#Besides the friendship they have the other Beasts of course

[cookieofearthbread]

Eternal Sugar before they fell and became corrupted was no doubt was really energetic and supportive cookie; doing everything they could to bring joy and happiness to cookiekind and the world. They would grant cookies their dreams and comfort them to the best of their abilities, however they didn't allow themselves to be sad or upset as they needed to be a pillar to everyone.

After all, they held the virtue of Happiness. In their mind; they couldn't afford to be sad or even feel a single negative emotion.... No matter what.... Of course, this would be their downfall due to the simple fact they bottled up their emotion and were slowly burning themselves out by being the pillar of support.

At some point, Eternal Sugar started to get burnout with trying to help everyone they could and grew tired until only grew worse with each passing day until one day; they didn't want help a cookie as they simply wanted to sleep, which lead into a huge argument.

An argument that ended in tragedy when Eternal Sugar accidentally ended up using their magic, which resulted in the cookie's death. When they realized their mistake; they felt nothing for the cookie's death.... In fact; there was part of them that felt relief and free...

As such, Eternal Sugar decided that if they weren't allowed to do nothing or sleep, then they would kill any cookies that dare bother them with the only exceptions being the other Beasts as the friendship was the only thing that the fallen angel cared about now.

[cera-writes]

Requesting Nightcrawler with a mutant who prefers animals to people. They tolerate and later fall for Kurt because he treats everyone and everything around him with gentleness and genuine care.

A/N: thanks for requesting this! I think we can all agree Kurt is a huge lover of animals <3 Pairing: Kurt Wagner x gn!reader Tags: Introvert/extrovert friendship, developing feelings, mutual respect, empathy, animal communication, feeling like an outsider, found family

Kindred Spirits

The Danger Room hummed as it deactivated, the acrid tang of burnt wires filling the air. You sank against the deactivated training bot, massaging your temples. Another grueling session of hand-to-hand combat left you feeling drained. You weren't built for close-quarters fights. Your mutation, while interesting, wasn't exactly combat-oriented. You could converse with animals, understand their thoughts and emotions. A skill that, you often felt, was wasted in the X-Mansion's focus on battle.

A soft thud caught your attention. Nightcrawler perched on the bot beside you, his tail swishing gently. "Rough session?" he asked, his voice laced with concern that felt genuine, a rarity amongst the boisterous X-Men.

You shrugged, a low sigh escaping your lips. "It's not my forte." Truthfully, it wasn't just the fighting. You yearned for the quiet companionship of animals, a yearning your fellow X-Men didn't quite understand. They found solace in training, in the camaraderie of shared experiences. You craved the solitude of the woods, the gentle understanding of a curious deer or a wise old owl.

Nightcrawler tilted his head, his yellow eyes filled with empathy. "I understand," he said softly. "Sometimes, the chaos can be overwhelming. Even for someone who thrives on it."

You glanced at him, surprised. "You get it?"

"Of course," he chuckled, a sound like wind chimes. "Being different can sometimes make you feel like you don't belong. But that doesn't make you any less valuable."

His words struck a chord. You'd always felt like an outsider, more comfortable deciphering the chirps of sparrows than the banter of humans. Yet, there was Nightcrawler, a walking embodiment of "different," accepting you with open arms.

The following weeks saw an unexpected friendship blossom. You found yourself drawn to Nightcrawler's quiet gentleness. He wasn't just kind to people, but to everything around him. You watched him patiently soothe a scared kitty in a back alley, his voice a soothing murmur that calmed even the most agitated beast. He spoke to stray dogs on the city's streets, his words eliciting happy tail wags. You, the introvert, found yourself drawn out of your shell, enjoying the quiet conversations you shared with him, the gentle teasing tinged with a genuine respect that warmed your heart.

One afternoon at the park, you found him by the koi pond, his blue form a stark contrast to the vibrant fish. You approached hesitantly, your voice barely a whisper. "What are you doing?"

He looked up, a smile gracing his pointed features. "Just admiring the silence," he said, gesturing to the fish. "They have such a peaceful energy, don't they?"

You sat beside him, drawn to his peaceful aura. You confessed your introversion, your longing for the quiet companionship of animals. The words that usually felt awkward tumbled out easily, unburdened by judgment.

He listened intently, his expression filled with understanding. "Many find strength in crowds," he said softly, "but there's nothing wrong with finding solace in solitude. It's a different kind of strength, but strength nonetheless." He met your gaze with his warm yellow eyes. "And your ability to connect with animals," he continued, "that's a gift, Mein Freund. It shows a depth of empathy most people can only dream of."

His words filled you with a newfound sense of confidence. For the first time, you saw your introversion not as a weakness, but as a strength. And your connection with animals, a skill often scoffed at by others, was a gift.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the pond, you leaned your head against his shoulder, a silent gesture of gratitude. He didn't need words. His smile, warm and genuine, spoke volumes. In that quiet moment, you realized you weren't alone. You had found a kindred spirit, someone who understood your need for solitude, someone who saw the beauty in your differences, someone who, just like you, possessed a heart that resonated with the quiet whispers of the natural world.

A wistful look crossed Nightcrawler's face as he spoke of his past. "Back at the circus," he said softly, "I used to spend hours with the animals. They never judged me for my appearance. We understood each other in a way most humans couldn't."

You reached out, placing a hand on his arm. A silent understanding passed between you, a shared love for creatures who offered companionship without judgment. In that quiet moment, you realized you weren't alone. Not anymore.

[pixievi]

headcannons for jealous kit?

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── *:･ﾟ JEALOUS KIT ･ﾟ:* ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

𓆩 summary ° ｡ kit getting jealous over you <3

𓆩 contents ° ｡ headcanons

╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ༺♡༻ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

Despite being fiercely worried for her brother Airk, Kit was beyond excited that you were adventuring with her. Adventuring with you by her side? It was the source of many of her daydreams

But, when Elora joined the group, Kit started having a bad time, a REALLY bad time

On top of the feelings of rejection and anger that she harboured towards Elora, seeing you get close with her was creating a whole other beast

At this point, Kit had never uttered a word of her love for you. Fearing that if you didn’t feel the same, it would ruin your friendship. And you’d leave her

Which was something she felt sick at the thought of

So, she kept her mouth shut. About that, at least

She was very generous with opening her mouth towards Elora though, wanting to scare her off from the both of you, but you especially

Kit could see how sweet and pretty Elora was, how everyone went out of their way to be of service to her, so how could you not do the same? How could you not want her the same way Kit wanted you?

You were making an effort to be a friend to Elora, as you two naturally did get along well anyways, but also because you felt pretty bad for how Kit was towards her

You knew why, which was because it seemed that her father always chose Elora over Kit and abandoning her because of it, so you understood

But you weren’t aware of the other reason why, if you were, you would have eased her worries and insecurities. As you felt the exact same about Kit, and had for a while

Kit would take every chance she could to steal you away from Elora, with an excuse always at the ready - “c’mon, train with me”, “will you help me find wood for the fire”, “will you help me with this”, “help me with that”

Or sometimes she’d just say “come with me” while walking past, and you being a lovesick puppy for her, you always followed. Giving Elora an apologetic smile

Her jealousy got worse when you would shoot a disapproving look at her whenever she said something to Elora, or when you would tell her to ease off

Sometimes she’d snap at you in the process, then immediately regret it

She would take that as a sign she needs to leave and cool off

“kit”

you found her sitting on the old bark of a fallen tree, resting her elbows on her knees. Staring into the tree line. She jumped slightly as your voice pulled her from her racing thoughts. She sat up as you plopped down beside her.

“I’m sorry”

“I know”

“No like really, I shouldn’t have done that to you”

“Mmm”, you agreed, resting your hand on her knee.

Kit stiffened and tried to remember how to breathe. Her skin was on fire. But it was good. Warmth threatened to creep up to her cheeks so she kept her head down, keeping her eyes on the way you absentmindedly tapped her knee.

“You hear what I said?”

Shit. “Hu-yeah. ‘course”

“You didn’t, did you?”

“No”

You chuckled under your breath as Kit gazed at you sheepishly. You couldn’t look at her directly, not when she was so close. You adjusted on the tree. Sitting closer to her.

“Well, what I was saying is that I know something is up with you and I wanna know if there’s anything I can do to help make you feel better”

Kit rested her head on your shoulder, sighing. She tentatively took your hand that rested on her knee and intertwined her fingers with yours. A small smile grew on your face. Kit cleared her throat.

“Just don’t leave me, please”, she said, quietly.

Leave her? Why would you leave her?

“Oh, Kit”, her words tugged at your heart and you pulled her into a tight hug. She melted into your frame, gripping you just as tight. “The only way I’m ever leaving you is if I die, or you tell me to, okay?”

She nodded into your neck, drinking up your words like a lifeline. She wanted to stay like that forever.

She did her best to remember your words, chanting it in her head whenever she felt those feelings of jealousy rise in her. She was able to keep her mouth shut for the most part as she watched Elora interact with you, but she was failing at keeping it from her face

Jade regarded Kit with a knowing smile at her expression of both annoyance and grumpiness. You were helping Elora with pronouncing her spells, but she kept messing it up. Making herself sound ridiculous, which made both of you keep giggling.

“You alright?”, she asked Kit.

“Yeah, why?”, she finally tore her gaze away from Elora and you to Jade beside her.

“Well, you just look a little deranged”, she chuckled.

Kit cleared her throat, feeling foolish suddenly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about”

“Uh huh”

She would always sit beside you, needing to be close to you. Which always made her feel better

Jade kept encouraging Kit to tell you and with each time she mentioned it, Kit agreed more and more that it was near time to tell you

She definitely sulks when you’re talking to Elora

Boorman constantly teases her about it, seeing right through her and always gives you a mischievous smile as you approach Kit

She eventually told you in the Wildwoods. Not that she had much choice because of the truth plums, but she still wanted to

You were scanning through the crowd looking for Kit, you wanted to dance with her

But Elora spotted you first and dragged you into a dance

It was all very clumsy and giggly, but still fun

Kit found you before Elora let go of you and she couldn’t help her heart sink

Fuck it

She made her way through the crowd, gripped you and uttered you to follow her

You were confused, wondering if something had happened to Kit so you followed her to somewhere more secluded and quiet

She ended up blurting it, and prepared for the worst

But you smiled

And then kissed her

She was frozen in shock, but melted against you as you pressed your body into hers

She couldn’t contain her giddy smile when you both paused for breath

𓆩 tags ° ｡

@k1mba @amorogre @elliesconverses @visndcaitswhore @happysparklingshadows @caspianbluu @violetsrxse @perrzs @ghosthellz @evilpotat @headempty03 @vastseamind @whoreshores @hangesgirlypop @purrculiar @askforimagineoroneshot @flowersinafield @border-bb @animetingzz @taleiak @wisezonkthingbandit

[meazalykov]

baby pink

laura freigang x reader

one part to the baby pink series

you and laura have been inseparable since your days at penn state. laura was a beast on the soccer field, her talent and determination earning her a place on the university's team after playing in germany for all of her life. 

you, on the other hand, loved soccer until you had a back injury from an accident– preventing you from playing football ever again. 

from therapy– you found your new passion through photography. 

your love story between laura and you grew in the shared moments of your photography electives at penn state, where laura's fiery energy met your soft-hearted one.

you first met in a photography class, both unsure about the other but quickly becoming friends. she started to notice how you wore pink everyday. 

your jeans were always blue and you had on the same comfy birkenstock slides– but you had many baby pink shirts that you loved to show off. 

laura's interest in photography was a surprise to many– including you– since you knew her as a soccer star, overtime you saw the deeper layers in her. 

you guys spent countless afternoons wandering around campus, snapping photos of anything that helped with both of your photography mentions. 

the german would capture other people and nature, meanwhile you tend to capture anything that was any shade of pink. 

she admired how you saw the world through a pink-tinted lens, both literally and figuratively. your old dorm room back in pennsylvania had been a shrine to the color pink– with pink curtains, bedding, and decor that reflected your love for that color.

as your friendship deepened, it turned into something more. laura started getting you pink colored flowers that you thought were pretty– not more pretty than her. when you asked a mutual friend about laura’s new gesture– they told you that laura might’ve been in love with you. 

you believed it and you confessed your love to laura– who kissed you in response.

you two started dating, and it wasn't long before you were inseparable. your love for each other grew stronger with each passing day, cemented by your shared experiences and dreams for the future.

now, 6 years later, you live together in frankfurt, germany. laura plays for the football club frankfurt, and you capture your lives with your cameras. 

your love for pink is still well-known; as laura’s woso fans love complimenting you about your pink aesthetics. 

the collection of cameras in your shared apartment were more proof, each adorned with pink stickers or encased in pink cases and shells. even (some) your wardrobe is still a sea of pink. 

one chilly afternoon, the two of you are lounging at home. laura is sprawled on the couch, recovering from the game against wolfsburg that morning, while you excitedly open a package you've been waiting for all week.

laura glanced over the couch and looked at you with the box on the kitchen island, her curiosity piqued.

"what did you get?" she asks, her eyes lighting up with interest.

you grin and pull out a brand-new camera in a smaller box, the body of the camera shimmered in a delicate shade of pink. 

turning it over in your hands, admiring the sleek design and the soft color, you smile brightly at it. 

laura chuckles, shaking her head. "of course, it's pink."

you laugh, your eyes sparkling with delight at your fiancee. "you know i had to" you say, holding the camera up to your eye and pretending to take a picture of laura. 

you would’ve taken the picture but the camera still needed a battery and sd card from the cabinet where laura and you kept them.

 

laura smiles warmly, reaching out to you with her arms. you giggle as you walk up to her in the living toom. 

by your waist, she pulls you onto the couch beside her. "i love that about you" she murmurs, brushing a strand of your hair behind your ear. "it's pretty– just like you."

you lean in, kissing Laura softly. "i love capturing you with the cameras," 

“and i love capturing you.” laura whispered against your lips. 

as the afternoon sun bathes your apartment threw your windows, you and your fiancee take pictures to do something with your free time. 

you snap shots of laura, her athletic form, beautiful eyes, and soft hair creating stunning images, while laura, in turn, captures your radiant smile, pink blush, and the joy in your eyes.

through the pink camera, everyone can see the love in the couple's eyes. 

<3

[incorrectssr]

Been chewing cement over Dottie Underwood again so I present the court with some sleep deprived babbling about the Red Room/bread scene at the beginning of 1x05 'The Iron Ceiling' that I typed out on Discord. I have had so many interpretations of the bread over my six years in this fandom and I maintain Dottie considered Anya as prey from the very beginning.

So we know that the bread is a hidden luxury (if it can be called that it looks stale as heck) that Dottie should not have, although is likely encouraged to have as I think survival and secrecy is something promoted by her superiors (Heaven forbid she gets caught though). However, sleeping in the middle of a highly open plan room she has limited time to consume her contraband. Knowing that the Matron is looking the other way as she is concerned with the handcuffs of girls behind and walking in the direction opposite to her, the girls around her busy with making their beds, Dottie takes out the bread and faces the direction that the Matron is making her rounds so that she can see how long she has.

Of course, this time, Anya is there. I like to think of Anya as either being a new addition, an older girl when taken or generally one of the weaker members of the cohort because I do not think Dottie has any friendly intentions towards her. The former appears more likely as Anya is shown to be physically larger and stronger than Dottie in the final fight scene (Dottie flinches when Anya feints a lunge towards her). The sharing of the bread, as I have said previously in one of my many extrapolations on this scene, is a signal of enmity for Dottie (as seen with her offering half her baguette to Peggy in the diner immediately after the Black Widow sequence - although the line 'I can never finish mine' could be interpreted in such a way to support the idea of a genuine friendship but I think that would be a little out of character… unless the timeline of the first sequence is MUCH longer than it appears… interesting, I might have to explore that avenue of thought later).

However, I think it is a necessity as well. She has been seen; it was always likely she would be seen. So she has three options: intimidate, bribe, or do nothing. In a cutthroat world the latter option would be suicide and the former would do little good against a girl physically bigger than her and would attract too much attention. Her only option is bribery, which naturally casts herself at the whim of her victim who could always choose to say no and snitch on Dottie but Dottie is a clever little beast and has already scoped Anya out.

Anya is wide eyed in these opening scenes. She watches Dottie's transgression as though she has never seen something so bold, would never dream of doing something so daring. Intimidation would scare her too much, but a sweet touch? Dottie has memorised every word, every tone, every expression of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves - she knows a defenceless creature when she sees one. And she hasn't had anyone to practice her bright, happy, childlike joy smile on yet. So she hands Anya - starving, obedient Anya - half of her hard earned bread and breaks out her well rehearsed smile. Does it first, quick - I am a friend I am a friend I am your friend - to open up the possibility of amicable relations for Anya to flash her teeth back BUT Anya's smile reaches her eyes and for a sequence with so much focus on Dottie's eyes one will notice her smile doesn't reach her own.

It's actually really sickening this sequence - especially the scene where she kills Anya. That said I am obsessed with the way that Anya uses her size to intimidate Dottie in the fighting arena and the way Dottie flinches away proving that Anya IS the superior fighter, the stronger, bigger candidate who SHOULD win the fight. But she can't because Dottie has been placing these seeds of friendship in her mind - the bread, sitting beside her in the projector room - and that will weaken the strong but not the tenacious. And Dottie Underwood does not care about your feelings but she does care about survival.

But yeah, I think the bread occurs as a one time necessity and carries on as a litmus test - how you respond to the bread determines how Dottie will deal with you. Peggy's refusal of half of the baguette no doubt reaffirms Dottie's perception of her as the perfect, spoiled girl who gets everything she wants. Peggy doesn't NEED the sustenance, doesn't accept it and is willing to let it waste without a second thought. For a girl raised on stale bread rolls tucked under her pillowcase that must feel like a spit in the eye. Fuck I love Dottie Underwood.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[valyriians]

I’m not sure if this is how you put requests in, so I’m sorry if this is wrong lol. But i was wondering would u mind writing a Visenya Targaryen x fem reader? Cause I see in most fics it’s a lot of stuff on Aegon and Rhaenys and I feel like our girl Visenya needs some love. I don’t really have a story in mind I’d just love to see her protective and possessive over us while also maintaining a friendship with Aegon and Rhaenys, if makes sense. Like we all get along, but we’re her girl and she’s gonna make it known lol. I hope it makes sense and I hope ur doing well author 🫶

Beauty and the Dragon.

Visenya Targaryen x fem!reader, arryn!reader.

summary: reader is basically sharra arryn but spicier.

wc: 1.7k

warnings: reader is a mom, non canon aegon i, smut, mention of reader being a prize.

You were known as the Flower of the Mountain, Y/n Arryn. You ruled in your son's name as Queen Regent in the Vale and the Mountains

When you received the news of the dragons from the south you had a worried look on your face, the Eyrie was defensible from the ground but in the sky, it was vulnerable. 

You were scared, who would not be? A dragon could bring death and destruction to everything that the sky looms over. You ordered every one of your bannermen and advisors to raise defences and be prepared to defend the Vale. 

You were with your advisors when the whole castle was shaken by a monstrous roar that could be heard from miles away. 

‘’Where is my son?’’ you asked.

‘’WHERE IS HE?!’’ you shouted while running out of the room watching the people get up on their feet after the incident.

When you arrived at the throne room you saw your young son in the lap of a golden-silver-haired woman who was adorned in silver chain mail with a beautiful valyrian steel sword by her side.

She looked breathtaking, ethereal and elegant but also fierce and confident. You looked up at her with a glistening gleam in your eye.

The woman shifted her gaze from the young king to you and the two of you held eye contact which felt like a lifetime, her eyes were those of a beautiful purple which complimented her stern features.

‘’Who are you, release my son at once!’’ you exclaimed.

‘’Forgive me for the entrance I made but surely you must know that I needed to make an impression.’’ The woman said while looking playing with the young boy king.

‘’My name is Visenya Targaryen, eldest child of Lord Aerion Targaryen and Lady Valaena Velaryon of Dragonstone, sister to Ageon the Dragon.’’

‘’Let go of my sons’’ you said.

‘’I have no means to harm your son, come walk with me.’’ Visenya gestured for them to walk into the courtyard.

You walked with them outside where Visenya was holding the young king and babbling some stuff to him.

‘’If you don’t mean to harm us, why are you here?’’ you asked while looking closely at your son.

‘’Well, I will have to inflict some harm if you do not surrender the Vale and Mountains to me and my brother.’’ Visenya said while looking at you. 

‘’As I see it, you are only a force of, one man and with a simple nod of my head I could have my archers let a hundred arrows fly.’’ you said.

‘’Could you now?’’ Visenya said and then the ground rumbled that was followed by a roar and from the sky descended a formidable green dragon that landed by Visenyas side.

The dragon was beautiful.

Some of the archers fled while others laid down their bows and shook in terror.

‘’Mama look at the dagon’’ the young boy king said to his mother, clearly not afraid of the large beast that was beside him.

‘’DRA-gon, little one.’’ Visenya said as she put him down on the ground.

You saw your son's face lit up and crouched down to hug your son. You looked at your son, then the dragon and lastly at Visenya who stroked the dragon's snout. 

‘’I willingly surrender my son's crown, the Vale and the Mountains and all its treasures to you, on the condition that you will let my son live.’’

Visenya looked at you with a sympathetic look.

‘’Of course, your son will live, as will you.’’ Visenya said.

‘’I thank you’’ you bowed to her.

‘’I will be staying here, my brother and sister will be coming soon and we will make our journey North, perhaps you might indulge me with stories of the North, or the Vale and its so-called… treasures.’’ she winked at you, clearly into you but not making it to obvious.

‘’We shall have a feast prepared in your honour’’ you said while she mounted Vhagar with your son because she promised him a flight on Vhagar.

—

Two huge dragons arrived, one black as night and the other silver as the moon, they landed outside the Bloody Gate and arrived at the Eyrie where you were waiting with Visenya.

You saw how majestic the man and his sister, the younger one, were a great beauty. They truly were destined for something great and were going to achieve it.

‘’Brother’’ Visenya said.

‘’Dear sister.’’ he replied.

‘’Lady Arryn.’’ he shifted his gaze toward you and took your hand and kissed it. ‘’The poets did not lie, you are indeed very beautiful.’’

‘’Welcome to the Vale, my Lord, you flatter me’’ you replied, with a certain scared voice.

Rhaenys greeted you and she was very excited about the Eyrie. 

—

The feast began and it was a big one, music was played and people danced to greet their new lord. It was also ideal for the bannermen to meet their new lord.

Rhaenys was chatting with some lords and ladies about her dragon and tales of Dragonstone. 

‘’So, Lady Arryn, how long have you ruled here?’’ Aegon asks.

‘’Well for about seven years, my son ascended the throne when my husband died.’’ you reply.

‘’You have not re-married? I’m sure a score of men would love to have you beside them.’’ He chuckles but Visenya shut him down quickly.

‘’She has no need for a man, from what I have seen Lady Y/n has done an admirable job ruling the Vale.’’ You give Visenya a smile.

—

When the night came closing in, you retired to your chambers after visiting your son and you ran into Visenya, she had just returned from a flight.

Her hair when it was all worn out from the flight made her look amazing, the sweat from her ride, the way she pulled off her gloves and adjusted her clothes. You would be lying if you said that it didn’t make you feel something.

‘’I was wondering if you might educate me on the King in the North, Stark is he not?’’ she says to you while panting.

‘’It’s getting late, Lady Visenya.’’ you said but she caressed your face and pulled you in for a kiss.

Her lips tasted like lavender and cherries, she grabbed you by the neck and pulled you in closer.

You were feeling confused but were also so drawn to her, you wanted her, and you needed her badly so you also grabbed her.

You led her to your chambers where you undressed each other while kissing in between. 

She pushed you onto the bed and began leaving wet kisses on your stomach while you were naked and vulnerable beneath her. Her hands were constantly on your body.

She moved down to your core and put your legs over her shoulders, she started licking your folds while moving up her pace as you panted and moaned with the sound of pleasure.

Her hot breath on your naked body sent chills down your spine and you felt like you could see stars. 

The two of you went like this for hours and then you hear a knock on the door, terrified but curious who it might be, it could be your son or just a servant informing you about something.

You started collecting yourselves until Visenya caught your wrist.

‘’Lay here darling, I’ll handle this.’’ she said with dominance in her voice.

‘’No wait-’’ you protested.

‘’Quiet’’

Visenya walked to the door, half naked with only her long hair covering her chest with not a single care in the world. She opened the door and greeted her brother.

‘’Well well, what are you doing here?’’ she asked.

‘’I would ask you the same thing.’’ Aegon replies.

‘’Enjoying the spoils of war, I do enjoy my prize quite well and I do not plan on sharing them.’’ She said, clearly having the upper hand.

‘’I only came to bid the Lady goodnight, I shall see you on the morrow, sister.’’ He replied.

‘’I might be late, for I have much to do this night.’’ She replied.

—

The morning arrived and you woke up next to Visenya staring at you, admiring the numerous love spots she painted on your body. She caressed your hair and admired your naked figure in the messy sheets.

‘’I don’t want you to leave.’’ you say.

‘’I will be back before you know it darling.’’ she says while getting dressed.

You help her with her chainmail and fix up her hair nicely. Always giving her a few kisses in between.

—

When the three siblings were about to depart for the harsh North you were there to bid them farewell and good fortune.

You first spoke with Aegon as he walked up to you while putting on his gloves.

‘’We thank you for your hospitality Lady Arryn, it was an honour meeting one so beautiful as yourself.’’ he tells you.

‘’The honour is mine my King.’’ you bow to him and for the first time address him as King.

Rhaenys then hugged you goodbye and smiled at you and your son.

‘’My Queen.’’ you bowed to her.

‘’My Queen.’’ again to Visenya who looked at you with lustful eyes. 

‘’From this day, the Arryns will hold the position as Wardens of the East and Defenders of the Vale. Starting with the first Warden of the East who is Lady Y/n Arryn.’’ Visenya proclaimed to the audience who came to bid them farewell. She gained loud applause from the crowd.

Aegon walked over to Visenya and grabbed her arm.

‘’What do you think you’re doing?!’’ he asked his sister.

‘’Relax dear brother.’’ she said while shuffling from her brother's grip.

‘’After all, you said that it is an honour to meet one so beautiful, and I would hate to see her talents of ruling go to waste.’’ She said while holding your cheek.

‘’So beautiful indeed.’’ She whispered and then kissed you with passion in front of Aegon and Rhaenys, Aegon looked at her with jealousy while Rhaenys smiled.

‘’I shall be back.’’ she said to you.

‘’I will await for you, my Queen.’’ you said while holding her hand.

—

The dragon Vhagar flew numerous times to the Eyrie after King Aegon Targaryen the first of his name was crowned and it is said that Lady Arryn and Queen Visenya spent more nights than King Aegon did with Rhaenys.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

NWhile you're doing pokemon, might i ask, for a platonic headcanons ofseeiven, Penny and Nemona x reader,

where reader's showing them the snowy cat weasel legendary pokemon that was sealed away(i forget names atm-), i can picture arven at least being concerned seeing the dex's entry for it as reader's just all "oh but it's a sweetheart! Don't be so worried!" as theyre giving the pokemon that no doubt would absolutely cause a devastating avalanche if the reader wasnt there scritches and pats/lh

feel free to ignore just thought it could be amusing!/lh

-salt anon(stay safe btw!)

This is perfect timing bc I caught Chien-Pao today (and also Ting-Lu, my fav) after struggling and restarting the game a lot

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

After Ms. Raifort piqued your interest in the "Treasures of Ruin", you set out to free them from their confinements, knowing these poor things were taken advantage of centuries ago.

You believe they could still be helped. It wasn't too late! All they needed was love and friendship, things you were more than happy to provide.

Of course, pulling the stakes that sealed the Icerend Shrine and challenging Chien-Pao afterwards was no cakewalk, but you caught it after convincing it to come with you, promising to give it a better life.

The feline ice-type was surprisingly quick to warm up to you after you gave it a bath during a picnic, figuratively melting its icy heart. 

You took great care in shining its sword fangs, smiling when it purred in thanks before taking a nap in the grass, curled up.

It becomes harder to believe this sweet creature had a hand in destroying an entire kingdom.

Soon after, you decided to call your friends so they could see it for themselves.

As expected, Nemona was the first to arrive, psyched to see a Pokémon she's only heard about in books. 

She could immediately tell it was quite strong (despite it being cuddled up to you when she got there).

"..and you're gonna let me fight it one day, right?" She dares to ask, taken aback when Chien-Pao wakes up and looks at her in disdain.

You just laugh and shake your head, giving the Ruinous Pokémon chin scritches. "Unless you wanna be swept away by an avalanche..I don't think so. Besides, I think it's been through enough fights in its life."

Not long after her arrival, Penny and Arven show up, completely shook(tm) at the existence of this bizarre Pokémon.

Penny’s surprised it was just stuck in its own little cave all these years, while Arven’s curious about what the Pokedex says about it.

But when he finds out..well...to say he’s just “concerned” is a huge understatement.

He’s downright scared for you, having no clue how you tamed it and fearing the repercussions of freeing it.

“...[y/n], this thing is more than just a Pokémon..it’s...it’s got a bunch of souls in it--angry souls of people who hated that “king”. It also causes terrible avalanches and-”

“Oh give it a rest, Arven...does this look like the face of someone who’d cause terrible avalanches?” You pouted, holding either side of Chien-Pao’s face as you stared at him. “Do you see any hatred here? Because I don’t.”

When he has no answer, you resume patting its head, treating it like a big ol’ kitty that was simply misunderstood.

Even Penny becomes brave enough to pet its back, only to freeze when it sends an icy gaze at her. “Uh....sorry...?”

She thinks she did something wrong and is about to invoke the wrath of this ancient beast....

Until Chien-Pao purrs and nuzzles her cheek, invading her personal space just like Koraidon/Miraidon did all those times, causing you to chuckle and shake your head.

You could only hope to nurture the other three in the quartet into sweet and cuddly creatures like this one.

[emelieislost]

TOGETHER

Y/n has feelings for one particular boy in the group but she doesn't want to ruin their friendship.

Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Fluff

Characters: Sebastian Sallow, Reader a little bit of Ominis Gaunt and my original character Darcy.

I was walking from beast class when I heard someone behind me. 

“Are you going to tell him soon?” I heard Darcy’s voice, I sighed and turned to face her. I knew exactly what she was talking about, ever since she figured out that I fancied Sebastian Sallow she wouldn’t keep her mouth shut about it. I was happy that she wouldn’t tell anyone at least but she was driving me crazy with her questions; Have you told him yet? Are you guys a thing? When are you going to tell him?? She knew that she was annoying me and she loved it. 

“Shut it Darcy, I wont tell him. It will ruin everything if I do” I say and she looked at me with a big smile. 

“No it won’t I promise” She continued as we walked towards the castle. I tried talking about something else but she wouldn’t give up. 

“I assure you that it won’t ruin anything, it’s Sebastian for merlin’s sake. And besides I think he likes you back” I stopped in my tracks when I registered what she had said. 

“What? You think he likes me as well?” I asked and she chuckled. 

“Haven’t you noticed? He looks at you like you were a god, he talks about you all the time with me and Ominis and when he does he looks completely drunk in love” She said and I couldn’t believe my ears, maybe she was exaggerating a bunch but what if she didn’t? What if Sebastian Sallow actually did like me back? My thoughts were cut short when Ominis and Sebastian walked up to us, Sebastian had a big smile on his lips and when the sun reached his skin I swore I could melt at the sight. He was gorgeous. 

“Hello y/n, hey Darcy” He said and hugged me, he usually did but I couldn’t help but think that maybe it wasn’t just a friendly hug. “Could you help me with my homework?” He asked and looked at me with pleading eyes. I never understood why he wanted me to help since I wasn’t much better at potions then he were but I always agreed, I would never say no to spending some time alone with him. 

“Of course” I answer and he thanked me as all of us were walking towards the great hall for dinner. When we sat down Sebastian sat closer to me than usual, our arms touching. I wouldn’t usually think about that kind of stuff, at least not in the way I was thinking now but the thing Darcy said stayed in my head. When everyone were done eating we got up to walk towards our common room, Darcy and Ominis said that they were going to the library, leaving me and Sebastian alone on our walk. His hand brushed against mine and the butterflies in my stomach were driving me insane, one part of me just wanted to hold his hand, but what if he would find it weird? 

“I’ll get my stuff in my dorm, just wait here” Sebastian said as I sat down on the couch. It was cozy in here, everyone seemed to be doing other stuff since I couldn’t see anyone else in the common room. When he got back, all he had was a book, completely unrelated to the homework we had gotten. 

“Didn’t you want to study?” I asked and he laughed. 

“I just wanted to spend some time with you I guess, if that’s alright with you?” He said and sat down beside me, our bodies touching. I swallowed hard as I felt as if I was on fire. 

“Well- yeah sure” I said and sat uncomfortably still, scared to do something wrong. To my surprise Sebastian put his arm around me and I felt really safe. All thoughts about doing something wrong disappeared and I leaned my head against his shoulder. It was nice, sitting like this and just talking about everything. He ranted about something that Garreth had done one day when I wasn’t in class, soon I felt his hand on my waist, I didn’t mind but his touch leaved goosebumps on my skin. 

“I also wanted to talk with you about something” He said and I was terrified that Darcy had told him anything, I didn’t want to look at him and he must have noticed since he placed his hand on my chin forcing me to look at him. 

“Uhm- what is it?” I said and sat up, still trying to look elsewhere, my heart were beating fast and his hand on my waist brought me closer to him. 

“Why are you so red?” He asked, not in a teasing matter but like he was really asking. “I- I don’t know. It’s hot in here” I lied and he chuckled, I wanted to run away, far from this conversation but I couldn’t his hand on my waist and the way he was looking at me made it impossible for me to leave. “Do you fancy me?” He asked and I was scared that I might cry, I couldn’t look him in the eyes and I didn’t know what to answer to that. Yes? No? Of course I do but I don’t want to ruin anything between us and I’m scared that you won’t feel the same. I couldn’t say neither of those things and my heart was beating faster than ever at this point.

“Y/n. I don’t want to ruin anything between us but I feel like you’ve been avoiding me lately and I- I have honestly felt like a piece of me is missing when I’m not with you. I really, really like you” He said and for a split second I thought that the world had just stopped spinning, it was like everything else didn’t matter anymore and I looked him in the eyes. He had no idea what to expect and I could see the worry in his eyes. When I didn’t answer right away he moved his arm from my waist and looked at the ground. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have- I- please don’t say that this will ruin anything-” I cut him off when I placed my hand on his thigh, he turned to look at me and I felt warm.

“Sebastian, I do like you. I just didn’t think you felt the same” I said and his eyes lit up, his lips curled into a smile and he moved closer, his face inches from mine. 

“Of course I like you, I just didn’t want to ruin anything between us and honestly you scared me when you didn’t say anything” He said and laughed a little. Before I had time to answer he moved closer, his lips were on mine and I felt complete, like the piece I always had missed was finally at its place. His hand found mine and when we broke the kiss I hugged him and we sat like that for a while, just happy that we finally did what we both wanted without fear of ruining a friendship and without fear of losing each other because we knew that we belong here, we belong together.

[redskull199987]

Heyy hii I'm not sure if you're still taking requests, but I'll try my luck. Can you write something about Cahir and the female Witcher reader? Thanks in advance if you write.

If I am being brutally honest, I had a lot of fun writing this. Season three renewed my love for Cahir, so I hope you like this:)))

A Bond

Cahir x female!witcher!reader Request

Word count:0.9k

Warnings:it's all fluffy. I probably got carried away and let my inner Jaskier come out

Summary:You and Cahir had been friends for a long time and as he needs your help, you don 't hesitate to be there for him…

Masterlist

You and Cahir had known each other for a long time. You had met him on your travels through the country, as he was attacked by the beast, you were hunting. He was rude at first, but still thanked you. 

The rest was history.

You started running into him over and over again. To a point where it was inevitable that a friendship would form. With you, Cahir could be himself. He was just a normal Person. No Nilfgaard, no white flame, no war. Nothing of that mattered to you. You were neutral. All you were interested in was his person. And he knew that your interest was genuine. And he let it happen. He let the friendship form and prosper. An unfeigned friendship that connected you. 

And when he was cast out, thrown away by his master, like an old doll he didn't want to play with anymore, Cahir came to you. He found comfort in you. He had been through so much, but for once in his life, he felt safe. At peace. He might even say “Home”.

Of course, he would never tell you that, but it surely was on his mind, everytime, he looked at you. Everytime you returned to his small hut, after finishing a Witcher contract. Bruised and battered, but back with him. And only him. Only Cahir got to see you like this. He took pride in knowing that he was the only person in this world, you would trust this far, besides your brothers maybe.

But you told him that you only saw them once a year, in the winter. You told him stories of Kaer Morhen and how you had grown up there, under Vesemir´s care.

You told him that it was hard for you at first, being the only female Witcher. But it had gotten better, the older you got. The more you learned and saw in this world. You realized that no one really cared, as long as they could use you for their dirty work. 

“How was it?”, Cahir asked, forcing himself to return to the present moment. He had let his thoughts wander, after a pleasant silence rose between you, as he carefully cleaned your wounds.

“It was alright.”, you finally said,”It was a small kikimora. Still young and inexperienced.”

“In fighting?”,Cahir asked, not really knowing a lot about the beasts that your job involved. You had told him some things, but a kikimora was new to him.

 You only smiled at him, before finally answering his question:”No, not in fighting. In killing."

He was quiet for a second, not knowing what to say, upon that statement. But luckily, you just continued recounting what had happened.

“The Monster´s head was worth a lot of coin though. I won't have to leave for at least a month. The money will be enough.”

Cahir smiled at you, glad that he got to spend more time with you.He slowly got up from his place in front of you and sat down beside you on the bed:”Thank you. You don't have to do this. Supporting me in my exile, I mean. But you still do it anyway. And for that I am thanking you.”

“Oh Cahir.”, you smiled, your hand rising to softly caress his face. He closed his eyes, letting himself fall into your gentle touch.

“I would proudly ride into death for you, without hesitation.”, you mumbled, as he opened his eyes. You heard how his heart picked up a beat. How his breath stocked for a second, his eyes lingering on your lips, instead of your yellow orbs, which were intently watching him, awaiting his next move. 

You had often thought about your relationship with him. Often let your mind wander to what ifs.

 What if you were more than just close friends? What if you knew that you wanted to spend the rest of your lives together. Never leaving each other. What if…

“I love you.”

At first you barely heard him. His words were so quiet. His voice shaking and his eyes darting everywhere else, but your face.  He wasn't usually this hesitant. He was an outgoing and stern person. Always sure of himself and his capabilities. He used to be a Nilfgaardian officer after all.

“Cahir.”, you mumbled, after a few seconds of burning silence. He finally looked at you. His expression now a bit more confident. His heartbeat had slowed and he finally dared to look you in the eye.

“I love you, Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach. With all my heart.”, you smiled, your eyes almost glowing with excitement.

Cahir didn't need to hear anything more, before he finally leaned in. Your eyes closed and his lips collided with yours. He was gentle and sweet. Passion laid in his actions. And you knew that he meant every little bit, he had told you.

“I love you.”, he said once again, before slowly pushing you back against the bed. You followed along with his movements, until he was hovering above you.

“I love you.”, you also repeated. You were bare in front of him. Not in a physical way, but emotionally. No one had ever known you as Cahir did. Not even your brothers. He knew your heart and soul. Something that you had shown no one before.

And as he slowly lathered kisses over your body, your moans and whines mixing with his groans. As you fully let him in, you knew that he was the only one  you would ever love this way. He became part of you and you part of him. 

 An unfeigned bond, that was never to be broken again.

[evenhisfacewasanalias]

After Hours

Lady Jane Grey/Guildford Dudley

Rating: Teen

Modern AU - Jane is an overworked medical student at Cambridge who is in dire need of a date to her sister's engagement - all in order to keep Lady Frances from setting her up. She decides to bring the worst guy she can find and make her mother regret her meddling. Guildford is playing in a rock band at the local pub, and Jane of course picks the man she was always going to.

Really just an excuse to give Guildford a little earring.

“She’s gone completely off her rocker!”

Susannah shakes her head at her friend’s histrionics, and Jane knows she’s being ridiculous.  They were supposed to be at the pub to unwind and catch up. The loud band playing in the corner isn’t helping much, however. They’re nearly shouting to be heard over the screeching guitar and excessive drumming.

“I would have thought having one daughter getting engaged might soothe the savage beast?” 

Jane practically chugs down the second half of her pint, “Oh no, not Lady Frances Grey - if anything this has only sped up her timetable for having me married off. I need another drink.”

“You’ve had two already. Isn’t alcohol poisoning something you learned about at that fancy medical school o’ yours?” Susannah laughs, pulling her friend back to the small table.

“My fancy medical school is half the reason I drink,” Jane sighs. “The other half is Mum’s new threat to set me up with Lord Dudley's son.”

“Stanley Dudley? That's cruel, even for Frances. Besides, I'm pretty sure he has a thing for your mum.”

And that part is probably true. She thinks she caught Stan attempting the boombox move from Say Anything outside her mother’s window on winter break. Only her window was four stories up, and an mp3 speaker didn’t have quite the same impact. She’s been trying to forget the memory of it ever since. She often tries not to think too hard about her widowed mother’s love life.

“Not Stan, at least. Apparently Lord Dudley has another son we've never even heard of - some Oxford dilettante off gadding about.”

“Oooh collegiate rivalry, could make for some great shagging.” Susannah is little better than her mother at times with the way she fusses over the lack of men in Jane’s life, but at least her best friend isn’t trying to marry her off to some vagabond Lord.

“My mother’s taste in men tends toward the vapid.” So does Susannah’s, but in the name of friendship, Jane won’t mention this.

“He doesn’t need a doctorate to be good in bed,” Susannah shakes her head at her friend. “Though I feel like I should have an honorary one in the subject, at least.”

Jane laughs at her friend’s ego, though secretly she can admit she admires her confidence. “He doesn’t need a doctorate, but he should at least be able to manage his end of the conversation.”

“I forgot that a lively debate was practically foreplay for you.” 

Jane snorts out another laugh. She’s not even getting that much lately.

“So then what else is on ‘Jane’s list or a shaggable man’ - other than his oral skills?”

Jane’s face heats at her friend’s joke. It really has been too long if she’s blushing over some double entendre. Single entendre, really.

“I can’t even think about men with studying for exams this month.”

“Or last month, or the one before it. Find a hot enough bloke and you’ll make the time.”

“Well I’m certainly not going to find Mr. Right in this pub.”

She looks around at the crowd - it’s mostly secondary students and couples at the bar and tables, with a few grungier looking guys gathered around the stage. This isn’t really the sort of venue where she’d hope to find a worthy suitor.

“I’m only talking about Mr. Right Now,” Susannah teases.

“That doesn’t exactly help me with the engagement party situation.”

“It’ll help you to relax a little about the engagement party situation,” she winks.

And ok, maybe Susannah has something of a point - she’s survived her mother’s nagging for twenty four years, it usually takes a little more than a set-up to wind her up like this. But still, the threat of it remains her most pressing concern.

“It won’t help me much unless it gets my mother to back off.”

“Why not just bring some random guy as your date then?”

It’s not as though she hadn’t considered it. She’s not exactly attending a convent, she could have just invited one of her fellow med school classmates. “Because then my mother still wins.”

“And we can’t have that, can we?” Susannah is no fan of her mother either, but she can never resist mocking what she calls Jane’s ‘contrary’ nature. “Well then, make Frances regret it. Bring someone she’ll hate.”

Susannah has her own spiteful streak as well. It’s why they’ve always been friends, even when Susannah stopped working for her mother.

“So any man without a title, then?” Jane suggests. 

Her father had been a Duke and her mother refused to entertain anyone lower in rank than a Viscount. Her sister Katherine was already pushing it, marrying the Earl of Hertford.

“Worse.”

“A man without a trust fund?” 

“Worse,” and then Susannah’s eyes are shifting over towards the makeshift stage, to where the band is still wailing to the world’s smallest mosh pit.

Jane chuckles at the idea - it would certainly make her mother’s head spin. The members of the band - The Affliction, apparently, very fitting - look to be about her own age, but they’re about as far away from her social class as they could get (a characteristic Jane preferred and her mother detested). Definitely not a title or trust fund to be found among the lot of them - not with the sorry state of their clothing and instruments. They’re all decent looking enough, in a tattooed and leather jacketed bad boy kind of way. If you were into that sort of thing, which Jane most assuredly wasn’t. Or at least she had never considered herself to be - she didn’t care to be so predictable. But objectively, they’re an attractive bunch. They’re what loosely might be called a rock band, but they’re playing in this shithole of a pub so clearly they’re not very successful. And most importantly, her mother would be livid at the sight of any one of them.

That, plus the two pints in her stomach, have Jane actually considering this mad gambit of Susannah’s. What if she did bring some wannabe rockstar to the engagement party? Katherine wouldn’t mind - at least not much. And she’d certainly forgive Jane when she saw her engagement gift: a minibreak stay at a B&B in Chipping Campden to escape their mother’s wedding planning. Her mother, however, would never forgive her. Jane might even get uninvited to several events she’s been dreading. She smiles at the thought.

However, Jane doesn’t want to be uninvited from the wedding entirely, so she does some quick research before she even begins to truly contemplate this madness. Susannah laughs at the sight of Jane googling, though she hadn’t laughed when Jane used her powers of research to perform recon on her friend’s sketchy tinder dates. She doesn’t want either one of them getting axe-murdered by some random guy - a fact which Susannah usually appreciates. And even though she wants to piss off her mother, she’s not about to bring some registered sex offender to her little sister’s engagement party. 

The Affliction has a facebook page, and a soundcloud, but nothing professional. That’s good news on the unsuccessful front, neutral on the ‘is one of them an axe-murderer’ question. She looks at the band members individually. It turns out the bassist is actually a woman, with a very cute pixie cut and great bone structure - Jane briefly considers the possibility of giving her mum a heart attack by bringing home a woman, but is quick to realise she’s already married to the lead singer anyway. There’s two options out, leaving the guitarist and the drummer. A drummer would maybe get an extra rotation on the head spinning front, but in both the facebook photo and up on stage now Jane can spot a cigarette in the guy’s mouth. Gross. She’s seen too many textbook images of what the tar does to your lungs to think of anything else whenever she sees someone smoking.

Which leaves the guitarist. If she’s honest with herself, he’s the one she would have been drawn to out of all of them. Floppy brown curls, mouth curved into a devilish smirk - but thankfully no more than a spare pick pressed between his lips. A good jawline, with the barest hint of stubble. Warm brown eyes and surprisingly nice hands. She gets a little distracted watching strong fingers wrapped around the guitar's neck and nimbly plucking at its strings, stacked rings only drawing more attention to his hands - though none of that really matters since she’s not actually looking for a real date. What does matter is the rips on his jeans, the way the sleeves are cut from his t-shirt to show off his many tattoos, and the glint of an earring she can spot even from back here. He’ll drive her mum batty. 

His name’s not listed on their facebook page - there’s apparently another guitarist who should be here tonight - but this guy’s in a few of the older photos. Including one at some kind of children’s charity fundraiser event, so at least she knows he’s not on any registries. And he’s probably not a criminal or anything if they’re doing philanthropy shows. There’s a newer shot with the entire band, plus him, all cuddling animals at what is apparently a shelter rescue gig. Another point in the not-a-serial-killer column. Still no name but there’s a tabby curled around his neck pawing at a pair of necklaces she realises are the same ones he’s wearing tonight. She’s always thought cats to be good judges of character. They’re certainly good judges of cheekbones, she thinks as she looks back and forth between the photo and the man on stage.

Someone tosses a glass bottle his way in between songs - to give it to him or to critique the music, she can’t be certain - but he catches it easily, tossing it back up again with a little spin before flicking off the cap to take a drink. Jane’s a little caught up in the line of his throat, those ridiculous necklaces. He leans over to the micromobile, and she hears his voice for the first time. 

“‘What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others,’” he unexpectedly quotes Diogenes, and she falls a little in lust.

“Do you think he’d agree to it?” She asks Susannah, who follows her line of sight and grins at her choice.

“Do I think he’ll say yes to a date with a hot girl?” She gives Jane a look that implies she’s an idiot.

Jane waves away the compliment, and the word ‘date’. “It wouldn’t be a real date, just to get my mother off my back for a bit.”

“Then do I think a grown man playing Clash covers in a pub would say no to pissing off someone’s parents?”

“Good point.” 

The idea is left to simmer in her brain for the rest of the band’s set. They switch their conversation over to Susannah’s troubles. Things with the new guy are going well, but her best friend is currently working as an au pair for a family that doesn’t pay her anywhere near well enough to put up with their nightmare son. But she refuses to let Jane use her connections to get her a better job, or at least better pay, though Jane is slowly wearing her down. Or at least the Bradfords’ son is. Jane wishes she had something better to offer her friend for her repeatedly kicked shins than some paracetamol, but it’s all she has on her. She jokingly offers some anaesthesia whenever she finally gets her medical licence. 

“For me or for the wain?”

“Your choice. I think it’s better if I have plausible deniability on that one.”

“Ditto,” Susannah laughs, and directs Jane’s sight back towards the front of the pub, where the band is finally starting to pack it in. Susannah is no fan of Jane’s mum, but she definitely doesn’t want to get on her bad side. It had been hard enough wheedling a good reference out of her when Susannah had left. And this plan will definitely get someone on her mother’s shit list.

Jane has sobered up a little from earlier, but the idea is still the best one they’ve got. If nothing else it’ll irritate her mother, and spare her having to talk to some Tory-supporting wanker she’ll inevitably be set up with. She knows next to nothing about music, but she’d still rather hear about that than some guy’s stock portfolio all evening, or the endless name-dropping she was so often forced to endure. And he’d certainly be easier on the eyes. It only takes a little persuasion, and one good hard shove, from her friend to have her beelining towards the stage. 

She mentally assesses her own look tonight on the way there - heeled boots and a short-ish skirt that made her legs look longer, and a sweater that was more cosy than sexy but not utterly disastrous. She tugs her hair free of its messy bun and hopes her curls were behaving for once. Even though she was only asking for a fake date, she hopes a good first impression might tip the scales a little in her favour.

The pub isn’t overly large, so it only takes a few steps to push through the small gathered crowd to where the guitarist is pounding back the bottle he caught from earlier. She waits for him to set it down before she tries to introduce herself.

And he promptly belches in her face.

“You’re perfect,” she smiles. 

Normally, the rudeness would have her ready to tear into the man, but the entire point of this was to send her mother into a conniption fit. Bad manners was just the icing on top of a very offensive cake.

“I take it you’re a fan of The Affliction, then?” His grin is both lazy and arrogant, another point in his favour - or disfavour, as it was. It’s not even remotely as charming as he seems to think it is. 

“Oh no, your music is atrocious.”

“Then what is it I'm perfect for?” He seems a little taken aback by the dig at their music, but then he’s grinning again. “Or do you just have a thing for devilishly handsome guitarists?” 

Might as well rip off the bandaid. She takes a deep breath. “If I say yes, could I borrow you for a few hours tomorrow? I’m Jane, by the way.”

He takes her outstretched hand automatically. His hands are warm but the rings he wears are cool, and she can feel the calluses along his fingers as he grips her hand firmly.

“For like a gig? I’m not really…” He looks even more confused now considering she’s professed not to be a fan.

“Something like that - my sister’s engagement party is tomorrow and my mother is threatening to set me up if I don’t bring a date.��

“So you’re asking me on a date, then?” The grin is back in full force, and he keeps holding her hand.

“I’m asking you to rescue me from my mother for a few hours,” she answers flatly.

“You know what I find works best with parents?” 

The fact that he’s still smiling at her is troubling, but her curiosity wins over her good sense and so she asks him just what he thinks will work.

“Telling them to fuck off.”

“Yes, well I would love for you to swing by Saturday and tell my mother just that.”

He actually throws his head back and laughs at that. 

“Not that I don’t love telling off busybodies, but is there some reason you can’t just bring a real date to get her off your back? Surely your talents for flattery could win some undiscerning man over.”

Jane finally pulls her hand away to cross her arms in front of her, “If you wanted flattery then you shouldn’t have named your band ‘The Affliction’. And for your information, the reason I don’t have an actual date is because I’m currently too busy with my studies at the School of Clinical Medicine.”

He looks unimpressed. “Oh, is that like a local further education school?”

“It’s at Cambridge University, you halfwit.”

That grin again. “I’m fully aware, it’s called a joke - perhaps you’ve heard of them?” 

“This whole conversation is a joke!” She nearly shouts, half in frustration with the man in front of her but mostly with herself. Why she ever thought this was a good idea is beyond her.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re cute when you’re angry?” 

His nose scrunches a little when he says the word ‘cute’ and Jane can feel the rage rushing white hot through her veins.

But he keeps talking before she has the chance to tell him off. “Alright, I’ll come with you to your little party. If your mother’s half as easy to wind up, it might even be fun.”

And she’s annoyed at both him and herself for falling into his little trap, but she’s stuck on the fact he’s agreeing to come with her. 

“You’ll actually come?”

“Sure, why not?” 

Not giving him a chance to change his mind, Jane quickly lists off the party address and the time they should meet, typing her number into his mobile and texting herself with it. She neglects to tell him the dress code, half hoping he’ll wear this exact outfit again. The t-shirt is practically in tatters, which will infuriate her mother, but the arms they reveal are quite nice to look at - tattoos and all. She’s not usually into that sort of thing, but the designs there curve around the musculature in a way that scratches the part of her brain that’s been pouring over anatomy for the past three years. She imagines herself tracing the lines, listing off each muscle group in Latin. 

Jane shakes her head to shut down this line of thinking immediately. This is not a real date because she has no time for dating. She barely had time to come out tonight with Susannah, and she’s only in town at all tonight because her mother insisted on a small family dinner before the big event next weekend. She hands back his mobile.

“And what do I get out of this?” The guy asks, tucking his mobile back into his pocket.

Jane narrows her eyes. “What do you want?”

She sees him looking her up and down. And even though it sends a pleasant little zip down her spine, this is so not what tonight is about.

“Not that.” She states clearly and firmly.

“I didn’t even ask for anything,” his nose is scrunching up again, crinkling the skin around his eyes as well which threatens her resolve to keep this clean and simple. 

“Not that,” she repeats.

“How about 100 quid then?” 

“So you’re an escort now?” 

“Student loans, you know,” he shrugs. And she’s a little surprised to hear he is - or was - a student, but considering he’s quoting Greek philosophers in random pubs it makes some sort of strange sense. “Actually, I have a better idea - you said School of Clinical Medicine, right? So you’ve got medical training?” 

This was never a good start to a conversation, in her experience. “You’re not about to ask me to commit medical malpractice are you?”

“Is it really medical malpractice if you’re not even a doctor yet?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well this isn’t that, I promise. It’s just a run of the mill bad idea.” 

It’s not at all as assuring as he seems to think it is. “And just what exactly is this bad idea?” 

“I have a friend that needs a doctor.” 

“And does this friend know about the National Health Service?” 

“They can’t help her.” 

Jane hopes his friend is just not a full UK resident or something, rather than some shady thing they’re trying to hide from an actual doctor.

“And you think I can?” 

“I think that you are in luck that I’m nearly as desperate as you are,” his eyebrow arches.

It’s a fair point.

“Alright then, where is this friend? And I’m not making any promises.” 

“All I’m asking is that you try. Just take a look and see if there’s anything more you can tell us. I’ll drive us there.” 

This halts her. “You’re not driving me anywhere - I’m not about to step into whatever van with blacked out windows you have back there.” 

“It’s a motorbike, actually.” 

And of course he drives a motorbike too. “That's even worse. Besides, I have my kit in my car.” 

“You have a medical kit in your car?” 

“It’s also a first aid kit, everyone should have one. Especially people stupid enough to drive motorbikes. And I know this may shock you, but sometimes people find out I’m in medical school and start expecting me to treat them.”

The insult has him raising his brows. “So you do this often then? Lure men into dates in exchange for medical advice?”

“No! I don’t lure anyone into anything. I’m certified in CPR and first aid, and I help people for free.”

“So I’m getting massively overcharged then?” He chuckles.

“You’re not risking your future medical licence, so I’d say you’re getting the better end of the bargain here.”

“Touche. But I’m not risking my life when you’ve been here throwing back gods know how many pints, so we’ll fetch your kit and then I’m driving us.”

“You’re telling me you haven’t been drinking?”

He holds up the bottle he’d been drinking out of - it’s just a soda. “Sober as a nun. I don’t drink when I’m playing.”

“I want you to know I’m taking a lot on faith here, pal.”

“It’s Guildford, actually.”

Guildford, of all names. She thought she had left the posh wanker names behind with this plan.

“It suits you,” she tries.

“I can hear the derogatory tone in your voice, but it’s a family name.”

“It would have to be, who would name a child that in the twenty-first century?”

“Perhaps the same sort of people who would name a child after a eighteenth century spinster?”

“And one of England’s most famous authors.”

He glances somewhere behind her.

“Well you certainly live up to your name, my Lady Jane - your chaperone over there appears greatly worried about your virtue,” he nods back to where Susannah is watching the two of them like a hawk. She signals her friend over to make the awkward introductions and explain the exchange.

“I highly doubt she’s worried about my virtue, just my common sense,” she clarifies before Susannah reaches them. “Susannah - Guildford. Guildford has agreed to come with me tomorrow to deal with Mum, but first he needs my help with his friend -”

“Winifred,” he supplies.

“Winifred, really? Your parents never even gave you a chance, did they?” She turns back to face her friend, “I’ll just grab my med kit from the car and you can drive it to your place or I can call you a cab.”

“No need, Archer’s already on his way. I figured when you two were chatting for so long.” Jane’s not loving the insinuation in her friend’s voice right now. “I just need to real quick -” and then she’s lifting her camera to snap a photo of Guildford, “hope you don’t mind.”

But Guildford just smiles for the photo. “I know the drill, I’ll give you my info in case you need to look into me first.”

He takes Susannah’s mobile from her and pops his info into her contacts. 

“This is almost suspiciously easy,” she stage whispers to Jane, but she smiles at whatever she sees on her mobile.

“Need me to verify anything?” He offers, handing back the mobile.

“Nope!” Susannah says, a little too quickly, tucking her mobile back into her purse. “You two have fun. All my love to Winifred!”

And then she’s out the door before Jane can so much as wave goodbye.

“Well that was weird,” Jane remarks to the empty spot her friend was just standing.

“Are you going to let my friends look you up now so I can make sure you’re not a fake doctor or something?”

“I never even said I was a real doctor, and it looks like your friends have already ditched you.” He glances back over his shoulder at the stage which is now empty. “Did they steal your guitar too?”

“That one’s just borrowed, I would never let my girl out of my sight like that.”

Jane resists the urge to roll her eyes at this - she imagines he’s even given his guitar a girl’s name, like “Lucille” or “Theresa”. She won’t give him the satisfaction of asking about it now, she’ll save that for when her mother is there to hear it. 

They manage to grab her kit and lock up her car with only a minimum of teasing from Guildford about her Prius. She expects to give him back the same when finally sees his motorbike, anticipating either some souped up American monstrosity or a barely-held-together dirt bike. 

It’s neither. It’s an older model, British-made by the logo, but it looks to be in good repair. It’s surprisingly tasteful, considering its owner. She still can’t quite believe she’s agreed to ride on it, however. Like some heroine in a novel racing off at the first sign of someone in danger, or a princess jumping on the back of a dragon to rescue an ill villager. She wonders what that makes Guildford. He’s certainly no knight in shining armour. A knight in shining leather jacket?

Only he’s handing that leather jacket to her. “I have two helmets but you should take the jacket.”

She presses it back towards him, “you don’t even have sleeves.”

Guildford pushes into her space and throws the jacket over her shoulders, “and you’re not wearing pants. I run hot, especially after a gig, I’ll be fine. The drive isn’t that long.”

And then he turns away to pull out the spare helmet for her, tucking her kit into the boot, and she’s forced to accept the jacket. She slides it over her arms and realises that even though he’s not that much taller than her, she’s practically swimming in the leather sleeves. She shoves them up over her wrists and ignores his grin at the sight. 

Jane does fight to adjust her own helmet, drawing the line at letting him put it on her like she’s his girlfriend or something. She’s only doing this because some woman out there is in need of medical attention, and is apparently unable to find it anywhere else. Jane had considered the possibility that this was all some cheap ploy to get her back to his place, but there were much easier schemes, and even easier women. Had he had better manners, she might have been one of them. 

No, between his rude behaviour and his refusal to elaborate on the situation, she assumed it was probably just something embarrassing - for Winifred or for Guildford, it didn’t matter. Either  was fine by her, she would just build up her portfolio of funny medical stories a little earlier than most. And if things got too weird she could simply call a cab. 

She wasn’t chickening out yet, though. Even when Guildford straddles the bike and gestures for her to take the spot behind him. Jane had forgotten the fact she was wearing a short skirt.

“Eyes forward, mister.”

“Whatever you say, princess,” he laughs, but turns to face the other direction so she can primly lift one leg over the bike, keeping a few inches of space between their bodies.

But Guilford has other ideas. Warm, gloved hands reach back behind her knees to tug her forward, pressing her flush with his back. Her skirt rides up a little in the process, but none of it matters because there’s not so much as a centimetre between them for anyone to see anything. He draws her arms forward to wrap around his middle. 

And he really hadn’t been lying about running hot. She can feel the heat of him radiating everywhere they’re pressed together. Her face is right at the nape of his neck, the curls there damp from exertion and peaking out from underneath his helmet. He smells faintly of sweat and soap and leather, but mostly he just smells really nice. She resists the urge to lean in further, and her helmet thankfully stops her from doing something as embarrassing as pressing her face into his shoulder.

“Alright then, feet on the pegs,” he explains, and she scrambles to get her heeled boots locked on the second set of pegs, “arms tight around me, and lean with me around any curves. I’ll try and be gentle since this is your first time.”

She can hear the smirk in his voice and she wants to hit him, but he’s revving the engine and they’re rolling forward and Jane can’t do anything but hold on. 

He doesn’t peel out, however, and she’s forced to realise he actually does seem to be taking it easy on her - keeping just under the speed limit and avoiding any sharp turns. The wind whips a little at the bare skin of her legs, but otherwise it’s surprisingly…pleasant. Not that she’ll ever admit it. And with Guildford unable to open his mouth and say anything obnoxious, she’s allowed to simply enjoy the feel of her arms wrapped around a firm waist, her legs pressed against warm, solid thighs. 

He takes her further out into the country, to where the manor homes of her former life were surrounded by the less familiar farms and cottages. She starts to envision Winifred as some elderly relative or neighbour who doesn’t trust the NHS, but might allow someone of Guildford’s acquaintance to take a look at her. He turns off at one of the wide green pastures and the picture becomes even clearer. She’ll probably be offered tea and biscuits the moment she arrives.

****

“Winifred is a horse.”

“Yes, that's why you'll notice I brought you out to the stables to help her,” he says as if this is a completely normal thing to spring on a person.

“She’s a fucking horse.”

“You catch on quick, you know that?”

“She’s a horse, and I'm not a vet.”

“Oh I'm well aware of that - her owner keeps neglecting to pay his bills on time and so no vet in the Tri-County area will come and take a look at her.”

Jane wonders at why Guildford cares so much about a horse that isn’t even his, but perhaps he’s a part time groom or something. Part-time musician, part-time student - she hated that she was actually starting to find him interesting. Most of the people in her social class did so little of anything - including not paying their vet bills. She wasn’t sure exactly who’s estate she was on right now but she wasn’t far from her own ancestral home, so she probably knew its owner. She decided against asking, however, not exactly wanting to give away her own position. Jane didn’t want to be lumped in with Winifred’s owner, even though she couldn’t pinpoint why she cared so much about Guildford’s opinion of her.

But he’s not looking at her right now, his full attention is on Winifred. His hands are stroking at her face and sides, quieting her where she’s startled a little bit at the lights and the presence of a stranger in her stall. 

“She’s been fairly agitated these last couple weeks - restless even, doesn’t want anyone near her except Rupert and me. And she’s been picky about what she eats. We thought she might have hay belly but Rupert’s been buying her the good stuff himself.” Jane has no idea what hay belly is but at least it’s already been ruled out. “There’s a broken fence post out there though and it’s possible she might have gotten a nasty splinter or scratched herself on a nail or something. Could she have tetanus?” 

“If she had untreated tetanus for a few weeks she’d be dead by now.” Jane might not know horses but she knew tetanus, and horses and sheep were even more susceptible than humans.

“Great bedside manner you have there,” Guildford finally looks back at her with a withering look. 

“They don’t teach bedside manner until year four, and besides, I’m telling you it’s probably not tetanus. One would think that would be good news.” 

He goes back to whispering sweet things to the horse, apologising for Jane’s words as if she’s the rude one here. She ignores the way her heart softens a little at his concern for the creature. 

Just in case, they work in tandem to check Winifred for any sign of splinters or scrapes. Jane shines her small torch along her limbs while Guildford carefully lifts Winifred’s hooves for her inspection. For as tough as he looks, he’s exceedingly gentle with her. It’s annoyingly attractive.

The buzzing of his mobile startles both girl and horse, and Guildford is quick to end the call and turn off the phone, looking annoyed at the caller ID. 

“Who’s calling you so late?” Jane has never been one to let her curiosity go unsatisfied.

“My father has somehow figured out I was going to be in town this weekend.”

“What happened to telling your parents to ‘fuck off’?” Jane attempts to mimic the smugness of his earlier words.

“I think the nine declined calls sends the same message.” 

“The fact that he just called you again tells me it doesn’t.” Jane can commiserate, but she also can’t resist the urge to tease him a little after all his bullshit about not standing up to her own mother. 

“Once he gets something into his head, he’ll never let it go. He’s been nagging me to settle down for years.” And doesn’t that sound familiar.

“A commitment-phobe, how original. Well, I’d offer to show up as your fake date and return the favour, but I’m only in town this one weekend.” 

He snorts at the thought of it. “It’s probably not a good idea anyway - if I told my father I was bringing home a date he’d be booking the chapel and priest the second I hung up.” 

“He wants you to get married that badly?” 

“He wants me to live his life.” 

It’s like looking into a mirror of her own parental relationship. She can’t tease him about that one. “My mother doesn’t understand why I’m spending my youth getting ‘distracted’ by medical school, or my need for independence.” 

Frances Grey couldn’t understand why Jane needed a regular job at all, with no real power or influence, but she was still determined to do it on her own terms and with the full freedom of being unpartnered. It’s weird that this perfect stranger gets it better than her own mother does.

Guildford frowns a little at this. “Does that mean I need to convince her I can take care of you or something, because I…” 

A laugh forces itself out of Jane at the very idea. “Oh no, you just need to be yourself. Don’t change a single thing.” 

“...Alright?” 

Jane doesn’t want a knight in shining armour - especially not tomorrow. She wants the crass, barely employable tattooed guitarist to shake things up with her mother. She just hopes there’s no cute animals around tomorrow to soften his image.

She gives Winifred one last look over and pulls out her own mobile. “I can’t find any cuts or signs of swelling around her joints, maybe we should do a more general look at her vital signs?”

“Are you googling ‘normal horse temperature’?”

Jane looks up from the webpage. “I told you I’m not a vet. It’s not like I know off-hand what temperature a horse is supposed to be.”

“37.5 to 38.6 celsius,” he states, as if it’s common knowledge.

But he’s not the one with the infrared thermometer in his medkit. 

“37.8, as healthy as…”

“A horse?” He groans.

“I was trying not to say it. I can listen to her heart and then I can check her nose and ears,” she tells him as she pulls her stethoscope from her bag.

“Don’t you need to look up a normal heart rate for a horse?” She can’t tell if he’s mocking her or offering an honest suggestion. Jane already saw the rate range when she looked up the temperature question. She’s got the normal respiration rate range too, if needed. She may not be a vet, or even a full doctor yet, but she can memorise text with the best of them.

“Don’t you know it off hand?” She volleys back, half mocking herself. But also a little curious if he’ll know it.

“It doesn’t feel off.”

Guildford has his broad hand on Winifred’s chest, just behind her foreleg. Jane presses in beside him, sliding her hand and the stethoscope beneath his palm. He doesn’t move his hand immediately, but Jane tries her best to focus on counting the beats in time with her watch. 

32 bpm, another normal reading. She moves down to Winifred’s lungs, checking her respiration rate, and listening for any signs of obstruction. Normal again. Guildford is running his hands soothingly over her mane. Gods but his hands are nice. She checks her belly next, listening for the normal gurgles and peristalsis. She hears something else instead.

“Guildford?” She looks up to see the instant worry on his face. 

“How bad is it?”

Jane smiles.

“Winifred isn’t sick - she’s pregnant.”

He looks a little surprised by the news so she hands him the handset and guides the diaphragm back into place so he can listen to the second heartbeat himself - still faint but clearly distinct from its mother’s.

Guildford’s bright smile at the sound makes him look a bit like a kid at Christmas, and it melts Jane’s heart a little to see it. He still seems a little perplexed at the news, however. 

“But how? It’s all mares and geldings in here?”

“You said something about a broken fence?” She reminds him, and sees the exact moment when the thoughts connect.

And then he’s hugging her, lifting her in the air and spinning her to celebrate. Jane feels a little lighter too, oddly glad that she could deliver some good news after all. Guildford sets her back down slowly, keeping her still within the circle of his arms. Jane doesn’t try and break free immediately either. His eyes flick down to her mouth and she wonders if he’s about to try and kiss her. 

Jane realises she wants him to. His bare arms are warm around her sides and his lips look incredibly nice when they’re lifted by a real smile instead of his usual smirk. She tilts her face up towards his, and lets her eyelids go a little heavy. She watches as his tongue peeks out to run across his lips and she’s this close to just sliding her hands into those dark curls and dragging him down to kiss her. But then Winifred is butting her head against Guildford’s side, and the moment swiftly passes them by. Jane reluctantly pulls away.

“She’ll still need a real vet to come in now, if you can maybe find one that doesn’t know her owner’s a deadbeat. I could…” Jane catches herself before she starts offering to find a vet or pay for Winifred’s care herself. She knows that if Guildford actually shows up tomorrow, she’ll probably cave and offer anyway. 

“No chance you’d be willing to pop by for regular checkups?” He half teases.

“I’ll be back in Cambridge after the engagement party tomorrow,” she reminds him.

“...Right,” he accepts, clearly disappointed by the answer. He knows she isn’t a real vet though, and it’s not like she carries around equine ultrasound equipment in her kit. Unless he just wanted an excuse to see her again? But he’s already shifting away, “I guess I should get you back to town then.”

Before she even has a chance to work out if he wants her to stay - if she wants herself to stay - he’s walking out of the stables and expecting her to follow.

It’s a different kind of awkward, this time, climbing in behind him on the bike. He doesn’t make any allusions to her motorcycle virginity - or lack thereof, at this point - but he drives even more slowly than before. Jane gives into the urge to rest her chin on his shoulder, and allows her hands to splay a little across his stomach. Guildford relaxes a little at the gesture and she knows she made the right choice. The rest of the ride is pleasant, and she’s thankful she asked him to drop her off at her sister and William’s slightly more modest flat in town - all the easier to pick up her car tomorrow, and fewer questions about coming home so late - rather than her family estate, which would have been a far shorter ride and led to a great deal more questions.  

Even still, they arrive at her door far too soon, before she’s managed to figure out if there’s a way to recreate the moment from earlier. She takes off her helmet, and is pleased to see him do the same - this makes it much easier, if she can work up the nerve to get closer. She starts to unzip his leather jacket where she’s still wearing it, but he halts her.

“You can give it back to me tomorrow,” he tells her, taking the pull from her hands and zipping the coat back up.

Jane's eyes flick between the ringed hand at her chest - so dangerously near, but not taking any ungentlemanly liberties - and his grinning face above. Apparently she didn’t need to put in any work at all to revive the tension between them, it’s been simmering there the whole time. But since Guildford made his move with the zipper, she figures it's her turn to be bold. 

She reaches up to grasp at those tempting curls and finally pulls his face down to hers, kissing him with a certainty she doesn’t one hundred percent feel right now. Guildford is quick to catch on at least, and returns her kiss with equal fervour, lips sliding warm and plush against her own. 

The kiss quickly turns heated. Guildford’s clever tongue slips between her parted lips and he groans into her mouth when her fingers tug at his hair. His own hands have slid down to where her sweater and his jacket have ridden up a little, and she shivers at the rasp of callused fingers and leather half gloves at the bare skin of her back. 

Jane breaks their kiss only to run her lips over his lightly stubbled jawline, making her way towards the little silver hoop in his ear that’s been driving her crazy since she first noticed it. She delights in the choked off little gasp that tugging it with her teeth draws out, and the full body shudder when she catches the lobe between her lips. She can’t hide the squeak she lets out when he reaches down to palm at her ass, and pulls her in even closer to his overheated body. 

Jane realises this kiss is getting a little out of control for standing out in a fully public street, but his lips have made it to her throat and this is exactly how kissing boys who drive motorbikes is supposed to be. But in a strange way it’s also so very sweet. One of his hands goes to protect the back of her head when he pushes her up against the doorway, and he keeps peppering in these softer kisses under her chin even as his teeth scrape against tendons of her throat. 

He steps in closer and she can feel the solid heat of his thigh as it parts her own, and she wants so much to wrap her legs around his waist and tear off that stupid cut off t-shirt. But this is all a bit much for standing outside on Park Lane, and there’s not much privacy to be gained upstairs either. She reluctantly presses him back, smiling a little at the slightly dazed look on his face, lips flushed and kiss-bitten and his hair sticking up in wild tufts from where she’s been tugging at it. She imagines she looks equally a mess, panting into the space between them. Guildford reaches up to brush back her hair into some semblance of order, apparently also realising things have gotten a little out of hand, but grinning at whatever state she seems to be in right now. She’s already considering whether she’ll need to hide the evidence on her neck from her mother and sister’s eagle eyes tomorrow.

“My sister and her fiance are upstairs,” Jane tries to come up with a nice way to say ‘I’d love for you to come up but I’m apparently a teenager again who can’t escape my nosy family being in my business’.

Guildford seems to catch on to her meaning though, stepping back and taking her hand to press one last kiss to the back of her wrist.

“Until tomorrow, then.”

And then he’s driving off again, leaving her with her med kit in hand and lips still tingling.

****

Guildford isn’t outside when she arrives the next afternoon, as she had expected him to be from his earlier text. His jacket is still tucked into the crook of her arm. She looks down at her mobile, hoping to find some answer there. She had realised earlier she never actually learned his last name, so she had filled in his contact as first name: Guildford last name:Shit band from the pub, but thought better of it and went with the slightly kinder moniker of Guildford/Horse guy. And Guildford Horse guy has apparently just messaged her that he's already inside.

She hurries in, not wanting to miss the look on her mother’s face when she sees him there. Her hopes are dashed when she spots him already talking to her. Only she doesn’t look the least bit upset, which probably has to do with the fact that he’s traded the ripped jeans and leather jacket for a cashmere sweater and pressed trousers, stubbled cheeks and wild hair for a clean shave and cherubic curls, and he’s handing a bottle of Poggio Antico with a bow around its neck to Katherine and William. Just who the hell was this stranger? He somehow transformed into a mother’s wet dream! Only the sight of his ever present necklaces in the v of the sweater and the earring nearly hidden behind his artfully tousled curls give any indication this was the same man from last night. 

Lady Grey signals her over with a pleased look, and Jane walks over as if to the guillotine. Her mother barely pauses the conversation as Jane nears them.

“I was just telling Guildford here how you work much too hard at that school of yours and it’s so difficult to find anyone of quality there. And it seems your date for the party never showed -”

Her mother’s eyes go to the empty space at her side and Jane tries to interrupt her, “but…”

“ - though I thought, isn't it just perfect that Lord Dudley’s son also happens to be here, and also happens to be single.”

Lady Grey is smiling back over Guildford and Jane finally understands just how spectacularly her plan has backfired on her. 

“There you are, my boy!” Lord Dudley wanders over to join the farce, patting Guildford on the shoulder. “I see you’ve finally met Jane Grey - and here I thought you weren’t listening to any of your voice mails.”

The look on Guildford’s face when he too realises they’ve done exactly what his parents wanted almost makes up for it. 

Jane can only hope he was kidding about his father already planning their wedding. 

[seouldreams14]

Heyy! Saw your post about hyuna, what is the lore with that guy? Besides obviously that he’s a criminal

Idk if this is a genuine question but I'm gonna answer it as such but tldr: I initially said that because people were comparing him to Dawn when him and Hyuna have known each other their entire careers and newer kpop fans don't know who Junhyung is so they are confused wondering how they know each other/calling him a rebound

But 1st Junhyung isn't a criminal, not excusing anything but he was never charged with anything he was a witness and bystander in the Molka situation (which a lot of people are confusing for Burning Sun because they happened around the same time but different situations). Basically Junhyung was friends with Jung Joon Yung (which a lot of people think IS Junhyung but no different guys) who was found to have a group chat spreading around illegal videos taken of men sleeping with women without their consent. Junhyung being friends with him was accused of being in the group chat, he denied it, then when the police got a warrant for his phone history it came out that he WASN'T in the infamous group chat HOWEVER! He was in a solo chat with JJY and was sent an illegal video of him sleeping with a girl. In the end he was a witness and bystander who didn't come forward with that information, which is bad of course.

I have mixed feelings about it because I was a fan of his for over a decade and was extremely disappointed in him. He admitted what he did was wrong and he should've come forward with it when it happened but yeah.... Its just a hard topic I hate him for it but at the same time idk complex feelings

Long post because I ended up writing more than I intended to... but hey 15ish years of history am I right?

Now the LORE with Hyuna and Junhyung is that they debuted around the same time in 4minute and Beast under the same company, Cube. He was featured in her solo debut song: Change. They also were paired together A LOT in Cube family performances because they had similar positions in their group (rappers). They basically became really good friends:

They were so close in a way you don't see kpop idols do now and days with the opposite sex and of course people began to ship them because it seemed like they were flirting.

Then Junhyung began dating Goo Hara and Hyuna joined a sub-unit called Troublemaker with his bandmate at the time, Hyunseung. They kinda cooled on their friendship in the public, probably out of respect for his girlfriend and not wanting to be shipped with his friend. And Hyuna played up a stage relationship with Hyunseung to the point people thought THEY were dating but tbh It was probably an image thing. (funny story Junhyung came up with the name troublemakers lol)

So nothing was seen about them for YEARS even after him and Hara broke up, until like 2016? After 4minute disbanded Hyuna went solo and stayed with Cube, which is a whole long other tangent. But they appeared on a show together called "Happy together". Junhyung hated going on talk/variety shows because he's incredibly shy but he did it for once and it was with Hyuna so it was kind of a big deal. They still appeared close as friends and Hyuna tried to make him feel more comfortable on camera.

Then Hyuna had a show called X19, which is kinda hard to find now and days, but it was a reality show to prepare for her new album. During it she had a meal with Junhyung where they talked openly and you got to see more of their friendship openly for the first time in ages. I mean if you watch that video of them eating I feel like you can tell he had feelings for her idk the way he looked at her... But in that chat they talked about the public pressure to be seen a certain way that is expected of them. For Hyuna it was being hyper sexual in her music and performances because that's what people expected of her. Junhyung says he wishes for her to stop doing what other people want and do what she wanted and that he hoped she could do something she enjoyed. Then she brings up the fact that he had promised to make a song for her (he is a writer, producer and composer) and he says "ah yeah it didn't turn out"

Anywayyys it was cute and if you were curious you could watch it here with subs

After this stretch of promo with them (they also attended a fashion show together) Junhyung and the remaining members of Beast would leave Cube ent and start their own company and change their name to Highlight. This would be the last we'd see of them together publicly until well... now

I'm sure I don't have to tell people about her and Dawn and their history but they started dating after Junhyung left Cube.

There's a lot more to the lore like other collabs they did, the songs they released that seemed to be about each other (mainly from his side) but that's probably just going into delulu land so I'll avoid that.

But yeah If you read this far thanks for listening to me ramble and try to explain 15ish years of lore as brief as possible.

[nevis-the-skeleton]

Out of curiosity, how are TFP Megatron, Soundwave, Knockout, Breakdown + Other Decepticons handling Starscream’s Tragic ‘Death’?… Does Megatron become even more insane, then in Canon?… Since Soundwave knows that Starscream is important, how would he feel?… Does anyone besides Megatron, want Optimus dead?… Does Nightsky ‘look familiar’ to any of the Decepticons? 🌠 (Headcanons, instead of story please?)

I'll be quick to answer this question, because I've had a lot of requests about this alternative ;) so I'll make sure not to spoil too much what happens later. It's true that we can ask ourselves the question about the reactions of the Decepticons, I showed their reaction to the death of Starscream in the first episode (here) but without ever really going into detail.

First, I'm going to talk about Soundwave, KnockOut and Breakdown, and then Megatron. But I will also discuss their feelings towards Nightsky, and therefore also this feeling of familiarity that he gives off.

Soundwave indeed knew the great importance of Starscream, the departure of the Seekers and his death was a huge lose for the Decepitcons. Additionally, in this AU, and this is a personal headcanon (that maybe others share with me) Starscream has an energon radar and is capable of creating energon. What Soundwave knew, with Shockwave and Megatron. This is a huge loss because Starscream was technically an inexhaustible source of energy, which is a definite advantage during war.

I'm still not sure if Soundwave is actually sad about Starscream's death, but in any case he laments the loss he represents. Soundwave is like Shockwave, a logic robot who doesn't let his feelings speak first, unlike others such as Breakdown or KnockOut. Afterwards, I think he was still horrified by Starscream's violent death, given that the Decepticons later found the Seeker's mutilated body. I don't think he'll be the best person to want to pursue a quest for revenge. In this AU he's not as impulsive, especially since his relationship with Starscream was cordial, but it wasn't friendship either.

When it comes to KnockOut and Breakdown, they are the ones most likely to be deeply shaken by Starscream's death. KnockOut saw him as a friend, and greatly regrets not having managed to save him. He beats himself up, thinking that perhaps he made a mistake during the operations, and that a more competent doctor might have been able to save Starscream. Breakdown holds a huge grudge against the Autobots, as he believes they are the reason KnockOut feels this way. He particularly blames Optimus, who was the one who caused Starscream's capture until his death. The couple has a fierce hatred against the Autobots, but also against Nightsky (I'll get to that later).

And, as for Megatron, we can indeed say that he is even crazier than in the original version. In this version, if he returns with Dark Energon, it's not only for the power that it can give him, but also because this energon would have the ability to bring the dead back to life. His main goal is to "save" Starscream, by any means possible.

But his test on Cliffjumper will make him understand that this is not a possible technique, and that bringing Starscream back like this would only make the Seeker a stupid and bloodthirsty beast. This is the reason why he sinks the Dark Energon into the Spark, and why he subsequently seeks all possible means to master this power and thus bring Starscream back perfectly.

Of course, this would be a huge danger for Nightsky, because although separated from his body, his Spark still has a weak connection to it. Dark Energon in his old body would directly impact his Spark.

Megatron has a visceral hatred against Optimus, no longer wanting to simply kill him but to make him suffer as much as possible. It's no longer really a quest for revenge just for himself, he's doing it for Starscream too.

In this AU, he and Starscream never really got along, conflicts existed even before the Seeker discovered the truth about Vos. Starscream found Megatron's ways too brutal, while Megatron couldn't contain some anger at how merciful Starscream was towards their enemies, reminding him far too much of his old self. In fact, he just didn't want Starscream to make the same mistake he did by placing too much trust in others, but he always showed it in the worst way.

As for their feelings towards Nightsky, it's very diverse. Soundwave only sees him as an enemy, once again not letting his feelings take precedence over his duty. KnockOut and Breakdown on the other hand hate him, because Nightsky is a Seeker, so he should always be on Starscream's side. Yet he fights on the side of those who tortured him and left him for dead. KnockOut is strangely the most violent towards Nightsky, seeing the Seeker as a traitor to his late friend, he even suspects him of being one of those responsible for Starscream's death (and on this point he is not completely wrong).

Megatron is the only one who seems to see Starscream in Nightsky, because of the way he flies and his expressions. Starscream was expressive with his wings, and Nightsky is no exception. Megatron knows perfectly well that this is not just a Seeker thing, he has a deep conviction about it. He ends up convincing so much himself that it's Starscream, that he will end up naming Nightsky by the name of his deceased Commander, greatly frightening Nightsky, Optimus and Ratchet in the process. Later he will no longer have any doubts (but I won't spoil it for you ;P).

That's it, that's all for the headcanons ^^ I have a very precise idea of ​​what I'm going to do with this AU, which is gradually starting to become more than a one-shot but a story with a lot of chapters. Take care of yourself, and have a nice day (^3^)

[pleasantlycrazyworld]

Kiss the Girl

Bucky Barnes x female reader

Requested. Thank you for the request! I hope you enjoy it and if you do please consider liking, reblogging and commenting! 

Internal thoughts are bolded and italicized. Fluff. Friends in love with each other. 

Summary: Y/N has been friends with Bucky for a few years and ever since they met, the two have had feelings for each other but neither acted on those feelings. until now.

Bucky is across the room and can’t keep his eyes off Y/N. Tonight was Tony’s big engagement party. Bucky wasn’t excited about it, he planned on staying home however, Steve and Sam dragged him along. But looking over at Y/N standing there with Wanda made it all worth it, Y/N had to be a true goddess. Bucky now can say he has met Gods, seeing as he is friends with Thor, and he…knows Loki but Y/N, well Y/N was a goddess that wasn’t classified as one but to him, she had to be Aphrodite. She was the definition of beauty to him but deserved better than him. He… was a beast.

What Bucky doesn’t know is that while he is in his spot, standing and trying to focus on Steve’s story, Y/N is over with Wanda trying to figure out a way to talk to him. “Honey, you two are good friends, just go up to him and ask him to talk privately. You have to tell him how you feel, you’re driving yourself mad.” Wanda has been trying to convince Y/N that it’d all work out since the party started but the what if’s kept clouding her mind. What if I ruin our friendship? What if he doesn’t feel the same way? What if he has feelings for someone else? What if…

“Are you ever going to go up to her tonight or are you going to keep being a weirdo who just stares at pretty ladies Cyborg?” Sam laughs at the look on Bucky's face. He didn’t think he got caught staring but as he looked around everyone he was supposed to be listening to is looking at him with a knowing smile. “Shut it” Bucky grunts embarrassed as a blush spreads on his face. “Y/N is into you Buck, just go over to her and ask her to talk in private.” Steve rests his hand on Bucky's shoulder in a supportive manner and he slightly pushes Bucky towards Y/N and Wanda. Thoughts are racing through Bucky’s head as he walks over to her. What if I ruin our friendship? What if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if she has feelings for someone else? What if…

Wanda lets out soft gasps while looking over Y/N’s shoulder. Whispering she lets Y/N know that “ Oh my gosh, Y/N he’s coming over here.” Y/N’s eyes widen “Wanda I can’t talk to him right now. How's my makeup? How's my hair, is my outfit still ok?” Wanda cuts off Y/N’s panicked ramble, “Honey, you look gorgeous! You always do so hush up, breathe, and go talk to him” Wanda watches Y/N take a deep breath before turning around just as Bucky reaches the two ladies. “ Hey, um is it okay if I steal Y/N for a moment, please?” Wanda smiles at the two of them, “Of course, Vision just arrived anyhow” Walking past them to go talk to Vision, Wanda leaves the two alone. “It’s kind of loud in here, can we talk somewhere private doll?” Bucky asks nervously but as he sees Y/N smile up at him his nerves leave him. “Yeah let’s step outside” Unbeknownst to the two of them Wanda, Steve, Sam and everyone else watches what they hope to be a future couple leave to go outside.

Stepping outside the two of them look everywhere beside each other, Y/N decides to break the silence as she turns towards Bucky. At first, she takes in his features, ‘God he’s beautiful and he looks like a God under the moonlight. Okay get it together Y/N this isn’t a stranger you’ve talked to him many times’ Taking a deep breath she finally asks “So what did you want to talk about Buck?” Turning towards her his breathing hitches and he feels his heart stop. How is she ever more beautiful? How is that possible? Catching his breath he gathers his courage and decides to just rip off the band aid. “Y/N we have known each other for a few years now, and it's been great really but I don’t think I can be friends anymore.” Y/N’s heart drops, what? Did he find out about her feeling for him? She thought she was being careful. Seeing the concerned look on her face Bucky realizes how what he just said might not have been the best phrasing “I didn’t mean it in a bad way!” He tries to reassure her quickly, “I mean… God Y/N I have feelings for you. Feelings I don’t remember ever having for anyone else before and I don’t understand them, they’re scary but I can’t keep them to myself anymore. I completely understand if you don’t feel the same way, I mean look at you, you’re so beautiful and you’re so sweet and you have never judged me in any way. How could I not fall in love with you?”

Y/N is stunned. Not only does Bucky love her but he doesn’t think he's good enough for her. What?? Seeing her shocked expression, Bucky takes it as a bad thing, thinking he’s about to get rejected he decides it would be best to leave instead. As he goes to walk away Y/N reaches out and grabs his hand. “Bucky, how could I not feel the same way for you? I’ve loved you for what feels like years now and yeah it's scary. It’s intense but you’re worth it. James, I love you too.” The two of them stare at each other lovingly, how could they not after love confessions like that? The two of them walk closer to one another, Bucky holds Y/N’s hand tighter and goes to caress her face with his other hand. "Can I kiss you?" Bucky asks nervously, she may have just confessed her love for him but that doesn't mean he can just kiss her. Giggling that giggle that brightens Bucky's day, a gentle blush graces her checks before she nods softly. The two of them lean in closer, soft breaths hit each other's skin as they lean in closer, Y/N gets in her tiptoes and then their lips touch as softly as a feather landing on the ground. Feeling his lips on hers, Y/N softly let's out a gasp. Bucky smiles against her and pulls her closer to him deepening the kiss all they feel is each other. But all they hear is their friends cheering from the window.

Request are open!!! 

If there is anything you’d like me to write just let me know :) 

[viatagrinner]

Gilbert's Premium Story #1: Finger bite marks are a sign of good friendship.

Gilbert is surprised. He didn't expect Miss Bunny to come to see him at this late hour.

Gilbert: Maybe you're a night crawler?

MC: No.

She can smell the soap... maybe he just got out of the bathroom.

Her black hair, shiny as obsidian, was slightly damp, and the skin peeking out from under her shirt glowed.

All in all, he was charming.

The heroine asks for a little of his time.

Gilbert: Not a little, but as much as you want.

He opens the door wide, but the girl refuses. Instead, she wastes the food cart.

Gilbert... surprised.

Some incredible amount of cookies and sweets were in the cart.

MC: ....Maybe you don't like sweets?

(He ate an incredible amount for breakfast, so I thought he liked to eat...)

Gilbert: What is this?

MC: ....This is my gratitude.

But if he doesn't need it, she'll take it.

The cane blocked her way.

She must be brave to come and then take the gift, that's what the prince thinks.

MC: Do you accept gratitude?

Gilbert: Of course. I'm just hungry.

MC thanks him for saving her, but doesn't finish. Gil invites her to tea.

She is uncomfortable, but Gil talks her down.

He pulls the cart with one hand and the heroine with the other. Then the prince goes off somewhere. This gives her time to look around the room.

The girl notices a book with a black cover.

This book, which is also on the bookstore shelf, was once given to her by her almost adoptive father...

It is a book by a promising author who realistically described the judgment and darkness of human hearts.

But re-reading this novel doesn't feel like it.

(Although the hero who stays true to his virtuous convictions, no matter what machinations he encounters, was amazing).

Even in the face of great evil, he stood with a pure heart.

But it turns out that this book is a sequel.

Gilbert blows in her ear. He's going to let the heroine read this book.

It is a popular book in Obsidian. Only now does she realize where this book came from. But what is it doing in Rhodolite?

The Prince explains that Rhodolite forbids imports from Obsidian, but even so, the books are not subject to regulation.

Gil makes her tea, and the girl wants to help him, but he refuses, citing that he didn't put poison in it.

That's not the problem. The prince doesn't have to make his own tea, there are servants for that.

Gilbert: Oh, I hate it when other people take care of me.

Here it turns out that he has no delegation, he came alone.

He expertly prepares tea, Miss, to help in some way, arranging cookies on plates.

Gil sat down on the couch and patted down beside him.

She sat down as far away from him as possible.

The tea was delicious.

Gilbert: I drink, too, so there's no way I'm serving something that doesn't taste good, right?

Gilbert: What's the change of heart? When we broke up, you looked at me with contempt.

MC: ...I just don't want to be the person who can't even say "thank you."

MC: Even if the other side is a prince of an enemy country, even if he doesn't think people are human...

Gilbert: Beasts don't have feelings/manners, do they?

They were silent. The girl thought that, she was wrong. Even if it is a prince of an enemy country, etiquette must be observed.

(I won't lose my guard, but that's why I want to stop being afraid of everything.)

MC: This is gratitude above all for me. Now I'll be able to sleep in peace.

Gilbert: It feels good, too.

Gilbert: I think I'll protect you as long as I'm in this castle.

He moved closer to the girl.

Gilbert: Hey, how come we haven't seen eye-to-eye all night?

The cup trembled in her hand.

Gilbert: I wonder if I'm guilty of anything.

MC: Oh...no.

Gilbert: Then look at me?

MC: .....

Gilbert: Hmmm?

MC: ......

The girl can't look at the prince because he's out of the tub, and his pale skin peeking out of his shirt mesmerizes her.

Gilbert's cold palm wrapped around her face.

The red eyes came close to the girl's eyes, and she caught her breath.

MC: Stop it.

Gilbert: Ahaha, who are you talking to?

It's rude not to make eye contact with an important guest, Gilbert said.

The girl suppressed all emotion and continued to look into his eyes.

She had always thought his eyes were the color of blood, but it turned out not to be.

MC: Prince Gilbert's eyes... I just realized that they look more like jewels than the color of blood.

Gilbert: Are you... flirting with me?

MC: No... I'm not.

Gilbert: I can't believe Miss Bunny is hitting on me.

MC: I'm not hitting on you!

Gilbert: I'm flattered.... Hit on me some more, will you?

MC denies it. Gil is pleased.

Gilbert: Are you less afraid of me now?

Gilbert: In spite of that, I still want to get along with you.

He lifted her hand and bit her finger.

MC: Prince Gilbert!?

Gilbert: Because I was happy, I returned my thanks.

MC: Why did you bite me?

Gilbert: It's my expression of affection.

She was hurt, but not as scared as last time.

Gilbert: By the way... My prediction came true, didn't it?

Just now the heroine remembered what he said about how she would thank him by the end of the day.

(Wait a minute...)

Gilbert: You're a good kid/you're a young girl. I thought you would definitely feel guilty.

Gilbert: The cookies were really unexpected...but not only that.

Chevalier and Gilbert's foresight is very similar.

Gilbert: If I had known you were coming to my room...

Gilbert: You think I set this situation up for you, don't you?

She wanted to conquer her fear, but she became uncomfortable.

Gilbert: I want to get along with you, Miss Bunny, that's why...

Gilbert: I'm not letting you out of my room tonight.

Gilbert's Masterlist

[sorbetowl]

Horizon Ask Game

Oioioi, thanks for all the tags, @maybirdie, @meg-noel-art, @nerd-artist and @xxxhellfireravenxxx

1. ride or die ship (your otp): To no ones surprise, it's Ereloy, precisely as it reads on the can. They snatched my heart back in 2017 and haven't released it to this day.

2. most annoying ship: There are no annoying ships. Next question.

3. second favourite ship: Tough call. I'll go with Avad/Ersa, because they 100% had SOMETHING going on. Starcrossed lovers my beloved.

4. favourite platonic relationship: I'm living for the friendship between Alva and Kotallo. And Beta's line about Erend visiting her in the server room and being "loud...but funny". A kingdom for on-screen interactions between the two. Erend can be like "is free little sister". ;;

5. underrated ship: Drakka/Yarra. The raw enemies to lovers potential there...

6. overrated ship: I don't see anything overrated in a genuine outpouring of one's love for two fictional characters.

7. one thing i would change in canon: Now, after two main games and DLC? Oh, a fair bit. Varl's unnecessary death, even admitted to by the writers as being there for shock value. Shock over the drop in narrative quality post-HZD, maybe.

Same as reducing Erend to everyone's punching bag without a single thought behind his eyes. Fantastic how everyone easily picks up reading English while Erend struggles with it when he's canonically the only member (besides Aloy and Alva) who knows how to read at all. He's the one asking Aloy in HZD where she learned to read Glyphs, something unique to the Carja who reinvented written language based on a book, and the Oseram who got taught Carja Glyphs for trade, which eventually developed into their own alphabet (they get differentiated as "Carja Glyphs" and "(Oseram) Glyphs" in datapoints. Erend can read both. Two alphabets. That's more than many bilinguals)

But sure, he's the dumb dumb who can't read, not the companions that start completely illiterate.

8. something canon did right: All of HZD. What a masterful introduction to a new game franchise, and playing through it the first time unraveling all its mysteries is why I'm still here obsessed with the series.

9. a thing i'm proud of creating for the fandom: Probably the companion art piece for Love Games by my friend @maybirdie. It was incredible working with her as this beast of a fic came together and the friends that I made during that time are near and dear to my heart.

And of course, being on the artist team for the Horizon visual novel Focus On The Heart!

10. a character who is perfect to me (wouldn't change a thing): Without a speck of doubt, Gildun. What a bundle of unbridled joy.

11. the character i relate to the most and why: Beta. We both have crippling anxiety, literally never go outside, and are unfortunately Very Smol™

12. character(-s) i hate the most and why: The worst I can feel about a character is indifference.

13. something i've learned from the fandom: After having been in a fandom that crashed and burned over a decade ago and coming out with a general aversion to fandom...at the end of the day, people from all trades of life coming together to enjoy and create for the same thing that they love with all their heart is a precious thing and we're all richer embracing each other's uniqueness in this gathering.

14. three tags i seek out on ao3: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Sensual Fingerblasting (wink-wonk)

15. a song i strongly associate with my otp/favourite character: Break In by Halestorm for Ereloy, and for favorite character (Erend) End Of Me by Ashes Remain

Tagging @emtazer, @imamandajulius, @souls-that-have-senses, @nmallenart, @bs-fangirl, @cranialgames

And everyone who sees this and would like to give a go~

[feelingsaph]

Dream, being the embodiment of all things fictional, is probably the source of all kinds of fictional diseases. But these diseases aren’t something he created consciously like his dreams and nightmares. They’re his feelings taking form. I wouldn’t be surprised his powers would amp up those feelings and manifest them into something potentially devastating. And because these diseases are a manifestation of his emotions taking over his powers, he can’t just wave it away like he would with his other creations.

An example of a fictional disease he created is Hanahaki (花吐き病). Hanahaki is a disease caused by unrequited love. Flowers bloom in the victim’s lungs and heart, suffocating them and making them cough out petals. There are only two ends for someone with hanahaki: their affections are returned, therefore curing them, or they die from coughing out the flowers and blood or suffocation.

Not a very subtle illness, huh?

Now hear me out;

After 133 years of not seeing his friend, ending their last meeting on terrible terms, and missing the last appointment (through no fault of his own but his friend couldn’t have known that), Morpheus approaches The New Inn with his heart pounding in his ears. Their old date rendezvous spot has been demolished, leaving only this unfamiliar place. There’s a chance Hob might not be here. Would Hob really be waiting for him in here? Worse, does he still want to see him after last time?

Luckily, the sight of Hob sitting at the corner stopped Morpheus from psyching himself out of there. And when Hob looked up to him with the warm smile he always gives him after all this time, Morpheus’s heart can’t help but flutter. And it’s not just from the relief that Hob still considers him his friend.

All is right with the world. Their talk may have been 33 years overdue, but with Hob’s ever-present sunny disposition and years worth of updates to give, Morpheus finds himself relaxing and smiling more than usual. No, he didn’t grin, and if Hob thought he did, well he’s wrong—

“… And I’ve been seeing someone for the last year or so.”

Morpheus freezes. “Oh?”

“Yeah, her name is Audrey,” Hob chuckles fondly, “She’s the first person I’ve been with since Peg, and who knows how long that’s been. I think you’d like her—“

Of course he’s with someone. It’d be selfish of Morpheus to wish otherwise. After all, they’re just friends, right? It took all of 633 years for Morpheus to finally accept Hob’s friendship, and he wouldn’t want to ruin it now by adding his… whatever this is, into their newly amended relationship. Besides, they’ve got all of eternity to spend together, right? Even though it might never be in that context since Hob has never shown interest in being with him, or other men for that matter…

Oh no.

The intrusive thoughts rushing forward following the sharp pang in his chest causes Morpheus to cough into his hands rather violently. Hob stops his ramble for a second and gives him a concerned look.

“Dream? Are you alright? I’ll get you some water.” Hob slides out of his seat and heads to the bartender before Morpheus could stop him.

Morpheus clears his throat and observes what’s in the palm of his hand. A moonflower petal. Wonder what that could be about…

---

Now, Dream probably won’t die from this disease because he’s Endless, but I imagine it would be inconvenient as hell to be choking on whole flowers while he’s trying to act natural in front of his ‘friend’.

Or what if, instead of Dream experiencing hanahaki himself, his subjects are the ones getting infected by it and slowly dying like the castle retainers were in Beauty and the Beast unless he deals with his feelings?

There’s a lot to think about here.

-----

EDIT 1: Shout-out to @hellfridge for turning me to Midnight in Bloom by @aeon-of-neon , a hanahaki Dreamling fic with its own sexy twist. Thank you @hellfridge! Guess I know what I'll be reading tonight 😆