#Height Adjustable springs

[vividracing]

New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/when-is-it-time-to-upgrade-your-stock-suspension/

When Is It Time To Upgrade Your Stock Suspension?

When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Car Suspension?

Does going over a speed bump make you feel like your car’s a bucking bronco? Or is every joyride a rough ride, no matter how smooth the road is? Then it’s likely time to take a look at your car’s suspension system and consider replacing the shocks and/or struts.

With time your car’s suspension system takes a huge toll especially when driving over potholes and rough patches. Any damage to the car’s suspension system can affect its handling, comfort, and performance. Upgrading your car’s suspension system can be the ideal solution to all these concerns. This blog post will feature everything that you need to know about upgrading your vehicle’s suspension system ranging from how they work, DIY Vs professional installation, and more. If you plan to upgrade your car’s suspension system and are unsure where to start, read on.

4 Signs Your Car’s Suspension Needs An Upgrade Are:

1. Bumpy, Rough Ride

When you hit a bump in the road, do you feel like you could lose control of the vehicle? Does your vehicle bounce more than once or twice? A rough, bumpy ride is one of the easiest symptoms to notice.

2. Leaking Fluid

Leaked fluid on the exterior of the shocks/struts is a sign that something is wrong. If the shock absorbers do not have enough hydraulic fluid, they won’t be able to absorb impacts as you drive.

If you’re not sure whether the liquid on your suspension is coming from the shocks or is an old fluid leak from somewhere else, wipe it off and then check it again after you’ve driven at least a few miles.

3. Uneven Treadwear

Cupping—scalloped, wavy dips on the tire tread—is a tell-tale sign of worn shocks and struts. It is caused by the tires not being held firmly to the road as you drive. Cupping shortens the usable life of your tires and diminishes handling and stopping power.

4. Instability When Braking or Turning

Does your car nosedive when you hit the brakes? Or sway on turns? This means that your shocks and struts aren’t able to handle the changes to the vehicle’s weight distribution. It may also take longer to stop when your suspension is bad, which is never a good thing.

If your car is older and the suspension has never been replaced, it’s worth considering an upgrade to improve safety and performance. Consulting with a professional mechanic can help you identify the right type of upgrade for your specific needs and budget.

Why Should I Upgrade My Suspension?

Suspension upgrades are a great way to improve the performance and safety of your car. Whether you’re looking to increase your car’s handling, reduce body roll, or just improve your car’s overall ride quality, upgrading your car’s suspension can do the trick. Making the decision to upgrade your car’s suspension can be a daunting one, but the benefits of an upgraded suspension system far outweigh the cost and effort. Here are just a few of the benefits to aftermarket suspension.

4 Benefits of Upgrading to Aftermarket Suspension Are:

1. Improved Handling

One of the most obvious benefits of upgrading your car’s suspension is improved handling. Upgrading to aftermarket suspension can improve your car’s ability to corner and turn, as well as lower the center of gravity and reduce body roll. This improved handling will also help you stay in control in adverse driving conditions or when driving at higher speeds.

2. Reduced Wear and Tear

Another benefit of upgrading your car’s suspension is reduced wear and tear. A good suspension system will help keep your car’s tires in contact with the road, which in turn reduces the wear and tear on your car’s tires and suspension components. This will help to extend the life of your car’s tires and suspension components and help to keep your car running smoother for longer.

3. Improved Safety

The improved handling and reduced wear and tear on your car’s tires and suspension components also help to improve your car’s overall safety. A good suspension system will help keep your car stable and in control of adverse driving conditions, which can help to prevent accidents and other dangerous incidents.

4. Increased Comfort

Upgrading your car’s suspension can also help to increase your comfort while driving. A good suspension system will help to absorb bumps and uneven roads, which can help to make your ride smoother and more enjoyable.

As you can see, there are many benefits to upgrading your car’s suspension in Evanston. From improved handling and reduced wear and tear, to improved safety and increased comfort, upgrading your car’s suspension can make a big difference in your car’s performance and safety. If you’re looking to upgrade your car’s suspension, be sure to contact a reputable suspension specialist in Evanston to ensure that you get the best results.

What Is The Difference Between Lowing Springs and Coilovers?

When it comes to suspension upgrades, it can be a little confusing knowing what is best for you and your car. Although budget will ultimately guide you towards a certain bracket of upgrade, there is a wide variety of different options available which could surprise you in terms of performance and value.

We break down all you need to know about suspension and give you the options that will take your driving experience to the next level.

What Are Lowering Springs?

In this case, the name says it all. Lowering springs replace your stock coil springs in the stock location. Pull one spring out, put the other spring in. This will lower your car a fixed distance. You’ll usually see a number tied to it, such as “2 inch lowering springs.” That means they’re designed to drop your car by 2 inches. No more, no less.

All this is to say, there is no adjustment or range. Your car sits where it sits. The height is determined entirely by the height and rate of springs that sit in fixed locations. You can’t move them up or down.

Click To Shop All Lowering Springs Right Here. 

What Are Coilovers?

A coilover, AKA a coilover shock, is also what it sounds like. A coil spring slides over the shock and rests on a spring perch that is threaded onto the shock’s body. A cap then holds the spring in place. You can move that spring perch up or down the shock to adjust your ride height. The higher your spring, the higher your ride height and vice versa.

Coilovers are a great suspension mod that offers many benefits with few downsides. But lowering springs offer a less expensive alternative for people wanting to lower their car.

Coilovers excel in the stability they provide through tight corners, even at high speeds. They also offer more adjustable features than lowering springs.

Click To Shop All Coilovers Right Here.

With that being said, one my go-to brand for the sprigs are KW Suspension. They Offer the H.A.S (Height Adjustable Spring) kit  for various cars. You can retain your factory equipped electrically adjustable dampers with a stepless and discreet lowering. Just like a KW coilover suspension, their coilover springs allow you to lower the suspension directly on your standard suspension.

Check to See If the KW H.A.S. Kit Is Available for Your Vehicle Here

If you would like to learn more about the differences between lowering springs and coilovers, we break down all you need to know about suspension and give you the options that will take your driving experience to the next level. Check out our article on Lowering Springs vs Coilovers: What’s Right for Your Car?

Should You Expect “Track Performance” From Upgrading Your Suspension?

Let’s face it, height-adjustable coilovers earn you street cred. Any serious car enthusiast has a set they’ve fine-tuned for a perfect ride height and adjusts the dampers to and from the grocery store. Or maybe…they’re overhyped, over-complicated, and unnecessary for most drivers. Which is it?

Lots of bells and whistles means lots of tuning potential if you know what you’re doing. But while adjustable coilovers do have some advantages, they’re not always an upgrade. 

4 Things to Consider When Adjusting Aftermarket Suspension Are:

1. Height Adjustability

The big selling point for most people is the ability to set your own ride height. Height adjustability is useful for a racecar to lower the center of gravity, adjust the rake (nose up/down) of the car, and corner balance the chassis. Keep in mind that coilovers have limits and proper set up is crucial. The car may not handle better if you lower too far without looking at the full system.

If you want to lower your car significantly, either for looks or performance, coilovers are a better choice than lowering springs.

2. Suspension Travel at Low Ride Heights

Factory suspensions are limited in how much you can lower the car with springs while still being functional.

Coilover bodies are usually designed to sit lower with a different operating range than factory suspensions. Again, proper set up is crucial to ensure adequate bump and droop travel.

Some coilovers do not have much total suspension travel. This can be due to poor or lazy design, or sometimes they’re designed for stiff springs and a smooth racetrack. Be advised.

3. Standardized Coilover Springs

The ability to use easily available and standardized coilover springs opens up lots of tuning potential. Conventional fixed perch dampers require springs that are specially designed for your car. Options are limited.

Coilover springs come in a huge variety of spring rates and lengths. In some ways, a coilover provides a platform for a user to build on. Switching to stickier tires? Swap in stiffer springs. Adding serious aerodynamics? Ditto. However, it does take work to ensure they’ll fit and match your set up.

Functional lowering springs and coilovers can both perform well on track. A more focused track car will benefit from the adjustability of coilovers, but requires careful set up.

4. Damping

There’s actually no inherent damping advantage to coilovers. The dampers in some aftermarket coilovers are worse than your factory shocks. Fancy colors, catchy marketing, and the perfect ride height doesn’t do you much good if the dampers are garbage.

Also, any damper can be adjustable, but as we’ve talked about before, shock valving is more complicated than “soft” or “stiff.” Height-adjustable coilovers can have excellent valving. But when it’s bad, all the other features aren’t enough to make it a good system.

If you want to improve performance but keep things simple, quality fixed perch struts with a functional lowering spring make a lot of sense. A good example are the HKS Hypermax line. Their latest careation is the Hipermax R coilovers. We recently put them on our Nissan Z (RZ34), our project car. From the struts and the springs, everything about their coilovers screams perfection. HKS really invested time in R&D and created a master piece. Quality coilovers can be more expensive and require careful set up, but are a good choice for those that want to fine tune their suspension.

Check to See If the HKS Hipermax R Is Available for Your Vehicle Here

For those who is interested in our Youtube video, check out the video on the HKS Hipermax R coilovers!

If you’re looking at purchasing some lowering springs, coilovers, or even an air suspension system for your car, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can be reached by phone at 1.480.966.3040 or via email at sales@vividracing.com.

[naimshaikh]

Sensyne 10'' Ring Light with 50'' Extendable Tripod Stand, LED Circle Lights with Phone Holder for Live Stream/Makeup/YouTube Video/TikTok, Compatible with All Phones(Black)

About this item【High Brightness & Clever Touch Control】Sensyne selfie ring light features a high sensitivity touch panel design that has a longer life than traditional mechanical buttons. It provides full control to easily adjust the 3 color modes (cool white, warm yellow and daylight) and 10 brightness levels to meet your different needs. Perfect for Photographers, YouTubers, Vloggers, TikTokers, etc.【Versatile Accessories】 The USB-powered control helps protect your safety while improving the ring light’s brightness. The phone holder is spring-loaded and extends up to 5.3" wide, it is compatible with almost ALL smartphones with or without a case.【Fully customizable portable tripod Stand】 Extending from 15.7 inches to 50 inches, our tripod can be adjusted to any height within seconds as needed, short enough to stand on tabletop, tall enough to fit your height. This compact circle light set comes handy when you do makeup, artworks, beauty & fashion live streaming, video calls and more.

[imloyaltoscoups]

guinea pig | kim mingyu

You've recently turned one of the empty rooms in your apartment into a makeshift photography studio. It's become your haven, a place where creativity flows freely, but there's just one thing missing—a model.

With a sigh, you glance around the room, pondering your options. Suddenly, it hits you, your friends! They'd be perfect for the job. You grab your phone and open your group chat, typing out a message: "Helloo~ I need a guinea pig for a photo shoot. Any takers?"

You wait eagerly for their responses, but one by one, they all decline. Some are out of town, others too busy with work or other commitments. Feeling a tad disheartened, you're about to give up when a private message pops up from Mingyu.

"What do you mean by guinea pig???" he asks, his curiosity piqued.

You grin, relieved to have found at least one potential prey model. Quickly, you reply, "I mean someone to pose for some experimental shots I want to try out. Are you up for it?"

There was a pause before Mingyu's response came through, teasingly saying, "Ah, I see. You might want to change the term you're using though. Sounds a bit... scary."

"Sooo it's that a yes?" you type back.

"Yup, just give me a minute to prepare," Mingyu replies promptly.

Amused by Mingyu's willingness to participate, you shoot him another message, "Oki~ Btw bring a few different outfits if you can."

After a moment, his reply pops up, "Hmm, shouldn't you be the one worrying about outfits? I'm just the canvas, remember?"

Chuckling at his cheeky response, you type back, "True true. Haha. I'll make sure to have some clothes ready. Just get your ass here. ASAP!"

As you continue to organize your makeshift studio, another thought crosses your mind. Typing out a message to Mingyu, you suggest, "Gyu, since you're the model, can you bring some food? We might get hungry during the shoot!"

Mingyu's reply comes in swiftly, his cheekiness evident in his words, "Wow, now you want me to be the model and the caterer? What's next, am I also doing your hair and makeup?"

You chuckle at his response, appreciating his sense of humor. "Consider it a payment for your modeling services," you reply, adding a smiley face.

There's a brief pause before Mingyu responds, "The audacity. 🙄"

You can't help but laugh at his cheeky response, typing back, "Hey, a multi-talented model like you can surely handle it all, right?"

"Fine" he concedes, "I'll drive thru mcdo, anything you want?"

With a grin, you reassure him, "Anything will do, as long as it keeps us fueled for the shoot. Thanks, Handsome!"

As you place your phone down, you can't shake off the excitement bubbling inside you. Rushing over to your printer, you start browsing Pinterest for inspiration, printing out a mix of cute and seductive poses. You gather them into a folder, ready to guide your impromptu photoshoot.

Heading to your closet, you rummage through the clothes, searching for outfits that can accommodate Mingyu's towering height. After a bit of digging, you manage to find a few options that might work.

With a satisfied nod, you arrange the shirts, jackets, and skirts neatly on the rack, mentally crossing your fingers that Mingyu will show up in jeans to complete the look. It's a bit of a challenge styling someone taller than you, but you're determined to make it work.

Glancing around your makeshift studio, you double-check the lighting and adjust the backdrop slightly, ensuring everything is set for the photoshoot. you settle into a chair nearby as you wait for your muse to arrived.

Hearing the doorbell, you spring up from your chair, practically sprinting to the monitor to check who's there. Sure enough, it's him, standing at your front door with a grin on his face. "Open the door!" he calls out, his voice muffled through the speaker.

Swinging it open, you're greeted by Mingyu's amused expression. Before you can even exchange greetings, your hand instinctively reaches for the bag of food he's carrying.

But he is quick to react, pulling the bag out of your reach with a playful tsk. "Ah ah ah," he teases, holding the bag just out of your grasp. "Not so fast, photographer. You'll get your food after we're done shooting."

You can't help but pout, disappointment clear on your face. "Come on, just one fry!"

With a mock sigh, he relents, literally plucking a single fry from the bag and holding it out to you. "Fine, just one. Don't say I never did anything for you." you eagerly accept it, savoring the salty goodness.

But when you ask for more, he shakes his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Sorry, buddy. You're on your own for the rest. Gotta save some for the hungry model."

You let out a playful curse, feigning disappointment as he steps past you into the house, the tantalizing scent of fries lingering in the air. Well, at least you got a taste.

"Nice setup," Mingyu comments as he steps into the studio, his eyes scanning the room before landing on the clothing rack. He quirks an eyebrow as he examines the skirts hanging there. "A skirt? Really?"

You shrug with a sheepish grin, replying, "Hey, it's the best option considering my pants won't even fit you. But don't worry, it's part of the art."

Thanking him for wearing denim jeans, you dive into picking out some clothes for him. "Okay, let's see… How about this turtleneck?.. with this skirt." you suggest, holding it up for his approval.

As you hand him the clothes, you expect him to excuse himself to change, but to your surprise, he starts undressing right there in front of you. You pause for a moment, taken aback, but then you remember that you're both comfortable with each other, and it's all in the name of art.

Once he's dressed, you step back to admire the look, studying him intently. Despite the unconventional pairing, Mingyu somehow manages to pull it off effortlessly. You can't help but feel a pang of admiration, marveling at how effortlessly he can make any outfit look good. "Nice," you finally comment, unable to hide your admiration. "You could wear a garbage bag and still look hot."

He laughs at your comment, flashing you a grin. "Thanks, I think," he replies, striking a wink. "But let's stick with the turtleneck and skirt for now."

"Alright, Gyu, I need you right over here," you gesture towards a spot in front of the backdrop, indicating where you want him to stand.

"Stand tall, shoulders back, and give me a confident stance."

Mingyu follows your directions with ease, adopting a relaxed yet commanding posture that fills the frame with his presence. You adjust the lighting, capturing the play of shadows on his features as he effortlessly owns the space.

"Great, now let's try something a bit more dynamic," you continue, gesturing for him to shift his weight and strike a more playful pose. "How about a slight lean forward, like you're about to take a step? And maybe tilt your head to the side, just a bit."

With a subtle nod, he adjusts his position, adding a hint of movement to the shot while maintaining his composed demeanor. The camera clicks away, freezing the moment in time with striking precision.

As you review the shots on your camera screen, you can't help but be impressed by Mingyu's natural talent in front of the lens. "You're a natural, Gyu," you remark with a grin, feeling the excitement building with each successful shot.

"Let's switch things up a bit," you suggest, motioning for him to crouch down slightly. "Can you lower yourself down and rest one arm on your thigh?"

Mingyu nods, gracefully sinking into a crouch while maintaining his poise. He extends one arm, resting it casually on his thigh, the lines of his body creating a captivating silhouette against the backdrop. His expression takes on a thoughtful intensity as he gazes off into the distance, his features highlighted by the soft glow of the studio lights.

As you review the images on the camera screen, a playful idea strikes you. "Gyu, do you think you could put your finger on your lips and stretch them out a bit? Like you're shushing someone?"

Mingyu quirks an eyebrow at the request but doesn't hesitate to comply. Placing a finger to his lips, he stretches them out into a playful pout, his eyes sparkling with mischief. It's a simple gesture, but it adds a touch of whimsy to the shot, making it all the more captivating.

"Nice," you grin, snapping away as Mingyu holds the pose, his playful expression captured for eternity. "Stand up Gyu, let's switch up the look." you say, turning towards the clothing rack to pick out a new outfit.

As you start browsing through the options, you hear Mingyu's footsteps approaching. Before you can react, he's beside you, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he plucks the folder from the table.

You turn to him, eyebrows raised in mild surprise. "Oh, found the inspiration folder, did you?"

Mingyu nods, flipping through the pages with a knowing smirk. "I see you've been doing some interesting research," he remarks teasingly, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

You feel a flush creep into your cheeks, but you try to play it cool. "Just trying to get some ideas for poses, you know," you say nonchalantly, though your heart rate might have picked up a bit.

He smirk, as his gaze lingering on the images in the folder. "Hmm, some of these poses are... quite provocative," he comments, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

You clear your throat, feeling a bit flustered under his scrutiny. "Uh, yeah, I was just exploring different styles." you reply awkwardly, hoping to steer the conversation back on track.

But Mingyu doesn't seem deterred, his grin widening as he leans closer to you. "So, which one of these 'interesting' poses are we trying next?" he asks, his tone teasing yet daring.

You clear your throat, trying to regain your focus as you hand Mingyu the leather jacket. "Yep, just the jacket and pants for this one," you reply, trying to keep your voice steady despite the heat rising in your cheeks.

Mingyu raises an eyebrow playfully, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Just the jacket and pants? Sounds like my kind of outfit," he teases, his eyes dancing with amusement.

You chuckle nervously, trying to keep your composure as he strips off his previous clothes and slips into his pants. Your breath catches in your throat as he casually drapes the jacket over his shoulder, the fabric falling in elegant folds.

Gulping down the sudden surge of nerves, you muster up the courage to give him instructions for the next pose. "Next, let's try something a bit more... dramatic," you say, your voice coming out a little shaky.

Mingyu quirks an eyebrow, his gaze flicking towards you with a hint of curiosity. "Dramatic, huh? I like the sound of that," he remarks, his smirk widening as he waits for your next move.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your trembling hands as you instruct him to pose. "I want you to stand with your back against the backdrop, one hand resting on your hip and the other holding the jacket open slightly," you explain, your voice barely above a whisper.

Mingyu nods in understanding, a playful glint in his eyes as he strikes the pose with practiced ease. As you prepare your camera, he can't resist teasing you one last time. "Why not give me some more specific instructions? After all, you've already seen the folder," he teases, his voice laced with playful mischief.

You swallow nervously, acutely aware of the charged atmosphere between you. "I think you already know what I want," you reply, trying to sound nonchalant despite the butterflies fluttering in your stomach. As you continue to snap away with the camera.

He chuckles softly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Sureee" he concedes.

Rolling your eyes at Mingyu's teasing, you instructed him to wear the jacket. "Just put on the jacket now, please," you say firmly, trying to ignore the playful smirk on his face.

He laugh quietly, but he complies, slipping into the jacket with a casual grace. As he starts to zip it up, he pauses and shoots you a mischievous grin. "You sure you don't want to show off my abs?" he teases, his tone laced with amusement.

You shoot him a glare in response, your patience wearing thin. "Just follow the instructions, Kim Mingyu," you say, your voice tinged with exasperation.

Mingyu's smirk fades slightly at your tone, and he nods, zipping up the jacket until it reaches his chest. He then looks at you expectantly, waiting for further instructions.

Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you gesture towards his pants. "Now, unbutton your pants," you instruct, trying to keep your voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in your stomach.

Mingyu raises an eyebrow, but he doesn't protest. Instead, he reaches down and unbuttons his pants, revealing the waistband of his boxers underneath. He looks back at you, a playful glint in his eyes as he waits for your next command.

"Now, let's try something a bit more candid," you suggest, adjusting your camera settings. "Take out your phone and look at it, as if you're checking a message or something. And keep one hand resting on your jean."

Mingyu nods, slipping his hand into his pocket to retrieve his phone. As he does so, he shoots you a playful grin. "Sure thing, boss," he replies, his tone laced with humor. With his phone in hand, Mingyu adopts the pose you described, his gaze fixed on the screen as his other hand rests casually on his jean.

"Perfect," you reply, framing the shot and adjusting the focus. "Just hold that pose for a moment."

As you snap the photo, Mingyu's eyes meet yours briefly, a playful twinkle dancing in them. "Got it," you say, lowering the camera and giving him a nod of approval. "That was great."

Mingyu grins, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Thanks. Anything else you want to try?" he asks, his tone casual but curious.

"Can you lower the zipper of your jacket just a bit?" you ask, trying to maintain your professional demeanor.

Mingyu's grin widens as he teasingly responds, "Oh, now you want to see my abs, huh?"

You shoot him a glare, but he only laughs in response. "I was just kidding," he adds quickly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, I can't adjust it."

Letting out a resigned sigh, you reluctantly make your way towards him. As you reach for the zipper, Mingyu takes the opportunity to grab your camera, holding it up to give you a better view.

But as you struggle with the stubborn zipper, you can't help but feel Mingyu's gaze burning into you. His eyes are fixed on your face, his expression unreadable yet strangely intense.

Feeling a flush creeping up your cheeks, you try to ignore the distraction and concentrate on the zipper. With a final tug, the zipper finally gives way, sliding down smoothly to reveal the hint of Mingyu's toned chest beneath.

With the zipper finally adjusted, you reclaim your camera from Mingyu's grasp, grateful to resume the shoot. You quickly refocus your attention, determined to capture the perfect shot.

"Alright, Gyu, let's try something a little more intense," you say, your voice slightly husky as you gesture for him to follow your lead.

He nods, his expression serious as he waits for your instructions. "Place your thumb on your lower lip," you continue, your voice barely above a whisper as you watch him carefully.

Mingyu follows your directions without hesitation, his thumb brushing lightly against his lower lip as he fixes his gaze on the camera. There's a raw intensity in his eyes, a simmering passion that sends a shiver down your spine.

As you snap away with your camera, you can't help but feel the sexual tension crackling between you. Each pose becomes more daring, more provocative.

"That's a wrap," you declare with a satisfied smile, reviewing the pictures you've taken with Mingyu. The images are stunning, each one capturing a different facet of his charm and charisma.

Mingyu nods in agreement, a satisfied grin on his face as he removes the jacket, leaving him with just the unbuttoned pants. "Great job, Y/N," he says, giving you a playful wink. "Now, how about we switch roles? You be the model, and I'll be the photographer."

You consider his suggestion for a moment before nodding. "Why not?" you reply with a grin, handing him the camera. "Let's see what you can do behind the lens."

Mingyu accepts the camera with a grin, already brimming with ideas for poses and compositions. "Alright, but first, I think you need to change," he says, gesturing towards your denim shorts. "How about switching into some jeans?"

You nod in agreement, feeling a rush of excitement at the prospect of being on the other side of the camera. "Sounds good," you reply, making your way to your bedroom to change. As you slip into a pair of jeans, you can't help but feel a sense of anticipation building inside you.

You return to the room, a sense of suspense coursing through you as Mingyu holds out a denim jacket. His next request catches you off guard. "Um, remove my shirt and bra and just wear the jacket?" you repeat, your voice slightly shaky with surprise.

Mingyu nods, a determined look in his eyes as he hands you a picture from the folder. "Yeah, I saw this pose and thought it would look great on you," he explains, his tone confident.

You take a deep breath, feeling a surge of nerves and excitement as you strip off your shirt and bra, leaving you with just the jacket. Clutching the picture in your hand, you mimic the pose, trying to channel the same confidence and allure as the model in the photo.

As you hold the pose, he snaps away with the camera, capturing the moment from every angle. "Perfect," he murmurs, a hint of admiration in his voice as he reviews the shots.

Suddenly, Mingyu's voice breaks the silence, pulling you out of your reverie. "Now, how about we try something a little more daring?" he suggests, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

You raise an eyebrow, intrigued by his suggestion. "Oh? That would be?" you ask, your curiosity piqued.

Mingyu hands you another picture from the folder, his gaze intense as he meets your eyes. "I want you to remove the jacket and just cover your chest," he says, his voice low and husky with desire.

You swallow nervously, feeling a rush of heat flood through you at his words. With trembling hands, you remove the jacket, leaving your chest exposed as you cover yourself with your arms.

Mingyu watches you intently, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he captures the moment with his camera. "Beautiful," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper as he continues to snap away.

But he's not done yet. "Turn around," he instructs, his voice firm but gentle. "Place your hands behind your back, in your pockets."

You obey his command, feeling a thrill run through you as you follow his instructions. The cool breeze brushes against your exposed breasts, sending a shiver down your spine as your nipples harden in response.

Mingyu continues to photograph you, you can't help but feel a sense of exhilaration coursing through you. This photoshoot has taken an unexpected turn, but you find yourself embracing the moment, eager to see where it leads.

As you stand there, feeling a mix of exhilaration and uncertainty, you hear Mingyu's voice behind you. "You look really stunning," he murmurs, his words sending a thrill down your spine.

You turn to face him, a faint blush tinting your cheeks as he moves closer, reaching out to adjust your hair with gentle fingers. His touch sends a shiver of anticipation racing through you.

Mingyu then leans in closer, his breath warm against your ear. "Why don't we go all out?" he whispers, his voice low and husky. "Why don't you take off all your remaining clothes? We can recreate the birth of Venus. You already look perfect, so let's give it a go."

You meet his gaze, your heart pounding in your chest as you consider his proposal. His eyes are dark with desire, burning with a hunger that mirrors your own.

In that moment, you feel a surge of courage coursing through you. With a nod, you take a deep breath and begin to remove your remaining clothes, baring yourself to him completely.

You stand there, vulnerable and exposed, you can't help but feel a sense of liberation washing over you. Mingyu's eyes drink in every inch of your naked form, his admiration evident in the way he looks at you.

As the last click of the camera signals the end of the shoot, Mingyu's words bring you back to reality. "It's done," he declares, his voice filled with satisfaction as he sets the camera down on the table.

With a sense of relief, you start to gather your clothes, eager to cover yourself and return to some semblance of normalcy.

But before you can fully clothe yourself, Mingyu's voice stops you in your tracks. "Wait," he says, his tone commanding yet gentle.

Confused, you turn to look at him, your hands still clutching your clothes to your chest. His eyes are filled with lust as he walks towards you, a hunger burning within him that sends a thrill through your veins.

You swallow nervously as he cups your face in his hands, his touch sending electric sparks dancing across your skin. Closing your eyes, you lean into his touch, anticipation building in the air as you wait for his next move.

And then it happens. Mingyu leans in, his lips brushing against yours in a gentle caress. It's a slow, languid kiss, filled with passion and thirst as you melt into each other's embrace.

Feeling emboldened by the intensity of the moment, you drop your clothes, wrapping your arms around Mingyu to deepen the kiss. His response is immediate, his hands roaming eagerly over your body as he pulls you closer, his desire evident in every touch.

With a soft gasp, you feel Mingyu's hand on his pants, lowering them along with his boxers to let his cock free. Your breath catches in your throat as you feel him aligning it along your entrance, the anticipation sending a shiver of excitement coursing through you.

As Mingyu slides his length inside you, you let out a soft moan, the sensation of him filling you completely overwhelming your senses. His hands wrap around your butt, lifting you effortlessly off the ground, and you instinctively wrap your legs around him, clinging to him tightly as he begins to move.

With each thrust, he sets a rhythm that sends waves of pleasure coursing through your body. You find yourself moving in sync with him, using your arms to pull yourself up and down on him, your legs squeezing his waist to grip him tighter.

His lips find yours in a passionate kiss, adding an extra layer of intensity to the already electric atmosphere. You lose yourself in the moment, the world fading away as you focus solely on the feeling of Mingyu inside you, the rhythm of your bodies moving in perfect harmony.

As you reach your climax together, the pleasure crashes over you in a tidal wave, your bodies trembling with the force of your release. Pressing your foreheads together, you lock eyes with Mingyu, sharing a moment of pure connection as you cum together inside you.

Still clinging to him, he squeeze your ass, the sensation sending a shiver of pleasure down your spine. Mingyu's words break the silence, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and satisfaction. "If this is what you meant for being a guinea pig," he says, his tone teasing yet sincere, "then count me in for every experiment."

Laughing at his playful remark, you reluctantly unwrap your legs from around him as he gently sets you back down on the ground. Despite the lingering warmth of your connection, you know there are practical matters to attend to.

"Shower sounds amazing right now," you say with a grin, feeling a sudden pang of hunger as you remember the food Mingyu brought. "And food too, definitely food."

Mingyu nods in agreement, a smile playing on his lips as he reaches for your hand. "Lead the way," he says, his voice soft and reassuring as he follows you towards the bathroom.

As you step into the shower together, the warm water cascading over your bodies, you can't help but feel a sense of intimacy and closeness with Mingyu. The simple act of washing each other's skin becomes a tender gesture of care and affection, deepening the bond between you.

After the shower, you wrap yourselves in towels and make your way to the kitchen, where you find the food Mingyu brought earlier waiting for you. Sitting down at the table together, you share a meal.

You then started to set up your laptop to export the pictures from the photoshoot, eager to see the results of your collaboration. As you browse through the images, you can't help but feel a sense of pride at the work you've created together.

With a satisfied smile, you lean back in your chair, feeling grateful for the day you've shared with Mingyu. As you look at him, a sense of warmth fills your heart, knowing that you've found someone who's willing to go on this journey with you, one photoshoot at a time.

....... ≿━━━━༺MINGYU༻━━━━≾ .......

[dropsnectar]

Pollen and Potions: Bee-men x afab!reader

PART TWO

Some fluff and a little spice. Don't know if ill do the smut in part three or four, we will see how things develop. Either way it gets hot so! You were warned!

You woke up the next morning with a huge headache. Not a great start to a day where you were scheduled to do large batches of magic.

You swore as you got up, swore as you made your coffee, swore as you did some last minute rereading of the soil testing spell you already knew by heart.

You tried to nap, but couldn't get your sore muscles to relax, so Lyith found you in quite a disgruntled mood. He frowned.

“We can do this tomorrow if you are not feeling well. You smell like you are about to throw a fit.”

You shook your head and took a long, cleansing breath.

“I'm really fine. Im excited about meeting your friend though. Its not everyday you meet a Bee-man.” You cracked a small smile.

Lyith gave you one last appraising look before sighing and beckoning you out of the house. Once you were on the porch step he held out his arms. You stared at him, eyes raised.

“Uh, do you want another hug? For support or something?”

His nose flared and he seemed to be failing to keep a straight face.

“It'll be faster to fly you to the hive. Its a good five mile walk for you if we don't. And with so much to do, I doubt my friend is going to be patient with us.”

You blinked.

“Oh. Um. Okay.” Your heart tightened. You started to feel a little sick.

“If you are scared of heights, I will stay close to the ground. It is faster that way anyway.”

He reached forward and patted your head affectionately. “I don't have to dodge branches that way, so it is a… “win win”? That's how the saying goes, right?”

His hand stayed on your head and you had to admit it made you feel a little braver. His smile was so gentle, it sent a wave of calm through you. 

“Yeah I can do that.” You swallow and force the ends of your lips upwards. 

Lyith holds his arms out again, and you walk into them, letting him hoist you up, and take off. The sound of his wings were particularly loud now and you noticed it had a habit of spreading his lemony scent around. 

You quickly diverted your attention to the feeling of the wind stretching back your skin. Which only made you realize that Lyith had nuzzled his neck close to your own face. You had to admit that the warmth felt nice against the cold spring air. It may have been Lyiths own way of making sure you didn't freeze too much. Your mind lingered on his touch, which was acting like a scarf, in the face of rollercoaster-like winds. Your stomach turned.

It was only 6 minutes until Lyith dropped you off in a small glade. The clearings floor was covered in grasses and large orange flowers. The flowers themselves were funnel shaped with purple star like splotches in the middle. The air was fragrant. 

Lyith grabbed your arm gently. Out from the other side of the clearing came what could only be another bee-man. Lyiths face lit up and he floated upwards, making a few excitable jerking motions. The other Bee-men copied his motions and let out a lovely hum sound, which Lyith harmonized. The two both looked at you and Lyith started the introductions.

“This is the witch I was talking about. And this-” he gestured to the bee-man by giving them a clingy hug. “-is Rena. She is a scholar, and also looks after a quarter of these… gardens, is the term you use. She has given you permission to use magic in her garden.”

“Only if you show me you can help, that is. Witches are so rare these days. I have to measure your…” she seemed to be chewing the word, “Qual-it-ications?”

“Qualifications.” Corrected Lyith, adjust some Rena's long strawberry blond hair. She had the same big black eyes as Lyith, but her form was shorter. Sturdier. But just as fluffy. Unlike Lyith, she had a second pair of hands, which she had crossed over her chest. Her gaze was curious, but her nose was slightly wrinkled in concern.

“Lyith speaks human the best of us. You are lucky to have met such a good orator. Now. What is it that you exactly plan to do?” her voice was deep and textured, as she jutted out her jaw.

You paused for a moment and held up a hand. You rummaged through your bag and pulled out some twine and popsicle sticks.

Lyith bit his lip like he was trying not to smile. Rena laughed openly. “You wish to do an art project?”

“No. If we are going to do this right, we need to be careful. I want to do experiments. First, we section three groups of flowers far away from each other so as not to contaminate eachotger. We use the twine and sticks to section those area off. Then, we do one group for the quick-grow powder, one group for the fertility spell, and one group of both. We will then keep track of them, and you guys will see which one keeps the most magic. You guys can tell magic quality by taste right?”

Rena nodded back at you, her expression a bit surprised. You continue.

“Ideally, we would have four different glens of these same flowers to compare. I'm not sure if the magic will be affected by rainwater. But I feel like it's a solid idea. Whichever works better for nectar quality, is what I'll use in case of emergency. If the fertility spell works properly, I can then help you guys grow your fields. But we wanna make sure that my magic is compatible with the flowers and your guyses nectar. I don't wanna accidentally poison you guys or something.” You scratch the back of your head awkwardly.

Lyith smiled over at Rena, who was nodding as she seemed to be thinking.

“Tell you what, ill give you two glens. One for your powder, one for the fertility spell. At one end of the both the glens you can do both. Sound good?”

You smiled. “Fantastic.”

From their, the three of you got to work sectioning off the ends of the glade. Rena herself flew off and sectioned the other glade herself, while you tested the soil. After the third time of getting the same reading, you calculated your powder amount. It was very important to get the amounts right. If you got it wrong, they would get one huge flower, and a comatose witch all at once. 

You did your spell, and it seemed to work, a more potent smell sweeping through the clearing. You continued your work, taking your time to channel your power as not to stress yourself out and mess with results. You were flown to the other glen, and did your thing. 

When you were finished, one clearings wildflowers had grown their reach twice as far, and the other flowers had grown to be the size of a human head. But it was the combination spell that really seemed to excite Rena. The flower's hue had changed from mostly orange, to mostly purple, and the scent had shifted to something headier.

“These more closely resemble the flowers of old! And they smell perfectly nutritious!”

Lyith chirped in. “The real test is to see how they will age. We don't know how long the magic will last. If the soil will breed more.”

You smile. “Thats what the experiments for. We wait, and each week you tell me if the magic quality has gone down.” 

Admiring the flowers, Rena grabbed one and flew towards you. She put the flower in your hands, then motioned to you as if it was a teacup. “Drink.”

Experimentally you tipped the flower to your mouth. A hint of nectar trickled in. It was sweet, but unlike your normal honeysuckle, their seemed to be a kick to it. Your gaze went back to Rena. She gave you a knowing smile. “Thats what your magic tastes like. It will make such good honey. Thank you.”

With that she leapt forward and gave you a huge hug. She smelled citrusy too, but in a different way, almost tropical. Her hair tickled your neck and ears, as she purred in contentment. She stayed there for a minute longer, seemingly giving you a warm nuzzle before pulling away. It wasn't until she did so that you were able to register how tired and sore your body was. You were shivering. The cold was getting to you now.

Lyith noticed immediately and drew himself close to you. “Is it too cold? I knew we should have waited a day. You've overdone it.” He then threw his arms around you, and started rubbing your arms, your back. He was using the friction and closeness to bring you warmth. It was innocent, but your cheeks warmed just a little too quickly. 

Rena watched and grabbed onto your free arm. “You'll get manasick at this rate. I've got a shelter nearby. Its no hive, but the heat will do you some good.” It seemed that Rena had decided she liked you, because she kissed your cheek twice before motioning the three of you onward.

Lyiath took you up in his arms again, the pressure of his touch much more intense. 

Its just to maintain heat. You tried to convince yourself. 

You had spent a lot more time spellcasting then you thought, as you noticed the sun was starting to set behind the trees. You tried to get Lyiths attention, perhaps you should be heading home instead, but it was very hard to do as you guys were hurtling through the air at 20mph. 

You passed through a few more fields of flowers then made it to a small structure. It was an off-white, sort of oblong shed. It truly looked like some human sized animal cocoon. There was a ridge, which Rena pulled away using her glowing light magic. 

When you all went inside, you were glad to find the structure warm. Light radiated from the ceiling, as if their was a glowing cloud above. In the middle of the room was a yellow orb that radiated heat. There wasn't much else in the room except for… a beanbag chair? 

Rena saw you staring and gushed, “I saw it in a shop window on one of our grocery trips! You humans make the silliest things sometimes!! Look!!” She maneuvered you over and onto it with relative ease. The cushion was heaven to your aching limbs. That, coupled with the radiating heat from the orb, started to make you relax. Sleepy even.

Lyith and Rena took their seats on the floor next to you, seeming comfortable. The room was full of light that made their black eyes shine. Lyith, looked at you with concern, and started fussing over you, pulling your sleeves over your wrists and inching you closer to the orb. 

“You haven't eaten since lunch! Its already dusk.” he tutted, pulling your hair over onto one shoulder. He always had this habit of touching you whenever he could. It must be a Bee-man trait.

You looked over at Rena, who had decided to pass the time by examining your fingers; Then lacing them with hers. Her antennas were twitching about in an adorable way, meaning she must have been pleased. You let her touch you, happy for the companionship. If a human had touched you as much as Rena and Lyith did, you would be beyond flustered, but for some reason, the two of them made you feel safe. Comfortable. 

“I might have an old granola bar in my bag.” You volunteered groggily. Lyith took the bag from your lap and started going through it carefully. You spent that time marveling over just how cute he was. His fluff, more pronounced around the neck and chest, seemed even more fluffy after all the high speed flying. A part of you just wanted to go over and hug him like a big teddy bear. Affection filled your heart.

“No, I don't see anything.” He frowned, rearranging everything back into your bag.

Rena clasped your hand harder, you looked over and saw her smile at you.

“Oh thats fine, I still have some nectar I collected from earlier. Do you want some?” She batted her eyelashes.

Lyith quirked an eyebrow, before staring “ Rena-”

Without waiting for an answer, Rena moved forward and brought her lips to yours, locking in a tight kiss. Too shocked to move, you felt her tongue on yours, then a sudden rush of sweetness. It kept coming, filling your mouth until you were forced to swallow it down. You sputtered, whole body now hot.

“I-wah?” 

Lyith looked like he was trying to contain his laughter. “Rena doesn't spend much time with humans, please forgive her. But just know that sharing nectar this way is very normal for us.” Despite this, a glint of mischief started to twinkle in his eyes, a smirk on his lips.

“ Oooh um really?” You sputter.

He nodded. “You didn't get a lot to drink though. I took some nectar from your garden before I picked you up. Would you like to try it? The magic will refortify you.”

He bent over until he was eye level with you. His eyes went to your lips, then back up to your gaze. You swallowed quickly, opening your mouth to say… something? But Lyith took this as an invitation, pushing his lips to yours. His mouth tasted sweet even before the nectar came. And this somehow was better. Just like the nectar from the flower earlier, there was a small tartness, a bite.

Lyith held you close to himself, the pressure of his body pleasant. A warmth started to curl in your stomach as he pulled you even closer, tipping you back into Rena, who embraced you from behind as you drank. You somehow managed to swallow as he pushed your lips together even tighter, his tongue teasing yours as he fed you. 

You were not sure how long this went on. But you knew you were full, and you were dizzy when he finally pulled away, his eyes glassy. His gaze was heated as he stared you down. It was as if he might change his mind and eat you up himself. You gasped for breath, eyes fixed on him. The room was filled with purring noises from both of them. You could feel the vibrations through both of their chests. You swallowed thickly.

After what felt like an eternity, Lyith straightened himself up and his expression changed to one of laughter. He giggled then bumped his forehead against yours affectionately. Rena gave a little giggle herself then a hum behind you.

“If you're feeling better now, can we fly you home?” Lyith offered. You nodded dumbly, still shaking off the heavy atmosphere which had now turned light. You mumbled your goodbye to Rena, and explained you'd be back in a week to check on the progress of the flowers. She beamed and gave you another hug. Whatever reservations she had had about you in the beginning seemed to be gone now. You gave her one last wave before letting Lyith scoop you up again for the third time today. 

The ride home went by in a flash. The moon shone light onto your porch as he dropped you off. 

“I'll be back tomorrow for your garden.” He breathed, his face the same happy calm it usually was. His antennas twitched as you nodded at him. He leaned foreward and kissed your cheek.

“Get some rest. You did good today.” He didn't wait for an answer before he flew off into the night. 

You knew he had probably been referring to all the magic you had been working today, but a part of you hoped that maybe he had been referring to something else. You slapped your cheeks. 

“Hes a Bee-man.” You tried to remind yourself. You repeated it a few more times that night, as if it would help with your stupid warming cheeks, and pooling gut.

***

Part Three

Hi everybody! This part was a bit longer than the others but I hope you enjoy! So it turns out that bees do kiss! They share food and information this way through a process called trophallaxis. Hope that doesn't ruin the mood for you. Anywho, thanks for reading!

[kissingchoso]

boyfriend!choso fulfilling your greatest fantasy and being ghostface for halloween.

cw: mask kink, degradation, shitty writing.

y’all this is my short horny piece for halloween so lol enjoy to the 5 peeps who will read this

you think you’re on the other side of the club away from him. you periodically check the many party goers and their costumes around you to ensure you don’t see a long, white mask. you’re walking away from the bar when you felt your phone vibrate and a message popping up across your screen that has your heart palpating faster than normal.

“i see you.”

you whip your head to the left and right, scanning the sea of drunken adults for a familiar silhouette but none comes. you’re about to step forward to change your location but someone from behind you catches your wrist before you can take another step. whipping your head around, you’re met with an all too familiar mask staring down at you. the lights are too dim in the party to make out the eyes, but just from the familiar grip alone, you know you’re staring up at your boyfriend.

he says your name once, tugging you closer until you’re chest to chest with him. “caught you,” he says with his normal tone, but you can make out a hint of smugness in there.

your glossed lips pout up at him, upset that he found you only five minutes into this little game of hide and seek you started.

“you do have a height advantage,” you complained, reaching up to push the mask up over his face so that it rests on the top of his head. you had the pleasure of adding some more makeup on his face, adding a dark eyeshadow around his eyes and even creating some false scars on his cheekbones and jaw.

“you never gave me any rules,” choso says before stepping forward, hand coming to rest on your hips.

you frown a little bit before you look up at his eyes, noting the way his face still had hints of a smirk, proud for completing his simple task of finding you.

“well, you won fair and square, i guess. what do you want then?”

choso pauses to stare at you. he’d never thought this far. while he didn’t doubt his abilities to find you in this crowded space, he wasn’t necessarily doing it for the purpose of winning. he just found himself at your side naturally, despite the space between you two. so while he racked his brain for simple prizes he could claim, he thought back to earlier while you two were getting ready for this evening.

you were seated on his lap, finishing his very basic makeup look. when you had finished with adding the makeup around his eyes, the iconic mask was slipped over his face and he remembers staring at you through the spaces of the eyes and remembering the subtle way your lower lip found its way between your teeth and the way your eyes flicked up and down to scan his body before you shyly shot up and finished getting ready yourself.

maybe choso can use this to his advantage.

“i have an idea.” is all he can offer you.

the next ten minutes are a blur. because in the first few minutes he’s dragging you out of the club with his mask pulled back down and in the next you’re laying in the back seat of his dodge challenger with his large body looming over you. everything about his aura has changed. nothing like your service dom boyfriend who usually waits for you to give him the go ahead. it’s swapped with this arrogant man who tells you nothing but simple commands.

he tells you to strip, you strip.

take his cock out, you’re undoing the button and zipper of his jeans before tugging them down with his boxers.

he adjusts the both of you in his car so he’s now seated comfortably. “fuck yourself on it, sweetheart.” he commanded with a muffled voice underneath his mask.

and god, this is the only time you hesitate. on any normal occasion, your boyfriend is horribly against this sort of thing but you’re proven wrong the moment he fists for the back of your hair, wrapping the locs around his fist.

“did i fucking stutter?”

“n-no, mr. ghostface,” you stammer out, fresh tears springing up in your eyes but choso knows it’s for show. he can fucking smell your arousal from underneath your tiny skirt.

“then do what i say and fuck yourself stupid on my cock. and don’t stop until i tell you to.”

“y-yes!”

happy halloween 🎃

[foldingfittedsheets]

Hi Bed Guru! I'm curious about your thoughts and any advice you can give about adjustable beds. Is it basically just the base/frame? Do they need special or specific mattresses? Are they worth it, especially for someone with arthritis (knees, back, shoulders, etc)?

Yeah so instead of having a box spring and a frame, an adjustable base goes right under the mattress and replaces both. You can have a wooden frame around one for aesthetics, but the base holds the bed up and moves it around without the need for anything else.

Adjustable bases. Are. The. Tits. They are so good. There is a million problems they can help with aside from just being comfy as hell. Arthritis and general pressure is one of them.

Ideally if you can convert to back sleeping they can help you the best but you can still get benefits as a side sleeper.

Raising your head even 6” helps with tons of stuff from snoring, sleep apnea, acid reflux, it can help ease sleep apnea but obviously one shouldn’t ditch their machine. It can reduce migraine symptoms in long term studies and is just all around comfy.

Now some folks have tried to use multiple pillows or wedge pillows. The problem with multiple pillows is that every time you need to wake up and adjust them you’re losing sleep, and the wedges are high so they don’t work for most people. The base can sit up in bed to read, watch tv, whatever, then go back down to sleeping height.

Having the legs up makes your lower back way happier, it helps blood to circulate better. There’s a reason people love sleeping in recliners an the base turns your bed into an even better recliner. I can’t say enough good things. Head and feet up create something that got dubbed “zero gravity” which is your body without pressure points. Very useful for achey joints, and the reason adjustable bases got their start in hospitals.

Those features are enough. Head up and down are where all the good stuff is. I personally love my base which has memory settings so I can hit one button to go from sleeping position to recliner position. Mine also has massage which helps me fall asleep way faster. Those features are extra and not strictly necessary but I think they’re great.

There’s even fancier ones with speakers and USB ports and all sorts of stuff so you can go as tricked out as you want but all the basic health benefits are at the bottom end when head and feet elevate. Everything else is just convenience.

As for which beds- almost all modern beds are compatible with adjustable bases. The only kind that’s incompatible are the veryyyy old interconnected coil beds. They’re not very common nowadays because power bases are so ubiquitous that beds need to flex with them.

[overly-dramatic-artist]

On the Horizon - prologue

Hello friends! As per the voice of the people, the Wild West au is being written into a fic! I’m still building the world and some plot details, but here is a small little appetizer of a prologue! Thank you for all of the love and enthusiasm that you have shared with me about this au!

The memories of this town remain, like the grains of desert sand caught in the folds of leather boots and saddles. Nothing truly leaves this place. The plant may be plucked, but the roots that get ripped by the stubborn ground are trapped, not unlike the years spent in innocence under the scorching sun and surrounded by the unforgiving mountain range.

You pull on the reign, effectively halting the steed hauling your small wagon you sit upon, as you see the more defined structures of Aurora Springs come into view against the glowing sunlight that sinks lower against the purple mountains. There’s an ache in your chest, a tightness in your lungs as you breathe in the dry air, remnants of your past rushing forward like a dust storm, unyielding as the laughter of childhood wonder and honeyed words of your mother embrace your subconscious.

Her final letter sits in the tight space between your chemise and vest, over your heart and folded just as it had remained for the past 6 years.

And on the opposite side against your hip is your father’s holster and pistol, tucked discreetly into a deep pocket of your skirt.

A letter of love. An object of protection.

The only pieces you had left of your parents that had driven you to abandon the notion of mercy.

You had become a product of this desert, unrelenting and unforgiving.

………..

Some things in life never change. The out of tune piano across the bar. The shattered glass window that has been long since in need of repair. The suede leather chaps Sun had worn for years. The casual look of disdain on his lunar counterpart’s face as patrons yap and jabber. And of course, the unfounded and quite frankly stupid belief of man that this time for sure he will win.

With a round of loud groans and laughs, Sun collects his winnings from the table, much to the anger of the drunk man who had refused to fold before losing everything.

“So sorry, gentlemen, looks like I win again,” the sunny automaton says, the faux-sympathy of his synthetic voice further riling his red-faced opponents.

The man with the heavily oiled mustache and britches two sizes too short frowns, spits at the floor and stands with a screech from his chair.

“You been counting the cards! Ain’t right for a cheater to win.”

“Come now, good sir, I renounce rule-breaking. If you truly thought me a cheat, you shouldn’t have played the game.” Sun tilts his grin towards the man before slowly standing to his impressive height, one hand cradling over the grip of the pistol in his leather holster. “But I suppose we could always settle this like proper men…?”

The glint of the low bar-lighting on the silver gun that hits the angered man’s eye is enough of an answer, and the loser leaves in a huff, stomping away from the table.

Not long after settling all bets and debts, the lunar and solar automatons leave, saddling up their horses roped in the stalls.

”No need wasting a gunshot for the sake of petty cash,” the dark one says, his red eyes reflecting on the black rim of his hat, stomping the last embers of his cigar into the ground.

“You of all should know I don’t take well to being called something so despicable as a cheater,” Sun playfully shoots back. “Besides, I could get a couple rounds more with what I won.”

Moon clicks his teeth at his partner, adjusting the rifle slung over his back before signaling with the reins for Astraea to start moving. The horse brays, leading Calliope to follow.

As usual, the lunar bot remains silent for the ride through town, keeping his gaze forward. Sun was good at filling the silence, or at the very least, making the pair seem slightly less intimidating to onlookers. Their line of work came with that deadly connotation, and they lived up to their titles, but a bit of charm and camaraderie was useful for keeping the townsfolk in good favor. A nod to the miners coming back from the canyons, a wink at the courtesans on the corner.

Passing one of the bulletin boards by town hall, Moon pulls the reins to a halt with a hum. Sun looks where his partner is fixing his eyes, an identical smile pulling his lips. On the rotting wood bulletin is a newly pinned poster. A wanted poster. With an intriguingly high priced bounty wanted alive.

“I was looking forward to a weekend fixing that fence in the east pasture…” Sun says, pulling the poster down, letting his fingers trace over the details of the pretty face printed in ink, “…but I can’t pass up such an offer.”

His lunar lover laughs with a shake of his head.

“Does it say where they last were?”

“Stormridge, headed west.” Sun passes the paper to Moon. “Could already be here in town.”

The red-eyed bot hums, pulling a cigarette from his coat pocket and lighting it with the exposed wire on his wrist with a hiss. He lets his systems take in the smoke, the tarry buildup caressing the roughness within his casing. With an artificial exhale, he looks back at his partner.

“I suppose we should go get those rounds then.”

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Ahhhhhhhh!!! I hope that is enticing and intriguing for a beginning!

And for anyone who hasn’t seen this au before, here are some of my sketches for it 💖

[frankinstainz-baby]

Mating season_donnie

The setting was the start of a hard time for the turtles, mating season. Mikey was playing video games to distract himself, but his horny urges were still high. Donnie was cooped up in his lab working on some new gadgets to help sooth his nerves, still not helping him. Leo was meditating to help but it only worked for a while. Raph was going hard at his weights and punching bagSuddenly, they all turn their heads as they hear my footsteps echoing off the sewers cold hard walls. "Hey my favorite boys!" I say joyfully, clearly not understanding what I just got myself intoThey see my tight white tank top that just barely shows my cleavage, my mini skirt fitting tightly on me, my rear slightly peaking out at the bottom. "O-oh um hey angel cakes" mikey says in a shaky tone as his eyes travel down my body, his boner getting more turned on. "what are you doing here (y/n)?" Leo says while gently biting his lip, donnie and raph coming out as they hear the new voice. They freeze in place as they see it's me, "oh just checking on you guys, i haven't been here for a while." I say while looking up at Leo with an innocent smile"Well being here right laced now is not the best time..." raph says as his voice is gruff and with lust. "Why not big red?" walk over to where Raph and Donnie are at with a confused expression. "Donnie would you like to explain? Leo says as he creeps up behind me, looking down at me as he bites his lip.

Smirking, "It's...mating season (y/n)" Donnie says as he blushes and adjusts his pants to help with the tightness. I look up at him confused, not quite understanding what he means"Yeah angel cakes, the time where we're all ready for-" "That's enough mikey." Raph cuts mikey off mid sentence, looking at him with an intimidating gaze. Mikey looks slightly scared and goes back to looking at me with a teasing face. "Fine Raph, see you later angel cakes-" mikey winks and walks back to his room, slowly moving out of my visionI blush, raph then grumbles something under his breath and walks away to his gym. Leo takes a glance at me, and takes a deep breath and walks back to his room. Donnie takes my hand, i look confused as he pulls me towards his lab. He sits me up on his table and stands in front of me, towering over me with his tall height compared to my smaller height. "Donnie-" i get cut off when he crashes his lips into mine, using one of his hands to hold my head in place. I blush intensely and kiss back, his hand rubs my thighWe start breathing heavilyHe pulls away to catch his breath. "I-im sorry (y/n), I just couldn't control myself, you just looked so pretty and that scent omg-" he says while blushing heavily. I lean forward and whisper to him, "please.....give me more…” I say in a pleading way while blushing, i've had a crush on donnie for awhile now and i finally can let that secret free. He looks shocked, his face forming into a smirk, and lust filled gaze, as you wish, baby-". He goes back to kissing me, slipping his tongue into my mouth. I noan at the feeling, and dance my tongue with his. He pushes me back, and his kiss starts to get more aggressive. He sits in his chair, pulling me down to make me straddle his lap. I grind at his bulge, rubbing our crotches together. He groans and grunts while i let out soft whimpers and moans. He makes me straddle his thigh while he unbuckle his belt and pulls his pants down with his boxers. His cock springing out, I blush and gulp at the sight, it's almost the size of my forearm. "T-thats not gonna fit-, he chuckles, "sweetheart, 1'11 make it fit. Stretch you out real good.. I blush, he reaches his hands under my thighs, and practically rips my panties and skirt off. I gasp, he rips off my shirt along with my bra. He groans as he sees ne in my nude state, "wow, didn't think you would look this good-" he blushes, hovers me over his cock, lining up his cock head that's leaking with precum to my wet cunt. He slowly pushes in, parting my lips with his fat cock. I whimper and bite my lip at the new feeling, "o-oh donnie..-". I breathe harder as he groans while pushing in. "ah fuck such a pretty, tight cunt... He slowly begins to jerk his hips, pushing his way in. I whimper and moan at the feeling. He lets out grunts and groans as he pushes himself all the way in. "ah baby..-". He starts thrusting at a faster and harder pace. His breathing grows harder, he grips onto my thighs and spreads them more to go deeper. "Ah!- oh god!- Donnie!-". I moan louder at the changes, I've never felt this good ever in my life. I grip onto his shoulders and bite his neck to muffle my moans. "Mn- (y/n)-" he reaches a hand down, and uses one of his thick digits to tease my clit. I noan louder and squirm around hin. "Oh babydoll-. He moans out and goes faster, feeling close to his release. "Donnie, I'm so close..-". I bite harder and clench around him, He nods his head, "Me too..-". He thrust deeper, I come on his cock, he moans and pulls out and comes on my chest. "Oh my god that was incredible. I whimper softly, he sits ne on his desk. "Yeah, that felt so amazing... He pulls up his pants and picks up my clothes, he slides my underwear on and brings me a towel to clean aff his spunk. "Oh i'm sorry for being so rough with you, i just got a little too excited.". He looks worried that he hurt ne. "It's ok baby. I really enjoyed it.". I say as I clean off my chest and put my shirt on. "Ok good.." he smirks and looks at ne, another round?-..

[cursingtoji]

SANDY!!! The way i ran here after seeing your event 🥹 Jiraiya with 46 plsplspls 💕 congrats on 3k sweets <3<3

❛ 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑢𝑠? ❜ ┊ cause he can’t stay away from his pretty girl, not even when she’s in a public hot spring

plus when you have been apart for too long ┊fem!reader x husband!Jiraiya, public sex, pussy eating cause he does that it’s canon, anal stim, creampie ┊ The Clichés ™

You ask your husband as he starts to kissing you in a way you know where it’s going to end.

Prior to that, you were just returning for an assignment, before leaving the village you were at you sent a letter to him, saying you would stop by this onsen on your way and arrive fully rested in the morning.

Jiraiya, being the impatient man he is, couldn’t wait to see you, specially after being apart for too long.

The idea was to surprise you in your room (laying naked on your bed with a rose in his mouth), but once he saw how empty the place was and peeking at the women onsen — cause old habits never die, although he swears your bare body was the only one he wanted to see — he sneaks in silently until he’s right next to you.

“Hello beautiful” he whispers squatting beside you.

“Jiraiya!” you yelp opening your eyes and looking over your shoulder, “You know this is the women’s area, right?”

But that doesn’t stop the old man from discarding the towel around his waist and entering the hot waters.

“Something about the ‘men are forbidden’ sign at the entrance tipped me off” he kneels holding your waist and getting close enough for you to feel his excitement against your stomach, “Couldn’t wait to see my pretty girl.”

You look at the entrance, afraid someone might catch you two.

“What if someone sees us?”

Jiraiya keeps trailing his kisses down until he wraps his lips around your nipple flicking it with his tongue, he loves how warm your skin is, how soft… in fact he loves everything about you, his closed ones might even say he’s obsessed about you.

“I’m sure we are breaking a law here” you whisper but can’t find yourself doing anything to stop your husband from picking you up and placing you on a rock where your bottom half would be off the water and directly on his mouth’s height as you feel his breath fanning over your folds.

“You’re worth it” he blinks before going fully down on you while holding the back of your thighs. The first thing he notices is how actually hot your pussy is, hotter than normal, just the touch of his chapped lips against your lower lips are enough to make you flinch.

“Jiraiya, wait, I think I’m quite sensitive because of the hot water” you hold on to his white locks.

“Is that so? We should come to places like this more often then” he kisses your inner thigh until your clit carefully minding your sensitiveness. Being apart all this time makes him appreciate your natural scent even more, giving it a long sniff that makes your face heat up at his lack of shame. Even after being together for years his vulgarity still manages to surprise you.

He moves your thighs to his shoulder where he can balance you better and free his hands to play with your tits as he devour your cunt.

“S’ good, love” you mumble with your head throw back, one hand one top of the one pinching your nipple.

Jiraiya sucks your clit working two fingers into your whole as you whine and close your shaky legs around his head.

“Oh sweetheart, you really are sensitive, aren’t you?” he chuckles.

“Y-Yeah, it’s been a long time since we— agh” his thick digits rubs your sweet spot.

“So you missed your old man playin’ with this pussy?” he flattens his tongue on your clit as you rock your hips on his face, “Fuck” he curses retreating one hand that held your hips, “Hold yourself, love” your adjust yourself on the rock so you don’t fall from his shoulders. Jiraiya starts to stroke himself, too aroused by the taste and feeling of your cunt to not do anything.

“Baby” you moan pulling his hair as you feel your orgasm approaching, “Don’t— I wanna cum with you” your whiny tone and teary eyes are everything to him.

“Of course, doll” he maneuvers you down his showers until you wrap your legs around his waist and he holds you by your asscheeks.

“You haven’t even kissed me hello” you pout.

“Haven’t I?” he kisses your cheek, “You sure?” he kisses the other.

“Jiraiya” you call his name in a scolding tone he loves.

“Come to daddy then” he closes his lips on your bottom one, sucking and licking it just like he did earlier to your clit.

The old man guides his cock to your hole and he takes advantage of your gasp getting his tongue inside your mouth, shamelessly making out with his wife so publicly.

He adjusts his grip on you and pulls out just a bit before thrusting again, he felt his own sweat trailing down his body, the humid environment combining with both your sweats generating a loud wet sound of skin slapping skin.

“Jiraiya~ too loud” you moan.

“Afraid someone will hear the sound of my balls hitting your ass?” he bites your neck, “Relax, love” his middle finger moves into the crack of your ass until it reaches your puckered hole, pressing it until it takes his digit, “If someone sees us— ugh” he cuts himself when you tight up around his cock having your asshole stimulated, “I’ll just have to take them down.”

“Fuck—“ he presses his torso against you, hard pecks squeezing your soft breasts, “Too much~” he tries to synchronize the thrusts on your pussy with the pace on your ass.

“You’re taking me so well, sweetheart” his thrusts become sloppier and he’s back at sucking your tongue, “Cummin’ ugh— shit” he groans bullying your insides with his thick cock, turns out he was also more sensitive than usual. The chances of taking you in a hot spring more often become an actual possibility after this.

“Come inside, baby, fill me up” you bite his lip as he curses and increases the speed of his middle finger on your back, the doubled stimulation pushing you through the edge as you moan your husband’s name, “That’s right, princess take it all” he keeps thrusting even after emptying himself inside you, overstimulating himself.

Your head fall on his shoulder, peppering his neck with kisses.

“Baby I wish we could fuck here all night but I don’t wanna be expelled” you kiss his lips sweetly, “Let’s go to my room, yes?”

“You’re no fun” he pulls his soft cock out, carefully placing you down and helping wrap a towel around you.

“If you behave well tonight I might reserve a private spring for us tomorrow morning” you caress his chest, especially the sensitive skin around his scar.

“There’s a private spring here and you didn’t tell me?” he puts his hands on his hips in disbelief.

“Now go, you’re not supposed to be here” you push him away.

“Can’t believe this and i’m the one supposed to behave…” he walks off bare naked and you just hope he doesn’t cross with any lady coming in or she’ll have a 26 centimetres surprise.

[humanitys-strongest-bamf]

Unyielding Duty (Part 2) | #LeviMonth2024 Smut Two-Shot

✧ word count ➼ ~1.1k ✧ notes ➼ royal princess!reader x knight!levi, forbidden love, soulmates!au, smutty smut, technically part 2 to this but can be read on its own too ✧ comments ➼ levi month entry for august 9! like before, this got too long, so i split it into two parts and combined the respective tropes! ✧ content/warnings ➼ virgin!reader, afab!reader, p in v ✧ join my levi month taglist here!

{{ August 8 (Royalty + Soulmates Part 1) | August 19 (Post-War: Marriage) }} Masterlist

The minute you locked the door behind you was the moment that you gently pushed him onto the small tavern bed that you had been sleeping in, crawling on top of him and kissing him again.

His hands moved to cup your face, his fingers brushing against your soft skin, your kisses beginning to quickly deepen into something more passionate that indicated just how starved the both of you were for each other.

"Levi..." you whispered as his name fell from your lips, letting out gentle moans and gasps as you felt his lips trail lower, reaching the sensitive spot just below your earlobe. Your eyes were shut in pleasure from the sensation of finally feeling him against you.

You were treading dangerous territory. You were technically supposed to wait until marriage before engaging in any type of serious sexual activity, but you couldn't get yourself to give a damn.

"Take me," you rasped between breaths. "I don't want anyone else to but you."

You felt him pause for a split second as you vocalized your desires. He briefly glanced up at you, his jet black locks falling perfectly along his forehead.

"You sure?" he asked quietly, knowing that the risks the both of you were taking if you continued down this path.

Upon seeing you nod, he grasped your thighs firmly, leaning back into the bed so that you were fully straddling him. You gasped as you felt his erection rubbing against your clothed sex with every movement. As he nipped at your skin, he worked on removing your clothes, eventually exposing you to the warmth of the dimly lit room.

Levi let out a small moan upon seeing your breasts, and how your face was flushed so prettily for him, making his cock twitch in anticipation. Driven by both lust and a deep sense of affection for you, he quickly went to undo his own pants, letting his already hardened cock spring out in the process.

He palmed at your breast with one hand, with the other reaching down, rubbing his fingers against your slick folds, which earned a shudder to course through your body.

You whimpered as you felt him sink one of his digits into your heat to prepare you for what was to come. After sticking in another finger to stretch you out, he slowly began to pump them into you, rubbing up against your clit with the palm of his hand, with the faintest of smirks appearing on his face over how much you were already coated with your own arousal.

Withdrawing his fingers, he briefly went to pump at his shaft to coat himself with your essence, and to spread the bead of pre-cum that had gathered on his tip. He gently placed his palm on your hip to line you up with him, a barely restrained and breathy moan slipping out as he felt you begin to lower yourself.

He watched you gasp as his girth began to stretch you out, and it was taking everything in him to not begin thrusting up into you entirely. Biting down on his lip, he looked directly at you, pausing to make sure that you were okay and adjusting.

Once you gave him a nod of approval, he gently thrusted his hips again, a simultaneous moan emitting from the both of you once your hips connected.

You threw your head back as you felt him fill you up. It was forbidden and could even be considered heresy—a royal falling for her knight—but this was all you wanted.

He was large for his height, but you adjusted fairly quickly, slowly beginning to roll your hips against his. You crashed your lips down onto his as you continued to ride him, slowly speeding up with your breathing rapidly destabilizing as his cockhead continued to rub up against your sweet spot.

Levi held onto your hips tightly, leaning up into your kiss and swiping his tongue against your lips before making his way inside, swirling his tongue around yours as he released breathy moans that he could no longer hold back. He continued thrusting up while simultaneously bringing your hips down, focused on bringing the both of you to your climax.

His thrusts began to speed up, snapping his hips up into you as he felt your walls fluttering around his cock, signaling your impending climax. He reached one hand down, rubbing at your clit and relishing in the whines that came from you due to the added stimulation.

Your fingers dug into his shoulders as you felt that knot build and snap within you, burying your face into his shoulders and whimpering as he continued to fuck you through your orgasm.

His breath got caught in his throat as he felt his own climax rapidly approaching, letting out one final thrust as you felt him spill his warmth into you.

The two of you stayed still for a moment, with the only noise being your own panting from the exertion. You rested your forehead against his, a thin layer of sweat coating your skin, basking in the euphoria of finally being able to give into your desires.

You both knew that there would be consequences to losing your virginity to your knight, but you couldn't get yourself to care. All that mattered was him.

Finally collapsing next to him, you snuggled into his arms, burying your face into his chest, and taking immense comfort from his touch.

"...is it wrong to admit that I'm hopelessly in love with you?" you asked quietly, your voice muffled and barely audible.

Feeling your words resonate within him, Levi wrapped his arms tighter around you to hold you close.

"No," he whispered, placing a soft kiss on the top of your head. "I love you, too."

A small smile appeared on your lips as you heard his confession. It felt like you were made for each other, and that it just felt right to be with him, consequences be damned.

You stirred in his arms, allowing yourself to feel warm and relaxed for the first time in days. You gently drew circles on his bare chest with your fingers, silently listening to his heartbeat and breathing. You were finally able to see him as not just your knight, but also as your lover, even if it was ultimately forbidden.

"...stay with me a bit," you mumbled once you felt him begin to shift.

Levi froze at your request, settling back down against the cushion, pulling you in and planting another kiss on the top of your head.

As guilty as he felt for ultimately abandoning his duties for the night, he knew that this was what he had craved too. The consequences of your forbidden coupling could be dealt with tomorrow.

"Don't worry, Princess," he whispered softly. "I won't be going anywhere."

#: @shayewrites @littlerequiem @ackerbootytobbi @humanitys-strongest-brat @mostlilo @dustbuniesworld @levisrations @ebechnasheim @moonchild-angel @jayteacups @bipolargatto @samackermaan @deepzombieyouth @pickledpedro @levisfavoriteteashop @ackermanswifee

[syndrossi]

Reverberate AU Concept #2

Part 1 here. We're growing a plot because I am not capable of not doing so, apparently. Takes place roughly 3 months after the last, as we near the twins' first name day.

Aka "what if Resonant!Daemon woke up in the Stepstones shortly after the twins' conception, resolved the first Stepstones conflict in record time, and flew back to Runestone to convince Rhea to announce the pregnancy as her own?"

x~x~x

“Mooaw!” the voice on his left shoulder demanded. It was soon echoed by the one on his right. “Moooaw!”

Fighting back a grin, Daemon angled Caraxes upward for one more loop around Runestone and its northern coast. Spring had ushered itself in with great haste, quickly melting the remaining snow, until it had retreated back to only the very peaks of the mountains to the far west. The air was colder up high, but it lacked the bite of winter, and the very first wildflower blooms were visible in the grasslands.

As they neared the coast, Caraxes descended lower, passing over the occasional ship in the small bay. Most of the time, ships sailed past Runestone, their destination either Gulltown and eventually the Saltpans to ferry goods inland, or south to King’s Landing. One larger ship that they had passed last time heading northward had turned east, Daemon noted with interest, toward Runestone. It was difficult to make out details from their current height, but its giant mast seemed to be carved into the shape of a dragon’s head.

He ignored the demanding chant for more on their final descent, and Caraxes landed just outside the enclosure. As they neared their first name day, the twins were dangerously close to outgrowing Daemon’s own saddle-sling. He would need adjustments made soon.

He set them both down carefully, and they clung to a leg apiece to balance themselves before taking off as one toward Caraxes, whose contentment flowed easily through their bond as they grabbed for the smaller horns on his great head—though even those were far too large for such tiny hands to grasp.

It should not surprise him that they had already mastered the art of walking. Their first wobbling steps had come at nine moons, within a day of one another. They were yet too slow for their newfound mobility to greatly worry Daemon, but he feared when the day came that they could disappear of their own accord.

That was what Ser Willam was for, however. The dark-haired knight had stood in vigil at the enclosure during their ride, and watched the boys with alert eyes as they babbled to Caraxes. Their speech was growing more intelligible by the day, and Daemon took care to speak High Valyrian exclusively when alone with them, determined that neither would be forced to rely upon tutors to speak the tongue of their ancestors.

Free of his own saddle, Daemon came up behind the twins, mimicking the roar of a dragon as he swooped to pick them up in either arm, to delighted shrieks. “Let us bid Caraxes farewell,” he said to them. “And I shall fly you back to the castle.”

And fly they did, Daemon sprinting to the best of his ability with each tucked in one arm, growing heavier by the month. It no longer drew the same stares as it had the first few moons, though it was a struggle to maintain the breakneck speed for the full distance.

“You must not grow anymore,” Daemon informed them between pants once they’d reached the castle gates. He glanced behind to find Ser Willam trotting more leisurely to catch up. And ahead of them, Rhea had emerged from the castle to greet their return. Doubtless she had been watching from her solar.

“My brave dragonriders,” she said with a smile, kissing the boys on the cheek, and then Daemon. “We shall see if your father is so amicable when I take you out hawking.”

Daemon clutched the boys tighter, uncertain how he felt about them setting out on horse. “There are outlaws and hill tribesmen.”

To say nothing of the Craynes of the world who might be lurking for the opportunity to ambush and steal his children. His sons were safe up on Caraxes’s back. The same was not true of the roads and wilds of the Vale, which had seen them kidnapped before.

“Then we shall need brave knights to protect us,” Rhea said, nodding at Ser Willam.

Allard Stone—Willam’s squire this time, rather than legitimized and installed as keeper of the Gates of the Moon to further the plot to keep his sons hidden from him—slunk out of the shadows to stand at the knight’s side, shoulders tense in Daemon’s presence.

Rhea had intended for him to be yet another of the twins’ protectors, until Daemon had voiced his vehement objection through gritted teeth. His excuse had been that having a bastard guard the twins might call their own legitimacy into question, and that he was yet too green.

Rhea had been adamant, however, insisting that he be allowed to prove himself as Ser Willam’s squire. Perhaps the knight might make something of him, but Daemon would be damned before he let that cold-blooded snake near his children.

“They are yet too young,” Daemon said finally.

Rhea took Jon from him, bouncing him lightly in her arms. “What do you say, Jon?” She angled him toward the stables. “Would you like to ride with your mama on horseback sometime?” At his silence, she pointed at one that was out in the yard. “Can you say horsie?”

“Awazhee,” Jon said, with a stubborn loyalty that made Daemon smile.

“You ride Caraxes every day,” she said with a sigh. Rhea turned to Rhaegar, smiling at him with encouragement. “How about you, Rhaegar? Horsie with mama?”

His other son regarded her with uncertain purple eyes that looked to Daemon first, then back at her, then back at Daemon. Then he burst into tears. Daemon bounced him gently, and Jon began fussing, as he often did when his brother was upset, so he reclaimed him from Rhea.

“I fear you cannot compete with a dragon,” Daemon said, without the smugness he might ordinarily feel, because Rhea looked genuinely defeated by their reaction. “Perhaps some horse toys for their name day might change their minds?”

“Perhaps,” she said.

Rhaegar’s crying had subsided to sniffles, at which point Ser Willam drew his sword with a dramatic flourish, drawing the eyes of both babes. They quieted, staring as the knight angled the Valyrian steel blade back and forth to catch the sun. Jon reached out a hand, his chubby fist clenching and unclenching as though he wanted to hold it.

“That blade weighs half as much as you,” Daemon said, planting a kiss on the short locks of hair that had started growing in for both twins two moons ago.

Jon’s was lighter than he recalled, a brown almost like Rhea’s. He wondered if, like his and Rhaegar’s eyes, it would darken over time. Rhaegar’s own hair was almost completely silver currently, earning him the nickname of “old man” from Ser Willam, which both children found hilarious. Its final shade had been very near to Daemon’s own, but it was more than a little disconcerting just how similar in coloring Rhaegar was to his uncle Aemon in his first year.

Emotional turmoil averted, he dismissed Ser Willam to supervise Allard in the yard so that he would not have to contend with the sullen teenager lurking outside the solar. Rhea joined them for mealtime, which had progressed to the twins stubbornly trying to feed themselves and making an absolute mess in the process.

Daemon had a standing order in the kitchens for carrots and blueberries, but Rhea ensured there was always something new for them to try in addition to their staples. Today, it was a boiled cabbage that Rhea said had been a favorite of her mother’s. Jon chewed enthusiastically on his, once Daemon had cut it down to appropriate size, while Rhaegar seemed less convinced of its merits.

Maester Forsethe then poked his head in to summon Rhea to attend to lordly matters, leaving Daemon alone to clean up the mess afterward. He made ample use of the warmed water in the washing basin, then settled with both of them into a chair by the fire to read from an old collection of legends from the long history of House Royce, written for children.

Each tale had a full-page illustration that he let the twins study before moving on to the words themselves, but they seemed to derive their greatest enjoyment from his approximations of a wolf’s howl or the impact of a hurled boulder against the walls of a keep or even the chirping of birds.

There are no collections of tales for children of our own house, he thought with regret. And certainly none in High Valyrian. Perhaps I can find a suitable writer to commission such a work in King’s Landing, and translate into Valyrian.

“Woaf,” Jon demanded, head turning up to look at him.

Daemon pointed to the word on the page, then spoke its High Valyrian equivalent. “Zokla.”

Jon’s face scrunched up in determination. “Zogaa.” And when Daemon glanced at Rhaegar, his other son repeated it. “Zogaa.”

Daemon howled then, to squeals of amusement before his sons joined in, attempting to mimic him.

“Has a pack of wolves invaded my solar?” Rhea had returned, and though there was a smile on her face, it was a distracted one.

Daemon ceased his howling, feeling a stir of unease. “What is it?”

“I just received a delegation from Volantis that arrived in our port this afternoon. They seek an audience with you.”

His arms tightened around the twins, stomach twisting with equal parts fear and fury. “What do they want?”

It was a pointless question. He held what they wanted in his arms, in his very heart. Daemon glanced past Rhea, through the open doorway, his concern only partly allayed by Ser Willam’s presence outside it.

“They bear gifts for the twins, and a message from the triarchs for you and you alone. I was not permitted to receive it,” Rhea said, eyes narrowing as she noted his reaction. “One of them claims to be your cousin, by your aunt Saera.”

Daemon stared at her for a moment, thrown. He had assumed that his bastard cousins by his aunt Saera in Essos had either proved useless for Volantis’s plans before, or been killed by a warlock’s test. He had not thought he would ever meet one, let alone acting on behalf of the triarchs.

She had claimed to have carved out a kingdom of her own in Volantis, he recalled, spurning the opportunity to send any of her bastard sons to the Great Council to press their own claims. One of them had been the son of a triarch, if memory served. Whoever had been sent, presumably.

The twins had gone quiet, as though sensing his mood, and he kissed the top of their heads, mind still racing. Gifts. A message. He did not think they would be brazen enough to send a delegation, only to openly kidnap his sons. Did they think to try diplomacy instead?

“Where are they now?” he asked, already steeling himself for at least one sleepless night.

“Your cousin is acting as official envoy for Volantis. I had chambers set aside for his delegation.” Her lip curled in distaste. “He is ferried by two slaves on a golden litter. Only the lowly move about on their own feet, apparently.” She tilted her head at Daemon. “Their presence worries you. Why? Volantis is an enemy of the Triarchy, is it not?”

That was the excuse he had chosen, to convince Rhea that the twins needed protection. Triarchy retaliation. Daemon had no logical explanation for why they should fear Volantis.

“I do not know why they have come here, to me, rather than my brother,” Daemon said.

“Perhaps your victory in the Stepstones earned you the favor of their triarchs—a victory that was yours, not your brother’s.” Spoken by anyone else, that might have been flattery. From Rhea, it was a simple statement of fact. “They may seek to court your favor in return.”

The notion felt preposterous. Under no circumstances would he agree to part with his children, for whatever promised price. “What did you tell them?”

“Your cousin and his advisors have been invited to sup with us in the great hall.” She shut the door behind her and crossed the room, pulling the other chair over to sit facing Daemon. “Is there a threat that I should know of, Daemon?”

“I do not know,” Daemon said tightly. “I—” He flailed for anything that would not sound like utter madness. “What do you know of my family’s history? Do you know of Daenys the Dreamer?”

“She was…a seer, yes?” Rhea said with a look of faint recognition.

“Yes,” Daemon said, relieved she was familiar with the tales. House Royce believed in its own magic, after all. “She foresaw Valyria’s Doom, and urged our family to flee. Some members of my family have had this gift. We call them dragon dreams.”

Rhea studied him with something that was not quite skepticism. “Do you mean to say that you have had these dragon dreams?”

“Did you never wonder how I knew to return from the Stepstones? Or how I knew that we would have twin sons? I have seen it before, in something like a dream.” Daemon took a deep breath. “Just as I have seen a threat in the east, one that seeks to steal our children. At first I thought that it must be the Triarchy, but my dreams of late have been of Volantis.”

Rhea’s gaze went to the children, lips compressing into a tight line. “You think they will attempt such a thing here, in Runestone?”

“I do not know.” That was the problem. Before, Volantis had worked from the shadows. This was as open a confrontation as possible, and Daemon could not deny that he desired to see the face of his enemy, to take their measure. “I do not intend to let them out of my sight for a moment.”

“Nor out of Ser Willam’s,” Rhea said. “He must be informed to be at his most vigilant.”

She extended a hand, stroking Jon’s cheek and then Rhaegar’s, both twins still unnaturally quiet. When Daemon glanced down at them, their eyes were wide and solemn, and he kissed them each with a reassurance he did not feel. They are so very small. It was something he thought a dozen times a day, usually with glee, grateful for this second chance with them. But now it came with an undercurrent of fear.

An eight-year-old could fight, shout, run. An infant was utterly helpless, his only recourse to wail in fear. Someone could pick them up in either arm as easily as he held them now, could sprint as he had from the enclosure—

“Daemon.” Rhea’s hand found his cheek next, and his gaze locked on hers, her brown eyes calm and steady. “I will not let anything happen to them. I can send the delegation away, if you fear the danger is too great.”

“No,” Daemon said, once he had gathered himself. “It is better to know what they want.” Or were openly willing to state that they wanted. Sending them away would alert them to the fact that they knew of the danger. “Perhaps I am wrong.”

He desperately hoped to be wrong. But he could think of no other explanation for Volantis to send men directly to Runestone to approach him. His brother was king, not Daemon. The only thing he could offer that his brother couldn’t was his dragonriding ability—and his children.

Jon’s hand grabbed for Daemon’s hair, closing around a fistful to tug for his attention, grey eyes peering into him as though he held the secrets of the world. Would that I did, Daemon thought with regret, kissing his tiny fist.

“My apologies, Jon.” At Rhea’s questioning look, he explained, “We have not yet finished storytime.”

It was another three hours until supper. Time enough to read, put the twins down for their nap, and ponder whatever awaited from his cousin and the rest of the delegation. Rhea stayed for the next two stories, coaxed to join in on the animal noises, but the twins’ joy was muted. They have always been so sensitive to our moods.

Even Jon seemed upset when Rhea left to make the appropriate preparations for supper, and Daemon had to sing the sniffles away, bouncing them both on his lap as he did so. They were equally clingy as he set them in their cradle, a chorus of heartbroken kepas summoning him back within seconds.

“I will be no further than the desk,” he assured them, following words with kisses for good measure.

Daemon sang again, one gentle lullaby after another, until they both finally fell asleep—Rhaegar, as ever, the stubborn straggler. Rather than return to the desk, he lingered in his chair by their cradle, visions of their cradle—bare, empty—tormenting him.

He did not care how he managed it, they were not leaving his arms until the Volantenes were gone.

[tempo-takoyaki]

Hiii sorry to bother u! I just wanted to say i love your mxtx art + tgcf comments. I LOVE your Wei Wuxian especially!! His eyes!!!! You are right they make him look like a bit of a red flag to strangers but that makes them PERFECT for him!! And they also make him look so smug when he smiles...again, those eyes are 100% Wei Wuxian. Do you have any other WWX sketch to share?

(Also kinda unrelated, kinda on topic, but what did Lan Wangji think of the eerie eyes when he first met him? I started thinking of this last minute while writing my compliments, but feel free not to answer!)

Goodbye, have a good rest of the holidays and stay safe!!

Ps: congrats on the recent milestone on Instagram!!

Aaaaah thank you so much for your kind words! I'm happy you like my WWX! <3 Well, I had to dig in a bit, but here are some of the WWX sketches I've done while reading MDZS (back in spring 2023)!

To explain some of them, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a good way to differenciate WWX and MXY, so there's a lot of MXY there too. For the third image, I wasn't sure of Wangxian's height difference back then so I just went with whatever, now I've adjusted it to fit the canon. For the fourth image, one my headcanons was that LSZ had inherited WWX's creepy smile™. So when they're both smiling, it's flagrant he's his son. Fifth image is WWX in the burial mounds, and the sixth was for a modern AU in which MXY is WWX's younger twin brother.

Now! To answer your question "What did LWJ think of his eerie eyes the first time he met him?". Well, my personal thoughts on this was that they weren't too creepy at first, he was still a relatively joyous teen and I imagine he was really expressive too. Maybe it made him look arrogant or something, but that was just a detail, even LWJ could tell he wasn't like that. Maybe others would notice, and mention it to LWJ, but he would just reply something along the lines of "useless". (Translation "That's not what's important, what's important is that he's! breaking! the! rules!"). Maybe there was some jealousy, "no one can read my emotions and this boy has expressive eyes that's not fair I wish I could be as expressive as him". But it was lost to time, pain and love, as WWX lost some of his joy and innocence, as war made him more languid, scared and distant. Yet those eyes at the end of his life still seemed like they were smiling, not matter how many tears ran down his cheeks. And maybe then LWJ thought "Is it really worth it to have eyes like this if it forces you to look alright when really you're in pain?".

Now, in MXY's body, some of his features mixed with MXY's, his eyes feel less locked in a constant smile. And LWJ loves to look at them, no matter if he's smiling or pouting.

Thank you so much for your ask! :D Have a wonderful day!

[vieramars]

My Gerry cane headcanons bc I'm thinking about him

He's had joint related chronic pain and asthma since his late teens, but he spends so much time injured, in fights, or on the run that he assumed all his symptoms were lingering injuries and stress

When Mary died his whole life suddenly slowed down through the proceedings of the trial, at which point he realized that his levels of pain probably weren't normal

He got his first cane a couple of years after Mary's first death, in one of the time periods when she wasn't around. He hid it from her for as long as possible.

When Mary found it, she got rid of it and said things like that made him weaker

He didn't start using a cane again until he was working with Gertrude. By that point his brain cancer was causing some nerve damage that made his pain and balance a lot worse (sadly he thought it was just his joints continuing to be shitty and didn't realize there was a different cause)

After this he has two canes, one for general use and one for chasing down avatars with Gertrude. He got the general use one because he had some access issues after wrapping the first in barbed wire, so now the spiky one is for monster hunting excursions only.

In ghost form he still has the cane, but unfortunately it doesn't do much to help with the existential pain of being a ghost.

Tmagp Gerry also uses a cane. I hc that he did have brain cancer but had access to successful treatment, so his chronic pain is less related to the damage caused by the tumor and more to the lifelong health issues.

He decorates his canes minimally, with some kandi and studs around the front of the handle, but mainly they're just tools to him.

Both his canes are adjustable because every pair of shoes he owns has a different amount of platform and heel so he needs to be able to change the height daily.

He doesn't get too sentimentally attached to them; he's had to replace them a lot from being dented, broken in half, crushed, infested, and twisted into a spring.

[bahllinsqrews]

Keeping Warm 🔥

Mingi x Fem!Reader

18+ ahead, Minors DNI, shower sex, heavy smut, clingy Mingi, height difference kink, praise kink, messy finish.

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The morning started off calm, a gentle breeze and it seemed normal until the temperature began to drop drastically. You shivered as it did, but you didn't want to raise the heat too much thanks to the bill being so high. Wearing your boyfriend's sweater, you were kept by the fireplace, trying to warm up as your boyfriend brought you some hot chocolate from the kitchen. The tall broad man you dated for over a couple of years was named Song Mingi. You two found each other on a dating app and instead of a hookup like what was planned, you two found more in common than you think.

The rest of the day dropped past freezing temps then at night it was so much worse. You laid in bed at this time, watching TV in the shared room when Mingi came in to join you. He got into bed beside you and gave you well needed cuddles before you felt his harder barbelled nipples in your back from the cold. You turned to look at him, wondering why your madman boyfriend didn't have a shirt on. "It is cold as the ice waters of the Arctic in this house and you don't have a shirt." You said, him only smiling at you in response when he stuffed his face into your neck.

You sigh at this, turning to face him so you could give him a hug, that's when you felt it on your thigh, his slight hard length standing up very very slowly, seems the cold had woken the friend up, either that or you in the sweater. Either way, you knew what was coming next. You moved your knee up just enough for him to rub against it in his sweats, his breath shortening when the sparks flew through him, he hissed a little at how hard you had made him and got a little sad that you decided to leave the bed to go take a hot shower so you could warm up. He started to think to himself. "That was unnecessary.." he decided to follow you, peeking in the doorway to see you getting out of your sweater and into the shower. He felt himself spring up harder at this.

You got into the hot water and sighed before feeling a pair of eyes on you, making you look outside the door to see the big guy staring at you. He seemed to be already undressed to join you so you just let him in with a smile. You two took a nice hot shower to help warm up, but you felt Mingi hitting your back with the massive rod he carried. You looked at him and he tried to cover it, only for you to be needy too. You moved his hands to get a closer look at it, only running your hands over the skin while giving him a kiss. His whimpers and moans filled the kiss, him leaning against the shower sliding door as he gently thrusted into your hand. You stopped his hips to turn and lean your chest on the shower wall, making his heart jump with happy sparks when you turned to his favorite position.

He jumped on the opportunity, coming up behind you with one hand on the wall and the other on your hip, lined up to push in. He stared at you with his big eyes, making you giggle and nod before moaning aloud to him pushing in deep and bottoming without a second thought. You took a second to adjust to him before feeling him start to move, you being on your toes thanks to his height on you. You loved it and so did he, it actually was a slight source of his hardon and why you couldn't seem to focus when he looked down and talked to you. "You are..so good for...me, baby!!" He huffed out, making you melt in his hands. "I want my good girl to keep making those sweet sounds for me, okay?" He asked, you shivering to his words as you nodded.

His hips knew no end when it came down to you, slamming into you and making you completely weak in his hands. You knew walking was out of the question when he started moaning and whimpering louder to your soaking wet cunt. He only went faster and faster, hissing breaths and faster thrusts, you and him exchanging noises that just became louder the closer you two got. His cock throbbed uncontrollably inside of you, your clit threatening to spray all over not only his cock but the glass of the door. He kept his whispers in your ear of how much of a good girl you were, you had already become putty but he loved to push the farthest he could with you and now it was making you cum, covering the glass and him.

He pulled out of you and stuffed your ass next, going back to his pace before adding to it by finishing inside, it was deep but he still gave a lot to make a mess and let it spill out of you at a quick speed. "Lucky for doing it in the shower~" he smiled, pulling out of you and bringing you to his chest to keep you from falling while he bathed, dried and took you to bed to relax the rest of the night warmer than normal now. Everything was fine for you however next door, Seonghwa was...in slight shock to have heard the whole thing.

[seoksgrl]

rather be dead than cool, 2. : jjk nerd!jungkook x popular!reader college au, dislike to love genderbent she's all that au

tws: rich antics, irene and mina being mean girls, name-calling

m.list prev | next

The address you texted to Jeongguk, after obtaining his mobile number, is in the centre of Gangnam, a street lined with row upon row of stores fit for those who have cash to burn. If you’re going to get Jeon towards your end of the popularity spectrum, it’s imperative that you get him out of whatever baggy, dark outfit he plans to turn up in today. Once the clothes are dealt with, you can work on that shaggy mop of hair before figuring out how to introduce him to your scene. 

That will likely be the easier part - once Jeon is seen with you, campus interest will soar. 

“How are things going?” Irene coos down the phone, an edge to her tone that often came when the two of you would play these kinds of games. Finding ways to one up the other, whether it be over boys or over money. While Irene is the friend you have known the longest, you can’t say she’s the one you trust. Though, your competitive streaks have always run alongside each other, the perfect match. 

You check your appearance in the store window, the first place you’re expecting to visit with Jeongguk. There’s a party this weekend at an old friend’s cabin, and if you’re going to bring Jeongguk, he needs to wear something that will enhance the foundations you managed to spot upon your first meeting. Brushing your hair over your shoulder, you reapply lip balm, using the window as your mirror, “Things are going according to plan. Jeon isn’t anything I can’t handle,”

Irene hums on the other end of the phone, though it’s anything but encouraging, “As long as you don’t plan on throwing in the towel before we’ve even started,”

“Not at all,” You grin at your own reflection, “He’ll be walking into the spring formal with all eyes on him when I’m finished. And I’ll take a ride in the Porsche as a reward,”

You can see it now, Irene’s eyes flashing with annoyance at your confidence. You often wonder if pissing off your best friend should bring you this much joy, but before you can ponder any longer, a familiar dark frame comes into sight down the street, skulking through the people on the sidewalk, and you end the call with Irene as your eyes land on Jeongguk. 

He’s dressed in what appears to be his favourite colour, black, paint-stained jeans and an oversized t-shirt. All that covers him from the unpredictable spring weather is a thin, denim jacket - also paint-stained. You wonder if it’s intentional.

He stops in front of you, large frame so imposing you have to take a small step back, your Gucci boots hardly a match for Jeongguk’s height. Your head tilts, eyes meeting his own weary gaze before you flash him your winning smile. 

“I’m glad you got here in one piece,” You hadn’t asked if Jeongguk drives, but you assume he must, having walked from the direction of the parking lot behind the row of designer stores, “I hope it was easy for you to find,”

He frowns at that, shuffling from foot to foot and adjusting his backpack a couple times. The wind has already managed to wriggle some fly-away hairs loose from whatever excuse for a ponytail he has, the strands falling around his face and brushing his chin. You cannot wait to get a few inches chopped - the length doesn’t bother you, but you can spot the split ends from here, for goodness sake. 

Jeongguk doesn’t reply, and so you press on, still wearing the bright, chirpy grin you save for meeting new people. You always like to make a good first impression, and you remember it being one of the few things your parents instilled in you as a child. Your other habits were picked up from movies, being that you rarely had time to do anything else as a youngster. Father was never home and when mother wasn’t shopping, she was organising charity events for your father and his work colleagues. 

You shake away the oddly sombre memory and continue with the task at hand, leading Jeongguk into the first store - Gucci itself. 

“We’ll start here,” You say, maintaining control as you lead Jeongguk further into the store, towards where the men’s shirts and slacks are kept, “I have an appointment booked for your hair,”

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Jeongguk reach up and tug at the strands by his chin, brushing them behind his reddened ear. You continue to talk him through the itinerary for the day, though his pleading eyes continue to drill into the side of your head, and you have no choice but to turn, brow quirked, “What’s wrong?”

“I, ah -” He clears his throat, “I can’t afford anything here,”

You wave away Jeongguk’s worries, exhaling a short laugh, “I can take care of it. I have more than enough money, and plenty of good friendships with the staff. You can use my black card,”

“Black card?” He asks, dark brows furrowing, creating a tiny wrinkle between them, “Is that like store credit?”

You exhale again, but this time you’re not laughing. You realise not everyone pays for their tuition into Yonsei, and you’re just now realising perhaps Jeongguk is there on a scholarship. That would mean he’s very talented, something that intrigues you, though you don’t have time to be intrigued by your science experiment. 

“It’s a luxury credit card, Jeon,” You blink, “My family is very wealthy, and like I said,” You flip your hair over your shoulder, “I want to help,”

Not completely the truth, but Jeongguk doesn’t need to know that.

His lips part for a couple moments, before falling shut, and you continue walking with him towards the Oxford shirts. The sales assistant, eager and a little annoying, strolls over, their brows raising a fraction when they spot the tall, out-of-place guy beside you. Their lips part, their welcoming disposition betrayed by the obvious judgement in their gaze before their eyes slide back to you. 

“Miss Y/N, so lovely to have you back,” The young girl says, hands clasp in front of her, bright pink nails start against the black of her uniform as her eyes once more stray to Jeongguk, confusion marring her strictly sunny expression, “How can we help you today?”

You step forward, gesturing at Jeongguk with one hand and sliding a thumb across your phone screen with another. You had spent last night brainstorming the optimum stylistic direction to take with Jeongguk, wanting to enhance what good features he has in order to make his transformation believable. He still has to win Spring King, after all, and to do that, he needs to look and act the part. Turning up in head-to-toe designer the day after wearing his paint stained baggy jeans isn’t gonna work.

“My friend is looking for a few staple capsule pieces to add to his wardrobe,” You say, walking further into the store, followed closely by the assistant, and then Jeongguk who lags behind, looking entirely like a fish out of water, “Nothing too flashy, just several timeless pieces to get him started. He’s new to designer,”

The shop assistant makes a noise as if to say yeah, I can tell and you raise your brows expectantly, watching as she stumbles over her words, rushing towards the back of the store where the men’s shirts are displayed neatly, “O-of course, miss. Absolutely,” 

When you turn, Jeongguk is watching the whole exchange with curiosity and a little disbelief, his brows are drawn together, eyes impossibly brown and impossibly wide. You pause in your step, raising a manicured eyebrow in response, “Do you have something to say?”

“Does everyone always do as you tell them to?”

You smile, “Yes, now come on,” clicking your fingers, you turn and walk to where the assistant is waiting for you, not bothering to turn to check if Jeongguk is following.

He is.

Irene smacks her lips as she reapplies her lipgloss, using the mirrored wall in the new sushi restaurant, Stix, to see her reflection. You watch her fluff up her hair, wiping at the corner of her mouth, and you decide to check over your own appearance. 

As expected, it’s flawless. You always apply a lip tint if you know you’re going to be eating, saving you the time of reapplying. Your mother always told you that was rude, and so the habit has stuck. The urge to make a dig at Irene raises it’s ugly head, but you successfully shut it down. After all, you’d hate to make a fuss, and to embarrass your friend. 

“Have you played with your little lab rat yet?” Irene asks, grinning as she turns away from the mirror, putting her lip gloss back in her purse and pulling out her compact. Her makeup is flawless, but you don’t say anything as she begins to touch up her already perfect skin. 

“I took him shopping a couple days ago,” Mina snickers, and you shrug, continuing, “I didn’t have a lot to work with, new clothes were imperative if I want to recreate his image,”

Irene giggles, “Sounds like you had fun dressing up your little pet project,” 

“It was a means to an end. The shirts were basic, Jeongguk didn’t want to branch out,” In fact, he didn’t take any of your fashion advice beyond pointing out what he would need from around the store. He picked up a few white t-shirts, white button-ups and some black slacks. You had to practically force him to get the shoes you suggested, if only to prevent him from wearing Gucci dress pants with his sneakers. 

You can safely say you’ve never met someone so stubborn. 

“Are you gonna bring him to Jimin’s party on Saturday?” Mina asks, wiggling her brows as if the mere idea is mischievous, “He could be your date,”

Irene let out a yelp of laughter, and Mina joins in, the pair of them cackling like two evil witches. You watch them with a vague sense of annoyance, a familiar flare of stubbornness coming to life in your chest as you remain stone-faced, waiting for their laughter to die down. When it does, it peters out, their eyes shifting between you and each other as the silence grows. 

“Y/N, did you hear Mina’s joke?”

“I did,” You smile, cat-like and confident, “I didn’t get the joke. I mean, Jeongguk’s reputation is about to be improved tenfold. Why not let people think he’s my date?”

Mina gasps and Irene’s plucked brows raise in a look of abject horror, she actually puts a hand on her chest as if she has been scandalised by your question. You can hardly see the problem with it - after all, it was your understanding that in order to ensure you winning the bet, the whole thing would end with you and Jeongguk attending the Spring formal together anyway. It makes sense in your head. 

“Y/N, you can’t be serious,” Irene says, snorting, “bringing that loser to Jimin’s party? You two just broke up, Jimin will think you have gone insane,”

You frown, taking a sip of water, “I’m not sure about that. Nobody knows who Jeongguk is, and once I’ve got him styled appropriately, people will just assume he’s a random hot guy I’ve picked up. If Jimin can be a cliche and score a cheerleader, why not be a little mysterious?”

Irene mutters, "I don't know about 'hot',"

You smile, brittle and a little annoyed, "He will be when I'm finished with him. Have some faith, Irene,"

When you glance at Mina, she seems to be grasping where you’re coming from, but as per usual, Irene doesn’t see your side of things, and she rolls her eyes, returning to her useless endeavour to fix problems that don’t exist with her makeup. You smile blandly at Mina, sipping at your water and scrolling through your socials.

taglist: @kyglover @jk97bam

please let me know if you wish to be added to the taglist!

[coldshrugs]

ffxivwrite - prompt 4: reticent

characters: estinien varlineau, hamignant varlineau, and featuring my wol, io laithe word count: 1599 rating: mature for mentions of bullying & death. summary: three short, heavily headcanoned scenes from estinien's life, at ages 12, 21, and 33. [middle section heavily inspired by this art]

“I challenge you, Ser, to a trial by combat! Take up your arms and fight me!”

“And what is my crime this time?”

Hamignant brandishes his stick threateningly, but his answer is slower than usual. Shaky, even. “You don’t play with me anymore.”

Estinien shifts his weight, leaning a bit more heavily on the tall crook, but his eyes remain on the shallow valley just below the hill they stand on and the sheep grazing there. It is late spring and their coats are full and fluffy, ready for shearing. His twelfth nameday was less than a moon ago and he is expected to help this year. His parents depend on him more now, sending him on some of the errands usually tended by his father, and giving him additional fieldwork each day. It isn’t easy, but it feels good to be trusted.

In truth, he would very much like to continue playing with Hamignant. His little brother has a knack for making games of their chores, and should they be caught goofing off, his wit is quick enough to make even the most stern adult smile.

Estinien does not share his talent for conversation, but Hamignant never seems to mind. He is content to babble so long as Estinien is close by to listen.

The stick—his foraged sword—wriggles closer. Closer. Until it pokes into Estinien’s cheek.

His gaze slides sideways, to Hamignant’s dramatic stance. It would be funny if not for the serious set of his brow, the tight purse of his lips, and the sheen welling in his eyes. Halone bless him, he truly is upset…

Estinien shifts again, batting the stick away with his crook, and smiles at Hamignant. “Then fight me, little knight, but take care to hide your bruises from Mother and Father.”

With a cheer of delight and an expression that makes Estinien proud he put it there, Hamignant begins their spar. The sharp cracks of their wooden weapons echo across the meadow, followed by the occasional shriek or grunt when their limbs take a hit.

Hamignant stops to celebrate after landing a particularly flashy maneuver, jumping on the spot as Estinien nurses a sore knuckle. Not for long though—Estinien topples him and sends them both rolling down the hill in a fit of laughter.

They land fulms away from the sheep. Some come over to sniff them, like curious friends checking for injuries. Hamignant reaches up to pet snouts, red cheeks stretched in an open smile.

Estinien lies back to catch his breath.

“We should make a pact, Es. When we grow up, let’s both be knights. We can live in Ishgard and wear armor, protect beautiful maidens from harm, and fight dragons!”

 “Best not to wish for dragons, Hami, like mother says.” He chews his bottom lip. “Besides, I don’t want to be a knight. I like living here. Someone must stay and care for the farm.”

“Fine.” Hamignant’s smile sags, but he doesn’t look as defeated as before. Pouting this time. “You can stay in Ferndale all your days, and I’ll be a great knight of Ishgard. I will come back and tell you about my adventures. That could still be fun, right?”

Estinien grins and rights himself, then offers a hand to help his brother up. “The finest plan you’ve ever had.”

At age twenty-one, Estinien is still getting used to his height.

Hitting striking dummies with Alberic is one thing—they don’t dodge, and they don’t hit back. And sparring with his unit is pitiable right now, as many of them adjust to growing bodies. It is something else entirely to swing the unfamiliar length of his arm at a sneering face, or struggle to take an unwieldy step backward before the fist meets his cheek. To fight and defend himself seriously.

He hits the training yard dirt with a weak groan that is all but drowned out by a roar of laughter. Four soldiers, all fledglings like himself, still in a training unit, stand over him.

“And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay down, Varlineau.” The one that threw the punch. Taller than he is, and stronger, and probably some noble’s son or nephew. It’s been a few moons, but Estinien has not learned their names. He is here for one reason, and he cannot make room for useless information. And why should he, when another puts a foot on his chest when he tries to stand?

They erupt again over such a hard-won victory.

“We heard you last night, whimpering in your bunk like a freshly-weened babe. That the Azure Dragoon should waste his time with you.”

“No better than an orphaned Brume brat. We should drag you back to Ferndale and let Nidhogg know he missed one—”

The ankle holding him down makes a sickening snap when he twists it. Striking dummies certainly don’t do that. The boy goes down with a pained scream.

Estinien stands. He says nothing, only wipes his bloody nose, the tears he doesn't feel falling, with the back of his hand. Then he swings. 

After three days in the gaol, they do not bother him again.

He has been lying in this bed too long. His body has grown stiffer than he is accustomed to, even with the daily practice of simple stretches. He has been forbidden by chirugeon's orders from any activities that might reopen his wounds.

By fucking Halone and all the rest, he is bored.

At least he doesn’t want for company—that is not to say company has ever been a strong craving for him, of course. But he could do worse than the Warrior of Light making her near-daily visit.

Io sits in a ratty armchair, legs curled beneath her, by a sunny window so thickly lined with sympathy flowers, that the room resembles the Holy Gardens of the Vault. Or, more kindly, the meadows ringing Ferndale in late spring. The backdrop suits her.

Today, she knits, softly humming to herself in time to the rhythmic click of the needles. She’s lost in it, and her silence is appreciated. Neither of them has been very good at talking in recent days. He watches the wool slipping between her fingers with each meticulous loop, watches the way she’s gathered the half-formed garment in her hands. And all of it—the dappled light, the flowers, the repetitive scratch of Io’s work and wordless song, the weight of wool he used to know well, the herbaceous scent of medicinal salve rising from his wounds—dredges up a memory. If Estinien closes his eyes, it could be twenty-one years ago. He could be there, if only for a moment, if only as a visitor.

Grief wails inside him. It is the roar he’s felt for years, through the Eye he used as a tool. Strange, to feel it now as part of himself, bottomless and inconsolable and so full of love. Stranger still to realize they were not so different in the end.

It has been some time since he’s cried. He rubs the evidence away before Io has the chance to see it.

“Io.” Estinien clears his throat. “There is something I would ask.”

With her head still tilted towards her craft, Io’s eyes shift to meet his. She pauses, waiting for his question.

“Why did you save me? I was ready. I was. Now… I don’t think I’m ready for anything.”

Her answer comes in the form of a furrowed brow. She continues knitting without a word. Maybe she’s angry he asked. For all he lacks as a conversationalist, he is an expert in offending, even when he doesn’t mean to.

He lifts himself forward, off the pillows piled at his back.

“You could’ve left me. Or killed me. I feel him, Io. The echo of his loss; when it hits me… Io, you could’ve killed me.”

“Kill a man—my friend—when he doesn’t want to die? Let you fall to anguish and pain?" She lays the needles in her lap and her dark gaze all but dares him to argue. He’s never heard her speak with such firmness. “No, Estinien. I see you. Nidhogg’s isn’t the only grief you carry. And we all need reminding that burdens, even ones as heavy as this, can be shared.”

Silence entombs them, balancing on the knife’s edge of comfort and unease. Neither looks away. He counts the agitated rise and fall of Io’s chest until they are breathing in sync, then until both are steady.

Io is right, and her mere presence gives the lie to his words. He would’ve done the same, if it were her. He lies back, hoping she will say something to soothe the awkwardness they must both feel.

She hums, and the needles click, and that is enough. He listens (and watches when he musters a courageous glance) until the rays of sunlight tilt his direction instead of hers.

“I think it’s time to get on.”

“Me?” Io’s lips stretch into a crooked smile over the yarn. “Fine, Stin, I’ll kill you next time.”

His laugh is rough and unfamiliar sounding, closer to a cough. It hurts his broken ribs.

Io’s raspy chuckle is a far more pleasant sound. “Where will you go?”

Estinien sighs. He knows where he wants to go. The question is whether he will be welcome. “If it’s all the same, that is my business alone.”

Io nods and does not pry. Hm. There is usually always another question… In the absence of one, something settles in him… Some sense of peace he didn’t know he was allowed.

So he confesses: “To make amends.”