Gojo any favors in preventing the smell from hitting him direct-on. Gojo’s eyes widened in surprise, and his suave expression faltered entirely as the smell quickly followed, filling the air around you both.

You could feel the heat rushing to your face in your effort not to laugh out loud. Trying to keep your composure, you gently patted Kuna’s belly, who was now face up, tongue lolling out in bliss. “Oh, dear,” you muttered, your voice strained with the effort to suppress a laugh.

Gojo, for once, was at a loss for words. His eyes were tearing up, probably at the smell; whenever you and Yuji spoiled Kuna with those biscuits, he dropped nasty-smelling dungs, and you knew Gojo wasn’t spared at all. The arrogant bachelor, who always seemed to have a witty response ready, was now at a loss of words as he weakly gazed upon the weak little poot! poot!s that escaped Kuna as you continued patting his stomach in an effort to relieve your pup’s digestive system.

At Gojo’s expression, you had to take quiet, deep breaths in an effort to rein in the cackles that were threatening to overcome you. You resorted to covering your mouth as you strained, “As you can see, my Kuna is quite expressive, and he seemed quite eager to show you that.”

He offered you a strained smile. “He does indeed generate quite a bit of wind.” At that, you could no longer hold back. Genuine laughter wracked through your figure, hurting your ribs as you tried to quell it with a hand to the mouth, but no avail. Your muffled laughter was still loud, and when the giggles subsided, you wiped your tears and threw an apologetic look at Gojo, preparing to express your regret.

But you stopped at the sheer wonder he contained in his face as his gaze fixated on your lips, which were drawn back in the ghost of the smile you had while laughing riotously. Without allowing you much time to dwell on it, he stood up and dipped his head in a little bow. “Well, I have been taking quite a bit of your time, Miss Itadori. I better let other suitors have their chance.” He kissed the back of your hand. “I hope to see you at the horse race tomorrow.”

“Likewise.” You couldn’t help but spy some red coloring Gojo’s alabaster cheeks as he made his way to the exit. As you greeted the next suitor, the imprint of a certain man’s lips continued to tingle on your hands.

“I told you he was a rake,” Nobara muttered as she scrubbed your arm with an intensity that matched her outrage. After hearing what Gojo had said about you, she was livid. Unfortunately, your skin was bearing the brunt of her frustration.

“Well,” you mused, trying to distract her, “what rumors have you heard that make you think that?”

“Momo told me a few months ago⸺” Nobara paused, her hands hovering over the various bottles on the counter. “Which scent would you prefer for your hair?”

“Sandalwood,” you replied.

Nobara nodded and poured some of the rich liquid into her hands before massaging it into your scalp. You closed your eyes, feeling the tension from the day's exhausting and dull conversations slowly melt away under her skillful fingers. “Momo mentioned that he’s often out late at night, which seems suspicious. But now that I think about it, Momo isn’t the most reliable source,” Nobara added, her tone shifting to one of skepticism.

You quirked an eyebrow. “Why do you say that?”

“There’s talk that she attempted to lure another maid’s husband into an affair,” Nobara replied, her hands now working the shampoo through your hair with a practiced ease. “She even tried to gain access to his quarters.”

You gasped. “How scandalous!”

“I know,” Nobara said, her hands now massaging the back of your neck with a gentler touch. “So, who knows how much truth there is to her gossip. But still, Gojo’s behavior is less than honorable, don’t you think?”

You sighed, gazing up at the ceiling with a mix of frustration and resignation. “He was gossiping about me with other men, calling me all sorts of horrible things⸺‘simple,’ of all things. And yet, he has the audacity to want to call upon me?”

“You know,” Nobara mused as she continued her task, “He sounds the exact opposite of what some of your books would imply.”

You hummed in agreement, recalling the radical works you kept hidden beneath your bed. Your mother would be appalled if she ever discovered them, but you often sought solace in political writings that challenged the rigid expectations of society. “I know. And that is precisely why I have no intention of encouraging his attention this season—at least, not before I ensure his complete and utter humiliation.”

“But do take care. His connections to the Queen are quite strong.”

You drew back from Nobara's hands, much to her chagrin. She gave you a glare while you exclaimed, "What?"

“Surely you’re aware that the Gojo dukedom is among the closest to the royal family?”

You fervently hoped your mother hadn’t caught wind of Gojo's status. Yet, the way she had been observing you⸺subtly scrutinizing you in the drawing room while feigning interest in a suitor awaiting his turn⸺suggested otherwise. She had certainly noticed Gojo's growing interest, and the thought of her getting involved, fixating on a match with him, filled you with dread. Drawing your hands over your face, you moaned, the very notion of her scheming to pair you with Gojo weighing heavily on your mind.

“But that should hardly be a concern if you’ve begun to distance yourself from him, correct? You have been creating some distance, haven’t you?”

Your silence spoke volumes, and Nobara, ever quick to discern your hesitation, gasped in exasperation. “You cannot seriously be considering giving this gentleman any encouragement, can you?”

"No, no, it’s not that,” you replied, massaging your temples in frustration. “It’s just that my mother is probably ecstatic at the prospect of securing a match between me and Gojo.”

“But surely, if she knew the things he’s been saying behind your back, she would understand.”

You tried to open your mouth to respond, but it felt as if your throat had closed up. Would she really? A match with Gojo would mean elevated status for the Itadori family⸺a duchess for a daughter. What worth is there in being the diamond of the season if not to secure the most advantageous match? The very thought made your chest tighten with the suffocating realization that your mother might very well advocate for the union, despite Gojo’s duplicity.

“I⸺” you swallowed. “I’m not sure.” Before Nobara could interrupt, you stood up and reached for your robe.

Nobara's brow furrowed as she watched you stand up. "Where do you think you're going? You’re not done with your bath, and your hair is still full of suds!" She reached out to stop you, her hands hovering as though unsure whether to pull you back into the tub or grab the robe you were now clutching.

You forced a small, tired smile, grateful for the distraction. “I need just a moment. The water's gone cold, anyway.”

“Oh, nonsense! You’ll catch a chill if you get out now. Sit back down,” Nobara insisted, her protest tinged with genuine concern. She placed a firm hand on your shoulder, guiding you back toward the warm water.

With a reluctant sigh, you allowed yourself to be coaxed back into the tub. The momentary reprieve from the conversation was a relief, and you welcomed Nobara’s determined focus on completing your bath. She picked up a sponge, her earlier frustration melting into concentration as she scrubbed your back.

“Well, we can discuss that scheming rake later,” she muttered, more to herself than to you. “For now, let’s get you properly cleaned up before your mother comes looking for you. She’d never forgive me if I let you appear anything less than perfect.”

You nodded with a lump in your throat, grateful for the change in topic, even if only temporary. The soothing rhythm of Nobara's hands working through your hair, the warmth of the bathwater, and the familiar, comforting routine helped ease the tightness in your chest. For now, the troubling thoughts of Gojo and your mother's ambitions could be set aside.

“Now, hold still,” Nobara said, her tone softening as she rinsed the last of the soap from your hair. “We’ll have you looking radiant again in no time.”

The conversation was left unfinished, hanging in the air like a question that neither of you was quite ready to answer. But for now, the silence was a welcome refuge.

"Do you have any notion of how impossible it is to charm a lady when there is a pup expelling such foul air right beneath your nose?" Satoru lamented, leaning back in his chair and raking a hand through his tousled hair. The trio gathered at the table presented a rather unusual sight: Satoru, visibly discomposed; Nanami, calmly sipping his drink as ever; and Suguru, nearly doubled over in laughter at his friend’s misfortune.

“Would you please⸺SMACK⸺cease your laughing?!” Satoru glared at Suguru, who seemed to be of no hope, now with tears in his eyes as he clutched his stomach and the back of his head, which Satoru had just hit.

“Truly, your vanity⸺haaah⸺your vanity was in need of humbling,” Suguru managed between breaths, still snickering behind his palms.

Satoru glowered, crossing his arms and staring daggers into his drink, as if his gaze alone could break the fine glass. “My pride had already suffered enough. She was positively frigid.”

Nanami hummed. “Perhaps she’s merely discerned your true nature.”

“It defies comprehension,” Gojo groaned, ignoring Kento’s statement. “What kind of lady disparages her own beauty as ‘simple’? I cannot fathom what has caused her such vexation. Only the night before, she was utterly taken with me!”

Suguru⸺who had now calmed down⸺was in the midst of wiping his tears when he suddenly stopped. “You don’t suppose it had anything to do with your careless words, do you?”

Kento eyed the pair in front of him with an accusatory side eye. “And what precisely did you say?”

“Satoru, in his usual fashion, could not contain his tongue. Out on the terrace, with the garden as witness, he spoke rather unkindly, referring to the diamond as ‘simple and dull.’”

“Nonsense,” Satoru waved his hands, dismissing the idea. “The lady would never wander the gardens at such an hour in the night unchaperoned.”

“I suggest you reconsider.” Kento gave him a stern look and continued, “I happened upon her last night, emerging from the gardens, and she appeared rather disheveled.”

This revelation gave Satoru pause, but if there was one thing certain about Satoru Gojo, it was this: his arrogance was such that he could scarcely fathom anyone, least of all a lady, finding his charm anything but irresistible⸺even if that very lady had overheard him uttering defamatory remarks about her. And this lady was one he could not let go of, unless he wanted to wave good-bye to his future.

“I am confident all will be well,” Gojo exhaled, his lips curving into a Cheshire smile. “Even if she did overhear, surely a few well-chosen sweet words will surely set matters right.”

(He was most grievously mistaken.)

“How many of those biscuits do you suppose we could finish?” Yuji was eyeing the biscuits from his seat next to you in the pavilion where you and your family were sitting. Out promenading with the other families of the ton, it was a scenic and beautiful day for you to mingle with even more suitors. The joy!

“Certainly less than me,” you remarked, sipping on your tea smugly. By the irritated pout on his face, you knew you were successful at getting a rise out of your younger brother. Knowing your mother wasn’t in sight, you quickly darted for the jam-filled biscuits, and your brother quickly followed in tow; soon, you were both stuffing your faces silly with the sugary treats.

“You two are incorrigible,” Choso scrunched his nose from where he sat across from you, arms crossed. “There’s no need to inhale those biscuits. What if someone sees?”

Yuji stuck out his tongue⸺now adorned with biscuit crumbs⸺and continued gorging, while you snickered at your younger brother’s pettiness.

“Miss Itadori.”

You began coughing wildly, caught off guard, and hastily straightened your posture to greet your guest. You turned to see Lord Ino, who offered you a slight nod before acknowledging your brothers. “Lord Itadori. Mister Itadori.”

“Lord Ino, nice to meet you on such a fine day.” You try to put a smile on your face as best as you can, even though you were caught off guard. “How do you find today’s weather?”

Takuma grabs the back of your hand to kiss it. “I find it wonderful for the prospect of promenading. Do you care to do so with me?”

“Of course,” You stand up and link your elbows with Takuma’s.

“We’ll be thirty paces behind you, sister.” You both turned to look at Choso, who was giving Lord Ino his inevitable protective glare. Given Ino’s acceptable station, Choso hadn’t immediately protested, unlike the many suitors he had chased out of your manor the day before. He grabbed Yuji by the elbow, who, with cheeks comically inflated like a chipmunk hoarding acorns, was promptly dragged away. “Yuji, get up.” The last you saw of your brothers was Yuji’s futile protests, his mouth too full to be coherent⸺inevitably sending some crumbs flying onto Choso⸺and Choso swatting him for it.

As you began your walk with Lord Ino, the conversation naturally turned to the upcoming horse race. “Are you looking forward to the race this afternoon?” you asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

“I am,” the lord replied. “And you?”

“Very much so,” you said, a hint of excitement in your voice. “I have a feeling that the less popular horse⸺Blaze, was it?⸺might surprise everyone. The conditions seem just right for an underdog victory; the track is soft and warm, which would favor Blaze’s build.”

Lord Ino glanced at you with a polite but unconvinced smile. “But Thunder has higher odds and more bets. It’s as simple as that.”

You couldn’t help but bristle at the word “simple,” a word that had recently come to grate on your nerves. You pressed on, though, determined to keep the conversation pleasant. “I suppose there’s some truth to that, but sometimes there’s more to a race than just the odds and popularity.”

Ino chuckled softly. “Well, a good mentor and friend of mine⸺Duke Nanami⸺agrees with the odds, and His Grace is someone I deeply respect. I tend to follow his lead⸺the duke has a way of teaching lessons without hindering one’s growth.”

Before you could respond, the sound of a trumpet blared in the distance, signaling the start of the race. You looked at him, giving him a courteous nod, gesturing in the general direction Choso and Yuji were supposed to be in. “It seems the race is about to begin. I must rejoin my family.”

You curtsied as he bowed, and you watched as he walked away, leaving you momentarily alone. You took a deep breath, trying to dispel the lingering irritation from the conversation. Just as you began looking for your family, you felt a presence approaching.

You turned to find Lady Mei Mei and her entourage closing in. Their expressions were a study in artful contempt, laced with curiosity and barely concealed amusement. The atmosphere between you was thick with unspoken competition, each woman silently gauging the other’s position on the social ladder.

“Miss Itadori, what a nice surprise!” Lady Mei Mei remarked, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “It appears you are alone and unchaperoned in a garden yet again! At least, according to what the rumors say. Was it part of yet another one of your charming ploys to get what you want?"

You met her gaze with cool composure, not giving her the satisfaction of a visible reaction. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

Lady Mei Mei tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as if appraising a particularly interesting specimen. "Really?" she mused, drawing out the word as though savoring it. "It’s just that Lord Gojo hasn’t spoken with you all day. Even if Whistledown commended you in the last issue, I wouldn’t expect his interest to linger." The two ladies flanking her⸺unremarkable save for their sycophantic attachment to Mei Mei⸺giggled behind their fans, as though she had delivered a crushing blow.

You allowed yourself a small, almost imperceptible smile, one that didn’t reach your eyes. "So I’m assuming he called upon you?" you questioned sweetly, your voice laced with feigned politeness.

For a fleeting moment, Lady Mei Mei’s carefully curated composure slipped, the faintest flicker of irritation crossing her face before she regained control. She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper meant for you alone. “None of the suitors will be interested in you any longer. The Queen may have mistakenly proclaimed you the diamond, but a pretty face, empty smiles, and hollow words can only last so long.”

“Whatever would be most convenient for you to believe.” Her words were empty and her threats dull, but you couldn’t help but let it compound on the irritation you had experienced today. But you knew better than to let your tongue loose; you were quite impulsive when you had started, and you didn’t want to start any scandal anytime soon. Instead, you held your ground, trying to maintain your composure (outwardly, at least) as Lady Mei Mei and her entourage turned to leave, their laughter echoing in your ears.

You tried to implement a few things your tutor had ingrained in you: taking deep breaths and setting your posture correctly. However, as you stood there, collecting yourself, the last thing you needed seemed to manifest before you: Satoru Gojo.

His tall figure approached you with that familiar, self-assured stride, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Ah, Miss Itadori," he greeted, a sly smile playing on his lips. You were already irritated, and it took all your will-power to stifle a groan.

"I couldn’t help but notice you were conversing with Lord Ino," he remarked casually.

Give him a smile. "Indeed, we were enjoying a promenade. It is, after all, what young ladies and their suitors are expected to do."

“Quite the choice in company!”

KEEP up the smile. "He is a nobleman, and I am of noble descent. I fail to see your point, Mr. Gojo."

Gojo’s smile was quick and cutting. “Oh, I’ve no particular quarrel with Lord Ino. It’s simply that he’s hardly the sort I’d expect to see on your arm. After all, he’s practically Nanami’s lapdog.”

You felt the familiar irritation rising within you⸺and you were fighting for your life trying to keep a smile on your face⸺but you kept your tone measured. "And what, pray tell, are you implying by that, Mr. Gojo?"

"It’s quite simple, really⸺"

But your patience, already worn thin, snapped at that word.

"My good sir, do you not think it rather dishonorable to speak ill of others behind their backs?" Gojo began to respond, but you cut him off. "It’s curious how quickly opinions can change, is it not? Just the other evening, you seemed to hold me in rather low regard. Tell me, do you often dismiss people as ‘simple’ when they fail to meet any of the lofty expectations you have set? Or do you perhaps truly believe yourself to be at a station higher than others?"

Gojo stiffened, the smile slipping from his face as your words hit their mark. Before he could respond, Choso appeared at your side, his protective presence a welcome relief.

“Is there any problem, sister?” Choso asked, his tone polite yet firm as he glanced at Satoru, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Gojo’s gaze flicked to Choso, his irritation clear as he opened his mouth to make a cutting remark, and you couldn’t thank the gods enough for Choso’s mother hen tendencies. But the words faltered when he recognized who had interrupted. For a brief moment, surprise flashed in his eyes before he masked it with a tight-lipped smile.

You seized the moment, turning to Satoru with a sweet smile. “I think our time is up, Mister Gojo,” you said, your voice laced with venom.

Satoru hesitated for just a fraction of a second before nodding curtly, his expression unreadable. “Of course. Until next time, Miss Itadori.”

With that, he stepped back, allowing you and Choso to walk away toward where people were gathering for the race. As you moved through the crowd, you could feel Satoru’s gaze lingering on you, but you didn’t look back.

“That horse appears rather stout, does it not?” Yuji squinted against the blazing sun as he observed the horses from his seat beside you in the grandstand. “Why has it garnered so many bets?”

Choso, seated protectively on your other side, kept a steady arm linked with yours. His presence was reassuring, though your irritation was directed at the figure seated just below you. Satoru Gojo, to your endless chagrin, was sitting with Lady Mei Mei, who had all but forced her way into the seat beside him. Though he tried to appear indifferent, his signature flirty remarks flowing with ease, you noticed the subtle signs of irritation crossing his face. Whether it stemmed from Lady Mei Mei's advances or from your earlier exchange, you couldn't be sure. You refused to meet his gaze, though you could feel his eyes on you intermittently as the crowd waited for the race to begin.

“Men can be quite foolish at times,” you remarked hotly, your voice carrying just enough to be overheard. “Some people value the superficial and materialistic over true substance, much like they do with horses. Blaze, for instance, has the qualities that truly matter.”

You could almost feel Gojo’s gaze intensify, and despite yourself, you glanced in his direction. Lady Mei Mei, ever the actress, feigned a stumble, exclaiming with a coy smile, “These crowds are rather rough on a lady!”

You scoffed inwardly at her transparent attempt to press her bosom against Gojo’s arm.

“Oh my,” Gojo drawled, his voice oozing concern. “We can’t have that, can we?” Ever the gallant gentleman, he interlaced his arm with hers. “Here, for extra protection. I wouldn’t want a pretty lady shedding tears beside me.”

Mei Mei’s smirk was as satisfied as a serpent after a meal, and she batted her eyelashes coquettishly. “If I were to cry, would you console me?”

“Of course,” Gojo replied smoothly. “Though I might find myself crying should my horse lose. The bets I’ve placed are rather substantial.”

A flirtatious giggle escaped Mei Mei’s lips. “Then I shall cheer with all my might, so you needn’t suffer any losses, my lord.”

You were perilously close to tearing your hair out.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm, my lady,” Gojo said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it with exaggerated flourish. “But rest assured, I am quite confident of a victory today. Thunder is swift and cunning, far superior to that... other horse. It’s simple, really—Thunder will win.”

Your composure cracked. “Yuji,” you called, your voice sharp. Your brother, who had been lost in thought, snapped to attention. “Despite the other horse’s popularity, Blaze possesses the one quality universal to all champions: speed and diligence. The track conditions are in its favor.”

Yuji, caught off guard, blinked in confusion. “Yes, of course, sister,” he mumbled, clearly unsure of why you were addressing him.

“And anyone who thinks otherwise,” you continued, raising your voice slightly, “is bound to lose their money. Sorely and simply.”

Gojo matched your tone, his voice ringing out. “But of course, it’s all in good fun. There’s no need for hostility over a sport, is there? Both horses are fine contenders, though I remain convinced Thunder shall emerge victorious.”

Mei Mei tittered, parroting his sentiments, but you could hardly see straight for the anger coursing through you. Unable to hold back, you retorted, “However, it is, after all, still a race. And Blaze will win.”

By now, your exchange had drawn the attention of those around you, including your brothers. Choso and Yuji exchanged puzzled glances before Yuji asked weakly, “Are you still talking to us, sister?” Meanwhile, Choso’s protective instincts flared, his gaze darting suspiciously between you and Gojo.

Before you could reply, the horses lined up at the starting gate, and the crowd collectively rose to their feet, including Gojo. “Steady now, Thunder!” he called out, his voice brimming with confidence.

Not to be outdone, you shouted, “Come on, Blaze!”

The bell rang, and the horses surged forward, the crowd erupting in cheers. Blaze and Thunder quickly pulled ahead, the two horses locked in a fierce battle for the lead. Thunder was currently ahead, its sleek form cutting through the track with precision.

“Steady, Thunder! Keep the lead!” Gojo’s voice was full of excitement, urging his horse onward.

Your heart raced with frustration as Blaze lagged slightly behind. “You can do this, Blaze!” you urged, your voice rising above the din. Without thinking, you began whistling sharply, drawing alarmed looks from your brothers. The stares from the crowd meant nothing to you as you focused solely on the race.

Blaze, as if responding to your encouragement, began to accelerate, its powerful strides eating up the ground between it and Thunder. You noticed Thunder’s pace faltering, fatigue setting in, while Blaze surged ahead, pulling into the lead with a quarter of the race remaining.

Now it was Gojo’s turn to whistle, his voice tinged with desperation. “Straight to the finish line, Thunder! Don’t let up!”

But Blaze only widened the gap, its momentum carrying it farther ahead. You couldn’t contain your laughter, a joyous sound that bubbled up from within as Blaze crossed the finish line first, with Thunder trailing behind.

“Goddamn it,” Gojo cursed under his breath, his frustration palpable. You clapped your hands in delight, your laughter ringing out.

With deliberate grace, you placed your hands on your hips and turned to Gojo, flashing him a triumphant smile. “I’m so glad the ‘simple’ horse won,” you said, your voice dripping with satisfaction. “It seems I’ve finally bested a duke.”

Gojo’s blue eyes bore into you, their intensity searing, but you met his glare with a boisterous laugh, savoring the victory as the crowd’s cheers and claps echoed around you. Until it was only the two of you, staring each other down.

Gojo ⸺ 0, you ⸺ 1.

Now, Duchess Gojo had always had a penchant for gossip, no one escaping her eye and observation. Of course, it was now the Whistledown era, for the unknown author could observe far more than the high-profile duchess, who was the receiver of much praise and attention due to her son’s eligibility. But this eligibility had only been achieved because of her ability to direct the tide based on her reconnaissance, and in all her years, no could match her sass and direction. Except one.

"You know, Lady Itadori," the Duchess remarked, her tone laced with feigned pensiveness, "the Gojo manor in the countryside has been dreadfully quiet, and, if I may say, it has been quite some time since we last enjoyed a proper tête-à-tête.”

The two ladies stood together near the stands, choosing a more secluded spot from which to observe the horse race. Lady Itadori, her closest confidante, met the Duchess’s gaze with a gleam in her eye. "Indeed, I must agree."

For a moment, the two women stood in silence, their eyes surveying the scene before them. From the ladies flirting shamelessly to the gentlemen scrambling for the favor of the season’s debutantes, they were like spectators at a grand circus. Yet, their attention was drawn to a particular act.

Raising her fan to her lips, Lady Itadori whispered conspiratorially to the Duchess, "I might add, my diamond has been spending a considerable amount of time in your son’s company."

The Duchess met her friend’s eyes and laughed lightly. "How many days do you wager it will take in the manor?"

Lady Itadori, now fully smirking, gave a delicate shrug. "It took you and the Duke but four days."

prev. the debutante | next. the manor

general masterlist | series masterlist

a/n: reader is hearing boss music rn

forced proximity whatttt

gojo when kuna ripped one in his face

comment, reblog, and send in an ask to let me know ur thots :3 memes are also appreciated <3

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bigbad-tardis · 1 year ago

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I don’t normally do meta analysis on tumblr of Doctor Who episodes but I’ve seen people so far reducing Dot and Bubble as a critique of Gen Z and the obsession with social media and “no one wants to work these days!” When I took away a different interpretation of the episode.

Dot and Bubble is about a group of rich white settlers. They’re so rich that to them two hours of work is too much and by their own admission they spend all their time partying otherwise. But I think it’s that scene at the end that really cemented my interpretations of the episode. The other member of the survivors is like “we can live like our ancestors and tame the wilderness.”

They’re trying to capture the magic of the good old days when they aren’t equipped to handle it, but not because of social media, but because they’re so out of touch with reality due to their rich backgrounds! *Lindy gets Ricky September killed and then tells people a lie in order to save her own skin, but also ends up with an ownership over his memory. She tells everyone that she couldn’t stop Ricky from going back to save more people but her tone reminds me a lot of the people on rich reality shows. “He was so brave.”

Idk where else I’m going with this but just something I noticed and thought was interesting about the episode.

*Edit addition: the reason I brought that up was because it’s the kind of ownership over something that isn’t theirs that is only really found by rich people. See Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn Monroe’s dress.

#doctor who #doctor who spoilers #fifteenth doctor #ruby sunday #dot and bubble #dot and bubble spoilers

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ihavetoomanyocsdealwithit · 4 months ago

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You break down into tears and tell them: "It’s been so long since I’ve felt this happy, I think I just got overwhelmed. You make me happy.”

Heartslabyul dorm; Savanaclaw dorm (here); Octavinelle dorm; Scarabia dorm; Pomefiore Dorm; Ignihyde Dorm; Diasomnia Dorm

Leona Kingscholar – It isn’t often that his dorm throws a feast, but when they do they party like, well, animals. He knows that you haven’t had a chance to really experience any of the cultures outside of the Isle, and let’s be honest, if there is anybody who needed a break in this damn school, it was you.

You had crashed into his lounging spot, legs weak from dancing and a drink placed in your hand. He doesn’t think anything of it, telling you that it’s safe. He had meant the drink. But when you look at him, you hear something different. Something whole, something that echoes in the way he shares his bed with you, his dorm, his food, his people, rough and tumble as they are. Even when you are fighting to earn your share, you know that he wouldn’t allow things to go too far.

When he looks at you trying to hide the tears, and even your soft explanation, he understands completely. By the Ancestors does he understand.

He pulls you deeper into his chair, his jacket tossed over your head as he hides your weakness in the seclusion and dark.

“One day, you’ll get the lion’s share.” He rumbles, rubbing at your arms while you sip on your drink. “Joy will crack under your teeth and you will never hunger for it again.”

Ruggie Bucci – It isn’t often that they hold a feast at Savanaclaw but when they do they party like, well, animals. Ruggie especially has been looking forward to this for weeks. Free food, great drinks, dancing until the sun comes up, and all those delicious leftovers to snack on and hide away!

He never expected to get you on the dance floor, but you learn fast, hips swaying and stomping with beats from his home. It’s only when you two finally come together, sweating and out of breath that he realizes.

When you explain though, he starts laughing, his own tears pinpricking until the both of you are simply taken off the floor, your hysterical laughter almost concerning. Ruggie picks the both of you up, splits a donut and eases the both of you back into the couches.

“We are going to be rich in joy one day,” he tells you, eyes shining as he wipes the tears from both of your eyes, “You’ll be drunk of it, with no end in sight.”

Jack Howl – You are one of the few people who will at least try and keep up on his runs, and he appreciates it. He knows it’s mainly for the views at the end, but you come none the less, and it’s nice to have a running buddy, even if he has to run a bit slower for you.

When the sun peaks out over the water, it’s a sunrise he’s seen a dozen times over. The sun in bringing a glow to your face, the wind tossing your hair around, he still appreciates little moments like these were the both of you get to get away. That’s when he sees the small trail ghosting over your cheek.

He doesn’t fully understand, but he pulls you in anyway, nuzzling into your neck until you start giggling from his hair.

“Most people don’t cry when they’re happy, you know.” He murmurs, but his tail is going a mile a minute behind him.

#twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #twst #Leona Kingscholar #Ruggie Bucci #Jack Howl #twst Leona #twst Ruggie #twst Jack #twst yuu #twst x reader #twst x yuu

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sxorpiomooon · 7 months ago

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How will your fs family or ancestors react to you? A pac reading

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Pile 1-

This is HILARIOUS bc I see them stressing out so bad there will probably be issues in you guys getting married or together something about being unconventional I am suddenly reminded of nobody wants this the new netflix show? The story is basically of how a woman who runs her sex podcast gets together with a guys who's rabi. I see their ancestors panicking bc they will be like omL tHiS IS TERRIBLE THR WORST THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED to .... Um wait..... It's actually not that bad? I see them panicking then finally catching their breath like oh.. oooohhh it's not that deep I heard "we're fine, we are fine" lmaao it's gonna be so hilarious. Do watch that show guys

Pile 2-

This is extremely rude and outrageous but they might feel as if their son has wasted his potential I heard "years of hard work going into the drain" there will be a lot of drama I also feel like this is possibly mainly the mother of your fs very dramatic and doing all that for no reason sort of lady. She will probably be causing issues and trying to bring you down every chance she gets. Instead of they i keep thinking of a she again and again it's def their mother. They will feel as if they have lost and will be extremely disappointed. Oml so much drama lord I can hear an old woman crying for no fucking reason. She might give alot of taunts such as "oh irs mt fault I raised you wrong this is my failure" blahblahblah I heard old hag LMAOO so yes, don't listen to that old hag my pile 2<3

Pile 3-

Finally a good pile🙏

I think they'll be quite stressed I got Italy for some reason I also think you'll be randomly revealed to them so it might take them as a surprise like huh? They might have not been aware of you before which will cause them stress. But later on I see them loving you so much especially the mother. I see the mother being the most stressed first and then ending up loving you the most. One of the parties might travel to meet the other? They will welcome you in their home very warmly. I see them treating you like their own never making you feel like an outsider lmao very close it's like they are your parents now too. "I'm coming home I'm coming home tell the world I'm coming home" i keep hearing this song again and again I'm also hearing stand by you by rachel platten. I'm even seeing wings for some reason haha. Something that I see is that they will also admire the love that you are your fs will share. Very beautiful family lord I'm seeing orange colour sunset too. Suddenly saw that super famous cute kid rustyn too.

Pile 4-

Hell naww, they will 100% try to persuade their son/daughter to leave your behind. I see them pulling dirty tricks😭 They might even manage to cause a rift between the two of you but I see y'all coming back together eventually again. I keep seeing someone travelling via boat in the water maybe they will quite literally try to separate you by sending them to some foreign lands but I do see both of you getting together again and them realising that they won't succeed. There might be this financial or class divide between the two of you which is why they'll do it. This reminds me of this webtoon that I was reading recently "the child that looks just like me" give it a read if you wish to.

Thankyou!!

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onion-souls · 2 months ago

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I remember reading that in some of Lovecraft's later letters, he had a profound change in his racism and otherwise unpleasantness. Do you know what I'm talking about? Might you know where to find those specific correspondences?

(Going to be citing letters throughout this, which can easily be found by googling Lovecraft letter to [named correspondent] [date]. Don't have time at the moment to hyperlink everything.) I wouldn't say profound, but he mellowed out. His most extreme racism shows up largely in his 1910s to 20s writings, which is when he was talking about a "Teutonic master race" of which the Anglo-Saxon was the superior breed, the genetic inferiority of the Celts, and praising the KKK. This started to diminish largely due to exposure to people. He learned he was partially Welsh, and he began a deep friendship via correspondence with Robert E. Howard, who, like many Irish-Americans of the time, had a strong connection to a fantastical image of his Celtic ancestors revived through the late Victorian imagination. His anti-Celtic statements were always something of an affectation of British Imperial attitudes rather than anything that really made sense for a turn of the century Rhode Islander, and they were the first thing to fall away. His antisemitism also shifted after his meeting with his wife of seventeen years, Sonia Greene, and friendship with Robert Bloch; apparently he would still say dumb shit but they were quick to call him out on it. In his November 8, 1934 letter writer John Vernon Shea, he expresses embarrassment on some of his older and then still lingering views and specifically asks Shea not to quote them at Bloch. Possibly the most influential figure in his social circle, however, was James Ferdinand Morton, Jr., an anarchist political writer, Baha'i convert, and NAACP member frequently who took Lovecraft to task for his racism and basically helped him see that the KKK was a terrorist organization. Lovecraft had hideous views but he was also a rather soft sort - not from an anti-racist angle, but actual violence was a thuggish act unsuited of a gentleman. This was also what was causing some of his shifts in his antisemitic statements in that 1934-37 period; he was still bigoted, but didn't like the news that coming out of Europe.

But he also never dropped his anti-Black racism, and I would recommend looking into his correspondence to Morton, particularly his March 23, 1931 letter, where he dismisses Franz Boas' well-evidenced skepticism towards the then fashionable anthropological racial divisions. He was willing to change and even deconstruct his views on everyone else, but kind of put his foot down when it came to Black people. By 1934 (and note that he died on March 15, 1937), his attitudes had largely shifted to a kind of Anglo-Saxon Cultural Supremacism mixed with his growing sympathies with non-Marxist Utopian socialism (somewhat of the Edwardian progressive H.G. Wells sort), best expressed in his November 22, 1934 letter to poet Natalie H. Wooley [Collected with his letters to Robert Bloch] and a January 18, 1931 letter to Morton . He basically started to ease up on the genetic racism (though the anti-Black racism never went away, at least not in anything recorded his writing) and pivoted to a notion that anyone could plausibly achieve an equal level of civilization as the WASP/"Nordic," but he still had a strong streak of racial/societal separatism, expressing a distrust of "cultural mongrelism" as late as January '31 [to Morton]. The one thing I would push back on is the common statement that he was unusually racist and antisemitic for his time, which really isn't true considering that his most extreme statements were also platforms of mainstream political parties in the 10s to 40s, and the pulp fiction published alongside his works were pretty much just as shitty, if not worse. It's just that he and Howard are some of the few pulp magazine writers from the period that we still read, so the cringe lingers. He was always a bigot, despite some evolution, but what's particularly interesting about him is that he was willing to maintain a social circle of people who would call him out on it. Complicated guy, but I think a lot of this is wondering what he would have become if he lived to see the 40s to 60s and kind of hoping that he would have kept changing.

#lovecraft #h.p. lovecraft

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gloomyluvr · 5 months ago

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TANS AND WHORES (just one and his name's rafe)

in which rafe plans a last minute beach day

fem!reader x rafe cameron

fluff

warnings!: playful whore and slut shaming (between reader and rafe), not a warning but reader is kinda suggested to have darker skin than rafe

a/n: may the ancestors forgive me for writing about a white man who'd probably call me a beaner if he was real 😓🙏. it's so hard to write any petnames in english cuz it's not what the language i use for petnames typically. but i have to compromise and have reader call rafe something silly or simply just rafe 🥸 pls lmk of any spelling errors tysm!

beach days with the pogues were definitely one of your favorite past times. no doubt about it. there was just something so intimate about spending the whole day together by the ocean without a single care in the world other than partying, surfing and being inebriated.

but you loved beach days with rafe cameron just a bit more. especially when rafe was the one who planned them.

it was only 10am when the buzzing of your phone from under your pillow had awoken you. you groaned, annoyed that someone had disrupted your beauty sleep. without even looking at the contact , you answered the call.

“what.” you made no effort to hide your annoyance.

“hey baby, you just waking up?”

quickly, you sat up. your sour mood instantly turns sweet at the sound of your boyfriend's voice. “hey sexy, yeah sorry i slept real late last night. what’s up?”

rafe chuckled at the switch up, “the uv’s at 9 and supposed to reach 11 so, i thought we should go to the beach. it’d be perfect for you to try that oil.”

“aww you remembered! you’re such a cutie patootie, awww!” you teased.

“yeah yeah, whatever. anyways, i have our bag packed. i want you ready by 10:30. i’m about to leave tannyhill.”

you pulled your phone away to check the time and gasped. “rafe it’s already 10:16! that’s not enough time to get ready!”

“yes it is, you don’t needa put on makeup or do your hair. just throw on a fucking bikini,” he demanded, “i already packed some extra clothes in the bag just in case we go somewhere after.”

you groaned into the phone dramatically, letting your frustration be known. but rafe stayed unbothered, already used to your bratty attitude.

“10:30.” he restated before hanging up.

at the beach, rafe set up your spot with your towels, umbrella, and chairs all while you stood next to him serving looks. once everything was set, you kneeled on your towel while digging into the bag rafe had messily packed, desperately searching for your tanning oil as rafe sat on the towels behind you, putting on sunscreen as you had advised him the u.v. rays were far too intense for his sensitive pale skin to handle.

“baby can you get my back please.”

you looked back at rafe only to find his bare back facing you, “put on a shirt whore!”

“you’re literally wearing the skimpiest bikini ever, slut!” rafe called back, used to your usual antics.

you gasped, “i’m gonna let you burn until your skin flakes off.” you threatened, smacking the blonde’s back causing him to grunt.

“do it then.” he challenged, knowing you would never let him suffer such pain. responding in a sigh you stayed quiet as you gave in and covered his freckled back with spf. “how come you can practically be naked while i can’t even take my shirt off.”

“because,” you massaged the sunscreen into rafe’s tense muscles, “i’m super hot and sexy and i have an even hotter and sexier, jacked, six foot something boyfriend who can fight. unfortunately for him, my manicures matter to me too much to wanna ruin them. that and i can't fight for shit. okayyy my turnnn!”

you quickly handed rafe the expensive ass tanning oil you begged him for. according to you, it worked wayyy quicker than the typical drugstore oils that had barely even tinted your naturally tan skin plus it even had skin benefits or some bullshit.

rafe only hummed, before switching places with you. he poured the greasy oil into his hands, rubbing them together. he scoffed, not believing he had spent nearly 100 dollars on the oil. not that it had hurt his wallet or anything, he just didn’t understand what the big deal was. regardless he bought it for you just to see the smile he loved so dearly.

large hands began messily roaming your back. rafe made sure to get every nook and cranny of your back, partly because he wanted to protect you from the sun, but mostly because he would take whatever chance he could to touch you.

“want me to help you with your front too?” rafe asked ever so kindly, but you looked back at him to see him with the biggest smirk on his face that immediately let you know this generous offer was nowhere as innocent as it seems. he raised his eyebrows, eager for a response.

“fine, but don’t be nasty.” you turned back around, patiently waiting for rafe as you watched the waves crash.

“yea yea, whatever you want.” rafe muttered. you didn’t have to see your boyfriend to know that he had the biggest smile on his face, with no intention of staying true to his word.

bonus a/n: originally, this was supposed to be a bit longer, i was gonna write them in the water just bullying each other but then it became really suggestive and like i scrapped it.

i write to have a lil rafe cameron fluff in the sea of smuts and angst 😓 and yet here i was, close to unintentionally writing smut !!! beyondddd ashamed of myself. but no hate to smut writers, i love u freaks 🙂‍↕️

#rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron blurb #rafe cameron obx

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ghouldump · 8 months ago

Text

Trick or Treat | Lestat de Lioncourt x Reader

ෆ sneaking into the supposedly empty townhouse, you are met by a surprise

literally something fun and random since we’re officially in spooky season 😆🎃

“what are you supposed to be?” the random girl asked, as you stood in the mirror, applying the burgundy lipstick.

“a vampire,” you said, sitting the stick down to reach and tighten your corset.

“could've had me fooled, i thought you were a hooker,” she cackled, while you frowned.

“and you are?”

“poision ivy-

“are you sure though, because it’s giving fiona in shrek forever after,” you said, the rest of your friends laughing, while she frowned, storming out of the crowded bathroom.

“bitch,” you mumbled, watching the door as she walked away.

you had allowed your friends to drag you to the nightclub, the prices were half off for those with costumes, which is why you dressed up to begin with. you loved to party, but not tonight, not when you intended on binge-watching all of your favorite halloween movies you'd seen too many times to count.

“i’ll be back, i need some air,” you mumbled, leaving the restroom before any of your friends could stop you.

stepping outside, you sighed, it was refreshing to be out of the humid building. the wind blowing in the night sky, as the tourist crowded the french quarters. you didn’t see the hype, everything was always overpriced — but your friends insisted, claiming all of the potential hook ups would be in the club tonight.

“y/n, are you okay?” kasey, a close friend, came out of the club, her eyebrows slightly raised.

“i’m fine, i’m just not feeling it, i think i’ll catch an uber home,” you said.

“i can bring you-

“no, i don’t want to ruin tonight, i’ll text you when i’m home, you have fun,” you told her, hugging her as she nodded.

“see you later,” she said, going back into the building.

opening the app on your phone, you were about to type in your address, when the voice caught your attention.

“this is the house of the famous rockstar, lestat de lioncourt, he claims to be a vampire,” the tour guide said excitedly, as you slowly approached the group.

“do you think it’s true?”

“well, new orleans has always been a strange place, so we can’t be sure — but he could have a potential ancestor who’s name was also lestat, who moved here, from france,” the guide explained, making you look at the large townhouse.

you were just now hearing about this. you had seen the rockstar a few times in the media, but you had no idea he lived in new orleans. there was too much history from all over the city, to be fascinated by one individual, who could have been a vampire.

pretending to be on your phone, you waited until the group moved along before you slipped past the fence, and went to the door. twisting the knob, you were surprised to find the door unlocked. were they not afraid people would sneak into this house?

shutting the door behind yourself, you turned on your phone’s flashlight, and walking through the house. first, the living room, vintage, yet timeless, each piece of furniture, costly in price. thousands of books, most you hadn’t even heard of, your fingers lightly dragged across them. moving upstairs, you stopped at the first door, twisting the knob, but realized, it was locked.

going to the second door, you entered the master bedroom, eyeing the king-sized bed in the middle of the room, you walked from corner to corner, touching any and everything, when you accidentally triggered a lever — opening a hidden room. seeing a singular coffin, you gasped.

the rumors seemed to likely be true, you couldn’t wait to get home and text the group chat about this. turning to leave, you jumped back, as your flashlight was pointed at the blonde man, who stood around six feet, with peculiar blue eyes.

“oh my goodness, you scared the hell out of me,” you said, making him grin. his expression was sending chills down your spine.

“it isn’t nice to enter someone’s home without their permission,” he said, as you stared into his eyes, it dawned on you, that this was the rockstar…who is a vampire.

“i am so sorry, i wasn’t thinking, but i really need to get going-” you went to move around him, when he moved in front of you, the lights turning on. he hadn't even touched the switch, and yet the room had lit up in an instant.

“i can’t just let you leave, not after what you’ve seen,” he said, smiling as you backed away.

“i won’t tell anyone, i don’t know why i-

“shh, shh, you’re so afraid,” he said, his smiling growing, as he reached to touch your pounding heart.

“please don’t hurt me,” you shut your eyes, turning your head.

“trick or treat”

“excuse me?” you opened your eyes, facing him.

“trick or treat, let’s determine if you deserve to leave so freely,” he tilted his head.

“treat,” you gulped, as he grinned, his fangs showing.

“are you supposed to be a vampire?” he asked suddenly, chuckling.

“y-yes” he was the first person to get it right all night, in the first guess.

“i mean, i see it, but it’s a bit stereotypical, don’t you think,” he said, crossing his arms, as he examined the costume.

“where did you get it?” he reached, tracing the fabric.

“spirit…halloween,” you said, as he rolled his eyes.

“that explains why it feels so cheap,” he said before he was back staring at you.

“please don’t kill me”

“you’re an eccentric human, your thoughts are so complex, i think i’ll keep you around,” he said, moving closer. your thoughts were like a storm, conflicting, while intriguing.

“mister-

“don’t worry, chèrie, you are destined for a treat unlike any other,” he said, pulling you closer, his fangs sinking into your neck.

“is it still ringing? i can try calling her,” kasey stressed, a few hours into the morning, she realized you never texted her. the sun was now setting, and they were scrambling to get in contact with you.

meanwhile, in the luxurious townhouse, hidden in the secret room — lestat laid in his coffin. your phone lay on the counter, ringing for the millionth time, but you didn’t hear it. straddling his lap, there was a light thumping from the shifting of the coffin. your moans filled the walls, as lestat traced up your pretty skin, now covered with the beauty marks of his fangs.

coming down from the euphoric state, you leaned down, kissing his soft lips. moaning, you giggled as he kissed from your lips, onto your neck, before his fangs were back in your neck. your eyes rolled back, moaning at the feeling. while it hurt, the first few times, there was only pleasure now.

pulling away, you stared into lestat’s eyes, kissing his lips, tasting the iron from your blood. you couldn't help but admire the amount of control lestat had over himself.

“will you turn me into a vampire?” you asked him, as his hand went to your neck, tracing down to your shoulder.

“do you want to be a vampire?” he asked, as his hand moved back up, laying against your cheek, as you nodded.

“when i was younger, i used to pretend to be one,” you admitted.

“prove yourself to me, and we can discuss the possibility,” he said, as you pecked his lips once more, nodding in understanding.

“can i have your autograph, my friend are probably losing their minds, and i need a really good reason why i haven't reached out,” you told him, your nails trailing down his chest.

“of course, but i expect to see you back tomorrow night,” he said matter of factly, holding your hand, as you carefully stood.

going to your phone, your eyes widened at the number of calls and messages. “oh my-i don't think that will be enough, they’ll probably hate me after this,” you stressed, flenching, as he ended up behind you in a matter of seconds.

“tell them you were busy, stuck in a game of trick or treat,” he winked, as you nodded, beginning to get dressed. grabbing a marker, he signed your cleavage and sent you on your way, fully expecting you back in the next few hours.

god, you loved halloween.

i can't decide if i prefer a happy ending, or angst, like ughh

#amc iwtv #interview with the vampire #lestat de lioncourt x reader #lestat x reader #lestat de lioncourt #iwtv

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thewritetofreespeech · 9 months ago

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Could I request Astarion and Gale with a reader who's a descendant of a famous mage and acts super nonchalant about it?

Astarion

When they tell him about their ancestry, for no other reason that to make conversation, Astarion is surprised to hear the name.

Even when he was a mortal, that name was one of legend. People often forget that there are a lot of names like Elminster out there. Old names that conjure as much power in the name as the person themselves.

He can’t say he’s surprised. Looking at their face he could tell that they were apart of ‘nobility’.

Astarion does wonder if that gets them any perks, being related to a famous person. Entry to some secret society? Party invitations? At least a discount at Sorcerous Sundries?

Gale

“You’re related to---!” “Yes. Gale. I am. Can we stop taking about this please?”

The moment Gale finds out he is shocked, impressed, and a little hurt that they never told him about it.

How could they not tell him that they were related to an icon of the arcane arts? Furthermore, they let him just look like and idiot when they met, going on & on about his studies and being a great wizard. It's so embarrassing!!

Eventually he gets over it, and forgives them (though they don’t need forgiveness), and instead focuses on pestering them with questions about their ancestor and if they have any ‘relics’ from the late mage. Seeing the family’s little ‘exhibit’ of the great mage’s artifacts (which are really just a hair brush, some robes, and a non-magical necklace) becomes one of his reasons for living against the big Brain.

#;ask and ye shall receive (request answers)#baldur's gate #baldurs gate #bg3 #bg3 headcanons #headcanons #baldur's gate headcanons #baldur's gate hc #astarion #astarion x reader #astarion x tav #astarion ancunin #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale x tav #bg3 gale #headcanon

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avatarloverfrfr · 2 months ago

Text

Carbon Copy

Neytiri x daughetr!Reader; Jake x daughter!Reader; Sully Family x Child!Reader

Chapter 2: Demons.

Masterlist

Previous: [prologue] [chapter 1]

Summary: Despite leaving their homeland, Y/n holds onto her mother's values. However, tragedy strikes with Neteyam's death, shattering Y/n's innocence and sparking a raging fury within her, forever changing her carefree spirit

"Devil Dog, this is Eagle Eye, Over."

As Lo'ak and my father speak through their earpieces, I tuned out. Tuk and I were the only ones in the family without them. My gaze lingers on the abandoned shack, where my parents fought Spiders father.

A knot tightens in my stomach. I hate when they use code names. Hate how foreign the tawtute li'fya sounds in my ears although I've heard them speak it multiple times. Even though my father is— was one of them.

The sound of that language stirs a pain I never lived but have inherited. A pain woven into the stories ma sa'nok and the elders passed down. A pain that will never fade. That will be carried for generations. And hearing them speak it now feels like a betrayal to My People.

Snapping out of my thoughts I catch the end of their conversation.

"Me, Spider, Kiri... Y/n and Tuk."

Lo'ak hesitates before saying our names— Tuk's with even more reluctance than mine.

"Te'lanä le-Na'vi. Oeru teya si, oeru teya si." I mutter, trying to remember the lyrics as I leave Moat's tent. She taught me the songs of our ancestors— the ones they used to sing before the Hometree was destroyed. She says Eytukan loved hearing her sing it before he met Eywa.

I once heard ma sa'nok singing it too— well not exactly. I was spying. She had been reminiscing about the past, about how life was when her father was still alive and olo'eyktan. I thought maybe if I learnt the songs from her childhood, It'd make her happy. Maybe then she wouldn't always be on edge, like she was constantly waiting for someone, for something.

"Attack! Attack!" Tuk's voice breaking up random village chatter. She zooms past, flying her Toruk toy, the one that has been passed down to Tuk from Neteyam. A scientist calls after her, but she ignores them, lost in her own battle.

I slip past Tuk and into the kelku, where Spider and Kiri are. Kneeling besides Kiri, I watch as she carefully applies medicine to Spider's arm.

"I'm definitely faster when I'm blue," he says with a smirk.

Kiri laughs, and I stare at him, a small smile tugging on my lips. Spider is odd— a tawtute. Who is constantly trying to prove himself to everyone in the village, it's impressive how brave he is even with such a small body, he's even braver than Norm. Sempu tolerates him, but sa'nok despises him for what he is. My siblings and I consider him a brother.

Hearing the hunting horn blare. My heart leaps as I bolt outside, knowing my family is in the hunting party.

"They're here!" I yell sprinting toward the ikrans descending from the sky. Tuk's excited voice trails behind me, her footsteps quick.

Lo'ak and Neteyam dismount their ikrans, their heads down. Something happened. Something bad.

"Fall in." My father's commanding voice cuts through the air catching Neteyam and Lo'ak's attention.

"You're supposed to be spotters. You spot bogies, and you call them in," he says, frustration laced in his tone as he looks them over. "Get here!" he gestures for Lo'ak to step forward.

Kiri nudges ,e toward Lo'ak while she checks Neteyam for any injuries. My mother sees my expression and immediately leaves Tuk's side to assess the damage.

"Kiri, help your grandmother with the wounded, please?" Dad's voice softens when speaking to her.

"Our brothers are wounded, sempu" I say glancing at Kiri as she rolls her eyes at our fathers words.

"Please girls, you too Tuk. Go."

We begrudgingly leave, but the last thing I hear is Neteyams voice.

"Sir, I take full responsibility."

Sir.

I hate that word, it has no warmth to it, no love. It forces my brothers into soldiers in my fathers mind. It's human. It is not the way we speak. Not the way Na'vi were meant to be. The People do not speak to one another like this, and my father knows it.

Now in the healing tent as Kiri and Grandmother tend Lo'ak and Neteyam, there was a light atmosphere as our father was out the way and it was just us kids and our grandmother.

"Aww want a kiss on the boo boo?" Spider teases.

I laugh, the weight of the prior moments finally breaking. Mo'at flicks me with her tail, silently demanding the medicine I've been holding.

"I would use yalna bark," Kiri says shoving Lo'ak playfully out the way.

"Who?" I ask, handing the medicine to Mo'at.

Kiri turns to me, scowling.

"Asked," I finish with a giggle.

"And who is tsahik?" Mo'at adds with a smirk.

I giggle even more before turning back to Lo'ak, who just shook his head, a small but distant smile on his face.

"What punishment did sempu give you this time? Me and Tuk are coming with you," I sway side to side, waiting for his response.

"Ikran duty." he groans.

We rush through the jungle, my father's orders still ringing in my ears. Plants and branches blue past as we leap over roots and weave through the trees.

Tuk walks ahead, "Come on guys, it's almost eclipse—"

Suddenly an avatar lunges from the shadows, grabbing Tuk in a crushing grip.

She lets out a sharp cry, and I stumble back my knife instinctively clutched in my hand. Before I can react, another uniltìrantokx slams into me, shoving me toward where my family stands, ambushed.

"Put it down, or I'll shoot you!" A soldier snarls, his rifle aimed squarely at my head.

"Drop it! Now!" another barks.

"Y/n, yem tsal nkell," Lo'ak urges, his voice tight with fear. My fingers tremble as I grip the knife, my knife which my songcord was connected to. Before I can decide, one of the avatars wrenches it from my grasp.

The songcord snaps.

The beads scatter, vanishing into the undergrowth of the grass underneath us.

A hiss rips from my throat, but more guns rise in response. Kiri's voice breaks through the tension, screaming for me to stop. My chest heaves. I'll find a way to get it back.

But then— pain.

A searing, blinding pain.

One of them yanks my kuru, and I collapse, knees slamming into the dirt. A scream is torn from my throat, raw and guttural, the agony unlike anything I've ever felt, like fire seeping into my very soul, severing something sacred. My stomach churns, my vision blurs, my breath stutters.

"Shut the fuck up!" The soldier gripping my queue sneers, pressing my own knife against my throat. I bite down on my lip to stop another scream, tears burning hot trails down my face.

"Hey Colonel, check it out, five fingers, We got a half breed."

The one holding Kiri lifts her trembling hand.

The leader approaches, his boots sinking into the damp soil. He studies her, then moves to Lo'ak.

"Show me your fingers."

Lo'ak lifts both middle fingers. Only something he, Kiri and my dad can do.

"Yeah you're his alright." Then he turns to me. The soldier behind me finally releases my queue, but before I can breathe, my wrists are seized.

"You might not have five fingers," he muses tilting his head, "but you sure as hell look like that Sully woman."

I hiss, baring my teeth.

"And just as crazy." he adds, smirking as he walks away.

Then without warning, he grabs Lo'aks kuru and yanks.

"Where is he?" he demands, twisting the queue in his hands.

Lo'ak grits his teeth, refusing to scream.

I force myself to look away, I can't bear the see my brother in pain. I focus on anything else, the ache pulsing through my skull, the parts of my songcord which lay there, parts of my life left sprawled on the damp jungle floor something that has always been apart of me now discarded like none of it even mattered.

The soldiers drag us back to the abandoned shack, the place where it all started.

"Lyle, pull the audio from this," the Colonel orders.

"That's Sully's woman," he sneers. "She's an animal."

Night falls.

They line us up. Tuk by my side, we hold hands as long as we can. The rain falls in sheets, masking my tears, but I can still feel them.

Yip

My ears twitch.

I turn to Tuk silently, she nods.

Yip

Sa'nok.

To anyone else, it's just another sound in the jungle. To a Sully— it's a declaration of war.

The night is silent, too silent. No birds, no animals. Eywa knows.

Yip

Suddenly an arrow slices through the air, striking the avatar holding Kiri and Spider. Chaos erupts. Lo'ak pulls a pin from one of the soldiers smoke grenades

Gunfire. Screams. Smoke.

Tuk and I sink our teeth into the arms of the soldier restraining us. He howls in pain, losing his grip on us, "You little shits!"

"Tuk, come!" I grab her wrist, dragging her toward the trees. I have to get her out. I have to—

My mother's yell echoes through the chaos of the jungle.

"Demon! I will kill you as many times as I have to!"

I spin to Tuk, breathless. "Go with Spider and Kiri. I'll be back!" I don't give her time to argue as I run the opposite direction.

Straight to where my songcord beads lie scattered in the dirt.

The gunfire is deafening, but I don't care. I scramble through the mud, searching.

One, Two, Three.. Nine—

Where is it?

"Y/n, Y/n Come!" Sa'nok's voice is close, desperate.

I dig frantically, fingers shaking.

Then— she grabs my arm. The realisation hits me like a tidal wave.

It's gone.

My bead.

The one I got when we first officially considered Spider our brother, apart of the Sully’s.

Back at the home base, we huddle outside of our kelku, listening in on our parents.

"This thing.. this thing is Quaritch."

My fathers voice is quiet, but it cuts deep. The name alone makes my stomach churn. The man who almost killed us today.

"I cannot, You cannot ask this. I cannot leave my people. I cannot." My mothers voice cracks.

Lo'ak kneels beside me, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I lean into him, closing my eyes, listening.

"This is our home!"

"Quaritch has Spider! That kid knows everything!"

Spider would never—

"He will lead them here!"

"Wherever we go, this family is our fortress."

Later that night, Mo'at tends to my kuru.

I sit cross-legged, trembling with my back to her as the flickering firelight casts a long shadow against the walls of the kelku. My scalp burns where the vrrtep grasped my kuru. The pain sharp, relentless, but it doesn't compare to the ache in my chest.

The kind of ache that makes your body feel too heavy for your bones. the kind that settles in your heart and refuses to leave.

Tears slide down my cheeks, warm against the cold night air. I try to stay still, try to be strong, but my breath stutters with each sob I try to swallow.

"I don't want to go, grandma," I whisper. My throat feels like it's closing up. "Please... you are tsahik, don't let us go."

Mo'at says nothing. She doesn't need to. Her silence isn't cruel, it's knowing. Her hands steady as they've always been, worn from time and wisdom. She dips the cloth into the warm water and presses it gently against my scalp. The sting makes me wince, but I don't pull away. Her touch is grounding.

Her hands, so strong, now move slowly, as if trying to mend more than just more wounds. She hums quietly, soft and low, the song she taught me earlier. A plea to the ancestors.

I close my eyes.

That same song... I imagined singing it one day as tsahik of the Omatikaya, standing proud beside the Tree of Souls. I imagined teaching it to those younger than me. I imagined growing old here, under the glow of Eywa's light.

"It's not fair." I say, louder this time, the words jagged and wet. "We belong here. I belong here."

Mo'at pauses.

Then she rests her hands on my shoulder, warm solid. I lean into her touch like I did as a child. " Ma Y/n," she finally says, her voice soft but unwavering, "we do not choose the road. Sometimes the road chooses us."

I shake my head, tears falling freely now. "Why us? Why our family? Why do we have to leave."

She cups my cheek, turning me gently to face her. her eyes sine in the firelight, tears but also strength. The kind of strength I don't think I can gain.

"Because Eywa walks with you," she says. "Even when you do not feel her. Even when the path is heavy, long and full of sorrow. You carry the soul of the People with you, wherever you go."

I want to believe her. I want so badly to believe that leaving doesn't mean losing everything. But my hands are still empty. My songcord although fixed is missing something. My home is behind me.

And all I can feel is pain.

I bury my face in her shoulder and let myself cry. Not like an overprotective sister. Not like the daughter of Toruk Makto. Not like someone who is brave.

Like a child.

Just a child.

Who wants to stay.

Who wants to be whole again.

Who wants to be seen.

Mo'at wraps her arms around me, and I know, I am seen. I am loved. I am not alone.

But it hurts.

It still hurts so much.

This is like stones in my heart. Tarsem is wise beyond his years. He will be a strong olo'eyktan. The leader must die. So the leader can be born. Toruk Makto must disappear.

The next morning we walk.

The forest is quiet. no birdsong, No rustling, Just the sound of our footsteps through the soil and the distant cries of the ikrans circling. It's as if the whole of Eywa is holding her breath.

I walk behind Kiri, my fingers barely brushing hers, craving comfort but unable to reach for it. Tuk clutches my mothers hand tightly. She doesn't speak. None of us do.

I glance over my shoulder. the village. The People. Mo'at and Tarsem stand infront of the Tree of Souls. the glow of Eywa's presence radiates around them, faint but steady.

Mo'at places two fingers to her forehead and slowly brings them down.

I see you.

The gesture splits something open in my chest.

I lift my trembling hand and return it.

I see you. I will always see you.

Tarsem nods once. Strong, solid. Like the leader he is.

The further we walk, the heavier I feel. Like stones are tied to my limbs dragging behind me. The weight of my broken songcord tucked into the pouch at my side, but it might as well be a thousand tons.

I left a piece of my life scattered across the forest floor.

That missing bead.

My bond to Spider, my memory of seeing him as not a human, not as an outsider, but as a brother, that piece of me is gone.

I don't know if I'll ever get it back.

I sniff and wipe my face, but it doesn't matter. My cheeks are soaked.

Ahead, sempu walks tall, like he always does. His shoulders don't falter. But I know. I know him. His silence is screaming. He's just as broken, if not more.

Sa'nok walks beside him, her gaze straight ahead, jaw tight. Every few minutes she glances back. Toward home. Toward Mo'at. Toward the forest that shaped her.

Kiri walks like she's carrying a storm inside her chest. Lo'ak is quiet— too quiet— and Neteyam's face is unreadable. Like he's already somewhere. Somewhere colder.

Toruk Makto must disappear. So the People can live.

What if I don't want to live like this?

What if I'd rather stay, even if that means fighting till my last breath?

I don't say it aloud though.

Because I know they'll say I'm young. That I don't understand why we need to leave.

But I do. I understand everything.

I'm just not ready to go.

And maybe... I never will be.

so... how we feeling?🤘🤘🧍🏾‍♀️cause i wanted yall to feel happy, sad, sad. I didnt proofread btw. why don’t yall wanna be tagged like?😒👊

Taglist:

@sparks0918 @neytirismissingtoe @ikeyniofthetayrangi @fluorynn

#avatar 2009 #avatar #omatikaya #avatar x reader #neytiri #jake sully #avatar2022 #awotw #angst #avatar angst #neteyam #neteyam sully #loak sully #kiri sully #avatar 2 #atwow #tuktirey sully #avatar the way of water #mo'at

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hrrtshape · 18 days ago

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I'm not sure if you've already told this story, but I'd love to read how you and coryo met in your hogwarts life. Love u and have a great day

get comfy.

right so CONTEXT FIRST OBVIOUSLY. i'm a pureblood but we're NOT related don't even start with that i literally scripted us UNRELATED i am not here for cousin-core leave that to the malfoys. i come from a veela bloodline that is like soooo annoyingly diplomatic and glamorous like baby's first cold war was hosted in our parlour. i scripted that veela magic is considered high-class and mythical and dangerous and too pretty for its own good. and THEN from my dad's side i have the whole RUSSIAN ROYALTY THING LIKE. great great whatever was probably making samovars with the tsarina. maybe. possibly. the point is i walk around like i have five ghosts of winter palaces up my ass. so. yeah. elegance. but in a girlie way. a little frothy. a little poisoned tea party

AND THEN there's coriolanus snow who is just.......... SO. he's fancy in a completely fascist boarding school way like he looks like he'd kick a puppy but he wouldn't. he'd give the puppy a lecture on state loyalty and then feed it the best pate you've ever seen.

he's old money but not like black family old money, not velvet and skeletons in the closet, more like marble busts and national holidays named after ancestors. it's a different vibe. it's scary but intriguing. he never did the inbreeding thing or maybe he did but it's chic when his family does it. whatever. anyway

SO WE MET. OBVIOUSLY. at a winter gala. where else do emotionally constipated pureblood heirs meet their shrieking half-veela future soulmates. i was FIVE. he was SIX. i was holding my mum's champagne flute cause she told me to stand still and look photogenic. he bumped into me and gave me the FLATTEST 😐 FACE I'VE EVER SEEN. like fully looked at me like i was something he'd have to scrub off his dress shoes later. and i??? was obviously infatuated at him like he'd just given me a tiara and told me i was princess of geneva. i thought it was romance. i was so girl. i was doing twirls in patent leather shoes and asking about the napkins

but it wasn't enemies to lovers. that's boring. that's low-hanging fic fruit. it was more like…….lucy and schroeder. he'd be reading a book about magical infrastructure reform and i'd be behind him trying to hex my dolly to do backflips. he hated james potter. james was my COUSIN. i LOVED james. we lived near each other. and for YEARS it was just. me visiting the potters. him appearing. me shrieking. him doing the 😐 thing. me somehow ending up sitting on his piano bench trying to play the minute waltz with one finger while wearing a tiara

he did NOT understand why i was always there. i was loud. i was sparkly. he thought i was contagious. i was obsessed with storybook dragons and i asked about his hair all the time. i'd turn into a fox just to mess with him. i once bit his ankle. he still brings that up. he NEVER got why he didn't hate me. he didn't like me but he didn't not like me either. it was why is she here and then why are you pulling her away. let her be annoying in peace

and THEN OBVIOUSLY puberty happened and HE GOT TALL. AND HE GOT MEANER. AND PRETTIER. and i lost my braces and people started saying we were meant to be and i started throwing things. i was 15. he was 16. it was giving i saw you across the great hall and spilled ink on my parchment just to distract myself from how you were laughing with your prefect friends in that SHITTY smug way you do. and then he'd look over. and i'd go full 🧍‍♀️

when he hit 6'3 and his dad got elected minister and mine didn't re-elect he started walking like the floor owed him interest. and i STILL annoyed him. STILL FOLLOWED HIM. STILL accidentally apparated into the same room as him at the christmas party and tried to style it out by pretending i needed to borrow a book on wand law. IT WAS A WHOLE THING

and now look at us. soulmates

#asks #emma motivates #emmas marauders dr #reality shift #shifting motivation #desired reality #shifting community #reality shifting #shifting #realityshifting #shifting realities

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astrow0rldx · 8 months ago

Text

Dark Asteroids

TW Very Dark Themes of Human Experience & Nature.

Look at the house its in to show where it would show up, and its aspects to see how it influences different energies in your life.

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narcissus (37117) - narcissist. your side, or people in your life.

nessus (7066) - abuser, r@pist, predator. sexual abuse, obsession.

dejanaira (157) - ^ nessus victim. victim of these.

proserpina (26) - ruined innocence, abductions.

persephone (399) - ^ similar story. where time is not your own. held hostage, absence caused strife.

melete (56) - anxiety.

deprez (9795) - what makes us sad

pan (4450) - earthy carnal energy, lust, chase, desire.

maniac (228029) - inner maniac, where we do things other wouldn't, unexpected hobbies or passion.

lie (26955) - where you lie or manipulate, or get lied to about.

ate (111) - rushing to conclusions, delusional. respond to perceived, or real threats.

lucifer (1930) - where you are powerful. pride, egotistic. where you gain followers by manipulations. how you transform. why you look for revenge.

phaeton (3200) - dangerous behavior, people that got carried away, car crashes, accidents.

icarus (1566) - accidents, excessive risk.

nemesis (128) - enemies. vengeful self.

sado (118230) - sadistic dark sexual expression. borderline pain. thats that make us sad hard time expressing.

myrrha (381) - sexual relationships that go against natural law.

medusa (149) - your the prettiest, natural beauty can be corrupted by others. assault. punishment for something that isn't your fault.

karma (3811) - karmic connections, circumstances. fated.

tantalus (2102) - never getting what you want. always out of reach, temptation without satisfaction.

furia (194982) - our anger. what proves it. what attitudes bother us.

cassandra (114) - a gift & a curse. where your rejection ruined your life. where no one believes what you say

anubis (1912) - egyptian god of the dead.

grieve (4451) - grieve, grief, mourning, sorrow.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

for Nessus and pan to be in my 7th house i do attract those type of people. lustful, predatory men. but like in my actual relationships to.

furia is in my 4th house and i get really angry in the home, my mars is also there. narcissus is in my 4th house and and i have a narcissistic mother. my ancestors i work with seem to be very strong and aggressive to.

phaeton, dangerous behavior, accidents, and car crashes are prevalent in my dreams stuff like that and it's in my 12th house. also mania is there and spirituality, drugs, sleep/dreams, psychology could be where i have an unexpected hobby and passion others wouldn't.

icarus is another dangerous behavior, excessive risk. in my 5th house of parties, sex, creativity, entertainment etc. while deprez is there to that causes depression. as i read or write out celebrity chart analysis, everything puts together as lore, jhene aiko, jeffery dahmer, donald trump, etc. so as im writing mines out and its just mini asteroids, i love to see the depths, and art of my birth chart.

my lucifer is in the same house as my lilith the 3rd. also where my sun and venus is. and i do have really good mental manipulation skills, lying and using my words to scheme. but im only so aware because im not to much in my ego about it and never really liked to since a kid except when i needed to, but was always aware of that "power". nemesis is there and that is also my vengeful self. ate is also there in my 3rd house lol, rushing to conclusions, delusional. respond to perceived, or real threats. but these characters are very influnced in my school life also. im also a big trickster, love mind games, dark humor,etc.

tantalus in my 2nd house is frustrating. so as medusa in my 6th house of day to day activities & work environment. proserpina and persophone in my 10th and 2nd house is scary.

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alexrosa13 · 3 months ago

Text

Unhurried Moment

Rafayel x female!reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings: 2k words, mc!reader

Note: fanfiction for the ongoing Rafayel Birthday contest: link to the X post here →

for masterlist and request info head to the navigation →

Rafayel's birthday celebration has come to an end, let's spend some more time together away from the prying eyes, in the arms of the man you love the most.

To say that this day has been spent well would be an understanding.

Rafayel's birthday came to an end together with the clock hands pointing midnight.

The sun has set a long time ago, but the lights placed all around the beach allowed the party to go on until now.

Laughter, singing and games turned into a calmer atmosphere with hours passing by and people slowly disappearing from the celebration.

"I know, it's just the way he is." you giggled, currently having a conversation with Auntie Talia about Rafayel, talking about how he loves to act all sassy and diva-like while also wanting to be treated like a princess (that he is), of course you talked about it only to purposely annoy him since you knew he is currently eavesdropping on your little gossiping time.

"Excuse you?! I do not act like a spoiled brat, what are you two implying here?" you hear your lover's annoyed tone coming from behind you, turning his way you send him a playful smile while holding up your glass of champagne.

"Aww baby, it's okay, I love you just the way you are. Your bratty personality is just another part of you that I can't live without." you took a sip of the liquor while watching him attentively, slowly his expression turned from annoyance to shock, the blush slowly showing itself on his face and ears, easy to miss in the faint light surrounding you.

"Now you just want to act all innocent like a moment ago you didn't complain about my 'moods'. You won't be forgiven that easily. And you Talia, how could you betray me like this and agree with her?" he looked at the woman with betrayal and hurt.

"Oh Rafayel please, you know very well how we adore you, but you have to admit that this woman's patience for you is otherworldly." she decided to tease him even more while also taking a sip of her drink and chuckling a little at his deepening shock.

"So that's how it is? I'm the bad one here?! You all are teaming up to beat up the already laying guy." he crossed his arms across his chest while turning his head away from you.

Both you and Talia laughed at his reaction.

"And now you're laughing at me, I'm a victim of bullying here." he looked at you as if you just had the audacity to curse his whole family and ancestors without even saying a word.

Leaving your already empty glass on the table you stood up from your seat and made your way to your annoyed fishy.

Being close enough you simply tugged him into your arms, one arm wrapping around his waist with the side of your face planted against his chest as you continued to chuckle.

Your free hand took a hold of the fabric of his shirt, gently playing with it between your fingers.

"I'm sorry darling, I'll stop teasing you, please don't be mad at me." you looked up at him with a smile, clearly proud of your actions.

"And now you think that you can bride me into forgiving you with sweet words and cuddles?" he glanced at you with the same annoyed expression still on his face, not returning your hug.

"Please Rafy, you know you can't stay mad at me for too long, you love me too much." you smirked, while trying to stay in the act of a cute, innocent girl.

He was this close to finally breaking, but instead of giving in he turned his head towards the ocean, clearly not able to stay irritated while you looked at him with those pretty eyes.

"I'll leave you two to it, it's time to call it a night." Talia announced loudly, standing up and gathering her things while trying not to look at the two of you with a knowing expression.

"Have a wonderful rest of the night Auntie and get home safe." you said while sharing a look with her and exchanging smiling.

"Thank you sweetie, I wish you a peaceful night. I hope your birthday was well spent this year Rafayel, and take care of this girl, she's a gem in today's world." finally the man turned to look at his aunt.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning to let her go any time soon, she's stuck with me." and finally his arm came to embrace you, not able to deny himself the comfort of your body pressing against his any longer.

"Aren't you two adorable, goodnight." she smiled and made her way towards the still remaining at the party people to say her goodbyes.

You simply waved at her before turning to your boyfriend once again.

"Have I earned his Majesty's forgiveness?" you asked playfully and his eyes turned to look at you, a smile finally breaking through his stern expression.

"Hm I don't know, I think that his Majesty needs way more apologies and attention for you to earn his forgiveness." he says, looking at you with squinted eyes, curious about your next move.

Your palms went higher up, holding his head between them while you gazed straight into his eyes.

"Oh please my dearest, handsome darling, forgive me for I have been mean to you and you deserve only the best, nicest, kind words to be spoken about your beautiful being. I'm sorry for saying that you're needy and bratty, please never change, I love you exactly the way you are, nothing you do annoys me, you're perfect and all mine." with every spoken word your body leaned closer into his until your face found itself an inch away from his.

"Well you passed the apologies part, but with the attention part you still need to try harder." and right then and there your lips landed on his pretty ones, sharing a long kiss that felt almost magical together with the ocean breeze and sounds of the waves swaying your way.

Not caring for even a moment that someone from the still going party could have come out from around the corner and see you, the only thing important to you being the person in your arms.

His palms wandered to your waist, gently holding you through the material of your clothes, while your arms hugged his neck, bringing him even closer to you.

Eventually you slowly pulled away, studying every detail of his face visible in the faint light like you haven't already encoded every inch of him into your mind times and times before.

You smiled at his expression, his eyes staying focused on your lips while his mouth opened slightly taking a deep breaths.

"Have I passed the attention part now?" you asked, to which he still didn't seem like waking up from the daydream about your lips on his.

"I think that it will take you some more time to earn full forgiveness, you know." he said and before you could have laughed in response his lips came crashing back into yours, a hand on the back of your head forbidding you from moving away.

Your eyes closed once again while you savoured the familiar feeling of his kisses.

You felt more drunk on him than on the alcohol you had consumed through the night, your sweet, sweet addiction.

And he wasn't fairing any better, lost on your taste, the thought of parting from you a painful needle pricking his heart again and again.

But he couldn't stay in the moment forever, the only thing allowing him to let you move away being the promise of more moments like this to come.

Your eyes met, a soft and short giggle escaping you and leaving a lovestruck smile behind.

"Now?" you asked.

"Not yet." he whispered while admiring you attentively, his muse.

You chuckled once again, head falling to his chest.

A comfortable silence fell onto the both of you, heads turning to watch as the waves meet the sand before leaving the shore again.

The hug surrounding your body making the chilly wind go unnoticed, it felt peaceful.

The chaos of your daily life shared with the lemurian artist leaving your mind for a little while, allowing you to simply relax in the moment, in the arms of your lover.

Slowly you moved away, sending him another warm smile before walking over to the table where your purse was lying.

Standing right before it, your hand fell to the edge of the glassy surface, holding onto it while bringing your leg up a bit, allowing you to take off your shoes. Looking up at Rafayel you gestured with your head for him to do the same.

"What are you planning?" he bent down to follow your acts, soon enough finding himself standing barefoot on the cool sand, shoes with tugged in them socks in one of his hands.

Taking your purse and your footwear you made your way back to him.

Your free hand reached out to him, silently asking him to take it which he did without a hint of hesitation.

"Let's walk to the car like this." slowly you moved forward with him following you closely behind, not paying any mind to the quests, leaving without any goodbyes.

You heard a soft chuckle leaving him before silence once again fell between you two.

Lazily you strolled along the shore, sand cracking under your feet with every step, palms holding onto each other tightly.

At some point you found yourself close to the water, jumping up a bit when the cold waves touched your skin.

Rafayel laughed with you following him shortly, the joy coming from the fairytale-like moment making both of you feel light and blissful.

Unhurried you finally made your way to the parking road, you were about to walk onto the hard cement but Rafayel untangling his hand from yours made you pause.

Not answering the question in your eyes he moved to wrap his hand around your back while the one holding his shoes found itself under your knees, in seconds you found yourself in his arms like a bride.

Letting out another laugh you hugged his neck with your free hand, the other letting your shoes and purse dangle on your lap.

Your head fell to his shoulder, enjoying the short walk to his car in his hold.

Right next to his vehicle you looked through your purse in search of the keys, finding it you pressed the button unlocking the car.

With minimal effort he opened the passenger door and put you down onto the seat leaving your feet outside of the car before moving to the trunk, taking two towels prepared by you for today he unfolded one lying it on the footwell before you.

Giving you one more kiss on the lips he allowed you to put your legs inside, next to your shoes, closing the door behind you before walking to the other side.

Sitting down on the driver seat he cleaned his feet from the sand the best he could before putting his socks and shoes back on.

A minute later he got ready to turn the vehicle on when a hand on his arm stopped him.

Turning to look at you he sent you a silent question with his gaze, but your answer came in silence too.

Your palm gently met his cheek before you moved closer, leaning above the central console to kiss him one more time, staying glued to his lips for quite some time before slowly turning away to fasten your seat belt.

Looking up at the view before him he turned the car on.

A wonderful birthday indeed.

#rafayel x reader #rafayel x you #rafayel x mc #rafayel fluff #love and deepspace x reader #love and deepspace #l&ds #lads #lnds #rafayel #rafayel love and deepspace #love and deepspace fluff

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