#Feeding this to you like I would a timid horse. :)

[corvus-detritus]

I literally love shapes and colors so much, man. Also Zooble. I literally love Zooble so much, man.

[thekeeperof-thefandoms]

How they react to finding out you're an animal lover

Based on the actual Zoo's worth of pets, I acquired.

Let's assume somehow there's a scenario where the Hazbin Characters are able to see your life on earth, to review what might have gotten you sent to Hell. As far as most of them were concerned, you may have been chaotic, maybe you jumped to violence quickly (it's Hell though so defending yourself is important), maybe you drank or used drugs or slept around, but not to an extent that would warrant Hell.

And it's not that you aren't capable of being friendly or nice, but you're always wary of new people. You seem uncomfortable in large groups and tend to stick to people you know and unfortunately have Resting Bitch Face, so aren't very approachable.

So imagine their reaction to seeing your life and noticing from a young age your obsession with animals. You watched Animal Cops instead of Cartoons as a kid (and boy, your little brain sure got creative when imagining how best to punish [torture] animal abusers. Even Alastor's impressed by the level of violence). You begged and cried for a pet your whole childhood and did your best with the fish you got or the guinea pigs, though poor misinformation from adults and lack of proper husbandry being available in easily accessible media meant that your setups were....lackluster. And boy did you literally sob over that as an adult.

Every animal you met, horse, snake, cat, dog, rabbit, rodent, lizzard, frog, fish, they were all met with the brightest smile, a gentle cooing voice, happy baby talk, you getting on their level to coddle and and pet. The total opposite of your response to people.

Alastor

He's never been a big fan of dogs, especially after his death. But watching you with the numerous dogs you owned, the bond you shared with them, how they weren't perfectly trained but you tried so hard, and they all lived such long happy lives, he thinks he would have tolerated it. Especially your first dog, a small yappy thing that was wonderfully trained to do many tricks using just hand signals. Watching you shut down, breaking into billions of pieces when that dog died is probably the closest his smile has come to dropping.

Cats though, Alastor adored cats and you, despite being allergic, took in every feline in need. Even ones with health issues. You shelled out your hard earned cash left and right and the once ratty, crusty, scrawny, timid, strays blossomed into sleek, healthy, playful cats. He's going to laugh at all the curse words that arise from the various shenanigans that come with owning cats though.

As for your snakes, he's not phased. He isn't particularly fond of them, but he isn't scared either. But he could listen to you gush for hours about genetics, morphs, breeding, and proper set ups. He liked your bearded dragon though. Would get one for you if he could.

His favorite though was your rats. The quartet of rodents that were as smart as human toddlers and as likely to get in trouble. Watching you build and construct cardboard play structures, teach them tricks, feed them all sorts of fruits, veggies, meat, grains, insects. The constant cleaning and remodeling of their cage to entertain them. Oh you clearly adored them. Especially since they lived longer than their average 4 year expectancy by a whole year, with the exception of one rat that had been born ill but he still lived to by nearly 3!

All in all he just thinks you're precious, is amused by your entirely sincere and intensely violent response to abusers, and admires your caring nature and dedication (it reminds him of his ma, working hard to shell out every penny to ensure he thrived). He's probably considering getting you a pet.

Charlie

Heart eyes! You're so soft and cuddly with your pets! So patient with them, even when they're still adjusting, scared and prone to biting. You take every bite, scratch, hiss, growl, and in cases like snakes and turtles musking, in stride. Sure you flinch but your tone stays calm, you relax quickly, adjust your approach.

The way your eyes water and light up when the black cat with a stiff limp and crusted eyes, and swollen cheeks finally approaches you instead of hiding behind the water heater in your basement after you managed to trap it in indoors melts her heart. The way you have to visibly control yourself when you pet it for the first time and then finally lift him into your arms to take upstairs where the heat works and you aren't relying on a space heater and old blankets to warm him.

She's not thrilled about your violent tendencies, but they also remind her of Vaggie. Your protective and have strong feelings about injustice and she admires that.

She's definitely asking you to watch Kiki more often.

Angel Dust

Another proud pet parent! He gets you. Animals are so much easier than people. He loves watching you dress your pets that would tolerate it and take them to get pictures done, sending them to family members like you would send pictures of your kids. And hey, they essentially are! He's gonna ask you to dress up Fat Nuggets with him and do a photo shoot!

He's not a fan of rodents, but you're rats, and the hamsters were cute. He thinks he'd be ok with them if he met them, may even enjoy them.

Really liked watching your fish tank though once you got older and had more understanding and were able to set up a proper one. Even when things went wrong like algae blooms, fish fighting, your $35 betta beaching itself on your crabs basking platform, you were determined, and eventually you get a nice little live planted tank going that's mostly self sufficient and some fish that breed. You never quite mastered the algae issue, but it never overran your tank again, so he considers it a win. It's just cute watching you try so hard and dedicate so much time too it.

Lucifer

You're literally his spirit animal. He would rather be around animals than people, too. And honestly, you're right, animal abusers are the worst and he's probably taking notes from you on fitting punishments. He is trying to be more active as a ruler of Hell now.

He thinks you're incredibly smart for learning and memorizing so much about animals at such a young age and that you learn more as you get older, keeping up with proper care techniques. Kinda shocked you didn't become a vet, but also gets it. He doesn’t think he could handle having to let an animal down either. Or deal with stupid owners.

Gets heart eyes when he sees your obsession with snakes and is genuinely sad for you when your small collection of them dies off. Reptiles are hard, even professional keepers can have snakes die for seemingly no reason, so it's not anything you did, but it still sucks that within a 16 months you lost both your corn snakes and then a 8 or 9 months later your ball python.

He's the Serpent of Eden so anytime you had a snake draped around her neck, coiled around your wrist or arm, anytime they slithered under your shirt or up your pant leg while holding them is giving him inappropriate ideas. If you're someone with sensory stim needs and you loved the feeling of snake scales on your skin he'll offer to be one for a while (he's gonna go in your shirt and probably just coil around your waist or your chest, maybe rest his head on your shoulder peeking out of your shirt, blepping).

He's also sad that you can't see your beloved pets now since you're in Hell and it makes him even more bitter towards Heaven. Your beloved pets deserved to be reunited with an owner who gave them everything they could and you deserved to see the furry little wonders that got you through your darkest times. He can't imagine how much pain you were in when you realized you wouldn't see them again.

Is determined to get you a pet and find a way to reunite you with yours.

Husk

Was never big on pets before, but he thinks yours are cute. He may let you pet his ears more often now and be more comfortable purring around you. If it helps you feel better since it's obvious you miss your little furballs.

The entire time they're watching your life play out your eyes are glued to your pets, eyes misty, and smile adoring. It's more of a highlights reel so you're constantly babbling over it telling story after story. You mention how pissed you were tattoos didn't show up when you died because you had every pet you ever owned's (with the exception of ones you had really young), pawprint tatted on you when you died, staring with the rat tail and feet at your ankle and the top of your foot all the way up your leg, hip, side, so many of them it looked like a zoo walked across your body.

He misses having that kind of enthusiasm and devotion to something and admires you for being able to so deeply love and care for your pets despite what you've been through.

He maybe feels a little inspired himself to open up a bit more.

Vox

He grew up when a wife, two kids, a dog, and a white pickett fence was a standard, but you go beyond that. Animal care has gotten so much more detailed since he was alive. Aside from his sharks, especially Vark, he doesn’t really know much about pets, though.

He loves your commitment to trying to keep a fish tank, but he is going to critique you. He probably will get you one and help you set it up, a nice, moderately sized 50 gallon. It's something you two can bond over.

Watching you step between two dogs about to get into a fight because their owners were drinking at the dog park and didn't pay attention nearly gives him a stroke though. But you effortlessly snag an 80 pound mutt and lift them up and pivot, using your arms and legs to corral that dog back towards the fence and keep yourself between them while someone else snags the other dog. Once both dogs can't see each other anymore and you have effectively redirected their attention to the treats you brought, using a stern, sharp voice to direct it to sit, the dogs settle. He can visibly see you seething as the guy gets up, uncaring, and leashes his dog to leave the park.

Also thinks it adorable when watches you pull over and dart across a highway to get a turtle out of the road. Or to get a baby bird out of the street once it's been pushed from the nest. Watches you circle back to watch dogs you see wandering the neighborhood to see if they're lost. You approaching gently and sweetly, not even remotely upset when they startle and you nearly get bit. You apologized to the dog for spooking it.

Really, he just thinks you're cute and have no self-preservation and doesn't think a dog or cat would do well in the tower, but lizzards and fish are ok, and you two bond over the fish tank.

Valentino

So if that whole thing about him getting one of the little insect dogs and then shooting it within a day thing is still canon, he's probably lowkey afraid for his life right now. There's just something about watching an year old version of you say you might wanna be an animal cop so you can shoot bad people with such a serious face. Listening to teenage you threaten two boys who had joked about pouring chemicals on a cat with jamming an anti-freeze bottle down their throats and water board them with it. Or offer to toss puppy mill breeders in a cage too small, no ac, no heat, no food, no water, naked and in their own filth while walk by them every day. He can't even repeat the threats you made against dog fighters or cock fighters. He's pretty sure Satan, prince of Wrath himself, is scared of you. How does a 13 year old come up with shit that twisted?! Like maybe you're in Hell for a reason you fucking psycho.

But! Assuming that's not true, I think Valentino wants to be a cat person. He thinks they're elegant and fashionable. But watching yours he realizes if you're lucky they're snuggly, mischievous, trouble makers who even without trying can and will fuck shit up. If you're not lucky, their terrorists that get into everything, bite you for attention then run off when you pet them, get hair everywhere, are literally so fucking messy, and somehow are both incredibly smart and incredibly stupid. Like smart enough to open doors and drawers and plastic treat containers, dumb enough to run into a window or jump in the dryer.

Honestly, he is shocked to learn that he's a snake/rodent kinda guy. Literally, the snakes are so pretty, have such smooth textures, and yeah, they can be derpy, but he thinks they're kinda hot. Like the image of you, the four-foot ball python draped around your neck and chest. Or some of your bigger five and six foot snakes. He likes the idea of maybe doing like a naked photo shoot with the snake wrapped around you. (HE AND LUCIFER SHOULD NOT SHARE KINKS BUT HERE WE ARE).

Personality wise, hyper, gets into things he shouldn't, bored easily, needs attention or gets depressed and stressed, too smart for his own good but too dumb to get himself out of trouble. This man is a rat/ferret. Whatever irony made him a moth demon is dumb. He would have adored the little fuckers. Maybe not by himself, he doesn’t have the time or attention span to dedicate to them alone, but with your help caring for them and playing with them, he'd be great.

In general I don't think Val is the kinda of person who would get a pet for himself or should have one, but if you're helping and it makes you happy he'll do it. He got Angel one after all.

[glennrheesworld]

please please please write a Rick and a female reader fic!!! the reader kisses Rick and she gets all shy but also feels like she read Rick wrong after it btw Rick isn’t with anyone and the reader is just a few years younger than him maybe he confesses if you want to

𝐀𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞~

genre: fluff pairing: Rick Grimes x f!reader summary: Reader can't hold back anymore but show Rick what she feels for him. warning: age gap(reader is in her early 20s)

a/n: this was a bit rushed... and im still working on other requests, they're just taking some time.

The barn was quiet, just the sound of birds chirping, and flies buzzing could be heard. It was almost sunset, and you were out feeding the horses.

You held the green bucket filled with fruits and vegetables that Beth and you had cut up that evening. The horse snorts as it leans towards the bucket, consuming its dinner.

Staying at the farm with the Greene's and the rest of the group was everything you could wish for. You were sleeping under a roof, sharing a room with Beth, which was fine. There was also a lot of land and trees where you would often spend time reading.

It was perfect.

The sound of footsteps behind you startles you, snapping you out of your thoughts.

When you turn around, you find Rick standing there, a hand on his belt.

You offer a small smile, growing a little shy that Rick is here. "Hey." You greet him before turning to glance at the horse as it moves its snout from the bucket.

"Need something?" You ask, finally facing Rick, hands a bit sticky with the juice of the fruit and dirt. You stand inside the horse pen, the fence between you both, the horse snorting in the background.

A hint of a smile grows on Rick's face as he looks at you. It's rare for him to smile these days, with all the recent events in the group.

Poor Carol.

"Just wanted to check on the horses..." Rick says before trailing off for a moment.

You nod slowly, eyes on the ground. You bite the inside of your cheek as you glance back at the horses, who are now walking toward their stall.

"Horse is fine." You point with your thumb. Was he really here to check on the horse?

Rick smiles again, this time more genuine, as he watches the horse walk away before returning his gaze to you. "Yeah, I can see that now.”

It’s silent for a while. The birds could be heard chirping as they flew by. It was still surprising to see and hear the sounds of animals out in the wild. Especially since the outbreak had begun.

“So…?” You try to initiate a conversation to ease the nervousness in you.

“Needed an excuse to come see you.” Rick eventually says after a few seconds, turning his head to look away from you.

Surprise is evident on your face. "An excuse to come see me...?" You murmur under your breath, eyes searching his side profile for a few seconds before darting away a bit timid.

He looks back at you, taking a step forward and placing his hand on the fence between you. He lets out a faint sigh and scratches the back of his head.

"Yeah. An excuse. I just wanted to come see you and talk." His voice now sounded vulnerable and somewhat tense. You never imagined Rick sounding like this. He was the complete opposite.

A faint giggle leaves you, “I didn't expect you to be this straightforward." You tell him, tucking your hair behind your ear, a habit of yours when shy or nervous. You let my fingers trail down to your ear lobe, touching it as you look up at him.

Rick lets out a small chuckle at your slight joke before taking notice of your hand, noticing how you always tend to touch your ear when you get shy.

With a gentle look in his eyes, he reaches forward and grabs your hand with his own, gently squeezing it as he brings it down.

"I thought it'd be better to be straightforward." He says his voice was sweet while staring into your eyes as the sun sets behind you. You could feel the warmth of the sun’s rays hitting your back and it just made you feel alive.

Your heart begins to race when you feel the warmth of his hand, taking your hand away from your ear. Your hand and his rested above the almost chest-high wooden fence dividing you both.

Your eyes meet once more, the action causing your lips to form into a sheepish smile. Rick has always been someone you admired greatly for his leadership role in the group and for being able to resolve almost anything quickly. But not only did you admire him, you also loved him more than a leader.

"I wanted to come see you because...." he speaks, his voice trailing off for a few seconds as he glimpses down at your lips, noticing your shy smile.

He continues, his voice becoming even more nervous, but at the same time, more sincere. He stops, struggling to assemble his words and thoughts.

"I wanted to ask if... perhaps..."

Seeing him like this made you feel something. You left him speechless and… nervous? You were probably the only one to have that effect on Rick.

This weird feeling bore over you and so without thinking it through, you stand on the end of your toes to come to level with his face, leaning your other hand on the fence to maintain balance.

You press a chaste kiss on his lips, touching the softness of his on yours as you do. Just getting a sense of what it could be before pulling away. It was short and innocent. Nothing else.

Rick's brain shuts off for a moment as you tiptoe up towards him, giving him a quick peck on the lips. He can't think of anything, except that this has to be the best moment of his life.

The feeling of your hand in his, the smell of the fresh hay lying around, the soft touch of your lips, and just you standing in front of him.

It's all he could ever ask for.

A sense of calm washes over him, silence falling once more. His gaze softens as if admiring you and wanting more.

Taking note of how quiet he was made you start to regret kissing him. You blink several times, lashes fluttering with dread and shame.

Maybe you read his intentions wrong. He probably didn't come here to reveal his love or something.

What if he came here for something else?

What if he was just being nice because you’re younger and inexperienced with this whole survival thing?

At this point, you were just overthinking.

“I'm so sorry, I took it too far. I read it all wrong and, and… I'm so sorry." You open your mouth, letting out a shaky breath before beginning to rant, eyes glossy up a little from the slight panic you felt inside. Your stare falls to the fence and then to your hand still in his.

"No, no," Rick replies quickly, shaking his head and trying to reassure you. He puts his other hand up and cups the side of your face, his thumb brushing over your burning cheek.

Rick’s gentle caring voice seems to ease you. “Don’t,” he says slowly, grabbing your chin to stop you from looking away, "Don't be sorry, sweetheart... I liked it."

You feel butterflies burst in you when he confesses to enjoying the short kiss. You’ve had boyfriends in the past, but Rick is different. He may be older by a couple of years, but he makes you feel seen and important. Something your exes failed to do.

The sun sets on the horizon, the breeze now warm but still refreshing against your skin.

"You have no idea how long... how incredibly long I've wanted to tell you," He clarifies to you, his voice clear with devotion. “I want to share the rest of my life with you. I want to protect you from what the world has become. I want you.” His brows knit together, a worried expression on his face as he waits for you to say something.

You beam at his words and give his hand a slight squeeze, showing him that you saw him. “I do too, Rick.”

[chimchiri]

Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

Index | [prev] - Part 06 - [next] Special thanks to @babydarkstar for putting out the lovely writing! <3

Previous Poll:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A tall, willowy woman sits crouched on her knees, tending to a fruiting garden with her back to AJ. Her long pink hair is tied up in a thoughtless knot, though the green ribbon holding it together makes it elegant. A basket sits beside her, half-full with newly harvested veggies, flowers, mushrooms, and greens. As she works, the tune she hums floats across the yard, accompanied by birdsong that chirps along, and the occasional chatter from a chipmunk joining in.

As usual, Fluttershy is surrounded by a sundry of critters. Today there are butterflies flitting around her shoulders, beetles dancing at her knees, a wild doe that rests beside her with its long legs tucked under its body, a tortoise that munches on the kale from her basket, and a roundup of squirrels chattering away as they help her find ripe cherry tomatoes. And of course, Angel—the mischievous bunny that can get away with nearly anything, because he’s Fluttershy’s darling boy. For now, he sits directly behind her, scratching idly at his neck with his hind leg. Bodyguard duty.

A tiny, bright blue flash approaches Flutters and hovers in the air beside her, a delicate flower in tow. Flutters looks over to the proffered gift, removes a glove and holds out her hand out to let the hummingbird drop the flower into her palm. She places it in her hair before letting the bird land on her finger.

“Thank you, Hummingway,” she chimes, bringing the microscopic bird up to nuzzle at her cheek with a soft laugh.

For a moment, AJ can only watch in awe. Fluttershy’s uncanny ability to commune with nature never gets old. A grin breaks out on her face. She’s glad she decided to stop here first; she can feel her stress melting away.

“Fluttershy,” AJ calls from the pathway leading to Fluttershy’s front door, and the woman in the garden yelps, shoulders tensing in a defensive pose. Applejack cringes as Flutters turns to face her, eyes wide.

“Oh—goodness,” she says, a hand to her chest, “Applejack, you startled me.”

“Sorry—sorry,” AJ says with a sheepish smile, stepping over to grab the basket and offering Flutters a hand.

Fluttershy stands, brushing the grass and dirt from her pants and tucking her gloves into a pocket before bending down to scoop Angel up into her arms, bidding farewell to the other critters retreating from their garden duties—the ones that didn’t flee when Applejack broke their peaceful moment.

“Well, it’s good to see you, AJ,” Flutters says in that soft voice of hers, reaching a hand out for the basket in AJ’s hand. But the farmer gives a little shake of her head, insisting she carry it as they step out of the garden patch and over to the cobblestone pathway.

“Um, you really don’t have to carry it for me…but thank you,” she says, stroking at one of Angel’s fuzzy ears, to busy her anxious hands, “Come in, I was going to make tea.”

So AJ follows Fluttershy into her charming little bungalow, locked in a staring contest with Angel, who looks at her over Fluttershy’s shoulder like he would maim AJ if he had sharper teeth. Setting the harvest basket on a bench by the door, AJ watches the timid woman put a kettle on to boil and then putter about the open floor plan of the downstairs as she fusses with putting her veggies in the sink and tidying whatever she deems out of place. As they wait for the water to boil, they make idle small talk—the weather’s been nice, Twilight (yes, Twilight) is planning a surprise party for Pinkie Pie, how are the horses?

Once Fluttershy pours tea into cups on a tray and leads them to the den, she takes a timid sip before looking to AJ. “It’s always nice to see you, Applejack. Did you need me to help with something? Is Winona doing okay?” A look of panic flashes across her face and her eyes go wide. “She didn’t get into the horse feed again, did she? Oh dear…I told her only to eat her own food….”

Her brows pull up in concern as she meets AJ’s gaze, who shakes her head with a chuckle. “No, Winona’s alright—she loves the new food”—(“Oh, thank goodness…”)—“I’m actually…I’m here because I had a favor to ask.”

Applejack rubs the back of her neck. Shit, she’s nervous. Thinking about consulting her friends is one thing, but actually doing it is something else entirely.

“Oh?”

AJ grabs her tiny teacup from the tray and blows on the tea, unable to look at Fluttershy. “Uh, yeah—I, uh. I’m goin’ on a date. And I need some advice.”

“A date!” exclaims Flutters, louder than her usual delicate tone as she flashes a grin, her soft blue eyes glittering. “That’s wonderful.”

AJ can feel her ears turning ten shades of pink. “Heh, thanks. I’m stuck on a few things but I think you can help me out.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tag List: @mrrrpmeow @babydarkstar @butwerebothmares @chaosdraconequus @chrysaliswife @gaywombat @mulan-but-gay @jubjub05 @dan-chan-rn @sanybaby @horserepository @justletmesnarkandbark @colourswirlcannibal

[kiss-theggoat]

(Shuffles up to you nervously) hi I was wondering if it would be ok to request a billy Lenz fix where the reader actually has a pet pig, also your my favorite writer 🙂

A/N: Two things! One, sorry for my inactivity! I was away on a trip. Two! Thanks so much for the suggestion and thank you so much for the kind words. I decided to expand your request and do different slashers with different kinds of pets!! I hope that’s okay and I really hope you like it!

Slashers With Your Pets

Slashers Included: Billy Lenz, Michael Meyers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger

Billy Lenz:

If you have a….

Cat, Billy is a cat man. He loooves cats, they’re so warm and cuddly, but they also understand boundaries and the need to be alone sometimes. The only thing he might not enjoy about cats is the fact that some can be timid around loud noises, which immediately means they’re timid around Billy.

Dog, Billy is less of a dog person. He thinks that dogs can be overwhelming in their attention, especially if one jumps on him or barks at him. He likes the gentle giant dogs, golden retrievers that just lay down and don’t do anything. But, if you have a little dog that barks at everything that moves, expect Billy to be very unhappy.

Reptile or Invert, BILLY HATES SNAKES. If you bring a snake or tarantula or lizard or scorpion into the house, Billy is not going to want you near him. The only reptile or invert I could see him being okay with would be a leopard gecko type. Something smaller and less active.

Farm Animal, if you had pigs, horses, or cows, something like that, Billy would probably be vulgar about how they smelled. Of course, if you owned a pig, he’d call it is little piggy. You could definitely convince him to help out with the animals, especially the pigs or cows. He thinks the cows are cute, and wants to spend time with the little piggies.

Michael Meyers

If you have a….

Cat, Michael likes cats. He understands them, they understand him. He likes to be left alone, they like to be left alone. They get along great. But, if you catch him petting your cat on the couch or inviting it up into his lap, don’t mention anything. He’ll be embarrassed that you caught him in a vulnerable time. He’ll never admit to liking your furry friend.

Dog, Michael actually really likes dogs. He likes big scary looking dogs, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Cane corsos, those types. Because even though they’re scary, they’re well trained and methodical, just like him. If you have a big dog, expect to peel around the corner and catch Michael giving it a pat on the head or a belly rub every once in a while.

Reptile or Invert, Michael could care less. They don’t do anything, so he doesn’t feel the need to pay attention to them. If you have a big lizard or something, he might be a little hesitant to touch it or go near it, but other than that, he walks by the tank without a second thought.

Farm Animal, Michael really doesn’t enjoy farm animals. They smell, require a lot of care, and make a lot of noise. They sort of cramp his style, and he doesn’t understand why the hell you’d want to take care of them.

Jason Voorhees:

If you have a…

Cat, Jason likes your cat because you like your cat, but overall, he’d really prefer an animal that shows him more affection. He wants something that wants to be near him all the time, not something he has to force to be near him.

Dog, Jason would love your dog. He would probably be a little timid at first, but after him and your dog got close, they’d be thick as thieves. They’d go out in the woods and play fetch together, Jason would carry the pup around no matter how big or small. He would adore your dog, and your dog would adore him.

Reptile or Invert, Jason would be a little scared of a tarantula or a lizard or a snake. He would probably be interested in them and try to like them because you liked them, but when it came to handling or feeding, that would definitely be your job.

Farm animal, if you had some farm animals, Jason would welcome them with open arms on his camp. He’d probably be the most open to horses or cows, but would like to see you so caring. Seeing you put in the work to take care of something so time consuming would be a really endearing trait.

Freddy Krueger

If you had a…

Cat, Freddy doesn’t like. Freddy isn’t a cat guy, he’s not into all the cuddling and the meowing and the fur. Heaven forbid your cat tear a thread from his sweater, he might just bust a vein in his forehead from holding in his angry yells. His kind of cat would be the one in the corner that hisses at everyone.

Dog, he only likes very certain dogs. He’s okay with dogs that mind their own business. Ones that just hang out in the other room and don’t bug him. If you had a dog that jumped up on him or barked at him, he would hate it. Or, his least favorite kind, tiny dogs with high pitched barks. Don’t even get him started.

Reptile or Invert, Freddy thinks they’re cool. I think he’d like lizards the most, like if you had an iguana or a bearded dragon, he’d hang out with it next to him, just chilling. If you owned a tarantula or a scorpion or any other invert, he’d be interested in it, often asking to feed it and handle it if possible.

Farm animal, no. Don’t ask. Don’t even propose the idea. Stinky, loud, annoying. He hates farm animals unless they are on his plate as a juicy steak or a nice burger. He might be able to tolerate it if you ride or own horses, but other than that, he’s really not into it.

[written-with-blue-ink]

Could we get headcanons of different pets the Genshin men would have and how they would interact with them or their personalities? Especially Diluc and Alhaitham. I love men with animals, the biggest green flag

I got you, boo! I honestly couldn't stop once I started so added a few other characters

Alhaitham, Diluc, Kaeya, Childe, Cyno TW: neglected animals in Cyno's

Pet Headcanons

Alhaitham

She showed up in a previous post but I think he would have a cat

An Egyptian Mau to be precise, her name would be Asal (Persian for honey) after her golden/bronze coat

She would 100% be a curious and very intelligent kitten who loves to run around and play

Type of cat who just climbs up fabric/clothes and will sit on your shoulder or around your neck

Will bite and pull on your ear if you oversleep and don’t feed her

Literally embodiment of “Ray of Sunshine”

Absolutely loves Kaveh for some reason (totally not because he spoils her rotten)

“Kaveh, stop feeding her so much, she’s getting fat. I don’t want two spoiled lazy cats”

“Excuse you, she’s perfect and skinny as is… Wait did you insult me too?!”

Does tricks! she knows how to sit, shake, tap (where she taps her nose to your finger/thumb) and is learning more

Diluc

A big dog man

I could see him with rottweilers, german shepherds or bernese mountain dogs with a name like “Bear” or “Beau”, short, bold, and simple.

Originally gotten as guard dogs for a paranoid Ragnvindr who has many enemies and just got back from a murder spree in Snezhnaya, they now work more as emotional support dogs for him and others

He also still has his childhood tortoise (because those things live forever) which he named ‘Clip’ as a child

He’s very mellow, the dogs treat him as one of their own

They also cuddle and sleep together, two dogs wrapped around a tortoise who rests his head on the dog’s neck

When he and Kaeya were in their older teens, Crepus got them both large Clydesdale horses when they both joined the Knight’s Cavalry. 

He named his horse Skinfaxi and Kaeya has Hrímfaxi (named after the sun and moon horses from Norse mythos)

Skinfaxi is one hell of a mare, it took Diluc a lot of time, energy, and patience to get her to behave (though she still has a playful streak)

Would buck him off during training but she was the fastest horse in the Cavalry

He would take her on long rides at night through the woods and around Dawn Winery just to get her to trust him

Kaeya

Obviously, Hrímfaxi, who, unlike his sister, was much more timid.

They both got along really well, with no issues, unlike their siblings.

The two riding are almost like one being, completely in synch

With the cavalry gone, Mondstadt City doesn’t have a lot of space for a horse so he stays with his sister at Dawn Winery

Kaeya comes by whenever he can to ride him

But besides her he would take care of the stray cats around Mondstadt City, refilling food and water bowls around the city while on patrol

One day, after a long night, Kaeya woke up to clawing and meowing at the door and saw his favorite cat, a Calico named Lucky, wandered inside and flopped on his rug in pain, crying as he noticed the giant lump coming from her stomach

By sunrise, he now had a mother of three kittens refusing to leave his house.

Two girls (One Calico like her mom and the other orange) and a boy (A black cat with faint stripes)

He lets Klee name them: Sunny (Orange), Cloudy (Calico) and Stormy (the black cat)

The girls are definitely headstrong while Stormy is shy and tends to hide behind his big sisters

(as a kaeya kinnie with three stray/outdoor cats, he gets them too)

Childe

From a family with lots of big dogs, like Great Pyrenees, Samoyed, and Tibetan Mastiffs

When he moved to Liyue for deployment and got super lonely, his subordinates weren’t super close to him and locals didn’t trust him as a Harbinger, he grew rather lonely

Till he went into the countryside to deal with some Treasure Hoarders and saw them using weasels and ferrets to carry contraband and money around without notice

What really sold him was watching a little kid in the camp playing with one and rubbing noses with it

The next day Ajax had two ferrets running around his apartment with the most expensive ferret setup money could buy

They are the most playful, feral things who love running around and play-fighting each other

Named Jayson and Lila, a pair of twins

(totally didn't name them after the stoats from Burrow’s End)

Loves them so much and plays with them throughout all of his free time

Leaves them to his assistant whenever he is away or is busy (who proceeds to give her hell)

They love it when he wears big coats/parkas so they can climb in and snuggle

Cyno

Didn’t have pets growing up

His first pet was on a mission as General Mahamatra, arrested some guy, went through his house for evidence, and found a severely malnourished and neglected Leopard Gecko

Some of his claws had fallen off to nubs due to layers of sheaded skin build up and he was cold to the touch from lack of heating. 

The lizard curls up into his warm hands and it immediately melts the General Mahamatra’s heart

Immediately putting him back and picking up the cage, he leaves the rest of the investigation to his coworkers before rushing to Gandharva Ville

Scared Tighnari and Collei with how quickly he rushed in through the door with a giant glass terrarium.

Looks calm and collected but is sitting in the corner with Collei just staring at Tighnari and the lizard, internal panic on the inside

Once Tighnari gives an analysis, Cyno asks Nari to watch the lizard for a few days and he will come back for it

Proceeds to spend two days straight researching Leopard geckos and how to take care of them

Also blows a good portion of his paycheck on supplies for the gecko, a larger tank, lights, and heating pads, etc. 

Picks him up and takes him home as soon as the terrarium is set up

Names him something dumb like “Geck” or a combo of his and Tighnari’s names like “Tighno” 

Most people don’t know besides Tighnari and Collei that the gecko exists, and why would they? Who’s gonna believe that the General Mahamatra has a tiny lizard as a pet

When Alhaitham and Kaveh find out Cyno has a pet, Cyno immediately pulls out pictures from his wallet like a proud dad

Whenever he is away for a while, he has Collei house sit and take care of the lizard, pays her generously

Will just sit on top of Cyno’s head or shoulder and chill

Loves to chirp and make little noises for fun/comfort

(also a leopard gecko parent and my gecko is a rescue with all these attributes from being mishandled)

[foundtherightwords]

The Quiet Chaos - Chapter 2

Pairing: Billy Knight (Lethal White/Strike) x OFC

Summary: After a bad breakup throws her carefully-planned life into disarray, Esme has sworn off dating forever. However, when she forms an unexpected connection with a young man named Billy, who's dealing with his own struggles, Esme is forced to face the truth: sometimes you can't plan for love.  

A/N: Let the Discworld references begin!

Warnings: mental health issues, angst, slow-burn, developing relationship, dysfunctional family, some violence (non-graphic), some smut

Chapter warnings: mention of cheating, stalkerish behavior from an ex

Chapter word count: 2.9k

Chapter 1

Chapter 2 - The White Horse

Esme's boss, Peter, grumbled about the dogs, but Esme knew he couldn't help but melt a little at the sight of the puppies crowding around their mum. She pointed out that they couldn't be moved yet due to the puppies' young age and the mum's broken leg, and promised to take responsibility for them. In the end, Peter agreed to let the dogs stay. Sometimes, there were certain advantages to working for a small business.

The next night, Esme settled down for another quiet shift. Monty had gone home, but now there were the dogs to command her attention. The puppies were settling in nicely, but the mum, whom Esme had decided to call Angua, remained slightly wary and still gave a soft growl when Esme reached into the crate. "Relax," Esme told her while checking her bandages one last time before turning out the light. "We got you and your babies here safe and sound, didn't we?" She wondered if Billy would want to know how the dogs were doing, and realized, rather wistfully, that she didn't have any way of contacting him.

There was a buzz from the front desk. Esme poked her head out and saw Billy shuffling by the door, a bag of dog treats in his hand. The sight of him made her heart jump pleasantly, though she didn't quite know why.

"I just want to see how the dogs are doing," he said shyly, as if he could read her thought. "And to give the mum this." He held out the bag of treats. "I checked, it's for nursing dogs," he added.

"That's so thoughtful, thank you." She moved to take the treats from him, but something about his timid stance tugged at her heart, and she opened the door wider. "Would you like to see them?"

His face brightened up, but he still seemed unsure. "I don't want to bother—"

"It's no bother. It's a very slow night anyway."

She led him into the back, where the kennels were. Angua started wagging her tail lightly upon seeing Billy. "Oh, would you look at that?" Esme said, pretending to be offended. "I feed and clean you and you still growl at me, but he comes with treats and he gets a tail wag? I'm joking," she quickly added, noticing Billy's fluster. "I think it's sweet that she remembers you, really."

"May I?" He gestured to the kennel. Esme nodded, so he sat down on the floor and put a finger through the bars, giving first the mum, then each of the puppies, a gentle stroke. "Do they have names yet?" he asked.

"I've been calling the mum Angua," Esme said.

"Angua?"

"It's from Discworld—it's from a series of fantasy novels," she explained. She wasn't going to bore him by launching into a long-winded speech about her hobby, so she opted for the heavily abridged version. "Angua's a werewolf. And a police officer. She's very tough and practical, but nice too. Though she still chases the occasional chicken in her wolf form," she couldn't stop herself from adding.

"Oh." He seemed to be mulling over the name while still stroking the dog. "That suits her."

"Yeah. Look-wise, she's more of a Gaspode, but personality-wise, she's Angua for sure." Billy looked at her, confused, and Esme gave a little embarrassed laugh. "Sorry. It's from the books again. Gaspode's a stray dog."

"What about the puppies?"

"I haven't decided yet. Maybe you can adopt one, when they're old enough, and name it yourself," Esme suggests.

"I've always wanted a dog," he replied, his voice quiet, almost as if he was talking to himself. "But my landlord doesn't allow pets."

"That's a pity." She sat down next to him and put her hand in to pet the dogs as well. Her fingers brushed against his for a second, before she pulled away. "Well, you can visit as long as they're here."

And so he did. For the next week, Billy showed up every night, staying for a few minutes to give Angua a treat and pet the puppies. There were nights he caught Esme in an actual emergency and she could only wave at him before running off again, but if she wasn't doing anything, she would invite him to stay longer and join her for a cup of tea. He accepted these invitations readily enough, though he remained shy and reticent around her, even if he was no longer jumpy as he had been the day he brought Angua in. After a week, all Esme found out was that he worked the evening shifts at the nearby Asda and that the clinic was on his way home.

Then a strange incident occurred.

Billy had dropped in to visit the dogs as usual. The puppies' eyes had opened now and Esme would sometimes let them out of the kennel to play. When she came back from the kitchenette with the tea, she found them tumbling on the floor by Billy's feet, under Angua's watchful but content supervision. They had really taken to him. And he seemed calmer around them too, smiling and playing with them without that nervous, timid look he often had when talking to Esme.

She leaned down to give Billy his mug. The movement caused her necklace to fall out of her shirt. Billy caught sight of it, and his face blanched.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing at it, his tea forgotten.

"Oh, it's my White Horse necklace." She pulled it out to show it to him more clearly. It's a silver pendant in the shape of a horse, or, more exactly, the carving of a horse, a present from her mum two years ago. "It's also from those books I told you about. It's based on the Uffington White Horse—"

A shocking change came over Billy. His huge eyes popped out of his pale face like he had just seen a ghost, he started shivering uncontrollably, and his right hand flew to his nose then his chest in a strange, compulsive movement, again and again, until he gripped it with his left, seemingly with an enormous effort, to still it. "Gotta go," he mumbled and scrambled to his feet.

"What—" Esme began, but he was out of the door before she could finish her sentence.

Esme's turn on the night shift rotation ended that week, and she had her day off right after, so she didn't get a chance to see Billy again and ask him what had happened that night. With a pang, she realized that she'd neglected to tell him she wasn't working the night shift for another week. She wondered whether he would come back if she was not there. Don't be silly, of course he would. He comes to see the dogs, not you. Then she wondered why she even bothered thinking about it. She didn't know him at all.

That morning, as Esme pulled up on her bicycle behind the clinic, she ran into her co-worker, Dianne, who was just leaving. They exchanged pleasantries, though Esme could see that Dianne was not happy about having to take the night shift. In Dianne's mind, Esme should have the night shift because she lived close by, because she was the youngest member of the team, because she was single, because she had no kids, because, because, because. Esme knew that if Dianne had her way, she would saddle Esme all the night shifts. And all the day shifts too, if possible.

"Oh and by the way, Essie, if I were you, I would be careful about who I let into the clinic during the night," Dianne said, as she was getting into her car. Esme winced. Dianne called everyone by some personal nickname, thinking it made her appear friendlier, without ever asking if they like the nicknames or not. "Essie" was close enough to her name that Esme didn't mind too much, though she itched to tell Dianne that her name was short for Esmeralda, while Essie was usually short for Esther. If she did, Dianne would probably look at her like she'd sprouted another head.

"Why, what's happened?" Esme asked, locking up the bike. She wasn't really interested in a lecture about safety from Dianne, who regularly forgot to bolt the kennels at night.

"Some bloke came round last night, asking for you. Looked sketchy as hell."

Esme lifted her head. "Did he say what his name was?"

"No. And I didn't ask."

"What does he look like?"

"I don't know, I wasn't paying attention." Dianne's nostrils flared in annoyance at Esme's questions. Bet she wishes she didn't bring this up in the first place. "Pale skin, dark hair. Twitchy. Probably a druggie. Said he wanted to see the dogs, but I told him I'd call the police, so he took off."

Dianne actually looked smug. Esme had to remind herself that no one else at the clinic knew Billy—though, technically speaking, neither did she—so Dianne's reaction was understandable. But would it kill the woman to have a little compassion? "I'll keep that in mind, thank you," she said coldly and went inside.

During her lunch break, she took her bike to Asda. She had no idea what time their evening shift started, but perhaps she could leave him a message. Weaving her way through the crowd of lunchtime shoppers, she managed to find who looked like a supervisor, an older woman with wiry, pewter-colored hair, watching a young man while he filled the shelves.

"Excuse me, sorry to bother you, but is Billy here?" Esme asked the supervisor.

They both turned to her, but it was the young man that spoke first. "Billy Knight? What does a pretty girl like you want with that weirdo?" he said. Spots were erupting all over his face, making it look like a lava field. Esme had to bite back a snippy remark.

"Be quiet, Liam," the supervisor said. She turned to Esme. "He's not in any kind of trouble, is he?"

"Oh no," Esme quickly replied. "I'm a vet. He brought a dog to our clinic, and I just want to talk to him about it, that's all."

The supervisor relaxed. "He's not scheduled to come in today," she said. Seeing Esme deflate, she added, "I believe he apprentices a few days a week at that woodworking studio by the wharf. You can ask there."

Esme thanked her. As she rode her bike down the river, she asked herself again why she had to bother so much. It certainly didn't matter to her whether Billy came back to the clinic or not. She enjoyed his visits, but it was just something to break up the monotony of the night, nothing more. Except... except that she could tell it matters to him, the time he spent with the dogs, the shy few words he exchanged with her. And she hated for him to think he was unwelcomed.

She found the studio quite easily. Even before she saw it, a trail of wood shavings and sawdust had led her to the piles of timber stacked outside, and she was greeted by a contradictory mix of the warm, sweet, relaxing scent of wood and a constant roaring and thudding of table saws and chisels and hammers. She asked for Billy from a man with a red face and a magnificent white beard, looking like Father Christmas on holiday. He turned around and bellowed "Billy!!!" over the noise, then tipped Esme a wink and ambled inside. A minute later, Billy emerged, stripping off a pair of gloves and goggles and brushing the sawdust from his hair, blinking at her in surprise.

"How'd you find me?" he said. There it was again, that brief look of fear and distrust.

"I asked your supervisor at Asda," Esme said. Recognizing how that sounded, she added, "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not overstepping, but—"

"—'s alright—"

"—I just want to apologize about last night. My colleague didn't know you were—she wasn't really going to—I'm sorry I didn't—you're welcome to stop by any time..." She realized she was rambling now, so her voice trailed off, and they stood looking at each other, both tongue-tied. Esme thought about telling him to come back next week, when she would be working, but a voice in her head, compiled from countless articles she's read about the dangers of being a single woman in modern society, told her this might be a bad idea. Sure, let's tell the strange man whom you barely know where he can find you alone, at night...

Eventually, Billy spoke up. "How're the dogs?"

"They're fine. Angua misses the treats though." He gave her another one of his uncertain smiles, which came and went like the beam of a lighthouse. That smile convinced Esme. "It's my turn on the night shift again next week," she said. "You can stop by then."

His face relaxed. "Thank you," he said.

Esme started wheeling her bike around, when Billy called out to her, in a small voice, "Esme?" He had never called her by name before. It sounded nice.

She turned around expectantly.

"I'm sorry for running off the other night," he said. "The White Horse—" His hand twitched to his nose again, but he stopped it in time and turned it into a wiping motion instead. He took a breath. "I grew up near there. Lots of—bad memories."

Esme nodded, though she didn't quite understand. "It's alright," she replied. "I'll see you again then." But she tucked the necklace more securely into her shirt and made a mental note to not have it visible while he was around.

Esme's phone buzzed while she was in the kitchenette, but her hands were full of bread and cheese. Billy was stopping by, and she wanted to offer him something more substantial with his tea than just biscuits. He didn't look like he had enough to eat, yet he was always so embarrassed and hesitant about taking food. I'll just tell him that I accidentally made too many sandwiches for my midnight snack, she decided, as she cut the sandwiches into perfect triangles.

The phone buzzed again. Annoyed, Esme wiped her hand and pulled the phone out of her pocket. There was a string of texts from an unknown number. She glanced at them, and her heart jerked as if it had been electrocuted.

Hey love, it's Neil

Pls don't block this number as well

Can we talk? I've made a terrible mistake—

The rest of the text became a blur as hot tears sprang to her eyes. Bastard! He decided she was suffocating him, that the relationship wasn't working, and now, nearly seven months later (and who's counting anyway?), suddenly he'd made a mistake? She wiped away the tears as soon as they came, angry at herself for crying. He hadn't deserved her tears when he cheated on her, and he certainly didn't deserve her tears now.

She picked up the plate of sandwiches, stalked out, and almost ran into Billy. He noticed her red-rimmed eyes, and concern etched across his face. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"No, nothing's wrong," she said. "I'm just—" Her phone rang shrilly, cutting her off. The same unknown number. Shit. Must've forgotten to block it. The ringtone grated on her nerves, and the red haze of anger dried her tears almost instantly. Without thinking, she pressed "answer" and shouted into the phone, "Stop trying to contact me, you cheating bastard!" Then she hung up, making sure to hit "block" this time, and lifted her head to meet Billy's alarmed stare.

"Sorry about that," she said with a self-conscious laugh. "I sometimes wish we still used landlines, don't you? It would've been so much more satisfying to be able to slam the receiver down, instead of just hanging up and blocking." She wiped her eyes furiously into her sleeve and proffered Billy the sandwiches. "Cheese and onion?"

He took a sandwich, still looking thoughtful, and followed her into the kennel, which for once was actually full. While Esme busied herself checking the other patients, he settled down to play with Angua and the pups as usual, but she could feel his eyes on her, watching her as he tried to understand. When she returned from the cat room, he suddenly said, apropos of nothing, "It's easier with animals, isn't it?"

She looked at him, puzzled.

"Not like people," he clarified. "Animals can't lie or hurt you. Well, they can hurt you, but only physically."

Esme was stunned. Billy was giving her a small smile, but his eyes were elsewhere, looking at something only he could see, or perhaps looking inside himself. She wondered what had happened to him, and whether it had anything to do with the "bad memories" he mentioned. But she didn't want to be nosy.

"That's one of the reasons I became a vet, actually," she said, sitting down next to him. "You always know where you are with animals."

His eyes returned to her then, with a spark of mutual understanding, and they sat there quietly, shoulder to shoulder, while the puppies yapped and gamboled at their feet.

Chapter 3

Taglist: @quinnypixie, @accidentalslag, @etherealglimmer

[teddy-boar]

Historical!AU, with rich noble girl Christine Cunningham and stable boy Edward Munson:

Chrissy's family is moderately noble, having some distant ties to a local lord but nothing too fancy. They're probably merchants or vintners.

Eddie's mom died in childbirth and his father passed away in an accident when he was four. His uncle Wayne raises him

The two kids met for the first time when Wayne deemed him old enough to start working with him in the Cunningham stable, which was when he turned 8 (it was the ye olden days, ok? so this is normal 😀) and Chrissy was 6. Instant puppy crush, but neither understood what they were feeling. Eddie used to think rich girls were just snobby spoiled little things that hated his kind, but Chrissy was different. She was kind and gentle and smart and curious. But only when they were alone. He saw glimpses of her with her parents and other nobles and she looked completely different, stiff and proper like a porcelain doll in her fancy get up.

They developed a timid little friendship over their childhood years whenever Chrissy could sneak out to come see him and the horses. He taught her how to feed them and brush them, promising to teach her to ride someday but she was afraid her mother would reprimand her. Chrissy always had to bath herself thoroughly after a day spent with Eddie before supper came because her mother could smell the horses and the hay on her, and she didn't want to get lectured every time she went out to see her friend.

They start to spend more time together when they're in their teens after Chrissy is granted a little more freedom to roam around. And slowly, they start developing more intense feelings for each other and both are terrified.

Eddie talks to Wayne about it one day and the man immediately warns him off of it, "Because we're not the same, her people and us. We're dirt beneath their boots and they will never see us as equals. Best you bury those feelings, boy, before you get yourself in trouble."

Chrissy is specifically horrified because ever since she was born, she's been told there's only one person she's supposed to love and to one day marry, and it's the pastor's son, Jason Carver. She's met Jason a few times and he's a nice boy, he's polite, he's got great table manners and he can command the room's topic of discussion even as young as he is. But she doesn't love him, she loves.... Oh no.

So the two bury their feelings deep within, tension builds every time they are around one another because they just want to kiss the other

Cue the angst!!! The Cunninghams and the Carvers finally settle on an engagement and the kids are to be married in a few months. Chrissy withdraws herself and stops coming out to see Eddie. Eddie is just gutted but there's nothing he can do.

Quickly, the wedding day draws near and Chrissy just gets more and more depressed. And on the night before the big day, she sneaks out of the family manor, ventures out to the town, and finds the Munson home. Eddie lets her crawl into his window, unbelieving that this is actually happening, and they spend the whole night staying up just talking about all their feelings and emotions. They kiss and Chrissy feels like she can breathe for the first time in months.

"Let's run away together..." Eddie suggests, and through her tears, Chrissy says yes.

Eddie knows of an abandoned shack deep in the woods where there are rumors of witchcraft and demonic happenings around, but Eddie likes to use this place as his hideout and knows it is harmless. They rebuild the shack as well as its surrounding area and make it their home in the woods. Eddie steals livestock from a few farms in town to raise his own animals, while Chrissy gardens and plants their fruits and vegetables. They are self-sustainable, and thanks to the nefarious rumors of the area, no one ventures out here to find them. They can live in peace and quiet with just each other.

Feel free to add more or write a fic. Please write a fic of this, I beg of you. I don't have the vocabulary to write a period piece, I just really want one.

[smolbudgielord]

New Fic for Box Dou!! (Spoilers for Session 3)

Link for Ao3 V. Below, and below the cut is it copy pasted here on Tumblr -v-

Session 4

Location:: The Box.

Ren woke up, to no one. 

No one was by his side, wrapped up in the blankets, greeting him with a "Oh, good morning", as if they were just waiting for him to wake up too.

The other side of the bed laid empty, sad, missing someone..

...He probably just woke up before him, yeah. And went to go check around the house, feed the cows, maybe...

He slipped out of bed, looking around for any signs of life, besides for the annoying cow's moos, or the horse's grumbles. Usually they weren't so– Loud. And annoying...

But the Box was too empty for any other noise to stand out. Not a single step on the floor that wasn't his own, no matter how hard he tried to find one, to hear anything else but more of the same thing. But that same thing was missing someone. It wasn't entirely the same. It was all off, it was all wrong.

Where was Big B?

"I'm sorry that I met up with the secret admirer as well " He remembered him saying, with only the smallest look of guilt. Said like it was nothing more than a small glass broken by mistake.

" If you were fully satisfied with Ren you would have no desire to go to your secret admirer, Big B " He remembered someone else saying something that was the truth, even if his intentions were to break them apart. 

"I can't believe he's done this…." He would mutter to himself, now. How could he even begin to forget it? What he did. Leaving him– For whAt!? He's been nothing but loyal all this time, he's been kind, he's taken care of him, he didn't mean to die to that enderman, it was just unfortunate timing!!.. ..

He hoped Big B didn't mean to get blown up by that creeper, either. That it wasn't a further act of malice to bring them down to red.. But why would it?.. Big B wouldn’t…

Why was he trying to defend hIM!? Get a hold of yourself Ren, he betrayed you. He left you, he celebrated your leaving.

..But then he heard a door open, finally, a sign of someone there. Someone… No, no why was he thinking like this? He didn't need anyone, especially not...

Especially not who he looked over and saw standing in the doorway.

"Ren.. We need to talk"  He heard them say, softly, sweetly even. Timid in a way that they didn't mean to cause any more damage than that was already dealt. 

Like there was still hope for them.. Dammit, why was he thinking like this?? Big B betrayed him, goddammit! He can't just let that slide. 

"About.. What. What is there left to talk about anymore!?" He'd snap back, still trying to be angry, bitter. A tint of red flashing in his eyes as he'd stare at him for a moment. Like he really was all that, like he didn't instantly feel like giving in to him all over again after hearing his voice again. 

But those words and act sadly did nothing to stop Big B from approaching, that warm feeling bubbling up in his chest betraying him too. He needed to be mad, he needed to be upset, he deserved to!! So why…

"..This. The creeper explosion–" He heard his voice dip for a moment, as if finally laced with actual guilt as he'd mumble a small " What I did ", before continuing..  "There's so many things….. We haven't been talking like we should."

Why wasn't he all that mad at all? Why did his voice tempt him in again, why did he want to talk, why couldn't he just force the stupid traitor out the door and lock him out of his life forever?? Why couldn't he just be like Pearl, alone? He didn't.. He didn't need to let Big B in like this again. He didn't even need to give him a second glance!!

He'd force himself to look away, just anywhere else, despite that being anything but what he wanted.. Waiting a couple seconds, hoping that he'd just.. Go away. Give up on him again. Leave him alone for someone else again. . 

But he didn't.

"Ren, please.. Just look at me. I know I messed up, but just hear me out….." Big B would start up again, raising up a hand to cup his face. And when he would finally turn to look at him, he couldn't help but just melt at the sight of those sympathetic eyes, wracked with guilt like his voice suggested, anything but proud of his actions... Unhidden, even with those.. Red stained glasses. Oh. Oh that stupid traitor…

He remembered .

Ren couldn't help but just move two arms to wrap around him, forcing him into a hug. Resting his head on the other's shoulder, and trying his best not to cry then and there.   

Big B tried… He tried dodging the goat, he tried getting them out of the snow, he tried to catch him.. He recognized some of what made him upset, and he… He's offering to try and talk it out. He made a mistake, a terrible, horrible mistake.. And he's… Trying to make it better. 

And that's all Ren really needed. Just some kind of sign, some kind of hope that he didn't mean what he did, that he felt guilt for it, that he wanted to fix things…

Because he just can't stand to be without him. To be a "lone wolf"– It just isn't in his nature to be alone! 

Past seasons have even shown that, with Dogwarts and the Fairy Fort… He trusted others so much, he loved others so much, he risked all the lives he had, he tried his damn hardest to keep his allies as close as he could.

He was never alone. And he never wanted to be….

Because wolves aren't meant to be alone. They're pack animals. 

And right here, despite everything, here was his love, his other pack member, who's been with him season to season. No matter the small role he played.. No, he was never a small role to Ren. 

"I don't… I don't think I forgive you, just yet, Big B… But I can try. I can try to hear you out.... And if you really do want to be together, if you won't…"   He couldn't finish, he couldn't bring the right words out of his mouth, but he didn't have to.

"I promise I won't run off on you again..  They.. Grian never truly loved me. No, he just wanted someone other than Scar, I should have seen that…" He'd pause for a moment, drawing a breath in before continuing, voice still soft, still careful like Ren was glass about to shatter. 

"I just…. Seeing you with Martin upset me, I thought you were trying to leave me..... So I.. Wanted a back up plan..."  Big B would finish with, moving his hand up to run through Ren's hair, still loose and frizzy from a bad bed-head. He knew he liked it. 

"I'm sorry for that.. I suppose a part of me was just reliving the old days with him, but I never… I would never dream of betraying you, B. That's not what I was doing, and I apologize for ever making you think for a second that it was like that"                       

He'd let out a sigh, relaxed and slow, holding onto him just a bit tighter. 

"It's.. Alright. We both made mistakes that are going to take awhile to kind of.. Fix.. This. But…. I'm sure we will, someday."   'B' would respond, watching as Ren would lift his face up and back a bit, to properly look at him. Such a pathetic little face, the tiniest frown, eyes a bit watery.

He looked so small, so meek, so, so fallen from the passion and dramatics he knew him for.. Well, those two go both ways, he supposed. 

"If you.. You promise promise that you.. You really mean it, right? You aren't lying to me?" 

His voice even sounded of it, how vulnerable he was letting himself be just from a couple words of comfort. Ren was truly.. Truly something. Someone that no one deserved, someone so kind, so precious, so open minded, who held him so close like he needed him in order to keep going at all. Who could ever see him as a threat ? Even as the Red King.. He only ever did it to protect what he loved. Big B didn't deserve him, not for what he did to Ren... But to see him try to still hold on to him, to someday forgive him.....

"I promise, from the bottom of my heart"

It felt like an honor.

[th3lost4uthor]

The Purple Lotus - Act 11

Behind the single skylight of the small room, life was once again flooding the streets. The Steppes were known for their teeming activity from the first light of dawn to the last sunrays: after all, the City-Tree could not feed or defend itself alone. In the distance, one could hear the gossip of the washerwomen, the laughter of the children caught up in a game whose rules only known by them, or the adults shouting at them when they were disturbing their own work. It was the Sarnis’ eve and preparations for the market that would be held in the Sylvias Place were in full swing. Blacksmiths grooming their finest horses, cooks scolding their assistants at the quantity of buns to be baked, craftsmen busy braiding, polishing, varnishing, modelling... No one here knew rest.

           Strangely enough, what drew Ligi out of hers was not the bustle that filled the atmosphere below, but a timid scraping against her door, followed by a small voice. The voice trembled between a few high notes, but her mind, still in the fog of sleep, was able to identify its timbre: it was Quadir - or Warir?- a freshly enlisted white flower.

“Um... Ligi?” The new girl inquired. “You’re d-demanded.

- If that’s the old woman who’s sending you, I'll be down in less than half an hour.” She almost barked, letting herself fall back against the mattress with delight and fatigue. “And if that’s a client, you can tell him to fuck off! I'm not entertaining today.”

             She was about to close her eyes again, grumbling against the first beams of sunlight that were beginning to penetrate her space, when the reply she received snapped her out of her last dreams.

 “Does this rule apply to... former clients as well?” She could almost feel his fingers twitching under his wide sleeves. “In that case, perhaps I can come back later...? I have to admit that “fucking off” isn't really part of my plans, even in this place ~ hé, hé... hé.”

             Slowly, she sat down, her feet a few inches from the rush mat. She stared, dumbfounded, at the rickety hinged wooden rectangle facing her. Through the gap, from which a yellowish light of early autumn filtered, she could make out the silhouettes of two people. She did not move. Brief murmurs were exchanged, indistinguishable, before one of them disappeared in delicate rubbing against the floor. Another moment, and the steps faded away at the end of the gallery. The other one remained.

             A breath, then two... A third...

 “My...” An annoyed, weary sigh. “May I... may I come in?”

 ...

 “I have not come to... to beg any forgiveness: i-if I did not know us so well, I would say that w-we both blame each other for the other's misfortune... H-hum?” Silver tinkling. “I'd just like to make sure that... just know if...”

             Her legs unfolded, the light silk caressing her ankles with each step that brought her a little closer to that black rectangle surrounded by light.

 “H-however, I think that in t-terms of... let's say, “selfishness”, I've been doing pretty well lately, huh...? I wish I could say it was b-because of the... the pain. All that... s-sadness... that hate.”

             Through the wood, she could almost feel the warmth of his hand.

 “But I realised that they were directed at me, at my... my naivety, my... my stupidity! I-it's just... By Noth', I've led councils, negotiations, even wars, but yet here I am, unable to...!” Self-deprecating laughter. “I was stupid. Stupid for clinging to a love in name only... Stupid for not listening to those who sought only my good... Stupid for pushing them aside in my blindness... Stupid for hurting them...”

 One wondered if she was still breathing. Motionless, she waited. For what? She didn't really know. Her ears were stunned by the beating of her heart, but she could feel his wavering in the silence. Of her courage or her instinct, she didn't know which took the initiative, when, as the figure began to turn away, to fade, she finally revealed herself in the doorway.

 “And you'd be just as stupid to run away now.”

             There they were. How long had it been since...? His clothes were more sober than usual but still elegant. His face was still slightly sunken, but it seemed to have regained some colour. His eyes... were alive again. And they were fixed on her, as if instead of a mere prostitute, it was one of those mythical creatures with a mane of moonlight and pearls of jade that had opened the door.

The man seemed to want to answer her, but his lips spoke only silent syllables, mute sentences, devoid of meaning and form. Against his tunic he held tightly a bag of thin hessian.

 Ah... I see.

 “So...?” She said to him. “What do you decide?”

             As if shaken by the question, he had to take a moment to regain a slightly more natural posture.

 “I...” He cleared his throat. “Could we... talk?”

- Isn't it what we're doing?”

             She wished she hadn't been so bad to him: everything about him exuded embarrassment, shame... Regret. But she also had her owns. And it was also difficult for her to get rid of them. Fortunately, the outline of a smile appeared on the corner of the other's lips.

 “I had in mind something more... tranquil? Intimate perhaps - without ulterior motive, of course.” He remarked. “My- well... I really wish we could... exchange a little... if possible?”

             Why, of all the men the Mother-Roots could support, had she had to fall for him? She sighed, her toes twitching as if to anchor herself to the ground, to reality. Without another glance, she re-entered her chambers, but without locking the door...

 “I only have cinnamon green tea and dried Sunam berries left. Would this be suitable for you?” She declared, walking towards her cabinet.

“Yes, yes, that... will do. Thank you.”

             In the most austere silence, interrupted only by the whistling of the floral teapot, the two had settled down: he on the floor, in front of the low table usually reserved for sewing and other daily chores, she standing in front of the tea chest. She had her back turned to him, waiting for him to resume his monologue. He was looking at her, without a word. Finally, when the roar of the steam became unbearable, the water was poured over the leaves, which shrivelled at its mere touch, filling the air with a delicious woody smell and the marbled cups with a delicate amber-red robe.

Ligi returned, placing a tray that was relatively frugal compared to the previous ones. However, it was not the food that was to be the focus of the sharing today... but confessions.

           When she finally took her place in front of him, he took out of his bag a small box. It was... made of white oak... long, stamped with copper nails and... wrapped in a black silk handkerchief. Contrary to her expectations, he didn’t immediately return it.

 “When I gave you these Luminim’s, I... I wanted to be able to give you something as great as what you had given me yourself. I know I've probably said this a hundred, a thousand times, but... Thank you.” He tried to look up at her, but only managed to do so for a split second. It was just enough for her to read his sincerity. “After that... that night, after I told you all those... things, I... I never expected to hear from you again. Especially from Fen ~ hé...

- And I didn't expect you to send one of your servants, whether close to you or not, after your sp-ex-spouse.

- It's not what you might think, I...” He shook his head, visibly tired. “I had a hard time... emerging after she left, but after that... I knew something was wrong. That there must be something else in the picture... or rather someone else. So, I asked Fen to investigate and keep me informed. If... if I was to end our union officially, then I needed evidence against her. Her father would not have accepted anything less. She... She may have taken a lot from me... but even if I had to lose all that, I couldn't let her take any more. My reputation, my position, my fu-...

- Wait a minute! Wait a minute - what do you mean, “officially”? Did you mean that you...?

- Not until yesterday, no.” He shrugged. “My investigations led me to understand that she was counting on my, shall we say, distress, or cowardice, not to reveal her departure. I thought she had informed her entourage of her decision, but it appeared that she intended to make the most of my name and title... and thus gain time to cover up her, hum... “affair” with Sir Savelin.” His eyes clouded over. “He was an excellent servant of the Empire, a remarkable young man with a good life ahead of him... I liked him... I wish he-even they, would have come to talk to me. We could have found… an arrangement? I don’t know. I just wish for them, for us, for that whole story to… have met a different end.”

             He straightened up, serious again.

 “To return to what I was trying to explain to you, I ended up wondering... Who would want to stay with someone who took more than they gave? Having experienced it and having... finally understood it, I suppose... I wouldn't wish it on anyone. So, it would have made perfect sense for you to... keep that “little”, and, honestly, I wouldn't have blamed you in the least.” He took a deep breath. “Yet you gave them back - but not in that vengeful, o-or even detached way, no! Y-you... You said...”

             He was looking at her fully now, his throat constricted by emotion, his fingers trembling against the varnished wooden surface. She finally allowed herself to smile.

 “I asked for a message to be given to you. To tell you that ...

 .

.

The colour doesn't make the sky bigger,

just different.

.

But that's all it needs

to become

.

Magnificent

.

.

             She was also looking at him. If she had heard the sharp intake of breath when she had recited, word for word, the message entrusted to Fen, she did not manifest it.

 Sorry, Verraci, but this time...

I won't let myself interfere

with our happiness either.

.

.

Or at least what I hope for it...

 “When we first met, I thought you were just another noble client. I even feared that you were one of those eccentric perverts; the kind who would dismember you for the sheer pleasure of it.” She had to restrain herself from laughing at his half-horrified, half-indignant pout. “And eccentric you were, but not in that sense. You... You were polite, respectful, attentive, naive at times, certainly, as well as a little clumsy and awkward...! But always so... funny, sweet, cheerful... kind... I don't think you realized it then, nevertheless, you gave me much more than you think... Something more than courtship and sex, which had become routine, tasks among many others. Something I don't think they can ever surpass or replace. Something different...

- W-what...?” He couldn't help asking.

“You.”

             She almost congratulated herself for not flinching. Who could not love this fool? However, the hardest part was still to come.

 “And... since we're on the topic of honesty, then...” Exhaling. “I-I never meant to hurt you-in any form. Had you been able to find h-happiness in your marriage, I-I would have been m-more than h-happy for you, I assure you. Perhaps I was selfish too, then, in wishing for you to remain true to yourself...? True to the man I knew that first Lunis, a year ago now. The same man who made me laugh so much, with whom I played dozens of games of Gyu without any becoming boring! Who never took me for granted but as his equal, which is why he would pay me and not buy me...” Her teeth gritted under the tension. “Maybe I've been selfish, eh? Maybe I have my share of responsibility after all? Not wanting to face up to the fact that...!"

             He had placed the box on the floor, but had not moved.

 “You... You were that different person...” She could feel her throat lurching with each new sentence. “I may have expanded your world, but you changed mine... A-and so, without you in it, t-th... there would be no point in me exploring it. Because after all... I'll never again find what made it so s-special...”

             She had witnessed so many of her sisters say these words! To artists, boors, drunks, shy and good people, cads...! So why in the name of Lupt'iel was it so...?! However, while he had been listening to her so patiently until now...

 "My-? I mean...

- Call me Ligi.

- Um...” He tilted his head - the one on the opposite side of his monocle. “L-Ligi... ?

- Lord Yu- ?

- Archelaus, just... Archelaus.” Encouraging chuckle. “If you don't mind...?

- I-I... Very well. A-archelaus?”

             He went slowly to the other side of the table. Their knees were almost touching now. His face had taken on a strange grimace, with a bright smile on one side, and moist eyes on the other.

 “S-so, um... Ligi?” Amazing how two ridiculous syllables, yet so banal, could strike your heart. “If, well, let's say that... L-let’s imagine that you find yourself wanting to explore this world a-again, wanting to... travel. W-whatever the reason! A p-passing madness, a taste for d-discovery? A-a...” Murmur. “...stupid and desperate man...?” He looked at her. “W-would you be willing to...?”

             The image was beautiful -too much perhaps-, the dream tempting, within reach.

 On the condition that...

 “And on the assumption that I would agree to... sail towards those foreign lands. Whatever the reason, of course... Would...?” Her fingers came to seek his against the braided straw. “Would this man, stupid and desperate as he may be... Would he accompany me there, without fear of having been bewitched by the Farlands’ Witch...? To have a d-demon as his one and only companion for the rest of his journey?”

             He gently interweaved them in his, taking a moment to savour the contact.

 "If he had once been blinded by fear and anger, t-then that man was indeed stupid ~ hé... ! However, today, he dearly hopes to have changed, b-because a vast world awaits him and the one he would like to bring by h-his side. And if, by odds, someone should turn around to "w-warn him", “to tear him away from the monster’s claws”, he knows that he will continue on his way without wavering under their incomprehension... For, deep down, he will know that it is not her words, nor her charms, nor even her so-called evil spells, that keep him close to her...”

 Feverishly, he came to brush her cheek.

 “... but the fact that he loves her.”

             She was sure of it now. She was crying.

             Without further thought, she threw herself around his neck, her long white locks in her wake. Her hands grasped his tunic and her lungs were filled with his scent.

 “A-a fool, A-archelaus! Y-you're just a fool!”

 He, too, was in tears.

 “Then we'll just have to be “the Witch and the F-fool”, that's a g-great title for a novel!” Muffled laughter in the purple silk. “W-what do you think?”

             And oblivious to the torrent of life around them, well sheltered behind four walls of clay and brick, two lonely souls found each other again. They were like children, lying on that shabby carpet in their nice clothes, laughing and crying their hearts out after weeks of tension and horror. The tea had gone cold, but after all, they would have hundreds to share!  Nothing more mattered to them. They didn't need more than that...

 Didn't need more than the other...

             They didn't let go of each other. It wasn't that kind of passionate lovemaking; the kind where you tear each other apart with the flame of desire. No, it was a canvas that was patched to raise the anchor, a plant that was offered to the light, a feather against the parchment...

           She had curled up against his chest, cursing him with all the names she had learned in her long brothel life, and he was laughing at each one, making that sound so pleasant in her ears, making a heart she had thought extinguished beat anew. He held her close, but not in that delicate way of their first night. Strands had escaped from his silver-threaded bun, his monocle had been fogged by his own tears, and an arm to hold her, a hand to play with her ivory hair, as if to say:

 I am here.

.

And...

.

I'd like to stay there.

 She raised her head, wiping his cheeks with a caress.

             He admired her, losing himself in the delight of the moment.

             They kissed...

   ~ End of Act 11

 ______o.).O.(.o______

[thetravelerwrites]

Birch (Centaur)

Rating: Mature Relationship: Female Human/Male Centaur Additional Tags: Exophilia, Monster Boyfriend, Centaur, Reader Insert Content Warnings: Communication Disorder, Social Communication Disorder, Anxiety, Autism, Autistic Reader, Semi-Verbal Autism, Semi-Verbal Reader, Overbearing Mother, Verbal Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Ableism Series: Shelter Forest Words: 4758

Commissioned by an anonymous party, Birch finally gets his own story! The reader, who has a communication disorder, meets and somehow befriends a beautiful centaur named Birch, who lives in the woods with his family and is known throughout the town as being a bit of a playboy and a flirt. When he realizes how poorly the reader is treated by her mother, he immediately tries to rescue her. Please reblog and leave feedback!

The Traveler's Masterlist

You first saw him when you were thirteen year old. You and your mother came to Coleville to beg for work after your father had kicked you both out of the house for another woman. You and your mother worked in the laundry and kitchen of the town’s most popular tavern, washing bed sheets and tableware, so you hadn’t really had the chance to meet him when he came into town to trade. You were only ever able to watch him from a distance

He was massive, friendly, and beautiful. His horse body was the size and color of a buckskin Andalusian, with a pale tan body fur and black socks. His skin was suntanned from working in the fields of his home farm and he always wore a simply-made tunic. His hair was short and black, and his tail was long and black, but his eyes were a bright, clear blue. He smiled easily and seemed to get along with everyone. You fell in love with him as soon as you laid eyes on him.

Well, no, you knew even then that it wasn’t love, it was just fascination and infatuation, but you couldn’t help yourself. You were overjoyed every time you saw him. Not that he’d ever notice you. You were just a plain, poor, chubby laundress with red, chapped hands and a future of working in a tavern for the rest of your life. Why would he even glance at you?

You wouldn’t be able to speak to him, even if he did. You were terribly shy and timid. You’d always been that way and couldn’t help it. Talking to people, looking them in the eye, facing confrontation, it all made you terrified and shaky. You barely spoke to anyone who wasn’t your parents, although you really didn’t speak to them that much, either. You were sure the most used word in your vocabulary was sorry.

When you were younger, your parents had hoped you’d grow out of it, but you never did. Once you hit puberty and was still unable to speak, your mother began to despair of you, pushing you to talk and berating you when you couldn’t, which only made you withdraw more. You couldn’t blame her for being exasperated with you; you were just as frustrated with yourself as she was. She never said it, but you knew she blamed you for your father rejecting you both.

Even though Birch usually came alone, you were sure he must already be married or have a lover, though he was openly flirtatious. You knew he’d had a few girls in town on occasion, having overheard them bragging about their nights with him, though they all seemed to be one-night trysts or affairs that didn’t last long. Perhaps he wasn’t even interested in settling down with anyone and was the playboy type. He was gorgeous enough for it.

Once or twice, he came to town with his family members or to visit family members who had settled here, like his brother Cetzu, the lizardfolk man running the orphanage with his wife. They were all a strange lot: some were human, most were not. You only ever saw one other centaur, and he looked nothing like Birch; he was a younger, smaller piebald named Yew with black skin, white hair, and pale eyes. You’d heard rumors that there was a mixed family in the woods, living on a farm, and that they were all sorts, but it didn’t really seem real to you until you saw them all together.

He’d come to town one day to buy seeds and supplies and came into the tavern for a drink. For centaurs, alcohol was basically food to them, so they drank heavily and often. A lot of centaurs you’d known got pretty rowdy, but Birch was always mindful. He held his ale well and knew when to stop before getting fully inebriated, careful not to make an ass of himself. He was considerate. You liked that about him.

You were working in the kitchens at the time when he arrived, and he sat at one of the tables designed for four-legged folk. It was a long table with no chairs or benches, but flat cushions instead. He folded his legs under him and flagged the waitress, smiling his dazzling smile, and ordered ale and some roasted vegetables. You were neglecting your work, but even if it was just a few seconds, you wanted to commit his image to memory as often as you could.

“Oi!” The waitress, Cathy, hissed as she came toward the door of the kitchen to put in Birch’s order. “What are you doing?!”

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” You said, barely audibly.

“Go take him his ale,” She said. “We’re understaffed. If you’re going to be in the way, the least you can do is be useful.”

“I…!" You protested, but she pushed past you into the kitchen to yell at the cook. With you heart in your throat, you rushed to fill a clean tankard and skittered it over, setting it down on the table in front of him without looking at him.

“Ah, that was fast,” Birch said, his voice deep, rich, and wonderful to the ear. “You’re a lovely little thing. Are you new, sweet pea? I haven’t seen you in the tavern before.”

You looked down at the ground and didn’t answer. You weren’t sure what to do, whether to stay and try to be friendly, or retreat back to the kitchen, so you were frozen there with indecision, looking at the floor.

“Hey now, don’t be shy, love. I don’t bite,” He said, you assumed in an attempt to be flirty, reaching for your hand. You snatched your hand away impulsively and ran back to the kitchen.

Your heart was racing and your mind reeling. Why did I do that? You thought, covering your face with your hands. He probably thinks I’m crazy or a complete shrew! I should never leave the back rooms again and just stick to washing dishes.

After a few moments, though, your mother pulled you away from washing by the arm.

“What did you do?” She asked angrily. “One of the customers is asking for you!”

You panicked. “I… I just… I brought him his drink…” You whispered in terror.

“Come on,” She gripped your arm and pulled you back out into the tavern common room, where Birch was still sitting. He looked at you with a frown. Oh god, he looks annoyed, you thought nervously.

“Miss,” He said, and you stared at your feet, unable to look up. “I think I may have frightened or upset you. I’m sorry, I sometimes forget that not everyone is receptive to my personality or sense of humor.”

You were completely unable to speak and kept your head down, your shoulders hunched.

“Say something!” Your mother hissed at you, and you could only shrink into yourself further. “I’m sorry, sir,” Your mother said in exasperation. “My daughter is as timid as a field mouse. She can’t speak to other people and she never looks people in the eye. She can barely even speak to me. She’s always been like this.”

“Oh,” He said, sounding concerned. “Is she unwell?”

“Probably,” Your mother replied in annoyance, and you pulled away even further. “Though the doctors can’t tell us what’s wrong with her. She usually stays in the kitchen and laundry away from the customers. I don’t know what possessed her to come out here and bother you.”

“C… Ca…” You stuttered, struggling to speak in your defense, looking back toward the kitchen, where Cathy was hovering by the door.

“Oh, did Cathy ask you to bring me my drink?” He asked kindly.

You nodded fervently.

“I understand. I’m sorry that she put you in an uncomfortable situation, and I apologize for making it worse.”

Your mother sighed wearily. “Sir, don’t apologize to her. It’s not your fault that she can’t function like a normal adult.”

That hurt. You were on the verge of tears and hugged your arms around yourself, desperately wanting to escape back to the kitchen.

“Even so,” He said, his voice cold, but softened when he addressed you. “I’m very sorry, miss.”

You nodded once and shuffled quickly back to the kitchen, unable to keep the tears from falling. Your mother rejoined you a few minutes later.

“You could have at least apologized to him,” He said, taking the plates as you washed them to rinse them off and put them in the rack. “Why do you have to embarrass me like that? How hard is it to say ‘thank you’ or ‘I’m sorry’?” She sighed sharply and wiped her hands. “Don’t you dare get us fired.” And she walked off, leaving you weeping into the dishwater.

Cathy heard the entire thing and came over sheepishly.

“Hey… I’m sorry I got you in trouble with your ma,” She said. “I forgot about the speaking thing. I was just in a rush and I didn’t think.”

You shook your head. Cathy was the one person who you might call a friend. She was a little brusque and had a short fuse, but she was one of the few who didn’t make fun of your stuttering and silence or look down their nose at you.

“Listen, Birch is a really nice guy. He plays around and has his fun with the girls, but he’s never hurt anyone on purpose. He wasn’t trying to make fun of you or make you feel bad.”

You nodded shortly. You knew that. He was being friendly; that’s just how he talked to people. But being humiliated in front of him was a torture unlike anything you’d felt before, and it hurt.

The next day, you were feeding the chickens in the coop outside of the tavern when you looked up and saw him exiting the tavern. He noticed you right away, and you turned immediately and tried to flee.

“Hey, wait!” He called. “Wait, please!”

You stood with your back to him but you stayed put. You heard him trotting up to you, his hoof-beats heavy.

“Hey, listen, I wanted to apologize again,” He said. “To just you this time. I don’t know what your mother’s problem is, but what she said… that was uncalled for. You didn’t deserve that.”

You turned to face him but you didn’t look up, focusing instead on his large hooves. You shook your head. No, he was wrong. You did deserve it.

“You can’t help how you are,” He said. “It’s not your fault. I have a little brother who has trouble talking to people, too. It’s the exact opposite of your problem; he says exactly what’s on his mind with no filter. He can’t control it and it embarrasses him sometimes. It’s not the same, I know, but I understand that it can be hard.”

He was so nice. You were able to lift your head a little, but you still couldn’t look him in the face.

“My name is Birch,” He said. “What’s yours?”

You opened your mouth but nothing came out, so you shut it again.

“Hmm,” He hummed. “Can you write?”

You shook your head.

“Um… sign language?”

You answered no again.

“I see,” He said, sighing. “I… I’ll be honest… I don’t want to leave you here with that mother of yours. I’m not sure what kind of relationship you have with her, but the way she talks to you…” He pawed the ground in annoyance. “It bothers me. Does she do that a lot? Make fun of you in front of other people?”

You shrugged, embarrassed.

He sidestepped in an anxious way and swished his tail. “I have to go back home later today,” He said. “Are… are you going to be okay?”

You nodded.

“Are you sure?”

Another nod.

“Well… alright,” He said. “Look, um… if you ever need to… you know… leave this place, talk to Cathy. She knows where my family’s farm is. She can help you get there. If you need to.”

You nodded again, and he turned to leave, but an unfamiliar impulse compelled you to rush forward and take hold of the hem of his tunic. He stopped and looked at you, though he could only see the top of your head.

“Th…” You gulped, your throat dry, your heart beating in your throat. “Tha… ank…you…” You managed to choke out. “H… Haz…zel…”

“You’re name is Hazel?” He asked, a smile in his voice.

You nodded emphatically.

You felt him put a hand on top of your head and and sort of rubbed his fingers against your scalp. It felt nice, even though you weren’t used to physical touch. Your mother wasn’t exactly the affectionate sort.

“You take care, okay?” He said, taking his hand back. “I’ll be back in a few days. I look forward to seeing you again.”

That evening, you were in the room you shared with your mother as she brushed her hair for bed when she mentioned nonchalantly, “I saw you with that centaur man today. What did he say to you?”

“...he… nothing…” You said vaguely.

“Then why did he touch you? And why were you touching him?” She asked, her voice flat.

“I…” You gulped. “I… don’t know…” You said truthfully.

“Oh, really? You don’t know? You don’t know why a man like him would touch you? You know his reputation in this town. He’s trying to take advantage of you because you're simple.”

“He was… just… being nice…” You said softly.

Your mother snorted. “Men aren’t nice without a reason. I thought you’d know that by now.” She threw down her hairbrush onto the night table and lay down in your shared bed. “You’re not going to have anything to do with him from now on, do you understand? It shouldn’t be difficult for you to manage that, should it?”

You didn’t say anything, just sat at the table and stared into the fire.

“It’s for your own good,” She said, facing away from you. “I know I’m strict with you, but… I don’t want you to get hurt.”

You have no problem with me getting hurt when you’re the one doing it, you thought to yourself, but you couldn’t say it. You knew she was right, though. He was a flirt and a bit of a libertine, and you thought that perhaps he was only being nice to you because he saw you as low hanging fruit. It hurt to think of him that way, but it was the only thing that made sense.

He did return in a few days, an older woman riding on his back. She was lovely, even at her age, and was wearing trousers and a practical shirt, but no bodice or ladies coat. Her brown hair was caught back in a tight braid, a few strands of grey weaved in and out.

You saw them arrive from the window of your room as you were getting ready for the day. He was as handsome as always, and you watched him wistfully. As if he could sense you, he looked up and saw you at the window. He smiled at you and waved. Remembering what your mother said, you were unable to smile back and walked away from the window without acknowledging him. You hoped he wouldn’t be too angry at you.

Before you could start work in the laundry, Cathy called you out.

“Birch and his mother are here,” She said, keeping her voice down so that your mother wouldn’t hear. “They want to see you.”

“I cant…” You said in your normal whisper. “Mama will be angry…”

“Don’t worry about your ma right now,” Cathy said dismissively. “You don’t deserve the shit she gives you, you’re just too shy to tell her off. Just go see what they want. Maybe it’s a chance to get out from under her thumb.”

You had to admit, you did wish for that. You loved your mother, and she loved you in her own way, but you knew she resented you and it was just… exhausting, dealing with her reproachfulness and cutting words every day. You were just too scared to leave on your own.

You thought long and hard about it, looking around to see if your mother was anywhere near. When you didn’t see her, you looked up at Cathy, looking just past her behind her ear instead of at her face, and nodded. She took you by the hand and led you out to the dining area. Birch and his mother were sitting at the four-legged table, with his mother having dragged over a chair to sit with him comfortably.

“Oh, good, there you are,” Birch said. “When you didn’t react this morning, I was worried something had happened. Mama, this is the young woman I was telling you about.”

He told his mother about you? Why?

“I see, I see,” The older woman said. “My name is Ryel, I’m Birch’s mother. Your name is Hazel, right?”

You nodded, unable to look up.

“Goodness, you are rather shy, aren’t you, dear?” She said sympathetically. You chewed your lip, unable to respond. “My son tells me you’re illiterate, is that correct?”

You nodded.

“I imagine that makes communicating with other people very difficult,” She said.

You nodded again.

“So, how about this?” She said, leaning forward. “Why don’t you come to the farm with me for the summer? I’ll teach you how to read and write, and in exchange, you help me out around the farm. How does that sound?”

For the first time in your life, you were surprised into looking someone in the face. She was smiling warmly at you

“I’m getting older and I could use an assistant. My children all have their own work and families to look after and I’d feel as if I were taking advantage of them if I expected them to follow me around and help me all day.”

“Mama, you know we’d do it happily,” Birch said.

“I know that,” She said, hushing him. “Even still, I’d prefer to hire someone for the task, and if I can help them at the same time, why shouldn’t I?” She leaned forward. “What do you say, dear?”

This is exactly what you wanted. A job that was away from your mom. This was your chance. You opened your mouth, as if to answer, when you heard a sharp voice behind you.

“Hazel!” Your mother said, irate, and stalked out of the kitchen toward you, grabbing you by the arm. “Stop bothering these people! Get back to the laundry.”

Birch’s back leg kicked slightly in irritation, thumping the wood of the floor, but Ryel kept her composure.

“She’s not bothering us in the least, madam,” She said calmly. “I’ve actually come here to offer her a job.”

Your mother scoffed. “A job? Doing what?”

“As my assistant,” Ryel said. “I’m a jack of all trades type, you might say, and I’m willing to take her on in exchange for room and board, plus an education.”

“You’re wasting your time,” Your mother said, her grip rather strong on your arm. “My daughter is not capable of making her own decisions.”

“How old is your daughter?” Ryel asked.

“She’s nineteen,” Your mother replied. “But I’m afraid she’s a bit slow. Trying to teach her wouldn’t benefit either of you.”

You frowned, upset. That wasn’t true, you weren’t slow. In fact, you thought you learned rather quickly, you’d just hadn’t had the chance to learn very many new things.

“Be that as it may,” Ryel replied, her voice still even. “Your daughter is an adult and has the right to choose what she wants.”

“Nonsense,” Your mother said. “Besides, even if I allowed this, I don’t want her anywhere near him.” She jerked her chin toward Birch.

Birch bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“I know what kind of man you are,” She hissed. “How many lovers you’ve had in just this town alone? How many broken hearts have you left in your wake? I know you have ulterior motives for wanting to take her from here, and I won’t stand for it. She’s simpleminded and vulnerable, and I won’t let you dishonor her and return her to me used and broken.”

“Stop talking like she can’t hear every vile thing you say about her!” Birch shouted, slamming his fist into the table, making you jump. “I would never do something so shameful! You don’t know anything about me! ”

“Son, calm down,” Ryel said, putting her hand on his. “My son is a grown man of twenty-eight and has desires, true, but I’ve been to this town quite often and I haven’t found any such string of broken hearts, as you call it. Many sighing and wistful girls who long for his company, sure, but not one of them has come to me with tears in her eyes claiming he lied or misled her. He’s open and forthright about his intentions, and I respect his decisions. You should do the same for your child.”

“Don’t talk to me about my child if you can’t even control your own,” Your mother said venomously. “Hazel, let’s go.”

She tried to lead you away, but you refused to move. There were hurt and anxious tears in your eyes and you couldn’t look at anyone, but you refused to let her pull you away.

“Hazel!” She gripped your arm and yanked you painfully, and you wrenched your arm from her grasp, shaking your head.

“It seems like she’s made her choice,” Ryel said. “The least you can do as her mother is respect her wishes.”

“Be quiet!” Your mother said. “Leave us alone!” She grabbed your hands and started to pull you back to the kitchen. Birch got to his feet.

“Let her go,” He said, his voice a low growl, knocking her hands away from you. He stood between you and your mother. You dared to reach out and place a hand on the fur of his back to steady yourself.

“What’s going on here?” The bartender, Brian, asked. He also owned the tavern and knew about your condition. He didn’t speak to you much, but he also didn’t tease you either. You could handle understanding silence a lot better than persistent expectation to interact. “Are you alright, Hazel?”

You were shaking and crying, so you could only shake your head.

“These people won’t leave us alone,” You mother said. “I’d like them to leave.”

“Now, Rita, these people are good customers and friends of mine. I’m going to need more of a reason than ‘they’re bothering me’ to kick them out.”

“We simply offered young Hazel here a job on the farm,” Ryel said patiently. “I’m afraid her mother is interfering with her decision.”

“Is that true, Hazel?” Brian asked. “Would you like to take up this job?”

Trembling, you nodded.

“Well, then, that settles it, doesn’t it?” Brian said. “These are good folks, Hazel, they’ll take care of you.”

“Like hell they will,” You mother retorted. “She can’t make decisions like this. She doesn't understand.”

Brian sighed. “Rita, your girl’s not stupid, and it’s high time you stopped treating her like she is.”

Your mother looked like she’d been slapped in the face. You looked up at Brian in shock. He smiled kindly at you.

“Why don’t you go up and pack your things while your mother and I have a little chat, eh, dear?” He said.

You attempted to smile at him, though you worried it looked a little like you had indigestion, and went to pack. You took a few minutes to sit on the bed and breathe, clutching your chest, feeling a panic attack poking at your brain. You couldn’t believe it. You were really leaving.

There was a knock on your door and Ryel poked her head in.

“Are you alright, dear? That was quite the fuss,” She said.

You dried your face and nodded, getting up to start putting clothes in a bag.

“I sent Birch outside. He was getting rather angry, and I didn’t want him smashing any of Brian’s furniture.”

You looked out the window. Birch was standing in the courtyard with his arms crossed, stamping the ground and stepping constantly, as if he couldn’t stand still. His brow was furrowed, his jaw was working, and his tail was swishing back and forth without stopping.

“He’s worried for you, dear,” She said, following your gaze. “One thing our entire family has in common is that we don’t like seeing people mistreated. You’re mother may have her reasons for acting as she does, and perhaps it is out of some misplaced notion of love, but there’s no doubt in my mind at all that she mistreats you. You can’t help the way you are, and no amount of her cruel words are going to fix that. In fact, I’m more than certain it makes it worse.”

You sighed sadly in agreement. As you stood there, Birch looked up at your window. He smiled, a little sadder than before, and waved up at you. This time, you raised a hand and waved back.

The door opened and your mother walked in, glaring at Ryel.

“I’d like to speak to my daughter alone, if you please,” She said, her voice low and hostile.

Ryel looked at you questioningly, and you nodded. “I’ll be right outside if you need me,” She said, and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Your mother just stared at you with her arms crossed, shaking her head slightly. You looked down and away.

“I guess I should just be glad you won’t be around to humiliate me anymore,” She said, and you shrunk in on yourself. “I don’t like this at all, but it seems I have no say in the matter. You made sure of that, didn’t you?”

You knew she was hurt and was lashing out. She wasn’t exactly sweet and caring on her best days, but she could really cut a person to the quick when she was upset.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” She asked you, and you could hear tears in her voice. “Nothing at all? You can’t muster the courage to apologize to me for that display downstairs? For leaving me without a thought to my feelings? I’ve spent the last seven years protecting you and providing for you after your useless father threw us out, and you do this to me? And you have nothing to say?”

You didn’t say anything. Instead, you walked up to her and put your arms around her waist and lay your head on her shoulder.

“I’ll miss you, Mama,” You said softly.

She started to sob and put her arms around your shoulders. It had been years since she’d last hugged you.

“You’d better start sending me letters as soon as you learn how to,” She said, her voice breaking. “If I don’t hear something from you in a few months, I’m going out there to drag you back, you understand me?”

“Yes, Mama,” You whispered, and took a step back. Picking up your bag, you opened the door and walked out. Ryel was waiting and smiled when she saw you.

“Ready?” She asked.

You nodded.

Back outside, Birch was waiting. He stopped shifting around anxiously when he saw you and his mother exit the tavern.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

“Everything’s just fine,” Ryel said. “We’re ready to go.”

“Would you like to ride on my back?” Birch asked, turning.

You shook your head fervently, mortified.

“Are you sure?” He said. “It’s a long walk back to the farm, over four hours. I can get us there in half the time.”

“She’s feeling shy,” Ryel said. “For centaurs, letting people ride on their back is a special privilege afforded to few. I’ll ride with you.” She grinned at him. “He always makes an exception for his mother.”

He grinned at her in return. “You just assume I do.” But he took out a quilted riding blanket that was rolled up and tied to the bottom of his pack and handed it to her, and she set it on his back. Climbing the steps to the tavern, she vaulted onto his back. She instructed you to do the same. Blushing furiously, with both Ryel and Birch’s help, you were able to scramble on in front of her.

“Let’s go,” He said, and he took off at a trot out of town.

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My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

[riddlecrux]

Historical AU

Day 7 of Elriel Month!

Summary: Blue and violet material rustled as she stared at three stars and three mountain peaks which sparkled in the daylight. The place that called her home. Velaris knights galloped through the forest with grace and dignity. At the front of the formation, she spotted him. Note: This is a snippet of my upcoming multi chapter Medieval AU Elriel fanfic!

There was talk in the town.

A gossip about one particular knight was spreading among ladies like a wildfire, fast and unforgiving. Whenever she went out, for a trip to the market or tailor, the words were often hushed and clipped. As if saying them outright and loud would bring the said person stumbling through the door - unannounced and feared. It was as if a shadow of a knight lived among the elites, constantly watching their lips, ready to strike from the darkest parts of the room. She had thought that gossiping was a rather boring thing to do, especially during the daytime - she much preferred spending her free time gardening and walking through the nearby forest.

The solitude she yearned for was always waiting for her, embracing her in silence and wisps of spring wind. A book under her arm, the hem of her skirt tucked between her fingers as she moved through the green maze with a blush covering her pale skin. It was something completely different from the small, claustrophobic ballrooms filled with perfumed guests and men trying to catch themselves a woman, a wife, a person that they were going to tame. A woman, later barely a doll. Empty shell filled with her husband's desires, placid and neat. Never free, never wild - an object that men love to present as a trophy.

Elain huffed, long steps halting as golden brown tresses slipped from her modest braid - her blue dress wrinkled and dirty, the mud sprinkled even her undergarments as she maneuvered through the forest road. She glanced behind her, a nervous tick, and with a soft frown on her forehead, she leaned against the rough tree. Few flowers slipped from her hand as she closed her eyes, breathing the scent of nature which coaxed her troubled mind.

She knew that the day would come, sooner or later - she prayed that her resolve and kindness would prevent her from marriage without love but naive as she was she knew that it was only a matter of time before her mother chose her a fiancé. Preferably rich one, from a distinguished family with a house close to the city market and church. Those arguments were vain and so ill-matched in Elain's opinion. She didn't care for money; she wanted to be loved. More than anything else she wanted to be chosen because of her personality - not too extravagant, timid, and simple as her father once said. Nesta always had a spark in her, steel that made men tremble before her, a woman made for a king or a duke. Her older sister was always the example of everything Elain wasn't, yet the day before Nesta's arranged marriage it was her older, wiser, dutiful sister that ran away - leaving a letter in which she chose love over duty.

I do not wish to be shackled by a man that does not deserve me. Women are much more than cattle you breed to sell. I part with a heavy heart, not because of my decision but because of the future of my sisters.

Elain had read the letter thousands of times, tracing letters with her fingers - remembering Nesta's coldness and silent form of love. She envied her older sister. If she was more courageous, less soft she would, perhaps, repeat her sister's steps.

Sighing through her parted lips her head hit the tree behind her. I do not wish to be shackled by a man that does not deserve me. She murmured under her breath like a prayer staring at the empty road that led to her little town. Gripping the old book by its edges Elain willed herself to pray. Pray that the man her mother had chosen would not like her. Pray that her resolve would show her the correct way, an answer to her broken promise. Pray that…

Her eyes opened at the sound of horses coming down the road. Glancing behind her cover she saw four riders, all dressed in black robes - all of them being knights. Her grip on the branch tightened as her mouth parted once again at the sight of a very well-known flag that was flowing in the air behind them. Blue and violet material rustled as she stared at three stars and three mountain peaks which sparkled in the daylight. The place that called her home. Velaris knights galloped through the forest with grace and dignity. At the front of the formation, she spotted him.

A knight dressed in black armor, iron spikes coming from his shoulder pads, and even sharper ones adorning his helmet. His gauntlets tightly clenched around his horse’s harness, dark and utterly beautiful. The breastplate was wide and devoid of any ornaments safe for three stars on each side of his armor. On his left side an extraordinary sword. Its majestic hilt covered in small, blue gems which were reflecting sunshine as he moved on the massive, gorgeous stallion. It was her gasp that made him snap his neck in her direction - she quickly scrambled and hid behind the tree wishing that he hadn't seen her. As the sounds of hooves started to ease with their every step, Elain slowly crept from her hiding position. Her heart beating so loud that the bird sitting on one of the branches fled from its resting spot.

The talk of the town - The Scarred Knight, came just in time for the tournament.

*

3 YEARS EARLIER

The summer was hot and stuffy.

Elain shot a quick glance behind her shoulder as she ran through the crowded streets of the town. She could hear Lucien's screams and his brothers’ laughter, however, she didn't stop. Her feet adorned with leather booties moved even faster, as long as she lost the gingers she would be safe. She turned right, stumbled because of the moving wagon, and sprinted towards cathedral alley - people were staggering when she turned in another street, her hair falling from her up-do in waves of molten gold. The freedom in her lungs was addictive. She felt like a bird, freed from its beautiful cage that it was trapped in for its whole life.

Her feet hit the muddy ground as she scanned moving peasants and with a resolution on her delicate features, she whirled around and ran straight towards the training grounds. One step, two steps...

She gasped when she collided with a solid body, her feet getting caught in the lace of her dress, making her fall on her backside with a loud thud. Her forehead was hurting and she could swear that the world around her wavered as she finally decided to glance at the reason for her fall. It was a knight, a tall and very deadly one. His violet eyes scanned her for injuries and with a slow sigh, he presented her a gloved hand.

"My lady," his sensual voice rang in her ears as she gracefully - at least she hoped so, gripped his fingers and stood up. Her beige dress was dirty and ruffled at its edges. Her mother would have scolded her till her calves were raw from the beating. The sight of her so utterly ungracious and dishonorable would shake her so much that Elain would have had to beg her on her knees to stop. Nevertheless, as she looked at her skirt she saw few droplets of blood and with a frown, she deduced that she, in fact, sliced her palm when she tried not to stumble.

Snapping her attention back to the knight in front of her, she slowly bowed and smiled. Her curls created a halo around her heart-shaped face when she finally looked him straight in his eyes. He was tall, well built and had brown skin. It was a beautiful color, she mused trying not to think how handsome he was.

"Sir Knight, pardon my intrusion," she cocked her head as another knight appeared in her peripheral vision. He was even taller and bigger than the one from before. His long hair flew on wisps of wind as he chuckled seeing her state and dirt on her dress. One dark brow rose with a flicker of amusement in his bright eyes.

"It's a rather peculiar sight to behold," he murmured as another wave of deep laughter erupted from his throat. She could feel redness coming up on her cheeks and with a swift movement, she ducked her chin down. Her mother would have simply perished if she saw her right now. What a disgrace for her perfect family.

"Cassian, the lady is hurt," she still didn't dare to look up, and when the newcomer left as quickly as he appeared she stole a small glance in the direction of soft sounds.

On her right, the training grounds were almost empty safe for a knight in black armor, kneeling on the ground. His hands were bare and visible to her eyes - scars, horrible and painful ones adoring his long fingers and gentle palms were a stark contrast to his dark attire. However, what caught her initial attention was the way he was slowly but surely trying to feed a stray kitten that aimlessly wandered here. His kneeling person, sharp against the tiny creature barely visible to the human eye. Two oddities coexisting in that nanosecond of time seemed to stop for her as she devoured the sight of this blindingly pure kindness.

"My lady," she heard the other man from somewhere far away. Her tunnel vision focused on that one person, his act of gentleness amidst the blazing sunlight, and… the way his scarred fingers were trembling while he placed all of his weight on his knees. As if he was scared and ashamed of their appearance, even before that small animal hissing in his direction. "My lady?" Her doe eyes found violet ones and with a soft gasp, she came to her senses.

"Please do forgive me for my ignorance," her voice shook and she hated herself for that. For that slight hint of distress slipping through the cracks of her perfectly molded mask of courtesy. The knight rose a dark brow and with frivolous joy watched her behavior as if he had solved a mysterious puzzle. Deep down in her chest, her heart sang an unknown song that made her spiral even further into herself.

"Azriel!" A sharp command slashed the air as she whipped her head at the source of that loud noise. The violet-eyed knight bowed elegantly as the kneeling man slowly stood up, even taller than previously acquainted knights, and slowly made a way towards them. His armor was loud, yet mesmerizing - she felt her bloodstream tickle, surge as the earth shattered under her legs with the force of warmth and longing she suddenly felt. An intake of breath caught in her lungs made her frozen as foreign yet so well-known hazel eyes stopped on her person. As if she had dreamt about them, as if they were forever imprinted inside her like a burst of thousands of stars. The slits in his helmet allowed her to see his long eyelashes, dark and dangerous, as he inclined his greetings.

"Sir Knight," she breathed out, like a bird singing for its designed mate. The knight's burning gaze left her shaking - as if her soul suddenly came down on earth and wished for a moment of utmost closure.

"The lady is hurt," the shorter one supplied glancing between both of them with a smirk. "Please attend her while I gather supplies," and with a swift nod, he left both of them alone. She supposed that time became only a fraction of surrounding her world when Azriel only stared at her, his scarred hands tucked behind him as if the sight of them might have somehow offended her.

"Sir Knight," her lips parted with a silent echo of yearning. "You have truly beautiful hands," his eyes widened, a golden hue covering his irises as his armor rumpled with the stretch of his muscles.

"It's a far-fetched compliment, my lady, yet I'm declaring my thanks," he blinked as she fought with an overwhelming feeling dancing in her chest. He was so close to her and yet she felt as if he was a whole ocean away. Maybe her soul, the one who often whispered in her ear about soulmates, tricked her and made her a fool. Maybe because of that she wanted to say something, anything that could last - to make him remember her, a wild girl with flowers in her hair.

"It's not," she urged and let herself smile. "For what I have seen, Sir, you are gentle-natured," a gust of wind ruffled her tresses and when she tried to fight with them, scarred digits arrived next to her ear.

"And you, my lady, are indisputably a spring ready to conquer the already fading winter," he whispered urgently. Her heart trembled at his words, it was as if he had spoken to her spirit, to the gaping wound of her hidden longings and dreams. As if he had known her, right now and all these centuries before. The time was crashing into her like waves of that unknown feeling that overcame her, however before she could answer the loud yell of her name startled her like a deer.

"I must," her ragged breathing stopped when she saw red-haired men stumbling onto training grounds. Wide-eyed and breathless she stole the last glance at her starry-eyed soulmate and turned around. Even if all laws of this world told her to stay, screamed at her to turn around to see the universe crashing inside those hazel eyes, she didn't.

She left him there, a tray of sunlight and starlight glittering behind her as he watched her till she became only a speck of dust in the blazing heat.

[jedimaesteryoda]

Brienne’s Off to See the Wizard

I’m feeling a little silly right now, and in that spirit I’ll say that Brienne's journey in A Feast for Crows draws a bit of The Wizard of Oz: a girl dressed in blue travels with three dudes and a dog along a road on a quest to return a girl home. 

Brienne is Dorothy, the protagonist who dresses in blue (armor), and is given Oathkeeper which is sword studded with rubies in place of ruby slippers. At the start, she is accused of killing Renly when she was actually at the wrong place at the wrong time just like Dorothy with her house dropping on the Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy ends up in Munchkinland of the diminutive Munchkins while Brienne travels through the riverlands which is predominantly made up of smallfolk. Dorothy was brought to Oz by a tornado while Brienne is from the stormlands. Brienne is sent on her mission to return a girl home by Catelyn, the Lady of the North in place of Glinda the Good Witch of the North. 

Professor Marvel: I see a woman. She's wearing a polka-dot dress. Her face is careworn. Dorothy: That's Auntie Em. Professor Marvel: Her name is Emily. Dorothy: That's right. What's she doing? Professor Marvel: Well I, uh, I can't quite see. Why, she's crying. Someone has hurt her. Someone has just about broken her heart. Dorothy: Me? Professor Marvel: Well, it's uh, someone she loves very much. Someone she's been very kind to. Someone she's taken care of in sickness. Dorothy: I had the measles once and she stayed right by me every minute. What's she doing now? Professor Marvel: Well, she's, uh...What's this? Well, she's, she's putting her hand on her heart. Oh, she's, she's dropping down on the bed. Dorothy: Oh, no, no, no. Professor Marvel: Uh, that's it, the crystal's gone dark. Dorothy: You don't suppose she could really be sick, do you? Oh, I've got to go home right away.

Go home, child. You have a home, which is more than many can say in these dark days. You have a noble father who must surely love you. Consider his grief if you should never return. Perhaps they will bring your sword and shield to him, after you have fallen. Perhaps he will even hang them in his hall and look on them with pride . . . but if you were to ask him, I know he would tell you that he would sooner have a living daughter than a shattered shield."

"A daughter." Brienne's eyes filled with tears. "He deserves that. A daughter who could sing to him and grace his hall and bear him grandsons. He deserves a son too, a strong and gallant son to bring honor to his name. Galladon drowned when I was four and he was eight, though, and Alysanne and Arianne died still in the cradle. I am the only child the gods let him keep. The freakish one, not fit to be a son or daughter."

- A Feast for Crows, Brienne VI

Brienne meets people along the way. Elder Brother tells her to abandon her quest, and think of her father who likely misses her while she is away from home just as Professor Marvel told Dorothy to abandon running away and go back home. She also comes across three people and a dog along her quest who end up accompanying her.

Septon Meribald is the Scarecrow. Dorothy meets him in the country where he wants a brain, yet throughout the film demonstrated himself to be intelligent and good on his feet. Meribald is from the country, and at first appears country bumpkin-esque, but actually proves himself to be intelligent with his Broken Men speech. His knowledge of the riverlands also proves to be useful to them throughout the trip.

Hyle Hunt is undoubtedly the Tin Man. Hyle Hunt’s body is covered in the metal of his armor like the Tin Man, and not having a heart appears to describe him pretty well. He calls Brienne ugly to her face when we see him first talk to her. He wants to find Sansa so he can sell her to the Lannisters. When Brother Gillum shows that a horse bit off his ear, Hyle responds by joking about it. When Brienne expresses sympathy for the children at the inn having lost their parents, Hyle’s response is to roll his eyes and mock her for her sympathy. He comes off as an insensitive prick who doesn’t seem very caring towards anyone. However, we are first introduced to him when he defends a smallfolk couple and Brienne from Tarly’s guards, and actually defends Brienne against his boss and liege, Randyll Tarly, which cost him his job. So there might be a heart to him somewhere after all.

Podrick Payne is the Cowardly Lion. Pod served lions, the Lannisters, and with a name like Payne with his distant cousin being Ser Ilyn the King’s Justice one would expect him to be more aggressive and intimidating. Yet, he is described by every POV character that meets him as timid, with Sansa noticing he blushes and stares at her feet every time she talks with him. He is clearly shy, but he rams himself into Mandon Moore just as he is about to kill Tyrion, and then pulls Tyrion to safety from the raging inferno on the Blackwater, saving his life. He later helps Brienne against the undoubtedly dangerous Bloody Mummer deserters. The boy can be shy, but deep inside is brave.

She finally comes across one figure who has gained repute in the land for his ostensible magical ability.  

“Oh, no, my dear, I... I'm a very good man - I'm just a very bad Wizard”

"The pink pretender, rather. I am Thoros, late of Myr, aye . . . a bad priest and a worse wizard."

- A Feast for Crows, Brienne VIII

Brienne eventually meets a man called the "red wizard," Thoros and just as the Wizard was just an ordinary man using smoke and mirrors, Thoros’s magic is usually just pyromancer tricks. Even he admits he isn’t really that much of a wizard or a red priest. But Thoros is a man who spent the entire war aiding the smallfolk of the riverlands, so while not much of a sorcerer, he still is at heart a good man. 

Auntie Em: You just had a bad dream.

Dorothy: But it wasn't a dream. It was a place, and you and you and you ... and you  were there . . . But you couldn't have been, could you?

Auntie Em: We dream lots of silly things when we...’

Dorothy: No, Aunt Em. This is a real, truly live place. And I remember that some of it wasn't very nice. But most of it was beautiful. But just the same, all I kept saying to everybody was, 'I want to go home.' And they sent me home.

“This is an evil dream, she thought. But if she were dreaming, why did it hurt so much?”

. . .

This time she dreamed that she was home again, at Evenfall. Through the tall arched windows of her lord father's hall she could see the sun just going down. I was safe here. I was safe.

. . .

"I saw him. In the woods."

"A fever dream, my lady."

"He said that he would hang me."

"Even dreams can lie. My lady, how long has it been since you have eaten? Surely you are famished?"

-A Feast for Crows, Brienne VIII

At the end, she wakes up from a dream, and while in the film, Dorothy is finally home, and her journey was revealed to be a dream, Brienne is far from home in the cave of the Brotherhood without Banners and she wakes up to a living nightmare. Brienne is reunited with the Lady of the North, though unlike in the film with Glinda, it is not a happy reunion, as she is accused of betrayal and her ruby studded sword given to her is used against her as opposed to helping her. 

“Bring me the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West.”

"She wants her son alive, or the men who killed him dead," said the big man. "She wants to feed the crows, like they did at the Red Wedding. Freys and Boltons, aye. We'll give her those, as many as she likes. All she asks from you is Jaime Lannister."

-A Feast for Crows, Brienne VIII

After finding the titular wizard, Dorothy in the story has to go on a side quest to complete her goal of returning home. Brienne finds the red wizard and is now told to prove her loyalty by bringing to them in place of the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West, Jaime Lannister, the twin brother and Lord Commander of Cersei’s Kingsguard sent to pacify the riverlands.

“I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!”

The queen regarded him coolly. "I had not thought you so niggardly. The king I'd thought to wed would have laid a wolfskin across my bed before the sun went down." Robert's face darkened with anger. "That would be a fine trick, without a wolf." "We have a wolf," Cersei Lannister said. Her voice was very quiet, but her green eyes shone with triumph.

-A Game of Thrones, Eddard II

As for Cersei, well, she is associated with the color green, is very vindictive and cruel, often associated with wildfire and comes from the westerlands. She also starts at the beginning of the story by having a girl's innocent dog, Lady, killed. Her subordinates are referred to as monkeys with Tyrion, her Hand, being called “a twisted little monkey demon,” Lancel, who served as her sword, is compared to “a mummer’s monkey” and she thinks of Falyse Stokeworth, whom she tried to have kill Bronn, as a “grasping monkey.” Cersei is also looking for the same young girl Brienne is, someone she blames for the death of a relative, and had imprisoned in her castle.

Just who could Cersei's parallel be?

[kabootarandishaan]

Riverbed

Summary: The reader has taken in a stray dog and always takes it to the riverbed for walks, one day they see a random purple haired boy and things ensue

One-shot/Series: Part 7

Pairing: Jonathan Joestar/Female reader

A/N: Sorry for the wait I was going through a block. Hopefully ya’ll are still here love ya’ll! Enjoy!

Warnings: None

You looked up at him with pleading eyes hoping for him to stop this right here. He simply looked at Dio and spoke.

"Then a depraved lunatic I am, but you will apologize to her or else you will not leave this shop." His voice was steady and his words were spoken in a way leaving no room for misunderstanding.

You saw his nostrils flare as he closed his eyes. You feared what would happen next. The last thing you needed was for Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando to have a fight in the middle of your store. The news would spread around fast, people would talk and it could ruin what you and your father had worked for.

He gave a curt exhale, which you were not sure was whether out of amusement or anger and slowly turned his attention towards you. You looked down at the ground, trying to avoid anything that could instigate this situation further.

“What is your name, girl?” Although his tone seemed much more controlled you could still feel an overwhelming amount of apathy in his words. “Y/N. Sir.” You were able to regain composure and firmly respond.

“Y/N? A rather decorative name for an otherwise poor-” He was swiftly cut off by a reprimand from Jonathan. Dio rolled his eyes but it seemed the scold was effective as he never did finish his statement. “Y/N, I apologize.” Before Jonathan could intervene you quickly gave a response.

“Mr. Brando, there is no need for that. In fact, I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused you and Mr.Joestar today. Please let your father know that he is more than welcome to acquire his produce free of charge for the remainder of the month. If there is anything else I can do to lessen the impact of your delay feel free to inform me.”

Although giving a month's worth of free produce to your largest client would have an impact on revenue, you would do something to manage it. You always did end up finding ways to make it work.

“I would prefer if next time you could do your job more efficiently. It would only benefit you in the long run.” He turned to Jonathan. “Well, shall we? Or is there any other melodrama you would prefer to perform?” Before Jonathan could answer Dio had already made his way out the door.

Jonathan gave out a deep sigh. “Y/N you should not hav-'' You interjected before he had the chance to finish. “Mr. Joestar, I believe you are running late for an event and I also believe that it is in the best interest of everyone involved that you leave this shop.” You were not abrupt but exhausted.

All you desired at this point was to go home and enjoy time with Nila. Jonathan could hear the exasperation behind your words and felt a tinge of guilt in his chest. “I’m sorry Y/N. I failed to consider that making him apologize would make your job more difficult.” His words caught you by surprise, a feeling of slight guilt washed over you.

You went to say something but Jonathan held his hand before you and gave a sweet smile. He gave you a little nod and made his way to the door. He stopped, his back facing you, and spoke. “Do forgive my brashness but I must say, that kiss was wonderful. I am looking forward to another opportunity to experience it.”

With those last words, he left the shop, leaving you a flustered mess. You quickly closed up the shop and went back to fetch Nila. You saw her lying serenely against a pile of hay. You slowly made your way over to her and gave a gentle rub of the head. “Nila, it's time to go, wake up love.”

You saw her slightly stir before opening her eyes. She seemed to recover quickly as she eagerly lapped at your hand. You laughed and stood up shortly after that. “Look at my luck. I received two lovely kisses today.” You gave Nila one final rub before standing up, you brushed off your gown and slowly made your way home.

It was quite late by the time you had gotten home as you stopped by the market to gather a few things. Just as you entered, the rain that you had been anticipating began pouring down. You wished for nothing more than to head to bed but still had some tasks to finish around the house. After feeding yourself and Nila you tried to organize what little space there was in the home.

You thought to spend some time with Nila considering most of your time was taken up by the shop today. You wiped your hands on the rag by the sink and turned to call out to Nila. The storm had picked up rather quickly and you hoped she was fairing well with all the thunder going on.

“Good thing we made it back in time.” You called out as you were cleaning the dishes. Only hearing silence in return made you turn and you found her fast asleep. The sight made you chuckle, you made your way over to her and knelt down to gently stroke her head.

“I bet you were worn out from bothering that poor horse.” After washing up and changing into your nightclothes, which simply was an old shirt of your father's with a pair of harem pants, you took a candle and walked around to put out the lanterns. You had put out all but one before you heard a knock at the door.

“It’s half-past midnight, father wasn’t meant to come until four more days.” You suspiciously planted yourself in front of the door, carefully placing your hand on the knob. “What is your business?” Firmly projecting your voice to be heard over the aggressive weather outside, you also hoped the stranger on the other side would be slightly taken aback at your low tone.

“Y/N, It is me, Jonathan!” Your eyes widened in surprise. Quickly unlatching the door, the sight before you made you gasp. His otherwise kempt hair had been dragged down with the weight of the water. The white undershirt he adorned had gone almost transparent. As absurd as you found the whole situation you only knew to do one thing.

“Are you daft?! Come inside this instance! What on earth possessed you to come here at this hour in this horrendous storm?! You quickly ushered him inside as he simply gave you a timid stare. He looked almost like a child who had gotten scolded by his mother. “Stand here and do not move while I go and grab you a towel.”

As you quickly went to the cupboard and grabbed a towel you pondered how little it would help considering Jonathan was already drenched. Without putting too much thought into it, you quickly went into your father’s bedroom and opened the old armoire. After your mother’s death, your father had kept away many things that reminded him too much of her.

Some of those items included clothes that your mother had favored on your father. When she was alive your father had always worn brighter colored shirts, lighter blues, and greens. Now he strictly stuck to neutral colors, you couldn’t even remember the last time he had opened this. You grabbed a shirt and pair of pants, hoping that it would fit Jonathan.

There was only a slight difference in height between Jonathan and your father. He had lost some weight in the last few years so maybe they would not be too bad for Jonathan. You carried them back and handed everything over to Jonathan. He continued to only stare at you looking seemingly confused.

“The washroom is to the left of the kitchen. You may dry yourself off and change your garments there. I will go make some tea to warm you up.” He looked as if he were about to say something but you had already turned to go into the kitchen. As you placed the kettle on the stove you heard the door to the washroom close which prompted you to let out a sigh you had not known you were holding.

You had finished the tea and set the table all mostly muscle memory. You did not even realize that Jonathan had already changed and sat down at the table. You automatically turned to go grab some sweets to pair with the tea but Jonathan reached out for your hand, stopping you in your tracks.

“Y/N, please. There is no need for all this. Have a seat. I came here to see if you were alright after what happened in the shop. You had not shown up to the riverbed so I began to worry you were cross with me.” You could not turn to face him as you answered because you feared that he would notice the slight red that began to spread across your face.

“Ah...Yes! Uhh...I guess I am just accustomed to it.” You eventually garnered enough courage to glance down at his hand which was still lightly grasped around your wrist. In an instance, Jonathan quickly let go and placed his hand back in his lap before hurriedly apologizing. “Uh...Uh...forgive me Y/N! I…” You cut him by awkwardly patting his back in an attempt to cover your flustered state.

“I see that the shirt fits well! I will admit that I was slightly exhausted after the interaction at the shop so it had completely slipped my mind to go to the riverbed. It seemed Nila was also weary considering she had fallen asleep soon after we had returned. How do you take your tea? Milk, sugar?”

You realized you were rambling at this point and looked up to meet Jonathan’s soft gaze. You let out a soft sigh and pulled out the chair beside him to sit. You pulled a strand of hair behind your ear and nervously waited to gauge his reaction. You could see a slight upturn at the corners of his lips, he took a glance at the tea set out in front of him and cleared his throat before reaching out.

He placed a cup in front of each of you and grabbed the pot, pouring a generous amount in both. “I have been drinking my tea black since I can recall. They used to tell me that milk, sugar, or honey was too feminine.” He let out a low chuckle. “Can you believe how absurd that is? I think today I would like to try both, please.”

You felt a smile play onto your face without realizing it. Hearing him express his thoughts in front of you without the fear of consequences gave you a small sense of pride. You made him a cup of tea and placed two cubes of sugar. You mixed and placed it before him before fishing a cup for yourself. “I must say I am flattered at the fact you were worried about me. You tempered a storm to make your way over here. I cannot say I have seen anyone do anything close to that, especially not for me.”

“Well, we are no longer strangers Y/N. If I may be so forthright, we kissed one another. After an exchange of that type, I feel it would only prompt me to garner stronger feelings towards you. Actually, I have not been completely honest of my intentions for coming here tonight. I admit that part of the reason for my arrival here was fueled by worry but I must say that I wished to simply talk with you more intimately.”

You stayed quiet for a moment prompting him to nervously take a sip of the tea. “Oh my! This is quite nice! I should have my tea like this more often.” He anxiously smiled, avoiding your eyes before looking up as you lightly placed your hand over his. You leaned in closer and quietly spoke. “I would enjoy nothing more than that. But if I may, I have a question.”

He sighed and a satisfied smile played on his face. “Ask away.” He turned his hand so that he could grasp yours. “I wish not to sound skeptical or insensitive but my intentions with this are only honest. What is the nature of our relationship Jonathan Joestar?

[stormra]

If possible, would you write headcanons for the boys on dates? Maybe just what places/activities they'd want to do? Already love what you've written so far!! 💙

❝ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

— type : headcanons

— characters : the matsuno brothers

❝ 𝐎𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔 :

— Arcades, pachinko parlors, horse races, you name it! Osomatsu loves those environments. Naturally, he'd want to share them with this date as well! However, if those places aren't their speed, he'd be eager to make some compromise. Maybe a movie? A simple walk through the city?

— Osomatsu loves photo booths. If he and his date were to pass one, he'd insist they climb in and take a few pictures. However, instead of taking it seriously, he'd try and flash the camera.

— Don't tell him that most photo booths have screens on the outside. It would be best if you let him go unaware.

— If he and his date went to an arcade, he'd blow everything in his pocket trying to win them something from the claw machines.

— "Shh! I'm winning something for you whether you want me to or not."

— Unlike a few of his brothers, Osomatsu wouldn't put up much of a front for his date. He'd act as himself and wear something he usually would... probably that tracksuit. As some of us might have seen in a particular episode of season 3, he doesn't think to filter himself when he probably should. This being said, he'd be his usual self; childish, fun-loving, and an absolute idiot.

❝ 𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔 :

— Did you say “romantic picnic beneath the stars?” That’s Karamatsu’s idea of a perfect date! He loves to sit below the inky ether with his date at his side, serenading them with his guitar and voice. Surrounded by snacks, sweet drinks, and a person from the heavens, he couldn't even begin to think of a better setting.

— On any date, but especially the previous one I described, his face would be flushed, and his hands would be clammy. Poor guy!

— Totally gives his date his leather jacket if they're cold.

— Can and will walk his date home. Maybe spare him a kiss before turning in for the night? He'd melt on the doorstep.

— Chibita's oden stand! Although prone to prefer a more romantic, intimate environment, nothing would keep Karamatsu from introducing his date to one of his good friends. Besides, Chibita's oden is pretty good. Who wouldn't want to share their friend's successes with their date?

— No matter what he and his date are doing, he gravitates towards flowery, fluffy, melodramatic language.

— If he doesn't bring his date a bouquet when he goes to pick them up, assume something is very wrong. He does it every single time... without fail.

❝ 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔 :

— As one of the most ambitious and arguably creative sextuplets, Choromatsu would have quite a few date ideas! How does a hike sound?

— As he is no athlete, he wouldn't choose an arduous hike. Instead, he'd set his focus on something a little more easygoing and scenic rather than intense. Regardless, he'd prepare efficiently, backpack armed with water, snacks, maps, a first aid kit, a compass... dude doesn't want something wrong to happen with his date around! He'd also make an itinerary—a really, really detailed one.

— No matter where he and his date decide to go, he would be very blushy and embarrassed the entire time. Flushed cheeks, shy smiles, you name it. However, his smile would grow and resemble a child's as the scenery becomes more beautiful.

— Just imagine that cute little face as he adjusts his collar and looks out at the view around him 🥺

— He'd explode if his date held his hand.

— If hiking isn't something his date is into, he would have various other options—lunch at a cafe, visiting an aquarium, browsing a shopping center... he really isn't picky!

— It’s incredible to see how timid he’d grow around his date. He’s aggressive and very hostile at home, but when presented with something beautiful and someone he cares for? He’s nothing more than an awe-struct child.

❝ 𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔 :

— I don’t think Ichimatsu has a preferred date activity!

— Instead, I can imagine he’d want to do whatever his date suggests—as long as it isn’t something where he’d embarrass himself or have to over-exert. Sure, he’d have a preference for lounging around and having dates that way, but I can definitely see him letting his date call the shots on where to go and what to do.

— If he had to choose, he’d take his date to see the strays he feeds and loves up on. Maybe a movie night? A quiet dinner? Who knows! The possibilities are endless with him.

— Doesn’t dress up or anything.

— This might be a surprise, but Ichimatsu would totally buy a little something for his date. He wouldn't say much while gifting it, but he'd do it, and that's all that matters.

— His date would be one of the few people to actually see him smile. It would be a very subtle display, yet undeniably beautiful.

— Ichimatsu would be one of the most natural sextuplets while on a date. Instead of trying too hard to be someone he isn't, he'd merely exist as he is, the only thing keeping him from his date being that wall he built to protect himself. However, with his date's influence, he'd learn to let people gaze directly at his heart, open to letting people in.

❝ 𝐉𝐘𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔 :

— Something exciting! Something fun!

— While Jyushimatsu wouldn't be averse to something more subtle and calm, he'd gravitate towards dates of the exciting variety, insisting he and his date embark on baseball games, the beach, amusement parks, you name it.

— Like Osomatsu, he loves photo booths! The only difference is that he'd take them seriously... as seriously as Jyushimatsu can do anything, that is.

— Undeniably has the cutest outfits. I won't take criticism. He'd dress so fittingly for himself and the occasion.

— Jyushimatsu would have no change in demeanor! He'd be his happy-go-lucky self that thrives off of making his date laugh. I've gathered that he is easily the best-suited for the dating world. He just needs to find someone who can match or handle his puppy-like mannerisms.

— Totally tries to hold his date's hand. Unlike the rest of his kin, he'd be the only one to initiate physical contact... but that doesn't mean he'd do so without being nervous!

— During the more intimate moments of the day or night, he'd have such a cute blush on his face.

❝ 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔 :

— Totty would LOVE to participate in dates that involve being around other people. Mall trips, coffee dates, spa days... activities of that variety! Being able to show his date off is his number one concern... as well as spending time with them, of course!

— So, he'd want to take his date shopping. How creative of the youngest NEET!

— As someone who considers himself to be fashionably adept, he'd insist that taking his date to a local mall or shopping center is the best call of action. Hell, he'd even offer to buy them things!

— I can imagine he'd get he and his date some boba.

— While Todomatsu wouldn't adherently buy things for himself, he'd absolutely melt if his date were to suggest clothes and things they'd think he looks good in.

— He might suggest buying "matching" outfits... y'know, outfits with the same palettes but not adherently the same designs.

— He'd take a lot of pictures of him and his date to post them on his social media accounts!

Thank you for requesting! I’m sorry for the delay!

[my-funky-little-cowboy]

I know this is a little late, but @mesangelique​ I was your back-up secret santa for @rdr-secret-santa​! You wanted a cute Kieran x reader piece, and I really hope I delivered 💚💚

Relationship: Kieran Duffy x f!reader Characters: Tilly Jackson, Kieran Duffy, f!reader Warnings: none Themes: fluff, pining Words: 1,792 [ ko-fi] || [ ao3 ]

“Kieran? You ain’t got nothin’ to be scared of about talkin’ to him. He’s as harmless as they come!” Tilly chuckled and a rush of embarrassment washed over you. 

“I know, he’s just about the sweetest man there is. I just, I just don’t know what we would talk about! We ain’t got nothin’ in common.” You said, defeatedly.

“You know anything about horses? Because, next to Arthur, I ain’t ever met anyone who loves horses that much.” Tilly replied.

“I can’t say I do.”

“Well, there you go! You want to spend more time with him, have him teach you about horses!” She put her hands on her hips. “Do something! You’re driving us ladies wild by moping around because he won’t give you the time’a day. He’s as timid as a field mouse, you think he is gonna try anything with the boys around?”

Tilly was right, Kieran kept mostly to himself, especially around the women, though he was always pleasant enough. The gang had started to warm up to him in the last six months, but he still spent a lot of his time alone with the horses. 

“You’re probably right.” You said, standing up.

“Of course I am.” Tilly smiled smugly. “Now go talk to him, I think he was cleaning one of the saddles last I saw him.” She said nudging you gently with her hip before going to finish her chores.

Right. Tilly’s right, just go talk to him. You’ve talked to him before,  no problem!

You made your way over to where the horses were grazing, nervously watching them. You didn’t know much about horses, that was true, but they also made you kind of anxious. Such a big animal, all that power, they could kill you so easily. Maggie raised her head as you passed, making you take a step to the side. 

“Oh, hey there miss! Need somethin’?” Kieran’s voice was warm as he rounded the wagon, his hands full with some fresh water for the horses.

“Just, uh just wanted to come look at the horses.”  

Kieran poured the water into the tin bath, and turned back toward you, a smile plastered on his face.

“You like horses?”

“Well, I actually don’t know too much about horses. They kind of scare me.” You rubbed your arm nervously.

“Scared of ‘em? How can you be scared of somethin’ so sweet?” He walked past you to Maggie, running his hand along her flank and she lazily raised her head. “Maggie here? Gentle as a kitten, c’mere, I’ll show ya!”

He waved his hand for you to join him and you took a cautious step forward. 

“C’mon now, she won’t bite, will ya Maggie?” He took her face in his hands and gave her a scratch under the chin. 

You inched your way up behind him. A stupid grin spread across your face as you watched him gently kiss Maggie’s nose. He reached back for your hand and you felt your ears get hot as his fingers laced between yours.

He pulled you in front of him, bringing your hands up to brush lightly along Maggie’s neck. Her coat was smooth against your hand and you felt her lean into your touch.

“See? No more than a kitten.”  He said in your ear. “Horses can read your energy. Did you know that? The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed they are.” 

He released your hand, taking a step back and you exhaled, releasing a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“How can they tell?” Maggie turned her head to look at them as Kieran backed up, flicking her ears, annoyed that the attention had stopped.

“Don’t really know, might be because of how we have worked with horses for a long time.”  He shrugged.

You watched as he picked up a brush and moved farther into the herd. Kieran gestured for you to follow him and you moved reluctantly into the herd. “C’mon miss, you gotta meet them all!” 

He stopped in the middle of the herd and a few of them moved toward him, vying for his attention. Ennis spotted you and pushed his nose into your arm, pulling gently on your sleeve.

“No, no, uhhh...”

Kieran looked up as the horse really began to tug. “Ennis! No, leave her alone. Shoo! Shoo!” 

Ennis snorted and walked away, flicking his tail in agitation. Kieran apologized profusely, promising he just wanted a treat. He pulled you closer to the middle him near the center of the herd. 

He spent the next half an hour telling you about each of the horses and how they all had their own personalities. Showing you how to brush them, and how each has its own preferred brushing. You were in awe, watching him, he cared so much for them and he was so sweet to them. He turned back, offering you the brush.

“Now you try, miss!” His smile was bright as you took the brush from him, his cheeks tinged with pink as your hands met and he turned quickly, calling Branwen over. “Branwen’s my horse.” He cleared his throat and muttered. “But I’m sure you knew that…”

You brushed out Branwen the way he showed you. He watched you for a few minutes before disappearing to return to his chores. Branwen watched you, her gentle eyes following your movements, she nuzzled you as you neared her face, closing her eyes as you took her face in your hands, gently petting her as Kieran had shown you. Maybe horses weren’t as scary as you thought, in fact, you found that you actually kind of liked them. The horse leaned into you as you finished and Kieran chuckled.

“I think she likes you.” He said, placing a bale of hay down and pulling a knife from his belt, making quick work of the bindings. “Here, give her some hay, then she’ll love you.” He pulled some hay from the bale and held it out for you.

You took the hay, offering it to Branwen who whinnied happily, taking the hay from your hand. A smile pulled at your lips. They definitely weren’t scary, giving her a gentle scratch on face.

“Thanks.” You said as Kieran joined you, his hand full of hay as he led Branwen to graze with the others. “For letting me help you today.” 

“Oh! Ain’t nothin’, really!” He clapped the dust from his hands. “So, ya still scared of ‘em?”  Taking the brush from you.

“I don’t think so.” You shook your head. “I should, uh, I should get back to my chores. It was real nice talkin’ to ya.” Kieran’s face turned bright red, and he mumbled that he enjoyed it too.

                                                        -- ♞ --

It had been about six months since the boys had brought him back to camp, and it had been nearly another month before they let him off that tree. Some of the women had snuck him a bit of food and water here and there, but even then, most of them steered clear, leaving the job to you.

Despite everything he had been so polite, when he was awake. Dutch had warned everyone not to feed him or give him water, but watching him, day after day, had been too cruel. 

It started with sneaking him a drink of water, late one night, after most of the rest of the camp was asleep. Just a small sip, too scared to get caught. He had whispered his thanks through chapped lips, a small smile cracking them further.

Then again when you saw him around camp, tending to the horses, doing the chores no one else would. Still the group kept him at arm’s reach, only Arthur would talk to him, threaten him. He smiled through it, wished everyone a pleasant day, thankful to be alive.

Slowly the gang began to accept him and you spoke more, in passing. Polite niceties around the fire, greetings over coffee, but still he kept mostly to himself. It was endearing, he could have left, found someplace where people would have accepted him, but he stayed, wanting to belong. 

You remember the night that you realized your feelings for him, the night he said he stayed here, because despite everything, the gang had been nicer to him than Colm ever was. It had been late. Everyone had been drinking, celebrating a successful score, and you were sitting at the fire. Only a couple remained: Kieran, Uncle, Reverend Swanson and yourself. The men might not have heard it, his low and tearful admission, each of them lost in their own demons, but you did. Suddenly overwhelmed by his confession, he apologized and disappeared into the night. 

He wanted to feel loved, wanted to belong, and it had struck you so deeply. 

                                                         -- ♞ --

You settled between the girls at the fire, the sun just ducking below the horizon. Tilly had cornered you shortly after you went back to your chores. 

“So?” She sidled up to you behind Pearson’s wagon, a cat-like smile crawling across her face. “How’d it go?”

“I learned a lot about horses.” You brushed her off, pretending to pay attention to your chores.

“C’mon, you can tell me!” Tilly whined.

“That’s the God’s honest truth, Tilly!” You sighed, returning the dirty dish to the basin. “He taught me a bit more about horses. He was real sweet about it.” 

Tilly huffed and crossed her arms before a sly smile started to creep across her face once more. She waved at you and turned to leave.

“Well, if you don’t want to tell me.” She called over her shoulder as she sauntered off around the wagon. You stared after her, your face twisted in confusion when you heard someone come up behind you.

“Evenin’ miss.” The familiar voice came from behind you, and you silently cursed Tilly before spinning around to greet Kieran. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to see if I could help ya with your chores…” he paused, “...since you helped me, I mean.”

You gasped slightly in surprise, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks.  “Oh, heh, it was nothin’. You don’t need to waste your time helpin’ me.” You turned back to your chores, to hide your face.

“I, uh, I don’t think it’d be a waste.” Kieran stepped forward, offering you a small smile as you looked over at him.

He picked up a rag from the counter and held out his hand. “To be honest, I like spendin’ time with you.”  He looked down as his face turned all shades of red.

A small chuckle escaped you. Tilly had been right. “I like spending time with you, too.”  You held out a bowl to him.