#he also slides down rails on staircases

[nettedtangible]

James Potter jumps up to hit doorframes.

[merelylillies]

⋆ ﾟ.☁︎｡⋅ ───────────────｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶

Note: ‘‘Starting to get the hang of it...might still be bad. Brace yourself I guess? Also not proofread so fingers crossed.,,

・・・・・​​⟢

Fandom: Hoyoverse's Genshin Impact

Pairing: (Fem.)Reader x Xiao || Alatus >>Mentioned: Malipo Kinich

Content Warnings: (NSFW) Kissing, Needy/Desperate vibes, Jealousy, Praise, Handjob (giving).

✦・・・・・​​・・・・・​​・・・・・​​・・・・・​​✦

The one time you left Paimon behind you felt surprisingly deprived of her usual chatter as you made your way up onto the cobblestone path. Though you supposed it was all well and good, she was with Xiangling, not only safe but with the company of endless food. Surely she won't complain by the time you pick her up tomorrow. Although as of right now, the atmosphere felt empty, the only noise being your heeled boots clacking onto the wooden platform of the open-air elevator. It had been a while since you last visited Wangshu Inn.

With everything that had happened between Fontaine and Natlan, it's fair to say a moment's rest has been few and far between. With the latter, upon meeting some of the tribes' people had you then suddenly grown homesick. The Malipo name bearer having played tricks on your eyes one too many times from behind. His tousled, dark blue strands with sharp cuts flooded nostalgia through your blood countless times, before you were inevitably met with green irises instead of the gold you so cherished. Lost in thought you'd barely registered the platform had reached the terrace with a clunk. Looking around, most of the guests had early turned in for the night, the moon hanging high in the sky and the air perfectly still if not for a small breeze. Walking off the elevator and rounding the entrance to the front desk, Verr Goldet was busying herself petting the inn's cat perched on the counter. She turned at the sound of footsteps with a clear look of surprise that melted into a welcoming smile.

"Welcome back Traveler," she spoke softly. Nodding in greeting you glanced around, eyes landing on the staircase leading to the upper terrace. Upon catching this Verr smiled almost knowingly.

“He's been waiting a long time you know?" she said cryptically.

“Oh." was all you managed to get out.

"Take this on my behalf will you?" she asks with an amused look before handing you a delicate plate with a decorated portion of Almond Tofu.

“Xiangling sent in a letter earlier when you departed from the harbor. I had Yanxiao make it before clocking out.".

“Thank you." you responded almost dumbfounded before taking the plate from her hands.

She nodded before turning back around to scribble away in her log book, leaving you to stare down at the dish before ultimately turning to make your way up the final flight of stairs. As you made it to the top of the stairs, building up your courage to call his name you stopped just short of the archway. To your surprise, the man was already there. Sitting balanced on the railing of the terrace, with one leg bent into his chest, the other dangling down towards the void. The Adeptus' back was to you, allowing you to gaze over the back of his hair, your brain almost warning you it's just another hopeful illusion. As your silence goes on, he turns his head in your direction, glowing yellow peering into you like daggers. Everything stilled for a little while, the two of you just staring at one another without making a move. Gods you had missed him.

“Hi Xiao." you offered, breaking the silence. He continues to look at you, then suddenly shifts, disappearing into thin air before reappearing a couple of steps away from you, standing stiffly. Swallowing your doubt, you walk closer holding the Tofu out to him.

“Yanxiao made this for you-" you suddenly stop at his expression, as he stares at you with a perplexed look, confusion mixed with upset and then switching to weariness.

“Xiao, what's wrong?" you ask concerned, eyes checking over his figure before feeling gloved fingers slide on top of yours holding up the plate.

Looking up at him, his eyes seemed to roam across your face frantically, and then finally settle on your eyes, gazing into them intensely. His other hand comes to your shoulder, gently holding you, before tightening his grip firmly once he knew for a fact you were actually standing before him. He seemed to be physically relieved at your presence. You were actually here. In front of him. Without another second wasted he pulled you into him, plate long forgotten on the floor. The embrace was rigid, but he pulled you in so tightly as if he were scared to even consider letting go.

A few beats pass by before he shifts his arms, his hands that were clutching at your back now trailing down near your waist. He continues to hold you there, pressed up against him, his head hovering above your shoulder, dark strands tickling your ear.

“Where have you been.” It sounded more like a statement than a question, an accusation almost.

Hesitating with your response you swallowed a bit nervous. “I was traveling to the other nations- I’ve been to Fontaine and Nat-”.

“You took so long.” He breathed out, almost a whisper.

“You worried me.” He started. “I started thinking you might’ve been stubborn again and refused to call upon me.” His voice turned stern again, despite the softness of his low volume.

“Xiao..”.

“Traveler..May I be selfish?”, He pulls back enough to look at you, his forehead grazing your own.

Nodding slowly at him, your eyes lock onto his, seeing the underlying passion and yearning and admiration that he hid deep within himself.

Before you could say anything else he closed the distance between you.

The kiss was soft at first but as you kissed him back, reciprocating his movements with practiced ease, he started leaning back, shrinking into himself more. This was experience he continued to lack even with the many times you’d shared kisses. Kissing and any physical intimacy was a foreign concept to him, so he couldn’t help the small noises that escape him as you didn’t let up on his lips.

It was almost embarrassing how worked up he started getting, the harsh persona faltering the more you pressed forward and the longer the kiss continued. He felt breathless. For all his training he suddenly couldn’t calm his racing heart and his shortness of air.

You let up for a few seconds, letting him fill his lungs before diving back in immediately after his first gasp.

“Aah-mm” The hum leaves him involuntarily. Xiao had never wanted to be the vocal type, but novelty to these sensations made it hard for him to surprise himself.

Could you just- Archons above. Give him a second- Suddenly, despite his rare initiation, he feels out of his depth.

Adepti are trained to have endless patience and composure. So dear Seven, what the FUCK. He was feeling things he shouldn’t, thoughts crossing his mind he would berate himself later for. But as you kept moving forward, hands mimicking his own, wrapping onto his own waist, all trace of thought was gone from his mind.

You felt yourself turn light as a feather for a moment before realizing you had changed settings. He had teleported you inside. Now in a beautifully decorated chamber, the furniture adorned with untouched, long-settled dust. This must be the room Verr keeps for him.

As your turned your focus back to Xiao the boy looked beyond unrecognizable. The usual scowl on his face replaced with an unreadable expression. His pale skin blushed over with red. The tips of his hair standing up a little wilder than normal. But most of all, his eyes. Oh his eyes.. They held you with their stare, glossed by the warm, dim light of a bedside lantern.

Xiao’s brain seemed to spontaneously re-wire itself as he shifted his footing. Walking over to him, you started kissing him again, firmly and with so much emotion from you missing him, leaving behind the slow gentle pecks from earlier.

He fell into your rhythm, not once fighting to control the kiss. Walking him backwards until the back of his knees hit the mattress, making him fall down with you straddling him. Almost grinning against his lips you opened your eyes to look at him. His unfocused, widened gaze and his half open mouth, lips turned more vibrant with friction.

As you settled above him your hand moving up to his waist before your hand grazes over the front of his pants, a hitch of his breath escaping in response. Surprised at the sound, your eyes trail down to his trousers only to be met with a more prominent bulge.

Oh. Oh.. oh.

He couldn’t meet your gaze, his forearm moving atop his face shielding his eyes.

“You missed me that much?”

“It’s an uncontrollable aspect of the male human body. Something you should well be aware of. Your own kind’s shortcomings.” He replies with a hoarse voice, trying to keep his tone steady and even.

“Oh I wouldn’t say shortcomings..” You reply smugly before shifting your palm down onto him.

“A-ah-” He cuts himself off with a hiss of a breath.

As your hand continues grinding onto him his breaths pick up again, chest stuttering with his small gasps. Brows visibly furrowing, as the arm shielding his face twitches in place with small trembles.

“You- m-mm-” He attempts.

“I what?” You tease back.

And he’s really trying. Rex Lapis knows he’s trying to hold it in. Not seem so..so.. needy. And he doesn’t want to beg. That’s pathetic and unbecoming of an illuminated beast, an immortal, weapon of war..

“You look so pretty Xiao”, You whisper, caressing his soft hair, fingers trailing down his jawline, “I missed you so.”

Curse Celestial-

“Please.”

You don’t even get to respond to his sudden plea before others pour in.

“Please. I-I desire your- hahatouch. Ah. You. Please.” His arm strongly planted over his eyes.

Smiling down at his shaky form, you dip your hands past his waistband and loosen the sash holding his pants. The fabric dips down his slim hips, his usually cold skin, burning to the touch.

Finally wrapping a hand around him he gasps louder, this time a high pitched moan fully tumbling out of his lips.

“Ha- Aa-ah fuck -mmmmh”

You give him a tentative slow stroke up before reaching the tip, thumbing at it while watching his reaction. His first bawling against his own palm, the less human features of his hands peaking out from their usual concealment. Nails sharpening and veins becoming more visible, running down his arm.

“Yes-ah just like that— AAah-” His fingers twitch as you repeat the motion, dragging your thumb slowly against the slit.

As you speed up your motions his back begins arching slightly, lifting off the mattress as his pitch heightens with breathlessness and an almost whiny undertone. Your hand tightening around him and squeezing him just how he needed and god it feels good.

And he’s basically never done this before, and so he’s already getting embarrassingly close. His heart feels like it’s in his throat with the way he feels unable to utter out anything more than pleasurable moans. Your hand picks up the pace, and he bites his lip, sharp canines almost piercing his already kissed raw, red lips. His arm barely staying still from the stimulation, shudders running their course throughout his body. Finally falling to the side, his arm yanks at the bedding, his eyes scrunched up in pleasure as his eyebrows knit together. His entire face is blushed heavily, not to mention the almost visible pants of hot air escaping his mouth with little to no restraint from him.

“I’m- I..”

“Hm? Does it feel nice Xiao?” You boldly inquired boldly.

“Is this what you desired? What you fantasized while waiting for me? Imagining me so desperately?”

He was so sensitive and he has been wanting you all this time- having to wait so long and he was pent up and you knew that- and-

“Fuck- ah-Aa-hah..Please I’m almost.. Ah-” His voice breaks on his last plea, feeling too out of it to care.

Without much else he comes undone into your hand, letting out a small mewl that resembles a whimper.

You move to hover over him closer to his face and he opens his eyes to look up at you dazed but with determination in his eyes.

“Ah-a-Again….” He huffs.

“Hah-h please.”

[beansprean]

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oh my god they're engaged to be engaged...

(also this is entirely separate from the izzyguana series fyi, but my god I have drawn their little island so many times by now)

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Wide shot of Stede and Ed's ramshackle house on a hill of long grass, a forested mountain sliding into the sea behind them as the sun peeks above the waves, painting them orange and yellow. Some work has been put into the house since they found it: the holes in the roof have been boarded over or covered with tarp, a rickety porch railing and staircase off the left side have been built on from scraps, oil lamps have been hung on each corner, and an addition on the right side is in progress, rocks stacked on the wood-slat roof and tarps hanging from unfinished walls. Planks of wood, tools, and fishing poles are leaned up against the porch, the path to the house has been cleared out and defined by stones and shells, and a wooden sign out front has the words "Best Little Inn By The Sea! +fishing equipment" carved into it. Stede and Ed, wearing a teal blouse with brown leather trousers and purple tee with black leather trousers respectively, are standing on the porch and looking out over the land, arms around each others waist. Stede raises his arm in a wave and shouts, "Great to see you two! Come again any time!" In the foreground, Pete and Lucius are walking down the path away from the house, looking tired. Pete has one arm around Lucius's shoulders and his eyes are closed, head listing to the side. Lucius covers his mouth as he yawns, lifting the other to throw a halfhearted wave over his shoulder. 1b. Waist-up in profile of Stede and Ed on the porch, sunrise behind them. Closest to the viewer, Stede stares out after their guests, hand lowering, smile fading to something a little bittersweet. Ed leans into Stede, free hand in his pants pocket, and rests his head in the crook of his neck as he follows Stede's gaze with a thoughtful smile. Ed asks, "You ever think about that for us?" 1c. Repeat. Stede's hand drops further, wrist dangling, as he turns his face toward Ed with a bewildered smile. "What?" Ed straightens from his cuddle, embarrassed, but keeps his right hand on Stede's waist. His left gestures randomly as he scrunches up his face, avoiding Stede's gaze. He explains, "Y'know...the matie-monie thing, whatever."

2a. Zoom out slightly; Stede takes a step back toward the house to face Ed as he pivots with his back toward the yard. They are still connected waist-to-hand. Stede plants his free hand on his hip with a smug little smirk and says, "Well I certainly hope that's not your proposal." Ed waves his free hand in a 'stop' motion, flustered as he meets his partner's eyes, and splutters "Wha- no! No, mate, I just... 'M having a dialogue." 2b. Repeat, zoom in. Ed dips his chin to look up at Stede through his lashes, red-faced and accepting defeat as he mumbles, "...How would you want it to go, though? Hypothetically." Stede giggles helplessly, free hand leaving his hip to rest fingertips on Ed's chest. 2c. Repeat, the background cutting out in favor of the sunrise occurring between them. They are almost forehead-to forehead, both of Stede's hands now pressed to Ed's chest and idly playing with the tips of his hair. Ed stares at his face with hooded eyes. Stede smiles, gaze lowered to focus on his hands, and says "Oh, I don't know. A bit of romance, you know. Dazzle." 2d. Repeat, zoom in to bust, background now mottled oranges and yellows. Ed raises his head to look past Stede with a frown, brow furrowed in confusion as he repeats blankly, "Dazzle." Stede hums idly to himself, concentrating on petting Ed's chest. 2e. Repeat. Stede lifts his head with a little smile, putting them nose-to-nose and adds, "I wouldn't say no to some fireworks." Ed flusters at the pointed reminder of their first time, cheeks turning red and a wobbly smile creeping across his face.

3a. Repeat. Stede asks, "What about you?" Ed leans back from their embrace, smile turning incredulous as he repeats, "Me?!" 3b. Waist up of Ed as he turns, sunrise at his back, to lean his left arm against the porch railing. He glances over the yard with a resigned little frown, fiddling with a piece of his hair with his right hand. He replies, "I dunno. Never really thought about it." 3c. Chest up of Stede as he mirrors Ed's pose with a fond if slightly amused smile, stairs and forest behind him. Offscreen, Ed continues, "Bet you had a whole scrapbook of ideas, eh?" 3d. Repeat. Stede straightens with a "Well!" and turns his body to face the house. 3e. Knees-up from the house POV as both men lean against the porch railing, the yard, ocean, and brightening sky beginning to streak itself with orange beyond. Stede is facing the viewer, back to the yard, leaning with his elbows braced on the railing. He aims his gaze to the side with a bit of a pained smile and says, "When Mary and I were engaged, a scrapbook wouldn't have been much use." Ed is turned toward Stede, left elbow propped on the railing. He scowls and sticks out his tongue at mention of Mary. 3f. Repeat. Stede turns his head toward Ed, who quickly tucks his petty tongue back in his mouth and schools his expression into one of interest. Stede continues, "Everything had been decided for us already. Never really got to the proposal part."

4a. Repeat. Ed turns his body more fully toward Stede, folding his arms on the railing and leaning his head over them with a warm smile. Stede raises his eyebrows in surprise and goes slightly pink as Ed says, "I'll have to make it really good, then." 4b. Stede turns his body toward Ed, left arm sliding against the railing behind him and right hand cupping Ed's chin as he leans closer, nose to nose. Ed's eyes hood, looking at Stede's mouth as is curls into a loving smile. Stede responds, "Can't wait." 4c. Repeat. Ed suddenly goes pale and blurts out, "You'll say yes, though, right?" Stede freezes in surprise, lips puckered in preparation of a kiss. 4d. Repeat. Stede throws his head back in a loud bark of laughter, straightening up and turning fully toward Ed to cup his cheek in his right hand and his shoulder with the other. Ed aims an embarrassed, besotted smile at him as Stede replies, "Ed, of course! Who could say no to you?"

5a. Repeat, both now in profile. The orange and yellow light of the sunrise is slowly spreading across the sky from the left. Ed straightens up from his lean to bring their foreheads together, still a bit red-cheeked and with a nervous edge to his smile as he lowers his gaze. He says, "You can say no if you want, though." Stede smiles at him with every ounce of tenderness he has, hands firm on his cheek and shoulder. He replies, "There's nothing I want more than to say yes to you, Ed. Permanent ink, remember?" 5b. Repeat. Stede moves his right hand from Ed's cheek to hook around his back, tugging him closer as he leans himself back. Ed stumbles forward with a helpless grin, cheeks even redder, bracing himself with his right hand on Stede's chest. When their eyes meet, Stede's smile turns teasing and faux-sinister, continuing, "You're stuck with me regardless. Foreverrr~" 5c. Repeat, larger and brighter, as Stede and Ed finally come together in an affirming kiss, the land behind them retreating to allow the sea and sky to fill the background. The sun finally breaches the horizon, sending glitter sparkling across the waves and gilding the pair in warm golden light. Ed's right hand is cupping the side of Stede's neck, thumb tracing through his sideburns, and Stede's right is hooked fully around his shoulders, cushioned in his soft hair. They are both smiling into the kiss, unhurried and in harmony.

6a. Repeat as they pull back from the kiss just far enough to meet each other's gaze, arms still around each other, Ed's right hand brushing Stede's cheek and Stede's buried in the back of Ed's hair. Ed smirks flirtatiously, eyes hooded, and says, "You know... I hear there's a traditional engagement sex sabbatical, too." Stede matches his expression, left hand sliding down Ed's shoulder to press against his lower back. Stede replies playfully, "Oh, is there? I suppose I can plan that part, then." 6b. Repeat. Ed brings his left hand up to mirror his right, cupping both of Stede's cheeks, and arches up on his toes to lean over Stede with a teasing grin. His movement forces Stede to arch his back in the first motions of a dip, hands briefly flying free of their grip on his future fiance to try to catch his balance. Their lips a centimeter apart, Ed hums, "Mmm, gimme a rehearsal, first." Stede tosses his head back with a giggle in response, eyes closed, cheeks pink. Hearts float above their heads. 6c. Shot at the bottom of the hill Stede and Ed are stationed on, the packed-dirt path to the house curving upward in the background, the stones and shells now more conservatively scattered. Amidst the tall grass and tropical plants lining the way are handmade wooden signs shaped like arrows pointing the way to the inn. Words carved into them say "this way!" and "best inn!" Pete and Lucius are in the foreground, walking down the hill towards the viewer, Pete's right arm still looped around his husband's shoulders. They still look very tired with dark circles beneath their eyes - Pete still hasn't opened his. Lucius has, barely, and is scowling his way forward with a furrowed brow, declaring, "We are leaving them the worst review." Pete nods solemnly. Text nearby points to them and says 'kept up all night by noises'. Pink hearts and exclamation points spill out behind them from the bend in the path, echoing the lovey-dovey noises from above that must have made their stay so insufferable. /end ID

[corkinavoid]

DPxDC Hogwarts AU [pt.7]

"Fenton, Daniel!"

Tim freezes in his seat. His stomach sinks down what feels like all the way to his toes, and it takes an incredible amount of effort to turn his head towards the High Table, where Deputy Headmistress is holding the Sorting Hat, ready for the next first-year to approach her.

The Great Hall is solemnly quiet - as much as it can be, when there's over a hundred people in here, all eager for a chance to catch up after the summer break. Tim hated it when it was his turn to go up and be the center of attention. All those whispers, and muffled snickers, and studying gazes on him, it's like they made his skin itch.

Danny, on a stark contrast, seems to be completely at ease with that, though. He walks up to the front and climbs on the wooden stool with little grace, but he is smiling. He even winks at someone at the Gryffindor table, getting a few chuckles from all around the Hall for his cheeky behavior.

Tim can't take his eyes off him.

He is taller now, which is unsurprising given that it's been more than two years since they've last seen each other. His hair is short, even if it's still a mess on top of his head. But, what's more, he looks.... less round, if that makes sense. His chin is sharper than before, kind of like Mr. Masters'. And the black, unmarked yet robes of the school uniform hang from his shoulders like he's a coat rack and not a human.

The stern woman that greeted them all at the entrance - Professor McGonagall, as she introduced herself - carefully drops the Hat over Danny's head. It tips down, covering the boy's eyes, and-

Tim slowly releases a breath he didn't know he was holding.

It doesn't help the tight, suffocating knot of guilt in his stomach, but at least he is breathing again, so that's good.

How do you forget about a whole ass person?! Because that's exactly what Tim did, he forgot, like Danny's entire existence completely slipped his mind. Which is absolutely mad, and Tim really, really wants to run up and apologize, even if he is not sure what exactly for.

On a second thought, he thinks he knows how, to be honest.

Breaking his leg a week after his ninth birthday, as it turned out, also broke his whole life into 'before' and 'after', and the 'after' was a thousand times more interesting than 'before'. Wayne manor was nothing like his home, no empty halls and cold white curtains, no silence filling his life, no boring, identical days spent in the library. Instead, there was a kitchen where Alfred - who refused to be addressed as Mr. Pennyworth quite insistently - kept bickering with the house elves, and the polished dark railings of the grand staircase that were very fun to slide down, and racing Dick through the hallways, or, sometimes, flying with him above the manor grounds. There was Jason, who read books just for the fun of it and not because he wanted to learn something useful specifically - makes sense for him to be a Ravenclaw - and Bruce, who pouted like a kid every time Tim called him Mr. Wayne, and the portraits of Wayne ancestors who all had an opinion on everything, and three owls, and a secret passageway in the drawing room, and a grumpy ghost in the attic, and Ace, and-

Just everything 'after' was loads better than 'before'.

Which doesn't really excuse Tim from forgetting a person. If anything, it kind of makes him feel even more guilty. Because Danny, even if he was from 'before', was still amazing, and Tim should have... done something. He is not sure what, but definitely not just forget about him.

There are whispers breaking out in the Hall now, Tim notices. It's been almost a minute already, and the Sorting Hat still has not announced a House for Danny, instead grimacing and scrunching its wrinkled face. Which is not that odd if Professor McGonagall's calm face is to prove it, but it hasn't taken its time with anyone else yet.

Someone nudges Tim with an elbow from his left, and when he turns, there's a bulky boy with a crooked, unpleasantly toothy smile, looking at him.

"Your friend?" He asks, and it takes Tim a moment to actually think about the answer. Is he?..

However, before he gets to come to any answer at all, the Hat finally speaks, "HUFFLEPUFF!" And Tim promptly shuts his mouth. No matter his personal opinion on Danny, it's considered uncouth for a Slytherin to be friends with a Hufflepuff. A Ravenclaw friend is acceptable, but the only thing worse than a badger is a lion.

So, at least for now, Tim gives the only answer that is expected of him. Meaning, he winces and huffs, "I'd rather eat a slug," and turns away to watch the table full of black and yellow and laughs and smiles cheer for their new arrival as Deputy Headmistress calls for one Foley, Tucker.

He is still the Heir to Drake family, meaning that even as a first-year in Hogwarts, he needs to keep up with his reputation. Besides, to be fair, he is not even sure if his answer would have been 'yes'. Or if it could have been 'yes' because, in order to figure that out, he'd need to talk to Danny first, and that's-

Well.

Maybe he should think about it later.

Tucker Foley gets to join the Ravenclaw table, and then there are Valerie Gray, Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan all going into Gryffindor in a row, which is met with roaring applause that gets louder and louder with every new arrival. It kind of makes Tim's head hurt a little.

But, just as he is about to turn back around - it can't hurt to get to know his housemates as soon as possible - he catches a glimpse of another familiar face and stops short.

She is not wearing pink anymore, and, just like Danny, her face looks a lot sharper now, but he would recognize that violently violet glare anywhere.

"Manson, Samantha," Sure enough, Professor McGonagall calls next, and the Hat takes less than a split second on her head to pronounce her a Slytherin. Tim's housemates clap and cheer their welcome, but Sam's gaze is all but zeroed on Tim for the whole time, and it kind of makes him want to shrink down and hide under the table.

"Long time no see, Drake," she drawls as soon as she sits down at his side. Then, just when Tim is opening his mouth to answer, she adds, "Or, should I say, Drake-Wayne?"

"You'd know how to address me, Manson, if you cared to listen when the names were called," he snaps without even thinking, "Other names than yours, that is."

It's not that he is ashamed of associating with Waynes or anything. He is actually rather proud of it. What irritates him is the obvious distaste that the girl shows at him, and the fact that he is not sure if it's because he is, although unofficially, one of the Waynes, or because she is craving some kind of revenge after he ignored Danny, or because of something else entirely.

"I don't pay attention to things that hold no importance," Manson brushes him off with a scoff, her chin held high.

Yeah, okay, he really does need to talk to Danny. Because he likes Danny, or at least because he liked him when he was seven, and because Danny is the only nice person in their year that Tim knows.

And because he also knows that he still absolutely doesn't like Samantha Manson, and he just might be friends with a Hufflepuff in order to spite her.

—☆—☆—☆—

We all know how the Great Hall looks, but hey, making an aesthetic is a tradition now:

Tim, Danny, and Sam:

[Picrew]

Jazz (Gryffindor, fourth-year), Jason (Ravenclaw, fourth-year), and Dick (Gryffindor, seventh-year):

[Picrew]

—☆—☆—☆—

Notes that turned into rambling and got long again:

A month or so later, Tim makes the mistake of calling Sam 'violent violet' out loud, in the presence of other Slytherins. It sticks with her for the rest of her Hogwarts years. She doesn't like it at first, mostly because she doesn't like Tim and he was the first one to call her so, but she later grows fond of the nickname.

If you didn't catch that by the names mentioned, this is set in 1989, two years before Harry Potter shows up in Hogwarts. So, other first-years of importance that went unmentioned in text were Weasley twins, Cedric Diggory, Cassius Warrington, and Stephanie Brown, who is a Hufflepuff now, by the way. I considered putting her in Gryffindor (because, admittedly, she is very brave), but decided against it because in my head, her first and foremost character trait is loyalty to her own beliefs.

While Hufflepuffs are usually portrayed as kind and timid, I believe that what this House values most is a strong will and the desire to do what is fair and just. Hufflepuffs set a goal and reach it even when the world is against them, fight for it even when their hands bleed. Hufflepuffs stand up when they are knocked down, no matter how many times they have to. If Gryffindor is fire, Slytherin is water, and Ravenclaw is air, then Hufflepuff is earth. It's a mountain, a stone, a power that you don't pay attention to most times. You don't notice how hard the ground you're standing on is until you try digging it with your bare hands.

Steph might not be your 'traditional Hufflepuff', but she is hell-bent on getting her way.

Also, I think it's funny to have her and Danny in the same House. Also also, I think it's even funnier to have Steph bemoaning how her House colors are absolutely clashing with her regular clothes and acessories, which are all shades of purple.

By the way, that guy who asked Tim if Danny is his friend was Marcus Flint.

[<- part 6 | part 8 ->]

[dustmusings]

angel of small death

Howzer x F!Reader / Twi'lek!Reader 

word count: 10k / 24k

part one | part two | part three

description: after the rise of the Empire, Howzer finds his position on Ryloth to be precarious at best, but his attention is drawn from his troubles when he finds himself captivated by a new politician’s arrival

warnings/tags: NSFW 18+ !!! strangers to lovers, mutual pining, a little bit of political stuff, fluff, smut, dirty talk, fingering, pinv sex, soft dom!howzer, praise kink, title kink? edging? oh my I'm so bad at tagging smut

a/n: for the full effect, listen to jeff buckley’s ‘everybody here wants you’ at the beginning. did I give reader lilac skin just because of this song? yes. yes I did. don't ask me what's goin on with the smut ok, idk either. wkfjh why am I scared to share this I just want to hide in a hole forever now. also sorry about the poem. (whole thing in one is on ao3)

masterlist | join my taglist | read on ao3

Ostentatious. That was the word Howzer would use to describe Senator Orn Free Taa's estate.

High ceilings, gaudy silver curtains and a vivid blue carpet that ran throughout the marble halls. It resembled the more imposing areas of the senate bureau, but devoid of any of the charm. Thankfully, the room that Howzer would have to be standing at attention in for the duration of the evening was slightly less over the top, though no less opulent with its golden chandeliers and dark wood floor.

The people, however, left much to be desired. Extravagantly dressed Senators and other people of political importance shared sparkling drinks in fancy glasses, talking, laughing and dancing with each other. Every smile he saw seemed false, an act that should be genuine reduced to a political play. He couldn't help but think that you didn't fit in here, but then again, you weren't here. Howzer hadn't seen you since yesterday, and with the celebration already in full swing, he didn't presume that he would.

The lavish party was supposed to be a celebration, an important day in Ryloth’s history, but with the way the people in front of him went on, and how the discussions of late had been, Howzer couldn't help but let indignance rise in his gut. Not a single one of these politicians cared about Ryloth. They didn't care about its past or its present, and they certainly didn't care about its future.

It was sickening. The wealth that surrounded him was unmistakable in a particularly vile way. It was all a distraction from what was really going on, the corruption that was embedded within the people who held the power.

Any negative thoughts spilled from Howzer's mind as soon as his eyes caught the figure standing at the top of the grand staircase. He was pretty sure that his heart actually stopped beating at the sight of you.

You had forgone you heavy robes in favour of a silky dress that hung from your figure and perfectly framed your body, a thin scarf that laid over your neck and draped down your back, and a headpiece adorned by pearly beads that dangled around your face and down your lekku. The thing that caught Howzer's attention the most, however, was the colour of your dress. It was teal, the exactly shade that decorated his armour. He couldn't help but think that you looked incredible in his colour, perfectly complimenting the hues of your skin.

He watched as you gracefully descended the stairs, one hand sliding along the rail, the other holding your dress so you wouldn't trip. You were a vision, like an angel descending from the sky, and suddenly Howzer didn't care at all about whether or not he was allowed to have you.

At the bottom of the stairs, you were greeted by a small crowd that had gathered during your entrance. Howzer had been too enraptured by you yourself to notice, his mouth still hung open a fraction as he watched you navigate through the people demanding your attention. He wasn't surprised in the least, you were the most gorgeous being here by far.

As you made your way across the room, seemingly zeroed in on something, or someone, Howzer saw that your dress was backless, plunging down to your lower back, the only thing covering your skin being the thin, almost non-existent scarf that hung from your neck. He had to bite into his lip to save from letting his jaw hit the floor.

You made your way over to a Pantoran woman dressed in maroon, whose eyes widened comically upon seeing you, throwing her arms around your neck and almost knocking you back. Your laughter carried across the room, entering through Howzer ears and bouncing around in his head, the most delightful thing he'd ever heard. The woman handed you a drink, clinking your glasses together as you beamed at each other.

Your back was to him as the two of you caught up, and he couldn't help but trail his eyes down your body. He wondered what it would be like to be able to touch you, how your skin would feel as he ran a hand down your spine. It felt like you were taunting him, begging him to lose his composure. Whether you meant to or not, it was working.

Howzer was so lost in admiring you that he missed the way your friend nodded to him, catching him in the act. You turned, your eyes searching for a moment before your gaze settled on him. It froze him in his place, his eyes locked with yours. You swirled your drink gently in your hand, offering a small smile to him before turning back to your conversation, but not before Howzer managed to catch the blush that tinted your cheeks.

You continued to talk with your Pantoran friend, until she got called away by someone else, leaving you by yourself for the time being. Howzer was itching to go over and talk with you, just be close with you in any way he could, despite his previous words about how forbidden it was. Before he could make up his mind, another man had slid up next to you, a wry smile on his lips and a playful glint in his eye that made Howzer's stomach turn. He watched on as the two of you settled into a conversation, mostly him doing the talking. You gave him the time of day all the same, much to Howzer's chagrin.

“What's your name trooper?”

Howzer couldn't help but jump slightly at the unexpected voice to his left, and he swivelled his head around to the source. The Pantoran woman that you had been chatting to before was stood next to him, a curious expression on her face.

“Howzer, ma'am” he replied firmly.

“Please, drop the formalities” she waved him off with a smile, and he was reminded of the first time that he talked to you, “I'm Riyo”

The woman stuck out her hand, and Howzer shook it firmly with a small smile of his own.

“Now,” she spoke, something mischievous sliding across her face, “are you going to go and talk to my friend, or are you just going to stare at her all night?”

Howzer’s eyebrows shot up, instantly feeling his face heat up under the scrutiny of the small woman.

“I— uh, Senator, I don't know what you— I wasn't— I wouldn't—” he stumbled through a number of phrases before Riyo cut him off.

“Howzer” she caught his attention, a small smirk on her lips as she noticed his cheeks darkening by the second, “you can drop the act with me. I saw the way you were looking at her, and I know she wants you to go over”

Howzer frowned, “she told you that?”

“No…” she admitted, “but I've also never seen anyone else make her blush”

Howzer felt his heart skip a beat. The idea of him being an exception in being able to break your composure made his blood run hot all of a sudden. He cast his eyes back over to you, locked in conversation with the same man and listening intently as he leant back on the wall, head tilted towards you. When he looked back to Riyo, she gave him a knowing look.

“Just don't wait forever” she instructed with a hand on his shoulder, and Howzer nodded to her before she turned away.

A determination set into him as his eyes found your form again. A somewhat dreamy sigh passed his lips, taking in the way you stood with your weight rested on one leg, your hip jutting out just a little as you brought your glass to your lips. Howzer adjusted his grip on his helmet, watching the way your throat bobbed as you took a sip.

Your eyes momentarily left the man in your company and slid over towards Howzer from behind the rim of the glass, and he had to suppress a smirk when you discreetly rolled your eyes, no doubt in mocking of the man who was still waffling on. It pleased him to know that he could hold your attention from across the room, when the same couldn't be said for someone stood right beside you.

After a few minutes of entertaining the man’s conversation, you interrupted him with a point of your finger, excusing yourself. Howzer’s breath stuttered at the prospect of you making your way over to him, but instead he watched as you walked towards the opposite side of the hall and slipped outside, cracking the door just open enough for your frame to fit through.

Howzer cast a glance around the room to see if anyone was looking his way, then surreptitiously followed in your footsteps around the edge of the large room. When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of you leaning your elbows against the stone railing at the edge of the deck, looking out over the expanse of the Senator's gardens. He had to admit that the view was stunning, but the sight of you leant forwards, your dress pooling at your sides and exposing more of your skin to the moonlight, was a far more alluring sight.

Your head turned to the side as you heard the door shut, your lips quirking into a half-smile.

“Captain” you nodded to him in acknowledgement.

“Ma'am” he replied, a small smirk winding its way onto his face.

A breathy laugh left your lips, you head shaking slightly, “I'm not— you shouldn't call me that”

Howzer shrugged, “you look the part”

You chuckled, your expression pleasant as you turned your body to face the other way, resting your back against the cool stone. The headpiece that you wore caught the light of the moon perfectly, contrasting with the warm glow from indoors, and once again Howzer couldn’t help but compare you to the beautiful paintings he had seen. His features were then weighed down by a seriousness, and he spoke more softly, more sincerely.

“You look beautiful”

Your lips lifted a little as an amused hum reverberated in your throat, and you looked to your feet when your cheeks flushed with colour, turning your face from his in an attempt to hide it.

“Thank you” you replied, “as do you”

Howzer's lips lifted into a genuine smile at the unexpected compliment, albeit somewhat of a deflection from his own.

“Are you enjoying the party?” he asked, moving on quickly.

Your eyes lifted back to his, and you paused for a moment, dropping your head to the side before answering, “not really”

“How come?”

You shrugged one shoulder, your smile rueful, “not my scene”

Howzer nodded, glancing inside at the outlandishly dressed party guests and the splendour that surrounded them, but when his gaze found you again, he could have melted. You positively shone in comparison to all of them, something so authentically positive and genuine surrounding you.

“I was thinking that I might leave, actually”

“Without a dance?” Howzer raised a slightly teasing eyebrow.

You laughed gratuitously at the idea, “I don't want to dance with any of these philistines”

Howzer chuckled, taking a moment to peer inside once more. No one was looking out, no one was paying attention to anyone but themselves, not concerned with things going on outside the walls of the ornate room.

“Would you dance with me?”

You cocked your head a little, a dubiousness written into your furrowed brow, “you know how to dance?”

“More or less” he shrugged, placing his helmet down on the railing, following up by taking off his gloves and tucking them into his belt. He held his hand out with an inviting smile, “can I have this dance, m’lady?”

You chuckled lightly and tentatively took his outstretched hand, letting him pull you towards him, “it's ‘could I have this dance’, for next time”

“Next time?” Howzer asked with a raised eyebrow, his other hand coming to rest at your hip.

You tried to suppress a smirk as the pair of you began dancing to the medium tempo, “in case you find yourself dancing with another member of the Senate, of course”

“Of course” Howzer grinned, “though I can't imagine I will”

He brought your hand up and gently spun you around in time with the music, pulling you back towards him so you were almost chest to chest. Your eyes bore into his as his hand slid to the small of your back, gently brushing your skin. As the dance went on, his hand pressed further against the warmth of your skin, bringing your body closer to his. He wished that he owned any other outfit but his armour, so that he could really feel what it was like to have you pressed up against him, but he'd settle for a gloveless hand against your back for now.

There was something in your gaze, something troubled despite your smile. Howzer didn't know if he was diagnosing the problem correctly, but he spoke up anyway.

“What you did yesterday was really admirable” he mumbled, earning a sigh from you that made your whole body slump towards him, resting your forehead against his chestplate.

“I'm afraid of what's happening to this planet, to the galaxy”

Howzer nodded, his hand sliding up to gently rub what he hoped were comforting circles between your shoulder blades. You continued to let him lead you through the dance, moving your feet in tandem with his despite your collapsed posture.

“I know” he spoke quietly, “but… you can't give up”

Your head lifted from his chest, your eyes slightly wide and startlingly close to his. He felt as if he could see his own soul reflected back at him in that moment, and it startled him a little, as much as it was intoxicating.

“I feel like giving up” you told him, but he just shook his head.

“You can't. You might be the best chance that Ryloth has under the Empire” he replied, his arm wrapping further around you as he slowly let the dance draw you both from the light spilling through the glass door.

“but I can't do anything, as long as the Senator is here” you said desperately, your brows pinched and mouth twisted in a frown.

It was strange to see you so defeated. Howzer had only known you to be quietly confident and seemingly hopeful in a particularly composed way, but now you had been beaten down by the truth of the matter, and for whatever reason you were looking to him for help.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment, “will he not go back to Coruscant eventually?”

Your eyes dropped for a moment, then found his again with slightly more conviction, “I suppose so, but—”

“No buts” Howzer interrupted with a growing smile, “just do what you can, right? isn't that what you told me?”

“Yeah” your lips curled up in an appreciative smile, “I can't believe you remember me saying that”

Howzer gave you a small frown, “why wouldn't I?”

“I don't know, I guess I'm used to people just ignoring what I say”

It was a disquieting thing to hear, and Howzer quickly realised it was probably one of the most vulnerable thing you had ever told him.

“Well they're fools” he said assuredly.

You huffed a small laugh as he spun you around once more, “If you say so”

“I mean it” he spoke seriously, pulling you back against him and holding you close by your waist, “I've never— no one ever gave me the time of day to… just talk, before you. No one saw fit to educate me about anything, or talk to me like a human being”

Your brow creased as he spoke, “I'm sorry”

Howzer laughed, a teasing grin plastered on his face, “That was supposed to be a compliment, not me looking for sympathy”

“Oh” you chuckled in a self-deprecating manner, the dance dying down to a light sway, “right, well… you're welcome I suppose. Though I hope you do know that what you just described is the bare minimum”

A scoff left his lips, “so that's the only reason you talk to me? Human decency?”

“Well, no. I—” you stuttered out, diverting your gaze, “like I said before, you're a good man”

Howzer just hummed in response, unable to help the way his smile almost split his face in half. Inside the walls of the mansion, the instrumentalists finished playing their song, a small round of applause following, and you stepped away with a particularly timid expression, as if the intimacy of the moment had finally caught up with you.

“Well, I think I'll be going now” you said softly as the band started up again.

Truthfully, Howzer didn’t want you to leave. Even if it wasn’t in such a troubling way as the previous times, he wasn’t going to watch you walk away from him again.

“Allow me escort you back to your quarters, ma’am” He suggested with a mock sincerity.

You gave him a hesitant and withering look, and his smile grew even more, “you should probably stay here, no?”

Howzer confidently shook his head, “I am tasked with protecting the people in this party. Should one wish to leave, it would only be proper to ensure they get home safely”

He watched the way your bottom lip caught between your teeth to bite back your smirk, your eyes narrowing a little as if to try and read his thoughts. It made his resolve crumble a little, your presence almost deriding him.

“I suppose that makes sense” you mumbled finally, and Howzer smiled in satisfaction.

“Lead the way ma'am” he gestured towards the set of steps that led back towards the front of the estate, and you rolled your eyes playfully as you started walking.

“I thought you agreed not to call me that” you muttered, false annoyance in your tone.

Howzer shrugged a little, “maybe I just want to”

He held out his hand to you once again at the top of the stairs, all four of them, and you scoffed while slipping your hand into his to let him assist in your descent. He knew he was pushing his luck, trying to be so affectionate with you after he had shunned you for doing the exact same thing only a few days prior, but he couldn't help himself.

“Thank you” you said quietly, taking back your hand to clasp both of them behind your back.

The pair of you made your way back up through the large courtyard of the Senator's mansion, stately trees lining your way and casting you into darkness. You settled into a comfortable silence, letting the sounds of the people inside the party dwindle into nothing as you made your way through the city.

The dark engulfed you both, the only light being that of the moon and the stars that were littered through the sky. A gentle breeze sent leaves scattering over the floor, tickling at Howzer’s skin and lightly ruffling his hair. He could smell your perfume as the breeze drifted it his way. It was sweet, understated and gentle but with a noticeable presence. It matched you perfectly in that way. He looked over from his place beside you, and couldn’t help but stare in awe.

In many ways, you were the antithesis to him, a reflection of everything he wished he could be. Much of it was given away in your footfalls; where his were the inelegant scuff of boots against the cold stone of the cobbled street, yours was the tapping of your delicate heels, sounding more akin to a steady drip of water into a lake. Where Howzer was all hard edges and military barbarism, at least in theory, you were made up of soft contours and political courtesy.

He was beneath, you were above. He was the soil, you were the sky. He was inferior, and you were fundamental. All that was true to the places you held in the galaxy, but when he stood next to you, he felt whole, as if your idiosyncrasies fit together to create a one picture, one he didn’t know he recognised until he had laid eyes on you for the first time. Although, as much as you were different, you held a similar space within your own lives, echoing each other’s values. You were both bound by duty, a duty which kept you both from seeking true happiness, and yet, watching you stroll through the moonlight felt like exactly that: happiness.

You halted outside the door to your dwelling, turning back towards him as you opened it up. You observed him for a moment, eyebrows twitching as if thinking something over.

“I'm going put the kettle on” you told him, leaving a lengthy gap to let the words hang in the air for a moment, “would you like to join me for some tea?”

Howzer was agreeing before you had barely got the words out, and you gestured for him to enter with a smirk that you failed to hide. The space was a lot more modest than he was expecting, but he realised then that he probably viewed you as being more important than those who organised your living arrangements. There was a kitchen to one side, a homey looking sofa on the opposite wall, a small dining area between them, and two doors off to the side which he could only presume were the bedroom and refresher. It was humble, especially as compared to the mansion you had just left.

Howzer watched as you pinched the fabric of your scarf between your fingers, pulling it off. The sheer fabric slid over your smooth skin like water over glass, and Howzer was positively mesmerised. It was such a simple action, but he was coming to understand that anything you did was a little more than appealing to him.

“Make yourself at home” you smiled at him as you glided over towards the kitchen to put the kettle on, leaning on the counter to take off your shoes.

For a moment he just watched you move around, almost desperate to reach out and feel your skin against his once more. He forced himself to look away, to try and do as you said and make himself comfortable in the space. He placed his helmet on the table, and noticed that the flimsibook he so often saw you with was open, your stylus laid in the centre of it.

He didn't mean to look, he knew that he shouldn't, that it was private, but when his eyes skimmed the page and he saw his own name, his heart stopped in his chest. He picked it up, unable to help himself, and ran his fingers across the page as he read from it. It was poetry. All this time, the writing that you had been so intently working on were poems, and it seemed that he was a recurring character.

Howzer was floored. He couldn't believe that such sweet words were written for him, someone made for such violence, and by someone like you no less. He turned page after page, and his name appeared a number of times, but upon reading further, even when he wasn't mentioned by name, it was obvious that it was him you were describing.

Instances from your time together, the day at the lake, descriptions of sitting opposite him under the whiptree, and as far as just passing by him. He noticed that they were dated, and as he flipped backwards through the pages, he found one dated under the day you arrived at the senate bureau.

eyes meet, a flicker of recognition,

birthed from nowhere, you’re unknown.

a quiet understanding, but no words,

a warmth that reaches to me.

It feels like a promise,

a vow to fulfil in time,

to make this notion true, not just a stolen glance from the nameless.

From the very beginning, you had felt exactly the same as him, recognising that pull that he had as soon as he laid his eyes on you. Howzer felt his breath go short, his heartbeat thundering in his ears as his blood ran hot through his veins. He looked over to you, leaned against the kitchen counter and tapping a rhythm against it as you waited for the kettle to boil. He called your name, and you looked over to him inquisitively, but your face instantly dropped as your eyes darted between the book and his face.

“I didn’t know you wrote poetry” he stated, the first think he could think to say.

“You weren’t supposed to” you said quickly, your embarrassment obvious as you strode over to him in a few steps and snatched the book from him, shoving it into a drawer when you made it back to your original position.

Howzer could see the deep blush that set in across your cheeks, and he gave you an apologetic look. He hadn’t meant to embarrass you, he only wanted to convey how much it meant to him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to look, just—” he found himself at a loss for words, “it’s beautiful”

“It’s…” you glanced over to him with hesitation, shame still colouring your cheeks, “it’s private”

For a moment neither one of you moved, watching each other carefully to see if the other would go on. You shortly began to look flustered, your fingers fiddling with the fabric of your dress and shifting on the spot.

Letting out a long breath, you hung your head, “I’m so sorry Captain”

Howzer’s eyebrows shot up, taking a step forward on instinct, “you’re sorry?”

“Maker, this is so mortifying” you covered your face with your hands, “I don’t even have the words to explain myself”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at that assertion, “I don’t know about that, seems like you might have quite a few”

You groaned in embarrassment as your body curled in on itself more, drawing another small laugh from Howzer as he made his way over to you.

He tentatively wrapped his hands around you wrists, pulling your hands away from your face. You looked up at him with a bashful expression, struggling to maintain eye contact as he slipped your hands into his.

“I—” he began, not entirely sure of the direction he was going, “I wish I had any of the sort of talent with words that you have, so that I might be able to express my feelings more clearly, but..” he paused, seeing the timidity begin to recede in your eyes, “perhaps I could show you instead?”

His eyes remained trained on yours as he awaited your answer, one hand skimming over your waist and running the silky fabric of your dress through his fingers, the other ghosting over your arm as it made its way up to hold your jaw.

You stared back at him with wide eyes, “I thought— you said it— that we shouldn't”

Howzer had never known you to trip over your words in such a way, and a smirk wormed its way onto his face as he shrugged a little, “I changed my mind”

He could feel some of the tension drain from your body, your shoulders relaxing, and you stepped into his space so you were chest to chest, your nose almost touching his. Your eyes dropped to his lips, tilting your head upwards so they were only a hairbreadth from his own. He could feel your breath warm on his lips, and he had to fight to keep from shivering at the sensation. Eyes finding his again, he could see more confidence in your gaze, and it sent a certain thrill through him that was hard to ignore.

“Then prove it” you whispered, lips almost brushing his.

Howzer closed the space between you, lips meeting with ardency as his arm wrapped around your waist to hold you close to him. He moved his lips against yours with intention, taking his time in the hopes that it would convey every unsaid notion of admiration. Your hands curled around the top of his chestplate, pulling him flush against you, and he gripped you tighter, the fabric of your dress bunching up at his touch.

“You look so good in my colour” he mumbled against your lips, sounding as drunk as he felt at the intoxicating taste of your lips.

“I hope so” you returned, “I wore it for you”

Howzer groaned as he instantly deepened the kiss, pressing you back into the kitchen counter, and he felt you smirk against him. His hands explored your body, finally allowing himself the pleasure of indulging in the feel of your skin.

He suddenly became overwhelmed by desire, desperate to be as close as possible after your admission. You had worn this excruciatingly tantalising dress just for him, and he wanted to be the one to take it off of you. One hand cupped the back of your head as his mouth devoured yours, exploring every inch of you he could reach, and the other trailed down your body to grip at your hip. You raised to your toes to push back against him, matching his fervour, your arms snaking around his neck to bring him closer.

In a swift motion, Howzer hooked his hands under your thighs, placing you on top of the counter behind you and standing between your thighs. You threaded your legs around his waist, pulling yourself into him and earning a breathy groan at the feel of you pressing into his now uncomfortably tight codpiece.

Howzer had never felt a desire as pure as this one. He'd had encounters of a similar nature with other people, of course, but never had he felt this aching within his chest, the need to be close, not only physically, but to be tethered together by your very souls.

Becoming impatient and overwhelmed by his own state of mind, Howzer’s hand ran down your leg and found the hem of your dress, which had ridden up a little by that point, and lifted it so he could slip beneath. His fingers danced along your skin, skimming your inner thigh as he made his way towards the apex in a swift motion.

A shaky breath passed your lips and fanned over his as his knuckles came into contact with your clothed sex. He teased you for a moment, ghosting over the fabric with featherlight touches, but a heavy sigh gave an indication that you were just as impatient as he was.

“No need to be so gentle, Captain. I told you, I'm not made of glass” your voice was thick with desire, breathy but confident.

“I thought you weren't going to call me that anymore” he pressed his forehead into yours to peer into your eyes as his first finger hooked into your underwear slowly.

“Maybe I want to” you whispered, and though initially a little stunned, his lips formed a particularly rakish grin at the implication. He took what you had said at face value and sped along the process by pushing your underwear to the side, his fingers sliding between your folds.

“Fuck” he breathed out slowly, his forehead dropping to your shoulder, “how are you so wet already?”

His voice was hoarse, genuine perplexity and pleasant surprise colouring his tone.

“Didn't you read my poetry?” you asked, a contented sigh passing your lips, “you look very good in this armour, Captain”

Howzer chuckled, and he heard your breath hitch as his fingers grazed your clit.

“So good you had to match, apparently” he breathed out, his lips against your ear and drawing a shudder from you.

He continued his teasing, every motion in response to the way you reacted to his touch. Dragging his teeth along your earlobe, he heard a whimper sound in your throat, and as you were about to reply to his previous comment, he sunk two of his fingers inside of you. Howzer could feel his knees almost give out at how easy it was to slip his fingers past your entrance, and your breath escaped you in a sharp and unsteady exhale.

“Fuck, so… good” you finally replied, struggling to get your words out as his fingers set a steady pace within you, watching every twitch that played on your features as you responded to his efforts.

Your face was twisted in pleasure, brows pinched and teeth digging into your bottom lip. It was as if you were an instrument, him the air, or the strings, that allowed you to sing. Your soft moans were the melody, the most beautiful one he had heard, and the fact that it was him pulling it from you only made it sound sweeter.

“You're right, mesh'la” he spoke against your lips, detaching the meaning you had intended from your previous words, “you're so good, taking my fingers so well”

A small whine left you, and Howzer attached his lips back to yours, swallowing the sound. His thumb brushed over your clit as he wound you up, and you let out a delighted moan into his mouth.

“Tell me how it feels, baby, tell me how good I make you feel” he rasped, the fingers of his free hand digging into the flesh of your thigh.

“It— fuck” you were interrupted as Howzer's fingers found a particularly deep spot within you, curling and hitting a place that made you unable to speak, “it feels so good, Captain”

“Yeah?” he asked, adding pressure to your clit so you could only nod in reply, “you like calling me that, huh?”

A small ‘yes’ slipped from your lips in a whisper, looking up into his eyes, and Howzer could see something shy swirling within them. He wasn't going to have that.

“Yes, what?” he challenged, and watched with pride as the timidity receded and a flicker of desire took its place.

“Yes, Captain”

Howzer smirked broadly, his teeth catching on his bottom lip as he looked down at the positive alluring sight of you at his mercy.

“Good girl” he praised, and felt the way you clenched around him in response. He was quickly coming to understand exactly what it was your body wanted from him.

He felt you getting close to finishing, your chest heaving and breath short and uneven as your walls tightened around his pumping fingers, but before you could reach your peak, he pulled his fingers from you completely. A sharp whine slipped from your lips at the loss, but Howzer just gave you a teasing simper.

“Not yet, mesh'la. I'll let you know when you can come” he spoke lowly, nothing but pure lust dripping from his tongue.

He could tell his words were having an effect on you. You were breathless, looking up at him through your eyelashes, and the sight alone was enough to set his skin alight in an entirely new way, his cock throbbing beneath his armour. A hand found its place on your cheek, needing an affirmative before continuing.

“How's that sound? You think you can follow my orders?” he asked, his tone reverent despite the meaning behind the words.

“Yes sir” you breathed out, and Howzer couldn't deny the way the sentiment set his insides alive.

He kissed you deeply, taking a moment in the flurry of desire to see to the fact that he cared for you deeply, and he wanted you to know that. His fingers traced your jaw, winding their way behind you head in a soft brush of skin against skin. He kept his touch light as he drew a path up to one of your lekku, and gently brushed his knuckles over the sensitive area.

He felt a shiver ripple through you, and you drew away from him with a shaky breath. Your eyes were a little wide, and he worried that he'd pushed your boundaries, but then your fingers hooked into his belt and you yanked him towards you.

“How do I take this off?” you asked, fumbling with the clasp.

Howzer laughed, your actions so sudden that he couldn't help himself, “here, let me do it”

He shooed your hands away, unclipping his belt and then going about removing the rest of his armour as quickly as possible. You just sat atop the counter, one leg crossed over the other and watching him with a fascination. He caught your eyes, and a smirk broke out over his face.

There was an understanding between you, a sense of affinity and trust that had been there since the beginning. Howzer didn't believe in fate — his time in the war had only taught him the certainty of everything being up to chance and luck — but something about the way you looked at him, the way his eyes found yours and things made sense, it felt that it had been brewing for a long time, since before you had met.

Once Howzer was just down to his blacks, his armour scattered about the floor that surrounded him, he pulled the top from his body, and your hands were on him before he could continue. You pulled him towards you, tasting his lips again, and he melted into you, his hands running up your thighs.

Your hands travelled over his chest and took a path downwards, your fingers brushing against his muscle and the hair that peeked above his blacks before they wrapped around his hardened length. An unbidden groan left his lips at the action, grinding himself into your hold and gripping the flesh of your thighs as you palmed him through the material. He could feel himself crumbling under your attention already, and he couldn't wait a second longer. He needed to feel you around him.

His thumbs hooked into the waistband of his blacks and tugged them down with his underwear, stepping out and catching the way you bit your lip at the sight of his cock springing free. He bunched your dress up around your hips and slid your underwear from your body with an urgency, placing himself between your legs once more and resting the blunt head of his cock at your entrance. Your breath stuttered at the sensation, and he looked up to meet your eyes once more.

You were so beautiful. He'd always known it, but a newfound appreciation of your beauty now washed over him like an icy tidal wave, waking him up and making him feel entirely more present and aware of what was happening. One of his hands lifted to caress your face, looking deeply into your eyes and feeling that connection, the tethering of souls that he desired.

“You're incredible” he breathed out, and your lips curled up into a genuine smile.

“I think you're pretty incredible too, since were being honest”

Howzer wasn't entirely sure how to respond to the compliment, but shortly a smug expression took over his face, “oh I know, you wouldn't write words like that otherwise”

You rolled your eyes, a huff leaving your lips, “cocky”

He dragged his tongue along his lips with a devilish grin, “you have no idea”

He sheathed into you, and heard a gasp get caught in your throat as he slowly filled you out. Your fingers gripped onto his shoulders as he bottomed out, and Howzer couldn't find it within himself to move. He pulled you close, your foreheads together and eyes closed as your bodies were flush with one another, his cock buried deep within you, basking in your warmth. He pulled out slowly, a careful procedure, and then sank back into you with a shuddering breath.

“Fuck” he choked out, running a soothing hand up your side, “you feel so good baby”

Howzer set a steady pace at first, relishing in the feeling of your tight walls around his cock, but soon found himself speeding up, the sensation too intoxicating and your nails biting into his shoulder making his vision hazy even as he opened his eyes. The melody of your moans was more colourful, inflections and articulations that he hadn't heard before, and the sounds alone were driving him closer to the edge by the second.

His speed was punishing, driving into you and hitting deep inside with each thrust. His hands gripped your thighs to ground him, feeling almost drunk on the feel of you. He was mumbling acclamatory words against your lips, unable to concentrate enough to speak properly, and especially when your lips were on his neck. It made his head spin, more arousing than he realised, and he felt positively high. You were invading his senses like a drug, and he was so lost in the moment that he was only brought back by the feel of your walls clenching around him. Despite his body's wishes, he pulled out of you completely. You let out a whine in protest, and he ran a finger over your pouting bottom lip with a chuckle.

“Not yet, pretty girl”

He brought his fingers to your core again, teasing you just enough to keep you on the edge. He watched you squirm, both satisfaction and frustration written into your expression, and your hands wrapped around the back of his neck and slid up, tangling in his hair as you guided his lips back to yours. You pulled gently, earning a groan from his throat that echoed in the space around you. Howzer returned the action, running his palm over the base of your lekku.

You whimpered against him, and pulled back fractionally to speak a desperate plea to let you finish. Instead of heeding your wishes, he took his fingers away from you, and a breath escaped you as your forehead came to rest on his chest. Your legs wrapped around his waist again, drawing him closer so his cock came into contact with your dripping core. He groaned deeply, wanting nothing more than to bury himself in you again.

“Where's your bedroom?” he mumbled out, and your head raised to look at him.

“Door on the right” you answered in a quick breath.

Howzer hooked his hands under your thighs and wasted no time in heading over towards the room. He smashed his hand into the door panel with an urgency, making you chuckle against his skin as you littered kisses up his neck and along his jaw. When he found the bed in the darkened room, he placed you down gently, laying you down beneath him. He took the opportunity to explore your body with his lips, pressing open mouthed kisses where your dress would allow, and nudging it aside when he wasn't satisfied with how little skin he could reach.

He then pulled back and tilted his head, a small smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at you, “don't you think you’re a little overdressed?”

Your lips lifted into their own smirk, “you think so?”

Howzer chucked darkly, his lips meeting the skin of your neck as he drew a path of kisses along the underside of your jaw. He paused for a moment, feeling you shudder at the feel of his hot breath against your ear.

“Be a good girl and take this off for me” he spoke lowly.

You pushed him away with a trembling breath, and he rolled off of you, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching as you stood. You slipped the straps of your dress from your shoulders, and the silky material of the dress folded easily, sliding from your body and pooling at your feet in one graceful motion. Howzer’s mouth dropped open, his hand reaching for you and tracing his thumb along your hip bone as he took in the sight of you in a state of undress.

“Kriff cyare, look at you” his tone was nothing short of worshipping, adoration and infatuation laced into his tone.

One side of your lips quirked up at the compliment, and however much he hadn't really spoke his mind, he knew you understood. He gripped your waist and pulled you back towards him, tugging you down and placing his body back on top of yours, caging your head between his splayed palms. He shook his head in disbelief, looking down at the sight of you beneath him and taking your hand in his, interlacing your fingers with his and pressing it into the bed.

“You ready pretty girl?” he asked in a whisper, leaning down to press a kiss to your jaw.

You nodded, your breath leaving you as he positioned himself at your entrance once more.

“Hm, doesn't seem like you really want it” He spoke coyly, slipping his length through your slick folds as he dragged his teeth along your collarbone.

You were whimpering, squirming beneath him, and he knew he had you absolutely wrapped around his finger in that moment. It was exhilarating, the idea that ordinarily you were a quiet and poised government official, strong in your resolve and far above him in station, but now you were beneath him, begging for more, hanging on his every word and under his command.

“Please, Captain” you breathed out, your tone so lustful that Howzer could have crumbled.

“Please what? You have to tell me what you need mesh'la” he rumbled against your skin, teasing your clit with the tip of his cock.

“Please, I— I need you to fuck me Captain”

You sounded desperate, and it drew a low groan from Howzer's throat, “that's more like it”

His forehead met yours as he slid inside of you again, filling you completely in one thrust, the dulcet sound of your moans mixing filling the dark room. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, your hand gripping his tighter as he pounded into you. He wasn’t entirely sure that he was actually going to last much longer with the feel of your walls clenching around him, but he was determined to have you hanging on until the very last second.

The feeling that it gave him, the intimacy of it more than anything, was euphoric. He had never felt so close to another person, so understood and frankly loved, whether or not it was the case. The two of you were connected in a way that he couldn't comprehend, but could only feel, an energy that bound you together and created a space where only the two of you existed.

He felt your walls tightening around him once more, and kept his pace up as he spoke, “ah, ah. You don't come until I tell you to, remember?”

“Yes, Captain” you whimpered, your eyes screwing shut.

“Hey” he said more gently, slowing down as his hand caressed your face, “look at me.” Your eyes opened once more, and a smile broke out on his face naturally, “there you are pretty girl”

He bumped his forehead with yours as he resumed his punishing pace, his eyes burning into yours and yours burning in kind. He could tell you were only just hanging on, doing everything in your willpower to not come undone until he let you, and he just felt grateful for the trust you had in him to allow him to have such a power over you.

“You take me so well baby” he whispered, his voice reverent and gentle as he buried his face in your neck, nipping at your skin, “made for this cock”

His breath stuttered as he felt himself getting close, not able to hold on for much longer, and your whispered pleas told him that you were right there with him.

“where do you want me?” he asked, his voice strained.

You were breathless as you replied, almost relieved, “inside”

Howzer groaned deeply, stilling inside you and trying to control his body desperately, “I'm serious cyar'ika”

“I'm protected” you assured him, “please Captain, I want to feel you”

That was all Howzer needed to resume his shattering pace, his hands holding your hips firmly in place as he pounded into you and finally spoke the words, “come for me, baby”

You were easily pushed over the edge, and Howzer rode you through your high until he came undone with a harsh grunt, spilling his seed deep within you. It took more than a moment to come down from the pure bliss of fulfilment, and when he did, his eyes opened to look down at you, still panting, and you were doing the same. He let out a breathy laugh, grinning at your spent expression.

He slipped out of you, sitting back on his heels to catch his breath, and watched the way his seed spilled out of you, making his teeth sink into his lip. His eyes found yours once more as his hand gently kneaded your thigh, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What?” you asked, a gentle smile playing on your lips.

“You're just—” he breathed out deeply, “you're so beautiful”

You grinned at him, sitting up on your elbows, “thank you”

You looked confident in saying it, and his heart sang with affection. He pressed a kiss to your knee and stood from the bed, “don't move, I'll be right back”

He left the room and entered what he rightly assumed was the refresher, and returned with tissue in hand. He helped you clean up before crawling over you again, cupping your face and pressing a tender kiss to your lips.

You hummed contentedly, your own hand caressing his face, outlining the scar on his cheek, “will you stay the night?”

You looked so hopeful in asking, but Howzer sighed, “I can't be caught leaving here tomorrow”

You chewed on your cheek, looking away for a moment, “just for a little while then?”

He smiled, “alright, a little while”

He settled beside you and pulled your body flush against his, placing a kiss to your forehead as he held you close. Your face was buried in his chest, breath tickling his skin, and he couldn't think of a time when he had ever felt as contented as this.

“Howzer?” you called softly.

“Hm?” he rumbled, his arms tightening around you.

“What— um…” you stammered, and he pulled back to look at you.

“What's up?”

You didn't look nervous perse, he didn't think you capable of it, but you looked a little apprehensive to say whatever it is that was hanging onto your tongue.

“What does this mean?” you asked quietly.

Howzer smiled, his fingers brushing against your cheekbone as he looked down at you adoringly, “it means whatever you want it to”

You tilted your head at him a little, “well what do you want?”

“I only want whatever you'll give me, however much that is”

A small smile tugged at your lips, and you lifted your head to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, “I just want you… in every way I can”

“Then I'm yours” he smiled in return, “in every way”

It was first light when Howzer awoke the next day, the sun only just breaching the horizon and casting a blue glow through the curtains of your bedroom. He was pressed up against your body, curled around you and keeping you sealed in a warm embrace with his arms.

He wished that you could stay like this forever, the both of you comfortable and locked together, hidden from the unblinking eye of the outside world and the realities that weighed on your minds at any other moment. Here, there was no Empire, no politics, no power — just peace.

Howzer nuzzled into your neck for just a second, pressing a lingering kiss to your throat, before he pulled away from you completely, leaving the room to get dressed into his previously discarded armour. If he had taken another moment he was sure he'd never leave.

He dressed quickly, slipping his blacks on and putting his armour back in it's place. As he adjusted his pauldron, he looked back towards your bedroom door. He didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, but he also didn't want to wake you. You would be getting up soon enough, but he wouldn't deny you even a few minutes of rest with the state of things in the senate bureau, so instead he opted to write a note.

He found your flimsibook and a stylus in the drawer where you had stuffed them the night before and opened to the next blank page, next to the end of a very long poem that was seemingly about justice, based on the heavy use of the word. He wasn't going to pry by reading it once more, so he just wrote a quick note down, to let you know that he'd make some caf for you. His language wasn't as flowery as yours, and he almost felt embarrassed for it, but he wasn't exactly trying to be very poetic. He set a batch of caf on to brew, then slipped out the front door as quietly as possible.

The air outside was fresh, the scent of morning dew and the ever-present lavender invading his senses, though the distinct lack of people around was strange. Howzer was never usually out of the barracks this early so it was unusual to be able to hear the birdsong, which was usually covered by the sound of people talking, milling about, on their way to work. It was nice, perhaps he'd make an effort to get up earlier in the future.

As he made his way towards the square, he was ambushed by a pair of troopers, exactly the people he was trying to avoid in not going back to the barracks.

“Where have you been?” Teddy asked him with a taunting edge, knocking his elbow as the two of them walked either side of him.

“Yeah, you weren't in your bed last night” Oscar smirked, “which begs the question: whose bed were you in?”

Howzer rolled his eyes, playing off their questions, “I was stationed at the Senator's estate last night”

Oscar let out a loud laugh, “as if you slept in the Senator's mansion”

“We're not that stupid, sir” Teddy gave him a knowing look, “well, maybe Oscar is, but come on, wh—”

“Hey!” Oscar reached around his Captain to push Teddy away.

“You two are such children” Howzer shook his head disapprovingly, though a small smile still managed to worm its way onto his face.

“He started it” Oscar grumbled, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Did not” Teddy grinned, rubbing his arm.

“Anyway” Oscar said pointedly, “you didn't answer the question. who'd you go home with, Captain?”

Howzer scoffed, “I’m not discussing this with you loudmouths”

“Don't worry sir, I'll cover his ears while you tell me” Teddy suggested, causing Howzer to chuckle.

“Don't you two have somewhere to be?” He asked as they came to a stop in the town square, an eyebrow raised and looking between them.

“Ugh” Oscar huffed, rolling his eyes, “I suppose”

“Best be off then” Howzer nudged him forwards.

Oscar was mumbling under his breath as he walked away, and Teddy leaned toward Howzer fractionally, his tone amused, “Don't worry sir, I'll keep him in line”

“I know you will, Teddy” Howzer chuckled fondly as he stepped away, “I'll see you later”

Teddy gave his Captain a quick salute and ran after his brother, throwing an arm around his shoulders on approach. Howzer turned away with an affectionate smile and the threat of a scoff leaving his mouth at their antics.

Howzer had barely been keeping it together all morning, and he had no idea how you could act so nonchalantly, as if nothing had transpired between the two of you. It wasn't discussed that your escapades from the previous night would be kept a secret, but it was assumed. That didn't stop the way the edges of Howzer's lips curled into a smirk upon seeing you enter the room.

Today you were dressed in a corseted robe, paisley designs adorning the silky sleeves and collar, and it was noticeably a light blue-green colour; teal. Howzer shook his head at you and had to bite back a smirk, he could tell you knew what you were doing. You had greeted him with a simple ‘Good morning, Captain’ but it had made his blood run hot with memories of the previous night filling his vision. He had never been so thankful for his codpiece.

He watched as you and Cham discussed something in his office, your voices too far away to hear what. He caught little words here and there, but nothing that really indicated the subject matter. It made him laugh, really. You would both probably discuss it with him later, so there was no need for the hushed tone you employed, but neither of you knew that. Perhaps you did, but your sabacc face was too good that he couldn't tell.

The arrival of a new Imperial officer, a vice admiral, had been the talk of the day. The man was so self-important and petulant that Howzer was sure he was making up for something, though in truth, he hadn't been paying all that much attention to him. He hadn't been paying attention to anyone but you.

You had met his gaze only once since first saying good morning, and it was driving him crazy, particularly as the one time he did catch your eyes, you had sent him a maddeningly sultry smirk. Howzer felt like all the self control he had left within him was hanging by a thread, ready to snap.

When the time was right, he pulled the thread, and let it break, finally getting you alone and dragging you behind a non-descript door that ended up being some kind of supply closet. He instantly pushed you up against the wall, attaching his lips to yours with a desperation that made you smirk against his mouth.

“Someone's eager” you chuckled as his lips left yours for a moment.

“Shut up” he mumbled, kissing you deeply in between his words, “what do you expect when you walk in wearing this?”

You smirked broadly, “I thought you'd like it”

He suppressed a groan as your teeth dragged along his lip, “you're trouble”

Howzer's hands roved over your body, mapping the shape of it and burning it into his brain. He ran his tongue over the seem of your lips, begging for entrance that you allowed in an instant, and the soft sigh that left you made his knees weak.

A shuffling of feet outside the door made the both of you freeze, eyes opening and locking as you listened intently. It sounded as if there was a group of people passing by, their discussion so benign it could be about anything.

You smiled up at Howzer as their voices receded, and he returned the gesture, his arms snaking around your waist and holding you tightly.

“Thank you for the caf” you whispered.

“It was no problem” he whispered back, a hand cupping your cheek.

“But next time, wake me up” you said, somehow ever quieter.

The promise of a next time made his smile widen, and he knew now that he wouldn't deny you anything you asked for. He bit his lip as you looked up at him through your lashes, your gentle expression making his chest feel tight with admiration.

“Alright” he murmured.

He dipped his head and nudged your chin up with his nose to latch his lips onto your neck, and that wonderful sighing noise left your parted lips once more.

“We shouldn’t be doing this here” you insisted, your voice breathy and full of a certain neediness despite your words.

“Tell me to stop” Howzer spoke, his warm breath over your collarbone, and you moaned softly, prompting him to repeat himself, “go on, tell me to stop”

Your breath was short, but you found your voice enough to speak, “no sir”

“That's what I thought”

Howzer placed an armoured leg between your thighs to pin you to the wall, and a less gentle moan slipped from your lips.

“Shhh” he cooed, shifting his leg further up just to tease you, and you struggled to suppress another noise, “do you think you can stay quiet for me, baby?”

You stifled a noise as he bit into your neck, giving him his answer.

“Good girl”

taglist: @darthnihila @cdblake1565 @heidnspeak @mae-lou-ron @burningnerdchild @orangez3st

[sl-newsie]

The Secret Ingredient (Willy Wonka (2023) x Fickelgruber Daughter) Chapter 1: Mystery Man

Masterlist: https://www.tumblr.com/sl-newsie/747510006135554048/the-secret-ingredient-willy-wonka-2023-x?source=share

Today is different. I don’t know why, but ever since I woke up there’s been something different. I don’t know what’s in store for today but there’s no doubt that something’s coming.

“Dear, I need you to run down and fetch me the paper.” Father calls lazily from his lounge chair.

I feel my heart leap. “Really? I can go downstairs?”

“Be quick! Don’t make a scene!” Father barks as he sips his morning cocoa.

Before he can reconsider I rush to the staircase and am about to slide down the railing-!

“And act ladylike!” Father calls from behind me.

I stop in my tracks and remember who I am. “Fine,” I grumble under my breath. My life’s been dull as dishwater until now anyway. Why change?

My name is Charlotte Fickelgruber, daughter of one of the most powerful chocolatiers in the world. But do not let that fool you. Just because my father’s a chocolatier doesn’t mean life is fun. 

After taking forever to walk slowly and ‘ladylike’ down the stairs I fight my giddiness and strut towards the door. Father hardly ever lets me go downstairs, let alone leave the building. The usual display of chocolates is still plain and dull since father saves the best chocolate only for ‘upscale business,’ which basically means upperclassmen and bribery. The shop opens at 10am as usual and also as usual there are few customers here due to the usual chocolate. Today there’s a fair amount of foot traffic buzzing around outside in the Galeries Gourmet and it’s all I can do not to venture out and see what new chocolates are being sold.

“Morning, charcoal,” two voices taunt in unison.

I groan and turn to face two girls in matching mint mint green dresses. “Morning Cindy, morning Mindy. For the last time, my name is Charlotte. Not charcoal, not Charlie, Charlotte. If you both want to keep your silly job of greeting customers with fake smiles I suggest you treat the heiress to Fickelgruber chocolate with respect.”

They both snicker and walk off to the back of the store, more than likely to check their makeup for the tenth time. Such rudeness.

“Here you are, miss!” The paperboy sprints up and waves our daily paper up for me to grab. 

“Thank you, Timothy!” I hand him the change (with a special tip, of course). “How’s the world out there?”

He shrugs and shuffles his feet. “It’s alright, I guess. Starting to get cold!” He grips his bag and rushes off.

“B- Bye!” I wave as he disappears into the crowd. “See you… later?”

And so goes another failed attempt to make friends.

“Everything alright, Miss Fickelgruber?” Our maid Lottie asks from behind.

I give a heavy sigh. “Charlotte please, Lottie. You know how much I hate being a Fickelgruber. It’s torture to spell and even worse to hear. It’s just…” I glance up again to look out at the passerbys. “I’m so tired of being alone. Dad’s too embarrassed to have me be too social. He can’t expect me to stay tucked away upstairs forever!”

Lottie shakes her head and puts a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not my place, miss. But if it gives any comfort-” She takes a quick look to make sure we’re alone and whispers: “I could try to sneak you out one day.”

My pulse skips and I hold up my hands to keep her from saying more. “No. No! I can’t let you do that! You’ll get fired. Last time I tried to sneak out dad nearly flipped out! He hates it when I’m even on the same ground as the ‘poor’ people, let alone trying to associate with them!”

Lottie nods in silent agreement and goes about with her load of laundry, leaving me to keep looking outside. All those people, all the sights and smells I’m missing out on…

“Ladies and gentlemen!” 

A cheerful voice across the room catches my attention. It’s surprisingly animated for the Galeries Gourmet. I take a deep breath and, in a hasty moment of courage, walk out the door to search for the voice’s origin. I see people gathering towards the front near the empty lot. What on Earth-?

That’s when I spot him. At first all I can see is a brown top hat. Once I get closer a better view presents a lanky, boyish man wearing a tattered magenta overcoat, olive-colored waistcoat, brown scarf, tan trousers, and worn brown boots. I can’t quite make out his face…

“Step right up! I’ve got just the chocolate for you!” 

He’s standing on a simple crate with nothing more than a jar of strange-looking chocolate. The crowd drowns him out and I can’t squeeze past-!

“Well, there's chocolate.

And there's chocolate.

But only Wonka's makes your eyes pop out their sockelets.”

Singing? What an unusual way of advertisement. And what’s- Oh my! The chocolate is flying! Literally flying over my head!

“Put your hand into your pockelet,

Get yourself some Wonka chocolate!

Come now, I insist!

You've never had chocolate like this!

No, you've never had chocolate like this!”

Through the gathered crowd I see people pluck the chocolates from the sky and- fly? They’re flying! Light as a feather!  

“Oh my goodness!” My jaw drops. “How’s that even possible…?”

“Charlotte!”

I spin around at the sound of my name. By now the commotion has caught much attention, including my father’s. 

“Go inside now! What have I told you about walking about with-?”

“With our customers?” I ask. “Father, I wanted to see-”

“Go, now!” He barks and points to the store as he goes to follow the other chocolatiers. “I must go see what all this racket is about.”

And there they go. The big three: Fickelgruber, Prodnose, and Slugworth. I’m the only heiress of any of them but as of now there’s been no talk of me getting to help out with the family business. Father always waves it off and keeps saying ‘when you’re older,’ so I’ve got no clue what to expect. 

I sigh in defeat and walk away from the excitement. Just when I thought this day was different. Back inside, I mope over to the window to see-

“Jeez louise!” My mouth drops open.

There, just above me, is my father. Flying! Just like the others! I pinch myself and shake my head to see if I’m awake and still see him levitating up to the ceiling! 

“Lottie are you seeing this? It’s amazing!” I look down and relocate the man in the top hat, and I’m overcome with a sudden urge to meet him. He doesn’t look like a high-class highbrow. How is he making everyone so happy?

I forget all about being ladylike and slide down the railing, rushing to find the mystery candy man before he disappears.

“Out of the way! Coming through!” The chief of police barges through and the cops spread out.

“But he didn’t do anything wrong!” I complain.

“He’s disrupting business,” Officer Affable informs me.

“It’s the hoverchoc,” the man in the top hat explains.

Hoverchoc? I’ve never heard of-

Just then, father storms up and ushers the officer to go after the man. “Come, Charlotte.”

“B- But I wanted to-”

“Such nonsense!” Father ignores my pleas and starts mumbling to himself.

“Father…who was that? Did you just fly? I could barely see from the window-!”

“He is no one,” father states clearly. “He is a fool to think that he can even try to compete with us! I do not want you going anywhere near that boy, Charlotte. He’s bad news.”

We get back to the store, but before I’m dragged back inside I sneak one last look at the mysterious stranger. Who is he? Will he be able to survive dad’s competition?

[istharoth]

Through the Glass [Rui Mizuki x Reader] wc: 1.2k gn reader | Minimal angst | not proof-read

Inspired by this art

The one time! The one time Rui goes to his classes to get away from Edward, Dante decides to hold a pop quiz. He doesn't dislike Dante, per se, he's much better than his own house advisor. He'd rather become a student of Frostheim or Vagastrom if it meant Dante was his house advisor. 

But enough of that, there's not enough time to complain and he can't get to Haku for a quick smoke break. The quick smoke break meant ranting how many times he'd been called to the main building courtesy of complaints about Lyca and about the Ed house arrest situation. Seriously, he didn't want to go to his class only to get back a quiz he was sure he failed.

His gloved hands glide down the staircase. He needs to return to Dante's classroom and not be stuck in the stuffy staffroom where all Moby did was go on a tangent about his favourite idol group, horribly trying to cover up his errors. If he needed someone to talk to about that stuff, Rui would send him to an online chat instead of him and Haku being the scapegoats.  

His feet stop at the second floor, he knows he still has a long way but he finds himself looking around. Wasn't the Inspector's classroom here? It would be strange if he looked around while classes were in session so he'd rather not but, he wishes he could see them for a moment. 

Shaking his head, he sighs walking back down, his hand sliding down on the railing. His glove tugs at something and he stops. Pulling his hand towards him, the glove tears, his palm uncovered and the cloth stuck at the railing. Looking closer and pulling at the cloth, he sighs upon seeing an untightened screw. 

"Ah, shit," He grumbles, hurriedly walking downstairs to exit the main building. The class can wait, he doesn't want to cause a massacre. He also can't risk getting his hands on his plants, they'd die just as quickly. There's no winning in his situation. 

Just how did his life turn out to be this way? "Mizuki," He hears his name and almost flinches under the cold gaze of Dante. If it was a lecture, he hoped Dante could wait a while. 

Dante's eyes fall on his ungloved hand, his eyes narrowing. "Follow me, I'll get you new ones." He gestures to Rui to follow him, the vice-captain of Obscuary following slowly, a bit dumbfounded Dante noticed it quickly. Moreover, why would he have his special-reaper-protected gloves? 

It's an artefact, a widely produced one, but still, even he only has five of them. "The staff is required to keep it, most don't though." Right...it's a bit curious how Dante could read the expressions on his face. 

"For you and Kagami, though his are different." Rui's eyebrow perks up in surprise. He doesn't quite know what Subaru's stigma is, granted they've never been in the same class or house. As long as he can remember, Subaru was a Hotarubi student, and he was a Clementia student. 

It was pretty hard to keep his curse under wraps during his first year, he did say to Darkwick he got cursed after a mission but it happened long before. During the Clash, he accidentally killed someone with the curse and ended up in the Ultio prison until Haku requested for him to be put into Obscuary, a place where non-humans reside. 

Striding into Dante's office, he notices it to be relatively clean. Dante tells him to stay put while he pushes his wheelchair into a connecting room.

He had never strung Dante to be the most accommodating, but he was proved wrong. He wouldn't have thought Dante was going on about his day carrying an extra pair of gloves in case Rui had a mishap. It's likely to protect the students, but he appreciates it nonetheless.

He leans against the window panel of Dante's office, watching multiple students walk out of the main building after their afternoon classes. Unfortunately for Rui, he has to head right back to work—work as in another mission. 

It's the same old scenery he's become accustomed to in these past years, not many things have changed. What he feels towards Darkwick, what he feels about its people... would the inspector be considered as one of Darkwick's people? 

His mind wanders a bit too much when it concerns the Inspector, every moment they arrive at the bar, it's a good time. Often he ends up opening till late hoping they would show up. If they did, he could convince them to sleep over or even drop them off to Clementia. He needs to repent for all he's done anyway. 

...Speak of the devil and it shall appear. Maybe it's just a coincidence the Inspector was walking out of the main building with two of their friends. His eyes can't leave their figure, it's always been that way. He's not so sure why either, but he likes looking at them. They weren't a Plain Jane, as said by Edward.

Really, they're not close either. They were Lyca's mentor, and Edward was their only source of information about Kyklos. Where did he fall on the Inspector's list? He wouldn't count them to be friends, and the curse buddies term is fleeting. He'll soon become the Grim Reaper, his flesh leaving his body while only bones remain. Whereas, they would become Kyklos, a plant-like beauty. 

He doubts any of the plants he's grown would compare to the Inspector's beauty once they turn into Kyklos. 

There's no point in dwelling on what will come. He needs to leave but his eyes don't leave them. As if acutely aware someone was staring at them, they turned around, eyes widening and a smile blooming on their face. He doesn't have a chance, there's no point in this. 

"Rui!" The Inspector calls, but he can't hear them. For just a split moment he's cursing the anomalous sound-proofed windows. He watches them say something to their two Frostheim friends, he's not sure who they are, but he knows one of them is a transfer student. 

They rush to the window, grinning widely. He fidgets with his awkwardly placed hands, ending with placing on the window glass. He hopes the anomalous being dwelling within it won't die. They position their hands on top of his, the glass creating a barrier between the two. He's scared, the second the glass shatters, their hands will meet and they'll die. 

How does the unlikely death of someone he's met a mere few weeks ago scare him so much? He's never been too scared as a child, the waves are deep, and he's sunk a few times but never enough to fully kill him. 

He's not scared of most things other humans are, but he's already lost his humanity. He's scared of losing himself to his curse, he's scared of being the one to kill them. Most of all, he's afraid of falling in love with them. 

"Hi," he whispers breathlessly, their smile widening as they respond. He cannot hear them, they can't hear him but they're still there. They're still behind the window, this was the only way he could be close to them. This is all he can have. 

[mariatesstruther]

I love the idea of Sarah and Ellie as same aged step-siblings but can I introduce you to the idea of the canon age gap being kept and Sarah, a grown professional woman, laughing at her father constantly for having to re-do the teenage years with another sarcastic teenage girl but this time this one isn't as well mannered or nice.

Sarah broke curfew out studying and smoking pot with her other AP classmates. Ellie breaks curfew because she broke into a building.

Sarah loves it.

“Sarah broke curfew out studying and smoking pot […] Ellie breaks curfew because she broke into a building.” THIS IS SENDING MEEEEEEEE

UM THANK U VERY MUCH ANON FOR THIS INTRODUCTION. I AM YES-ANDING THIS SO MF HARD

wanna take a sec to cred @liveandletcry23 and @maddiesbooknook for the sarah/ellie sibling idea!

what i love about this too is that joel would essentially have to deal with The Teenage Years not just twice, but three times—because from what we gather from the show/game, he spent the majority of his early life being responsible for tommy. and ik this is heavy in some respects but its also just so fucking funny imagining joel going through the wringer with tommy (who i imagine to be a bit of a reckless thrill-seeking type teenager), then raising sarah and being like “oh my god, bless her, look at this sweet little angel baby. i finally get to rest”

and then ELLIE comes in and figures out how to slide down the railing of their staircase before she’s even 5 years old, and he’s just like

[puddlejumpingwriter]

"The Nine Lives of Kylo"

~ A Reylo Holiday Textfic ~

Author's Note: I'm posting these chapters in time for Christmas in July. Chapters 1-5 are also available on AO3. New chapters will post to both Tumblr and AO3 starting this week and wrapping up before the holidays.

~~~

PART III

~~~

Ben always expects stress from his family over the holidays, but he can’t prepare for it this year. He’s too distracted by Kylo…and the woman who’s been helping him.

He shouldn’t have enjoyed kissing her so much…

But a text pulls him back to the family stress.

~~~

Ben needs help with Kylo, so he goes to the text that always seems to be near the top of his messages.

~~~

Ben’s as ready as he can be when Rey arrives at his house at 5:30.

His mother will have appetizers on the counter by 6:00, and dinner will be served exactly an hour after that. He needs to be on the road soon to avoid a lecture on tardiness.

He takes a deep breath, trying not to think of the litany of criticisms he’ll hear tonight and wondering if Lando and Chewie might be willing to sneak off for a bit and partake in some Chandrilan ale. 

That might help things.

It would also help if Kylo behaves for his sitter tonight. As Ben opens his front door, Rey gives him a bright grin that goes well with her happy holiday sweater. 

Ben knows he needs to stop thinking about this woman and her smiles.

But Ben can’t deny what he feels.

If Rey wanted the same things as him, Ben would dump Baz in a heartbeat and ask Rey to be with him.

But Rey doesn’t date now—and when she is finally willing to date, she wants love and probably marriage.

If they were together, Rey would have expectations of him. And Ben would fail miserably at them—the same way he seems to let everyone down in his life. 

It’s better to ignore the yearning he feels whenever he sees Rey. They should just be friends. 

“This is your house?” Rey asks.

“It’s more of a project I’m going to sell at some point, but yes, I live here.”

“It’s so…”

“Boring? Old-fashioned? Run-down?”

Rey’s brow furrows in shock. “I was going to say charming. Who would say such ugly things about this place?”

“No one,” Ben replies, omitting the fact he was quoting Baz verbatim.

“You’d have to be blind not to see how inviting this house is,” Rey adds, as she walks around the foyer, taking in the space. “Sure, it’s traditional, but it’s also cozy and just lovely.”

“If you say so.”

Her hand slides along the rail of the staircase. “Look at these stairs. Whoever built these cared about what they were doing.”

Ben’s no longer looking at Rey. Instead, he’s focused on his feet. He can feel heat rising in his cheeks, and he can’t keep his fingers from fiddling with his ear.

He’s never handled praise well.

“Ben?” Rey says, curiosity clear in her voice. “Did you build this?”

“Yeah,” he admits, his gaze returning to her. “The old stairs rotted out.”

“These look amazing!”

“They’re just stairs.”

“Just stairs? If I were allowed to make changes to my apartment, I’d hire you to make that place feel like a home.”

“If your landlord ever loosens up on his rules, let me know,” Ben says. “Now let me show you a few of the essential spots around here.”

A meow sounds from the top of the stairs, and they both look up to see Kylo’s descent. The cat flies down the steps, slowing only when he reaches Rey.

Kylo rubs against her legs, before looking at her expectantly. Rey picks him up and nestles Kylo against her chest.

“Lucky cat,” Ben thinks, before shoving that thought aside. He shows Rey a few rooms in the house—all the while trying not to envy Kylo.

“This is the kitchen,” he says. “It’s a bit of a mess because we’re putting new flooring down on Monday.”

“How does Kylo handle the construction?”

“He seems okay, but do you think that might be what’s bothering him?”

“He seems fine now,” Rey says, scratching between the purring cat’s ears. “But loud noises can be disturbing to cats. I remember one cat growing up who used to run whenever my brother or I had to vacuum.”

Ben chuckles. “Was it your cat or a relative’s?”

Her grin falters, and Ben can see something sad in her usually cheerful eyes.

“The cat belonged to the owner of a foster home where I lived,” she answers.

“I’m sorry,” he says, not knowing if he’s apologizing for making her reveal part of her past, or for complaining about his troublesome family to her.

“Don’t be,” she says, her smile slowly returning as Kylo licks her hand. “Besides, there were benefits to growing up in different houses. I learned about different kinds of pets—and that helped me decide to become a vet. So how about you—why did you become a fireman?”

Ben sighs. “Let me show you.”

He leads her into the living room, where he has a bookcase covered in pictures.

“Is this your family?” Rey asks, taking in the images.

“Yes,” Ben answers. “Some biological. Some not related but just as close.” His hand moves toward a more recent addition, but Rey’s already pointing at the picture.

“Are these your parents?”

“That’s them.”

“You take after your father.”

“In more ways than one,” he comments, which earns him a quirk of Rey’s eyebrow. “He’s the fire chief,” Ben adds.

“Oh, so he’s the reason you became a fireman?”

“In part—do you happen to know the name Organa?”

“I saw that name on a sign during the last election,” Rey replies. “Are you related to Organa too?”

Ben’s finger moves to the woman in the frame.

“Wait,” she says. “So your father’s the fire chief and your mother’s the mayor?”

“Yep. A whole family of public servants,” he replies.

“Well, your parents are, but surely you must have relatives in other professions.”

“Of the adopted family members,” Ben begins, “Uncle Chewie is a firefighter, and Uncle Lando’s a detective. My mom’s brother Luke is the closest to being an outsider.”

“What does he do?”

“He audits taxes—but at a federal level, not local.”

“What a scandal,” Rey says, jokingly. “I’m surprised he wasn’t disowned.”

“It was pretty touch and go there—especially when he talked about moving to some tropical island away from all of us.”

“What stopped him?”

“He met Aunt Mara,” Ben answers. “She works in the town’s tourism department.”

“Of course she does,” Rey says. “What about your grandparents? Someone in your family must’ve taken another path.”

Ben’s eyes move to two pictures on the middle shelf—one black-and-white, taken decades ago, and the other from just two years ago.

In the older picture, his grandmother Padme wears an intricate white gown and stands in front of his grandfather Anakin. The young man’s nearly a foot taller than the woman, but that doesn’t hinder them. They exchange nuptials and smiles with the lake glimmering behind them.

“My grandmother was the first female mayor of the town,” Ben says. “And my grandfather was the cop assigned to protect her when someone starting making threats against her.”

His eyes move to the newer picture, where the couple is posed for the picture. Padme’s hand is on Anakin’s chest, as they lean into each other, and her diamond and sapphire ring is prominent in the foreground.

“Beautiful,” Rey comments.

Baz said something similar when she saw this picture, admiring the ring, and Ben can only assume Rey is doing the same.

“Everyone loves that ring,” he says.

“I wasn’t talking about the ring,” Rey replies. “Sure, it’s lovely, but look at the couple. They love each other. It’s clear in both photos. They’re so happy and, well, adorable.”

“Thank you,” a female voice says from behind them.

Ben turns to see his grandmother in the doorway to the room. “Nonna,” he says. “ I swear I’m leaving now. You didn’t need to check up on me.”

“I’m not checking up on you, Benjamin,” Padme replies. “Your mother told me you had a kitten, and I just had to see for myself. Is this him?”

His grandmother gestures toward Rey’s arms, and his new friend answers, “Yes, this is Kylo.”

“What a handsome cat,” Padme says before petting Kylo.

The cat purrs at the attention. 

“Are you sure you can’t keep him?” Padme asks.

“You know me,” he answers. “I’m not looking for commitments.”

“But perhaps you can make an exception for such a charming creature.”

Rey smiles. “You wouldn’t be interested in a cat, would you?” she asks Padme.

“I used to love having a cat when I was a child, but I’m not sure how Kylo or any other cat could handle Vader.”

“Vader?” Rey asks.

“Granddad’s Rottweiler,” Ben replies. “I think Kylo could go toe-to-toe with Vader.”

“I wouldn’t be worried about that, dear,” Padme says. “I’d be more worried they’d be bad influences on each other. Who knows what sort of mischief the two of them would cause together?”

“Does Vader have a sitter for the night?” Rey asks.

“The dogs usually hang out together while we eat dinner,” Ben answers. “And they tend to get along.”

“For the most part,” Padme adds. “But I’d love to have a cat join us. Would you like to come to dinner with us?”

The question is posed to Rey—not to Kylo.

“No, I couldn’t,” Rey says. “I’m just here to watch the cat.”

Padme’s brow creases. “Benjamin, this isn’t your girlfriend?”

“No, Nonna,” he answers firmly. “This is Rey. She’s a friend of mine, and she’s good with cats.”

“I can see that,” Palme says, looking at Kylo, who’s still tucked happily against Rey’s chest. “But still, the offer stands if you’d like to come to dinner.”

“I couldn’t,” Rey insists. “I have an exam to study for while Kylo keeps me company.”

“An exam?” Padme questions.

“Rey’s studying to become a vet,” Ben answers. “Couldn’t ask for a better cat sitter.”

“I’m glad Kylo will be well taken care of,” Padme says. “But if you change your mind, Rey, and you’d like to join us, just let Benjamin know. I’ll send him to pick you up at any time tonight.”

“Thank you,” Rey replies with a smile. “That’s really too kind of you, but I couldn’t possibly intrude on your family dinner—especially not when there’s a test I have to prepare for.”

“Suit yourself,” Padme says. “But the option is there if you want it. Now come along, Benjamin, or else we’ll hear an earful from your mother.” His grandmother turns back to Rey, “It was nice meeting you, dear, and you too, Kylo.”

Padme gives the cat a few more affectionate pets before letting Ben escort her to the door.

Ben turns back to Rey. “If there’s anything you need, text me.”

Rey just smiles at him, and then lifts Kylo’s paw to wave at him. “I think we’ll have everything we need here at your house. Now Kylo, say goodbye to daddy.”

Ben’s heart starts to melt, and it has nothing to do with the small noise his cat makes. 

He likes the thought of this place as his house—rather than just some property he’s going to fix up and sell. 

And he likes thinking about his house with Rey and his cat in it.

And oddly enough, Ben likes Rey calling him daddy.

[havetsavain]

Prologue: A Crude Introduction

Wanted to share the prologue to my first fantasy academia book! Hope y'all enjoy! Also added a narrated version to the end!

Prologue: A Crude Introduction 

May 8th, 2020

“Hello! Nice to meet you!”

A timeless phrase that seems to have no end for Roscoro Dire, hearing it from many sources all wanting his attention. Hearing it from yet another stranger, this time on a marble balcony within the Dire family mansion. Ignoring the source of the greeting which he finds monotonous, his gaze turns to people watching. There are many eager guests tonight, crowded below within the chandelier lit ballroom, to observe, to listen, to gather the latest gossip within the Witch community. Roscoro never found this to be a problem, or any of the Dire family for that matter. Their riches and fame within the wealthier wand-wielding social circles allow rumors and newsworthy situations to be fed to their ears on a silver platter with a matching spoon. 

Roscoro leaves the unwelcomed conversation with a soft and swift, “Places for me to be, sir,”. 

He exits the balcony toward the ivory colored staircase to the packed dance floor below. Before descending too far, just out of sight of any wandering eye, he pulls out a palm sized mirror from his suit jacket’s breast pocket. His other hand pulls out his sleek and slender white oak wand from the thin leather holster on his hip. With a simple tap of wood on glass, a minor expense of silver magic, the reflective material floats in front of his face. 

Hair slicked, collar neatly folded, thank goodness Canterbury ironed these clothes this morning. 

He comforts himself in thought, thanking his butler quietly while at it. It has been a long while since he picked up an iron himself, he may have even forgotten how to use one. 

Much too busy. 

He rationalizes with himself as he continues down the staircase, sliding his hands on the polished wooden railing, musing over how much its smoothness matches his own clean-shaven face. His mind takes a detour once more, counting his steps. As eager as he is to hear some interesting topics, he mentally groans at the thought of hearing about the new school for magical children. 

Our traditions, so respected and established, challenged by that establishment. An establishment cloaked in absolute lunacy. Even its location, the Bermuda Triangle, ludicrous. As is the reason why this was even green lit by the American Witch Administrations (A.W.A), my beloved Witch government. 

That school.

That Havetsavain Academy of Arcane. 

Since he was a little boy growing up in the very mansion he stood in now, with his relatives of numerous generations, there is only one North American Witch Academy residing in the beautiful Salem, Massachusetts; Glishstar School of Sorcery. Prestigious, integral to the reputation of any distinguished North American Wand Wielder, extending its pedigree of fine Scholars, Spelltheorists, Riders, Jousters, and Tinkerers. Even the current president of the A.W.A., Mordecai Renwick, graduated from Glishstar with flying colors that make the greatest dragon riders envy his heights. 

Roscoro’s steps begin to have more pep due to the fond memories at his time at Glishstar. The bubbling potions he brewed, filled with a plethora of scents that made many question the limits of nostrils. The grand times he gave buffalo shaped water balloons more velocity for a few precious seconds to be tossed at some unsuspecting classmates. He ponders now how heavy the dean’s pockets were, weighed by the Dire’s money to keep Roscoro and his relatives there. It was many years ago though, fifteen to be exact, since he graduated. The old headmaster probably retired happily. Even the dean that replaced him, Walter Winkleweave, has since retired. 

A prideful smirk spreads across Roscoro Dire’s face, gazing up above at a celebratory banner that hangs over the ballroom; ‘Congratulations Roscoro’. Knowing at the beginning of September, he is to take up the mantle of the Dean of Glishstar. The once lone magical school of North America. 

Now, there is also the other school. There is also Havetsavain. 

Finally stepping into the ballroom, his ears fill with what he fears. Roscoro hides a sigh masqueraded as a cough. He begins to make his way to the refreshment table on the opposite side of the room, its various beverages practically parching his mouth, and its alcoholic contents beckoning to ease his frustrations.

Just have to get to the other side, no worries, just wave, make it seem like I’m in a hurry, maybe say I’m fetching a glass of wine for someone. Yes, they will believe that, they all usually do, or at least never dare take up too much time. Great Great Grandad wouldn’t allow these folks to do so, so why should I?

Roscoro formulates his game plan to get through the maze of people, keeping his ears ready to ignore the fluff of mooching voices and preparing them to eavesdrop on anything worthwhile. He sets off on his trek to the towering glass punchbowl, faucets sticking out in a circle at the base, pouring the blue liquid itself into the wine glasses of thirsty patrons. His hearing just as peckish as them, he begins to satisfy the hunger for gossip.

“I know! I know! I hear that eccentric man, what was the dean’s name? Mooskava? Moojava? Mukava! Yes! I heard he was going to be bringing in Gemfeys! And Elfenheims!” An elderly woman quietly pesters into her husband’s ear, her facial expression harmonizing with Roscoro’s internalized, disgusted reaction.  

Gemfeys and Elfenheims? Of course they would be included. They seem to pop up whenever it is the most inconvenient. As far as I know, those cultures chose to stay away from us even when the War on Witches raged a decade ago. They should remain tucked away out of sight, away from our children’s educational ambitions. Particularly the Elfenheims, those tricksters, wielding magic like it is something nefarious. Their white hair always appearing and disappearing, constantly jumping around from one place to the next. Directionless toddlers, running about, just like Dmitri always said. 

Roscoro almost has to contain a chuckle recalling those comparisons. 

Though, it is odd that the Gemfey would want to be employed at this poor excuse of a school. Loners who would rather grow rocks in seclusion than hold a decent conversation. Socially incompetent, no one just informs someone what they are feeling. But, alas, I have to be charitable to those who do not understand real basic customs.  

Continuing halfway into the room, he turns away many conversations in favor of listening to more about this rival to Glishstar. 

“They may even try to get rid of wands!” 

“Replacing them with what?! Happy jazz hands?” 

No wands?

This conversation strikes a nerve in Roscoro, his face must be radiating a sour mood as guests seem to avoid his very presence. He continues to keep his ears open.

“They not only employ other cultures, but are also bringing in some as students.”

“Are they going to teach Witch children, our children, other types of magic, as well?”

“Unfortunately, that may be the case”

“And the A.W.A. is allowing this?! How do they decide who enrolls?!”

“Apparently, they are splitting the First-Years who would have been going to Glishstar with some of the older kids willingly choosing to go on their own accord.”

“Well! I am certainly happy this ‘Havetsavain’ operates like natural selection. Take out the weak, let's keep the strong!” An overdressed man, even for this party’s standards, chortles to his group. 

A partygoer shakes his head in response, “I’m afraid not all ‘the strong’ are staying, I heard the Glishstar 3-4 are abandoning us for this…place.” 

What?! 

The dean of Glishstar catches himself midstep.

That certainly can’t be true, the Glishstar 3-4 has been a monumental group in our school’s illustrious halls, and they are just ripping them from us? That group has help built our school into what it is today! We have Alumni dating back all the way to 1960’s, every one of them carrying those proud titles far passed their graduations. Are they just going to change the name? How’s that even going to work? If I have any say, they won’t get any perks from their new bastardized ‘3-4’.

Roscoro scoffs aloud, not even hiding his disdain from anyone around as he approaches the punchbowl’s table. Yanking a fine glass off the tablecloth, he thrusts it under one of the faucets, almost hitting it into the fountain itself. 

A cheerful voice calls out next to Roscoro, making him almost jump at the familiarity. “It's a faucet, Roscoro, not a force-it! Gently will do!” 

As the punch bowl fills his glass, Roscoro looks over to see a man wearing a smile as wide as he is stocky. Short gray and blond hairs combed upward, going the opposite direction of his beard, which hangs down to his chest. His crimson red velveteen suit shimmers slightly under the light of the chandelier above. The shine annunciates even more when he spreads his arms out, wrapping them around Roscoro for a tight hug. 

The former dean of Glishstar, Walter Winkleweave.

“It's been awhile! My goodness! The last time I saw you…” The man’s words trail off as he lifts his hand to the top of Roscoro’s head, “You were this tall!” 

A familiar joke Roscoro does not fancy from Winkleweave, having made the same jest at a gathering where the latter announced his entry into the A.W.A.

This was two weeks ago. 

“Salutations, Mr. Winkleweave. Salutations.” Roscoro forces a lukewarm smile, wiping his jacket not so subtly. He reaches out a hand, expecting Walter to return it.

“I just gave you a hug! What are you doing?” Walter chipperly shakes his hand, regardless.

The chittering and chattering of voices serve as background noise for the young Dire, focusing his attention onto Walter. The former dean seems to be in a good mood, despite the fact that Glishstar has developed a rival school out of the blue.

“Yes, my apologies, I usually open up most conversations with a handshake. Family policy.” 

“Ah! I respect that, a big fan of tradition myself. That's why we have Christmas, Halloween, all the holidays really. Tradition!” 

“Indeed. Speaking of traditions, Mr. Winklewe–”

“Just call me Walter, it's fine Roscoro, I won’t tattle on you.” 

“Right…Mr. Winkleweave, I was curious to get your opinions on the new school. Have you heard of it?” 

Refilling his glass, Walter casually says, “Heard of it? I was one of the ones to approve it.”

Roscoro forces himself not to recoil from shock, nor stare at Senator Winkleweave in an equally flabbergasted way. 

Why would he do that? I get the authority of being in the A.W.A.; he is respected, as is his opinion. Yet, why would he approve such a thing?

Roscoro Dire’s thoughts reel but he is able to keep a facade of a smile on his face. “Oh? Did you now? Why…did you do that?”

“I find the concept quite admirable, bringing in a bigger pool of knowledge from a vast amount of cultures. Heck, I was even considering enrolling one of my daughters. They could…what's the motto? ‘Have it so fine, at Havetsavain.’ Quite charming, is it not?” 

A thick British accent arises from the opposite side of the gigantic punch bowl. “I second that notion, Mr. Winkleweave.”

The voice that fills his ears with such malarkey pulls Roscoro’s attention. The nonsense makes more sense when he realizes who it belongs to.  

A near elderly man stands sipping from a wineglass. He lowers it from his mouth which is surrounded by a curly mustache and pointed beard. The darker hairs no longer take dominance in the wildly kempt hair. His dark green suit with matching tie signifies that his wealth is just a little under, if not equal, to the Dire family. Riddled with controversy, this man who stood against his own kind during the War on Witches, now stands in front of Roscoro. 

“Oh, Asher Hickories, pleasant seeing you again,” Roscoro tries to hide the dishonesty of his words but the look on the other man’s face shows this is to no avail, an equally sarcastic smeared smile looks back at him. 

“It would be more pleasant seeing you, if it wasn’t for that annoyed expression you've been wearing since you got that glass of wine, Roscoro.” Asher Hickories comments nonchalantly, taking a sip from his own glass. 

Roscoro returns the sarcastic smile, not being happy about the company he is sharing his time with. Both of these men are the polar opposite of what his family strives to uphold; dignity, poise, and the pride of what it means to be a part of the Witch culture. 

Even now, looking at their differing smiles makes him irritated. 

How dare they act this way in my house, to my face, a Dire? Have we fallen this low where Asher Hickories of all people can be smug in my presence?

The insufferable jolly voice of Winkleweave interrupts Roscoro’s thoughts, ”Hey now everyone, why don’t we change this attitude around. What's bothering you with this school exactly?” 

“Well, for starters, who even proposed this idea?” The young Dire turns to Winkleweave, making it obvious his back faces Hickories. “You may have approved it but who is this dean? Who is this Mukava Skrybeard? We know little of this man, we know next to nothing of his credentials. What gives him the right to run a school?” 

“What gives him the right to run a school?! It's Mukava Skrybeard! He has a decent repertoire. Heard he sailed the whole world at some point. Visiting every culture, learning the ins and outs of magic as a whole,” Winkleweave twirls his wine glass fondly, ”I think he is a fine–”

“But! What is he!?”

Asher asserts his way into the conversation, his tone lowers. “What is he?”  

Roscoro scoffs. He was hoping for Winkleweave to answer but of course, Asher Hickories interrupts. 

Do not treat me like a child. This is my family’s house. You are unfortunately my guest. I will ask the questions I want. 

Composing himself, Roscoro reiterates, “I apologize. I may have misspoken there. I heard rumors about his style of magic wielding.” 

“Do you mean–do you mean him being a Jinn?” Winkleweave asks, blinking several times in the host’s direction. 

Roscoro immediately capitalizes on the question, “Jinn! Is that not dangerous? After all, we have very little information about them. As far as I am aware, there are barely any of them left in the entire world. There has to be a reason for this.” 

“What makes you think they are dangerous? You just said you don’t know a lot about them. Why would you think that?” 

“Well-Well–you’ve heard the stories.”

“No.” Winkleweave’s expression remains glowing, even with a blunt curious voice, waiting for Roscoro to elaborate. 

The young Dire quickly sips his wine, miffed by the drops that spill onto his suit. 

Like hell he hasn’t heard the stories. That damn Genie should have stayed in his lamp. Instead, he wished himself a whole school to flaunt in Glishstar’s face. A freeloader to his own magic, unlike us actual people who have to work hard, busting our brows everyday. If I could ask for any wish, any one at all, it would be for him to stay in his lamp forever. 

Roscoro begrudgingly shifts his eyes from Winkleweave to Asher, muttering, “You must know a tale or two about the Jinn?” 

Roscoro clenches his glass tightly as he watches Asher raise his own glass to his smirk, backing out of the conversation. The newly appointed dean of Glishstar tenses his shoulders as he looks at Winkleweave without a word. 

“Well, Roscoro, if you are that concerned, I am happy to inform you that we have a couple members of the A.W.A. attending as supervision.” Winkleweave addresses the host, looking between him and Asher who finally lowers his drink, raising his eyebrows. “Yup! Rousikas Shaw and Lorenzo Taggart, two fine officers, you may be familiar with those jolly folk.”

Ah perfect, two more traitors. This school is just one cesspool of treason it seems. Fine, best keep them away from my school. Maybe it is natural selection after all. 

Roscoro’s sneer forces his chin upward toward the two men. Once feeling their eyes focus in on his demeanor, he morphs his expression into the famous Dire smile. “Indeed.”

“Rousikas is back? I wasn’t aware.” Asher’s surprised tone catches Roscoro’s attention. This is the first time he does not feel the man’s eyes judging him. 

Nodding in acknowledgement, Winkleweave confirms, “Yup! He and his daughter have returned to America, employed to be a part of the government’s role at Havetsavain.”

“Ah…” Asher furrows his brows while bringing his freehand to his beard, scratching quizzically. 

 Roscoro narrows his eyes at him. 

Why is Rousikas being back that odd? Why do I even care? This conversation is exactly what I was trying to avoid. 

Roscoro’s expression must have tipped the short man off on his very thoughts as Winkleweave hurriedly says, “Needless to say, this school has a lot of promise, and it’s wrong for us to judge before anything is concrete. Let’s have hope, and a cheers to a new beginning.” 

The former dean of Glishstar raises his glass up, joined shortly by Asher who seems to have snapped himself out of whatever thought he was having. 

Then perhaps I should make it concrete. He said the A.W.A. has representatives, perhaps I should call in a few favors, get someone in there. Yes, a grand idea. I’m sure Mathias Matthews would love a chance in the limelight. 

Roscoro, while refilling his half empty glass, comments in a dismissive tone, “We shall see.”

[knowlessman]

…idk, world heroes mission ig (bnha movie 3)? not clear on whether the Hawks minisode thing is before or after it so I guess I'll watch it after

"quirk doomsday…" k so they don't like quirks, they're like the non-bender faction in korra. Still kinda feels weird tbh when you got powered folks and non-powered folks and they make a faction that stands up for non-powered people and then make them unambiguously evil. Granted, I'm making assumptions because this group is ticking every box on the "evil cult aesthetic" checklist. -- "we, pure humans…" you, sir, are a vedalken. …uh, that is to say, blue. you are blue.

ho shit they got a death star? …oh, sewer gas or summat -- …a… mutagen thingy? no, it's boosting quirks… -- "you don't have a quirk, do you? and you didn't happen to randomly get murdered by the twenty-odd major disasters we just set off that demolished half the city. congrats, prolly half the people you know are dead but some of them had powers so it's fine"

"ohey, we don't have a hero from egypt yet" copies some clipart "there, now we do"

…WHAT??? HOW LONG HAS HE HAD THIS ALT SKIN? should I have got a few episodes in first? gawd, figuring out anime movie timing is flat-out impossible

ohey it's that guy from this movie that people like

dang, the animators are showing tf off with this chase stuff. the parkour's almost reminding me of mirror's edge 'XD -- pfft, then he just casually rail-grinds down a staircase bc I guess his quirk is being from a tony hawk game

why do I have the annoying feeling I should be recognizing this eyepatch gu - wait. spends ten years scrolling thru his own tumblr looking for his comments from the first movie okay eyepatch guy KIND OF sometimes has a similar face to the, I think, swordkil guy from the first movie, but the hair is not even close, nvm -- um. …shit what was even happening. marcellus wallace's soul, right. cept I think it was a jewelry store, so more like his pinkie ring?

ah k, so rody rhodepecker gets wallace's soul cuz he thought it was the gems he'd had before, so now rody's in the main plot and I guess eyepatch is dead and the chipmunks are gonna have fewer dolls to pick up -- (deku and rody fight over the case and it falls open) marcellus wallace's… tax returns?

"we gotta move somewhere safer. I know! THE TOP OF A MOVING TRAIN is the perfect place to set down this civilia - " okay fine, "suspect"

what kinda topsy-turvy world is this where midoriya gets on a country's most wanted list before God Explosion Murder? …I forget, Bakugo STILL never got hisself a hero name, right?

ah, so the local gov is all in the doomsday cult. …eyepatch seemed to think those papers were important, but deku found nothing of interest, why does everybody want marcellus wallace's tax returns? I guess it's got important inside cult info in code?

"he's going to klayd. bakugo, come on, we have another country we need you to endanger" -- you know you're important when they assign the stelfiest cops on the force to tail you. todoroki and bakugo better find a corner to walk around if they wanna lose these guys

not the sharpest rat on the street, this rody, huh. also, deku's a heavy sleeper apparently. had his hand all over that case and rody was able to just slide it away with no problem. -- you, sir, are an inuyasha villain

-- ("why did you protect me?") "saving people with a smile" is never gonna stop feeling like a brand slogan to me.

…okay, road trip montage ig. good stuff ig. -- "you have a quirk, right?" deku you were fucking born without a motherfucking quirk what the hell kind of a question is that. anyway clearly the farting bird is rody's quirk

(rody gets blasted off a cliff then ice jets show up and idfk stuff) wowee, dangit guys, you're makin me dizzy with the camera zipping all over the damn place -- under the blades bakugo UNDER THE FUCKING BLADES THAT HELI IS GONNA MAKE A SMOOTHIE OUTTA YOU HAVE YOU NEVER WATCHED AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE -- …well damn, Green Arrowette, dramatic enough?

aha, a sneakret compartment -- and obviously it's the puzzle toy from rody's childhood because cults are all about getting the kids involved -- bet the cult woulda loved it if rody had solved it way back when and fucking swallowed the data chip. …random question, where does nintendo get off putting an entire game in a choking hazard just because they can? irresponsible af

"I'm one of the scientists that the cult kidnapped yadda yadda yadda plot stuff final message" and. and they just. plugged this into a computer and hit play. with the speakers on. in a hotel lobby or wevertf this is. with civilians watching tv. FIVE. FEET. AWAY.

bakugo: "only an idiot would make a key without telling you where the door was! where's the place with no bombs… there! that's where their base is!" BULL. SHIT. BAKUGO. IS A HACKER. also bullshit because didn't the first bomb go off literally a hundred feet directly above their base? -- "I'm working on it, damn nerd!" - hackugo the hackerman who apparently is the only computer literate person in the room

okay these wobbly giggly sword-whip guys bakugo's fighting, them I kinda like tbh, designwise at least. …I guess because they just remind me of so many soul calibur characters at once 'XD

"they told me they'd stop the Otheon bomb if I give them the key" okay ten trillion percent he's faking this time, right? …right? -- ohhh, eddie soul. I musta been barely listening to… uh. um. eyepatch guy's audio log 'XD -- "my quirk is that silly pink bird with the mask that farted on you earlier" -- "and also dodging really good" - ohp, okay, not dodging good enough tho

HIS QUIRK IS THE FARTBIRD I WAS FUCKING JOKING. I mean like cool he has a ranger animal companion ig, hell, Minsc has kind of the same thing going for him and he ruined at least one Magic format with it

(bakugo finally won his match)(todoroki is still drowning) freeze the water dumbass, damn -- oh wouldja lookit that, he froze the water

"his quirk has a limit!" I mean, I guess. wobbuffet's only got so much hp. …I swear to god this guy was probably literally and actually and in fact based directly off of wobbuffet, it would explain everything about his visual design -- "you gave up on trying to get people to like you, heroes never give up" deku please just shut the fuck up and finish this fight, every single time you try to say something to somebody about their backstory, you just come off as an ignorant dickhead

"there's no explosion…" marvin martian: "where's the society-shattering kaboom?"

(the fartbird plugged the thing in, probably ages ago) go for the eyes, Boo! the one in texas goes off anyway because the power grid failed again and the disarm code didn't get transmitted to the bomb

oh goody, the not-corrupt police officers arrested the one that was. he was definitely the only bad apple in the bunch, yessiree

…ayup. movie movied. villain had paper-thin motive compared to all for one's easy-to-grasp god complex or the actual literal nightmare that is tomura's, but wever. and rody's fun.

the Hawks Soothe thing is five minutes, huh. -- I think bakugo listening to todoroki's "write 'people' on your hand then eat it" thing is the first hint of character development for bakugo I've seen in maybe this whole WHAT in the FUCK is THAT supposed to be

-- hawks just casually strolling up wearing the carpet from the Shining

jesus christ my guy, this is why they knew to put you in that hannibal mask

okay so this was literally just a prologue of them clowning around in the airport for a couple minutes and I shoulda watched it first, I had them in the right order in my notes. …dammit

anyway, on to s6 ig - wait no apparently there're two OVA bonus episode thingies for s5? huh, it's them playing baseball. lol shoji's got three bats in the cover image 'XD

[robynmizore]

Redemption Chapter 18:

Winged Dreams

Posting this author’s note here in advance to prevent confusion. The cast of characters you are about to see are from my own series. Consider it a sneak peek for what’s to come. I’ll look forward to your thoughts on them~

“It feels weird to be back.” Takumi admitted as the Askrian castle came into view. 

He’d gotten the hang of flying now, so a particularly embarrassing scene he’d dared not mention nor think about was far behind him. He’d miss the cabin, and the freedom to just be alone with Robyn without interruption. The progression of their relationship still made his heart fluttery when he thought about it. In a good way, and he could tell Robyn felt the same. 

“It’s still early. Looks like no one’s up yet.” Robyn observed. 

“Good. We should be able to land right in my room then.” Takumi responded, hovering near the window. 

Can’t be too careful.. the prince thought, closing his eyes briefly to concentrate.

When he opened them, they were overtaken by a light green glow. “Search” was a magical skill both he and Robyn had picked up, although his worked a little differently. When people, animals, or objects moved about, it shifted the wind currents. By focusing his mind on each individual current, he could tell if someone was nearby, or if someone had passed by recently. He could also trace those individual currents to find someone nearby and pinpoint their exact locations, and eavesdrop on conversations. 

While Robyn had the same skill, her’s worked differently. Regardless of movement, she could detect if someone was in the same room or area, even if they were hiding or completely still, and could also find specific objects. In addition, she could track people much further than him, the stronger her bond with them, the further she could track. 

“No movement detected in the room or hallway.” Takumi reported, and Robyn giggled softly, earning a head tilt. “W-what’s so funny?”

”We sound like ninjas on a secret mission.” she chuckled as her husband used the breeze to gently open the window, landing them safely inside. 

“I mean, we kind of are.” Takumi laughed softly in response. 

They closed the window, then gazed at the familiar sights in the room. His bed had been neatly made, looking even more welcoming with the tapestry hung above it. Takumi’s heart fluttered again as he recalled the night they spent together after the ball. It had been sheer bliss, and in that moment, all awkwardness he’d ever felt around Robyn had melted away like morning dew. It wasn’t just Takumi’s skin that had been laid bare under the moonlight, but his soul. Ever since, he’d shared a special, unbreakable closeness with Robyn that he’d never felt before, and it left him feeling oddly content with himself, and he knew she felt the same. Next, they made their way to to Robyn’s room, where they hung the second tapestry over the fireplace. An appreciative smile made its way to the prince’s lips when he saw the fresh stack of firewood neatly piled up beside the fireplace. It was a nice feeling, knowing someone was considerate enough to anticipate their return. 

“I wonder how Gaius and Caledori are getting along.” Robyn commented mischievously as they closed the door behind them. 

Takumi chuckled, deciding to humor her a bit. 

“Let’s go ask them! They teased us nonstop so now it’s payback time!”

Still laughing, they made their way to the staircase, and unable to resist, Robyn called

”Let’s slide down the banister, for old time’s sake!”

”Careful, don’t fall.” Takumi responded, launching himself off the railing after her. 

Robyn reached the ground before him, and hurried off into the main room, and shaking his head in amusement, Takumi went to follow her, but his wife’s panicked cry made him freeze in his tracks.

”Takumi, come quick!”

”Whats wrong?!” Takumi broke off in surprise, his eyes widening when he saw Robyn cradling Caledori’s unconscious form in her lap. 

The other heroes were no better, all seeming to be in a sleep-like state, and no matter how hard Robyn shook her friend, Caledori wouldn’t wake. Takumi knelt down beside Cherche, touching her cheek gently, but she showed no reaction. 

“They’re suffering..” Robyn whispered, placing her hand over Caledori’s as her friend’s face furrowed in a look of distress, her chest fluttering rapidly. 

Who would do this..?! she thought in dismay. 

“They got Alfonse too..” Takumi muttered, his face grim. “Everyone in the castle seems affected.”

”So we’re the only ones awake..” Robyn murmured. 

“Those Emblian dastards!” Takumi hissed, rage sparking in his gaze. “We should attack now and demand answers!”

”We don’t know if it was them. They could be affected too.” Robyn protested. “Let’s not do anything rash, and try and find some answers first.”

The fury and sadness in her husband’s eyes eased a bit and he nodded. 

“If we ride my wind currents, we could probably sneak over to Embla and investigate-“

”There’s no need. They’ve already been affected too. You must make haste. There’s no time to waste.”

A voice interrupted, and the pair spun around to see the spirit standing behind them, a somber expression on her face. 

“Your friends and Embla have been put under a deep sleeping spell.” she continued. “You will need your powers to infiltrate the dream and rescue Askr and Embla.”

”Wait.. we have to help Embla too?!” Takumi scoffed. “But they’re the enemy!”

”Things are not all that they seem. Cast aside your foolish human rivalries. Gods and goddesses must stand above those.”

”Fine.. but I still don’t trust them, or you. How are we getting into this dream anyways?” Takumi inquired suspiciously, and the spirit’s gaze shifted to Robyn.

”It is not I that holds the key, but the one who controls fate. Your powers allow you to not only enter others dreams and memories, but to alter them as well.”

Alter memories?! Why would I want to do something so awful?!

As if she’d read her mind, the spirit added 

“You may need this power to protect your identity from future enemies. Now, take Takumi’s hand and focus your mind on Caledori’s, as if you were mentally reaching out. You should be able to reach her in dreams.”

Hesitantly, Robyn took the prince’s hand in her’s, and concentrated. 

Hang in there Caledori.. I’m coming to help, I promise!

There was a strange pulling sensation, like she was falling into a deep trance. There was a rush of wind, shadows flitting rapidly across her vision, then all was still. Robyn dared to open her eyes a slit, and at once, they flew open in surprise. A warm breeze played with her hair, and pure lavender flowers swayed gently, a few small cabins here and there. Robyn frowned. They looked nothing like a nightmare. Takumi’s back was turned to her’s, and she couldn’t help but admire the way the sun dappled his hair as he turned towards her. 

“Are you sure this is the right place- whoa!”

The prince stopped and stared, wide-eyed, causing Robyn to frown. 

“Is.. there something on my face?”

”N-no! You uh.. here.”

Takumi pulled her over to a clear puddle in the ground so she could gaze at her reflection. 

What..

A skin tight, full body black fabric adorned her figure, decorated with dark green wire that covered the top and her right arm. Translucent ribbons hung from her waist, but what drew her attention was the purple and dark green wings that glimmered, along with the outfit, in the warm sunlight. 

“I-I’m a fairy?!” she stammered out in disbelief, but before Takumi could reply, her necklace glowered and the spirit’s voice rang out.

”For this world, you will need to focus on utilizing your magical abilities. Your sword is still there, however, it is unusable in this form. Instead your magical abilities are heavily enhanced.”

”I see..” 

Robyn fluttered the wings gently, but she didn’t feel anxious about not using her sword. Instead, excitement filled her as Takumi looked over curiously. 

“Do they work?”

”Yes!” Robyn replied, fluttering harder, letting out a small gasp as her feet lifted off the ground. 

“Whoa.. you’re flying!”

”I know!”

The trees look so much better from this height!

The Summoner reached out to touch one of the glittering leaves. 

“Don’t fly too high!” Takumi warned, and Robyn glanced down to see the prince staring at her with wide eyes. 

Oh..

She had flown rather high. 

“Alright, I’m coming down!”

Robyn started to flutter down, but very quickly she was seeing why Takumi had to practice so much, and too late she recalled the spirit’s advice to slow down as she neared the ground, closing her eyes as she braced herself for the impact, but a strong pair of arms caught her. 

“E-easy there.”

She opened her eyes to see her husband holding her in the sky, his hair rippling in the breeze. 

“You okay?” She nodded in confirmation, and Takumi smiled as they floated a little higher. “I want you to hold onto my hands, okay? We’re going to practice together. Ready?”

Warmth filled her as Takumi shifted back slightly, then spin them, slowly, gently. 

“This is our sky dance.” Robyn murmured, recalling how they’d danced at the cabin. 

“Yes. And now you can do it with me.”

Round and round they went, until fluttering her wings felt.. natural. 

“Okay.. I’m going to let go now so you can try flying on your own.”

The prince’s hands left her’s, allowing Robyn to float on her own. While flying with Takumi’s wind powers had been thrilling on its own, doing it by her own power was even more exciting. 

“Do you think we could touch the clouds?” she asked, gazing longingly at the white fluff, and Takumi chuckled softly, indulging her. 

“Let’s find out!”

Higher and higher they flew, until the air grew cooler, Takumi joking that perhaps they’d accidentally fly out of the dream. They rested on one of the clouds, which felt soft and fluffy as they overlooked the world. 

“I wasn’t expecting this place to be so.. lovely.” Takumi mused. “And I can’t see the others from here..”

”Perhaps not with sight, but with wind currents!” Robyn suggested, and her husband’s eyes lit up. 

“Good idea!”

He closed his eyes to concentrate, while Robyn let her eyes sweep over the fields. 

I hope Caledori and the others are safe..

“I think I sense movement in the forest over there.” Takumi said, pointing to the expanse of trees in the distance. “Let’s check it out.” 

The forest looked dark and forbidding as they approached, the tops of the trees so tangled together, they seemed to block out the sky. 

“This seems more like a nightmare..” Takumi muttered as they landed, and Robyn nodded in agreement. 

They’d originally planned to fly over and scout the area, but it was far too dark to see. 

“I can barely see past the first row of trees..” Takumi murmured, then held out his hand, which Robyn accepted. “Stay close.”

They stepped into the dismal gloom, picking their way carefully over tangled vines. If their friends were trapped in a dream, it certainly made sense to keep them in here, as it would be very easy to get lost, the pair quickly discovered. 

“We’re not even that far in, but I can’t even see the entrance.” Takumi grunted, squinting, then his gaze darted past her. 

“Robyn, look out!”

”..!”

Robyn spun around and dodged just in time as a shadow lunged at her, claws outstretched. 

“My.. shadow..?!” she whispered in disbelief as in one smooth movement, they were surrounded. 

“No time to question! We have to fight!” Takumi said, his back to her’s. 

“Right!”

Let’s see what our new powers can do!

While training with the spirit, she’d discovered that because she was the Goddess of Fate, Robyn was what was considered an “impossible element,” both light and dark, and already, she could guess which one would be best for this fight. Channeling her holy magic, she sent a blast through the wall of shadows, evaporating them right through the middle. Behind her, she could hear Takumi firing wind infused arrows from the legendary Fujin Yumi, so he too could hit multiple enemies at once. Her triumph at eliminating the first wave was short lived as rows upon rows replaced them. 

“Gods.. they’re endless!” Takumi exclaimed. “They’re not very strong by themselves, but things could get ugly fast if they keep coming like this!”

”Whatever called us here.. wants us to remain here!” 

As if they’d read their minds, the shadows began to merge together to form a massive shadow that loomed over them with vicious sneer. 

This is getting out of hand.. Robyn grimaced, raising an arm to summon a light shield. 

But before she could finish her spell, several vines manifested, wrapping around the creature’s arms and legs. It snarled, straining furiously against the restraints, but could not break free. 

“No..” 

She heard Takumi whisper in disbelief, causing her to frown. Why did he sound so shocked? Following his gaze, Robyn felt her breath hitch in her throat. 

No.. it can’t possibly be you!

Long forest green hair blew gently in the slight breeze that dared to penetrate the trees. Light green and pink wings fluttered, the body adorned with light green wire, decorated by leaves at the waist and skin tight glittering pink outfit, just like Robyn’s. An achingly familiar forest green gaze met her’s, eyes full of gentleness and serenity. A gaze she’d dreamt nonstop of being reunited with since she’s first arrived in Askr. 

“Leafa!”

Robyn couldn’t keep the joy out of the cry that escaped her as she flew to embrace her sister so tightly it send both of them spinning. 

“Where have you been?! I missed you so much!” she sobbed, burying her face into her hair.

”..What do you mean?”

The confusion in her sister’s voice froze Robyn’s tears in her tracks as she continued. 

“We weren’t separated for that long, maybe a few hours at most! You had us so worried though, we thought that awful spell Freyja used sent you and Takumi really far away!”

That’s right.. it’s all just a dream. 

Takumi was gazing up at them, confusion in his eyes. Robyn gave him a pleading look and he nodded in understanding. He’d play along, for her sake. 

“Sorry.. I was just worried you wouldn’t find me.” Robyn apologized. “Where.. are the others?”

Please let Kiyoshi be with you!

The leaves rustled, and three more girls emerged. 

“Maizono, Rina, Serah!” Leafa greeted each girl in turn. “I found Robyn!”

The trio she greeted were all in fairy forms of different types. Maizono’s skin tight outfit was blue, decorated by light pink wire matching the big bow that held her tied back hair. Rina’s was black, her’s matching the bow that held her ponytail and red wings. Serah’s was yellow with black wings, her black hair braided in the back. None of these names seemed to ring a bell. Friends of Leafa’s perhaps? And where was Kiyoshi? As if on que, a man with dark grey tied back hair, who they called Hisashi emerged, followed by a dark brown haired, scarf wearing man named Asahi. 

“Looks like everyone is here. Kiyoshi should catch up in a minute-“ Asahi broke off as the shadow finally broke though the vines with a snarl, lunging at Robyn. 

“Robyn, look out-“

The words had barely left Takumi’s lips before a large scythe with a blue rose on the blade shot through the darkness with deadly precision, sending the shadow flying into the trunks with a sickening thud. The scythe spun back around like a boomerang, its owner, a man with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes catching it easily. 

“Y’know,” Kiyoshi said, twirling the scythe casually, his tone nonchalant. “I was gonna say ‘Hey, get your filthy claws away from my cousin!’ But then I decided  slamming you into the nearest tree trunk sounded a lot more fun. Now then..”

Robyn’s cousin gave the weapon another spin before taking a battle stance, blue eyes narrowed in mischief. 

“How does round two sound?”

From his place beside her, Takumi seemed to be taking everything in with quiet fascination. 

“Do you know these other people?”

She shook her head. 

“No.. but they think they know us. Probably due to this being in a dream world. It would be best to play along for now.”

”Soo.. it’s a fight you want, is it? Be careful what you wish for!” Asahi was taunting the shadow, who struggled to its feet. 

The three boys didn’t seem to have fairy forms like the girls. Kiyoshi had his scythe, Asahi had a feather shaped dagger, while Hisashi had two smaller twin swords. 

“Take this!” Rina called as it launched another attack, a red glow surrounding its body. 

The creature slowed, panting, as if it was overheating. Leafa took the opportunity to bind it in her vines again. 

“You’re done!” she said sternly as Maizono struck it with a ball of water. 

It strained against the restraints, then snickered, causing the girls to hesitate in confusion. The massive shadows began to separate into countless smaller ones, surrounding the group effectively and forcing them into a tight circle. 

“Uh-oh..” Leafa muttered uneasily, while Serah let out a whimper. 

“Damn.. I can’t even see the forest anymore!” Rina exclaimed, flames beginning to rise from her hands. 

“No!” Leafa gasped. “You’ll burn down the forest! Again!”

”I have an idea! Cover me!” Robyn ordered, fluttering up before anyone could protest. 

A few shadows tried to grab her, but were quickly subdued by Takumi’s arrows. 

If they’re made of darkness, they should be attracted to light because they’ll want to snuff it out. I just hope this works! Robyn prayed, summoning a tiny ball of light. 

The shadows all immediately flocked around her, wrapping themselves around her in a tight ball. 

“ROBYN!!”

She heard Leafa shriek in panic. 

Now!

Reaching deep into her heart, Robyn summoned the light from deep within her, glowing brighter and brighter until the beams of light pierced through the ball, melting the shadows away with a hiss. Robyn emerged unscathed, the group cheering as she fluttered down to join them. 

“That was amazing!” Takumi exclaimed, eyes shining, embracing her as she smiled sheepishly. 

“Now we just have to beat Freyja!” Asahi exclaimed. 

“If you even make it to her alive!” a voice taunted, causing the group to whip around as the trees parted to reveal a man with long, greasy black hair and a mask that covered half his face. 

He was dressed in a dark mage outfit and carried a purple and gold tone, his face twisted into a hideous sneer. 

“Ugh, not you again!” Asahi groaned. “Look buddy, that relationship with King Garon just ain’t gonna happen, so why don’t you can it and beat it before I make that ugly half-melted troll doll you call a face look worse.”

“W-who the hell are you?!” the mage spat, earning another eye roll. 

“Nice to meet you too, Iago. Name’s Asahi. I’d ask myself the same thing if I had to wake up with your face every morning. That is.. if I could even sleep at night between questioning my existence as an emo abomination. Ever hear of a bath? You know.. baaaaaath? B-A-T-H?”

Robyn would have laughed, if it weren’t for Takumi quaking with rage beside her. 

“You!” he spat, and the mage snickered as he tried to gain the upper hand again. 

“Ah yes.. if it isn’t Prince Takumi. How lovely it is to see you.. again. You should have been driven to despair by those lovely nightmares I infected your mind with, if it weren’t for her!”

He jabbed a furious finger at Robyn, who frowned as confusion filled her. 

“Wh-what?!” Takumi stammered as Iago cackled wickedly. 

“Fool! I was the reason you were plagued with all those nightmares of your mother’s death! Garon chose you to be our perfect pawn because you were the weakest, but thanks to that wretched woman-“

”..If you lay one finger on my husband ever again.. I’m going to be wearing your guts like a Hoshidan kimono….”

Heads all turned to stare at Robyn in shock as she glowered at the mage, practically oozing fury as flashbacks of all the nights she spent consoling Takumi from nightmares filled her mind. The prince had admitted while he’s always had nightmares, they’d grown worse since his mother’s death, and they’d assumed it was due to trauma. But knowing the man in front of her had deliberately made these dreams more frequent to torment him infuriated her beyond words. 

“E-excuse me?!”

”Oh I’m sorry.. did I stutter?! I said if you so much as touch Takumi, I’m going to be wearing your guts like a Hoshidan kimono!”

The rage in her voice began to steadily increase, Iago starting to look increasingly more unnerved. 

“I’ll find a recording tome so I can record your screams as my bedtime song every night, and then I’ll have your head mounted on my wall as a godsdamned HALLOWEEN DECORATION!!!”

”Y-you should hear h-how absolutely insane you sound right now!” Iago blustered, struggling to regain control over the situation again. “A-as Nohr’s finest mage, you would do well to address me properly!”

”You’re absolutely right, how rude of me.” Robyn responded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Why hello my good bitch, whatever seems to be the fuck-“

”ENOUGH!!!” Iago screeched, eye twitching as Takumi sputtered out a laugh and the mage drew his tome. “Any last words?!”

”You were a mistake!” Asahi called from somewhere behind her. “Lose the cult reject outfit and maybe we’ll take you seriously!”

”GINNUNGAGAP!”

Beside her, she heard Takumi gasp as the mage fired a ground shaking ball of dark energy at her, but a sly smile made its way to Robyn’s lips, freezing Iago’s features when he caught sight of it. Being the impossible element meant that Robyn was both pure holy element and pure darkness element, so neither could affect her. And Iago was about to find that out first hand as she absorbed the attack, leaving a puff of smoke. As the smoke started to clear, Robyn stepped out from behind it, calling to the now petrified Nohrian. 

“Unlike you.. I don’t need fancy incantations for my spells. Go back to school…” A warm glow surrounded the fingertips of her outstretched hand. “DIMWIT!!!!”

The force of her spell hit faster than they could blink, sending Iago slamming into the trunk so hard, the whole tree came crashing down onto him as he slumped to the ground, his tome falling from his hands. Asahi let out a low whistle while Kiyoshi put away his scythe. 

“One down, now for-“

”It’s not over yet!” Takumi hissed, floating up as Iago struggled to stand, reaching for the tome. “I’ll finish him.”

By some miracle, Iago managed to stand as the furious Hoshidan prince landed in front of him. 

“Many say Gods are supposed to show mercy.. but this one is fresh out of it!” the prince deadpanned, hitting the mage with a branch shaking wind blast that sent his cloak flying clean off.. leaving the mage in his small clothes. 

“Tch..”

Takumi’s head lowered, his eyes hidden in shadow as he blushed furiously, too flustered to speak. 

“D-don’t look Leafa!” Robyn heard Serah whimper. 

“Y-you too!” her sister replied as they covered each other’s eyes. 

“Oh my gods!” Maizono gasped as her and Rina covered their mouths, giggling uncontrollably. 

“Damnnnn buddy.. when I said to ditch the cult reject outfit, I didn’t mean like that.” Asahi muttered, shielding his eyes with one hand as he peered through his fingertips. 

“Still better than what he was wearin’ before..” Kiyoshi mumbled back, cheeks tinged pink. “Talk about second hand embarrassment..”

Even Robyn had nothing else to say, and throughly humiliated, no one stopped the mage as he made a hasty retreat.

”I can’t believe you recognized him!” Rina gasped out between laughs as Asahi shrugged. 

“Well you described him to me, didn’t ya? It was pretty easy to recognize someone who dresses that obnoxiously.”

Takumi remained silent throughout the whole interaction, his face still crimson. 

“Dude.. is he okay?” she heard Kiyoshi asked, and Asahi started to snicker. 

“Looks like Takumi learned a new move for the bedroom-“

”SHUT IT!” Takumi and Kiyoshi yelled at the same time. 

Robyn went over to stand beside Takumi, leaning her head on her husband’s shoulder, feeling him relax instantly. A faint, mischievous smile made its way to her lips, and as soon as the attention was off him, she leaned in to whisper impishly in his ear. 

“I wouldn’t mind if you tried that~”

”Nnn..” 

Takumi’s face turned scarlet again, and he refused to look at her. It wouldn’t take a detective to figure out that the prince’s mind was clearly in the gutter. 

“Ugh.. why did we have to get separated from Alfonse and the others? We’ll never find them if we can’t get out of this dumb forest!” Asahi complained. 

No matter which way they turned, there was no sign of an exit. Suddenly, Leafa stopped with a gasp.

”I’ve got it! I’ll ask nature!”

”Ask.. nature?” Takumi inquired, tilting his head, and Leafa nodded enthusiastically. 

“If I talk to the forest, maybe it’ll show us the way out! One moment please..”

Leafa fluttered down to rest a hand on the earth, a light green light emitting from her as she closed her eyes and concentrated. 

That makes sense! Since Leafa’s the fairy of nature!

While they’d been exploring the woods, Robyn and Takumi had cleverly managed to find out the group’s powers and weapons without actually giving away the fact that they didn’t actually know them. 

Leafa was the fairy of nature, Rina was fairy of fire, while Maizono controlled water, Serah was a light fairy who specialized in strengthening spells and illusions. Kiyoshi controlled darkness and the moon and wielded his scythe, Hisashi controlled time, his weapon of choice two twin swords, and he could replicate other’s weapons and summon a weaker version of it. And lastly, there was Asahi, a dagger wielder who controlled the earth and had an entire army of bird familiars at his disposal, which he seemed to really enjoy sicing on Kiyoshi. Robyn had a feeling he and Henry would get along quite well. 

The green glow that was surrounding Leafa began to expand and grow, and the vines began to unfurl, the trees parting to reveal a path. 

“Brilliant!” Takumi exclaimed. 

“Thank you nature, for showing us the way!” Leafa said, giving the trees a quick bow and the group continued on. 

“Ugh, finally!” Asahi groaned as they exited the trees. “Any longer and I’d be kissing the ground.”

”That I’d like to see.” Kiyoshi teased, earning a playful shove. 

“Come on, let’s find Freyja and give her a piece of our minds!” Rina declared. 

Robyn and Takumi exchanged puzzled glances. They’d managed to glean some information, but still drew a blank when it came to Freyja. Hesitantly, Robyn spoke up.

”She can’t be all bad.. right?”

”What?!” Rina exclaimed, while the others just looked shocked. “Have you forgotten? She kidnapped Freyr and trapped the Order of Heroes in a nightmare! They were on the run but Alfonse told us to come find you!”

”Robyn’s just being optimistic. Like she always is.” Takumi asserted, and she gave him a grateful look. 

The sounds of fighting up ahead drew their attention. 

“Soooo.. how much we wanna bet on them being up there?” Asahi drawled, and Rina’s eyes narrowed. 

“Let’s check it out!” 

The group took off at a run (or flight) towards the noise, just in time to see the Order of Heroes facing off against-

“Dream King Freyr?! What are you doing?!” Maizono exclaimed in horror. 

The ethereal looking man with what appeared to be butterfly wings across his chest gazed at them sadly. 

“Do not interfere. Freyja has taken my powers. My death is the only way to stop her.” he replied, sounding resigned. 

“Like hell I’m gonna listen to that!” Rina fired back. “Thinking that dying is the only answer is just plain stupid!”

”Why are you all trying to take my brother from me?!” a beautiful woman with long snow white hair and crimson eyes shrieked. 

“Great.. Freyja’s here too..” Kiyoshi grumbled. “And if what Freyr said is true.. she’s unstoppable now. This is the hardest choice we’ve had to make, but if we can’t think of anything else then..”

”W-we can’t kill someone!” Serah cried out in horror. “Courtesy Call was formed to save others! Killing Freyr goes against everything we stand for.. right Robyn?!”

Robyn froze as all eyes suddenly turned to her. 

Why me?!

”Well, Robyn? You’re our leader. It’s your call.” Asahi said. 

Even Takumi’s eyes were calmly expectant. He believed in her. They all did. Robyn slowly turned her gaze back to the fight raging below her. Her purpose was to help others.. right?

But how can I help someone I know nothing about?! I doubt she’d agree to a friendly conversation! Unless..

The realization hit her like the ocean’s grey waves. Maybe there was another solution!

”I have an idea, but there’s not much time to explain. I just need you to get me close to Freyja so I can talk to her!”

”Get you close to Freyja?!” Kiyoshi echoed. “But she’ll attack you!”

”Not if Leafa restrains her.” Takumi spoke up. “You can do that, right? Just like you did with the shadow?”

Robyn’s twin nodded earnestly. 

“What about the alfr?” Asahi inquired, pointing to the two dark fairies fighting beside Freyja. “I doubt Tirandra and Plumeria are gonna sit still and look pretty while we tie up their precious queen.”

”Leave that to us.” Maizono asserted. “Now let’s hurry!”

The little group charged, and as predicted, Tirandra shouted 

“What the hell are you doing?! Get away from her!”

”Such persistence.” Plumeria sighed, shaking her head as if she were dealing with naughty children. “Isn’t it time for you to die?” 

“Fat chance!” Rina shouted, knocking them out of the sky with a fire ball. 

“You’re done! Time to cool off!” Maizono chimed in, blasting them with a tidal wave of water large enough to drown a small Askrian village. 

“Ugh!” Tirandra sat up with a groan, her companion doing the same, too weak to fly as she glared up at them. “If you’re going to kill us, just do it already.” she growled. 

“Hard pass. Even though you’re really annoying.” Asahi replied loftily, and Serah formed a powerful light cage around the pair. 

“Look out!”

Robyn heard Takumi shout, and they heard Freyja’s shriek of rage, and looked over to see her making multiple copies of herself to attack them. Asahi let out a low whistle. 

“Damnnnn.. that’s a new one.” He turned to Hisashi. “Looks like we’re up now.”

”And me.” Kiyoshi asserted, his eyes glowing brilliant blue. 

He touched the ground, shadowy soldiers rising up from the darkness. Hisashi faced a group of cloned cooly. 

“Your weapon may be stronger.” he deadpanned. “But mine..”

Reaching towards the skies, he summoned a massive sword that towered over them, freezing their adversaries in place with a time spell. 

“..is bigger.”

The sword came crashing down, crushing over half of them. The sky darkened abruptly, and they looked up to see Asahi grinning like a madman. 

“And now for the grand finale!”

What seemed to be dark clouds turned out to be birds as they dive bombed towards the remainder of the clones. A gap in the ranks opened up. 

“Now!” Robyn called, and flanked by Takumi and Leafa, they broke through the gap. 

The Queen of Nightmates looked shocked as the trio propelled towards her, lifting a hand. But Leafa was faster. 

“Nature, come and help us!” she called, a pale green glow spreading to the plants around them. 

The trees sprung into action, grabbing Freyja from all sides as the vines snakes around her, securing her into place. 

“Go!” Leafa urged. “I’ll hold her as long as I can!”

”Right!” 

Her fingertips glimmered pale gold as she touched the furiously struggling queen’s temple. 

Show me her memories!

The Summoner closed her eyes, letting the glow wash over her. 

Darkness greeted Robyn when she opened her eyes. Her hair and wings looked even more luminous in the dismal black. Takumi was beside her, and she guessed the prince must have followed her in. 

“Where are we?” Takumi asked softly, looking around. 

His voice echoed as if they were in a cavern. 

“This is Freyja’s memories.” Robyn responded quietly, offering him her hand. He took it and they floated up. “Killing her just feels so.. wrong. Like there’s more to this. So I came to find out for myself.” 

A single door remained stagnant, and Robyn reached to open it. The couple shielded their eyes at the brilliant flash that emitted from the door, and when it cleared, they were standing in a field of flowers. A younger version of Freyja was sitting on the ground, surrounded by three male fairies, their cruel laughter filling the air. 

“Why do you have that mark under your nose?” one jeered. “It’s so ugly!”

”And you stink!” the second taunted. 

“No wonder you have no friends!” the third chimed in. 

“L-leave me alone! Please!” Freyja whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to hide her face behind her hands as the jeering continued. 

“She can’t even fight back!” one scoffed. 

“That’s enough!” a stern voice interrupted, and they looked up to see Freyr towering over them. 

“It’s King Freyr!” the second yelped. “Let’s get out of here!” 

The three fairies booked it, and Freyr scooped his sister up, spinning her around, causing her to giggle. 

“Pay no mind to them, Freyja. You are always beautiful in my eyes.” he consoled her. 

“Okay big brother, I love you!”

Takumi and Robyn observed silently as the background shifted, then cleared, showing a now older Freyja and one of the male fairies. 

“W-well it’s just that.. you’re so beautiful and-“

”So now you’ll accept me? Because I’m beautiful? That’s pathetic reasoning. You sound like a mortal.” Freyja scoffed, storming off. 

While she did not speak them out loud, the lake could still hear her thoughts. 

I don’t need love from others, only Freyr!

She paused by the castle window to gaze outside at her brother as he comforted a small girl who had fallen and scraped her knee, and Robyn could feel Freyja’s rage as if it was her own, filling her veins and consuming her to the brink of madness. 

Those horrid humans just want to take my brother’s love away! Freyja’s thoughts seethed. Well I won’t let them. I’ll kill them all!

”..Is that really what you want?” Robyn asked gently as a dark aura rose around the girl, and she spun around, crimson eyes smoldering. 

“Of course it is!” she hissed. “They want to take his love away from me! And.. and then I’ll be all alone!” 

“Freyja.. that’s not how love works.”

Robyn reached out to brush away the stray tear that dared to fall down the girl’s face, and she looked at it in dismay. Their surroundings began to shift again, Freyja’s childhood field of flowers manifesting. Robyn held her hands, spinning them slowly, and floating in the sky beside her, she could see Takumi’s eyes soften as he recognized the sky dance they’d done countless times. 

“Freyja.. love isn’t like a single flower with limited petals. It won’t run out of you pluck them. Instead, they grow and expand. Like a whole field! Just because Freyr shows love to others, doesn’t mean he loves you any less!”

”B-but he’s the only one who will ever accept me!”

”That’s not true!” Takumi chuckled, and Robyn materialized the images of Tirandra and Plumeria. 

She joined their hands to the circle, and the sky dance continued. 

“They were willing to give their lives for you.” Takumi asserted. “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”

”There’s thousands out there, millions even who’d be willing to accept you, if you’d just let them in. And want to know a secret?”

Robyn leaned closer and whispered. 

“Takumi has a mother he loves. And a father. Sisters and brothers too. But that doesn’t mean he loves me any less, does it?”

”That’s right. My love only expands. Never lessens.” her husband confirmed as Freyja’s eyes darted between them uncertainly. 

“But.. but I’ve done such awful things.. No one will accept me after what I’ve done..”

”So make amends.” 

There was almost a fatherly quality to Takumi’s voice now. 

“If you prove to them you’ve changed, they’ll have to accept you. And if they don’t, then you don’t need them.”

”Okay..” 

The madness in the queen’s eyes had vanished, replaced with calm resolve. 

“It’s time to wake up now..” Robyn whispered gently. “We’ll see you on the other side..”

Robyn opened her eyes, Takumi at her side. The fighting around them had stopped, both sides staring uncertainly at each other. Freyja stood calmly. 

“..Stop the fighting.” she ordered. 

“What?!” Tirandra exclaimed, and Plumeria looked on in silent shock. 

Alfonse, Sharena, and Commander Anna with the rest of the order looked baffled. 

“I’m sorry, brother. I now understand why you love these mortals so much. I know these words are not enough to mean the pain I have caused you and them.. but I promise I will make amends. Starting by releasing these mortals from this nightmare.”

With a wave of her hand, Alfonse and the others closed their eyes and vanished, and when Robyn looked up, Leafa and the others were frozen in place, as if time itself had stopped. When she fluttered over to touch her sister’s cheek, she didn’t move. Pain pricked in Robyn’s heart. 

“Can’t we take them with us?” she pleaded softly, but Freyr shook his head. 

“I’m afraid not. But they are out there. Fate will bring you together again.” he promised. 

I’ll wait for you.. Robyn vowed silently as she placed a gentle kiss on Kiyoshi and Leafa’s foreheads, before fluttering back over to land beside Takumi. 

“Ready to go?” he asked, and she nodded. 

“Before you leave.. a strange spirit gave me a gift earlier. I believe I know now who it’s for.” Freyja began hesitantly, and Robyn and Takumi exchanged surprised glances. 

Freyja placed a hand gently on Robyn’s stomach, and a strange warmth began to resonate through Robyn’s body. 

“This is my first step to making amends.” she murmured. “You’ll understand soon.”

Before they could ask questions, Robyn was blinking awake with Takumi, Caledori sitting up beside her. 

“Oh, Robyn you’re back!” she exclaimed in relief. “I just had the craziest dream! You were a fairy, and Takumi had wind powers! And there were others too, but I can’t remember what they looked like. It was amazing!” 

“Ah, is that so?” Robyn chuckled, trading glances with Takumi.

As Gaius approached, and Caledori hurried blushingly to greet him, Robyn caught Alfonse’s eye. 

“I won’t ask too many questions.. but I doubt all of us having the same dream was a fluke.. was it? You saved us from something, didn’t you?” 

Robyn nodded once, and he understood. 

Robyn lay in Takumi’s arms, her head resting on his bare chest as he stroked her hair gently, his skin against her’s warming her own. Their shared intimacy that night had left her with an almost tired like feeling. 

Must be the effects of the dream still. And we were more intense than usual.. Robyn mused, closing her eyes with a contented sigh. 

Takumi opened his eyes to a cliff top, the moon shining brightly down on him. For a moment, he wondered how he’d gotten here, but a familiar presence by his side made him turn his head joyfully as he realized he was dreaming. 

“Mother!” he gasped, embracing her tightly. 

A chuckle shook Mikoto’s shoulders as she returned the hug, then stepped back. 

“My dear son.. I couldn’t be more proud of you. But that is not why I have come to you tonight. I have a message for you.” 

“A message?” Takumi tilted his head curiously at the happiness that filled her gentle gaze as she pointed up. 

Beside the moon, three stars shown brightly. 

“My sweet Takumi.. your path was never meant for two.. but for three.”

Mystified, Takumi turned to ask her what she meant, but Mikoto was gone. The prince turned his hazel gaze back up to the stars. It wasn’t fear that filled him.. but warmth and love.

AN: So what do you think the three stars mean? Find out in the next chapter: which will be released February 14th in celebration of the couple’s first Day of Devotion together! Can’t wait ^w^

[glow-worms-are-believers]

It's been so long, but I felt like it, so here's another blurb:)

“It’s going to be alright, Jimmy,” said the calm voice of Clark Kent.

Danny only blinked, disoriented by the sharp movement that had forced him into the grasp of the gun-toting mafia person whose name he couldn’t remember for the life of him. It was a good thing The Planet didn’t expect him to do more than take pictures, because Danny honestly couldn’t keep up with Lois Lane’s cases

Speaking of Miss Lois, he hadn’t seen her since she’d locked Mr. Kent and himself in the unluckily not deserted warehouse.

“Give me your phone,” the man holding Danny said, as he pressed the muzzle of the gun under Danny’s jaw. 

Mr. Clark raised his hands slowly and gently got his phone out of his pocket.

“Slide it over,” the man said.

Mr. Clark crouched and complied obligingly. It slid right in front of the gunman’s foot and without hesitation, the guy crushed the phone under his heel.

Danny winced reflexively as he caught the look of discomfiture on Mr Clark’s face. Danny could relate, those things were expensive.

“C’mon that wasn’t necessary,” Danny complained.

“Shut up, unless you want a bullet between the eyes.”

“That isn’t even how hostage situations work,” Danny muttered not quite under his breath.

“Jimmy,” Mr Clark said and the genuine fear in his voice made Danny feel slightly bad for the flippant attitude.

“Sorry Mr. Clark, I’ll keep quiet,” Danny answered and resolved to be the perfect hostage from then on.

That seemed to agitate the mafia man further for some reason but before he could do anything there was a cry of “DUCK” and Danny obeyed the familiar voice instinctively. Good thing he did because from the side came swinging one of those huge heavy chains affixed with a big metal hook that got the still unnamed gunman in the head and sent him to the floor, unconscious.

“Lois,” Mr Clark breathed as he looked up to the railings to find the woman of the hour walking down the metal staircase and cursing every step of the way.

“Those goddam heels,” Danny heard her mutter as she neared the three of them.

“Thanks miss Lane,” Danny said, 

“No problem kid,” she answered then she caught sight of Mr. Clark who was still looking at her, with the dumbest starstruck expression Danny had ever seen.

Ms. Lois’ cheeks reddened. “What are you looking at,” she barked and Danny wanted to roll his eyes.

“Nothing,” Mr. Clark answered quickly and looked away, his cheeks also pinking and Danny did roll his eyes then. 

Not that it mattered, since nobody in the room was paying him any attention whatsoever despite having been the one to have been taken hostage just a minute ago but still. It was the principle of the thing.

The two supposed adults were still studiously not meeting each others gaze, as they both glowed in respective shades of red and Danny decided to take pity on them and break the awkward silence.

“Ms. Lane, you’ve got something in your hair,” Danny said as he gestured to his own head.

“Thanks Jimmy,” Lois said with a good enough approximation of her unbothered state as she patted her hair down carefully, unfortunately completely missing the stick stuck in the strands.

“Still there,” Danny deadpanned.

Ms. Lois frowned and tried again in the complete wrong spot and was unsurprisingly unfruitful.

“Please, let me,” Mr. Clark said as he grabbed the offending stick in one precise movement and seemingly unconsciously petted Ms. Lane’s hair back down.

Then he registered it and his face blew up brighter than before, and not to be outdone, Ms. Lois’ complexion did its very best to match Mr. Clark.

Danny sighed. They were going to be a while.

tags:) please don't hesitate if you want to be taken off the list: @thordottir45 @crystallicedart @sailor-goddess @spider-cider-tears @vythika96 @8-29pm @akikkobara @ashoutinthedarkness @malice-of-the-sunrise @phoenixcatch7 @joeymiya @cocopurplepompom @kisatamao @that-random-fangirl @robinmedea @overtherose @frenchyangelwolves @toodaloo-kangaroo @akintoabitch @phoenixdemonqueen @shinylittlefan

Short DPXDC Prompts #538

Danny hides from the GIW. he goes undercover in Metropolis and takes up the name Jimmy Olsen. Today is his first day working as a photographer/copyboy in the Daily Planet.

[bunnyindigo]

The bikini

☼ pairing Kim Taehyung x fem!reader

☼ genre established relationship, idol!au

☼ warning smut, kinda bondage?, fingering, face & dick riding, oral sex (f & m receiving), tits play, unprotected sex (STD are very much real so like maybe don’t), cream pie, praising, kinda dirty talk

☼ word count 1.9k

☼ description Taehyung and his girlfriend are still in their lavender haze, and it's not going to end anytime soon.

“Babe?”

“Hm?” Taehyung made a noise to acknowledge her but didn’t turn around towards her voice.

As some stands were pushed by the sea breeze, the warm noon sun landed on his unkempt, dark hair, causing fire sparks to erupt. As he took in the view in front of him, his hands were pressed against the chipped black balcony railing.

White and blue houses grew side by side to meet the tranquil sea that had melded with the sky. His gaze moved about, spotting a path leading to a little yet secluded beach in the backyard of the home.

His girlfriend had rented the apartment as a surprise summer holiday for the two of them to rest before his schedule became swamped once more.

The property was far enough away from any road that there was little traffic noise, and a dirt road driveway connected the house to the nearest road. A wall separated the front yard from prying eyes for added privacy. The owners would leave various objects in the front yard, such as paddles, boards, and other sea gear, for tourists who rented the home.

The house's entryway was on the first floor, which also housed the kitchen, living room, dining room, and toilet. A spiral staircase joined the first and ground floors, which had two bedrooms and a bathroom.

A sliding glass door from both beds led to the backyard, as did a door in the corridor that divided them. There was a sitting space outside, four sunbeds, a small pool with a jacuzzi, a hammock, an outdoor shower, and a barbeque.

Taehyung and she had already gone out to eat breakfast at a local bakery and grocery shopping for necessities because they'd arrived late the night before and the place only had fruits, water, and toilet paper.

He was now taking in the scenery, basking in the Mediterranean sun, and relishing the peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of Seoul. His entire body tingled with anticipation at the prospect of going for a swim; he had already donned the forest green swimming trunks that his girlfriend had packed for him, as well as a loose white and blue striped button-up with his black sunglasses sitting on the single pocket of his top.

“Can you help me, please,” she asked from downstairs.

Taehyung hurried to their room, not bothering to ask what she needed help with until he reached her.

His gaze travelled from her legs to her upper back as her hands were fiddling with the halter of her triangle bikini at her neck, her back to him.

“It’s stuck in my hair,” she said.

He put his hands on hers to stop her impatient tugging, which resulted in her dropping her sore arms to her side after a thorough shake to get the blood flowing again.

His one palm was sandwiched between her neck and the knot, igniting shivers across her skin. His other hand worked carefully to untangle the tangled strands. When he observed that their swimwear was matching, he smiled. He pulled her hair into a ponytail with one of the hair bands he kept on his wrist and began to tighten the halter.

“All done,” he said and rested his hands on her shoulders.

“Thank you, love.”

“Mm, love,” he mumbled.

He started kissing the nape of her neck softly, then trailed the curve of her neck with kisses till he reached her shoulder, all the while his fingers grazed down her hands and wrapped themselves around hers.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed her gulping as he parted their fingers, making her miss the fleeting warmth that was replaced when he grasped her waist and turned her around.

"Let's go swimming first," she suggested as his head nuzzled into her neck and kissed her collarbone.

"It can wait," he said quietly, causing additional shivers to appear on her skin.

Slowly, he backed her up to the bed, gently placed her on it and kissed her on the lips before withdrawing from her.

As he slid himself to her hip, his hands were now beside her glutes, trapping her. His teeth reached for her bikini button and he loosened the knot, then he did the same on the other side.

"I've missed you," he whispered as he kissed her ribs.

"It's only been a week, Tae," she giggled and reached out to caress his face, to which he responded by leaning against her small palm.

He slid his arm beneath her and undid her bikini top.

"When it comes to you, that's too long," he said.

“Is that so?”

She pushed herself up, her bikini slipping off, and began undoing his top's buttons. Her palms ran from his chest to his shoulder as she tugged the button-up off him, allowing it to fall to the ground with his sunglasses.

When he heard his spectacles fall to the ground, he formed a pout on his pink lips. “Bad,” he said.

Lips collided, tongues darted at one other like soldiers on the battlefield, and hands gripped each other's skins as if hanging on for dear life. Their hips began grinding against each other, both desperately and achingly wanting more.

"Then I should be punished," she offered between kisses.

"You should," he replied, breaking their kiss.

Taehyung flipped her on her stomach, causing her head to land on one of the pillows, and grabbed her bikini top, tying her hands together on her back with it.

"You didn't go swimming without me, did you?" he questioned, tossing the bikini bottoms off the bed. He sat between her legs, separating them.

"No?" she said, perplexed.

"Hm," he pushed a cold finger into her heat, making her gasp, "then why are you so wet?" he questioned in the most innocent tone possible.

"I have no idea."

"Oh, but I'm sure that's not true," he murmured as he pushed another finger into her, sending a surge of excitement over her.

He continued the circular motion till the fingers became three and she buried her head into the cushion, muffling her moans.

Even the most inadvertent touch from Kim Taehyung left her weak in the knees, hot and bothered, and yearning for more. She burned for him, even after all the years they had been dating. She even astonished herself by not taking him in the aeroplane toilet.

His thumb was now slowly circling her clit, but applying pressure because he knew she liked that kind of thing. Her hips were swaying back and forth instinctively, begging for more.

"It appears that my lovely girl missed me more," he leaned down and murmured into her ear.

Another gasp from her lips; the sensation was overpowering, and he wasn't even in her yet. Her walls tightened around his fingers, and she clenched her fists on her back.

"Oh my God," she choked.

"Taehyung," he replied.

She groaned in frustration as he pulled his fingers out of her. He assisted her in getting up and then laid down himself. This was her cue to creep up on him, sling one of her legs over his head, and hover herself over his mouth.

Her sensitive area was fanned by the warm breath. When his tongue moved between her folds, she lowered herself closer and swore she could see heaven. His hands wrapped around her thighs, burrowing into her skin until the skin around his nails turned white. He became drowsy as he felt himself drowning in her wet heat and the blissful sounds coming from her mouth.

"Tae, I'm coming," she whispered, and suddenly his lips were drenched in her juices.

She sank to the mattress after raising her leg over his head. Her thighs hurt from the rocking, but every time Taehyung gave her an orgasm, she felt at peace. And he always made sure she had at least one. It was just how he was. He could finger her, eat her out, fuck her, or even just tease her and she'd still cum for him.

They both panted as if there was no more oxygen in their lungs. He leaned across tiredly to untie her hands and laid his palm on her waist, his eyelids becoming heavier.

There was a slight throbbing sensation between his legs, but he was ready to ignore it for a moment so he could hold her; nevertheless, the sensation became more intense when something rubbed against his clothed and erect cock.

She'd risen from her side and started kneading his cock. She smirked and slid her hands to the band of his swimming trunks, delicately teasing with a finger between his skin and the band when she spotted him looking at her.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he saw her pull his swimsuit down, and his dick shot out like a jack in the box. Soft hands encircled him, causing him to whimper as they tenderly pumped him till wetness gathered on his tip.

Her tongue licked the precum and swirled around, taking more and more of his dick into her mouth. Taehyung observed her hollowing cheeks as she began sucking him, her fingers still assisting at the base.

He thrust more of himself into her mouth, making her eyes water, groaning from the pleasure. She began to bob her head quicker, but when she observed his thighs tightening, she removed her mouth from around him, causing him to quiver, and straddled him.

"You're very beautiful," he mumbled, taking in her swollen and shiny lips, as she aided her sex onto his.

She started swaying up and down, her breasts bouncing along with her. A view which made him even harder.

He grasped the back of her neck and pulled her face closer to his. He licked her lips and bit into her bottom lip right away.

He cupped her breasts, leaving a trail of sloppy kisses on her skin from her neck to the hardened nipples he'd been tenderly stroking. He licked her bud, then sucked it while dropping his hands to her hips, pressing them down and making her cry out as his length vanished inside her body.

"Cum in me," she begged, her voice pleading.

The plea just fueled his want to pounce on her even more. He flipped them over to be on top of her. His strokes became faster as her back arched and her fingers began to tug at his hair.

Taehyung supported himself with one hand while reaching his other forward to entangle his fingers with hers. The warm reassurance of their hand-holding pushed them both over the brink, causing them to finish simultaneously, their fluids combining as their foreheads lay against each other.

He dragged himself out and laid on top of her.

“Babe, I’ll write a song about this,” he said, making her chuckle.

She cupped his head in her hands and kissed him on the face. She nudged him softly, causing him to roll off her as she stood up to clean herself. Her legs wobbled and she fell back into the bed, causing Taehyung to burst out laughing.

"You still can't handle it, huh?" he asked cockily as he rose from his laying position and walked over to scoop her up and take her to the bathroom to be cleaned.

"How about a shower?" she suggested.

"Not really, unless you want to spend the rest of day the unable to walk," he answered, winking at her.

"Can't get enough of me?"

"Never," he replied, kissing her lips.

After cleaning themselves of the sticky substances and sweat on their skin, they returned to the room to change into their swimsuits and finally go for a swim.

Taehyung carried her on his back the entire journey. She had her hands wrapped around his neck, pecking his cheek as they continued to be helplessly in love, letting sweet nothings and I love yous bouncing off each other's mouths.

[dracowars]

hi love! would you be okay with writing for draco x reader? this was a dream btw haha, so the reader and draco have a secret relationship but they still went to the yule ball together, much to the dismay of one of the beauxbaton girls who got turned down by draco when she asked him. so a few days after the ball the beauxbaon girl puts a potion in the reader's drink or something that makes her feel super bad (excruciating headace or something) and draco's being all caring and protective? also someone saw that she put something in reader's drink, tells draco and he has her sent back to her school or something? (sorry my dreams are weird)

poison ivy | draco malfoy

pairing: draco x reader

word count: 1,5k

summary: where a beauxbaton is very jealous of y/n

a/n: hi, i almost forgot how tumblr works :( i hope you enjoy this!

warnings: angst, poisoning

universe: harry potter

Dressed in a beautiful, elegant long evening gown, you slowly and carefully walk down the stony staircase while many heads turn to look at you, marveling and whispering with their friends or simply being completely starstruck by your breathtaking beauty. To be on the safe side, you slide your hand, a silver ring sparkling at you, over the railing when going down the stairs in order to be able to catch yourself in the case you may slip and thus avoid embarrassment.

Everyone who is in the entrance hall at this moment is watching you, even Professor McGonagall looks at you in slight amazement, until you finally arrive downstair and watch how most of the male students turn back to their actual partners, who were impatiently eyeing them down. Nervously, you brush a strand of hair from your face when you discover your partner for the ball in front of the large doors of the Great Hall, which has been transformed into a huge dance floor.

Draco, wrapped in a black suit with a bow tie, immediately comes towards you and, without any hesitation, takes your hand in his to place a kiss on the back of it like a true prince, adding a small bow that makes you giggle in return. Once again you can feel the piercing glances of the other students around you – whether they are from Hogwarts, Durmstrang or Beauxbaton.

Although there is really no reason for their staring. After all, to them it only looks like two best friends are going to the highly anticipated Yule Ball together. What they do not know, however, is that Draco and you have actually been in a secret relationship for a while now but thought it would be better to keep it hidden. It would only cause unnecessary trouble anyway. The less people know, the less they can talk. You are happy with him and your relationship, so why risk it?

Even if you do not like the way some of the female students examine your boyfriend as if they were looking at their next prey.

Just when Draco takes you by the arm, wanting to lead you into the beautifully decorated Great Hall, a girl emerges from nowhere, practically blocking your way deliberately with arms crossed in front of her chest. She is dressed in a light blue glittering and sparkling dress that compliments her long white hair, which is made up into an updo, and her icy blue eyes. Clearly a Beauxbaton, there is no doubt.

“You actually chose her over me?”, she remarks snipingly and scans you once from top to bottom with a disgusted expression, immediately making you feel less confident. “A really bad choice, if I look at it.”

With these derogatory words towards you, she disappears as quickly as she appeared, vanishing into the crowd of dancing people and leaving you with a puzzled expression on your face. Not exactly knowing how to deal with this situation, you turn to Draco for help. He has not yet said a word as he was only staring at her awkwardly.

“What was that all about?”, you ask him confused and clasp his arm even more.

“Nothing. She just asked me if I wanted to go to the ball with her”, Draco replies, regaining his posture while looking at you with a soft smile on his lips. “I am more than sure I made the right choice with taking you here.”

“You did not even tell me that someone asked you to the ball!”, you exhale in shock and try to hide the fact that his last words flattered you, making you blush. Draco turned down another girl, who is incredibly attractive, for you.

“I did not tell you because it was not important, I turned her down anyway”, he winks at you and secretly gives you a gentle kiss on the temple, which goes unnoticed by everyone else but makes you blush even more, before he suddenly pulls you with him to the dance floor, surrounding both of you with numerous students in breathtaking evening attire.

Not fighting against it, you let him pull you into the middle of the dance floor, where he immediately reaches for your hand and asks for this dance. Together you swirl across the parquet as if there is no tomorrow and in fact it is only in the early morning hours that you two realize that you have danced all night long.

Incredibly tired and exhausted, you reach the overcrowded Great Hall, which has returned to its original shape, the next morning. With slow steps you go to the Slytherin table, where your boyfriend is already waiting for you longingly. He greets you with a big grin on his handsome but tired face and for a brief moment he seems to forget that your relationship is not public when he suddenly leans in to kiss you. You reflexively evade and make it look like he just wanted to hug you, quickly wrapping your arms around him.

Over his shoulders your gaze meets that of the probably still jealous Beauxbaton girl for a moment, her gaze just as disgusted as the night before. Ignoring her look, you release your arms around Draco and sit down to have your well-deserved breakfast together.

As usual, the table is abundantly filled with food of all kinds that one could not even dream of. After yesterday’s exhausting day you have definitely earned a balanced breakfast and to be able to enjoy the peaceful time together before the next task of the Triwizard Tournament begins.

This peace, however, is quickly destroyed when you are just taking a sip from your glass filled with pumpkin juice and Pansy, who is sitting a little further away across from you, screams loudly. But it is too late as you can no longer perceive what she is trying to say, only feeling how all eyes are suddenly on you when you start feeling extremely dizzy and lightheaded.

Almost losing your balance and sliding off the bench backwards, Draco catches you at the last second and prevents you from making contact with the cold, hard floor. Tenderly, he takes your face between his hands and forces you to look at him, but that does not prevent the world from spinning around you like crazy.

“Y/N! What is wrong? Can you hear me?”, you hear Draco’s soft voice in the distance, but you can’t bring yourself to answer to his questions as you feel yourself being lifted up and carried away in the next moment. You are able to catch a little glimpse in between that is not blurry and discover that Draco is the one carrying you somewhere.

At some point later, you do not know if minutes or hours have passed, you feel soft sheets beneath your body and discover several hospital beds when your eyes flutter open. You conclude that Draco must have brought you to Madam Pomfrey, who comes rushing to you in this exact moment, holding something in her hands which you can’t make out.

A liquid is administered to you and suddenly your view becomes much clearer again and the world around you finally stops spinning, only swaying back and forth a little, still giving you an extreme headache,

“How are you?”, Draco asks you immediately after Madam Pomfrey allowed him to visit you, the worry in his voice getting the better of him, and he gently takes your hand in his, seemingly afraid he might break it.

“I am fine”, you reply, happy that you are able to phrase words again, and in an instant, you feel the tension leaving Draco’s stiff body. “What happened? I felt so dizzy all of a sudden.”

“Somebody seems to have poisoned you”, Madam Pomfrey explains while putting a glass of water on a small side table, giving you a pitying look. “Students and their reckless ideas.”

“But how-“

“It was that Beauxbaton girl”, Draco interrupts you, causing you to look at him with wide eyes.

“What?”

“Pansy saw your drink change color right when you took a sip. This girl was the only one close who had her wand out. She gave you a draught which evokes extreme dizziness. I am so sorry, if it had not been for me turning her-“

“No, no, no, Draco, stop. Stop saying that! You are not to blame for the behavior of others”, you reply immediately, but Draco’s worried look barely changes as he gently strokes your hand with his thumb. “Just because she could not handle your rejection does not give her the right to poison me. I-“

“I will have her sent back home. I have already talked to Professor Snape about the incident and she will have to leave in a few hours”, Draco explains, forcing himself to smile at you before continuing. “I am just glad that you are alright. I was so scared.”

“Thank you for always taking care of me, Draco”, you softly whisper and lean over to gently kiss him on the lips, making him smile a real smile.

“This is not something to thank me for, sweetheart. I love you and I will always be there to protect you, no matter what.”

[melis-writes]

Victoria breaking her rule for her and Sonny… she ends up wanting there to be a them in some way 👀🔥

Oh yes, the golden rule… 😶 Only a one-night stand in New York, nothing more, nothing less. After all, it was a just a harmless, one-time encounter, right? 😈

“You won’t believe me now, but you will later.” You remembered Sonny breathing against your neck, hungrily kissing you all over. “Nothing’s ever gonna satisfy you like this again.”

You gaze at yourself upon the full-body mirror in your bedroom, clasping your hands over your reddened cheeks—hot with blush.

“Yeah, once you get a taste of me… I’m not jokin’, baby. I know you’ll want some more.”

You smoothen out your lacy babydoll nightgown, placing your hands over the shoulder straps and taking a deep breath in—simply unable to block out Sonny’s voice in your head, almost beckoning to you.

“After all, why wouldn’t you, right? Heh.”

You pull off your hair tie, letting your loose bun fall down your shoulders as you gently rake your fingers through it—a hopeless method of distracting yourself against what your body truly wants, needs, and desires.

“Anytime, anywhere.”

Even from the way the fabric of your nightgown brushes up against your tender nipples, they ache to be touched, licked and sucked by Sonny and Sonny alone—crying out like the rest of your body.

“I could fuck you even if Michael was in the next room. I can make it work.”

Without second thought or a moment’s hesitation, you quietly walk out of the bedroom; turning off the lights and shutting the door behind you.

“C’mon, I’m already yours. Just one taste? Don’t you want me again?”

Listening to the faint, muffled sound of Sonny’s voice coming from the study downstairs and further down the hallway, you patiently wait by the hallway as you also hear Tom’s footsteps leading off and out of the estate.

“Anything for a taste of you and that heavenly pussy again…”

You graze your tongue against your bottom lip, still thinking about the taste of Sonny’s hot lips over yours—how your tongues laced with one another, battling for dominance.

“I can keep a secret. It’s been my secret fantasy for long enough.”

Keeping your footsteps soft and quiet, you walk down the spiral staircase—letting your hand slide down the mahogany railing as you continue to walk towards the private study.

“Don’t tell Michael.”

You can no longer hear the sound of Sonny’s voice or any signs of him, but the same remains true for Michael whose out in the boathouse with the children—leaving you with the perfect private opportunity to let your craving and new obsession lead you where you need to be.

“What Michael doesn’t know can’t hurt him.”

You push open the door to the private study, stepping inside and seeing Sonny just across from you at a desk; his head hunched over, one hand rubbing over his temple in frustration, and a confused expression over Sonny’s face at the paperwork he’s holding.

“I know you’ll be back for me. I’m just waiting.”

Sonny only hears you enter the study when you close the door behind you, continuing to approach the table Sonny sits at.

“For you, I’ll wait as long as I need to.”

Sonny raises his head—every thought and word in his head ceasing to exist at the sight of you in a short, see-through and sexy nightgown walking directly up to him.

“Santino,” you breathe out—every inch of your body yearning and beckoning for this man, only giving away via your body language just how you’re aching from arousal.

Sonny’s grip loosens over the paper as it falls back down on the desk, and he can no longer take his eyes off of you or stop his erection from instantly hardening in his trousers. “Vic… You’re—”

“I’m here.” You place your hands over the straps of your nightgown, nudging them off your shoulders to let your breasts spill free and the rest of the fabric drop off your body. “And I can’t wait any longer. Take me.”