#yes portia has lost her mind

[bklynmusicnerd]

I have conflicting feelings about the writing for Trina in response to Spencer's never-ending custody plan. I see what they're trying to go for in terms of Trina trying to draw a connection to her learning to accept an unorthodox family unit with her possible two dads and trying to get Spencer to accept that his psycho ex is his "brother"'s mother. But I can't shake the feeling that there's this dancing around of the truth between Trina and Spencer when it comes to this subject that's very unlike them.

Part of the issue is that the plot itself is nonsensical, and so the writing to justify its continuance is convoluted as hell. Trina's approach to Little Miss White Privilege has for the most part been to stonewall her and give her as little ammunition as possible. It's a frustrating but smart strategy because her inability to get in Trina's head clearly frustrates Esme, which is one of the reasons why she's so triggered by her. But I still feel like demon spawn has messed up Trina's threat assessment of Esme.

She keeps doubling down on this idea that Esme will make sacrifices for her child, that she can be reasoned with if it's for the benefit of her child. But that's not how a sociopath like Esme works. I feel like Trina wants it to be this way because she wants Spencer to have access to the family he has left in demon spawn, but she's also never really supported Spencer fighting for custody of demon spawn. So when Spencer correctly comments on what that would mean for Trina to be regularly in her tormentor's orbit, Trina just claims that she's gotten used to her and it's just something she has to deal with.

Spencer praises her for this response, and it's all very sweet, but it's also concerning. It doesn't really matter if Trina has gotten "used to" Esme, Esme is triggered by Trina's presence and will never get "used to" her. This is Trina once again making a calculus that Spencer is "worth" this risk while also not properly assessing the risk she's in. This is the downside of Trina's savior complex at work. She's biting her tongue about her discomfort over this proximity to that psycho and saying she can handle it because she figures if she says that then it's one less thing for Spencer to worry about and he can calm down faster.

I'm not liking the vibes of this because Trina downplaying Esme as a threat is coming at a time where all of a sudden characters who suggested otherwise like Laura and Sam, are admitting that she's probably a snake that can't change. So Trina, who has always been cautious with Esme, suddenly not being for Spencer's plans sake, makes me concerned that they're setting her up to be a sitting duck again. The last time they wrote her this way around that girl, Trina was drugged and framed for a crime she didn't commit. I feel like Spencer trusts Trina's judgment so much that it's not hitting him that her assessment is not objective and very much clouded by her wanting the best for him.

I'm also concerned because Trina did something similar when she was dating Rory, too. She bit her tongue until it bled about not wanting to go away to comic con with him because she was prioritizing his feelings over her comfort. And deep down Spencer knows Trina is engaging in her "sacrifice" pattern but he's following her lead that it's okay and so he continues with it. Trina focusing on protecting Spencer's feelings is also leading to her not being as honest with him on this subject as she usually would be. Its not just her, Laura too.

Spencer is developing an obsession with demon spawn that goes past the typical brotherly love. It may be "principled" but that doesn't mean it's healthy for him. His concern for demon spawn is wrapped up in complicated feelings of being preyed on and feeling like he failed as a son. Spencer is just moving from perceived obligation to perceived obligation with no clear indication that he's thinking about his own future in any way.

I doubt someone as goal-oriented as Trina isn't wondering about what it means for her boyfriend to have such a singular focus on this one thing at the expense of the rest of his future. But while as "friends," they'd call each other out on their crap by now. It's almost like Trina and Spencer are so protective of their relationship right now that they're censoring themselves, especially in the case of Trina. I don't think that's sustainable because that's not really who they are, and I'm curious to see when these unsaid things come to a head.

[myfairstarlight]

Alright, let's talk about Colin's entrapment line and why Penelope offering an annulment was significant, shall we? Arguably the most controversial part of this season, isn't it?

I'm not going to delve too long on the entrapment line again actually, but to summarise, Colin has been traumatised by a similar situation before, and right now, he's hurt. And the thing about being angry with your best friend is that you know what to say to hurt them the most. We see it in Eloise's and Penelope's fight, as they threw each other's insecurities in the other's faces. Colin, two episodes ago, was defending Penelope against Portia, who was accusing her of entrapping him, so yes, his mind will jump to that first. But also note that the whole time he refuses to look at her, because he knows his words are cutting and will hurt and he knows his resolve would break if he looked at her, which is contrasted by Penelope directly looking at him to tell him she loves him and did not mean for this to happen like this. He does not look because he knows she loves him, this is not Marina's situation exactly who only wanted a way out and did not see him as much else than a means to an end, and that's why it's so much more difficult to deal with for him. Penelope loves him.

And he's already almost lost her once, as angry and hurt as he is, he cannot fathom the idea of letting her go, when he remembers how empty he felt without her letters, or at the idea of her with Debling. So he's still here, determined to marry her.

So now we get to e8. The marriage was not technically consummated, and the Lady Whistledown business is finally settled. So Penelope offers the annulment, to set him, and his family, free from her mess.

They never directly address Colin's entrapment comment again, but with Penelope offering the annulment, it is now implied she's been thinking about this the whole time. It is a very real possibility that by that point, Penelope already knew she was pregnant, and it's been speculated if she told Colin in that scene after Francesca's wedding or not (I personally don't think she did, to not add to his guilt at that moment, and perhaps to not influence his decision, knowing she would be offering the annulment soon) and it parallels Marina's situation again, except in this case, Penelope does not wish to trap Colin with a baby, even if it is his. She knows how much Marina impacted Colin, and does not wish to do the same thing she had prevented Marina to do. The best part about this though? Colin is stunned (Edit: I changed the adjective here as someone rightfully pointed out I was exaggerating by saying "flabbergasted" when his reaction is more on the subtle side the English language is the bane of my existence). Frankly, he probably forgot he even said that, the same way he forgot about his "I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington" comment - those were words said in the heat of the moment he never actually believed. Not once has Colin thought of either breaking the engagement, or get an annulment even after the betrayal.

He could have still eloped with Marina even after learning the truth, but he didn't because she was not honest with him from the start. He learns Penelope has been living a double life this whole time, and yet he stays.

It is significant that Penelope listened and acknowledged Colin's point of view, the same way she asked him to simply stand by her side and support her. Also note that she never says "our family", she says "you or your family".

Despite already being married, this whole time, it did not feel like they were, and she knew that as long as there was still this barrier between them, she could never truly be part of that family, but it's alright, she could live with that, she has mended things with her own after all, and she can support herself. Whatever the outcome, she'll be alright, she believes.

Fortunately for her, she does not get to find out what that future would entail because Colin absolutely hates the idea of letting her go.

Because after all, she's a mess, but she's his mess.

[pooohwriting]

Tell me I mean nothing

Lady Portia Featherington x Female Reader

Warning: This story is a product of my imagination. Please respect my creativity and do not copy, reproduce, or distribute this work without my permission. Thank you for your understanding and support!

Summary: When Miss Y/N Montgomery returns to the ton after a long absence, she is unprepared for the whirlwind of changes that await her. The unexpected reappearance of Lady Featherington stirs feelings she struggles to understand, leaving her heart in turmoil. Will she discover the true meaning of her feelings, or will confusion reign over her heart?

Chapter 2 : The Heart's Confusion

"It has been some time since the last ball—days, perhaps weeks or even months—since that fateful encounter with Lady Featherington.

I returned to my parents' estate after my mother mentioned she was struggling to gather the necessary ingredients for our perfume and scent business. While it wasn’t an urgent matter, I decided to come back to offer my assistance.

The family business is delicate and demands precision, for even the smallest delay in acquiring rare botanicals or essential oils can disrupt everything. My father has always taught me the importance of timeliness; a setback in any part of the process can affect production and our success in the market.

Gratitude washed over me as I realized how rare it was for a woman to be invited into the intricacies of the family business. The thought of my parents’ unwavering support filled me with a warmth that lingered long after I left the room.

Right now, I’m sitting by the window, admiring the garden. The yellow flowers look so lovely against the green, with other colors scattered about. The tranquility enveloped me, and I couldn't help but smile at the garden's splendor. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting playful shadows that danced across the ground, while the vibrant blooms seemed to sway in rhythm with the gentle breeze, a joyful reminder of nature’s artistry.

I smiled, recalling how vibrant the garden looked, particularly the leaves and flowers, which seemed to dance in the sunlight. It brought to mind Lady Featherington’s exquisite style.

“Y/N, you seem lost in thought,” my mother said from behind me. I chuckled softly. “Just admiring the garden, Mama,” I replied, turning to her with a soft smile. She stood beside me, her gaze lost in the lush greenery outside, the corners of her mouth lifting in appreciation as she took in the view. “Are you planning to stay with the Bridgertons for a while? Are you certain Lady Bridgerton is comfortable with that?”

“Yes, Mama, I’ll stay there for a while before returning home. Are you quite certain you won’t be going to the ton? I’m sure Lady Bridgerton misses you.”

“I won’t be going, perhaps soon when everything runs smoothly. Besides, I have plenty of perfume to make with the others, and your father is managing the financial matters. He sometimes lends a hand in other areas of the business.” She smiled and gently placed her hands on my shoulders. “You should enjoy your time there and socialize. You can invite the Bridgertons over when you visit us, but do let me know first, alright?” I nodded and smiled in agreement.

“I heard the new season has finally begun,” my father announced as he entered the living room. “A new season?” I inquired, realizing they were referring to the arrival of new debutantes. I remembered my decision to forgo the season to focus on studying literature, finances, and other subjects that interest me and will aid in our family business. I have no regrets about that choice.

"Yes, I believe it was last month, though I’m not entirely certain.” He laughed, and we exchanged smiles. “So, what time are you heading to the Bridgertons?” he asked. “Probably after breakfast” I replied. They both nodded in understanding. All of us head to the dining room to have our breakfast.

After that, they helped me load a few of my belongings into the carriage. I only brought a small amount, as I could always return whenever I wished.

“Be safe and enjoy yourself, alright? And do give my regards to Lady Bridgerton,” my mother said, and I nodded. “You too,” I replied to both of them before hopping into the carriage. As we set off, the journey to the Bridgertons began.

I arrived at the Bridgerton estate, and Benedict hurried over to help with some of the items from the carriage. “Welcome back! We’ve missed you already,” he exclaimed.

“Please, it hasn’t been that long. Did I miss something? How are you faring at the academy? Are you doing well?” I teased, and he laughed.

“The academy is splendid, and oh yes, you’ve missed quite a bit!” he chuckled. “My brother Anthony is now engaged to Miss Edwina Sharma”

“Wait, what?!” I gasped, the words tumbling out in disbelief as I fell into step beside him. His eyes sparkled with excitement. “Y/N! You won’t believe it! So much has happened—Anthony is engaged to be married next month! You have to meet the Sharmas—they’re delightful!

I release a light chuckle while following them towards the drawing room. “I’ll put these in Eloise’s room quickly,” Benedict added, and I nodded in gratitude as he hurried off. I followed Eloise into the drawing room.

“It’s wonderful that we’ll be staying together! We can discuss everything, especially Lady Whistledown,” she said, chattering excitedly as we entered the drawing room.

“Y/N!” Hyacinth exclaimed, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Hyacinth, it’s lovely to see you! Oh, Colin! You’re back!” I called out as he greeted me as well. I noticed Anthony preparing his attire nearby. “Nice to see you again, Y/N,” Lady Bridgerton said with a warm smile. I returned the gesture. “How have Lady and Lord Montgomery been?”

“They are well, my lady. They mentioned they would visit soon when everything runs smoothly,” I replied with a smile. “What else did I miss while I was away?”

“A great deal, I assure you! Anthony is to be married next month, as I suppose you already know,” Lady Bridgerton said with a smile, glancing at Eloise and Benedict, who exchanged teasing smiles in return. I couldn’t help but join in their mirth as she moved to stand beside Anthony.

"Congrats Anthony!" And the nod in acknowledgements "see how the cuffs are an inch too short" he said to the man who i assume his modiste.

I head for the refreshments just right near them as I listen to their conversations. Eloise is reading her book as well as gregory, and Hyacinth and colin eat their food as they talk about the upcoming wedding and for the future.

"and what about Miss Edwina's sister" Hyacinth ask "What about her?" Anthony asks back "Will she come to live with us, too?"

"Oh I do hope so. It will be a boon to have another intelligent woman in the house. and Y/N you should meet her soon Im sure you'll love her" Eloise said Happily "Another? Mm you're overcounting" Benedict said and I just chucles while I make myself a tea.

"Eloise, I shall need your help today. There is the dinner to plan with Lady Danbury to welcome the Sharmas into the Family and the the engagement ball next week---"

"I am sorry Mama, but uh I am attending a lecture this afternoon. Flower arranging something" Eloise said while going to the refreshements table where Benedict and I currently at, I looked at her curiously while smiling "Penelope's mama is forcing her to go and you've wanted me to find more ladylike pursuits" She added then looked at the both of us

"For how long have you cared about flower arranging" Benedict asked while smiling "Im an open minded woman an i care about many things" Eloise said and I chuckle while benedict smile widely at her as she eats her food

I decided to join Lady Bridgerton and Colin at the lake, where I knew Anthony would be with the Sharmas as well. Colin eventually parted ways with us, and I chose to remain with Lady Bridgerton. The atmosphere was lively, I look at the area, boats drifting lazily on the water, children laughing and playing on the grass, their carefree joy lifting my spirits.

As I followed Lady Bridgerton, my gaze swept the gathering, seeking a particular woman I had not laid eyes on in several weeks. How is she? I chose to admire the surrouding cause I am certain our paths will meet again.

“Lady Danbury, Miss Edwina, may I introduce you to Miss Y/N Montgomery?” Lady Bridgerton said, bringing me back from my thoughts with a warm smile as she made the introduction.

A pleasure to meet you, Lady Danburry and Miss Edwina Sharma,” I greeted them, receiving a warm smile in return. As I listened absently to their conversation about the upcoming wedding, I couldn’t help but notice Anthony, who seemed rather quiet, his gaze fixed on the lake. Feeling a desire to explore my surroundings, I decided to excuse myself.

Perhaps a stroll would provide a welcome distraction from the lively chatter, allowing me to take in the beauty of the day and gather my thoughts.

I began to admire the ducks as they paddled near the shore, and, finding a small piece of bread in my pocket, I tossed it to them. They were quite endearing, and I couldn’t help but smile at their antics. My gaze wandered once more across the lively scene, and suddenly, I caught sight of her—a vision in a bright green dress, her face lit with a radiant smile. Relief flooded through me, and I found myself smiling broadly.

The sudden rush of emotion urged me to walk toward her, but I halted halfway when I noticed she is in deep conversation with a gentleman from the group she had been standing with. They had moved aside, their expressions serious, and I stood frozen, unsure whether to approach or wait.

I hadn’t realized how long I had been standing there, caught in my own thoughts. Now that she was alone, I took a deep breath and seized the opportunity to approach her. “Lady Featherington, it’s a pleasure to see you here today,” I said, a broad smile spreading across my face as she jumped slightly at my sudden presence.

“Miss Montgomery,” she greeted, her tone composed, but a warmth radiated from her expression when our eyes met. Those blue eyes—so captivating, so easy to lose myself in—held my gaze for only a fleeting moment before she turned away. I followed her line of sight, noticing she was looking back at the gentleman from earlier. A small knot formed in my stomach, but I brushed it aside. Why did it bother me to see her with him?

“Mind if I ask who that gentleman was?” I inquired cautiously, trying to keep my tone light despite the strange tension I felt.

“It’s Lord Featherington,” she replied, her eyes still focused on him.

“Lord Featherington,” I repeated, clearing my throat as the name hung awkwardly in the air. Could that mean…?

“He was my late husband’s cousin,” she added, meeting my gaze directly, her expression steady but guarded.

“Oh, ohhhh,” I stammered, the heat rising to my cheeks. “I thought he was your husband—sorry,” I quickly added, casting my eyes briefly to the ground before looking back up at her, feeling a strange mix of embarrassment and relief.

“Oh, it’s quite all right,” she said with a smile. “Where have you been? It feels like weeks or months since we last saw each other,” she asked, her tone light and welcoming.

“I’ve been helping my family with our business,” I replied proudly. “Everything seems to be running smoothly now, so I thought it was time to return.” I noticed the way her smile lingered as she listened, and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of something unnameable as I watched her.

“How about you, my Lady? How are you?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s been... eventful, to say the least,” she replied, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “Between the arrangements for my daughters and the never-ending social obligations, it feels as though I’m always balancing one thing or another.”

She paused, her gaze drifting toward the lake, the sunlight dancing on the water’s surface. “You know how it is in our world. There are always demands to fulfill and expectations to meet. It can be overwhelming at times, but one learns to manage.” Her smile lingered, yet a flicker of weariness shadowed her eyes.

I stared into those beautiful eyes, feeling the weight they carried despite her strength. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked softly, wanting to ease some of her burdens.

Portia’s expression shifted slightly, a guardedness creeping into her demeanor. “Oh, no need to trouble yourself,” she replied, her voice light, yet a flicker of hesitation shadowed her eyes. “Lord Featherington and I can manage.” Her smile was steady, but the tightness around her lips suggested a burden she was reluctant to share.

As she spoke, her gaze flickered back to Lord Featherington, who was engaged in conversation with a group nearby. “It’s just the usual….family matters,” she added, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

I pressed on gently, “Are you sure? I’m here to listen if you need someone to talk to.”

Portia hesitated, her expression momentarily caught between relief and reluctance. “I appreciate that, truly,” she replied, her voice softer now. “But there are things that are best left unsaid, at least for the moment.”

“I can only imagine how demanding it must be,” I said with sincerity. “If you ever feel the need to share, know that I’m here for you.”

I offered a reassuring smile as I glanced at the lively crowd. Anthony and Edwina animatedly conversed with the guests on the boat, their laughter mingling with the gentle lapping of the water. Meanwhile, Lady Bridgerton animatedly engaged with Lady Danbury, her gestures painting the air with warmth and familiarity.

As I absorbed the joyful scene, my gaze fell upon a couple nearby. “Do you see that couple over there?” I asked, gesturing toward a gentleman presenting a lovely bouquet to a lady. Her gaze followed mine, landing on the striking display of red roses he offered.

“Roses often signify love,” I continued, letting the thought linger in the air. “But they represent more than mere romance. They can embody admiration, longing, and even a subtle strength. In the world of perfumery, it’s all about the hue of the petals and the richness of their scent.” I paused, my gaze meeting hers. “The deeper the color, the more profound the sentiment. Yet, it is the fragrance that lingers longest, wouldn’t you agree? It speaks when words fall short.”

With a soft smile gracing my lips, I said, “Maybe someday, if you allow me, I may take you to my hometown. There, I would show you how the fragrance of those flowers lingers far longer than words ever could.” My voice lowered as I looked into her eyes, hoping she might sense the sincerity of my invitation.

For a moment, time seemed to stretch as we held each other’s gaze, her captivating blue eyes reflecting a depth of emotion that drew me in. My heart raced as I let my gaze drift to her lips, the rich shade of red stirring something deep within me, a silent connection that felt both exhilarating and terrifying.

A loud splash echoed through the air, followed by a chorus of gasps and chuckles that pulled us from our shared moment. We both turned to see Anthony and a lord tumble into the lake, splashing water everywhere. I couldn’t help but chuckle, glancing at her just in time to catch her laughter joining mine.

“Well, I have a feeling Lady Bridgerton may need extra hands in helping Anthony,” I said, a playful smile on my lips. Despite wanting to linger in this delightful moment, I knew it was time to rejoin the group. “I’ll see you soon, hopefully.”

“Of course,” she replied, her voice soft yet filled with an unspoken promise. A brief pause lingered between us, and we exchanged a look that felt charged with unexpressed emotions. For just a moment, time seemed to stand still, allowing the weight of our shared laughter and the subtle connection between us to hang in the air.

“Take care, Miss Montgomery,” she added, her eyes holding mine a second longer before I turned to leave, feeling an undeniable tug in my chest. “Call me Y/N,” I replied with a smile, warmth flooding my cheeks.

As I walked away, the warmth of Portia’s gaze clung to my thoughts, momentarily pushing aside the weight of Lord's looming presence. I hoped our paths would cross again soon.

Turning slightly, I caught Portia watching me with a slight smile playing on her lips, and my heart skipped a beat. But as I continued walking, I felt a tug of reality as I spotted the Lord Featherington engaged in conversation with Colin.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself and headed toward Lady Bridgerton to help Anthony, attempting to push aside the unsettling feelings that stirred within me whenever I saw Him near Portia. What was it about that sight that felt so disquieting? I couldn’t quite place why it bothered me so much, but the thought of them together left a lingering unease in my chest.

Authors Notes: I hope you’re having a wonderful day! Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I truly hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to share any suggestions or feedback you may have! Thank you! I'll update as soon as I can.

[number-0-iz]

Live thoughts of Bridgerton

Season 3, episode 1

Colin getting dressed in the carriage lmao

He is definitely better looking but I still don't think he's all that hot. Sorry not sorry. Maybe I'll change my mind.

Ah yes big ass feathers

SIGN LANGUAGE CHARACTER YES.

I love that. I don't speak ASL (also mainly cause English isn't my first language) but it is so cool.

The queen be bored lmao.

Charlotte as fierce as ever.

SINCE WHEN IS ELOISE INVOLVED WITH SEASONAL STYLES?

Me the whole time Fran was walking: don't fall don't fall don't fall

WHAT'S WRONG

Player Colin is...a little weird lma

ANOTHER ONE OF PEN'S SISTER FOUND A HUSBAND OH I'M SO HAPPY FOR HER.

NOW IT'S PEN'S TURN!

Oh shit the sister doesn't seem to like him 😭

Rip aunt Petunia, she seemed cool.

Oh u feel like the truth from last season will come out about the Featheringtons.

ELOISE SEEING PEN ELOISE SEEING PEN

Ugh friendship with Cressida? Eloise?

This is probably why she suddenly keeps up with seasonal styles?

God I hope they didn't change her too much or that she didn't lose herself.

I am not even 15 minutes in.

At least Violet seems to know something is up with Eloise.

"Tender young ladies." 😭

Damn all of the flirting jesus

CRESSIDA'S MOTHER IS SUCH A BITCH

Damn Portia has it all planned out huh

PEN AND COLIN MEET UP OOP

OOH HOW SHARP

I too would take a deep breath like that if I had to share a carriage with Portia

I AM A SUCKER FOR BOWS

"NO! Outside. Where our mother can't see." He says with a grin.

Lmao I love this man.

ELOISE IS READING EMMA

Please don't tell me Eloise has given up on being keen to learn and intellectual and a feminist

Because if she has, I will throw my phone at the wall.

"I lost the battle and I have no appetite for the war. I've joined the winning side."

So you mean to tell me that you have truly given up on your principles Eloise?

I wish Eloise would listen to Pen and they would be friends again.

"She was a very cold lady."

"She is colder now, I'm afraid."

AYE YO WHAT THE FUCK 😭

That was so savage.

Please let Mondrich and his family get a lot of cash as an inheritance.

A TITLE GOR MONDRICH'S SON?!

THIS IS EVEN BETTER 😭

They deserve it

NEWTON COCKBLOCKING KANTHONY LMAO

Aww their hands.

Ah another fantastic ball of Lady Danbury.

Oh Kate looks beautiful!!

PRETTY PEN IN A PRETTY DRESS

Aww Mr. Finch is so proud of his sister in law. Greenest flag.

UGH NOT A CONTESSA

I got distracted by Instagram reels when I went to look for the playlist of classical music covers used in the new season.

OH PEN US SO AWKWARD MY SWEETIE

Oh awkward Eloise

Ugh rude men

KANTHONY DANCE

PEN AND FRAN FRIENDSHIP

Oh Debling seems interesting.

NOT CRESSIDA STANDING ON PEN'S PRETTY DRESS! WHAT A BITCH.

And Eloise tried to apologise and Pen ran away 😭

OH THE SCENE FROM THE PREVIEW

"I overheard you." OOOOH

OH MIGHT THE FEATHERINGTONS LOSE EVERYTHING.

Cressida is a bitch. Eloise should not approve and be angry.

Oh sensitive Cressida? Damn.

How did I only now notice that Kate is left handed lol

COLIN VISITS

"BUT FRIENDS DON'T LOOK AT EACH ITHER THE WAY YOU DO."

Oh no not Penelope's scathing Whistledown letter

This'll be bad

GO MONDRICH FAM

Footman: Lord Kent. *proceeds to bow* welcome to your new home.

The kid: aye yo what the fuck

"I will never forgive her." Oh Colin if only you knew.

Well that was quite something! I really liked this episode if I am being honest! God I already wanna turn back to my season 2 Bridgerton AU with my OC that I made a few years ago but never posted. Am I going to watch episode 2 rn? Yes because I cannot wait. Will I leave yet another long reaction list like this one? Probably not cause I want to get a handle on my phone usage. But maybe another time! Until then!

[kahlanmars]

BAD FEELING part.31

IT'S THE FINALEEEE! Then we have an epilogue and then stop. Finished it. THE END.

I actually have a season 2 in mind, but I don't think if I should post it here on just on AO3. Let me know!

MASTERLIST

taglist: @crimsonincursive

31. Good Feeling

Home is not like it used to be. Some houses are still up, like Holly’s, but everything is broken and the ruins are all over the District. Most of the animals are dead, and the ones that aren’t are scared and gone wild. 

Not everything is lost, though. The people want to do things right, the reconstruction has already begun. 

You can’t be a part of it, of course. You are in your bed and the doctor asked you to be up one hour per day, and everyone is fussing over you like you are about to die again. 

After the end of the war, everyone rushed home. Effie and Portia are back in the Capitol, which needs reconstruction as well, and they took Peeta with them to help him. He needs Capitol doctors. And you said no to Portia, because your district needs you and now you couldn’t do it, you don’t have the strength. 

And now you are at peace. You want to stay with Haymitch, you don’t want to lose him, you’ll find another job in Twelve.

Perla is in Four with Finnick and Annie, and Lora is back in Eleven with Chaff. 

Now that you don’t have your friends anymore, Katniss is buried in her home and refuses to go out, and you remember Madge too well, you feel a little alone.

But Holly is here, though.

«Mom?» You ask, watching yourself in the mirror. The scar of the surgery is right along your hip, it’s ugly and you don’t look pretty anymore. 

«You shouldn’t be up.»

«I’m tired of staying in bed, my bones hurt.» You pause, because you want to ask her something. «Did you know my biological mother?»

She tenses. She doesn’t want to talk about it, you always knew and that is why you always avoided the topic but now that you risked your life without knowing it, you feel like you have the right.

«Yes, I knew her.» She answers after a good minute. You shouldn’t push it, but now it’s the time to know. 

«Was she your friend?»

«She was an avox. Your father too, they tried to run away from Capitol City and they captured them. Then they flew again, because your mother was pregnant. If they stayed…» An avox. In all this time you didn’t think your parents could have been outlaws. You tried and tried to figure out why they gave you up, and the chances were always two: either they were too poor to raise you, or they didn’t want you.

«They used to kill avox’s children.» You finish for her.

«They wanted to go to Thirteen, but your mother had to have you. An elderly couple from the Seam called for my mother and we came.»

«You were younger than me.»

«I was nineteen and terrified, because that was against the law. You don’t help an avox, you report them. And yet we didn’t. They couldn’t talk, obviously, but the look in your mother’s eyes I couldn’t forget. It was like she was screaming “Save my baby, please, save my baby”. The birth was complicated, your mother was so weak from the run and the tortures. She died.» 

Your mother died giving birth to you. You feel conflicted, because that means she didn’t give you up because she didn’t want you, but she died giving birth. You know you are not supposed to feel guilty about it, but it’s hard. And that also means you don’t have another mother somewhere that could find you.

«And my father?»

«He couldn’t have kept you. People in Twelve couldn’t protect him, Thirteen was a myth, a legend. He was an avox. A pariah. He didn’t want to leave you, but he had to. He was a handsome young man, you know, you look a bit like him.»

«He didn’t want to leave me.» You repeat, and you feel smaller and younger than your age. 

«Your grandmother promised him we would keep you safe. She was thinking about her. She was supposed to be your adoptive mother, and I was supposed to be your older sister.» You don’t even remember your grandmother, she died when you were two. You barely have flashes of her, but she looked like an ancient woman to you. She was fifty at best. «But when I saw you I knew. You were mine. You were meant to be my daughter.»

You squeeze her hand. «I ruined your life, you didn’t get married, always alone.»

«I didn’t want to. And I know I was severe, I was strict, but that’s because I was terrified of losing you. Two women alone, three before but your grandfather was already gone, we weren’t safe in Twelve.»

You try to picture her and you find out you have some memories. Holly’s long brown hair when she lifted you up, her hands when she lectured you on herbs, the songs she used to sing for you. You don’t get it, in your memories she is not young, she is a mother. She was nineteen. A kid herself, Lora’s age. You can’t bear to ask her if she never fell in love or she gave it all up for you. 

«I don’t remember.» You whisper, and you feel sorry and guilty about that. Were you a difficult child? Could you have done more?

«I tried to shield you. I thought if you were perfect you couldn’t have any enemies.» She resonates.

«But you were nineteen.» Just a year after the end of her Games. A year after Haymitch’s games, when he was sixteen, a year after Marjorie’s “death”. 

«And I made a mess.» 

«You didn’t. Infact, I think I’m pretty close to perfection.» You joke but you hug her. «I get it. I get why you did what you have done, you just wanted to protect me. And you did it! I’m here. And I saved myself because I knew things you taught me. Skating for the Game Masters, the Sagittaria. I didn’t die because of you.» You get it now. All the times you wanted her to be like every other parent of the District, instead of having curfews and rules to follow.

«You didn’t die because of you. But I’m glad I’ve helped. And now you live in this big house and you are all grown up…» You are almost shocked when you see her eyes watering. Holly is not big on showing feelings.

«We are ten minutes apart, mom. You don’t need to cry about it.» You laugh, but you see something in her eyes just for a moment. It’s probably just the fact you moved out, it’s a big thing for a mom. 

The decision to move out has been… not really a decision, actually. You were so tired and weak you couldn’t decide anything, and Holly and Haymitch decided - according to Perla, it involved a lot of yelling - that a big victor’s house was better to recover. You don’t complain, since you can have cuddles and breakfast in bed with a shirtless hot boyfriend, a big bathroom where you can keep all your things and a king size bed. 

«Humour an old woman, c’mon.»

«You’re forty four, mom, you are hardly an old woman!» You stay in the hug nonetheless. She smells like lavender and carnations.

«This young, young woman needs to go home. I have to help in the morning, we are rebuilding the school.» She pats your head and lets you go. You decide not to think about the school. That was supposed to be your place.

«You don’t stay for dinner?» You ask. 

«I don’t want to be poisoned, thank you.» You let out a laugh but look at her bad nonetheless. She is still warming up about your relationship. Or she just likes to treat him badly.

«Haymitch knows how to cook. He is quite good.» You are just as surprised as she is. You always cooked for him when he was your boss, because he was too wasted to do anything. And now you find out he actually knows how to. And, in his words, He likes to take care of you.

«I would like to know when you don’t think he is good at something, child.» And the coy smile you let out only confirms it.

The thought of the scar doesn’t let you go, though. You are in front of the mirror and you watch it like you’d watch another enemy, but it’s your flesh, it’s your body. You want to get rid of it.

«Don’t obsess.» You hear a voice and you turn around to see Haymitch. He leans against the door in a pair of old jeans and he is shirtless and God he looks like a whole meal. He is fresh out of the shower, his chest is still wet and so is his blonde hair. A great sight. A sight you can get used to.

You lick your lips and immediately cover the scar. «Hey…»

«I wanted to ask you if you wanted to eat.» He asks and kisses your shoulder, guiding you to the bed because he is the one who obsesses over your injury. If he wasn’t so hot he would have been a little annoying.

«Yes, I want to eat.» You jump at the opportunity and you answer purring like a cat, since he wanders around bare chested and with those blue eyes and c’mon, he should think about the consequence of his magnetic field being a little too strong. 

You hug him and kiss him, but when you reach for the belt he stops you, with a huge grin on his face. «The doctor said no sex.»

You roll your eyes. «C’mon…»

You don’t deal well with “No sex”, especially when you don’t want to think about the kids, the reconstruction or your District in general, since you can’t help anyone now. Haymitch is your favourite stress-relief and he is more than willing to be that for you. And you two behaving like teenagers doesn’t add up with the doctor prescription; every night you make out a little more and every night is a little harder to stop, hands wandering around places where they are not supposed to, his mouth going a little lower every time, teasing your neck, your cleavage, your belly button.

«You nearly died. Be good.» He giving you orders doesn’t improve the chance of you getting better at this dealing, and by the glimpse of lust you see in his eyes, he is in the same situation.

«A good girl?» It’s your turn to grin when he slaps your ass. 

«Minx.» He accuses you, while he is on his way to prepare dinner. He is stoic in his mission to keep you safe, but he is as passionate as you are.

«You tempt me and I’m the minx?!»

Since you are not okay, you usually have dinner in bed. This is something you don’t particularly like, because you would like to stay up, but Haymitch seems comfy and you suspect he likes to have you all snuggled up while he eats. 

«You should eat more.» He warns you. «If you don’t like it we can call Sae.»

You would like to eat, especially since he is good at cooking, but you are too tired. It’s annoying. Everything is annoying now, except for chatting at the telephone with Effie (Haymitch’s house has a telephone, and for you is a big, big news because you never had one of these, so you use it almost every night connecting with the girls, Effie or Finnick) and kissing your non-boyfriend. Every bone in your body hurts, and on top of that you feel guilty. You are not helping in Twelve, you are not reaching for the kids who were hurt in the explosion, if not by letter, and you can’t even help Haymitch at home. He is cleaning, cooking and taking care of you and you can’t do anything. When you tried to tell him he looked at you like you had another head, he answered that you got shot for fucks sakes stay in bed and proceeded to kiss your thoughts away from you.

«No, I like it. I’m just tired and full.» You peck his lips. «It’s okay.»

For a moment you stay silent, he is finishing his meat - thanks, Katniss, but you don’t want to know what she hunted, you just want to eat in ignorance - and you are hiding your face against his neck. 

«About the scar…» He begins. So he saw you earlier. You know the scar is the least of your problems right now, you could have had it much worse, but it’s an aesthetic thing and aesthetic things are yours. Only Effie can get it. Surely not him. In his world - and yours, to be fair - a scar is just a scar, there’s nothing about beauty that allures someone in the district. It is all about survival, if you have a scar it means you are alive. And Haymitch is full of scars because he survived a Quell, so that makes him strong, respected. 

«Yeah?» You don’t want to talk about it. You’ll see doctor Aurelius and you’ll talk to her, you don’t need to show him how shallow you are.

«You know you are still the hottest girl alive, mh?» He lifts your chin up with his finger, and normally you wouldn’t smirked or joked but now you are not that sure anymore. But the fact that he tries to understand you, even if for him it's a whole other perspective, it’s huge. Even if you are sure there is a part of him that is screaming that you turned out to be a full Capitol girl. 

«Maybe.» You whisper. Perla is strong, Haymitch is strong, you are pretty. You know how to allure people. You survived because people took care of you, because you are friends with strong victors. Finnick, Perla, him, even Effie. And you love them back, of course, but… If you are not pretty, what the hell are you? 

«You are. And you deserve that scar. It means you fought for it.» He insists and you find yourself rolling your eyes.

«Barely.» You whisper. It has not been exactly a fight, you just saw something and acted, all instinct. Normally you are not a fighter. You are a manipulator. And that doesn’t mean you always use your power for bad, but being pretty is part of what you can do.

«The hell? You saved my life.» He shouts. He is aware shouting is bad, but sometimes he can’t control it. He is a man from the District raised by men from the District. Not really good manners. When you cover your ears he immediately stops, though. Because he loves you. Because he knows better.

«My fault, my responsibility.» 

«Your fault?! How is that your fault?» He is controlling himself not to get mad, you sense it. 

You take a deep breath. «You had to explain the plan to me. To make me get it.»

«I didn’t explain it, you understood. You, alone.» He sticks his finger on you, but when you take it in your hand he chuckles and kisses you.  

«You did send me clues. And I kinda told Finnick. They probably heard me and-» You start shivering, stress is not good if you almost died, but he takes you in his arms.

«Stop it. You still saved my life. And by the way, I have scars too, and you kiss them.» He whispers in your ear before kissing it.

«It’s different.» 

«Because I’m a man?» In his defence, it doesn’t seem like a joke. He really tries to understand.

You still glare at him. «Because it proves you are a fighter.»

«And that proves you are a fighter too. A survivor.» He caresses your cheek. He really believes that. He sees you as a fighter, and that makes you proud. You doubt that, but that makes you proud.

«Not like you.»

«Not like me?! Daisy, stop. This is bullshit. For a self absorbed person you are quite blind about what you can do. You won the Hunger Games. You saved Finnick, Effie. You saved me. And it wasn’t because of me, or Perla or your mother. You saved yourself.»

You watch him fondly. You don’t know how, you barely recall the facts from the Games, but somewhere along the road you stopped being a couple who only fucked and the relationship began. And you love him. You are in love with him and you definitely had a high school girl crush on him - you don’t blame yourself, the man has game - but you think this is love. The real big thing. You feel sure, protected and you can’t stop smiling when he is around, and you want to protect him from the world yourself, you want to be the one he can be himself with, and if that means hovering on him at night because the tremors won’t let him sleep, or feed his geese when the headache is too strong, you’ll do it willingly. 

«I love you.» You whisper against his lips with a dumb smile on your face and you kiss him passionately. You never thought you were going to have this life. 

«I love you too.» Then he sees your face and laughs, «Still no sex.»

«Don’t go around tempting me with a handsome face and loving words!» You joke, «I guess we have all the time we want and I can wait because you won’t leave me because I have an ugly scar...»

«Correct, you are breathtaking, scar or not. As for the time… not so correct. I have to tell you something.» You stop. You are definitely not ready for other problems. But you trust him, so you don’t know what to think.

«What have you done?»

«I’ve talked with Portia. Well, Portia talked to me, she thought I didn’t want you to leave but I didn’t know anything.»

The offer. You said no, of course. It wasn’t worth it and now you are injured, anyway. You won’t force them to be your nurse.

«Oh. I won’t leave, Capitol it’s not worth it, I want to stay with you and you have to stay here for Katniss and I get it! And-»

«I brought you tickets.» He blurts out.

«What?» You only let out, in shock.

«I brought you tickets for the train. Not today, not tomorrow but in a few months you should recover.»

You don’t know what to say. He wants you gone? Or, or he is sacrificing himself because you did it first. 

«But I don’t want to leave you, I don’t want to break up…» You don’t want to force him to stay away from Katniss. He and Katniss may not like each other for the most part of their days, but they get each other and he is like his father at this point. Her mother and Prim are out of town, she can’t come to them (a thing that her mother calculated, you think), Finnick is in Four, and Peeta is in the Capitol, recovering. That poor girl is alone in the whole world. You don’t want to rip him away from her.

And you suspect she is good for him too. He is really trying to dig sobriety for her, to be a good father. He wakes up in the morning every day to check on her, he keeps up with Mrs. Everdeen and he also tries not to break the phone even if he really hates it. 

Haymitch would be miserable in Capitol City. 

And you are not even that good anyway. 

«Who talked about breaking up? You want to stay in that hell of a city? I’ll come during the weekends. You can come sometimes. It’s just for a few months.»

«At least a year.» You bite your bottom lip, unsure.

«A year has a lot of weekends. C’mon. I know you want to make dresses or wear dresses or whatever. You have talent. I remember the dress from the curtains in Thirteen, you were stunning.»

You laugh, «Are you sure?»

«That you were stunning? I fucked you that night, didn’t I?»

You blush, he is crude but is that weird that it turns you on? Probably. «About the trip. You hate Capitol City.»

«Well, I suppose it’s not all bad. Effie is from Capitol and she is my friend. Portia wanted my head but she’s not that bad. Do you want to go?»

«I don’t want to lose you for something that can go bad.» Because you are terrified. You didn’t pass the exam to be a teacher, you didn’t win the games, the only thing you are good at is being protected by someone. This is not a talent. 

«Not what I asked. Do you want to go?»

Of course you want to, but if you won’t be that good…

«…Yes.» You manage to say. Doctor Aurelius says it’s good to be scared. And that also makes you happy. You want to learn more, you want to become actually good, to be with Portia who is a genius in her job, and to work, sewing all day, it looks like a dream. Now that the grey jumpsuits are out of the way and you can use your dresses, you will love exploring your fantasy.

«It’s settled, then.» He winks at you and he looks so sure, you… not so much.

«Will we survive this?» You have to ask. It’s not simple. You are so used to be together - Perla calls it “Co-dependency” but she just wants to make fun of you - that a day apart is a big change.

«We can survive anything, Sweetheart. Maybe just not the doctor sex strike.»

You burst into laughs and kiss him sweetly. «We can cheat a little…»

«Don’t even try. I’m not losing you again. Not now that you are in our home.» Our home. That makes your heart flow with joy. 

«If the house is mine too, does that mean I can decorate? I have a lot of ideas. I can sew the curtains and- do you think I’m crazy?» You stop. It’s his house. It has been his home for twenty five years. Maybe you need to slow down.

«I know you are crazy.» He strokes your neck. «You can do whatever you want here. I’ll just enjoy the view.»

«I’m happy to be here. With you. With our devil’s birds.» You add, because you can hear them screaming for food even if Haymitch just fed them. Sometimes, you go near them and you whisper “Foie gras” just to see their reaction. You would never, though. 

«And our stolen books.» He bites your shoulder. He is in a playful mood today.

«Seriously, you have to let it go.» You shake your head and place yourself in his arms, after putting the plates on the table near the bed.

«Hey, I know I’m not the most optimistic guy in the District… » He starts, but you have to snort.

«Or in Panem. Or in the world.»

He ignores you this time. «But you know what?» 

«What?» You watch him fondly.

«I have a very good feeling about this.»

[sea-owl]

Oh Colin is gonna go absolutely feral once his queen comes back 8 months pregnant waddling around the palace like a penguin like he's one snap of a hairthread away from bubble wrapping Penelope and locking her away in a tower. Francesca had to give him a potion to calm his ass down because he quadruple checked every crook and cranny of the palace in the last hour making sure its baby proof. This himbo king is gonna fistfight the wind if it made Pen shiver and eradicate every dust particle in the underworld if Pen sneezed ONCE. Like please give me my himbo king who's stupidly in love and goes batshit insane at anything that even mildly inconveniences his queen i love him 😂

Anonymous asked: Please, please tell us more about pregnant Penelope’s return to the underworld. I’m just picturing the scene in my head, and it’s either cute or hilarious.

I'm dying. I made Lord Featherington a wind god in this. So now I'm imagining Colin fistfighting him because HOW DARE HE MAKE COLIN'S WIFE AND THE QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD SHIVER! It can be a bonding experience for Colin and Portia.

Here's something on Penelope's return.

"Thank you Phillip," Penelope said as they were finishing their trek into the Underworld. "I know it hasn't been easy with me and Eloise being pregnant at the same time."

Phillip shook his head. "She is my wife and you are my friend Penelope. Plus it is quite literally my job to guide souls down to the Underworld, the queen being no exception."

Penelope giggled as she opened the door to Bloomsbury Palace, and then she blinked. She looked again and yup someone completely redecorated the inside. It looked like someone remade the inside of the palace into a pillow fort. Wall the walls and floors were made out of the squish material. Every piece of furniture looked like it had it's corners rounded off, while the vases that held Penelope's plants were now fastened to shelves on the walls. Actually Penelope didn't mind the shelf design, maybe she get some for her office.

"Penelope," Phillip whispered, his eyes taking in the scene around him. "Do you want me to stay a little longer?"

"No, no," Penelope said. "Eloise is waiting for you. I'll find the others soon enough."

"Are you sure?" Phillip asked.

"Yes. Now go before Eloise decides to another fish in the twins' beds," Penelope said.

Phillip shuddered. It took forever to get the fish smell out of Amanda's bed the last time Eloise did that. Phillip hates fish too so that had not been fun.

Penelope waved her friend and right hand goodbye before turning back to what used to be her home.

"I'll guess I'll look in the throne room first," Penelope muttered to herself.

Penelope began her waddled and immediately began cursing whoever authorized this change. This was not easy for her to walk on, and her balance was already not that great with the baby kicking all over Penelope's stomach. About ten steps in Penelope gave up and used her powers to float around the palace.

The throne room wasn't any better as it was covered it the same pillow material as the rest of the palace. Hell her throne looked to be made out of this material too! What the hell was going on?

"Oh thank Chaos you're home!"

Penelope looked up to see Francesca running forward as fast as she could on the pillow floor. It wasn't that fast to be hones.

"Fran what is going on?" Penelope asked.

"Your husband has lost his damn mind!" Francesca exclaimed. "Colin has turned the entire palace into this! Everything and anything has been baby proofed. The guards don't even wear their normal armor instead he's given them this stuffed padding. I thought Felicity was fistfight him when he suggested damming the rivers near the palace because 'what if the baby fell in?'"

"Why would the baby be even near the rivers?" Penelope asked.

Francesca threw her hands up. "That's what we said!"

Penelope's hand covered her mouth as she looked around once more. Oh shit this was all her husband's doing. "Let me talk to him. Where is he?"

"In your room," Francesca answered. "Michael dumped him there after I gave him a potion to knock him out for a few minutes of peace. It should be wearing off soon if it hasn't already."

Penelope nodded and teleported to the room she shared with her husband. Colin was indeed awake and . . . Penelope wasn't quite sure what he was doing.

"Husband," Penelope called out.

Colin looked up and his face brightened. "Pen!" Teleporting to her said Colin pulled Penelope in for a kiss. "My beautiful wife, how are you?"

"Very confused," Penelope said. "Colin what is going on? Why does our home look like the inside of a pillow fort?"

"I'm helping you!" Colin answered with a grin. "I baby proofed the palace."

Penelope did not return her husband's smile. This in turn caused Colin's to fall. "What's wrong Pen?"

"Colin this is more of a hinderance than anything. I can't even walk properly," Penelope answered truthfully.

Colin's face fell further. "Oh."

An idea came to Penelope's mind, something she's been excited to try for when she finally came home. She had seen Phillip and Eloise do it. Penelope had been jealous of the bliss that had been on Eloise's face. "I do have a way you can help me though if you turn everything back to the way it was before."

Colin looked up "Oh?" He snapped his fingers and the marble walls and flooring came back.

Penelope turned around and pulled her husband to her back. Placing his hands underneath her stomach. "Gently lift and hold it," Penelope instructed.

Colin did just that and Penelope could have sworn she could have moaned at that moment. She would swear the feeling was better than what they did to put the baby in there. The pain in her back had elevated and her head fell back against her husband.

At that exact moment baby decided it didn't like being ignored and kicked where daddy's hand was.

Colin looked down at Penelope. "Was that?"

Penelope nodded. "Yeah, that's baby."

Pure and utter adoration covered her husband's face. Kissing the side of her head as his thumbs massage against her stomach.

Penelope felt at bliss. Though this did prove to her that for all future kids she has to plan them so she gives birth in the Underworld. If Colin was like this the she was gone for most of her pregnancy Chaos only knows what he would do should she give birth up on the surface.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Hello! A fellow arcana writer here - ( this is from my main account, the account where I post my arcana content is @thefishermansharbor ) just wondering, do you have an tips or tricks with writing for Lucio? I feel like I always make him too agitating, and I want to make him seem a little more human. Anyways, great work so far and answer this whenever! <3

Yes, I've read your stuff! I've really enjoyed it too!

I can't tell you how honored I am to be asked for tips like this, so there will a whole (very long and detailed) Lucio character analysis under the cut if you desire to read it ^.^ (spoiler warning, of course)

There's two things I like to keep in mind when I'm writing Lucio: who and what he is, and where he is on what he does with that. Lucio as a human being, for example, is an extrovert who loves parties and attention. What he used to do with that, on the other hand, was focus all of his attention on throwing lavish parties when there were more pressing matters that he chose not to address (pre-prologue).

So who or what is Lucio? You could start with his MBTI personality type (ESTP), or his sign (Capricorn), or how he presents himself. This is the person the reader gets to know in his route, and when I write headcanons, this is the person I pay more attention to. He's extroverted, he loves attention and excitement, he likes to act first and think later, he's an adventure seeker, he's loud and expressive and an open book, he likes to be happy, and he likes people to be happy with him. As person, that's who Lucio is, and that's who MC falls in love with in his route.

But that's not who we see in the rest of the story, whether it be the prologue, the "Dawn of the Grub" tale, or the other character's routes. That's because in those stories, we're meeting Lucio through the eyes of the characters we're with, and they see him for what he's done and continues to do. Julian's route shows us a self-centered tyrant, Nadia's shows a petulant teenager playing at royalty, Asra's shows him as useless scum, Muriel's as a terrifying demon turned clown, and Portia's doesn't even address him at all. This is all in line with the things those characters experienced (or didn't experience) because of him. Asra lost his parents and MC, Julian was locked in a dungeon and force-fed a plague beetle, Nadia was married to someone out of desperation who dimmed her spark, Muriel was enslaved and coerced into murdering hundreds of innocents, and Portia didn't even know who he was until she showed up in Vesuvia.

So how does all of this play into MC and Lucio's relationship? Assuming that we're working with the upright ending, most of this depends on how much time has passed since defeating the Devil. The game leaves off with MC and Lucio becoming journeymen, or traveling adventurers, deciding their future one new commission at a time. Because Lucio's relationship with MC is what transforms him from being himself with only himself in mind to being himself with the wellbeing of others in mind, the longer he's had the chance to practice that, the more of a good person he has practice being.

If it's been a few months, he is probably still rude to strangers out of habit and regularly puts himself before other people (including MC half the time) because he's still learning how to think of others when he makes decisions and how to say "I was wrong" after making a big mistake. He's probably still settling into the fact that someone loves him for him, and that if he asks for forgiveness there's a chance he'll receive it.

~ from here on out is much more speculative. some fans like Lucio for his more "villainous" traits, like his tendency to prioritize himself or his willingness to forget about people in the pursuit of his own pleasure. what I'm about to describe is a continued trajectory from his route and upright ending, where Lucio is committed to continuing to better himself and build a healthy future, and MC is playing an active role in reconciling and connecting him to the people around him ~

If it's been closer to a year, he's more likely to have learned how to make friends with new people out of his extroversion instead of trying to dominate them out of his need for attention. He's still working on his manners, but he's better at acknowledging his oopsies. This is most likely the point where he gets into the deeper work - his own trauma from growing up in a "hunt or be hunted" family, his addiction to deal making, his time on the battlefield, dying of the plague, spending three years as a tortured, incorporeal form while the world continues without him, etc.

This is also when the weight of all the things he's done wrong really starts to sink in. He'll likely go from "yeah, that was a thing I did and it was bad," to "oh, I'm directly responsible for thousands of deaths and immeasurable suffering, and nothing I do can change that." He'll be more love-hungry than he's ever been, and every day will be a struggle of living with the nuances of trauma and forgiveness and generational cycles of violence and death, all with a brain that doesn't like nuance or deep thinking at all.

Several years down the line, he has the potential to be one of the most intentionally healthy characters after the astronomical amount of work he'll need to do to build and maintain a good life with MC. While nobody becomes perfect, we'd see him fully become the person that MC fell in love with (an energetic, excited, creative adventurer who loves people and animals and who loves to be loved). At this point, he's also started to make his own reputation as the fighter who travels with a magician and takes odd jobs for a decent commission, and not the ex-count of Vesuvia. The people who meet him now will see the same person MC saw all along, and they'll most likely find him endearing and want to be friends with him. He'll have good connections that he's made on his own merit.

It's unlikely that he'll ever be fully welcome in Vesuvia. While he's changed and grown and likely addressed what he's done to the best of his ability, he can't undo the past. For the rest of his lifetime, memories of the plague will be fresh in that city's memory, with not a single citizen who hasn't suffered from it. It's very likely that he'll still stop by with MC a few times to catch up, but that's it. The city won't want him back after knowing the truth. And Lucio doesn't like living with his mistakes - he'd much prefer to move on and do better. As much as he's learned to apologize and do better, he'll do anything to avoid wallowing in his own suffering.

To write him, then, I like to start with who MC knows he is, figure out how long he's had to grow, and work from there. If I'm working with an MC-related prompt (an MC who likes to draw, or who uses a cane, for example), then Lucio will first encounter that quality as the person he is when he first meets MC in his route (ghostly mr goatman). It's also fun to track how his behavior is likely to change over time as he grows as a person.

If it's a future situation for an established relationship, like getting married, or having kids, or daily routines and domestic habits, then I write for the Lucio we see developing at the end of the Upright ending.

The two often play into each other, of course. If MC has PTSD, and Lucio's come far enough to help them with that, it also means that he's drawing from all of his own trauma. If we see him being petty about something, we have examples of how he would have reacted, and how he reacts instead.

That's the fun of being human, after all. We are the amalgamation of all the versions of ourselves we've ever been, and growth is the product of acknowledging every one of those and aiming for goodness in whoever we become next.

Hope that helped, @thefishermansharbor! Happy writing, and cheers!

brainrot

[swallowedbyfandom]

Cressida has never believed in the hell the priests all rant about. Now however, she is a believer. What else could explain the indignity of being passed over repeatedly for frumpy Penelope Featherington?

Eloise had been her only ally against Penelope Featherington and her brute brother sent her away. She had felt so victorious when Eloise accepted her friendship. Still all her efforts were wasted. The Bridgerton's never welcomed her into their home. The Bridgertons had no problem loving that insipid wallflower. Yet they all shunned her when she made overtures! Even the youngest two turned their noses up at her. Her friendship with Eloise did not softened them to her at all. Oh, they were polite enough but they always watched her with suspicion. It was so insulting, she is a beautiful, wealthy lady of much higher status than some lowly Baron's third daughter.

Was that the end of her plights? No. She has been forced to witness all the most eligible gentlemen in society trip over themselves trips to keep that chit attentions! Even the Queen's special quest lost his head over her. It was disgusting to see a girl so pathetic rise so high. The Queen even seemed to approve of their match. It was madness! Penelope Featherington is a plump dull looking girl from a destitute family. What could she possibly have to offer anyone!

To add insult to injury her father has been lambasting her and her Mother over their failure to secure her a husband. He scolded mother over how poorly she trained Cressida. The gall of him! He claimed that if Portia Featherington could secure both her daughter's wealthy husbands with barely any dowry there was no excuse as to why Cressida was still unmarried. He claimed it was obvious that Lady Featherington knew how to raise proper genteel daughters. He believed with Penelope's success this season, that Lady Featherington was some sort of expert in motherhood.

Then he ranted at her for not befriending Penelope Featherington. As if she would ever lower herself in such a manner! He claimed she could have ridden the coattails of her success if only she had not been so openly mocking toward the girl. Father finished by telling them that they had two weeks to secure a match for her or he would see her married to Lord Greer. He even reduced their pin money!

Hell is real, and she is living in it! She will be shipped off with that vile old lecher while Penelope Featherington will be living the high life in Vienna. No, she will not have it! Surely there must be someone she can blackmail to save herself? Perhaps she can compromise Colin Bridgerton? How hard could it be! Yes, that will be her best option going forward. Eloise had told her enough stories that she can surely stroke his ego enough to get him alone. She must find her mama!

The gods are conspiring against her. After that Sunday sermon Colin Bridgerton hides away for three days. After he reappears in society he is never alone. His uppity mama or his obnoxious siblings, escort him everywhere. Worst her attempts at charming him have branded her as some sort of desperate light skirt. Lord Greer turned down her hand in marriage. That fossil said he wanted a bride with an unquestioned virtue! Her father's rage is boundless.

Her mama does not even try to help her. She claims she has her own problems. Her father declared her a failure as a daughter. He is sending her off in shame to live with his sister. He told her she can come back if his sister declared her ready to be a proper wife. He will not even allow her mama to write to her. What is she to do trapped in the country side?

Violet wants to rip all the hair from Portia Featherington's head. While she understood Portia was lashing out at Colin over his continued slights against Penelope, did she really have to go so far? Since that awful Sunday Service where her dimwitted son was proclaimed base there has been no end to her headaches. Someone painted the word jezebel on the door of his new home and on his personal carriage. Her only child who has managed to court without scandal is to be married by special license to avoid the church. The rumors now claim they only allowed Colin to travel to hide his lusty nature from the Ton. If she doesn't blame Portia she will smother Colin in his sleep. The day after that mortifying service Penelope sent her a discreet letter via maid.

Lady Violet,

While I am no longer in the business of gossiping, I still hear quite a bit. In this vein I must warn you of the current plotting that is afoot. The Ladies Cowper apparently hold quite a few grudges against your family. They are hoping to tie you all up in scandal to secure their futures. The grudges go as follows.

Lady Cowper blames Daphne for stealing her daughter's chance at becoming a princess. She also blames Anthony for ruining Cressida's prospects last year. She believes him not considering her daughter for the role of Viscountess to have tarnished her reputation.

I will not repeat Cressida's slander and grievances over Kate's heritage as it was most vile. I will however tell you that she was overheard questioning whether Anthony's future children should be considered heirs for the family title considering their mixed heritage. Miss Cowper is also miffed that Eloise was sent away as El was to help her secure a husband. This all ties to their current plot.

Lord Cowper has issued them an ultimatum. They are to secure a husband in the next two weeks or Cressida will be married off to Lord Greer. She was overheard by her household staff plotting with her mama to get a drunk Colin to compromise her. If he is not drunk she means to lure him away alone so she can be caught by her Mama and company.

She claimed Eloise has given her enough information on Colin that she is confident she can get him away for a "talk." I do not know for certain the validity of such claims. However El is not one for discretion.

While I am still hurt and angry with Colin over his disregard for my person, I would never wish to see him entrapped in a loveless marriage. Nor would I ever let someone bring ruin to your family. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.

Please pass along the parcel to Francesa. It is a wedding gift for her and Jon. Also please give Hyacinth and Gregory a hug and kiss from me. I miss those little terrors, dearly.

All my love,

Pen

Violet gives herself ten minutes to calm her wrath. She is going to ruin Miss Cowper. She will see that girl run out of town if it is the last thing she does. The nerve of the pit viper to question the birthright of her future grandchildren. Oh, she will have Anthony pull their investments from anything even remotely connected to Lord Cowper. Then she will tell that man exactly what his wife did to cause him such hardship. Her children may all be scandalous messes but that does not mean she will not destroy anyone who tries to hurt them.

It is clear they have gotten too soft. Penelope dear girl that she is, had sorted so many of their problems effortlessly that they have lost their teeth. It is time to stop playing nice. She will meet with Lady Danbury tomorrow to deal with this offensive accusation about her grandchildren's mixed heritage.

She is going to sit Colin down tonight and give him Penelope's closure letter. She is going to finish breaking his heart, but she needs him to grow the hell up. Their family cannot afford for him to become a liability. It is a harsh thing to do but she has 7 other children and her future grandchildren depending on her.

First she needs to call a family meeting, they are going to war. Then she will deal with Colin. Then she is going to send Eloise a blustering letter. No more, Eloise will shape up or she will stay in exile until all her siblings are safely married. The Cowper's will wish they never heard the name Bridgerton, when she is done.

[hopepaigeturner]

To Philoise or not to Philoise?--That is the question

Ok so I recently have been writing one-shots concerning Philoise and so I have had to re-read bits To Sir Philip With Love...

It made me reaffirm my original thoughts. These might be a bit controversial, but hear me out...

1.BookEloise and ShowEloise are not the same character. And the show should not try and retcon this to appease fans. Otherwise, we’ll have a character with no consistent characterisation, making choices that do not make sense. Nothing is more jarring or off-putting for an audience. Therefore, fans we need to expect MAJOR changes to the book.

2. I don’t want ShowEloise to marry ShowPhilip. Here are a couple reasons:

A)I want more diversity among male leads.

I want a poc chracter in a main role with a complete story arc. Not one used as cannon fodder (such as Penelope’s suitors in S3 Bridgerton) I'm not against it, for we always need extra characters e.g. Thomas Dorset, but I don’t want it to become a pattern.

This is also why I’m a little hesitant about Theo. And yes, if the only hesitations about a character is their race then this is hypocritical—even racist?—but if Bridgerton wants to continue banging on about diversity, (its main selling point) then they need to do something.

B)More importantly, Marina.

The way they treated bookMarina is really unsettling for me. I feel that Phillip’s frustration is understandable, but the language they use lacks empathy and compassion. “She was always sad”. Ugh.

 Furthermore, we have ShowMarina whose fate is tragic, but we are shown that the resilience she showed in her S1 storyline has not faded in S2.

There is also more emotional investment in this character (whether you like her or not), which BookMarina didn’t have. This lack of emotional investment enabled BookMarina to fade into the background without complications. Therefore, readers did not mind that Eloise was replacing her, nor about her death—this might be a little more complex if they kill ShowMarina.

And why can’t we have ShowMarina be a type of Portia I-will-do-anything-for-my-children Featherington? We have already shown she will do anything to protect her children.

Just a couple reason why I do not wish for Eloise to marry ShowPhilip.

HOWEVER!!! In the infamous words of BB:

A New Perspective…

Here is my idea:

Eloise does not fall in love with Phillip Crane. She just falls in love with a Phillip. A different Philip.

A Phillip who has the same backstory, who has children. (If we really don’t want to do twins, you could always have two children close in age). But his last name isn’t Crane.

Therefore, the writers can adjust Eloise's love interest. Perhaps the writer did want S1 Phillip Crane to be endgame, but with the way the narrative has evolved I don't think it would be for the best.

So yes, a new Phillip--we can have two characters with the same name!

And yes, I want to keep Philip's backstory:

First, Phillip’s backstory and his resulting behaviour. Like Sophie’s story, the romance genre uses trauma as a plot device but due to the restrictions of said genre these complicated traumas are not handled with nuance or compassion. If they are considered, this is brief or typically lost in the melee of everything else.

 Phillip’s fear that he will repeat the cycle of abuse is a very real fear those with dysfunctional/abusive parents have.

Then there is his anger. I think JQ wanted to show Phillip’s strength in not acting on the impulses he may have learnt from his father. Yes, Phillip gets angry, but he does not act upon it and therefore this is honourable. Unlike Sophie, I do not have any ideas on how they would tweak this in the show. They just need to treat Phillip’s trauma in general with consdieration to ensure it is portrayed well and not villainised/brushed aside.

(QUICK NOTE: However, the character of Phillip does need to be tweaked. E.g., the ending scene in front of the portraits when Eloise raises the unresolved issue they had prior to saving-Charlies-life. Now, Phillip’s trauma does mean Philoise’s problems with communication need to be handled with great compassion, delicacy, and patience. However, the concerns that Eloise raised were legitimate worries that should not be brushed aside because of Philip’s ‘trauma’, nor should Eloise be pressurised into happiness because Phillip needs her to be.)  

And yes, I want Philip to have children. I think it would be really fit with ShowEloise and her feminism/activism. While the patriarchy does disadvantage women--it also harms men. Men also suffer from the patriarchy--and BookPhilip is a prime example.

Philip was abused because his father wanted him to fulfil the narrow expectations placed upon men by the patriarchy--athletic, logical rather than emotional, a commander and breadwinner. But then his wife dies, and he's faced with having to be the opposite, female-coded role—child-rearing. Suddenly Phillip finds himself in limbo--he's een beaten into being the patriarch but he must also be a matriarch. Alongside his truama, I think it is very logical for him to distance himself from his children. Confusion, fear and PTSD lead to him avoiding his children.

Now. ShowEloise has been very vocal of women's disadvantages under the patriarchy. I hope in S3 Eloise understands her own privilege, and this education continues in season 4 with Sophie.

But nowhere in the series so far, have we seen Eloise acknowledge that sometimes the patriarchy harms men. Even though in the series we have been shown that it does—Anthony being a prime example.

So, S5 Eloise comes along a little older and a little wiser, and suddenly she meets this man who does suffer from the patriarchy and does not fit within it. I think this would challenge her. I think this would enable her to learn the full scope of what feminism is--an equity and equality of the sexes not a sovereignty over each other.

A Potential Modification

But Hope! You might cry. Without Marina, Eloise would never start sending letters to Phillip!

I see you; I see you. And I do think that this NewPhilip's wife should die--but the writers should have the decency not to treat her depression/post-partum depression as her defining character trait.

And concerning the letters—this should be kept. It is the key defining feature of this Bridgerton book and is super romantic.

So, I raise an idea...this new Phillip is/owns a publishing house. Phillip and Eloise's correspondence starts because he invites her to send parts of her novel for him to edit/make notes.

(He can still be an avid botanist, but due to his brother/father’s death he would be forced to take up the family business).

Picture this. Benedict and Sophie, being the artsy couple, host a summer/winter soiree for all their bohemian friends--the people who allow the couple to be themselves. And Benedict invites Eloise along so she can experience different perspectives. Now, here she meets Phillip—recently or not-so-recently widowed. They start talking and Eloise finds a man who listens but also challenges her--(a little Theo-esque); Phillip finds an intriguing woman who has no idea of his past--a woman who treats him like a person not a widow or father.

He invites her to send a chapter of her novel for notes--"You'll never know its value if you hide it away Miss Bridgerton.”. And so, their correspondence starts.

The letters start as those between author and publisher, with Eloise sending several letters vehemently disagreeing with his notes. Gradually little personal snippets of information sneak in. The letters evolve, become an escape from the character's situations, situations that make them feel entrapped and like failrues. (Eloise the ton and Philip his family.)

Eloise can still arrange a marriage, but because she wishes for freedom rather than companionship. Eloise does not want a love match (she tells herself in typical Bridgerton clown behaviour). She wants the freedom to pursue her dreams and ideas. Oh, and isn’t it handy that she knows a gentleman who she trusts, gets on well with, and who respects her literary pursuits. Oh AND he owns a publishing house.

Phillip has not told Eloise about the children because at first, their correspondence was purely business—there was no need to mention the children. And then, when the letters get more personal, he didn’t want to scare her away, he didn’t want to have to explain why he is a single father. His correspondence with Eloise is supposed to be an escape from his parental responsibility and trauma—he doesn’t want to jeopardise that.

The Marriage Question

It is too far in the future to speculate how the season would pan out. I personally would love to have Eloise not marry, I think it would suit her current ideals (Although I would like to point out getting married does not mean you are not a feminist). But ultimately the chances of this actually happening on a romance show is narrow.

(I do have a whole storyline about how Eloise could: get a romantic partner+ not get married+ still have the children element. However, this is too good and I might as well write it as an OG piece of fiction 😂😂).

However, with my newPhillip, there is a possible of sort-of justifying Eloise getting married.

Yes, Eloise gets married to Phillip, but she then takes over the publishing house as a working woman. Meanwhile, Phillip would be the primary caretaker of the children.

Firslty this enables that Eloise doesn;t slide into the mother role she is not comfortable with.

Secondly, this would showcase Philip's character development. Instead fo distancing himself from his children, he is would be activley involved with them. He is carving his own role within his family/society despite his trauma. Hopefully the extended run time of the show allowing his character development to reach a point where this is possible.

It’s not the perfect ending for Eloise, but then again this is Bridgerton, and it might be as close as we could get.

Summary: To Philoise or not to Philoise? A new question entirely.

So, due to the difference between BookEloise and ShowEloise, alongside the greater development of the Crane family, I do not believe that Eloise and Philip Crane should be endgame.

However, I do think numerous elements of BookPhillip's character would be an interesting story to adapt and challenge/fit with Eloise's storylines in the show--particulalrly her feminist education.

Therefore, a new Phillip shoud be created. One who could be a publisher, enable key elements of the book to remain while also sort-of reconciling Eloise-I-don't-want-to-marry-Bridgerton with teh romance genre.

What do you think?

P.S Please don't kill me. This is an idea, I am not dismissing or dissing Philoise fans or Theolise fans, this is just my personal idea.

[skylar50]

I DID MATH TO TRY TO GUESS HOW OLD ARE THE MAIN 6 AND HOW THE TIMELINE WORKS

Soooo, I already made a post explaining my toughts about Julian's and Lucio's age, and I said I wanted to make another post explaining my guesses for the rest of the cast, so here I am. (WARNING: THERE ARE SOME MINOR SPOILERS!! And this is going to be looong, so if you want to jump to the conclusions go ahead).

I recommend reading at least a part of the other post, since it has important info that I won't be explaining here, but to sum up what I think it's the most important fact: Many people believe that Lucio loosing his arm and Asra's parents being imprisioned happened 20 years ago, but I think the game gives us enough hints to know that that “roughly 20 years ago” actually means 17 or 18 years ago. So, my guesses are made having that in mind.

Please, have in mind that, since there are no canon ages, there is no way to know who is right or who is wrong, all we can do is try to guess, but I think we can all agree that the game has some inconsistencies with the timeline and that, at the end of the day, everyone can have their own headcanons, so it's okay if we disagree. And, also, english is not my first language, so I'm sorry if I wrote anything wrong!!

I'm going to start from the youngest to oldest (Asra-Portia-Muriel-Julian-Lucio-Nadia) and mark in blue the facts that are canon:

Asra

• We know he became an orphan when we has a kid. The game says it was roughly 20 years ago, I already explained on my other post why I think it's practically canon that the exact date is 17/18 years ago, so Im not going to repeat myself.

• He met Muriel 17 years ago.

• He met the apprentice 9 years ago.

• He revived them 3 years ago

• We know he had a thing with Julian before the whole revival thing. If the apprentice died 3 years ago and they were brought back from dead less than a year after, then that had to happen 3 years ago too.

• We do not know exactly how old was he when he met Muriel, but my guess is that he had to be between 6-10, maybe 11, but I would not put him as more than that because I honestly think he looks too young and too short for a 12 year old kid. It's true malnutrition could have been a problem on his growth, but he ended up being of average height and Muriel, who was also homeless, ended up being over 2 meters tall so... I do not think it really stoped them?

• This is gonna sound so dumb but I tried to calculate how tall he was when he was a kid lol (yes, I was very frustrated, yes, I needed help). I used this image they posted as a reference to see how tall they were besides each other, and my guess is that he's around 1'20 meters, which is a normal height for a kid that young, maybe a bit short but not too much (btw, I know Lucio's height is 1'77, but I added 8 cm more because he wears heels).

So, having all that in mind, I'd say Asra is between 24-28 years old. I personally can't see him as older than 28 because as I said I think he was too young on his tale, but it all depends on how you see it, of course.

According to my guess, that would mean he was 6-11 when he lost his parents (which I think it makes sense, since he as an adult is able to remember that Lucio imprisioned them, and it's pretty normal to be able to remember things from that age) 15-19 when he met the apprentice (so, it was a young love, maybe his first one, and that would explain why he was so attached), 21-25 when he had a thing with Julian (to make sure he was an adult) and that same age when the whole revival thing happened (and I personally think it makes sense that he was so young when he made shuch a desesperate decision).

Portia

•We know there is a big age gap between her and Julian:

-She can't remember the shipwreck, Julian does

-She was still a kid when Julian left to become a doctor

-She seems to remember him, but vaguely

•She started working on the palace one year ago

•Since she can't remember loosing her parents, I think it's safe to assume she was still a baby

•I honestly do not remember much from Portia's route, but if I recall correctly, there's this paid option that lets you help her remember a lost memory. I personally see her very very young, and it has to be a memory from after she lost her parents and before Julian left to become a doctor, so I'd say she was 3-5.I remember it was mentioned that in the memory Julian had a big growth spurt, so, since I like to think there is an 7-9 year gape between them, that would put him at 10-14.

I think it's an age range that makes sense, it is possible to remember things from when you were 3-5 (I personally do remember some things, mostly things that had an impact on me), and Portia had visual help to be able to remember it, so it would make sense that she had this memory hidden on her mind and then she was able to remember it correctly with help.

So, having all this in mind, I would say Portia is between 25-30 years old. Maybe you could give her an extra year, but I would not make her younger than 24 because then, if we follow my guesses, she would be younger than Asra (and it's canon that she's older) and I also think the age gap between her and Julian would be too big, and if it was, then maybe she could not remember him before he left. She had to be a kid, but not so young to not be able to remember how they played.

This would mean she was 24-28 when she started working on the palace.

Muriel

(Warning: This is goning to get long.)

I've seen some confusion about Muriel's age, mostly because it seems there are some inconsistencies about his past. I will try to make it make sense, but yeah, have that in mind please.

This man has been my hyperfixation for 2 whole years and at this point I am basically his own personal wikipedia, so I hope I do not leave anything behind, and Im sorry in advance for how long this is gonna be:

•We know he had to leave his home when he was still a kid.

•In his tale, he seems to vaguely remember how he arrived to vesuvia (so, not younger than 3 when he left?)

•He met Asra 17 years ago

•We do not know the exact age gap between him an Asra, but tbh I do not think at all than he's more than 3 years older, because in his tale he says that asra only seems “a couple years younger”, and they both seem to be on very close stages of their lifes even as kids. Muriel's just a big boy.

•We do not know how much time he worked as Lucio's gladiator, but he had to break free at least 3 years ago (since 3 years ago was when Lucio “died”).

•This is all me making theories and trying to make a guess with every tiny detail of info I remember, so take it with a grain of salt because I could be completly wrong, but I personally think that what makes more sense is that he left the Kokhuri when he was 3-7 years old. The reasons:

-I know it's pretty normal to not be able to remember much from when you were that young, and the trauma could also have made an impact on his memory, but I think he had to be very very young when he left because he's not even sure if he's from the south (in the scene where they get a room on the inn, the MC asks him how he can't be sure and he says it happened a long time ago). He does not seem to remembe his parents, his language (I am assuming the kokhuri have a different language than vesuvians) and in general he does not seem to remember his home practically at all. I personally think that if he was older than 8 it would be more strange, but maybe it's just me.

-In his tale he already says that he's starting to forget his parents, and he's still a young kid. I think that can be a hint to let us know he was really really young when he left, I think it would be weird otherwise

-I am not sure about this because maybe it could be understood in other way, but he seems to remember Lucio's voice from his nightmares? And I guess that means Lucio had to be there when the Scourage of the South attacked the Kokhuri. That, or maybe his voice appears on his nightmares just because, or he recognizes that his way of speaking is similar to other people from the South or idk. But I think it has to mean that Muriel had to be at least 3 to be able to remember Lucio's voice(even if it's vaguely and had to hear it again) or the way the people from the Scourage talked. If it's the first case, it also means that Lucio had to be there, so it had to happen before he was 18 (remember that in Lucio's tale he just became 18 and that's when he left his home). That's why I think their age gap has to be big but can't be bigger than 14, because 3+14= 17. Ok this is starting to sound dumb, right? But in my mind it makes sense, I swear

-I also think he could not be younger than 3 because he had to at least be able to walk, talk and well, try to survive on his own. I know 3 is still super young, but, I mean, if I had a vision where all my family died I would also send my 3 year old kid to live on his own lol, better having a little chance than dying my boy! And we see on his tale that the orphans work together to get food so maybe some older orphans helped him and the other younger kids until he grow ? Look, listen, some weeks ago I discovered there is a japanese show in which they film 2 year old kids going to the store and shopping on their own so it's possible! I am just trying to give the lowest age possible so we know where to start from :') and to try to make it make sense, because in his route it sometimes seems like he was practically a toddler (or directly one) when he left.

To sum up, I think he had to be around 3-7 years oldwhen he left his home so everything makes sense. It would make sense that he could remember some little things, but very vaguely and had to fill the blanks with his own guesses, it would also make sense if Lucio was there when the Scourage attacked the Kokhuris and that he recognizes his voice, it would make sense that he has trouble remembering even the most crucial things (his parents, his language...) and it would be plausible that he could survive being homeless if he at leasts knew how to walk and communicatte on his own.

•I personally can't see him older than 14 on his tale. I find it already a bit hard to believe he could be 14, because I personally think he still looks prepubescent, and tbh I think that Muriel would have been already as tall or taller than Lucio if he was older. I know malnutrition is a thing, but everyone seems impressed with his height, even Lucio, so idk his genes are just that strong I guess. Maybe his parents were over 2,15 and he's the short one of the family lol. I also think it would be a streatch if the game told us that this kid is huge and then the kid in question was 15 years old and around 1.50 meters. I'm gonna use the same images as before:

He seems to be slouching a bit, so maybe we could add 3-8 cm more. But my guess is that he was 10-12 on his tale, give or take a few years if you want, at the end of the day, it's all about you own perception.

•I think it's safe to assume that, if Lucio became count 17 or 18 years ago, that means Muriel had to leave his home approximately 20 years ago, probably a bit more, depends if you see him younger or older.

So, having all this in mind (finally!!!), I would say that Muriel is around 26-31 years old.

That would mean he was very young when he arrived to Vesuvia (and it would make sense that it happened 20 years ago or more), he met Asra when he was 9-14, he left the coliseum minimum when he was 23-28, and that his age gap with Lucio and Asra makes sense. If he was younger I think it would be more difficult to make the age gaps and his past as a gladiator plausible, and as I said before I honestly can't see him older than 14 on his tale. But again, this is all a headcanon.

Julian

I already explained Julian's age on my other post, so I won't repeat it, but my guess is taht he has to be between 33-40 (or maybe one or two years older, as long as his age gap with Portia makes sense and he's still younger than Lucio)

Lucio

I explained Lucio too. My guess is he's between 37-44. I would not put him any younger or older because then the age gaps would not make sense and neither his past.

Nadia

Im going to be short with Nadia because there are not many pieces of info and since she's the oldest one there is more freedom, because any kind of age gap would make sense.

•We know she arrived to Vesuvia 9 years ago

•She was married to Lucio for 6 years. Since Lucio has been “dead” for 3 years, that means they married 9 years ago

•She's the youngest of all her siblings. We do not know the age gap between them, but I'd say they are pretty close in age, since their parents are still alive and do not look too old, and Nadia has to be older than 37 for this to make sense. I mention this because maybe it would be plausible for Nadia to be 50, but, I mean, there has to be a limit haha.

Having all this in mind, I would say that Nadia is between 37-45~years old, but it could be a bit more. This would mean she arrived to Vesuvia and married Lucio at 28-36, she was 34-42 when Lucio “died”, and her siblings would be on their 30s, 40s or maybe 50s, which I think makes sense.

So, my conclusion is:

Asra: 24-28

Portia: 25-30

Muriel: 26-31

Julian: 33-40~

Lucio: 37-44~

Nadia: 37-45~

And if you are interested on knowing how I hc them:

Asra: 26

Portia: 27

Muriel: 28

Julian: 36

Lucio: 39

Nadia: 39

That's it!!

I'm not sure if anyone would want to read all this lol but I hope it was a bit useful or interesting!

Please do not judge me for how much time I put into shuch a silly thing lol, I know I have to get a hobby :'D

[bklynmusicnerd]

I don’t get how some ppl don’t see Portia’s behaviors as problematic. So parents of ADULT children who don’t like their ADULT child’s partner have every right to run interference bcuz they have concerns or don’t like that partner? Are we serious rn? Portia can have all the concerns she wants, no matter how extreme they are, but YES the line has to be drawn on her thinking she can actively do something to change it. That’s the problem. How are ppl defending this? How are her biased, closed minded views of Spencer not a problem? She’s trying to maintain control over her daughter. This is more about Portia then Trina. That’s what’s naturally supposed to happen when kids get older, become adults. Parents have to let go. They have to adjust to losing that control they once had over their children’s lives once they become adults, trust that the foundation they provided will guide them, be there for support/advice when asked and allow them to make their own choices, for better or for worse. This is so unhealthy. Trina is a grown woman who’s in love, not 12 experiencing her first crush. I’m just stunned that some don’t see a problem with this. I bet these same ppl would have a problem if their parents tried to do that shit to them as an adult

I feel like the vast majority definitely see Portia as a problematic and the narrative is definitely portraying her thought process as problematic. I have seen some of the cultural conversations about the "meddling black mom" which I get but I think Portia's situation is a lot deeper than that. Stella is more the type to fit that sort of cultural archetype of the meddling matriarch.

I think people who are sympathetic to Portia are coming from the perspective of Spencer being a hot mess. Spencer, on paper, is pretty much every parent's worst nightmare lol. But like you said, there comes a time when you have to "let go" and the issue with Portia is that she thinks that day is never.

I really loved what someone here said about Portia coming to define herself as Trina's mother and not really knowing who she was outside of that. I do think there's a part of Portia that's afraid to be alone with herself. Even when she lost Curtis and Taggert romantically, she could pour everything into being a working mother. Trina was the thing in her life that she could control and count on while everything else was chaotic. I think Trina growing up and figuring out who she is, away from Portia, scares her because then it forces Portia to figure out who she is beyond being Trina's mother. Taggert called her out on basically using Trina as a crutch to avoid the the problems in her own life that she doesn't want to deal with.

Portia is sort of obsessed with "controlling the narrative" and the narrative of her daughter is probably the one who she values the most. Trina was on a clear track pre-Spencer and while I'd still argue that she's on that track, Portia is always gonna view Spencer as chaos and derailment for her daughter's future success, a perpetual threat.

[turn-off-the-sun-goatman]

Main 6 + Morga When They Walk in on MC Crying

Asra

He would most likely freak out at first

Immediately runs to you and asks what’s wrong. If you don’t want to talk about it, he’ll just hug you and try to calm you down.

“Everything’s going to be alright, okay? I’m here. I’m not going to leave you alone.”

If you don’t want to be held, he understands and sits in front of you without leaving your side. However, if you tell him to leave, he will ask if that is what you really want. If the answer is “yes,” he’ll get up and leave, but will stay outside the door as a precaution. 

Faust will try to lighten your mood by squeezing your hand and saying some silly things.

When you’re ready to talk about what hurt you, Asra will listen carefully and try to find a solution, if there is one. If someone hurt you, that’s a different case. He would be angry. Most likely he will confront them or cast a bad luck spell on them. If it was your own mental problems, he would spend hours trying to compliment you.

He understands that sometimes it’s best to just let your emotions out, so he tells you it’s okay to cry.

However, if you were crying over something stupid, like you dropped a slice of bread, he would laugh. You scared him and he’s just happy that everything is okay. And it was funny.

Makes you some tea afterwards. Even feeds you some chocolate if you want to.

Nadia

“Darling, are you in… Oh.”

Nadia is utterly confused and surprised. That was the last thing she expected when she started looking for you. 

If you were lying on the bedroom floor crying, she’ll make you sit on the bed so you’ll be more comfortable. She doesn’t mind if you don’t want to tell her what’s wrong right away. Nadia sits down next to you and calmly waits for you to stop crying. If you want a hug, she will gladly hold your trembling form. 

She whispers sweet nothings in your ear to help you calm down. 

“It’s okay, darling. Cry it out.” 

When you’re ready to talk, she gives you her full attention. She doesn’t mind if you take big pauses between sentences. You’ve probably never seen her so focused before. If you tell her someone hurt you, she’ll ask if you want to put that person behind bars. Whatever the answer is, the person will get punishment for their actions. If it’s stress or something else, she’ll try to find a solution to your problem. 

She doesn’t mind if you want to stay in bed all day. She understands that and lets you rest. However, she tries to stay with you as long as possible. 

Get’s you anything you need. Food? New clothes? A new pet, perhaps? She’ll get you one. If it makes you happy, she’s cool with it. 

If you want to stay with her, even if she has a meeting, she’ll gladly let you come. Will tell the courtiers/royalties that you are welcome here and if they mind you, the door is over there. 

When the two of you are alone again, she will kiss you and tell you that she will do everything she can to make sure you are not sad again.

Julian

Uh oh

His first thought is that he fucked up and now you’re crying because of him. Pushing those thoughts aside, he runs to your side and asks what’s wrong and if he caused it. 

When you don’t answer him for minutes, he gets worried, but he respects your boundaries, so he tries to hug you and let you cry on his shoulders. If you want him to leave, he leaves, but probably stops at your door. He tries to remember everything you did that day that could have made you so upset. 

Most likely, he is overthinking the whole situation. 

When you are willing to talk to him, he will sit down like a little kid and listen to you. If someone hurt you, he will ask for their name to confront the person and probably get beat up by them. If it’s something else, he’ll immediately ask if you need medical help. Even if you say no, he will remember to ask again if this happens more than once. 

If you need a hug, he will happily cuddle with you on the couch/bed. His first priority right now is the person he loves the most, which is you. That’s why he wants to stay with you all day.  

He gets you food and water and peacefully waits for you to finish your meal.

He uses his comedic acting skills to make you laugh. Julian even puts on a little show for you. He plays every single character, of course. When Julian plays a female character, he tries to make his voice a little higher and tucks his hair behind his ears. If that doesn’t make you laugh, he’s lost. 

“Do you, uh…. wanna go to Mazelinka’s house for some soup?”

Julian is genuinely trying to make you happy, even if he has to make a fool of himself. He’ll do it for you.

Portia

“OH MY GOD! MC, what happened?! Are you okay?!”

Portia runs to you and immediately hugs you. She tries to calm you down by rubbing your back and whispering to you that everything will be okay. She lets you cry on her shoulders and waits patiently for you to open up about it. 

If you want her to leave, she looks at you with puppy eyes, but eventually gives you some time alone. 

She immediately runs to the kitchen to get you some sweets and water. Even gets some warm blankets so you can cuddle them. When Portia gets back to your room, she quietly opens the door and slides in the things she got for you. Then she immediately closes it again and waits for you outside. 

When you don’t answer for minutes, she runs to Nadia and explains the situation, asking if she could be free today to be with you. She is understanding of the situation and lets Portia be with you. Once she hears the answer, she runs back to you. 

Pepi somehow got in and rubbed her head against your leg to cheer you up. She won’t leave you alone until you stop crying. 

When you are ready to talk about what happened, Portia will sit down on the bed with you. She is very worried, but tries to smile for you. If you tell her that someone hurt you, she is ready to slam that person to the floor. Portia really wants to do something, but if she can’t confront said person, she will try to talk to Nadia about it. If it’s something else, she’ll try to get whatever you need right now. 

She may even take you to the kitchen to bake something with her. She tries to make it fun by throwing a little flour at you. 

Helps you brush your hair (if you have any) and compliments you on how nice it is. 

Prepares a bath for you and if you want her to join in, she’ll gladly do it.

Muriel

This man deadass froze at the sight of your tears. 

He was so surprised that he forgot he had just walked in on you.

Slowly he approaches you and tries to hug you very gently. Muriel doesn’t want to accidentally hurt you, especially when you’re crying. He quietly asks you what’s wrong and tries to rub your back to reassure you. 

If you want him to leave, he’s a little taken aback, but nods and walks out to give you some space. While you’re in there, he picks you some flowers. He only picks the prettiest ones because he thinks they’re the only ones that fit you. 

When he comes back and sees Inanna whimpering at the door, he gives her the flowers and lets her in. She walks right up to you and drops the flowers in your lap. She then puts her head in your hand and lets out a small whimper. 

As soon as you are ready to talk about it, Inanna runs to the door and scracthes it, signaling to Muriel to enter. He slowly sits down next to you, takes your hands in his, and asks what happened. If it turns out that someone hurt you, he’s really angry and promises that he won’t leave you alone from now on. May or may not ask Asra to curse the person. If it’s something else, he feels really bad and tries to help you get through it. 

When you’ve completely calmed down, he takes you to his favorite place in the forest. He shows you all the plants and animals that live there and tries to explain why they are important. 

If you want to watch the sunset, he takes you to the best spot he knows. Sits you down and waits for the sun to set. You may look at the sun, but he will look at you and tell you that you are beautiful while he blushes. 

When you are both done, he grabs your hand and walks back to his hut. 

He will cuddle with you once you are in the hut.

(Something that probably happened and made you cry: “Muriel… I accidentally stepped on Inanna’s tail and now she doesn’t want to come near me…”)

Lucio

Worried face™

“Why are you crying? What happened?!”

Lucio is so damn scared. 

At first he doesn’t quite know what to do, but when he finally realizes he should reassure you, he walks up to you and hugs you. Lucio places gentle kisses on every inch of your skin or where you allow him to. He uses his baby voice (the one everyone uses on animals and babies) and tries to tell you that everything is okay. 

If you want him to leave, he huffs a little but walks out of the room. Once he’s out, he immediately runs to find Mercedes and Melchior so they can be with you if he can’t.

The servants only see a panicked Lucio running towards the garden and then back to your room with two dogs following him.

He lets the dogs in, hoping they can calm you down a bit. When he’s alone again, Lucio goes all over the palace ordering each servant to get you your favorite foods, sweets, drinks, clothes, anything he can think of at the moment. 

Lucio comes back to your room and waits rather impatiently for you to open the door. He doesn’t want you to feel uncomfortable, but he’s just anxious. 

When you are ready to let him in, he literally bursts in and runs to you. He sits down in front of you with wide eyes and gives you his full attention. If you tell him that someone dared to hurt you, he already runs to them with his sword drawn out. It takes a while to explain to him that he can’t do that. He’ll still throw them in the dungeon and you can’t stop him. If the reason you cried is something else, he’ll let you rant about it and make little notes in his head to make your life easier. 

Takes you to the garden when you finally calm down. Goes to a tree and tries to fight it for you. Just so you can laugh, he loses to it and dramatically falls to the ground screaming that it hurts so much and he dies. 

After you smile, he sits down next to you and tells you his wonderful stories while cuddling with the dogs.

Morga

She just stands there looking down at you for a minute. You probably didn’t hear her come in.

At first Morga doesn’t know what to do, because all she had to deal with was a couple of people crying, which probably wasn’t her husband. Morga sighs softly and kneels down to you. 

mother senses intensifies 

She tries to say something, but decides it’s better if she doesn’t. She places a hand on your shoulder and begins to rub it. As you snuggle closer to her, she puts the spear away and hugs you. She won’t say anything until you are ready to talk. If you ask her to leave, she nods, gets up, and goes hunting. 

Morga may not show it, but she is genuinely concerned for you. You’re living with her in the middle of the snowy forest, so you have to be physically and mentally strong.  

“Probably something really bad happened and that’s why they’re crying.” she mutters. 

She couldn’t bear to look at her son while he was crying, so it was hard for her to act tough while you weren’t doing well.

In the end, she thinks about everything that could have happened and tries to find a solution before you’ve told her anything.

Jaeger waits for you on a tree next to your door so he can tell Morga if you’re ready to talk.

When Jaeger signals her, Morga comes right back and goes inside. She kneels down, looks deep into your eyes, and asks what’s wrong. She can see that something really hurt you, so she sits down, takes off her cape and puts it around you.

If you tell her someone hurt you (even though you thought the two of you lived here alone), Morga clenches her jaw. The look in her eyes tells everything. She doesn’t run off like Lucio, but she’s definitely going to try and hunt the person down. If you’re struggling with something else, she nods acknowledgingly and tries to find a solution for you.

You can relax for the rest of the day, though she’ll probably want to get her chores done. If you really want her to stay with you, she’ll eventually give in and take you to your bed to lay down with you.

Achievement Unlocked: Soft Morga

[still-a-morosexual-help]

It's sad, that we can't joke about our death in game, I'd definitely do that lol I mean, poor Belphie, BUT still lol

Sad, that we can't see which creatures exist in Devildom. Well at least Eliza can

Well, her mother abused her, that's why she hated own family, after mothers suicide she thought she will be free, but one-day someone left a dog in her car, which became her second family. It was nice, Anders was truly happy to the first time in her life. And boom, after a few years some hooligans killed that dog, and Anders just give up. She wanted to be alone and refuse to contact with other people. She's didn't want to feel something like that again and that's why she tried didn't got closer with bros. Anders still helped them, bc nobody helped her, so she decided to broke this cycle. But no more. She's wanted that bros just forgot about her after first farewell, well... she's mistake lol I mean she's love them, but basically forbid yourself to feel that and accept their love

Anders know russian and well, english. She actually has russian roots, so she often spoke it at home.

Yeah, I still wonder how they can eat Devildoms food...

Yep, good that her cousin help her with work, the only one in her family which Anders didn't hate lol

Thaanks, I really love her design, which changed very often, but the fact that she's has the same height as Lucifer never

DAMN YEAH I LOVE REVERS LUCIO! I MEAN DEVIL MC... THAT'S TOO HOT Even when I romanced Julian, I still thinks, that my MC became the Devil lol

Yes! Take that puppy! Agreed, agreed

Well, it's hard to be not sadistic when you with Julian lol, but we're still love him very much. Julian would be definitely glad to marry Len, and I bet he's perfect husband

Which magic Len prefer? She has a familiar? She's trying to teach Julian? How she feeling about her death?

Well, my MC's name Loki. Her canon was Julian, but after Lucio and Muriel...I don't have a canon. She already had a lover and later wife before death lol

As opposed to game, she wanted to explore death, because she knew how return, but Asra destroyed plans by return her by himself. And opposed to game she'll return own memories.

She's very old and strong magician. Was a royal, the Archon, before her twin lost his mind and try to kill her (he's good boy, just was cursed by Gods, which think that was a blessing), so she ran away and became a wanderer. I like to think that she's was the reason death Julian's parents, and basically became catalyst Portia's route. Loki was Asra teacher, because if I remember correctly, he's said that he just returned what was already MC's.

She's kind, charismatic, humorous, friendly and sarcastic. As teacher and Archon she's more serious and strict. Never get angry and always try to find a bright side, even when her parents was killed, and when her brother goes crazy. The only one moment when she was angry, when her wife was killed for connection with the magician, which was her.

Very bad empath, that's why Julian is good for her, bc he's the opposite to her. Probably marry him one day, and if had kids, they will created by magic, bc her body would eat the kids...

Before death/after .D

Right!? I'm real disappointed at our lack of ability to joke about MC's death cause not only is it hilarious and petty BUT it also opens up the potential for angst. Remember how Mammon got pissed at MC for joking about dying BEFORE they actually died?? Imagine how upset he'd be if they did it now

What the hell!? What the hell is with this angst!?😭 honestly though I love stories where a character is slow to trust cause of past experiences and then you get to watch them open up? Good shit💫

They brought up the food thing in om! too!! Wait;

Humans can't eat Devildom and Celestial Realm food! BUT MC's never had a problem with either. That's the fourth piece of evidence pointing to MC not being fully human

Okay but: 👏🏼👏🏼TALL👏🏼👏🏼MCS👏🏼👏🏼💯

Devil MC is so hot!!? I really want a dating sim where MC is evil? Like MC's brought back from the dead but after dying and losing their soul they've lost their humanity and are 'evil' (kinda like Rime from Last Legacy) but they still pretend to be the same in front of the LIs. The endings are:

1.) MC corrupts the LI and they both go on to commit horrid crimes

2.) MC learns about love from the LI and though they still aren't 'good' they're willing to leave behind their murderous ways for the LI

Like I would pay good money for this

1.) She prefers small magic spells to help her out in her day to day life: orbs of light, levitating things when she has to carry a lot of items, small healing spells, spells to help with potions, protection charms, little tricks to entertain people/kids but when she's pissed off/protective her magic becomes stronger/more forceful in order to attack or defend

2.) They have no familiar of their own other than what the game itself suggested - Melchoir possibly being the closest thing MC has to a familiar

3.) They're definitely trying to teach Julian. Somedays are better than others

4.) She prefers not to think about it. She imagines 'Len' from before their death to be a completely different person who she shared some similarities with. She prefers to think of this as a new start. She's her own new person and though before knowing the cause of her amnesia she was desperate to find out more of her new life, now that she knows what happened to her, she's okay with not knowing her past and instead exploring the world and making new memories

Okay why does your MC have enough content to make a whole prequel!?? Like damn I would read the shit outta this?? I mean ancient magical families with drama!? A wife!!? More of Death's Realm!!? (I have SO much love for The Arcana's Death and I really wish we got to see them more). An impact on the LI's backstories!!? Like yes!? I need all of this!

She looks so cool!! That eye!!! The hand!? Yes!

[sandwichfox]

Can you do a Hc of how the main 6 would react with a child apprentice (like one of the spells goes wrong and the apprentice is transformed temporary to a kid?)

Asra

★ Oh no. He told you that the rosehip had gone bad, remembers explicitly saying “don’t use the rosehip, I’ll bring some from the market later”. Of course, he can’t scold you for it now, since you’re currently sitting on the floor bawling your eyes out. Also, you’re approximately six years old.

★ He’s just coming through the door, but he can already tell what happened. Your knees are scraped and the stool you were sitting on is laying next to you on the floor. It’s likely you fell over when the brew exploded, and you’re now so small, it must’ve felt like a great height. There’s red potion splattered on the walls and ceiling. How much had you used? It’s supposed to only turn a light peach color. 

★ He’s by your side in a second, bags forgotten at the entrance. He closes the door quickly with a wave of his hand and kneels next to you to look at your scraped knees. You’re sniffling now, wiping at your soft cheeks with the back of your hand. “They don’t hurt too much” you hiccup “can you tell me where I am?” Your voice is so high, hilariously polite in tone. You just got scared, he realizes, finding yourself thrown off the stool and all alone in the shop all of a sudden. You’ve stopped crying altogether in favor of looking up at him with big, curious eyes. 

★ “You’re in my shop. I’ll still put some salve on them, don’t get up” he searches the cupboards for the tin, his mind elsewhere, at least he knows what went wrong, though it’ll be a hassle to fix, he starts piling ingredients for the cure in his arms. “What’s this?” You ask from behind him, face press against a jar of lacewings. He scoffs and sets the ingredients on the table. You haven’t changed, then. “Lacewings, I told you not to get up” his tone is amused, he approaches with the salve just as you skip to another corner of the shop. “They don’t hurt. What about those?” He manages to get a hold of your shirt, now a dress on your tiny form, and laughs as he applies the ointment “snail eyes” and your look of disgust makes him burst out laughing. 

★ Asra’s careful not to go into many details of your life, or what happened with the spilled potion. You don’t seem to remember being older and he wants to advert a possible crisis. Instead he answers your incessant questions as honestly and patiently as he can while he works on the cure, and finds that he doesn’t need to entertain you much otherwise. You look delighted when he asks for your help passing him ingredients. Then peeling the physalis enthusiastically when he asks you to. He doesn’t need them for the cure, but you had been putting off the task all week. Asra smirks to himself. 

Nadia

♠ Nadia calls out your name, rushing into the room, brows furrowed with worry. She had been just about to come inside when there was a flash of bright light, a sharp bang, a startled cry, and then a clatter of falling bowls. 

♠︎ “Darling?!” Her voice is tight as she approaches your writhing form, you’re slumped against the bookshelf, seeming to be tangled in a length of fabric. She quickly comes to your aid, peeling the curtain of fabric back from where she assumes your face must be. “I heard a crash and thought-… oh my” In your stead, staring right at her with unabashed wonder, is a child. You, she realizes with dawning dread, you’re the child. 

♠︎ “Who are you?” You breathe, reaching out towards her face and then, seeming to remember yourself, pull back with an embarrassed look. “Are you a princess?” Nadia can’t help her smile. “Countess, actually” Your eyes go impossibly large “oh” you look around “sorry about your bookshelf.”

♠︎ Nadia knows she should have gone to Asra immediately, but aside from your current -ahem- situation, you don’t seem to be in any pain or discomfort. On the contrary, you’re unabashedly lively. And, as she’s come to find out, you’re letting yourself be spoiled, for a change. Look, she was already on her way to the shop, alright? You were the one who pointed out the bright, colorful balloons when the carriage passed by the market.

♠︎ It was worth it, Nadia thinks, when you’re back inside the carriage. She moves the big -shiny green- stuffed beetle (a beetle, what a peculiar child) out of the way so you can rest your head on her arm. You’re sleeping, all tuckered out, you don’t even move when she wipes at your round, sticky cheeks with a wet cloth. “To the shop” she tells the driver, and maybe feels a smidge guilty about wanting you to stay like this a bit longer. She won’t though, it was just a thought. Though she’ll remember your fondness for smoked, salted almonds when you’re back to normal. 

Julian

♦︎ He swears he hadn’t meant to startle you. It’s just, you had been working on that spell for hours now, and he could see you growing increasingly frustrated every time it failed, sparks sputtering and fizzling before going out. He intended to make you take a break, calling to you from the other room and then poking his head in when you didn’t answer. He approached you gently, calling your name again. You didn’t even seem to hear him, tongue between your teeth and gaze severe with concentration. Julian sighed and tapped your shoulder.

♦︎ You jump, flailing just the slightest bit, but it’s enough. In a moment the sparks between your hands glow green then blue then white. He barely has time to gasp before he’s being thrown back, ears popping with sudden, suffocating pressure. And then it’s gone. Nothing more than a ringing in Julian’s ears and an upset inkwell left as evidence of the sudden explosion of raw power. 

♦︎ Julian rubs at the back of his head where it hurts. Then spots the pile of clothes on the floor, the very ones you were wearing. He’s rushing to you so fast that he has to blink to clear the spots from his vision. “Are you alright?! I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry I-“ he’s cut off by a long, drawn out groan from you, surprisingly high-pitched. And then he realizes you’re… you’re… -huh- the wrong size. 

♦︎ You look at him and shriek, startling him into a yelp, “oh! I won’t hurt you, I’m not a criminal, or… anything like that” even as a child (a child! he’s trying not to freak out) the expression on your face makes his stomach clench “I promise, you’re safe” you look sideways at him, unconvinced “I’m a doctor, actually. So, well quite the opposite of a criminal then, don’t you think? I heal people. Or, well, try to“ If anything, the already scared look on your face turns worse, mouth turning down at the corners into a terrified scowl. Oh no. 

♦︎ Well, he certainly can’t fix this on his own. Especially not with you keeping a very careful distance, looking at his hands with sharp suspicion, as if you expected him to be carrying a giant secret syringe that he just hadn’t revealed yet. Besides, this has to do with magic, so he wouldn’t be able to help, even supposing you’d let him. So here he is, shifting nervously after having knocked at the shop’s door. He looks behind him to check that you’re still there, only for you to squeak and hide back behind the lamppost, not hidden at all. Julian sighs. 

Muriel 

♣ Muriel knows you’re at the clearing, you’ve come more and more often to practice spells (the shop was too small and you had broken one too many jars). He can hear you shifting and muttering incantations, even through the trees. He comes into the clearing just as something goes wrong, the light between your palms glows brightly and then seems to be absorbed into your own body, pulsing under your skin once before throwing you back. 

♣︎ Muriel doesn’t even think, just throws himself between you and the trees before you can hit them, landing on his chest instead with a small oof. You look up to him, surprised. “Muriel! Sorry, that wasn’t supposed to happen, heh, but thank- oh!” Suddenly you shout, doubling over in pain and clutching at your own skin as you… shrink?

♣︎ He grabs you tighter, terror gripping him tightly as you writhe in his arms. “What’s wrong?” He asks, panic speeding up his heartbeat “what’s wrong? What hurts?” You stop suddenly, turning to look at him with confusion on your face. Your small face. Your round, child face. “Nothing hurts” you tell him, puzzled. Muriel drops you. 

♣ Strangely, you seem to trust him immediately, uncaring of his towering height or scowling face. You’re holding his hand and skipping by his side on the way to the shop like nothing’s the matter. He tries to soften his expression when he turns down to answer a question or coax you towards a less crowded path. You reward him with a small smile, it’s the same one he knows, but it’s missing a front tooth. 

♣ After a few minutes of silent walking Muriel notices you glancing up at him every few seconds, shy blush on your face, mouth open as if to ask a question, then turning forward again. “What is it?” he asks after the fifth time this happens. You start, looking down again. “You’re very tall” you mumble. Muriel’s cheeks turn pink. “Yes” he says simply. “Oh” you pause, “can I-“ you look down again “I- maybe- I bet you can see everything.” Muriel sighs and picks you up to place you on his shoulders. He can’t help the small grin at your delighted squeal. 

Portia

♥︎ “Helloooo?!” Portia looks up from her chopping board at the call, halfway through slicing the strawberries for dessert. You should be coming for dinner, but she remembers you were practicing some spell or another near the fountain, you shouldn’t arrive until much later. She furrows her eyebrows and walks over to the window. A small figure comes stumbling into her garden and then promptly gets their foot snagged by a graspgourd. Portia wipes her hands on a washcloth and hurries outside. 

♥︎ “Are you alright?” She asks gently. The child looks up and Oh, oh no. As soon as you see her you lower lip wobbles, but you bite down on it to keep from crying. “I woke up in the forest, I walked all over but I think I’m lost. Do you know where I am, miss?” She kneels down at your side to untangle the vine from your ankle, brushing gravel from your scraped knees “Oh, just Portia is fine, you’re actually not in the forest at all” she smiles kindly, “you’re in the palace gardens, specifically my own little patch. Would you like to come inside while we figure something out?” Her eyes twinkle with amusement at your look of wonder, seemingly forgetting all about the fall as you get up. “Gardens?! But they’re so big!” She extends her hand and you take it, following her inside her cottage. 

♥︎ She’s curious about what you remember, and about how you were as a child. She’s told you countless stories about her childhood in Nevivon, but you obviously can’t do the same, considering your lack of memories. She tries not to pry too much though, it’s difficult, considering how trusting you are. It honestly worries her a bit, how easily you opened up to her, what would have happened had you found someone else instead of her? No use dwelling on it though, and she wants to think it was just her amazing personality that made you trust her so easily. 

♥︎ “Are you hungry?” She asks, she notices you clutching at your rumbling stomach after finishing a particularly dramatic story, you remind her a bit of Ilya, when he was a young boy. You look up in surprise and she giggles. “Let’s see what we can find in the pantry, huh?” Should she call someone at the palace? No, what would they be able to do? Hopefully this is only temporary, but she doesn’t want to assume it will go away on its own. “Thanks, miss Portia” you say as she hands you a plate with snacks, she has given up on correcting you. 

♥︎ She knows a bit of magic, but not enough to reverse something like this. Perhaps she should call Asra, that seems like the safest bet. She can’t stop looking at you. You’re sitting at her table, nibbling at a slice of cornbread and turning a jar of jam this way and that for inspection as you eat, your legs swinging happily under the table. You’re adorable. “Miss Portia?” You ask around a mouthful of bread “when is your cat coming back?” She had sent Pepi to go get Asra while she kept an eye on you. She’s trying not to think too much about the current situation, there’ll be time to freak out after you’re back to normal. Hopefully Asra will be able to do something. Portia hums. “It shouldn’t take long.”

Lucio

▲”Can’t you go any faster?” Lucio grumps. You look up from his metal arm, incredulous. “Listen, I’m the one that’s doing you a favor here. And maybe you’re not aware that I could charm it into slapping you in the face, if you keep on like that” He turns red. “Right, sorry.” he says sheepishly, then keeps quiet for maybe a few precious seconds “but it’s taking so loooong.” “Lucio-” you start, then take a deep, calming breath. “Maybe you should try fixing an alchemical arm, infused with unfamiliar magic, see if perhaps you do any better.” you mutter, “keep still.” He twitches his finger, just to spite you. 

▲”Ugh!” You shriek, magic glowing brighter in your hands as you jump “you’re such a child!” The glowing red behind the plates of his arms sparks with a pop, blinding him. “Ow” Lucio protests, blinking furiously, he opens his eyes and turns to you. But… you’re not there. He swivels his head around for a second before he spots you, getting up from a pile of fabric and dusting yourself off casually, lifting the too-big strap of your gown back onto your shoulder with a dignified swipe of your much-smaller-than-before hand. 

▲ Air escapes him in a -very dignified and not at all shrill- scream. You trip back over the hem of your dress when you take an alarmed step back, just as the guards burst into the room. “Send for Asra!” He shouts. They don’t even say anything, just take a look at his face and step right back out, slamming the heavy wooden door and plunging the room back into silence. “Who’s Asra?” You demand, gathering up your skirt until the fabric is bunched up in your arms. You approach Lucio cautiously, seeming to size him up “and who are you?” Lucio drops his head into his hands, of course you wouldn’t remember anything. 

▲ Asra arrives maybe an hour later, interrupting your discussion. “Well?...” comes a high, inquisitive voice. “Well what?” Lucio sounds tired. Maybe this is not as urgent as the guards made it seem. “You say you’re the count, where’s your throne, then?” Lucio blinks “We’ll of course I have a throne, it’s just not he- Asra!” He doesn’t think Lucio has ever looked happy to see him until this very moment, his very gaze seems to be pleading for help. Asra looks at you, sighs “I know how to fix it, but it’ll take a while, I trust you can care for my small apprentice while I work?”

▲ “Asra” he whines “I can’t deal with this, I don’t know how to care for a child” Lucio mutters miserably, you shoot up immediately “I’m not a child!” he looks up at you and waves a vague hand in your direction “you’re like, five”. “I’m ten” you say haughtily, looking down your nose at him “and you’re old.” You add, for good measure. Lucio lets out an indignant squawk. Asra laughs and laughs.

-

Consider, mayhaps, leaving feedback?

[aliwritesfic]

Night Shift Part 3 (F!Reader x Frankie Morales)

Summary: Yours and Frankie’s weekends take very different turns

Word Count: 2K

Warnings: Emotionally abusive relationship, very brief mention of drug use, drinking, T*m D*vis makes an appearance

Part 1 Part 4

Frankie slept better that week than he had in months. Every night was long, uninterrupted, mercifully dreamless sleep. The diner had done exactly what he had hoped. When he awoke that Saturday afternoon, he felt better than he had in ages. He hummed while he rummaged through the refrigerator, grabbing out some leftover padthai and throwing it in the microwave.

Each night that week, a routine between you and him had formed. You’d work, barely exchanging words until the dinner rush was completed, then you’d make him a coffee and he’d make you something to eat. You’d requested something different each night, and each night you’d spoken to him a little more. Some nights you were in a better mood than others, but he quickly realised it wasn’t personal against him.

He found he was a little disappointed when he woke up that afternoon and remembered that it was his day off. If he was being honest with himself, he’d grown to enjoy your company. Something about you intrigued him, made him want to get to know you more.

Frankie spent getting stuff together for poker night with the boys. It was his turn to host, so all he had to do was make sure that his dining room table was clear and his portable speaker was charged. 

While he got ready, his mind kept wandering back to you.

He thought of the way you had a different smile for certain customers. The truly genuine one was reserved for only a select few of your favourites. He felt himself hoping that one day you’d give him one of those smiles, instead of the one that didn’t really reach your eyes and disappeared quickly. 

He thought of how when the diner was quiet, you’d lean against the counter and sip your coffee, your gaze firmly out the window. 

He thought of how when your shift ended and you checked your phone, your face would change for just a fraction of a second before you’d say goodbye and rush out the door. 

Jesus fucking Christ, he thought, do I have a crush?

Frankie hadn’t had a crush since high school, when he had finally had the guts to ask out Portia Inglewood. That relationship had lasted until he left the military, and brought all the emotional baggage with him.

A loud banging on the door knocked him out of his thoughts. 

“Cat!” Benny didn’t wait for Frankie to open the door. “We’re here, and we have beer!”

“You know where it goes,” Frankie called back. 

Santi grinned at his best friend and handed him a beer. “How’s the new job?”

“It’s exactly what I need right now,” Frankie told him. Santi nodded in understanding. They all had their own ways of dealing with what they carried. “Plus, the extra cash doesn’t hurt.”

Frankie didn’t want money - he had plenty from when he’d do private jobs with Santi. If he ever became desperate, he knew he could just join Santi on his next job. 

“Well, extra cash or not, I’ll always be the hottest person you’ve ever worked with,” Santi winked, making Frankie roll his eyes.

“Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better, man.” Frankie laughed. 

The night progressed in a haze of pizza and beer and poker. Will lost money to Tom, and Tom promptly lost it all to Benny. Santi told the group about the new girl he was seeing, some French expat over stateside for a few months. Benny double checked everyone was coming to the fight next weekend. Tom revealed that he and the girls were moving to Ohio to be closer to Molly’s parents. The boys promptly began planning a going away party, which would basically just be another poker night but with more beer and possibly a cake.

Any worries Frankie held seemed to melt away on nights like these. At one point, he briefly wondered what you were doing and if you were thinking of him too. Yep. Definitely a crush.

~*~

You didn’t like Kurt’s friends. Unfortunately, you were stuck spending your Saturday night with them crowded in your apartment, loud and disrespectful as hell. It didn’t matter to them that you’d asked time and time again could they please go outside to smoke, could they please put their beer bottles in the recycling bin, could they please not use your nice plates to do coke on. 

If your grandfather could have seen you now, he would’ve called you a push-over. You hated that you had become this person - afraid to stick up for yourself in your own home. Hell, you didn’t even know at what point you’d become this person. It just seemed to happen over the five years you’d been dating Kurt.

You had lost yourself in trying to be what he wanted.

With a sigh, you sealed yourself away in the bedroom with a bag of Doritos and your phone, wishing you could call your grandfather. You still had his number in your phone. Occasionally, you’d look at it, the numbers seared into your brain. 

Instead of calling the now disconnected number, you settled for messaging Sara. She was one of your only remaining friends from high school, and knew as much about your feelings as you were willing to let on. The thing was, you knew what she would say if you told her how you felt every single day. How lost, how hopeless you felt. She’d tell you to leave, forget Kurt and all the years with him, but to you it wasn’t that simple. 

Part of you still loved him, despite everything, and that part remained hopeful that you and Kurt could fix the fractures in your relationship. Plus, a voice in the back of your head told you he was right when he said he was the only one who could ever love you. 

Being alone, unloved, was one of your deepest fears.

This was one of the nights you actually missed being at the diner. You missed the lemon scented countertops, the radio that seemed to be permanently set on the oldies station, hell, you even missed Frankie and his amazing food. He’d been working with you less than a week but he had already wedged himself into your stomach. But, it was just two more nights until you were back there. It struck you that this was the opposite of how most people thought. No one you knew actually wished to go back to work. 

It was almost dawn when you were woken out of your half sleep by Kurt stumbling into the room. 

“Baby,” he slurred, crawling into bed beside you. “Baby, I love you.”

“I love you too,” you mumbled, moving over so he could fit in the bed easier. He reeked of sweat and booze. 

“I’m sorry,” he planted a sloppy kiss on your neck. “I really try to be good.”

“I know,” you ran your fingers over his head. He liked his hair cropped short, in an almost military like style. “I try too.”

“Can we go back to how we were?” Kurt continued kissing you, his hands moving drunkenly over your body. You bit back a sigh, knowing where this was heading.

You decided it would be easier to let him do what he needed, despite how badly you wanted to sleep. The only saving grace was you knew Kurt would only last a couple of minutes before it would be over. 

~*~

“So, what’s the new guy like?” Manny asked. You were seated outside, at one of his favourite cafes. The sun shone down warmly on you both, brightening your mood.

“I like him, I think,” you said. “He’s nice, quiet.”

“And pretty cute, right?” Manny wriggled his eyebrows. 

“I hadn’t noticed,” you lied. Of course you had noticed. It was impossible not to notice. 

“Don’t feed me bullshit, I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Ugh, fine. He’s good looking. But that doesn’t mean anything.”

“That’s the thing lover, it only means something if you want it to.” Manny took a conspiratorial sip of his drink. “And I didn’t get a gay vibe from him.”

“Oh good, because the only thing holding me back from jumping his bones in the kitchen is that I didn’t know his sexual preference.” You rolled your eyes, deciding to quickly change the subject. “Anyway, how’s the new job?”

“I’m loving it!” Manny lit up. “Everyone says teenagers are the worst group to teach, but it’s like they forget middle school exists.”

You smiled at Manny’s happiness. It thrilled you to see someone you considered your best friend so happy. If anyone deserves the whole world, you thought, it’s him. But he wasn’t going to let you change the subject that easily.

“You know, maybe you could invite Frankie to one of our lunches,” Manny said slyly. “It could be a night crew thing.”

“That would mean inviting the weekenders,” you reminded him. Manny held a grudge against the weekend crew, but you could never figure out why.

“No, weeknight crew only. Come on, lover, it could be fun! Plus, I want to get to know my replacement a bit better. Make sure I’m not handing the spatula to someone I don’t approve of.” Manny pouted and switched on his puppy dog eyes.

“Ugh, fine, I’ll ask,” you conceded, “but don’t be surprised if he says no. The man probably has a life.”

“It can’t hurt to ask though, and I will bother you about it until you have an answer.”

“What are you planning?” You knew that look all too well.

“Just on making a new friend,” Manny said innocently. “Lover, you can never have enough friends.”

At that moment your phone buzzed with a text from Kurt.

Where r u?????

You grimaced and sent a quick reply, hoping it wouldn’t lead to what it usually did.

At lunch with Manny from work. I’ll be home in a couple hours, do you want anything?

“Why don’t you just break up with him?” Manny asked, watching you carefully.

Is he the gay 1?

Yes, you met him and his husband last year.

“It’s complicated,” you said. You didn’t have anywhere to go. You were terrified of being alone. Part of you still felt like you could salvage what you had. The one and only time you had tried to break up with him, he had threatened to kill himself if you left. 

“You deserve better than that,” Manny said. You remained silent, not sure if he was right. “You’ve been unhappy for ages now.”

“I’m happy!” You protested.

“No you aren’t. Don’t fucking lie to me. You’re miserable with that douche bag, even James agrees.”

“I haven’t seen James in months! How the hell would he know!” You were getting defensive, but you still managed to keep your voice lowered. 

“Lover, I talk that man's ear off every chance I get. Because I love him. Because he likes to hear me talk about my day and the people important to me.”

“I’m important to you?”

Manny rolled his eyes and threw his napkin at you. “Of course you are, you’re a sister to me. Stop trying to change the subject.”

“What subject!” You scoffed.

“The subject of you for some reason wanting to stay in a relationship with a man who makes you miserable,” Manny’s voice softened and he gently held one of your hands. The gesture almost made you tear up with its gentleness. You merely shrugged.

“Like I said, it’s complicated.”

Manny nodded. “Just please think about it, for real. I couldn’t sleep at night if I never said anything to you about it.”

The walk home was slow, you took your time to sort out your scrambling thoughts. Manny had offered to drive you, but it was a nice day, and you wanted to enjoy the sunshine. You pushed the issue of Kurt to the side, knowing either way the outcome would be the same unless you magically grew a spine and a few extra zeros in your bank account.

Instead, you thought about Frankie and how best to ask him to Sunday lunch. Honestly, if there was going to be a night shift tradition, it just felt downright rude to not at least extend an invite. And if Frankie said yes, well, that was even better. It was like Manny said - an opportunity to make a new friend. Just a friend.

So why did your stomach flip at the thought?

Tagging @hnt-escape if you’d also like to be tagged just let me know <3

[juliandev0rak]

Could I request main 6 when mc crawls onto their lap for a cuddle?

Yes!! I live for this fluff 🥺💖

Asra

he’s sitting on the couch in your apartment when you walk in the door, dripping wet from the sudden rainstorm that had hit just as you left the market 

”You’re back! Did you get caught in the rain again?” He smiles and sets the book he was reading aside

you decide not to answer, a mischievous glint appears in your eyes as you walk over to the couch and plop down onto Asra’s lap

”Ahh, you’re all wet!” he complains as you shake your hair in his general direction, both of you bursting into laughter 

he casts a wordless drying spell on you as his arms snake around your waist, pulling you in for a gentle kiss that seems to dispel the last of the cold you were feeling from the rain

”I missed you.” Asra says, resting his head into the crook of your shoulder

”I just went to the market, silly, you’re the one who goes on trips.” Your voice taking on a slightly scolding tone

”Next time you’re coming with me.” He promises, pressing a kiss to the top of your head

you and Asra spend the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch and eating the pumpkin bread you’d stowed safely in your bag, talking about all the places you want to go together 

Julian

it’s late and Julian’s still in his office writing notes in a medical book, he’s so focused that he doesn’t even notice you standing in the doorway

you know if you don’t force him to get some sleep he’ll work all night and show up to the clinic tomorrow morning hyped up on caffeine that can’t hide how tired he really is 

”Julian, it’s late. You need to get some sleep.” You say, stepping fully into the dimly lit room

he’s still so engrossed in his work that he doesn’t hear you so you walk over to him and take a seat in his lap, facing towards him with your arms wrapped around his shoulders

”Oh, uh, hello my dear” His arms reach out to stabilize you, a blush already coloring his face -“Did you um, need something? That is to say- um, that I’m not unhappy to see you here, just surprised..” he babbles, stopping abruptly when you press a kiss to his collarbone 

”It’s past midnight darling, you need to get some rest.” You croon, using your most persuasive tone as your arms tighten around him

”Oh, is it already that late? I’m sorry my love, I lost track of the time.” He pulls you closer in response and you sit there for a few minutes holding each other, one of his hands moves to play with your hair

”Come on, time for bed.” You say after a while, noticing the way his breathing is slowing as he cuddles you

he stands up with a sleepy laugh, arms going to support you as you wrap your legs around him so that he’s carrying you into the bedroom

”I promise I’ll try to sleep if you promise to keep holding me.” He smiles wistfully as he pulls off his boots 

”I wouldn’t dream of letting go.”

Nadia

it’s been a long day of meetings and you can tell Nadia is tired 

for the past hour she’s been listening to Consul Valerius drone on about wine imports and she looks like she has a headache coming on

finally she dismisses him, “That’s quite enough for today, Consul.” and Valerius leaves in a huff, giving you a haughty look as he passes by

the two of you are left alone in the parlor and her eyes close with a wince as the headache comes on, you quickly get up from your seat to sit closer to her

”Nadi,” you say, reaching a hand out to rub her shoulder gently, “Can I help? Do you want me to call for some water?” 

”Consul Valerius always manages to leave me with a headache.” She says disdainfully. “I shall be fine.” 

you’re not so sure, maybe canceling her last meeting of the day would be a good decision, she looks like she needs to rest

before you can open your mouth to suggest it she opens her eyes and regards you with a slight smile “Come here, your presence always makes me feel better.” she pulls you gently into her lap to sit sideways against her

she leans into you and rests her head on your shoulder, you take a deep breath and smell the soothing lavender scent that follows wherever Nadia goes

you reach up to gently rest a hand on her temple, bringing a bit of magic to your hands to try to release the tension she’s feeling

she relaxes further into you, letting out a contented sigh as you begin to ease her headache

you sit cradled in her lap for a while in comfortable silence before she sighs and says “Perhaps we should retire early this afternoon, I think we’re both in need of a nap.” 

Muriel

you’re on your way to Muriel’s hut, soaking in the last bit of sunlight as you walk the now familiar path through the forest 

as you approach the hut you’re nearly knocked over by a grey blur pressing against the back of your legs

”Inanna! Did you come to greet me?” you pat her head and watch as she trots ahead, leading you the last of the way to the hut

Muriel’s waiting for you at the door, holding it open for you with his usual gruff expression

”Muriel, did you send Inanna to get me?” you smile

”I just wanted to make sure you got here safely, I heard you coming.” He says quietly, face spreading into a blush as he refuses to meet your eyes

”That was very sweet of you.” you wrap your arms around him in a hug and feel him stiffen awkwardly for a second before returning the hug, even after the dozens of hugs you must’ve given him by now he still reacts the same way every time

he moves across the room to tend the fire and you follow, taking a seat close to the fire to warm your cold hands after the walk

”Come and sit by me!” you pat the ground next to you as Muriel steps away from the fire

he stares at you for a second and you wonder if he’s planning to stand there for the rest of the night so you pat the spot next to you again, hoping he’ll take the very obvious hint

finally he sits next to you, a lot further away than you had expected and you sigh- time to take matters into your own hands

you scooch over to him and crawl into his lap, watching as his eyes widen in surprise and the blush, which hadn’t really left his face since he’d opened the door for you, deepens 

”I was cold over there by myself.” You smile up at him as his hands move tentatively towards your waist, you snuggle against him and his hands finally reach out to hold you closer

both of you release a breath you’d been holding at the same time and you laugh, his mouth quirking up into the hint of a smile as he holds you 

Portia

you’ve just finished at the shop for the day and are making the trek up to the palace to visit Portia

the trip is long but luckily you know all of the shortcuts and you enter the palace gardens just as the sun is beginning to set

as you walk through the gardens headed to Portia’s cottage you spot a flash of red hair through the trees and find Portia sitting with her back turned to you

she seems to be reading something and doesn’t notice as you round the corner to approach her

”Portia!” You say, launching yourself directly into her lap

her hands reach out around you automatically and she bursts into surprised laughter, “Well hello there!”

”Sorry to interrupt your reading,”  you pick up the book you’d hastily knocked aside and see that it's about garden pest control

”It’s ok! I didn’t want to read that book anyway,” she presses a kiss to the top of your head, “It was boring.”

”And I’m more interesting?” you tease

”Of course you are!” she gushes, “Did you walk all this way to see me?” 

”I missed you.” you say, watching her blush

”I missed you more!” she smiles and you lean in to press kisses across her freckled face

you spend the rest of the sunset cuddling in the garden before it gets too cold and you both decide to move the cuddle session indoors

Lucio

he’s been in a meeting all afternoon and it’s dragging so long that you’re trying to resist the urge to crack the meeting room door open and peak through to see what’s taking so long

finally you hear the door to the room you share with him opening and he walks in, the bored expression on his face turning into a grin at the sight of you

”You’re back!” you say from your spot on the couch where you’ve been trying, and failing, to focus on a new spell you’re learning

”Ugghhh I thought they’d never stop talking.” He complains, pulling off his coat as he shuts the door behind him

he plops down on the couch next to you and presses a kiss to your forehead “You’re a sight for sore eyes.” 

”I’m glad you’re back, I almost went to rescue you.” you joke as his hands reach out to you, pulling you into his lap

”You’d risk a boring meeting to rescue me?” he grins as he nuzzles into your shoulder

”Of course” you relax into him, “I’d follow you anywhere.” 

he presses another kiss to your forehead and you suppress a giggle at the starry-eyed expression on his face, any hint of affection makes him turn to putty in your hands

”Next time I’m bringing you with me, I don’t think I can make it through another meeting about proper aqueduct spacing unless you’re with me” he brings a hand up to hold the side of your face

”I’ll gladly come with you, but I think next time I’ll need my own chair.” you think back to the last meeting you’d attended where Lucio had abruptly pulled you onto his lap in front of all of the new courtiers, it wasn’t that you’d minded- you just didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable by his very brazen public displays of affection

”We’ll see about that.” He says, pulling you into a (mostly) sweet kiss