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the-offside-rule · 7 months

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Lando Norris (McLaren) - Moving Home

Requested: yes

Prompt: Moving in with Lando x

Warnings: nope

Lando gazed at the picturesque English countryside as they walked hand in hand up the pebbled driveway. The prospect of moving back to England with his girlfriend, Y/n, was an exciting one. He had missed the rolling hills and the vibrant culture and in all honesty, Monaco had gotten been a bit boring after a while. He remember how he tried convincing Y/n to just move to Monaco and not worry about uni since he said he would take care of her forever, but she was not going to just give up on university that easily.

As they approached a house with a "For Sale" sign, Lando couldn't help but feel a spark of anticipation. The real estate agent, a friendly man named James, greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello there! You must be Lando and Y/n. Very lovely to meet you." James said, shaking their hands. Lando smiled. "Nice to meet you, James. We're looking forward to finding the perfect place." He said, holding his hand out for Y/n to take. "Well, hopefully this is it. It's truly a remarkable house." James saud as he led them inside the house, a grand property with a spacious garden and elegant architecture. As they explored the rooms, Y/n's eyes lit up at the features that matched her wishlist.

"I'll let you both have a look around yourselves. I just need to make a call." James said before leaving the room. "This is beautiful, but-" Y/n hesitated, glancing at Lando with concern. "It's quite expensive, isn't it? Almost 4 million pounds." Lando squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, love. I want us to have the best. I'll take care of it." Y/n smiled, feeling a wave of warmth. "You're sure? It won't be too much will it?" Lando laughed. "Darling, I got paid 20 million last year. This place is not not much." They continued the tour, discussing how they would decorate each room and imagining their life in this idyllic setting.

Over tea in the cozy kitchen, they finalized their decision. Lando looked at Y/n with determination. "This is the one. I want you to be happy, and if it means a beautiful home in England, then it's worth every penny." Y/n's eyes shimmered with gratitude as they held each9thwrs hand on the table. "Perfect, I can get a payment plan started out for you if you'd like and then-"

"No, no, I have the money just tell me when you want it and I'll send it on over." The dealer was gobsmacked. He didn't exactly know how to react to this 24 year old saying he can just pay off his house whenever it is needed. "I mean, whenever you'd like to move in." Lando nodded. "Let me call my bank and I'll have the money sent over." Lando stood up, smoothenlling out his shirt and shaking hands with James. "Please doing business." Jame said. "I will call you to finalise everything." Lando placed his hand behind Y/n. "Of course, we'll be in touch."

A matter of weeks later, Lando and Y/n shared laughter as they tackled the mountain of boxes in their new home. "I hope our furniture isn't lost in this bloody cardboard." Lando quipped, holding up a lampshade. Y/n chuckled, setting a box down. "Well, at least we'll have a well-lit maze." Lando plopped down onto the sofa, completely exhausted from hoisting boxes around everywhere. "You okay?" Y/n asked sitting beside him. "Just tired. I honestly thought being a racing driver would prepare me for this, but these boxes are giving me a headache." Y/n leaned on his shoulder. "Well, maybe if you drove as fast as you unpack, we'd be done by now."

"Rude."

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merakiui · 13 days

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OHSHC AU where reader breaks a precious arrifact from one of the dorms maybe all but instead of repaying the huggeeee debt with hours of labour she has to pay with her body and can’t refuse :)

every kink in the book is used as she’s pleading with the dorm leaders for mercy, crying about forgiveness but all they can hear is that her mouth is very wide open and needs to be replaced with a cock or gag </3 poor reader doesn’t have time to take birth control! and none of the students at nrc know what condoms are oopsies!! imagine savanaclaw in their heat … oh boy rip her pussy! she’ll never know a peaceful day until graduation but even then one of the dorm leaders might take her with them to spend forever with them

Omg yes,,, ohshc au, but it's freaky and full of sex because those scheming boys now have a girl in their debt and that opens so many possibilities. Their methods in dealing with you would all be different, of course, but in the end you're probably getting dicked down either way. <3

I think Riddle's punishments are probably more old-fashioned. If you can't fix whatever it is you broke, then you will write lines stating that you will be more careful, that you won't break anything again, etc. Or he'll make you write an essay detailing why exactly you're sorry, why you ought to be forgiven, etc. T_T really, these are just punishments his own mother gave to him in order to push him to do better in his studies. Riddle doesn't know any better.

He thinks differently when someone like Ace or Cater offhandedly and jokingly remarks how unlucky you must feel. Good thing their Housewarden isn't some pervert, otherwise he could totally force you to give him blowjobs whenever he wanted all under the guise of "repaying your debt." Riddle is appalled. He would never stoop so low! This is Heartslabyul, not Octavinelle. >:( still, the basic concept is just a little appealing. So maybe he's got a small crush on you, and maybe it would be easier to get you to spend time with him if you had no other choice. He makes you join him for tea parties in the gardens, for games of croquet, etc. His hope is that you'll warm up to him and not feel so rigid around him. orz

Leona probably doesn't care as much about the artifact as someone like Riddle might. It has no sentimental value to him personally, so why should he be worried? Besides, it was pretty old anyway. But that doesn't mean you can get off completely innocent. You're the reason he's got more work on his plate now, what with having to deal with the Headmage squawking at him about it. He allows you to choose between two punishments: either you become Savanaclaw's errand girl and do much the same work Ruggie does around the dorm, or you spend every night literally warming his bed (i.e. let him use you as a pillow if you're going to be good and still and quiet). If you want an easy way out, you'll choose the latter. Besides, his bed is comfortable, big enough for two. And as long as you aren't a pain, he doesn't mind. (You are definitely going to be warming his bed in other ways. The innuendo in his words is not lost on Leona.)

Azul...... of course he's slimy and sleazy about it. Oh, you poor soul. How is he ever going to get over this dear, priceless artifact that you have so carelessly broke? Jade is there to oh-so-helpfully inform you of its market price and what it could currently go for if sold. And Floyd's there to poke fun at the unfortunate predicament you've found yourself in. But Azul is a resourceful octopus. He makes a grand show of contemplating what he should do with you just to watch you squirm nervously, as if he hasn't already planned it out from the very beginning. He'll capitalize on your being a girl and have you work the floor in the lounge. There's always an increase in tips and sales when you're serving the customers, and why wouldn't there be? A cute, helpless girl in a school full of boys is an appealing sight.

He's irritating, but he isn't callous! Jade and Floyd are there to look out for you in case any of the patrons get it in their heads that they ought to appreciate you through touch instead of simply staring. Your uniforms change with every new event Mostro Lounge holds. Azul knows his target audience well because he also fits into that same group LOL. So maybe the sight of you in frilly uniforms is appealing. Sue him. >_< he wants you so badly, and luckily (with you being indebted to him) he has you all to himself. :) after hours are a very fun time at the lounge.

Kalim doesn't see what the issue is. He's not mad, so please don't cry!!! 🥺 you'll make him cry if you're not happy... Jamil is just about ready to pass out while he calculates just how bad this is. And here Kalim is, not caring in the slightest! T_T but Kalim is more sympathetic towards you, not the vase you broke. Besides, he can just get another one. :D no harm done at all! There really isn't any punishment to be had. If you insist on repaying your debt, Kalim tells you it's all water under the bridge.

Jamil is the only one who insists this is a good idea, and if Jamil thinks it's fine then Kalim agrees. So now you're sort of,,, there in Scarabia. Jamil puts you to work when Kalim isn't around, but when Kalim is there he spoils you rotten. The complete opposite of a punishment. There's definitely dubious shadows to this, though. For all of the delicious foods and alcohol you consume, you wake with hazy memories, only ever recalling you looked into the eyes of...something before you fell. Was it a snake? Maybe... but Kalim is always there in the morning to smother you in affection, so maybe it's not so bad.

You are Vil's newest pet project. He goes in with metaphorical fork and knife and cuts into you with his criticism, all of which is completely valid. You were clumsy when you broke that artifact. You weren't paying attention to your surroundings. You were completely oblivious, so in your own world. Epel would feel bad for you, but finally he gets to relax just a little bit now that Vil's eyes are mostly off of him and centered on you. Vil is going to put you through a reformation of sorts. You will come out of it your best, most elegant self! A wonderful improvement from your earlier carelessness. Only then will he forgive your previous transgression.

You and Vil get on like oil and water. That is, you don't mix at all. You are subjected to curses left and right because Vil is so strict. Suddenly, you can't eat certain foods and if you try to sneak them you find they've all been cursed (courtesy of Vil). If you try to slack on the work he has you do, even when you know he's not around, somehow word gets back to Vil. That creepy hunter always seems to know everything you do even when you're alone. It's troubling. Vil likes to think his heart is an iron fortress, so it's impossible to fathom when he falls for you first (and so hopelessly, at that)!

Idia doesn't put as much value in that artifact as he does in his own anime collection. If you broke something from his collection that was limited edition, he'd be far more upset (and then proceed to pull out the second one he got as back-up for this very specific moment). But this is an easy fix, really. He has the technology to make it good as new and, if that can't be done, he can always build a new one. Upgrades are important and necessary in some cases, especially when things get too outdated. It's a little awkward having a real 3D girl in his room all the time, though. >_< kick his ass in the twst equivalent of Smash and he's looking at you in a completely different light (hearing you trash talk him is so arousing; he's never been more hard).

Let's say the thing you broke in this case was a gargoyle. You're not sure how it happened, but it's headless now and Malleus is just staring silently at you. You can't read the emotions on his face, but with the way Sebek is shouting at you to get on your knees and beg for forgiveness you think you're about to be burnt to a crisp. It's so uneasy and awkward, and all you can do is apologize profusely, insisting you didn't mean to break it. It's Lilia who comes to your rescue: "Now, now, Malleus. You'll scare the poor child if you keep frowning so. Mistakes happen, do they not?" Silver also comes to your aid, adding that it wasn't your intention to break this gargoyle. It was an accident.

So now here you are, the second member of the Gargoyle Studies Club, accompanying Malleus for club activities while he teaches you all about gargoyles so that you can gain a better appreciation for them. It was Lilia's idea in the first place. He is Malleus's unofficial wingman. One way or another, you're going to find yourself alone in the woods with Malleus while Lilia is in the bushes belting out "romantic" love ballads from the old ages. T_T someone put peepaw to bed... at the very least, it lessens the awkward tension between you and Malleus, and it even gets the both of you laughing.

#twisted chit chat #n/sfw #tw: dubcon #i wrote it and yet it isn't nearly as freaky... orz it's a slow burn sort of freak :3

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rinamata05 · 8 months

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[SPOILERS FOR THE GREAT ACE ATTORNEY 2]

Tea and picnic at the van Zieks Rose Garden

My piece for the @afternoonteazine zine! Leftover sales for the PDF and remaining merch are open until 02/12 for anyone interested!

#tgaa spoilers #tgaa #tgaa2 #the great ace attorney spoilers #the great ace attorney #barok van zieks #klint van zieks #lady baskerville #dgs2 spoilers #dgs spoilers #rinamata05 art

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clownsuu · 1 year

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Frank and Home anon here, since i wanted to expand on my idea from the other blog. ive been having brainrot with these two since those doodles of Home kicking Franks ass in chess. i feel like the ship works??? weirdly well??? like, Home obv has some cryptid stress stuff going on in your blog lore, and i love the idea of him being the goofy one while Frank, the guy who watches butterflies and goes bird watching, is the grumpier one among the two. Home prob has some old ass board games on his dusty shelves that he got at some garage sale but didnt have anyone to play with, and Frank seems like the person to listen to podcasts about the history of said ancient ass board games. he doesnt even know how to play, but he can scope it out on Homes shelves to give him the lore of Chinese Checkers. i think they would both like a bunch of calming activities to bond over. they seem like the couple to have a garden in their backyard and wake up every morning to see if the tomatoes are blooming yet (Frank grumbles at having to constantly pull out the weeds but is secretly hype to taste something homemade). also, you can NOT tell me Home isnt a drama queen lover. youre telling me this guy is a silent house that just listens to conversations all day long, and DOESNT like hearing about tea? him and Frank would watch reality tv shows. Frank complains about how fake and stupid everyone is. when theres a betrayal in the friend group, he acts like that was HIS best friend shooting him in the back. Home just listens with a hand covering his mouth, somehow in shock that the girlies are, once again, talking behind each others backs (it gets him every time). this ask is getting pretty long so im going to plug my brain here. in conclusion: teehee

G y a t -

Ngl I really like how slow and cheesily romantic these twos would be- it’s just two old nerds (one mentally one physically) basically living a very domesticated life similar to one of a old married couple. Very gentle relationship with a bunch of goofy passion and OVERBEARINGLY tender moments. Plus, the bonus factor that Wally absolutely despises Frank for now becoming his around same aged step father-

#A crack ship I’d say #But a very sweet one I’d admit #Welcome home #Welcome home wally #Welcome home frank #welcome home home #wally darling #frank frankly

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buffetlicious · 9 days

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The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节), also known as the Mooncake Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is called the Mid-autumn Festival because the 15th day is the middle of a month, and the eighth lunar month is in the middle of autumn. In Singapore, mooncakes and lanterns are offered for sale as early as a month before the festival. These days, however, it has become more common to give mooncakes as gifts than to eat them during the festival. The custom of offering sacrifices to the moon has been replaced by celebrating the festival with family and friends. Moon-viewing parties is one way to enjoy the occasion, with family and friends sitting in gardens lit by paper lanterns, sipping tea, nibbling on mooncakes, and if so inspired, composing poetry in venerable Tang Dynasty fashion.

The Full Moon is considered a symbol of reunion, as such the Mid-autumn Festival is also known as the Reunion Festival. Shaped round like the full moon, mooncakes signify reunion. The Mid-autumn Festival is associated with the moon and “moon appreciation” (赏月) parties, particularly because the moon is at its brightest during this time. The festival also coincides with the end of the autumn harvest, marking the end of the Hungry Ghost Festival, which occurs during the seventh lunar month. The day of the Mid-autumn Festival is traditionally thought to be auspicious for weddings, as the moon goddess is believed to extend conjugal bliss to couples.

Among the Chinese, the most popular of all the tales connected with the Mid-autumn Festival is that of Chang-E (嫦娥), also known as the Moon Lady, and her husband Hou Yi (后羿). This myth is said to have originated from storytellers in the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), and even as far back as the time of Emperor Yao (2346 BCE).

youtube

Hidden Messages in Mooncakes played a major role in the liberation of Yuan China (1206–1341 CE) from the Mongols in the 14th century. Despite a prohibition against large gatherings, rebel leader Zhu Yuan Zhang was able to instigate a rebellion by placing secret messages in mooncakes. The rebellion took place during the Mid-autumn Festival, and the celebration of the festival and eating of mooncakes took on a different meaning thereafter.

Information from National Library Board. Bo Jio literally meaning “not invited” in Hokkien.

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intotherumiverse · 5 months

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★ ૮₍ ≧ . ≦ ₎ა 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 !!

ღ. synopsis ; one peice characters and the majors and trades they're in !

ღ. featuring ; luffy m. ; zoro r. ; sanji v. ; ussop ; robin ; nami ; chopper ; brook + bonus !

ღ. cw ; weed mention, cursing, shitposting

ღ. notes ; i haven't written in so long I forgot how to so this.... bare w me on this one !

luffy

luffy is an international relation major

all the professors love him and its defintely the only reason he's passing his classes

he has not one clue what going on (most of the time), head empty

also has really good finals grades

like its so surprising to see him pass with a low b high c average

he's really likeable, everyone and they momma wants to hang out with him

usally hanging out with sanji (bc he cooks) or zoro (caus he thinks he's cool)

he tutors with nami and robin sometimes (they're the only ones that can deal with him on the regular)

he's so silly and goofy i love him your honor

zoro

bussniess major but is never doing what he needs to do

classes? not in them. Homework? What's that? he is no where to be found and that should scare you.

he's somehow doing well in class and no one can figure out how he's doing it.

he's the captain of the fighting club (first rule of fight club? no talking about fight club) and he's good with members and running them

he hates the idea of hazing in his club and will kick you out if you try it

he has a special bond with one of the advisors given to him and he defends him like hell

he hangs around luffy bc he thinks of him as a little brother and wants to make sure he's alright

fights with sanji because he thinks its sooooo fucking funny

he's a regualar at the local bar to the point they don't even I.D him anymore they're just like "there's zoro."

sanji

definitely a food science major

he loves trying out new recipes and helping in the kitchen

sometimes when money gets low, he'll have a bake sale and they always do really fucking well

sometimes he'll take apprentenships for "fun" and so he's just racked up expirence in working in different places

his dream job is to have his own resturant where he can create his own dishes and not take any shit from anyone

also (because my sanji is a weed smoker not a cig user) will sometimes make weed pastries and they do so well when he sells them

would be outside on a smoke break but somehow never smells like weed its so crazy

would be the type of student to grumble and complain about homework but still do it anyway (he's just like me fr)

ussop

went to a shopworking trade school (his momma didn't want him to learn nothing after high school so she made him)

he found out later that he like working on different things and keeping himself busy

he also like gardening in his spare time

he's like really good at it and sometimes when his garden is too much for his family, he'll either give it to his neighbors or sell it in the farmer's market

his most frequent customer is sanji because sanji likes the freshest products avaliable

sanji askes him to hang out and try his recipes from time to time and eventually he makes friends with everyone

nami

earth sceiene major with minor in accounting

she is the the most ruthless student you'll ever meet

she don't take any shit from no one regardless of who you are, which is why she makes such a good tutor

she makes sure all her students get a good grade and because she tutors both zoro and luffy, she makes BANK

she also is the pretty girl on campus and all her friends pretty too !

hair done, lashes done, lashes done, face card don't decline, body tea !

she loves hanging out with the group but she'll never tell you that but everyone knows she cares about her people

she's lowkey scary

she isn't afriad to curse you the fuck out when you piss her off

fiercely loyal my girl nami is badddd

robin

history major with a minor in english

knows everything about everything and is one of the best tutors of the campus

she's kinda shy (mostly cause she doesn't like people but she's trying)

luffy thought she was cool and just kept bothering her until she reluctantly accepted

she's a real history buff and can debate her history like no one else

once got into it with zoro for a peice of random history

chopper

struggling medicene major

he looks stressed at all times and somehow is keeping a 4.0 gpa

luffy and zoro will come over with brusises and he just takes one look at him and sighs deeply

he helps in the nursing home with the doctors because he feels happy when people are treated

he doesn't like when people treat him or others differently so he's such a big advocate for anti discrimination against anyone

he likes helping people that most doctors would ignore and people hate him for that

he's not good at taking compliments so its funny to see him react to the compliments

he loves sweets and he loves when sanji makes them so he's always first in line at sanjis bake sale

he's so cute and small your honor

frankky

mechanic (trade school)

a literal grease monkey

he's always making something in his garage and

he makes custom peices for his friends and even sold some to some of the rich kids

besides that he's really cool about things

he's co chill about everything and help fix things whenever the crew needs it

all in all a cool dude

brook

old ass music head

he's one of the best musicains and he's so casual about it

he's a allumi for the school and he takes students every year to train them and teach them what he knows

he only takes like 5 students a year so the spots are very competative and very hard to get into

hes so chill otherwise

the type of mentor to call you out on your bullshit but still

extra little bonus scene!

the gang goes to Jinbe's resturant every week after all they're classes. Luffy had stumbled upon it one day and he just slowly started to get his friends to go their and that's just become their hangout spot since then. Jinbe pretends to hate when they come over but in all actuality, he loves talking to them and getting to know them as a group and as individuals. he loves their energy and will make sure they eat well and they're getting good grades.

no tag list for now but make sure you're supporting the people that are spending time making works for your entertainment !

@rynfiles ; @strawhatkia

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nanawritesit · 1 year

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Being the Unofficial Gardener of the Ouran High School Host Club Headcanons

anonymous said: “Hi! I've read your rules and i really like the ohshc thing you did so I'm going to request if that's ok? this is like an Oc without a name, Reader is the quote and unquote gardener of the host club. ( i cannot believe they just don't have a supplier when they use that many flowers i mean c'mon) Their grandpa owns a successful business selling flowers. Reader's grandpa raised them, Thats because readers mom died giving birth to them and readers dad died of cancer. (Reader used to get bullied for this since all the other kids at school thought their grandpa was going to sell them). Reader kind of has this standoffish personality. but just doesn't know how to communicate properly when you get to know them, they're actually really goofy.”

It’s true, the host club could never function without a reliable flower supplier. And lucky you, your grandfather happened to own the most successful flower business in the country. That’s how you were able to afford going to Ouran Academy.

The partnership began during your first year there. You shared a few classes with Kyoya, but you were never very close with him because of his intimidating family background.

He was also a bit intimidated to talk to you because of your closed off personality, and the rumors that had been going around about you being bought from your parents by a strange old man for garden labor didn’t help.

However one day, he decided to listen in on a conversation you were having with one of your friends. You were talking about a great sale your grandfather had made to supply flowers for a government ceremony.

He immediately felt guilty for falling victim to vicious gossip, but connected the dots about your family quickly. And of course, that got the gears in his head turning.

He was still in the early planning stages of founding the Host Club with Tamaki, and securing a trustworthy flower supplier was something they had been worried about

So, being the strategic communicator he is, he smoothly approached you and invited you over to the Ootori residence for a cup of tea

You were shocked that someone with such high status as him was interested in associating with you, but as soon as you realized it was a business proposition, you opened up a bit more

You were happy to get your grandfather another customer, especially one as wealthy as Kyoya, and soon you were making plans on what flowers and what arrangements he wanted

Fast forward to now, you’re both second years and the Host Club is thriving, you almost can’t keep up with the amount of flowers they go through

Most of the work you do is behind the scenes, so you didn’t really get to interact with any of the other club members

That was, until one day when your grandfather asked you to make a delivery to the club with a huge batch of flowers so he could attend a business meeting

You were nervous, but agreed anyway. Luckily there weren’t any guests in the music room yet, just the club members

Immediately a gush of rose petals blew in front of your face, and the sight of six handsome guys greeted you

You just stood there like a deer in the headlights

Tamaki was the first to approach you, taking your hand in his and kissing the back of it

“Ah, what a beautiful blossom that’s bloomed before us as our first guest today. Would you do me the honor of telling me your name, my princess/prince/ noble?”

“Y/N?” a voice suddenly asked. You both looked over to see Kyoya entering the room, surprised to see you but not at all displeased.

“You know each other?” Tamaki gasped.

“Yes, this is Y/N Y/L/N. They’re the grandchild of our flower supplier. It’s all thanks to them that we have enough flowers for all our events.”

All the guys immediately started crowding you, asking you a million questions at once.

You were a little overwhelmed, but just smiled politely and answered all their questions.

“You’re so lovely, it’s a wonder I haven’t seen you around the academy before.” Tamaki smirked, flirtatious as always.

“Well, I tend to hang out in the shadows. Back in middle school everyone made up rumors about me and it made me a bit of a loner.” you explained with a shy chuckle.

“Yeah, I heard your parents went bankrupt and sold you to their old loan shark to get out of debt.” Hikaru commented nonchalantly.

“Yeah, and I heard you’re an indentured servant who has to do hard physical labor everyday after school.” Kaoru added.

Tamaki immediately turned around and scolded them, waving his arms and yelling at them to be more polite in the presence of a lady/ gentleman/ noble.

“It’s okay Tamaki, I’m used to them all by now.” you chuckled. “My parents actually passed away when I was younger and left me in the care of my grandfather.”

“Y/N-chan, do you help grow the flowers too?” Honey asked excitedly, gazing up at you with huge eyes.

“Yes, I do actually! My grandfather taught me everything he knows about gardening, and it’s something I really enjoy doing!” you responded.

“Wow. That’s cool.” Mori said flatly. Although you could tell it was sincere.

“Why haven’t you introduced us to them before, Kyoya-senpai?” Haruhi asked, turning to the vice-president.

“I didn’t mean to keep them from you, there was just never an avid opportunity. But I suppose now is a good a time as any to make the introduction.” Kyoya answered, adjusting his glasses and turning towards you. “Y/N, meet the Ouran High School Host Club.”

They each went down the line telling you their names and types, which was quite entertaining. You had heard of the club’s popularity but never gotten around to visiting them.

“I’m sorry we go through so many flowers. It must be difficult to grow so many.” Haruhi said sympathetically.

“Oh it’s no strain on the business, I actually tend to most of your club’s stock personally so that my grandfather can focus on his other sales.” you reassured her. “However, I do sometimes wish I could grow more plants. I could probably run an entire garden just for the Host Club!”

Tamaki’s eyes immediately lit up. “Y/N, that’s a marvelous idea!”

“Hm? Oh no, I was only joking…” you laughed nervously.

“Actually, that might be a useful investment.” Kyoya began, placing his fist under his chin in thought. “It would be nice to have our own garden and not have to worry about business transactions.”

“Senpai, Y/N can’t grow us an entire garden for free!” Haruhi exclaimed. You were touched that she was immediately on your side.

“Don’t be silly, we’ll pay them an adequate salary.” Kyoya told you. “And of course a small share will be given to their grandfathers business as a courtesy.”

“I want to grow lots of pink flowers!” Honey cheered, jumping up and down in excitement.

“Think of all the schemes we could pull with a whole garden of flowers at our disposal!” the twins beamed in unison, joining hands and twirling around.

“I can see it now… lush bushes of roses and hydrangeas, hanging branches of cherry blossoms and orchids, cobblestone paths lined with lillies and tulips!” Tamaki declared, striking a grand pose at the center of the room. “Get ready men, because soon the Ouran Host Club will have a brand new garden!”

You looked around at all the chaos unfolding before you. Kyoya was already typing up a budget on his computer, Mori was chasing Honey around the room as he threw handfuls of rose petals in the air, and Haruhi just stood there with her head in her hands.

“I had to make a joke, didn’t I…” you sighed to yourself.

While you were initially overwhelmed at the daunting prospect of creating an entire garden, it turned out to not be so bad. Kyoya handled most of the property scouting and landscaping with his endless business connections. You were pretty much just in charge of picking what flowers to grow and taking care of them.

And so, everyday after school, you would go to the new garden behind the building and tend to your flowers :) Your grandfather was very happy that you were making friends and spending less time at the business

Haruhi would usually come by to help you water the plants when she needed to sneak away from the chaos of the club

She loved your chill personality, and you always made her laugh and forget her stress in a second :)

You had your suspicions about her gender from the beginning, but you never really cared. You didn’t really see people as labels, just who they where on the inside. It was this mindset that actually made her comfortable enough to confide her secret in you!

Honey would sometimes come by and bring you some cakes that were leftover from the club activities, and you’d sit on a swing and eat them together <3

Sometimes he would bring Mori along, and while you were a little shy around him, you were happy to see that he was also interested in your gardening. He would often ask you what different flowers symbolized, and what kind of care certain flowers needed

The twins would come by to gather flowers for their various schemes, and would often encourage you to take a break and have some fun with them!

The three of you would run around the gardens, playing tag and hide and seek until you were all so tired you were sprawled out in the grass, panting and laughing wildly

Kaoru was happy to see Hikaru finally opening up to someone, and would sometimes try to give the two of you space to talk by yourselves

Hikaru could listen to you talk about flowers for hours and never get bored. He also liked to tuck them behind your ear, smiling at how pretty you looked <3

Tamaki always seemed to be busy tending to his numerous princesses, but every once in a while he would come by to thank you for making this all possible

And of course, he couldn’t help but flirt with you a bit :)

“All these gorgeous blossoms… and yet none of them compares to your beauty, my dear.”

You would’ve fallen for him had you not been so smart

Kyoya was probably the one you saw most often, as he was the one you knew the longest and the one who planned out most of the garden

He was always making sure you had enough equipment and starts, and discussing new arrangement ideas with you

“Are you sure it’s not too much work for you, Y/N?” he asked sincerely.

“Oh it’s not too bad, it’s not like I’m working myself to the bone.” you reassured him. “I mean yeah, it would be nice to have some help, but it would have to be from someone who understands gardening.”

“Why don’t you start a gardening club?” he proposed.

You jaw unhinged in shock. “Oh Kyoya, that’s a wonderful idea, but I don’t know the first thing about starting a club.”

“I do, and I can help you. I founded this club after all.” he smiled, adjusting his glasses.

After a few weeks of paperwork and meeting with the school board, you became the president of the Ouran High School Gardening Club :)

The guys were all so proud of you, they decided to host a ball in your honor!

You were hesitant at the idea, still a bit self conscious of all the rumors that had been spread about you in the past

But after much convincing, you agreed. The twins even got you a custom ball outfit from their mother’s fashion line!

Tamaki took his place at the foot of the staircase to greet all the guests, making your heart beat out of your chest from behind the double doors.

“Welcome princesses, princes, and nobles of Ouran Academy! Thank you so much for attending this ball in celebration of the founding of the Ouran Gardening Club! The president of this club is someone that the Host Club is very close with. In fact, if it weren’t of them, there wouldn’t be a single rose petal at any of our events. Please join me in welcoming Y/N Y/L/N!”

You then made your entrance, a light downpour of rose petals floating around you as you descended the staircase <3

You looked around to see everyone cheering for you and smiling at you admiringly. You started wondering why you ever retreated into the shadows in the first place. It was almost enough to bring a tear to your eye.

Halfway through your decent, you looked down to see all seven members of the Host Club holding a bouquet of your favorite flowers! They must have asked your grandfather what they were ;)

As you reached the bottom of the staircase, the applause ended. Then, all the guys held out their bouquets to you with warm smiles.

“Thank you for being our gardener Y/N!”

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misc-obeyme · 1 year

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His Hidden Heart

Well I sat down to write the next daily chat scene and ended up with this instead. I'll probably do another daily chat scene in the next couple of days. I was thinking of doing Diavolo next?

Anyway, I'm just thinking about Barbatos all day every day, that's all. One of the things that's interesting to me about him is that he's always got this calmness. Like he sometimes expresses emotions, but it's usually pretty mild. So this is about him getting comfortable enough to open up more. Also, I've always loved the way he likes to take care of people, but I often think about what it would take for him to let someone else take care of him for once.

And I don't know what exactly this is, but I wanted to try a different format. I think I'm gonna put it in the ficlets section of the masterlist but it's kind of its own thing.

GN!MC x Barbatos

Warnings: mostly fluff but a little angst and some crying

For so long, all you saw was the serene expression - the gentle smile, the occasional frown, the rare undercurrent of anger. But it was always tempered, always restrained. And you really thought it had more to do with how old and powerful Barbatos was than anything else. He had been through and seen so much, certainly there wasn't anything that truly made him feel strongly anymore.

And yet, as you got to know him, you started seeing little glimpses of more. Bit by bit, you saw more pieces of him and it made you realize that it wasn't that Barbatos didn't feel strongly. It was only that he didn't express those feelings freely.

You couldn't begin to guess why he was like this. Was it just that he wanted to maintain a stoic butler persona? Was it the result of having lived for so long that emotions seemed to have dulled, no longer warranting full expression? Was there some unresolved trauma of the past (present? future?) that caused him to keep everything under wraps?

You might never learn the truth. Maybe one day, if you felt like you could ask, he would tell you. But even if he never did, you were okay with that. Because your presence slowly but surely drew him out from behind that protective mask he always wore.

The two of you were alone in the garden having tea, fully engaged in conversation. He wasn't animated exactly, but he was talking openly in a way he normally doesn't. You don't even remember what you said, but you will never forget the way he suddenly laughed. It wasn't the usual amused chuckle. He put down his teacup, threw his head back, and laughed. He looked so absolutely delighted that you couldn't help laughing, too. At some point, he covered his face with a gloved hand, embarrassed at the way he couldn't seem to hold in his mirth. It took several minutes for the two of you to catch your breath. Barbatos had to actually wipe away tears from the corners of his eyes.

You had gone to the market together to do some shopping and while Barbatos had been absorbed in the different types of tea that were for sale, you wandered off. You were looking at various things and got a little distracted, going much farther away than you realized. When you looked around, you weren't exactly sure where you were or how to get back to where you needed to be. And then you heard Barbatos calling your name, an edge to his voice that almost sounded frantic. You followed the sound until you found him again. The moment he saw you, his face flooded with relief. He surprised you by putting his arms around you and holding you close for a moment. Long enough for you to hear the rapid beating of his heart.

You were a little confused about how frequently you were getting messages from Barbatos over one particular weekend. You had been spending your time at the House of Lamentation like you normally did, getting into various trouble with the brothers while you were off from school. But it seemed like every hour you got a new message from Barbatos on your D.D.D. They were mostly about nothing. Some questions about your day, a reminder about upcoming school projects, asking for your advice about a type of human world cake he was planning on making. You remembered that Diavolo was somewhere else on business that weekend and that Barbatos was likely alone in the castle (not counting the little Ds). Was he reaching out to you so often because he was lonely? You decided to just stop by for a surprise visit. The smile that greeted you when he opened the door indicated you had been right.

Everybody knew that you weren't currently in a relationship with anyone. There were a lot of rumors at RAD about who you might be secretly dating, but none of it was actually true. And those close to you knew this was the case. They also knew who you seemed to be slowly falling for, but nobody said anything about it. You weren't in denial, but you were certain it was unrequited. There was no doubt that Barbatos cared about you, but you didn't think it was in any capacity other than as a friend. It was just the two of you sitting together on a bench on the RAD grounds and you found yourself feeling a little bold. Not enough to tell him directly, so you only said that you thought you were in love. You watched his face carefully as you said it and so you caught the look of utter heartbreak that passed across it. It was an expression full of anguish that surprised you so much you gasped. But it was gone in seconds, replaced by the usual placid smile which disarmed you enough that you allowed him to change the subject.

Diavolo invited you over to the castle to have dinner with him. You found yourself at the dining table with him, a plethora of food spread out before you. He told you that Barbatos had made everything, but that he couldn't join you as he had his own business to attend to. You wondered what that meant, but didn't question it. You enjoyed dinner with Diavolo, chatting and laughing, generally having a good time. On your way home, you spotted Barbatos on his way back to the castle. He didn't know you were there, didn't know you could see him. He stopped briefly, clearly deep in thought. The expression on his face could only be described as lost or hopeless. Or both. You wanted to run to him, to embrace him, to kiss away the frown. But he didn't know you were there and soon enough he went inside the castle.

A normal day. A quiet day. Nothing to distract you, nothing to cause you concern. Everything was peaceful for once. All it took was a single moment. You had expected something grand, a final declaration, a sort of culmination of everything you had been feeling for so long. Instead, it was an unexpected reaction. When all you did was reach for him in a moment of need to find him waiting. And while you had seen Barbatos express plenty of emotions by this point, you were still completely blown away by the love you saw there in his eyes. When he finally let you see it, you wondered how you could ever think your own feelings weren't returned.

It was no secret that Barbatos did not like rats. You had seen him go to extreme lengths to eliminate them from anywhere he thought they may have taken up residence. And while he was certainly aggrieved whenever one showed up, you didn't fully understand what he was feeling until much later. When he seemed to be comfortable enough to let you see all of his emotional range, the reality of his reaction to rats became clear. He was afraid of them. You watched the terror that flashed across his face when one was near. You stepped in every time. You convinced him to let you take care of it. You were just as capable of dealing with rats as he was. As long as you were around, you would make sure you never saw that terrified look again.

You knew that Barbatos was having a rough week. Things had been going wrong left and right. He'd had to spend a lot of time cleaning up messes and setting things to rights on top of all the things he normally did. You could see it in his face as he got slightly more tired every day until by the end, you knew he really needed some rest. So that weekend, you took yourself over to the Demon Lord's Castle to surprise him with a homemade breakfast. You got there ridiculously early in order to have it done by the time he woke up. You brought a tray full of pancakes and tea to his room where you found him just as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He stared at you in surprise as you explained what you had done, setting the tray down on the bedside table for him. He looked at you for a moment and then his eyes filled with tears. You were next to him in a heartbeat, putting your arms around him. He collapsed into you, crying softly. You couldn't believe it. You had never once seen him cry. But your kindness after the stress of his week allowed him to finally let go. He was safe to break down in your arms.

Such moments with Barbatos had seemed few and far between in the beginning. It took some time for him to trust you, to reveal to you his hidden heart. You had always felt as though he had to take care of you and all your emotions. But now you were able to take care of him as well, to be that safety, that shelter. And while your favorite thing was to see him laugh, genuinely and brightly, you would always be there to hold him when he needed to cry, too.

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me nightbringer #obey me fanfiction #obey me fanfic #obey me fluff #obey me barbatos #obey me barbatos x reader #obey me barbatos x mc #obey me barbatos x you #barbatos x reader #barbatos x mc #barbatos x you #misc writes

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rutzenbear · 3 months

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Gemi Martin for @rainymoodlet 's rock of love bc

pronouns she/they, 31 years, pansexual, half-indonesian freelance crafter who specialises in making jewelry and sells their finished goods on their blog

traits: creative, loves outdoors, kleptomaniac

likes: red, green, tea, alternative, latin pop, pineapple, spicy chinese food, hugging, affection, jokes, discussing interests, swearing, taking baths

dislikes: pink, protein shakes, milk, hip hop, meat, seafood, formal wear, bragging, complaints, cleaning, bowling, fishing, seeing themselves in dresses and ocasionally getting body dismorphia

sim charecteristics: in harmony with familiy-motivated sims, idealist sims, nature enthusiasts and rascals - in disharmony with egoistical, optimistic, spirited sims and romance enthusiasts

hobbies: gemology, gardening, herbalism, hiking, rock climbing, photography (primarily pics of their finished jewelry to go for sale on the website and shots from hiking), guitar (but not so much anymore since her punk days, would like to get back in touch though :))

Gemi was born and raised in Tomarang where they lived primarily with their grandparents who tried to teach them about the importance of the spiritual connection to nature but Gemi rejected their views in the beginning because of their grandparents strict and authoritarian parenting style. After the death of her grandparents Gemi moved to Brindleton Bay, Sable Square, to live with her dad (her mom stayed in Tomarang, parents were never a couple). Gemi didn't settle in well in the new environment but found like minded people in the punk scene where they learned how to fend for themselves on the street (even though her dad is well off). She still has this nasty habit of pick pocketing and cursing quite excessively. After meeting their best friend in the scene, they discovered together the possibility of making money with street art while using free materials found in nature. Thus Gemi's passion for gemology started and on the hunt for the best metals and precious stones in the "open" world they slowly reconnected with their grandparents' teachings and understood for themselves the value of nature's gifts.

From their punk days Gemi got the meaning of finding your chosen family and they are on the search for their smaller intimate circle of chosen people since then. But this search proves to be quite difficult for the lack of positive family figures in their life (apart from their grandparents).

additional information: her dislike for romance enthusiasts stems from a gaslighting ex in the past (he was a punk and thought himself a feminist who had every right) and from this experience Gemi got herself a "my body my choice" tattoo

#rockoflovebc #sims 4 #the sims 4 #my ocs #show us your sims #maxis mix #simblr #sry I'm new to simblr and still figuring things out #cas challenge #I had so much fun creating this sim and their backstory!! thank you for the challenge

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kharmii · 9 months

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Where Adaman and Volo meet up to have a picnic on that little island in the middle of Lake Valor. Unfortunately for the two himbos, a wild staravia assaults their boat. Hope they can swim.

Where Volo hooks up his best customers with his wares, but he isn't the best at being organized.

Where the protag copies Volo's goofy hairstyle after defeating him, and the whole Jubilife Village gets into the trend.

Where Volo starts out taunting Giratina because Arceus has 18 forms depending on which plate it activates, whereas Giratina only has two forms. Giratina punishes him by trapping him in the distortion world where time has no meaning. He can only gain forgiveness if he gets an even goofier hairstyle modeled after Giratina's head. Volo guesses he goes without food or water for the equivalent of three days. That's how long it takes for him to give in and get the haircut. Giratina quips it is a good quality hairdo, and Volo replies, "No way".

(Giratina might be expressing possessiveness towards a Volo who acts more loyal to the god he doesn't know than to the one he does)

Where Akari's pokemon have all evolved, but she recounts rolling over Volo's whole team with one fat teddy.

Where Volo comes calling to Cogita for the old stories. The first two panels start out with formalities where Volo addresses her as 'Mistress Cogita' and 'Professor'. He begs her to tell him about mythology. She asks who he is? A child? A slacker? He replies with mention of purchasing a chair for himself someday, but he's on the verge of being kicked out of the Ginkgo Guild for lack of sales. Perhaps someday he will find a cheaper one?

Then Volo reveals his frivolous nature in the third panel where he talks about bringing tea leaves Cogita likes, but he will have to pay for them later (maybe from stock he was supposed to sell). He tells her she has a nice garden, but it looks plain with only vegetables growing. What sort of myths will she tell him today? How about planting some flowers? Then he stops and repeats her name, as if to get her attention. Cogita's mind seems to have wandered as she catches a glimpse of Volo's true nature shadowed by Giratina. It's perhaps a premonition.

Later, after Volo leaves, she questions the vision. She asks herself....should I forget about it? At best, it could be said that it was completely out of place.

(Side note: I thought the drifloon and drifblim floating around in the panels made a nice subtle reference to how Volo carries the spooky plate but is capricious in nature. Maybe it's just me)

A collection of goofy Volo related comics I found on Twiman.net crediting the following Twitter artists:

宙@panchracomeon

どすも🐻‍❄️@mos_dosmos

宙@panchracomeon again

じゃこ@jako_boke

Tsugaru Appuru 🍎@glassy0302

𝔻𝕀𝕄@null_null_kyo

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hometoursandotherstuff · 1 year

Photo

OMG, this is gorgeous! It’s an historic work business/home in Bath, UK. In 1890 3 separate buildings were united. A converted pub constructed c1800 now has a separate two-bedroom house and it’s incredible. £2,750M / $3.423M. Come in and see this jewel.

How amazing is this?

I would love to live here and run the shop.

On the other side of the doors is the shop’s pantry and serving area.

This looks like the shop’s kitchen- so lovely.

Lovely area to sit and have tea with a homemade sweet.

Mad about this kitchen. How fabulous is this? Totally historic- the sinks, the built-in cabinet and the counter separating the seating area.

Nice little kitchen/sitting room combo.

Cute table nook for two.

Look at the age and patina in this dining room- that original fireplace.

The formal dining room has a door to the garden.

Baked goods and foodies to serve to the customers in the seating area.

Have you ever seen a more wonderful pantry?

What a great sink!

This sitting room w/the gorgeous old fireplace and bookshelves has a wall of sliding doors that open to the private garden.

This is so beautiful.

Up in the store’s mezzanine, it’s like a library. Look at that glass ceiling!

Full vintage bath on the mezzanine.

Bedroom #1 is the main bd. Isn’t it cozy?

Beautiful vintage bath. Look at that architectural salvage piece on the wall.

Isn’t the 2nd bd. adorable? Completely obsessed with this home.

https://inigo.com/sales-list/margarets-buildings

#historic UK homes #old house dreams #houses #house tours #home tour

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the-solarpunk-activist · 2 years

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Here's how my grandma and I try to live a low waste lifestyle in the city

First thing is we reuse everything. We have a portion of our shelves dedicated to holding plastic food containers we have washed and are waiting to be used to hold leftovers, dried foods, as seed starting pots, etc. We also save any and all jars to hold dried herbs and food products.

Actually reuse is a big thing for us. We shop at places that use paper bags, which I then cut up to use as scrap paper for grocery lists, etc and then compost after that. We also have a small container with rubber bands from products, bread ties, etc.

If you can afford the start up costs and have the space, preserving your own food is excellent. We have a really small garden that produces a lot of food every year. My favorites are dehydrating (using a dehydrator that is at least 30 years old from back when my grandpa was into making jerky), freezing, and canning.

Also, use every bit of food. Right now in the freezer I have bags of apple cores and peeling, pear cores and peeling, and peach peels along with bags of bones and veggie scraps for broths. The fruit scraps will go towards making big batches of jelly when canning season is over. I'll probably use the pulp leftover to dehydrate and powder to add to baked goods following a success with crabapple jelly pulp. I've also made spaghetti sauce out of tomato peels. Anything rotting or absolutely unusable gets tossed in the compost.

Reusables!! Obviously in today's world you can't avoid plastic but you can reduce how much you use. We use reusable produce bags that I made out of scrap Tulle, reusable grocery bags, water bottles, ziploc bags, etc.

If you have a yard or space, composting is a big one! My grandma says she never realized how much food we tossed until we started one. You don't even have to spend money on it! I know people who use totes they drilled holes into, just toss it In a hole in their garden, etc. The one I use is an old hose winder (one of those cube ones( that broke and my work was going to toss. All I did was cut out the hose winding part and paint it pretty and it's held up for 2 years and counting so far.

Hang dry clothes. In summertime we almost exclusively dry our clothes on a line or on a clothes drying rack I found at a yard sale.

Keep your heat or ac a few degrees higher or lower depending on the season. This helps save energy being used to heat or cool your house.

Wash clothes in cool or cold water. I've been doing this for years and haven't noticed a difference.

Repair. You don't have to be a sewing genius to quickly repair a small tear, especially if it's just for household wear. A great winter time hobby to pick up when gardening season is over.

Trade! This can be as simple as hosting a clothing swap all the way up until trading items u grew/made for items they did! I barter with my coworkers all the time, just talk to them! I never would have known my coworker kept bees if she didn't really like my jellies and proposed a trade. I also trade any of my soft produce I don't have time to do anything with to my coworker with rabbits in exchange for poop for the garden.

Try to be in season from local sources such as garden stands, or just a local grocery store. One of our local farms grew bell peppers and was selling then 2 for a dollar! So we stocked up and dehydratedand froze lots of peppers for winter stews

Blended pumpkin guts makes an excellent pumpkin puree, even if you're just adding little bits of it to your dog's food :)

You can freeze a lot of stuff! Leftover spaghetti sauce, pumpkin puree, etc can all be frozen in a muffin pan and then put in bags for future use!

Forage! I personally mostly forage for greens and a few mushrooms I am confident in my ability in but that still bulks up your food supply as well as medicine supply! I made a salve using bartered beeswax and spring purple dead nettle and summer plantain (and some tea tree EO) for cuts and scrapes and it works miracles! My coworkers love it as well as friends and family

We really try to live by the waste not, want not and use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without phrases. Just figure out what works best for the life you live! Be creative!

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gooolabatooo · 6 months

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This is art for the story “A Hive of 221Bs” by Shai Porter (@iwantthatcoat) for the When the Rose Speaks its Name Sherlock Holmes Anthology!

You can check out their blog @whentherosespeaks . This is a non-profit project, Returns from sales will be donated to AKT, a UK charity benefiting LGBTQIA+ youth.

Image Description: The setting of this image is a garden, Holmes and Watson. On the right of the picture, there are five apiaries and Holmes is in the middle of these bee hives. To the left, there is a big tree, and an outdoor furniture set with tea on the table; in front of it is Watson, opening a gate and walking towards Holmes.

Website | Tumblr | Instagram

#sherlock holmes #john watson #johnlock #sh tag #my art #when the rose speaks its name #when the rose speaks

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unpredictable-probabilities · 4 months

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At a Blade's End || Chapter 1: The New Target

Summary:

Hob declines an offer from enterprising noble Roderick Burgess to buy his land after finding out the man's selfish mindset about his ambitions.

However, Roderick Burgess is not one to take no for an answer.

Word Count: 2,671

Notes:

For Dreamling Week Day 7: Assassins

[Read on AO3]

---

He perched on the lowest branch deep within the tree’s leaves, allowing him a good view of the road below but keeping himself out of sight.

The moon was shining bright tonight, and he was confident that he would spot the target as soon as it arrived. This was the main road out of the village, and most merchants took it to transport their wares more conveniently.

He did not need to wait long, for merely a handful of minutes later, a familiar carriage turned the corner, pulled along by two horses driven by one man.

The carriage would pass by in front of his tree any moment now.

Three.

Two.

One.

He leapt out of the branch and tackled the man to the ground, sitting up and pinning him down.

The horses, feeling the reigns go slack, became restless and swerved in different directions as they dragged the carriage behind them.

“You…!” The man’s eyes widened in recognition and fear.

He lifted his dagger and sliced through the man’s throat.

The man didn’t say anything more, his eyes still wide and unblinking beneath the moonlight.

He would need to modify the look of that wound later. But for now, he had something else to attend to.

He stood up and turned smoothly on his heel, heading towards the carriage.

***

“Don’t you have that meeting with the Burgess fella?” Louise said as she walked over to Hob behind the bar. “Why’re you still here?”

“I’ve still got a bit of time left,” Hob looked at his pocketwatch. He liked to help out at the tavern even for a short while every day, especially during lunch hours like these when the place tended to be busy.

“You work too hard, boss,” Matthew said, bringing in a tray of empty mugs from the tables.

“Maybe he’s makin’ up for how you’re hardly workin’, Matt,” Louise called after him as he walked into the kitchens.

“Not taking that from you, Lou,” Matthew called back, the door closing behind him.

“Go ahead, boss,” Louise nodded towards the doorway of the tavern. “We can hold down the fort.”

“Alright,” Hob relented. “Wouldn’t do to keep a nobleman waiting.”

“Aren’t you a nobleman, too?” Louise raised an eyebrow.

“I’m much more patient compared to others,” Hob said, only half-joking.

He walked past the tables and went out to his carriage waiting outside the tavern.

“Good afternoon, Abel,” Hob greeted his coachman already waiting for him. “Have you eaten already?”

“Yes, sir,” Abel nodded from his seat behind the horses. “Louise got me a table and served me lunch about a half hour ago.”

Hob nodded. “Very well, then. We best be off to Fawney Rig.”

Abel urged the horses to move with a gentle motion of the reins, and the carriage rolled down the dirt road.

***

“I trust your journey has been peaceful, Sir Gadling?” Roderick Burgess asked after his servants had finished laying out their food on the table.

“Indeed, Sir Burgess. The roads were even, and it is not quite so hot out, which I am grateful for also because it allows us to have this meal in your beautiful garden,” Hob said pleasantly.

“My servants would hold umbrellas for us even if it does get too hot,” Burgess said indifferently. “Heaven knows I pay them enough for such a small task.”

Hob’s smile almost faltered, but he kept up his friendly tone. “So, Sir Burgess, the invitation I received mentioned your interest in my farm?”

“Yes,” Burgess nodded and took a sip of his tea. “Your land is along the main road leading to the church and residential areas. I would like to purchase it.”

Hob’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Oh. I see.” He was under the impression that Burgess wanted some sort of trade agreement, or perhaps to have Hob’s farm be his supplier for another business. “I’m afraid it’s not for sale, Sir Burgess. That land has been within my family for generations, and I am inclined to keep it that way. But perhaps I can recommend other properties? I know a few people who might be more willing to sell their lands.”

Burgess shook his head. “Properties along the main roads are the most profitable. I should like to build an inn or a tavern where your farm currently resides. Name your price, Sir Gadling.”

“I’m not too certain that the main roads would be as good for profit as they once were,” Hob began. “Have you heard of the wolf attack the other night?”

“Nasty business,” Burgess wrinkled his nose. “Not very good table conversation.”

“Yes, of course,” Hob tipped his head politely. “I just meant that perhaps we shouldn’t conduct any new ventures along the main roads until the authorities have set up some security measures.”

“Travellers know the risks. If they go to an inn and get attacked by wild beasts or some other along the way, that is not the responsibility of the inn’s owner, is it? I do not see why the other night’s events should concern me. Besides, only one merchant died, if the servants’ incessant gossip are to be believed. Merchants arrive here by the handful every week. Apparently the horses even got loose from the carriage and were unharmed. You, there!” he turned and roughly called out to one of the servants.

A young woman came rushing to their table with her head bowed.

“Bring us a basket of apples. And be quick about it.”

“Yes, Master Burgess,” the woman dipped her head even lower and scurried away.

“Where was I?” Burgess turned back to Hob. “Ah, yes, the main roads. If you sell me your land, you will not have to worry about any attacks on that area. Whatever happens there would be solely my responsibility.”

Based on the short time he had known him, Hob doubted that Burgess was the type of man who would ever take responsibility for anything. But he saw no use in mentioning that.

“I really am sorry, Sir Burgess, but my farm remains off the market,” Hob said politely. He would have reiterated his suggestion to introduce Burgess to his friends who might be willing to sell, but Hob didn’t actually hate any of his friends to inflict Burgess upon them. “I do wish you the best in your business endeavours, though I doubt you will need any luck or well-wishes given how consistently successful your properties are.”

Burgess snorted. “I did not take you for a flatterer, Sir Gadling. Though I will not contest the accuracy of your statement.”

The servant returned with a bowl of sliced apples, and placed it down carefully on the table before leaving again without a sound.

Burgess picked up an apple slice without so much as a glance to the person who brought the fruit. “Very well. Perhaps I can persuade you to some sort of bargain before this meal ends.”

***

Hob was not persuaded, in the end. Though he did do his best impression of someone who was very interested in what Burgess had to say about astrology and the occult and how it was unlucky to have a farm on such an inauspicious location relative to the sunrise, and how Hob should seriously consider selling to him while the land was still valuable.

Hob thanked him generously for his wisdom after the meal and politely declined Burgess’ offer to have a servant walk him to the gates. He had seen how often and how roughly Burgess ordered the servants around throughout their entire meeting, and he didn’t want any of them to walk with him under the sun which had grown significantly hotter now when he knew perfectly well how to find the exit himself.

He saw a few more servants tending to the garden as he walked; trimming the hedges, watering the plants, harvesting. He thought about his own workers back at his farm, how he had given specific instructions to his foreman for all of them to take more frequent breaks when it was particularly hot, and he wondered if Burgess ever considered things like that.

Lost in his own thoughts and with the sun partially blinding him, Hob didn’t notice the figure turning the corner until they had already collided and a basket of fruit fell at his feet.

“I'm very sorry, sir,” the servant muttered in a low voice and hurriedly crouched down to pick up the blueberries that had spilled on the grass.

“No, no,” Hob crouched down as well and helped, their fingers brushing together as they quickly gathered the fruits. “I wasn't looking where I was going, it was my fault.”

They stood up and returned the blueberries to the basket, Hob carefully letting them roll off his palms.

“Sorry about that, uh… what’s your name?” Hob asked politely.

“My… name, sir?” The servant kept his head down the entire time, and Hob could barely see his face. Christ, did Burgess order his workers to avert their eyes all the time? What sort of man would do that?

“Yes, if you’re comfortable enough to share it?” Hob said encouragingly, not wanting him to feel like he was obligated to give his name.

The servant raised his head and met Hob’s gaze.

And Hob felt his breath catch in his throat.

The man had a fair face and the bluest eyes that Hob had ever seen. The colour of the sea after a storm. Uncut sapphires framed by long dark lashes.

“Morpheus,” came a quiet rumble from rose-pink lips. Then those blue eyes glanced down again. “Sir.”

“Morpheus…” Hob repeated, blinking himself back to his senses.

The man—Morpheus—tipped his head politely. “Pardon me, sir. I must bring these inside.” He walked past Hob and headed into the house.

Hob straightened himself and smoothed down his waistcoat, feeling somewhat disarmed by that interaction, though not necessarily in an unpleasant way.

He walked out of the gates and went back to his carriage.

***

“Morpheus!” Paul appeared in the kitchen doorway just as Morpheus placed down the basket on the tabletop. “I’ll handle that. Thank you again,” the young man said sheepishly, taking the blueberries to wash them.

“You are fortunate that I am the one who saw you with Alex, and not his father,” Morpheus chided lightly. He had come across them in the garden and only just managed to push them behind a topiary as another servant walked by. He had grabbed the basket of blueberries in the process, and used it as an excuse to the older servant as to why he had been standing there.

“Master Burgess never walks outside if it’s hot out,” Paul said, his ears reddening.

“And none of the servants would dare do anything to us,” Alex arrived, standing beside Paul. “I’m still the son of their master.”

“Even so, word could reach your father,” Morpheus reminded him. “And I hope you do not have any delusions that he would react positively to hearing that you two were in each other’s embrace.”

Alex looked down, his cheeks dusted pink. “He only insists on me marrying a noble because he wants me out of this house. Ever since Randall died he has hated me more,” his voice had grown quiet, and Paul put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Alex,” Morpheus said, softening his voice. Alexander Burgess had been like a little brother to him, his only friend ever since arriving at Fawney Rig many years ago. It pained him to see the boy unhappy. “We are both aware that if your father really wanted you out of this house, you would already be on the streets. Regardless, you two must be cautious. Especially you, Paul.”

They both nodded, Alex taking Paul’s hand and squeezing it.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Alex looked at Morpheus. “Father wants to see you.”

Morpheus instinctively tensed up. A summons from Roderick Burgess shortly after a meeting with someone usually only meant one thing.

He nodded. “Thank you, Alex.”

He went out of the kitchen and took the shortest route along the corridors to reach the highest balcony at the back of the manor overlooking a river. Most of the servants gave him a wide berth; they were not aware of the exact nature of his job, apart from being Lord Burgess’ personal servant, but it was that very uncertainty that unnerved them.

Morpheus paid them no mind. He had no time for such trifles.

He reached the stairs that would lead to the balcony, climbing soundlessly as he had been trained.

“If I can hear you approach, you’ve already disappointed me,” Lord Burgess glared down at him disapprovingly.

“Lord Burgess,” he announced his presence to the man sitting on a high-backed chair facing the river below them.

A hand motioned him forward, its many rings glittering in the sun.

Morpheus moved to stand in front of him, as he had every time he would be summoned here.

“I trust that no complications have arisen with your last assignment?” Lord Burgess asked. “I heard the horses got loose. Why is that?”

Because they were merely doing what they were told, and have neither stakes nor involvement in petty human affairs, Morpheus thought, his facial features remaining impassive.

“They were making too much noise; I did not want to risk drawing the attention of passers-by. And killing both animals would have made it look like a huge pack of wolves had ventured so near residential areas, which could cause a panic and disturb the daily routines that we have so meticulously studied,” Morpheus delivered his prepared explanation.

“Everyone believes it is a wolf attack, then?” Lord Burgess took a sip of wine from his gilded goblet.

“Indeed,” Morpheus confirmed. “I made multiple cuts on the body to mimic the marks of claws and teeth, and damaged the carriage similarly. The patches of wolf fur I placed all over the area have been discovered. The merchant’s death remains unquestioned.”

Lord Burgess nodded, expecting nothing less. “You have a new target.”

Morpheus stood up straighter, already feeling the familiar grip of daggers in his hands.

“The guest I had hosted earlier today. Robert Gadling.”

Morpheus suddenly recalled a pair of brown eyes, warm as the first rays of sun on soft earth. Fingers too callused than what he would have expected of noblemen who never did a day’s labour in their lives.

“Immediately?” Morpheus asked, the phantom daggers in his hands somehow feeling cold and heavy.

Lord Burgess shook his head. “No. That merchant’s death is still too fresh in the people’s minds, and at least a few of them would be aware that he had come here shortly before attempting to leave the village. Another death by someone who had recently stepped foot in my home would be too suspect. First, I want you to find out who would inherit his lands so that I may make the necessary arrangements. Then you can dispose of him. Wolf attack, food that had unfortunately gone bad and poisonous, figure something out,” he waved his hand lazily. “It might take a while longer than your usual assignments, but completing it shouldn’t be a problem, correct?”

Morpheus could still hear Robert Gadling’s voice, the kindest one that had spoken to him in as long as he could remember. He had asked if Morpheus felt comfortable in speaking his name, and Morpheus was so taken aback in his comfort being considered that he had actually looked at the man, despite Lord Burgess’ rule that his servants should never look in the eye those who rank higher than them—Morpheus had earned being the exception when addressing Lord Burgess himself, but he was expected to act as a common servant in the presence of others.

Morpheus tilted his chin up and gripped his phantom daggers more securely. Things like kindness and comfort were not meant for people such as him; he had forfeited his right to them long ago.

“Yes, Lord Burgess. It would not be a problem.”

---

(Chapter 2) ->

(Dreamling Week Masterpost)

(Masterlist)

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