#Ceiling Drapery Track

[flextrack]

Elevate Your Space with Ease: Discover the Versatility of Wall Mount Curtain Tracks

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[cinebration]

Wolf Among Sheeple (Riddler x Reader, Edward Nygma x Reader) [Request]

I see! Okay well- there is absolutely no Batman Forever!Riddler content out there and I really, really need it, so I'd like: Reader is a former coworker of Edward's, the only one who would be interested in his ideas, they had chemistry but he was too meek; she now runs into him as the Riddler, mad chemistry still, making out ensues- can lead to lovemaking but ONLY if you want to.. ////—Requested by anon

This one also got buried, and I sincerely apologize for only now getting to it.

Warnings: gunshots, blood

Gif Source: henry-cavill

This was the last time you were letting yourself get strong-armed into a fundraiser gala. Surrounding by a crowd of well-dressed faux do-gooders, you were more than out of your element, more than a fish out of water. The urge to flee grappled with the urge to launch yourself onto that garish podium, snatch the microphone out of the pitchy singer, and level your best insults at the sheeple gathered beneath the sweeping arches of the ballroom’s ceiling.

You endured another inane conversation between your boss and some loaded bastard who couldn’t tell the difference between a neutron and an electron, much less the fact that a brown suit and burgundy tie didn’t go together.

Just as you were about to open your mouth and say as much, chaos exploded on the far end of the room. Shouts of surprise and startled screams swelled to fill the space as smoke rolled across the ballroom floor.

“Fire!” someone screamed.

You scrutinized the flow of the grayish-white cloud as everyone around you panicked. “Smoke doesn’t behave like that,” you muttered to yourself.

You concluded it was dry-ice fog just as a figure swept through it, revealing themselves in a shockingly bright green suit peppered with question marks of a darker shade. A half-crazed laugh preceded it, echoing around the large space over the cries of terror.

Your head snapping up, you fixed your attention on the figure. Behind the laugh was something you recognized, though you couldn’t quite put your finger on it.

“Did someone say fire!?” The figure swept off his green bowler hat, revealing hair a shocking shade of orange. “Somebody call the fire department! I’m smoking!”

You snorted, the only sound of amusement from the crowd as armed men spilled out from behind the figure, brandishing their machine guns in the faces of the nearest fundraiser patrons. To your amusement, the loaded bastard from moments before nearly swallowed the barrel of one. To your delight, the man pissed himself.

Laughing to himself again, the man pranced around the room, waving a heavy cane with dangerous intent. You tracked his movements, didn’t even bother to conceal the wicked smile pulling at your lips.

“This is a robbery and a kidnapping and a hostage situation, folks!” The man leapt onto the stage, hip-checking the lousy singer aside, and put his lips on the microphone. “I suggest more screaming and running. That’ll help us decide whom is what.”

A scrawny man sweating rivulets down his face and neck spun on his heel to your left and sprinted toward the doors half-hidden by heavy draperies.

BANG!

The man hit the floor, blood spraying from the new hole in his chest.

“Congratulations!” The green-suited man clapped his hands together. “We have our first dead hostage! Who wants to join him?”

Shrills screams filled the space.

“The sound of success. Oh, I do so love to hear it.”

The intruder’s men began roughly corralling the crowd, brandishing their guns and using their fists, elbows, and feet with impunity. You plotted a route through the press of bodies, circumventing the attackers while nearing the stage. When you were close enough to touch the stage’s skirt, you called up, pitching your voice just enough to be heard above the pandemonium at that range, “Edward!?”

He jerked his attention toward you, eyebrows scrunching over the thin green domino mask over his eyes. He gasped, jaw dropping. Overcome with surprise, he could only gesture at you wildly, your name stuttering over his teeth.

You laughed, drawing the attention of everyone else in the room. “I can’t believe it!”

Edward dropped down from the stage, landing in front of you with a flourish of his cane and hat. Another laugh ripped from your lips as he tore the mask from his face, white teeth gleaming in his wide smile.

“My God,” he drawled, sweeping his eyes over you and your dress. “Please tell me you haven’t sold out to these sheep.”

“God no,” you answered, disgust coloring your voice. “You spoiled my fun, actually. I was about to let them see a wolf.”

His smile widened further, a keen glint in his eye sending a thrill through you. “A wolf, you say?” He suddenly stepped into your space, one hand grabbing you by the hip to draw you flush against him. Peering into your face, he purred, “My, what large teeth you have!”

A low chuckle rumbled in both your throats. You ran the tip of your tongue over your teeth, the movement slow. Edward’s eyes followed the action with a hunger that made you buzzy. It had been so many years since the old excitement had coursed through your veins.

You leaned forward, your lips ghosting over his. “All the better to bite you with.”

A sharp wolf whistle threatened to burst your eardrums, but all you felt was desire as Edward crashed his lips to yours, devouring you. His cane pressed into your back as he pressed you tight against himself, the lack of space between somehow still not enough. Sparks danced down your spine, fire burning at all your nerve endings, bolts of electricity darting through you.

You pulled apart with an obscene, wet sound that made you flush with arousal.

“You should’ve done that years ago.”

He grinned, one hand reaching down to palm your ass. “Edward was too much of a chicken shit to do anything about it then.”

You arched an eyebrow at him. “Who are you if not Edward?”

“The Riddler, baby,” he declared, throwing back his head and rolling the r for effect. “I’ve got a riddle for you.”

“Lay it on me.”

“God, I love a lady who isn’t afraid to play.” Clearing his throat, he projected his voice for everyone in the room to hear. “What animals prance in human skin but share not one brain cell between them?”

You glanced over your shoulder at the crowd, a wicked smile pulling at your lips. “Sheeple.”

“Bingo to the smoking hottie!”

Riddler spun you around so that your back pressed against his chest, leaned down to whisper in your ear as you both stared at the crowd. “Who should we start with first?”

You scanned the horrified faces, then pointed with your chin.

Your boss squealed.

Your laughter soared with Riddler’s to the roof.

[irwinnoonan74]

Home Design Ideas You Could Start Performing To Economize

When you layout the interior of your house, you have to devote an excellent timeframe doing the work. It can include massive modifications - a lot of cloth, paint, and floors. There is no need to go all the way! Here's some adjustments which can be easy and you may try them right now. Anyone that is creating an area in their house would be a good idea to include hang up craft in the wall space. Art does a great job of creating your room appear complete. Just be sure you select a part or two that meshes together with the current design of your space you might be designing. Setting all of the art inside the room at eyes levels will allow it to be demonstrated to its best impact. Dangling your art work too lower or higher can actually disrupt the design of a room, and can even give the appearance of a smaller room. Get creative when choosing kitchen counter-shirts for your kitchen area. cửa nhựa is the number one selection, but there are other great options which include cork or definite. These choices may be far more cost-effective, and give a exclusive entice your kitchen area at the same time. In case you have small microsoft windows and wish to make them appear larger, suspend drapery near the top of the ceiling to elongate your home windows. By hanging the rods close to the roof and having the drapes dangle towards the ground it affords the windows the effect that it must be basically greater than what it is. Are you presently asking yourself how you can help make your gourmet coffee desk more pleasant to look at and much less messy? Take into consideration putting a few key things in the caffeine table like some big books along with a small vase with some cut blossoms, this is a good contact for just about any space. Don't forget about to take into account lighting effects when you're developing a room. You don't want points to be way too darker and difficult to see or else you danger eye tension. You can put in nice lights that will match your living space, or you can use natural light. ghế eames đẹp are great at highlighting light from house windows, so strategic position of your looking glass can help reduce an area with natural sunlight. Dangling an accumulation of picture frames on the walls might be inconvenience-free of charge. Position a huge brown art pieces of paper on the floor or dinner table and arrange every one of the support frames upon it. Track around the frame and in which the nail would go. Adhesive tape the document on the walls and place the fingernails or toenails in the place you marked in the pieces of paper. Remove the document and dangle your frames. Recall how much exposure to the sun an area may have when you're thinking of repainting it. Through making notice in which reason for the day your living space gets the highest level of sunshine, you might be much better able to select a colour making the many of the lighting. Be thoughtful of other people who tolerate you. You could truly feel that you are one of the most elegant man or woman you know, but bear in mind that other folks will be within the place often. Do https://Chotgo.com to undermine so that many people are satisfied with just what the ultimate appear is going to be. Children's bathrooms ought to be entertaining spaces which are filled with design and color. Look at implementing a popular television or comic persona into the style of the space if you use a shower area curtain, towels and easily removed wall decals. It is a exciting method to change the room in ways that could be altered in the future. When you have made the decision what you would like to do, it will likely be easy to start getting the type of material you would like. You'll find out that home design is exciting and obsessive. Make alterations a number of at one time to find out how straightforward it is to help make your property appear far better.

[lavishinterior935]

✨THROWBACK THURSDAY✨ . How stunning are these curtains and voile combo on wave tracks?! 🥰 . . Diary for 2023 now opened! DM for all your Drapery needs! Lavishinterior +92346-0334421 Showroom No.4,Plot, 60-C 25th Street, Tauheed Commercial Area Defence Housing Authority Phase V, Karachi City, Sindh https://maps.app.goo.gl/R3Ub2Yk4CZENxkoNA #Curtains #Blinds #wooden #floorings #Sofa #fabrics #ceiling #carpets #artificialgrass #astroturf #interiordesign #interiorstyle #cushions #customfurniture #karachi #Pakistan #Lavishinterior https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnlzb_oN5d3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[vistisenmcmanus]

Excellent Resource In Terms Of Decor

Have you been thinking of producing changes to your home? Are you presently taking a look at employing an inside developer that will help you? As an alternative to selecting an expensive person in the future in and present to help, read the article beneath for some helpful interior design recommendations that you just will be able to accomplish oneself, and preserve a ton of money in the process. Check out the furnishings you have on the house and find a variety of shades and home furniture which fits properly jointly. You would like to have household furniture hues that compliment the other person, as well as the shades all around your house. Prevent deciding on shades that aren't related, simply because this will look like you don't know fashion. Make sure that you have a spending budget when you are planning to alter the inside style of your house. It is easy to get carried apart with the gorgeous draperies and ornamental things that the truth is home based publications. You would not need to go into large personal debt in order to help make your house seem better. Consult with friends or family before you take on the undertaking. thiết kế nội thất phòng trẻ em will help you to obtain tips that you may not consider, which you could integrate in your task. Also, this helps you to minimize the chances of producing an error as another person may be able to area it. Take your furniture cushioning purchasing together with you. It might feel silly, but getting alongside component of your couch can save you considerable time any cash. Take it together with you when buying drapes or another decorating materials. In this way, it is possible to make sure that almost everything fits. If you're concentrating on creating for the modest area, adding lighting can tremendously improve the sense of size within the room. Introducing light fixtures and making use of correct drapery can increase the amount of lighting inside the room. Decorative mirrors can also be a terrific way to boost gentle and improve the obvious scale of a tiny place. Be sensible with any property redecorating. Whilst you want to add some individuality to your house, you don't want to do anything extreme which you will feel dissapointed about later. If you wish to promote your residence, extremely loud decor could repulse new buyers. Should you still wish to decorate your house diversely, use very easily reversible patterns. Make modifications to you personally region by having features. Recharge the accent sections, lighting effects and fans. Include a few new herbal tea shower towels or new drapes in the room. Several easy alterations, like these, can give rooms a brand new, new look without breaking your budget. When you have reserve racks within your room, you must not be concerned about satisfying them entirely with textbooks, take advantage of your publication rack space. You may placed some wonderful knickknacks or memorabilia around the racks to generate a individualized focal point that will interest your invited guests and have you savoring your home a lot more. Placed photos at vision level. Never place images up high on a wall surface. Passing images at eyes degree doesn't simply make them easier to see. Whenever thiết kế nội thất gỗ óc chó position images up substantial, it makes your ceiling seem decrease. Leaving behind them at eye level generates a great center of attention and opens up the room a bit. Dangling an accumulation of snapshot frames over a wall surface may be trouble-totally free. Location a huge light brown create papers on to the floor or kitchen table and organize each of the support frames onto it. Track throughout the structure and where the nail would go. Adhesive tape the paper around the wall and set the fingernails in the spot you labeled about the paper. Get rid of the document and hang up your frames. As you can tell from the earlier mentioned post, it doesn't consider an expensive interior developer into the future in to make changes to your home. There is no good reason why somebody can not make basic models go to lifestyle in their property after looking at some good ideas, much like the versions introduced in this post.

[drapeworks]

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Finding best pipe and drape in Miami Florida? Contact Drapeworks at +1-954-639-4028 today, a one stop shop for drape rentals and purchases at an affordable prices. We provide traveler tracks, led drape, ceiling drapery, tent liners. For more details, visit us online.

[thelistingteammiami]

Villas-VDT

With 1,272 square feet of central air conditioned living space and another 956 square feet of locally crafted outdoor entertaining areas, the single-story home styles of Arenal Hills are designed with the creature comforts you want, and built to last a lifetime.

FLOORPLAN FEATURES:

Two bedrooms

Two baths

Concrete construction

Native hardwoods like teak, bamboo and laurel are milled on site

Extensive use of glass doors and panels to bring the outdoors in open shared living spaces

INTERIOR APPOINTMENTS:

Fully furnished with custom furnishing built on site

Kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, granite countertops and handcrafted laurel and bamboo cabinetry

Solid laurel wooden ceilings with ornate detailing

Marble flooring in the kitchen and baths

Teak flooring in bedrooms and living area

Track lighting

Ceiling fans

Custom draperies

EXTERIOR APPOINTMENTS:

Custom waterfall pool

956 square feet of balcony and exterior walkways

Privacy landscaping

Six-jet Jacuzzi bath off master suite

CREATURE COMFORTS:

Fiber-optic high speed Internet and television

Four-person EZGO golf cart

Central air conditioning

[ivsindia]

Master Bathroom Modern Design

We see some really impressive Modern bathroom designs on our undertaking to carry incredible new home plans to the majority, and feel now is the ideal time to put them first . Unique bathtubs, sleek vanity units and modern toilet designs come in all shapes and sizes, to suit spaces and budgets both large and small. Aside from the essential facilities, bathrooms can be accessorised with chic dispensers and storage. There are other ways to design modern bathrooms -:

Make a nursery in bathroom. We won’t have to possess a nursery; a living wall can place any room in contact with nature. A bay window floods the one here with sunbeam. An upward nursery can be formed anyplace in the room. They are particularly valuable for masking an unpredictable molded design or backing sections.

However focused lighting gives an emotional impact as well.

Put a bed of stones underneath the bath to interface the style with a nursery background - whether it be a living wall, a restroom yard, or an exquisite view.

We can utilize stones to effectively and economically characterize an improvised washroom patio; basically plant a couple of pots in it. Putting the plants by the window is smart, so they get a lot of normal daylight to develop.

Add a cut of interest with differentiating floor medicines and wall tiles. It's to be expected to choose more than one style of tile for washroom to characterize a shower floor or a raised stage. Cut tiles or sheets on the inclining to hold fast out space.

Open up a main washroom to be important for the room. The joined area will make a more great measured suite. Protection draperies can be drawn across at whatever point required.

Feature those edges. Driven strips have many, numerous applications, yet none so famous right now as the edge lighting track. Light up each edge of raised floor, dropped roof, shower wall and vanity reflect. Driven border lighting can cause colossal volumes to seem weightless, as though drifting just very somewhat over the ground.

Add a little shine to wet wall. The additional sheen will give a look of luxury to the entire room. Group with some marble accents to take the pattern very good quality.

Screen the scene. Beautiful screens permit tempting looks at picturesque perspectives to channel through, while as yet keeping a degree of security. Coordinate dull metal screens with substantial washroom stylistic are for a solid tasteful.

Balance a cutting edge ceiling fixture over the bath - or set wet tub under a great focal installation.

Fabricate a neoclassical washroom mix. Consolidate present day washroom furniture plans with traditional contacts, as exquisite crystal fixtures and mosaic works of art. Remember to add delightful roof coving, corbels and cover

Design a mixed current washroom. Arrange an assortment of explanation pieces that are each lovely by their own doing, regardless of whether they're not really 'coordinating'. Pack in a fake patio. Not to stress, the plants can impart the shower work space to us. 

Make it downpour! Envision carrying out of the bed and under that precipitation showerhead - it would be very much a wake up. It's convenient having the storeroom standing right on the opposite side of the glass shower screen as well.

One more main restroom with stroll in wardrobe with  a tub as well.

A joined wet region doesn't need to mean an over shower. Many plans presently put the shower and a different shower unit next to each other behind a solitary sprinkle screen, or up on a stage together to make plumbing and seepage more straightforward. Carry garden components inside the space to make it a totally normal progress; utilize indoor plants, stone components, wood grain elements and rock flooring. Introduce one end to the other sliding entryways and let the breeze blow through. An assertion washroom sink spigot takes care of business.

We as a whole invest a ton of energy in our bathrooms, so it's just correct that we ought to make them into a basically flawless spot to be. One of a kind baths, smooth vanity units and current toilet plans come in all shapes and sizes, to suit spaces and financial plans both huge and little. Beside the fundamental offices, restrooms can be embellished with stylish allocators and capacity. Lighting is an essential piece of the riddle while planning a washroom retreat as well, as light can completely change the state of mind of a space.

[flextrack20]

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[flextrack]

Enhance Your Space with Versatile Ceiling Drapery Tracks | Explore The Flex Track

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[monstrouslyobsessed]

Toy store filled with yandere dolls? —anonymous

—tw / tags: implied stalking, implied murder / death, general yandere themes, sfw, unedited —featured character(s): multiple dolls, great uncle

It was one of the oldest stores in the country, thriving even during the hard times. Hell, it was in the fierce competition of winning the title of being the “Most Magical Place on Earth” throughout the decades and even centuries. And, it was a mere toy store.

Or, rather it was the toy store that every toy-lover dreamed of going and visiting at least once in their lives. The biggest, the grandest, and among the oldest, having every possible manufactured and handmade toys imaginable in every aisle. It even sported a little museum in the back of the store.

Admiring the fantastical setup of train tracks suspended just under the stained glass ceiling, you tailed the hobbling old man between gargantuan wooden shelves. You kept your pace even, you didn’t mind your uncle’s slowness so much as it gave you more time to appreciate the entire interior designs inside the massive store. No matter how many times you had been in this place, it still took your breaths away.

You had no idea how to react to the fact that your great uncle picked you to be his successor. You were hardly that academically impressive to be chosen, and yet…—you cannot ignore the fear in your beating heart. 

What if you are the one who will lead the downfall of this beautifully magical toy store?

“Ah, ‘ere we are,” your uncle’s withered voice drew you out from your dark thoughts. As you blinked at his back, he gestured you to follow him through the glass-paneled door, “come on, me lad/lass, don’t dwindle! I ‘ave people I want you to meet!” The old man disappeared through the door and then the red curtained entry.

You grimaced, “Wasn’t the museum closed for the renovation?” You said aloud, pulling down your gaze from the massive painted sign above the door. It introduced the museum; the museum within the ancient toy store.  It almost sounded ridiculous, yet it was a massive hit with consumers.

Your uncle never replied and you huffed, catching a brief glance of a paper sign that said, sorry, we’re closed for renovation! on the window. They even put curtains in, to keep the changes a surprise for their visiting consumers. Pushing the drapery aside, you slipped inside.

“Uncle —?” You blinked, the place was dimmed. As one of your feet nearly knocked over a stack of paint cans, you scuffled backward not to add anymore messes to the chaos inside the museum. It was filled to the brim with plastic drop cloths, boxes, stacks of lumber woods, cans, tools, and dust. The noxious stench of fresh paints assaulted your nose and you groaned, covering your lower face, “Ugh…”

Crinkling noises pulled your attention and you called out, “Uncle? Where are you?” Sidestepping the messes of paint trays and paintbrushes, you tiptoed your ways around the obstacles to follow the sound, “Uncle!”

Goosebumps peppered throughout your skin like rashes and something—or someone was boring holes in your back. When you turned in a snap, you saw nothing. With a frown, you rubbed your arms and shook off the shiver.

“Hold on, me lad/lass,” Your uncle called out, “ran into a mess, I did! Stay put!” He sounded a huff and grunt and what sounded like a sticky crack rang out from wherever he was. “Don’t need you getting hurt!”

You stepped closer, now spotting a gaping door, and reached out, “Er, don’t you need my help for that?”

“No!” Your uncle barked, startling you with the intensity in his voice. Realizing his volume, he repeated with a softer, apologetic tone, “No, just stay put.” Whatever he was doing, you could both see and hear him wrestling with drop cloth. 

With from what brief glimpses you caught, the plastic was stained dark red. Whatever paint it was, it was dying your uncle’s hands too—and the whole front half of his dress shirt and trousers. You frowned, “Er…are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m fairly sure, me lad/lass,” your uncle murmured, now throwing a fresh sheet over whatever mess he encountered. His voice dropped to a low mutter, “I told him not to come and he’d gone and did it—what fool!” It was followed up with rather vivid curse you never heard from his usually polite tongue, “Me dumb lad, your greed is why we didn’t choose you!”

You were twiddling your thumbs, hearing every colorful word that escaped from your uncle’s lips. We? You wondered. Maybe your uncle was talking about his partners? He mentioned them sometimes, though you swore him calling his ‘little people’ was not all that polite to say. Nonetheless, he always referred them as such.

Your legs growing tired, you had been on the tour with your uncle for a good while, so you decided to find a place to sit and rest your poor feet for a minute. Settling on the pile of lumbers, they were neatly stacked enough to feel assured that you won’t somehow hurt yourself, you whooshed out a long breath.

It was interrupted midway, when you felt eyes on you again. Goosebumps festered on your legs now and you shivered. You parted your lips to call out for your uncle, feeling uncomfortable in the museum’s lobby room, when he called out for you, “Me lad/lass!”

“Yeah!?” You were excited to get a move on.

Your uncle poked his head out from the door and grinned sheepishly at you, “Almost done, let me get a wash up and fresh change of clothes and we’ll resume.” There were specks of paint on his face.

You almost grimaced, but refrained and nodded your head, “Y-yeah, of course.” Please hurry up. You rubbed your thumb from more goosebumps you felt growing on your skin.

With that, the old man excused himself and he was gone.

You wanted to slump, but your muscles were coiling with tensions. Nervousness. There was something wrong, but you couldn’t pinpoint where or why. As minutes ticked by, you kept twiddling your thumbs and your knee rocking and bouncing nervously. Maybe you should go and hunt for your uncle.

But you had a feeling that you really, really shouldn’t.

“Hm?” Something from the bottom of your uncomfortable seat caught your attention. It was colorful, yet small in statue. “A…” you peered closer, “toy soldier?” You didn’t think twice, when you picked the miniature imperial soldier up in your hands. Tall yet thin, it was surprisingly heavier for its size. Circling one of its arms, you can tell that underneath its little uniform, it was all wooden yet beautifully well articulated. It was bending even at the elbow and in its wrist too. A mark of excellent craftsmanship.

Thumbing over its hard face, its nose prodding harshly over your finger, you wondered why it was mostly washed in dark red. It felt and dried like paint too, so soaked through its tiny pairs of trousers that it looked black under the poor lighting. Furrowing your brows, you frowned, “Who painted over this handsome little soldier?” 

The paint was oddly flaky under your nails, when you attempted scrubbing the color off from its face. Wood oil was clearly used on this tiny toy, because the paint did not adhered to its wooden body at all. There were little to do about saving its uniform though and you pouted at it. Even the fuzzy black hat couldn’t be saved, thickly matted with paint tossed on it.

The uniform was quite well made, that it almost looked as if it was of the same quality of average human clothings too.

“Oh, what a shame—but you should be okay with a new set of clothes, right? You look perfect otherwise…” You said to it, now somewhat playing with its arms and legs. You didn’t want to break it, but its articulations had you raptured. It was so rare to see a toy being this well-made, even by the modern standards.

A laughter nearly took you out of your own skin, when your uncle peered over your shoulder, “We do have plenty for this gentleman.”

“Uncle!” You shambled off the lumbers and clapped a hand over your rising chest, “Don’t scare me like that!” Grasping the ruined toy soldier in your other hand, you took care not to break it by accident.

Your uncle grinned, his face beaming at you for reasons beyond you, “I can see why they’d chosen you to be my successor.” There were glints in his aged eyes that unnerved you.

“…who?” The word slipped without your prompting.

Something clasped over your fingers, ringing its skinny arms around them. You stiffened. Shaking, you turned to look at what was hugging your hand and gulped audibly when you saw it facing its head toward yours. Its eyes piercing through your soul.

You could feel many more eyes too, boring holes from your ankles up from beyond the darkened corners in the lobby.

“Why,” the old man chuckled, “the little people who lives in this the entire store, my dear child. They’ve been waiting for you for a very,” his voice deepened, joining a chorus of other tinier voices, “very long time.”

—note: been having some health issues, blegh, so i made this one longer as my apology for not writing much. personally, im vvvv iffy with this piece…

this is probably all the concepts i can do tho. sorry to the rest who didn’t see theirs written, i don’t have any idea for them and they didnt come with any prompt for me to help :(( but i’ll probably open headcanons in couple days (whenever my issues will finally ease up 😭) so look forward to that! afterward, i’ll get back to actual writings~hopefully lol 

tysm for reading! 💕 

[viceprints]

Following their theme of the Seven Deadly Sins, Vice returns with their second studio album EGO on June 20th, 2015. Leading with the title track “Satisfy”, EGO is full of songs relating to one’s pride. 

AESTHETICS:

Purple theme this time around.

A lot of fake fur and animal prints (never real, Vice doesn’t support use of real fur).

They lowkey looked  like Dionysus cosplayers this era.

The eye makeup this era…. Wow. Vice wanted to look as regal as possible, so they got a lot of purple eyeshadow and bronzer. 

Generally very lush and expensive-looking.

THE MUSIC VIDEO:

This music video is more performance-based than acting-based, but there still was solo shots of the boys sitting on their thrones with different crowns and objects on them.

M.H. is the center for this era, but he had minimal props besides a large crown on the top of his head. The throne he sat on was clearly the biggest and most goddy. One of his scenes, he stood up on the throne, placing one foot on the backrest. Then he pushed the throne back, riding the throne down like a surfboard.

Geonwu was on a throne that was covered with silvery purple silk sheets. The crown on his head was really delicate and silver. The wind blowing around him made the sheets ripple. Despite the regal energy he was exuding, he still slouched in his chair. In one shot, he has the crown on his index finger, lazily twirling it around in a circle.

Woodie’s throne was upholstered with a deep red velvet, and the back of his throne was carved ‘gold’ made to look like decorative flames. In his shots, he was seen leaning forward, tapping his finger onto his clenched jaw. One of the most memorable shots for Woodam was when he took the scepter in his hand and swung at the throne in slow motion, breaking the back piece of the throne.

Cyth’s throne had green vines growing around it, growing thickly as the shots of him progress. His crown has green emerald jewels embellished on it. In his shots, he’s leaning back in his throne, trying to look disinterested, but his jaw is tight and his facial expression is hard when he raps.

Seokyu’s throne is surrounded by gold and money. His throne is made out of what looks like gold coins. His crown is almost as goddy as M.H’s. Resting on his thigh is a deep purple velvet pouch, inferred to have money inside. His hand is always resting in front of it in a protective way. 

Ji’s throne looks like it’s made out of hands, painted in a rosy gold color. Half way through his shots, the hands start to move (cgi) and touch his chest and legs. His crown has little gold hearts embellished onto it. When he starts rapping and leaning forward, the hands reach out and pull him back, not allowing him to leave the throne. 

Kane is holding a golden apple while he lounges lazily on the throne. Strewn around him on the floor are the rinds of other golden apples. His throne looks very plush and comfortable. His last solo shot is him taking a huge bite of the apple. In the sequence of the video, the bite scene comes right before Woodie smashes his throne. 

The group shots are them dancing in a grand hall. The thrones that they are seen sitting on are positioned in a semicircle behind them. Above them is a grand chandelier and there is purple drapery coming down from the ceiling and covering the walls. 

The last shot is of all of them sitting on their respected thrones.

ERA NOTES:

Although Vice is finally breaking into the mainstream, this album didn’t sell as well as ARDOR. 

However, the era was still successful! 

The Satisfy music video reached 10 million views in the first 24 hours. 

The album topped at #5 on Melon, #3 on Mnet, and #10 on Bugs.

Satisfy won 3 music show wins.

After album promotions ended, Seokyu walked during a runway show for Dior in Seoul which caused a lot of people to be like “woah who’s that” and eventually start keeping tabs on Vice.

M.H. and Geonwu returned as MCs for Music Bank and were hosts when Satisfy got it’s first win. 

In July, Vice After Dark hosted their label mates and first juniors, S.O.T to talk about their debut. 

Speaking of which, S.O.T had a few interactions with M.H. and Geonwu at Music Bank during their debut and it was really heartwarming. 

FANDOM BEHAVIORS:

The fanbase didn’t really grow or shrink during this era, despite EGO not being as successful as their previous album

Since Triptych stans were stepping onto the scene, Virtues tried to be really sweet to them but it ended up with them being like “yo these kids are mad annoying lmaooo poor tyh.” 

Virtues got mad that Artychs weren’t streaming with them and got upset when an Artych called Vice old. 

Basically this is when Artychs and Virtues start their rocky relationship. 

[edwardiansuggestions]

LAST NIGHT I found myself in a strange, far-off land, where the world was all peaks and lakes with nothing in-between except small livings traversing mountainsides, where labourers worked the little farms that lay like ribbons here and there. Tall bridges suspended a golden track from castle to castle, the carriages not driven by heat and coal but by some strange reaction in the metals themselves; the carriages, on contact with the rails, would shoot off in one direction, the friction lighting them up from within, and sending currents to shower the stations, carved from creamy marble, into glorious light. My home - or, at least, the home of some cousin or other - was beside on of these stations. It was a castle, and the castles of this land were not at the centre of towns or cities, but stood in the centre of lakes, rising high into the air. The bridges were some hundred feet high, but the castles towered above them, their impassive square walls cut sheer, with few windows.

My home was peculiar in that it sat apart from the station: a trackless bridge spanned the chasm between the station and the gates, narrow and with crumbling columns. There was a bridge-house, too, by the station - which, the tenants told me, was very odd, as the aristocracy did not tend to keep staff that lived outside their own home. I spoke to them for some time, but I recall them seeming disturbed by my presence, so I thought it fit to leave, and to walk the bridge back home. I remember thinking of my childhood in that castle, and the happy years I had spent, and the artwork I had painted in my nursery with my friend, who I know believe was my cousin.

I went into the central hall, which was lavishly decorated: everything seemed like a gentlemen’s club, with panelled walls, red drapery defining one room from the next, and billiard tables here and there. It was not odd to see billiard tables in the main room, as guests were received on what we might call the ‘ground’ floor, but which, in this world, would be called the ‘bridge’ floor, as there was, really, no ground floor at all - the castle was so tall, and its base submerged in a lake, that the floors must have swept onwards and onwards into the earth itself, with reception rooms becoming kitchens, kitchens becoming servant’s quarters, servant’s quarters becoming wine cellars - the parties held there necessitated them - the cellars becoming basements, and then stretching into, I image, empty halls with vaulted ceilings, with stone-hewn walls, and what we might call dungeons, and then into the earth itself.

There were guests present as I came in, and they were my aunts: three of them, all wearing these odd furs that had very heavy lapels, and the coats of which flared outwards while their skirts were very narrow, so they didn’t look like they quite fitted their bodies right, and they all held drinks. There were other guests, but the layout was such that I couldn’t see them: the rooms, as I think I said, were panelled and curtained in such an orgasmic manner that they obscured themselves from view. The wood was cherry, I think, which I don’t like at the best of times, but set against the red curtains and green of the billiard tables it was stifling. I left the party to go to my nursery, which was on the bridge floor, and which was not one of the ‘internal’ rooms of the castle - though this is not to say it was one of the few to have a window, as, though there were only a few rooms with windows looking outside onto the lake, mountain, and sky, there were lots of windows inside the castle to offer views of different rooms within. Lots of these internal rooms would have windows, as well as dumbwaiters that travelled up and down the castle to provide food to essentially any floor, and any of the most internal rooms.

The window was large, with a flat base and curved top, and it was open. It was so big that a large stick must have been used to close it, which, I imagine, lay somewhere I didn’t inspect. My friend or cousin was there, and he was happy to see me. We looked out of the window at the night sky. We looked at the artwork we had toiled at when we were children - most of them featured curtains. I remembered, then, that at night, we would lie awake (we slept in the nursery, in two very wide, low beds raised above the rest of the nursery by a few steps) and the window would rattle slightly, and then we would hear the sounds of curtains being closed and opened, and we would draw pictures of them. This, I recall, would happen at three in the morning every night, but it had abruptly stopped as we grew older. I would have forgotten it, if it wasn’t for the paintings in the nursery.

I left my cousin, who went to bed, and went back to the party to find my aunts just leaving. After they did so, my dad sat down with me. I think he wasn’t my real dad, in the sense that, in this dream, he was played by my dad, but he was not legitimately him. We sat in an ante-room, which I thought was odd - most of the rooms in the castle were essentially hall-ways leading to stairwells, which led to other floors, and most of the rooms that led off from the ‘billiard rooms’, as I will call them, were either very large (as my nursery was), or, at least, had some purpose. This one just had chesterfield sofas in it, facing one another. We sat down, and behind my dad’s head I saw a candlestick coming out of the wallpaper. This was the only part of the wall that had actual paper, and not panelling. It was red, the same red as the curtains, but with a paler flocked pattern on it. It was like the red, but pinker.

The bridge-door opened and my aunts came back in. They were wearing their furs, but said they hadn’t gotten them back yet. This, I think, was an odd excuse my dream conjured to get my dad away from me for a moment, while I inspected the wall. I did so, and some part of the wall was a knob - I think an obvious knob would be the candlestick. Let us say, then, that it turned ninety degrees to the left, opening a passageway, which, after a few feet, had a narrow staircase leading down.

I have not discussed the layout of the castle with regards to the rooms, but my nursery’s beds were, as I have said, on a small platform. This corridor, I think, led underneath this platform, and I walked down them. Disappointingly, the decoration became no less ostentatious: the walls were curtained, it was well-lit, and all just as stuffy as before. The only difference was that the walls were papered, not panelled. I descended the stairs, and walked through three rooms separated by those same curtains I have mentioned incessantly, and found myself to, I calculated, the space directly below my nursery. It was a bedroom, narrower but deeper than the nursery, and with a smaller window, the drapes drawn shut. This room was dark. Like every other room except the nursery, it was stifling, but the lack of light and airing had made it, unlike the others, take on a musty smell. I walked over to the drapes, and opened them to look out at the sky, and to air the room. I pulled them open, and was greeted by darkness. The window had been boarded up from the outside - or, I think, there was some turn I had not registered, and this window was an internal one, and on the other side there was another room - but this, too, had been boarded up.

I turned back around, and decided to turn on a light to see if I could tell whether this room was internal or not by looking through the boards. I went to a light, and rubbed its base. Like the trains, I think lots of the power in this land was drawn from friction, rather than heat. I did so, and the room lit up. It was dim, and oddly cloudy. And then I heard a noise from the bed. I looked and saw that there was a man in the bed, only his head visible above the red covers. Against the crimson sheets his face was waxen and pale, and he was unbelievably old. His hair was yellow and where it touched the pillows it stuck and was surrounded by a darker tone of embedded grease. His eyelids were half-closed and crusted so that they could barely blink, his eyes were wet, his lips the same colour as his skin, and his skin so jaunt and thin that it looked as though it was sloughing off his strong cheekbones. There is no way to describe it without sounding sensationalist, but I got the impression that his skin was disconnected from his bones, only held together as he did not move. He looked, to sound worse, tender.

I don’t know if his eyeballs moved, as they were cloudy and crusted over, but he was looking at me. And he moaned, his partly open mouth glistening in one corner with saliva, in a low strained way, quietly, but with desperation.

And I looked at the curtains on that boarded window, and at the corridor leading up the stairs to a door that could be opened, I think, only from the outside, and thought of the hundreds of stories ascending to the bedrooms and attics of the castle, and descending into cellars and store-rooms below, and the dumbwaiters that travelled to the internal rooms. I remembered the drawings I had made of the curtains opening and closing by night, and how they had stopped one night as I grew up.

I think at some point I realised he was my great-great grandfather, though I know that sounds silly. I left and went back to my aunts, and the people from the villages on the mountainside walked past the station, and were walking on the tracks, so we went out to ask them what they were doing. I pathetically asked them ‘has the war ended’ or ‘has the war started’, and one of them replied ‘we are going to the festival’, and that was all.

[vintagehomecollection]

A chaise, angled in front of a California garden, has the advantage of natural light for the reader. Rather than drape the windows, the owner chose vertical metal blinds that resemble tight pleats when open. Fastened to a ceiling track, the custom, neutral-toned blinds extend to the floor in the manner of tailored draperies. When drawn, the blinds become a wall of soft color and texture.

House Beautiful: Decorating Style, 1992

[forevervobla]

Previous|Next 

**** “So you’re Falion, the necromancer, “ Yannis decidedly incorrectly started the conversation as he entered the house.

“It’s called conjuration!I didn’t expect such an ignorance from an imperial legionnaire!”the magician was outraged, showing he has no interest in following conversation.

“Forgive his haste, “ Aurelius apologized, coming out from behind:“We have an urgent deal and...“

“Say no more!” the mage’s look changed when he saw a pale bosmer: “To be honest, I’ve never seen this kind of vampirism before.How long do you have these cat-like eyes?”

“I’m not a vampire!” Aurelius objected.“We’re not here to talk about my appearance!We need to save another person!Not me!” Falion narrowed his eyes suspiciously: “I’m all ears.”

“We need to summon a daedra, or,at least, find a place where he’s hiding.He has a hostile.”

“How did it happen daedra stole your friend?We need as much information as possible to find the right one.Was this daedra offering something?You mustn’t take anything from daedra’s hands of you'll become their property. ”

“I know, I know!This one wasn’t just a common daedra. I don’t know exactly, but he connected somehow with a Molag Bal.He calls himself Walerian. “

“Not a common name for a daedra, but if it’s real, we can try ,“ Falion began to delve into his stuff: “Do you have any specific objects connected with him?”

“We have a manor burned to the ground,” suddenly said Yannis with a calm voice. 

“And I have a cut, “ added Aurelius, looking at blood, slightly soaking through fabric of his trouser-leg.

“And his blood on my blade,” Yannis summed up.

“Did he make everything possible for us to find him?”

****

“Ah, sweet, I think, I lost track of time,“ Maurice whispered with his eyes closed. 

“Time flows in a different way here,” Walerian murmured from somewhere below, his fiery breath was tenderly heating dunmer’s skin. 

Maurice smiled and opened his eyes, beheld a dusty ceiling under him:“This place is quite nice, except the fact it needs some tiding. Don’t you feel lonely living in such a gloomy place? “

“This is not just a dusty palace; it’s a historical projection of the notable past.”

“To be honest, I didn’t understand a word.“

“You see, this is exactly the same bed where the Pelagius the Mad died.“

“Oh!” Maurice quickly left his previous position, “but I heard he died in different circumstances. “

Walerian gently smiled and leaned closer to a dunmer “He knew more than any common mortal.“He cuddled Maurice, “So,what do you have on your mind,my precious?Do you need to take a break, or we will continue our history lesson? I have a nice mace; it shed so much blood the steel became scarlet.”

“A history lesson?" Precious repeated in a rush, trying to avoid the second subject, "Sounds interesting.I just thought about royal court and nobles in elegant outfits. Intrigues, politics, drama…” Maurice dreamily closed his eyes: “In my adolescence, how did I love to play a role of a young Barenziah!And my later characters were more prosaic, but I was a real part of these events.“

Walerian was tenderly stroking his shoulders while dunmer was drowning deeper into his memories: “Ooooh, I remember once I was attending... one handsome man’s dinner party. I was playing, (you won’t believe!),his beloved cousin! There were lots of nobles, and I was honestly afraid to be recognized,so I was trying my best to be a humble sister from the enigmatic Nibenay. I was sitting in a fluffy oversized dress just right in front of his wife while his fingers were trying to find a way under luxurious drapery of my skirt.It was a common deal, not considering the fact I suddenly felt his wife’s leg touching mine...Oh, sweet, are you trying to recreate this story?You need to put a dress on me first!”

****

“Is it all that left?” Falion whispered unintentionally when he saw the ashes of the burned manor.This place was barely recognizable and looked abandoned long time ago, but it was impossible to get rid of the feeling someone is watching your back.

Mage carefully started observation, showing a polite professional interest.

Deep wrinkles appeared under Yannis’ nose, his hand was holding the sword hilt.

“This place is too silent”, Aurelius thought and this silence was playing on the nerves. He knew a little about the nature of daedric powers, but he knew how to sense the danger. He felt a breath on his nape and immediately turned around with a sparkle of fire between his fingers.

“Careful, we don't need to set another fire here,”Falion said.

“We are certainly not alone here,” Aurelius replied, looking at the broom, surprisingly untouched by a disaster.

“Nice suggestion! Now grab this besom and sweep this dust into a pile.These ashes are pulsing with an energy.” 

“Why me?”

“What else did you expect to do?Play the lute for this daedra?”

“Enough to talk, we need to work, if you don't want to, I'll do” Yannis made a few steps to the broom.

Aurelius objected immediately,“No, I'll handle this!”

[fluffy-marshmallow-heart]

Drake's Diary ch.31 -The Homecoming Ball

The Royal Romance canon from Drake's POV

Words: 5049

Warnings: NSFW

Master List (catch up here)

 There will only be one more chapter after this. Enjoy!

The following morning, Drake actually woke up with a hangover. I cannot believe I drank that much. How did I drink that much?

He thought back to his night out with his friends…then the personal tour of the palace with Emma. He groaned. She must think I’m such a fool. And I showed her my hiding spot! And I told her why I call her by her last name! Ugh, Walker, dammit…she would have slept with you if you weren’t drunk!!! I really am a fool

  His phone beeped, and he glanced at the messages waiting for him. Savannah’s waiting for him to take her to the boutique. The Homecoming ball is tonight, and she has nothing to wear. Makes sense. This is her big debut back at court.

Once he joined Savannah and Bartie, Maxwell also decided to tag along, boasting about his ability to pick out “swoon-worthy” dresses. Drake couldn’t really argue with that, considering how many times Emma showed up looking drop dead gorgeous. As the four of them meandered the halls, they ran into Emma on her way to her room.

Savannah grins. “Emma, it’s so good to see you!”

Drake is standing next to Savannah, failing to repress a smile. “You have good timing, Rose.” My two favorite women together again.

Emma nodded. “I guess so. Looks like the gang’s all here.”

“We are.” Drake said proudly. “For the first time in a long time. I’m…I’m really glad you’re back, Savannah.”

Savannah pulls him into a one-armed hug, her other arm still supporting Bartie. After a long moment, they part and Drake sees Emma beaming at them.

“You all look cozy. I don’t know the last time I saw Drake willingly participate in a hug.”

“Yeah, I think I even saw him smile.” Maxwell laughed.

Drake just shrugged. “It isn’t every day your sister and nephew come back to the court.” As well as having the woman of my dreams.

Savannah patted his arm. “I feel honored.” She then turned her focus to Emma. “So, Emma…Congratulations on becoming a Duchess. The court could use more people like you.”

“Thanks, Savannah.”

“You know, Emma, between Maxwell and Drake, you’re practically all I hear I about. I feel like we’re friends already.” Savannah glances at Drake, leaning towards Emma conspiratorially. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you and my brother are an item.”

Savannah winks at Emma as Drake’s cheeks flush bright red. Oh my god, so embarrassing, we’re so obvious…if we’re so obvious, how did no one see us together before? But I’m so glad Savannah loves her too. Makes things so much easier.

Emma’s about to respond when Savannah’s eyes go wide. Drake sees Bertrand at the end of the hallway. He has stopped in his tracks.

“Savannah.” Bertrand gasped.

Savannah smiled. “Hello, Bertrand.”

Bertrand takes a few tentative steps forward. “I just…came to speak with Emma. I had no idea you would be here.”

Savannah’s eyebrows furrowed. “Oh…I thought maybe…”

Enough of this. He’s done enough damage to my sister, I won’t let him cause more.  “Bertrand, just say whatever you came to say to Emma and get out of here.”

Emma nodded “Yes, let’s talk…in private.”

Bertrand retreats a few paces down the hall and out of earshot, beckoning to Emma. Her and Maxwell follow.

Drake turns to his sister. “Sav, I really think you should stay away from…”

But she brushed by him, ignoring him completely, and approaches Bertrand, Emma, and Maxwell, still bouncing Bartie on her hip. “Bertrand…It’s nice to see you again.”

Drake grudgingly follows. I forgot how well she doesn’t listen to me.

Bertrand looks at her in surprise. “Yes…” He trails off and silence hangs in the air. Then, he turns on his heel and marches back down the hall and out of sight.

“Oh…” Savannah said sadly.

Asshole’s already hurting her again. Fucking Bertrand.

“Come on, Savannah, I’ll give you a hand with Bartie.” Drake shoots Emma an apologetic look as he leads Savannah and Bartie down the hall.

After picking out the perfect dress for Savannah, Drake escorts her to the Homecoming Ball. He quickly scans the room and sees Emma being escorted in by Bastien. Everything looks covered in gold. There are golden lights on the ceiling, golden curtains. People mill about sipping champagne and munching on appetizers. Drake’s eyes follow her as she walks over to speak with Maxwell and Bertrand.

“Er, Sav…would you mind if I…”

“Not at all, Drake. Go! I know how you hate these things.” Savannah laughed. “And I’m willing to bet that Emma is the only reason you’ve tolerated so many lately.”

Drake blushed, giving him away again. He nods at her, then quickly walks out of the room. So obvious that I love her. Thank god she’s mine, there’s no way I’d still be able to hide it. I’ve got big plans for her, big plans for us. I hope she likes it…

Drake quickly heads to his room, where he’s stored several bags of items that he’ll never admit to anyone as having. Next, he went straight to Emma’s room, turning the knob and going inside. A part of him is relieved the door is unlocked. Another part of him is dying to scold her for leaving her door unlocked. He begins to work, placing flameless candles around the room, adjusting the lighting of the chandelier, and throwing rose petals strategically around the bed and floor. He’d thought about getting real candles, but changed his mind when he saw how many draperies were in her room, as well as having to leave them unattended for a while. He wasn’t going to let anything get between them tonight. When finished, he stands back and admires his handywork.

This…is…good. Good job Drake Walker. She’s going to swoon as soon as she sees it. I know I would, if someone did something like this for me. And if I was a girl. Which I’m not but I’m man enough to admit I’d still swoon.

Heading back to the ballroom, he perches himself at the bar, just in time to hear Emma’s voice ring out.

“Yes, I would like to propose a toast. Everyone, please raise your glasses to King and country!”

“Hear, hear.” Ripples through the crowd, and the nobles all raise their glasses and drink. Drake raises his glass to the bartender and downs his whiskey.

Liquid courage.

A moment later…“How are you holding up with all this courtly finery?” Drake’s eyes sweep up Emma’s dress and go wide. “You look like a million bucks. Literally.” And also gold. Interesting.

“I take it you like the dress?”

He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. “Yeah, you could say that.”

She smiled. “Thank you. I had a feeling I’d find you at the bar.”

“If you’re calling me predictable, Rose, I might not order you a drink.”

“I sincerely doubt that.” She laughed, nudging him with her shoulder.

He couldn’t stop the smile on his face. “…Fine, you got me, Rose. How can I turn you down?” He turns to the bartender just as Penelope and Kiara come strolling up to place an order.

“I’d like a…”

“She wants something pink with an umbrella in it.” Drake cuts in.

Penelope gasps. “How did you know?”

He shrugged. “It’s hard to miss when someone orders one of those travesties. A real drink doesn’t need accessories.”

Emma rolls her eyes. “By ‘a real drink,’ he means whiskey.”

“I have to agree. I’ve always been more partial to wine than cocktails.” Kiara says, eyeing Drake hungrily.

Ugh, no. What is with her constantly checking me out. She’s so gross. So….desperate.

“Look, you can drink all the top-shelf Barbaresco you want, but it’s still going to be old grape juice.” Drake snapped, frustrated that she always ends up where he is.

Kiara’s mouth falls open. “I’ll…I will take a Barbaresco, oui.”

The bartender nods to Drake and gets to work on the drinks he described.

Emma looks impressed. “Wow, Drake. You really know your stuff.”

Kiara clears her throat. “I…I’m sorry for our behavior at the beer garden last night, Lady Emma. When I implied you’d come to gloat, what I meant was…”

“We were drunk!” Penelope blurts out.

“Penelope!”

“And scared about Madeleine leaving. But the more I think about it, I think it’s a good thing. You deserve to be in Cordonia, Emma. I’m happy you’re staying.”

Emma offers a polite smile, but Drake can see right through it. “Well…I’m happy to be staying too.”

“Maybe you can come visit my estate sometime.” Penelope suggests.

Emma looks at her curiously. “Are you going back home?”

“Hopefully soon. It’s been a long time since I visited my parents…”

“I’m sure they can’t wait to see you. And for what it’s worth, Emma, you’re always welcome at my family’s estate too.” Kiara added.

As long as I’m not there. There’s no way I would step foot in that woman’s home base. I’d never get out alive.

They both curtsy and say their goodbyes, carrying their drinks back into the crowd.

Drake turns back to Emma, who’s smirking at him. “How about I get you something, and then we take a breather?”

“That sounds nice.” She agrees.

“I have an idea where we can go for some privacy.” He murmurs into her ear.

“Privacy is a hot commodity around here.”

He chuckles. “I’d rather spend the whole night alone with you, but…I’ll take what I can get.”

Emma nods. “I’d like that. What are you ordering for me? And don’t say whiskey.”

Drake rubs his chin thoughtfully. “A challenge, huh? I’ll take it.” He leans across the counter and whispers to the bartender. After a few minutes, he passes a glass across the counter.

Emma takes a long sip. “Drake, why a mojito?”

“It just…felt right. Drinks kind of have their own personalities. Like people. A mojito seems like a basic cocktail. People order them like they’re nothing, but there’s complexity there. It takes time to muddle the mint just right, find a balance of sour and sweet. People look at you and see the simple things. You’re an American. A Duchess. But anyone who’s paying attention knows there’s a lot more to you than that.”

Like the love of my life.

A mischievous look crossed her features. “So you’re saying I’m sweet?”

Naturally that’s what she would take away from it. “There’s lime in there too, you know.”

She shrugged. “I’ll take it. So, how did a guy who only drinks water and whiskey become such a cocktail whisperer?”

“You forget that I’ve watched every person in this room order drinks for years. And not one of them has decent taste.” He orders himself another whiskey and picks up the glass. “Now let’s get out of here.”

She follows Drake away from the ball to a quiet hallway in the palace. He leans against one wall as they both enjoy their drinks, a slight smile on his face.

“So, you’re going to be a Duchess soon. Do I have to start calling you ‘Your Grace’”?

“If you call me anything other than Rose, it’s going to feel weird.” She joked.

“Heh, alright. I can stick to that.”

“Is this the part where you make fun of me for becoming a real noble?”

Drake shakes his head. He lifts his glass to her in a brief toast. “I know you better than that, Rose. You’re you, and there’s nothing…not even a title…that can take that away from you.”

He watched a bright smile light up her eyes. “Thanks, Drake.”

Oh boy. I said too much. “…Though if you ever start getting too high-and-mighty, you can count on me to remind you of the old days.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” She told him, shaking her head.

They both slowly finish their drinks. Drake sets his glass down on a window-sill, and he looks at her with heat and longing in his eyes. “After tonight, we might not get a lot of time to ourselves.”

She bit her lip. “We’ll both have plenty of obligations.”

Drake nods, though his eyes never leave her face. He studies her as though he’s trying to absorb every detail of this moment. As soon as she takes a step toward him, he spins to press her against the wall, his lips meeting hers in a passionate kiss.

“Rose…” He kisses her deeper as she pulls him close, groaning when she wraps her arms around his waist…and then he pulls away.

“I can think of a better place to be doing this.” He said huskily. “Wait here.”

“Wait here? Are you kidding?”

He looks at her, seeing the doubt in her eyes, the hurt of rejection seeping through. “I just…if we’re going to do this, I want it to be…special.”

She scoffed. “Okay…You’ve already kept me waiting this long…”

Damn. She is so hot, getting mad that I’m not going to sleep with her again. She’s in for quite the awakening.

He took her hands in his own. “Believe me, Rose, I won’t take any longer than I have to.” He heads down the hallway and opens the door to her room, looking around one last time, making sure the candles are “lit”, the chandelier is glistening, and none of the petals have moved. After a few moments, he comes back out, gesturing for her to join him.

“Am I allowed to look now?” She said sarcastically.

“Come on in.”

The room is lit by a gentle glow from the chandelier and the clusters of candles Drake has set up. It’s an oasis of warmth and solitude compared to the noise of the ballroom. Drake closes the door as he joins her inside. When she turns back to him, he realizes he’s been holding his breath.

“Well?” He asked hesitantly.

Her were glistening with unshed tears. “Drake...When did Drake Walker become such a romantic?”

He can feel his cheeks turning pink. “Look what you’ve done to me, Rose. You’ll be the death of me.”

He steps closer to her, one hand reaching up to brush her cheek. His voice drops to a hoarse whisper as he takes in the sight of her in the candlelight. “So, this is really going to happen?”

“What do you mean?” She looks confused.

“I’ve spent so long thinking about this…so long wanting you. It almost feels like a dream.” He looks down, feeling guilty.

“What is it?” She asks, concerned.

He drags his eyes back to hers. “I’ve got nothing to offer you. I’m no one special. And yet…Somehow, here you are.”

She looks at him incredulously. “Somehow? Drake…you’re exactly what I want. Sharp. Funny. Challenging. Fiercely protective…and a marshmallow at heart, no matter how much you try to hide it.”

He stares at her a moment. “How do you do that, Rose? How do you see right through me, no matter how hard I try?”

It’ a genuine question, he really still can’t figure out she sees straight to his soul and insists on bringing it out for the world to see.

The corners of her mouth turn up. “You’re careful, Drake. But you’ve met your match.”

My true match is right. “I’ve spent too long being careful. I want this. I want you. Now.”

“And I want you.” She whispers.

He takes a shuddery breath. “Rose…” In an instant his lips are pressed to hers in an urgent kiss. She starts fumbling at the buttons of his shirt as he pulls her close, his own hands working at her clothes.

“You first.” She gasps. She gets the last button of his green shirt undone. As he pulls the shirt beneath it over his head, she runs her hands down his muscled chest.

“In a hurry?” He smirks

She grins. “You’re the one who said he was tired of being careful.” Her hands reach his belt and she tugs the buckle open, helping him out of his jeans. “God, you’re hot”

“Look who’s talking.” He counters.

They both stumble across the room, snatching kisses from each other as Drake removes piece after piece of her clothing, leaving them scattered across the floor.

“Now who’s in a hurry?” She laughs

“Can you blame me? I’m just getting started, Rose.” He catches her bottom lip between his teeth, drawing a moan from her. He trails his fingers up her side to her chest. In between kisses, she turns and presses Drake against the nearest wall. He responds by grasping the small of her back and pulling her closer. Each kiss is more fervent than the last. She braces herself against his chest with one hand and slowly begins to slide her other hand up his thigh.

“Rose…” He breathes

“Should I stop?” She asks into his lips.

“No…but there’s one thing in particular I’ve been dreaming about.” With his heart pounding, he slides his hands down to her thighs and picks her up. She wraps her legs around his waist as he carries her over to the bed, and they both tumble onto the covers. Drake props himself on one arm to kiss her. Then, for just a moment, he pauses, drinking in the sight of her.

“You’re too good to be true, Rose.” This is so much better than my dreams.

Emma shakes her head. “I’m here, Drake. Really. Let me prove it to you.” She pulls him close for another passionate kiss. As their lips meet, he slides one hand down her chest to her hips…then lower…

Oh my god, she’s soaked, she feels so good, this is incredible, touching her like this. I can’t believe this day is finally here.

“Ohhhhh” She moaned, arching her back as he moves his fingers in slow, tantalizing circles, feeling her shiver at his touch…and then he lowers himself onto her, his lips hot against the side of her neck.

“Drake…don’t stop.” She begged.

Never. I’m never stopping again.

He answers her with another kiss as he lines his throbbing cock to her tight hole, slowly pressing inside, allowing time for her to adjust to his girth. “Oh, Rose, damn, you feel so good.” He groaned, feeling her walls envelop him, squeezing his cock as he begins to rock against her. When she wraps her legs around him, his breath catches but he never slows. She runs her hands down his back, leading him into the perfect rhythm as her own breath comes faster and faster. Pleasure arcs through every inch of him as Emma groans aloud.

“Rose…” He panted.

“Drake…Drake…!” She claws his back in ecstasy as he empties himself inside her, her pussy milking his every drop of his hot seed. He buries his face in her neck, peppering her with feather light kisses. After a minute, he rolls off her and she lies curled up against Drake’s side, one of his arms wrapped around her. He can feel her chest rising and falling as he hugs her closely.

“That was…” He thinks for a while, but finally shakes his head. There are just no words. This is the greatest day of my entire life.

“Have I rendered you speechless?” Emma teased.

He chuckled. “How about this? Now I can die a happy man.”

“I like you better alive, if it’s all the same.”

“I’ll try not to disappoint.” He grins.

“If tonight was any indication, I don’t think you could.”

I guess if I had any doubts about my performance...I certainly don’t now. It’s like our bodies were made for each other.

They lay there for a while, heartbeats slowly returning to normal, enjoying each other’s company before Drake places a gentle kiss on her shoulder and reluctantly sits up in bed. “We should probably head back before people start to wonder where we are.”

She let out a heavy sigh. “You sure I can’t keep you here?”

He groaned. “Don’t torture me, Rose. If it was up to me, we wouldn’t leave this room for a week.”

A whole week of love-making. Sheer bliss. “Leave it to courtly functions to drag you away from me.” He mutters bitterly.

They pick up their scattered clothes and slowly dress.

He pulls her flush against him one last time. “Ready to brave the crowd again?”

“I think I can handle it.” She shrugged, and he couldn’t help but smile widely. This girl can handle anything life throws at her.

Drake carefully turns off all the candles before they both return to the ball, walking hand in hand, fingers intertwined. Upon returning, Bertrand immediately rushes up to her. “Emma, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Time to check in with some acquaintances and see just how well all your work has paid off!”

“So more mingling?” She asks.

Bertrand nods. “Precisely! Starting with our Italian contact.”

Emma mouths Drake an apology as Bertrand whisks her away. Drake sighs, looking around the crowd. As soon as I propose…this is really my life. Forever mingling with these stuffy nobles. Because I’ll be noble.

He shuddered. That’s horrifying.

He wanders outside, remembering the fireworks should be beginning soon. As he strolls along, he finds Savannah and Bartie, then a few minutes later, Bertrand. He glared at Savannah’s baby daddy as he led them to a clear spot on the lawn to watch the fireworks. He scowls as Bertrand attempts to play with Bartie.

He looks so stupid. Bertrand? A father? What a laugh! Honestly, what did my sister ever see in him? What does she still see in him? I really need to…

“Hey guys!”

He snapped out of his thoughts as Emma approached with Liam, Hana, and Maxwell.

Drake grinned as soon as he saw her. “I held our spot…with a few additions.”

“I hope you don’t mind us joining.” Savannah said lightly.

Emma shook her head. “Not at all. Everyone should be here.”

“The whole family, uncles included.” Maxwell added.

Drake rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yea, Touching family things. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.”

“Lay Emma, if I may have a moment of your time.” Bertrand leads her and Maxwell to the fountain. Drake watches them curiously as the three of them hug.

Huh. I guess it really is a touchy feely kinda night. But I should really be the only one touching her…

A herald steps out of the palace with a trumpet as Emma sits next to Drake on the grass. “Welcome to the show, Rose.”

“I hope you don’t mind the company.”

“At this point, I’m bound to be surrounded by somebody. I’m glad it’s you.” He admitted.

She gasps exaggeratedly. “How far you’ve come from Liam as your only friend.”

He forced a frown. “It’s disgusting, and I blame you for everything.”

“You blame me? In that case I owe you some alone time.” She told him in a suggestive tone, and he felt himself hardening in his slacks.

“As long as it’s alone time with you.” He blurted, inching closer to her.

“That’s exactly what I had in mind.” She leaned in and kisses him softly.

Pulling away, Drake couldn’t help but feel happy, and content. A completely different feeling than he’s ever had in his entire life. “This is…nice. Being home. Being here…with you.”

She puts one of her hands on his. A brief smile flashes across his face and he gives her hand a squeeze.

“It took us long enough to get here.” She murmured quietly.

“Heh. You can say that again.” He paused a moment, before hurriedly adding “Thanks for not giving up on me, Rose.”

“Likewise. Now that this is really happening, I wanted to ask…What comes next for us?”

Drake instantly thought about the ring boring a hole in his pocket. Can’t say just yet…Drake scratches his head, pretending to consider her words as they both look up at the fireworks. “I’ll be honest, I’ve never been much for a big future plans. Most of the time I just try to roll with whatever life throws a me.”

She looks at him, surprised. “You’ve never thought about where you want to be in a couple years? Buying yourself a cabin in the wilderness, or, I don’t know…getting married?”

He inhaled sharply. That was subtle. Only every day.

“I can’t say I’ve thought about it much since that conversation in New York.”

Lies

“All I know is that whatever happens, I want to be here with you. After everything you’ve been through…I want to do this right, Rose.”

Truth

Her face fell. “Does that mean you want to take things slow? If I’ve been going too fast for you…”

“No, no, that’s not it. I just meant…hell, Rose, I never thought I’d get a chance to be with you. And now that I am…I don’t want to mess it up. You’re more than I ever could’ve hoped for. I just want you to know that I won’t take a moment of this…of us…for granted.”

“Neither will I.” She responded softly.

The herald reaches ten. People from the crows join in the countdown. Emma pulls Drake in by the shirt, locking his breathless lips against hers. He wraps his arms around her as the fireworks light up the night sky.

“Rose…” He breathes.

“Drake…”

I should definitely propose right now. It’s the perfect setting.  “I…”

But Emma presses herself against him again as she pulls him in for another kiss. A cacophony of fireworks light up the night sky in a kaleidoscope of colorful patters. Burst after burst explodes overhead…until it falls silent, leaving a nebula of smoke in the air.

With the finale over, Drake and Emma reluctantly part, both a bit breathless, and all the friends reunite.

Woops. Proposing is going to be hard if I can’t stop kissing her…

“That was everything I hoped for. We should do this every night.” Maxwell said dreamily.

“I don’t think I can handle every night.” Hana said warily.

Savannah chimed in, “Bartie could barely handle tonight.”

Maxwell scoffs. “He looks fine. He has that old Beaumont endurance in him.”

Liam clears his throat. “We should prepare for the final speech to honor Emma tonight.”

Drake groans. “I almost forgot how this ball goes on forever.”

Savannah laughs. “Same old Drake. Come on, let’s find some fancy food to disparage.”

The group heads back inside. In the ballroom, Liam splits off to prepare for the toast as Emma, Drake, Hana, and Maxwell join the gathering crowd.

“Looks like we arrived just in time…” Emma looks around the crowd.

Drake chuckled. “Worried they’d start without you?”

“We could never start without the lady of the hour!” Hana exclaimed.

“Liam will signal you to come up when it’s time.” Maxwell told her.

Emma shrugged. “Easy.”

Maxwell clapped her on the shoulder. “I’d say make us proud, but we couldn’t be more proud of you.”

“And to think, Drake was so worried about me when I arrived in Cordonia.” She teased.

Yeah yeah. Only cuz I knew you’d be trouble. “If anyone was going to prove me wrong about this place not being a fairy tale full of happily ever afters…I’m glad it was you.”

He eyed her empty hands. “Forgetting something, Rose? You can’t toast without a drink.”

“Oh, right.”

Drake takes a flute of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray and steps next to her. “Here.”

The chime of silver on a glass draws their attention to a stage on the far side of the dance floor. Liam stands on the stage, smiling out at the crowd. “Before the evening draws to a close, I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for coming together to celebrate our return…And to celebrate our new Duchess Emma of House Rose. She has shown true strength in the face of adversity, a trait which we born Cordonians know well. Revitalizing the old Houses of Cordonia is just one of the ways in which I plan to reinvest in our beautiful country. Please join me in raising a glass once more to her…To Duchess Emma…the newest member of the Cordonian nobility!”

Nobility. I still can’t believe it. The waitress from New York is now nobility.

The crowd applauds, and King Liam’s eyes find Emma and his smile brightens. He extends a hand toward her and she begins to step forward…when suddenly the lights go out! An explosive popping tears through the air, then another.

Oh my god. There’s only one thing that could be. He reached out to grab Emma back.

“What was that? More fireworks?” Penelope’s voice could be heard rising above the confusion.

“Not fireworks…gunshots! Run!” Drake recognized Justin’s voice cry out next, followed by Adelaide screaming. Terrified guests scream and try to flee, and the crowd surges around him, making it impossible for his hand to find hers.

“Emma! Get down! Now!” Drake cries, still working his way to her, his eyesight slowly adjusting to the dark.

“Now! Take them out!” Drake’s blood runs cold at the strange voice.

The lights flicker back on, and all around is chaos. Drake is now next to Emma, but in the panic and frenzy, Maxwell and Hana are gone.

Bastien runs toward the stage. “King Liam, get down!”

At the front of the room, Drake’s eyes find Liam and his security team fighting off a dozen assassins. As he watches, Liam ducks under a knife and throws an assassin over his shoulder. Then he turns to see another one aiming a gun right at Emma. From there, Drake’s world went into slow motion, everything that follows was pure instinct.

“Emma!!” Liam shouts from the stage.

Drake’s eyes see the assassin pulling the trigger.

“NO!!”  Drake jumps in front of her, putting his body between Emma and the bullet. The two of them collide as the shot hits him.

He lays there in shock, only now realizing he took a bullet to his arm, seeing the blood gush from the wound.

What the hell is happening? How did they get in here? Oh, god, Emma…they were after Emma. Where is she, is she…

He could vaguely make out Emma’s voice speaking to him frantically.

“Drake...Drake!!”

But it was far away, as his eyes roll towards the back of his head, his entire body going limp.

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