#The Best Wine Comes From A Place It Should Not Be Able to Grow

[thevirtualvalentine]

TAPE THREE : PASSENGER PRINCESS !

Starring … ‘Red Hair’ Shanks 📸

SET SCRIPT : “Hey Babbyyyy congrats on 100! For your lovely followers event could I request afab reader with Dads best friend Shanks n some sprinkles of corruption :3 I love youuu bae mwah 😮‍💨🤍”

MATURE WARNING(S) : smut, unprotected vaginal sex, AGE GAP, use of the title “daddy”, corruption kink, underlying breeding kink (if you squint), Shanks mysteriously has 2 arms, forced orgasm, you’re Mihawks daughter, afab!femme reader.

DIRECTORS CUT : For one of my favorite people on this app @stargirldelight <33 so sorry this took me forever to get to. Apologies, Shanks brings out an unprecedented daddy kink in me I didn’t know I had …

Moving is already stressful enough, add the fact that your dad can’t seem to help you out this weekend and voila; you’re in a pinch. He’s typically off on some sort of exploit around the world anyways, a stoic mystery of sorts. But, your dad did suggest that he come help you move into your new apartment.

Which is fine and all, but you’re not sure how you’re gonna last the already tumultuous move in with Shanks around. He’s your dads best friend, or enemy, you’re honestly not quite sure.

Ever since you were a teen you admired shanks, his warm fuzzy smile, how stern he got when he was mad, and that damn signature red hair of his that you can always pick out from a crowd. You expected to grow out of it as you got older, but you could never quite kick the habit. His voice smooth like honey when he’d stumble in with your father drunk, or when he said bye after helping you move in for college. He’s really your fantasy come true, a handsome man with unmistakable charm that makes you smile even on days you don’t have reason to.

You’re older now, you should be able to handle this. But a man like him ages akin to fine wine, only becoming more and more attractive as the years gain on him. Granted, there was an age gap between you; which is what typically kept your lewd thoughts of him in check.

He’d drive this red dodge charger every time he picked you up when your dad couldn’t, like now. Red hair flowing in his face as you coasted down the highway. He smiles and asks if the boys your age were treating you right while his fingers dance along your shoulders. “Pft, I wish,” you aimlessly laughed, noting that exactly what you desired in a man was right next to you.

“Whaaaat? Cmon’ a pretty girl like you? Really?” He sounded genuinely disturbed by this confession of yours. “You deserve better sweetheart.” His eyes flickering back to the road as you’re a few hours out from your new town.

“I really don’t go out much y’know, and it’s not like I have anything to offer them,” your heard turns as you mumble into your fist. Embarrassed to let the older gentleman know just how little play you get. The compliment he gave you flies right over your head as you try to mask the growing ache for Shanks in your heart (and pussy). He’s always been sweet like this to you, patient and gentle as he places a reassuring hand on your knee. You think nothing of it.

“I don’t believe it, they don’t know what they’re missing. I woulda been all ov-” clearing his throat before continuing, “maybe they’re just not what you need.” He turns the music down as the conversation begins to flow more naturally, tension sparking like electricity in the air as he pushes further and further.

“Oh? And what do I need.” You flash him that look of mischief, one that was saved for when you’d ask him to bail you out of punishment with your dad.

“Someone who could treat you how you deserve, a real man and not some boy.” He can’t control the possessive tone that exits his mouth, it’s just unbelievable to him. After all these years and all those meaningless break ups you’d go through, it was him whose arms you’d cry into. Too drunk off cheap liquor with the sweet but sickly scent of vodka hanging off your breath. But of course, he’d listen. Always the patient type.

“And do I know a man like that? Sounds like you wanna be that guy Shanks,” it was only a joke. Your voice airy as you moved your hair out of your lipgloss. Highway wind was never kind to you.

“Don’t play with me,” and he’s back to serious. The coolness of his words sends a shiver up your spine.

“What if I meant it, hm? What if I wanted you to show me?” Your eyes now burning holes in the sides of his face, his jaw clenches as he battles with his own morality.

“You don’t think I’m a little too old for you?” He sends a glance your way, one that trails from your low cut tank top to the supple skin of your thighs before he’s back to gripping the gear shift.

“Said it yourself, I need a real man,” your knees turn to face him as you let your voice purrr. Mihawk would kill him if he found out about this, but he’s never truly been afraid of the man anyways. Especially not when his daughter is as pretty as you, there’s just so much you don’t know, so much he could show you. It drives him wild.

“You don’t even know what you’re asking for.” Eyes straight on the road, but the unmistaken waiver in his voice let’s you know he just needs one final shove before he tumbles down like dominos.

“I’m asking for you Shanks,” you plant a sweet kiss to his cheek; just how you used to when he’d leave town for months on end and you didn’t know when you’d see him again.

For once it’s his turn to be flustered, if he wasn’t so concerned about keeping both eyes on the road he’d grab you himself. “Behave little girl, you don’t know what you’re getting into.”

You squirm in your seat, the problem is you know exactly what you’re getting into. It’s finally what you’ve wanted for years. For the object of desire in his mind to be aimed at you, for your affections to be reciprocated, to be with him instead of being viewed as his best friends daughter.

You’ve driven to your new town before so you’re aware that wherever he’s driving isn’t the right way, “Shanks?”

“What? Thought I was supposed to show you.” A light chuckle leaves him as you’re parked in the back corner of a parking lot, headlights turned off.

“Come here hun,” he pushes his seat back urging you to crawl over to him. It feels so right to be held by him, yet so wrong at the same time it makes butterflies swirl around in your stomach. The lack of space pushing you closer to him as his steady breathing makes you feel safer.

“Be gentle Shanks, I’ve only done it one time before.” At that his jaw clenches. A cute thing like you only getting fucked once? It almost makes his blood boil, yet it turns sick when he realizes all he can teach you right here and now. How tight your cunt will grip him as he makes you bounce up and down on him. Oh, Mihawk will kill him indeed; that is if he ever finds out about how he’s stretching out your pussy.

His hands feel so warm on you, rubbing and groping at your skin while you get comfortable. All the attention from him at once makes your head spin, growing needier to get on with it already. “You don’t want it like that though, do you?” It’s barely above a whisper, a nasty vile secret that he somehow knows. All you can do is whimper as he ravages your neck in rough kisses, lips lingering over your pulse points. His years of experience showing as he makes you writhe.

“You want it rough don’t you, t’s ok doll you can tell daddy the truth.” He grins at your hardy whine, swallowing it down in a kiss that devours you from the inside out. His tongue invades your mouth, overpowering yours.

He’s perfect, exactly how you imagined he’d be. Strong arms guiding you further up his lap, helping you wrap your arms around the base of his neck. “Shanks .. more please—” your face hot as you plead for more of him. Feeling how stiff he is makes pride swell within you, was that really your doing? All you’ve done is kiss him, but he groans each time you lean further into his touch.

He leaves pepper kisses on your face and eyelashes, pulling back to look for any doubt on your complexion. “You’re so beautiful,” he tells you, tugging on one of your curls before wrapping it around his finger. Too intimate, far too intimate for the debauchery he’s about to lay on you.

“Spread those pretty legs wider f’me, there you go,” his phrasing patient as his knees open wider beneath you. Your hands grip his shoulders for balance while you wait in anticipation for anything… “where do you want me to touch you baby,” his eyes meet yours, “here?” His middle and index finger graze the thin cloth of your shorts.

You nod your head profusely, looking down at the space between you with your teeth sinking into your bottom lip. Shanks snakes his fingers within your walls, teasing the entrance lightly while using your slick to slide in and out slowly. “Remember, breathe,” the slight sting keeps your hold on him firm as you try to adjust. In and out, rhythmically, the pads of his fingers glide along your plush walls.

Your airy chants of his name fill the darkening small space of his cramped car. Hips beginning to bounce on his hand, desperation creeping in with each drag of his fingertips inside you. “Look at you, suckin my fingers in. Almost like you don’t wanna let them go,” he marvels at you, moving your shorts out of the way so he has a clearer view of your insatiable pussy.

“S’creamy, you been thinking about me?” Bold for him to say, he acts like he’s not knuckle deep inside you with reckless abandon for his position in all this. You’re oozing down his wrist as his fingers begin to scissor back n forth.

“Kiss me Shanks,” you ask.

“Of course baby,” he replies.

It’s always him who spoils you, giving you what you ask for. How could he deny you of such a sweet request? The squelch of your wetness grows while a tight knot tries to unravel itself within you.

“Not yet, can you wait for daddy just a lil more?” He can feel that too? Embarrassment hot on your face while your hips grind against his palm.

It’s indecent how sexy he is, toned chest peaking through his shirt, tongue slightly sticking out as he preps you for his fat length, and his deep even voice that praises every movement of your body.

His entry inside you is smooth, almost like he was meant to fit you perfectly. “Oh my god Shanks f-fuck wait—” Your head is spinning, you can feel his dick twitch with each convulse of your own walls.

He doesn’t mind that you’re clutching onto him hard enough to draw blood, no not at all, honestly it’s making him want to burry himself deeper. “Shhh baby, I got you. I got you, just breathe.” Not yet though, he can’t hurt you (too bad). Tears prickle at the corners of your eyes but he’s quick to wipe them with his thumb. Kissing your collarbones as if to apologize for the molding his cock does to your needy warmth.

The pain subdues, giving way to a hunger you can’t quite describe; but quiet mouths don’t get fed. “Gimmie more Daddy, please,” truthfully the name slipped out, but the damage was done as it left a shiver to creep up the red heads spine.

Well, how could he say no to that? His hands move from your waist down, molding the skin of your ass as he pleases while his hips experimentally shift up and down. When he hears you sigh in pleasure he knows he’s found the right angle. “Better hold on, gonna give it to you just how you want it love.” It’s in how he reassures you that he’ll take care of you that allows you to let go, letting this be your reality instead of some sick sex dream.

His strength is unreal, he’s lifting you with no problem and then pushing you down again and again. It feels like he’s impaling you, knocking your breath out with each rise and fall of your oozing cunt. “Mhm, fuckkk. Been thinking about this for a long time.” The space between you both lessens as the heat rises, giving way to an erotic composition of pleasure.

Any composure you had flies out the window as you’re left dumb and drooling as the only thing that can leave your mouth is praises of his name. Incoherent babbling about how you never want it to stop, losing yourself in the heat of his body. “So slutty baby, what would your dad think, huh?” He lets his palm rest against your stomach as you continue to bounce. Eyeing where his own outline is visible within you.

“Nasty girl, felt the way you got tighter around me. You want him to know? Know that it’s me fuckin’ his pretty daughter in my car.” His words alone are enough to make that tight band snap instantly with little buildup, robbing you of your ability to think as you cry out meek thank you’s to Shanks. He pulls you back by the hair, watching the way your face contorts as you cream around him; squeezing his cock like a vice.

The flutter of your walls spurs him on, picking up an animalistic pace as you’re used to bring him his own high. Sweat making his hair stick to his forehead as your vision focuses back in. “Think you can do it again? I know you can love.”

You’re unsure what he means but when you feel his thumb start to circle at your clit you’re a goner. The intensity of your last climax causes you to squirm as he tries to rip another out of you. “Stop fuckin running.” When Shanks wants something, he always gets it. That’s the rule. You are no exception.

He can feel his balls tensing at the obscene squelch each thrust into your cunt provides him, he knows he’ll have to wash these seats later; but for now he’s gonna dump his load in his best friends hot daughter.

“Let go.” A harsh drag of his thumb has you coming undone yet again, spurring Shank’s own orgasm where he drags you down flush against him. No where to run as his hot seed fills you to the brim. “Fuck yeah, that’s the stuff baby.”

You’re left convulsing as you try to catch your breath, slumping against his chest like a noodle. “Di.. dirty old bastard,” you weakly protest, slamming your fist into his chest.

“And yet you still wanna fuck this dirty old bastard,” he says with a laugh, peeling you off his chest to kiss you with nothing but teeth. He suckles on your tongue, making you whimper as he’s still inside you. “That’s what I thought,” he says satisfied.

Maybe he’ll have to be like Mihawk, taking out of town trips. However, he knows exactly where he’ll be going. Right where you are.

Enjoy? Reblog & click 2 see event masterlist!

[a-small-writer-in-a-big-world]

Hungover: knight!price x princess!reader

"Do you need a bucket?"

"Don't speak to me right now."

Sir John Price didn't try to hide his smile as he stood in the solar near the couch where you laid sprawled out. You had called him there so you could out early in the morning, however you ended confining yourself to the couch with a shawl covering your eyes.

"How are you not bedridden like me?" You groaned and he chuckled.

"Because," He began. He walked to the door and opened it, luckily catching one of the servants and asking her to bring you tea before he shut the door again. "I have a tolerance. You've barely drank more than a cup of wine in your life."

"Don't speak about alcohol, I may be sick."

Price scoffed and walked back over to you. He glanced around the room, shutting the curtains enough to where most of the sunlight was hidden but still illuminated the room before he turned to you. He knew there was no way you were going outside today, maybe not even outside the solar.

Because of that he felt a little out of place. You had no need for him, even if he wanted to stay. It would be a very bad look on you if he were stay around when you didn't need him and he didn't want to jeopardize you. There was also nothing he could do in the solar; he couldn't embroider or play chess because you were not capable.

There were the books but he'd rather do something else to torture himself with them.

"Should I leave, your highness?" He wondered but you shook your head.

"Keep me company. I won't fall asleep." You said softly.

"Do you believe that's wise?"

You peeked at him from behind the shawl and saw his concerned look. He glanced at the door again, saying it without saying it, and you thought for a long moment.

"Servants see everything but they seldom speak to anyone about it." You assure him as you placed the shawl back over your eyes. "And if I tell them I want you here, then they won't question it."

Price hummed, unable to stop the smile that tugged at his lips as he took a seat. You wanted him here.

"Should've brought my cards." He stretched out in the chair and looked through the crack of the curtains.

"You're free to the books." You gestured vaguely to the room before you brought the shawl down from your eyes. "I know, you could read to me."

Price's eyes widened and he looked at you with surprise. His mouth went a little dry as you stared at him with genuine joy at the idea yet he couldn't return it.

"You want to listen to me?" He wondered and you nodded.

"I'll fall asleep otherwise." You argued softly, though you weren't going to admit he might put you to sleep as well.

As much as he wanted to argue he could see that you weren't going to back down. He knew you wouldn't but now he was trapped, backed into a corner with no way to recover from this.

He could only imagine what you would say to him. What you might think, the crown princess of pure noble blood, would do when you found out the best knight in the realm's secret.

Regrettably he stood and walked to the shelf, staring at the many spines of the books.

"What should I read to you?" He's not sure why he asked, it's not like he would be able to pick out the right one.

"It doesn't matter, I've read them all." You hummed and you situated yourself more comfortably. "Which reminds me, I need to get different books soon."

Price hummed, noting that as he pulled out a random book. He eyed the cover, the engraved words meaning nothing to him as he felt himself grow even more nervous.

Perhaps he could come up with an excuse to leave...no he couldn't. He didn't want to hurt your feeling to save his pride.

"This one?" He held it up so you could see.

"Oh, that's one of my favorites! Good choice, Sir John." You smile and he sucked in his lips as his heart sunk.

"Alright..."

Price sat back in his chair and flipped the book open, pointedly ignoring your expectant stare as he stared at the first page. He couldn't even begin to guess what any of the words meant, only being able to recognize "the" "and" and "a". On maps he just memorized what others called the names on them, for letters he made Kyle write them. Here he had no crutch, nothing to fall back on and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Can you read, Sir John?" Your voice was softer but he couldn't look at you.

"No, your highness." He admitted and shut the book.

"Did your father not teach you?" You titled your head with confusion. "All squires get an education."

He couldn't lie anymore. He shook his head and kept his eyes on the cover of the book.

"I was very fortunate that the lord who took me in did, but I was already of age to start training, so I didn't have the time."

Your eyes widened with realization.

"You weren't born a noble?"

"No."

You stayed silent and Price found it hard not to feel some sort of shame. He hadn't deliberately lied, it was just that everyone had assumed he was fully noble without question. He grew up hidden among them, seeing a part of life he hadn't even dreamed of knowing that many of the other knights he had trained with would deny his nobility simply because his parents were peasants.

He knew how quickly things would fall apart if anyone found out, even if he was the best knight.

Now you knew.

It was another nail in the coffin of his unattainable desires. Not only was he a knight but he was technically a peasant. Your mother would punish you harder, which meant it was a good thing it'd never come to be.

Though he could only imagine how much this changed how you saw him.

"Why are you ashamed?" You sat up slowly and he finally glanced at you.

"You're not that naïve. Many would see me as a false knight despite my best efforts." He explained and you looked at him with soft yet serious eyes.

"Do their opinion mean more than your skills?"

Price's eyebrows knitted together and he looked at you for a moment. He had never thought about it that way but in reality the only thing that mattered to him was that the job got done, and that the crown was safe. That you were safe.

When he shook his head you nodded with finality.

"It shouldn't matter anyway. A knight's value is in his skill and you're incredibly well trained and brave." You said and he looked away bashfully. "If I heard such nonsense I wouldn't let it stand."

"You flatter me, your highness." He flashed you a nervous smile and you returned it.

"Better than barbaric."

He scoffed and nodded but couldn't think of anything else to say. He didn't like that you knew but seeing that you didn't care made him feel somewhat better. And knowing how you think of him took most of the embarrassment away.

He grabbed the book and stood up to put it back when you spoke.

"I'll teach you to read." You stated and he looked at you incredulously.

"I can't ask you to do that-"

"You didn't. I said I would."

Somehow you always managed to surprise him in the strangest ways possible. He watched you sigh in thought as you lounged back down on the couch and situate yourself more comfortably.

You stared at him with an unreadable look in your eyes that made him shift on his feet.

"Once I'm better." You smiled and closed your eyes. "Now tell me a story, or we'll both waste away from boredom."

He stared at you, unsure yet he couldn't help the way that his shoulders felt less tense and how...excited he felt to be able to read in the future.

The things he could do for you once he could would be endless.

"A story, eh? This one will be better than your books."

A/n: Sir John Price is not a poet and yet maybe he might write you something someday

Tags: @deadbranch @makayla-666 @glitterypirateduck @dumbbitchgalore @m0chac0ffee @dragonbe-writing @sleepyoriana @twismare @blush-haze @waiting-so-long @sofasoap

[whatsnewalycat]

Secret Admirer

Javier Peña x f!Reader - Explicit (18+ only)

Summary: It's Valentine's Day. Which means it's time to take a chance on your workplace crush, Agent Javier Peña.

Word Count: 3.7k+

Warnings: Season 1 (ish), US Embassy, yearning, secret admirer, confrontation, drinking and smoking (real brief), smut, protected PIV sex, dash of angst and fluff

A/N: Yeeehaw, this was written for a valentines day exchange SOOOO Happy Valentine's Day to @typingcorgi 💌 This one is for you, I hope you like it!!!

The papers cradled in your arm dig into the sticky crease of your elbow. Your fingertips part the thick stack of faxes and run along the crisp edge of an envelope hidden inside. A bass drum starts thudding in your chest and heat creeps up your neck. 

One last peek over your shoulder at the empty, sterile mailroom gives you permission to do it. You slip the red envelope out from its hiding place and shove it into the cubby labeled JAVIER PEÑA. 

The shuffle of approaching footsteps sends your heart into an outright sprint. 

You scurry over to the fax machine and pinch the paperclip from the first fax, then slide the papers into the tray. As you punch the outgoing fax number into the machine, the footfalls grow closer, and soon start thudding against the shiny white linoleum of the mailroom. 

The low rumble of conversation between two men grows more distinct. You recognize their voices, but keep your eyes glued to the papers being sucked through the gears of the fax machine. 

“We’re gonna get a bottle of wine, candlelit dinner, put on some Marvin Gaye to set the mood,” Steve Murphy says, “Should probably get some flowers for her or somethin’, huh?” 

Javier Peña hums in response. 

They make their way over to the mailboxes. You stand there and try to blend into your surroundings as you wait for a fax receipt. The sound of them sorting the contents of their mail makes your stomach churn. 

“What’s that?” Steve asks as they start to walk away. 

“Let’s see,” Javier murmurs, then his footsteps come to a halt as he opens the envelope and he hums with curiosity. 

Steve stops, too, then chuckles, “Is that a fucking valentine?”

“Looks like it,” Javier mumbles, then directs his voice at you and says your name. 

You stop breathing and clench your eyes shut, then open them and turn around, trying your best to keep your face neutral, “What?” 

He holds up the unsealed red envelope and its folded up white contents between two fingers, “Did you see who left this?” 

You meet his dark brown eyes for a few devastating moments before dropping your gaze to the stack of faxes in your white-knuckle grip. All the moisture from your mouth evaporates. You clear your throat and shake your head, “No, sorry. I just got here.” 

“A secret admirer?” Murphy’s lips curl into an amused grin and he raises an eyebrow at Javier. 

You take another quick glance at the duo and realize Javier is narrowing his eyes at you, jaw working back and forth in subtle movements. Your skin burns and twists under his examination. 

He breaks his laser focus and looks to Steve with a shrug, “Guess so.” 

The fax machine roars to life behind you and starts printing. You spin on your heel towards the noise, and the men start off the way they came. Your hands are shaking when you go to grab the confirmation. 

—

The clack clack clack of your typewriter ricochets through the empty halls of the United States Embassy. Although you can’t see it from your desk, you know the sun outside is sinking below the horizon and giving way to the inky black of nighttime. 

Without Ambassador Noonan there to pull you into meetings for transcription, or assign you urgent outgoing faxes, or ask you to run any other number of errands she deems important, you’re able to perform the more “menial” of your clerical work. You sift through the stacks of papers at the corner of your desk, each one containing hurried handwriting scrawled by Noonan or one of her many Agents, trying to decipher their contents and transfer them into a more legible print. 

Footsteps sound from down the hall, but you’re too busy squinting at a puzzling clusterfuck of scribbles to pay it any mind. It’s not until your desk creaks under the weight of Javier leaning back against it that you notice he’s there.

With a jump, you clutch your blouse over your pounding heart and gasp, “Jesus fu—Hi, Agent Peña.” 

He comes to rest just inches away from your chair, arms crossed over his chest as he frowns down at you. Dangling between two of his knuckles is the red envelope you left in his mailbox earlier. Adrenaline pumps thick and hot through your veins. 

Your hands feel numb as you meet his gaze and manage to ask, “Can I help you with something?”

His jaw cocks to the side and he raises an eyebrow at you, then tosses the red envelope onto your desk, “What’s this?” 

“I—I—” you shake your head and widen your eyes, glancing between him and the letter. 

“Don’t play dumb,” he interjects. 

You swallow hard and hold your eyes steady on his as they bore into you. It’s a standoff. You don’t even dare to breathe. The silence is deafening. 

Javier breaks it as he clears his throat and picks the creamy white paper up off your desk, then unfolds it. Your stomach drops to the floor. 

He reads it aloud in a gravelly purr: 

“Oh, how I long to devour you. To unhinge my jaw And swallow you whole.  Do you feel it too?  Do you ache with hunger when I’m near? When I meet your starving eyes, I know.”

Your eyes stay trained on his as he peers over the paper at you like he expects you to say something. But you don’t. Your skin buzzes electric when he rolls his tongue against his pouty lips, along the edge of his dark mustache, then drags his gaze down the length of you. 

Javier sets the paper back onto your desk, taking a look around before he leans in and murmurs, “I do. I know.”

Then he digs into the pocket of his tan suit pocket and takes out a folded slip of paper. He pulls it away just as you go to reach for it. When your fingers curl back and you blink up at him in question, he searches your face, “This stays between us, ok?” 

“Of course,” you nod. 

His throat rumbles, eyes flick down to your lips for a moment, then he extends the paper to you again. This time when you go to take it, he lets it slide out from between his fingers into yours. 

“Come by when you’re done here,” he says, more of a demand than a request. 

“I will,” you try to suppress the grin stretching across your lips. 

Javier taps two fingers against your desk, then pushes off it and saunters back down the hallway, giving you a quick backwards glance before turning the corner. 

You look around to make sure no one is watching, then unfold the note, revealing an address written in his angular, messy script. Below this, it reads: 

Starved. 

—

Your knuckles rap two quick knocks against the door before Javier swings it open. His darkened gaze slides down your body like molasses as he steps back and lets you enter the apartment. The scent of his cologne wafts into your nose as you pass him. It’s light and crisp, clean smelling, contrasting his whiskey breath. 

You slide out of your heels and set your purse onto the ground, then study the dwelling with curiosity, dropping down two steps into the living room on your way to a leather couch. The walls are painted a cream color, pastel green and pink spliced here and there. It doesn’t seem to represent Javier at all. You figure the apartment was furnished by the Embassy, like yours. Cigarette smoke hangs in the air like a dense fog. It’s tediously quiet. 

“Can I get you a drink?” he asks, striding over to a stand-alone dry bar, which hosts a variety of amber colored liquors. 

“Sure,” you answer as you sit down on the couch, smoothing out the black dress you changed into before walking over here. 

Javier doesn’t ask what you want to drink. He just pours two glasses of whiskey and hands one to you while he lowers himself onto the other end of the loveseat. 

Which, it’s a loveseat, so he’s still intimidatingly close. 

“Thanks,” you mumble, then swallow a mouthful of the alcohol, wincing at the burn as it travels down your throat. 

It’s not until now you realize you’ve never been alone with him. You’ve only experienced his intensity from afar. The way his eyes linger on you, seeming to study you when he thinks you won’t notice. 

But you’ve noticed. 

And you like it. 

You’ve been careful to only leave hints of your wanting. Flicking your gaze to his when you feel it on your skin. Holding it there until your heart starts pounding and one of you looks away. Letting your body brush against him in passing. No words spoken, only heated eye contact and near-touching. Following an acute awareness of the way you’re drawn to him, how fervently your blood courses through your veins when he’s near, how his presence seems to tug at the edges of you. 

“Did you write that yourself?” he inquires now. You take another sip and look up at him, meeting his eyes. 

It’s unbearable. Yet, you don’t want it to stop. Like magnets are buried beneath your skin and his, opposite poles, aching to meet in equilibrium. 

“I did,” you admit quietly, then tilt your head at him with curiosity, “Did you like it?” 

He hums and nods, glancing down at your mouth, “I’ve been watching you. I see the way you look at me.” 

“I know,” you respond in a whisper. The confession sends your heart racing… but you feel emboldened. You tip the glass to your lips and let the remaining whiskey slide down your throat, then lean forward to set the empty cup on his coffee table and scoot closer to him as you settle back into the couch. 

Javier sits up to place his drink on the table, and when he returns, he’s only inches away. He brings his breath to your ear and murmurs, “You like it, don’t you? The attention?” 

“Yes,” you answer. His hand rests on your knee, a branding iron that heats your core and steals the air from your lungs. 

“Teasing me with those short skirts,” he travels up your thigh, letting his rough palm drag along your skin. The touch sends a shock wave of pleasure across your body. 

You whimper and your eyes flutter shut. 

His voice lowers to a rasp, “Staring at me with those fuck-me-eyes. You think I wouldn’t know it was you?”

He stops at the crease of your thigh and grips the tender flesh, pulling a wanton moan from your throat as your head falls back against the couch. 

“Look at me,” he demands, so your eyes blink open and you meet his heated, meticulous gaze, “Do you want this?”

“I want this,” you nod, bringing a hand to his cheek, working your thumb against the grain of his stubble. He studies your face, dropping his eyes to your mouth, kneading your thigh, drawing closer. 

You succumb to his beckoning lips, capturing them in a kiss. Fire sparks in your chest and spreads through your veins like wildfire, spreading to him as your tongues meet, rolling soft and wet, whiskey harsh on your shared breath. 

Then he’s on you all at once. 

Pushing your back flush to the couch cushions, rocking his hand against the seam of your panties, sliding the thin straps of your dress off your shoulders, liquefying your insides into molten need. He rids you of the red lace thong, tossing it on the floor while your trembling fingers unfasten the buttons of his shirt. You splay your fingers across his chest and slip the shirt off his shoulders. It joins your abandoned lingerie, followed by your dress, then his pants. 

Javier pauses to study your naked body, lust-blown eyes trailing along every inch of your exposed skin, hands dragging up your legs. You examine him, too. His smooth, bronzed skin. His broad shoulders. His lean frame. His swollen, needy cock. 

“You’re so fucking sexy,” you breathe, reaching out to him, rolling your hips against nothing, aching with lust. 

Your compliment pulls a rumble from his throat, then he returns to your body, to your lips. His warmth sends shockwaves down your spine. You arch your back into the sensation, drinking up every ounce of heat your thirsty skin can lap up. 

When he touches the slick pool between the legs, spreading your arousal up and down your slit, you both moan into the other’s mouth, and he pants, “So fucking wet.”

You slide your hands around his shoulders, whimpering, nodding, reveling in the exquisite heat stoked at your center, urging him to continue with a breathy moan, “Don’t stop—fuck, that’s so good—”

He groans and captures your lips in his, kissing you hard, messy, working you faster, and the flames licking your insides continue to grow hotter, breaking you out into a sweat, making you gasp and moan against his mouth, eyes fluttering shut and it’s just this aching, heated bliss building at the base of your spine, and your pleas for him not to stop, and his skin on yours, his mouth planting wet kisses down your jaw, your neck, his moans of secondhand pleasure vibrating down your middle, fueling this brilliant concentrated ball of fire burning a hole inside you until you reach the edge of something and push past it.

Ecstasy washes over your body and steals the air from your lungs. You release a shattered breath and start to free fall, but his touch doesn’t relent, and your body shakes with pleasure that’s too intense to bear, legs clamping shut around his arm as you start to whimper at the stimulation. 

Javier pulls back when your legs go jelly, his chest heaving, eyes wild and black and glued to yours. His pink tongue rolls against his lips, then they pout out into an O when he drags his fingers through your release. Your hips jerk at the jolt of his touch, heavy eyelids fluttering as you moan, and he smirks, “Wanna move this to the bedroom?” 

You bite down on the pillowy flesh of your bottom lip as your gaze drops to his engorged length, and you manage to respond, “Uh-huh.”

He stands and starts towards his bedroom. You follow him on wobbly legs, head swimming, ears buzzing. 

Just like the common areas of his apartment, his room is decorated tastefully and obviously courtesy of the Embassy. It’s surprisingly neat, though, the dark walnut chest of drawers cleared of clutter and personal effects, hardwood floor unencumbered by piles of dirty laundry, dark walnut four-post bed dressed with white linens. Based on the constant state of disarray his desk is in, you expected it to be messier, and wonder if he cleaned up for you. 

Javier strides over to a side table and pulls a condom out of its drawer. While he wraps himself up, you settle at the edge of his bed, legs dangling off the side as your eyes trail down his shoulders, his arms, the defined muscles of his back, swallowing hard when he turns to face you. 

He takes the two short steps to settle his hips between your knees and hums, bringing a hand to your chin, tilting your head up towards him as he presses his forehead to yours and purrs, “Is this what you wanted, sweetheart? Hmm? For me to fuck you?” 

“Yes,” you whisper, linking your hands at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer, feeling his breath puff hot against your mouth, grip on your chin tightening.

His lips find yours and he kisses you slowly, deliberately, with a tender sort of reverence that tightens around your skin and makes you whimper. The noise spurs something inside him. He cups your cheeks and picks up speed, climbing onto the bed, pushing you onto your back. 

It completely consumes you, the way his mouth works against yours, the way you writhe against each other, touch roaming, both of you tugging and rubbing and digging your fingers in and moaning at the fire blazing between your sweaty bodies. 

When the head of his cock nudges against your entrance, you wrap your legs around his back and arch against him, panting, “Fuck yes, give it to me.”

He stares down at you, holding your gaze as he plunges forward, working you open, and both your faces contort with pleasure. 

“Fuuuck,” he groans as he starts to rut into you at a steady pace. Every single nerve ending he rubs against buzzes with ecstasy. 

Your fingers tangle in his hair and you pull him closer, pressing your lips to his, immersing yourself in a series of messy, frantic kisses, swallowing each other's moans, working your bodies in tandem to fuel the hungry flames. You start to roll your hips against his thrusts, each one accumulating hot and gooey and tingling, tugging at the edges of you as you whimper, “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck—” 

“That’s it, baby,” Javier pants, his voice jumping in time with his hips as he drives into you, “So fucking good—feel so fucking good—” 

He kisses you then, and his eager lips, his soft tongue, the scent of whiskey on his breath, the burn of his mustache scratching your skin, the blissful ache of him stretching you again and again, it fully engulfs your body, like you’re melting together, the heat between you too great, the fire too intense to remain whole because this glowing molten core is growing wider and hotter with each moan, each touch, each thrust, and you beg Javier not to stop, fuck, don’t fucking stop, and he steals the words from your mouth with his own, fucking you hard and fast just like you knew he would, pushing you closer and closer to bliss, and then you reach it.

For one second, you’re suspended right at the edge, mind blank, body humming. Then it hits you, and it hits you fucking hard, euphoria breaking you into pieces and tearing a sob from your throat. Javier’s hips stutter as your muscles tense and your pussy convulses around him. He gasps against your mouth, then shudders as he finds his release. Both of your bodies slow their pace, cooling to a crawl, then a stop. 

The sound of your labored breaths fills the bedroom, heaving chests working against each other as sanity starts to return and your bodies struggle to recover. He rolls off of you and stretches out across his bed, inhaling deep and wide, exhaling a content hum. 

Then, without a word, he gets up and leaves the room. 

Your guts twist into a knot. It should give you whiplash, how fast you go from total satisfaction to nervous wreck. 

Since moving to Colombia for this job, sex has been a rare occurrence for you. And by that, you mean… it doesn’t happen. Even before the move, a series of long-term relationships have been your only claim to sexual experience. So this situation is uncharted territory. 

But you’re pretty sure this is your cue to get the fuck out. 

While staring at the ceiling, you kick yourself for giving him the note, for putting yourself in this position. Shame simmers hot under your skin when you try to imagine what it’ll be like the next time you see Javier at work. When you’ll both know what happened here tonight, but pretend it was nothing. 

Why do you have to feel this burning desire for someone like him? For someone so intimidating and closed off? And, more perplexing still, does he feel it for you? 

Your chest and throat tighten when it dawns on you that he probably doesn’t feel the same as you. Maybe he saw an opportunity to get laid and took it. Maybe… it was nothing to him. 

You sit up and scoot to the edge of the bed, peering out the bedroom door a moment before hopping down and padding across the hardwood floor into the living room. 

He’s doing something in the kitchen, so you fold your arms in front of your body and make your way over to the couch, snatching your clothes off the ground before you sit and start to get dressed. 

As you pull your dress down over your head, he returns to the living room. He’s wearing jeans now, but remains shirtless, and a lit cigarette dangles from his lips. 

You glance up at him and mutter, “Sorry, I can get out of your hair. Thank you for, um… indulging me.”

He plops down next to you and crushes the burning ember of his cigarette into a glass ashtray on the coffee table, then leans back and extends his arm along the couch behind you, frowning, “You’re leaving?”

“I—I guess, right?” you turn and search his face, meeting his eyes that are all puppy dog soft. They tug at your heartstrings, but you continue to stammer onward, “That’s—I don’t know, that’s what I’m supposed to do, right?” 

“If that’s what you want,” he shrugs, dropping his gaze to your lips. 

While you stare at him and try to understand what the fuck that means, he leans close, brushing his hand against your cheek, “Or, you could stay… we can ‘indulge’ ourselves again.”

“Is that what you want?” you ask in an attempt to parse out his intentions. 

“Is that what you want?” he counters in a low voice, furrowing his brow. 

You bite down on your bottom lip and nod, then blink and shrug, “I mean, if that’s what you—”

His lips cut you off before you can embarrass yourself more.

—

You woke up with the sun. Javier was still holding you close, his shallow, dream-drenched breath spreading across the nape of your neck in soft puffs. You wriggled out of bed and collected your things, then walked the city block to your apartment and got ready for work. 

The day passes by like any other, with the exception of your strained muscles making every movement more difficult. You don’t cross paths with Javier, but when you return to your desk after lunch, there’s a red envelope sticking out of your typewriter. 

You take a cursory glance around, then pluck it out and open it. A smile spreads across your face when you read the note inside. 

Roses are red  Violets are blue  Come over tonight  I want to see you XO, Your Secret Admirer

[prythianpages]

ACOSM | The Night she decided to join the Bloodrite

azriel x rhysand's sister (oc)

warnings: mention of violence, val's dad being an asshole again

summary: Valeria realizes that the only person she has to prove her worth to is herself.

A/N: we're finally at the last imagine! (you can find the collection of them here) this is one of the first ones I wrote and I've been dying to post it lol. I had originally planned for this series to end here but then I decided to write a short story that focuses/provides closure on Az's and Val's mating bond.

**

As Valeria stood on the balcony, the ethereal glow of Starfall painted the night sky in hues of pale green. The annual migration of spirits, akin to shooting stars, danced across the heavens, casting a luminescent trail that left the world below aglow.

For Valeria, however, the beauty of Starfall was a double-edged sword. She could hear the whispers of the spirits as they streaked across the night sky, their collective voices were a symphony that echoed in her mind, overwhelming and disconcerting. It’s been this way since she was a child and she never fully understood why she was the only one able to hear them.

The first Starfall she could remember was when she was three. Every year, the High Lord would throw a ball at the House of Wind as it was the best place to view the falling spirits. Her mother had brought her to the balcony she currently stood at, holding her in her arms. There was a silence as the guests waited for the first star to fall, hushed whispers of awe when it finally did. Valeria remembered the beauty of it all but she more so when one star became two until they multiplied and then she heard them. The spirits. She had let out a cry, her small hands covering her ears as the voices became too overwhelming. Her mother had brought her inside and a worried Rhysand had walked over to them. Valeria also remembered the look of disdain and disappointment on her father’s face–the first of many to come.

Shadows whirled around her, bringing her back to the present and weaving through her senses. The whispering voices, like distant echoes, grew faint, muffled by the protective shroud of Azriel’s shadows. Valeria’s eyes met his, gratitude and relief reflected in the pale moonlight.

“Should we head inside?” Azriel offered, extending his arm out to her. “Before Mor and Cas drink all the wine.”

Valeria nodded, hooking her arm through his. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body and instinctively, she leaned in closer to him, finding his scent comforting. “You smell good,” she murmured to him as she inhaled.

Azriel chuckled in response, savoring their close proximity. No one batted an eye toward them as they made their way inside. Azriel was known as the Night Court’s spymaster and his duty was to ensure the safety of his court. It was not uncommon to see him around the High Lord and his family, especially Rhysand and Valeria.

“My little warrior!” Cassian called out to her sweetly, words slightly slurred, as he jumped from his seat and pulled Valeria from Azriel, crushing to her chest. He pulled away with a grin, nodding at Azriel casually.  “And Az.”

“I can feel the love.” Azriel dryly commented.

“Come here, Val.” Mor said, patting the empty spot on the couch.

“How many glasses of wine have you had?” Valeria mused as she sat down, gaze flickering between Mor and Cassian.

“Yes.” Mor grinned at her as she poured a glass for Valeria and then another for Azriel.

Save some for me.

Has anyone told you it’s rude to enter one’s mind without permission? Valeria replied to her brother’s voice, sending him a vulgar gesture through her mind. She could hear his chuckle fade into the distance.

Knock knock. Her brother’s talons were playfully tapping at her mind’s shields again. With a roll of her eyes, she allowed them in, asking him what he wanted. He decided to show her instead. Through his eyes, she saw the lords and her father standing before him. They were all discussing the growing tensions among the humans and fae and the battles of rebellion that have risen. Keir was speaking, boasting about his Darkbringers and how they could put an end to the war. She could feel Rhysand’s boredom as Keir kept talking.

Come save me.

Sorry brother but I find this couch to be rather comfy, Valeria replied, her tone teasing. She grinned as Rhysand sent her a vulgar gesture of his own through his mind.

“--helping with preparations for the upcoming bloodrite.”

Valeria brought her wine glass to her lips as she returned her attention to her friends. She caught her brother’s glare from across the room but ignored it.

“Can you believe it’s been three years since you went?” Mor asked them. “And look at you Carynthians now. A general, a spymaster and a future High Lord.”

Valeria’s fond smile mirrored Mor’s and she turned, catching the way both Cassian’s and Azriel’s cheeks tinted at the praise.

“Do you think they’re ready?” Valeria found herself asking, referring to the warriors Cassian had helped train this year.

“I wasn’t ready when I was in their shoes.” Cassian said after a moment of thought. “I don’t think you’ll ever feel ready for something like that. But I was brave and that’s the best thing one can be.”

Valeria hummed in response, cradling her wine glass in her hands. Intrigued by the upcoming Bloodrite, she found herself firing more questions at Cassian while Mor and Azriel fell into a conversation of their own. They were questions she didn’t dare to ask Rhysand or Azriel, knowing they wouldn’t be blatantly honest about it for her sake. Without a second thought, Cassian answered each one, much like he did when she had asked about Tanwyn and the Valkyries.  He failed to notice the gleam in her eyes as she took in every detail of information. 

**

Valeria paced back and forth, attempting to stir up the courage that had led her to the heavy set of double doors. She made up her mind weeks ago–told herself she could do this. But as she stopped her pacing and faced the doors to the High Lord’s throne room, her hands broke out into a cold sweat. She hated herself for it, for the instant fear that brewed in her when it came to him. Her father. Since that night in Windhaven, he had chosen to go back to ignoring her presence completely, as if she didn’t exist at all.

I am the storm. She repeated to herself. 

Val, now is not a good time. 

Now is the only time. She replied, cursing herself for being so nervous and anxious that she had absentmindedly let her mental guards down. 

Before Rhysand could reply, she pulled the doors open and strolled in. Her eyes darted around–widening for a fraction before she donned a composed mask.

I told you so.

She ignored her brother’s voice–this time cursing him directly– and did her best to ignore the presence of the others in the room. Cassian and Azriel looked toward her, the latter standing to attention. Meanwhile Keir looked at her with annoyance. There was another lord that she recognized as one of the High Lord’s advisors but she didn’t recognize the older Illyrian male standing next to Cassian. She could only assume he was also a general.

Her father scowled, his lips curving into a sneer. “What do you want, child?”

She tried her best not to flinch at the insult.

“I want to join the fight.”

Laughter erupted from the High Lord, followed by Keir’s. “You want to fight?”

“I’ve trained with the Valkyries in the past and–”

“Remind me how that ended for you.” Her father sharply interrupted.

The reminder of that night triggered a subtle twitch in one of the muscles on the right side of her back–the very spot where her injured wing, glamored away for the night, would attach. Rhysand’s body tensed. She felt Azriel shift closer, a muscle tightening in his jaw while his shadows loomed nearby, alert and ready. Even Cassian’s expression hardened, mouth set into a hard line.

“It was hardly a fair match, Father.” Rhysand spoke as he came to stand in between his sister and father. “Val has the–”

“And you think war is won by fair matches?” His father reprimanded. “I thought I’ve taught you better than that.”

Anger flooded through her veins. “I’m not going to stay sheltered in this palace while our people go to war for us. I want to stand with them, not behind them. I want to bring honor to our court.”

“Clearly, you do not know your place. You’d know that the only way you can bring honor to this court is by marrying–”

“I refuse to be treated as a bargaining tool as if I am an object!” Valeria snapped, shocked by the intensity of her own voice. Though quieter when she spoke next, her voice retained the same powerful understone as she added: “I would rather die fighting to serve my court than offer my hand to a stranger.”

She felt the sting on her cheek almost immediately, her feet stumbling backwards at the impact. A low growl erupted from behind her as strong hands caught her before she could stumble further. Shadows crept out from his grip and wrapped themselves around her as if to protect her from further harm.

Rhysand stilled, his hands clenching at his sides. His calm and collected demeanor fell, no longer being able to hide the glare toward his father. He moved to stand in front of Valeria, offering his body as a shield, in case their father chose to strike again.

“You stupid foolish girl.” The High Lord chuckled with fury in his eyes, his voice rising with every word. “Sons get sent to war. Daughters get married. Rhysand is my heir. He was born to serve and protect. You were born to obey and submit.”

“Count your stars lucky that these three–foolish as they were– saved you that night.” The High Lord continued. “They will not be able to save you next time so I suggest you leave before I decide to clip your wings myself and strip this fighting nonsense off of you.”

Valeria felt her anger morph into her power. She could feel the light surging through her, running down her arms and into her finger tips. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off of her father’s face. A small part of her wanted to light him up, the way she did those Illyrian men that night. If only he knew…

She felt a hand grasp hers, darkness wrapping itself around his fingertips and dimming her light. Don’t explode. Not here, Rhysand spoke in her mind.

“There will be no next time.” Rhysand said, his voice carrying an almost threatening undertone. He would not allow her father to inflict any more harm on his sister. “If you allow me, I’ll escort Valeria to her chambers. I believe some rest will settle her mind.”

The High Lord nodded his head in dismissal and Rhysand wasted no time in escorting her out of his office. Rhysand released his grip on Valeria's hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead, allowing his darkness to wrap around her flames alight. Neither of them spoke as they made the long trek to her chambers and neither of them paid attention to the tendril of a shadow that followed along with them.

It wasn’t until they were in Valeria’s chambers that she let her shoulders slump, tears brimming her violet eyes but she did not allow them to fall.

“What were you thinking?”

Valeria shot him an incredulous look as if he hadn’t been in her mind the entire time. He knew exactly what she was thinking and why. Rhysand sighed deeply and sat at the edge of her bed, patting the spot beside him. Valeria reluctantly listened and watched in silence as he summoned a small bowl of warm water and a cloth. “You’re bleeding,” he softly said.

Her hand shot up to her cheek, wincing at the sting, pulling her hand away to see that she was, in fact, bleeding. One of her father’s rings must’ve cut her when he slapped her. It was the first time he had ever laid hands on her.

Valeria knew the answer to the question but she needed to hear it aloud. “Is my sole purpose in life to obey and submit to others?”

“Of course not.” Rhysand immediately answered as he finished cleaning the dried up blood from her face. He gently cupped her unharmed cheek. “You're destined for a greater purpose. Fuck what father says.”

A subtle curve graced Valeria’s lips in response to Rhysand’s insult, only to fade back into a persistent frown. She pulled away from his grasp. “What will it take to prove to him that I am worthy of so much more than he has planned for me?”

“I failed him at birth and I’ve dedicated my life to prove my worth to him. I may have not been born a son but why does that anger him so much? He already has you, his heir. I understand the politics of this war. I can fight. I want to fight.”

“I know you can.” Rhysand said, acknowledging her skills and capabilities. Had it not been for her father putting an end to her training with the Valkyries, he was sure she would’ve been initiated as a Valkyrie herself. “But don’t dedicate your life to proving yourself to others. The only person you need to prove your worth to is yourself.”

Silence fell as Rhysand’s words sunk in. He was right. Her trying to prove her worth to others would only weigh her down. Noticing the distant gaze on his sister, his powers reached for her mind, easily granting him access to her inner turmoil. It only lasted a couple of seconds as Valeria’s mental shields rose and he blinked back to find that she was now glaring at him. 

“Can you not?”

Rhysand raised his hands up. “It’s not my fault you let your shields down for a moment.” 

Have I taught you nothing?

Valeria let out a groan. “Go away now. I’m tired.”

“That’s no way to treat your loving brother.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She said as she stood up, motioning for him to follow her and go out her door.  

Rhysand rolled his eyes at her antics but complied. She slammed the door shut, pressing herself against it. “Love you. Good night!” 

Love you too.

Valeria huffed at the sound of her brother’s laughter in her head. She closed her eyes and focused, pushing his claws out of her head. He scraped against her rising shields in a teasing manner only for her to shoot him with light and far away from the gates of her mind that she felt him wince.

It was when she was sure that Rhysand could no longer get into her head that she walked out to her balcony. She stared up at the crescent moon, finding comfort in its light and falling deep in thought again. 

It unsettled her to know that her brother, Azriel and Cassian were being sent to war. Even Mor was preparing for it as she was no longer under her father’s rule but Rhysand’s. He had taken full responsibility over her when she had moved in with them. As for Valeria, she was expected to just sit back and wait for war updates with her mother. She could not bear the thought of doing nothing while her loved ones laid their lives down for the Night Court. Especially not when she had dedicated the past five years of her life into training to defend herself, to fight.

Rhysand was right. She knew what she was capable of. She had not been saved that night in Windhaven. She had fought against five skilled Illyrian warriors by herself and she was willing to die fighting. 

Valeria was aware that fighting in a war was different. It required not only courage and strength but strategy and resolve. And what better way to prove to herself that she was ready–that she was worthy–than by joining the upcoming Blood Rite?

It was like Cassian had said, she would never feel ready for a strenuous trial like the Blood Rite but she was brave to face it and that’s the best thing one can be.

**

tag list:  @justrepostandlove , @kemillyfreitas, @thelov3lybookworm

A/N: and that's a wrap on Val's early life (': the storyline I have planned will pick up right after the blood rite and you'll get a glimpse into her experience. I debated a lot on whether Val should join the blood rite or not. I decided to allow her because all she wants is to be treated with the same love and respect like her brother minus the heir part and while she gave up on what others may think of her, this is something she needed to do for herself. and also a part of her is doing this to honor her friend, Mallory Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed these imagines as much as I enjoyed writing them <3 I will be taking a short break to focus on my upcoming exam but if you have any questions over this series or simply just wanna talk, feel free to send me an ask! (:

[pelleas-at-castle-nox]

I'm surprised I haven't really seen anybody talking about the food sourcing theme in dungeon meshi. Like, the very first thing it made me think about when I started reading the manga was like "oh yeah, this really makes you think about food, where it comes from, the work needed to create enough food for one person, let alone a small group, to eat comfortably and nutritiously. Laios even specifically calls out that 'regular' food is also made using shit and dirt, intentionally grounding it in reality and subtly asking the reader to introspect on the food they eat and where it comes from."

Like, it's fair to say kui has the old "world builder's" spirit, it's easy to extrapolate a whole world when you're willing to both ask "how does x mundane task work?" And being willing to give it as fanciful or grounded an answer as you feel is appropriate, food is the central theme, but that sort of thinking extends to every corner of the lore and world building where you can practically begin to trace back a lot of world elements to these basic questions, like "what would happen if there were people who lived for 500 years, what would happen if you fought a creature with two heads" and I think that's really cool-

But like, that core question "where does the food that sustains you come from" is like such a relevant question that we should all be asking ourselves. I suppose it's just that I think about that often, both when I'm world building, and in modern and historical contexts.

In a lot of ways it's alienation of labor, most USAmericans (to keep it at least slightly contained in scope) don't get to know where any of the food they eat actually comes from. At best, you might buy your own groceries and maybe even be able to google some information as to the conditions at the place this food was grown, maybe you're lucky/resourced enough to grow some of your own food in like a garden. At worst you get your food premade and prepackaged and you're even completely divorced from the preparation aspect.

A major symptom of this is clearly shown in dungeon meshi's opening and especially in kabru shuro and even the canaries: when food is taken for granted, it becomes easy to neglect. The party initially wiped simply because they'd not considered how suicidal it was to press onward while exhausted, Kabru is so dissociated and focused that he shuts out most of his own biological signifiers of hunger, Shuro starves himself, equating food with leisure instead of a vital practice to sustain life and energy, and of course there's mister no desires.

It's no mistake that in all of the above cases, it's seemed to be heavily implied that food is either an after thought, or someone else's responsibility, or a simple logistical concern. Senshi's whole rant (in volume 1!!) about "oh the youths of today just buying prepackaged meat wine and bread" is especially tied in to this main theme of "do you know where your food comes from?" By taking it to the next level and asking "do you know why you're eating what you're eating?"

To take a personal side tangent, I was recently diagnosed as diabetic, and it's completely changed my relationship to food on a pretty fundamental level, but I'd say I'd always had a pretty good and healthy relationship with food (after I stopped having an eating disorder but that's a story for another day) so it was an easy enough adjustment to have to start actually thinking about how much of my diet was carbs and things like that, it just became a matter of considering what I was eating and when and why. I'm still not perfect at it and it's still a learning process but I'm working on it.

Anyways, my main theory as to why I've not seen it being pontificated on is just that in general people really hate being asked "do you know what you're eating?" Around these parts in a general fashion, but like, especially with weaponized starvation going on and very real issues of things like food desserts in America, and the fact that we all have to pay for just about every little meal, I think it's important for leftists to contemplate the political implications of meals.

An army runs on its stomach after all. Rant over

[dedicatednotobsessed]

Bound in Fire and Blood [Aemond Targaryen x Reader]

Previous chapter || Series masterlist || Other HOTD stories 

Summary: You are the younger twin sister of Aemond Targaryen and the second youngest child to King Viserys and Queen Alicent. Growing up you were extremely close to your twin brother, practically inseparable and as you continued to grow, you realized your feelings for him were more than just a sibling love….

TRIGGER WARNING: This is a story of incest (obviously, it’s Game of Thrones). It contains strong depictions of sexual content and blood. Please read at your own risk.

Warnings in this chapter: Contains graphic sexual content.

A/N: I feel like this isn’t my best writing and I’m sorry for it being so short 🙈 I hope y’all enjoy though and that it will make up for the last chapter 😘

Chapter Five: The Twin Dragons

Gif does not belong to me 💚

It has been about a week now since your marriage to Aegon and after every night with him, you went to Aemond in tears. Aegon was not gentle in the slightest and you knew how angry it made your twin, but the two of you knew better than to hurt him in any kind of way. He was to be the future king after all, and you his queen.

“Where even is Aegon?” Your brother asked as you sat across from him in his chambers, deciding to have supper with him.

You knew the handmaids gossiped about you going to Aemond’s chambers every night, sometimes hearing their whispers the next morning. You knew it was all a lie though because unlike your husband, you were loyal to him; although your thoughts would more often than not betray you.

“He made up some lie about having to go train,” You replied with furrowed brows while taking a sip of your wine. “He thinks of me as a fool, it seems. I know he went to the street of silk.”

Aemond chuckled a bit at that. “Anyone would be a fool to believe that lie,” He stated taking a sip of his own wine.

You nodded, smiling a bit down at your wine. “Have you been doing well in this last week?” You asked softly. “I’m sorry I haven’t asked, I have been only thinking of myself,” You added, a small frown coming to your lips.

He smiled and shook his head. “You do not need to worry about me, sweet one,” He said softly. “But if you must know, I have been doing okay apart from my sister coming to me battered and bruised every night because of her husband.”

You sighed softly and turned your head away. “I don’t come bruised every night.”

“Last night I counted five new bruises, Y/N. You’re still recovering from the busted lip he gave you two nights ago as well because you tried to fight him while he was drunk.”

“That was my fault. I should not—“

“It is not your fault for what he did to you,” Aemond began as he stood up. He walked around the table and lightly grabbed you by the chin. “Everything that he does to you is not your fault,” He stated, his thumb lightly rubbing over your lower lip.

You closed your eyes as he moved his hand to your cheek. You leaned a bit into his touch, placing your hand over his. You let out a sigh, opening your eyes to look up at Aemond, just looking over his features.

As the two of you grew older, he had really matured into his looks, much like yourself and as you grew older, your feelings for him have only grown. When you were younger, you were not able to understand the feelings you truly had for Aemond, especially since you felt as though your thoughts were shut down because of your betrothal. In this moment between the two of you, however, everything seemed to come to light: the realization that you were truly in love with your twin brother.

You felt your eyes flutter close as you leaned up, suddenly feeling his lips crash against yours. You stood up, your hands moving to the back of his neck without releasing the kiss, his hands moving to your waist.

Aemond released the kiss, leaning his head against yours while you both breathed heavily. “Y/N” He breathed out.

You stared into his eye before reaching up and slowly took off his eyepatch to reveal his blue sapphire. You moved your hands to his cheeks and pulled him back in for another kiss, Aemond pushing his tongue through your mouth a bit roughly as he brought you closer by the back of your neck.

Your hands moved down to undo his vest while his moved to the back of your dress to unlace it. Once you got his vest and tunic off, you worked on his breeches before breaking the kiss to fully get out of your dress.

Aemond slowly turned you when the two of you stood bare in the middle of his chambers, laying gently back on his bed as he pushed you down. He crawled over you, his lips returning to yours in a heated kiss.

You let Aemond take your hands and interlaced your fingers as he took control. He took a pause before slowly entering you, a moan of pleasure passing your lips for the first time. Aegon never cared for what you wanted, but it clearly mattered to your twin brother.

You arched your back a bit the deeper he went in, furrowing your brows a bit. Your moans became louder when he moved his hands to your hips, grabbing them so he could go in further. As he thrusted into you, he started to go a bit rough, yet the moans did not stop.

“A-Aemond,” You cried, sitting up a bit.

Aemond’s eye flickered up to your features and he reached out, grabbing you lightly by the throat. He didn’t stop his thrusting as he gently lowered you down, groans passing his lips.

You couldn’t even tell he was squeezing your throat lightly as he grinded his hips against yours and in that moment you enjoyed it. You didn’t even realize you were about to reach your limit until Aemond let out one final moan and let go of your throat.

The two of you were breathing heavily as he laid his head on your chest, slowly pulling out. He leaned down kissing the top of your left breast gently, his kisses peppering down to your nipple, lightly sucking on it.

You stared at the ceiling, your breath slowly coming back. You looked over at Aemond when he moved off to the side and placed a hand on his cheek. It was dark in his chambers, yet you could still see the glistening of his sapphire.

Aemond looked over you, lightly moving your silver hair behind your shoulder and frowned a bit at the red mark that was already forming around your throat.

“I got a bit carried away, I apologize, Y/N.”

You couldn’t help the laugh that passed your lips and leaned over wrapping your arms around his neck. “You do not need to apologize, my sweet brother,” You began, moving your left hand to his cheek, lightly tracing the scar he had gotten when you were ten years old. “Because I have imagined this night with you for a very long time,” You whispered kissing him once more on the lips.

{tagged readers: @aastridmalfoy || @alexandra-001 || @ateliefloresdaprimavera || @billihill || @bregarc || @chiyausu || @chosogb || @claudie-080102 || @curiouser-an-curiouser || @daddysfavoritesexkitten || @darylandbethfanforever9 || @derzauberermitlilabademantel || @eddies-bat-tattoos || @hansensunshine || @highexpectationsgurl || @l1-l4 || @mendes-bae || @mirandastuckinthe80s || @multitargaryen || @neenieweenie || @princessmiaelicia || @sakuramadae || @thegirlwithoutaname87 || @watermel0nsugarhigh || @whenmypartysover || @xcharlottemikaelsonx || @yckaar || @zgzgzh }

[galaxyshine24-7]

Red Wine 🍷

Silver Bullet Chapter Four Red Wine

TW: Gangs, violence, explosions, drinking

“Woah so they really came in there trying to order Riddle around?!” Ace exclaims as he sits up on the couch. He is able to move around a bit more now that his wounds are healing. It’s been a few days since the encounter with Riddle and Ace still doesn’t believe Yuu no matter how many times they tell him the story. 

“Yeah, and I think he torched the guy right in the middle of my bar.” Yuu rubs their temple. Ace frowns at their expression, he can’t imagine it was a pleasant experience. 

“So did you grow up around NRC?” Ace tried his best to change the subject.

“Yeah, I grew up in an orphanage until I got picked up.” Yuu takes a bite out of their eggs. 

“Oh, I see what were your parents like?” Ace rubs his neck. 

“I can’t remember.” Yuu is glad Ace doesn’t ask any more questions as they need to get ready for the morning. 

Much like Riddle promised the bar looked good as new. The evidence from last night's fight is all but gone. Yuu at least had more time to prepare to open for the day. Grim and Ace come down as well. Ace wants to help now that he feels better, and Grim wants to eat his food in a dish Yuu placed downstairs. At least today should be quiet, the ding of the door chime catches their attention as a familiar green and orange-haired men greet them. 

“Hi, Yuu!” Cater waves. “Good morning Yuu and Ace.” Grim jumps up on the counter as Trey sets down a nicely decorated box. Cater goes over to Ace slinging an arm around his shoulders and and taking a few pictures with him. 

“Hey, Acey glad to see you’re okay, how about a few nice pictures for Riddle.” Cater’s phone flashes as he takes pictures from many angles with an annoyed Ace. 

“Good morning Trey, what can I get you?” Yuu leans against the counter as Trey pushes the box in front of them. 

“Nothing for today, I just wanted to bring you one of my pastries to apologize for last night.” Trey rubs the back of his neck. 

“I see.” Yuu takes the box as Grim sniffs the contents. “Thank you, It's not necessary though.” Yuu is pretty cautious of what could be inside. It's not every day Yuu gets a baked good from a mafia member. Yuu carefully opens up the box to at least see the treat. In all honesty, it looks delicious, it's a warm and fluffy cinnamon bun with the gooiest icing Yuu has ever seen. If they were going to die at least it's by the hands of a sweet mistress. They sniff the bun before taking a small bite. 

“It's so good, thank you, Trey.” Their eyes widen as they take another bite. 

“I’m glad you like it, I didn’t know what you would have liked.” He chuckles.

“Trey bakes the absolute best cakes you should come and try some Yuu, Riddle holds these Unbirthday parties and the food is always to die for.” Cater comes over to the counter. 

“Speaking of parties.” Trey takes out an envelope from his coat handing it to Yuu. “Riddle wanted to know if you could bartend for an upcoming party?” Now Yuu sees what this visit is all about. 

“Trey I know you're just the messenger, but I don’t want any part of the mafia.” Yuu sighs pushing the letter away.  

“Come on Yuu it will be fun and I promise last night’s fiasco won’t happen. The other mafia leaders are all more behaved.” Cater waves off their concern. 

“Cater-” Trey pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“Well if the other mafia leaders of there then I certainly will not be a part of it.” Yuu finishes their bun throwing away the box. “Now I need to open the bar, and unless you need to order anything I prefer you don’t loiter.” Yuu start to put on their work apron. The two men share a look with each other, they then look over at Ace holding a broom. He crosses his arms at them, not going along with whatever they are trying to convey. 

“Please Yuu it would really lighten Riddle’s mood, and help out our members from his anger.” Cater looks them in the eye now. “Plus it will help younger members like Ace.” 

“Cater-” Trey starts.

“You know Riddle is going to want him home soon.” Cater traces his finger along the counter. “I know you have your reservations about us, but we are honest with our word and we do care for our members. You bartending can help keep the Queen at bay and Ace and Deuce will have an easier time.” Cater smiles. 

“Cater don’t-” Ace storms up to grab the other by the shoulder. 

“I’ll do it.” Silence cuts through the room. “But you guys better pay me handsomely.”

Trey nods handing them the letter as they open it. 

Its safe to say Ace is not happy about this arrangement neither is Deuce when he learns about what happened that day at the bar. The two tried for serval days to persuade Yuu against it, but their mind was already made up. Curse their sweet and tender heart, their teachers always said it would be the death of them. Now standing at the center of the lion’s den it couldn’t feel more true. 

The party takes place in the Heartslaybul district in its town hall. It's an old but charming building with a beautiful ballroom done up to the nines with very Heartslaybul-centered decor. Yuu stands behind a sleek bar watching the people come and go. On the surface, it seems like a classy party, but the place is filled with mafia members from all the different gangs around NRC. It's a good thing Yuu always paid attention to Crewel and Trein’s lessons. They are able to pick out different leaders from their descriptions alone. 

First, is Riddle wearing a pristine suit with a long flowing red cape. He has his own throne in the back of the hall with Trey and Cater at his sides. Then there is Leona Kingschalor lounging on a plush couch on the sidelines. The ruthless leader of Savanaclaw looks more like a lazy housecat from this light. His members are the ones that frequent the bar. His clan is mostly beastmen who seem to be a little restless having to be put into stuffy suits. 

Close by is Azul Ashegrotto, owner of the Mostro Lounge and leader of Octavinelle, mingling with any benefactors that are in the facility with the infamous Leech twins at his side. Kalim Al-sim and Jamil Viper leaders of Scarabia stick to themselves, more so Jamil than Kamil. Vil Schoenheit leader of Pomefiore and owner of several entertainment lines appears fashionably late gaining most of the attention from the passerby. Idia Shroud heir to Ignihyde Surveillance Corp. is nowhere to be seen only a tablet following around a robot boy marks his presence. Lastly, there are the members of Diasomnia their leader nowhere to be seen.

Yuu, wouldn’t really care about all these details, but Crewel was insistent on Yuu learning about the world of NRC. It could be a difference between life and death he would always say, but it just seemed dramatic. To think these people are the most feared people in all the district. They all seem to take themselves way too seriously in Yuu’s eyes.

“Hey, I want another drink!” A patron slams their hand on the counter trying their best to stay upright. Cleary drunk and the party just started, Riddle probably won’t be very happy that the partygoers are already getting drunk.  

“I’m going to have to cut you off,” Yuu replies cooly passing them a glass of water instead.

“Bullshit get me another shot!-” A large hand slams the patron's head to the counter. Yuu looks up to see a built young man with spikey white hair and wolf ears scowling down at the rude patron. 

“You’ve had enough now go back to your post before Leona catches you.” The young man growls letting go of the patron that Yuu realizes is from SavannaClaw. Their black and glow armband is placed rather sloppily on their suit. The patron curses under his breath holding his forehead as he walks away. The wolfman sits down in the now vacant seat facing Yuu. 

“Sorry about that.” The man rubs the back of his neck rather sheepishly. His eyes not looking at Yuu directly. 

“It's alright, I’ve had worse. Thank you for stepping in.” Yuu gives him a sincere smile going to pick up a glass. 

“Can I get you anything?”

“Uh no, water is just fine. I’m underage.” 

Huh? He’s not trying to trick Yuu as other teens would do. He seems like a very straight-laced guy, which is a bit weird seeing him in a gang. Yuu fills the glass with ice water handing it to the wolf man who jugs it down. 

“Thanks.” He wipes any loose drops away from his mouth. 

“No problem, what’s your name by the way?” 

“Jack, Jack Howl, and yours?” 

“Yuu, just Yuu.” 

He nods at their answer looking around at the crowd. 

“Do you work for Heartslabyul?” 

“No, I’m just catering for the night.” Yuu starts to clean off an empty glass.   

“Really? They usually only hire their own people for stuff like this.” He raises a brow. 

“Well, I’m a special case I guess.” Yuu sighs. 

“Yuu!” A yell comes from an afar as Ace drapes himself on the counter. “I’ve been standing around for hours I need some nourishment! Please make me a special drink.” He whines as Deuce comes up behind him. 

“Ace if you want nourishment there’s a food table,” Yuu states.

“Like I’m going around any food after the tart incident!” He gets up angrily. “Please you are the only one I can trust!” He dramatically holds Yuu’s hand as they just roll their eyes. “Fine, do you want one too Deuce?” Yuu looks over at him as he gives a sheepish nod. 

“Yes please.” He takes a seat with Ace as Yuu gets to work. As the three of them start to talk to each other. 

“Oh, you Jack Howl right?” Deuce perks up. 

“Yes, I am.” 

“I heard a lot about you, this is your first year doing all this stuff like us right?” Ace adds. 

“Yes, I was chosen to Savanaclaw this year.” Jack takes another sip of his drink. 

“We are the same but got chosen for Heartslabyul.” Deuce puffs out his chest. 

Of course, Yuu gives them non-alcoholic drinks each matching the theme the two Heartslaybul members seem to sport. Deuce got a nice mock Blue Lagoon, while Ace gets a refreshing mock strawberry daiquiri. They don’t waste time sipping on the drinks very satisfied with the results.

“When you say chosen? What do you mean?” Yuu is a little curious about their choice of words. Don’t you choose what gang you want to be in? 

“Well, basically there’s like this whole series of tests you have to take before being accepted to even join the top gangs. It takes place every year.” Ace explains. It did ring some sort of bell. 

“Then you get chosen by the magic mirror like they had back at Night Raven before the place blew up.” Deuce adds. “Then you get sorted in what used to be the dorms of the college, but nowadays it's used to sort people into gangs.” 

“Something about tradition and all that jazz.” Ace waves his hand. 

“I see.” Yuu goes to give someone another drink as the party continues. 

The three boys hang out around the bar chatting with Yuu and trying to stay out of everyone’s way. Thankfully the party went on smoothly and now it was time for the dinner portion. An adjacent room is set up with fine cutlery and pristine white tablecloths. Jack, Ace, and Deuce had to leave at that point so did Yuu as they brought out ingredients to make a large patch of drinks for the partygoers. Riddle gave them many instructions on what to serve and had to taste test all the options Yuu had suggested. Yuu would go around filling up everyone’s cups and serve them any drinks that they so chose as the night went on. The dorm leaders all sat at a table in front of the room having a deep discussion. Yuu takes a deep breath knowing at some point they had to go around the table to get orders. They walk over filling Riddle’s cup first with the drink he liked out of all the options for the party. 

“It seems like RSA needs another reminder to stay in their own territory.” Riddle takes a sip of the glass Yuu just poured, smiling at the taste. 

“I’ve seen many of their noisy brats in my territory as of late, they’re probably plotting something.” Leona sighs taking a bite out of his steak. Yuu fills his cup with a fruity, but altogether heavy alcoholic drink. Leona stares Yuu down as they fill his glass. His eyes drilling holes in their head. Yuu know when they're being examined, it's like a predator looking down on its prey. With a tsk, Leona turns his head back to the conversation letting Yuu continue on to the next person. 

“Honsetly I see no problem with it. RSA people have been coming a lot more often to my businesses allowing the overall raise of NRC’s profits so I see no reason to make such a fuss for now.” Azul adjust his glasses. He turns to give Yuu a smile as they pour him some water. 

“Thank you, dear, Azul Ashengrotto if you ever need anything.” He takes out his business card to hand to Yuu. With a small smile, Yuu takes the card and puts it in their back pocket. They know better then getting involved with Ashengrotto’s shady business practice. They have enough to deal with as it is. 

“Excuse me can I please have that drink?” Kalim points to a yellow and orange drink on Yuu’s tray. 

“Of course,” Yuu replies softly pouring the drink for Kalim. 

“Thank you so much,” Kalim takes a sip at the drink lighting up with a smile. “This is amazing did you make this? I have to invite you to come serve drinks like this at my parties.” 

“Kamil let me try it first, and pay attention.” Jamil shakes Kalim’s shoulder getting him to calm down. Jamil waves off Yuu not wanting a drink of any kind as he tastes Kalim’s. 

“Of course, you would only think about money Ashengrotto.” Vil snaps their fingers to get Yuu’s attention. Very irritating, but Yuu gives Vil a public service smile.

“I want your best champagne.” He orders as Yuu gets out the Champagne bottle from the ice bucket pouring it for Vil. He takes a delicate sip his face soon turning into a scowl. 

“Urgh disgusting give me water.” Yuu pours Vil some water instead as he waves them off. 

Next is the robot boy who tells Yuu they don’t need food or drink. 

“Servanillce of RSA has been pretty normal from my point of view.” The tablet in the robot boy's arms speaks. Then lastly is a strange-looking man with pink and black hair in a weird haircut. 

“Could Malleus not come tonight Lilia?” Azul asks from across the table. 

“He is busy tonight, so I’m here in his stead.” Lilia smiles turning to Yuu. “I’ll have the signature drink of tonight please.” 

Yuu pours Lilia his drink as he hums in delight at the taste.     

“Marvelous, I have to tell Sliver and Sebek about this.” He gives Yuu a playful smile as they go back to standing by the wall. 

“Of all the times to not come even when he was invited.” Leona snarks taking a sip of his drink.

“He is deeply sorry and will make it up next time.” Lilia gives Leona a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “But anyway thank you for the invitation Riddle your parties are always the best.” 

“It's simply my duty to uphold the Queen of Hearts teachings. It's a responsibility I hold dear.” Riddle states raising his glass for Yuu to come to refill it. Yuu does so quickly giving him a good amount before he sets the glass back down. 

“Well it's satisfactory, to say the least, but you could do better with your Champagne collection.” Vil crosses their arms. 

Riddle’s eye twitches at that as Trey and Cater give each other worried looks. 

“But the drink I got is amazing.” Kamil beams. 

“Yes the mixed drinks are very good Vil, you should try some,” Lilia suggests. 

“No, thank you I don’t know what was put in those things.” Vil scuffs. 

“It’s your loss,” Leona smirks jugging the rest of his drink. He leans back in his seat his eyes glancing up at Yuu. 

“Yo, herbivore!” He calls motioning Yuu over to the table. 

Yuu does so by standing by Riddle.

“What’s your name?” 

“Yuu.”

“Did you make this?” 

“Yes, I did.” 

“I don’t remember you getting new members Roshearts.” Leona glares at Riddle. 

“They are simply here to cater, I had a wonderful experience at their establishment.” Riddle smiles giving Yuu a knowing look. 

“Where do they work I would love to visit.” Kamil perks up. 

“The Silver Bullet, a bar downtown in the neutral territory.” Riddle answers sipping his drink. 

“That old place? It’s been closed for years.” Leona chuckles. 

“Well it seems it is open now, such a shame I was hoping to buy that part of downtown for a new business venture.” Azul sighs, glaring at Yuu. 

If the conversation could change the subject that would be great for Yuu’s frantic heart. 

“What’s so great about drinks anyway, let's just finish this I have a busy schedule.” The voice from the tablet, who Yuu guesses is Idia lets out an exacerbated sigh.

“Playing games is not really busy work.” Azul shakes his head. 

“As I was saying we need to respond to RSA actions.” Riddle ahems the group. Yuu could already see a vein starting to pop out of his head. 

“Unless RSA is directly trying to start conflict we best leave it alone. Any direct action could cause a misunderstanding. Besides I don’t need worry lines.” Vil crosses his arms. 

“I agree RSA is a pain to deal with on the regular unless we have more reason to deal with them I recommend not getting involved,” Azul adds.

“ As long as they don't cross the line, we won't either.” Leona leans back in the chair. 

Riddle lets out a sigh at their answers seeing that it was enough for now. 

Yuu thinks for a minute about the information. RSA or Royal Sword Academy is the other side of the coin from NRC. All be it the more shiny and safe side, RSA is the other half of the Grim Court known for its astonishing academy and its resources. Yuu has thought about someday moving to the countryside of RSA and buying a cottage to live out the rest of their days, it just feels right. 

It is common knowledge that the RSA and NRC  do not get along, the feud between them has been going on since the great seven days. The RSA police force and the NRC gangs have been at each other's throats for a long time, however, the conflict has not broken out since the fall of Night Raven College. Since then it's been a few scraps and territory disputes from what Trein would tell them. As long as it didn’t affect Yuu’s daily life it wasn’t their problem, though it did irk them a bit at the consistent fighting its like a bunch of children fighting over toys. At the end of the day, it’s the civilians that suffer.

Since the conversation starts to get heavy at the leader’s table Yuu goes around the room to see who needs drinks. A hand catches their attention as a boy with lavender locks and baby-blue eyes sits at a table with a flamboyant blonde man. Yuu pulls their tray over seeing the boy look away when they make eye contact.

“Excuse me can I please have?-” They whisper in Yuu’s ear very soft and sweet. 

“Of course.” Yuu gets to work making a non-acholic apple martini. Crewel and Sam as taught them many tricks to get extra tips as they showcased them for the table. The blonde man claps each time Yuu finishes a trick until the drink is done. 

“Here you go, sir.” Yuu sets the drink on the table. 

“You can just call me Epel.” He downs the drink letting out a deep sigh. “Thank you that helped a lot.” 

“Beaute! 100 points!” The man yells making the two jump.

“Rook, geez don’t do that.” The boy glares.

“Sorry Monsieur Crabapple, I just couldn't help it. Monsieur Trickster is truly remarkable.” He sings. 

Now Yuu gets a weird nickname? Great, hopefully, they never see this man again. Epel thanks Yuu for the drink as they push the cart to another part of the room.

“Human over here!” Yuu turns to the sound of the voice as does everyone else in the vicinity. A man with bright green hair and an intense stare stands up from his table. Yuu rushes over to him so he doesn’t cause a scene. Next to him is another man, but with silver hair and a sleepy expression.

“Sebek don’t yell it's rude.” The sleepy man yawns. 

“Don’t boss me around Silver! I need to be attentive to Master Lilia’s needs, unlike some people.” He glares, his sharp teeth showing through his scowl. “Human!” He shouts at Yuu again. 

“Y-yes?” 

“I need my glass of water refilled with haste!” He shows Yuu the empty glass holding it out to them. 

“Oh okay.” Yuu fills his glass to the top. 

“Thank you. You may leave now!” He sits back down. 

Yuu walks away quickly glad this party is about to end.

As the night went on the crowd decreased in number until the hall was ready to be cleaned for the night. Yuu washes the bar’s glasses and counters, letting out a stretch at a job well done.

“Hey, Yuu.” Deuce jogs over to the bar letting out deep pants. “I’m ready to take you home.” He rests on the counter’s edge. 

“Thank you again, Deuce.” Deuce is how Yuu got to the venue in the first place. He has a magic wheel he built himself, and it's pretty fast to get around the districts. Yuu makes sure they have their things as they follow Deuce to the parking lot. Yuu couldn’t help but yawn when they stepped out into the cool night air. 

“Tired?” Deuce takes out his keys. 

“Yeah extremely, that was exhausting.” Yuu hops on the backseat of the bike as Deuce gets situated in the front. 

“Thank you for coming, again I don’t think it would have gone smoothly without you.” He starts the vehicle up. 

“No problem-” Yuu gets jerked back as Deuce takes off. Once they get time to settle the ride is rather peaceful as they make it back to the bar safe and sound. 

“Home sweet home.” Yuu sighs getting off the magic wheel. “Thank you, Deuce, have a good night.” Yuu wraps the man in a tight embrace before heading inside. 

“B-bye Yuu…” Deuce stutters.

Yuu doesn’t notice how red Deuce gets as he drives away in a hurry. 

Yuu is greeted by a dark bar and then an apartment when they head upstairs. Grim sleeps soundly on the couch with his food bowl in the kitchen licked clean. With heavy eyelids and sore arms, Yuu takes a quick shower flopping into bed soon after, listening to the sounds of the city.

The ground shakes under Yuu as they jolt awake to the sound of screams and glass falling on the ground. They fall out of their bed hearing the sound of Grim yowling as they scramble to the front room to see the poor kitty hunched in fear. Yuu dashes across the room grabbing Grim under their arm as they hide under the coffee table curling into a fetal position. Grim cries loudly with each shake as it sounds like the world is falling around them. The explosions go on for what feels like hours until it stops. The sound of car alarms and people screaming are all that remain. Yuu sticks their head out from under the table looking around to see if the coast is clear. 

“Grim!” The cat had enough of getting hugged in a tight grip as he escapes from Yuu’s hold. Yuu makes their way out from under the table to follow the feline finding him hiding under their bed. That’s when they look out the window in shock pulling it open to see the towers of smoke rising all across NRC. 

Inspire by Jackplushie's Silver Bullet AU, thanks for reading

[cottoncandy-cult]

Vincent Valentine X Reader

(Y/n) wandered alone in a snowy forest, searching for safety as fast as her icy bare feet could carry her. Her blood was frozen, and her body ached, the only thing that protected her battered form was her under clothing. She could hear yelling not far behind her, her pursuers demanding she stop and shouting threats. She was relieved when after her trek up a steep slope she spotted what looked to be a large, abandoned house, she knew she'd be able to hide easily in such a place and made a b-line for it. Using what was left of her energy to carry herself into it and down to its deepest depths, she was slightly scared to find a coffin but spotted a large empty box with the lid beside it.

Little did she know she was being watched ever since she entered the room, the dark-haired male watching from a crack in his coffin as the battered girl hid in the box and placed the lid on. Her bare and battered form told him she was the victim of something, and that thing became known when he heard the slurred voices of two men entering his home. They shouted obscenities and spit violent threats, the male understood the general situation and emerged from his coffin to wait for them.

(Y/n) watched with wide (E/c) orbs through a gap in the wood as the onyx haired man emerged from his place within the coffin, though she tensed when watching the two men who had attacked her enter the room. The next few moments were a blur, before she knew what happened the two men laid unconscious on the floor. "You can come out now... You're safe." He didn't even turn to look at her, moving to go throw the two men back down the slope. When he came back the (H/c) haired girl stood near his coffin, watching him with hesitant eyes. "Come, we should take care of your injuries." Her (E/c) orbs watched him, despite his appearance he seemed kind he was just quiet. So, she followed him, when he noticed her feet, he scooped her up and began to carry her up the stairs. "Sorry but your feet look like they're in pretty bad shape..." His voiced rumbled softly, making the doe eyed girl blush and nod as she relaxed into his hold.

And that was how she met her best friend, and ever-growing crush.

It had been months since the event, Vincent learned that night that (Y/n) was homeless and the two men were human traffickers who got shut down thanks to a few of Vincent's friends. The quiet man offered to let her stay in one of the rooms upstairs, to show her gratitude she spent any time she wasn't doing something cleaning the place and repairing things. Her father used to build homes when he was still alive, doing everything from construction to electric and water. It wasn't long before she had the place looking nice, though Vincent constantly told her that none of it was necessary. Even still he'd lend a hand, she enjoyed his company even if they were sitting in silence.

Right now (Y/n) was in the kitchen, scrubbing the tile floor to get up all the built-up dirt and debris. "If you keep working so hard, you'll be in bed for days." She could only chuckle at this; Vincent stood leaned against the door frame and watched her. Over time they grew to know each other, discussing even some of their darkest experiences and secrets over a couple bottles of wine. She knew of his past love and the ever-remaining heart ache, so she always tried to stomp out the warm feeling that grew in her chest when he spoke. "True, but at least it will look pretty."

To that Vincent sighed and approached her, offering her his hand. "Come take a break, I used that phone you fixed to call in a few favors to get some stuff done." She almost melted as she gazed up at him, fighting her blush as she took his hand. His eyes glanced over the bruises on her knuckles from cleaning, her hands slightly dry from the work but that only concerned him. Over time he grew fond of the girl, it was similar to what he's felt before but this feeling for (Y/n) tested his self-control. He did well at hiding it though, assisting her up he let go of her hand to both of their dismay.

They then made their way to his room; she had cleaned it up first thing. He still had his coffin, but the room is cleaner and there was some furniture now, one of which being the leather couch she sat on as he prepared their drinks. She knew something was on his mind, as unhealthy as this was it was common thing for both for when they needed to talk. "Is everything ok Vincent?..." His silence was different from usual, it seemed tense.

"Yes just... A bit distracted." He moved to sit by her, passing her a glass as he sipped on his. They sat quietly, she waited for him knowing he was searching for the words he needed. "(Y/n)... Tell me have you ever experienced a strong fondness for someone?" This confused her, was he really asking if she liked anyone? "I do actually... He's out of my reach though as he loves someone else..." She wasn't lying, she was just wrong. To that he simply nodded, taking another sip of his wine. "Vincent... Please tell me what's wrong, you're worrying me..." She moved closer to him and placed her hand on his knee, the tense silence different to her and it made her a bit anxious.

She was surprised when he turned to face her, taking the hand on his knee between his own 2 hands. The look in his eyes was intense, she was unable to hold her blush as he seemed to search for something in her eyes. He seemed to find it as a gleam in his eyes had her leaning into him more, she found herself nestled into his chest as her head rested on his shoulder and her arms were wrapped around his waist. When she realized what she did she went to lean away, only to be stopped when his arms wrapped around her and held her close.

"(Y/n)... I must say I'm pretty fond of you as well..."

[a-world-of-whimsy-5]

A father's anger

Day 1 Prompts: The feast | The chase

For: @feast-of-horns

Rating: M

Pairing: Tulkas/Maedhros

Themes: NSFW / NSFT

Warnings: Kissing | Drinking | Some Sensuality

Wordcount: 1.1 K

Summary: Tulkas and Maedhros discuss Fëanor while they eat and drink during the feast.  

A/n: This takes place after Melkor’s release from Lumbi, where he begins to spread strife among the Noldor and encouraged elves such as Fëanor to reject the Valar and return to Middle-Earth.

Minors DNI | 18+

This is also available on AO3

Nelyafinwë waited until his lord and companion finished pouring a measure of fine wine for him. “I fear my father does not take kindly to my feasting with you, my lord.”

Tulkas regarded the firstborn son of Finwë discreetly, even as he served himself a large measure of mead. Fëanáro—his knuckles white against his goblet—was displeased by the sight of his own firstborn seated among the Valar, beings he was coming to mistrust almost as much as he mistrusted his half-brothers.

“Pray what can he do, Nelyo?” The Vala laughed. He drained his drinking horn in one swallow and poured another measure of mead for himself. “You are your own lord now, and your sire can no longer hinder you from acting according to your own wishes.”

“Such may indeed be the case,” Maedhros returned, wishing he could be as sanguine as his lord when it came to the matter of his father. “But you do not know my father as well as you should. He will have many things to say upon my return; I am certain of it.”

Tulkas took his companion’s hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He could never fully understand the intricate ties within elven families, and the undercurrents that ebbed and flowed around those who claimed others as kin by marriage and blood. He could not offer sage counsel either, for he had neither brother nor sister nor mother nor father, and war was his calling, not soothing a father’s baseless anger.

“Pay no heed to him,” Tulkas said, and he emptied his drinking horn the way he did before.  Then, without warning, he leaned forward and kissed the elf’s neck lightly, his arms holding him in a loose embrace. It was a reflection of his exuberant mood, to be sure, and perhaps, it was also unwise. Fëanáro was already murmuring his misgivings about the Valar; he would not think highly of his son conducting himself in such a brazen manner with one such as him. Still, Tulkas delighted in the way Nelyafinwë’s pulse throbbed like the wings of a hummingbird just beneath his skin, the way he gasped softly when his teeth left their mark on the hollow of his throat, and when his hands slipped around his back and tangled themselves in his hair.

“My father—” The prince began.

"Pay no heed to him," Tulkas repeated and interrupted him, before he sought his lips. His kiss was languid and deep, as if he were savoring all that he had found. Then he drew back and rested his brow against his elven companion’s with a satisfied sigh.

“Your father has taken his leave of us,” Tulkas observed. Fëanáro’s seat lay vacant; the elven lord had departed without saying a farewell to his son. “But if it is his anger that you fear, Nelyo,” he added, his long fingers brushing against the splendid necklace—linked horns of beaten red and yellow gold—Nelyafinwë wore in honor of the feast. Tulkas had given it as a gift. “You can always return to Valimar with me. You need not return to Tirion after this.”

“I thank you, my lord,” Maedhros replied, “but I believe that it is best if I return to Tirion after this.” He smiled when Tulkas pushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear. “Father’s anger will only grow if I stay away for too long.”

“You allow your father to wield too much power over you, beloved.” Tulkas kissed him harder this time, sending a shiver down his back. Nelyafinwë groaned softly and returned his kiss with equal passion; it was as if he had grown bolder in his father’s absence.

“I know, my lord,” he replied when he was able to speak. “But it does not change the fact that he is my father, and I do not wish to distress him in any way.”

“Very well,” Tulkas told him, and he called for another flagon of mead. Nelyafinwë took a deep, steadying breath. The air was already thick with the scents of wine and herbs and roasting meat. Golden yellow flames licked at giant deer while attendants turned them slowly on great wooden spits. Others basted them in honey and spices until the meat crackled. Fire dancers performed tremendous feats to the music of drums, twirling and spinning lit torches around their bodies. Minstrels strummed harps and viols while revelers sang every vulgar refrain they could think of. Nelyafinwë flushed.

“It still amazes me to see elf and Ainu conduct themselves this way,” he observed quietly. An attendant came forth with a platter laden with gammon pies. His mouth watered at the scent.

“Tis the feast, Nelyo.” Tulkas took two for himself and tore into one with both hands. “It frees us from all that restrains us, even for a little while.”

Another attendant offered a large bowl full of strawberries. Some were as large as an elfling’s fist. Nelyafinwë took one for himself and bit into it. Its juice dripped down his chin. When he reached for a square of cloth to clean it, Tulkas stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

“Allow me,” he entreated. Nelyafinwë shivered when he leaned forward and kissed the juice off his skin.

“Save your vigor for the chase, old friend!” Oromë cried from his seat on the dais. “Or your companion may be left wanting.”

“My vigor will not fail me,” Tulkas answered, his eyes bright with good humor. “And do not fear for my companion, my friend. He will not be left wanting in any way.”

Many of the other Valar struggled to conceal their mirth—even the Star-Kindler herself. Nelyafinwë turned a pale pink from cheek to throat, but he smiled all the same. And he was grateful in no small measure for his father not being present to hear it. Fëanáro was a prideful elf. He would not have taken kindly to such talk.  

A breathless hush fell over the revelers, and all who had gathered turned to look when Vána rose after leaning in to whisper to her husband. Her handmaids made haste to follow her when she left her seat on the dais. The others were quick to finish their food and drink, for the Ever-Young left her place to fetch the Valaróma for her lord husband. The chase was almost at hand.

“It is time, beloved.” Tulkas rose as well. He held out his hand and helped Nelyafinwë to his feet. “And I hope you will not mind if I bring you back to the halls after I find you,” he whispered in the elf’s ear. “I would much rather take you in our chambers as always, away from the prying eyes of others.”

“I would like that as well,” Nelyafinwë returned, gratified. Tulkas, as was his wont, would bring him back to the halls after capturing him during the chase. It spared the elf having to explain himself to his father upon his return to Tirion. “But you must catch me first, my lord.”

tags: @cilil @asianbutnotjapanese

[makeitallmarvel]

BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL PAIN Pairing: Druig x Reader Part 2

The day had been fairly productive for you despite your growing anxiety. You couldn’t shake the vision, it was too dark and seemed to cast a shadow behind you wherever you went. Druig left you to your own thoughts all day even though you needed his presence the most. He didn’t always speak the most words but he said everything in his silence. Looking up over your sketch pad you blew that pesky stray hair out of your face to see him walking up in deep conversation with Phastos. The butterflies took flight causing you to smudge your line a little far skewing the entire picture of the trees you were attempting to draw. Sighing in frustration you threw the pad onto the table in defeat. “It didn’t look still that bad to me” Gil chuckled before placing a large plate of piping hot vegetables before you. You rolled your eyes playfully but silently thanked him through the look in your eyes.

One by one everyone found their way to the table to join for dinner. After biting into a soft, warm piece of bread you took a glance to the place in front of you. His deep and intense eyes already peering at you intently as if he was trying to see your soul. Well maybe he could see it. Quickly you grabbed the empty glass to your right and filled it with as much wine as you could get away with before anyone labeled it unusual. Sipping the wine as fast as possible you felt your nerves began to calm in the tingling fires of alcohol. “So Y/N anything we should know about? I thought I heard footsteps in the night. Who’s the visitor?” Kingo wondered causing you to choke on the liquid currently in your mouth. You instantly made eye contact with Druig pleading  for release from the situation. “How are we sure you’re not trying to pawn off your catch of the week on y/n?” Druig asked his tone sharp and slightly condescending. “I mean that is true Kingo. You do have a lot of visitors” Gil stated coming to your defense. You felt as if you could sink into a black hole or maybe you just wanted to. “It’s better than listening to those two all night” Sprite motioned to Ikaris and Sersi. Everyone erupted in laughter giving you the needed break to escape from the table.

Standing by the nearby stream you were able to catch the best view of the sunset. “Gil” you called out softly, “I know it’s you”. He reached out and grabbed your hand squeezing it slightly. “It’s beautiful tonight isn’t it?” He commented opening the conversation you know he came over to have. “Indeed it is. This is my favorite spot to come…think or draw” you admitted. “So I’ve noticed” he smiled, “among other things” he hinted. You groaned throwing your head back. “We don’t have to talk about this” you dismissed attempting to walk away. “I mean it’s just Druig. It’s just …he’s just…you know he’s Druig.” You stammered as you suddenly turned back around facing him letting the words attempt to leave your mouth and make sense. “Why don’t you just tell him you love him?” He offered. “You know why” you nearly whispered your eyes diverting to the ground now as you walked away. “Maybe it won’t happen” Gil said grabbing your hand before you could get too far away. “It’s what I pray for everyday” you confessed.

Night came quicker than expected or maybe that was just your mind that was too busy to notice time changing. You lay on your bed on your back staring at the starlight peaking through the ceiling tile. You always loved that broken piece. Smiling to yourself as you allowed the distraction to take over you the anxiety had seemed to ease. But it was only momentarily. You turned onto your side facing the wall placing your hand on the cold stone. He was there. Right next to you but so far away. It made your heart ache. Well that put it lightly. It made your heart feel as if you were having an active heart attack that wouldn’t stop. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to hold your breath. But when he looked at you, damn. You felt seen. You felt beautiful. “Goodnight” you whispered to the wall as if it would bring him to you.

“Did you say something?” His voice wafted in from the entryway. You inhaled sharply feeling immensely embarrassed. Turning around slowly you saw the familiar outline flowing from the candle that was nearly burnt out. “Yeah uh just you know wishing the world a good night. I do it for the good juju” you tried to explain tucking yourself hair behind your ear. “Well I might have to try that myself. I’ve had enough bad luck to last me my lifetime.” He stated bluntly. You crinkled your eyebrows, your heart taking a punch. “I wouldn’t believe that even if it were true” you encouraged blowing him off with a wave and a smile. Even though it was true. You closed your eyes only for a moment and saw flashes of his face. But it wasn’t his. It didn’t belong to the Druig you knew. This one was scared and in pain. When you opened your eyes again he was gone, but behind him he left the heaviness you felt in your heart.

[unohanabbygirl]

Re: my last ask about forever by your side xFMN crossover.

FMN IS THAT GIRL!! Aemond having to pump himself up out of depression to make Luke fall in love with him again like he’s done a thousand times before but this time he doesn’t have any sort of foundation to lay not even one of hatred. Luke being like wow this guy is in a bad place like me but obviously Luke has his work an problems too so he’s not sure he can help or even should? Don’t put on someone’s oxygen mask before yourself type thing which is obviously so at odds with their Luke who was always so quick to lend a helping hand.

Honestly the independence of Luke even having a favourite movie beyond the types of stories they remember him loving — grown Luke likes horror movies?? He was kind of forever stuck at 14 before so watching them deal which the type of man luke could’ve evolved to for better or worse?? Is such an interesting premise.

Because I imagine they’re not used to Luke remembering arguments and holding grudges from before because obviously their actual experience with him is from when he’s 14 and anxious and eager to please. So I imagine a kind of frustration building with his stubbornness and being like his mom never forgetting a slight (even if Luke is on his best behaviour as a foster kid).

Just the thought of them kind of not liking a Luke that they have to actually confront everyday with their own actions from the day before because for some I imagine a kind of apathy building in (well he’s not going to remember tomorrow so what’s the point of holding back? — cruel but people can become selfish when no consequences are guaranteed) tho I imagine Aemond and Rhaenyra always making sure to never go to sleep angry — so to speak lol

This AU is just so much potential in my mind and thank you for filling it out with your own headcanons from how you understand your AU to work! I love your tumblr lol!

The idea of Aemond taking a week to stuff his face with junk food and cry into his pillow as he comes to term with the man he spent his entire life with not remembering him is actually so devastating. But once Monday comes back around Aemond forces himself out of bed, goes to the gym and listens to every motivational tiktok audio while lifting because he WILL win Luke’s heart. If he could get his husband to fall in love with him each day for over fifty years then he can do it again 😤

I like the concept of everyone getting to know the man Luke would’ve grown to be had his fall from Arrax never happened. Because of his condition the guy was sort of forever trapped in the mindset of an eager to please 14yr old. Never truly growing and evolving as time passed.

“Luke skimmed the small table of treats for the umpteenth time. Taking in the decorative porcelain plates and cups that looked like something Rhaenys would’ve had plated on the rare occasion that her lady friends came over to drink tea and share gossip. A generous helping of a bit of everything for him to pick at; Zested lemon squares topped with fresh cut candied slices, flaky blueberry honeyed biscuits with a side of pepper spiced goat butter, and large pork sausages that were roasted to the point of having that slight charred crisp Luke always preferred when it came to meats of all kinds. To top it all off, a silver goblet of sweet Dornish wine. The very same drink he’d gotten drunk off of the night of Aemond’s little toast.”

These are the same foods served in the same exact ways he enjoyed as a teen despite being in his forties. Of course you’re always going to have that one favorite foods thats had you in a chokehold since a kid, but I don’t even like all of the same foods from when I was that age, so the idea of everything within Luke down to what pleases his tastebuds remaining stuck in time isn’t only sad but sort of eerie.

Even with trying new foods. He could’ve easily found new meals/snacks he loved or came to enjoy foods he once hated. But since he’s stuck in a memory loop Luke was never able to remember these things.

Change is such a normal part of life, but that all changed for everyone once Luke’s condition became clear. In a way they were all trapped in time to a certain degree, so to see that 17 year old Luke is so drastically different is a lot to get used to. I can imagine Luke asking for onions on his burger only for Rhaenyra to be like “you…like onions?” Luke tells her he hated them as a kid but decided to stop being childish once he hit highschool.

The same goes for movies like you said! The Luke they remember was no big fan of scary stories so to see him binge the entire “The Conjuring” universe in one day leaves everyone shocked.

Its odd but fascinating to see how their boy has grown and evolved.

Yes! Oftentimes with Luke’s bad days came arguments and with arguments came hurtful words. Aemond would be so used to Luke’s memory being wiped the next day onwards that once they have their first official argument that doesn’t simply resolve itself over night he’s kinda lost as to how to proceed. Luke is the only romantic partner he’s ever had in both lives so it’s not as though he can pull from past reference for how to settle things with your partner when he’s angry.

I do feel that during arguments hurtful words were exchanged out of no more than the pure frustration of it all. It was a difficult way of living for not only Luke but everyone in his life as well. Its not a far out idea to imagine saying things they knew would sting out of frustration became normal. The difference that comes with this grown version of Luke is that he’s not going to forget those words. He remembers every slight against him and has no problem holding a grudge.

Its truly a learning experience for everyone involved. Learning to get along with and accepting everything about the person you love (including the parts you find you aren’t so fond of) because at the end of the day you’re going to continue loving them more than life itself. I even feel that some people would come to not exactly like the person Luke is, a harsh reality to accept.

But that’s just life, not everyone’s personalities are going to mix well. It doesn’t mean you love them any less, just that they aren’t someone you’d enjoy spending time with if they weren’t your loved one, you know?

I’m happy you enjoy my tumblr. This little corner in the fandom is truly my safe space so it’s heartwarming to know you enjoy it here as well 🥰

[watchinglikeafangirl]

Vegas still confuses me and I think everyone here can't read him at all. Bible is such a good actor to portray him as shady as possible. Everyone is lowkey afraid of Vegas but we hardly see him in action. It's just his vibe and this is always the best writing of a villain. Because we know he's the antagonist without him becoming physically abusive all times we see him. He once tortured someone but that was 7 episodes later but we knew he was fucked up way before.

Every scene leaves us in wonder if there was some truth hidden behind his words or if it was complete bullshit.

What I've collected so far is he wants to be in Kinn's place and is an introvert and I'm gonna dig my own grave here, trying to explain what I mean.

Vegas as in Kinn

Vegas is Kinn's cousin as far as I understood and the mafia family is not working all together because that would be too easy. "Competition makes us stronger" is the very ridicolous motto they all believe in, ignoring the fact it creates a very toxic thus traumatising understanding of family. It's the major family against the minor family and even though they can work together, competition leads to mistrust and jealousy. When you compare yourself to oneanother all your life and your esteem rises when you do something better than the other, you can't help it but be jealous and become obsessed to know every step of the other in order to be able to be better. It's why Vegas showed up at that casino, out of nowhere, and caught the bad guy. He wanted to interfere. Kinn was in the hospital, so it was his time to shine. And it worked. Kinn was pissed.

There's an obsession about Kinn, rooting deep in Vegas' childhood. This obsession makes him insecure and he lost his personality on the way. Vegas defines himself through Kinn, annoying everybody when he points out he is so much better. In the end he craves power and force.

Introvert

Like I said, his obsession leads to insecurities because Vegas second-guesses everything he does. If his father approves, what Kinn's reaction is, what next step he should plan and if he used his power the right way.

Power is a responsibility Vegas is not 100% sure how to handle, so he tries to get Porsche by drugging him just because he can. Of course, it's an abuse of power but Vegas is so much into the competition, he doesn' t care.

But leaving that aside, Vegas screams for attention, he is very loud, but we don't know much about his personality. He is what I call an introverted extrovert because he doesn't share his feelings but talks a lot and causes trouble. He pretends a lot, hides himself behind a wall and even though he defines himself through Kinn, he hates that thought. He dislikes Kinn a lot as much as he doesn't. Very complicated but Vegas plays an obvious role even Porsche sees through.

Coming to episode 9. Vegas is surprisingly calm and many say it's all total bullshit but I think what he said is not untrue. Vegas is not stupid and he knows when he doesn't hear from the major family, something is very off. Shit is about to go down and I think Vegas always walks around with the fear of being killed off by them. The competition is so strong that it keeps him awake at night, thinking about his possible death. "Make it less suffering" because he is afraid. I don't think this was manipulation or something. Porsche is just without much judgement, so Vegas felt like he could tell him that. Yes, he wants their bond to grow stronger against Kinn's will, but at the same time, his thoughts about the situation were still true. Vegas is allowed to be scared, why not. And this scene felt different. It wasn't that flirty because I think Vegas just is like that. Drinking wine and saying "I'm thankful I can tell you". This scene somehow felt like him drawing a line, they will stay in the friendzone. With Pete he was just as calm which frightened Pete a lot but Vegas tries to change his life a bit. He obviously caught on the vibes between Kinn and Porsche, episode 7 was a statement indeed, and I feel like he wants to have a personality again. That's why he doesn't want what Kinn has, but what he wants. And this person is Pete.

But still, I don't know. This man is a mystery lol

[annieintheaair]

Love didn't hurt you, somebody who didn't know how to did.

One of my coworkers started calling me "Annie the Bright". She thought it would be fun to come up with Viking names for everyone and she settled on that one for me. Last night, she messaged me with this image:

I was so touched by her sending that because it made me realize how people see me at work. Even on my worst days, I do my best to bring the light to work. I think sometimes that's what I like about going to work-- getting to be this person that I don't get to be all of the time.

My job has taught me a lot about faking happiness even when I'm not. I've had so many days at work where I want to cry and I've somehow managed to hold it all together and spread happiness amongst my coworkers and passengers. Sometimes, faking happiness actually makes you feel happier.

Last night I went to dinner with my sister and her family for my niece, Lucy's birthday. By the time I got home, I was ready for a glass of wine so I took a shower, put on my pajamas, and then watched TV and drank wine until around 11pm. I always feel like I should go to bed early on the nights when I'm home but then I can't and it's probably better that I don't so I can stay on schedule when I'm at work.

This morning I had a quick meeting with my coworker for my side job and then got some work done before running errands around town. I had been craving a poké bowl all weekend so I finally made it to the poké place to pick up one for lunch.

It has been a pretty chill afternoon, watching TV, and working, and I even squeezed in a nap. After a few nights off, I go back to flying tonight but only for one night before May kicks off with lots of trips.

I've had a lot of time lately to focus on things that are important to me and think about my life goals. I've done a lot of reflecting, too. I was thinking the other day about how sometimes we want answers. We want to know the truth about everything because we feel like if we know, we can learn. While I was able to get closure from Dan exactly two years ago today, sometimes closure comes in other forms.

There will be people in your life who will hurt you and then think it's not enough and try to hurt you even more. For years, I wanted to know the truth about James and why he left the way he did. The reality is, I'm certain that he cheated on me and was too much of a coward to admit it so he ran away and disappeared instead of actually facing the consequences of his actions. I tried to ask him last week and the silence I received in return was a confirmation of everything I had suspected. I don't think he wants to hurt me anymore and is afraid that the truth will hurt me all over again. Maybe, it's best that I don't hear it from him. I thought about wishing him a happy birthday today but then decided against it.

In my 34, almost 35 years, I know what love is. I think a lot of people think they know but they really don't. Maybe not knowing isn't entirely their fault. Maybe they didn't grow up ever feeling like anyone loved them or always kept their distance to prevent themselves from feeling anything. Maybe Todd thought he loved me but actually didn't because he didn't know what it was.

Love is a choice and it's unconditional. Despite everything Dan and I went through over the years, even long after we had broken up, I never stopped loving him. He knew everything about me and loved me anyway and I felt the same about him. I know he meant it when he said it. He grew up with kind, amazing parents. When he passed away, I wrote a letter to his parents and his mom wrote back to me. I'll probably keep that letter forever. It feels like the last string left holding me to him. In my letter to them, I told them that I always loved him, which was the truth. Regardless of everything, part of me would always love him, even if just as an old friend.

I actually feel sorry for people like Todd who may never know what love really is or how to make a relationship work. Even though I'm angry and honestly kind of ashamed and embarrassed that I ever wasted my time with him, I do feel bad for him. I tried to love someone who could never love me back because they simply didn't know how to. I think that's my weakness sometimes -- wanting so badly to show others love so that they can experience it, too. I desperately wanted him to know what it meant to love someone and for once in his life, experience the feeling of being loved.

Right now, I'm enjoying this time to myself, free from a relationship, where I can just be me and do anything I want to do, without having to consult someone else. Maybe, in the future someday, I'll meet someone who knows what love is and can give it back to me the same way I've always given it to others.

xoxo

Annie

[hassingberman37]

Professional Stain Elimination Methods for Franklin, Tennessee Properties

Deep Cleaning up Joy: The Best Help guide to Carpets and rugs and fabric Attention in Franklin, TN The ability of carpeting and fabric washing is normally neglected inside the Upholstery Cleaning Franklin people. Nevertheless, every single day, your plush carpets and rugs and cozy settees harbour life's very little messes, from places of spilled coffee to the dirt and grime of every day foot visitors. For the city-dweller who cherishes a pristine home, here's all you need to know plus more about carpeting and upholstery proper care within the treasure of Tennessee. The Scientific research of Stains Before we start into the cleansing strategies that can revitalize your living areas, it's important to understand the opponent: staining. Varieties of carpets and rugs and material behave differently to various spots, through the well known red-colored vino spill towards the secretive pet accidents. Figuring out the blemish as well as the substance is step one to profitable elimination. Common Staining and the way to Deal with Them Here are the most popular staining Franklin, TN homeowners come across, and also the very best strategies for overcome: •Gourmet coffee and Green tea: For such tannin-based spots, you'll need a mix of vinegar, dish detergent, and drinking water. Dab the perfect solution on the blemish and blot using a nice and clean cloth. •Animal Pee: An enzymatic cleanser is the perfect option for removing evidence of accidents. Apply liberally leaving for a number of minutes or so before blotting aside. •Red Red wine: That old sodium secret is actually a belief. As an alternative, mixture peroxide and recipe cleaning soap, implement, and protect by using a fabric or papers bath towels. Follow up with drinking water along with a gentle towel rub. Professional or. Build-it-yourself Washing Expert services can also work secret, but Do-it-yourself approaches will save money and time. The trick is understanding when you ought to make that call. When you should DIY If you're dealing with a small, recent leak, pick up a clean material as well as a home made remedy. Speedy activity can stop the mark from establishing. When you should Get in touch with the benefits For bigger spots, more advanced splatters, or typical serious-washing needs, a specialist services is the greatest plan of action. They have got the instruments, skills, and time to be sure that your carpets and upholstery are thoroughly cleansed. Deciding on the best Cleansing Support Its not all cleaning up providers are created equal. Some may offer rock and roll-bottom part price ranges but use tough chemicals that will damage your fabric. Here's things to look for in a good quality cleaner: •Eco-Friendly Options: In Franklin, TN, a growing number of services are environmentally aware, offering environmentally friendly cleaning up alternatives. •Expertise and Track record: Check out critiques and request referrals. An extended-standing reputation in the community is probably the very best signs of support quality. •Pricing Visibility: The estimate you get over the phone should be near everything you spend about the closing monthly bill. Stay away from solutions that add additional charges for regular procedures. •Guarantees: A company that holders by its utilize a total satisfaction ensure is certainly one that you can trust. Furniture Maintain Enhanced Ease and comfort Just like your rugs and carpets, your upholstery is a substantial purchase. Standard care not just makes certain a brand new area but also prolongs the lifestyle of your own furnishings. In-between Cleansing Proper care Vacuuming your settees and recliners regular is able to keep them hunting new. A hand-held vacuum using a remember to brush connection is great for upholstery. Schedule Skilled Cleansing At least one time each year, have your upholstery professionally cleaned out. This maintains the material's sincerity, specially in higher-use regions. The Very Last Feel on Franklin Elegance For that people of Franklin, TN, remarkable carpets and rugs and upholstery are more than just home care—it's a statement. You don't must be a specialist solution to savor luxurious environment you need to simply learn. By discovering the right cleaning up approach and associates, your space can remain as vibrant and comfortable because the metropolis you get in touch with property.

[elsannasecretsanta]

gift for asksillysisters

It was December, and that meant it was cold. Very cold. Elsa, naturally, loved this. She was thriving.

It was a Friday, and that meant it was date night, and she and Anna would be celebrating Christmas together - dinner, visiting their parents’ graves, opening each other’s presents, drinking tons of wine, and watching shitty but cute Hallmark Christmas movies.

“Come onnnnn, Elsa!” Anna yelled from downstairs, losing her patience by the minute. She was already dressed up in her formal suit attire - always one to go out with perfect fashion sense.

Elsa, on the other hand, struggled to even wear clothes most days. This time, she wanted to impress Anna, so she searched her closet deeply, every inch and corner, to find the perfect dress.

She had already done her makeup in the way Anna had showed her. Anna was always more elegant and girlish than the blonde, so there were many feminine things Anna had shown her in her adult age.

“A-ha!” Elsa exclaimed as she found the perfect dress and held it up to the light.

It was a light, solid blue, with lace shoulders that extended all the way to her wrists. It had an open back, and extended past her knees. She threw it on wickedly fast, and she was surprised by how comfortable it was. She didn’t think she had ever worn this dress, and was definitely sure Anna had never seen it.

She put her hair in a braid as quick as lightning, and was ready to go.

“Elsa!” Anna yelled as soon as she left their bedroom. “Finally.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine; I’m just very excited. You know how I love Christmas.”

As Elsa stepped into the light from the dark hallway, Anna gasped.

“Woah! Elsa! Damn you look hot. You look amazing, what the fuck?! How long have you had this dress?”

Elsa blushed and withdrew into herself. She felt like a middle school girl when it came to Anna - who was so genuine, so willing to compliment, so careful and gentle with her love. Elsa felt that Anna deserved better than anything she’d be able to provide; she’d be lucky to give half of what Anna gave to her.

“I thought you would like it,” Elsa said quietly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“I love it!”

***

Their reservation was a really nice place in the heart of downtown Chicago. It was called ‘The Palm’, a new place they were trying out. They tried to go to a new upscale restaurant for Christmas. This would be their third Christmas together - as a couple; not including their Christmases while they were growing up.

They were served quickly and Elsa ordered their most expensive wine. She allowed herself this one treat, every year, saving up all year for this one special occasion.

“Oh, yes, Elsa the sommelier,” Anna remarked, trying her best to pronounce the French word.

“It’s just right for the occasion.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t!” Anna joked, and gave Elsa her best smile. Her teeth were white and perfect, something Elsa always envied about her. “Honestly, we should get fucked up tonight, like old times.”

Elsa reminisced on their Christmases together in high school and college. Many years they went to Christmas parties, and many years they hosted their own parties. Every year, they would get blacked out, cross-faded, or something along those lines, ending up doing crazy shit together in the middle of the night with their friends. They probably weren’t the best friends on Earth - maybe people they shouldn’t have even hung out with - but the memories they all made together were cherished in Elsa’s middle-aged mind.

“Perhaps,” Elsa replied, teasingly. “What’s in it for me, though?”

“Um, you get to be drunk with the sexiest woman on the planet?”

Elsa turned away quickly, her smile lingering, and she pretended to look around. “Oh? Is she here tonight? Where is she?”

“Oh, please. You’re luckier than you’ve ever comprehended.”

Elsa turned back to look at the redhead, extending her hands out, which Anna graciously accepted with her own. “Oh, Anna. I love you. I know I’m the luckiest person ever every single day. But I don’t think my intestines can handle the way we once partied anymore.”

“You chicken. Kidding! Of course. I love you too, Els.”

***

After their dinner, they visited their parents’ graves, as per tradition. Elsa knew that other people found it sad that they did this on Christmas, but to her, it was a way of including her parents in their celebration of Christmas. It was nice, not depressing.

Their parents were buried together in a cemetery outside of the city, where it was peaceful and quiet.

“Ol’ Aggy and Iduna!” Anna exclaimed. “Merry Christmas!”

She laid down the roses they had bought for them on top of their graves.

“Don’t say ‘Aggy’, Anna.”

“I don’t hear him complaining about it.”

Elsa huffed but didn’t respond. She stood there in silence as she thought to herself. She missed them, of course, but mostly she wondered where they were, or if they were looking down upon the girls now, as she often wondered. What would they think? What would they say?

She knew that they had always wanted them to be successful and live their lives to the fullest - not to incessantly wonder about them. It was hard, though. She loved them very much.

“Okay,” Elsa said finally, and she looped her arm through Anna’s, who escorted her towards the gazebo. They always walked the trails of the cemetery, taking in new things each time they visited.

The gazebo was lit with fairy lights, which Elsa remarked in her mind, because she couldn’t remember exactly if they were there before, or if she forgot about them. She looked out over the field. Oak trees were large and demanding of attention, and the graves were all surrounded by grasses, moss, and trees. It was really a beautiful sight to behold.

“Elsa,” Anna said softly.

“Yes?” Elsa said, turning around - only to find Anna kneeling with one knee on the floor. “What are you doing?”

Anna looked up expectantly at her, a huge smile on her face. “Elsa, my wonderful sister, my beautiful partner, my one-and-only, moon of my life. Will you marry me?”

Elsa started laughing, but ceased when she saw the expression on Anna’s face. “What? Are you serious?”

“Yes! Why wouldn’t I be, Els?”

“Annnnaaa. You know we can’t get married.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re sisters.”

“So?”

“So… that’s not in the cards for us.”

“It could be. You always play so carefully by the rules. You listen to what everyone tells you about what you can and can’t do. Why can’t we be married? I love you, Elsa. I love you more than words can say. I love you more than any love song has ever tried to convey. I couldn’t imagine a life without you, and I want you to be by my side every step of the way. We can’t be legally married, sure. But you could still be my wife, however that works, whatever way we want it to be. Besides, how could I not propose to you with that dress on? Please say ‘yes’; my leg is getting tired.”

“Anna, in what universe would I say ‘no’ to you?”

“Hopefully not this one!”

“Yes, Anna, yes, I will marry you, whatever way it is or will be. I love you; I’ll always love you, for all of my days.” Elsa started tearing up, while Anna was sobbing as she jumped up and put her entire body around Elsa, and with great strength, lifted her up and spun her around.

They both devolved completely into tears and laughter, and kissed each other long and hard, passionately yet gentle.

***

A few hours after they had gotten home, watched a shitty Hallmark Christmas movie, and blasted themselves with wine, they were exchanging gifts between them.

Some gifts were from friends and other family, but for the most part, they were gifts to each other.

Of course, the biggest gift this year was the engagement ring. It was golden, with an emerald in the middle, adjourned with amethysts running along the band, twisting about with a golden vine that protruded out of the gold and back into itself at the other end.

“I love this ring,” Elsa said suddenly, in her wine-drunk stupor. “It’s perfect.”

“Yeah, I have pretty good taste, huh?”

“I want to get you one. You deserve one, too.”

“Surprise me, then.”

Soon they were climbing into bed (at ten P.M. like the old people they were), cuddling and stealing a few kisses from each other.

Anna broke the silence, quietly. “How great was this Christmas, Els?” she whispered.

“Amazing. Best one yet. It’s going to be difficult to outdo this one in the future.”

“Yet in the future Christmases, you’ll be my wife. That’s pretty awesome.”

“Yeah. It is. I love you so much, Anna.”

“I love you, too, Elsa.”

[database54]

The Best Argentina Phone Numbers to Know!

With over forty million people,Argentina Phone Number List Argentina is the second largest country in South America and the eighth largest in the world. The country is known for its rich culture, its beautiful scenery, and its delicious food. If you're planning a trip to Argentina, or if you're already there, it's important to know the best Argentina phone numbers to know. The first phone number you should know is 911, which is the number for emergency services. If you have an emergency, don't hesitate to call 911. The second phone number you should know is the number for the Argentine consulate in your country. This is the number to call if you have any problems while you're in Argentina. The third phone number you should know is the number for the Argentine embassy in your country. This is the number to call if you need help with anything while you're in Argentina. Whether you're planning a trip to Argentina or you're already there, it's important to know the best Argentina phone numbers to know. With these three phone numbers, you'll be able to handle any emergency that comes up while you're in the country.

1. Argentina is a South American country with a rich culture and history.

Argentina is a country located in the southern part of South America. It is the eighth-largest country in the world by area and the fourth-largest by population. Argentina is a federal republic consisting of twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city, Buenos Aires. The country is divisible into seven geographic regions: the Andean North, the humid Pampas in the center, the dry Chaco in the north, the Cuyo west of the Andes, the Patagonia south of the continent, and Tierra del Fuego archipelago at the southern tip. Argentina has a rich culture and history. The country's diverse landscape and climate have allowed for a variety of different cultures and traditions to develop over time. Argentine cuisine is heavily influenced by the country's European heritage, with dishes such as empanadas and churrasco being popular staples. Argentine music is also very diverse, with genres such as tango, folk, and rock all being prevalent. Argentina is a country with a lot to offer. Its rich culture and history make it a great place to visit, and its diverse landscape means that there is something for everyone. Whether you're interested in exploring the country's cuisine, music, or history, Argentina is sure to have something for you.

2. The country is home to some of the best wines in the world.

Argentina is home to some of the best wines in the world. The country's climate and soil are perfect for growing grapes, and Argentine wine producers have taken advantage of this to create some truly impressive wines. Whether you're looking for a robust red to pair with a steak or a crisp white to enjoy with seafood, Argentina has a wine to suit your taste. And, thanks to the country's growing reputation for producing high-quality wines, you can now find Argentine wines in many shops and restaurants around the world. So, if you're looking to try something new, why not open a bottle of Argentine wine next time you're having friends over for dinner? Your guests are sure to be impressed.

3. Argentine wines are known for their intense flavors and perfect balance.

If you're looking for a great wine to pair with your next meal, look no further than Argentine wines. These wines are known for their intense flavors and perfect balance, making them a perfect choice for any palate. From the rich and complex Malbecs to the vibrant and fruity Torrontes, there is an Argentine wine out there that will suit your taste. So, what are some of the best Argentine wines to know about? Here are three that are sure to impress. The first is the Malbec. This wine is made from the Malbec grape, which is native to the region. The wines made from this grape tend to be full-bodied with a deep, rich flavor. Malbecs are perfect for pairing with red meat or robust cheese. If you're looking for a white wine, the Torrontes is a great option. This wine is made from the Torrontes grape, which is also native to Argentina. The wines made from this grape are typically light and refreshing, with a fruity flavor. Torrontes is a great choice for pairing with fish or poultry. Finally, there is the Bonarda. This wine is made from the Bonarda grape, which is native to Italy. However, the wines made from this grape in Argentina tend to be very different from those made in Italy. Argentine Bonardas are typically full-bodied and robust, with a deep, complex flavor. They are perfect for pairing with red meat or strong cheese. So, there you have it: three of the best Argentine wines to know about. Whether you're looking for a red, a white, or a sparkling wine, there's an Argentine option that will suit your taste. So, next time you're at the store, pick up a bottle of Malbec, Torrontes, or Bonarda and enjoy a taste of Argentina.

4. The country is also home to stunning landscapes and ambitious outdoor activities.

The country is also home to stunning landscapes and ambitious outdoor activities. From the glaciers of Patagonia to the Iguazu Falls, there is no shortage of natural beauty to explore in Argentina. For the more adventurous traveler, the country offers opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, and even climbing some of the tallest peaks in the Andes. No matter what your interests are, there is something for everyone in Argentina.