#How do you get rid of obstacles in marriage

[islamicspecialistforloveback]

Dua To Remove Obstacles In Marriage

One of the most important occasions in a person’s life is marriage. Two people are brought together by a special link to share their lives and start a new journey. In This Article, We give you a Powerful Dua To Remove Obstacles In Marriage. However, difficulties in marriage can occasionally prevent some people from getting married. These challenges may arise for a number of reasons, such as…

[long-live-astronerd-ghost-king]

DPxDC prompt. Fae!Danny x Jason. Dead on main. Death of a Fairy Tale. or

"Oh no! This tricky hooman stole my heart! What should I do?" *becomes a leader of his court and, just in case, overthrows the tyrant Pariah Dark in order to allow marriages with representatives of other races and live happily ever after with Jay*.

~~~~~

 “You're not allowed to be here. This is not your territory.”

Jason barely had time to catch his breath after escaping from the hot dog vendor when someone noticed him hiding in the bushes.

There were no rides for children or food vans in this park, so Todd didn't understand why anyone would cling to this territory but the guy looked at him with obvious concern. And well, after the morning's adventures, Jay didn't have any energy for another conflict at all. This kid looked pale and thin, so it didn't look like fighting with him would get him anything.

“Calm down, I'm just passing by. What's your problem, dude?”

“I live somewhere ne...here.”

Jason rolled his eyes. It's clear that the guy lived nearby, but it's unlikely that he had a house. The lack of a T-shirt and shoes hinted that in front of him was also a street rat who most likely had not yet learned how to defend his belongings. Poor guy. But this is definitely not Jason's business.

However, did he really spend the night outside in the open air? Sleeping on the bench was a last choice even for Jason. This might be acceptable options in some quiet provincial town, not in Gotham.

“I mean, what are you doing outside?”

Young Phantom checks his glamour, but finds no flaws in it. This man in front of him must be very knowledgeable and experienced, despite his young age, since he immediately recognized him as not a human being. For Danny, who lived with other fairies in Fairyland all his childhood and came to this dimension for the first time, the outside always meant the world of human. Fae shocked and upset that he was discovered so quickly. Haven't people almost forgotten about their existence? The elders would swear a lot if they found out that he had failed. The boy carefully orders the vine and clover to cover the circle of mushrooms, hiding the front door from the human. He was the only one of the entire brood entrusted by Undergrowth to start a practice in a city where there are almost no plants and sunlight, and faeling did not want to let down the mentor who took him under his wing at all.

The old Fairies claim that people are mean and narrow-minded, but Danny himself is intrigued by these creatures and therefore hopes that he will be able to come to an agreement with the boy and to continue his research without obstacles. Danny intends to take the exam for the right to be called an adult fae this decade, which means he has no right to make mistakes. But still, forcing a guy to dance until he drops dead from exhaustion or make him wander along the paths of this small green area without being able to find a way out, as he was taught to get rid of pests at home, seemed too cruel. This boy, just like him, is still a cub and he is here by accident, not to encroach on their possessions. They need not quarrel.

“Don't banish me. I'm just trying to learn.”

“To do what?”

“To steal.” Danny blushes, realizing that such honesty was unnecessary. Stupid, stupid...People know that faeries can take their names, thereby gaining power over them. Now this cub will definitely decide that he has come to cause harm and he will not be able to learn anything useful and interesting. Phantom quickly makes excuses. “Nothing important! I only borrowed trinkets and fruits.”

“You're new to this, aren't you?”

“Is it that noticeable?”

“Pretty noticeable, yes.”

The boy looked at him almost pityingly. And the Phantom didn't like it.

That's how the spirits and other fairies used to look at him when they found out he was only halfa. Because of this fact, his abilities were belittled and not taken seriously too often. What's wrong with that? He's dead just like everyone else, even if not completely.

And now he's screwed up, not even because of his nature, but because of his sluggishness. It was especially unpleasant, as it was deserved. He should have spent his time more productively, but the flowers bred with the help of humans were so interesting and talked about their longing for the sun with such sadness that fae did not dare to interrupt them.

Jason finished both of the stolen hot dogs and leaved the park. The guy still follow him and stares intently, almost without blinking.

“Stop it. What do you want?”

“I study. You seem experienced. “

“People don't really like being stared at like this, in case you didn't know. Back off.”

“Really?”

Jason was ready to be outraged that the kid thought he was an idiot but the tramp from the park looked really puzzled. It seems that if he ever had parents, they didn't care about the boy, since they didn't explain to him that atypical behavior could add him problems. The boy is lucky that Jay is an asshole only when absolutely necessary.

“You're weird. Try to keep your mouth shut near others.”

“Okay.”

Jason took a few minutes to think and sighed. Todd could not leave this strange child alone, because damn conscience would not allow it. He can't survive alone. He will either wander after some other person and become a victim of trafficking or he will be at the beck and call of some assholes in the late afternoon. Jason cursed his bleeding heart once more and promised himself that he would keep the boy by his side no longer than necessary. Jay couldn't afford to be responsible for another mouth to feed. Summer has already come to an end and it was worth starting to save a little money and store things in case of early cold weather.

“If I teach you some of my skills will you promise to stay away from the places where I…work?”

“Maybe. Is this a deal?”

“Yes, if you'll agree, idiot. “

Danny nods and his new acquaintance continues.

“First of all, we'll get you shoes and some clothes. I don't need you to pick up tetanus and some viral crap.”

Danny smiles a little, trying not to make it too noticeable. Great trick.

He nodded to indicate understanding rather than agreeing, and the boy did not ask for verbal confirmation. It seems that he is not completely hopeless at deceiving people. Phantom couldn't wait to tell Clockwork or Frostbite about his success.

They wound through streets and rooftops for a long time until they reached other man's temporary shelter, and Danny had to admit that the man's decision to borrow more clothes was very clever. Strange sharp things and narrow bags of biological fluid were found between the houses disgustingly often. The elders are right about something? Danny must admit. Some people are nasty. They didn't even clean the settlement they live in properly.

A foul-smelling device for carrying things flew into the face of fae while he thoughtfully followed the boy telling him something about removing so-called tires from the iron inanimate horses.

“Dude, stop fighting with a trash bag. You'll stand guard while I give the customer the goods, okay?”

“Fine.” To be honest, the intern was ready to cry from the injustice of life and rush home, and he was only stopped by the desire to visit the observatory, which his new acquaintance mentioned when fae complained that because of the smoke and smog the stars would probably not be visible at night.

Danny realized that he did not regret his decision when, a couple of minutes later, he heard his human quarreling with adult specimen. Judging by the conversation, the man refused to pay the price for the things brought to him and even threatened to hit Phantom's guide. Danny was annoyed by this and decided to intervene a little. To his good fortune, on the balcony of this vile man there was a pot with withering petunias and they did not mind helping lil fae teach their owner manners. A slight whiff of magic and the pot falls on the deceiver's head and human begins to choke on the roots that climb right into his mouth. Danny giggles, congratulating his green comrades on their successful revenge. Other boy doesn't waste any time and grabs the bucks that fell out of the customer's hands and orders new boy to run.

Danny spent several days with human cub and really learned a lot about these creatures. Despite the fact that such a pastime was exciting, he needed to at least create the illusion of practice the fae skills.

It is dangerous to ask a person who knows who he is about this but teachers will be upset if he does not make an attempt. And despite the fact that the people around him seem scary, Nocturn will be much scarier in anger if he finds out that Phantom is such a loser.

“Ma- Can I have your name?” Danny muttered uncertainly and immediately panicked at his own impudence. “Sorry!”

“Jason.”

Todd was in a good mood, as luck had been with him for the last few days, and the new companion was not at all as useless as it seemed to him from the beginning. He was able to hide so well that no one could detect them, and managed to bring fresh fruits, vegetables and mushrooms to their safe house. However, there were problems with the last one, since this strange dude sometimes brought toadstools and satan's boletes to their apartment, which he managed to get from unknown places. Jason thought he was going to have a heart attack the first time he caught child happily eating raw fly agaric. Indeed, if Jay hadn't found him this boy would probably have died of poisoning in that park by now. Todd had to persuade him to bring only chanterelles, which he could confidently identify as edible and not fear for their lives every time the boy tries to help find food. And his padawan really managed to find them. In Gotham. Holy shit. Maybe this park, so fiercely guarded by the boy, was another secret area for Poison Ivy's experiments? However, poisonous specimens will not be wasted either, since you never know when you will need to defend yourself without entering into a fight, but acting more subtly.

“Real name! Real one!” The boy's eyes were as big as saucers and he became very worried and waved his hands as if trying to shake off invisible sticky threads from his fingertips. “You shouldn't say your actual name! Why did you do that? You shouldn't have given it to me.”

“There are a lot of Jason's around. Why do you care about that?”

“You're not just some Jason, you're my Jason, you're important to me. It's dangerous if someone has your name. Then that someone can make you do bad things.”

Tears began pouring down boy's face and Jason was surprised by such a violent reaction. Todd doesn't think there's anything to worry about, since he didn't tell the stranger his last name. He often introduces himself in different ways. Just, for some reason, something made him be honest this time. But how would this guy know that?

“Well…You're not just anyone. We're friends. I don't think you're going to rat on me to the cops or anything. So it's okay. “ Jay tries to calm the newcomer down.

“Friends?”

“Yes. Friends forever?” Jason teasingly holds out his little finger, offering a childish oath that he recently taught his padawan.

“Forever.” The boy supports the oath, and then, after thinking for a second, leans closer to Todd and whispers. "I'm Danny, just so you know."

“Good. I'll remember.”

The young fae is overcome with euphoria. He took the name! He did it! But that was all the other boy had, apart from a rusty tire iron, so it probably wasn't right or friendly to keep it. The human cub helped him. Danny couldn't keep such a gift. He didn't even really try to get his name. “Jason is your name.”

“That's right, buddy.”

“I won't call you that name.” Where I come from, even spouses rarely know each other's names. Danny wanted to assure his friend that he should not be afraid that he would abuse his power. “ I like you so I will take full responsibility for the possession of such a gift, don't worry.”

“Hah, in order to take responsibility, you already need to at least marry me as a moral compensation, given the number of brain cells killed by your antics. “

“Well, if I have to, then I will. When we're older.”

Jason snorts and shakes his head. It's probably not love, since they're just kids, but still, Jason thinks that if all autumn evenings were like this, he wouldn't mind spending his life with Danny, snuggling closer to the boy while they both bask under the same blanket. No matter how many times a day they managed to roll in the mud and fall into the trash can, the boy always gave off a light scent reminiscent of spring greens, which reminded Todd of something warm and cozy. Maybe a home? Although when his father was not in prison yet, his house smelled more like the stench of cigarette smoke and mold.  So Danny was more like a hope for a good home that they write about in books.

On their free evenings Jason usually entertained them by reading. Danny has always been an attentive listener, reacting vividly. After stroking the battered cover of a new book he found, Jason puts it aside. He's too tired today, and  just wants to listen.

Noticing this, Danny begins to chirp about his homeland. His stories are like fairy tales, too bright and colorful for the stone Jungle. Jay realized a long time ago that his friend had something like a defense mechanism. Todd himself snapped and fought when the world was too cruel, this guy escaped to his fictional world, where he was safer and happier. His friend could have been a great writer someday. The descriptions of Princess Dorathea and her cruel brother, pharaoh with an unusual passion for technology and ultra-recyclo vegetarian queen of plants were so detailed and vivid that they seemed true. Danny's imagination contained the whole world.

When the first snowflakes fall to the ground, Danny says that this means that his friend Frostbite will soon come to pick him up. Jason is honestly not ready for such a turn of events. He promised himself that he would not be around another boy for longer than necessary, but he managed to get attached. He hopes that this statement is just another one of his companion's fantasies and forgets about it for a while.

A snowstorm is raging in the city when Danny does not return home. The snowfall does not stop for several days, and Todd realizes that his friend left him, although all his belongings are left in their apartment. He hopes that someone really came for the boy, and not that in the spring his body will be found in one of the melting snowdrifts.  After a few months, when the canned homemade vegetables carefully cooked by Danny are coming to an end, and the mold, sitting alone  in a corner of the ceiling all winter, felt the first the warm rays of the sun, Todd decides not to waste energy on useless worries and hopes.

Soon, as Danny would put it, Batman steals Jason. Todd doesn't really trust the old man at first, but he teaches him to be Robin, and, well, Robin is cool. He's magic. Robin is an urban legend, a spirit worthy of being the hero of Danny's favorite stories. Robin is Jason's connection not only to the city itself, but also to his past. Robin does not need to think about whether he should grieve not only for his mother but also for his friend. Robin is more. There is not only strength and hope in this uniform, but also memories, nostalgia and  humanness. Therefore, Todd is not ready to give up the suit, even if he understands Grayson's displeasure. Because when he goes out on a patrol, the longing becomes less, and he feels that he is getting better and closer to something important. It helps.

No.

It helped.

And then he died.

And things are getting worse by the day, hah.

~~~A few hits with a crowbar later~~~

Jason learns about a new attempt of eco-terrorism relatively late, when he is officially called to help. Even so he stays at the place of the fight before the rest of the family. Firstly, because this time Ivy decided to start destruction from the closest to Crime Alley park, and secondly because Ivy's creations always pay little attention to him. Even the famous pollen has almost no effect on Hood.

Making his way through the furiously writhing vines, Red Hood notices the enemy and realizes that it is not Ivy, but decides that he will analyze the situation during the battle and rushes forward.

“Hey! Don't touch B, you.. “Almost flying into a guy with such a familiar face, the Hood slows down sharply “... pointy-eared.”

A guy with sparkling green energy in his hand and a vigilante with a pistols in each hand freeze looking at each other.

“Man, is it you?”

Snow-white hair, glowing green eyes, transparent dragonfly-like wings and razor-sharp claws are completely unfamiliar to Todd, but facial features, expressions and a bracelet with star pendants that Jay gave Danny for his birthday, adorning one of the impressive polished horns, allow to recognize him.

“Jay! It's been a long time, my friend.” Hearing Todd's voice, despite the sound changed by the helmet, the creature calms down. “You've grown up a lot.”

“And you're still so short. Wow. And, by the way, I can't believe you're still keep it.” Red puts the safety of the guns and then points one of them at the jewellery. “It's from a dollar store, nothing special.”

John says goodbye to the hope of a day off after the mission, cursing the manners of the bat and his offspring. Is a couple of days without the risk of interdimensional conflict really that too much to ask for?

“You gave it to me. That's why it's special.”

The creature smiles and Todd feels his face blushing. It's a good thing he's still wearing his helmet. Danny looks too…magical…in every sense.

“Do you know him, Hood?” Of course, Bat cannot stay out of the conversation when nothing is holds him back.

“No.”

“Yes.”  Danny denies the statement of Hood, proudly puffs out his chest and declares. “He was my first. He calls himself Hood these days? How strange.”

Bat gasps and exhales indignantly.

Jason quickly connects the fact that his friend is definitely not human with the possibility that Danny's stories were true.

“Name!” Trying to fix the chaos that his friend is trying to involve them in, Red Hood hurries to explain. “He's talking about damn name. I'm the first one who gave...”

“Oh, come on, spoilsport. He almost believed me.” The fairy winks playfully and Jason has to do his best to focus on the mission and not on the guy. “You're my betrothed anyway. And, hey, I collected the library as a wedding gift.”

“Hm.” Hood rolls his eyes. This joke about their childhood promise would have been hilarious if he hadn't felt the old man's rising pressure behind his back. So, returning to the problem, he still needs to get these two away from each other as soon as possible. Neither Danny nor Bruce has a calm personality, and Jason didn't want to start Danny's acquaintance with Alfred by giving first aid to these dummies. “So what's all the fuss about? Are you like um.. Ivy's pet-pixie or what?”

Now John Constantine, who carefully watched the meeting from the sidelines, almost feels his blood pressure rising too. Compare faeries with garden pests. What was Batman's son thinking about, showing such disrespect? He wanted them to have more problems or what?

“Hm? Who is Ivy? I've never heard of her. To be honest, I'm only here because our gate was disturbed.” The fairy chirped angrily and, with a nervous flutter of his wings, flew up to the bushes. His finger pointed accusingly at the crushed mushrooms that John and Batsy had landed on when they unsuccessfully attacked Dr. Isley. “But even though your companions' behavior is inexcusable, I don't blame you, of course. I am glad that we met again because of this incident, Tagetes.”

The Faerie circle...John hadn't seen this in years. Damn Gotham. He difenetly doesn't want the problems of this crazy city to fall under his and Shazam's responsibility. Now it is clear why Rogue disappeared so quickly. She probably knew about it and wanted to make them someone else's problem. Damn it twice, John should have sent a message instead of coming to Gotham to discuss business with Wayne. Being uninvited guests of such mischievous and malicious hosts does not bode well.

“You are lucky that the Fright Knight is not on duty today. But someone will have to answer for it. Is it really so hard to look at your feet? Or is this a deliberate provocation? I demand an apology.”

“No, enough games for you. They're a little busy chasing someone, in case you didn't notice.” Jason starts pulling on his friend's hand, intending to take him out of the park. Next to these paranoids, it's better not to ask an old friend about anything. “Only good little fairies are invited to my safe house to taste my signature lasagna today, so stop trying to give my old man a heart attack, okay?”

“Wait. Is this Willis?” The fairy's eyes narrow and he looks at the cloaked dark figure with disapproval.

"No, another jerk. B has a problem with adoptions and that's the reason I'm now part of his brood." Jason reluctantly explains. "He literally dragged me off the streets without consent after I tried to take the tires off his car."

“Oh my Ancients, he did what?! But you're mine! He had no right to steal you.” Danny indignantly rustled the leaves of the closest trees.

“I prefer to be considered as my own man, thank you very much.”

“Riiight…but still, speaking absolutely one hundred percent theoretically, who would you rather stay with, darling? If only you were mine~”

“Ja-..Don't let yourself be fooled, Red Hood. You can't trust him. Ten or even fifty years spent on a prank don't mean anything to this creature.” Bruce doesn't look happy with how at ease Todd is with the threat, but frankly, he rarely looks happy at all, so the crime lord doesn't attach too much importance to it.

"Wow. Rude. This is partially true, but it still hurts. Jason is a friend. I won't do anything to him and I don't demand anything from him. I can't say that about the rest of you. I was preparing for a long-awaited vacation, and because of your fuss I have a new bunch of paperwork to do. What can you say in your defense?"

The boy with the snow-white hair didn't look really upset, but just because there was still a smile on his face, it couldn't be said that he wasn't furious. Next to fairies, all human senses became enemies, not allies.

Despite the deceptive good-naturedness of merrily fluttering his wings guy, John was on high alert. Short-tempered, playful and obnoxious temperament were both a blessing and a curse when working with these creatures. Fairies skillfully searched for loopholes in contracts and in general were the best deceivers among those who could only tell the truth. Faeries prefer to bend victims to their will with words, but they are skilled users of the magic of nature and chaos. They also, despite the business acumen as strong as the alligator's mouth closing strength, were willing to play cat-and-mouse with those who dared to turn to him for help or just walk near their possessions. And this specimen was also clearly not one of the fairies that Morningstar had taken over control, since his energy reeked of Infinite Realms. Unknown territory. John urgently needs to come up with some ingenious plan to get everyone out of this fighting safe and relatively unscathed and…

“Fuck off, B. I told you he already has my name. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have done it at any time. You should show more respect for your future son-in-law, you know.”

“Jason, honey, since when do street rats hang out with bats?” Danny obviously didn't have much sympathy for the Gotham vigilante before, but because of his story, their chances of getting along tended to zero.

“Oh, come on, don't even start this conversation. What is more important…Who would I rather stay with? Hm…Let's say, um, theoretically, of course…If your fiance was killed by one very very bad cruel clown, what would you do, Stardust?

"I would tear clown molecule by molecule."

“Yes, yes! Right!” Jason pats Danny on the shoulder and turns to Batman. “See, that's how you should have reacted.”

Constantine: …What an Addams family. I'm leaving. I've already seen enough. If you get kidnapped, don't call me. Damn freaks.

Come with me now to see my world

Where there's beauty beyond your dreams

Strangers Like Me - Phil Collins

[queenshelby]

Sweet Possession (Part 6)

Pairing: Very Dark! Thomas Shelby (32) x Innocent! Reader (19)

Warning: Age Gap, Smut

Quickly, you closed the lockbox and shoved it back into its hiding place, hoping against hope that Thomas wouldn't notice anything amiss. You stood up, smoothing out your dress and taking a deep breath before making your way up the stairs to meet your husband.

But as you climbed the stairs, you couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in your chest. Your mind was racing, trying to make sense of what you had just discovered. How long had Thomas been watching you? How long had he been planning this?

Was it all just a twisted game to him, luring you into his web of lies and deceit? These questions swirled around in your head, making you feel dizzy and disoriented.

"What are you doing down here, Love?" Tommy asked as you walked towards him as he waited for you half-way up the stairs on which you were now standing.  His voice was gentle, but his eyes held a questioning look, almost as if he knew something was off. You quickly pushed the thoughts to the back of your mind, forcing a smile on your face.

"I was just feeling a bit lonely and thought I'd come down and get a bottle of wine from the cellar," you lied, praying that Thomas wouldn't be able to tell. "Is that alright?"

Tommy regarded you for a moment before nodding slowly. "Of course, it is," your husband told you, his voice still gentle. 

There was a bead of sweat on your forehead, and you couldn't help but feel like Tommy knew exactly what you had found in the cellar. But how could he? It wasn't possible. You had only discovered it just now, and you had been careful not to leave any evidence behind.

Still, you couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in your chest. Your heart was racing, and you felt like you couldn't breathe.

You tried to act normal, but every second that passed made it harder and harder to keep up the charade. 

When you walked back upstairs with your husband and a bottle of wine in your hand,  you could barely focus on the conversation.

Every time Thomas looked at you with his intense blue eyes, your heartbeat quickened, and your mind racing with questions that you couldn't answer.

You tried to shake off the feeling of unease, but it lingered like a dark cloud over your head and that could remained there all night, even when you were intimate with the man you married. 

***

The following day, while your husband was out again for business, you went to the cellar again and discovered that there was a methodical process to the way that Thomas had rid himself of any obstacle that stood in his way.

His planning was impeccable, and his reach extended far beyond what you could have imagined.

The information in the lockbox revealed that there was no corner of your past that Thomas had not infiltrated.

He had targeted each and every one of your previous relationships, ensuring that they would end abruptly and tragically. The police reports indicated that the causes of death ranged from car accidents to suicide, but you couldn't help but suspect that he had a hand in each of them.

It was a terrifying realization, and one that made you question everything about your husband and your marriage. It was true that Thomas had always been protective of you, but you had never suspected that he would go to such extremes to keep you by his side.

In addition, you quickly learned that you had also been somewhat naive when it came to thinking that your husband was an honest and reputable businessman.  As you delved deeper into the information contained in the lockbox, you realized that Thomas was not only a gangster, but also a ruthless criminal with a violent streak. You had been aware of his involvement with organized crime, but you had no idea of the extent to which it permeated every aspect of his life.

You couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust and betrayal as you sifted through the documents revealing Thomas's true nature. You had trusted him, loved him, and devoted yourself to him, but he had manipulated you from the very beginning.

You thought back to the early days of your relationship, when Thomas had swept you off your feet with his charm and charisma. You had been so blinded by love that you had overlooked the warning signs of his controlling behavior.

But now, the truth was staring you in the face and you knew that you had leave him without a second thought.

You could no longer bear the thought of his hands on you , his lips on yours. Every kiss, every touch was tainted by the knowledge of his twisted games.

You couldn't help but wonder what would become of you if you left. Would Thomas let you go peacefully, or would he come after you with a vengeance? You didn't know the answer, but you knew that you had to take the risk.

You made up your mind and gathered your belongings. As you prepared to leave, you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted off your shoulders.

You felt light, free, and most importantly, alive. The thought of the life you had been living up until nowmade your skin crawl. You never realized that the man who you thought was your soulmate, the man you vowed to spend the rest of your life with, could be someone so dangerous and manipulative.

You walked out of the mansion, taking in a deep breath as you walked towards one of the Bentleys and opened the boot.

You placed your belongings inside, before slamming it shut and taking a step back. There was no turning back now, you needed to get away from him and fast.

You slid into the driver's seat, turning on the ignition and putting the car into reverse. As you drove out of the gates of the mansion, your heart raced.

Each new mile that separated you from Thomas felt like a victory, yet it was also tinged with fear. But the thought of never having to feel his icy grip on your heart again made you determined.

You had always known deep down that something was off about Thomas, but your heart had blinded you to the truth. Now, you knew without a shadow of doubt that he was dangerous, and there was only one way to protect yourself - by getting as far away from him as possible.

You had some money on you, but not much. It was barely enough to get you on to a train to London and from there, you'd have to figure something else out. You glanced at the mansion one more time before driving away, your heart racing with fear and anticipation.

As you drove, you couldn't help but wonder about Thomas and whether he would try to find you .

You told yourself that you were being paranoid, but you couldn't shake off the feeling of impending danger that had settled in the pit of your stomach.

Twenty minutes later, you arrived at Birmingham Train Station . You parked your car in the farthest corner of the lot, hoping that it wouldn't be spotted by anyone who might be looking for you.

You glanced around nervously, checking to see if you were being followed. Seeing no one, you made your way into the train station.

The station was bustling with activity, but you couldn't help but feel like every pair of eyes were on you. You purchased a ticket to London and made your way to the platform, trying to blend in with the other passengers.

Your heart raced as the train pulled up, and you boarded, taking a seat in a relatively empty carriage. You gazed out of the window, watching the city of Birmingham disappear into the distance as the train sped through the countryside.

The landscape was a comforting distraction from the turmoil of your thoughts. You couldn't believe what you had discovered about Thomas - it seemed like a twisted nightmare that you couldn't wake up from. You wondered if he would even notice that you were gone, or if he already had other plans in motion to track you down and it was then when an older looking gentleman took a seat across from you in the train car.

He looked at you in a way that made you feel nervous , but you couldn't put your finger on why. He seemed kind enough, but something about him felt off.

You tried to ignore his gaze and looked out the window again, taking in the picturesque countryside as it rushed past you.

The gentleman across from you spoke up, introducing himself as George. You hesitated for a moment before responding politely, still wary of him.

As the train journey went on, George engaged you in light conversation, asking about your plans in London and your thoughts on the beautiful scenery outside.

You found yourself gradually relaxing in his presence, enjoying the distraction from the chaos of your thoughts while still remaining smart and reserved, not giving anything away about your past or plans for the future. 

As the train pulled into London's Euston Station, George assisted you with your luggage as you disembarked the train but, just as you stepped out of the carriage, George waved towards two men  who were standing near the exit of the platform.

These men didn't catch your attention initially, but their sudden movement towards you made you feel uneasy, and you knew in your gut that something was off.

As such, you took your suitcase from Goerge's hands and quickened your pace, trying to make your way through the crowds of people at the station, but you could feel George and his men following closely behind you. You tried to maintain your composure as a surge of fear coursed through your veins, knowing that you couldn't let them see how terrified you really were.

"Going somewhere Mrs Shelby?" another man then said, suddenly appearing in front of you , effectively blocking your escape route. This man was younger than George, but still significantly older than you and his dark hair and green eyes gave off a cold, intimidating vibe as he scrutinized you with an intense gaze.

You hesitated before answering, trying to keep your voice steady when you finally spoke up. "I-I'm just here to visit a friend in London," you said, swallowing the lump of fear that had formed in your throat. "I don't know why you're bothering me."

The young man chuckled humorlessly.

"A friend, you say? I find that hard to believe, Mrs. Shelby."

His words sent a shiver down your spine. How did this stranger know who you were? Had Thomas already discovered that you had left? Was this man working for him?

Before you could react, the man lifted up his suit jacket, indicating that he had a gun . The sight of it was enough to make your heart stop.

"You are coming with us," he said, his voice as cold as ice.

The words hung heavy in the air, and a sense of helplessness washed over you. The crowds of people passing by paid no mind to the scene unfolding before them, leaving you feeling isolated and exposed.

Your mind raced, searching for a way out of this predicament.

You thought of screaming for help or trying to run past them. But common sense took over, reminding you that these men were trained and likely armed. They could easily overpower you or worse, put a bullet in your head without hesitation.

It was a terrifying thought, one that sent a chill down your spine.

The man with the cold, green eyes studied you for a moment before motioning to his companions. "Take her," he instructed quietly. "But be nice to her. She is precious cargo, and her husband demands that you take the upmost care in returning her to him unharmed," he then chuckled and, before you knew what was happening, rough hands grabbed your arms and pulled you away from the crowd and towards an awaiting car. You struggled against their grip, but it was no use – they were too strong.

As you were pushed into the back seat of the car, you stole a glance out of the window.

The busy streets of London were a blur, and you fought back the tears that threatened to fall. You had been so foolish to think that you could escape from Thomas Shelby, the man whose ambition knew no bounds and who stopped at nothing to get what he wanted.

Tags:

@sunbeamseas @saint-ackerman @oatmealisweird @naxxsstuff @amanda08319 @r-m-cidnah @elysiannook @cillshot @infireddabdab @tastycakee @harrysbestiee @lilybabe22 @adalynlowell @henrywintersdearestgirl @ietss @thatgirlthatreadswattpad @ryiamarie @axionn

@heidimoreton @nela-cutie @futurecorps3 @delishen @nosebleeds-247 @thirteenis-myluckynumber @gills-lounge @hjmalmed @lost-fantasy @tiredkitten @sidechrisporn @smallsoulunknown @charqing-qing @hopefulinlove @aporiasposts @shycrybaby @me-and-your-husband @hjmalmed @lacontroller1991 @galxydefender @aporiasposts

@galxydefender @hunnibearrr @saint-ackerman @lunyyx @gentlemonsterjennie1 @ihavealotoffandomssorry @nadloves @lost-fantasy @nolucesn@mcavoy-girl @hjmalmed @bloodybagels @obeyme4life @richiesgroupie @blushykiss @tatumrileyslover @teawithsatanx @orijanko @rhaenyra4ever @xcinnamonmalfoyx @budugu @nadloves @kmc1989 @bloodybagels @obeyme4life @richiesgroupie @forgottenpeakywriter @smailaway @sophiaaguirred @blondie-22

[centuryberry]

I wasn't gonna say anything, but I did think yue was being pretty racist/xenophobic in thinking azure was gonna kill her bc he's a lion demon. One thing would be bc of his actions (though trying to steal a married man, while bad, is leagues better than child murder), or bc misunderstandings of things she heard, but no it's specifically because he's a lion. Does she assume things from other animal demons bc of their form, or is it only azure bc he's a threat to her parents marriage

All right, before you get the torches and the pitchforks about Yue and her apprehension towards Azure, there's a reason why this AU Yue thinks this way when all her other counterparts don't. And it's because of Wukong.

When teaching her about her monkey and yaoguai heritage, Wukong didn't hold back on the gritty details about yaoguai instincts. Traditional demons have a violent culture and follow their instincts more often than not, which is why they are often opposed to the Celestial Realm and seen as monsters. It's why Wukong and his kingdom faced many territory wars and skirmishes.

The thing about the yaoguai is that they do show and share some instincts and habits of the animals that they take after. Monkey yaoguai build nests and groom, wolf yaoguai place importance in pack bonds/family, tiger yaoguai are extremely territorial and solitary, and so on. Some yaoguai also take on some less...nice instincts. Wukong told Yue about a tiger demon who caught and ate the baby monkeys of his troop before he took it down.

Now, Yue didn't just take this and think: "all yaoguai who are big cats are going to eat me. automatically." No, she thought: "oh no, another fixation, I gotta research about this. before it consumes my mind like herbs." So, she got her hands on a book of animal facts (the closest she could ever get to her interest) and studied hard. It's the book where she got the cuttlefish fact in Unpaid Babysitting.

Now, how does this apply to Azure?

Yue quickly learned through reading between the lines that Azure still held a torch for Wukong and definitely wasn't Macaque's friend. He was actually trying to replace her other parent as Empress if she was reading things right.

Azure is an enemy to her parents' marriage, so Yue mentally treats him as such. She expects nothing but the worst from him. She needs to know what he can do and what he's capable of doing, but since Wukong says nothing but nice things about him, Yue can only guess the worst. The Jade Palace also sounded like a historical C-Drama Yue used to watch in her past life, so she knew that kids weren't exactly off-limits when it comes to these type of conflicts, especially not children of the Emperor.

And this line of thought automatically reminded her of the lion fact that she read in her book. It also reminded her about Wukong's lecture about yaoguai instincts. So, she concluded that Azure, being from the Jade Palace Court AND a lion yaoguai, wouldn't mind getting rid of her if the opportunity presented itself.

Now, let's make this clear: Yue isn't afraid of Azure because he's a lion yaoguai, she's afraid because the lion yaoguai is Azure.

Azure, who's charismatic, politically powerful, smart, and still going after Wukong even though he's married. If marriage wouldn't stop him, why would a kid? And he might claim that he'd be fine with raising Yue if something unfortunate ever happened to Macaque, but what about the potential children that would come from Azure and Wukong's union? Yue would be an obstacle. A reminder about Macaque and Wukong's love. Maybe even be the thing that holds Wukong back.

Yue is stuck on the "lions kill cubs not fathered by them" fact since she is a cub. She's squishy, tiny, baby Yue who can't even reach beyond the second shelf without some help. Lionesses on guard against them already have problems with keeping their cubs alive, what about Wukong who seems to trust Azure? If Wukong just blatantly rejected Azure and his romantic overtures, Yue wouldn't be as stressed, but he was an idiot so she was stuck with this scenario.

So yeah, Yue had been stewing with this kind of fear long before she popped out of the mirror. It didn't help when she saw how devastated Azure was when he laid eyes on her and his disturbing insistence on getting some time alone with her. (Murder! Her overthinking mind cries.)

But here's the kicker: Azure Lion isn't actually a yaoguai. He's a Celestial Beast. Two different creatures. Azure doesn't even have that strong of an instinct to follow and/or overcome. But Wukong didn't tell Yue about this difference and Yue didn't know enough Otome Game lore to understand this. And Wukong didn't even correct her when she first brought up her fears.

Yue's assumptions are mostly born out of her fears, imagination, ignorance, and Wukong (and Macaque) not sitting her down and correcting her.

Funnily enough, Yue never has this irrational fear toward anyone else. Not even Peng. Random lion or tiger yaoguai? Nothing. Just Azure. So, if her thoughts and actions are still construed as racism, then it's a special sort of racism directed at Azure and nobody else.

(This started out as a funny gag and callback to the animal fact Yue dropped in Unpaid Babysitting and I ended up expanding on some yaoguai culture. Hope this was a good enough explanation.)

[mytalemyworld]

Hey ☺️

I just want to say that I'm glad you're back with your posts! I hope your excitement is back too 🥰

Love reading your perspective on Cihan and Alia scenes! Can't wait for the second season. I hope they won't ruin it with some nonsense plot.

What's your opinion on this pregnancy thing? 🫣 For how long they will keep it?Do you think that the baby will be born? Is this a usual thing in Turkish drama?

These days I found many bad comments on social media about "kiss scene". I really don't know what people expected, for me kiss was appropriate considering the circumstances and how ther marriage started.

What your opinion? Same people say that the actors were too stiff and unnatural. But I think they did their job very well 😃

Once again thank you very much!

Lots of love and best wishes! ❤️

Hi! Thank you, lots of love too. 💙

As long as I feel something good about the show, my excitement won't fade away however even in the season finale, there were times when I felt ick. Since episode 20, I have always had this feeling unfortunately. The pregnancy trope should end asap, it's ruined many things already, I don't know how long we can put up with this.

It is common unfortunately, it's kind of the most annoying means to prolong -and ruin- successful tv shows. It's shitty, horrible, but you can't escape it.

There might be three options about the baby situation.

1st, they may try to pull off Asmalı Konak. This was the first tv show where this clan-mansion-traditonal man vs modern woman tropes were used. The male lead was a clan leader, fell in love with a modern woman, they got married, lived in a big mansion with his family members, there was a housemaid who was obsessed with him and when he was younger he spent one night with her, she got pregnant, she gave a birth to a son but he never acknowledged him as his son, the girl was married off someone else but continued living in the mansion and tried to ruin the main couple's marriage at first. Then the writer turned her into a good character and the female lead and her became closer but the male lead still didn't see that boy as his son even though he provided momeny for the boy to be raised well. It was a horrible tv show but very successful back then.

So the writer is very well aware of the fact that Mine is disliked by everybody however if they can't get rid of the actress they may try to soften her character and make the viewers accept her and the baby. Which would be the most difficult thing a writer can manage, honestly, because I don't give a f.ck if she is a good character or not.

2nd option, the baby is born, Mine dies. So Alya will become a mother figure to Cihan's son, just how he is a father figure to Deniz. Which would be annoying as well, because wtf people would like to watch such thing, I don't know.

3rd option, if they can't get rid of the actress, she has a miscarriage but continues being annoying, which would be fine.

I don't want to think another option which would be her and the baby being the main cast and our couple being constantly tried by these problems. The show would be ruined irreversibly, I think. If the writer thinks that this can be their new obstacle, their new conflict source, I suggest her not to try this at all, because it's hella uncomfortable even right now, so just imagine how worse this might get.

Social media will never get better, don't let them ruin your fun. I found the kiss very in character and emotional. I wrote why they kissed like that. And honestly, I know people can expect to see some real adult stuff, but intimacy scenes are never my first concern, they can kiss like there's no tomorrow, or they may kiss very vanilla, I don't care as long as it's not out of character.

[astrovastukosh]

People of these zodiac signs will get good news today

Aaj Ka Rashifal 13 August 2024: Tuesday is dedicated to the worship of Lord Hanuman. It is believed that worshiping Bajrangbali gets rid of all the sorrows and sufferings of life and brings happiness to life.

Aaj Ka Rashifal 13 August 2024: Know how your horoscope will be today

Aries Today will be a normal day. The mind will be troubled due to unknown fear. Stress levels may increase. You may feel anxious without any reason. Spend quality time with family. Pay attention to the advice of family members. Do not spend a large amount of money on luxury items today. Control expenses. Take financial decisions wisely. Handle love life issues wisely. Be sensitive to your partner's emotions.

Taurus Today will prove to be a very auspicious day. Respect will increase in society. Family life will be happy. However, challenges may be felt in some office tasks. Students will not feel like studying. Be ready to take responsibility for new important tasks today. Keep an eye on new opportunities for career growth. Pay attention to your health.

Gemini Today, Gemini people will have to be very careful in all tasks. Pay attention to health. Do not ignore small health issues. This can increase health problems. Make a new investment plan. Learn from past mistakes and do not repeat them again in life. Focus on your work. Take advantage of new opportunities for career advancement. Work hard to achieve success. Today you can buy a new house.

Cancer Today you will get the support of family. You can plan a vacation with family members. You will get financial benefits from ancestral property. You can attend family functions at home. Professional life will be great. New achievements will be achieved in my career. New sources of income will be created. Relationships with life partners will be strengthened. Do yoga and meditation daily. This will keep your health good.

Leo Your health will be good today. You will actively participate in social work. Your work will be appreciated in your professional life. The marriage of a family member may be fixed. You may get an invitation to a social event. There will be an atmosphere of competition in professional life. Opponents will be active. Which may affect your performance. Therefore, stay away from office politics and focus on your work. Today your love life will take new exciting turns.

Virgo Take decisions very carefully in financial matters. Your health will be good today. You can plan a romantic dinner or night drive with your partner. This will bring happiness in love life. You will get love and support from the family. Today will be a great day for new tasks. Business will grow. There is a great opportunity to buy a new property. Today your partner will surprise you. You will get the desired results of your work.

Libra Today all your dreams will come true. You will get money from unexpected sources of income. You will get many golden opportunities to buy a new property. There will be chances of traveling. The advice of family members will prove beneficial in removing career obstacles. Today you will get the fruits of hard work. New achievements will be achieved in my career. Social status and prestige will increase. Romantic life will be great.

Scorpio Complete all tasks with new innovative ideas today. You will get the support of colleagues in your professional life. All important tasks will be completed without any hindrance. There will be balance in personal and professional life. There will be chances of sudden financial gains. Helping others will be appreciated in society. Financial condition will be good. Spend quality time with your partner today and share your emotions with them.

Sagittarius Today Sagittarius people will achieve new achievements in professional life. You will get good news from the family. Chances of meeting old friends will increase. You will get new golden opportunities for investment. There will be a lot of money by selling or renting old property. Financial condition will be strengthened. Positive energy will flow in life. Your romantic life will be good.

Capricorn Today students will get immense success in competitive exams. There will be financial gain from unexpected sources of income. You can go shopping with family or friends. Everything will be good in professional life. You will get the reward of hard work. You will get positive results on every task. A romantic dinner or a long drive with your partner can bring happiness to your love life.

Aquarius Today you will get good returns from old investments. You can enter a new house. Avoid consuming oily and spicy food. You will get support from colleagues to complete important tasks. You will get immense success in every task. You may have to help younger siblings financially at home.

Pisces Today you will be lucky in financial matters. You can plan a vacation with your family. Interest in social work will increase. There will be a few challenging situations in professional life. Married life will be happy. Love life will be full of love and romance. You will get relief from mental stress. You will live a blissful life.

[trimbakeshwar-purohit]

The Spiritual Impact of Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja on Your Life    

A very destructive dosha that you may find in your birth chart is the Pitra dosha. As per the Hindu religion, any person who is inflicted by this dosha must pay the karmic debt owed by their ancestors. It is believed that this dosha happens to a person when their ancestors commit any crime, sin or error in their life. 

Whereas, according to Indian astrology, the conjunction of the Rahu and sun in the ninth house known as the house of death is an extremely unfavourable aspect that results in the development of this dosha in one's horoscope. Therefore to get rid of it, one must perform the Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja.

What are the Effects of Pitra Dosha in One's Life?

Any person who may have Pitra dosh in their birth chart may experience a number of ailments in their life. Some of these are listed below 

Obstacles in career 

Difficulties in pregnancy 

Delays in marriage or divorce

Dreams of deceased ancestors asking for food or clothes 

Giving birth to a mentally or physically unstable baby 

Arguments with spouses lead to an unfavourable environment in the house

Lack of financial stability and one might drown in debt

Have nightmares of snakes 

Loss of reputation in society 

Unfortunate situations in the house like fire, robbery, etc.

Unnatural and sudden death

Health problems and many more.

These problems may seem not to have any end and can break one completely. But by choosing to opt for Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja, you can bring a lot of transformation in your life 

What are the Benefits of Performing Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja?

There are many benefits of performing Pitra Dosh Nivaran puja including

Helping to recover from the bad conditions in the family

Assists in reviving good fortune besides a progressive life 

Removes all health ailments and cures serious issues 

Helps to eliminate hurdles from professional life 

Cures acute diseases 

Assists couples who are facing childbirth problems and blesses them with a healthy newborn 

Freedom from illusion and concentration 

Ensures peace of mind 

Helps to attract positivity from all around.

Simply put, as you choose to do Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja, it transforms your life for good and ensures a great well-being that you may feel entirely satisfied with.

How Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja Can Bring Spiritual Benefits?

Besides bringing health, financial, physical and other benefits, the Pitra Dosh Nivaran Puja can be beneficial spiritually as well. Some of the spiritual benefits that you may find after the puja in your life are

Grants salvation

Relieve from negative impacts that come from planets 

Helps to revive luck further creating an atmosphere of positivity 

Creating a shield against negative energies ensures the safety of loved ones 

Perform acts of dedication

Experiencing removal of impediments and evil energies

Helping with perception improvement

Promotes spiritual augmentation 

Helps to vanish the foes and many more.

What Charity Can You Do After the Pitra Dosh Puja?

Once puja has been performed, make sure to do some charity as it will assist in fulfilling your wishes and getting favourable results sooner. Some of the things that you can do in the form of charity are donating fruits, grains, clothes and money to the poor. 

You can choose to do the Brahman Bhoj where you can feed one or more priests. Apart from this, you can donate metal, Shankh and kaudi from the ocean to others. Lastly, feeding the animals and birds is also a form of charity that you can consider doing after the pooja is performed.

[winterspellsfrozenkit]

I have been summoned! Ok!

So should Neige and Vil have been stepbrothers? Personally, I don't think so and it has to do with the motivation of the Evil Queen against Snow White. Her whole thing is she hates Snow White for being more beautiful than her. Not taking her husband's attention away, not destroying her life, just she can't stand Snow White is prettier. Now why would that matter to her stepmother? Best possible world building reason I can figure is Snow White's dad is dead which means both would be on the marriage market and Snow White could hurt her chances. Or it's just basic vanity. Given Vil being based on the Evil Queen and Neige being based on Snow White, them being step siblings would add a dynamic the Queen and Snow did not have and would be more in line with Scar... I'll explain that as I address your points.

Now to look at the points you offered!

"1. Neige's past doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you stop and think about it, needing a massive overhaul."

Okay. So Neige's past is explained in Book 6! So why didn't a form of CPS step in. Well, that would be because the "kids" Neige is living with are fae, which means they age differently. We know in Book 7 that Vil was FLOORED by Lilia's age. We do not know how old the dwarfs are. Malleus took 20 years to walk and that was considered EARLY. They are probably considered "adults" by human standards, thus Neige can live with them without issue. We also don't know how he came to live with them, just that he's been living with them for years. For all we know, Neige's parents willed that they would be his guardians when they died. Sure, the dwarves look like elementary school kids, but for all we know, they could be well into their 70s or 80s in human years.

"2. It would make the conflict between Neige and Vil more personal, potentially giving Neige much more needed screentime."

I don't think Neige really needed more screentime? Remember Snow White's plot is very simple and it's simply the fact that Snow White is ALIVE and PRETTIER THAN HER that makes the Evil Queen become murderous and Snow White is oblivious to it.

Vil's motivation is extremely personal to him. He wants to be a great actor like his father on his own merit and he wants to get the protagonist role so he can be on the stage until the end. Vil refuses to take the easy way out by coasting on his father's name and Neige is the one obstacle he can't overcome.

I discussed this in a post I wrote about why Minna de Yahoo is important and should not have been cut from EN, but Vil has been constantly typecasted and he HATES it. That's why he wants to beat Neige, so he'll stop constantly getting the beautiful villain roles. For Vil, it is personal because he has worked so hard and loves acting so much and he keeps getting shoved into the same type of role, getting bullied by kids and called unapproachable by adults and he hates it. He loves acting, but he hates the negative attention and reputation he gets. He wants to show off what else he can do as an actor, rather than being shoved into the same role over and over and over again. Also, by making them coworkers, rather than step siblings, it can allow Neige to keep the naivete Snow White has, not realizing that Vil despises him for being an obstacle in his way.

"3. It could potentially explain what the deal with Vil's mother is. Maybe Vil's mom went off to marry Neige's father, so Vil using Neige as a punching bag for "breaking his family a part" instead of blaming his mom."

So... this is not really a thing that Vil needs. Some kids just don't have moms for many different reasons. Also, the Evil Queen asking the Slave in the Magic Mirror is the equivalent for her of using Google. The Magic Mirror is supposed to be an unbiased party answering in facts, rather than emotional bias of the Magic Mirror itself. If Vil's mom was involved, it would get rid of the unemotional bias that Mira, Mira offers because Vil would likely be seeking approval from a specific person (his mother), rather than the general populace (all the land). It's okay for Vil to not be interested in who his mother is, some kids just aren't interested in an absent parent. Eric may tell him one day, but it's not pressing on Vil because he's got a very loving father and he's okay with just having a loving dad rather than a mom who wasn't there for him.

And "4. It would make them more like the original fairytale in a logical way."

So yes, the Evil Queen is Snow White's stepmother. From what I've read, it's unfortunately come from an idea that women viewed each other as competition for security. The stepmother was often an evil version of the deceased mother who now sees her daughter as competition... Thank you, old cultural standards of ancient European countries that the Grim Brothers collected the stories from. I appreciate the pitting of mother vs daughter simply because they are women just as much as I appreciate the ancient Greek idea that women are evil and only exist to bring suffering to humankind...😒

Would it make Vil and Neige kind of more like the fairytale? Yeah, but it also runs the risk of being too similar to Scar. Scar has anger at his brother and Leona has that same anger and resentment towards Falena. If Neige and Vil were step siblings, it'd be harder to differentiate Leona's motivations for overblot from Vil's... That's probably why they didn't do it.

Anyways, I hope this helped. But hey, if you want them to be step siblings, go for it! Write a fanfic of it! Run with it! I mean, I have an TWST OC, Rosa Leroux, that's Neige's cousin who is based on both Snow White's father and Rose Red from Snow White and Rose Red. And part of the reason I created Rosa was for that familial connection of Snow White and the Evil Queen. And I write Vil still disliking Neige and not being happy they ended up related.

So if you want them to be stepsiblings, go ahead and do it! I can't speak for Avion's opinion, but while Vil and Neige being stepbrothers may not be my jam, don't let that stop you.

A bit random, but do you think that Vil and Neige should've been stepbrothers? Personally, I think that would've been a better move. Because:

Neige's past doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you stop and think about it, needing a massive overhaul. (Seriously, why didn't CPS force him and the rest of them into foster homes if they are all underaged in modern times? Why didn't anyone do anything despite him being a celebrity?)

It would make the conflict between Neige and Vil more personal, potentially giving Neige much more needed screentime

It could potentially explain what the deal with Vil's mother is. Maybe Vil's mom went off to marry Neige's father, so Vil using Neige as a punching bag for "breaking his family a part" instead of blaming his mom. That's me just spitballing an example.

It would make them more like the original fairytale in a logical way.

I’m actually gonna send you @winterspellsfrozenkit’s way. They’ve studied Vil and Neige under a microscope so they can give you a way better answer than I ever could. 😅

[nininikki]

𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐌𝐑. 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓 | eren jaeger x black reader

III. nice enough

✧ summary! — as eren is faced with an obstacle regarding his fight for the office, all he can seem to think of is you. meanwhile, your dinner at the jaeger’s goes…interestingly.

✧ warnings! — alcohol consumption and mentions of it, mentions of sexual activity (piv), adultery (eren is an aspiring cheater again), age gap—reader is 29 and eren is 40

✧ author’s note! — hello all! part 3 is finally here after what felt like years 😓 hoping that you all love it! bit of exposition & lots of head hopping (aka pov switching) in this one so strap your seatbelts. lmk if i missed anything in the warnings! 🪽💘

✧ word count! — 3.6k series masterlist! / previous chapter!

12 AUGUST, THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

one could argue that there was nothing particularly nice about levi ackerman. he didn’t really like to shake people’s hands, evident by the well hidden grunts of distress under his breath whenever he had to do it and the prompt squirt of hand sanitizer into his palm immediately after. 

he also had a not so great habit of dishing out ridiculous—or, in hindsight not so ridiculous—demands that he was certain would help eren in the polls. “go get a haircut, jaeger. you look fifteen.” or, “go change that tie. never mind, just change the whole damn suit. you look like a bachelor.”

and eren had an even worse habit of listening to everything he said, because the most frustrating thing of all about levi ackerman was that he was never wrong. there was a jump in his numbers after he got rid of that “juvenile haircut” and stopped “dressing like hugh hefner.”

so, when levi deadpanned, “you two need to start acting married.” eren could only assume it was for some reason or another that he’d eventually come to comprehend in about twenty minutes.

“acting married?”

eren had come to learn that levi’s ideas tended to be the most strategic the more asinine they sounded. this fact, however, did not help the ever nagging feeling that eren might as well have been blowing levi’s ten thousand dollar stipend into the wind every month. 

levi swiftly maneuvered his way around their timelessly decorated living room, not bothering to hide the way he kept his hands from lingering too long on any furniture. “acting like you actually love each other. yes, challenging as that may sound, it could win you this election.”

however levi managed to clock the decaying spark in eren’s marriage was neither here nor there. 

mikasa sprouted from her seat as though she were the timid stem of a plant. “levi, with all due respect—”

“i mean, like right now.” right now, eren and mikasa were standing no more than seven feet away from each other on opposite sides of their living room. their respective arms crossed, unionized in their waning tolerance for the current discussion. “you two look like coworkers at best. hold her hand, kiss her on the cheek. where’s the chemistry?”

eren breathed a scoff that weighed a thousand pounds. “chemistry? we have an election to win, and you’re worried about our chemistry?”

“the numbers speak for themselves, jaeger. voters under thirty-five love you. love your policies, your look. if it were up to just them, you’d be a shoo-in. but with voters forty and up—well, you just aren’t traditional enough.”

despite the nonchalance with which levi spoke, eren’s vigorously trained ear picked up on the irritation that lie just beneath. eren could practically hear into the bubbling, cynical cauldron of brilliance that was levi’s brain and pick out the individual remarks springing to the surface. am i gonna have to hire this fucker an intimacy coordinator? for his wife of all people?

never minding the question sounding almost rhetorical in his head, eren still asked, “well, how do we fix that?” he thought back longingly, bitterly to the conversation last night. and the one this morning. a fuzzy, warm, and sugar filled feeling that should’ve been guilt enraptured his chest and abdomen. the last intelligent parts of his brain were brutally kicking him for thinking of a you—a girl that was inconsequential and, for lack of a better word, trouble. you may as well have had a big, glowing red sign floating above your head that blared DANGER whenever he dared step too close.

but, oh, how he wanted to step closer! how he could feel the delicious vines of trouble you were sure to plant into his life and how he found himself longing to be wrapped in them anyway. how he wanted nothing more than to sink his teeth into the forbidden fruit of your skin and revel in whatever nectar you were willing to give him. how he wouldn’t have minded looking danger directly in the eyes if they just so happened to resemble yours.

***

AUGUST 23, THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

eren could feel his fingers beginning to seize with a barely discernible tremor as they hesitated over his house phone. eleven long days had passed since the last phone call, and a part of him (lots of parts, actually) had started to miss your voice. it was novel that he had even found himself missing the sound of someone’s voice. their voice, of all things. but he guessed you had a knack for realizing the fantastical.

of course, he couldn’t call you just to call. he had to have some sort of reason. an, “oh, i was just wondering if you were still up for dinner” or, “i know you’ve got your premiere today. i was just calling to wish you good luck.”

he couldn’t have wanted to call for the sole purpose of hearing your voice, or wanting to know how your day was going. or for any of the simple pleasure he may have gotten from calling you, anyway. 

calling you without a reason would change things. he’d toe the already vague enough line between checking up on a totally platonic (while also coincidentally drop dead gorgeous) woman in his life and indulging in the attraction that had become so potent within him he was afraid it’d fester if he didn’t act upon it. 

eren dropped the house phone back into its holder with a pathetic clunk, and began the venture into his bathroom in pursuit of splashing some sense into his face. he couldn’t have, not for a second, thought it’d be a good idea to call you at three o’clock on a wednesday with mikasa and levi sitting perfectly conscious just downstairs. 

a noticeable chunk of eren’s resolve crumbled to nothing as he promptly realized that yes, he had considered calling you in the face of the present circumstances. and no, he couldn’t say he cared all that much without willing himself to do so.

***

23 AUGUST, THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

your relationship with jean kirschtein was something of an enigma. to the ever present and glaring public eye, to your own friends and family, hell, to yourself even. when he wasn’t pretending to be madly in love with you on a silver screen, he was sending you compliments that he didn’t even bother to deliver in a platonic tone. and when he wasn’t doing that, he was whisking you into the dimly lit area of whatever party you both happened to be attending and coating your lips in whiskey flavored kisses that lingered into the early morning.

it almost seemed inevitable the first time you slept with him. with every stolen glance or flirtatious remark, you’d find yourself thinking, any day now. any day now, i’m gonna jump his bones.

and soon enough, your desires were realized one night as he cruised down the hall from his hotel room to yours to wish you a well slumber and wash away the pre-premiere jitters with a bottle of champagne. it didn’t take long before he had your legs wrapped around the base of his spine while the two of you rutted your pleasure-drunken bodies into one another.

ironically enough, that had become your pre-premiere tradition, an arrangement that proved convenient for you last night when colorful thoughts of a certain presidential candidate ran rampant through your mind. you’d found yourself knocking on his hotel room door with your own bottle of champagne—knowing he’d be up for taking your mind off it. still, even with jean buried so deep inside you and your fingernails raking across his shoulders, you couldn’t quite seem to purge him from your mind.

that much is evident when you arrive at the cannes film festival. a steadying, custom-tailored arm snakes around your waist, and judging by the accompanying scent of bleu de chanel, your otherwise preoccupied mind can only assume it’s jean. “hey,” the sound of his voice sobers you just enough to grant him eye contact. “you okay in there?”

“always.” you reassure him with a smile and nod. “let’s go kick ass.”

***

30 AUGUST

just as your knuckles brushed against the front door, a fleeting blanket of tranquility washed over your body in the form of an evening summer breeze. briefly, you wondered if that could be a sign before knocking anyway. it was a timid graze of skin against wood that you weren’t even sure you’d heard. you were prepared to knock again—more confidently and less like you were about to vomit all over the jaeger’s doorstep—when the door swung open.

“and here i was, thinking you’d stood me up.” 

you didn’t think you’d ever quite get used to eren’s beauty. this could’ve had something to do with the fact that he was simply (by some stroke of magic) becoming increasingly attractive each time you laid eyes on him. or with the fact that you were utterly enamored with a new part of him every single time. 

on this particular occasion, it was the tiny beauty mark dotted under his left eye. one could hardly even call it noticeable in the dimmed lighting you two were standing in, but that didn’t stop you from yearning to stretch onto your tiptoes and run the pad of your thumb over it. 

an utterly delighted exhale whistled through your nose as you remarked, “never.” with a newborn shyness coloring your tone, which may or may not have had something to do with the way eren’s shadow managed to eclipse your entire as he braved a footstep in your direction to close the front door behind you. it was in that particular moment that you realized mikasa wasn’t at his side. she’d have most likely greeted you with a hug, a glimmering smile, and all the guilt-inspiring kindness in the world. “where’s, uh, m—”

eren’s eyes, once entirely focused on you, became awkward and clumsy as the last syllable started to leave your lips. “she’s in th—”

“honey, is that (y/n)?” mikasa’s voice, erupting from somewhere further back in the house while still managing to sound composed and almost soft. “i’ll be up in a sec, hold on.”

as the distant echo of mikasa’s voice dwindled, what proceeded to settle over you and eren was an almost tangible bubble of guilt. and taking your eyes off one another would surely burst it right over your heads and drench you both in the sordid feelings you harbored for one another.

of course, you don’t count on eren to have that much concern for things like guilt. because just as the sound of his wife’s voice grew to a steady quiet, you felt his palms—lightly callused and comfortably warm—cup over the back of your arms as he murmured, “you’re so beautiful.”

“eren,” you squeaked his name, a weak attempt at protest. you should’ve known you stood no chance, especially not when the lively green of his eyes bored into yours so deeply you thought you’d feel them in your soul. 

his hands grew a bit firmer over your arms, and you couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to stay in his hold forever. “yeah?” eren answered, and you would’ve let him kiss you right there. you were so sure of the feeling that it wrapped around your bones. it was in the beating of your heart, the quickness of your breath, in the ribbons of want dripping into your underwear and effectively soiling them for the rest of the night. it was in you.

with no forewarning (although, why would there be) the tell-tale sound of heels came clicking against the same marble floor you were standing on. almost too luckily for you, eren moved into a less compromising position, and you were able to see that the heels were still clicking around the corner and not yet in the foyer. so, mikasa hadn’t seen her husband practically mounting the girl she believed to be their friend. 

this was gonna be a long fucking night.

***

sitting before you was possibly the best plate of pasta you’d ever eaten and just a foot or two across from that was possibly the handsomest man you’d ever had the pleasure of meeting. if you were deluded enough, this could’ve been a date. scarfing down a fattening amount of pasta and drinking thousand dollar wine with the man present in all your recent daydreams.

maybe if you drank enough wine, you’d slide your stiletto up the inside of his leg. back and forth and back and forth again until it wasn’t enough for you. maybe if both of you had enough wine, he’d take you up to his bedroom. or maybe he wouldn’t bother with all the extra walking and just let you have it right here on the dining room table.

but none of that would happen, seeing as just a foot away from him sat his wife, your friend. 

“is the pasta any good, (y/n)?” mikasa asked, as she herself was only eating a salad drenched in avocado and quinoa. 

mouth too full to speak, you simply raised a positive thumb as you waited for the food to go down. “amazing,” you were finally able to breathe out. “everything’s been just lovely.” and it had been. even walking through the jaeger’s home felt like something of an out of body experience for you. the ornate detailing covering the walls, marble floors smooth enough to slide across, and ceilings bejeweled with sparkling chandeliers. the place could’ve been a castle.

after a sip from his glass, eren remarked, “i think you just make lovely company.”

your neck twitched in the urge to bang your head against the table, unsure if it was rooted in being flustered or embarrassed that he would even utter those words out loud. 

after a bout of awkward silence that filled the room with the intensity and speed of a rushing tide, mikasa spoke. “so, how was cannes?” you didn’t miss the way she stabbed at her lettuce, despite desperately wishing you had. 

“uh, great, yeah. really great.” you answered, despite having to flinch whenever you closed your eyes due to the blinding camera flash that still lingered behind the lids. and despite last night being your first full eight hours of sleep after what seemed like months of preparation for this money-covered spectacle. “people liked the movie, that’s all i could really ask for.” a smile graced your features as you recalled the tumultuous, fourteen minute standing ovation. even now, through all the party noise still sticking to you, you remember the triumph burning through your veins as jean wrapped you in a spine-crushing hug.

mikasa smiled through an ear of lettuce. “that’s perfect.” seconds of chewing passed before she added, “y’know, that jean kirschtein guy seems to like you quite a bit.”

“jean?”

“yeah. i mean, the way he looks at you…” you briefly wondered how on earth she would know how jean looks at you (off-camera, at least) before remembering that cannes was a nationally publicized event, and she’d most likely seen bits and pieces of it somewhere at the very very least. “wouldn’t you say so, eren?”

you were actually kicking yourself. like, banging the heel of your stiletto repeatedly your shin and hoping to wake up from this night terror sooner than later. “i don’t know. kid seems nice enough.” eren murmured. you braved a glance at him, only to see that he was staring down into his plate of pasta as his knuckles whitened around his fork. he finally looked up at both of you to say, “let’s not jump down her throat about it.” 

“ugh, i’m so glad we got to do this.” mikasa breathed, her arms wrapping around your neck as the three of you entered the foyer. “i’ve got that women’s conference in georgia in a few weeks, so this is about the only free time i’m getting before then.”

“if anyone can convince them to vote democrat, it’s you.”

her eyes brightened as if it was the first time she’d been complimented in ages. “you think so?”

you nodded, trying to ignore her husband’s shadow burning a hole in your back. “you got it in the bag. don’t even worry about it.”

just as her smile began to widen, a phone somewhere upstairs trilled noisily, and her eyes darted to eren as she headed towards the sound. “that might be levi. will you walk her out while i…” mikasa gestured upwards, and they shared a look of mutual understanding over your head that had envy coiling in your gut.

in a matter of seconds, mikasa had zipped from the foyer and ventured up the stairs before you could even blink a goodbye in her direction. you shot eren a questioning set of eyes, to which he only wearily answered, “campaign manager.”

as eren walked you out the door, you could feel a question—the question—sitting eagerly on his tongue, so it wasn’t at all a surprise when he remarked, “jean kirschtein, huh?”

pale ribbons of moonlight illuminated his features, brightening the coquettish smile stretched across his face. “problem?” you quickly and confidently answered his question with another, even as you could feel your legs buckling under the weight of his stare. 

“no, not at all. he seems…” eren shook his head so unconvincingly that he may as well have said yes. 

“‘nice enough.’ right?”

for a brief instant, something darkened behind his eyes, and you couldn’t tell if it scared you or turned you on. “i lied. not nice enough for you.”

“oh? and are you saying you know someone who is?” a giggle slipped from your lips as you let your heeled foot briefly glide against the hem of his pant leg.

even in the growing darkness, his cheeks lit aflame in a blush. “god, i don’t even know what i’m saying.”

just then, your limo smoothed up the driveway and came to a halt where you stood at the front entrance. “well, call me when you do.”

***

your house phone trills ecstatically at around midnight, and you weren’t at all surprised by the voice on the other end. “you know i don’t think he’s good enough for you.”

throwing a nightgown over your naked, freshly showered body, you simper, “and who are you to make that judgment?”

“i’m making this judgment as someone who might possibly be good enough for you.”

“‘might possibly’ yeah, if we just remove the wife and presidential candidacy.” you momentarily considered a world where there was no wife or presidential candidacy. where you and eren met at some country club near santa barbara and could be blissfully smitten without interruption. without the glaring eyes of guilt crawling over your back whenever you so much as thought about him. “i’d say you’re perfect.”

“perfect, huh?” the cocky lilt in his tone sobered you as much as it excited you. 

“hey, grain of salt.” you teased as you threw your head back into the throng of pillows at the head of your bed and wished desperately that eren could see the way you were smiling. “very clear conditions were stated. conditions you obviously cannot meet.”

“stop that.” eren whispered, his voice half a notch sterner.

“stop what?”

“being so pessimistic.” at this, you laughed, because eren’s hopeless sense of optimism was nothing if not utterly amusing. 

“no other choice.”

treacherously long beats of silence roll by, giving you no other choice than to think about what you just said. would it really be so foolish to think that this (whatever it was you two had going on) stood a chance in the face of all the present circumstances—his marriage, the election, your reputation and career. sitting here now, listening to the peaceful whistles of his breath between his lips and soaking up the utter peace it brought you, you almost could’ve been coaxed into believing the answer was no.

“(y/n),” eren’s voice wakes you. “can i ask something of you?”

“depends on what.” you breathe, checking the clock on your bedside table. 12:06.

“there’s this, uh, dinner we’re hosting at my family’s ballroom. try to garner support and that kinda thing. i don’t know, it was mainly mika’s idea. but anyway,” the distant sounds of ice rolling around in a scotch glass graced your ears. “i want you to be there.”

i want you to be there. “oh, eren, i—” you cut yourself off, heart hammering in your chest so fervently you thought it might explode. i want you to be there. “i don’t—” i want you to be there. “i don’t know if that’s really my scene.” you tried to keep the tremor out of your voice for long enough to get the sentence out. 

“nonsense. america loves you. you’d be a huge help, if anything.” his voice was doing that thing again. that thing where it seeped from the receiver of the phone and sang to your senses in a way that made it feel like he was really there with you. “but that’s not why i want you there.”

“why do you want me there?”

“just to see you again.” it warmed your heart, and every other surface area of skin on your body, that he was already looking for a way to see you again despite having just left you today. 

“is this my official invitation?”

“‘course it is. i’ll handle everything else. just put on the prettiest dress you own and show up.” you glanced over at your walk-in closet with its double doors still open ajar and briefly pondered over which dress—out of the hundreds—might be the prettiest one you own. “can you do that for me?”

“yeah,” the word left your lips as if someone had punched it and all the air from your lungs. eren had the power to do that to you, and if at some point down the line, you got any stupider than this, you’d give him the power to do so much more. “yeah, i can.”

tags ✧˖*°࿐ — @nyanglock @beyondsuki @westcinny @taylarxse @ittostan @rensbby @madsoncrack @shawtynoire @braxxinterlude @kai7911

© NININIKKI. do not translate, copy, or modify my works in any way shape or form.

[lanaisdoe]

Unpopular opinion: I actually loved Daemyra's proposal scene FOR REASONS! - THE PROPOSAL SCENE analysis:

so first of all we have Daemon calmly, casually join Rhaenyra to watch the horizon and talk.. he's visibly relaxed, there's even a hint of smile, he leans in slightly >>

then they have a small talk about fire and sea, they both express similar views on what fire and water is like, what they represent, and how both Daemon and Rhaenyra's fates have been marked and even scarred by fire... Daemon's still visibly relaxed here... >>

but THEN Rhaenyra turns to him and finally boldly says she NEEDS him, she's looking at him, pleadingly, and you can see him visibly tense, like it's caught him off guard - so he stands there, staring into the horizon without a word, he then looks down, it's like he doesn't know what to do with himself >>

and then, to make him see how important this is for her, how much from the heart, she switches INTO VALYRIAN (their secret love language they only use with each other), she shows her vulnerability to him, tells him she cannot face the greens alone, and that's when he first turns to look at her >>

she then pleads for the two of them to bind their blood like Aegon did with his sisters (in the tradition of their house -> just like Daemon had once proposed when asking for Rhaenyra's hand, he'd been dreaming of the same Targaryen-styled Wedding!) and for Daemon to become her husband and her prince consort >>

all this time he never stops looking at her, never once looks away, he's still staring into her eyes (i feel the need to point this out cuz i see people say he wasn't even looking at her while she was proposing) >>

she basically tells him that with him by her side, her claim won't be easily challenged, that with him she will be stronger and protected, that together they'll be invincible...

^ which also sort of parallels with Daemon telling Viserys that together with Rhaenyra they would make their house great again, strong again (turn it to its former glory: power, awe, respect, greatness...), when pleading Viserys to give him Rhaenyra to take to wife. Also, they are both obsessed with the Targaryen legacy, customs, and traditions, dragons and Old Valyria :) Fire and Blood, Daemon and Rhaenyra are peas in a pod, they're really like one. Soulmates.

and here he was still looking at her when she started her comparison of Velaryions and Targaryens -> to show how the two of them were different, unlike the rest

and the moment she says "but YOU and I, " Daemon starts slowly turning around to sit down and he puts his hands to his chest !!! >> as she finishes saying that the two of them are made of fire

his sudden turning around and sitting down is basically Daemon processing everything, the man has to SIT DOWN for it :D

then there is a mini moment of silence as he's already sitting, so that Daemon can take it all in :D because the man is just utterly OVERWHELMED... look at how even his mouth is slightly opened. Like he had never, not even in his wildest dreams, imagined such an outcome when he'd left for Driftmark for a funeral...,

So he's just sitting there with his hands to his chest, staring into nowhere, processing it all >>

and when she then says "We have always been meant to burn together" he finally looks up at her >>

and the BEST THING is that right after Rhaenyra says this key phrase, Daemon, clutching his hands to his chest, without hesitation, goes on to name the last obstacle standing in their way (Laenor alive, legal husband):

he DOESN'T say "yes" to her proposal, he doesn't even smile or react any way to the proposal itself, he simply immediately focuses on the actual steps that need to made for their MARRIAGE to happen, he immediately pinpoints and proposes to get rid of the last obstacle he sees in their way! -> You gotta love how for Daemon it had never been about whether to marry Rhaenyra or not, but about HOW to get married ASAP ! :D

^ just like the moment Viserys refused to give him Rhaenyra due to Daemon having a legal wife at the time, what does Daemon do? He literally says ok, as you wish, brother. And proceeds to go and get rid of said wife, JUST LIKE THIS TIME around, the moment the opportunity to marry Rhaenyra presents itself, he doesn't waste any time, he names the problem AND comes up with a cool plan of HOW to get rid of said problem, Daemon is a man of action, not words, he wastes no time :D

^^ and here's when it gets interesting, right after he mentions that Laenor stands in their way, he looks up at Rhaenyra to check her reaction, still clutching his hands to his chest (like he's nervous, expectant, excited) here he challenges her, he wants to see whether she has it in her to get rid of Laenor, cuz Daemon's ready to do what it takes, he's staring up at her, waiting to hear what she says, whether she's ready to go such lengths for the two of them to finally get official

and when she confirms "she knows" (that they have to get rid of Laenor to be together officially), his stare changes instantly to one of determination and fire :D and we know this means Daemon's back in action, his face here's saying: "SAY NO MORE, i have experience"

we then see him with his killer!Daemon dark cloak on, getting shit done for him and his wifey, he looks super contented and excited, too, as he's putting their plan to full action :D

we hear him share with Rhaenyra tips on his very own ruthlessness that can help a lot at times, we hear him teach her about how to be a strong queen and have people respect but also fear her

But when Rhaenyra expresses she wishes to spare Laenor anyway, Daemon adjusts the plan (of how to get Laenor off their way) to please Rhaenyra, he offers to have her set Laenor free, Daemon completely respects her wishes, and goes back to his killer mode to sacrifice a random servant then, to organize it all the way Rhaenyra would be happy, and he covers up all their tracks

and then we see them share a mini victorious smirk after they've come up with their perfect plan together, we see that they're totally on the same page, with just about right amount of evil and good, and they're equals who respect each other like none other >>

^^ with this smirk we know they know what they'd been wishing for for years is finally happening, and their fire is back on and they're gonna be THE POWER COUPLE they'd always known they could be

/ Blood of two / Joined as one / Ghostly flame / And song of shadows / Two hearts as embers / Forged in fourteen fires / A future promised in glass / The stars stand witness / The vow spoken through time / Of darkness and light /

[versadies]

May I get a barbatos ratatouill, northern smoked chicken,mint jelly, sakura moch, wolfhook juice, and some mustard pretty please.

no body no crime. — yan!venti x gn!reader

name of order. NO BODY NO CRIME

date. yandere!prince!venti (w/ general!gn!reader)

receipt. barbatos ratatouille (venti) + northern smoked chicken (forbidden love) + mint jelly and sakura mochi (fluff and angst) + wolf hook juice (yandere) + mustard (drabble)

ingredients. in which venti finds out you’re in an arranged marriage with someone else, and he has no choice but to go for a sinister method that will surely get rid of his obstacle.

spices. obsessive behavior, toxic relationship, yandere!venti, character deaths (minor), mentions of blood, mentions of violence, royal!au, spoilers to venti’s story quest, forbidden love trope

vip list. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @kazu-topia @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @hoshikistarlight @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @coleluuviida @034ven @dear-dairiess @luv3rxcha @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun

chef’s note. hope you enjoy this comrade :DDD

3k milestone masterlist | main masterlist

one of the many things people of mondstadt know about the prince, barbatos, is the fact that he’s very close friends with one of the emperor of liyue’s children, you.

people around the kingdom are used to the sight of guards from liyue stationed by the palace whenever a festival is held in the kingdom, because they know that you often visit to celebrate the festivities with the prince, who’s always more than welcome to have you in his land.

it’s quite sweet really, seeing the both of you walking around the city is like seeing a couple going on a date. not to mention the fact that you look soft for the prince, and that’s an unusual sight for the usually stoic-looking general of liyue’s military.

in the palace, servants would swoon at the sight of barbatos walking around the palace gardens with you and hear the joyful laughs coming from the both of you. they’d all be delighted if you were chosen as the co-ruler of mondstadt, to be honest.

if only they knew that’s what venti wanted more than anything in this life.

for as long as he can remember, he’s been longing to have you as his lover. back when he mourned for his twin when he died a tragic fate, no one was there for him but you, who stayed by his side when he welcomed the arms of grief. if it weren’t you, venti would have long lost the motivation to live.

there’s not a single day when he doesn’t think of you. even in the place where you can’t go, he finds you there in his dreams, only to wake up and find himself on his cold bed, longing for your love even more.

but alas, venti knows that your love will never reach him.

dvalin, who’s the king of the nation and venti’s father, has been under a long-span slumber in order to refrain himself from yielding to his corrupted curse that will turn him into a powerful dragon, leaving his son to become a “temporary” leader for mondstadt, who doesn’t seem to mind. however, as years went by, mondstadt has slowly went from one of the strongest nations to the weakest under venti’s rule.

for this reason, venti had no choice but to plan an arranged marriage.

of course, you would definitely be the only person he’d choose. so when the nobles who are a part of the royal court have persisted that venti should now choose his co-ruler, he decided to use this chance to bring up how he’ll ask you to marry him in the next festival.

much to his dismay however, there are two circumstances that prevents him from doing so.

one is the fact that there’s a chance that you’ll reject his offer. the second one on the other hand—

“unfortunately your highness, you’re forbidden from marrying general y/n from the kingdom of liyue.” jean said with a pity look when she and venti walked out from the meeting room. “as you said, it is considered since general y/n is related to osial, who is the ruler of liyue. however, it’s recently announced that they will be marrying someone else as arranged by the emperor.”

venti instantly stopped his tracks.

the general instantly realized what she said, her exhausted facade instantly disappeared as regret washes over her. the woman knew how much he cherished you more than anything, so if he were to find out about your.. future spouse…

silence fell upon the hallway, and jean could only dread the worst reaction she’ll ever get to witness from one of the people she respects the most.

much to her shock however, the prince lets out a giggle, and when he turns to the general’s direction, she feels the shivers running down her spine at the sight of his darkened eyes, his face still holding a smile that’s surely fake.

“who is y/n marrying?”

the next time you visit venti’s palace, you could tell how the atmosphere has gone dark.

venti was surely something else, you thought. despite looking so cheerful when he saw you walking towards him, he couldn't really hide the empty void in his eyes.

“took you long enough to get here!” he exclaims, wrapping his arms around you with a giggle. “how was your trip? i hope it went smoothly.”

you smiled. you can’t bring yourself to ask your dear friend about his facade. “it was smooth, thank you–”

“so when were you planning to tell me you were going to marry soon?”

you stumbled over your words as soon as you heard his sudden question, staring at the prince as though he has two heads.

“...i’m sorry?”

venti continues to smile. he’s acting as if he’s not asking something that he shouldn’t know about. “when were you planning to tell me you were going to marry someone?” he repeated, leaning towards you, causing you to lean backwards.

“how.. how did you find ou–”

he giggles. “oh come on, y/n! you know your kingdom, your people are quite fast with the news. it even managed to reach my people’s ears! it’s quite fascinating don’t you think?”

you frowned. “you.. you weren’t supposed to find out about this…”

his smile instantly drops. “why not? aren’t i your bestest friend in the world?”

“w-well yes, but… it’s just i know you wouldn’t approve because of the person i’m going to marry.”

“dottore, right?”

your eyes looked away from him, your silence was enough of an answer already.

“your father is unforgivable. doesn’t he know that trash is a despicable man? doesn’t he know the things he committed?” he asks calmly.

“he does,” you spoke, your voice went low. “he does know that lord dottore is a cruel man, but he’s also a powerful one in snezhnaya. there’s nothing i can do to stop him, so i must endure it.”

venti shakes his head in disapproval. “you mustn’t, doesn’t your brother know about this? why isn’t he doing anything?”

“zhongli has too many burdens on his shoulders as the crown prince of the empire. if i.. if i were to tell him that i want to cut off my engagement with lord dottore, i’ll only make him feel more stressed out.” you explained, letting out a sad sigh from the thought of your distant brother, who’s buried in tasks as the crown prince of liyue. “besides, he can’t do anything about it either since he can’t control father.”

you then wince when you realize there are also matters that you have to do for the wedding, feeling guilty.

“i.. don’t want to make things worse, but i have to let you know that i can’t stay here for long.” you brought up, watching as venti’s expression instantly falls.

“why?” he asks. it almost feels as though you’re rejecting his love – his heart can’t take it! why is everything going downhill?!

your shoulders slump. “i’m afraid i have to go back to my home to settle matters regarding the wedding next month. we’re just lucky that my father allowed me to go here even if it’s just for two days.”

“two days…?” that isn’t even enough for venti to satisfy his time with you! he can’t imagine spending one of his favorite festivals without you – why is the world so cruel?

wait.. what if he won’t be able to see you again as soon as you marry dottore?

when you finally looked back at the prince, you didn’t fail to notice how his jaw clenches, and you had mistaken it as him being angered by osial’s choice of your spouse.

in reality, he was just angered that he couldn't be of help to you. he had always wanted to return the favor and help you, just like how you helped him during his darkest days when he grieved for his twin.

you gave him a reassuring smile. “i know you’re disappointed, but i can assure you that i’ll make it up to you by staying here for more than a week even after the festival next time.”

“but..” venti stops himself. it’s no use, even if he begs on his knees and kills his dignity for you, it won’t stop you from marrying that disgusting piece of trash.

he then sighs, faking his defeat as a mask to hide his scheming thoughts that’s running through his head. “i just want you to be safe. if you ever feel troubled and… need to get away from your home, you can always send a letter to me and i shall send a ship that will take you here safely.”

you shook your head. “there’s no need for that. i appreciate your concern though.”

“the offer still stands. mondstadt will always welcome you whenever you feel like you want to come here.”

before you could say anything else, venti immediately throws an arm around you and drags you outside from the throne room, his joyful attitude returns as fast as the winds. “that’s why we should get out of the palace and celebrate! i’m sure people are wondering where we are, ehe!”

as you try to collect yourself and try to keep up with his pace, venti glances towards a certain guard’s way, causing the guard to look at the prince.

“prepare for tonight.” he mouthed.

it took a month to fix his plan. he took the chance of your wedding as an excuse to visit snezhnaya and help you with your wedding. sure, it does hurt to see you and dottore together (despite the uncomfortable look on your face whenever you’re found standing beside the noble), but it was worth it,

especially since he knows the fate that dottore will fall into the night before your wedding.

venti is quite relieved that his father managed to give him two assassins (and people who don’t question his actions) as his personal knights. it would’ve been a hassle if he were to do this alone.

it seems like celestia approves of his actions. just seeing dottore walking out from his duchy and walking around the forest is like offering himself on a silver plate to death. it’s amusing how he didn’t notice three figures following him in the shadows.

without a second thought, venti immediately cued kaeya and rosaria to take dottore.

“you’re all insolent fools!” dottore yelled with a maniacal laugh, thrashing around as kaeya and rosaria, venti’s most trusted knights, grip the noble’s arms tightly. they were lucky dottore wandered this far in the forest, nosy servants in the duchy would’ve instantly rushed over to find the commotion if they were nearby. “how dare you touch a noble who hasn’t done anything wrong!? when her majesty hears this, she will raise hell–”

“and who on earth gave you the right to plead your innocence when it’s obvious that you’ve committed so many wrongdoings?” venti interrupts, bringing his weapon out as the noble is forced to kneel down against the cold ground. “especially when you had just called a prince an insolent fool, hehe.”

he then aims his bow towards the helpless man, his eyes darkening. “you should’ve rot in jail back then. the tsaritsa truly disappoints me for bailing a cruel man like you.” he spoke, watching as dottore froze from the sight of the winds starting to move around the prince’s arrow.

“if you left my dearest y/n alone, you wouldn’t even be in this situation.”

without letting the noble process his words, venti immediately lets go of the arrow, causing it to shoot straight to dottore’s forehead, an instant kill.

well that was easy.

“your highness, what shall we do if someone reported that dottore is missing? those servants of his will notice his absence and try looking for him. wouldn’t this cause a crime and an instant investigation?” kaeya asks, paying no mind to the sight of the noble’s gorey corpse on the ground.

venti could feel his mouth twitching upwards. the incident that occurred earlier was enough to make the sight of the prince’s expression eerie. “sir kaeya, what are you talking about?” he immediately turns around to the blue-haired man’s direction, and a small smile creeps up on his face.

venti could feel his heart beating in excitement at the thought of you sending a letter to him talking about how you’re no longer going to get married with an eager look on your face!

ah, not to mention the fact that you’ll now be able to marry him without it being considered as forbidden!

he then gestures at the rotting corpse. “just set him on fire to hide our traces. if his bones remain, then feel free to give it to sir andrius’s wolves. i’m sure they’d be delighted to have new bones to bite on.”

“after all, would they report a crime if there’s no sight of a dead body?”

[heroxwithxdreams]

This moment between them felt like it had been an eternity. And Dean knew he wasn’t the only one thinking about it. They were so busy trying for a second child, that sex between their busy jobs was almost a necessity. It didn’t feel spontaneous anymore, it wasn’t the moment they both wanted it, but more like let’s try again and who knows, maybe this time it will work out and that was disrupting their marriage. Not at first when they decided to go for it together, because it was their biggest wish that they would have a second child. A little brother or sister for Charlie, that was the perfect dream. And how proud would that make Charlie when he would be the big brother who would protect his brother or sister, because Dean knew for sure. He was a mama’s boy, but he also had certain character traits of Dean that would make him a big brother. And actually it wasn’t that long ago that they stopped trying for a second child. In fact, at the moment that they had decided to end it because it would cause obstacles in their marriage and they wanted to avoid that, his mother came up with the idea that it would be a good idea to go to the beach house together, without Charlie. You couldn't have said it was a more perfect moment and Dean knew it. It was a certain pressure on their shoulders that they had and they had to get rid of it, as soon as possible. If Alisson got pregnant, then so be it. Then that would be great, but it shouldn't become a obstacle in their marriage anymore. And despite of Alisson, Dean had accepted it and his wish for a second child had actually been forgotten. He was happy with Charlie and if his son was also his only child, then that was no problem. But he didn't know that Alisson actually still had the great wish to have a second child. But whether it would ever happen, nobody knew.

A grin appeared on his face. The heat in his body rose to a peak. How good this felt, how familiar this felt. As if this moment made everything good that had happened between them in the past period. He didn't even notice that the water was still going over their bodies because his full concentration was on Alisson, looking deep into her eyes as he went faster and faster. Enjoying her moans, louder than expected. And normally someone would be able to hear them, but because it was in the beach house that was impossible. With his hands still around her waist, his lips pressing against hers, while he sometimes let go and heard her moans. '' Come on baby! '' he said breathing a little faster. Feeling her nails in his muscles and over his body at the moment she came. You would think he would feel it, but Alisson always did it with all the love, with all the respect for him, exactly what he would do for her. And actually her last moan caused a last feeling in his body and not much later his sperm flowed through her. He groaned softly, as he slowed down and enjoyed the moment. '' Wow…'' he said, searching for breath. '' This is…you…wow…'' he laughed softly, as he gave her a loving kiss. '' This makes everything okay, doesn't it? '' he nodded, as he slowly put her down on the ground with both feet. '' This was perfect. This old man can still do it, right? Your old man. Let this be the beginning, darling, without obstacles. No pressure on our shoulders, obligations. Without everything around us. Us, together with Charlie. As 1 team. '' And as he said that, he put his arms around her and his head on her shoulder. He would never let her go, he couldn't live without her in his life.

The first day they met felt like yesterday to Dean. Sitting on the bench by the pond, watching the ducks swimming and the pigeons being fed by a woman he saw there every day. It was always his place for a moment of rest when he was done working at the hospital or when he wanted to take a break. And he still tried to do that every time he got the chance at work, especially now knowing that it was the place where he had met the woman he would be happy with, with whom he was now married and had a son together. It was as if his eyes were drawn by a magnet to Alisson's movements. How she walked into the park, how she stood there watching the ducks. His eyes could not go anywhere else, he did not even notice that someone was saying something to him, wanting to ask him for directions. A strange but nice feeling arose in his body and it was as if she noticed that someone was watching her and before he knew it she was looking at him, walking towards him with a smile on his face and Dean didn't know what to say. But what followed was the beginning of something he could only hope for. A very smooth conversation, a first date in a cafe not far from the park and he wanted to see her more and more. Dean wasn't someone who believed in love, at least not that fast, but Alisson made that change. She was certainly shy, Dean wasn't the easiest either, but actually the more they saw each other the easier it got. They were made for each other, even though it took a few months before they started a relationship. But actually that said a lot about both of them, don't rush and everything would come naturally. The future and the moment they were in now said enough. Married and a child together. You could say it was the perfect love book!

'' Alisson and being shy when it comes to compliments, it sounds familiar to me! '' he said with a loving smile, when he noticed that she was starting to blush. Dean knew exactly how to make her blush. Even when he had a surprise in store like a romantic dinner at their favorite restaurant, he would see the certain smile on her face and that always said enough to him. Even when he complimented her, but Dean wanted to let her know at every moment that she looked beautiful. She was afraid that her body would never be the same after Charlie was born, that she would always see some kind of scar but that was not the case. She recovered perfectly which also gave her some reassurance. And he knew better than anyone that he could make her the happiest with compliments and that's how he was. Sometimes expected, but also unexpected. '' Well and you look better than me. I have the feeling that I sometimes get gray hairs, old man you know. You make me feel younger! '' he joked.

The moment he got the confirmation from Alisson that she had missed this he knew she was thinking exactly the same as him and it was true. Dean knew how important it was for both of them where they could have a moment for themselves, but because of Charlie and the busy jobs they had there was hardly a moment that they could enjoy each other. Of course they almost slept together, unless he had a night shift. And they often had an evening on the couch, but going out for dinner together, a day of shopping or whatever you could think of, it was almost impossible. And their parents often indicated that they wanted to take Charlie over, but Alisson was someone who had a hard time to let Charlie go and Dean couldn't deny that he had that too. But Alisson saw Charlie the most, because of his busy job at the hospital. So this moment in the shower was a moment that felt like a long time ago. ''Can't let you go…''

The words she spoke, that she loved him gave him even more energy, even more warmth. His love for her was so much, he didn't know what to do without her. Someone who could also tell him the truth, something he needed, especially when it came to his work. This moment was perfect. He didn't even notice the water going over them, the contact of their bodies and the warmth and passion taking over. He went a little faster, while he heard her moans in his ear. His lips still kissing her neck, his hands around her waist. ''This feels so good.'' he said softly, while he enjoyed the feeling inside. With his lips back to her lips, going faster by the second but still with so much passion and respect for her, it felt like time stood still. ''You are my everything. I'm coming closer, baby.'' he felt. It was so different from the moments when they had sex with the thoughts of a second child. He didn't know that Alisson still had those thoughts, while he had parked it. But now he was enjoying this moment. ''I'm getting closer, wow…'' he said after a few breaths.

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

snake | myg

pairing(s): yoongi x reader

summary: Your parents have no qualms on doing whatever they can to climb the social ladder. That includes assigning you a betrothed you've never met, an offering to the crown prince. You, the one the gossipers whisper under their breath... the Snake Princess.

warnings: implied parental emotional and physical abuse; language; non-idol!AU - prince!Yoongi x aristocrat!reader, ft overprotective (but secretly soft), tattooed, little brother!JK; based on this

–

“I don’t care what our father said, you’re not marrying him!”

You scratched your ear, partly shielding it from the loud voice of your brother.

“He’s an asshole!”

“You don’t know him?” you offered, affixing your earring, somewhat annoyed. The yellow gold wasn’t quite your style. Your parents liked such gaudy, ugly things.

Both in fashion and tradition, unfortunately.

“Do you?” your brother shot back, throwing himself up from your bed where he was yelling at the ceiling about nothing he could change. It was a favorite past time of his, along with following you around like a talkative shadow.

“No, that’s why I’m meeting him today,” you replied dryly. You switched to the other ear, adding the dragon-shaped ear cuff above the gold earring. Your parents hated it when you added such aggressive accessories – they’re not womanly, they would say – but if you were going to be betrothed to some guy on the sole basis that they had ambitions and he was the man who so happened to be the next-in-line for the throne, you weren’t going to lie about what kind of woman you were.

“Aren’t you pissed?”

You shrugged. “Is it so bad?”

“Yes!”

You sighed and flickered your eyes to the mirror, seeing Jeon Jungkook’s furious expression, long black hair tied back with lingering strands framing his high cheekbones, his black and gold robes wild, poorly tied and revealing half of his tanned, toned chest. His dark brown eyes flashed, pressing his cherry-painted lips together, jawline sharp and defiant. That’s how Jungkook always looked, messy, undone, borderline furious.

Everyone called him the Reckless Prince.

You just called him little brother.

“Noona…”

“Hmm?”

You saw him frown and you looked away, running a hand through your hair, browsing your hair accessories. You used to have an aide to help you at one point, but you told your parents to get rid of them, preferring to get ready by yourself. And besides, Jungkook liked to burst in and interrupt you with his relentless tirades about how unfair your arranged marriage was. There was no point in having hired help when you could coerce your brother into doing things as you put up with him.

“Can I brush your hair?”

“You have arms and hands, so you’re physically capable, yes.”

You heard him click his tongue in annoyance and smirked, shifting your eyes to the mirror. He was behind you now, face no longer visible. It didn’t matter. You already knew his cross expression quite well. He snatched the ornate comb from your vanity, the black snake head clearly visible on the side of his right wrist, inked near his thumb. Your parents scolded and beat him for getting it, but Jungkook could care less, breaking the wooden paddle with ease, right out of your mother’s hand.

You hadn’t said anything.

The rumors called you the Snake Princess.

Quick-witted, sharp, vicious. Not to your face though, because that was just foolishness. It wouldn’t be only your wrath they would be evoking.

Jungkook ran the comb through your hair, gently separating the strands, careful not to pull too hard. He was better than any aide anyway. They merely yanked and pulled you into their standard of beauty, ignoring your opinions or input, always citing that it was important to not look like a peasant, important to always look above your status, using your beauty to save face.

Saving face.

You hated those words.

“What if he’s a horrible person?” your brother asked quietly, tucking the strands away from your eyes only for them to slip back stubbornly.

“Then he’s a horrible person,” you replied, applying your makeup. “And you’ll probably do something about it.”

Jungkook made a noise between an aggravated bear and an injured tiger.

“If he so much as puts one fingertip on you, I’ll kill him.”

You snorted. “I’d hate to tell you what marriage entails, Jungkook.”

The comb in your hair paused.

His anger subsided, just like that.

“You’re really going to do it?” he asked softly. “Really, really?”

You heard the pain in Jungkook’s voice.

You recalled when you received the news many years ago, silent fury as your parents gave you away, turning you into a transaction to raise their own reputation and status. Your reaction was nothing to your little brother’s, him running to your room and crying in your arms, distraught and upset that you were leaving him, declaring he hated your parents, everyone, and everything.

“You’re supposed to protect me,” Jungkook had sobbed, already too big for you to hold like this but you did anyway, patting his head and wiping his tears with your sleeve. “You’re supposed to be here, with me, forever and always.”

He had taken your hand, tucking his fingers in yours, pressing your pinkies together.

“You promised me.”

And you had, from the very beginning, the shy kid always following after you and making you speak for him, your parents yelling and scolding him to be a man, but you defending him, taking the slaps meant for him, sneaking him sweets when he was hiding his tears, telling him it was okay to cry and that noona would stay here and listen to his worries, no matter if it was as stupid as a butterfly flying away or the teacher once again reprimanding him for his poor scores.

The amount of pressure they put on him just because he was the son was immense.

“I wanna play,” he had cried softly. “I don’t have to study anymore.”

“You want to be stupid?” you had teased, patting his head. “What if I had my lessons with you? I can make that happen.”

“R-Really?”

So, you made it happen, telling your parents and tutors that it would be better for him to be exposed to more complex concepts earlier rather than later and watching someone learn would improve his own scores. You made yourself a better student for his benefit and he, in turn, followed obediently, doing what you did, always overjoyed to hear your praise.

You and your snake tongue could made anything happen for him.

“This servant is bothering me.”

You found some questionable information on that servant and they resigned rather quickly.

“I don’t like the girl our father introduced me to.”

Suddenly said girl was no longer interested in Jungkook. For… reasons.

“I wish I could go on vacation, even for a couple days.”

That one got you both beaten for your three-day adventure to the sea, mostly because you had to run away from your duties to do it. But it was worth it to see the smile on Jungkook’s face.

Then Jungkook became a teenager.

You might have taught him that rules were for old people, for the generation too uptight.

He wanted to do a whole lot of things and you made it happen. Getting him out of those sticky situations was a bit tough, but nothing unmanageable. And now Jungkook was a young adult who did not care about anyone’s opinion other than yours, getting tattooed and spending all of his time with his friends, lackadaisical and free, your parents giving up and calling him a disgrace, relying on your marriage to restore the reputation they valued so much, the face they themselves ruined with their own poor decisions, taking out their frustrations on you and Jungkook, sometimes without warning.

You stayed home, playing good daughter so Jungkook could be the bad son.

Ah, maybe it was your fault he was the Reckless Prince.

You turned, looking up at him now from the corner of your eye, up his loose robes and exposed collarbone, up the line of his jaw that was similar to yours, his lips not quite as full, his round brown orbs that were actually much more innocent and purer than he liked to admit, similar to your eye shape.

But not the same.

Because your eyes were sharper, cold-blooded, predatory.

Even with Jungkook, there was no mistaking the power behind your gaze.

“Do you think just because I’m married to some man that he can control my life?” you said with a sly smile, your lips painted lush red. “I’ll come visit you whenever I want. You can come whenever you want. You can live with me if you want.”

You turned back, sweeping your hair and twisting it in place, deftly and quickly pinning it back, leaving some strands loose and messy that your parents would highly disapprove of, but why did that matter? If this man was to be your husband, then he would see you completely undone at one point, so he should get used to it.

Your parents wouldn’t approve of the black and dark green combination you had chosen either, but that’s why you learned how to sew to dress yourself as you liked. You have to be a lady. You were a lady. Just your version of a lady and not theirs. They tried to gatekeep you by saying that the pink and yellow fabrics were all they could afford. They had a tendency to underestimate your craftiness.

No obstacle was too high for the Snake Princess to slither over.

“Really?” Jungkook asked as you stood up, smoothly adjusting the tie at your waist.

You chuckled at him as he began to follow you out of your bedroom.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it for you.”

-

“You brought your brother.”

“I don’t bring him anywhere. He comes and goes as he pleases.”

Jungkook was sitting behind you, arms crossed, glaring at the dark-haired man sitting in front of you. You had mildly fixed his appearance before entering only from him to push up his sleeves so he could reveal the entire snake tattoo wrapped around his arm, a black snake surrounded by thorned vines.

“Hmm.”

This man had requested to meet you first, alone, without the parents. Untraditional, but as long as his father agreed to the request, it was done. Your father had no say in the matter, although he did protest rather loudly and uncouthly.

You had poured the tea for your future husband and you.

Neither of you were drinking it.

The man before you had a piercing gaze, cloud-white skin, shapely lips. Somehow, he surprised you by being dressed in black and gold as well, although he was much neater than Jungkook, black hair tied back in a the usual, curated traditional style.

“I intend in marrying you, you know.”

He had a deep, rough voice, reminding you of dead leaves and winter.

“Is that not the point of this meeting?” was your dry response.

A dark eyebrow lifted.

Jungkook clicked his tongue dismissively.

Those shapely lips curved into a slow smirk.

“I thought I wouldn’t like you,” the dark-haired man mused, reaching over to the teacup and pulling it to him. “I was fully prepared to refuse this proposal and put your family more in the dirt than your brother has already put them into.”

“You bas–” Jungkook hissed, but you held up a hand, cutting him off.

You kept your eyes on those dark brown orbs, cat-like and predatory. He took a deep inhale of the aroma of the tea, letting out a satisfied, smokey sigh.

“I thought you would be like the others. Prim, proper, begging for me to take your hand.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What do I need to beg for? You either will or you won’t. It has nothing to do with me.”

A dark chuckle. “Indeed.”

He took a long sip of the tea, savoring it. You watched him swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing, tongue flickering out to lick his lips. Slowly lowering his head, scrutinizing gaze on you. He made you wait for his words.

“And besides, snakes can’t kneel, can they, Snake Princess?” he purred.

“Don’t you dare call her that!”

“No, they cannot,” you replied calmly, ignoring Jungkook’s outburst, staring into the eyes of the man who was going to decide whether or not you were going to be his wife.

“They can’t pray either.”

The dark-haired man tilted his head, intrigued.

“I have no need for gods to be able to live the life I want, Min Yoongi,” you said quietly, venomous edge to your voice. “The ties you put on me cannot restrain me from living as frivolously or ambitiously as I like.”

Min Yoongi, the man who would decide whether you would live an honorable or disgraceful life, the man who was next-in-line, the crown prince. You were meant to be his, but, unlike you, he was free to refuse. Unlike you, he had nothing to lose. Unlike you, he could destroy your life in a heartbeat with a simple no.

“You believe that?” Yoongi questioned, daring you.

You didn’t back down, small serpentine smile on your lips.

“I do not need to believe when I know.”

Silence.

Then Yoongi’s shoulders shook, raspy laughing bubbling from his throat, smirk on his lips.

“You want me to refuse. You want to ruin your parents’ lives.”

You didn’t say anything, your smile fading.

“Ah, but the problem is, I really do like you, Snake Princess,” Yoongi hummed. “You sharp tongue and you even sharper mind. A simpler man would have been tricked by you.” He tapped his long fingers against the table, keeping his feline poise directed at you. “I did not want some placid, useless little thing but a real woman, someone who isn’t afraid to say what she thinks. Why have a trophy when you can have a weapon?”

He placed his chin on the back of his other hand, clicking his tongue thoughtfully.

“What shall we do then? You absolutely must be my wife.”

“You–” Jungkook hissed, rising up behind you, glaring at Yoongi over your shoulder. “You know she doesn’t want to marry you and yet you’re going to do it anyway?”

The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow. “She doesn’t want to marry me because she wants her parents to pay for using her so carelessly to further their status. However,” he added with a sweep of his hand on the table, palm upward towards you. “Has she actually said she has no interest in me as a person? During this entire meeting, has she declared that I, the crown prince, am not to her liking?”

Yoongi gave Jungkook a sharp look.

“Do you think she would hide her disdain for me if she had some?”

Silence.

“N… Noona?”

“Yes, Jungkook?”

“You don’t like him at all… right?”

Silence.

You let out a deep breath, slow and controlled.

“Hmm, you are very intuitive.”

Yoongi grinned. “You know we would be a good match, you and I. Here,” he murmured, pointing to the table. “On the throne.” Pointing outside, indicating the land. His cat-like eyes locked with your snake-like gaze, lips forming his next words slowly and deliberately.

“In bed.”

Your eyes trailed from those glittering dark eyes to his pleased smirk. Not a malicious expression somehow. An exciting one. You fully expected to be walking into this room to tear down an arrogant, gaudy man with grandiose self-centeredness.

Instead, it was Min Yoongi.

He ticked his chin to Jungkook, now right next you instead of behind you, clutching your arm tightly.

“Do you want him to be with you? That could be arranged. I can make that happen.”

You really thought you would hate Min Yoongi and yet it seemed as if you were being drawn closer and closer to him. You pursed your lips, not ready to give up yet. He continued.

“And, of course, there’s no reason for your parents to enjoy luxuries that they didn’t earn, is there?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. Yoongi smiled, calm with an underlying slyness.

“That would reflect on you if you treated your in-laws poorly,” you responded coolly.

Yoongi shrugged. “And so? I still have you.” He tilted his head. “Why take a wife if you’re not prepared to do anything for her?” He nodded to himself, tapping his fingertips on the table once more. “Whatever you want, I can make it happen. Be it your brother tagging along, your parents’ lives in ruins…”

Yoongi’s eyes found yours and there was a kindness, already knowing your and him were meant to be.

You weren’t so sure.

And yet.

His next words made you fall in love.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it for you.”

--

masterpost

[astrovastukosh]

Aaj Ka Rashifal 2 July 2024: Today, spoiled work of people of these zodiac signs will be done, know how will be your day

Aaj Ka Rashifal 2 July 2024: Tuesday is dedicated to Hanuman ji. Today's horoscope predicts your job, business, transactions, relations with family and friends, health and auspicious and inauspicious events happening throughout the day.

Aaj Ka Rashifal 2 July 2024:

Aries Today you will be careful in matters of transactions. You will be happy due to being full of confidence. You will get full support of the elder members of the family. You may be a little worried about your job. You will also be able to get rid of the problems going on in the job easily. Due to the deterioration in the health of a family member, you will have to run around a lot.

Taurus Today is going to be a happy day for you. Your happiness will know no bounds due to the increase in your income. You will need to seek advice from your brothers and sisters. If you take any decision in haste, you may regret it. You will be able to interact with some new people. The ongoing dispute with parents may increase, try to maintain peace if possible. Marriage of a family member may be confirmed.

Gemini Today will be a day full of enthusiasm for you. Your decision making ability will be appreciated. Do not consult any outsider even by mistake. You can tell your colleagues what is on your mind. If there was some problem going on between people living a love life, then that too will be resolved. Any old mistake of yours will come in front of the family members, for which you may have to face scolding.

Cancer Today is going to be a mixed day for you. You may get to hear some good news from one of your relatives. You need to pay full attention to the policies and rules of your work, only then your work will be completed. If you had any concern about the career of your child, then it seems to be going away. You will take full advantage of your government schemes. You may have to run around for some work related matter.

Leo Today will be good for starting a new work. You will get full support of luck. You can talk to your spouse about the problems going on in family life. If you have doubts about something, then try to remove it. People preparing for government jobs will spend some happy moments. You can participate in an entertainment program.

Virgo Today is going to bring growth in art and skill for you. Your wealth will increase. You will think about the welfare of people from the heart, but people can consider it as your selfishness. If any property related dispute of yours was going on for a long time, then it will be resolved. You will win in a legal matter. Students will definitely win in a competition. Your father will be angry with you about something.

Libra Today is going to be a good day for you from the point of view of luck. You will focus on the sources of increasing your income, for which you will have to work hard. You need to be careful with people working in the social sector. People working in social fields need to be careful, because some of their colleagues will create obstacles in their work. Some of your plans will be successful, which will make your business progress further.

Scorpio Today you will try to avoid taking responsibility of any work. Your planned work will be completed. Your dream of showing a new house will be fulfilled. You will be worried about the health of a member in your family. Pay full attention to your food and drink. With the blessings of your parents, any of your pending work will be completed.

Sagittarius Today is going to be a mixed day for you. You will get relief from family problems. If you make a plan for any work, then your plan is likely to be completed. You will be worried about your family problems. You can go out somewhere with your spouse for some time.

Capricorn Today will be a day for you to work responsibly. Maintain control over your speech and behavior. You may get angry with your superiors about something, to overcome which you will have to apologize to them. If you had given some loan, then you will be successful in repaying it. If any of your work was troubling you for a long time, then that too seems to be getting resolved. You can plan to go somewhere.

Aquarius Today is going to bring an increase in your influence and glory. You will be very happy due to getting good profit in business. You will have to keep preparing for a government job. You need to be careful with the people living around you. You should not ignore the problems going on in your work, otherwise there is a possibility of them increasing. Students have to be careful about their studies.

Pisces Today is going to be a good day for you in money related matters. People working in jobs may also have to move from one place to another due to promotion. You will get the support and company of elders in abundance. Any of your old mistakes may come in front of the family members. You will have to apologize to your parents. If the family members can ask you for money related help, then you will definitely do that.

[3mmafr0st]

Remember Me Part 2

Previous Part <——-->Next Part

Bucky Barnes x Reader Word Count: 4.1k

Warnings: SMUT and everything that comes with it, Talk of death and murder, violence, guns, brainwashing, sleazy billionaires (eat the rich)

A/N: I have had so much fun with this, give your opinions in the comments

They lied, there was no new mission tomorrow. I stayed locked in that dark little cell that they called my room. It was somewhat comfortable, they had to keep me Poole that so I would be able to keep myself in peak shape. A soldier is no good if they’re sick and in pain. There were sparse books, guides like The Art of War, or the vile words of Mein Kampf. I didn’t like the second one at all. The views were absolutely disgusting, but It made some sort of sense that it was there. I remember vaguely hearing about how Hydra was part of Nazi Germany. Although I couldn’t quite remember what that was, I knew it was bad, because that was what the book itself was about.

The walls were made of cement, the floors lined with corrugated metal. There was a metal bed frame in the corner, with a mattress, pillow, and blanket. Just enough to keep me comfortable. There was a desk in the other corner, simple metal table and chair, but nothing on it or in it. It was simply a place to fill out my mission reports. In the back was a door that lead to a small shower, toilet, and sink. Finally, a punching bag hung from the ceiling on the same side as the bed. I had been in this room for so long that I had memorized every inch of it.

It was difficult to tell how long I had been in here. The only clue to how long was the wall of carved tally marks, at least 20,000, give or take. They never actually gave me a calendar or anything to keep track of time, instead, I tracked it on mealtimes.

It had been about three weeks this time, complete with twenty two new tallies added to the wall. They pulled me out of the room after breakfast, restraining me by walking me with each of my arms held still. I had hope that he would be on this assignment, and as the door opened, a wave of relief hit me. My expression stayed stoic, unreadable. His face was the same, no emotion, no hint of what he did or did not remember. I was pushed into the seat next to him. He didn’t look at me, simply looking forward at the metal desk in front of us.

Pierce finally walked in the door. This must be a high profile mission if he’s here. Two folders were placed in front of us. We each opened our respective files, detailing the mission, even though Pierce began to explain.

“The two of you will be going on and undercover find and kill mission. You will be attending a charity gala for Rosenthal Industries, a former business partner of ours. Caleb Rosenthal will be attending the event. Your job is to get him alone, inject him with the neuro-agent, and make sure he’s dead. Your covers are listed in the file.” I nodded that I understood the mission, and so did Bucky.

The two of us were monitored during the car ride. We were meant to stay in the back while someone else drove the car. The entire ride was silent, the two of us trading glances at each other as we went over our respective files.

We were yet again set up as a couple, but we were meant to have some sort of agreement, an open marriage sort of situation. They were sending me to seduce the young Rosenthal, and get him alone. It was something that I had done millions of times it felt, but this mission was different. There was a more important objective at play, escape.

The minute we were given a room, we looked everywhere, analyzing and checking every item of the room for bugs or cameras. Once we confirmed there were none, I walked over to Bucky.

“What do you remember?” I asked, looking him dead in the eyes. I watched as the facade melted away from his face, the emotionless and cold look being replaced with a smile and adoring eyes.

I pulled his face down to me, pressing my lips to his. I tried to keep control, but it didnt last for long, as an arm snaked around my waist, the cold metal pushing up my shirt slightly to make contact with my skin. I gasped from the sensation, and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

I felt the strain in my lungs, and broke the kiss, looking right back up at him.

“I know its been three weeks, but we only have three hours till the charity gala, and we both have to look presentable.” An idea popped into his head evident by the smirk appearing on his face.

“I mean, we definitely should take a shower first,” He said, hands moving up and down my sides.

“It’s probably a bad idea, but you are too good to pass up.” I yelped as my legs were sweeped out under me, Bucky carrying me through the air into the hotel bathroom.

Since we had to have a higher profile for this mission, the hotel room was much nicer than usual. The biggest excitement had to be the massive shower, more than big enough for the two of us. He put me down on the marble sink countertop, practically ripping his suit jacket and shirt off. My hands reached for his chest as he began to undo the buttons on my maroon dress shirt. Once the offending fabric was gone, he moved on to the rest of my clothing, ridding the both of us of any clothing that we had been wearing.

I whined at the cold as he left to go and start the shower, making sure that it was the right temperature. I didn’t want to wait for him to come back over to me, so I walked over to the shower, wrapping my arms around him from behind as he tested the water. I wanted to stay like that forever, simply cuddling myself into his back, the warmth of his body in contact with my cold skin. He began to turn and face me, and i loosened my grip so I could keep my arms around him.

“Doll, are you going to let go or are the two of us going to have to shuffle out way into the shower?” I pouted, but complied as he pulled me into the deliciously hot water.

“I missed you so much, Y/N,” His hands grazed their way down and up me like they did before. I tangled my hand into Bucky’s hair, pulling his lips onto mine. I had no patience at this point, and neither did he, the kiss rough and passionate as I was backed into the wall of the shower. His mouth began to move from my mouth, trailing lower and lower. I felt the warmth of his tongue swirling around my nipple, and a gasp broke free from my lips. The smooth of his metal fingers toyed with the other, making me throw my head back into the tile of the shower.    

“Fuck, keep makin those noises, doll.” His mouth moved away, trailing even lower, leaving kisses on my hips. He looked up at me, his eyes once again scanning mine for any hint of hesitation. Even through everything, he was still so kind, so sweet and concerned for me, it made me fall in love with him all over again. I was so distracted by my own sappy thoughts, that Bucky got the jump on me, licking one broad stripe up my pussy, nearly knocking the wind out of my lungs with how much I needed him. My hands flew to his hair, tangling into the long locks and pulling him closer. He moaned, sending vibrations straight to my clit, which only made me cry out and pull harder.

“Fuck, Bucky, please!” I could feel that knot that continued to tighten in my stomach. My hips began to try and move on their own, but Bucky’s hands pinned me to the tile wall so I couldn’t. I was pulled out of my trance as I felt two cold fingers slip inside of me.

I screamed his name out as his fingers began curling and pressing against the sweet spot inside of me, the combination of both his mouth and his fingers finally pushing me over the edge.

Buck held me down, helping me through my orgasm, holding my hips so I wouldn’t fall, and licking up every drop of my cum until he was satisfied. He finally stood up, making sure to hold me up so my legs wouldn’t give out from under me, his flesh hand pushing my chin up so he could look at me. My hands reached out to grab his cock, wanting him to get something out of this too, but he pushed them away.

“Not today, Doll, we gotta actually shower now, like you said, remember?” I groaned, but I knew that he was right. We had a mission to prepare for, and a plan to enact. Still holding me up, he moved me into the jets of water coming from the shower head. The hot water hit the back of my neck nicely, as Bucky squeezed out some of the soap into my hand. It felt like his hands were everywhere, assisting me with washing every bit and piece of me. Once I was finally able to stand on my own, he moved to get the shampoo, telling me to turn around and step out of the water.

He stood behind me, his hands in my hair, making sure that every single bit had been properly shampooed. I couldn’t help but sigh as his fingers worked the bubbles into the roots of my hair. Once he was finished, I stepped back under the water, as he aided in the washing away of all the shampoo and suds for one last time before the two of us switched places.

Although I knew that we had to go quickly, we, more like I, needed the time to get ready for the gala, but how could I not take the chance that I had been given to enjoy what he looked like, being able to simply move my hands over his chest, spreading the now foamy soap across his body. I moved my hands across every part of him, making sure he was perfectly clean for the gala. Once I got to putting the shampoo in his hair, I noticed a bit of a problem. Although I wasn’t the shortest person in the world, Bucky was still much taller than me, which created a bit of an obstacle when trying to wash his hair. I got up on the balls of my feet in order to reach the top of his head, collecting all of his hair in my hands to make sure everything was washed and clean. I felt as his muscles relax, as if he didn’t even know that they had been tensed, as my fingers worked at his scalp. If I wasn’t allowed to touch him in the way that I wanted, I would make him feel good in any way I could. He turned back around and into the water, rinsing all of the shampoo out of his hair.

I looked in front of the large mirror that lined one side of the bathroom. As I looked at myself, my thoughts wandered away from me. In all the time that I had been a soldier, the only women that I had ever come in contact with were doctors and nurses whenever I would get hurt on the job. They were extra careful with me, maybe it was because my face was valuable, or some bullshit like that. Other than that, I had never once seen a woman in any facility I had been in. I thought about this as I looked at myself, as the supplies and wardrobe given for me for the mission simply could not have been picked out by the type of men that I had met as a soldier. The makeup was high quality, clearly expensive, with perfect matches in color and shade in comparison to both my skin tone and the dress that I was given. The floor length black dress hugged my body in just the right way while also hiding the shiny silver of my leg. My hair was styled and put up and out of my way, both appropriate for the situation and the mission. I smiled at this woman that I did not recognize in the mirror. This was not me, this was Rose Castellan. I liked her, she wasn’t turned into a soldier against her will, experimented on and tortured for as long as she can remember.

I turned around, breaking away from my little pity party to see Bucky behind me, clearly struggling with his hair and tie.

“Help?” He looked so confused, and I smiled. I knew he didn’t tend to go on these types of missions, at least never by himself. He always struggled with his metal arm and trying to tie his tie, as well as never knowing what to do with his hair.

“Sit down, I’ll help with your hair first.” He sat in the chair that I had pulled into the bathroom from the desk. He complied as I began to fix his hair.

“So, any new memories in the last few days?” I asked, picking up the hairbrush and pulling it through his hair to get out all of the knots and tangles.

“There’s this one name that keeps repeating itself in my head, Steve. I know it’s important, I just can’t quite put my finger on who it is or why they are important.” I nodded, noting the information in my head.

“I am having the same situation. There’s a B rattling around, and I can’t quite get the rest of the word, but the B is there.” My hands gathered as much hair as I could in my hands, pulling it up to the top of the back of his head. “I have some parts that are solid progressions of time, but then it simply stops, sometimes for months, other times for years, is that like that for you?”

“Yeah, I can remember some missions that come in order, but then it just stops, and then starts back up later.”

“They really did a number on us the last time it worked when the tried to fry us, I could have sworn that I knew where all that time was going.” I pulled the elastic from my wrist, pulling it over the bundle of hair that I had gathered into a small top knot that kept his hair out of his eyes. His eyes scanned over his reflection in the mirror, clearly not used to the different look.

“Did I do ok”

“Of course, doll, just going to take a bit of getting used to.”

“You know you don’t need to keep it.”

“Yeah, but I liked it when you did it.” My eyes drifted to the ground for a moment as a blush spread over my face.

Bucky stood up from his chair, standing facing towards me. Taking the tie in my hands, I moved the fabric in and out of itself until it formed the knot that it was meant to. Finishing it off, I buttoned the front of his jacket, completing the look.

Glancing over at the clock, I saw that it was almost time to go. Luckily enough, we didn’t have to get into another car with another random driver, the Rosenthal Building was right next to our hotel.

“So what’s the plan for tonight?” He asked, as the two of us began to get our things together to leave.

“After we complete the objective, instead of returning to the hotel and checking in with Pierce for extraction, we disappear, find somewhere off the grid that we can hide out for a little while so we can recover more memories,”

“Sounds like a good idea, we can’t plan too far ahead, we weren’t given schematics of the building or anything.” We looked at each other, nodding, before he offered his arm out to me, escorting me out of the hotel room.

I picked up a drink off of the small tray that was held by one of the servers in the ballroom. I thanked him, and Bucky did the same. Swirling my finger in my drink, I looked at the polish on my fingernail to see if it had changed color. It hadn’t. The drinks were clean.

The room was exactly how you would expect, with the fanciest furniture and decorations that money could buy, the guests all in the finest and most up to date fashion, everyone talking about their recent business ventures and lavish trips around the globe. There was an anger burning in me, but I had no idea where it came from. The two of us scanned the room, looking for the target.

I looked over to see the target, Caleb Rosenthal. He was young, maybe in his mid twenties, with a pretty face and a lot of money. It was clear to see that this man had never met any sort of opposition or struggle in his life, always given everything he had ever wanted. I looked at Bucky for a sort of confirmation that I should start, and he nodded. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the small group that Rosenthal had been talking to. I sauntered over, getting his attention.

“And who might you be?” His voice was unbearable, the entitlement and ego dripping off of his words.

“Rose Castellan of Castellan and Stowe Law, we haven’t met formally.”

“I would have remembered a face like yours, what’s your deal?”

“We mainly work in company lawsuits. We’re the guys that save your ass if you do something everyone will regret.” He laughed at the comment, before shooing the rest of the crowd around him away.

“Would you like to dance?” He offered his hand to me, and I smiled sweetly at him, taking it as he led me to the dance floor. His hands were sweaty and wet, but I suffered through it. The two of us danced for a while as the soft and slow music played in the background. I glanced over to see Bucky watching us with a laser stare.

“So who’s the guy?” Rosenthal asked, gesturing towards Bucky.

“My husband, but don’t worry about him.”

“Oh, and why is that?” His voice had that air of suggestiveness to it that made me want to throw up in my mouth. I leaned into him, getting my face close to his ear.

“Let’s just say the two of us have a bit of an arrangement,” I made the underlying tone of the sentence all the more apparent as I moved his hand lower down my back to rest on my ass. He looked surprised at how forward I was being, but it didn’t take long for him to lean into my ear.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Lead the way.” Rosenthal took my hand and began to lead me away from the party.

The two of us walked the hallways, as Caleb tried to find an appropriate room in his own building. I looked behind me, and in the darkness of the hallway, hidden well by the shadows lurked Bucky, watching to make sure that nothing would go too far.

Once he found an office that he deemed suitable, he swung the door open, looking both ways down the hall before opening the door and letting me walk in. He locked the door behind him, and his lips were on mine, pushing me into the desk. I sat myself on the desk as he began to move his gross and sloppy kisses down my neck. I pulled the small patch out of the secret pockets of the dress, perfectly designed. As I moved my hand around his neck, I pressed the patch into his skin, watching as the material disappeared into his flesh.

It only took moments for the toxin to hit him. He stumbled backwards from me, holding his head in pain, uttering a weak “I don’t feel so good,” before hitting the floor. I checked the man’s pulse, confirming his death, before stepping over the body and unlocking the door. Bucky was on the other side, waiting for me.

“He’s dead?”

“Are you really going to question it? I know what I’m doing!” I said, punching him in the shoulder, the attempt at comedy trying to cut the edge of the situation.

“Let’s go.” Bucky began walking down the hallway behind me, as we tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. There was always a garage door when it comes to facilities like this, and thats what we were going to go to, getting into the elevator and pressing the buttons for the ground floor.

Once the doors closed, Bucky pulled me in and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips, soft and sweet, a comfort.

“What was that for?”

“I just want to make sure I did that, no matter what happens.”

“Nothing is going to happen, this is the perfect plan.”

That was when the elevator doors opened into the ground floor, and a man was standing there.  He nodded to us, before getting into the elevator as we got out. The two of us looked for some sort of lab, anything labeled as such. I couldn’t believe how lax the security was, but I didn’t say anything, that wasn’t our concern. Finally we found where we needed to be, a large garage, that opened up. I opened the door as Bucky watched for people around us. The entire situation felt off, like this was too easy.

Suddenly, agents began bursting in through the doors, none of which I recognized. I looked to Bucky, and he simply yelled, “Run!”

I did as I was told, sliding underneath the door and running into the street, witnesses everywhere as I ran as far as I could. People looked confused, and understandably so, a girl dressed like a debutante running through the city as fast as she can in heels. My heart pounded in my chest, as I kept looking behind me for Bucky, where was Bucky? He had to have made it out, he was a better soldier than me, he was a stronger soldier than me.

20 blocks, at least, thats how far I ran, before I finally stopped. I took so many turns that they would have had to have lost them, but there was no Bucky. I waited in that spot for a little while , an alleyway occupied by a small population of homeless people.

Bucky had to have gotten out, he had to. He just must have gone a different way, yes, that’s it! He had to have just taken a different route, ended up in a different part of the city. We would find each other later.

I looked down to what I was wearing, the clothing too distinctive. I scanned my surroundings, seeing a girl, roughly my age and size.  I went up to her, surprising her slightly.

“Hey, do you think I could trade clothes with you?” She looked at me funny for a second, but then quickly nodded. The two of us walked into the privacy that the shadows of the alley provided, shucking layers of clothing off of us, trading what one had for the other.

As I zipped up the sweatshirt and jeans given to me, I looked at the girl, still confused and concerned as to why I had asked her to take the clothing.

“You’re gonna be able to get at least 2,000 for this at a pawn shop, don’t let it get damaged before the morning unless you plan on keeping it.” Her eyes went wide with excitement and nodded, going back to the corner that she had come from.

I left the alleyway, and once again began to move, trying to find a different place to camp out for the night. I had no money, so a hotel was out of the question, and it wasn’t as if I knew anyone that I could stay with.

I was lucky that one of the things that I had gotten real good at during my training, was pickpocketing. No one was the wiser, as I moved flawlessly on the streets, anyone who dared walk next to me was subject to the loss of their wallet. I continued like this until I found myself another homeless camp, huddling in with the mass of smelly bodies.

I turned to one of the people huddled around a small fire, warming his hands. “What city is this?”

“We’re in New York, you really must have taken something strong.”

[josefavomjaaga]

Eugène de Beauharnais proudly showing the first signs of what might eventually become a moustache to the artist.

***

Antoine Darnay, an acquaintance of the Beauharnais family since before Josephine married Napoleon Bonaparte, had accompanied Eugène to Italy as his confidential secretary, the only person in his entourage Eugène had chosen himself (everybody else had been handpicked by Napoleon). After Eugène's death, he wrote a small booklet about the former viceroy's life, entitled "Notices historiques sur S.A.R. le Prince Eugène" and dedicated to his widow and children, because Auguste wanted to keep their father's memory alive in his children. This is how he tells the story of how Eugène got summoned to Munich:

The dispatch of Emperor Napoleon threw the Viceroy into an emotional turmoil he could not conceal. The brilliant destiny prepared for him, the fear that he might not please a princess whose graces and beauty were justly praised, and who was then sought after by several sovereigns; the unexpected happiness of soon seeing the Emperor again, of embracing his beloved mother, of being reunited with his friends from war, Generals Bessières, Duroc, etc.; this combination of various, though flattering, sentiments agitated his spirits and alarmed his modesty, which did not dare to imagine so much happiness at once. After a few arrangements necessitated by his absence, the viceroy set out with his first aide-de-camp (General d'Anthouard), crossed the mountains of the Tyrol on the 8th of January, cluttered with ice and snow, and arrived at Munich with the rapidity of lightning... Amor dat alas. [lat.: Love gives wings.]

I had the honour of following immediately, with a chamberlain and an equerry (the counts Bentivoglio and Mereniagno). We arrived in Munich twelve hours after His Royal Highness.

So, apparently those wings love had given had sped up the journey by 12 hours on a three-days-trip. Of course it's not quite clear if it was the love to a bride Eugène had never seen (except on a coffee mug), or the love to hopefully party with Duroc and Bessières on his arrival. In any case, it seems he at some point picked up Rapp on the road, as Rapp in his memoirs claims to have accompanied Eugène to Munich.

It's not quite clear what happened next. The only thing everyone agrees upon: Eugène immediately reported to Napoleon, Napoleon wanted to present his stepson to the Bavarian family - and it cost Eugène the adornment of his manhood.

As already related here, Eugène in Egypt had suffered much from being the youngest of General Bonaparte's aides. Especially as he also looked the part. So the first thing he did in order to look a little more soldier-like was to grow himself a moustache. And this moustache now proved (in somebody's mind) an unsurmountable obstacle to a happy marriage.

Let's first hear Darnay again:

The emperor Napoleon had snatched the viceroy on his arrival, and had not left him since. This monarch was proud to present his dear student himself to the royal family of Bavaria and to the Princess Auguste. His Majesty was constantly preparing him for this ceremony, and went so far as to have the Viceroy's moustaches cut off in his own cabinet, so as not to frighten the timidity of the Princess Auguste by a too martial air.

But, as Darnay has told us himself, he was not even around when Eugène first entered the Residence, as Darnay only arrived twelve hours later, during the night. There is however another report by Mademoiselle Avrillion, lady-in-waiting to empress Josephine, who was already in the Residence. Personally, I find her version even funnier.

The empress was pleased to see her son contract a marriage which would associate him with the blood of the sovereigns of Europe, and at the same time all that she had seen of the princess Auguste, all that she had been told about her, made her foresee for the prince that inner happiness which is rarer among the princes of the world than among those whom fate has placed in a more humble condition.

The happiness enjoyed by the empress was, however, disturbed by a cloud; the prince had arrived very early in the morning, […]

Err – 10.30 AM, actually. That’s a little past dawn, even in January.

[…] and on arriving had gone immediately to the emperor. As the latter was not accustomed to lose time under any circumstances, after embracing his adopted son he took him by the hand and led him at once to the King and Queen of Bavaria, where the interview with his bride-to-be took place without any kind of ceremony, and so to speak in a bourgeois manner.

The prince, whom the emperor had sent for in all haste, had travelled day and night; on his arrival the empress had not yet risen; when, on entering her room, I announced to her that he was in Munich, she wept a great deal at the thought that the first visit of her son had not been for her, that after all she had not been the first to embrace him. A few moments later, and as she was still quite agitated, the emperor entered her room on his way back from the queen's apartment. I was a witness to this interview; the Emperor held Prince Eugene by the hand, and said, pushing him slightly forward: "Here, madam, here comes your great fool of a son whom I am bringing to you." The emperor often used, in his moments of gaiety, such expressions when speaking of the prince to the empress. Her majesty burst into tears as she embraced him. Who, moreover, would not recognise the susceptibilities of a maternal heart in one of the reproaches she made to the emperor for having presented her son to his betrothed without her having seen him first? It is well known that the prince habitually wore moustaches, and his mother thought he looked much better without them. "Why," she said, "did you present Eugene before he had cut off his moustache, without giving him time to make his toilet?" This observation, made with that emotion which always follows the moment when one has just shed tears, made the emperor smile, and he cheerfully excused himself for not having thought of objects of such high importance. The empress feared that the first impression might not have been favourable to her son; at last she did everything possible to persuade him to sacrifice his moustaches, and the day did not pass without the moustaches being cut off.

I guess we all can picture that scene: Eugène, unshaven, smelly and dishevelled after three days in a coach, bows in front of Napoleon and immediately gets dragged away across the residence to meet his bride. »So, that’s her. That’s him. Now do that falling-in-love thing so we can get on with the marriage. I got a banking crisis to solve!«

It seems all the more likely that the order to immediately shave was given by the empress and not the emperor, as there was already a precedent for this in Josephine's recent past:

At the end of 1801, Josephine had tried to arrange a marriage between one Michel Ney and Aglaé Auguié, a friend of her daughter Hortense. Unfortunately, the suitor had outright failed his bride-to-be's first examination - due to unacceptable hair and beard. (The painting above probably does not do the problem justice as it was only made in 1834.) Only after a complete makeover did the young lady show herself inclined to grant the gentleman a second interview, which then led to the desired result.

Josephine probably still had this traumatic experience in mind when she insisted that Eugène immediately get rid of that shoe brush under his nose! To what extent this was necessary is difficult to say; Eugène was allowed to grow his moustache again a few years later, presumably with his wife's blessings.

The incident however had not gone unnoticed by whatever went for a »paparazzo« those days and was duefully made known to the interested audience even as far as the Kingdom of Prussia. As the »Königlich privilegirte Berlinische Zeitung« wrote on February 6:

On his arrival in Munich, the Viceroy of Italy wore a small moustache, which he immediately had removed.

Well, either he, Imperial Maman or Imperial stepfather in any case. Amor does not only give wings, it also costs the most cruel sacrifices.