#oc. cider (it/she/he)

[circusclowne]

i need to get better at designing furries omg

[saturnville]

Let's Stay Together | David Cliff (Kelvin Harrison Jr.)

Pairing: David Cliff (The High Note) x Black Fem OC (Sybelle Selene Jackson) Summary: Sybelle is determined to make up Warnings: Angst, fluff, suggestive language. WC: 2050 Reference: Loosely based on Let's Stay Together by Al Green AN: Because @youreadthatright asked about David and Sybelle...part 3. I hope it doesn't break your heart, friend. Please let me know your thoughts! Remember: likes are appreciated, but reblogs, asks, and comments are encouraged!

"Hi," she said, breath catching in her throat. "My name is Sybelle Jackson-Cliff. Yes, hello! Um, you made a cake for my husband recently--David? I wanted to know your turnaround time—I need one in about two weeks...thank you, kindly!"

She hung up with a loud sigh. 

She felt awful. The disappointment lingered in the air, heavy and stale. Some weeks had passed since the bust, she called their wedding anniversary. When people asked her how it was, she plastered a smile on her face and claimed it was 'everything a girl could've asked for.' They couldn't know she didn't ask for her husband's tear-filled eyes and disappointed tone to suffocate her until she closed her eyes.

He claimed they were fine, but things didn't feel fine. He was present, but distant. He responded when she spoke, but there wasn't anything behind his eyes. No excitement. No flare. No...David. He stayed on his side of the bed at night, resisting the urge to turn and wrap her in his arms. They ate together in silence, save for utensils scraping against thrifted china. He hadn't touched her much, either. Sure, a kiss before he left for the day, but she'd yet to be reminded of what it was like to be pressed into the mattress and chest to chest with the man she called her lover and friend. 

Sybelle wasn't the type to bring others into her relationship, but she couldn't resist wailing like a child to her best friend once David had gone to sleep that evening. 

"I'm the worst wife ever! Like...he did all this and I was..." Her words could hardly be made out over her sobs and heaving breaths. "I messed up so bad; what if he decides he doesn't want to be with me anymore?" 

Her friend, the trusted Kayla Marie, sighed deeply on the other line. "I don't think it'll go that far. But, this is a wake-up call, B. You cannot marry someone and still be in an unhealthy relationship with your job."

Sybelle sniffled. "I don't want to choose."

"You don't need to choose--David has made that clear. But, he shouldn't be second behind the stuo. Let him know you're trying. Intentionally trying. Do it because you mean it and because you value him and your marriage."

It hit her like a ton of bricks. It wasn't what she wanted to hear, but what she needed to hear. How could she become one with a man and treat him like he was number two, three, four, five, and six? She couldn't blame him for his distance, but she didn't like it. She despised it, truthfully. He'd forgive her, eventually. Hell or high water, they'd be okay, she was determined. 

It started simple. He'd been going on and on about a new microphone for a while, but was stuck on which one to choose. She'd understood how he may have assumed his comment had gone over her head from lack of response, but he hadn't known that she'd been in communication with some of the best music technicians, engineers, and instrument productions companies to find the one to suit his needs the best for their home studio,

It was meant to be a Christmas gift, something she hid under their bed and forgot about until eating turkey and drinking hot cider transitioned to eating ham and drinking hot chocolate. She determined now would be the perfect occasion. 

When he was out for the day, she called a series of technicians to install the microphone in their in-home studio. It was quick process, thankfully, as he'd returned just 30 minutes shy of their departure. 

He hadn't noticed at first. But when a shiny logo, unlike the one he was used to seeing, caught his eye, he was intrigued. David's fingers traced over the microphone softly, like it was the finest piece of china he was afraid to break. His eyebrows furrowed. "Slim, you been in here?" He called loud enough for her to hear over the clamoring noise she made just a few feet away in the living area. 

"Slim...?" He said, unsure.

"Wasn't me," she replied. "Had some folks come by."

"This...this is new?" he asked.

The sound of her heels against the laminate floor had his head turning toward the door. She was half dressed--nothing but a black bra, black slacks, and her favorite stilettos. In her hand was a blazer. He exhaled slowly. 

"You're the singer.  You got a new mic. Hope you like it. I've got the dinner soon. Do you want anything?"

David, gobsmacked by her appearance like he'd never seen her before, and by the new microphone that she gifted (though she tried to act like she didn't). It wasn't what he'd expected for a Tuesday afternoon. He swallowed thickly and shook his head, glancing over at his new music equipment. 

"No, no. I'm okay. Enjoy the dinner." 

He turned to press a kiss on her cheek, oblivious to the way her smile faltered just slightly when he intentionally missed her lips,oblivious to how her smile wavered when he chose her cheek instead. She stood straighter and nodded. This was only day one. She still had more time...she hoped. 

-

David sat at the dining room table, soothing sounds of jazz filling the atmosphere. His fingers moved swiftly across his laptop keyboard as he finished scheduling studio time for the next morning. His eyes cut toward the electronic clock on the stove. 5:05. The handle of their front door jingled. His eyebrow raised. "Slim, is that you?"

The click-clack of expensive heels against laminate answered for her. She huffed lowly and peeled her sunglasses off her face when she came into view. Breathtaking as ever, he noted. She donned straight leg pants that did wonders for her figure, a white tank top, a pink blazer, and tan heels. She smiled shyly. "Hi."

She dropped her keys and phone in the small bowl on the side table beside the couch. "Gonna shower. Anything you want for dinner?" 

David's eyebrows furrowed, and he stammered, confounded. She walked through the door at 5:05, which meant she left the studio at 4:45 PM, before the workday officially ended. Her phone joined her keys in the designated bowl. He noticed. And now, she was showering and ready to make dinner.

David blinked, mouth agape, as he tried to piece together what he was witnessing. Had his prayers been answered? He reminded himself to mark his prayer as complete before he went to sleep. 

"No," he called after her, voice hoarse. "I'm good."

She didn't respond, but the soft thud of the bathroom door closing was enough. A few moments later, he heard the water running. He sat back, brows still knitted, and glanced toward the bowl again. 

Her phone lay in the bowl. Abandoned. Silent. A part of her he often had to compete with. But it was there. Along with her keys. Like she wanted to be here. To be present, not just at home. That alone told him more than any apology could. 

His eyes returned to his laptop, the blinking cursor on the unsent email now an afterthought. He didn't want to get his hopes up. He couldn't afford to. But he couldn't ignore the strange feeling pulling at his chest. Hope. Hesitation. Confusion, for sure. He shook his head. 

"How was your day?" Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts. David cleared his throat and sat up. His eyes followed her as she moved gracefully around the kitchen. Her work attire had been traded in for one of his shirts and her college sweatpants. Her dark hair was clipped back, and her makeup had been washed away. Sybelle, the woman you are. 

"It was good," he said carefully. Sybelle hummed and leaned against the counter, her eyes trained on his despite her phone buzzing in the bowl. His eyes cut toward it, then back to her. She remained unmoving. "Not gonna get that?" 

She shook her head and shrugged. "I told them I was leaving at 4:45. They can leave a voicemail. Decide what you want?” She turned on her heels and started toward the fridge, rummaging through the neatly organized shelves, racking her brain for recipes. “I can make sausage and peppers…”

She rattled off a list that seemed never-ending, but he couldn’t focus. 

“Sybelle.”

She paused. “Yes?” 

David tried not to sound suspicious and accusatory when he asked, “What is this about?” 

Sybelle shrugged a shoulder and rummaged through the drawers for a can opener. “I was putting everyone else above you. It wasn’t fair, and it’s not right.” Oh. His heart fluttered. “Sausage and peppers or something else? Work with me here.” 

David smiled slightly and nodded. “That works.” 

They ate dinner together that night. Nestled side-by-side as they murmured about the highs and the lows of their days. For once, undistracted and undeterred. 

-

David stared at the closed studio door. A note was taped to it in her unmistakable cursive: "Dress nice. Trust me. Love you."

He spent the drive home racking his brain, searching for explanations on what she could have up her sleeve. Things had changed recently. Lately, he felt like a priority. The number one on her list. Yet, he struggled to embrace it. 

Sure, she could do all these things now. And when things got rough, when work got busy, when the going got tough, he'd slide down the totem pole and be back at square one where he began. 

But when he opened the door and was ushered into the ambiance of the candle-lit dining room, a dining table lined with a full-course spread, with a small heart-shaped cake in the middle, all his hesitation and suspicion went away with the wind. "What is this?" 

Sybelle smiled shyly and shrugged. She exhaled shakily and said, "I saw the way you looked at me across the table—like I was a stranger. I hated that. And...our first anniversary was supposed to be grand and magical just like you planned, but..."

Pause. 

Sybelle twiddled her thumbs nervously, then pitched the side of her light blue sundress."I messed up. I can't take it back. I can't turn back the clock, even though I've tried. I can’t undo that night. But maybe… you’ll let me try again?” Her voice slid an octave as her confidence dwindled and her statement turned into a question. 

She stilled under his gaze, unable to read his expression. His lips were pressed in a line. His eyes darted between the table and her. His hands clenched and unclenched like he was fighting an internal battle. And her anxiety was through the roof. It was her last chance, she felt. He'd put up with so much for so long; she couldn't be angry at him if he decided to throw in the towel. 

He didn't. 

Instead, he beckoned her over with the nod of his head that made her weak in the knees when they crossed paths in the studio two-and-a-half years prior. Sybelle stood in front of him. She raised her head slightly, damning her lack of heels for their lack of eye-level contact. 

The corner of his lips raised, and he raised his hand to trace her chin. She leaned into his touch. Sybelle had done many things. Some of which he didn't like, others of which he adored. She had to fight tooth and nail to make a name for herself in the industry, and some of those tendencies bled into their relationship. And her heart. Her big, beautiful heart softened somewhat to recreate what he thought was lost. 

"I appreciate you, Slim," David said lowly. "Can I show you how much I appreciate you, baby?" She whimpered and nodded. He bent down to press a kiss against her cheek, which marked the beginning of a trail of marks being left on her neck, collarbone, and chest. She'd complain about it tomorrow. All she could do was bask in her husband's hands around her thighs as he hoisted her into his arms and marched up the steps. 

Well, she thought. At least she wasn't the one who forgot about the dinner this time. 

-

Tags: @kirayuki22 @greedyjudge2 @notapradagurl7 @irishmanwhore @honeytoffee @theogbadbitch @jazziejax @kumkaniudaku @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @youreadthatright

[naughtyneganjdm]

Love's Second Chance: A Holiday Reunion - Chapter 14

Summary: Together, everyone continues to enjoy New York City, but the fun comes to an end when Joel's feelings for Y/N makes things uncomfortable between them. Negan gives Joel a huge surprise that Joel's not ready for.

Characters: Joel Miller, the reader (OC), Negan Smith, Elizabeth, Peter, Maggie, Tommy Miller, Maria, etc.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60501985/chapters/156587101

Warnings: Swearing, angst, Joel sings again in this chapter, dirty talk, etc.

Notes: This is being put up late because I fell asleep. Sorry about that. Thanks for those that read and comment! The song Iris by Goo Goo Dolls is a big part of this chapter. If anyone wants to listen to what it sounds like. I also edited this when I was very tired, so I'm sorry for any mistakes!

Hope was a very influential emotion. It could make you do things that you didn’t think you were capable of. Today it had Joel feeling a lot of things. It had him acting ways he wouldn’t normally. After last night and this morning, Joel was in better spirits than he had been in a very long time. So he was enjoying things more. He was putting forth more of an effort to be outgoing, optimistic. Friendly. Giving the energy that he thought his family wanted from him on this trip. Everyone seemed to enjoy this change in Joel, even himself.

After their shower, Joel and Y/N came downstairs to see that Negan and Elizabeth were finishing breakfast for everyone. What was hard was hiding the fact that they were both wet. Joel was pretty certain that Tommy may have picked up on something, but neither one of them tried to draw attention to things.

During their breakfast, Elizabeth enthusiastically told her uncle about what happened earlier in the morning. About how she woke up and Joel was missing. Which of course had Tommy asking a lot of questions to Joel when they were alone, but Joel refused to answer them in any way to give Tommy some kind of hint as to what happened. It was only his business with Negan and Y/N. That was it.

They had to finish breakfast fast because Negan had plans to take them to a Christmas market at Union Square. It was a longer walk to get there, so Negan had them driven there by a person he hired. And the car was insane. It definitely felt way too rich for Joel’s blood. Stuff like that still made Joel feel ridiculously uncomfortable. Because it felt like Negan was using his celebrity status to do things most people wouldn’t be able to. And in his opinion? Being driven around the city in expensive cards did draw unnecessary attention to his family in New York City. Even though those discomforts were lingering, Joel didn’t speak up or saying anything.

While they seemed to enjoy being at Union Square, most everyone seemed to enjoy Bryant Park more. Peter went through trying a bunch of food and it was usually without Joel realizing because Negan was consistently buying everyone things. And no matter how much Joel attempted to be comfortable with this kind of thing, he wasn’t. Having Negan pampering his whole family including him just made him ill at ease. The only thing that Joel had managed to accept from Negan was an apple cider donut that Negan had bought for him. It was one of his weaknesses and he had a hard time turning that stuff away.

Today was more about being tourists. Y/N had her camera out, taking photos of everything that caught her eye. Elizabeth was excited to get everything in and Peter was just happy to be there. Tommy and Maria were acting like what they were. A brand-new couple, high on each other and happy to be near one another.

They didn’t stay nearly as long at Union Square as they had Bryant Park the night before. Getting back into the cars, Negan had them driven to Macy’s claiming it was important getting to see it at Christmas time. Since Negan was the only person that had been there he gave them all the ‘so called’ tour. And because Negan was a celebrity, he managed to skip a large line of people that were there to get a photo with Santa Claus so all of them could have a keepsake. Getting to skip the line felt wrong to Joel. But then again? Considering how long that line was, Joel actually appreciated that they didn’t have to wait like everyone else. Christmas was days away and this experience was a whole lot easier than it was back at home when Joel got photos done with Peter and Elizabeth on his own.

The next thing they did was go to the Empire State Building because Negan insisted it was a must see for them. As a contractor, this was something that Joel knew Negan wanted him to see. While it was interesting, Joel found himself mostly just wanting to be near Y/N. Right now he felt close to her. Closer than they had felt in a long time and he was enjoying the fact that they weren’t fighting or uncomfortable with each other. Wanting to keep going, Elizabeth got them to go to Central Park where she was eager to walk around, everywhere. Problem was? Most of them were exhausted. They dragged along, but they certainly didn’t have the energy that Peter and Elizabeth had.

That meant there was a lot of coffee that was downed and Joel counted on Tommy and Maria to watch after them in the moments that he couldn’t with Y/N. If he was tired? Joel knew that Y/N would only be that much more tired.

Once the sun started to set, the group had decided to go ice skating. Negan denied going out on the ice suggesting that he hold onto Y/N’s camera to keep it safe. Out of the group, Joel was the only one that knew that Negan had hurt his knee doing the piano stunt the night before. Truthfully? Joel didn’t fight him on it. That meant more alone time with Y/N and he was eager to take it. At first, Negan just sat down on a bench alone, but Elizabeth wanted to go to a place that served hot chocolate that was famous because of a movie that it was featured in. Since Negan knew where it was, he agreed to take her allowing the rest of them to keep skating.

And that’s where they were now. Skating together and Joel loved it. Peter had met some kids that he was hanging out with. Tommy and Maria were enjoying themselves and Joel was skating on the ice with Y/N holding her hand.

“This has been nice,” Joel informed Y/N with a long sigh, gazing over at Y/N with awe. Thinking back on it, Joel couldn’t remember the last time he felt this good about things. Everything in the moment felt perfect. And he liked feeling that way. “I feel like I’m a kid again with you. It’s like I’m seventeen, deeply in love and happy. This has actually turned out to be a better trip than I thought it would be.”

“You had your doubts?” she wondered, frowning at the idea that he didn’t think he would enjoy himself. “You wanted to come here so bad when we were kids, Joel. I don’t know why you thought it would be awful.”

“It’s not the city that made it good Y/N,” Joel stressed to her, wanting her to understand that while when he was younger the city would have made him happy, it was more so the things that they were doing that left an impact on him. “It’s the moments. I’ve enjoyed getting to spend time with everyone and I don’t know…making memories?”

“That’s good,” she squeezed her fingers tighter around his, finding herself almost slipping. Spinning her into his arms, Joel smiled with her falling in against his chest. Sweeping his gloved covered hand in over the side of her face, Joel’s eyes were locked on hers. Giving her a wink, Joel lowered down as if to kiss her and she uneasily tipped her face to the side so that he kissed in over her cheek. “Thank you.”

“What was that?” Joel stammered, feeling a lump developing in his throat after being denied the kiss. Giving him an awkward expression, she motioned Joel to follow her back to skating again, but he refused to move from where they were at the edge of the rink. “Hey?”

“Tommy or Peter could see,” she whispered looking back in search of their family. At this point? They really hadn’t put a label or made things official with what they were doing with Negan. Publicly, they were hiding things still. So she didn’t even understand why Joel went for the kiss in the first place. This morning they had avoided walking down together after they had done what they had in the shower. “If Peter saw, he could get the wrong idea about things. We don’t want that.”

“The wrong idea about things?” Joel repeated with an ache growing at the center of his chest. Letting out an uncomfortable sound, Joel shook his head and bit down on his bottom lip. “I would think that Peter would be okay with his parents getting along again. After last night and this morning…”

“Joel,” she hushed him, placing her finger in over Joel’s lips to silence him from talking any further about this. Urging him to follow her, they got off the ice and went over to sit down on a bench changing out of their skates. It left them close enough to still keep a watch on Peter and the other two. Sliding in closer to her, Joel looked over at her and was searching for some kind of answer. “If Peter saw us kissing, he might think we’re getting back together.”

“I…” Joel stammered, his eyebrows tensing thinking about the words that just left her lips. “I’m confused. I thought after last night that there was that chance that maybe the two of us…that maybe things were okay and we might think of restarting our relationship again.”

“Well, we can talk to Negan about things with the three of us, but…” she started to ramble provoking him to shake his head firmly after she mentioned Negan.

“I’m not talking about Negan,” Joel claimed, his jaw tensing up at the idea of him being mentioned again. “You came to me this morning worried that I might look at you different. You didn’t stay with Negan, you came to me. There is something between the two of us that can’t be broken. You know that just as much as I do. So what if we show affection toward each other in public? I think the children should get used to it.”

“Yeah, but Joel,” she began, her face twisting with sadness. Outstretching her hand, she placed it in over his and gave it a small squeeze. “I’m with Negan.”

“Yeah, but last night…” Joel shook his head considering what happened between the three of them. “You were really happy. And with us…I thought you were feeling what I was. I thought you might feel the same way I did and maybe the two of us could try again at something.”

“Last night was incredible Joel and I am happy. I love spending time with you and…I do love you,” she swore seemingly conflicted with what she was saying. “But I was never planning on leaving Negan for you. I thought you understood that. Negan was allowing you to be part of something, but that’s it. If anything, it was him allowing you to be part of our relationship. Not having him hand me over to you.”

“It kind of feels like you’re saying what happened last night between us was nothing,” Joel stressed, tugging his hand back and away from Y/N who seemed worried with his response to things. “It didn’t feel like nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing,” she shook her head, stretching her hand out to caress in over the side of Joel’s face. Earlier it seemed like he understood things, but now he was getting extremely emotional about everything they were talking about. “It was special. And I enjoyed it very much. But I am officially dating Negan. Negan is my boyfriend and I told him that I wanted to make this work between us. I told you the same thing. You knew that going into last night.”

“But how you’ve been acting…” Joel reasoned with her, his head shaking in disbelief. Between the two of them both this morning and last night things felt so much more passionate between them. Like they were bonding again with each other and there was that potential for something more. “We’re happy again. I feel like Negan is the third wheel here. Eventually it’s just going to be us again and…”

“Joel, that’s not what’s happening here,” she stressed, sadness flooding her eyes that Joel was going to this. Now she was starting to realize how much that threesome they had may have been a bad idea. Especially since these were the feelings that Joel was drawing up from it. “If anything, I think Negan would be comfortable with the three of us having something together, but…”

“I would ultimately be the third wheel,” Joel finished for her having her searching for words to say. That idea just pissed him off. He was the one that had been with her for almost two decades. Negan may have been there for her first, but he only just came back and had been there a few weeks. “You weren’t acting like I was a third wheel.”

“You’re not. I love you both,” she assured him having a hard time looking at him with the way his face was mixed with both sadness and what appeared to be anger. “Would you even be comfortable with people knowing that you were in a three-way relationship with us?”

“You act like it’s going to last longer than when he has to go back for spring training,” Joel brought back what he had said to her previously which had her frowning. “You’re putting him in the front runner position when he’s just going to leave you when work calls. Right now you’re just a distraction for him when he’s off of work and at home. I was with you first. I know you better than anyone. It should be us that’s…”

“Mom!” Elizabeth called out walking side by side with Negan cutting Joel’s words off. Right now, Joel was fired up and he wanted to keep talking about what they were, but he knew that opportunity was now gone with their daughter approaching. “That was so cool. Because of Negan being who he is, we were able to sit at the table they did with the movie! They gave us free drinks, showed us around. My friends are going to be so jealous.”

“Don’t tell, but she didn’t really like the hot chocolates,” Negan muttered, nudging Elizabeth with his arm when Y/N stood up from the bench leaving Joel to himself. Moving in beside her mother, Elizabeth pulled out her phone to show her photos. Once she was done, Negan waved Y/N forward to look at the camera that was hers that he was holding for her. “I’m not the best at photography, but I got some photos of your daughter there and some other places on the walk back.”

“Adorable,” Y/N winked, giving her daughter a one-armed hug. A moment later Elizabeth was sliding in beside Joel to show him. Even though there was misery in his eyes, Joel put on a fake smile and listened to what she had to say. Right now Y/N didn’t know whether or not to tell Negan what was going on, but since Elizabeth was with them, she opted not to.

Getting her camera back from Negan, she took some photos around the park and of their family. All the while feeling very guilty about everything that was happening. Last night, she didn’t think Joel would really take things the way that he did. The idea of them being a trio was something that she was completely okay with, but Joel seemed to have it in his head that she was going to leave Negan for him and the two of them would be together. If she would have known that’s how things would have gone, she wasn’t sure she would have allowed last night to happen.

The happiness that Joel had previously during the day had turned to a quiet, shut down version of himself. Even the children had asked him multiple times if he was okay because they picked up on the change. Maybe she handled that all wrong and it was the only thing that she could keep thinking about for the rest of the time that they were together at the park.

On the way home, Elizabeth had wanted to see the lights that they walked by the night before. Joel had suggested that he wanted to go home and when she thought she would go back with him so they could talk, he quickly changed his mind to stick around. He didn’t want to talk to her. Which meant this was bad and she knew it.

Once home, everyone was tired. Sluggishly each one of them walked back into the apartment, ready for bed, but then Negan alerted them that he was going to take the adults downstairs to a bar that he wanted to show them. Elizabeth and Peter were okay with it. They were just going to sit in front of the gigantic television in the living room to watch some movies for a while.

Instead of just heading down there, they all chose to clean up some and gather back at the elevator in the apartment. Leading them toward the bar, Negan seemed excited, yet Joel lagged in the back keeping his head down with his hands pushed into his pockets.

“You know what this is right?” Negan muttered loudly as they walked into the bar together, stopping when they were surrounded by a large crowd of people that were waiting. “This bar is famous for finding some of the biggest artists to this day. Some of the top singers came from here. Started here. Big wigs are always hanging around the place.”

Joel didn’t react. Just stood there. When the owner of the bar came around to take Negan to a special table that they had prepared for him, Joel rolled his eyes. Negan left out the part where he called ahead and planned this days ago. They were given one of the nicest tables away from the crowd. The owner even brought them an expensive bottle of alcohol for free. Joel turned it down in order to get a cheap beer for himself that he insisted that he paid for.

“Can we talk?” Y/N whispered under her breath. She was seated between Negan and Joel at the booth they were at. Ever since the park she felt bad about everything that had went down. “I feel like I didn’t say things right at the park. I don’t want you feeling this bad about everything. You were right, things were good between us and I think I said things wrong that just…”

“We already talked. I understand, you don’t have to try to make me feel better,” Joel grunted under his breath, finishing off his beer and then waving down one of the waitresses that were eager to dote on their table since Negan was a celebrity for them. Pretty quickly Joel was three beers in and Y/N wished he would tone it down.

“I’ll be right back,” Negan tapped his hand on the table from where he was sitting at the end of the booth. Sliding out, he gave Y/N’s shoulder a quick squeeze and leaned over to press a kiss against her cheek. “Don’t run away.”

With a final wink Negan back stepped and headed somewhere in the bar leaving her alone with Joel, Tommy and Maria.

“This is pretty cool, right?” Tommy broke the ice, trying to get his brother to talk about what was going on. “We dreamt of coming to places like this when we were kids. Remember? You always thought you would bring your guitar, sing and then someone would notice you. I’m pretty sure this is the actual bar you talked about all the time. And now you’re actually here.”

“Yeah,” Joel stammered, his head nodding about when he dragged his fingers over the bottle that he was holding. “The only thing is? If we would have tried coming here when we were younger we would have gotten kicked out. We were poor little Latino boys that would have never gotten through that door. Nor would I have ever been given a chance.”

“You never know,” Maria suggested after the silence surrounded them at the table. Joel’s negativity made things uncomfortable, but Maria was trying to keep things positive. “I’m sure you would have swept people off your feet with your southern charm and your boyishly cute looks.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Joel scoffed, his eyebrows bouncing up when he took another big gulp of the beer that he had grabbed himself. An act had just gotten off the stage so it was just the sound of loud talking at this point. “Why did Negan even bring us here? I don’t give a shit about music anymore and I really think we should just sleep if we want to go another day tomorrow.”

“Does this thing work?” a horrible ringing sound came from the microphone up on stage after the owner started tapping on it. Everyone in the bar cringed with the sound that echoed throughout the place. “Now that I’ve ran everyone off with that, I thought I would introduce a guest of mine. He’s not the most popular in New York City, especially during the baseball season, but he’s one of the funniest guys I know. Please don’t boo him too hard. Or maybe do. It might knock him off his game when he comes back to New York for his final year of playing. Please welcome my friend, Negan Smith.”

A loud groaning sound was heard from Joel with him dropping his head and shaking it in disbelief drawing the tables attention. There was a round of applause from mostly women, but the boos did come from the men. Truthfully? Y/N was surprised that Joel didn’t enjoy that bit. The New Yorkers took their baseball teams seriously. Especially since Negan was on the team that they hated the most.

Noticing Negan stepping up onto the stage, Y/N got curious when she saw that there was an acoustic guitar in his hand. Getting before the microphone, Negan waved his hand a bit more, antagonizing the boos and urging on the cheers that he got from those that did know him.

“I know, I know. There is a whole hell of a lot of you that don’t like me. And I’m okay with that. I welcome that,” Negan hushed the crowd getting hackled by a few of those that weren’t a fan of him. It had Negan smiling and it seemed to entertain him that people disliked him. “It’s just gonna fuel me to do better when you see me here next.”

“Of course he’s gonna fucking sing,” Joel slurred under his breath with a firm shake of his head. “He’s gonna get himself killed and stabbed by the end of the night. I told him that New Yorkers weren’t okay with him walking around like it’s no big fucking deal.”

“Joel,” Y/N tried to keep Joel quiet but instead Joel just rolled his eyes and looked to the stage with a disgusted expression.

“See, I’m not here for me,” Negan declared, changing the position of the guitar in his hands to strum at the strings. “I can play the guitar, but my singing voice? It’s shit. Unlike my baseball skills…”

There was another round of boos that had Negan snorting and he shrugged his shoulders, “Don’t worry. I’m not about to bore you with any comedian shit here. I just came here because I have a friend. One of my oldest friends actually who had a dream of coming to this very place when we were kids. Talked about it all the time. Today is the first time he’s ever been here. He should have been here years ago, but you see my friend, he’s a hell of a guy. Life didn’t go the way he planned and he had to give up his dreams to take care of his little brother. More than anything, this guy wanted to be a singer so I came here today hoping you guys would let him sing for you.”

“The fuck,” Joel dropped the beer bottle, jumping when some of it spilled out on the table and it started to pour out toward him. Quickly, Y/N helped him clean it up when he looked to her with a panicked expression. “Did you know about this?”

“No, I didn’t,” she swore with Joel’s face going completely pale.

“Now this man hasn’t played in public in a very long time so he’s a little bit shy. Hell, he didn’t even know that I was doing this today so I’m kinda putting his ass on the spot,” Negan spun the guitar in his hands looking out into the crowd.

“Asshole,” a person shouted having Negan snicker and nod his head.

“You’re not wrong,” Negan shrugged his shoulders, accepting the diss that was thrown his way. “I’m sure he’s not too happy with me right now either, but I think everyone should be given a chance to live their dreams once.”

“If he’s your friend, he must suck,” another man yelled out from the crowd causing Joel to sink down in the booth hoping to just disappear from the moment that was happening right now.

“You suck,” Tommy called out back getting a round of laughs from his response. Patting Joel on the shoulder, Tommy realized that it looked like his brother was trying to disappear under the table. “The hell are you doing?”

“I’m just wasting time at this point. If you could do me the honor of accepting my dear friend Joel Miller up here to sing for you tonight, it’d be really fucking nice of you,” Negan held out the guitar in the direction of the booth that he had left his friends at. “Be nice to him, okay? Because if you’re not, just remember I’m really fucking good with a bat.”

There were laughs from the crowd at the serious expression that Negan gave them that was followed by a big cheesy smile afterwards, “So come on up here Joel.”

A bright spotlight was suddenly put on the table having Joel’s brown eyes get big. Shaking his head immediately caused the crowd to laugh at his response and it had color flooding into Joel’s face, “I’m good. No thank you!”

“Like I said, he’s a little nervous so please amp him up a little bit here,” Negan asserted, having the crowd clapping for him, but Joel shook his head again.

“Come on big brother. This is what you always wanted,” Tommy pat Joel on the shoulder with Joel continuing to refuse to go up there. “You can do this.”

“I can’t. I haven’t sang in front of a crowd since I was a teenager,” Joel stressed to Tommy what he knew to be the truth. An overwhelming sense of panic flooded through him and he didn’t know how to get out of here fast enough.

“Hey, you can do this,” Y/N promised, grabbing a tight hold of his shoulder. Shaking his head, Joel tried to get her to move so he could run away but she grabbed a firm hold of his upper arms. “Just think about it. When the children hear tonight what you did, they are going to be so proud of you. I’ll be proud of you. Do it for them. Do it for me. Do it for the child in you that still yearns for this life. Live it once.”

That last bit crushed him. Swallowing down hard, he spoke quiet enough for only the table to hear, “What if I suck?”

“Then at least we will be here to support you,” Tommy blurt out, shoving into Joel’s back to try to push him out of the booth.

Getting up from the table, Y/N let Joel out who stood there looking like he was going to die being put on the spot. A few catcalls had him looking around the crowd and Joel rubbed at his lips with the back of his hand. Going to turn away toward the door to run, Joel ran straight into a large mass that was behind him. Looking up, Joel realized it was the security that had been put on the table to protect them during the night and he huffed.

“Yeah, lead him up here if you could,” Negan waved his fingers with the security helping Joel through the crowd up toward the stage. “Just so he doesn’t get lost.”

At the steps to the stage, the security pushed him forward having Joel stumble on the first step which embarrassed him immediately. There was no escaping this. Not now. Moving up the steps, Joel stopped before Negan and looked to the guitar that Negan was holding out for him.

“You’re gonna need this,” Negan held out the guitar placing it into his hands. Accepting it, Joel felt like the world was spinning around him. Up on the stage, he couldn’t really see much out into the crowd. It was a hot light that was pointed directly on him almost blinding him. Raising his hand, he tried to block it to stare out at everyone there. His eyes fell to the table where his brother and Y/N were. “Good luck buddy.”

Patting Joel on the back, Negan gave a bow and then dramatically pointed to Joel who just stood on the stage feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety. After everything, Joel gave up that hope of having a career in music. He stopped playing in front of people and he shut himself off from the world. He didn’t like being the center of attention. Not like Negan did.

Then again? This was the life he yearned for. The one he regretted never getting.

“You can’t play it by staring at it with your eyes,” someone heckled him from the crowd and it had Negan stopping before he got back to the table.

“Give him a break!” Negan demanded causing Joel to roll his eyes putting the guitar strap over his shoulder. Sitting down at the seat they had dragged up to the microphone, Joel sat down and shook his head.

“Yeah, please give me a break. Some asshole just pulled me up on stage without warning after I’ve downed about three drinks,” Joel was nervous so his words were shaken and his southern drawl was much deeper than normal. Those that didn’t like Negan clapped and others laughed at his comment. “So I’m drunk, unpracticed and frankly scared out of my fucking mind.”

“But you’re hot!” someone called out from the crowd cracking a smile over Joel’s lips with him shaking his head.

Adjusting what needed to be changed on the guitar, Joel strummed a few chords and heard himself fumbling. A few people booed and he knew that he deserved that. He had no charisma. No charm like Negan. He was only up here because Negan got him up here. Not because he deserved it. It was horrifying. It was nothing like he thought it would be. He was a mess.

“I’m sorry,” Joel went to get up when he messed up again, but the sound of something tapping on the stage was heard having him lift his head to see that Y/N had gotten up. She was right before the stage, her eyes staring up at him with hope and awe.

“You have this. I’m right here,” she encouraged him having Joel swallow down the lump that had been building in his throat. He was sweating. Bad. And he was so uncomfortable. But for her? He sat down.

The last time he played was for her. That’s when she turned him down. That stuck with him. For that night, Joel had practiced many songs. Ones that he thought would be good for her, but he had settled on the one that he did. So he started with one of those songs.

“I’m gonna go with some older songs. Something people know because I didn’t have time to plan one of my own songs,” Joel explained to them, finding his strength in the fact the only thing he could see right now was Y/N standing at the front of the stage for him.

It took a minute for him to gain the courage as he started playing a familiar tune in acoustic that he had practiced many times in the past, “And I’d give up forever to touch you. ‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow. You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be and I don’t wanna go home right now.”

It wasn’t his best. He knew that, but he was doing his hardest to keep it together right now. Lifting his head, his eyes locked on Y/N realizing that she was his steady. The thing that grounded him, so he made sure that while he played, he continuously looked to her for his comfort.

“All I can taste is this moment. And all I can breathe is your life. And sooner or later, it’s over. I just don’t wanna miss you tonight,” Joel continued to sing feeling a sense of lightheadedness but he was trying to play through his fears. “And I don’t want the world to see me. ‘Cause I don’t think they’d understand. When everything’s made to be broken. I just want you to know who I am.”

In her eyes, Joel saw an array of emotions. Sadness. Joy. If anything, she looked proud of him.

“And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming. Or the moment of truth in your lies. When everything feels like the movies, yeah, you bleed just to know, you're alive,” Joel continued to sing hearing the awe from some of the women in the crowd from what he was singing. He likely didn’t look like a love song kind of guy, but considering these were the last songs that he practiced, this is what they were getting.

After finishing Iris, Joel went to Make You Feel My Love. And with each song, Joel took notice of the burning over of tears in Y/N’s eyes. It only fueled him to keep him singing. Maybe to show her what she was missing. What he was capable of. Yet, when he saw the single tear sliding down the side of her face, Joel found himself locked on her. Not knowing how many songs he should play.

Next he went with Unchained Melody, then Can’t Help Falling In Love before finishing off with the song that he had sang to Y/N that night. The one he had actually chosen that he thought would be the perfect song for her.

These were all songs that he had wanted to dedicate to her the night that he had brought her to the school. By this point, the women really seemed to be the people drawn to his southern drawl with him singing and since they were all romantic songs, it was natural for them to be excited for him to sing. 

Rounding up the final song, Joel locked his eyes completely on Y/N hoping that this was doing to her what he wanted it to, “I believe and I believe ‘cause I can see. Our future days. Days of you and me. You and me. Days of you and me.”

Finishing up, Joel lowered his head and heard clapping from the audience, it was a bit of a mixed reaction and he was okay with it, “Well I think that’s enough from me tonight before the men boo me off the stage. Thanks for letting me sing here because lord fucking knows I probably won’t do it again.”

Joel stood up from the chair to clapping and he was surprised to hear it. This moment? This right here? It was his dream come true from when he was a sixteen-year-old boy longing for this moment. Taking a moment to appreciate it, he sighed and then moved down the steps. Once he reached the bottom step, Y/N eagerly wrapped her arms around him to hug him and with his free arm he loosely hooked it around her waist.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered, pressing a loving kiss against Joel’s cheek. It had him closing his eyes and cherishing the moment. Leaning back, Joel realized that she was crying because of being happy along with be proud of him. “You were amazing.”

“I…” Joel thought about how much he loved her. How all of those songs were dedicated to her. He wanted to tell her that she was think that kept him on that stage. How she was his comfort. The one thing that kept him from losing it. But he knew it would mean nothing. Especially now that Negan was in her life. “Thank you.”

Giving her a wink, Joel handed her the guitar before walking away. Heading toward the door, Joel walked outside. In contrast to how he was feeling, it was nice and cold. His body was on fire and he was trying to gain back the feeling in his limbs. What he knew to be true was that he fought his way through a few panic attacks up there on stage. So his body was feeling the effects from the adrenaline rushes.

“That was amazing,” a voice called out to him and he looked back over his shoulder to see a woman approaching him. What she was wearing looked like she would be freezing because she was in a very small, tight dress that brought attention to her body. “That was your first time being on stage?”

“In almost twenty years?” Joel suggested with a scoff eyeing over the younger woman moving in beside him. Pulling something out of her purse, she revealed a pack of cigarettes. Taking one for herself, she thought for a moment and held the pack out to him. Accepting one, Joel cleared his throat and looked her over. It had been a long time since he had smoked. It used to be his way to alleviate the stresses of his life, but he had to stop when it got to be an expensive habit. “I know it was obvious that I’m not used to being in front of people. You’re just being nice.”

“You did better than half of the people they bring around here,” the bright green eyes of the woman beside him stared out at him. Getting her cigarette lit, she helped Joel light his. Once he took the first puff, it had him coughing and she laughed. Joel’s face grew red and he tried to bury his head into his arm when he continued to cough. “You don’t smoke, do you?”

“I did,” Joel confessed, embarrassed that he coughed like that. “I had to stop because…” shaking his head, Joel cleared his throat again and shrugged. “It was too expensive and it was between these or the house bills. So I had to give them up.”

“Sounds right,” she winked at Joel, leaning back against the building. Taking another puff of the cigarette, Joel held it in and remembered all over again what it was like to be addicted to these things when he was younger. It was a stress reliever for him even though he knew it wasn’t healthy. “You married?”

“No,” Joel was honest, looking her over. Really? He should have just told her to mind her own business. Have his own space to think things out, but he was honestly enjoying the attention. “Are you old enough to be married?”

“That’s funny,” the stranger pointed back toward the bar. “You have to be twenty-one to get into there. But I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Right,” Joel muttered, extending his free hand out to shake herd. Still, Joel knew that she was significantly younger than him. “You know my name. What’s yours?”

“Maggie. Maggie Greene,” she introduced herself, her eyes narrowing with the way that Joel was staring down at her. “Do you live in New York? You’re good looking.”

“Visiting and…thank you?” Joel snickered not sure how to respond to that. It had been a long time since he had someone flirting with him. She was quick with her questions and he felt like she was sizing him up. “You’re cute too.”

“Do you want a blow job?” she offered having Joel coughing immediately, choking on the smoke that came from the cigarette. It made her laugh at his response and she shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, it’s okay if you don’t want one. It was just an offer.”

“I uh…” Joel didn’t know how to respond. On the one hand, she was cute. Very cute, but there was no doubt that she was much younger than him. And that was very forward for a stranger who didn’t know a thing about him. He wondered if this was what it would have been like to be that young and flirting with people. Since he got married young and it was too his high school sweetheart, he never got to experience life like that. Anyone that he hooked up with in the past was someone he knew for at least a little while. And some of the one-night stands were with people who at least had a full conversation with him. “Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

“Yes or no would be a good answer,” she suggested with a wrinkle of her nose, stepping in closer to Joel allowing him the chance to look down her dress that she was hoping would draw his attention. There was also a bit of a southern drawl to her voice as well. “Where are you from?”

“Texas,” Joel answered, licking his lips knowing that it was inappropriate for him to be gawking, but he still found himself doing it.

“Georgia,” she pointed at her chest having Joel nod once. “New Yorkers don’t do it like southern men. And any southerner up here, doesn’t look like you. I would happily take you into the alley and suck your cock. Let you fuck me…”

“Goddamn. You’re forward,” Joel was surprised by the way she was throwing herself at him. While he was amused and slightly attracted to this woman, it wasn’t the most comforting thought. He wondered how many men she had done this with before previously. Which made him feel immediately old. The younger version of him would have probably loved this, but now that he was older he was considering just how healthy she might be. And how it might be dangerous to do something like that.

“Do you hate it?” Maggie wondered having Joel tip his head from side to side.

“No,” Joel thought aloud, his face flushing over with heat again. Even though he highly doubted that he would do something with her, it felt nice to have someone that looked like her wanting to hook up with him. “It’s flattering.”

“I aim to please,” she fluttered her long eyelashes at him and it had Joel in deep debate. There was the logical side of him that knew it was stupid. But then there was also the emotional side that didn’t think a blowjob would really be that bad. But, then again, he was in a depressed state after everything that happened today. “The offer is still on the table.”

“There you are!” a boisterous voice had Joel breaking his eyes away from Maggie to lift his head up to see Negan approaching him. As soon as Maggie saw Negan, her body seemed to tense up and she stood up straighter beside Joel. Cussing under his breath, Joel knew that Maggie was in awe of seeing Negan up close. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you buddy! You did fucking amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m talking to someone,” Joel pointed in the direction of Maggie who gave Negan a nod when he looked to her.

“Hey,” Negan winked with a friendly smile and then gave Joel his full attention again. By Negan’s reaction to her, it was obvious that Negan had zero interest in being near the woman. Hooking his arm around Joel’s shoulders, Negan turned just enough so that Maggie was pushed out of their interaction. With the expression over Maggie’s face, Joel knew that she had taken the hint that Negan didn’t want her there. By the look in her eyes, Joel knew that she was offended. “And now you’re talking to me.”

“It was nice meeting you,” Maggie stammered with a half wave, dropping her cigarette and stepping it out. Watching her walk away drew Joel to grunt and he walked over toward the alley having Negan following him.

“That wasn’t very nice,” Joel pointed in the direction that Maggie had walked off. Negan’s thick eyebrows bounced and he laughed. “She was just trying to be nice.”

“She was a gutter slut,” Negan blurt out, getting a glare from Joel who was surprised to hear that. “You think this is my first rodeo with people like her? Girls like that try to hook up with up-and-coming stars. Either to brag or hold some kind of thing over that person’s head when they get famous. Whether it’s at a place like this or at baseball games. They used to always try to follow us to our hotels. Get some kind of fame by fucking people. They are so entirely easy to read.”

“And that’s why she came over to me?” Joel confirmed with Negan who dramatically nodded. “I’m a no one.”

“You’re hot, you’re talented, you’re my friend and you were the best act of the night,” Negan listed off, using his fingers to show that Joel had many reasons for that girl to come out and flirt with him. “She wasn’t worth your time Joel.”

Debating that, Joel knew deep down that Negan was right, but he still was annoyed that Negan chased her off like he did.

“I didn’t know you smoked,” Negan commented, his head tipping to the side when he saw that Joel took a long puff of it. Handing it to Negan, Negan accepted it and did the same before handing it back to Joel.

“I quit when Ellie was three,” Joel informed Negan with a hiss, tossing what was left of it across from him. Resting back against the wall, Joel tipped his head back and felt a rush flooding throughout his veins. “You had no right to do what you did tonight. You realize that, right?”

“Come again?” Negan snorted, hissing when he released the smoke from his lungs looking at Joel with surprise behind his hazel eyes. “I did this for you. I planned it once you told me that you were coming along. I knew that the apartment was by this place and I remember you talking about it all the time when we were young.”

“Oh fuck off Negan,” Joel snarled rolling his eyes with the way that Negan was talking. “Do you get off to the idea of torturing me? You are the most manipulative piece of shit I’ve ever known.”

“Did I miss something?” Negan wondered, pointing between the two of them, looking to make sure that they were alone. Because right now he was confused as to what was happening. “What’s going on here Joel?”

“What’s with this whole I’m going to be incredibly nice to Joel thing? You know I’m the last person you should be nice to,” Joel scoffed, his dark eyes narrowing with the way that Negan’s shoulders slumped forward. And there it was. Bringing up the past again after everything seemed to be going right. “After what I did to you, this is all too fucking much.”

“I got over it,” Negan breathed out, pushing his hands into his pockets with the chill that was surrounding them. “Life happened Joel. I was mad for a while, but I’m an adult. It’s been a long time. I don’t care about what happened in the past.”

“You’re so full of shit. I think you’re enjoying this,” Joel claimed with a firm nod of his head. All he could think about was his interaction with Y/N when they were ice skating. There had been a large amount of anger that was building up since then. “You’re throwing in my face how much better you are than me. With my children. With my wife. With everything. You’re perfect. Everyone loves you. I think you want to torture me.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m torturing you,” Negan almost mocked Joel, bobbing his head back and forth with Joel’s stare growing angrier. “I just got you up on that stage. I let you live one of your biggest dreams growing up. I bargained with the owner to get you up there because…”

“I wanted to do it on my own. Not because someone helped me, but because I deserved to be up there. Because I was talented,” Joel corrected Negan, his jaw flexing in anger the more he spoke. “Instead I was handed it. When I didn’t deserve it at all.”

“What makes you think you don’t deserve it?” Negan wondered, trying to understand where all of this was coming from. “You gave up your life for your little brother. You could have been where I am right now if you weren’t selfless and…”

“But I’m not there Negan. You’re the only one of the three of us that got away. You’re the only one that got to live your fucking dream. And you are so happy to throw it in our faces all the fucking time that you’re famous and you have money,” Joel bickered back, throwing his hands up in the air while he spoke. “My family begged me to take them to New York. But I couldn’t do it. In comes Negan on his white horse bringing them in the first few weeks of meeting them. You are infuriating.”

“Listen, okay? You’re just amped up. The adrenaline is flowing through your veins, but what you just did was incredible,” Negan stepped forward in attempts to support his friend, caressing over his shoulders supportively. “Mixed with alcohol, sometimes we think a little differently. And I understand that. Soon, the endorphins are gonna kick in and you’ll see this is actually…”

“Fuck off Negan,” Joel firmly shoved into Negan’s chest having him stumble over his feet backwards tripping over some of the garbage cans that were out. Hitting the ground hard, Negan groaned out and Joel shook his head. “Just because you sucked my dick this morning doesn’t mean we’re okay. It doesn’t mean I trust you and it doesn’t make us best buds again.”

“Is that what this is about?” Negan hissed out, pushing himself up on his hands. “You beg me to suck your dick and suddenly you are freaking the fuck out?”

“Shut up,” Joel warned Negan who shakily pushed himself up to his feet. “I didn’t beg you to do shit. You wanted to do that. You play mind games with people. It’s what you do. You’re a fucking asshole. You know it. I know it. It’s been your talent since we were younger. You always knew how to get what you wanted. You really are the most manipulative piece of shit I’ve ever known.”

“You’re freaking out because you’re attracted to me,” Negan suggested with a scoff shaking his head. “I know you’re all I’m from Texas. I’m an alpha male. I can’t like fucking guys because I’m straight as can be. I’m a fucking cowboy. But guess what Joel? It’s okay to like dick sometimes. Yeah, I sucked your dick. And you came so fucking hard down my throat that you let the whole apartment know just how good it felt. If that embarrasses…”

Wincing out, Negan felt Joel grabbing him by his shirt to spin him and slam him hard against the wall, “Why are you so fucking miserable? I went out of my way to help you tonight. I’ve done nothing but be nice to you. The fuck else can I do?”

“You just think that you can butter me up in order to steal my family. In order to steal my girl,” Joel pronounced each word with venom, his heart hammering in his chest uncontrollably.

“I would never steal your family. They love you. You’re their father and they will always love you,” Negan declared with a shake of his head only to have Joel push him further against the wall. “As far as stealing your girl? I wouldn’t call it that since she wasn’t yours anymore.”

Shoving him hard with his left hand, Joel raised his right fist to attack Negan, but Negan didn’t budge, “You wanna hit me Joel? Fucking hit me. But I don’t have any ulterior motives with you. Maybe I just want to be fucking nice.”

“When has being nice ever gotten you what you wanted?” Joel scoffed at Negan, his eyes narrowing with Joel shrugging his shoulders. “You’re a piece of shit. We both know it.”

“Of course I am,” Negan finally snapped at Joel, the lines in his forehead growing. How loud Negan was actually surprised Joel. It had Joel’s brown eyes growing big, his breathing becoming more broken. “I know what a piece of shit I am. I’m fucking scum. The worst kind of scum and I realize I don’t deserve the shit that’s in my life. I never deserved this. You know what my father did to me growing up and he was right about me the whole time. You know it. I know it.”

“Your father abused you,” Joel lowered his fist hearing Negan’s breathing uneven. Negan’s eyes were tearing over with the emotions that he was visibly feeling from their discussion. “Why you would believe a word that came out of that man’s mouth…”

“But he wasn’t wrong,” Negan stammered with a firm shake of his head. “I was everything he said I was. Useless. Pathetic. Incapable of being anything other than a fucking failure.”

“You have everything,” Joel responded with a wrinkle of his nose, releasing Negan. Hearing Negan call himself a failure when so many people looked up to him in this world was crazy to Joel. “How are you a failure?”

“I lost the one thing in my life that fucking mattered,” Negan confessed, a shuddering breath falling from his lips when he thought about his past. “Everything I touched turned to gold once I left. Except my marriage. The one person who stuck with me throughout everything. We tried to have children. We couldn’t. I was an asshole. The biggest piece of shit out there. But I loved Lucille. And she loved me. And what did I get? I lost her. I lost my wife Joel. Does that really sound like having everything?”

Silence. That’s all that followed because Joel couldn’t exactly have a comeback with that one.

“You had everything I wanted,” Negan stressed with a broken sound. “A family. Children. The perfect wife. And you let her go. In my eyes, your life was perfect. In your eyes, my life was perfect. When in reality? We were both so fucking stupid.”

Curling his fists up into balls, Joel didn’t know how to respond to all of this especially since a part of him wanted to beat the hell out of Negan, “I’m not doing everything I am because I want to rub my life in your face. I’m not doing it to hurt you.”

“Then why are you doing it?” Joel questioned, his chest rising and falling heavily.

“Because for once in my fucking life, I want to do something good. I want to use my power to make people happy,” Negan reasoned with Joel, tossing his hands up in the air in an emotional moment. “When Lucille died, she begged me to promise her that I would live life for her. And I did.”

Negan’s bottom lip trembled when he thought about his late wife, “I’m sick of being a selfish bastard. This money? It means nothing to me. So if I can use it to help people. To bring joy to someone’s life, why shouldn’t I do it?

A rush of guilt flooded through Joel’s veins. In that moment? He believed what Negan was saying and it made him feel bad.

“But why me?” Joel couldn’t understand why he was even an option here.

“Is it so hard to believe that I fucking like you? That I missed you,” Negan wondered, his Adam’s apple bouncing in his throat. “The two of us were best friends and we were separated from a fucked up situation. But the only people to truly even know me were Lucille, Tommy, Y/N and you. You were the only people that cared when no one else did. I’m doing this because I want to do this for you. I want you to be fucking happy Joel. I want you to have the things you long for. Because I care about you.”

Silence fell over them. Both of their breathing was labored when Joel stepped back and away from Negan. Looking down toward the ground, the lines in Joel’s forehead grew deeper. Stepping forward, Joel reached for Negan’s shirt again, balling up the material to pull Negan close. Instead this time, Joel pressed in close to Negan. Resting his forehead against Negan’s, Joel’s eyes came to a tight close. The warmth of Negan’s breath was over his lips. Faintly his lips brushed at Negan’s and he didn’t know what he was doing. This was all so confusing for him.

With a shuddering breath, Joel stumbled back when he heard the sound of footsteps rounding the corner and he tried to move away from Negan.

“I’ve been looking for you two everywhere,” Tommy’s voice drew their attention making both Joel and Negan look to him. Even though something was just happening between the two of them, it didn’t seem like Tommy picked up on it. “I bought drinks for everyone to celebrate. We’ve been looking for you guys. I didn’t expect to find you out here.”

“He just needed some air,” Negan lied, stepping around Joel in order to head back toward the bar. “I’ll be inside.”

“You okay?” Tommy inquired once Negan was gone leaving Joel alone with his little brother. “You should be on cloud-nine right now because that was awesome. Beter than I could have ever pictured it going. You had everyone eating out of the palm of your hand. It’s what you always wanted.”

Tommy was right. That was what he always wanted. And it was hard for him to truly see that, but after everything. Joel didn’t know how to feel. 

----

Tags: @chainsawsangel @fancypeacepersona @violent-darkness @negansbestie @elegantfanficluv

@sanctuaryforthelost @dead-of-niight @dilfsandmartinis @jennydehavilland

[messydiabolical]

Template by @finchmarie can be found here. Thank you Finch it's a lovely template! And it's a Keahi double feature: OC MEME as snagged from @stormikins and @keenie-bo-beenie <3

General

Name: Keahi Maynard Shepard

Alias(es): Kay, Whero (fear-o), Ember, Siha

Gender: Genderqueer

Age: 40 in ME1, 42-44 in ME2, 45+ in ME3

Place of birth: Mindoir

Spoken languages: English, French, pidgin Hawaiin conversational/some/learning: Spanish, Arabic, Māori, Asari standard and Drell standard.

Sexual orientation: demisexual, rarely feels attraction but falls HARD when they do. Pansexual.

Occupation: ME1 alliance military infiltrator, rank of commander, and council spectre. ME2 council spectre, Alliance status unclear, and in the latter half secretly, co-shadow broker. ME3 retired from Alliance and council/ honourary roles not active, co-shadow broker with Liara T'Soni.

Favourite

Colours: Purple and green

Entertainment: Archery, nature walks, gaming (management sims and creative tools especially), reading, painting, playing guitar, crochet, music and dancing

Pastime: Having a great meal and maybe playing a game with close friends, then a private chill evening with Thane cosy in their quarters. More active wise, an archery session, particularly if it is on land in nature.

Food: Dad's home style jerk chicken, rice and peas, hard food and dumplings. Or a full roast dinner with all the trimmings.

Drink: Blackcurrent cordial, cool crisp cider, fresh orange juice with bits (pulp for my friends over the pond).

Book: Lord of the Rings trilogy

Have They

Passed University: Joined the Alliance straight out of school, has done many certifications via that.

Had sex: Before Thane, only two partners and brief relationships with a handful of sexual occasions. With Thane, a lot.

Had sex in public: No and absolutely zero interest in trying

Gotten tattoos: Yes. One is a periwinkle over a pentagon, a favourite flower and a nod to Thane. (I figure tattoo removal is much more doable by this point and Keahi is a sappy romantic anyway).

Gotten piercings: yes, muliple. The infiltration track allowed for slightly more lenient dress code in the alliance so they had some ear piercings, although they often closed over and had to be redone. From ME2 onward, multiple piercings including labret and nose.

Had a broken heart: Sort of. (i'm still working out these backstories so the details are a little bare here). Their two previous relationships were both with people they had strong, significant connections with but both were simply not sustainable. Relationship one was a fellow soldier, work, youth and distance made them decide to end things amicably. He later died in duty, Keahi still mourns him. Their second relationship was with a female turian (get him very drunk and they will admit they 'climbed her like a tree' at a good foot taller than him) again met via work and she wasn't looking for a commitment due to work ambitions, a mutual split but was very sad to end things at the time.

Been in love: Thane, the great love of their life, their soulmate, all the cliches. Thane lives because I am soft and they need to grow old and wrinkly together.

Are They

A cuddler: So cuddly with those they are close to. Minimal bodily contact until that closeness is formed though

Scared easily: Not easily. Keahi is a very chill, level headed person. Until they aren't and then it's nuclear time, all the feels.

Jealous easily: Not especially.

Trustworthy: Ridiculously reliable. I think Keahi is one of those people that could be extremely good at lying and manipulation if they have to and truly believe it's necessary, but would never want to and is a last resort, so if you are putting faith in them there's a 99% chance that faith is extremely well placed.

Family

Siblings: None, but was extremely close to other kids on Mindoir :(

Parents: Mum- Dr. Rita Shepard, Agriculturist. She was head of agricultural sustainability and planning on Mindoir, with specialisations in conservation and zenobotany. She made sure any food production didn't cause ecological problems and was sustainable both for the population and the planet. She named Keahi after the plant of the same name which has red stems, and to honour her Hawaiin mother. Dad- Winston Maynard, primary school teacher. Winston was one of those heart of the community types, a smiley, fun, loving man who idolised his 'big brained beautiul' wife and who was every kids favourite teacher.

Rita and Winston:

Children: Keahi loves kids and has always had a 'if it happens it happens and if not that's ok' attitude to having children of their own, knowing their work is not exactly child friendly. Once settled with Thane, Keahi is very happy taking on a step parent role to Kolyat (once Kolyat warms up to them and wants that too) and Feron. Most drell live in tight knit multi generational family units (Thane and Irikah were outliers there) and post reapers, Keahi and Thane live with Kolyat and Feron and very happily and readily help with raising and doting on grandchild Mina.

Pets: The aquarium is converted into a vivarium and home to some space geckos

Tagging: So I've combined two different thigns here, Finch's goregous character template and the OC meme. So to those I tag, you can do one, both or none of course! @pastelroyce @dandenbo @angstyastro @shadowthehedgehog1 @daisywalletchains @who-is-riley @twistedstitcher27 @callista-curations @onedismay @tumblersleftboob and absolutely anyone else who wants to try them out and please tag me I want to see them <3 <3

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Hello Mouseeyy, how ya doing?

So i have something in mind, i once thought of Mr. Qi as like grandpa's great grandpa or older. And i also thought like grandpa has also gotten perfection because he was blue (i like to think that blue meant that they have reached perfection), and Mr. Qi was also blue, albeit only his skin.

So what if when the farmer has reached perfection, they could have like blue tint to them, and also because they gotten perfection, everything they do is perfect, like perfect baking, perfect fishing, etc. (i also made like another farmer oc based off of these).

How would the RSV characters (love your rsv headcanons btw) , like maybe all of them?, would react to a perfect farmer? Maybe some of them would notice that there is more to farmer than they initially thought?

Hey hey 👋 Doing great, eating pineapple pizza at this moment and drinking tea 💖

Oooooh, so Qi is basically Grandpa's great grandfather? (apparently immortal too, under these circumstances). And after achieving Perfection, there are these changes in one's body. I've never thought of that idea before, but it's cool! I usually always thought we get a statue, golden chickens, and a unique hat, no more HCs or ideas.

Anyway, thank you so much for the ask and for your kind words, dear! Have a wonderful day ☺️🫰

_________________________________________

Ridgeside Village residents' reaction to Farmer and the aftermath after their attainment of Perfection (blue skin and the ability to do everything perfectly):

Honestly, Pika would be scared for a moment that blue-skinned Farmer had fallen victim to another of Keahi's pranks. Though the chef would then immediately change his mind, after all, his son wouldn't go that far with jokes, would he? "I just... succeeded at something." Farmer's words made him even more confused, but.... okay? Pika will definitely be shocked, by the way, when Farmer shows him his own special dish, perfectly made on the first try, when it took him months to come up with the recipe and perfect it. Heh, they'll outdo Pika in his own element that way!

"Wow, you're blue from head to toe. Blueberry season is in full swing, eh?" Bert asked Farmer jokingly, but his eyes widen not a little when he with Olga, Kimpoi, and Malaya discover that Farmer hasn't been fiddling with berries that could temporarily make you dye. "Oh dear... Maybe you should stop by Paula's?" Olga and Kimpoi's advice about going to the local doctor was met with polite refusal. Malaya, strangely enough, was acting somehow unusual, and her husband noticed. Later she meets Farmer one-on-one and honestly wonders what's wrong with them. She senses some kind of magic around them, to which Farmer will tell her something cryptically and give her a perfectly caught, flawless lullaby carp. Well, yeah, it's a little weird, but it's kind of the same Farmer.

Anton was resting at Pika's with a mug of cider when he was greeted by a smiling Farmer. The architect stared at them for half a minute, and slooooooowly pushed his half-empty mug away. Too much booze for roday since he was starting to see blue people. "Hey, Anton, how's going? I brought you something... A bottle of mead, from the finest honey, perfect quality! Let's pour it for two and-" No thanks, Anton's had enough for today. Blue Farmer....

When Paula saw her friend/spouse after attaining Perfection, she freaked out because they had turned blue??? They're suffocating?! Immediate first aid! Then realizing that Farmer's health was in no danger, the military medic would look for info about unusual phenomenon of "blue skin". Did they eat something weird? How are they feeli- Oh, it's for her? Mmm, thanks! Okay, back to work! Paula will be too busy looking for Farmer's undiscovered "disease" to notice another changes about them.

Just like the military medic, Kiarra will be scared shitless by Farmer's new look, believing they ate or drank something toxic. "Must be another ‘novelty’ from Joja.... Wait, but Farmer hates Joja???" All the local doctors spread their hands, since her friend/lover was fine. Okay, that's good. A little scary, but at least they're okay. About the "perfect" part... well, Farmer is already an expert at their job, standing over the stove for hours, fishing, gained a lot of experience, so it's not too surprising that they're good in their job.

Farmer, noticing a company in the person of Alissa, Ysabelle, Corine and Faye, went towards them, wanting to give them their favourite dishes, made perfectly by Farmer themself. But the poor fella was stunned by a wave of heartbreaking scream from the women, for not only had Farmer approached them unnoticed, but it was evening, and to see a stranger behind you, whose skin was blue as blueberry and glowed a little in the dark, was unexpected and frightening. "Farmer, what's wrong with your skin!? You need to see Dr Paula right away!" Ysabelle moved away quickly from the shock, and so did the other girls, changing to concern. Now Farmer had to run away from the company, who were very insistent on sending them to the clinic to see the military doctor (especially Corine and Faye).

Ewww, what is that? Why is Farmer so, uh, blue? Is it a disease? Is it contagious? Louie's gonna take a couple steps back, just in case. And tell them to see a doctor or something. It's not contagious? Good, now let's go to the kitchen, Louie needs a sandwich and Sonny's not around. Mhm, delicious! Perfect food for him! Of course his serva- uh, friend, makes perfect sandwiches! Even his family friends have to do everything perfectly.

Ariah takes one slightly concerned look at the visiting Farmer and advises them to go see Dr. Paula for a medical checkup. Considering how perceptive a young girl she is and has an analytical mindset, she would have noticed something about Farmer's perfect action right away.... if she hadn't been completely immersed in her exams. Ariah has absolutely no time at all to observe Farmer and their "perfectness," law test is in a couple days, she can't afford distractions.

"Look, Farmer's skin is blue!" Yuuma looked a little angrily at Keahi and Trinnie who shouted those words and pointed at Farmer with their fingers, because it wasn't nice to say that. Though he also looked worriedly at the adult because it was definitely not normal. But their parents told the kids that Farmer was okay and to behave. Not that the local kiddos had time to notice Farmer's "perfectness" except for one comment from Keahi that Farmer always hits the exact target at the Stardew Fair festival games. They quickly forget though, because Farmer buys them goodies and toys with their tokens, awesome! They're the cool adult!

In fact, when Naomi and Shiro heard from Yuuma that Farmer had turned blue, Naomi asked her youngest son to be polite and not point fingers at the people with the other local children, while Shiro laughed a little and thought his brother was imagining things. But lo and behold, when both adults saw Farmer walking past, they opened their mouths in surprise, and Yuuma said that he "told them, it's true." The veteran will enquire sometime if Farmer is okay, but to be completely honest, the Kobayashi family will be a little too busy to notice Farmer's "perfectness".

Jio and Daia didn't just notice the obvious, they felt the changes. A strange aura, unknown to the members of the Cult, enveloped Farmer from head to toe. At one point they even thought it wasn't Farmer at all, but after checking, Jio with Daia would become convinced that this was the same person who had helped their Lady. Does two assassins know that Farmer is doing everything perfectly now? Of course, Jio is now watching them from the distance while Daia's questioning Farmer directly to report back to Belinda with all the information. Something strange has happened to them...

"Freeze!" Aguar barely caught up to the Farmer, slightly out of breath. "Let me take a look at you..." Indeed, his keen eye did not deceive the former wizard - magic! Unusual, powerful... Huge flow! And their skin... No more questions! Aguar almost forcefully drags Farmer into the laboratory, scaring Maddie, who was working there quietly (not anymore). The lab assistant, unlike her boss, will panic over Farmer's bluish skin and want to send them to the clinic, but Aguar beats her to it. "They're fine, we'll run some tests now in my baseme- Wait, where's Farmer?" Good thing Farmer has a "perfect" escape plan from the lab (Maddie will definitely insist on a day off for herself).

"Oh, that's- oh." Zayne was chatting with his grandmother Maive on another family matter as he noticed with the guests in the manor. The joy was immediately replaced by shock and concern over Farmer's appearance. Zayne wanted to put it mildly, "Hmm, Farmer, your skin-" "WHAT IS THIS! Sonny, call the doctors and paramedics! Irene-" Maive, on the other hand, decided to immediately trumpet the alarm, but better safe than sorry (poor terrified Amethyne's servants...) After a full hour of checking that Farmer isn't sick with some weird contagious disease, everyone will calm down, more or less. However, Maive will insist on another check-up with the best doctors she can find, as she is concerned about Farmer's health after all. Zayne, Irene and Sonny would agree with her. The day had been so exhausting that Farmer no longer wanted to tell the Amethyne family their story of achieving Perfection...

Ay ay ay, what a catch! Carmen had never seen such a big trout before! And Farmer had caught a dozen of them in half an hour, while she hadn't even hooked one. Way to go! Williy said the art of fishing was dying out, but look at this youth! Yeah, Carmen was a little worried when she noticed the blueness in Farmer's skin, but they said it was fine, so they know better. Hey, another one, pull the rod, Farmer!

Blair also didn't leave out Farmer's perfect fish catch and the strange unnatural shade of their skin, though she was more focused on uncovering their secret. What secret? And how would the young fisherwoman know, without watching them? Could be anything: magic fishing rod, magic in general. It might not even be the real Farmer! So she needs to find out what they're hiding and get someone to help her (Keahi and Sean, for example).

Just as Farmer took a step into Ridge forest, Belinda came out of nowhere and grabbed their arm, giving them an intimidating look. And then a flash - they were both in the cleared Spirit's Realm now, next to a worried Raeriyala. "And now, my dear farmer, you will tell me everything." She had been looking for one particular person (entity, rather) who would answer her questions. And Farmer, judging by their new "style" and aura, would be able to help her in her search. Rae, on the other hand, was trying to calm down her lover, as poor Farmer was about to faint from fear.

Ezekiel shakes her head and grumble under her breath that "kids these days have gone insane with their "fashion." First they make themselves huge holes on their jeans, and now they're painting their skin blue! Thanks for the baked fish, Farmer (it smells delicious, just like Helen used to make it...), but you'd better wash the paint off your skin, it looks silly. "That natural skin colour..... now." Yeah, right. Bah! Ezekiel goes about his business, which he has a whole bunch of, so he has no time about "perfect" blue Farmer right now, to be honest.

"Hey, Farmer, looking goooooo.... um, what happened to you?" Jeric's cheerful smile slowly slid off as they noticed Farmer's bluish skin. It looks a little scary, but at the same time.... somehow mesmerising, and such a glow, wow! He doesn't know how to explain it, but it looks good on Farmer? Yeah. It's nothing bad, right? Oh good, Jeric is glad his friend is okay. And aww yeah, spaghetti and gravy, his favourite! His friend's got the best food he's ever had, even better than at Pika's!

"So I'm not the only one seeing this? Ugh, I thought I was going crazy from lack of sleep..." Well, maybe Bryle isn't crazy, but definitely need some rest, Jeric thinks at least. But how can bodyguard rest when there is an increased threat of attack/kidnapping of the Governor and his adopted son, who is also Bryle's best friend? Ok, what are they talking about? Ah, right, the blue Farmer. Well, since they say they're okay, Bryle will believe it. Though he'll do a curiosity search to find out what this phenomenon is.

It looks like Lola and Freddie haven't paid any attention to Farmer's skin, as if the older couple didn't notice it at all, still addressing their young friend and adventurer as always. Except they realise everything, the obvious things and what is hidden from the eyes of ordinary people. Whatever magic it is, Freddie and Lola sense it. And they see how Farmer gets everything right on the first try. But they keep quiet, not giving themselves away. The ex-assassins want to make sure it's really Farmer, and whether they hasn't changed after... the aftermath of their adventures, apparently.

"Ha! Blair and Keahi pranked you, right?" Instead of the usual greeting, Sean let out a laugh that sounded more like the sound of a boiling kettle. First the stink bug, now the paint, hilarious. For which, by the way, he gets a cuff on the nape from Ian, because not only is Sean being an asshole, but he's also scaring off their regular customer. After Farmer explains that they've turned blue due to "unusual circumstances", both men immediately become more serious. "Are you sure you're okay?" Farmer reassures the two of them that they are fine. Ian and Sean will somehow notice their friend's slightly odd behaviour when they're mending farm fence in the morning, but won't pay much attention to it.

The enemy is in the den! Kiwi stabs the intruder- What? It's Kiwi's friend, Farmer! But... Kiwi don't understand. It's Farmer in front of the Kiwi, but something's happened to them. Kiwi feels magic, strange, strong.... And Farmer has turned blue like some of the wild berries that grow in the forest! What's wrong with Farmer? What "perfection" did they mean? Weird... Kiwi will wait for Jio and then they'll sort it out, but in the meantime... Kiwi's on guard, just in case. No, no "perfect" plum pudding, Kiwi's waiting for Jio.

Sigh... It was that damned old wiring again, Kenneth had told Lewis so many times that it was time to change it.... Okay, he has to get his tools now and- "Hey Kenneth!" The poor electrician nearly broke his neck falling down the ladders. "Your skin-" "Got a problem here? I'll help you!" In no time, the wiring in the electrical box is as good as new, and they, not forgetting to help Kenneth up, went on about their business. The electrician doesn't know what he's more shocked about: the blue tone of Farmer's skin, or the fact that they fixed the old wiring in a minute. Literally, in just a minute.

Philip and Flor were just standing chatting outside the Cabin Log Hotel when the red-haired girl covered her mouth in horror and the physiotherapist turned his head towards the direction his companion was looking. Blue Farmer. Blue. Farmer. Blue... They.... Are they choking?! Okay, he's about to give them first aid! "Guys, I'm fine." ???? Ok... Farmer isn't choking, they both felt a little calmer, but.... "Your skin looks unnatural, it's like you've been dyed. I'm taking you to the clinic urgently, let's get Harvey see you." No, Philip, there's no need- "And I'll contact Paula." Flor, not you too- Well, Farmer needs a "perfect" escape from his overreacting friends.

Oh, Lenny, Richard, Lorenzo and Shanice already know about the situation with Farmer, as half the village is gripped by a wave of panic. Most trumpeting the alarm was the madame herself, who had time to call Lenny and warn her to quarantine the village due to the "threat of an unknown disease from Farmer," Richard about available place/shelter, and Lorenzo with Shanice about food supplies for the villagers. The panic started as quickly as it ended, though, and everyone got used to the blue Farmer (Lenny almost fell to the floor laughing). Farmer even took a little offence at this panic, all they wanted to do was treat the residents to their perfectly made food and gifts...

"June, are you trying to burn the forest with your cigarette?" The pianist had no such thought, and the cigarette fell from his mouth because he opened it in surprise. "Your skin-" "Is it blue? Yeah, I know, and no, it's not a disease or poisoning, I've already had to explain that to the others...." So, Farmer's going to tell June how that happened, right? Because that's definitely a story a pianist would listen to. "Sure, you can also listen to me play the piano." But Farmer said before that they didn't know how to play??? "Well, now i can. And other instruments." What-

Torts slowly approached Farmer, sniffed them, and quickly crawled back to his little house. Farmer would think that the turtle was behaving rather strangely. It's as if they are a stranger to him, even though they and the reptile had been friends for a long time. Alright, maybe Torts is in a bad mood or something. Except that he understands what happened to Farmer, sees not only their skin colour, but also what mere mortals can't see. Farmer has achieved Perfection. Good, good... Their bravery, their determination, their good heart..... The village, and the whole Valley, is in safe hands.

[imrowanartist]

OC Tag Game

I'm considering myself tagged by @i-creatied-au because this looked fun and I'm gonna tag @allenvooreef, @redhairedmuses and @tkwritesdumbassassins to drag them down with me!

I won’t clutter this post with much art, but you can find a character sheet with plenty of art of Tamryn here. And if you want to see my other posts of him (and Davrin), just use the tag of his name at the bottom of this post :)

GENERAL

Name: Tamryn Thorne

Alias(es): Rook, Tam, Red (Taash), Vhenan (Davrin)

Gender: Trans male

Age: 26

Place of birth: A small community near Wildervale in the Free Marches, consisting mostly of Dalish elves tired of the nomadic life style and city elves having ‘escaped’ the city.

Spoken languages: Common and a little bit of elven, taught to him by his mother.

Sexual orientation: Bisexual

Occupation: Grey Warden

FAVORITE

Color: Red

Entertainment: Having a drink with friends, just chatting and telling stories. Figuring out riddles and mysteries with Neve and/or Bellara. Exploring with Davrin and Assan. Watching Taash and Davrin work out.

Pastime: He used to have decent drawing skills, though he hasn’t used them much after becoming a Warden. He picks it up again at some point, to help Davrin with illustrations for his monster manual. He also used to enjoy helping his mother with making potions.

Food: Not very picky, as a Grey Warden he’s used to just eating what is put in front of him. Though he definitely has a sweet tooth and loves pastries.

Drink: The choco chicco thing from Treviso. Though he’ll occasionally drink coffee too. Alcohol wise he’ll drink most things, though he has a preference for ciders. (He also can’t hold his liquor very well lol)

Books: He’s not much of a reader. Spending several years in a mage’s circle, surrounded by dusty books kinda spoiled reading for him. Though he loves listening to stories being told or read.

HAVE THEY

Passed university: He passed the Harrowing at Weisshaupt’s mage’s circle, before being allowed to take part in the Joining, but other than that has been homeschooled by his parents.

Had sex: Yes. He had his first relationship at 16 and afterwards has had some flings with fellow Wardens in the years before meeting Davrin.

Sex in public: Semi? He doesn’t shy away from having sex in a forest clearing or a backroom somewhere. But not in full public.

Gotten tattoos: At 15 years old Tamryn received his Vallaslin as a rite of passage. While in his community not everyone chooses to have them, he wanted to honor his mother’s heritage (and thought they looked cool).

Gotten piercings: Not really his thing

Gotten scarred: He has a scar on his nose from being punched in the face by a fellow Warden he pissed off after he kissed her partner while drunk. He also has some minor scars on his body from past fights with darkspawn and just clumsy mishaps, but nothing huge.

Had a broken heart: That first relationship he had at age 16 didn’t end well. When he learned that their village’s Keeper planned on sending him to the Wardens he asked her to run away with him, but she broke up with him instead. After that, he stayed away from serious relationships until Davrin.

Been in love: Yep. While he did really love his first girlfriend, he discovers later that it’s nothing compared to the love he feels for Davrin though.

ARE THEY

A cuddler: With Davrin in bed? Absolutely.

Scared easily: Unless it involves deep water, not really. He’s seen some things as a Grey Warden.

Jealous easily: Not at all

Trustworthy: Very, unless he’s drunk. Then he can’t be held accountable for things he might accidentally blurt out.

FAMILY

Sibling(s): Five of em and Tamryn’s the oldest. His brother Fenras (23) moved to Starkhaven to study and his sister Erilyth (21) left to join a fully Dalish clan. The youngest three (Ilyana (17), Arlen (13) and Miriel (10)) still live with his parents.

Parents: Elwin and Shanna Thorne. Shanna originally came from a Dalish clan and Elwin from the alienage in Wildervale. Shanna is one of their village’s Healers and Elwin a farmer/hunter. Elwin unfortunately dies of the Blight during the events of Veilguard.

Children: In the years after defeating the gods, Davrin and Tamryn ‘accidentally’ acquire two kids, Nelowen and Caleb (in that order). They’re 6 years apart with Caleb being the oldest. Caleb also is a little mage, so Tamryn takes him under his wing to teach him.

Pets: Does Assan count? Other than that, maybe the horses they use for their travels from time to time.

[hexqueensupreme]

Midnight Magnolias

Southern Gothic Werewolves Poly 141 x OC

Chapter One

Author's notes: Been a hot minute since I updated this but here ya go. As always, not proofread read at your own risk. Check out the playlist for the story here > woof

Triggers this chapter: n/a, strong southern accents

Three weeks earlier.

 Crossroads bar and grille was packed tonight; every wobbly stained table crowded with people, you couldn’t even slide a dollar bill between people at the old chipped bar- but that was to be expected of the only bar in their little town nestled in the woods and marsh. A town too small for street lights or sidewalks or where the biggest news of the decade was a barely stocked family dollar coming to the edge of the town didn’t have many options to pass time outside of getting piss drunk, hunting, or shooting up drugs. Augusta only drank the occasional cider when she wanted to watch a game at her work -much happier sitting at home nestled with some novel and her bulldog Billy- but she couldn’t fault the rest of the town for settling for other options, desperate for human interaction to break up the monotony - and it paid the rent for her busted up little trailer out on Amberdeen road. Crossroads was the  place to be in Cross, had been for forty years and would probably be for another forty more.

  “Hey Augie!” Charlotte twittered from behind, flashing her bright smile that earned her tips hand over fist. The older woman was a regular favorite at the bar, leaving men falling over themselves as she gave them little winks as she took their orders. 'Never let age stop you' she had said once, flipping her full black curls over her shoulder. Of course, she could say that because at forty five somehow she was still rocking the body of a twenty three year old in their uniform shorts. Augusta was only thirty and she was sure it wasn't her age that kept her from getting dates or men to ogle her like *that*- not that she was sure she even wanted that, to be honest. “Could you grab that table that just sat down? I'm absolutely drowning with Barny celebrating his fiftieth at the bar there. They're running me ragged."

 An obnoxious ‘I’ll run you ragged, baby doll!’ sounded from somewhere from behind her. “Of course, Char. Let me know if you need any help running your food or drinks,” Augusta offered with a kind smile. Most of her tables were just got their newest round of orders in anyway.

 “Thank you, darlin’! I owe ya!” Charlotte chirped.

 The table was surprisingly a group of unfamiliar faces.

 Unfamiliar handsome  faces.

 “Hi, welcome to Crossroads. What can I get y’all started with?” She greeted, hoping her cheeks weren’t too flushed when the oldest of them, mutton chops and deep blue eyes met her gaze with a friendly smile. She thanked the gods above that she decided to do up her ginger hair in nice curls and bothered with some makeup tonight even if it was just for tips.

 “Could we get a round of beers for the table? Whatever you have that’s popular is fine,” the man hummed. Deep and smoky, like tobacco and whiskey. The british accent took her by surprise even more than his looks. She had never seen anyone visit here from any farther than North Carolina. “You lads want anything?”

  “Yer name and numb-” the one with uncanny cobalt eyes and a mohawk began to reply before the sound of a loud thump under the table and hiss from him cut him off. Scottish too? The man next to him - the prettiest fucking man she had ever seen in her life with a baseball cap with the union jack on it - shot him a withered look and he pouted back. “Naw, we’re good.”

  Augusta had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the poor man’s dejected look. “Alright, a round of budweisers comin’ up. I’ll get them for ya, my name is Augie if y’all have any questions or need something.” She offered a chipper smile, watching the scottsman’s pout melt away at the gesture before heading off. The only one who didn’t give a smile or noise back was the hulking beast of man with buzzed blonde hair and thick thighs that struggled to fit on the tiny chair beneath him. Would have been a comical sight if his glare didn’t threaten violence with a flicker of his pretty brown eyes.

  She dropped off the beers with a polite smile, dutifully ignoring how the scottsman leaned back in his seat to watch her ass as she set the drinks down on the table. Even being a big girl she was used to men acting a fool around her while she worked, there wasn't a lot of options when you knew everyone in town through church, school, or blood. Course, it was usually after they were shot down by the other waitresses and women in the bar and they were already three sheets to the wind. Maybe he just hadn't spotted Charlotte behind the bar yet or thought she was an easier lay as the "fat girl". When she straightened she could have sworn the big silent brute sucked in a breath, was he... sniffing her?

   "So what brings you all from across the pond? Ain't seen your faces around here before."

  A quick look flashed between the men, too fast to figure what it could have been before the bearded older man was offering a polite smile, "visiting an old friend. Don't get a lot of visitors out here, I take it?" 

  A snort escaped her before she could suppress it, "here? God no. What would anyone visit here for unless you got family out here? We don't even have a grocery store here, not exactly screaming vacation luxury or nothing."

  "Aw, I'm sure there's at least some fine sights around here to see," the pretty one smiled, and oh did her knees knock a little at that mega watt grin. He really should be on magazine covers or something. "So far what we've seen is lovely." Maybe it was just her imagining things - wishful thinking- but his gaze dipped down along her body as he spoke. She was sure her cheeks were bright red from how fiercely they were burning.

 "The views at home must be real lack luster if that's the case," she quipped, earning a chuckle from them. "Are y'all staying in town with your friend or did you find a place to stay?" There wasn't any motels or Air bnb's to rent until maybe the next town or two over. 

 "We're staying at some old house out past the canal. Think the road's called Marshall Lane or something," mutton chops replied after a beat. She must have shown some recognition on her face at the description because he lifted a bushy brow at her, "you know it?"

 "The old cabin out there, right? It's been vacant for a while now since old man Donny passed a few years back. Didn't realize it was for rent, hope it's not too dusty in there for y'all. Used to visit over back in the day to drop off some treats for him on my hikes through the woods there." The property was only about a thirty minute walk through the dense woodlands to her place and probably the only place she could take her walks without being met with a shotgun for trespassing onto someone's property. She didn't mention that though, they were still strangers after all and she wasn't a total idiot no matter how handsome the strangers were. 

"Ya can drop off treats whenever ya'd like," the scottish one grinned wolfishly, leaning his big beefy arms on the rickety table and making the beers slosh in their bottles. "D'love so pretty company. A regular little ol' ridin' hood." That earned a loud snort from the pretty one and a hefty kick beneath the table from the grumpy one she'd guess judging from how the table shook. 

Augusta raised a brow, looking between them all with a bemused smile. She hoped they visited more during their stay they were certainly entertaining if nothing else. "Mmm my my, what a big ego you've got, grandma." She offered a little playful wink to the scottsman and nodded to the rest. "I'll leave y'all a minute to look over the menu. Feel free to flag me down if you need anything." She could feel their eyes on her as she bustled back to the kitchen. 

She guessed they didn't plan on eating as the menus sat untouched and unopened on the caddy while she quickly went about checking on the rest of her tables. Drinks refilled, checks dropped, dishes swapped as the room got louder as more bodies shoved their way inside, milling about the bar and worn pool tables. By the time a few hours had passed the bar was in full swing with raucous laughter and the loud bang of pool cues against cue balls and the handsome strangers hadn't barely touched their beers, milking them glacially as they kept their eyes on a swivel around the room. 

"I think that new table is looking for something," Augusta mumbled, leaning on the bar and stretching her back as she waited for her drinks. "Been eyeing around the place like they're waiting for someone to jump 'em." 

"I dunno about all that but they sure been eyein' that fanny of yours all night," Charlotte grinned wickedly over the tab, looking pointedly behind her. August glanced back over her shoulder sneakily and sure as shit all four pair of peepers were glued to where her hips bent, swaying idly to the grainy music playing off the ancient jukebox. She felt her cheeks burning as she whipped back forward as mutton chops looked up and met her eye and she had to pretend like she did not just catch them all staring. He looked unashamed at getting caught, a smug smirk tugging at his mustache that made her equal parts flustered and annoyed. "I don't think they're hungry for food tonight, sweetheart. You should go ask them if they'd like you for desert."

Augusta grabbed her drinks from her with a scandalized huff, her cheeks nearly as red as her hair. "Char!"

Charlotte for her part was unmoved by her friend's sputtering, shrugging a shoulder nonplussed like she didn't just tell her to offer her pussy like a treat to a bunch of strangers. "What? Girl, you have had a longer dry spell than most states. My first marriage was shorter! You *need* to go out and enjoy yourself. Ride some dick and live a little," she purred.

"I will have you know I do just fine with my vibrator and my imagination, thank you very much. Men come with too much hassle and complications," August sniffed, raising her chin haughtily. It wasn't glamours and yeah, her little pink vibrator couldn't cuddle her at night or make her laugh but it also couldn't cheat on her or run out on her either. 

"You make me sad, girl. If you don't get one of their numbers tonight I'm gonna grab it for you!" Charlotte threatened loudly as Augusta carried her drinks away, leaving the ginger shooting a mean look back at her while she made her rounds. Thank the gods that the bar was loud as hell tonight so at least she didn't have to worry about them hearing about her sad love life over the crowd. 

She let another hour pass before she stopped by again, their bottles finally nearing empty as they all sat hunched over their table. The air around them felt weirdly tense as she approached but when she greeted them again it dissipated like mist after an early morning, all smiles (save for the big one) leaving her wondering if maybe she was just imagining it. "Y'all want another round or are y'all okay?" Another shared look between them; there and gone, before mutton chops offered a smile and shook his head, sliding a crisp fifty across the stained table. Big spenders it seemed or they were really confused on the conversion rate here. 

"Keep the change, darl'." He hummed, his smile only growing as Augusta nearly choked on her spit, looking wide eyed between the bill and him. 

"Honey that is way too much. I promise it's like twenty tops," she quickly argued, brows furrowed like she felt like she was taking advantage, which she did. 

"Keep it." He argued simply, already shrugging his jacket back on off his chair. She watched, mouth open as they all stood and made her realized just how much they all towered over her. The big scary one was practically brushing against the low ceiling with how tall he loomed. A smile and a nod and they turned back towards the door, falling in line like soldiers on a mission, not a glance spared back.

When she finally looked down and grabbed the bill she sputtered, face flushed like a sinner in church and slammed the money back down like it burned her. Scrawled neatly on the bill in black ink was "for new batteries" with a cheeky little wink face staring back up at her. 

[bardic-tales]

Title: So This is Christmas?

Pairing: Bianca (f!OC) / Sephiroth (Sephica), Cloud / Tifa (Cloti)

Characters: Aurora (f!oc), Lucien (m!oc), Barret Wallace, Marlene Wallace, Aerith Gainsborough, Zack Fair, Angeal Hewley, Genesis Rhapsodos, Vincent Valentine

Rating: General

Word Count: 1679

Fandom: Final Fantasy 7

Setting: Redemption!AU

Warnings: Mild Language, themes of found family, holiday celebrations, children engaging in festive activities, and moments of warmth and healing. Readers who prefer darker or more action-driven narratives or dislike depictions of happiness and redemption might not enjoy this.

Summary: On a snowy Christmas Eve in the mountains, Sephiroth, Bianca, their twins, ex-SOLDIERs, and the AVALANCHE team come together in a cozy safe house to celebrate the season, sharing laughter, decorating a tree, and finding solace in the bonds of their makeshift family.

Author's Note: My redemption AU reimagines Final Fantasy VII with a canon-divergent storyline set in the author-created town of Rinnos. Sephiroth and Bianca meet as children and endure Hojo's experiments together. Bianca uses her demonic powers to shield Sephiroth from Jenova’s influence, preventing the Nibelheim Incident and shifting the timeline as they join AVALANCHE to fight Shinra. This AU explores themes of redemption, identity, and the power of emotional bonds, featuring altered character dynamics, such as Zack’s survival and a deeper alliance with AVALANCHE, while Hojo remains a central antagonist.

🎄🎅Merry Christmas to all my amazing followers and mutuals! Wishing you a wonderful holiday season (if you celebrate it) and an awesome 2025 filled with love, success, and boundless creativity.

Snowflakes danced in the crisp night air, blanketing the quiet village of Rinnos, high in the mountains between Junon and Midgar, in pristine white. The soft glow of lanterns lit the cobblestone streets. Their warmth reflected the spirit of Christmas Eve in the sleepy little village. Green wreathes hung on the front doors of each home, as the families that dwelt inside celebrated the coming of the holiday and the safety that their unusual mercenary troup which moved in years earlier provided from the monsters lurking higher up in the hills.

Inside a safe house nestled on the outskirts of town, laughter and the scent of mulled cider filled the warm, cozy living room. The holiday was always the same, even more so since the arrival of the twins, as the unusual group of friends and allies celebrated the holiday season together.

A massive fir tree stood proudly in the corner, its branches stretching upward as though eager to embrace the make-shift family gathered around it. The smell of Christmas wafted around the room: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, ginger, orange, wood smoke, and honey drifted from the pot simmering on the stove in the kitchen.

“Mama, can I put the star on top?!” Lucien, Sephiroth and Bianca’s raven-haired, indigo-eyed son, tugged on Bianca’s hand, his small frame bouncing with excitement. As he bounced, his tiny wings covered with black, white, and purple feathers swayed with his excitement.

“Not until we finish the ornaments, cherub,” Bianca replied with a smile, her indigo eyes twinkling from the dim light of the brass lanterns scattered around the room. She adjusted the white ribbon in her wavy black hair and gently placed a glittering silver snowflake on a branch.

“Then I want to do the shiny balls!” Aurora, Lucien’s twin sister, piped up, laughing. Her voice was as bubbly as her giggle. She gripped a red glass ornament in her tiny hands, her feline-like pupils shimmering under the tree lights. Her long, grayish-silver hair flowed down her back, curling around the black Christmas dress with silver angels embroidered on it.

“Careful, Aurora,” Sephiroth warned, his calm voice carrying a note of protectiveness as he crouched beside her. Dressed in a simple black sweater, his silver hair framed his striking face. He watched over his daughter and her exuberance that would even put Zack Fair to shame. “If it falls, it will shatter.”

Aurora pouted but nodded, holding the ornament close to her chest. Nearby, Marlene clapped her hands with excitement, her dark locks bouncing after she dug through the box of baubles. “I found one that looks like a bunny!” she exclaimed, holding up a white ceramic ornament.

“Let’s hang it together!” Aurora said, running over to her friend. The two girls giggled as they carefully placed the ornament on the tree. As the young angel and human girl raced towards the tree, Aurora’s silver ribbon wrapped around her waist fluttered behind her. They carefully placed both ornaments on one of the lower branches.

“Shit.” Across the room, Barret grumbled as he untangled a mess of stringed lights with help from his prosthetic hand. “Damn Shinra can build a reactor that sucks the life outta the Planet, but they can’t make lights that don’t get all knotted up.”

Zack chuckled, his spiky black hair shaking as he crouched beside Barret to help. “Don’t worry, big guy. We’ve got this. Angeal taught me how to handle a mess. Back in the day, he called it ‘puppy duty.’”

“Puppy duty?” Tifa asked, raising an eyebrow as she handed Aerith a box of ornaments. The martial artist wore a red sweater adorned with snowflakes. Her dark hair tied in its usual thick, elaborate ponytail with the strands being held by a red ribbon at the bottom.

“It’s a long story,” Angeal said. He stood by the fireplace, carefully hanging colorful stockings and counting the number of them: one stocking for each member of their family. His calm demeanor and broad shoulders brought an air of stability to the bustling room.

“LOVELESS speaks of this very moment,” Genesis declared dramatically from the sofa, where he lounged admiring the tree with the well-worn book with its faded red cover laying over his stomach. “‘Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess; we seek it thus, and take to the sky—’”

“Genesis, we’ve heard it a thousand times,” Bianca interrupted, though her tone carried a hint of amusement. She turned from the tree and looked to the man who became like a brother to her. “You’re going to scare the children.”

Lucien gasped, his eyes wide. “What’s LOVELESS, Uncle Gen?”

“It’s a poem!” Genesis replied with a flourish, as though presenting a grand revelation. “A masterpiece—perhaps too advanced for you little one, but one day you’ll understand its brilliance.”

Aurora giggled. “You’re funny, Uncle Gen-Gen!”

“Can you teach us the poem, Uncle Gen?” Lucien stared at the red-headed ex-SOLDIER with his puppy-dog eyes and his rosy, cheeks that still were round due to baby fat. “Please.”

Genesis looked to Angeal and Sephiroth, smirking. “At least someone appreciates my talents.”

“That’s because you haven’t beaten it into their heads yet,” Sephiroth scoffed.

Aerith knelt by the twins and Marlene, offering them ornaments shaped like tiny animals. “Here, you can hang these next. Just pick strong branches, okay?”

“Thank you, Auntie Aerith!” The twins chorused, each carefully placing an ornament. Lucien approached the tree, a determined look on his face as he picked the perfect branch to hang the white chocobo ceramic he was given. In that moment, he looked like a tiny, darked-haired Sephiroth with his black dress suit and matching leather boots.

Barret snorted. “Kids are already callin’ you aunt and uncle, huh? Guess y’all really are part of the family now.”

Sephiroth met Barret’s gaze, a flicker of surprise in his cyan eyes. “It’s… appreciated,” he said, his voice softer than even its usual softness.

“Well, don’t get too cozy,” Barret grumbled. “Still ain’t forgiven Shinra for what they did. But I’ll admit. You’re doin’ right by AVALANCHE now.”

Bianca watched the exchange. A spark of gratitude warmed her chest. After their escape from Shinra, she never thought she and Sephiroth would have found a place to call home. Now, they had their friends and their children: a dysfunctional at times family but family, none-the-less.

“It means a lot, Barret,” she said sincerely. “We’re trying to make things right.”

“Mommy, Daddy, look!” Lucien and Aurora exclaimed in unison, pointing to the tree. The lights Zack and Barret had untangled now sparkled across the branches, reflecting off the ornaments with a magical glow.

“It’s beautiful,” Tifa said, her voice filled with wonder, stepping closer with Cloud beside her.

Cloud smiled softly, his bright blue eyes twinkling in the warm light. His usually shy demeanor was absent tonight, the joy of the season evident in the way he watched the children and their excitement.

“Yeah. Looks great.”

“We’re not done yet.” Bianca picked up the shining gold star and handed it to Sephiroth. “Would you do the honors?”

Sephiroth hesitated, his gaze flickering to the twins, Marlene, and then to Bianca. Slowly, he nodded and lifted Lucien onto his shoulders. “Hold on tight,” he instructed, his hands steady on Lucien’s knees as Zack guided the boy to place the star atop the tree.

“I did it!” Lucien cheered as Sephiroth lowered him back to the ground. Aurora and Marlene hugged him. The three children giggled with joy.

Cloud chuckled softly, stepping closer to Tifa. "You think they'll remember this when they're older?" he asked, his voice soft as he watched the kids play.

“I think they'll always remember this night," Tifa replied, her hand resting gently on his arm. "It's a new beginning for all of us.”

Vincent Valentine, standing quietly near the fireplace with Angeal, regarded the scene with a subtle smile on his lips. His crimson eyes, usually so distant and guarded, softened as he observed the laughter, the love, the joy that filled the room. It was a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long time, and it stirred something deep within him.

His once solitary path, marked by loss and regret, had changed since meeting this group. Bianca, especially, had reminded him that there could still be hope, that redemption was not as out of reach as he’d believed.

“Everything looks wonderful,” Vincent said in his low, gravelly voice, drawing the attention of the others. His presence had become familiar over the years, and though his words were few, they always carried weight.

Bianca smiled warmly at him. “Thank you, Vincent. You’re part of this too, you know.”

The former Turk inclined his head slightly, a small, rare acknowledgment of her words. “I don’t deserve such kindness, but it’s appreciated.”

“I think you deserve it more than you know,” Bianca said, her voice gentle. “You’ve helped us all so much.”

Vincent’s gaze lingered on the children. His thoughts drifted. He had a past of his own, one marked by dark memories of being used as a weapon, of being trapped in an endless cycle of vengeance and mourning his love. But here, in this moment, there was peace. There was a family. He had come to see all of them as his own, especially Bianca and Sephiroth, whose struggles mirrored his own in so many ways.

“You’re part of our family now,” Aerith chimed in from across the room. “None of this would’ve been possible without you.”

Vincent nodded but didn’t speak. His heart was full of something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a long time. It was a sense of belonging.

“Merry Christmas everyone,” Bianca said, her eyes filled with sincerity.

“Merry Christmas,” the others echoed.

And as the night wore on, with laughter and joy filling the room and the snow continuing to fall outside, it was clear that this Christmas—this moment—was one they would all carry with them. It was a reminder of the family they had become and the love they had found in each other.

tagging some fellow mutuals. Happy holidays. Thank you all for showing interest in my Bianca. I can't wait to see what 2025 has in store for each of you.

@asirensrage @themaradwrites @whatwedointhecraft @serenofroses @megandaisy9

@watermeezer

@seastarblue @prehistoric-creatures @creativechaosqueen

@chickensarentcheap @arrthurpendragon

[cloveroctobers]

END OF BEGINNING — LUCA : [Spring Prompts]

A/N: Not me writing this with a cold! I promise I’m not on any medicine although it may seem like it at some points lol! Gained a bit of inspo while on spring break down south which also gave me this cold! for this little thing and I also didn’t want my prompts to end on an odd number—this time!!! along with the fact that people voted for Luca to be written about (the original post maybe revisited once I get my summer prompts going so stay tuned for that!) so let’s get into it 🙂‍↔️

WARNINGS: long distance established relationship! I have a black! x oc! in mind for this one + some language.

Threw some prompts into the mix from HERE: 1. building a new piece of furniture from a flat pack together + 10. Doing laundry + 11. Making them tea/coffee (exactly how they like it)

<- read my previous anthology prompt here.

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀ ❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀ ❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

the house smells like apple cider mixed with a hint of pine and it’s reminiscent to Luca’s favorite holiday. He’s standing in the mini entry way of the once Ukrainian church turned home, eyes fixated on how high the ceilings were and he almost forgets that this is partly his home too. He thinks partly because of the technicalities, him living in Copenhagen for however many years one would like to count; renting his own flat and with her living back in the states with her name only on the deed.

He was beginning to sound like his estranged lawyer of a father, who commonly looked at the details and wondered how that will affect things in the long run but it’s not like that mattered much to Luca. He didn’t think he was anything like that man who may or may not be a tosser and wouldn’t think once to treat her like his father treated his family. Assets were always a huge factor to Luca’s father, more than building an emotional connection to his wife or kids. Overall this is the way it’s always been between the two, Luca as the head pastry chef in Copenhagen and her as a cruise chef. The pair were hardly at either buildings to really focus on the technicalities—although both families equally had something to say about their living conditions.

It wasn’t traditional by any means but with the careers and mindsets the couple had, it simply worked and it didn’t have to make sense to anyone else but them. The couple enjoyed their space—which they both greatly provided and it made the longing just much more special once they were face to face. This marriage includes two beings in the end and not the added inputs.

Luca’s heading up the multi-level home, the dining table glass underneath the floral runner is shining and a can of glass spray is sitting on the edge of the table letting Luca know that it’s just been cleaned. Up ahead at the kitchen, there’s a candle flickering on one of the counters and that’s what’s holding a pine aroma along with a new citrus smell from a plug-in lingering nearby. The house is shockingly quiet and he expected if she were on some cleaning kick that there had to be either some instrumental or synth-pop playlist going on but that was not the case.

He peeks into the living room, eyeing her usual style of antique furniture and the wide ajar arched bathroom door tucked in the corner. He also spots a few reusable bags tossed on the cognac leather loveseat he helped pick out years ago, reminding him that he needed to check the fridge out later. Right now? He just wanted to find her. She was not in this part of the house and not sitting up on the nook crocheting with strong incense potentially burning her eyes or anything like that, which sat across from the dining area so Luca decides to head downstairs.

The first hallway he turns down, leaving his things back by the bottom of the stairs. He always felt like the downstairs was closed off from upstairs despite the white walls and hears the light beeping from the washing machine. He opens the dryer first, feeling the clean scented and warm sheets against his skin before tossing them into a rolling bin on the right then dividing the damp clothes into the dryer and hanging them up. Leaving the laundry room and around the corner to the movie room, he spots her stretched out in front of the white and wooden couch, sleeping against a balled up arm on the cool tile floor surrounded by screws and a large box that had a hole big enough to fit a foot in the center of it.

Small laughter bubbles past his lips as he squats down to get a good look at what she has going on. He loves to watch her sleep and absolutely not in a creepy way! Yet there’s no other way to make that sound less creepy besides the fact that she’s his wife! but he enjoys seeing this view in person because she appears to be at the most peace. It’s the little things like this: watching her shut the curtain to the outside world out for a while to get the rest she needed made her look even prettier to Luca. Her sharp features are still prominent in her slumber, square jaw, brown high glowy cheekbones still showcasing in the dim of the white room, and his eyes then drift to her moisturized full plump lips that are luring him in to be kissed—which erupts that thought with a snarl of a snore.

His glimmering eyes hold amusement at the interruption of admiring his wife’s features yet his brows curve in disturbance at the sound. A flat palm goes to her sweater covered shoulder, squeezing a bit before going to rub the length of her arm. They were both pretty light sleepers but with the info given to him hours prior, it takes a bit more touches to get her to wake.

She blinks harshly after flinging her body upwards, “ugh, Luca! Glad it’s you and not my sleep paralysis demon deciding to come collect me.”

He hasn’t heard her speak of paralysis in some time although he knows this is a joke—somewhat—there’s a flick of worry in his blues that he’s sure she doesn’t miss.

Luca tilts his head at this, “I’m just happy to hear that you haven’t fallen asleep with your contacts in again. And that I can confirm that I am not something from the depths of hell at least not right now, the day is still bright for you. But…your voice box is a bit questionable, babe.”

That’s exactly the kind of thing a woman wants to wake up and hear from a loved one! For as long as she’s known Luca and made him her husband, this doesn’t surprise her that he always says what’s exactly on his mind—whether she wants to hear it or not.

“I know, I know,” she replies groggily with a rub to one of her eyes, “I sound like fucking E.T. phone home right now but what am I gonna do?”

Luca shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly although his reply is sarcastic, “dunno. Maybe make an appointment to see a doctor and actually relax on your break, yeah? Just a thought.”

She’s running a hand over her once sleek bun and squints, “I wasn’t expecting you till May…”

“Great deflection wife,” Luca sits down beside her and crosses his ankles over each other while folding his arms, “Lox told me you were under the weather and I took some of my personal days a bit early instead to get here.”

She’s breathing heavily as she reaches over to playfully slap the blond’s thigh, “aw, husband! But your sister and I are definitely going to have words next time we speak. I told her, it’s fine to tell everyone’s else’s business but mine.”

It’s humorous looking back on the blossoming relationship between his wife and little sister Loxley. Loxley was currently in her early twenties and always been a force for as long as Luca could remember. She’s always been a huge pain in his arse and had a habit of making his girlfriend’s hate her. She’s also always been the drama queen and had dreams of being in theatre until she fell in love with journalism instead. Yes she did a few broadway shows but it was the writing that really stole her attention and gossiping (which led to a few bar brawls) if we’re being quite honest. It took some time but once Lox realized that she was truly the one for her brother, Lox learned to love her too.

Mostly it was a battle of, “did you talk to your wife today? No?! Can’t believe I’ve beat you to it, again! even with the shitty WiFi at sea. Careful Ca-Lu she might fall in love with me instead.”

Luca snorts, “‘course you did. So what’s wrong besides the unusual disturbing voice?”

Straight-faced she says, “just a cold.”

“That’s been going on for about two weeks?”

“So now you’re in my business too?” The woman sasses with an accusing finger.

Luca rolls his eyes with a scoff, “I don’t know if you know this but…that’s part of the task of being your husband and I don’t really care if you like it or not. Your problem is that you don’t know how to just sit down when you have the chance. You’ve been on go since New Years—

He starts and he doesn’t realize that maybe a bit of a trigger for the woman. The way her head snaps to him at the mention of the holiday should have been enough of a giveaway. Long story short: Luca planned to fly to Chicago a few months ago to spend New Years with his wife along with his mum and sister who were also spending it with his wife and wife’s immediate family. She spent Christmas in Copenhagen, He spent Thanksgiving with his wife’s family in North Carolina and the year prior in London. New Year’s Eve was his wife’s favorite holiday and although it wasn’t a big deal to Luca…it became one when The former Queen of Denmark and her royal family requested a private meal at Brimstone’s Gate.

Surely this was a massive deal and his wife knew that, she had to accept it because she knew it would be huge for the restaurant Luca put his everything into. However she had her moments where she felt like she had the right to be selfish. After all they were a couple that didn’t live in the same household or even the same country! These were the choices they made. Yes she just saw him days ago before New Years but it’s not like they didn’t plan this out months in advance knowing that her break from her contract was up that same month in December.

“Well excuse me if I like to keep busy when I have an entire house to myself that you could have helped occupy for at least a little while.” Flies out of her mouth as she turns her body to the side, reaching for the instruction paper once more.

Luca scans the profile of his wife and can feel the defense wall coming up, “Right…which is why coming a few days earlier is my way to make up for that time lost. It’s unfortunate that you’ve fallen ill though but I’ll get you back in shape.”

It was the effort that counted.

She dares a side glance at him and deeply exhaled through her congested nostrils that it almost sounds like little whistles, “help me build this table.”

Luca shakes his head and pulls one arm out to pull at her wrist, “after you nap first. I know you’re still cross with me and that cold is surely kicking your butt although you won’t admit it. I just want you to take care of yourself and if you don’t? I will.”

‘And us.’ He thinks to himself.

The woman is slowly budging as she fights back a yawn but keeps her mouth closed. Luca sends her a knowing glance as he pulls her to rest in his lap, using his bicep as a pillow, which he uses to his advantage to curl her upwards to peck her cheek and then her jaw. He wanted her lips but he also didn’t want to catch what she has so this will do for now.

“Wait a minute,” she says after his lips leaves her skin, “did you just call me ugly?”

Luca lets out a long groan which makes her cackle at how easily she annoyed him, although he claims that he has so much patience!

“I’d never and you know that, Tania.” Luca informs as he uses her name.

And she almost forgets how good it sounds coming from his lips in person. Since she was the considerate type, she didn’t plant one on him just then and snuggled back into his arm with her back to him.

Tania hums as she closes her heavy eyes, “Don’t let me sleep more than thirty.”

Luca didn’t need to take that request but to save her some peace of mind he agreed. He lasted forty five of those minutes before his ass started to ache thanks to the tiled floor. Swiftly he managed to lift Tania and himself to his feet, placing her onto the couch and wrapping a cow-printed blanket over her while she still snored away. The blond laughs to himself some more, glancing at the unmade table and the time on his phone before leaving the woman briefly.

Luca takes the time to grab his things by the stairs and heads down the other hallway to the main bedroom, placing his things back on the floor in front of the bed. He doesn’t spend much time looking around in there since Tania wasn’t in it but the space feels comfy just standing in it again. Luca’s sure once the night falls, he may feel more at ease since he gets to share this space with his wife for awhile.

So he leaves that at the back of his mind to scope out the kitchen. No shock there to find it fully stocked, which is a contrast to his own space. He was sure to have everything he needed to make biscuits or some type of pastry but never anything to make a full meal. That wasn’t his speciality—plus there were plenty of restaurants that saved him time—and he also wasn’t sure if you ate but with a cold your appetite is usually trash anyway.

He settles for making Tania’s tea.

Her iron kettle has quite the weight to it and he chuckles to himself remembering her modeling it off as she sent him pictures one fall season. She was too excited to get this purchase to have tea while discussing podcasts with her girls and cousins once out of the month whenever she was off contract.

Now here he was filling it up and finds a green tea box in one of the cabinets. He’s always known that Moroccan Mint tea was usually more Tania’s speed but it appeared that the only tea she had was Ethiopian. As he waits for the water to squeal, he clasps his hands behind his back getting lost in the thought of it all.

And before long, he’s quickly pulled back to the kettle. Picking up the iron, ignoring the scorch against his skin as he rests it on another eye on the stove before grabbing a ceramic mug that’s printed with a green chicken on the face of it. He picks it up again to peek at the contents underneath it, which reads scripted words in Italian. He can only picture Tania going through the little shops or markets in Italy to purchase this grandma inspired dish.

The steamed water brushes past his face as he pours, the tea bag plunks into the water and he’s searching for a teaspoon to fully submerge it. It doesn’t take him long to find the utensils, guessing that it’s in the drawer that’s underneath the espresso machine she barely uses, he leaves the spoon in the mug before going back into the fridge on the left for an orange, then to the right to the overhead cabinet for sweetener.

No honey?

“Brown rice syrup?” Luca quirks up his brows at that not expecting her to like the taste of this toasty butterscotch sweetener and lifts his shoulders, “it’s your tea.”

A teaspoon of syrup, rid of the teabag since she hated for the teabag to sit too long—Luca was the complete opposite and a slice of Orange to top it off was the answer to Tania’s tea.

When he’s getting closer to the movie room, he’s hearing Tania blowing her nose away, sounding like an elephant before he makes his presence known.

“For you, Milady.” He greets holding the mug down to her, “or should I say my own personal trumpet.”

She rolls her eyes as she carefully reaches for the tea, “shut up before I throw my snot rag at you.”

“Ew, You’re much nicer when you’re not looking like SpongeBob with the suds.”

“Aha! So you do think I’m ugly.” She sips at the tea and is visibly relaxed.

Luca throws his hands up into the air then plops beside the woman once more, shoulders touching as he awaits for some commentary while weighing the bolts in his hands.

“Not to sound shallow but…if I’m the sexy pastry chef and you’re the goddess at sea chef then what does that equal?” Luca playfully tapped at his chin.

Tania lets the tea burn her throat as she wheezes out, “two chefs that ate.”

“There’s my girl,” Luca winks, “I know that cold cloud didn’t completely wreck your brain and think I would ever belittle your looks…especially when I’m always after your heart anyways.”

Tania blows out a horn that replicates the sound of a foghorn which makes Luca burst out laughing, “you were doing so well until you decided to be corny.”

“That was actually impressive,” Luca continues laughing, “and you only have yourself to blame since you wont quit with this talk of the ugly.”

Tania pops her tongue, “I like bothering you face to face and I can’t kiss you yet so this is my best bet. Deal with it Hodgson.”

Luca rolls his head to stare at the beaming woman underneath his eyelashes with a sigh, “as you wish—only this time—Mrs. Hodgson.”

And she’s cradling the mug in the space of her crossed legs, which isn’t the best idea but she’s not getting up to place it on the laptop corner desk that was in the back of the room. That was too much work but she was determined to get this movie room table up with the help of her husband.

With a smile like that? Luca couldn’t say no.

He has the instructions in his hands while Tania already had the tools separated by category.

“Ah this doesn’t seem too hard.” Luca blew out a raspberry while Tania looked to the side to sip her tea, “what was that?”

“Huh?”

“You heard me, Tanny.” Luca keeps his gaze on the furniture piece, “you’re doing that thing where you’re peering off into the distance to some imaginary audience.”

Tania shakes her head, “I did no such thing! I root for my man and always gonna stick beside ‘em.”

Luca snorts as he brushes his mixture of dark and honey blond hair from falling into his view, “until I fuck this up and you send pics to your dad who will point and laugh and probably call me a failure for not knowing how to build this table.”

“Noooo!” Tania fights back a laugh at how well Luca had it figured out, “…that’s more your dad.”

The two share a glance before snickering.

“That makes more sense, yeah?”

Tania nods as she raises the steaming mug, “with the power of this tea and your delicious hands…nothing can stop us!”

Which ends with Tania almost coughing up a lung.

“Jesus! Keep sipping that tea, babe.” Luca reaches out to rub her thigh now as he’s squatting again.

Tania fans her hand about but does so while Luca gets to his feet to slide the top of the table towards their work space.

“How’d you get this up and down all these stairs?” Luca suddenly asked after feeling the weight of the table top, there were a set of stairs to get into the home, three stairs to the right of the entry way, and two sets of stairs to get to the lower level of the home.

Tania pushes up her bicep, “I’m secretly an Amazon warrior.”

“Who pulled a hamstring from chasing after a fortune cookie on the ground.” Luca mutters.

Tania scrunches up her lips, “but did I eat it though? Exactly. Still a warrior in my own right.”

The man sighs, “fine keep that secret to yourself then.”

“I will.” She wiggles in her seat in satisfaction.

Luca quietly gets to work then as Tania sips at her tea before stretching for the remote to turn the tv on to search for a random playlist. Before Tania can select her daylist, she feels Luca place some tools into her lap before he grabs the main part that’s going to hold the table top up.

“Can I run something by you?” He gently asks as he works on screwing the bolts into place.

Tania folds one arm against her torso while resting the elbow of the other on top as she cradles her tea, “sure you can, bub. What’s on your mind?”

“…you don’t know this but I’ve been feeling a lot ever since I missed out on New Years. Although we talked it through then and it still holds weight now which I understand…Queen Margrethe II told me something that gave a better perspective.” Luca starts while Tania nods along to show that she’s listening.

Sometimes Luca goes quiet to build suspense, which irritates Tania but taking in the expression on his face she can tell that what he’s thinking is serious business. She feels like she should hold her breath waiting on his next words but her chest urges her not to do that so she chooses to wait it out.

She could get to building like she originally set out to do today but she was sure she would mess it up now, just hearing the tick of seconds that go by on the clock on the main floor upstairs. Shout out to nerves!

“I left Brimstone’s gate.” He lets the bomb drop.

Tania exhales, “but you love BSG. Did something happen?”

“Things are meant to end to begin…which is part of what the queen told me.” Luca winks at you, “I want to be wherever you are and it seems like that’s Chicago…well for six months anyway.”

Tania is blinking rapidly, “I—Lu. I have to say I was not expecting this. You leaving Copenhagen for Chicago?”

“For us.” Luca rephrases, “which is why I wanted to run it by you just to see if that’s potentially something we can both try? Full-time. It’s not our routine but I’ve got some interviews lined up next week.”

It seems like he’s already thought this through. Never has Tania ever pressured Luca to be where she’s at or vice versa, being on different sides of the world worked—although at times it was certainly a challenge but now this was a big change. Tania got her culinary experience out in Mexico City at just nineteen (her family was reluctant to let her go considering she was the baby of the family but it turned out to be the best thing for her) before she took on the internship at Noma where she met a focused but blunt Luca and a socially awkward yet observant Carmy.

Sure it was all fun and games at the start but all that mattered because they were still standing after all these years. It was scary to think Luca gave up something he was geuniely passionate about. He was the main one out of the trio that found something in Copenhagen…it was what Chicago was for Tania. Yes she was born here but raised in the south yet she’s been in Chicago for quite some time that in a sense she wanted to build something here and was on her own.

She just had pieces of Luca when he visited and now something’s shifted.

“I don’t want you to regret doing this.”

Luca rolls his eyes, “I’m not worried. Life’s about trial and error, yeah? I’m not big on plan B’s as you know…And it’s not about being ready either, I’ve been ready since I said ‘I do,’ we were always on temporary different paths but that still led us to each other.”

“Like always,” Tania grins with a shake of her head at how many times they scraped money to catch flights back to each other—when they were speaking to each other and fighting for this relationship.

Oh you should have seen Tania and Luca in their early twenties! They were the definition of a perfect mess.

Carmy was the first to leave to New York to live with his cousin for some time, gaining the opportunity to work at a three Michelin star restaurant. Luca was offered a position at Noma which he ended up enjoying for a few years before he eventually moved on to BSG whereas Tania spent time back in her first love of culinary out in Mexico City, which led to Dubai, and Brazil and Copenhagen before ultimately deciding on being a travel chef might be her best bet. To do that on a big ass boat was even more of a mind-blowing opportunity! She didn’t like being confined to one space yet she had news of her own.

“Which brings me to this move. I don’t plan on getting rid of you at all.” Luca continues.

Tania dramatically sighs, “oh husband, you always say the right words.”

Luca snickers, “what I mean is: I took a vow, you’re my wife who I’m madly in love with and what may have worked for us then let’s me know that we can truly start what were meant to be now and maybe that’s me being here in Chicago permanently. You’ll have to show me what all the hype is since it’s apparently the best city in the world.”

Tania can’t wipe the smile off her face. Part of her wanted to think the worse, that someone got into her husband’s head to make him feel a way about them being apart for so long. However there shouldn’t be any doubts because they knew what they put into this relationship and what they wanted out of this marriage.

Each other.

Always.

Tania speaks, “I didn’t re-sign the contract.”

Luca flicks his attention to the dark haired woman in front of him and she holds his stare, “you’re supposed to be heading back in June?”

Which was the usual.

“I know and I’m supposed to have everything finalized by late March.”

Luca rubs at his jaw in thought, “did mum and Lox know about this?”

Tania laughs, “Now you know if they knew then you would have also known.”

This was true. His mum was bad at keeping secrets and Lox, as you all already know was the biggest gossip. Now Luca was thinking some things himself.

“What drove your decision?”

Tania sighs, “the boat life is tired now…maybe we can revisit when we’re our parents ages or retired.”

Luca thinks out loud, “I think I’d be a golfer and want to get a vacation home in Key west.”

Tania cringes, “yuck.”

“What are you on about?” Luca huffs.

“You don’t even like Pickleball Lu and Florida of all places? Why not Costa Rica? Or the Bahamas?”

He wasn’t sure how pickleball correlated with golf but he wanted to keep in shape even when he aged so he let it slide.

“That’s only because that fucking—excuse my French—geezer made me scrape my knees that one time in front of everyone!” Luca was clearly still frustrated over this, “Don’t you know I almost lost a shoe because of that granda?!”

Tania hides her giggle, “he meant no harm!”

“Bullocks! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was trying to impress you.”

Tania tilts her head to the side not recalling any of that, granted she was a little tipsy off the spritz so that was her excuse. “Well…he was very handsome for a sixty-five year old who clocked you talking shit.”

“I wasn’t talking shit!”

“Didn’t you say you’re gonna take it easy on the geezer, didn’t want him to break a hip before you kissed me?” Tania frowns as she tells Luca this, “He definitely heard you with his gorgeous self. He looked like a mix of alexander skarsgård and Payman Maadi, I remember that! And I’d let him give me lessons any time.”

Luca glares at the woman, “oh yeah? Maybe you should call him and see if he’ll put this table together for you then.”

Tania’s cooing now as she reaches to pinch Luca’s cheeks together, “easy bub, I know who I married.”

“Damn straight.” Luca dipped his head to peck the sides of Tania’s fingers, “I just wanted to make sure you knew.”

The room is tense as the pair meet each other’s eyes until Tania pulls a face. Luca scrunches his brows until she jerks her body away to let out a loud sneeze. “Sorry, moment’s ruined.”

“There’ll be plenty more now.” Luca grins before turning his attention back to the furniture, “so…the married couple is back in Chicago.”

Thankfully Tania could afford to take a longer break for some time before looking for employment elsewhere and Luca was already getting adjusted to what this city can bring. He briefly brings his attention back to the woman who suddenly decides to chug the rest of the tea, before standing over Luca to climb into his lap.

Her limbs are wrapped around him like a sloth and Luca loves how she feels against him, so soft, warm, and his. He doesn’t hesitate to embrace her back, rubbing and scratching at her back as she rocks them slowly back and forth. He can hear her smiling as she squeezes herself tighter to him as if he’s a dream that’ll pass her by and Luca feels like the piece Chicago’s been missing.

“Don’t breathe after this,” Tania says as she pulls back to grip Luca’s face, “this life i’ll give to be lived and loved by you?”

Luca smiles at the mention of their motto, hands resting on Tania’s hips and teases, “eh, i guess I’ll accept. Been around long enough, so why not?”

And he follows through this time with instruction as Tania quickly pecks his lips before sinking into a hug once more, resting her chin into his broad shoulder.

It was safe to say that this new adventure was the start of a new era for the two. Without love, choices, without purpose, and growth you’ll never know what each chapter holds.

Tania and Luca Hodgson were willing to find out as long as they knew they could look over and see the reassurance in each other’s eyes.

❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀ ❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀ ❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀

[circusclowne]

two ocs + mothwing design !!

[missrosiesworld]

A New Year's Embrace

Warning: This story features an original character (Astraea Lunaris) in a romantic pairing with Harumasa from Zenless Zone Zero. If you’re not a fan of OC x Canon pairings, this story may not be for you. Please read with an open mind and enjoy! 💫

The apartment was steeped in a quiet warmth, the kind that only winter evenings could bring. Outside, snow fell steadily, blanketing New Eridu in a pristine white hush. The glow of streetlights reflected off the icy ground, painting the city in soft hues of silver and gold. From the wide windows in the kitchen, Astraea could see faint plumes of smoke rising from chimneys and the occasional silhouette of someone hurrying home through the cold. The world outside looked almost ethereal, as if touched by some celestial magic.

Inside, the atmosphere was a stark but welcome contrast. The small fireplace crackled softly, its golden light flickering across the walls and casting long, dancing shadows. The scent of spiced cider wafted through the air, mingling with the faint, smoky aroma of the firewood. The apartment felt like a world of its own—cozy, intimate, and untouched by the chaos that usually swirled through New Eridu’s streets.

Harumasa was sprawled on the couch, his lean frame draped across the cushions in a picture of nonchalance. One arm rested lazily on the backrest, while the other cradled a half-filled glass of wine that he swirled idly. His tie hung discarded over the armrest, and the top few buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his collarbone. He looked completely at ease, though the faint, ever-present smirk curling at the corners of his lips betrayed him. Harumasa wasn’t just lounging—he was waiting, his golden eyes gleaming with the promise of mischief.

“You’re staring,” he said, his tone light and teasing as he brought the glass of wine to his lips, his golden eyes fixed on her.

Astraea, standing by the kitchen counter, glanced up from the platter of snacks she was arranging. Her radiant presence was a sharp contrast to the wintry scene outside. She wore a deep sapphire-blue sweater, soft and oversized, with a plunging V-neck that revealed the delicate line of her collarbone and just a hint of the smooth tan skin beneath. The long sleeves brushed against her hands, the relaxed fit giving her an effortlessly cozy appearance. The rich color made her starlit pupils gleam, their faint iridescent glow catching the firelight like scattered constellations.

Her silver-blue hair was swept into a loose braid, a few strands escaping to frame her face in soft waves that shimmered in the warm light. A pair of fitted black leggings hugged her legs, accentuating her graceful frame, and her feet were wrapped in thick, fluffy socks

“You’re imagining things,” she replied, arching an eyebrow as a faint smile tugged at her lips. She didn’t look away, letting the comfortable heat of his gaze wash over her.

“Am I?” he drawled as he lowered the glass. His eyes never left hers, the warm gold of his gaze now smoldering in the flickering light. “Because if I had a Denny for every time you got lost in my dazzling looks—”

“You’d have exactly zero Dennies,” she interrupted smoothly, her voice cutting through his teasing with practiced ease. Picking up the platter, she began walking toward the couch, the soft sound of her steps filling the space between them. “Your overconfidence is showing again, Harumasa.”

His grin widened, lazy and unrepentant, as he straightened slightly and patted the cushion beside him in an exaggerated gesture of invitation. The firelight flickered across his face, highlighting the sharp curve of his smirk and the teasing glint in his golden eyes.

“Overconfidence?” he repeated, his tone a mockery of shock as he leaned back against the couch, one arm draping across the backrest. “It’s not overconfidence—it’s part of my charm. And admit it,” he added, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur as his gaze locked onto hers, “you love it.”

Astraea rolled her eyes, though the fondness in her expression was unmistakable as she set the platter down on the coffee table. The careful arrangement of slices of fresh fruit, assorted crackers, and small cubes of cheese showed her thoughtful touch, each piece meticulously placed as though she were creating a small, edible masterpiece. The soft glow of the firelight danced across the glossy fruit and the edges of the golden crackers, making the humble offering feel somehow luxurious.

She settled onto the couch beside Harumasa, tucking her legs beneath her as she leaned into the cozy warmth of the fire. The deep V-neck of her sapphire-blue sweater dipped slightly as she adjusted herself, the movement catching Harumasa’s eye for a moment before he leaned back with an air of exaggerated nonchalance.

“I tolerate it,” she said at last, her voice carrying a teasing lilt, though the affection beneath was impossible to miss.

Harumasa chuckled, his golden eyes glinting as he regarded her with a look that was both amused and content. “Whatever you need to tell yourself,” he replied smoothly, reaching for a piece of fruit from the platter. He popped it into his mouth, savoring it with a satisfied hum as though it were the most decadent thing he’d ever tasted.

The television played softly in the background, the countdown to midnight ticking away in a corner of the screen. Astraea glanced at it briefly, noting there were still about twenty minutes left before the fireworks would begin. The city outside was still for now, its usual hum muted beneath the snowfall, but Astraea knew the quiet wouldn’t last. Soon, the night sky would explode in a kaleidoscope of colors, the celebrations bursting forth with the energy of a city that never truly slept.

“So,” Harumasa began, his voice cutting through the comfortable quiet like the crackle of the fire, “what’s the deal with New Year’s resolutions, anyway? You make one, and then you spend the rest of the year breaking it.”

He leaned back with a relaxed air, his golden eyes glinting with mischief as he popped another piece of fruit into his mouth. The firelight danced across his features, casting flickering shadows that softened his usual sharpness. There was something inherently easy about him in this moment—something Astraea found both infuriating and endearing.

Astraea turned her head to look at him, one eyebrow arching in amusement and challenge. The glow from the fire reflected faintly in her iridescent pupils, their shimmering starlight hue catching his attention briefly before she spoke. “Not if you’re serious about it,” she countered, her tone carrying an effortless confidence as she nudged him lightly with her elbow. “Do you even have a resolution?”

Harumasa feigned a thoughtful expression, tapping his chin with exaggerated deliberation before placing a hand dramatically over his heart. “Of course, I have one,” he said, his voice dripping with mock indignation. “I resolve to stay just as charming and irresistible as I’ve always been.”

Astraea let out a laugh, warm and genuine, her shoulders shaking slightly as she leaned back against the couch. Her silver-blue hair, still loosely braided, shimmered faintly in the light, and her expression softened with an affection she didn’t bother to hide. “Wow,” she said, her voice laced with playful disbelief as she shook her head. “Aim high, why don’t you?”

“I prefer to think of it as maintaining perfection,” he replied smoothly, his grin widening as he leaned closer to her. The teasing curve of his lips was highlighted by the firelight, the sharp edges of his smirk softened just enough to be disarming. “Fine,” he said, his tone shifting to a mock-seriousness that made her laugh again. “What’s yours, then?”

For a moment, Astraea didn’t answer. Her gaze drifted toward the sliding doors, where the snowfall outside had intensified, each flake catching the golden glow of the city lights as they tumbled through the darkened sky. The faint hum of the city beyond was muted, leaving the room steeped in a tranquil stillness punctuated only by the soft crackle of the fire and the rhythmic ticking of the countdown clock on the television.

Her expression shifted, the teasing light in her eyes giving way to something softer, more contemplative. “I resolve to make the most of every moment,” she said finally, her voice quiet but steady. “To spend more time with the people I care about.”

Harumasa’s smirk faded, the teasing light in his golden eyes giving way to uncharacteristic sincerity. His gaze softened, steady and unguarded as it rested on hers, mirroring the quiet earnestness she’d shown. Without breaking eye contact, he reached for her hand, his fingers brushing hers before lacing them together with deliberate care. The warmth of his touch was steady and grounding, a silent assurance that spoke louder than any words he could have offered.

“Not bad,” he murmured, his voice low and quiet, as though he were afraid to disturb the moment. His gaze held hers, the flickering light of the fire casting shadows across his face. “Guess I’ll have to stick around to make sure you follow through.”

Astraea smiled at that, her own hand tightening slightly around his. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper, the words carrying a weight that needed no further explanation.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, a soft stillness settled over the room, broken only by the rhythmic crackle of the fire. Astraea shifted, sitting up slightly, her starlit pupils glimmering faintly as they caught the warm glow of the flames. Her gaze wandered toward the sliding doors, where the snow-covered streets of New Eridu stretched out in quiet tranquility. The world outside seemed suspended in time, cloaked in a serene silence that felt almost otherworldly.

Harumasa leaned back on the couch, his golden eyes resting on her with a quiet fondness. He was no stranger to the warmth that bloomed in his chest whenever he looked at her—he’d felt it countless times before, and it was as familiar to him now as the sound of her laugh or the way she always claimed the fluffiest socks as her own. Yet, it still managed to catch him off guard, a gentle ache of affection that he’d stopped trying to fight long ago.

Without a word, Astraea rose from the couch, the soft padding of her fuzzy socks—both a pale cream that perfectly complemented her sapphire-blue sweater—barely making a sound against the wooden floor. Her sweater swayed gently with her movements, the loose V-neckline hinting at the elegant line of her collarbone. The cozy, oversized fabric seemed to envelop her, a striking contrast to the ethereal glow of her starlit pupils and the graceful confidence in her stride.

She stopped in front of the sliding doors, her hands resting lightly on the cool glass. The city beyond was quiet, the snow reflecting the faint glow of streetlights and giving the darkened streets an almost magical sheen. Astraea gazed out at the serene scene, her breath fogging the glass slightly as she leaned closer, her expression thoughtful and serene.

Harumasa stood after her without hesitation, the creak of the floorboards marking his approach. He slid his hands into his pockets as he stopped just behind her, his gaze briefly catching her reflection in the glass. There was something grounding in moments like this—seeing her surrounded by the world she seemed so effortlessly connected to and knowing she chose to share it with him.

“You know,” he began softly, his voice cutting through the quiet but carrying no urgency, “I didn’t really do this kind of stuff before. Celebrating. It always felt… pointless.”

Astraea turned her head slightly, her brows knitting together as she studied him. Her gaze searched his face, the vulnerability in his tone drawing her full attention. “What changed?” she asked softly.

His golden eyes met hers, steady and unflinching, though a hint of something raw flickered beneath the surface. “You,” he said simply, the weight of the word hanging between them like the spark before a firework. “You made it feel like it matters. Like I matter.”

Her breath hitched at the honesty in his voice. She reached up without hesitation, her fingers brushing gently against his cheek before her hand settled there, cradling his face. Her thumb traced a soft line along his cheekbone, the tender gesture grounding both of them. “You do matter, Harumasa,” she said, her voice low and filled with quiet conviction. “To me. More than you know.”

He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing briefly as he let her words sink in. When he opened them again, a small, genuine smile played on his lips, the kind of smile that rarely broke through his usual smirking façade. “Guess I’ve got a resolution after all,” he murmured.

Astraea tilted her head, her lips curving slightly as she asked, “Oh? What’s that?”

“To keep making you happy,” he replied, his voice soft but steady, a quiet promise carried in the words. “And to stop pretending like this isn’t the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Her heart clenched, her hand slipping from his cheek to rest lightly against his chest. The sincerity in his tone was almost overwhelming, and for a moment, she was speechless. Before she could find the words to respond, the clock on the television struck midnight, and the first burst of fireworks lit up the sky.

The cascade of colors reflected in the glass before them, illuminating the room in bursts of red, gold, and blue. The sound of the fireworks echoed through the night, but neither of them moved. Harumasa leaned forward, his forehead pressing lightly against hers, their shared breath fogging the window slightly.

“Happy New Year, Astraea,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the celebrations outside.

She smiled, her starlit pupils shimmering as her lips curved. “Happy New Year, Harumasa,” she replied, her voice warm and filled with quiet sincerity.

He didn’t wait any longer. The moment hung suspended, like the stars above, as he leaned in, closing the distance between them. When his lips met hers, it was slow and deliberate, carrying the weight of everything he couldn’t put into words. The warmth of the kiss spread like a flame, chasing away the cold of the snowy night outside.

Harumasa’s hand slid gently to her waist, his fingers brushing against the soft fabric of her sweater before settling there with a firm but tender hold. With a quiet intensity, he guided her backward, turning her until her back met the cool surface of the sliding glass door. The contrast between the icy glass and the warmth radiating from him sent a shiver through her, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she let herself be drawn closer, her body melting into his as though they were two pieces of a puzzle fitting perfectly together.

His hand at her waist tightened slightly, anchoring her in place, while his other hand moved to cradle her face. His thumb brushed lightly along her jawline, the tender gesture a stark contrast to the intensity of the kiss. Astraea’s fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, gripping it tightly as if to anchor herself to him, her heart pounding against her ribcage in a rhythm that matched his.

The cool glass at her back and the warmth of his body pressing against hers created a perfect dichotomy, grounding her in the moment while the world around them blurred into insignificance. The crackle of the fire and the faint echoes of distant fireworks dissolved into the background, leaving only the sound of their mingled breaths and the rapid beats of their hearts.

When they finally broke apart, their foreheads rested together, their breaths mingling in the small, heated space between them. Astraea’s starlit pupils shimmered, reflecting the faint glow of the fogged glass behind her. The firelight from the room flickered over their faces, illuminating the lingering flush on her cheeks and the slightly uneven rise and fall of Harumasa’s chest.

“So,” she said after a moment, her voice soft and laced with warmth, “do you think you’ll keep that resolution?”

Harumasa chuckled, the sound low and rough as he leaned back just enough to meet her gaze fully. His golden eyes held a steady certainty as his fingers moved, sliding into her silver-blue hair. He began undoing her braid, letting the shimmering strands fall free past her shoulders. “I don’t break promises,” he murmured, his hand brushing through her now-loose hair with deliberate tenderness. “Especially not to you.”

Before she could respond, he leaned in again, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was no longer slow and measured but hungry and desperate, as though he couldn’t stand the thought of any space between them. His hand moved from her hair to her waist, gripping her firmly as he pressed her back against the glass with a renewed intensity.

Astraea responded in kind, her arms looping around his neck as her fingers tangled in his hair. The kiss deepened, their shared breaths coming faster, each moment charged with an electric intensity that seemed to reverberate through the room. When Harumasa’s hands slid to her thighs, lifting her effortlessly, she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. The movement brought them impossibly closer, her body molding to his as he supported her easily, his grip secure and grounding.

The soft pads of her fingers brushed against his scalp, her touch sending a shiver through him as he tightened his hold on her. His hands rested firmly on her bottom, steadying her as he turned from the window. Their lips never broke contact as he carried her toward the couch, each step deliberate, his focus entirely on her. The fire crackled softly in the background, its warm glow bathing them in a golden light.

When he reached the couch, he lowered them both with careful ease, their kisses unbroken and their movements fluid. Astraea’s breath hitched as his lips trailed along her jawline, his name spilling from her lips in a breathless murmur. He responded in kind, her name a quiet prayer against her skin, his tone raw with affection and need.

The world outside faded entirely as they lost themselves in each other, the gentle hum of their whispered words and the soft sounds of their shared passion filling the room. Gasps, quiet laughter, and murmured declarations of love wove together, creating a symphony that was entirely their own. The night stretched out ahead of them, each moment more intimate and meaningful than the last, until the fire burned low, casting faint embers that danced in the hearth, and the city outside stirred with the first whispers of dawn. Wrapped in each other’s arms, the world around them felt distant, the only reality that mattered found in the warmth of their shared embrace.

Harumasa traced lazy circles on Astraea’s back, her head resting against his chest, her breath soft and even. His golden eyes, half-lidded but still watchful, caught the faint glow of her starlit pupils as she tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

“Happy New Year,” she whispered, her voice tender, as though the words themselves carried a quiet promise.

“Happy New Year,” he murmured back, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to her temple. “And here’s to all the ones we’ll spend together.”

[damndirtyheathen]

OC as a Flower Tag

Got tagged by @silurisanguine and @theelderdemon to do this and i'm finally getting around to it.

I'm gonna tag @bubblecat-co, @antivan-sprig, @cider-and-isekai, @vorchagirl, and anyone else who wants to do this.

I'm introducing a new Rook to the collection with this as well. I haven't put down the "I'm better off alone" rook fic, I'm just hyperfixated on PGCoD right now for some reason so it's consumed my writing goblin. I'm working on a Veilcard and intro thingie for him but here's a little preview:

Roran de Riva - Datura

(specifically Ballerina Purple cause purple is her favorite color~)

The ballerina purple datura mirrors Roran in its nocturnal bloom - unfolding only in darkness, revealing beauty slowly, deliberately. Like her, it’s fragrant but fleeting, its rare softness underscoring how precious vulnerability can be. A symbol of healing and transition, datura speaks to the liminal space Roran inhabits - poised between who she was and who she’s becoming. It carries danger in its elegance, hiding poison beneath hypnotic grace, just as Roran’s poise masks shadowed depths, pain, and quiet steel. The ballerina variety, with its swirling, disciplined form, echoes her precision, her control, and the motion of a life constantly in balance.

Xeraphina de Riva - Black Tulip

Black tulips, rare and carefully cultivated, reflect Xera’s own creation - born of unique circumstance and deliberate design. They symbolize strength, deep passion, and an elegance that masks inner fire, much like Xera’s disciplined exterior conceals unyielding love and pain. Their association with mourning speaks to the quiet, cutting grief she carries with poise and restraint. And like the tulip’s near-black petals - an illusion of shadowed color - Xera is never quite what she seems: curated, mythic, and hiding something deeply human beneath her cold precision.

Daveth Mercar - Blue Poppy

Like the rare and quietly striking blue poppy, Daveth moves through the world with mythic subtlety - easy to overlook, impossible to forget. The flower’s ties to dreams, remembrance, and introspection mirror his ghostlike presence: haunted by choices, quietly doing good, and convinced he's better off alone. Blooming in harsh, mountainous terrain, the blue poppy reflects his resilience - surviving grief, guilt, and solitude. Though often seen as a symbol of peace, for Daveth it represents self-imposed exile: a retreat into silence where he pretends he isn’t haunted, not serenity but a beautiful stillness forged from sorrow.

[eukrasiancrisis]

Elftober #4: Transport

Taking this prompt as an opportunity to finally do some personal experimenting with my OC lore so hope that's okay. I added pretty gifs to make it... prettier. The rest is me trying to figure out how my aetherically-challenged elezen commutes between Ishgard and Gridania every week without teleporting, how long it should realistically take him, and how feasible it is to do regularly. Just the simple mundanity of his trips back and forth.

-

From Gabriel's Empyrean apartment to his Lavender Beds home:

Coerthas

Leaves after breakfast @ ~9

9:00 ~1 bell walk from apartment building to right outside Ishgard

10:00pm ~1 bell elk ride from the Gates of Judgement to Dragonhead

Optional 1/2 bell: Fireside chat with Emmanellain if he’s free. Asks how Honoroit’s writing is coming along. Makes up a totally valid excuse why he can’t go up north to pay respects to the dearly departed. It’s not as if his failing the young man weighs on him to this day or represents the all the young souls his generation used as stock for a madman’s campaign, now that’d be silly. It’s simply a dangerous ride up.

11:00pm ~1 bell ride between Dragonhead & Observatorium

12:30pm ~1/2 bell Observatorium to north shroud

Total time to leave Coerthas: +4 bells = half a day’s ride at a slow pace

-

North Shroud

1:00 reaches the North Shroud

1:40 arrives at Bobbing Cork

May give his elk a break at the Cork and have some spiced cider for another 1/2 bell. Picks up HQ tea leaves next door for home and for Yuusei.

2:16 leaves the Cork

3:00 Stops by Treespeak Stables to check on Odile

Optional ~1/2 bell: probably administers minor healing to chocokeep Bledros after yet another skirmish with a birb. Occasionally places an order of compost tea made from HQ chocobo manure to be delivered to their home because he is NOT transporting that stuff himself but Fyr swears by it. "Nophica’s own titty milk" or somesuch.

3:30 leaves Treespeak

3:50 arrives at Gridania

Total time to reach Gridania: ~3.5 bells = another half day’s ride

-

Gridania

4:15 stops by the Greatloam Growery. If Fyr’s there he keeps him company until he finishes up, or makes him finish up and drags him behind the boathouse (waterwheels suppress a lot of noise) so they eventually go home together. If Fyr isn’t there, he’ll chat with Fufucha, repeat to her for the umpteenth time how well her forestation efforts are flourishing up north, and inquire about any seed orders Fyr had placed so he’ll pick them up for him.

4:30 waits at the aetheryte plaza for Yuuko to teleport home from Limsa if she had class or an assignment that day, with a box of her favorite Ishgardian muffins. Currently she’s off traveling the new world so no more waiting, but he still sits there sometimes for a spell, reminiscing over her smiling face when she’d arrive all spent but triumphant

5:40 takes the evening ferry from Westshore Pier to Lav. Beds

6:00 arrives at Lavender Beds

6:30 arrives home. If he spots the telltale plume of smoke next door from Yuusei’s forge he’ll know she is absolutely not to be disturbed. If not he’ll stop by for tea for another 1/2 bell

Total to reach home from Gridania: ~2.5 bells

-

Total total travel time: ~10 bells = a whole day’s slow ride to travel between his two residences, or split into two days if he decides to stay at the Bobbing Cork due to bad weather, etc

-

Honestly thought it'd take much longer. The maps, I imagine, are a very small part of the actual size of these areas so in reality it should take longer but then again, time runs much faster in-game so it balances out? Also is it realistic for the Lavender Beds ferry to take ~20mins? Don't know... but sounds good enough for now.

[hk-oc-tournament]

Hollow knight OC tournament round 2

Beryl (he/him) from @tiger-lily-55555

Beryl is a friendly, compassionate tarantula hawk wasp who tries to keep a glass-half-full perspective on life. He loves going out to taverns with his friends and meeting new people. He also enjoys taking walks through the desert, watching the wildlife that lives there. He lives near a small town called Spineridge, which acts as a resting point for adventures traveling through the surrounding desert and the Wastes beyond. Despite the fearsome reputation tarantula hawks have, Beryl doesn’t know much about combat, and would rather talk things out to solve problems. His favourite food is cactus fruit, especially cider made from it, and his favourite animals to spot on his walks are lumaflies and tiktiks.

Wisp (she/her) from @miikrowelle

She uses her soul magic to create fake illusions, which she uses to put on "magic shows", while traveling through all sorts of lands. Through the story telling of her illusions, she tries keeping the history of the Radiance alive (she was a dear follower of her)

She's very egocentric and loves attention, but not a bad person. Shes very loyal and can be very sweet if you complement her.

[tetraquark373]

Character a day

So I noticed I have like...a big bunch of characters or so, and I'm kiiinda slow at making art, so I was thinking I'd post a character a day until I run out of them! >:D

So todaaaaaaaaaay we're gonna start wiiiiith...

Sphero Cyclic! My orange hero OC :D

Yes chat, he has TONS of inspo from Cider, from JSAB comic "Close to Your Heart" by Afrothunderxx96 vovb (Yeh she's on Tumblr but I'm not rlly gonna ping her just for this =<=) Sphero is a bit more unique in his own ways, though. He likes joking around and making bad jokes, but is actually a bit of a shy and scared bean ^^. He has A BUNCH of lore also >83

Part of the reasons why he draws heavy design inspo from Cider is because he was one of my first JSAB OCs, so I had difficulty being creative for him at first ^^; But hey! He's one of my first characters who I drew in multiple outfits! Even if simple minor changes for now vovb

[haeanotnon]

oc tag game :) tagged by @giselberts thank you!! You'll have to hear more about Oberyn because I'm obsessed with him😆

GENERAL

Name: Oberyn Nerevares

Nickname(s): Alder. This is a pet name that was traditionally given at birth in his family, intended for relatives and friends. He only received his "official" name at twenty, when he ran away from home for adventures and had to somehow introduce himself to strangers. For a while, he used the name Magnus :)

Gender: cis-male

Age: 86

Birthplace: Skyrim

Languages: I can't say for sure, he's pretty good at learning languages, but he's never studied them thoroughly, so he knows everything at different levels, having picked up a few here and there

Sexual orientation: bi, probably. Usually, he focuses more on whether he's interested in a person or not, and most often it turns out to be men.

Occupation: Adventurer and Healer.

FAVORITE

Color: Red, gold, blue :) He mostly likes bright colors, although the right black has its charm too.

Entertainment: He likes to wander here and there and meddle in other people's business. He likes to collect gossip, although he does not spread it further. To some extent, he is addicted to thrills. He plays gambling, but often loses, so he tries not to do it too often.

Pastime: Alchemy, he likes to mix ingredients, and create some new potions. Blacksmithing, although he is not very good at it, he makes his own arrows, and finds it quite meditative. And also embroidery :) He mainly fixes holes in leather, embroidering flowers on them, but if you give him enough free time, he can even swing at some tapestry.

Food: He eats EVERYTHING. from insects to tree bark, completely indiscriminate. But his favorite is probably fruits, apples and pears. He eats them with the pits too :')

Drinks: Also something sweet, wine or cider if he can choose.

Books: He likes diaries and biographies. Anything where other people express their thoughts.

HAVE

Graduated from university: He studied to be a doctor under another master, does that count?

Had sex in public: Haha, no :) He was too shy for it when he was younger, and then no one asked him.

Got tattoos: Nope, never had the chance. Although maybe he would have agreed if he was in the right mood, it would have taken him a long time to figure out what to get.

Got piercings: Oh yeah! He loves shiny things, so he has a lot of piercings in his ears, tongue and belly button.

Had a broken heart: when his daughter married an idiot :'). This is a joke (he thinks her husband is a good guy, although of course not without stupidity (he is biased, what can you do)) In general, he had to lose close people a couple of times, and he takes it very hard.

Was in love: yeah. A couple of times not bad, a few times very unsuccessfully, and once just great :))

THEY

Hugs: He's very tactile, although he's used to being more reserved at this age. He loves to cuddle and hold hands, and if you sleep in the same bed with him, you'll definitely wake up tangled :)

Easily scared: He's practically immune to scary things, but he can be easily startled by loud noises or flashes of light if he's not prepared for it.

Easily jealous: He's not jealous at all, and he believes in trusting people close to him, because who else?

Trustworthy: If you let him hold a glass at a party, he'll die for it.

FAMILY

Siblings: Uhhh, he doesn't have any siblings, but he does have a couple of aunts and uncles that he thinks of as siblings. One of his age, but was adopted by his grandfather, and therefore is formally considered his uncle, but they rarely remember this, and consider themselves brothers. (Oberin's mother calls him brother, although she is much older than him, but she mostly just teases him like that (Of course, with love) ) They grew up together and are extremely close. Then his grandfather had more children, and they are also formally considered his uncles and aunts, but they are younger than even Oberin's daughter, so he also considers them his younger brothers and sisters. He also has a couple of half-brothers from his father, but there is a complicated history there.

Parents: His father was practically not involved in his life, and Oberin does not know him very well. His mother, on the contrary, loves him very much and taught him a lot. Grandfather1, grandfather2 and grandmother also took part in his upbringing, although the latter appeared in their lives when Oberin was already a teenager. This is a loving, albeit chaotic family.

Children: Daughter Helga (Daisy). She was an accident (don't mix a huge amount of alcohol and nervous tension, kids), but she became a favorite child from the first moment. Oberyn didn't have a specific strategy for raising her (he was terrified and panicked, poor thing), so he tried to pay her as much attention as possible and teach her everything he knew. Mostly it was archery, knife throwing and alchemy😆 Although it can't be said that she didn't need it in the future.

Pets: Nope, although he feeds half of the stray cats of the Arc.

Thanks again ❤️❤️❤️

it took me a while but it was really interesting to think about :)