#ask-madam-ruby

[katanamasako]

Yuki chirped, peeking her head out to check on the noise, blinking at the fellow whelp. "Hi."

Yuki is settled in a bucket of ice water. while her sister is built for heat, the little salamander is not. She is suffering, more or less. She's making a good show of melting along with her ice bath.

[onceuponalegendbg-rwby]

Hello! I've seen you mentioning various RWBY reactors in posts. Do you have like a top list of recommendations? Been trying to find more ones that are positive about the show (including the later Volumes).

Well my personal favorites would be:

- Xiao Long Media (V4-9 reactions, honestly probably the reaction I’m most excited to see especially if it’s Bee related)

- KaitoDan (He’s been making videos about Rwby since near the beginning)

- Kiaxet (V3-9, her and Megan are a great duo and were even on the Aftershow for RWBY)

- Eric Reacts (Honestly he needs more attention he seems like such a sweetheart)

- ghoxttherebel (I have never seen someone so absolutely hyped for this show before, he’s guaranteed to make you smile)

- Sirs and Madams/Cheryl Watch Party (They are more for the music, but they’re all great)

- Melissa Hime (Absolute pure soul, gets super invested)

- Liam Catterson (Another guy who seems like such a sweetie)

- Robin Rising (I don’t agree with everything he says but he seems to come at the show from a very fair perspective and I can respect that)

And as for the newer blood:

- Definitely Not Definitive (Almost completely caught up and an absolute delight)

- NSAF (If you’ve seen any of my posts I’m willing to bet you’ve seen the ones about her)

- Open Arms (Another duo, another that’s really into dissecting the music, but it’s really fun seeing Mortius introduce Casper to this show, and he seems to really love it)

- Patrol Nation (Unfortunately his reactions seem to be based on request so I don’t know how often he’ll post videos but his reactions to the first two volumes have been fun)

There’s also What-The-Heck-Is-RWBY that started as a liveblog here on tumblr and then started doing reactions on YouTube instead halfway through V4 to help hopefully speed up their reaction process. They’re great as well.

Hope that was at all helpful to you. I know there’s probably more but these are the main ones I watch and pay attention to.

[writingoddess1125]

Morticia and Gomez Effect

Mihawk X FemReader

Since Mihawk is based off of Dracula (Duh) and his whole goth dilf attitude it would make sense he's Romanian 🇷🇴

Also I drank some wine 🍷 before this so enjoy!!

>>> Part 2

• Giving Mihawk's personality I don't think he is the type that finds his opposite attractive. No this man likes those dark mysterious women-

• Def has a More Gothic wife.

• Mihawk is not one to openly talk about his fine but doesn't hide it either. If someone points out the gold ring hanging by his cross he will say it's his wedding band-

• However when his wife is around, he is quite flirty. A smirk on his lips as he will wrap his hand around your waist, lay kisses on your hand or pepper a kiss to the side of your neck. Uncaring if the world sees

• You also can defend yourself perfectly fine so he doesn't have to worry too much about you getting attacked- Truthfully he would pity someone so foolish to do so. Cause if you didn't kill them he would.

• But what was most known was- Mihawk was so whipped for you. Figuratively and Literally-

• The way you were formally introduced to the whole entirety of the Strawhat pirates was a necessary evil.

• "Zoro we need this- It says a red ruby is needed in order for this and we have non thays big enough!" Nami yelled pointing to the treasure map, Zoro sighed. He had accidently admitted he knew someone with a ruby big enough-

• After enough pestering he agreed and they set sail to Kuraigana Island

• It didn't take long to arrive at the gloomy island, A quick journey to the large castle and the spare key hidden under the mat lead the group inside.

• It looked like a cleaned haunted house- Which frightened the group more till the sound of your voice shook them from their thoughts

• "Is someone here?" You call from the large lounging area. Drawing them all in to the well lit room with a crackling fireplace.

• Sanji covered his nose quickly to stop a nosebleed as he stared at you, So elegantly seated with a cup of tea and a amused look on your face at seeing such a young group or pirates breaking into your home.

• Before Sanji could say a word Zoro slammed his hand over the blondes mouth quickly.

• "Madam Dracule" He said formally and bowed respectfully

• His whole crew stiffening at hearing the formal use of your name.

• DRACULE MIHAWKS WIFE!?

• Sipping your tea you raised a brow at Zoro as he bowed deeply to you. You knew he respected you just as much as Mihawk- the wife of his teacher as well as one of his teachers as well since you did assist in training.

• "Zoro, My dear child what brings you and your friends here?" You ask calmly, setting your tea aside as you felt the shift of the room.. they were nervous.

• "We came here to ask you-" The sound of the door slamming open shook them as they heard heavy footsteps walk to them. Revealing the man of the home, Mihawk. Wet from rain and pulling his hat from his head with a stoic frown

• "Dragă (Darling), What is this?" Mihawk questioned as he returned to his island home to see a familiar pirate ship docked and his Pupil on their knees before his wife. Paired with the group of familiar pirated standing in his livingroom.

• "I am not sure yet love, We were just about to discuss it" You say softly, standing up to gelp him take off his sword and coat. Already feeling his eyes following you as you did this-

• Both of you knowing it was an excuse to touch him.

• "We wished to temporarily barrow your ruby necklace Madame." Zoro said still bowing formally

• Mihawk's eyebrow twitching at hearing this-

• "You wish for my wife to give you her necklace?" He said as his eyes narrowed down at them.

• "J-Just for a little bit Sir!" Nami said, feeling anxiety wash through her system.

• "My Love" You cooed, reaching a hand over and touching the side of his face. Immediately it was like dealing with a feline, Leaning into your touch as he gave you a warning glare.

• "Barrowing a necklace is so minor compared to us at that age. Remember Cohi Island?" You purred, Mihawk giving a subtle growl in the back of his throat. "Ah Cohi Island, How can I forget?" He all but purred out.

• The two of you reminiscing as Mihawk began to place kisses up your arms as you pulled him close and whispered sweet sensual words and memories to him.

• "A little necklace won't be much trouble, Especially since it will be returned~" You whispered in his ear

• The poor strawhats subjected to the very outward affection of the Warlord. It was quite a unpleasant experience for them all-

• Mihawk unclasping the necklace with his teeth before tossing it at Zoro who quickly caught it. The Warlord glaring at his Pupil lazily

• "It will be returned' He said stoically, before returning to his task at hand.

• You wave them off, Smiling softly as Mihawk leaned into your neck to lay kisses and love bites.

• Zoro bowing again quickly as he held the necklace and the youthful pirates quickly filed out of the castle as fast as possible. Zoro still clutching the gemstone

• "Holy fuck! She literally got Hawkeye of all people to give you the necklace!" Usopp said in shock as Zoro nodded. Nami's eyeing that diamond necklace

• "Yes but it must be returned-" He stressed. Not being stupid enough to let anyone steal from his mentor or his wife-

• The group nodded and looked out at the raging storm that beat against them.

• "Well it's raining maybe we can ask for a room-" Usopp started but Zoro quickly shook his head, His face pale and eyes like he was living through War Flashbacks.

• "No- The unholy noises that are about to invade that castle no one will sleep" He said in a deadpan voice- and from the look in his eyes everyone believed him.

• That was a couple too in love

[katanamasako]

Kat looked to Ophelia and bowed her head gently "call me Kat. I was created from demon and dragon, so your mate's right. Not troll. Not human, and certainly not changeling. Ruby's basically an aunt to me, since Blinky and Arrrgh took me under their wing a while back."

Kat blinked, her tail swaying side to side. "... Ruby? ... I thought your parents died. What's uh... what's going on?"

Ruby turns to Kat. “I thought they died too. But like Della and Blinch, they came back to life.”

The tired trolls look over at Kat. Thorth, the orange troll, goes to Kat and sniff the air. “You smell different. Not human. Not troll. Not changeling.”

“Thorth, please be kind.” Ophelia nervously said. “S-sorry about him. His been over protected lately. I’m Ophelia and this is my mate Thorth.”

[howlingday]

Ok, I have to ask this. Now that you got SABAH! as one of the Ex's, can we get something with her Knights? Gawain, Lancaelot, etc?

Mordred?! Maybe even this version of the Fae Knights?

Bonus points with Lancelot trying to seduce (still married) Summer.

Previously

"So, uh... Why did you guys break up?" Yang asked, walking between Jaune and her team.

"You said it was because she was leaving the kingdom, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah," Jaune nodded, "but it was a little more than that."

"What, did you grow bored of her?" Weiss asked, barely hiding the insult towards him.

"It wasn't her I was getting bored of." Jaune looked out the window, where Pyrrha and Artoria clashed. She was surprisingly holding her own against her. However, his eyes wandered from the fight to three figures off to the side of the duel. "It was them."

"Take her head, my liege!" A tall man roared, his blue cape fluttering as he cheered for Artoria. "Do not take this insult lying down- Oh, why hello, Madam~." Lancelot stopped mid-cheer to admire a woman passing by, her white cape rippling as she passed.

"Destroy her!" A shorter woman barked, her hands cupped around her mouth as she cheered for Pyrrha. "Take her place as my mother's betrothed so that I may take my father's throne!" Jaune grimaced at Morded's use of her nickname for him. Something about being called a mother just didn't sit right with him.

"Do your best, you two~!" Another tall man, this one in a fur-lined green cape seemed to be cheering for them both, taking neither fighter's side alone. "Be careful not to get too hurt~!" That was one thing Jaune liked about Gawain, along with a lot of other good traits he held, like being polite and chivalrous. However, those were all easily eclipsed by his one bad trait of eating everything Jaune made, and then some, to the point that Jaune worried about upsetting the larger man's comfort by denying him food. If anyone made Jaune feel like he was taking care of a golden retriever, it was him.

"Those three go with Artoria everywhere we go." He turned back to his teammates and Team RWBY. "We went to the movies together. We went bowling together. We even went on a dinner date altogether! Worst part is how annoying they are despite how much I ask them to stop! Mordred keeps calling me 'mother', Lancelot wouldn't stop hitting on my mom, and Gawain eats more than Nora does!"

"Bet." Nora challenged.

"You asked them to stop being annoying and they didn't?" Weiss asked. "What a surprise. It reminds me of a certain two people I know..."

"Am I annoying?" Ruby asked. "Because I promise to stop this time! I swear!"

"So you broke up because her friends were annoying."

"Well... It's part of that." Jaune sighed. "Honestly, we were kind of drifting apart anyways; Artoria had this big responsibility and I... I didn't think I could live up to her expectation. So, when she was about to leave, I told her I thought we should break up so she could focus on being the person she needs to be. She said she agreed with me and said she was thinking the same thing, too."

"Still," Yang said, "it's pretty cold of you to shut her down when she's trying to get back together with you. Like, Ice Queen cold."

"Hey!" Weiss whined.

"Yeah, but looking back on it, I think it was for the best. I mean, just look at her now..."

Outside, the battle had grown intense as Pyrrha held Artoria in a headlock, constantly moving her footing as the King of Knights struggled to break free. All the while, her entourage were collectively cheering, jeering, and some odd place in-between. Jaune looked back to his friends.

"Actually, don't look at her now."

[xichilie]

Two sides of a Gem

Aventurine x (stoneheart)reader

Preview [ Part1 ]

Reader will be known as ruby, will appear as a male stoic and monotone. But it's actually just a puppet. No one knows where the real ruby is and what she's up to, she just let's her puppet do her work, and most people only know the puppet as ruby and not her true self, Aventurine will meet the real ruby known as Y/N:

A.N: it's not proofread, and English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes

Aventurine sat in the chair his office, playing around with a poker chip between his fingers while he let out a sigh seeing the stack of paperwork a colleague just dropped on his desk, he'd rather do anything else than that, he will have to take care of it eventually. After a few minutes of glaring at the stack of documents he reluctantly picked the first paper reading its contents as a knock on the door disrupted him, he looked up as the door opened and his secretary walked in "I'm sorry to disturb you Mr.Aventurine, but opal has called all stonerhearts to a meeting in 20 minutes"

Aventurine let's out a sigh, before showing his usual smile

"Alright, finally an excuse to not do this paperwork, thank you for informing me, your dismissed"

His secretary nodded and turned to leave the office closing the door behind her.

Aventurine got up and stretched, he checked his phone for any messages, before making his way out the office.

"AVENTURINE!" an angry voice came from behind

As he turned around he was met with an very angry topaz,

"You made me invest in this failed project on purpose didn't you!"

Aventurine held up his hand in mock surrender smirking "what makes you say that, I would never"

"Don't act all suprised you did this on purpose!" She pointed her finger at him

"I swear when I told you about the investment the project was doing well" he chuckled which made topaz even angrier, she opened her mouth but was stopped by jade " now now are you two fighting again?"

"Madam jade" topaz greeted her

"You two fight like little kids" a monotone voice chimed in.

Next to jade stood ruby, a tall man with red hair and redish eyes in his usual stoic demeanor, he just shook his head and walked past them towards the meeting room.

Topaz frowned "sometimes I'm asking myself if he's even human he's so ...cold..."

Aventurine chuckled "makes him kinda terrifying"

Jade chuckled, "well, good looking, strong, smart and terrifying, a good combination if you ask me, makes the job easier"

Everyone took their seats as opal entered the room.

"Good morning everyone, I'm glad you all made it" opal glanced at ruby then walked up to his seat and sat down.

"Let's begin, diamond and I looked over your recent projects, most of them have been very successful, aventurine and ruby, both of you managed high risk projects and completed them successfully". Aventurine smirked, playing with his poker chip. "Well, seems like I have quite the competition, completing high risk, and dangerous projects" he smirked at ruby who just stared back at him.

Opal cleared his throat and began assigning the new projects to each stoneheart

" Signal transmissions from Jarilo-VI have been detected by the IPC, Due to it's isolated and dangerous natural environment, Jarilo-VI lost contact with other worlds after the appearance of the Cancer of All Worlds."

He pointed to the documents he had distributed to each Stoneheart.

"We need someone to go down there and collect the overdue dept, and secure some properties for the IPC".

While the other stonehearts began to discuss the case topaz read the documents in silence, something about Jarilo-VI situation reminded her about her own home, That planet was extreme resource-poor. Therefore people need to worked laboriously, manufacturing product to created an export products to other civilizations in the universe. Most insisted on chemical and heavy industries. Which slowly turn planet to become a toxic environment. People with enough money buy tickets to leave a planet while the rest were waited for their death.

Until one day The IPC came to her home planet and use their technology to heal damaged environment. As an payment, all of the planet inhabitants become IPC employees. In only a few years after the contract, the planet biosphere is healed completely. She made up her mind "I'll take this case"

The other stonehearts turned to her in suprise. "That planet seems like a waste of time" Sugilite looked at topaz and closed the documents uninterested. "But it wouldn't be fair to simply ignore Jarilo-VI situation" pearl chimed in.

Aventurine leaned back in his chair "Jarilo-VI is is a high-risk, low-reward case, why bother to take it on. Your kind heart can be more of a liability than an asset in cases like this, dont you agree ruby?" Avebturni adjusted his glasses and smirked at ruby who's been quiet till now. The attention of the room shifte all gazes fell on ruby waiting for an answer "Jarilo-VI is indeed a high risk project, but, if topaz is confident in her abilities I don't see why she shouldn't try it"

Jade chuckled "I agree with ruby, if topaz wishes to take over the Jarilo-VI project, let her do it"

"Alright that settles it then, topaz will take over the Jarilo-VI project " opal declared "as for aventurine, we have an opertunity to reclaim what once belonged to the ipc, we received an invitation for the upcoming charmony festival in penacony, that seem like the right job for you don't you think?"

Aventurine tossed his poker chip in the air "quiet the risky gamble, high risk high rewards" he chuckled as he caught the chip.

Opal ended the meeting and everyone gathered to leave.

"Ruby, wait" called out to him as he stopped in his tracks and turned around. She walked up to him "thank you ...if you haven't spoke in my favor I probably wouldn't have gotten the chance to take the Jarilo-VI project"

Ruby stared at her for a moment "no need to thank me, if your confident in your abilities to handle this project there's no reason to deny you the opertunity, though, if you fail the consequences are on you" Tooaz smiled up at him "Don't worry I'm aware of the risks and consequences".

"Very well, good luck then" ruby nodded before turning around and walking off.

"I really advise against taking this project" Aventurines voice cut through the silence" topaz looked at him sharply "like you advised me to invest in this failed project" Aventurine chuckled "Oh come on your still mad about this".

............................

Later that night:

Ruby leaned against the wall of his living room gazing out the window as he recounted today's events to the other person on the call.

"Penacony huh?" A feminine voice mused on the other side of the line "so what are you planning to do?" Ruby asked "it's indeed very risky but I could ..."

He heared a chuckled from the other side of the line "no no, I'm sure they won't just let two stonerhearts check into the hotel, so leave this one to me, I'll be there anyways"

"Understood"

[uneducated-author]

I love Belinda Chandra but given that Ruby is now officially an ex companion I am DYING for her to head to Graham's support group with all the lore she collected from 15's over sharing. Because like, please imagine:

Yaz: I just worry about her... Him, I guess now. We saw Gallifrey destroyed, and that was his home, where they came from, you know?

Ruby: I worry too... I know he was adopted by the Time Lords, but that was still his home, and I don't know if he knows his biological home planet.

Everyone: Wot.

Ruby: Yeah, he was left in space and the Time Lords found him and took him in.

Donna, taking notes to ask Tenteenth: Yeah, it's a whole thing.

Bill, just popping in as a puddle: He was a really lovely professor. Kept a photo of his wife on his desk, bunch of curls.

Madame Vastra: Presumably his wife, River Song.

Bill: There was another photo too, black and white. Some girl, maybe 60's vibes?

Ruby: Oh, that must be his granddaughter, Susan. He loved her a ton, they lived in Shoreditch during 1963 for a while.

Martha, who was trapped with him in 1969 during the Weeping Angels Fiasco: His WHAT?!

Clara, also popping in and handing out milkshakes: "He was brilliant at guitar, which was weird, because Bowtie could barely keep count, terrible dancer. How do you think that works then?

Ruby: I dunno. Mine fought off the God of music and also lead a pretty good musical battle against the goblin king.

Everyone: Okay, at least one normal Doctor Story

Kate, who likes to remind everyone that Unit is recruiting and share her father's stories: I remember the time cubes fell out of the sky and he actually had to stick around on Earth for a while. Went near insane, could barely sit still for an episode of Eastenders.

Ruby: I think he's binge watched Bridgerton at least six times.

Jack, a bit too excited: Is he a romantic this time around?

Ruby: Oh, absolutely, we met this Flirty American Bounty Hunter in Regency England and him and the Doctor kind of had a... You know, a thing. The Doctor really liked him.

Jack, gripping the chair until it cracks: Wow, so cool. Glad that he apparently has a type.

Martha, annoyed that apparently the Master is STILL alive apparently: Yeah, he just sucks. I wonder if Everyone from Gallifrey sucks, and it's just a biological thing.

Ruby: I mean, he seemed fond when he spoke about the Bishop, the Rani and the Conquistador?

Martha: Who?

Ruby: Oh, other time Lords.

Martha, who only got information on the Master once he'd literally taken over the world: This is fine.

Just, Ruby casually knowing more than almost all the companions combined, just because she was with the antirepression doctor.

[unnoticed-poison]

⌞✰ᴅᴀʀᴋ! ʏᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇ! ᴍᴀɴʜᴡᴀ/ᴍᴀɴʜᴜᴀ ᴠᴀʀɪᴏᴜꜱ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ✰⌝ 【 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝟏𝟎 】

【 𝕿𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖊𝖗 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕 】

【 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝟏 】

【 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝟐 】

Chapter 3 to 9 are posted on AO3, Wattpad and Quotev :3

Damn this semester was craaaazy man but thankfully I passed the year 🥳

Also to those reading this before other chaps, no mc is NOT pregnant

Anyways sorry in advance if there's any grammatical error I missed and hope you enjoy the chapter 🌻🌻🌻

Gazing intently at the shimmering ruby ring on his finger, the man's brows creased with thought at his current predicament.

It has been two days since Kim Rok Soo, now known as Cale, arrived in this new world. He was currently at the tea shop called [The Fragrance of Tea with Poetry] to clear his mind. When he decided to visit the shop early in the morning, the owner, Billos, walked over to him and warmly greeted him with a bright smile upon seeing him walk through the door, talking to him as if they were longtime acquaintances.

"Welcome Cale!"

Cale blinked, then replied. " Hello."

Billos glanced at the ring he was wearing and decided to ask. "So, what did she think about the ring?"

Ah yes, that.

The red-head faked a found smile as he lifted his hand to admire the ring. "She loved it." He did his best to sound sincere. "Thank you again; I appreciate it."

"It was no problem! Anything for my dearest client."

....sure.

"Anyways, I want-"

Before he could say another word, the blonde beat him to it.

"Ah yes, the third floor is empty as usual. You go sit yourself down while I prepare the sweet tea and bring the novel you requested last time."

Oh, so Cale was a regular here, noted.

Cale nodded silently, placing a golden coin in the man's chubby hand. "Consider the rest as your tip."

That coin was worth one million gallons. He was aware that the guy was wealthier than him, but he didn't give a damn. After all, since he was the son of a filthy rich Count now, he was finally able to do what he always wanted to try but couldn't due to his lack of money.

Billos smiled. "Ah, generous as always."

.......

(･ω･)つ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⊂(･ω･)

And so here he was, surveying the city gates from the window, with a steaming cup of tea in his hand. Waiting for the hero to arrive, he took a sip and hummed in satisfaction. The sweet flavor was a nice change from the bitter tea the creepy old assassin kept serving him.

When he first transmigrated here and found himself in the body of Cale Henituse, the minor antagonist that got beaten to a bloody pulp by the protagonist, he looked at himself in the mirror for a while before slapping himself multiple times, trying to wake himself up from this silly dream, but alas, it was unfortunately real.

Adjusting to the new environment has been a bit challenging due to it being different than what he expected. The lack of fear or annoyance from those around him made him feel lost, but he got over his shock pretty quick and began looking for answers.

Fortunately, he managed to catch a maid who was alone last night and drag her to somewhere secluded without anyone noticing.

Young master? Is something the matter?"

Ignoring her bewildered look, Cale crossed his arms. "Please tell me everything that went down the past month and don't leave out any details, understood?"

The maid was confused, and rightfully so.

"Huh..?"

What kind of request was that?

Cale pulled out something from his pocket and tossed it to her.

?

She opened the pouch, and her eyes widened.

!?

The pouch was full of gold coins!

"Oh god..."

"Now, tell me everything."

"O-ok!"

She spilled out everything, how the madam fell down the stairs after revealing what 'he' actually did and lost her memory, how the Count threatened to disown him if he didn't make things right, and how he managed to fix his reputation after the truth was out and win the woman's affection, then proposed again on their anniversary during the festival.

The maid sighed blissfully as she recalled the event.

"It was so romantic, and then you two went back to the mansion early and...." She trailed off and coughed, a blush covering her cheeks from the memory. She happened to pass by the room late at night, and oh god, the things she heard the madam say...

Cale groaned, of course. He didn't want to hear THAT kind of detail! "Is that all?"

"Yes, young master."

"..Hm, thank you then."

He handed her another small pouch. " This is for your silence, tonight never happened ok?"

.....

"Who am I and what is this place?"

Cale chuckled at her words, Good.

Money really is the best.

(･ω･)つ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⊂(･ω･)

It was all weird. but he'll have to get used to it. Besides, this wasn't so bad; at least he doesn't have to pretend to be trash or anything of the sort; that was a plus.

He won't miss his past life that's for sure. With him being an orphan with no money or loved ones to speak of, his life had no purpose or meaning.

That was not living; that was just...not dying.

He shook his head, sighing deeply.

The man absolutely hated pain and death, so for now, he has to make sure he avoids triggering Choi Han's rage. After that, he can enjoy his family riches to his heart's content and live his dream life of being a slacker without fear of any harm coming his way.

After all, his life motto was pretty simple.

"Living long without pain. Enjoying the small joys of life. Living a peaceful life..."

Yup, that would be perfect for him.

As for his wife...

Cale covered his face with both his hands as he recalls the 'joyous' news; the word 'father' still caused him to have the chills.

Well...that can wait. He will cross that bridge when he gets there.

He looked out the window again. Today was the 31st day of the 3rd month in the 781st year of the Feliz calendar. The Harris Village, where the hero considered it his home after leaving the forest of darkness, is most likely burned down with no survivors by now.

Choi Han was going to arrive any day now, and he has to be prepared. As much as he wanted to stay in his room and not interact with the man at all, he can't avoid him since he needs to run into Ron and his son so they can follow the hero on his long journey, so he needs to make a good first impression.

Tsk, this was troublesome.

Cale decided to relax first and enjoy the sweet tea while reading the book the original owner requested, it was a transmigration novel...huh, interesting.

After a while, he exited the cozy shop and found himself greeted by a small kitten. Its vibrant red fur and golden eyes caught his attention almost immediately. It sat there, seeming to be waiting for someone; its ears perked up and its tail wiggled with excitement once it saw him. He had to admit it was quite adorable.

"Meow!"

Cale frowned and tried to shoo it away. " I don't have food for you, go away."

The feline didn't seem to be phased by his words, simply blinking at him and mewing again as it rubbed itself against his leg, making the man sigh before setting his sights on a bakery nearby and making his way over there. He thought the kitten would be hot on his heels mewing for food, and planned to buy it some meat while he was at it, but it sat there, watching him for a while before running off as soon as he brought loads of bread.

Oh well, he shrugged as he walked off, leaving behind a very very happy baker who was closing his shop for the day. He made 2,2 million gallons! That's far more than he can make in a month!! This would allow him to pamper his beloved wife with a lavish gift and treat her to a nice dinner!

Hmm~ he couldn't wait.

(･ω･)つ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⊂(･ω･)

"I-It's a man-eating tree! It will kill you!"

Ugh...those brats won't shut up; he was aware of

the dangers thank you very much.

He was currently at the hill that looked over the city, there he found a small spot that was fenced off from all directions except for the empty space that previously had an old wooden door that he was easily able to break.

The tree that was inside looked to be hundreds of years old, it was given a special name by the people here.

The man-eating tree, those who decided to end their lives and hang themselves there became mummies overnight and were beyond recognition.

Placing the heavy bag on the ground, he looked at the tree with a faint smile. That's the one he's been looking for, and those punks trying to warn him confirmed it.

A long time ago, during ancient times, there was a priestess who got kicked out of the temple she worked at, the reason being that her gluttony was far too much to handle.

The woman died soon after from starvation as a result and a tree grew on top of her body. Her grudges and power resided in this tree, a power he wanted to obtain for himself.

[The indestructible shield]

That shield is the left-over of that woman's power, and he was going to get it.

He began emptying the bag and feeding the hole that was large enough to fit an adult's head. When the bag was half empty he was interrupted again by the little girl tapping his back.

"It's dangerous!"

.....

Cale rubbed his temples for a bit before he took out two breads from the bag. "I won't die." He mumbled, tossing the little bags to her. "Here, now get lost."

The little boy grabbed his sister's hand. "Noona, let's go."

"...ok." She looked at him again, her eyes held some concern. "Be careful sir.." She warned him one last time and backed off, handing one of the breads to her brother, who happily tore off the wrapping and began eating it.

Finally, now he can work in peace.

He began feeding the tree again, once the bag was completely empty he smiled in satisfaction upon seeing the darkness that was formed by the grudge became fainter than before.

"M..more.."

Creepy...

"I'll bring more tomorrow." This would probably need about seven more large bags or so.

"MORE..!"

Geez, gluttony was such a scary thing.

He stood up, dusted himself off and stepped out of the fenced area. He spotted the two children sitting near the entrance, happily munching on the bread and scoffed.

"Listen here, if you want more food tomorrow, don't utter a word of this to anyone understood?"

!

More food!?

They nodded eagerly, which was not surprising; after all, the children of the slums treasured food above everything else, they did not fear anything, not even death.

Cale left after that, the children paused and watched him silently. Once he was out of sight, the silver-haired girl ran to the other side of the fence, where a woman was waiting there with a bag.

"He's gone now miss!" She exclaimed, Hong stayed where he was as his sister pulled on the woman's hand. 

Who was this woman?

Why of course, who else could it be other than you?

(･ω･)つ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⊂(･ω･)

Standing by the ancient tree, a heartwarming smile spread across your face as you ruffled the boy's hair. "Good job Hong, you did amazing!"

Beaming with pride, the boy grinned at the praise and scratched his nose bashfully. "It was no trouble for me!"

Placing the sack on the ground and opening it, you said. "Well then there you go, a deal's a deal." You handed them a bag full of bread and some pastries.

Delighted beyond words, the two could hardly contain their excitement as the girl swiftly grabbed the bag, expressing her gratitude with a bow. "Thank you!"

With that, they left and waited outside the fence for you as usual while devouring the food, leaving you to do your task in peace.

You received no new task, so as a way to pass time you spent most of the day either in your room reading novels and being a lazy bum or shopping with Lily. She was such fun company!

Recently you decided to do this, feed the creepy tree and at the same time get closer with the kids. Their cuteness was almost too much for you that you were resisting the urge to just up and adopt them instead of Cale every time you came by.

That damn baker you buy the food from better keep his mouth shut, you thought. As you bent down and threw the food inside, you heard Xian speak in a cheerful tone.

[Speeding up the process for the protagonist! Good job host!]

.....sure.

....

[...You weren't planning on taking the holy shield for yourself, right host?]

.....

[Host..?]

You snickered, amused at how he was so easy to fool. 'Of course not you dummy, why would I do something like that?'

[ Don't scare me like that! .⁠·⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠(⁠>⁠▂⁠<⁠)⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠·⁠. ]

'What's with those emojis?'

[ They're cute no? I wanted to try something new :3 ]

Well, it was kind of cute. 'Sure sure, whatever makes you happy.'

[ Oh by the way I forgot to mention, would you like to see what the other hosts think of your performance so far??? ]

....the fuck.

You abruptly stopped what you were doing. ' What do you mean by that?'

[ Every host's actions is recorded by their system for future reference and security reasons, I posted the recording of you online and let's just say you've gained quiet a few admirers! ]

....

Did you hear that right?

'You.What?'

[Where did you think those points came from? 70% where given by the main system while the rest was gifted by the hosts who liked what they saw.]

Did he also show the....

"Hmm.."

'The kids aren't here right now so why don't you come out~?' you thought in a sickly sweet tone.

[ No, you're gonna break my screen if I do. ]

OBVIOUSLY-

[ I didn't post footage of you having sex with the minor antagonist if that's what you're worrying about! ] Though he was tempted to do that as payback for the stress you put him through.

Oh. Well then.

You sighed in relief, at least you got points from it. 'Just don't do it without asking me next time k?'

He rolled his eyes, like when you asked him when you made such a reckless plan? [ Of course host! ]

[ Anyways, I have the comments left by the other players and the comments left by the readers from the real world reading the novel from Kim Rok Soo's pov; which one would you like to see first? ]

'Wait, the real world? My world?'

[ Yup! We actually aren't allowed to see those, only the main system can. ]

'Then how did you-'

[ My friend hacked into it for me just this once :D ]

'.....Never mind, that's none of my business, I want to see the comments left by the readers please.'

[ Alright! Just a moment please, those comments are a mix from the Manhwa and the novel. ]

A screen hovered before you.

Hm, nice!

[ There's still many more! Would you like to see view them as well :D? ]

'Later, I'm done now.' you answered as you threw the last pastry in. The darkness didn't fade, not a tiny bit, which was understandable since the bag was not even half the size Cale brought.

[As you wish host.]

Walking out of the fenced area, you turned to the kids. "Thank you two for keeping watch. I'll bring you some cake tomorrow. Do you have any flavours in mind?" You needed to bring some fruit and meat as well; eating sweets everyday was unhealthy.

"Carrot-cake please!" 

"Chocolate!" The boy beamed.

"Chocolate again? You sure don't want anything else?"

Hong shook his head, jumping up and down. "Chocolate!!"

"Alright alright." You laughed softly at his enthusiasm before turning to leave. "Again, don't mention me at all alright? Especially to my husband."

"Yes miss!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Alright then, take care." 

"Bye!"

(･ω･)つ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⊂(･ω･)

That's how it went for the next few days. On or Hong would keep an eye out for Cale while you fed the tree, just not enough to make the darkness grow fainter, least Cale gets suspicious.

It became a routine. That is, until the kids decided to put their little plan into motion.

Watching you throw the last piece of pastry into the hole, On made eye contact with her brother, silently nodding to each other as they stood up and headed over to you.

"Finally."

It's going to take about 1 or 2 more trips for the darkness to completely fade. You decided to leave the rest of the work to Cale since you grew bored of doing this.

You felt something pull on your dress.

Hm?

You looked down and paused, taken aback by the big, puppy-dog eyes Hong had while On was eating a cookie as he spoke with hesitation.

"M..mom..?"

.......

So..so..SOO CUTE, AHHHHHHh!!

[ Dont fall for it host! ]

'Too late.'

[ Host! (⁠˘⁠･⁠_⁠･⁠˘⁠) ]

Resisting the urge to hug the boy and squeeze him to death, you bent down and pinched his cheek. "You sly, sly brat, you think I'll fall for that?"

They flinched, looking down in shame. They failed...

"No! That wasn't my intention! I-I..-"

"Because you're right."

"..Huh?"

You reached out and ruffled their hair, your expression softening. "I'm taking you two home."

What!?

They looked up; their eyes widened in surprise. "Really..?"

"Of course!" You replied with a grin. "Don't try to trick me again though." Your words were firm, but your expression was still gentle.

[ Shouldn't the protagonist be the one to take them in..? ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ ]

'Oh come on it's not that big of an event; besides, they're warming up to him anyway so whoever brings them home doesn't matter, just let this one slide k?'

[....I give up! (⁠ノ⁠｀⁠Д⁠´⁠)⁠ノ⁠彡⁠┻⁠━⁠┻! ]

A little while later, you could be seen shopping around the city with two happy, adorable kittens in your arms while the servants followed you, holding the items you brought. You made it a habit the past month to shop around the city the whole day when Xian reported spotting Ron spying on you once to report to the Count on your actions. After about a week of doing that Ron stopped seeing that you weren't doing anything suspicious.

"Bring this." You pointed to some shoes that caught your eye. "This as well, and that one, in fact bring me the whole shelf."

"Yes madam!"

While Cale gets three gold coins as an allowance, you get five, which was more than enough to buy whatever you wanted.

While you tried on the heels, the two kittens stayed near you, cheering on the inside. They still couldn't believe their luck; the plan worked! They finally have a home now.

There was still a small problem they forgot to mention to you..

They glanced at each other again and shrugged. That's a problem for future them, they just hoped you won't get too angry.

"Who wants some fish?"

"MEOW!!"

(･ω･)つ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⊂(･ω･)

Back at the mansion, Cale silently observed the kittens in your arms. "I see you decided to have pets now."

You gave an enthusiastic nod. "Aren't they adorable?" You cooed, your fingers gently caressing On's silver fur, making her purr in contentment while Hong tapped your hand with his paw with a pout, wanting to be caressed as well. " This one-"

Cale cut you off; his tone cool and measured. "Is a girl while the red one is her younger brother."

He figured that out long ago, he'd be an idiot not to.

"What I would like to know is what my beloved wife was doing out in the slums holding such heavy bags while pregnant."

......

!?

How did he-?!

Cale's expression shifted to one of amusement upon seeing you tense, not stroking the cat's fur anymore. "You really thought I wouldn't find out?" He asked with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

....

You glared at the siblings as they avoided eye contact. You snitches! Those gifts were wasted on you!

Cale chuckled, getting those punks to talk was surprisingly easy. Once he noticed the hole appeared to be slightly lighter than when he saw it last time and the chocolate smudge on the boy's face he knew someone else must be aware of the power the tree held and want to claim it for themselves.

When he asked the kids...

"I can't tell!"

"If you two tell me who's been feeding the tree as well, I might take you two in, in your cat form course." They'll be useful.

!?

They exchanged glances, unsure of whether to speak up or not.

Was he serious..?

They'll be able to stay with the nice lady in a fancy house?

......

Seeing them not willing to talk, the man began walking off. "Ho? Well then, I guess I have no choice but to go to every bakery and ask them; I'm sure they'll talk once I pay them enough."

"W-wait!"

The man stopped and looked over his shoulder at them, raising his eyebrow impatiently. "Hm?"

The girl hesitated, looking down at the ground. Her brother took a step forward and answered in her place.

"It was..."

He didn't lie, he was planning to take them in after Choi Hans arrives, but you beat him to it.

.....

"I can explain-"

Your dumbass didn't think of an excuse in case he found out.

Fortunately for you, the maid came right at that moment to escort you two for dinner, Cale rose from his seat with a fleeting smile. "We'll talk later."

Before he left the room, he turned to you. "Won't you come with me?"

"N..no I'm not hungry at the moment, you go ahead."

"Suit yourself." He said with a shrug before walking off as you glared at the snitches one more time before handing them off to the maid to be bathed and fed, leaving you alone in the room as Xian appeared beside you.

"How are you planning to explain that host?"

"Shut up and let me think please."

[ (⁠￣⁠ヘ⁠￣⁠;⁠) ]

Ok ok, what would be a believable explanation...think think you stupid bitch.

With your mind racing, you suddenly recalled the fortune teller you met at the festival, and a light bulb went off in your head.

That's it!

You turned to Xian with a grin. " I found an excuse."

Rather than looking relieved, the little screen looked nervous, confusing you.

"Ah..host.."

Aye, you didn't like that tone. "...what?"

"Remember Harris Village?"

"Yeah..? Aren't they supposed to be dead by now?"

After they confirmed the pregnancy, you told the Count you wanted to visit your family and tell them the happy news yourself, and at the same time see the place you were born and grew up in in hopes of getting more of your memories back.

Obviously, the man approved, as long as you take at least 20 guards with you for protection.

You couldn't believe how easy it was to fool those people, but you didn't complain.

You were planning to prepare the gifts you were gonna take with you and wait eagerly for the day you'll finally leave, then when the original protagonist, Choi Han, arrives and informs them of the massacre you'll have a mental breakdown and miscarry in the process.

Simple, but effective. The doctor thing is going to be tricky though.

You suspected the virus thingy played a part on the previous one.

"That's the issue." He laughed nervously. "They aren't dead; the main system just informed me."

"......"

"They were supposed to be dead on the 28th last month, but the assassins haven't come yet for some reason."

Obviously it's because of the virus dumdum.

With a furrowed brow, you spoke. "And why did they wait until now to inform you of this?"

"Some events are okay to take a little while to occur from their original time, with a maximum delay of one or two weeks, it's already been about 6 days now and since this is a key event they're growing concerned, I'm worried they'll have you a dangerous task of some kind because of that."

Hm...that won't do.

Maybe...

"If they end up not showing up..maybe I can..." You spoke softly, trailing off, unsure of whether you should vocalize your thoughts or not.

....

"Host, you're not suggesting..."

Just at that moment, a screen popped out.

Ah..well shit.

Village gotta go hehe

A new novel got mentioooooned in this chapter!

For the readers comments, I was planning to only add hosts comments but I made a mistake and with me being too lazy I just decided to have Wang Yi hack into the damn system just once just not to redo those texts.

I got the blue screen thingy from Pinterest, the background behind the screen from the Manhwa itself and all the pfp I used are from Pinterest, I might actually use one of them as my new pfp they're so cute!

Drew this last year during summer :3

Anyhow hope you all have a wonderful summer!

[thegreeks]

Candlelight and Confession

It was on an evening marked by a clarity of moonlight rarely seen in Hertfordshire that the house at Netherfield Park was open to recieve its most lavish celebration of the season. A masquerade ball was hosted in honour of the continued prosperity of the neighborhood and, was now in full swing. The night air was still, perfumed faintly by late-autumn roses in the hedgerows and the flickering scent of beeswax and polished oak issuing from the house’s open doors.

From the moment your carriage drew up along the gravelled drive, the sound of music, delicate strains from a well-tuned quartet, reached your ears, blending sweetly with the laughter of arriving guests and the low hum of voices muffled by velvet masks. Netherfield was alight with a thousand candles, each reflected tenfold in the windows and mirrored sconces. Every chandelier sparkled with the promise of enchantment.

You stepped into the grand foyer, gloved hand resting lightly upon the arm of your companion, your aunt, ever dignified, ever observant. Your gown was of deep garnet silk, trimmed modestly in ivory lace, the colour chosen for its warmth and quiet elegance rather than any ostentation. A half-mask of cream satin adorned your face, secured with a ribbon the same hue as your dress. Its subtle embroidery caught the light only when viewed closely, leaving your eyes as the chief subject of mystery.

Though the house swelled with guests in every chamber, it was the ballroom that held the centre of the world. It was there that you entered with silent anticipation, your gaze drifting over the crowd, catching the swish of fine skirts, the gleam of military braid, the flutter of a lady’s fan. An opulence lingered in the air, not the richness of gold or rubies, but that of expectation.

And you—betrothed though you were to Mr. Darcy of Pemberley—could not help but feel your heart beat more quickly in your chest. He had not yet arrived. You were informed he was delayed by business in town, and though your affection for him was that of practical duty, the sense of adventure that seized you now, under the veil of a masquerade, was one you had not felt since childhood.

A gentleman in dark attire stood by the eastern wall, his posture composed but not rigid, his presence commanding without being overbearing. He wore no ornament to boast of status, but there was something in the breadth of his shoulders and the austerity of his silence that set him apart. His mask, of black velvet, revealed little but a sharp brow and eyes that lingered not idly on the crowd, but attentively. He did not fidget, nor did he offer false jests to strangers. He simply watched-and you, finding your gaze caught in his, found yourself unable to look away.

When the next set was called, the stranger stepped forward with quiet confidence. You half-expected him to address another lady, perhaps one of greater beauty or more glittering rank, but instead he stopped before you.

"Miss," he said, his voice low and composed, yet not cold. "Might I entreat you for this dance?"

There was no bowing flourish, no simper in his tone. There existed only a courteous gravity, as if the invitation bore some weight. You hesitated a moment, your fingers tingling as you placed your hand in his. The music began before you could reply aloud, and with that silent assent, you were drawn into the set.

He danced not like one who sought to parade himself, nor one who merely fulfilled an obligation. His movements were precise, his steps elegant, though his eyes never left yours. It was within that deep gaze that something stirred in you, tinged now with the thrill of uncertainty.

"Do you often seek mystery where certainty is offered, madam?" the stranger asked lightly, his words breaking the silence between figures.

"Only when certainty forgets to enchant," you replied, surprising yourself with the lightness in your tone and boldness of your own words.

A ghost of a smile touched his mouth then, brief and unreadable. “Then allow me the privilege of mystery for just one evening.”

Your heart stirred—and yet your conscience pricked. You were engaged. And not merely engaged, but promised to a man of remarkable honour and constancy. What folly, to be so enthralled by a stranger!

Still, as the dance continued and the world slipped into the rhythm of candlelight and strings, you could not ignore the truth. The stranger held your gaze as if he had known you before the first note played, and would know you still when the last had faded.

As the final strains of the set faded into a gentle silence, and as you curtsied, your hand still lightly in his, you felt a curious reluctance to release it. His fingers brushed yours a moment longer than form dictated, a touch so fleeting that propriety could not condemn it, and yet so distinct that your heart could not mistake it. His eyes—dark, unreadable beneath the velvet mask—remained fixed on you, though his expression betrayed little.

“May I secure the next?” he inquired softly.

Your voice near caught in your throat. “I fear I am engaged for the following,” you managed to say, though the truth of it was you could not recall if you were or not. His manner, though reserved, inspired not unease but curiosity—a keen sense of having entered into something meaningful, even if unnamed.

“Then I hope we may speak again this evening.” he said, bowing with the faintest inclination of his head. There was nothing theatrical in his movements, nothing to draw attention. Yet every gesture was imbued with deliberation, as though every motion he made had been first weighed and approved by a mind not easily given to folly.

You were spared the need to respond by the sudden appearance of Miss Bingley, who swept into view in full satin and feathers, her expression bore its usual flavour of amused scrutiny and her interest clearly not directed toward yourself.

"Ah! There you are," she said with over-practiced familiarity, speaking to the gentleman at your side, barely sparing a glance over at you as one might examine a botanical. "I thought you had vanished into some corner, neglecting all your obligations.”

The man inclined his head. “I was, for once, honouring them.”

Miss Bingley blinked, caught off her guard. Before she might recover and stake her claim upon him, he turned to you with a small, unreadable bow. “If you will excuse me, madam.”

You inclined your head as he moved away—swiftly, quietly, disappearing among the guests like a shadow chased by candlelight.

Miss Bingley, upon seeing your gaze linger, narrowed her own as her lips curved with the faintest arch of amusement. “Well,” she said, “Most mysterious, is he not? There’s always some gentleman at these assemblies who believes himself above merriment.” She offered a dry laugh.

You forced a smile and retreated toward the refreshment room, yet you found your thoughts, against better judgment, returning again and again to your masked stranger, though not merely for the quiet command of his presence or the way he had spoken to you as though the world had fallen away.

You wandered through the card room and back into the passage beyond the ballroom, hoping, absurdly, that you might see him once more. Instead, you came upon someone else entirely- A tall, broad-shouldered gentleman in a dark coat, his profile obscured in the candlelit corridor. A servant was just passing him a folded note.

“Mr. Darcy,” the servant said in parting, “I shall ensure your carriage is prepared for the journey at midnight, as requested.”

You froze, your heart stumbling strangely in your chest. Could it truly be?

He turned slightly, enough for recognition to ripple through your whole frame like a shiver. Though his mask remained, your soul recognized the particular stillness that had captivated you so on the ballroom floor.

The name had been spoken clearly, and you could not now deceive yourself. The stranger that had danced with you as if he had never known you was none other than the man to whom you were betrothed. The very man whom you had only met once before during a stiff, formal visit arranged between families.

And you, foolish and feather-headed, had danced with him as though he were the object of an idle fancy, as if you had never been promised to him.

He saw you then. A pause, no more than two seconds, echoed between you like the hush between heartbeats,

"You knew," you said softly, voice barely rising above the quiet.

His eyes, deep-set and solemn, held yours for a long moment. He removed the mask slowly, revealing that the whole of his expression was not guarded nor proud, but exposed. Earnest.

The candlelight etched the familiar planes of his face in gentle relief—the high brow, the firm mouth, the eyes that looked at you now with a kind of searching restraint.

“I did not,” he said at last. “Not at first.”

“And when did you discover it?”

He looked away for a breath. “By the near-half figure. I ought to have said something. You turned your head in profile and…” There was a rare falter in his voice. “I recognized you. It was not so difficult once I saw clearly.”

His eyes held yours, steady. “You seemed… unguarded. At ease. Happier than I had ever seen you. I feared that naming myself would alter the spell of the moment.”

You felt the heat rise in your cheeks, embarrassment and wonder twining uneasily in your chest. You were silent, recalling how differently he had seemed that evening, and though it stung your pride to realize that you yourself had not recognized him, it was not pride alone that troubled you. There was a trembling awareness that you had, perhaps for the first time, truly met him.

You inhaled, the scent of wax and smoke mingling with the cooler perfume of late-blooming roses from the windows left ajar. “But we are engaged,” you said, less in protest than as a reminder to yourself. “We ought not have played at strangers.”

His lips curved—barely a smile, and yet it softened him more than anything you had seen before.

“I have never played, madam. Not with matters of the heart. I will admit, perhaps, I have waited too long to speak with honesty.”

“I suppose,” you said, “that now we must pretend none of it happened.”

“Do you wish to?” he asked.

You looked at him then and really saw him; not as the proud, brooding figure painted by secondhand reports, nor the fiancé you had dutifully agreed to marry. You saw truly a man who had danced with you in silence, who had spoken to you with care, who had desired, above all things, not to be known but understood.

“I do not know you,” you whispered, unsure whether it was protest or confession.

He took a slow step forward, not touching, but nearer than propriety would permit in a brighter hall. “You were promised to me as a matter of alliance. I did not seek affection, only duty. But tonight I saw you as you are: clever, eloquent, quietly bold. I have not known how to speak to you, and for that I am ashamed.”

You blinked, surprised by the admission.

“I have admired you from a distance,” he continued, his voice low, deliberate. “Yet admiration offered stiffly, with pride for a mask, earns only civility in return. Tonight I saw my pride has kept me from your spirit.”

He paused. “I hoped… that you might see me not as a fixture of obligation, but as someone capable of owning your love.”

Your breath caught and the corridor around you seemed very still. Beyond it, laughter rang, glass clinked, feet stepped through the figures of a new dance.

In the quiet space between you and Mr. Darcy, there was a change—not in declaration, nor in sudden embrace, but in the simple, fragile thread of truth stretched between two hearts long distant.

“And if I said,” you ventured, “that I had already begun to… to think well of you?”

His expression altered subtly with a flicker of hope beneath the solemn dignity. “Then I should consider myself the most fortunate of men.”

You lowered your gaze, a smile curling at your mouth in spite of the unease still clinging faintly to your heart. “Then perhaps we ought to return to the ballroom, Mr. Darcy. We would not wish to appear to have eloped to the orangery.”

He extended his arm. “May I escort you, Miss—no, forgive me—may I escort you, my dear?”

With a soft smile, you placed your hand lightly upon his sleeve, and together you turned back toward the light and music. Yet the warmth in your chest was not born of candlelight nor the echo of strings, but of the knowledge that, masked or unmasked, your fiancé had begun, at last, to become known to you—and you to him.

And in that mutual discovery, the promise of marriage became something far greater than convenience.

It became a beginning.

[stuffymcstuffsworld]

Madame

Well... this certainly isn't what you expected when you had arrived home. You stare silently at the two grungy kids that had crashed into you. You raised an eyebrow.

One staring at you like a scared lamb. The other snarling like an enraged lion. How interesting. The older one tries to dart pass carrying the little one with them.

You snatch them up. Unimpressed by the bared teeth. Though you did narrow your eyes at the traces of blood on the redhead.

Watching them wiggle and squirm. The blue-haired one looked ready to cry. "MADAME! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!!" Your eyes narrowed.

"Oh my... has our family stooped so low that we are to chase children?" You asked lightly. Taking a drag from your cigarette. The smoke curled around your ruby lips.

"Madame! That little red demon has taken out several subordinates!" One of the lackeys accused. "Mm? Is that so?" You set the children down.

"Well, it just proves to me you all need to be retrained. Losing to a child, how shameful." You sighed. With a flick of your wrist your cigarette went flying piercing into... what was his name again? Well he must not have been that important if you couldn't bother remembering it.

You watch them collapse, clutching their shoulder. You feel a small tug on your fur coat. You glance down. "M-miss... p-please don't fight!" Those big blue eyes staring up at him.

You blink. Usually, you weren't fond of children. They were often spoiled. Or throwing tantrums. "Oh darling! I see you've met iruma!"

You turn to see your father striding down the hall excitedly. "He's going to be my grandson!" He says proudly.

You can feel the veins in your forehead twitching. How stupid... you kick him in the head sending him flying back into the wall. How on earth is that man related to you again?

You heard a yelp from behind you. Glancing back, you saw that redhead standing protectively in front of... iruma, was it? You shake your head.

"You... with the red hair. What's your name?" You crossed your arms. "Opera." They said bluntly, eyeing you cautiously. "Mmm" you study both of them.

Sullivan pops back up. "What do you think, darling? Aren't they adorable?" He says excitedly. "Pervert." Opera grunts. You snorts.

"Well, you're not wrong he's always been like this." Sullivan makes a sound of protest as you shove him away. "Please ignore that old geaser."

You bend down, grabbing both of the children's chins. "Well, you two are certainly in for an interesting life. This should be entertaining." You let gi of them.

Both stare up at you. "I'm that morons child." You hold out your hand. One of the minions hands you a new cigarette holder and lights it.

You take a long drag, blowing out a puff of smoke into the air. "Around here I'm called the Madame. And unlike that guy, I deserve respect. I expect you to understand that. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes ma'am!" Iruma says. You tap his head lightly. "Not ma'am, Madame." You correct before eyeing the other one.

Operas arms crossed over their chest. Mangled red hair blocking most of their face from view. You sigh and brush their hair back staring into piercing red eyes.

"I asked a question, darling. I expect an answer." You blow a small puff of smoke into their face. You watch amused as their nose crinkles.

You hear their stomachs growl. You chuckle. "Shall we have a feast to welcome our newest family members?" Catching both children's attention immediately. "YES, MADAME!" Both say.

[gallifreyanhotfive]

Random Doctor Who Facts You Might Not Know, Part 4

While trying to figure out how Jenny was the Fifth Doctor's daughter, the Nine suggested he might be her father or her mother.

The Nun once shot and imprisoned the Tenth Doctor on her TARDIS, using a psychic shroud to take on his appearance temporarily before "regenerating" into her own body.

The Eighth Doctor has traveled with both a Cyberman and an Ice Warrior before (albeit not at the same time).

Jasper and Stewart are a pair of Fledershrews (a type of bat) that took residence in the TARDIS. The Doctor considered them to be good friends.

The Doctor had at least one grandfather and seven grandmothers.

Horses can be cyber-converted.

The Seventh Doctor took Ace back in time to kill the would-be dictator as well, but they were also unable to go through with it.

At the same time the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby were dealing with goblins (24/12/2023), the Seventh Doctor and Ace were in a Los Angeles toyshop.

Wilfred Mott enlisted while he was still underage.

Orlando Bloom stars in Indiana Jones movie remakes.

Sam Jones knew what the Doctor's name is.

By some accounts, the Doctor removed his name from time, meaning only they and the Master (as well as anyone they later told) remembered it.

Ian Chesterton was taught how to ride a horse by Alexander the Great.

The TARDIS once dematerialized with a Nazi (played by David Tennant) half in, half out, leading to his incredibly gruesome death.

On Harmony, an idyllic planet, the locals harvested any visitors for food as the other animals had all died out.

Sometimes, the Doctor has worked to actively change history, like the time the Second Doctor tried to save Horatio Nelson from dying in the Battle of Trafalgar.

As the First Doctor regenerated into the Second, the TARDIS also somewhat regenerated, shrinking around fifteen centimeters.

River Song has eleven siblings such as Brooke, Stream, Lake, Creek, H-One, H-Two, O, etc. All of them are clones created by Madame Kovarian from River's DNA.

Speaking of River, she's been married to both Bernice Summerfield and Jack Harkness before.

Amy Pond was once mutated into an almost butterfly-like creature.

The Master does not like David Attenborough.

At one point, the most wanted criminal in the galaxy was the Master, and the Rani was second most wanted.

Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday was a Gallifreyan bedtime story the Eleventh Doctor recalled enjoying.

In this story, Rassilon would ask the Matrix daily: "Matrix, Matrix that sees over all, who has the power to make Gallifrey fall?" The Matrix would always respond with: "Only you, oh Rassilon. Only you, through the Eye of Harmony have that power." One day, the Matrix added: "Snowana the Fair, using the Keys of Doomsday, she has the power to destroy all of Gallifrey." Rassilon was greatly angered by this and banished Snowana to the wastelands, expecting her to die, but instead, she grew into Snow White. Selendor had created a great weapon that could be used to destroy cities and fashioned seven keys to it, one for each sin of the Time Lords. He gave one key to Snow White expecting her to get some revenge, but she instead ran away and created a force field around her and the keys. Selendor died of grief for his lost keys

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

[donelywell]

Road Trip MasterPost

Some people have been asking for it- so here it is! I'll keep updating it (probably will forget sometimes so please don't hunt me down) as I keep posting. But beware, lots of things are still not concrete on the timeline placement, so I might shimmy some things around (which sucks because Tails' fur is supposed to be fading into his yellow and patterns as he grows into a little kid, so that's gonna be out of order)

Putting a cut here because it's a LOT of posts (and way more to come later down the line)

There is now also an Ask Blog!

Explanations:

Is there an Eggman?

Does Sonic sound really annoying?

Height Charts

It is not always smooth sailing raising a kid twice your size

Eggman

HedgeFox (and werebeing) infodump

Sonadow?

Sonic and Eggman's dynamic (plus an idea of Sonic's Backstory)

Vector's comical height

Tails' nose bandage

Shadow's Black Arm design looks like a bat

Why does Tails not like that he's a fox?

Tails can't hear Super Sonic's Judgement

Super Sonic's Earring

What's Amy to Tails?

Does Tails Squish Sonic when he turns back into a normal hedgehog?

Hedgefox goes poof

Kneading (1)

Kneading (2)

Will Tails literally outgrow the van?

Why is it called 'Road Trip'?

What is Sonic and Knuckles' relationship?

Tails' unknown family: Fiona and Floris

Does Tails ever find out about his secret sisters?, (What if they did find out?)

Info Cards:

The Dream Cast (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy), (The Tornado)

The Club Ruby Members (Shadow, E-123 Omega, Rouge, Silver)

The Classic Crew (Mighty, Ray, Trip)

Zavok (will update to full group post when it's made)

Story in some sort of order (will be more fleshed out over time):

First Contact

Meeting Amy (Tails), (Pinky Promise), (Uncertainty), (He Returns!)

Growing up

Super Full Moon Hedgefox (1), (2)

Nighttime worries

You're my Mom, my Dad, and my Picket Fence

Madame Maroon finds her one true love

No Matter What

Mother's Day

Sonic Goes Super for the First Time (1), (2)

Cooking

Sonic Goes Super for the Second Time

Sonic is Dead., (Bonus TMoStH doodles)

Doodles for the fun of it:

Maria and Shadow goofy doodles

No Pickles

Everything the light touches is our kingdom

HedgeWOLF

Mouth Crocodad?

HedgeWOLF 2 (electric boogaloo)

Work Doodles

Nine-Tailed Travel Guide through the Multiverse (1), (2)

Humans!

[writingoddess1125]

Hi, I love Morticia and Gomez Effect universe, and I have to say it. I'm the only one who thinks that if she ends up getting pregnant, it would be a girl. How would Mihawk be as a girl dad. Or, would they have twins or triplets?? They want an army, after all.😏😉

I like your thinking! MWHAHAHAHAHS

Morticia and Gomez Effect - pt. 3

Creating an Army

Mihawk x FemReader

Previous <<

Taking request on Ko-Fi

Check out my Go Fund Me

• It seemed all that really had to be done was speaking the wish for a child- In less then 2 months you found out you were pregnant. Much to the delight of Mihawk and yourself.

• Mihawk was very protective of you, essentially a helicopter. He needed to make sure you were safe and healthy, cooking all your meals, making sure Perona was as respectful as possible and didn't dare to cause a fuss while you were pregnant.

• Which she didn't in truth. Perona had been actually excited at the idea of a baby, flooding the place with more stuffed animals and 'cute' onsies.

• While for you, the pregnancy reminded you of the sea. At times calm and cool, while others it was like a raging storm in your body. You were fortunate that Mihawk was like a massive ship that could ride through the calms and battle thr storms, Rubbing your back when you puked- Whsipering sweet words when you cried and wiping away the discomfort that settled on your bones as the baby grew.

• It was a normal day, you were 6 months along in your pregnancy and Mihawk had gone out to train. Leaving you to the peace of your favorite fruit tea and some cakes.

• Delightful

• As you tucked into your new found treats you heard the door open and the sound of chattering. Knowing that it wasn't Mihawk you reached for the blade you kept tucked to your side under the large blanket you were under.

• Till you saw young familiar faces.

• The young Pirates, The Strawhats finally had return it seemed. With your necklace in tow as they looked like they had been through quite a journey and back. The scorch marks upon their clothes also being a amusing sight.

• Zoro stepped forward, bowing respectfully to his teacher. The other pirates also coming to greet you and hopefully stay in your good Graces.

• "Madam Dracule, We have your necklace" Zoro said with calm respect.

• He watched you stand and his eyes and the eyes of the young pirates all went to the same thing that had been obstructed by the thick blankets. Your rounded stomach-

• "Thank you Zoro, I do hope it was able to help in your journey" You say calmly as you take the necklace from him- Seeing how their faces went to that or horror and shock at the sight of your clearly pregnant stomach.

• The blonde one, with a weird eyebrow was the first to break "THATS NOT FAIR!? HE GETS A HOT WIFE AND GETS HER KNOCKED UP!?" He screamed in shock which surprised you before the rest of the crew decended on him like hounds to shut him up. Zoro still just standing there shocked till a random foot seemed to hit him and he joined the fight-

• Of course Mihawk hurt the commotion and quickly went to find you, coming to a sight he didn't know what to deal with first.

• There the strawhats were all fighting each other. The two women of the crew speaking to you calmly and touching your rounded stomach with your blessing as you held your ruby necklace and A passed out Reindeer at the foot of the fight..

• Deciding the fighting was the first thing be wad quick to knock out all the boys and toss them out his home. The reindeer he just stepped over since it was useless- he also make quick work to ask the women to leave which they did after giving polite goodbyes and congratulations.

• That leaving Mihawk to then scoop you up and bring you to bed. Having found that it was bedtime-

• Possessive as ever...

• In the coming months, the house was prepared for your birth. Mihawk having brought in a medical team for you- You assumed they were paid well but terrified.

• It had been after dinner, 3 weeks early when your water had broke. It seemed your child wanted to make their grand entrance early.

• It was like the world had stopped when you felt a rush of water down your legs when you went to stand to get some juice- Mihawk and you both just staring at the floor under you were the water was

• ....

• "..Hell" Mihawk muttered first, shooting back his wine in a effort to calm his nerves before rushing over to you and quickly escorting you to the labor room. Summoning the doctors quickly as well who got you prepped and ready.

• It was slow at first- But as the hours ticked by you the pain increased. Mihawk seated next to you as he tried to guild you through the waves of pain that wrecked your body.

• While labor is hard, He knows you are quite strong and will survive. You have to... You can't leave him

• "You alright darling?" He ask softly, holding your hand as you suffer with bringing in the next Dracule in the world.

• You give a weakened smile "It is painful- But it's a is not worth dying for" You say playfully, Earning a smile from Mihawk who kissed the back of your hand.

• The poor Doctors are uncomfortable by the whole situation. Especially with how calm you were during God Damn Labor!-

• It was near twilight of the next Morning did the labor finally come to an end. A shrill cry piercing the cold morning air as new life was brought in.

• "It's a Girl!" The Doctor said cheerfully as the crying child was liftwd and placed on your chest carefully and beginning to be cleaned with a towel.

• You and Mihawk seated next to each other staring wide eyed and in awe at the little girl screaming on your chest.

• "Looks like I had nothing to do with this at all" You mused, seeing how your little daughter looked so much like her father it was unfair. Even with her face pink from crying and her rounded face you could clearly see Mihawks genes had dominated yours.

• The thin layer of black hair onto her head also not helping. Mihawk chuckled as with a gentle hand he touched his daughters hair.

• "She is beautiful" He says softly, his own eyes getting misty as he stared at the little girl.

• Is actually quite pleased their first child is a girl and the only. It couldn't be better in his mind as he remembers his youth around the children that Gol D Roger would bring onto the ship. The boys were the most troubling.

• "She is.." You say softly, Watching as she settled down and yawned. Reaching out her little arms randomly, her little pudgy fingers wrapping around Mihawks finger. You practically saw the hearts in his eyes when she did this-

• In less then 4 minutes the baby girl has already stolen her father's heart and has him wrapped around his finger.

• "Dracule Marya" He whispered. Kissing your cheek as he smiled down at his daughter. You swore you saw tears in his eyes.

• Mihawk is a absolute girl Dad, Truthfully a good father overall. He enjoyed cleaning up after her, helping with feedings, choosing important items for her development.

• He does have one poor habit however-

• You stand there with your arms crossed under your bust as you raise and eyebrow at your husband. "Mihawk hand her over my love- She needs to learn to sleep in her crib" You explain.

• Marya was 4 months old and Mihawk had grown used to Marya sleeping in the bed between you two. So you had finally decided to put the smaller crib to use, pulling it into your twos shared bedroom so she could no longer sleep in the bed with you.

• But here she was-

• Your husband holding your half asleep daughter in his arm carefully while finishing some paperwork. This had been the 2nd time that night you had placed Marya in her crib to sleep on her own and everytime she cried in less then 10 minutes it would stop and you'd fine Mihawk holding her again in his study.

• "She was crying" He said calmly, setting down his pen to pat her back to comfort her.

• "That's the point Darling- She needs to learn to sleep in the crib" You stress, seeing Mihawk scowl at this and hold her closer to his chest.

• "She doesn't like it" He said stressing- This making you sighing at his dramatics.

• "Fine- But you'd have stay in the nursery with her since she can't sleep in our bed anymore" You said with a sigh.

• He slept in the nursery, on the floor next to the crib with his hand resting ontop of her- for 3 nights before you finally kicked him out and strong armed him to let her sleep in the crib in the bedroom.

• Besides Mihawks constant want to hold his daughter and carry her everywhere he was perfect. And in his eyes so was she-

• Mihawk sat there watching you, feeding little Marya and cooing softly at her as she watched the world around her, her eyes matched yours the only thing that you seemed to give to the little girl since she was such a clone of her Daddy.

• "Darling" Mihawk called to you waving you over, making you look up from your task at hand. Marya pulling from your breast full from her meal.

• Walking over Mihawk gently took Marya from you, beginning to burp her as you pulled your shirt back to place. He smiled as his yellow eyes gleamed

• "What is going through your head my Love?" You question. Knowing that look all to well. Mihawk shrugging slightly to keep from shifting Marya too much.

• "We should have another-"

Tag List- {Sorry I forgot to put it!}

@who-the-hockeysticks @vexladin @iraaiitz

@stellasloth @yuriwk

[someidiotwithalaptop]

So... about the "Ironwood Was Right" thing.

I recently saw this resurface a bit, in the context of Ruby's regrets in Volume 9. Basically, taking the fact that she felt like she'd failed as the show saying that yes, actually, she was wrong to go against Ironwood's plan in Volume 7.

I feel like I went into thinking about this trying to debunk it on a logical level. Like, is it actually a good idea to fly off into the sky in one big long stalling measure when your opponent is literally immortal? What's stopping Salem from grabbing all the rest of the relics and then just waiting as many generations as it takes, until the people of Atlas forget why they came up there in the first place and return to Remnant out of curiosity?

The thing is, treating it as an argument about what's the more "rational" choice is missing the point that like. We're talking about a story. We don't know exactly how many people are in Atlas and in Mantle and where they are and how many more trips they'd have to take to finish the evacuation, because details like that would just bog things down.

This is not a trolley problem with x number of people from Mantle on one side and y number of people from Atlas on the other. This is a trolley problem with a wealthy and powerful person on one track, and a disadvantaged person an alternate track, and Ironwood choosing to pull the lever instead of trying to stop the trolley. The point is not "how many." It's not about math. The point is that there is a fundamental difference between dying in the central location while a bunch of Huntresses and Huntsmen do absolutely everything in their power to protect you, and dying abandoned in the mines you used to work while the city built off of your labor flies away to safety.

The question this conflict is asking is about whether or not other people can be sacrifices. Ironwood says yes—team RWBY disagree. That's the actual crux of this argument. Does Ironwood have the right to decide who deserves protection and who isn't worth the risk? Do we get to give up on other people before we've even tried to save them? It's about the idea of certain people being disposable. Mantle's wall isn't important, Amity is. Amity will protect all of Atlas, and that wall will only help the people in Mantle. It implies that their safety is an acceptable sacrifice for the greater good. It treats them as disposable.

There's a reason it was Nora who spoke up and pointed out that it's always Mantle being asked to bear the burden for the greater good. Nora has been a disposable person before. Hell, Cinder has been a disposable person! The way Atlas (through the madame) treated a living person as a resource to be exploited or sacrificed is the entire reason that Cinder is trying to burn the kingdom down. Thematically, Atlas cannot escape the danger she poses by sacrificing more disposable people.

One of the biggest themes of this show is cooperation. It's all about how Salem can only be defeated by working together. But working together is not possible if certain people are taking on all of the risk, all of the sacrifice. Everyone has to be willing to put some skin in the game. Like, imagine trying to do a group project if you knew half of you were guaranteed to get an A no matter what and the other half weren't.

So the idea that Volume 9 is supposed to come back around and say that actually, that plan that would have literally divided a city in half and cut loose the poorer half like fucking ballast, that was the right thing all along and Ruby Rose was wrong to challenge it... that would be an absolute disaster of a thematic statement.

This is not a show about hard military men making hard military choices. It's not going to contrive a situation where cold-blooded calculation determines that the right thing to do is to pull up the ladder. Because outside of weird philosophical experiments about trolleys, the right thing to do usually has more to do with empathy. Compassion. Cooperation. All that gay shit.

[mxpseudonym]

The Worshipping at Greenwood

Pairing: Lizzie Shelby x OC (Maggie)

Summary: Lizzie and her lover, an Arrow House maid, christen the bedroom of one of the new Shelby properties.

Length: 3.9k words

Warnings: NSFW, Infidelity (sorry-ish Tommy)

A/N: I really enjoyed this one. 🤭 Sapphic Lizzie Shelby has been on my list for so long, and I'm so glad I got to write this. Also, Natasha O'Keeffe is so beautiful it's crazy.

“Elizabeth. Like the queen.”

“Not like the queen.”

Lizzie chuckled and pulled the cigarette from between my fingers. “Not like the queen,” she said again before placing it between her lips.

“Alright, like the goddess,” I settled. “Lizzie, the Goddess.”

Lizzie shook her head at me like she always did when I talked like that, her black bob shaking softly. These days, she didn’t go on about not understanding me, though, and she stopped saying I thought she was someone she wasn’t. Her husband was the one who hired me and knew her longer, but I would reckon I knew her better.

“Alright, you sit there. I’ll put these away,” she ordered.

It had been six years since I started at Arrow House. Five since I began frequenting Lizzie Shelby’s bedroom on nights when her husband was away, which was often. It began as helping her nightly routine. She had trouble sleeping, so she started trying tea by the fire. Then she started having midnight baths. The other maids were sick of it and thought she was too low-born to make a fuss. I didn’t see the issue, however. It was our job, first and foremost. But I’d also been having trouble sleeping in the large, creepy mansion. At least I was paid and made friends, however. Lizzie was alone unless she was with Ruby or Charlie.

Eventually, Mr. Shelby allowed her to move to a room with a better view under the prescription of his aunt, a gypsy witch. But after nights spent dressing and undressing her and boiling tea again and again, eventually, I cracked. I crawled into bed beside her and held her until she dozed. It went on like this until hands began to brush against, wander over, and hold each other. Then lips, and then—

“Are you listening?” Lizzie asked, taking me out of my reminiscent thoughts. She was placing items in the cupboards I’d just cleaned earlier that week. It was the spring now, and Charlie and Ruby were still weeks away from coming home from boarding school. Mr. Shelby was busier than ever, even taking a wayward trip to America here and there. Most importantly, there has been tension between them lately. The maids were guessing an affair… again.

But really, Mr. Shelby was expanding again and doing even more dangerous things. Without the children, Lizzie felt shut in. So the all-knowing Shelby aunt suggested Lizzie break in a new property in the country called Greenwood. The main house was large. It has six bedrooms, three stories, and an attic and basement. But most importantly, it had 100 acres of land. A small staff worked the farm and kept the house together. There was a boarding house on the land for the farmers and a smaller cottage for the older couple who managed it all.

“Yes, I am,” I lied.

“I don’t believe you, so here it is again. I told the old woman, Mrs. Humphrey, that we’d do most of the cooking, but she bloody insisted, so she’ll come around noon and leave after making dinner. She said to keep the dishes in the basin, but we can do that,” Lizzie said. She wanted to be domestic, she’d said as we drove up here. Otherwise, I would fight her on trying to do chores when I would rather her not lift a finger.

“And when does this start?”

“Tomorrow. She’s already made dinner for us. It’s in the stove.”

Lizzie closed the cupboard and wiped her hands on a dishcloth. Neither of us spoke. The quiet was foreign and fragile. We couldn’t take it for granted for even a second.

“I’m glad we’re here. And I’m glad you agreed,” she thanked me.

“I go where you go, Madam.”

“Well, I think I’m going upstairs to try out the bed next. We have all night, but I want it right now,” she mused. The cheeky woman sauntered out of the kitchen towards the stairs. I sighed happily.

“What a woman.”

Lizzie wasn’t tender at first. She was more familiar with groping and even liked it, though she did make the best sounds when I kissed her softly and spoke to her.

“Open your mouth,” I told her. My fingertips pressed her cheek gently until her lips parted. I placed mine over hers. They were soft and silky from where she licked them. My tongue traced them, then slid past. Lizzie was stubborn about showing her desire so freely, but she let a hand wind its way into my hair, and the other slide up my arm. I cupped her cheek, kissing her deeper until her calf rubbed against mine. She mewed, frustrated that there was no pressing her thighs together to create friction for the pretty thing between. I only moved to her cheeks and jaw to catch my breath. She panted softly in my ear. If I lowered my hand, I wouldn’t even have to remove her lingerie to hear her say my name— gently cupping her would be enough. But I would save that for later.

Instead, I kissed her again, firmer this time, and slid a hand up her waist to her breasts— humbly sized and full from motherhood. She said she wasn’t sensitive there back when I started dressing her in the mornings. That she never had been, even before, when she “did most of her work lying down.” If she was ashamed of her past, she didn’t show it. She was comfortable in her body and knew it well. But I’d been on a mission to change her there.

I stroked the swells as my tongue slid against hers. Her hand gingerly clenched the sleeve of my robe. I brushed over her nipple, and she hummed. Too distracted to be determined that it wouldn’t work on her. I shifted to lie fully between her legs and cup both at once. Her head tilted, and it was her turn to deepen the kiss. My thumbs steadily rolled her nipples while I massaged her. I would tease her later for the way her hips rolled once I finally pulled at them. She fidgeted under me, knees pressing against my waist as I toyed with the strength of my pulls. By the time I moved my kisses to her jaw to give us air, she was swearing.

“What’s the word?” She whimpered. I raised an eyebrow but only hummed as I licked over the bites placed on the column of her graceful neck. “Persistent. You’re fucking persistent about this.”

I could only laugh. She was right about that.

“Because they’re so perfect,” I explained as I reached her décolletage. My fingers slid under the thin straps of her top and sat back to shuffle it down to her waist. The angle gave me a breathtaking view. Lizzie’s face was beet red, with lips swollen and soft pants passing through them. My marks trailed down to her rising and falling chest. I didn’t dare look beyond her bare tummy, or I’d get ahead of myself.

“Take this off,” she told me, tugging at my robe. I did as I was told and then got back to work. My tongue circled her left nipple, exploring on its own accord. I kissed my way to the right side, leaving my hand to continue on the left, massaging and tugging. On the right, I licked and sucked and grazed my teeth over her bruising bud. Lizzie gasped, and her hips jolted against mine.

“She likes it,” I whispered with a chuckle.

“Maggie,” she moaned. Lizzie kept surprising me today. She was early. But I wasn’t done. I moved my leg over hers, leaving one of my thighs pressed between hers. I kissed my way up again, meeting her lips again. She kissed fervently now. She would be needy soon and only able to be talked through it all. There were pros and cons to her in that state. The biggest con was that she would be too far gone to tell me when she was overstimulated, in which our time would be over. The pros were… everything else.

My hands moved to her hips, which were starting to search for an outlet of any kind with the smallest thrusts. I pressed my thigh in further, parting her legs until I felt warm, damp silk against my skin. I didn’t have to say a word. I only pressed her hips down, guiding her to grind against me. It was something she could play with while I had my fill, and play she did. I decorated the beauty before me with kisses. The creaminess of her breasts was perfect for faint bite marks, soothed by a lapping tongue. I’d worked too hard not to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Lizzie made new sounds, rich sounds, wanton sounds with every alternation. Her face screwed up, went slack, turned the color of a bold and blossoming rose, and was everything I’d hoped for. I snatched her hand away when she moved to cover her mouth. Never.

She found a rhythm against my thigh but disrupted it time and again when she was in a frenzy. I moved back to her left breast and generously helped her keep pace by guiding her hips again. Lizzie’s gaze, glossy and desperate, turned down to watch me. Our stares locked just as I circled her nipple once more, then took it between my teeth, a bit rougher now. Her eyes rolled, and with her thighs wrapping around mine, keeping me pressed right against her, she came undone. The most precious gasps left her lips while her back arched. She was a thing of beauty. A goddess amongst men.

I wasted no time giving her a knowing kiss, deciding once again to save my teasing for later. I was too interested in ridding her of her pajamas. Naked before me, she stretched and then ran her fingers lightly over her tender body.

“What are you doing to me, Mags?”

“Worshipping, I think they call it,” I whispered, fully enthralled by Lizzie’s hands, never ceasing until they stroked the soft curls leading to her center. She was nearly dripping, all shiny and slick, even on the insides of her thighs. Her hands were those of a housewife— manicured and soft and just as alluring.

“You’re still on about that?”

“What else would I call kneeling before you and giving you my all?” I questioned as I crawled between Lizzie's spread legs. Refusing to leave an inch untouched, I kissed the softness of her belly. I was in awe that she’d held a child, creating it and bringing it to life in this very body. My life-giver sighed when I reached the crevices of her thighs, the creases inviting me to run my fingers over them and later use them as anchors to hold her in place.

I started with the insides of her knees, earning a groan because I was surely taking too long for her liking. But she was much more patient with one undoing under her belt. I loved the dimples of her thighs, the colors of her stretch marks, the evidence that she was living fully. The closer I got, the warmer she was. Lizzie’s legs went over my shoulders habitually, and her calves rested against my back. When I licked the essence that was slathered across her inner thighs, just a head tilt away from the folds of her pussy, I took a moment to appreciate how she consumed me just as I consumed her. Her thighs covered my ears, my nose pressed against her skin, and, in a few minutes, her hands would be in my hair, holding me there. I smiled at the thought and accidentally let my lips brush against her folds, and I turned to clean her left thigh. Lizzie gasped, and her hands reached. I forgot that she was early today, and I didn’t have it in me to keep her waiting much longer.

I didn’t understand the disdain some men had for tasting a woman here and understood the confusion around it even less. Does one not want delicious fruit? When one bites into a peach, ripe and waiting, do they fear the juice that dribbles down their chin? No. They take it eagerly and drink as they eat it.

“Maggie,” Lizzie sighed, back arching. I lapped between her folds, tasting the creamy evidence of her earlier release. Then, up around her hooded bud, I traced, careful not to rush. She was always generous with her juices, giving me more every single second she enjoyed herself. Her hips moved against my tongue, becoming greedier by the second. “Don’t you think you have as much as you can handle?” I wanted to ask. But she cried out as if she heard my thoughts, “Yes,” like a chant sung in the most delicious tone, and I conceded. I didn’t know a thing.

Keeping her waist still was a special challenge. The act in itself worked her up and caused them to move even more. Once, I pinched her and told her to stop that. I may as well have rewarded naughty behavior because she came right away. She was too far gone to put two and two together, but I kept the act of pinching in my back pocket ever since. She didn’t need it today. She was feeling it more than usual, after all. One hand stroked my hair, all her restraint going to not tugging on it, and the other letting it all out on the bed sheets.

I glanced up as I began prodding her entrance with a stiff tongue. She whimpered again, then gradually moved a hand to her undoubtedly aching breast. She hissed with gritted teeth when her palm brushed her nipple, but she invited the feeling, still massaging with gentle pressure. Her wetness flowed, and I swore nectar poured down my throat as if I were drinking water from a spring. I would save the pinching for another day, but I still moved my tongue to her sensitive bud to make way for my finger.

“Fucking hell,” Lizzie gasped. My lips wrapped around her clit while my tongue did steady work. Slowly pressing into her simultaneously left her quiet and open-mouthed. It was too amusing and caused me to hum against her. Her hips jerked beneath my hand. A second undoing when I was only a knuckle deep? She was in rare form.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to wait for her to calm down. I pressed my full finger forward, feeling her fluttering walls give me more of her wetness. I decided to add a second and, by her sob, I believe she found it agreeable. Lizzie did like to go on for some time. One undoing was never as good as four or five. Or perhaps it was me who didn’t know how to stop at just one. The more she came, the prettier her face. I liked the look she was giving now— eyes closed, lip between her teeth, hair a mess. I knew she wasn’t thinking of anything. Not the past, not the present, not home, not a man. She was this body, in her bed, with me. My fingers curled within her, but she didn’t cry my name. I slowed and turned to kiss her thigh.

“Breathe, my love,” I told her. She took a shaky breath in, then another.

“Maggie,” she finally said, looking down at me. “It’s unbelievable.”

I could only smirk and continue my work. Two would become three soon with how wet Lizzie was, but she was reaching satisfaction and pull me under her. It wasn't necessary, but she wasn’t as greedy as I was and not as selfish as I’d like.

Her third undoing was strong. Her thighs threatened to close around me, but I stubbornly caught every drop that came from her, memorizing her taste, temperature, and scent. As expected, she shifted away from me, pulling me up until we were kneeling in front of each other. Then, she kissed me this time, with some being a ruse to lick her essence from my chin.

“Don’t think I don’t know you’re dripping, love. I can almost hear it,” she said in my ear. My face flushed hot, and my lips rubbed together. A benevolent goddess gives as well as she receives. For all I knew, Lizzie knew me better than I knew myself, and she was ruthless. She let her fingers stroke the insides of my thighs while she kissed my neck. I was already on fire. Every touch felt like the one that could push me over the edge.

She moved behind me, her hands reaching around to grasp the fullness of my chest. My breasts were larger than hers, and she always mentioned that she loved that.

“You’re incredibly sexy, Maggie,” she said sweetly. “Do I get all of you?”

“Every bit,” I confirmed.

Lizzie was much more skilled with her fingers than I could ever hope to be. She pushed me forward so my chest pressed against the bed and she could kiss down my back. She was less patient than I was, as well. But it was likely out of necessity. She languidly tongued my folds from behind. I tried to imagine what she was doing, but my mind was muddled in seconds.

“You come so quickly,” she said, both amused and in awe. “You get yourself all worked up when you’re messing with me. I’ll have to start with two, just so you can feel it.”

“Lizzie,” I cried out. She made me feel full every time. Her two fingers, long and nimble, reached farther within me than I ever could on my own. I could hear my own slickness squelching in the room, and my thighs trembled.

“Ah, ah, don’t. Not yet. Not until your goddess says, yeah?”

I blinked at the order. She kept surprising me. My eyes were clenched, and whimpers spilled from my lips as I pushed back against her hand. She said that meant I wanted it deeper and began meeting the rhythm of my hips. Lizzie pressed kisses against my lower back, my thighs, and my perched ass while telling me how erotic this was. How erotic I looked.

The begging began when Lizzie announced I was dripping on her sheets and slid in a third finger. She never said the consequence for going against her order, but nothing was better than being obedient to her. Stars appeared behind my eyelids before she finally said it was okay. Lizzie’s voice talked me through the jolting and trembling. Her arm looped around my waist, pressing me against her so I was still enough to keep receiving her fingers. She pulled out her fingers only to use her thumb to firmly circle my pussy. She stimulated my sensitive bud and folds and stretched hole. I sobbed into the bed when she leaned down for a taste.

“You’re sweet,” she mused. She lapped at me until one release melded into another, and I had to push her away. We stayed in bed for a while longer.

There was no one in Greenwood, and there wouldn’t be for the whole summer. I propped my head up on my hand as she said it again and again while rolling around.

No smoke. No mud. No Birmingham.

She rolled onto me, making me laugh and wrap my arms around her.

“Just us,” she said, finally. I nodded.

“Just us.”

[xichilie]

Aventurine x (stoneheart)reader

I'm currently writing a fic. With a stoneheart reader,

Reader will be known as ruby, will appear as a male stoic and monotone. But it's actually just a puppet. No one knows where the real ruby is and what she's up to, she just let's her puppet do her work, and most people only know the puppet as ruby and not her true self

Aventurine will meet the real ruby known as Y/N :

Aventurine sat in the chair his office, playing around with a poker chip between his fingers while he let out a sigh seeing the stack of paperwork a colleague just dropped on his desk, he'd rather do anything else than that, he will have to take care of it eventually. After a few minutes of glaring at the stack of documents he reluctantly picked the first paper reading its contents as a knock on the door disrupted him, he looked up as the door opened and his secretary walked in "I'm sorry to disturb you Mr.Aventurine, but opal has called all stonerhearts to a meeting ins 20 minutes"

Aventurine let's out a sigh, before showing his usual smile

"Alright, finally an excuse to not do this paperwork, thank you for informing me, your dismissed"

His secretary nodded and turned to leave the office closing the door behind her.

Aventurine got up and stretched, he checked his phone for any messages, before making his way out the office.

"AVENTURINE!" an angry voice came from behind

As he turned around he was met with an very angry topaz,

"You made me invest in this failed project on purpose didn't you!"

Aventurine held up his hand in mock surrender smirking "what makes you say that, I would never"

"Don't act all suprised you did this on purpose!" She pointed her finger at him

"I swear when I told you about the investment the project was doing well" he chuckled which made topaz even angrier, she opened her mouth but was stopped by jade " now now are you two fighting again?"

"Madam jade" topaz greeted her

"You two fight like little kids" a monotone voice chimed in.

Next to jade stood ruby, a tall man with red hair and redish eyes in his usual stoic demeanor, he just shook his head and walked past them towards the meeting room.

Topaz frowned "sometimes I'm asking myself if he's even human he's so ...cold..."

Aventurine chuckled "makes him kinda terrifying"

A.N

He's a little part, sorry if my English isn't that goof it's not my first language ♡